Of Learned Men
Ja’fer Effendí died in 982 of the Hijrah; Haider Effendí in 988; Azemí Effendí in 990; Nováí Effendí in 1003.
Concerning Grand Vezírs, and Other Great Men
Sinán Páshá was three times grand vezír, and commander-in-chief of the troops which had been employed against Yanuk. When returning to Constantinople he was ordered into exile; and Ferhád Páshá, who was at that time káímakám, was created grand vezír a second time, and also commander-in-chief. He was, however, deposed at the time he was employed in erecting a bridge on the Danube when on his march to Valachia, and was murdered in 1004. Sinán Páshá was again created grand vezír in 1003. He went in great haste to chastise the rebel Michael, but after having surmounted great difficulties in the mud, in which he was very nearly lost, he returned in disgrace to Rusjuk. Lálá Mohammed Páshá succeeded Sinán in 1004, but died ten days after his exaltation to the premiership. Sinán Páshá succeeded a fifth time to the dignity of grand vezír. It was he who had induced the late emperor to take a personal share in the war with the infidels of the north. In Shabán of that same year he took his journey into the eternal world. Sinán was a native of Arnáúd, or Albania. He was, at the commencement of his career, a cup-bearer in the court of Selím II., and became successively military commander in the sanjáks of Malatiyeh, Kostamúní, Gaza, and Tripoli. He was afterwards made beglerbeg of Erzerúm, then of Haleb, and then again of Egypt. In consequence of some disturbance which had taken place in Yemen he was sent thither, though in the seventy-seventh year of his age, to quell it, which he did most successfully. He was again sent to Egypt, but was recalled to Constantinople, where he at once became vezír and head of the admiralty. In 980 he conquered Tunis, and returned at the time Sultán Murád Khán mounted the throne, and became one of his vezírs. In his eighty-eighth year he was appointed to conduct the war against the Persians, and succeeded Ahmed Páshá in the grand vezírship. In 994 he was governor of Syria. In 997 he was again in the vezírship. In 999 he was deposed. In 1001 he was a third time created grand vezír. In 1003–4 he was out, and again in the same office. He was now very far advanced in age, being beyond ninety, when he fell ill of a very severe cold he had caught, and died of it on the 5th of Shabán 1004, and was buried near Tevekil Cheshmeh (the fountain of hope) in his own tomb. He was five times grand vezír and as often commander-in-chief. One hundred orations were pronounced throughout the empire in praise of this extraordinary man, who was considered third in rank to Raslim Páshá and Mohammed Páshá of former days.
Ibrahím Páshá, being second vezír, was raised to the premiership, and went out to the war. At the taking of Agria in 1005, Jeghala Zádeh Sinán Páshá was created grand vezír in Ibrahím’s room; but forty-five days afterwards the latter was made grand vezír a second time. Khádem Hasan Páshá was created grand vezír in 1006, but was soon afterwards deposed and murdered. Jeráh Páshá succeeded him in office. Ibrahím Páshá was called a third time to adorn the office of premier, and died a short time after the taking of Kaniza. Yemishjí Hasan Páshá, who had arrived at the lofty preeminence of filling the offices of grand vezír and commander-in-chief, was, for his obstinacy and inhumanity, assassinated. Yávuz Alí Páshá, who had been recalled from the government of Egypt, was, in 1012, raised to the premiership. Khalíl Páshá was by birth a Bosnian. On his leaving the royal harem he advanced by degrees to various honours and places of trust, and at last became grand vezír, and son-in-law to his majesty. He was succeeded in the deputyship of Constantinople by Ibrahím Páshá, who was also created second vezír. He died on the 19th of Rajab, and was buried near Tekelí Tásh, opposite Alí Páshá’s mosque. The eunuch, Háfiz Ahmed Páshá, was also governor or deputy of Constantinople; and so was Sáa’tjí Hasan Páshá, but was afterwards degraded. Gúzelcheh Mahmúd Páshá succeeded to the same high office, but having been implicated in one of the late tumults, he fled and remained concealed for a while. He rose again, however, to the dignity of vezír. Hasan Páshá, son of Sokollí Mohammed Páshá, was shot by a musket-ball at Tokat. He was válí of Baghdád, and having marched to quell the rebellions which began to assume a formidable appearance in that quarter, he fell a martyr by their rebellious hands. The reader may easily recall to his memory this part of his history as recorded in a former part of this work. Satúrjí Mohammed Páshá, who had conducted the unsuccessful war against Warad, was assassinated at Belgrade. Mustafa Páshá was the son of the honourable Rázieh (a lady), and became a vezír of the kubba.12 Hájí Ibrahím Páshá having been routed by the rebels in the east, was deposed, and afterwards died a martyr in Egypt. Tarnákjí Hasan Páshá, who had been appointed governor of the province of Baghdád, on coming out from the royal palace after he had paid his respects to the emperor for the honour he had conferred on him, killed Yemishjí Hasan Páshá, the late grand vezír.