Şehzade Korkut (son of Murad I)

## Şehzade Korkut

**Şehzade Korkut** (Modern Yoman: شاهزاده کورکوت; c. 1261, Katmir - 1291 buried in Işa Türbesi, Sultaniye Complex) was a Yoman prince. Described as a courageous and skilled fighter was son of Murad I and an unknown concubine, he was the much loved grandson of his grandfather Işa. He served as sanjakbey firstly of Harmoçuk and then of Eskisanjak from 1285 to 1291 when he was executed by his father for treason.

## As governor

### Sanjakbey of Harmoçuk (c. 1274-1285)

Korkut was initially appointed Sanjakbey of Harmoçuk during the reign of Işa I, the choice of the province was made personally by Işa who wanted his nephew to have an excellent province.

During his government in Harmoçuk, Korkut took care of eliminating the problems present within the province's aristocracy. Korkut, however, solved it very badly according to some writings; the fact was that Korkut's solution involved the corruption of some merchants and the killing of both merchants hostile to the Korkut system and civilians, the latter were killed by Korkut's men and then blamed merchants and aristocrats who prevented the completion of the Korkut system.

### Sanjak bey of Eskisanjak (1285-1291)

When Murad discovered that Gülmah Hatun had some alliance within Murad's court, he wanted to eradicate any trace of Gülmah's power, thus executing Grand Vizier Bayezid Davud Pasha and accused of being one of Gülmah's faithful; the husband of Fahkriye Hatun, Tupal Pasha was deposed as Bey of Eskisanjak and in his place was appointed Şehzade Korkut, deemed skilled enough to suppress any kind of insurrection against Murad.

Korkut managed to obtain strong consensus and approval within his province, and later also from the province of his son Şehzade Alaezziz.

## Rebellion

Murad's reputation slowly began to fall and the Sultan began to have more and more enemies. Korkut, although initially on his father's side, began to understand that if he did not want to ascend the throne he had to take it. Korkut in fact feared that if a revolt against his father occurred, the revolters would want to ascend his brother Şehzade Mustafa. Due to the rebellions caused by the Treaty of Açukşu Korkut decided to take advantage of the moment to rebel against his father, in fact he supported not only his province but also all the other rebel provinces including those that did not sympathize with Murad and his government. Korkut's idea was to organize a silent revolt so as to prevent his father and brothers from realizing it.

Korkut called up the men of his province, Eskisanjak, those of Harmoçuk province and those of his son's province. In those years there was already political tension caused by the return of Mehmed Bey and Mahmud Bey. However, Korkut's rebellion was later discovered by Murad, the rebellion caused further instabilities that Murad could not afford at the time. After Korkut's army was defeated at Karazza Murad didn't think twice and ordered his execution.

## Burial

After his execution, Korkut's body was brought into the presence of Murad who ordered that he be buried in the Işa I Türbesi in the Sultaniye Complex instead of the Murad Mausoleum.

## Family

Due to the scarcity of sources, caused by the fact that historians of the time focused more on Murad I himself and his sisters, we do not know the names of Korkut's consort and sons. Like his father Kotkut had only sons, we know the name of only one of them:

* Şehzade Melek (died 1291): firstborn, Sanjakbey of Koçi, was executed by Murad I.