Sehzade Mustafa goes to Hadj - 1811
In 1810, Sehzade Selim was sent to Hadj. As a heir, he was ordered by Selim to go on the pilgrimage. If Mustafa were to be Sultan, he would have much more prestige in the eyes of the Muslims as a ‘Haci’ (pilgrim). Mustafa did not wait too long and left Istanbul for Aleppo. This journey would develop Mustafa to what he would become. A different man. Already having problems with his anger issues and his conservative behavior in a progressive environment in Topkapi Palace with his nephew Selim on the throne. In Aleppo he met with the local Janissary Agha of the Aleppo Janissary Corps. The only Corps not to be abolished in the entire Levant. With the abolishment of the Baghdad Janissary Corps by the Pasha of Baghdad, many Janissaries left for Aleppo to join the Corps there. Both the governor and the locals were largely positive about the Corps. Coming in contact with the Aleppo Janissaries, Mustafa developed even more sympathy for the Janissaries. Seeing it as the backbone of the Ottoman State to protect the traditions of the Ottoman State. While meeting the Janissaries he also learned about their complaints about how the Christian Landowners on the Coast were protected by the State while the Janissary Corps was facing humiliation while the Corps would be the first in line to protect the State. As was told to Mustafa. Mustafa decided to change his route and left for Latakia and decided to go through Acre rather than Damascus. In Latakia he came in contact with the Afshar Turkmens who did not want to settle down in Anatolia and keep the Nomad Life. While staying in Latakia, he experienced in real life the success of Shia Missionaries from Karbala and Najaf to pull the Alawite Peasants and tribes to their sides. When asking Alawite Merchants in Latakia about their religion, almost all called themselves Shiite or even Twelver Shia. Their practice of their religion did not change much but the perception Imam Ali was changing and taking Jafari forms. Not wishing to stay in Latakia due to his dislike of Shiites already, As Mustafa moved further, he arrived in Tripoli in Mount Lebanon. There, he met with Sunni Sheikhs and learned more about Mount Lebanon. The friendly welcome of the Lebanese made Mustafa love Mount Lebanon and speak nothing but good words. His positive views were changing however when he arrived. As some of the Aleppo Janissaries were asked to join his pilgrimage Mecca, he arrived with about 150 men in Beirut. Of those, 50 were his personal Guards. The remaining 100 men were Janissaries from Aleppo. In Beirut he experienced something that would reconsider his views on Mount Lebanon. Already known as man who dislikes non-Sunni Muslims, he experienced Slave traders from Anatolia with Muslim CIrcassian and Georgian Slaves. Some of the Slaves ended up being bought by Wealthy Christians. While the situation was completely normal in Mount Lebanon, the whole experience made him uncomfortable. Having 10,000 Akce with him, he bought all the Slaves free he found in Lebanon. As nobody know it was the heir of Selim, people were surprised why an unknown wealthy man from Anatolia bought all the Slaves. The Janissaries of Aleppo were ordered to return to Aleppo with the freed Slaves from Beirut. Mustafa would take them with him back to Istanbul once he returned from Mecca. From Beirut he left for Jerusalem and then to Aqaba. As the road got more dangerous, with many Wahabi Raiders nearby, he still arrived safe and sound in Madina. After finishing the Hadj, Mustafa returned back Aleppo and then moved to Iskenderun (Alexandretta) and left by Ship back to Istanbul where he arrived in 1812. His experience in the Levant was brought before Sultan Selim. Mustafa was very concerned about the autonomy the Locals in the Levant had and how much of a threat it was. Muslim Slaves being sold in the open and to Christians was even more absurd to Mustafa. Selim agreed that the concerns were serious but did not attempt to do much. Mustafa however did not give up and started to send out his trusted Guards and Harem Officials to buy Muslim Slaves free. Indirectly, the experience of Mustafa in the Levant started the first steps of opposition to slavery.
The last Nomads of the Middle East - 1811
A fierce warrior. A threatening leader. This man was Esref Bey of the Bayirbucak wing of the Afshar tribe. As many of his Afshar Tribe decided to listen to Sultan Selim's firman and settle down in Anatolia, Esref was one of those leaders of Nomads who did not heed the Firman from Istanbul. Rather than settling in Anatolia, Esref Bey left for the land between Antioch and Latakia. Government Authority was already low in the Levant and Mesopotamia. Esref saw a good chance to keep his autonomy whether he remained a nomad leader or a local Emir. Settling down in Bayirbucak, Esref made the place his base to raid Alawite landowners as well as coastal villages. Being nomad did not prevent the Bayirbucak Afshars to use pistols and muskets. Many had military experience from previous wars with Persia and Russia. Settling in North Western Part of the Levant, he made immediately friends with the Aleppo Janissary Corps. Yusuf Agha, the head of the Janissary Corps in Aleppo offered to support Esref for some of his spoils. Esref had friends and his influence started to spread out. The raids were at first around the Bayirbucak region but quickly reached as far as Tartus and Qalamoun. Esref made himself powerful and became a new player in the Levant. Abdullah Pasha of Sidon saw Esref as an opportunity to pressure Druze and Maronite Landowners to come towards Abdullah Pasha for support. And thus would the power of Abdullah Pasha rise. Esrefs raid in Alawite mountain and Mount Lebanon brought him large wealth of the region. And as the raids continued, the income of Esref rose rapidly.
The Bayirbucak Afshars were not entirely Turkish. The Tribe also had large number of Kurds who would form a tenth of the total tribe. There were also small number of Arabs from Mardin, Circassians from Suhumkale and even Armenians. The latter were merchants who lived off selling to these Nomads. The Bayirbucak Afshars being 12,000 people, settling in an area were Turks were living already. In best case scenario, Esref Bey could mobilise 3,000 men of his own and another 3,000 Janissaries as his allies. With 6,000 men he had his own personal army. And the Army could grow to 9,000 men if all the Janissaries are called in. Due to his large support, Esref Bey was feared by the local Landowners and rulers. It went as far as Abdullah Pasha being afraid of Esref Bey and sending letters to Sultan Selim to look at the situation in the Levant.
The assassination of Hadzi Mustafa Pasha - 1811
His old age did not help the elderly governor of Belgrade but refusing to stop working due to his illness, Mustafa Pasha was walking through Belgrade each day every day in a week. Visiting Belgrade University was the last of his task in a warm March day. With his Serb Friend Illija, he left the university seeing his work and how grateful the Serbs were with the old Governor's aid and support. As he left he was shot by an unknown assailant. Two pistols, two bullets, Illija was the first to get shot. As Hadzi Mustafa was confused what was happening, he was shot second. The elderly Mustafa died on the ground as the Belgrade Militia made haste. Their Commander and their Governor were shot. Mustafa died immediately. Later in the night Illija died as well. The next day there was a large crowd to attend their funerals. Of the 100k population in Belgrade, half came down to bid their farewell. Immediately after the funeral, a large riot broke out in Belgrade. The supporters of Osman Pazvantoglu tried to attempt a coup in Belgrade. The Janissaries loyal to Hadzi Mustafa fought fiercely back to keep Belgrade out of the hands of Pazvantoglu’s supporters. The conflict ended at night when the Sancak Militia aided the loyalist Janissaries. Deputy of Hadzi Mustafa, Omer Efendi, sent a letter to Istanbul what happened in Belgrade. As a result, Karamanli Mehmed Pasha was sent with a regiment consisting of 3,000 men to take his task as governor of Belgrade. The week after the assassination attempt, Osman Pazvantoglu was captured, trying to cross the Danube. Milos Obrenovic was appointed by Mehmed Pasha as the head of the Sancak Militia. A controversial decision as Obrenovic was a rebel. But joining Hadzi Mustafa and aiding him to defeat Karadorde had proven enough of his loyalty.
Hadzi Mustafa assassinated, 1811