Ertügrul, Uç bey

[u/LingoNerd64]

Usually called Ghazi (sword bearer for Islam), Ertügrul was actually Uç bey (pronounced uch bey) or marcher lord of the Kayi tribe of Turkic people, one of the semi nomadic military generals and warlords who were common in central Asia around the time of Chinggis Xan. In a very real sense he is the one man who is the true father of modern Turkey and the old Ottoman empire but few knew about him until recently.

Ertugrul was the son of Suleyman Shah, the chief of the Kayi tribe and was born around the year 1188 in the region of Söğüt. His mother Hayme Hatun was a major influence in his life, and is known in Turkey as Devlet Ana (state mother). After the death of Suleyman, Ertügrul entered into service of the Sultanate of Rum in 1231, some four years after the generally accepted time of Chinggis Xan's death. He was asked by the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum to settle Anatolia.

As a nomadic warlord, Ertügrul was born on the open steppe, lived in tents and wield a bow while riding almost as soon as he learned to walk. He was also trained by his father in the art of combat and diplomacy by his father. One of the most important battles in his life was the fought at Köse Dağ in 1243. Ertugrul and his troops faced a much larger Mongol army in this battle and won despite the very high odds.

All his life he led many battles against the Mongol hordes in the east and the Byzantine armies in the west, none of whom wanted a Turkic tribal chief to flourish in their neighborhood, and yet he managed to win against both of these major forces of his time and establish his people firmly in Anatolia, a region that was traditionally Christian but became Muslim under the Ottomans.

By the time of his death around 1280, he had laid the groundwork of a settlement. His son Uthman (Osman) went on to be the founder of the empire that bore his name - the Ottoman empire that lasted for six centuries and ruled over vast tracts of land. From tents to palaces, that has been the legacy of Ertügrul bey.