Yukarı Fırat Havzası Beyi Emîr Taharten

Abstract

This thesis deals with the history of Emir Taharten who founded his emirate in Erzincan, in 1379. Emir Taharten, who is one of the most important figures of Anatolian history had a voice in ruling a wast area including Erzincan, Akşehir (of Erzincan), Kemah, Tercan, Çemişgezek, Bayburt, Şarki Karahisar and Koyulhisar after a long struggle. He ruled for twenty four and a half years, if we accept that he died on the winter of 1403-1404. During this time, he has been involved in a serious strugles with stronger rivalries who threaten his own existance. Between the years 1379-1398 AD, his most powerful rival was Kadı Burhaneddin, who destroyed Eretna state and founded his own. The main reason of conflict between them was that the two sides had aimed to own the lands of Eretna state. After the death of Kadı Burhaneddin at 1398 AD, Taharten had faced with a much stronger rival. This opponent was the Ottoman Sultan Yıldırım Bayezid, who surrounded Erzincan emirate from the South and the West by seizing Sivas as the capital city of Kadı Burhaneddin and taking Malatya and Divriği from the Memluks. Nevertheless, a good politician Emir Taharten against this fearful opponent, he wanted to maintain his power by bearing his back on Timur. Emir Taharten was also succesful in this policy. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine Emir Taharten and his Emirate to the extent permited by our sources and also taking into account researches on this issue. To be more precise, our purpose is to reveal the historical role of Emîr Taharten played in Anatolia during his life time as a political and military figure, and also to show his importance in this sense.