The Menakibnames in Balkan Researches: The Case of Seyit Ali Sultan and his Menakib

This study deals with the publication of Seyit Ali Sultan Menakib, which describes the transition of Turks to Rumelia and Balkans. In addition to the effort dedicated for the publication of this study, the lack of attention for the protection of the Seyit Ali Sultan Menakib’s manuscripts is another point to be concentrated. Naturally, this study points not only to the importance of Seyit Ali Sultan and Menakib in the area of Balkan researches, but also to the problem of lack of serious work during the previous publication attempts of the Menakıb. There are many copies of the manuscript of Seyit Ali Sultan Menakıb, telling about the journey of forty “saints” from Gallipoli to Rumelia and Balkans. Among these, the copy which indicates that Seyit Ali Sultan was contemporary with Orhan Gazi was found in the Kaygusuz Sultan Dergâh in Egyptian Cairo. This copy was given by Ahmet Sirri Baba to Salih Niyazi Dedebaba in Tirana, Albania. A long time no trace of this manuscript was found, and many researchers working on this issue struggled to reach this manuscript. As a result, Seyit Ali Sultan and his Menakib should be considered as a main source and thus studied in the Balkan researches, considering the internal meaning of the text, the historical personality of the people whom the text deals with and the tracing the followers of these people until today. In this study, the importance of Seyit Ali Sultan and his Menakib will be emphasized and also some problems arising from one of the previous publication of the manuscript will be pointed out.