NEDIR SHAH IN TURKMENIAN LEGENDS

Abstract

For occupying four continents, being coroneted four times, Nedir Shah is a significant shah. After he is sold at Hive bazaar, being a slave in the first half of the eighteenth century, he reached a degree which is named as the shah of the shahs. He has still amazed the history intellectuals for three centuries. Countless scientific books, literary works have been pressed in Iran, Arabia, European countries, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Dagestan, Moscow, Petersburg. But in Turkmenistan, where he was born, he has not been given enough importance as in other countries and scientific works about him haven’t been made. Nedir Shah was born in the city of Turkmenistan which is called today Kaka on 22^nd of October in 1688. Also, he’d always proudly mentioned himself as a Turkmenian to the people around him. Nedir denoted that he is a Turkmenian in a couple of decrees as distinctively and underlined. Firstly, he got married to the elder daughter of the Afshars’ Baba Ali BeyKose who was from the same family line. After she passed away, Nedir Shah got married to the younger daughter, Gövherşad. Starting from these points of view, essential scientific works should be made about the sultan who came to the fore among Turkmenians and whose name was announced to the world. By taking his cruelty into consideration, researching about him may not be given importance. But Nedir Shah did not have mercy on any nations. However, there are plenty of “Nedirname”s from Armenians and Ajerbaijanis. Excessive legends about Nedir Shah’s life, character, courage, insight, and war practice are spread among people even though the lack of scientific research. Most of these legends are linked directly with Turkmenians. Unfortunately, these legends have been complied and brought into a scientific research topic neither by the folklorists, nor by the historians. We tried to assert Nedir Shah’s character, works, cruelty, passion, intelligence, faith, and worldview based on some of the examples of the legends which are told among Turkmenians about Nedir Shah. Also, we did not pass over the study of detection and review of the aforesaid legends’ patterns.