Becoming Kizilbash: Sixteenth-Century Migrations from Ottoman to Safavid Lands

ABSTRACT: This study examines the migrations from Ottoman Anatolia to Safavid territories during the early formation and development of the Safavid state, as documented in Ottoman cadastral registers (tahrir defterleri). It focuses on expressions such as "sürh-ser şod/end" ("they became red-head," i.e., Kizilbash) that indicate changes in political allegiance, reflecting those who became Safavid subjects. Additionally, the study addresses the tax implications for the Ottoman state due to the loss of these subjects. This research aims to illustrate the significance of tahrir defterleri for a better understanding of Ottoman-Safavid relations and Kizilbash-Alevi history by documenting these cross-border migrations and their socio-political and economic implications.