Beylik of Aydın

The Aydın-oghlu were a Turkoman dynasty that reigned from 708 to 829 AH (1308 to 1425) over the emirate of the same name. Mehmed Beg (708-734 AH, 1308-1334), a subashi of the emir of Menteshe, separated from him in the early years of the eighth century AH and began to make war on his own account, in alliance with Sasa Beg, son-in-law of the emir of Menteshe. After conquering Birgi, Ayasoluk and Keles, Sasa turned against his former ally and was defeated and put to death by him in 708/1308. Mehmed Beg added the acropolis of İzmir, Tire, Sultanhisar and Bodemya to his conquests. ¹

His son Umur Beg made the emirate known through its sea power. The fleet, the raids on the Aegean islands and Greece, and the alliance with John VI Cantacuzenus are described in his article. The Latin crusade of 1344 took the fortress of the port of İzmir, and Umur died trying to retake it in 1348. ¹

After 1348 the emirate lost its importance under Umur's brothers Khidr (748-760 AH, 1348-1360) and Isa (760-791 AH, 1360-1390). Bayezid I annexed it, and in 1390 he ratified the treaty of commerce of 1348, to the advantage of the Venetians. After the battle of Ankara in 1402, Timur restored the principality to Isa's sons Musa and Umur II. Power then passed to Junayd (808-828 AH, 1405-1425), who was defeated by Murad II and executed with his family in 829/1425-6. The Aydın-oghlu line ended then, and the emirate was annexed by the Ottomans. ¹