FROM THE DERVISH LODGE TO THE FRONT: THE BEKTASHI MUJAHIDIN REGIMENT IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR

Hürü Sağlam Tekir

Makale detayları

FROM THE DERVISH LODGE TO THE FRONT: THE BEKTASHI MUJAHIDIN REGIMENT IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR

Yazarlar:

Hürü Sağlam Tekir

Yayıncı:

Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University

Ana Başlıklar:

Yakınçağ Askeri Tarih

Dergi:

Türk Kültürü ve Hacı Bektaş Veli Araştırma Dergisi Issue 115, pp.449-466

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

9/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001358462

pISSN:

1306-8253

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 Drawing on the success of volunteer units in the Tripoli and Balkan wars, the Committee of Union and Progress sought to implement a similar strategy in the First World War. The basis of this strategy was that volunteer troops would reinforce the regular army in areas such as intelligence, guerrilla tactics and frontline logistical support, as well as strengthening local resistance movements. Accordingly, the deployment of two influential religious groups such as the Bektashi and Mevlevi orders, which were very effective within the empire, as military units on different fronts in the First World War shows the full implementation of this strategy. The attempt by the Bektashi sect, which had close links with the Committee of Union and Progress, to form a regimental military unit is a remarkable example of the Ottoman states policy of using religious groups for military purposes. Preparations for the formation of the Bektashi Regiment began in Sivas in May 1915. Through representatives appointed by Cemaleddin Çelebi, efforts were made to recruit volunteers from Alevi communities in the region. The establishment of the Bektashi Regiment was the result of an alternative approach developed in the face of the inability to mobilise Kizil Bash Alevis, especially in and around Dersim, through religious discourses such as Jihad-ı Ekber. However, the Bektashi regiment was not able to stop the Russian advance on the Caucasian front on its own. As a result of the Russian occupation of Erzurum on 16 February 1916 and the withdrawal of the Ottoman forces, Cemaleddin Çelebi Efendi had to return to Erzincan with his entourage. This study deals with the formation, frontline activities and the end of the Bektashi Regiment that operated under the command of Cemaleddin Çelebi Efendi, the postmaster of Hacı Bektaşi Veli Dervish Lodge.

 Drawing on the success of volunteer units in the Tripoli and Balkan wars, the Committee of Union and Progress sought to implement a similar strategy in the First World War. The basis of this strategy was that volunteer troops would reinforce the regular army in areas such as intelligence, guerrilla tactics and frontline logistical support, as well as strengthening local resistance movements. Accordingly, the deployment of two influential religious groups such as the Bektashi and Mevlevi orders, which were very effective within the empire, as military units on different fronts in the First World War shows the full implementation of this strategy. The attempt by the Bektashi sect, which had close links with the Committee of Union and Progress, to form a regimental military unit is a remarkable example of the Ottoman states policy of using religious groups for military purposes. Preparations for the formation of the Bektashi Regiment began in Sivas in May 1915. Through representatives appointed by Cemaleddin Çelebi, efforts were made to recruit volunteers from Alevi communities in the region. The establishment of the Bektashi Regiment was the result of an alternative approach developed in the face of the inability to mobilise Kizil Bash Alevis, especially in and around Dersim, through religious discourses such as Jihad-ı Ekber. However, the Bektashi regiment was not able to stop the Russian advance on the Caucasian front on its own. As a result of the Russian occupation of Erzurum on 16 February 1916 and the withdrawal of the Ottoman forces, Cemaleddin Çelebi Efendi had to return to Erzincan with his entourage. This study deals with the formation, frontline activities and the end of the Bektashi Regiment that operated under the command of Cemaleddin Çelebi Efendi, the postmaster of Hacı Bektaşi Veli Dervish Lodge.

 Drawing on the success of volunteer units in the Tripoli and Balkan wars, the Committee of Union and Progress sought to implement a similar strategy in the First World War. The basis of this strategy was that volunteer troops would reinforce the regular army in areas such as intelligence, guerrilla tactics and frontline logistical support, as well as strengthening local resistance movements. Accordingly, the deployment of two influential religious groups such as the Bektashi and Mevlevi orders, which were very effective within the empire, as military units on different fronts in the First World War shows the full implementation of this strategy. The attempt by the Bektashi sect, which had close links with the Committee of Union and Progress, to form a regimental military unit is a remarkable example of the Ottoman states policy of using religious groups for military purposes. Preparations for the formation of the Bektashi Regiment began in Sivas in May 1915. Through representatives appointed by Cemaleddin Çelebi, efforts were made to recruit volunteers from Alevi communities in the region. The establishment of the Bektashi Regiment was the result of an alternative approach developed in the face of the inability to mobilise Kizil Bash Alevis, especially in and around Dersim, through religious discourses such as Jihad-ı Ekber. However, the Bektashi regiment was not able to stop the Russian advance on the Caucasian front on its own. As a result of the Russian occupation of Erzurum on 16 February 1916 and the withdrawal of the Ottoman forces, Cemaleddin Çelebi Efendi had to return to Erzincan with his entourage. This study deals with the formation, frontline activities and the end of the Bektashi Regiment that operated under the command of Cemaleddin Çelebi Efendi, the postmaster of Hacı Bektaşi Veli Dervish Lodge.

 İttihat ve Terakki Cemiyeti, Trablusgarp ve Balkan Savaşlarında gönüllü birliklerin gösterdiği başarılardan elde ettiği deneyimle, Birinci Dünya Savaşında benzer bir strateji izlemeyi amaçlamıştır. Bu stratejinin temelinde, gönüllü birliklerin cephe hattında istihbarat faaliyetleri, gerilla taktikleri ve lojistik destek gibi alanlarda düzenli orduyu takviye etmesi ve yerel direnç hareketlerini güçlendirmesi hedeflenmiştir. Bu doğrultuda, imparatorluk içerisinde oldukça etkin olan Bektaşi ve Mevlevi tarikatı gibi iki etkili dini grubun Birinci Dünya Savaşında farklı cephelere askeri birlikler olarak sevk edilmesi, bu stratejinin kapsamlı uygulamasını göstermektedir. İttihat ve Terakki Cemiyeti ile yakın ilişki içerisinde bulunan Bektaşi tarikatının alay ölçeğinde bir askeri birlik oluşturma girişimi, Osmanlı Devletinin dini grupları askeri amaçlarla kullanma politikasının dikkat çekici bir örneğini oluşturmaktadır. Bektaşi Alayının teşkil hazırlıkları 1915 yılı Mayıs ayında Sivasta başlatılmıştır. Cemaleddin Çelebinin tayin ettiği temsilciler vasıtasıyla bölgedeki Alevi topluluklarından gönüllü katılımcılar toplanmaya çalışılmıştır. Bektaşi Alayının kurulması, özellikle Dersim bölgesi ve çevresindeki Kızılbaş Alevilerin Cihad-ı Ekber gibi dini söylemlerle seferber edilememesi karşısında geliştirilen alternatif bir yaklaşımın sonucuydu. Bununla birlikte, Bektaşi Alayının Kafkas Cephesindeki Rus ilerleyişini tek başına durdurma kapasitesi bulunmamaktaydı. Erzurumun 16 Şubat 1916 tarihinde Rus işgaline maruz kalması ve Osmanlı kuvvetlerinin geri çekilmesi neticesinde, Cemaleddin Çelebi Efendi de maiyetiyle beraber Erzincana dönmek zorunda kalmıştır. Bu çalışma, Hacı Bektaşi Veli Dergâhı postnişini Cemaleddin Çelebi Efendi komutasında faaliyet gösteren Bektaşi Alayının kuruluşu, cephe faaliyetleri ve sona ermesini ele almaktadır.

Makale detayları

FROM THE DERVISH LODGE TO THE FRONT: THE BEKTASHI MUJAHIDIN REGIMENT IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR

Yazarlar:

Hürü Sağlam Tekir

Yayıncı:

Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University

Ana Başlıklar:

Yakınçağ Askeri Tarih

Dergi:

Türk Kültürü ve Hacı Bektaş Veli Araştırma Dergisi Issue 115, pp.449-466

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

9/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001358462

pISSN:

1306-8253

Bektashi

Caucasus Front

Alevi

Erzurum

Cemaleddin ÇelebiBektaşi

Kafkas Cephesi

Alevi

Erzurum

Cemaleddin Çelebi

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Hürü Sağlam Tekir

Yayıncı: Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University

Ana Başlıklar: Yakınçağ Askeri Tarih

Dergi: Türk Kültürü ve Hacı Bektaş Veli Araştırma Dergisi Issue 115, pp.449-466

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 9/2025

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001358462

pISSN: 1306-8253

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Hürü Sağlam Tekir

Yayıncı:

Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University

Ana Başlıklar:

Yakınçağ Askeri Tarih

Dergi:

Türk Kültürü ve Hacı Bektaş Veli Araştırma Dergisi Issue 115, pp.449-466

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

9/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001358462

pISSN:

1306-8253