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
This castle was built by one Havík one of the Greek Princes of Amasia.
Melek Ghází of the Dánishmend family, who came from Mahán with the
Seljúk family, conquered both Ník-hissár and Ládík in the same year.
There are three Ládíks in the Ottoman Empire, viz: that of Konia now
quite ruined by rebellions, that of Korládík in the province of Ván and
the third, Ládík of Amasia. After the conquest of the town by Bayazíd
I., Ládík surrendered its keys to Timúr-tásh Páshá, who accepted them
with the good wish that the inhabitants might live long. The blessing
of this wish is still evident in the long and prosperous lives of the
inhabitants. Bayazíd II., when governor of Amasia, passed six months
of the year in this place and made a delightful garden, which is kept
in order by a Master (Ustá) and forty Bostánjís, Kúrújí and Tablakjí.
It is a town free from all duties and gifts, because it is the wakf of
Bulbul Khatún the mother of Ahmed I. The governor of Sívás has no right
to interfere by his officers. The judge has the rank and pay of three
hundred aspers, but may collect in a fair way six purses annually from
the districts. There is a Muftí, Nakíb, Serdár, Kiaya-yerí, Naíb and
Mohtessib. The Castle is an old pile of building, which is now without
a commander or garrison; the Bostánjís run over the woods and heaths
and watch the town, which has seventeen quarters; forty-seven Mihrábs,
six of which are jamís and three of them Imperial ones; three thousand
and twenty houses covered with bricks and surrounded with gardens;
seven convents, the most remarkable of which is that of Seid Ahmed
Kebír; two baths; seven kháns; a large caravánseraï, built by Gházi
Davúd Páshá; four hundred shops, and a bezestán; forty-one palaces
of Vezírs and great men, all having baths; no particular college,
but lectures are given in all the mosques; eighteen schools for boys
and two dining establishments. The Noblemen wear sable pelisses, the
merchants ferráje and kontosh of cloth, and the women velvet trowsers,
boots, ferráje of cloth, white veils and pointed caps; they are no
where to be seen but in the bath and in the houses where they pay
visits. They are most modest, lovely creatures, who entangle lovers
with sweet words and gracious behaviour.
Its eatables are large pears better than those of Malatia, Nissú, Khúí
and Merend; delicious cherries, a kind of bread called Memejik-ekmek
which is the first bread in the world after the Súmún of Sapánja: there
are no raisins, melons, water-melons, figs, &c. The white honey called
Tághbálí is not equalled either by that of Creta, Adana or Sicily. Its
fine cotton linen excels the linen of Mossúl and Lekefúr in Persia.
_The Walks of Ládík._
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