Part 5

There were also twenty-four columns round Islámból, each bearing a talisman. All could be visited by a man in one day, provided it was a day of fifteen hours: now the longest day at Islámból, from sun-rise to sun-set, is fifteen hours and a half. That city is situated in the middle of the fifth climate, and therefore enjoys excellent air and water.

SECTION VII.

_Concerning the Mines within and without the City of Kostantín._

By God’s will there was anciently a great cavern in Islámból, below the Sultán’s mosque (Sultán jámi’-sí), filled with sulphur, nitre, and black powder, from which they drew supplies in time of need. Having, by the decree of heaven, been struck by lightning in the time of Kostantín, or, according to our tradition, at the time of the taking of the city by the conqueror, all the large buildings over the cavern were blown up, and fragments of them scattered in every direction; some may still be seen at Uskudár (Scutari), others at Salájak búruní, and Kází kóï (Chalcedon); one large piece, particularly, called the Kabá-tásh, and lying in the sea before the chismehler tekkiyeh, to the north of the village of Funduk-lí, near Tóp-khánah, was probably thrown there when the city was blown up.

In the neighbourhood of the castle of Kúm-búrghaz, half a days journey from the Seven Towers, to the south of Islámból, a fine white sand is found, in great request among the hour-glass makers and goldsmiths of Islámból and Firengistán (Europe).

Near the privy-garden of Dáúd Páshá, outside of the Adrianople-gate, there are seven stone quarries, which appear to be inexhaustible. It is called the stone of Khizr, because it was pointed out by that prophet for the construction of Ayá Sófiyah.

A kind of soft clay (_tín_) like electuary (_ma’jún_), found near the suburb of Abú Iyyúb ansárí, is called tín ansárí; it has a sweet scent like terra sigillata (_tiní makhtúm_), from the island of Alimání (Jezírehi Alimání, i.e. Lemnos); and it is used for the sigillate earth found at Lemnos; making jugs, a draught from which refreshes like a draught of the water of life.

From a pool (_buheïreh_) between the suburbs of Iyyúb Sultán and Khás-kóï, divers bring up a kind of black clay, which is excellent for making jugs, cups, plates, and all kinds of earthenware.

The springs of Jendereh-jí, in the delightful promenade (_mesíreh-gáh_) called Kághid Khánah (Kïahet-haneh, or les eaux douces, _i.e._ fresh-water springs), are famous all over the world. The root of a kind of lign-aloes (_eker_) is found there superior to that of Azák (Assov), the city of Kerdeh, or the canal of the castle of Kanizzhah. One of its wonderful properties is, that when a man eats of it it occasions a thousand eructations; it fattens tortoises marvellously, and the Franks of Ghalatah come and catch them, and use them in all their medicines with great advantage.

At Sárí Yár, north of Kághid Kháneh, a kind of fermented clay is found, which smells like musk, and is used in making jugs and cups, which are much valued, and offered as presents to the great.

At the village of Sári Yár, near the entrance of the strait of the Black Sea, there is a lofty mountain of yellow-coloured earth, covered with gardens and vineyards up to its summit. On its outside, near to the sea-shore, there is a cavern containing a mine of pure gold, free from any alloy of Hungarian (Ungurús) Búndúkání brass. From the time of the infidels till the reign of Sultán Ahmed, it was an imperial domain, farmed out for one thousand yúk of aspers (loads, each equal to 100,000). The Defterdár, Ekmek-ji-zádeh Ahmed Páshá, closed it, as bringing little into the treasury; it is now, therefore, neglected, but if opened again by the Sultán’s order would be found a very valuable mine.

From this mountain in the valley of Gók-sú, near the castles (_hisár_) on the Bosphorus, a kind of lime is obtained which is whiter than snow, cotton, or milk, and cannot be matched in the world.

In the same favourite place of resort, the valley of Gók-sú, a kind of red earth is found, of which jugs, plates, and dishes are made; and the doctors say, that pure water drunk out of vessels made of this earth cures the básuri demeví (blood-shot eyes?).

In the mountains near the town of Uskudár (Scutari), is found a kind of fossil whetstone (_kayághán_), which breaks in large slabs, and is much used for tombstones.

Beneath the palace known by the name of Ghalatah-seráï, above the suburb of Tóp-khánah, is an iron mine, called the mine of old Islámból, and the ore extracted from it is known by that name all over the world. Not a soul in the universe knew any thing of it till Khizr pointed it out, in the time of king Ferendú, for the building of Ayá Sófiyah; and all the ironwork of that edifice, as well as the iron hoops round the column in Táúk-bázár [Forum Theodosii], were made of iron from Eskí Stámból. The mine was worked till the time of Sultán Báyazíd Velí, who was much pleased with the air and water of the place, and often spent some time there; and having been admonished in a dream by the Prophet, founded a hospital and college on the spot; and having finally made it a school for pages of the seraglio, the mine was abandoned. The humble writer of this remembers, in the time of his youth, when ’Osmán the Martyr was on the throne, there was between the lead-magazine (_kúrshúnlí makhzen_) and Tóp-kapú a manufactory of Damascus blades, made from the iron of this mine, where Mohamed the Conqueror, who established it, had most excellent blades made. I myself have seen Mustafá, the head sword-maker of Sultán Murád IV., and master of little David, working in that manufactory. It was a large building, outside of the walls, on the sea-shore. Afterwards, when Sultán Ibráhím ascended the throne, Kara Mustafá Páshá became a martyr, and every thing was thrown into confusion; this building was turned into a house for the Jews, by ’Alí Aghá, superintendant of the custom-house, and neither the name, nor any trace of the mine or the sword manufactory, are to be found.

The thirteenth mine is that mine of men, the Good City, _i.e._ Kostantiniyyeh, which is an ocean of men and beautiful women, such as is to be found no where else. It is said, that if a thousand men die and a thousand and one are born, the race is propagated by that one. But Islámból is so vast a city, that if a thousand die in it, the want of them is not felt in such an ocean of men; and it has therefore been called Káni Insán, a mine of men.

SECTION VIII.

_Sieges of Constantinople._

In the forty-third year of the Hijreh (A.D. 663), Mo’áviyyah became Commander of the Faithful; and in the course of his reign sent his commander in chief Moslemah, son of ’Abdu-l-malik, at the head of a hundred thousand men of the Syrian army, with two hundred ships, and two hundred transports laden with provisions, ammunition, &c. from the port of Shám-Tarah-bólús (Tripoli in Syria), and trusting in God, first against the island of Máltah, which at that time was Rodós (Rhodes), and of which they made a conquest almost as soon as they disembarked. They next proceeded to the islands of Istánkóï (Cos), Sákiz (Scio), Medellí (Mitylene), Alimániyah (Lemnos), and Bózjah (Tenedos), which were taken in a few days; and they immediately afterwards laid siege to Kostantaniyyeh, having taken four hundred ships in their passage, and intercepted all vessels laden with provisions coming from the White or Black Sea. The infidels soon sued for peace, on condition of paying the annual tribute of a galley laden with money; and the victorious general returned to Arabia with joy and exultation, carrying with him the impure son of that erring king (_királ_) Herkíl (Heraclius) as a hostage, with treasures to the amount of some millions of piastres.

_Second Siege._ In the fifty-second year of the Hijrah of the pride of the world (A.D. 671), Ebú Iyyúb Ansárí, the standard-bearer of the Prophet, and ’Abdullah ibn ’Abbás ibn Zeïd, proceeding with some thousands of the illustrious companions of the Prophet, and 50,000 brave men, in two hundred ships, followed by reinforcements under the command of Moslemah, first carried supplies to the warriors of Islám in garrison at Rodós, and then, casting anchor before the Seven Towers and landing their men, laid siege to Islámból by sea and land. Thus, for six months, did this host, which had the fragrance of Paradise, contend day and night with the infidels. By the wise decree of God. Ebú Iyyúb their leader suffered martyrdom in one of these assaults, by an arrow from a cross-bow: but, according to a sure tradition, he was received into mercy (_i.e._ he died) of a disorder in his bowels.

_Third Siege._ In the year of the Hijrah 91 (A.D. 710), by order of the khalif Suleïmán, son of ’Abdu-llah of the Bení Ummayyah, his nephew ’Omar ibn ’Abdu-l-’azíz marched by land against Islámból with 87,000 men, who ravaged Ghalatah with fire and sword, and having carried off an immense booty, crossed over into Anátólí (Natolia); and after having laid siege to Sínób, which made its peace at a great price, and Kastemúní, the capture of which likewise it did not please God to make easy to him, he returned to Syria (Shám).

_The fourth Siege._ In A.H. 97 (A.D. 716), the same khalif again sent his nephew ’Omar ibn ’Abdu-l-’azíz against Islámból, with an army of 120,000 men by land, and 80,000 embarked in three hundred ships at sea. They established their winter-quarters that year in the town of Belkís-Aná, near Aïdinjik (Cyzicus), in the district of Brúsah, and in the following spring they laid siege to Islámból, and reduced the inhabitants to the greatest distress, by laying waste all the surrounding fields and meadows.

_The fifth Siege._ In the year of the Hijrah——, ’Omar ibn ’Abdu-l-’azíz, having become khalif of Shám (Syria), sent an army of 100,000 men, by land and by sea, against Islámból, and crossing the Strait of the Black Sea at Ghalatah, conquered it, and built the mosque of the lead magazines; and the mosque of the Arabs (’Arab jámi’sí) in that suburb was likewise named from its having been built by him. Having erected a lofty heaven-aspiring tower at Ghalatah, he called it Medíneto-l Kahr (the City of Oppression). He made peace with the Tekkúr of Islámból on condition that Mohammedans should be allowed to settle in that city, from the Crooked (Egrí) and Adrianople gates, and the hill on which the Suleïmániyyah stands, to that of Zírek-báshí, and from thence by the flour-market (ún-kapání) as far as Iyyúb Ensárí. He built the rose-mosque (Gul-jámi’í) in the market of Mustafá Páshá, erected the court of justice near the Sirkehjí-tekiyeh, and formed a new district of the town at the summer-quarters of Kójah Mustafá Páshá, near the Seven Towers. Another condition on which this unilluminated Tekkúr (emperor) obtained peace, was the annual payment of a tribute (kharáj) of 50,000 pieces of gold. ’Omar ibn ’Abdu-l-’azíz fixed his winter-quarters at Ghalatah for that year, having received the tribute due for three hundred years in consequence of a former treaty, departed, leaving Suleïmán ibn ’Abdu-l Malik governor of Ghalatah, and appointing Moselmah his Grand Vizír. His fleet having met near Rodostò one of two hundred sail, sent by the infidels to succour the Tekkúr, a great battle ensued; and just as the infidels were about to be destroyed, a stormy wind sprung up and drove both fleets on shore, notwithstanding all the cherubims in heaven emulated the zeal of the true believers on earth. The Moslims disembarked, laid waste all the villages round about, carried away more than 3,000 horses, asses, and mules, and 23,000 prisoners. The treasures taken from the ships which were sunk, were so great, that God only knows their amount; and the number of the dust-licking infidels passed over the edge of the sword such that their bones lie piled up in heaps in a well known valley, called even now ‘Omar Kírdúghí Jórdú, _i.e._ ‘the camp broken up by ‘Omar.’ After gaining another signal victory by sea and land, he returned into Syria (Shám).

_The sixth Siege._ In the year of the hijrah 160 (A.D. 777) Merván ibnu-l Hakem besieged Islámból with an army of 150,000 Moslims and a fleet of a thousand ships during six months, added three new districts and built a mosque in the Mahommedan part of the city, and compelled Mesendún, son of Herakíl (Heraclius), to pay a yearly tribute of 500,000 golden tekyánúses, (_i.e._ coins called Decianus).

_The seventh Siege._ Seventy-four years after the peace made with Merván, in the year of the hijrah 239 (A.D. 853-4), after the conquest of Malatíyyah, Islámból was pillaged by the khalif Yahyá son of ’Ali, who returned to Kharrán (Charrhæ) after having smote 20,000 infidels with the edge of the sword.

_The eighth Siege._ Sixteen years afterwards, A.H. 255 (A.D. 869), I’liyá (Elias) son of Herakíl being king (királ) of Islámból, Harúnu-r-rashíd marched from his paradisiacal abode at the head of 50,000 troops; but finding it difficult to effect the conquest of the city, he made peace on condition of receiving as much ground within the walls as a bulls hide would cover. He therefore cut the hide into strips, so as to enclose space enough in the district of Kójah Mustafá Páshá for building a strong castle, and he fixed the annual tribute at 50,000 fulúrí (florins). He then returned to Baghdád, having levied the tribute (kharáj) due for the last ten years.

About this time the infidels, taking advantage of the dissensions which prevailed among the Muselmáns respecting the khalífat, massacred all those established in Islámból and Ghalatah, not however without great loss on their own side, the king and royal family being all slain; in consequence of which Ghirándó Mihál (Grando Michael), a grandson of Herakíl who had come from Firengistán, was made king; and on that very day Seyyid Bábá Ja’fer, one of the descendants of Imám Hoseïn, and Sheïkh Maksúd, one of the followers of Veïsu-l-Karní, sent by Hárúnu-r-rashíd as ambassadors, entered Islámból. They were attended by three hundred fakírs and three hundred followers, and were received by the new king with innumerable honours. The Sheïkh asked and obtained permission to bury the remains of the many thousand martyrs who had been slain in the late massacre, which lasted seven days and seven nights. He immediately set to work, and with the aid of his own three hundred fakírs and Bábá Ja’fer’s three hundred followers, buried those many thousand martyrs in the places where they had died. In the ancient burying ground behind the arsenal, there are large caverns and ancient vaults, where, from the time of ’Omar ibn ’Abdu-l-’azíz, some thousand companions (of the Prophet) had been buried. To that place Sheïkh Maksúd carried some thousand bodies of these martyrs, and buried them there, where, on a hewn stone, there is written in large and legible characters, so that it may be easily read, this inscription, said to be by the Sheïkh’s own blessed hand:

These are the men who came and went! In this frail world (_dári fenà_) what have they done? They came and went, what have they done? At last to th’ endless world (_dári bakà_) they’re gone.

It is to this day celebrated throughout the world as an extraordinary inscription, and is visited by travellers from Rúm (Greece), ’Arab (Arabia), and ’Ajem (Persia). Some of them, who, in the expectation of finding hidden treasures, began to work at these ancient buildings with pickaxes like _Ferhád’s_, perished in the attempt, and were also buried there. Some holy men make pilgrimages to this place barefoot on Friday nights, and recite the chapter entitled Tekásur (Korán, chap. 102); for many thousands of illustrious companions (of the Prophet) _Mohájirín_, (who followed him in his flight), and _Ansárs_ (auxiliaries) are buried in this place. It has been also attested by some thousands of the pious, that this burial ground has been seen some thousands of times covered with lights on the holy night of _Alkadr_ (_i.e._ sixth of _Ramazán_).

In short, Seyyid Bábá Ja’fer, Hárúnu-r rashíd’s ambassador, having been enraged, and taking offence at his not having been well received by the king Ghirándó Míhál, reproached him bitterly, and suffered martyrdom by poison in consequence of it. He was buried by Sheïkh Maksúd, who received an order to that effect, in a place within the prison of the infidels, where, to this day, his name is insulted by all the unbelieving malefactors, debtors, murderers, &c. imprisoned there. But when (God be praised!) Islámból was taken, the prison having likewise been captured, the grave of Seyyid Ja’fer Bábá Sultán, in the tower of the prison [the Bagno], became a place of pilgrimage, which is visited by those who have been released from prison, and call down blessings in opposition to the curses of the unbelievers.

_The ninth Siege._ Three years after that great event related above, Hárúnu-r-rashíd marched from Baghdád with an immense army, to require the blood of the faithful from the infidels of Rúm (Asia Minor and Greece), and having reached Malatiyyah, which was conquered by Ja’fer Ghází, surnamed Seyyid Battál, that hero led the vanguard of the army into Rúm; and Hárún himself brought up the rear with reinforcements. Having taken possession of the straits, they blockaded the city, cut off all its supplies, gave no quarter, slew 300,000 infidels, took 70,000 prisoners, and made an immense booty, which they sent to Haleb (Aleppo) and Iskenderún, and then returned laden with spoils to Baghdád. Yaghfúr (void of light), the king at that time, was taken prisoner and carried before Hárún, who gave him no quarter, but ordered him to be hung in the belfry of Ayá Sófiyyah (Sancta Sophia). Having been from my infancy desirous of seeing the world, and not remaining in ignorance, I learned the Greek and Latin languages of my friend Simyún (Simeon) the goldsmith, to whom I explained the Persian glossary of Sháhidí, and he gave me lessons in the Aleksanderah (Alexandra), _i.e._ the History of Alexander. He also read to me the history of Yanván, from which these extracts are taken. But after the race of the Cæsars (Kayásirah) became extinct in Kanátúr, Kostantiniyyah fell into the hands of various princes, till the house of ’Osmán arose in A.H. 699 (A.D. 1300), and, at the suggestion of ’Aláu-d-dín the Seljúkí, first turned its attention to the conquest of that city.

SECTION IX.

_Concerning the Sieges of Constantinople by the Ottoman Emperors._

The first portion of the descendants of Jafeth which set its foot in the country of Rúm (Asia Minor) was the house of the Seljúkians, who, in alliance with the Dánishmendian Emírs, wrested, in A.H. 476 (A.D. 1083), the provinces of Malatiyyah, Kaïsariyyah, ’Aláiyyah, Karamán, and Kóniyah from the hand of the Greek emperors (Kaïsari Rúm Yúnániyán). They first came from Máveráu-n-nehr (Transoxiana). On the extinction of the Seljúkian dynasty, A.H. 600 (A.D. 1204), Suleïmán-sháh, one of the begs (lords) of the town of Máhán in Túrán, and his son Ertoghrul, came into Rúm, to the court of Sultán ’Aláu-d-dín. The latter having been set on his feet as a man (er-toghrílúb), and made a beg by that prince, made many brilliant conquests, and, at the death of ’Aláu-d-dín, was elected sovereign in his stead, by all the great men (a’yán) of the country. He died at the town of Sukúdjuk, and was succeeded by his son ’Osmán, who was the first emperor (pádisháh) of that race. He resided at ’Osmánjik, from whence the dazzling beams of the Mohammedan faith shed their light over Anátólí, Germiyán, and Karamán. In the time of his son and successor, the victorious Órkhán, seventy-seven heroes, friends of God (evliyáu-llah, _i.e._ saints) fought under the banners of the Prophet.

It was in his reign, that the holy (velí) Hájí Begtásh, who had been in Khorasán, one of the followers of our great ancestor, that Túrk of Túrks, Khójah Ahmed Yaseví, came over to his camp with three hundred devout (sáhibi sejjádeh) fakírs carrying drums and standards, and, as soon as they had met Órkhán, Brúsah was taken. From thence he proceeded to the conquest of Constantaniyyeh. His son, Suleïmán Beg, joined by the permission and advice of Begtásh and seventy great saints (evliyà), with forty brave men, such as Karah Mursal, Karah Kójah, Karah Yalavà, Karah Bíghà, Karah Síghlah, in short forty heroes (bahádur) called _Karah_ (black), crossed over the sea on rafts, and set foot on the soil of Rúm, shouting Bismillah, the Mohammedan cry of war. Having laid waste the country on all sides of the city, they conquered, on a Friday, the castle of Ip-salà (it is called Ip-salà by a blunder for Ibtidà salà, _i.e._ the commencement prayer), and having offered up the Fridays prayer there, they pushed on to the gates of Adrianople, taking Gelíbólí (Galipoli), Tekir-tághí (Rodosto), and Silivrì (Selymbria) in their way, and returned victorious, laden with spoils and captives, after an absence of seven days, to Kapú-tághí on the Asiatic shore, from whence they marched with their booty into Brúsah. The brain of the whole army of Islám being thus filled with sweetness, the shores of Rúm were many times invaded, all the neighbouring country was laid waste, nor were the infidels (káfirs) able to make any resistance; while the Moslim heroes found means of raising a noble progeny by being tied with the knot of matrimony to the beautiful virgins whom they carried off. Sultán Murád I., who succeeded Órkhán, following the advice formerly given by Aláu-d-dín Sultán and Hájí Begtásh, made himself master of the country round Kostantaniyyeh before he attempted the conquest of the city itself. He therefore first took Edreneh (Adrianople), and filled it with followers of Mohammed coming from Anátólí, while the infidels could not advance a step beyond Islámból. However, they contrived to assemble an army of 700,000 men in the plain of Kós-óvà (Cossova), near the castle of Vechteren in Rúm-ílí (Romelia), where, by the decree of the Creator of the world, they were all put to the sword by the victorious Khudávendikár (Murád); but while walking over the dead bodies in the field of battle, praising God, and surveying the corpses of the infidels doomed to hell (dúzakh), he was slain by a knife from the hand of one Velashko, who lay among the slain. The assassin was instantly cut to pieces, and Murád’s son, Yildirim Báyazíd Khán, mounted the throne. In order to avenge his father’s death, he fell like a thunderbolt on Káfiristán (the land of the unbelievers), slew multitudes of them, and began the tenth siege of Kostantaniyyeh.