Beylik

A beylik is a Turkish term for a principality or autonomous domain ruled by a bey. Derived from the title bey (chieftain, lord) and the suffix -lik (state or condition), a beylik denotes a political entity governed by a local ruler and his military retinue rather than a centralized empire.

In the late 13th and 14th centuries, as the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum declined and Mongol influence grew, several beyliks emerged across western and central Anatolia. They maintained their own administrations, raised troops, and collected taxes, while often acknowledging suzerainty to larger powers such as the Seljuks, Mongol authorities, or neighboring beyliks. Over time, some beyliks expanded their territory and influence, setting the stage for the rise of the Ottoman beylik.

Notable beyliks in Anatolian history include the Ottoman beylik (which would become the Ottoman Empire), Germiyanoğlu, Aydın, Menteşe, Saruhan, Karesi, Candaroğlu, and Karasids. These polities were involved in frequent alliances and conflicts, and they played a crucial role in the politics and military struggles of the region during the transition from fragmented principalities to a more centralized state.

By the 15th century, most of the Anatolian beyliks were absorbed into the expanding Ottoman state or dissolved as Ottoman power consolidated control over the region. The term “beylik” is thus used by historians to describe these semi-autonomous Turkish principalities that bridged tribal leadership and centralized statehood in medieval Anatolia.