I. Beyazıt (1354-1403) was the fourth Ottoman Sultan. He earned the nickname "Yıldırım" (Thunderbolt) because of his ability to swiftly move his forces from Anatolia to Rumelia or vice versa at lightning speed.
During his youth, he received an excellent education. He joined the Ottoman Empire when he married Devlet Sultan, the daughter of the Germiyanid ruler, bringing her territories as part of her dowry.
Yıldırım Bayezid was sent to govern the province of Kütahya, where he distinguished himself by participating in battles alongside his father. He played a significant role in the victory of the Ottomans in the First Battle of Kosovo, displaying his heroism. However, his father, Sultan Murad, was treacherously killed by a Serbian conspirator.
Upon his father's martyrdom in Kosovo, Yıldırım Beyazıt ascended the throne on August 28, 1389, in the battlefield. Initially, he reached an agreement with the newly crowned Serbian king, subjecting them to tribute, and returned to Edirne after marrying Despina Hatun, the daughter of Lazarović. He welcomed the celebrants of his ascension in Edirne, and also signed trade agreements with the Venetians.
Subsequently, he resumed his father's conquests in Western Anatolia. He conquered the principalities of Menteşe, Aydın, and Saruhan, as well as the cities of Antalya and Alanya.
In the Balkans, he captured Skopje and initiated incursions into northern Albania. After taking Skopje, he facilitated a significant Turkish settlement there. He then incorporated Kastamonu and Amasya into Ottoman territory. However, he was unsuccessful in the siege of Sivas and returned to Istanbul. The first siege of Istanbul was conducted during the reign of I. Beyazıt, but it was not successful.
Following this, he focused on the Balkans and established Wallachia as a vassal state paying tribute. He transformed Bulgaria into a full-fledged Ottoman province. After this conquest, the Balkan States issued a call for a Crusade. In response, a Crusader army began to invade the Balkans. On September 25, 1396, in the Battle of Nicopolis, Yıldırım Beyazıt achieved a surprising victory, inflicting a major defeat on the invading Crusader army and capturing many of their knights. With the spoils from this battle, he constructed the Grand Mosque in Bursa.
Later, Yıldırım Bayezid annexed the territories of the Karamanids. He captured Malatya and Elbistan, and upon taking Erzincan, he entered into a major conflict with Timur. Subsequently, in 1402, he was defeated and captured by Timur in the Battle of Ankara. He passed away in captivity.
The loss at the Battle of Ankara led to a period known as the "Interregnum" in Ottoman history, nearly bringing the empire to the brink of collapse. His tomb in Bursa, in its original form, is the first surviving tomb of an Ottoman Sultan. The Anatolian Fortress in Istanbul's Beykoz district is also one of his architectural works.
He was the Sultan who established the first regiment in Anatolia through his campaigns. He was bestowed the title of Sultan of the Land of Rome by the Abbasid Caliph, 1. Bayezid.
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