Murád Páshá Winters at Aleppo — Troops Are Sent to Baghdád
The grand vezír, Murád Páshá, with the view of preserving the peace and tranquillity of the country, determined on keeping a certain number of his best troops somewhere near Aleppo, where he himself resolved on passing the winter. Accordingly, the spáhís were sent into the territories of Damascus, and the Salihdárs to Tripoli, in Syria. The janissaries remained with the commander-in-chief at Aleppo, and the troops of Romeili, of Anatolia, and of Caramania were allowed to return to their respective countries.
In Aleppo the serdár and his janissaries spent the six months of winter in every sort of pleasure and festivity. Rebels, from one hundred to two hundred, were every day brought to Aleppo and there executed without compassion or commiseration.
The grand vezír, Murád Páshá, in the midst of the various scenes of pleasure which Aleppo afforded, was one day astounded at learning that about the time he had entered into winter quarters, Mustafa, the brother of Ahmed Túyel Oghlí, who had met with his death at Baghdád, had succeeded the deceased in the command of the rebels in that quarter, and who amounted to several thousands. Murád Páshá was not long in considering how to act: he determined on their overthrow. Accordingly, he conferred the government of Baghdád on Mohammed Páshá, son of Jeghala Zádeh Sinán Páshá, giving him a body of paid troops; and he appointed Mír Ahmed, son of Abúrish, prince of Annet and Hadisa, and Kúrd Mír Sheríf Páshá, besides several other provincial lords, to accompany him to the conquest of Baghdád, now in the hands of the rebels.
The expedition just mentioned had no sooner arrived within a small distance of Baghdád than they were met by Mustafa, who had prepared to oppose the Moslem army. This happened on the 1st of Shevál; but Mustafa, who had not rightly estimated the courage and heroism of the Osmánlí troops, found, to his sad experience, that he and his rebels were no match for them; in a word, he was defeated and routed, and shut himself up in the city, thinking there to defend himself. This, however, was a delusion. The heroic Osmánlís were not long in approaching and laying siege to the city, and perceiving that resistance would be worse than useless, he proposed to deliver up the city on the condition of personal security. This was agreed to, and he was allowed to embark; but the boat into which he had entered had no sooner moved away from the bank or wharf than, from its unequal weight, occasioned by the vast numbers of segbáns who had crowded in along with him, it upset, and all, with the exception of Mustafa himself and a few others, were drowned in the river; even those few who did escape were nearly all killed by bullets which were sent across after them. Mohammed Páshá, after having thus vanquished the rebels and dispersed them, entered into Baghdád triumphant and victorious.