Malik Arslan

Malik Arslan
Byzantine-style portrait of Malik Arslan kept in Biblioteca Marciana, Venice.[1]
Beg of Dulkadir
Reign	28 August 1454 – October 1465
Predecessor	Suleiman
Successor	Shah Budak
Died	(1465-10-00)October 1465 Elbistan, Beylik of Dulkadir
Issue	Kilij Arslan Alp Arslan
House	Dulkadir
Father	Suleiman
Religion	Islam

Sayf al-Din Malik Arslan (died October 1465) was Beg of Dulkadir from 28 August 1454 until his death. Malik Arslan was one of the numerous sons of his predecessor Suleiman Beg (r. 1442–54). He first competed with his uncle Feyyaz for the throne and was favored by the Mamluk Sultan Sayf al-Din Inal (r. 1453–61). Later into his reign, Malik Arslan was involved in the succession wars within the Karamanids. He ransacked the region wishing to retake Kayseri but was defeated by the Aq Qoyunlu ruler Uzun Hasan (r. 1453–1478). In September 1465, Malik Arslan ceded Harpoot to Uzun Hasan, who had taken advantage of the worsening relations between Malik Arslan and the Mamluks. Malik Arslan was assassinated on the orders of Khushqadam, incited by Malik Arslan's rival brother Shah Budak (r. 1465–66, 1472–80), who replaced him.