Part 4

Its first name in the Latin tongue was Makdúniyyah (Macedonia); then Yánkóvíchah in the Syrian (Suryání), from its founder Yánkó. Next in the Hebrew (’Ibrí) Alkesándeïrah (Alexandria) from Alexander; afterwards Púzenteh (Byzantium); then for a time, in the language of the Jews, Vezendúniyyeh; then by the Franks Yaghfúriyyeh. When Constantine had rebuilt it the ninth time, it was called Púznátiyám in the language of the Greeks, and Kostantaniyyeh; in German Kostantín-ópól; in the Muscovite tongue Tekúriyyah; in the language of Africa, Ghiránduviyyeh; in Hungarian, Vizendú-vár; in Polish, Kanátúryah; in Bohemian, Aliyáná; in Swedish (Esfaj), Khiraklibán; in Flemish, Isteghániyyeh; in French, Aghrándónah; in Portuguese, Kósatiyah; in Arabic, Kostantínah; in Persian, Kaïsari Zemín; in Indian, Takhti Rúm (the throne of Rome); in Moghól, Hákdúrkán; in Tátár, Sakálibah; in the language of the ’Osmánlús, Islámbúl. Towards the sea it was never defended by a ditch, which is there superfluous, but by a single wall; but to guard the entrance of the Bosporus and Hellespont, and to increase the security of the city, the castles called Kilídu-l-bahreïn (_i.e._ the key of the two seas), were built. It is said to have had three hundred and sixty-six gates in the time of Constantine, who left only twenty-seven open, and walled up the rest, the places of which are still visible.

SECTION V.

_Concerning the circumference of Constantinople._

In the year 1044 (1634) when I was first come to years of manhood, and used to walk with my friends all over Islámbúl, at the time that Sultán Murád IV. had marched against (Riván) Eriván, and Kójah Baïrám Páshá was left as Káyim-makám (viceroy), he used to visit my late father; and, in the course of conversation, inquire about the history of Islámbúl. “My lord,” said my father, “it has been built nine times, and nine times destroyed; but had never, since it has been in the hands of the house of ’Osmán, fallen into such decay as now, when waggons might be any where driven through the walls.” He then suggested to the Páshá, that this city, being the envy of the kings of the earth, and the royal residence of the house of ’Osmán, it would be unworthy him to suffer its walls to remain in that ruinous condition during the period of his government; and that when the Sultán returned victorious from Riván, he would be overjoyed on seeing “the good city,” his nest, as brilliant as a pearl, and compensate this service by large remunerations, while the name of the Páshá would also be blessed by future generations for so meritorious a work. All who were present applauded what my father had said, and he concluded by repeating the _Fátihah_. The Mólláhs of Islámbúl, Iyyúb, Ghalatah, and Uskudár (Scutari), the Shehr emíní (superintendent of the town), four chief architects, Seybánbáshí (the third in rank among the officers of the Janissaries), and all other men in office were immediately summoned together, with the Imáms of the 4,700 divisions (mahallah) of the city, for the purpose of giving aid in repairing the fortifications. Many thousands of masons and builders having been assembled, the great work was begun, and happily finished in the space of one year, before the return of the Sultán from his victorious campaign at Riván.

On receiving intelligence of the conquest of that fortress the joy was universal, and the city was illuminated for seven days and seven nights. It was then that a causeway, twenty cubits broad, was formed at the foot of the wall, along the sea-shore, from Seraglio-Point to the Seven Towers; and on it a high road was made for the convenience of the sailors, who drag their vessels by ropes round the point into the harbour. Close to the wall, all the houses, within and without, were purchased by government, and pulled down to make room for the road, and I then was enabled to measure the circumference of the city, by pacing it round as I shall now explain.

Having said a _bismillah_ on setting out, and going along the edge of the ditch, from the Seven Towers to Abú Iyyúb Ensárí, I found the distance measured 8,810 paces, exclusive of the eight gates. From the little gate of Iyyúb to the Garden-gate (Bághcheh kapú), including the Martyrs gate (Shehíd kapú-sí), a space comprehending fourteen gates, there are 6,500 paces. The new palace (Yení seráï), which is the threshold of the abode of felicity (Asitánehi Dáru-s-se’ádet), beginning from the barley-granary (Arpá-enbárí), which is near the head-lime-burners gate (kirej-chí báshí kapú-sí), has, in its whole circumference, sixteen gates, ten of which are open, and six closed, except on extraordinary occasions. The entire circuit of this new palace, built by Mohammed (II.) the conqueror, is 6,500 paces. The distance from the Stable gate (Akhór-kapú), along the new-made high road to the angle of the Seven Towers, measures 10,000 paces, and comprehends seven gates. According to this calculation, the whole circumference of Islámbúl measures 30,000 paces, having ten towers in every thousand paces, and four hundred towers in the sum total; but, taking into the account those in the triple wall on the land side, there are altogether 1,225 large towers; of which, some are square, some round, some hexagonal. When Baïrám Páshá had undertaken a complete repair of the fortifications, he ordered the walls to be measured by the builders’ ell (arshín), and the whole circumference of the city was found to be exactly 87,000 ells or cubits (zirá’).

In the time of Kostantín (Constantine), there were five hundred cannons planted on the arsenal (Tóp-khánah) near the lead-magazine, of which the iron gates are still visible; the same number was planted near Seraglio-Point, and a hundred round the foot of the Maiden’s Tower (Kiz kulleh-sí, _i.e._ the Tower of Leander). Not a bird could cross without being struck from one of these three batteries, so secure was Islámbúl from any hostile attack. There was then a triple chain drawn from Ghalatah to Yemish Iskeleh-sí, upon which a large bridge was built, affording a passage for comers and goers, and opening when necessary to allow the ships to go through. There were two other bridges also across the sea, from Balát kapú-sí (Palace gate) to the garden of the arsenal (Ters-kháneh-bághcheh-sí), and from Iyyúb to Súdlíjeh. In the time of Yánkó Ibn Mádiyán, also, a triple chain of iron was drawn across the straits of the Black Sea (Karah deniz bóghází), at the foot of the castle called Yórúz (_i.e._ the castle of the Genoese), in order to prevent the passage of the enemy’s ships. I have seen fragments of these chains, which are still preserved at Islámbúl in the magazines of the arsenal, each ring of which is as wide across as a man’s waist, but they now lie covered with sand and rubbish. Islámbúl was then in so flourishing a state, that the whole shore to Silivrí one way, and to Terkóz on the Black Sea the other, was covered with towns and villages to the number of twelve hundred, surrounded by gardens and vineyards, and following each other in uninterrupted succession. Constantine, having reached the summit of greatness and power, could easily have conquered the world, but he preferred employing the remainder of his life in the embellishment of his capital. On the great festivals, such as the Red-egg-days (Kizil yúmurtah gúnlerí, _i.e._ Easter), Mother Meryem’s days (the Feasts of the Virgin), Isvat Nikólah (St. Nicolas), Kásim (St. Demetrius), Khizr Ilyás (St. George), Aúsh-dús, (i.e. the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, on the 14th of September), the casting of the crosses into the water (the Epiphany), the days of Karah-kóndjólóz (probably days on which evil spirits were exorcised), and on all Sundays (Bázár gúnlerí, _i.e._ market days), the walls of Constantinople were covered with scarlet cloth, and the emperor himself, having his beard adorned with pearls, and the Kayanian crown of Alexander on his head, walked in solemn procession through the streets of the city.

_The number of Paces between each of the twenty-seven Gates._

From the Kóshk (Kiosk) to the gate of the Seven Towers 1,000 paces.

From thence to the Silivrí-gate 2,010

To the Yení-kapú (New-gate) 1,000

To the Tóp-kapú (Cannon-gate) 2,900

To the Adrianople-gate 1,000

To the Egrí-kapú (Crooked-gate) 900

These six gates are all on the west side of the city, looking towards Adrianople.

From thence to the Iyyúb Ensárí-gate 1,000 paces.

To the Balát kapú-sí (the gate of the Palatium) 700

Fánús-kapú-sí (Fanal-gate) 900

To the Petrah-kapú 600

To the Yení-kapú (New-gate) 100

To the Ayà-kapú 300

To the Jubálí-kapú 400

To the Un-kapání-kapú (Flour-market-gate) 400

The Ayázmah-kapú (Fountain-gate) 400

To the Odún-kapú (Timber-gate) 400

To the Zindán-kapú-sí (Prison-gate) 300

To the Báluk-bázárí-kapú (Fish-market-gate) 400

To the Yení jáma’-kapú-sí (New Mosque-gate) 300

This, which is also called the Válideh kapú-sí (Queen Mothers-gate), was erected in order to give access to the new mosque built by that princess.

From thence to Shehíd kapú-sí (Martyr’s-gate) 300 paces.

These fourteen gates, from Iyyúb-kapú-sí to Shehíd-kapú-sí, all open to the sea-shore, and face the north. The gates in the circuit of the imperial palace (_seráï humáyún_) are all private, and are, 1. the Kirech-jí (lime-burners); 2. the Oghrún, from which the corpses of criminals executed in the seraglio are thrown into the sea; 3. the Bálukchí (fishmongers); 4. the Ich ákhór (privy stable gate), looking southward; and 5. the gate of Báyazíd khán, which also faces the south, but is not always open. 6. The imperial (Bábi humáyún) or gate of felicity (Bábi Sa’ádet), also open to the south, and within it there are three gates in the same line: one of them is the (7.) Serví-kapú-sí (the cypress gate), by which the Sultán issues when he visits Sancta Sophia, or takes his rounds through the city in disguise; another is (8.) Sultán Ibráhím’s gate, also opening to the south, near the cold spring (_sóúk cheshmeh_); a third is (9.) the Sókóllí Mohammed Páshá kapú-sí, a small gate near the Aláï-kóshk, looking to the west; a fourth, also facing westward, is (10.) Suleïmán Khán kapú-sí, a small gate now always shut. (11.) The iron gate (Demir kapú) is a large portal facing the west, and appropriated to the use of the Bóstánjís and imperial favourites (Musáhibler, _i.e._ Ἑταίροι). The above-mentioned eight private gates, from the Akhór kapú to the Demir kapú, all open into the city; but there are nine other private gates opening to the sea on the Seraglio-Point, and facing the north.

The whole circuit of the Seraglio measures 6,500 paces.

From the Privy Stable to the Public Stable-gate (kháss-ú-’ám ákhór kapú-sí), there are 200

From thence to the Chátládí (Broken-gate) 1,300

To the Kúm-kapú (Sand-gate) 1,200

To the Lánkah-gate 1,400

Thence to the gate of Dáúd Páshá 1,600

To the Samátíyah-gate 800

To the Nárlí-gate 1,600

To the gate of the inner castle of the Seven Towers 2,000

Seven of these gates open towards the east, and as the winds blow from the south-east with great violence, the quay built by Baïrám Páshá was soon destroyed, so that when I paced the circuit, as mentioned above, in the reign of Ibráhím Khán, I was obliged to pass between the Stable-gate and the Seven Towers, within the walls. I then found the whole circuit to be 29,810 paces; but, in Baïrám Páshá’s time, when I went outside the walls, it measured exactly 30,000 paces, or 87,000 builders’ cubits (_mïmár arshúní_).

SECTION VI.

_On the wonderful Talismans within and without Kostantíneh._

First talisman. In the ‘Avret-Bázárí (female-slave-market), there is a lofty column (the pillar of Arcadius) of white marble, inside of which there is a winding staircase. On the outside of it, figures of the soldiers of various nations, Hindustánies, Kurdistánies, and Múltánies, whom Yánkó ibn Mádiyán vanquished, were sculptured by his command; and on the summit of it there was anciently a fairy-cheeked female figure of one of the beauties of the age, which once a year gave a sound, on which many hundred thousand kinds of birds, after flying round and round the image, fell down to the earth, and being caught by the people of Rúm (Romelia), provided them with an abundant meal. Afterwards, in the age of Kostantín, the monks placed bells on the top of it, in order to give an alarm on the approach of an enemy; and subsequently, at the birth of the Prophet, there was a great earthquake, by which the statue and all the bells on the top of the pillar were thrown down topsy-turvy, and the column itself broken in pieces: but, having been formed by talismanic art, it could not be entirely destroyed, and part of it remains an extraordinary spectacle to the present day.

Second talisman. In the Táúk-Bázár (poultry-market) there is another needle-like column (the pillar of Theodosius), formed of many pieces of red emery (_súmpáreh_) stone, and a hundred royal cubits (_zirá’ melikí_) high. This was also damaged by the earthquake which occurred in the two nights during which the Pride of the World was called into existence; but the builders girt it round with iron hoops, as thick as a man’s thigh, in forty places, so that it is still firm and standing. It was erected a hundred and forty years before the era of Iskender; and Kostantín placed a talisman on the top of it in the form of a starling, which once a year clapped his wings, and brought all the birds in the air to the place, each with three olives in his beak and talons, for the same purpose as was related above.

Third talisman. At the head of the Serráj-kháneh (saddlers’ bazar), on the summit of a column stretching to the skies (the pillar of Marcian), there is a chest of white marble, in which the unlucky-starred daughter of king Puzentín (Byzantius) lies buried; and to preserve her remains from ants and serpents was this column made a talisman.

Fourth talisman. At the place called Altí Mermer (the six marbles), there are six columns, every one of which was an observatory, made by some of the ancient sages. On one of them, erected by the Hakím Fílikús (Philip), lord of the castle of Kaválah, was the figure of a black fly, made of brass, which, by its incessant humming, drove all flies away from Islámból.

Fifth talisman. On another of the six marble columns, Iflátún (Plato) the divine made the figure of a gnat, and from that time there is no fear of a single gnat‘s coming into Islámbúl.

Sixth talisman. On another of these columns, the Hakím Bokrát (Hippocrates) placed the figure of a stork, and once a year, when it uttered a cry, all the storks which had built their nests in the city died instantly. To this time, not a stork can come and build its nest within the walls of Islámból, though there are plenty of them in the suburbs of Abú Iyyúb Ensárí.

Seventh talisman. On the top of another of the six marble columns, Sokrát the Hakím (_i.e._ Socrates the sage) placed a brazen cock, which clapped its wings and crowed once in every twenty-four hours, and on hearing it all the cocks of Islámbúl began to crow. And it is a fact, that to this day the cocks there crow earlier than those of other places, setting up their _kú-kirí-kúd_ (_i.e._ crowing) at midnight, and thus warning the sleepy and forgetful of the approach of dawn and the hour of prayer.

Eighth talisman. On another of the six columns, Físághórát (Pythagoras the Unitarian), in the days of the prophet Suleïmán (Solomon), placed the figure of a wolf, made of bronze (_túj_), the terror of all other wolves; so that the flocks of the people of Islámból pastured very safely without a shepherd, and walked side by side with untamed wolves very comfortably.

Ninth talisman. On another of these columns were the figures in brass of a youth and his mistress in close embrace; and whenever there was any coolness or quarrelling between man and wife, if either of them went and embraced this column, they were sure that very night to have their afflicted hearts restored by the joys of love, through the power of this talisman, which was moved by the spirit of the sage Aristatálís (Aristotle).

Tenth talisman. Two figures of tin had been placed on another of the six columns by the physician Jálínús (Galen). One was a decrepit old man, bent double; and opposite to it was a camel-lip sour-faced hag, not straighter than her companion: and when man and wife led no happy life together, if either of them embraced this column, a separation was sure to take place. Wonderful talismans were destroyed, they say, in the time of that asylum of apostleship (Mohammed), and are now buried in the earth.

Eleventh talisman. On the site of the baths of Sultán Báyazíd Velí there was a quadrangular column, eighty cubits high, erected by an ancient sage named Kirbáriyá, as a talisman against the plague, which could never prevail in Islámból as long as this column was standing. It was afterwards demolished by that sultán, who erected a heart-rejoicing _hammám_ in its place; and on that very day one of his sons died of the plague, in the garden of Dáúd Páshá outside of the Adrianople-gate, and was buried on an elevated platform (_soffah_) without: since which time the plague has prevailed in the city.

Twelfth talisman. In the Tekfúr Seráï, near the Egrí kapú, there was a large solid bust of black stone, on which a man named Muhaydák placed a brazen figure of a demon (_’afrít_), which once a year spit out fire and flames; and whoever caught a spark kept it in his kitchen; and, as long as his health was good, that fire was never extinguished.

Thirteenth talisman. On the skirt of the place called Zírek-báshí there is a cavern dedicated to St. John, and every month, when the piercing cold of winter has set in, several black demons (_kónjólóz_) hide themselves there.

Fourteenth talisman. To the south of Ayá Sófiyah there were four lofty columns of white marble, bearing the statues of the four cherubs (_kerrúblir_), Gabriel (Jebráyíl), Michael (Míkáyíl), Rafael (Isráfíl), and Azrael (Azráyíl), turned towards the north, south, east, and west. Each of them clapped his wings once a year, and foreboded desolation, war, famine, or pestilence. These statues were upset when the Prophet came into existence, but the four columns still remain a public spectacle, near the subterraneous springs (_chukúr cheshmeh_) of Ayá Sófiyah.

Fifteenth talisman. The great work in the Atmeïdán (Hippodrome), called Milyón-pár (Millium?), is a lofty column, measuring a hundred and fifty cubits (_arshún_) of builders measure. It was constructed by order of Kostantín, of various coloured stones, collected from the 300,000 cities of which he was king, and designed to be an eternal monument of his power, and at the same time a talisman. Through the middle of it there ran a thick iron axis, round which the various coloured stones were placed, and they were all kept together by a magnet, as large as the cupola of a bath (_hammám_), fixed on its summit. It still remains a lasting monument; and its builder, the head architect, Ghúrbárín by name, lies buried at the foot of it.

Sixteenth talisman. This is also an obelisk of red coloured stone, covered with various sculptures, and situate in the At-meïdán. The figures on its sides foretell the different fortunes of the city. It was erected in the time of Yánkó ibn Mádiyán, who is represented on it sitting on his throne, and holding a ring in his hand, implying symbolically, ‘I have conquered the whole world, and hold it in my hands like this ring.’ His face is turned towards the east, and kings stand before him, holding dishes, in the guise of beggars. On another are the figures of three hundred men engaged in erecting the obelisk, with the various machines used for that purpose. Its circumference is such that ten men cannot span it; and its four angles rest on four brazen seats, such that, when one experienced in the builders art has looked at it, he puts his finger on his mouth.

Seventeenth talisman. A sage named Surendeh, who flourished in the days of error, under king Púzentín, set up a brazen image of a triple-headed dragon (_azhderhá_) in the Atmeïdán, in order to destroy all serpents, lizards, scorpions, and such like poisonous reptiles: and not a poisonous beast was there in the whole of Mákedóniyyah. It has now the form of a twisted serpent, measuring ten cubits above and as many below the ground. It remained thus buried in mud and earth from the building of Sultán Ahmed’s mosque, but uninjured, till Selím II., surnamed the drunken, passing by on horseback, knocked off with his mace the lower jaw of that head of the dragon which looks to the west. Serpents then made their appearance on the western side of the city, and since that time have become common in every part of it. If, moreover, the remaining heads should be destroyed, Islámból will be completely eaten up with vermin. In short, there were anciently, relating to the land at Islámból, three hundred and sixty-six talismans like those now described, which are all that now remain.

_Talismans relating to the Sea._

First talisman. At the Chátládí-kapú, in the side of the palace of an emperor whom the sun never saw, there was the brazen figure of a demon (_dív_) upon a square column, which spit fire, and burnt the ships of the enemy whenever it was they approached from the White Sea (Archipelago).

Second talisman. In the galley-harbour (_kadirghah límání_) there was a brazen ship, in which, once a year, when the cold winter-nights had set in, all the Witches of Islámból used to embark and sail about till morning, to guard the White Sea. It was a part of the spoils captured with the city by Mohammed II. the conqueror.

Third talisman. Another brazen ship, the counterpart of this, was constructed at the Tóp-khánah (cannon-foundery), in which all the wizards and conjurors kept guard towards the Black Sea. It was broken in pieces when Yezíd Ibn Mo’áviyyah conquered Ghalatah.

Fourth talisman. At Seraglo-Point there was a triple-headed brazen dragon, spitting fire, and burning all the enemy’s ships and boats whichever way they came.

Fifth talisman. There were also, near the same place, three hundred and sixty-six lofty columns bearing the figures of as many marine creatures; a White sun fish (_khamsín bálighí_) for example, which, when it uttered a cry, left not a fish of that kind in the Black Sea, but brought them all to Makedún, where all the people got a good bellyful of them.

The sixth talisman was, that, during all the forty days of Lent, all kinds of fish were thrown ashore by the sea, and caught without any trouble by the people of Rúm (Turkey).

All these talismans having been overthrown by the great earthquake on the night of the prophets birth, the columns which bore them still lie strewed like a pavement along the Seraglio-Point, from the Selímiyyeh Kóshk, to the castle of Sinán Páshá, and are manifest to those who pass along in boats. Though upset they still retain their talismanic virtues, and every year bring many thousand fishes to the shore.