Ertuğrul Gazi, known as the father of Osman Bey, who would later establish the Ottoman Empire, is the leader of one of the first Turkish raiding tribes to come to Anatolia. Even though we know little about his life, he is an important figure in our history in terms of representing one of the first steps taken by the Turks to Anatolian lands.
After the Battle of Manzikert, which was won by the Great Seljuk State under the leadership of Sultan Alp Arslan in 1071, the gates of Anatolia were opened to the Turks forever. Of course, as the door opened, these lands were not filled in an instant. After the establishment of the Anatolian Seljuk State raider Turkish tribes started to come to Anatolia from Central Asia gradually. The leader of one of the first raider tribes to come was Ertuğrul Gazi.
We do not know much about Ertuğrul Gazi’s life because few sources written about him were written after his death. However, we know that he is the father of Osman Bey, who founded the Ottoman Empire, which would later turn into a huge empire. Let’s go through what’s been told so far Who is Ertugrul Gazi? Let’s take a closer look.
Who is Ertuğrul Gazi, the leader of one of the first Turkish tribes in Anatolia?
Ertuğrul Gazi, also known as Ertuğrul Bey, was born in the Turkestan region of Central Asia in the early 1200s, although it is not certain. After the death of his father, Süleyman Shah, who was the leader of the Kayi tribe of the Turkish Oghuz He went to the head of the neck and came to Anatolian lands. His son Osman Bey later founded the Ottoman Principality. Although not certain, Osman Bey had a tomb built for Ertuğrul Gazi, who died in Söğüt in 1281.
The Mongol raids made the Turks weary:
The early years of the 13th century were one of the fastest periods of the Mongol Empire led by Genghis Khan. The struggle with the Mongols terrorizing the Central Asian steppes it had become increasingly harassing the Turkish tribes in the region. After the Kösedağ War between the Anatolian Seljuk State and the Mongols in 1243, the Turks had a chance to get rid of the Mongols.
Before and during this period, the borders of the Anatolian Seljuk State were on the territory of today’s Eskişehir. The Seljuks, who follow the thousands of years old Turkish state tradition, also He wanted to establish border principalities. The best move would be to settle Turks who had already grown up with raiding traditions in Central Asian lands. Already, Ertuğrul Gazi and Kayı tribe were already there.
With Ertuğrul Gazi, Central Anatolia becomes the Turkish homeland:
The Turks, led by Ertuğrul Gazi, came to Anatolia to get rid of the Mongol oppression. Beyond the borders of the Anatolian Seljuk State, but Before entering the Iznik Empire They settled in the Sultan’s Hill, the region in between, that is, in today’s Eskişehir. When and how all this happened, we do not have a definitive source.
If we look at what is told in the History of Ruhi, it was under the leadership of Ertuğrul Gazi or his father. a tribe of about 340 individuals, He settled in the Karacadağ region, which is near present-day Ankara. Meanwhile, a war was taking place between the Anatolian Seljuk State and the Iznik Empire. Of course, Ertuğrul Gazi would fight on the side of the Turks.
The raiders led by Ertuğrul Gazi fought together with the Seljuks:
Between 1222 and 1230, Sultan of Anatolian Seljuk State Alaeddin Keykubad I and Iznik Emperor III. between John, the border regions There were intense clashes in Eskişehir and Ankara. Ertuğrul Gazi, who joined the army with his soldiers to support the Seljuks, played a major role in the siege of Karacahisar Castle.
The siege of Karacahisar Castle is considered an extremely important conquest in terms of both Turkish history, Anatolian history and Anatolian Seljuk history. It is noteworthy that the Turks who fled from the Mongols found a new homeland. It also shows that the Turks have fully settled in Anatolia and set their sights on the west.
Ertuğrul Gazi, who won the favor of Alaeddin Keykubad I, was given the task of raider. The Battle of Yassıçemen between the Anatolian Seljuk State and the Harzemshahs and Ertuğrul Gazi, who played an important role during the Kösedağ War with the Mongols, was given Söğüt as a winter quarter and Domaniç region as a highland.
What is known about the later period is somewhat mixed:
This period is a bit complicated in the history of Ruhi, the narrations by Neşri and the narrations by Aşıkpaşazade. In fact, some sources state that some of the events took place during the time of Osman Bey. However, it is known that when Karacahisar was lost after the death of Alaeddin Keykubad I, the Ertuğrul Gazi region agreed with the Christian lords and did not fight.
In a different story, Ertuğrul Gazi and the neck led by the Aras River It is said that he settled in Sürmeli Çukur and Karacadağ region. Iznik Emperor III in the army of Alaeddin Keykubad I. They fought against John. When the Mongol attack increased, Alaeddin Keykubad I withdrew to Konya and Söğüt and Domaniç were given to Ertuğrul Gazi.
Curious about Ertuğrul Gazi: His wife, children, sheikh and father
Since our information about Ertuğrul Gazi is the information recorded after his death, what we know about him is also very limited. It is said that his wife or one of his wives is Halime Sultan. His known children are Gündüz Bey, Saru Batu Savcı Bey and Osman Bey.
The probability of his father being Süleyman Shah is quite high, but there is a possibility that Süleyman Şah may also be the grandfather of Ertuğrul Gazi. It is not possible to say for sure whether he was the sheikh of Ertuğrul Gazi. however, Ertuğrul Gazi may have met with Şeyh Edebali, who was influential in the region during the period when the Turks came to Anatolia. Sheikh Edebali is already Osman Bey’s father-in-law, so it is highly likely that they met.
The memory of Ertuğrul Gazi and its place in culture:
The frigate, which was built in 1853 for the navy of the Ottoman Empire, was named Ertuğrul Frigate. The ancestor of the first Turks in Anatolia is honored. Ertuğrul Gazi Mosque was built in the city of Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, in 1998. There are many mosques with the same name in our country.
In the 12-episode Establishment Osmancık series, which was broadcast on TRT 1 screens in 1998, In the TV series Diriliş Ertuğrul, which was broadcast on TRT 1 screens between 2014 – 2019 and in the Establishment Osman series, which started broadcasting on ATV screens in 2019; Ertuğrul Gazi character is included.
The leader of one of the raiding Turkish tribes that came to Anatolia first. Who is Osman Bey’s father, Ertuğrul Gazi? We talked about the details about his life by answering his question. The fact that the historiography in our nation is so weak can sometimes be frustrating.