Part 3

_Al Sheikh Mohammed Effendí._—In the city of Brúsa he was distinguished by the appellation of Kowaklí Imám, and because he was the son of an Imám he was called also Kowaklí Zádeh, a name by which he was more generally known. After having perfected his education he was for some time in the service of the learned Merhebá Effendí, where he made himself eminent by reading and studying the belles lettres, and in making himself acquainted with the Persian language. His talents and acquirements brought him into notice, for he became tutor and companion to Alí Páshá, one of the beglerbegs of Egypt, and to Ferhád Páshá, the grand vezír. He was for a while, also, in the service of Sheikh Chelebí, the philosopher, and secured to himself, by his prudent conduct, the friendship and respect of the best part of society. He lived for some time, it is said, in a cell in Bokhárá in the exercise of devotion. Towards the end of the year 1000 he passed from this vain world into the next. Sivásí Shemsí Effendí collected his books, which show him to have been a most profound adept in the ocean of science. There were, besides those we have now mentioned, an immense number of learned men throughout the Ottoman dominions, such as Nasúhí Effendí of Aksheher and other great and celebrated orators like him, but of whom we cannot speak particularly. It is hoped, however, that in the course of writing this history, other great men may be adverted to. This much is sufficient to awaken the envy of the Christians.

If this does not please you— Turn away your face: never mind it.

EVENTS OF THE YEAR 1001, H.

Menlá Ahmed Effendí, about the end of the month Sefer, was deposed, and Bostání Zádeh Mohammed Effendí was appointed to succeed him in the jurisdiction of Romeili. On the 8th of Rabia I. the ambassador of the Sháh of Persia, and on the 25th the governor of Gilán, Ahmed Khán, reached Constantinople. The latter of these, Ahmed Khán, governor of Gilán, having come with the view of imploring the protection of the emperor, the great men of the state went forth with great pomp as he was coming into the harbour to meet him. He was conducted to the palace of Yúsuf Páshá, near Kirk-cheshmeh, where all the honours due to his rank and office were shown him. But as it was on account of escaping the molestations of Sháh Abbás he had taken refuge under the royal shadow, he conceived that the royal favour bestowed on him was less than what he had anticipated, and therefore, grieved and afflicted, he requested to be allowed to go to Baghdád. His request was complied with: a suitable salary was allowed him, and in the month of Rajab he set out on his intended journey. Having many friends and adherents in Shirván, however, he directed his steps thither with the view of endeavouring to effect a change in his own favour, but had no sooner reached the confines of Gunja than the governor of that place seized his person for having dared to depart from the path which had been assigned him, and put him in prison.

_The Spáhís create a disturbance in the Diván._

Whilst the new grand vezír, Síávúsh Páshá, was actively employed in the duties of his office, a very serious disturbance took place. On the 23d of Rabia I. the pay of the troops was issued, when the Janissaries received the full amount of what was due to them; but there not being sufficient money to pay the Spáhís the whole of their salaries, they became discontented, raised a great noise, assaulted the royal diván, clamorously demanded the head of the high treasurer, Emír Páshá, who, on account of his great wisdom and prudence, was much respected by the emperor, and stoned their own ághás. The affair came before the royal presence, who ordered forthwith an advance of a hundred yúks (about 100,000 dollars) from the royal coffers, but the obstinate soldiery would not accept of it, whilst they became more violent and unruly. Three times did the chief of the royal messengers and the superintendant of the household troops go forth to try to pacify them, and to advise them to take their allowance. “Take your pay,” they said, “and leave off your unreasonable demand with regard to the head of the treasurer:” but this speech was replied to by a shower of stones. The military judges now stepped forward, and with the same view said, “Your pay has been advanced: the treasurer is a descendant of the Prophet: how is it possible that you thirst for his blood, contrary to all law and justice?” This had no effect. The military judges again advanced with the royal letter, containing an exhortation to obedience, which they read to the tumultuous soldiery, but these turned a deaf ear to it. The vezírs made the next attempt at restoring order, but they were met by a shower of stones, and were obliged to retire. The orator of the Suleimániyeh, Emír Mohammed Effendí, and the orator of St. Sophia, Ibrahím Effendí, with a number of other súfís, were now called, and being seated before the vezírs, were informed of the events which had just taken place. These sages, on learning the state of matters, made two attempts, by exhortation and advice, to still the tumult, but with no better result than the efforts had which had preceded. After all these fruitless attempts about twenty Seids (descendants of Mohammed) came forward, and remonstrated with the Spáhís about the guilt of seeking to encompass the death of an innocent descendant of the Prophet. But they, too, descendants of Mohammed as they were, were hailed with another volley of stones, which actually wounded two of their number. At length the high treasurer, seeing no effort whatever could restrain the soldiery, resolved on presenting himself before them. With this view he folded a green cloth round his turban, and said he would meet his fate, be it what it might. This resolution so alarmed the _chaúshes_ and members of the diván, that they raised a tremendous lamentation, and thus deterred him from his rash purpose.

One of their number, however, who was any thing but friendly towards the lord high treasurer, addressed the grand vezír thus: “How long will it be that you will screen this treasurer? On a former occasion you did not hesitate to deliver up Mohammed Páshá, who was a beglerbeg and a vezír. This man is only a treasurer: deliver him up, and you will put an end to the present tumults.” One of the military judges, Bostání Zádeh, on hearing these sentiments was perfectly astonished, raised his voice and said, “What! is this diván become so far heretical, as even to agree to permit the head of a descendant of the Prophet to be struck off and hurled upon the ground? What madness and insanity is this! Cease, I beseech you, from this rashness, and let justice take her own course.” This short but energetic speech had the desired effect on the mind of him to whom it was directed.

In the mean time a royal mandate was sent to the ághá of the Janissaries, requiring him to repair to the diván, whilst the Janissaries were ordered to surround the forum. The immense multitude of ruffians who had rushed into the court continued their tumultuous noise and uproar till the afternoon; but at last the ághá of the household troops succeeded in awing this unwelcome concourse, and inspired them with such a degree of terror as caused them to give way. The members of the diván, and other servants of the court, perceiving the Spáhís were awed, seized what weapons they could find. One took hold of a cudgel, another of a culinary implement, and a third of a garden rake, and turned with fury on the Spáhís, who, through fear of the Janissaries, had turned their backs, and sought to make their escape as fast as they were able. Such, indeed, was the crush and pressure in trying to get out of the court, that three hundred and fifty persons were trampled to death, and the rest hardly escaped with their lives. Thus did God, in his wise providence, defeat the wicked purposes of this lawless multitude, and peace and good order was again restored. The ághá of the Janissaries dispersed the crowd of spectators which had assembled on this occasion, and thus cleared the way for the members of the diván, who all returned to their respective homes. The dead bodies of the insurgents were thrown into the sea.

The emperor was so very much pleased when he learned the fate of the insurgent Spáhís, and the conduct of the grand vezír, Síávúsh Páshá, that he presented him with a robe of honour. The money which had been furnished for paying the Spáhís was distributed as on former occasions; but the lord high treasurer was deposed, and Hájí Ibrahím Páshá was appointed in his stead. Borhán Effendí was made treasurer of Anatolia.

_The Grand Vezír, Síávúsh Páshá, deposed._

After the insurgent Spáhís were chastised and punished, and the grand vezír was graced with the robe of honour, as a token of his majesty’s approbation, he (_i. e._ the grand vezír), next day rode round the city and laid a heavy tariff on commodities in the market-place, and then returned, with great pomp and show, to his palace. On the 25th day of Rabia II., however, the emperor’s chamberlain waited on him, demanded, in the name of his master, the seals of office, and sent them to the formerly exiled, but now renowned Khoja Sinán Páshá. Síávúsh Páshá, who but yesterday was clothed in a robe of honour, and admired, is to-day, to the astonishment of the vulgar multitude, debased!

Sinán Páshá, the new grand vezír, entered upon the duties of his office on the first day of Jemadi I. This is the third time he became premier. The following able councillors held their situations in the diván at this time, and were accordingly arranged as follows: Ferhád Páshá, who had been deposed from the office of grand vezír, held the second; Ibrahím Páshá, the third; Jeghaleh Zádeh Sinán Páshá, the fourth; Jeráh Mohammed Páshá, the fifth; Boyálí Mohammed Páshá, the sixth; and Khusur Páshá, the seventh.

On the 15th of Shabán the ceremony of circumcision was performed on the young prince, Mirzá Haider, and a splendid feast was given to the great men of the state in the palace of Mohammed Páshá.

_A rupture between the Ottomans and the Austrians._

The rupture just now announced took place when Hasan Páshá, formerly mentioned, commanded on the frontiers of Bosnia. Before alluding directly to the result of this rupture, it is necessary to observe, first, that Mustafa Páshá, son of Ahmed Páshá, who had been formerly governor of Semendria, had his father’s palace in the At-maidán pulled down, on the ruins of which Sultán Ahmed’s mosque was built. This Mustafa Páshá, when he was commander in the Sanjak of Kilis, was in the habit of committing depredations on the frontiers of the infidels’ dominions; and this also provoked the Germans and Croatians to cross their respective boundaries, and to commit atrocities against the Osmánlís. The Beglerbeg of Bosnia, Hasan Páshá, entered the country of the Croatians, as we have already observed, and erected two fortresses there, which he named Novograde. On one or two occasions he succeeded in defeating the infidels, and thus acquired some considerable degree of glory. When he communicated this intelligence to the Ottoman court, he stated at the same time, that if the enemy should assemble in greater numbers in future, the Bosnian troops alone would not be able to cope with them, and therefore requested that the troops of Romeili might be sent to his aid. The former grand vezír, Síávúsh Páshá, conferred on a relative of his own, Kirli Hasan Páshá, the government of Romeili, and appointed him to afford the aid which Hasan Páshá deemed necessary. When Kirli Hasan Páshá, with his Romeilian troops, reached the Sanjak of Serim, he learned that Sinán Páshá had been created grand vezír. It is necessary to observe here, however, that when Sinán Páshá was formerly grand vezír, the válí of Bosnia, Hasan Páshá, gave him his house in Constantinople, but the Páshá refused to give it back when he was deposed. The circumstance of Hasan’s seeking back his house offended Sinán Páshá and put him into a complete rage.

About the end of the Ramazán of this year Kirli Hasan Páshá was translated to the vezírship of Temisvar, and his son, Mohammed Páshá, was made governor of Romeili in his father’s stead.

Hasan Páshá, proud of the succours he had reason to anticipate, and, in addition to his eruptions for the last two years, in violation of the existing treaty of peace, went and besieged a fortress called Siska, in the enemy’s country. The infernal infidels, in consequence of this infringement of the peace by Hasan Páshá, collected an immense army, the command of which was given to the accursed wretch, Zerín Oghlí, ruler of Katpaz. With this mighty army, furnished with all sorts of apparatus of war, he marched to the frontiers of Bosnia.

Hasan Páshá, in the mean time, becoming hopeless as to the aid which had been promised him, and not suspecting that the enemy was on his march to attack him, threw two bridges over the Kupa, near Yení Hisár, and marched over into Croatia. Hearing of the movements of the enemy, he hastened to prepare to give them battle, although he had only about ten thousand Bosnians under his command. Being a very brave and fearless man, he acquired very great glory by his skill in military tactics on this occasion.

The enemy having asked assistance from Maximilian, brother of the Emperor of Austria, received a large augmentation of forces, raised by the great princes of Germany, and thus became much more formidable. This vast multitude, many of whom were covered with steel, resembled the raging waves of the sea. The brave and veteran Páshá resolved on encountering the enemy, and commanded Ghází Khoja Mimí Beg, father of Serkhúsh Ibrahím Páshá, celebrated in war, to cross the river and reconnoitre the enemy. He did so; and when he returned, he assured Hasan Páshá that it would be altogether ruinous to give battle to so superior a force as the enemy possessed. When Ibrahím delivered this disheartening report Hasan happened to be playing at chess, and, after hearing him patiently to the end of his tale, said, with a stern voice, “Curse you, you despicable wretch! to be afraid of numbers: out of my sight!” and immediately mounted his horse, passed his troops across the bridges he had before erected, and prepared for the conflict, which was not long in commencing. The infidels gained, at the very commencement, an evident advantage; which Zerín Oghlí no sooner perceived than he gave orders for a general assault, which proved fatal to the Osmánlís. The Páshá of Kilis, Sultán Zádeh Mustafa Páshá, mentioned above, perished. The troops of Izvernick were routed: those of Usk fell into confusion and were repulsed; but the veteran troops of Novo, well skilled in the use of muskets, maintained their ground for a while, slew a great number of the opposing káfirs; but the son of Zerín, by an artful manœuvre, succeeded in driving them back, and cut them to pieces. The Moslems were now obliged to retreat to their bridges, when a most terrible conflict ensued, in which Khoja Ghází Mimí Beg perished. The brave Hasan Páshá himself also met with his fate, having fallen into the river with one of the bridges, which had been cut to prevent the pursuit of the enemy. Such was the result of this terrible day. Though Hasan had acted throughout with the utmost skill, and had fought with unequalled bravery; though his military prudence had never once forsaken him, yet such was the immense superiority of the enemy’s forces, augmented besides by forty thousand Germans, that it does not appear surprising that the Moslems were defeated. Eight thousand Moslems fell or were drowned. The nephew of Rustem Páshá, Mohammed Beg, and three other Sanjak princes, perished along with Hasan Páshá in the river at the falling of the bridge. The victorious infidels retired from the field of battle in triumph.

When intelligence of this unfortunate day reached the court of Constantinople, the ocean-like zeal of the emperor was stirred up within him, and at once led him to determine to prosecute the war with vigour and without delay.

_The Grand Vezír, Sinán Páshá, determines on carrying the war into Hungary._

The grand vezír, Sinán Páshá, ambitious of acquiring fame similar to that which Ferhád Páshá, the conqueror of kingdoms, had acquired, found now a sufficient stimulus to awaken his zeal. The Austrians having, for the last twelvemonth, neglected sending their accustomed tribute; the defeat and discomfiture of the veteran Hasan Páshá by the most consummate general of the enemy, and in which defeat he himself, Mustafa Páshá, and several other princes, besides many thousand Moslems, had fallen martyrs, roused the indignation of the vezír, and at once led him to determine on carrying the war into the Hungarian dominions. Winter arrived, however, before the vezír had accomplished the whole of the preparations for the intended expedition, which he had resolved on conducting in person, and therefore was advised to postpone his departure till the spring. But the vezír was not to be moved from the resolution he had formed: none of the considerations which had been advanced to cause him to put off had the least effect in turning him from his purpose, and in fifteen days afterwards the whole of his apparatus was in movement, _i. e._ on the 12th of Shevál, 1001 of the Hijrah.

Although Sinán Páshá had succeeded, in so short a time, in making the necessary preparations for the war, yet it was not customary, unless the emperor himself went forth to war, that the lord high treasurer and ághá of the Janissaries should go forth; and therefore twelve thousand Janissaries, destined for the war, were put under the command of a deputy. Six regiments of paid troops remained behind. The salary of the troops who were on the eve of marching was paid to them at the vezír’s palace, and on the 18th of Shevál the grand vezír commenced his march, leaving behind him Ferhád Páshá as governor of Constantinople.

The grand vezír reached Adrianople about the beginning of the eleventh month of the year, where, after a few days rest, he recruited five hundred men, experienced in the use of arms, and sent them off with his other troops, and under proper leaders, for Belgrade. When he came to Wazansha, at the request of the inhabitants, he appointed proper persons to commence building a couple of inns, a mosque, two baths, and a magazine for merchants; for which splendid and beneficial purpose he advanced thirty thousand dollars from his own private purse towards defraying the expenses. The place was formerly a miserable wretched hole, but by transplanting the inhabitants of two villages to it, it acquired in time respectability. After passing through Philippopolis and Sophia, he caused a palanka and an inn to be erected at a place called Batchina, in the district of Yaghodina, a dangerous and difficult pass, and exposed to banditti. On the 7th of Dhu’lhijja he reached Belgrade, and after having ordered a distribution of provisions, &c. to the various troops, he sent off his military stores by water to Buda. On the 17th he reached the plains of Sirim, and on the last day of the month he arrived at Usk, where without loss of time he made preparations for attacking Besperim and Palaha. In the month of Moharrem, 1002, he crossed the bridge of Usk, and after four days’ rest he received information from Bodin (Buda), that the Emperor of Germany, and other infidel princes, were posted with an army of twenty thousand men below Yanuk. This information accelerated the Páshá’s movements; and after holding a council of war, it was determined that, without loss of time, they should march against Besperim and Palaha. The Beglerbeg of Romeili, Mohammed Páshá, was ordered to proceed to Buda and transport thence six large cannon, two field-pieces, and other stores, to Alba Julia (Weissenburg, in Siebenbürgen); and the commandant of Buda, Hasan Páshá, was also ordered, at the same time, to accompany him with the troops under his command.

The troops under the grand vezír halted two days in the plains of Mehaj, for the purpose of receiving their rations of provisions, and immediately after the distribution, the troops of Anatolia advanced first, and the others followed. The cannon and troops from Buda joined the main army when passing through Dallderese, and on reaching Alba Julia, the Beglerbeg of Bosnia, with the Anatolian troops, marched against Besperim, and encamped before it on the 20th of Moharrem. The commandant of Buda, Hasan Páshá, with the veteran borderers under his command, commenced the assault, and after three days’ hard fighting the infidels became disheartened and proposed to capitulate, which was acceded to by the Moslem conquerors. The Kapúdán of Besperim, his troops, and the whole of the inhabitants, evacuated the city, when it was immediately taken possession of by the Moslem troops: but the peasants in the surrounding country remained in their villages. On Friday of the first week, after taking possession of it, prayers were offered up, a Sanjak Beg was appointed, and Besperim was attached to the jurisdiction of Buda. After a rest of four days, the troops advanced to besiege Palaha which, though of no great strength, was surrounded with extensive suburbs. Around the whole was a kind of marsh, and on one side was a mountain or hill covered with wood. The Moslem troops, in their heroic ardour after conquest, lost no time in preparing for commencing their operations, and after two days’ struggle the place fell into their hands, on the 1st of the month of Sefer, and was afterwards attached to Besperim.

In the meantime information reached the Moslems that the enemy’s troops, which were posted below Yanuk, intended to march on Alba Julia; and that another body of the enemy’s troops was encamped in the plains of Tata. It was considered in a council of war, that as the Kasímgún (Michaelmas) was fast approaching, it would be more advisable to postpone any further attack upon the enemy till it was once over.

About this time Haram Aghá, ághá of the Spáhís, it is said, went with a party of his men to the mountain called Yakúah, about two leagues distant from the enemy’s camp. Next morning, however, at the hour of prayer, he was suddenly attacked by the enemy, who poured in upon him in great numbers, slew him on the very carpet on which he was offering up his devotions, seized his banners, and killed a considerable number of his men. The Aghá of the Salihdárs was appointed chief of the Spáhís in his room.

The Janissaries and Spáhís who were present at the late victories obtained over the enemy received an augmentation of salary for their valour, and were ordered to return to Buda; the plains of which they reached on the middle of Sefer, the day of Kásím, and where distribution of provisions was made to the various troops. After this was once over, the Ketkhodá of the Janissaries (_i. e._ the officer who commanded the Janissaries in room of their Aghá, who was not present in this war), placed two legions of Janissaries in the fortress of Buda, ordered his arsenal, waggons, and other heavy baggage to be moved forward to Pest, sent his remaining Janissaries to Segdin to remain there during the winter, whilst all the other Aghás and writers or secretaries remained with him at Buda. Ten days after Kásím day, the Serdár, or commander-in-chief, gave orders to strike his tents, and marched for Belgrade, where he went into winter-quarters, which, however, he did not reach till the 17th of Rabia II. Rezván Aghá was sent off to Constantinople to announce the victories which the Moslem arms had obtained over the infidels: the young Spáhís were sent to Nikboli (Nicopolis in Bulgaria), and the Salihdár of Widin was ordered to take up his winter-quarters to the left of Belgrade.

_The Enemy advances to Belgrade._