Leadership

Abstract

As mentioned in Chapter 4, there were two levels of leadership among the rebel forces. The first group included those who are generally described by the terms sergerde (head of bandits), reîs and rüesâ with various usages such as rüesâ-yı eșkıyâ (chief of bandits), rüesâ-yı fesâd (chief of sedition), rüesâ-yı bugât (chief of rebels), reîsü’l-eșkıyâ (chief of bandits), müfsidbașı (head of the seditious) and though not so common, șirârebaș (head of the wicked), pișrev-i eșkıyâ (pioneer of bandits), and pișvâ (leader). The second kind of leader was labelled hâin-i dînü devlet (traitor to the religion and the state).