TURKOMANS BETWEEN TWO EMPIRES: THE ... - Bilkent University

position. 1565 Nevertheless, the new administration was still under the suspicion of the
principal supporters of Prince Selim in Istanbul, namely the Janissaries and kapu halkı.
A report of one of Selim’s spies in Istanbul reflects the balance of power in the capital
city. His spy Hacı reported the pro-Selim and anti-Selim parties in Istanbul to his master
as follows:
...Ve āyine-i gayb-ı gaaye mahfi olmıya ki, a’da-yı devletinden herkes ağalardan
vesair ehl-i divandan kapu halkına pişe edinüb her gün vahşet-engiz ve nefterāmiz
kelimāt idüb, işte geldi, bunca bin tatar getirdi, bizden intikama gelmiştir
deyu nice bunun gibi emsāli öz lā-dine lāyık hezeyān iderler. Amma yeniçeri
vesair kapu halkı cemi’ muhiblerün devletlü vücudundan ricaları bu ki, devletle
gelüb Silistre nahiyesinde temekkün idüb Hüdāvendigār’a tenezzül tazarru’ tariki
üzere elçi gönderüb sancak taleb olunub....Erkānda adem-i icabet olamaz. Dahī
muannidinun kelle-i devletlerini ol sahip devletün dü ayağına galtan ederüz
derler. Tatar gelmesün denildikde, bilinüz gelmiye, itimadımız yokdur. Ta’zir
edüb ale’l-gafle üzerine asker çekesüz deyu sual edicek her birisi yemin edüb
varmazuz da, varayın deyene de mani’ de olub hakkından gelürüz derler. Đ’timad,
adem-i i’timad re’y-i cihan-ārāya menuttur. 1566
At the same time Prince Ahmed, who was in Aksehir, demanded the province of
Karaman, which was then governed by Sultan Mehmed, the son of Prince Şehinşah 1567 ,.
But his demand was refused. 1568 Ahmed’s obvious aim was to make this previous
Karamanid capital the center of his government in Anatolia. His preference of Konya
1565 ULCY2, p. 122. Also see TNSB, p. 291. According to ALI, Molla Halil became the kazasker of
Anatolia and Ibrahim Paşa-oğlu was assigned to the post of nişancı. ALI gives, however, the date of this
event as September 23, 1512. See p. 948.
1566 TSA, document E. 6186, published in ULCY2, pp. 122-3. After a couple of months, however, Selim’s
another spy in Istanbul, named Yusuf, reported the grand vizier Mustafa Pasha, vizier Sinan Pasha, and
Yunus Pasha along with the head of the Janissary corps among the leading figures of the pro-Selim party
in Istanbul. The report reads, “…ve Mustafa Paşa hod bī-riya sultanıma kul olmuşdur. Ve Sinan Paşa on
evvel gelür ve hatta Sultanum ile bile olmasına haylı iştiyakları vardır. Ve Yunus Paşa ve Yeniçeri Ağası
hālis mūnis bendenizdür…” TSA, document E 7072, published in ULCY2, p. 125. At the end of his report,
Yusuf says that he had registered the names of those who stood against Selim and sent this register as
well.
1567 Prince Shehinshah died as the governor of Konya on Rebī II, 917 (July 2, 1511). See ULCY2, p. 123.
1568 ULCY2, p. 122. Regard especially the footnote 11. A spy of Selim reports the events in the capital city
to the prince: “ [after reciting new appointments to the high official posts] Sultan Ahmed çaşnigir-başısı
gelüb giru tālib-i Karaman suretin tutub ‘elbet ya verin; ya hücum ederim, müslimanların huni dökülür,
günahı uhdenizdedür; bir sefih oğlana bī-vech Karaman gibi memleketi vermek nedir?’...Ve kendüsü
Akşehir’de amma hakikat-ı hal bu ki, devletle beruya teveccühünüz istima’ idüb tecessüse gelmişdir...”
TSA, document E 6187. See also TNSB, p. 292; HSE4, p. 83.
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