Original Ottoman Turkish Text

Muhammed Han ki Bosna fethi itdi
O demde Hersek ilin niyyet itdi
Didi Arnavud'a İskenderiyye
Niçe illerde dahı himmet itdi
Neye kim niyyet itse gāzi sultân
Dahı varılmadın Hak kısmet itdi
Bu hanuñ tâli'i dâyim felekde
Ne burca irdi dahı şevket itdi
Gazâ-yı dîn yolında Hak bu hana
'Atâlar Hak bu âle mürvet itdi
Husûsâ kim bu han gör 'âlem içre
Ne devrânlar sürüp ne devre gitdi

In English

1. Muhammed Han, who conquered Bosnia: at that time he set his intent on the land of Herzegovina.

2. He spoke of Albania, of İskenderiye; he set his ambition on many lands besides.

3. Whatever the gazi sultan set his intent on, God allotted it to him before he even arrived.

4. This khan's fortune is ever in the heavens; to whatever sign it reached, there it showed its might.

5. On the path of holy war for the faith God (gave) gifts to this khan; God showed favour to this line.

6. Above all, see this khan, what ages he lived through in the world and in what age he went.

Literary and Historical Commentary

The King of Bosnia

Telling how Bosnia was taken, the hundred and thirty-ninth chapter first notes that the king has treated the sovereign's envoy badly. The king shuts himself in the fortress of Jajce; Mahmud Paşa wins over one of the king's intimates and the king comes out under oath. The sovereign is not pleased by this: the raiders have been sent out raiding, and the sovereign says to Mahmud Paşa, "This province could be taken easily. Then why did you send the raiders to ruin it?" The sons of the lords of two provinces bordering the king's land are also at the sovereign's side. The king and these two lords are seized and put in the doorkeepers' chamber. The sovereign asks the scholars whether their blood and goods are lawful. On the campaign there is a scholar named Mevlânâ Şeyh Ali-yi Bestâmî, who says he is of the line of Bayezid-i Bestâmî and is known by the nickname "Musannifek"; he gives the fatwa, "Killing such infidels is holy war," and himself strikes the first blow at the king. The treasures are brought to the sovereign, the raiders return with great booty, and the sovereign's slaves are placed in the fortresses. The date is 867 (1462-63).

Intent and Allotment

In the couplets the conquest of Bosnia is the first step of a greater intent. Having taken Bosnia, the Conqueror set his intent on Herzegovina and cast his eye on Albania and İskenderiye, that is Shkodër. The third couplet ties the ruler's success to God's decree: whatever the gazi sultan intends, God allots it to him before he even arrives. The fourth couplet uses an image of the stars: the khan's fortune is in the heavens and whatever sign of the zodiac it reaches, there it shows its might. The fifth ties the gifts to God's favour to this line. The last ends in admiration: what ages this khan has lived through in the world. The scene of the fatwa in the prose is not mentioned in the verse; the author tells the harsh events in prose and turns to praise in verse. Each of the six couplets is bound to the refrain "itdi".

Bibliography

  • Âşık Paşazade, Osmanoğulları'nın Tarihi, ed. Kemal Yavuz, M. A. Yekta Saraç, Istanbul: K Kitaplığı, 2003, pp. 518-519 (transliterated text, bâb 139).