Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Fatih Sultan Mehmet (The Conqueror) and the Greek Architect

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Sultan The Conqueror entrusts two marble columns, which will be used for the Mosque, to the Architect Sinan Atik, who is originally a Greek. Sinan shortens the columns 3 Turkish yards each. Sultan gets angry for that and orders to punish him by cutting architect's hand.

Architect wants to claims his right against Sultan, but neither Galata nor Eyup Kadis (Judges) cannot take the chance to judge the Sultan. Kadi (Judge) of Uskudar Hızır Bey accepts and files the claim at the end.

When sultan is summoned, he likes to sit in a comfortable place but he is not allowed to do so. He stands together with the complainant at the court.

Judge declares the sultan as guilty because of what he has done and he decides to punish him with the same thing he has done for the architect which means his hand will be cut off. When architect has seen that he gets shocked and he withdraws the lawsuit.

Because the architect withdraws, judge decides Sultan to pay 10 golden coin per day and Sultan makes it 20.

As Evliya Çelebi (A Turkish Traveller, whose travel notes are published under the name of Seyahatname) tells more about that case and says.

Sultan takes of an iron bar and says to the judge;

“If you had not decided to cut my hand according to the rules of Islam, I would be smashing your head with this bar.”

And judge takes out his poniard and replies;

“If you had not accepted my decision, I would be killing you with that”


Adil Giray Çelik

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