Karaman Bey

Karaman Bey (Also known as Kerimüddin Karaman Bey) was the leader of Turkmen tribe Afshar and the founder of Karaman Beylik, a Turkish principality in Anatolia in the 13th century. His father was Nure Sofi. After his father's death, he founded his beylik which was already semiautonomous during his father's reign. Seljuks who were their nominal suzerains were defeated by the Mongols and Karaman had no problem to settle in the northern slopes of Toros Mountains close to Seljuk capital Konya. Seljuk sultan, afraid of Karaman's increasing power, gave him some towns as ikta ( fief) . The city of Karaman (ancient Larende) bears his name. Karaman fought against Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia and expanded his territory.

In 1261 Kılıç Aslan IV of Seljuks more or less regained strength after his elder brother took refuge in Byzantine Empire.(see Seljuks in Dobruja) He began punishing rebellious tribes. Seeing this restoration as a threat to his beylik and anticipating a blow from the sultan, Karaman Bey took initiative by a surprise attack to Konya. But he was defeated in the battle of Gevele (west of Konya). Both of his brothers were killed and he escaped to his territory. It is believed that he died shortly after the battle. He was buried in Balkusan (now a village in Ermenek district of Karaman Province) ^[1] He was succeeded by Mehmet I

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