Kizil Bash or quizilbash or "Red Heads" because they wore a distintive red had with 12 pleates. They accepted the nomadic Turkish conception of leadership that was elicited by "Twlever Shi ism". Turks loved strong leaders even if propaganda played a role in building the character. These followers were loyal to Shah Ismail as he moved south from the Turkestan-Caspian region into Iran where he started the Safavid Empire.