Amasyalıdır. 1093 târîhli Defter-i Mütekâ’idîn’de “Mehmed Osmân Amasya” ve bâlâsında “Cebecioğlu” yazılan Amasya kethüdâyeri Cebecioğlu Mehmed Ağa bin Osmân Ağa bin Mahmûd Ağa’nın oğludur. Gençliğinde yeniçeri olup 1099 vak’asında ibrâz-i hizmetiyle nâil-i terakkî ve mu’ahharan müteaddid defalar Amasya yeniçeri serdârı oldu. 1122 senesi Rus harbinde fevkalâde yararlıklar göstermekle Turnacıbaşı pâyesiyle taltîf edilip 1124 senesinde İstanbul kâ’im makâmı Amasyalı el-Hâc Ahmed Paşa’nın himmetiyle yeniçeri ocağında kethüdâyeri ve müte’âkiben muhzır ağalığıyla dâhil-i katâr oldu. 1125 senesi şevvâlinde kul kethüdâsı olup Yeniçeri Ağası Kürd Hasan Ağa’nın istirkâbına marûz ve efendisi de [26] menkûb olduğundan 1126 senesi evâsıtında azl ile vatanına i’zâm edildi. 1131 senesi evâ’ilinde vefât etdi. Ağa Paşa ve Mataracı Paşa demekle meşhûr, şecî’ idi.
Oğullarından eş-Şeyh Ahmed Efendi İstanbul’da ders-i âm ve Arab Câmii kürsü şeyhi oldu. Buna “Mataracızâde” dendi. Diğeri Amasya a’yânından el-Hâc Mehmed Ağa’dır. Bunun mahdûmu es-Seyyid Osmân Paşa ve diğer mahdûmu Amasya nakîbül-eşrâf kâ’im-makâmı es-Seyyid el-Hâc İbrâhim Efendi’dir. Bunlara “Cebecizâdeler” denirdi.
In Modern English
He was a native of Amasya. He was the son of Cebecioğlu Mehmed Ağa, kethüdâyeri of Amasya, who was recorded in the Register of Retirees (Mütekaidîn Defteri) of 1093 [1682] under the name "Mehmed Osmân Amasya" with "Cebecioğlu" written over it; Mehmed Ağa was the son of Osmân Ağa, who in turn was the son of Mahmûd Ağa. In his youth he became a Janissary; he rose through the service he showed in the incident of 1099 [1687-88], and afterwards was several times Janissary serdar of Amasya. In the Russian war of 1122 [1710-11], upon showing extraordinary service, he was rewarded with the rank of turnacıbaşı. In 1124 [1712], through the efforts of Hacı Ahmed Pasha of Amasya, the kaymakam of Istanbul, he entered the Janissary corps's cadre as kethüdâyeri, and then as muhzır ağa. In Şevval 1125 [1713] he became kul kethüdası. He met with the unfavorable attitude of the Janissary Ağa Kürd Hasan Ağa, and since his own master was sent into exile, he was dismissed from office in mid-1126 [1714] and sent back to his hometown. He died in early 1131 [1718-19]. He was known by the names "Ağa Paşa" and "Mataracı Paşa"; he was a courageous man.
Among his sons, Sheikh Ahmed Efendi gave general lectures in Istanbul and became the chair sheikh of the Arab Mosque. He was called "Mataracızâde". His other son was Hacı Mehmed Ağa, one of the notables of Amasya. One of the latter's sons was Seyyid Osmân Pasha, and another was Seyyid Hacı İbrâhim Efendi, deputy of the nakîbüleşraf of Amasya. These were called the "Cebecizâdes".
Notes and Research
Old Words in the Text
- Defter-i Mütekâ'idîn: the register of those retired
- kethüdâyeri: a senior officer in the Janissary corps, one of the aides of the ağa
- turnacıbaşı: a higher-ranking officer in the Janissary corps
- muhzır ağası: the officer in the Janissary corps who handled court and council business
- kul kethüdâsı: the senior official who was deputy to the Janissary ağa
- dâhil-i katâr: entered the cadre, the ranks
- menkûb: fallen into exile or into misfortune
- nakîbüleşraf: the person who keeps the records of the seyyids and watches over them
The Russian War and Janissary Ranks
The date 1122 [1710-11] falls in the years of the Prut War between the Ottomans and Russia; Hüsameddin does not name the war, so this identification is an inference. According to the TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, the office of turnacıbaşı goes back to the time of Mehmed the Conqueror and is one of the senior officer posts of the Janissary corps. The posts of kethüdâyeri, muhzır ağa and kul kethüdası listed in the text also show the steps of advancement within the same corps.
Mehmed Ağa's epithet continued as "Mataracı" and his son's as Mataracızâde; the names "Cebecioğlu" and "Cebecizâde" are the family name inherited from the father. No source other than Hüsameddin was found on the later branches of the family in Amasya. Who the Janissary Ağa Kürd Hasan Ağa and the exiled master were could not be verified in the sources examined either.
Bibliography
Primary sources
Academic studies
Other sources