Visit to Sultán Orkhán’s Tomb.
Sultán Orkhán died in the year 771 (1369), he is buried with his father Osmán beneath a cupola in the mosque of the inner castle; he died, after a reign of forty-one years, at the age of sixty-four; he was a mild monarch, a father to the poor, and a warrior in the ways of God. The divines of his time were David Kaissarí of Caramania, he was named Kaissarí because he was brought up at Cæsarea, he commented on the text of Mohay-ud-dín Arabí and was a second Taftazání in mystic science. He was the first Professor (Muderris) of the College which Sultán Orkhán built at Nicæa. Molá Ala-ud-dín commonly called Eswed Khojá (the black master) who commented doctrinally on the work Moghní-ul-lebíb and also on the book, Wikayit. Molá Jenderelí Kará Khalíl, who was first created Kází-asker of Anatolia by Orkhán. Molá Hassan Kaissarí, one of the greatest Jurisconsults; he wrote a good commentary on Andalusian prosody, he was a disciple of Mohay-ud-dín, and completed his education at Damascus.
Notice of Hájí Begtásh, the great Saint.
When young he never mixed with other boys but sought retirement and scorned all worldly pursuits. He refused to accept the dignity of Sultán which was offered him by his father, who died a Prince in Khorassán. Forty years long he did nothing but pray and fast, and arrived at such a degree of perfection, that in the night, during his sleep, his soul migrated from his body into the world of spirits, and he became filled with the mystic science of spirits, and divine knowledge. One Day the men of Khorassán asked him to perform a miracle as a proof of his sanctity; he then performed many miracles, and was acknowledged by all the great men of Khorassán to be their superior. My ancestor, the pole of poles, the Sultán of learning, the fountain head of science, the chief of the Sheikhs of Turkistán, Khojá Ahmed Yessúí Ibn Mohammed Hanefí, was his disciple, and hinted that he had received from him even the gift of direction to bliss (Irshád), and of true Dervishship, which Gabriel brought from Paradise, with its symbols, the crown, the habit, the carpet, the lamp, the table, and the banner, to Mohammed the true fountain-head of all Dervishship. The prophet delivered the direction to Imám Alí, from whom it came to his son Hossein, who bequeathed it to Imám Zein-ul-ábedín, who left it to Ibrahím Almokerrem, who when in the prison of Merván handed over to Abú Moslim, the crown and gown, carpet and table, lamp and banner, the symbols of Dervishship. From him they came to the Imám Mohammed Báker, then to his son Imám Ja’fer, and to his son Mússa Kázím, and from him to Ahmed Yessúí the head of the Sheikhs of Turkistán, who being asked by his disciples to leave to them the aforesaid symbols, never consented till Hájí Begtásh made his appearance, who became by the possession of it, the pole of the poles (Kutbal-atkáb).
Hájí Begtásh of Khorassán was the son of the Seyyid Ibrahím Mokerrem, who died in the prison of Merván, as it has been just said, and there is no doubt of his descent in direct lineage from the Prophet; the history of Ain Alí gives, however, the following genealogy: Seyyid Mohammed Hájí Begtásh, the son of Seyyid Músá Nishabúrí, son of Seyyid Ishak Essákin, son of Seyyid Ibrahím Mokerrem El-askerí, son of Seyyid Mússa Ebí Sebha, son of Seyyid Ibrahím Elmurteza, son of Imám Músa Alkázim, who had thirty-seven children. Hájí Begtásh’s father left Khorassán after his father’s death and established himself at Nishabúr, where he married Khatmeh the daughter of Sheikh Ahmed and by her had Hájí Begtásh. While yet a boy he was distinguished for his devotion, and was entrusted to the care of Lokmán, one of the disciples of Ahmed Yessúí, from whom he learned the exoteric and esoteric sciences. Lokmán had been invested with the religious habit of Imám Ja’fer by the hand of Báyazíd Bostámí. With this habit Lokmán invested Hájí Begtásh. This is the crown or turban which has twelve folds in remembrance of the twelve Imáms, and the white abbá with sleeves like a jubbeh, which is worn by the Dervishes of the order of Begtásh. By order of Ahmed Yessúí he accompanied Mohammed Bokhara Sáltik with seven hundred men, Shems-ud-dín Tebrízí, Mohay-ud-dín Al-arebí, Kárí Ahmed Sultán, and other pious men and Saints into Rúm, where the Ottoman dynasty took its rise.
Hájí Begtásh instituted the new militia called Yenícherí, and having established his seven hundred disciples in the towns conquered by Sultán Orkhán, he sent Mohammed Bokhara Sárí Sáltik into Dobrúja, Wallachia, Moldavia, Poland and Russia. The seven hundred convents of Dervishes, Begtáshí, which actually exist in Turkey, are derived from the seven hundred disciples of Hájí Begtásh. Hájí Begtásh died in Sultán Orkhán’s reign, and was buried in his presence in the capital of Crimea, where a Tátár princess raised a monument over his tomb. This monument having fallen into decay Sheitán Murád, a Beg of Cæsarea of Sultán Súleimán’s time, restored and covered it with lead. If it please God we shall describe it in its proper place. Sheikh Seyyid Ahmed Ruffa’í, buried at Ladika near Amasia. Sheikh Hassan Rufa’í, buried at Tokát near Sunbullí, was the nephew of the former. Sheikh Geigli Bábá was a Dervish of the Begtáshís. Sheikh Kárá Ahmed Sultán a Persian prince, who when on his travels came to Sultán Orkhán, was initiated by Hájí Begtásh, and is buried at Ak-hissár. Sheikh Abdál Mússa Súltán, and Sheikh Abdál Murád, both of Sultán Orkhán’s time.
Short account of Sultán Murád I.
He gave caps (Úskúfa) to the janissaries, embroidered with gold; built a mosque at Bilejk, another mosque at Brússa and a convent for Postín Púsh Bábá. He was assassinated in the year 791, after the battle of Khassova, by Milosh Kúblakí. A cupola is erected over the spot, which was renewed by my gracious Lord Melek Ahmed Páshá.
Tomb of Sultán Murád I. Khodavendkiár.
He is buried on the west side of Brússa near old Kaplíjah, beneath a large cupola. His arrow, bow and quiver are suspended over his tomb, with the bloody garment in which he was killed, which fills with awe all who enter this monument. He was seventy years of age at his death, and had reigned thirty.