The foundation of the
Safevi State was an actually important event in the histories of Islam and Turkey. The
most important result of this event was the occurrence of a new world in the centre of the
Islam world.
This state with the
principal quality of following the Shiah Islam that included Iran had maintained its
existence until today. The most interesting and significant aspect of this issue was the
diffusion of the Shiah Islam to Iran from Anatolia. The element that diffused the Shiah
Islam in Iran was the Anatolian Turks that founded the Safevi State who were called as Kızılbaş
(Red Head- member of Shiite sect). The foundation of the Safevi State by the Anatolian
Turks and the forced imposition of the Shiite sect to turn into a unrivalled sect of Iran
were the issues that have not been researched and understood thoroughly.
The view alleging that
the Safevi State was a “national Iran State” seems to have hardly any supporters among
the serious scientists. When the Safevi State is examined thoroughly, it is not possible
not to be astonished with this unfounded allegation. Actually, the dynasty did not have
any kind of relation with the descendants of the Prophet. As for the members of the
dynasty: They had alleged that they were the descendants of the Prophet since the period
of Sheikh Cuneyd and they had considered themselves as the scions of Hz. Ali.
As it can be clearly
understood from various resources that we presently have acquired, the majority of the
people in Iran was composed of the members of Sunnite sect in the period of Sheikh Cuneyd
and Sheikh Haydar, in other words, in the second half of the century XV.
Ismail acted in a
bloody and furious manner together with the Kizilbaş (Shiite) Turks in his retinue and he
forced the Sunnite people of Iran to adopt the Shiah Islam that was followed by these
Kizilbas Turks. Especially the Shiah Islam that was followed in the period of Shah Ismail
was much more different than the Shiah Islam that was understood by the Iranian people.
As a proof for their
allegation, those who alleged that the Safevi State was “a national Iranian State” had
stated that he Safevi State had extended the borders of Iran in order to exactly reach the
borders in the period of Sasani State. Actually, the borders do not ever constitute
evidence for the consideration of a state as a national state. Actually, the borders could
change at any time. However, the borders of the Iranian Seljuk State and the Ilhanli State
were mot much different than the borders of the Safevi State.
As or the group that
established the Safevi State and maintained its existence: It has been stated above that
this group was composed of the Anatolian Turks. This group did not have any kind of
relation with either the nation of the Akkoyunlu State and the nation of the Karakoyunlu
State. As it will be explained below in details, this group was a new Turkish group that
were the members of the Central and Southern regions of Anatolia. As it was indicated
above, the Shiah Islam that we can call with the name of identity of kizilbaş (Shiite) in
the first period of the state defined the religious beliefs of this group.
There were many issues
about the Safevi State that has not been studied upon in details and examined thoroughly.
One of these issues is the military and civil organisation of this state. The organisation
of this state was actually based on the organisation of the Akkoyunlu State. However,
there are various institutions in this state that were borrowed from Chagatai people. For
example; the Turkish calendar with twelve animals, the organisation of brigade of guards,
in other words, the the ruler’s bodyguards (korçi), various phrases and idioms such as
onbaşi (corporal), yüzbaşi (captain), etc. were the elements that we have not observed
in the Akkoyunlu State.
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