Orkhán; Shehinshah, son of Báyazíd, Governor of Brússa; Mohammed,
son of Báyazíd, and eight princes, brethren of Sultán Selím I. whom
he killed when going to war against Prince Ahmed, are all buried
near Orkhán; also their brother Ahmed, who was strangled by Sultán
Selím, and sent hither. Ahmed’s son Murád fled into Persia to Sháh
Ismaíl, where, at the end of three years, he died, and was buried at
Erdebíl near Sháh Safí. Two of his brothers, who had been spared at
the intercession of the Ulemas, died soon after at Constantinople
of the plague, and are also buried here. Korkúd, who, persecuted by
Selím I., was taken at Tekkah in a cavern with his governor Piáleh and
killed (909), is buried beneath a private cupola near Murád II. Prince
Hassan, the son of the latter and brother of Mohammed II., and who was
strangled soon after his brother had ascended the throne, also lies
buried here near his father; so also does the unfortunate Jem, brother
of Báyazíd II. He left a cup, which, on being emptied, filled itself
again, an ape who played at chess, and a white parrot, which was dyed
black by Sa’dí the poet of Jem, and presented to the Sultán, saying
the words, “We belong to God, and return to him.” In the year 1074
(1663) at the time I, poor Evliyá, was on my journey to Vienna, Prague
and Lúnjat (?), I conversed with many monks and patriarchs, who all
agreed that Jem was the son of a French princess, who being taken by
Mohammed II. at the point of the Seraglio, became the mother of Báyazíd
and Jem. The three brethren of Mohammed I., Issa, Mússa and Súleimán
are buried beside their father Báyazíd at his mosque. There are many
hundred princes and princesses buried at the mosque of Sultán Murád II.
at Brússa. Chelebí Sultán Mustafa, the son of Súleimán I., who, on the
invidious report of his enemies, was strangled by his father, also lies
buried in the tomb of Sultán Murád II., though some pretend that he
is interred on the east side of the courtyard gate of Eyyúb, but that
is another Mustafa, who was killed by his father Súleimán, he having
had two sons of that name. The first six Ottoman emperors are also
interred at Adrianople, at the heads of their coffins a particular kind
of turban is placed, with folds and farthingales, after the fashion of
Mahán, the town of Khorassán. The art of folding them has descended
from father to son in one family, from the time of the Seljúkians.
Mahommed II. wore the Urf (a kind of round turban), and the conqueror
of Egypt wore the Selímí; may it last for ever!
_Visit to the Tombs of Saints at Brússa._
Sheikh Geiklí Bábá Sultán was one of the followers of Ahmed Yessúí, and
came from Azerbeiján. He used to ride on wild roes in the woods, and
load gazelles with his baggage after he had harnessed them. He planted
a tree near the Seráï in the castle at Brússa, which has now arrived at
a great height. His tomb at Brússa in the great convent was built by
Orkhán.
Abdál Mússa, also a disciple of Ahmed Yessúí, came from Khorassán with
Hájí Begtásh to Rúm. He was a companion of Geiklí Bábá, and was present
with him at the conquest of Brússa, where he was buried in a convent.
Abdál Murád Sultán, one of the Saints lost in abstraction (Santons),
who was present at the conquest of Brússa. He is buried in a convent
facing the town on the South side, in a pleasant place, which is at the
same time a pleasure garden for the inhabitants of Brússa. A sword,
three cubits long is shown here from which Sultán Ahmed I. cut off one
cubit’s length, which he placed in his treasury.
Molá Shems-ud-dín Mohammed Ben Mohammed Ben Hamza Ben Mohammed
Fanarí, the sun of hidden things, and the moon of life, one of the
first divines of Sultán Ilderím, has left works on seventy different
scientific subjects, but by God’s will became blind at last. It is
related that having opened the grave of his master Kara Ala-ud-dín, a
voice was heard saying: “Art thou there? God deprive thee of sight!”
and a whirlwind rising at the same moment blew all the dust of the
grave into his eyes, by which he became blind. He was one of the
divines who denied the verse; “The earth does not eat the flesh of
the Ulema.” Aúz-páshá, Sultán Orkhán’s Vezír, having a spite against
Fanárí, said, “May I see the day on which I shall perform the prayer
for the dead over this blind Mollá’s grave.” This being told to the
Mollá, he said “God Almighty can yet take away the sight of the
Páshá, and give me back mine to perform prayer on his grave;” and it
so happened that Aúz-páshá having had his eyes put out by command of
Sultán Orkhán for a badly executed commission, Fanarí had his sight
restored to him the same night, and performed the prayer of death on
the Páshá. He died in the year 833, and reposes at Brússa near his
college.
Shems-ud-dín Mahommed Ben Alí, called Emír Sultán, born at Bokhára,
came first to Mecca, and then to Medina, where the Sherífs refused to
give him the portion allotted to the Sherífs, though he was entitled
to it by his descent from the prophet through Hossein. The Saint
appealed to the decision of the prophet himself, and went to his tomb
accompanied by his adversaries, where, having saluted the grave, a
voice was heard, saying: “Health to you my child, Mohammed Ben Ali,
go to Rúm with the lamp;” upon hearing which the Sherífs instantly
threw themselves at his feet, and Emír Sultán undertook the journey
to Rúm, whereupon a lamp suspended in heaven became his guide to
show him the way, and was only extinguished when he entered the town
of Brússa. He took this as an evident sign that he was to fix his
residence there, where he had four hundred thousand disciples. The
inhabitants of Brússa had seen the lamp for three days, and knew by
that miracle that he was a great saint. They all became Dervishes
under his direction. Báyazíd Ilderím not only walked on foot by the
side of his stirrup, but also gave him his daughter Nilúfer Khánum in
marriage. Ilderím having built the great mosque Úlújámí at Brússa,
and having asked Emír Sultán whether it was not a perfect mosque, the
Saint answered; “Yes, it is a very elegant mosque, but some cups of
wine for the refreshment of the pious are wanting in the middle.” The
Sultán replied with surprise; “How, would it be possible to stain God’s
house with the liquor forbidden by the law.” “Well,” said the Saint,
“thou hast built a mosque, Báyazíd, and, find it strange to put cups of
wine therein; and thou whose body is God’s house, more excellent than
a talisman composed of the divine names, or the throne of God, how is
it thou art not afraid of staining the purity of this godlike house
with wine day and night.” From that moment Báyazíd, repenting, left
off drinking wine. When Timúr marched against Brússa the inhabitants
being alarmed, inquired of Emír Sultán what was now to become of the
town. The Saint said, “the commander of the town having recommended it
to the care of Eskejí Kojá and Khizr, they must be informed of it.”
Ilderím being defeated, Emír Sultán wrote a note which he sent by one
of his Dervishes into the camp of Timúr, with an order to deliver
it to Eskejí Kojá, that is to the chief of the tailors who mend old
clothes. Having read the Saint’s note, he said, “Emír Sultán shall
be instantly obeyed;” he stuck his needle in his turban, and before
he could put up his things in his bag, all the tents of the camp
were broke up by the power of his command, because this old tailor
happened also to be a pole of poles, or great Saint. Emír Sultán died
in the year 833 (1429), and is buried outside of Brússa to the East,
beneath a high cupola; the gates are inlaid with silver, so also is
the entrance, by which you descend six steps. The walls are covered
with variegated china (Chíní). The four windows looking westward to
the field of Brússa are brass; four others look towards the Kiblah
into the yard of the mosque. The great number of suspended ornaments
which adorn the interior of the mosque are equalled only by those of
Medina; the silk carpets are richer than are found elsewhere. The tomb
is encircled by gold and silver lamps, candlesticks, candelabras, and
vases for perfumes and rosewater. On the coffin lay Koráns by the hands
of Yakút Mostea’-assemí, Sheikh Bekrí, Abd-allah Krími Kháledí, Timúrjí
Kúlí, Zehebí, Ibn Sheikh-dedeh Mohammed, Kará Hissári, Hassan Chelebí,
&c. The coffin is covered with silk embroidered with gold, and at the
head a large turban reposes majestically. Those who enter are struck
with such awe, that many do not dare attempt it, but only look into it
by the window at the head, and recite a Fátihah. On the south side of
the tomb is a very elegant mosque, the four sides of which are laid
out in cells for the poor, who dine here at the Imáret. When Sultán
Selím I., after the death of his brother Ahmed, visited the tomb of
Emír Sultán, a voice was heard, saying: “Enter Egypt in security,”
which was interpreted as news of the conquest of Egypt, which Emír
Sultán promised to Selím I., and on that intimation Kemál-páshá-zádeh
instantly said a Fátihah.
The Muftí of divine secrets, the champion of mystic illumination,
Sheikh Abd-ur-rahmán Ben Alí Ben Ahmed Al-bostámí, a great lawyer,
who was also a good poet, is buried at Brússa. Sheikh Abd-ul-latíf
Mokadessí Ibn Abd-ur-rahmán Ibn Alí Ibn Ghánem Al-anssarí, having
visited the tomb of Sadr-ud-dín at Konia, the dead saint stretched
out his hand from the tomb, drew the Sheikh to him on the grave, and
ordered him to read the Súrá Yass. He then built the convent Zeiniler,
where he is buried. There lived not a greater Saint than him in the
time of Sultán Mohammed I.
Mevlana Mohammed Shah Ibn Mollá Yegán, one of the Úlemas of Murád I.,
buried at Zeiniler. Mevlana Yússúf Bálí Ibn Yegán, who wrote notes on
the Telvíh. Mevlana Seyyid Ahmed Ibn Abd-allah who also wrote notes
on the Telvíh. Mevlana Elias Ben Ibrahím, who wrote an abridgement of
the Kodúrí Sheik Ak Bi’ík Sultán of the Dervishes Bairámí. Sheikh Uzún
Mosslah-ud-dín, who died at Táj-ud-dín’s tomb at Brússa, after having
read the Korán for the space of forty days. The pole of the spiritual
world, the mine of divine science, Fanárí, a great divine of the time
of Murád and Mohammed II., died 834. The Santon (Mejzúb) Abdál Mohammed
on the great road. Sheikh Sultán Ramazán Bábá, buried in a pleasant
meadow at Brússa in a convent of Begtáshís.
Sheikh Abú Ishak Kazúní, his name was Ibrahím, his surname Abú Ishak.
His mother, Shehriár, was an Armenian princess and married to one of
the princes of the white sheep (Baiandurí.) He was born in the year
352, in the month of Ramazán, and was the pole of poles in his day;
he is buried at Erzerúm, inside the gate of Tebríz, beneath the same
cupola with Murteza Páshá, who gave up Eriván to the Persians. When
I visited this place the keeper was an old woman with a white beard,
whose story is as follows. At the time of the rebellion of Abáza Páshá
some of his Segbán came to the village Kánkoí, with the intention of
ravishing a beautiful Armenian girl, she being aware of her danger,
turned her face to heaven and said, “O Abu Ishak deliver me from these
rioters, and I for the remainder of my life will watch thy tomb.” At
that moment a white beard grew from her chin, and she thus escaped the
pursuit of the Segbán. I have myself seen her three times. The chapel
in memory of Kazúní, which exists at Brússa, was built by Ilderím; it
is opposite to the burying place of the Camel-drivers.
Chekirkeh Sultán at Eskí Kaplíjah, before the monument of Murád I.
Shádí Sultán near Emír Sultán. Abd-allah Efendí. Sheikh Emír Alí Efendí
of the order of Khalvetís. Karaja Mejid-ud-din. Karanfillí-dedeh
at Hassan Páshá’s gate. Sunbullí-dedeh at the Tátárs’ gate. Sheikh
Alí Mest in the same place. Mollá Arab Jebbári at the foot of the
mountain. Mollá Ashjí-dedeh, Hassám-ud-dín Chelebí, Kháliss-dedeh,
&c. Mollá Khosreu Ibn Khizr, the author of the celebrated canonical
work, “Durer-u-gurer;” he is buried near Zein-ud-dín Háfi. There is
a small dark cell, wherein he composed this precious work, which I
did not leave until I had finished the lecture of the whole Korán in
it, as an offering to the blessed spirit of Mollá Khosreu. Sheikh
Abd-ul-latíf Mokadessí the Imám of Ilderím Khán. Sáurimssakjí-zadeh
Súleimán Efendí buried near the old Kaplíjah, he is the author of the
“Mevlúd-námeh,” or hymns on the Prophet’s birth sung on his birth-day.
Mollá Bagdádí-zadeh Hassan Chelebí Ibn Yússúf Albagdádí is buried at
the convent of Zeiniler, where he lived and died. Mollá Hassám-ud-dín
Hossein Ben Mohammed, known by the name of Kara Chelebí-zadeh, buried
before the mosque of Emír Sultán. Sheikh Mohammed Uftádeh Efendí of
the order of Jelvetís, buried in the mosque of the inner castle,
with a large convent near it. Mollá Kemál-ud-dín known by the name
of Karadedeh, born at the village Súvinsa near Amasia; he was a
tanner, and did not begin to study until he was sixty years old,
seven years afterwards he became Professor of the college of Murád
at Brússa; he lived many years after this, and wrote a great number
of books; the work “Dedeh-júngí” is of his composition. He is buried
near Emír Sultán. The Muftí Azíz Efendí who was Sheikh-ul-Islám in
Sultán Súleimán’s time, and being exiled to Brússa died there. Mollá
Alí Ben Sáleh celebrated by the name of Vassí Alí, the author of the
“Húmaiún-námeh” (the Turkish translation of Pilpay’s Fables). Sheikh
Núr-allah Ben Ak-Shems-ud-dín, who having fled from his father to
Brússa, accidentally killed himself with his pen-knife, and is buried
near Zeiniler. Mevlana Abd-ul-ghaní Emír Sháh, his birth-place was Bolí
and he is buried at Zeiniler.
There are besides, some hundred thousand great and holy men buried
at Brússa. Many of their tombs I visited and said a Fátihah in
remembrance of their noble spirits, but I do not know their names.
In remembrance of those whom I have named, I said the Súra Yass, and
recommended myself to their favour and assistance. I began my travels
with visits to many great Saints, and said a Fátihah on behalf of all
the Faithful. Health to you, and God’s mercy upon them all! During
forty days and nights I enjoyed all kinds of pleasure at Brússa, and
with my companions took leave of our friends on the 20th of Safer
1050; Okjí-zadeh Aghá accompanied us as far as the bridge of Nilúfer,
from whence we reached Modania in four hours. Here we sent back our
horses, embarked in a light boat, were tossed about by a stormy sea,
and at last reached Bozborún with the greatest difficulty at the end
of twenty-four hours. It was formerly a good harbour but was neglected
because it did not afford sufficient shelter. There is a khán and a
small mosque, some bakers and búza seller’s shops, and no other trace
of good buildings, but it is surrounded with fine gardens. The walls
of the mosque are covered with inscriptions by passengers complaining
of this wretched place, there is no possibility of saying a word for
it, because all who reach this point storm-beaten, have the same
cause of complaint. The inscriptions are in different languages, all
lamenting or cursing this place of Bozborún. One cannot refrain from
laughing at some of these odd inscriptions, which are both in prose
and verse. I was obliged to wait here two days, which I spent with ten
or fifteen gay companions walking amongst the gardens and vineyards,
which lie to the East, and eating pears. We walked about three thousand
paces into the district of Armúdlí belonging to Brússa, from whence a
Súbáshí is established here. It derives its name from the quantity of
pears (Armúd) which grow on all the hills, in the valleys, gardens and
vineyards. It is a village of three hundred neat houses, faced with
brick, a mosque, a bath, three mesjíds, a khán and ten shops, the air
is very pleasant. We spent a night here, and in the morning the boatmen
advised us to make haste because the wind was favourable, which, God
be praised, carried us out of this sad whirlpool of Bozborún. At cape
Bábá-borún at the foot of Kátirlí-tágh we said a Fátihah in honour of
Bábá Sultán, and beat up towards Constantinople. We arrived at last
at Agios Stephanos (St. Stefano) which is ruled by a Súbáshí, under
the Bostánjí-báshí of Constantinople, and by a guard of janissaries
(Yassakjí Kúllúghí), it is in the district belonging to the Mollá of
Eyyúb. In the time of the Infidels it was a large town, which was
ruined at the siege of the Arabs by Omar Ibn-ul-azíz in the Khalifat of
Súleimán Ibn Abd-allah. It is now a large Greek village of five hundred
houses faced with brick. It has a convent, some small streets and two
churches. We disembarked here and passed the night, walking next day
along the sea shore for three hours to the garden of Iskander Chelebí,
which belonged to the Defterdár of Sultán Selím II., who having died
without children, the garden became an Imperial one. There is an Ustá
or master with two hundred Bostánjí. The Muftí Hossein Efendí, who
had been accused by his enemies of ambitious and dangerous schemes
was first exiled to this place by Sultán Murád IV. and was afterwards
seized by the Bostánjí-báshí, strangled and buried here. He is the
first Muftí in the Ottoman history, who like the martyrs of Kerbela
died a violent death; he could repeat forty thousand Fetwas by heart.
We took horse here and rode along the shore in sight of our ship
advancing by the aid of oars, with our baggage.
Thus returned I, poor Evliya, on the 25th Safer of the year 1050, to
Constantinople, went the same day to my paternal house, and kissed the
hands of my father and my mother. My father crossing his hands said:
“Welcome, welcome, traveller of Brússa!” I was astonished to hear this
as I had not told anybody where I was going to, but my father said: “In
the night of A’shúra the 10th of Moharrem, when I was anxious about
thy being lost, I performed many efficacious prayers, and read the
Suna (Ena Atainak) a thousand times. The same night I saw in my dream
that thou wast gone to Brússa to implore Emír Sultán’s assistance in
thy travels. That same night I gave thee leave to go this journey,
which may God bless! but now, my son, sit thee down, touch my left
ear with thy right hand, and hear my paternal advice.” I did so, and
he gave me many moral maxims, and much good advice on the manner of
my travels, enjoining me to compose a faithful and detailed account
of them; when he had finished he gave me a strong box on the ear,
concluding his lesson with a Fátihah. I kissed my father’s hand, who
then gave me twelve valuable books and two hundred well-coined ducats
to provide for my travels, and gave me leave to set out for whatever
place I liked. I then also kissed the hands of twelve great Sheikhs,
and to my unspeakable joy obtained their blessings on my undertaking.
This gave me great satisfaction, and the same week in the first days
of Rebí-ul-evvel, I agreed with one of my relations Kúl Oghlí Mohammed
Reis for a voyage to Ismíd (Nicomedia).
JOURNEY TO NICOMEDIA.
“May God bless and make easy the voyage, Amen!” On Friday at
Yemish-iskeleh, after having performed the Friday prayer in the mosque
of Akhí Chelebí, where I remembered the vision I had had there of the
Prophet, whose hand I kissed, saying, “Siyáhat (travels)” instead of
“Shifá’at (intercession) O prophet of God!” and having given thanks
and prayed for health and faith, we embarked on our voyage, saying “In
God’s name!” (Bis millah). With a fresh breeze we weathered the point
of the Seraglio, passed Chalcedonia, the point of Tener-baghjeh and ran
straight before the wind to Darija, a square castle on a chalk cliff
eighty miles from Constantinople. This castle is built of stone, has
one gate, which looks on the harbour, thirty houses faced with brick,
one mosque, but no market or bath, and neither commander nor garrison.
It is said to have derived its name from the children of Darius, who
were imprisoned here in a cave; it was conquered by Mahommed I. in the
year 827 (1423), is ruled by a Súbashí and belongs to the district
of Gebízeh. Below the castle there are three hundred neat houses
faced with brick, a mosque, a khán, a bath, and small streets; its
harbour is the port of Gebízeh. At an hour’s distance from here the
road to Erzerúm and Baghdád passes through mountains. The wind not
being favourable we rowed to the passage where travellers to Konia,
Haleb, Damascus and Mecca embark in flat-bottom boats to pass over to
Hersek-dílí on the opposite shore, in order to save the going round the
gulf which is eighty miles long, and at the end of which is situated
Nicomedia. In the harbour of Gebízeh-dílí (the passage on this side)
are two old kháns, two bakers-shops, a búza-shop, two grocers-shops and
a fountain, erected by Mustafa Aghá the Bostánjí-báshí of Sultán Murád
IV. 1048 (1638). Here we again embarked and after rowing three hours
arrived at the mineral spring (Ichmesú), where we disembarked with all
our friends, pitched our tents on the shore, and gave ourselves up to
quiet and pleasure.
_Qualities of a Mineral Spring._
In the month of July annually, many thousand men from Constantinople
assemble here, and live merrily under tents during the space of forty
days and nights, amusing themselves with firing muskets and guns. Sick
persons drink of the water from the well for three days, which causes
vomiting, and relieves the stomach of a quantity of offensive bile,
while the lower evacuations cleanse the intestines of worms and similar
matters. It is a white, clear water, with a slight bitter taste, and
issues from a chalk cliff. The regulations prescribed for its use
enjoin a three days fast as a preliminary, no meat or any thing salt
must be eaten; on the fourth day the patient drinks a cup of water
morning and evening, taking care to keep himself warm: he continues to
drink the water for the next three days, taking for food chicken-broth
without salt. When the water has had its effect fifteen times, further
operation is stopped, by drinking soup seasoned with lemon-juice. After
this regimen the patients embark and go to the hot-bath of Yalova
directly opposite, where they rest themselves, washing and cleansing
their bodies.