Beyşehir during the Turkey Seljuk and Eşrefoğluları Period

Beyşehir which has hosted many civilizations throughout history, has been the subject of study with its historical heritage of thousands of years. Many ancient settlements have been identified from the Neolithic Age to the Byzantine Age in Beyşehir. The Beyşehir region, which gained a religious identity during the Hittite period, drew attention with its proximity to the important centers of the history of Christianity in the Roman and Byzantine periods. Being on the trade route during the Roman period made it a center of attraction. Beyşehir and its surroundings, which once witnessed the attacks of Arab states, came under Turkish rule after the Seljuks captured the region. In the XII century, Beyşehir, which turned into a cosmopolitan Turkish-Islamic city, increased its vitality with the construction of the Kubâd-abâd City during the period of Alaeddin Keykubad and became the second administrative center of the Turkey Seljuk State. With the weakening of the central authority of the Turkey Seljuk State, it became the capital of the Eşrefoğlu Principality established in the region. Beyşehir has become a respected city by preserving its Turkish-Islamic identity with mosques, madrasahs, covered bazaars, inns, baths, and castles built during the reign of Eşrefoğulları. This study focuses on the contributions of the Anatolian Seljuk State and the Esrefoğlu Principality established afterwards to Beyşehir. Key Words: Turkey Seljuks, Eşrefoğulları, Kubâd-âbâd, Beyşehir, I. Alaeddin Keykubad.