Original Ottoman Turkish Text

Temâmet İslâm hükm itdi Lâza
Temerrüd kâfiri hep kaçdı saza
Yöridi şevket-i İslâm o ilde
Lâzuñ mahbûbları başladı nâza
Devoyko yovanoc moya lübim dir
Ki lübim bagladı göñülde râza
Semendire'de kondı yiñiçeri
'Azablar akça sayar oldı kaza
Çü Lazı zabt itdi Han Muhammed
Sen imdi 'Âşıkî târîhi yaz a
Sekiz yüz altmış dört buña târîh
Sınâba tut kulak gelen âvâza
Ve hem Amasrıya han himmeti var
Gide kış kim gemiler ire yaza

In English

1. Islam ruled wholly over the land of Laz (Serbia); the stubborn infidels all fled to the reeds.

2. The might of Islam marched through that land; the beauties of Laz began to play coy.

3. "Devoyko yovanoc moya lübim," she says; for my beloved has bound a secret in the heart.

4. The janissaries were quartered at Smederevo; the azaps began to count their akçe for their district.

5. Since Khan Muhammed has seized Laz, now you, Âşıkî, write down the date.

6. Eight hundred and sixty-four is its date; lend your ear to the voice that comes.

7. And the khan has his mind on Amasra too; let winter pass, so that the ships may reach it in summer.

Literary and Historical Commentary

The King's Fear

In the hundred and thirtieth chapter Smederevo falls through a mistaken guess: when the Conqueror turns towards Zvornik, the king of Bosnia, then master of Smederevo, thinks the sovereign is coming against him and in his fear sends word, "I have given Smederevo to the sovereign." Mahmud Paşa's brother is inside Smederevo; the two brothers are in constant correspondence. In the end the king consents, and Mahmud Paşa's brother sends word, "Send your men and let them come." Before the khan even reaches Zvornik the fortress is handed to his men; the bells are pulled down, the churches turned into mosques, the sermon read in the name of Sultan Muhammed, and in the author's words, "the land of Laz was wholly conquered." In the work "Laz" is the name of the Serbian land.

A Slavic Line

The first line of the third couplet is written in a Slavic tongue: "Devoyko yovanoc moya lübim." The modern Turkish rendering in the edition takes it as words telling of a young girl's love; "lübim" means my beloved, the one I love. The second line takes the same word into a Turkish sentence. Thus the author brings a piece of the conquered land's language into his poem. The line in the second couplet, "the beauties of Laz began to play coy", carries the same mood. The fourth couplet shows the order set up right after the conquest: janissaries have been quartered at Smederevo and the azaps have begun to draw their pay. The fifth and sixth are a record of the date: the author addresses himself, asks himself to write the date, and gives the year 864 (1459-60). The last couplet passes to the next chapter: the khan intends Amasra too; let winter pass so that the ships may go there in summer. Lâza, saza, nâza, râza, kaza, yaz a, âvâza, yaza: the rhyme repeats "-aza/-âza" eight times.

Bibliography

  • Âşık Paşazade, Osmanoğulları'nın Tarihi, ed. Kemal Yavuz, M. A. Yekta Saraç, Istanbul: K Kitaplığı, 2003, pp. 501-502 (transliterated text, bâb 130).