Dobruca: Babadagi ve Mangalya’da Turk Nufusu ve Kultur Varliklari (Dobruja: Turkish Population and Cultural Heritages in Babadag and Mangalia)

Abstract

Starting from Fifth century onwards Huns, Avars and Bulgars and also Turkic speaking tribes migrated and invaded Dobruja. In time the Pecheneg, Oghuz and Cuman-Kipchak Turks also came and settled in the region. Following the invasion of Istanbul in 1204 by the Fourth Crusade, called by Pope Innocent III, the Byzantine power diminished in the Balkans and Dobruja won its independence. Meanwhile about 20,000 Seljuk Turks, who were affected by the Mongol invasion and had taken refuge with the Byzantines, were sent and settled in Dobruja under the leadership of Izzeddin Keykavus II. Keykavus following his settlement invited Sari Saltuk who also came and settle in Dobruja.

It is believed that the Turks who had come and settled in Dobruja laid the foundation of the towns of Babadag and Mangalia as well as two or three other towns and about thirty to forty nomad encampments. The migration led by Sari Saltuk continued by other dervishes such Otman Baba, Akyazılı Sultan, Seyid Ali Sultan, Ali Baba, Topuz Baba and Musa Baba. The friendly approach and tolerance of these dervishes towards the Christian population, in time, resulted in the Islamisation and Turkification of the region. In this paper I will deal with Sari Saltuk, migration and the settlements of the Turks in Dobruja, their tolerant approach to the Christian population, as well as a number of cultural remains.