Opening the text

Narrative of Travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa, in the Seventeenth Century, Vol. IEvliya Çelebi

History

Narrative of Travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa, in the Seventeenth Century, Vol. I

Name: Narrative of Travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa, in the Seventeenth Century, Vol. I
Author: Evliya Çelebi

Evliya Çelebi

Caucasus, South -- Description and travel; Istanbul (Turkey) -- Description and travel; Turkey -- History

These complaints were at length laid before the Sultán in a report
by Kara Mustafá Páshá. A council was immediately held consisting of
the grand vezír Kara Mustafá Páshá, the Kapudán Síávush Páshá, the
Kehiyá of the arsenal Píáleh, and seventy begs of the sea (captains
of war-ships), and the most experienced officers of the arsenal; the
result of which was that the building of a _báshtirdeh_ (admirals
ship) and of twenty galleys, each eighty cubits long, was immediately
commenced by the express order of the emperor. Two thousand purses (one
million of piastres) were allotted to the Kapúdán Páshá, to the Kehiyá,
and to the inspector of the arsenal. Five docks near the arsenal were
pulled down, and three new ones were built in their stead each as
large as a caravanserai; and in them a báshtirdeh for the emperor, and
two green _máonas_ were constructed in the space of three months. The
máonas had seventy benches and one hundred and forty oars, each of
which was moved by eight men. At the stern and bow of each there was
a large gun, weighing from forty to fifty okkas, besides hundreds of
guns on each side. They were indeed such vessels that even Noah might
have considered himself secure in them. In short, on the return of
spring, two hundred ships of war, consisting of báshtirdehs, galleys,
and others were ready for sea, with arms, men, and provisions three
times the quantity required. The galleys of all the islands of the
Archipelago of Egypt and of the Morea, amounted to five hundred, which
were followed by the same number of transport ships. They had besides
some huge vessels called _Káruváns_ because they made a voyage to
Egypt only once a-year, requiring six months to load and six months
to discharge. Each of these carried fifteen hundred serving men and
two thousand troops. Besides these, there were five hundred smaller
vessels of every description; _viz._ Barja (barges), Kalíún (galleys),
Perk, Porton, Shika, and Kara-mursál which were hired by government.
In short the whole fleet amounted to eleven thousand seven hundred
vessels, which being prepared for sailing, were moored in the harbour
of Constantinople.


_Account of the Death of Sultán Murád._

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

Narrative of Travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa, in the Seventeenth Century, Vol. IEvliya Çelebi

History

Narrative of Travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa, in the Seventeenth Century, Vol. I

Evliya Çelebi

Caucasus, South -- Description and travel; Istanbul (Turkey) -- Description and travel; Turkey -- History

These complaints were at length laid before the Sultán in a report
by Kara Mustafá Páshá. A council was immediately held consisting of
the grand vezír Kara Mustafá Páshá, the Kapudán Síávush Páshá, the
Kehiyá of the arsenal Píáleh, and seventy begs of the sea (captains
of war-ships), and the most experienced officers of the arsenal; the
result of which was that the building of a _báshtirdeh_ (admirals
ship) and of twenty galleys, each eighty cubits long, was immediately
commenced by the express order of the emperor. Two thousand purses (one
million of piastres) were allotted to the Kapúdán Páshá, to the Kehiyá,
and to the inspector of the arsenal. Five docks near the arsenal were
pulled down, and three new ones were built in their stead each as
large as a caravanserai; and in them a báshtirdeh for the emperor, and
two green _máonas_ were constructed in the space of three months. The
máonas had seventy benches and one hundred and forty oars, each of
which was moved by eight men. At the stern and bow of each there was
a large gun, weighing from forty to fifty okkas, besides hundreds of
guns on each side. They were indeed such vessels that even Noah might
have considered himself secure in them. In short, on the return of
spring, two hundred ships of war, consisting of báshtirdehs, galleys,
and others were ready for sea, with arms, men, and provisions three
times the quantity required. The galleys of all the islands of the
Archipelago of Egypt and of the Morea, amounted to five hundred, which
were followed by the same number of transport ships. They had besides
some huge vessels called _Káruváns_ because they made a voyage to
Egypt only once a-year, requiring six months to load and six months
to discharge. Each of these carried fifteen hundred serving men and
two thousand troops. Besides these, there were five hundred smaller
vessels of every description; _viz._ Barja (barges), Kalíún (galleys),
Perk, Porton, Shika, and Kara-mursál which were hired by government.
In short the whole fleet amounted to eleven thousand seven hundred
vessels, which being prepared for sailing, were moored in the harbour
of Constantinople.


_Account of the Death of Sultán Murád._

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Narrative of Travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa, in the Seventeenth Century, Vol. I

Narrative of Travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa, in the Seventeenth Century, Vol. I

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