Baciyan-i Rum
Baciyan-ı Rum, meaning “Sisters of Rum,” is the name given to a supposedly female militia in the late Anatolian Beylik era. The term first appears in the 15th century in Aşıkpaşazade’s writings, who groups it with other Rum-based groups such as Ghazis of Rum, Akhis of Rum, and Abdals of Rum. Another mention comes from the traveler Bertrandon de la Broquière, who wrote that the Dulkadir beylik had a women’s Turkoman militia. Whether such a group really existed or had a military role is debated.
Some scholars think “baciyan” is a misspelling. Franz Taeschner suggested it might mean Hajiyan-ı Rum (pilgrims of Rum) or Bahşiyan-ı Rum (clerks of Rum). Zeki Velidi Togan supported this view. Mehmet Fuat Köprülü argued that the idea could reflect female members of Sufi orders (such as the Bektashi) who were called “baci” (sisters), just as male members were called “akhi” (brothers).
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 13:23 (CET).