Shahkulu

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Shankulu is a character of the upcoming game Assassin's Creed: Revelations.

Şahkulu (?- 1511) was a leader of the Şahkulu rebellion - widespread pro-Shia and pro-Safavid uprising in Anatolia, directed against the Ottoman Empire, in 1511.(It is named after the leader of the rebels, Şahkulu)

History

Persia was consolidated by Ismail I of the Safavid dynasty in the early 16th century. Ismail, being a champion of Shiite faith and partially a Turkmen, was also sympathetic to the Turkmens of Ottoman Empire. He sent agents to Ottoman lands (who usually used the unofficial title of khalif) to attract supporters. His activities did not escape the attention of the Ottomans, but the Ottoman Empire was too preoccupied with the oncoming period of interregnum during the last years of the crippled sultan Bayezid II. Thus Ismail was able to gain many supporters among Ottoman subjects. One such supporter was Karabıyıkoğlu, who adopted the title Şahkulu, meaning "servant of the shah". Ottoman sources however usually entitle him as Şeytankulu, meaning "servant of the Devil". He was living in the territory called Tekeli, named after the former beylik of Teke in a village near Antalya, southwestern Turkey. He was both a Shiite religious leader and a rebel leader. Şahkulu defeated the forces of Ahmet Pasha and executed him. This increased the fame and the prestige of Şahkulu. To his partisans, after raiding a royal caravan and killing a high-ranking Ottoman statesman, he was invincible. A second army was sent after him. The commanders of the army were Şehzade Ahmet, one of the claimants to throne, and the grand vizier Hadım Ali Pasha. They were able to corner Şahkulu near Altıntaş, but instead of fighting, Ahmet tried to win over the Janissaries for his cause. Failing to achieve, he left the battlefield. Şahkulu saw his chance and escaped. Ali Pasha with a smaller force chased him, and clashed with him at Çubukova between Kayseri and Sivas. The battle was a draw, but both Ali Pasha and Şahkulu were killed (July 1511).