INTRODUCTION (14) (Mukaddime)

In Modern English

In Amasya a great number of schools (mekteb) and dârülkurrâs (schools where the methods of Qur'an recitation are taught) were built and founded to spread elementary education and to teach the methods of Qur'an reading. Of these, those whose waqfs were sound and whose income to support the teaching staff was abundant are eight; two regular schools were later added to them.

1. "Temenna School": It is in the Temenna Quarter. It was built in 878 [1473-74] by "Hüsâmeddin Temennayî," one of Hızır Paşa's freedmen. It was a sound school and its waqfs were in order; formerly its teaching staff was also very good. It is now in an abandoned state.

2. "Hatuniye School": It is on the east side of the Hatuniye Mosque. It was built in 915 [1509-10] by "Bülbül Hatun," mother of "Prince Sultan Ahmed," governor of Amasya. It is a masonry, exceedingly strong school, and its waqfs too are complete. The famous "Kavaklı İbrahim Efendi" served as teacher of this school until 1210 [1795-96]. Because of the school's fame it was put to use in 1300 [1882-83] as a "Primary School" (Mekteb-i İbtidâî).

3. "Hızır Paşa School": It is in the Hızır Paşa Quarter, adjoining the mosque. It was built in 1465-66 [870] by the said pasha. This school was formerly very famous; its waqfs were in order and its teaching staff very good. The famous calligraphers of Amasya, the Efendis "Hâfız Mustafa" and "Mehmed Hüsnî," taught here. It is now in an abandoned state.

4. "Sultan Bayezid School": It is on the east side of the mosque, level with the imaret, at the street corner; it was built in 890 [1485] by "Sultan Bayezid Han II." The waqfs of this school too were in order and its teaching staff very good. "Emir İmamzâde Seyyid Halil Efendi" and his son "Seyyid Mehmed Emin Efendi" won fame here as teachers. It was put to use as a "Primary School" in 1300 [1882-83].

5. "Şahbula School": It is in the Sofizade Quarter, adjoining the mescit. It was built in 841 [1437-38] by "Şahbula Hatun," wife of "Yörgüç Paşa," and its waqfs were arranged. It was formerly a famous school; now, as a "Children's School" (Mekteb-i Sıbyân), it stands on the point of collapse.

6. "Acem Ali School": It is in the quarter bearing his name, near its fountain and on its west side. It was built in 873 [1468-69] by the madrasa teacher "Hacı Acem Ali Ağa" and its waqfs were arranged. Because "Seyyid İsmail Efendi," famous as "Balcı Hoca," taught in this school until 1258 [1842], the school came to be called "Balcı Mektebi." "Hacı Hâfız Halil Efendi," the teacher of this weak writer, was also called "Balcı Hoca" because he was the teacher of the Balcı School.

7. "Ali Paşa School": It is at Selağzı, south of the Gümüşlüzade Quarter, on the right side of the road going to Çukur Bağce, at the street corner. It was built in 916 [1510-11] by the former grand vizier "Ali Paşa-yı Atîk" and its waqfs were arranged. Because "Ali Efendi," one of the foremost scholars, famous as "Kürt Hâfız," was teacher here until 1130 [1717-18], it was called "Kürt Mektebi." In 1306 [1888-89] it was put to use as a "Girls' Primary School" (Mekteb-i İbtidâî-i İnâs), and in 1326 [1908-09] its dome and masonry part were removed, it was enlarged and its structure raised.

8. "Küçük Ağa School": It is in the Şamlılar Quarter. It was built in 900 [1494-95] by the Küçük Kapı Ağası Ayas Ağa and its waqfs were arranged. It is a regular, elegantly built masonry school and was put to use as a "Primary School" in 1327 [1909].

Later two schools were added to these. The first is the "Hacı Hasan Efendi School." It is in the courtyard of Sultan Bayezid, in the place formerly called "Develik," on the Yeşilırmak bank. It was built by "Zileli Hacı Velizade Hacı Hasan Efendi," one of the notables of the country, in the days following the proclamation of freedom, by spending a significant sum of cash of some three hundred liras; its opening ceremony was held in Zilhicce 1328 [1911], and it was put to use as a "Primary School" by the education administration. It is a very elegant, broad work. In front of it are its fountain and garden, and below it very many rooms. The other will be mentioned at the end of the entry "Alaca Yahya Madrasa."

The dârülkurrâs built by benefactors in Amasya to teach the methods of Qur'an reading and to transmit the ten readings (kıraat) are also eight. The waqfs of each were in order and their attendants very good.

1. "Çeribaşı Dârülkurrâ": It is a broad stone room in the Çeribaşı Quarter, below the mosque and behind the fountain. Its window looked toward the place where the fountain stands. When the famous "Ziya Paşa," mutasarrıf of Amasya, in 1281 [1864-65] had the road in front of it repaired, he brought the fountain in front of this window, closed the window and made the dârülkurrâ unworkable. It was built when the mosque was built. My mother's grandfather, the sheikh of reciters (kurrâ şeyhi) "Hacı Halil Efendi," became the sheikh of this dârülkurrâ.

2. "Sultan Bayezid Dârülkurrâ": It was built by the said sultan north of the imaret's bakery, on the west side of the tabhane, in the row of calligraphers' rooms. This dârülkurrâ, completed in 891 [1486], was famous in Amasya and raised a great number of Qur'an scholars. It was left in an abandoned state in 1264 [1847-48], and in 1296 [1879] became a residence for tannery officials (officials concerned with leather working).

3. "Sultan Hatun Dârülkurrâ": Although it is understood from old documents obtained that it was in the Acem Ali Quarter, near the Bâlî Bey Mosque, since it no longer exists its site could not be determined. Since its waqfs were arranged in 911 [1505-06], it was built at this date by "Hatun Sultan," first wife of Sultan Bayezid Han II and daughter of "Emir Bey," one of the beys of Amasya. Later it was converted into a juz-reading duty and given to the "Kürt Hâfız Oğulları" and later, together with the trusteeship, to the "Hacı Bey Oğulları."

4. "Şeyh Mehmed Ağa Dârülkurrâ": It is south of the Mehmed Paşa Mosque, behind the Mustafa Bey Hamamı, within the street. It was built in 1073 [1662-63] by "Hacı Efendizade Şeyh Mehmed Ağa," one of the eşraf, and its waqfs were arranged. The ten shops in the row of the "Yakutiye Mescidi" and a large mill he had built opposite were among this dârülkurrâ's waqfs. The famous sheikh of reciters "Hasan Efendi" and after him "Ehlullah Efendi" became sheikhs of this dârülkurrâ.

5. "Abdullah Paşa Dârülkurrâ": It is in the Sofiler Quarter, east of the "Abdullah Paşa Mosque." It was added in 911 [1505-06] by the pasha's son the defterdar "Abdülkerim Bey" and its waqfs were arranged. It has a garden in front, a fountain on its north and other annexes. The Cretan sheikh of reciters "Hacı Hâfız Mehmed Efendi," one of the famous of the reciters, and the sheikh of reciters "Yusuf Efendi" became sheikhs of this dârülkurrâ.

6. "Ali Çelebi Dârülkurrâ": Although it is understood to have been in the İçeri Şehir, in the Kurşunlu Quarter, on the west side of the mosque, its site is now lost. It was built in 884 [1479-80] by the former mufti of Amasya "Müeyyedzade Ali Çelebi" and its waqfs were arranged. Since it later fell and vanished, it was converted into a juz-reading duty and given to several well-known persons.

7. "Mahmud Çelebi Dârülkurrâ": It is in the İçeri Şehir, in the Karatay Quarter, adjoining the Mahmud Çelebi Lodge. It was built in 807 [1404-05] by the said "İmadzade Bedreddin Mahmud Çelebi." The sheikh of reciters "Şeyh Cuîli Şeyh İbrahim Efendi," one of the famous of the reciters, was sheikh of this dârülkurrâ.

8. "Nuh Bey Dârülkurrâ": It is understood from old documents that it was in the Yakutiye Quarter, on the right side of the Timarhane and adjoining the Yakutiye Lodge. It had been built in 927 [1520-21] by the famous defterdar of Karaman, the Amasyan "Hacı Beyzade Nuh Bey." But since it burned in 1059 [1649] it could not be repaired again and its waqfs were lost. The famous sheikh of reciters "Hâfız Mehmed Efendi" was sheikh of this dârülkurrâ.

The Qur'an scholars these eight dârülkurrâs raised in Amasya were formerly famous and numerous. Since the children's schools also raised a great number of Qur'an memorizers (hâfız) every year, nearly a third of the notables of Amasya were known as hâfız. Among them there were also women Qur'an scholars superior to the reciters of their age, such as "Fatıma Molla," daughter of "Şeyh Yahya Efendi." Now all of these have become like a passing fancy.

As understood from old documents, until a hundred years ago there were some one hundred and thirty "Children's Schools" in Amasya. For the management of each, benefactors had endowed and donated money, real estate and property, and they were managed without fault by their trustees. The schools that had no waqf to manage them were managed by the notables of that age, whom we now do not admire as upstarts, tyrants and oppressors, by their literate ağas and beys.

At least a quarter of the efendis who came out of so many children's schools entered the Amasya madrasas and completed their education. In this respect these schools and dârülkurrâs were in the position of primary and secondary education, and the madrasas were in the row of higher schools. The higher sciences learned in Amasya were counted in three groups. One part consisted of the religious sciences such as Qur'anic exegesis, hadith, the principles of jurisprudence, jurisprudence and theology (kelâm); one part of the rational sciences such as philosophy, logic, medicine, geometry and arithmetic; and the other part of literary knowledge such as meânî, beyân (rhetoric), lexicography, grammar (nahiv and sarf), history, the art of conversation and speech, and poetry.

Lexicography was specific only to the Arabic and Persian languages. While arithmetic, geometry and history had formerly been given great importance, later these remained at an elementary level, and history had become limited almost wholly to the Islamic periods. In this respect, since it was the religious sciences that were learned with the most importance, in Amasya this religious part and the Arabic knowledge of the third part had advanced greatly. The scholars of the second part were not few in Amasya compared with other regions.

But among these religious sciences, since the "Science of Hadith" is a broad science resting on a method of its own, on the paths of transmission and chains of authority (isnad), on the biographies of the transmitters and the critique of the transmitters' condition, the great ones of the past separated this science from the other sciences and built madrasas specially for its study and gave them the name "Dârülhadis." In Amasya there are four Dârülhadises. They are famous by the names "Abdullah Paşa Dârülhadisi," "Osman Çelebi Dârülhadisi," "İbrahim Efendi Dârülhadisi" and "Osman Bey Dârülhadisi" and will be mentioned in the row of madrasas. In these Dârülhadises, scholars who were experts in the science of hadith, as professors, taught books specific to the science of hadith such as the "Sahîh-i Buhârî" and "Sahîh-i Müslim," and taught the books compiled to understand the truth or fabrication of a hadith, that is, the works of the hadith people specific to such knowledge as "Principles of Hadith," "Classes of Transmitters" and "Biographies." In Amasya hadith scholars of this kind were not few until 1241 [1825-26]. But since certain children and craftsmen came to be muhaddis and professors in the Dârülhadises by a right passing from father to son, they later became sparse.

The other religious sciences and the Arabic and literary knowledge were taught in the madrasas by professors and ders-i âms (teachers authorized to give general lessons); the books "Beyzâvî," "Metâli'," "Mevâkıf" or "Makâsıd," "Pezdevî Usulü," "Hidâye" and their commentaries, "Mutavvel," "Muğni'l-Lebîb," "Fenârî," "Câmî," "Şâfiye's Râzî Commentary" and "İzhâr" were read and explained with great care; most of the commentaries and glosses were left to the students' own work and consultation. The texts "Avâmil," "İzhâr," "Şâfiye," "Kâfiye" and "Menâr" every student had to memorize and always read from memory. Hard questions were asked as exercise, and during the lesson the students' own views, levels of intelligence and ability to consult the glosses were tested.

During the study of these sciences, the biographies of the Companions, the classes of scholars, the condition of transmitters, the lives of hadith scholars, in any case the books on the Prophet's biography (sira), and the most useful works relating to Arabic literature and the histories of the past, especially Islamic history, were read and examined to broaden the students' minds. Then, when the student received his license (icazet) he became a mature scholar; if he gained the ability to give lessons as the professor's assistant (muid) for at least two years, after his ability to teach and spread learning was confirmed by at least three of the teachers of the age, only then could he become a ders-i âm.

A licensed efendi received a salary of five akçe a day at the beginning when he was muid, ten akçe when he became mülâzım, and twenty akçe when he became ders-i âm; when it rose, by an increase of five akçe each year, to forty akçe, he entered the body of professors. In this chain running along three branches in Amasya, professors who rose up to sixty akçe could, if desired, leave the learned chain through one of the provincial mevleviyets, enter the judicial career, and whenever they wished re-enter from the step at which they had left the learned chain and be appointed to professorship. In the learned career there were two paths: one was teaching, the other preaching, that is, the pulpit sheikhship. Pulpit sheikhs too, after becoming ders-i âm, rose along three branches and at sixty merged with the other scholars; of the scholars, those who chose retirement would leave the learned chain with a lodge sheikhship or a lifelong madrasa professorship. In Amasya, among scholars, those who did not reach the fiftieth step could never be chosen for judgeship, and those who did not reach the sixtieth step for the muftiship. The imamship was in any case given to sheikhs of reciters, that is, those of the reciters; the preachership to scholars who had reached the fortieth step; this was the old law. It was forbidden to give scholarly duties such as imamship and juz-reading to persons without a license to teach, and professorship, preachership and sheikhship to those who were not ders-i âm. While this old procedure was preserved until around 1100 [1688-89], the later binding of scholarly posts to an inheritance-bound chain upset this old procedure and left the scholars in difficulty; in place of the old thought of lessons and advancement, ceremonies and customs have settled.

The madrasas in Amasya where the higher sciences were taught were arranged on three steps: one counted as forty, another as fifty, the other as sixty. A professor on the forty step, after teaching for at least five years, could reach fifty, and then, after again teaching the higher sciences for at least five years, sixty. These were bound to a regular chain, and advancing ahead or falling behind among professors was also determined by these steps. For this reason until 1000 [1591-92] the madrasas existing in Amasya were arranged according to these three divisions. Since the inheritance chain later disrupted this order, the expressions sixty madrasa, fifty madrasa, forty madrasa passed into the row of old terminology. All of these madrasas, together with the Amasya madrasas built and repaired later, will be mentioned in alphabetical order.

1. "Alaca Yahya Madrasa": It was on the east side of the Saraçhane Mosque, over the Yeşilırmak. This madrasa was first built around 775 [1373-74] by the emir of Amasya "Şadgeldi Padişah," who gave its professorship to "Sadreddin Artuk et-Türkmânî," one of the scholars. This situation has been understood from the examination of old documents. Then it was repaired anew in 875 [1470-71] by "Alaca Yahya Bey," one of the grandsons of the said emir, who was lala of Sultan Bayezid Han II during his governorship of Amasya, and its waqfs were arranged. For this reason the madrasa came to be called by this person's name and fame.

Until 1100 [1688-89] a great number of scholars were professors in this madrasa. Then the children of "Zanalı Seyyid Ahmed Efendi," as heirs, and at the death of his grandson "Bakırcızade Seyyid Mustafa Efendi," his son "Hâfız Seyyid Nureddin Mehmed Efendi" became professor in 1248 [1832-33], but since he was in the judicial career and carried on the work by deputation, the madrasa remained in an abandoned state. In 1281 [1864-65] the famous "Ziya Paşa," mutasarrıf of Amasya, had the madrasa demolished and in its place had an excellent, high-quality "Rüştiye School" built.

This school served for thirty years to enlighten the country's ideas and raised a great number of intelligent students, but burned in the fire of 1311 [1893-94] and remained for some fifteen years an empty plot. Then "Topçuzade Hacı Halil Efendi," one of the notables of the country, and his brother "Münib Bey," in 1328 [1910], spending abundant money, had an excellent "Primary School" built and, on the mosque side, a "High Fetvahane" (office of the mufti), and kept alive the name of the old school in this source of grace.

2. "Atabeg Madrasa": It is at Sığır Pazarı, beside the stream. It was built by the famous emir "Nâsıreddin Ahmed Atabeg" and its waqfs were arranged in Rebîülevvel 727 [1327]. As understood from the foundation on the north side of the madrasa, it was an exceedingly strong stone madrasa; it was destroyed many times by terrible earthquakes and then repaired with waqf revenues. While formerly a madrasa with fifteen large rooms, a lecture hall and a garden in the middle, since 1294 [1877-78] it has become an empty plot, its surroundings appropriated as property and blacksmiths' shops built.

In this madrasa first a scholar such as "Cemâleddin İbrahim Aksarâyî," then until 1098 [1686-87] a great number of great ones of the ulema and foremost scholars were professors. At this date "Zanalı Seyyid Hacı Ahmed Efendi," one of the sayyid scholars, and at his death in 1140 [1727-28] his son "Seyyid Abdullah Efendi," in 1172 [1758-59] his sons and then his grandchildren took on the teaching duty. In 1245 [1829-30], at the death of the city kethüda "Seyyid Mustafa Efendi bin Seyyid Mahmud bin Seyyid Abdullah," "İskilipli Hüseyin Efendi," one of the scholars, and in 1278 [1861-62], at the death of "Seyyid Mahmud bin Seyyid Abdullah bin Seyyid Ahmed bin Seyyid Abdullah," "Şehirli Mustafa Efendi," one of the scholars, became professor; with the death in 1266 [1849-50] of his father "Seyyid Ahmed bin Seyyid Velî bin Seyyid Ahmed" and the death in 1291 [1874] of "Şehirli Mustafa Efendi," his son "Bakırcızade Seyyid Hacı Mehmed Emin Efendi" and the sons of "İskiliplizade Hâfız Mehmed Efendi" took into their possession the shares that came by inheritance.

3. "Bekir Paşa Madrasa": It is in the Köprübaşı Quarter, right east of the Greek Church, at the street corner. The former mirliva of Egypt, the Amasyan "Bekirbeyzade Hacı Osman Bey," had it built in 1164 [1750-51] to be a "Dârülhadis" and arranged its waqfs. The lecture hall and library of this madrasa were excellent; it was a masonry, very beautiful madrasa. When it was about to collapse around 1300 [1882-83], in 1308 [1890-91] it could be repaired by demolishing its facade and making shops beneath and rooms above. The "Alaca Hamam" and the great two-gated han are this madrasa's waqf. Since on the founder's death his son "Ebû Bekir Paşa" became trustee, it was called the "Bekir Paşa Madrasa."

The famous teacher "Laz İbrahim Efendi," one of the famous of the virtuous (fazıl), and in 1179 [1765-66] "Seğüköylüzade Hacı Mehmed Kâşif Efendi," then his son-in-law "Emir İmamzade Seyyid Hacı Ebû Bekir Efendi," then his son "Seyyid Sa'dullah Efendi," then "Çerkeşli Mehmed Efendi" and in 1233 [1817-18] "Türkmenzade Hacı Ebû Bekir Efendi," nephew of "Nâbî Efendi," then his sons the Efendis "Hacı Ali Râşid, Ahmed Rüşdî" became professors; in 1293 [1876], at the death of "Ahmed Efendi," his son "Hâfız Rahmî Efendi," and in 1301 [1883-84], at the death of "Hacı Ali Efendi," his sons held the teaching share for a time, but in 1305 [1887-88] all were dismissed and "Mecdîzade Hâfız Abdurrahman Kâmil Efendi," one of the fazıl, became professor by right.

4. "Benderli Madrasa": It is in the Kocacık Quarter, behind the İğnecizade Tomb, within the street. It was built in 1228 [1813] by "Benderli Hacı Hâfız Feyzullah Ağa," one of the notable merchants of Amasya, again in 1228, and its waqfs were arranged. This madrasa was of wood; it had a lecture hall, garden and water. When it was about to collapse around 1300 [1882-83], and burned in the fire of 1311 [1893-94], "Şeyh Ahmedzade Hacı Ahmed Efendi," one of the notables, when dying in 1316 [1898-99] bequeathed that the madrasa be rebuilt with a third of his property; his son-in-law "Hacı Müsevvidzade Hacı Hâfız Mehmed Tevfik Efendi" rebuilt it in 1318 [1900-01] and also revived its old imaret.

In the first construction of this madrasa "Benderli Hâfız Mehmed Efendi," in 1247 [1831-32] the famous hadith scholar "Zileli Hacı Ali Şükrî Efendi," then "Cırıkçızade Hâfız Ahmed Efendi," then "Taşabâdî Hacı Ahmed Efendi," then his son, the scholar "Mehmed Ârif Efendi" were professors until his death in 1327 [1909].

5. "Burma Minare Madrasa": It is on the east side of the mosque, adjoining the fountain. This place was formerly the court. In 1115 [1703-04], when the court was moved to the house adjoining the İğnecizade Tomb used as a court, the former chief architect of the palace "Amasyan Hüseyinbeyzade Hacı Hâfız Hasan Efendi" bought this place and had a children's school built, and in 1117 [1705-06] endowed several shops in "Bakkallar İçi" and set aside their rent for this school's teachers, gatekeepers and repair. Later, when it was about to collapse and its waqfs lost, since "Muharrem Efendi," one of the scholars, was teacher of the school, "Hatipzade Hacı Mehmed Emin Efendi," one of the notables of "Heniske," in 1327 [1909] had an excellent madrasa built, and "Muharrem Efendi" took on its professorship. The masonry fountain in front of it had been built in 1081 [1670-71] by the former deputy of the nakîbü'l-eşrâf of Amasya "Seyyid Ahmed Efendi," who endowed to it the hamlet (mezra) he held in the "Alevî Village."

6. "Büyük Ağa Madrasa": It is in the Şamlılar Quarter, at the head of the vineyards famous as "Bahçeler İçi," on the road. It was built in 894 [1488-89] by "Hüseyin Ağa," kapı ağası of Sultan Bayezid Han II in Amasya, and its waqfs were arranged. This madrasa was exceedingly strong, of stone all over, with broad rooms and an excellent lecture hall. Today it saddens everyone in a ruined condition. The following carved inscription reports that it is among the charitable works of the said "Hüseyin Ağa." It is also called the "Hüseyniye Madrasa." The meaning of the Arabic writing is this: "The benefactor, the founder of charitable works, Hüseyin Ağa son of Abdülmuîn, known as Kapı Ağası at the Sublime Gate (the palace gate), had this building built."

In the time of the sultan of the two lands and khan of the two seas, sultan son of sultan, Sultan Bayezid son of Sultan Muhammed Han (may God continue his dominion and sovereignty), [it was built] from the crumbs of his generosity and bounty. May God envelop him with his forgiveness. In the year 894.
(Meaning of the Arabic inscription)

This inscription is also seen on the bedesten that "Hüseyin Ağa" built and endowed; only its date is carved with an expression meaning "the year eighty and eighty and eight hundred." The waqfs of this lofty madrasa were broad and abundant; one of them is the famous "Bedesten" in Amasya. Although this bedesten is wholly sound waqf, some of its shops were later appropriated as property. The Middle Bedesten too, though rented for ten years to the "Abranusyan Brothers" with only repair in mind, has not been handed over to the waqf for nearly twenty years; this is a situation worth investigating.

Since this lofty madrasa is of the sixty degree in the ranking of madrasas and is counted first class in Amasya, very many fazıl of the land of Rum won fame by its professorship. First "Koca Emir Seyyid İbrahim Efendi," then in 911 [1505-06] "Taşköprülü Musliheddin Efendi" became professor, and when in 918 [1512] he was sent to Istanbul on duty it was given to the fazıl of Amasya. When the famous fazıl "Kayyımzade Hacı İsmail Efendi," professor of this madrasa, died in 1141 [1728-29], "Ayıntaplı Hacı Kara Osman Efendi"; at his death in 1151 [1738-39] "Hâfız Mehmed Efendi"; in 1168 [1754-55] the famous fazıl of İbatsal "Seyyid Abdullah Efendi"; in 1179 [1765-66] "Halil Efendi"; then "Seyyid Mustafa Efendi," then his son "Seyyid Mehmed Emin Efendi"; in 1193 [1779] "Şeyhzade Abdullah Vecih Efendi," one of the famous of the fazıl, and at his death in 1218 [1803-04] his sons the Efendis "Seyyid Mehmed Şerif, Abdurrahman, Ahmed Rüşdî," then alone "Seyyid Şeyh Ahmed Rüşdî Efendi," then his sons the Efendis "Hacı Hâfız Ali, İsmail" became professors, and in 1312 [1894-95] "Hacı Hâfız Ali Efendizade Hacı Ali Efendi" took on the teaching duty.

7. "Tekke Madrasa": It is north of the Pir İlyas Cemetery, on the site of the Çevikçe Lodge. As mentioned in the section on lodges, it was first built as a lodge; when "Akşehirli İsmail Efendi," one of the scholars, was lodge sheikh it took the form of a lecture hall, and from 1248 [1832-33] was used as a madrasa and called "Tekke Medresesi." After this "İsmail Efendi" too, the most famous of the ders-i âms, "Uzun Osman Efendi," became professor of this madrasa; after his death it was abandoned for a time but later repaired, and the grandson of "Osman Efendi" is professor.

8. "Çöplüce Madrasa": It is behind the Yakut Paşa Lodge, adjoining the Primary School and in front of the Bîmârhâne (hospital for the mentally and spiritually ill). "Amasyan Aşçızade Hacı Mehmed Ağa," one of the notables of the palace (Enderun), had it built in 1234 [1818] and arranged its waqfs. This madrasa is built of wood, small and elegant; because the founder's cousin "Hacı Mustafa Ağa," known as "Çöplüce," was trustee, it was called "Çöplüce Medresesi." It had waqf income from six shops in the "Aşağı Pazar."

"Hacı Ahmed Efendizade Seyyid Mustafa Efendi," one of the famous of the fazıl, then his son-in-law "Karagözzade Küçük Mustafa Efendi," then his son-in-law "Ali Kayazade Hacı Ahmed Sıdkî Efendi" became professor by right; at the said mufti's death in 1291 [1874] his son "Ahmed Efendi" took on the teaching duty.

9. "Hacı Hamza Efendi Madrasa": It is in the Bayezid Paşa Quarter, west of the mosque of "Karabâğî Şeyh Hacı Hamza Efendi"; it was built in 1312 [1894-95] after the mosque's completion. It is a wooden madrasa, and "Mîr Hasan Efendi," one of the famous of the fazıl, is its first professor; when he died in 1326 [1908-09], his son "Mehmed Sa'îd Efendi" became professor.

10. "Hüsâmiye Madrasa": It was on the qibla side of the mosque south of the Kuba, on the road. "Kubalızade Şeyh Hüsâmeddin Hüseyin el-Halvetî" had it built in 857 [1453] to be a madrasa and arranged its waqfs; a great number of the famous of the ulema were professors. The Hüsâmiye professorship was until 960 [1553] exceedingly esteemed and of the sixty degree. Since it was destroyed in the fire of 1011 [1602-03], the deputy of the nakîbü'l-eşrâf from his children "Seyyid Ahmed Efendi" rebuilt it to be a lodge, but since it burned in the fire of 1099 [1687-88], around 1125 [1713] "Kubalı Hâfız Ali Efendi," the most famous of the ders-i âms, revived it to be a lecture hall again; since 1241 [1825-26] it has been in ruin, has come to the state of a garden, and has remained a garden to this day.

11. "Hızır Paşa Madrasa": It is at the Ok Meydanı, in the Hızır Paşa Quarter, within a group of buildings of its own. It encloses the east and north sides of the mosque; it was built in 870 [1465-66] by "Atabeyzade Hızır Paşa," one of the Ottoman beys. The said madrasa is of masonry, its rooms small, its courtyard elegant; in front of each room there is a projection peculiar to summer days.

Since formerly the great ones of the scholars were appointed professors to this madrasa, and since the appointments were bound to a chain, it is laborious to count its professors. Only because in 1098 [1686-87] a change was seen in the chain of professors, the fazıl "Ma'kûlzade Hacı İbrahim Efendi," then "Abdullah Efendi," and in 1115 [1703-04] "Hâfız Hasan Efendi" became professors, and the old procedure was abandoned.

At the death of the said professor on the twenty-third of Zilhicce 1121 [1709], "Hâfız Ahmed Efendi"; when he withdrew in 1123, "Molla Mustafa"; when he withdrew in 1124, "Molla İbrahim"; at his death in 1141, "Molla Sâlih"; at his death in 1153, "Molla Mustafa"; and at his death in 1155, the Efendi "Hâfız Ahmed" held half the share; in 1157 [1744] "Seyyid Veliyyeddin Efendi," one of the fazıl, became professor to the half share, and "Hâfız Mehmed Efendi," one of the scholars, to the other half.

Then at "Hâfız Mehmed Efendi's" death in 1167 [1753-54], "Seyyid Hacı Mehmed Efendi," one of the scholars; at his death in 1169 [1755-56], "Köprülü Mehmed Efendi," one of the scholars; then, when he withdrew, "Seyyid Abdullah Efendi," one of the fazıl, and at the death of "Seyyid Velî Efendi," "Zanalızade Seyyid Abdullah Efendi"; in 1173 [1759-60], at the death of the said fazıl "Seyyid Abdullah Efendi," and in 1183 [1769-70], at his death, to the half share his son "Seyyid Sa'îd Efendi," and to the other half "Ürgüplü Hacı Ahmed Efendi" became professor.

At the death of "Ürgüplü Hacı Ahmed Efendi" his sons the Efendis "Seyyid Mehmed Kâşif, Ahmed Necîb"; in place of "Seyyid Mehmed Sa'îd Efendi," "Canikli Hacı Mehmed Efendi," one of the scholars; at the death of the former mufti "Ürgüplüzade Hacı Ahmed Necîb Efendi," his son "Hâfız Ahmed Efendi," and at his death his son "Hâfız Mustafa Efendi"; at the death of "Canikli Hacı Mehmed Efendi," his sons the Efendis "Seyyid Ahmed, Mehmed Hilmî"; at the death of the former mufti "Seyyid Hacı Mehmed Hilmî Efendi," his sons the Efendis "Seyyid Abdullah, Ahmed" became professors; at the death of "Seyyid Hacı Ahmed Efendi" in 1318 [1900-01], his sons took the teaching share into their possession.

12. "Halifet Madrasa": It is in the Şâmîce Quarter, adjoining the west of the Halifet Gazi Tomb. This is the second lofty madrasa built in Amasya. It is recorded in its waqf deed that it was built by the Seljuk bey "Mübârizeddin Halife Alp" in 622 [1225]; that it was built in 632 [1234-35] is carved over its door. The writing carved over its door is this:

Notes and Research

Old Words in the Text

• dârülkurrâ: a school where the readings (kıraat) of the Qur'an are taught and in which hâfızes and scholars of readings are raised
• kırâat-ı aşere: the ten methods of reading the Qur'an, resting on the ten imams of readings
• mekteb-i sıbyân: children's school; the counterpart of today's primary school
• evkâf, vakıf: property and income set aside to meet the expenses of a charitable institution
• mütevelli: the person who administers a waqf
• cüzhânlık: the duty of reading a juz of the Qur'an by waqf condition
• müderris: teacher who gives lessons in a madrasa; muid his assistant, mülâzım a candidate awaiting a post in turn
• ders-i âm: a teacher who has received authority to give general lessons
• icazet: a document showing authority to teach a science
• kasr-ı yed: withdrawing, or being made to withdraw, from a duty
• ref': dismissal from office; fevt: death; mahlûl: a post vacated by its holder's death or departure
• erba'în, hamsîn, sittîn: forty, fifty, sixty; the steps of the degrees of madrasas and professors
• kâgir: built of stone or brick; ahşap: built of wood
• arsa-i hâliye: empty plot
• müşrif-i harâb: on the verge of ruin
• hücre: the small room in a madrasa where a student stays
• kapı ağası: the aga of the palace gate; here a high palace official in the service of Sultan Bayezid II in Amasya
• nakîbü'l-eşrâf: the official who kept the records of the descendants of the Prophet and looked after their affairs

The Educational Order Hüsameddin Describes

The text gives three layers together: the children's schools and dârülkurrâs, the madrasas giving higher education, and the graded rise of the teachers serving in these madrasas. According to the author's arrangement, reading, writing and Qur'an reading are learned in the children's school, memorization and readings in the dârülkurrâ; at least a quarter of those who come out of these pass to the madrasa. In the madrasa the sciences are divided into three groups: the religious sciences, the rational sciences and the literary sciences. The author says that arithmetic, geometry and history were formerly given great importance, later remained at an elementary level, and history too was largely limited to Islamic history. This is an assessment he directs at madrasa education in the period in which he himself lived and is one of the noteworthy places of the text.

The teaching chain is told in figures: an assistant teacher begins at five akçe a day, receives ten when he becomes mülâzım and twenty when he becomes ders-i âm; when he rises to forty by an increase of five akçe each year he enters the body of professors. Professors rise in turn in forty-, fifty- and sixty-step madrasas. Hüsameddin maintains that the beginning of posts' passing from father to son after around 1100 [1688-89] upset this order. The long successions of professors in the madrasa list agree with this finding: the same family names are seen following one another on a madrasa's chair in the order of son, son-in-law and grandson. A comparison of the names and dates listed with other documents could not be done in this study; they should be read as the author's compilation based on old documents and waqf deeds.

The Büyük Ağa Madrasa

The Büyük Ağa (Kapı Ağa) Madrasa, which Hüsameddin says "saddens everyone in a ruined condition," stands today. According to the information published by the Amasya Municipality, the madrasa was built in 1488 by Hüseyin Ağa, kapı ağası of Sultan Bayezid II; this agrees with the date 894 [1488-89] the author gives. Its plan departs from the classical Ottoman madrasa order: the octagonal scheme seen in Seljuk funerary monuments was applied for the first time in this building. The madrasa belongs to the group of sixty madrasas, and the most frequently mentioned among its professors is Taşköprülüzade Mustafa Müslihiddin Efendi. The building was repaired in 1978 after being damaged in earthquakes.

Müslihiddin Efendi, with the dates the author gives (becoming professor in 911, appointment to Istanbul in 918), has not been confirmed in another source. The encyclopedia entry on the Taşköprizâde family reports that he was born in 1453, was appointed by Bayezid II as teacher to Prince Selim, wrote poetry under the pen name "Hilmî," and died in Istanbul in 1529; it does not mention a professorship in Amasya. The author's record is noteworthy because it shows the link with Amasya of the father of the famous scholar and historian Taşköprizâde Ahmed Efendi.

The inscription in the text gives the year 894. The date expression of the same text on the bedesten, however, is written with a phrase meaning "eighty and eighty and eight hundred," which, summed literally, comes to 888. The author does not discuss this difference; the reading of the expression could not be confirmed.

The Hatuniye School

The Hatuniye School, second in the row, is a part of the Hatuniye Complex. According to present records the complex consists of a mosque, bathhouse and children's school and was built in 1510 by Bülbül Hatun, wife of Sultan Bayezid II and mother of Prince Ahmed; it agrees with the author's date 915 [1509-10]. The school is east of the mosque, with rubble-stone walls, single-storied and with a large single room inside. In its first state it was covered with a double dome, but the domes later fell and its top was closed with a wooden roof. Hüsameddin's saying that because of the school's fame it was made a primary school in 1300 [1882-83] shows that the building was also used in a new educational order in the nineteenth century.

Ziya Paşa and the Development of Amasya

Ziya Paşa, who is named in two places in the text (the Çeribaşı Dârülkurrâ and the Alaca Yahya Madrasa), is the poet and statesman Ziya Paşa. According to the entry in the İslâm Ansiklopedisi, Âli Paşa appointed him to the mutasarrıflık of Amasya to remove him from Istanbul; in this post, in which he stayed two years, Ziya Paşa had built in the center and the five kazas six government mansions, six schools, an idadî, six clock towers, a prison, a bedesten and workplaces, and had new roads opened in the city. These works are called the "Amasya reforms." In 1865, following rumors raised by some of the eşraf such as the mufti of Zile, Feyzullah Efendi, and Hacı Hasan Ağa, he was transferred to the mutasarrıflık of Canik.

Two details Hüsameddin relays show the effect of this building activity on old buildings: the fountain's being brought in front of the window of the Çeribaşı Dârülkurrâ and the window closed when the road was repaired, and the demolition of the Alaca Yahya Madrasa and the building of a rüştiye school in its place. The rüştiye burned in 1311 [1893-94] and stood empty for fifteen years; in its place a primary school and a Fetvahane were built in 1328 [1910].

Other Madrasas

Most of the madrasas listed in the text do not stand today; Hüsameddin himself records that many have vanished and that the site of some is not even known (such as the Rahmâniye, Hüsâmiye and Sultan Hatun Dârülkurrâ). The account of the Halifet Madrasa continues in the next section and is compared there with other sources. On the professors' successions of the Alaca Yahya, Atabeg, Bekir Paşa, Benderli, Burma Minare, Hızır Paşa and Hüsâmiye madrasas, no information was found in other sources.

Bibliography

Primary sources

• Abdîzâde Hüseyin Hüsâmeddîn Yasar, Amasya Tarihi, Amasya Belediyesi Kültür Yayınları, 2022, vol. 1, p. 262–284. amasya.bel.tr

Academic studies

• "Taşköprizâdeler", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi (https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/taskoprizadeler).
• "Ziyâ Paşa", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi (https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/ziya-pasa--sair).

Official sources

• "Kapı Ağa (Büyük Ağa) Medresesi", Amasya Belediyesi Kent Rehberi, text sourced from the Amasya İl Kültür ve Turizm Müdürlüğü, 2025 (https://kentrehberi.amasya.bel.tr/kategoriler/diger-tarihi-yapilar/kapi-aga-buyuk-aga-medresesi).
• "Hatuniye Camii", T.C. Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı Kültür Portalı, text sourced from the Amasya İl Kültür ve Turizm Müdürlüğü (https://www.kulturportali.gov.tr/turkiye/amasya/gezilecekyer/hatunye-kullyes-hatunye-cam).