Bronze coins minted by Ottoman Sultan I. Murad for the important month of Ramadan for Muslims have been found at Karacahisar Castle, which is located in present-day Eskişehir province in Türkiye.
I. Murad is the son of Orhan Bey and the first ruler to hold the title of sultan. He took significant steps to transform the principality he inherited from his father, Orhan Bey, into an empire. I. Murad captured Edirne and moved the capital from Bursa to Edirne.
The excavations at Karacahisar are being conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Anadolu University, under the leadership of Associate Professor Dr. Hasan Yılmazyaşar from the Department of Art History in the Faculty of Arts.
The bronze coins obtained have the inscription “Murad Han-Azze nasruhu-Allah O’nu aziz yardımı ile galib kılsın” on one side, and “Ramazan 790” on the other side.
The coins are dated to the year 1388.
It has been determined that the mentioned coins are the only example among Ottoman coins that have the name of a month inscribed on them.
Historians state that the first sermon of the Ottoman Empire was read here in 1299.
Excavation leader Associate Professor Dr. Yılmazyaşar stated, “We have identified that there has been a formation at the castle since the 7th century. The findings we have obtained over the last two years indicate that the castle was used as a surveillance area, albeit limited, since the Roman Period. The castle was actively used by the Byzantines, particularly showing evidence of a formation in the 12th century, followed by renewal and transformation.”
Yılmazyaşar stated that after the conquest of Karacahisar, which was the first castle captured by the Ottomans, the first sermon was read here, a woman was appointed, a market was established, and a tax system was implemented. He emphasized that the institutionalization process of the Ottoman Empire began in this location.
