The Journal of Academic Social Science Studies International Journal of Social Science Doi number:http://dx.doi.org/10.9761/JASSS6987 Number: 55 , p. 225-232, Spring II 2017 Yayın Süreci / Publication Process Yayın Geliş Tarihi / Article Arrival Date - Yayınlanma Tarihi / The Published Date 24.02.2017 20.04.2017 ARMENIAN – KIZILBASH RELATIONS IN DERSIM IN THE 19th CENTURY WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF ARMENIAN TRAVELLER ANTRANIK’S TRAVEL BOOK ERMENİ SEYY‚H ‚NTR‚NİKȂİN SEY‚H‚TN‚MESİ ‛‚ĞL‚MIND‚ 19. YÜZYILD‚ DERSİMȂDE ERMENİ-KIZIL‛‚Ş İLİŞKİLERİ Assist. Prof. Dr. Kasım Ertaş Sirnak University Faculty of Theology Assist. Prof. Dr. Fevzi Rençber Sirnak University Faculty of Theology Abstract The region which was named as Çemişgezek in the ŗŜth Century, Dersim in the 19th Century, and Tunceli in the 20th Century under the rule of Ottoman Empire has been a virgin land about which not many people have had much information for centu- ries. During the Ottoman period, an effective state organisation could not be established in the region; accordingly the region has been independent for centuries without being under the rule of any state. Mountainous structure of the region and the lack of central authority made Dersim an unsafe region for the outlanders. For this reason, the region was almost never visited by Western travellers. Due to the weak state organization in the region and lack of travellers who visit the region, gathering information about the terrio- tory had been difficult. That is why the work of Armenian Traveller Antranik who visi- ted Dersim in the 19th Century fills the abovementioned gap as it presents fundamental information about the region. This study aims to reveal socio-cultural and religious affi- liations of ‚rmenians and Kizilbashes in Dersim within the context of ‚ntranikȂs travel book. In addition, the debate of these days that is if Dersimi Kizilbashes are originally Armenian is discussed in the light of the information given by the traveller. Keywords: Armenian, Kizilbashes, Antranik, Dersim, Ottoman Öz Osmanlı İmparatorluğuȂnun yönetimi altında ŗŜ. y(zyılda Çemişgezek, ŗş. y(zyılda Dersim ve ŘŖ. y(zyılda da Tunceli olarak isimlendirilen bölge, y(zyıllar bo- yunca hakkında kimsenin çok fazla bilgi sahibi olamadığı bakir bir coğrafya olmuştur. Osmanlı döneminde bölgede ciddi bir devlet teşkilatı kurulamamış, dolayısıyla bölge y(zyıllar boyunca herhangi bir devletin yönetimine girmeden bağımsız olarak yaşamış-