from the Seraï, embarked for Egypt with fifty fair slave girls, and
as many boys, and forty horses of the best breed, in the Caravel of
Ibrahím Chelebí. He stowed all his riches for three months into the
six magazines of this Caravel, and went on board with five hundred
armed men of his suite, three hundred merchants, two hundred sailors,
and Ezírí Mohammed Efendí who was exiled into Egypt; altogether one
thousand three hundred persons, who sailed on Friday, trusting in
God. Near Rodos they met six Maltese Galleys, with whom they had an
engagement of twenty four hours, during which the horses getting
loose increased the confusion of battle. The Caravel was dismasted and
dismantled, and except two hundred men all the rest fell martyrs. The
owner of the ship upbraiding the Kizlar Aghá, said unto him: “Cursed
Arab did I not tell thee not to put horses into the ship, but rather
to take in stores and ammunition; but thou didst obtain an Imperial
order, hast overloaded the ship, and in that way given up to the
Infidels.” Thus saying, he with his sword severed the Kizlar Aghá’s
head from his body, and was himself at the same moment cut into pieces
by the suite of the Eunuch, who rushed on him with drawn swords. The
Infidels witnessing this fact, boarded the ship, fought for three hours
more on board of it, made the rest of the men including Ezírí Mohammed
Efendí prisoners and took the ship directly into the harbour of Canea,
where they came to an anchor. Here they remained a month selling the
horses and slaves, and violating all the girls. Some prudent monks
and patricians said: “Woe to us, better would it have been not to see
this Ottoman ship in this town, with its horses and girls, because a
prophecy exists, that if this happened, the island would fall into
the hands of the Moslíms.” This rumour being spread was the cause of
many families emigrating from the island, the population of which
then consisted of four hundred thousand Greeks, and seventy six towns
and castles were garrisoned by sixteen thousand Soldiers. This is the
account obtained at that time by my Lord Alí Aghá the inspector of
the custom house. The Emperor being much hurt at the unhappy accident
of the Kizlar Aghá, immediately sent for the Venetian Bailo, accusing
him and his whole mission with a breach of the peace, by allowing the
Maltese to sell Ottoman goods in their harbour. They kissed the earth
and said: “Gracious Emperor, our capitulations stated, that if your
Imperial fleet conduct prizes of Infidel ships into our ports, we are
to receive them as guests. God forbid that we should intend to break
the peace, we were forced by the Maltese Infidels to admit them.” The
Emperor then asked, if they would assist him with men and ships; they
promised readily to furnish three hundred ships, on which they were
invested with robes of honour, and lulled by these means into the
sleep of hares. Three thousand purses were issued from the Imperial
treasury for the preparations for war, and Kapijí-Báshís sent to one
hundred and fifty districts on the side of Jáínak, Sinope, Amassra,
Ergelí, Koja Ilí and Isnikmíd, to buy and get ready timber for three
hundred ships. From the mountains A’alemtágh and Kapútágh (in the
neighbourhood of Constantinople) wood was brought in abundance, so that
all the magazines of the arsenal were full of it. The ship-builders of
all the Islands were called in, and every week a galley was launched.
An Imperial High Admiral’s Ship (Bashtarda, Head tartana,) and ten
Maúnas were built, and the Arsenal swarmed with busy men. Vezírs were
sent into Rúmelí and Anatoli to collect armies, Khassekís and the
standard-bearer of the prophet were dispatched to Algiers, Tunis, and
Tripolis, with twelve thousand ducats of powder-money, and Imperial
rescripts exhorting them to join the Capitan Páshá in the spring. It
was generally reported, that this expedition was planned against Malta,
but the Emperor, the Vezír Kara Mustafa Páshá and the Muftí were alone
in the secret. The following was the Fetva proposed and given by the
Mufti.
_Query_:—If the Infidels are possessed of a land, which was formerly in
the possession of Moslíms, if they have defiled its mosques, colleges
and oratories with their superstitions, if they plunder Mussulman
merchants and pilgrims, can the Emperor of the Islám, moved by his zeal
for the house of God, wrest these countries from the hands of Infidels,
and add them to the Mussulman territory?
_Answer_:—God knows everything best. Peace with the Infidels is but
legal, if advantageous to all Moslíms, but if not, it is not legal at
all. As soon as it is useful, it is also allowed to break the peace, be
it concluded for a fixed time, or for ever. This is justified by the
example of the Prophet, who having concluded peace with the Infidels,
which was broken by Alí in the 6th year of the Hejíra, took the field
against them in the 8th year, and conquered Mecca. The Emperor has but
imitated the Sunna of the Prophet. God bless his victories. This was
written by the poor despised Abú Sá’id.
The Emperor took this Fetva and stuck to it like to a cable of safety;
he went the same day to visit the tomb of Eyyúb, was twice girt there
by the Muftí with the sword of Omar, in anticipation of victory,
and then went to the Arsenal, where two hundred galleys were fitted
out and filled with troops. Fifty other galleys were ready at the
landing-place of the Flour-hall; thirty-six regiments of janissaries,
ten of artillerymen, and ten of armourers, were embarked in great
transport ships, Maúna. The governor of Rúmelí with the troops of
twenty-four sanjaks, with all the Tímariots and Zaims forming an army
of twenty-two thousand, and with the Jebellís of twenty-seven thousand
men, was ordered to repair to the Dardanelles; the troops of Morea,
Sirmium, Semendra, Bosna, and Herzogavina, were ordered to embark at
the castle of Benefshe in the island of Morea. The governor of Anatoli
with the army of his fourteen sanjaks, and the men of one hundred and
ninety-nine military fiefs, amounting to five thousand five hundred
and eighty-nine men, with the Jebellís and the household of the Páshá,
altogether twenty thousand men, were also commanded to the Dardanelles
on the Asiatic side. The governors of Damascus, Haleb, Diarbekr,
Mera’ash, Adana, Karamán, Sivás, and Trebisonde, with seventy thousand
men received similar orders. At the same time that the Kapíjí-báshís
and Khassekís, who had been sent to collect those troops, reported
that they were ready at the Dardanelles, the cavalry had been embarked
at Constantinople. At the beginning of spring, the whole fleet was
ready, consisting of two hundred galleys, tartanas, galliots, twelve
large Maúna, one hundred Firkata, Caravella, galleons, pinks, Bútáj,
Shaitie, Shaika and Karamursal, with a great number of pioneers and
miners on board. Altogether seven hundred ships, were anchored before
the point of the Seraglio.
At the Sinán Koshk the Úlemas and all the great men waited on the
Emperor; the Vezírs, Begler-begs, Captains, Aghás, and Colonels, going
to war, one thousand seven hundred individuals, were invested with
magnificent dresses. The Commander-in-Chief Yússúf Páshá, the great
Vezír Kara Mustafa Páshá and the Muftí alone remained with the Emperor,
the rest having already gone on board. Sultán Ibrahím took the Vezír
and Commander-in-Chief each by the hand, went with them into a corner,
and said: “Yússúf, where art thou going to.” Yússúf Páshá answered,
“To Malta if it please God,” and Ibrahim replied, “If it please God,
by the destination of the all vivifying, all standing, have I given to
thee the destination to go to the island of Crete. Keep this a secret
to thyself, and continue to say thou art going to Malta; take that
direction with the fleet first, remain a couple of days on the shores
of Morea, and then sail back to Candia; disembark the troops before
daybreak, and take possession of St. Todero, so as to have a firm post,
from whence to begin the siege of Canea. These are my instructions,
if thou return victorious, (if it please God) I’ll reward you to a
degree that you shall appear with a brilliant face before God. Keep
your secret well, according to the maxim, which commands every man to
hide three things, Zeheb, Zeháb, and Mezheb, viz. his gold, his walks,
his sect.” After this instruction Yússúf Páshá was invested with two
golden robes one above the other, and Sultán Ibrahím said; “Go now with
God, who will assist thee.” He went on board the High Admiral’s ship,
Bashdarda, and the astronomers of the Court having fixed the favourable
moment for getting under weigh, the Commander-in-Chief gave the order
to the High Admiral, and at the same time five hundred clarions
sounded; from the Admiral’s ship the shouts of Allah! allah! pierced
the air, and the skies were rent with the noise of muskets and guns.
The shouts and salutes were repeated three times, and the Admiral’s
ship took the lead, the music playing the tune Segáh. Passing the
Sinán-koskh the Commander-in-Chief saluted the Emperor and the Great
Vezír, and the other ships followed like a row of cranes, keeping up
such a heavy fire, that the birds of heaven found themselves so many
salamanders in the midst of fire, like Abraham in the oven of Nimrod.
I, poor Evliyá, accompanied this expedition as Chief Moëzzin of the
Commander-in-Chief, Yússúf Páshá, was messmate of Ibrahím Chelebí,
Clerk of the Treasury, on board of the Bashdarda, and passed my time
pleasantly eating dates and diavolini (Kotrobunát).
_Station of Gallipolis._
The fleet anchored here after a salute fired from the fortress, and
repeated by the whole fleet. The Mussulman victors all went to the
arsenal to hasten the embarkation of the European troops on board of
fifty barbaresque vessels, and on the opposite side in the harbour of
Chárdák, the Asiatic troops were also doing the same. In twenty-four
hours every thing was completed, and next day the fleet weighed anchor
again amidst the noise of muskets and guns. We passed Tenedos (Búzja
Ada); ten Firkata were sent on ten miles a-head to keep a good look
out. Their captains were invested with robes of honour, and promised
to be made Begs of the Imperial arsenal (post captains). We passed
Tine (Istendíl) which belonged to the Venetians, who sent presents
on board the Admiral’s ship, but no notice was taken of them, and we
sailed by. We passed Thera (Degirmenlik), an Ottoman island belonging
to the khass of the Captain Páshá, weathered the point of Temashalik
(Sunium), passed Athens, the castle of Termísh in Morea, and stopped at
Napoli (di Romania), a strong castle at the end of a great port, where
we took in provisions for the troops of twenty-seven Rumelian sanjaks;
we did the same at Benefshe, which is an open place with no port;
passed Candia, taking no notice, as if we were going to Malta, passed
Cerigo and Cerigotto also belonging to the Venetians, the fortresses of
Coron and Modon, and the island of Borák, a small island near Morea,
till we came to Navarin. This is a large port defended by two castles,
one on the shore, the other on high rocks. Here we came to anchor
and discharged the lading of ten heavy transport ships (Chakálgemí)
of the Arsenal, shifting their cargoes of troops and artillery on
to lighter ones. During our stay here, the commanders of Zante and
Cephalonia, Venetian Islands, sent presents of powder and lead to the
Commander-in-Chief, wishing him a happy voyage and success in the
expedition; seeing that every thing was directed against Malta, they
returned with great satisfaction. We took on board here three thousand
brave Albanians, and also took in water, because a great fresh water
river disembogues into the sea at the extremity of this port.
On the third day the flag was hoisted, the trumpet of departure
sounded, and nine hundred small and large ships left the port.
The two captains Karabaták and Dúrák with ten small Firkata were
at the head, as look-out ships, leading towards Malta, which was
thought by the whole of the fleet to be its destination. At noon the
Commander-in-Chief turned round on a sudden, made signals for the
whole fleet to do the same, and again passed by Cerigo, the Castle of
which now began to light fires, and fire signal guns. At sunset we were
before Candia, and before daybreak the whole fleet anchored opposite
the castle of St. Todero on the north side of the island at the harbour
of Súda. Troops and two light guns (culverines) were disembarked with
the necessary ammunition, the castle assailed, and in less than two
hours forced to surrender. At sunrise the Infidels marched out and
were embarked in ships for Cerigo. The ships were now secured in the
port, and large guns placed behind gabions to defend them. The two
governors of Karamán and Adana were left in garrison, and the whole
fleet anchored at the harbour of the Lazaret, close to Canea. The whole
army disembarked with their tents, seventy great guns (Bályemez), forty
falconets, and two hundred small guns (Sháhitop) and encamped out of
reach of gun shot. The fleet anchored in the port of the Lazaret safe
against all possible winds, and the Begs (Captains) of the Barbareses
received orders to cruise with seventy Firkata. The Shaikas and Kara
Múrsal also now disembarked their cargoes, and the governor of Sivás
was commanded to watch over the security of the port, which is situated
on the west side of Canea. Praise be to God, it was taken very easily.
It is situated sixty miles distance from Cape Kabájá in Morea, and its
conquest as well as that of St. Todero, was first thought necessary
for the facility of passing troops from Morea. Great batteries were
raised and furnished with large guns to protect the fleet lying in it,
meanwhile Firkatas were keeping the open sea at twenty and thirty miles
distance as guardships, (Karaúl Kúllik).
_Siege of the Fortress of Canea._
The camp being pitched round the Castle of Canea at a gun-shot’s
distance, and every man having taken his post according to the orders
of the Commander-in-Chief, the janissaries first entered the trenches.
The next day the Commander-in-Chief held a grand review in sight of the
Infidels, and in defiance of them, who were confounded at this show
of the Ottoman power. As soon as he had dismounted at his tent, forty
thousand men with shovels and axes began to work on the trenches at
seven points round the fortress. (1) On the south side the Aghá of the
janissaries, in whose company the Commander-in-Chief himself entered
the trenches. (2) The governor of Anatoli, with ten regiments and the
Zagarjí-bashí. (3) The governor of Rúmelí with ten regiments headed
by the Samsúnjí-bashí. (4) The governor of Sivás with five regiments
headed by the Khassekí. (5) On the east side at the silver bulwark,
the Barbareses opened the trenches. (6) On the west side at the golden
bulwark, the governor of Haleb, with three regiments of Zenberekjí. In
short, the attack was carried on from seven points. The north side
bordering on the sea and the port was alone unable to be attacked by
trenches, which were opened on all other points of the compass. The
Infidels having enjoyed peace ever since the conquest of Cyprus, their
artillery and arsenals were in the highest state of perfection. During
seven days and nights they fired forty thousand guns and many hundred
thousand musket-shot; seven thousand men became martyrs being killed
in the trenches, and their property taken possession of by the fiscus.
But the Moslím victors encouraged by the presence and the gifts of the
Commander-in-Chief, advanced with undaunted steadiness, and arrived
on the tenth day at the edge of the ditch. Seven batteries with large
guns were battering the walls on seven sides. During twenty days and
nights the fire continued to rage from both sides. The Moslims at last
began to raise mounds of earth on the side of the sand bulwark, which
being perceived by the garrison, they burned the Moslims with shells
and grenades. This way of continuing the siege above ground being
found impracticable, it was carried on by mines under ground. On the
west side of the town, where the Lazaret is established, a mine of
three mouths was blown up, and with it seventy yards of the wall, with
all the Infidels upon it, who were sent through the sky to hell. The
Infidels witnessing this artful mining, imitated it, they passed under
the ditch and blew the mounds of earth with a couple of hundred men
into the air; so that the air was obscured by the dust for more than an
hour’s time. The Mussulman victors not caring for this, exhorted one
another, and the volunteers brought in heads and prisoners whom they
caught at the breaches. The Commander rewarded those who brought heads
with fifty, and those who brought prisoners with an hundred ducats,
making them besides a present of the men and distributing ziámets and
timárs.
The Faithful devoting themselves with heart and soul, penetrated
sometimes into the interior of the fortress, from whence they brought
heads and prisoners, and amongst the last even the son of the
commanding general. But this day was a bloody one, which cost many
lives.
One day an Infidel descending on a rope-ladder, came into the
Commander-in-Chief’s tent, and said he had good news to tell
him, if he would promise the safety of his house and family. The
Commander-in-Chief granted immediately what he asked, and promised to
give him the command of the Infidels besides. He then confirmed his
promise by an oath, and tied a handkerchief of pardon round his neck.
Then the Infidel said that there were two parties in the castle, the
Greeks who wished to surrender, and the Venetians who wished to defend
themselves to the last man. The latter were assembled on the side of
the harbour, where the fortress had not yet been battered, he advised,
therefore, to disturb them by a battery raised on that side, and
to throw into the Greek quarter, some arrows only, with flattering
promises to the Greeks. This advice having been followed, ten Greeks
came, who embraced Islám, and received Mussulman names. The siege
was, however, continued with the same zeal. On the east side of the
harbour a great bastion was raised, from which the high houses and
palaces of the Infidels near the port were battered, and where cries
and lamentations pierced the skies. The same day orders were issued to
all Captains of the Navy, and to the Begs of the Barbareses, to keep
a good watch, and twelve Maúnas were ordered to batter the port, and
the sea side of the town. This raised a great outcry there, but some
of the shots injuring the camp, other orders were issued to the chief
gunner of the fleet. The Infidels never relaxing in their fire and
their stratagems, there was no day without a couple of hundred falling
martyrs. It would be too tedious to relate all the memorable events of
this siege; in short, one day the Infidels seeing forty thousand brave
men with drawn swords and heavy shields, ready to assail the walls,
hoisted the white flag of surrender, crying, “Amán, amán, O exquisite
family of Osmán!” No regard being paid to this, and the firing
continuing as before, some Captains came out by the breaches, asking
for a respite of ten days. The Commander-in-Chief answered, “You will
walk out to-morrow, or all fall victims to the sword.” This was agreed
to. Some of them remained in the tent of the Commander-in-Chief, some
went into the castle and returned with the answer, that next morning
they would all be ready to surrender. The Janissaries, Sipáhis, Jebejis
and Topjis, instantly took possession of the walls and the artillery,
and during the night, the Infidels were embarked for their cursed
country. The next day the Islamitic prayer was proclaimed, salutes of
guns and muskets fired, and those salutes repeated thrice from time to
time during three days. The ships of the Infidels steering eastward to
the Castles of Retimo and Candia, their General when he saw and heard
these rejoicings, when he heard the profession of Islám proclaimed from
the belfries, when he saw the crosses upset and the green banner of
Mohammed waving on the spires, could not bear such a sight, but blinded
himself. The whole fleet now entered the harbour, and messengers were
sent to Constantinople with the good news. Seventy-seven tartanas and
galleys, and fifty barbaresque ships, came to an anchor. All the stores
and ammunition were disembarked, and large batteries raised on the
shore to mount the guns on. The troops were occupied in cleansing the
trenches and ditches, and repairing the walls; thus the castle became
ten times stronger than it was before; all the churches were converted
into mosques, and the first Friday prayer performed in the mosque of
Sultán Ibrahím. The streets were adorned with shops and lighted with
lamps during the night. The clarions sounded after the prayer was
performed, the shouts of Allah pierced the skies, and a triple salute
was fired, the report of which shook not only Rome and Irak, but the
whole of earth and Heaven.
The sixth day after the conquest of the castle, a fleet of a hundred
sail bearing the Venetian, Tuscan, and Popish flag came to the
assistance of it; but when they saw the port full of the Ottoman fleet,
and the ships of the Barbareses cruising before it, when they saw the
belfries turned into minarehs, and the Crescents in the place of the
Crosses, they sighed heavily, “Good-by Canea! Good-by Canea!” and
sailed in despair for Súda. The Ottoman victors found in the conquered
fortress all the slaves and girls of the late Kislar Agassí embarked
on board the galleon of Ibrahím Chelebí, all his precious things, and
high-bred horses; they revenged the blood shed, and turned the Convents
of their monks and nuns into those of Dervishes. The contest at this
siege was scarcely so heavy and bloody as at the sieges of Assov,
Eriván and Baghdád, which have been celebrated by eloquent writers.
The Commander-in-Chief sent messengers and letters to nine towns and
fortresses of the island, and to the Rayas in the interior of the
island in the mountains of Assfákia, summoning them to pay tribute,
to surrender to the Sultán the keys of their castles, and to enjoy
ease and plenty under the protection of the Emperor; threatening those
who would not comply with this demand, with the havoc of their lands,
slavery of their families, and death to themselves by the sword. Within
seven days came three hundred deputies from all places and villages
in the island to pay obeisance and bring presents. The rest of the
island not having submitted, the Vezírs and Begler-Begs received
orders to send the Ottoman victors to collect the legal tithes. From
seventy to eighty thousand men were immediately dispersed over the
seven hundred and seventy miles of the island, taking booty, day and
night, in the ways of God. Gold, silver, brass vessels, fine boys, and
pretty girls, were carried in immense numbers to the Ottoman camp,
where there was such an abundance that a boy or girl was sold for
eighteen piastres. Some thousand men of the army, seeing such plenty,
settled in the island. Kuchúk Hassan Pashá with seventeen Begler-Begs,
seventy Alaï-Begs, and all the Zaims and Timariots, remained at Canea,
besides the garrison of regular troops, consisting of twenty-seven
regiments of janissaries, ten regiments of artillery, ten regiments of
armourers, four regiments of cavalry, and three thousand men, Egyptian
troops; altogether seventy-seventy thousand men. In the castle remained
seven thousand seven hundred Azabs, and forty ships were left for the
transport of troops from Menkeshe, besides fifty firkata manned with an
hundred stout lads.
The Commander-in-Chief, Yússúf, took leave of all the Vezírs and
great men, and weighed anchor with a favourable wind, and sailed for
Constantinople. He passed with a fleet of two hundred sail before
Cerigo and Cerigotto, destroyed the repairs of the Mainotes at the
Cape of Maina in Morea, with the Castle of Killí situated on the same
point; passed the Cape of Capospada, and the Castle of Menkeshí, and
came to anchor at Napoli. After a stay of three days a council was
held, and it was resolved to lay waste the Island of Istendil (Tine),
belonging to the Venetians. At the moment the fleet was sailing, an
Imperial rescript arrived from Constantinople congratulating the
Commander-in-Chief on his victories, and rewarding him with an Imperial
robe of honour, and a sword and cutlass set with jewels. The same day
the Island of Tine was plundered, but no great booty found. Its castle
being strong and high, the signal of departure was immediately given,
and the southerly wind being favourable, in the course of ten days
we touched at different places, such as Chios, Lemnos, Mitylene, and
Tenedos; these castles were put in repair, and garrisoned with the
necessary number of troops. From Tenedos we arrived at Gallipolis,
where we took water, and where the Commanders received strict orders
to be watchful. From hence, in two days and one night, we reached the
Prince’s Islands, in sight of Constantinople, and next day arrived
at the Seraglio point, with such demonstrations of joy as cannot be
expressed. The conqueror of Canea, Yússúf Páshá, kissed the ground
before the Emperor, was decorated with Imperial robes of honour, and
offered a treasure worth that of Egypt, and youths like those of
Paradise, besides an infinite number of presents. But he was afterwards
calumniated and killed. When Sultán Ibrahím saw his body, he said, “how
white he was!” and fell a-crying. He added, “My Yússúf, may those, who
have played thee this trick soon share thy fate!” and, while saying
so, he looked at his favourite Jinjí Khojá. His death caused general
complaint and lamentations, and there was but one voice of sorrow.
God’s mercy be upon him!
_Cause of the Death of Yússúf Páshá._