Part 30

Angora was conquered by Yakúbsháh, the Prince of Kútahia of the Germián family and by his Vezir Hezár-dínar, and then by Sultán Orkhán. If Angora is viewed from the village of Erkiksú, which is a journey’s distance from the north, it appears a brilliant place; for the houses rising one behind the other, similarly to Buda on the Danube, makes it look like a ship of transport (Maúna) which has set up its trees and adorned its head. Buda, Ván and Angora are the three first fortresses of the Empire: its name (Engúrí) is Persian, given from the quantity of grapes (Engúr) which are found here. It is said to have been built by a Byzantine Emperor, and employed forty thousand workmen for seven years, who each day received forty nuts and a loaf apiece. It is also called the leafy castle (Motabbak), because its different parts cover one another like leaves of a tree, and the castle of the chains (Selasil) because the Emperor Heraclius surrounded it with seven chains on the birth year of the Prophet. The Mogols call it Ankra; the Tatars, Kermen Ankra; the Germans, Constantinople (!) the Turks, Aidín Karí, Unkúr and Ungorú. In the Imperial Registers it is spelled Ankra. It is the seat of a Sanjak Beg in the province of Anatoli, and has been given many times as living (Arpalik) to Vezírs of three tails. The khass of the Páshá is two hundred and sixty three thousand four hundred aspers, fourteen ziámets, and two hundred and fifty seven timárs, an Alai-beg (Colonel) Cherí-beg (Captain) and Yúzbáshí (Lieutenants). The Zaims and Timariots with the Jebelle make three thousand armed men. The Súbashís depending from Angora are, those of the town, that of Mertátova, of Yebánava, of Jubúkova, and of Jorba, which annually import forty thousand piastres. The Judge is a Molla of five hundred aspers, whose revenues may be calculated at twenty purses a year. There are also a Sheikh-ul-islám or Muftí, a Nakíb-ul-eshraf, or head of the Emírs, Seids and Sherífs (the relations of the Prophet), a Serdár of the Janissaries, a Kiaya-yerí of the Sipáhís, a Náíb of the town and a Mohtessib (provost and lieutenant of police) the commanding officers of the Jebejí and Topjí, a Dizdár (commander of the castle) and a garrison of an hundred men. The castle is situated on a high mountain, mocking all assaults, rising in four natural terraces, so that there is a distance of three hundred paces from one enclosure to the other; the height of each wall is sixty cubits and the breadth ten royal cubits; the foundations are all built on vaults. The castle forms an oblong square from east to west. It has four iron-gates one behind the other towards the west, each strengthened behind by iron cages. These iron cages or gratings are thrown before the gates in time of sieges, the bars are of the thickness of an arm. The gate on the extremity of the fortress looking to the Horse market opens to the west, on the upper part of it are suspended the arms of old knights, and the bones of a whale. The guards keep watch here day and night. If the commander leaves the castle the garrison are empowered to kill him, or at least to exile him for ever. Abaza, the rebel, besieged this town with an hundred thousand men, and took possession of the lower town, but wounded by a cannon shot from the upper castle, he was obliged to return to Erzerúm; the commander ever since has been prohibited from leaving the castle, and the watchmen all night long cry, Yegdir-allah, One is God! It has no ditch on one side on account of the rocks, and it is not easily to be attacked by mines because its quarters rise one behind the other. The four enclosures have eighteen hundred battlements, and its circumference is four thousand paces. On the east side is a place of pilgrimage situated on a hill, it is called Khizrlik; this hill looks over the town, which is of no consequence as it is not within gun-shot distance. The inner castle is defended by sixty-eight guns, but none of them are large. The houses number six hundred and are all terraced, but have neither gardens nor vineyards; the old mosque was formerly a convent. The lower town was surrounded with a wall by Ahmed Páshá against the rebels. It has four gates, and its circumference on the three sides, on which it does not join the citadel, is six thousand paces. On the east side of the superior castle you descend into the valley of Khizrlik by a road leading down for fetching water. In the inner castle are cisterns and magazines; but in the lower town are no cisterns, because water is in abundance, there being an hundred and seventy fountains, three thousand wells, seventy-six mosques, those of Ahmed Páshá and Hájí Beirám the saint, having been built by the great Sinán, fifteen convents of Dervishes with mihráb (mosques) the greatest of them is that of Hájí Bairám, where three hundred Dervishes of his order follow the rules of their founder. Their first patron is Khoja Abd-ul-Kádír Jeilání, by whom they ascend to the prophet; in Rúmelí they are called also Hamzeví from Sheikh Hamza. There is likewise a fine convent of Mevlevís founded by Ahmed Páshá. The colleges are richly endowed, three houses for lectures on tradition, an hundred and eighty schools for boys, two hundred baths, seventy palaces with gardens; all these buildings are of brick not stone, and covered with earth instead of with bricks, six thousand six hundred and sixty houses, and two hundred sebíl-kháneh or establishments for distributing water. The shops are two thousand, and there is an elegant bezestán with four gates with chains; the market places are almost all on elevated spots; the coffee houses and barber’s-shops are always crowded; the public places and streets are paved with white stones. Its divines, poets, and learned and pious men are innumerable, although it is a Turkish town, it counts more than two thousand boys and girls who know the Korán by heart; some thousand also know by heart the Mohammedieh, or works on the Mohammedan religion by Yázijí-zadeh Mohammed Efendí. Some of its inhabitants have the repute of performing miracles like Abd-ur-rahman Efendí, a pious man, who is free of four enticements, viz. hair, brows, beard and eye-lashes; he is descended from Hájí Bairám’s family, who had the same advantage.

_Praises of Hájí Bairám the Saint._

In his youth he was once invited by a cunning woman, who in order to seduce the Saint, with whom she was in love, began to praise his hair, beard, brows and eye-lashes. The Saint retired into a corner and prayed to God that he might be delivered of these four inducements to lust, and become of an ugly form; he then returned without a hair into the woman’s presence, who shocked at his ugliness had him turned out of doors by her maidens. Hence the descendants of the Saint by his daughter actually wear short beards (Kosseh).

The rich inhabitants of the town wear Ferrájes of sable, those of the middle class, Serhaddís of cloth and Contoshes, the workmen Ferrájes of white linen, the Ulemas, of wool, and the women also of wool of different colours. The climate and temperature being mild the inhabitants are fair with red faces.

_The Eatables and Products._

The calves’ and sheep’s feet of Angora are the counter part of those of Kútahia; the salted flesh (Pássdirma) of its goats has an excellent perfume. These goats called Teftekgechí are of a brilliant whiteness; of the hair is made the soft (Shalloon) of different, colours which is worn by Monarchs. If the wool is cut by scissors it becomes coarse, but if pulled out it is as soft and as fine as the silk of Eyúb (Job). The poor goats, when the hair is pulled out in that way, raise lamentable cries; to avoid this some wash them with a mixture of chalk and ashes, by which they are enabled to pull out the hair without difficulty or giving pain; thus the poor goats are stripped naked. The hair is then worked into Shalloons, and both men and women are busy at making or selling them. The Franks tried to transport the goats of Angora into their own country, but God be praised! they degenerated into common goats, and the stuff wove from their hair was no Súf (Shalloon). They then took the hair of the Angora-goat and tried to work it into Sof, but were never able to give it the true lustre (Máj). They now make of it for their monks a kind of black shalloon, which however has neither colour nor lustre. The inhabitants of Angora say that the exclusive working of fine shalloon is granted to them by the miracles of Hájí Bairám, and the water and air. Indeed the sof (Shalloon) of Angora is the most famous in the world; the chalk also of Angora is renowned. Its inhabitants make great journies to Frengistán and Egypt to sell their Shalloons. There are a great number of Jews, but few Greeks and Copts. The inhabitants are a goodnatured hospitable people. It is an incomparable town, which may God preserve till the end of time in the hands of the Ottomans!

The day I entered Angora I visited the tomb of Hájí Bairám, recited the Korán and then returned to my lodgings where I soon fell asleep. In a dream I saw a man with a yellow beard, honey-coloured cowl and a turban of twelve folds on his head, who upbraided me for having visited Hájí Bairám’s tomb and passed by his. I asked, who he was? and he said, “Didst thou not call on Sárí Sáltik Dedeh, when in thy youth thou performed prayer in the Convent of the Wrestlers at Constantinople in Sultán Murad’s presence? didst thou not say that I was known here by the name of Er Sultán? I am lying here under a thick cupola near the wood market, where thou shouldest visit me and give me joy with a fátihah. I will send to-morrow morning a man of my resemblance, who shall lead thee to my tomb.” I awoke, said my prayers, and was waiting, when a man came of the form of him I saw in my dream, and told me, that Er Sultán had appeared to him in a dream and had commanded him to show me his burying place. This man had a radiant face, and his voice was as hollow as if it came from underground. We passed through eleven quarters of the town and visited in passing all the tombs of Saints, which I shall mention by and by, if it pleases God! At last there appeared on the western side of the wood-market a small cupola, which my companion pointed out to me, saying, “This is the tomb of Er Sultán.” Whilst I was looking at it on my right side, he disappeared on my left, and I was at a loss to know what had become of him and fancied that he must have walked through a door covered with felt which was near me. I opened it, walked in, and saw it was a Búza-house full of riot. Ashamed of having got into such society I left the room immediately and made the best of my way to the cupola which had been shown to me. There I laid my face on the threshold and prayed to the Saint, saying, that I had arrived by his blessing, and begged he would not let me depart void of benediction in this and the other world. I now commenced the recital of the Korán, and sheltering myself under the green Súf with which the coffin was covered, said, “Protection, protection, O Er Sultán!” I then fell asleep and sweated to such a degree that when I woke my clothes were wet. Er Sultán appeared to me again and I begged that he would not let me go hence void of benediction. He replied, “Thou wilt not be void of it, because thou art a Háfiz (knowing the Korán by heart) and a lover of the Saints (Evliya) whose tombs thou always visitest. I led thee myself to this place, I am a perfect leader (Murshid Kámil), thy path is straight. Be merciful to the poor and weak, and tell thy Páshá not to molest the inhabitants of Angora. God will grant to thee travel and good health, and in thy last moments faith. Eat, speak, sleep and know little, but do a great deal, for actions are necessary to discover the way to God, because He hath said in the Korán, ‘Good words ascend, and good works exalt.’ Honour thy parents, and the Sheikhs (Pír), and thy end shall be happy. Say now a fátihah with this intent.” Here I was awoke by a noise and voices saying, “Is there no tomb-keeper?” I arose from beneath the cover of the coffin and to the question of the visitors, “Whether I was the tomb-keeper?” replied, “Yes!” When they were gone I returned home shedding many tears, and related my vision to the Páshá, who also related to me a similar dream that he had had. He instantly gave orders that all the Sárija and Segbán should deliver up their arms and leave in quiet the inhabitants of Angora. The Páshá had had some idea of shutting himself up in the town and declaring it in a state of rebellion, but he immediately abandoned it after these visions. I then made it a duty to myself to visit every day, during my stay at Angora, the tombs of Hájí Bairám and Er Sultán and others of the Saints, which I am now about to mention.

_Pilgrimages._

Sheikh Hájí Bairám, the pole and column of sanctity, was born on the bank of the river Chepúl in the village of Solkoi and was the disciple of Sheikh Hámed. At the time when Sultán Báyazíd I. was at Adrianople, Sheikh Bairám preached there in the old mosque, and the pulpit which he ascended is still shown. Different Sheikhs who tried to ascend this pulpit could never utter a word, because none were worthy to preach after him in the same place. After his death, which happened in Báyazíd’s reign, he was buried beneath a high cupola in the inner castle of Angora. Sheikh Er Sultán, the leader of divine truth, the discoverer of mysteries, called Mahmúd by his proper name, was born at Angora, and reposes beneath a small cupola in the wood market. East of Angora on a high mountain is the pilgrimage of Hízr, a pleasure place from which a fine view of the town is enjoyed. This Saint was the disciple of Sheikh Hossám-ud-dín, and being imprisoned at Angora he gave the order one evening to be buried the next day, and in the morning, without any body having been near him, he was found washed, perfumed, and ready for burial. Sheikh Kátib Saláh-ud-dín was a great astronomer, a second Pythagoras. There are a great number of other Saints, which I do not mention, as I could not visit their tombs during my short stay.

The day of our departure being fixed, I made myself as light as possible, by giving away a part of what I had taken from the robbers’ den in alms, and the rest as a pawn to the master of the house where I lodged and got ready with seven Mamlúcs and one light pack horse. In the morning I heard an uproar and riot by which heaven and earth was thrown into confusion. Some were exclaiming that they were satisfied with the Páshá, others that he was a rebel for having united with Várvár Páshá, and that it was necessary to obey the Emperor’s command. In short Mustafa, one of the Emperor’s Kapijí, had arrived with forty of his companions; they had shut the gates of the castle and proclaimed a general call to arms (Nefír-a’ám). Most fortunately the Páshá, who had been terrified by a disastrous dream, was gone incognito to visit the tomb of Sídí Battál’s father, and could not therefore be found in his palace, which was searched in every part by the Kapijí. The Páshá of course did not re-enter the town but repaired to the village of Erkeksú, which is to the north of it, and sent a letter to his Kiaya to request him to send his troops. In the mean time the Páshá not having been found the gates were opened and a proclamation issued, that all who belonged to the Páshá were to leave the town instantly; I therefore took leave of the master of my house and Hájí Bairám and Er Sultán, and arrived after seven hours’ march at the village of Erkeksú consisting of two hundred houses and a mosque at the foot of a rock. Seven hours further on we arrived at the great place Istanozí, with a judge of one hundred and fifty aspers, in the district of Mortátova, bordering on a valley, on each side of which are towering rocks; it has a thousand houses without gardens, a mosque, a bath and market: the river Erkek flows through it. This place had formerly two great gates at either end, which were destroyed in the time of Murad III. by the rebel Korayazijí; if these two gates were restored it would be impossible to take the place, because it is situated between two walls of high rocks on which eagles and vultures build their nests, but to which man scarcely dares to lift up his eyes. These rocks are as tremendous as those of Ván, Shabín and Márdín, some of them are excavated below like Mount Bisútún and some are shaped above like dragons, lions and elephants. The inhabitants are for the most part Armenians. About a thousand looms are employed in working Súf. This place being enclosed by two rocks the air is very warm. The Armenian girls here are famed for their beauty. There are caverns which can hold a thousand horses. Formerly an old castle stood here on a rock.

The day we entered the town there was a great conflux of men to see tumblers and wrestlers exhibit their tricks; Istanoz and the town of Kodoz in Anatoli being the places where tumblers and wrestlers assemble to make bets. They stretch the rope from one rock to the other and place watchmen at each end, that enemies may not cut it when they are dancing on it. The rocks and the valley beneath are crowded with spectators and on both sides of the river, which flows through the valley, tents are pitched for the spectators. We witnessed during three days the tricks of seventy six tumblers, who were followed by three hundred scholars, to whom they gave lessons in their art.

(_The Description of the tricks, and an account of two letters from and to Vávár Páshá, are here omitted._)

Having received the letters of My Lord the Páshá I passed Hossein Ghází and Bálik-hissár, halted at the village of Sárí Alán, and further on passed Kala’ajik, Sheikh Shámí, Akche-koyúnli, and the river Kizil Irmák with great ease at Kárdlar, heard that Várvár Páshá had left the station of Túrhál, and met him further on to the eastward at Gergezár. I first went as the rule requireth to his kiaya, who conducted me to the presence of the Páshá. He was seated in a tent, like Solomon surrounded by many thousand Sárija and Segbán. I kissed the ground and delivered the letter in the usual form. Having looked into my face and said, “Art not thou Evliya Chelebí, who at the mosque of Aya Sofia recited in the night Kadr, the Korán in eight hours? and who was received by Sultán Murad amongst the pages of the Kíldár.” Having replied, “Yes,” he asked further in what office I was to the Páshá. I said, that on the way to Erzerúm I was head of the Muezzins, but that he afterwards made me clerk of the Custom-house and sent me three times into Persia, and that now I was his Imám and intimate companion. The servants having been ordered to withdraw he called the Diván Efendí and read the letter. “It is a pity,” said he, “that your Páshá did not with such an army shut himself up at Angora; he might have played the devil there, and by this glorious deed have hung his sword in the skies (like that of Orion).” Rejoiced, however, at the number of our troops he gave me an hundred zechins, a rosary of corals and a watch set with jewels. I was also invested with a magnificent sable pelisse and recommended as a guest to the Khazinedár.

The same day news arrived that Koprilí Mohammed Páshá and seven Vezírs had taken post at the bridge of Osmánjik and the rocks of Sárimshik, where they were entrenching themselves; and that Hossein the Páshá of Amasia had closed the pass (Púl) of Diriklí and carried the population away to the mountains. Upon this news Várvár Alí Páshá directed his march straight to the passage of the Kizil Irmák. Our march was, from Kiraz to Dánkaza seven hours, to Bardáklí-bábá seven hours and to the river Kizil Irmák six hours. The passage of the river was effected in the best order, without the least harm happening to any body. We halted at Airak which lies north of the Kizil Irmák in the Sanjak of Kangrú; it has an hundred houses and a mosque. We here visited the tomb of Mohammed Sháh Dedeh, who came with Hájí Begtásh from Khorassan to the court of Bayazid I., a large hospitable convent of an hundred Dervishes Begtáshí. I witnessed the Páshá perform his visit to the tomb with a devotion and a faith outshining that of many preachers from the pulpit. The tomb is surrounded with censers, vases for rose-water, lamps and candelabra. Every year the Sheikh of this convent kills a horse and abandons the carcase to the eagles and vultures of the rocks, who live upon it till the next year. The Sheikh has bred eagles instead of falcons for hawking beasts of all kind. From hence we marched for three hours along the bank of the Kizil Irmák to the village of Tordúk, in the territory of Kánghrí. At the convent of Hassám Efendí a great repast was given to the Páshá. Three hours further on we came to the convent of Kúm-bábá, and then we entered the Keskin of the Turcomans in the land of Kánghrí. Having overran it for ten days we halted on the eleventh at the village of Sálí. I perceived that the army was preparing for battle and learned that spies had brought the news, that Koprilí Mohammed Páshá, who had been named commander against Várvár, was ready to give him battle on the following day. The troops having armed during the night, the Páshá put himself in the morning at the head of six thousand men of light troops, and pushed on for seven hours towards the kiblah. Here the two armies engaged and that of Koprilí was entirely routed; a great number were killed and the rest dispersed or made prisoners. Amongst the last was Mohammed Koprilí Páshá himself, the Páshá of Amasia, Kor Hossein, and the Páshá of Kara Shehr, both of two tails, who were obliged to walk on foot with chains on their feet and blocks on their necks, along with the tails of Várvár. Such is the state of the world, that these great and powerful men were now in the power of the Sárija and Segbán, who tortured and killed their men before their eyes and the executioners flung their swords over their necks. In brief a Vezír (Koprilí) and five Begler-begs were bound to the poles of Várvár’s tent, who elated with this victory declared now more than ever open rebellion, collected all kinds of rabble, wrote letters to Begs and Begler-begs enforcing them to come and join him with their troops, and in fact collected an army of thirty-seven thousand men. When we arrived at the village of Búzoghlán, in the Sanjak of Kanghrú, I waited on him wishing him joy of his victory, and begging he would despatch me with the letters expected. I endeavoured to persuade him to be mild and merciful, and to pardon and set at liberty his prisoners, according to the text, “O God! Thou art all-pardoning, Thou likest pardon, pardon me.” He however remained obstinate, saying, I should see in a few days what would happen when his friends little Chaúsh Páshá, Ipshír Páshá and Shehsuvár Oghlí Páshá should arrive to join him. He was an open frank man, but extremely simple and of little judgment, and therefore blindly believed in the assurances of these Páshás; and being overjoyed with the news he had received from them, he despatched me with letters to my master, presenting me with an hundred piastres, a completely caparisoned horse from Koprilí’s stable, and a complete dress.