The project titled "An Important Factor in the Success of the Turkish Settlement Policy in Anatolia: The Contributions of Dervish Lodges, Zawiyas, and Sufi Figures to the Turkification and Islamization of Anatolia (The Case of Kastamonu)," prepared by academics from Kastamonu University, has been awarded funding under the TÜBİTAK 1002-A Rapid Support Program.
In the project, Prof. Dr. Cevdet Yakupoğlu from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of History, will be the advisor. At the same time, Prof. Dr. Namıg Musalı will take part as a researcher. The project will be conducted under the leadership of Tansu Geyiklioğlu, a PhD student at the Social Sciences Institute, Department of History. It was developed as an extension of the subsection "The Contributions of Sufi Figures to Turkish Settlement" within Geyiklioğlu's doctoral dissertation.
Within the scope of the research, the role of dervish lodges and zawiyas in the settlement process of Kastamonu between the 13th and 15th centuries will be examined through archival research and field studies. The project will assess the current status of over a hundred dervish lodges and zawiyas identified within the historical borders of Kastamonu before the 15th century. Additionally, locations of structures that have not survived to the present day will be determined.
The study will explore the cultural contributions of Oghuz clans and Turkmen tribes that migrated to the region. Elements such as local culinary culture, traditional clothing, Oghuz tamas (tribal symbols), and folk literature (folk songs, legends, and proverbs) will be analyzed. Moreover, the dialectal characteristics of Kastamonu will be examined to establish connections with Turkish communities through scientific data.
Mapping efforts will be conducted following localization studies, and data on Kastamonu's trade potential before the 15th century will be presented. Additionally, the project aims to raise awareness regarding preserving historical structures in the region. This study represents a unique and interdisciplinary research effort, encompassing history, Turkish language and etymology, toponymy, historical geography, Islamic history, and folklore studies.
In his statement on the project, Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Hamdi Topal congratulated project leader Tansu Geyiklioğlu and the entire project team. He also thanked CoHE President Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar and CoHE members for supporting scientific research. He thanked TÜBİTAK President Prof. Dr. Orhan Aydın for encouraging research projects through institutional support.
