Erzurumludur. Dirâyet ve şecâatiyle Abaza Paşa’nın teveccühâtını kazanmış bir zaîm idi. 1032 senesi şevvâlinin onuncu günü Abaza Paşa tarafından Amasya sancağı beyi oldu. Şa’bân Ağa, kethüdâyeri olarak kaldı. Fakat Kadı Hacı Ramazân Efendi’nin yerine Hayreddînzâde İbrâhim Efendi Amasya kadısı oldu.
Abaza Paşa’nın maiyetinde bulunan Amasyalı sipâhilerin bir hayrı olmak üzere gerek Abaza Paşa ve gerek maiyeti olan sekbânlar, Amasya’da oldukça [43] sâkinâne oturdular. Bir hafta sonra Amasya’dan kalkıp Çorum’a, buradan Çankırı’ya gitdiler.
Zilka’denin on dördüncü günü Deli Sultân Mustafa’nın ikinci defa hal‘iyle yeğeni Dördüncü Sultân Murâd Hân Osmanlı tahtına cülûs etdi. Fakat Abaza Paşa’nın hurûc ve ihtilâli, merkez-i saltanatı ve ricâl-i devleti fevkalâde telâşa düşürmüşdü.
Zilhiccede Amasya Müftüsü Dursunzâde Mehmed Efendi, Konya mollalığına nakledildiğinden yerine Amasya ulemâsından Torumtây Müderrisi Tâceddîn Efendi Amasya müftüsü ve Sultâniyye müderrisi oldu.
1033 senesi gurre-i muharreminde Sarây-ı Hümâyûn baltacılarından sipâhilikle ihrâc edilen Hakâlalı Mûsâ Bey Sultân Bâyezîd evkâfı mütevellisi olarak Amasya’ya geldi. Muharremin ikisinde Yörgüç Paşa Mütevellîsi Hüseyin Bey’in ref‘inden otuzuncu bölükte mukayyed sipâhi Himmet oğlu Osmân Ağa Yörgüç Paşa mütevellîsi oldu.
Ba‘dehû nakîb es-Seyyid Sâfî Mustafa Efendi azl edilip evlâd-ı Rifâiyye’den Lâdikli es-Seyyid eş-Şeyh Ahmed Efendi nakîbü’l-eşrâf kâ’im-makâmı ve el-Hâc Mustafa Ağa da ref‘ edilip Niyâz oğlu Ali Bâlî Çelebi şehir kethüdâsı oldu.
Bu esnada yeniçeri ağası Lâdikli Kurd Ağazâde Bayram Ağa vezâretle kubbe-nişîn oldu. Yine gurre-i muharremde Kadı İbrâhim Efendi yerine Hakâlalızâde es-Seyyid Mehmed Bahâeddîn Efendi Amasya kadısı ve muharreminin on ikisinde el-Hâc Abdî Ağa yine evkâf-ı Sultâniyye mütevellîsi olup [44] Hakâlalı Mûsâ Bey açıkta kaldı.
Rebîülevvel gurresinde Kadı es-Seyyid Mehmed Bahâeddîn Efendi, Hakâla ve Lâdik’e gitdiğinden Himmetzâde el-Hâc Süleyman Efendi Amasya nâibi oldu. Çünkü Hakâla’da medfûn olan es-Seyyid Necmeddîn Yahyâ er-Rifâî Evkâfı’yla cedd-i a‘lâsı olan Lâdik’de medfûn sâhibü’l-hâl es-Seyyid Ahmed el-Kebîr er-Rifâî Evkâfı’nın tevliyeti evlâd-ı Rifâiyye arasında nizâ‘ uyandırmışdı.
Fakat Abaza Mehmed Paşa’nın gitdikçe büyüyen bir cemiyet ve büyüdükçe her tarafta dehşet veren bir kuvvetle Ankara’ya vusûlü ve Üsküdar’a müteveccihen hareket edeceği haberi İstanbul’u fenâ tedhîş etmiş, yeniçerileri ürkütmüş, Sultân Murâd’ı sinirlendirmişdi.
Cumâdelûlâda sadrâzam ve serdâr-ı ekrem olan Çerkes Mehmed Paşa, mühim bir kuvvet tedârik ederek şa’bân evâilinde Abaza Paşa aleyhine Üsküdar’dan hareket etdi. Bunu haber alan Abaza Paşa’nın biraz cür’eti kırıldı. Türkmenler’den istimdât etmek üzere Kayseriyye tarafına hareket ve her taraftan istimdât ederek bütün sipâhileri ve avenesini harbe davet etdi.
1033 senesi şevvâlinde Amasya Beyi Genç Osmân Bey, bu davet üzerine Amasya kethüdâyeri olan el-Hâc Abdünnebî Ağa’yı Amasya mütesellimi nasb ederek maiyetiyle beraber Abaza Paşa ordusuna gidip iltihâk etdi.
Zilka’de evâilinde Serdâr Çerkes Mehmed Paşa’nın ordusuyla âsi Abaza Mehmed Paşa’nın ordusu, Kayseriyye Sahrası’nda karşılaşdı. [45] Yeniçeri ağası Bosnalı Hüsrev Ağa’nın kumandasında bulunan yeniçeriler, pek fedâkârâne harb ederek her iki taraftan çok insanlar kırıldı.
Lâkin Abaza ordusunda bulunan Tayyar Mehmed Paşa, maiyetinde bulunan kuvve-i askeriyyesini mümkün olduğu kadar muhârebeden esirgiyordu. Bu esnada bir fırsatını bulup Çerkes Murtezâ Paşa ile birlikte Serdâr Mehmed Paşa’nın ordusuna iltihâk ederek Abaza ordusuna hücûm etdi.
Tayyar Mehmed Paşa’nın bu ânî hücûmu Abaza ordusunu târumâr etdi. Abaza Paşa kaçıp Erzurum’a can attı. Abaza’nın inhizâmı üzerine Sivas Eyâleti yine Tayyar Mehmed Paşa’ya ve Amasya sancağı da sâbık Musul beylerbeyi Ahmed Paşa’ya tevcîh edildi.
In Modern English
He was from Erzurum. He was a zaim (a sipahi holding a large timar) who had won the favor of Abaza Pasha through his courage and bravery. On the tenth day of Şevval 1032 [1623] he became sanjak bey of Amasya by appointment of Abaza Pasha. Şaban Ağa remained in office as the sanjak bey's kethüda. But in place of Kadı Hacı Ramazan Efendi, Hayreddînzâde İbrahim Efendi became kadı of Amasya.
So that it might benefit the sipahis of Amasya who were in Abaza Pasha's retinue, both Abaza Pasha and the sekbans (provincial soldiers armed with firearms) in his retinue stayed in Amasya in a fairly quiet manner. After a week they left Amasya and went to Çorum, and from there to Çankırı.
On the fourteenth day of Zilkade, when Mustafa the Mad was deposed a second time, his nephew Sultan Murad Han the Fourth sat on the Ottoman throne. But Abaza Pasha's rising and revolt had thrown the seat of the sultanate and the statesmen of the state into extreme alarm.
In the month of Zilhicce, since Mufti Dursunzâde Mehmed Efendi of Amasya was transferred to the mollaship of Konya, Tâceddîn Efendi, müderris (madrasa professor) of Torumtay and one of the ulema of Amasya, became mufti of Amasya and müderris of the Sultâniyye.
On the first day of the month of Muharrem 1033 [1623–24], Musa Bey of Hakâla, who had been sent out of the Imperial Palace's baltacıs (halberdiers) with a sipahi post, came to Amasya as mütevelli of the Sultan Bayezid waqfs. On the second of Muharrem, when Hüseyin Bey, mütevelli of the Yörgüç Pasha waqf, was dismissed, Osman Ağa son of Himmet, a sipahi registered in the thirtieth company, became mütevelli of Yörgüç Pasha.
Later the nakîb Seyyid Sâfî Mustafa Efendi was dismissed; Seyyid Şeyh Ahmed Efendi of Lâdik, of the Rifâî hearth, became deputy in the office of nakîbü'l-eşrâf (head of the seyyids and sharifs). El-Hâc Mustafa Ağa was also dismissed, and Ali Bâlî Çelebi son of Niyaz became city kethüda.
At this time the janissary ağa Bayram Ağa son of Kurd Ağa of Lâdik became kubbealtı vizier (vizier of the Divan) with the rank of vizier. Again at the beginning of Muharrem, in place of Kadı İbrahim Efendi, Seyyid Mehmed Bahâeddîn Efendi son of Hakâla became kadı of Amasya. On the twelfth of Muharrem, el-Hâc Abdî Ağa again became mütevelli of the sultanic waqfs, and Musa Bey of Hakâla was left out of office.
At the beginning of the month of Rebîülevvel, since Kadı Seyyid Mehmed Bahâeddîn Efendi went to Hakâla and Lâdik, el-Hâc Süleyman Efendi son of Himmet became naib (deputy judge) of Amasya. For the trusteeship of the waqfs of Seyyid Necmeddîn Yahyâ er-Rifâî, who lies at Hakâla, and of those of his great-grandfather Seyyid Ahmed el-Kebîr er-Rifâî, a man of spiritual states who lies at Lâdik, had caused a dispute among the Rifâî descendants.
But the news that Abaza Mehmed Pasha had reached Ankara with an ever-growing following, a force that spread fear on every side as it grew, and that he would move toward Üsküdar, had frightened Istanbul badly, alarmed the janissaries and angered Sultan Murad.
In the month of Cemaziyelevvel Circassian Mehmed Pasha, who had become grand vizier and commander in chief, prepared a sizable force and in the first days of Şaban set out from Üsküdar against Abaza Pasha. Hearing this, Abaza Pasha's courage was somewhat broken. He went toward Kayseri to ask the Turkmens for help; asking for help from every side, he called all his sipahis and supporters to battle.
In Şevval 1033, at this call, Genç Osman Bey, Bey of Amasya, appointed el-Hâc Abdünnebî Ağa, the Amasya kethüdâyeri (the sanjak bey's kethüda), as mütesellim (the sanjak bey's deputy) of Amasya, and went with his retinue and joined Abaza Pasha's army.
At the beginning of Zilkade the army of Commander in Chief Circassian Mehmed Pasha and the army of the rebel Abaza Mehmed Pasha met on the plain of Kayseri. The janissaries under the command of the janissary ağa Hüsrev Ağa of Bosnia fought with great self-sacrifice, and many people died on both sides.
However, Tayyar Mehmed Pasha, who was in Abaza's army, was sparing the soldiers with him from the fighting as much as he could. At this moment, seizing his chance, he joined the army of Commander in Chief Mehmed Pasha together with Circassian Murtaza Pasha and attacked Abaza's army.
This sudden attack by Tayyar Mehmed Pasha scattered Abaza's army. Abaza Pasha fled and took refuge in Erzurum. With Abaza's defeat the Province of Sivas was given again to Tayyar Mehmed Pasha, and the sanjak of Amasya to Ahmed Pasha, former beylerbeyi of Mosul.
Notes and Research
Old Words in the Text
- zaîm: a sipahi holding a timar of high annual revenue
- kethüdâyeri: the sanjak bey's steward, his assistant
- mütesellim: the deputy who looks after the sanjak in the sanjak bey's place
- sekbân: paid soldiers armed with firearms, hired by provincial governors
- mütevelli: administrator of a waqf
- kubbe-nişîn: one who sits under the dome in the Divan, that is, a person holding the rank of vizier
- nakîbü'l-eşrâf: the official who kept the registers of the descendants of the Prophet and presided over them
- nâib: the assistant who looks after the kadı's place
- gurre: the first day of the month; evâil: the beginning of the month; evâsıt: the middle of the month
- hurûc: rising, rebellion
- tevcîh: granting an office to someone
The Abaza Uprising and Amasya
Behind the events in the entry lies the revolt of Abaza Mehmed Pasha, Beylerbeyi of Erzurum. Abaza, captured while treasurer of Canbolatoğlu, who had rebelled in Aleppo, had been pardoned through the intercession of the janissary ağa Halil Ağa and then risen to the beylerbeyiliks of Maraş and Erzurum (1621). After the killing of Osman the Young he declared the janissaries "murderers of the sultan" and with the sekbans he had gathered around him set about killing the janissaries in Erzurum. Gathering some thirty thousand people around him in a short time, he took Şebinkarahisar and Sivas and besieged Ankara. For this reason the governors, kadıs and muftis of Amasya whom Hüsameddin lists served in the shadow of Abaza and of those who tried to suppress him.
The sanjak of Amasya was in the rebel side's hands in these years. According to the information Hüsameddin gives, Genç Osman Bey was appointed by Abaza Pasha, and after the government suppressed Abaza the sanjak was given to a new bey. No information was found in other sources on Genç Osman Bey's identity or later life.
The Battle of Kayseri and Tayyar Mehmed Pasha
The battle in the text appears in the encyclopedias as the battle around Kayseri dated 22 Zilkade 1033 (5 September 1624). Hüsameddin places the battle at "the beginning of Zilkade"; the encyclopedia entries give the date as the twenty-second of the month. The difference may arise from the accounts, or the army's days of taking the field and of fighting, being counted differently. The entry on Abaza names Grand Vizier Hâfız Pasha at the head of the government army. The entries on Hüsrev Pasha and Tayyar Mehmed Pasha, like Hüsameddin, show Circassian Mehmed Pasha. Since Hâfız Ahmed Pasha's grand vizierate began with Circassian Mehmed Pasha's sudden death in early 1625, Hüsameddin's account seems more consistent.
The turning point of the battle is Tayyar Mehmed Pasha's going over to the other side. According to the biography written by Abdülkadir Özcan, Tayyar, after the governorship of Aleppo, became beylerbeyi of Sivas in 1622, delivered Sivas from Abaza, and then, although he appeared to be at Abaza's side, having received him with gifts, was arrested in the camp and released. The same entry notes that Tayyar is reported to have come from the family of Yeni Bey of Lâdik, and bases this information on Hüsameddin's Amasya Tarihi. That is, the family of the pasha who routed Abaza is reported to have come from Lâdik in Amasya. Tayyar Mehmed Pasha later served as governor of Erzurum and Diyarbekir and in 1638, during the siege of Baghdad, was made grand vizier; he died in the same siege.
The Janissary Ağa Hüsrev
Hüsrev Ağa of Bosnia, who commanded the janissaries in the battle, is the Hüsrev Pasha who plays an important role in the following entries. According to Halil İnalcık, Hüsrev was made janissary ağa in Muharrem 1033, while Abaza's revolt was under way, and came to the fore through his usefulness in this battle.
Changes of Officials
The entry lists in detail the successive changes of kadıs, muftis and mütevellis. Within a few months two sanjak beys, three kadıs and two muftis took office, and waqf trusteeships also changed hands. The confusion created by the change of sultan and by Abaza's revolt is reflected in the provinces too in these frequent changes of office. The dispute that arose among the members of the Rifâî hearth over the trusteeship of the Hakâla and Lâdik waqfs, for its part, took the kadı out of Amasya for a time.
Bibliography
Primary sources
- Abdîzâde Hüseyin Hüsâmeddîn Yasar, Amasya Tarihi, Amasya Belediyesi Kültür Yayınları, 2022, vol. 4, p. 550–551. amasya.bel.tr
Academic studies
- Abdülkadir Özcan, "Tayyar Mehmed Paşa", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, Ek-2, 2019. https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/tayyar-mehmed-pasa
- Halil İnalcık, "Hüsrev Paşa", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, vol. 19, 1999. https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/husrev-pasa
- "Abaza Paşa", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, vol. 1. https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/abaza-pasa
- "Hâfız Ahmed Paşa", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi. https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/hafiz-ahmed-pasa