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NARRATIVE OF TRAVELS
EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA,
THE SEVENTEENTH C E N T U R Y,
ISY
evliya efendi.
TRANSLATED FROM THE TURKISH
THE RITTER JOSEPH VON HAMMER,
F.M R.A.S, &c. S;o. &p.
LONDON:
PRINTED EOR THE ORIENTAL TRANSLATION FUND OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND ;
SOLI) BV
PARBURY, ALLEN, & Co., LEADENHALL STREET.
JI.DCCC.XXXIV.
EX BIBLIOTHECA FRANC. BABINGER
LONDON :
Priuted by J. L. Cox aud Son, 75, Great Queen Street,
Liucoln't-lnu Fields.
ADVERTISEMENT.
The narrative of an Asiatic traveller, enthusiastically fond of seeing foreign countries, and unwearied in his investigation of their history, condition, and institutions, is in itself so great a singularity, and so deserving of attention, that no apology seems requisite for thus presenting Evliya Efendi in an English dress : and the name of the Ritter von Hammer, by whom this work was abridged and translated, is a sufficient voucher for its intrinsic merit and the accuracy of the version.
It is requisite to inform the reader, that throughout the work the Asiatic words and proper names are spelt according to the system of orthography adopted by Sir William Jones and Sir Charles Wilkins, which gives to the consonants the sound they have in our own, but to the vowels that which they have in the Italian and German languages ; and by assigning to each Arabic character its appropriate Roman letter, enables the Oriental student to transfer the word at once from one mode of writing to the other.
London, ^Oth Jan. I83i.
1S62211
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR.
Evliya, the son of Dervish Mohammed, chief of the goldsmiths of Constantinople, was born in the reign of Sultan Ahmed I,, on the 10th of Moharrem 1020 (A.D. 1611). He records the building of the mosque of Sultan Ahmed, which was begun when he was six years old, and the gate of which was executed under the superintendance of his father, who in his youth had been standard-bearer to Sultan Suleiman. His grandfather was standard-bearer at the conquest of Constantinople, by Sultan Mohammed, on which occasion the house within the Un-kaj)ân (flour-market), on the ground attached to the mosque of Sâghirjîlar, was the portion of spoil allotted to him. On this spot he erected one hundred shops, the revenues of which he devoted to the mosque. The administration of the mosque, therefore, remained in. the hands of the family. He mentions more than once, as one of his ancestors, the great Sheikh Ahmed Yesov, called the Turk of Turks, a resident of Khonisiin, and who sent his disciple, the celebrated Hâjî Bektiish,* to Sultân Orkhiin. Evliya's mother was an Abaza, and when a girl, had been sent along with her brother to Sultan Ahmed, who kept the boy as a page, and presented the girl to Mohammed Dervish, the chief of the goldsmiths. The brother had, or received, the Sultan's name, with the sirname Meîek (angel), and
* This lîâjî Bektâsh gave the Yeni-chcii (Janissaries) their name.
IV BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR.
is mentioned in history as the Grand Vezir Melek Ahmed Pasha, in whose suite Evliya performed a great part of his travels.
Evliyu attended the college of Hiimid Efendi, in the quarter of the town called Fil Yıiküshı, where for seven years he heard the lectures of Akhfash Efendi. His tutor in reading the Koran was Evliya Mohammed, a learned man, after whom it appears our traveller was named. Distinguished by his acquirements, his melodious voice, and, as it seems, by a fine person, he perfoi'nied the duty of Moazzin at Aya Söfîya on the Lailat al Kadr of 1045 (1G35), on Avhich occa- sion, as he himself relates, he attracted the particular attention of Sultan Murdd IV. He was then twenty-five years old ; and under the care of his master had made such progress in the art of read- ing the Koran, that he could read the whole in seven hours, and was perfectly versed in the seven modes of reading. His uncle Melek Ahmed was at this time sword-bearer to the Sultan, and it seems that Evliyii was in some degree indebted to his interest for the favour of being immediately admitted as a page of the Ktlâr-oda. The Sultân was not less pleased with his melodious voice and his witty remarks, which evinced much information, than with his handsome person, in consequence of which he was initiated into all the profli- gacies of the royal pages, the relation of whicli, in more than one place, leaves a stain upon his writings. He, however, continued his studies in caligraphy, music, grammar, and the Koran, the latter still under the direction of Evliya Mohammed^ who was then imperial chaplain (KhibiMr I}nâmı').*
His stay in the imperial palace was, however, very short, as he was removed from it previously to the Persian expedition, undertaken the same year (1045) against Erivan, when he was enrolled among the
* Evliya Mohammed died the same year.
BIOdKAlMIICAL SKETCH OK THE AUTHOR. V
Sipahis, with a stipend of forty aspres per dietn. Whatever impor- tance Evhya may have attached to the honour of having been for a short time an inmate of the seraglio, it seems to have produced no change in his hfe, which was that of a traveller all his days. To this vocation, he conceived he had a special call in a dream on the anniversary of his twenty-first birth-day (the 10th of Moharrem). He fancied himself in the mosque of Akhî-Chelebî, where the Prophet appeared to him in full glory, surrounded by all the saints of the Islam. When he wished to pray for the intercession (shifdu't) of the Prophet, by mistake he asked for travelling (siydhaC), which was granted to him, together with permission to kiss the hands of the Prophet, the four Imams, and of the saints. His friends the Sheikhs, from whom he requested the interpretation of this dream, assured him that he should enjoy the favour of monarchs, and the good fortune of visiting in his travels the tombs of all the saints and great men whom he had seen. From this moment he formed the resolution of passing his life in travelling, and visiting the tombs of the saints ; thus his name Evliyd (saints) became significant, as he was all his life JMohibhi Evliyd, that is, the friend of the saints. This circum- stance accounts for the predilection he evinces in visiting the tombs and monuments of the saints, as he often dwells with particular plea- sure on the description of places of pilgrimage. Evliya, (the friend of saints), Hafiz (knowing the Koran by heart), and Siyyah (the travel- ler), are the names by which he styles himself, although he is more commonly known by the name of Evliya Chelebî or Efendi ; and his work is called S'lyydh Ndmeh, or the History of the Traveller.
Having received his call by a vision of the Prophet, he commenced his travels by excursions through Constantinople and its environs, his topographical descriptions of which, as to the latter, are perhaps the best extant, and occupy the whole of the first volume.
b'2
VI BIOGRAPHICAL SKET(;H OF THK AUTHOR.
The most valuable portion of it is that towards the end, in which he gives a detailed account of the various corporations of tradesmen, and the rank they held in the solemn processions.
He travelled, as he frequently mentions, for forty-one years, so that he must have completed his travels in the year 1081 (A.D. 1070), when he was sixty-one years of age, and he seems to have devoted the rest of his life to repose, and to the writing of his travels, which extended to all parts of the Ottoman empire, in Europe, Asia, and Africa, except Tunis, Algiers, and Tripohs, Avhich he never visited, and which he therefore passes over in his statistical account of the Ottoman empire. Besides travelling in Rumelia, Anatolia, Syria, and Egypt, he accompanied the Turkish Embassy to Vienna in 1G(54, as secretary, whence he proceeded to the Netherlands and Sweden, and returned by the Crimea. Though generally employed in diplomatic and financial missions, he was sometimes engaged in battles, and mentions having been present at twenty-two ; the first of which was the expedition to Erivan, which took place the same year in which he entered and left the Seraglio (1645). His father, who had been standard-bearer at the siege of Siget (1564), and must at this time have been nearly ninety years of age, was ordered, together with some other veterans who had served under Sultdn Suleimân, to accompany the expedition in litters, merely to encourage the Janissaries. This was Evliya's first campaign, but he has left no account of it.
His second journey was to Brousa, in 1640, with the account of which he commences his .second volume. This journey he undertook, together with some friends, without his father's consent, and having visited all the baths, monuments, mosques, and public walks, he returned to Constantinople, where he was well received by his father.
In the beginning of Rebi-ul-evvel he set out on his third journey, which was to Nicomedia. On his return he visited the Princes'
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR. VU
Islands, and arrived at Constantinople a month after he had
left it.
Ketanji Omar Pasha having been appointed to the government of Trebisonde, he made his old friend, Evliyii's father, his agent at Con- stantinople, and took Evliyii along with him. They left Constanti- nople in the beginning of Rebi-nl-akhir, and proceeded to Trebisonde, coasting by Kef ken, Heraclea, Amassera, Sinope, Samsun, and Kher- son. From Trebisonde he was ordered to attend the zemhurukchis (camel-artillery) of Gonia to the siege of Azov in 1051. He pro- ceeded along the shores of the Black Sea through the country of the Abiiza, the history and description of which form the most inte- resting part of Evliyii's travels. The fleet destined for Azov reached Anapa shortly after the arrival of Evliya. He immediately waited upon the commander, Dell Hiisain Pasha, who received him into his suite, and placed him on board the galley of his kehiya. They sailed for Azov on the 12th of Sha'ban. Evliya was present at the siege, which being unsuccessful, was raised, and he accompanied the Tatar Khan's army, which returned to the Crimea by land. At Balaklava he embarked for Constantinople, but was wrecked, and escaped with only two slaves out of the many whom he had collected in his travels through Abaza and Mingrelia. He was thrown on the coast of Kilyra, whence he proceeded to Constantinople.
In 1055 (1645) the fleet was fitted out, as was generally rumoured, for an expedition against Malta, and Evliya embarked on board the ship of the Capndan Pasha, Yiisuf Pasha, in the capacity of Moazzin- Las/n.* The expedition, however, having touched at the Morea, sud- denly turned upon Candia, where Evliya was present at the reduc- tion of the castle of St. Todero, and the siege of Canea ; after
* Moazzin-bdsM, the chief of tlie proclaimeis of prayers.
VIU BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR.
wliicli he attended several military excursions to Dalniatia and Sebenico.
On his return to Constantinople he made arrangements for his sixth
journey, with Defterdar Zâdeh Mohammed Pasha, who was at that
time appointed governor of Erzerum, and whom Evliya accompanied as
clerk of the custom-house at Erzerum. Their route lay through Nico-
media, Sabanja, B61Î, Tusia, Amâsia, Nîgîsâr, and they reached
Erzerum, having made seventy stages. Shortly afterwards the Piisha
sent him on a mission to the Khan of Tabriz, with a view to facilitate
a commercial intercourse. This was Evliya's first journey into Persia.
On his way he visited Etchmiazin, Nakhchevan, and Merend; and
returned by Ajan, Erdebîl, Erivan, Baku, Derbend, Kâkht, the plain
of Chaldirân, and the fortress of Akhiska. Ten days after he was
again despatched to Erivan, on returning from which he resumed his
duties at the custom-house. He was, however, scarcely settled, when
the Pasha sent him on a mission to the governor of the Sanjaks of Janja
and Tortum, in order to collect the troops which had been ordered by
a Khait-i-sherif. With this commission he visited the towns of Bai-
burd, Janja, Isper, Tortum, Akchekala', and Gonia, of which latter
the Cossacks had at that time taken possession. Evliya witnessed
its reduction, and was the first to proclaim on its walls the faith of the
Islam.
The Mingrelians having revolted on the occasion of one of the Cos- sack inroads, a predatory expedition into Mingrelia was undertaken by Seidi Ahmed Pasha ; and Evliya having over-run the country with his plundering party, returned to Erzerum, whence, on the 18th of Zilka'da, he set out on his return to Constantinople. His Pasha, Defterdar Zadeh Mohammed, having openly rebelled against the Porte, he followed him from Erzerum through Kumakb, Erzenjan, Shinkara- hisar, Ladik, Merzifun, Kopri, Gumish, Jorum, and Tokat. He once
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR. IX
fell into the hands of robbers, but fortunately effecting his escape, he followed his master to Angora. The inhabitants of this town not permitting the Pasha to shut himself up in the castle, he was again obliged to take the field. His great ally Varvar Pasha, on whose account he had rebelled, though he had beaten and made prisoners several Pashas (amongst whom was Kopreili, afterwards celebrated as the first Grand Vezir of the family), was at last defeated, and killed by Ibshir Pasha. Defterdar Zâdeh Mohammed Pasha, however, managed his affairs so well, that he obtained not only his pardon but a new appointment. Evliya was with him at Begbazar, when he received the intelligence of his father's death, and that all his pro- perty had fallen to his step-mother and his sisters. On hearing this he took leave of Defterdar Zadeh, and proceeded by Turbeli, Taraklı, and Kiva, to Constantinople, where he arrived at the time of the great revolution, by which Sultân Selim was deposed, and Mohammed IV. raised to the throne. Evliya' s account of this revolution, and of the principal actors in it, is so much the more interesting, that the chief favourite of Ibrahim, the famous Jinji Khoajeh, of whose ignorance he makes mention, had been Evhya s school-fellow. Evliyfi, however, had been well treated by him, and received as an old school-fellow, shortly before his own fall, and that of his royal master, Ibrahim, which happened in the year 1058 (1648).
Evliya next attached himself to Silihdhr Murtezk Pasha, who was appointed Governor of Damascus, as Moazzin-basht (an office which, as before mentioned, he had held under Yûsuf Pâshâ, in the expe- dition against Canea), and as Imam Mahmil, or priest of the caravan of pilgrims to Mecca. He left Constantinople in the beginning of
Sha'bân 1058 (1648).
The third volume commences with an account of his seventh great journey, which was to Damascus. He had scarcely arrived at this
X BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR.
place when he was sent by Murteza Pasha on a mission to Constanti- nople. This journey was performed very rapidly, and he gives no particular account of it, only mentioning that he met some of the robbers belonging to the party of Kâtirjî Oghli.
He returned with the same despatch to Damascus, whence he set out on his pilgrimage to Mecca, through Egypt. Of this pilgrimage no account is given in our manuscript copy, as it seems he died before he had completed the work. There is no question, however, as to the time at which it was undertaken, since in his account of the reign of Sultan Murad IV. he states that he was just in time, after his return from Mecca through Egypt, to share in the glory of the victory gained by Murteza Pasha over the Druzes, in the year 1059. Now Evliya's account of this expedition commences in the month of Mohar- rem 1059, from which it may be supposed that he had just returned from Mecca, where the annual ceremonies of the pilgrimage take place in Zilhijeh, the last month of the year.
Evliya was employed by Murteza on various missions, the object of which was to collect debts and exact money. On such errands he was sent to Mount Lebanon, Karak, Balbek, Akka, Yaffa, and Haleb, whence he took a journey to Rakka, Roha, Balis, Meraash, Kaisari, and over Mount Arjish (Argaus) to Ak-serai, Sivas, Diarbekr, and in the year 1060 (1650) returned to Constantinople by Ainehbâzâr, Merzifun, Kanghri, Kastemiini, and Tashkopri.
He now entered the service of his uncle. Melek Ahmed Pasha, who, after having been Grand Vezir for some time, was removed to the government of Oczakov, and afterwards to that of Silistria, in the year 1081 (1651). Evliya accompanied him, and this was his ninth journey, reckoning each journey by his return to Constantinople. He travelled over the whole of Rumelia, and made some stay ât Adrianoplc, of which he gives a detailed account, and thus completes
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR. Xİ
his description of the three Ottoman capitals, viz. Constantinople,
Brousa, and Adrianople. He left Adriaiiople with his uncle and
patron, Melek Ahmed, who was now raised to the rank of a Vezir
of the Cupola at Constantinople; but being unable, notwithstanding
his marriage to a Sultuna, to maintain his credit in the Ottoman
court during these revolutionary times, he was obliged to accept
the government of Van, to which he proceeded with great reluctance.
Evliya, who had been left behind, followed him a few days after,
having been despatched by the Sultâna, the lady of Melek Ahmed.
He travelled through Sîvâs, Malâtîa, Dîârbekr, Mardin, Sin jar, Mîâfa-
rakain, Bedlis, and Akhlat. A considerable portion of his narrative is
devoted to the history of the warfare between Melek Ahmed Pasha
and the Klian of Tiflis, the latter of whom was beaten and deposed ;
and his account of the Kurds, and their different tribes, is not less
interesting than that in his second volume of the Abazas on the
eastern coasts of the Black Sea,
Having already given proofs of his abilities in diplomatic affairs when employed by Defterdar Zâdeh Mohammed Pâshâ, on missions to Tabriz and Erivan, and by Murteza Pâshâ in his Syrian missions, Evhyâ was now entrusted by Melek Ahmed with several missions to the Persian Khans of Tabriz and Riimia, with the view of reclaiming seventy thousand sheep, and the liberation of Murteza Pâshâ, who was kept a prisoner by the Khan of Demboli. From Tabriz he w^ent through Hamadân to Baghdad, his description of which, and its environs, of Basra and of the ruins of Kiifa, contains some most impor- tant geographical notices. From Basra he travelled to Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, and returned to Baghdad by Basra, Vâset, and Kala'i Hasan. In a second excursion he visited Haver, Arbil, Sheher- zor, Amadia, Jezin, Husnkeif, Nisibin, and returned to Baghdad by Hamid, Mousul, and Tekrit. With the account of these the author
c
XU BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR.
concludes his fourth vohuue ; and notwithstanding every endeavour, and the most careful search in all the markets and sales, no more of the work has been discovered. It may, therefore, be taken for granted that he never wrote any continviation of it. The fourth volume ends with the year 1066 (1655), and these four volumes em- brace only a period of twenty-six years of the forty-one which Evliya spent in travelling. Of the events of the remaining fifteen, the fol- lowing notes may be collected from his own work.
In the year 1070 (1659) Evliya accompanied the expedition into Moldavia, and assisted at the conquest of Waradin. The Ottoman armies extended their inroads as far as Orsova and Cronstadt in Transylvania, and Evliya received twenty prisoners as his share of the booty. He then joined his uncle and patron. Melek Ahmed Pasha, then governor of Bosnia, who on the 12th of Rebi-ul-ewel 1071 (1660), was appointed governor of Riimeili. With him, in the following year. Evliya made the campaign into Transylvania, which was then disturbed by the pretenders to the crown, Kemeny and Apasty. He was at Saswar when the news aiTİved of the death of the Grand Vezir, Mohammed Kopreili, in 10/1 (1660). After the battle of Forgaras he left Transylvania, and took up his winter quar- ters with Melek Ahmed Pasha at Belgrade. Melek Ahmed was shortly afterwards recalled to Constantinople in order to be married (his first Sultana having died) to Fatima, the daughter of Sultân Ahmed. He died after he had been a Vezir of the Cupola three months; and thus "poor Evliya" (as he generally calls himself) was left without a protector. He, however, remained in the army, then engaged in the Hungarian war, till the year 1075 (1664), when Kara Mohammed Pasha was sent on an embassy to Vienna, and Evliya, by the express command of the Sultân, was appointed secretary of the embassy. The ambassador returned in the ensuing year to
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR. ^İÜ
Constantinople, as may be seen by his own report, published in the Ottoman Annals of Rashid ; but Evliya having obtained an imperial patent, continued his travels through Germany and the Netherlands, as far as Dunkirk, through Holland, Denmark, and Sweden, and returned through Poland, by Cracovie and Danzig, to the Crimea, after a journey of three years and a half, thus finishing, on the fron- tiers of Russia, as he himself states, his travels through *'the seven climates."
Although he repeatedly mentions his travels through Europe, it is doubtful whether he ever wrote them ; from doing which he was pro- bably prevented by death, when he had completed his fourth volume. It appears that after having travelled for forty years, he spent the remainder of his days in retirement at Adrianople, where he probably died, and where his tomb might be looked for. It also appears that the last ten years of his life were devoted to the writing of his travels, and that he died about the year 1090 at the age of seventy.
This supposition is borne out by his mentioning, in his historical account of the reign of Sultan Mohammed IV., the conquest of Candia which took place in 1089 (1678) ; and further by his speaking of his fifty years' experience since he commenced the world, which must refer to the year 1040, when, at the age of twenty, he entered upon his travels; during which he declares he saw the countries of eighteen monarchs, and heard one hundred and forty-seven different languages.
The motto on his seal, which he presented to a Persian Khan of his own name, was : " Evliya hopes for the intercession of the chief of saints and prophets."*
Judging from the chronographs and verses which he inscribed on seve- ral monuments, and the errors into which he frequently falls respecting
c 2
XIV BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR.
ancient history, Evliya must be considered as but an indifferent poet and historian. But in his descriptions of the countries whicli he visited he is most faithful, and his work must be allowed to be unequalled by any other hitherto known Oriental travels. Inde- pendent of the impression made upon him by his dream, that by the blessing of the Prophet he was to visit the tombs of all the saints whom he had seen in their glory, he found that his lot was to travel ; and besides the name of Hâjiz (knowing the Koran by heart), he well deserved par excellence that of Siyyâh or the traveller.
CONTENTS.
Page BlOGRAPAICAL SKETCH OP THE AuTIIOR . . iii Intuoduction .. .. .. .. 1
Section I. Sayings (hadis) of the Prophet respecting Con- stantinople . . . . . . . . . . 5
Section II.
An Account of the Foundation of the ancient City and Seat of Empire of the Macedonian Greeks, i. e. Constantinople , . . . ib.
Section III. Concerning the Conquest of the Black Sea . . 6 Concerning the Canal from tlie river Dona (Danube) . . . . . . . . . . 8
Section IV. Concerning Constantine, the ninth Builder, who
erected the Walls and Castle of Constantinople 10 The Discovery of the true Cross . . . . ib.
Names of Constantinople in different tongues 11
Section V.
Concerning the Circumference of Constanti- nople . . 12
The number of paces between each of the twenty-seven Gates . . . . . . 14
Section VI. Of the wonderful Talismans witliin and without Kostantineh . , . . . . . . 16
Talismans relating to the Sea . . . . 19
Section VII. Concerning the Mines witliin and witliout the city of Kostantin . . . . . . . . 20
Section VIII.
Sieges of Constantinople . . . . . . 23
The second siege . . . . . . . . ib.
The third siege . . . , . . . . 24
The fourth siege . . . . . . . . ib.
The fifth siege , , . . . . . . . . ib.
Page The sixth siege . . . . , , . . 25
Tile seventh siege . . . . . , . . ib.
The eighth siege . . . . . . . . ib.
The ninth siege . . . . . . 26
Section IX. Concerning the sieges of Constantinople by tlie Ottoman Emperors . . . . . . . . 27
Account of the rise of Mohammed 1 1., the Father of Victory .. .. .. .. ..31
Section X. Tiie last siege of Kostantaniyyeh by Moham- med II., the conqueror , . . . . . 32
Section XI.
An explanation of the relationship between the house of 'Osman and the King of France 40
An account of the heroic deeds and misfiirtunes of Jem-shah, son of the Emperor Moham- med Abu-l Fat-h (the conqueror) .. ... 41
Eulogium on Yâ Vadiid Sultan . . . . 44
Of the glorious conquest of the Ok-meidân (archery ground) . . . . . . . . 46
Section XII. Description of the New Serai, the Threshold of the Abode of Felicity .. .. .. 49
Section XIII.
Description of the Old Serâî 50
Eulogium on the living water of the Old Palace (Eski Serai) . . . . . . 51
Section XIV. On the Public Officers established at Islâmbol at the time of the Conquest . . . . 52
Section XV.
On the Imperial Alosques in the Mohamme- dan City of Kostantaniyyeh . . . . 55
On the Dimensions, Builders, &c. of the an- cient place of worship. Aya Sdfiyah . . 56
A Description of the four Minarehs (Minarets) 57
The Servants (Khuddam) of the Mosque .. 50
XVI
CONTENTS.
Page
Stations and Places in this Mosque visited as peculiarly fitted for Devotion . . . . 59
Narrative of Gul-âbî Aghd .. .. ..60
Virtues of the Golden Ball 64-
The Spectacle of the resplendent Stones . . 65
The Mosque of Zîrek Bâshî . . . . . . ib.
Description of tlie IMosque of Mohammed the Conqueror . . . . . . . . . . 66
Form of this Jlosque . . .. .. ib.
Appeal of the Mi 'mar Bâshî (Head Builder) to the Law of the Prophet against the Con- queror
Description of tlie Mosque of Sultân Bâj'a- zid II
Description of the IVIosque of Sultân Selim I.
Description of the Fifth Imperial IVIosque; that of Sultân Sulei'mân
In praise of the Writing of Karah Hisarı
Description of the Court (Harem) . .
A Description of the Imperial Mausoleum . .
Description of the Outer Court
Description of the Mosque of Prince Moham- med . .
Description of the Mosque of the Vâlideh
Description of the Mosque of Mehr-mâh Sul- tâneh
Begler-begs in the reign of Sultân Suleiman
Capudân Pashas in the reign of Suleiman . .
Defterdârs and Nishânjis of the Reign of Sultân Sule'imân
Begs of Sultân Suleiman's Reign
Some of the Illustrious Divines of the Reign of Sultân Sule'iman
The Kanün-nâmeh, or Statistical Code of the Empire, drawn up by Sultân Sule'imân . .
The Khâs, or Revenues of the Begler-begs . .
Names of the Sanjaks of each province
Sanjaks of the province of Anâdoli . .
Sanjaks of the province of Karaman
Sanjaks of Sivas
Sanjaks of Bosna
The province of the Capudân Pâshâ
Sanjaks of the Morea . .
Sanjaks of Biidin (Bude)
Sanjaks of the province of Kaniza . .
Sanjaks of Uivar (Neuhausel)
68
70 73
74 76
77 79 ib.
82 83
ib. 85 86
87 ib.
ib,
88 89 90 ib. ib. 91 ib. ib. ib. ib. ib. 92
The province of Temiswar
The province of Varasdin
Transylvania
Valachia and Moldavia
Oczakov, or Silistria . .
Krim (the Crimea)
The province of Kaffa
The province of Cyprus
The province of Candia
The province of Damascus . .
The province of Trabalus (Tripoli) . .
The province of Adna . . . .
The province of Haleb (Aleppo)
The province of Diârbeker . .
The province of Kars . .
The province of Childer or Akhichkeh
The })rovince of Gûrjistân or Georgia
The province of Tarabafzûn (Trebizonde)
The province of Rika . .
The province of Baghdad
The province of Basra
The province of Lahsa
The province of Yemen
The province of Abyssinia
The province of Mecca
The province of Egypt
The province of Mosul
The province of Wan . .
The province of Ei-zenim
The province of Sheherzi'd
Of the ranks of Sanjak-begs
Of the khâs, or revenue of the Sanjak-begs, the Kehiyâs of the Defter and the Defter- dârs of Timars
Rumeili
Bosnia . .
The Archipelago
The province of Bude
The province of Temiswar
The province of Anatolia
The province of Karaman
The province of Kubrus (Cyprus) . .
The province of Tripoli (in Syria) . .
The province of Haleb (Aleppo)
The province of Zulkadrieh or Mera'ish
The province of Sivas . . , .
Page 92 ib. ib. ib. ib. ib. 93 ib. ib. ib. ib. ib. 94 ib. ib. 95 ib. ib. ib. ib. ib. 96 ib. ib. ib. ib. 97 ib. ib. ib. ib.
98 ib. ib. 99 ib. ib. ib. ib. ib. ib. 100 il).
ib.
CONTENTS.
XVI 1
The province of Erzen'ini
The province of Kars . .
The province of Chikler or Akhichka
The province of Trebizonde . .
The province of Diarbekr
The province of Rakka
The province of Baghdad .. .. ..
The province of Wan . .
The province of Mosul
Statement of the number of swords or men
brought into the field by the possessors of
Timars and Ziamets The province of Rumeili Number of Ziamets and Timars in each of the
Sanjaks in Riimeili Number of Ziamets and Timars in Anatolia The province of the Kapûdân Pasha, or the
islands of the Archipelago . . The province of Karaman The province of Rûm or Sivas The province of Mara'ish The province of Haleb (Aleppo) The province of Sham ( Damascus) . . The province of Cyprus The province of Rakka The province of Trebizonde The province of Diarbekr , The province of Erzerum The province of Childer The province of Wan , . The order of the Divân The Conquests and Victories of Solei'mau The Reign of Sultân Selim II. Defterdârs and Nishdnjis Physicians
Meshâiekh or Learned men . . Conquests, &c. in the reign of Sultan Selim II. Conquests, &c. in the reign of Murad Sons of Sultân Ahmed Grand Vezirs of Sultân Ahmed Vezirs of the Kubba (Cupola) Celebrated Divines Meshâiekh or Learned Men . . Conquests, &c. of the reign of Sultân Ahmed Description of the Mosque of Sultân Ahmed The Imperial Expedition against Hotîn
Page
100
il).
ib.
ib.
ib.
101
ib.
ib. ib
ib. ib.
ib. 102
103
ib.
ib.
ib. 104
ib.
ib.
ib.
ib.
ib.
ib. 105
ib.
ib. 106 108
ib. 109
ib.
ib.
ib. HI
ib.
ib.
ib.
ib.
ib.
11-2
113
Description of the Gul-Jâmi' . .
Chronological account of the principal events during the reign of Sultân Murâd IV.
A curious Anecdote
Account of tlie humble Evliyâ's admission into the imperial Harem of Sultân Murâd, and of some pleasant conversation which he en- joyed with the Emperor in lOiG (1635) . .
The Muftis and Ulemâ during the reign of Sultân Murâd . . . . . . . ,
Chief Judges of Ri'imeiH .. .,
Chief Judges of Anatolia
Deftderdârs during the Reign of Sultân Murâd
Aghâs of the Janissaries during the Reign of Sultân Murâd • .
Sultân jMurâd's expedition against Malta
Account of the Death of Sultân Murâd
Vezirs of Sultân Ibrahim
The Vezir who rebelled against Sultân Ibrahim
Conquests, &c. during the reign of Sultân Ibrahim . . . . . .
Defeat of Tekeli Mustafâ Pashâ
Character of Sultân Ibrahim . . . . . .
Reign of Sultân Mohammed IV., which may God pei-petuate ! . .
Personal description of Sultân Mohammed .' .
History of the Vezirs . .
The cause of his fall . .
Vezirs of Provinces in the time of Sultân Mo- hammed IV. . . . . . . . .
Prince of Sultân Mohammed IV.
Monuments of Sultân Mohammed IV.
Victories and Conquests at which Sultân ]\Io- hammed IV. was present in person
Defeat of the Druses in Syria by Murtezâ Pâshâ
Conquest of Selina and Retino in Candia
Defeat of the Infidel Fleet by Kapudan Cha- vush Zadeh . .
Attack on the Cossacks, by Mohammed Gherâi Khun, at Oczakov . .
Defeat of Rakoczy
Description of the Mosque of the Vâlideh . .
Description of the Mosque of Abul-vafa
Description of the Mosque of Emir Najâri . . The Fat'hieh Mosque . .
118
119
127
132
143
il).
144
ib.
ib.
ib. 145 146
ib.
147 149
ib.
151
ib.
152
153
157
ib. ib.
ib.
ib. 158
ib.
158 159 164 166
ib.
ib.
XVlll
CONTENTS. Page
Section XVI.
Of the Mosques of the Vezi'rs at Constanti- nople 166
The Old Mesjids, or small Mosques of Con- stantinople . .
Section X\'II. Of the Medi-eseh, or Colleges
Section XVIII. Of the Dar-ul-kira of Constantinople
Section XIX. Of the Mekteb, or Boys' Schools
Section XX. Of the Dar-ul-hadith, or Tradition Schools
Section XXI. Of the Tekieh, or Convents of Dervishes
Section XXII. Of the imaret, or Refectories
170
171
173
173
ib.
ib.
174
Page
Section XXIII. Of the Tinıâristân and Morist.'m, or Hospitals 174i
Section XXIV. Of the principal Palaces of Constantinople
Section XXV. Of the Grand Khans for Merchants
Section XXVI. Of the Caravanserais . .
Section XXVII. Of the Barracks (Bekâr oda)
175 176
177 ib.
Section XXVIII. Of the Fountains ornamented with Clirono- graphs . . . . . . . . ■ • 178
Section XXIX. Of the Sebil-khanehs, or Water-houses . . 179
Section XXX. Of the principal Baths . . . . • • ib.
Notes . . . . . . . . . . • • 183
THE
TRAVELS
evliya efendi.
IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE ALL-CLEMENT, THE ALL-MERCIFUL !
To GOD, who ennobles exalted minds by travels, and has enabled me to visit the holy places ; to Him who laid the foundations of the fortresses of legislation, and established them on the groundwork of prophecy and reve- lation, all praise be given : and may the richest blessings and most excellent benedictions be offered to the most noble and perfect of all creatures, the pattern of prayer, who said, " Pray as you see me pray;" to the infallible guide, Mohammed ; because it is in his favour that God, the Lord of empires and Creator of the heavens, made the earth an agreeable residence for the sons of Adam, and created man the most noble of all his creatures. Praise to Him, who directs all events according to His will, without injustice or incongruity ! And, after having offered all adoration to God, let every pious aspiration be expressed for the prosperity of his shadow upon earth, the ruler of terrestrial things, the Sultân son of a Sultân, the victorious Prince Murad Khân, fourth son of Sultân Ahmed Khân, and eighth in descent from Sultân Mohammed Khân, the Conqueror, the mercy of God rest upon them all ! but most espe- cially on Sultân Murâd Ghâzi, the conqueror of Baghdad, the great Monarch with whose service I was blessed when I began to write an account of my travels.
It was in the time of his illustrious reign, in the year A. H. 1041 (A.D. 1631), that by making excursions on foot in the villages and gardens near Islâmbûl (Constantinople), I began to think of extensive travels, and to escape from the power of my father, mother, and brethren. Forming a design of travelling over the whole earth, I entreated God to give me health for my body and faith for
B
2 THE TRAVELS OF
my soul ; I souglit the conversation of dervishes, and when I had heard a de- scription of the seven climates and of the four quarters of the earth, I became still more anxious to see the vv^orld, to visit the Holy Land, Cairo, Damascus, Mecca and Medina, and to prostrate myself on the ])urified soil of the places where the prophet, the glory of all creatures, was born, and died.
I, a poor, destitute traveller, but a friend of mankind. Evliya, son of the dervish Mohammed, being continually engaged in prayer and petitions for divine guidance, meditating vipon the holy chapters and mighty verses of the Koran, and looking out for assistance from above, was blessed in the night 'Aslii'ir/i, in the month of Moharrvm, while sleeping in my father's house at Ishimbi'il, with the following vision : I dreamt that I was in the mosque of Akhichelebi, near the Yemish iskeleh-si (fruit-stairs or scale), a mosque built with money lawfully gotten, from which prayers therefore ascend to heaven. The gates were thrown open at once, and the mosque filled with a brilliant crowd who were saying the morning prayers. I was concealed behind the pulpit, and was lost in astonishment on beholding that brilliant assembly. I looked on my neighbour, and said, " May I ask, my lord, who you are, and what is your illustrious name?" He answered, " I am one of the ten evan- gelists, Sa'd Vakkiis, the patron of archers." I kissed his hands, and asked further : " Who are the refulgent multitude on my right hand?" He said, "They are all blessed saints and pure spirits, the spirits of the followers of the Pro- phet, the Muhâjirîn, who followed him in his flight from Mecca, and the Ansari who assisted him on his arrival at Medina, the companions of Saffah and the martyrs of Kerbelâ. On the right of the viihrab (altar) stand Abii Bekr and Omar, and on the left Osman and 'Ali ; before it stands Veis ; and close to the left wall of the mosque, the first Muezzin, Belâl the Habeshi. The man who regulates and ranks the whole assembly is Amru. Observe the host in red garments now advancing with a standard ; that is the host of martyrs who fell in the holy wars, with the hero Hamzah at their head." Thus did he point out to me the different companies of that blessed assembly, and each time I looked on one of them, I laid my hand on my breast, and felt my soul refreshed by the sight. " My lord," said I, " what is the reason of the appearance of this assembly in this mosque?" He answered, " The faithful Tatars being in great danger at Azak (Azof), we are marching to their assistance. The Prophet himself, with his two grandsons Hasan and Hosai'n, the twelve Imams and the ten disciples, will immediately come hither to perform the appointed morn- ing service {sahâh-nmmz). They will give you a sign to perform your duty as Muezzin, which you must do accordingly. You must begin to cry out with a
evliya efendi. 3
loud voice 'Allah Ekber' (God is great!) and then repeat the verses of the Throne (Surah II. 259). Beh'd will repeat the ' Subli/iiuillati' (Glory to God !), and you must answer ' Klhamda-li-llah'' (God be praised!) Belal will answer, 'Allah ekber,' and you must say 'Am/n' (Amen), while we all join in the tevhid (i. e. declaration of the divine unity). You shall then, after saying ' Blessed be all the prophets, and praise to God the Lord of both worlds,' get up, and kiss the hand of the prophet, saying ' Yâ reslda-llali" (O Apostle of God!)"
When Sa'd Vakkas had given me these instructions, I saw flashes of lightning burst from the door of the mosque, and the whole building was filled with a reful- gent crowd of saints and martyrs all standing up at once. It was the pro- phet overshadowed by his green banner, covered with his green veil, carrying his staff in his right hand, having his sword girt on his thigh, with the Imam Hasan on his right hand, and the Imam Hosei'n on his left. As he placed his right foot on the threshold, he cried out "Bismillah," and throwing off his veil, said, " Es-sel/im akik yâ ommeti" (health unto thee, O my people). The whole assem- bly answered : " Unto thee be health, O prophet of God, lord of the nations !" The prophet advanced towards the mihn'tb and ofiered up a morning prayer of two inflexions {rik\ih). I trembled in every limb ; but observed, however, the whole of his sacred figure, and found it exactly agreeing with the description given in the Hallyehi khâkânl. The veil on his face was a white shawl, and his turban was formed of a white sash with twelve folds ; his mantle was of camel's hair, in colour inclining to yellow ; on his neck he wore a yellow woollen shawl. His boots were yellow, and in his turban was stuck a toothpick. After giving the salu- tation he looked upon me, and having struck his knees with his right hand, com- manded me to stand up and take the lead in the prayer. I began immediately, according to the instruction of Belal, by saying : " The blessing of God be upon our lord Mohammed and his family, and may He grant them peace!" afterwards adding, ''Allah ekber.'' The prophet followed by saying the fitihah (the 1st chap, of the Koran), and some other verses. I then recited that of tlie throne. Belal pronounced the Subhâuullah, I the El-hamduUllah, and Belal the Allah ekber. The whole service was closed by a general cry oi "Allah," which very nearly awoke me from my sleep. After the prophet had repeated some verses, from the Surah yâs, and other chapters of the Koran, Sa'd Vakkas took me by the hand and carried me before him, saying : " Thy loving and faithful servant Evliya entreats thy intercession." I kissed his hand, pouring forth tears, and instead of crying " shifâ'at (intercession)," I said, from my confusion, " siyâhat (travelling) O apostle of God!" The prophet smiled, and said, " Shifaat dsid siyâhat {i. e. intercession and travelling) be granted to thee, with health and
B 2
4 THE TRAVELS OF
peace!" He then again repeated i\\e fâtiluth , in wliich he was followed by the whole assembly, and I afterwards went round, kissed the hands, and received the bless- ings of each. Their hands were perfumed with nmsk, ambergris, spikenard, sweet- basil, violets, and carnations ; but that of the prophet himself smelt of nothing but saffron and roses, felt when touched as if it had no bones, and was as soft as cotton. The hands of the other prophets had the odour of quinces ; that of Abu-bekr had the fragrance of melons, 'Omar's smelt like ambergris, 'Osman's like violets. All's like jessamine, Hasan's like carnations, and Hosein's like white roses. When I had kissed the hands of each, the prophet had again recited the fâtihah, all his chosen companions had repeated aloud the seven verses of that e.Kordium to the Koran {sabdu-l mesânı) ; and the prophet himself had pro- nounced the parting salutation {es-selâm aleikom eyyâ ikhwhiun) from the mihrâb ; he advanced towards the door, and the whole illustrious assembly giving me va- rious greetings and blessings, went out of the mosque. Sa'd Vakkas at the same time, taking his quiver from his own belt and putting it into mine, said : " Go, be victorious with thy bow and arrow; be in God's keeping, and receive from me the good tidings that thou shalt visit the tombs of all the prophets and holy men whose hands thou hast now kissed. Thou shalt travel through the whole world, and be a marvel among men. Of the countries through which thou shalt pass, of their castles, strong-holds, wonderful antiquities, products, eat?bles and drink- ables, arts and manufacturers, the extent of their provinces, and the length of the days there, draw up a description, which shall be a monument worthy of thee. Use my arms, and never depart, my son, from the ways of God. Be free from fraud and malice, thankful for bread and salt (hospitality), a faithful friend to the good, but no friend to the bad." Having finished his sermon, he kissed my hand, and went out of the mosque. "When I awoke, I was in great doubt whether what I had seen were a dream or a reality ; and I enjoyed for some time the beatific contemplations which filled my soul. Having afterwards performed my ablutions, and ofl^ered up the morning prayer {salâtifejr'î), I crossed over from Constantinople to the suburb of Kâsim-pâshâ, and consulted the interpreter of dreams, Ibrahim Efendi, about my vision. From him I received the comfortable news that I should become a great traveller, and after making my way through the world, by the in- tercession of the prophet, should close my career by being admitted into Paradise. I next went to Abdu-llah Dedeh, Sheikh of the convent of Mevlevi Dervishes in the same suburb (Kâsim-pushâ), and having kissed his hand, related my vision to him. He interpreted it in the same satisfactory manner, and presenting to me seven historical works, and recommending me to follow Sa'd Vakkâs's counsels, dismissed me with prayers for my success. I then retired to my humble abode.
EVLIYAEFENDI. 5
applied myself to the study of history, and began a description of my birth-place, Islâmbûl, that envy of kings, the celestial haven, and strong-iiold of Mâkedıın (Macedonia, /. e. Constantinople).
SECTION I.
Infinite praise and glory be given to that cherisher of worlds, who by his word "be," called into existence earth and heaven, and all his various creatures ; be innumerable encomiums also bestowed on the beloved of God, Mohammed Al-Mustaf;i, Captain of holy warriors, heir of the kingdom of law and justice, conqueror of Mecca, Bedr, and Honai'n, who, after those glorious victories, en- couraged his people by his noble precepts {hachi) to conquer Arabia (Yemen), Egypt (Misr), Syria (Sham), and Constantinople (Kostantiniyyeh).
Sayings (hadis) of the Prophet respecting Constantinople.
The prophet said : " Verily Constantinople shall be conquered ; and excellent is the commander (emir), excellent the army, who shall take it from the oppos- ing people !"
Some thousands of proofs could be brought to shew, that Islâmbûl is the largest of all inhabited cities on the face of the earth ; but the clearest of those proofs is the following saying of the prophet, handed down by Ebu Hureireh. The prophet of God said: " Have you heard of a town, one part of it situated on the land," and two parts on the sea?" They answered, "yea ! O prophet of God ;" he said, " the hour will come when it shall be changed by seventy of the children of Isaac." From (Esau) Ais, who is here signified by the children of Isaac, the nation of the Greeks is descended, whose possession of Kostantiniyyeh was thus pointed out. There are also seventy more sacred traditions preserved by Mo'aviyyah Khalid ibn Velid, lyyub el-ensârî, and 'Abdu-1- azfz, to the same effect, viz. " Ah ! if we were so happy as to be the conquerors of Kostantiniy- yeh !" They made, therefore, every possible endeavour to conquer Rum (the Byzantine empire) ; and, if it please God, a more detailed account of their different sieges of Kostantiniyyeh shall be given hereafter.
SECTION II.
An Account of the Foundation of the ancient City and Seat of Empire of the Mace- donian Greeks (Yünâniyyâni llliikediiniyyah), i.e. the tcell-guardcd Kostantiniyyeh, the envy of all the Kings of the Land of Islam. It was first built by Solomon, and has been described by some thousands of
historians. The date of its capture is contained in those words of the Koran,
6 THE TRAVELS OF
" The exalted city " {belduh taj/t/i/je/i), and to it some commentators apply tlie foUowino- text : " Have not the Greeks been vanquished in the lowest parts of the earth?" (Kor. xxx. 1.) and " An excellent city, the like of which hath never been created." All the ancient Greek historians are agreed, that it was first built by Solomon, son of David, IGOO years before the birth of the Prophet; they say he caused a lofty palace to be erected by Genii, on the spot now called Seraglio-Point, in order to please the daughter of Saidun, sovereign of Feren- dun, an island in the Western Ocean (Ok/ı/ûııı'ıs).
The second builder of it was Rehoboam {Rcjaim), son of Solomon ; and the third Yanko, son of Mâdiyân, the Amalekite, who reigned 4600 years after Adam was driven from Paradise, and 419 years before the birth of iskender Rûmi (Alexander the Great), and was the first of the Batâlisah (Ptolemies?) of the Greeks. There were four universal monarchs, two of whom were Moslims and two Infidels. The two first were Soleimân (Solomon) and iskender ZiVl karnein (the two-horned Alexander), who is also said to have been a prophet ; and the two last were Bakhtu-n-nasr, that desolation of the whole face of the earth, and Yanko ibn Mâdiyân, who lived one hundred years in the land of Adim (Edom).
SECTION III.
Concei^ning the Conquest of the Black Sea. This sea, according to the opinion of the best mathematicians, is only a relic of Noah's flood. It is eighty fathoms {küh'ıj) deep, and, before the deluge, was not united with the White Sea. At that time the plains of Salaniteh (Slanka- ment), Dobreh-chin (Dobruczin), Kej-kemet (Ketskemet), Kenkus and Busteh, and the vallies of Sirm and Semendereh (Semendria), were all covered with the waters of the Black Sea, and at Dudushkah, on the shore of the Gulf of Venice, the place where their waters were united may still be seen. Parâvâdi, in the pâshâlik of Silistirah (Silistria), a strong fortress now situated on the highest rocks, was then on the sea-shore ; and the rings by which the ships were moored to the rocks are still to be seen there. The same circumstance is manifested at Menkiib, a day's journey from Bâghcheh serai, in the island of Krim (Crimea). It is a castle built on a lofty rock, and yet it contains stone pillars, to which ships were anciently fastened. At that time the island of Krim (Crimea), the plains of Heihât (Deshti Kipchak), and the whole country of the Sclavo- nians (Sakâlibah), were covered with the waters of the Black Sea, which ex- tended as far as the Caspian. Having accompanied the army of Islam Girai Khân in his campaign against the Muscovites (Moskov), in the year ,
evliya efendi. 7
I myself have passed over the plains of Haihât ; at the encampments of Kertmeh-H, Bini, and Ashini, in those plains, where it was necessary to dig wells in order to su|)ply the army with water, I f'uiind all kinds of marine remains, such as the shells of oysters, crabs, cockles, &c., by which it is evident that this great plain was once a part of the Black Sea. Verily God hath power over every thing !
The fourth builder of Constantinople was Alexander the Great, who is also said to have cut the strait of Sebtah (Ceuta), which unites the White Sea (Mediterranean) with the ocean. Some say the Black Sea extends from Azak (Azof), to the straits of Ish'imbul (the canal of Constantinople), the sea of Rum (Greece), from thence to the straits of Geliboli (Gallipoli, i.e. the Hellespont), the key of the two seas, where are the two castles built by Sultân Mohammed the Conqueror, and that all below this forms the White Sea. Having often made an excursion in a boat, when the sea was smooth and the sky clear, from the Cape of the Seven Towers {Yedi kiilUih bünıuı'ı), near Islâmbûl, to the point of Kâzı Koi (called Kalâmish), near Uskudâr (Scutari), I have observed in the water a red line, of about a hand's breadth, drawn from one of these points to the other. The sea to the north of the line is the Black Sea; but to the south of it, towards Kizil Ada, and the other (Princes') islands, is called, on account of its azure (nil) hue, the White Sea ; and the intermixture of the two colours forms, by the command of God, as " wonders never fail," a red seam (i'ûddeh), which divides the two seas from each other. This line is always visible, except when strong southerly winds blow from the islands of Mermereh (Marmora), when it disappears, from the roughness of the sea. There is also a difference in the taste of the waters on each side of this line ; that towards the Black Sea being less salt and bitter than that towards the White Sea : to the south of the castles (of the Dardanelles), it is still more bitter, but less so than in the ocean. No sea has more delicious fish than the Black Sea, and those caught in the Strait of Islâmbûl are excellent. As that strait unites the waters of the Black and White Seas, it is called, by some writers, the confluence of two seas {jnerejul bahrein).
The fifth builder of Constantinople was a king of Ungurus (Hungary), named Puzantin (Byzantinus), son of Yânkö Ibn Mâdiyân, in whose time the city was nearly destroyed by a great earthquake, nothing having escaped except a castle built by Solomon, and a temple on the site of Ayâ Sofiyyah. From Puzan- tin, Islâmbûl was formerly called Pûzenteh (Byzantium).
The sixth builder was one of the Roman emperors ; the same as built the cities of Koniyah, Nlkdeh and Kaisariyyah (Caesarea). He rebuilt Islâmbûl,
8 THETRAVELSOF
which, for seventy years, had been a heap of ruins, a nest of serpents, lizards, and owls, 2288 years before its conquest by Sultân Mohammed.
The seventh builder of the city of Mâkedûn was, by the common consent of all the ancient historians, Vezendun, one of the grandsons of Yânk6 Ibn Mâdiyân, who, 5052 years after the death of Adam, being universal monarch, forced all the kings of the earth to assist him in rebuilding the walls of Mâkedûn, which then extended from Seraglio point {Scrâ'i bûnoıâ), to Silivri {Sclymbria), south- wards, and northwards as far as Terkos on the Black Sea, a distance of nine hours' journey.
Both these towns were united by seven long walls, and divided by seven ditches a hundred cubits wide. The remains of these walls, castles, and ditches, are still visible on the way from Silivri to Terkos ; and the khans, mosques, and other public buildings in the villages on that road, as Fetehkoi, Sâzli-koi, Arnâûd-koi, Kuvûk-dereh, 'Azzu-d-din-li, Kiteh-li, Bâklâli, and Tûrk-eslıeh-li, are all built of stones taken from these walls ; the remains of some of their towers and seven ditches appearing here and there. Chatuljeh, which is now a village in that neighbourhood, was then a fortified market-town close to the fortress of Islâmbûl, as its ruins shew. The line of fortifications which then surrounded the city may still be traced, beginning from Terkos on the Black Sea, and passing by the villages of Boruz, Tarâpiyah {Therafia), Firândâ near Rûm-ili hisar, Or- tahko'i, Fundukli, to the point of Ghalatah, and from thence to the lead-maga- zines, St. John's fountain (lyw Yanko âyâzmah-sİ), the Ghelabah castle, the old arsenal, the castle of Petrinah, the Arsenal-gardeu-Point, the castle of Alinah, the village of Sudlijeh, and the convent of Ja'fer-âbâd. All these towns and castles were connected by a wall, the circuit of which was seven days' journey.
Concermug the Canal from the river Dönâ (Danube).
King Yânvân, wishing to provide water for the great city of Islâmbûl, undertook to make a canal to it from the Danube. For that purpose he began to dig in the high road near the castles of Severin and Siverin, not far from the fortress of Fet'h-islâm, on the bank of that river ; and by those means brought its waters to the place called Azâd-li, in the neighbourhood of Con- stantinople. He afterwards built, in the bed of the river, a barrier of solid stone, with an iron gate, which is still to be seen, as the writer of these sheets has witnessed three different times, when employed there on the public service. The place is now called the iron gate of the Danube {Dönâ demir kapıı-sî), and is much feared by the boat-men, who sometimes unload their vessels there, as, when lightened of their cargoes, they can pass over it in safety.
EVLİYA efendi. 9
He also built another wear or barrier in the Danube, now called Tahtah-lu sedd, upon which many ships perish every year. It was when that river overflowed in the spring, that king Yânvân opened the iron gate and the barrier, to allow the stream to pass down to Islambul, where it discharges itself into the White Sea, at the gate called Istirdiyah kapu-si (the Oyster-gate), now Lan- ghah kapû-sî. All this was done by king Yânvân during the absence of king Vezendun, who was gone on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. On his return, his uncle Kojah Yânvân went over to Scutari to meet him ; and as soon as they met: "Well, my uncle," said Vezendan, "have you succeeded in your un- dertaking with regard to the Danube?" — " I dragged it, O king," said he, "by the hair, like a woman, into Mâkedûniyyah (Constantinople), through which it now runs." Scarcely had he uttered this haughty answer, when, by the command of God, the river suddenly returned, deserting its new bed, and bursting forth in a large fountain, at a place called Dona-degirmânleri (the Mills of the Danube), between Vârnah and Parâvâdı, where a mighty stream turns a great number of mills, which supply all the people of Döbrûjah with flour. Another branch of the Danube bursts forth near Kirk Kilisâ (the Forty Churches), from the rocks of Bunâr-hisâr (Castle of the Source). A third branch broke out in the lakes of Büyük and Kuchuk Chekmejeh, whence it unites with the Grecian (Rami) sea. The proof that all these streams have their source in the Danube is that they contain fish peculiar to that river, such as tunnies, sturgeons, Sec, as I myself have more than once wit- nessed, when observing what the fishermen caught in the lakes just named. It is also mentioned in the historical work entitled Tohfet, that Yilderim Bâya- zid (Bajazet) when he conquered Nigehboli (Nicopolis) and Fet-h-islam, hav- ing heard of the ancient course of the Danube, caused straw and charcoal to be passed into it through the iron gate, and that they afterwards appeared again at the above-named lakes Bunâr-hisâr and Donah-degirmânleri. When travelling with the Princess Fâtimah, daughter of Sultân Ahmed, and Suleiman Beg, we stopped at the village of Azâd-li, between Chatâljeh and Islambul, where there are evident marks of the ancient channel of the Danube, cut by art through rocks towering to the skies. We penetrated into those caverns on horseback, with lighted torches, and advanced for an hour in a northerly direction ; but were obliged to return by bad smells, and a multitude of bats as big as pigeons. If the sultans of the house of 'Osman should think it worth their while, they might, at a small expense, again bring the waters of the Danube by Yenibâghcheh and Ak-serai to Islambul.
The eighth builder of that city was a king of the name of Yaghfur, son of
C
10 THETRAVELSOF
Vezendûn, who placed no less than three hundred and sixty- six talismans (one for every day in the year) near the sea at Seraglio- Point, and as many on the hills by land, to guard the city from all evil, and provide the inhabitants' with all sorts of fish.
The ninth builder was Kostantin (Constantine), who conquered the ancient town and gave his name to the new city. He built a famous church on the place where the mosque of Mohamed II. now stands, and a large monastery, dedicated to St. John, on the hill of Zirek-kishi, with the cistern near it ; as well as the cisterns of Sultan Selim, Sıvası tekiyeh-si, near Majunji Mahal- leh-si, and Kedek-Pasha. He erected the column in the tâük-bâzûr (poultry market), and a great many other talismans.
SECTION IV.
Concerning Constantine, the ninth Builder, who erected the Walls and Castle of
Constantinople.
He was the first Roman emperor who destroyed the idols and temples of the Heathens, and he was also the builder of the walls of Ishimbul. 'Isa (Jesus) having appeared to him in a dream, and told him to send his mother Hellaneh (Helena) to build a place of worship at his birth-place Beitu-1-lahm (Bethlehem), and another at the place of his sepulchre in Kudsi Sherif (Jeru- salem), he despatched her with an immense treasure and army to Felestln (Palestine) ; she reached Yâfah (Jaffa), the port of Jerusalem, in three days and three nights, built the two churches named above, and a large convent in the town of Nab ulus.
Tlie Discovery of the true Cross.
By the assistance of a monk called Maghariyiis (Macarius), she found the place where the true cross was buried. Three trees in the form of crosses were found in the same grave, and the moment, as the Christians relate, a dead body was touched by them, it came to life again : this day was the 4th of Eiliil (September), which is therefore celebrated by the Christians as the feast of the Invention of the Cross, and has ever since been held as a gi'eat festival by the Greeks. Hellaneh also built the convent of the Kamameh (i. e. the church of the holy sepulchre) on the spot where the dead body had been restored to life, spent immense sums of money in repairing and adorning the mosque of Al-aksa built on the site of the temple of Solomon, restored Bethlehem, and did many other charitable and pious works. She then returned to Ishimbul, and presented the wood of the cross to her son Constantine, who received it with the greatest
evliya efendi, 11
reverence, and carried it in solemn procession to the convent on the summit oC Zirek-bashi. The noblest monuments of his power and resolution to surpass all other princes in the strength and durability of his works, are the walls of Constantinople. On the land side of the city, from the Seven Towers at its western extremity to lyyub Ansari, he built two strongly fortified walls. The height of the outer wall is forty-two cubits, and its breadth ten cubits ; the inner wall is seventy cubits high and twenty broad. The space between them both is eighty cubits broad, and has been converted into gardens blooming as Irem ; and at present, in the space between the Artillery (Top-kapu) and Adrianople gates (Edreneh-kapu), are the summer-quarters {yudâk) of the Za- gharjies, or C4th regiment of the Janissaries.
Outside of the exterior wall he built a third, the hight of which, measured from the bottom of the ditch, is twenty-five cubits, and its breadth six cubits ; the distance between this and the middle wall being forty cubits : and beyond the third wall there is a ditch one hundred cubits broad, into which the sea formerly passed from the Seven Towers as far as the gate of Silivri ; and being admitted on the other side from the gate of lyyub Ansari to the Crooked gate (Egri-kapu), the town was insulated. This triple row of walls still exists, and is strengthened by 1225 towers, on each of which ten watchful monks were stationed to keep watch, day and night. The form of Islâmbûl is triangular, havino- the land on its western side, and being girt by the sea on the east and north, but guarded there also by a single embattled wall, as strong as the ram- part of Gog and Magog. Constantine having, by his knowledge of astrology, foreseen the rise and ascendancy of the Prophet, and dreading the conquest of his city by some all-conquering apostle of the true faith, laid the foundation of these walls under the sign of Cancer, and thus gave rise to the incessant muti- nies by which its tranquillity has been disturbed. It is eighteen miles in circuit ; and at one of its angles are the Seven Towers pointing to the Kiblah (Meccah). The Seraglio-point (Serai-buruni) forms its northern, and the gate of lyyub its third and north-western angle. Constantine having taking to wife a daughter of the Genoese king (Jenuz Knili), allowed him to build some strong fortifica- tions on the northern side of the harbour, which were called Ghalatah, from the Greek word ghalah {yaKcx. , milk), because Constantine's cow-houses and dairy were situated there.
Names of Constantinople in different Tongues.
Its first name in the Latin tongue was Makduniyyah (Macedonia) ; then Yân- kövîchah in the Syrian (Süryâni), from its founder Yanko. Next in the Hebrew
C 2
12 THETRAVELSOF
('Ibri) Alkesıindeîrah (Alexandria) from Alexander ; afterwards Puzenteh (By- zantium) ; then for a time, in the language of the Jews, Vezendiuiiyyeh ; then by the Franks Yaghfi'iriyyeh. When Constantine had rebuilt it the ninth time, it was called Puznatiydm in the language of the Greeks, and Kostantaniyyeh ; in German Kostantin-opol ; in the Muscovite tongue Tekdriyyah ; in the lan- guage of Africa, Ghiranduviyyeh ; in Hungarian, Vizendu-vur; in Polish, Kanaturyah ; in Bohemian, Aliyana ; in Swedish (Esfaj), Khirakliban ; in Flemish, Isteghaniyyeh ; in French, Aghrandonah ; in Portuguese, Kosatiyah ; in Arabic, Kostantinah ; in Persian, Kaisari Zemin ; in Indian, Takhti Riuii (the throne of Rome) ; in Moghol, Hakdürkan ; in Tatar, Sakalibali ; in the language of the Osmanlus, Islambul. Towards the sea it was never defended by a ditch, which is there superfluous, but by a single wall ; but to guard the entrance of the Bosporus and Hellespont, and to increase the security of the city, the castles called Kilidu-1-bahrein (i. e. the key of the two seas), were built. It is said to have had three hundred and sixty-six gates in the time of Constantine, who left only twenty-seven open, and walled up the rest, the places of which are still visible.
SECTION V.
Concerning the circumference of Constantinople. In the year 1044 (1G34) (when I was first come to years of manhood, and used to walk with my friends all over Islambul, at the time that Sultân Murâd IV. had marched against (Rivan) Erivan, and Kojah Bairam Pasha was left as Kâyim-makâm (viceroy), he used to visit my late father ; and, in the course of conversation, inquire about the history of Islambul. "My lord," said my father, " it has been built nine times, and nine times destroyed ; but had never, since it has been in the hands of the house of Osman, fallen into such decay as now, when waggons might be any where driven through the walls." He then suggested to the Pasha, that this city, being the envy of the kings of the earth, and the royal residence of the house of 'Osman, it would be unv/orthy him to suffer its walls to remain in that ruinous condition during the period of his government ; and that when the Sultân returned victorious from Rivan, he would be overjoyed on seeing " the good city," his nest, as brilliant as a pearl, and compensate this service by large remunerations, while the name of the Pâshâ would also be blessed by future generations for so meritorious a work. All who were present applauded what my father had said, and he concluded by repeating the Fiitihah. The Mollâhs of Islambul, lyyub, Ghalatah, and Uskudâr (Scutari), the Shehr emini (superintendent of the town), four chief architects, Seybânbâshî (the
evliya efendi. 13
third in rank among the officers of the Janissaries), and all other men in office were immediately summoned together, with the Imams of the 4,700 divisions (mahallah) of the city, for the purpose of giving aid in repairing the fortihcations. Many thousands of masons and builders having been assembled, the great work was begun, and happily finished in the space of one year, before the return of the Sultân from his victorious campaign at Rivan.
On receiving intelligence of the conquest of that fortress the joy was universal, and the city was illuminated for seven days and seven nights. It was then that a causeway, twenty cubits broad, was formed at the foot of the wall, along the sea-shore, from Seraglio-Point to the Seven Towers ; and on it a high road was made for the convenience of the sailors, who drag their vessels by ropes round the point into the harbour. Close to the wall, all the houses, within and without, were purchased by government, and pulled down to make room for the road, and I then was enabled to measure the circumference of the city, by pacing it round as I shall now explain.
Having said a bismillah on setting out, and going along the edge of the ditch, from the Seven Towers to Abu lyyub Ensari, I found the distance measured 8,810 paces, exclusive of the eight gates. From the little gate of lyyiib to the Garden-gate (Baghcheh kapa), including the Martyr's gate (Shehid kapu-si), a space comprehending fourteen gates, there are 6,500 paces. The new palace (Yeni senii), which is the threshold of the abode of felicity (Asitanehi Dâru-s-se'âdet), beginning from the barley-granary (Arpâ-enbâri), which is near the head-lime-burner's gate (kirej-chi bashi kapu-si), has, in its whole circum- ference, sixteen gates, ten of which are open, and six closed, except on extraor- dinary occasions. The entire circuit of this new palace, built by Mohammed (II.) the conqueror, is 6,500 paces. The distance from the Stable gate (Akhor-kapu), along the new-made high road to the angle of the Seven Towers, measures 10,000 paces, and comprehends seven gates. According to this calculation, the whole circumference of Islâmbül measures 30,000 paces, having ten towers in every thousand paces, and four hundred towers in the sum total ; but, taking into the account those in the triple wall on the land side, there are altogether 1,225 large towers; of which, some are square, some round, some hexagonal. When Bairam Pasha had undertaken a complete repair of the fortifications, he ordered the walls to be measured by the builders' ell (arshin), and the whole circumference of the city was found to be exactly 87,000 ells or cubits (zira").
In the time of Kostantin (Constantine), there were five hundred cannons planted on the arsenal (Top-khanah) near the lead-magazine, of which the iron gates are still visible ; the same number was planted near Seraglio-Point, and
14 THETRAVELSOF
a hundred round the foot of the Maiden's Tower (Kiz kuUeh-si, ?'. e. the Tower of Leander). Not a bird could cross without being struck, from one of these three batteries, so secure was Ishimbul from any hostile attack. There was then a triple chain drawn from Ghalatah to Yemish Iskeleh-si, upon which a large liridge was built, affording a passage for comers and goers, and opening when necessary to allow the ships to go through. There were two other bridges also across the sea, from Balâtkapû-si (Palace gate) to the garden of the arsenal (Ters-khaneh-baghcheh-si), and from lyyub to Siidlijeh. In the time of Yanko Ibn Madiyan, also, a triple chain of iron was drawn across the straits of the Black Sea (Karah deniz boghazi), at the foot of the castle called Yoruz {i.e. the castle of the Genoese), in order to prevent the passage of the enemy's ships. I have seen fragments of these chains, which are still preserved at Islambiil in the magazines of the arsenal, each ring of which is as wide across as a man's waist, but they now lie covered with sand and rubbish. Islâmbûl was then in so flourishing a state, that the whole shore to Silivri one way, and to Terkoz on the Black Sea the other, was covered with towns and villages to the number of twelve hundred, surrounded by gardens and vineyards, and following each other in uninterrupted succession. Constantine, having reached the summit of great- ness and power, could easily have conquered the world, but he preferred em- ploying the remainder of his life in the embellishment of his capital. On the great festivals, such as the Red-egg-days (Kizil yumurtah günleri, /. e. Easter), Mother Meryem's days (the Feasts of the Virgin), Isvat Nikolah (St. Nicolas), Kasim (St. Demetrius), Khizr Ilyas (St. George), Aûsh-dûs, (i. e. the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, on the 14th of September), the casting of the crosses into the water (the Epiphany), the days of Karah-kondjoloz (pro- bably days on which evil spirits were exorcised), and on all Sundays (Bazar günleri, i. e. market days), the walls of Constantinople were covered with scarlet cloth, and the emperor himself, having his beard adorned with pearls, and the Kayanian crown of Alexander on his head, walked in solemn processian through the streets of the city.
The number of Paces between each of the twenty -seven Gates. From the Koshk (Kiosk) to the gate of the Seven Towers - - 1,000 paces.
From thence to the Silivri-gate ---- 2,010
To the Yeni-kapii (New-gate) -.-..----. 1,000
To the Top-kapu (Cannon-gate) - 2,900
To the Adrianople-gate 1,000
To the Egri-kapu (Crooked-gate) 900
These six gates are all on the west side of the city, looking towards Adrianople.
evliya efendi. 15
From thence to the lyyı'ıb Ensiiri-gate 1,000 paces.
To the Baliit kapû-si (the gate of the Palatium) ----- 700
F;inûs-kapu-si (Fanal-gate) - . - 900
To the Petrah-kapu- - GOO
To the Yeni-kapu (New-gate) 100
To the Ay;\-kapu - 300
To the Jubâli-kapû 400
To the Un-kapani-kapu (Flour-market-gate) ------ 400
The Ayazmah-kapii (Fountain-gate) 400
To the Odun-kapu (Timber-gate) --------- 400
To the Zindân-kapû-si (Prison-gate) - - 300
To the Bâluk-bâzâri-kapû (Fish-market-gate) 400
To the Yeni jâma'-kapû-sî (New Mosque-gate) 300
This, which is also called the Valideh kapu-si (Queen Mother's-gate), was erected in order to give access to the new mosque built by that princess.
From thence to Shehid kapu-si (Martyr"s-gate) 300 paces.
These fourteen gates, from lyyûb-kapû-sl to Shehid-kapû-sî, all open to the sea-shore, and face the north. The gates in the circuit of the imperial palace {serai hümâyûn) are all private, and are, 1. the Kirech-ji (lime-burners) ; 2. the Oghrim, from which the corpses of criminals executed in the seraglio are thrown into the sea ; 3. the Balukchi (fishmongers); 4. the Ich akhor (privy stable gate), looking southward ; and 5. the gate of Bayazid khan, which also faces the south, but is not always open. 6. The imperial (B;'ibi hümâyûn) or gate of felicity (Babi Sa'adet), also open to the south, and within it there are three gates in the same line: one of them is the (7.) Servi-kapu-si (the cypress gate), by which the Sultan issues when he visits Sancta Sophia, or takes his rounds through the city in disguise: another is (8.) Sultân Ibrahim's gate, also opening to the south, near the cold spring {söük cheshmcJi) ; a third is (9.) the Sokolll Mohammed Pasha kapii-si, a small gate near the Alâi-koshk, looking to the west; a fourth, also facing westward, is (10.) Suleiman Khân kapu-si, a small gate now always shut.> (11.) The iron gate (Demir kapû) is a large portal facing the west, and appropriated to the use of the Böstânjis and imperial favourites (Musâhibler, i. e. 'Era-ipot) , The above-mentioned eight private gates, from the Akhor kapû to the D^mir kapû, all open into the city ; but there are nine other pri- vate gates opening to the sea on the Seraglio-Point, and facing the north.
The whole circuit of the Seraglio measures 6,500 paces.
From the Privy Stable to the Public Stable-gate'(khâss-û-'âm akhor kapu-sl), there are ,-.-- 200 paces.
16 THE TRAVELS OF
From thence to the Chatladi (Broken-gate) 1,300 paces.
To the Kum-kapu (Sand-gate) 1,200
To the Lankah-gate - - - 1,400
Thence to the gate of Daiid Pasha _._._ 1,600
To the Samatiyah-gate - 800
To the Narli-gate 1,600
To the gate of the inner castle of the Seven Towers - - . - 2,000 Seven of these gates open towards the east, and as the winds blow from the south-east with great violence, the quay built by Bairam Pasha was soon destroyed, so that when I paced the circuit, as mentioned above, in the reign of Ibrahim Khan, I was obliged to pass between the Stable-gate and the Seven Towers, within the walls. I then found the whole circuit to be 29,810 paces ; but, in Bairam Pasha's time, when I went outside the walls, it measured exactly 30,000 paces, or 87,000 builders' cubits (ıni'mâr arshünı).
SECTION V. On the wonderful Talismans within and without Kostantineh. First talisman. In the 'Avret-Bâzâri (female-slave-market), there is a lofty column (the pillar of Arcadius) of white marble, inside of which there is a winding staircase. On the outside of it, figures of the soldiers of various nations, Hin- dustanies, Kurdistiinies, and Multanies, whom Yanko ibn Madiyan vanquished, were sculptured by his command ; and on the summit of it there was anciently a fairy-cheeked female figure of one of the beauties of the age, which once a year gave a sound, on which many hundred thousand kinds of birds, after flying round and round the image, fell down to the earth, and being caught by the people of Rum (Romelia), provided them with an abundant meal. Afterwards, in the age of Kostantin, the monks placed bells on the top of it, in order to give an alarm on the approach of an enemy ; and subsequently, at the birth of the Prophet, there was a great earthquake, by which the statue and all the bells on the top of the pillar were thrown down topsy-turvy, and the column itself broken in pieces : but, having been formed by talismanic art, it could not be entirely destroyed, and part of it remains an extraordinary spectacle to the present day.
Second talisman. In the Tauk-Bazar (poultry-market) there is another needle- like column (the pillar of Theodosius), formed of many pieces of red emery {sûmpârelı) stone, and a hundred royal cubits {zira meliki) high. This was also damaged by the earthquake which occurred in the two nights during which the Pride of the World was called into existence ; but the builders girt it round with
evliya efendi. 17
iron hoops, as thick as a man's thigli, in forty places, so that it is still firm and standing. It was erected a lumdred and forty years before the era of iskender ; and Kostantin placed a talisman on the top of it in the form of a starling, which once a year clapped his wings, and brought all the birds in the air to the place, each with three olives in his beak and talons, for the same purpose as was related above.
Third talisman. At the head of the Serraj-khaneh (saddlers' bazar), on the summit of a column stretching to the skies (the pillar of Marcian), there is a - chest of white marble, in which the unlucky-starred daughter of king Puzentin (Byzantius) lies buried ; and to preserve her remains from ants and serpents was this column made a talisman.
Fourth talisman. At the place called Alti Mermer (the six marbles), there are six columns, every one of which was an observatory, made by some of the ancient sages. On one of them, erected by the Hakim Filikiis (Philip), lord of the castle of Kavulah, was the figure of a black fly, made of brass, which, by its incessant humming, drove all flies away from Ishimbol.
Fifth talisman. On another of the six marble columns, Iflâtûn (Plato) the divine made the figure of a gnat, and from that time there is no fear of a single gnat's coming into Islâmbûl.
Sixth talisman. On another of these columns, the Hakim Bokrat (Hippo- crates) placed the figure of a stork, and once a year, when it uttered a cry, all the storks which had built their nests in the city died instantly. To this time, not a stork can come and build its nest within the walls of Ishimbol, though there are plenty of them in the suburbs of Abu lyyub Ensari.
Seventh talisman. On the top of another of the six marble columns, Sokrat the Hakim (^i.e. Socrates the sage) placed a brazen cock, which clapped its wings and crowed once in every twenty-four hours, and on hearing it all the cocks of Islâmbûl began to crow. And it is a fact, that to this day the cocks there crow earlier than those of other places, setting up their kü-kiri-küd (i. e. crowing) at midnight, and thus warning the sleepy and forgetful of the approach of dawn and the hour of prayer.
Eighth talisman. On another of the six columns, Fisâghorât (Pythagoras the Unitarian), in the days of the prophet Suleiman (Solomon), placed the figure of a wolf, made of bronze (tig), the terror of all other wolves ; so that the flocks of the people of Ishimbol pastured very safely without a shepherd, and walked side by side with untamed wolves very comfortably.
Ninth talisman. On another of these columns were the figures in brass of a youth and his mistress in close embrace ; and whenever there was any cool-
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18 THETRAVELSOF
ness or quarrelling between man and wife, if either of them went and em])raced this column, they were sure that very night to have their afflicted hearts restored by the joys of love, through the power of this talisman, which was moved by the spirit of the sage Aristaüilîs (Aristotle).
Tenth talisman. Two figures of tin had been placed on another of the six columns by the physician .Jâllnûs (Galen). One was a decrepit old man, bent double ; and opposite to it was a camel-lip sour-faced hag, not straighter than her companion : and when man and wife led no happy life together, if either of them embraced this column, a separation was sure to take place. Wonderful talismans were destroyed, they say, in the time of that asylum of apostleship (Mohammed), and are now buried in the earth.
Eleventh talisman. On the site of the baths of Sultan Bayazid Veli there was a quadrangular column, eighty cubits high, erected by an ancient sage named Kirbariyii, as a talisman against the plague, which could never prevail in Islambol as long as this column was standing. It was aftei-wards demolished by that sultan, who erected a heart-rejoicing hammcim in its place ; and on that very day one of his sons died of the plague, in the garden of Daud Pasha outside of the Adrianople-gate, and was buried on an elevated platform (soffah) without : since which time the plague has prevailed in the city.
Twelfth talisman. In the Tekfur Serai, near the Egri kapii, there was a large solid bust of black stone, on which a man named Muhaydak placed a brazen figure of a demon {'ûfrît), which once a year spit out fire and flames ; and whoever caught a spark kept it in his kitchen ; and, as long as his health was good, that fire was never extinguished.
Thirteenth talisman. On the skirt of the place called Zirek-bashi there is a cavern dedicated to St. John, and every month, when the piercing cold of winter has set in, several black demons {könjdlöz) hide themselves there.
Fourteenth talisman. To the south of Aya Sofiyah there were four lofty columns of white marble, bearing the statues of the four cherubs (kerri'tblir), Gabriel (Jebrayil), Michael (Mikayil), Rafael (israfil), and Azrael (Azrayil), turned towards the north, south, east, and west. Each of them clapped his wings once a year, and foreboded desolation, war, famine, or pestilence. These statues were upset when the Prophet came into existence, but the four columns still remain a public spectacle, near the subterraneous springs (chukitr cheshmth) of Aya Sofiyah.
Fifteenth talisman. The great work in the Atmeidan (Hippodrome), called Milyon-par (Millium?), is a lofty column, measuring a hundred and fifty cubits {arsh'hi) of builder's measure. It was constructed by order of Kostan-
evliya efendi. 19
tın, of various coloured stones, collected from the 300,000 cities of which he was king, and designed to be an eternal monument of his i)ower, and at the same time a talisman. Through the middle of it there ran a thick iron axis round which the various coloured stones were placed, and they were all keijt to<>-ether by a magnet, as large as the cupola of a bath {hammâm), fixed on its summit. It still remains a lasting monument ; and its builder, the head architect Ghiir- bârîn by name, lies buried at the foot of it.
Sixteenth talisman. This is also an obelisk of red coloured stone covered with various sculptures, and situate in the At-meidan. The figures on its sides foretell the different fortunes of the city. It was erected in the time of Yanko ibn Madiyan, who is represented on it sitting on his throne, and holdino- a rino- in his hand, implying symbolically, ' I have conquered the whole world, and hold it in my hands like tliis ring.' His face is turned towards the east, and kings stand before him, holding dishes, in the guise of beggars. On another are the figures of three hundred men engaged in erecting the obelisk, with the various machines used for that purpose. Its circumference is such that ten men cannot span it ; and its four angles rest on four brazen seats, such that, when one experienced in the builder's art has looked at it, he puts his fino-er on his mouth.
Seventeenth talisman. A sage named Surendeh, who flourished in the days of error, under king Puzentin, set up a brazen image of a triple-headed dragon {azhderha) in the Atmeidan, in order to destroy all serpents, lizards, scorpions, and such like poisonous reptiles : and not a poisonous beast was there in the whole of Mdkedoniyyah. It has now the form of a twisted serpent, measuring ten cubits above and as many below the ground. It remained thus buried in mud and earth from the building of Sultan Ahmed's mosque, but uninjured, till Selim II., surnamed the drunken, passing by on horseback, knocked oft' with his mace the lower jaw of that head of the dragon which looks to the west. Serpents then made their appearance on the western side of the city, and since that time have become common in every part of it. If, moreover, the remaining heads should be destroyed, Islambol will be completely eaten up with vermin. In short, there were anciently, relating to the land at Islambol, three hundred and sixty-six talismans like those now described, which are all that now remain.
Talismans rclathig to the Sea.
First talisman. At the Châtkidi-kapıı, in the side of the palace of an emperor whom the sun never saw, there was the brazen figure of a demon {div) upon a
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20 THETRAVELSOF
square column, which spit fire, and burnt the ships of the enemy whenever it was they approached from the White Sea (Archipelago).
Second talisman. In the galley-harbour {kadirgliah limanı) there was a brazen ship, in which, once a year, when the cold winter-nights had set in, all the Witches of Islambol used to embark and sail about till morning, to guard the White Sea. It was a part of the spoils captured with the city by Mohammed II. the conqueror.
Third talisman. Another brazen ship, the counterpart of this, was constructed at the Top-khanah (cannon-foundery), in which all the wizards and conjurors kept guard towards the Black Sea. It was broken in pieces when Yezid Ibn Mo'aviyyah conquered Ghahitah.
Fourth talisman. At Seraglo-Point there was a triple-headed brazen dragon, spitting fire, and burning all the enemy's ships and boats whichever way they came.
Fifth talisman. There were also, near the same place, three hundred and sixty-six lofty columns bearing the figures of as many marine creatures ; a White sun fish {khamsin balighi) for example, which, when it uttered a cry, left not a fish of that kind in the Black Sea, but brought them all to Makedun, where all the people got a good bellyful of them.
The sixth talisman was, that, during all the forty days of Lent, all kinds of fish were thrown ashore by the sea, and caught without any trouble by the people of Eum (Turkey).
All these talismans having been overthrown by the great earthquake on the night of the prophet's birth, the columns which bore them still lie strewed like a pavement along the Seraglio-Point, from the Selimiyyeh Koshk, to the castle of Sinan Pasha, and are manifest to those who pass along in boats. Though upset they still retain their talismanic virtues, and every year bring many thou- sand fishes to the shore.
There were also twenty-four columns round Islambol, each bearing a talisman. All could be visited by a man in one day, provided it was a day of fifteen hours : now the longest day at Islambol, from sun-rise to sun-set, is fifteen hours and a half. That city is situated in the middle of the fifth climate, and therefore enjoys excellent air and water.
SECTION VII.
Concerning the Mines within and without the City of Kostantin.
By God's will there was anciently a great cavern in Islambol, below the Sul- tan's mosque (Sultan jami'-si), filled with sulphur, nitre, and black powder, from which they drew supplies in time of need. Having, by the decree of heaven.
evliya efendi. 21
been struck by lightning in the time of Kostantin, or, according to our tradition, at the time of the taking of the city by the conqueror, all the large buildings over the cavern were blown up, and fragments of them scattered in every direc- tion ; some may still be seen at Uskudar (Scutari), others at Sahijak buruni, and Kâzı koi (Chalcedon) ; one large piece, particularly, called the Kaba-tash, and lying in the sea before the chismehler tekkiyeh, to the north of the village of Funduk-li, near Top-khanah, was probably thrown there when the city was blown up.
In the neighbourhood of the castle of Kûm-bûrghaz, half a day's journey from the Seven Towers, to the south of Islambol, a fine white sand is found, in great request among the hour-glass makers and goldsmiths of Islambol and Firengistan (Europe).
Near the privy-garden of Daud Pasha, outside of the Adrianople-gate, there are seven stone quarries, which appear to be inexhaustible. It is called the stone of Khizr, because it was pointed out by that prophet for the construction of Aya Sofiyah.
A kind of soft clay {tin) like electuary (jnaji'in), found near the suburb of Abu lyyub ansari, is called tin ansari; it is has a sweet scent like terra sigillata {tini makhtlim), from the island of Alimani (Jezirehi Alimani, i. e. Lemnos) ; and it is used for the sigillate earth found at Lemnos ; making jugs, a draught from which refreshes like a draught of the water of life.
From a pool {bulmreh) between the suburbs of lyyub Sultan and Khâs-k6i, divers bring up a kind of black clay, which is excellent for making jugs, cups, plates, and all kinds of earthenware.
The springs of Jendereh-ji, in the delightful promenade {mes'ıreh-gâh) called Kaghid Khânah (Kiahet-haneh, or les eaux douces, i. e. fresh- water springs), are famous all over the world. The root of a kind of lign-aloes {eker) is found there superior to that of Azak (Assov), the city of Kerdeh, or the canal of the castle of Kanizzhah. One of its wonderful properties is, that when a man eats of it it occasions a thousand eructations; it fattens tortoises marvellously, and the Franks of Ghalatah come and catch them, and use them in all their medicines witli great advantage.
At Sari Yâr, north of Kaghid Klianeh, a kind of fermented clay is found, which smells like musk, and is used in making jugs and cups, which are much valued, and offered as presents to the great.
At the village of Sâri Yâr, near the entrance of the strait of the Black Sea, there is a lofty mountain of yellow-coloured earth, covered with gardens and vineyards up to its summit. On its outside, near to the sea-shore, there is a
22 THE TRAVELS or
cavern containing a mine of pure gold, free from any alloy of Hungarian (Ungurûs) Bûndûkiinî brass. From the time of the infidels till the reign of Sultân Ahmed, it was an imperial domain, farmed out for one thousand yiik of aspers (loads, each equal to 100,000). The Defterdar, Ekmek-ji-zadeh Ahmed Pasha, closed it, as bringing little into the treasury ; it is now, therefore, neglected, but if opened again by the Sultan's order would be found a very valuable mine.
From this mountain in the valley of Gök-sû, near the castles (his/tr) on the Bos- phorus, a kind of lime is obtained which is whiter than snow, cotton, or milk, and cannot be matched in the world.
In the same favourite place of resort, the valley of Gok-sii, a kind of red earth is found, of which jugs, plates, and dishes are made ; and the doctors say, that pure water drunk out of vessels made of this earth cures the basuri demevi (blood-shot eyes ?).
In the mountains near ths town of Uskudâr (Scutari), is found a kind of fossil whetstone (Jtayâghâu), which breaks in large slabs, and is much used for tomb- stones.
Beneath the palace known by the name of Ghalatah-serai, above the suburb of Top-khanah, is an iron mine, called the mine of old Islambol, and the ore extracted from it is known by that name all over the world. Not a soul in the universe knew any thing of it till Khizr pointed it out, in the time of king Fe- rendu, for the building of Aya Sofiyah ; and all the ironwork of that edifice, as well as the iron hoops round the column in Taûk-bazâr [Forum Theodosii], were made of iron from Eski Stambol. The mine was worked till the time of Sultiin Bayazid Veli, who was much pleased with the air and water of the place, and often spent some time there; and having been admonished in a dream by the Prophet, founded a hospital and college on the spot; and having finally made it a school for pages of the seraglio, the mine was abandoned. The humble writer of this remembers, in the time of his youth, when 'Osman the Martyr was on the throne, there was between the lead-magazine {kurshıınlî makhzcii) and Top- kapu a manufactory of Damascus blades, made from the iron of this mine, where Mohamed the Conqueror, who established it, had most excellent blades made. I myself have seen Mustafâ, the head sword-maker of Sultân Murâd IV., and master of little David, working in that manufactory. It was a large building, outside of the walls, on the sea-shore. Afterwards, when Sultân Ibrahim ascended the throne, Kara Mustafâ Pâshâ became a martyr, and every thing was thrown into confusion ; this building was turned into a house for the Jews, by 'Ali Aghâ, superintendant of the custom-house, and neither the name, nor any trace of the mine or the sword manufactory, are to be found.
evliya efendi. 23
The thirteenth mine is that mine of men, the Good City, i. e. Kostantiniy- yeh, which is an ocean of men and beautiful women, such as is to be found no where else. It is said, that ifa thousand men die and a thousand and one are born, the race is propagated by that one. But Islambol is so vast a city, that if a thousand die in it, the want of them is not felt in such an ocean of men ; and it has therefore been called Kani Insân, 'a mine of men.'
SECTION VIII.
Sieges of Constantinople,
In the forty- third year of the Hijreh (A.D. 663), Mo'aviyyah became Comman- der of the Faithful ; and in the course of his reign sent his commander in chief Moslemah, son of 'Abdu-1-malik, at the head of a hundred thousand men of the Syrian army, with two hundred ships, and two hundred transports laden with provisions, ammunition, &c. from the port of Shâm-Tarah-bolûs (Tripoli in Syria), and trusting in God, first against the island of Miiltah, which at that time was Rodos (Rhodes), and of which they made a conquest almost as soon as they disembarked. They next proceeded to the islands of Istanko'i (Cos), Sakiz (Scio), Medelli (Mitylene), Alimaniyah (Lemnos), and Bozjah (Tenedos), which were taken in a few days ; and they immediately afterwards laid siege to Kostantaniyyeh, having taken four hundred ships in their passage, and inter- cepted all vessels laden with provisions coming from the White or Black Sea. The infidels soon sued for peace, on condition of paying the annual tribute of a galley laden with money ; and the victorious general returned to Arabia with joy and exultation, carrying with him the impure son of that erring king (kirâl) Herkil (Heraclius) as a hostage, with treasures to the amount of some millions of piastres.
Secof id Siege. In the fifty-second year of the Hijrah of the pride of the world (A.D. 671), Ebu lyyub Ansari, the standard-bearer of the Prophet, and 'Abdu- llah ibn 'Abbas ibn Zeid, proceeding with some thousands of the illustrious companions of the Prophet, and 50,000 brave men, in two hundred ships, followed by reinforcements under the command of Moslemah, first carried supplies to the warriors of Islam in garrison at Rodos, and then, casting anchor before the Seven Towers and landing their men, laid siege to IsUimbol by sea and land. Thus, for six months, did this host, which had the fragrance of Paradise, contend day and night with the infidels. By the wise decree of God. Ebu lyyub their leader suftered martyrdom in one of these assaults, by an arrow from a cross-bow : but, according to a sure tradition, he was received into mercy (i. e. he died) of a disorder in his bowels.
24 THE TRAVELS OF
Tliird Sies;e. In the year of the Hijrah 91 (A.D. 710), by order of the khalif Suleiman, son of 'Abdu-liah of the Beni Ummayyah, his nephew 'Omar ibn 'Abdu-l-'aziz marched by land against Islambol with 87,000 men, who ravaged Ghalatah with fire and sword, and having carried off an immense booty, crossed over into Anatoli (Natolia) ; and after having laid siege to Sinob, which made its peace at a great price, and Kastemuni, the capture of which likewise it did not please God to make easy to him, he returned to Syria (Sham).
The fourth Siege. In A.H. 97 (A.D. 716), the same khalif again sent his nephew 'Omar ibn "Abdu-l-'aziz against IsLimb61, with an army of 120,000 men by land, and 80,000 embarked in three hundred ships at sea. They established their winter-quarters that year in the town of Belkis-Ana, near Aidinjik (Cy- zicus), in the district of Brusah, and in the following spring they laid siege to Islambol, and reduced the inhabitants to the greatest distress, by laying waste all the surrounding fields and meadows.
The Jifth Siege. In the year of the Hijrah , 'Omar ibn 'Abdu-l-'aziz,
having become khalif of Sham (Syria), sent an army of 100,000 men, by land and by sea, against Islambol, and crossing the Strait of the Black Sea at Ghalatah, conquered it, and built the mosque of the lead magazines ; and the mosque of the Arabs (Arab jami'si) in that suburb was likewise named from its havino- been built by. him. Having erected a lofty heaven-aspiring tower at Ghalatah, he called it Medineto-1 Kahr (the City of Oppression). He made peace with the Tekkiir of Islambol on condition that Mohamedans should be allowed to settle in that city, from the Crooked (Egri) and Adrianople gates, and the hill on which the Suleimaniyyah stands, to that of Zirek-bashi, and from thence by the flour-market (un-kapani) as far as lyyub Ensari. He built the rose-mosque (Gul-jami'i) in the market of Mustafli Pasha, erected the court of justice near the Sirkehji tekiyeh, and formed a new district of the town at the summer-quarters of Kojah Mustatli Pâshâ, near the Seven Towers. Another condition on which this unilluminated Tekkur (emperor) obtained peace, was the annual payment of a tribute (kharaj) of 50,000 pieces of gold. 'Omar ibn 'Abdul'-aziz fixed his winter-quarters at Ghalatah for that year, having received the tribute due for three hundred years in consequence of a former treaty, departed, leaving Suleiman ibn 'Abdu-1 Malik governor of Ghalatah, and appointing Moselmah his Grand Vizir. His fleet having met near Rodosto one of two hundred sail, sent by the infidels to succour the Tekkur, a great battle ensued ; and just as the infidels were about to be destroyed, a stormy wind sprung up and drove both fleets on shore, notwithstanding all the cherubims in heaven emulated the zeal of the true believers on earth. The Moslims disem-
EVLİYA efendi. 25
barked, laid waste all the villages round about, carried away more than 3,000 horses, asses, and mules, and 23,000 prisoners. The treasures taken from the ships which were sunk, were so great, that God only knows their amount ; and the number of the dust-licking infidels passed over the edge of the sword such that their bones lie piled up in heaps in a well known valley, called even now 'Omar Kirdughi Jördû, i.e. 'the camp broken up by 'Omar.' After gaining another signal victory by sea and land, he returned into Syria (Sham).
ThesLith Siege. In the year of the hijrah 160 (A.D. 777) Mervan ibnu-1 Hakem besieged Islambol with an army of 150,000 Moslims and a fleet of a thousand ships during six months, added three new districts and built a mosque in the Mahommedan part of the city, and compelled Mesendun, son of Herakfl (Heraclius), to pay a yearly tribute of 500,000 golden tekyânûses, {i. e. coins called Decianus).
The seventh Siege. Seventy-four years after the peace made with Mervan, in the year of the hijrah 239 (A.D. 853-4), after the conquest of Malatiyyah, Islambol was pillaged by the khalif Yahya son of 'Ali, who returned to Khar- rân (Charrhge) after having smote 20,000 infidels with the edge of the sword.
The eighth Siege. Sixteen years afterwards, A. H. 255 (A.D. 869), I'liyâ (Elias) son of Herakil being king (kiral) of Islambol, Harunu-r-rashid marched from his paradisiacal abode at the head of 50,000 troops ; but finding it difficult to effect the conquest of the city, he made peace on condition of receiving as much ground within the walls as a bull's hide would cover. He therefore cut the hide into strips, so as to enclose space enough in the district of Kojah Mustafâ Pâshâ for building a strong castle, and he fixed the annual tribute at 50,000 fuluri (florins). He then returned to Baghdad, having levied the tribute (kharaj) due for the last ten years.
About this time the infidels, taking advantage of the dissensions which pre- vailed among the Muselmans respecting the khalifat, massacred all those established in Islambol and Ghalatah, not however without great loss on their own side, the king and royal family being all slain ; in consequence of which Ghinindo Mihal (Grando Michael), a grandson of Herakil who had come from Firengistân, was made king ; and on that very day Seyyid Bâbii Ja'fer, one of the descendants of Imam Hosein, and Sheikh Maksud, one of the followers of Veisu-1-Karni, sent by Harunu-r-rashid as ambassadors, entered Islambol. They were attended by three hundred fakirs and three hundred followers, and were received by the new king with innumerable honours. The Sheikh asked and obtained permission to bury the remains of the many thousand martyrs who had been slain in the late massacre, which lasted seven days and seven
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26 THE TRAVELS OF
niglits. He immediately set to wuik, and with the aid of his own three hundred fakirs and Baba Ja fer's three hundred followers, buried those many thousand martyrs in the places where they had died. In the ancient burying ground behind the arsenal, there are large caverns and ancient vaults, where, from the time of 'Omar ibn 'Abdu-l-'aziz, some thousand companions (of the Prophet) had been buried. To that place Sheikh Maksad carried some thousand bodies of these martyrs, and buried them there, where, on a hewn stone, there is written in large and legible characters, so that it may be easily read, this inscription, said to be by the Sheikh's own blessed hand :
These are the men wlio came and went !
In this frail world (dârijenâ) what have they done ?
They came and went, what have they done?
At last to th' endless world (dari Imka) they're gone.
It is to this day celebrated throughout the world as an extraordinary inscription, and is visited by travellers from Rum (Greece), 'Arab (Arabia), and 'Ajem (Persia). Some of them, who, in the expectation of finding hidden treasures, began to work at these ancient buildings with pickaxes like Ftrhad's, perished in the attempt, and were also buried there. Some holy men make pilgrimages to this place barefoot on Friday nights, and recite the chapter entitled Tekasur (Koran, chap. 102) ; for many thousands of illustrious companions (of the Prophet) JMohc'ijinn, (who followed him in his flight), and Aiixur.s (auxiliaries) are buried in this place. It has been also attested by some thousands of the pious, that this burial ground has been seen some thousands of times covered with lights on the holy night of Alkadr (i. e. sixth of Ramazân).
In short, Seyyid Baba Ja'fer, Harimu-r rashid's ambassador, having been enraged, and taking ott'ence at his not having been well received by the king Ghinindo Mihal, reproached him bitterly, and suffered martyrdom by poison in consequence of it. He was buried by Sheikh Maksiid, who received an order to that etiect, in a place within the prison of the infidels, where, to this day, his name is insulted by all the unbelieving malefactors, debtors, murderers, &c. imprisoned there. But when (God be praised !) Islâmböl was taken, the prison having likewise been captured, the grave of Seyyid Ja'fer Baba Sultan, in the tower of the prison [the Bagno], became a place of pilgrimage, which is visited by those who have been released from prison, and call down blessings in oppo- sition to the curses of the unbelievers.
The ninth Siege. Three years after that great event related above, Hârû- nu-r-rashid marched from Baghdad with an immense army, to require the blood of the faithful from the infidels of Riirn (Asia Minor and Greece), and
evliya efendi. 27
having reached Malatiyyah, which was conquered by Jafer Ghazi, surnamed Seyyid Battiil, that hero led the vanguard of the army into Rum ; and Hân'ın himself brought up the rear with reinforcements. Having taken possession of the straits, they blockaded the city, cut off all its supplies, gave no quarter, slew 300,000 infidels, took 70,000 prisoners, and made an immense booty, which they sent to Haleb (Aleppo) and iskenderun, and then returned laden with sjKiils to Baghdad. Yaghfiir (void of light), the king at that time, was taken prisoner and carried before Harun, who gave him no quarter, but ordered him to be hung in the belfry of Aya Sofiyyah (Sancta Sophia). Having been from my infancy desirous of seeing the world, and not remaining in ignorance, I learned the Greek and Latin languages of my friend Simyun (Simeon) the gold- smith, to whom I explained the Persian glossary of Shahidi, and he gave me lessons in the Aleksanderah (Alexandra), /. e. the History of Alexander. He also read to me the history of Yan van, from which these extracts are taken. But after the race of the Ceesars (Kayasirah) became extinct in Kanâtûr, Kos- tantiniyyah fell into the hands of various princes, till the house of Osman arose in A.H. 699 (A.D. 1.300), and, at the suggestion of 'Akiu-d-din the Seljûkî, first turned its attention to the conquest of that city.
SECTION IX. Concerning the Sieges of Constantinople by the Ottoman Emperors. The first portion of the descendants of Jafeth which set its foot in the country of Rum (Asia Minor) was the house of the Seljukians, who, in alliance with the Danishmendian Emirs, wrested, in A.H. 476 (A.D. 1083), the provinces of Malatiyyah, Kaisariyyah, 'Alaiyyah, Karaman, and Koniyah from the hand of the Greek emperors (Kaisari Rum Yûnâniyân). They first came from Mâ- verâu-n-nehr (Transoxiana). On the extinction of the Seljukian dynasty, A.H. GOO (A.D. 1204), Suleiman-shah, one of the begs (lords) of the town of Mâhân in Turan, and his son Ertoghrul, came into Rum, to the court of Sultan 'Alau-d- din. The latter having been set on his feet as a man (er-toghrilub), and made a beg by that prince, made many brilliant conquests, and, at the death of 'Alau- d-din, was elected sovereign in his stead, by all the great men (a'yân) of the country. He died at the town of Sukudjuk, and was succeeded by his son 'Osman, who was the first emperor (pâdishâh) of that race. He resided at 'Osmanjik, from whence the dazzling beams of the Mohammedan faith shed their light over Anatoli, Germiyan, and Karaman. In the time of his son and successor, the victorious O'rkhan, seventy-seven heroes, friends of God (evliyau-l- lah, i. e. saints) fought under the banners of the Prophet.
E 2
28 THETRAVELSOF
It was in his reign, that the holy (veli) Hâji Begtash, who had been in Kho- rasdn, one of the followers of our great ancestor, that Turk of Turks, Khojah Ahmed Yasevi, came over to his camp with three hundred devout (sahibi sejjddeh) fakirs carrying drums and standards, and, as soon as they had met O'rkhan, Brusah was taken. From thence he proceeded to the conquest of Con- stantaniyyeh. His son, Suleiman Beg, joined by the permission and advice of Begtash and seventy great saints (evliya), with forty brave men, such as Karah Mursal, Karah Kojah, Karah Yalavâ, Karah Bigha, Karah Sighlah, in short forty heroes (bahadur) called Karah (black), crossed over the sea on rafts, and set foot on the soil of Riirn, shouting Bismillah, the Mohammedan cry of war. Having laid waste the country on all sides of the city, they conquered, on a Friday, the castle of Ip-sala (it is called Ip-salâ by a blunder for Ibtida sala, /. e. the commencement prayer), and having offered up the Friday's prayer there, they pushed on to the gates of Adrianople, taking Geliboli (Galipoli), Tekir- tâghî (Rodosto), and Silivri (Selymbria) in their way, and returned victorious, laden with spoils and captives, after an absence of seven days, to Kapu-tdghi on the Asiatic shore, from whence they marched with their booty into Brusah. The brain of the whole army of Islam being thus filled with sweetness, the shores of Rum were many times invaded, all the neighbouring country was laid waste, nor were the infidels (kafirs) able to make any resistance ; while the Moslim heroes found means of raising a noble progeny by being tied with the knot of matrimony to the beautiful virgins whom they carried off". Sultan Murad I., who succeeded O'rkhan, following the advice formerly given by Ahiu-d-din Sultan and Hâji Begtash, made himself master of the country round Kostantaniyyeh before he attempted the conquest of the city itself. He therefore first took Edreneh (Adrianople), and filled it with followers of Mohammed coming from Anatoli, while the infidels could not advance a step beyond Islambol. However, they contrived to assemble an army of 700,000 men in the plain of Kös-ovâ. (Cossova), near the castle of Vechteren in Rum-ili (Romelia), where, by the decree of the Creator of the world, they were all put to the sword by the victorious Khudavendikar (Murad) ; but while walking over the dead bodies in the field of battle, praising God, and surveying the corpses of the infidels doomed to hell (duzakh), he was slain by a knife from the hand of one Velashko, who lay among the slain. The assassin was instantly cut to pieces, and Murad's son, Yildirim Bayazid Khan, mounted the throne. In order to avenge his father's heath, he fell like a thunderbolt on Kafiristan (the land of the unbelievers), slew multitudes of them, and began the tenth siege of Kostantaniyyeh.
Yildirim Bayazid wisely made Edreneh (Adrianople) the second seat of em-
EVLIYAEFFENDI. 29
pire, and besieged Ishimbol during seven months with an army of a hundred thou- sand men, till the infidels cried out that they were ready to make peace on his own terms, offering to pay a yearly tribute (kharaj) of 200,000 pieces of gold. Dissatisfied with this proposal, he demanded that the Mohammedans (ümmeti Mohammed) should occupy, as of old in the days of 'Omar ibn Abdu-l-'aziz, and Hariinu-r-Rashid, one half of Islambol and Ghalatah, and have the tithe of all the gardens and vineyards outside of the city. The Tekkur king (J. c. the Emperor) was compelled of necessity to accept these terms, and twenty thousand Musulmans having been introduced into the town, were established within their former boundaries. The Gul jami'i, within the Jebali kapu-si, was purified with rose-water from all the pollutions of the infidels, whence it received its name of Gul-jami'i (/. e. Rose mosque). A court of justice was established in the Sirkehji Tekiyeh in that neighbourhood; Ghalatah was garrisoned with six thousand men, and half of it, as far as the tower, given up to the Mohammedans. Having in this manner conquered one half of Islambol, Bayazid returned victorious to Edreneh. Soon afterwards Timur Leng issuing from the land of I'nin with thirty-seven kings at his stirrup, claimed the same submission from Bâyazîd, who, with the spirit and courage of an emperor, refused to comply. Timur, therefore, advanced and encountered him with a countless army. Twelve thou- sand men of the Tatar light-horse (eshkinji), and some thousands of foot soldiers, who, by the bad counsels of the vazir, had received no pay, went over to the enemy; notwithstanding which Bayazid, urged on by his zeal, pressed forwards with his small force, mounted on a sorry colt, and having entered the throng of Timur's army, laid about him with his sword on all sides, so as to pile the Tatars in heaps all around him. At last, by God's will, his horse that had never seen any action fell under him, and he, not being able to rise again before the Tatars rushed upon him, was taken prisoner, and carried into Timur's presence. Timur arose when he was brought in, and treated him with great respect. They then sat down together on the same carpet (sejjadeh) to eat honey and yoghurt (clotted cream). While thus conversing together, " I thank God," said Timur, " for having delivered thee into my hand, and enabled me to eat and dis- course with thee on the same table ; but if I had fallen into thy hands, what wouldst thou have done?" Yildirim, from the openness of his heart, came to the point at once, and said, "By heaven ! if thou hadst fallen into my hand, I would have shut thee up in an iron cage, and would never have taken thee out of it till the day of thy death!" " What thou lovest in thy heart, I love in mine," replied Timur, and ordering an iron cage to be brought forthwith, shut Bayazid up in it, according to the wish he had himself expressed. Timur then set out on his
30 THE TRAVELS O F
return, and left the field open for Chelebi Sultân Mohammed to succeed his father Yildirim. He immediately pursued the conqueror with 70,000 men, and overtaking him at Tashâk-6v;i-si, smote his army with such a Mohamme- dan cleaver, that his own men sheltered themselves from the heat of the sun under awnings made of the hides of the slain, whence that plain received the ludicrous name by which it is still known. But, by God's will, Yildirim died that very night of a burning fever, in the cage in which he was confined. His son Mohammed Chelebi, eager to avenge his father, continued to drive Timur forwards, till he reached the castle of Tokat, where he left him closely besieged. He then returned victorious, carrying the illustrious corpse of his father to Brusah, where it was buried in an oratory in the court before his own mosque. His brothers 'I'sa and Musa disputed his right to the empire ; but Mohammed, supported by the people of Rum, was proclaimed khalifah at Edreneh (Adria- nople), where he remained and finished the mosque begun by his father. On hearing of these contentions for the empire, the king (tekkur) of Ishimbol danced for joy. He sent round cryers to make proclamation that, on pain of death, not a Muselman should remain in the city of Kostantin, allowing only a single day for their removal : and he destroyed a great number of them in their flight to Tekirtagh (Rodosto) and Edreneh (Adrianople). The empire, after the demise of Chelebi Mohammed, was held first by Murad II., and then by Mohammed (II.) the conqueror, who during his father's lifetime was gover- nor (hâkim) of Maghnisâ (Magnesia), and spent his time there in studying history, and in conversing with those excellent men Ak-Shemsu-d-din, Karah- Shemsu-d-diu, and Sivâsi, from whom he acquired a perfect knowledge of the commentaries on the Koran and the sacred traditions (hadis). While he was at Maghnisâ, having heard that the infidels from Frânsah (France) had landed at 'Akkah (Acri), the port of Jerusalem, on the shore of the White Sea, and in the dominions of Kelâûn, Sultân of Egypt, and taken possession of Askelân and other towns, from which they had carried off much plunder and many prisoners to their own country, he was so much grieved at the thoughts of thou- sands of Muselmâns being can-ied into captivity, that he shed tears. " Weep not, my Emperor," said Ak-shemsu-d-din, " for on the day that thou shalt conquer Islâmbol, thou shalt eat of the spoils and sweetmeats taken by the unbelievers from the castle of 'Akkah : but remember on that day to be to the faithful an acceptable judge as well as victor {kâzı ve-ghâzi râz'i), doing justice to all the victorious Moslims." At the same time taking off" the shawl twisted round his 'urban, he placed it on Mohammed's head, and announced the glad tidings of his being the future conqueror of Ishimbol. They then
EVLİYA efendi. 31
read the noble traditions (hadîs) of what the Prophet foretold relative to Ishimbol, and observed that he was the person to whom these traditions applied. Mohammed on this, coverin<i- his head with Ak-Shcmsu-d-din's tur- ban (urf), said : " Aftairs are retrieved in their season !" and, recommending all his affairs to the bounty of the Creator, returned to his studies.
On the death of his father Murad II., ambassadors to congratulate him were sent by all monarchs, except Uzun Hasan, Prince (Shah) of Azerbaijan, of the family of Karah Koyunli ; against him, therefore, he first turned his arms, and defeated him in the field of Terjan.
Account of the Rise of Moliainnicd II., the Father of Victory.
He mounted the throne on Thursday the IGth Moharrem 855 (A.D. 1451), at the age of twenty-one years. My great grandfather, then his standard-bearer, was with him at the conquest of Ishinibol. He purchased with the money arising from his share of the booty, the houses within the U'n kapanı, on the site of the mosque of Saghirjilar, which he built after the conquest of the city by Mo- hammed II., together with a hundred shops settled on the mosque as an endow- ment (vakf). The house in which I was born was built at the same time, and with money so acquired. The patents (Jbarats) for the mosques and the shops, however, were made out in the conqueror's name, and signed with his cypher itughra), the administration of the endowment being vested in our family. From the deeds relative to it now in my hands, I am well acquainted with the dates of all the events of his reign. He was a mighty but bloodthirsty mo- narch. As soon as he had mounted the throne at Adrianople, he caused Hasan, his younger brother by the same mother, to be strangled, and sent his body to Brusah, to be interred there beside his father. He conquered many castles in the country round Brusah, built those called the key of the two seas, on the strait of the White Sea, and two likewise on that of the Black Sea, and levied a tribute on Islâmböl. According to the peace made by Yildirim, a tithe of the produce of all the vineyards round was to be paid to the Sulüin, before any infidel could gather a single grape. After the lapse of three years, some grapes having been gathered by the infidels in violation of this article of the treaty, in the vineyards of the Rumili hisar {i. e. the European castle on the canal of Constantinople), a quarrel ensued, in which some men were killed. Moham- med, when this was reported to him, considered it as a breach of the treaty, and immediately laid siege to Isldmbol, with an army as numerous as the sand of the sea.
32 THE TRAVELS OF
SECTION X.
The last Siege of Kostantanii/i/eh by Mohammed II. the Conqueror.
In the year of the Hijrah 857 (A.D. 1453), Sultan Mohammed encamped out- side of the Adrianople gate, with an immense army of Unitarians (Muvahhedin) ; and some thousands of troops from Arebistan, who crossed the Strait of Geliboli (Gallipoli), and having joined the army of Islam, took up their quarters before the Seven Towers. All the troops from Tokat, Sivas, Erzri'im, Pai-bûrt, and the other countries taken from Uziin Hasan, crossed the strait near Islambol, and encamped on the 'Ok-meidan in sight of the infidels. Trenches, mines, and guns were got ready, and the city was invested by land on all sides ; it was only left open by sea. Seventy-seven distinguished and holy men beloved by God (Evliyau-llah) followed the camp; among them were Ak-Shemsu-d-din, Karah-Shemsu-d-din, Siveisi, Molla Kûrani, Emir Nejari, Molla Fenari, Jubbeh "Ali, Ansâri-Dedeh, Molla Pûlad, Aya Dedeh, Khorosi Dedeh, Hatabli Dedelı, and Sheikh Zindanı The Sultan made a covenant with them, promising that one- half of the city (devlet) should belong to them, and one-half to the Muselman conquerors ; " and I will build," said he, " for each of you a convent, sepulchral chapel, hospital, school, college, and house of instruction in sacred traditions (Dâru-1-hadisj." The men of learning and piety were then assembled in one place ; proclamation was made that all the troops of Islam should renew their ablutions, and offer up a prayer of two inflections. The Mohammedan shout of war (Allah ! Allah !) was then thrice uttered, and according to the law of the Prophet, at the moment of their investing the city, Mahmud Pasha was sent with a letter to the Emperor (Takkur) of Constantaniyyeh. When the letter had been read and its contents made known, relying on the strength of the place and the number of his troops, the Emperor proudly sent the ambassador back, saying, "I will neither pay tribute, nor surrender the fortress, nor em- brace Islam." On one side, the troops of Islam surrounded the walls like bees, crying out Bismillah, and beginning the assault with the most ardent zeal ; on the other, the besieged, who were twice one hundred thousand crafty devils of polytheists, depended on their towers and battlements by land, and feared no danger by sea, the decrees of fate never entering into their thoughts. They had five hundred pieces of ordnance at Seraglio Point, five hundred at the Lead- magazines (on the Ghalatah-side), and one hundred, like a hedge-hog's bristles, inside and outside of the Kiz kuUeh-si (Tower of Leander), so that not a bird could fly across the sea without being struck from these three batteries. The priests (papas), monks, and patriarchs encouraging those polluted hosts to the
evliya efendi. 33
battle, promised some useless idols, such as Lat and Menat, to each of the infidels. The Osmanlas, in the mean time, began to batter the walls, and received reinforcements and provisions ; while the Greeks, who were shut out of the canals of Constantinople and the Dardanelles by the castles built there, could obtain none. After the siege had been carried on for ten days, the Sultan assembled his faithful sheiks, saying, " See to what a condition we are reduced ! The capture of this fortress will be very difficult, if the defence of it is thus continued from day to day." Ak-Shemsu-d-din told him that he must wait for a time, but would infallibly be conqueror : that there was within the city a holy man named Vadiid, and that as long as he lived it could not be taken ; but that in fifty days he would die, and then at the appointed hour, minute, and second, the city would be taken. The Sultân therefore ordered Timur-tash Pasha to employ 2,000 soldiers in constructing fifty galleys (kadir- ghah), in the valley near Kaghid khâneh, and some villages were plundered to provide them with planks and other timber for that purpose. Kojah Mustafâ Pasha had previously constructed, by the labour of all his Arab troops, fifty galleys and fifty horse-boats (kâyik), at a place called Levend-chiftlik, opposite to the Ok-me'idân. The galleys built at Kaghid khâneh being also ready on the tenth day, the Sultân went on that day to the Ok-meidân, with some thou- sands of chosen men, carrying greased levers and beams to move the said ships. By the command of God, the wind blew very favourably ; all sails were unfurled, and amidst the shouts of the Moslims crying Allah! Allah! and joyful discharges of muskets and artillery, a hundred and fifty ships slid down from the Ok-meidân into the harbour. The terrified Kafirs cried out " What can this be?" and this wonderful sight was the talk of the whole city. The place where these ships were launched is still shown, at the back of the gardens of the arsenal (Ters khâneh), at the stairs of Shâh-kuli within the Ok-meidân.
The millet (dârû, i. e. sorghum) which was scattered there under the ships (in order to make them slide down more readily) grew, and is to this day growing in that place. All the victorious Moslims went on board armed cap-a-pie, and waited till the ships built by Timûr-tâsh at Kaghid khâneh made their appear- ance near lyyub (at the extremity of the harbour), in full sail, with a favourable wind. They soon joined the fleet from Ok-meidân, amid the discharge of guns and cannons, and shouts of Hoi Hoi! and Allah! Allah! When the Kafirs saw the illustrious fleet filled with victorious Moslims approach, they absolutely lost their senses, and began to manifest their impotence and distress. Their con- dition was aptly expressed in that text (Kor. II, 18): " They put their fingers
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34 THE TRAVELS OF
in their ears, because of the noise of the thunder, for fear of death!" and they then began to talk of surrendering on the twentieth day. Pressed by famine and the besieo-ing army, the inhabitants deserted through the breaches in the walls, to the Moslims, who, comforted by their desertion, received them well. On that day, the chiefs (bais) of Karaman, Germiyân, Tekkeh-ili, Aidin, and Sari- khan, arrived with 77,000 well-armed men, and gave fresh life to the hearts of the faithful. Timur-tash having passed over with his fleet to the opposite side, landed his troops on the shore of lyyiib, where he attacked the gates of lyyiib and Sari-Sultan; Mula Pulad, a saint who knew the scripture by heart and worked miracles, attacked that of Pulad ; and Sheikh Fanari took post at the Fener kapû-si (the Fanal-gate). The Kafirs built a castle there in one night, which would not now be built in a month, and which is actually standing and occupied. A monk named Petro having fled from that castle with three hundred priests, all turned Moslims, and that gate was called from him Petro kapû-sî. Having by God's will conquered the newly-built castle that night, he received a standard and the name of Mohammed Petro. Ayâ-dedeh was sta- tioned with three hundred Nakshbendi Fakirs before the gate of Aya, where he fell a martyr (to the faith), and was buried within the walls, at our old court of justice the Tekiy6h (convent) of Sirkehji ; in the same manner, the gate at which Jubbeh 'Alı was posted, was called the Jebali gate, in memory of him, .Jebali being erroneously written for Jubbeh 'Ali. He was the sheikh (i. e. spi- litual guide) of KelAun, Sultan of Egypt, and having come to Brusah for the purpose of being present at the taking of Islâmböl, became a disciple of Zeinu- d-din H;ifi, and was called Jubbeh 'Ali, from his always wearing a jacket (jubbeh) made of horse-cloth ; he was afterwards, when Mohammed marched ao-ainst Islambol, made chief baker (ekmekchi-bâshi), and provided, no creature knows how, from one single oven the whole army, consisting of many hundred thousand servants of God, with bread as white as cotton. He did not embark at the Ok-meidan, but with three hundred Fakirs, disciples of Zemu-d-din Hafi, who, having spread skins upon the sea near the garden of the arsenal, employed themselves in beating their drums and tambours, and singing hymns in honour of the unity (tevhid) of God. They then, unfurling the standard of Hafi, passed over the sea clearer than the sun, standing on their skins as on a litter, to the terror of the infidels doomed to hell ! Jubbeh 'Ali having taken up his from the sea, was posted at the Jebali gate. After the conquest he voluntarily fell a martyr, and was interred in the court of the Gul-jami'i (the rose-mosque), where an assemblage of Fakirs afterwards found a retreat from the world. Khoros dedeh was engaged at the Un-kapani gate, which therefore bears his
evliya efendi. 35
name ; and below it, on the left hand as one enters, there is a figure of a cock (khoros). He was a Fakir, and one of the disciples of my ancestor Ahmed Yesevî. He came from Khurasan, when old and sickly, with Haji Begüish, in order to be present at the siege of Islambol, and got the nickname of Khoros- dedeh (father cock), from his continually rousing the faithl'ul, by crying out, "Arise, ye forgetful!" Yaûzûn Er, who was a very pious man, built within the Un-kapani a mosque in honour of him ; it is now in the Sighirjilar chârshû- SÎ (beast market), and named afterwards the mosque of Yaûzûn Er. Khoros- dedeh died sometime afterwards near the gate called after his name, and was buried near the high-road, outside of the Un-kapani gate, beside my ancestor. A conduit for religious ablutions has been erected near it, and is now visited as a place of pilgrimage. 'Ali Yiirik, Bey of Ayiizmand, a nephew of Uzun-Hasan, of the Karâkoyûnli family, attacked the Ayazmah gate. He dug a well there for the purpose of renewing his ablutions ; hence the gate received the name Ayazmah (Kjiaa-^a) kapu-si : the water is pure spring- water, though on the edge of the sea. Sheikh Zindanı was a descendant of Sheikh Baba Ja'fer, who having come as ambassador in the time of Hârünu-r Rashid, was poisoned by the king (i. e. emperor), and buried within the Zindan kapû-si (prison-gate). Sheikh Zindanı visited this place, having come from Edirneh (Adrianople) with " the conqueror," at the head of 3,000 noble Seyyids (descendants of Mo- hammed), who gave no quarter, soon made the Zindan kapu-si his castle, and having entered it, made a pilgrimage to his ancestor's tomb, and laid his own green turban on the place where Baba Ja'fer's head rested. He continued for seventy years after the conquest as Turbehdar (warden of the sepulchre) and built a convent there. The Emperor, as he had made a prison in that place, called it Zindan kapu-si (the Bagnio), and it was conquered by Zindani. The Sheikh having appointed in his stead a Sayyid of the same pure race, to take charge of the tomb of Ja'fer Baba, accompanied Sultân Bâyazid in his expedition against Kili (Kilia) and Ak-kirman, in the year 889 (A.D. 1484). He died at Edirneh (Adrianople), after his return with Bâyazid from those conquests, and on that occasion the Sultân caused all the prisoners in the public prison there to be set at liberty for the good of the Sheikh's soul, and erected a chapel (turbeh) over his tomb, outside of the Zindan Kulleh-si, having attended his funeral in person. His turbeh is now a great place of pilgrimage, and all his children are buried there. It is called the Ziyâret-gâh of Abdu-r-ruuf Samadani. The wardens of the tomb of Bâbâ Ja'fer at Islambol are still members of his family, and their genealogical tree is as follows : 'Abdu-r-ruuf Samadhni (otherwise called Sheikh Zindani) son of Sheikh Jemalu-d-dfn, son of Bint-Emir Sultân, son of Eshrefu-d-
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36 THETRAVELSOF
din, son of Taju-d-clin, son of the daughter of Seyyid Sikkin (buried near Ak- sherasu-d-dhi, at Turbahli Koi), son of Ja'fer Bâbâ (buried at Ish'imbol), the son of Mohammed Hauifi, from whom my ancestor Ahmed Yesevi was also de- scended ; our genealogical trees were therefore well known to me.
Kâmkâr Beg, of Kûtâhiyeh, was one of the Germiyân-6ghlû {i. e. the children ofGermiyân). He, with three thousand young heroes, assailed the (Shehid kapu-si (martyr's-gate). As it is near Aya Sofiyah, the Christians assembled there in great multitudes, opened the gate, and sallying forth with great fury, made all their Muselman assailants martyrs. In the time of Huriinu-r-rashid, also, some of the illustrious auxiliaries of the Prophet {a/i.s/ir) quatted the cup of martyrdom there, hence it has been named the Martyr's (Shuhud) gate, though incorrectly called by the vulgar, Jews' (Juhiid) gate. The gates of the royal palace (Khunkar serai) sustained no siege ; but the gate near the Seven Towers was attacked by Karaman-oghU'i with the new reinforcements. The troops from Tekkehbai were posted before Silivri-gate ; those from Aidin, before the new o-ate (Yeni kapû); those from Sarûkhân, before the Cannon-gate (Top kapu-si), where they were slain, and replaced by those from Munteshu. The force from Isfendiyar was ordered to besiege the Adrianople-gate (Edirneh kapu-si), and that from Hamid, the Crooked-gate (Egri kapû). So that Islâmböl was besieged on two sides, and nothing but the Kûm kapû (Sand-gate) on the sea-shore, and the wall from the Seven Towers to Seraglio-Point, remained free from attack. At the Seven Towers, the poet Ahmed Pasha, disregarding the fire of the infi- dels made several breaches. At the Silivri-gate, Haider Pasha's fire gave not a moment's respite to the infidels. At the new gate (Yeni kapû), Mahmûd Pasha, commander of the troops from Aidhi, stormed the wall which he had battered three times without success. The commander at the Top kapu-si was Nishâni, also called Karamanı Mohammed Pasha, a disciple of Jellalu-d-din Rûmi. He had o-iven devilish {khabcli) proofs of his valour in the war against Uzun Hasan. While he stood at the Cannon-gate, not a cannon could the Kafirs discharge. At the Edirneh-gate (Adrianople), the commander was Sa'di Pâshâ, who having dwelt along with Jem-Shah in Firengistan, had learned many thousand mili- tary arts. Being united heart and soul with the valiant men from Isfendiyar stationed at that gate, they vied with him in their heroic deeds, remembering the prophetic tradition that says "We shall be the conquerors of Kostanta- niyyeh " (Constantinople). Seven places are yet shewn near that gate where they battered down the wall. Hersek-Oghlû Ahmed Pasha had the command at the Crooked-gate (Egri-kapd), where by many straight-forward blows he sidled himself into the midst of the infidels till he reduced them all to a mummy.
evliya efendi. 37
In this way Kostantaniyyeh had been besieged for twenty days, without any signs of its being conquered. The Moslem warriors, the seventy Unitarians, and three thousand learned 'Ulemas, favourites of God (Evliya-Uah), masters of the decrees of the four orthodox sects, began to be afflicted by the length of the siege, and with one accord oftered up their prayers to the Creator for his aid, when suddenly there was darkness over Islambol, with thunder and lightning ; a fire was seen to ascend to the vault of heaven from the Atmeidan ; the strongest buildings flew into the air, and were scattered over sea and land. On that day three thousand infidels fled from the city, through alarm and terror. Some were honoured by the profession of Islam, and admitted into the emperor's ser- vice ; others fled to different countries ; but the rest, who would not abandon the faith of the Messiah, set to work to repair the breaches, and continued firm in their resistance. They were much pressed, however, by want of food and ammunition.
On the thirtieth day of the siege. Sultan Mohammed having placed the 'Urf (i. e. the judicial turban) on his head, and sky-coloured boots on his feet, mounted a mule which might rival Duldul (Mahomet's steed), made the round of the walls, and distributed largesses among his troops. He then passed over with many thousand men from lyyub to Kaghid khanah, and crossing the streams of All Beg Koi and Kaghid Khanah came to the place called Levend-chiftlik, where forty ships (firkatah) had also been built. These, like the former, they moved on rollers to the Ok-meidan, and launched them at the Shah-kuli stairs into the sea, filled with some thousand scarlet scull-capped Arabs, burning as brandy, and sharp as hawks.
SECTION XI.
There appeared off Seraglio Point ten large admirals' ships and ten frigates, completely armed and equipped, with the cross-bearing ensign flying, drums beating, and music playing ; and casting anchor there, they fired their guns with indescribable demonstrations of joy, while the Moslims advanced from the Ok-meidan in two hundred boats and skiff's, embarked on board their own vessels, rushed on these ten ships like bees swarming upon a hive, and enthralled them, head and stern, with their ropes like a spider's web. The infidels, sup- posing that they were only come on a parley, stood quietly without stretching- out a hand against them. The Moslims, in the mean time, shouting " Allah ! Allah !" began to tie their hands behind their backs, and to plunder their ships ; when the infidels, speaking in their own language, said " C/ii par/ai," that is to say, "What do you say?" The Kafirs discovered by the answer who they were.
38 THE TRAVELS OF
and cried out, " These Turks have entered our ships like a plague, we can make no resistance." On entering the harbour they had fired all their guns as signals of joy, and were now so crowded together that they could not use their arms, they were therefore all taken. The infidels within the town, seeing this sad event, those who were coming to succour them having been thus taken, tore their hair and beards, and began a heavy fire from the batteries at Seraglio Point, the Lead Magazines at Ghalatah, and the Klz Kulleh-si (Tower of Leander). The un- daunted Moslims, however, in spite of the enemy's batteries, lowered the cross- bearing flag on the twenty ships which they had taken, put all the prisoners on board of their own vessels, and came to an anchor before the garden of the arsenal, firing their guns repeatedly from joy and exultation. The serden- gechdi (i. e. mad caps) immediately disembarking from the vessels, brought the glad tidings to the Sultan and Ak-Shemsu-d-din, in the garden of the arsenal; when the latter, turning to Mohammed, said : " When your majesty, being then a prince at Maghnisu, heard of the taking of 'Akkâ, Saidâ, and Berût (Acrl, Sidon, and Beirut) in Egypt, by the infidels, and grieved at the thoughts of what the captives, women, and children must suffer, I comforted you by saying, that when you conquered Ishimbol you would eat of the sweetmeats taken in the plunder of 'Akkâ. Lo ! those sweetmeats are now presented to you, and my prophetic prayer, that the city might be conquered on the fiftieth day, has been answered !" There were found by the Musulmans on board the twenty ships, three thousand purses of coins (fuliiri) of Tekiyânüs (Decianus), one thousand loads of pure gold, two thousand loads of silver, eight thousand pri- soners, twenty captains of ships, a French princess (a king's daughter, a yet unexpanded blossom), a thousand Muselman damsels, brilliant as the sun, noble and ignoble, and some thousand-times a hundred thousand warlike stores ; all of which the Sultân confided to the care of Ak-Shemsu-d-dln, while he himself was entirely engaged in continuing the siege.
The complete account of the affair is this : Kostantin, the late King of Is- lambol, being betrothed to a daughter of the King of Fransah, the latter, in order to send her with an escort worthy of her rank, equipped a fleet of six hundred ships, and sent them to ravage the coasts of Arabia (Arabistan). In that un- happy year they had plundered 'Akkah, Saidah, Berût, Tarâbulus (Tripoli), Ghazzah, and Ramlah, as far as the land of Hasan (Haûrân ?), and carried off more than two thousand Huri-like damsels from 'Arabistan, with spoils to the amount of millions. Of this fleet, ten galeons and ten frigates were dispatched to carry the Princess to Islâmbûl. When they reached the straits of the White Sea (the Dardanelles), they discovered that the Turks had built castles there ;
evliya efendi. 39
but these accursed fellows, by disguising themselves, taking advantage of a fresh southerly breeze, and sending forwards five empty ships to receive the fire from the castles, in two hours got twenty miles beyond them. Having by this stratagem reached Ish'imbol, they were taken, thank God ! as has been related. This French princess afterwards gave birth to Yildirhn Bayazid; but other histo- rians tell the story differently, and say that she was taken by the father of Moham- med the Conqueror, and gave birth to him, but he was in truth the son of 'Alimeh Khanum, the daughter of Isfendiyar Oghlu. The correctness of the first account may be proved thus : My father, who died an old man, was with Sultân Su- leiman at the sieges of Rhodes, Belgrade, and Sigetvâr, where that prince died. He used to converse much with men advanced in years : among his most inti- mate friends there was one who was grey-headed and infirm, but more eloquent than Amrio-1-kais or Abû-l-ma';ıli. He was chief secretary to the corps of Ja- nissaries, and his name was Su-Kemerli Kojah Mustafâ Chelebi. This gentle- man was certainly related to this daughter of the King of Frânsah, from whom he continually received presents; and I remember that when I was a boy he gave me some curious pictures which had been given to him by her. During the siege of Sigetvâr, before the death of Suleiman was known to the army, the silihdâr (sword-bearer) Kiizu 'AH Aghâ, by the desire of the Grand Vizir Sokol-li Mohammed Pâshâ, assembled a council of war, at which the corpse of the Sultân was seated on his throne, and his hands were moved [by some one con- cealed] behind his ample robe (khil'ah). To this council all the vizirs, vakils, and senior officers of the army were summoned. Among them were the ri- kâbdâr (stirrup-holder) Julâbi Aghâ, the metbakh emini (clerk of the kitchen) 'Abdi Efendi, my father, and the abovementioned Su-kemerli Kojah Mustafâ. He was at that time so old, that when he accompanied the army he was always carried about in a litter (takhti-revan). He had been one of the disciples of the great Mufti Kemâl Pâshâ-zâdeh, and was deeply read in divinity and history. Being one of the servants of Kemâl Pâshâ-zâdeh, " I was," he used to say, " when a youth of twenty-five years of age, present at the conquest of Cairo by Sultân Selim I." A.H. 923 (A.D. 1517); and the writer of these pages was lost in astonishment when he heard him give an account of the great battles of Merj Dâbik and Kâkûn, of Sultân Ghaûri's quaffing the cup of destiny, of his son Mohammed's being deposed by the soldiery on account of his youth, of Tumân- Bâi's succeeding him, of his continued war and twenty-three battles with Selim, till at length Cairo was taken. He was a most faithful man, and one whose word could be taken with perfect security; and having heard him relate the story of the abovementioned French ])rincess from beginning to end, I write it down here.
40 THE TRAVELS OF
An Explanation of the Relationship between the House of 'Osman and the King of
France. Sii-Kemer-li Mustafa Chelebi gave this narrative : " My father was the son of
a King of France, named . When the treaty had been made by which
he engaged to give his daughter (my father's sister) to the Tekkur (the Em- peror of Constantinople), a fleet of six hundred vessels was dispatched to ravage the coasts near the castle of 'Akkah, in order to furnish her with a dowry. It returned home laden with an immense booty, and a vast number of captives, male and female, and having reached Parisah, the ancient capital of our country, great rejoicings were made. Among the female captives there was a young Seyyideh (J,, e. one of the prophetic race), who was given by the King of France to my father, and from whom I was born. When I was three years old, the king my grandfather sent my father with his sister, and vast trea- sures, to Islâmböl, and having been captured at Seraglio Point, we were de- livered up to Sultan Mohammed, in the garden of the arsenal. After the city was taken, my father was honoured by admission into Islam (the Moham- medan faith), having been instructed by Ak-Shemsu-d-din, and all the victo- rious Moslims having reverently presented his sister the princess to the Sultân, she was also instructed in Islam by the same holy man, but refused to embrace it. The Sultân upon this said, " We will give her an excellent education," and did not trouble himself to insist much on that point. I was then five years old, and being taught the doctrines of Islam by Ak-Shemsu-d-din, received the ho- nour of Islâmism (God be praised !) without any hesitation. My father was made one of the kapûji-bâshis (lord-chamberlains), and I was brought up in the serai khâss (i. c. the Grand Seignor's palace) by my aunt, my father's sister. Mohammed Khân having afterwards formed a close attachment for my aunt, she became the mother of Sultân Bâyazid (II) Veli, and the princes Jem and Nuru-d-din." " When my aunt," he added, "died, as she had never em- braced Islam, Sultân Mohammed II. caused a small sepulchre (kubbeh) to be erected beside the sepulchral chapel (turbeh) which he had built for himself, and there she was buried. I myself have often, at morning-prayer, observed that the readers appointed to read lessons from the Koran [in these turbehs] turned their faces towards the bodies of the defunct buried in the other tombs while reading the lessons, but that they all turned their backs upon the coffin of this lady, of whom it was so doubtful whether she departed in the faith of Islam. I have also frequently seen Franks of the Frânsah tribe (/. e. French), come by stealth and give a few aspers to the turbeh-dars (tomb-keepers) to open this chapel for them, as its gate is always kept shut. So that there can
EVLIYAEFENDI. 41
be no doubt, according to the account given by Sri Kenier-Ii Mustafii Chebebi, that a daughter of the King of France became the wife fkhâtûn) of Mohammed the Conqueror (Abû-1-fet-h), and the mother of Sultân Bâyazid,
An Account of the heroic Deeds and Misfortunes of Jem-Shah, son of the Emperor Mohaimncd Abu-l Fat-h {the Conqueror).
When Bâyazid Veli was khalifah, his brother Jem-Shah (these two being princes of a high spirit) contended with him for the possession of this foul world, and having been worsted in a great battle on the plains of Karaman, fled to Kalâvûn Sultân of Egypt. From thence as he was going on a pilgrimage to Meccah, he was driven by the bufFetting of the sea on the shores of Yemen and 'Aden, whence he visited the tomb of Veiso-1 Karni, performed the pilgri- mage, and travelling through Hijâz, returned to Egypt, from which country he went by sea to Rhodes and Malta, and from thence to France to visit his grandmother (the Queen of France), one of the most exalted sovereigns of that time, accompanied by 300 Muselmân followers : he spent his time like a prince, in hunting and all sorts of enjoyment. One of his most favoured com- panions and counsellors was his defterdar (secretary) Sivri Hisâri ; another was 'Ashik-Hai'der. Seventeen sons of bans (princes) stood before him [as slaves] with their hands crossed upon their breasts [ready to receive and execute his orders]. He was always followed by this suite in all his travels through Kâ- firistân (the land of the infidels). He composed some thousand penj-beits mukhammases, and musaddeses (odes), together with kâsâyids (elegies), which form a divân (collection of poems), praised by all the world.
A Stanza hy Jem-Shah.
Bird of my soul, be patient of thy cage, This body, lo ! how fast it wastes with age. The tinkling bells already do I hear Proclaim the caravan's departure near. Soon shall it reach the land of nothingness, And tliee, from fleshy bonds delivered, bless.
In this kind of elegies he was an incomparable poet. Sultân Bâyazid at length sent an ambassador to the King of France and claimed Jem-Shah. On this the ill-complexioned Frank caused a sallow-faced fellow to cut his throat while shaving him with a poisoned razor. The corpse of Jem, together with his property, amongst which was an enchanted cup, which became brimful as soon as delivered empty into the cup-bearer's hand, a white parrot, a chess- playing monkey, and some thousands of splendid books, were delivered up to
G
42 THE TRAVELS OF
Sa'di Chelebl (Sivri Hisdri) and Haider Clielebi, tliat they might be conveyed to the Sultan. Jem 's Sa'di [i.e. Sivri Hisuri], being a learned and acute man, first dyed the parrot black, and taught him to say, " Verily we belong to God, and to Him shall v^^e return ! Long live the Emperor !" He then re- turned to him with the remains of his master, and delivered over his property to the imperial treasury. But when Bayazid asked " where is the white par- rot ?" the bird immediately repeated the above-mentioned text, and added : " Sire Jem-Shah having entered into the mercy ol' his Lord, I have put off the attire of the angel clad in white, and clothed myself in the black of mourning weeds."— " How!" said the Sultân, addressing himself to Sivri Hisâri, "did they kill my brother Jem ?" " By Heaven ! O Emperor !" replied he, " though he indulged in wine, yet he never drank it but out of that enchanted cup, nor did he ever mingle with the infidels, but spent all his time in composing poetry ; so by God's will there was a certain barber named Yân Oghli (John's son), who shaved him with a poisoned razor, which made his face and eyes swell, and he was suffocated." Bayazid ordered the remains of Jem to be buried at Briisah, beside his grandfather Murad IL While they were digging the grave there was such a thunder-clap and tumult in the sepulchral chapel, that all who were present fled, but not a soul of them was able to pass its threshold till ten days had passed, when this having been represented to the Sultân, the corpse of Jem was buried by his order in- his own mausoleum, near to that of his o-randfather. Prince Jem Shah died in A.H. 900, after having spent eleven years in travelling through Egypt, Arabia, Syria, Mesopotamia, and in Firen- gistan, through Spain and France, and having escaped from his brother's den, and drunk of the cup of Jem, he at last was intoxicated by drinking of the cup of Fate. According to the French account, however, another person was killed by the poisoned razor, and his corpse was sent to Rum (Turkey) instead of the remains of Jem, who in fact became King of France, and was the fore- father of the present sovereign of that country. On enquiring into this report, and hearing what had happened at the tomb, viz. that Murad would not allow the corpse to be buried in his mausoleum, he ordered it to be interred else- where. After the taking of U'ivâr (Raab) in the year 1073 (A.D. 1C62-3), Mohammed Pasha was sent as ambassador the following year, 1074 (16G3-4), into Germany (Alâmân Diari), in order to conclude a peace with the emperor of that country (Nemseh-Châsâri) : having accompanied him I spent three years in visiting, under the protection of a passport (patentah) written by him, the seven kingdoms of Kâfiristân. Having set foot on the land of Dûnkârkem (Dunkirk), situated on the shore of the ocean which separates the eastern side
evliya efendi. 43
of the New World from France, I passed the Ramazân of the year 1075 (March 1665) there, and having an acquaintance with some well-informed priests (pa- paslar), I asked them about the history of Jem-Sluih. They answered, that when the order came from the Osmanlı (Sultan) to kill Jem, the French king spared hhn out of pity, as being a relation to the Osmânli (family) and his own sister's son, and that having caused another person who resembled Jem to be poisoned, they sent his corpse to Islambol, saying it was that of Jem : that having been afterwards made king of the country on the borders of France (tish Fransah) at the time of the conquest of Egypt by Sultân Selim, he sent him presents with letters of congratulation on his victory. They also confirmed the account of the near relationship between the House of 'Osman and the Kings of France through the mother of Sultân Bâyazid and the progeny of King Jem. He is buried, they added, in a mausoleum (kubbah) in a garden like Irem, outside of the city of Paris, where all the Musulmans his companions and slaves have been entombed. It is on account of this relationship between the house of 'Osman and the French kings, that when the foreign ambassadors are assem- bled in the divân the Frank ambassadors stand below, because their sovereigns are not Moslems ; but the French is placed above the Persian ambassador, below whom the German envoy is seated, so that the ambassador from Persia has an infidel on each side. Murad IV., conqueror of Baghdad, altered this regulation, and gave precedence to the French ambassador over all others, and the Russian (Moskov) then taking the right hand of the Persian ; an arrange- ment which offended the German ambassador, but he was obliged to acquiesce in it. This distinguished honour was granted to France because a French princess was the mother of Sultân Bâyazid.
Let us now return from this digression to the siege of the castle of Kostantin. Sultân Mohammed Khân having taken the daughter of the King of France out of the booty of the captured fleet, and by the advice of the captors, placed the rest in the hands of Ak-Shemsu-d-din to be divided among the army, con- tinued to encourage the besiegers. At length the fiftieth day came. It was manifest that all was terror and confusion within the city, and these graceless Christian infidels planting a white flag on the ramparts, cried out, " Quarter, O chosen House of 'Osman ! we will deliver up the city." A respite of one day was therefore given to all the unbelievers, to go by land or sea to any coun- try that they would. The Sultân then having the pontifical turban on his head, and sky-blue boots on his feet, mounted on a mule, and bearing the sword of Mohammed in his hand, marched in at the head of 70,000 or 80,000 Muselmân heroes, crying out, " Halt not, conquerors! God be praised ! Ye are
G 2
44 T H E T R A V E L S O F
the vanquishers of Kostantaniyyeh !" He led them directly to the palace of Constantine (Takfi'ir Senii), where he found some thousands of inhdels assem- bled and prepared to defend it resolutely. A great battle ensued, and in that contest Kostanthi, the king, was slain, and buried with the rest of the faithless (kafirs) in the Water Monastery (Sulii Menastir). The treasures in the king's palace were so great that God only knows their amount. They were amassed by this Kostantin, who was a merchant, and as rapacious as a griffin ('ankâ), and had rebuilt Islâmbûl the ninth time. Mohammed proceeded to the church of Aya Sohyah in order to express his thanks by saying a prayer, accompanied by two inclinations of the head {riliat). Twelve thousand monks who dwelt within and all around it, having closed its doors, threw from the roof, towers, turrets, and belfries, arrows and burning pitch, and naptha on the Moslems. Moham- med having invested the church with the armies of Islam, like a swarm of hornets, for three days and three nights, at length took it on the fifty-third day. He then having slain a few monks, entered the church, bearing the standard of the Prophet of God in his hand, and planting it on the high altar (jnUırâb), chaunt- ed, for the first time, the Mohammedan ezan (call to prayers). The rest of the Muselman victors having put the monks to the edge of the sword, Aya Sofiyah, was deluged with the blood of the idolaters. Mohammed, in order to leave them a memorial of his skill in archery, shot a four-winged arrow into the centre of the cupola, ?,nd the trace of his arrow is still shown there. One of the archers of the Sultan's guard having killed an infidel with his left hand, and filled his right with his blood, came into the Sultan's presence, and clapping his hand red with blood on a white marble column, left the impression of a hand and fingers, which is still seen near the turbeh-kapu-si. It is on the op- posite corner as one enters, at the height of five men's stature above the ground.
Eiiloo-ium on Yâ Vudüd Sultân.
While Sultân Mohammed was going in solemn procession round Ayd Sofiyah a flash of lightning was seen to strike a place called Terlu-direk, and on going thither they found a body lying with its face turned towards the kibleh, and written on its illuminated breast in crimson characters, the name Yâ Vudûd (ü All-loving). Ak-Shemsu-d-din, Karah-Shemsu-d-dln, and the other se- venty holy men, exclaimed, " This, O Emperor ! was the cause of Islâmbol's falling on the fiftieth day." Having prayed that it might fall in fifty days, on that very day he resigned his soul and bore his prayer to heaven. Then while all those learned, righteous and excellent men were making the necessary pre- parations for washing that noble corpse, a voice was heard from the corner of
EVLIYAEFENDI. 45
the Terlû-direk (the sweating column), saying : " He is washed and received into mercy, now therefore inter him." All were breathless with astonishment: and those venerable sheikhs having placed the illustrious corpse of Y;i Vudiid Sultân on a bier, and intending to bury him near Shehid-kapu-si, proceeded to tlie stairs of Emîr Oni, where the bier was put into a boat, which instantly, without an oar plyed or a sail set, flew like lightning, and did not stop till it came near [the tomb of] Abu lyyüb Ensâri. There the holy man was buried, and the neighbouring landing-place was thence called Yâ Vudud Iskeleh-sf.
Sultân Mohammed Khân, Father of Victory (/. e. the Conqueror), a Sultân son of a Sultan of the Islamitic sovereigns of the House of 'Osman, entered Islâmbol victoriously on Wednesday the 20th day of Jumâzîu-1-âkhir, in the year of the Prophet's flight 867 [1st July, A.D. 1453], as was expressed by the prophetic and descriptive letters of the text heldetun tayyibctiin (a good city), and in the day, hour, and minute, which had been foretold to the Sultân by Ak-Shemsu- d-din. Several poets and men of learning have made other lines and technical words containing the date of this victory of victories; but the date found in the exalted Koran is complete, if the last letters are counted as they are pro- nounced. Sultân Mohammed II. on surveying more closely the church of Ayâ Sofiyah, was astonished at the solidity of its construction, the strength of its foundations, the height of its cupola, and the skill of its builder, Aghnâdus. He caused this ancient place of worship to be cleared of its idolatrous impu- rities and purified from the blood of the slain, and having refreshed the brain of the victorious Moslems by fumigating it with amber and lign-aloes, converted it in that very hour into a jâmi' (a cathedral), by erecting a contracted mihrâb, minber, mahfil, and menâreh, in that place which might rival Paradise. On the following Friday, the faithful were summoned to prayer by the muezzins, Avho proclaimed with a loud voice this text (Kor. xxxiii. 56) : " Verily, God and his angels bless the Prophet." Ak-Shemsu-d-din and Karah Shemsu-d- dîn then arose, and placing themselves on each side of the Sultân, supported him under his arms ; the former placed his own turban on the head of the con- queror, fixing in it a black and white feather of a crane, and putting into his hand a naked sword. Thus conducted to the minber he ascended it, and cried out with a voice as loud as David's, " Praise be to God the Lord of all worlds," (Kor. i. 1.) on which all the victorious Moslems lifted up their hands and ut- tered a shout of joy. The Sultân then officiating as khatib pronounced the khutbeh, and descending from the minber, called upon Ak-Shemsu-d-din to perform the rest of the service as Imam. On that Friday the patriarch and no less than three thousand priests who had been concealed underneath the floor
46 THETRAVELSOF
of the church, were honoured by being received into Ishim. One of them, who was three hundred years old, they named Baba Mohammed. This man pointed out a hidden treasure on the right side of the mihrâb, saying it was placed there by Suleiman (Solomon), the first builder of this ancient place of worship. The Sultân having first offered up prayer there for the prosperity and perpetuity of the place, caused the ground to be dug up beneath it, and during a whole week many thousand camel-loads of treasure in coins of Tekiyânûs and Oki-
yunus (Decianus and ), were carried away and deposited in the royal
treasury and in the garden of the arsenal.
On the glorious Conquest of the Ok-me'idân (^Archery -ground).
When the Sultân had distributed all the booty among the victors, he caused the idols like Vudd, Yâghûs, Ya'ûf, Suva', and Nesr, which were found set with jewels in Aya Sofiyahto be carried to the Ok-meidan, and set up there as marks for all the Muselmân heroes to shoot their arrows at ; and from thence an arrow which hits the mark, is to this day called by archers an idol's arrow (puteh oki). One of those idols was standing till knocked to pieces in the time of Sultân Ahmed Khân. Another was called Azmaish, because it stood on the south side, and the arrows hit it when shot with a northerly wind ; the spot on which it stood is now called Toz-kopârân-âyâghi (Dust-maker's Foot). Another idol called Hekl, placed near Khass-koi, was most easily hit from the north; hence the phrase " a heki-shot." Another called Pish-rev, placed on the north-west side, and most easily hit from the south-east (kibleh), still gives its name to such a shot. From Pelenk, placed on the west side and hit from the east, the term pelenk is derived. In short, having placed twelve different idols on the four sides of the Ok-meidan, a grand archery-match was made, and all the old archers, each shewing his skill in taking aim at them, made glad the soul of the illustrious Sa'd Vakkâs, and hence arose the custom among the people of Islambol of meeting there on holidays for the purpose of trying their skill in archery. Sultân Mohammed II. having gone thence to the garden of the arsenal, gave a banquet for three days and three nights to all the Moslem conquerors, himself appearing like the châshnegir bâshi (chief butler), with his skirts girt up round his loins and a handkerchief in his girdle, offering them bread and salt, and providing them with a splendid dinner. After the repast he carried round the ewer, and poured out water for the learned and ex- cellent to wash their noble hands ; thus for three days and three nights breaking his spirit by performing these services.
evliya efendi. 47
Distribution of the Booty.
After this splendid feast, which lasted three days and three nights, the Sultân accompanied by the three imperial defterdars and all the clerks of the array, proceeded to pile up in the garden of the arsenal, the treasures taken on board of the French fleet, with those pointed out in the Aya Sö- , fiyah by Mohammed Baba, and those taken from the seven thousand monas- teries, convents, and palaces within the city. The first to whom their share was allotted were the physicians, oculists, surgeons, washers of the dead and grave-diggers serving in the army ; next the sherffs (i. e. members of the Prophet's family) ; then the learned and pious ulemâ and suleha (i. e. doctors of law) ; then the imams, khatibs, and sheikhs ; after them the möUâs and kazies (judges) ; then the serden gechdis (dread-noughts) ; next the Arab ma- rines who dragged the ships overland, from the village thence called Levend- chiftlik ; after them the janissaries ; then the sipâhîes, za'ims, topchis, jebehjis, lâghemjis, eshekchis, horsekeepers, and camp-servants, respectively forming together one hundred and seventy thousand men, to whom sixty-three thousand houses were allotted, besides their legal share of the spoils. Out of this the victors paid during their lives the tenth appointed by God's law, to the Sultân, whose own share was three thousand eight hundred captives, twenty thousand purses of gold, coins of Tekiyânûs and Yânkö son of Mâdiyân, three thousand palaces, two bezestâns, and seven thousand shops. They also gave to the Sultân the mosque of Ayâ Sofiyah, with seven great convents, and fixed the rent to be paid by him for the New Serai at one thousand aspers a day. A Jew, who ofiered one thousand and one aspers, was put to death. In the ka- raman-ward of the city three hundred lofty palaces were given to the 'ulemâ, one hundred and sixty-two to the janissaries, seventy to the vezîrs, seven to each of the seven kubbeh vezirs. In short, all the houses in Islambul were thus distributed among the victors, and the daughter of the French King mentioned above, was given to the Emperor. Thus was every duty which the law required fulfilled. Ak-Shemsu-d-din then standing up, thus spoke : " Know and un- derstand ye Moslem conquerors, that it is you of whom the last of the prophets, the joy and pride of all creatures, spoke, when he said : ' Verily they shall conquer Kostantaniyyeh ; the best of commanders is their commander ; the best of armies is that army!' Squander not away then these treasures, but spend them on good and pious foundations in Islambol; be obedient to your Emperor; and as from the days of 'Osman down to the present time, you called your Em- peror Beg, so from henceforth call him Sultân ; and as at the feast he girded up
48 THE TRAVELS OF
his loins, and served you himself, in return for his bounty, call him Khiinkar." He then fastened to the head of the Sultan a double black and white heron's plume (aigrette), saying : " Thou art now, O Emperor, become the chosen Prince of the House of "Osman, continue to fight valiantly in the path of God !" A shout of victory was then made, and the Muselman warriors took possession of their new habitations. It was at that time that, with the permission of Ak- Shemsu-d-din and the other holy men, a coin was first struck bearing this le- gend : " The Sultân, son of a Sultân, Sultân Mohammed Khân, son of Sultân Murâd Khân, be his victory exalted; coined in Kostantaniyyeh in the year 757." On the following day, when the Sultân, as he came out of the harem, received Ak-Shemsu-d-din in the Arsenal-Garden : " Did you not eat some sweetmeats last night. Sire?" said the latter. "No," replied, the Sultân, " we eat none !"— " Do you not remember," replied the holy man, " that when you were so much grieved while governor of Maghnisa, on hearing of the capture of 'Akkah by the Franks, I told you that you would eat some of their sweetmeats when you had taken Islâmbol ? And did you not last night enjoy the society of the French princess ? Was not that tasting a sweetmeat won from the Franks? Henceforward let that unexpanded rose be called "Akideh (sugar-candy) Khanum, and be thou thyself styled Khûnkâr (blood shedder). Let this day be a day of rejoicing, but let it likewise be a day of justice ! Of the three thousand blooming Mohammedan virgins who came in the suite of 'Akideh your spouse (khâsseki), let not one be touched, but send to 'Akkah, Ghazzah, Ramlah, Khaûrân, all the countries whence they were taken, a register containing their names, and order their parents, relations, and friends to repair to Islâmbol, that each of them may, with the consent of their parents, be joined in lawful marriage with one of the Moslem warriors, and the city of Islâmbol be thus made populous." The counsels of Ak Shemsu-d-din were followed ; and in a short time ten thousand fathers, mothers, relations, and connexions, hastened to the city, and three thousand heroes w^ere made happy by being joined in lawful matrimony to three thousand virgins. Orders were then issued to all the vezirs who were Pashas in Europe and Asia, to send all the sons of Adam from each district to Islânıb61. Thus the w^ard of Uskubli was peopled by the inhabitants of Uskub ; the Yeni Mahallah by the people of Yeni-shehr; that of Aya Sofiyah by the people of Sofiyah; that of Tenes by the Urum (Greeks) from Morah (the Morea) ; the neighbourhood of Tekkûr-serâi and Shahid-kapu-si by the Jews of fifty communities brought from Selanik (Thessalonica) ; Ak-Serâi by the people from Anatoli (Natolia) ; the ward below the castle by the Syrians and Arabs; the Persians were settled in Khojah-khân
evliya efendi. 49
near Mahmûd Pashâ ; the Gypsies (Clıinganeh) coming from Balat Shehrî are established in the Bahit-mahalleli-si; tlie U'luch from 'Akl-bend in the 'Akl-bend ward ; the Arnauts (Albanians) near the Silivrl-gate ; the Jews from Safat in Kkiss Koi ; the Anatolian Turks at Uskudar (Scutari) ; the Arme- nians of Tokat and Sivas near Siilu Monastir; the Magnesians in the Majunji
ward; the Ekirdir and Ekmidir people at Egri kapu; the in lyyiib
Sultân ; the Karamanians in the Buyuk Karaman ward ; the inhabitants of Koniyah in that of Kuchuk Karaman ; those of Tirehli in Vefa ; the people of the plain of Chehar-shenbeh in the bazar so called ; the inhabitants of Kastemuni in the Kazanjilar (brazier's) ward ; the Laz from Tinibuzun (Trebizonde) near the mosque of Sultân Bâyazid ; the people of Geliboli (Gallipoli) at the Arsenal ; those of Izmir (Smyrna) in Great Ghalatah ; the Franks in Little Ghalatah (Pera) ; the inhabitants of Sinob and Samsun atTop-khâneh. In short, the Mohammedan inha- bitants of all the large towns in the land of the House of 'Osman were then brought to people Islambol, called on that account Islâmi bol (i. e. ample is its Islam !).
By God's decree, Islambol was taken in the month of Temmuz (July), and the sea was then dyed with the blood of some thousands of martyrs. Now it happens, that for forty days, every year at that season, the sea is still blood- red, from the gate of lyyub Ensâr to the Martyr's^gate (Shehid kapu-si). This is a marvellous thing and one of God's secrets. "Verily God hath power over all things !"
SECTION XII. Description of the new Serai, the Threshold of the Abode of Felicity.
The conqueror having thus become possessed of such treasures, observed that the first thing requisite for an Emperor is a permanent habitation. He there- fore expended three thousand purses on building the new Serai. The best of several metrical dates inscribed over the Imperial gate, is that at the bottom in conspicuous gold letters on a white marble tablet, Khalled AUahu azza sâhibihi. May God make the glory of its master eternal! {i. e. A.H. 876, A.D. 1471-2). Never hath a more delightful edifice been erected by the art of man ; for, placed on the border of the sea, and having the Black Sea on the North, and the White Sea on the East, it is rather a town situated on the confluence of two seas than a palace. Its first builder was that second Solomon, the two-horned Alexander. It was, therefore, erected on the remains of what had been built by former princes, and Mohammed the Conqueror added seventy private, regal, and well- furnished apartments; such as a confectionary, bake-house, hospital, armory,
H
50 THETRAVELSOF
mat-house, woud-house, granary, privy-stables without and within, such that each is like the stable of "Antar, store-rooms of various kinds round a garden delightful as tlie garden of Irem, planted with twenty thousand cypresses, planes, weeping-willows, thuyas, pines, and box-trees, and among them many hundred thousands of fruit trees, forming an aviary and tulip-parterre, which to this day may be compared to the garden of the Genii (Jin). In the middle of this garden there is a delightful hill and rising ground, on which he built forty private apartments, wainscoted with Chinese tiles, and a hall of audience (Arz-6dâ) within the Port of Felicity, and a fine hippodrome, on the east side of which he erected a bath, near the privy treasury ; close to which are the aviary, the pantry, the treasurer's chamber, the Sultan's closet, the Imperial mosque, the falconer's chamber, the great and small pages' chamber ; the seferli's and gulkhan's chamber, the mosque of the Buyuk-oda, and the house of exercise, which joins the bath mentioned above. The privy chambers (khâss-odâ), mentioned before, were occupied by three thousand pages, beautiful as Yûsuf (Joseph), richly attired in shirts fragrant as roses, with embroidered tiaras, and robes drowned in gold and jewels, having each his place in the Imperial service, where he was always ready to attend. There was no harem in this palace ; but one was built afterwards, in the time of Sultan Suleiman, who added a chamber for the black eunuchs (tavâshiaghû-lar), another for the white eunuchs (teherdürâ)! khüssdı, i. e. privy halbardiers), a cabinet (^kos/ik) for recreations, and a chamber for the divan, where the seven vezirs assembled four days in the week. Sultân Mohammed, likewise, sur- rounded this strongly-fortified palace with a wall that had 36G towers, and twelve thousand battlements ; its circumference being 6,500 paces, with sixteen gates, great and small. Besides all the other officers before enumerated, there were in this palace twelve thousand Bostanjis, and, including all, forty thousand souls lodged within its walls.
SECTION XIII.
Description of t he O Id Serai.
Sultan Mohammed the Conqueror also determined to place his honourable harem in Islambol. In an airy and elevated position, on the side of the city which overlooks the canal, there was an old convent, built by King Pûzantîn, and placed in the midst of a delightful grove, full of all sorts of beasts and birds. This convent, in the time of Puzantin and Kostantin, had been occupied by twelve thousand monks and nuns. The occasion of its being built was, that Simon, one of the apostles of Jesus, having engaged in devotion, and in main-
evliya efendi. 51
taining a friendly intercourse with all sorts of wild animals, dug a ])it in the ground in order to supjily them with water, on which a spring of truly living water burst forth. Simon afterwards built a small oratory there, which, in jirocess of time, was replaced by the convent which Mohammed destroyed, when he built upon its site the old palace {Eski Serai) begun in the year 858 (A.D. 1454), and finished in the year 862 (A.D. 1458). The wall has neither towers, battlements, nor ditch ; but is very strong, being cased with azure- coloured lead. Its circumference was then twelve thousand arshlns (25,000 feet). It is a solid square building, one side of which stretched from the brazier's (kazânjikr) quarter, near the mosque of Sultan Biiyazid, down to the Miski-sabun (Musk-soap) gate, from whence another extended to the palace of Delkik Müstafi Pasha. Thence a third rested against the wall and cistern of the little bazar. The site of the palaces of the Aghâ of the janissaries, and of Siyavush Pasha, now occupies that of the Old Serai. From thence the fourth side, passing above the quarter of Tahta-1 kal'ah, came again to the Brazier's bazar. Within this palace there were many courts, cabinets, cisterns, and fountains ; a kitchen like that of Kei-kavus, a private buttery, chambers for three thousand halbardiers {tcberdâr), servants without ringlets, one apartment (âdâ) for the white, and one for the black Aghâ (of the eunuchs), who were both subordinate to the {Kızlar Aghâ) Aghâ of the Porte {Dârıı-s-saâdeh, i. e. the house of felicity). Having placed in this all his favourites {khasseki), together with the French Princess, he came twice every week from the new palace to the old, and on those nights did justice there.
Eulogium on the living water of the old palace {Eski Serai).
Abu-l fat-h Mohammed, being a wise and illustrious Emperor, assembled all his learned men in order to enquire which was the best water in Islambol, and they all unanimously pointed out to him the spring of Shim'un (Simon), within the Eski Serai', as the lightest, most temperate, and copious of all ; which was proved by dipping a miskal of cotton in a certain quantity of each different kind of water, then weighing each parcel, and after drying it in the sun, weighing it a second time. The Sultan, therefore, resolved to drink of no other water than this, and to this time it is the favourite source from which all his suc- cessors drink. Three men come every day from the Kilârji-bâshf, and three from the Sakkâ-bâshi of the Serai, and fill six silver flaggons, each containing twenty ounces, with this limpid water, seal the mouths of them in presence of the inspector of water with seals of red wax, and bring them to the Emperor. At present this fountain is in front of the Inspector's-gate (Nazir kapusi) on the
H 2
52 T H E T R A V E L s O F
eastern side of the Eskf Serai, where Sultan Mohammed the Conqueror caused the water to run outside of the palace, and erected the building over it; it is now .the most celebrated water in the town, and is known by the name of the fountain
of Shim'iin. In the year , Sultan Suleiman having enlarged this old palace to
the extent of three miles in circumference, built three gates. The Divan kapu-si towards the east. Sultan Bâyazid kapû-si to the south, and the Suleimaniyyeh kapu-si towards the west. On the outside of this gate Sultan Suleiman built the mosque bearing his name from the booty of the conquest of Belgrade^ Malta, and Rhodes ; and near it colleges for science, and teaching the traditions and art of reciting the Koran, a school for children, an alms-house, a hospital, a kân'ıvânserai, a bath, and market for boot-makers, button-makers, and goldsmiths ; a palace for the residence of the late Siyavush Pasha, another for the residence of the Aghâ of the janissaries, a third for Lala Mustafâ Pasha, a fourth for Pir Mohammed Pasha Karamanı, a fifth for Mustafâ Pâshâ, builder of the mosque at Geibiz, a sixth for his daughter Esmahan Sultân, and a thousand cells, with pensions annexed, for the servants of the moscjue. The four sides, however, of the old Serai, were bordered by the public road, and, to this time, are not contiguous to any house. The abovementioned palaces are all built on the site of the old Serai, which was erected by Sultân Mohammed Khan, who afterwards constructed barracks for 160 regiments (Buliiks and Jema'ats) of janissaries, and 160 chambers {ödâs) for the Segbans (Seimem), a mosque for himself, chambers for the armorers (Jebth-jis), powder magazines at Peik-khânah, Kalender-khânah, Ters-khânah, Top-khânah, Kâghid-khânah, and many other similar public buildings within and without Islâmböl ; the sums thus expended, having been drawn from the treasures amassed in his conquests.
SECTION XIV.
On the Public Officers established at Islâmböl at the time of the Conquest.
Within three years the city of Islâmböl became so populous, and contained such a sea of men, that it was impossible to restrain its inhabitants without pub- lic authority. The assistants first granted to the Grand Vezir Mahmûd Pâshâ, were five executioners, a regiment (ocla) of janissaries, with a Muhzir Aghâ (colonel), chaiishes (apparitors) of the Topjis and Jebehjis, a captain {ödâbâshî) of the Bostânjis, and a tufenkji (musketeer), and matarahji (water-carrier) taken from the janissaries, with whom he took his rounds through the city on the fourth day of every week, in order to punish by the falâkah (bastinado) all
evliya efendi. 53
transgressors of the law. He went first to the Divan-khanah (Court-house) of the tradespeople at the U'n-kapan (tlour-niarket), and held a divân there ; he next visited the stairs {i.skclc/i) of the fruit-market, and lield a divan to fix the price of fruit ; from thence he proceeded to the green-market and shambles (Salkh-khanah), where he settled the rate at which greens and mutton should be sold, and he afterwards returned to the Serai.
The second public officer was the Segban Bashi (commander of the Seimens), to whom the falakah was entrusted, but he had no executioners.
The third was the judge and Molla of Islambol, who could inflict the basti- nado (falakah), and imprison for debt.
The fourth, the Molhi of lyyub, who could inflict the same punishments. The fifth, the Molla of Ghalatah, and
The sixth, the Molld of Uskudar, possessing the same power within their respective jurisdictions.
The seventh, the Ayak Naibi, or superintendant of the markets, who punished all who sold above the legal prices, or used false weights and measures.
The eighth, the Mohtesib Aghâ-si (inspector of shops), by whom all defaulters in buying and selling were punished, according to their offences, with imprison- ment and torture ; such as covering their heads with the entrails of beasts, or nailing their ears and noses to a plank. The ninth, the 'Asas-bashi, and
The tenth, the Su-bashi, two police-officers attended by executioners provided with whips and scourges, but not with rods and stocks {falakah). They made domiciliary visits, took up offenders, and attended at the execution of criminals condemned to death.
The eleventh, the Islâmbol-Aghâ-si, or commandant of Constantinople. The twelfth, the Bostânjı-bâshi, who constantly, from night till morning, takes the round of all the villages on the sea-shore, punishes all whom he finds transgressing ; and if any are deserving of death, throws them into the sea.
The thirteenth, Chorbajis (colonels of the janissaries), who continually go round, from night till morning, with five or six hundred of their soldiers in quest of suspicious persons, whom they send prisoners to the Porte, where they re- ceive their due.
The fourteenth, the forty Judges appointed, according to the law of the- Prophet, to preside over the forty Courts of Justice {mehkemdi) in Islambol, under the four Molhis mentioned above. They also have power to imprison and inflict punishment.
54 THETRAVELSOF
The fifteenth, the Sheikho-Islam or Mufti (head of the law). He can only o'ive the le^-al answer to questions submitted to him, viz. "It is," or "It is not." "God knows !" " Yes," or " No."
The sixteenth, the Anatoli Kazi-askeri (military judge of Anatolia), has no right to punish, but sits in the divân as chief and president of all the Asiatic judges.
The seventeenth, the Rûm-üi Kazi-'askeri (military judge of Romelia), has like- wise no power of punishing, but decides all lawsuits brought into the divân from the country, and is the head of all the European judges. He is likewise appointed, by the canons of Sultân Mohammed the Conqueror, to write all the imperial patents (^bc7'(tts).
The eighteenth, the Commander (Dizdar) of the Seven Towers. The nineteenth, the chief Architect ; if any building be erected in Islambol without his permission it is pulled down, and the builders are punished.
The twentieth, the Kapûdân-Pâshâ (Lord High Admiral) established in the Arsenal (Ters-khanah) ; who commands by sea night and day.
The twenty-first, the Kyayâ {ket-khoda) of the Arsenal (Ters-khanah), who, if any thieves are found by day or night in the district called Kâsim Pasha, can inflict the severest punishment, even death, if necessary.
The twenty-second, the Ta'lim-khânehji Bâshi (adjutant-general, commander of the 54th regiment of janissaries), and of the korujis (invalids), whose barracks are within the boundaries of O'k-m^idân, take their rounds there, and if they meet with any suspicious vagabonds, carry them to their commander, the Atiji Bâshi (Chief of the Archers), who, punishing them according to their deserts, orders them to be suspended from a tree by the string of the bowmen, and assailed by a shower of arrows.
It was ordained by the regulations of Sultân Mohammed the Conqueror, and that ordinance has been renewed by a khatti sherif (imperial rescript) from all his successors, that any offender whom these officers shall apprehend, if he be a soldier, shall receive no mercy, but be hung upon a tree forthwith. In fine, in the districts on both sides of the Strait of the Black Sea, there are thirty-three magis- trates, and thirty-five local judges, deputies of the MoUâ, in the city. But the town of Bey-k6s has a separate jurisdiction, the judge of which is appointed by the Munejjim Bâshi (astronomer royal). Besides the judges and magistrates already enumerated, there are also 166 District Judges, subordinate to the four Mollâs of Islambol, 360 Subâshîs, eighty-seven guards of janissaries, with their commanding officers (serdars), and forty Subâshis of the free vakfs (charitable foundations). In short, the whole number of Kâzis and Subâshis within the
EVLIYAEFENDI. 55
precincts of Ishimbol, established by the code (kânun) of Mohammed the Con- queror, amounts to twelve hundred. There are also within the same jurisdic- tion the governors and magistrates of 150 corporations of tradesmen ; but these governors have no legal authority to imprison and punish ; they can only determine questions respecting the statutes of the corporations over which they preside.
SECTION XV.
0)1 the Imperial JMosques in the JMohammedan City of Kostantaniyyeh .
The first, and most ancient of these places of worship dedicated to the almighty and everlasting God, is that of Aya, Sofiyah, built, as mentioned in the seventh Section, in the year 5052 after the fall of Adam. It was finished by Aghnadiis (Ignatius?), a perfect architect, well skilled in geometry, under the direction of the Prophet Khizr ; and forty thousand workmen, seven thousand porters, and three thousand builders, were employed in raising its domes and arches on three thousand pillars. Every part of the world was ransacked to find the richest marbles, and the hardest stones for its walls and columns. Stones of various hues, fit for the throne of Belkis, were brought from Aya Solûgh (Ephesus) and Aidinjik ; marbles of divers colours were removed from Karaman, Sham (Syria), and the island of Kubrus (Cyprus). Some thousands of incomparable column.s, wasp and olive-coloured, were imported from the splendid monuments of the skill of Solomon, standing in the neighbourhood of A'tineh (Athens). After working at the building for forty years, Khizr and Aghnâdûs disappeared one night when they had finished half the dome. Seven years afterwards they appeared again and completed it. On its summit they placed a cross of gold an hundred Alexandrian quintals in weight, visible at Brusah, Keshish-dagh (Mount Olympus), 'Alem-daghi, and Istranjeh daghi. On the birth-night of the Prophet there was a dreadful earthquake, by which this and many other wonderful domes were thrown down ; but it was afterwards restored by the aid of Khizr, and by the advice of the Prophet, to whom the three hundred patriarchs and monks, presiding over the church, were sent by him. As a memorial of the restoration of the dome by the aid of the Prophet and Khizr, Mohammed the Conqueror suspended in the middle of it, by a golden chain, a Golden Globe, which can hold fifty kilahs of grain, Roman measure ; it is within reach of a man's hand, and beneath it Khizr performed his service to God. Among the pious, many persons have chosen the same place for offering up their orisons ; and several who have persevered in saying the morning prayer there for forty
50 T H E T R A V E L S O F
days, have obtained the blessings, temporal and spiritual, for which they prayed : it is, therefore, much frequented by the pious and necesitous for that purpose.
On the Dimensions, Builders, ^r. of that ancient place of worship, Ayâ Sofiyak.
This mosque is situated on elevated ground at the eastern end of the city, a thousand paces {(idim) distant from the Stable-gate (akhor kapu) near the sea, and a thousand from Seraglio Point. The great cupola which rears its head into the skies is joined by a half-cupola, beneath which is the mihrab (sacred recess), and to the right of it a marble puljMt {ininbc?-). There are altogether on the whole build- ing no less then 360 gilt cu])olas, the largest of which is the great one in the mid- dle ; they are ornamented with broad, circular, and crystal glasses, the number of which in the whole mosque amounts to 1,070. The abovementioned cupolas {kubbehs) are adorned within by wonderful paintings, representing cherubims and men, the work of Momistir, a painter, skilful as Arzheng. These figures seem even now, to a silent and reflecting observer, to be possessed of life and thought. Besides them, there are, at the four angles supporting the great cupola, four angels, no doubt the four archangels, Jebrayil (Gabriel), Mikâyil (Michael), israfil, and 'Azrayil, standing with their wings extended, each 5G cubits high. Before the birth of the Prophet, these four angels used to speak, and give notice of all dangers which threatened the empire and the city of Iskimbol ; but since his Highness appeared, all talismans have ceased to act. This cupola is supported by four arches (tâk) that excel the arch of the palace of Kesra (Chosroes) (Taki Kesra), the arch of Khavernak ; that of Kaidafa ; that of Kâf, and that of Sheddad. The large columns, of the richest colours and most precious marble, are forty Mecca-cubits high ; those of the second story are not less beautiful, but are only thirty cubits high. There are two galleries running round three sides of this mosque, and forming upper mosques for the worshippers; there is an ascent to them on both sides, which may be ascend- ed on horseback ; it is a royal road paved with white marble. The mosque has altogether 361 doors, of which 101 are large gates, through which large crowds can enter. They are all so bewitched by talismans, that if you count them ever so many times, there always appears to be one more than there was before. They are each twenty cubits high, and are adorned with goldsmith's work and enamel. The middle gate towards the Kiblah, which is the highest of all, is fifty cubits high. It is made of planks from the ark which Noah constructed with his own hand. Over this central southern gate there is a long coffin of yellow brass, which contains the body of Ai Sof, who caused Aya S6fiyah to be built;
evliya efendi. 57
and though many emperors have tried at different times to open this coffin, an earthquake and a l)orrible crash immediately heard within the mosque, have always prevented them from compassing their designs.
Above it, in a niche, supported on small columns, stands a picture of Jeru- salem (the ancient Kibleh), in marble ; within it there are jewels of inestimable value, but it is also talismanic, and cannot be touched by any body. In this place there stood likewise upon a green column an image of Mother Meryem (the Virgin Mary), holding in her hand a carbuncle as big as a pigeon's egg, by the blaze of which the mosque was lighted every night. This carbuncle was also removed in the birthnight of the Prophet, to Kizil Alma (Rome), which received its name (Red Apple) from thence. The Spanish infidels were once or twice masters of Islâmböl, and thence that egg (the carbuncle) came into their hands. The walls of this mosque, as well as the extremities of the columns, are carved like various flowers, with the most exquisite workmanship. The Mihnib and Minber are of white marble highly ornamented.
A Description of the four Minarehs {Minarets).
While Mohammed the Conqueror was residing as Viceroy at Edreneh (Adrianople), there was a great earthquake at Islambol, which made the northern side of Aya Sofiyah bend, and threatened its ruin. The infidels were much alarmed ; but Prince Mohammed, in a friendly manner, sent the old architect, Ali Nejjâr, who had built the great mosques at Brusah and Edreneh for Yildirim Bayazid, and was then living, to the Greek king, in order to repair Ayâ Sofiyah. It was he who erected for the support of the building four strong buttresses, every one of which is like the barrier of Yâjûj (Gog) The architect having made a staircase of two hundred steps in the buttress on the right side of Aya Sofiyah, among the shops of the turban-makers {sârikchi), the king asked for what purpose this staircase was intended ? The architect answered, " For going out upon the leads in case of need?'' When the work was completed the king bestowed rich presents on the architect, who returning to Edreneh, said to Sultân Mohammed, " I have secured the cupola of Aya Sofiyah, O emperor, by four mighty buttresses ; to repair it depended on me, to conquer it depends on thee. I have also laid the foundation of a minareh for thee, where I off'ered up my prayers." On that very foundation, three years afterwards, by the will of God, Sultân Mohammed built a most beautiful
six-sided minareh. Sultan Sellm II. afterwards, in the year , added
another at the corner opposite to the gate of the Imperial palace (Babi hümâyun, the Sublime Porte), which is more ornamented, but a little lower than that of
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Mohammed the Conqueror. Sultan Murad III. built subsequently two other minarehs on the north and west side, each with only one gallery.
The ensio-ns (alems, i. e. the crescents) on the top of these four minarehs are each of twenty cubits, and richly gilt ; but that on the great dome is fifty cubits long, and the gilding of it required fifty thousand pieces of gold coin. It is visible at the distance of two farasangs by land, and a hundred miles off by sea. Murad III. also brought from the island of Mermereh (Marmora) two princely basons of white marble, each of them resembling the cupola of a bath, and so large that neither Jemshfd nor Dara ever possessed such an one. Each of them can contain a thousand kilehs. They stand inside of the mosque, one on the right hand and the other on the left, full of living water, for all the congre- tion to perform their ablutions and quench their thirst. The same Sultan caused the walls of the mosque to be cleaned and smoothed ; he encreased the number of the lamps, and built four raised stone platforms {mahfil) for the readers of the Koran, and a lofty pulpit on a slender column for the muezzins. Sultân Murad IV. the conqueror of Baghdad, raised upon four marble columns a throne {kursî) of one piece of marble, for the preacher {vaiz), and appointed eight sheikhs as preachers of the mosque : the Efendis Kâzi-zâdeh, Üsküdarlı Mahmûd, ibrahim sheikh to Jerrâh Pasha, Sivâsi, Kudsi, Terjimân Sheikhi 'Omar, and the great sheikh. Emir Ishtibi, who was so learned and skilful in answering questions and solving difficulties respecting the law, God be praised! We had the happiness and advantage of enjoying the exalted society of all these doctors and hearing their instructions. Sultân Ahmed I. built, on the left of the mihrâb, a private recess {maksûrah) for the exclusive use of the emperor. In short this mosque, which has no equal on earth, can only be compared to the tabernacle of the seventh heaven, and its dome to the cupola of the ninth. AH those who see it, remain lost in astonishment on contemplating its beauties ; it is the place where heavenly inspiration descends into the minds of the de- vout, and which gives a foretaste even here below of the garden of Eden (Aden). Sultân Murad IV., who took great delight in this incomparable mosque, erected a wooden enclosure in it within the southern door, and when he went to prayers on Fridays, caused cages, containing a great number of singing-birds, and particularly nightingales, to be hung up there, so that their sweet notes, min- gled with the tones of the muezzins' voices, filled the mosque with a harmony approaching to that of Paradise. Every night (in the month of Ramazân) the two thousand lamps lighted there, and the lanterns, containing wax- tapers perfumed with camphor, pour forth streams of light upon light ; and iij the centre of the dome a circle of lamps represents in letters, as finely formed as those
evliya efendi. 59
of Yakut Musta'siml, that text of the Scripture, " God is the light of the heavens and the earth." There are also, on the four sides of the mosque, some thousands of texts in beautiful characters ; and there, likewise, by command of Sultan Munkl IV., the celebrated writer Etmekji-zadch Chelebi wrote the names of the Most High, of the prophet Mohammed and his four companions, in Kara Hisari hand, so large that each elif measures ten arshins (10 ells = 23^ feet), and the rest of the letters are formed in the same proportion. Aya Sofiyah is the Ka'beh of all Fakirs, and there is no larger mosque in Islambol. It possesses all the spiritual advantages to be obtained in any other, whether it be El Aksa at Kuds (Jerusalem), or the mosque of the Ommaviyyeh (Ommiades), at Sham (Damuscus), or that of El Ez-her at Misr (Cairo). It is always full of holy men, who pass the day there in fasting and the night in prayer. Seventy lectures (on theology) well pleasing to God are delivered there daily, so that to the student it is a mine of knowledge, and it never fails to be fre- quented by multitudes every day.
The Servants (Khuddâm) of the Mosque. They are the Imams (reciters of the Form of Prayer) ; the Khatibs (reciters of the Khotbah, bidding-prayer on Friday) ; Sheikhs (preachers) ; Devrkhan (Scripture readers) ; Ders- amils (lecturers) ; Talabah (students) ; Muezzins (cryers, who call to prayers from the Minarehs) ; Ejza kh-ans (lesson readers) ; Na't khans (reciters of the praises of the prophet and his associates) ; Bevvabs (door-keepers) ; and Kayims (sextons) : in all full two thousand servants, for the revenues of the mosque settled upon it by pious bequests (evkaf) are very large.
Stations and Places in this Mosque visited as peculiarly fitted for Devotion.
First. Ayâ Sofiyah is, in itself, peculiarly the house of God.
Second. The station (Makam) of Moslemah, in a place called U'ch Bûjâk (the three corners), where he, who was commander of the forces in the Khali- fate of Mo'aviyyeh, is said to have offered up prayer.
Third. The station of lyyub Ansari, who, after the peace made in the year of the Hijrah 52, entered Aya Sofiyah and performed a service of two inflections on the spot called Makami lyyub Sultan, south of the Sweating Column. There is now a Mihrab there much frequented at all the five services.
Fourth. The station of 'Omar Ibn 'Abdo-l-'aziz, who being commander at the peace in the year of the Hijrah 97, offered up prayers on the west side of Aya Sofiyah, at the foot of the green Mihrab. This place goes now by his name.
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Fifth. The station of Hârûnu-r-rashld, who, at his coming a second time to Kostantaniyyeh, in the year of the Hijrah 58, having crucified King Yaghfiir in the belfry of Ay;i Sofiyah, offered up prayers within the mosque in the kiblah of the prophet Solomon, on the south-east side, within the gate of the Defunct (Meyyit-kapü-si).
Sixth. The station of Seyyid Battal Ghazi in the sky-smiting belfry of the church.
Seventh. The station of Baba Ja'fer Sultdn, Ambassador of Hârûnu-r-rashid.
Eighth. The station of Sheikh Maksud Sultan, the companion of Baba Ja'fer. These two, with the king's (i. e. the Greek emperor's) permission, both offered up prayers on the eastern side of the mosque, within the sepulchral gate (Turbeh-kapu-si), at the places now bearing their name.
Eighth. The station of Salomon, who is said to have offered up prayer on the ground where Aya Sofiyah now stands, at the place called the Green Mihrab, to the right of the Minber.
Ninth. The station of Khizr, beneath the gilt ball in the centre of the cupola, is a place where some thousands of holy men have enjoyed the happiness of discoursing with that great prophet.
Tenth. The station of the forty, to the south of the platform of the Muezzins, is a place where the ground is paved with forty stones of various colours, and where forty holy men stood when the extraordinary accident which happened to Gul-abi Aghâ took place.
Narrative of Gul-abi Aghâ.
Gul-abi Aghâ, Rikâb dar (stirrup-holder) of Sultan Suleiman, a pious man, who died at the age of 151 years, relates that in consequence of the great plague in the reign of Sultân Selim II., which at Islâmbol carried off three thousand souls every day, that prince ordered the prayer Istiskâ to be proclaimed during three days; and that the mosque being much crowded on the holy night Kadr, in order to hear the sermon of the Sheikh (i. e. Doctor) of the order of Beshiktâsh Evliya Efendi, the Sultân ordered the people present to be numbered. This Sheikh, who was born at Tareb-afzun (Trapezonde), was a foster-brother of Sultan Suleiman. The throng to hear his sermon was so great that all the people of Islâmbol filled the mosque three days before he preached. Sheikh Yahya being now in the middle of his sermon, and the whole multitude listening to his admonitions with their utmost attention, Gulâbi Aghâ, who was in the midst of the crowd, felt himself much distressed by a necessity of withdrawing. His body began to swell like the kettle-drum of Bagdad ; he stood up two or three
evliya efendi. 61
times on tip-toes to see whether there was no possibility of making his way through the multitude, but saw that a man must needs be engulfed in this ocean of men. He was ready to die for shame when he addressed himself to the forty, on the station of whom he was then standing, and begged of them to save him from being disgraced by exposure to the crowd. At that moment he saw a stately man standing near him, in the dress of a Sipahi (soldier), who said to him, " I will release thee from thy pain ;" and thus saying, stretched his sleeve over Gulabi's head, who instantly found himself transported into a meadow on the bank of the stream near Kâghid-khânah. His pain and distress were removed forthwith ; and in a moment afterwards he was again in the same place in the mosque. When the sermon was finished all the hundred and one gates were shut except the large one at the south side, where the Defterdar Dervish Chelebi, son of the Sheikh Baba Nakkash, placed himself with his attendants in order to count all those who were then present in the mosque and its three stories of galleries, whose numbers amounted to fifty-seven thousand men. Gulabi Agha not having the least doubt that the Sipahi, who had transported him so charitably into the meadows of Kaghid Khânah, was no other than the prophet Khizr him- self, laid hold of the skirt of his robe, saying, " I am thy slave, O King! and will never again quit thee." The Sipahi answered him very roughly, " Be gone, man ! We are not the man of whom thou speakest." Gulabi Agha, how- ever, laid hold of him the faster ; and the Sipahi twice boxed his ears, and thus they made their way through the crowd. Gulabi, however, would not lose sight of him, and following him very close, saw him enter a place of retirement near Aya Sofiyah. Gulabi waited for some time at the door, when, lo ! it opened, and there came out a young cook of the Janissaries, elegantly dressed, with his official knife and silver chains. Gulabi instantly laid hold of him ; but the Janissary cried out, " Begone, man, thou art mad!" Gulabi, notwith- standing, would not loose his hold ; on which the cook of the Janissaries gave him a good thump, and entered a Buzah khânah in the market of Aya Sofiyah, where he ate some kababs and bread and drank buzah (a kind of beer), without taking the least notice of Gulabi. The Janissary went out and Gulabi followed him into a narrow street, where finding they were alone, he threw himself down at his feet, and entreated him, saying, " Be gracious to me, O Prophet, and grant me thy love !" The Janissary answered, " O seeker! although thou art a faithful lover, thou art not yet ripe, but wantest much of perfection, and must still undergo many trials ; but as, notwithstanding my rebuffs, thou followedst me with unabated zeal, I will now bring thee to an old man, in whose company thou shalt remain forty days without opening thy lips or asking concerning any
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men or things that shall pass under thine eye." He then, in that solitary place, knocked at a low and dirty gate, which was opened by an old camel-lipped negro, who pushed them both into the house. Gukibi, when he had recovered his senses, found himself in an assembly of men, who saluted him and received his salutations in return. The Janissary changed dress, and took the chief seat, after having kissed the hand of the old man, to whom he related Gulabi's adventures. The Sheikh said, " If he has renounced the world and all the pleasures of the senses, he is welcome in this assembly of Forty." Gulabi then remained three days and three nights without eating or drinking. His house, family, and relations at U'n-kapani came into his mind ; but he put his trust in the Almighty and resigned himself to his will. On the fourth, the old man said, " Now look to the business entrusted to you by God." At the same time the man, who had first assumed the shape of a Sipahi and then of a Janissary, stood up and brought out from a closet thirty-eight kinds of weapons, one of which he laid before thirty-eight of the men in company, placing before himself a Janissary's basin with water in it. Gulabi being eager to drink, his guide said, " Have patience, we shall this day see whether this place be attainable by thee." Some time afterwards there appeared on the opposite side, a male child ; and one of the company, taking his sword, immediately cut off its head. " Friend," said Guliibi, " why did you kill that boy?" " Did not I say, do not be curious?" replied his companion, the Janissary. Next appeared two men pursued by a lion, who tore one of them to pieces and eat him up, while the other saved himself by taking shelter behind the Sheikh. Gulabi asking for an explanation, received the same answer. Next came an innocent little child pursued by a wolf. One of the men, sitting on the prayer-carpet (sejjadeh), took his bow and arrow and shot the beast dead ; after which the child vanished in a corner. Three men then appeared on the other side, two of whom were hanged by the Sheikh's permission ; and the third was about to be hanged, when Gulabi begun to intercede with the Sheikh for his life. The Janissary seizing Gulabi by the collar, made him sit down in his place, and said, " Did I not tell you to have patience for forty days?" At that moment the water in the basin before the Janissary began to boil and bubble,