Chapter XIX: Part 19

His excellency, the grand vezír, wrote thus in reply: “You say you are braved or threatened by a vain-glorious army of Tátárs. A Tátár is like any other servant of the emperor. Though the two kháns were made prisoners, yet there is nothing strange or surprising in that. It has happened, not unfrequently, in the history of past events, that the vanquished have sometimes become conquerors. If you compute the number of those belonging to you who have been made captives, your motive for protracting hostilities must arise from some other cause; as that the power of the emperor appeared to have become less, or that he needed to make an apology. I also am a servant of the emperor. I have some hope my sentiments will have a good effect. I have entered in between you with the view of effecting a reconciliation. So soon, then, as the line of boundaries can be settled as it was formerly, I shall return: otherwise it is not his majesty’s pleasure that one of the name of Abbás should remain a sovereign in the palace of the world. How many years has the Moslem army wintered in this quarter? The secret decrees of fate are seemingly developed or developing by this fact. God seems ready to take vengeance.”

Some time before this answer was sent, however, Murád received a letter from the sháh by Shams-ud-dín Mohammed Aghá, proposing terms of peace. The grand vezír, after a long consultation about this matter, returned an answer by one Khair-ud-dín Chávush, whom he sent along with the sháh’s messenger when he returned. Very near a whole year passed away, however, before the sháh deigned to return any answer to the grand vezír’s communications; but on the 27th of Jemadi II., when the Moslem army, numerous as the stars, arrived at Erzerúm with the view of protecting and defending the imperial possessions secured by treaty to the Ottoman government in the days of Sultán Murád Khán, at this date Khair-ud-dín Chávush and Mohammed Aghá arrived, bringing with them a letter from the sháh. This letter contained hardly any thing more than what his former one did respecting the grounds of complaint, which we need not again repeat. Suffice it to say, that the correspondence on both sides was carried on to a great length. It was said, that if there existed a real desire to promote an agreement, it should be in accordance with those stipulations entered into during former reigns; but it is quite evident the emperor had no intention of entering into engagements which would strip him of his possessions in those quarters which had been conquered during the reign of Sultán Murád Khán.

_Other events of this year._

On the 2d of Rabia I., when the commanding-general removed from Scutari and had arrived at Mai dipa, he received intelligence of the death of his highness, Ahmed Gheráí, khán of the Crimea, and by his kind interference Jánbeg Gheráí was raised to the khánship. On the 15th of Rabia II. the ornamenting, repairing, and beautifying of the Kaaba and its dependencies were finished, which cost in all 18,141 miscals.[22] The work was commenced last year and finished in this.

The lord high admiral, Khalíl Páshá, having again put to sea with the royal fleet, he appointed Mímí Beg, beg of Rhodes, chief over a number of other begs, and dispatched him off in one of the vessels which had been destined for conveying provisions from Alexandria. Mímí Beg accomplished the task assigned to him, and afterwards fell in with an enemy’s ship of war at a place called Funka, which he soon disabled and sunk. Khalíl Páshá himself, whilst continuing his cruizing voyage after vessels belonging to the infidels, pursued his course along Negropont, Modon, and Navarin. At one or other of these places he received intelligence from Mímí Beg, that five large vessels belonging to Tuscany were somewhere at sea near Cyprus. The admiral immediately steered away from the shores of the Morea towards Cyprus, which place he reached about the commencement of Rajab after a sail of eight days, and discovered the above vessels before Oghuz Búrni, near Báf, watching the arrival of the Egyptian fleet. The admiral, Khalíl Páshá, now prepared for battle; but in consequence of a heavy gale of wind which suddenly arose, he found it impossible, notwithstanding his utmost efforts, to come into actual contact with them. Night came on; the wind became more fierce and boisterous, and by daylight on the following morning no traces of the enemy’s vessels could be discovered; nor was it known whither they had steered. The Turkish admiral now directed his course towards the island of Rhodes, and during the voyage picked up a straggling adventurer and one or two of the enemy’s ships. Soleimán Páshá, also, whom he had ordered away with ten vessels in search of the Tuscany ships, returned with two corsairs and two other vessels which he had taken in the roads of Messina and Malta, and joined the Turkish fleet, which directed its course to the port of Constantinople, having about eight prizes and a hundred captives to grace its entrance into that port; and when the admiral presented himself before the exalted diván, orders were given to confer on him a robe of honour for the services which he had rendered.

During the winter of this year messengers from the sháh arrived with letters containing humble proposals of peace, offering, at the same time, as one of the conditions, to pay an annual tax of two hundred yúks (loads) of silk for those provinces which had been wrested out of his hands, though they formerly formed part of the Persian dominions. He also requested that the government of Turkey, if it pleased, might have a beglerbeg over those provinces. The sagacious Murád Páshá wrote a report of these offers, and sent it along with the sháh’s messengers to the court of Constantinople. The purpose of his sending these ambassadors to the court of Istámbol was to excite the sháh’s hopes, and thus give him a hare’s sleep, while, in fact, he was meditating the devastation of the country on the return of spring.

_The death of Murád Páshá, grand vezír and commander-in-chief.—Nesúh Páshá succeeds to the premiership._

At the time his excellency, the grand vezír and commander-in-chief, Murád Páshá, went to Tabríz, the válí of Diárbeker, Nesúh Páshá, sent a private letter to the emperor, stating that if he would remove Murád Páshá out of the premiership, and confer the seals on himself, he would, in return, make him a present of forty thousand gold pieces in ready money, and bear the expense, besides, of the increase of provisions which was to be made to the army. This letter the emperor enclosed in a government despatch for Murád Páshá, and sent it off by a courier. The commanding-general was no doubt surprised when he read the document which had been sent to him, and immediately sent for Nesúh. Nesúh, no way aware of the reason for which he had been invited, appeared before the grand vezír without suspicion. The latter handed to him his own letter to the emperor, and asked him if he could recognize the hand-writing. Nesúh, a bold and fearless Albanian, replied, without a moment’s hesitation, it was his. “You ought, then,” said the commanding-general, “to advance the gold you have promised, and provide the provisions for the army which you have also stipulated.” Nesúh, no way embarrassed, showed his readiness to comply. Those officers who surrounded Murád Páshá, on this occasion, seemed very much surprised at what had transpired, and said, that many a commanding-general would have punished with death a fault much less than that which Nesúh had committed. “You are certainly,” said they, in their surprise and indignation, “seeking to compass this base and worthless hypocrite’s destruction?” His excellency, the commanding-general, with his usual prudence and good-nature, denied having entertained any such intention. “On the contrary,” said he, “a bold, active and dexterous man of this kind may be very useful to the government; and what he has offered to do may prove to be of advantage.” He added a few more remarks which were intended to make an impression on the mind of his rival.

The winter-months passed away, and the time for again marching against the heretical sháh approached. The commander-in-chief caused his pavilion to be erected on the outside of the walls of Diárbeker. This very movement, inasmuch as it presaged hostility, alarmed the sháh to such a degree that he again sent to the commanding general a supplicating letter, similar to that he had formerly sent him, praying for a cessation of hostilities. The illustrious commander amused him with hopes, but was all the while making preparations for commencing the attack. But in the midst of all this, it pleased God to remove him by death. This event took place on the 25th of Jemadi I.; and Mohammed Aghá, ághá of the janissaries, was, in conformity to Murád’s own desire, expressed some time before his death, appointed by the government, in the mean time, to take the command of the army. When Nesúh Páshá’s friends heard of Murád’s death, they used their utmost efforts to get him into the premiership, the great object of his ambition. On the 12th of the following month the wishes of both were realized by the seals of office being sent to Nesúh. He was made commander-in-chief of the forces at the same time.

The new grand vezír commenced his career in manifesting the same determined hostility against the sháh that his predecessor had done. This, of course, doubly increased the fears of the Persian king (the subversion of whose dominions had been the ardent desire of Murád Páshá), and led him to repeat his former intreaties: promising, at the same time, to submit to that subjection to the Ottoman emperor which had formerly been yielded to that monarch. But before these last proffers had been announced at Constantinople, the sháh requested to be allowed some delay to provide the quantity of silk which he had stipulated. This petition was incautiously listened to by the new minister, who, by this time, had disbanded his army. He was, moreover, much to blame for permitting the sháh’s ambassadors to proceed to Constantinople. They, themselves, were importunate in demanding from the grand vezír permission to proceed thither on the object of their embassy, alleging that on the frontiers no proper settlement between the two countries could be effected; but by some inexplicable conduct of the new grand vezír, a whole year passed away before matters were fully and properly adjusted.

In addition to the repairs and ornaments which had been bestowed on the Ka’ba, it was still found necessary to bind the pillars thereof in two different places with hoops, and for which purpose iron ones, plated with pure gold and choice silver, were provided. The aqueduct, which had been necessarily altered in the days of Soleimán, was furnished and ornamented with splendid boards. The emperor, being intent on beautifying the Ka’ba still more, removed into the garden of Stavros, where the contemplated work for the holy place might be carried on to better purpose under his own inspection. With this view he called thither all the goldsmiths, provided bellows, and the work immediately commenced under his own auspices, and the inspection of all his great men. This work, and the artizans employed on it, were afterwards removed to the garden of Davd Páshá, where the emperor himself took up his abode; and when the whole was finished, in conformity with the pattern which had been chosen, a pavilion was raised in front of the works for his majesty, and a throne was erected within it on which he sat. In this position, surrounded by the mufti, ulemá and his vezírs, he contemplated the articles which had been made; conferred robes of honour on those of his grandees of every rank and degree, who were present, as tokens of his royal munificence and approbation; and on the same day, raised Mohammed Aghá of the Salihdárs to the government of Egypt. About this same time the emperor ordered a shade or covering to be erected over the well near the arsenal.

EVENTS OF THE YEAR 1020, H.

_Naval affairs._

The Turkish fleet, under the command of the lord high-admiral, Khalíl Páshá, after having sailed from the port of Constantinople in the spring of this year, was met by Mohammed Beg, beg of the Morea, who had been previously sent out for the purpose of capturing such hostile vessels as might fall in his way, and who informed the admiral that he had conducted a prize-vessel into the port of Eyúbia. The fleet now sailed for Rhodes, where the ships were all properly pitched, and afterwards sailed for the island of Cyprus. Whilst the admiral was directing his course for this place, he received a royal letter, ordering him to convoy the ships destined for Egypt, which were conveying the articles for the Ka’ba. Just at this time he received intelligence that two hostile vessels had been seen sailing somewhere between Cyprus and Tripoli, and therefore he instantly dispatched Mímí Beg, beg of Rhodes, with twenty-five galleys, in search of them: but he himself conducted the Egyptian vessels half-way through the high seas, and then directed his course towards the shores of Anatolia.

Mímí Beg was not long in meeting with a hostile vessel, the commander of which was a Maltese and a pirate, and which, after some hard fighting, he took and brought into Rhodes, where he met with the admiral. He was afterwards sent with five galleys to conduct the válí of Egypt from Scio through the high seas towards Alexandria. Lálá Ja’fer Beg was also sent with ten vessels to cruize along the enemy’s coasts, but was much retarded by contrary winds. Off the Cape of Maneah he met two vessels, who having instantly hoisted the enemy’s flag, he prepared to attack them. The battle was long and bloody, and it was not till near night that he succeeded in overpowering them. The admiral, at the end of this voyage, sent these and four other vessels which had been captured, to the port of Constantinople. The two vessels taken by Lálá Ja’fer Beg, it was said, belonged to the Venetian state, and therefore, in consequence of that state being included in the last treaty made with France, a very great deal of talk and speculation took place.

On the return of the lord high-admiral to Constantinople, he was honoured with tokens of the imperial approbation for the services he had rendered. Within the three years he had acted as lord high admiral of the Turkish fleet, he captured more than fifty ships, small and great; the emperor, however, willing to show favour to Mohammed Páshá, who had been governor in Egypt, and whose exploits and virtuous deeds we have recorded, and who was every way worthy of the seals (though these, in the meantime, had been conferred on Nesúh Páshá), appointed him to the command of the fleet, that being the most honourable situation he had to confer on him at the time.

About the middle of Rabia II., whilst the emperor was enjoying himself in the gardens of Dávud Páshá, Sultán Selím was born, but died before the end of the month. Towards the end of the month Dhu’l hijja, the youngest of the princesses was united in marriage to Nesúh Páshá, and the contract was concluded in the presence of the reverend mufti and the vezírs of the court.

EVENTS OF THE YEAR 1021, H.

_Naval affairs continued._

In the month of Rajab of this year the lord high admiral, Mohammed Páshá, set sail with the royal fleet in search of prizes and further conquests. On reaching the coasts of Sidon and Bairut he found Maán Oghlí, a madman, who in the vanity of his mind had arrogated to himself princely titles, and had secured for himself some places of strength in the hilly part of the country, and who, moreover, had been a coadjutor of Jánbúlát Oghlí, and had done much mischief to the province of Syria. He afterwards entered into a friendly relation with the Turkish government, stipulating to pay an annual tribute of the products of the country he ruled, but had failed in fulfilling his engagements. The admiral, in consequence of this failure, landed some of his men with the intention of forcing Maán Oghlí into compliance. Force, however, was not necessary, for Maán Oghlí sent the admiral a submissive letter, accompanied by a larger sum than he had stipulated, as an equivalent for his neglect. The fleet returned to the port of Constantinople, and deposited in the imperial treasury the gifts and presents which had been received from Maán Oghlí. But it is to be observed that the admiral, whilst sailing through the straits of Súsam, allowed the enemy to seize no less than nine of his vessels; for which he was deposed. Khalíl Páshá was again made lord high admiral.

_Nesúh Páshá arrives in Constantinople along with the Persian ambassadors._

After Nesúh Páshá had given the despicable kizilbáshes hopes that their wishes would be complied with on the part of the Ottoman government, the sháh seized the opportunity thus afforded him, and instantly transmitted to Nesúh at Diárbeker two hundred loads of silk under the charge of Kází Khán, his military judge, and the cazís of Kazwín and Isfahán, additional ambassadors, who arrived at Diárbeker on the 26th of Rabia II. Nesúh Páshá, without loss of time, set out for Constantinople with the above silk and the messengers, and reached it about the beginning of Shabán. The grand vezír met with the honours due to his high station, and the ambassadors with that respect which it was the custom to bestow. The emperor, who had been at Dávud Páshá, returned with a great show of military pomp and grandeur to the city on the 16th of Shabán. By his orders suitable lodgings were assigned to the Persian ambassadors, and amusements afforded them, and on the 21st they were permitted to appear in the royal presence. They presented to his majesty, the asylum of the world, the gifts and presents they had brought along with them from their master, receiving in return robes of honour, and being permitted to kiss the skirt of his majesty’s robe.

The sháh had chosen his ambassadors from amongst the most cunning and shrewd of his learned men, as being the fittest for answering or asking questions in the royal diván, should they ever be called thither. When, however, they were actually introduced into that august assembly, they were overpowered with awe. Kází Khán, the foremost and most learned of their number, felt his inability to speak when he attempted to do so. “Please your majesty,” said he, with a faltering voice which betokened the agitation of his mind, “Sháh Abbás is your slave”—here he paused, and could not utter another syllable, but delivered over their credentials to the grand vezír, who handed them to his majesty, and then retired. They were again, on the 26th of Ramazán, allowed to be present at the royal diván, and were thence conducted into the imperial hall of audience, where answers to their communications were delivered to them. They again received robes, according to custom, and were allowed to retrace their steps to their own country. Hasan Páshá, beglerbeg of Erzerúm, and Anjúlí Mustafa Chávush were ordered to accompany them, with the view of settling and determining the frontiers of Armenia; but the negotiations with Persia were not finally settled until the year of the Hijrah 1024.

On the 28th of Jemadi I. the grand sultán had another son born, _viz._ Murád Khán, who was, on the 4th of Shevál, ordered, by a royal firmán, to be conveyed, according to ancient custom, to the royal harem, where the royal youths were brought up.

A beglerbegship was conferred on Karah Kásh Mohammed Aghá, chief of the falconers. About the middle of the last-mentioned month the grand princess, Ayesha Sultána, who was betrothed to the grand vezír, Nesúh Páshá, was sent home to him, on which occasion a most splendid banquet was given.

_Sultán Ahmed Khán takes a journey to Adrianople._

His majesty the emperor, having resolved on taking a journey to Adrianople, on the 8th of Dhu’l kadah he ordered the members of the royal diván, his household troops, his right and left-hand troops of Egypt, and a body of spáhís to proceed on the journey from Dávud Páshá. Two days before this mighty cavalcade left Dávud Páshá, the princes of the blood, under the charge of Mustafa Aghá, ághá of the royal palace, set out. The grand vezír, Nesúh Páshá, Dávud Páshá, Yúsuf Páshá, Khalíl Páshá, also the reverend mufti, Mohammed Effendí, Dámád Effendí, the late mufti, Asa’d-ud-dín Effendí, who had been deposed for the share he had in the late tumult, Zekeriáh Effendí, Yahia Effendí, Mustafa Effendí, and Abdul Azíz Effendí, all the grandees of the empire, and a splendid detachment of troops of various kinds accompanied his majesty on his leaving Dávud Páshá for Adrianople. This royal procession or cavalcade proceeded by way of Felúri, where such of the members of the administration as did not accompany the emperor to Adrianople took their leave of him and returned. On the high priest of the empire, in consequence of the necessary absence of Mustafa Effendí, the royal chronologer, the duty of marking events devolved. The royal cavalcade rested the first night at Kúchuk Chekmejeh, and the following day reached Búiúk Chekmejeh. At daybreak it was again in motion. The immense number of janissaries, spáhís, and other troops in the royal retinue now commenced the sport of the chase as they proceeded on their journey, which sport was accompanied by the sound of drums and other instruments. In the afternoon they reached Silivria. The emperor rose about midnight, performed his devotions on the highway, and was no sooner on horseback than his armourers and fencing-masters were again in their places. On reaching a place called Chorlí the royal party was allowed to rest there for the space of three days, in consequence of the fatigue which the emperor’s soláks and other foot-soldiers had sustained from the rains which had fallen during the previous days. On leaving Chorlí they advanced to Sultání, but as there was no suitable mansion for his majesty at this place, a pavilion had been erected for his reception. From Sultání they advanced to Burgas. During this journey the horsemen exercised themselves in throwing the javelin: the vezírs and ághás, even to the grand vezír himself, took a share in the sports of the day. The emperor partook with keenness of the passing pleasures, exercising his fleet steed, throwing the javelin, and, in short, was the phœnix of the whole company of lancers. The sound of mirth and joviality was re-echoed by the vault of heaven. The grand vezír was so astonished at the feats which his majesty performed, that he descended from his horse, approached his majesty’s stirrup on foot, and kissed it. It is quite certain that the display of horsemanship and throwing of the javelin which his majesty exhibited on this occasion was altogether unequalled. The royal party passed through Eskí Bábá and Hafsa, and on the tenth day of the journey, about mid-day, reached Adrianople.

The emperor and his suite, after offering up their devotions at the Selímiya, mounted their horses and crossed the bridge of Soleimán, exhibiting a great display of pomp and grandeur, and arrived at the royal palace of that city. The ághá of the palace, Elháj Mustafa Aghá, and other reverend dignitaries belonging to the royal house, made such a display of silver-plate and gold vessels as to excite great wonder. In short, so plentiful were articles of this description, that, in passing into the royal apartments, one was obliged to walk over them; the whole of his domestics that waited on him were made rich. Here diváns were held, and petitions of all kinds attended to. Within the palace a mosque was fitted up. The emperor himself, his domestics, and hatchet-bearers, went out every day to follow the chase, accompanied by his hounds and panthers. He ordered his bostánjí báshí to search out the places which abounded with most game, over a district of three days’ journey. Near the village of Cholmek the field, as the chase was pursued by sultáns of other days, extended to the distance of several leagues. In or about the beginning of Dhu’l hijja, the emperor, accompanied by his domestics, the odabáshí Ja’fer Aghá, the salihdár Mohammed Aghá, the chakadár Ahmed, and the stirrup-holder Ismael Aghá, set out at night, and by daybreak reached a green meadow, where his majesty offered up his morning devotions. On a rising ground near this meadow a pavilion for his majesty had been erected, and from this spot he again commenced following the pleasures of the chase. The country every where around abounded with wild-game. The grey-hounds and panthers were let loose; such of the peasants as brought in the game that had been seized, received munificent rewards, by which many a poor peasant was made rich; eighteen deers, one hundred and fifty hares, forty foxes, and a vast number of pheasants were collected on this occasion; and rewards, according to the laws of the chase, were also distributed.

The emperor, on leaving the above place, entered into Sultán Murád Khán’s garden with the view of taking some repose, whilst the whole of the game which had been taken was conveyed into his presence, when he ordered portions of it to be sent to the grand vezír and other ministers and military judges, who had not been present at this chase. In like manner, portions were sent to the royal harem, and to the other departments of the royal house. The sublime emperor then returned to Adrianople; but it was not long before he again engaged in the pleasures of the chase at a place called Kúrd Kíásí, about a stage distant from Adrianople, where the grand vezír prepared a splendid entertainment before the chase commenced. This chase took place about the beginning of the month of January, and all the vezírs and other officers of government were present at the convivial entertainment which Nesúh Páshá had given. The persons who had been employed in bringing in the game, whether whole or only the skins, received handsome rewards. The whole number of game taken on this occasion amounted to nine hundred and fifteen, and the number taken on former occasions to one thousand two hundred. The emperor enjoyed himself also in hunting along with his falconers, and outstripped the whole of his ághás, having caught nearly nine hundred birds. On meeting a peasant he condescended to enquire into his circumstances—what injury or oppression he might be enduring: and if he returned an answer that manifested content, he was sure to meet with an act of benevolence on the part of the royal enquirer. When he entered into a village, the villagers met him with the most valuable of their goods and best cattle, and offered them as presents; but for the most part he sent some of his domestics to prevent this display of kindness. In fact, such was the generosity of his own benevolent nature that many of the poor natives were made rich by his liberality. Every Friday night, according to his custom at Constantinople, he called together ten commanders or governors of garrisons, and made them read together, or separately, ten chapters of the holy writings, during the first watches of the night. Thus did the emperor, by donations of gold and silver, and by enriching his mind with reading, secure to himself a rich remuneration.

EVENTS OF THE YEAR 1022, H.

_The emperor, Sultán Ahmed Khán, goes to Gallipoli._

The emperor having resolved on taking a journey to Gallipoli, left Adrianople for the latter place on the 24th of Sefer. Nesúh Páshá, the grand vezír, provided every thing necessary for him at the different stations through which he was to pass, and prohibited every where the exercise of oppression and tyranny. His majesty passed through the meadows belonging to Mohammed Páshá, which happened to be the first station; and next day, on coming to a place called Degirmenlik, he entered on the chase. Having no meat, he and his suite were obliged to rest satisfied with the flesh of such birds as they took on the field. From Degirmenlik he moved onwards to Ieserarkinah, near which he spent two or three days more in hunting, having had his pavilion erected in a delightful spot in the neighbourhood of that place. After quitting this spot he continued his route till mid-day, when, impelled by the desire of the chase, he again betook himself to hunting through the fields, which he continued till he came to Karah Bekár, were he again joined the royal cavalcade, which had been moving slowly forward, and rested there for the night. On the following day he halted at Altún Tásh, the day after at the station called Ahmed Páshá, and the third day at Kighanlu, near Mulghra, not far from the Kogher mountains, which so large a body of men as that which accompanied the emperor would find very difficult, if not impracticable, to cross. He, therefore, selected a certain number of janissaries and spáhís to accompany him across these mountains to Gallipoli, and sent the rest of his troops, with their ordnance and baggage, to Rodosjuk. They were, however, very much impeded in their march, owing to the fall of a great quantity of snow and rain. The emperor and his party, about three thousand in number, proceeded on their journey towards Urúsha, and on the following day came to Búlair, where they pitched their tents in a sort of plain near the tomb of the heroic Soleimán Páshá, where the emperor again engaged in the amusements of the chase. He visited the above tomb, distributed some alms, and ordered the coffin to be renewed and ornamented. The emperor, on reaching Gallipoli, ordered his tent to be erected in the open fields, whither the grandees of the city, about sixty of the ulemá, besides the officers of justice, came to salute his majesty and to welcome him to their city. About eight o’clock in the evening the emperor, accompanied by the grand vezír, those ághás who had been his companions in the sports of the field, and his domestics, entered the city, and took up his abode in a pavilion which had been previously erected for him near the fortress. Great rejoicings took place, and the firing of guns, both on the land and water, commenced; the priests read the service which is usually read on the emperor’s birth-day, and many alms were dispensed among the poor and indigent. The pleasure-boat which the bostánjí báshí sent from Constantinople, was occasionally used by his majesty in taking a pleasure-sail.

_The emperor leaves Gallipoli for the imperial city._

The grand sultán, not wishing to prolong his stay at Gallipoli, ordered the signal drum to beat, and left that city on the fifteenth day after his departure from Adrianople, _i.e._ on the 19th of Rabia I. When he reached Búlair, on his return, he again visited the tomb of the heroic Soleimán Páshá, which, by this time, had been renewed and decorated after the manner of that in the Ka’ba. The emperor laid a sword across the coffin, which was covered over with cloth; ordered prayers to be offered up; distributed alms among the poor of the place, and afterwards prosecuted his march towards the royal city. He halted for the night at a place called Kowak. On the second following day, after descending from Bilban, he reached Rudosjuk, where the troops he left behind him, when he proposed crossing the Kogher mountains for Gallipoli, were waiting for his return.

_Mohammed Gheráí arrives at Rudosjuk._

Mohammed Gheráí, who had made himself obnoxious to his brother, Salámet Gheráí, the reigning khán of the Crimea, (who had joined himself to Sháhín Gheráí, and, along with some Circassian tribes among whom he lived, had committed great depredations among the Crimean Tátárs,) no sooner heard of the death of Salámet Gheráí, and the efforts which Jánbeg Gheráí had employed to prevent either his or his brother’s succeeding to the khánship, than he appeared with four hundred men in Romeili, and advanced with the utmost haste to solicit the support and countenance of the Turkish government in his own behalf. The grand vezír, on hearing of his approach, sent some of his ághás to meet him, and to bring him to Rudosjuk, where he had the felicity of kissing the emperor’s foot. The emperor, after holding a diván, promised that equity should be done; and attached two kapújí báshís to two of Mohammed Gheráí’s officers, who were to bring the two contending princes to an agreement between themselves.

The emperor’s nativity was again celebrated at Rudosjuk. At night candles were lighted up, and muskets were fired. The front of the imperial pavilion was brilliantly illuminated with a vast number of lamps. On the following day he set out for Kopurjí Cháier, passed through the village of Amúrcha, and on the third day arrived in the plains of Silivria. Here he was met by the kapúdán, Mohammed Páshá, the bostánjí báshí, Hasan Aghá, with his whole body of bostánjís. Many of the ulemá and servants of the government came to this place also, to welcome him back. In the evening, as the emperor was going towards the gardens of Silivria, he was met by his reverence the mufti Mohammed Effendí, and other learned men. When the mufti saw him approaching, he advanced, kissed the hem of his garment, and pronounced a blessing on his head. The sultán, on the other hand, no sooner saw the venerable prelate drawing near to him, than he checked the steed on which he was mounted, in order to allow him time to perform the above ceremony, and then invited the mufti and his learned associates to mount and accompany him in his jaunt, when they all entered into a variety of conversation. Other ulemá, and heads of seminaries of learning, came also on this occasion and paid him their respects. The emperor, after meeting with so many tokens of esteem from his learned subjects, ordered preparations to be made for going to the gardens of Dávud Páshá. The night on which he arrived at these gardens the whole space occupied by his soldiery of various kinds was brilliantly illuminated, and the small and great guns fired a salute. On the 24th of Rabia I. he entered the capital, whilst his troops and retinue formed a beautiful and orderly procession. In a very few days afterwards, however, _i.e._ on the 1st of Rabia II., he passed over to his palace at Scutari, where he followed the amusements of the chase. Sometimes he went to Stavros, sometimes to the port of the metropolis, and sometimes to the gardens of Dávud Páshá, in pursuit of the same sport and amusement.

On the 5th of Rajab of this year he went to the gardens of Chatálijeh, and returned to Constantinople on the 12th of the same. On the following day, after having spent the night comfortably, he went to the Halkalú gardens, where he gave audience to the grand vezír. From these gardens he retired to those of Dávud Páshá, and thence returned to the imperial palace.

About this time seven of the chaste and unsullied daughters of the emperor’s uncles, brought up in the old palace, were given in marriage to rich and powerful ághás, who were favourites of his majesty. On the 23d of Rajab the emperor removed to the gardens of Beshektásh, where he either spent his time in the library, or in the orchards of that place, and returned to his own palace in the month of Shabán, where, night after night, he attended to the duties of religion, and to the distribution of alms. He ordered Súfí Mustafa Effendí, his own Imán, to draw out a statement from authentic documents of all his royal children; and a list of twenty-six names, male and female, was returned to him. To each of these he sent by this prelate, and others who were joined with him in the commission, immense presents; and as many of them as had arrived at the age of puberty, received a suitable provision.

During the month of Ramazán he was most assiduous in offering up his devotions; and on the Leilet ul kadr,[23] he made such a distribution of money and of other benefits as had never been exemplified in any of his predecessors. After the termination of the fast, the usual salutations were attended to, and he again began to enjoy the pleasures which his palace afforded.

It having been alleged that the use of wine had been the cause of the disturbances and tumults which had taken place in the city from time to time, the pious and religious emperor, in order to put a stop to this forbidden and pernicious practice throughout the empire, ordered the laws to be enforced. The taverns were a perfect nuisance; and therefore the keepers of them had their licenses taken from them: the sellers of wine were obliged to flee, and their houses or shops were thrown down, without paying any regard whatever to the vast advantage which accrued to the government from this traffic; because of the great evil which it had done to the morals of the inhabitants. It was not long, however, before the use of wine again became as general as ever.

_A messenger from Holland arrives in Constantinople._

Messengers, with valuable gifts and rich presents for the Ottoman emperor, from the válí of Holland, a country bordering on the ocean on the north of France, with some large merchant-vessels carrying a variety of merchandize from the same country, arrived this year at the port of Constantinople. When the owners or skippers of these vessels asked leave to depart, they were allowed to do so, and so also were the messengers or ambassadors who had been honoured with lodgings in the imperial gardens of Scutari.

Kitanjí Omar Páshá was commissioned by the Ottoman government to proceed to Walachia and Moldavia, with the view of fixing and settling the authority of the Voivodas who had been appointed by government in these provinces, for since the days of the apostate Michael these countries had been in a most unsettled state. The chief of Transylvania, during the troubles which reigned in these two provinces, found means to attach some few fortresses to the jurisdiction of Temisvar; but when he learned that Sultán Ahmed Khán was in Adrianople, he became terrified, and instantly relinquished Lipova and Yanova, which of course were taken possession of by some of the border chieftains.

Afterwards, when a Polish army entered the territories of Moldavia, the governor of Silistria, Delí Hasan Páshá, marched against it and routed it.

_A mosque is built in the garden of Stavros._

No mosque having hitherto been built in the garden of Stavros, orders were issued this year to erect one, besides some other necessary erections. The household troops and the attendants of the grand vezír finished the whole in the space of forty days. The emperor sometimes resided in this garden, and not unfrequently amused himself by sailing in his pleasure-boat in the straits of Constantinople.

_Sultán Ahmed Khán resolves on a second journey to Adrianople._

Sultán Ahmed Khán, of restless disposition, like his great ancestor, Sultán Selím Khán, resolved on again visiting the city of Adrianople. Accordingly the grand vezír, Nesúh Páshá, the nobles, the emperor’s favourites, and ághás of the stirrup, were ordered, on the 9th of Shevál, to repair a second time to Adrianople. In conformity to custom, the vezírs and ulemá accompanied his majesty as far as Dávud Páshá, where they all took leave of him and returned to the city. At Burghas the emperor took up his lodgings in the mansion of Mohammed Páshá, the martyr, and attended the chase. On his first going forth to this sport, and whilst endeavouring to raise the wild beasts, a huge boar, resembling the devil, presented himself, and in his fury and rage terrified every one away: the emperor alone had courage to seize a spear, and, like a flash of burning light, attacked the ferocious animal. The grand vezír hurried forward to aid his master, and on finding, brave and powerful as the sultán really was, and though he had succeeded in stupifying the wild beast, that he had not yet killed it, immediately thrust his spear into the body of the wild boar, when the dogs instantly fell upon it. It amused the emperor exceedingly to see the manner in which the dogs applied their teeth to the carcass of the wild beast. In three days after this event the emperor reached Adrianople, where he spent the winter, alternately following the chase and attending to religious solemnities.

_Nesúh Páshá’s enmity to the lord high treasurer, Etmekjí Zádeh. Ahmed Páshá._

Nesúh Páshá, the grand vezír, having a second time accompanied Sultán Ahmed Khán to Adrianople, acquired, by his apparent diligence in serving his royal master, a peculiar intimacy with him; but Etmekjí Zádeh, from his office in the vezírship and in the treasury, stood in the way of his arriving at the possession of absolute sway. Nesúh Páshá thirsted for this; and being, moreover, a man without the least virtue, he could not endure to see the prosperity of Etmekjí Zádeh, and therefore not only hated and envied him, but also sought opportunity to ruin him. Thinking he had something to accuse him of, and by which at least he hoped to lessen him in the esteem of his master, he represented to his majesty the pusillanimity which he discovered during the late war with Persia. This he did whilst travelling to Adrianople, and recurred to this part of Etmekjí’s history so frequently, that his majesty determined on depriving him of his office as lord high treasurer, and also of the government of Caramania, to which he had been appointed. Nesúh had the envious satisfaction of seeing the object of his hatred humbled; but by the intervention of Etmekjí’s friends in about a week afterwards he was raised to the government of Aleppo, and Lunka Zádeh was made lord high treasurer in his room: Abdulbákí Páshá was made second treasurer, and Kalander was made third.

_Begzádeh, a celebrated spáhí, assassinated._

Etmekjí Zádeh having been, as before observed, appointed to the government of Aleppo, the grand vezír sent him off to take charge of it. About this time Begzádeh, one of the most celebrated spáhí chiefs, a native of Khorassan, and a man of intrepid bravery and fortitude, incurred the displeasure of the grand vezír. This spáhí, when he first entered the service, had only a salary of twelve akchas; but by his bravery, and other splendid talents which he possessed, he came at last to have the command of twelve thousand spáhís, who were entirely obedient to his will. This Begzádeh came to Constantinople when Nesúh Páshá was there, but feared to have any interview with him. At length, however, Soklún Mesli Aghá, the ághá of the janissaries, undertook to introduce him to the grand vezír, promising by an oath no injury would happen to him. The other consented, and the vezír, after he was introduced to him, took special care to show him every mark of esteem and respect due to his character and station, promising, at the same time, to attend to all his requests. This state of affairs continued for about four months, during the whole of which time Begzádeh had constant access to the grand vezír, and shared in his apparent kindness. The deceitful vezír, however, had formed the plan of murdering him. He several times proposed to the ághá above-mentioned to perpetrate this deed, but Mesli pleaded his promise and oath, and would not consent to be guilty of so base a crime. The grand vezír was determined, and under the pretext of settling some business which related to the Turcomans, sent off Begzádeh to Aleppo. Immediately after his departure for that city the grand vezír sent an order to Etmekjí Zádeh, the válí of Aleppo, to take away the life of Begzádeh. The order was thus: “Your head or his.” This was sent off by the notorious executioner, Káísh Mohammed. The válí no sooner received this peremptory mandate than he, though reluctantly, entered into the views of the grand vezír, because, in fact, he felt afraid of him. On the last day of one of the festivals, as Begzádeh was reclining on a pillow and trimming his beard, Káísh Mohammed rose up and left the company, but soon returning again with a hatchet he had in readiness, with one blow cut off one of his ears, when instantly Begzádeh, though a powerful man, fell down on one side and gave up the ghost. The grand vezír rewarded Káísh Mohammed for this deed of blood with an ágháship, and sent the hateful wretch into Romeili. He was a most merciless, blood-thirsty villain, and the instrument by which very many lost their lives. He at last, however, perished by the hands of the kizilbáshes.

_Other events and circumstances of this year._

On the 10th day of Moharrem, Chokadár Khás, Mohammed Aghá, was appointed to the command of the janissaries, and in four or five months afterwards was raised to the government of Romeili. One of the seven daughters of the late Sultán Murád Khán was given away in marriage, and the rest of them were similarly disposed of. On the 1st of Shevál, the royal prince, Sultán Hasan, was born, and Omar Aghá was sent to Adrianople, where the emperor then was, to inform him of the birth of this prince. In the month of Shevál, at the time the emperor was preparing to go to Adrianople, and when he entered into the garden of Floreiya, he conferred on Khalíl Páshá the second kapúdánship. The guardianship of the foot of the throne was given to Gúrjí Mohammed Páshá, who had been deputy of Constantinople. A royal edict to build ten more galleys at the royal expense, was issued this year. An order was also issued, during the time the emperor was at Adrianople, to build a palace in the royal garden, near the port of Constantinople. On the 25th of Shevál, the day on which his majesty reached Adrianople, the Bostánjí báshí, Hasan Aghá, who had remained in Constantinople, received the sanják of Sefd (in Syria). The country adjacent, which belonged to Maán Oghlí, who by this time had fled to Europe, was annexed to Sefd. Kashiki Hasan Aghá was made Bostánjí báshí. The lately-created válí of Sefd went to Adrianople to do homage to the emperor for the dignity and honour conferred on him, and afterwards set out for his new government.

The emperor, finding himself in a great measure at ease and free from care, determined on taking some recreation in a pleasure-boat or yacht, and therefore ordered one to be constructed. The whole of the river Tonja, as far as his place of hunting, was cleared of wood, stones, and every thing that might obstruct the passage of his yacht, by janissaries, spáhís, and other soldiers, which they accomplished in a short time. He ordered the boat to be brought from Constantinople to Rudosjuk, which was transported from that place to the river Tonja on sledges. After the new yacht was painted and ornamented, he employed it for the purpose for which it had been made. He ordered another, of a peculiar construction, to be conveyed from Gallipoli to Adrianople.

_The treaty of peace with Persia adverted to._

This year a copy of the articles of agreement entered into with the sháh of Persia was written out by the reverend mufti, Mohammed Effendí, and sent to the court of Persia. In conformity to ancient treaties it was agreed: 1st, That the Persians should make use of no expressions of contempt, of execration, of reproach, or of abuse against the chosen friends and contending heroes of the faith, the prelates and priests of Islamism, and the orthodox followers of the same. 2d, None worthy of the name of Iránís, of whatever class (according to the agreement which sháh Tehemasp had promised to abide by), were to be obliged to hear wicked or profane reading, or explanations (of the law); and all of this name who wished to enter the Osmánlí dominions, were not to be prohibited. 3d, Such Musselmans as were in service or in garrisons at the making of this treaty, were not to be vexed or oppressed. 4th, The frontier lines were to remain as they were in the reign of Sultán Selím Khán. 5th, The estates which belonged to Sanjár Oghlí, of happy memory, were to be added to the territories of Baghdád, without any resistance being offered. 6th, When the chief cities in the district of Sheherirúz were set free from the power of Helú Khán, they were never again to receive any aid or assistance from the Persians. 7th, All pilgrims, travelling from the east by the way of Aleppo and Shám, were not to be allowed to travel by the road of Baghdád and Bassora, without a sufficient guard. 8th, To Shamkhál Khán and other rulers in Dághistán, who from ancient times had been on a friendly footing with Turkey, or to any part of their dominions, no injury was to be done; they were also, by the same treaty, to sustain no loss whatever. 9th, When once the Turkish fortresses or redoubts, which had been erected for the purpose of preventing unfortunate Russians[24] from passing and repassing, were relinquished, the sháh was, under no pretext whatever, to place garrisons in them. 10th, The frontiers were to be protected.

In conformity to the spirit of this treaty, the frontier páshás, _viz._ the válí of Baghdád, Mohammed Páshá, and the beglerbeg of Wán, Mohammed Páshá, received an imperial commission to proceed and settle, along with the Persian commissioners, the line of frontier between the dominions of the Ottoman emperor and those of the sháh of Persia.

EVENTS OF THE YEAR 1023, H.

_The Moslem Emperor returns to Constantinople._

In the commencement of the month of Moharrem the happy and fortunate monarch Sultán Ahmed Khán began to retrace his steps towards his royal residence at the Sublime Porte. The troops who had accompanied his majesty to Adrianople were, previous to his own departure, allowed to return home. His majesty himself accomplished the journey in fifteen days, seven of which he rested, having arrived at Constantinople about the middle of the month. The day on which he entered the city two of his sons, Sultán Osmán and Sultán Mohammed, mounted on swift chargers, went out to meet their royal father, and returned along with him, riding in front of the janissaries. Some few days after his arrival in the royal residence he retired into the Terskháneh, and resided for a while in the mansion which he had ordered to be erected in it, and was now completed. Being naturally fond of this garden, he caused it to be decorated with flowers and shrubs taken from the interior garden of his seraglio or harem.

_The admiral, Khalíl Páshá, goes to sea._

The admiral Khalíl Páshá set sail with forty-five vessels for Beshektásh, whence, after a few days’ riding, he proceeded to the island of Scio, which he reached after a sail of twenty-two days. Here he learned that no less than twenty-seven hostile ships had entered a harbour belonging to the island of Skyro, but which, he afterwards heard, had gone to the island of Súsam. Thither he directed his course, having been previously joined by Mímí Beg, kapúdán of Rhodes, with twenty galleys: but before the Turkish fleet could make up to them they escaped through the straits of the islands of Andro and Istendil (Tino), and made their way to some of the sea-ports belonging to his holiness the pope. Khalíl Páshá on the 2d of Jemadi I. arrived before Corone, passed Modon, and on the 15th reached Avarín (Navarin): thence he sent out two vessels for the purpose of reconnoitring the coast. After having got all his ships properly pitched at this place, he again, on the 21st, set sail with fifty-nine ships of various size towards the shores of the infidels. After passing Messina, he reached the island of Malta on the 28th of the month; on the same day he effected a descent on that island.