Tzachas (Greek: Τζαχᾶς, romanized: Tzachás), also known as Chaka Bey (Turkish: Çaka Bey)[dn 1] was an 11th-century SeljukTurkish military commander who ruled an independent state based in Smyrna. Originally in Byzantine service, he rebelled and seized Smyrna, much of the Aegean coastlands of Asia Minor and the islands lying off shore in 1088–91. At the peak of his power, he even declared himself Byzantine emperor, and sought to assault Constantinople in conjunction with the Pechenegs. In 1092, a Byzantine naval expedition under John Doukas inflicted a heavy defeat on him and retook Lesbos, while in the next year he was treacherously slain by his son-in-law Kilij Arslan I. Smyrna and the rest of Tzachas' former domain were recovered by the Byzantines a few years later, in c. 1097.
Very little is known about his life, and that mostly from only one source, the Alexiad of the Byzantine princess Anna Komnene, daughter of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos (r. 1081–1118). He is also mentioned in the 13th-century Danishmendname as Chavuldur Chaka (Turkish: Çavuldur Çaka),[1] but it is not a very reliable source due to the semi-legendary nature of its material.[2]
According to the Alexiad, Tzachas was originally a raider, who was taken as a prisoner by the Byzantines during the reign of Nikephoros III Botaneiates (r. 1078–1081). Tzachas entered Byzantine service and advanced rapidly through imperial favour, receiving the title of protonobilissimus and rich gifts. However, when Alexios I Komnenos deposed Botaneiates in 1081, Tzachas lost his position and fled Byzantium.[2][3]
From ca. 1088 on, he used his base at Smyrna to wage war against the Byzantines. Employing Christian craftsmen, he built a fleet, with which he captured Phocaea and the eastern Aegean islands of Lesbos (except for the fortress of Methymna), Samos, Chios and Rhodes. A Byzantine fleet under Niketas Kastamonites was sent against him, but Tzachas defeated it in battle.[3][4] Some modern scholars have speculated that his activities during this time may have been in conjunction, and perhaps even coordination, with two contemporary Byzantine rebels, Rhapsomates in Cyprus, and Karykes in Crete.[2]
In 1090/91, the Byzantines under Constantine Dalassenos recovered Chios.[3][5] Undeterred, Tzachas rebuilt his forces, and resumed his attacks, even proclaiming himself emperor (basileus) and seeking to conclude an alliance against Alexios I with the Pechenegs in Thrace for a joint attack on Constantinople.[2][3] In 1092, Dalassenos and the new megas doux, John Doukas, were sent against Tzachas, and attacked the fortress of Mytilene on Lesbos. Tzachas resisted for three months, but finally had to negotiate a surrender of the fortress. During his return to Smyrna, Dalassenos attacked the Turkish fleet, which was almost destroyed.[3][6]
According to the Alexiad, in spring 1093, Tzachas attacked the port of Abydos in the Sea of Marmara. Alexios I called upon the Sultan of the Seljuk Sultanate of RumKilij Arslan I (r. 1092–1107), who was married to Tzachas's daughter Ayşe Hatun and was thus his son-in-law, to attack Tzachas from the rear. The Sultan advanced to Abydos, where, at the pretext of inviting Tzachas to a banquet, he had his father-in-law murdered.[3][7] However, c. 1097 a "Tzachas"—possibly the original Tzachas' son—is reported as still holding Smyrna when the Byzantine army under John Doukas recaptured the city.[2][3][8]
Legacy
The modern Turkish Naval Forces officially consider 1081, the capture of Smyrna by Tzachas, as their founding date.[9]
^"Tzachas" is the Hellenized form of a Turkish name which does not appear in any historical documents, but was likely "Chaka", "Chagha", or "Chaqan". The name "Chaka", in the modern Turkish alphabet "Çaka", prevailed especially in modern Turkey, after Akdes Nimet Kurat used it in his work Çaka: Orta Zamanda İzmir ve Yakınındaki Adaların Türk Hakimi, Istanbul, 1936, ... yüksek siyasî ve askerî görüş sahibi olarak büyük önem taşıyan bu bey'in adının gerçek söylenişi henüz tamamen kesinliğe kavuşmuş değildir. Bu hususta şimdiye kadar üç ihtimal ileri sürülmüştür: Çaka, Çağa, Çakan. AN Kurat'ın bunu "Çaka" kabûl ederek eserini de "Çaka Bey" diye adlandırması, özellikle memleketimizde Çaka şeklinin yaygınlaşmasına yol açmıştır denebilir. (Tarih Dergisi, Cilt 20, İstanbul Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi, İbrahim Horoz Basımevi, 1983, p. 56.)
References
^Alexander Daniel Beihammer, (2017), Byzantium and the Emergence of Muslim-Turkish Anatolia, Ca. 1040-1130, p. 272
Dawes, Elizabeth A., ed. (1928). The Alexiad. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Mallett, Alex (2013). "Çaka Bey". In Fleet, Kate; Krämer, Gudrun; Matringe, Denis; Nawas, John; Rowson, Everett (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam, THREE. Brill Online. doi:10.1163/1573-3912_ei3_COM_27581. ISSN 1873-9830. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
Further reading
Brand, Charles M. (1989). "The Turkish element in Byzantium, eleventh-twelfth centuries". Dumbarton Oaks Papers. 43: 1–25. doi:10.2307/1291603. JSTOR 1291603.
Savvides, Alexis G.C. (1982). "Ο Σελτζούκος εμίρης της Σμύρνης Τζαχάς (Çaka) και οι επιδρομές του στα μικρασιατικά παράλια, τα νησιά του ανατολικού Αιγαίου και την Κωνσταντινούπολη". Χιακά Χρονικά (in Greek). Athens. 14: 9–24.
Savvides, Alexis G.C. (1984). "Ο Σελτζούκος εμίρης της Σμύρνης Τζαχάς (Çaka) και οι επιδρομές του στα μικρασιατικά παράλια, τα νησιά του ανατολικού Αιγαίου και την Κωνσταντινούπολη". Χιακά Χρονικά (in Greek). Athens. 16: 51–66.
Savvides, Alexis G.C. (2000). "Can we refer to a concerted action among Rapsomates, Caryces and the Emir Tzachas between A.D. 1091 and 1093". Byzantion. 70: 122–134.
January 15, 2023
tzachas, greek, Τζαχᾶς, romanized, tzachás, also, known, chaka, turkish, çaka, 11th, century, seljuk, turkish, military, commander, ruled, independent, state, based, smyrna, originally, byzantine, service, rebelled, seized, smyrna, much, aegean, coastlands, as. Tzachas Greek Tzaxᾶs romanized Tzachas also known as Chaka Bey Turkish Caka Bey dn 1 was an 11th century Seljuk Turkish military commander who ruled an independent state based in Smyrna Originally in Byzantine service he rebelled and seized Smyrna much of the Aegean coastlands of Asia Minor and the islands lying off shore in 1088 91 At the peak of his power he even declared himself Byzantine emperor and sought to assault Constantinople in conjunction with the Pechenegs In 1092 a Byzantine naval expedition under John Doukas inflicted a heavy defeat on him and retook Lesbos while in the next year he was treacherously slain by his son in law Kilij Arslan I Smyrna and the rest of Tzachas former domain were recovered by the Byzantines a few years later in c 1097 TzachasCakaBeyModern representation of Tzachas in the Istanbul Naval Museum1st Bey of SmyrnaReignc 1081 1093Successorson of Tzachas name unknown BornUnknownDied1093Sultanate of Rum modern day Turkey IssueAyse HatunReligionIslam Contents 1 Life 2 Legacy 3 See also 4 Footnotes 5 References 6 Sources 7 Further readingLife EditVery little is known about his life and that mostly from only one source the Alexiad of the Byzantine princess Anna Komnene daughter of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos r 1081 1118 He is also mentioned in the 13th century Danishmendname as Chavuldur Chaka Turkish Cavuldur Caka 1 but it is not a very reliable source due to the semi legendary nature of its material 2 According to the Alexiad Tzachas was originally a raider who was taken as a prisoner by the Byzantines during the reign of Nikephoros III Botaneiates r 1078 1081 Tzachas entered Byzantine service and advanced rapidly through imperial favour receiving the title of protonobilissimus and rich gifts However when Alexios I Komnenos deposed Botaneiates in 1081 Tzachas lost his position and fled Byzantium 2 3 From ca 1088 on he used his base at Smyrna to wage war against the Byzantines Employing Christian craftsmen he built a fleet with which he captured Phocaea and the eastern Aegean islands of Lesbos except for the fortress of Methymna Samos Chios and Rhodes A Byzantine fleet under Niketas Kastamonites was sent against him but Tzachas defeated it in battle 3 4 Some modern scholars have speculated that his activities during this time may have been in conjunction and perhaps even coordination with two contemporary Byzantine rebels Rhapsomates in Cyprus and Karykes in Crete 2 In 1090 91 the Byzantines under Constantine Dalassenos recovered Chios 3 5 Undeterred Tzachas rebuilt his forces and resumed his attacks even proclaiming himself emperor basileus and seeking to conclude an alliance against Alexios I with the Pechenegs in Thrace for a joint attack on Constantinople 2 3 In 1092 Dalassenos and the new megas doux John Doukas were sent against Tzachas and attacked the fortress of Mytilene on Lesbos Tzachas resisted for three months but finally had to negotiate a surrender of the fortress During his return to Smyrna Dalassenos attacked the Turkish fleet which was almost destroyed 3 6 According to the Alexiad in spring 1093 Tzachas attacked the port of Abydos in the Sea of Marmara Alexios I called upon the Sultan of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum Kilij Arslan I r 1092 1107 who was married to Tzachas s daughter Ayse Hatun and was thus his son in law to attack Tzachas from the rear The Sultan advanced to Abydos where at the pretext of inviting Tzachas to a banquet he had his father in law murdered 3 7 However c 1097 a Tzachas possibly the original Tzachas son is reported as still holding Smyrna when the Byzantine army under John Doukas recaptured the city 2 3 8 Legacy EditThe modern Turkish Naval Forces officially consider 1081 the capture of Smyrna by Tzachas as their founding date 9 See also EditSeljuk campaigns in the AegeanFootnotes Edit Tzachas is the Hellenized form of a Turkish name which does not appear in any historical documents but was likely Chaka Chagha or Chaqan The name Chaka in the modern Turkish alphabet Caka prevailed especially in modern Turkey after Akdes Nimet Kurat used it in his work Caka Orta Zamanda Izmir ve Yakinindaki Adalarin Turk Hakimi Istanbul 1936 yuksek siyasi ve askeri gorus sahibi olarak buyuk onem tasiyan bu bey in adinin gercek soylenisi henuz tamamen kesinlige kavusmus degildir Bu hususta simdiye kadar uc ihtimal ileri surulmustur Caka Caga Cakan AN Kurat in bunu Caka kabul ederek eserini de Caka Bey diye adlandirmasi ozellikle memleketimizde Caka seklinin yayginlasmasina yol acmistir denebilir Tarih Dergisi Cilt 20 Istanbul Universitesi Edebiyat Fakultesi Ibrahim Horoz Basimevi 1983 p 56 References Edit Alexander Daniel Beihammer 2017 Byzantium and the Emergence of Muslim Turkish Anatolia Ca 1040 1130 p 272 a b c d e Mallett 2013 a b c d e f g Brand 1991 p 2134 Anna Komnene Alexiad VII 8 Dawes 1928 p 183 Anna Komnene Alexiad VII 8 Dawes 1928 pp 183 187 Anna Komnene Alexiad IX 1 Dawes 1928 pp 214 217 Anna Komnene Alexiad IX 3 Dawes 1928 pp 219 220 Anna Komnene Alexiad XI 5 Dawes 1928 p 281 Deniz Kuvvetleri Komutanligi Tarihcesi History of the Naval Forces Command in Turkish Turkish Naval Forces Command Retrieved 8 February 2022 Sources EditBrand Charles M 1991 Tzachas In Kazhdan Alexander ed The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium Oxford and New York Oxford University Press p 2134 ISBN 0 19 504652 8 Dawes Elizabeth A ed 1928 The Alexiad London Routledge amp Kegan Paul Mallett Alex 2013 Caka Bey In Fleet Kate Kramer Gudrun Matringe Denis Nawas John Rowson Everett eds Encyclopaedia of Islam THREE Brill Online doi 10 1163 1573 3912 ei3 COM 27581 ISSN 1873 9830 Retrieved 23 February 2015 Further reading EditBrand Charles M 1989 The Turkish element in Byzantium eleventh twelfth centuries Dumbarton Oaks Papers 43 1 25 doi 10 2307 1291603 JSTOR 1291603 Savvides Alexis G C 1982 O Seltzoykos emirhs ths Smyrnhs Tzaxas Caka kai oi epidromes toy sta mikrasiatika paralia ta nhsia toy anatolikoy Aigaioy kai thn Kwnstantinoypolh Xiaka Xronika in Greek Athens 14 9 24 Savvides Alexis G C 1984 O Seltzoykos emirhs ths Smyrnhs Tzaxas Caka kai oi epidromes toy sta mikrasiatika paralia ta nhsia toy anatolikoy Aigaioy kai thn Kwnstantinoypolh Xiaka Xronika in Greek Athens 16 51 66 Savvides Alexis G C 2000 Can we refer to a concerted action among Rapsomates Caryces and the Emir Tzachas between A D 1091 and 1093 Byzantion 70 122 134 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tzachas amp oldid 1113077988, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
