Part 12

“In the year when thou wast born, my son, in the reign of Sultán Ahmed I. a great assembly of seven hundred Vezírs and great men was held at the Hippodrome in order to lay the foundation of Sultán Ahmed’s mosque. They dug from forty to fifty cubits deep, and the walls of the foundations having reached the level of the earth, the Ulemas and Astronomers were assembled, and with the prayers and ceremonies usual in similar cases the position of the mihráb determined. Kalender Páshá was named inspector, Kara Sunbul Alí Efendí, the Secretary, and our Khoja (Evliyá’s reading-master) Evliyá Efendí, Imám of the foundations; the Sheikh of Scutarí, Mahommed Efendí, was named the Sheikh; Mahmúd Chelebí, Kara Mahmúd Agha, and forty other men with fine voices, the Moëzzins of the foundations. One day Sultán Ahmed came, and pitched his tent on that part of the courtyard of the mosque, where there then remained only a single painted Koshk belonging to the Seraï of Koja Mohammed Páshá. Here the Sultán gave a feast to all the Vezírs and great men of the capital, which surpassed even that which was given at the feast of circumcission of Sultán Ahmed. The assembly having retired, there remained in the Sultán’s tent, only Mahmúd Efendí of Scutarí, Evliyá Efendí my master, Kara Sunbul Alí Efendí, Ibrahím Efendí the senior of the surgeons, Dervish Omar Gulshení one of the favourite singers and I, thy poor father, sitting on our heels. The Sultán said unto us, “If it please God this mosque shall be finished, and be a fine praying place, but it requires to be well endowed.” Evliyá and Mahmúd Efendí of Scutarí said, “My gracious Emperor, undertake a military expedition, and then devote the revenues of the conquered land to your new built mosque, as your ancestor Súleimán did, who having in person conquered Rodos, Stancio, and different other islands, devoted their revenues to his mosque, which is, therefore, the best endowed of all the Imperial mosques. If your Majesty should undertake an expedition against Creta (Kiríd), you would protect the passage of Ottoman merchants and pilgrims from the ships of the Infidels. The senior of the surgeons, Ibrahím, and Mahmúd Efendí of Scutari said a Fátihah for this good intention, the seven prayers of which were repeated by all present, who finished it by saying, ‘If it please God our prayer shall be granted.’

“Sultán Ahmed then said, ‘But, learned gentlemen, we are at peace with the Venetians, is it decent for a Shehin-shah (king of kings) to encroach on treaties of peace? Under what pretext shall we break it, particularly now, when Anatoli is kept in rebellion by Kara Yazijí, Saíd Arab, Kalender-oghlí and Jennet-oghlí, against whom my Vezír Murad Lálá is marching? How shall I then think of the conquest of Candia?’ Evliyá answered, ‘My Emperor, on the third day all the rebels shall be beaten, and you shall receive the good news on the twelfth, they shall pass away like a torrent; Murad Páshá shall fill wells with their dead bodies, and obtain in history by this deed the name of Murad Páshá the well-maker (Kúyújí).’ This prediction was accomplished by the news that Murad Páshá, had filled all the wells near Haleb and Azez with the bodies of the rebels. Mahmúd Efendí of Scutari availed himself of this opportunity to remind the Emperor of the project of the Cretan war, and suggested to him, first to send an embassy to the Prince of Venice to ask that he should give up the island of Creta. Sultán Ahmed, being pleased with this idea, sent Kúrd-Chaúsh, a good and eloquent speaker, with presents, as ambassador to Venice. He made great haste, and at the end of seven days arrived at Venice, making his public entrance on the eighth, and read his letters in public council; the Senate consented to the demand, and letters were made out, with which Kúrd-Chaúsh was sent back; having kissed the ground before the Emperor, the letters were read by the Interpreter in presence of Mahmúd Efendí of Scutari, Evliyá, Sunbul Alí, Ibrahím, Togháni, Ismail Efendí the Commentator on the Mesneví, Júnúbí the Sheikh of the Mevlevís at Kássím Páshá, Dervish Omer Gulshení, Guzeljí Gulábí, Kúzú Alí Aghá, Abdí Aghá, and of me, thy poor father, in the following form and tenor, ‘You have asked from me the Principe, your most humble servant, the island of Creta, with six hundred thousand inhabitants, seven hundred and seventy villages, and of seven hundred and seventy miles circumference, with seven mines of gold, silver and other metals, which we are ready to give.’ At these words all those who were present read the Fátihah, and the Mohammedan shouts (Allah! Allah!) rent the air.

“The end of the letter said, ‘But we poor fellows, giving to you, great Monarch, an island as rich as that of Creta, we beg of you the favour to make us a present of the ports of Acra, Saida, Beirút, and of the old seat of our religion, Jerusalem. It is only for this purpose we can cede to you the island of Creta, and it would be more reasonable to deliver your hereditary countries from the rebels, who infest it, than to form such strange demands:—Our compliments to you!’ Ahmed hearing this answer was deeply afflicted, and began to cry. Mahmúd Efendí said, ‘Why should your Majesty be afflicted; they began by saying, that they were ready to give up the island, it is God who has dictated these words to them, according to which they shall be obliged to yield the island.’ A Fátihah was said, and the Mahommedan shouts (Allah!) repeated. Then they said, ‘If it please God, it shall most certainly be conquered,’ and saying so, they changed the conversation. When this letter was again read at the Diván, the Emperor happened to be in his innermost garden at the place called Chemensoffa, conversing with the abovenamed learned and virtuous gentlemen. At this moment the gate of the innermost Harem opened, and the Kislar-agassí walked out, followed by seven Princes, who kissed the hands of the Emperor, and then of the Sheikhs, who were with him, and the Sultán said, ‘Gentlemen, the Princes my sons, are your most humble servants.’ He then ordered that they should play before him, to dissipate the melancholy which the answer of the Venetians had caused. They played ball, and Prince Osmán, the strongest and stoutest of them, was superior to the rest. Coming near his father’s throne, he asked him, ‘My Osmán! wilt thou conquer Creta?’ The Prince answered, ‘What shall I do with Creta? I will conquer the land of the white Russian girls, and shed blood there.’ Saying so, he continued to play; Evliyá Efendí, praise to God, the innocent boy could not reach the meaning of the Emperor’s words. Mahmúd observed, that he had understood well the word Creta, but that there was something mysterious in his answer about the white Russian girls. Now Prince Osmán came up pursuing his brother Mohammed even under the throne, where Mohammed sheltered himself, and having crept forth again, the ball, which Osmán threw at him, touched his gilt turban, and hurt his neck so that blood was flowing, and he turned giddy.

“Sultán Ahmed said, ‘Look Mohammed, Osmán is thy brother, and yet he has hurt thee, this is the course of the world: strike him in your turn.’ He wiped his blood off, and having seated him at the foot of the throne, he asked him, ‘Will you conquer Creta, Mohammed?’ Mohammed said, ‘I will, but my brother Osmán sheds my blood; if it is not me, another Mohammed will finish the conquest begun by me.’ The Senior of the Surgeons, Ibrahím said, ‘Praise be to God, what secrets are revealed to-day! but nobody yet understands them.’ Now the Princes continued to play at ball; Bayazíd and Súleimán were chasing each other, when all at once, Prince Murad sallied forth from the place called the black cypress, and threw a ball at them, which hurt them both, so that blood dropped from their noses. Sultán Ahmed said, ‘My Murad, why dost thou beat thy brethren so.’ The Prince replied, ‘It was not my intention, but such is the play of the world, I was obliged to do it because they gained upon me, and were going to take my place!’ Omer Gulshení said, ‘There is also some mystery in that.’ Now came Prince Ibrahím in a ruby-coloured dress: Sultán Ahmed asked him, ‘Where have you been my Ibrahím?’ ‘I,’ said he, ‘have taken the ablution of martyrdom, and am now come to wrestle and play with all my brethren.’ He entered wildly and threw a ball at Sultán Osmán’s head, so that he knocked off his turban and set him crying. Prince Murad now threw a ball at Ibrahím, which he received undaunted, feigned to direct his ball at Bayazíd, but turned round in a moment, and threw it at Murad with such violence, that he was for some time senseless. Ibrahím now ran to his father’s throne, sat at the foot of it, and said, ‘Have I not aimed a good ball at Murad,’ and then fell to indelicate play. Murad was crying on the ground, saying, ‘I had rather died, than have been beaten in that way by Ibrahím!’ The play continuing, to the surprise of all the beholders, Murad again pursued Ibrahím, and threw the ball at him, which he received as boldly as the first time, and retreated under the throne, from whence he then issued without his turban and in a state of undress. Sultán Ahmed caught hold of his ear, and said, ‘Wilt thou conquer Creta, and make of it an endowment for my mosque for Mecca and Medina.’ The Prince said, ‘If God assists me, and helps me, in God’s name, and if it pleases God, my son Yússúf shall conquer it under Yússúf the Prophet’s favour!’ All who were present now said a Fátihah that this might happen, and Sultán Ahmed said, ‘Now, how curious it is, that I am fallen into melancholy since the Venetian letter has been read, that wishing to divert myself with my children’s play, they got bloody necks and noses, and made me more melancholy than before, till Ibrahím has at once chased away my spleen by saying that he will conquer Creta by his son.’ God’s mercy on Sultán Ahmed! All that had been foreshewn in this play, really happened.

“1. Sultán Osmán who hurt his brother Mohammed’s neck, ordered him to be executed when going to Khotyn.

“2. Sultán Osmán, who was hurt by Ibrahím’s ball in his groin, died after his unsuccessful return from Khotyn, at the Seven Towers, when one Piniál tortured him till he died by compression of the scrotum.

“3. The two Princes, Bayazíd and Súleimán, overtaken by Murad at the black cypress, were strangled in the same place, the blood dropping from their noses, by Sultán Murad’s order in the year 1045, when he sent Beshír Aghá to Constantinople with the news of the conquest of Eriván. They were buried in their father Ahmed’s tomb, twenty-one years after this play had happened in their father’s presence.

“4. The ball received by Ibrahim from Murad foreboded that Ibrahím would be, as he was, Murad’s successor.

“5. Ibrahím’s indelicate play at the foot of the throne, showed the luxury of his reign passed in weddings and pleasure parties.

“6. His having then said; ‘woe to my cullies,’ was the forerunner of the infamous disease of which he died.

“7. The reply given by Ibrahím, when coming forth from beneath his father’s throne, and saying, that he would conquer Creta with his son Yússúf, is to be understood of Yússúf Pashá the Commander-in-chief of the expedition to Canea.

“8. God knows my son (continued Evliyá’s father) whether the name of Yússúf may not be applied to Ibrahím’s son, who shall finish the conquest of Creta begun by his father.

“My son, all these mysteries I witnessed in Sultán Ahmed’s presence, and have waited ever since for the conquest of Creta promised by Sultan Ibrahím to his father, and now fulfilled accordingly. I, thy poor father, was present at the prayers then said at the suggestion of this conquest, and thou my son hast witnessed the fulfilling of it. If it please God, thou shalt witness also its entire conquest.”

It was in this manner that my father, Dervish Mohammed, the chief of the goldsmiths at Constantinople, related the story of the Princes. God’s mercy upon him! As some thousand descriptions of the siege of Canea exist, I would not expatiate too much on this subject, but have related what I witnessed in a plain way.

Jowánjí Kapújí Mohammed Páshá the great Vezír being deposed, he was named Commander-in-chief at Creta, and the Vezírat given to the Defterdár Sáleh Páshá, who bestowed on his brother, Murteza Páshá, the governorship of Bude with three tails; and on Ibrahim Chelebí, who had been Khazinedár, the governorship of Baghdád. The son of Sáleh Páshá, Chelebí Mohammed, known by the name of the hanged Defterdár-zadeh Mohammed Páshá, was made Aghá of the janissaries, with the character of Vezír, but, as he did not accept of it, he was sent as Commander-in-chief to Erzerúm. I, poor Evliyá, was appointed clerk at the custom-house of Erzerúm, Moëzzin and companion to this Páshá. He was a man of agreeable conversation, great acquirements in all sciences, generous, brave, a poet and statesman. He bestowed on me rich presents, and I prepared my tents for the journey to Erzerúm. I was invested with a robe of honour (caftán) in Sultán Ibrahím’s presence. He said unto the Páshá, giving him the Imperial rescript, “Thou art my absolute Vezír and Commander against the Persians; if they should become rebels, all the army of Anatolia as far as Eriván is under thy command.” He gave him five purses, fifty mules and as many camels for the journey, a splendid tent, and two sable pelisses. We passed under Sultán Ibrahím’s blessing to Scutari, where we pitched our tents at the place called Agháchairí. The same day, Cherkess Derzí Mustafa, one of the Imperial armsbearers (Silahshor), was sent express to Erzerúm to Malatialí Silihdár Súleimán Páshá. During our stay at Scutari, the treasurer of the Páshá Dilber Chelebí was deposed by an Imperial firmán, and his place given to Alí Aghá one of the relations of the Páshá; we remained a week at Scutari, and then, on the first day of Rejeb, set out on our journey for Erzerúm.

JOURNEY TO ERZERUM.

Having remained a month in Scutari, the buildings of which town have been minutely described in our first volume; the news arrived that the Mossellem (substitute of the Páshá) had happily taken possession of the governorship; the Páshá immolated victims, and everybody rejoiced, because the principal reason for conferring this governorship on Defterdár-zadeh was the rumour which prevailed, that Abaza Páshá the famous rebel, whom Sultán Murad had spared, contrary to the wishes of the troops, had returned from his travels in Africa and India, but most happily Súleimán Páshá, the governor of Erzerúm (predecessor of Abaza) killed this pretender and sent his head to Constantinople, and the Mosellem, Mustafa Aghá, took possession of the governorship. We set out from Scutari in the early part of Sha’abán, and arrived at the end of seven hours march at Pendík, a great village on the seabord, it belonging to the foundation of Kirechjíbashí at Scutari. Its numerous gardens supply the Capital with vegetables. Here our master received from the Great Vezír Sáleh Páshá, ten purses, ten horses, and a great number of other valuable presents. From hence the quarter-master (Konakjí) and chief of the cellar (Kilárjí), with the inspector of the kitchen (Mutbakhemíní), and the purveyor at market (Bazára giden), led the van with five hundred men and a tail.

_Gebíze._

This was formerly a large town. At the time when Sídí Battál besieged Constantinople, a great convent existed at Constantinople, within the gate of Sílívrí, at the place now called the mosque of Koja Mustafa Páshá. Harún-ur-rashíd, built a fortress here and garrisoned it with three thousand men, in order to keep the infidels in check. The inhabitants of Gebíze having killed some men belonging to Sídí Battál, who commanded the garrison of the said fortress, he laid the town of Gebíze in ruins, and retired to Malatia; traces of this havoc are still visible. It was conquered by Mohammed I., who destroyed the castle, that it might not be a refuge for the infidels; but Sultán Mohammed II. rebuilt it after the conquest of Constantinople. It is now a jurisdiction of one hundred and fifty aspers in the sanjak of Koja Ilí. Mustafa Páshá, who built the bridge which bears his name in Rúmelí, built a mosque here, whose administrator (Mutevelí) is at the same time commanding officer of the place. It lies an hour’s distance from the sea, at the top of a dry mountain; there are about one thousand houses with gardens, in the ancient style, three mosques, the largest of which covered with lead, outshines the mosques of the Vezírs at Constantinople; it was built by Mustafa Páshá, the builder of the bridge called by Sultán Súleimán, the bridge of the illiberal (Namerd), who when governor of Egypt had the finest stones cut in plates to adorn this mosque, and made a stone candelabrum of them, which has no equal in the world. The stones came direct from Egypt to the landing-place of Daríjí, where they were disembarked. The interior of the mosque is lined with marble and granite to the height of three men, which is not to be seen in any other mosque in the capital. The minber (pulpit), mihráb (altar), and mahfil (oratory) of the Moëzzins are of most excellent workmanship, which is impossible to describe to those who have not seen it. It was built by the architect Hassám, the first assistant to the architect Koja Sinán, who showed his skill here most minutely. The windows on the four sides are composed of small painted glass, which in sunshine illuminates the mosque with a most delicious light, therefore it is that you read on the middle vault the verse of the Koran, God is the light of Heaven. The interior of the cupola is adorned with circles of lamps and a great number of suspended decorations. The Egyptian carpets on the floor vie with those of Isfahan. The pulpit of the preacher (Kursí) is inlaid with pearl-shell. Outside of the walls is a delicious garden, where flowers and odoriferous herbs fill the air and brain with perfumes, and nightingales enrapture with their warbling notes. The mosque has but one gate opposite the altar; on the threshold is written the chronograph in the writing of Kara Hissárí Hossein, and in the mosque seventy Koráns are kept, each of which is worth an Egyptian treasure. A copy of Yakút Mostea-assemí, like that which is seen here on the left of the altar, is not to be found elsewhere, except it be at the mosque of Sultán Ahmed at Constantinople. On both sides of the gate are six cupolas supported by as many columns, and the cupola immediately over the gate is the seventh. The Harem or courtyard, as spacious as those of imperial mosques, is adorned with trees, the mináreh, with one gallery, is well proportioned. Close to the mosque is a Caravánseraï, affording accommodation for three thousand men, and two thousand horses, with a stable appropriated for camels. In the dining-room (dar-ul-ita’ám), old and young men and women dine in plenty; and at the Caravánseraï, every evening, every fire-place is furnished with a dish of soup, a loaf of bread, a candle, and a bag of forage for every horse, ass, mule or camel. A bath is attached to it, covered with lead like all the other buildings of this foundation. Besides this Caravánseraï there are forty large and small kháns, and one hundred and eighty shops, all the work of Sinán; the mosque in the market is an old simple building; the houses are all faced with red bricks, the water of the wells is a little thick, but the air is good.

We advanced from hence five hours towards the east to the Castle of Helke or Herke, conquered by Mohammed I. with considerable loss of men. It is a nice small castle, of immense stones, built on the seashore, on a cliff between two vallies. Its gate opens to the north and has no houses within. The district belongs to the sanjak of Koja Ilí. At the end of eight hours journey along the seashore, we arrived at Isnikmíd (Nicomedia), which has been already minutely described in our former journey. After a day’s rest we again started and came, at the end of six hours march, to Sabánja, called so from Sabánjí Koja, who first cleared the thick woods here by the plough. In Súleimán’s time it was cultivated, and Sárí Rostem Páshá founded a khán here with one hundred and seventy fireplaces, a pleasant mosque and bath covered with lead, and about one thousand houses faced with brick built by Koja Sinán. The administrator of these endowments of Rostem Páshá, is at the same time the first public officer of the place. Besides its white cherries, it is renowned for its white bread, Súmún, which is baked in a shop underneath the bath, and which keeps its flavour and does not become mouldy for the space of six days. It has often been sent by couriers to the Sháh of Persia, has arrived fresh, and obtained general approbation. Its good qualities are due to the water.

_Praise of the Lake of Sabánja._

Its circumference is twenty miles, and seventy-six villages adorn its shores. The people who drink of its water are of ruddy complexion, and the products of the land are abundant; there are no vineyards, but a great number of gardens. On the borders of the lake there are melons and water-melons of such a size that two make an ass-load. On the lake are from seventy to eighty kaiks and boats, which are employed in the passage from village to village, and for the transport of wood. There are a great number of most delicious fish. Its depth is twenty fathoms, the water is clear and brilliant, and excellent for washing without soap. It is this water which gives a whiteness resembling cotton to the bread Súmúní. On the east side of the lake, at two hours distance, passes the river Sakaria, which disembogues into the Black Sea in the province of Koja Ilí at the place called Irva; it would require but little spirit of enterprise to unite the lake with the sea, by means of this river, a branch of which goes down to the salt-marshes of Nicomedia. As early as the reign of Mohammed III. a great number of workmen were employed in establishing a communication between the gulf of Nicomedia and the lake of Sabánja, but the undertaking was given up at the request of the inhabitants. If the Sakaria were united with this lake, and the lake with the gulf of Nicomedia, this town would be quite an inland port; the timber and wood might be brought down to Bolí, and it would cost no more than five aspers the quintal. God make it easy!

We marched to the eastward six hours, along the seashore, through thick forests, called “Ocean of trees,” and crossed the Sakaria by a wooden bridge; this river issues from the mountain Chifteler, passes through Koja Ilí, and goes into the Black Sea near Irva.

_The Station of Khandak-bazárí._

A small place belonging to the territory of Koja Ilí, with woods, mountains, gardens, a mosque, a khán, a bath, a market, a judge appointed with one hundred and fifty aspers, an officer of the janissaries, and a Súbashí. In the woody marsh here, is a long wooden bridge (causeway) famous all over Arabia and Persia. We marched twelve hours further on through thick forests, and came to Dúzje-bazár, the first place belonging to Bolí, in a mountainous region, with a mosque and two kháns founded by Shemsí Páshá, who also paved the road. In the neighbourhood are many villages.