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Byzantine governor of Chirmenkia and battle companion of Osman Ghazi From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Köse Mihal (Ottoman Turkish: كوسه ميخال, lit. 'Michael the Beardless'; 13th century – c. 1340)[1] accompanied Osman I in his ascent to power as a bey and founder of the Ottoman Empire. He is considered to be the first significant Byzantine renegade and convert to Islam[2][3] to enter Ottoman service (see Nöker).
He was also known as Gazi Mihal (Ottoman Turkish: غازى ميخال) [4] and Abdullah Mihal Gazi.[5] He ruled over Harmankaya Kalesi (Ottoman Turkish: خرمن قيا قلعه سى).
Köse Mihal was the Byzantine governor of Chirmenkia (Harmankaya, today Harmanköy) and was ethnically Greek.[6][7] His original name was "Michael Kosses".[7] The castle of Harmankaya was in the foothills of the Uludağ Mountains in Bilecik, Turkey.[4][8] Mihal also eventually gained control of Lefke, Mekece and Akhisar.[9]
Even before his conversion to Islam, Mihal had an amicable relationship with the Ottoman leader, Osman Ghazi.[10] He was an ally of Osman and his people in war, and also acted as a leader of the local Greek population. Additionally, he acted as a consultant and diplomatic agent for Osman I.[11][12] The sources describing the reason behind Mihal's change of faith vary. One tradition emphasises the influence exerted by his friendship with Osman Ghazi, whilst another describes him having experienced a significant dream which convinced him to become a Muslim.[13][11] His conversion is thought to have occurred between 1304 and 1313.[14][15][16] As a Muslim, he was known as Köse Mihal 'Abd Allah (Abdullah), Abdullah being a name commonly adopted by converts.[17]
Up to the conquest of Bursa in 1326, Köse Mihal played an important role as a diplomatic advisor and envoy of Orhan I, the son and successor of Osman Ghazi.[18] Köse Mihal was the first important Christian renegade to become an Ottoman subject, and he played a significant role in the creation of the Ottoman state.[19][20] Köse Mihal's descendants, known as the Mihaloğlu, were famous, particularly in the 15th and 16th centuries. They were a politically and militarily successful family of Ottoman dignitaries in Rumelia. However, they did not reach the very highest public offices.[21]
After the taking of Bursa, Köse Mihal is no longer mentioned in the sources. Kreutel notes that Köse Mihal died around 1340.[22] According to some historians, Köse Mihal was buried at Türbe, Edirne (Adrianople), in a mosque he himself built,[17] in this tradition Köse Mihal was believed to have lived until after the Ottoman capture of Adrianople by Murad I in the year 1361. He would therefore have lived to a very advanced age indeed. However, Franz Babinger appears to have made a mistake. He confused Köse Mihal with Ghazi Mihal Bey, a grandson of Köse Mihal. Ghazi Mihal Bey built a now ruined Mosque complex, with an Imaret and Hamam, in Edirne, which was completed in 1422. The cemetery adjoining the complex holds the tomb of Ghazi Mihal Bey.[23]
After his conversion, Mihal had two sons:[24]
Mihal's descendants (the Mikhaloglu/Mikhaloglou; Greek: Μιχαλόγλου) held prominent positions through centuries of Ottoman history.[6]
Previously the oldest surviving Ottoman artifact was Orhan's helmet. But on 5 December 2020, the Ministry of National Defense of Turkey announced that Mihal's sword was recorded as the oldest surviving Ottoman artifact, and was taken to Istanbul Military Museum.[25]
In the Turkish television series Kuruluş "Osmancık" (1988), Köse Mihal was portrayed by Turkish actor Ahmet Mekin.[26]
In the Turkish movie Killing the Shadows, Köse Mihal is portrayed by Serdar Gökhan.
In the Turkish series Kuruluş: Osman, Köse Mihal is portrayed by Serhat Kılıç.
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