TURKOMANS BETWEEN TWO EMPIRES: THE ... - Bilkent University

excessively emotional devotion of illiterate and ignoramus sufis to their shaykhs. This
ignorant and passionate devotion of sufis and its influence on their faith is best reported
by the Venetian ambassador Caterino Zeno, who visited the court of Uzun Hasan, saying
“So great was his success, that at this time he was considered by all a Saint, and a man
almost divine.” 729 He also gives interesting details denoting Haydar’s affiliation with
shi’ism: “Secheaidare was a Saint or Master or Prophet, as we should call him, who by
preaching a new Dogma in the Mohametan creed that Ali was superior to Omar,
obtained many disciples and people who favoured his doctrine.” 730
Likewise, other contemporary Italian observers, who were usually inclined to
tune up the extremist and extraordinary practices, depict Haydar rather as a beloved
shaykh than a divine being. The unknown merchant, for example, depicts Haydar as “a
lord about the rank of a count, named Secaidar, of a religion or sect named Sophi,
reverenced by his co-religionists as a saint, and obeyed as a chief. … Indeed, he was like
the abbot of a nation of monks.” 731 Similarly, another contemporary Italian observer
writes that he was considered by his sufis a saint and followed him as their chief. 732
Vincentio D’Aalessandri, the Venetian ambassador at the court of Shah Tahmasb,
follows the same line of narration depicing Shaykh Haydar as “a man of great goodness
and learning, and considered by his people a saint”. 733
powerful ruler (hākim-i qādir) rendered it a duty to rebel his tyranny and oppression, for in his actions
Shaykh Haydar was either a rebel (yāghī), or a highwayman and aggressor.” (TA, p. 74.) Blaming such
rebellious groups for heresy has always become one of the powerful tools in the hands of sunni conformist
ulema to facilitate their execution. As will be discussed in detail in the next chapters of this thesis the
situation was essentially the same in writings of the Ottoman ulemā.
729 Caterino Zeno, “Travels in Persia”, in NIT, p. 43.
730 I.b.i.d., p. 43.
731 “The Travels of a Merchant in Persia”, pp. 184-5.
732 See Giovan Maria Angiolello, “A Short Narrative of the Life and Acts of the King Ussun Cassano”, p.
100.
733 Vincentio D’Alessandri, “Narrative of the Most Noble Vincentio D’Alessandri”, in NIT, p. 211.
237