of the province, his cruelty, oppression, and injustice became so
intolerable, that he was necessitated, for the safety of his life, to
take flight. He joined the infamous Scrivano at the moment he was beset
in the fortress of Ráh, and effected his deliverance, but he himself
being taken, was delivered over to the Moslem commander, who sent him
to Constantinople, where he suffered the punishment deserved by his
crimes.
His brother, Delí Hasan, was another of these rebel-chiefs. He followed
in the footsteps of Scrivano, and was murdered, as the reader may
remember, when on his way from Temisvar to Belgrade.
Kalander Oghlí, called also Mohammed, likewise headed the revolt. He
was at first in the service of some of the beglerbegs, and afterwards
a lieutenant to a great man who had employed him. When Jeghala Zádeh
was commander-in-chief in the east, Kalander Oghlí insinuated himself,
in some way or other, into his favour, from which he received some
benefit. In 1013 he selected a number of rebels and became their chief.
Being bold and intrepid as well as wicked, he committed very serious
evils; but we shall afterwards have to advert to his history.
Another of these malignants was one Karah Seyed, a wretch who was so
thoroughly embued with evil qualities, as to be an object of general
detestation and hatred. The miseries, murders, and spoliation which
this fiend committed were horrible. He joined his fortunes with those
of Kalander; but placing confidence in him was like placing confidence
in a mud-wall.
The next of these villains that we shall notice are Túyel and Yúsuf
Páshá, who, like those already mentioned, met with the fate they
deserved. The greater number of those who had been engaged in the
recent and former rebellions were either killed or dispersed, or
perished in some other way. The most infamous of those who still
remained in open rebellion were Alí Beg, son of Jánbulát, and Kalander
Oghlí; but Murád Páshá was preparing to chastise them.
_Murád Páshá gains a victory over the rebels._
The grand vezír, Murád Páshá, no sooner returned to Constantinople,
than he commenced preparations for the war in the east. On the 19th of
the 1016th Sefer (_i. e._ on the 19th of the month Sefer of this year)
he passed over to Scutari, and on the 7th of Rabia I. he marched direct
towards Aleppo. The beglerbegship of Romeili was conferred on Tarnákjí
Hasan Páshá, and that of Anatolia on Marjol Hasan Páshá. Khalíl Aghá,
colonel of the janissaries, was appointed chief herald. Bákí Páshá was
made treasurer for the army, and the dignity of káímakám was conferred
on Mustafa Páshá, of the garrison of Brúsa, who took possession of his
new office on the 22d of the month Sefer.
When the serdár, Murád Páshá, conspicuous in dignity, reached Iconium,
Kalander Oghlí, who on two former occasions had opposed and defeated
two páshás, and who had spread the most terrible consternation
throughout the country, hearing of Murád’s march on Iconium, determined
to fall upon Ancora, the inhabitants of which had done him considerable
injury. Thinking this was the best time to be revenged on them, he left
Sarúkhán and directed his movements towards Ancora.
In the meantime, however, Murád, after a few days’ rest at Iconium,
made some new arrangements. He appointed Bábá Akhí Zádeh, who was
orthodox in his views and sentiments, to the high-priest’s office,
which happened at that time to be vacant. A considerable number of the
inhabitants, who had been active in the rebellion, he caused to be
executed; and filled the wells of Iconium with their vile bodies. One
of those who suffered death on that occasion was a cursed heretic of
the name of Ahmed Beg. Murád Páshá also crucified a man named Mustafa,
stabbed the deputy-governor, when Abdur-rahmán was cazí of Iconium,
burned the palace of Delí Ahmed, the governor of Caramania, the owner
of it losing his life in the flames, and put to the sword more than a
thousand souls, who had either been infected with heresy, or who had
taken part in the rebellion. In short, Murád Páshá marched about in the
character of a prince, and put to death whomever he pleased. When this
Ahmed Beg, the scourge of the whole country, was brought before this
deep-discerning commander, the páshá thus addressed him: “I am about
leaving you at Iconium till my return from taking vengeance on the son
of Jánbulát: guard the city and keep a good look out. But should you
require aid for this purpose, what number of men do you think you could
muster?” The fearless wretch replied, “thirty thousand at least.” The
commander expressed, though feignedly, his approbation, and dismissed
him: but in an oration to those who, it would seem, had pleaded in his
behalf, he observed that to leave alive upon the earth a man, who,
in his absence, could raise thirty thousand men, and to permit him to
have the power of fortifying the city against him, would not be acting
wisely. In this way, and by these arguments, he put to silence the
friends and advocates of Ahmed Beg; and shortly afterwards, caused him
to be strangled, and his carcass thrown into a well.
_Ebn Kalander goes to Ancora._
Kalander Oghlí, well knowing that to encounter the serdár would be his
certain destruction, retired, as we have already seen, towards Ancora.
On his march to this place he picked up all the cattle and horses which
fell in his way, and passed by the confines of Caramania, plundering
and robbing every town and village through which he marched. On
approaching Ancora he forwarded a messenger to announce his arrival, as
if he had been commissioned by royal authority.
In the city of Ancora there lived, at that time, one Ahmed Effendí
Zádeh Waldin, who had been present in the royal camp during the war
that was carried on against Hungary; and who, from the high opinion
entertained of his abilities, was appointed cazí of Ancora, with
the view of seeing its unfinished fortifications completed, and of
preserving the place against the aggressions of the rebels. When the
above messenger, accompanied by four hundred men, presented himself
before the city, this judge of the law proposed answering him thus:
that it was unlawful to permit an armed troop of criminals to enter the
city; that the gates must not be opened to them; and that if it should
be necessary to act on the defensive, they would sooner fight than
allow them entrance. This decisive method of answering the intruders
was not only approved of by the rest of the citizens, but communicated
by them to the messengers, who carried it to Kalander. This information
enraged him greatly, but he soon hit on a stratagem which he put into
practice. He appeared before the walls of the city, and sending a
messenger, with conditions of peace, requested the judge of the law
to come out and confer with him on certain points; intimating, at the
same time, that he would be entirely swayed by the judgment of the
reverend Effendí. The judge prepared himself, and came forth with a
certain number of horsemen, to meet his opponent, who was attended
by his suite; and both, sitting on horseback, entered into close
conversation. Kalander commenced thus: “The emperor has assigned to
me, in perpetual possession, this province, and has given the adjacent
sanjáks to my followers. Why have you declined receiving us into the
city? Why have you shut its gates against my herald?” The judge boldly
replied, “If this country be conferred on you, as you say, why are you
not come with the royal standard unfurled? You have the appearance of
a band of robbers. You have trampled down the corn-fields belonging
to the Muselmans; you have violently carried away the property of the
country; you have driven your cattle into our corn-fields. The eyes of
the citizens are afraid to dwell upon public robbers; and their hearts
failed them when they heard of your approach. This, then, is the reason
why they have shut their gates against your herald. They were alarmed,
lest, as soon as you should enter, you would commence the work of
cruelty, robbery, and death; but now that you have exhibited the royal
pleasure, we are your servants. Therefore, we request that you draw out
a list of what you deem necessary, and send it to us by faithful men.
But, in order that you may tranquillize the fears of the citizens, it
will be proper for you to retire to some considerable distance from
their view. When they perceive your peaceful conduct, I shall not fail
to do what I can to interest the people of the city in your behalf;
then I shall come forth to you into our own camp, and learn from you
what honours you will confer on me, in return: as soon as the people
are quieted you may enter the city.”
This seemingly gracious reception so intoxicated Kalander and his
followers, that about thirty of these wretches, accompanied by their
chief’s deputy, actually went into the city and delivered to the judge
a list of such things as they principally required—such as trowsers,
coats, and other articles. Whilst they were waiting a few days for the
articles in question, Kalander’s deputy began to discover the villany
of his base nature. In fact, he was hardly two days in the city when
he began to lay his hands on the beautiful young females he saw, which
exasperated the people to such a degree that they were on the point of
murdering him. The judge, at the moment they were about to take summary
vengeance on the wretch, interfered and restrained their fury, by
representing to them that by their acting in such a manner they would
endanger the lives of other Muselmans as well as their own. Under the
pretext, therefore, of delivering the audacious wretch out of their
hands, he thrust him into prison in the inner fortress. His companions
he distributed among different families in the character of guests,
as they supposed, where he told them they would receive the rights of
hospitality, and where they would be protected from insult in case of
any tumult arising. The cazí, in this way, got them all safely lodged
within the citadel, and not one of them was able to make his escape.
During this interval, Kalander was impatiently waiting for the return
of his men; but he little knew the person he had to deal with. The
reverend judge had no sooner secured his prize, than he wrote off
an account of the whole affair to Murád Páshá, who, in return,
congratulated his correspondent on his adroitness and success; and
informed him, by letter, that an army would soon be in pursuit of
his visitors, cautioning him, at the same time, to be on the look
out. The person who had the charge of this letter was way-laid and
intercepted, by which means Kalander became acquainted with the whole
of the mystery. He now perceived the design of the cazí, and determined
on attacking the city: but he was just as little aware of the heroism
and skill in war which cazí Effendí, the son of Waldin, possessed,
as he before was of his powers of stratagem. The citizens too were
not without spirit. They formed themselves into regular companies,
and fell with ardour on their assailants, maintaining the struggle
with desperate heroism, and hurling defiance at Kalander, who made no
less than eight different assaults, so intent was he on reducing the
Ancorians. But the showers of musket and cannon-shot from the batteries
made such havock among this besieging horde as both cooled and repelled
them, until at last they seemed to have given up all idea of success.
At this moment it began to be rumoured that a body of troops, under
the command of Tekelí, Mohammed Páshá, was marching on Ancora, which
rumour induced the besiegers to retire to the distance of one stage.
Tekelí, it would appear, had some little skirmishes with these rebels,
but their numbers were so very superior to those under his command,
that he chose rather to hasten into the city than to risk any general
engagement.
It was not long after these things, that Tekelí was put in possession
of the sanják of Komstamúní, when he pursued Kalander Oghlí with
additional forces, and forty pieces of cannon.
The commander-in-chief having determined on the total destruction of
Jánbúlát, seems, for the time, to have overlooked the rebel Kalander.
He removed his troops from Iconium; and marching towards Aleppo, where
Jánbúlát then was, he encamped before the city of Larendo; whence he
dispatched the regiments of the red and yellow standards, under their
respective leaders, and a body of janissaries to Selukeh, in Syria,
with orders to destroy Meseli Chávush, a powerful and noted rebel in
that quarter. This expedition, on reaching its destination, found
the rebel had taken refuge in the mountains, and had there fortified
himself. The ardent and zealous Moslem troops, however, pursued him
even into his strong-holds, one or two of which they took, slaying all
his followers that fell in their way, and dispersing the remainder. A
few of the principal leaders, who had acted among the insurgents, were
seized and sent to the commander-in-chief.
The exalted serdár, bent on falling in with Jánbúlát, removed from
Larendo and came to Arkalah, where he found himself opposed by Jemshíd,
another of the rebel chieftains, from the neighbourhood of Adna, and
who scrupled not to give battle to the royal troops. He and his rebel
army, however, were soon broken and overthrown. He himself escaped
by flight, but his deluded followers were either destroyed or made
prisoners. Such of them as were taken alive were conducted into the
presence of the serdár, and there ordered to be beheaded.
When the grand vezír, Murád Páshá, reached the confines of Aleppo, he
was there informed, just as he was on the eve of approaching the pass
of Bukras, that Jánbúlát, with twenty thousand foot and twenty thousand
horse, was strongly entrenched within this pass. The exalted serdár,
on hearing this report, changed his route, and went forward to the
plains of Gozarjinlik. This movement he effected on 29th of Jemadi II.
The royal camp was joined at this place by the beglerbeg of Merœsh,
Zulfekár Páshá, with a powerful auxiliary army. In three days
afterwards he removed his camp to Durma, on the river Kunuk. Jánbúlát
Oghlí, on learning that the Moslem army had passed on to Durma, left
his position; and, on the 2d of Rajab, marched with his army of forty
thousand half the distance, intent on giving battle to the serdár, and
encamped in the valley of Uruj. The advance guards of both armies met,
and a sharp skirmish took place; but that of the rebels was totally
defeated; the greater part of them perished, and those who were made
prisoners, being conducted into the presence of the serdár were,
without mercy or compassion, instantly put to death.
The following day, Tuesday, in the morning, the grand vezír prepared
for a general engagement, put his numerous troops in order, and then
encouraged and fortified the hearts of his soldiers.
Jánbúlát, in like manner, prepared for the contest. He placed his
deputy with a division of his rebellious troops, against the army of
Anatolia, which formed the right wing of Murád: his segbáns he opposed
to the Romeilian troops, which formed his left wing, and he himself
took up his position immediately opposite the centre of the royal army.
It has been said, that Jánbúlát had written before this to the Moslem
commander-in-chief offering to make peace, but that the latter did
not believe him sincere. He even, whilst endeavouring to bring this
about, stepped to the front of his army and forbade them to fight; but
they, by oaths and curses, caused him to retire, and erected their
banners. However these things might be, the battle commenced, and it
was a bloody one. Zulfekár Páshá, beglerbeg of Merœsh, fought with
uncommon bravery, and caused the heads of the enemy to roll along the
ground. Jánbúlát attacked the left wing of the royalists, composed
of the Romeilian army commanded by its intrepid válí, Hasan Páshá,
but was met with heroism, on the part of these troops, exceeding
all imagination. The conflict was awful and bloody, and lasted till
night. Twenty-six thousand heads were conveyed into the presence of
the powerful Osmánlí chief, and heaped up before his pavilion: twenty
persons were incessantly employed in cutting off the heads of the vast
number of prisoners which were brought in alive. The janissaries,
headed by their chief, as well as the other troops, distinguished
themselves in the most brilliant manner on this occasion.
Jánbúlát, after this severe defeat, fled to Kilis. But finding it
unsafe for him to remain there, he marched on to Aleppo, plundered the
rich men of the city, threw some of his troops into the citadel, and
the following morning, as he was going out at the gate, to continue his
flight—for such was the fear he was in, that he remained only one night
at Aleppo—the women and children raised a tremendous hue and cry after
him, loading him with anathemas, and covering him with dirt and mud.
After he was once fairly out of their sight the inhabitants commenced a
search after such of his followers as had hid themselves in the city,
and succeeded in finding out and killing more than a thousand of these
wretches before Murád Páshá arrived at Aleppo.
The day after the battle a council was held in the victorious and
glorious pavilion, when the grandees of the army pressed in to
congratulate their commander-in-chief.
It has been related that the son of Máín Fekhr-ud-dín had headed the
sons of Gilibi and the Dirzi soldiery, and fought under Jánbulát in the
above-mentioned battle. Fekhr-ud-dín fled to the fortress of Shukif, in
the desert, where he shut himself up.
The exalted commander-in-chief, when on his march from the field of
battle to Aleppo, touched at Kilis, where he seized on the whole of the
property belonging to the last-mentioned rebel. On the 19th of Rajab
he erected his pavilion in the Kokmaidan of Aleppo, whither all the
great men of the city repaired in order to pay him their respects, and
to congratulate him on his success against the rebels. Some few vile
wretches, who had hitherto eluded detection, were now brought forth
and executed. The few troops which Jánbulát had left in the citadel,
after a day or two, offered to surrender. The officers were furnished
with letters of protection, but the common soldiery, on coming out of
the citadel, were all executed. The government of Aleppo was conferred
on Dishleng Hasan Páshá, and the cazíship of the same on an old
acquaintance of the cazí of the royal camp, Cheshmi Effendí. Hasan
Páshá, válí of Romeili, having been advanced to the rank and dignity of
a vezír, returned to Turkey, and Marjol Hasan Páshá succeeded him as
válí of Romeili.
_Murád Páshá winters at Aleppo.—Troops are sent to Baghdád._
The grand vezír, Murád Páshá, with the view of preserving the peace
and tranquillity of the country, determined on keeping a certain number
of his best troops somewhere near Aleppo, where he himself resolved
on passing the winter. Accordingly, the spáhís were sent into the
territories of Damascus, and the Salihdárs to Tripoli, in Syria. The
janissaries remained with the commander-in-chief at Aleppo, and the
troops of Romeili, of Anatolia, and of Caramania were allowed to return
to their respective countries.
In Aleppo the serdár and his janissaries spent the six months of winter
in every sort of pleasure and festivity. Rebels, from one hundred
to two hundred, were every day brought to Aleppo and there executed
without compassion or commiseration.
The grand vezír, Murád Páshá, in the midst of the various scenes of
pleasure which Aleppo afforded, was one day astounded at learning
that about the time he had entered into winter quarters, Mustafa, the
brother of Ahmed Túyel Oghlí, who had met with his death at Baghdád,
had succeeded the deceased in the command of the rebels in that
quarter, and who amounted to several thousands. Murád Páshá was not
long in considering how to act: he determined on their overthrow.
Accordingly, he conferred the government of Baghdád on Mohammed Páshá,
son of Jeghala Zádeh Sinán Páshá, giving him a body of paid troops; and
he appointed Mír Ahmed, son of Abúrish, prince of Annet and Hadisa,
and Kúrd Mír Sheríf Páshá, besides several other provincial lords,
to accompany him to the conquest of Baghdád, now in the hands of the
rebels.
The expedition just mentioned had no sooner arrived within a small
distance of Baghdád than they were met by Mustafa, who had prepared
to oppose the Moslem army. This happened on the 1st of Shevál; but
Mustafa, who had not rightly estimated the courage and heroism of
the Osmánlí troops, found, to his sad experience, that he and his
rebels were no match for them; in a word, he was defeated and routed,
and shut himself up in the city, thinking there to defend himself.
This, however, was a delusion. The heroic Osmánlís were not long
in approaching and laying siege to the city, and perceiving that
resistance would be worse than useless, he proposed to deliver up the
city on the condition of personal security. This was agreed to, and he
was allowed to embark; but the boat into which he had entered had no
sooner moved away from the bank or wharf than, from its unequal weight,
occasioned by the vast numbers of segbáns who had crowded in along with
him, it upset, and all, with the exception of Mustafa himself and a
few others, were drowned in the river; even those few who did escape
were nearly all killed by bullets which were sent across after them.
Mohammed Páshá, after having thus vanquished the rebels and dispersed
them, entered into Baghdád triumphant and victorious.
_Jánbulát Oghlí seeks refuge in Constantinople.—Kalander commits new
depredations._
Kalander Oghlí, after having sustained the defeats and disappointments
formerly mentioned, and knowing that Murád Páshá had passed on to
Aleppo, again resolved on mischief. After leaving Ancora, finding
himself kept in awe by Tekelí, he passed into Anatolia, and proceeded
to the neighbourhood of Brúsa. Here he was joined by Kanalí Oghlí, the
chief of a sanják in that country, a disaffected villain, with a number
of others of similar character, amounting to very near a thousand; and
here he again commenced his usual depredations.
Jánbulát Oghlí Alí Páshá, of whose history and fortunes we have already
spoken, finding nowhere any asylum to which he might flee for safety,
took his winding-sheet on his shoulders, as it were, and resolved
on returning to Turkey. With this view he went to the vicinity of
Eskí-sheher with a certain number of volunteers, whence he sent a
humble letter by one Haidar Beg, his fraternal uncle, to the court of
Constantinople.