Muʿīn al-Dīn Sulaymān Parwāna (), simply known as Parwāna (; died 2 August 1277), was a
Persian statesman, who was for a time (especially between 1261–1277) a key player in
Anatolia
Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...
n politics involving the
Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm, the
Mongol Ilkhanate and the
Mamluks under
Baybars.
Biography
Mu'in al-Din Suleiman was the son of Muhadhdhab al-Din Ali al-Daylami, a
Persian from
Kashan
Kashan (; ) is a city in the Central District (Kashan County), Central District of Kashan County, in the northern part of Isfahan province, Isfahan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district.
History
Earlies ...
, who served as the
vizier
A vizier (; ; ) is a high-ranking political advisor or Minister (government), minister in the Near East. The Abbasids, Abbasid caliphs gave the title ''wazir'' to a minister formerly called ''katib'' (secretary), who was at first merely a help ...
to the
Seljuq Sultan Kaykhusraw II in 1243 at the time of the
Battle of Köse Dağ. Raised in a time of trouble after the
Battle of Köse Dağ and having received a good education, Suleiman Parwana become commander of
Tokat, and later
Erzincan. He was appointed, by
Mongol commander
Bayju's recommendation, as chamberlain to the
Konya
Konya is a major city in central Turkey, on the southwestern edge of the Central Anatolian Plateau, and is the capital of Konya Province. During antiquity and into Seljuk times it was known as Iconium. In 19th-century accounts of the city in En ...
palace of Seljuks sultan of Rûm, then vassals of the Mongols. He married Kaykhusraw's widow
Gurju Khatun and became the undisputed master of the declining state, making a name as a great intriguer. His title ''
parwana'' means "personal aide of the sultan".
After Kaykhusraw’s death and the ensuing dispute among his sons for the throne, the Parwana supported
Kilij Arslan IV and succeeded in having him declared as the successor. In the same period, he also took
Sinop and twelve surrounding castles from the
Empire of Trebizond and the region was accorded to him and his family as an
iqta. His growing power made him worry that the sultan Kilij Arslan IV might want to eliminate him and he took the initiative by having the sultan strangled in
Aksaray in 1265. The throne was succeeded by Kilij Arslan IV's minor son
Kaykhusraw III (1265–1283).
During the Mamluk-Ilkhanid War and especially after the Mamluk hand had strengthened under Baybars, Parwana's policy was characterized by multiple allegiances, all at the same time wishing to keep all his options open. According to
Ibn Shaddad, when
Baybars came to
Syria
Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
in 1275, Parwana played a pivotal role in dissuading him from his plans for invading the Anatolian heartland and directed him rather towards raids in the
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, persuading him to leave the territories of his sultanate to the following year. But neither did he enjoy the Ilkhan
Abaqa's full confidence and the successes of Baybars had brought insipient anti-Mongol feelings among Seljuk notables, led by the Seljuk governors of
Diyarbekir,
Harput and
Niğde, to the fore.
In 1277, Baybars entered the Seljuk sultanate and on 18 March, overcame the Mongol army in
Elbistan, while Parwana, who was in command of the Seljuk contingent expected by both Baybars and the Mongols, took flight to Tokat along with the young sultan. Baybars made a triumphal entry into
Kayseri
Kayseri () is a large List of cities in Turkey, city in Central Anatolia, Turkey, and the capital of Kayseri Province, Kayseri province. Historically known as Caesarea (Mazaca), Caesarea, it has been the historical capital of Cappadocia since anc ...
on 23 April and then returned to Syria. At the news of his troops' defeat, Abaqa hastened to Anatolia (July 1277) and sternly punished the Seljuk Turks, sources citing massacres of tens of thousands of people. Deeming him responsible for Baybars's foray into Anatolia, Abaqa also had Parwana killed on 2 August 1277.
The story that Abaqa forced his subjects to eat the flesh of the Parwana has its origin in Armenian history of
Hetoum.
His son Mehmed Bey took over the family possessions around Sinop and pursued a prudent policy of allegiance to the Mongols, which was also pursued under his son Mesud Bey's period as Bey. Mesud Bey was kidnapped by the Genoese in 1298 and was held for a heavy
ransom
Ransom refers to the practice of holding a prisoner or item to extort money or property to secure their release. It also refers to the sum of money paid by the other party to secure a captive's freedom.
When ransom means "payment", the word ...
. The last representative of the Parwana's line was probably the
Gazi Chelebi, a notable pirate who ruled Sinop in the first decades of the 14th century.
Monuments

Several foundations of the Parwana survive. In Sinop the
Alaeddin Camii stands on the site of the former cathedral, which sometime after 1214 was converted into a mosque by
Kayqubad I. The present structure was built ''de novo'' by the Parwana in A.H. 666 (1267-68 C.E.). The nearby Alâiye Medrese, sometimes called the
Pervâne Medrese, was completed the same year. In Tokat he built the so-called
Gök Medrese in 1277. Founded as a hospital and medical school, the building now houses a museum. A nearby Seljuq style hamam is attributed to him although no inscription survives. There is another mosque of the Parwana in
Merzifon
Merzifon is a town in Amasya Province in the central Black Sea region of Turkey. It is the seat of Merzifon District. .
Recently the archaeological remains of a medrese founded by the Parwana came to light within the compound of the closed bazaar of
Kayseri
Kayseri () is a large List of cities in Turkey, city in Central Anatolia, Turkey, and the capital of Kayseri Province, Kayseri province. Historically known as Caesarea (Mazaca), Caesarea, it has been the historical capital of Cappadocia since anc ...
. The medrese was partially excavated in 2002.
See also
*
Pervâneoğlu
References
Bibliography
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pervane
1277 deaths
People from the Sultanate of Rum
Year of birth unknown
13th-century Iranian people
Rumi