Saltuk II

Saltuk II (İzzettin Saltuk) was a bey of Saltukids in the 12th century

Background

After Alp Arslan of Seljukids defeated Byzantine army in the battle of Manzikert in 1071, a series of Turkmen beyliks (principalities) were formed in Anatolia before Anatolia was united by the Seljuks of Anatolia. Saltukids was one of them. Its capital was Erzurum. Saltuk II was the fourth bey of this beylik.

Plot

Saltuk became the bey after the death of his uncle Ziyaeddin in 1132. He formed family relations with the other Turkmen beyliks around Erzurum. However, when Fakr al-Din Shaddad, a Shaddadid emir of Ani asked for Saltuk's daughter's hand Saltuk refused him. This caused a deep hatred in Şeddat towards Saltuk. In 1154 he planned a plot and formed a secret alliance with the Demetrius I of Georgia. While a Georgian army waited in ambush, he invited Saltuk to Ani with the pretext of selling the fort to Saltukids. Saltuk was taken prisoner by the Georgians. After ransom was paid by Saltuk's sons in law and Saltuk swore not to fight against the Georgians he returned home. ^[1]

Ani campaign

Towards the end of Saltuk's reign in 1161, George III of Georgia captured Ani. Turkmen beys formed a coalition to recapture Ani. Saltuk was a part of this coalition. But during the siege, Georgian army arrived to defend the fort and Saltuk remembering his oath, left the battle field. The campaign was a failure. However, two years later, Georgians were defeated by a coalition of Muslim leaders and Saltuk was able to expand his territory.^[2]

Death

Saltuk died in 1168. He was succeeded by his son Nasiruddin Muhammed. Next bey (hatun) after Nasiruddin was Mama Hatun (a female ruler, a rare example in an Islamic land) who was Saltuk’s daughter. His other daughter, Shahbanu, married Sökmen II, ruler of Ahlat.

References

1. ↑ Prof. Yaşar Yüce-Prof. Ali Sevim: Türkiye tarihi Cilt I, AKDTYKTTK Yayınları, İstanbul, 1991, p 149-150
2. ↑ Islam Encycloapedia (Turkish)