SULTAN BAYEZID THE SECOND

(1447 - 1512 )

Bayezid (or Bayezid) the Second was tall, broad chested and strong. He had a round shaped face and grayish blue eyes. He was brave and bold; and at the same time he was a mild, sane and religious emperor. His father, the Conqueror, because of his great love to science, felt the necessity to educate his son well, and for that reason, he Pave his son to the Islamic School of Theology to be taught by the distinguished learned of Islam art that time, and actually Bayezid the Second was brought up by teaching the whole Islamic sciences. He had been given the title of
Bay ezid-ee Velee" (Bayezed the Muslim Saint) since he was perfectly bound to his religion. He frequently gathered the poets of his time and talked with them in the same way his father did. He wrote so many poems that if collected they might form a divan (collection of lyric poems). He was so much merciful that he, time and again, would give alms to the poor people. He was also a real development maker, for a lot of marvelous architectural works and libraries had been constructed in his era.
Sultan Bayezid Khan was an esteemable learned. He knew Arabic and Persian very well. He had educated him­self on Mathematics and Philosophy as well in addition to the Islamic Sciences. He also learned the Jagataic language and the Ouygour alphabet. He was a calligrapher and com­poser too. He wrote poems under the pen-name of Avnee. He reserved a money-fund for the savants of Islam and artists.

Sultan Bayezid the Second struggled with his brother, Djem Sultan for fourteen years. He captured Kilie and Akkerman. He declared war on the Egyptian Mamelukes between 1484 and 1485. Belgrade was besieged for the third time in his time, and the great victory of Abdina was won. He made a naval warfare with Spain. The fleet which was sent for aid to the Muslim Andalusian Empire assualted some coastal towns. There were not any empires or principalities who dared fight with him. The Othmanh Akindijis attacked inland European countries in that time, and those were the raiders who occupied the area from Venice to Warsaw. In 1483, the Sapienza Naval Victory was gained after that naval warfare. In 1500, Inebakhti was taken and the fortresses of Coron, Modon and Navarin were seized.

The Shahkoulou Rebellion which broke out in Anatolia was subdued. Against the persistent manners of his son whom he considered the mightiest of his sons, he renounced his sultanate, and he wanted to live at the Palace of Dimetoka and started a journey on that purpose, but he was seriously ill, and passed away at the village of Abalar of Hawza before arriving at Dimetoka at the time when he was 62 years old. His body was committed into his tomb next to the Bayezid Mosque. In many countries and even in Egypt, which he had fought with so many times, a burial service was performed for his soul. He expanded the Ottoman lands of 2.214.000 km/sqs to 2.375.000 km/sqs.

His Grand Viziers were as follows: Kodja Davoud Pasha (Koca Davud), Khadim Ali Pasha, Hersek-zade Akhmed Pasha, Ibrahim Pasha the Second, Ishak Pasha, and Mesikh Pasha who died in a fire.
His Sheikh'ul-Islams (Grand Muftis of the Mohemmedan Hierarchy in Turkey) were Molla Guranee, Molla Abd-ul-Kerim and Zembilli Ali Effendi.

His captains of Ocean were Keduk Davoud Pasha, Hersek-zade Akhmed Pasha, Iskender Bey, Hadji Mesikh Pasha, Guveghi Sinan Pasha and Karanishandji Vezir Davoud Pasha.
Among the most prominent members of the Silsile-ee Sadati Nakshibend, His Exalted Holiness Hadje Ubeidullah Akhrar, Mimar Ibrahim Tennouree Kaiseree, Sheikh Eboul-Vefa, Kestelee, Sheikh Seyyid Akhmed Nedjaree, Sheikh Niyazee, (Hadj1 Khalife), and Abdoullah Eshreph of Nicaea were the noted Moslems who died in the era of the Sultan Bayezid the Second.

He had eight sons whose names were Mahmoud, Akhmed, Shekhinshah, Sultan Selim Khan, Mehmed Korkoud, Abdoullah, Alimshah; and he had five daughters whose names were Ainishah, Gevkher Muluk Sultana, Hatije Sultana, Seljouk Hatoun and Houma Hatun.