Sivâslıdır. İstanbul'da bostancıbaşı olan Sivaslı Mehmed Ağa bin Süleymân Bey'in oğludur. On dört yaşında bir çocuk olduğu hâlde 1131 zilhiccesinin gurresinde Amasya mutasarrıfı oldu. Vusûlüne kadar Amasya alaybeyi Kara Hüseyin Ağa mütesellim olarak sancağı idâreye başladı.
Zilhiccenin sekizinci günü dedikoduya bâ'is olan Emîr Hacı Abdullatîf, Sancı oğlu Hacı Ahmed, serdâr Cebecioğlu İbrâhim Ağalar'ın azline binâ'en Iydîzâde Abdurrahîm Efendi nakîb kâ'im-makâmı, a'yândan Çiğdemoğlu Hacı Alî Ağa şehir kethüdâsı, Hindîoğlu Yirmi Birin Mehmed Ağa da yeniçeri serdârı oldu.
1132 senesi muharrem gurresinde Ömer Paşazâde Osmân Bey baş a'yân seçildi. Birkaç [26] gün sonra mutasarrıf Ahmed Paşa kethüdâsı Sivâslı Yûsuf Ağa⁶⁹⁹ ile Amasya'ya geldi. Sinn ü sâli bir sancağı idâre edecek çağda olmadığından mütesellim Hüseyin Ağa'yı ibkâ ederek kethüdâsı ile işe başladı.
Bu sene Amasya eşrâfından Emîr Hacı Abdullatîf Çelebi Karaağaç Meydânı'nda müceddeden bir mescid ve musallâ binâ etdiği gibi dergâh-ı âlî kapıcıbaşılarından Çorakçıoğlu Hacı Halîl Ağa da Aşağıpazar'da yapdığı musallâya minber koydu.
Safer gurresinde mutasarrıf Ahmed Paşa, pederinin arzı ve ricâsı üzerine Rûmeli pâyesiyle ilâveten Çorum sancağına da mutasarrıf olup ikbâli parladı. Sâbık Çorum mutasarrıfı Mamalıoğlu Ömer Paşa bundan pek ziyâde müte'essir oldu.
Rebî'ulevvelde ulemâdan Şeyh Mehmed Efendi Hızır Paşa Câmi'i vâ'izi olup cemâziyelevvelde mütesellim ve alaybeyi Hüseyin Ağa sancağı teftîşe ve zuhûr eden eşkıyâyı ta'kîbe gidip züamâdan Abdulbâkî Ağa mütesellim kâ'im-makâmı oldu.
Ramazânın gurresinde nakîb Abdurrahîm Efendi Zile kadısı olduğundan sâdât-ı ulemâdan [27] sâbık müftü Zanalı Hacı Ahmed Efendi nakîb kâ'im-makâmı oldu. Baş a'yân ile müftü Âkif Efendi'nin nüfûzlarına karşı durdu.
Şevvâlde Üçler vâ'izi ulemâdan Yahyâ Efendi'nin vefâtıyla vazîfesi kibâr-ı sulehâdan Şeyh İbrâhim Efendi'ye verildi. Zilka'de gurresinde Müftüzâde el-Hâc Halîl Efendi Amasya kadısı ve tarafından Abdulbâkî Efendi Amasya nâ'ibi ve zilhicce gurresinde Şâhinoğlu Osmân Ağa bin Mustafâ Amasya mütesellimi oldu. Bu esnâda Enderûn Câmi'i vâ'izi ulemâdan İsmâ'il Efendi vefât etdi.
1133 senesi muharrem gurresinde Rahtuvân Paşazâde Hacı İbrâhim Bey baş a'yân olup meclis a'yânı ve büyük ağaları murâkabe ve Hicâz'a gidenlerin işlerini rü'yet etmek üzere bir de hacılar meclisi kurulduğundan hacıbaşılığa mevâlîden Kırmacıoğlu Hacı Hüseyin Efendi seçildi.
Safer gurresinde Ahmed Efendi Amasya nâ'ibi olup Abdulbâkî Efendi çekildi. Çünkü mutasarrıf etbâ'ının nüfûz ve sultasına karşı gelemediğinden isti'fâya mecbûr olmuşdu. Ahmed Efendi de bu derde mübtelâ olduğundan Amasya kadılığı sâbık Erzincan kadısı ve hacıbaşı Hüseyin Efendi'ye tevcîh edildi. [28]
Ancak mutasarrıf paşa dâmâd-ı pâdişâhî olmak üzere pederi tarafından da'vet edildiğinden Amasya'dan kalkıp Çorum'a ve buradan da İstanbul'a hareket etmişdi. Bu esnâda Sivâs, Amasya, Çorum sancaklarından yükselen ağır şikâyetler tevâlî ederek bâb-ı âlîye feryâdlar yağıyordu.
Binâ'en-aleyh cemâziyelâhir evâ'ilinde Mehmed Ağa bostancıbaşılıkdan azl ile Üsküdâr'da inzivâ etdi. Oğlu Ahmed Paşa da Amasya ve Çorum sancaklarından azl edilip Sivâs'a i'zâm ve Sivâs vâlîsi Ahi Mehmed Paşa i'dâm edildikde Amasya sancağı Akşehir mutasarrıfı Ebûbekir Paşa'ya ve Sivâs vâlîliği de Topal Yûsuf Paşazâde Mustafâ Paşa'ya verildi.
In Modern English
He was from Sivas. He was the son of Sivaslı Mehmed Ağa son of Süleyman Bey, who was bostancıbaşı in Istanbul. As a child of fourteen, on the first day of Zilhicce 1131 [October 1719] he became governor (mutasarrıf) of Amasya. Until he came, Kara Hüseyin Ağa, alaybeyi of Amasya, began to run the sanjak as mütesellim.
On the eighth day of Zilhicce, upon the dismissal of the Ağas Emîr Hacı Abdüllatif, Sancıoğlu Hacı Ahmed and the janissary serdar Cebecioğlu İbrahim, who had given rise to gossip, Iydîzâde Abdurrahim Efendi became nakîb kaymakamı, Çiğdemoğlu Hacı Ali Ağa, one of the ayan, city kethüda, and Hindîoğlu "Yirmi Birin" Mehmed Ağa janissary serdar.
On the first day of Muharrem 1132 [November 1719] Ömer Paşazâde Osman Bey was chosen chief ayan. A few days later Governor Ahmed Pasha came to Amasya together with his steward Sivaslı Yusuf Ağa. Since his age was not that at which one governs a sanjak, he left Mütesellim Hüseyin Ağa in his post and began work together with his steward.
This year Emîr Hacı Abdüllatif Çelebi, one of the eşraf of Amasya, had a mosque and namazgâh (open-air prayer ground) rebuilt at the Karaağaç Square; Çorakçıoğlu Hacı Halil Ağa, one of the kapıcıbaşıs of the exalted court, also placed a minbar in the namazgâh he had built in Aşağıpazar.
On the first day of Safer, upon the petition and request of his father, Governor Ahmed Pasha also became governor of the sanjak of Çorum with the rank of beylerbeyi of Rumelia, and his fortunes blazed. The former governor of Çorum, Mamalıoğlu Ömer Pasha, was greatly saddened by this.
In Rebîülevvel, Şeyh Mehmed Efendi, one of the scholars, became preacher of the Hızır Pasha Mosque. In Cemâziyelevvel, the mütesellim and alaybeyi Hüseyin Ağa went to inspect the sanjak and pursue the bandits who had appeared; Abdülbâki Ağa, one of the zeamet holders, became deputy mütesellim.
On the first day of Ramazan, since Nakîb Abdurrahim Efendi became kadı of Zile, the former mufti Zanalı Hacı Ahmed Efendi, one of the seyyid scholars, became nakîb kaymakamı. He stood against the influence of the chief ayan and Mufti Âkif Efendi.
In Şevval, on the death of Yahya Efendi, one of the scholars and preacher of the Üçler (Three Tombs), the post was given to Şeyh İbrahim Efendi, one of the great righteous men. On the first day of Zilkade, Müftüzâde el-Hâc Halil Efendi became kadı of Amasya, through him Abdülbâki Efendi became naib of Amasya, and on the first day of Zilhicce Şâhinoğlu Osman Ağa son of Mustafa became mütesellim of Amasya. At this time İsmail Efendi, one of the scholars and preacher of the Enderun Mosque, died.
On the first day of Muharrem 1133 [November 1720] Rahtuvan Paşazâde Hacı İbrahim Bey became chief ayan. Since a council of pilgrims was also established to oversee the council of the ayan and the great ağas and to look after the affairs of those going to the Hejaz, Kırmacıoğlu Hacı Hüseyin Efendi, one of the mevâlî (high-ranking kadıs), was chosen as hacıbaşı (head of the pilgrims).
On the first day of Safer, Ahmed Efendi became naib of Amasya and Abdülbâki Efendi withdrew; for, unable to resist the influence and pressure of the governor's men, he had been forced to resign. Since Ahmed Efendi fell into the same trouble, the kadılık of Amasya was given to Hüseyin Efendi, the former kadı of Erzincan and hacıbaşı.
But the governor pasha, summoned by his father to become the sultan's son-in-law, had left Amasya for Çorum and from there set out for Istanbul. At this time heavy complaints rising from the sanjaks of Sivas, Amasya and Çorum followed one another, and cries rained down on the Sublime Porte.
Thereupon, at the beginning of Cemâziyelâhir [March–April 1721], Mehmed Ağa was dismissed from the bostancıbaşılık and withdrew into seclusion in Üsküdar. His son Ahmed Pasha too was dismissed from the sanjaks of Amasya and Çorum and sent to Sivas; when Ahi Mehmed Pasha, Governor of Sivas, was executed, the sanjak of Amasya was given to Ebubekir Pasha, governor of Akşehir, and the governorship of Sivas to Mustafa Pasha, son of Topal Yusuf Pasha.
Notes and Research
Old Words in the Text
- bostancıbaşı: head of the bostancı corps, which guarded the palace gardens, the shores, and the sultan's security
- vusûl: arrival, coming
- sinn ü sâl: age
- ibkâ: leaving in office
- müceddeden: anew
- musallâ: a namazgâh built for prayers performed in the open air
- ikbâl: fortune, rise
- müte'essir olmak: to be saddened
- teftîş: inspection
- mevâlî: high-ranking kadıs, mollas
- murâkabe: supervision, oversight
- rü'yet: looking into and concluding
- etbâ': men, retinue
- dâmâd-ı pâdişâhî: the sultan's son-in-law
- tevâlî: coming one after another
- inzivâ: withdrawing to one's corner
A Governor of Fourteen
This entry shows clearly how a sanjak was given to the son of a palace favorite as a source of income. The life of Ahmed Pasha's father, Sivaslı Mehmed Ağa, has been examined in detail in a recent study by Fatih Abonoz. According to it, Mehmed Ağa was the son of a man named Mehmed from the Selman Bey family, one of the oldest families of Sivas. Raised in the Bostancı Corps, he had risen to haseki ağalık and in 1715 became bostancıbaşı when Bostancıbaşı Halil Ağa was sent to the beylerbeyilik of Erzurum. The chronicler Râşid introduces him as a man of Grand Vizier Nevşehirli Damad İbrahim Pasha.
Mehmed Ağa, a favorite of the sultan, following the example of İbrahim Pasha's method of building his own circle, first placed his relatives in important positions. His brother Mehmed, while working with a farrier in Sivas, became governor of Sivas with the rank of beylerbeyi of Rumelia; his other brother, who had served as a mehter (military band musician), rose to jizya accountant; and his son Ahmed was made governor of Amasya with the rank of beylerbeyi of Rumelia. Hüsameddin's saying that Çorum too was given to Ahmed Pasha "upon his father's petition and request" fits this picture exactly. The sources write that the administrative approach of these relatives was no different from that of the Bostancıbaşı, and that in particular Nalband Mehmed's oppression of the people of Sivas caused them to leave the region. Hüsameddin's phrase "heavy complaints rising from the sanjaks of Sivas, Amasya and Çorum" agrees with this information.
An Ambition to Be Son-in-Law and the Fall
Hüsameddin records that the governor was summoned to Istanbul "to become the sultan's son-in-law". Abonoz's study illuminates the background of this detail. The Bostancıbaşı's rival Nevşehirli İbrahim Pasha was himself a statesman who had risen through marriage into the dynasty: he had married Fatma Sultan, widowed by Damad Ali Pasha who fell a martyr at Petrovaradin, on 19 February 1717, and became grand vizier on 9 May 1718. Ahmed III gave him, unlike other grand viziers, the emerald seal with the tuğra which he himself used. The Bostancıbaşı, who had his eye on the grand vizierate, wanted to get close to the palace through marriage; he first thought of marrying one of his sons to one of İbrahim Pasha's daughters, and aimed to increase his own influence by becoming the sultan's son-in-law himself. Ahmed III's fondness for strengthening ties with the dynasty by making men in government his sons-in-law stirred the Bostancıbaşı's ambition. These moves made İbrahim Pasha uneasy. The Pasha won the sultan to his side through his wife Fatma Sultan and, with the hatt-ı hümâyun (imperial handwritten order) he obtained, had the Bostancıbaşı dismissed on 1 April 1721. The date "beginning of Cemâziyelâhir" that Hüsameddin gives corresponds to this day.
According to the account of Silahdar Fındıklılı Mehmed Ağa, two days after the dismissal, the tuğ, the sanjak and the sonhood-in-law of the Bostancıbaşı's eldest son Ahmed Pasha were annulled. Râşid writes that the Bostancıbaşı's brother, the jizya accountant, and his son, the governor of Amasya, were exiled to Sivas, where they were born; Hüsameddin's record "sent to Sivas" agrees with this. On the end of the Bostancıbaşı himself the sources disagree. Hüsameddin says he withdrew into seclusion in Üsküdar; Râşid writes that he was first kept in his waterside mansion at Beylerbeyi and then exiled to Sivas. The reports of a Venetian envoy state that he was settled in Antep and exiled with his family to Cyprus in early 1723; the Sicill-i Osmanî records that he died after being dismissed and coming to Sivas.
The Execution of Ahi Mehmed Pasha
The governor of Sivas, Ahi Mehmed Pasha, whose execution is reported at the end of the entry, is the Bostancıbaşı's brother Nalband Mehmed Pasha. Uzunçarşılı and Edgüer record that this governor, who is buried at the foot of the minaret of the Pasha Mosque in Sivas, was also called Ahi Mehmed Pasha. According to the Sicill-i Osmanî he was defter kethüdası of Sivas in 1717 and governor of Sivas with the rank of beylerbeyi in 1719. In the previous entry Hüsameddin mentions him as the one who "rose from farrier to the beylerbeyilik of Maraş" and writes that he was transferred to the governorship of Sivas in 1130 [1718]; the small difference between the dates may stem from an approximation common in old records.
After his brother's dismissal, an official (mübaşir) sent from Istanbul arrived in Sivas, had Nalband Mehmed imprisoned in the castle and seized his money and goods. After the oppressed people took back their property, Mehmed Pasha was killed in the place where he was imprisoned and his severed head was sent to Istanbul (September–October 1721). Then his mansion, his shops and other property that came to light through the denunciation of his wife were also confiscated; even the assets in the hands of his son Ahmed were questioned. This event shows that behind Hüsameddin's brief sentence lay a great settling of accounts in which İbrahim Pasha entirely purged a rival palace clique.
The Council of Pilgrims and Other Details
The "council of pilgrims" mentioned in the entry is a local body established to oversee the council of the ayan and the great ağas and to attend to the affairs of those going to the Hejaz. No mention of this institution in other sources was found; it appears to be a local solution that Amasya resorted to in its own internal affairs to keep the balance among the ayan. It is known that in this period the ayan took on functions such as running waqf affairs, meeting the city's needs, and conveying the people's voice to Istanbul for the dismissal of bad administrators; the very frequent changes of hands of the councils in Amasya also reflect the contention arising from the sharing of this power.
In Hüsameddin's footnote it is recorded that the governor's steward Sivaslı Yusuf Ağa became known in Amasya as "Çapkın Yusuf Ağa" (Yusuf Ağa the Rake). The naibs' resigning one after another, unable to bear the pressure of the governor's men, shows that in a sanjak run in the name of a fourteen-year-old pasha real power was in the hands of the steward and the retinue.
Bibliography
Primary sources
- Abdîzâde Hüseyin Hüsâmeddîn Yasar, Amasya Tarihi, Amasya Belediyesi Kültür Yayınları, 2022, Remainder (Bakiyye) of vol. 4, p. 634–635. amasya.bel.tr
Academic studies
- Fatih Abonoz, "İbrahim Paşa'nın Kapı Halkı Teşekkülünde Çözülme: 'Bostancıbaşı Sivaslı Mehmed Ağa'", KÜLLİYAT Osmanlı Araştırmaları Dergisi, 2025, https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/kulliyat/article/1634120
- M. Münir Aktepe, "Damad İbrâhim Paşa, Nevşehirli", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, VIII, 1993, p. 441-443, https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/damad-ibrahim-pasa-nevsehirli
- Özcan Mert, "Âyan", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/ayan