d. 1104 · Danishmendid ruler
Danishmend Gazi
Other names · Gümüştegin Gazi
Danishmendid ruler who captured Bohemond I and helped defeat the crusader armies of 1101.
BIOGRAPHICAL DOSSIER
Life and historical role
Life and political setting
The early history of the Danishmendid polity is known through evidence that is often late and mixed with legendary material. Gumushtigin exercised power around Sivas, Tokat and Niksar and exerted sustained pressure on Melitene. His position must be understood within competition among Turkish principalities as well as resistance to the incoming crusading armies.
Role in the Crusades
In 1100 he captured Bohemond I while the prince was advancing to relieve Melitene and held him at Niksar. Gumushtigin cooperated with Kilij Arslan and other Turkish rulers against the expeditions of 1101. His decision to release Bohemond for ransom in 1103 caused tension with the Seljuk sultan, who also claimed a share in the prisoner's value.
Biographical information is linked to the sources shown on the page and to the connected event records. Disputed dates are given as approximate, gaps are not filled by conjecture, and later literary or visual depictions are not treated as contemporary portraits.