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

the Ottoman Empire 1086 , to protest the hostile activities of Prince Selim in Trabzon, and
to guarantee that his soldiers would respect Ottoman lands during his upcoming
campaign on the Dulkadir. 1087 Bayezid did not show an open disapproval, but remained
suspicious. An interesting event reported in Italian sources shows how suspicious and
distrustful the Ottoman administration was of Ismail. Ismail’s ambassadors were
guarded closely in Istanbul and prevented from communicating with the public. ‘Even
the money which he spent in Istanbul was afterwards collected and the holders of it were
reimbursed, in order that the heresy inscribed upon it could not circulate in Turkey.’ 1088
On the other hand, the close connection between Ismail and his disciples in
Anatolia proved to be intense during this period as well. Hoca Saadeddin, while
narrating Selim’s reasoning of his campaign on Iran, places a special emphasis on the
fifth column activities of Ismail’s khalifas and disciples within the Ottoman realm.
According to his testimony, the impercipient Turks (Etrāk-i bī-idrāk) of Anatolia
somehow adhered to him (Ismail) without knowing his true character; they began to
sacrifice their possessions and sons for the sake of the Shah. Those who had the
opportunity used to visit him (Shah Ismail) carrying uncountable presents and vows
(adak); those who did not have chance to visit him were sending their vows and presents
via the Safavid khalifas working in Anatolia. To Hoca Saadeddin, the primary stimulus
of the qizilbashes’ such practices was that they regarded the Porte of the Shah as the
door of need and wish (hācet kapısı) believing that the Shah would fulfill their wishes
through spiritual or supernatural means; the nature of their belief in the Shah was
1086 He was expressing in his letter: “Benüm Pādişah-ı ālem-penāh hazretlerinin memālik-i mahrūselerine
kal’en dahl ü taarruzum yokdur”. TSA, document E 325. Regard also TNSB, p. 240.
1087 FSH, p. 94.
1088 FSH, p. 94.
332