Historical Reference

 Karaman Central Anatolia, Turkey

Karaman Central Anatolia, Turkey


Frauenknecht 1st half 19th c. Karaman Kilim

An Armenian in the Karaman Turkmen

Karamania, In the reign of Ala-ed-din I. of Rum (1219-36), Nur Sofi,- an Armenian by birth, and later one of the most fanatical followers of Sheikh Baba Elias, established himself at Konya. His son Karaman (1223-45) won the favor of the Sultan, who gave him his sister in marriage, made him governor of Selefke, and granted him Laranda (Karaman). Bedr-ed-din Mahmud (1279-1319), grandson of Karaman, established himself at Ermenek, and, on the final break up of the Seljuk Empire consolidated his power in Karamania. The capital was moved first to Karaman and then to Konya. Yakhshi and Ala-ed-din were engaged in a long struggle for supremacy with the Osmanlis until the latter was defeated (1392) by Bayazid I, and afterwards hanged. The dynasty was restored by Timur (1402), and the province retained its independence until 1472, when it was finally annexed by the Ottoman.

Handbook for Travellers Asia Minor, Trancaucsia, Persia, Etc… Edited By Major-General, Sir Charles Wilson,  R.E, K.C.B.
London (UK): John Murray, Albemarle Street 1896.

KARAMAN (anc. baranda, a name still used by the Christian inhabitants), a town in the Konya vilayet of Asia Minor, situated in the plain north of Mount Taurus. Pop. 8000. It has few industries and little trade, but the medieval walls, well preserved castle and mosques are interesting, and the old Seljuk madrassa, or college, is a beautiful building. Karaman is connected with Konya by railway, having a station on the first section of the Bagdad railway. Little is known of its ancient history except that it was destroyed by Perdiccas about 322 B.C., and afterwards became a seat of Isaurian pirates. It was occupied by Frederick Barbarossa in 1190; in 1466 it was captured by Mohammed II (Mehmed the Conqueror), and in 1486 by Bayazid II.
The Encyclopędia Britannica: A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, Literature and General Information
By Hugh Chisholm
Published by At the University press, 1911

from Journal of a Tour in Asia Minor published 1824

Page 97: Advancing towards Karaman I perceive a passage into the plains to the N.W. round the northern end of Karadagh, similar to that of Illisera on the south, so that this mountain is completely insulated. We still see to the north-east the great snowy summits of Argseus, which is probably the highest point of Asia Minor*. As we approached the town of Karaman two horsemen met us, and conducted us to our Konak, at the house of the Vekil of the * (Page 98:) Bishop of Iconium, who is at the head of the Christian community of the place. Karaman is situated at a distance of two miles from the foot of the mountains. Its ancient Greek name, Laranda, with the accent on the first syllable, is still in common use among the Christians, and is even retained in the firmans of the Porte. The houses, in number about a thousand, are separated from one another by gardens, and occupy a large space of ground. There are now only three or four mosques, but I observed the ruins of several others; and the remains of a castle show that the place was formerly of much greater importance. It was the capital of a Turkish kingdom, which lasted from the time of the partition of the dominions of the Seljuk monarchs of Iconium until 1486, when all Caramania was reduced to subjection by the Ottoman emperor Bayazid the Second. Karaman derives its name from the first and greatest of its princes, who on the death of Sultan Aladin the Second, about the year 1300, made himself master of Iconium, Cilicia, Pamphylia, Lycaonia, and of a large portion of Phrygia and Cappadocia. His name, like those of some other Turkish chieftains*, who at the same time shared among them a great part of the western provinces of the peninsula, has been transmitted to posterity 

*Karasi, Sarukhan, Aidin, Kermian. (See Niceph. Greg. .1.7. c. 1. Chalcocond. 1. 1. p. 7.

Page 99: in one of the great Turkish divisions of Asia Minor. The Ottomans upon obtaining possession of Karaman subdivided it into Kharidj the outer and Itshili the interior country : probably because to them who came from the north-east Itshili, which comprises the Cilician coast and Cyprus, lay behind or within the mountains; Iconium the former Seljukian capital became the seat of the Ottoman Pashalik; and the decline of the town of Karaman may be dated from that period. The appearance of Karaman indicates poverty. The only manufactures are some coarse cotton and woollen stuffs; but they send the produce of the surrounding mountains, consisting chiefly of hides, wool, and acorns used in dyeing, to the neighbouring coasts and to Smyrna. The houses are built of sun-baked bricks, with flat roofs. The chimneys being very wide, and much exposed to violent winds from the surrounding mountains, have a trap-door on the top, which may be raised or lowered at pleasure, by means of a cord, communicating through the roof into the house. The women of Karaman when passing through the streets conceal their faces with unusual care. In the other parts of Asia Minor a veil covering the upper and lower parts of the face has been the utmost we have remarked, but here I see several women with only a single eye exposed to the view of passengers. The (Page 100:) rest of the person is in the usual shapeless form of Turkish drapery. 

We could not find any Greek remains at Karaman, with the sole exception of a stone in a wall near the entrance of the castle with the words ItDANNHC AOM6CTIKOC upon it. 

The chief ancient towns near Laranda were Derbe and Lystra, whose names have been immortalized by the sacred writer of the Acts of the Apostles...
Journal of a Tour in Asia Minor: With Comparative Remarks on the Ancient and Modern Geography of that Country By William Martin Leake Published by J. Murray, 1824

 

  • Frauenknecht 1st half 19th c. Karaman Kilim

    Frauenknecht 1st half 19th c. Karaman Kilim. ... Its warm, earthy colours point us to the Karaman region as place of origin. – Many years ago, Frauenknecht ...

  • Oriental Rugs More Notes on Oriental Rugs

    Mut Kilim circa 1875. Karaman Kilim. Turkish Rugs: Karaman Kilim 1st half 19th c. from Bertram Frauenknecht · Turkish Rugs: A 19th C. East Anatolian Cicim, ...

  • Turkish Rugs Turkish Carpets Oriental Rugs the O'Connell Notes

    Aug 15, 2008 ... Turkish Rugs: Karaman Kilim 1st half 19th c. from Bertram Frauenknecht. Karapinar. Tulip Group. Court Kilim from the Ulu Mosque in Divrigi ...

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    With the large population of Karaman Turkmen in the area of Karapinar could there be a link between the Turkmen and the Karapinar Tulip Carpets. ...

  • Notes on Dennis Dodds

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  • Turkish Rugs: Mut Kilim circa 1875

    A 19th century Mut Kilim (circa 1875) from southern Anatolia (south of Karaman towards Mediterranean coast). This example is very finely woven with thinly ...

  • Notes on Bertram Frauenknecht

    Karaman Kilim · The Frauenknecht Tentband Fragment · The Frauenknecht Part Pile Veramin bagface 19th c. The Frauenknecht Marasali Prayer Rug ...

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