Common Religious-Epic Sagas of the Oghuz Turks (A Historical and Geographical Perspective on the Subject)

Abstract

An epic (epos) is an idealized artistic memory created by a people about their own history. From the mid-first millennium BCE, Turks appeared on the historical stage, spreading across a vast geography from the Sayan Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, from the Aral Sea to the Caspian Sea. These lands later became known as Turkestan. The Turks' rich worldview and traditions of statehood are reflected in ancient epics such as "Grey Wolf", "Oghuz Khagan," and "Alp Er Tonga." Among Turkic peoples, the Oghuz stand out, particularly for their strong state traditions. Scholars divide their history into three periods: ancient, medieval, and modern. Sources such as Rashid al-Din mention that the Oghuz were divided into 24 tribes. Today, the term "Oghuz" primarily refers to the Turks of Turkey and Azerbaijan, the Turkmens, and the Gagauz. Their differentiation intensified after adopting Islam, which also contributed to geographic stabilization. From the 10th century, with their conversion to Islam, the term "Turkman" emerged, and under the Seljuk alliance, Islam and Oghuz culture spread throughout the Middle East. Religious leaders, alongside Seljuk forces, helped spread Islam in newly conquered lands. During this period, religious-heroic epics such as "Battal Gazi," "Danishmend Gazi," and "Saltukname" became widespread. These epics were considered both ideologically and politically significant and were supported by the state. The "Book of Dede Qorqud," transcribed in the 16th century, combines elements of heroism and religious heroism. It stands as a cultural memory of the Oghuz who spread Islam and shows thematic parallels with other similar epics.