Maurokordatus: who being made acquainted with the defign against them, it was agreed, by fome accufation, true or falfe, to procure the Wazir to be removed; and, if poffible, to be put to death. The Mufti undertakes this province, and next day informs Soltân Mostafa, that the Wazir was engaged in fome new defigns deftructive to the whole Othman empire; had fecretly' lifted a very numerous army; made his dependents officers in it; and ordered them to excite the foldiers to demand a rupture of the peace, with a charge to depofe his majesty, if he refused to gratify their defires ". A. D. 1699. THE Soltan readily believing what that prelate, for whom Put to he had a great efteem, falfely charged upon the Wazir, orders death. him to be fent for; and, having loaded him with reproaches, commands him to be put to death (O), without fuffering him to fpeak in his own defence (P), and gave his post to Râmi Mehemed Pajká. But from the Wazir's blood, as from a copious fountain, torrents of human gore flowed-out. The Ulema, citizens and foldiers of Conftantinople, hearing what had happened at Adrianople, begin to complain openly of the present administration; declaring, "That the new Wazîr, CANT. p. 430, & feq. moted by the Wazir Elmas, and made Reis Effendi by Huffeyn Pafha, who joined him with Maurokordatus in making the peace; although in effect he did nothing but what the latter propofed. After the rebellion he was made Paha of Egypt, under the Wazir Hafan; and thence removed to Cyprus, where his conftitution being proof againft the bad air too long, an officer was fent to put him to death; but he died while faying his prayers. Cant. (0) Motraye, who was then at Conftantinople, paffes over this remarkable event with as little notice as if he had been a thoufand miles off. He only fays, that Uffeim Pafhâ, having, in October, defired leave to lay down his Vizirship, one Altaban Muftapha, a Georgian flave, a bold, haughty, unpolite man, who could not write his own (P) The history of this affair is told at large by prince Cantemir, in a note, p. 414, & feq. where the folly, as well as injuftice, of the Soltán, appears to a furprifing degree in putting Doltaban to death, on the bare accufation of the Mufti, without allowing him the hearing, tho' he faid he had something of importance to impart to him. Being asked, at the place of execu tion, what it was he had to fay to the Soltán, he answered, that he could impart it to none but him: although he should not then behold, without horror, the face of fuch a Soltán as put thofe to death who faithfully ferved him. Cant. A. D. 1699. Mufti, and other great officers, were traitors; and that "their whole management tended to the ruin of the em"pire: that for this purpose they had perfuaded the Soltân "to put to death Daltaban Mostafa Pafha, one of the greatest "hero's of the age, who had twice fignalized his abilities "against the Germans and Arabs; fo that fuppofing he had "been guilty of fome misconduct, he should rather have "been banished, that he might, when occafion required, be "let loofe upon an enemy: but that they being jealous of his "merit, would not fuffer him to live; and had raised to the Wazirfhip Rami Mehemed Effendi, a good scribe indeed, and a learned man, but unfit for fuch an office: that this was "the reafon of perfuading the Soltán, thereby become haughty, to refide at Adrianople, and wander in the woods, while The people the capital of the empire, by abfence of the court and ty "ranny of governors, was reduced to the lowest poverty: "that to difgrace it the more, Kyoprili Abdo'lla Pafbâ (Q), a murmur. youth of eighteen, who, except the glory of his father, "had nothing to recommend him but his marriage with the "Mufti's daughter, was appointed Kaymaykâm; as if no "bounds could be fet to the Mufti's will, who wanted but "little of ingroffing, with his family, the whole Othman em"pire that all the beft Mollahships were filled by his young "fons, or those who could purchase them; for that his houfe "was become the office of avarice, where juftice and eccle"fiaftical dignities were fold to the rich, inftead of being be"ftowed on men of integrity and learning °." New pro SUCH difcourfes as thefe fufficiently indicated the people's vocation readiness to revolt: all they wanted was a leader, and plaugiven fible occafion; which laft is foon given them by the KaymayHej. 1114. kam himself. For in Moharram 1114, after the Janizaries had received their pay, the Jebeji, who are next in order, went to the houses of the Kaymaykâm and Tefterdar, defiring alfo to be paid but Kioprili Abdo'llah putting them off from day to day, about 40 of them go the Diwân, while he is hearing caufes, and by an Arzuhal befeech him to grant their demand in turn. This petition firing his youthful blood, he re CANT. P, 432, & feq. See alfo Motray's Travels, Vol. I. c. 13. p. 230. (Q) The fon of Kioprili Moftapha Pafha, flain in the battle of Salankamen, 1691. After thefe troubles, growing wifer with age, he acted with more moderation; and after he had quelled a rebellion, was made Pasha of Siwas (or Sebaftia in Anatolia) by Soltan Ahmed III. Cant. proaches proaches the Jebeji in very injurious language, and bids them wait, because there was no money in the treafury. The foldiers, provoked at this treatment, in going-off, return the Kaymaykam's reproaches with great fharpness, on the very ftairs of the Diwan, and fo loud that the by-ftanders could hear almost every word. A. D. 1699. THE Kaymaykâm being informed of this, commands the by the Muhzurs (R) to go feize and carry them to their chief officer, Kaymayto be put to death; for it is a capital crime among the Turks kâm. to contradict, or use reproachful terms to any judge, effecially the Kaymaykam, who is fuppofed to be the Soltan's vicegerent. The Muhzurs ufing force, are refifted by the Febeji, who, raising a tumult in the street, in the ufual phrase of the foldiers, Yoldafb rokmidur? Are no companions at hand? call out for affiftance. At this cry the Jebeji, flocking from all parts, refcue their fellows from the officers of justice, and returning to their quarters, there give an account of what had happened; adding, that it was in vain to expect their pay while the distribution was in the hands of a boy, whose brains were turned by his high and undeferved dignity. The refentment thus kindled, is inflamed by Karakaf Mehemed, a man of great boldnefs, and fond of changes in the government; who, exciting the whole assembly to revenge the injury, they immediately take arms, and run to the Kaymaykam's palace. KYOPRILI Abdo'llah Pafoa being informed of their ap- The fol proach, escapes through a back-door; while the Jebeji, on diers rife. their disappointment, rug about in parties to ftir-up the fanizaries and Ulema. Next day the leaders of the fedition meet in the At-meydan (S); and there bind themfelves by oath. either to destroy the Wazir, Mufti, and other oppreffors of the people, or perish in the attempt. In this affembly Firári Hafan Pafha offers to be their leader, and is, by them, appointed Kaymaykam (T) in the room of Kyoprili Ogli. The (R) Their name is derived from Ihzar, to bring; becaufe their business, befides guarding the Wazir's palace, is to bring the guilty, and if any are to be confined, to keep them till the next Diwân. To put male factors to death there is a body taken out of the Mubzari, who, from the Falanga, or inftrument ufed in beheading, are called Falangaji. Cant. (S) Or Hippodrome, built by Juftinian, near St. Sophia, and ftill used to air and exercife the Soltan's horfes. Cant. (T) Motrays fays, that Firalli, having strangled the Kapiji Bohi, fent to frangle him, he hid himself among his women in Conftantinople, and appeared on being cried by a public crier. I 3 Nakib A. D. Nakib Kiazibi Mehemed Effendi (U), affumes the office of Mufti, 1699. and Dorajan Ahmed Pashâ, a perfon of no note, who had been recalled from his Pafbálik, and lived privately, is made Wazîr by the rebels. Kul-kyehaya Chalik Ahmed Aga is appointed Janizar Agafi, and Diw Ali Aga (X), who had been deprived of the poft of Kul-kyehaya, is reftored to that office. By their advice the confpirators fhut the gates of the city, and fuffer no man to go forth unless fent by themfelves, to prevent the Soltan being informed of their defigns. After this they plunder the magazines of the arms kept there; and prepare themselves for war with the empire. March in arms SOLTAN Moftâfa, when he heard of this fedition, fends Moftafa Effendi, the chief secretary, to enquire into the reafon of fo great a rebellion in his capital city, with a promise to grant all their defires: but, arriving at the gate on the eighth day of the fedition, the guard force him from his horse, and carry him to the At-meydân; where the people, feizing him as fpy, before their leaders could restrain them, beat him almoft to death, and tortured him to fuch a degree, to make him confefs what the Soltan was doing, that they left him neither sense nor fpeech to declare any thing. Yet this (which they imputed to his obftinacy, rather than their own cruel treatment) incenfing them more against the Saltân, they aftowards femblé above 50,000 foldiers on the 19th day; and, leaving Adriano- the city, refolve utterly to deftroy Adrianople, as the rival of ple. the capital, in cafe the inhabitants fhould dare to oppose them. Being come to Hapfa, a town not far from thence, they fend to inform the Soltán, "That they had not taken-up arms "either to fight against him, or the Mufulmans, but only to "oblige the evil minifters to fubmit to be tried by the divine "judgment of the Korân: but that, if he fhould ufe the "fword to decide this affair, they would repel force with force; and he would be accountable to God for the need"lefs effufion of Mufulmán blood." They likewife privately warn the inhabitants of Adrianople not to appear in arms, if they would avoid being plundered; fince they came not to fight with their brethren, but to punish the betrayers and oppreffors of the Othman empire 2, z CANT. p. 433, & feq. (U He was of the race of Amirs, and had been Mufti in the reign of Mohammed IV. He was called Kiazibi, or liar, as being thought much given to lying. Cant, (X) He was the only one of the rebel party who escaped the purfuit of Ahmed III. flying to Jezayri, or Algiers; fo that he could never be found. Cant. THE THE Soltân, on this meffage, affembles his European troops with the utmost expedition, and orders them to march under the conduct of the Wazir Râmi Mehemed, against the rebels: who, by a Fetvah of the Mufti, Feyzo'llah Effendi (Z), are declared Gyawrs; and those promised a crown of martyrdom, who should die fighting valiantly against them. But, when both armies were in fight, the Nakib Effendi, who acted as Mufti among the confpirators, holds-up the Korân to the Soltan's forces, and defires them to confider: "That they "were brethren of the fame religion, the fame blood, and fubjects of the fame dominion: that the people of Conftantinople had not taken-up arms to overturn the empire, or "attempt any thing against the facred law: but to punish the infidels, and contemners of the law, agreeably to its precepts; and that, if they endeavoured to oppofe fo pious. "a defign, they would draw upon themselves, not only the "indignation of God, but likewise the severest punishments." The Soltan's troops are so affected with this fpeech, that they abandon the Wazir, and join the rebels, faluting them brethren. 66 A. D. 1699. Army join them. THE Wazir, in this defperate ftate, flies, with two fer- The Mufti vants in difguife, to Varna; and, from thence, back to Con- tortured. ftantinople, concealing himself, for fome time, in a house which he had in the fuburbs of Ayub. Mean time the rebels encamped under the city, at Solak Chefhmeft (A); and, from thence, fend to demand the heads of the Wazir, the (Z) He was a native of Wân, in Armenia, and of the Amir race. In the time of Mohammed IV. when Muderis, or mafter, of the Soleymaniyah school, he was appointed Shehzadeh Hoja, or preceptor to the Soltân's children, Moftafa and Ahmed. After having often changed, contrary to cuftom, his ecclefiaftical employments, he was created Mufti,and continued in that dignity for seven years; a thing unheard of among the Turks. He was a man of no great learning, and more crafty than wife: yet had fuch an afcendant over the Soltán, that he never did any thing without confulting him, nor could refuse him any thing. He was fo covetous, that he took prefents with both hands; (A) The fountain of Solák, 14 |