Ka’ba, it was still found necessary to bind the pillars thereof in two
different places with hoops, and for which purpose iron ones, plated
with pure gold and choice silver, were provided. The aqueduct, which
had been necessarily altered in the days of Soleimán, was furnished
and ornamented with splendid boards. The emperor, being intent on
beautifying the Ka’ba still more, removed into the garden of Stavros,
where the contemplated work for the holy place might be carried on
to better purpose under his own inspection. With this view he called
thither all the goldsmiths, provided bellows, and the work immediately
commenced under his own auspices, and the inspection of all his great
men. This work, and the artizans employed on it, were afterwards
removed to the garden of Davd Páshá, where the emperor himself took
up his abode; and when the whole was finished, in conformity with the
pattern which had been chosen, a pavilion was raised in front of the
works for his majesty, and a throne was erected within it on which he
sat. In this position, surrounded by the mufti, ulemá and his vezírs,
he contemplated the articles which had been made; conferred robes of
honour on those of his grandees of every rank and degree, who were
present, as tokens of his royal munificence and approbation; and on the
same day, raised Mohammed Aghá of the Salihdárs to the government of
Egypt. About this same time the emperor ordered a shade or covering to
be erected over the well near the arsenal.
EVENTS OF THE YEAR 1020, H.
_Naval affairs._
The Turkish fleet, under the command of the lord high-admiral, Khalíl
Páshá, after having sailed from the port of Constantinople in the
spring of this year, was met by Mohammed Beg, beg of the Morea, who
had been previously sent out for the purpose of capturing such hostile
vessels as might fall in his way, and who informed the admiral that
he had conducted a prize-vessel into the port of Eyúbia. The fleet
now sailed for Rhodes, where the ships were all properly pitched,
and afterwards sailed for the island of Cyprus. Whilst the admiral
was directing his course for this place, he received a royal letter,
ordering him to convoy the ships destined for Egypt, which were
conveying the articles for the Ka’ba. Just at this time he received
intelligence that two hostile vessels had been seen sailing somewhere
between Cyprus and Tripoli, and therefore he instantly dispatched Mímí
Beg, beg of Rhodes, with twenty-five galleys, in search of them: but he
himself conducted the Egyptian vessels half-way through the high seas,
and then directed his course towards the shores of Anatolia.
Mímí Beg was not long in meeting with a hostile vessel, the commander
of which was a Maltese and a pirate, and which, after some hard
fighting, he took and brought into Rhodes, where he met with the
admiral. He was afterwards sent with five galleys to conduct the válí
of Egypt from Scio through the high seas towards Alexandria. Lálá
Ja’fer Beg was also sent with ten vessels to cruize along the enemy’s
coasts, but was much retarded by contrary winds. Off the Cape of Maneah
he met two vessels, who having instantly hoisted the enemy’s flag, he
prepared to attack them. The battle was long and bloody, and it was not
till near night that he succeeded in overpowering them. The admiral,
at the end of this voyage, sent these and four other vessels which had
been captured, to the port of Constantinople. The two vessels taken
by Lálá Ja’fer Beg, it was said, belonged to the Venetian state, and
therefore, in consequence of that state being included in the last
treaty made with France, a very great deal of talk and speculation took
place.
On the return of the lord high-admiral to Constantinople, he was
honoured with tokens of the imperial approbation for the services he
had rendered. Within the three years he had acted as lord high admiral
of the Turkish fleet, he captured more than fifty ships, small and
great; the emperor, however, willing to show favour to Mohammed Páshá,
who had been governor in Egypt, and whose exploits and virtuous deeds
we have recorded, and who was every way worthy of the seals (though
these, in the meantime, had been conferred on Nesúh Páshá), appointed
him to the command of the fleet, that being the most honourable
situation he had to confer on him at the time.
About the middle of Rabia II., whilst the emperor was enjoying himself
in the gardens of Dávud Páshá, Sultán Selím was born, but died before
the end of the month. Towards the end of the month Dhu’l hijja, the
youngest of the princesses was united in marriage to Nesúh Páshá, and
the contract was concluded in the presence of the reverend mufti and
the vezírs of the court.
EVENTS OF THE YEAR 1021, H.
_Naval affairs continued._
In the month of Rajab of this year the lord high admiral, Mohammed
Páshá, set sail with the royal fleet in search of prizes and further
conquests. On reaching the coasts of Sidon and Bairut he found Maán
Oghlí, a madman, who in the vanity of his mind had arrogated to himself
princely titles, and had secured for himself some places of strength in
the hilly part of the country, and who, moreover, had been a coadjutor
of Jánbúlát Oghlí, and had done much mischief to the province of
Syria. He afterwards entered into a friendly relation with the Turkish
government, stipulating to pay an annual tribute of the products of the
country he ruled, but had failed in fulfilling his engagements. The
admiral, in consequence of this failure, landed some of his men with
the intention of forcing Maán Oghlí into compliance. Force, however,
was not necessary, for Maán Oghlí sent the admiral a submissive letter,
accompanied by a larger sum than he had stipulated, as an equivalent
for his neglect. The fleet returned to the port of Constantinople,
and deposited in the imperial treasury the gifts and presents which
had been received from Maán Oghlí. But it is to be observed that the
admiral, whilst sailing through the straits of Súsam, allowed the enemy
to seize no less than nine of his vessels; for which he was deposed.
Khalíl Páshá was again made lord high admiral.
_Nesúh Páshá arrives in Constantinople along with the Persian
ambassadors._
After Nesúh Páshá had given the despicable kizilbáshes hopes that their
wishes would be complied with on the part of the Ottoman government,
the sháh seized the opportunity thus afforded him, and instantly
transmitted to Nesúh at Diárbeker two hundred loads of silk under
the charge of Kází Khán, his military judge, and the cazís of Kazwín
and Isfahán, additional ambassadors, who arrived at Diárbeker on the
26th of Rabia II. Nesúh Páshá, without loss of time, set out for
Constantinople with the above silk and the messengers, and reached it
about the beginning of Shabán. The grand vezír met with the honours
due to his high station, and the ambassadors with that respect which
it was the custom to bestow. The emperor, who had been at Dávud Páshá,
returned with a great show of military pomp and grandeur to the city on
the 16th of Shabán. By his orders suitable lodgings were assigned to
the Persian ambassadors, and amusements afforded them, and on the 21st
they were permitted to appear in the royal presence. They presented to
his majesty, the asylum of the world, the gifts and presents they had
brought along with them from their master, receiving in return robes of
honour, and being permitted to kiss the skirt of his majesty’s robe.
The sháh had chosen his ambassadors from amongst the most cunning and
shrewd of his learned men, as being the fittest for answering or asking
questions in the royal diván, should they ever be called thither. When,
however, they were actually introduced into that august assembly, they
were overpowered with awe. Kází Khán, the foremost and most learned
of their number, felt his inability to speak when he attempted to
do so. “Please your majesty,” said he, with a faltering voice which
betokened the agitation of his mind, “Sháh Abbás is your slave”—here
he paused, and could not utter another syllable, but delivered over
their credentials to the grand vezír, who handed them to his majesty,
and then retired. They were again, on the 26th of Ramazán, allowed
to be present at the royal diván, and were thence conducted into the
imperial hall of audience, where answers to their communications were
delivered to them. They again received robes, according to custom,
and were allowed to retrace their steps to their own country. Hasan
Páshá, beglerbeg of Erzerúm, and Anjúlí Mustafa Chávush were ordered to
accompany them, with the view of settling and determining the frontiers
of Armenia; but the negotiations with Persia were not finally settled
until the year of the Hijrah 1024.
On the 28th of Jemadi I. the grand sultán had another son born, _viz._
Murád Khán, who was, on the 4th of Shevál, ordered, by a royal firmán,
to be conveyed, according to ancient custom, to the royal harem, where
the royal youths were brought up.
A beglerbegship was conferred on Karah Kásh Mohammed Aghá, chief of
the falconers. About the middle of the last-mentioned month the grand
princess, Ayesha Sultána, who was betrothed to the grand vezír, Nesúh
Páshá, was sent home to him, on which occasion a most splendid banquet
was given.
_Sultán Ahmed Khán takes a journey to Adrianople._
His majesty the emperor, having resolved on taking a journey to
Adrianople, on the 8th of Dhu’l kadah he ordered the members of the
royal diván, his household troops, his right and left-hand troops of
Egypt, and a body of spáhís to proceed on the journey from Dávud Páshá.
Two days before this mighty cavalcade left Dávud Páshá, the princes of
the blood, under the charge of Mustafa Aghá, ághá of the royal palace,
set out. The grand vezír, Nesúh Páshá, Dávud Páshá, Yúsuf Páshá, Khalíl
Páshá, also the reverend mufti, Mohammed Effendí, Dámád Effendí, the
late mufti, Asa’d-ud-dín Effendí, who had been deposed for the share
he had in the late tumult, Zekeriáh Effendí, Yahia Effendí, Mustafa
Effendí, and Abdul Azíz Effendí, all the grandees of the empire, and a
splendid detachment of troops of various kinds accompanied his majesty
on his leaving Dávud Páshá for Adrianople. This royal procession or
cavalcade proceeded by way of Felúri, where such of the members of the
administration as did not accompany the emperor to Adrianople took
their leave of him and returned. On the high priest of the empire, in
consequence of the necessary absence of Mustafa Effendí, the royal
chronologer, the duty of marking events devolved. The royal cavalcade
rested the first night at Kúchuk Chekmejeh, and the following day
reached Búiúk Chekmejeh. At daybreak it was again in motion. The
immense number of janissaries, spáhís, and other troops in the royal
retinue now commenced the sport of the chase as they proceeded on their
journey, which sport was accompanied by the sound of drums and other
instruments. In the afternoon they reached Silivria. The emperor rose
about midnight, performed his devotions on the highway, and was no
sooner on horseback than his armourers and fencing-masters were again
in their places. On reaching a place called Chorlí the royal party
was allowed to rest there for the space of three days, in consequence
of the fatigue which the emperor’s soláks and other foot-soldiers had
sustained from the rains which had fallen during the previous days. On
leaving Chorlí they advanced to Sultání, but as there was no suitable
mansion for his majesty at this place, a pavilion had been erected
for his reception. From Sultání they advanced to Burgas. During this
journey the horsemen exercised themselves in throwing the javelin: the
vezírs and ághás, even to the grand vezír himself, took a share in the
sports of the day. The emperor partook with keenness of the passing
pleasures, exercising his fleet steed, throwing the javelin, and, in
short, was the phœnix of the whole company of lancers. The sound of
mirth and joviality was re-echoed by the vault of heaven. The grand
vezír was so astonished at the feats which his majesty performed, that
he descended from his horse, approached his majesty’s stirrup on foot,
and kissed it. It is quite certain that the display of horsemanship and
throwing of the javelin which his majesty exhibited on this occasion
was altogether unequalled. The royal party passed through Eskí Bábá
and Hafsa, and on the tenth day of the journey, about mid-day, reached
Adrianople.
The emperor and his suite, after offering up their devotions at the
Selímiya, mounted their horses and crossed the bridge of Soleimán,
exhibiting a great display of pomp and grandeur, and arrived at the
royal palace of that city. The ághá of the palace, Elháj Mustafa Aghá,
and other reverend dignitaries belonging to the royal house, made such
a display of silver-plate and gold vessels as to excite great wonder.
In short, so plentiful were articles of this description, that, in
passing into the royal apartments, one was obliged to walk over them;
the whole of his domestics that waited on him were made rich. Here
diváns were held, and petitions of all kinds attended to. Within the
palace a mosque was fitted up. The emperor himself, his domestics, and
hatchet-bearers, went out every day to follow the chase, accompanied
by his hounds and panthers. He ordered his bostánjí báshí to search
out the places which abounded with most game, over a district of
three days’ journey. Near the village of Cholmek the field, as the
chase was pursued by sultáns of other days, extended to the distance
of several leagues. In or about the beginning of Dhu’l hijja, the
emperor, accompanied by his domestics, the odabáshí Ja’fer Aghá, the
salihdár Mohammed Aghá, the chakadár Ahmed, and the stirrup-holder
Ismael Aghá, set out at night, and by daybreak reached a green meadow,
where his majesty offered up his morning devotions. On a rising ground
near this meadow a pavilion for his majesty had been erected, and from
this spot he again commenced following the pleasures of the chase. The
country every where around abounded with wild-game. The grey-hounds and
panthers were let loose; such of the peasants as brought in the game
that had been seized, received munificent rewards, by which many a poor
peasant was made rich; eighteen deers, one hundred and fifty hares,
forty foxes, and a vast number of pheasants were collected on this
occasion; and rewards, according to the laws of the chase, were also
distributed.
The emperor, on leaving the above place, entered into Sultán Murád
Khán’s garden with the view of taking some repose, whilst the whole
of the game which had been taken was conveyed into his presence, when
he ordered portions of it to be sent to the grand vezír and other
ministers and military judges, who had not been present at this chase.
In like manner, portions were sent to the royal harem, and to the other
departments of the royal house. The sublime emperor then returned
to Adrianople; but it was not long before he again engaged in the
pleasures of the chase at a place called Kúrd Kíásí, about a stage
distant from Adrianople, where the grand vezír prepared a splendid
entertainment before the chase commenced. This chase took place about
the beginning of the month of January, and all the vezírs and other
officers of government were present at the convivial entertainment
which Nesúh Páshá had given. The persons who had been employed in
bringing in the game, whether whole or only the skins, received
handsome rewards. The whole number of game taken on this occasion
amounted to nine hundred and fifteen, and the number taken on former
occasions to one thousand two hundred. The emperor enjoyed himself
also in hunting along with his falconers, and outstripped the whole
of his ághás, having caught nearly nine hundred birds. On meeting a
peasant he condescended to enquire into his circumstances—what injury
or oppression he might be enduring: and if he returned an answer that
manifested content, he was sure to meet with an act of benevolence
on the part of the royal enquirer. When he entered into a village,
the villagers met him with the most valuable of their goods and best
cattle, and offered them as presents; but for the most part he sent
some of his domestics to prevent this display of kindness. In fact,
such was the generosity of his own benevolent nature that many of the
poor natives were made rich by his liberality. Every Friday night,
according to his custom at Constantinople, he called together ten
commanders or governors of garrisons, and made them read together, or
separately, ten chapters of the holy writings, during the first watches
of the night. Thus did the emperor, by donations of gold and silver,
and by enriching his mind with reading, secure to himself a rich
remuneration.
EVENTS OF THE YEAR 1022, H.
_The emperor, Sultán Ahmed Khán, goes to Gallipoli._
The emperor having resolved on taking a journey to Gallipoli, left
Adrianople for the latter place on the 24th of Sefer. Nesúh Páshá, the
grand vezír, provided every thing necessary for him at the different
stations through which he was to pass, and prohibited every where the
exercise of oppression and tyranny. His majesty passed through the
meadows belonging to Mohammed Páshá, which happened to be the first
station; and next day, on coming to a place called Degirmenlik, he
entered on the chase. Having no meat, he and his suite were obliged to
rest satisfied with the flesh of such birds as they took on the field.
From Degirmenlik he moved onwards to Ieserarkinah, near which he spent
two or three days more in hunting, having had his pavilion erected in a
delightful spot in the neighbourhood of that place. After quitting this
spot he continued his route till mid-day, when, impelled by the desire
of the chase, he again betook himself to hunting through the fields,
which he continued till he came to Karah Bekár, were he again joined
the royal cavalcade, which had been moving slowly forward, and rested
there for the night. On the following day he halted at Altún Tásh,
the day after at the station called Ahmed Páshá, and the third day at
Kighanlu, near Mulghra, not far from the Kogher mountains, which so
large a body of men as that which accompanied the emperor would find
very difficult, if not impracticable, to cross. He, therefore, selected
a certain number of janissaries and spáhís to accompany him across
these mountains to Gallipoli, and sent the rest of his troops, with
their ordnance and baggage, to Rodosjuk. They were, however, very much
impeded in their march, owing to the fall of a great quantity of snow
and rain. The emperor and his party, about three thousand in number,
proceeded on their journey towards Urúsha, and on the following day
came to Búlair, where they pitched their tents in a sort of plain near
the tomb of the heroic Soleimán Páshá, where the emperor again engaged
in the amusements of the chase. He visited the above tomb, distributed
some alms, and ordered the coffin to be renewed and ornamented. The
emperor, on reaching Gallipoli, ordered his tent to be erected in the
open fields, whither the grandees of the city, about sixty of the
ulemá, besides the officers of justice, came to salute his majesty and
to welcome him to their city. About eight o’clock in the evening the
emperor, accompanied by the grand vezír, those ághás who had been his
companions in the sports of the field, and his domestics, entered the
city, and took up his abode in a pavilion which had been previously
erected for him near the fortress. Great rejoicings took place, and
the firing of guns, both on the land and water, commenced; the priests
read the service which is usually read on the emperor’s birth-day, and
many alms were dispensed among the poor and indigent. The pleasure-boat
which the bostánjí báshí sent from Constantinople, was occasionally
used by his majesty in taking a pleasure-sail.
_The emperor leaves Gallipoli for the imperial city._
The grand sultán, not wishing to prolong his stay at Gallipoli, ordered
the signal drum to beat, and left that city on the fifteenth day
after his departure from Adrianople, _i.e._ on the 19th of Rabia I.
When he reached Búlair, on his return, he again visited the tomb of
the heroic Soleimán Páshá, which, by this time, had been renewed and
decorated after the manner of that in the Ka’ba. The emperor laid a
sword across the coffin, which was covered over with cloth; ordered
prayers to be offered up; distributed alms among the poor of the place,
and afterwards prosecuted his march towards the royal city. He halted
for the night at a place called Kowak. On the second following day,
after descending from Bilban, he reached Rudosjuk, where the troops he
left behind him, when he proposed crossing the Kogher mountains for
Gallipoli, were waiting for his return.
_Mohammed Gheráí arrives at Rudosjuk._
Mohammed Gheráí, who had made himself obnoxious to his brother, Salámet
Gheráí, the reigning khán of the Crimea, (who had joined himself to
Sháhín Gheráí, and, along with some Circassian tribes among whom he
lived, had committed great depredations among the Crimean Tátárs,) no
sooner heard of the death of Salámet Gheráí, and the efforts which
Jánbeg Gheráí had employed to prevent either his or his brother’s
succeeding to the khánship, than he appeared with four hundred men in
Romeili, and advanced with the utmost haste to solicit the support and
countenance of the Turkish government in his own behalf. The grand
vezír, on hearing of his approach, sent some of his ághás to meet him,
and to bring him to Rudosjuk, where he had the felicity of kissing
the emperor’s foot. The emperor, after holding a diván, promised
that equity should be done; and attached two kapújí báshís to two
of Mohammed Gheráí’s officers, who were to bring the two contending
princes to an agreement between themselves.
The emperor’s nativity was again celebrated at Rudosjuk. At night
candles were lighted up, and muskets were fired. The front of the
imperial pavilion was brilliantly illuminated with a vast number of
lamps. On the following day he set out for Kopurjí Cháier, passed
through the village of Amúrcha, and on the third day arrived in the
plains of Silivria. Here he was met by the kapúdán, Mohammed Páshá, the
bostánjí báshí, Hasan Aghá, with his whole body of bostánjís. Many of
the ulemá and servants of the government came to this place also, to
welcome him back. In the evening, as the emperor was going towards the
gardens of Silivria, he was met by his reverence the mufti Mohammed
Effendí, and other learned men. When the mufti saw him approaching, he
advanced, kissed the hem of his garment, and pronounced a blessing on
his head. The sultán, on the other hand, no sooner saw the venerable
prelate drawing near to him, than he checked the steed on which he was
mounted, in order to allow him time to perform the above ceremony,
and then invited the mufti and his learned associates to mount and
accompany him in his jaunt, when they all entered into a variety of
conversation. Other ulemá, and heads of seminaries of learning, came
also on this occasion and paid him their respects. The emperor, after
meeting with so many tokens of esteem from his learned subjects,
ordered preparations to be made for going to the gardens of Dávud
Páshá. The night on which he arrived at these gardens the whole space
occupied by his soldiery of various kinds was brilliantly illuminated,
and the small and great guns fired a salute. On the 24th of Rabia I. he
entered the capital, whilst his troops and retinue formed a beautiful
and orderly procession. In a very few days afterwards, however, _i.e._
on the 1st of Rabia II., he passed over to his palace at Scutari, where
he followed the amusements of the chase. Sometimes he went to Stavros,
sometimes to the port of the metropolis, and sometimes to the gardens
of Dávud Páshá, in pursuit of the same sport and amusement.
On the 5th of Rajab of this year he went to the gardens of Chatálijeh,
and returned to Constantinople on the 12th of the same. On the
following day, after having spent the night comfortably, he went to the
Halkalú gardens, where he gave audience to the grand vezír. From these
gardens he retired to those of Dávud Páshá, and thence returned to the
imperial palace.