Historian (B. 1493,
Vulcitrin – D. 1565). He is the little brother of Nişancı Celalzade Mustafa
Çelebi. After completing his madrasah training, he attended the lectures of Ibn
Kemal Ahmed Şemseddin in Istanbul. He learned calligraphy from famous Caligraph
Sheikh Hamdullah, so his handwriting was very good. He became a lieutenant
among the students of Hayreddin Effendi. He was sent to work as a teacher at
Edirne Saraciye Madrasah. During this duty, he wrote about Suleyman the
Magnificent’s Belgrade, Rhodes and Budin campaigns. Also, his poems about the
activities of Grand Vizier Ibrahim Pasa were probably submitted to the Pasa via
his brother Mustafa Çelebi were credited and he was re-assigned to Istanbul
Murad Pasha Madrasah. He worked as a teacher there for long years, and then he
transferred to Atik Ali Pasha Madrasah at Divanyolu (1535). His eulogies written
for Grand Vizier Ayas Pasa were also credited and he became Sahn-I Seman
teacher (1536). Meanwhile, upon the request of Suleyman, he translated Firuz
Shah Stories from Persian to Turkish in a short time and submitted it to the
Sultan. Then he became the teacher at Edirne Bayezid Madrasah (1542). He was
appointed as the Kadı of Halep in 1544 and he had to go there. 2 months later,
he was assigned to investigate the claims about Hadım Davud Pasha, the Governor
of Egypt and to control the Egyptian pious foundations; he completed this tough
mission in a short time and returned back to Istanbul. He spent rest of his
life at Eyup Nişanca, in his brother’s house next to the mosque; by writing and
teaching, and he never requested to be appointed at higher ranks.
Salih Çelebi had a
remarkable position among the scholars in his era with his high scientific
knowledge, his skills in poetry and essays, and his expertise in Islamic Law,
his moral superiority, integrity and justice. He had several works as copyright
and as translations. He left being a Kadı as he witnessed the actions of cruel
people during his duty as a Kadı in Egypt, Damascus and Aleppo and realized
that those cruelties cannot be prevented.
WORKS:
HISTORY: Târîh-i Sultan Süleyman (It contains the
events between the year of enthronment of Suleiman the Magnificent and 1528)
, Tarih-i Mısır (Egyptian history from its beginning until 1546).
TRANSLATION: Tercüme-i Cevâmiu’l-Hikâyât ve
Levâmiu’r-Rivâyât (This work is about history and ethics, and stories
relevant with these subjects were also explained in certain parts), Kıssa-i
Behmen Şâh b. Fîrûz Şâh (Translation of Kıssa-i Fîrûz Şâh).
POETRY: Divan (He wrote his poets in Arabic, Persian
and Turkish with the psuedonyms “Salih” and “Salahi”; and those he remembered
were dictated by himself after he became blind.)
REFERENCE: İhsan Işık (TEKAA, 2009).
