Why Did Two Brotherly Nations Fought in Çaldıran?

Contemplation of a Sibling War

Anatomy of a War

Today, in Ardebil and Tabriz, everyone repeats how unnecessary and destructive the fight of Yavuz Selim and Shah Ismail was. The war of Yavuz Selim, one of whom is the most pure-tongued poet of Turkish poetry, and Yavuz Selim, who can speak enough to be a master of Persian poetry, is not a struggle for civilization. So what was this fight for?

The War of the Safavid and Ottoman Dynasties and the Broken Turkish Nation

In a strange twist of history, there was a Safavid state in the 1500s in the lands up to the northeastern part of what is now Azerbaijan and Iran. They were ruled by the Safavid Dynasty, just like the Ottoman Dynasty.

This state is the ancestors of the current Azerbaijan state. They adhered to the Shia sect as their belief system. They had sectarian similarities with current Iranians.

The majority of the Ottoman dynasty at the head of the Ottoman Empire established in Anatolia adopted the Hanafi Sect. In other words, these two nations, coming from the same root Oghuz, were the representatives of two civilizations that spoke Turkish and wrote Persian and Arabic. They came face to face in Çaldıran and broke each other. But it must be a quirk of history, as these "two states, one nation", they fought and won together against one of the common enemies of Turks and Turks in Karabakh. Then why couldn't they act together in the past and had to fight each other?

Was this meaningless war that would make the Turkish Nation hurt each other? This war then began with the correspondence, which is exactly the same as below.

Here are the exemplary documents of the Sultanate Fight, in which religion and sect participated

First Letter

The first letter to Shah Ismail was written in Izmit/Hereke. In the name written by Nişancı Tacüzade Cafer Çelebi, Yavuz Sultan Selim was saying to Shah İsmail in brief:

To Shah Ismail

The religion in the sight of Allah, the true king who knows everything, is Islam, and whoever turns to a religion other than Islam, his religion will not be accepted. He is one of the losers in the hereafter. This name is our great refuge, the one who destroyed the enemies of religion, the helmet of the khans, the sultan of the veterans and the mujahids, the predatory like Alexander, the honorable like Feridun, the Keyhusrevi of justice; It is Emir Ismail from Sultan Selim Han, son of Sultan Bayezid, son of Sultan Mehmet, son of Sultan Murad.

You captured the eastern countries through rape, on the basis of the provision that 'when the forest is empty of the lion, the jackal enters as a hero'. You opened the doors of oppression and persecution to the faces of Muslims. You have been mixed and kneaded in every aspect of irreligion. You broke your ties with the sharia by following your own whims. You have made it your profession to destroy the pure beliefs of the people. Evil and vulgar acts such as making adultery lawful, shedding blood unjustly, demolishing mosques and pulpits, burning graves and graves, humiliating scholars, throwing mushafs into filth, and cursing the sheikhs (Hazrat Abu Bakr and Omar) have become commonplace. Our scholars gave a fatwa that you and your followers left the religion and became unbelievers. Thus, our duty is to defend the religion, to save the oppressed, to obey the divine order and to fulfill the honor of the sultan. For this, I wore armor and steel shirts instead of silk-trimmed fabrics. With God's help, my banners of victory flew. Accustomed to victory, my lion soldiers took action. It is one of the principles of our glorious prophet to offer to come to Islam before the sword. This letter was written for that reason. It is possible to correct some bad behaviors. If you are one of those who ask forgiveness from Allah after you have done wrong, there is a possibility that the regions we decided to enter with our victorious army will be left to you at our great gate. Then I didn't know, it doesn't help to say that I was deceived. It is an honor to you and those like you to come and face the land of my threshold. You should do this as soon as I say. Otherwise, your excuse will not be accepted. If you choose to stand against it, whatever happens, it will be what Allah wills. Only then will I remove his oppression from the oppressed and destroy his reputation and insignia!

Second Letter

Yavuz Sultan Selim and his army, departing from Sivas, finished the Ottoman lands and entered the borders of Azerbaijan. There was still no news or work from the Safavids. Thereupon, Sultan Selim sent another letter to Shah Ismail. In this letter, the Sultan did not hesitate to say that he left some of his soldiers between Kayseri and Sivas, and said:

"O Ismail Bahadir!

When this command to be obeyed reaches you, you should know that it is time to clean your activities with the arrow and dagger of the wind of victory, since you are trying to tear the veil of honor in Islam.

In our previous letter, I said that if you become a male, let it happen, whatever God's will is. My aim in this was to make preparations a few months in advance and see the supply and not make excuses and excuses by saying 'I was heedless, I did not have time to collect the soldiers under my hand'. But the earth is covered with iron from the horseshoes that have been poured for a long time, and the ears of the world have been ringing from the rattle of the reins. Finally, I am in Azerbaijan, while the crescents are everywhere, neither your name nor your name has emerged from you. You are in such a hidden state that your presence and absence are equivalent. Those who carry a sword should be able to endure troubles, and those who are in love with Başbuğluk should not be afraid of arrow and sword wounds. The name erlik is a mistake for those who sit behind the curtain with the concern of salvation. It is not befitting for those who fear death to ride a horse and wield a sword. Now the reason you didn't show up is probably because you're afraid of my many soldiers. In order to relieve this fear in you, I left forty thousand of my soldiers between Kayseri and Sivas. Giving the enemy an opportunity to play horses and find an empty square is only this much. If there is any kind of effort and bravery in his essence, let him come and stand in front of my soldier. May whatever was written in eternity come to light. Greetings to those who follow the right path!"

Shah Ismail's Reply to Yavuz Sultan Selim

When the Ottoman Army came to Hasanbey Meadow in Yassıçemen, Erzincan, Safavid envoy Shah's servant Akay Bevey came to the camp and presented Sultan Selim with a name from Shah İsmail and a golden box full of opium. Shah Ismail said in his letter:

"To Sultan Selim Shah,

Your letters have arrived. Our walk in the time of your Heavenly Father was due to the arrogance of Alauddevle of Dulkadir. Otherwise, nothing but friendship was seen from both sides. Most of the people of those countries were precious to our ancestors. Then we had a long friendship with that dynasty. As in Timur's time, we did not want turmoil. No need for inappropriate words. These must all be fabrications of your clerks. They are the words that come out of the minds of your scribes dried up with Aphayon. In this respect, I am sending them a golden inkwell sealed with our seal, with Şahkulu Ağa, for them to use.

At the moment, I am hunting in the Isfehan tribes. We wrote this answer as a friend right away. We started preparations against you immediately. We are not afraid of anyone. Many have experienced what you want. Those who fight with the children of Ali will perish themselves. If the business is going to end in war, it would not be right to postpone it. But I have to think about the end too!”

The Last letter

Sultan Selim, who was disturbed by the ambassador's movements and the Shah's address, had the ambassador killed immediately. Later, the Ottoman Army reached Diyarbakır Çermik. While he was here, he sent two Safavids captured by the raiders to the Shah with a name written by Sultan Selim. In this letter, which was in response to the previous name, Sultan Selim said:

"Ismail Bahadir!

In response to my letter to which the world obeyed, you also sent a letter and said, 'Hurry up, let's get rid of the waiting,' with a daring attitude. Now it is obvious and evident that I have walked from far places and entered the land under your command with the audacity of our nature. The lands in the hands of the rulers are like their marriage partners. A person who has his share of virility cannot bear someone else's attack on him. However, all this time, my victorious soldiers have received satisfactions (bootys) that have entered their homeland. But still no trace of you. It's the equivalent of living and dying.

The truth is that until now, no action has been seen from you that can be understood as bravery and bravery. The business that takes place is all cheating and fraud. Undoubtedly, the work of your temporary courage only cheats hud. Do you think the remedy (opium) for your trouble is known to you. Keep using it. Maybe this way you will gain heart strength and find the courage to come across us. Forty thousand soldiers were left behind among my disheartened soldiers. Goodness to the enemy can only be so much. After that, if you retreat to the corner of fear to escape from the past, the name of erlik is haram for you. Let him put on a head covering instead of a helmet, and a sheet instead of armor, and give up the case of being a serdar and king."

Conclusion

After this point, the already tense environment gave way to war. The two armies that came face to face on the Çaldıran Plain on August 23, 1514, would share their trump cards and eventually the Ottoman Army would win the war despite heavy losses.

If it was a loser, it would be the Turkish Nation that broke each other.

Now imagine if Elçibey and Gazi Mustafa Kemal were at the head of these two states, would there be such a war?

References

Tâcü't-tevarih, iv, p. 177-180, 186.

Celalzade Mustafa, p. 366, 368-369.

Haydar Çelebi's chronicle, pp.43-44, 47.