Bamsi Beyrek (Azerbaijani: Bamsı Beyrək, بامسی بئیرک, Turkish: Bamsı Beyrek, Turkmen: Bamsi Beýrek) is a character in the Book of Dede Korkut and in Turkish, Azeri and some Altai legends. Despite his stories being far-stretched, it is believed that he may have indeed been a real person.
| Bamsi Beyrek | |
|---|---|
| Book of Dede Korkut character | |
 | |
| First appearance | Legend II |
| Last appearance | Legend XI |
| Created by | Anonymous |
| In-universe information | |
| Full name | Bamsi Beyrek Khan/ Bamsi Beyrek Bey |
| Aliases |
|
| Gender | Male |
| Position | Oghuz prince / Oghuz Khan |
| Family |
|
| Spouse | Banu Çiçek |
| Children | Aslihan Hatun Aybars Bey |
| Relatives |
|
| Religion | Islam |
| Nationality | Oghuz Turkish |
Burak Aksak named one of his films "Bamsı Beyrek" about a love experienced in Oghuz Turks.[1] The film is centered around Legend II of the Book of Dede Korkut, the dastan is mainly about Bamsi. In Bamsı Beyrek, he is portrayed by Uraz Kaygılaroğlu.[2]
In the Book of Dede Korkut
editCharacter and appearance
editBamsi Beyrek was the best friend of Salur Kazan, the main character in the stories. He was also one of the four most handsome men of all the Oghuz noblemen but was quite emotional, and he took irrational steps sometimes. His horse's name was Dengiboz or Bengiboz, and it was grey in colour.[3][circular reference]
Storyline
editBirth and "how he got his name"
editLegend II (Bamsi Beyrek, Son of Bay Büre Bey or Bamsi Beyrek of the Grey Horse according to translator Geoffrey Lewis[4]) is centered around Beyrek. In the legend, it says that once the Oghuz princes all gathered somewhere. The father of Beyrek, Bay Büre, wept when he saw everyone had a son besides him. The prince asked why he was crying, he replied that it was because he doesn't have a son to carry on his family. The princes all started to pray that Bay Büre would get a son. Bay Bichen[a 1] also prayed that he would get a daughter that he would marry Bay Büre's son. And they sooner or later got the children they wanted.
Bamsi got his name after Bay Büre sent his merchants to bring some presents. As time went by, the merchants arrived in Constantinople and bought some items, however, on their way back to Bay Büre, they were attacked by some infidels. The son of Bay Büre himself came and helped the merchants by killing all the infidels who attacked them. The son of Bay Büre didn't have any name as an Oghuz Turk was given his name when he beheaded an infidel. So the son of Bay Büre decided to receive these presents from his father instead of introducing himself. When the merchants came back to Bay Büre, they started kissing the young man's hand, the young man had already arrived and didn't tell his father about anything. The merchants then realized that the young man was the son of their great Khan, Bay Büre Khan. They also told Bay Büre about what had happened in the infidels' attack, and the young man's father found out that his son had cut off the heads of his enemies. Then the young man was given the name of Bamsi Beyrek in a gathering of the Oghuz princes.
First marriage
editAfter he got his name, Bamsi Beyrek met with the daughter of Bay Bichen, her name was Banu Chichek. After Beyrek gave a deer to Banu's nurse, they spent some time together after which both of them learned more about each other, they even have a disagreement in which both had an arm wrestle.[5] Bamsi Beyrek also gave her a golden ring as a sign of their engagement. When Bamsı Beyrek went back to his father, his father was already aware of his desire. And after passing a lot of resistance, including having to face Yaltajuk, Banu's evil lover who convinced everyone that Bamsi was dead, Bamsi Beyrek happily got his love, Banu Chichek, and married her.
Korkut appeared as a character in this epic, he helped Bamsi outwit Chichek's evil brother, Crazy Karchar. Karchar later repented.
Abduction and death
editHe was then later mentioned again in Legend XI, this epic was focused on a civil war that happened between the Outer Oghuz and the Inner Oghuz. Once every three years, Kazan Khan lets both branches of the Oghuz nobles come to his tent and take anything they wish. One year, he lets the Inner Oghuz come to his tent before the Outer Oghuz arrived. The Outer Oghuz nobles were outraged at being slighted, and they swear enmity to Prince Kazan. Beyrek was from the Inner Oghuz and his wife[a 2] was from the Outer Oghuz. Uruz Koja,[a 3] the Bey of the Outer Oghuz, invites Bamsi Beyrek, his son-in-law, to join the rebels to test his loyalty. Beyrek refuses to rebel against Kazan, and Uruz kills him. Kazan and the Inner Oghuz come to the Outer Oghuz to avenge Beyrek's death. In the ensuing fight, Kazan kills Uruz Koja. The Outer Oghuz nobles beg Kazan's forgiveness, which he grants, and Uruz Koja's house and lands are pillaged.
Notes
editNotes
editGrave
editA grave marked as 'Bey Böyrek Bamsi Beyrek Turbesi' is in the village of Erenli (Beyrek was also captured by the castle of the same name of the city the village was centered in, Bayburt) in modern Turkey.[6] This grave is thought to be Beyrek's, however, it could be of someone with the same name. Even though, Bamsi is traditionally thought to be fictional, it is believed by some people that he was indeed a real person because of this grave.[7] Dede Korkut's grave is said to be in the village of Masat,[6] however, he is also likely to be fictional.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Bamsı Beyrek filminin konusu nedir? Bamsı Beyrek filminin oyuncu kadrosunda kimler var? – Magazin haberleri". 26 May 2020. Archived from the original on 26 May 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ Aksak, Burak (13 October 2017), Dede Korkut Hikayeleri: Bamsi Beyrek (Comedy), Uraz Kaygilaroglu, Berat Yenilmez, Deniz Baysal, Erdal Tosun, BKM, retrieved 27 November 2020
- ^ "Türk Söylence Sözlüğü - Deniz Karakurt" (PDF). 6 November 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 November 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
- ^ Lewis, Geoffrey (1974). The book of Dede Korkut. Internet Archive. Harmondsworth, Penguin. ISBN 978-0-14-044298-4.
- ^ The Study of the Value of Woman and Family in Dede Korkut Stories.
- ^ a b "Bayburt'taki mezarına ziyaretçi akını | Erzurum Pusula Gazetesi" (in Turkish). Retrieved 26 October 2020.
- ^ "Is Diriliş: Ertuğrul historically accurate? (Part 1 – The Kayi Tribe)". Ammar ibn Aziz Ahmed. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
