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REVUE D'HISTOIRE

MAGHREBINE (Epoque moderne et contemporaine)

I2ème Année Numéros 39-40

T U N I S

Décembre 1905

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REVUE D'HISTOIRE

MAGHREBINE Fondateur

Abdeljelil T E M İ M İ Professeur à la Faciûté des Lettres et Sciences Humaines de Tunis

Secrétariat de Rédaction

Madame T E M I M I

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Mustapha Kraiem, Centre de Recherches Economiques et Sociales à Tunis.

A. Abdurrahman, Abdurrahim, Faculté des Lettres Al-Azhar - le Caire.

M'hamed Ben Aboud, Institut de la Recherche Scientifique - Rabat.

Halil Sahilioglu, iktisat Fakültesi Istanbul - Turquie.

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1 THE RENOVATIONS EFFECTED, IN T H E KA e BAH MOSQUE, BY THE OTTOMAN SULTAN SELİM II (H. 974-82 / 1566-74)

By E . ESEN

Sinân Pasha, who in 982/1574 was to put and end to the Spanish occupation of Tunisia, (1) was in 977/1569, yet beglerbegi (governor) of Egypt, when given the task of pacifying the Yaman. (2) On his way back from the Yaman, he stopped in the Hidjâz, to accomplish the Islamic pilgrimage. (3) He then observed that, since the restorations completed in 961/1553 by the architect Kara Mustafa, (4) new deterio-raitions had occurred, in the Kacbah's courtyard. He undertook perso­nally the renovation of the courtyard's pavements, as well as the construction of a fountain and cisterns, at Tancim, where stook the Mosque of cAisha. (5) Following her example, those coming from the direction of Madrnah for a pilgrimage, or cumrah, pronounced their sacral vows, preceded by ablutions, at that boundary of the Haram (the sanctified territory ).

In the case of important restorations, Sinân Pasha appealed to Selim H, who, in the words of contemporaries, (6) was « the third heir (after Selim I and Süleyman 1) to the rank of major caliphate khilâfat 'ul-kubrâ) » ; « the caliph of God over all (His) worshippers »; « the Khâqan of khâqans ... of (Eastern) Rome ( Anatolia and Istanbul), of the Turks, of the Arabs, of the twin lands of cIraqayn and of the cAdjam (the non-Arab Muslims) » ; « the servant and restorer of the

(1) See E . Esin, « Quelques manuscrits turcs des XVIe et XVIIIe siècles, concernant la Tunisie ». Actes d u P remie r Congrès d ' h i s t o i r e et de c i v i l i s a t i o n d u Maghreb , volume II, pp. 47 - 90 ( Tunis, 1979 )

(2) Qutb 'udDtn 'un-Nahravâli, Kitâb 'ul-â 'lâm bi-â 'lâm ' i l - B a y t ' l l l a h 'll-Harâm, III rd volume of F. Wûstenfeld's ALhbâr-u M a k k a t ' u l - M u s h a r r a f a ( Beirut, 1964 ) pp. 365 - 68.

(3) I b i d . , pp. 368 - 69. „

(4) On Kara Mustafa's reparations, see the biography of Sel(m II by Loqmân b. Seyyid Huseyn 'ul-Urmevl, Shahnâme-I Su l tan Se l im K h a n , ms tiçuncu Ahmed 3595 of the Topkapi » Library, fol. 94 r.

(5) See note 3 s u p r a and Eyyûb Sabrt, M i r ' a t u l - H a r a m a y n ( Istanbul, H. 1301 ), vol. I. pp. 1119-20.

(6) Quotations made by Nahravâll, op . c i t . , in note 2, pp. 390, 399, and 409.

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two Harams ( the sanctuaries of Mecca and Madinah ) ». Sinân Pasha had equally requested Selim IPs financial support, for two other pro­jects which were the construction of fortified hostelries on the relays of pilgrimage routes and the expansion of the Egyptian port of Alexan­dria. (7) Selim I I agreed and wished to provide, from his own purse, for the Meccan repairs. Sinân Pasha was enjoined to choose, from among Egyptian amirs, one whose piety and rectitude were known, as superintendent ( amin ) for the restorations. The Indian' scholar Nahra-vâli, (8) then Hanafi professor at Sultan Sùleymân's madrasa in Mecca, as well as Eyyûb Sabri Pasha, (9) whose Turkish history of the Holy j cities of Islam, published in H. 1301/1883, in three volumes, constitutes a compendium of the information derived from Ottoman archives on the Hidjâz, both note the great care attached to the blameless reputation of those employed in religious works. The origin of monetary supplies used for such purposes, had to be equally free from suspicions of sinful gain. The dignitaries of amir rank, then in Egypt, to whom Sinân Pasha addressed himself, were however, in Nahravâlî's (10) opinion, too worldly to accept a task which involved hardship and a long absence from home. Only two Circassians, Iskender Pasha, formely beglerbegi of Egypt and Ahmed Beg, known for his virtue, piety, charity and erudition, had volunteered. Ahmed Beg had won not only the respect, but also the attachment of all, through his unassuming and friendly disposition. He was entrusted with the restorations in the Kacbah's courtyard, as well as with the planning of a new network of water conduits and fountains, in Mecca and at cArafât. Nominated sandjak-begi (prefect) of Djaddah, he arrived in 979/1571. He had to act in consultation with local religious authorities, in particular the Meccan scholar, then simultaneously qâdi ( judge ), chief professor at the Suleymâniye madrasa and nâzir (superintendent) of the Kacbah Mosque, the Sayyid Husayn b.. Abi Bakr 'ul-Husayni. (11) Other responsible scholars were the subsequent qâdi, the Turk Hasan-zâde Hâdjî Mehmed Rûmî (Anatolian) (12) and his compatriot Muslihuddîn Lutfî Beg-zâde, molla (mavlâ : trustee) of Mecca. (13)

(7) I b i d . , PP. 388 to 400; note 5 sup ra , Loamân. 0 p . cit.. in note 4, fols. 04 v. to 96 r ; Sabri, op . c i t . , in note 5, vol. I , p p . 760 - 65.

(8) Nahravâll, op. c i t . , pp. 391 - 92. (9) I b i d . , pp. 391, 393 ! Sabri, vol. II , PP- 278 - 82. (10) Nahravâll, op . c i t . , pp. 392 - 93. (11) Loqmân, fol. 96 r. (12) Nahravâll, pp. 64, 390-91. (13) Sabri, vol. I , p. 824. NahravftlJ, 64.

The Renovat ions e f fected , i n the K a ' b a h Mosque 227

The eastern peristyle of the Mosque needed urgent renewal. (14) The roof and the cross-beams of the colonnade's roof, weighed upon the wall, separating the peristyle from the adjoining two madrasas (the madrasa of Kayitbay and that of Al-Afdaliyya). The beams above the third row of colums were worm-eaten and titled dangerously towards the Mosque's courtyard. Since the beginning of the Ottoman period, it had been tried to consolidate those beams and to solidify them with a protective varnish. Nothing further could be done, as according to the decisions of various religious councils ( shura), it was considered illicit to renovate any part of the two Haram mosques, before an imminent danger of collapse. (15) Furthermore, the monuments in Vaqf status (dedicated through a religious foundation) could not be subject to changes, not foreseen by the testator. Therefore, the renova­tion of the eastern peristyle of the Kacbah Mosque could only be ordered by Selim I I , when the worm-eaten cross-beams detached them­selves from the supporting wall and their increased deviation announced an impending break-down. Apart from the danger of a fall on the congregations in that peristyle, birds and snakes had nested in the cavities of the wooden ceiling and roof. Selim I I then sent an edict recommending a renovation, which was extended to the entire peristyle, in view of the defects observed in the timber constructions. The galleries were to be renovated in stone masonry and surmounted by (three) rows of cupolas. This Ottoman style of architecture had already been intro­duced to the Kacbah's courtyard, with the « Madrasa of the Four sects », built in 972/1564 by the Sultan Siileyman. (16) The team of engineers, when acquainted with the edict, thought that such an edifice could only be achieved by Mehmed Tchavush, (17) a member of the Ottoman Divan-I c A l i in Istanbul, who had not only already constructed monu­ments of magnitude, but was also reputed for devoutness. Mehmed Tchavush (the future Lala Mehmed Pasha ), was an Anatolian Turk of Maghnisa, son of a za°im ( fief holder).

Mehmed Tchavush arrived from Istanbul and following the instruc­tions of a local council of scholars, began by building new water-

(14) Sabri, vol. I, p. 503. Nahravâll, pp. 351 - 52. (15) Nahravâll, pp. 390 - 91, 394.

( 1 6 > ftVquïVTOrSÏted ?nnH f0 l982?i5V74° f m S S U P P l ' P < J r S a " 1 3 8 9 ° f * e Bibho-(17) Nahravâll. p. 393. See also Shemsuddln Sâml, Qâmûs •ul-â • « * (Istanbul, H. 1316),

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conduits and fountains in Mecca and at cArafat. (18) He started at Mudaca, where pilgrims coming from the north, had a first glimpse of the Kacbah and stopped to pray. The conduits were then directed towards Marvah and along the Sûq 'us-Saghîr, a long street which went from that area to the boundary of the Masfalah ( the lower and southern part of Mecca). The domed maqsim, The central fountain from which the conduits went to cArafât, was at Al-Atbah, at the northern entrance of Mecca. Copper cups were attached to that fountain, for the use of travellers. Mehmed Tchavush also built two mosques, one of which was at the right-side of CA1-Atbah, and south of a foundation situated in that locality. The foundation had originally been a park, with cisterns, ponds and drinking-tanks for beasts, a donation of Bayram Khojah, (19) a Turk judging by his name, who had been nâzir of the Kacbah in 850/ 1446. To this garden had been added, a century later, in H. 967/1559, some edifices, by the then qâdi of Mecca, Muhammad b. Mahmûd Qaynî ( from Qayn in Yaman or Qâyin, in Khorâsân ? ). (20) The Qadî dedi­cated the merit of the charitable foundation, to the daughter of Sultân Suleymân, married to Rustam Pasha ( the Princess Mihrumâh : died 964/1556) and to her mother, the KMsseki ( Khurram, died 965/1557). Both ladies had contributed to pious constructions, in Mecca, and probably, to this foundation. The second mosque, with fountains for drinking-water and ablutions, was built by Mehmed Tchavush, in the same northern area of the upper city, to the left of the Maclàt road. (21)

Mehmed Tchavush then turned to the badly damaged eastern peristyle (22) of the Kacbah Mosque, which had to be demolished down to the base. (23) The new foundations were laid down during a ceremony, in which the Fâtiha and Ikhlâs Sûrats of the Qur'ân were recited, in the presence of Meccan dignitaries and citizens. The meat of sacrificed victims was distributed to the needy and to the workers.

The old columns in white marble could still be used but had to be fortified, to support the new cupolas. Thus, to every three marble

(18) For these localities see the index and of F . Wustenfeld, Geschichte der Stadt Mekka ( Beirut, 1964 ) fourth volume of the work cited in note Z ). Al-Atbah is also described by Dervish Mehmed Edib b. Mehmed, Kitâb-i Menâsik ' u l - H a j j ms dated H. 1093/168Z in Hammer-Pufgstall's library, translated from Turkish into French by M. Bianchi, in Recuei l de voyages et mémoires publiés par la Société géographique ( Paris, 18ZS ) p. 168.

(19) Nahravâli, pp. 55, Z17 - 18, Z5Z. (Z0) See both names in Yâqût's Mu'djâm 'ul-buldân ( Beirut, 1375 ). (21) Nahravâli, p. 393. (22) See note 14 sup ra . (23) Nahravâli, pp. 394 - 97.

The Renovat ions e f fected , i n the Ka 'bah Mosque 229

column, an ornamented fourth was added, which had been cut from the solid yellow rock of Shumaysi (a quarry at Mount Shams, on the way to Jaddah). Three rows of columns, each four, supporting a ravaq (arcade) and a cupola, were aligned along the peristyle.

A stylistic disharmony, between the eastern peristyle and the others, particularly in the case of the western, then became apparent. The western peristyle, damaged through a fire in 802/1399, had been repai­red under the Mamluk Faraj b. Berkuk. with the addition of stone mosaic, on the shafts of the columns. During the renovation of the other three peristyles, the adjunction of pillars in yellow Shumaysi rock, permitted the elimination of the columns with mosaic stones, so that a uniform style could prevail, in all four peristyles.

The eastern and northern peristyles had been completed, when in 982/1574, the death of Se'lim I I occurred. Ahmed Beg, whose qualities had won the esteem of Meccans and Mehmed Tchavush, were at once reinstated in their duties by the new Sultan Murad I I I and the work oontinued. (24) The expenses were undertaken by the new Sultan and his mother. The remaining two peristyles were completed, until 982/ 1576. In 983/1575, however, after heavy rains, the Kacbah Mosque's courtyard, surrounded by mountains, had been flooded. The water reached the level of the Kacbah's lock and seven consecutive congrega­tional prayers were impeded. (25) Within a day and night, through the zeal of responsible authorities and of Meccan citizens, the obstructed channels of outlet were cleared, the pavements washed and the courtyard's sand changed. Ahmed Beg met personally these considerable expenses. A counsel, composed of scholars of Meccan citizens and of engineers, decided on the construction of deeper channels which would drain the outflow of rain-water through and out of Mecca's lower southern district (Masfalah). I t was also decided to clear the channels every two years.

During the renovation of the peristyles of the Kacbah Mosque, the gates and steps, the circumvallation and its orenellation, as well as the minarets at the c A l i , cUmrah and Wadac gates, were repaired. There were, at that time seven minarets in the Kacbah Mosque. The Bab 'us-Salam minaret, at the north-eastern corner, had been rebuilt

(24) SabrI, pp. 762 - 64.

|<25) Nahravâli, pp. 424-26. SabrI, p. 915 ( Bâb '1-Wadâ' minaret).

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230 Emel Esin The Renovat ions e f fected , in the K a ' b a h Mosque

231

in 810Z1407, by the Mamlûk Sultan Faraj b. Berkuk. The minaret of Kayit bay, dated 880Z1475 stood at about the middle of the eastern wall. The Bâb-u c A l i minaret, at the corner of eastern and southern walk, had been reconstructed by Sultan Süîeymân, in Ottoman style, in yellow Shumaysi stone. The minaret of Bâl 'ul-wadâc, at the meeting of southern and western walk, had collapsed in 771/1369 and not been rebuilt until the restorations started by Selim I I in 980/1572. The mina­ret of the Bâl 'ul-cUmrah on the corner of western and northern walk had been renovated in Ottoman style, by Sultan Süleyman in 931/1524. The minaret of Bâb 'uz-Ziyâdah, at about the centre of the northern wall, had been a donation of the Mamlûk Sultan Al-Malik 'ul-Ashraf Barsbay, in 838/1434. On the same wall, nearer the north-eastern corner. Sultan Süîeymân had in 973/1565 erected the tallest minaret, that of his Madrasa.

When the work of architects had been completed, the decorators and calligraphers were summoned. (26) The ornamentation and the inscribed panels, chiselled on yellow Shumaysi stone and painted with gold solution, were so finely traced that they looked like filigree, mounted with gems. The inscriptions on the Mosque's gates and along the friezes of the peristyles, in tall Djali soript, conskted in the Asmâ (divine names); in Qur'âmic verses and the name of the Prophet (above each fifth column). The names of the first four caliphs were equally inscribed.

The sums, (27) spent for the renovation, by Selim H and Murâd H I , amounted to 110000 gold Djadîd cOthmânî dinars. The crescented finials, in gilded copper of the cupola spires, had been provided by Mesih Pasha, a beglerbegi of Egypt renowed for his ardour in pious works. The timber and the iron gitter-work, which protected the cupolas from the defilement produced by the Kacbah's pigeons, had equally been Egyptian donations.

Two dedicatory texts both with chronograms (giving the date of completion in letters with numerical value ) had been composed, relating the reason and episodes of the renovation and attributing its merit to both Selim U and Murâd H I . (28) The first dedicatory text had been

(26) Nahravâli, pp. 412 - 14. Sabrl, pp. 764 - 68. (27) Nahravâli, pp. 413 - 14. (28) Nahravâli, pp. 408 - 11.

written by Sayyid Husayn b. Abi Bakr 'ul-Husayni. A second text was brought from the Palace in Istanbul, in H. 984/1576, by the architect Mehmed Tchavush who, in 990/1582, was to be promoted to be lala (preceptor) of the Crown-prince and vezîr, then grand-vizier, in 1004/ 1595 (he died in the same year). (29)

Both dedicatory texts, inscribed in gold on panels, were placed to the eastern wall of the Mosque, between the c A l i and cAbbâs gates. (30) Mehmed Tchavush had also brought golden candelabra, mounted with gems, for the Kacbah and for the Prophet's tomb. (31)

In a final ceremony, (31) in 985/1577, the Sultan's edict was read, to the Meccan citizens, from a special pulpit. Robes of honour, equally brought by Mehmed Tchavush, were presented to the Sharif Hasan b. Numay; to the scholars Sayyid Husayn b. Abi Bakr 'ul-Husayni and Muslihuddin Lutfi Beg zâde and to the superintendant Ahmed Beg. The scene is depicted on a painting of Selim H's biography (32) ( i l l . 1). The Kacbah is viewed from the east, on the vertex of the axis, with the parvis, illuminated by candelabra. The maqâms (seats) of the imâıns of congregations have been indicated. The eastern two-storied pavilion k the Shâficî maqam. The Hanafi pavilion, on the northern side, (33) is seen in the state prevalent in the Sixteenth century. It had been renovated, after the fire of 801, in 802/1399, later raised in heighth, by Sudun, sent as nârir from Cairo with Turkish cavalry, in 843/1409; renovated, under Sultan Süîeymân, in 923/1517, by the Emir Muslihuddin; then reconstructed with an uppei floor, as seen in the painting ( i l l . 1) by Khoshgeldi Beg, prefect of Djaddah, in 949/1542. The western and southern pavilions are the seats of the Mâliki and Hanbaiî imâms. Beyond the tâq (archway), on the axis, the maqam of Ibrâhîm may be seen, with the minbar (pulpit) beside it. To the west of the tâq, is the pavilion of the Zamzam source.

Two figures, praying with open palms, in comparatively large size, beside the Hanafi pavilion are said to be, in Selim IPs biography, the Sharif Hasan b. Numay and the Qâdî of Mecca, specified in the text as Hasan-zâde Hâdji Mehmed. (34) The Sharif wears the newly-received

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khilcat ( robe of honour ) sent by the Sultan, a blue coat, lined with ermine. His hat is a red Turkish bork, (35) equally with ermine border. The Qâdî's green mantle, lined with ermine, is sleeveless. On the opposite side, somewhat lower, stand two secondary dignitaries, possibly Ahmed Beg wearing the ( brocade ) robe of honour sent to him from Istanbul and the architect Mehmed Tchavush, here brandishing the baton of a master of ceremonies. Other figures, in smaller size, and some workers, still chiselling stones, are included in the painting. The seven minarets are shown, while the difficulty of representing the peristyles could not be overcome, in a flat composition, without perspective view. Outside the Mosque's walls lie a camel and an ox, the sacrificed beasts, the meat of which was distributed on that day, to rejoice the poor.

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(35) On the Turkish b8 rk , see E . Esin, « Beduk biirk ». C o m m u n i c a t i o n s to the N i n t h meet ing of the P e r m a n e n t I n t e r n a t i o n a l A l t a i s t i c Conference ( Naples. Istituto Univ. Orientale, 1970 ) .

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