Inancogullari Principality

Inancogullari are from the dynasty of Germiyanogullari principality. We do not have any information about the father of Inanc Bey and his relative degree with any Germiyan bey as son or brother. They had established dominion in the region of Denizli with the capital city of Denizli that was then called as “Ladik”. The surface area of their lands did not exceed 8.000 km2. They had been dominant for 92 years since 1296 until the year of 1368. First of all, they had submitted to the Seljuk governor and then, they were submissive to Germiyanogullari principality that was subject to Ilhanli State until the year of 1335. The first bey of the beys pertaining to Inancogullari principality that were also called as “Denizli Beys” was Ali Bey and he was the governor of Denizli connected to the Turkey Khanate. His son, Inanc Bey and his other son, Togay Pasha replaced him in the course of his domination. Pursuant to Togay Pasha, his son, Arslan Bey and Arslan Bey’s son, Ishak Bey was enthroned.

Among the Turkmen groups that ran away from the Mongolian invasion and settled in Anatolia, the strongest ones were those that settled in the region of Denizli (Ladik), Honas and Dalaman. Their leaders were Mehmed Bey who born the title of forefront ghazi, his brother Ilyas Bey, and his son-in-law, Ali Bey. Mehmed had rebelled against the Sultan Izzeddin Keykavus II in the year of 1261 and he had established the Denizli principality that was connected to Hulagu, the sultan of Ilhanli State (1262).

Then, Mehmed Bey was defeated and taken prisoner by Ilhanli State and they killed him. Ali Bey who betrayed him replaced him as the leader of the Turkmens and he was submissive to Seljuk State for a period. Then, he did not show loyalty to the Seljuk State and this disloyalty caused him to lose this principality.

It has been understood that the region of Denizli had been captured by Sahip-Ataogullari principality from that time on. Therefore, the date in which Inanc Bey was enthroned as the sovereign of this principality has not been known for sure. In the year of 1314, Emir Coban who was the Bey governor of Ilhanli State came to Anatolia and Inanc Bey was among those who had been submissive to his domination. The last emir of this principality was Ishak Bey. He was a person that protected the scientists and the scholars. Ladik (Denizli) principality came to an end when the city of Denizli was captured by Germiyanogullari principality (1368).