Kara Mustafá Páshá, the brave and sagacious vezír, being put to death,

the Sultán fell into the hands of all the favourites and associates of

the harem, the dwarfs, the mutes, the eunuchs, the women, particularly

Jinjí Khoájeh, and the vezír Ahmed Hazár-pára Páshá, who corrupted

him to such a degree that he received bribes from his own vezírs. He

lavished the treasures of Egypt on his favourite women Políeh, Sheker

Pára, Tellí, and Sájbághlí Khásekí; and squandered his revenues in

circumcision feasts, building koshks lined with sable, and in presents

to his favourite Jinjí Khoájeh, who at last, with the vezír Ahmed, fell

under the displeasure of the public. So loud was the cry for vengeance,

that the vezír was obliged to call to his assistance the Ottoman troops

who had served in Candia under the command of Delí Husain Páshá. Jinjí

Khoájeh, the favourite, was constantly about the person of the Sultán,

the vezír, or the válideh; and whenever the latter went out in the

carriage or the chair, he always accompanied her. When any gave good

advice he laughed in their faces, and by his flattering conversation,

he kept the Sultán in a state of constant lethargy: in short, he knew

nothing of state affairs. He was originally called Shaikh-zádeh, and

attended with me at the college of Hámid Efendí. I was then reading the

Káfiyeh with Jámí’s commentary, under my worthy tutor Akhfash Efendí,

when this boy was taken from his grammar into the presence of the

Sultán, whose favour he obtained by reading several tales, and lulled

him into the sleep of carelessness. He then received the name of Jinjí

Khoájeh. As I was well acquainted with him, I knew that he had no taste

for the secret sciences; and that the rise of his brilliant star would

only tend to his own misfortune and that of the empire.

At length Murád Aghá arrived from Candia to the assistance of the

Sultán; but the latter having demanded of him a present of one

thousand purses, seventy sable skins, and two female slaves, he put

himself at the head of the Sipáhís and Janissaries, who turned out

in the At-maidán in open rebellion. Sultán Ibráhím was confined in

a part of the palace called Sircheh-seráï, and his son Mohammed IV.

was proclaimed emperor. The divines and vezírs made obeisance to

him; Dervísh Mohammed was named grand vezír, and Murád, ághá of the

Janissaries. The day after, Ahmed Páshá, the late vezír, who had

concealed himself, was discovered and torn to pieces by the populace,

as were also Yani Sireh and Jinjí, and their bodies were thrown out

upon the At-maidán. The rest of the favourites were either killed or

exiled. Of the favourite women, Sheker-pára was banished to Ibrím, the

rest were confined in the old Seráï, or distributed amongst the vezírs.

On the morning of the 25th of Rajab, Sultán Mohammed proceeded in state

to the mosque of Eyúb, to be invested with the sword. On his return, he

visited the tomb of his ancestor Mohammed II. and then took his seat in

the Khás-ódá. In the mean time a report was circulated through the city

that Sultán Ibráhím had escaped from his confinement, and that he was

supported by a party of the Bóstánjís. In consequence of this report,

many thousands were in an uproar, and proceeded armed to the At-maidán,

where they received a _fetvá_, or warrant for the execution of Ibráhím

Abdu-r-rahmán Efendí. The grand vezír, Murád, Emír-Páshá, and some of

the first officers of government, also assembled in the Sircheh Seráï.

The vezír, with many blows, obliged Kara Alí, the executioner, to

enter the Sircheh Seráï and do his work. Ibráhím asked: “Master Alí,

wherefore art thou come?” He replied, “My emperor, to perform your

funeral service.” To this, Ibráhím replied, “We shall see.” Alí then

fell upon him; and whilst they were struggling, one of Alí’s assistants

came in, and Ibráhím was finally strangled with a garter. This happened

in 1058 (1648). Kara Alí received a reward of five hundred ducats, and

was urged to remain no longer at Constantinople, but to proceed on a

pilgrimage to Mecca. The corpse of the emperor was washed before the

Khás-ódá, and the last prayers were read under the cypresses before

the Díván-Kháneh, in the presence of all the vezírs, and of Sultán

Mohammed himself, the Shaikh-ul-Islám acting as Imám. The vezírs wore

black veils, and horses covered with black were led before the coffin,

which was deposited in the mausoleum of Sultán Mustafá I., the uncle of

Sultán Ibráhím.

_Reign of Sultán Mohammed IV., which may God perpetuate!_

This emperor ascended the throne on Saturday the 18th of Rajab 1058

(1648), being then seven years old. Not a single _falús_ was found in

the treasury, and it was evidently necessary to collect some money

by executing those who had squandered it away in the time of Sultán

Murád, to make the usual largess to the troops. From the property of

Jinjí were realized 3,000 purses; from that of the late vezír, 5,000;

and from that of Sheker-pára, 1,000; so that on Tuesday the 5th of

Sha’bán, 3,700 purses were distributed as presents, and 7,000 purses as

arrears of pay. Three thousand Janissaries, who had been proscribed and

ordered to march to Baghdád, and the same number of Sepáhís destined

for Candia, although they had no claim to the largess, received 1,000

purses; and the whole army were highly satisfied. On the 11th of

Sha’bán, the largess was distributed amongst the servants of the Seráí.

The cooks and confectioners, not having received any thing, rebelled,

on which account the Kilárjí-báshí was disgraced.

_Personal description of Sultán Mohammed._

Though very weak when he mounted the throne, he acquired strength when,

at the age of twenty, he took to field sports. He had broad shoulders,

stout limbs, a tall figure, like his father Ibráhím; a powerful fist,

like his uncle Murád, open forehead, grey eyes, a ruddy countenance,

and an agreeable voice, and his carriage was princely, in short, that

of an emperor. The astrologers had predicted to Sultán Ibráhím that he

should have a son called Yúsuf (Joseph), and possessing the beauty of

a Joseph, who would subdue the nations from the east to the west, and

quell all external and internal commotions. When his mother was near

her time, Ibráhím took an oath, that if it were a male child, he would

name him after the person who should first bring him the good news. By

the decree of God, he received the intelligence from Yúsuf, the Imám of

the palace, who at the same time read the confession of faith over the

young prince, calling him Yúsuf, which name he had only seven hours;

the favourites and women of the palace having insinuated that Yúsuf

was a slave’s name, and that Mohammed would sound much better, he was

accordingly named Mohammed, though in truth he grew up beautiful as

Yúsuf. He had a small beard, large mustaches, and was much devoted to

field sports.

_History of the Vezírs_.

Mevleví Khoájeh Dervísh Mohammed Páshá retired from the office of

defterdár with the rank of a Páshá of three tails, and resided in

a monastery of Mevlevís. He was appointed grand vezír when Sultán

Mohammed IV. came to the throne; but having made immense confiscation

of property in order to raise funds for the payment of the troops, he

was obliged to retire to Malagra, where he was strangled. He was a

just and valuable servant of the state. His successor was Kara Murád

Páshá, who was born in Albania, and was brought up as a Janissary. Like

his predecessor, he was dismissed from office for having spent too

much money in organizing the imperial navy and army. He was succeeded

by my lord Melek Ahmed Páshá, who was born at Constantinople; but at

the age of three years was sent to the country of Abáza, where he

was educated till he was fifteen. He was then, along with my mother,

sent as a present to Sultan Ahmed. He was consigned to the pages in

the harem, and my mother was given to my father, shortly after which

union, the humble writer was born. Melek Ahmed’s father was the

kehiyá of the kapújís of Ozdemir-oghlí Osmán Páshá; and having been

present in the battles of Shírwán, Ganjeh, and Derbend, died at the

age of one hundred and forty years. Melek then became the sword-bearer

and confidential attendant of Sultán Murád IV., and on the day of

the conquest of Baghdád, he received the government of Díárbekr. He

subsequently enjoyed all the high offices in the state; and having held

the governments of Cairo and Budin, and become an old and experienced

statesman, he was at last raised to the rank of grand vezír. He sent

3,000 Sipáhís to aid Delí Husain Páshá in Candia, and a togh (tail) to

Biklí Mustafá Páshá. By this assistance, Delí Husain was enabled to

take the castles of Selina and Retimo. The following year Hasám Oghlí

Alí Páshá was made Kapúdán Páshá, and sailed to the Mediterranean

with a fleet of 300 vessels, equal to the famous fleet of Kílí Alí

Páshá. After an engagement with the infidels, in which the latter were

defeated, the fleet anchored in the harbour of Kara Khoájehler, and the

troops having carelessly gone on shore, the infidels came upon them

and set fire to forty galleys and eleven galeons. When the news of

this calamity reached the vezír, he offered to give up the seals, but

the emperor would not accept his resignation, and thus he remained in

office with a salary of 700 purses.

_The cause of his fall._

The garrison at Azov having mutinied for want of pay, and murdered

some of their officers, three hundred purses of money were changed

into ducats, and were sent off by messengers on horseback, it being

impossible to forward them by sea in the winter season. These three

hundred purses were levied upon the merchants and tradesmen of

Constantinople, to whom the Defterdár Emír Páshá, Kadda Kehiyá, and

the inspector of the customs Hasan Chelebí, distributed linen, red

and blue Morocco leather, and drugs, the confiscated property of many

Musulmáns. One morning all the guilds of Constantinople assembled in

arms on the At-Maidán, and with cries of “Alláh! Alláh!” proceeded to

the royal Seráï to make their complaints against the three officers

above mentioned. The Sultán sent three times for Melek Ahmed, who,

fearing the violence of the mob, refused to come. At last the kapújílar

kehiyásí (chief chamberlain), and the khás oda báshí (chief of the

pages), came and insisted that he should either come to the presence or

give up the seals. With the latter proposal he at once complied, and

was afterwards appointed governor of Silistria, though he continued to

reside some time at a house called the Topjílar Seráï in the vicinity

of Constantinople.

The grand vezír who succeeded him was Síávush Páshá, an Abáza by

birth. He was first chokadár to Sultán Murád IV., then Kapúdán Páshá,

and passed through all the offices in Egypt. The kizlar-ághá, Dív

Soleïmán Aghá, having strangled the mother of Sultán Murád, Kosem

Sultáneh, with her own hair, and killed the ághá of the Janissaries,

their lieutenant-general and their secretary, was one day boasting

of his feats, when he suddenly gave Síávush a blow on the face, and

taking the seals from him, gave them to Gúrjí Mohammed Páshá. Gúrjí

had formerly obtained some repute as jebbehjí báshí (chief of the

armoury) in the war of Hotín. He succeeded in raising a large fleet,

and sent two thousand Janissaries and three thousand Sipáhís to Candia;

but was dismissed from office on the pretext of being imbecile. His

successor Tarkhúnjí Ahmed Páshá had been kehiyá to the vezírs Músá and

Hazár-páreh Ahmed Páshá. He was subsequently made grand vezír of Egypt

and of the Cupola; and though he raised the means of supporting the

navy and army, and kept both in an excellent state, he was put to death

on the plea of being a traitor.

Kapúdán Bíklí Dervísh Mohammed Páshá was a slave of Mustafá, the

kizlar-ághá of Sultán Othmán, and a native of Circassia. He was a man

possessed of great ability, and took a great interest in the affairs

of state; but by the decree of God, he was attacked by a paralytic

stroke, which confined him six months. During this period, the business

of his office was transacted by Melek Ahmed Páshá, as káïm-makám or

lieutenant. His disease proved fatal, and the seals were consigned a

second time to Melek Ahmed Páshá; but after a consultation of all the

Ulemá, which lasted for seven hours, on the suggestion of Melek Ahmed

himself, it was resolved that the seals should be sent to Ibshír Páshá,

a relation of the famous rebel Abáza Páshá, then governor of Haleb,

and already noticed for the treacherous manner in which he killed his

father-in-law, Várvár Páshá. He accepted the office; but not wishing to

come to Constantinople, he excused himself by pleading the necessity

of quelling some disturbances on the Persian frontier, whither he

marched with a hundred thousand men. After repeated invitations, and

having been presented with Aisha Sultáneh, the widow of Voinok Ahmed

Páshá, as his wife, he at last, after a march of seven months, arrived

at Scutari, but would not enter Constantinople. The kizlar ághá, and

Sheikh-ul-Islám, then waited upon him at his palace at Scutari; and,

presenting him with a sable pelisse and a dagger set with jewels,

invited him in the name of the emperor to visit Constantinople,

proposing at the same time to leave several páshás and Ulemá as

hostages in his camp. To this he consented, and had an audience with

the emperor; but the day after he was on the point of returning, and it

was with great difficulty that he was prevailed upon to make a public

entry into Constantinople at the head of his army of eighty thousand

men. His first measure was to insist upon the necessity of sending the

káïm-makám, Ahmed Páshá, to Ván, on the Persian frontier, on account

of the disturbances in that quarter. The emperor remonstrated that

it was not a proper province for so old and meritorious a vezír; but

Ibshír replied, that it was a fine province of twenty-seven sanjaks

and an annual revenue of a hundred thousand piastres. The diploma of

the Páshá was therefore instantly made out and sent to Melek Ahmed by

a chamberlain and ten chávushes, who pressed his immediate departure.

Melek Ahmed, on ascertaining the object of their visit, raised the

firmán, without kissing it, to his head, and presented three purses

with a sable pelisse to the chamberlain, and fifty piastres to each

of the chávushes. He however remained five days longer in making the

necessary arrangements for his journey. On the fifth day, Ibshír

complained to the emperor of Melek’s delay, and urged the emperor to

put him to death for his disobedience. The day after, the emperor sent

a chamberlain to call Melek, and on his appearing was asked why he

delayed going to so desirable a province as Ván, which, according to

the account of Ibshír, had an income of a hundred thousand piastres.

Melek boldly declared that what Ibshír stated was false; that Ibshír

had no means of knowing, having never been admitted into the citadel

by the mutinous garrison, and that the revenue scarcely amounted to

seven thousand piastres. The emperor immediately called for pen and

ink, and with his own hand wrote a khatisheríf, by which the power

of appointing all the governors from Scutari to Egypt and Baghdád,

together with the title of governor general, was conferred upon Melek

Ahmed. Besides that, five hundred purses of gold, one hundred strings

of mules, as many camels, an imperial tent, and two sable pelisses were

given to him; and the emperor addressing him said: “Proceed now, my

Lálá, and, if it please God, I propose some day to visit that country.”

At this Ibshír became pale as death, whilst Melek, after having offered

up prayers for his Majesty’s prosperity, went out, and, escorted by

the bostánjí-báshí, he and his retinue passed over to Scutari in one

hundred and fifty boats. Here he remained a week in the palace of

Kíá-Sultáneh, making preparations for his journey. After a march of

one hundred and seventeen days he entered Ván; and on the same day a

messenger, named Yeldrim (lightning), having travelled with the speed

of lightning, arrived bringing the news of the murder of Ibshír at

Constantinople.

Murád Páshá was made grand vezír a second time; but the troops not

being satisfied with him, he was dismissed from office; and dying

shortly after in the palace of Arnáúd Páshá, he was buried in the

tomb which the latter had built for himself. It is related as a well

known story that, that when Murád Páshá, heard that Arnáúd Páshá was

building a tomb for himself, he said: “Please God! he shall not have

the satisfaction of being buried in it, but I will bury a black hog in

it.” The event was, that he himself was buried in it.

Silihdár Soleïmán Páshá was appointed governor of Rumeïlí, after having

been for some time sword-bearer to the emperor. He was born at Malátieh

and educated in the imperial harem, and was an amiable and worthy

vezír. He was dismissed on some slight pretext, and was succeeded by

Zúrnázen Mustafá Páshá, an Albanian by birth, and educated in the

imperial harem. He was defterdár during the vezírat of Melek Ahmed

Páshá, but was degraded on account of his great avarice, and filled

several inferior offices. The seals were conferred upon him merely to

tantalize him, for he had to return them one hour after he received

them: thus he had the pleasure of enjoying only a faint shadow of the

dignity of grand vezír. The seals were then sent by the khásekí, Sipáhí

Mohammed, to Delí Husain, who was engaged in the siege of Candia. But

the khásekí, having been delayed by contrary winds on his passage from

Menkesheh to Candia, was overtaken by another messenger, who brought

back the seals. They were then sent to Síávush, the governor of Ouzí

(Oczakov), who became grand vezír a second time. At this time Melek

Ahmed Páshá, having been recalled from the government of Ván, was

delayed at Erzerúm, by the winter, on his return to Constantinople.

Here he received the news of the death of the vezír Síávush, and of

Defterdár Zádeh, who was strangled under the false accusation of

having been concerned in the death of Síávush. Boiní Egrí Mohammed

Páshá was next nominated grand vezír, and in his absence his duties

were performed by Haider Aghá-Zádeh, as káïm-makám. Boiní Egrí,

however, immediately sent to Melek Ahmed, inviting him to return to

Constantinople, whilst Haider Aghá-Zádeh was appointed governor of

Oczakov. On the very day that Melek Ahmed took his seat amongst the

vezírs of the Cupola, Haider, who was setting out for Silivria from

Silistria, was murdered, and his province was conferred upon Melek

Ahmed Páshá. Boiní Egrí Páshá having through his avarice lost his

office, Kopreïlí Válí Mohammed Páshá was appointed his successor. This

man being invested with absolute power, and being ambitious to bring

glory to the Ottoman power, killed in Anatolia four hundred thousand

rebels, seventeen vezírs, forty-one beglerbegs, seventy sanják begs,

three mollahs, and a moghrebín sheikh. He proportioned the expenditure

of the empire to its revenues, which he considerably enlarged by

several conquests. The astrologers and cabalists call this Kopreïlí

_Sáhib Kharúj_, _i.e._ Expenditor. He is buried in the mausoleum, near

the poultry-market (Táúk-bázár). He was an Albanian by birth, but most

zealous and active in the cause of the true faith. He was educated

in the imperial harem, and when Khosrau Páshá left it with the rank

of Aghá of the Janissaries, Kopreïlí was promoted to the office of

Khazíneh-dár. After him his son, Fázil Ahmed Páshá, was named grand

vezír. He was not of a blood-thirsty disposition like his father, but

shewed himself a virtuous, upright, prudent, and honourable governor.

He was born in the village of Koprí in the province of Sivás, and at

first devoted himself to the study of the law, but was afterwards

appointed governor of Erzerúm, then káïm-makám, and lastly grand vezír.

He was the first instance of a son’s holding the seals in succession

from the father. Of the castles which he reduced, may be mentioned

those of Kamenick and Candia. He died between Adrianople and Rodosto,

on the _chiftlik_ (estate) of Kara Bovir, and was buried beside his

father.

His successor was Kara Mustafá Páshá, who was also educated in the

harem of the Kopreïlís, and at different periods held the offices

of chief master of the horse, governor of Silistria, kapúdán páshá,

káïm-makám, and lastly, grand vezír. He was the son of a Sipáhí of

Merzífún, and was a most excellent and prudent minister.

_Vezírs of Provinces in the time of Sultán Mohammed IV._

During the rebellion in which Sultán Mohammed was raised to the throne,

when the Janissaries were beaten by the Sipáhís, and loads of dead

bodies were thrown into the sea, when Haider-Aghá-Zádeh, unable to make

Seraglio-point, lost a great number of his gallies, on that same day,

Murtezá Páshá was appointed governor of Damascus; Melek Ahmed Páshá was

transferred from Díárbeker to Baghdád; Zilelí-Chávush-Zádeh Mohammed

Páshá made governor of Jerusalem; Emír Páshá, governor of Egypt; Noghái

Oghlí, governor of Haleb (Aleppo); Hamálí Arnáúd Mohammed Páshá, of

Tripoli; and Afrásíáb Oghlí, of Basra.

_Prince of Sultán Mohammed IV._

The Prince Mustafá was born in the year 1071 (A.D. 1660).

_Monuments of Sultán Mohammed IV._

He built a mosque at Cairo, on the spot called Ibráhím Páshá

Kadam-áltí. Over the gate there is a chronograph by Zekí Chelebí, in

the Talík hand. He also built the koshks of Jámlíjeh, Kara Aghach,

Ak-bikár, and the Adálet, which was rebuilt after the fire in the

imperial palace; all in the year 1071 (1660).

_Victories and Conquests, at which Sultán Mohammed IV. was present in

person._

The first was the execution of the rebels in the At-maidán. In the same

month the rebel Haider Oghlí was defeated in Anatolia, and carried

prisoner to Constantinople by the Aghá of the Turcomans, Kara Abáza.

The vezír, Khoajeh Mevleví, seeing that his thigh-bone was broken by

a musket-ball, and that there was no hope of his recovery, ordered

him to be executed immediately. He was therefore hanged at the gate

called Parmak-kapú, where his body remained three days, and was

afterwards thrown into the sea. In the same year, Emír Páshá defeated

twenty thousand rebellious Arabs off Algiers; and Gúrjí Ibní and

Katerjí-oghlí were defeated by the vezír, Kara Mustafá Páshá. The first

of these, at the head of eighty thousand men, had ravaged Anatolia as

far as Scutari, and had taken up his position on the heights opposite

Constantinople, called Bolghúrlí Jámlíjeh. He demanded seventy heads,

and the government of Haleb (Aleppo). Defterdár-zádeh Mohammed Páshá

led out his troops against him, and a battle was fought at Ziljámlíjeh.

Murád Páshá arriving in person to the aid of the imperial troops; the

rebels were completely routed.

_Defeat of the Druses in Syria by Murtezá Páshá._

Yúváshjí Mohammed Aghá and Na’lband Alí Aghá, the commanders of Safet,

owed one thousand purses which were to be paid by the Druses; but as

the payment was delayed, Murtezá Páshá took the field against them with

seventy banners. A great battle took place at Nákúra, where the Druses

were beaten; and instead of one thousand purses, were now obliged to

pay three thousand. I, the humble writer, had this year (1059) made

the pilgrimage to Mecca by way of Egypt, and on my return to Syria was

present at this battle, which I commemorated by a chronograph.

_Conquest of Selina and Retimo in Candia._

In the same year Dashnik and Hainafí, two rebels who were offended

with Melek Ahmed Páshá because they had not received the appointment

of Aghás of the Turcomans, assembled a number of troops at Scutari,

ravaged Anatolia, pillaged a caravan, and pitched their camp between

Lefkeh and Súgúd. Melek Páshá, with the troops of some other Páshás,

attacked them in this place, reduced their strength, and chased the

greater part of them into the mountains. Dashnik Emerza and Hainafi

Khalífeh were made prisoners, and on their way to Constantinople,

were met at Jisrí (or Koprí) by the Bostánjí Báshí, who carried an

imperial _firmán_ for their execution. They were accordingly beheaded,

and their heads were thrown down before the imperial gate. By the

divine permission a stream of light rested that night on the head of

Hainafí Khalífeh, which was witnessed by several hundreds of persons.

Seventeen days after this, a rebellion broke out, by which Ahmed Páshá

was obliged to resign the seals and retire to the government of Ouzí

(Oczakov).

_Defeat of the Infidel Fleet by Kapudán Chávush Zádeh._

This Kapudán brought to Constantinople three gallies and a gallion,

which he had taken from the fleet of the despicable infidels.

_Attack on the Cossacks, by Mohammed Gheráï Khán, at Oczakov._

The result of this expedition by this brave Tátár, was the capture of

one hundred and fifty thousand prisoners. In the same year, Kalghá

Sultán made an inroad upon Moldavia, penetrating as far as Yassy,

Fokshan, and Hotín, and carrying off one hundred and fifty thousand

prisoners, and one hundred thousand head of cattle of various kinds.

The Cossacks were also defeated near Varna by Melek Ahmed Páshá, who,

attacking their boats which had been left upon the shore, took twenty

of them, but the rest escaped. Of the men who were on shore, seven

hundred were made prisoners and a thousand killed. This took place in

the year 1064 (1650). The castle Gúnieh, on the mouth of the river

Júrúgh on the Black Sea, was delivered by Ketánjí-zádeh Mohammed Páshá

in the year 1065. In the same year the Khán of Betlís, Abdál Khán,

was subdued by Melek Ahmed Páshá, who also, in the following year,

delivered the castle of Oczakov from the Cossacks. The castle of

Tenedos was delivered from the Venetians by Kopreïlí Mohammed Páshá.

_Defeat of Rakoczy._

Rakoczy, who had been named King of Poland by the grand vezír Boyúní,

Egrí, but was not acknowledged as such by his successor Kopreïlí,

assembled two hundred thousand men, in order to support his claim

against the Poles, who had sent an envoy to request the assistance of

the Ottoman arms. In consequence of this application, the Tátár Khán,

Melek Mohammed Gheráï, and Melek Ahmed Páshá, the governor of Oczakov,

took the field against Rakoczy, who was defeated, and fled with three

hundred horsemen to the mountains of Szeklers in Transylvania. In

the engagement, forty thousand infidels were slain, and seventeen

princes, with Rakoczy’s minister, taken prisoners, after which, the

armies of the Tátár Khán, and Melek Ahmed Páshá, marched victoriously

to Ak-kermán. I, the humble Evliyá, who composed a chronograph for

this occasion, received seventeen prisoners, twenty horses, ten sable

pelisses, a pair of silver stirrups, and other silver articles, as

my share of the booty. The Hungarians seeing the defeat of Rakoczy,

assembled an immense army composed of various nations, with which they

attacked Temisvar, Lippa, Cianad, Gulia, and Fecsat. Complaints from

these places having reached the Porte, the governor of Buda, Kana’án

Páshá, received orders to march against the invading enemy. On the

banks of the Maros, between Lippa and Arád, the Páshá encountered

eighty thousand of the hostile army and was routed, but saved himself

and some thousands of his cavalry by a flight to Slankament. In this

defeat the Ottoman army lost no less than eleven thousand men. Kana’án

Páshá was in consequence removed from Buda, and the government was

given to Seidí Ahmed Páshá of Bosnia; whilst the government of Bosnia

was conferred upon Melek Ahmed Páshá. In the same year, Seidí Ahmed

Páshá, with twelve thousand brave horsemen, entered the province of

Transylvania by Demir-kapú (the Iron Gate), gave battle to the detested

Rakoczy’s army, who defended the castle of Koljovar, and defeated them,

with the assistance of Husain Páshá, the brother of the governor of

Temisvar, Síávush Páshá. The white bodies of the infidels were strewed

upon the white snow; and the carriages, cannon, and tents were sent to

Constantinople; where, however, no thanks were voted to Seidí Páshá for

the victory, nor was even a “well done” said on the occasion, although

it was a victory not less brilliant than that of Erla by Mohammed III.;

for Seidí Páshá had no more than eleven thousand men opposed to a

hundred and sixty thousand infidels, now inhabitants of hell. The vile

Rakoczy escaped to the castle of Koljovar, where he began to collect a

new army.

The emperor having heard of the depredations committed by the infidels

in Bosnia, appointed Melek Ahmed to the command of an army against

Zara. The Páshá assembled his troops under the walls of this fortress,

but not being able to reduce it, he plundered the neighbouring country,

attacked the castle of Rinjisi, which he took after a storm of seven

hours, and carried off the inhabitants.

In the same year Rakoczy having refused to pay the tribute due by

Transylvania, and having encamped with two hundred thousand men under

Koljovar, was attacked a second time by Seidí Páshá with forty thousand

chosen troops of Buda, Erla, Temisvar, and Kanisa. Rakoczy was beaten,

wounded, and obliged to fly to Kalova, where he expired, calling out,

“Receive me, O Jesus!” Jesus however would not receive him, but he

was seized by the angel Azraïl. Seidí Páshá carried an immense booty,

with several thousand heads to Constantinople; but even by this signal

exploit he could not gain the emperor’s favour.

The fortresses of Lippa, Jeno, and Lugos were conquered by Kopreïlí

Mohammed Páshá, who also repaired the fortifications of Arad and

Jeno, and was on the eve of undertaking an expedition against the

Transylvanian fortresses, when he received repeated imperial rescripts,

intimating that it was not the emperors wish to continue the war any

longer in that country, and that should the Páshá even bring the king

of Transylvania or the emperor of Germany prisoners to Constantinople,

it would not meet his Majesty’s approbation; but he was desired to

proceed with all possible speed to the Porte, because Kara Husain

Páshá in Anatolia, Sárí Kana’án Páshá, Sayár Mohammed Páshá, and forty

rebellious Begs were marching against Brúsa. Kopreïlí, on receiving

this _khatisheríf_, exclaimed, “Well done, Kara Husain, to come at

this moment to the aid of the Hungarian infidel; may the result be

fortunate!” Preparations for departure were immediately commenced, and

it was proclaimed that all who valued their bread and honour should

repair to Constantinople in order to engage in the religious war

(_ghazá_). Sinán Páshá and Seidí Páshá were left to protect the castle

of Jeno, whilst Kopreïlí marched with the greatest possible haste

towards Constantinople, in the vicinity of which, at Kiaght-Kháneh,

he encamped. The troops were daily paid, and three thousand Sipáhís

and seven thousand Janissaries, who were absent from the review, had

their names struck off the lists. The emperor of the seven climates

then moved his camp to Scutari; fetvás of the muftis of the four

orthodox sects were circulated throughout Anatolia, and firmáns were

sent to Kara Murtezá Páshá, the governor of Díárbekr, to Gúrjí Mustafá

Páshá, governor of Erzerúm; and to Tútsák Alí Páshá, governor of Haleb

(Aleppo), who were all summoned to march against Abáza Kara Hasan

Páshá. The latter in the same year defeated Murtezá Páshá, the governor

of Díárbekr, in the field of Ulghún, and obliged him to fly to Haleb.

He then collected his Segbáns and Saríjehs, and excited such a terror

in the four vezírs, who were, besides, much distressed by a scarcity

of provisions, that they sent messengers to Constantinople to obtain

pardon for the rebels, who, at the same time, had taken possession of

Aleppo.

In the same year Melek Ahmed Páshá of Bosnia sent seven thousand heads

to the Porte, and announced the reduction of the fortresses of Kámín,

Kirád, and Rinja. Alí Páshá, who had the government of the Dardanelles,

was removed, and sent against the castle of Arad, which surrendered.

The rebellion of Mehneh Beg in Valachia being evident, Fazlí Páshá,

Ján Arslán Páshá, and several Begs were sent against him. The two

armies met at Gurgivo, and the Ottoman army was defeated. At the same

time the prince of Moldavia, Búrúnsiz Kostantin (Constantine without

a nose) erected the standard of rebellion at Yassy, began to coin new

_zolotas_ (money), and took possession of Moldavia. The Tátár Khán of

the Crimea, and the Tátárs of Búják, were ordered against him; whilst

young Stefano, son of Lipul, the late prince of Moldavia, a prisoner

in the Seven Towers, was nominated prince. On this occasion Kemán-kesh

Ahmed Aghá was appointed _Iskemla-Aghá_ (aghá of the chair), and

Siláhshúr Ahmed Aghá, the Sanjak-ághá (ághá of the banner.[7]) The

army reached Yassy on a severe winter day, when a battle ensued, the

result of which was the flight of Búrúnsiz Kostantin, the loss of ten

thousand men on the part of the infidels, and the establishment of

prince Stefano. The flying Moldavians were pursued by the Tátárs as far

as Valachia, and the whole country was ravaged by fire. Fazlí Páshá

and Ján Arslán Páshá, who at this time were shut up in the fortress of

Gurjivo, were in the greatest distress, and had already resolved to

drown themselves, when the infidels being afraid of the Tátárs, left

the trenches and fled to Bucharest. The Ottomans pursued them, and

took a great number of prisoners and immense booty. The Tátárs, also,

continued their pursuit after the infidels as far as the mountains of

Prashova (Kronstadt) on Irshova (Orsova), and took prisoners twenty

thousand Valachians and sixty-seven thousand Moldavians. Thus, God be

praised! in twenty days Valachia and Moldavia were reduced; and I,

the humble writer, who was present, received as my share the value of

twenty prisoners. Young Stefano presented me with a purse of gold, six

saddle-horses, and a robe; and Ghazá-Zádeh, the Aghá of the Sanjak,

gave me a purse, one horse, and a fine boy. On the forty-second day

we entered Adrianople. God be praised that I was in this brilliant

expedition! I then proceeded to join my lord, Melek Ahmed Páshá, whom

I found at Háluna. Were I, however, to describe the Bosnian victories,

my list would be extended to an inconvenient length. To be brief, my

lord, Melek Ahmed Páshá, was removed from the government of Bosnia,

and on a Monday, the 12th of Rabiul-evvel 1071 (1660), was promoted

to the government of Rúmeïlí. The province of Bosnia was given to

Alí Páshá, the conqueror of Arad, who, in the year 1072 (1661) was

also appointed commander of the army against Kemeny, in Transylvania.

Seventy sanjaks, twenty odas of Janissaries and artillerymen, and four

Búlúks, altogether amounting to eighty-seven thousand men, assembled on

the plains of Temesvar, and headed, after the death of Alí Páshá, by

Seidí Páshá, entered Transylvania by the Demir-kapú, and encamped on

the plain of Hájak. On the twentieth day they were joined by Sháh Púlád

Aghá, with forty thousand Tátárs, who had been sent to distress Kemeny,

and had obtained useful information of the movements of the enemy, and

taken several thousands of prisoners. The Vezír of Bude, Ismail Páshá,

had the command of the vanguard, and Transylvania was ravaged for

eight months, as far as the Teiss, which Husain Páshá, the brother of

Síávush Páshá was ordered to pass. He advanced with his chosen troops

as far as Kasha and Hasswar, and proposed the son of Zulúmí as king

of Transylvania. The people, however, having declared that they would

have no other king but Kemeny, with whom they were satisfied, Husain,

after encountering a thousand difficulties, repassed the Teiss. Ismail

Páshá having been appointed commander against the Szeklers, returned

to the imperial camp with seventeen thousand prisoners. He then moved

his camp to Odvarhel, where he proclaimed the infidel, Apasty Michel,

king, and collected two thousand purses (a million of piastres), being

the arrears of tribute which had been due for three years. This year

(1071), during our stay near the castle of Sázmajár, at Sibín, we

received intelligence of the death of Kopreïlí Mohammed, and of the

promotion of his son to the vazírat. A great battle, also, on a severe

winters day, was fought at Forgrash: the army returned by the Demir

kapú, with forty thousand waggons and a hundred thousand prisoners, and

were sent into winter quarters. My lord, Melek Ahmed Páshá, took up

his winter quarters at Belgrade, whence, by the express command of the

emperor, he repaired to Constantinople, to be present at the marriage

of Fátima, the daughter of Sultán Ahmed. My lord had been a vezír

of the cupola for three months when he died, and was buried in the

burial-ground of Eyúb, at the feet of his late master, Kechí Mohammed

Efendí. Thus the unfortunate Evliya was left without a patron; but God

is merciful!

[7] Two officers requisite at the installation of the princes of

Valachia and Moldavia.

The following castles were also conquered: Uivár, Litra, Novígrád,

Lowa, Sikíán, Kermán, Deregil, Holáúk, and Boyák, and many thousands of

prisoners were taken. But forty-seven days earlier the famous victory

of Gran was won, which might be compared to the victories of Erla

and Moháj. It was followed by the fall of the castles of Kiskúivár,

Kemenvár, Egervád, Egerzek, Balashka, Washún, and forty others, which

were all burnt. All these belonged to Zerín Oghlí (Zriny). Before

Kiskúivár was conquered, it was necessary to deliver from the hands of

the infidels the castles of Essek, Lippova, Siklos, Beks, Kapushvár,

Kopen, Nadas, Berebisinj, Siget, and Kaniza, which were all besieged

by the German Electors. When, however, they heard of the arrival of

the grand vezír, they raised the siege of Kanisa, and fled to the new

castle (Kiskúivár), which was also subsequently conquered. Croatia was

ravaged, thirty-six castles were burnt, and the inhabitants carried

away captives.

Elated with such success, the Moslem army advanced to the river

Raab, where, after the conquest of Kiskúivár, it was defeated by the

mismanagement of the grand vezír, Ismail Páshá, and Gurjí Mohammed

Páshá. Many thousands of Moslems were drowned in the Raab; the Sipahís

were deceived by a retrograde motion of the Janissaries, and these,

seeing the retreat of the Sipahís, also took to flight, in consequence

of which the bridge broke down, and an immense number of men were

drowned. The vezír defended himself bravely for twenty-four hours

longer, but at last retreated to Stuhlweissenburg, whence he sent

proposals of peace. He then took up his winter quarters at Belgrade,

and an envoy having been sent from the German emperor, Kara Mohammed

Páshá was dispatched as ambassador to Vienna, and the humble author

received orders to accompany him in the embassy. The peace being

concluded at Vienna, I travelled, with the emperor’s patent, through

Germany to Dunkirk, thence to Denmark, Holland (where I saw Amsterdam),

Sweden, and Cracovie, in Poland, making, in three years and a half, the

tour of the countries of the seven infidel kings (the seven Electors).

In the year 1668, on the night of the Prophets ascension, I found

myself on the Ottoman frontier, at the castle of Toghan-kechid, on

the Dneister. Conducted by my guides, who were Kozaks, I saw lights

in the minaret, and, for the first time, after so long an absence,

I heard the sound of the Mohammedan call to prayer. As the gates of

the castle are closed after sunset, I spent the night in one of the

Búza houses outside, and in the morning crossed the river to Sháhín

Germán, whence in three days I reached the Crimea, and continued my

journey through Dághistán to Russia. Here, God be praised, I completed

my travels through the seven climates. I then travelled seventy days

with the Russian envoy, and joining Ak Mohammed Páshá and his deputy, I

returned to the Crimea. Here I received presents from the Tátár Khán,

Chobán Gheráï Oghlí, and travelling with Ak Mohammed Páshá, who had

been deprived of his governorship, I reached Constantinople in eighty

days. Thence I proceeded to Adrianople, and afterwards to Candia,

which surrendered to Kopreïlí Zádeh Fázil Ahmed Páshá in 1080 (1669),

after a struggle of three years. This was followed by the conquest of

Maina, and the building of the castle of Zarenta in 1081 (1670). In the

same year Kamienik, in Poland, one of the strongest fortresses of the

infidels, was reduced, and mosques were erected in it. For this, and

several other places, the King of Poland paid tribute to the Porte. The

victorious sultan then proceeded to his second capital, Adrianople, and

fixed his winter quarters at Hájí Oghlí Pasání, whilst the grand vezír

remained at Bábátághí. The sultan subsequently removed to Yassi, and

the vezír remained where he was.

All the fortresses and castles conquered were adorned with mosques,

wherein divine worship was performed according to the true faith, and

in the name of Sultan Mohammed IV., whose reign may God perpetuate.

Here I conclude my historical account of the sultáns, and their vezírs

and muftís, from Mohammed II. to Murád IV., who are all buried at

Constantinople.

Having digressed a little, by giving an account of the statistics and

principal historical events, I shall now resume my description of the

imperial mosques of Constantinople.

_Description of the Mosque of the Válideh._

This building was undertaken, at an immense expense, by the Sultáneh

Válideh, the mother of Mohammed II.; but at her death it remained

unfinished, and fell into decay. It was then called _zulmíeh_ (the

dark); but, when the Válideh was travelling in the country, after

the burning of Constantinople, the foundations were cleared of the

rubbish, and the sultán, devoting five thousand purses from his own

treasury, ordered the building to be completed. It was then called

_a’dlíeh_ (the just). It is now the tenth of the imperial mosques of

Constantinople, and is situated between the Shahíd Kapú-sí (gate of

martyrs) and the Bálik Bázár (fish market), in the quarter of the Jews,

whose houses, by the divine permission, being burnt down, themselves

were banished from the spot, and the ground occupied by their houses

was added to the court and market of the mosque, which was completed

in ten years, and was properly called a’dlíeh instead of zulmíeh.

The north of the building looks towards the walls of the city, and

on the south is the great court (haram). The cupola, from its base

to the top, measures no less than seventy yards. The whole is built

upon an elevated pavement, which is ascended on four sides by flights

of steps. The mosque is built in the same style as the mosque of the

Princes, and that of Sultán Ahmed I. in the At-maidán; four small

semi-cupolas support the centre one, which is besides supported by

four large columns. The mahfil of the moazzíns is elevated by small

columns; and the mahfil of the emperor is on the left hand, made of the

most exquisite marble-work. One of its columns occasioned the death

of Yúsuf Páshá, the conqueror of Egypt. Some informers accused him of

having in his possession a pillar of pure gold, which, however, upon

examination was found to be only of yellow stone; but this discovery

was made when it was too late; and this valuable column, which shines

brighter than gold, was put under the emperors mahfil. The building

is well lighted by a great number of windows, and at night by lamps.

The mehráb (recess) and mimber (pulpit) are of fine variegated stone.

The gates are five in number; two side gates, one for the imám, one

for the khatíb, and the fifth facing the mehráb. The rich trappings

and ornaments suspended in the mosque are unequalled, not only in any

mosque in Constantinople, but throughout the dominions of the Islám.

The doors and window-shutters are all inlaid with mother-o’-pearl; and

the Persian and Egyptian carpets, with which the floor is covered,

give the mosque the appearance of a Chinese picture gallery. No where

else is there to be seen so great a number of beautiful inscriptions.

Over every window are verses from the sacred word, inscribed by

Teknéjí-Zádeh Mustafá Chelebí, in the Karahisárí hand. The sheikhs of

this place were the celebrated preachers Vaní, and Isperí Efendí. In

the time of Sultán Mohammed IV. it was the resort of the most renowned

doctors, professors, and readers of the Korán. The great gate is

ornamented with a beautiful chronograph in golden letters, expressing

the date 1074. The large court-yard, which lies before the principal

gate, is paved with marble and surrounded by stone benches. The cupolas

are covered with lead, and the windows are of glass. In the centre of

the yard are a fountain and basin. The harem or court-yard has two side

gates and one grand gate, which opens into a second or outer court,

planted with different sorts of trees. On the kibla side is a mausoleum

intended for the Sultáneh Válideh, to whom may God grant long life!

In the garden before the harem Sultán Mohammed built, on the bulwark

called Komliklí Kalla’, a koshk resembling those in Paradise. On the

south and west sides of the great court are built about a thousand

shops of stone (the Egyptian market). This grand court has four gates,

and two lofty minárehs, the tops of which being covered with bronze,

dazzle the eyes of the beholders by their brightness. They are both of

three stories.

_Description of the Mosque of Abul-vafá._

The eleventh imperial mosque is that of the sheikh Abul-vafá, built by

Sultán Mohammed, on a small scale, but eminent on account of its age

and sanctity. It has one mináreh, a court, a school, and a bath.

_Description of the Mosque of Emír Najárí._

This, like the former, is a small mosque, built by Sultán Mohammed the

Conqueror. It has a mináreh and an imáret (refectory).

_The Fat’híeh Mosque._

This mosque was formerly a large convent, and was converted into a

mosque by Sultán Mohammed the Conqueror, who also built the Orta-jámi’,

or the mosque of the Janissaries, in the middle of their barracks. It

was destroyed by fire, but rebuilt by Soleïmán Kehiyá.

The above are the imperial mosques within the walls of Constantinople;

the most remarkable of those in the suburbs are the following: The

mosque of Eyúb; the mosque of Jehángír at Top-kháneh; the mosque

of Mohammed II. in the castle of Rúmeïlí; the mosque of Murád IV.

in the upper castle of Rúmeïlí, called Kawák, near Búyúkdereh; the

mosque of the same sultán in the castle opposite, Kawák Anadoli, or

Majár; the mosque of the conqueror in the delightful valley of Kok-sú

(the Aretas); the mosque of Sultáneh Mehrmáh, the daughter of Sultán

Soleïmán, in the harbour of Scutari; and a second mosque at Scutari, of

the Válideh of Sultán Murád IV., Kosem Sultáneh.

These are the imperial mosques in the suburbs of Constantinople; but

there are many more in the villages on the shores of the Bosphorus,

which, if it please God, shall be described in their proper place.

SECTION XVI.

_Of the Mosques of the Vezírs at Constantinople._

The most ancient of these is the mosque of Mahmúd Páshá, near the

new bezestán, as large as an imperial mosque. It has three cupolas,

three gates, and a spacious court. Over the principal gate there is

written in Arabic: “May God sanctify this good place to us,” which is a

chronograph.

The second is the mosque of Mollá Khair-ad-dín within the Corn-market,

and, like the former, was built in the time of Sultán Mohammed II.

When Khair-ad-dín was building it, he was one day disturbed in his

meditations by the noise of a stork; he exclaimed, “Begone ye noisy

birds; fly without the town;” and since that time no stork has ever

been seen within the walls of Constantinople, though numbers of them

are to be found in the suburbs and neighbouring villages.

The mosque Kahríeh, near the Adrianople gate, was originally a church.

Khoajeh Mustafá Páshá, the vezír of Sultáns Mohammed and Báyazíd II.,

built the large mosque near the Selivrí gate in the year 950 (1548).

It is surrounded by a yard, in which, it is said, are buried all the

heroes who fell during the siege of Constantinople by Hárún-ar-rashíd.

It is a mosque of great sanctity. The chained fig-tree (zinjírlí

injír), which stands in the court, was so called, because, when nearly

split and decayed, it was chained up by a pious man. The imáret,

convent, and college of this mosque, are well attended.

The mosque of Fírúz-ághá near the At-maidán, has one cupola, and is

also well attended.

In the Chehár-shenbeh bázár (Wednesday market) is the mosque of

Mohammed, the ághá of Sultán Murád IV.

In the Uzún-chárshí (long market) is the mosque of Ibráhím Páshá, the

cupola of which is constructed of wood.

The mosque of Yúnus Beg Terjimán is near the Fat’híeh, and has a

chronograph, giving the date of its erection and the name of its

founder.

The Ouch Básh (three heads), near Zinjírlí Kapú, is so called because

it was built by a barber who shaved three heads for one small piece

of money, and, notwithstanding, grew so rich that he was enabled to

build this mosque. It is a small but peculiarly sanctified mosque; the

inscription expresses the date 929 (A.D. 1522).

The mosque of Sana’allah Efendí, near the Kirk-chesmeh (forty

fountains), was destroyed by fire, but was restored in 1013 (1662).

The mosque of Kúrekjí-báshí, near the Silivrí gate, has, in the

south-east corner, a dial (míkát) which points out the time with the

greatest exactness both in summer and winter.

The Balát-jámi’ (of the palace), within the Balát Kapú, was built

in the time of Sultán Suleïmán, by Farrukh Kehiyá, Sinán being the

architect. On the exterior of the south-east wall, an able artist

has painted all the difficult passes and stations on the road from

Jerusalem to Egypt, and thence to Mecca and Medina.

Near the mosque of Sultán Selím is that of the convent of Sívársí

Efendí. It has a cistern supported by six columns, but having no water

it is now used by the silk spinners.

The Ak-shems-ad-dín, near the custom-house, on the land side, is a

mosque in which the prayers offered up are always accepted by Heaven;

it is on that account frequented day and night.

The mosque of the Azabs, within the Corn-market, was built by Elwán

Chelebí, in the time of the Conqueror. It is commonly called the

Shiftálú Jámi’ (peach mosque), because a peach tree grew out of the

south-east wall, which was afterwards destroyed by fire.

The mosque of A’áshik Páshá is also much frequented.

The Altí-boghácheh Jámi’ (six cakes mosque), near the hammám of the

muftí, was built by the chief baker of Mohammed II., Jibbeh Alí, who

used to supply the emperor, as he did Sultán Báyazíd, with six cakes

daily.

The mosque of Kara Pír Páshá, near the Zírek-báshí, on an elevated

spot: this has a cistern, supported by three hundred columns, and

containing water delicious as that of Paradise.

The mosque near the At-bázár (horse-market) was that in which, during

the reign of Mohammed II., the twelve Janissary colonels, who every

night patroled the city, assembled for evening prayers.

The mosque of the mír-ákhor (master of the horse), near the Seven

Towers and the Súlúmonástir, was also formerly a convent, built by the

architect Sinán.

The mosque of Khádim Ibráhím, the grand vezír of Suleïmán, within the

Selivrí gate. The court is full of trees. It is a fine mosque.

The mosque of Dávud Páshá, near the Altí-marmar (six marbles), was

built by one of the vezírs of Sultán Báyazíd II. It has a spacious

court, and a hall of justice attached to it.

The mosque of Jerráh Mohammed Páshá, with six minárehs, was built by

one of the vezírs of Sultán Ahmed I., near the Evret-bázár (women

market).

The mosque of Khosrou Páshá, near the Ak-seráï, is a neat mosque.

The mosque of old Alí Páshá, near the column of Táúk-bázár (the

poultry), is very commodious.

The mosque of Nishánjí Páshá is situate near the Kúm-kapú (sand gate).

The mosque of Ahmed Páshá, the grand vezír of Sultáns Selim and

Suleïmán, is very large, like an imperial one, and is built upon a

small hill within the Top-kapú (cannon-gate).

The mosque of Bairám Páshá, the vezír of Sultán Murád IV., is on an

elevated spot, near that of the conqueror, and ascended by a flight of

steps.

The mosque of the great Nishánjí Páshá, near Keskíndedeh, is built in

an elegant style like those of the Sultáns. The founder is buried in an

adjoining vault.

The mosque of Háfez Páshá, near that of Mohammed II. The founder of

this mosque had a dream, in which the conqueror appeared to him, and

demanded of him how he dared to erect a mosque so near his own, thus

taking away the people who attended it? The conqueror was then about

to kill him, when Háfez Ahmed awoke. He died seventy days after this

dream, and, as he was carried to the tomb, a stone fell upon him from

the mosque of Sultán Mohammed, and cut his head as if it had been

severed by the sword.

The mosque of Khalíl Páshá is also near that of Sultán Mohammed II.

The mosque of Tavásh Mesíh Páshá is also near the above, in the market

of Alí Páshá. Its founder was taken from the chamber of cellar-pages

(kílár), in the time of Murád III., and made governor of Egypt, and

afterwards grand vezír.

The mosque of Bálí Páshá is a lofty building, near the mosque of Emír

Najárí, and was built by Sinán.

The mosque of Rustam Páshá, the vezír of Soleïmán, in that part of

the town called Takht-ul-kala’, is ornamented with glazed tiles. It

is beautiful beyond the powers of description. On all sides it is

surrounded with shops.

The mosque of Yavursár, in the corn-market, has one cupola, but no

chronograph. It was built by my grandfather.

The mosque of the corn-market was built by the lieutenant of police in

the time of Sultán Soleïmán. It is situate without the corn-market, on

the sea-shore, and was built by Sinán. Being decayed, it was repaired

by Kara Chelebí Zádeh. It stands on an elevated spot, has a lofty

cupola, six shops, several warehouses, and a minaret, which in point of

elegance surpasses all others in Constantinople.

The mosque of the Válideh of Sultán Othmán II. is near the Ak-seráï,

and was built by the famous architect Khoajeh Sinán.

The mosque of the famous architect himself is near that of Sultán

Báyazíd.

The mosque of the Kádhí Asker Abdu-r-rahmán Efendí, by Sinán.

The mosque of Hájí Evhad Allah, at the Seven Towers, by the same

architect.

The mosque of Khádim Mahmúd Aghá, the kapú ághá, or chief of the white

eunuchs, is near the Akhor-kapú (stable-gate). He was the ághá of

Sultáns Soleïmán and Selím II.

The mosque of Khoajeh Khosrou Beg, is near that of Khoajeh Mustafá

Páshá, and was built by Sinán.

The Khátún-jámi’ (mosque of the lady) is near the Hammám of Súlí

Monástir; also the work of Sinán.

Near the fountain Oskoplí, at the place where seven streets meet (which

is not the case in any other part of Constantinople), stands the square

built mosque of Defterdár Soleïmán Chelebí.

The mosque of Harem Chávush, near the new garden, built by Sinán; who

also built the mosque near the Kádhí-cheshmeh (fountain of the judge),

and called it after his own name.

The mosque of Akhí-chelebí is in the fruit market, and was built by

Sinán.

_The Old Mesjids, or small Mosques of Constantinople._

Sultán Mohammed II. alone consecrated one hundred and seventy mesjids

at Constantinople.

The mesjid of the Crimea, near the old barracks; that of Mohí-ad-dín,

near the mosque of Mohammed II.; Khárájí Beg, near the corn-market,

over the door of which the architect has formed most ingeniously,

with red and white bricks, “There is no god but God; Mohammed is his

Prophet.” The mesjid of Sáleh Páshá, near the corn-market; of Haider

Páshá, in the same neighbourhood; of Hájí Hasan, near the last, built

by Sinán; of Demír Khán, near the cold-well; of Hámid Efendí, with a

chronograph expressing 985; the Arabajílar, near the corn-market; of

Pápás Oghlí, within the corn-market; the Bárhisár, within the gate

Jebbeh Alí; the Revání, near the Forty Fountains.

The mesjids built by Sinán are: the Rustam Páshá, at Yení-bághcheh;

the Sinán Páshá, in the same place; the Muftí Cheví Zádeh, at the

Cannon-gate; that of his own name, at Yení-bághcheh; that of Emír Alí,

near the custom-house, on the land side; the Uch-básh (three heads),

near the above; the Defterdár Sheríf Zádeh; the Sirmákesh, at the top

of Yení-bághcheh, near Lutfí Páshá; the Khoajehgí Zádeh, near Mohammed

II.; the Takíájí Ahmed Chelebí, near the Selivrí-gate; the Dabbágh Hájí

Hamza, at the Aghá’s meadow; the mesjid of the lady of Ibrahim Páshá,

near the Kúm-kapú; the mesjids of the goldsmiths; of the tailors;

of the Aghá, at St. Sophia; of Sheikh Ferhád, near Lanka-bostán;

of Kurekjí Báshí, without the Kúm-Kapú; of Yáyá Báshí, within the

Fener-gate; of Abd-sú Báshí, near the mosque of Selím I.; of Husain

Chelebí; of Hájí Eliás; of La’l Zádeh Dámád Chelebí; of Dokhání-Zádeh,

near old Mustafá Páshá’s mosque; of Kádhí-Zádeh, near Chokúr-hammám;

of the gun factory, in the corn-market; of the Seráï Aghásí, without

the Adrianople-gate; of Eliás-Zádeh, without the Cannon-gate; of the

Sarráf-Zádeh, in the same quarter; and of Hamdullah Hamídí Chelebí, at

Súlí Monástir. All these mesjids were built by the famous architect,

old Sinán, the builder of the mosque of Sultán Soleïmán, who erected

no fewer than three thousand and sixty buildings, consisting of kháns,

mosques, imárets, colleges, schools, palaces, &c. It was he who built

the round cupola, entirely of marble, for his monument, near the mosque

of Sultán Soleïmán, in the corner of the palace of the ághá of the

Janissaries, adjoining the Fountain-house. He died one hundred and

seventy years old. On the stone placed at his head is an inscription in

letters of gold, in the Kara-hisárí Hasán Chelebí hand, which is a most

exquisite performance.

There are many other mosques and mesjids in Constantinople, but those

which we have described are the most remarkable for their architecture.

SECTION XVII.

_Of the Medresehs or Colleges._

The first college founded at Constantinople after its conquest by

Sultán Mohammed was that of Ayá Sofía; the next was the foundation of

the eight colleges on the right and left, that is, on the north and

south of Sultán Mohammed’s mosque; these eight colleges may be compared

to eight regions of Paradise. The Sultán also founded a school for

the reading of the Korán on a spot adjoining the college, and on the

east a hospital for the poor. This hospital is a model for all such

foundations. On the north and south of the eight colleges are the cells

of the students (_sokhté_), three hundred and sixty-six in number,

each inhabited by three or four students, who receive their provisions

and candles from the trust (_wakf_). There is also a conservatory

(_dár-uz-ziáfat_), and a kitchen lighted by seventy cupolas, which may

be compared to the kitchen of Kaikáús, where the poor are fed twice a

day. Near this refectory there is a cárávanseráï, and a large stable

capable of holding three thousand horses and mules.

The medreseh of Sultán Báyazíd is situate on the south side of the

grand court of his mosque. The Sheikh-ul-Islám is the chief lecturer,

and superintends its affairs.

The medreseh of Sultán Selím, near Yení-bághcheh, at the Koshk of

Khaljílar, was built by Sultán Soleïmán, but dedicated to the memory

of his father. Its revenue was derived from the Yení-bághcheh (new

garden), which originally was one mile long and half a mile broad.

On this very spot Sultán Selím pitched his camp when he came to the

empire, and received the act of obeisance.

The medreseh of Sultán Soleïmán, on the north and south of this mosque,

consists of four schools, one for the traditions (_dár-ul-hadíth_), one

for reading the Korán (_dár-ul-kiráa’t_); a separate one for medicine,

with an hospital and an asylum for the insane, numerous baths, a

cáravánseráï, a stable, and a boys’ school.

The college of the Prince Mohammed was built by Sinán, and is famous

for its learning.

The college of Sultán Ahmed I. adjoins the mosque of the same name.

The college of Kara Mustafá Páshá is near Parmák-kapú (finger-gate).

The college of Mo’íd Efendí is near the Kádhí Cheshmeh.

The college of Hámid Efendí, at the Fílyúkúshí (Elephant’s hill).

The college of Hasan Páshá, near the palace of Jánpúlád Zádeh, is a

fine lofty building, and the lower part of it is ornamented with shops.

The college of Esmakhán Sultán, is within the Adrianople gate.

The colleges of Kadhí Mahmúd Efendí; of Murád Páshá; of Dávud Páshá;

of old Alí Páshá; of Mesíh Páshá; of Rustam Páshá; of Chevízádeh;

of Kapenkejí; of Báshjí Ibrahím Beg; of Altí-marmar; of Nishánjí

Mohammed Beg; of Kúrekjí-báshí; of Kara Pírí Páshá, near Soúk-koyú;

of Afzal Zádeh; of Mardumíeh, near the Kizil Maslak; of Mollá Kúrání,

the khoájeh of Sultán Mohammed II.: being offended with the Sultán he

left him and went to Egypt, but subsequently returned at the Sultán’s

request, and was present at the siege of Constantinople; the college of

Revání, an eloquent man of the time of Sultáns Selím I. and Soleïmán,

a native of Adrianople, and was buried near the Kirk Cheshmeh (Forty

Fountains) before his own mosque; the college of Etmekjí Zádeh Ahmed

Páshá, the Defterdár of Sultán Ahmed I.; of Sunnat Khatún; of Fatima

Sultáneh; of Uch Básh (three heads); of Núr-ad-dín Hafr, within the

Adrianople gate, built by Sinán; of Farrúkh Kehiyá; of Mená; of

Ak-hesám-ad-dín, near the bath of Sultán Selím; of old Ibrahím Páshá;

of Khásekí Sultán; of Kahriéh, built by Sinán; of Khásekí, in the

women-market, also built by Sinán, at the expense of Sultán Soleïmán;

of the Válideh of Sultán Othmán II. near the Ak-seráï; of Makbúl Ahmed

Páshá; of Iskender Páshá; of Súfí Mohammed Páshá; of Ibrahím Páshá,

near the Isá-kapú (gate of Jesus); of Ja’far Aghá; of the Treasurer,

Ahmed Aghá; of Moavil Emír; of Omm-valad; of the Kádhí Asker Dervísh

Efendí; of Khoajehkí Zádeh, near the Sultán Mohammed II.; of Aghá

Zádeh; of Defterdár Abd us-salám Beg; of Tútí Kádhí; of Sháh Kúlí Hakím

Mohammed Chelebí; of Husain Chelebí; of Emír Sinán Chelebí; of Daraghán

Yúnus; of Kárjí Soleïmán; of Hárjí Khatún; of Defterdár Sherífeh Zádeh;

of Kádhi Hakím Chelebí; of Bábá Chelebí; of Germástí Zádeh; of Segbán

Alí; of Bezestán Kehiyásí; of Kowájilar; of Imám Zádeh; and of Kor

Ahmed Páshá. Fifty of these colleges were built in the time of Sultáns

Selím I. and Soleïmán, by the famous architect Sinán.

SECTION XVIII.

_Of the Dár-ul-kirá of Constantinople._

Each grand mosque has a _dár-ul-kirá_, or school for the reading of

the Korán, the most remarkable of which is the _dár-ul-kirá_ of Sultán

Soleïmán. Those of Khosrou Kehiyá, near the mosque of Etmekjí Zádeh

Ahmed Páshá; of Sa’dí Chelebí; of Muftí Zádeh; and of Bosnalí Ahmed

Páshá, were all built by the celebrated architect Sinán.

SECTION XIX.

_Of the Mekteb, or Boys’ Schools._

Each imperial mosque has a school attached to it. There are besides

these, the schools of Kara Mustafá Páshá, opposite the monument of the

same name: it is a large establishment; the school of Khosrou Páshá,

near the Yeníbághcheh; of Aghá Kapú-sí, near the mosque of Sultán

Soleïmán, which is attended by three or four hundred boys; of Pápás

Oghlí, near the corn-market; of Aáshik Páshá; of Alí Jemálí, at Zírek;

and of Mohammed Páshá, in the quarter of Khoájeh Páshá.

SECTION XX.

_Of the Dár-ul-hadíth, or Tradition Schools._

The traditions are read at all the Imperial mosques according to the

principles of _Moslem_ and _Bokhárí_. The schools built especially for

that object are: the dár-ul-hadíth of Hasan Efendí, near Keskindeh; of

Mollá Is’hák Chelebí, built A.H. 926; and of Dámád Mohammed Efendí,

near the mosque of Sinán.

SECTION XXI.

_Of the Tekíeh, or Convents of Dervíshes._

The most ancient of these is the one founded by Mohammed II.,

within the grand gate of Ayá Sófíya, and is called Sirkejí Tekíeh.

It was founded when Moslema and Eyúb besieged Constantinople, and

was afterwards turned into a nunnery; but on Mohammed’s conquering

Constantinople he again made it a convent. Its first Sheikh was

Oveis, who had the charge of seventy-four disciples. He was buried at

Damascus, near Belál the Abyssinian: may God sanctify his secret state!

The other tekíehs are those of Ak-shems-ud-dín, near Alí Páshá; of

Emír Najárí; of Sofílar; of Khoájeh Mustafá Páshá; of Umm-sinán; of

Sívásí; of Táváshí Mohammed Aghá, near Ayá Sófiya; of Erdebílí; of

Sunbul Efendí; and of Gulshení at Ak-Seráï.

SECTION XXII.

_Of the Imáret, or Refectories._

Praise be to God! who, according to the sacred text of the Korán:

“There is no beast on the earth for which God hath not made a

provision,” has provided a plentiful supply for the poor by the

foundation of Sultán Mohammed II. at the new palace, in which food

is distributed to them three times a day; at the Imáret of Sultán

Báyazíd twice; the same at the imárets of Sultán Selím I.; Soleïmán;

Prince Mohammed; Ahmed; Eyúb; Khasekí Sultán, near the women-market;

Vafá Sultán; Prince Jehángír, near the Top-kháneh; Mehrmáh Sultán, at

Scutari; Válideh of Murád IV.; Ibráhím Khán; and of Othmán Khán. May

God extend His mercy to them all! Besides these there are some hundreds

of kitchens attached to the various convents; but the above are the

old establishments of the Sultáns and Princes, where the poor receive

a loaf of bread and a dish of soup every day. I, the humble Evliyá,

who during a period of fifty-one years have visited the dominions of

eighteen different monarchs, have no where seen such establishments.

SECTION XXIII.

_Of the Tímáristán and Moristán, or Hospitals._

The Tímár-kháneh of Mohammed II., which consists of seventy rooms,

covered with eighty cupolas, is attended by two hundred servants,

a physician-general, and a surgeon. All travellers who fall sick

are received into this hospital, and are well attended to. They

have excellent food twice a day; even pheasants, partridges, and

other delicate birds are supplied. If such are not at hand in the

hospital, it is provided by the charter of foundation that they shall

be furnished from the imárets of Sultán Soleïmán, his son Prince

Mohammed, Sultán Ahmed I., Khásekí Sultán, Vafá Sultán, Eyúb Sultán,

Prince Jehángír, Mehrmáh Sultáneh, and of the Válideh’s mosque at

Scutari. There are musicians and singers who are employed to amuse

the sick and insane, and thus to cure their madness. There is also a

separate hospital for infidels. The hospital of Sultán Soleïmán is an

establishment so excellent, that the sick are generally cured within

three days after their admission, it being provided with most able

physicians and surgeons. The mosques of Báyazíd and Selím have no

hospitals attached to them. The hospital of Sultán Ahmed is chiefly for

the reception of insane persons, on account of the purity of its air.

The attendants are remarkable for their patience and good-nature, the

reason of which is, that they are under the immediate inspection of the

Kizlar-ághásí, who himself attends to inquire into the state of the

sick. The hospital of the Khásekí, near the women-market, is also an

excellent institution.

SECTION XXIV.

_Of the principal Palaces of Constantinople._

One of the grandest of these is that of Ibráhím Páshá, the Vezír of

Sultán Soleïmán, on the At-maidán, in which two thousand pages of

the seráï were formerly educated. It is next in point of magnitude

to the imperial seráï. The Seráï of Mehrmáh, near the mosque of

Sultán Báyazíd, consists of seven hundred separate apartments. But

even larger than this is the seráï of Siyávush Páshá, to the north

of the mosque of Sultán Soleïmán, which has three hundred rooms,

seven baths, fifty shops, and stables more extensive than those of

the imperial palace. The others are: the seráï of the ághá of the

Janissaries, near the mosque of Sultán Soleïmán; the seráï of Tekelí

Mustafá Páshá; of Dallák Mustafá Páshá; of the Defterdár (who was

hanged) Mustafá Páshá, near the Soleïmániyeh; of Pertev Páshá at the

Vafá; of Sevgelún Moslí Sultáneh, within the corn-market; of Perinjí

Zádeh, at Zírekbáshí; of Korshúnlí Sultáneh, in the same place; of

Moralí Mustafá Páshá, near the place of the Ajemoghláns; of Kapújí

Murád Páshá, near the ink-makers’ row; of Silihdár Mustafá Páshá,

near the mosque of Soleïmán; of Khoájeh Vezír Mohammed Páshá, near

the mosque of the Sháhzádeh; of Kana’án Páshá, near the old Seráï; of

Músá Páshá, near Khoájeh Páshá; of Kara Mustáfá Páshá, near Ak-Seráï;

of Sokollí Mohammed Páshá, near the Aláï Koshk; of Melek Ahmed Páshá,

near Ayá-Sófiya, with three baths and two hundred apartments; of Reís

Ismáíl, near Mahmúd Páshá; of Khán Zádeh Sultán, or Bairám Páshá,

near Ayá-Sófiya; of Wárwár Alí Páshá, near Sultán Ahmed’s mosque;

of Emírgúneh Zádeh Yúsuf Páshá, near the stable-gate; of Mokábilijí

Hasan Efendí; of the Kapúdán Hasan Páshá, near Ayá-Sófiya; of Aísha

Sultáneh, near Ak-Seráï; of Ján Pulád Zádeh Husain Páshá; of Juván

Kapijí the Vezír, otherwise the Seráï of Rustam Páshá, near the convent

of Khoájeh Ahmed Sultán; of Ankabút Ahmed Páshá; of Khoájeh Ibrahím,

better known by the name of Jinjí Khoájeh; of Sáleh Páshá, near Mahmúd

Páshá; of Kapúdán Síávush Páshá, near the harbour of galleys; of

Ak-Mohammed Páshá, near the Jinjí Maidán; of Balátlí Solák Chelebí;

of Husain Aghá, near the mosque of Sultán Selím; the barracks of the

Janissaries, near the Orta Jámi’; the palace of Ibrahím, the inspector

of the arsenal, near the Vafá, for which the humble writer composed a

chronograph.

The following palaces were built by the architect Sinán during the

reigns of Sultáns Selím I. and Soleïmán: The imperial palace of Sultán

Mohammed II. having been burnt down, it was rebuilt by Sultán Soleïmán,

who also restored the Galata Seráï, which was built by Sultán Báyazíd.

Sinán also built the palace of Yení-kapú; of Mohammed Páshá, in the

galley-harbour; of Mohammed Páshá, at Ayá Sófíya; of Rustam Páshá,

Vezír of Sultán Soleïmán; of Kojeh Alí Páshá; in the place of Gúzel

Ahmed Páshá’s palace, in the Hippodrome, was built the mosque of

Sultán Ahmed I.; the seráï of Ferhád Páshá, near Sultán Báyazíd; of

Pertev Páshá, on the Vafá; of Kojeh Sinán Páshá, at the Hasán place;

of Súfí Mohammed Páshá, near Khoájeh Páshá; of Mohammed Aghá, near

Yení-bághcheh; of Sháh Khúbán, near the fountain of Kásim Páshá.

SECTION XXV.

_Of the Grand Kháns for Merchants._

The first is the Khoájeh Khán, near the Mahmúd Páshá, in which all

the great Persian merchants have their establishments. It has seventy

rooms. The khán of Mahmúd Páshá has one hundred and twenty rooms; the

Kebejílar Khán one hundred rooms: this is the residence of the rich

Bulgarian merchants; the khán of Pírí Páshá, eighty rooms; Eskí Khán,

two hundred rooms: it was built by Bairám Páshá, the Vezír of Sultán

Murád IV., and is called the khán of the captives (_asír_), because

all captives are bought and sold here: it has seventy apartments, and

an office for receiving the _penjek_ or slave duty, a fifth of the

value; the khán of Angora, for the dealers in woollen goods (_súf_),

one hundred rooms; the khán of Pertev Páshá, two hundred rooms; the

khán of Ferhád Páshá, near the Bezestán, two hundred rooms; Kilíd Khán,

two hundred rooms; the khán of the Valídeh Kosím, mother of Murád

IV., was originally the palace of Jarráh Mohammed Páshá, but having

fallen into decay it was rebuilt by the Válideh, and consists of three

hundred warehouses, so that this khán, and that of Mahmúd Páshá, are

the largest in Constantinople. In one corner is a koshk, which raises

its head to the skies, and commands a magnificent view: its stables

are capable of holding one thousand horses and mules: it has a mosque

in the centre; the Kiaghid Khán, near Mahmúd Páshá; Kátir Khán, near

Takht-ul-kala’; the khán of the honeymarket, inhabited by Egyptian

merchants; Ketán Khán; Katá Khán; the khán of Rustam Páshá; the khán

of old Yúsuf Páshá; the khán of the Muftí; Chokúr Khán; Súlú Khán; the

khán of the tallow-market; and the khán of the Zendán-kapú. All these

kháns are in that quarter of the town called Takht-ul-kala’: they are

extensive buildings, and are covered with lead. The Juván Kapújí Khán

is in the centre of the raisin-market. The new khán of Kara Mustafá

Páshá, Grand Vezír to Sultán Mohammed IV., near Khoájeh Páshá, is a

small but strong building. The khán of Kopreilí Mohammed Páshá, Grand

Vezír to Mohammed IV., though, like the last mentioned, a new building,

near the poultry-market, is not inferior, as regards solidity, to the

Válideh Khán. It has upwards of two hundred and twenty apartments.

SECTION XXVI.

_Of the Cárávánseráis._

The Elchí Khán (Ambassador’s Khán), even in the time of the infidels,

was a khán for strangers, but it was endowed after the conquest by

Ikbál Páshá; the cárávánserái of Mohammed II.; of Báyazíd II.; of Selím

I.; of Soleïmán; of Khásekí Sultáneh; of Ahmed I.; of the Kapújílar,

near Ayá-Sófiya, where two great kháns stand opposite to each other; of

Kojeh Mohammed Páshá; of the Vafá; of the At-Maidán; of Sinán Páshá;

Báklálí Khán, near the palace of Melek Ahmed Páshá; and of Alí Páshá,

near the Bít-bázár (louse-market). These were all built by Sinán Páshá.

SECTION XXVII.

_Of the Barracks (Bekár oda)._

The most extensive barracks are those called _Yolgechen_, which

consist of four hundred rooms, and, in case of necessity, can hold one

thousand armed men. The odas of Sultán Murád IV. are eight in number,

and, like the former, have their officers and inspectors. Sultán

Soleïmán one day being offended with the Janissaries, said to them: “Be

silent, or I will subdue you by the shoe-makers at Merján-chárshu (the

coral-market). This threat having spread, forty thousand Janissaries

assembled instantly, armed with clubs and bludgeons, and with cries

of “Allah! Allah!” entered the imperial court. The Emperor, roused by

these shouts, came out, and said, “Well, my brave fellows, what is the

matter?” They replied, “You have this day declared your intention of

putting down the Janissaries by the shoe-makers, and we now wait for

your orders. We have on the instant assembled forty thousand men, but

if you will wait till to-morrow we shall have forty thousand more.”

Pleased with their bravery, the emperor told them they might ask for a

favour. They, therefore, asked that the price of a pair of _pápújes_

and _mests_ (slippers and leather-socks) should be fixed at between one

and two hundred akcha, which was immediately granted.

The odas of the armoury are near the Mahmúd Páshá; those of Pertev

Páshá and Hiláljí, near the Soleïmáníeh; forty odas for unmarried men

on the At-maidán; forty at Búyúk Karamán; the odas of Yedek Páshá; and

seven odas of Gharíbs, near the corn-market. Each of these barracks can

contain from one to two thousand men.

SECTION XXVIII.

_Of the Fountains ornamented with Chronographs._

In the times of the infidels there was no other fountain except that

called Kirk-chesmeh (supplied by the aqueduct of Valens). In other

parts of the town they collected the water in cisterns, five of which

were filled partly with rain-water, and partly from the aqueduct.

Sultán Mohammed II., having finished his mosque, built two hundred

fountains; Báyazíd built seventy, and Soleïmán seven hundred. Their

number was shortly increased to thousands by the vezírs. Sultán

Soleïmán repaired the aqueduct, and increased the quantity of water

carried to Constantinople. The principal fountains are the following:

the fountain of Haider Páshá, near the bath of the same name; that

of the Beglerbegs, beyond the ditch between the Aderneh-kapú and the

Top-kapú; of the Imáms, erected to the memory of Hasan and Husain, who

died of thirst in the plain of Kerbelá; the fountain of Skander Beg,

without the gate leading to Eyúb; of Sultán Murád III., without the

gate of Eyúb, on the sea-shore, beneath the _sháhneshín_ (projecting

window) of the palace of Fátima Sultána; the Souk-chesmeh (cold

fountain), near the Alái koshk; the fountain of Kara Mustafá Páshá,

near his sepulchral monument; of Hasan Beg, the son of Fátima Sultána,

near the Okjílar Báshí; of the Kehiyá of the Janissaries, Soleïmán

Aghá, near the Sernáj Khán; of Alí Páshá, near the custom-house on

the land side; of Kátib Husain, near the convent of Oghlán Sheikh at

Ak-seráï; of Hájí Mansúr, near the monument of Aáshik Páshá; of the

Válideh Kosum, near the Yení-kapú; of Ibrahím Páshá, near the mosque

of the princes; of Hasan Páshá, near the palace of Jánpúlád Zádeh; of

Kharájí Mohí-ad-dín, before his mosque, near that of Sultán Mohammed

II.; of Mahmúd Páshá, near the new Bezestán; of Mesíh Páshá, near the

market of Alí Páshá; and of Hasan Aghá, the chief of the Khás-oda,

within the corn-market, in the quarter of the Arabajílar.[8]

[8] We have left the chronographs of these fountains untranslated, as

they possess no poetical merit.

SECTION XXIX.

_Of the Sebíl-khánehs, or Water Houses._

The Sebíl-khánehs were built to the memory of Hasan and Husain, who

suffered martyrdom from thirst on the plain of Kerbelá. They are all

adorned with chronographs. The Sebíl of Músá Páshá, near the Aláï

Koshk; the Sebíl of Kana’án Aghá, opposite the grand gate of Ayá

Sófiyah; of A’áishá Sultána, at the Okjílar-báshí; of Mustafá Aghá, the

chief of the treasury, near the mosque of Ayá Sófiyah; of Erdebílí,

near Ayá Sófiyah; of Kapúdán Kosse Alí Páshá, in the corn-market; of

Abbás, the Kizlar Aghá, near the fountain of Lálalí; of Ibrahím Páshá,

the Kehiyá of Kopreïlí Zádeh, near the Vafá; and the Sinán Páshá, the

conqueror of Yemen, near the factory of the Sirma-kesh (gold-wire).

SECTION XXX.

_Of the Principal Baths._

The bath is a legal establishment of the Islám, founded on the text

of the Korán: “If you are polluted, purify yourselves.” The two baths

which existed in Constantinople before the conquest were those of

the Azabs and the Takhtáb. The first bath built after the conquest

was that at the mosque of Sultán Mohammed II., for the use of the

workmen employed in the building of the mosque. Afterwards the bath

of the Azabs was converted to the use of the Moslems. The baths next

built were those of Vafá, Eyúb, and Chokúr. All these baths are still

kept up and repaired by the endowment (_wakf_) of Sultán Mohammed.

I have preferred assigning each of the principal baths to a certain

class of men in the following amusing way: For the sick, the bath of

Ayúb Sultán; for the Sheikhs, that of Ayá Sófiyah; for the Súfís,

that called by the same name; for strangers, that called the bath of

strangers (_gharíb_); for the Bostánjís, the garden-bath (_bóstán_);

for the market-people, that called the Friday-market (Juma’ bázár); for

debauchees, the Chokúr (the pit); for painters, the Chínlí (Chinese);

for the women, the khátún (lady); for sportsmen, the Kojeh Mohammed

Páshá; for the Janissaries, the bath of the new barracks (yení oda);

for the workmen, that so called (irghát); for the surgeons, the Jerráh

(surgeon) Alí Páshá; for the men of the Seráï, that of the Ak-seráï;

for the black Arabs, that called the mice (Sichánlí); for the saints,

that of Sultán Báyazíd II., the saint; for the insane, the variegated

bath (Alájeh); for cruel tyrants, that of Zinjírlí-kapú (chained-gate);

for the oppressed, that of Sultán Selím the Just; for the porters, the

Sort-hammám; for poets, that of Sultán Suleïmán; for Dervíshes, that of

Haider Páshá; for the children of the Arabs, the Takht-ul-kala’; for

the favourites, that of the Khásekí; for astronomers, the Yeldiz-hammám

(star bath); for merchants, that of Mahmúd Páshá; for mothers, that

of the Válideh; for horsemen (_jinjí_), that in the Hippodrome; for

Muftís, that of the Muftí; for the Zaims, that of Gedek Páshá; for the

armourers, that of Dávud Páshá; for Khoajas, that of the same name; for

Sultáns, the bath so called; for Mollás, the bath of Mollá Korání; for

the Greeks, the Fener bath (in their quarter); for singers, the Balát

(Palatium) bath; for villains, the Khanjarlí (armed with a dagger);

for musicians, the Lúnja (or parade); for sailors, the bath of the

port of galleys (kádirga límán); for the _imáms_, or chiefs of the

baths, that of Little Ayá Sófiyah; for the members of the Díván, the

bath of Bairám Páshá; for the eunuchs (_khádim_), that of the eunuch

Mohammed Aghá; for the vezírs, that of Alí Páshá; for the generous,

that of Lutfí Páshá; for the gardeners, that of Yení-bághcheh (new

garden); for the Albanians, that of the Adrianople-gate; for the

Mevlevís, that of the Yení-kapú (new-gate); for the stone-masons, that

of the Silivrí-gate; for the magicians, that of the Seven Towers; for

beggars, that of Chár-ták; for clerks, that of Nishánjí Páshá; for the

Drogománs, the bath so called; for invalids, that of Lanka; for miners,

that of Sárígurz; for doctors, the Majúnjí-hammam (medicine-makers);

for the Kádíaskers, the bath of the same name; for the Persians, the

bath of the Ajem-oghláns; for the sellers of weights and scales, that

of the Veznejilár (weighers); for the Shátirs (foot-guards), that of

Pertev Páshá; for gamblers, the painted bath (Tesvírlí-hammám); for

the Sháfeís, that of the mint (Dharab-kháneh); for lovers, that of

the cage (kafeslí); for the Aghás, that of the Little Aghá; for the

barley-merchants, that of the Arpa-amíní (the inspector of barley);

for the Seids (descendants of the Prophet), that of Abbás Aghá; for

women, that of the women-market (Evret-bázár); for the Jews, that

of the Jehúd-kapú (Jews-gate); for grooms, that of the Akhor-kapú

(stable-gate); for the infirm (Maatúh), that of Koja Mohammed Páshá;

for buffoons, that of Shengel; for Kapudáns, the Deníz-hammám

(sea-bath); for the Ehl-touhíd (unitarians), the bath of Koja Mustafá

Páshá; for dwarfs, that of the Little Aghá; for the elegant, that of

the Chelebí (_petit maître_).

In the same manner we allotted the baths in the suburbs, which, with

those within, amount to one hundred and fifty-one, all of which I have

visited. Seventeen more were built during my travels, but these I have

not seen. The most elegant and commodious is the Chokúr-hammám, built

by Mohammed II. It is paved with granite, and can accommodate five

thousand men. Next in rank may be noticed the baths of Mahmúd Páshá, of

Takht-ul-kala’, of Báyazíd, and of Koja Páshá; the best lighted up are

those of Haider Páshá, the Suleïmáníeh, and the Válideh; the cleanest,

those of Ayá Sófiyah, of the Súfis, of Abbás Aghá, and of Mohammed

Páshá, in the Chehár Shemba-bázár.

When I was received into the haram of Sultán Murád IV., on the night

that I read the Korán, I had the good fortune to see the imperial

bath, with which no other in the world can be compared. The four sides

of it are assigned to the use of the pages, and in the centre there

is an inclosed bath for the emperor. Water rushes in on all sides

from fountains and basins, through pipes of gold and silver; and the

basins which receive the water are inlaid with the same metals. Into

some of these basins, hot and cold water run from the same pipe. The

pavement is a beautiful mosaic of variegated stones which dazzle the

eye. The walls are scented with roses, musk, and amber; and aloes is

kept constantly burning in censors. The light is increased by the

splendour and brilliancy of the windows. The walls are dry, the air

temperate, and all the basins of fine white marble. The dressing rooms

are furnished with seats of gold and silver. The great cupola of the

first dressing-room, all of bright marble, may be equalled by that

at Cairo only. As this bath stands upon a rising ground it towers to

the heavens: its windows all look towards the sea, to Scutari, and

Kází-koi. On the right of the door of the dressing-room is the room for

the musicians (motrib-khán) and on the left, the cupola of the inner

treasury (khazáneh khás). I have no where seen so splendid a bath,

except that of Abdál, the Khán of Tiflís, in the province of Ván.

Most of the above baths are adorned with chronographs; and they are

all double (chifteh), that is, consist of two rooms, except that of

Mohammed Páshá, in the Little-market. In the afternoon women are

admitted. If to the great public baths we add the smaller ones,

the number would exceed three hundred; and if the private ones are

reckoned, they will amount to the number of four thousand five hundred

and thirty-six.

END OF PART I.

NOTES.

_Note 1, p. 6, Section III._—_Pillars and Rings._

The existence of these pillars and the rings fixed in them is noticed

in Dr. Clarke’s Travels. It is a curious fact that similar iron rings

are found not only in the rocks at Parávádí in Romeilí, but also at

Jáník and Natolia, as is mentioned by the great Turkish geographer Hájí

Khalífah in both his works, the Jehánnamá (p. 627), and the Description

of Romeilí: (Rumeli und Bosna geographisch beschrieben von Mustafa

Ben Abdallah Hadschi Chalfa, p. 32). We must refrain from giving any

judgment whatever on these curious facts till the rocks of Jáník and

Parávádí shall have been the objects of the researches of European

travellers, none of whom have yet directed their attention that way.

_Note 2, p. 9._—_Caverns._

Though the Danube never passed through this channel, these caverns,

which no European travellers have noticed, are deserving of attention.

They are also mentioned by Hájí Khalífah in his account of the village

of Injighiz, near the mountain of Chatáljah (Rumelí und Bosna, p. 17);

and may be easily visited, as they are not much out of the way in going

from Adrianople to Constantinople.

_Note 3, p. 17._—_Altí Mermer._

In the present day nothing is seen on the spot of Altí Mermer except

the mosque of that name. Some of these columns, which were probably

used to ornament it, may perhaps be seen in the interior.

_Note 4, p. 23._—_Sieges of Constantinople._

It is here necessary to rectify some of the author’s mistakes by the

more correct chronology of Hájí Khalífah and the Byzantines. Evliyá

states that the first siege took place in the year 34 of the Hijreh:

this, however, is probably only a mistake of the copyist. He confounds

the second siege, which took place in the year 47 (A.D. 667). _Vide_

Theophanes and Cedrinus, who call the Arab general Yezid, (Ἵζεδ), with

the third in 53 (A.D. 672), and in which Ayyúb was killed. No mention

is made either by Hájí Khalífah or the Byzantine historians of the

third siege. Theophanes merely records the siege of Tyane in the year

91 (A.D. 710). The fourth also, in 97, seems to refer to the fifth,

which by Hájí Khalífah and Theophanes is recorded as having happened

two years later, _i.e._ 99, in the first year of the reign of Leo I.,

the Isaurian, when the Arabs are said to have built the mosque of

Galata, which bears their name, and that called the Gul-jámi (rose

mosque) in Constantinople. This tradition seems to be derived from

the ancient names of the churches; that at Galata having been built

by one Areobinthus, which to the Turks sounded like _Arab_; and the

Gul-jámi having been called the rose-church because it was formerly a

house belonging to a person of the name of Triantaphyllus (a rose),

and was afterwards converted into a church by Romanus Argyropulos in

the year 1031: _vide_ Cedrinus. Evliyá takes no notice of the siege by

the Bulgarians, under their chief Paganus, in the year 764. Bullardus

erroneously reckons this the fifth siege, it being in fact the sixth

after the five preceding ones by the Arabs; and the eighth, if the two

sieges of the ancient Byzantium are reckoned. The sixth and seventh

sieges are also erroneously stated by Evliya. The former of these,

which he states to have been in the year 160 of the Hijreh, ought to be

four years later, _viz._ 164 (A.D. 780), as it is evidently the same

as that of Hárún-ur-rashíd, which took place then, and not, as Evliyá

gives it, in the year 255, which is too late by a century, as is also

his seventh siege.

The tenth siege (p. 28) ought to be the sixteenth, if, according to

Bullardus, Constantinople was again besieged by the Arabs in the year

798; by the Bulgarians a second time, in 822; by the Sclaves in 895

(_vide_ Abulfarage, A.H. 282); by the Bulgarians a third time, in 914;

by Tornicius in 1048; and by the Venetians and French in 1204.

_Note 5, p. 29._—_Báyazíd in the Iron Cage._

The truth of this story has been often questioned by European writers;

but it is so generally recorded by the most authentic Turkish

historians, that there seems no reason to doubt it any longer.

_Note 6, p. 35._—_Abd-ur-ruúf Zindání._

This personage, who was buried at the prison-gate at Adrianople,

is the saint of the prisoners, as Ja’far Bábá is at the Bagnio at

Constantinople. It was probably this Abd-ur-ruúf who furnished a

Turkish poet with one of the best tales in Turkish literature. _Vide_

the German Annual “Minerva,” Leipzig 1814.

_Note 7, p. 39._—_Sú-Kemerlí Mustafá Chelebí._

If Mustafá was three years old at the siege of Constantinople in 1453,

he must have been fifty-four at the conquest of Cairo in 1517 (and

not twenty-five as he is made to say), and consequently a hundred and

thirteen years of age at the siege of Siget.

_Note 8, p. 53._—_Falakah._

Falakah properly means the wooden block in which the feet of the

culprit who receives the bastinado are confined.

_Note 9, p. 54._—_Sheikh-ul-Islám or Muftí._

Sultán Mohammed II. was the first who gave precedence to the Muftí or

head of the law over the two Kází-asker, or military judges of Rúmeilí

and Anadolí.

_Note 10, p. 110._—_Sultán Ahmed._

Sultán Ahmed was the fourteenth and not the sixteenth of the Ottoman

Sultáns. There are no means of accounting for this mistake, as Suleimán

Kánúní is the tenth Sultán by the unanimous consent of all historians.

_Note 11, p. 123._—_Abáza’s speech._

This speech is remarkable as it attributes all the rebellions which

shook the Ottoman empire after the death of Sultan Othmán II. to the

mutinous spirit of the Janissaries, who, until the beginning of the

present reign, baffled all the attempts of the Sultáns who attempted to

subdue them.

_Note 12, p. 126._—_Confession of faith._

“There is no God but God, and Mohammed is his prophet.” Abáza himself

performed all the preliminaries for his execution, in the hope of

preventing it by the appearance of resignation.

_Note 13, p. 137._—_Káfíah, Jámí, &c._

This passage is interesting as giving a good account of the nature of

the education received by the imperial pages, and of the books used by

the professors in the colleges. It may be useful here to give a short

notice of these works from Hájí Khalífah’s Bibliographical Dictionary:—

_Káfíah_ is a celebrated Arabic grammar, by Ebn Hájeb. It has been

printed at Rome, and two editions with a commentary have appeared at

Constantinople.

_Jámí_, the great Persian poet, is known to most Oriental scholars.

But the work here mentioned is his famous commentary on the preceding

work of Ebn Hájeb. It is considered the best amongst more than a

hundred commentaries which have been written on this work.

_Tefsír Kází_ is an extensive commentary upon the Korán by Kází Khán,

one of the most celebrated Turkish divines.

_Misbáh_, the lamp, is a small grammatical work by Imám Násir Abdullah

Altarazí.

_Díbácheh_ is a commentary by Soyútí on a collection of traditions of

the prophet, commonly called Sahíh Moslem.

_Jáma-ul-Bokhára_, another collection of traditions by Bokhárá. It is

considered the best of the kind.

_Multeka-al-bahr_, a very large work on Mohammedan jurisprudence,

compiled by Ibrahim Halebí.

_Kudúrí_, another treatise on jurisprudence. This work has lately been

printed at Constantinople.

_Sa’dí’s_ works are too well known to require any remark.

_Nisáb-us-sibyán_, a short Arabic vocabulary in verse.

_Loghat Akhterí_, a Persian and Turkish vocabulary.

LONDON:

Printed by J. L. COX and SON, Great Queen Street,

Lincoln’s-Inn Fields.

* * * * *

Transcriber’s Notes

Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected.

There are many variations in the spelling, hyphenation and accents of

proper names and other Arabic terms. Except in cases where there is an

obvious dominant spelling and a variant that may legitimately be seen

as a typographical error, these remain unchanged.

There is no Section IX among the sub-sections of SECTION XV.

Italics are represented thus _italic_.