The Ottomanization of the Halveti Sufi Order: A Political Story Revisited

The full establishment of the Halveti Sufi Order in the Ottoman Empire was never a smooth process, especially during its initial phases in the second half of the fifteenth century. Moreover it was not one of straightforward support for Bayezid II (1481–1512) contrary to the depiction in the current literature. This article revisits the story of the Halvetiye’s subscription to Ottoman networks, a process called Ottomanization, by introducing other Sufi characters into the story and exposing the regionalist identities behind political/religious parties. Therefore a more nuanced understanding of inter-Sufi order rivalry and the role of the urban environment and political geography of contemporary Anatolia in the Ottomanization of the Halvetiye may emerge to highlight the contributions of Anatolian regional identities in the formation of a more encompassing Ottoman identity.