Shah Ismail in the Way to Gain Power   

Başına tâc aldı çıktı ol pelîd (Şah İsmail)    =   Shah Ismail ascended the throne with his crown

İtti bi-idrak Etraki (Anlayışsız Türkleri) mürid =    and turned the insensitive Turks into disciples.

         At the same time, Ismail was at the age of 15. Some stages pertaining to the terrorising air that blew in Tabriz and the other places could be observed the work of Ibrahim Gülşenî titled as “menâkıbnâmesi” (saga book). Of the beys that were mentioned above, Lala Hüseyin Bey from Damascus was assigned as emîrü'l-ümerâ (emir of the staff officers), in other words, as the governor of beys, and Zülkadr (Dulkadir) Dede Abdal Bey was assigned as the chief guard (korçı başı), in other words, the commander of the brigades of guards. Similarly, Tekelü Saru Ali Bey was assigned as seal-keeper, and Abdi Bey from Damascus was assigned as the (chief) ditch digger and Helvacıoğlu İlyas Bey was assigned as the chief hunter. Anatolian Div Ali Bey and the others were asigned to the governorship of the districts.  

            The efforts and the sacrifices endeavoured since the period of Sheikh Cuneyd had proved fruitful and the target that was impossible to realise and that looked like a dream was accomplished. If it were not for the Anatolian Shiite Turks, let alone the foundation of the Safevi State, the sheikhs of Erdebil would not have had any thought about any political purposes. Furthermore, as it has been clearly understood, those people, in other words, the Anatolian Turks or some of them had tried to force the sheikhs and shahs to accept their extreme religious faiths. 

Ismail advanced towards Erzincan again in the spring (907=1502). The reason for this advance was the information about the news that Elvend who had run away to the region of Diyarbakir upon the Shurur war was conscripting soldiers in Erzincan. Therefore, Elvend had closed the routes of migration and visits at the same time. In other words, the Shiite people of Anatolia who wanted to be in the service of Ismail and to visit him were prohibited from entering into Iran. However, Ismail had a strong requirement for the alimentation by the main community of disciples from Anatolia. Otherwise, ıt would not be possible for him to continue and maintain its successes with approximately ten thousands of people. Ismail firstly came to Ala Dag, the summer pasture of Ilhanli State in the north-east of the Van Lake. He stayed there for a period and then, he heard of the news that Elvend was in Saru Kaya that was located in the south of Tercan. Therefore, he advanced towards him with a swift speed. Elvend and his soldiers abandoned their heavy transport and they ran away. Elvend went to Tabriz. Ismail heard of this event and he returned. Through marauds from Baku, he came to Tabriz (the beginning of the year of 908 =July-August 1502). Elvend who was in Ucan that was in the southeast of Tabriz with a distance of two days’ journey ran away to Baghdad through following the way of Hamedan. In most of the resources, this military expedition is indicated to have been organised against Dulkadir oglu Alauddevle Bey. This issue indicates the possibility that Ismail had sent soldiers from Saru Kaya to the country of Alauddevle Bey. This can be related with the issue that Alauddevle Bey had prevented the journey of the Shiite people in his country to Iran. 

            Ismail had to encounter the Akkoyunlu Ruler, Sultan Murad that had established dominion in Two Iraqs (Persian Iraq and the Arabian Iraq), Farsi and Kirman in order to establish his dominion in Iran in a safe and robust manner. As a matter of fact, this war occurred in the course of history. In the year of 908 (1503= Vault Year) Ismail had won a glorious victory against Akkoyunlu Murad in the place called as Alma Kulaği near to Hamedan (24th Zilhicce Muslim Month=21st June). Although Murad was able to run away, Güzel Ahmed who was his governor of beys and his relative, and some great emirs such as Eslemes and Ali Bey were killed in the battlefield. Through this victory, Ismail captured the Persian Iraq and Fars and Kirman. He gave Kirman to the domination of Ustaca Oğlu Muhammed Han, Fars to the domination of Ilyas who was also called as Zülkadr (Dulkadirli) Keçel Bey and Rey to the domination of Aygut Oglu (İlyas-i Hınuslu). Some of the Akkoyunlu Beys such as Afşar (Avşar) Mansur Bey became submissive to Ismail and they wore the crown of Shiites.  

            Shah Ismail won successive victories and he annihilated those who resisted against him with violence and fire. As it was known and stated before, the majority of the Iranian people was composed of Sunnite people. Of this majority, the people from Isfahan, Fars, Yezd, Kirman, Rüstemdâr and the similar regions were inclined to resist; however, they were totally annihilated in a merciless manner. Therefore, Ismail forced the Persian and Farsi people to adopt the sect of Shiah Islam in a forcible manner. The investigation and the research of the resources clearly indicate the accuracy of this event beyond any doubt. As stated within the Ottoman resources, Erdebil Son Shah Ismail was obliged to maintain his relations with the Anatolian community of the main disciples in Turkey like in the past in a close manner, to increase their number and to provide their arrival in Iran in order to reinforce his state and maintain his successes. Actually, he and his supporters were the invader foreigners in Iran that were disliked and even hated. Ismail had established dominion with the use of force and the violent acts. In case that the alimentation could not be provided from Turkey, the Shiite people would lose become extinct after a short period as it has been observed in several examples. 

Just like Dulkadir son, Alaüddevle Bey, the Ottoman ruler had taken some precaution in order to prevent the departure of his subjects in order to go to Iran. It was obligatory to take this precaution. Actually, the taxes collected from those that left or wanted to leave the country were allocated for those in the service of the state and the religious institutions. Due to the continuous migrations, the state officials, in other words those in the service of the state incurred great losses and this situation constituted a difficult problem to be resolved by the state. Shah Ismail had sent a letter to Bayezid II and requested him to give permission to the members of the religious order to visit him. In reply to this letter, Bayezid had stated that the departure of the people were prohibited due to the situation we have stated above and he also stated that this prohibition would not be applied on those who promised to return pursuant to the prohibited visit. Bayezid has stated the latter statement in order to please Ismail. However, he could not be successful in the application of this precaution due to the events that occurred and the migrations kept going on. Ismail did not want to struggle with the Ottoman ruler for the time being and therefore, he acted in a respectful and kind manner against him in each of his letters that he had written and he addressed to him with the title of “Father”. 

Shah Ismail advanced against Alauddevle Bey in the year of 1508. According to Kemal Paşazade, this advance was caused by “the public scorn and pillorying” of Shah Ismail’s envoy by Alauddevle. Actually, Alauddevle Bey had arrested Ustacalu Oglam Emet who was Shah Ismail’s envoy in the lake called as Kuzgölü. Some of the other Ottoman chroniclers stated that Shah Ismail had advanced against Dulkadir son upon the rejection of him to give permission for the marriage of Shah Ismail with his beautiful daughter called as Benlü Hatun. However, since we are not contented with these explanations, we should try to look for the other reasons. In fact, Alauddevle Bey had followed the purpose of the establishment of dominion in the Akkoyunlu State in Anatolia. To this effect, upon the death of Elvend (1505-6), he had sent Akkoyunlu Ugurlu Mehmed’s son Zeynel to the region of Diyarbakir together with his brother Abdurrezzat, and his sons called as Ahmed and Shah Ruh Beys. Amid, Mardin and some other regions were captured and Zeynel was enthroned as the sovereign of the Akkoyunlu State in Amid. However, this situation did not live long; and Musullu Emir Bey who was the bey governor of Elvend forced Zeynel and Dulkadirli persons to retreat from this region and he established dominion in the aforesaid places. Nevertheless, Alauddevle imposed pressure on Emir Bey in order to recognise him as his sovereign in a forcible manner. 

Emir Bey was obliged to become submissive to the domination of Shiite ruler in order to get rid of this pressure and to be sure of Shah Ismail. Therefore, the military expedition of Shah Ismail must have been related with the issue in order to eradicate the passions of Dulkadirli ruler about the Akkoyunlu country. It is beyond doubt that Alauddevle had prevented or tried to prevent the departure of Shiite people in his country to go to Iran. This prevention must have probably caused another reason for the organisation of this military expedition. 

            Shah Ismail had preferred the route of Erzurum and Erzincan in order to realise the military expedition towards Dulkadirli country and the Prince Ahmed that was the governor of Amasya had informed his father about this situation. The preference of this route by Ismail was explained in Istanbul with the allegation that the Safevi ruler had aimed to collect the Shiite people in the Ottoman country around him. Therefore, strict measures had been taken in order to prevent this gathering. Therefore, according to Kemalpaşazade, most of the disciples could not join to Shah Ismail although he resided in the Ottoman borders for a long period. Then, Safevi ruler requested from Bayezid II to give permission to him in order to go to the Dulkadir country. Bayezid had given permission for this request; and Safevi ruler –paying much attention in order to avoid any damage or loss against the Ottoman people- had passed through the Ottoman lands and penetrated into Elbistan following the route of Sariz. Alauddevle Bey tried to defend his country against Shah Ismail. He took shelter in Sarp Turna Mountain and asked help from the Ottoman State. The Shiite people were destroying the surroundings through pillages and incinerations. Dulkari country was totally destroyed in a miserable manner. Similarly, according to the aforesaid Ottoman chroniclers, the Mameluke state could note even reply to the requests of Dulkadir son. Bayezid had sent an army under the command of Yahya Pasha; however, this army did not go beyond Ankara. 

            When the winter drew near, Shah Ismail left the Dulkadir country. In his return, Harput under the domination of Dulkadirli dynasty was conquered. In addition, Musullu Emir Bey who was the governor od Diyarbakir came to enter the presence of Shah Ismail with some of his relatives and tribal members upon the invitation that he had received. Safevi ruler entitled him with the post of seal keeping that was one of the most significant offices of the state. Emir Bey started to seal the firmans of Shah with the bejewelled seal that he wore about his neck. Emir Bey was the grandson of a bey with the same name that was one of the commanders of Uzun Hasan and the son of Gulabi Bey who was one of the emirs in the period of Sultan Yakub. We have known that he was an intelligent and capable commander at the same time. Therefore, Emir Bey who was a capable commander, the Mosullu family that was a crowded and famous tribe joined to the Shiite emirs and tribes. Thus, the extensive region of Diyarbakir that was difficult to be conquered changed hands and it was under the domination of Safevi State from that date on.  

Shah Ismail assigned Ustaca Oglu Muhammed Han as the governor of Diyarbakir. Muhammed Han was a brave and intelligent commander. Although he had few forces under his command, he caught some of the Kurdish beys and sent them to Tabriz. He also was able to defeat the army that was sent by Alauddevle Bey under the command of his son called as Saru Kaplan (Yellow Tiger) due to his bravery and his other son, Erduvana. Most of the famous Dulkadirli beys were killed in the battlefield. Saru Kaplan and Erduvana were taken prisoner and then killed in the year of 1508. In the following year (1509-1510), Shah Ismail captured Baghdad. At the same time, Ustaca oglu Muhammed Han had won a glorious victory against the second Dulkadir army. The commanders of this second Dulkadir army were Boz-ok governor, Shah Ruh and Ahmed Beys who were the other sons of Alauddevle. These sons were also killed like their brothers. Mehmed and Ali Beys who were Shah Ruh’s sons were sent to the presence of Ismail. Safevi  ruler spared the lives of these sons of Shah Ruh Bey and he also assigned them with the post of emirate in the further periods. In the following sections, we will deal about the events that these two beys turned away against Safevi state in the course of the military expedition of Safevi ruler towards Iraq in the year of 1535 and took side with Ottomans in the service of the Ottoman State. 

Two important events took place between the years of (1510-1511). The first one was the defeat of Uzbek Muhammed Sibani Han (that was also called as Seybek Han) who was the Ruler of Turkestan (Transoxania) and Khorasan by Shah Ismail. Moreover, Seybek Han and his retinues were killed as a result of a courageous attack of Burun (Sultan) that was one of Tekelu emirs (one of the Turks from Antalya region) and his soldiers. Seybek Han was wearing a green turban on the contrary to the Red crown of Shah Ismail. Therefore, he was called as Yeşilbaş (Green Head). Upon this victory, the entire Khorasan was annexed to the country of the Safevi State. Therefore, the Safevi State extended from the Euphrates River to Ceyhun River. 

Another event that took place in the same year was the rebellion that was caused by Shah Kulu Baba in Anatolia. As it has been known, the region of today’s Antalya was called as Teke province or only Teke in the past. This name was attributed to the name of one of the police superintendents (commander) in Hamidogullari principality. In the sections specified above, it has been stated that Tekelu people had joined in crowded groups into the foundation of the Safevi State. We have been familiar with Saru Ali, Cuha (Cuka) Sultan, Yegen Sultan and Burun Sultan from Tekelu people until the occurrence of this event. Of these people, Saru Ali was assigned as the seal-keeper upon the foundation of the state. Saru Ali was sent against Sarim, one of the Kurdish emirs together with Abdi Bey from Damascus that had also played a role in the foundation of the state like him. However, both of these two persons were killed in the war.