Part 18

Abáza Páshá having been subdued in the year 1038 (1628), the grand vezír Khosrau Páshá marched with an immense army to plunder the provinces of Persia, and never even thought of Baghdád. Whilst he was on his way, and had even resolved upon attacking Isfahán, he received an imperial order to the following effect: “Shouldst thou bring the Sháh himself in chains to my imperial stirrup, I should not be satisfied; if thou considerest thy head necessary to thee, conquer Baghdád, the ancient seat of the Khalifat, and deliver from the hands of the despicable Persians, the tombs of No’amán ben Thábet, the great imám and founder of our sect, and of the Shaikh Abdul Kádir Jílání.” On account of this imperial command, the trenches of Baghdád were opened on the 17th of Sefer 1040 (1630); and the siege was continued for forty days. The winter however having set in, the Ottoman army was obliged to raise the siege, and to retire to Hella, Mosúl, and Márdín. In the beginning of spring, whilst Khosrau Páshá was on his march to Eriván, he received an imperial firmán recalling him to Constantinople, and Murtezá Páshá was appointed governor of Díárbekr. Khosrau Páshá fell sick on his arrival at Tokát, and was murdered whilst in bed by Murtezá Páshá, in the month of Sha’bán 1041 (1631). On the 18th of Rajab in the same year, Háfiz Páshá was again appointed grand vezír. In the same month the Janissaries mutinied at Islámból, and attacked the grand vezír Háfiz Páshá within the imperial gate near the hospital. He retreated into the hospital, the gate of which he closed, and thence fled to the imperial garden, took the turban and robes of ceremony of the Bostánjí-báshí, and appeared before the Sultán, to whom he stated that some villains had attacked him, but that by urging his horse against them, he had dispersed them all. Next day, however the rebellion assumed a more serious aspect; the Janissaries began by taking Háfiz Páshá from the emperor’s presence, and in order to avenge the death of Khosrau Páshá, they stabbed him in the cheek with a dagger, and then tore him into a thousand pieces. In the month of Rajab 1040 (1630) Rajab Páshá was made grand vezír; and Husain Efendí, Shaikh-ul-Islám or muftí. Rajab Páshá was a Bosnian by birth, had been created Bostánjí-báshí with the rank of vezír, and afterwards Kapúdán Páshá. He took three large English ships in the Mediterranean, and attacked three hundred Cossack boats in the black sea, and upsetting the crosses, brought all the boats to Islámbol. When Khalíl Páshá, the grand vezír, was appointed commander of the expedition against Abáza, Rajab was Káïm-makám of Constantinople, and Hasan Páshá performed the duties of Kapúdán Páshá. He built a castle near the mouth of the river Ouzí (Dneiper), and added a square fort to the castle of Oczakov. He was also Káïm-makám during the vezírship of Khosrau Páshá, and was the cause of Háfiz Páshás being killed by the Janissaries. Músá Chelebí, one of the Sultán’s favourites, was also attacked at his instigation by the rebels; he was killed and his body thrown out on the At-maidán in 1041 (1631). Hasan Chelebí, the Aghá of the Janissaries, having been found concealed in a corner, was put to death by the imperial executioner. In the beginning of Ramazán the rebels discovered the place where the defterdár Borák Mustafá Páshá was concealed, killed him, and hanged him on a tree in the At-maidán. It being evident that Rajab Páshá was a traitor, having taken the part of the rebels who killed Músá Chelebí, he was therefore hanged on his entering the diván. On that day I, the poor Evliya, was present with my father. The office of grand vezír was given to Tabání Yassí Mohammed Páshá, who had just returned from Egypt. He was an Albanian by birth, and a dependant of Mustafá Aghá, the chief eunuch of Sultán Othmán. He left the imperial harem to go as governor of Egypt, whence he was recalled to receive the seals, and was at last killed whilst grand vezír, because he had not hastened to the relief of Eriván, and had been found concerned in the disturbances of Moldavia and Valachia. He was buried near the monument of Eyyúb. Bairám Páshá was made grand vezír in his place. He had been brought up as a Janissary at Constantinople. During the vezírship of Tabání Yassí Mohammed Páshá, Sultán Murád, following the custom of his ancestors, went to Adrianople, to enquire into the state of the provinces, and to receive the renewed treaty of peace with the emperor of Germany. When Tabání Yassí Mohammed Páshá received his appointment as commander in the expedition to Eriván, Bairám Páshá was Káïm-makám. On this occasion the Sultán himself repaired to Uskudár (Scutari), and began to reign with the wisdom of Solomon. My father, an old and experienced man, who had been present at the siege of Siget, received the imperial command to join the army, and I, the humble Evliya, accompanied him. Besides my father there were several other old men, who had witnessed the victories of Sultán Soleïmán; such as Gulábí Aghá, who lived in the Unkapáni (flour-market), and whose story has been related above in the description of the mosque of Ayá Sofiá; Abdí Efendí, the inspector of the kitchen, who lived in the house of Brinjí Zádeh at Zírek Básh; Kozú Alí Aghá; and Isá Aghá. Aged and respectable men like these were carried in litters, and were consulted during the march on all important questions. The army marched from Konia to Kaisería (Cæsarea), and thence to Sívás, where the feast of the Korbán (sacrifice) was celebrated. Here Mustafá Páshá, the emperor’s favourite, was promoted to the rank of second vezír, and called into the diván. The army then continued its march to Erzerúm. Besides the guns provided by the commander-in-chief, there were forty large guns dragged by two thousand pairs of buffaloes. The army entered the castle of Kázmaghán, and halted under the walls of Eriván in the year 1044 (1634). The trenches were opened the same day on seven sides; the batteries were raised against the place called Mahánat Báïrí, and for seven days not a moment’s rest was given either to the camp or fortress. This was most successful, and filled the hearts of the faithful army with joy. By the favour of God, the victory was certain: the khán of Eriván Emírgúneh Oghlí, surrendered by capitulation, and was appointed as a vezír of two tails to the government of Haleb (Aleppo). The breaches in the walls were repaired, and Murtezá Páshá was left in garrison with 40,000 men. Khoaja Kana’án was appointed commander against Akhiska, which was reduced in the same month; and the Sultán left Eriván to plunder the Persian provinces. On the sixth day he entered the beautiful city of Tabríz, where the Tátárs of the Ottoman army caused terrible havock, making the inhabitants slaves, and levelling the houses with the ground so that not a stone was left upon another. The lowest servants of the Ottoman army, such as the muleteers, camel-drivers, grooms, tent-pitchers, flambeau-bearers, and water-carriers, became rich as Afrásíáb with the public and private treasures. Sultán Murád visited the beautiful gardens and koshks of Tabríz, particularly the garden celebrated by the name of Khíábání. By his orders the army entered this garden, and in a moment brought to the ground all its houses and koshks, not leaving a single atom upon the page of existence; they also cut down all the trees as if they had been armed with the hatchet of Ferhád or the battle-axe of Moslem. The beautiful valley was changed into a desert, in which not the smallest vestige of cultivation could be seen, as if it had remained a barren wilderness ever since the descent of Adam upon the earth.

From Tabríz the Sultán returned, and laid waste the countries to the right and left of Azerbáïján, such as Khóí, Manand, Tesú, Barúd, Dúmbolí, Rúmieh, and after a few days arrived safe and sound at the castle of Kotúr. This castle, one of the strongest belonging to the Persians, though fiercely attacked, did not surrender, and as winter was approaching they abandoned it. Hence the army entered the country of the Mahmúdí Kurds, where they had a slight fall of snow. They then passed through Amik, Bárgerí, Arjísh, Adaljuváz, Akhlát, Khántakht, and lastly Ván. All these fortresses are situated on the borders of the lake of Ván. Thence the army marched to Tiflís, Kefender, Huzzú, Míáfarakaïn, Díárbekr, Malátieh, Sívás, Tokát, Amásia, Othmánjik, Túsieh, Bólí, and on the sixth day reached Izmít (Nicomedia). On the 19th of Rajab 1045 (1635) the illustrious emperor made his entry into Constantinople with a splendour and magnificence which no tongue can describe nor pen illustrate. The populace who poured out of the city to meet the emperor had been dissatisfied with the Káïm-makám Bairám Páshá, but, gratified by the sight of their emperor, they became animated by a new spirit. The windows and roofs of the houses in every direction were crowded with people, who exclaimed, “The blessing of God be upon thee O conqueror! Welcome, Murád! May thy victories be fortunate!” In short, they recovered their spirits, and joy was manifest in every countenance. The Sultán was dressed in steel armour, and had a threefold aigrette in his turban, stuck obliquely on one side in the Persian manner: he was mounted on a Nogháï steed, followed by seven led horses of the Arab breed, decked out in embroidered trappings set with jewels. Emírgúneh, the khán of Eriván, Yúsuf Khán, and other Persian kháns walked on foot before him, whilst the bands with cymbals, flutes, drums, and fifes, played the airs of Afrásíáb. The emperor looked with dignity on both sides of him, like a lion who has seized his prey, and saluted the people as he went on, followed by three thousand pages clad in armour. The people shouted “God be praised!” as he passed, and threw themselves on their faces to the ground. The merchants and tradesmen had raised on both sides of the way pavilions of satin, cloth of gold, velvet, fine linen, and other rich stuffs, which were afterwards distributed amongst the Soláks, Peiks, and other servants of the Sultán. The old Solák báshí told me that his guards alone had carried home silk tents to the value of 7,000 piastres. During this triumphant procession to the seráï all the ships at Seraglio-point, at Kizkala’ (Leander’s tower), and at Topkháneh, fired salutes, so that the sea seemed in a blaze. The public criers announced that seven days and nights were to be devoted to festivity and rejoicing. During this festival such a quantity of rich presents were brought to the Sultán that not only the treasury but even the koshk-kháneh (garden house) was filled with them. The next day being Friday, the Sultán repaired to the mosque of Eyyúb, and was much gratified to see the new buildings as he went along the harbour, and on his return by the Adrianople gate. Pleased with the improvements which he saw, he pardoned the Káïm-makám Páshá the discontent which he had occasioned among the people, and bestowed upon him a robe of honour. On his arrival at the mosque of the conqueror he offered up a prayer of two inclinations, and being pleased with the manner in which the mosque was illuminated, he conferred a second robe of honour on the Káïm-makám. He then visited the tomb of the conqueror, the mosque of the princes, and their monument, the mosque and mausoleum of Sultán Báyazíd, and the mosque and mausoleum of his own father. Observing the good repair in which these mosques were kept, he expressed his satisfaction, and returned to the palace. In this month very unfavourable reports were received from the grand vezír Tabání Yassí Mohammed Páshá. The Sháh had taken Eriván, and owing to the severity of the winter it was impossible to send it any relief. The seals were therefore immediately given to Baïrám Páshá, and an expedition to Baghdád was resolved upon. All the necessary arrangements were completed, and the imperial firmáns were issued to summon troops from every quarter to the number of one hundred thousand men, to be ready by spring for the imperial expedition. Kapújí-báshís, Khásekís, and Musáhibs were despatched in every direction with imperial orders, and an army numerous as the waves of the ocean began to assemble.

_Account of the humble Evliyá’s admission into the imperial harem of Sultán Murád, and of some pleasant conversation which he enjoyed with the Emperor, in 1045 (1635)._

It was in this year that I completed, under my tutor Evliyá Efendí, the study of the Korán, according to the seven various readings by Shátebí, and commenced a course according to the ten readings. By the advice of my father, Dervísh Mohammed Aghá, on the sacred night of Kadr, when several thousand individuals were assembled in the mosque of Ayá Sofia, I took my place on the seat of the Moazzins, and after the prayer Teravih, began to repeat from memory the whole of the Korán. When I had finished the Súra Ena’ám, Guzbegjí Mohammed Aghá and the Salihdár Melek Ahmed, came up to the seat, and putting on my head, in the presence of thousands, a tūrban wrought with gold, informed me that the emperor desired to see me. They then took me by the hand and led me into the mahfil of the emperor. On beholding the dignified countenance of Sultán Murád I bowed and kissed the ground. The emperor received me very graciously, and after the salutations, asked me in how many hours I could repeat the whole of the Korán. I said, if it please God, if I proceed at a quick rate I can repeat it in seven hours, but if I do it moderately, without much variation of the voice, I can accomplish it in eight hours. The Sultán then said, “Please God! he may be admitted into the number of my intimate associates in the room of the deceased Músá.” He then gave me two or three handfuls of gold, which altogether amounted to 623 pieces. Though I was then only a youth of twenty-five, I was sufficiently well educated, and my manners were polished, having been accustomed to associate with vezírs and muftís, in whose presence I had more than once repeated the As’har and the Na’t of the sacred volume. Murád left the mosque in the usual style with flambeaux and lanterns. I mounted a horse, and entered the imperial seráï by the cypress gate. The emperor next repaired to the Khás oda, and recommending me to the chief, directed him to invest me with the kaftán, in the chamber of the Kílárjí báshí. He then retired to the inner harem. Next morning he surrendered me to the Kílárjí báshí Safíd Aghá, and a room was assigned to me in the apartments of the Kílár. The Túrshíjí báshí was appointed my governor (lálá). My masters were: of writing, the Gógúm báshí; of music, Dervísh Omar; of grammar, Gejí Mohammed Efendí; and of reading the Korán, my old master Evliyá Efendí. Khorús Imám was my companion in the reciting of the Korán, and Táyeh Zádeh Khandán, Ferrokh Oghlí Asaf Beg, Mo’án Oghlí, Gejejí Soleïmán, and Amber Mustafá were my fellow Mu’azzíns. A great part of my time was spent in the Meshk-kháneh or gymnasium, near the private bath, in practising music. One day they invested me with an embroidered dress, put an amber-scented tuft of artificial hair upon my head, and wishing me a thousand blessings, told me I had the crown of happiness on my head. Sometimes also they put on me a fur cap like that worn by my companions. The Salihdár Melek Ahmed Páshá never lost sight of me, and as I was related to him on my mother’s side, he made me many presents. He, the Rúznámehjí Ibrahím Efendí, and the calligrapher Hasan Páshá, were the means of my obtaining an introduction into the seráï. On the day I was dressed as above related, with the splendid turban, two mutes came, and with many curious motions led me into the Khás oda (inner chamber), to Melek Ahmed Aghá and his predecessor Mustafá. These greatly encouraged me and taught me several expressions and ceremonies, which I was to observe in the presence of the emperor. I now found myself in the Khás oda, and had an opportunity of examining it. It is a large room with a cupola; in each corner there are raised seats or thrones; numerous windows and balconies; fountains and water-basins, and the floor is paved with stone of various colours, like a Chinese gallery of pictures. The emperor now made his appearance, like the rising sun, by the door leading to the inner harem. He saluted the forty pages of the inner chamber and all the Musáhib (associates), who returned the salutation with prayers for his prosperity. The emperor having with great dignity seated himself on one of the thrones, I kissed the ground before it, and trembled all over. The next moment, however, I complimented him with some verses that most fortunately came into my mind. He then desired me to read something. I said, “I am versed in seventy-two sciences, does your majesty wish to hear something of Persian, Arabic, Romaic, Hebrew, Syriac, Greek, or Turkish? Something of the different tunes of music, or poetry in various measures?” The emperor said, “What a boasting fellow this is! Is he a Revání (a prattling fellow), and is this all mere nonsense, or is he capable to perform all that he says?” I replied, “If your majesty will please to grant me permission to speak freely as a Nadím (familiar companion), I think I shall be able to amuse you.” The emperor asked what the office of a Nadím was: “A Nadím,” said I, “is a gentleman who converses in a pleasing manner: but if he is permitted to drink with the emperor, he is called Nadím náb, or companion of the glass. Nadím is derived from Monadamat, and by a transposition of letters we have Mudám, which in Arabic signifies pure wine. If such a Nadím is permitted to enjoy the company of the emperor, he is called Musáhíb (intimate companion).” “Bravo! said the Sultán, “he understands his business and is no Revání.” “Revání indeed!” replied I, looking at the same time towards Yúsuf Páshá, the late Khán of Reván (Eriván). The emperor struck his knees with his hand, and burst out in such a fit of laughter that his face became quite red; then addressing Emírgúneh, his favourite musician, he said: “What do you think of this devil of a boy?” Yúsuf Páshá said, “Mark this youth, he will very soon astonish all Irán and Túrán, for his eyes are constantly dancing.” “Yes,” said I, “the eyes of Turkish boys dance in order to excite mirth in strangers.” I alluded to Emírgúneh, who, when he was in a good humour frequently danced and played. The emperor laughed and said, “The boy has ready answers,” and being full of good humour, he ordered some chákír to be brought. Chákír in his metaphorical language signified wine. He drank a glass, and said, “Evliyá, thou art now initiated into my secrets; take care not to divulge them. I replied by the following verses.

“Deep in thy breast be love’s sweet secret hid— Forbid thy soul to feel its presence there,— And when death hovers o’er thy dark’ning lid, Still in that knowledge let no other share!”

I also quoted the saying, “He who keeps silence escapes many misfortunes;” and added, “my emperor, he who is admitted to your secrets ought to be a magazine of secrecy.”—“Evliyá,” said the Sultán, “having spoken so much of science, let us now hear some of your performances in music.” I enumerated all the different tunes, and having made many allusions to the taste of Emírgúneh for wine, the Sultán was so much pleased with my ready wit that he said, “Now, Evliyá, I shall no more call thee to account, or ask thee any reason for what thou sayest: I appoint thee a Musáhib;” and he then ordered me to be dressed in a fur robe. Seeing that it was too long for me, he said, “Send it to thy father that he may remember me in his prayers;” and he directed that another should be given to me. He next with his own hands put on my head a sable-fur kalpak. Before this I had only a plain Tátár kalpak. He then desired me to sing a wársikí. At one time my music-master was a Dervísh Omar, a disciple of the famous Sheikh Gulshaní, with whom he became acquainted in the reign of Sultán Soleïmán, and with whom he passed seventeen years in Egypt, performing all manner of menial services, such as valet, groom, cook, &c. One day Gulshaní, perceiving the worth that was concealed under the garb of this poor Dervísh, advised him to repair to Turkey, where he was wanted by Sultán Soleïmán. On his departure Gulshaní gave him his own carpet, and on this carpet Dervísh Omar had the honour to associate with all the Sultáns, from Soleïmán to Murád. Having arrived in Turkey with seventy followers, he was present at the siege of Siget, and at the death of Soleïmán. From that time he enjoyed the confidence and patronage of all the Sultáns. He was well skilled in the science of music, in which he gave me lessons. In obedience to the Sultán’s orders, I took up a _dáyara_ (tambourine) and kissed the ground before the Sultán. On looking at the dáyara, he observed that it was set with jewels, and said, “I make thee a present of this dáyara, but take care thou dost not go beyond this circle.”[5] I leaped in a sprightly manner, kissed the foot of the throne, prayed for a blessing on Dervísh Omar, and said, “If it please God, I shall never be debarred from this circle of the Ottoman court, for I know my limits too well to overstep them.

[5] _Dáyara_ is the word here used, which signifies “a circle” as well as a tambourine.

“It is very necessary for every one to know his bounds, Whether he be poor, or whether he be rich.”

I then seated myself on my heels as is usual, offered up a short prayer for assistance from God, and after several symphonies, I exclaimed, “O thou Sheikh Gulshaní, tutor of my tutor Dervísh Omar Raushaní, hail!” I now began to sing and dance, turning round in the manner of the Dervíshes, and accompanying with the dáyara, the following wársikí (mystic song) composed by Dervísh Omar for the late Músá, whose situation I had just entered; with a low and plaintive voice I sang:

“I went out to meet my beloved Músá; he tarried and came not. Perhaps I have missed him in the way; he tarried and came not.”

On hearing this plaintive song, the Sultán took up his pocket handkerchief, and when I approached him, he turned round and said: “The boy has brought to life the spirit of Músá Chelebí! Now tell me the truth instantly; who told thee to sing this song, which I have forbidden to be sung in my presence, and who taught thee it?” I replied, “My emperor, may your life be prolonged! My father had two slaves who learnt the song from the writings of Irmaghán Mohammed Efendí, who died during the late plague, and from them I learnt it. I have heard it from no one else, nor did any one tell me to sing it in the presence of my emperor.” The Sultán said, “The boy is very ingenious; he quotes the authority of dead men, that he may not compromise the living.” He then said, “Mayest thou live long,” and desired me proceed with my performance. I accordingly put my hand on the dáyara and sang:

“The mouth of my beloved betrays the hidden secret, When he speaks he utters magic spells; Should he look in anger, even Rustam would be overcome, For his eyebrows resemble the bow, and his lashes the arrows.”