earth, which is held together by them when shaken by earthquakes;
this is hinted in the verses of the Korán, “His (God’s) are the keys
of the earth and Heaven;” and again, “and the mountains as pales”.
According to geographers there are in the first climate, nineteen; in
the second, twenty-seven; in the third, thirty-one; in the fourth,
twenty-four; in the fifth, twenty-nine; in the sixth, thirty-six; and
in the seventh, thirty-seven great mountains. The root of all mountains
is mount Káf, thus designated by the verse of the Korán, “Káf and the
glorious Korán;” it surrounds the earth and is reached by the Kalmúks
beyond the ice-sea; they call it in their language Yaldarák Ták. If
it pleases God, I shall describe it when I undertake that journey.
Since the time of Alexander none but the Kalmúks have seen Mount Káf,
they assemble every forty or fifty years to the number of seventy,
or eighty thousand, in order to visit it. The Caucasus (Kúh-al-burz)
faces the desert of Tartary called Heihát, the great mountain of
Germany (Riesengeburg), and the mountain of the moon twenty farsangs
beyond the equator, where the Nile originates. Mount Olympus was the
first of these mountains which I ascended with a goodly company; we
took litters, tents and all necessary preparations with us, and set
out from Búnár-báshí ascending during five hours. The first height,
Ghází Yailá, is so called because the Moslim victors (Ghází) had a
station here during the siege of Brússa, which lasted a whole year.
It is a pleasant spot with meadows and chesnut-trees, a small rivulet
running through it is full of trout. From this place a full view of the
town of Brússa is obtained. Five hours further on is the table-land
called Sobrán Yailássí, a large plain with chesnut-woods; trout are
also found in the lakes of it; we took a great many of them, and ate
them fried with fresh butter; each fish seemed like one of the dishes
Jesus multiplied amongst the people (six thousand men). Some hundred
thousand sheep graze here, descended from the forty thousand sheep of
Sultán Osmán: the shepherds are Turks, they brought us some sheep as
a present, which we immediately roasted, and passed the night in the
open air. Next day we mounted again in a south-east direction (Kibláh)
the road lined with hyacinths, roses, basilicon, and other flowers,
the scent of which perfumed our brains. We refreshed ourselves with
water from the living spring, and came after three hour’s travelling to
the place called Menzíl Bakajak, where we halted three days and three
nights in the woods, delighting in fresh fish and roasted sheep. This
place is called Bakajak, or look-out, because from hence on the nights
previous to Ramazán they watch for the new moon, and, as soon as they
see it, light a fire to give notice to the town, where the guns are
fired to announce the commencement of the fast. This look-out is on
the top of an isolated rock, which stretches towards the town like an
elephant’s proboscis and hangs over so deep a precipice that nobody
dares look down. From it the plain Filehdár, with all its villages,
fields, and cultivated grounds appear, like a picture on paper. It is
so steep and prominent that the great mosque, the castle and bezestán
of Brússa seem as it were sinking into the base of the mountain, and
from the summit cannot be seen at all. Rocks towering to the sky take
the appearance here of many strange shapes, such as dragons, elephants
and eagles. We mounted still further in the direction of the Kiblah
through flowery meadows, where no tall trees were to be seen, and after
five hours came to the station of Sultán Suleïmán’s fountain-head. A
delightful spot with a spring of water so cold that a man cannot take
out of it three stones in succession. There is here a large mass of
rock the size of the cupola of a bath, which vibrates on being touched,
and also many rivulets containing trout of one or two becas each. These
rivulets and brooks being frozen in the winter, the head ice-man,
(Kárjí-báshí) sends two or three hundred persons to cut the ice, which,
transparent as crystal and brilliant as diamonds, is used in summer to
cool their sherbet by the inhabitants of Constantinople and Brússa.
Some hundred ass-loads are every day embarked at Modania for the use of
the coffee-houses, Imperial kitchens, and the Imperial Harím; for the
Vezírs, the Kází-askers, and the Muftis.
_Description of the Ice-worm._
This is a worm, which is found in the midst of ice and snow as old as
the creation, but is difficult to find; it has forty feet, and forty
black spots on its back, with two eyes as red as rubies, all ice,
without a tongue, and its interior filled with an icy fluid; it shines
like a diamond but melts quickly away, because it is all ice. In size,
it is like those cucumbers which are sold for seed at Lángabestán,
sometimes larger, sometimes smaller. The ice-worm I brought to Sultán
Ibrahím was smaller than a cucumber. It is an aphrodisiac, sharpens the
sight, and makes a man as healthy and vigorous as a new-born child. It
is rarely found, and falls but to the lot of kings! It is said that on
the Caucasus they are of the size of dogs, with four feet, living and
walking among the ice and snow. Faith be upon the teller! I have not
seen them.
Above the station of Súleimán vegetation ceases and the mountain is
barren. Kulleí Jehán, the tower of the world, is on the topmost peak of
the monk’s mountain (Olympus) whence beneath your feet the clouds may
be seen passing over the town. It is a journey of two days from Brússa
to the top; being so very high it is entirely barren; the mountains
of Cútahía are seen from the south side; the mountains of Sogúd from
the East, and from the west side the mountains of Galipolis, beyond
the White Sea. The summits of the Seven Towers and of the Minárehs
of Sultán Ahmed, may be discerned from hence when the sun shines on
Constantinople. From its height, it is so much exposed to the wind,
that if men did not cling to, or shelter themselves behind, the rocks,
the wind would blow them away like cotton. On the highest spot is a
burying place, the four sides composed of immense stones; it is the
tomb of Sa’dán the son of Landha, who is said to have taken refuge here
from fear of Hamzah. Near it is a deep dark cave which leads to seventy
or eighty small cells, where Monks resided in the time of the Byzantine
Empire; on some of them are inscriptions in Greek and Latin, two
thousand years old. People who come to the top also write their names
in this place. We again mounted our horses and came after ten hours
ride, ascending and descending, to the Victor’s height, Ghází Yailá,
from whence, after another ride of ten hours, we arrived at Brússa.
_Language, Dress, and Manufactures of the Inhabitants of Brússa._
There are many thousand rich merchants and learned divines who dress
in sable pelisses. Being in Asia, the language is related to the
Turkish, hence they say Ahmed Chepú instead of Ahmed Chelebí; Memet
Chepú instead of Mohammed Chelebí; Assmíl instead of Ismaíl; Jafár
instead of Ja’fer, besides some words and expressions entirely unknown;
young men of the town however speak with great purity. Their principal
occupation is the cultivation of silk, the manufacture of velvets and
other stuffs of Brússa called Sereng and Chátma, it is also famed for
the manufacture of cushions for sofas.
_The Climate of Brússa._
The longest day is fifteen hours: the inhabitants are fresh-coloured
on account of the healthy air, but as Mount Olympus intercepts the
southerly winds, the air is dull and heavy when they blow. The
youth are numerous and have been celebrated in many a town-revolt
(Shehrengíz). The women are exquisite beauties, with well-arranged
teeth, and well-arranged words; their hair curled and dressed in
tresses is celebrated in the poetical expression Kessúí merghúleh.
The men attain a very old age; in short the pleasant advantages which
this town affords are not to be met with elsewhere. The people are of
a graceful stature, silver bodies, cautious, and so eloquent that when
they speak they never fail to produce the greatest effect on their
hearers.
_The Eatables, Beverages and Fruits of Brússa._
The first is white bread of the kind called Súmún, which is as good as
the best of Constantinople; then that sort of bread called Chákil,
like white roses; the Gozlemeh, the Kerdeh, a kind of roast mutton
dressed over a stove (Tennúr). The sheep which are very fat come from
Mount Olympus. The white Halvá of Brússa is also celebrated.
The beverages are the delicious water of the head fountain Búnár-báshí
and seventeen other principal springs; excellent coffee from Yemen,
very good búza, the sherbet Khanedán-beg (smiling Prince), that of
Tírelí-oghlí, Karan-fillí and Shujáb.
The fruits are forty-day pears, exquisite grapes, apricots, cherries,
and chesnuts famous all over the world. These chesnuts, weighing forty
drachms each, are put on spits with the meat, the juice of which
penetrates them; they grow so succulent that it is almost impossible
to leave off eating them till one dies. The seven day mulberries are
also famous. The plain of Filehdár is laid out in mulberry plantations,
because the chief product of Brússa is silk, which is said not to be
equalled by the Persian silk of Shirwán.
The manufactures are those of ruby-coloured velvet, like that made at
Genoa, Brússa linen of different colours, aprons called Kirk-kalem,
purses of silk, silken nets, and finally cushions of cut velvet called
Chátma munakkash katífeh.
_Visit to the Monuments and Tombs of the first Ottoman Sultáns._
The Seljúk family arrived in the country of Rúm (the Asiatic provinces
of the Roman Empire) in the year 476 (1083). They first allied
themselves with the Danishmend family, and occupied with them the
districts of Malatia, Cæsarea, Alayeh, and Konia. The Seljúkians took
up their residence in the latter town, while the Danishmend family
resided in those of Sivás and Erzerúm. Melek Ghází died at Nigissár and
is buried there; Ala-ud-dín the prince of the Seljúk family, called
Toghrúl-beg, the ancestor of the Ottoman family from Mahán was a
relation of his, and created him a Beg; he made some inroads from Konia
on Nicæa, Brússa and Nicomedia. Ertoghrúl-beg, who was invested with
drum and banner, had not yet the right of striking coins and of the
Friday prayer, he was buried at Sogudjek near Nicæa. His son Osmán-beg
was the first absolute monarch of the Ottoman family whose name was
struck on the coin, and prayer said by Túrsún Fakíh, 699 (1299). He
married the daughter of Sheikh Edebálí who became the mother of Orkhán,
and through whom the Ottoman Sultáns are related to the prophet. Until
the time of Mohammed II. these princes were called Beg. Mohammed II.
was the first called Sultán by Akshems-ud-dín and whose name was struck
upon coins. Selím I. was then proclaimed servant of Mecca and Medina
by Kemál-páshá-zadeh, and Ebúsúd Efendí the famous Muftí added to the
title of Sultán Súleimán, that of Sultán of two lands, and Khakán of
two seas, because he had conquered Baghdád and Rodos, but if he lost
either of them he was to lose the title also.
_Short account of the Conquests of Osmán Khán._
He conquered the castles of Bílejik, Ainegol, Kara-hissár, Inogí,
Iznik, Kopru-hissár, Elibád-hissár, Castel, Kítah, Bígha, &c. Osmán-beg
reigned twenty-one years after the death of Sultán Ala-ud-dín, and died
at the age of sixty-nine, after having reigned twenty-six years, at the
moment Brússa fell into the hands of his son.
_Conquests of Sultán Orkhán._
The Castles of Yází, Kogreh, and in Rúmelí, Yanbolí, Galibolí, Moderní,
Kojá Elí, Iznikmid, Belakabád, Brússa, Taraklí, Goinek, Karassí,
Bálikersí, Bergama, Adremyt, Ashlúna, Rodosto, and Búlair; the last was
conquered by Súleimán-páshá, Orkhán’s son, who lies buried there.
_Visit to Sultán Orkhán’s Tomb._
Sultán Orkhán died in the year 771 (1369), he is buried with his father
Osmán beneath a cupola in the mosque of the inner castle; he died,
after a reign of forty-one years, at the age of sixty-four; he was a
mild monarch, a father to the poor, and a warrior in the ways of God.
The divines of his time were David Kaissarí of Caramania, he was named
Kaissarí because he was brought up at Cæsarea, he commented on the text
of Mohay-ud-dín Arabí and was a second Taftazání in mystic science. He
was the first Professor (Muderris) of the College which Sultán Orkhán
built at Nicæa. Molá Ala-ud-dín commonly called Eswed Khojá (the black
master) who commented doctrinally on the work Moghní-ul-lebíb and
also on the book, Wikayit. Molá Jenderelí Kará Khalíl, who was first
created Kází-asker of Anatolia by Orkhán. Molá Hassan Kaissarí, one of
the greatest Jurisconsults; he wrote a good commentary on Andalusian
prosody, he was a disciple of Mohay-ud-dín, and completed his education
at Damascus.
_Notice of Hájí Begtásh, the great Saint._
When young he never mixed with other boys but sought retirement and
scorned all worldly pursuits. He refused to accept the dignity of
Sultán which was offered him by his father, who died a Prince in
Khorassán. Forty years long he did nothing but pray and fast, and
arrived at such a degree of perfection, that in the night, during his
sleep, his soul migrated from his body into the world of spirits,
and he became filled with the mystic science of spirits, and divine
knowledge. One Day the men of Khorassán asked him to perform a miracle
as a proof of his sanctity; he then performed many miracles, and was
acknowledged by all the great men of Khorassán to be their superior.
My ancestor, the pole of poles, the Sultán of learning, the fountain
head of science, the chief of the Sheikhs of Turkistán, Khojá Ahmed
Yessúí Ibn Mohammed Hanefí, was his disciple, and hinted that he had
received from him even the gift of direction to bliss (Irshád), and
of true Dervishship, which Gabriel brought from Paradise, with its
symbols, the crown, the habit, the carpet, the lamp, the table, and
the banner, to Mohammed the true fountain-head of all Dervishship. The
prophet delivered the direction to Imám Alí, from whom it came to his
son Hossein, who bequeathed it to Imám Zein-ul-ábedín, who left it to
Ibrahím Almokerrem, who when in the prison of Merván handed over to
Abú Moslim, the crown and gown, carpet and table, lamp and banner, the
symbols of Dervishship. From him they came to the Imám Mohammed Báker,
then to his son Imám Ja’fer, and to his son Mússa Kázím, and from
him to Ahmed Yessúí the head of the Sheikhs of Turkistán, who being
asked by his disciples to leave to them the aforesaid symbols, never
consented till Hájí Begtásh made his appearance, who became by the
possession of it, the pole of the poles (Kutbal-atkáb).
Hájí Begtásh of Khorassán was the son of the Seyyid Ibrahím Mokerrem,
who died in the prison of Merván, as it has been just said, and there
is no doubt of his descent in direct lineage from the Prophet; the
history of Ain Alí gives, however, the following genealogy: Seyyid
Mohammed Hájí Begtásh, the son of Seyyid Músá Nishabúrí, son of Seyyid
Ishak Essákin, son of Seyyid Ibrahím Mokerrem El-askerí, son of Seyyid
Mússa Ebí Sebha, son of Seyyid Ibrahím Elmurteza, son of Imám Músa
Alkázim, who had thirty-seven children. Hájí Begtásh’s father left
Khorassán after his father’s death and established himself at Nishabúr,
where he married Khatmeh the daughter of Sheikh Ahmed and by her had
Hájí Begtásh. While yet a boy he was distinguished for his devotion,
and was entrusted to the care of Lokmán, one of the disciples of Ahmed
Yessúí, from whom he learned the exoteric and esoteric sciences. Lokmán
had been invested with the religious habit of Imám Ja’fer by the hand
of Báyazíd Bostámí. With this habit Lokmán invested Hájí Begtásh. This
is the crown or turban which has twelve folds in remembrance of the
twelve Imáms, and the white abbá with sleeves like a jubbeh, which
is worn by the Dervishes of the order of Begtásh. By order of Ahmed
Yessúí he accompanied Mohammed Bokhara Sáltik with seven hundred men,
Shems-ud-dín Tebrízí, Mohay-ud-dín Al-arebí, Kárí Ahmed Sultán, and
other pious men and Saints into Rúm, where the Ottoman dynasty took its
rise.
Hájí Begtásh instituted the new militia called Yenícherí, and having
established his seven hundred disciples in the towns conquered by
Sultán Orkhán, he sent Mohammed Bokhara Sárí Sáltik into Dobrúja,
Wallachia, Moldavia, Poland and Russia. The seven hundred convents
of Dervishes, Begtáshí, which actually exist in Turkey, are derived
from the seven hundred disciples of Hájí Begtásh. Hájí Begtásh died in
Sultán Orkhán’s reign, and was buried in his presence in the capital of
Crimea, where a Tátár princess raised a monument over his tomb. This
monument having fallen into decay Sheitán Murád, a Beg of Cæsarea of
Sultán Súleimán’s time, restored and covered it with lead. If it please
God we shall describe it in its proper place. Sheikh Seyyid Ahmed
Ruffa’í, buried at Ladika near Amasia. Sheikh Hassan Rufa’í, buried at
Tokát near Sunbullí, was the nephew of the former. Sheikh Geigli Bábá
was a Dervish of the Begtáshís. Sheikh Kárá Ahmed Sultán a Persian
prince, who when on his travels came to Sultán Orkhán, was initiated by
Hájí Begtásh, and is buried at Ak-hissár. Sheikh Abdál Mússa Súltán,
and Sheikh Abdál Murád, both of Sultán Orkhán’s time.
_Short account of Sultán Murád I._
He gave caps (Úskúfa) to the janissaries, embroidered with gold; built
a mosque at Bilejk, another mosque at Brússa and a convent for Postín
Púsh Bábá. He was assassinated in the year 791, after the battle of
Khassova, by Milosh Kúblakí. A cupola is erected over the spot, which
was renewed by my gracious Lord Melek Ahmed Páshá.
_Tomb of Sultán Murád I. Khodavendkiár._
He is buried on the west side of Brússa near old Kaplíjah, beneath a
large cupola. His arrow, bow and quiver are suspended over his tomb,
with the bloody garment in which he was killed, which fills with awe
all who enter this monument. He was seventy years of age at his death,
and had reigned thirty.
_Short account of Ilderím Báyazíd._
Besides numerous conquests in Anatolia, he passed seven times in
one year from Anatolia into Wallachia, and from the rapidity of his
movements obtained the name of Ilderím (lightning). He besieged
Constantinople, and established a judge there and seven hundred
Mussulmán houses, from the Flour-hall (Ún-kapán,) to the Rose mosque,
also the tribunal of Sirkejí-tekkieh. In the year 805, following bad
advice, he waged war against Timúr, and was taken prisoner by the
Tátárs after a long struggle on foot, his horse having been thrown
down. Brought into Timúr’s presence, he was well received, but Timúr
asking what he would have done to him had he been taken prisoner;
Báyazíd answered, that he would have put him into an iron cage and
carried him to Brússa; Timúr being enraged, ordered Báyazíd to be put
into an iron cage, intending to carry him into Persia, but he died on
the third day of a violent fever.
His son, Mohammed Chelebí pursued Timúr’s army towards Amasia, and had
tents made of the skins of the slain Tátárs, beneath which he sheltered
himself from the sun. The field of the above defeat is called to this
day, in derision, Táshak-ová-sí. He took his father’s corpse from the
enemy, and buried it in the mosque he had built at Brússa. Sultán Murád
IV. when he visited this tomb gave it a kick with his foot, saying:
“What, do you lie here like a monarch,—you, who have destroyed the
Ottoman honour, and have been made prisoner by the Tátárs?” At the
moment he kicked the coffin, he cried, “Oh! my foot!” and from that day
was attacked by the gout, which carried him off. He lived sixty-seven
years, and reigned fourteen; he was a great Emperor, but could not war
against fate.
The Divines of his time were Sheikh Sheháb-ud-dín Sivássí, who
composed a valuable commentary, and is buried at Aya Solúk (Ephesus);
Khosb-ud-dín of Nicæa, who contended much with Timúr; Simánezadeh
Sheikh Bedr-ud-dín Ben Mahmúd Ben Abd-ul-azíz; the Mevlená Fakhr-ud-dín
the Persian, buried at Adrianople; Sheikh Abd-ur-rahím Ben Emír Azíz
Merzifúní, and the Sheikh Pír Elías, who is buried at Amasia.
_Short account of Sultán Mohammed I._
He first shared the Empire with his brethren Súleimán, Mússa, and Issa
Chelebí, whom he subdued in one year and became absolute monarch. He
built Yerkoí (Gimgera) on the banks of the Danube. He died in 824,
and lies buried beneath a painted cupola before his mosque called the
green building, (Yeshil Imáret), he was forty-seven years old, and had
reigned seven years. He was the first who sent a Surreh, or present of
money, by the caravan of pilgrims, to the poor of Mecca and Medina. He
finished the old mosque at Adrianople, the foundations of which had
been laid by his brother Mússa, and built a cupola near Philippolis
over the tomb of Ghází Mohammed Beg, at the place called Kúnis.
The divines and learned men of his time were Kara Shems-ud-dín Semaví,
famed for his works and travels, who was exiled from Brússa to Zaghrah
in Rúmelí, where he is buried. Sheikh Abd-ul-latíf Mokadessí Ben
Abd-ur-rahmán Ben Alí Ben Ghánem.
_Short account of the Reign of Murád II._
The soldiers having revolted, dethroned him under the pretext that he
had grown too old, and put his son Mohammed II., who was only thirteen
years of age in his place; but being found incapable to hold the reins,
the janissaries again displaced Mohammed II. sending him to Magnesia,
and recalled old Murád to the throne. Afterward in the year 855 they
deposed Murád II. for the second time, and Mahomed II., then twenty-one
years old, obtained absolute sway, and took up his residence at
Constantinople. His father died the next year (856) at Adrianople, but
was buried at Brússa. He lies in more magnificent state than any of the
Sultáns buried at Brússa, his tomb being covered with a golden stuff.
He was thirty-nine years old when he died, and had reigned twenty-eight
years. He built the mosque Ujsherfelí at Adrianople, two other mosques,
a Dar-ul-hadíth, a Bezestán, and the bridge of Erkeneh with a mosque.
He was the first who assigned a salary to the Seyyíds or Sherífs.
The Divines and Sheikhs of his time were Zekeriah Khalvetí, the
disciple of Pír Elías, who is buried near him, and Sheikh Abd-ur-rahmán
Ben Hassám-ud-dín, commonly called Gumishlí-zádeh; he was the
son-in-law of Pír Elías, and having had the honour of kissing the hands
of the three sons of Murád II., he foretold to Mohammed II. that he
would conquer Constantinople, and establish the true faith there.
_Tombs of Ottoman Princes._