Aya (Hagia) Nikola

Tekfur Aya Nikola

## In the Establishment: Osman

Aya Nikola appears in the second season of the series as a proud and active commander of the Roman Empire.

Nikola only dreams of expelling the Turks out of the western borders of Anatolia, as he believed the lands belong to the Romans.

## Personality

Aya Nikola hails from the royal Roman family and was raised in Constantinople. He is shown greatly inspired from Julius *Caeser* and carries his sculpture with himself, with whom he talks and shares his plans. Nikola was highly ambitious and wishes to be the next *Julius Caeser* in future. Nikola was a talented sculptor and cool-minded as well as level-headed commander. He also earned the title 'Tekfur of Rome' and had higher dignity among other governors. The castle given to him was Inegol.

### Season One

Nikola does not appear in the first season of the series, but his name was mentioned in the end of the series by Princess Sophia.

### Season Two

By the start of the series, After Osman comes out victorious in the battle with Byzantine Governor Alexis of Inegol, Nikola is commanded by the Royal Council of the Byzantine Empire to leave for Sogut and deal with the Turks under the Principality of the Kayi tribe. Nikola in order to fulfill the assigned mission asks for complete authority of the Byzantine over the borders and also demands for the release of the Byzantine prisoner Flatyos whom he would take with himself to carry out the mission.

Nikola reaches the lands of the western borders now owned by the Principality of the Kayi Tribe under Ertugrul Ghazi except the Castle of Inegöl (***Inegol Kallesi***) where Nikola resides as the new Tekfur (land-lord/Governor) by himself killing the defeated predecessor land lord Alexis. The first thing Nikola does is to approach Ertugrul Bey at the Kayi tribe to pay the penalty in return for the captives that the Turks had taken after their victory.

In order to take the Christian majority on the lands at his side, Nikola reduces the taxes in the town Inegol and encourage the people to stand against the Turks. Nikola assigns his commander Flatyos to spread a plague across the city of Sogut using rats. Dundar Bey who was assigned as an administrator/head of the city of Sogut, notices the spreading plague and started taking precautionary measures.

Nikola then secretly orders the gun powder explosives from India and Mongolia to explode the city of Sogut, but much to his misfortune his "deaf" cook who happens to be one of Osman's spies in the city of Inegol, informs Bala Hatun and Nikola's caravan bringing the explosives was successfully raided by Saru Batu Savci Bey who then hides the explosives in the dungeons of the city of Sogut. When Nikola and Flatyos realized about their plan getting sabotaged, Flatyos sent his special people to explode the dungeons of sogut. Successfully this time the city burns by killing many innocents by the plague and many by the explosion. To avenge the city ruins, Savci Bey killed the people sent by Flatyos.

In order to prove himself innocent, Nikola signs a Peace Treaty with the Kayis, the treaty carries a clause based on the *Qasaas* (eye for an eye) agreement for the security of the Byzantines and the Turks on the borders. After the treaty was signed by both parties, Flatyos plots a scheme by enraging Goktug Alp and making him beat one of the Byzantine soldier, while later Flatyos kills the knight himself thus blaming Goktug of the murder and demanding his death based on the recently signed agreement. Goktug is put to dungeons, but understanding Nikola's deliberate plotting, Ertugrul Bey lets Goktug to escape from the dungeons and threatens Nikola resulting in the abolishment of the treaty.

When the Kayis fall in odds with Gaykhatu Khan, Nikola takes advantage of the situation and reconquers the Castle Kulucahisar (Conquered by Osman in the first season) and taking the Turks citizens as captives. When the Kayis learn of the incident, Osman reaches Nikola at Kulucahisar with his Alps, for paying ransom to free the captives but upon Nikola's stubbornness, Osman takes Flatyos as his captive, beats his Soldiers and frees the kayi captives in exchange for Flatyos, thus turning Nikola mad.

For avenging his humiliation, Nikola now blackmails Targun Hatun by abducting her father and her tribe, and installs her as his spy in the Kayi tribe despite her reluctance to betray the Turks. However, this time Osman pledges to once again attack Nikola at night in the Castle of Kulucahisar. But Targun overhears Osman in the tribe and informs Nikola, Nikola prepares to ambush Osman this time in the castle. But much to his dismay, Osman had already taken the precautions very closely and attacks Nikola in the most unexpected way by piercing a half knife into his heart. Osman then escapes the castle narrowly with his Alps and Aygul Hatun leaving behind the wounded and humiliated Nikola who was thought to be dead, but unfortunately Flatyos pulled out the dagger and saved Nikola from dying.

Nikola now swears to take his revenge by sending Flatyos and Cerkutay to once again explode the city of Sogut, as well as, Nikola invites Dundar Bey and Saru Batu Savci Bey for another peace agreement while intending to kill both of them publicly to bring back his lost honor among the people. Upon learning his plans, Osman sabotages his plan in Sogut and captures Flatyos and Cerkutay. On the other hand, Osman once again enters the Castle of Kulucahisar for the third time to rescue his uncle and elder brother from being killed. While doing so, he explodes a gas in the castle's courtyard and kills Nikola's soldiersand while rescuing the captives.

Nikola now humiliated and ruined in front of his people, sends word to Geykhatu regarding Osman’s stubbornness. In response Geykhatu threatens The Turks and the byzantines to agree for mutual peace or otherwise he would raid the Turk tribes and Byzantine castles, moreover he asks Yavlak Arsalan to conduct a negotiation regarding the issue. Meanwhile Osman had already decided to take back his conquered castle from Nikola and installed two of his closest Alps in the castle of Kulucahisar as spies, without Nikola knowing. On the other hand, Nikola further blackmails now a reluctant Targun with her father and asks her to kill Osman. But Targun who was already in suspicion in the tribe confesses her reality to Osman.

Upon receiving Gaykhatu’s order to establish peace with Nikola, Osman manipulates Nikola by agreeing to come to the peace negotiation at Yavlak Arslan’s place. On the other hand, Nikola who wanted to kill Osman before any negotiations could be proceeded installs Flatyos to kill Osman on his way to Yavlak’s place. At the day of negotiations, Nikola reaches Yavlak’s place before Osman, but much to his misfortune, Osman reconquers Kulucahisar castle behind his back with his army. The news reaches Nikola as a disaster and he rushes back to the castle of Inegol, this time more defeated than ever before.

Nikola seeking an opportunity to avenge himself, comes to know about Osman and Yavlak’s alliance and their plan to kill Gayhatu together, and informs Geykhatu before Osman could succeed, thus resulting in Osman being ambushed by Geykhatu’s armies. On the other hand, Nikola orders Targun to poison everybody in the tribe, but much to his dismay Targun Hatun reveals this to Osman who then ambushes Nikola using Targun. Nikola is injured badly by Bamsi Bey but escapes narrowly while Savci Bey abducts his friend Flatyos in the ambush.

Days later after regaining his strength, he receives guests from the Pope from Italy, who asked for his help to deal with the Turks, at first Nikola stays reluctant but after they help Flatyos to escape the Kayi’s captivity with the help of Idris (working as a trader in the tribe who was later caught), Nikola allies with the Papal spies to deal with Osman.

After Osman is elected as the new Bey of the Kayi Principality, Nikola invites Dundar Bey and urges him to betray Osman. On the other hand Osman arranges headquarter meeting will all the chieftains of other tribe at Sogut, but before these chieftains could reach Sogut, Flatyos murders them on Nikola’s orders and sends their corpses to Osman to undermine his reputation among people. After the incident Osman swears upon taking his revenge for the sake of his lost reputation and his people. Meanwhile Nikola receives word from the Byzantine Emperor who appoints him as the Governor of all the Byzantine Castles in the Empire, as well as, the Emperor sends one of the best Byzantine battalion from Constantinople for Nikola's aid. However when Osman receives the news of the battalion from one of his spies working in the castle, he ambushes the Byzantine soldiers in the worst way possible on their way from Constantinople to Inegol, by burning most of them alive and sending their corpses to Nikola. After so many battles, Beyhoca (Savci's son) was martyred. However, Nikola learns devastatingly from his surprise that his dear commander Flatyos has been badly defeated by Osman and later killed in Kayi tribe.

Nikola promises to avenge him. Meanwhile a new commander, Kalanoz, joins him and Togay, a Mongolian Shaman who is son of Noyan. Dundar is captured and executed for siding with Nikola. However, in one battle, both Kalanoz and Savci meet their end. Togay, on the other hand, is tricked by Osman and has to defend Turks' tribesmen and Beys; he leaves Nikola. From this trickery plan, Togay and Nikola decide to face each other, which could have helped Osman win the war and defeat both of them, but Umur Bey tries to ruin and mess up everything by helping Nikola in war, because he has to repay him, since his daughter Malhun attacked Nikola with their soldiers. Fortunately, Sheikh Edebali ends the conflict between Umur and Osman. However, Umur Bey assures Nikola that this time, he would ally with him and defeat Togay, yet Nikola betrays Umur by revealing the attack of Turks on Mongols to Togay. Umur Bey's tribe is destroyed and he's devastated for his actions. He then admits his mistake and tells Togay that Osman wasn't involved in this, hence he shan't be harmed. He accepts to risk his life and almost died, until Osman saved him and reminded Togay about peace that they made before. Umur Bey is saved. On the other hand, Nikola wants to create further conflict between Turks and Mongols. Togay then forced Nikola to help him defeat Osman, but he wasn't too sure. Being devastated in thought about whether to battle or not, Gunduz meets him and tells than Togay is a rebel of Mongol Ilkhanate state, so if Nikola helps Togay, then there would be a great conflict between Mongols and Byzantines. Nikola then betrays Togay and sits in his castle celebrating 'victory' for not losing a single soldier and causing chaos between Ilkhanate and Ottomans as both of them wanted Togay. In the end, Osman got Togay and executed him.

However, Nikola was becoming incompetent and lost his power time to time, so Emperor Andronickos' son Michael called him and gave last chance (because Emperor said so), followed by giving him last mission about the battle between Byzantines and Seljuks. The plan is, to stop paying Seljuks (Turks) taxes and to attack them and get their land back, so Nikola appointed all Tekfurs and discussed about it. Everyone agreed, except for Tekfur Leo, who told Nikola's evil secrets to Osman. Also, Goktug is falling love into Zoe, who is actually Nikola's spy. They know that this would bring Mongols in between to fight, but they risked it, since if Nikola loses the battle, he would lose his head from Emperor. He then orders every governor to stop paying taxes, and Tekfur Atnos and Macedonian commander, Dukas, join to fight with him, against Seljuks and Ottomans, but the Turks retreated and so did they. Sultan had to return to Konya to save his throne against Karamanids, and this determined the Byzantines, but they ended up losing, because of Osman's clever plan and formation in the battle. Dukas, Atnos, Yason and rest of the soldiers taste the wrath of Ottomans and die, while Nikola barely survives with Helen and returns to castle. The Emperor could have taken his head by now, but nevertheless, Nikola gets bounded with Emperor and deserves a chance, because he realizes that Osman is such a powerful soldier and a leader to establish a state.

### Season Three

Aya Nikola gathers his new allies - Mikhael Kosses from Yarhisar and Rogatus Laskaris from Bilecik. He also hires a new commander Argus. Kosses and Rogatus were enemies due to Christianity religion conflict, since Rogatus and Nikola were Orthodox and Kosses was a Catholic. Priest Gregor, a new character, emerges in Season 3 who apparently is friend of Rogatus and escapes from Emperor's wrath. However, he is later captured by Osman while Rogatus' soldiers were busy fighting with Catalans who were appointed by Kosses. Nikola wants to prove his point that Osman is becoming powerful, and so they must either unite or perish, even after the argument between Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox (branches of Christianity just like Sunni and Shia of Islam). He falls in love with Kosses' sister, Mari and wants to avenge her kidnapping done by Turgut Bey.

Nikola unleashes hell on Turgut's tribe and takes him as a captive. Gunduz Bey is sent as a messenger by Osman Bey and asks Tekfur Nikola to give Turgut Bey, which is refused, yet Nikola reveals that he will gift Turgut to Kosses as Turgut and Kosses were enemies, and gifting Kosses, he successfully did. However, despite the hardship, Turgut proves his strength and is determined to take vengeance for his tribe, which is another long complicated story of how Turgut escapes whilst Osman helping him, and will get its own document soon... maybe. Anyhow, he expresses his love with Mari. Rogatus starts to hate Orthodox due to the misunderstanding created between Gregor and him that led to Gregor take Osman's side. The bond strengthens between Nikola, Rogatus and Kosses. Osman is acknowledged that a huge caravan from Damascus is approaching in a village owned by Aya Hagia Nikola. Osman sends Priest Gregor to inspire people upon visiting Sogut and praising Turks instead of Tekfurs. The next day, Osman conquers the village. Nikola believes he's clever and knows Osman well, so he provides Catalans gold to side with him and hide in the caravans. As Osman shows himself and informs Nikola that he owns the village now, Nikola rejects it and proves that by surrounding Osman with his army and Catalans hiding in the caravan. Nikola believed that he would achieve his victory, but much to his dismay, Turgut Bey and Turkish archers of castle reveal themselves up. This enrages Nikola, who suddenly starts chaos and battle inside the village. It is possible he could've died as he was coming closer to Osman face-to-face for war, but his new commander Argus and retreating soldier drag the furious Nikola forcefully and ran away. The village was now in Ottoman's hands. Osman cuts the tax into half which cheers the people living in it. At this point, Priest Gregor (who knows that Kosses and Nikola would've handed him over to emperor as well as Rogatus who betrayed him earlier and almost killed him) starts to get worried about moving away from Christianity and promoting Turks instead.

Vowing upon the unity between Kosses and Rogatus, Nikola then ambushes Osman on his way to Iznik Castle and shoots him twice. Osman still manages to almost defeats Nikola, but then Nikola tries to pierce his heart by moving the arrow that was shot to Osman. After many difficulties, with the help of Catalans, Nikola then manages to hurt Osman badly and almost kill him until Goktug saves Osman. The Ottomans retreat. Anselmo and Diego (Catalan leader and co-leader) are killed by Osman in the forest. Nikola is enraged by it, and makes sure that he finishes Osman and his lineage before his death (when that will never happen). However, he sends a cook as a spy in Iznik castle to poison Osman, Governor of Iznik and the Alps, and she successfully adds the poison to the sherbet. Osman, alps and the governor drink the poisonous sherbet and get poisoned. Moreover, his allies manage to send a new woman and a determined soldier Julia to infiltrate the Kayi tribe with her army, and so she martyred those whom she faced. Julia also kills Gonca who is wife of Boran Alp and step sister of Bala Hatun (wife of Osman). However, Julia failed to steal the relic, hence Rogatus couldn't complete his mission. Nikola failed to martyr Osman and his alps too due to Malhun having the antidote for the poison (which leads to Osman finding out the cook as a culprit that kills herself). Kosses thought he lured Turgut into trap yet Turgut outsmarted his outsmarting. One thing the Tekfurs succeeded in... is to kidnap Kayi children. Why? As they knew Muslims were powerful fighters, and that would continue from their descendant cycle, so they took them hostage and wanted to make them Christians, yet after overcoming a complicated problem, Osman saves the children. Nikola plans to burn Sogut once again with the help of Kosses and Rogatus but fails as usual, and Priest Gregor is executed. Nikola wanted to marry Mari but she rejects it and asks Turgut for help. He also tries to manipulate governor of Iznik Saguros by making him think that Osman poisoned him, who then plots to conquer Inegol. Nikola with Kosses and Rogatus plans to kill Saguros, and fail. Turgut saves Mari before she was forced to marry Nikola by Kosses. However, Nikola finds out that Osman planned to conquer Inegol by taking over the mines surrounding it. Hence, he places the explosives in the tunnel and successfully ruins Osman's plan to conquer Inegol. In addition, he captures Boran Alp as well, whom Vizier Alemshah "saves" (technically he just asked for Boran). Vizier Alemshah is Sadettin Kopek 2.0, and the actual rebel of the state. He forms a friendship with Nikola and other governors, and gets Osman arrested who the latter escapes. Mari is kidnapped by Seljuks, who deliver her to Nikola, who stabs Mari. Turgut is frustrated; in haste, he makes a run to save Mari and so he did. When Kosses learns of Nikola stabbing Mari, he is enraged by it. However, Nikola doesn't know Kosses got this information. Vizier Alemshah ensures Nikola that a new market shall be established in Inegol. Rogatus is outraged by the fact that market was being set up in Inegol instead of Bilecik. Kosses was very infuriated due to market not being set up in Harmankaya and instead in Inegol, the castle owned by Tekfur of Rum Aya Nikola who tried to murder his sister. Therefore, Kosses forms an alliance with Osman and breaks his relationship with Nikola. Osman and Kosses plan to kill Vizier Alemshah and Nikola in Bilecik individually by befriending Rogatus, but unfortunately they fail. Geyhatu returns and Nikola captures Kosses while Vizier Alemshah takes Osman hostage. They fail to execute them each, and the latter escapes. Nikola then gets deranged upon learning that Vizier Alemshah hopes to conquer Harmankaya for helping Gunduz gaining more power, and so Gunduz does conquer Harmankaya with help of Vizier who is helped by Geyhatu that offers Nikola unexpected huge offers, although Nikola is suspicious of it. He was later ambushed by Mongol commanders of Geyhatu who came to kill him, but Osman emerged and made the Mongols retreat as well as dealt with Byzantines. Osman does defeat Nikola and could've killed him, but decided not to, because he knew that Alemshah and Geyhatu are far more problematic and mischevious than Nikola, and so they decided to ally, even the Emperor himself knew that Mongols were far more dangerous.

However, Nikola tried to fool Vizier and Geyhatu by pretending to be on their side. Later, Nikola revealed his true colors by showing himself to Geyhatu and fighting him with Osman, yet he betrays Osman by leaving battlefield because, in fear of defeat, he wanted his soldiers to live. Rogatus Laskaris died too. He then plans to ally with Vizier Alemshah and Geyhatu, but they rejected his appeal. So he pretended to be on Osman's side. Osman won; he executed Vizier Alemshah and sent wounded Geyhatu to Sultan, marking the end of Mongols because of his reality being revealed.

Now Nikola feared that Osman became powerful and he was to be his final target before the establishment of state. He tried his best to deceive Osman but failed. This is why his teacher named Arius disguised as Ibrahim Fakih emerged in the lands to cause internal problems in the tribe and to martyr Ivaz Bey. Because of him, Umur Bey was martyred by his ally Barkin, Mari was poisoned and dead by her assistant Cornelia, and Sheikh Edebali was also injured in Sogut as well as poisoned but fortunately he survived. This enraged Osman who soon caught Cornelia that was poisoned and executed. He also avenged Saltuk Alp by killing Arius's most liked and skilled student, whom Osman thought was Master Arius. Arius left for Jerusalem as quick as possible.

In 1299 after many years, Osman, who became so powerful, was ready to conquer Inegöl but decided to wait for a while. The peace agreement almost broke as Osman and his soliders attacked the caravan carrying ammunition to Nikola who was planning to gather his force and violate it. Osman's tribe and markets were developed. Meanwhile as Arius returns and Barkin becomes strong chief leader and frenemy of Osman, Nikola gathers Mihalis Basileus of Yarhisar and Digenis Justinianus of Bilecik who was a nephew of Rogatus, a deceased former governor of Bilecik. As Basileus planned to marry his stepdaughter Holofira (who ran away to take shelter in Kayi tribe) to Justinianus, they also planned to invite Osman and his family on wedding and poison them, violating the agreement whereas Arius revealed himself to be alive and kidnapped Orhan and Alaeddin. Kosses learned about this and told it to Osman. The latter planned to give Holofira to Basileus for the better. Soon, Osman sends Turgut to rescue Holofira and abduct Basileus. Meanwhile Nikola with Master Arius and Tekfur Justinianus to discuss the poison plan, but they failed. Aktemur who was son of Gündüz had arrived and he became a Bilecik spy. He enjoined the Kayis. Soon, Orhan and Alaeddin were saved whereas Bilecik was conquered. Justinianus and Basileus were killed. Nikola was enraged so he raided and destroyed the headquarters but fell captive to Osman. However he was exchanged with Barkin's people who were abducted. A blood thirsty Roman commander for Turks who came to support Nikola by the name of Romanos emerged. Meanwhile Arius planned to blow up the mines but he was trapped. Osman takes off the mask to learn that the same evil person years ago who used his student as a bait and disguised as Fakih was alive. Angrily Osman finally beheads Arius. He went to besiege Inegöl.

Nikola was too devastated but he never gave up. He motivated his soldiers and swore to kill Osman. He wasn't afraid, although he was stressed due to the fact that Inegol was in danger, but panic arose as soon as fireballs were being launched by cannons on the walls of Inegol. He did have enough food supply but the Kayis had a lot of war equipments. They tried to cut their supply line off while preventing the help coming to Inegol. Nikola's commander Romanos went to join his unit outside and destroy the military camp but even after finding out that Commander Alexander, who was Aktemur, was the traitor, he failed to succeed in trapping Osman who sabotaged his plan, which forced Romanos to flee. All of Nikola's moves were in vain. Whatever he does, his walls have started to be beaten, but he has no intention of giving up. As a final move, he plans to disperse Osman Bey's camp and leave nothing to fight in his hands. He has already deployed Romanos' soldiers around Osman Bey's camp, but the plan had already failed. Aktemur then went telling Nikola fake victory news to get him distracted and calm him down, who further sent his troops outside. Few Ottoman Alps managed to join Aktemur inside Inegol. The northern walls of Inegol began to break down as Ottomans advanced. Finally with the help of few soldiers inside and many outside Osman with his army broke the gates with battering ram, successfully entering inside Inegöl. Nikola didn't panic as he still tried to have high hopes, but it was over. Turgut played a main role here. Nikola was too much devastated, who then hid inside his castle and waited for Osman so that he could personally take revenge from him, but Osman defeated him. He was then imprisoned. Romanos along with Emperor's envoy demanded to Osman to submit Inegol and Bilecik again, pay 8 carts of gold, release Nikola and his soldiers and to promise never to declare war again. However Osman counter demanded to be paid 8 carts of gold yearly by Iznik, Bursa and Constantinople to continue trade and told them that Inegol and Bilecik will never be given to them, and they may release soldiers in exchange of gold but not Nikola. The offer was rejected.

## Death

Soon Romanos and Barkin would be caught and executed by Osman too. Meanwhile standing in the execution centre Nikola wasn't worried at all. He stood vigilantly expressing the bravery of Rome and he knew if he died, the whole Byzantine Empire would declare war against the Ottoman Empire. Osman took out his sword of justice and after many years of rivalry, finally took the head of Nikola.