Rıza, Seyyit

Seyyit Rıza (Dersim, 1862? - 1937) was a member of the Abbasan branch of the Sheikh Hasanan tribe in Dersim. He was the son of Seyid Ibrahim Agha, from an Alevi sacred family descended from Sheikh Ahmed Dede. Despite being his youngest son, Seyyit Rıza was designed to succeed his father as a religious leader. He enjoyed religious, tribal and juridical authority. He also married the daughter of an important landowner and Dersim MP, Diyab Agha. He probably participated to the armed struggle against the Russians and Armenians during WWI around Erzincan. Although he reportedly participated in some meetings of the rebels, he probably did not participate directly in the Koçgiri uprising. On the other hand, he played an important role in the 1937-1938 revolt in Dersim, especially in opposing the growing penetration and assimilation of Kurds by the State and in rallying the different tribes. He was arrested, condemned to death and hung in November 1937; most members of his family were killed by the Army.