Amasya a’yânından Dânişzâde el-Hâc Molla Halîl Ağa bin el-Hâc İbrâhim Efendi’nin oğludur. 1185 senesinden i’tibâren hâciyân ve a’yân meclislerine a’zâ, birkaç def’a hacıbaşı, bir def’a da baş-a’yân olup 1219’da yine hâcıbaşı oldu. 1221’de vefât etdi. Nüfûz ve servet sâhibi, hânedân, gâ’ileden âzâde idi.
Oğulları el-Hâc Halîl Efendi, Mehmed Ağa’dır. Hacı Halîl Efendi, Kayabaşında ikâmet ve imâmet edib “Iskatçı” demekle meşhûr olmuşdu. Bunun hafîdi Hacı Halîl Ağa 1310 sâline kadar ber-hayât idi. Oğlu Abdullah Ağa ve bunun oğlu Mustafa Ağa’dır. Bunlara “İskâtçı-oğulları” dendi. [193]
In Modern English
He was the son of Dânişzâde Hacı Molla Halîl Ağa, one of the ayan of Amasya, who was in turn the son of Hacı İbrâhim Efendi. From 1185 [1771-72] he was a member of the councils of the hajjis and of the ayan; he served several times as hajji chief and once as chief ayan, and in 1219 [1804-05] he was hajji chief again. He died in 1221 [1806-07]. He was an influential man of means, from a noble family, and free of hardship.
His sons were Hacı Halîl Efendi and Mehmed Ağa. Hacı Halîl Efendi lived in Kayabaşı, served as imam, and became famous as "Iskatçı". His grandson Hacı Halîl Ağa was still alive in 1310 [1892-93]. His son was Abdullah Ağa, and the latter's son was Mustafa Ağa. These were called the "İskâtçıoğulları".
Notes and Research
Old Words in the Text
- a'yân: local notables; baş a'yân: the official ayan, the person who conducted affairs between the people and the state
- hâciyân: the hajjis; hacıbaşı: the head of the hajjis
- meclis a'zâsı: council member
- nüfûz: weight of one's word, influence; servet: wealth
- hânedân: noble family; gâ'ile: trouble, hardship; âzâde: far from, free of
- hafîd: grandson; ber-hayât: alive
- ikâmet ve imâmet: residing and serving as imam
The Offices of Chief Ayan and Hajji Chief
In Ottoman provincial administration, the ayan was a person chosen from among the local notables to conduct affairs between the people and the state. Every town and township had an ayan who did this work; the official ayan was known by names such as "baş ayan" (chief ayan) and "reîs-i a'yân". According to the text, Molla Halîl Ağa joined the ayan councils from 1185 [1771-72] and was chief ayan once. The same man was also a member of the hajjis' council and served as hajji chief several times.
The text does not explain where the family's nickname "Iskatçı" and the name "İskâtçıoğulları" came from. Their residence in Kayabaşı is likewise the only piece of information about a place for the family. The last date Hüsameddin gives is for the grandson, who was alive until 1310 [1892-93]. No information on this person or the family was found in other sources.
Bibliography
- Abdîzâde Hüseyin Hüsâmeddîn Yasar, Amasya Tarihi, Amasya Belediyesi Kültür Yayınları, 2022, vol. 6, pp. 67–68. amasya.bel.tr
- Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı İslâm Ansiklopedisi, "Âyan" entry (islamansiklopedisi.org.tr).