Gürcistan’da Kartelli’dir. Osmanlı Türk Devleti’ne büyük hizmetler gören [56] Kartel hâkimi Yuset Hân oğlu Mağra ve Mehmed Paşa’nın oğludur. Pederi ile beraber kabûl-i İslâm etmişdi. 1038 senesi rebîülâhirinde Amasya beyi olup geldi.
Hüftâdî Ahmed Bey, Amasya’da “Yüz Oğlu” demekle meşhûr olmuşdu. Yüz Oğlu, galiba Gürcüler arasında “Yuset Oğlu” denilen künyeden kinâye olacaktır. Her halde manâlı bir künyedir.⁶³⁴
Bu zamanın şuarâsından Amasyalı meşhûr Mustafa Türâbî Efendi, Hüftâdî Beye tarif etmiş olduğundan (Tezkire-i Abdî Efendi) de görülen beyitleri buraya nakledildi.
Beyit
Sanma boş mîr-livâ Heftâdî
Maşrık u mağribe yetmiş adı
Ana Yüzoğlu deyüb geçme sakın
Işret ü şöhrete vermiş dâdı
Öyle bir dîv-i mânend ki ol
Bir sinekten koparır feryâdı
Bundan akdem Amasya Müftüsü el-Hâc Hızır Efendi devriyye mollası olduğundan Kuloğlu Ferrûh Efendi, üçüncü defa Amasya müftüsü ve ders-i âm -ı meşhûr Amasyalı Şeyh Ya’kûb Efendizâde Mustafa Efendi de Sultân Bâyezîd müderrisi oldu.
Hüftâdî Bey’in Amasya’ya geldiği esnada nakîbü’l-eşrâf kâ’im-makâmı [57] es-Seyyid eş-Şeyh Ahmed Efendi, alaybeyi Doğan Bey, kethüdâyeri Kul Oğlu Mehmed Ağa, yeniçeri serdârı Hüseyin Ağa, muhassıl-ı emvâl Bâkî Paşazâde Müteferrika Rıdvan Bey, şehir kethüdâsı Ali Bâlî Çelebi idi.
Hüftâdî Bey, akrabasından Hüsrev Bey’le beraber yeni Müslüman olmuş, dinden ve dilden anlamaz, şarap ve şehvetten başka bir nesne bilmezdi. Pederi gibi div kıyâfet, pehlivân sîret bir adamdı. Hüsrev Beye “Keyhüsrev” denir, bu şekil ve sîrette idi. Başında Gürcü haşerâtı çoktu. Kethüdâyeri Kuloğlu Mehmed Ağa, mirlivânın dil bilmediğinden dolayı a‘yânın müdâhalesiyle mütesellim olup Hüftâdî Bey’e idâre-i livâ husûsâtında vekâlet ediyor, uygunsuzluğa meydan vermemeğe çalışıyordu.
Bundan akdem Hoca Ahmed Paşa’nın Amasya’ya getirip dâiresinde terbiye etdiği Gürcü Ali Bey, Türk ve Gürcü dillerini güzel bilir bir genç idi. Gürcü Ali Bey, Hüftâdî Beye ve maiyetinde Gürcülerin tercümânı ve lisan muallimi olup hükûmet ve halk işlerinde bunlara yardım ederdi.
Fakat Muhassıl Rıdvan Bey’in maiyetine verilen Gürcüler, pek densiz ve zâlim adamlardı. Tahsil edilen verginin bir mislini de tayyârât ve “Hüftâdî hediyesi” namıyla cebren tahsîl ediyorlar, tahsîlât bahânesiyle girdikleri hânelerde fırsat buldukça her fenâlığı yapıyorlardı.
Halkın feryâdını dinleyen mütesellim ve muhassıl, bu fenâlığın önüne geçemiyorlardı. [58] Bu esnada Sivas Beylerbeyi Halil Paşa Diyârbekir’e tahvîl-i me’mûriyet etdiğinden sadrâzamın hemşehrilerinden Bosnalı Ali Paşa, Sivas vâlisi olup geldi.
Şa’bân evâilinde kethüdâyeri ve mütesellim olan Kuloğlu Mehmed Ağa, Irak’a me’mûr olduğundan Zülfikâr Paşazâde Şa’bân Ağa⁶³⁵ kethüdâyeri ve mütesellim vekîli olup Gürcüleri ulu orta hareketlerinden men‘ u terbiye etmeye kalkışdı. Fakat Mirlivâ Hüftâdî Bey’in hamiyet-i cahiliyesine karşı sabır ve sükûta mecbûr oldu.
Ramazân evâilinde Anadolu Sadâreti’nden ma‘zûl olan Amasyalı Hasan Efendi Rumeli kazaskeri oldu. Gürcülerin harekâtından bîzâr olan halkın şikâyetlerine Vâlî Ali Paşa aldırış etmediğinden Gürcüler işi azıtmışlar, sokaklarda yalnız buldukları gençleri kapıp Hüftâdî Bey’e takdîm etmeye başlamışlardı.
Hüftâdî Bey, a‘yânın hayırhâhâne ihtârâtını dinlemiyor, Gürcülere çok yüz veriyordu. Bu yüzden halk ve hâssaten yeniçeriler için için kaynıyordu. Ramazânın on üçüncü günü Gürcülerin yine bir genci kapması yüzünden halk ateş gibi birden parlayıp kanlı bir arbede çıktı.
Mehmed Paşa İmâreti’nin arkasında bulunan Hüftâdî Bey’in konağını saran halk ile Gürcüler arasında korkunç bir muhârebe başladı. Genç [59] kurtarıldı. Fakat Hüftâdî ve amcası Keyhüsrev beylerle hayli Gürcüler kılıçtan geçirildi. Mirlivâ konağı yağma edildi. Halktan da beş on kimse can verdi. Bu konak, Amasya mutasarrıflarına mahsus olduğu sicilde muharrerdir.
Fakat halk da işi azıtmış, Hüftâdî Bey’e laf anlatamayan ve aradıkları zaman bulunamayan a‘yânın konaklarına saldırmışlardı. Bu esnada eşkıyâ tâkibinde bulunan Alaybeyi Doğan Bey, vâkıadan haberdâr olup yetişdi. Evkâf-ı Sultâniye Mütevellisi Hasan Bey’le birleşip halkı teskîn ederek a‘yânı büyük bir felâketten kurtardı.
Mütesellim vekîli Şa’bân Ağa ve Muhassıl Rıdvan Bey ve sâir zevât ihtifâ etdiği yerlerden meydana çıkıp vâkıayı etrafıyla Vâlî Ali Paşa’ya arz etdiler. Ali Paşa, ramazânın on sekizinde Amasya’ya gelip tahkîkâta başladı. Hayli adamları hapsetdi. Hayli de serzenişler işitdi. Bir taraftan da Bâb-ı Âlî’ye vak’ayı yazdı.
Şevvâl evâsıtında gelen emr-i âlîde Amasya sancağı, Canik sancağı Beyi ve Muhassıl Hasan Bey’e ve Canik sancağı da Amasya Alaybeyi Doğan Bey’e tevcîh edildiği ve Dîvân-ı Hümâyûn’da muhâkemeleri icrâ edilmek üzere Amasya a‘yânının İstanbul’a i‘zâmı bildirildi.
In Modern English
He was a Kartlian from Georgia. He was a son of Mağra, son of Yuset Khan, ruler of Kartli, who had rendered great services to the Ottoman Turkish State, and of Mehmed Pasha. He had become a Muslim together with his father. In the month of Rebîülâhir 1038 [1628–29] he came as Bey of Amasya.
Hüftâdî Ahmed Bey had become famous in Amasya as "Yüz Oğlu." Yüz Oğlu seems to derive from the nickname "Yuset Oğlu" used among the Georgians. In any case it is a meaningful nickname.
Because Mustafa Türâbî Efendi of Amasya, a famous poet of this period, described Hüftâdî Bey, the couplets (also seen in the Tezkire of Abdî Efendi) are given here.
Couplets
Do not take Hüftâdî for an empty sanjak bey
His name has reached both east and west
Calling him "Yüzoğlu," do not pass him by
He has given pleasure and fame their due
He is such a giant
That he would raise a cry even over a fly
Before this, since Mufti el-Hâc Hızır Efendi of Amasya became molla by rotation (devriye), Kuloğlu Ferrûh Efendi became mufti of Amasya for the third time; Mustafa Efendi son of Şeyh Ya'kûb, a native of Amasya famed for giving public lectures (ders-i âm), became müderris (madrasa professor) of the Sultan Bâyezîd Madrasa.
At the time Hüftâdî Bey came to Amasya, the nakîbü'l-eşrâf kaymakamı (deputy) was es-Seyyid eş-Şeyh Ahmed Efendi, the alaybeyi Doğan Bey, the kethüdâyeri Kul Oğlu Mehmed Ağa, the yeniçeri serdârı Hüseyin Ağa, the tax collector (muhassıl-ı emvâl) Müteferrika Rıdvan Bey son of Bâkî Pasha, and the city kethüdâ Ali Bâlî Çelebi.
Hüftâdî Bey had only recently become a Muslim together with his relative Hüsrev Bey. He understood neither religion nor language and knew nothing but wine and lust. Like his father he was a man of giant look and wrestler's nature. Hüsrev Bey was called "Keyhüsrev"; he too was of this build and nature. There were many Georgians in his train. His kethüdâyeri Kuloğlu Mehmed Ağa, because the mirliva did not know the language, had become mütesellim with the intercession of the notables, acted as his deputy in the affairs of the administration of the sanjak in Hüftâdî Bey's name, and tried not to let impropriety occur.
Before this, Georgian Ali Bey, whom Hoca Ahmed Pasha had brought to Amasya and raised in his mansion, was a youth who knew both Turkish and Georgian well. Georgian Ali Bey served as interpreter and language teacher to Hüftâdî Bey and the Georgians with him and helped them in matters of administration and of the people.
But the Georgians attached to Muhassıl Rıdvan Bey were very impudent and cruel men. They forcibly collected another amount equal to the tax collected, under the names of "tayyârât" (irregular extra payments) and "Hüftâdî's gift," and in the houses they entered under the pretext of collecting taxes they committed every wrong as opportunity allowed.
Listening to the people's cries, the mütesellim and the muhassıl could not prevent this wickedness. At this time, since Halil Pasha, Beylerbeyi of Sivas, was transferred on assignment to Diyarbekir, Ali Pasha of Bosnia, one of the grand vizier's fellow townsmen, came as governor of Sivas.
At the beginning of the month of Şa'bân, since the kethüdâyeri and mütesellim Kuloğlu Mehmed Ağa was assigned to Iraq, Şa'bân Ağa son of Zülfikâr Pasha became kethüdâyeri and deputy mütesellim and tried to restrain and discipline the Georgians from their random doings about town. But in the face of the Mirliva Hüftâdî Bey's pagan fanaticism (tribal passion) he was forced to keep patient silence.
At the beginning of Ramazan, Hasan Efendi of Amasya, dismissed from the Anatolian Sadaret (the chief judgeship of Anatolia), became kazasker (chief military judge) of Rumeli. Because Governor Ali Pasha paid no heed to the complaints of the people, who were sick of the Georgians' conduct, the Georgians went too far and began seizing young men they found alone in the streets and presenting them to Hüftâdî Bey.
Hüftâdî Bey did not listen to the warnings the notables made with good intent and indulged the Georgians greatly. For this reason the people, the janissaries in particular, were seething inwardly. On the thirteenth day of Ramazan, because the Georgians again seized a young man, the people flared up at once like fire and a bloody fight broke out.
A terrible battle began between the people, who besieged Hüftâdî Bey's mansion behind the Mehmed Pasha İmâret, and the Georgians. The youth was rescued. But a good many Georgians, together with the beys Hüftâdî and his uncle Keyhüsrev, were put to the sword. The mirliva's mansion was plundered. Five or ten of the people also lost their lives. That this mansion belonged to the mutasarrıfs (sanjak administrators) of Amasya is written in the register.
But the people too went too far and attacked the mansions of the notables who had been unable to make Hüftâdî Bey understand and who could not be found when sought. At this time Alaybeyi Doğan Bey, who was pursuing bandits, learned of the incident and arrived. Uniting with Hasan Bey, Mütevelli of the Sultanic Waqfs, he calmed the people and saved the notables from a great disaster.
The deputy mütesellim Şa'bân Ağa, Muhassıl Rıdvan Bey and the other persons came out of their hiding places and reported the incident in detail to Governor Ali Pasha. Ali Pasha came to Amasya on the eighteenth of Ramazan and began an investigation. He imprisoned a good many men. He also heard a good deal of reproach. Meanwhile he wrote of the incident to the Sublime Porte.
With the imperial order that arrived in the middle of the month of Şevvâl, it was announced that the sanjak of Amasya was given to Hasan Bey, Bey of the sanjak of Canik and muhassıl, and the sanjak of Canik to Doğan Bey, Alaybeyi of Amasya, and that the notables of Amasya must be sent to Istanbul to be tried in the Imperial Divan.
Notes and Research
Old Words in the Text
- mirlivâ: sanjak bey
- alaybeyi: commander of the sipahi units in the sanjak
- mütesellim: the deputy who carries on the administration in the sanjak bey's place
- muhassıl-ı emvâl: the official charged with collecting taxes and revenue
- kethüdâyeri: the official serving in the position of the sanjak bey's steward in the sanjak administration
- nakîbü'l-eşrâf kâ'im-makâmı: deputy of the head of the descendants of the Prophet (seyyids and sharifs)
- yeniçeri serdârı: head of the janissary company in the city
- şehir kethüdâsı: the representative, the steward, of the notables of the city
- a'yân: the notables of the city
- kazasker: army judge, one of the highest judicial officials
- mutasarrıf: the official who governs a sanjak
- tayyârât: irregular, extraordinary extra payments
- hamiyet-i cahiliye: tribal and clan fanaticism
Hüftâdî Ahmed Bey and His Georgian Circle
This entry describes one of the noisiest events in the sanjak of Amasya in 1628–29. No account giving the details of the event was found in other sources. The following explanations therefore rest on another part of Hüsâmeddin's own work and on the general situation of the age.
In the section of vols. 9–12 of the Amasya Tarihi in which the lives of persons named "Hüsrev" are described, Hüsâmeddin also mentions a Hüsrev Bey nicknamed "Deli Gürcü" (Mad Georgian). According to the record there, this person was of the line of the Georgian beys and took the name Hüsrev Bey when his uncle and his uncle's sons became Muslims. When his uncle's son Hüftâdî Ahmed Bey became sanjak bey of Amasya he came with him, became his adviser in the conduct of affairs and entered into tax-collecting. Because he squeezed the people excessively he earned everyone's hatred and was given the nickname "Deli Gürcü." Because of the acts that led to the people's uprising in 1038 he was killed together with Hüftâdî Bey. Here the degree of kinship of the same persons is given slightly differently from this entry: in this entry Keyhüsrev appears as Hüftâdî Bey's uncle, while in the other record Hüftâdî Bey is the son of Hüsrev Bey's uncle. This difference may also arise from two separate records describing the same persons from different angles; nothing certain can be said without seeing the documents.
The explanation Hüsâmeddin makes in a footnote in the text is noteworthy. Writing that the word "yüz" in old Turkish describes a creature that has grown up in the forest, wild, daring, attacking everyone or fleeing from everyone, he argues that the nickname is meaningful. This is the author's own interpretation and has not been confirmed by another source.
The Time and Context of the Event
The event takes place during Hüsrev Pasha's grand vizierate. Hüsrev Pasha, according to an encyclopedia entry, was from Bosnia; Hüsâmeddin's phrase "Ali Pasha of Bosnia, one of the grand vizier's fellow townsmen" agrees with this information. The same entry writes that in July 1629 Hüsrev Pasha crossed with his army to Üsküdar for a new campaign to the east. The events Hüsâmeddin describes, in the month of Ramazan (spring of 1629), and the preparation of this campaign fall in the same period. That the notables taken from Amasya to Istanbul were pardoned (as told in the next entry) just before the grand vizier's departure from Üsküdar is also consistent with this sequence.
The entry lists in detail the administrative staff of Amasya: nakîb deputy, alaybeyi, kethüdâyeri, janissary serdar, muhassıl and city kethüdâ. The listing of such names shows that the author used the sharia court registers and ledgers of Amasya as sources for the text; the footnotes also contain references to registers and ledgers. That Hüftâdî Bey's mansion stood behind the Mehmed Pasha İmâret and that it is written in the register that this mansion was set aside for sanjak beys are among the details the author wished to draw attention to. Whether the quarter and the building are called by this name today is not known from the sources at hand.
This entry shows how an administrative appointment turned within a short time into a city uprising: a newly converted sanjak bey who knew no language, a large retinue he brought with him, the extra burden loaded on the people through collection, and the helplessness of the governor and notables. Hüsâmeddin relates the event as an administrative weakness; in describing the people's anger he also notes that the crowd attacking the mansions of the notables went too far.
Bibliography
Primary sources
Academic studies