XIII. Yüzyıl Bizans Tarihyazımında Türk İmajı

Abstract

It attracts the attention of historians as a very interesting problem, how the Turkish image followed a change process depending on the changes that took place in the historical process in the Constantinople-centered Byzantine historiography of the Turks, who were confronted with the Byzantine Empire since the 4th century. Until the 11th century, the Turks (Scythians-Cumans) who threatened the Byzantine Empire, especially from the Balkans and the north of the Black Sea, were described as “Barbarian” by the Byzantine historians with the concept coming from the ancient tradition. 11-12th century in Byzantine historiography. It is noteworthy that the Turkish image, which was shaped within the framework of the Byzantine-Seljuk struggle that took place in the 13th century and generally in the shadow of conflict relations, evolved into a different dimension in the 13th century as a result of the extraordinary conditions that occurred with the 4th Crusade. After the occupation and looting of the capital Constantinople by the Latin Crusaders with this event that took place in 1204, the Byzantine Empire tried to maintain its existence with new political structures established by the dynastic families who fled from the capital. Therefore, from this date on, a new era began in the relations of Byzantium with the Turks in Anatolia. In the first quarter of the 13th century, the Turkish Seljuks' political and cultural unity in Anatolia and taking other peoples under their control caused the Turks to take more place in Byzantine sources. Although the political developments/conflicts between the two powers continue from time to time, a process has been entered in which the existence of the Turks is now accepted and neighborly relations at various levels, including political, economic, cultural and kinship are established. These developments reflected positively or negatively on Byzantine historiography. Accordingly, they talked more about the situation of the “others” with whom they had a direct relationship. It is possible to clearly see that "Turkish Image" change that took place in the 13th century in the works of historians such as Nicetas Choniates, George Acropolites and George Pachymeres, who are the main sources of the period. This study aims to discuss how the Turkish Image differs from previous approaches in the Byzantine historical works written in the mentioned century, the possible reasons for this and what kind of image is formed