Who was Süleyman Shah?

Historian Erhan Afyoncu?s new book on the Tomb of Süleyman Shah has just been released. The book, which is published by the Üsküdar Municipality?s press department, was introduced to the public on March 11.

In his book, Afyoncu sheds light on the history of the tomb in the both the Ottoman and republican eras, also including historic resources shedding light on the figure of Süleyman Shah himself. He explains in detail the sensitivity and efforts to protect the tomb exerted by the Kemalist regime of the 1930s - the same regime that closed all dervish lodges and many tombs.

First of all, which of the Süleyman Shahs in our history does this tomb - which was last month removed from Qal?at Ja?bar to the village of E?me near our border - belong?

Afyoncu first cites sources that claim Süleyman Shah is the grandfather of Osman Gazi, the father of Ertu?rul Gazi. Other sources are also cited. For example, in a work titled ?O?uzname,? which was written in the 15th century upon the demand of Sultan Murat II by Yaz?c? Zade Ali, the grandfather of Osman Gazi was named Gündüz Alp. But there is also a Süleyman Alp among the great-grandfathers of Osman Gazi.

Presumably, the title of Süleyman Shah being ?Kut-alm??? is proof of his closeness to the Oghuz-Seljuk culture. In his book, Afyoncu states that it has not actually been exactly determined which Süleyman Shah lies in the tomb, but there is a very strong possibility that he is one of the ancestors of Osman Gazi.

?Tomb? culture

The Tomb of Süleyman Shah became a ?place to visit? long ago, even back to the first centuries of the Ottoman Empire, Afyoncu writes, adding that in the ?O?uzname? that was presented to Cem Sultan in the 1480s, the tomb was noted as a ?place to...