Annals of the Turkish Empire, from 1591 to 1659

by Mustafa Naima

In the city of Ancora there lived, at that time, one Ahmed Effendí Zádeh Waldin, who had been present in the royal camp during the war that was carried on against Hungary; and who, from the high opinion entertained of his abilities, was appointed cazí of Ancora, with the view of seeing its unfinished fortifications completed, and of preserving the place against the aggressions of the rebels. When the above messenger, accompanied by four hundred men, presented himself before the city, this judge of the law proposed answering him thus: that it was unlawful to permit an armed troop of criminals to enter the city; that the gates must not be opened to them; and that if it should be necessary to act on the defensive, they would sooner fight than allow them entrance. This decisive method of answering the intruders was not only approved of by the rest of the citizens, but communicated by them to the messengers, who carried it to Kalander. This information enraged him greatly, but he soon hit on a stratagem which he put into practice. He appeared before the walls of the city, and sending a messenger, with conditions of peace, requested the judge of the law to come out and confer with him on certain points; intimating, at the same time, that he would be entirely swayed by the judgment of the reverend Effendí. The judge prepared himself, and came forth with a certain number of horsemen, to meet his opponent, who was attended by his suite; and both, sitting on horseback, entered into close conversation. Kalander commenced thus: “The emperor has assigned to me, in perpetual possession, this province, and has given the adjacent sanjáks to my followers. Why have you declined receiving us into the city? Why have you shut its gates against my herald?” The judge boldly replied, “If this country be conferred on you, as you say, why are you not come with the royal standard unfurled? You have the appearance of a band of robbers. You have trampled down the corn-fields belonging to the Muselmans; you have violently carried away the property of the country; you have driven your cattle into our corn-fields. The eyes of the citizens are afraid to dwell upon public robbers; and their hearts failed them when they heard of your approach. This, then, is the reason why they have shut their gates against your herald. They were alarmed, lest, as soon as you should enter, you would commence the work of cruelty, robbery, and death; but now that you have exhibited the royal pleasure, we are your servants. Therefore, we request that you draw out a list of what you deem necessary, and send it to us by faithful men. But, in order that you may tranquillize the fears of the citizens, it will be proper for you to retire to some considerable distance from their view. When they perceive your peaceful conduct, I shall not fail to do what I can to interest the people of the city in your behalf; then I shall come forth to you into our own camp, and learn from you what honours you will confer on me, in return: as soon as the people are quieted you may enter the city.”

This seemingly gracious reception so intoxicated Kalander and his followers, that about thirty of these wretches, accompanied by their chief’s deputy, actually went into the city and delivered to the judge a list of such things as they principally required—such as trowsers, coats, and other articles. Whilst they were waiting a few days for the articles in question, Kalander’s deputy began to discover the villany of his base nature. In fact, he was hardly two days in the city when he began to lay his hands on the beautiful young females he saw, which exasperated the people to such a degree that they were on the point of murdering him. The judge, at the moment they were about to take summary vengeance on the wretch, interfered and restrained their fury, by representing to them that by their acting in such a manner they would endanger the lives of other Muselmans as well as their own. Under the pretext, therefore, of delivering the audacious wretch out of their hands, he thrust him into prison in the inner fortress. His companions he distributed among different families in the character of guests, as they supposed, where he told them they would receive the rights of hospitality, and where they would be protected from insult in case of any tumult arising. The cazí, in this way, got them all safely lodged within the citadel, and not one of them was able to make his escape.

During this interval, Kalander was impatiently waiting for the return of his men; but he little knew the person he had to deal with. The reverend judge had no sooner secured his prize, than he wrote off an account of the whole affair to Murád Páshá, who, in return, congratulated his correspondent on his adroitness and success; and informed him, by letter, that an army would soon be in pursuit of his visitors, cautioning him, at the same time, to be on the look out. The person who had the charge of this letter was way-laid and intercepted, by which means Kalander became acquainted with the whole of the mystery. He now perceived the design of the cazí, and determined on attacking the city: but he was just as little aware of the heroism and skill in war which cazí Effendí, the son of Waldin, possessed, as he before was of his powers of stratagem. The citizens too were not without spirit. They formed themselves into regular companies, and fell with ardour on their assailants, maintaining the struggle with desperate heroism, and hurling defiance at Kalander, who made no less than eight different assaults, so intent was he on reducing the Ancorians. But the showers of musket and cannon-shot from the batteries made such havock among this besieging horde as both cooled and repelled them, until at last they seemed to have given up all idea of success. At this moment it began to be rumoured that a body of troops, under the command of Tekelí, Mohammed Páshá, was marching on Ancora, which rumour induced the besiegers to retire to the distance of one stage. Tekelí, it would appear, had some little skirmishes with these rebels, but their numbers were so very superior to those under his command, that he chose rather to hasten into the city than to risk any general engagement.

It was not long after these things, that Tekelí was put in possession of the sanják of Komstamúní, when he pursued Kalander Oghlí with additional forces, and forty pieces of cannon.

The commander-in-chief having determined on the total destruction of Jánbúlát, seems, for the time, to have overlooked the rebel Kalander. He removed his troops from Iconium; and marching towards Aleppo, where Jánbúlát then was, he encamped before the city of Larendo; whence he dispatched the regiments of the red and yellow standards, under their respective leaders, and a body of janissaries to Selukeh, in Syria, with orders to destroy Meseli Chávush, a powerful and noted rebel in that quarter. This expedition, on reaching its destination, found the rebel had taken refuge in the mountains, and had there fortified himself. The ardent and zealous Moslem troops, however, pursued him even into his strong-holds, one or two of which they took, slaying all his followers that fell in their way, and dispersing the remainder. A few of the principal leaders, who had acted among the insurgents, were seized and sent to the commander-in-chief.

The exalted serdár, bent on falling in with Jánbúlát, removed from Larendo and came to Arkalah, where he found himself opposed by Jemshíd, another of the rebel chieftains, from the neighbourhood of Adna, and who scrupled not to give battle to the royal troops. He and his rebel army, however, were soon broken and overthrown. He himself escaped by flight, but his deluded followers were either destroyed or made prisoners. Such of them as were taken alive were conducted into the presence of the serdár, and there ordered to be beheaded.

When the grand vezír, Murád Páshá, reached the confines of Aleppo, he was there informed, just as he was on the eve of approaching the pass of Bukras, that Jánbúlát, with twenty thousand foot and twenty thousand horse, was strongly entrenched within this pass. The exalted serdár, on hearing this report, changed his route, and went forward to the plains of Gozarjinlik. This movement he effected on 29th of Jemadi II. The royal camp was joined at this place by the beglerbeg of Merœsh, Zulfekár Páshá, with a powerful auxiliary army. In three days afterwards he removed his camp to Durma, on the river Kunuk. Jánbúlát Oghlí, on learning that the Moslem army had passed on to Durma, left his position; and, on the 2d of Rajab, marched with his army of forty thousand half the distance, intent on giving battle to the serdár, and encamped in the valley of Uruj. The advance guards of both armies met, and a sharp skirmish took place; but that of the rebels was totally defeated; the greater part of them perished, and those who were made prisoners, being conducted into the presence of the serdár were, without mercy or compassion, instantly put to death.

The following day, Tuesday, in the morning, the grand vezír prepared for a general engagement, put his numerous troops in order, and then encouraged and fortified the hearts of his soldiers.

Jánbúlát, in like manner, prepared for the contest. He placed his deputy with a division of his rebellious troops, against the army of Anatolia, which formed the right wing of Murád: his segbáns he opposed to the Romeilian troops, which formed his left wing, and he himself took up his position immediately opposite the centre of the royal army.