Evliya Celebi, Adventurers Muslims in the Era of the Ottoman Empire

April 1640, Evliya began his first trip out of the city of Istanbul. He went to the Exchange or Pursa, a city in northwestern Turkey with his friend.



Almost all parts of the world has been explored. Over 40 years, Evliya Celebi traveled to various parts of the world. No wonder, if defined as Evliya great adventurer from the Caliphate of the Ottoman Empire. The results of his adventure to different countries written in a book titled Seyahatname trip.

Evliya was born on March 25, 1611 in Istanbul, Turkey. His father is a goldsmith who devoted themselves to a ruler of the Ottoman Empire named Dervis Mehmed Zilli. Although Evliya born in Istanbul, his parents came from Kütahya.

His father's dedication to create a Caliphate of the Ottoman Empire could Evliya education is very good, from small to teenagers. After graduating elementary school, the Caliphate of the Ottoman Empire, then continued his studies Evliya to the madrasa, which is based school of Islamic education for seven years.

On the sidelines during his studies at the madrasa, Evliya used to help his father work in the craft workshops. In these places, his father taught him various skills and arts of Turkey, such as, tezhip (book covers how to decorate with paintings and gold gilding), handwriting (I write beautiful) and nakis (art decorating the walls and ceiling).

Evliya has learned that the spirit is very high. He wanted to learn from anyone. Evliya learn the Greek language of the workers craft apprenticeship in his father's workshop. Four years later, in Evliya study Enderun, ie, where learning and training for people who will work in the Caliphate of the Ottoman Empire.

Once graduated from Enderun, Evliya a bodyguard of Emperor Murad IV in 1636 with the help of his uncle Melek Ahmed Pasa. Since childhood, Evliya obsessed for adventure and to travel long distances. Because his father always told me about the amazing adventures during the journey and serve the sultans, including Suleiman the Magnificent.

One time, Evliya dream with the Prophet Muhammad, in a collection of a vast congregation in Celebidi ahi Mosque, Istanbul. He is very happy to meet with the Prophet. The dream is also increasingly eager to immediately make an adventure.

In fact, he chose to live with all kinds of adventures. Evliya obsessed also wrote and told me many things to be seen and met in his long journey. After the dream of the Prophet Muhammad, Evliya ask the advice of a famous Sheikh about his desire that the passionate to immediately make the trip.

Sheikh was advised to start the journey around the city of Istanbul first. After getting enough advice, Evliya start of the first journey around Istanbul. He wrote and told various kinds of objects he saw and visited such as various kinds of buildings, markets, shops, music, literature, festivals, religion, and customs, and culture.

New in April 1640, he began his first trip out of the city of Istanbul. He went to the Exchange or Pursa, a city in northwestern Turkey with his friend. After an adventure into the city, the enthusiasm for the long trip around the power of the Ottoman Empire and abroad increasingly passionate.

Evliya sometimes accompanied imperial officials to rural areas are isolated, sometimes traveling with the mission assigned by the Sultan, and sometimes also make war. After a trip to Izmit, Evliya went to Trabzon on the Black Sea coast in the accompanying Ketenci Omer Pasa which will meet with Governor Izmit. During his stay in Izmit, he witnessed the failure of the Ottoman Turks conquered the Castle of Azov.

After that, he moved to the Crimea and spent the winter in that place. Evliya just returned to Istanbul, after the Ottoman Turks conquered the Castle of Azov. In 1645, he was with the army of the Ottoman Empire conquered the island of Crete and returned to Istanbul to rest for four years.

Then he began to travel again to Anatolia, visited Azerbaijan and Georgia, with the Ottoman Turks conquered the local leaders of the region. He also traveled to Gümüşhane, a province in northeastern Turkey.

After spending the winter in Erzurum, Evliya assigned deliver a message to the rebels Vardar Ali Pasa by the rulers of the Ottoman Empire to create a peace treaty. When delivering the message, Evliya lost due to the great blizzard. Luckily he can see a number of other rebel leaders.

The experience is told in a note about the rebellion Vardar Ali Pasa comprehensively. Between 1648-1650, Evliya traveled to Damascus. From this trip, he did more exploration in the state of Syria and Palestine. Then he returned to Istanbul. He then accompanied his uncle, Melek Ahmed Pasa to meet with the prime minister.

Evliya understands the political intrigue that was happening in the Caliphate of the Ottoman Empire. During accompany the prime minister, Evliya have the opportunity to visit the Balkans between 1651-1653. On his return from the Balkans, he visited the eastern Anatolia and Iran. He spent time with the sect of Yezidis who believe that Ali was God in human form. He knows a lot of information about the cult.

After that, she was traveling with his uncle Melek Ahmed Pasa toward Bosnia. Then, in 1660, he followed the expedition led by Kose Ali Pasa. During the expedition, he made explorations into Albania, Bohemia and the surrounding region.

After spending the winter in Belgrade, he returned to Istanbul. Then he joined the army attacked Fazil Ahmed Pasa Austria. During the expedition, Evliya also visited Sweden and the Netherlands. Then he returned again to the Balkans to visit Edirne, Komotini and Salonika.

He then continued his journey to the island of Crete in Greece. He witnessed the greatness of the Ottoman Empire army. After that, he visited the coast of the Adriatic through Albania and returned to Istanbul in 1670.

Feeling guilty for not ever perform the pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Mecca, Evliya returned to Istanbul to prepare for the final journey. He to Mecca through the western part of Anatolia, then through the Scio and Rhodes, through the southern Anatolia and join the pilgrims in Syria. He also managed to fulfill the five pillars of Islam that.

After the pilgrimage in Mecca, he headed through the Suez Canal Egypt with Egyptian pilgrims. Then to the Sudan and Ethiopia, he stayed there long enough. But there is no historical record in which the adventurer has breathed his last breath.

There are two estimates, ie, in Egypt or in Istanbul. However, pursuit and dedication as a Muslim at the time adventurer glory of the Ottoman Empire until now still remembered.

Travel Stories SEYAHATNAME The Adventurers
Seyahatname means a travel book. This is a great work of Evliya Celebi. In the book, he wrote and told a variety of experiences. Seyahatname consists of 10 volumes which describe in detail the diverse experiences in the region Evliya visited areas.

He wrote about the community, lifestyle, language, and culture of the people in the region. The book is a comprehensive record to describe life in the 17th century AD Evliya able to describe the objects he saw in detail and interesting.

In addition, Evliya wrote his book with a simple way, so it is easy to understand layman. He does not worry about grammar mistakes, as long as the read to understand.

Seyahatname very well in describing the relationship with the Caliphate of the Ottoman Empire other countries. The book is a valuable source of information the book includes chapters on cultural knowledge, history, geography, folklore, language, sociology, architecture, and economics.

Evliya not just write down what he saw and heard it. However, he also tried to describe the progress of mankind in every area at the time. He wrote about a variety of important buildings such as the kingdom, castle, fort, or mosque.

He also wrote biographies of people who are important and famous, national character in every area visited, as well as their beliefs. Book Seyahatnamevolume I to VIII, published in 1896-1928 in Arabic.

While the volume of IX and X Seyahatname published in 1935-1938 in Latin. Seyahatname also translated into English, German, French, Russian, Hungarian, Romanian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Greek, Armenian and foreign languages other. There is a rumor that Evliya also make a second book titled Sakaname.

But the book is so far not been found in existence. Evliya also wrote a number of original words from each region he visited during a trip. He also wrote 30 dialects of Turkish and 30 other foreign language catalog in Seyahatname book.

He could write the equation between the Persian language with German language. In the book he describes the various kinds of Caucasian languages, Tsakonian, Kudish, and Ubykh.

By Republika Newsroom