Defeat of Tekelí Mustafá Pashá.
The Venetians having ravaged the native country of Yúsuf Páshá, the conqueror of Canea, who was a Croatian by birth, and having brought over to their interests the Uskoks, the inhabitants of those countries, Tekelí Páshá was nominated commander, and besieged the castle of Sebenico in the Adriatic sea for forty days. On the fortieth day they were driven from the trenches by a dreadful storm, after which they assembled in the plain of Vanul near Sebenico. The next morning they found themselves surrounded by many thousands of banners bearing the cross, and a bloody engagement ensued, in which 22,000 Moslems were slain, 18,000 made prisoners, and the whole camp fell into the hands of the infidels. I, the humble Evliyá, was present at this unfortunate battle, being in one of the regiments of Janissaries; and in order to save myself, I fled on horseback towards the mountains of Ghulámúj, where I left my horse, entered a thick forest, and remained concealed seven days and nights, living upon roots and herbs. The infidels then advanced to Kilisa, where they pitched the Ottoman tents, and the commander-in-chief even put on the turban of Tekelí Mustafá Páshá. The garrison, deceived by this stratagem, came out without fear to meet the diván, whilst the infidels rushed in, and thus became masters of that strong hold. Such misfortunes never befel the Ottoman empire as those which followed the defeat at Sebenico. The ships with pilgrims were captured by the Venetians, as was also the imperial fleet on its annual cruise in the Mediterranean; and the whole were carried to Venice.
Character of Sultán Ibráhím.
Kara Mustafá Páshá, the brave and sagacious vezír, being put to death, the Sultán fell into the hands of all the favourites and associates of the harem, the dwarfs, the mutes, the eunuchs, the women, particularly Jinjí Khoájeh, and the vezír Ahmed Hazár-pára Páshá, who corrupted him to such a degree that he received bribes from his own vezírs. He lavished the treasures of Egypt on his favourite women Políeh, Sheker Pára, Tellí, and Sájbághlí Khásekí; and squandered his revenues in circumcision feasts, building koshks lined with sable, and in presents to his favourite Jinjí Khoájeh, who at last, with the vezír Ahmed, fell under the displeasure of the public. So loud was the cry for vengeance, that the vezír was obliged to call to his assistance the Ottoman troops who had served in Candia under the command of Delí Husain Páshá. Jinjí Khoájeh, the favourite, was constantly about the person of the Sultán, the vezír, or the válideh; and whenever the latter went out in the carriage or the chair, he always accompanied her. When any gave good advice he laughed in their faces, and by his flattering conversation, he kept the Sultán in a state of constant lethargy: in short, he knew nothing of state affairs. He was originally called Shaikh-zádeh, and attended with me at the college of Hámid Efendí. I was then reading the Káfiyeh with Jámí’s commentary, under my worthy tutor Akhfash Efendí, when this boy was taken from his grammar into the presence of the Sultán, whose favour he obtained by reading several tales, and lulled him into the sleep of carelessness. He then received the name of Jinjí Khoájeh. As I was well acquainted with him, I knew that he had no taste for the secret sciences; and that the rise of his brilliant star would only tend to his own misfortune and that of the empire.
At length Murád Aghá arrived from Candia to the assistance of the Sultán; but the latter having demanded of him a present of one thousand purses, seventy sable skins, and two female slaves, he put himself at the head of the Sipáhís and Janissaries, who turned out in the At-maidán in open rebellion. Sultán Ibráhím was confined in a part of the palace called Sircheh-seráï, and his son Mohammed IV. was proclaimed emperor. The divines and vezírs made obeisance to him; Dervísh Mohammed was named grand vezír, and Murád, ághá of the Janissaries. The day after, Ahmed Páshá, the late vezír, who had concealed himself, was discovered and torn to pieces by the populace, as were also Yani Sireh and Jinjí, and their bodies were thrown out upon the At-maidán. The rest of the favourites were either killed or exiled. Of the favourite women, Sheker-pára was banished to Ibrím, the rest were confined in the old Seráï, or distributed amongst the vezírs. On the morning of the 25th of Rajab, Sultán Mohammed proceeded in state to the mosque of Eyúb, to be invested with the sword. On his return, he visited the tomb of his ancestor Mohammed II. and then took his seat in the Khás-ódá. In the mean time a report was circulated through the city that Sultán Ibráhím had escaped from his confinement, and that he was supported by a party of the Bóstánjís. In consequence of this report, many thousands were in an uproar, and proceeded armed to the At-maidán, where they received a fetvá, or warrant for the execution of Ibráhím Abdu-r-rahmán Efendí. The grand vezír, Murád, Emír-Páshá, and some of the first officers of government, also assembled in the Sircheh Seráï. The vezír, with many blows, obliged Kara Alí, the executioner, to enter the Sircheh Seráï and do his work. Ibráhím asked: “Master Alí, wherefore art thou come?” He replied, “My emperor, to perform your funeral service.” To this, Ibráhím replied, “We shall see.” Alí then fell upon him; and whilst they were struggling, one of Alí’s assistants came in, and Ibráhím was finally strangled with a garter. This happened in 1058 (1648). Kara Alí received a reward of five hundred ducats, and was urged to remain no longer at Constantinople, but to proceed on a pilgrimage to Mecca. The corpse of the emperor was washed before the Khás-ódá, and the last prayers were read under the cypresses before the Díván-Kháneh, in the presence of all the vezírs, and of Sultán Mohammed himself, the Shaikh-ul-Islám acting as Imám. The vezírs wore black veils, and horses covered with black were led before the coffin, which was deposited in the mausoleum of Sultán Mustafá I., the uncle of Sultán Ibráhím.
Reign of Sultán Mohammed IV., which may God perpetuate!
This emperor ascended the throne on Saturday the 18th of Rajab 1058 (1648), being then seven years old. Not a single falús was found in the treasury, and it was evidently necessary to collect some money by executing those who had squandered it away in the time of Sultán Murád, to make the usual largess to the troops. From the property of Jinjí were realized 3,000 purses; from that of the late vezír, 5,000; and from that of Sheker-pára, 1,000; so that on Tuesday the 5th of Sha’bán, 3,700 purses were distributed as presents, and 7,000 purses as arrears of pay. Three thousand Janissaries, who had been proscribed and ordered to march to Baghdád, and the same number of Sepáhís destined for Candia, although they had no claim to the largess, received 1,000 purses; and the whole army were highly satisfied. On the 11th of Sha’bán, the largess was distributed amongst the servants of the Seráí. The cooks and confectioners, not having received any thing, rebelled, on which account the Kilárjí-báshí was disgraced.
Personal description of Sultán Mohammed.
Though very weak when he mounted the throne, he acquired strength when, at the age of twenty, he took to field sports. He had broad shoulders, stout limbs, a tall figure, like his father Ibráhím; a powerful fist, like his uncle Murád, open forehead, grey eyes, a ruddy countenance, and an agreeable voice, and his carriage was princely, in short, that of an emperor. The astrologers had predicted to Sultán Ibráhím that he should have a son called Yúsuf (Joseph), and possessing the beauty of a Joseph, who would subdue the nations from the east to the west, and quell all external and internal commotions. When his mother was near her time, Ibráhím took an oath, that if it were a male child, he would name him after the person who should first bring him the good news. By the decree of God, he received the intelligence from Yúsuf, the Imám of the palace, who at the same time read the confession of faith over the young prince, calling him Yúsuf, which name he had only seven hours; the favourites and women of the palace having insinuated that Yúsuf was a slave’s name, and that Mohammed would sound much better, he was accordingly named Mohammed, though in truth he grew up beautiful as Yúsuf. He had a small beard, large mustaches, and was much devoted to field sports.