First and foremost, I must clarify that I am not a Turkologist. As a Turkish intellectual, this text has been written out of a need that arose from the difficulties I face in providing resources to my non-Turkish friends.
For a long time, a fierce war raged between the Turks and the Mongols. The Turks, renowned for their bravery and military prowess, always emerged victorious in countless battles. "There wasn’t a land in the Turkish realm where a Turkish arrow did not fly, where Turkish strength did not reach, or where the people did not bow to the Turks." At the helm of the Turks was the ruler known as the “Il Khan,” while leading the Mongols was Sevinç Khan. Sevinç Khan managed to draw the Kyrgyz and other tribes to his side. After a confrontation marred by treachery, the Turks faced defeat. This loss resulted in the slaughter of many Turks, leading to the near extinction of their lineage. However, the youngest son of the Il Khan, named Kıyan, and his cousin Nüküz were taken captive.
One day, the two of them managed to escape from their place of captivity. They met in the area where their tribes had once camped. Along with them, the camels, horses, oxen, and sheep that had also escaped the enemy’s clutches gathered at that place. Fearing that if they remained too long, they would easily be found and killed, they resolved to journey with their herds to uncharted lands where no one had set foot before, thus erasing their traces. They followed the paths of wild goats and climbed the mountains. Eventually, they reached a hill beyond the mountain and passed through a narrow passage. Upon looking back, they realized they had crossed a treacherous spot that even a nimble goat would struggle to traverse.
The place they arrived at was vast and untouched, devoid of paths. A variety of fruits, plants, animals to hunt, and flowing waters abounded. They thanked God, settled in, and named this land Ergenekon. This hidden sanctuary became the new home for the survivors.
In Ergenekon, the lineage of Kıyan and Nüküz thrived. "Years passed, and time flowed. Kıyan had many children, and Nüküz fewer. From Kıyan’s lineage came the Kıyat, and from Nüküz, the Nüküzler and Düzlügin." Over the next 400 years, their numbers grew so large that Ergenekon could no longer contain them.
Desiring to break free from their confinement, the Turks gathered in a great council and declared, “We are many now; we fear no enemy! We will engage with friends and wrestle with foes!” They forged a new weapon that could withstand fire and be wielded against the enemy. After much searching for a way out, they found no clear passage.
At this point, a blacksmith came forward and declared, "There is an iron mine in these mountains. If we smelt the iron and forge a path, perhaps the mountains will yield to us." Following his advice, they filled the mountain’s base with layers of wood and coal. Seventy bellows were prepared, and for days they stoked the fires until the mountain’s iron heart glowed red-hot and melted, creating a path wide enough for a heavily laden camel to pass. It was at this moment that a **Bozkurt** (gray wolf) appeared, as though sent by the heavens. The wolf stood before the Turks, and they understood that it was guiding them. "The Bozkurt will show us the way," they said, and followed it out of Ergenekon.
Once they emerged, they forged weapons and tools from the iron of the mountain. They launched an attack against their enemies. Some of them perished during the battle, while many others fell to the enemy. After enduring tremendous hardships, they emerged victorious. Upon their return, they took a horse to the hill, hoisted the white flag of victory, and proclaimed, “We have conquered!”
This is the essence of the Ergenekon Epic, a tale of resilience, rebirth, and the unyielding spirit of the Turks, who, with the guidance of the divine Bozkurt and their own strength, forged their destiny and reclaimed their rightful place in the world.
Comments