Ernest Edmondson Ramsaur, The Bektashi Dervishes and The Young Turks.

This article is about the Bektashis, an organization similar to the Freemasons, that played a significant role in the preparation of the Young Turk Revolution of 1908 against Abdülhamid II. The Bektashis were pioneers of reform movements in the Balkans and Anatolia, along with the Melamis, due to their devotion to the Turkish language and culture. This movement aimed to foster national thought across scientific, philosophical, and literary fields, seeking to diminish Persian and Arab influence in these areas. The Young Turks, in particular, utilized Bektashi lodges as meeting places and propaganda centers. Although there was no overt hostility between Abdülhamid II and the Bektashis, it is evident that the Bektashis adopted a reformist position and supported anti-authoritarian initiatives during this period, akin to the role the Janissaries played in the past. In this study, in addition to information obtained from witnesses of the period, the works of researchers such as Birge and Davey were utilized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]