The Observations and the Evaluations by Vital Cuinet on the Hacı Bektaş-ı Veli Lodge


Vital Cuinet, who was in charge of collecting the debts and detecting the public revenues of Ottoman State in the Ottoman State Debt Administration (Duyun-ı Umumiye), gives information about various aspects of the Ottoman State due to working in civil and administrative units between 1880 and 1892. During this twelve-year period of stay in Ottoman, Cuinet also gave extensive information about Haci Bekthas Veli and his religious lodge. Apart from giving information about the physical features of Hacı Bekthas lodge complex, the social facilities offered by the lodge and the mission undertaken to form public unity were reflected from the perspective of a French researcher and this enabled to create a bridge between that period of time and the present day. The information transferred by Cuinet is an important source for informing about clothing features, the requirements for becoming a dervish, public health practices, as well as economical activities and all those cultural treasures are significant resources for Alevi-Bekthas tradition. Cuinet gave place to periodic perspective of İslamic and ethical values and also explained about the requirements to the Bekthas lodge and the importance of ethical values in being accepted to the lodge. Apart from expressing the unifying effect of Haci Bekthas Veli lodge being accepted both by Muslims and non-muslims, Cuinet gives information about the similarities between Saint Haralambos and Haci Bekthas Veli. In the reports of Cuinet, the relationship between Haci Bekthas Veli and Guild of Janissaries having occupying an important place in Ottoman State system was explained by emphasizing the historical process of Haci Bekthas Veli and Guild of Janissaries.


Keywords


Haci Bekthas Veli, religious orderi Lodge, Guild of Janissaries, Haralambos, Vital Cuinet.

Author : Yavuz UYSAL
Number of pages: 907-916
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.29228/TurkishStudies.43664
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Turkish Studies - Language and Literature
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