The garrison at Azov having mutinied for want of pay, and murdered some of their officers, three hundred purses of money were changed into ducats, and were sent off by messengers on horseback, it being impossible to forward them by sea in the winter season. These three hundred purses were levied upon the merchants and tradesmen of Constantinople, to whom the Defterdár Emír Páshá, Kadda Kehiyá, and the inspector of the customs Hasan Chelebí, distributed linen, red and blue Morocco leather, and drugs, the confiscated property of many Musulmáns. One morning all the guilds of Constantinople assembled in arms on the At-Maidán, and with cries of “Alláh! Alláh!” proceeded to the royal Seráï to make their complaints against the three officers above mentioned. The Sultán sent three times for Melek Ahmed, who, fearing the violence of the mob, refused to come. At last the kapújílar kehiyásí (chief chamberlain), and the khás oda báshí (chief of the pages), came and insisted that he should either come to the presence or give up the seals. With the latter proposal he at once complied, and was afterwards appointed governor of Silistria, though he continued to reside some time at a house called the Topjílar Seráï in the vicinity of Constantinople. The grand vezír who succeeded him was Síávush Páshá, an Abáza by birth. He was first chokadár to Sultán Murád IV., then Kapúdán Páshá, and passed through all the offices in Egypt. The kizlar-ághá, Dív Soleïmán Aghá, having strangled the mother of Sultán Murád, Kosem Sultáneh, with her own hair, and killed the ághá of the Janissaries, their lieutenant-general and their secretary, was one day boasting of his feats, when he suddenly gave Síávush a blow on the face, and taking the seals from him, gave them to Gúrjí Mohammed Páshá. Gúrjí had formerly obtained some repute as jebbehjí báshí (chief of the armoury) in the war of Hotín. He succeeded in raising a large fleet, and sent two thousand Janissaries and three thousand Sipáhís to Candia; but was dismissed from office on the pretext of being imbecile. His successor Tarkhúnjí Ahmed Páshá had been kehiyá to the vezírs Músá and Hazár-páreh Ahmed Páshá. He was subsequently made grand vezír of Egypt and of the Cupola; and though he raised the means of supporting the navy and army, and kept both in an excellent state, he was put to death on the plea of being a traitor.