Haci Bektash Veli’s Descent in the Ottoman Period: the Çelebi

Abstract

As the Velayatname, Hacı Bektash Veli had never been married and his generation didn't grow up, but there are some claims about this which his descent continued, these claims is either he is married or he had a child by bleeding of his noise while he was performing ablution (abdest), Kadıncık Ana got pregnant from his blood so Haci Bektash Veli's descent had been growing up. And there are also other tales which means that Haci Bektash Veli wasn't married infact He wasn't interested in anything except Allah. The researchments pointed out that the Çelebi were the legal inheritance of Haci Bektash Veli in the second half of 15th century. Ottomans had also accepted these social belief and approved it. at the end of 16th century, the population of the Çelebi was 15 persons and at the end of 18th century while it was 13 persons these population raised up to 14 houses between 1896 and 1899 (average 70 persons). In temettuat census in 1840, which was made in Haci Bektash town. It is attentive situation that there were nobody who has title as "çelebi" or Haci Bektash's child and these titles were neglected.It is fixed that total value of the goods, properties and areas of which the family members got from their anchestors was 334.500 kuruşs between 1896 and 1899. While these areas weren't taxed till Tanzimat, the tax dispendation was over in Tanzimat and these are taxed as 1522 kuruşs between 1863 and 1900. But the family members object to taxes and they wrote demandeur to the government offices not to be got the taxes from them as it is like before Tanzimat. At the end their struggle was achieved and in 1317 Rumi (Miladi 1901-1902). The government added some Money to the budget for afford to taxes which would be taken from the Çelebi but these taxes were taken them the other years again.