Vezírs of the Kubba (Cupola).
Káïmmakám Kásim Páshá. Khádem Ahmed Páshá. Háfiz Sárikjí Mustafá Páshá. Súfí Sinán Páshá. Khezr Páshá. Gúrjí Khádem Mohammed Páshá, who was made grand vezír in the time of Sultán Mustafa. Etmekjí Zádeh Ahmed Páshá. Kúrd Páshá. Gúzeljeh Mahmúd Páshá. Jegháleh Zádeh Sinán Páshá. Jegháleh Zádeh Mahmúd Páshá, son of Sinán Páshá.
Celebrated Divines.
Mollá Mustafa Efendí, was Shaikh ul Islám, when the Sultán ascended the throne. Mollá Sana’allah Efendí. Mollá Mohammed Efendí, son of Sa’d-ud-dín Efendí, known by the name of Chelebí Muftí. Mollá Shaikh ul Islám Asa’d Efendí. Mollá Mustafa Efendí, tutor to the Sultán. Mollá Káf Zádeh Efendí. Mollá Yehíá Efendí. Mollá Dámád Efendí. Mollá Kemál Efendí, better known by the name of Tásh Koprí Zádeh. Mollá Kehiyá Mustafá Efendí. Mollá Bostán Zádeh Mohammed Efendí. Mollá Husain Efendí. Mollá Ghaní Zádeh Mohammed Efendí.
Masháiekh or Learned Men.
Mahmúd of Uskudár (Scutari). Abdulmajíd of Sívás. Omar, known better by the name of Tarjumán Shaikh (interpreter). Shaikh Emír Ishtipí. Ibrahím, otherwise Jerráh Páshá, a disciple of the last-mentioned; Mussaleh ud-dín Nakshbendí, the Imám or chaplain of the Sultán.
Conquests &c. of the reign of Sultán Ahmed.
The grand vezír dies at Belgrade, and Bochkái appears in Hungary in the year 1012 (1604). Conquest of Osterghún (Gran); and Bochkái and Serkhúsh Ibrahim Páshá extend their depredations to the very walls of Vienna. Engagement between the rebels in Anadólí and Nasúh Páshá; the Káïm-makám Mustafa Páshá is executed. The grand vezír Sufí Sinán Páshá is deposed, 1014 (1605). Nasúh Páshá is appointed to conduct the expedition against Aleppo; Koja Mohammed Páshá is appointed to lead the expedition against the Persians and is afterwards created grand vezír. Murád Páshá, Dervísh Páshá, Bostánjí Ferhád Páshá, and Jelálí Murád Páshá, are all alternately made vezírs; and the execution of Dervísh Páshá, in 1015 (1606). Kapújí Murád Páshá is appointed commander of the forces sent to Haleb against Jánpúlád Zádeh; the country about Brúsa is laid waste by the rebel Kalender Oghlí; capture of Haleb by Murád Páshá; defeat of Kalender Oghlí; and the appearance of the rebel Múmjí, 1016 (1607). Yúsuf Páshá killed at Uskudár (Scutari) by the rebels; and the grand vezír sacks Tabríz and seventy other Persian towns 1019 (1610). Death of Murád Páshá at Chulenk near Díárbekr; Nasúh Páshá is made commander-in-chief in 1021 (1612). Betlen is installed king of Transylvania, which country is taken possession of, and 200,000 prisoners are carried off, besides immense plunder. In the same year the illustrious emperor undertook a journey to Adrianople. The cossacks of the black sea plunder and burn Sinope, and Nasúh Páshá being suspected is put to death, 1023 (1614). Mahmúd Páshá, his successor, returns without success from the siege of Eriván, in 1024 (1616). In 1026 (1616) Khalíl Páshá is created grand vezír, and the illustrious Sultán Ahmed dies in the month of Zilkadeh. During his auspicious reign Islámból enjoyed the greatest tranquility. One of his grandest monuments is the mosque which he built in the At-maidán (Hipodrome), which we are now about to describe and thus resume the description of the imperial mosques with which we commenced. It is situated on an elevated spot, its Kibla side being near the Chateldí gate, and commanding a view of the sea. Sultán Ahmed purchased five vezírs’ palaces which stood on this spot, pulled them down, and with the blessed Mahmúd Efendí, of Scutari, and our teacher Evliya Efendí, laid the foundations of this mosque. The Sultán himself took a quantity of earth, and threw it upon the foundation. Evliya Efendí performed the functions of the Imám of the foundation-ceremony; Mahmúd Efendí those of the Kází (judge); Kalender Páshá those of the Mo’tamid (counsellor); and Kemán-kesh Alí Páshá those of the Názir (inspector). In three years they commenced the dome.
Description of the Mosque of Sultán Ahmed.
The cupola is seventy feet high and is supported by four massive pillars, and four demi cupolas. It has no large columns within like those of Ayá Sofíá and the Soleïmánieh. Along three sides of it runs a gallery (tabaka) for the congregation, supported by small columns, and over that a second gallery, from which is suspended a treble row of lamps reaching half way to the first gallery. The mahfil of the Moazzíns is supported by small pillars like the mahfil of the emperor. The minber, or pulpit, is of variegated marble and sculptured in the most tasteful manner. On the top of it is a most magnificent crown, and over that is suspended a golden banner. The pen fails in attempting to describe the beauty of the mehráb, on both sides of which are candlesticks, containing lighted candles each weighing twenty quintals. On the left side of the mehráb between two windows there is a fine view of a most extraordinary square rock, which is certainly one of the wonders of creation. All the windows are ornamented with painted glass; and behind the two pillars, as in the Soleïmánieh, there are fountains of ever-flowing water, where the faithful may perform their ablutions or satisfy their thirst. The mosque has five gates. On the right-hand corner is the gate of the Khatíb (or reader of the Khotba). On the left-hand corner, beneath the mehráb of the Sultán, is the gate of the Imám. Two lofty gates open on both sides of the building. The ascent to these four gates is by a flight of marble steps. The fifth and largest gate is that of the Kibla, facing the mehráb. No mosque can boast of such precious hanging ornaments as those of this, which by the learned in jewels are valued at one hundred treasuries of Egypt; for Sultán Ahmed being a prince of the greatest generosity and the finest taste, used all his jewels, and the presents which he received from foreign sovereigns, in ornamenting the mosque. The most extraordinary ornaments are the six emerald candelabra which are suspended in the emperor’s mehráb, and which were sent as a present by Ja’fer Páshá, the governor of Abyssinia. The sockets, each of which weighs eight okkas, are suspended by golden chains, and terminate in golden feet with green enamel. The experienced and learned have estimated the value of each of these candelabra equal to one year’s tribute of Rúmeïlí. In short, it is a most wonderful and costly mosque, and to describe it baffles the eloquence of any tongue. Some hundred copies of the Korán lying near the mehráb, on gilt desks inlaid with mother-o’-pearl, are presents from sultáns and vezírs. The library consists of 9,000 volumes marked with the toghra of the Sultán, the care of which is entrusted to the Mutavellí (curator) of the mosque. On the outside, facing the mehráb, is a most delightful garden, where the sweet notes of a thousand nightingales give life to the dead-hearted, and the fragrant odour of its flowers and fruits gratifies the senses of the faithful assembled to prayer. The size of the mosque is the same as that of the princes of Soleïmán. The court is a square paved with marble, and has stone benches running along the four sides. The windows are guarded with brass gratings: in the centre of the square plays a fountain of the purest water, for the use of the faithful: it is however only used for drinking, not for ablutions. The court has three gates. The kibla gate, facing the chief entrance and mehráb of the mosque, is a masterpiece of art, being of solid brass, twelve feet high, and the astonishment of all who behold it. On the brass plates which form this gate are carved oranges and arabesques, intermingled with flowers of pure silver and with precious stones, and ornamented with rings, locks, and bars of silver. It is indeed a most wonderful gate. Some say that it was brought from Osterghún (Grán), where it adorned the Roman church; but this is a mistake, for the famous gate at Osterghún was carried off when the infidels retook that city, and it now adorns, as the chief-door, the church of St. Stephen at Vienna. The gate of this mosque was made under the superintendence of my father, Dervísh Mohammed, at the time when he was chief of the goldsmiths. The two inscriptions on brass were engraved by his own hand. On the outside of the windows of the court there are several covered porches supported by small columns, in which, when the assembly within is too great, many of the faithful perform their devotions; and the Hindú fakírs find shelter. The six lofty minárs of this mosque are divided into sixteen stories, because it is the sixteenth royal mosque of Islámból, and the founder of it, Sultán Ahmed, was the sixteenth of the Ottoman emperors. Two minárs rise on the right and left of the mehráb, two others on the north and south gates of the court, each three stories high, which make in all twelve stories. The roofs and gilded crescents, which are twenty cubits high, dazzle the eye with their splendour. The two minárs on the corners of the court are lower and have only two stories; their roofs are covered with lead. On the sacred nights these six minárs are lighted up with 12,000 lamps, so that they resemble as many fiery cypresses. The cupolas are all covered with lead. This mosque being richly founded, has seven hundred and fifty attendants attached to it. The tribute of Ghalata and many other pious bequests (wakf) constitute its revenue. The outside of the court is a large sandy level planted with trees, and surrounded by a wall which has eight gates. On the north is the gate of the college, and near it is the mausoleum of Sultán Ahmed. Three gates open towards the At-maidán (Hippodrome). All these gates are made of iron like those of a fortress. On the south-east of the At-maidán are the pious establishments belonging to the mosque, the kitchen for the poor (imáret), the dining-hall (dár-uz-zíáfat), the hospital (tímár-kháneh), and the fountain-house (sebíl-kháneh).