Author
ÇAKIR, Maruf
Type
Book
Language
ara,eng
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Library
Royal Danish Library
Library Asset ID
ISSN: 2757-8399, EISSN: 2757-8399, DOI: 10.52637/kiid.892994
Record ID
cdi_doaj_primary_oai_doaj_org_article_3d1a0892bcbb4b969d06c9df7def5663
Library Location
DOAJ Directory of Open Access Journals
Notes
The murder of the prince is one of the most dramatic and most discussed issues in Ottoman history. Throughout history, fights for the throne have caused many Turkish states to weaken and even collapse some of them. The army was also worn out in these struggles and many soldiers were lost. Experiencing similar problems during the founding years of the Ottoman Empire prompted Fatih Sultan Mehmed to take precautions. With the famous "Organization Law" issued by him, fratricide was deemed "appropriate for the order of the world". After this date, until the reign of Ahmed I, almost every sultan implemented this bitter prescription "for the survival of the state". During this period, 61 princes were murdered. While 22 princes were killed because they actually rebelled, the others were killed based on the aforementioned law. Thus, the weakening of the state through the struggles for the throne was prevented, and the lives of many innocent people who would have died in these struggles were saved. Dîvân poets expressed their opinions by writing poems on almost every subject and expressed their opinions about events or people through praise or satire. However, the shu'ara chose to remain silent in the face of a tragedy such as fratricide endured for the sake of the survival of the state and the order of the world. Because it must have been frowned upon to examine the issue of fratricide, which was very difficult for the dynasty family. On the other hand, it requires courage to comment on a subject that the scholars have permitted and the sultan has decreed. These reservations of the artists who can practice their art with the rewards and patronage of the state officials, especially the sultans, are actually extremely reasonable. The biggest exception to the silence of poets in the face of fratricide is the murder of Prince Mustafa. The murder of the young prince by the order of Suleiman the Magnificent in 1553 was met with great sadness by the people and the soldiers. This tragic incident, which took place during Suleiman the Magnificent's Nakhchivan expedition, caused the soldiers to revolt. Although the dismissal of Rüstem Pasha, who was considered the perpetrator of the incident, calmed the soldiers, the pain of the deceased prince, who was loved by the Janissaries and expected to ascend to the throne after Suleiman the Magnificent, remained fresh for many years. As a reflection of this sadness, poets wrote many elegies. Immediately after the execution, Yahya of Taşlıca was the first to write his famous elegy. This poem, which is the most famous among the elegies written for Prince Mustafa, contains very harsh criticisms about the sultan, Hürrem Sultan and Grand Vizier Rüstem Pasha. Perhaps because he concealed these criticisms with wordplay in an extremely artistic manner, or perhaps as a result of the sultan's tolerant attitude towards the poets, the poet was not executed or exiled. Much later, when Rüstem Pasha became grand vizier again, he exiled himself. The fact that the Sultan did not impose any sanctions on Taşlıcalı Yahya allowed other poets to act more freely, and other elegies were written for Prince Mustafa. In this study, three elegies written for Prince Mustafa by Sirâcî, one of the 16th century poets, will be examined. In various studies carried out to date, sixteen of the elegies written for the deceased prince have been identified. This number has reached nineteen with the three elegies of Sirâcî, which are examined in our study. Our aim should not be seen as merely revealing the multitude of elegies written for Prince Mustafa. Because, in addition to the physical and spiritual characteristics of the deceased, elegies may also contain many important clues about the period in which they were written. Therefore, the elegies written for Prince Mustafa, apart from being literary poems, are also historical documents reflecting the point of view of the subjects in the face of this very important and painful event in the Ottoman history. In addition, in our study, we will discuss why the murder of the prince had such a repercussion among the public, soldiers and poets, based on the poems Sirâcî wrote to Prince Mustafa. The Fratricide (The Execution of shahzadeh /prince) is one of the most dramatic and most con-troversial issues in Ottoman history. Throughout history, many Turkish states have been weak-ened and some of them have been destroyed due to throne strug-gles. During these struggles, the army was worn out and many soldiers were lost. Sul-tan Mehmed, the Conqueror, had to take precautions for his period because similar problems were experienced during the first years of the Ottoman State. With the fa-mous Organization Law legalized by the Conqueror, "The Fratricide is acceptable for the World Order." From Sultan Mehmed's period to the reign of Sultan Ahmed I, almost every sultan applied this painful prescription "for the sur-vival of the state". During this period, 61 princes were killed, 22 of them were mur-dered be-cause of their rebellion; but others were killed just based on this law. There-fore, the weakening of the state was prevented as a result of the struggles for the throne and the lives of many inno-cent people who would die in these struggles were saved. Dîvân poets have expressed their viewpoints by writing poems on almost eve-ry subject, and they have expressed their opinions about events or persons with their praises or satires. However, they preferred to remain silent in the face of this difficult situation for the continuity of the state. It must have been unpleasant to examine this issue, which is very difficult for the dynasty. On the other hand, it requires courage to comment on the subject that the scholars permitted and the sultan gave a royal de-cree. These hesitations of the artists who could perform their arts with the rewards and patron-age of the state officials, especially the sultans, were reasonable. The biggest exception to this silence is the execution of Shahzadeh Mustafa. The murder of the young shahzadeh in 1553 by order of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent was met with great sorrow by the people and the sol-diers. As a result of this sad event that happened during Kanûnî's Nakhchivan military expedi-tion the Army revolt. The discharge of Rüstem Pasha, who was considered as the perpetrator of the incident, soothed the soldiers. However, the pain of murder of the shahzadeh loved by the Janissaries and accepted as the heir of the Kanûnî, was not forgotten for many years. As a sign of this sadness, many dirges were written by poets. Immediately after the execution, Taşlıcalı Yahya wrote his famous elegy. This poem, which is the most famous of the elegies that were written for Shahzadeh Mustafa, contains very harsh criticisms about the Kanûnî, Hürrem Sultan and Grand Vizier Rüstem Pasha. When the sultan did not punish Taşlıcalı Yahya, other elegies were also written for Shahza-deh Mustafa by other poets. In this study, three dirges that were written for Shahza-deh Mustafa by Sirâcî who was one of the 16th-century poets, will be ana-lyzed. Six-teen dirges, written for the dead shahzadeh, have been identified in various studies until today. With these three elegies belong to Siracî, this number will reach nineteen elegies. The aim of this study should not be seen only as revealing the number of elegies written for Shahzadeh Mustafa. Because these dirges are both literary poems and historical documents that reflect the opinion of the people on this very important and very sad event in Ottoman history. Besides, in this study, it will be discussed that why the execution of the Shahzadeh Mustafa created that many reactions among the people, soldiers, and poets based on the poems of Sirâcî.
Görüntüle
Kocatepe İslami İlimler dergisi : (Online), 2021-06, Vol.4 (1), p.9-22
