Historical overview

[Picture source: © 1991 Julia Gonnella]

The Mawlawiyya (Mevleviye in Turkish) order of dervishes derives its name from the mystic and poet Mawlana Jalal ad-Din Rumi (died 672/1273 in Konya). Although some of the principles of the Mawlawiyya order might have already been established in Rumi’s time, his successors, mainly his son Sultan Walad, laid down the foundation of the Tariqa al-Mawlawiyya (the ‘Order of the Whirling Dervishes’). The Mawlawiyya gained major importance during the Ottoman era with a high number of followers among Ottoman bureaucrats and officials and a distribution of convents (sing. takiyya in Arabic, tekke in Turkish) all over the empire.[1]

The Takiyya al-Mawlawiyya in Aleppo is certainly among the oldest and most important ones. We nevertheless do not possess much information about its early history. Historian Ghazzi informs us of a list of shaykhs of the takiyya that he was able to consult in the takiyya’s archives. The first one on that list died in 1530, indicating that the takiyya was probably established in Aleppo around the time of the city’s incorporation into the Ottoman Empire in 1516. Ghazzi relates as well that two Persians, arriving from the Safavid domains, settled in Aleppo and were involved in the foundation the takiyya.[2] Nevertheless, for more information, we have to wait until the early 17^th century, when the takiyya is mentioned as beneficiary in waqf documents established by Ottoman bureaucrats.[3]