Part of a series on Twelver Shi'a Islam Alevism

Figures

Ali-Muhammad • Shah Ismail Yunus Emre • Pir Sultan Abdal Hajji Bektash Wali

Twelve Imams

Birinci Ali · Ikinci Ali Ucuncu Ali · Dorduncu Ali Besinci Ali · Altinci Ali Yedinci Ali · Sekizinci Ali Dokuzuncu Ali · Onuncu Ali Onbirinci Ali · Onikinci Ali

Beliefs

Haqq-Ali-Muhammad Four Doors • Insan-i Kamil The Qur'an • The Buyruk Wahdat-ul-Wujood Zahir • Batin

Practices

Fasting • Semah • Music Charity • Intercession • Taqiyya Dushkunluk Meydani

Leadership Structure

Dedes • Murshid • Pir Rehber • Darga • Jem Cem Evi • Babas

Festivals

Nowruz • Ashura Hindrellez

Groups

Bektashi • Qizilbash

Events

Sivas Massacre

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Qizilbash or Kizilbash (Ottoman Turkish/Persian: قزلباش Qezelbāš, Turkish: Kızılbaş, Azerbaijani: Qızılbaş) - Turkish for "Red Heads" - name given to a wide variety of Turcoman Shi'ite militant groups who helped found the Safavid dynasty of Iran. See also Shi'a Islam Twelver Shi'ism ( ar اثنا عشرية Ithnāˤashariyyah) is the largest branch of Shi'a branch of Islam Alevis (Aleviler Elewî are a religious sub-ethnic and cultural community in Turkey, numbering in the millions In Alevism, Ali-Muhammad refers to the individuals Ali and Muhammad who exist as a single entity or light of Aql. Yunus Emre (1238?–1320? was a Turkish poet and Sufi mystic. Pir Sultan Abdal (ca 1480 - 1550 a legendary Turkish Alevi (Sufi poet whose direct and clear language as well as the richness of his imagination and the beauty of his verses led him Hajji Bektash Wali ( Ḥājī Baktāš Wālī; Turkish: Hacı Bektaş Veli) was a Persian ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (a=علي بن أﺑﻲ طالب|t=ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib 13th Rajab, 24 BH – 21st Ramaḍān, 40 AH See also Hasan ibn Ali Hassan ibn Ali is Shi’ahs’ second Imam, and is also known as Al-Mujtaba and Sibtil Akbar (the elder and Ḥusayn ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar حسين بن علي بن أﺑﻲ طالب)‎ (third of Shaban 4 AH / 8th January 626 AD at Medina ‘Alī ibn Ḥusayn (Arabic علي بن حسين) (approximately 6 January 659 - 20 October 712 is a great-grandson of Muhammad as well as the fourth Muḥammad ibn ‘Alī al-Baqir (محمد ابن علي الباقر) (676-743 AD or 1 Rajab 57 AH – 7 Dhu al-Hijjah 114 AH was the Fifth Imām Jaʿfar al-Sadiq (702-765 in accurate transliteration Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq Arabic: جعفر الصادق in full Jaʿfar ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Husayn Mūsá ibn Ja‘far ibn Muḥammad al-Kāżim (الإمام موسى الكاظم‎ ( October 28, 746 AD - September 1, 799 / Ali ibn Musa al-Rida ( علي بن موسى الرضا) (Commonly known as Ali ar-Ridha Ali Reza (Eleventh of Dhu al-Qi'dah, 148 AH – Seventeenth of Muhammad al-Taqi or Muhammad al-Jawad ( Arabic: الإمام محمد الجواد) ( Rajab 10 195 AH - Dhu al-Qi'dah 29 Imam Ali al-Hadi (الإمام علي الهادي also known as Imam Ali al-Naqi ( September 8, 828 &ndash July 1, 868) was Hasan al- Askari (الإمام الحسن بن علي العسكري (Eighth of Rabi' al-thani 232 AH – Eighth of Rabi' al-awwal 260 AH According to Twelver Shi'as Imam Hujjat al-Mahdī ( ar المهدى) (or Hujjat ibn Hasan ibn Ali is the twelfth Imam and the Haqq-Ali-Muhammad refers to a Trinity in Alevism that involves truth ( haqq) Ali ibn Abu Talib ( Ali) and Muhammad. Four Doors refers to a concept in Alevism, and to a lesser extent in other branches of Islam such as Ismailism, that there are four paths to Allah Insan-i Kamil, loosely translated as the "Perfect Man" or "Perfect Human Being" is derived from the Arabic Al-Insān al-Kāmil (الاسان الكام The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran The Buyruks are a collection of spiritual books providing the basis of the Alevi value system Major ideas in Sufi metaphysics have surrounded the concept of Wahdat or "Unity" According to some Muslim groups the Zahir is the external or apparent meaning of the Quran. Batin is defined as the interior or hidden meaning of the Quran. Fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all Food, Drink, or both for a period of time Music is an Art form in which the medium is Sound organized in Time. This is a sub-article of Islamic economical jurisprudence. Zakaat ( زكاة zækæːh zakaat or zakāh, has the implied Ziyarat is a pilgrimage to sites associated with the Islamic prophet Muhammad, his companions, or other venerated figures in Islamic history Persecution of Shia MuslimsWithin Shi'ite Islamic tradition the concept of Taqiyya (تقية - 'fear guard against' refers to a dispensation allowing believers to conceal The resolution of Alevi community disputes or problems in a Dushkunluk Meydani (Düşkünlük Meydanı or 'People's Court' presided over by the Alevi Dede. A dede is a socio-religious leader in the Alevi community The institution of dede is the most important of all the institutions integral to the social and religious organization In Alevism, a Murshid is a rank of Dede. In Alevism, a Pir is a rank of Dede. See also Pir In Alevism, a Rehber is a rank of Dede. A Rehber assists the Mursid (Dede provides information to the newcomers and prepares them for commitment to the Alevisim In terms of their internal organization every Alevi community follows a particular darga, sometimes an ojak The central Alevi worship service is called a Jem (Turkish Cem or ayini Jem, meaning congregational or assembly meeting A Cemevi (pronounced and sometimes written as Djemevi) means literally a house of gathering in Turkish, (Cem=public-gathering/ev=house and is a place of An Alevi religious leader related to a Dede. Nowrūz ( /noruz/ ↔, (English New Day various local pronunciations and spellings) is the traditional Iranian New year Holiday celebrated The Day of Ashura ( ar عاشوراء, Ashura Ashoura and other spellings is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax Bektashism (Bektaşilik is an Islamic Sufi order ( Tariqat) considered to be a distinct branch of Shi'a Islam The Sivas massacre ( Turkish: Sivas Madımak Olayı or Sivas Katliamı) refers to the events of July 2 1993 which resulted in the deaths of 37 Ottoman Turkish (Osmanlıca or tr ''Osmanlı Türkçesi'' Ottoman Turkish ota-Latn ''lisân-ı Osmânî'' is the variety of the Turkish language that was used as the Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. The Safavids ( صفوی) were an Iranian ref>Helen Chapin Metz For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The name "Red Heads" is derived from their distinct headwear with twelve points (indicating their adherence to the twelve Ithnāˤashari Imams. See also Shi'a Islam Twelver Shi'ism ( ar اثنا عشرية Ithnāˤashariyyah) is the largest branch of Shi'a branch of Islam An imam (إمام plural ائمة A'immah, امام is an Islamic leader often the leader of a Mosque and/or community ^[1]). The name Safavid is a reference to their Sufi grandmaster Shaykh Haydar Ṣafawī. Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف Sheikh, also rendered as Sheik, Cheikh, Shaikh, and other variants ( Arabic:, shaykh

Contents 1 Origins 2 The seven Turkic tribes who created the original Kizilbash army 3 Organization 4 Beliefs 5 "Turk & Tājīk" 6 History 6.1 The Beginnings 6.2 The Battle of Chaldiran 6.3 The Kizilbash and the Mughals of India 6.4 The deprivation of the Turcomans 6.5 Nadir Shah and the fall of the Safavids 7 Legacy 7.1 Afghanistan 7.2 Iran 7.3 Syria 7.4 Pakistan 7.5 Turkey 8 See also 9 References

Origins

The origin of the "Kizilbash movement" - as they were called by their Sunni Ottoman foes and later adopted the name as a mark of pride - can be dated from middle of the 15th century, when their spiritual grandmaster (shaykh) Haydar, the head of the Safawiyya Sufi order, organized his followers into a body of militant troops. Sheikh, also rendered as Sheik, Cheikh, Shaikh, and other variants ( Arabic:, shaykh

Theories have been put forward by scholars to connect the Kizilbash to certain religious groups and secret societies throughout history, like the Mazdaki movement in the Sassanid Empire, or the radical Persian Khurrami sect who were also known as "Muhammira" because of their practise of wearing a red headgear and fighting for their religious beliefs. Secret society is a term used to describe a variety of organizations Mazdak (in Persian مزدک (died c 524 or 528 was a proto- socialist Persian reformer who gained influence under the reign of the Sassanian The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire The Khurramites ( - Khorrām-Dīnān "Those of the Joyful Religion" خُرَّميه Khurrāmīyah) were an Iranian religious and It has also been speculated that the group had its origins among the mystical Ismaili Assassin sect. For the Egyptian city see Ismaïlia. The Ismāʿīlī ( Urdu: إسماعیلی Ismāʿīlī, Arabic: الإسماعيليون The Hashshashin (also Hashishin, Hashashiyyin, Hashasheen or Assassins) were an offshoot of the Ismā'īlī sect of Shia ^[2] However, most historians dispute this as no influence of Ismaili beliefs is obvious in Kizilbash practices.

The seven Turkic tribes who created the original Kizilbash army

• Shamlu (Şamlu)
• Rumlu (Urumlu)
• Ustajlu (Ustaclu)
• Takkalu (Təkəli)
• Dulghadir (Dülqədir/Zülqədir)
• Qajar (Qacar)
• Afshar (Avşar)

Organization

The Kizilbash were a coalition of many different peoples of predominantly, but not exclusively Turkic-speaking Azerbaijani background, united in their belief in the Safavid doctrine of Shiism. The Shamlu Tribe was one of the 7 original and the most powerful Qizilbash Tribe of Turcoman origin in Iran. The Qajar dynasty (also known as Ghajar or Kadjar ( ( - or دودمان قاجار) is a common term to describe Iran (then known as Persia) under The Turkic languages constitute a Language family of some thirty languages spoken by Turkic peoples across a vast area from Eastern Europe and the The Azerbaijanis are an Ethnic group mainly in the Republic of Azerbaijan and northwestern Iran.

As murids of the Safawiyyah sheikhs (pirs), the Kizilbash owed implicit obedience to their leader in his capacity as their murshid-e kāmil ("supreme spiritual director") and, after the establishment of the kingdom, as their padshah ("king"), changing the purely religious pir - murid relationship into a political one. Murid ( مريد) is a Sufi term meaning 'committed one' It refers to a person who is committed to a teacher in the spiritual path of Sufism Sheikh, also rendered as Sheik, Cheikh, Shaikh, and other variants ( Arabic:, shaykh Pir ( Persian: (پیر literally "old " is a title for a Sufi master Pir ( Persian: (پیر literally "old " is a title for a Sufi master Padishah, Padshah, Padeshah, Badishah or Badshah ( Persian پادشاه Pādeshāh) is a very prestigious As a consequence, any act of disobedience of the Kizilbash Sufi against the order of his spiritual grandmaster became "an act of treason against the king and a crime against the state" (Persian: nā-sufīgarī, "improper conduct of a Sufi"), for example in 1614 when Shah Abbas I put to death some Kizilbash. Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف Shāh ‘Abbās I or Shāh ‘Abbās the Great ( (born January 27, 1571; died January 19, 1629) was Shah of Iran and the most eminent ^[3]

Beliefs

Kizilbash tribes adhered to heterodox Shi'a doctrines encouraged by early Safawiyyah sheikhs, specifically sheikh Haydar and his son, Ismail. Sheikh, also rendered as Sheik, Cheikh, Shaikh, and other variants ( Arabic:, shaykh They regarded their rulers as divine figures, and would thus be classified as ghulat extremist by orthodox Ithnāˤashari Shias. Ghulat (غلاة Exaggerators is the adjectival form of Ghuluww (غلو Exaggeration, a technical term mainstream Muslims See also Shi'a Islam Twelver Shi'ism ( ar اثنا عشرية Ithnāˤashariyyah) is the largest branch of Shi'a branch of Islam It is clear that Ismail I. was presenting himself to his Kizilbash followers not as a representative of the Hidden Imam, but as the Hidden Imam himself, beyond that even claiming divinity for himself. In Islamic eschatology the Mahdi ( ar مهدي, also Mehdi; "Guided One" is the prophesied redeemer of Islam who will stay on earth ^[1] The Kizilbash would go into battle without armour, confident that no harm would befall them, while adding Ismā'il waliyyu'llāh to the Islamic Shahada. The Shahada ( Arabic: ar الشهادة, from the verb ar شهد "to testify" is the Islamic Creed.

This stemmed from the fact that among the Kizilbash there appeared to be a substantial lack of knowledge of Twelver Shia doctrines. See also Shi'a Islam Twelver Shi'ism ( ar اثنا عشرية Ithnāˤashariyyah) is the largest branch of Shi'a branch of Islam When Tabriz was taken for example, there was not a single book on Twelver Shiism among Kizilbash leaders, and the book of the well known Allama Al-Hilli was procured in the town library to provide guidance on new religion of the state. Tabriz ( تبریز, تبریز) is the largest city in northwestern Iran. ^[4] Nor did any Shia ulema participate in the formation of Safavid religious policies during the early stages of the state. Ulema ( ar علماء,, singular ar عالِم,, "scholar" refers to the educated class of Muslim legal scholars engaged in the several However later, the ghulat doctrines were forsaken and Arab Twelver Shia ulema resident in Iraq and Bahrain were brought in increasing numbers. Ghulat (غلاة Exaggerators is the adjectival form of Ghuluww (غلو Exaggeration, a technical term mainstream Muslims See also Shi'a Islam Twelver Shi'ism ( ar اثنا عشرية Ithnāˤashariyyah) is the largest branch of Shi'a branch of Islam Ulema ( ar علماء,, singular ar عالِم,, "scholar" refers to the educated class of Muslim legal scholars engaged in the several For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. The Kingdom of Bahrain (in مملكة البحرين,, literally Kingdom of the Two Seas) is an Island country in the Persian Gulf Initially the Shia ulema kept quiet about inconsistencies in the religious stance of the monarch, but during the following century they were able to enforce a stricter version of Shia Islam on the population and the state. Ulema ( ar علماء,, singular ar عالِم,, "scholar" refers to the educated class of Muslim legal scholars engaged in the several

"Turk & Tājīk"

Among the Kizilbash, Turcoman tribes from Eastern Anatolia and Azerbaijan who had helped Shah Ismail I defeat the Aq Qoyunlu tribe were by far the most important - in number and influence. This article is about the region in Iran for other uses see Azerbaijan (disambiguation. The Ak Koyunlu or Aq Qoyunlu, also called the White Sheep Turkomans ( Turkmen: Akgoýunly, Azeri: Ağqoyunlu, Therefore the name Kizilbash is sometimes only applied to them. ^[5] Some of these greater Turcoman tribes were subdivided into as many as eight or nine clans and included the:

• Ustādjlu
• Rumlu
• Shāmlu (the most powerful clan during the reign of Shah Ismail I.)
• Dulghadir (Arabic: Dhu 'l-Kadar)
• Afshār
• Qājār
• Takkalu

Other tribes, such as Turkman, Bahārlu, Warsāk, or Bayāt were occasionally listed among these "seven great uymaqs". The Shamlu Tribe was one of the 7 original and the most powerful Qizilbash Tribe of Turcoman origin in Iran. The Afsharids (سلسله افشار were an Iranian dynasty of Turkic descent from Khorasan that ruled the Persian Empire in the 18th century The Qajar dynasty (also known as Ghajar or Kadjar ( ( - or دودمان قاجار) is a common term to describe Iran (then known as Persia) under Baharlu may refer to Baharlu (ethnic group in Iran Baharlu Armenia Some of these names consist of a place-name with addition of the Turkish suffix -lu, such as Shāmlu or Bahārlu. Other names are those of old Oghuz tribes such as Afshār, Dulghadir, or Bayāt, as mentioned by the medieval Uyghur historian Mahmoud Al-Kāshgharī. The Uyghur (also spelled Uygur, Uighur, Uigur, Uyghur: ئۇيغۇر) are a Turkic people of Central Asia. Mahmud ibn Hussayn ibn Muhammad al-Kashgari (محمود بن الحسين بن محمد الكاشغري Kaşgarlı Mahmut Mehmud Qeshqeri born in 1005 in Kashgar was The origin of the name Ustādjlu, however, is unknown and probably indicates a non-Turkic origin of the tribe.

The non-Turkic or non-Turkish-speaking Iranian tribes among the Kizilbash were called Tājiks by the original Turcoman Kizilbashs and included:^[5][6]

• Tālish
• Siāh-Kuh (Karādja-Dagh)
• Lur tribes (for example the Zand)
• certain Kurdish tribes
• certain Persian families and clans

The rivalry between the Turkic clans and Persian nobles was a major problem in the Safavid kingdom and caused much trouble. Tajik ( - Tādjīk; UniPers: Tâjik; Cyrillic: Тоҷик is a term generally applied to Persian-speaking people of Talysh (also Talishi, Taleshi or Talyshi) are an Iranian people who speak the Talysh language, one of the Northwestern Iranian Lors (also Lurs Persianلر are a branch of Iranian people living mostly in south-western Iran. The Zand dynasty ( (سلسله زندیه ruled southern and central Iran ( 1750 &ndash 1794) in the eighteenth century layout and formatting it should ensure no clashes with the top of the infobox As V. Minorsky put it, friction between these two groups was inevitable, because the Turcomans "were no party to the national Persian tradition". Vladimir Fedorovich Minorsky (Владимир Фёдорович Минорский February 5 1877 - March 25 1966 was a highly respected Russian Orientalist Shah Ismail tried to solve the problem by appointing Persian wakils as commanders of Kizilbash tribes. However, the Turcomans considered this an insult and brought about the death of 3 of the 5 Persians appointed to this office - an act, that later lead to the deprivation of the Turcomans by Shah Abbas I. Shāh ‘Abbās I or Shāh ‘Abbās the Great ( (born January 27, 1571; died January 19, 1629) was Shah of Iran and the most eminent ^[7]

History

The Beginnings

In the 15th century, Ardabil was the center of an organization designed to keep the Safavid leadership in close touch with its murids in Azerbaijan, Iraq, eastern Anatolia, and elsewhere. Ardabil ( Persian and Azeri: اردبیل also known as Ardebil; Old Persian: Artavil The Safavids ( صفوی) were an Iranian ref>Helen Chapin Metz Murid ( مريد) is a Sufi term meaning 'committed one' It refers to a person who is committed to a teacher in the spiritual path of Sufism Azerbaijan ( English; Azərbaycan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası is the largest and most populous country in the South For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black The organization was controlled through the office of khalīfāt al-khulafā'ī who appointed representatives (khalīfa) in regions where Safavid propaganda was active. The khalīfa, in turn, had subordinates termed pira. Their presence in eastern Anatolia posed a serious threat to the Ottomans, because they encouraged the Shi'ite population of Asia Minor to revolt against the sultan. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish

In 1499, Ismail, the young leader of the Safavid order, left Lanjan for Ardabil to make his bid for power. Lenjan County (شهرستان لنجان is a County in Isfahan Province in Iran. Ardabil ( Persian and Azeri: اردبیل also known as Ardebil; Old Persian: Artavil By the summer of 1500, ca. 7,000 supporters from the local Turcoman tribes of Anatolia, Syria, and Iraq - collectively called "Kizilbash" by their enemies - rallied to his support. Leading his troops on a punitive campaign against the Shīrvanshāh (ruler of Shirvan), he sought revenge for the death of his father and his grandfather in Shīrvan. Shirvan (Şirvan شروان also spelled as Shervan or Shirwan, is a historical region in the Caucasus and part of present-day Republic of Azerbaijan After defeating the Shīrvanshāh Farrukh Yassar, he moved south into Azarbaijan where his 7,000 Kizilbash warriors defeated a force of 30,000 Ak Koyunlu under Alwand Mirzā,^[8] and conquered Tabriz. Farrukh Yassar Shirvanshah of Shirvan (1465-1500 In 1488 Shaykh Haydar of Safavids moved through Shirvan towards Derbend supposedly to wage jihad against Circassians This article is about the region in Iran for other uses see Azerbaijan (disambiguation. The Ak Koyunlu or Aq Qoyunlu, also called the White Sheep Turkomans ( Turkmen: Akgoýunly, Azeri: Ağqoyunlu, Tabriz ( تبریز, تبریز) is the largest city in northwestern Iran. This was the beginning of the Safavid state. The Safavids ( صفوی) were an Iranian ref>Helen Chapin Metz

In the first decade of the 16th century, the Kizilbash expanded Safavid rule over the rest of Persia, as well as Baghdad and Iraq, formerly under Ak Koyunlu control. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Baghdad (بغداد) is the Capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is also coterminous For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. In 1510 Shah Ismail sent a large force of the Kizilbash to Transoxania to support the Timurid ruler Babur in his war against the Uzbeks. Transoxiana (sometimes spelled Transoxania "河中“Chinese / Ma Wara'un-Nahr ( Arabic: ما وراء النهر / Farārood (فرارود The Timurids, self-designated Gurkānī ( were a Persianate Central Asian Sunni Muslim dynasty Babur ( February 14 1483 - December 26 1530) was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who following a series of setbacks The Uzbeks (Self designation sg O‘zbek, pl O‘zbeklar) are a Turkic people of Central Asia. The Kizilbash defeated the Uzbeks and secured Samarqand for Babur. Samarkand (Samarqand Самарқанд سمرقند UniPers: "Samarqand" is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of However, in 1512, an entire Kizilbash army was annihilated by the Uzbeks after Turcoman Kizilbash had mutinied against their Persian wakil and commander, Amir Nadjm. The Uzbeks (Self designation sg O‘zbek, pl O‘zbeklar) are a Turkic people of Central Asia. ^[9] This heavy defeat put an end to Safavid expansion and influence in Transoxania and the northeastern frontiers of the kingdom remained vulnerable to nomad invasions. Transoxiana (sometimes spelled Transoxania "河中“Chinese / Ma Wara'un-Nahr ( Arabic: ما وراء النهر / Farārood (فرارود

The Battle of Chaldiran

Meanwhile, the Safavid da'wa (propaganda) continued in Ottoman areas - with great success. Even more alarming for the Ottomans was the successful conversion of Turcoman tribes in eastern Anatolia and Iraq, and the recruitment of these well experienced and feared fighters into the growing Safavid army. In order to stop the Safavid propaganda, Sultan Bayezid II deported large numbers of the Shi'ite population of Asia Minor to Morea. Bayezid II (1447/48 May 26, 1512) ( Ottoman Turkish: بايزيد ثانى Bāyezīd-i sānī, Turkish: II Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black Morea ( Greek: Μορέας or Μοριάς) was the name of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece during the Middle Ages However, in 1507, Shah Ismail and the Kizilbash overran large areas of Kurdistan, defeating regional Ottoman forces. History See also History of the Kurdish people Ancient period See also Hurrians, Guti, Mannaeans, Medes Only two years later in Central Asia, the Kizilbash defeated the Uzbeks at Merv, killing their leader Muhammad Shaybani and destroying his dynasty. The Uzbeks (Self designation sg O‘zbek, pl O‘zbeklar) are a Turkic people of Central Asia. Merv ( Russian: Мерв from Persian: مرو Marv, sometimes transliterated Marw or Mary; cf Abu 'I-Fath Muhammad, known in later centuries as Shaybani Khan (c His head was sent to the Ottoman sultan as a warning.

In 1511, a Shi'ite revolt broke out in Tekke and was brutally suppressed by the Ottomans: 40,000 were massacred on the order of the sultan. Shah Ismail sought to turn the chaos within the Ottoman Empire to his advantage and invaded Anatolia. The Kizilbash defeated a large Ottoman army under Sinan Pasha. Sinan Pasha ( 1506 - April 3, 1596) was an Albanian born Ottoman military commander ( Pasha) and statesman Shocked by this heavy defeat, Sultan Selim I (the new ruler of the Empire) decided to invade Persia with a force of 200,000 Ottomans and face the Kizilbash on their own soil. Selim I ( Ottoman: سليم الأول, Turkish: ISelim; also known as "the Grim" or "the Brave" Yavuz in In addition, he ordered the persecution of Shiism and the massacre of all its adherents in the Ottoman Empire. ^[10]

On the 20th August of 1514 (1st Rajab 920 A. Events 636 - Battle of Yarmouk: Arab forces led by Khalid ibn al-Walid take control of Syria and Palestine Rajab ( Arabic: ar رجب is the seventh month of the Islamic calendar. H. ), the two armies met at Chaldiran in Azarbaijan. The Battle of Chaldiran (also Chaldoran or Çaldıran) occurred on 23 August 1514 and ended with a decisive victory for the Ottoman Empire over This article is about the region in Iran for other uses see Azerbaijan (disambiguation. The Ottomans outnumbered the Kizilbash two to one (according to other sources: three to one) and had artillery and handguns. Artillery (from French artillerie) is a military Combat Arm which employs any apparātus machine The Kizilbash were heavily defeated,^[11] and many high-ranking Kizilbash amirs as well as three influential figures of the ulamā were killed. Emir ( Arabic: ar أمير;, female أميرة; emira;) ( Farsi and Urdu: امیر)

The defeat destroyed Shah Ismail's belief in his invincibility and his divine status. It also fundamentally altered the relationship between the murshid-e kāmil and his murids.

The Kizilbash and the Mughals of India

For almost ten years after the Battle of Chaldiran, rival Kizilbash factions fought for control of the kingdom. In 1524, 10-year-old Shah Tahmasp I, the governor of Herat, succeeded his father Ismail. Tahmasp I ( 3 March, 1514-1576 was an influential Shah of Persia of the Safavid Dynasty area3018 sq mi Herāt ( classically called the Aria, is a city in western Afghanistan, in the province also known as Herāt. He was the ward of the powerful Kizilbash amir Ali Beg Rūmlū (titled "Div Soltān") who was the de facto ruler of the Safavid kingdom. In Law, a ward is someone placed under the protection of a Legal guardian. ^[12] However, Tahmasp managed to reassert his authority over the state and over the Kizilbash.

During the reign of Shah Tahmasp, the Kizilbash fought a series of wars on two fronts and - with the poor resources available to them - successfully defended their kingdom against the Uzbeks in the east, and against the Ottomans in the west. With the Treaty of Amasya, peace between Safavids and Ottomans remained for the rest of Tahmasp's reign. ^[13]

The deprivation of the Turcomans

Inter-tribal rivalry of the Turcomans, the attempt of Persian nobles to the end the Turcoman dominance, and constant succession conflicts went on for another 10 years after Tahmasp's death. This heavily weakened the Safavid state and made the kingdom vulnerable to external enemies: the Ottomans attacked and conquered Azerbaijan, the Uzbeks conquered Khurasan, including Balkh and Herat. Greater Khorasan (خراسان بزرگ (also written Khorasaan, Khurasan and Khurasaan) is a modern term for eastern territories of ancient Persia Balkh ( - Balḫ) also known as Bactra, was once a major world city but was destroyed entirely by the Mongols. area3018 sq mi Herāt ( classically called the Aria, is a city in western Afghanistan, in the province also known as Herāt.

In 1588, Shah Abbas I came to power. Shāh ‘Abbās I or Shāh ‘Abbās the Great ( (born January 27, 1571; died January 19, 1629) was Shah of Iran and the most eminent He appointed the Governor of Herat and his former guardian and tutor, Alī Quli Khān Shāmlū (also known as Hājī Alī Qizilbāsh Mazandarānī) the chief of all the armed forces. area3018 sq mi Herāt ( classically called the Aria, is a city in western Afghanistan, in the province also known as Herāt. Later on, events of the past, including the role of the Turcomans in the succession struggles after the death of his father, and the counter balancing influence of traditional Ithnāˤashari Shia Sayeds, made him determined to end the dominance of the untrustworthy Turcoman chiefs in Persia. For the Lost character please see Sayid Jarrah Sayyid ( ar سيد) (plural Saadah is an Honorific title In order to weaken the Turcomans - the important militant elite of the Safavid kingdom - Shah Abbas raised a standing army from the ranks of the ghulams who were usually ethnic Armenians and Georgians. Ghulam ( Hindi: ग़ुलाम Urdu: غلام Translation: Slave) is a 1998 Bollywood film directed by Vikram The Armenians (Հայեր Hayer) are a Nation and Ethnic group originating in the Caucasus and in the Armenian Highlands A large The Georgians (ქართველები kartvelebi) are a Nation and Ethnic group originating in the Caucasus, the oldest group of the The new army would be loyal to the king personally and not to clan-chiefs anymore. ^[8]

The reorganisation of the army also ended the independent rule of Turcoman chiefs in the Safavid provinces, and instead centralized the administration of those provinces.

Ghulams were appointed to high positions within the royal household, and by the end of Shah Abbas' reign, one-fifth of the high-ranking amirs were ghulams. Emir ( Arabic: ar أمير;, female أميرة; emira;) ( Farsi and Urdu: امیر) ^[5] By 1598 an ethnic Armenian from Georgia had risen to the position of commander-in-chief of all Safawid armed forces. Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between ^[14] The offices of wakil and amir al-umarā fell in disuse and were replaced by the office of a Sipahsālār (Persian: سپهسالار, master of the army), commander-in-chief of all armed forces - Turcoman and Non-Turcoman - and usually held by a Persian (Tādjik) noble. Spahbod or Spahbed ( Persian: سپهبد in Modern Persian Sepahbod, is derived from the words Spah سپه army bod

Nadir Shah and the fall of the Safavids

Legacy

Afghanistan

Kizilbash in Afghanistan live in urban areas, such as Kabul, Herat or Mazari Sharif, as well as in certain villages in Hazarajat. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, } Kābul ( Persian and Pashto: کابل, IPA:) is the Capital and largest city of Afghanistan, with area3018 sq mi Herāt ( classically called the Aria, is a city in western Afghanistan, in the province also known as Herāt. Mazār-e Sharīf ( is the fourth largest city of Afghanistan, with population of 300600 people (2006 estimate Hazarajat, also known as Hazaristan, is the name given to a region in central Afghanistan that makes up the native homeland of Afghanistan's Hazara They are descendants of the troops left behind by Nadir Shah during his "Indian campaign" in 1738. Nāder Shāh Afshār ( also known as Nāder Qoli Beg - نادر قلی بیگ or Tahmāsp Qoli Khān - تهماسپ قلی خان) (November Year 1738 ( MDCCXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or Afghanistan's Kizilbash held important posts in government offices in the past, and today engage in trade or are craftsmen. Since the creation of Afghanistan, they constitute an important and politically influential element of society. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Estimates of their population vary from 60,000 to 200,000. They are Persian-speaking Shi'ite Muslims and are usually linked to the Fārsīwāns and Tājīks of the country. Fārsīwān ( or its more archaic version Pārsīwān - پارسیوان) is a general designation of the Persian-speakers in Afghanistan. Tajik ( - Tādjīk; UniPers: Tâjik; Cyrillic: Тоҷик is a term generally applied to Persian-speaking people of

Sir Mountstuart Elphinstone described the Kizilbash of Kabul in the beginning of the 19th century as "a colony of Turks," who spoke "Persian, and among themselves Turkish. Mountstuart Elphinstone ( October 6, 1779 &ndash November 20, 1859) was a Scottish Statesman and Historian, The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar "^[15] Described as learned, affluent, and influential, they appear to have abandoned their native Turkish language in favour of Persian, and became "in fact Persianized Turks". ^[16] However, Lady Florentia Sale (wife of Sir Robert Henry Sale) and Vincent Eyre - both companions of Sir M. Sir Robert Henry Sale GCB (1782–1845 was a British Soldier. Elphinstone - described the Kizilbash of Afghanistan also as "Persians, of Persian descent". ^[17][18]

The influence of the Kizilbash in the government created resentment among the ruling Pashtun clans, especially after the Kizilbash openly allied themselves with the British during the First Anglo-Afghan War (1839-1842). Pashtuns ( Pashto: پښتون Paṣtūn, Paxtūn, also rendered as Pushtuns, Pakhtuns, Pukhtuns) also called The First Anglo–Afghan War lasted from 1839 to 1842 It was one of the first major conflicts during The Great Game, the 19th century competition for power and influence in During Abdur Rahman Khan's massacre of the Shi'ite minorities in Afghanistan, the Kizilbash were declared "enemies of the state" and were persecuted and hunted by the government and by the Sunni majority. ^[19] (See also: Reign of Amir Abdur Rahman Khan)

Iran

The Kizilbash were still vital players in the success of the Safavid Empire - providing soldiers and assisting greatly in the flourishing economy, as well as in arts and literature. In addition, many Kizilbash became Ayatollahs or Mujtahids (important Shia scholars), teaching Iran's masses religious practices and belief. Ayatollah ( Persian: آيت‌الله, âyato-llâh, from Arabic: آية الله, āyatu 'llāh, meaning 'the sign of Ijtihad (Arabic اجتهاد is a technical term of Islamic law that describes the process of making a legal decision by independent interpretation of the legal sources

Syria

Pakistan

The Qizilbash are an influential group found in almost all segments of Pakistani society particularly in the fertile province(s) of Panjab and Sindh which was were most groups settled and established colonies. The Punjab ( Urdu:) province of Sindh ( Sindhī: سنڌ Urdu: سندھ is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhis. There are sizable populations in the city of Karachi, Multan, Lahore, Sialkot, Hyderabad and Rawalpindi. (ڪراچي) is the largest city in Pakistan. It is the world's second largest city proper behind Mumbai in terms of population which exceeds 10 million ( Urdu:, Punjabi ملتان، ਮੁਲਤਾਨ is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District ( lahor is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. Sialkot ( Urdu / Punjabi:) the capital of Sialkot District, is a city situated in the north-east of the Punjab province in ( Urdu, Sindhi:; Haidarābād is located in the Sindh province of Pakistan. ( Urdu: Rāwalpindī) is a city in the Potwar Plateau near Pakistan 's capital city of Islamabad, in the province Estimates vary from 800,000 to 3,000,000 people may be descendants of the Qizilbash as they established several colonies principally in Pakistan in ancient times as well as in the urban centres of Afghanistan. Entire villages and sometimes districts were settled by the Qizilbash where many of their descendants can still be found to this day. Their numbers were further increased with the arrival of tens of thousands of Qizilbash from neighboring Afghanistan when they were termed enemies of the state by the then Amir of Afghanistan for supposedly siding with the British in the first Anglo-Afghan war. In Pakistan, they yield considerable influence both at a local social level within the respective community and tribe they live in as well as yield influence politically in the government as many prominent individuals of Qizilbash decent have attained positions within the senate. The Qizilbash are known for the intellect, higher education and are well renowned as scholars all throughout Pakistan. They have produced many politicians, religious scholars, doctors, lawyers and engineers within the country. Qizilbash are also found in the province of NWFP principally in the city of Peshawer as well as in Balochistan. ( پښور; Urdu: پشاور) is the capital of the North-West Frontier Province and the administrative centre for the Federally Administered

Turkey

see: Alevis

Some Alevi- and Bektashi leaning religious or ethnic minorities in Anatolia go under the name of Kizilbash to the present day. Alevis (Aleviler Elewî are a religious sub-ethnic and cultural community in Turkey, numbering in the millions Alevis (Aleviler Elewî are a religious sub-ethnic and cultural community in Turkey, numbering in the millions Bektashism (Bektaşilik is an Islamic Sufi order ( Tariqat) considered to be a distinct branch of Shi'a Islam Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black

“

It has been reported that, among the Ottoman Turks, kızılbaş has become something of a derogatory term and can be applied to groups that aren't necessarily associated with the Kazilbash of Central Asia. The Bektaşi in Turkey are often referred to as Kızılbaşi[20]

”

These accounts certify the connection to Safavids within Alevi-Bektashi community of Turkey; as some of their towns and villages maintain legendary connections to Sultan Haydar of Persia, even naming their towns after him. Bektashism (Bektaşilik is an Islamic Sufi order ( Tariqat) considered to be a distinct branch of Shi'a Islam Sultan (سلطان is an Islamic title with several historical meanings Haydar (Arabic حيدر) is one of many Arabic Male Given names for " Lion " each denoting some aspect of the animal The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia The Alevi population with connections to Kizilbash are ethnic Turks, Zaza and Kurds. The Turkish people (Türk Halkı also known as " Turks " ( Türkler) are defined mainly as being speakers of Turkish as a First language

See also

• Sufism
• Safavids
• Shi'a Islam
• Tengrism
• Secret societies

References

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