The Premiership Conferred on Jaghaleh Zádeh Sinán Páshá
After having finally defeated and put to flight the enemy, as above related, Jaghaleh happened to reach the emperor before the grand vezír, Ibrahím Páshá, had time to do so, and said to him: “Sire, your slave has been the means of obtaining this glorious victory;” and boasted of himself at no allowance. The reverend prelate, and Ghaznafer Aghá, who witnessed his vanity, or who at least heard him tell of his exploits, thought it would be but justice to confer the seals of office on him, and therefore induced the emperor to promise to send them to him.
Being now, as he thought, firmly established in the office of prime minister, he caused himself to be congratulated as such, and to have his hand kissed. It was not long, however, before it began to be rumoured that Jaghaleh was the very first who had taken flight. In the meantime, the grand vezír also arrived and confirmed the joyful tidings which had just a little before been communicated to the emperor; but this had not the least effect in making him alter the resolution he had come to with respect to the seals of office: neither did he give any hint of it to the grand vezír himself, who, soon afterwards, returned to his tent and devoted himself to the duty of conferring gifts and presents on those who had signalized themselves with him in the battle, not knowing that he was deposed. He also sent off couriers to recall such of the Moslem fugitives as had not returned to their duty.
The following day, as Ibrahím was on the eve of accompanying Jeráh Mohammed Páshá and Ja’fer Páshá to the field of battle, and examining the ground lately occupied by the enemy’s camp, as well as all the tents and other furniture which they had been under the necessity of abandoning, the reverend prelate hastened to the royal tents to enquire of Ghaznafer whether Ibrahím still retained the seals or not, and wondered much whether his majesty was sincere in what he yesterday proposed: “it would have been better,” he added, “if his majesty had rejected Jaghaleh’s request.” The other replied, he did not know what the emperor had done with respect to the seals. The prelate observed that the change might occasion, at some future period, a disagreeable tumult and uproar. Ghaznafer Aghá, the emperor’s chamberlain, said he was afraid to say any thing further about the matter to his royal master, but that he was a witness of his royal master’s attachment to Ibrahím.
In the midst of this conversation between the emperor’s spiritual guide and his chamberlain, the grand master of the horse went boldly into his majesty’s presence, and related to him the whole of the prelate’s conduct in this affair, and asked what evil he had seen in Ibrahím that he should be so summarily dismissed. “As for this Ghaznafer,” said he, “he is a Frank by birth, and of the same race with Jaghaleh, the son of Sinán Páshá. It is right and proper therefore,” continued this grand master of the stables, “to make enquiry into Ibrahím’s conduct. Let him be called into your own presence, hear his account, and you will then be convinced that the insinuations which have been made are false.” Whilst this officer went out to order a horse for his majesty, that he might go forth and examine matters on the field in person, the reverend prelate renewed his efforts in favour of Jaghaleh; and the result was, that the emperor, after a few moments of reflection, ordered an officer of the Kapújís to proceed and take the seals from Ibrahím and give them to Jaghaleh. This latter officer hastened to Ibrahím’s tent to fulfil his commission; but not finding him there, he proceeded towards the field of battle whither Ibrahím had gone, and met him returning to the Moslem camp. He told him the purport of his mission, received the seals, and went and delivered them to Jaghaleh.
The late victory and glory acquired by the Moslem army having been acquired under the auspices of Ibrahím Páshá, it may easily be conjectured that Jaghaleh did not much enjoy his promotion. His imprudence and mismanagement, in short, his whole conduct created him many enemies; but we shall hear of him afterwards.