Sa'd al-Din Köpek
Sa’d al-Din Köpek
Sa’d al-Din Köpek (also known as Sadettin Köpek) was a powerful court administrator in 13th‑century Anatolia who served the Seljuk Sultans of Rum. He held the posts of Master of the Hunt under Sultan Kayqubad I and later Minister of Works, and he oversaw the construction of Kubadabad Palace near Lake Beyşehir.
As adviser to Kayqubad’s successor Kaykhusraw II, Köpek grew very influential and tried to seize the throne for himself. He arranged the murder of Kaykhusraw’s two half‑brothers and their mother, but his plan failed. He was killed by Husam al‑Din Qaraja and hanged on the Seljuk palace walls for treason. He was known for seeking alliances with the Mongols and for distrusting rivals, including the Khwarazmiyya. His power plays and lack of loyalty left the sultanate short of soldiers at a dangerous time.
Köpek also built a caravanserai called Zazadin Han between 1235 and 1237, about 22 kilometers from Konya on the road to Aksaray; inscriptions there name him and the two sultans.
In modern media, Diriliş: Ertuğrul portrays Köpek as a traitor who is eventually beheaded by Ertuğrul.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 10:53 (CET).