The Kastamonu Chobanid Border Emirate in European historiography

The Chobanid dynasty, an important border emirate of the Anatolian Seljuk State, positively influenced the 13th-century history of Kastamonu. Thanks to this dynasty, Kastamonu became a political and cultural center. It played an active role in the political life of the Anatolian Seljuk State. It held a significant position in the campaigns against Byzantium, the implementation of the Seljuk's Black Sea policy, and the interactions with the Ilkhanate. The Chobanid rule over Kastamonu witnessed challenging times, including the splendor of the Anatolian Seljuks, the Mongol invasions, and the domination of the Ilkhanate. Despite all these difficulties, Kastamonu experienced significant development during the Chobanid period. However, to date, a comprehensive evaluation of foreign literature regarding the history of Kastamonu during the Chobanid period has not been conducted. Although references to works by European historians on Chobanids exist in Turkish historiography, and some assessments of their views have been made, there has not been a coherent study examining European historiography on this subject. Our thesis aims to fill this gap. In this context, the works of foreign researchers such as Claude Cahen, Elizabeth Zachariadou, Bruno de Nicola, Andrew Charles Spencer Peacock, and Dimitri Korobeinikov on the history of Chobanids have been taken into account. This study aims to contribute to the history of 13th-century Anatolia, increase interaction between Turkish and foreign scholars, and offer new perspectives by evaluating and developing different viewpoints.