ASIK PASAZADE

Asik Paşazade was born in 1393 in Elvan Çelebi village of Amasya. His real name is Dervish Ahmed Asiki. He lived through the conquest of Istanbul together with Fatih Sultan Mehmed in the fifteenth century and wrote a book named Tevârîh-i Âl-i Osman (History of Ottomans) describing his memories using a simple Turkish. The well-known Pro-Turkist, mystic poet of fourteenth century, Aşık Pasha, is one of his ancestors.

Just as his grandfathers representing Turkish unity in Anatolia, defending Turkish against Persian and Arabic, and gathering Oghuz tribes around them with their mystic beliefs, Aşık Paşazade also performed his duty of warning in Amasya, homeland of his father.

Then he attended the army of Murad the Second, ottoman sultan, and was commissioned to strengthen the morale of the soldiers. Aşık Paşazade, who attended all of the Thrace expeditions of Murad the Second and who became useful, also won the love of the sultan as a dervish-Gazhi.

After Fatih Sultan Mehmed’s being enthroned for the second time, Aşık Paşazade, who took part in conquest of Istanbul together with famous scholars such as Akşemseddin, Sheik Vefa, Akbıyık, morally supported the army with his smooth and exciting talks. After the conquest, he was given a house and monthly salary in Istanbul.
Âşık Paşazade, despite his being aged in those days, did not remain idle and took part in European Expedition of Fatih, and had a fight with sword against enemy army in Belgrade.

Asik Paşazade, secluded himself when he reached his 83 in 1476, and began to write the history of Ottoman Empire with its mythical aspects beginning from Suleyman Shah. Short time after he has completed his book, he passed away on 23 March 1481 Friday. Ottoman History by Aşık Paşazade, known with his name, is very important since he depicted with a pure Turkish the events he saw and experienced. He did not only describe the events but also interpreted and evaluated them skillfully, and even wrote his personal memories, enriching the subjects with poems sometimes.

Thus his book named Âşık Paşazade Tarihi, full of national emotions is a very famous and wide-spread book. We are here citing a section of it to show the fluency of its language. The issue of Fatih Sultan Mehmed’s giving in marriage, during his days as a prince, to Sitti Mükrime Hatun, daughter of Suleyman, Dulkadiroğulları Bey, is described in Âşık Paşazade Tarihi as follows:

(... When Sultan Murad Khan Gazhi came out victorious in Kosovo war, he remained in his throne in Edirne. One day he said to his vizier Halil Pasha: (Halil! I gave dowry for my daughter and married her. I now wish to see my son Sultan Mehmed married. However, I want to see my son married to the daughter of Dulkadiroglu Suleyman Bey. This Turkmenian is very friendly and honest to us...) Halil Pasha said: (Of Course my Sultan!.. He is also deserves it...)

They sent Hızır Aga’s wife in Amasya. She walked and arrived in Elbistan, to Suleyman Bey. Suleyman Bey had five daughters then. He showed all five of them. Hızır Aga’s wife, seeing his daughters, took the hands of the girl she liked. She kissed her on her eyes. Then returned to the Sultan, and told him. She talked about the obedience of Suleyman Bey, his humility, and her taking the hand of the girl, her beauty, manners and dispositions.

Sultan Murad accepted the girl, Hızır Aga’s wife liked. Then they sent the wife of Hızır Aga and important people of Anatolia to Elbistan. Important Beys went together to take the girl. When they went there, Suleyman Bey welcomed them. He put them into his mansion with gifts and great respect. He showed hospitality to his guests according to their procedures and traditions. They gave the girl to Hızır Aga’s wife at last. And they took the girl to Edirne with a crowd.

The Sultan saw all the dowry of the bride. And he said: (It is not as in my tradition, the dowry is not enough...) and enriched it as appropriate for the sultans. He added many things to the dowry. He held a wedding and invited the neighboring sultans. He gathered the scholars and poor. Limitless gifts of the sultan reached all of them. All of scholars and poor turned back being rich... The date and place of the wedding is year 853 after Hegira, in Edirne...

Sultan Murad Khan Gazhi, he is the son of Sultan Çelebi Mehmed Khan Ghazi, his sultanate lasted for thirty one years. I, Âşıkî Mehmed Dervish Ahmed, saw and knew his wars, adventures, his manners and what he did. I summarized, but I wrote in this book. I summarized because what he did cannot be told in language. It was the turn of his son, Fatih Sultan Mehmed, after him...)