Some Further Account of Delí Hasan (Brother of Scrivano)
To a considerable part of this man’s life and conduct we have already adverted. We have related how he succeeded to the command of the insurgents whom his brother, Karah Yázijí (Scrivano, literally the Black Writer) had headed: how he defeated and slew Hasan Páshá at Tokat. These things are well known; and it is not to be denied, that it was only when it was found impracticable to overcome him by arms that the tempting offer of the government of Bosnia made him at least feign submission. Many were the enormities which this man committed, and his success was wonderful. When he went to Belgrade, as observed in a former section of this work, he sent his lieutenant to Bosna Serái. This deputy, whose name was Kúrd Ketkhodá, had imbibed the spirit of his superior; for he perpetrated the most dreadful acts of tyranny and savage oppression throughout the country of Bosnia. So terrible and so numerous were the base deeds of this execrable fellow, that the inhabitants determined on resistance. It was not long ere an opportunity offered for putting their determination into practice. Having one day seized on a servant belonging to some tanners he put him in chains, and this so roused the resentment of the inhabitants that they all rushed towards his palace and set fire to it. One Khulpil, an apprentice, slew Kúrd Ketkhodá himself, and the whole of his mansion perished with him. The people of Banialúka also, with one consent, drove out of their city such of his creatures as were in it.
As to Delí Hasan himself, he appeared at one time worthy of confidence, and at another the very reverse. Most of the men who had accompanied him from Asia perished in the late war, and those of them who returned with him to Bosnia met with no kind reception there. The inhabitants could not endure the sight of them, and therefore appointed to themselves a leader from among their own emírs, whose name was Sefer. They also wrote to the commander-in-chief, Mohammed Páshá, declaring they were resolved to oppose the tyrants who had come among them; and they kept their word; but in their first attack on Delí Hasan and his barbarians they were worsted. However, gaining experience by their disaster, they were better prepared for a second attempt, in which they were completely triumphant. They not only defeated the barbarians, but seized on the whole of Delí Hasan’s baggage. Delí Hasan escaped with his life with great difficulty by swimming across the deep river which passes Izvernik, and sent Sháh-verdí, his acting lieutenant, to the commander-in-chief at Belgrade with a complaint against the Bosnians. Sháh-verdí, however, never once thought of returning to tell him what success he had met with. The commander-in-chief, more generous than his ambassador, sent him an officer to console him, and afterwards succeeded in persuading the government of Constantinople to appoint him to the jurisdiction of Temisvar in lieu of that of Bosnia.