![]() His religious functions included the recitation of the first ezan after victories. A closer look at his itineraries reveals that he was in most cases on “official journey.” His position can be generally described as a combination of entertainer (musahib, nedim), muezzin and courier. Although his pecuniary circumstances were satisfying, he made his living as a member of the mobile households of Ottoman grandees, many of them his kinsmen. The only document known to mention him is a list of Ottoman embassy members to Vienna in 1665 in the Austrian archives. Since he was not a state official his name does not appear in official documents and registers. Practically all evidence of E.Ç.’s life is based on his own account. There is general consensus that he died in Egypt where he had been living for some time. ![]() Even though the date of his death cannot be determined with certainty, his records concerning the unsuccessful second siege of Vienna (1094/1683) led most researchers to the conclusion that he passed away after this date. ![]() However, he seems to have had strong sympathies for the Bektaşiyye and Mevleviyye as well.Į.Ç.’s family background, his urban education as a perfect gentleman, and his astonishingly complete knowledge of the Ottoman lands make him one of the most paradigmatic representatives of well-educated Ottoman individuals of his period. Being deeply religious, he appears to have been affiliated with the Gülşeni branch of the Halveti brotherhood. was especially talented in music, Koran recital, and story telling and described himself as a bachelor (mücerred), mystical seeker (derviş), humble (faqir), and as someone who has many friends and interests (hezar-aşina). By the time he left the Palace as a cavalryman (sipahi) (1048/1638), his extraordinary abilities as a witty and well-informed entertainer had been fully developed. was introduced to Murad IV (1032-49/1623-40) and began his studies in a wide variety of arts and sciences at the Palace School (enderun). frequented intellectual circles and made the acquaintance of well-known figures of the time such as Zekeriyazade Yahya Efendi (d. He then graduated from a school for Koran recitation, and attended public lectures in mosques as well as private lessons in the palace led by figures such as Keçi Mehmed Efendi (d. learned the essentials of a religious education at the undistinguished medrese of Hamid Efendi in Zeyrek (Istanbul). had relatives in Istanbul as well as in several places like Demürci (Demirci), Kutahiyye (Kütahya), Brusa (Bursa) in Anatolia.Į.Ç. As various references to relatives and real estate (e.g., a çiftlik in Sandıklı) found in his travelogue clearly indicate, E.Ç. 1073/1662) was her cousin), a fact which was to play a decisive role in his future life. 1026/ 1617), E.Ç.’s mother had family relations with leading statesmen and provincial governors of the time (e.g., Melek Ahmed Paşa (d. Even though his claim that his father was a warrior of faith under Süleyman I (926-74/1520-66) is anachronistic, his statement that he contributed as a court jeweler to pious works of art during the reign of Ahmed I (1012-26/1603-17) is more reliable.īorn an Abkhaz and brought up as a slave-girl in the palace of Ahmed I (d. 687/1288), trying to unite in his person the two main legitimating strands of the Ottoman dynasty, namely the Turkish and Islamic heritage. claims that his ancestor Ece Yaqub (13 c.?) originated from the Transoxanian region Mahan and came to Anatolia with Ertugrul Gazi (d. 562/1166) all the way back to the imams of early Islamic history, a pedigree reflecting the folk stories of gazis and dervishes preserved in Ottoman popular memory. He traces his paternal genealogy through Ahmed Yesevi (d. was born on 10 Muharrem 1020/25 March 1611 in Unqapanı (Istanbul) as the son of the imperial goldsmith (quyumcubaşı) Derviş Mehmed Zılli Aga (d.
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