Ghars al-Din Khalil

Ghars al-Din Khalil Beg (Turkish: Garseddin Halil Bey; died April 1386) was the second ruler of the Turkoman Dulkadirid principality, reigning from 1353 to 1386.

He captured Elbistan in the name of his father from the rival Turkoman lord Taraqlu Khalil bin Tarafi,[2] in 1335[3] or 1337, which served as the capital until the fall of the Dulkadirids.

On 10 June 1354, Ramadan Beg of the Ramadanids visited Cairo with a gift of a thousand horses for the Mamluk sultan, wishing to be granted the right to rule Qaraja's lands.

[10] Khalil's domain included Marash, Zamantu, Darende, Tephrike, Melitene, Harpoot, Besni, Amid, and Amuq.

[11] In 1352 or 1353, prior to his recognition as ruler, Khalil sought to expand the Dulkadirid lands towards the Euphrates corridor[12] and retaliate for what he considered his father's betrayal.

The attack on Malatya was unsuccessful, since the natives secured Mamluk authority in 1360, but Khalil captured Zamantu and incorporated it as a core Dulkadirid territory.

[12] The fortress of Harpoot, initially controlled by the Eretnids,[13] changed hands for several times, first surrendering to Khalil in 1364 but returning to the Mamluks in the winter of 1366.

[12] Khalil's severed head was sent to Cairo, while his body was buried in the turbe of Malik Ghazi located below the Zamantu Castle.

[15] During their father's reign, Mehmed and Ali received land around Aleppo from Barquq, although it is unknown whether this was just an honorary rank or if some service was required.