Does being Rafidi mean Shi`ite?: The Representation of the K？z？lba？ Belief in the Sixteenth Century Ottoman Records

The K？z？lba？, especially by the sixteenth century, played a central role in the Ottoman-Safavid struggle due to its close alliance with the Safavid. By using period archival records of the Ottoman administration along with historical and religious documents composed by the Ottoman elite scholars, this article aims to reflect the K？z？lba？’s religious orientation as perceived by the Ottoman policy makers. The documents examined include the fermans of the Muhimme defterleri, Selim ？ah-name of Idrisi Bitlisi, Tevarih-i Al-i Osman of Ibn Kemal and the fatwas issued on the persecution of the K？z？lba？ by Ibn Kemal and as afterwards reutilized by Ebussuud. In doing so, this article intends to uncover the Ottoman perspective of the K？z？lba？ religiosity as if it had ever been linked to Shi`ism. Further the term rafidi to define K？z？lba？ belief will be explored in detail to reveal if it is used as equivalent to the term shi`a