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Karaman (Beylik)

2008-02-01T00:17:18Z

MapMaster: some wordsmithing - this article needs someone familiar with the subject to review this -- needs work

{{Infobox Former Country
|conventional_long_name = Karamanoğlu
|common_name = Karamanoğlu
|continent = Asia
|era = Late Medieval
|government_type = Monarchy
|year_start = 1250
|year_end = 1487
|p1 = Seljuq Turks
|flag_p1 = GreatSeljuqEmpireFlag.svg
|s1 = Ottoman Empire
|flag_s1 = Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1453-1844).svg
|image_flag = Karamanid Dynasty flag.svg
|image_map = Eastern_Mediterranean_1450_.svg
|image_map_caption = The Karamanid Emirate and other easter Mediterranean states in 1450
|capital = [[Larende]] <br> [[Ermenek]] <br> [[Konya]] <br> [[Mut]]
|common_languages = [[Turkish language|Turkish]]
|religion = Muslim
|leader1 = Kerimeddin Karaman Bey
|leader2 = Turgutoğlu Mahmud
|year_leader1 = 1256?
|year_leader2 = 1483 – 1487
|title_leader = Bey
}}
'''Beylik of Karaman''' or of '''Karamanoğlu''' (''Karamanoğulları'' in [[Turkish language|Turkish]] plural), also called the '''Karamanid Dynasty''' or the '''Karamanids''', was an [[Anatolian Turkish Beylik]] state centered in south-central [[Anatolia]], around the present-day [[Karaman Province]]. From the [[13th century]] until its fall in 1467, Karamanoğlu was one of the most powerful states in [[Anatolia]].

== History ==
The Karamanids traced their ancestry back to [[Hoca Sadeddin]] and his son [[Nure Sufi]], who emmigrated from [[Azerbaijan]] to [[Sivas]]. He moved from there to the western [[Taurus Mountains]], near the town of [[Larende]], where he worked as a woodcutter. Nure Sufi's son, [[Kerimeddin Karaman Bey]], gained a tenuous control over the mountainous parts of [[Cilicia]] in the middle of the [[13th century]]. A persistent but spurious legend, however, claims that the [[Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm|Seljuk Sultan of Rum]], [[Kayqubad I]] instead established Karaman in these lands.<ref>Claude Cahen, ''Pre-Ottoman Turkey: a general survey of the material and spiritual culture and history c. 1071-1330'', trans. J. Jones-Williams (New York: Taplinger, 1968), 281-2.</ref>

Karaman expanded his territories by capturing castles in [[Ermenek]], [[Mut]], [[Gülnar]], [[Mer]], and [[Silifke]]. As a reward for this expansion of Seljuk territory, the sultan [[Kilij Arslan IV]] gave the town of [[Larende]] (now [[Karaman]] in honor of the dynasty) to Karamanoğlu. In the meantime, Bunsuz, brother of Karaman Bey, was chosen as a bodyguard ([[Candar]]) for [[Kilij Arslan IV]]. Their power rose as a result of the unification of Turkish clans that lived in the mountainous regions of Cilicia with the new Turkish elements transferred there by Kayqubad.

Good relations between the [[Seljuk Turks|Seljuks]] and the Karamanids did not last. In [[1261]], on the pretext of supporting [[Kaykaus II]] who had fled to Constantinople as a result of the intrigues of the chancellor [[Pervâne]], Karaman Bey and his two brothers, Zeynül-Hac and Bunsuz, marched toward Konya, the capital of Seljuks, with 20,000 men. A combined Seljuk and [[Mongol Empire|Mongol]] army, led by the chancellor [[Pervâne|Mu'in al-Din Suleyman, the Pervane]], defeated the Karamanoğlu army and captured Karaman Bey's two brothers.

After Karaman Bey died in [[1262]], his older son, Şemseddin Mehmet I, became the head of the house. He immediately negotiated alliances with other Turkmen clans to raise an army against the Seljuks. During the [[1276]] revolt of Hatıroğlu Şemseddin Bey against Mongol domination in Anatolia, Karamanoğlu also defeated several Mongol-Seljuk armies. In the [[Battle of Göksu]] in 1277 in particular, the central power of the Seljuk was dealt a severe blow. Taking advantage of the general confusion, Mehmed Bey captured [[Konya]] on 12 May and placed on the throne a pretender called [[Jimri]] who claimed to be the son of [[Kaykaus II|Kaykaus]]. In the end, however, Mehmed was defeated by Seljuk and Mongol forces the same year, and executed with some of his brothers.

[[Image:MEHMED.jpg|thumb|150px|Statue depicting [[Karamanoğlu Mehmet Bey]] declaring Turkish as the official language of the state and all its institutions.]]
Despite these blows, Karamanoğlu continued to increase their power and influence, largely aided by the [[Mamluks]] of [[Egypt]], especially during the reign of [[Baybars]]. Karamanoğlu captured Konya on two more occasions in the beginning of the [[14th century]], but were driven out the first time by emir [[Chupan]], the [[Ilkhanate|Ilkhanid]] governor for Anatolia, and the second time by Emir Chupan's son and successor [[Timurtas]]. An expansion of Karamanoğlu power occurred after the fall of the Ilkhanids. A second expansion coincided with Karamanoğlu Alâeddin Ali Bey's marriage to Nefise Sultan, the daughter of the Ottoman sultan [[Murad I]]daughter, the first important contact between the two dynasties.

As Ottoman power expanded into the [[Balkans]], Aleaddin Ali Bey captured the city of [[Beyşehir]] which had been an Ottoman city. However, it did not take much time for the Ottomans to react and march on [[Konya]], the capital city of Karamanids. A treaty between the two kingdoms was made and peace existed until the reign of [[Bayezid I]].

[[Timur]] gave control of the Karamanid lands to Mehmet Bey, the oldest son of Aleaddin Ali Bey. After Bayezid died in [[1403]], the Ottoman Empire went into a political crisis. During this time, the Ottoman family fell prey to an internecine strife. It was an opportunity not only for Karamanoğlu, but also for all of the Anatolian beyliks. Mehmet Bey assembled an army to march on [[Bursa, Turkey|Bursa]]. He captured the city and damaged it; this would not be the last Karamanid invasion of [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] lands. However, Mehmet Bey was captured by Bayezid Pasha and sent to prison. He apologized for what he had done and was forgiven by the Ottoman ruler.

Ramazanoğlu Ali Bey captured [[Tarsus (city)|Tarsus]] while Mehmet Bey was in prison. Mustafa Bey, son of Mehmet Bey, retook the city during a conflict between the Emirs of [[Sham]] and [[Egypt]]. After that, the Egyptian sultan sent an army to retake Tarsus from the Karamanids. The Egyptian Mamluks damaged [[Konya]] after defeating the Karamanids, and Mehmet Bey retreated from [[Konya]]. Ramazanoğlu Ali Bey pursued and captured him; according to an agreement between the two leaders, Mehmet Bey was exiled to Egypt for the rest of his life.

During the [[Crusade of Varna]] against the Ottomans in 1443-4, Karamanid İbrahim Bey marched on [[Ankara]] and [[Kütahya]], destroying both cities. In the meantime, the Ottoman sultan [[Murad I]] was returning from [[Rumelia]] with a victory against the [[Hungary|Hungarian]] Crusaders. Like all other Islamic emirates in Anatolia, the Karamanids were accused of treason. Hence, İbrahim Bey accepted all Ottoman terms. The Karamanid state was eventually terminated by the Ottomans in 1487, as the power of their Egyptian allies was declining.

=== Flag ===

According to the A. Cresques' Catalan Atlas of 1375, flag of Karamanoğlu consists of a blue 6-edged star[/media/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Catalan-Atlas_-_1.png]. The flag of Karamanoğlu may confuse with [[Star of David]], the Jewish symbol, used by Israel today. However, it is not a Jewish symbol. In medieval times, this star was an Islamic symbol known as the [[Seal of Solomon]] (Suleiman) and was extremely popular amongst the Turkish Beyliks of Anatolia. The seal was also used by Ottomans in their mosque decorations, coins and personal flags of pashas, including [[Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha|Hayreddin Barbarossa]].[http://www.fahnenversand.de/fotw/misc/tr~barb.jpg] Another state known to use the seal on their flag was the [[Candaroğlu]].

== Power of the Karamanid state in Anatolia ==

According to Mesâlik-ül-Ebsâr, written by Şehâbeddin Ömer, the Karamanid army had 25,000 riders and 25,000 [[saracens]]. They could also rely on some Turkmen tribes and their warriors.

Their economic activities depended mostly on control of strategic commercial areas such as [[Konya]] and the ports of [[Lamos]], [[Silifke]], [[Anamur]], and [[Manavgat]].

== Karamanid architecture ==

66 [[mosque]]s, 8 [[hammam]]s, 2 [[caravanserai]]s and 3 [[medrese]]s built by the Karamanoğlu reached our day. Some among notable works of Karamanoğlu architecture are as follows:

* Hasbey Medrese (1241)
* Şerafettin Mosque (XIII century)
* İnce Minare (Dar-ül Hadis) Medrese (1258-1279)
* Hatuniye Medrese

== List of rulers ==
# [[Kerîmeddin Karaman Bey]] (Capital City: [[Ermenek]]) (1256?-1261)
# [[Karamanoğlu Mehmet Bey|Şemseddin I. Mehmed Bey]] (1261-1277)
# [[Güneri Bey]] (1283-1300)
# [[Bedreddin Mahmud Bey]] (1300-1308)
# [[Yahşı Han Bey]] (1308-1312) (Capital City: [[Konya]])
# [[Bedreddin I. İbrahim Bey]] (1312-1333, 1348-1349)
# [[Alâeddin Halil Mirza Bey]] (1333-1348)
# [[Fahreddin Ahmed Bey]] (1349-1350)
# [[Şemseddin Bey]] (1350-1351)
# [[Hacı Sûfi Burhâneddin Musa Bey]] (Capital City: [[Mut]]) (1351-1356)
# [[Seyfeddin Süleyman Bey]] (1356-1357)
# [[Damad I. Alâeddin Ali Bey]] (1357-1398)
# [[Sultanzâde Nâsıreddin II. Mehmed Bey]] ([[Gıyâseddin]])(1398-1399)
# [[Damad Bengi II. Alâeddin Ali Bey]] (1418-1419, 1423-1424)
# [[Damad II. İbrahim Bey]] (1424-1464)
# [[Sultanzâde İshak Bey]] (1464)
# [[Sultanzâde Pîr Ahmed Bey]] (1464-1469)
# [[Kasım Bey]] (1469-1483)
# [[Turgutoğlu Mahmud Bey]] (1483-1487)

==Notes and references==
{{Reflist}}
<div class="references-small">
*{{cite book | title = The Origins of the Ottoman Empire ISBN 0791408191 | author = [[Mehmet Fuat Köprülü]] (translated by Gary Leiser | publisher = [[State University of New York]] Press | year = 1992}} [http://books.google.com/books?id=D-WaKed2iNgC&pg=PA36&lpg=PA37&vq=germiyanid&dq=beylik&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html&sig=vzENqPi4ZWXYa6Q4oP2NLXxXo9w (limited preview)]
</div class>

{{History of Turkey}}
{{Seljuk Sultanate of Rum and Turkish Beyliks}}


[[Category:Historical Turkic states]]
[[Category:History of the Turkish people]]
[[Category:History of the Turkic people]]
[[Category:Anatolian Seljuk Sultanate and Turkish Beyliks]]
[[Category:Konya]]
[[Category:Islamic history]]
[[Category:Muslim dynasties]]
[[Category:Turkic dynasties]]


[[ar:إمارة قرمان]]
[[tr:Karamanoğulları Beyliği]]

Karaman (Beylik)

2008-02-01T00:07:02Z

MapMaster: removed clumsily worded unnecessary sentence

{{Infobox Former Country
|conventional_long_name = Karamanoğlu
|common_name = Karamanoğlu
|continent = Asia
|era = Late Medieval
|government_type = Monarchy
|year_start = 1250
|year_end = 1487
|p1 = Seljuq Turks
|flag_p1 = GreatSeljuqEmpireFlag.svg
|s1 = Ottoman Empire
|flag_s1 = Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1453-1844).svg
|image_flag = Karamanid Dynasty flag.svg
|image_map = Eastern_Mediterranean_1450_.svg
|image_map_caption = The Karamanid Emirate and other easter Mediterranean states in 1450
|capital = [[Larende]] <br> [[Ermenek]] <br> [[Konya]] <br> [[Mut]]
|common_languages = [[Turkish language|Turkish]]
|religion = Muslim
|leader1 = Kerimeddin Karaman Bey
|leader2 = Turgutoğlu Mahmud
|year_leader1 = 1256?
|year_leader2 = 1483 – 1487
|title_leader = Bey
}}
'''Beylik of Karaman''' or of '''Karamanoğlu''' (''Karamanoğulları'' in [[Turkish language|Turkish]] plural), also called the '''Karamanid Dynasty''' or the '''Karamanids''', was an [[Anatolian Turkish Beylik]] state centered in south-central [[Anatolia]], around the present-day [[Karaman Province]]. From the [[13th century]] until its fall in 1467, Karamanoğlu was one of the most powerful states in [[Anatolia]].

Karamanoğlu Dynasty is also notable by one of its members, [[Karamanoğlu Mehmet Bey]], who officially proclaimed the [[Turkish language]] as the state language, forbidding, for a time, the use of any other idiom for official purposes.

== History ==
The Karamanids traced their ancestry back to a certain Hoca Sadeddin and his son Nure Sufi, who emmigrated from [[Azerbaijan]] and settled first in [[Sivas]] and then in the western [[Taurus Mountains]] near the town of [[Larende]] where he worked as a woodcutter. Nure Sufi's son, Kerimeddin Karaman Bey, gained a tenuous control over the mountainous parts of [[Cilicia]] in the middle of the [[13th century]]. A persistent but spurious legend claims that the [[Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm|Seljuk Sultan of Rum]], [[Kayqubad I]] established Karaman in these lands.<ref>Claude Cahen, ''Pre-Ottoman Turkey: a general survey of the material and spiritual culture and history c. 1071-1330'', trans. J. Jones-Williams (New York: Taplinger, 1968), 281-2.</ref>

Karaman expanded his territories by capturing castles in [[Ermenek]], [[Mut]], [[Gülnar]], [[Mer]], and [[Silifke]]. As a reward for this expansion of Seljuk territory, the sultan [[Kilij Arslan IV]] gave [[Larende]] (now [[Karaman]] in honor of the dynasty) to Karamanoğlu. In the meantime, Bunsuz, brother of Karaman Bey, was chosen as a bodyguard ([[Candar]]) for [[Kilij Arslan IV]]. Their power rose as a result of the unification of Turkish clans that lived in the mountainous regions of Cilicia with the new Turkish elements transferred there by Kayqubad.

Good relations between the [[Seljuk Turks|Seljuks]] and the Karamanids did not last. In [[1261]], on the pretext of supporting [[Kaykaus II]] who had fled to Constantinople as a result of the intrigues of the chancellor [[Pervâne]], Karaman Bey and his two brothers, Zeynül-Hac and Bunsuz, marched toward Konya, the capital of Seljuks, with 20,000 men. A combined Seljuk and [[Mongol Empire|Mongol]] army, led by the chancellor [[Pervâne|Mu'in al-Din Suleyman, the Pervane]], defeated the Karamanoğlu army and captured Karaman Bey's two brothers.

After Karaman Bey died in [[1262]], his older son, Şemseddin Mehmet I, became the head of the house. He immediately negotiated alliances with other Turkmen clans to raise an army against the Seljuks. During the [[1276]] revolt of Hatıroğlu Şemseddin Bey against Mongol domination in Anatolia, Karamanoğlu also defeated several Mongol-Seljuk armies. In the [[Battle of Göksu]] in 1277 in particular, the central power of the Seljuk was dealt a severe blow. Taking advantage of the general confusion, Mehmed Bey captured [[Konya]] on 12 May and placed on the throne a pretender called [[Jimri]] who claimed to be the son of [[Kaykaus II|Kaykaus]]. In the end, however, Mehmed was defeated by Seljuk and Mongol forces the same year, and executed with some of his brothers.

[[Image:MEHMED.jpg|thumb|150px|Statue depicting [[Karamanoğlu Mehmet Bey]] declaring Turkish as the official language of the state and all its institutions.]]

Despite these blows, Karamanoğlu continued to increase their power and influence, largely aided by the [[Mamluks]] of [[Egypt]], especially during the reign of [[Baybars]]. Karamanoğlu captured Konya on two more occasions in the beginning of the [[14th century]], but were driven out the first time by emir [[Chupan]], the [[Ilkhanate|Ilkhanid]] governor for Anatolia, and the second time by Emir Chupan's son and successor [[Timurtas]]. An expansion of Karamanoğlu power occurred after the fall of the Ilkhanids. A second expansion coincided with Karamanoğlu Alâeddin Ali Bey's marriage to Nefise Sultan, the daughter of the Ottoman sultan [[Murad I]]daughter, the first important contact between the two dynasties.

As Ottoman power expanded into the [[Balkans]], Aleaddin Ali Bey captured the city of [[Beyşehir]] which had been an Ottoman city. However, it did not take much time for the Ottomans to react and march on [[Konya]], the capital city of Karamanids. A treaty between the two kingdoms was made and peace existed until the reign of [[Bayezid I]].

[[Timur]] gave control of the Karamanid lands to Mehmet Bey, the oldest son of Aleaddin Ali Bey. After Bayezid died in [[1403]], the Ottoman Empire went into a political crisis. During this time, the Ottoman family fell prey to an internecine strife. It was an opportunity not only for Karamanoğlu, but also for all of the Anatolian beyliks. Mehmet Bey assembled an army to march on [[Bursa, Turkey|Bursa]]. He captured the city and damaged it; this would not be the last Karamanid invasion of [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] lands. However, Mehmet Bey was captured by Bayezid Pasha and sent to prison. He apologized for what he had done and was forgiven by the Ottoman ruler.

Ramazanoğlu Ali Bey captured [[Tarsus (city)|Tarsus]] while Mehmet Bey was in prison. Mustafa Bey, son of Mehmet Bey, retook the city during a conflict between the Emirs of [[Sham]] and [[Egypt]]. After that, the Egyptian sultan sent an army to retake Tarsus from the Karamanids. The Egyptian Mamluks damaged [[Konya]] after defeating the Karamanids, and Mehmet Bey retreated from [[Konya]]. Ramazanoğlu Ali Bey pursued and captured him; according to an agreement between the two leaders, Mehmet Bey was exiled to Egypt for the rest of his life.

During the [[Crusade of Varna]] against the Ottomans in 1443-4, Karamanid İbrahim Bey marched on [[Ankara]] and [[Kütahya]], destroying both cities. In the meantime, the Ottoman sultan [[Murad I]] was returning from [[Rumelia]] with a victory against the [[Hungary|Hungarian]] Crusaders. Like all other Islamic emirates in Anatolia, the Karamanids were accused of treason. Hence, İbrahim Bey accepted all Ottoman terms. The Karamanid state was eventually terminated by the Ottomans in 1487, as the power of their Egyptian allies was declining.

=== Flag ===

According to the A. Cresques' Catalan Atlas of 1375, flag of Karamanoğlu consists of a blue 6-edged star[/media/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Catalan-Atlas_-_1.png]. The flag of Karamanoğlu may confuse with [[Star of David]], the Jewish symbol, used by Israel today. However, it is not a Jewish symbol. In medieval times, this star was an Islamic symbol known as the [[Seal of Solomon]] (Suleiman) and was extremely popular amongst the Turkish Beyliks of Anatolia. The seal was also used by Ottomans in their mosque decorations, coins and personal flags of pashas, including [[Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha|Hayreddin Barbarossa]].[http://www.fahnenversand.de/fotw/misc/tr~barb.jpg] Another state known to use the seal on their flag was the [[Candaroğlu]].

== Power of the Karamanid state in Anatolia ==

According to Mesâlik-ül-Ebsâr, written by Şehâbeddin Ömer, the Karamanid army had 25,000 riders and 25,000 [[saracens]]. They could also rely on some Turkmen tribes and their warriors.

Their economic activities depended mostly on control of strategic commercial areas such as [[Konya]] and the ports of [[Lamos]], [[Silifke]], [[Anamur]], and [[Manavgat]].

== Karamanid architecture ==

66 [[mosque]]s, 8 [[hammam]]s, 2 [[caravanserai]]s and 3 [[medrese]]s built by the Karamanoğlu reached our day. Some among notable works of Karamanoğlu architecture are as follows:

* Hasbey Medrese (1241)
* Şerafettin Mosque (XIII century)
* İnce Minare (Dar-ül Hadis) Medrese (1258-1279)
* Hatuniye Medrese

== List of rulers ==
# [[Kerîmeddin Karaman Bey]] (Capital City: [[Ermenek]]) (1256?-1261)
# [[Karamanoğlu Mehmet Bey|Şemseddin I. Mehmed Bey]] (1261-1277)
# [[Güneri Bey]] (1283-1300)
# [[Bedreddin Mahmud Bey]] (1300-1308)
# [[Yahşı Han Bey]] (1308-1312) (Capital City: [[Konya]])
# [[Bedreddin I. İbrahim Bey]] (1312-1333, 1348-1349)
# [[Alâeddin Halil Mirza Bey]] (1333-1348)
# [[Fahreddin Ahmed Bey]] (1349-1350)
# [[Şemseddin Bey]] (1350-1351)
# [[Hacı Sûfi Burhâneddin Musa Bey]] (Capital City: [[Mut]]) (1351-1356)
# [[Seyfeddin Süleyman Bey]] (1356-1357)
# [[Damad I. Alâeddin Ali Bey]] (1357-1398)
# [[Sultanzâde Nâsıreddin II. Mehmed Bey]] ([[Gıyâseddin]])(1398-1399)
# [[Damad Bengi II. Alâeddin Ali Bey]] (1418-1419, 1423-1424)
# [[Damad II. İbrahim Bey]] (1424-1464)
# [[Sultanzâde İshak Bey]] (1464)
# [[Sultanzâde Pîr Ahmed Bey]] (1464-1469)
# [[Kasım Bey]] (1469-1483)
# [[Turgutoğlu Mahmud Bey]] (1483-1487)

==Notes and references==
{{Reflist}}
<div class="references-small">
*{{cite book | title = The Origins of the Ottoman Empire ISBN 0791408191 | author = [[Mehmet Fuat Köprülü]] (translated by Gary Leiser | publisher = [[State University of New York]] Press | year = 1992}} [http://books.google.com/books?id=D-WaKed2iNgC&pg=PA36&lpg=PA37&vq=germiyanid&dq=beylik&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html&sig=vzENqPi4ZWXYa6Q4oP2NLXxXo9w (limited preview)]
</div class>

{{History of Turkey}}
{{Seljuk Sultanate of Rum and Turkish Beyliks}}


[[Category:Historical Turkic states]]
[[Category:History of the Turkish people]]
[[Category:History of the Turkic people]]
[[Category:Anatolian Seljuk Sultanate and Turkish Beyliks]]
[[Category:Konya]]
[[Category:Islamic history]]
[[Category:Muslim dynasties]]
[[Category:Turkic dynasties]]


[[ar:إمارة قرمان]]
[[tr:Karamanoğulları Beyliği]]

Schlacht am Gévora

2007-11-13T19:19:07Z

MapMaster: /* Battle */ new SVG map

{{coord|38.879|-6.967|format=dms|display=title}}
{{Infobox Military Conflict
|image=[[Image:Badajoz.jpg|300px]]
|caption=View of Badajoz, across the Guadiana river from the foothills of the San Cristóbal heights.
|conflict=Battle of the Gebora
|partof=the [[Peninsular War]]
|date=[[19 February]], [[1811]]
|place=[[Badajoz]], [[Spain]]
|result=French victory
|combatant1=[[Image:Flag of Spain (1785-1873 and 1875-1931).svg|22px]] [[Spain]]<br>
[[Image:Flag Portugal (1707).svg|22px]] [[Kingdom of Portugal|Portugal]]
|combatant2={{flagicon|France}} [[First French Empire|French Empire]]<br>
|commander1=Gabriel Mendizabal
|commander2=[[Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult]],<br>[[Édouard Adolphe Casimir Joseph Mortier|Édouard Mortier]]
|strength1=12,000,<br>
17 guns<ref name="Gates248">{{harvnb|Gates|1986|p=248}}.</ref>
|strength2= 7,000,<br>
12 guns<ref name="Gates248"/>
|casualties1=1,000 dead or wounded,<br>4,000 captured
|casualties2=400
}}
{{Campaignbox Peninsular War (1811-1812)}}

The '''Battle of the Gebora''' ([[19 February]] [[1811]]) was a minor battle between [[Spain|Spanish]] and [[France|French]] armies near [[Badajoz]], Spain, during the [[Peninsular War]]. An outnumbered French force routed and practically destroyed the Spanish Army of [[Extremadura]].

In a bid to ease the plight of [[André Masséna|Marshal Masséna]] in front of the [[Lines of Torres Vedras]], [[Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult|Marshal Soult]] led part of the French Army of [[Andalusia]] into Extremadura and laid siege to the fortress town of Badajoz. [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Sir Arthur Wellesley, Viscount of Wellington]], and the Spanish Captain-General, [[Pedro Caro y Sureda, 3rd marqués de La Romana|Pedro Caro de La Romana]], sent a large Spanish army to raise the siege; La Romana, however, died before the army could depart, and command fell to General Gabriel Mendizabal. Supported by a small force of Portuguese cavalry, the Spaniards marched to relieve the town, and camped on the nearby heights of San Cristóbal in early February 1811.

When Mendizabal ignored Wellington's instructions and failed to entrench his army, Soult took advantage of the vulnerable Spanish position and, on the night of [[18 February]], sent a small force to attack the Spaniards. The next morning, the French assault, led by [[Édouard Adolphe Casimir Joseph Mortier|Marshal Édouard Mortier]], took barely an hour to defeat the Spanish army; having caused 1,000 casualties and taken 4,000 prisoners at a cost of only 400 French losses, Soult was free to resume his investment of Badajoz. The important fortress fell into French hands on [[11 March]], and would remain so until the following year.

== Background ==
Despite his victory over elements of [[André Masséna|Marshal André Masséna]]'s Army of Portugal at the [[Battle of Bussaco]] in September 1810, [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Sir Arthur Wellesley, Viscount of Wellington]], was forced to retreat behind the extensive [[Lines of Torres Vedras]] by Masséna's manoeuvres. By [[10 October]] [[1810]], only the British [[Craufurd's Light Division|light division]] and some [[cavalry]] patrols remained outside the defensive Lines.<ref name="Weller141-142">{{harvnb|Weller|1962|pp=141–142}}.</ref> Masséna's Army of Portugal concentrated around [[Sobral de Monte Agraço|Sobral]], seemingly preparing to attack the Lines. After a fierce [[skirmisher|skirmish]] on [[14 October]], the French dug themselves in rather than launch a full-scale assault. They remained entrenched for a month before withdrawing to a position between [[Santarém, Portugal|Santarém]] and [[Rio Maior]].<ref name="Weller145-146">{{harvnb|Weller|1962|pp=145–146}}.</ref>

[[Image:Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult.jpg|left|thumb|Nicolas Soult]]
[[Napoleon I of France|Napoleon]] had previously sent dispatches to [[Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult|Marshal Soult]], commander of the Army of Andalusia, urging him to send assistance to Masséna.<ref name="Gates245">{{harvnb|Gates|1986|p=245}}.</ref> The Emperor's orders were based on outdated intelligence and called for only a small force; by the time Soult received them the situation had changed considerably.<ref name="Oman28-29">{{harvnb|Oman|1911|pp=28–29}}.</ref> An attack against [[Lisbon]] was unlikely to succeed with the forces proposed—there were 30,000 Allied troops and six major [[fortification|fortresses]] between the French army and the Portuguese capital—but Soult had received orders nonetheless and felt obliged to do something.<ref name="Gates245"/> He therefore gathered an army of 20,000 men, mainly from V [[Corps]], and launched an expedition into [[Extremadura]] with the aim of capturing the fortress at [[Badajoz]] and drawing some of the Allied forces away from the Lines of Torres Vedras.<ref name="Glover142">{{harvnb|Glover|1974|p=142}}.</ref>

Soult split his army into two equal columns and advanced into Extremadura, via the two main passes from [[Andalusia]] into the [[Guadiana]] valley, with the intention of rejoining at [[Almendralejo]].<ref name="Oman31-32">{{harvnb|Oman|1911|pp=31–32}}.</ref> One of the columns, commanded by General Marie-Charles Latour-Maubourg, met little resistance on its march; on [[3 January]] [[1811]], the column was confronted by 2,500 Spanish and Portuguese cavalry near [[Usagre]], but that force was only a screen covering the retreat beyond the Guadiana of a Spanish [[infantry]] division commanded by General Gabriel Mendizabal. Latour-Maubourg was therefore able to take position near Almendralejo and await the arrival of the second French column.<ref name="Oman32">{{harvnb|Oman|1911|p=32}}.</ref>

That column, commanded by Soult and including [[Honoré Théodore Maxime Gazan de la Peyrière|General Honoré Gazan's]] V Corps [[division (military)|division]], was escorting the French siege-train and therefore had to take a longer, more practicable, route into Extremadura.<ref name="Oman32"/> Because of bad weather and the desertion of the Spanish drivers, the [[artillery]] train became separated from the escorting infantry, and when the column was threatened by 5,000 Spanish troops under General [[Francisco Ballesteros]], Soult ordered [[Édouard Adolphe Casimir Joseph Mortier|Marshal Mortier]] to see off the Spaniards. Ballesteros retreated from the French without serious harm, but since he was still in a position to threaten the rear of the French column, Soult left Gazan's infantry to head off the Spanish force and protect the delayed siege-train, and continued on to Almendralejo with his cavalry.<ref>{{harvtxt|Oman|1911|p=33}} and {{harvtxt|Napier|1831|p=91}}.</ref> As a result, Soult finally joined Latour-Maubourg on [[6 January]] with only a fraction of his original column and no heavy artillery.<ref name="Oman32"/>

== Prelude to battle ==

[[Image:Romana.PNG|thumb|Lieutenant-General Caro y Sureda, 3rd marqués de La Romana]]
Soult could not [[siege|besiege]] so strong a [[fortification|fortress]] as Badajoz with his reduced force and therefore changed his plans. Sending his [[light cavalry]], under General Briche, to take [[Mérida, Spain|Mérida]] and leaving four [[squadron]]s of [[dragoon]]s at [[La Albuera|Albuera]] to watch the garrison at Badajoz, he marched with the remainder of his army to [[investment (military)|invest]] [[Olivenza]].<ref name="Oman35">{{harvnb|Oman|1911|p=35}}.</ref> Wellington had previously advised [[Pedro Caro y Sureda, 3rd marqués de La Romana|General Pedro Caro de La Romana]], commander of the Spanish Army of Extremadura, to either destroy the fortification at Olivenza, or to repair its defences and fully garrison it; La Romana had instructed Mendizabal to [[slighting|slight]] the fortress, but Mendizabal ignored this order and instead reinforced the garrison with four infantry [[battalion]]s.<ref>{{harvtxt|Napier|1831|p=92}} and {{harvtxt|Oman|1911|p=35}}.</ref> Soult, arriving on [[11 January]], was therefore confronted with a strongly garrisoned but untenable fortress. The heavy French artillery finally began to arrive on [[19 January]], and by [[22 January]] a poorly repaired breach in the fortress's walls had been reopened. The garrison surrendered on [[23 January]], with over 4,000 Spanish troops from the Army of Extremadura taken captive.<ref name="Oman36-37">{{harvnb|Oman|1911|pp=36–37}}.</ref>

Soult was now in a difficult position; he had to release two [[battalion]]s to escort the prisoners taken at Olivenza back to French-held [[Seville]], leaving him only 5,500 infantry and a large (4,000-strong) contingent of cavalry with which to continue his campaign. Although his siege-train had started to arrive, the continued absence of Gazan's infantry division left him with a weakened army; despite this, though, he determined to lay siege to Badajoz in a bid to tempt Wellington into reducing the Allied force facing Masséna at the Lines of Torres Vedras by sending a contingent to relieve the Spanish fortress.<ref>{{harvnb|Oman|1911|pp=37–38}}.</ref> On [[26 January]] he marched for Badajoz, sending Latour-Maubourg with six cavalry battalions across the Guadiana to blockade the fortress's northern approach,<ref>{{harvnb|Oman|1911|p=38}}.</ref> and by [[27 January]] the [[First Siege of Badajoz (1811)|first siege of Badajoz]] had begun.<ref name="Gates245"/> Gazan's division eventually re-joined Soult's army on [[3 February]], strengthening the besieging force by 6,000 men.<ref>{{harvnb|Oman|1911|p=41}}.</ref>

Meanwhile, Mendizabal had sent two battalions into Badajoz to increase its garrison, and retreated to the Portuguese border.<ref name="Oman40">{{harvnb|Oman|1911|p=40}}.</ref> Weakened by the loss of the garrison at Olivenza and Ballesteros's continued absence, he sent to La Romana for reinforcements; on [[14 January]], 1,800 men under Carlos de España were sent from [[Abrantes]]. Additionally, about 6,000 troops were sent forward from the Lines of Torres Vedras on [[19 January]], arriving at [[Elvas]] on [[29 January]]. When these forces joined with Mendizabal's remaining 3,000 men, a Spanish cavalry division and a brigade of Portuguese horse, the Allies had an army almost 15,000 strong, under the command of La Romana, with which to hold Soult in check.<ref>{{harvtxt|Napier|1831|p=92}} and {{harvtxt|Oman|1911|pp=43–44}}.</ref> Before leaving [[Lisbon]], La Romana had agreed a plan for the campaign with Wellington—the army was to entrench on the heights of San Cristóbal with its right flank protected by the fort of San Cristóbal, the front covered by the Gebora and Guadiana rivers, the left guarded by the fortress at [[Campo Maior]] and Elvas protecting the rear.<ref>{{harvtxt|Napier|1810|p=93}} and {{harvtxt|Oman|1911|p=47}}, from Wellington's dispatches.</ref> La Romana, however, died of an [[aneurysm]] on [[23 January]], and command of the army fell to Mendizabal.<ref>{{harvtxt|Oman|1911|pp=44–46}}, {{harvtxt|Esdaile|2002|loc=p. 337 footnote}} and {{harvtxt|Gates|1986|p=248}}.</ref>

Although aware of the agreed plan, upon arriving on the north bank of the Guadiana on [[5 February]],<ref name="Esdaile337">{{harvnb|Esdaile|2002|p=337}}.</ref> Mendizabel chose to ignore the instructions; instead, he threw the bulk of his infantry into Badajoz, leaving only a small contingent of foot and his cavalry below San Cristóbal.<ref>{{harvtxt|Napier|1831|p=94}} and {{harvtxt|Oman|1911|p=47}}.</ref> On [[7 February]], Mendizabal launched a strong sally against the besieging French lines. The Portuguese cavalry, supported by a small group of infantrymen, feinted towards the French left wing while a strong force of 5,000 men attacked the right. The Spaniards under de España drove through the first French parallel to engage one of [[Jean-Baptiste Girard (soldier)|General Girard's]] brigades and were only driven back when Mortier sent several battalions to Girard's aid. De España pulled back to Badajoz, having lost 650 men and causing 400 French casualties.<ref>{{harvtxt|Oman|1911|p=48}} and {{harvtxt|Napier|1831|p=96}}.</ref>

On [[9 February]], Mendizabal pulled most of his men out of Badajoz, leaving behind a 7,000-strong garrison. The [[field army]]'s 9,000 infantry settled on the heights of San Cristóbal, while the 3,000 horse encamped behind them, on the plains of the Caya. Again, the Spanish commander ignored Wellington's plan, and failed to dig entrenchments on the heights; nor did he send out a cavalry screen to protect his front and monitor the French movements.<ref>{{harvnb|Oman|1911|p=49}}.</ref> Soult, however, largely ignored the Spanish army for the next few days, concentrating instead on building up his siege lines and battering Badajoz.<ref>{{harvnb|Oman|1911|p=50}}.</ref> Heavy rains also caused both the Guadiana and Gebora rivers to burst their banks and they were impassable, so between 11–18 February the French were only able to [[shell (projectile)|shell]] the southern end of the Spanish [[line (formation)|line]], pushing the Spaniards further away from Badajoz and the protection of the San Cristóbal fort.<ref name="floods">{{harvtxt|Napier|1831|p=97}} and {{harvtxt|Oman|1911|pp=50–51}}.</ref>

== Battle ==

[[Image:Battle of the Gebora.svg|thumb|350px|left|Map of the battle.]]
By the afternoon of [[18 February]] the rains had abated and the water levels in the Guadiana and Gebora rivers had fallen; the Gebora was once more fordable.<ref name="floods"/> In the evening of that day, Soult sent nine infantry battalions, three cavalry squadrons and two [[artillery battery|artillery batteries]], under Mortier's command, across a flying bridge over the Guadiana to the north bank. Joined by six cavalry regiments under Latour-Maubourg, the French now had 4,500 infantrymen, 2,500 horse and 12 cannon ready to attack the Spanish lines at dawn on [[19 February]].<ref name="battle1">{{harvtxt|Gates|1986|p=248}}, {{harvtxt|Oman|1911|p=51}} and {{harvtxt|Napier|1831|p=97}}.</ref> Thanks to heavy fog, the first Mendizabal knew of the approaching French was when his picket, a mile to his front, was driven back by Mortier's infantry fording the Gebora.<ref>{{harvnb|Oman|1911|p=51}}.</ref> At the same time, Latour-Maubourg had sent the 2nd [[Hussar]]s to the north to turn the Spanish left flank; that cavalry had been able to climb the heights undetected and fell upon one of Carlos de España's unsuspecting regiments.<ref>{{harvtxt|Napier|1831|pp=97–98}} and {{harvtxt|Oman|1911|pp=51–52}}.</ref>

Mortier showed his tactical abilities when deploying his small force: he sent all his cavalry to the north to attack the Spanish left, while three battalions were sent south between the fort at San Cristóbal and the Spanish right wing and his remaining six infantry battalions assaulted the Spanish front.<ref>{{harvtxt|Oman|1911|p=52}} and {{harvtxt|Napier|1831|p=98}}.</ref> As the fog rose, the French light cavalry, under [[Brigadier General]] Jerome Briche, gained the heights and fell upon the Spanish left flank while Latour-Maubourg took three [[dragoon]] regiments to attack the combined Spanish and Portuguese cavalry on the plains of the Caya.<ref>{{harvnb|Oman|1911|pp=52–53}}.</ref> Despite outnumbering the French, the Allied horse ignored their orders and immediately fled towards Elvas and Campo Maior; they escaped unscathed, since Latour-Maubourg chose to leave them alone and instead launched his cavalry against the Spanish infantry line.<ref name="Oman53">{{harvnb|Oman|1911|p=53}}.</ref>

[[Image:Mortier, Edouard-cropped.jpg|thumb|right|Édouard Mortier, duc de Trévise]]
The fight at the Spanish right flank was not, at first, so clear-cut. Since the fog had lifted, the Spaniards could see just how weak the opposing force was and formed up with little sign of falling.<ref name="Oman53"/> The [[musket|musketry]] duel between the two sides had scarcely begun, however, when the French cavalry appeared; the light horse approached along the top of the heights, while Latour-Maubourg's dragoons came up from the rear. Mendizabal formed his troops into two huge divisional [[infantry square|squares]], supported by his artillery,<ref>{{harvtxt|Gates|1986|p=248}} and {{harvtxt|Oman|1911|p=53}}.</ref> and initially the French cavalry were unable to break through.<ref name="Esdaile337"/> Mendizabal's two massive squares, however, were an easy target for the French infantry and artillery—as one Spanish infantryman recounts, "their artillery played upon it in a most horrible fashion until it became first an oval and then an unformed mass that the cavalry were able to penetrate and take prisoner."<ref name="Esdaile337"/> Briche's light cavalry thus broke through the two Spanish squares without much difficulty, and the battle was effectively over. Some of the Spanish regiments dispersed, many surrendered, and some clubbed together to fight their way to Badajoz or the Portuguese border.<ref name="Oman54">{{harvnb|Oman|1911|p=54}}.</ref>

== Consequences ==

The battle was a serious setback for the Anglo–Spanish–Portuguese allies; Wellington had earlier warned the Spanish generals that the Army of Extremadura was "the last body of troops which their country possesses",<ref>{{harvtxt|Oman|1911|p=47}} and Wellington to La Romana {{harv|Wellington|1838|p=163}}.</ref> and later wrote that "[t]he defeat of Mendizabal is the greatest misfortune, which was not previously expected, that has yet occurred to us."<ref>Wellington to [[Henry Wellesley, 1st Baron Cowley|Henry Wellesley]] {{harv|Wellington|1838|p=286}}.</ref> The army had been practically destroyed—2,500 infantry escaped into Badajoz, and a slightly smaller number to Portugal, but about 1,000 Spaniards had been killed or wounded, 4,000 taken prisoner, and 17 cannon lost.<ref name="consequences">{{harvtxt|Gates|1986|p=248}} and {{harvtxt|Oman|1911|pp=54–55}}.</ref> The French, for their part, suffered slight casualties. Soult initially gave his losses as 30 killed and 140 wounded, but those figures were eventually revised to around 400 casualties, mainly from the cavalry.<ref name="consequences"/>

Soult was now free to continue his investment of Badajoz; although the town's garrison was now some 8,000 strong thanks to the influx from Mendizabal's destroyed army, it eventually fell to the French on [[11 March]].<ref>{{harvnb|Oman|1911|loc=p. 55 and pp. 57–61}}.</ref> Wellington sent a large Anglo–Portuguese corps, commanded by [[William Beresford, 1st Viscount Beresford|Sir William Beresford]], to retake the important fortress town,<ref>{{harvnb|Gates|1986|pp=252–253}}.</ref> and by [[20 April]], the [[Second Siege of Badajoz (1811)|second siege of Badajoz]] had begun.<ref>{{harvnb|Gates|1986|p=254}}.</ref> A French attempt to lift this siege resulted, on [[16 May]], in the bloody [[Battle of Albuera]];<ref>{{harvnb|Esdaile|2002|pp=342–343}}.</ref> Beresford's strong Allied corps barely managed to hold off an outnumbered French army, again commanded by Soult, but the siege remained in place.<ref>{{harvnb|Esdaile|2002|p=348}}.</ref> When the French Army of Portugal, now under the command of Marshal [[Auguste Marmont]], and the Army of the South converged, however, Wellington was forced to pull his 44,000-man besieging army back to Elvas; on [[20 June]], the combined French force of over 60,000 men had lifted the siege.<ref name="Weller187-189">{{harvnb|Weller|1962|pp=187–189}}.</ref> Badajoz would remain in French hands until the following year, when the Allies finally retook it following the [[Battle of Badajoz (1812)|Battle of Badajoz]].<ref>{{harvnb|Weller|1962|pp=198–205}}.</ref>

== Notes ==
<div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:3; column-count:3;">
<references/>
</div>

== References ==

*{{citation
| last = Esdaile
| first = Charles
| publication-date = 2003
| date = 2002
| year = 2002
| title = The Peninsular War
| publisher = [[Penguin Books]]
| isbn = 0-140-27370-0
}};

*{{citation
| last = Fortescue
| first = Sir John
| author-link = John William Fortescue
| publication-date = 1917
| date = 1917
| year = 1917
| title = A History of the British Army
| volume = VIII
| publisher = [[Macmillan Publishers|Macmillan]]
| url = http://www.archive.org/details/historyofbritish08fortuoft
| accessdate = [[13 September]] [[2007]]
}};

*{{citation
| last = Gates
| first = David
| publication-date = 2002
| date = 1986
| year = 1986
| title = The Spanish Ulcer: A History of the Peninsular War
| publisher = Pimlico
| isbn = 0-7126-9730-6
}};

*{{citation
| last = Glover
| first = Michael
| publication-date = 2001
| date = 1974
| year = 1974
| title = The Peninsular War 1807–1814: A Concise Military History
| publisher = Penguin Classic Military History
| isbn = 0-141-39041-7
}};

*{{citation
| last = Napier
| first = Sir William
| author-link = William Francis Patrick Napier
| publication-date = 1831
| date = 1831
| year = 1831
| title = History of the War in the Peninsula
| volume = III
| publisher = Frederic Warne and Co
| url = http://www.archive.org/details/historyofwarinpe03napiuoft
| accessdate = [[9 October]] [[2007]]
}};

*{{citation
| last = Oman
| first = Sir Charles
| author-link = Charles Oman
| publication-date = 2004
| date = 1911
| year = 1911
| title = A History of the Peninsular War: Volume IV, December 1810 to December 1811
| publisher = Greenhill Books
| isbn = 1-85367-618-7
}};

*{{citation
| last = Weller
| first = Jac
| publication-date = 1962
| date = 1962
| year = 1962
| title = Wellington in the Peninsula
| publisher = Nicholas Vane
}};

*{{citation
| last = Wellington
| first = Arthur Wellesley, Duke of
| author-link = Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
| publication-date = 1838
| date = 1838
| year = 1838
| title = The dispatches of Field Marshall the Duke of Wellington : during his various campaigns in India, Denmark, Portugal, Spain, the Low Countries, and France, from 1799 to 1818
| volume = VII
| publisher = John Murray
| url = http://www.archive.org/details/dukedispatches07welluoft
| accessdate = [[1 November]] [[2007]]
}}.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gebora 1811}}
[[Category:Conflicts in 1811]]
[[Category:Battles of the Peninsular War]]
[[Category:Battles involving Spain]]
[[Category:Battles involving Portugal]]
[[Category:Battles involving France]]

Schlacht am Gévora

2007-11-13T04:22:58Z

MapMaster: Added new map

{{coord|38.879|-6.967|format=dms|display=title}}
{{Infobox Military Conflict
|image=[[Image:Badajoz.jpg|300px]]
|caption=View of Badajoz, across the Guadiana river from the foothills of the San Cristóbal heights.
|conflict=Battle of the Gebora
|partof=the [[Peninsular War]]
|date=[[19 February]], [[1811]]
|place=[[Badajoz]], [[Spain]]
|result=French victory
|combatant1=[[Image:Flag of Spain (1785-1873 and 1875-1931).svg|22px]] [[Spain]]<br>
[[Image:Flag Portugal (1707).svg|22px]] [[Kingdom of Portugal|Portugal]]
|combatant2={{flagicon|France}} [[First French Empire|French Empire]]<br>
|commander1=Gabriel Mendizabal
|commander2=[[Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult]],<br>[[Édouard Adolphe Casimir Joseph Mortier|Édouard Mortier]]
|strength1=12,000,<br>
17 guns<ref name="Gates248">{{harvnb|Gates|1986|p=248}}.</ref>
|strength2= 7,000,<br>
12 guns<ref name="Gates248"/>
|casualties1=1,000 dead or wounded,<br>4,000 captured
|casualties2=400
}}
{{Campaignbox Peninsular War (1811-1812)}}

The '''Battle of the Gebora''' ([[19 February]] [[1811]]) was a minor battle between [[Spain|Spanish]] and [[France|French]] armies near [[Badajoz]], Spain, during the [[Peninsular War]]. An outnumbered French force routed and practically destroyed the Spanish Army of [[Extremadura]].

In a bid to ease the plight of [[André Masséna|Marshal Masséna]] in front of the [[Lines of Torres Vedras]], [[Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult|Marshal Soult]] led part of the French Army of [[Andalusia]] into Extremadura and laid siege to the fortress town of Badajoz. [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Sir Arthur Wellesley, Viscount of Wellington]], and the Spanish Captain-General, [[Pedro Caro y Sureda, 3rd marqués de La Romana|Pedro Caro de La Romana]], sent a large Spanish army to raise the siege; La Romana, however, died before the army could depart, and command fell to General Gabriel Mendizabal. Supported by a small force of Portuguese cavalry, the Spaniards marched to relieve the town, and camped on the nearby heights of San Cristóbal in early February 1811.

When Mendizabal ignored Wellington's instructions and failed to entrench his army, Soult took advantage of the vulnerable Spanish position and, on the night of [[18 February]], sent a small force to attack the Spaniards. The next morning, the French assault, led by [[Édouard Adolphe Casimir Joseph Mortier|Marshal Édouard Mortier]], took barely an hour to defeat the Spanish army; having caused 1,000 casualties and taken 4,000 prisoners at a cost of only 400 French losses, Soult was free to resume his investment of Badajoz. The important fortress fell into French hands on [[11 March]], and would remain so until the following year.

== Background ==
Despite his victory over elements of [[André Masséna|Marshal André Masséna]]'s Army of Portugal at the [[Battle of Bussaco]] in September 1810, [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Sir Arthur Wellesley, Viscount of Wellington]], was forced to retreat behind the extensive [[Lines of Torres Vedras]] by Masséna's manoeuvres. By [[10 October]] [[1810]], only the British [[Craufurd's Light Division|light division]] and some [[cavalry]] patrols remained outside the defensive Lines.<ref name="Weller141-142">{{harvnb|Weller|1962|pp=141–142}}.</ref> Masséna's Army of Portugal concentrated around [[Sobral de Monte Agraço|Sobral]], seemingly preparing to attack the Lines. After a fierce [[skirmisher|skirmish]] on [[14 October]], the French dug themselves in rather than launch a full-scale assault. They remained entrenched for a month before withdrawing to a position between [[Santarém, Portugal|Santarém]] and [[Rio Maior]].<ref name="Weller145-146">{{harvnb|Weller|1962|pp=145–146}}.</ref>

[[Image:Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult.jpg|left|thumb|Nicolas Soult]]
[[Napoleon I of France|Napoleon]] had previously sent dispatches to [[Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult|Marshal Soult]], commander of the Army of Andalusia, urging him to send assistance to Masséna.<ref name="Gates245">{{harvnb|Gates|1986|p=245}}.</ref> The Emperor's orders were based on outdated intelligence and called for only a small force; by the time Soult received them the situation had changed considerably.<ref name="Oman28-29">{{harvnb|Oman|1911|pp=28–29}}.</ref> An attack against [[Lisbon]] was unlikely to succeed with the forces proposed—there were 30,000 Allied troops and six major [[fortification|fortresses]] between the French army and the Portuguese capital—but Soult had received orders nonetheless and felt obliged to do something.<ref name="Gates245"/> He therefore gathered an army of 20,000 men, mainly from V [[Corps]], and launched an expedition into [[Extremadura]] with the aim of capturing the fortress at [[Badajoz]] and drawing some of the Allied forces away from the Lines of Torres Vedras.<ref name="Glover142">{{harvnb|Glover|1974|p=142}}.</ref>

Soult split his army into two equal columns and advanced into Extremadura, via the two main passes from [[Andalusia]] into the [[Guadiana]] valley, with the intention of rejoining at [[Almendralejo]].<ref name="Oman31-32">{{harvnb|Oman|1911|pp=31–32}}.</ref> One of the columns, commanded by General Marie-Charles Latour-Maubourg, met little resistance on its march; on [[3 January]] [[1811]], the column was confronted by 2,500 Spanish and Portuguese cavalry near [[Usagre]], but that force was only a screen covering the retreat beyond the Guadiana of a Spanish [[infantry]] division commanded by General Gabriel Mendizabal. Latour-Maubourg was therefore able to take position near Almendralejo and await the arrival of the second French column.<ref name="Oman32">{{harvnb|Oman|1911|p=32}}.</ref>

That column, commanded by Soult and including [[Honoré Théodore Maxime Gazan de la Peyrière|General Honoré Gazan's]] V Corps [[division (military)|division]], was escorting the French siege-train and therefore had to take a longer, more practicable, route into Extremadura.<ref name="Oman32"/> Because of bad weather and the desertion of the Spanish drivers, the [[artillery]] train became separated from the escorting infantry, and when the column was threatened by 5,000 Spanish troops under General [[Francisco Ballesteros]], Soult ordered [[Édouard Adolphe Casimir Joseph Mortier|Marshal Mortier]] to see off the Spaniards. Ballesteros retreated from the French without serious harm, but since he was still in a position to threaten the rear of the French column, Soult left Gazan's infantry to head off the Spanish force and protect the delayed siege-train, and continued on to Almendralejo with his cavalry.<ref>{{harvtxt|Oman|1911|p=33}} and {{harvtxt|Napier|1831|p=91}}.</ref> As a result, Soult finally joined Latour-Maubourg on [[6 January]] with only a fraction of his original column and no heavy artillery.<ref name="Oman32"/>

== Prelude to battle ==

[[Image:Romana.PNG|thumb|Lieutenant-General Caro y Sureda, 3rd marqués de La Romana]]
Soult could not [[siege|besiege]] so strong a [[fortification|fortress]] as Badajoz with his reduced force and therefore changed his plans. Sending his [[light cavalry]], under General Briche, to take [[Mérida, Spain|Mérida]] and leaving four [[squadron]]s of [[dragoon]]s at [[La Albuera|Albuera]] to watch the garrison at Badajoz, he marched with the remainder of his army to [[investment (military)|invest]] [[Olivenza]].<ref name="Oman35">{{harvnb|Oman|1911|p=35}}.</ref> Wellington had previously advised [[Pedro Caro y Sureda, 3rd marqués de La Romana|General Pedro Caro de La Romana]], commander of the Spanish Army of Extremadura, to either destroy the fortification at Olivenza, or to repair its defences and fully garrison it; La Romana had instructed Mendizabal to [[slighting|slight]] the fortress, but Mendizabal ignored this order and instead reinforced the garrison with four infantry [[battalion]]s.<ref>{{harvtxt|Napier|1831|p=92}} and {{harvtxt|Oman|1911|p=35}}.</ref> Soult, arriving on [[11 January]], was therefore confronted with a strongly garrisoned but untenable fortress. The heavy French artillery finally began to arrive on [[19 January]], and by [[22 January]] a poorly repaired breach in the fortress's walls had been reopened. The garrison surrendered on [[23 January]], with over 4,000 Spanish troops from the Army of Extremadura taken captive.<ref name="Oman36-37">{{harvnb|Oman|1911|pp=36–37}}.</ref>

Soult was now in an unenviable position; he had to release two [[battalion]]s to escort the prisoners taken at Olivenza back to French-held [[Seville]], leaving him only 5,500 infantry and a large (4,000-strong) contingent of cavalry with which to continue his campaign. Although his siege-train had started to arrive, the continued absence of Gazan's infantry division left him with a weakened army; despite this, though, he determined to lay siege to Badajoz in a bid to tempt Wellington into reducing the Allied force facing Masséna at the Lines of Torres Vedras by sending a contingent to relieve the Spanish fortress.<ref>{{harvnb|Oman|1911|pp=37–38}}.</ref> On [[26 January]] he marched for Badajoz, sending Latour-Maubourg with six cavalry battalions across the Guadiana to blockade the fortress's northern approach,<ref>{{harvnb|Oman|1911|p=38}}.</ref> and by [[27 January]] the [[First Siege of Badajoz (1811)|first siege of Badajoz]] had begun.<ref name="Gates245"/> Gazan's division eventually re-joined Soult's army on [[3 February]], strengthening the besieging force by 6,000 men.<ref>{{harvnb|Oman|1911|p=41}}.</ref>

Meanwhile, Mendizabal had sent two battalions into Badajoz to increase its garrison, and retreated to the Portuguese border.<ref name="Oman40">{{harvnb|Oman|1911|p=40}}.</ref> Weakened by the loss of the garrison at Olivenza and Ballesteros's continued absence, he sent to La Romana for reinforcements; on [[14 January]], 1,800 men under Carlos de España were sent from [[Abrantes]]. Additionally, about 6,000 troops were sent forward from the Lines of Torres Vedras on [[19 January]], arriving at [[Elvas]] on [[29 January]]. When these forces joined with Mendizabal's remaining 3,000 men, a Spanish cavalry division and a brigade of Portuguese horse, the Allies had an army almost 15,000 strong, under the command of La Romana, with which to hold Soult in check.<ref>{{harvtxt|Napier|1831|p=92}} and {{harvtxt|Oman|1911|pp=43–44}}.</ref> Before leaving [[Lisbon]], La Romana had agreed a plan for the campaign with Wellington—the army was to entrench on the heights of San Cristóbal with its right flank protected by the fort of San Cristóbal, the front covered by the Gebora and Guadiana rivers, the left guarded by the fortress at [[Campo Maior]] and Elvas protecting the rear.<ref>{{harvtxt|Napier|1810|p=93}} and {{harvtxt|Oman|1911|p=47}}, from Wellington's dispatches.</ref> La Romana, however, died of an [[aneurysm]] on [[23 January]], and command of the army fell to Mendizabal.<ref>{{harvtxt|Oman|1911|pp=44–46}}, {{harvtxt|Esdaile|2002|loc=p. 337 footnote}} and {{harvtxt|Gates|1986|p=248}}.</ref>

Although aware of the agreed plan, upon arriving on the north bank of the Guadiana on [[5 February]],<ref name="Esdaile337">{{harvnb|Esdaile|2002|p=337}}.</ref> Mendizabel chose to ignore the instructions; instead, he threw the bulk of his infantry into Badajoz, leaving only a small contingent of foot and his cavalry below San Cristóbal.<ref>{{harvtxt|Napier|1831|p=94}} and {{harvtxt|Oman|1911|p=47}}.</ref> On [[7 February]], Mendizabal launched a strong sally against the besieging French lines. The Portuguese cavalry, supported by a small group of infantrymen, feinted towards the French left wing while a strong force of 5,000 men attacked the right. The Spaniards under de España drove through the first French parallel to engage one of [[Jean-Baptiste Girard (soldier)|General Girard's]] brigades and were only driven back when Mortier sent several battalions to Girard's aid. De España pulled back to Badajoz, having lost 650 men and causing 400 French casualties.<ref>{{harvtxt|Oman|1911|p=48}} and {{harvtxt|Napier|1831|p=96}}.</ref>

On [[9 February]], Mendizabal pulled most of his men out of Badajoz, leaving behind a 7,000-strong garrison. The [[field army]]'s 9,000 infantry settled on the heights of San Cristóbal, while the 3,000 horse encamped behind them, on the plains of the Caya. Again, the Spanish commander ignored Wellington's plan, and failed to dig entrenchments on the heights; nor did he send out a cavalry screen to protect his front and monitor the French movements.<ref>{{harvnb|Oman|1911|p=49}}.</ref> Soult, however, largely ignored the Spanish army for the next few days, concentrating instead on building up his siege lines and battering Badajoz.<ref>{{harvnb|Oman|1911|p=50}}.</ref> Heavy rains also caused both the Guadiana and Gebora rivers to burst their banks and they were impassable, so between 11–18 February the French were only able to [[shell (projectile)|shell]] the southern end of the Spanish [[line (formation)|line]], pushing the Spaniards further away from Badajoz and the protection of the San Cristóbal fort.<ref name="floods">{{harvtxt|Napier|1831|p=97}} and {{harvtxt|Oman|1911|pp=50–51}}.</ref>

== Battle ==

[[Image:Battle of Gebora 2.png|thumb|350px|left|Map of the battle]]
By the afternoon of [[18 February]] the rains had abated and the water levels in the Guadiana and Gebora rivers had fallen; the Gebora was once more fordable.<ref name="floods"/> In the evening of that day, Soult sent nine infantry battalions, three cavalry squadrons and two [[artillery battery|artillery batteries]], under Mortier's command, across a flying bridge over the Guadiana to the north bank. Joined by six cavalry regiments under Latour-Maubourg, the French now had 4,500 infantrymen, 2,500 horse and 12 cannon ready to attack the Spanish lines at dawn on [[19 February]].<ref name="battle1">{{harvtxt|Gates|1986|p=248}}, {{harvtxt|Oman|1911|p=51}} and {{harvtxt|Napier|1831|p=97}}.</ref> Thanks to heavy fog, the first Mendizabal knew of the approaching French was when his picket, a mile to his front, was driven back by Mortier's infantry fording the Gebora.<ref>{{harvnb|Oman|1911|p=51}}.</ref> At the same time, Latour-Maubourg had sent the 2nd [[Hussar]]s to the north to turn the Spanish left flank; that cavalry had been able to climb the heights undetected and fell upon one of Carlos de España's unsuspecting regiments.<ref>{{harvtxt|Napier|1831|pp=97–98}} and {{harvtxt|Oman|1911|pp=51–52}}.</ref>

Mortier showed his tactical abilities when deploying his small force: he sent all his cavalry to the north to attack the Spanish left, while three battalions were sent south between the fort at San Cristóbal and the Spanish right wing and his remaining six infantry battalions assaulted the Spanish front.<ref>{{harvtxt|Oman|1911|p=52}} and {{harvtxt|Napier|1831|p=98}}.</ref> As the fog rose, the French light cavalry, under Briche, gained the heights and fell upon the Spanish left flank while Latour-Maubourg took three [[dragoon]] regiments to attack the combined Spanish and Portuguese cavalry on the plains of the Caya.<ref>{{harvnb|Oman|1911|pp=52–53}}.</ref> Despite outnumbering the French, the Allied horse ignored their orders and immediately fled towards Elvas and Campo Maior; they escaped unscathed, since Latour-Maubourg chose to leave them alone and instead launched his cavalry against the Spanish infantry line.<ref name="Oman53">{{harvnb|Oman|1911|p=53}}.</ref>

[[Image:Mortier, Edouard-cropped.jpg|thumb|right|Édouard Mortier, duc de Trévise]]
The fight at the Spanish left flank was not, at first, so clear-cut. Since the fog had lifted, the Spaniards could see just how weak the opposing force was and formed up with little sign of falling.<ref name="Oman53"/> The [[musket|musketry]] duel between the two sides had scarcely begun, however, when the French cavalry appeared; the light horse approached along the top of the heights, while Latour-Maubourg's dragoons came up from the rear. Mendizabal formed his troops into two huge divisional [[infantry square|squares]], supported by his artillery,<ref>{{harvtxt|Gates|1986|p=248}} and {{harvtxt|Oman|1911|p=53}}.</ref> and initially the French cavalry were unable to break through.<ref name="Esdaile337"/> Mendizabal's two massive squares, however, were an easy target for the French infantry and artillery—as one Spanish infantryman recounts, "their artillery played upon it in a most horrible fashion until it became first an oval and then an unformed mass that the cavalry were able to penetrate and take prisoner."<ref name="Esdaile337"/> Briche's light cavalry thus broke through the two Spanish squares without much difficulty, and the battle was effectively over. Some of the Spanish regiments dispersed, many surrendered, and some clubbed together to fight their way to Badajoz or the Portuguese border.<ref name="Oman54">{{harvnb|Oman|1911|p=54}}.</ref>

== Consequences ==

The battle was a serious setback for the Anglo–Spanish–Portuguese allies; Wellington had earlier warned the Spanish generals that the Army of Extremadura was "the last body of troops which their country possesses",<ref>{{harvtxt|Oman|1911|p=47}} and Wellington to La Romana {{harv|Wellington|1838|p=163}}.</ref> and later wrote that "[t]he defeat of Mendizabal is the greatest misfortune, which was not previously expected, that has yet occurred to us."<ref>Wellington to [[Henry Wellesley, 1st Baron Cowley|Henry Wellesley]] {{harv|Wellington|1838|p=286}}.</ref> The army had been practically destroyed—2,500 infantry escaped into Badajoz, and a slightly smaller number to Portugal, but about 1,000 Spaniards had been killed or wounded, 4,000 taken prisoner, and 17 cannon lost.<ref name="consequences">{{harvtxt|Gates|1986|p=248}} and {{harvtxt|Oman|1911|pp=54–55}}.</ref> The French, for their part, suffered slight casualties. Soult initially gave his losses as 30 killed and 140 wounded, but those figures were eventually revised to around 400 casualties, mainly from the cavalry.<ref name="consequences"/>

Soult was now free to continue his investment of Badajoz; although the town's garrison was now some 8,000 strong thanks to the influx from Mendizabal's destroyed army, it eventually fell to French hands on [[11 March]].<ref>{{harvnb|Oman|1911|loc=p. 55 and pp. 57–61}}.</ref> Wellington sent a large Anglo–Portuguese corps, commanded by [[William Beresford, 1st Viscount Beresford|Sir William Beresford]], to retake the important fortress town,<ref>{{harvnb|Gates|1986|pp=252–253}}.</ref> and by [[20 April]], the [[Second Siege of Badajoz (1811)|second siege of Badajoz]] had begun.<ref>{{harvnb|Gates|1986|p=254}}.</ref> A French attempt to lift this siege resulted, on [[16 May]], in the bloody [[Battle of Albuera]];<ref>{{harvnb|Esdaile|2002|pp=342–343}}.</ref> Beresford's strong Allied corps barely managed to hold off an outnumbered French army, again commanded by Soult, but the siege remained in place.<ref>{{harvnb|Esdaile|2002|p=348}}.</ref> When the French Army of Portugal, now under the command of Marshal [[Auguste Marmont]], and the Army of the South converged, however, Wellington was forced to pull his 44,000-man besieging army back to Elvas; on [[20 June]], the combined French force of over 60,000 men had lifted the siege.<ref name="Weller187-189">{{harvnb|Weller|1962|pp=187–189}}.</ref> Badajoz would remain in French hands until the following year, when the Allies finally retook it following the [[Battle of Badajoz (1812)|Battle of Badajoz]].<ref>{{harvnb|Weller|1962|pp=198–205}}.</ref>

== Notes ==
<div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:3; column-count:3;">
<references/>
</div>

== References ==

*{{citation
| last = Esdaile
| first = Charles
| publication-date = 2003
| date = 2002
| year = 2002
| title = The Peninsular War
| publisher = [[Penguin Books]]
| isbn = 0-140-27370-0
}};

*{{citation
| last = Fortescue
| first = Sir John
| author-link = John William Fortescue
| publication-date = 1917
| date = 1917
| year = 1917
| title = A History of the British Army
| volume = VIII
| publisher = [[Macmillan Publishers|Macmillan]]
| url = http://www.archive.org/details/historyofbritish08fortuoft
| accessdate = [[13 September]] [[2007]]
}};

*{{citation
| last = Gates
| first = David
| publication-date = 2002
| date = 1986
| year = 1986
| title = The Spanish Ulcer: A History of the Peninsular War
| publisher = Pimlico
| isbn = 0-7126-9730-6
}};

*{{citation
| last = Glover
| first = Michael
| publication-date = 2001
| date = 1974
| year = 1974
| title = The Peninsular War 1807–1814: A Concise Military History
| publisher = Penguin Classic Military History
| isbn = 0-141-39041-7
}};

*{{citation
| last = Napier
| first = Sir William
| author-link = William Francis Patrick Napier
| publication-date = 1831
| date = 1831
| year = 1831
| title = History of the War in the Peninsula
| volume = III
| publisher = Frederic Warne and Co
| url = http://www.archive.org/details/historyofwarinpe03napiuoft
| accessdate = [[9 October]] [[2007]]
}};

*{{citation
| last = Oman
| first = Sir Charles
| author-link = Charles Oman
| publication-date = 2004
| date = 1911
| year = 1911
| title = A History of the Peninsular War: Volume IV, December 1810 to December 1811
| publisher = Greenhill Books
| isbn = 1-85367-618-7
}};

*{{citation
| last = Weller
| first = Jac
| publication-date = 1962
| date = 1962
| year = 1962
| title = Wellington in the Peninsula
| publisher = Nicholas Vane
}};

*{{citation
| last = Wellington
| first = Arthur Wellesley, Duke of
| author-link = Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
| publication-date = 1838
| date = 1838
| year = 1838
| title = The dispatches of Field Marshall the Duke of Wellington : during his various campaigns in India, Denmark, Portugal, Spain, the Low Countries, and France, from 1799 to 1818
| volume = VII
| publisher = John Murray
| url = http://www.archive.org/details/dukedispatches07welluoft
| accessdate = [[1 November]] [[2007]]
}}.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gebora 1811}}
[[Category:Conflicts in 1811]]
[[Category:Battles of the Peninsular War]]
[[Category:Battles involving Spain]]
[[Category:Battles involving Portugal]]
[[Category:Battles involving France]]

Karaman (Beylik)

2007-04-13T23:06:44Z

MapMaster: + map

[[Image:Eastern Mediterranean 1450 .svg|right|350px|thumb|The Karamid emirate and other easter Mediterranean states in 1450.]]'''Beylik of Karaman''' or of '''Karamanoğlu''' (''Karamanoğulları'' in plural), also called '''Karamanid''' or the '''Karamid emirate''', was a state in the what is now modern-day southeastern Turkey, established by [[Karamanoğlu Mehmet Bey|Mehmet Bey]]. From the 13th century until its fall in 1467, Karamanid was one of the most powerful fiefdoms in [[Anatolia]], second only to the [[Ottoman Empire]].

Karamanoğlu was the first [[Turkish people|Turkish]] kingdom to accept [[Turkish language|Turkish]] as its [[official language]]. Speaking any language aside from Turkish was prohibited.

== History ==
Alladdin Keykubat I, the sultan of Seljuks from 1219 to 1237, had reached the border of the [[Byzantine Empire]] and ordered some from the house of Turkmen to keep the borders safe. No sooner had he done so than [[Cilicia]] was captured, and control of the city was given to the house of Karaman. At that time, the house was led by Nûre Sûfî, son of [[Hoca Sadeddin Efendi|Sadeddin]]. After his death, Karaman Bey took over control of the house. He expanded his land by capturing castles in Ermenek, Mut, Gülnar, Mer, and Silifke. This expansion attracted the attention of the [[Seljuk Turks]]. Kılıç Arslan IV gave Larande as a gift to prevent a conflict. Bunsuz, brother of Karaman Bey, was chosen as a bodyguard for Kılıç Arslan IV's castle in Turkish 'Candar'.

However, peace between the [[Seljuk Turks|Seljuks]] and the Karamanids did not last. Karaman Bey and his two brothers, Zeynül-Hac and Bunsuz, marched toward Konya, the capital of [[Seljuk Turks|Seljuks]], with 20,000 men. The Seljuk army, led by Muînüddin Pervâne, won the war and captured both of Karaman Bey's brothers.

After Karaman Bey died in 1262, his older son, Şemseddin Mehmet I, became the leader of the house. He immediately negotiated with other [[Turkmens]] to create an army against the Seljuks. At the [[battle of Göksu]], the Seljuks were weakened. Because of that, Mehmed Bey captured [[Konya]] in 12 May 1277 and declared a prohibition against speaking any other language in his land. Unfortunately, the Seljuks wanted to retake [[Konya]] from the Karamanids, and eventually they assembled another army which defeated Mehmet Bey. After the war, he and some of his brothers were executed in 1277.

Expansion of Karamanid did not take place until the kingdom of İlhanli (the Mongol-ruled Ilkhanate of Persia) fell. The second expansion of Karamanid started at the same time with the marriage of Aleaddin Ali Bey to Nefise Sultan, daughter of Murad Hüdavendigar. Additionally, it was the first relation between Ottomans and Karamanids.

Through Ottoman expansion into the [[Balkans]], Aleaddin Ali Bey captured the city of [[Beyşehir]] which had been an Ottoman city. However, it didn't take much time for the Ottomans to reach Anatolia and march toward [[Konya]], the capital city of Karamanid. A treaty between the two kingdoms was made and peace existed until the reign of [[Bayezid I]].

[[Image:MEHMED.jpg|thumb|150px|Statue depicting [[Karamanoğlu Mehmet Bey]] declaring Turkish as the official language of the state and all its institutions.]]
[[Timur]] gave control of Karamanid to Mehmet Bey, the oldest son of Aleaddin Ali Bey. After Bayezid died in 1403, the Ottoman Empire went into a political crisis. During this time, the Ottoman family were fought against for being kings. It was an opportunity not only for Karamanid, but also for all the Anatolian kingdoms. Mehmet Bey assembled an army to march on [[Bursa, Turkey|Bursa]]. He captured the city and damaged it. This would not be the last Karamanid invasion of [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] lands. However, Mehmet Bey was captured by Bayezid Pasha and sent to prison. He apologized for what he had done to Ottoman lands and was subsequently forgiven by the Ottoman Empire.

Ramazanoğlu Ali Bey captured [[Tarsus]] while Mehmet Bey was in prison. Mustafa Bey, son of Mehmet Bey, retook the city during a conflict between the Emirs of [[Sham]] and [[Egypt]]. After that, the Sultan of [[Mamluk]] sent an army to retake Tarsus from Karamanid. Mamluk damaged [[Konya]] after Karamanid was defeated, and Mehmet Bey retreated from [[Konya]]. Ramazanoğlu Ali Bey followed and captured him. According to an agreement between the two leaders, Mehmet Bey was exiled to Egypt for the rest of his life.

During the [[Crusade]] on the [[Ottoman Empire]], Karamanid İbrahim Bey marched toward [[Ankara]] and [[Kütahya]], destroying both cities. In the meantime, Murad Han of the Ottoman Empire was turning back from [[Rumeli]] with a victory against the [[Hungary|Hungarian]] Crusaders. Like all other Islamic emirates in Anatolia, the Karamanids were accused of treason. Hence, İbrahim Bey accepted all Ottoman terms.

== Power of Karamanid in Anatolia ==
According to Mesâlik-ül-Ebsâr, written by Şehâbeddin Ömer, the Karamanid army had 25,000 riders and 25,000 [[saracens]]. They also used the armies of some Turkmen tribes.

Their economic activities depended mostly on control of strategic commercial areas such as [[Konya]] and the ports of [[Lamos]], [[Silifke]], [[Anamur]], and [[Manavgat]].

== Karamanid architecture ==
Anatolian Turk-[[Islam]]ic architecture is divided into three groups: Karamanid, [[Seljuk Turks|Seljuk]], and [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]]. Most Seljuk buildings were destroyed. On the other hand, Karamanid ruins, including 66 mosques, 8 Turkish baths, 2 inns and 3 Islamic schools, survive to this day.

Some of the most important architectural ruins are:

* Hasbey Dar'ül (1241) - A house of Islamic education
* Mosque of Şerafettın (XIII century) - A mosque
* İnce Mınare (Darül Hadıs) (1258-1279) - A house of Islamic education
* Hatunıye Medresesı - A school of Islam

== List of rulers ==
[[Image:Karaman.png|thumb|Flag of Karaman according to the Catalan Atlas, c. 1375]]
# [[Nûre Sûfî Bey]] (Capital City: [[Ereğli]][) (1250?-1256?)
# [[Kerîmeddin Karaman Bey]] (Capital City: [[Ermenek]]) (1256?-1261)
# [[Şemseddin I. Mehmed Bey]] (1261-1283)
# [[Güneri Bey]] (1283-1300)
# [[Bedreddin]], [[Mecdeddin]] or [[Bedreddin Mahmud Bey]] (1300-1308)
# [[Yahşı Han Bey]] (1308-1312) (Capital City: [[Konya]])
# [[Bedreddin I. İbrahim Bey]] (1312-1333, 1348-1349)
# [[Alâeddin Halil Mirza Bey]] (1333-1348)
# [[Fahreddin Ahmed Bey]] (1349-1350)
# [[Şemseddin Bey]] (1350-1351)
# [[Hacı Sûfi Burhâneddin Musa Bey]] (Capital City: [[Mut]]) (1351-1356)
# [[Seyfeddin Süleyman Bey]] (1356-1357)
# [[Damad I. Alâeddin Ali Bey]] (1357-1398)
# [[Sultanzâde Nâsıreddin II. Mehmed Bey]] ([[Gıyâseddin]])(1398-1399)
# [[Damad Bengi II. Alâeddin Ali Bey]] (1418-1419, 1423-1424)
# [[Damad II. İbrahim Bey]] (1424-1464)
# [[Sultanzâde İshak Bey]] (1464)
# [[Sultanzâde Pîr Ahmed Bey]] (1464-1469)
# [[Kasım Bey]] (1469-1483)
# [[Turgutoğlu Mahmud Bey]] (1483-1487)

<br/>{{History of Turks}}


[[Category:Anatolian Turkish Beyliks]]
[[Category:Muslim history]]
[[Category:Muslim dynasties]]


[[tr:Karamanoğulları Beyliği]]