Mecidözülüdür. Avkatlızâde Mustafâ Paşa bin Hacı Alî Ağa bin Avkatlı İbrâhim Ağa'nın oğludur. Beyhân Sultân tarafından 1208 muharremi ibtidâsında bi'l-iltizâm Amasya muhassılı ve mütesellimi oldu. Çapanoğlu Süleymân Bey'in adamı idi. [165]
Muharrem ibtidâsında Kayalıpaşazâde Hacı Süleymân Bey baş a'yân ve Damgacıoğlu Süleymân Ağa Amasya serdârı olmuşdu. Bu esnâda nizâm-ı cedîd fermânı dergâh-ı âlî gediklilerinden Amasyalı Kayalıpaşazâde Kâşif Ömer Ağa yediyle Amasya'ya geldi. Bütün ulemâ, a'yân ve halk önünde okunan bu fermân ile Amasya'dan nizâm-ı cedîd efrâdı istendi.
Safer evâ'ilinde muhâsebe hulefâsından Uzun Hâfız Mehmed Efendi ile sadâret mektûbî hulefâsından Mahmûd Efendi Amasya'ya geldiler. Toplanacak nizâm-ı cedîd efrâdına nezâret ve levâzım-ı askeriyye mübâya'a etmeğe me'mûr oldukları ellerindeki buyruldudan anlaşıldı.
Uzun Hâfız Mehmed Efendi, Amasyalı Kadızâde Abdullâh Efendi bin Mehmed Efendi'nin oğlu olduğu 1197 târîhli sicilden anlaşıldı. Mahmûd Efendi de sadâret kethüdâsı Amasyalızâde Hacı İbrâhim Efendi'nin amcası hattât-ı meşhûr Râsih Mehmed Efendi bin el-Hâc İbrâhim Ağa'nın akrabâsından idi.
Bu iki zât zâhirde mübâya'cı idiler. Fakat hakîkat-i hâlde nizâm-ı cedîdin ne demek olduğunu, mu'allem askerin devlet ve millete fevkalâde ihtiyâcını anlatmağa, a'yân ve halkın, hâssaten ulemâ ve yeniçerilerin hissiyâtını ve [166] ahvâl-i rûhiyyelerini tahkîk ve iş'âr etmeğe me'mûr idiler.
Bu fermân üzerine nizâm-ı cedîd ocağına yeniçerilerden ve sâ'ir gençlerden gireceklerin mahkemede açılan deftere yazılması i'lân edildi. Gelen Hâfız Mehmed ve Mahmûd Efendiler'le Amasya kadısı Hacı Rıfkî Efendi yer yer îzâhât verdiler. Halkı nizâm-ı cedîd ocağına girmeğe teşvîk etdiler. Halk üzerinde iyi hisler ve şevkler uyandırdılar.
Sadâret kethüdâsı Amasyalızâde Hacı İbrâhim Efendi'nin baş a'yân Hacı Süleymân Bey'e yazdığı mektûb ve efendilerin verdikleri îzâhât üzerine Amasya gençlerinden ve yeniçerilerden hayli adamlar nizâm-ı cedîd efrâdı yazıldı.
Rebî'ulâhir ibtidâlarında "Çaloğlu" demekle meşhûr Çalık Mehmedoğlu Hüseyin Ağa Amasya serdârı, cemâziyelevvel ibtidâsında Şeyh Halîl Efendi Amasya kadısı olup geldi. Bu esnâda ocak ağalarından gizlice serdâr Hüseyin Ağa'ya ve ba'zı alemdârlara mektûblar gelip ocak gayretini gütmeleri ve muhâlefet etmeleri tenbîh ediliyordu.
Bu mektûblara çokları aldandı. Çünkü hissiyât-ı dîniyyeyi okşuyordu. Ulemâ, a'yân ve halk iki taraf oldu. Cemâziyelâhir ibtidâlarında [167] kör bir ta'assubla yeniçeriliğe sarılmış olan halkdan ve yeniçerilerden mürekkeb câhil bir kitle mahkemeyi basıp nizâm-ı cedîd efrâdının künyeleri yazılan defteri yırtıp paraladılar. Ba'zı mahkeme me'mûrlarını hırpaladılar. Alaybeyi, yeniçeri serdârı âdetâ seyirci oldular. Mütesellim bey de bundan dolayı acz gösterdi.
Bundan sonra yapılan uzun tahkîkâtdan müşevvikler ve rezâlet yapanlar meydâna çıkdı. Müşevviklerden alaybeyi Mehmed Emîn Bey Diyârbekir'e, serdâr Hüseyin Ağa Karahisâr-ı Şarkî'ye, a'yândan nakîb kâ'im-makâmı Fazlıoğlu Hacı Alî ve mahkeme kâtibi Ahmed Efendiler Samsun'a, Soruklu Hoca Alî Efendi de Çankırı'ya sürülüp kale-bend edildiler. Yapanlar da cezâlarını gördüler.
Bunların yerine sâbık kadı ve nâ'ib Hacı Rıfkî Osmân Efendi mahkeme kâtibi, Merzifonlu Hazînedârzâde Mustafâ Bey aleybeyi, Müllabalıoğlu Hacı Hasan Efendi nakîb kâ'im-makâmı, Damgacıoğlu Süleymân Ağa da yeniçeri serdârı oldu.
Çaloğlu'nun yardaklarından ve eski serdârlardan Kepçe Ahmed, Kasap Bekiroğlu Ebûbekir, Güneylioğlu Mehmed Ağalar da gâ'iblere karışdılar. [168]
Şa'bânın üçüncü günü müftü Ürgüplü Hacı Ahmed Efendi de yeniçeri tarafdarlığıyla azl edilip selefi Dizdâroğlu Hacı Hüseyin Efendi yine Amasya müftüsü oldu. Deftere yazılan nizâm-ı cedîd efrâdının künyeleri yeniden tashîh edilerek bütün levâzımıyla ve Hâfız Mehmed ve Mahmûd Efendiler'in ma'rifetiyle İstanbul'a gönderildi.
Lâkin mütesellim Avkatlıoğlu Süleymân Bey'in muhâliflere karşı âciz bir mevki'de kalması İstanbul'da hoş görülmediğinden Amasya sancağı Hazînedâroğlu Süleymân Bey'e ilzâm edildi.
In Modern English
He was from Mecidözü. He was the son of Avkatlızade Mustafa Pasha; Mustafa Pasha was the son of Hacı Ali Ağa, and Hacı Ali Ağa the son of Avkatlı İbrahim Ağa. At the beginning of the month of Muharrem 1208 [1793] he became muhassıl and mütesellim of Amasya by iltizam from Beyhan Sultan. He was a man of Çapanoğlu Süleyman Bey.
At the beginning of Muharrem, Kayalıpaşazade Hacı Süleyman Bey had become chief ayan and Damgacıoğlu Süleyman Ağa serdar of Amasya (the city commander of the janissaries). At this time the Nizâm-ı Cedîd decree came to Amasya through Kayalıpaşazade Kâşif Ömer Ağa of Amasya, one of the gedikli (salaried staff) of the exalted court. By this decree, read before all the ulema, ayan and people, Nizâm-ı Cedîd troops were requested from Amasya.
In the first days of Safer, Uzun Hafız Mehmed Efendi, one of the caliphs (senior clerks) of the accounting office, and Mahmud Efendi, one of the caliphs of the sadaret mektupçuluğu (grand vizier's secretariat), came to Amasya. From the order in their hands it was understood that they had been charged with supervising the Nizâm-ı Cedîd troops to be gathered and with purchasing military supplies.
It was understood from a register of 1197 [1783] that Uzun Hafız Mehmed Efendi was the son of Kadızade Abdullah Efendi son of Mehmed Efendi of Amasya. Mahmud Efendi was a relative of the famous calligrapher Râsih Mehmed Efendi son of el-Hac İbrahim Ağa, who was the paternal uncle of the sadaret kethüdası Amasyalızade Hacı İbrahim Efendi.
These two persons were in appearance purchasers (mübayaacı, officials who buy on behalf of the state). But in reality they were charged with explaining what the Nizâm-ı Cedîd meant and how great a need the state and the nation had for drilled soldiers; and with investigating the feelings and moods of the ayan and the people, especially the ulema and the janissaries, and reporting them to Istanbul.
Upon this decree it was announced that the janissaries and other young men who would enter the Nizâm-ı Cedîd corps would be entered in a register opened at the court. The arriving Hafız Mehmed and Mahmud Efendis and the kadı of Amasya Hacı Rıfkı Efendi made explanations here and there, encouraged the people to enter the Nizâm-ı Cedîd corps, and aroused good feelings, willingness and enthusiasm among the people.
Upon the letter written by the sadaret kethüdası Amasyalızade Hacı İbrahim Efendi to the chief ayan Hacı Süleyman Bey and the explanations made by the efendis, a good many of the young men and janissaries of Amasya were enrolled as Nizâm-ı Cedîd soldiers.
At the beginning of Rebiülahir, Hüseyin Ağa son of Çalık Mehmed, known as "Çaloğlu", came as serdar of Amasya, and at the beginning of Cemaziyelevvel Şeyh Halil Efendi as kadı of Amasya. At this time secret letters were arriving for the serdar Hüseyin Ağa, one of the corps ağas, and for some alemdars (janissary standard-bearers), instructing them to side with the corps and oppose the new order.
Very many people were deceived by these letters, because the letters appealed to religious feelings. The ulema, ayan and people split into two sides. At the beginning of Cemaziyelahir an ignorant crowd of people and janissaries, clinging to the janissary corps with blind fanaticism, raided the court, tore the register in which the identities of the Nizâm-ı Cedîd soldiers were written to pieces, and roughed up some court officials. The alaybeyi and the janissary serdar remained virtually spectators. The mütesellim bey too was powerless because of this.
In the long investigation that followed, the instigators and those who had caused this scandal came to light. Of the instigators, the alaybeyi Mehmed Emin Bey was exiled to Diyarbekir, the serdar Hüseyin Ağa to Karahisar-ı Şarkî (Şebinkarahisar), Fazlıoğlu Hacı Ali Efendi, one of the ayan and nakib kaymakamı (deputy of the nakib, the representative of the seyyids), and the court clerk Ahmed Efendi to Samsun, and Soruklu Hoca Ali Efendi to Çankırı, and they were shut up in castles. Those who took part in the incident also received their punishments.
In their places the former kadı and naib Hacı Rıfkı Osman Efendi became court clerk, Merzifonlu Hazinedarzade Mustafa Bey alaybeyi, Müllabalıoğlu Hacı Hasan Efendi nakib kaymakamı, and Damgacıoğlu Süleyman Ağa janissary serdar.
Among Çaloğlu's accomplices and the former serdars, Kepçe Ahmed, Kasap Bekiroğlu Ebubekir and Güneylioğlu Mehmed Ağas also disappeared.
On the third day of Şaban the mufti Ürgüplü Hacı Ahmed Efendi too was dismissed for siding with the janissaries; his predecessor Dizdaroğlu Hacı Hüseyin Efendi again became mufti of Amasya. The identities of the Nizâm-ı Cedîd soldiers entered in the register were put in order again and, together with all their equipment, were sent to Istanbul by the hands of Hafız Mehmed and Mahmud Efendis.
However, since the mütesellim Avkatlıoğlu Süleyman Bey's being left helpless against the opponents was not well received in Istanbul, the sanjak of Amasya was given by iltizam to Hazinedaroğlu Süleyman Bey.
Notes and Research
Old Words in the Text
- bi'l-iltizâm: by iltizam, that is, by taking on the tax revenue in return for an advance payment
- muhassıl: the official who collected the tax revenues of a sanjak and often also held its administration
- mütesellim: the deputy who governed the sanjak on behalf of its real holder
- baş a'yân: head of the notables of the city, the person who represented the people before the state
- nizâm-ı cedîd: "new order"; Selim III's military and financial reform, especially the new army trained in the Western manner
- efrâd: privates, soldiers
- levâzım-ı askeriyye mübâya'ası: purchase of equipment and provisions for the army
- hulefâ: the senior clerks of an office (plural of halife)
- mu'allem asker: drilled, trained soldier
- iş'âr: notification in writing
- müşevvik: one who incites, instigates
- kale-bend: one punished by being shut up in a castle
- gâ'iblere karışmak: to disappear, to flee and hide
- ilzâm etmek: to give by iltizam
The Avkatlızades and Çapanoğlu Süleyman Bey
Hüsameddin's phrase "he was a man of Çapanoğlu Süleyman Bey", read together with other sources, points to a bond of kinship. According to Serkan Polat's study based on archival documents, Hacı Hafize Hanım, wife of Çapanoğlu Süleyman Bey, was the daughter of Avkatlızade Mustafa Pasha of Amasya, who had held governorships (mutasarrıflık). Mustafa Pasha served as governor of Kocaeli, Çorum, Kars and Maraş, while his father Hacı Ali Ağa was reportedly one of the well-known men of Mecidözü. The town of Mecidözü was also called by the name "Hacıköyü" because of this Hacı Ali Ağa, and the family played an important role in the town's development. Hafize Hanım's brothers whose names are known are İsmail, Ali and Hacı Süleyman Bey, who for a time served as porter-steward (kapı kethüdası) of Çapanoğlu Süleyman Bey. The genealogy Hüsameddin gives (Mustafa Pasha, Hacı Ali Ağa, Avkatlı İbrahim Ağa) agrees with this information. According to this, it is highly probable that the Süleyman Bey in this entry is Hacı Süleyman Bey, brother-in-law of Çapanoğlu; this is, however, a conclusion drawn from comparing two sources. Hafize Hanım died in Istanbul in 1824 and was buried in the cemetery of the Üsküdar Selimiye Mosque, built by Selim III.
Beyhan Sultan and the Amasya Mâlikâne
Beyhan Sultan, who sent Süleyman Bey to Amasya by iltizam, was the daughter of Mustafa III and sister of Selim III (1765–1824). She was a wealthy sultana who had received very many tax farms from her brother and from her uncle Abdülhamid I. According to Mehmet Beşirli's study on the voyvodalık of Tokat, a share of the voyvodalık of Tokat too was her mâlikâne. In a doctoral thesis written on the Canikli family, based on the Amasya şer'iyye (court) register, it is stated that in 1799 Beyhan Sultan appears as the mâlikâne holder of Amasya. In this arrangement the sultana who held the mâlikâne gave the sanjak's revenue to a tax farmer (mültezim) of her choosing, and the tax farmer in effect governed the sanjak. Hüsameddin's phrase "by Beyhan Sultan" describes this arrangement.
The First Steps of the Nizâm-ı Cedîd in Amasya
The Nizâm-ı Cedîd is the reform program of the reign of Selim III (1789–1807) that aimed to adopt Western military technique and build a new army, and to meet the expenses of that army from a separate treasury called İrâd-ı Cedîd. As Kemal Beydilli notes, because the measures taken closed off the habits and sources of gain of the old military corps, they led to hidden and open reactions, and over time the innovations were presented as "heresy" (bid'at) and "becoming infidels" (gâvurlaşma). The register-tearing incident in Amasya is an early provincial example of this reaction.
Sabit Genç's study published in 2025 evaluates this process in Amasya together with archival documents and Hüsameddin's account. According to him the decree arrived in September 1793, and in December 1793 the serdar Damgacıoğlu Süleyman Ağa and the kadı Hacı Rıfkı Efendi, who worked in favor of the new army, were dismissed and replaced with the anti-Nizâm-ı Cedîd Çaloğlu Hüseyin Ağa and Şeyh Halil Efendi. Genç thinks these appointments may have been made through the initiative of opponents in Istanbul. The court raid falls in February 1794, and the arrival of Hazinedarzade Süleyman Bey in place of the Avkatlızade in July 1794. Genç also records, relying on Hüsameddin, that Kâşif Ömer Ağa was from today's Kayabaşı neighborhood and descended from Kayalı Ahmed Pasha, who rose to beylerbeyi in 1068. It is noteworthy that the details of the event are known largely from Hüsameddin's account alone; information such as the mufti's dismissal, the exiles and the re-arrangement of the register is not independently seen in another source.
On the calligrapher Râsih Mehmed Efendi named in the entry and the sadaret kethüdası Amasyalızade Hacı İbrahim Efendi, no information was found in other sources.
Bibliography
Primary sources
- Abdîzâde Hüseyin Hüsâmeddîn Yasar, Amasya Tarihi, Amasya Belediyesi Kültür Yayınları, 2022, Remainder (Bakiyye) of vol. 4, p. 677–678. amasya.bel.tr
Academic studies
- Sabit Genç, "Nizam-ı Cedid'in Amasya Sancağı'ndaki Yansımaları", Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Dergisi, 8/2, 2025, p. 335-362. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/efad/article/1770469
- Kemal Beydilli, "Nizâm-ı Cedîd", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, vol. 33. https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/nizam-i-cedid
- Mehmet Beşirli, "Tokat Voyvodalığı (1774-1842)", Belleten, 69/254, 2005. https://belleten.gov.tr/eng/full-text/3505/tur
- Canay Şahin, The Rise and Fall of an Ayân Family in Eighteenth Century Anatolia: The Caniklizâdes (1737-1808), doctoral thesis, Bilkent University, 2003.
Other sources