Begdili

Begdili (also spelled Bekdili or Bigdeli; Middle Turkic: بَكْتِلى Begtili; Begdili taýpasy; Turkish: Beğdili boyu; Azerbaijani: Bəydili boyu) were an Oghuz Turkic people and a sub-branch of the Bozok tribal federation. Currently, the descendants of Begdili tribe and those who identify themselves as such are part of the Geklen Turkmens living in the Balkan velayat of Turkmenistan. They also can be found among Ersari Turkmens, who live predominantly in the Lebap velayat (region) of Turkmenistan and northern provinces of Afghanistan. Turkish Begdili Turkomans live in Tarsus, Aleppo, and in many parts of Anatolia. Cerit/Ceritli Turkomans are a branch of Begdili tribe.

Origin
In his history work Shajara-i Tarākima (Genealogy of Turkmens), the Khan of the Khanate of Khiva and historian Abu al-Ghazi Bahadur mentions Begdili among 24 Oghuz tribes, direct descendants of Oghuz-khan, who was the ancient progenitor of the Oghuz people, and the name of the tribe translates as “reputable”.

Affiliation
The Anushteginid dynasty, which ruled vast parts of Central Asia from 1077 to 1231 under the title of Khwarazmshahs, descended from the Begdili tribe. The Mamluk Sultan of Egypt - Saif ad-Din Qutuz, who ruled Egypt from 1259 to 1260, also widely believed to have come from the Begdili tribe.

Begdili tribe played important role on Seljuk expansion over Iran and Anatolia. They also participated on foundation and administration of Aq Qoyunlus and Safavids.

In the Middle Ages, a large group of Begdili Turkmens migrated from Central Asia to the territory of modern Iran, Azerbaijan and Turkey. In Azerbaijan and Turkey, there are still some toponyms that are called Begdili.