THE IMPORTANCE OF TURKMENS IN THE NORTH FRONTIER OF MAMLUK STATE
MEMLȖK DEVLETİNİN KUZEY SINIRINDA TÜRKMENLERİN ÖNEMİ

Author : Nihal GEZEN
Number of pages : 660-673

Abstract

Mamluks established in Egypt, Syria, Hedjaz and Southern Anatolia attached great importance to the security of the north frontier created by Syria and Southeastern Anatolia. Mamluk regentships and Turkmens in Syria played a significant role to maintain this security. This issue even became a policy pursued mandatorily, considering the continuity of the state of Mamluk. Mamluk State enabled Turkmens running from the Mongols to settle in Southern Anatolia region to protect its frontier in the north and to safeguard these lands from Mongol and Armenian attacks. In this regard, Dulkadirogulları (Beylik of Dulkadir) and Ramazanogulları undertook the leadership of Turkmens here. Turkmens living semi-independently in the area from Toros mountains to Fırat river in the Southeastern Anatolia region represent the essence of state. These Turkmens came to Anatolia running away from the Mongol invasion. Mamluk State’s policy in the period from establishment to dissolution (267 years) was to protect the region from attacks which may come with its defensive regentships, to protect the frontiers by means of the Turkmens in the Anatolia and Syria frontiers, to prevent these Turkmens from getting into the act of independence and to dominate the Turkmen Beyliks in the Southern Anatolia.

Keywords

Mamluks, Turkmens, Dulkadirogulları, Ramazanogulları, Northern Syria

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