Battles & Conquests Of The Orhan Gazi's Period:

Orhan Bey, who multiplied the land of his father left to him in a short time with his dynamic and active staff, started his conquest movements while his father was still alive. It is seen that Osman Bey, who seems to have withdrawn from active political life since 1320, was replaced by his son Orhan.

The Orhan Gazi's Period: Conquests and Legacies

Conquests Of Bursa By Orhan Gazi :

Due to being one of the first capitals of the Ottoman Empire, Bursa was a center that played an important role in the administrative, political, religious, scientific, cultural, social and economic life of the state. Keçecizâde Fuad Pasha's phrase "Bursa is the precept of the Ottoman Empire", which will come much later, points to the role Bursa played in Ottoman history.

Bursa, which was founded in the years before Christ, later passed into the hands of the Romans. After the division of Rome into East and West, it remained under the administration of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine) together with its surroundings.

As pointed out when talking about the political activities of Osman Bey, the founder of the Ottoman State, Osman Bey had besieged Bursa but was not able to conquer it. However, in order to prevent the help from Byzantium in Bursa, he had two castles built near the city, and appointed Ak Timur as guards to one of them and Balabancik to the other. Thus, Osman Bey was taking the means of aid that could come from outside to Bursa under control. For this reason, it was pushed from the year 1315. In a sense, Bursa was under siege through the castles built around it by the Ottomans.

Conquest of Bursa By Orhan Gazi

Orhan Bey marches on Bursa with a great force in 1326. Sources such as Âsikpasazâde and Nesrî, Osman Gazi's son Orhan before the conquest of Bursa:

"Son, you go to Adranps (Orhaneli) first, that infidel's father caused my Mr. Husband to fall in the Dinboz war." He sent him with Gazi Mihal (Köse Mihal), Turgut Alp, Seyh Mahmud and Ahi Hasan, Edebali's brother and son. Meeting with these experienced commanders, Orhan Bey took and demolished the Adranos castle, which is in the south of Bursa and in a way the key to Bursa. Before Orhan Bey's arrival, the people and the castle lord, who had evacuated the castle and climbed the Elete mountain, declared their obedience to Orhan. Thereupon, Orhan Bey acts in a compassionate and tolerant manner against the people who have been reinstated.

After that, Orhan Gazi, who came to Bursa, set up his headquarters in Pınarbaşı and besieged the castle. Realizing that the expected help from Byzantium would not come and giving up hope of saving the castle, the castle master declared that he would surrender Bursa through Gazi Mihal Bey and under certain conditions, Bursa was handed over to the Ottomans on 2 Cemayizelevvel 727 (6 April 1326). Evrenos, who is the castle guard, also enters the service of the Ottomans as a Muslim. After Orhan Bey bought this place, he had his father's body brought here and buried in the place known as Gümüslü Künbed.

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Gibbons, who tried to portray the conquest of Bursa, which had a great meaning and importance for the Ottomans both in terms of strategy and psychology, as a minor event, attributes this to the internal conflicts in Istanbul and the financial distress of the people. Meanwhile, he states that Evrenos Bey became a Muslim after the conquest of Bursa, and many people followed him and accepted the religion of the new conquerors (Ottomans). Thus, it also points to the power of the Ottoman Principality at the time of its establishment and the positive atmosphere it created on the people around them.

After the conquest of Bursa, the target to be captured for Orhan Gazi was now Iznik. Iznik, an industrial city in the Marmara basin, had the feature of being a more important city than Bursa at that time. This was not only one of the largest cities of Byzantium in Anatolia, but also a religious center for Christianity. As a matter of fact, in the 325th year of the Gregorian calendar, the most important council, which played a role in the determination of the tenets of today's Christianity, was gathered here by Constantine the Great. Iznik, which was the capital of the Anatolian Seljuk State from 1074 until the First Crusade (1097), was in the hands of the Byzantines from the specified date. It even became the center of the Byzantine Empire from 1204 to 1261. Apart from that, Iznik,

After the capture of Bursa, the center of the Ottoman Principality was transferred here. The new ruler decorated this place with new buildings. With the religious and social works built, the city gained the identity of being a Muslim Turkish city and took on a new face. Orhan Bey converted old churches into masjids and madrasas at the very beginning. In order to feed the poor and the poor in Bursa, he had soup kitchens built and allocated foundations to them. He also paid salaries to the scholars and memories here.

Battle Of Pelecanon by Orhan Gazi

The Battle Of Pelecanon And The Conquest Of Iznik :

The Battle of Pelekanon, which is an important event in terms of both the Ottoman Empire and the history of Yakin Sark, VI. As Mirmiroğlu points out, it is a battle that Ottoman historians do not focus on or mention about enough. He says about it:

"Just as Osman Bey had defeated the Byzantine soldiers around Vatheos (Koyun Hisari) on 27 July 1302 and introduced his principality, his son Orhan Bey defeated the Byzantine soldiers and won the Battle of Pelekanon. He succeeded in capturing his cities.For this reason, the battle of Pelekanon constitutes an important stage for the history of the Near East (Near East).

"In this battle, which took place 124 years before the conquest of Istanbul, the Ottomans took a prominent position among the Turkmen principalities in Anatolia, since the Ottoman soldiers were defeated and devastated near their capital * and forced their emperors to flee, unfortunately, the Ottoman historians are unfortunately for this battle. either they don't write anything or they give very little information."

As it was contacted before, Orhan Bey focused all his attention on Iznik after the conquest of Bursa. The capture of Iznik by the Ottomans meant that Byzantium lost one of its strongest bases in the Marmara basin. Indeed, the slow advance of the Turks towards the Bosphorus, taking the castles on the Kocaeli peninsula, was causing the Byzantine Empire to be alarmed. The Byzantine Emperor III. Andronikos (1328-1341) secretly begins preparations.

Andronikos begins to implement his plan by making a peace treaty with the Emir of Karasi and the Bulgarians. For the same purpose, he goes to Kizikos (Kapidagi Peninsula). In order not to arouse suspicion, Hz. He cited the visit to the holy icon (depiction) of Mary as an occasion. All this was to catch Orhan Bey unprepared. Coming from Erdek to Biga, the Emperor signs a non-aggression pact with Karasi Bey Demir Han. A similar treaty was made by the Bulgarian king III. He did it with Mihal. The Emperor, who seemed to have achieved a political success in this way, was prepared for a campaign against the Ottomans. For this reason, in May of 1329, he brought about two thousand soldiers from Thrace as quickly as possible and added them to the existing soldiers in Istanbul and its surroundings. With these soldiers, he goes to Üsküdar on the Anatolian side. Hearing this, Orhan Bey left some soldiers in the siege of Iznik and left Pelekanon at the head of his army of eight thousand people. He engages in a field battle with the Byzantine army under the command of the Emperor at the location called. Thus, the first important pitched battle in Ottoman history began. The battle, which continued throughout the day, lasted until the night before. Seeing that it is dangerous to continue the battle at night, the Emperor returns to his camp. Meanwhile, Orhan Bey, realizing the situation, did not miss the opportunity and started a fierce attack. This sudden attack caused a great panic atmosphere in the Byzantine army. The injured Emperor reaches Istanbul with difficulty by sea. Orhan's brother Pazarlu Bey was also in this battle as a commander.

Orhan Bey returns to Iznik after the victory of Pelekanon. Realizing that there would be no possibility of any help from Byzantium anymore, the Greek Bey of Iznik surrendered under certain conditions. The gentleness and tolerance shown to the public after the capture of Bursa and the observance of the delivery conditions were also demonstrated in the delivery of Iznik. Orhan Bey, who took over the city and the castle, allowed those who wanted to leave with his belongings. In fact, this tolerance and tolerance went so far that he declared that those who wanted from the people of Iznik could preserve their customs, customs and traditions on the condition that they become their own subjects and pay only the jizya. Thereupon, most of the people decided to stay in Iznik. But the Greek Bey went to Istanbul by sea. Iznik, Mr. Orhan' After e opened its doors, some places around it were also taken. Since Iznik was close to the war zone in terms of the region, it was temporarily turned into a principality center.

During the siege of Iznik, the Greek guards in the castle and the people both in battle, hunger, illness, etc. The widowed women of the men who died due to reasons like this applied to Orhan Bey in Iznik and said that they had no one to take care of them. Thereupon, Orhan Bey announced that those who wanted from the soldiers could marry these women and those who married them would be left in the Iznik guard. Thus, he eliminated this social problem by enabling the orphaned women to get married.

Conquest of Iznik by Orhan Gazi

Orhan Gazi's Conquests :

The conquest of Iznik in 1330 reverberated in Europe as a major event. This conquest was also a great cause of despair for Byzantium. Especially the news that the Hagia Sophia Church here was converted into a mosque caused a complete dismay.

As will be contacted a little later, Orhan Gazi created many works there after he conquered Iznik. Orhan Bey, who showed a great example of compassion and mercy towards the people, said that those who wanted from the people could leave the city with all their belongings. But the people were fascinated by Orhan Gazi's administration and justice. That's why very few people left the city. Hammer relates this event in the following terms:

"Few of the guards of Iznik took advantage of this freedom and went with the tekfur. Others, who were dejected due to the injustice of the administrators and were hopeful of Orhan's indulgence rather than the Christian emperor, went out to meet the victor (Orhan Gazi) of the city, together with the people of the city. He entered the south of the city through his door. Orhan's behavior here was that of a ruler who was magnanimous and knew how to sacrifice his rights to victory for the sake of a wise policy. Thus, his calculations yielded the expected result".

It seems that Orhan Bey's movement and the understanding that guided this movement caused him to implement such a policy. As a matter of fact, Orhan Gazi's marriage of widows whose husbands died or who were orphaned to veterans for ser'î marriage is a result of this understanding. Ottoman histories also narrate this event with the following expressions with the understanding and language of the period:

"Then beautiful-faced women came. Orhan asked, "What are these women?"

"My Sultan, some of their soldiers were hurt by hunger, some by war. They were left empty in the high houses." they said. Thereupon, Orhan ordered the veterans to get them in a ser'î marriage. The veterans then married these women. They found a ready-made house, a ready-made man, and lived in houses like palaces.

As it is seen, the marriage of women with ser'î meant treating them as normal citizens. Thus, Orhan saved them from being made captives or concubines. However, the victorious Orhan and the Ottoman administration were free to treat them as they wished. There was no power that could prevent such a move. Hammer, on the other hand, has a different perspective on Orhan Gazi's humane treatment, which is completely human and cannot be applied even today, when we are about to enter the twenty-first century. According to him, Orhan did not forget the reward for his comrades, who were deprived of abundant booty due to the spontaneous surrender of Iznik. For example, with the effect of a long siege, plague and famine that can be considered customary, from father and mother, He divided the Greek women and girls who were deprived of their husbands and lived in their half-destroyed palaces among them. Thus, by allowing the officers of his army to marry the heirs of these structures, he led to the regeneration of these magnificent residences.

Conquest of Iznik by Orhan Gazi

As it is understood from the information given by the sources, Orhan Gazi, after conquering Iznik, immediately engages in activities to gain a Muslim Turkish identity to the city. For this reason, he turns a large church into a Friday mosque. Orhan is the first Ottoman sultan who adorned the public buildings with inscriptions and beautiful words, thus conforming to an old tradition of the East. Starting from the days of his sultanate, all mosques, madrasahs, hospitals, fountains, tombs and bridges all over the Ottoman country show the names and dates of their construction to travelers. Verses with descriptions, rosaries and similes taken from the Qur'an are often read on these monuments. Orhan Gazi turned a monastery in Iznik into a madrasah (high school = faculty). He gave the professorship of the madrasah to a person called Davud Kayseri. Taceddin al-Kürdî, who was a student of Mevlana Sirajeddin Konevi in Konya, became the successor to Davud Kayserî in this madrasah. After Taceddin's death, Alaeddin Esved, with his more common name, Kara Hodja, was appointed to that task.

It is stated in some sources such as Mecdi that Orhan Gazi's madrasah, which is located in Iznik and is stated to have been converted from a monastery in some sources, was built by himself, not from a church or monastery. While talking about Sheikh Davud Kayserî's biography, Mecdî says that "His Holiness Orhan Han Gazi established a madrasa-i ulya in the town of Iznik and appointed him to His Excellency" and states that this first madrasah of the Ottoman Empire was built by Orhan Gazi himself. In addition, Mustafa Bilge, who did research on the first madrasahs of the Ottoman period, states that he is of the same opinion, based on the foundation of Orhan Gazi:

"The strongest evidence indicating that this madrasa was built, not surrounded by monasteries or churches in Iznik, as stated in Nesrî and some other sources, is the foundation charter we have. It is clearly stated in the certificate of foundation registered in /1437 M. that the madrasah was built and it is next to the Hayreddin Pasa Mosque." Sultan Orhan donated the revenues of Kozluca village, where he owned this madrasah, in a sound and compliant manner. Indeed, an offering document dated much later (1136=1724) shows that the Kozluca village of Iznik was dedicated to the Orhan Gazi madrasah.

After Iznik was captured by the Turks, Orhan Bey allowed the local people to leave the city with their goods. He stated that those who did not go could preserve their religion, customs and traditions, provided that they were Ottoman subjects and only paid tax (jizyah). He made an effort to make Iznik a Muslim Turkish city by making this his center for a while. For this reason, he laid the foundations of religious, social and cultural institutions such as mosques, soup kitchens and madrasas. In addition, an imaret was built by his wife Nilüfer Hatun, and a madrasah was built by her son Süleyman Pasha. In addition, with the facilities built by other benefactors, Iznik gained the identity of the desired Muslim-Turkish city after a short time.

While talking about the activities of Orhan Gazi here, the sources state that he behaved like any citizen, not a ruler. As a matter of fact, the fact that he personally distributed the dishes cooked in the soup kitchen he built and that he lit the lamps with his own hands in the evening shows this.

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After the conquest of Iznik and later Izmit, Orhan Gazi established an administrative system and divided the country into administrative regions accordingly. According to this, Izmit was given to his son Süleyman Pasha and transferred him to Yenice, Göynük and Mudurnu. He gave Bursa to his son Murad Han Gazi and named it "Bey Sancagi". Karacahisari gave it to his uncle's son Gündüz. Above all, he was ruling the country.

Conquest of Izmit By Orhan Gazi

Conquest Of Izmit :

Izmit, which was a trade center, was wanted to be taken by the Ottomans right after the conquest of Iznik, and even if it was acquired for a while, it was given to the Greeks afterwards. Although the Ottoman forces besieged the city one year after the conquest of Iznik, in June 1331, the Byzantine Emperor UI. When Andronikos came to help, Orhan Bey agreed to the Imparatoria and lifted the siege. Orhan Bey severely besieged the city six years after this siege (1337). The city, which could not get help from outside after this siege, had to surrender. Marika, a member of the Paleologos dynasty, who was in the castle enclosure, took her goods and went to Istanbul with a ship.

With the conquest of Izmit, the entire Kocaeli Peninsula was in the hands of the Ottomans. Orhan Gazi managed the administration of Izmit and its environs to his son Süleyman Pasha. or gave. Many castles in the vicinity (Tarakli Yenicesi, Göynük, Mudurnu) surrendered because Süleyman Pasha treated the people fairly, regardless of religion and nationality, and their surroundings were completely surrounded by the Ottomans. Likewise, places such as Gemlik and Armutlu in the Gulf of Izmit had passed into the hands of Orhan Bey's forces through Kara Timurtas Bey.

Annexation of the Karesi Principality

Annexation of the Karesi Principality :

Until 1340, the Ottoman Empire, which entered the conquest movements in the Byzantine lands and expanded its borders, was placing the Turks coming from the east in the conquered places. However, this was not enough for a Turkish state that was expanding in the Byzantine lands. Because the borders of the other principalities in Anatolia did not allow the Ottomans to directly turn the whole of Byzantium. For this reason, the lands of the Karesi Principality had to be taken. This was more important than the victories against the Byzantines. Because in this way, the Ottomans would come to Çanakkale and hold the southern shores of the Bosphorus. This would provide the opportunity to cross into Europe at the first opportunity. Thus, Orhan Gazi would benefit from the throne struggles of Byzantium and could even organize raids and occupy his lands. Indeed, it was not enough just to approach the Bosphorus in order to open up and expand to the west. Likewise, it was necessary to approach the Dardanelles Strait. Because it was impossible to become a strategic power with the Marmara, which was held from only one side. This small inland sea (Marmara) should have been clamped on both sides. However, it was possible to go west. At that time, there were Karesi sons in the west. But they did not have the genius and opportunity to appreciate the strategic blessing of holding the Asian side of the Dardanelles. Meanwhile, Byzantium had not completely withdrawn from the Southern Marmara. There were some lands belonging to Byzantium between the Ottomans and the Karesi. In 741 (1342), the Ottomans conquered places such as Ulubat, Mihaliç and Kirmasti from Byzantium and conquered the center of Balikesir.

At this time, an incident in the Karesi Principality gave Orhan Bey the first opportunity to capture these lands inhabited by the Turks. Until then, the Ottomans had only fought with Byzantium and expanded their country especially with the places they had taken from the Byzantine Emperors. Neither Osman nor his son Orhan had taken any hostile action against the other beys in Asia Minor.

According to Ottoman sources, after the death of Karesi Bey, his son Demirhan took his place. However, his brother Dursun Bey, opposing this or fearing to be killed by his brother, took refuge in the Ottomans. Due to the bad and bad actions of Demirhan, who came to the head of the principality, the notables of Karesi (ümera) encouraged Dursun Bey, who was in Orhan Bey's palace through Haci Ilbeyi, to become the ruler. He also offers to give Balikesir, Aydincik and Bergama to the Ottoman ruler Orhan Gazi. He himself would continue his reign in places such as Kızılca Tuzla and Bayramiç in the Trojan region. Dursun Bey, who provoked and encouraged Orhan Bey with this offer, most likely participated in the Karesi campaign, which took place in 1345, together with Orhan Bey. Orhan's march on Balikesir Demirhan, who heard of the arrival of the city, took refuge in the Bergama castle. In the meantime, Evrenos, Ece Halil and Gazi Fazil Bey met Orhan Bey, although the Balikesir member was Haci Ilbeyi.

Orhan Gazi sends Dursun Bey to Bergama castle with Haci Ilbeyi to reconcile his two brothers. They want to come and meet in front of the castle. However, Dursun Bey fell victim with an arrow shot from the castle. Orhan Gazi, who was very upset by this, came to Bergama and besieged the castle. Karesi Bey, who could not stand the insistence of the people, had to leave the castle and surrender to Orhan Gazi. After that, Demirhan, who was brought to Bursa, died of Yumrucak (taun, plague) disease two years after his arrival. They welcome Orhan Bey. Orhan Gazi sends Dursun Bey to Bergama castle with Haci Ilbeyi to reconcile his two brothers. They want to come and meet in front of the castle. However, Dursun Bey fell victim with an arrow shot from the castle. Orhan Gazi, who was very upset by this, came to Bergama and besieged the castle. Karesi Bey, who could not stand the insistence of the people, had to leave the castle and surrender to Orhan Gazi. After that, Demirhan, who was brought to Bursa, died of Yumrucak (taun, plague) disease two years after his arrival. They welcome Orhan Bey. Orhan Gazi sends Dursun Bey to Bergama castle with Haci Ilbeyi to reconcile his two brothers. They want to come and meet in front of the castle. However, Dursun Bey fell victim with an arrow shot from the castle.

Orhan Gazi, who was very upset by this, came to Bergama and besieged the castle. Karesi Bey, who could not stand the insistence of the people, had to leave the castle and surrender to Orhan Gazi. After that, Demirhan, who was brought to Bursa, died of Yumrucak (taun, plague) disease two years after his arrival. Karesi Bey, who could not stand the insistence of the people, had to leave the castle and surrender to Orhan Gazi. After that, Demirhan, who was brought to Bursa, died of Yumrucak (taun, plague) disease two years after his arrival. Karesi Bey, who could not stand the insistence of the people, had to leave the castle and surrender to Orhan Gazi. After that, Demirhan, who was brought to Bursa, died of Yumrucak (taun, plague) disease two years after his arrival.

Thus, cities such as Balikesir, Manyas, Kapidagi and Edincik, which belong to the Karesi Principality, are annexed to the Ottoman lands. With the passing of many coastal areas to the Ottomans from the Karesi Principality, the transition to Rumeli became easier. Another important aspect of this annexation in terms of Orhan Bey is that valuable commanders and emirs of this principality entered Ottoman service. The Rumelian conquests were facilitated by these valuable commanders, whose names were mentioned before and who knew the Dardanelles and its surroundings very well. Because they knew the seafaring well. The Ottomans benefited from the knowledge of these people, such as Haci Ilbeyi, Ece Halil, Gazi Fazil Bey and Evrenos Bey, who were in a position to be rulers in terms of military and administrative terms.

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Annexation of the Karesi Principality

It is understood that after the annexation of the Karesi Principality, a conquest movement that could be considered important was not attempted for a long time. Hammer says about the reason for this silence and the misconceptions on this issue, pointing to a fact with the following statements:

"For twenty years after the conquest of Karesi, the Ottoman country did not expand with a new and important conquest. However, the deep silence of historians here is not the result of constant losses and defeats, as the Byzantines thought. On the contrary, in this age of rest, Alaeddin (ulema) wisely He developed works such as the full and disciplined order of the new army, which was established with his views, and the unwavering security of the interior. These establishments, which were formed due to the fact that they were built, became able to compete and compete with the establishments in Iznik (where the first madrasah and soup kitchen were established five years ago)."

As will be discussed more extensively in the future, the first organization of the Ottoman Empire was established during the time of Orhan Gazi. The capture of Bursa and Iznik can be considered as important events in the first transfer history of the Ottoman Principality. The borders of the Orhan Gazi Principality were now constantly expanding. Laying solid foundations with new institutions would provide vitality to this political entity and unity. Because this principality had to gradually leave the old tribal methods and rules. Only in this way could it gain the distinction of being a modern state. For this reason, the state began to feel the need to create justice in the administrative field and to create a new system and organization in the military field. Vizier Alaeddin Pasha and Bursa kadi Cendereli (Çandarli) Kara Halil, who came from the ulema class, carried out activities on these issues.

It is necessary to seek the rise and development of the Ottoman Empire with a miraculous speed, on the one hand, in historical situations and realities, on the other hand, in the loyalty and respect shown to the justice, fairness and dynamism of Islamic principles.

For this reason, it must be a correct belief to explain the secret of the activity that transforms the establishment and rise of the state from idea to action and brings the unity of forces into being, with the collective idealism of religion, science, law and administrative authorities participating in this activity.

Great scholars such as Orhan Gazi, Mevlana Sinan, Dursun Fakih, Davud Kayserî and Taceddin Kurdi; Selected heroes such as Akça Koca, Konur Alp and Abdurrahman Gazi; Sufi poets such as Taptuk Emre and Gülsehri; By including such great people as Abdal Musa, Abdal Murad, Doglu Baba, Geyikli Baba, Ahi Evren, Ahi Semseddin around him, he relied both the state and the rulership on a group of idealist producers.

In fact, the stories of the spiritual representatives in the history of conquest, who fermented and kneaded the army, administration and society after the wars that lasted for years and exhausted the Ottomans, are told in sources such as Asikpasazade, Nesrî and Ibn Kemal. We would like to be content with narrating a narration in the history of Asikpasazade, as it sets an example for the service and stories of these great people. The event is expressed in the language of Âsikpasazâde as follows:

Orhan Gazi sent word again, who does not come and why. Or why me to arrive at komaz time. He answered, who dervishes the eyes. Even the watchers arrive on time, whose prayers will be accepted.

After many days, a poplar tree fell on his shoulder. He came straight to Bursa's castle and entered the sultan's castle (palace). They saw it, they informed Han. Ol dervis came, he even brought a tree, he is planting it at the door. Orhan Gazi came out, saw it, and sewed it. You didn't even ask, he said that the prayers of the dervishes are acceptable as long as we can bless the Khan. Hemandem prayed, did not stop, came back to his place.

The poplar tree exists even now (Asikpasazade time). Even Orhan Gazi arrived at the dervish's place. (O) Dervis said that this Inegol nevahi is yours. Dervis eydür says: Property and property belong to Allah (God), he gives it to its people, we are not the people of the moment. They asked: Who are the people? Ayudtu: Allah has ordered the worldly property to Khans like you. Let his servants see mercy with each other. Orhan Gazi Eydür: Dervis! Nola, if you accept a word of water from me. Dervis Eydur:

He said, "Let dervishes have a bark from the knoll on the left side." Even Orhan Gazi took this word in prayer and went to his place again."

The great exception, inner wealth, eternal satiety and the reign of the heart, who fled from the ruler who wanted to meet with him, who neither wanted to come near him, nor wanted him to his own place. He neither has an eye for property, nor does he have any greed for property. Gazi Hünkar: When he says "Take the left Inegöl nevahi and have it yours", he says "we are not its people". Showing the horizon in the face of the brain's insistence, he says, "Let the mound of water be the courtyard of the dervishes." By planting the sapling he has backed in the sultan's garden, he wants to explain that Allah helps and supports the khans and rulers whose property and finances he has ordered for them.

Âsikpasazâde continues to say: "Orhan Gazi built a dome over that dervish. He built a tekke next to it. He also built a Friday mosque. At the present time, they pray for the sultan's soul five times a day. They call that lodge "Geyikli Baba Lodge".

Hammer, describing the interests and relations of a Sufi connoisseur and Orhan Gazi, whose leaven was found in the founding dough of the state, states that Orhan took his father as an example in this regard and expresses his opinion as follows:

Orhan, following his father, who had built a lodge for Dervis Turud and Kumral Abdal, had a lodge built for Geyikli Baba. This lodge, which had many visitors, was at the foot of Uludag and on the eastern side of the city. Doglu Baba's mausoleum is located on a high place on the mentioned mountain and in a place called Gökpinari. There is the dervish lodge of Dervis Abdal Murad, who was born in Khorasan at the city gates and on the edge of the Alisir River, which rises from the peak of Uludag, and the lodge and tomb of Abdal Musa in the west and near the Kaplica. These two fathers accompanied Sultan Orhan with two Abdals or two saints in the Battle of Bursa, and with their prayers and miracles, they were instrumental in getting the result in a short time. Bursa conqueror (Orhan Gazi).

History Of Geyikli Baba

History Of Geyikli Baba:

The names of these two pious persons (Geyikli and Doglu Baba) explain their nature and morals very well. The first of these shows that he lived with deer, and the other one lived by eating only yogurt.

According to the rumor, Geyikli Baba fought in front of the siege army, riding on a gazelle with a sword of sixty ounces in his hand. It is also said that Abdal Murad showed astonishing feats even though he had no other weapon than a four-arin-long tree sword. Abdal Musa also collected fire with cotton.

Geyikli Baba was born in Hoy and became famous with his miracles in the time of Osman. This person always lived in mysticism ecstasy and spent his days with deer among the forests in Uludag. He wouldn't get out of there unless Orhan called him.

According to the rumor, one day he rode a deer and came to the sultan's palace with a sycamore branch on his shoulder. He plants the sapling in the garden as a sign and indication of the state's happiness. He says that the Ottoman Empire will take root like this tree, reach its branches far and rise up to the sky. These and similar rumors will have found a counterpart (makes) in the collective conscience of the society, as it continues to be a social phenomenon until today.

Conquest Memory Of Ankara

Conquest Memory Of Ankara :

The Ottomans preferred to conquer the regions in the west and even in Thrace instead of capturing the lands of the states and principalities in Anatolia and dominating them. Because the principalities in Anatolia were also composed of Muslim and Turkish elements like themselves. In this respect, it cannot be said that these principalities, which did not engage in hostile actions with themselves, were greedy against their lands and seized them for no reason.

Despite their modest opportunities in the establishment period, the Ottomans, who aimed to carry Islam to the lands in the west of Anatolia, intervened in neighboring Muslim principalities from time to time in order to realize these goals and to benefit from more Muslim population. In this way, they would be able to convey the voice of Islam to the regions west of the Istanbul and Çanakkale Straits. For this, Rumelia had to be conquered and passed into the hands of the Muslims. But this also depended on having a large population and manpower. For this reason, it was necessary to increase the Muslim Turkish population. The statesmen and administrators, who had this thought, decided that it was necessary to expand towards Ankara, other than the Bolu side, and to benefit from the Turkish population here. It seems that Orhan Bey, Germiyan and Karamanlilar' He was not thinking of gaining land. It was completely against the policy of Osman Gazi and his son Orhan to embark on an adventure with these two Muslim Turkish Principalities, which were strong and powerful, for which it was doubtful how long it would last. However, the success and honor that would be achieved against the Byzantine and other non-Muslim states would raise the Ottomans so much that in time, the Germiyan, Karaman and other principalities would be able to accept the administration of the Ottomans without any conflict. This policy of Osman Bey, his son and grandson, and his religious and political understanding clearly reveal themselves in all their behaviors. For this reason, it did not even cross the minds of the Ottomans to go to war with the Turkish states and wear out their forces. Because this road would drag them backwards, not forwards. Oztuna'

In a way, it was possible to increase the Turkish population, which the Ottomans needed, without any conflict with their neighbors and sister principalities, with the capture of Aricara. At that time, Ankara was an independent city-state governed by the Ahis. Although the Karamanogullari had some ambitions on Ankara, they could not afford to fight the Ottomans because it was not actually within their territory and borders.

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Ankara, one of the important centers of Anatolia, was under the administration of the Eretna Principality (1335-1381), the center of which was founded in Sivas, and was located at the western end of this principality. The turmoil in the time of his sons, who succeeded him after the death of Eretna Bey Alaeddin, caused Ankara to pass into the hands of the Karamanogullari for a while and then the Ahis, an independent administration. Thinking of taking advantage of these confusions, Orhan Bey captured Ankara (1354) with an army he sent under the command of his son Süleyman Pasha and added it to the Ottoman country. Thus, a strong point on the eastern border of the Ottomans was obtained. The annexation of Ankara to the Ottomans is an important event. This event (annexation of Ankara) made the Ottomans dominate the lands between Sakarya and Kizilirmak. The complete conquest of the Kizilirmak area also meant domination of Anatolia in a sense. Although Ankara was lost by the Ottomans for about a year between 1361 and 1362, it was brought back to the Ottomans by Sultan Murad in 1362 together with his entourage.

Transition To Rumeli Orhan Gazi Conquests

Transition To Rumeli:

As it is known, Asia is a continent that has been known for a long time and is considered as the cradle of human history. In this respect, it is the first homeland of both Turkish, European and many other nations.

At the end of the migration of tribes, people continued their lives by dispersing to different regions. At this time, some Turkish tribes crossed from Asia to Europe and took their place among the immigrant nations. According to this, Europe and especially the Balkan Peninsula was a place that was not foreign to the Turks and recognized by them since then.

The Turkish tribes and tribes, who had passed to Europe, could not find the opportunity to appear on the stage of history because they spent a long time here and there for centuries. These had emerged only after the struggles of Bulgarian, Hungarian, Serbian, Vlach and other tribes with the Byzantine Empire. These people, who had passed to Europe before the Ottomans, had emerged with names such as Turk, Pechenek, Kuman, Alan, Yuruk, Turkmen and Tatar. They fought against Byzantium by uniting with tribes such as Bulgarians, Hungarians and Vlachs, and sometimes fought on their own and alone. These Turks merged with the nations they worked with over time, contributed to their cultural values, They showed great heroism in the wars that took place. However, some of these Turks, who were defeated in wars from time to time, returned to their own homeland, Asia, and some of them continued their lives in the victorious states and by accepting their religion, Christianity. For this reason, when the Turks set foot in Rumelia, they encountered communities that were left behind from the migrations of Central Asia and eventually joined the Orthodox church. Because, especially since the 5th century, the Turkish tribes, which flowed from Central Asia, crossed today's Russia and extended to Eastern Europe, the Peloponnese, the Adriatic coasts and the northern coasts of Europe, establishing dominance from time to time, partly with the Germans, and more broadly with the Slavs. They changed language and religion by meeting each other. In particular, the tribes that settled within the political borders of the Byzantine Empire, joined the Orthodox union, but those of these communities who preserved their language, national and tribal characteristics constituted a very important sum. Even in the 10th century Byzantine armies, there were Slavs, Scandinavians, Russians, Iberians, Caucasians, Arabs, and Sicilian Normans, as well as Turkish tribes such as Khazars, Pechenegs and Fergana Turks.

In the Seljuk-Byzantine encounter, which resulted in the victory of Manzikert in favor of the Muslim Turks, according to a statement, the Uz or Pechenegs in the Byzantine army did not agree to fight against their races who spoke their own language and bore their own blood, and joined the Seljuk army with their horses and weapons.

As it was partially touched upon before, the Turkish flood, which swelled and overflowed with waves for centuries, left deep traces and artifacts in the political, social and ethnic structure of the countries they set foot on, but sometimes they themselves remained under these influences. As a matter of fact, it is understood that Byzantium, along with other tribes colonized on religious grounds, also attracted Turks to Orthodox unity. Therefore, the Byzantines were pursuing a policy of stripping the Turks of their national identity with this fusion of culture and religion. So much so that the Turkish rulers, who were sometimes prisoners of war, accepted Christianity with their armies, and some tribes changed their religion with their chiefs. The concessions of the Byzantine state policy, such as conferring the title of nobility and donating land, again brought new devotees to the Orthodox community. Sometimes, by making forced migrations, Turkish tribes were exiled to regions where Hellenic culture (culture) was concentrated. Thus, they pursued the policy of dissolving them in their own culture.

In fact, for centuries, various Turkish tribes coming from Central Asia, over thousands of kilometers, were under the influence of Germanic on the one hand and Slavic on the other, adopting the languages, religions, social and city life of the local people and merging with them. In parallel with this, under the pressure of Orthodox unity and Hellenic culture, the groups that were settled, served or taken prisoner within the borders of Byzantium had been stripped of their tribal and national identities.

The church and the mission organization helped the Byzantines a lot to cover the historical bowl on the foreheads of the Turkish tribes. Byzantium's activities of this kind have always been excessive. So much so that an enormous organization had prevailed to connect all the people of the southern countries, from the Upper Danube Steps to the Caucasus and Abyssinia, to the Bible.

As can be seen, from one branch to the land of the Steppes, Eastern Europe to Byzantium and Peloponnese; Turkish tribes, which spread to Iran, Mesopotamia, Syria and Arab countries on the one hand, had melted down and disappeared under different pressures. Whether China, India or Iran, these waves, which have been marching on their lands for centuries, have made these waves invincible, and even their names and reputations have been erased despite the political domination they have repeatedly established.

Susi is an issue that needs to be carefully considered that if the Ottomans did not grow up from behind, the Turks of Kucukasi would have suffered the same fate.

The truth-speaking lip of history is a witness that only the Ottomans were able to show their power to reclaim their past heritage, which was lost in the mists of time, to establish a fully-fledged Turkish state and to keep it alive with its historical virtues.

Again, this is the Muslim Ottoman Turkishness that, as soon as Rumelia took a step, it came face to face with a remnant of Central Asia represented by the culture and diplomacy of various states. These Turkish communities, who settled in these lands but hid their cultural and national habits with a jealous conservatism, immediately embraced their kin, who came across as the dominant nation, and did not hesitate to enter their administration, but also helped their kin in conquest and settlement cases.

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Thus, the Ottomans, who started to flow to Rumelia with all their administrative, military, social, religious and complete institutions, will not only have a new country for their own race and civilization. Because they were preparing to fulfill an honorable debt to history by restoring peace and tranquility in the Balkans, which had been the scene of war and struggle of various tribes for centuries.

Indeed, according to Hammer's determinations, Süleyman Pasha's passage to Rumelia is the 18th passage carried out by the Turks. Before that, the Turks had set foot in Rumeli, one way or another, and had engaged in various activities in the region. However, since these were generally for a temporary period, they were not emphasized much by Ottoman historians. But the passing of Orhan Gazi's son, Süleyman Pasha, paved the way for the Muslim Turks to make it their homeland. Ottoman historians do not dwell much on earlier passages. For, according to them, previous transitions do not constitute a sufficient reason for permanent conquest and settlement. In this respect, these transitions did not seem to be worth dwelling on. Of the Byzantine historians, only Kantakozen, Süleyman Pasa' He talks about the passage of the spur without going into too much detail and without going into the details of the passage. On the other hand, Turkish historians describe this transition in detail. Thus, the opinion among the people that Osman Gazi's dream is about to come true slowly begins to spread.

As it is known, XIV. The states of Serbia and Bulgaria had their eyes on the lands of the Byzantine Empire, which was on the verge of collapsing from the beginning of the century. These states were engaged in some activities and studies to be the heirs of the empire. In this period, it was known that Byzantium, which was in political, economic, social and even religious depressions, would not last long. In this respect, the Ottomans had to consider making use of the legacy of the aforementioned state.

These three states were making great efforts to realize their goals and obtain the largest share. In this respect, Osman Bey, the first founder of the Ottoman Principality, and especially his son Orhan, closely followed both the internal and external situation of Byzantium. It may even be for this reason that they were either trying to help the leading administrators (the government) or to support one of the parties in order to play a more active role against their opponents. "This is why the Ottomans did not justify the Byzantine Empire by expelling it to the European continent, but also tried to ensure the interests of the Ottoman Principality there. However, it was also certain that solid and actual results would not always be expected from these first activities. In other words, it was quite natural that the Ottomans would not attempt to invade the places they raided or entered for the purpose of aid, and would first prepare the ground for themselves. Orhan Bey had learned the situation of this air well by having many stickers made on the Thrace coasts since the days when he was deputizing for his father Osman Bey."

Transition To Rumeli Orhan Gazi Conquests

The Byzantine Emperor, who did not have good relations with both the Catalans and the Latins, and the efforts of the Latins to take Istanbul and throw the Byzantine Emperor into Anatolia, felt the need to follow a soft policy against the Ottomans from time to time. This need even reached the point where he asked the Ottomans for help. The Byzantine Emperor Kantakouzenos often needed the help of the Ottomans, causing him to give Çimbi (Çimpe), near Bolayir, to the Ottomans as a military base for such future campaigns. Resources on this subject provide information on:

Kantakouzenos, who was able to get out of a tight situation with the forces given by Damadi Orhan Bey, applied to the Pope from time to time and asked for the Crusades to be organized, but he did not hesitate to press Orhan Bey when he got bored. As a matter of fact, in 1349, when the Serbian king Stefan Dusan was about to capture the city of Thessaloniki, the Ottoman force of 20,000 people, which Kantakouzenos provided with an application to Orhan Bey and under the direction and command of Orhan Bey's son Süleyman Pasha, saved the situation in his favor. In the meantime, it is seen that some Ottoman naval forces participated in the operation together with the Byzantine navy. Shortly after this event, when the struggle between Kantakouzenos and his imperial partner, Ioannes V, flared up, Orhan Bey said: Together with the Genoese, he again sided with Kantakouzenos and sent his auxiliary forces to rescue Kantakouzenos' son Mateos, who was under siege in Edirne, on the one hand, and on the other hand, he achieved an important victory against the Serbians and Bulgarians in Dimetoka with a force of 10,000 people.

In this event that took place in 1352, Süleyman Pasha was in command of the Ottoman forces. While Süleyman Pasha successfully fulfilled this duty and returned to Anatolia, he left some of his soldiers in the Çimbi castle, which Kantakouzenos gave in return for this help in the Gallipoli peninsula. He also had an important victory against the Serbians and Bulgarians. In this event that took place in 1352, Süleyman Pasha was in command of the Ottoman forces. While Süleyman Pasha successfully fulfilled this duty and returned to Anatolia, he left some of his soldiers in the Çimbi castle, which Kantakouzenos gave in return for this help in the Gallipoli peninsula. He also had an important victory against the Serbians and Bulgarians. In this event that took place in 1352, Süleyman Pasha was in command of the Ottoman forces. While Süleyman Pasha successfully fulfilled this duty and returned to Anatolia, he left some of his soldiers in the Çimbi castle, which Kantakouzenos gave in return for this help in the Gallipoli peninsula.

Thus, the Ottomans had been involved in the struggle for the throne and sultanate in Byzantium since 1345, but on the other hand, they both gained experience for the Rumelian conquest they would make on their own account and had a base of action by settling on the Rumelian side.

In fact, the third and final period of Orhan Bey's reign began in 1353, in the form of settling in Rumelia. This settlement and conquest led to serious disagreements with Kantakouzenos. Because Kantakouzenos understood how dangerous it was for the Ottomans to settle in the European zone. In 1354, after seeing that Orhan Bey's forces owned all the coasts of Marmara as far as Bolayır and Tekirdagi, he thought of preventing this. For this reason, he sent a message to Orhan Gazi and stated that he wanted to buy Çimbi in return for 10,000 gold, meanwhile, that the Turkish forces had to leave and evacuate Gallipoli and that he wanted to meet with him in Izmit. In return, Orhan Gazi said that he could leave Çimbi, to which the emperor had given him in return for help, as per the offer, but he stated that he could not return Gallipoli because his own forces had captured it, and that he could not meet with him due to his illness.

The Orhan Gazi's Period: Conquests and Legacies

Although Kantakouzenos had come all the way to Izmit, he returned to Istanbul without meeting with Orhan Bey. In this situation, Kantakouzenos was together with the Serbians and Bulgarians and made an unsuccessful attempt to protect and defend the Balkans against the Ottomans. Shortly after this, Kantakouzenos had to cede the reign to his rival Ioannes, who escaped from the prison in Bozcaada with the help of the Venetians. After that, Kontakuzenos, who retired to a monastery, broke off all relations with his son-in-law, Orhan Bey. He stated that he could not return him because his own forces had captured him, and that he could not meet with him due to his illness. Although Kantakouzenos had come all the way to Izmit, he returned to Istanbul without meeting with Orhan Bey. In this situation, Kantakouzenos was together with the Serbians and Bulgarians and made an unsuccessful attempt to protect and defend the Balkans against the Ottomans. Shortly after this, Kantakouzenos had to cede the reign to his rival Ioannes, who escaped from the prison in Bozcaada with the help of the Venetians. After that, Kontakuzenos, who retired to a monastery, broke off all relations with his son-in-law, Orhan Bey. He stated that he could not return him because his own forces had captured him, and that he could not meet with him due to his illness.

Although Kantakouzenos had come all the way to Izmit, he returned to Istanbul without meeting with Orhan Bey. In this situation, Kantakouzenos was together with the Serbians and Bulgarians and made an unsuccessful attempt to protect and defend the Balkans against the Ottomans. Shortly after this, Kantakouzenos had to cede the reign to his rival Ioannes, who escaped from the prison in Bozcaada with the help of the Venetians. After that, Kontakuzenos, who retired to a monastery, broke off all relations with his son-in-law, Orhan Bey. In this situation, Kantakouzenos was together with the Serbians and Bulgarians and made an unsuccessful attempt to protect and defend the Balkans against the Ottomans. Shortly after this, Kantakouzenos had to cede the reign to his rival Ioannes, who escaped from the prison in Bozcaada with the help of the Venetians. After that, Kontakuzenos, who retired to a monastery, broke off all relations with his son-in-law, Orhan Bey. In this situation, Kantakouzenos was together with the Serbians and Bulgarians and made an unsuccessful attempt to protect and defend the Balkans against the Ottomans. Shortly after this, Kantakouzenos had to cede the reign to his rival Ioannes, who escaped from the prison in Bozcaada with the help of the Venetians. After that, Kontakuzenos, who retired to a monastery, broke off all relations with his son-in-law, Orhan Bey.

The conquest of the Gallipoli peninsula by the Ottomans had turned Byzantium upside down. Kantakouzenos was accused of causing this, so he had to abdicate the imperial throne and retreat to a monastery.

Thus, the ingenious project of Osman Gazi, which was meticulously followed by his son Orhan, was realized. It was only a matter of time before the Marmara, which dominates the Aegean and the Black Sea, was turned into an inland sea.

The Orhan Gazi's Period: A Time of Conquests:

Süleyman Pasha started to live in the palace he had built for himself in Rumelia (Gallipoli) from 1354. Orhan Bey had given his son great authority and authority. In the meantime, valuable commanders such as Orhan Bey's second son and Süleyman Pasa's brother, Murad Bey, Haci Ilbeyi, Lala Şahin Pasa, Evrenos Gazi, Gazi Fazil and Ece Yakub Bey were constituting Süleyman Pasa's staff.

Süleyman Pasha, who fell off his horse while following a hunt in 1358 or 1359 and died as a result of an accident, was 43 years old at that time. Upon the death of Süleyman Pasha, his brother Murad Bey, who was 33 years old at that time, was appointed in his place. Thus, Murat Bey became the heir apparent.

After the death of Gazi Siileyman Pasha, there was a pause in the conquest movement in Rumeli, but this situation was averted by shrewd amirs such as Lala Şahin Pasha, Haci Ilbeyi and Evrenos Bey without causing a great discord.

Süleyman Pasha was very good to the local people in the places he conquered. He was preparing better opportunities for them than the Byzantine administration. Thus, he was drawing the path of his conquest to that great ruler, who was his successor and would later be named Sultan Murad I. Süleyman Pasha was buried in his tomb in Bolayir, which he conquered. Sultan II, who will come centuries after him and is a really great ruler. Abdulhamid had this tomb rebuilt.

It is stated that Süleyman Pasha had three sons and two daughters named Melik Nasir, Ismail and Ishak. One of his sons, Melik Nasir, drowned in the sea, which must have happened in Süleyman Pasha's health.

Extremely shaken by the news of his eldest son's death, Orhan Bey comes to Bolayir and visits his son's grave. After entrusting his futuhat to his son Murad Bey, who is the crown prince, he returns to Bursa.

The Orhan Gazi's Period: Conquests and Legacies

Orhan Gazi, who doubled the small principality he took over from his father and turned it into an organized state, passed away in March 1362. At the time of his death, his son Murad was at the head of the main forces of the state in Rumelia. Apart from gaining a great and justified reputation with the conquests of Thrace, he took the throne instead of his father, with the support of the ahis and veterans who had a great influence in the state affairs at that time, as he represented the war and conquest policy against Byzantium.

The settlement of the Ottomans in Gallipoli had attracted the attention of Europe. Although this movement brought up the danger of a Muslim community settling on their own continent, it did not pose a danger to the Turks in those parts because of the Balkan states' dealings with each other. In this respect, the thought of the Ottomans to spread to the Balkan peninsula was the main policy. However, considering the possibility of Serbian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Byzantine and Venetians to intervene together, a deep-rooted settlement policy was started immediately. For the realization of this purpose, some of the nomads were transferred and settled from the Ottoman land in Anatolia (from the side of Karesi). In this regard, Asikpasazade, Süleyman Pasha's father Orhan

"Who sent a message to his father, Orhan Gazi, who, with your help from the state, caused the conquest of the Greek hand. The disbelievers are very despicable. Now tell me, who knows that the forts and provinces conquered from this side need more men than people of Islam. And send useful veterans. Even Orhan Gazi agreed. Black Arab houses, nomads, came to his province. He took them into Greek hands. Orhan Gazi was not satisfied with this, and he had those who were members of the military class from the people in these conquered places transferred to Anatolia. As a matter of fact, our source says:

In response to these nomads settled in Rumelia, they transferred the Greeks, who were members of the military class, to Balikesir and its surroundings, as they were worried that a rebellion might arise in the future.

It seems that the Ottomans knew that they could not stay here only with military measures after they crossed to Rumelia. For this, some radical measures had to be taken. At the beginning of these measures was the transfer of Muslim Turkish elements from Anatolia to Rumelia in order to ensure the political and military security of the region in places where foreign elements were present and to open the vacant areas for settlement.

As it was just contacted, a group of Turkish tribes living in Balikesir region was transferred to Rumelia in 1357 for this reason. This group was first settled in the Gallipoli region and then in Hayrabolu. Intelligent propaganda after the first group passed, enabled many families from Anatolia to migrate to Rumelia. Most of them settled in fertile lands and started to engage in agriculture. Some of them went to the northwest of Gallipoli and settled in places they liked. They even participated in raids en masse when necessary.

Ottoman sources tell in detail how Süleyman Pasha transferred people from Viranca Hisar, located on the Anatolian coast, across the castle of Çimbi and on the Anatolian coast, to the Rumelian coast, and how he carried out activities on those coasts, largely by transferring from each other. The information given by Asikpasazade includes the following statements as a historical information:

"One day, while he was visiting his hometown, he came to Aydincik. He started to contact. He saw some strange buildings. He stopped for a while. He didn't tell anyone. There was a saint, they say, Ece Beg. He was known as Hayli bahadir. To Süleyman Pasa:

"My Han, you're lost in thought," he said. Süleyman Pasha said: "I am thinking of crossing this sea, so that the unbeliever will not know about it." Ece Beg and Gazi Fazil said: "Let's both pass, let my Khan see". Süleyman Pasa said: "Where do you pass by?" Dedtier said, "My inn! There is a place here that is close. It is places to pass." They went. They reached that place, which is Viranca Fortress by the sea, down from Görece.

Across Çimbi, Ece Beg and Gazi Fazil quickly built a raft. They boarded and came out around Çimbi Hisari. An unbeliever entered the hand among his ties. They brought it, put it on the raft. They brought it to Süleyman Pasa immediately.

Süleyman Pasha dressed this infidel in a robe. He handed her a hat. He gave a belt to his waist and shoes to his feet. He equipped the disbeliever. Kafir said:

"Is there a place in your fortress so that we can enter without the infidels hearing it. No one can see us?" The disbeliever said, "Tell me, I will send you so that I can put you in the fort before anyone sees it." They quickly built a few more rafts. Süleyman Paça took seventy-eighty benefits. They passed in the night. This infidel, true Çimbi Hisari had room to turn upside down. This led the Muslims there. They immediately entered the fort from there. Most of the disbelievers were outside in their vineyards and threshing floors. Because at that time, it was the time of threshing. They took the Elhasil Fortress. They did not hurt their disbelievers. Maybe they even bestowed on the unbelievers. They hired a few well-known infidels among them. There were ships in the harbor of this fortress. They put it on those ships. They sent it to the soldier sitting opposite. In short, they spent two hundred men that day.

Ece Beg rode the horses of the fortress. Next to Bolayir, there was a port called Akça Liman, and the ships there burned. He drove from there and came to his castle again. They hid the ships that were in the port of this fortress (Cimbi). They did not stop, they passed people. They brought most of the soldiers from Elhasi with them. They did not hurt any of these infidels, they took their hearts. They too found themselves in safety. They welcomed both their women and themselves. They put the sailors of the disbelievers on the ships. They stood by themselves. They had a lot more people. In a day or two they had two thousand men. These infidels (Chimbi infidels) allied with the veterans.

They walked. One night, there was a fortress called Ayaslonca (Ayasilonia), they even took it. In the hands of Ahl-i Islam, the fortress became two. They even liked the hearts of its people. They fortified these two fortresses. Many men came from Aydincik by ship. Süleyman Pasha said, "Take out the infidels who are cavalry from these fortresses. Send them to the province of Karesi with their houses, so that evil will come to us in the end." They did so.

For a couple of months they solidified these forts. They didn't stop. They brought what they wanted from everywhere.

One day, the infidels of Gallipoli gathered to come upon them. These were also immediately met. There was a war, they destroyed the infidels. They built the gate of the fortress. They gave comrades to Yakub Ece and Gazi Fazil. They transferred them to Gallipoli. Day and night, these did not give peace to the infidels of Gallipoli. They couldn't even leave a ship on its pier, so it came out. These two veterans have given very useful veterans. They put them at the tip of Gallipoli. They lived in Bolayir."

According to what is understood from this historical text, the Ottoman Empire treated these people who were not Muslims and even struggled against them with real tolerance even at that time. The secret of the success of the Ottomans in their movements and behaviors should be sought in this understanding.

Conquest Of Edirne : Orhan Gazi Conquests

The Conquest Of Edirne :

Edirne, which was a small city before the Ottoman conquest and consisted of a bordered area called "Kaleiçi" today, was a city of strategic importance in order to pass to the Balkans and hold on there and establish dominance. It belonged to the Byzantine Empire.

Sultan Murad I, who we can call the second conqueror of Rumelia after Süleyman Pasha, understood the military importance of this city. For this reason, he chose to conquer Edirne as his target. After Ankara was recaptured, it was now Edirne's turn.

The capture of Edirne, which most of the sources reported was conquered after Sultan Murad took the Ottoman throne after his father, was the sign that the Ottomans were trying to settle in Europe definitively.

After returning from Ankara, Sultan Murad went to Thrace and started activities. True, when the Ottomans came to the aid of Emperor Kantakouzenos many times, they understood the importance of Edirne and the whole region as well as their transportation and strategy. Therefore, in order to keep the rest of Edirne safe and to prevent a Byzantine attack from Istanbul, Çorlu, which was called Tzurulon, had to be taken. The Ottoman troops attacking here took this place again in a short time and demolished its walls. From here they passed to Lüleburgaz, which was the center of the bishopric and called Arkadiopolis. The Ottomans, who captured this place in a short time, also destroyed the walls of this place. Anatolia, right after the capture of Lüleburgaz. Immigrants from Turkey were transferred and settled here. This was similar to the settlement policies of the Great Seljuks in Anatolia. Thus, the real aims of the Ottomans to Islamize Thrace were revealed.

Talking about Byzantine history, Dukas says the following while talking about Sultan Murad's activities in Thrace:

"During the same year, even the Turkish chief Orhan passed away and left his principality to his son Murad. After Murad Bey took many of the Thrace cities under his control, he besieged Edirne. He captured the whole continent of Thessaly except Thessaloniki. In this way, Murad He came to Trivalya (the region between the Danube river and Western Thrace) after capturing all the places belonging to the Byzantines.

As you can see, Sultan Murad conquered Edirne after capturing Çorlu and Lüleburgazi, which were on the way to Edirne and had been captured by the enemy before. Meanwhile, Malkara, Kesan and Ipsala, which Byzantium had taken back before, were captured again by Gazi Evrenos Bey and joined the Ottoman administration. On the other hand, Haci Ilbeyi took the town and port of Dedeagaci (Megri-Makri), which is located on the Enez Bay and to the west of Maritsa. From here, he had captured Dimetoka, which is called Didimatihon, by following Meriç to the north.

Conquest Of Edirne: Orhan Gazi Conquests

When Evrenos and Hacı İlbeyi obtained the above-mentioned places, upon the decision made in a war council convened in Lüleburgaz by the invitation of all commanders, the governor Lala Şahin Pasha was dispatched to Edirne with a large force. A part of the forces advancing towards the Black Sea coast from the right arm against the possibility of the Bulgarians helping the Greeks occupied Kirklareli; Considering that the Serbs on the Serez and Drama sides could also intervene, Evrenos forces, who were assigned to the left arm, were also dispatched to the west of Dimetoka and a defensive arrangement was taken. Finally, at the end of a decisive battle with the Greek and Bulgarian forces, which came to the Sazlidere location between Babaeski and Pinarhisar, the enemy was defeated. As a result, Edirne was captured (764 H. / 1363 M.). Edirne

After Sultan Murad settled the Edirne situation, he left the Beylerbeyi Lala Sahin Paça and went to Dimetoka himself. He made it his headquarters for a while. There he built a mosque and a palace for himself.

Sultan Murad was not satisfied with this and continued his activities. He dispatched Lala Şahin to Plovdiv and Zagra in the north, and also assigned Evrenos Bey to the conquest of Western Thrace (Komulcine). Lala Sahin Pasa besieged Plovdiv (Plovdiv), which is famous for rice agriculture. Realizing that he could not withstand this siege, the castle guard surrendered and went to Serbia with his family. Evrenos Bey also took some places in Komotini and that area. With the capture of Plovdiv after Edirne, the relations of the Serbs in Byzantium, Bulgaria and Macedonia with each other were cut off. Thus, Byzantium was completely surrounded by the Ottomans.

Although an agreement was made between the Emperor John the Fifth and the Venetians in July 1361 in order to prevent this spread of the Muslim Turks who were spreading in Eastern Thrace, no benefit could be obtained. Because the Ottomans kept the coasts tightly in their hands by constantly transporting immigrants from Anatolia, and also applied a very compassionate and fair administration style against the local people, there was no rebellion movement inside. Therefore, no result could be obtained from the alliance between Byzantium and Venetians. Thereupon, the emperor had to agree with the Ottoman Empire in 1364 and accept the current situation. Thus, for the Byzantines, the hope of regaining the places that had passed into the hands of the Ottomans disappeared. Because the Emperor

The conquest of Edirne and Eastern Thrace is an event that shows that the Ottomans settled in Europe. This has been a turning point for the Anatolian Muslim Turkish history as well as for the Balkans and, accordingly, Europe. Because, thanks to the Ottomans, Europe encountered concepts such as religious tolerance, respect for human beings and obedience to the law, which it cannot be said to have known or practiced before. It should be noted that this issue will be touched upon in more detail while talking about the spiritual reasons and factors of the Ottoman conquest.

Orhan Bey, who enlarged the small principality he took over from his father twice and turned it into an organized state, passed away in 1362. At the time of his death, the borders of the state had increased to 95,000 km2.

Orhan Bey and Government Agency

Orhan Bey and Government Agency :

The first organization of the Ottoman Empire was established during the time of Orhan Gazi. The state, which was a small principality before, started to expand and grow with the conquests of his time. Since this expansion continued without hesitation, it had to be supported by new institutions and placed on solid foundations. In this respect, it was necessary to bring vitality and continuity to this political entity and unity, which was possible with the establishment of solid and well-founded institutions. The principality felt the need to leave, even a little, from the tribal customs and rules. Because until that moment, it had begun to accommodate people with different religions, cultures, races and civilizations that it had not encountered before. This was possible by finding the solutions required by the time and conditions against the new problems that emerged. This course of action it provided him with the understanding of becoming a modern state. In the field of administration, it was necessary to establish new organizations in matters such as justice, military service and taxation. Vizier Alaeddin Pasha and Bursa Kadisi Cendereli Kara Halil Efendi, who came from the ulema class, were in great effort and activity in these matters. For this purpose, a silver coin was minted in the third year of Orhan Bey's accession to the throne (cülüs). There was also the stamp of the Kayi tribe, to which the Ottomans belonged.

As it is known, money plays an important role in economic and social life. Likewise, it is one of the signs of independence (independence) of a state. The currency used by the Ottomans for the first time was akça. Another point that we need to emphasize and point out here is that the first Ottoman maple was printed in the time of Orhan Bey. However, new researches show that the first Ottoman coin was minted during the Osman Gazi period. However, it is not clear where and when this money was minted.

Orhan Bey was a complete state founder in terms of administration. All history and sources are allies when he made the Ottoman Principality a true state. In his first state organization, Orhan Bey took the Anatolian Seljuks and Ilkhanids as an example and formed a government organization accordingly. The main basis of this was the "Divan" in the center. The ruler, who still had the title of bey, was the chairman of this council. The divan was also presided over by the vizier, who was the head of the government and was a regular from the ilmiye class in the early periods. As it is understood from the charter of the first vizier of Orhan Bey's period, dated Ramadan 723 (September 1323), and Asporça Hatun, one of the Orhan Bey wives, perhaps "ahi" from the ilmiye class named Haci Kemaleddin oglu Alaeddin Pasha (d. 1340). It is seen that he was a person from a dignitary and that he was confused with Orhan Bey's younger brother Alaeddin Bey due to the similarity of the name. The second vizier was Nizameddin Ahmed Pasha, son of Ahi Mahmud.

In the administration of cities, towns and districts, the places obtained from the time of Osman Bey were given to the lords who conquered these places and were directly used by the leaders of the tribe and who were in the position of military commanders. In other words, this system established by Orhan Bey was the same as the Seljuk divan circle and its surroundings. For example, cities such as Eskisehir, Bilecik, Iznik, Karacahisar, Inonu, Izmit, Yenisehir, Bursa were always districts. For this reason, there was a kadi and a subasi there.

While Orhan Bey was establishing a regular state organization in the Ottoman Principality, he attached all the timars to some command levels in certain units. These units, which constituted the most important element of the Ottoman army at that time, were sipahis, who were generally recruited from tribes in order to be given timars in return for their services. The notables of these took part in the expedition together with the men they had gathered from their tribes and tribes. After Gaza and the conquest, these veterans were given a timar (dirlik) in the beginning, and a higher timar was assigned to those who governed them. These fiefs, who were all horsemen, were put into a regiment and the person who had the biggest fief was appointed as a regiment. The timars of each county were under the rule of a cheribasi. The second class military force on which Orhan Bey's state was based was the pedestrian and Müsellem organization. The emergence of this military organization had become a necessity. Because, a permanent military unit had to be established instead of the tribal cavalrymen, whose success was limited because they could not come to the expedition on time or could not stay in the siege services for a long time. Only in this way, in the time of Orhan Bey, it would be possible to reach every part of the principality, whose borders had expanded considerably, in a timely manner.

The first important conquest of the Ottoman Principality, and perhaps the most important step in the way of revealing a new and strong political presence, is the establishment of the facilities that Orhan Bey established here after he took Bursa and continued by walking in the footsteps of his successors in this city. It was the fact that it caused a large Muslim Turkish population to gather. He met the first needs by turning churches and monasteries into mosques and madrasahs right at the beginning of the work. He also established many foundations here.

Orhan Gazi was very careful about the politics he applied with justice towards his subjects in the countries he conquered. He had built the foundations of the state on the understanding of justice he inherited from his father. For this reason, he treated everyone as they should, without making any distinction among his subjects. However, he was a pioneer in everything that benefited his community. In this respect, he was not content with turning the churches in the places he conquered into masjids and madrasahs. By establishing foundations, he showed this leadership in the social field as well. As a matter of fact, the poor in Bursa build houses and donate goods to feed the poor. In the house of the poor, he also pays salaries to scholars and hafiz. Orhan Bey was the first institution of the soup kitchen, which we have witnessed in previous Muslim states, in the Ottomans. It's Iznik He builds an soup kitchen at the Yenişehir gate. He gave the sheikh of this imaret to Haci Hasan, who was the disciple of his grandfather Edebali. Orhan Gazi himself served at the opening ceremony of this first imaret. He distributes soup to the poor, and in the evening he lights the lamps of the soup kitchen himself.

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As it is known, one of the institutions that have an important role in the development of the education and cultural life of the society is the madrasahs. Here, too, we see that Orhan Gazi was active for the first time and established the first Ottoman madrasah in Iznik in 731 (1330 AD). Again, the madrasah he founded in Bursa in 1335 overshadowed the Iznik madrasah and became the higher education institution of the period. He did not fail to show respect to scholars and scholars. He was good at appreciating them. The Maghrib (Morocco) traveler Ibn Batuta, who visited him in Iznik in his early days, speaks smugly about Orhan Gazi. Not only does he say that he was the greatest of the Turkmen rulers, but he clearly describes the treats he received with him and how he traveled around his country.

Orhan Bey had sons named Süleyman Pasha, Sultan Murad, Ibrahim, Halil and Kasım. When he died in 1362, Murad, Ibrahim and Halil were still alive. Orhan Bey loved his son Halil very much, who was born to his wife Theodora, the daughter of Kantakouzenos. Ibrahim's mother is the emperor III. It is thought that Andronikos's daughter is Asporça Hatun and that Orhan Bey has a daughter named Fatma from this wife. In this way, it meant that Orhan Bey had both taken Kantakozenos' daughter and became a groom to the Paleolog dynasty. Süleyman Pasa and Murad Bey were from his first wife, Nilüfer Hatun, who was the daughter of the Tekfur of Yarhisar.

Conclusion:

Overall, the Orhan Gazi's period was a time of great conquests. He was able to conquer many different territories and expand the Ottoman Empire. This helped to solidify the Ottoman Empire as a powerful force in the world.