The Yörük, also Yürük or Yuruk, are a Turkish people ultimately of Oghuz descent, some of whom are still nomadic, primarily inhabiting the mountains of Anatolia and partly Balkan peninsula. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The Turkish people (Türk Halkı also known as " Turks " ( Türkler) are defined mainly as being speakers of Turkish as a First language The Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern central and western Eurasia who speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family The Turkish people (Türk Halkı also known as " Turks " ( Türkler) are defined mainly as being speakers of Turkish as a First language The Oghuz (variously known as Ghuzz, Guozz, Kuz, Oguz, Oğuz, Okuz, Oufoi, Ouz, Ouzoi, Nomadic people, (from the νομάδες nomádes, "those who let pasture herds" also known as nomads, are communities of people that Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black ^[1][2] Their name is generally accepted to derive from the Turkish verb yürü- (yürümek in infinitive), which means "to walk", with the word Yörük designating "those who walk, walkers". In Grammar, infinitive is the name for certain verb forms that exist in many languages ^[3]

Yörüks in Europe

Main areas inhabited by Yörük tribes in Anatolia

The Yörük to this day appear as a distinct segment of the population of the Republic of Macedonia and Thrace where they settled as early as the 14th century. The Republic of Macedonia (Република Thrace (Тракия Trakiya or "Trakija" or Trakia, Θράκη Thráki, Trakya is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe ^[4] While today the Yörük are increasingly settled, many of them still maintain their nomadic lifestyle, breeding goats and sheep in the Pindus (Epirus, Greece and southern Albania), Shar (Republic of Macedonia), Pirin, Rhodope (Bulgaria) and Dobrudja. Nomadic people, (from the νομάδες nomádes, "those who let pasture herds" also known as nomads, are communities of people that This article is about the mountain range called Pindus for other uses of these names see Pindus (disambiguation The Pindus (Πίνδος Epirus ( Greek: Ήπειρος Ípiros) is a periphery in northwestern Greece. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία This article is about the country in southern Europe For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Albania topics. The Šar Mountains (Malet e Sharrit, Шар Планина Šar planina) is a Mountain range that extends from southern Kosovo and the northwest The Pirin Mountains (Пирин are a Mountain range in southwestern Bulgaria, with Vihren (2914 m high the highest peak situated at The Rhodopes (Родопи Rodopi, usually used with a definite article Родопите Rodopite, sometimes also called Родопа Rodopa or Родопа The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian An earlier offshoot of the Yörüks, the Kailars or Kayılar Turks are amongst the first Turkish colonists in Europe,^[4] (Kailar being the Turkish name for the newly renamed Greek town of Ptolemaida ^[5]) formerly inhabited parts of Thessaly and Greek Macedonia. Ptolemaida (Πτολεμαΐδα Ptolemaïda or Katharevousa: Πτολεμαΐς Ptolemaïs) is a city in Northern Greece. Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Ptolemaida (Πτολεμαΐδα Ptolemaïda or Katharevousa: Πτολεμαΐς Ptolemaïs) is a city in Northern Greece. Thessalia redirects here For the Butterfly Genus, see Thessalia (butterfly. Macedonia ( Μακεδονία, Makedonía,) is a geographical and historical region of Greece in southeastern Europe Settled Yörüks could be found until 1923 especially near and in the town of Kozani. Year 1923 ( MCMXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Kozani (Κοζάνη is a city in northern Greece, capital of Kozani Prefecture and of West Macedonia Periphery. The Yörüks are credited with converting in the 18th century to the Muslim religion, after a period of cohabitation, a part of the native Megleno-Romanians or "Meglen-Vlachs" of what is today Greece who in 1923 were expelled by the Greek authorities to Turkey. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Megleno-Romanian (known as Vlăheşte by speakers and Moglenitic, Meglenitic or Megleno-Romanian by linguists is a Romance language Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches

Yörüks and Sarakatsani

Their nomadic way of life and the fact that they spread through the Balkans led Arnold van Gennep to try and establish a connection between the Yörüks and the Sarakatsani or Karakachans of Greece. Arnold van Gennep ( 23 April, 1873 - 1957 was a noted French Ethnographer and Folklorist. The Sarakatsani (Σαρακατσάνοι are a group of Greek transhumant shepherds in Greece. The Sarakatsani (Σαρακατσάνοι are a group of Greek transhumant shepherds in Greece. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία However, the Sarakatsani when for the first time mentioned under this name were already Orthodox Christians and speaking a Greek dialect. The Sarakatsani (Σαρακατσάνοι are a group of Greek transhumant shepherds in Greece. The term Orthodox Christianity may refer to The Eastern Orthodox Church: the Eastern Christian churches of Byzantine The linguistic varieties of Modern Greek can be classified along two principal dimensions While there are no actual linguistic or religious links to the Yörük, there are nevertheless connections and similarities as to the transhumant, nomadic way of life. ^[6] According to Gennep both of these pastoral ethnic groups may ultimately share a common Turkic ancestry. The Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern central and western Eurasia who speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family ^[6]

Kailar Yörüks

The first settlements of Kailar Yörüks in Erdemuş

A particular puzzle constitute the above mentioned Kailar Turks, who formerly inhabited parts of Thessaly and Macedonia (especially near the town of Kozani and modern Ptolemaida). Ptolemaida (Πτολεμαΐδα Ptolemaïda or Katharevousa: Πτολεμαΐς Ptolemaïs) is a city in Northern Greece. Thessalia redirects here For the Butterfly Genus, see Thessalia (butterfly. Macedonia ( Μακεδονία, Makedonía,) is a geographical and historical region of Greece in southeastern Europe Kozani (Κοζάνη is a city in northern Greece, capital of Kozani Prefecture and of West Macedonia Periphery. Ptolemaida (Πτολεμαΐδα Ptolemaïda or Katharevousa: Πτολεμαΐς Ptolemaïs) is a city in Northern Greece. These Turks, associated often by scholars with the Yörüks too,^[4] whose splinter group they are generally recognised to be, were a little group of semi-settled cattle breeders -who adopted Christianity in order to avoid expulsion after Thessaly became part of Greece in 1881 respectively Southern Macedonia in 1913. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Year 1913 ( MCMXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common These Kailar Turks are known also by the alternate name of Konariotes. Konya ( قونیه; also Koniah, Konieh, Konia, and Qunia; historically also known as Iconium ( Latin ^[4] The Kailar Turks, especially those of the Erdemuş village of Kailar claim descent from what they describe the "noble, sober Yörükhan family" who hail in turn from the so-called Pervaneoğulları 'timariot' according to the Ottoman archives. Ptolemaida (Πτολεμαΐδα Ptolemaïda or Katharevousa: Πτολεμαΐς Ptolemaïs) is a city in Northern Greece. A timariot (or timar holder timarlı in Turkish) was an irregular Cavalryman that served the Ottoman Sultan The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish The Ottoman Archives is a collection of historical sources related to the Ottoman Empire.

This section incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain. The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911 is a 29-volume reference work that marked the beginning of the Encyclopædia Britannica The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone

Yörüks in Anatolia and the Middle East

Yörük shepherd in the Taurus Mountains. For the Taurus Mountains on the moon see Montes Taurus. For Mount Taurus outside Cold Spring New York, see Bull Hill.

The Yörüks of Anatolia are often called by historians and ethnologists by the additional appellative 'Yörük Turcoman' or 'Turkmens'. The Oghuz (variously known as Ghuzz, Guozz, Kuz, Oguz, Oğuz, Okuz, Oufoi, Ouz, Ouzoi, In Turkey's general parlance today, the terms "Türkmen" and "Yörük" indicate the gradual degrees of preserved attachment with the former semi-nomadic lifestyle of the populations concerned, with the "Türkmen" now leading a fully sedentary life, while keeping parts of their heritage through folklore and traditions, in arts like carpet-weaving, with the continued habit of keeping a yayla house for the summers, sometimes in relation to the Alevi community etc. Turkmen ( Latin script: türkmen Cyrillic: түркмен ISO 639 -1 tk ISO 639-2 tuk is the name of the national language of Turkmenistan Alevis (Aleviler Elewî are a religious sub-ethnic and cultural community in Turkey, numbering in the millions and with Yörüks maintaining a yet stronger association with nomadism. These names ultimately hint to their Oghuz Turkish roots. The Oghuz (variously known as Ghuzz, Guozz, Kuz, Oguz, Oğuz, Okuz, Oufoi, Ouz, Ouzoi, The Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern central and western Eurasia who speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family The remaining transhumant or "true" Yörüks of today's Anatolian region traditionally use the camel as means of transportation though these are more and more replaced by trucks. Camels are Even-toed ungulates within the Genus Camelus. The Dromedary, one-humped or Arabian camel has a single hump and the

Clans, related tribes and offshoots

Clans closely related to the Yörüks are scattered throughout the Anatolian peninsula and beyond its boundaries, particularly around the chain of Taurus Mountains and further east around the shores of the Caspian sea. For the Taurus Mountains on the moon see Montes Taurus. For Mount Taurus outside Cold Spring New York, see Bull Hill. The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged Sea. Of the Turcomans of Iran, the Yomuts come the closest to the definition of the Yörüks. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. An interesting offshoot of the Yörük mass are the Tahtadji of the mountainous regions of Western Anatolia who, as their name implies, have been occupied with forestry work and wood craftsmanship for centuries, although they share similar traditions (with markedly matriarchal tones in their society structure) with their other Yörük cousins. The Qashqai people of southern Iran (around Shiraz), and the Chepni of Turkey's Black Sea region are also worthy of mention due to their shared characteristics. Qashqai (qaʃqaːʔiː also spelled Ghashghai, Qashqay and Qashqa'i) are a Turkic people living in Iran. Shiraz ( شیراز Shīrāz) is the fifth most populated city in Iran and the capital of Fars Province. A considerable number of the original Turkish population of Northern Cyprus are also of Yörük descent. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus ( TRNC) (Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti KKTC) commonly called Northern Cyprus (Kuzey Kıbrıs though its

Gallery

A Yörük couple near Eğirdir, Turkey. Eğirdir is a town and district of Isparta Province in the Mediterranean region of Turkey. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches	Lütfullah Kayalar, A bey family of Yörüks of Kailar. Yozgat MP - ANAP He was the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Agriculture in Turkey Bey is a Turkish title for "chieftain" traditionally applied to the leaders of small tribal groups Ptolemaida (Πτολεμαΐδα Ptolemaïda or Katharevousa: Πτολεμαΐς Ptolemaïs) is a city in Northern Greece.	Kailar (Kayılar) Yörük baby in traditional taç.	Sultan Selim II's tughra for Kailar Yörüks in Ottoman Archives
The first settlements of Kailar Yörüks in Erdemuş	Kailar Yörüks in center of Kailar as a formal name of Cuma Pazarı	Sultan Selim II's firman for Kailar Yörüks

See also

• Kailar
• Qashqai
• Serik; a town in Turkey's Antalya Province
• Serinhisar
• Turkmen people
• Yaylag

Notes

References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain. The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911 is a 29-volume reference work that marked the beginning of the Encyclopædia Britannica The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone
• Brailsford, H. N. Macedonia: Its Races and Their Future. Methuen & Co. , London, 1906. Kailar Turks
• Cribb, Roger. Nomads in Archaeology. Cambridge University Press, 2004. web page

External links

• Web portal for information sharing on and between Yörüks
• The disappearing Yörük and their music
• Vlach, Yuruk and Sarakatsani confluences in the Balkans
• Foundation of Yörüks in Turkey
• A Yörük town in Adana province on the south coast of Turkey (Turkish)