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

combat. Comme leur titre l’indique, le dede, le xalife et le lele appartiennent aux
grades initiatiques de l’organisation religieuse qizilbas. Les deux autres sont
chefs des tribu, et ces deux chefs ont avec la vénérée famille d’Ardabil un lien
mondain : ‘Abdi Beg et Bayram Beg sont des gendres ; ils ont épousé des filles
de Seyx Haydar. 807
Ismail’s concealment in Lāhijan no doubt constituted the nucleus of his future
state. While taking care of young Ismail’s education and training, the seven great
qizilbahes around him maintained the connection and communication with disciples of
the Order in several provinces of Anatolia, Syria, and Azarbaijan. 808 Ross Anonymous
and Ahsenu’t-tevārih record that during Ismail’s residence in Lāhijan, sufis from near
and far, especially from Diyār-ı Rūm (Anatolia), Karacadağ, Tuman Meşkin, came to the
court of the prince 809 in Lāhijan, presenting their gifts and votive offerings (adak) and
paying their homage. But they did not stay there for a long time simply because of
security reasons, but rather returned to their home sooner. 810 A contemporary Italian
testimony approves the Safavid chronicles:
During these five years [in concealment] these boys [Safavid princes] were
incited by many of their father’s friends, who came to visit them, to assemble
troops to recover his possessions; having collected five hundred brave and
faithful men, and the whole country being friendly disposed towards them, they
elected Ismael their captain, as he was a fiery, brave, and courteous youth. 811
807 Aubin, “Les souifs de Lāhejān”, p. 4.
808 Caterino Zeno, a Venetian embassy at the court of Uzun Hasan, states that Ismail sent secret orders to
his followers instructing them on what to do. See Caterino Zeno, “Travels in Persia”, in NIT, p. 48.
809 Ross Anonymous uses the term “Perfect Guide”. See Ross Anonymous, p. 288. Also consider Roger M.
Savory, “The Consolidation of Safawid Power in Persia”, Der Islam, 41, Berlin, 1965, p. 85; Iran under
the Safavids, pp. 22-23.
810 Ross Anonymous, p. 288; HR, p. 11; HT, p. 171. AA writes similarly, “Ismail’s place of residence was
frequented by sufis, and devotees were never absent from his threshold.” See AA, p. 41.
811 Giovan Maria Angiolello, “A Short Narrative of the Life and Acts of the King Ussun Cassano”, in NIT,
p. 103. Giovan Maria Angiolello fell captive to Mehmed II’s army in 1470. He served Prince Mustafa and
attended the Otlukbeli battle with Uzun Hasan in the Ottoman army. He then obtained his freedom and
returned to Italy. Between 1499 and 1515 he stayed in Persia for business or a diplomatic mission on
behalf of the Venetian Republic. See Tufan Gündüz (trs.), Seyyahların Gözüyle Sultanlar ve Savaşlar.
Giovanni Maria Angiolello – Venedikli Bir Tüccar ve Vincenzo D’Alessandri’nin Seyahatnâmeleri,
Đstanbul: Yeditepe Yayınevi, 2007, p. 11
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