Narrative of Travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa, in the Seventeenth Century, Vol. I
Part 2
Talismans relating to the Sea 19
SECTION VII.
Concerning the Mines within and without the city of Kostantín 20
SECTION VIII.
Sieges of Constantinople 23
The second siege ib.
The third siege 24
The fourth siege ib.
The fifth siege ib.
The sixth siege 25
The seventh siege ib.
The eighth siege ib.
The ninth siege 26
SECTION IX.
Concerning the sieges of Constantinople by the Ottoman Emperors 27
Account of the rise of Mohammed II., the Father of Victory 31
SECTION X.
The last siege of Kostantaniyyeh by Mohammed II., the conqueror 32
SECTION XI.
An explanation of the relationship between the house of Osmán and the King of France 40
An account of the heroic deeds and misfortunes of Jem-sháh, son of the Emperor Mohammed Abú-l Fat-h (the conqueror) 41
Eulogium on Yá Vadúd Sultán 44
Of the glorious conquest of the Ok-meïdán (archery ground) 46
SECTION XII.
Description of the New Seráï, the Threshold of the Abode of Felicity 49
SECTION XIII.
Description of the Old Seráï 50
Eulogium on the living water of the Old Palace (Eskí Seráï) 51
SECTION XIV.
On the Public Officers established at Islámból at the time of the Conquest 52
SECTION XV.
On the Imperial Mosques in the Mohammedan City of Kostantaniyyeh 55
On the Dimensions, Builders, &c. of the ancient place of worship, Ayá Sófiyah 56
A Description of the four Minárehs (Minarets) 57
The Servants (Khuddám) of the Mosque 59
Stations and Places in this Mosque visited as peculiarly fitted for Devotion 59
Narrative of Gulábí V 60
Virtues of the Golden Ball 64
The Spectacle of the resplendent Stones 65
The Mosque of Zírek Báshí ib.
Description of the Mosque of Mohammed the Conqueror 66
Form of this Mosque ib.
Appeal of the Mi’már Báshí (Head Builder) to the Law of the Prophet against the Conqueror 68
Description of the Mosque of Sultán Báyazíd II. 70
Description of the Mosque of Sultán Selim I. 73
Description of the Fifth Imperial Mosque; that of Sultán Suleïmán 74
In praise of the Writing of Karah Hisárí 76
Description of the Court (Harem) 77
A Description of the Imperial Mausoleum 79
Description of the Outer Court ib.
Description of the Mosque of Prince Mohammed 82
Description of the Mosque of the Válideh 83
Description of the Mosque of Mehr-máh Sultáneh ib.
Begler-begs in the reign of Sultán Suleïmán 85
Capudán Pashas in the reign of Suleïmán 86
Defterdárs and Nishánjis of the Reign of Sultán Suleïmán 87
Begs of Sultán Suleïmán’s Reign ib.
Some of the Illustrious Divines of the Reign of Sultán Suleïmán ib.
The Kanún-námeh, or Statistical Code of the Empire, drawn up by Sultán Suleïmán 88
The Khás, or Revenues of the Begler-begs 89
Names of the Sanjaks of each province 90
Sanjaks of the province of Anádólí ib.
Sanjaks of the province of Karamán ib.
Sanjaks of Sívás 91
Sanjaks of Bosna ib.
The province of the Capúdán Páshá ib.
Sanjaks of the Morea ib.
Sanjaks of Búdín (Bude) ib.
Sanjaks of the province of Kaníza ib.
Sanjaks of Uivár (Neuhausel) 92
The province of Temiswar ib.
The province of Varasdin ib.
Transylvania ib.
Valachia and Moldavia ib.
Oczakov, or Silistria ib.
Krim (the Crimea) ib.
The province of Kaffa 93
The province of Cyprus ib.
The province of Candia ib.
The province of Damascus ib.
The province of Trabalús (Tripoli) ib.
The province of Adna ib.
The province of Haleb (Aleppo) 94
The province of Díárbeker ib.
The province of Kars ib.
The province of Childer or Akhíchkeh 95
The province of Gúrjistán or Georgia ib.
The province of Tarabafzún (Trebizonde) ib.
The province of Rika ib.
The province of Baghdád ib.
The province of Basra ib.
The province of Lahsa 96
The province of Yemen ib.
The province of Abyssinia ib.
The province of Mecca ib.
The province of Egypt ib.
The province of Mosul 97
The province of Wán ib.
The province of Erzerúm ib.
The province of Sheherzúl ib.
Of the ranks of Sanjak-begs ib.
Of the khás, or revenue of the Sanjak-begs, the Kehiyás of the Defter and the Defterdárs of Tímárs 98
Rumeili ib.
Bosnia ib.
The Archipelago 99
The province of Bude ib.
The province of Temiswár ib.
The province of Anatolia ib.
The province of Karamán ib.
The province of Kubrus (Cyprus) ib.
The province of Tripoli (in Syria) ib.
The province of Haleb (Aleppo) 100
The province of Zulkadrieh or Mera’ish ib.
The province of Sivás ib.
The province of Erzerúm ib.
The province of Kars ib.
The province of Childer or Akhichka ib.
The province of Trebizonde ib.
The province of Díárbekr ib.
The province of Rakka 101
The province of Baghdád ib.
The province of Wán ib.
The province of Mosul ib.
Statement of the number of swords or men brought into the field by the possessors of Tímárs and Ziámets ib.
The province of Rúmeili ib.
Number of Ziámets and Tímárs in each of the Sanjaks in Rúmeïli ib.
Number of Ziámets and Timars in Anatolia 102
The province of the Kapúdán Pasha, or islands of the Archipelago 103
The province of Karamán ib.
The province of Rúm or Sivás ib.
The province of Mara’ish ib.
The province of Haleb (Aleppo) 104
The province of Shám (Damascus) ib.
The province of Cyprus ib.
The province of Rakka ib.
The province of Trebizonde ib.
The province of Díárbekr ib.
The province of Erzerúm ib.
The province of Childer 105
The province of Wán ib.
The order of the Diván ib.
The Conquests and Victories of Soleïmán 106
The Reign of Sultán Selím II. 108
Defterdárs and Nishánjís ib.
Physicians 109
Mesháiekh or Learned men ib.
Conquests, &c. in the reign of Sultan Selim II. ib.
Conquests, &c. in the reign of Murád ib.
Sons of Sultán Ahmed 111
Grand Vezírs of Sultán Ahmed ib.
Vezírs of the Kubba (Cupola) ib.
Celebrated Divines ib.
Mesháiekh or Learned Men ib.
Conquests, &c. of the reign of Sultán Ahmed ib.
Description of the Mosque of Sultán Ahmed 112
The Imperial Expedition against Hotín 115
Description of the Gul-Jámi’ 118
Chronological account of the principal events during the reign of Sultán Murád IV. 119
A curious Anecdote 127
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 1046 (1635) 132
The Muftís and Ulemá during the reign of Sultán Murád 143
Chief Judges of Rumeïlí ib.
Chief Judges of Anatolia 144
Defderdárs during the Reign of Sultán Murád ib.
Aghás of the Janissaries during the Reign of Sultán Murád ib.
Sultán Murád’s expedition against Malta ib.
Account of the Death of Sultán Murád 145
Vezírs of Sultán Ibráhím 146
The Vezír who rebelled against Sultán Ibráhím ib.
Conquests, &c. during the reign of Sultán Ibráhím 147
Defeat of Tekelí Mustafá Páshá 149
Character of Sultán Ibráhím ib.
Reign of Sultán Mohammed IV., which may God perpetuate! 151
Personal description of Sultán Mohammed ib.
History of the Vezírs 152
The cause of his fall 153
Vezírs of Provinces in the time of Sultán Mohammed IV. 157
Prince of Sultán Mohammed IV. ib.
Monuments of Sultán Mohammed IV. ib.
Victories and Conquests at which Sultán Mohammed IV. was present in person ib.
Defeat of the Druses in Syria by Murtezá Páshá ib.
Conquest of Selina and Retino in Candia 158
Defeat of the Infidel Fleet by Kapudán Chavush Zádeh ib.
Attack on the Cossacks, by Mohammed Gheráï Khán, at Oczakov 158
Defeat of Rakoczy 159
Description of the Mosque of the Válideh 164
Description of the Mosque of Abul-vafá 166
Description of the Mosque of Emír Najárí ib.
The Fat’híeh Mosque ib.
SECTION XVI.
Of the Mosques of the Vezírs at Constantinople 166
The Old Mesjids, or small Mosques of Constantinople 170
SECTION XVII.
Of the Medreseh, or Colleges 171
SECTION XVIII.
Of the Dár-ul-kira of Constantinople 173
SECTION XIX.
Of the Mekteb, or Boys’ Schools 173
SECTION XX.
Of the Dár-ul-hadíth, or Tradition Schools ib.
SECTION XXI.
Of the Tekíeh, or Convents of Dervíshes ib.
SECTION XXII.
Of the Imáret, or Refectories 174
SECTION XXIII.
Of the Tímáristán and Moristán, or Hospitals 174
SECTION XXIV.
Of the principal Palaces of Constantinople 175
SECTION XXV.
Of the Grand Kháns for Merchants 176
SECTION XXVI.
Of the Cáravánseráis 177
SECTION XXVII.
Of the Barracks (Bekár oda) ib.
SECTION XXVIII.
Of the Fountains ornamented with Chronographs 178
SECTION XXIX.
Of the Sebíl-khánehs, or Water-houses 179
SECTION XXX.
Of the principal Baths ib.
NOTES 183
THE
TRAVELS
OF
EVLIYA EFENDÍ.
IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE ALL-CLEMENT, THE ALL-MERCIFUL!
To GOD, who ennobles exalted minds by travels, and has enabled me to visit the holy places; to Him who laid the foundations of the fortresses of legislation, and established them on the groundwork of prophecy and revelation, all praise be given: and may the richest blessings and most excellent benedictions be offered to the most noble and perfect of all creatures, the pattern of prayer, who said, “Pray as you see me pray;” to the infallible guide, Mohammed; because it is in his favour that God, the Lord of empires and Creator of the heavens, made the earth an agreeable residence for the sons of Adam, and created man the most noble of all his creatures. Praise to Him, who directs all events according to His will, without injustice or incongruity! And, after having offered all adoration to God, let every pious aspiration be expressed for the prosperity of his shadow upon earth, the ruler of terrestrial things, the Sultán son of a Sultán, the victorious Prince Murád Khán, fourth son of Sultán Ahmed Khán, and eighth in descent from Sultán Mohammed Khán, the Conqueror, the mercy of God rest upon them all! but most especially on Sultán Murád Gházi, the conqueror of Baghdád, the great Monarch with whose service I was blessed when I began to write an account of my travels.
It was in the time of his illustrious reign, in the year A.H. 1041 (A.D. 1631), that by making excursions on foot in the villages and gardens near Islámbúl (Constantinople), I began to think of extensive travels, and to escape from the power of my father, mother, and brethren. Forming a design of travelling over the whole earth, I entreated God to give me health for my body and faith for my soul; I sought the conversation of dervíshes, and when I had heard a description of the seven climates and of the four quarters of the earth, I became still more anxious to see the world, to visit the Holy Land, Cairo, Damascus, Mecca and Medina, and to prostrate myself on the purified soil of the places where the prophet, the glory of all creatures, was born, and died.
I, a poor, destitute traveller, but a friend of mankind, Evliyà, son of the dervísh Mohammed, being continually engaged in prayer and petitions for divine guidance, meditating upon the holy chapters and mighty verses of the Korán, and looking out for assistance from above, was blessed in the night _’Ashúrá_, in the month of _Moharrem_, while sleeping in my father’s house at Islámbúl, with the following vision: I dreamt that I was in the mosque of Akhí chelebí, near the Yemish iskeleh-sí (fruit-stairs or scale), a mosque built with money lawfully gotten, from which prayers therefore ascend to heaven. The gates were thrown open at once, and the mosque filled with a brilliant crowd who were saying the morning prayers. I was concealed behind the pulpit, and was lost in astonishment on beholding that brilliant assembly. I looked on my neighbour, and said, “May I ask, my lord, who you are, and what is your illustrious name?” He answered, “I am one of the ten evangelists, Sa’d Vakkás, the patron of archers.” I kissed his hands, and asked further: “Who are the refulgent multitude on my right hand?” He said, “They are all blessed saints and pure spirits, the spirits of the followers of the Prophet, the Muhájirín, who followed him in his flight from Mecca, and the Ansárí who assisted him on his arrival at Medína, the companions of Saffah and the martyrs of Kerbelá. On the right of the _mihráb_ (altar) stand Abú Bekr and ’Omar, and on the left ’Osmán and ’Ali; before it stands Veis; and close to the left wall of the mosque, the first Muezzin, Belál the Habeshí. The man who regulates and ranks the whole assembly is Amru. Observe the host in red garments now advancing with a standard; that is the host of martyrs who fell in the holy wars, with the hero Hamzah at their head.” Thus did he point out to me the different companies of that blessed assembly, and each time I looked on one of them, I laid my hand on my breast, and felt my soul refreshed by the sight. “My lord,” said I, “what is the reason of the appearance of this assembly in this mosque?” He answered, “The faithful Tátárs being in great danger at Azák (Azof), we are marching to their assistance. The Prophet himself, with his two grandsons Hasan and Hosaïn, the twelve _Imáms_ and the ten disciples, will immediately come hither to perform the appointed morning service (_sabáh-namáz_). They will give you a sign to perform your duty as _Muezzin_, which you must do accordingly. You must begin to cry out with a loud voice ‘_Allah Ekber_’ (God is great!) and then repeat the verses of the Throne (Súrah II. 259). Belál will repeat the ‘_Subhánullah_’ (Glory to God!), and you must answer ‘_Elhamdu-li-llah_’ (God be praised!) Belál will answer, ‘_Allah ekber_,’ and you must say ‘_Amín_’ (Amen), while we all join in the _tevhíd_ (i.e. declaration of the divine unity). You shall then, after saying ‘Blessed be all the prophets, and praise to God the Lord of both worlds,’ get up, and kiss the hand of the prophet, saying ‘_Yá resúlu-llah_’ (O Apostle of God!).”