AMASYA 05

Abdîzâde Hüseyin Hüsâmeddîn Yasar · İKİNCİ BÂB · BİRİNCİ FASIL

Ak Hasan Ağa — Hacı Alemdâr

Encyclopedia · History of Amasya, Volume 6, p. 20 • Edited by: Doç. Dr. Recep Orhan ÖZEL - Doç. Dr. Metin HAKVERDİOĞLU

Original Text (Ottoman Turkish)

Odabaşı Halîl Ağa’nın oğludur. Yeniçeri olup İrân muharebâtında iştihâr etdi. Mükerreren Amasya serdârı, serdengeçdiler ağası, meclis-i hâciyân a’zâsı olup 1173 zilhiccesinde vefât etdi. Mâldâr, hânesi açık, beşûş bir kimse idi. Oğulları Vezîr el-Hâc Halîl Paşa ile Serdengeçtiler Ağası el-Hâc Mehmed Ağa’dır. Bunlara “Beyaz Ağazâdeler” de denirdi. Diğer oğlu el-Hâc Ali Efendi ulemâdandır. Dergâh-ı âlî kapıcıbaşlarından Çorum mütesellimi Ak Hasanzâde el-Hâc Memiş Ağa ve Amasya mütesellimi Ak Hasanzâde el-Hâc Hâfız Hasan Ağa [31] Hacı Mehmed Ağazâde Hâseki el-Hâc Hüseyin Ağa’nın oğullarıdır. Hacı Mehmed Ağa’nın diğer mahdûmu Halîl Bey olup Hacı Halîl Paşa’nın dâmâd ve kethüdâsı idi.

Our Research Article Editor: Mevlüt Erdem Öztürk

In Modern English

He was the son of Odabaşı Halîl Ağa. Becoming a Janissary, he made a name in the Persian wars. He was several times serdar of Amasya, ağa of the serdengeçdis and a member of the council of the hâciyân; he died in Zilhicce 1173 [1760]. He was a wealthy man, with a house open to all, and cheerful of face.

His sons were the vizier el-Hâc Halîl Pasha and the ağa of the serdengeçdis el-Hâc Mehmed Ağa. They were also called the "Beyaz Ağazades". Another son, el-Hâc Ali Efendi, was among the scholars.

Ak Hasanzâde el-Hâc Memiş Ağa, one of the kapıcıbaşıs (heads of palace gatekeepers) of the palace and mütesellim (deputy governor) of Çorum, and Ak Hasanzâde el-Hâc Hâfız Hasan Ağa, mütesellim of Amasya, were sons of Hacı Mehmed Ağazâde el-Hâc Hüseyin Ağa, who was in the sultan's personal service. Another son of Hacı Mehmed Ağa is Halîl Bey; he was son-in-law and kethüda (steward) of Hacı Halîl Pasha.

Notes and Research

Old Words in the Text

  • odabaşı: the officer at the head of an oda (a small unit) in the Janissary corps
  • serdengeçdi: a volunteer soldier who joins battle risking his life
  • mütesellim: an official who ran the administration of a place on behalf of the governor
  • kapıcıbaşı: head of the palace gatekeepers; in the provinces often given as a title
  • kethüdâ: steward, assistant to an administrator
  • mâldâr, beşûş: one who has property and possessions, cheerful
  • hânesi açık: hospitable

A Family from the Janissaries to the Notables

The chain of descent in the entry shows how intertwined the Janissary corps and local administration were in 18th-century Amasya. Ak Hasan Ağa, at the head of the family, began as a Janissary and rose to the serdarship of Amasya and the aghalik of the serdengeçdis. One of his sons reached the vizierate, and the grandson generation held the mütesellimships of Çorum and Amasya. This path, also seen in the entry on the Apardıoğulları in the same book, is one of the typical examples of military office in the provinces combining with wealth, influence and administrative posts.

Who Is Halîl Pasha

It is understood that the vizier named in the text, "el-Hâc Halîl Pasha", and "Hacı Halîl Pasha" are the same person; but he should not be confused with the Hacı Halil Pasha who had a madrasa built in Gümüşhacıköy in the 15th century. That person is the son of Kadı Ahmed of the Amasya family of the Kutlubeyzâdes and had his madrasa built between 1413 and 1415. The Ak Hasanzâde Halîl Pasha whom Hüsameddin mentions lived in the late 18th century; in the neighboring entry (Âgah Mehmed Efendi) it is told that the divan efendi returned to Amasya in 1200 [1785-86] upon Halil Pasha's death. No detailed information about this Halîl Pasha's life was found in the sources examined.

Bibliography

Primary sources

  • Abdîzâde Hüseyin Hüsâmeddîn Yasar, Amasya Tarihi, Amasya Belediyesi Kültür Yayınları, 2022, vol. 6, p. 20–21. amasya.bel.tr

Academic studies

Volume 6 contents