AMASYA 05

Abdîzâde Hüseyin Hüsâmeddîn Yasar · BİRİNCİ BÂB · ONUNCU FASIL · AMASYA TÂRÎHİ'NDEN ÜÇÜNCÜ DEVRE BAKİYYESİ

İsmâ'il Pasha

Encyclopedia · History of Amasya, Remainder of Volume 4, p. 663 • Edited by: Prof. Dr. Mehmet ARSLAN

Original Text (Ottoman Turkish)

Yenişehirlidir. Abaza Mehmed Paşa'nın hazînedârıdır. Canik muhassılı Hacı Alî Bey'in bir hıyâneti yüzünden İbrâil önünde münhezim olan mutasarrıf Sâdık Mehmed Paşa'nın azline binâ'en mîr-i mîrânlıkla Amasya mutasarrıfı ve Mora'da kale muhâfızı olduğundan Hüseyin Paşa kethüdâsı Cebecioğlu Hacı Osmân Ağa bi'l-iltizâm Amasya mütesellimi oldu.

Cemâziyelevvelde Sârim İbrâhim Paşa ordusunda çarhacı olan Rûmeli pâyeli Amasyalı miftâh ağası Mehmed Paşa ve Üçler Câmi'i kürsü şeyhi Mustafâ Efendi vefât etdi. Paşanın [118] mahdûmları Mustafâ, Abdulahad Beyler Amasya'daki emlâkine vâris oldular.

Hacı Kâdir Oğulları Mustafâ ve Ahmed Ağalar, amcaları rikâb-ı hümâyûn kethüdâsı Hacı Hüseyin Ağa'ya güvenerek Mehmed Paşa'nın vefâtında asker tedârik etmek üzere Amasya'ya gelmişlerdi. Canik muhassılı Hacı Alî Bey, bunları firârî gösterip haklarında acı şikâyetler yazdı.

Hacı Alî Bey, Canik ve havâlîsinde kendi nüfûzuna karşı duracak a'yânı birer sûretle ortadan kaldırmak istiyordu. Hacı Hüseyin Ağa'nın nüfûz ve ikbâli sâyesinde Amasya'da Hacı Kadir Oğulları oldukça mühim bir nüfûza mâlik olmuşlardı.

Sâdık Paşa ile Hacı Alî Bey'in tahrîrât-ı müdhişesi üzerine verilen fermân mûcibince Mustafâ ve Ahmed Ağalar Amasya'da i'dâm edildi. Şa'bânda Hacı Kadiroğlu Hacı Hüseyin Ağa da sadr-ı âlî kethüdâsı oldu.

Hacı Alî Bey, Ruslar'ın Tutrakan üzerine hücûmunda muhâfızı Gürcüzâde Halîl Paşa'yı gözden düşürmek için imdâd etmediği hâlde kendisi esîr oldu.

Abaza Mehmed Paşa, büyük bir cesâret gösterip Hacı Alî Bey'i esâretden kurtardığı gibi yapdığı ihânetden dolayı Hacı Alî Bey'in [119] i'dâmı mukarrer iken onu bin ricâ ve minnetle i'dâm cezâsından da kurtardı.

1185 muharreminde Cebecioğlu Hacı Osmân Ağa yine Amasya mütesellimi oldu. Fakat altı yıldan beri devâm eden harb ve i'âneler dolayısıyla zirâat durdu, ortalığı kaht u gâlâ sardı. Muharremin on dokuzuncu günü şehir kethüdâsı Hacı Feyzullâh Efendi vefât edip Zeyneloğlu Hâfız Alî Efendi şehir kethüdâsı oldu.

Ba'dehû mütesellim ve baş a'yân ile Akhasanoğlu Hacı Halîl Ağa serdengeçdi taburları teşkîl ederek dâru'l-harbe gitdiler. Rahtuvân Paşazâde Hacı İbrâhim Bey mütesellim kâ'im-makâmı ve hacıbaşı Abdulganî Efendi baş a'yân vekîli olmuşlardı.

Safer ibtidâsında Alâ'iyeli Beyzâde Halîl Efendi Amasya kadısı oldu. Sultân Bâyezîd Câmii'nin baş mü'ezzini ve Amasya'nın bülbülü Hâfız Alî Efendi vefât etdi.

Şevvâlde vezîr Abaza Mehmed Paşa'nın fırkası fenâ hâlde bozulmuşdu. Abaza Paşa'nın i'dâmına Canik muhassılı Hacı Alî Bey me'mûr oldu. Kendisini esâretden ve i'dâm cezâsından kurtaran Abaza Mehmed Paşa'yı büyük bir serinkanlılıkla öldürdü. Bu esnâda Gürcüzâde Halîl Paşa'nın muhârebede fedâkârâne gayreti [120] ve yararlığı görüldüğünden Rûmeli pâyesiyle Amasya sancağı verildi.

Our Research Article Editor: Mevlüt Erdem Öztürk

In Modern English

He was from Yenişehir. He was the treasurer of Abaza Mehmed Pasha. Upon the dismissal of the mutasarrıf Sâdık Mehmed Pasha, who suffered defeat before İbrail because of a treachery by the Canik muhassıl Hacı Ali Bey, he became mutasarrıf of Amasya with the rank of beylerbeyi. Since he himself was fortress guardian in the Morea, Cebecioğlu Hacı Osman Ağa, kethüda of Hüseyin Pasha, became mütesellim of Amasya by iltizam.

In Cemaziyelevvel Mehmed Pasha of Amasya, the anahtar ağası who had been commander of the vanguard in the army of Sârim İbrahim Pasha, with the rank of beylerbeyi of Rumelia, and Mustafa Efendi, kürsü sheikh of the Üçler Mosque, died. The Pasha's sons Mustafa and Abdülahad Beys inherited his properties in Amasya.

Hacı Kadir Oğulları Mustafa and Ahmed Ağas, relying on their uncle Hacı Hüseyin Ağa, who was sadaret kethüdası at the sultan's side, had come to Amasya to gather soldiers upon Mehmed Pasha's death. The Canik muhassıl Hacı Ali Bey portrayed them as fugitives and wrote grave complaints against them.

Hacı Ali Bey wanted somehow to eliminate the notables in Canik and its surroundings who could stand against his influence. Thanks to the influence and prestige of Hacı Hüseyin Ağa, the Hacı Kadir Oğulları had come to possess quite considerable influence in Amasya.

By the decree issued upon the terrible writings of Sâdık Pasha and Hacı Ali Bey, Mustafa and Ahmed Ağas were executed in Amasya. In Şaban Hacı Kadiroğlu Hacı Hüseyin Ağa also became sadaret kethüdası.

When the Russians attacked Tutrakan, Hacı Ali Bey, in order to discredit the fortress guardian Gürcüzade Halil Pasha, did not help him, yet himself fell captive.

Abaza Mehmed Pasha, showing great courage, rescued Hacı Ali Bey from captivity, and when Hacı Ali Bey's execution had been decided because of the treachery he committed, saved him from the death penalty as well, with a thousand pleas and favors.

In Muharrem 1185 [April-May 1771] Cebecioğlu Hacı Osman Ağa again became mütesellim of Amasya. But because of the war that had lasted six years and the war levies, agriculture came to a halt and famine and high prices gripped every quarter. On the nineteenth day of Muharrem the city kethüda Hacı Feyzullah Efendi died, and Zeyneloğlu Hafız Ali Efendi became city kethüda.

Then the mütesellim and the chief notable, together with Akhasanoğlu Hacı Halil Ağa, formed serdengeçti battalions and went to the war zone. Rahtuvan Paşazade Hacı İbrahim Bey had become deputy mütesellim, and the hacıbaşı Abdülganî Efendi deputy chief notable.

At the beginning of Safer Alaiyeli Beyzade Halil Efendi became kadı of Amasya. Hafız Ali Efendi, head muezzin of the Sultan Bayezid Mosque and "the nightingale of Amasya", died.

In Şevval [December 1771-January 1772] the unit of the vizier Abaza Mehmed Pasha had dispersed badly. With Abaza Pasha's execution the Canik muhassıl Hacı Ali Bey was charged. Hacı Ali Bey killed, with great coolness, Abaza Mehmed Pasha, who had saved him from captivity and from the death penalty. At this time, since the self-sacrificing zeal and usefulness of Gürcüzade Halil Pasha in the war were seen, the sanjak of Amasya was given to him with the rank of beylerbeyi of Rumelia.

Notes and Research

Old Words in the Text

  • hazînedâr: the trusted man who guarded a pasha's money and valuables
  • münhezim: defeated, routed
  • bi'l-iltizâm: by taking on the revenue of the sanjak for a lump sum
  • çarhacı: commander of the vanguard that went ahead of the army
  • miftâh ağası: the key ağa, a service post in the palace
  • kürsü şeyhi: a sheikh who preached from the pulpit in a mosque
  • rikâb-ı hümâyûn kethüdâsı: the kethüda of the grand vizierate who stayed at the sultan's side while the grand vizier was on campaign
  • tahrîrât-ı müdhişe: terrible writings with grave accusations
  • mukarrer: decided
  • i'âne: aid asked of the people for war
  • kaht u gâlâ: famine and high prices
  • serdengeçdi: a volunteer unit that fought in the vanguard, risking their lives
  • fırka: military unit
  • serinkanlılık: coolness, composure

Abaza Mehmed Pasha and Canikli Ali Bey

The Abaza Mehmed Pasha named in the entry should not be confused with the famous rebel of the seventeenth century. This is the eighteenth-century pasha called by the title "silahşor", trained as çuhadar of Hekimoğlu Ali Pasha and executed in 1771. After eliminating the bandit chief named Genç Ali in 1746 he was made silahşor; after the beylerbeyilik of Maraş and the mutasarrıflık of Goniye, in 1765 he became mutasarrıf of Bozok, where he removed Çapanoğlu Ahmed Pasha. When the war began he became vizier through the zeal he showed in the defense of Khotyn, and at the Battle of the Plain of Kartal in 1770 he commanded the right wing. Since in the same period there was another Goniyeli pasha bearing the name Abaza Mehmed, who died while guardian of Bender, the two persons have been confused with each other in some works.

The rescue incident Hüsameddin relates also appears in other sources, but with a different place and time. According to Hamit Karasu's study, Canikli Ali Bey had been sent to Khotyn in 1769 with three thousand soldiers. From what the contemporary historian Kesbî relates, there was an old enmity between the two men; each had been given a secret order to execute the other if he found the opportunity, but on the road to Khotyn the two revealed these orders to each other and decided not to carry them out. When the units that crossed the Turla River after the first siege of Khotyn fell into an ambush, Ali Bey, who rolled from his horse into a pit, was rescued, according to Vâsıf, by Abaza Mehmed Pasha himself, and according to another record by the Pasha's treasurer Feyzullah Ağa. Hüsameddin, however, ties the event to the Russian attack on Tutrakan. The rescue of Ali Bey "when his execution had been decided" also finds a counterpart in the sources: Ali Bey, who was assigned to the defense of Ismail Castle in 1770, returned to his homeland without permission, was considered a rebel and had his property confiscated, but after some time managed to repair his relations with the state. Özcan Mert too records that in 1769 he escaped the danger of captivity on the Khotyn side.

The Execution of Abaza Mehmed Pasha

The sources tie the Pasha's end to a different cause from Hüsameddin's. Abaza Mehmed Pasha, who as governor of Silistra was accused of wasting the money given him for enrolling soldiers, had the vizierate taken from him and was sent to Kyustendil; he was then pardoned at the request of the Crimean khan and appointed governor of Kefe with the guardianship of Yenikale (Kale-i Cedid). In April 1771 he reached Shumen and asked for a ship to cross to Crimea; the ship could be prepared only in a month. When he reached Crimea the Russians had taken the peninsula; saying "I am not going to conquer a clime with a hundred and twenty men", the Pasha did not disembark and went directly to Sinop. Canikli Ali Bey, who reported the situation to Istanbul at once, was sent the execution decree and the Pasha was killed at Sinop. Mücteba İlgürel also writes that he was executed because he did not go to the defense of Yenikale, causing the fortress's fall, and abandoned his post; the year of death is given as 1185 [1771]. Hüsameddin's record of Şevval 1185 falls in early 1772 and ties the execution to the dispersal of the unit.

How the event was received by contemporaries is also striking. Mahmud Sâbit, author of the Tarih-i Silistre, recalls that Abaza Pasha had earlier rescued Ali Bey both from execution and from the enemy and says that Ali Bey betrayed him; Şemdanizade holds the same opinion. Hüsameddin's sentence "killed, with great coolness, the pasha who had saved him" is an echo of this old judgment. Karasu, however, recalls that it is doubtful whether Ali Bey could have blocked the sultan's decree even if he had wished. According to the same study, the Pasha's real treasurer and most loyal man was Feyzullah Ağa, and Grand Vizier Muhsinzade Mehmed Pasha gave him the vizierate, saying "the lion's den must not be left empty". No information was found in other sources on İsmail Pasha, whom Hüsameddin introduces in this entry as the treasurer of Abaza Pasha.

The Burden of the War in Amasya

Hüsameddin's saying that in 1185 agriculture stopped and famine and high prices gripped every quarter agrees with the price data compiled from the Amasya sharia court registers. While in 1767-1768 125 dirhems of bread were sold for one akçe, in 1770 and 1771 this amount fell to 80 dirhems; that is, for the same money bread shrank by more than a third. According to the registers, in these years tens of thousands of kile of flour and barley and camels and mules were collected from the sanjak of Amasya for the army. The execution of the Hacı Kadir Oğulları after they were portrayed as "fugitives" also shows what a tool of power and settling accounts among the notables the authority to gather soldiers had become in the war years.

The Sultan Bayezid Mosque, where Hafız Ali Efendi, called "the nightingale of Amasya", served as head muezzin, is, according to its inscription, the mosque of the Bayezid II Complex completed in 1486. No record was found in present-day sources on the Üçler Mosque named in the entry.

Bibliography

Primary sources

  • Abdîzâde Hüseyin Hüsâmeddîn Yasar, Amasya Tarihi, Amasya Belediyesi Kültür Yayınları, 2022, Supplement to Volume 4, p. 663. amasya.bel.tr

Academic studies

Remainder of Volume 4 contents

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