Bamsi Beyrek (Azerbaijani: Bamsı Beyrək, South Azerbaijani: بامسی بئیرک, Turkish: Bamsı Beyrek) 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.
Beyrek's character has also been adapted in the Turkish TV series, Diriliş: Ertuğrul, and its sequel, Kuruluş: Osman, by the same actor in both series, Nurettin Sönmez.[1] Burak Aksak also named one of his films "Bamsı Beyrek" about a love experienced in Oghuz Turks.[2]
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.[3]
| Bamsi Beyrek |
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| First appearance | Legend II |
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| Last appearance | Legend XI |
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| Created by | Anonymous |
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| Full name | Bamsi Beyrek Khan/ Bamsi Beyrek Bey |
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| Aliases |
- Bey Böyrek
- Bey Birye
- Beğ Beyreg
- Bey Beyrek
- Bay Börek
- Bağ Böğrek
|
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| Gender | Male |
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| Position | Oghuz prince / Oghuz Khan |
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| Family | |
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| Spouse |
- "Hafsa Hatun" (Formerly known as Helena)
|
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| Children | Aslihan Hatun
Aybars Bey |
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| Relatives | |
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| Religion | Islam |
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| Nationality | Oghuz Turkish |
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In the Book of Dede Korkut
Character and appearance
Bamsi Beyrek was the best friend of Salur Kazan [az],
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.[4]
Storyline
Birth and "how he got his name"
Legend II (Bamsi Beyrek, Son of Bay Büre Bey [tr] or Bamsi Beyrek of the Grey Horse according to translator Geoffrey Lewis[5]) 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 princes 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 [az][a 1]
also prayed that he would get a daughter that he would marry to Bay
Büre's son. And they sooner or later got the children they wanted.
Mention of Beyrek's name in the second legend of the Book of Korkut Ata
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 realised 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
After 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.[6]
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 resistances, 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
He
was then later mentioned again in Legend XI, this epic was focused on a
civil war which 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 [az],[a 3] the Bey
of the Outer Oghuz, invites Bamsi Beyrek, his son-in-law, to join the
rebels in an effort 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
Not to be confused with Uruz Koja.
Not to be confused with Banu Chichek.
- Not to be confused with Bay Bichen.
TV adaptation
"Aslıhan (daughter of Bamsı)" and "Aybars Bey" redirect here. Aslıhan is not to be confused with her namesake
Aslıhan Hatun.
This section documents his adaptation into the Turkish TV series, Diriliş: Ertuğrul and Kuruluş: Osman. In the series, his name is spelt in Turkish
as "Bamsı Beyrek". All information related to his wife Hafsa is also
documented here, along with his children Aybars and Aslıhan.
Storyline
His story begins in Diriliş: Ertuğrul
where, having been orphaned after the Mongols kill his family
offscreen, including his father Altuğ, he is raised by Hayme Hatun and
Süleyman Şah, and becomes a close friend and companion of Ertuğrul Bey.
Season 1–4
The character features as a supporting character in the first two seasons, mainly fighting alongside his adoptive brothers, Doğan and Turgut, and his "Bey",
Ertuğrul. In season 3, Bamsı, who at first did not want to get married
and thought of his horse and swords as his family, meets a Byzantine Tekfur's daughter, Helena, who he falls in love with at first sight. Helena's father, Andros, had been killed by his own adoptive son, Vasilius.
Vasilius, thinking that he could manipulate Helena into marrying him,
starts a feud with Bamsı together with his soldier, Teo. However, Bamsı
later reveals the truth about Vasilius to Helena and marries her.[7][8] Ertuğrul also kills Vasilius later in a fight, whilst Helena converts to Islam and takes the name 'Hafsa'.[7][8] Bamsı is later devastated after his adoptive brother and best friend Doğan is killed by Vasilius and Ural Bey.
In season 4, he becomes the Chief Alp, succeeding his adoptive brother,
Turgut. He has tensions with Turgut in season 4 after disagreeing over
security measures implemented by Turgut as the Çavdar Bey, which allow a pregnant Hafsa to be kidnapped by Titan, but they eventually ally together to catch the traitor in the Kayı tribe, Marya Hatun, wife of Artuk Bey. Both Turgut and Bamsı later help Ertuğrul Bey and Sungur Bey against Sadettin Köpek and Baycu Noyan.
Season 5
In the fifth season, Bamsı and Hafsa appear with two children, Aslıhan,[7][8] who is skilled with a sword and named after Turgut's martyred wife Aslıhan Hatun, and Aybars,[7][8]
who at first loves to read and study but later, to please his father,
starts using a sword more often too. Hafsa constantly attempts to
convince Bamsı to leave the Kayı when she has tensions with Selcan Hatun,
Ertuğrul's sister-in-law, who only has tensions with her because of
stress over what had been happening to her husband and sons in Ahlat. The misunderstandings between the two escalate because of the devious Sırma of the Umuroğlu, whose brother Beybolat
had been the cause of the problems faced by Selcan's family. Following a
failed ambush because of Bamsı, he has his position as Chief Alp taken
for a while as a punishment. Bamsı, ever caring for his wife and
children, is led into a trap set by Dragos,
an evil former Byzantine Commander, when attempting to save his son
Aybars, kidnapped by Dragos. As the season progresses, Sırma is killed,
Bamsı becomes the Chief Alp again, and Hafsa and Selcan's
misunderstandings are resolved.
In Kuruluş: Osman
After 10 or 15 years, after Hafsa and Aslıhan die in a plague and
Aybars is also martyred, Beyrek becomes a close companion of Ertuğrul's
son Osman,
joining him in battles and helping him become the Bey of the tribe. He
also helps convert Aybars' killer, Salvador, to Islam, giving him the
name 'Sıddık', and adopting him as his son. After Sıddık is martyred by Princess Sofia,
Bamsı mourns for him as much as he did for Aybars. He also becomes
upset upon Ertuğrul's death, with the actor, Nurettin Sönmez, saying he
was left "teary-eyed".[9] Bamsı later loyally supports Osman in becoming the Bey of the Kayı tribe, as well as protecting Ertuğrul's plans for Anatolia to hand over to Osman. He is later martyred by Kara Şaman Togay, the son of his old enemy Baycu Noyan, devastating his protege Cerkutay.
Personality and other information
Bamsı
Beyrek is a very loving person, especially to his wife and children, he
would count the days since they died and wouldn't stop remembering them
for anything. He also treated his adoptive son, Sıddık, with as much
love as he did for his son, Aybars. He was jolly nearly all the time,
had a funny character by nature, and would joke a lot. His fighting
style was also unique as he used two swords rather than one, and he was
an aggressive warrior.[8][7]
His official character description on the TRT 1 website states;
"An indispensable alp of the Kayi tribe, Bamsi is a skilled soldier who
can fight with double swords. Despite his fierce looks, he has a kind
heart inside."[10]
In Diriliş: Ertuğrul, Banu Chichek[b 3] also made an appearance, however, she married Beyrek's best friend, Doğan Alp.[7][8] In the same way, another character from the Book of Dede Korkut, Selcan Hatun, also made an appearance in the series.[11] Selcan later appeared again in the sequel to the show, Kuruluş: Osman, with Bamsı. Both the Dumrul Alps in the two series are loosely based on 'Deli Dumrul' from the Book of Dede Korkut.[12]
Reception
As Diriliş: Ertuğrul was well received in Pakistan, Nurettin Sönmez, along with Ayberk Pekcan, who plays the role of Artuk Bey, arrived in the country to meet fans in 2020 on a three-day visit.[13] They came with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and a 20-member delegation.[14][15] On their visit, they met Pakistani actor Hamza Ali Abbasi's sister Dr. Fazeela Abbasi[16] and Nurettin Sönmez was "humbled" by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's appreciation for Diriliş: Ertuğrul
while also expressing his desire to work with Pakistani actors. On the
occasion, Ayberk Pekcan said, “...Pakistan and Turkey are brotherly
countries, people of both countries are also brothers and Pakistan is
our second homeland...”[17] Before leaving, they also visited the Pak-Turk Maarif Chak Shahzad Campus, in Islamabad.[18] Cengiz Coşkun, who plays the role of Turgut Alp, and Nurettin Sönmez, also signed endorsement deals with one of Pakistan's leading brands Junaid Jamshed J.[19] His character is much-loved by Pakistani actor Imran Ashraf.[20]
Burçin Abdullah [tr] who played the role of Hafsa Hatun went viral on Pakistani social media after she sang the song Musafir by Pakistani singer, Atif Aslam.[21] The conversation between Bamsı Bey and Cerkutay revolving around the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the 42nd episode of Kuruluş: Osman was also the centre of the conversation on social media at the time, it was declared "heart-touching" by fans.[22]
Accolades
Nurettin Sönmez,
who plays the role of Bamsı Beyrek, has received numerous awards and
nominations for his role. These include his nomination for the Turkey
Youth Awards in 2017 in the category Best Supporting TV Actor for his role in Diriliş: Ertuğrul.[23][24]
Alpbaşıs of the Kayı tribe (in fiction)
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Notes
transl. Bamsı Beyrek, son of Altuğ
transl. Chief Alp Bamsı
Grave
A 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 centred in, Bayburt) in modern Turkey.[25][26]
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.[25] Dede Korkut's grave is said to be in the village of Masat,[26] however, he is also likely to be fictional.
See also
