Sultân Ahmed (1)

In Modern English

He is the second prince of the Second Sultan Bayezid. He was born in Amasya in 870 [1465-66]. His mother was Bülbül Hatun. On the twelfth day of the month of Rebîulevvel 886 [1481-82] he became governor of Amasya. İbrâhim Pasha, son of Halîl Pasha, became lala, Süleyman Pasha guardian of Amasya, and Hatîb Kâsım Efendi teacher.

The vizier Mustafa Pasha, the nişancı Ahmed Bey, the sultan's teacher Mu'arrifzâde Sinan Efendi, the sultan's imam Bedreddîn Efendi, the defterdar Pîrî Bey, and many other notables of Amasya went to Istanbul with Sultan Bayezid and after him.

But until Sultan Bayezid reached Istanbul, the janissaries and sipahis had been divided into two sides. The majority was for Sultan Bayezid and İshâk Pasha was at their head. The sipahis and Karamânî Mehmed Pasha, however, supported Sultan Cem.

In the meantime there was considerable disorder. Karamânî Mehmed Pasha and many of his partisans were killed; on Sultan Bayezid's accession the Amasyan İshâk Pasha became grand vizier.

Şeyh Hamîdoğlu Hâce Süleyman Çelebi, one of the notables and merchants of Amasya, had had a fine masjid built near the house he lived in at Samanpazarı. After endowing his income-yielding properties for the expenses of this masjid he died this year. His son Hâce Mehmed Çelebi took his place.

At the beginning of 887 [1482-83] Lala İbrâhim Pasha was summoned to Istanbul, and in his place el-Hâc Sinan Beyzâde Abdullah Pasha became lala and administrator of the affairs of Prince Sultan Ahmed. Hacı Beyzâde Tâcî Bey also came from Baghdad and became the prince's nişancı.

This year Mustafa Pasha, son of Hamza Bey, second vizier in the imperial divan, was killed for many terrible reasons and suffered the penalty for the households he had broken up by the investigation he made in Amasya. In his place the Amasyan Hızır Paşazâde Mehmed Pasha became third vizier.

At the beginning of 887 the famous Mü'eyyedzâde Alî Çelebi died. Three months later his son Abdurrahmân Efendi came from Iran and in the month of Shaban went to Istanbul. This year Şemseddîn Ahmed Çelebi, famous as "Hâce Sultân," also died and was buried in front of the zawiya he had built.

In the month of Zilhicce 888 [1483-84] İshâk Pasha was removed from the grand vizierate, Hızır Paşazâde Mehmed Pasha from the vizierate, and the state defterdar, the Amasyan Gümüşlüzâde Şemseddîn Ahmed Bey, from the defterdarlık. İshâk Pasha became governor of Salonica and Mehmed Pasha lala of Prince Sultan Ahmed. The defterdar Ahmed Bey was sent to Didymoteicho.

Also this year Cemâloğlu Alâ'eddîn Alî Çelebi, one of the Amasyan scholars, was appointed from a professorship in Bursa to the muftiship of Amasya and came to Amasya. Mehmed Çelebi, brother of the Amasyan Hamdullâh Efendi, sheikh of the calligraphers, became construction overseer of the charitable works Sultan Bayezid had begun in Amasya.

In the month of Muharram 889 [1484-85] Hızır Pasha died at a very great age; on the day he died his son Mehmed Pasha came from Istanbul. At this time in Amasya Gümüşlüoğlu Pîr Hayreddîn Hızır, Cemâloğlu Cemâleddîn Mehmed, and Karamânî Habîb Çelebis were called the "Three Kutbs."

In 890 [1485-86] the mosque and hadith madrasa of Hacı Sinânoğlu Abdullah Pasha in the Sofular quarter, the madrasas of the Great Chief Gatekeeper Hüseyin Ağa and the Lesser Chief Gatekeeper Ayas Ağa in the Şamlılar quarter, Ayas Ağa's mosque, and Mehmed Pasha's mosque and madrasa were completed, and Amasya came alive.

Also this year Sultan Bayezid arranged the endowments of the tomb of Hazret-i Pîr İlyâs and gave the administration of the tomb to Pîr Hayreddîn Hızır Çelebi, one of Pîr İlyâs's grandsons, and his children. On the eleventh day of Zilhicce 891 [1486-87], on the death of Pîr Hayreddîn Hızır Çelebi, he was buried in his grandfather's tomb. In his place Kadızâde Pîr Celâleddîn Abdurrahmân Hüsâmî Çelebi took over.

Just as Ustaoğlu Tâceddîn İbrâhim Efendi, one of the scholars of Amasya, became the first professor of the madrasa of Hüseyin Ağa, famous as the Great Agha, so Horasânlıoğlu es-Seyyid Tâceddîn İbrâhim Efendi became professor of the madrasa of Ayas Ağa, famous as the Lesser Agha.

In 891 the mosque, madrasa, school, imaret, and tabhane that Sultan Bayezid had had built in Amasya were completed. The mufti of Amasya Cemâloğlu Alâ'eddîn Alî Çelebi became first professor of the madrasa, and Muhyiddîn Mehmed Çelebi, one of the great scholars, first preacher and chair sheikh of the mosque.

This year Muslihzâde Mahmûd Çelebi bin Abdurrahmân Pasha Çelebi, one of the foremost of the judges, died at the beginning of Zilhicce, and his relative Muslihzâde Nûreddîn Hamza Çelebi in Zilhicce 892 [1487]. Lala Mehmed Pasha, guardian of Amasya, was assigned to the Egyptian war and went. In his place Kemâl Paşazâde Süleyman Bey became deputy.

In 892 the judge of Amasya, Abdurrahmân Çelebi bin Yûsuf Çelebi, one of the great scholars, died; in his place the former judge Muslihzâde Şemseddîn Mehmed Çelebi became judge. Also of the Muslihzâdes, the chief military judge Molla Vildân Çelebi died in Istanbul in Rebîulevvel 893 [1487-88]. The vizier Mehmed Pasha came from the war.

When Hatîb Kıvâmeddîn Kâsım Efendi, of the Halifetoğulları, the learned teacher of Prince Sultan Ahmed, died in Ramadan 894 [1488-89], Birgilizâde Musliheddîn Mustafa Efendi came from Istanbul in his place as the sultan's teacher.

The first person appointed to the custodianship of the extensive villages and fields that Sultan Bayezid II endowed to the charitable works in Amasya was the former mufti Abdî Çelebi, one of the scholars of Amasya. In 895 [1489-90] his accounts were examined and he was left in the custodianship.

In 896 [1490-91] a great circumcision wedding had been arranged for Sultan Ahmed's princes Murâd and Alâ'eddîn Çelebis. The question of sitting in the place of honor that arose among the scholars and notables led to a sizable incident.

The incident arose from the young Birgilioğlu Mustafa Efendi, the sultan's teacher, sitting in the place of honor above the great scholars and emirs. Those who sided with Mevlânâ Abdî-i Amâsî, regarded at that time as "the teacher of all scholars," especially the mufti Cemâloğlu Alî Çelebi, objected to this strongly and withdrew. He resigned from the fatwa post. The gathering broke up. Sultan Ahmed was extremely distressed by this.

The sultan's teacher Birgilizâde was removed from office and sent to Istanbul. Pîr İmâm Mezîdoğlu Şerefeddîn Ya'kûb Çelebi, one of the scholars of Amasya, became the sultan's teacher. In place of the mufti the Amasyan Horasanlıoğlu es-Seyyid Abdullah Efendi came from Bursa. Ahi Yûsuf Efendi bin Cüneyd of Tokat, one of the great scholars, professor of the Atabey Madrasa, went to Istanbul. Tokatlıoğlu Muhyiddîn Mehmed Efendi bin Yûsuf Çelebi became deputy judge of Amasya.

This quarrel over the place of honor was not limited to the scholars; it was even more violent among the princes' retinues and the emirs. There were aghas who stood against Hüseyin Ağa the Great and those who said harsh words to Kemâl Paşazâde Süleyman Bey. Fights broke out among the beys and aghas. Many people were hurt. The hearths of several went out.

For this reason Hüseyin Ağa was summoned to Istanbul. Süleyman Bey went for the second time as sanjak bey of Tokat. In his place Tâceddîn Pasha, famous as Nişancı Tâcî Bey, took over. Ahmed Çelebi bin Kutbeddîn Câmî, among the men of letters said to be the son of Molla Câmî's sister, became nişancı. He was called "Kutbî-i Câmî."

Also after this incident, among the princes in Amasya, Sultan Selîm was sent as governor to the eyalet of Trabzon, Sultan Şehinşâh to Karaman, Sultan Alemşâh to Menteşe, and Sultan Korkud to the provinces of Saruhan. Sultan Ahmed was left alone in Amasya.

A little before this great incident, the vizier Mehmed Pasha, lala of Prince Sultan Ahmed, had endowed his properties and income-yielding places to the charitable works he had had built. The judge of Amasya who registered and drew up the endowment deed was Muslihzâde Fâzıl Mehmed Çelebi.

This Mehmed Çelebi fell ill in the circumcision wedding affair and died at the end of 896; his deputy Muhyiddîn Mehmed Efendi became judge of Amasya in his place. When Pîr Ahmed Çelebi, son of Hacı Enbiyâ, clerk of the Amasya court, became judge, Cemâloğlu Pîr Mehmed Çelebi became clerk in his place.

In 897 [1491-92] when es-Seyyid Abdullah Efendi, mufti and professor of the Sultâniye in Amasya, died, Germiyânî Kâsım İzârî Efendi came from Istanbul in his place. In 898 [1492-93] the mufti Kâsım İzârî Efendi had offended the prince by criticizing some of the prince's ruffian-like behavior. Since the former mufti Alî Efendi had come to Amasya to visit his uncle Cemâleddîn Mehmed Çelebi Halîfe, in 900 [1494-95] he became for the second time mufti of Amasya and professor of the Sultâniye. Kâsım İzârî Efendi also went to Istanbul.

In 901 [1495-96] Nûreddîn Alî of Mardin, one of the Safavid caliphs, a famous supporter of Shah İsmâil, came from Egypt to Amasya. For the Iranian ruler Rüstem Han was going to kill him for supporting Shah İsmâil. Sensing this intention, Nûreddîn Alî had fled to Egypt in 899 [1493-94]. On the death of Melik Eşref Kayıtbay he took refuge in Amasya.

In the month of Shaban 902 [1496-97], hearing of the death of Rüstem Han, ruler of Iran and Iraq, Nûreddîn Alî, after turning quite a few men in Amasya toward Shiism and the side of Shah İsmâil Safavi and poisoning them, left. The sultan's teacher Pîr İmâmoğlu Şerefeddîn Ya'kûb Çelebi died and was buried in the Yörgüç Pasha cemetery. In his place Bedreddîn Mahmûd Çelebi, famous as "Molla Bezen," became the sultan's teacher.

In 903 [1497-98], to ward off the plague that broke out, Cemâleddîn Mehmed Çelebi Halîfe, sheikh of the Hâce Sultân Zawiya in Amasya, was sent to the Hejaz. The mufti Alî Çelebi, his nephew, had also gone to the Hejaz with him. In his place Mevlânâ Fâzıl Abdî Efendi, regarded in Amasya as "the teacher of all scholars," became mufti of Amasya and professor of the Sultâniye.

In Ramadan 903 Gümüşlüzâde Pîr Abdurrahmân Hüsâmî Çelebi, regarded as the kutb of kutbs, died and was buried in a cell of the Ya'kûb Pasha Zawiya. In Mecca the Honored, Cemâleddîn Mehmed Çelebi Halîfe also died; in his place his nephew Muhyiddîn Mehmed Çelebi became sheikh of the Hâce Sultân Zawiya.

When of the Amasyans the şeyhülislam Efdalzâde Hamîdeddîn Efendi died in Istanbul, in his place the other Amasyan, Cemâloğlu Alâ'eddîn Alî Efendi, became şeyhülislam. In place of Pîr Abdurrahmân Çelebi his son-in-law, the other Gümüşlüzâde, Pîr Muhyiddîn Mehmed Çelebi, became sheikh of the Pîr İlyâs Zawiya.

The mufti Abdî Efendi gave up the custodianship of the sultanic endowments he held; in his place the famous Âfitâbî Abdurrahmân Çelebi became custodian of the sultanic endowments. Among the poets of Amasya, Çeşmî Ahmed Çelebi and Mihrî Hatun were gaining fame.

The professor of the Great Agha's madrasa, Tâceddîn İbrâhim Efendi, also died this year; in his place Mehmed Çelebi bin Durmuş, famous as "Bursalı Deli Birâder," came from Akşehir and became professor of the Great Hüseyin Ağa Madrasa. But he was a very meticulous professor.

Until now the judge of every country had looked after the lineages and cases of the Alid sayyids found in the Ottoman land and coming from outside. In the Ottoman state a post of nakîbü'l-eşrâf (head of the sayyids and sharifs) was created to look after these matters.

The first nakîbü'l-eşrâf was the Amasyan Emîrî Mahmûd Efendi, son of Horasânlıoğlu es-Seyyid Abdullah Efendi, who had been Sultan Bayezid's teacher in Amasya and mufti of Amasya. The deputyship of the nakîbü'l-eşrâf in Amasya was given in 903 to his paternal uncle, es-Seyyid İbrâhim Efendi, one of the scholars. He was called "Koca Emîr Efendi."

In 904 [1498-99] Deli Birâder Efendi was removed from the professorship because he quarreled and fought with his students; in his place the deputy nakîbü'l-eşrâf Koca Emîr İbrâhim Efendi was appointed professor of the Great Agha.

It is noteworthy that Koca Emîr Efendi claims that he himself is Acem (Persian). He signs his signature "İbrâhim bin Mehmed el-Acem" and was intimate with the Acems who had newly come to Amasya. Nevertheless he was truly a scholar, bound to the sharia, of pure belief, and a calligrapher.

For Prince Sultan Ahmed was very close to the Acem scholars, especially the Acem sayyids. His physician Kutb-ı Şirvânî and his nişancı Ahmed-i Câmî showed Iranian literature, language, notables, and nation as very high in the prince's eyes.

This year Sultan Ahmed's lala and sultanate deputy, the vizier Mehmed Pasha, died; in his place Hacı Beyzâde Tâceddîn İbrâhim Pasha, who was divan emir, became sultanate deputy and administrator of the country's affairs. This is the one famous as Tâcî Bey. Ebu's-Su'ûd Mehmed Efendi, of the Kadı İmâd Oğulları, had also become judge of Amasya.

But Tâceddîn Pasha and the nişancı Ahmed Câmî Çelebi, and likewise the judge Ebu's-Su'ûd Efendi and the nişancı, could in no way get along. Münîrî Mehmed Çelebi says in his Historical Compendium (Mecmû'a-i Târîhiyye): the nişancı Ahmed Çelebi, though a scholar, man of letters, and poet, was a bigoted and arrogant Acem.

For in these years the passion of "love of the Âl-i Abâ" (Hubb-ı Âl-i Abâ) had begun to spread in Amasya and its surroundings. The people of the province of Amasya were generally Sunni. There were virtually no Shiites among them. In the Shirvan and Iran regions the Safavi İsmâil bin Haydar had sprung up and had called the people by arms to Shiism, to love of the Âl-i Abâ.

Love of the Âl-i Abâ, the first religious weapon of the Alids, that is, the children of Hz. Alî, since ancient times, had become, among the Acems who came to Amasya, a word on their tongues, the pain of their hearts, and a means of livelihood. In their eyes love of the Âl-i Abâ was a remedy for every ill, expiation for every kind of sin, and a cause of entering paradise.

Love of the Âl-i Abâ means the love felt for Hz. Alî bin Ebî Tâlib and his sons Hasan and Hüseyin, for their children and descent, that is, to love the children of Hasan and Hüseyin with soul and heart. The sins of those who love the Âl-i Abâ were regarded as forgiven.

İsmâil bin Haydar-ı Safevî counted himself of the Âl-i Abâ and held and declared allegiance and love to himself to be a religious obligation. He had disciples, caliphs, summoners, and workers everywhere. Their first weapon in success, their greatest propaganda, was "love of the Âl-i Abâ."

At this time the Acems who came from outside to Amasya, while behaving as befits Sunnis, spoke of love of the Âl-i Abâ, regarded Iranian literature and language as very high, all but called the people to Iranianness, and supported one another extremely.

Ahmed Câmî Çelebi, with his arrogance and obstinacy, had angered Tâceddîn Pasha and the judge. Knowing this, he had complained about them excessively to Sultan Ahmed. For this reason in 905 [1499-1500] Tâceddîn Pasha became beylerbeyi of Kefe and left the prince's retinue.

The judge Ebu's-Su'ûd Efendi was removed from office and in his place Muslihzâde Celâleddîn Abdurrahmân Efendi became judge of Amasya. The nişancı Ahmed Câmî Çelebi was also removed from office. In his place the calligrapher Fettâhîzâde Şemseddîn Ahmed Çelebi of Nishapur became nişancı. This person had been born and raised in Amasya.

In 906 [1500-01] Şeyh İsmâil bin Haydar-ı Safevî, with the Shiites he took with him, marched on the Shirvanshah Ferruh Yesâr bin Sultan Halîl, who had killed his father. He scattered Ferruh's army. He seized him and burned him alive. He proclaimed his shahdom. The day of the Anatolian Acems had dawned.

While in Amasya Prince Sultan Ahmed was busy with pleasure and joy and with boon companions of pleasant conversation, the Acems were carrying out propaganda in Anatolia in the name of Shah İsmâil, calling the people to Shiism.

It is noteworthy that the more Shah İsmâil turned toward Turkishness and showed love to draw the Turks to himself, the more Sultan Ahmed, on the contrary, turned toward Iranianness, showing love and all but declaring his passion for Iranian literature and the Acem notables.

The one who came in place of Tâceddîn Pasha was Kâsım Pasha, son of Abdullah Bey, of the Hakala Âbâdoğulları. Like many zealous persons, Kâsım Pasha was not pleased with this state of the prince. But the Acems had surrounded the prince. It was not possible to separate him from them.

In particular in 908 [1502-03], Mîr Gıyâseddîn Mehmed bin Mansûr-ı Şîrâzî, who, allegedly to protect his Sunnism, had fled the sword of Shah İsmâil and taken refuge in Amasya, and Penâhî-i Tebrîzî, one of the Iranian poets, had entered among the prince's boon companions.

Mîr Gıyâseddîn Mehmed Çelebi was counted among the Husaynid sayyids. Münîrî Efendi says: Mîr Gıyâseddîn was an extremely difficult man, a little learned, extremely talkative, and ill-tempered. When he came to Amasya he was shown great respect. Bâlî Bey's magnificent mansion in the Üçler quarter was set aside for his stay.

Hâfızeddîn Mehmed bin Ahmed bin Âdil Çelebi, famous as "Hâfız Acem," one of the greats among Sunni scholars, had also come to Amasya this year, been shown respect, and given open lessons for all. This person was truly a Sunni, a scholar, many-sided, and bound to the sharia. Nevertheless later this one too was regarded as tainted.

In 907 [1501-02] the mufti of Amasya, Allâme Abdî Efendi, and the custodian of the sultanic endowments, Âfitâbî Çelebi, died. The Amasyan Şemseddîn Ahmed Mâşî Efendi came from Istanbul as mufti of Amasya and professor of the Sultâniye. Among the emirs, Sinan Bey, famous as "Yular Kısdı," also became custodian of the sultanic endowments.

Also this year Koca Emîr İbrâhim Efendi, professor of Hüseyin Ağa, was sent to Tokat as professor of the Medrese-i Hâtûniyye. But in his place Şirvânî Ebulhayr Efendi, one of the Acem scholars, was appointed professor of the Hüseyin Ağa Madrasa.

For at this time Muhyiddîn Mehmed Çelebi, preacher of the Sultan Bayezid Mosque, had explained in his sermon, with proofs, that the Acems must surely have some purpose in the "love of the Âl-i Abâ" they spread, that this love already existed among the Ahl al-Sunna, that not every individual of the Âl-i Abâ could be sacred and pure, and that impure and base men could come from among them.

Koca Emîr Efendi, being deputy nakîbü'l-eşrâf, had defended the sayyids and sayyidhood, and some events leading to misunderstanding had arisen among them. By the firm attitude of the sultanate deputy Kâsım Pasha, Koca Emîr Efendi was sent to Tokat. But he could not prevent Ebulhayr Efendi's professorship.

Yet in Amasya there were very many scholars higher than Ebulhayr Efendi in learning and age. For this reason Ebulhayr Efendi's professorship gave rise to considerable gossip. It produced effects against Prince Sultan Ahmed.

In 908 Shah İsmâil-i Safevî came as far as the surroundings of Erzincan and plundered these places, called the people to the Shiite sect, said openly that he would soon take all of Anatolia (the lands of Rûm), and the people of Erzincan cried out and asked for help.

The sultanate deputy Kâsım Pasha reported these without hesitation to Prince Sultan Ahmed, saying that it was not fitting to give countenance to the Acems and that it was a dangerous movement in the future. But the Acems strongly belied Kâsım Pasha and tried to have the poor man executed.

Sensing this, Kâsım Pasha fled from Amasya at the beginning of 909 [1503-04] and went to Sultan Selîm, governor of Trabzon, who had taken a very good stand against Shah İsmâil-i Safevî. There he received the reward he deserved. Yular Kısdı Sinan Pasha also became sultanate deputy to Prince Sultan Ahmed.

Sinan Pasha gave the custodianship of the sultanic endowments he held to Hibetullâh Efendi, one of the Acem scholars. Kâsım Pasha's flight had disturbed many notables. It had all but intimidated the notables. The Acems found quite a broad field. Because of love of the Âl-i Abâ the question of cursing and reviling some of the Companions was also gradually reviving.

In 910 [1504-05] the sultan's teacher Bedreddîn Mahmûd Çelebi died, and after him the nişancı Şemseddîn Ahmed Çelebi, one of the boon companions; Hatîb Kâsımzâde, the Amasyan Muhyiddîn Mehmed Efendi, came from Istanbul as the sultan's teacher. Münîrî Mehmed Çelebi bin Yûsuf Çelebi, one of the great scholars and cultured men of Amasya, also became nişancı.

The former teacher Mahmûd Çelebizâde Şemseddîn Ahmed Efendi, Mü'eyyedzâde Şemseddîn Ahmed Efendi bin Mehmed, and Çakal Kadızâde Şemseddîn Ahmed Efendi bin Mahmûd Çelebi became Sultan Ahmed's boon companions. These were called the "Şemses" (Suns). The poets praised them as "Güneşler" (Suns).

In contrast to them, among the Acems there were the sultan's physician Kutb-ı Şirvânî, the music master Hâce Kutbeddîn Mahmûd Çelebi, and among the professors Kutbeddîn Îsâ Çelebi. These were also called the "Kutuplar" (Poles). The Poles against the Suns had given rise to considerable wordplay in the poets' verses.

In these times the question of cursing and reviling Muâviye and the like arose. Muhyiddîn Mehmed Efendi of Şeyhşâdili, professor of the Hızır Pasha Madrasa and preacher of the mosque, could not bear it; rejecting and belittling this with all his strength, he said stinging words about Prince Sultan Ahmed.

For this reason the poor man was removed from the professorship and later expelled from Amasya at the beginning of 911 [1505-06] as professor of the Atabey Madrasa in Kastamonu. The influence of the Acem scholars silenced the native scholars, but, breaking Sultan Ahmed's influence, turned the Turks toward Sultan Selîm's side.

In 911 Prince Sultan Ahmed, on permission received from his father, as told in detail in the work Heşt-Behişt of the late İdrîs-i Bidlîsî, had a circumcision wedding held for his young princes. Summoning the emirs of the surroundings too, it became a great festivity. It took on the look of a showy illumination. The city of Amasya was adorned like paradise.

At this time in Amasya, among the Turkish poets Çeşmî, Şermî, Figânî, Kâmî, Melîhî, Münîrî, Mihrî, and among the Acem poets Basîrî, Penâhî, Kutbî were very well known. Among them the most fond of amusement was Melîhî of Tokat, the best mannered Şermî, and the most learned Münîrî Efendi. The most noteworthy was Mihrî Hatun.

These poets, seized by enthusiasm, wrote fine qasidas and celebrated the circumcision wedding. They received heavy gifts. The Acems showed all their strength and art to enter Sultan Ahmed's eye and heart.

The oud of Baba Mehmed Çelebi bin İlyâs, the most famous of the instrument and word artists of Amasya, the tambur of Sofioğlu Abdî Çavuş bin Hüseyn, the saz of Beylioğlu Sünbül Ahmed Bey bin Hızır Bey, especially the sweet melodies of Hâce Kutbeddîn Mahmûd bin Abdulazîz of the line of Maragha, and the Davidic voice of Süleyman Dede gave life to souls and made Amasya ring.

Even Mevlânâ İdrîs-i Bidlîsî, in writing of this circumcision wedding in his Heşt-Behişt, was moved and wrote a spring qasida. These couplets are taken from that qasida:

Notes and Research

Old Words in the Text

• mu'allim-i sultânî: teacher of a prince or sultan
• vekîl-i saltanat: deputy of the prince; the actual administrator of the sanjak
• tasaddur: sitting in the place of honor in a gathering, in the upper row; claiming precedence
• hıtân: circumcision; sûr-ı hıtân, circumcision wedding
• Acem: Iranian; in this text especially those who came from the Shiite Safavid circle
• hubb-ı âl-i abâ: love of the family of Hz. Muhammad (Alî, Fâtıma, Hasan, Hüseyin)
• nakîbü'l-eşrâf: head who kept the lineage records of the sayyids and sharifs and looked after their affairs
• teşeyyu': inclining toward Shiism
• ulemâ-yı a'câm: Acem (Iranian) scholars
• üstâzü'l-küll: teacher of all scholars
• kutb: person regarded as the greatest saint of the age
• musâhib: close boon companion
• mütevellî / tevliyet: administrator of a waqf / administration
• tabhâne: room or building where travelers and dervishes lodge
• nişancı: scribe who marked correspondence with the tuğra
• nâib: deputy judge
• kasîde-i rebî'iyye: spring qasida

Who Prince Ahmed Was

Ahmed is the son of Bayezid II by Bülbül Hatun. He was born in Amasya around 1465 and became Bayezid's eldest son to survive in his lifetime. Hüsameddin calls him the "second prince"; the sources also write that before him there was Bayezid's eldest son Abdullah, who died in 1483. A detail Hüsameddin records also fits this: Abdullah went to Trabzon as governor, while Ahmed was left in Amasya in his father's place in 1481.

Throughout his governorship of Amasya Ahmed gathered poets and scholars around him and, like his father, was a protector of art and learning. Among the poets around him was Mihrî Hatun. It is found in the sources that Mihrî Hatun was born in Amasya and lived in this city, entered the literary milieu formed around the prince's palace during the governorship of Amasya first of Bayezid II and then of his son Prince Ahmed, and that her grandfather was the Khalwati sheikh Pîr İlyas and her father Kadı Hasan Amasyevî. Hüsameddin shows Mihrî in the text as the "most noteworthy" among the poets.

Münîrî Amâsî is also from the same circle. Hüsameddin gives him a place both as nişancı and as author of the "Mecmû'a-i Târîhiyye." The divan of Münîrî, a divan poet and historian, consisting of Turkish and Persian poems, was completed in 1502, and he finished the Mihr ü Müşterî mesnevi in 1487. In all biographical works he is shown among the poets of the time of Prince Ahmed. There is a small disagreement between the sources and Hüsameddin on his father's name: Hüsameddin calls him "son of Yûsuf Çelebi," while the encyclopedia entry gives his father's name as Mehmed Efendi.

The Bayezid Complex

The record in the text for the years 890-891 gives the construction date of the Sultan Bayezid II Complex in Amasya. The complex still stands today on the bank of the Yeşilırmak. According to its three-part inscription, the mosque was completed in Rajab 891 [July 1486]. Hüsameddin writes that the construction began in Rajab 886, immediately after Bayezid's accession, and that Bayezid, according to what İdrîs-i Bidlîsî relays, entrusted this work to his son Ahmed; later sources repeat this information. Its endowment deed was written in January 1496 and shows the complex as consisting of a mosque, imaret, madrasa, and children's school. In the middle is the mosque, to its right the madrasa, to its left the soup kitchen-imaret and tabhane. It has been suggested that the domed sections on the two sides of the mosque may actually be tabhane rooms. The madrasa was used for years as the Provincial Public Library. To the southeast of the mosque there is a tomb regarded as belonging to Prince Osman, Ahmed's son killed in 1513; however, there is no sarcophagus in it today.

That Hüsameddin writes that the professorship of the madrasa was reserved for the muftis of Amasya is also relayed in the encyclopedia entry. The entry also gives, citing Hüsameddin, that the first teacher of the madrasa was Şeyhülislâm Zenbilli Ali Efendi; that Cemâloğlu Alâ'eddîn Alî Çelebi, who appears in Hüsameddin's text as first professor, later became şeyhülislam is also written in the same text (the record for the year 903). For the Abdullah Pasha Mosque said to have been built in the same years, one study mentions the year 1502 and for the Mehmed Pasha Mosque 1486; Hüsameddin, however, shows both as completed in 890 [1485-86].

The Precedence Quarrel and the Dispersal of the Princes

The circumcision wedding incident of 896 [1490-91] shows the rivalry within the court in these years. Hüsameddin ties the start of the quarrel to the sultan's teacher Birgilioğlu Mustafa Efendi's sitting above the elders and narrates that it spread to the princes' retinues as well. Hüsameddin writes that at the end of the incident Selim, Şehinşah, Alemşah, and Korkud, who were in Amasya, were sent to other provinces and Ahmed was left alone in Amasya. It is known that Selim, as sanjak bey of Trabzon, later took a harsh stand against Shah İsmail's spread in Anatolia. No other source confirming the account that ties the dispersal of the princes to the precedence quarrel was found; this information should be read as Hüsameddin's relaying.

Safavism, the Acems, and Hüsameddin's Interpretation

The longest section of the text narrates the growing influence of Acem scholars and Safavid sympathizers in Amasya. Hüsameddin's words are his own assessment: he presents Prince Ahmed's closeness to Iranian literature and to the Acem scholars as a danger and a fault, and compares it with Shah İsmail's turning toward Turkishness. No other source supporting or refuting this judgment was found. That the poets around him wrote in both Turkish and Persian is seen in Münîrî's divan consisting of Turkish and Persian poems.

The rise of Shah İsmail and the Shiite propaganda spreading to Anatolia are narrated separately in the entry on Bayezid II: a peaceful and cautious policy was followed toward the Safavids, Prince Selim in Trabzon took a harsh stand against Shah İsmail's influence in Anatolia, and sixteen thousand persons suspected of being Shiites were exiled from Anatolia to Rumelia. Hüsameddin's narration of Kâsım Pasha's fleeing Amasya and going to Selim in 909 [1503-04] shows this divergence between the two princes.

Nûreddîn Alî of Mardin and Şahkulu

In his footnote number 578 Hüsameddin says that Nûreddîn Alî of Mardin, who came to Amasya in 901-902, was "the famous Şahkulu Han who will be seen below." This identification is not limited to a single source: the entry on Bayezid II also mentions Şahkulu, who revolted in the spring of 1511, as "Nûreddin Ali" and writes that he tried to establish Safavid rule in Anatolia. But the later encyclopedia entry devoted to Şahkulu draws a different picture: Şahkulu Baba Tekeli is the son of Hasan Halife, who founded a tekke at Yalınlıköy near Antalya, is of the Tekeli Turkmens, and spread Safavid views in the Teke region. In this entry neither Mardin nor Amasya is mentioned. It is therefore uncertain to what extent the identity Hüsameddin gives is accepted by present-day research. It is fitting for the reader to know this as a difference of view.

The Şahkulu rebellion broke out in 1511. Bayezid II assigned the grand vizier Hadım Ali Pasha together with his eldest prince Ahmed to put down the revolt. Ali Pasha died in battle with Şahkulu near Sivas, and Şahkulu's end is not known. Prince Ahmed's failure in this event is counted among the factors that increased Selim's chance of taking the throne.

The Nakîbü'l-eşrâf Office

Hüsameddin writes that a post of nakîbü'l-eşrâf to look after the lineage records of the sayyids in the Ottomans was "created" in these years. Present-day sources note that the institution of nakîbüleşraflık, which had earlier been abolished, was reestablished in the time of Bayezid II. There is a small difference of term between Hüsameddin's saying "created" and this information; no other source was found for the first nakîbü'l-eşrâf records in Amasya.

The Later Years

Prince Ahmed did not accept Selim's accession in 1512, was defeated at Yenişehir in 1513 after clashes, and was killed on 24 April 1513. He was buried in the Muradiye Complex in Bursa. The tomb beside the Bayezid Complex is regarded as belonging to Ahmed's son Prince Osman, whom Yavuz Selim had killed in 1513.

Bibliography

Primary sources

• Abdîzâde Hüseyin Hüsâmeddîn Yasar, Amasya Tarihi, Amasya Belediyesi Kültür Yayınları, 2022, vol. 3, p. 480–485. amasya.bel.tr

Academic studies

• Şerafettin Turan, "Bayezid II", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, vol. 5, İstanbul 1992 (islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/bayezid-ii).
• "Beyazıt II Camii ve Külliyesi (Amasya)", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi (islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/beyazit-ii-camii-ve-kulliyesi--amasya).
• "Şahkulu Baba Tekeli", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi (islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/sahkulu-baba-tekeli).
• "Münîrî Amâsî", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi (islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/muniri-amasi).
• "Mihrî Hatun", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi (islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/mihri-hatun).
• "Amasya'da Sancak Beyliği Yapan Şehzadeler Döneminde Amasya Şehri", DergiPark article (dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/19685).

Other sources

• "Şehzade Ahmed (Bayezid II'nin oğlu)", encyclopedic entry (tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Şehzade_Ahmet; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Şehzade_Ahmed_(son_of_Bayezid_II)).