FROM BANQUET TO SUFI ORDER: THE ROLE OF KIZILDELI IN THE FORMATION PROCESS OF THE BEKTASHI ORDER

Abstract

It is generally accepted that the Bektashi Order - as it is known today - was established by Balim Sultan during the early sixteenth century. The long epoch between Haci Bektas Veil and Balim Sultan, which covers nearly two hundred and fifty years, constitutes the formative period of the Sufi Order. These early periods of the Bektashi history is yet to be discovered. Neither doctrines nor historical developments during this era are adequately known. Focusing on the case of Kizildeli, this article aims to shed light on this dark side of the Bektashi history. On the one hand, it tries to understand how the banquets of Haci Bektas turned into a Sufi Order, which influences masses. On the other hand, it aims to discover the role Kizildeli played during this process. This article also examines the function of the Kizildeli hospice, thus scrutinizes its influence on the formation and later progress of the Bektashi Order.