Yaqub Beg

Yakub Bey I of Germiyan, also known as Yakub bin Kerimüddin Ali Şîr (d. 1340), was the founder of the Beylik of Germiyan (Germiyanoğulları). From the inscription on the minbar of the Kızılbey Mosque in Ankara, it is understood that Yakub Bey extended his rule as far as Ankara and, recognizing Seljuk sovereignty, offered his allegiance to Alâeddin Keykubad III. However, he had not submitted to Gıyaseddin Mesud II, who had held the Seljuk throne before that, and had recognized Ilkhanid sovereignty. With the collapse of the central government, the Germiyanoğulları too gradually began to gain independence. After Yakub Bey, his son Çağsadan Mehmed Bey succeeded him.

Background

In the 11th century a large part of Western Asia was under Seljuk rule. A branch of the Seljuk dynasty founded the Anatolian Seljuk state in Anatolia. The Germiyanoğulları first appeared in 1239 during the sultanate of Keyhüsrev II. Yakub's grandfather Muzaffereddin Bey was charged with suppressing the Baba İshak revolt around Malatya. With Keyhüsrev II's loss of the Battle of Köse Dağ in 1243, the Anatolian Seljuk State became a vassal of the Mongols. With the division of the Mongol Empire, Anatolia came under the influence of the Ilkhanids founded by Hülegü Khan. At this time Alaeddin Siyavuş, also known as Cimri, rose up against the Mongols. Germiyanoğlu Hüsameddin fought in Western Anatolia against Cimri and Karamanoğlu Mehmed. The presence of the Karamanoğulları in Anatolia led to further conflict in the region.

Rule

After the execution of Keyhüsrev III in 1283 and the accession of Mesud II in his place, the Germiyanoğulları tried to gain their independence from the Anatolian Seljuk State. With the death of Mesud II, the conflicts between the Germiyanoğulları and the Seljuks subsided, and Yakub accepted becoming a vassal of the new ruler Keykubad III. In that period Yakub's realm extended as far east as Ankara.

Fazlullah al-Umari stated that Yakub was the most powerful Turkic emir, the suzerain of his neighbors, and that the Byzantine Empire paid him 100,000 gold pieces each year. Yakub had 40,000 cavalry and could gather 200,000 soldiers in times of war.

Yakub had hostile relations with the Ottomans and in 1313 incited the Çavdar Tatars near Karacahisar to attack them. The Ilkhanid governor Timurtaş, after eliminating the beys of the Hamidoğulları and Eşrefoğulları in 1325, sought to establish authority over the beys of Western Anatolia and to seize the lands of Germiyan. While Timurtaş was making preparations at Eğirdir, he had also sent Eretna, one of the beys in his retinue, to the region of Karahisar-i Sahib. The Bey of Karahisar, who was Yakub Bey's son-in-law, took refuge with his father-in-law in Kütahya. When a war was about to break out between Yakub Bey and Eretna Bey, upon an order from Timurtaş Noyan (Demirtaş), Eretna Bey withdrew to Sivas.

The region under Yakub's rule was economically prosperous.

It is known that Yakub corresponded with the Mamluk Sultanate in 1340. These letters are the last known records of his life, and his exact year of death is unknown. According to Evliya Çelebi, Yakub was buried on the Hıdırlık hill near Kütahya.

Sources

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