Alevism is a movement that originated in Anatolia in the 13th and 14th century. In Turkey, Alevites are the second-largest religious group, with up to 15% of the population. Alevites accept most of the teachings of Shia Islam, so they are sometimes seen as a group within Shia Islam. During history, Alevites have been persecuted, so there are no official figures of how many Alevites there are.