Nef'i
Encyclopedia
Nef'i (1572, Hasankale
, Erzurum
- 1635, Istanbul
) was an Ottoman poet
and satirist.
with Grand Vizier
Kuyucu Murad Pasha
(in office 1606-1611) during his suppression of the Jelali revolts
in Anatolia
in the early 17th century. Upon Murat Pasha's return to Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire
, Nef'i accompanied him as an accountant.
Nef'i attempted to gain the sultan
's favor for his poetry, but was unsuccessful with Ahmet I (reigned 1603–1617) and Osman II
(reigned 1618–1622). However, finally, Sultan Murad IV
(reigned 1623–1640) recognized his skill and granted him a stipend
.
Because of his vicious literary attacks on government officials, he was executed by strangulation in 1635 at the request of kaymakam
Bayram Pasha
.
Nefi's execution was decided due to his satirical verses on Grand Vizier Bayram Pasha.
As Nef'i went to Topkapı Palace
to present his newly written satire
book "Sihâm-ı Kazâ" (Arrows of Misfortune) to Sultan Murad IV, lightning struck the dome of the palace. The sultan ordered him away yelling "You evil! Take your book and get off so that we get rid of the arrows of misfortune".
After leaving sultan's audience, Nef'i asked the palace master to mediate for his pardoning. The black master of African origin
started to write an application to the grand vizier while Nef'i stood nearby and watched. A short while after, a drop of black ink fell onto the white paper, and Nef'i promptly commented in sarcasm
"Sir, your sweat dripped." The palace master tore the paper in anger, and Nef'i was delivered to the executioner. He was courageous until the last moment as he said to his executioner "Go man, you slacker!" After he was strangled with an oiled rope in the woodshed of the palace, his corpse was thrown into the sea.
Following verse became famous describing the event:
Gökten nazîre indi Sihâm-ı Kazâ’sına
Nef'i diliyle uğradı Hakk’ın belâsına
Literally translated:
Alike came down from the skies of his "Arrows of Misfortune"
By his tongue, Nef'i received God's misfortune
Pasinler (town)
Pasinler or Basean , is a town in Erzurum Province, Turkey on the Aras River. It is located east of the city of Erzurum and is the site of Hasankale Castle...
, Erzurum
Erzurum
Erzurum is a city in Turkey. It is the largest city, the capital of Erzurum Province. The city is situated 1757 meters above sea level. Erzurum had a population of 361,235 in the 2000 census. .Erzurum, known as "The Rock" in NATO code, served as NATO's southeastern-most air force post during the...
- 1635, Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
) was an Ottoman poet
Ottoman poetry
The poetry of the Ottoman Empire, or Ottoman Divan poetry, is fairly little known outside of modern Turkey, which forms the heartland of what was once the Ottoman Empire...
and satirist.
Biography
Nef'i entered military service as a quartermasterQuartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
with Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier, in Turkish Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam , deriving from the Arabic word vizier , was the greatest minister of the Sultan, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissable only by the Sultan himself...
Kuyucu Murad Pasha
Kuyucu Murad Pasha
Kuyucu Murat Pasha was a Croatian who became Ottoman grand vizier during the reign of Ahmed I between December 9, 1606 and August 5, 1611...
(in office 1606-1611) during his suppression of the Jelali revolts
Jelali Revolts
Jelali revolts , were a series of rebellions in Anatolia of irregular troops led by provincial administrations known as celalî, against the authority of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th and 17th centuries. They arose partly as an effort to attain tax privileges...
in Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
in the early 17th century. Upon Murat Pasha's return to Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire
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...
, Nef'i accompanied him as an accountant.
Nef'i attempted to gain the sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
's favor for his poetry, but was unsuccessful with Ahmet I (reigned 1603–1617) and Osman II
Osman II
Sultan Osman II or Othman II was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1618 until his death on 20 May 1622...
(reigned 1618–1622). However, finally, Sultan Murad IV
Murad IV
Murad IV Ghazi was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1623 to 1640, known both for restoring the authority of the state and for the brutality of his methods...
(reigned 1623–1640) recognized his skill and granted him a stipend
Stipend
A stipend is a form of salary, such as for an internship or apprenticeship. It is often distinct from a wage or a salary because it does not necessarily represent payment for work performed, instead it represents a payment that enables somebody to be exempt partly or wholly from waged or salaried...
.
Because of his vicious literary attacks on government officials, he was executed by strangulation in 1635 at the request of kaymakam
Kaymakam
Qaim Maqam or Qaimaqam or Kaymakam is the title used for the governor of a provincial district in the Republic of Turkey, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and in Lebanon; additionally, it was a title used for roughly the same official position in the Ottoman...
Bayram Pasha
Bayram Pasha
Bayram Pasha was an Ottoman grand vizier.- Life :Bayram, whose family was from Ladik, near the Anatolian city of Amasya was a member of janissary. Although janissary corps were originally based on devshirme system, beginning by the reign of Murat III Turks were also admitted into the corps...
.
Story of his execution
Turkish historian and journalist Mahmut Sami Şimşek tells following story about the execution of Nef'i:Nefi's execution was decided due to his satirical verses on Grand Vizier Bayram Pasha.
As Nef'i went to Topkapı Palace
Topkapi Palace
The Topkapı Palace is a large palace in Istanbul, Turkey, that was the primary residence of the Ottoman Sultans for approximately 400 years of their 624-year reign....
to present his newly written satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
book "Sihâm-ı Kazâ" (Arrows of Misfortune) to Sultan Murad IV, lightning struck the dome of the palace. The sultan ordered him away yelling "You evil! Take your book and get off so that we get rid of the arrows of misfortune".
After leaving sultan's audience, Nef'i asked the palace master to mediate for his pardoning. The black master of African origin
Afro-Turks
Afro-Turks, African Turks, or Turkish Africans are people of African descent in Turkey. "Afro-Turk" is a neologism; they have been colloquially named as Arap or zenci in Turkish, and are now also referred to as Afrika kökenli Türkler .-History:Beginning several centuries ago, a number of Africans,...
started to write an application to the grand vizier while Nef'i stood nearby and watched. A short while after, a drop of black ink fell onto the white paper, and Nef'i promptly commented in sarcasm
Sarcasm
Sarcasm is “a sharp, bitter, or cutting expression or remark; a bitter jibe or taunt.” Though irony and understatement is usually the immediate context, most authorities distinguish sarcasm from irony; however, others argue that sarcasm may or often does involve irony or employs...
"Sir, your sweat dripped." The palace master tore the paper in anger, and Nef'i was delivered to the executioner. He was courageous until the last moment as he said to his executioner "Go man, you slacker!" After he was strangled with an oiled rope in the woodshed of the palace, his corpse was thrown into the sea.
Following verse became famous describing the event:
Gökten nazîre indi Sihâm-ı Kazâ’sına
Nef'i diliyle uğradı Hakk’ın belâsına
Literally translated:
Alike came down from the skies of his "Arrows of Misfortune"
By his tongue, Nef'i received God's misfortune