Sufi Soldiers

The role of religious orders during the Turkish War of Independence is another subject we can dive into later. For now let's just mention the 'Seymen Alayi' made up of many Sufi orders such as Nakşibendis, Sadis, Rifais, Kadiris, Mevlevis, Bayramis and Bektaşis that welcomed Mustafa Kemal to Ankara in 27 December 1919 for the fist time.

Mavi Boncuk | A band (literally) of Soldiers from the Ottoman Empire march through a town during Great War/ World War I playing music and brandishing their greatest weapon, the characteristic headgear of their religious order .