Bektashi dervish lodges and shrines in the trvelogue of Evliya Celebi

Abstract

Evliya Celebi is most important travellers and intellectuals of XVII. century. His work has very valuable information about that period. Travelogue is the only sources of detailed information about Bektashi dervish lodges and shrines of XVII. century. Because Evliya Celebi mentions more than one hundred fifty Bektashi dervish lodges and shrines in his work. Accordingly XVII. centruy Bektashism was diffused in Istanbul, Anatolia and Rumelia outside the geography of Crete, Rhodes, Egypt, Baghdad and Iran. The traveler provided information, introduced daily life, peaceful and secure environment of Bektashi lodges at that time. Also, travelogue is full of with a very rich observation and description. The information given includes his observation of the traveller, their own observations of the period and local legends together. In this study, in light of information in the travelogue, Bektashi dervish lodges and shrines that rustle at XVII. century clamped. But this study is not limited to information provided by Evliya, it also verifies or completes it with the archival records, particularly in the resource works that have been extended up to. While doing so, Evliya was referred for his contemporary records in which he gave information about the sources of before or after consulted.