Haznir Bey

**Haznir Bey** (Modern Yoman: حزنیر بیگ ;died 1330) was son of Mahmud Bey of the Yoman Empire and his concubine Kara Hatun. He ruled the Yoman Empire from the death of his father in 1308 until his death in 1330. Haznir is nicknamed "**the beautiful**" (güzel Haznir) because of his striking beauty; he is often also called "**the builder**" (İnşaatçı Haznir) because of the numerous architectural works he built.

## Early life

Haznir was the son of Mahmud Bey and an unknown concubine, some think he is the son of Emine Hatun, however others think that Emine had adopted it after the death of Haznir's real mother, Kara Hatun, a concubine who ran away, as did Emine, together with Mahmud in 1278 when Murad ascended the throne. The date of Haznir's birth is unknown but it is thought that he was born in the 1280s. Haznir is in fact described as a "young adult" when he ascended the throne, and therefore aged between 22 and 29.

He followed his father when he returned to the borders of the empire. However, it is not known whether Haznir participated in the War of Redsons or not since the first time that Haznir is mentioned is only after his father ascended the throne, in a harem register relating to a payment from the imperial treasury, of Haznir's debt amounting to 5,980 aspers.

When Mahmud ascended the throne he did not entrust any province to Haznir, before then it was tradition that Yomans princes were entrusted to a province so as to understand how to manage a territory and slowly form their own court of faithful people. Mahmud decided not to follow this practice probably to prevent the princes from forming armies and so as to allow the princes to focus on other things than war or government and thus prevent all the princes from wanting to ascend the throne. Mahmud, however, allowed his son to participate in political and military life and asked them for advice.

### Ascension to the throne

According to some historians, Haznir was about to ascend the throne and so convinced his aunts, Salça Hatun and Hatice Hatun, to assassinate Mahmud. Haznir played on the disagreements that existed between Mahmud and his sisters. This assumption starts from the fact that as soon as Haznir ascended the throne he increased Hatice's salary and canceled Salça's house arrest.

Once Haznir ascended the throne he ordered Mahmud's body to be buried in the Sultaniye Complex in a dome dedicated to him and his family called: "Küçük Kırmızı Kubbe" (the little red dome) due to the red color present.

## Reign

Haznir's reign is described as peaceful, unlike his predecessors characterized by instability, executions (that of Murad), wars, reforms and fires (that of Mahmud). In fact, the population adored Haznir, the poems of the time describe him as *charming*, *adored by all*, *young*. He is also described as a very capable ruler even though Haznir actually did nothing special. Many historians say that he was so loved and appreciated only thanks to his beauty since he had no administrative-governmental skills.

Haznir's first act upon ascending the throne was to renovate the Türfeş Palace, particularly the harem. To cover the expenses he decided to continue the campaigns against the Hai Empire.

### Campaigns against the Hai Empire (1308–1310)

Haznir deviated from where his father had left off, settled in Mirpudin and advanced as far as Kontiō (renamed Kariba). Afterwards Haznir sent his army to Sulio to later reach it, however Nuriyo's army attacked and defeated the Yoman army. Haznir decided to return to the capital and finish the campaign.

Haznir organized a second campaign the following year. Planned to last only three months, between April and June, the campaign lasted just over a year, April 1309 and July 1310. Haznir, to claim the defeat of Sulio, together with his army attacked Sulio. Once won I continued towards Mottino which battle, which began in June 1309, lasted longer than it should have; despite this they managed to win. After Mottino's victory, the lords of the surrounding cities declared loyalty to Haznir and joined his army. During the following months Haznir and his army conquered the entire south-eastern part of the Empire.

The Yoman army was however severely defeated at Rutiiv, only Haznir and around 300 men of 1058 returned to the capital. After the defeat at Rutiiv Haznir no longer organized campaigns against the Hai Empire.

### Problems with Sufism

Following the War of Redsons and other political and social tensions, the empire's population had become unstable and traumatized. A social and religious movement deriving from the Ilail current of Sufism rose in the empire; the movement promoted the suppression of social differences between rich and poor, as well as barriers between different forms of monotheism. It was led by Sheikh Ali Kasim (1359–1420), a famous Sufi and charismatic theologian. His father was Yoman while his mother was a Syrillic concubine. Ali Kasim's movement was so influential that it reached the imperial family, Haznir's son Selman Bey had in fact made Ali Kasim his mentor. The movement would later lead to a rebellion in the years following the reign of Yoman Bey.

## Lagacy

Haznir and his conquests brought the empire to its greatest expansion to date. Haznir as well as his father took advantage of the weakness of the Hai Empire and reduced the Hai Empire to only three major cities: the capital Kutino, Lohan and Rutiiv. However, his successors will lose and reconquer the same territories. In recognition of his victories, the construction of a column similar to the one Hiriban Hatun commissioned Mahmud Bey was commissioned. Thus began, in a certain way, a tradition on the part of the sovereigns (those belonging to the Interregnum) of creating triumphal columns.

During his reign Haznir built and financed several architectural works: the mosque of Haznir Bey in Bakvaär, destroyed due to an earthquake in 1749; the Haznir Bey aqueduct in Salinari; and three fountains: one in Muttino, one in Bakvaär and the other in Misimi (destroyed in 1689); he also built his türbe with a private cemetery attached.

## Death

Haznir died in 1330 probably of natural causes, according to legend, when they were preparing the body, the doctors noticed the size of Haznir's penis - 23 cm - and decided to cut it off and keep it secretly. Subsequently, his penis went around the world until becomes part of the collection of Henry II of Croisya, who gave it to Bayezid the Great in 1526. From that moment the penis was part of the imperial treasure until the fall of the Empire when it was stolen by one of the revolutionaries and sold to the actress Brettany Dompèlle, who after her death in 1977 bequeathed it to the granddaughter of the last sultan, Ayşe Defne Yomanoğlu. Ayşe's daughter, Saliha Yomanoğlu, subsequently showed the phallus during a private exhibition in 1985 at her residence in Roxley Island. Although we have no photos of the penis, Ayşe allowed Christinè Foroğu in 1294 to make a cast, which is now exhibited at the Maşami Palace museum.

He was buried as per his will in the türbe (tomb) he had previously built. Şehriban Hatun and Şehzade Hatun were buried inside the same dome, all of Haznir's other family members were buried in the adjacent cemetery.

## Family

Everything we know about Haznir's family is thanks to Mürçi.

### Consorts

* Şehriban Hatun (died after 1330): Haznir invented the title of favorite "BaşKadin" (main concubine) to show her his great love. She was believed to be the mother of Yoman but now it is certain that she was not, but was the mother of Muazzez Hatun, Haznir's favorite daughter and the first to be born under his reign.
* Aslihan Hatun: she died after 1330 and was buried outside the mausoleum of Haznir Bey;
* Şahzade Hatun: she died before 1330 and was buried inside the mausoleum of Haznir Bey.

### Sons

Haznir had eleven known sons, however we know the names of only six:

* Yoman Bey (1270/1271-29 November 1351) he ascended the throne after his father;
* Fülan Çelebi: he died young;
* Fülan Bey (1273 - after 1330) he was appointed as one of the oldest sons of Haznir, he was still alive in 1330 and Yoman forgave his life. According to Mürçi Yoman named him Sanjakbey of Katip and had about twelve children;
* Iskender Bey (1275-1307) he participated in the campaigns against the Hai empire. He settled together with his court in the province of Küçükşuhşah, in fact he was a faithful man of his grandfather Mahmud. He had two consorts called Nihal and Dürrşah, he later had four children: two sons and two daughters:
	+ Nergişzade Hatun: she married Tappi Kasim Pasha, they had a son, Yanus
	+ Mehmed Çelebi: Iskender gave him a concubine, Sineperşah Hatun;
	+ Şah Hatun: maybe she married Razzi Pasha;
	+ Süleyman Çelebi: he had a son named Iskender and another daughter.
* Selman Bey (1283 - 1355) He settled in Bilçikek after the death of Haznir. He had a good relationship with his brother Yoman and Iskender. He founded the Çelebidim library in Bilçikek.
* Mehmed Bey (1288 - 1353) He was appointed Sanjakbey of Eskisanjak by Yoman, plotted against his brother Yoman to ascend the throne. Mehmed was killed by his nephew Ömer Bey;
* Fülan Bey (between 1288/1293) was born during the Redsons' War. He was the first to be born within the empire.
* Fülan Çelebi (1295 - 1295) died together with his mother. Mürçi thinks they were poisoned by one of Haznir's three main concubines (Şehriban, Ayşe and Şahzade);
* Mustafa Bey (1296 or 1306 - 1335) was appointed as Sanjakbey of Marda after the death od Haznir. Yoman spared him once he ascended the throne. According to Mürçi he was very similar to Haznir and was his favorite even though he was not Şehriban's son, Mürçi believed that Şehriban could not stand him as he was the son of one of his rivals. He had many children but we know the name of only one:
* Ahmed Çelebi;
* Fülan Bey (d. 1339) his life was spared when Yoman ascended the throne; Yoman also gave him the title Sanjakbey of Aember, after his death the title of Sanjakbey of Aember passed to his brother Ishak Bey;
* Ishak Bey (died after 1339) was spared his life once Yoman ascended the throne. After his brother's death he was appointed Sanjakbey of Aember. He had a favorite concubine named Ayşe.

### Daughters

Haznir had six known daugthers:

* Fehrime Hatun (died 1327): firstborn. Her funeral was celebrated throughout the capital. Fehrime had a daughter called Pertevniyal however her husband's name is unknown. Pertevniyal remained at Haznir's court until his death then was married by her uncle Yoman to Selim Mustafa Pasha in 1333;
* Fülane Hatun: she married Kürku Ismail Pasha whom she had married formerly Mihriali Hatun, granddaughter of his grandfather Işa I;
* Saliha Hatun: married a minor pasha in 1313, their life was very happy, they had five children: Ahmed, Osman, Mustafa, Ayşe, Fehrime;
* Muazzez Hatun (1309-1338) - with Şehriban. She was the first princess to be born during the reign of Haznir Bey. She was her father's favorite daughter who married her in 1327 to Hüseyn Pasha, with him she had three children:
	+ Sadika Hatun;
	+ Mihriali Hatun;
	+ Köse Mehmed Pasha: participated in his uncle Yoman Bey's wars against Precikli tribe. He died in battle.
* Ismihan Hatun (1311 - 1358) married Damat Karazali Ahmed Pasha, they had a son: Petrı Kasim Pasha, who was Grand Vizier under the reign of Yoman Bey.
* Fatma Leyla Hatun (1318-1375) she married the Grand Vizier Mahmud Pasha, when a famine struck the empire she and her husband distributed food to the poorest. When her brother Yoman died she tried to avoid him by trying to calm them down but in vain.