The Ottoman Archive Contains Records Pertaining to the Patronage of the Seljuk Sultan Ala Al-Din Kayqubad
During his reign and beyond, the Seljuk Sultan Ala al-Din Kayqubad was renowned for his power and construction activities. His legacy as the most illustrious ruler of the Seljuk State is evident in records from the Ottoman Period. Kayqubad’s image endured for centuries after his death. The palaces constructed in Konya, Kayseri reflect the Sultan’s passion for architecture and art. The sudden and tragic death of the sultan marked the beginning of a period of decline for the Seljuk Empire. This study focuses on the buildings constructed by Kayqubad, as documented in Ottoman records centuries later. It is noteworthy that the buildings believed to have been built during the Seljuk period are referred to as Ala alDin in the Ottoman documents and among the people. The naming of some buildings after the sultan, despite explicitly mentioning the owner in their inscriptions, requires further examination. Additionally, historical documents reveal that some buildings, not mentioned in period sources and no longer extant, were constructed during Kayqubad’s. The research reveals structures built in the Seljuk Period but did not survive or were not previously known, providing an opportunity to evaluate the perception of Kayqubad and Seljuk art in the Ottoman Period.
Selçuklu Sultanı Alâeddin Keykubad’ın Baniliğiyle İlgili Osmanlı Arşiv Kayıtları Üzerine Bir Değerlendirme
Selçuklu Sultanı Alâeddin Keykubad sadece kendi döneminde değil kendisinden sonraki dönemlerde de siyasal gücü ve sanat faaliyetlerine verdiği destekleriyle dikkat çekmiştir. Anadolu Selçuklu Devleti’nin en parlak dönemini oluşturan sultanın ünü Osmanlı Dönemi arşiv kayıtlarında da ortaya çıkmaktadır. Alâeddin Keykubad’ın Konya ve Kayseri’de yaptırdığı sarayların inşasıyla bizzat ilgilenmesi onun mimari ve sanata olan düşkünlüğünün bir yansımadır. Bu araştırma Alâeddin Keykubad’ın yüzyıllar sonra Osmanlı belgelerine yansıyan baniliklerine odaklanmaktadır. Çalışma sırasında dikkati çeken ilk husus gerek Osmanlı arşiv belgelerinde gerekse halk arasında Selçuklu Dönemi’nde yapıldığı düşünülen mimari eserlerin genellikle Alâeddin ismiyle ilişkilendirilmesidir. Dolayısıyla kitabelerinde banileri açıkça belirtilen bazı yapıların Sultan Alâeddin ismiyle ilişkilendirilmesi, üzerine düşünülmesi gereken konuların başında gelmektedir. Diğer taraftan dönemin kaynaklarında yer almayan ve günümüze ulaşamayan bazı yapıların Alâeddin Keykubad tarafından yapılmış olduğu Osmanlı arşiv belgeleri vasıtasıyla tespit edilebilmektedir. Araştırma vesilesiyle Osmanlı Dönemi’nde Alâeddin Keykubad ve Selçuklu sanatına nasıl yaklaşıldığını değerlendirme fırsatı yakalanmış, Selçuklu Dönemi’nde inşa edilmiş ancak günümüze ulaşamayan veya Selçuklu Dönemi’nde yapıldığı bilinmeyen yapılar ortaya çıkarılmıştır.
The political and artistic golden age of the Anatolian Seljuk State was experienced during the reign of Ala al-Din Kayqubad I. Ala al-Din Kayqubad is remembered for his magnificence and interest in art both during his own time and in the following centuries. Ibn Bibi, one of the sources of the period, mentions the buildings that the sultan himself designed, his examination of the drawn decorations or his visits to the construction site. Kubadabat Palace in Beyşehir, Keykubadiye Palace in Kayseri, Alara Castle Pavilion in Alanya, Alara Caravanserai in Alanya, Castle Palace in Alanya; Alâeddin Mosque in Konya, Yivli Minaret Mosque in Antalya, Hunat Hatun Madrasa and Bath in Kayseri, Tuzhisar Sultan Caravanserai in Kayseri, Sultan Caravanserai in Aksaray, Ilgın Hot Spring in Konya, Çubuk Çayı Bridge in Ankara, Konya Castle and city wall, which were all constructed by the Sultan himself. The repair of his castle and walls demonstrates his fondness for architecture and art. The common features of these structures that have survived to the present day are monumental and ostentatious facades, as well as remarkable decorations. It is known that 91 buildings, including original examples such as the Divriği Ulu Mosque and the Niğde Alâeddin Mosque, were built during the sultan’s rule. Given that the ruler reigned for only 17 years, it can be said that this figure is quite high and that the construction activities were accelerated during this period.
Sultan Ala al-Din Kayqubad is a ruler who is remembered with pride by his era and beyond, with his political unity in Anatolia, the victory at Yassı Çimen and the measures he took against the Mongols. It can be assumed that Ala al-Din Kayqubad ‘s political success was reflected by architectural activities. Ala al-Din Kayqubad continued to be remembered for the structures he built or were attributed to him in Anatolia, even long after the Seljuk Period. A discourse attributed to Timur indicates how Ala al-Din Kayqubad was perceived in different periods. When Timur invaded Anatolia, he was asked why he had caused so much destruction. The story can be summarised as follows: I do not have the goods and treasure to build an inn in every village or a mosque in every city like Ala al-Din Kayqubad, just as he became famous for building, I will also become famous for destroying. This gives clues about the image of the Seljuk Sultan during his period. British traveler Harry Charles Lukach, who visited Konya in the early 1900s, compared Sultan Ala al-Din Kayqubad to Emperor Justinianus, described him as the greatest and most powerful benefactor of his dynasty, and stated that his name still lives on in these lands. These expressions reveal that Ala al-Din Kayqubad preserved his presence in these lands until the beginning of the 20th century, without losing anything from his image in the Seljuk period.
The archive records from the Ottoman Period also provide insight into the perception of the sultan in Ottoman society. Many buildings are attributed to Ala al-Din Kayqubad. While it is stated in the records that Sultan Ala al-Din Kayqubad built 48 buildings, it is stated that he established a foundation for one building. The structures in question are located in the following cities: Adıyaman, Afyonkarahisar, Afşin (in Kahramanmaraş), Aksaray, Akşehir (in Konya), Alanya (in Antalya), Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Beypazarı (in Ankara), Bor (in Niğde), Çay. (in Afyonkarahisar), Çermik (in Diyarbakır), Doğanhisar (in Konya), Eskişehir, Gazlıgöl (in Afyonkarahisar), Gerger (in Adıyaman), Günyüzü (in Eskişehir), Karahisar (Afyonkarahisar city center), Kırşehir, Kıreli Yarangömü (in Konya), Konya city center, Korkuteli (in Antalya), Kütahya, Nevşehir, Niğde, Niksar (in Tokat), and Silifke (in Mersin), Sinop, Sivas, Uluborlu (in Isparta), and Zara (in Sivas). It is evident from the inscriptions and sources that Sultan Ala al-Din constructed several notable edifices, including Konya Ala al-Din Mosque, Konya Hospital, Antalya Yivli Minaret Mosque, Alanya Ala al-Din Mosque and Alanya Ala al-Din Bath. It is understood that examples such as Niğde Ala alDin Mosque, Amasya Bimarhanesi (Mental Hospital), Afyonkarahisar Çay Mücahid Yusuf bin Yakub Mosque, the Madrasah, Caravanserai and Bath, and Antalya Atabey Armağan Madrasah are attributed to Ala al-Din Kayqubad, although there are other names as patrons in their inscriptions. The majority of these structures lack any inscriptions related to Ala al-Din Kayqubad or the Seljuk period and have undergone significant alterations. It is understood that some of the structures in this situation have ornamental features reminiscent of the Seljuk period. However, the majority of the structures subject to research were completely renovated during the Ottoman period or have not survived to the present day. The reasons behind the association of these structures with Ala al-Din Kayqubad remain a matter of debate.
Upon examination of the structures subject to research, it becomes evident that some of them are attributed to Sultan Ala al-Din Kayqubad among the public. This suggests that the archive records may have indicated that these structures were built by Sultan Ala al-Din, influenced by the expressions spoken by the public. Currently, 43 of these buildings are named after Ala al-Din. The reason for this situation is that the name has become widespread among the public and has survived centuries later. It can be assumed that the buildings were named after their patrons when they were first built, as in the Niğde Ala al-Din Mosque, and in later periods they began to be called Ala al-Din. The reasons why these structures are associated with Sultan Alaeddin among the public can be attributed to historical memory or social memory. Societies create a collective memory that develops over time about events and historical figures that have an impact on the entire community. Historical heroes such as Köroğlu and Battal Gazi are examples of this collective memory that spans centuries. A collective memory has been formed for the Battle of Ankara and the Victory of Manzikert, which the society has developed over the centuries. Those who recall these conflicts exhibit comparable sentiments and discourses. It is postulated that Ala al-Din Kayqubad, the subject of this study, underwent the influence of this collective memory and established a distinct identity. The first Sultan that comes to mind when discussing the Anatolian Seljuks in Anatolian lands and even in some periods in different geographies is Ala al-Din Kayqubad, the personality of the Sultan was constructed with magnificent structures and monumentality. The Seljuk period is remembered in the collective consciousness for its magnificent portals, castle-like facades, blue to purple tiles, ceramics, brick minarets, and high-relief stone decorations, as well as for buildings displaying Seljuk features. These have been attributed to the period even if they are not. A similar approach is valid for Ala al-Din Kayqubad. Ala al-Din Kayqubad is regarded as the architect of structures associated with the Seljuks or the pr Ala al-Din Kayqubad e-Ottoman period. It is believed that Ala al-Din Kayqubad gained renown for centuries through his construction and construction, as evidenced by the saying of Timur that life is mortal and reputation is eternal, and therefore even buildings that he may not have built were named after him.
It is assumed that some of the 54 works examined were built by Ala al-Din Kayqubad, some may be unknown patronages of the Sultan, and some were built by others but attributed to the Sultan. However, it is difficult to attribute all the buildings named after Ala al-Din to the sultan. It is known that 12 buildings were built by Ala al-Din Kayqubad. It seems difficult that the Sultan had 54 buildings built during his 17-year reign. Therefore, it must be assumed that some, if not all, of the buildings were attributed to Ala al-Din Kayqubad by society. The fact that Ala al-Din Kayqubad came to the fore in social memory with his architectural structures must have prompted Ottoman society to name some old buildings after him. The Sultan’s influence as a patron and the fact that many buildings were attributed to him did not seem strange to the researchers who studied these works. In the studies of the buildings mentioned, archival documents were taken into account and Ala al-Din Kayqubad was usually mentioned as the patron. In the absence of any inscription on the building to the contrary, archival documents must be taken into account. However, some studies have found that historical data and archive information do not coincide. These examples call into question the accuracy of such information in archival documents. However, since the architectural and ornamental details in some examples point to the Seljuk period, the information in the archival documents was accepted as correct. What is striking about this research is that the name of Ala al-Din Kayqubad, rather than that of any other Seljuk sultan, finds so much space in the archives and among the public. This situation is concrete evidence of how the image of the Sultan created during the Seljuk period grew and even became exaggerated over the centuries. This study tries to show what kind of impact the Seljuk Sultan Ala al-Din Kayqubad had on society and art even centuries later.
By looking at the centuries-long adventure of Seljuk art as a means of communication through Ala Al-Din Kayqubad, this research reveals how Seljuk architecture and Seljuk sultans were perceived from the perspective of Ottoman society and how this perception was reflected in Ottoman documents, as well as examining the unknown patronages of Ala Al-Din Kayqubad. Considering these works as a whole allowed for different evaluations. The examination of the Ottoman archives with similar studies will make important contributions to the field of art history. It is hoped that this research will set an example for future studies.
