Karaman

Karaman is a city and district centre in south-central Turkey, in the Central Anatolia region. It is the administrative seat of both Karaman Province and Karaman District and lies north of the Taurus Mountains, approximately 100 kilometres south of Konya. The city stands at an elevation of about 1,039 metres and had a population of 175,390 in 2022 according to the referenced Wikipedia material. The settlement has a long history under several names. In ancient sources it was known as Laranda, a name generally connected with the older Luwian form Larawanda, interpreted as referring to a sandy place. A Hittite-era name, Lānda, is also associated with the site. Laranda appears in classical historical writing, including an account by Diodorus Siculus concerning the city’s destruction after its inhabitants killed Balacrus, a general appointed by Alexander the Great. In later antiquity the city was associated with Isaurian piracy and was controlled at different times by regional rulers, including Antipater of Derbe and Amyntas of Galatia. Karaman subsequently formed part of the Roman and Byzantine worlds before coming under Seljuk control in the early twelfth century. It was occupied by Frederick Barbarossa during the Third Crusade in 1190 and was held by the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia between 1211 and 1216. In 1256, Karaman Bey captured the town, which was thereafter known as Karaman in his honour. From 1275, it became the capital of the Karamanid beylik, a major Anatolian Turkish polity that contested territory with the Seljuks and later the Ottomans. The Karamanids were conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1468. The provincial capital was transferred from Karaman to Konya in 1483, but the city retained important architectural and cultural traces of its Karamanid period. These include remains of the castle and city walls, historic mosques, and a former religious school. A historic mihrab originating in Karaman is preserved at Istanbul’s Çinili Pavilion near the Archaeology Museum. Karaman also has strong associations with religious and literary history. The Sufi teacher Bahaeddin Veled arrived there in 1222 with his family after the Karamanid emir provided a madrasa for them. His son, Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi, later married while the family was living in the city. Rumi’s mother and other family members were buried at the Aktekke Mosque, also known as the Mader-i Mevlana Mosque, whose present structure was built in 1370. The poet Yunus Emre is traditionally associated with Karaman in his later years and is believed to be buried beside the Yunus Emre Mosque. Modern Karaman is a provincial administrative centre with civic, cultural, educational, and commercial functions. The Karaman Museum is one of its principal attractions. The city has a cold semi-arid climate, with hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters, and is noted in the reference material for receiving roughly 3,000 hours of sunshine annually. Its sister-city relationships include Şeki in Azerbaijan, Beyarmudu in Northern Cyprus, and Kütahya in Turkey.

Karaman occupies a site with ancient, medieval, and modern layers of settlement. The earliest reported names connected with the city include the Hittite Lānda and the classical Laranda. The latter is commonly linked to a Luwian term meaning a sandy place. Classical references are limited, but Diodorus Siculus records Laranda in an account of the city’s destruction after its inhabitants killed Balacrus, a commander associated with Alexander the Great’s administration. In later periods, the settlement was connected with Isaurian raiders and was controlled by regional figures such as Antipater of Derbe and Amyntas of Galatia. The city became part of the Roman Empire and subsequently the Byzantine Empire. Seljuk forces captured it in the early twelfth century, after which Karaman experienced further changes of control. Frederick Barbarossa occupied the town in 1190, while the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia held it from 1211 to 1216. A decisive transformation came in 1256, when Karaman Bey captured the settlement. The city adopted the name Karaman in recognition of him, and it later became the political centre of the Karamanid beylik. From 1275, the beylik used Karaman as its capital and developed the city as an important centre of regional Turkish power. Ottoman forces conquered the Karamanids in 1468. Although the provincial capital was moved to Konya in 1483, Karaman preserved substantial evidence of its former political importance. Surviving or documented heritage includes parts of the Karamanid castle and defensive walls, historic mosques, and a madrasa. A mihrab from one of the city’s mosques was later transferred to Istanbul and is held at the Çinili Pavilion near the Archaeology Museum. Karaman’s cultural history is also associated with major figures in Islamic, Sufi, and Turkish literary traditions. Bahaeddin Veled arrived with his family in 1222, receiving accommodation in a madrasa established by the Karamanid ruler. His son, Rumi, lived in the city during part of his youth and married there. Rumi’s mother and other relatives were buried at the Aktekke Mosque, a building commissioned in 1370 by Alaeddin Ali Bey to replace the earlier madrasa. Yunus Emre is likewise linked to Karaman through traditions concerning his later residence and burial near the Yunus Emre Mosque. In the modern Republic of Turkey, Karaman functions as the capital of its province and district. Municipal government has been led by mayors from several political parties since the 1980s. The city’s contemporary identity combines provincial administration, regional commerce, historical tourism, and a substantial architectural and religious heritage. The Karaman Museum is among its notable cultural institutions. Karaman maintains sister-city ties with Şeki, Beyarmudu, and Kütahya.

• 2019

  Savaş Kalaycı becomes mayor

  [1]Karamanen.wikipedia.org

  Savaş Kalaycı began serving as mayor of Karaman according to the referenced municipal leadership list.

• 1483

  Provincial capital transferred to Konya

  [1]Karamanen.wikipedia.org

  The provincial capital was moved from Karaman to Konya, although Karaman retained its historical and regional importance.

• 1468

  Ottoman conquest of the Karamanids

  [1]Karamanen.wikipedia.org

  The Karamanids were conquered by the Ottoman Empire, bringing the city into Ottoman rule.

• Karaman Bey captures the city

  [1]Karamanen.wikipedia.org

  Karaman Bey took control of the settlement, which subsequently became known as Karaman in his honour.

• Karaman becomes the Karamanid capital

  [1]Karamanen.wikipedia.org

  The city became the capital of the Karamanid beylik and served as a major centre of regional Anatolian power.

A historic Central Anatolian provincial capital and municipal centre, positioned around administrative services, cultural heritage, religious history, and regional urban life.

1. 1Karamanen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Karaman Municipalitykaraman.bel.tr