Mehmed Bey

Mehmed Bey was the founder of the Aydin Dynasty, a Turkmen dynasty that ruled in western Anatolia from approximately 1308 to 1425. He established his rule by conquering territories in the Aegean region, including Birgi, Ayasoluk (modern Selçuk), Tyre, and İzmir. The Aydin principality was strategically located between the declining Byzantine Empire and the rising Ottoman state, allowing it to profit from Mediterranean trade and supply mercenary troops. Mehmed Bey's son and successor, Umur Bey, further expanded the principality's influence through naval expeditions. The dynasty eventually declined after Umur Bey's death and was annexed by the Ottoman Empire.1