Advantage gained by the rebel Delí Hasan.—Mahmúd Páshá is appointed in the room of Khosrú Páshá.
We have before mentioned how the rebel Delí Hasan, towards the conclusion of the preceding year, murdered Hasan Páshá in the city of Tokat, and we have also related his subsequent march into Anatolia. The beglerbeg of Diárbeker, vezír Khosrú Páshá, who had been sent with the troops of Haleb and Meræsh, to chastise this notorious rebel, failed in the attempt. Some of the above troops having refused obedience to his authority, left him, and went to Sivás. The rest, on seeing this, under the pretence that winter had arrived, dispersed themselves also, and left him without a man.
An account of these disastrous events having found its way to Angora (Ancyra), where the rebel then was, he hastened forward with the utmost boldness to attack Háfiz Páshá, who commanded in Anatolia. When Háfiz, who was by no means in a condition to face this formidable enemy, heard of his movements, he shut himself up in Kutahia. The rebel advanced and laid siege to the city: but after three days’ effort, in consequence of cold and rain, was obliged to raise the siege; but he set fire to the place, and set off for Karah Hisár, where he went into winter-quarters.
As soon as the Ottoman court had heard of these inauspicious affairs, it appointed Gúzelcheh Mahmúd Páshá to succeed Khosrú Páshá in the chief command. This appointment took place in the month of Rajab.
Several changes take place.
In consequence of some malicious instigation of the soldiery, Sáa’tjí Hasan Páshá was removed from the káímakámship, and Gúzelcheh Mahmúd Páshá was appointed in his stead. These changes took place on the 20th of Rajab. Alí Aghá, ághá of the janissaries, was also deposed, and his office conferred on Delí Ferhád Aghá, a bostánjí báshí. Sáa’tjí Páshá was conducted to the Seven Towers. On the night of the 22d, the mufti, Mohammed Effendí, was deprived of his high office, which was conferred on Siná-allah Effendí. This is the second time this reverend prelate held this highest office of the priesthood. On this same occasion also the cazí of Constantinople, Abdulmíámin Mustafa Effendí, was appointed to succeed the cazí of Anatolia, Abdul Waháb, who had been in Egypt, and who now became cazí of Constantinople in room of the former.
Concerning Ghaznafer Aghá and Osmán Aghá, ághá of the palace.
On the 23d of Rajab the spáhí legion requested his majesty, the emperor, to call a general diván for the purpose of taking into consideration the state of the empire, every where torn and afflicted with rebellion and insubordination. His majesty complied with this requisition. Accordingly, the mufti, Siná-allah Effendí, the káímakám, Mohammed Páshá, Siderín Akhí Zádeh, Abdul Míámin Mustafa Effendí, and the ulemá, of all ranks, in all about thirty in number, met in council. On the part of the spáhís, Hasan Khalífeh, Poiráz Osmán, and the secretary Iksámí presented themselves before the royal diván and spoke thus: “Sire, in consequence of the war which you find necessary to carry on at a distance, the glory of the royal house is impaired, and its dignity is diminished. The empire, from one end to the other, is trampled upon. The government of Erzerúm is subjected to Gusah Nefer Páshá’s soldiery and levends (a kind of volunteers); the government of Sivás is under the oppressive rule of Ahmed Páshá; Caramania is in the power of Delí Hasan; the sanjáks of Merzefún, of Kostamúní, and of Kankarí, in like manner, are in the hands of the rebels Tevíl and Karah Seyed. The insurgents and rebels have seized the whole world. Five or six times a commander-in-chief has been appointed, but no good result has followed; nothing has been accomplished.” After talking a great deal in this manner, and pointing out the injustice and corruption which had crept into the administration, they adverted to one or two flagrant instances as proofs of their assertions. It was with great difficulty that Sáa’tjí Hasan Páshá, who had been confined in the Seven Towers, escaped undergoing the extreme sentence of the law on this occasion. The fourth vezír, Tarnákjí Páshá, was also brought forth, and would have undergone the sentence of death; but in consequence of the intercession of the janissaries he was pardoned. The kapú ághá, Ghaznafer Aghá, who had been the means of raising Khosrú Páshá and Osmán Aghá, the ághá of the palace, who were afterwards presented, were not so fortunate. The emperor, when all these transactions were over, returned to the haram or seraglio, whilst the exclamations of the people ascended to the very heavens in his behalf. The populace soon after dispersed themselves.