Akhiya

The term akhi, derived from the Arabic word for brother, carries a particular religious connotation derived from the Quran, which instructs “the believers are but brothers.” Specifically, the brother was the leader of the organization, as chosen by his fellow members, who were known as fityan (youths). Ibn Battuta, in his travels through Anatolia, identifies the Akhiya and Futuwwa (Order of Youth, Chivalry) as interchangeable terms, both of which described the same work being done. ==Organization==

Akhi groups in what would become Ottoman lands were centred around a lodge or hospice, where the members of the group would reside and partake in communal living and rituals. The hospice would also serve as a guesthouse for travellers, with hospitality being perhaps the most important virtue to the members. In areas where imperial power, be it of the Ottomans, other beyliks, or the Seljuks, barely radiated beyond the court, these groups provided stability and organization to towns that would otherwise be unimaginable. As apt to kill off corrupt and tyrannical police as they were to debate captured Christian archbishops, the Akhiya served to protect their communities and faith at a time when the boundaries between principalities were loose at best. As the Ottomans under Orhan began to consolidate power, they began to absorb many of the functions of the brotherhoods, leaving them intact while the empire remained nascent. The brotherhoods would form the core of Ottoman communities, afforded an elite status and respect by the imperial court in exchange for their irreplaceable position in the social fabric. but could also be a married man or even a city elite. In some cases, the Akhi could even be someone who already held a high government position himself. but it took time to develop influence amongst the people and recruit members. Even in situations where the city that had been conquered was not previously Muslim, the Akhi Brotherhoods were still able to gain influence, Bursa once again being an example of this. The brotherhoods supported the working class, but also many Akhi’s had the influence of elites. ==Disposition and beliefs==

The men of the brotherhood were generally very well-mannered and generous as they ascribed to the ideas of chivalry and virtue put forth in the Futuuwa. Ibn Battuta described them as “men so eager to welcome strangers, so prompt to serve food and to satisfy the wants of others, and so ready to suppress injustice and kill tyrannical agents of police and the miscreants who join with them.” ==Influence==

The brotherhoods had an important role in the formation of early Ottoman society They held such tremendous power in some places that local Christian guilds were often forced to merge with the brotherhoods for their own livelihoods. This allowed the brotherhoods to quickly take control of the areas urban areas. ==Dissolution==

Eventually, the Akhi Brotherhoods became trade guilds and lost their autonomy as they became elements of the central state. As trade became more international or at least under a larger scope, the brotherhoods were no longer able to control the economy of a particular town or region. The system worked till roughly the end of the 16th century. == Other usage ==

In the United Kingdom Akhi is slang for “brother” or “my brother” being a loanword from Arabic. The word has also been adopted by rap and drill artists in the London music scene. ==See also==