Over the weekend I thought that I would share three short posts with you. This will be about the Ottomans’ Turkic ancestry, Islamic heritage and dynastic origins. With the release of Kuruluş : Osman this week, it seems the perfect opportunity! Here is the first…
Kuruluş : Osman
After much anticipation, the first episode of the new television series Kuruluş : Osman has just aired. It is the sequel to Diriliş: Ertuğrul, and set to follow the fortunes of the young Osman Bey, son of Ertuğrul Gazi and founder of the Ottoman Empire. In the last few years there has been a dramatic resurgence of interest in Ottoman history. It is truly wonderful to see how Turks are fully embracing their past, and engaging in their history after generations of disinterest. Television shows such as these have been instrumental in this revival of pride in our shared history.
I really enjoyed watching the first episode of this series, and I enjoyed watching Diriliş: Ertuğrul. However, I have to admit that it does feel strange seeing actors portraying members of my family, and bringing them to life on the screen. Of course both shows use great artistic license, but that does not detract from their essence or enjoyment. They allow us to escape back to our past, to get to know our ancestors a little and to understand something of their way of life. This is very precious.
What I love most is that the characters were real people, fighting very real struggles during the turbulent times of the early 13th century. I feel extremely proud of everything my ancestors achieved at that time to create a safe homeland for their people. A beautiful homeland that continues to exist today. It is profoundly humbling to know I have the blood of Ertuğrul Gazi and Osman I flowing through my veins. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to believe it is true!
Birthplace of the Turks
So, where did the Turkic people originate from and what brought them to Anatolia?
The birthplace of the Turks is the Altai Mountains in Central Asia. They originated from the tribal kingdom of Tu-Kue on the Orkhon River south of Lake Baikal and north of the Gobi Desert, in present day Outer Mongolia.
The Turkic people were nomadic. They were skilled horsemen, and were grouped into many different tribes and clans all trying to live off the harsh lands of the steppe. A slow migration out of Central Asia began in the 6th century, accelerating from the 9th century onwards. The initial cause of this migration was the pressure exerted by a growing population on a fragile pastoral economy. This was aggravated by climatic change and further exacerbated by fears of Mongol oppression.
The Oğuz Turks
Among those who migrated westwards during the 8th Century were the Oğuz Turks. They travelled from the Altai mountains, through the Siberian Steppes and settled around Bukhara. It was from here that the westward Turkic migrations into western Asia and eastern Europe occurred during the 9th to 12th centuries.
The Oğuz are often referred to as ‘Western Turks’. This is because they migrated west from the other Turkic peoples and generally settled west of the Caspian Sea. They were a loosely linked group of nomadic tribes.
The Kayı Tribe
One such tribe was the Kayı tribe, and it was from the Kayı tribe that the Ottomans are descended. Kayı means “the one who has power and might”. Indeed the Ottomans were to become the very embodiment of this quality. For they were to establish one of the most powerful and mightiest empires in the history of the world. As true Oğuz Turks, their quest to head west would lead them to conquer territory stretching to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean.
It is interesting to observe that this fascination with all things western continues in modern Turkey. However, the more recent interest in our eastern ancestry, and the Central Asian roots of the Turkic people can never be forgotten…
If you have not yet seen the first episode of Kuruluş : Osman, then I would urge you to. If you have – then enjoy the rest of the series!
