Sheikh Cuneyd who had come to Anatolia found a
suitable environment and foundation for his targets in a way that he even could not
expect. He met with a lot of communities that were Shiites or inclined or suitable for the
Shiah Islam among the villagers and nomads that he wandered around. This question occurs
to the mind about this issue: Was Cuneyd a Shiite person when he came to Anatolia? It is
easy to answer this question. However, it is possible and even maybe, probable that he had
accepted the Shiah Islam after his arrival in this country. It was absolutely true that
Cuneyd travelled around Anatolia not only as a member of the sheikh family connected to a
famous religious order, but also as a descendant of the Prophet at the same time. It can
be stated as a natural incident that a covetous man like him had considered the Shiah
Islam as a suitable religion under his capacity. As it is known, there is only little
information about the activities of Cuneyd in Anatolia. We are grateful to Aşikpaşazade
for most of this information. It has been understood that Cuneyd was a very loquacious
person with the capacity of inspiration and an active person at the same time. This Safevi
sheikh had gathered a community around him as his disciples among the villager and nomadic
Turks in the course of his travels in Anatolia. Moreover, Cuneyd was able to organise an
armed force composed of five-ten thousands of people within the community stated above.
The other important
reasons for the successes of Cuneyd were his allegation that he was the descendant of the
caliph, Excellency Ali; the revelation of the political targets of his activities;
probably, the lack of the proper economical conditions among the villager and nomadic
Turks; and particularly the lack of their satisfaction in respect of policy.
Sheikh Cuneyd
penetrated into the lands of the Trebizond Greek State together with his armed disciples
composed of five-ten thousands of people that he collected. Then, he despoiled these
lands. Moreover, he besieged the city of Trebizond in person; however, he understood that
he could not capture the city and therefore, he gave up the blockade. Meanwhile, Uzun
Hasan Bey had ascended to the throne as the sovereign of the Akkoyunlu State (1452).
Cuneyd went to him. Hasan Bey received the Safevi sheikh kindly. Furthermore, he had this
sheikh to be married with his sister, Hadice Begim. It was obvious that the Akkoyunlu
ruler who was extremely faithful to the principles of the Sunni Islam had acted in that
way in order to benefit from Cuneyd’s forces against Karakoyunlu Cihan Shah Mirza who
continuously posed a threat for him.
In addition, it can be
thought that Cuneyd had pretended to be a moderate Shiite at the same time. Whatever the
situation was, Safevi sheikh returned from Anatolia where he had been for long years to
Erdebil with some of his disciples. Before long, Sheikh Cuneyd set in motion in order to
fight in a holy war in the Circassian country. In fact, it was required to feed these
principles. At the same time, he would acquire great fame and the number of his disciples
would increase upon this holy war. He did not attach much importance to the rejection of
the Shirvan Ruler, Halilullah in relation with his passage from his country. He even
ventured to fight with him. He believed that his disciples who were few in number but
ready to die voluntarily for the sake of their sheikhs would defeat the soldiers of
Shirvan. Actually, his disciples had fought in a self-sacrificing manner. However, Cuneyd
was defeated by Shirvan Shah and in addition, he lost his life in the battlefield (1460).
This activity of Cuneyd is of great significance in respect of the indication that
Anatolia had an extremely active manpower in those periods.
This defeat did not led
to the separation of the disciples of Safevi order, and the disconnection or the decline
of their ties with this religious order. Actually, their sheikh had sons. These sons
obeyed to the testament of Cuneyd and they gathered around his son, Haydar who was born by
the sister of Akkoyunlu Ruler, Uzun Hasan Bey although Haydar was still in his childhood.
Cuneyd had selected Haydar at a very young age despite his other elder sons. The reason
for this selection was not without a cause, as it can be understood. Haydar was a noble
person in birth and he could provide the support and protection of his maternal uncle in
case of a necessity at the same time. Actually, before long, Uzun Hasan Bey defeated Cihan
Shah and his son, Hasan Ali. Then, he abolished the Karakoyunlu State. Thus, he
established an empire in an extensive area extending from Khorasan towards the region of
Sivas (1468).
Haydar ascended to the
post of sheikhdom in Erdebil easily. Then, he was married with Halime Begum, the daughter
of his maternal uncle, Hasan Padishah- who was also known as Alem Shah- . He had three
sons from this wedlock including Ismail that was the founder of the Safevi State. As it
can be understood, Sheikh Haydar tried to develop the organisation in Anatolia and to
increase the number of the disciples in the first years of his sheikhdom. The talented and
gifted ones among the Anatolian disciples were specially trained and they were sent to
their countries with the title of caliph. These caliphs were charged with the diffusion of
the religious order and the collection of properties for their sheikhs. One of these
caliphs was Tekeli Hasan Caliph who was the father of Shah Kulu that was cited as Satan
Kulu in a ridiculous manner within the Ottoman resources. As it can be understood from
this brief explanation, the head of this religious order was in the city of Erdebil in
Azerbaijan; however, the body of this order was in Anatolia. There were only few members
of the religious order and these were composed of the people from Erdebil, Karaca Mountain
Turks, Taliş people, Karamanlu and Kaçar tribes in Erran.
The number of the
members of this religious order in Anatolia had increased upon the continuous and
effective propaganda of Sheikh Haydar. These membes had started to visit their sheikh in
Erdebil with votive offerings and gifts. Their Sunnite neighbours had recommended them to
go to Medina and visit the mausoleum of the Prophet Mohammed instead of suffering such
troubles and going to Erdebil. They replied to these neighbours with the statement that
“We will visit the alive, not the dead”. There was a quarter with the inhabitants of
the Anatolian people that was founded in the city of Erdebil where this religious order
had become established. According to the words of the contemporary chronicler, Fadlullah
b. Ruzbihan, the Ottoman Ruler, Bayezid II abstained from the occurrence of any conflict
or turmoil caused by the disciples of Haydar whose number gradually increased despite the
fact tha he had a powerful army and a wide country. Actually, the indulgent government of
Bayezis had played an important role in the extreme development of this religious order in
Anatolia. Due to his weakness, let alone the Shiite people in Anatolia, the Sunnite people
also were subjected to pressures. In short, Bayezid II had much responsibility in the
diffusion of this religious order in Anatolia and the foundation of the Safevi State.
Upon the gradual
increase of the numbers of his disciples, Sheikh Haydar could not remain silent and
inactive even if he wished it. Actually, the Anatolian devotees (disciples) that were
devoted to him with a faith beyond the faith to the Prophet Mohammed expected great works
and accomplishment from their sheikh. In fact, these disciples were composed of the poor
Anatolian people. There were only a few people among them who had the capacity as a “bey”.
Therefore, when Sheikh Haydar organised a military expedition against the Caucasian tribes
beyond Demirkapi (Derbend) in the year of 891 (1486), these soldiers in the army of the
disciples that were composed of ten thousands of people were poorly-dressed and some of
them did not have any horses and some of them did not even have weapons. Nevertheless,
this military organisation ended up with success and they acquired a lot of spools. The
military expedition that was organised in the following year ended up with the same
victory. It is beyond doubt that these victorious military expeditions had increased the
fame of Haydar and the number of his disciples.
Sheikh Haydar
penetrated in Shirvan for his third military expedition in the year of 893 (1488). As it
can be understood, the main target was Shirvan Shah in person in this expedition. Ferruh
Yesar perceived that he could not fight against Haydar despite his crowded and
well-equipped army and he hid himself in a castle. Then, he asked help from Akkoyunlu
Yakup Bey who was his son-in-law. As for Haydar; the sheikh of Erdebil who relied on the
sacrifice of his disciples had resolved an insolent decision and he did not even hesitate
to fight against the army that was sent by his uncle’s son under the command of Biçen
oglu Suleyman Bey. Although the devotees had saved their face in respect of bravery, they
were defeated upon the death of their sheikh with an arrow thrown to him (Shaban 893=
August 1488).
However, they were not dispersed despite this
second terrible calamity. This time, they were collected around Sultan Ali who was one of
Haydar’s sons. Yakup Bey who followed these events perceived the approaching danger and
he arrested his three nephews (Ali, Ismail, Ibrahim) together with their mothers in the
castle of Istahr in Fars. These persons stayed in this castle for four and a half years.
In this period, Sultan Yakub had died and there was a great struggle of sultanate among
the members of the Akkoyunlu dynasty that caused the collapse of the state. In the year of
1492, Rustem Bey (Maksud Bey’s son) who was one of the grandsons of Uzun Hasan Bey
ascended the throne. He set free Sultan Ali and his brothers who were in prison in order
to benefit from their disciples against Yakub Bey’s son, Bay Sungur. Although Bay Sungur
was annihilated, this danger was replaced by Sultan Ali who posed a greater threat (at the
end of Shawwal in 898= 13th August 1493). Nevertheless, Rustem also annihilated this young
Safevi sheikh like Bay Sungur without any difficulty by means of his talented commander,
Ibn Sultan who was the member of the dynasty (end of the year of 898= September 1493).
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