Yemishjí Hasan Páshá Returns to Constantinople
Soon after the grand vezír, Yemishjí Hasan Páshá, had dismissed the khán of the Tátárs, to go into winter-quarters at Petcheví, he delivered over to Lála Mohammed Páshá the whole of the affairs of the frontiers. The magazines of provisions and other stores in Belgrade he committed to Etmekjí Zádeh, the treasurer, and to Mohammed Páshá; and appointed his own lieutenant, Mustafa Aghá, to collect provisions in the districts of Bosnia and Buda.
Having heard of the late transactions in Constantinople which had been occasioned by the spáhís, he imagined, and not without good reasons, that he was in danger of losing his own life; he therefore took a company of unemployed servants along with him, and set out for Constantinople. On reaching Yaghodina he was met by Hasan Aghá, a kapújí báshí, who informed him that Siná-allah Effendí, in compliance with the wishes of the spáhís, had been created mufti. Another messenger, called Yemenlí Hasan Aghá, a khetkhodá of the court, brought him a letter, which stated that if he wished his own existence to be continued, to make all the haste he possibly could. He recommenced his journey immediately, but was considerably impeded in crossing the river Múrov, owing to the masses of ice which floated upon its surface. However, he got safely over it, and when he arrived at Nisa he met another messenger, who brought him a letter apprizing him of the fate of Ghaznafer, who suffered death along with Osmán. At a place called Khurmán he was met by two other kapújí báshís, who brought him a royal letter, and another from the queen-mother, both of which invited him to court, and which also were sufficient tokens of their good-will. He immediately returned a humble answer to these communications by the two persons who brought them to him. On his reaching Adrianople he took up his lodgings for a few hours in the house of Etmekjí Zádeh, his own treasurer, who was then at Belgrade. Yahiah Effendí, who was afterwards raised to the office of high priest, happening to be disengaged when the grand vezír arrived, waited on him, and both together, about seven o’clock in the evening, set out for the metropolis. On reaching Selivría they were met by Yemenlí Hasan Aghá, a kapú ketkhodá, and Sárí Alí Aghá, superintendant of the Soleimáníyeh, who strongly charged them not to delay entering the palace that night, for if they did, the messengers assured them the spáhís would next morning completely prevent their doing so. The grand vezír immediately descended from his chariot, mounted a swift charger, and reached the royal palace about four o’clock in the afternoon on the 25th of the month Shabán. The emperor received him most graciously, and welcomed his arrival in the kindest manner. After the grand vezír had delivered a statement to the emperor, of the affairs on the frontiers, he received a visit from the káímakám, Mahmúd Páshá, who no sooner departed, than the two military judges came to pay their respects to him also. When these exalted prelates were about retiring, he desired them to go to the mufti and give him his compliments; “Tell him,” said the grand vezír, “that had it not been the night-season, I would have called on him to pay him my respects in person at his own fortunate mansion; that as I did not wish to disturb him at so unseasonable an hour of the night, I have preferred waiting till tomorrow, when I shall not fail to visit him. But be sure,” continued he, “to come back and tell me how he received your message.” The reverend prelates, however, did not return. The morning arrived, and no word whatever from the mufti, nor any account of the prelates. This presaged no good. He, however, ascertained by some other means, that the principal actors in the late tumult had gone that morning to the mufti, and complained to him in the most violent manner against him. “This vezír,” said they, “has, by his bad management, and want of skill in the command of the troops on the frontiers, allowed the infidels to gain some important advantages over the orthodox Moslems, and has thus tarnished the glory and pride of the Osmánlís.” Having preferred this complaint, they insisted on the mufti’s giving them a decree to take away his life. The mufti complied. These accusers, after succeeding with the head of their religion, hastened away to the governor, Mahmúd Páshá, to show it to him. In some histories it is said that this decree was delivered to the soldiery by Mahmúd when the grand vezír was about entering the city on his return from Belgrade. However, to make the thing as sure as the accusers could, they went to the two military judges, and asked them to tell them if the instrument which the mufti had issued was legal, and if so, to sign it; which after some little importunity they did.