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Kayqubad I (Turkish: I. Alâeddin Keykubad) was the Seljuk Sultan of Rum who reigned from 1220 to 1237. He was considered the most illustrious prince of the dynasty.
Biography
Under his rule, Seljuk Anatolia reached its apogee. He sponsored a
large scale building campaign across Anatolia. Apart from
reconstructing towns and fortresses, he built many mosques, medreses,
caravanserais, bridges and hospitals many of which are preserved to
this day as testimonials to the golden age for Anatolian Seljuks his
period had been. Besides completing the construction of the Seljuk
Palace in Konya, he also built the Kubadabad Palace on the shore of
Lake Beyşehir and Keykubadiye Palace in Kayseri, from both of which
vestiges presently explored reached our day. Because of his qualities
as a ruler, he became a legendary figure and is referred to as
"Kayqubad the Great".
In external policy, the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia was reduced still
further and became vassalized to Konya. The Turcomans who were settled
along the Taurus Mountains, which came to be named the region of İçel
(former name of the present-day Mersin Province) were later to form the
basis of the Beylik of Karamanoğlu, founded in the same region towards
the end of the 13th century. In Eastern Anatolia, where the arrival of
Jelal ad-Din Menguberdi, fleeing the demise of his Khwarezmian Empire
by the Mongols, had created a new political situation, Keykubad
advanced in 1227/1228 by defeating the Artukids and the Ayyubids,
absorbing the Beylik of Mengücek, and capturing the fortresses of Hısn
Mansur (Adıyaman), Kahta and Çemişgezek along his advance. He
subjugated a revolt by the Empire of Trebizond and, although falling
short of capturing their capital, forced the Komnenos family to renew
their treaty of vassaldom. At first seeking an alliance with his
Turkish kinsman Jelal ad-Din Manguberdi against the Mongol danger
looming in the horizon, he finally defeated him in the Battle of
Yassıçimen between Sivas and Erzincan in 1230. After his victory, he
advanced further east, establishing Seljuk rule over Erzurum, Ahlat and
the region of Lake Van. Artukids of Diyarbekir and the Ayyubids of
Syria recognized his sovereignty, while he also captured a number of
fortresses in Georgia and subjugated the queen, arranging a marriage
between her daughter Tamar and Kayqubad's son, Kaykhusraw II.
He died at an early age in 1237, the last of his line to die in independence.
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