Trailer for the documentary film "On the Trail of Börklüce"
Director: Serkan Colak
Cinematographer: Kerem Can
Editing: Alp Şeker
Duration: 12 minutes
Exhibitions
September 5, 2025 Selçuk,Izmir in Turkey
October 24, 2025 Narlidere Cemevi (Alevi House of Worship) Izmir in Turkey
October 31, 2025 Turkan Saylan Cultural Center Izmir in Turkey
The founder of Eğridere Village, located in the Tire district of Izmir, was Gazi Israel, the father of Sheikh Bedreddin. The tomb of Sheikh Bedreddin's son, Seyyid Ismail Beşe, is located in this village. Bedreddin and his family members used the nickname Beşe.
The tomb of Veli Pir Beşe is located in Peşrefli, another nearby village.
Although not the place where Sheikh Bedreddin lived directly, it is one of the places where his ideology resonated most strongly, was put into practice, and escalated into conflict with the Ottomans.
Tire and its surroundings have historically been a center of Sufism, where numerous Sufi orders, including the Mevlevi, Kalenderi, and Bektashi, were influential.
Sheikh Bedreddin came to Eğridere on his way back from Cairo to İznik. There, he met Börklüce Mustafa. Börklüce became Sheikh Bedreddin's closest disciple and later his chamberlain. Bedreddin entrusted his son to Börklüce and set off for Rumelia.
The tomb of Veli Pir Beşe is located in Peşrefli, another nearby village.
Although not the place where Sheikh Bedreddin lived directly, it is one of the places where his ideology resonated most strongly, was put into practice, and escalated into conflict with the Ottomans.
Tire and its surroundings have historically been a center of Sufism, where numerous Sufi orders, including the Mevlevi, Kalenderi, and Bektashi, were influential.
Sheikh Bedreddin came to Eğridere on his way back from Cairo to İznik. There, he met Börklüce Mustafa. Börklüce became Sheikh Bedreddin's closest disciple and later his chamberlain. Bedreddin entrusted his son to Börklüce and set off for Rumelia.
During the Interregnum following the Battle of Ankara in 1402, the people of Anatolia experienced immense hardship. Events such as Timur's depredations, the chaos and looting resulting from the lack of political authority, the Ottoman princes' struggles for the throne, and the conflicts among Anatolian principalities exacerbated social poverty. The heavy taxes levied on the people made life difficult.
All these factors provided a suitable environment for Börklüce Mustafa to develop his practical revolutionary identity.
Börklüce Mustafa, who implemented Bedreddin's ideological and theoretical ideas in the most radical and practical way, was able to understand and resonate with his calls for equality, freedom, and sharing in Karaburun and the surrounding area against this backdrop.
Karaburun is a mountainous, difficult-to-reach region far from central authority and control. The Ovacık and Karareis plains are two areas suitable for agriculture in Karaburun. Villagers settled there at the time. There are wells, fountains, and graves remaining from that period.
Börklüce's philosophy is, "People are equal, regardless of their beliefs, language, race, or wealth. Property, nature, and labor should be shared; fraternity and justice should prevail."
In this respect, the Börklüce rebellion was both a political and theological uprising. Although suppressed, the Karaburun Commune remains in the memory of the Anatolian people as an unforgettable symbol of the quest for equality, freedom, and justice.
Karaburun is a mountainous, difficult-to-reach region far from central authority and control. The Ovacık and Karareis plains are two areas suitable for agriculture in Karaburun. Villagers settled there at the time. There are wells, fountains, and graves remaining from that period.
Börklüce's philosophy is, "People are equal, regardless of their beliefs, language, race, or wealth. Property, nature, and labor should be shared; fraternity and justice should prevail."
In this respect, the Börklüce rebellion was both a political and theological uprising. Although suppressed, the Karaburun Commune remains in the memory of the Anatolian people as an unforgettable symbol of the quest for equality, freedom, and justice.
Börklüce Mustafa and his followers, taking advantage of the Karaburun Peninsula's geographical advantage, rebelled against Ottoman forces.
The Ottoman army was unable to adapt to Karaburun's rugged terrain and was defeated in the first two battles.
These victories of the Karaburun commune greatly motivated the people and attracted more Turkmen, Christian, and Jewish people to join them.
The Great Conflict and the End of the Commune
Following the successive defeats, Sultan Mehmed I took the situation very seriously. He dispatched a large Ottoman army under the command of his son, Prince Murad, and Bayezid Pasha, along with experienced soldiers brought from Rumelia, against Börklüce. This time, the Ottoman army was vastly superior in numbers and experience to the rebels.
In this final battle, which took place in Karaburun, the Ottoman army crushed the rebels' resistance, and a massive massacre ensued. Following this, by order of Mehmed I, almost all the dervishes in Anatolia were put to the sword. The Karaburun Peninsula remained closed to settlement for approximately 100 years, until the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent.
The Ottoman army was unable to adapt to Karaburun's rugged terrain and was defeated in the first two battles.
These victories of the Karaburun commune greatly motivated the people and attracted more Turkmen, Christian, and Jewish people to join them.
The Great Conflict and the End of the Commune
Following the successive defeats, Sultan Mehmed I took the situation very seriously. He dispatched a large Ottoman army under the command of his son, Prince Murad, and Bayezid Pasha, along with experienced soldiers brought from Rumelia, against Börklüce. This time, the Ottoman army was vastly superior in numbers and experience to the rebels.
In this final battle, which took place in Karaburun, the Ottoman army crushed the rebels' resistance, and a massive massacre ensued. Following this, by order of Mehmed I, almost all the dervishes in Anatolia were put to the sword. The Karaburun Peninsula remained closed to settlement for approximately 100 years, until the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent.
Even today, there are popular beliefs that one cannot step into Hell's Creek.
Chios was under Genoese control in the 14th and 15th centuries. Because it is so close to the Karaburun Peninsula, it was a strategic point for both trade and transit. The Izmir, Urla, Çeşme, and Karaburun line, located just across from Chios, is the region where Sheikh Bedreddin and, in particular, Börklüce Mustafa operated. According to hagiographic sources, Sheikh Bedreddin and Börklüce crossed from Izmir to Chios, stayed on the island for about 10 days, and established relations with the Chios bey and priests of the time. It is also noted that the island's bey welcomed them on board and "captivated" the priests, and that some local leaders may have secretly converted to Islam. Byzantine historian Doukas states that Börklüce Mustafa operated in the Karaburun Peninsula and that he established friendly relations with the monks of Chios:
“…Börklüce Mustafa (called ‘Dede Sultan’ by his disciples), who maintained a close relationship with the monks of Chios… encouraged coexistence with Christians, emphasizing brotherhood…” In this context, there was a deepening contact and ideological closeness between Chios and Börklüce. After Börklüce’s death, rumors spread among the public that he was mythologized and lived in Chios.
The executioner struck the cleaver.
The bare necks split like pomegranates.
Like apples falling from a green branch.
One after another, heads fell.
And as each head fell,
Mustafa from his cross.
He looked for the last time.
And every head that fell.
A hair didn't shake.
——Iriş Dede Sultan said, "Iriş."
He didn't say another word.
——Iriş Dede Sultan said, "Iriş."
He didn't say another word.
The Epic of Sheikh Bedreddin
Nazım Hikmet - 1936
Nazım Hikmet - 1936
Börklüce Mustafa and his comrades were defeated in the 3rd resistance at Karaburun. According to historian Dukas, Börklüce and his 8,000 comrades were captured at a place called Kanlıburun. They nailed Börklüce Mustafa to a crosspiece of wood and forced him onto a camel, crucified. They brought him from Karaburun to the Ayasulug (Selçuk) Castle in four days. They extended the journey, which normally takes one day, to four days, telling people, "Those who rebelled They try to instill fear by saying, "See the end, see what state the person you believe in is in." However, Börklüce never bows his comrades' heads.
Brought to Ayasulug Castle, Börklüce Mustafa and his comrades were subjected to numerous tortures and were asked to swear allegiance and beg for forgiveness, but none of them asked for forgiveness.
All of Börklüce's bones were broken and he was tortured, but he never gave up his cause or swore allegiance.
Finally, each of his comrades was beheaded, one by one, and each beheaded comrade died, saying, "İriş Dede Sultanım İriş." When it was Börklüce's turn, he too called himself, "İriş Dede Sultan," and was beheaded. The similarity between the use of similar methods in the execution of Hallaj-ı Mansur, nearly 500 years before him, and the recitation of "Ene'l Hak" as he was approaching death, and "İriş Dede Sultan" is striking.
His other comrade, Torlak Kemal, was also executed in Manisa.
Brought to Ayasulug Castle, Börklüce Mustafa and his comrades were subjected to numerous tortures and were asked to swear allegiance and beg for forgiveness, but none of them asked for forgiveness.
All of Börklüce's bones were broken and he was tortured, but he never gave up his cause or swore allegiance.
Finally, each of his comrades was beheaded, one by one, and each beheaded comrade died, saying, "İriş Dede Sultanım İriş." When it was Börklüce's turn, he too called himself, "İriş Dede Sultan," and was beheaded. The similarity between the use of similar methods in the execution of Hallaj-ı Mansur, nearly 500 years before him, and the recitation of "Ene'l Hak" as he was approaching death, and "İriş Dede Sultan" is striking.
His other comrade, Torlak Kemal, was also executed in Manisa.
Börklüce Mustafa is said to have been captured in Karaburun and killed in Ayasulug before being buried under the name Koca Sultan in the village of Gökçen, Tire. A history of Turkey by French author Alphonse de Lemartine describes how the grave of Börklüce's followers was exhumed, abducted, and transported to a secret location. Upon hearing this, Prince Murat returned from Manisa and executed 3,000 Börklüce followers by hanging them from plane trees. Some accounts state that there were 400 Börklüce graves, and that the people appropriated them and had them built in many locations.
There are also accounts that Börklüce, who was abducted by his companions, was buried on a deserted hill (Church Hill) in present-day Kuşadası, overlooking the Aegean Sea and overlooking the islands of Samos and Chios. The tomb of Sakızlı Dede is located in the Maraşlı neighborhood of Kuşadası. The fact that the Alevi-Bektashi Cevraki cemetery is right next to this tomb, that there is an Alevi place of worship in this area, and that the Alevis visit this place during Hıdırellez, as well as rituals and rumors, strengthen the claim that the tomb of Sakızlı Dede is the tomb of Börklüce.
