Akhi Dervish Lodges in the Ottoman Principality and Sheikh Ede Balı Argument

Akhism was a very effective institution in anatolia especially between 13th and 15th centuries. akhies had an effective role in social, economic, political, military, religious, and cultural life of anatolian people. akhies also had an important role on the establishment of the ottoman empire. members of the ahi organization were served as first ottoman bureaucracs. in the period of collapsing of the seljukid empire and the foundation of the ottoman state, turkish social life was organized by akhies. most of dervish lodge were belong to ahi organization in anatolia and the balkans. famous traveller ibn batuta wrote about dervish lodges with pride. according to ibn batuta bursa became a rich and prosperous ottoman city with the help of ahkies. osman's son orhan bey and his gazis were living in the city of iznik, yet a frontier city. according to traditional ottoman historiography sheikh edebali was one of the akhi’s leaders in the ottoman principality’s territory. according to the traditional expression, the dream of ertuğrul gazi or osman gazi was interpreted by sheikh edebali. he was leader of a large dervish lodge in bilecik. the fact that osman gazi was married with daughter of sheikh edebali and he dedicated a large tract of land in bilecik are written in the resources. although this situation, some researchers said that sheikh edebali wasn’t an akhi leader, he was a sufi belonging to the order of babai.as a conclusion, edebali was an influential sheikh of the dervish lodges in the center of the ottoman principality territory. highly probably this dervish lodge was belonged to the ahi organization. according ottoman historical sources, his brother şemseddin was also an important ahi leader. abdal musa who was from abdalan-ı rum spreaded mysticism of folk in this land. abdal musa was considered an important representative of the bektashi sect. at the same time, sheikh of ahi organisation edebali was also belong to the same mystical environment. in the 16th century, all the dervish sects, such as akhism were adapted by bektashi order in terms of rituals and process