CHAPTER XI.

Anatolia — Burdur — Sabarta — Akridur — Akshahar — Kara Hisar — Ladhik — Fortress of Tawas
— Milas — Kunia, the grave of Mawlana Rumi — Laranda — Aksara — Nikda — Sivas — Amasia
—Sunusa — Kumash — Arzanjan — Arzerrum — Birki, remarkable piece of meteoric stone seen here —
Tira — Ayasaluk — Yazmir — Magnesia — Bergama — Burma — Yaznik — Bustuni — Bull — Barlu
Kastamunia.

Fro SI this place 1 proceeded to the district of “ Anatolia, § which contains
some handsome cities. In all the Turkoman towns there is a Brotherhood
of ‘^youths, one of whom is termed (my brother, i.e. the word brother
A joined with the pronoun of the first person singular my). No people
are more courteous to strangers, more readily supply them with food

.vAJlU .III"'

* See Annales Muslemici, tom. iii. p. 329, tom. iv. p. 109.

•j- See D’Herbelot, under the article Roum.

J Of this prince De Guignes gives us no account whatever.

$ According to the Marasid El Itlaa olb ^ ^

® well-known and hand-

some district of Room, situated on the sea-shore ; it is strong, contains many villages and inhabi-
tants, and is near the gulf of Constantinople. See also Annales Muslemici, tom. iv. p. 220-1.

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69

and other necessaries, or are more opposed to oppressors than they are. The
person who is styled the Brother is one, about whom persons of the
same occupation, or even foreign youths, who happen to be destitute, collect
and constitute their president. He then builds a cell, and in this he
puts a horse, a saddle, and whatever other implements may be wanting.
He then attends daily upon his companions, and assists them with whatever
they may happen to want. In the evening they come to him and bring all
they have got, which is sold to purchase food, fruit, &c. for the use of the
cell. Should a stranger happen to arrive in their country, they get him
among them, and with this provision they entertain him ; nor does he leave
them till he finally leaves their country. If, however, no traveller arrive,
then they assemble to eat up their provisions, which they do with drinking,
singing, and dancing. On the morrow, they return to their occupations,
and in the evening return again to their president. They are therefore
styled “ the Youths,'" their president “ the Brother"

In this city I went to the college of its Sheikh, ®Shahab Oddin El
Hamawi ; and, on the second day, one of this society came to me. He
was addressed by the Sheikh in Turkish. The Sheikh told me that this
man came to invite us to a feast. I was much astonished, and said to the
Sheikh, This is a poor man, how can he afford to feast us, who are many.
The Sheikh was surprised at my reply, and said: This is one of the
Brotherhood, a society consisting of two hundred silk merchants, who have
a cell of their own. I consented, therefore, and went to the cell, and
witnessed the astonishing attention, kindness, and liberality which they
shewed their guests. May God reward them ! The Sultan of Anatolia was
•^Khazir Beg Ibn Yunus the Turkoman. I was presented to him. He
was then sick. He behaved very liberally towards us, gave us provisions,
and sent money for our travelling expenses.

I next proceeded to the town of ^ Burdur, which is small, and surrounded
by trees and gardens. I first went to the house of the ^ Khatib (the preacher),
and there met the society of the Brotherhood, who invited us to their feast.

* No mention of this prince occurs in De Guignes.

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ROOM.

The Khatib refused to go : they therefore gave us a feast in a garden
without the town, I was truly astonished at their wish to shew us every
respect and attention, although we were ignorant of their language, and
they of ours.

From this place I went to the town of ' Sabarta, which is handsomely
built, and has good streets. I next went to the city of ^Akridur, which is
large, and abounding with trees and water. A lake of sweet water adjoins
it, over which vessels pass, in the space of two days, to the town of^ Aksha-
har, and to other places. I here put up at the lecturer’s, ™E1 Fazil Moslih
Oddin, who treated me very respectfully. The Sultan of this place was
"Abu Is-hak Beg, one of the greatest princes of these parts. He gave us
protection in his district throughout the month of Ramadan. During my
residence I was introduced to him ; after this he sent me a horse and some
money. He is a condescending and excellent prince.

I then went to the city of "Kara Hisar.* It is small, and surrounded by
water on every side. The Sultan is ^ Mohammed Chelebi. He is the
brother of Abu Is-hak, King of Akridur. I was introduced to him, and he
treated me with great respect, and gave me some provisions. After this I
proceeded to the city of ^ Ladhik, which is a large and fine city, abound-
ing with water and gardens. As soon as I had entered it, a number of
persons who were in the streets got up and seized upon the bridles of our
horses ; after which others came and contested the point with them. We
were much alarmed at this ; but a person coming up who could speak
Arabic, said they were contending only as to who should entertain us, as
they were of the society of Youths. Upon this I felt safe. They then
cast lots, and we proceeded to the cell of the party on whom the lot fell,
and on the day following, to that of the other. Both the parties shewed
us the greatest respect. The Sultan "Yataj Beg, who is one of the greatest
princes of these parts, hearing of us, sent for us and treated us with great
respect.

. ™ Jl ^ al. ^ '

* According to the Marasid El Itlaa, a large farm on the north of Aleppo : . ^

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71

I then proceeded to the fortress of * * * §Tawas, then to the city of * Milas,
which is large and beautiful. Its Sultan is “Urkhan Beg, ^Ibn El Man-
tasha. When I was introduced to him he treated me with great respect :
he is a very excellent prince.* I proceeded from this place to the city of
^Kunia,t which is large and handsome, and abounds with water and gar-
dens. This district belongs to the Sultan "" Badr Oddin Ibn Karman ; over
which, however, the King of Irak has occasionally had the rule, on account
of its proximity to some of his states which are in these parts. I put up at
the cell of its Kazi, who is known by the name of ^ Ibn Kalam Shah.- He
is a member of the society of Youths. His cell is most beautiful ; and he
has a great number of disciples, who trace the authorities for their judicial
decisions as high as Ali Ibn Abi Talib. They are clothed as the Sufis
are with the khirka,j: and close trowsers.

In this place is the tomb of the holy Sheikh ^ JalM Oddin, better known
by the title of “Mawlana§ (our Mawla). He is very highly esteemed. It
is said, that he was at first a mere lecturing doctor who had a large number
of pupils : but upon a certain day a stranger came into his lecture-room
with a basket of sweetmeats, which he had for sale, upon his head; the
Sheikh said to him, bring your basket here. The man took a piece of
sweetmeat and gave it to the Sheikh, who ate it. He then went out, no
one else having tasted the sweetmeat ; the Sheikh became agitated and went
out after him, giving up his reading, and leaving his pupils in a state of
expectation. At length, however, they set out in quest of him, but failed
to discover the place of his retreat. Some years after, he returned with
his mind deranged, and speaking nothing but Persian verses. These

* According to De Guignes, this Ottoman prince reigned from 1326 to 1369 (tom. i. p. 271),
and consequently he must have been living when our traveller was in these parts,

f Iconium.

% A coarse ragged garment worn by the religious beggars of the east.

§ See an interesting article on this writer in fourth Tabaka Dawlatsbah, art.

j and in the by Jam!,, not far from the end.

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his pupils, as they followed him, noted down and published under the title
of the * * * § Mathnavi, a book highly esteemed in these parts.

I next proceeded to the city of ‘'Laranda,* the Sultan of which is'^El
Malik Badr Oddin Ibn Karman, who makes this place his capital. I met
him, and was entertained with the greatest kindness as his guest.

I then proceeded to ® Aksara, which is one of the finest districts of Room,
and subject to the king of Irak. I next went to the city of -^Nikda, then to
^Kisaria (Caesarea), both of which are subject to the king of Irak. I next
proceeded to the city of ^ Sivas, which is also subject to the king of Irak. It is a
large place, and now the rendezvous of the greater part of the king’s army.
I next went to the city of ' Amasia,! then to-^ Simusa, then to^Kumash,
then to ^Arzanjan, then to Arzerrum; all of which are subject to the king of
Irak. In '“Arzerrum I saw the brother ” Tuman, one of the Society of Youths,
whose age exceeded one hundred and thirty years. He was still in posses-
sion of all his faculties, and could walk wherever he wished. After receiv-
ing his blessing I proceeded to the city of " BirkI, the king of which was
Mohammed Ibn ^Aidin ; I was, in company with the lecturer of this
place ^Mohyi Oddin, one of the most celebrated and reputable men of
his age, introduced to the presence.

The king one day said to me, have you ever seen a stone that came down
from heaven ?j: I answered, No. He continued, such a stone has fallen in

the environs of our city. He then called some men and ordered them to
bring the stone, which they did. It was a black, solid, exceedingly hard,
and shining, substance. If weighed it would probably exceed a talent. §
He then ordered some stone-cutters to come in, when four came forward.
He commanded them to strike upon it. They all struck together upon it

. \j^\ al. ® i ^

^ 9 9 ^ ? 9 ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ xo.

. al. al. ^ al.

. al. ^ al. ^

* See D’Herbelot, under the article Mathnaoui. ,

f See D’Herbelot, under Amasia.

t For some very interesting accounts of other phenomena of this sort, see the second edition
of M. De Sacy’s Chrestomathie Arabe, tom. iii. pp. 437-441.

§ According to some 112, to others 120 pounds weight.

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73

accordingly with an iron hammer four successive strokes, which, however,
made not the least impression upon it. I was much astonished at this.
The king then ordered the stone to be taken to its place. He sent fruit
and food to us during the time we remained there ; and, when I had bidden
him farewell, he sent me a thousand dirhems with one hundred mithkals
of gold, as also clothing, two horses, and a slave. He also sent for my
companions some dirhems and clothing separately.

I then proceeded to the city of ®Tlra, which belongs also to this prince.
It is large, and abounds with gardens and water. From this place I went to
the city of ‘Ayasuluk, the Emir of which is the Sultan “Mohammed Ibn
Aidin, son of the Sultan of “Birki; then to the city of “Yazmir, which
belongs to the Sultan of Birki ; its Emir is "'Omar Beg, one of the Sul-
tan’s sons, and a most excellent prince. I then proceeded to the city of
^Magnesia, the Sultan of which is called "Saru Khan. I then went to the
city of “Bergama (Pergamos), of which the philosopher Plato is said to
have been an inhabitant. His house is still seen here. The Sultan of this
place is styled ^Bakhshl Khan. I next went to the city of ‘'Ball Kasra,
which is large and beautiful. Its governor is called ‘^Damur Khan. I then
went to the city of ® Burusa,* •* which is a large place, and governed by
•^Ikhtiyar Oddin Urkhan Beg, son of ^Othman Juk. This is one of the
greatest, richest, and most extensive in rule, and commanding the greatest
army of all the Turkoman kings. His practice is, constantly to be visiting
his fortresses and districts, and to be inquiring into their circumstances. It is
said that he never remained a month in any one place. His father had con-

a\.j^ “ . ^ ‘ *

* Mr. Kosegarten has here which he writes Burssa. Our copies add iUJic,

•* ^ -if-

a great city: and again ^ ^ jS,\ JjAj ^lo

Lj jJ Jbuj uSijj &C. This I notice to shew,

that the copies diflPer considerably in some instances, and to warn the reader, that, where my
translation differs from Mr. Kosegarten’s, he must not immediately conclude that either of us is
wrong.

L

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quered the city of Burusa, and had besieged that of ^Yaznlk,* nearly
twenty years, but did not take it ; after this his son besieged it for twelve
years and took it. In this place I met him; he received me very
respectfully, and provided me with a considerable number of dirhems.
I next went to Yaznlk. It has a large lake eight miles in length ; the
city is also surrounded with water and trees. I then left this place,
and after some days arrived at the city of *Bustuni;'f' after this at the
city of Bull, the king of which is '"Shah Beg. I then went to the city
of ^Burlu, which belongs to the governor of “Kastamunia. I then went
to Kastamunia, which is a very large and beautiful city, abounding with
every delicacy, which may be purchased at a very low rate. I saw an aged
Sheikh among its inhabitants, whose age, as I was told, amounted to that
of one hundred and si xty-two years. Its Sultan was "Suleiman Badshaw,
a splendid, but aged man ; he is a respectable and respected person. I was
introduced to him, and received very honourably.