Amasyalıdır. Amasya serdârı Sakaoğlu İbrâhim Ağa’nın mahdûmudur. On sekizinci bölükde mukayyed yeniçeri olduğundan on sekiz demekle meşhûr olarak Purut muhârebesinde yararlık gösterdiğinden alemdâr oldu.
1127’de Mora harbine me’mûren gidip şecâati [164] sâyesinde kendisini tanıttı. Ba’dehû 1134’de İran harbine gidip yararlıkları görüldüğünden avdetinde Amasya serdârı oldu. 1141’de serdâr olarak İran harbine tekrar gidip Yeniçeri ağası Şâhin Mehmed Paşa’ya kendisini sevdirdi.
1143’de müşârün-ileyhin maiyyetinde İstanbul’a gidip ocak çorbacılarından oldu. 1145’de ocakda çavuşbaşı, 1149’da muhzır ağası, ba’dehû zağarcıbaşı ve 1151 senesi rebîülevvelinde kul kethüdâsı oldu.
Sadr-ı a’zam Zanalızâde es-Seyyid el-Hâc Ahmed Paşa’nın zamân-ı sadâretinde iştihâr edib Yeniçeri ağası Hasan Paşa’nın teveccühünü kazandı. 1156 senesi şa’bânında Hasan Paşa sadrâzam oldukda Yeniçeri ağası oldu.
Ancak dokuz ay kadar devam eden ağalığında ocak erkânını kendisinden memnûn edebilmiş ise de ömrü vefâ etmediğinden 1157 senesi cumâdelûlâsında vefât eyledi. Üsküdar’da medfûndur. Âkil, mukdim, [165] şecî’ idi. Mahdûmları Mehmed, Mustafa Beylerdir.
In Modern English
He was a native of Amasya, the son of Sakaoğlu İbrahim Ağa, the serdar of Amasya. Because he was enrolled in the eighteenth company of the janissary corps he became known as "Eighteen"; he became a standard-bearer (alemdar) after showing courage in the Battle of the Pruth.
In 1127 [1715-16] he went to the Morea war on duty and made himself known through his bravery. Then in 1134 [1721-22] he went to the Iranian war; as his services were noticed, he became serdar of Amasya on his return. In 1141 [1728-29] he went to the Iranian war again as serdar and won the affection of the Yeniçeri ağası Şahin Mehmed Pasha.
In 1143 [1730-31] he went to Istanbul with him and became one of the çorbacıs of the corps. In 1145 [1732-33] he became çavuşbaşı of the corps, in 1149 [1736-37] muhzır ağası, then zağarcıbaşı, and in Rebiülevvel 1151 [1738] kul kethüdası.
He gained renown during the grand vizierate of Zanalızâde Seyyid Hacı Ahmed Pasha and won the favour of the Yeniçeri ağası Hasan Pasha. When Hasan Pasha became grand vizier in Şaban 1156 [1743], he became Yeniçeri ağası.
Although he managed to please the notables of the corps during his nine months or so as ağa, his life did not last; he died in Cemaziyelevvel 1157 [1744]. He is buried in Üsküdar. He was intelligent, bold and brave. His sons are Mehmed and Mustafa Bey.
Notes and Research
Old Words in the Text
- serdâr: commander; here understood as head of the janissary units in Amasya
- mukayyed: enrolled
- alemdâr: standard-bearer
- me'mûren: on official duty
- şecâat: courage
- çorbacı: commander of a janissary company (orta)
- çavuşbaşı: head of the corps' çavuşes
- muhzır ağa: one of the senior ağas of the janissary corps
- zağarcıbaşı: head of the zağarcı company, which kept hunting dogs
- kul kethüdâsı: the highest ağa after the Yeniçeri ağası
- teveccüh: showing interest and affection
- mukdim: bold
- şecî': brave
Ranks in the Corps
Hüsameddin gives İsmâil Ağa's rise between 1145 and 1151 in this order: çavuşbaşı, muhzır ağası, zağarcıbaşı, kul kethüdası, and then the post of Yeniçeri ağası. The encyclopedia entry on the janissary corps says the senior officers were known as "katar ağaları" and lists among them the muhzır ağa, the zağarcıbaşı and the kul kethüdası. The zağarcıbaşı was a natural member of the council of the Yeniçeri ağası and at times deputized for the ağa in the capital; on promotion he became kethüda within the corps, and sometimes rose directly to the post of Yeniçeri ağası. The kul kethüdası was among the highest offices of the corps after the ağa. The order Hüsameddin gives fits this structure.
Hasan Pasha and the Agreement of Dates
The Yeniçeri ağası named in the text is Seyyid Hasan Pasha, who later became grand vizier. Born in the village of Kabalı, attached to Reşadiye, he rose in the janissary corps, took part in the Iranian campaign as kul kethüdası, became Yeniçeri ağası on 7 July 1738 (19 Rebiülevvel 1151) and was appointed grand vizier on 4 Şaban 1156 (23 September 1743). Hüsameddin's statement that Hasan Pasha became grand vizier in Şaban 1156 agrees with this date. Hasan Pasha was dismissed on 21 Receb 1159 (9 August 1746) and exiled to Rhodes. The Rebiülevvel 1151 in which İsmâil Ağa became kul kethüdası is the same month in which Hasan Pasha became Yeniçeri ağası. The text does not say whether there is a connection between the two changes of post.
İsmâil Ağa's nine months as ağa match the period from Şaban 1156 to Cemaziyelevvel 1157. Hasan Pasha's grand vizierate lasted more than three years and ended in 1746.
What Could Not Be Verified
No list or record naming Sakaoğlu İsmâil Ağa among the Yeniçeri ağas was found in the sources read. No information was found on his father Sakaoğlu İbrahim Ağa, on the Yeniçeri ağası Şahin Mehmed Pasha or on his grave in Üsküdar; the dates of office of Zanalızâde Hacı Ahmed Pasha, who is called grand vizier in the text, could not be verified either. The reason for the nickname "Eighteen" (the eighteenth company) rests on the text alone and has no counterpart in another source.
Bibliography
Primary sources
- Abdîzâde Hüseyin Hüsâmeddîn Yasar, Amasya Tarihi, Amasya Belediyesi Kültür Yayınları, 2022, vol. 7, p. 313–314. amasya.bel.tr
Academic studies