On the picture: The ‘kitabe’ (building inscription) of the Yıldırım Beyazıt Türbesi (mausoleum), above the entrance door, in the middle of the porch. The inscription has three lines, and measures 60 x 120 cm. It says that “this heavenly garden belongs to Bayezid Han, son of Murad” and that it was commissioned by “Süleyman Han, son of Bayezid” in the year 809 H. (= 1406 AD). The five short lines on the left mention the architect: “Hüseyin oğlu Ali”.

The honorific title of ‘Han’ is the medieval Ottoman version of ‘Khan’ (= Central Asian sovereign or military ruler). Since both Bayezid I and his father Murad I were the first Ottoman sultans with this names, it is normal that their names were used without further specification in the building inscription.

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.
Source: ‘Vakıf Abideler ve eski Eserler III’ - Vakıflar Genel Müdürlüğü, Ankara 1983