At the beginning of the spring of 1481, the brigades of Sultan Fatih Sultan Mehmed Khan started to wave in Üsküdar. The Sultan had ordered the Anatolian troops to gather in Konya plain. He had also sent Prince Cem, the governor of Karaman, to the Syrian frontier with some troops.
In fact, this situation was surprising for Cihangir Sultan, who had not been expedition for the last five years. Because his illness due to his gout was obvious. He was going to lead his armies for the first time after a long time.
Finally, on Friday, 27 April 1481, Fatih personally led his army to Üsküdar on the Anatolian side.
However, Gazi Hünkar, while crossing the Bosphorus, with the agony of his illness, he said:
Wail! Wail from this irreversible departure. Wail for the longing of friends!
He probably felt that this expedition was “the expedition to the hereafter“. The grave is a door through which every soul enters
Death is a chalice that every soul drinks
The Sultan travelled to Üsküdar and stayed there for a few days due to his illness. Nevertheless, he did not stop his armies. Fatih was too weak to go on horseback, so he set off in a horse- drawn carriage. He started to move towards the east. Exhausted, he landed in his camp in Maltepe, close to Gebze, in a place called Tekfur Meadow or Hünkâr Meadow.
His condition was very shaken and his pain had increased considerably. The doctors seemed to be looking for a last remedy in desperation. While the oil in the lamp was about to run out in the last and short moment of the Sultan’s life, he was spending his time saying the kelime-i shahadat.
Finally, he passed away at the age of forty-nine after reigning for thirty years close to the evening of Thursday 3 May 1481.
Shah Mehemmed Ibn Murad is not dead Maybe he is looking at the gardens of paradise. Because his work is goodness for the people.
History was a “blessing” for him (886/1481)
Seven days had passed between his departure from Istanbul and his death. No one knew where he was going. Whenever he was going on an expedition, he would hide his intentions even from his closest ones and would not reveal his plans until he was close to the destination. He would not inform anyone about his secret thoughts and would not make them his confidant.
Therefore, no one knew where he was going. Preparations had been made for a distant expedition. Although it was known that the direction of the army was Anatolia, it was not clear whether it was Arab or Persian. There was also the possibility of hitting Rhodes on the way. It had been seen many times that he had expedited to several states in one year. Because of the direction of the army and the successful continuation of the expedition, it seemed certain that for the time being Italy was out of the picture. If the death had occurred fifteen or twenty days later, it would have been clear where the expedition was going. However, recent events and the route pointed to Egypt, although not absolutely. The spies of the Arabs and Persians had already reached the destination and reported that the sultan was on his way with a formidable army.
The Cause of Death
Although it is claimed today that Fatih Sultan Mehmed Khan was killed by the Venetians by having him poisoned, the sources do not say so.
The cause of Fatih Sultan Mehmed’s death is quite clear in the sources. He had been suffering from nicris disease since 1464. In his last expeditions, his suffering increased even more and he could not participate in some expeditions. In the Ağrıboz Expedition, at a time when his fatigue and discomfort was at its peak; “I do not have a vizier who knows how to do my work”, he had revealed his condition.
Therefore, the sources of the period and serious Western works are unanimous that Fatih died of natural causes.
As a matter of fact, the famous historian Kemalpaşazade states that Nikris was a genetic disease inherited from his ancestors. He says that it had started to seriously disturb him in his last days.
Aşıkpaşazade also said; The cause of his death was the trouble in his foot. Doctors were incapable of treatment. Finally the doctors gathered together. They agreed, they took blood from his foot. The trouble became worse. Then they gave sharab-ı fâriğ (a kind of relaxing, soothing syrup). Finally, he reached the mercy of Allah.
Firstly Tursun Beymentions the sultan’s illness: He states that his old illness recurred while he was still on the expedition, saying that he was hurt and suddenly sighed a sigh because of the old illness was aggravated during the crossing of the sea and crossing the sea. Then he describes his death as follows:
“Otağ-ı hümayûn was brought. It was established in a place called Tekfur Stream. The weakness of the Sultan’s body reminded him that his time had up, as is the case with strong and faithful Muslims. The Sultan, who had ruled his reign for so long with maturity, valour and force, was not separated from Allah’s providence and destiny; Beyt:
“He left his worldly possessions and reign, and his blessed soul has reached with Allah…”
The famous historian and scholar Hodja Sadeddin Efendi, after saying that Fatih, who went to the Üsküdar side for the expedition, had a malaise in his body in those days, but despite this, he set out on the expedition, describes his last moments as follows:
“In the last and short moment of his life, when the oil in the lamp was about to run out, he was passing his time by saying the Word-i shahâdat. Thus, in the hope of attaining the pleasure of Allah, that sweet bird of life, whose value could not be measured by turning a blind eye from the kingdom of the world, was immersed in watching the stations of illiyîn.”
You are like a deep sea in generosity
Nureddin Abdurrahman Cami (Molla Cami), the great scholar and wise man from Khorasan, would be one of the most saddened by the death of Fatih Sultan Mehmed Khan. Because when the Sultan, who highly valued the scholars, heard that this great scholar had gone on pilgrimage for a period, he gave orders to host him in the most beautiful way in the towns that were subject to him. Molla Jami, who was very happy with this attention, wrote “Irşadiye Risalesi” and praised Sultan Fatih. Fatih then sent Sayyid Ataullah al-Kirmani to Damascus with five thousand gold coins and a epistle and invited this great scholar to Istanbul.
Thereupon, Molla Cami was not indifferent to the Sultan’s invitation and set off with a large entourage. I wonder if Molla Cami would continue the conversation that Akşemseddin and Abü’l-Vefa had left with the sultan for the hereafter. However, he would not be able to achieve this desire. Molla Jami, who came to Konya, received the news of the death of the sultan he loved so much while he was here. He returned back in great sorrow.
The poem Molla Cami wrote for Fatih Sultan Mehmed in his divan is an indication of the value of Fatih in the eyes of this great saint, as well as how he was known outside the Ottoman Turkish world:
“O wind from the north! What fragrances you bring. Come on, blow towards the qibla of desires!
Add the scent of sincerity to your warm breath. And always reach the goal by following the path of ihlâs.
After tying your supplication and prayer equipment in Khorasan, walk towards the land of Rum.
On the way, learn the procedures and manners of this path. Ask where the dervish lodge where the great ones were trained is located.
When you arrive there, rub your face in the dust of the servants’ feet. Ask permission and enter the presence by kissing the ground.
That soldier of jihad, in front of the Gazi Sultan, enter the speech by spreading wisdom and say: ‘O sultan of high honour! The property of the world is an inheritance from your ancestors.
Very few people in the world have had the maturity to give a revelation like you on the throne of such greatness and splendour.
It was your endeavour that the Sunnah-i seniyyah spread everywhere.
The nests of blasphemy, churches, were converted into mosques by your efforts.
You destroyed the strongholds of disbelief and deviation with your accurate measures in wars.
You are the sultan who is always orientated towards compassion and mercy and cleansed from bad habits.
Contrary to those who envy you, you have all kinds of wisdom, honour, valour and generosity.
You are like a deep sea in generosity, as if you are a gold mine. You are even more generous than the sea and the gold mine.
As long as the summit of the firmament exists and the world stands still,
I wish that Allahu ta’âlâ may bestow the grants appropriate to your heart, and that the honour of the world may be laid under your feet.
O morning wind that scatters amber scents around! Now that you are arranging bundles of prayers and supplications.
May a few of these strange poems be worthy of the sultan.
Take these strange gifts we have entrusted to you to the sultan’s assembly.
While presenting this insignificant gift of mine to his sublime and honourable presence, say:
The ant sent half a grasshopper’s foot to the floor of Süleyman ‘alaihis-salâm’ in terms of affection and loyalty.
As a matter of fact, try to finish the word by saying, “Gifts are measured by the value of the sender.
Do not insist too much. Please end by saying my greetings and respect.”
543 years ago, today, I remember with mercy the supreme ruler Fatih Sultan Mehmed Khan who passed away.
REFLECTION
You have made me a servant to the chain of your zülf May Allah not release me from your servitude
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Şimşirgil
3th May 2024
Türkiye Gazetesi