İncili Çavuş
Encyclopedia
İncili ÇavuşÇavuş means: 1. a title given to the officials who engaged in various services provided of in the organizations of the Ottoman State, 2. a rank of officers who were responsible for transmitting down orders of senior commanders subordinate commanders in the Ottoman Army. çavuş in BSTS / Tarih Terimleri Sözlüğü, 1974. or Mustafa Çavuş was a figure of comic wisdom during the Ottoman era
. He may possibly have been a real person.
His birth date is not known. There are several theories about his birth place. According to Kayseri Ansiklopedisi, he was born in the village of Tırafşın, now called İncili that belonged to the central county of Tomarza District
in Kayseri Province
.
His fıkras (jokes) were collected by Süleyman Tevfik (Zorluoğlu) at the first time in the early Republican period. According to Abdülbaki Gökpınarlı, Çavuş's treatise, that had been addressed to Sheikh ul-Islam
at the time and written in both Arabic
and Turkish
languages, was found in Kayseri in 1933-1934. In two small treatises in a volume, it was mentioned that the name of Muhammad
were passed in the Bible
(Turkish: İncil). In this way, they gave him the nickname "İncili".
As to another tale, Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent
(reigned 1520-1566) was very pleased with Mustafa's showing extraordinary proficiency in an archery
contest that was participated by his princes, and said to Mustafa, "I'm giving you the rank of a Çavuş (sergeant). And to be able to distinguish you from other sergeants and to show your superiority over others, I'm attaching a pearl
to your turban
." After this affair, his name Mustafa was forgotten and he began to be called "İncili".
According to Mustafa Enhoş, he was referred in the History of Naima
as a sergeant
of the Dergâhı Âlî
in 1615. According to Sennur Sezer and Adnan Özyalçıner, he was one of Musahibs of Sultan Ahmed I
(reignrd 1603–1617) and was sent to Safavid Persia as part of the Ottoman delegation (elçi). According to Kayseri Ansiklopedisi, some sources recorded that he accompanied İbrahim Çavuş, who was sent to Iran as ambassador, as "selam çavuşu" in 1626.
According to Cemil Asena's book Diyarbekir Tarihi ve Meşâhiri, he died in 1632-33. However, sources were unclear on the exact date.
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. He may possibly have been a real person.
His birth date is not known. There are several theories about his birth place. According to Kayseri Ansiklopedisi, he was born in the village of Tırafşın, now called İncili that belonged to the central county of Tomarza District
Tomarza
Tomarza is a town and district of Kayseri Province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. It seems that Tomarza was the center of an Armenian autonomy, along with Zeytun/Süleymanlı and Göksun in the 17th century. The mayor is Fahrettin Işık ....
in Kayseri Province
Kayseri Province
The Kayseri Province , in central Turkey, is an area that has been linked with mythological stories as well as important figures in Turkish history. It is located in Anatolia, and surrounded by the Mount Erciyes, the Mount Hasan and the Mount Ali...
.
His fıkras (jokes) were collected by Süleyman Tevfik (Zorluoğlu) at the first time in the early Republican period. According to Abdülbaki Gökpınarlı, Çavuş's treatise, that had been addressed to Sheikh ul-Islam
Sheikh ul-Islam
Shaykh al-Islām is a title of superior authority in the issues of Islam....
at the time and written in both Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
and Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
languages, was found in Kayseri in 1933-1934. In two small treatises in a volume, it was mentioned that the name of Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
were passed in the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
(Turkish: İncil). In this way, they gave him the nickname "İncili".
As to another tale, Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman I was the tenth and longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1520 to his death in 1566. He is known in the West as Suleiman the Magnificent and in the East, as "The Lawgiver" , for his complete reconstruction of the Ottoman legal system...
(reigned 1520-1566) was very pleased with Mustafa's showing extraordinary proficiency in an archery
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
contest that was participated by his princes, and said to Mustafa, "I'm giving you the rank of a Çavuş (sergeant). And to be able to distinguish you from other sergeants and to show your superiority over others, I'm attaching a pearl
Pearl
A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other...
to your turban
Turban
In English, Turban refers to several types of headwear popularly worn in the Middle East, North Africa, Punjab, Jamaica and Southwest Asia. A commonly used synonym is Pagri, the Indian word for turban.-Styles:...
." After this affair, his name Mustafa was forgotten and he began to be called "İncili".
According to Mustafa Enhoş, he was referred in the History of Naima
Mustafa Naima
Muṣtafa Na'īmā was an Ottoman bureaucrat and historian who wrote the chronicle known as the Ta'rīkh-i Na'īmā...
as a sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
of the Dergâhı Âlî
Janissary
The Janissaries were infantry units that formed the Ottoman sultan's household troops and bodyguards...
in 1615. According to Sennur Sezer and Adnan Özyalçıner, he was one of Musahibs of Sultan Ahmed I
Ahmed I
Ahmed I or Ahmed Bakhti was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1603 until his death in 1617.-Biography:...
(reignrd 1603–1617) and was sent to Safavid Persia as part of the Ottoman delegation (elçi). According to Kayseri Ansiklopedisi, some sources recorded that he accompanied İbrahim Çavuş, who was sent to Iran as ambassador, as "selam çavuşu" in 1626.
According to Cemil Asena's book Diyarbekir Tarihi ve Meşâhiri, he died in 1632-33. However, sources were unclear on the exact date.
Further reading
- İncili Çavuş, İncili Çavuş'un Güzel Resimli Lâtifeleri, Bozkurt Kitap ve Basımevi, 1945.
- Dursun Yıldırım, Türk Edebiyatında Bektaşi Tipine Bağlı Fıkralar: İnceleme-Metin, Kültür Bakanlığı, 1976.
- Tahir Galip Serʼatlı, Mizahımızın Üç Ustası: Nasreddin Hoca, İncili Çavuş, Bekri Mustafa, Selis, 2004, ISBN 9789758724352.