A Seljuk Woman in the Dīwān of Mo‘Ezzī: Tāc al-Dīn Hātun

Abstract

Abstract
Amīr Mo‘ezzī (518-521/1124-1127), who was on duty with the title as Amīru’s-shu‘arā in Great Seljuk Palace for more than half a century is an important figure in the history and culture of Seljuks. Thanks to his father, Burhānī, who was Sultan Alp Arslan’s poet, Mo‘ezzī lived around the palace and has a dīwān with 19.000 verses especially consisting of poems written for Seljuk sultans and statesman such as Malekshah (d. 485/1092), Barkyaruk (d. 498/1104), Mohammad Tapar (d. 511/1118) and Sancar (d. 522/1157) since his childhood. It is possible to find the information about many historical people. Apart from these figures, another figure that Mo‘ezzī praised in his dīwān is Tāc al-dīn Hātun (d. 487/1094) who is the mother of Sultan Sancar and Sultan Mohammad. It has great importance to study how Tāc al-dīn Hātun takes place in Mo‘ezzī’s Dīwān and thought. On one hand, some inferences can be gained in terms of characteristic features of Tāc al-dīn Hātun that Mo‘ezzī selected to include in his work, on the other hand information can be gained about the existence of Tāc al-dīn Hātun in literary and historic texts. In this context, statements and information given by Mo‘ezzī about the praises of Tāc al-dīn Hātun will contribute to the studies in this field. 

Structured Abstract
Amīr Mo‘ezzī (518-521/1124-1127), who was on duty with the title as Amīru’s-shu‘arā in Great Seljuk Palace for more than half a century is an important figure in the history and culture of Seljuks.
Another figure that Mo‘ezzī praises in his Dīwān is Tāc al-dīn Hātun (d. 487/1094) who is the mother of Sultan Sancar and Sultan Mohammad. Tāc al-dīn Hātun, who was mentioned with the titles tāc-ı dīn u dunyā (the crown of the world and the religion) and tāc-ı dīn (the crown of the religion), is one of the two women who Mo‘ezzī praised individually. Another female figure Mo‘ezzī praised individually with an ode consisting of 25 verses, is the sister of Sultan Sancar and the daughter of Terken Hātun, Shah Hātun (Māh Malek Hātun). However, in Dīwān, there are 10 separate odes consisting of 268 verses for Tāc al-dīn Hātun. In addition, in some odes and poems which does not mention directly the name of Tāc al-dīn Hātun praised her various aspects. In other words, Tāc al-dīn Hātun is the first female ruler who is the most praised in Dīwān. Mo‘ezzī’s poems about Tāc al-dīn Hātun show us how important and effective it was in the palace of the Great Seljuk State and its administrative level.
Amir Mo‘ezzī’s addressing, qualifications and statements used in praising Tāc al-dīn Hātun in Dīwān shows how Tāc al-dīn Hātun and Turkish woman’s religiousness, glorification of religion and the state and how they are as mother and ruler. It is also about preserving the success and survival of her sons thanks to her qualifications and characteristics. What is also mentioned in Dīwān is how important and effective she was in administrative affairs and how she was proud of her sons. In addition, Tāc al-dīn Hātun attracted attention with her modesty, good manners and political knowledge. She is also frequently referred in Mo‘ezzī’s Dīwān with her manners such as making charities for survival of Islam, asking for the consent of her sons for many works, her cautiousness, prudence, compassion and tolerance towards the people.
Mo‘ezzī praised Tāc al-dīn Hātun in Dīwān for her religiousness, tolerance, patience and pious, modesty, morality, her making the religion reach peace, raising the state and religion, making charities for the religion by making a great contribution to Islam, having the influence on her sons’ successes and leading them to beneficial affairs, making efforts for the survival of her state and nation, being one of the most powerful and influential women of the Great Seljuk State, her wisdom, farsightedness and generosity.
Amir Mo‘ezzī, who was one of the poets praising the most for Tāc al-dīn Hātun took place the recognition of Tāc al-dīn Hātun as a state figure, her religiousness, her role on her sons Sultan Sancar and Sultan Mohammad Tapar’s power and sovereignty, her characteristics and skills. In the light of Mo‘ezzī’s statements, it is obvious that Tāc al-dīn Hātun had an active role in political and administrative affairs and had a significant influence on his sons considering the difficulties of her century. It is also understood that Tāc al-dīn Hātun was a powerful, influential and authoritative woman in Turkish history and Dīwān. In the poems, Mo‘ezzī expressed how Tāc al-dīn Hātun was as a governor and sultan, in which aspects she was an example to her people, and how she contributed to Turkish state, culture and Islam in administrative and religious matters.

Keywords

• Amīr Mo‘ezzī,Great Seljuk Empire,Seljuks,Persian Poetry,Tac al Din Hatun

MU‘İZZÎ DÎVÂNI’NDA BİR SELÇUKLU HÂTUNU: TÂCEDDÎN HÂTUN

Öz

Büyük Selçuklu Devleti sarayında Emîrüşşü‘arâ unvanıyla yarım asrı aşkın bir sürede bulunan Emîr Mu‘izzî (öl. 518-521/1124-1127), Selçuklu tarihi ve kültürü açısından önemli bir şahsiyettir. Sultan Alp Arslan’ın şairi olan babası Burhânî sayesinde çocukluğundan itibaren saray çevresinde yaşayan Mu‘izzî’nin 19.000 beyit civarındaki Dîvân’ı, bilhassa Melikşâh (öl. 485/1092), Berkyâruk (öl. 498/1104), Muhammed Tapar (öl. 511/1118) ve Sencer (öl. 552/1157) gibi Selçuklu sultanları, vezirler, emîrler ve devlet adamları için yazılmış şiirlerden oluşmaktadır. Onun şiirlerinde birçok tarihî şahsiyet hakkında bilgiye ulaşabilmek mümkündür. Bunların yanı sıra hayatına dair tarih kaynaklarında çok fazla ve detaylı malumat bulunmayan ve Mu‘izzî’nin, Dîvân’da adına övgüde bulunduğu şahsiyetlerden biri de daha çok Tâceddîn Seferiyye ya da Seferiyye Hâtun olarak bilinen Sultan Sencer’in ve Sultan Muhammed’in anneleri Tâceddîn Hâtun’dur (öl. 487/1094). Mu‘izzî’nin Dîvân’ında ve düşünce dünyasında Tâceddîn Hâtun’un ne şekilde yer aldığını tespite çalışmak birçok açıdan anlam yüklüdür. Bir yandan Mu‘izzî’nin, Tâceddîn Hâtun’u hangi özellikleri ve yönleri dolayısıyla eserine dâhil ettiği hakkında sonuçlara ulaşılabilecek, öte yandan Tâceddîn Hâtun’un edebî ve tarihî metinlerdeki varlığı hakkında bilgiler elde edilebilecektir. Böylece Mu‘izzî’nin Tâceddîn Hâtun methiyelerindeki beyanları ve bilgileri, bu alanda yapılan çalışmalara katkı sağlayacaktır. 

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Emîr Mu‘izzî,Büyük Selçuklu Devleti,Selçuklular,Tâceddîn Hâtun,İran Şiiri

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