Lâdiklidir. Sâhibü’l-hâl es-Seyyid Ahmed-i Kebîr er-Rifâî ahfâdından orada Rifâî tekkesi şeyhi ve mütevellîsi es-Seyyid eş-Şeyh Ahmed Efendi bin es-Seyyid Nureddîn Hamza Çelebi bin es-Seyyid Ali mahdûmudur. [46] Amasya‘da fuzalâdan Pîrîzâde el-Hâc Hüseyin Efendi’den mukaddimât-ı ulûmu tahsîl ederek İstanbul’a gidip Bekrîzâde Şamî Mehmed Efendi’den ikmâl-i tahsîl etdi.
Ba’dehû İmâm-ı Sultânî Lâdikli Hâfız Efendi’den mülâzım ve 1091’de müderris ve ders-i âm olup Hâfız Mehmed Efendi 1099 senesi cemâdelûlâsında Rumeli Kazaskeri oldukda tezkirecisi ve 1101 senesi cumâdelâhiresinde müşârün-ileyhin azlini müteâkıb Rumeli kaleminde Alakilise, 1103’de Livâdiye kadısı oldu.
1104’de ma’zûlen İstanbul’a gelip sene-i mezbûru zilka’desinde müşârün-ileyh Hâfız Mehmed Efendi sâniyen Rûmeli Kazaskeri oldukda ikinci defa tezkirecisi ve 1106 senesi şa’bânında efendisi Şeyhülislâm oldukda mektubcusu olduysa da şevvâlinde müşârün-ileyhin azli üzerine Yanbolu, 1109 zilhiccesinde Kazanlık, 1112’de Karaferiye kadısı olup 1114’de yine ma’zûlen İstanbul’a geldi.
1115 senesi rebîülevvelinde İstanbul’da vakî olan kıyâm-ı askerî esnâsında ikinci defa Şeyhülislâm olan [47] Hâfız Mehmed Efendi’ye sâniyen mektubçu olarak teayyün etdi. Ancak sene-i mezbûre ramazânında efendisinin azliyle Bursa’ya i’zâmında refîki olup yıllarca açıkta kaldı.
1122’de Köprülüzâde Numan Paşa’nın sadâretinde Akkirman kadısı olup 1124’de ma’zûlen İstanbul’a geldi. 1125 senesi rebîülâhirinde Sadr-ı a’zam olan Pazarköylü Şehîd Ali Paşa’ya takdîm eylediği kasîdesi takdîr edilerek fazlına münâsib bir mansıb arandığı esnâda paşa tevhîm edildiğinden câize ve kazâ ile geçiştirildi.
1128’de Nevşehirli Dâmâd İbrâhim Paşa’nın vezâretinde bir daha tecrübe-i tâli’ ederek takdîm etdiği kasîde-i tebrîkiyyesi üzerine mazhar-ı ihsân ve sadâretinde kitâbçısı ve nedîm-i hâssı oldu. Beş yıl kadar Sadr-ı müşârün-ileyhin meclis-i safâsında müreffeh bir hayât geçirdi. 1134’de vefât etdi.
Âlim, kâmil, şâir, mahlası gibi edîb, fünûn-ı edebiyyede mâhir, münşî, halûk, halîm, bir seyyid-i kerîm idi. Mükemmel dîvân-ı şiiri vardır. Kıyâm-ı askerî vak’asında [48] zî-medhâl olduğu ba’zı a’dâsı tarafından işâ’a edilmeseydi, ilim ve fazlına münâsip mansıplara nâil olurdu.
Nuût-ı Nebeviyye’sinden:
Esâs-ı şer’ini bânî-i kudret öyle yapmış kim
Zafer bulmaz ana dest-i fenâ gâyetde muhkemdir
Hıred kufl-i der-i ahkâmını feth etmeden âciz
Hakîm-i Mutlak’ın sun’uyla bir genc-i mutalsamdır
Şunlar da eş’ârındandır:
Teshîr iden ol yâri duâ-yı sihirimdir
Germ ülfet eden sohbet-i sahbâ eserimdir
Yine ondan:
Aşkın ki gül-i bağ-ı dile şûle perimdir
Ârâyiş-i destâr-ı cünûn pûş-i serimdir
Şu gazel de onundur:
Aç sîneni âyîne-i billûr görünsün
Nahl-i Cebel-i Tûr’daki nûr görünsün
Bir âyine-i hüsne mukâbil ola gördüm
Matem-kede-i dehr-i denî sûr görünsün [49]
Bir dilber-i bî-misle yer et kâh-ı dilinde
Ne sûret-i vildân ve ne hod hûr görünsün
Sâki bizi kim sagâr ile mest edemezsin
Hurşîd-sıfât kâse-i fağfûr görünsün
Ol mertebe nûş et mey-i nâbı ki Edîbâ
Şîrân-ı kavî kalb-i cihân mûr görünsün.
In Modern English
He was from Lâdik. He was the son of Seyyid Sheikh Ahmed Efendi, sheikh and trustee of the Rifâî lodge there, a descendant of the man of spiritual state Seyyid Ahmed-i Kebîr er-Rifâî; Ahmed Efendi was the son of Seyyid Nureddîn Hamza Çelebi, who was the son of Seyyid Ali. In Amasya he took the first lessons in the sciences from Pîrîzâde Hacı Hüseyin Efendi, one of the scholars, then went to Istanbul and completed his education with Bekrîzâde Şâmî Mehmed Efendi.
Afterwards he became a candidate (mülâzım) of the İmâm-ı Sultânî Lâdikli Hâfız Efendi; in 1091 [1680] he became a müderris and gave lessons open to all. When Hâfız Mehmed Efendi became Kazasker of Rumelia in Cemâziyelevvel 1099 [March-April 1688], he became his tezkireci. In Cemâziyelâhir 1101 [1690], after the said man's dismissal, he became kadı of Alakilise through the Rumelian bureau and in 1103 [1691-92] kadı of Livâdiye.
In 1104 [1692-93] he came to Istanbul, having been dismissed. In the month of Zilkade of the same year, when Hâfız Mehmed Efendi became Kazasker of Rumelia for the second time, he became his tezkireci for the second time, and in Şaban 1106 [March-April 1695], when his master became Şeyhülislâm, his mektupçu; but when the said man was dismissed in Şevval, he became kadı of Yanbolu. In Zilhicce 1109 [1698] he became kadı of Kazanlık and in 1112 [1700-01] of Karaferiye, and in 1114 [1702-03] came to Istanbul again, dismissed.
In Rebîülevvel 1115 [July-August 1703], during the army uprising that took place in Istanbul, he was appointed mektupçu for the second time to Hâfız Mehmed Efendi, who had become Şeyhülislâm for the second time. But when in Ramazan of the same year his master was dismissed and sent to Bursa, he went with him and remained without office for years.
In 1122 [1710-11] he became kadı of Akkirman under the grand vizierate of Köprülüzâde Numan Pasha; in 1124 [1712-13] he came to Istanbul, dismissed. The ode he presented to Pazarköylü Şehid Ali Pasha, who became grand vizier in Rebîülâhir 1125 [April-May 1713], was appreciated, and while a post worthy of his merit was being sought, the pasha having been made suspicious about him, he was put off with a reward and a judgeship.
In 1128 [1715-16], during the vizierate of Nevşehirli Damad İbrâhim Pasha, he tried his luck once more; on the congratulatory ode he presented he obtained favor and became that pasha's librarian and private companion (nedîm) during his grand vizierate. For about five years he lived at ease in the grand vizier's gatherings of pleasure and conversation. He died in 1134 [1721-22].
He was a scholar, mature, a poet; an edîb like his pen name, skilled in the sciences of literature, a münşî (writer of inşâ), of good character, gentle and a generous seyyid. He has a complete divan. Had some of his enemies not spread the report that he had a share in the army uprising, he would have reached posts worthy of his learning and merit.
From his Nuût-ı Nebeviyye:
Esâs-ı şer'ini bânî-i kudret öyle yapmış kim
Zafer bulmaz ana dest-i fenâ gâyetde muhkemdir
Hıred kufl-i der-i ahkâmını feth etmeden âciz
Hakîm-i Mutlak'ın sun'uyla bir genc-i mutalsamdır
Meaning: The Almighty has made the foundation of His law so that the hand of annihilation cannot overcome it; it is extremely firm. Reason is unable to open the lock on the door of its rulings; made by the Absolute Sage, this religion is like an enchanted treasure.
These too are among his poems:
Teshîr iden ol yâri duâ-yı sihirimdir
Germ ülfet eden sohbet-i sahbâ eserimdir
Again from him:
Aşkın ki gül-i bağ-ı dile şûle perimdir
Ârâyiş-i destâr-ı cünûn pûş-i serimdir
This ghazal is also his:
Aç sîneni âyîne-i billûr görünsün
Nahl-i Cebel-i Tûr'daki nûr görünsün
Bir âyine-i hüsne mukâbil ola gördüm
Matem-kede-i dehr-i denî sûr görünsün
Bir dilber-i bî-misle yer et kâh-ı dilinde
Ne sûret-i vildân ve ne hod hûr görünsün
Sâki bizi kim sagâr ile mest edemezsin
Hurşîd-sıfât kâse-i fağfûr görünsün
Ol mertebe nûş et mey-i nâbı ki Edîbâ
Şîrân-ı kavî kalb-i cihân mûr görünsün.
Rough meaning of the ghazal: Open your breast, let it appear a crystal mirror; let the light of the tree on Mount Tûr appear. I saw that I was facing the mirror of beauty; let the house of mourning of this worthless world look like a feast. Let a peerless beauty take a place in the palace of the heart; let neither the youths of paradise nor the houries appear. Cupbearer, you cannot make us drunk with a small cup; let a porcelain bowl, bright as the sun, appear. O Edîb, drink the pure wine to such a degree that mighty lions and the heart of the world seem like ants.
Notes and Research
Old Words in the Text
- sâhibü'l-hâl: a person of spiritual state, a saint
- ahfâd: grandsons, descendants
- mütevellî: the person who runs a foundation or a tekke
- mukaddimât-ı ulûm: the introductory lessons of the sciences
- mülâzım: a candidate registered to train with a great scholar on the way to becoming a müderris
- ders-i âm: a müderris who gives lessons open to all
- tezkireci, mektupçu: the scribe who ran the secretarial affairs of senior officials such as the Kazasker of Rumelia and the şeyhülislâm
- ma'zûl: dismissed from office
- kıyâm-ı askerî: an army uprising
- kasîde, câize: a poem of praise; the reward a poet received for it
- nedîm: the conversation companion of a ruler or vizier
- kitâbcı: the person who looked after books and writing at a grand vizier's side
- münşî: one who writes inşâ, that is, official and literary prose
- dîvân: the book in which a poet's poems are collected
- Nuût-ı Nebeviyye: poems in praise of the Prophet
Hâfız Mehmed Efendi and Lâdik
Edîb Mehmed Efendi's career depends from start to finish on his teacher and patron, Hâfız Mehmed Efendi of Lâdik. This man is the Mehmed Efendi called İmâm-ı Sultânî in the sources: born in the district of Lâdik, then attached to the sanjak of Amasya, he drew attention for his knowledge of recitation and his fine voice and became the third, then second, imam of Mehmed IV. He became Kazasker of Rumelia in 1099, and şeyhülislâm on 4 Şaban 1106 [20 March 1695], but was dismissed after two months and six days because Mustafa II wanted to bring in his own teacher, Feyzullah Efendi. The events Edîb records agree with this picture: his post as tezkireci corresponds to the years of the kazaskership, his mektupçuship to the short şeyhülislâmate.
There is also a small difference in dates. Hüsameddin places the second kazaskership of Rumelia in Zilkade 1104; the encyclopedia entry writes that Hâfız Mehmed Efendi was appointed to the same office a second time in 1105 [1694]. The difference is one year, and which is correct could not be determined from the sources read.
The Army Uprising: The Edirne Incident
The event Hüsameddin calls "the army uprising that took place in Istanbul" is the uprising of 1703 that went down in history as the Edirne Incident or the Feyzullah Efendi Incident. The revolt began in Istanbul on 17 July 1703 when the armorers (cebecis) demanded their delayed pay, and soon spread through the whole city as Janissaries, seyyids, madrasa students and tradesmen joined. The rebels appointed a new grand vizier and İmam Mehmed Efendi as şeyhülislâm; in the end Mustafa II was deposed, Feyzullah Efendi was killed and Ahmed III became sultan. Hâfız Mehmed Efendi was made şeyhülislâm for the second time in this event on 11 Rebîülevvel 1115 [25 July 1703]; it is also reported that he was the one who drew up the fatwa on Sultan Mustafa's deposition. As Ahmed III purged the rebels, because the rebels had given him this office, he dismissed him on 18 Ramazan 1115 [25 January 1704] and sent him to Bursa. Hâfız Mehmed Efendi taught in Bursa and died in Safer 1141 [September 1728]. Hüsameddin's "sent to Bursa" and "remained without office for years" agree with this course.
Hüsameddin ties the reason Edîb did not later reach high office to the gossip that he had a share in this uprising. This interpretation belongs to Hüsameddin; since Edîb's name does not appear in connection with this event in the sources read, it could not be verified independently.
The Gatherings of Şehid Ali Pasha and Damad İbrâhim Pasha
Edîb presented his odes to two grand viziers. Şehid Ali Pasha, who became grand vizier in 1125, was a son-in-law of Ahmed III; he was appointed grand vizier on 1 Rebîülâhir 1125 [27 April 1713] and fell as a martyr in 1716 in the Petrovaradin campaign. According to Hüsameddin, Edîb's ode was appreciated, but because the pasha was made suspicious the matter ended with a reward and a judgeship. The second presentation was to Nevşehirli Damad İbrâhim Pasha: after Ali Pasha's death Damad İbrâhim saved the army from dispersing, on 4 October 1716 received the vizierate and the post of deputy at the stirrup (rikâb kaymakamı), married Ali Pasha's widowed daughter Fatma Sultan, and became grand vizier on 9 May 1718 [8 Cemâziyelâhir 1130]. Around this pasha, "constantly praised by the poets of the age," there was a circle of ode-writers; Edîb's becoming his librarian and companion belongs to this milieu. Hüsameddin's record "in 1128, during the vizierate" matches the pasha's year of vizierate.
What Could Not Be Read
No information was found in other sources on Edîb Mehmed Efendi himself, his Divan or his work called Nuût-ı Nebeviyye. No information was found either on the Rifâî lodge of Lâdik, Sheikh Ahmed Efendi, Pîrîzâde Hacı Hüseyin Efendi or Bekrîzâde Şâmî Mehmed Efendi.
Bibliography
Primary sources
- Abdîzâde Hüseyin Hüsâmeddîn Yasar, Amasya Tarihi, Amasya Belediyesi Kültür Yayınları, 2022, vol. 7, p. 277–278. amasya.bel.tr
Academic studies