When you look closely at the cultural fabric of the Balkans, a community emerges from behind the shadow of official narratives, yet has sustained its existence for centuries: Bulgarian Kızılbaş (Redheads). Living in the Deliorman and Dobruja regions of northeastern Bulgaria, these Alevi-Bektashi communities, with their distinctive faith traditions, mausoleums, and oral culture, are capturing the attention of both historians and culture-seeking travelers today. So where does the name "Kızılbaş" come from, how did this community come to Bulgaria, and where can their legacy be seen today? In this article, we examine the topic from a respectful and impartial perspective.
Where Does the Name "Kızılbaş" Come From?
The term Kızılbaş originates from the Safavid period. Sheikh Haydar (d. 1488), the father of the founder of the Safavid State, Şah Ismail, dressed his followers, who were largely composed of Azerbaijani and East Anatolian Turkmen tribes, with a distinctive red hat with twelve segments to distinguish them from others. This headdress, also called the "Crown of Haydar" (Tâc-ı Haydarî), was a pitcher-shaped red hat with a white gauze wrapped around it, with twelve segments representing each of the twelve imams. Due to this red headpiece, followers came to be called "kızılbaş" (redhead) over time.
Initially defining only the disciples of Sheikh Haydar, this name expanded with Şah Ismail's intense religious and political activities and eventually became an identity that characterized a broad Turkmen base in Anatolia and the Balkans. In the context of Turkey and the Balkans, Kızılbaş is today largely synonymous with Alevi-Bektashi communities, a historical designation. As stated in an Instagram post, Kızılbaş people are Muslims; however, their practices of worship and solidarity such as cem, semah, and muhasiblik differ significantly from Sunni Islamic practices.
Settlement in Deliorman and Dobruja
The transmission of the Alevi-Bektashi tradition to the Balkans extends to before the Ottoman period. According to tradition, Turkmen dervishes under the leadership of Sarı Saltuk settled in these regions early on, and in subsequent centuries, both voluntary migrations and exile increased the population. Particularly after the war with Şah Ismail during the reign of Yavuz Sultan Selim, some Alevi-Turkmen tribes in Anatolia moved away from Ottoman rule; the state scattered and exiled part of the communities involved in rebellions to Deliorman. Thus, during the 15th-17th centuries, communities coming from Anatolia settled in Dobruja and Deliorman.
Deliorman was known as a region where Sufi thought and particularly movements such as Bektashism, Babaiism, and Bedreddiniism were prevalent. However, during the reign of Mahmud II (with the abolition of the Janissary Corps in 1826), many Bektashi lodges were closed; some of the remaining ones were placed under Naqshbandi sheikhs. During this process, the Alevi-Bektashi character of the region weakened somewhat, and some communities gradually became Sunni over time.
Closed Structure and the Tradition of Taqiyya
The oppression and exclusion throughout history directed this community largely toward a closed, inward-facing structure. The practice of taqiyya, meaning hiding one's faith, became one of the ways the community protected itself under different political conditions throughout various periods. This closedness also ensured that traditions such as cem ceremonies, minstrelsy, poetry, and oral transmission were preserved and passed down from generation to generation. When approaching the subject, it is more accurate to view this not as a sectarian debate, but as a distinctive tradition of faith and culture.
Mausoleums: Heritage Living in Stone
The most tangible traces of the Alevi-Bektashi heritage in Bulgaria are the lodges and mausoleums scattered throughout the region. The most renowned of these is the Demir Baba Mausoleum in Deliorman.
- Demir Baba Mausoleum (Lodge): A 16th-century Alevi-Bektashi mausoleum located near Sveshtari (Mumcular) village, attached to Razgrad Province. The mausoleum is situated within the Sboryanovo historical and archaeological protected area and is one of Bulgaria's 100 tourist attractions. Built from local sandstone, it stands out with its heptagonal (seven-sided) plan, a hemispherical dome approximately 11 meters high, and twelve candles symbolizing the twelve imams. It is conveyed that Demir Baba was a disciple of Akyazılı Sultan, Dervish Hasan Pehlivan, who was known for his strength and called "Pehlivan Baba" (Wrestler Baba).
- Akyazılı Baba Mausoleum: Located in the Batova region on the Black Sea coast, near Balchik. This mausoleum, also known for its heptagonal architecture, is considered one of the symbols of Turkish culture in Bulgaria. Sources also contain notes about the structure falling into disrepair over time.
- Otman Baba Mausoleum: Unlike Deliorman, located in the south near Haskovo in Teketo village. Dedicated to Otman Baba, who lived in the 15th century (d. 1478) and was connected to the Qalandar tradition, and is greatly revered in Alevi-Bektashi circles.
The shared seven-sided architectural language of these mausoleums demonstrates that Balkan Bektashism developed its own distinctive style. The same plan also connects with examples in Anatolia, such as the Shahkulu Sultan Lodge in Istanbul.
For Travelers: The Deliorman Cultural Route
For those wishing to see this heritage in person, Deliorman is one of Bulgaria's lesser-known but culturally rich corners. The Demir Baba Mausoleum and the surrounding Sboryanovo protected area stand out by presenting both the Thracian period and the Bektashi heritage together, making it an excellent starting point. If you are staying on the Black Sea coast, you can add the Akyazılı Baba Mausoleum near Balchik to your route. It is important to remember that these places are still centers of faith and reverence, and to visit them quietly and with humility.
In summary, the Kızılbaş of Bulgaria are carriers of a story of migration and faith that extends from the Safavid period to a name, from Anatolia to the Balkans. The mausoleums of Deliorman and Dobruja are the silent witnesses of this long-standing tradition that endures to the present day.
