Fetihnâmeler Tarihçiye Ne Söyler? Hârezmşahlar (1097-1231) Devrine Ait Fetihnâmeler Üzerine Mukayeseli Bir İnceleme
What Do the Fatihnames Tell to Historians? A Comparative Examination of the Fatihnames of the Khwarazmshah Dynasty (1097-1231)

Summary/Abstract: The fatihnames are texts the political power wrote to express itself, explain and defend its victory, and show exultation in its success. Among the fatihnames from the Khwarazmshah Dynasty, this study has chosen those from its establishment, rise, and collapse: the Jand, Bukhara, and Ahlat Fatihnames. The texts are compared with other sources describing the events and government documents that still exist. The study examines the fatihnames in terms of form/content to answer what they can tell historians. The Khwarazmshahs’ fatihnames gave much space to defending/emphasizing the concepts of ruler/sovereignty and explaining governmental and conquest legitimacy using divine sources. Accordingly, God has chosen the ruler for his characteristics to govern a region, even the world, and provides unlimited support and help in his endeavors. Fatihnames’ mostly concern defending governmental legitimacy, but also have information for historians, such as military operations’ courses/outcomes and fatihnames’ addressees. This study believes fatihnames’ main importance is how they officially expressed and understood dozens of concepts such as greatness, virtues, negligence, good/evil, happiness, blessings, mercy, arrogance, renegades, miracles, and patience, concepts that the era’s literature also constantly were processing.

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