Kânûnî Sultân Süleyman Hân'ın büyük şehzâdesidir. 921 senesinde doğdu. İbtidâ Saruhan'a vâlî olmuşdu. 945 senesi rebî'ulevvelinde yirmi dört yaşında Amasya vâlîsi olup geldi.⁵⁹² Lalası Kâsım Bey'di. Amasya muhâfızı Seydî Ahmed Paşa oldu.
Amasya vilâyeti Sivas'dan irtibâtını kesdi. Müstakil bir [303] vilâyet oldu. Çorum, Canik, Karahisâr-ı Şarkî sancakları Amasya vilâyetine merbût olup Tokat voyvodalığa kalb edildi. Fakat mâliye i'tibâriyle Tokat emâneti Sivas ve Amasya'yı şâmildi.
Şehzâdenin Amasya'ya vusûlünde Amasya müftüsü Seyrek Muhyiddîn Mehmed Efendi mu'allim olup Amasya müftülüğüne ve Sultâniyye müderrisliğine Kedağralı Köprücükzâde Sinâneddîn Yûsuf Efendi nasb edildi. Çakal Kadızâde el-Hâc Mahmûd Çelebi musâhib ve lutafâ-yı meşhûreden Gülâbî Ağa nedîm oldu.
Bu esnâda dîvân-ı hümâyûnda nişâncı olan Amasyalı Ümmetzâde Mehmed Çelebi gözden düşürüldüğü cihetle Sivas beylerbeyi olarak uzaklaşdırıldı. Çünkü Kânûnî Sultân Süleyman'ın gözüne girmiş, akıl ve irfânıyla kendini beğendirmişdi. Gayr-i Türkler'in gayretine dokundu.
946 senesinde Meşâhîr-i fuzalâdan Bahşîzâde Kemâleddîn İbrâhim Efendi Büyük Ağa müderrisi olarak ta'ayyün etdi. Ders-i âm -ı meşhûr Cum'a Efendi Küçük Ağa müderrisi oldu. Fuzalâdan Müfessir Ahmed Efendi Atabey, Zaralı Ca'fer Efendi Torumtay Medreseleri'ne sâye saldı.
Bu esnâda Sultân Bâyezîd Câmii vâ'izi "Yamak Şeyh" demekle meşhûr İbâd Çelebizâde Muhyiddîn Mehmed Çelebi ve Mehmed Paşa Câmii vâ'izi meşâhîr-i Halvetiyye'den eş-Şeyh Sinâneddîn Yûsuf Efendi pek meşhûr idi. Şeyh Sinan Efendi, Habîb-i Karamânî halîfesi olan Seydî Çelebi'nin halîfesidir. [304]
947 senesinde şehzâde mu'allimi es-Seyyid Muhyiddîn Mehmed Efendi vefât eylediğinden yerine kibâr-ı müderrisînden Merzifônî Hayreddîn Hızır Efendi mu'allim-i sultânî oldu. Amasya kadısı Cemâleddîn Mehmed Çelebi merâkından, yâhud şehzâde tahakkümünden isti'fâ edib Diyârbekir kazâsından ma'zûl olan Mü'eyyedzâde Abdulhay Efendi sâniyen kadı olarak geldi.
948 senesinde Sivas beylerbeyi Mehmed Paşa kemâl-i gamından vefât etdi. Yerine Haleb beylerbeyi Rûmiyyeli Hüseyin Paşa Sivas'a geldi. Fakat şehzâdenin müsrifâne hareketi Molla Bahşîzâde Kemâleddîn İbrâhim Efendi'nin nazar-ı dikkatini celb etmeğe başladı.
949 senesi cumadelâhiresinde Sivas vâlîsi Hüseyin Paşa ve ba'dehû Amasya muhâfızı Seydî Ahmed Paşa vefât etdi. Sivas'a Amasyalı Sofîzâde Mehmed Paşa beylerbeyi ve Amasya'ya Anadolu muhâfızı ve Ankara beylerbeyi Hacı Beyzâde Velî Paşa geldi.
Erbâb-ı Cezîre meşâhîrinden Gümüşlü Hâce Sülemiş Çelebi şehzâde Mustafa'nın müsteşâr-ı hâsı olup kapıcılar kethüdâsı Gülâbî Ağa ile hem-ayâr ve her ikisi de merci'-i umûr olarak ta'ayyün etdi. Sülemiş Hâce, Gülâbî Ağa'dan baskın çıkdı.
950 senesi saferinde kadı Mü'eyyedzâde Abdulhay Efendi vefât edib yerine Pîr Sun'ullâh-ı Halvetî ahfâdından Muhyiddîn Mehmed Efendi Amasya kadısı ve Yörgüç Paşa müderrisi Hakalalı es-Seyyid Muhyiddîn Mehmed Efendi Hüseyin Ağa müderrisi oldu. Mehmed Paşa Câmii vâ'izi kibâr-ı [305] sulahâdan eş-şeyh Sinan Efendi şehzâde ahvâline i'tirâz eylediğinden mecbûr-ı isti'fâ olarak Çeribaşı Mahallesi üstündeki mevki'ine çekildi. Kendisine "Şehre Küsdü" dendi.
Çünkü şehzâde Mustafa, edebiyâta pek ziyâde meyl ederdi. Âlî-cenâb, zevk ve safâya düşkün olmakla beraber kerîm, şecî', müdebbirdi. Başına erbâb-ı ilm ve edebi cem' ederek onlarla musâhabe eder, güzelleri severdi.
Şehzâdenin nişâncısı Elvân Çelebi ahfâdından "Nefîsoğlu" demekle meşhûr Tâceddîn Efendi mahdûmu Hamdî Hamdullâh Çelebi, defterdârı Lütfullâh Lutfî Bey, kâtib-i dîvânı Fazlî Çelebi şu'arâdan idi. Kudâtdan Zenbîlî Alî Efendi birâderi Kadı Mehmed Efendi mahdûmu Kâmî Mehmed Çelebi, Tayyibzâde Lutfî Efendi, Seyrekzâde Ânî Ahmed Çelebi, A'yânzâdeler'den Hacı Beyzâde Edâyî Bey, zümre-i küttâbdan Zamânî Mahmûd Çelebi ve Emânî Mehmed Çelebi musâhibleriydi.
Bunlar meşâhîr-i şu'arâdan idiler. Bunlardan başka şehzâdenin dîvân kaleminde Gonca Keyvân, Gül Mehmed, Çiğdem Alî, Lâle-i zâr Hasan, Sünbül Ahmed, Zanbak Bâlî Beyler gibi âfetler de vardı. Bunların her biri nâmûs ve iffet, ilim ve edeb erbâbından idiler.
Bu zamânın en değerli ulemâsından Koca Hüsâmeddîn Hüseyin, Molla Bahşîzâde Kemâleddîn İbrâhim, Köprücükzâde Sinâneddîn Yûsuf, Hakalalı Seyyid Muhyiddîn Mehmed, müfessir Şemseddîn Ahmed, Küçük Muhyiddîn Mehmed, Cum'a ve Ca'fer Efendiler, şehzâdenin en ziyâde muhabbet [306] ve sohbetlerinden istifâde etdiği zevât idi. Küçük Muhyiddîn Efendi "Memik Çelebi" demekle meşhûr idi.
Kibâr-ı meşâyihden "Molla Şeyh" demekle meşhûr Şücâ'eddîn İlyâs Efendi, "Îcâdî" demekle meşhûr İmâmzâde Hayreddîn Hızır Efendi, "Yamak Şeyh" demekle meşhûr Muhyiddîn Mehmed Efendi, şehzâdenin pek ziyâde hürmet etdiği zevât idiler.
951 senesinde Kemâleddîn İbrâhim Efendi, şehzâdenin isrâfâtına ta'rîz eden "Masârif-i Beytü'l-Mâl" adlı eserini müşârün-ileyhin nâmına te'lîf ve takdîm etdiği zamân iltifât ve mükâfâta nâ'il olmuşdu.
952 senesinde meşâhîr-i fuzalâdan Amasya müftüsü Sinan Efendi vefât etdi. Yerine İstanbul'da Sahn-ı Semâniyye müderrislerinden Akşehirli Sa'dî Efendi Amasya müftüsü ve Sultâniyye müderrisi olarak geldi.
953 senesinde mu'allim-i şehzâde Merzifônî Hayreddîn Hızır Efendi vefât etdi. Yerine İstanbul'dan Gelibolulu Surûrî Mustafa Efendi geldi. Ümerâ-yı livâdan Sun'ullâh Bey, şehzâdeye lala olup gelmişdi. Kezâlik Selâmzâde diğer Muhyiddîn Mehmed Efendi Amasya kadısı oldu.
954 senesinde Amasya muhâfızı ve şehzâdenin müdebbir-i umûru Velî Paşa vefât edib yerine Manîsâlı Ca'fer Paşa Amasya muhâfızı olarak İstanbul'dan geldi. Şehzâdenin vezâreti makâmına kâ'im oldu.
954 senesi şa'bânında Amasyalı "Muhaşşî Sinan Efendi" demekle meşhûr olan Şeyh Hüsâmeddîn Efendizâde Sinâneddîn Yûsuf Efendi, [307] İstanbul kadılığından Anadolu kazaskeri oldu. Bu sene diğer Amasyalı Seydî Alî Efendizâde Abdurrahmân Efendi Edirne kadısı olmuşdu.
955 senesi rebî'ulevvelinde Sultân Süleyman Îrân harbine giderken Sivas'a gelmişdi. Amasya vâlîsi olan şehzâdesi Sultân Mustafa pederini ziyâret için Amasya'dan kalkıp Sivas'a gitdi. Rebî'ulâhirde pederinin müsâ'adesiyle Amasya'ya avdet etdi.
Sene-i mezbûre cumadelûlâsında her şeye i'tirâz eden Amasya müftüsü Sa'dî Efendi azl edilip Sahn müderrislerinden "Molla Cürcân" demekle meşhûr Muhyiddîn Mehmed Efendi Amasya müftüsü ve Sultâniyye müderrisi oldu. Müte'âkiben Amasya kadısı da gidip yerine şu'arâdan Manîsâlı Senâyî Mehmed Efendi Amasya kadısı olarak geldi.
956 senesinde Îrân'ın tahrîkâtıyla Gürcüler Erzurûm'a hücûm ederek beylerbeyi Mûsâ Paşa'yı şehîd etmişlerdi. Sultân Mustafa bundan fevkalâde müte'essir oldu. Gürcüler'i te'dîb için sadr-ı a'zam Arnavut Rüstem Paşa'ya arz-ı keyfiyyetle istîzân etdi. Fakat is'âf edilemedi.
Bu sene Sivas beylerbeyi Baltacı Mehmed Paşa Bağdâd muhâfazasına me'mûr olduğundan yerine Amasyalı Yahşî Beyzâde Ahmed Paşa Sivas beylerbeyi olarak Amasya'ya geldi. Şehzâde Sultân Mustafa'ya misâfir olup birkaç gün sonra Sivas'a gitdi.
957 senesinde Îrân eşkıyâsı yine hudûdu tecâvüz ederek kasabât ve kurâyı yağmâ ve halkı son derece iz'âc etmişlerdi. Şehzâde Mustafa, [308] bunları da tafsîlâtıyla Rüstem Paşa'ya yazdı. İmdâd edilmesini ricâ ve istîzân etdi. Buna da bir cevâb alamadı. Bu sene Amasyalı İbrâhim Efendizâde Alâ'eddîn Alî Efendi Amasya kadısı oldu.
958 muharreminde Îrânîler ikmâl-i mâtem için Kerbelâ vak'asını hudûd üzerindeki köylerde, kasabalarda icrâ etdiler. Şehzâde Sultân Mustafa, bundan fevkalâde bî-huzûr olup Sürûrî Efendi'nin inşâsıyla 19 muharrem 958 târîhli ve sûzişli bir feryâd-nâme daha gönderdi.⁵⁹³ Rüstem Paşa buna da aldırış etmedi.
Fakat bu feryâd-nâmenin vusûlünde Rüstem Paşa, şehzâdenin vezîri olan Lala Ca'fer Paşa'yı İstanbul'a çağırdı. Yerine Köstendil beyi olan Boşnak Ahmed Bey'i beylerbeyi pâyesiyle gönderdi. Ahmed Paşa, şehzâdenin vezîri makâmına kâ'im oldu.
Şehzâdenin mu'allimi Surûrî Efendi, Gülistân Şerhi'ni şehzâde Sultân Mustafa nâmına Amasya'da te'lîf ve 958 senesinde ikmâl ederek takdîm etdi. Surûrî Efendi, şehzâdenin hem mu'allimi hem de mahrem-i esrârı idi.
Ahmed Paşa, saray terbiyesi görmüş, âkil, mizâcgîr, işgüzâr bir adamdı. Şehzâdenin kalbini teshîr edecek hareketlerde bulunarak emniyyetini kazanmışdı. Bunun için 959 senesinde Sultân Mustafa, [309] büyük kerîmesi Fâtıma Sultân'ı Ahmed Paşa'ya verdi. Paşayı kendisine dâmâd etdi.
Hâlbuki bu sıhriyyet, Rüstem Paşa'yı şübheye düşürmüşdü. Rüstem Paşa, taht-ı saltanatı kayınbirâderi Sultân Bâyezîd'e te'mîn etmek istiyordu. Muttasıl şehzâde Sultân Mustafa'yı gözden düşürmeğe çalışıyordu.
Çünkü Sultân Bâyezîd, kendi zevcesi olan Mihrimâh Sultân'ın li-ebeveyn kardaşı idi. Şehzâde Sultân Mustafa'nın matlûbunu is'âf etdiği takdîrde şehzâdenin göze girecek şecâ'atler, liyâkatlar göstereceğini bilirdi. Rüstem Paşa'nın şu hâ'inâne hareketi yüzünden Erzurûm halkı büyük zararlara giriftâr olmuşlardı.
Rüstem Paşa şehzâdeyi hurûc ve isyâna hazırlık görmekle, Ahmed Paşa'yı da müşevvik olmakla ithâm ediyor, bu gibi müdhiş efsâneler îcâd, bunları da ordu lisânıyla i'lân ederek Sultân Süleyman'ı fevkalâde vehme düşürmüş bulunuyordu.
Sultân Süleyman ile Rüstem Paşa, uzun müzâkere ve müşâvereden sonra, Rüstem Paşa Sultân Süleyman'ı bîçâre şehzâdenin i'dâmına iknâ' etdi. Bu cinâyet-i müdhişeyi suhûletle ve bir hâdiseye meydân vermeksizin icrâ edebilmek için Îrân seferi i'lân ve şehzâde Sultân Mustafa da ordusuyla beraber da'vet edildi.
Şehzâde Sultân Mustafa, pederine kendini beğendirmek için kırk bin kişilik ordusunu mükemmel bir sûretde tertîb ve techîz ederek 960 senesi ramazânı evâ'ilinde Amasya'dan hareket etdi. Yerine lalası [310] Sun'ullâh Bey'i vâlî kâ'im-makâmı bırakdı. Vezîri Ahmed Paşa da beraber gitdi.
Sultân Süleyman da bütün vüzerâsıyla, ordusuyla beraber ramazânın on sekizinde Üsküdâr'dan hareket edib Karaman Ereğlisi'nde Aköyük adlı mahalle indi. Şehzâde Sultân Mustafa da buraya geldi. Pederinin müsâ'adesi üzerine muhteşem bir debdebe ile otâğ-ı hümâyûna girdiği anda pederinin huzûrunda Zâl Mahmûd denilen cellâd⁵⁹⁴ ma'rifetiyle şevvâlin yirminci cum'a günü boynu vuruldu.
Bundan sonra bîçâre Ahmed Paşa ile şehzâdenin mîrâhûru Mahmûd Ağa ve birkaç hademesi i'dâm edilerek Rüstem Paşa'nın cinâyetleri katmerlendi. Nihâyet ordu içinde kopan vâveylâ üzerine Rüstem Paşa sadâretden azl olunup kardaşı olan vezîr-i sânî Kara Ahmed Paşa sadr-ı a'zam oldu. Şehzâdenin şehâdetine "Mekr-i Rüstem 960" târîh düşdü.
Gülşenîzâde Fethullâh Ârif Efendi "Şehnâme-i Osmânî"de şehzâde Sultân Mustafa'nın târîh-i şehâdetini şöyle anlatıyor:
چودر روز جمعه بوقت صال
شد آن شاهزاده بدار بقا
پى انكه كويندر حمت شهان
بكيرند عبرت زكان جهان
همان روز جمعه بوقت صال
ازو ماند تاريخ فرخ بجا
چو آن جمعه ماه شوال بود
كه شهزاده را تن بخون آل بود
حسامى كه تاريخ آن سال شد[311]
همان جمعه شهر شوال شد
Şehzâde Sultân Mustafa'nın Süleyman Çelebi adlı bir şehzâdesi vardı. Amasya'da boğulup şehzâdegân türbesine defn edildi.⁵⁹⁵ Fâtıma Sultân, Râziye Sultân adlı iki de kızları vardı. Bunlar da İstanbul'a nakl edildi. Meşhûr "Râziye Kadın" budur.
958 senesi şa'bânında Amasyalı Muhaşşî Sinan Efendi Anadolu kazaskerliğinden ma'zûl olup şevvâlinde Amasyalı Abdurrahmân Efendi Rûmeli kazaskeri oldu. Kezâlik Merzifônî Ramazânzâde Mehmed Çelebi de defter emîni olmuşdu.
Şehzâde Sultân Mustafa'nın şehâdetiyle münhal olan Amasya sancağı yine Sivas vilâyetine rabt edilip beyliğine mûmâ-ileyh defter emîni Mehmed Çelebi nasb edildi. Bu şehâdeti duyan Amasya kadısı Alâ'eddîn Alî Efendi ihtiyâr-ı tekâ'üd edib kibâr-ı kudâtdan Mustafa Efendi Amasya kadısı olarak geldi.
In Modern English
He is the eldest prince of Süleyman the Lawgiver Khan. He was born in the year 921 [1515]. He had first been governor of Saruhan. In the month of Rabi' al-Awwal of the year 945 [1538-39], at the age of twenty-four, he came as governor of Amasya. His lala (tutor) was Kâsım Bey. The guardian of Amasya became Seydî Ahmed Pasha.
The province of Amasya broke its tie with Sivas. It became an independent province. The sanjaks of Çorum, Canik and Karahisâr-ı Şarkî were attached to the province of Amasya, and Tokat was turned into a voyvodalık. Financially, however, the Tokat emanet covered both Sivas and Amasya.
On the prince's arrival at Amasya the mufti of Amasya, Seyrek Muhyiddin Mehmed Efendi, became his teacher; to the muftiship of Amasya and the professorship of the Sultâniyye Madrasa Kedağralı Köprücükzade Sinâneddin Yusuf Efendi was appointed. Çakal Kadızade el-Hac Mahmud Çelebi became his companion in conversation, and Gülâbî Ağa, one of the well-known witty and refined persons, became his nedim (close friend).
At this time Ümmetzade Mehmed Çelebi of Amasya, who was nişancı in the imperial divan, was removed as beylerbeyi of Sivas because he had been made to fall out of favor. For he had caught Süleyman the Lawgiver's eye and made himself liked by his intelligence and learning. This touched the ambition of the non-Turks.
In the year 946 [1539-40] Bahşîzade Kemâleddin İbrahim Efendi, one of the well-known scholars, was appointed professor of the Büyük Ağa Madrasa. Cum'a Efendi, famous for giving lessons open to all, became professor of the Küçük Ağa Madrasa. Among the scholars, the Müfessir Ahmed Efendi cast his shadow on the Atabey Madrasa, and Zaralı Ca'fer Efendi on the Torumtay Madrasas, that is, took posts there.
At this time the preacher of the Sultan Bayezid Mosque, İbâd Çelebizade Muhyiddin Mehmed Çelebi, known as "Yamak Şeyh," and the preacher of the Mehmed Pasha Mosque, eş-Şeyh Sinâneddin Yusuf Efendi, one of the famous Halvetis, had become very well known. Sheikh Sinan Efendi is the caliph of Seydî Çelebi, who was the caliph of Habîb-i Karamânî.
In the year 947 [1540-41], since the prince's teacher es-Seyyid Muhyiddin Mehmed Efendi died, in his place Hayreddin Hızır Efendi of Merzifon, one of the great madrasa professors, became teacher in the sultan's name. The kadı of Amasya, Cemâleddin Mehmed Çelebi, resigned either from worry or from the prince's pressure; Müeyyedzade Abdulhay Efendi, who had been taken from the kadılık of Diyarbekir, came as kadı for the second time.
In the year 948 [1541-42] Mehmed Pasha, beylerbeyi of Sivas, died of deep grief. In his place Rumiyyeli Hüseyin Pasha, beylerbeyi of Aleppo, came to Sivas. But the prince's extravagant behavior began to attract the attention of Molla Bahşîzade Kemâleddin İbrahim Efendi.
In the month of Jumada al-Akhira of the year 949 [1542-43] Hüseyin Pasha, governor of Sivas, and then the guardian of Amasya, Seydî Ahmed Pasha, died. To Sivas Sofîzade Mehmed Pasha of Amasya came as beylerbeyi, and to Amasya Hacı Beyzade Velî Pasha, guardian of Anatolia and beylerbeyi of Ankara.
Gümüşlü Hâce Sülemiş Çelebi, one of the notables of the Cezire, became prince Mustafa's private adviser; he was the peer and partner of Gülâbî Ağa, the kethüda of the gatekeepers, and both emerged as persons to whom affairs were referred. Sülemiş Hâce proved dominant over Gülâbî Ağa.
In the month of Safar of the year 950 [1543-44] the kadı Müeyyedzade Abdulhay Efendi died. In his place Muhyiddin Mehmed Efendi, of the line of Pîr Sun'ullâh-ı Halvetî, became kadı of Amasya, and Hakalalı es-Seyyid Muhyiddin Mehmed Efendi, professor of the Yörgüç Pasha Madrasa, became professor of the Hüseyin Ağa. Sheikh Sinan Efendi, preacher of the Mehmed Pasha Mosque and one of the great righteous men, objected to the prince's conduct and was therefore obliged to resign, and withdrew to his place above the Çeribaşı Quarter. He was called "Şehre Küstü" (He Took Offense at the City).
For Prince Mustafa was very fond of literature. He was noble-minded; though devoted to pleasure and amusement, he was generous, brave and prudent. He gathered the people of learning and literature around himself, conversed with them, and loved the beautiful.
The prince's chancellor Hamdî Hamdullah Çelebi, son of Tâceddin Efendi known as "Nefîsoğlu," of the line of Elvân Çelebi, his defterdar Lütfullah Lutfî Bey, and his divan scribe Fazlî Çelebi were among the poets. Kâmî Mehmed Çelebi, son of Kadı Mehmed Efendi, the brother of the kadı Zenbîlî Ali Efendi, Tayyibzade Lutfî Efendi, Seyrekzade Ânî Ahmed Çelebi, Hacı Beyzade Edâyî Bey of the ayanzades, and Zamânî Mahmud Çelebi and Emânî Mehmed Çelebi of the scribal class were his companions in conversation.
These were among the well-known poets. Besides these, in the prince's divan chancery there were also heart-stealing beauties such as Gonca Keyvân, Gül Mehmed, Çiğdem Ali, Lâle-i zâr Hasan, Sünbül Ahmed and Zanbak Bâlî Beys. Each of these possessed honor and chastity, learning and good manners.
Koca Hüsâmeddin Hüseyin, Molla Bahşîzade Kemâleddin İbrahim, Köprücükzade Sinâneddin Yusuf, Hakalalı Seyyid Muhyiddin Mehmed, the mufassir Şemseddin Ahmed, Küçük Muhyiddin Mehmed, and Cum'a and Ca'fer Efendis, among the most valuable scholars of this time, were the persons from whose affection and conversation the prince benefited most. Küçük Muhyiddin Efendi was known as "Memik Çelebi."
Among the great sheikhs, Şücâ'eddin İlyas Efendi, known as "Molla Şeyh," İmâmzade Hayreddin Hızır Efendi, known as "Îcâdî," and Muhyiddin Mehmed Efendi, known as "Yamak Şeyh," were persons the prince greatly respected.
In the year 951 [1544-45], when Kemâleddin İbrahim Efendi wrote and presented in the prince's name his work "Masârif-i Beytü'l-Mâl" (The Expenditures of the State Treasury), which criticized the prince's extravagance, he had received compliments and a reward.
In the year 952 [1545-46] the mufti of Amasya, Sinan Efendi, one of the well-known scholars, died. In his place Akşehirli Sa'dî Efendi, one of the professors of the Sahn-ı Semân at Istanbul, came as mufti of Amasya and professor of the Sultâniyye.
In the year 953 [1546-47] the prince's teacher Hayreddin Hızır Efendi of Merzifon died. In his place Gelibolulu Surûrî Mustafa Efendi came from Istanbul. Sun'ullâh Bey, one of the sanjak beys, had come to the prince as lala. Likewise Selâmzade the other Muhyiddin Mehmed Efendi became kadı of Amasya.
In the year 954 [1547-48] Velî Pasha, guardian of Amasya and manager of the prince's affairs, died. In his place Manisalı Ca'fer Pasha came from Istanbul as guardian of Amasya. He took on the prince's vizierate.
In the month of Sha'ban of the year 954, Sheikh Hüsâmeddin Efendizade Sinâneddin Yusuf Efendi of Amasya, known as "Muhaşşî Sinan Efendi," went from the kadılık of Istanbul to kazasker of Anatolia. That year Seydî Ali Efendizade Abdurrahman Efendi, another Amasyan, had become kadı of Edirne.
In the month of Rabi' al-Awwal of the year 955 [1548-49], Sultan Süleyman, going to the Iranian war, had come to Sivas. His prince, Sultan Mustafa, governor of Amasya, set out from Amasya and went to Sivas to visit his father. In the month of Rabi' al-Akhir, with his father's permission, he returned to Amasya.
In the same year, in the month of Jumada al-Awwal, the mufti of Amasya, Sa'dî Efendi, who objected to everything, was dismissed. Muhyiddin Mehmed Efendi, known as "Molla Cürcân," one of the professors of the Sahn, became mufti of Amasya and professor of the Sultâniyye. Immediately afterward the kadı of Amasya too went, and in his place Manisalı Senâyî Mehmed Efendi, one of the poets, came as kadı of Amasya.
In the year 956 [1549], at Iran's instigation, the Georgians attacked Erzurum and martyred the beylerbeyi Musa Pasha. Sultan Mustafa was extremely affected by this. He informed the grand vizier Rüstem Pasha the Albanian of the situation and asked permission to punish the Georgians. But his request was not fulfilled.
That year, since Baltacı Mehmed Pasha, beylerbeyi of Sivas, was assigned to the protection of Baghdad, Yahşî Beyzade Ahmed Pasha of Amasya came to Amasya as beylerbeyi of Sivas. He was a guest of prince Sultan Mustafa and a few days later went to Sivas.
In the year 957 [1550] the Iranian brigands again crossed the border and plundered towns and villages and disturbed the people extremely. Prince Mustafa wrote these matters too in detail to Rüstem Pasha. He asked that help be sent and requested permission. To this too he received no reply. That year Alâeddin Ali Efendi, son of İbrahim Efendi of Amasya, became kadı of Amasya.
In the month of Muharram of the year 958 [1551], to complete their mourning ceremony, the Iranians re-enacted the event of Karbala in the villages and towns on the border. Prince Sultan Mustafa, extremely disturbed by this, sent another heart-burning letter of lament, dated 19 Muharram 958, written by Surûrî Efendi's pen. Rüstem Pasha paid no heed to this either.
But on the arrival of this letter of lament, Rüstem Pasha summoned Lala Ca'fer Pasha, the prince's vizier, to Istanbul. In his place he sent Boşnak Ahmed Bey, bey of Kostendil, with the rank of beylerbeyi. Ahmed Pasha took on the prince's vizierate.
The prince's teacher Surûrî Efendi wrote the Gülistan Commentary at Amasya in the name of prince Sultan Mustafa and presented it, completing it in the year 958. Surûrî Efendi was both the prince's teacher and his confidant.
Ahmed Pasha was a man trained in the palace, intelligent, agreeable and officious. By behaving in ways that would win the prince's heart he had gained his trust. For this reason in the year 959 [1552] Sultan Mustafa gave his eldest daughter Fâtıma Sultan to Ahmed Pasha. He made the pasha his son-in-law.
Yet this kinship had made Rüstem Pasha suspicious. Rüstem Pasha wanted to secure the throne of the sultanate for his brother-in-law Sultan Bayezid. He was constantly trying to make prince Sultan Mustafa fall out of favor.
For Sultan Bayezid was the full brother of Mihrimah Sultan, Rüstem Pasha's wife. He knew that if prince Sultan Mustafa's request were fulfilled, the prince would show feats of bravery and merit that would win favor. Because of this treacherous conduct of Rüstem Pasha the people of Erzurum had suffered great harm.
Rüstem Pasha accused the prince of making preparations to attempt a revolt and Ahmed Pasha of encouraging it; by fabricating such terrible tales and proclaiming them in the language of the army, he had thrown Sultan Süleyman into extreme suspicion.
After long talks and consultations between Sultan Süleyman and Rüstem Pasha, Rüstem Pasha persuaded Sultan Süleyman to the execution of the poor prince. In order to carry out this terrible murder easily and without letting an incident arise, an Iranian campaign was announced, and prince Sultan Mustafa was summoned with his army.
Prince Sultan Mustafa, in order to please his father, organized and equipped his army of forty thousand in perfect order and set out from Amasya at the beginning of the month of Ramadan of the year 960 [1553]. He left his lala Sun'ullâh Bey in his place as deputy governor. His vizier Ahmed Pasha went along with him.
Sultan Süleyman too, with all his viziers and army, set out from Üsküdar on the eighteenth of Ramadan and alighted at a place called Aköyük in Karaman Ereğlisi. Prince Sultan Mustafa came here too. At the moment he entered the sultan's tent with great pomp, with his father's permission, in his father's presence, he was beheaded by the hand of the executioner called Zâl Mahmud, on the twentieth of the month of Shawwal, on a Friday.
After this, with the execution of poor Ahmed Pasha, the prince's chief groom Mahmud Ağa and a few servants, Rüstem Pasha's crimes were compounded. In the end, at the outcry and mourning that broke out in the army, Rüstem Pasha was removed from the grand vizierate; Kara Ahmed Pasha, the second vizier, who was his brother, became grand vizier. For the prince's martyrdom the chronogram "Mekr-i Rüstem 960" (Rüstem's Ruse) was found.
Gülşenîzade Fethullah Ârif Efendi in the "Şehnâme-i Osmânî" narrates the date of prince Sultan Mustafa's martyrdom as follows. The meaning of the Persian couplets is this:
On Friday, at the hour of prayer, that prince went to the abode of eternity.
Let those who say "mercy on the shahs" say it, so that the people of the world may take warning from him.
On the same Friday, at the hour of prayer, an auspicious date remained of him.
That Friday was in the month of Shawwal; the prince's body was soaked in blood.
When Hüsâmî became the date of that year, it was the same Friday, the month of Shawwal.
Prince Sultan Mustafa had a son named Süleyman Çelebi. He was strangled at Amasya and buried in the tomb of the princes. He also had two daughters, named Fâtıma Sultan and Râziye Sultan. These were also transferred to Istanbul. This is the famous "Râziye Kadın."
In the month of Sha'ban of the year 958 [1551], Muhaşşî Sinan Efendi of Amasya was removed from the kazaskerlik of Anatolia, and in the month of Shawwal Abdurrahman Efendi of Amasya became kazasker of Rumeli. Likewise Ramazanzade Mehmed Çelebi of Merzifon had become defter emini.
The sanjak of Amasya, vacated by prince Sultan Mustafa's martyrdom, was again attached to the province of Sivas; the said defter emini Mehmed Çelebi was appointed to its beylik. Hearing of this martyrdom, the kadı of Amasya Alâeddin Ali Efendi chose retirement, and Mustafa Efendi, one of the great kadıs, came as kadı of Amasya.
Notes and Research
Old Words in the Text
- vâlî: governor, the person who governs a sanjak or province
- lala: the official who conducted a prince's education and affairs
- muhâfız: a high official responsible for the security of the region
- mu'allim: teacher
- nedîm, musâhib: close friend, companion in conversation
- nişancı: the official who authenticated the sultan's decrees with the tughra
- defterdâr: the head of financial affairs
- kazasker: army kadı, one of the highest judicial officials
- vâ'iz: a person who preaches in a mosque
- feryâd-nâme: a letter of lament
- mîrâhûr: chief groom, master of the stable
- i'dâm: putting to death, execution
- defter emîni: the official responsible for registers and records
- tekâ'üd: retirement
- dâmâd: son-in-law
The Problem of the Appointment Year
Hüsameddin ties Prince Mustafa's coming to Amasya to the year 945, that is, 1538-39. The encyclopedia entry and thesis studies, however, write that the prince left Manisa on 21 Safar 948 (16 June 1541) and was sent to Amasya. The difference is thus about three years. There is also an article that gives 1538, but the source it relies on could not be examined. In a footnote Hüsameddin notes that in most Turkish histories there is no clear record of the prince's governorship of Amasya; to support his own view he lists Celâlzade's Tabakât-ı Memâlik, Matrakçı Nasuh's history, the preface at the beginning of Kemâleddin İbrahim's Masârif-i Beytü'l-Mâl and the note at the end of Surûrî's Gülistan Commentary, and says that in all the financial records and registers of decrees the prince is entered as governor of Amasya from this date until his death. Present-day studies in general converge on the date 1541, but which date Hüsameddin's sources give should be tested separately. It is also known that the sending to Amasya in 1541 is interpreted as the prince's being removed from Manisa, near Istanbul, through Hürrem Sultan's influence.
The Learned and Literary Circle at Amasya
The longest part of the entry lists the scholars, kadıs, muftis, preachers and poets around the prince. Prince Mustafa himself also wrote poetry; it is written that he used the pen names Muhlisî and Ahdî in his poems. Of the poets around him, it is reported that Kara Fazlı wrote in the prince's name the Gül ü Bülbül mesnevi, well known in that period, and that Senâyî came from Manisa to Amasya with the prince. Events such as Sheikh Sinan Efendi's receiving the nickname "Şehre Küstü" and the dismissal of Akşehirli Sa'dî Efendi are likewise repeated, relying on Hüsameddin, in the thesis written on Prince Mustafa. This shows that Hüsameddin's list is one of the basic sources for later research. The work "Masârif-i Beytü'l-Mâl" in the text, although it criticized the prince's expenditures, brought its author a reward; this detail shows the prince's tolerance of criticism.
The Letters of Lament
The trace of the letters Prince Mustafa wrote to Rüstem Pasha about the raids on the Iranian border is also found in other sources. The encyclopedia entry mentions a letter of lament from the prince dated 19 Muharram 958 (27 January 1551) and writes that this appeal was not favorably received; Hüsameddin gives the same date. In a footnote Hüsameddin notes that he saw and copied these letters in a collection, but that the collection burned and he forgot its number. He therefore could not relay his own copy. In another letter from the Amasya period, the prince asks his father's permission to move against someone said to be in revolt.
Details of the Death
Hüsameddin gives the day of death as the twentieth of the month of Shawwal, a Friday. The encyclopedia entries write 27 Shawwal 960, that is, Friday 6 October 1553. For the place, besides the spellings "Aköyük" and "Akhüyük" the name "Aktepe" also appears; all point to the same place near Konya Ereğlisi. On the manner of death, Hüsameddin says "he was beheaded"; the encyclopedia entry, however, writes that seven mute executioners attacked and that the prince died under the cord of Mahmud Ağa, one of the gatekeepers. In a footnote Hüsameddin says that the executioner was Zâl Mahmud Pasha, who later became vizier and son-in-law, and that Süleyman gave him this nickname on that occasion. In some sources the name of the wrestler and palace servant Zâl Mahmud Ağa also appears. The force with the prince appears in Hüsameddin as forty thousand men, in the encyclopedia entry as five thousand. This difference is large; the figure of forty thousand should be sought separately in the sources Hüsameddin relied on. The accuracy of the account that the sultan watched the killing of his son from a compartment of the tent is found doubtful in the encyclopedia entry.
Rüstem Pasha and Afterward
Hüsameddin mentions Kara Ahmed Pasha as Rüstem Pasha's brother. The encyclopedia entry written on Kara Ahmed Pasha states plainly that this information is not correct; it writes that the pasha was married to Süleyman's sister Fatma Sultan. Kara Ahmed Pasha was strangled to death on 29 September 1555 as he came to a divan meeting, and Rüstem Pasha became grand vizier again. Rüstem Pasha's removal from office after the prince's death was to calm the reaction in the army; it is written that Süleyman, understanding that this reaction was beginning to be directed at Rüstem Pasha, chose this course. The encyclopedia entry notes that the prince too made certain attempts so as not to lose his right to the throne; it also points to the discontent of villagers and sipahis, distressed by the debased akçe and the rising cost of living, in the background of the event. The claim that Rüstem Pasha had the prince's seal engraved and had a forged letter written to the shah of Iran is mentioned in the encyclopedia; it is also written that Süleyman obtained a fatwa for the execution from the şeyhülislam.
Order of Dates
The kazasker appointments in the last section of the entry are tied to the months of Sha'ban and Shawwal 958, yet in the same paragraph it is said that Ramazanzade Mehmed Çelebi of Merzifon became defter emini, and the paragraph comes after the prince's death. According to the encyclopedia entry, Ramazanzade's rise to defter eminliği was in the year 960 (1553). The date 958 in the paragraph may therefore be a slip of the pen or a misreading of 960. Details such as the killing of Musa Pasha, beylerbeyi of Erzurum, by the Georgians and Rüstem Pasha's not answering the prince's requests for help could not be found in other sources; these should be read as Hüsameddin relates them.
Family and the Tomb
His body, after the funeral prayer at Ereğli, was taken to Bursa and buried in the Muradiye Complex beside the tomb of Murad II. The tomb that Selim II had built has an octagonal body and a lead-covered dome; its interior is covered with sixteenth-century tiles and it has survived to the present day. Hüsameddin writes that the prince's son named Süleyman Çelebi was strangled at Amasya and buried in the tomb of the princes. The encyclopedia entry, however, says that the young son Mehmed, who was with his mother, was strangled. Whether these two are the same child, that is, how the names Süleyman and Mehmed are reconciled, could not be resolved in this study. In some sources the names of the daughters appear as Nergisşah and Şah Sultan; Hüsameddin says Fâtıma and Râziye Sultan.
The False Mustafa and Amasya
A year after the prince's death a rising broke out in Rumeli in his name. This event is known as "Düzme Mustafa" (the False Mustafa); the thesis study relates that Süleyman, while wintering at Amasya, could not prevent this movement in Rumeli. Amasya began to lose its character as a princely sanjak after Prince Mustafa's death; after Bayezid's flight to Iran in 1559, no prince served at Amasya at all. Only Manisa gained importance as a princely sanjak. According to some sources, a wax figure showing Prince Mustafa is displayed in the Princes Museum at Amasya.
Bibliography
Primary sources
- Abdîzâde Hüseyin Hüsâmeddîn Yasar, Amasya Tarihi, Amasya Belediyesi Kültür Yayınları, 2022, vol. 3, pp. 504–508. amasya.bel.tr
Academic studies
- Şerafettin Turan, "Mustafa Çelebi", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, vol. 31, Istanbul 2020, pp. 290-292 (https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/mustafa-celebi).
- Erhan Afyoncu, "Rüstem Paşa", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, vol. 35, Istanbul 2008, pp. 288-290 (https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/rustem-pasa).
- Feridun Emecen, "Kara Ahmed Paşa", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, vol. 24, Istanbul 2001, pp. 357-358 (https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/kara-ahmed-pasa).
- Semra Güler, Şehzade Mustafa'nın Hayatı (1515-1553) ve Türbesi, Uludağ Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, master's thesis, Bursa 2011 (https://acikerisim.uludag.edu.tr/server/api/core/bitstreams/9a869e7a-300f-4995-9140-e0fdf233f8db/content).
- Selim Özcan, "Amasya'da Sancak Beyliği Yapan Şehzadeler Döneminde Amasya Şehri", DergiPark (https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/19685).
- "Amasya", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi (https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/amasya).
Official sources
Books
- Funda Demirtaş, "Şehzade Mustafa'nın Öldürülmesi: Tahlilî Bir Yaklaşım", Bilimname, XVIII, 2010/1, pp. 205-227.
Other sources