''Akhiya'' or ''Akhi'' Brotherhoods (from the Arabic اخي, “my brother”) were the

Sufi Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ...

guilds of young men dedicated to the betterment of the community focused around

Anatolia Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...

, in the lands that would become the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

. Present beginning around the time of the Seljuk breaking of the

Sultanate of Rum fa, سلجوقیان روم () , status = , government_type = Hereditary monarchyTriarchy (1249–1254)Diarchy (1257–1262) , year_start = 1077 , year_end = 1308 , p1 = By ...

in the thirteenth century, these organizations would provide an organizational force in what were largely loosely hinterlands.Lewis, Bernard. “The Islamic Guilds” The Economic History Review Vol. 8, No. 1 (Dec. 1937) p. 20-37

Etymology

The term ''akhi'', derived from the Arabic word for brother, carries a particular religious connotation derived from the

Quran The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Classical Arabic, Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation in Islam, revelation from God in Islam, ...

, which instructs “the believers are but brothers.” Specifically, the brother was the leader of the organization, as chosen by his fellow members, who were known as fityan (youths).

Ibn Battuta Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Battutah (, ; 24 February 13041368/1369),; fully: ; Arabic: commonly known as Ibn Battuta, was a Berbers, Berber Maghrebi people, Maghrebi scholar and explorer who travelled extensively in the lands of Afro-Eurasia, ...

, in his travels through Anatolia, identifies the ''Akhiya'' and

Futuwwa Futuwwa (Arabic: فتوة, "young-manliness" or "chivalry") was a conception of moral behavior around which myriad institutions of Medieval confraternity developed. With characteristics similar to chivalry and virtue, these communal associations of ...

(Order of Youth, Chivalry) as interchangeable terms, both of which described the same work being done.Battuta, Ibn. ''Selections From the Travels of Ibn Battuta.'' New York: Broadway Travelers. p. 129-142

Organization

''Akhi'' groups in what would become Ottoman lands were centered around a lodge or hospice, where the members of the group would reside and partake in communal living and rituals. These rituals would have a distinctly religious element, with the Sufi traditions that distinguished Anatolia from much of the orthodox Sunni world at the time in full presence as the power of the Sultanate of Rum receded. The hospice would also serve as a guesthouse for travelers, with hospitality being perhaps the most important virtue to the members. It would be nearly impossible to overstate the extent of the influence these lodges had on the region during the Beylikate Period in Anatolia. Ibn Battuta observed during his travels in the region that “in every district, town, and village, there are to be found members of the organization". G.G. Arnakis identifies the organizations as being at least partially responsible for the relative peace that broke out after the Seljuk conquest.Arnakis, G.G. “Futuwwa Traditions in the Ottoman Empire Akhis, Bektashi Dervishes, and Craftsmen” Journal of Near Eastern Studies Vol. 12, No. 8 (Oct. 1953) p. 232-247. In areas where imperial power, be it of the Ottomans, other beyliks, or the Seljuks, barely radiated beyond the court, these groups provided stability and organization to towns that would otherwise be unimaginable. As apt to kill off corrupt and tyrannical police as they were to debate captured Christian archbishops, the Akhiya served to protect their communities and faith at a time where the boundaries between principalities were loose at best.Arnakis, G.G. “Gregory Palmas Among the Turks and Documents of His Captivity as Historical Sources” Speculum Vol. 26, No. 1 (Jan. 1951) p. 104-118 As the

Ottomans The Ottoman Turks ( tr, Osmanlı Türkleri), were the Turkic founding and sociopolitically the most dominant ethnic group of the Ottoman Empire ( 1299/1302–1922). Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks remains scarce, ...

under

Orhan Orhan Ghazi ( ota, اورخان غازی; tr, Orhan Gazi, also spelled Orkhan, 1281 – March 1362) was the second bey of the Ottoman Beylik from 1323/4 to 1362. He was born in Söğüt, as the son of Osman I. In the early stages of his re ...

began to consolidate power, they began to absorb many of the functions of the brotherhoods, leaving them intact while the empire remained nascent. The brotherhoods would form the core of Ottoman communities, afforded an elite status and respect by the imperial court in exchange for their irreplaceable position in the social fabric. While later Sultans would seek to crush the political power of the Akhiya, their communal influence would remain for essentially the entire length of the Ottoman Period, taking on a role identified by some observers as resembling European Freemasonry, with a focus turning to social bonds and cooperation between workers.

References

{{reflist Anatolia Economy of the Ottoman Empire Land management in the Ottoman Empire Islamic economics Guilds in Turkey

Etymology

Organization

See also

References