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67-602: The town of Ahlat is situated on the northwestern shore of Lake Van . The mayor is Abdulalim Mümtaz Çoban ( AKP ). Ahlat, known by its Armenian name of Khlat or Chliat in the ancient and medieval period, was once a part of the district of Bznunik' . The town was taken by the Arabs during the reign of Caliph Uthman ( r.   644–656); in 645, Uthman instructed the governor of Syria, Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan , to send Habib ibn Maslama al-Fihri in an expedition to Byzantine -controlled Armenia —although some sources insist that

134-413: A Cyprinid fish related to chub and dace , which is caught during the spring floods. In May and June, these fish migrate from the lake to less alkaline water, spawning either near the mouths of the rivers feeding the lake or in the rivers themselves. After spawning season it returns to the lake. In 2018, a new species of fish, which is deemed as Oxynoemacheilus ercisianus , has been discovered inside

201-420: A microbialite . 103 species of phytoplankton have been recorded in the lake including cyanobacteria , flagellates , diatoms , green algae , and brown algae . 36 species of zooplankton have also been recorded including Rotatoria , Cladocera , and Copepoda in the lake. In 1991, researchers reported the discovery of 40 m (130 ft) tall microbialites in the lake. These are solid towers on

268-570: A brief period of stability and then retreat) seems to be rising again. The level rose approximately 2 m (6.6 ft) in the 10 years immediately prior to 2004. But in the early 2020s it fell. Lake Van is in the highest and largest region of Turkey, which has a Mediterranean-influenced humid continental climate . Average temperatures in July are between 22 and 25 °C, and in January between −3 °C to −12 °C. On some cold winter nights

335-524: A contingent of Georgian knights because of his marriage to Tamar , a Georgian princess. Kaykhusraw also concluded a treaty with John III Vatatzes , the ruler of the Empire of Nicaea (a Byzantine successor state), who likely hoped Rum would remain between his state and the Mongols. Other powers in the area, such as Cilician Armenia , promised they would supply troops for Rum, but had no intention of raising

402-424: A day, but just as Kaykhusraw was gaining the upper hand, his right wing was broken by troops under the command of Aghbagha, a Georgian prince. During the night, the disintegrating forces of Rum fled their camp; they included the sultan, who was concerned that some of his more disloyal subjects could defect to Baiju, and who thus fled to Ankara . When the sun rose on the second day of battle, the Mongols suspected that

469-441: A maximum depth of about 250 m (820 ft) on its northwest side where it joins the rest of the lake. The Erciş arm is much shallower, mostly less than 50 m (160 ft), with a maximum depth of about 150 m (490 ft). The lake water is strongly alkaline ( pH 9.7–9.8) and rich in sodium carbonate and other salts. Some is extracted in salt evaporation ponds alongside, used in or as detergents . Lake Van

536-605: A team including Degens in the early 1980s determined that the highest lake levels (72 metres (236 ft) above the current height) had been during the last ice age, about 18,000 years ago. Approximately 9,500 years ago there was a dramatic drop to more than 300 metres (980 ft) below the present level. This was followed by an equally-dramatic rise around 6,500 years ago. As a deep lake with no outlet, Lake Van has accumulated great amounts of sediment washed in from surrounding plains and valleys, and occasionally deposited as ash from eruptions of nearby volcanoes. This layer of sediment

603-721: A view to including the Tombstones of Ahlat the Urartian and Ottoman citadel on UNESCO 's World Heritage List , where they are currently listed tentatively. In recent years, Ahlat also came to be known for the quality of its potatoes , which carved themselves a sizable share in the Turkish agricultural products market. The touristic places in Ahlat are Çifte Kümbet (Twin Tombs), Ahlat Seljuk Cemetery , Ahlat Museum, Lake Nemrut and

670-466: Is by far the biggest, with an area of 106.2 square kilometres (41.0 sq mi), and is the second biggest Van Province . Battle of K%C3%B6se Da%C4%9F The Battle of Köse Dağ took place in eastern Anatolia on 26 June 1243 when an army of the Sultanate of Rum , led by Sultan Kaykhusraw II , confronted an invading Mongol army under the general Baiju and was decisively defeated. The battle

737-592: Is close to the western tip of the lake. There is hydrothermal activity throughout the region. For much of its history, until the Pleistocene , Lake Van has had an outlet towards the southwest (into the Murat River and eventually into the Euphrates river ). However, the level of this threshold has varied over time, as the lake has been blocked by successive lava flows from Nemrut volcano westward towards

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804-463: Is estimated to be up to 400 metres (1,300 ft) thick in places, and has attracted climatologists and vulcanologists interested in drilling cores to examine the layered sediments. In 1989 and 1990, an international team of geologists led by Stephan Kempe from the University of Hamburg retrieved ten sediment cores from depths up to 446 m (1,463 ft). Although these cores only penetrated

871-567: Is primarily a tectonic lake , formed more than 600,000 years ago by the gradual subsidence of a large block of the Earth's crust due to movement on several major faults that run through this portion of Eastern Anatolia. The lake's southern margin demarcates: a metamorphic rock zone of the Bitlis Massif and volcanic strata of the Neogene and Quaternary periods. The deep, western portion of

938-477: Is situated at 1,640 m (5,380 ft) above sea level. Despite the high altitude and winter averages below 0 °C (32 °F), high salinity usually prevents it from freezing; the shallow northern section can freeze, but rarely. Lake Van is 119 kilometres (74 mi) across at its widest point. It averages 171 metres (561 ft) deep. Its greatest known depth is 451 metres (1,480 ft). The surface lies 1,640 metres (5,380 ft) above sea level and

1005-647: Is the largest lake in Turkey . It lies in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey in the provinces of Van and Bitlis . It is a saline soda lake, receiving water from many small streams that descend from the surrounding mountains. It is one of the world's few endorheic lakes (a lake having no outlet) of size greater than 3,000 square kilometres (1,200 sq mi) and has 38% of the country's surface water (including rivers). A volcanic eruption blocked its original outlet in prehistoric times. It

1072-838: The Ayyubid dynasty . Following the disintegration of the Seljuq-ruled Sultanate of Rum , Lake Van and its surroundings were conquered by the Ilkhanate Mongols, and later switched hands between the Ottoman Empire and Safavid Iran until Sultan Selim I took control for good. Reports of the Lake Van Monster surfaced in the late 1800's and gained popularity. A news article was published by Saadet Gazetesi issue number 1323, dated 28 Shaban 1306 Hijri year , corresponding to 29 April 1889 during

1139-756: The Cave dwellings of Ahlat . In 1891 the kaza had 23,659 inhabitants: 16,635 Muslims; 6,609 Armenians; and 415 others. The city was then almost abandoned with only 200 houses on the eve of the First World War, including 15 Armenian houses. The city includes Kurds of the Bekiran tribe and Karapapakhs . Ahlat has a dry-summer humid continental climate ( Köppen : Dsa ), with very warm, dry summers and cold, snowy winters. Lake Van Lake Van ( Turkish : Van Gölü ; Armenian : Վանա լիճ , romanized :  Vana lič̣ ; Kurdish : Gola Wanê )

1206-670: The Committee of Union and Progress . It was already noted in 1846 by Ottoman officials that the town could be used to control the Kurds with an iron fist since it was located 'in the heart of Kurdistan'. Ahlat and its surroundings are known for a large number of historic tombstones left by the Ahlatshah dynasty, also known as the Shah-Armen, Shah-i-Arman, or Ahlat-Shah dynasty. Efforts are presently being made by local authorities with

1273-504: The Muş Plain . This threshold has then been lowered at times by erosion. The first acoustic survey of Lake Van was performed in 1974. Kempe and Degens later identified three physiographic provinces comprising the lake: The deepest part of the lake is the Tatvan basin, which is almost completely bounded by faults. Land terraces (remnant dry, upper banks from previous shorelines) above

1340-640: The Ottoman–Safavid War of 1532–1555 , Ahlat was taken by the Ottoman army led by Grand Vizier Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha . In 1548, Ahlat was recaptured by the Safavids, who then sacked it. During Suleiman the Magnificent 's reign (1520-1566), Ahlat eventually became a solid part of the Ottoman Empire. However, "in practise", Ahlat remained de facto under the control of various local Kurdish chiefs until

1407-648: The Sultanate of Rum (the Anatolian branch of the Seljuq dynasty ). In the 12th century, Ahlat and its adjacent territory was conquered and vassalized by the Kingdom of Georgia. In this period Georgians called city by name Khlati , modified native Armenian name Khlat . Following the Battle of Köse Dağ (1243) and the fall of Baghdad (1258), Ahlat, "together with eastern Anatolia and upper Mesopotamia ", became part of

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1474-682: The Turkish State Railways , the largest of their kind in Turkey, entered service in Lake Van. Ferit Melen Airport abuts Van . Turkish Airlines , AnadoluJet , Pegasus Airlines , and SunExpress are the airlines which have regular flights. Lake Van occasionally hosts several water sports , sailing , and inshore powerboat racing events, such as the UIM World Offshore 225 Championship 's IOC Van Grand Prix, and

1541-464: The 11th century accounts of Nasir Khusraw (in his Safarnama ) the town of "Akhlat" ( Persian : اخلاط , Axlāt ) is mentioned. According to the Institute of Ismaili Studies (who cite Thackston, W. Wheeler McIntosh, ed. trans., Nasir-i Khusraw’s Book of Travels (Costa Mesa, CA: Mazda Publishers, 2010), 8.), the excerpt goes as follows: "From there ( Harran ) we arrived in the city of Akhlat on

1608-594: The 11th century the lake was on the border between the Eastern Roman Empire , with its capital at Constantinople , and the Turko-Persian Seljuk Empire , with its capital at Isfahan . In the uneasy peace between the two empires, local Armenian-Byzantine landowners employed Turcoman gazis and Byzantine akritai for protection. The Greek-speaking Byzantines called the lake Thospitis limne ( Medieval Greek : Θωσπῖτις λίμνη ). In

1675-455: The 18th of Jumada al-Awwal [November 20 CE]. This city is the border town between the Muslims and Armenians, and from Bekri it is nineteen leagues. The Prince, Nasruddawla, was over a hundred years old and had many sons, to each of whom he had given a district. In the city of Akhlat they speak three languages: Arabic , Persian , and Armenian . It is my supposition that this is why they named

1742-714: The Armenian Kingdom of Vaspurakan . Along with Lake Sevan in today's Armenia and Lake Urmia in today's Iran , Van was one of the three great lakes of the Armenian Kingdom, referred to as the seas of Armenia (in ancient Assyrian sources: "tâmtu ša mât Nairi" (Upper Sea of Nairi ), the Lower Sea being Lake Urmia ). Over time, the lake was known by various Armenian names, including Armenian : Վանա լիճ (Lake of Van), Վանա ծով (Sea of Van), Արճեշի ծով (Sea of Arčeš), Բզնունեաց ծով (Sea of Bznunik), Ռշտունեաց ծով (Sea of Rshtunik), and Տոսպայ լիճ (Lake of Tosp) . By

1809-637: The Caliph commissioned Habib directly. During the next four centuries, Ahlat was ruled by "Arab governors, Armenian princes, and Arab emirs of the Qays tribe". In the early eighth century, Arab tribes settled in the region, and Ahlat became part of the Arab Kaysite principality. Ibn Hawqal (died ca. 978) mentioned Ahlat as an important stopover point on the Urmia - Mayyafariqin trade route. In about 983, Ahlat

1876-610: The Caucasus region, focusing especially on subduing the Kingdom of Georgia ; by 1239 the Mongols had conquered much of its land and forced the remainder, ruled by Queen Rusudan , to become a vassal state . In c.  1240 , Chormaqan was incapacitated by either deafness , a form of paralysis , or possibly both. He was replaced by Baiju , his second in command. Kayqubad I , the sultan of Rum between 1220 and 1237, had correctly feared that Jalal al-Din's activities would draw

1943-934: The Mongol Empire. The Mongols added Ahlat to the Ilkhanate division, and in the ensuing period, the Ilkhanid rulers minted coins in Ahlat. According to Hamdallah Mustawfi (died 1349), the revenues provided by Ahlat under the Ilkhanids, amounted up to 51,500 dinars . After the Ilkhanate, Ahlat became part of the Jalayirids and then the Ak Koyunlu . In the early 16th century, the Ottomans expanded into Eastern Anatolia ( Western Armenia ), taking control of

2010-927: The Mongols dismantled the Jin dynasty and the Western Xia state in northern China, the Qara Khitai in Turkestan , and the Khwarazmian Empire in Central Asia and Persia. Under Genghis's son and successor Ögedei Khan ( r.  1229–1241 ), further military campaigns were launched against the remnants of the Jin, while another force invaded first the Russian principalities and then Europe itself between 1236 and 1242. One further army, commanded by

2077-614: The Van Lake Festival. The four main islands in Lake Van are Adır , Akdamar , Çarpanak , and Kuş islands. Adır Island is the biggest Island in Lake Van. Each island has Armenian religious structures: Lim Monastery (Adır Island), Holy Cross Cathedral (Akdamar Island), Ktuts monastery (Çarpanak Island) and a small monastery on Kuş Island. Large lakes near Lake Van are Lake Erçek (16km), Lake Turna (23km), Lake Nemrut (12km), Lake Nazik (16km), Lake Batmış (10km), Lake Aygır (5km) and Lake Süphan (18km). Lake Erçek

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2144-639: The attention of the Mongols towards his kingdom. Although it was known for its excellent pastures , the Mongols did not initially attack Rum, aside from a single 1232 raid led by Baiju on the lands around Sivas . They instead accepted the Seljuk offerings of friendship and a small tribute ; Kayqubad also accepted the Mongols' request that he personally travel to the Mongol ruler in Karakorum to pay homage, but died before he did so. Relations deteriorated during

2211-503: The city of Erzurum , escalating hostilities into open war. Kaykhusraw built a large army to confront the invasion, but his 80,000-strong force lacked the discipline and cohesion of the 30,000 Mongols. For most of the first day of fighting, the army of Rum looked to be gaining the upper hand, but its right wing was broken late on by a contingent of Georgians in Baiju's army. During the night, Kaykhusraw's disintegrating army fled; Baiju missed

2278-546: The deserted enemy camp was a trap before realising their enemy had indeed fled; their delay in advancing cost them any chance of capturing Kaykhusraw. The victory at Köse Dağ established Mongol dominance in Asia Minor . After the battle, the Mongols captured a slew of cities in Anatolia, including Kayseri , Sivas, Erzincan , and Ankara , while Kaykhusraw was fleeing to Antalya. Rum was only spared total annihilation by

2345-584: The first few meters of sediment, they provided sufficient varves to give proxy climate data for up to 14,570 years BP . A team of scientists headed by palaeontologist Professor Thomas Litt at the University of Bonn has applied for funding from the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) for an akin deeper-drilling project. This expects to find it "stores the climate history of

2412-532: The general Chormaqan , was dispatched in 1230 to eliminate the renegade Khwarazmian prince Jalal al-Din who had founded a state in western Iran. This mission was soon accomplished, with Jalal al-Din killed by a Kurd in August 1231. Chormaqan set up his headquarters on the fertile Mughan plain , and for the next decade consolidated Mongol rule over western Iran and Transcaucasia . With 30,000 men under his command, he marched every year against hostile fortresses in

2479-543: The ire of the Mongols, whom they regarded as a much more dangerous enemy. The core of the Mongol army was around 30,000 experienced and disciplined troops, who were mostly ethnic Mongols but also included Uighurs and men from Turkestan, led by Baiju and a number of competent officials . This force had ten years of experience fighting as a unit, and so had a solidarity the Turkish forces lacked. They were accompanied by Georgian and Armenian cavalry, including Hasan-Jalal I ,

2546-435: The lake bed formed by coccoid cyanobacteria ( Pleurocapsa group), which create mats of aragonite that combine with calcite precipitating out of the lake water. The region hosts the rare Van cat breed of cat, having – among other things – an unusual fascination with water. The lake is mainly surrounded by fruit orchards and grain fields, interspersed by some non-agricultural trees. According to legend,

2613-399: The lake hosts the mysterious Lake Van Monster that lurks below the surface, 30-to-40 ft (9-to-12 m) long with brown scaly skin, an elongated reptilian head and flippers. Apart from some inconclusive amateur photographs and videos, there has never been any evidence of it. The claimed profile resembles an extinct mosasaurus or basilosaurus . Tushpa , the capital of Urartu , near

2680-540: The lake is an antidome basin in a tectonic depression. This was formed by normal and strike-slip faulting and thrusting. The lake's proximity to the Karlıova triple junction has led to molten fluids of the Earth's mantle accumulating in the strata beneath, still driving gradual change. Dominating the lake's northern shore is the stratovolcano Mount Süphan . The broad crater of a second, dormant volcano, Mount Nemrut ,

2747-399: The last 800,000 years—an incomparable treasure house of data which we want to tap for at least the last 500,000 years." A test drilling in 2004 detected evidence of 15 volcanic eruptions in the past 20,000 years. Similar but smaller fluctuations have been seen recently. The level of the lake rose by at least 3 m (9.8 ft) during the 1990's, drowning much agricultural land, and (after

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2814-478: The mid-19th century, when the central Ottoman government in Constantinople imposed direct rule on the town. Vital Cuinet estimated the population of Ahlat at end of the 19th century at 23,700. According to Cuinet, seventy percent were Muslims, whereas the rest were Christians, mostly Armenians . When Cuinet passed through the city during this time period, ancient Ahlat was considered to be "abandoned", and

2881-650: The more mobile Turkish horsemen and Diogenes was captured. Alp Arslan divided the conquered eastern portions of the Byzantine empire among his Turcoman generals, with each ruled as a hereditary beylik , under overall sovereignty of the Seljuq Empire . Alp Arslan gave the region around Lake Van to his commander Sökmen el-Kutbî , who set up his capital at Ahlat on the western side of the lake. The dynasty of Shah-Armens , also known as Sökmenler , ruled this area from 1085 to 1192. The Ahlatshahs were succeeded by

2948-424: The negotiations of the vizier Muhezzibeddin, who agreed terms of surrender including a vast tribute: annual payments of 12 million silver coins, 500 bolts of silk, 500 camels, and 5,000 sheep (equivalent to around 400,000 gold dinars ) were to be transported to Mongolia at the expense of Rum's treasury. Later envoys confirmed the appointment of a Mongol daruyachi ( lit.   ' "overseer" ' ) to supervise

3015-450: The next decade. Instead, under their general Chormaqan , Mongol armies subjugated Transcaucasia and reduced the Kingdom of Georgia to a vassal state . After the accession of Kaykhusraw II to the Rum throne in 1236, relations deteriorated, and Mongol raids on Rum territory began in 1240. Two years later, Baiju, who had replaced Chormaqan after the latter became disabled, captured and pillaged

3082-651: The opportunity to capture the sultan because he suspected the deserted enemy camp was a trap. Nevertheless, the Mongols captured several cities following their success at Köse Dağ, and exacted a vast annual tribute from their enemy. Rum never recovered from this critical defeat. In 1071, the Seljuk Turks decisively defeated the Byzantine Empire at the Battle of Manzikert and quickly overran Anatolia . The Seljuk general Suleiman ibn Qutalmish ( r.  1077–1086 ) soon established an independent state in

3149-506: The present shore have long been recognized. On a visit in 1898, geologist Felix Oswald noted three raised beaches at 15, 50 and 100 feet (5, 15 and 30 meters) above the lake then, as well as recently drowned trees. Research in the past century has identified many similar terraces, and the lake's level has fluctuated significantly during that time. As the lake has no outlet, the level over recent millennia rests on inflow and evaporation. The water level has vacillated greatly. Investigation by

3216-422: The region, along with the official submission of the Seljuk rulers to the Mongol throne. Upon Kaykhusraw II's death in 1246, his kingdom was rent apart by factions representing his three underage sons. Although some sultans of Rum, especially Kaykaus II ( r.  1246–1261–  ), proved troublesome for the Mongols, Seljuk power steadily decreased, finally dying out in 1308. Its territories were assumed by

3283-443: The region; known as the Sultanate of Rum , it unified the native tribes and gained control of the entire region over the next 150 years. By the 1230s, aided by the collapse of Byzantine power , Rum had also attained significant maritime and commercial capabilities through their control of the key ports of Antalya and Sinope . The Mongol Empire was established in 1206 by Genghis Khan ( r.  1206–1227 ). During his reign,

3350-642: The reign of Kayqubad's successor Kaykhusraw II ( r.  1237–1246 ), especially after Chormaqan was replaced by Baiju. Mongol raids on Rum began in 1240, the year of the Babai revolt , led by the preacher Baba Ishak , which likely weakened the Seljuks. Nevertheless, Kaykhusraw acted aggressively, campaigning against the city of Amid , close to Mongol territory, in 1240–41. In 1242, Baiju escalated hostilities into open war. His Mongol army, accompanied by Georgian and Armenian auxilaries he had called up, demanded

3417-531: The reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II . Near the Van Fortress and the southern shore, on Akdamar Island lies the 10th century Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Aghtamar ( Armenian : Սուրբ Խաչ , Surb Khach), which served as a royal church to the kingdom of Vaspurakan . The ruins of Armenian monasteries also exist on the other three islands of Lake Van: Lim , Arter , and Ktuts . The area around Lake Van

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3484-514: The ruler of the Principality of Khachen . The Mongol force was certainly outnumbered by Kaykhusraw's army, whom contemporary chroniclers claimed to have contained 160,000 or 200,000 men; a more realistic estimate is 80,000. Battle was joined on 26 June near Köse Dağ Mountain (the name means "bald mountain"), around 80 kilometres (50 mi) northwest of Sivas. Kaykhusraw attacked without waiting for his entire army. The two armies strove for

3551-404: The second half of the 11th century Emperor Romanus IV Diogenes launched a campaign to re-conquer Armenia and head off growing Seljuk control. Diogenes and his large army crossed the Euphrates and confronted a much smaller Seljuk force led by Alp Arslan at the Battle of Manzikert , north of Lake Van on 26 August 1071. Despite their greater numbers, the cumbersome Byzantine force was defeated by

3618-420: The shore length is 430 kilometres (270 mi). It covers 3,755 km (1,450 sq mi) and contains (has a volume of) 607 cubic kilometres (146 cu mi). The western portion of the lake is deepest, with a large basin deeper than 400 m (1,300 ft) lying northeast of Tatvan and south of Ahlat . The eastern arms of the lake are shallower. The Van-Ahtamar portion shelves gradually, with

3685-464: The shores, on the site of what became medieval Van's castle, west of present-day Van city . The ruins of the medieval city of Van are still visible below the southern slopes of the rock on which Van Castle stands. In 2017, archaeologists from Van Yüzüncü Yil University and a team of independent divers who were exploring Lake Van reported the discovery of a large underwater fortress spanning roughly one kilometer. The team estimates that this fortress

3752-515: The submission of the city of Erzurum , which had been under the rule of Rum since 1071; when the Mongol ambassadors were insultingly rejected, the city was besieged. After two months, the Mongols' siege engines breached the walls, whereupon the Mongols sacked the city—even Christian churches were pillaged for their treasures, which the Christian Georgian and Armenians distributed among their own settlements. Baiju then retreated to spend

3819-446: The temperature has reached −30 °C. The lake, particularly on its urban townscape shore, tempers the climate in the city of Van, where the average temperature in July is 22.5 °C, and in January −3.5 °C. The average annual rainfall in the basin ranges from 400 to 700 mm. Prior to 2018, the only fish known to live in the brackish water of Lake Van was Alburnus tarichi or Pearl Mullet ( Turkish : inci kefali ),

3886-602: The town Akhlat. Their commercial transactions are carried out in puls (possibly ancient Roman and Greek coins), and their rotel (Armenian money) is equivalent to three hundred dirhems ." With the decline of the Seljuks, and the new political upheaval presented by the invasions of the Khwarezmian Empire and the Mongol Empire , Ahlat became briefly disputed between the Ayyubids , the Kingdom of Georgia and

3953-421: The town for the first time under Sultan Selim I ( r.   1512-1520). Nevertheless, Ahlat remained only loosely under Ottoman control at the time, for it was considered to be a border district between the Ottoman Empire and Safavid Empire . In 1526, during the reign of king ( shah ) Tahmasp I ( r.   1524-1576), Ahlat was in Safavid hands, and its governor was Delu Montasha Ustajlu. In 1533, during

4020-447: The winter on the Mughan plain, before marching into Rum again the following year. Kaykhusraw attempted to build a strong army to repel the Mongol invasion by hiring large numbers of mercenaries from surrounding regions. These included knights from the Crusader Latin Empire , nobles from the Greek remnants of the Byzantine Empire , warriors from the Ayyubid dynasty in Aleppo , and the Arab tribes of Iraq, while his own armies contained

4087-489: Was also the home to a large number of Armenian monasteries, among the most prominent of these being the 10th century Narekavank and the 11th century Varagavank , the former now destroyed. The Ahlatshahs left a large number of historic headstones in and around the town of Ahlat . Local administrators are currently trying to have the tombstones included in UNESCO 's World Heritage List , where they are currently listed tentatively. The railway connecting Turkey and Iran

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4154-431: Was betrayed by Aponosar (Abu Nasr), the emir of the city. After the Battle of Manzikert (1071), the Seljuk army, led personally by Sultan Alp Arslan ( r.   1063-1072), took possession of the town. The Seljuks then gave control over the town to the Turkmen slave commander Sökmen el-Kutbî (or al-Qutbi). Sökmen and his successors were known as the Shah-Armens (or Ahlat-Shahs) and made Ahlat their capital. In

4221-415: Was built in the 1970's, sponsored by CENTO . It uses a train ferry (ferry for decanted passengers) across between the cities Tatvan and Van , rather than building tracks around rugged terrain. This limits passenger capacity. In May 2008, talks started between Turkey and Iran to replace the ferry with a double-track electrified railway. In December 2015, the new generation of train ferries operated by

4288-424: Was constructed during the Urartian period, based on their visual assessments. The archaeologists believe that the fortress, along with other parts of the ancient city that surrounded it at the time, had slowly become submerged over the millennia by the gradually rising lake. The lake was the centre of the kingdom of Urartu from about 1000 BC, afterwards of the Satrapy of Armenia , Kingdom of Greater Armenia , and

4355-481: Was controlled by a Kurdish chief named Bāḏ (in Armenian spelled as "Bat"); thereafter, Ahlat was associated with the Kurdish Marwanids (centered in Diyar Bakr ), which sprang from Bāḏ. In the winter of 998, the Curopalates David III of Tao besieged Khlat but was unable to capture it, partly because of his contemptuous treatment towards its Armenian population. In 1057, Herve Phrangopoulos retreated here with 300 Norman knights after breaking with Michael VI but

4422-461: Was referred to as Kharab Şehir , i.e. "the ruined town". Later, a new town, which had a population of 5,018 in 1961, grew some two kilometers to the east on the shore of Lake Van. During the Circassian genocide , several Circassian refugees from the North Caucasus were settled in Ahlat district and established a few villages. As part of the deportations of Kurds from 1916 to 1934, Kurds from Ahlat were deported to Diyarbakır for being disloyal to

4489-433: Was the pivotal event of the Mongol conquest of Anatolia : Rum, previously a significant independent power in the eastern Mediterranean, was reduced to the status of a client kingdom , and its territories were later formally annexed by the Mongol Ilkhanate . The Mongol Empire first achieved territorial contact with the Sultanate in the early 1230s by conquering a large swathe of western Iran , but largely left it alone over

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