Narrative of Travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa, in the Seventeenth Century, Vol. IIEvliya Çelebi
History
Narrative of Travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa, in the Seventeenth Century, Vol. II
Evliya Çelebi
Caucasus, South -- Description and travel; Istanbul (Turkey) -- Description and travel; Turkey -- History
Inside of the cupola are different inscriptions by the visitors, to
which I added one of my own composition which suddenly occurred to me.
The name of Koyún Baba was given to this Saint, because when he came
from Khorassán in Hají Begtásh’s company, he bleated like a sheep once
in twenty-four hours, which was the signal for prayer. The Dervishes
of the order of Begtásh are generally in bad repute, but those of this
convent are indeed meek like sheep, devout, pious, praying people, and
in all my travels in Rúm, Arabia, and Persia, I met nowhere a more
worthy convent.
_Pilgrimage to the Tomb of Burhándedeh._
A great Saint renowned for many miracles. The bridge, a work of Bayazíd
II. is a marvellous pile of building of nineteen arches, each arch
gives an idea of the rainbow, of the galaxy, of the girdle of Divine
Power, or of the Ták Kosra. Its length, from one end to the other, is
four hundred and fifty paces; and although the river was so rapid, the
architect built it straight as the bridge of Sirát (over which souls
are to pass on the day of the last Judgment). We halted here for a day,
then again crossing the bridge, and marching towards the west, amidst
frightful mountains, we arrived at the small pass of Direglibíl; which,
if one man only ascends to the top of the rock, and rolls stones down,
he may defend against a thousand men. It is known in all Asia, and
called Diregli-bíl (the pass with trees), because the mountain being
excavated in many places, and threatening to fall down, the rocks are
supported by trees, which were placed there by well-meaning people.
Here our gracious lord the Páshá descended from his horse, and taking
some of the stones out of the road, which encumbered it, himself threw
them down the precipice; this example was instantly followed by the
whole suite, four hundred men, who dismounting, cleared the road of
the stones, shouting Allah, with the clarions sounding. After nine
hours march from Osmánjik, we came to the village Hájíkoï, the frontier
of the sanjak of Amasia, a ruined village, with a khán in ruins,
though it is very well situated for cultivation. Six hours further
on we reached the field of Márziván, and the village of Kerkiráz,
belonging to Amasia, with sixty villages, a mosque, and khán, also
falling into ruins. At the end of eight hours we came to the mountain
town of Amasia, which is said to have been built by the Amalekites,
and, according to others, by Ferhád, the mountain cutter. In the year
476 (1083) it was conquered by Sultán Melek Ghází, of the Dánishmend
family. The princes of Azerbeiján laid siege to it more than once,
without being able to take it. From the hands of the Dánishmend family
it passed into those of the Seljúk. It was then conquered by Sultan
Ilderím, who thus prevented its falling into the hands of Timúr. He
then made his son Issa Chelebi governor, and coins were struck, which
bear the inscription of Amasia, of the purest silver, which is found
in three mines here.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account