Köprülüdür. Hacı Yûsuf oğludur. Köprü’de mukaddimât-ı ulûmu görüp İstanbul’a gitdi. Orada Ayasofya Medresesi’nde ikâmet ve ulemâdan ikmâl-i tahsîle himmet edib mücâz ve Köprü’ye avdetle ders-i âm ve Sıyâmî Efendi Medresesi’ne müderris oldu.
Bu esnada Köprü’nün kutbu ve Gökderelizâde eş-Şeyh Muhyiddîn Efendi’nin halîfesi olan eş-şeyh Mehmed Çelebi’ye mürîd-i hâssı olup 1034’de şeyhinin makâmına geçti. Bu yüzden Sıyâmiyye müderrisliği uhdesinden ref edilip ulemâdan Ali Efendi’ye verilmişdi.
Irak ve Bağdâd serdârı olan Hâfız Ahmed Paşa ile sâbika-i mu’ârefesi olduğundan müşârün-ileyhin arz-ı inhâsıyla 1039’da Sıyâmî Efendi Medresesi zâviye itibarıyla meşihatı uhdesine tevcîh ve kendisine kırk akçe vazîfe-i meşihatı i’tâ edildi.
1045’de Sultân Murâd Han-ı Râbi’nin Amasya’ya vürûdunda zâviyenin ta’âmiyesine medâr olmak üzere Köprü Kazası [506] dâhilinde Beni Alanı çiftliği kendisine temlik buyuruldu. Bu da vakfedip 22 yıl kadar meşîhat, halka va’z-ı nasihat ederek 1056 senesi ramazânında dâr-ı kutse irtihal etdi.
Âlim, sâlih, vâ’iz, nîk haslet, müttaki, mazınne-i kerâmet bir zât idi. Nefes-i mübâreki gayet mü’essir olup hastaları şifa-yâb eylerdi. Kibâr ve sığârın mû’tekadı, meşâyih-i kirâmın mu’temedi idi.
Oğulları Yûsuf, Hüseyin Efendilerdir. Vakfetdiği Beni Alanı çiftliği, şimdi Ahmed Baba Karyesi diye meşhûrdur. Bu çiftlik, Sıyâmî Efendi Medresesinin malikânesi idi. Zâviyeye kalbedildikte evlâdiyyet üzere Yûsuf ve Hüseyin Efendilere intikal etdi.
Mu’ahharan Hüseyin Efendi’nin evlâdından el-Hâc Ahmed Efendi bin Osmân Efendi bin Hüseyin Efendi 1143’de vefât edib, oğulları es-Seyyid el-Hâc Osmân, Hüseyin Efendiler ve amcaları Süleyman Efendi’nin vefâtında 1163’de zâviyedâr ve malikâne mutasarrıfı oldular. [507]
Es-Seyyid el-Hâc Osmân Efendi 1166’da vefâtıyla oğulları es-Seyyid Süleyman, Hasan Ağalar ve es-Seyyid el-Hâc Hüseyin Efendi 1178’de vefât edib oğlu es-Seyyid Osmân Efendi müştereken mütevelli ve 1179’da es-Seyyid Süleyman bin es-Seyyid el-Hâc Osmân Efendi vefâtıyla hissesine oğulları es-Seyyid Hüseyin, Hasan Ağalar müştereken mütevelli oldular.
Ba’dehû es-Seyyid Osmân Efendi bin es-Seyyid el-Hâc Hüseyin Efendi ve müte’âkiben es-Seyyid Hasan bin es-Seyyid el-Hâc Osmân Efendi bila veled vefâtıyla es-Seyyid Hasan Efendi bin es-Seyyid Süleyman müstakillen mütevelli ve 1208’de vefâtıyla oğlu Tekke-nişin es-Seyyid Sâlih Efendi mütevelli oldu.
1248’de bu Sâlih Efendi de vefât edib oğulları es-Seyyid Hüseyin, Hasan ve 1268’de bunların yek-diğerini müteâkîb vefâtıyla es-Seyyid Hüseyin bin Sâlih Efendi’nin oğulları es-Seyyid Osmân, Mustafa, Mehmed ve es-Seyyid Hasan bin Salih Efendi’nin oğlu es-Seyyid Mehmed Ağa müştereken mütevelli oldular. Bunlara “Tekke-nişin oğulları” dendi.
1280’de es-Seyyid Mustafa bin Hüseyin bin Sâlih Efendi’nin vefâtıyla oğulları es-Seyyid İbrâhim, Mehmed Emin, Ahmed ve 1304’de es-Seyyid Osmân bin Hüseyin’in vefâtıyla oğulları es-Seyyid [508] Osmân, Mustafa, Mehmed ve es-Seyyid Hasan Efendi bin Sâlih Efendi’nin oğlu es-Seyyid Mehmed Ağalar müştereken mütevelli oldular.
1280’de es-Seyyid Mustafa’nın vefâtıyla oğulları İbrâhim, Mehmed Emin, Ahmed ve 1304’de es-Seyyid Osmân’ın vefâtıyla oğulları Süleyman, İsmâil Hakkı Ağalar mütevelli oldukları esnada Canik’den gelen Rumlar, bin türlü rica ve minnetle ve müste’cir sıfatıyla Ahmed Baba köyüne yerleşip on beş yıl sonra mülkiyyet üzere zabt ve mütevellilere cevab-ı red verdiler.
Tekke-nişin oğlu es-Seyyid Hasan Efendi bin es-Seyyid Sâlih Efendi’nin kızını Keşrafoğlu el-Hâc Abdullah Ağa bin Hüseyin Ağa bin Hasan Ağa alıp bundan tevellüd eden es-Seyyid el-Hâc Şükrü Hasan, el-Hâc Abdullah Efendilerle el-Hâc Hüseyin Ağa Köprü’de teneffüz ve çiftliğinden Rumları ihrac etmek için mahkemeye müraca’atla aldıkları i’lam nizami icra edilemedi.
In Modern English
He was from Köprü. He was the son of Hacı Yûsuf. After taking the introductory lessons in the sciences in Köprü he went to Istanbul. There he stayed at the Hagia Sophia Madrasa and tried to complete his education under the scholars, and received an icazet; returning to Köprü, he became dersiâm and müderris of the Sıyâmî Efendi Madrasa.
At that time he became the special disciple of Sheikh Mehmed Çelebi, the pole of Köprü and the caliph of Gökderelizâde Sheikh Muhyiddîn Efendi, and in 1034 [1624-25] he took his sheikh's place. For this reason the Sıyâmiyye müderrisship was taken from him and given to Ali Efendi, one of the scholars.
Since he had earlier acquaintance with Hâfız Ahmed Pasha, the commander of Iraq and Baghdad, on the said pasha's writing and reporting, in 1039 [1629-30] the Sıyâmî Efendi Madrasa was counted as a lodge, the sheikhship was given to him, and a sheikhship salary of forty akçe was assigned to him.
In 1045 [1635-36], when Sultan Murad IV Han came to Amasya, the Beni Alanı farm within the borders of the Köprü district was granted to him in ownership as a source for the lodge's food expenses. He endowed this too as a waqf, and after serving as sheikh for about twenty-two years, preaching and giving counsel to the people, he attained the mercy of the Truth in Ramazan of 1056 [1646].
He was a scholar, pious, a preacher, of good character, God-fearing, and a man believed to possess miraculous gifts (keramet). His blessed breath was extremely effective and healed the sick. He was one in whom great and small believed, and on whom respected sheikhs relied.
His sons are Yûsuf Efendi and Hüseyin Efendi. The Beni Alanı farm he endowed is now famous as Ahmed Baba Village. This farm had been the malikâne of the Sıyâmî Efendi Madrasa. When it was turned into a lodge, it passed to Yûsuf Efendi and Hüseyin Efendi as the children.
Later, when el-Hâc Ahmed Efendi, of the descendants of Hüseyin Efendi, son of Hüseyin Efendi, son of Osmân Efendi, died in 1143 [1730-31], his sons es-Seyyid el-Hâc Osmân Efendi and Hüseyin Efendi, on the death in 1163 [1749-50] of their uncle Süleyman Efendi, became lodge keepers (zâviyedâr) and holders of the malikâne.
When es-Seyyid el-Hâc Osmân Efendi died in 1166 [1752-53], his sons es-Seyyid Süleyman Ağa and Hasan Ağa, and, when es-Seyyid el-Hâc Hüseyin Efendi died in 1178 [1764-65], his son es-Seyyid Osmân Efendi, became trustees together. When es-Seyyid Süleyman, son of es-Seyyid el-Hâc Osmân Efendi, died in 1179 [1765-66], his sons es-Seyyid Hüseyin Ağa and Hasan Ağa became trustees together for his share.
Then, when es-Seyyid Osmân Efendi, son of es-Seyyid el-Hâc Hüseyin Efendi, and after him es-Seyyid Hasan, son of es-Seyyid el-Hâc Osmân Efendi, died childless, es-Seyyid Hasan Efendi, son of es-Seyyid Süleyman, became sole trustee. When he died in 1208 [1793-94], his son Tekkenişin es-Seyyid Sâlih Efendi became trustee.
In 1248 [1832-33] this Sâlih Efendi also died, and his sons es-Seyyid Hüseyin and Hasan, then in 1268 [1851-52], on their successive deaths, the sons of es-Seyyid Hüseyin son of Sâlih Efendi, es-Seyyid Osmân, Mustafa and Mehmed, and the son of es-Seyyid Hasan son of Sâlih Efendi, es-Seyyid Mehmed Ağa, became trustees together. These were called "the sons of Tekkenişin."
In 1280 [1863-64], on the death of es-Seyyid Mustafa, grandson of Sâlih Efendi son of Hüseyin, his sons es-Seyyid İbrâhim, Mehmed Emin and Ahmed, and in 1304 [1886-87], on the death of es-Seyyid Osmân son of Hüseyin, his sons es-Seyyid Osmân, Mustafa and Mehmed, and the es-Seyyid Mehmed Ağa, son of es-Seyyid Hasan Efendi son of Sâlih Efendi, became trustees together.
While in 1280, on the death of es-Seyyid Mustafa, his sons İbrâhim, Mehmed Emin and Ahmed, and in 1304, on the death of es-Seyyid Osmân, his sons Süleyman Ağa and İsmâil Hakkı Ağa were trustees, Greeks (Rum) who came from Canik settled in Ahmed Baba Village as tenants with a thousand kinds of entreaty and pleading, and fifteen years later seized the lands as owners and gave the trustees a refusal.
Tekkenişin's son es-Seyyid Hasan Efendi married the daughter of Sâlih Efendi's son, Keşrafoğlu el-Hâc Abdullah Ağa, son of Hüseyin Ağa, son of Hasan Ağa. Es-Seyyid el-Hâc Şükrü Hasan and el-Hâc Abdullah Efendi, born of this marriage, and el-Hâc Hüseyin Ağa lived in Köprü; the ilâm they obtained by applying to the court to evict the Greeks from the farm could not be carried out in due form.
Notes and Research
Old Words in the Text
- mukaddimât-ı ulûm: introductory lessons in the sciences
- ikmâl-i tahsîl: completing one's education
- mücâz: one who has received an icazet
- kutb: person regarded as the spiritual leader of a region
- halîfe, mürîd-i hâss: a sheikh's deputy, a student specially attached to the sheikh
- serdâr: army commander
- arz-ı inhâ: reporting in writing, presenting the matter to a higher authority
- meşîhat: sheikhship
- vazîfe: daily stipend assigned by the state or a waqf
- ta'âmiye: food expense
- temlîk: granting as property
- mazınne-i kerâmet: one spoken of as possessing miraculous gifts
- malikâne: the right of unlimited tenure over a waqf revenue
- zâviyedâr: one who takes on the administration of a lodge
- müştereken: jointly
- müste'cir: tenant
- ilâm: document of a court decision
Hâfız Ahmed Pasha and the Sheikhship
Hâfız Ahmed Pasha, who was influential in Köprülü Ahmed Efendi's obtaining the sheikhship of the Sıyâmî Efendi Madrasa, was, according to Orhan F. Köprülü's TDV entry, appointed commander of the Baghdad campaign in January 1625, besieged Baghdad on 13 November 1625, and was dismissed on 1 December 1626. The expression "commander of Iraq and Baghdad" in the text refers to this post. According to Hüsameddin, the sheikhship given on the pasha's report (1039) took place a few years after this post; how the earlier acquaintance of the two came about is not stated in the sources.
The interesting aspect of the text is that the Sıyâmî Efendi Madrasa was counted as a lodge. Ahmed Efendi's sheikhship ended the müderrisship; according to Hüsameddin, for this reason the madrasa's müderrisship was given to another scholar, and in 1039 the sheikhship of the structure as a lodge was attached to him. No information was found on the present condition of this structure.
Ahmed Baba Village
The Beni Alanı farm was called "Ahmed Baba Village" at the time Hüsameddin was writing. Today there is a neighborhood called Ahmetbaba in the Vezirköprü district of Samsun; 449 people lived there in the 2022 count. The sameness of the name suggests that the village may be this neighborhood; however, no document showing the link between them has been seen.
The Chain of Trustees of the Waqf
The second half of the text counts, year by year, how Ahmed Baba's descendants took over waqf administration over about two hundred years. The list stretches from the mid-eighteenth century to the end of the nineteenth: 1143 (1730-31), 1163, 1166, 1178, 1179, 1208, 1248, 1268, 1280, 1304. Later generations are called "the sons of Tekkenişin." The constant addition of the title "es-Seyyid" to the family shows that in Hüsameddin's records this line was regarded as seyyid.
The event told at the end of the text is a legal problem the waqf suffered. According to Hüsameddin, Greeks (Rum) who came from Canik settled in the village as tenants after 1304, and fifteen years later, which by calculation is the early 1900s, regarded the lands as their own property and turned the trustees away. The descendants of the trustee family through the female line obtained an ilâm from the court, but the ilâm could not be carried out. This account could not be verified with another document; how the event ended is not written in the text.
No information was found in other sources on Mehmed Çelebi, the pole of Köprü, and Gökderelizâde Sheikh Muhyiddîn Efendi. That Murad IV came to Amasya in 1045 and granted the farm in ownership could also not be verified in another source.
Bibliography
Primary sources
- Abdîzâde Hüseyin Hüsâmeddîn Yasar, Amasya Tarihi, Amasya Belediyesi Kültür Yayınları, 2022, vol. 6, p. 159–160. amasya.bel.tr
Academic studies
Other sources
- "Ahmetbaba, Vezirköprü", Vikipedi, Özgür Ansiklopedi (neighborhood information; TÜİK ADNKS 2022 data).