Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Bayezid 1

Bayezid 1. Photo by Belli değil. Wikimedia

Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Bayezid 1

Bayezid I by Cristofano dell’Altissimo. Wikimedia

Bayezid 1 was a well-known leader also called Bayezid the Thunderbolt. He was the Ottoman sultan from the year 1389 to 1402 and reigned as the sultan for 13 years.

Bayezid 1 is very popular historically specifically due to the introduction of a centralized Ottoman state which was in line with the Islamic institutions and the Turkish traditions.

Being a vibrant leader, Bayezid was able to bring massive territories under his control. So that Bayezid would extend the extent of his territory, he began to extend his dominion over the Turkish-Muslim rulers in Anatolia.

After Bayezid had begun to conquer the Turkish, the victory led to a war between Bayezid and the Central Asian conqueror Timur. These were the two most powerful rulers in Islam during that period.

Below are the top 10 fascinating facts about Bayezid 1 since his birth in 1354.

1. Bayezid 1 was Born in Ottoman Beylik

Bayezid 1 was born in Ottoman Berlik which is present-day Turkey. He was born in the year 1354 as the son of Murad 1 and his wife Gülçiçek Hatun.

He was born to a full brother whose name was Yahşi Bey and several half-brothers and half-sisters including Nefise Hatun. He also had sons including Mehmed 1, Mustafa Celebi, and Isa Celebi.

2. He Married Several Wives

Bayezid 1 married Princess Olivera Despina in 1390 who was the daughter of Prince Lazar of Serbia.

Later on, he married other wives and concubines including Maria Hatun, daughter of Louis Fadrique, Hafsa Hatun, daughter of Prince Fahreddin, and Sultan Hatun, daughter of Prince Süleyman Şah Çelebi of the Germiyanids.

3. He Reigned as the Sultan of Ottoman

Immediately after the death of Murad 1, Bayezid took over the throne. Murad 1 is said to have died either in the battle with Kosovo in 1389 or the following day according to Serbian Knight.

However, the Ottoman was able to prevail and win the war leading to Bayezid inheriting the throne. Immediately after Bayezid ascended the throne, he killed his younger brother, Şehzade Yakub Çelebi so that he might not overthrow him in the future.

Bayezid was one of the great commanders in the middle age and was well known for his courage. His major ideal was to establish the unity of Anatolia.

4. Bayezid 1 was Held Captive by Timur

Bayezid I held captive by Timur, painting by Stanisław Chlebowski (1878). Wikimedia

The defeat of the Bayezid by Timur in 1402, led to the capture of Bayezid after a long rivalry between the two leaders. They were considered influential in Muslim times.

Many years of insulting letters between Bayezid and Timur. this was because Timur undermined the position of Bayezid. Timur was able to convince local Turkic beyliks, who were under the control of the Ottoman to join his forces.

Bayezid was captured in the fateful battle of the Ankara, where he tried to escape but he was captured and taken to Timur. When Timur saw him, he laughed at him but Bayezid told him that it wasn’t decent to laugh at the misfortune.

5. He was Tortured and Humiliated 

Timur the Great’s imprisonment of the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid. Photo by Wikimedia. Wikimedia

After the capture of Bayezid, he was greatly tortured and humiliated by Timur.  This act of torture was very popular in Europe.

Bayezid was chained in a place where he would observe his wife serve the meals to Timur. It was psychological torture.

Timur also used to take him everywhere he went in a cage and place him under the table. There he would place his legs on him and throw the bones that were eaten at him in the dining.

6. He was a Generous Ruler

Bayezid is recorded as a ruler who used his wealth for the development and the welfare of other people. The most gorgeous of his works included the Grand Mosque of Bursa and he also completed other charity works.

He commissioned great facilities such as a mosque that was named after him and a hospital where he brought doctors from Cairo to attend to the people.

He built a vast number of buildings and brought water into the city and constructed the fountains everywhere.

7. His Sons Battled for Succession

After the capture of Bayezid, his sons fled from the battlefield which meant that there were many contenders for the throne.

Timur who had captured Bayezid pronounced one of the sons to inherit the throne. All the other brothers were against the idea for they all wanted the throne. 

This turmoil over the succession of the throne came to be called the Ottoman Interregnum.  Mehmed was named successor and he prevailed. The throne was later challenged by another brother who was captured and executed.

8. Bayezid 1 Agreed to Peace Proposal

In 1390 Bayezid brought forth a mass campaign that under yoked the beyliks of Aydin, Saruhan, and Menteshe.

During that period one of the dangerous rulers was Sulayman, the emir of Karaman who was an enemy of Bayezid and had made great alliances with other rulers.

This stopped the advancement of Bayezid and thus he agreed to the peace proposal that Karaman had sent. After securing peace he went on to pursue the north side which provided safety to his fleeing opponents.

9. He was a Successful Sovereign who Won Many Battles

After Bayezid made the peace agreement with the Karaman, he proceeded to Kastamonu and defeated them together with Sinop.

In the period between 1389 and 1395, Bayezid was able to forcefully impose obedience in Bulgaria and northern Greece.

From 1393 to 1394 Bayezid was able to install a military blockade and a fortress that the sultan wanted to use during the second Ottoman Siege in 1395.

10. His Record of Death is Controversial

Bayezid’s türbe (tomb) at Bayezid I Mosque. Photo by Dosseman. Wikimedia

There are a lot of controversies about the death of Bayezid. Some writers believe that Bayezid died by committing suicide where he continuously hid his head against the wall till death.

Some believe that Bayezid was poisoned by one of the Timur officials and died. Other versions state that Bayezid was well treated by Timur and well respected and later died of Asthma.

Bayezid 1 was a very great ruler during his time and his courage is one to admire. His great passion led to the expansion of his kingdom and his generosity, especially in his charitable works is one to be emulated.

His compassion for the people led him to hire doctors externally to work in the hospitals he had commissioned. He was considered one of the greatest commanders in the middle ages.