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Governors of a town

Hazinedarzade (Sons of the treasure holders) was a noble dynasty consisting of family members who worked as Governors and high officials of the southeastern area of the Black Sea. For two generations they acted as Canik Tax Collectors in Middle and East Black Sea, as Trabzon Governors, as Karahisar-ı Sharki, Gönye Renters and Heads of the Fas and Anapo Guard until the first years of Tanzimat Era. It is remarkable that the family were active during the period of Mahmut the second and had contacts with central authority. The contacts of Hazinedarzade with the government was effective in preserving the family and its passing to the Republican Era, a period during which a lot of family members were killed and its political power declined.

The founder of this noble family who possessed authority over the Black Sea Region in the first half of the XIXth century was Hazinedarzade Süleyman Pasha. The first biggest state task of Süleyman Bey was the tax collection of Canik sanjak. The unsuccessful administration of the previous tax collector and inability to prevent rebellions and brigandage in the last years were the reasons in his appointment on this duty. Süleyman pasha was appointed to Canik at the office of tax collector by taking the office of “Head of the Guards of the Port”, a title that was granted for the first time. Tax collecting dutywas given to Süleyman Bey in March 1794[1]. By the decision of Finance Ministry order he carried out his duty from June-August 1795[2]. He carried out this task both personally and by proxy[3].The tax collector Süleyman Bey after 1808 continued holding his position until his death in 1818.

Süleyman Pasha who was governor of Trabzon with vizier rank in 1812 appointed his son Osman Bey as his representative in tax collection after this date. He tried to protect the central authority as chief of the Fash Castle Guard. Mostly, he was effective in embedding of rebellion of Tuzcuoğlu Memish Agha. Although he was appointed to Alaiye sanjak at the beginning of 1818, he did not undertake this task because of his death on 28 April 1818. He was famous for offering his lands and his profitable estates for the school, madrasah and other institutions which he set to make in Samsun and Charshamba . The palace that he set to make in Unye was one of the glorious ones.

The family activities were continued by the second generation, his sons. Osman Pasha who was the eldest son of Süleyman Pasha became Canik tax collector along with his other office as Head of Port Guards alike his father[4]. Firstly, he became Sivas governor with vizier rank in 1827-1828; he then became Trabzon governor after a week[5]. He subsequently became a public servant to the Egyptian war in addition to his governorship in Sivas in 1832-33. He was removed from the governorship of Sivas in 1833-34. He died in Trabzon around March-June 1841. Osman Pasha who served as a governor of Trabzon for a long time, 14 years, was known as an easygoing and good administrator. Useful works were carried out on the administration of the Trabzon province and for the social benefit of the population in during his time[6]. His middle son, Memish Pasha worked for Trabzon governorship in 1829[7] and he became responsible for the safety issues in Sürmene.[8]

The youngest son of Süleyman Paşa was Abdullah Paşa[9] took the office of Tax Collector of Canik in 1830 as his eldest brother became Trabzon governor. The successful service in this job brought him the office of the Head of the Guards of the Port. He was subsequently appointed as Governor by the Ministry to Trabzon Province[10] as the position became vacant after the death of Osman Pasha[11]. He continued the work of his brother for works for the pbulic good and left various constructions like the fountain named after him in Ortahisar in Trabzon in 1884, famous for its ornament and inscription. The governorship of Süleyman Pasha continued until February in 1846[12]. He quit his position due to his illness[13].

The Sublime Porte (Babıali) undertook radical changes during the governorship of Osman Pasha and Abdullah Pasha who had effective authority both on society and local elites in the southeastern Black Sea regions for more than twenty years. Neither Osman Pasha nor Abdullah Pasha favoured any changes introduced during Tanzimat and consequently no new regulations were implemented under their administration. Abdullah Pasha dwelled in İstanbul after leaving governorship died in 1860-61[14]. Abdullah Pasha built many foundation institutions such as school, mosque, library, fountain in Samsun and Trabzon. He made a school named Cami-i kebir built in Kaleichi in 1832 when he worked as a tax collector in Samsun[15]. He devoted himself to the necessities of some mosques.

There were other important members of Hazinedarzade family who excelled in different activities. The most remarkable member of the family was a poet; Fıtnat Hanım was famous in literature. Fıtnat Hanım who was famous for her intelligence and beauty was talented in reading ghazel. She died in 1909 and was buried in Edirnekapı Graveyard[16]. She was known for her works in prose in addition to her divan in which she picked up her poems written in prosodic verse.

Nurettin Pasha was also and important historical figure among the Ünye branch descending from Osman Pasha. Nurettin Pasha worked at an administrative position in Ünye and lived in his grandfather Süleyman Pasha’s palace. Mazhar Pasha who was the son of Nurettin Pasha was known as a poet. Ali Mazhar Hazinedar who was the deputy Governor of Ordu was the grandson of the daughter of Mazhar Bey. Some members of the family who lived in Ordu were effective in the administration of Ordu. Hazinedarzade Osman Bey was known as member of the administrative chamber and along with his relative Mustafa Bey was known as member of the court chamber in 1903[17]. Osman Bey worked in 1904 and 1905 as Head of the Ordu Municipality for two periods lasting four years between 1905-1908. Many buildings were constructed in Ordu Bazaar during his time[18]. A member whose name was famous for military from the family was Mustafa Bey remembered with the nickname "dwarf".

[1] BOA., CM, 13161; Abdullah Bay, “Canik Muhassıllığı…”, p. 84.

[2] BOA., MD, 202, p. 96, H. 321, A decree, issued by the finance ministry to the tax collector of Canik, named Suleyman, Evâil-i Ra 1210/ Mid September 1795.

[3] BOA., MD, 200, 202, 203, related decrees; Abdullah Bay, “Canik Muhassıllığı…”, p. 84. 28 January 1797 dated manuscript Canik muhassılı Mir Süleyman (see. CA, 21014, Mehmet Efendi’nin yazısının hülâsası) and 7 April 1797 dated another scripture mentions his rank: Dergâh-ı muallâ kapıcıbaşısı Canik muhassılı Süleyman (see. SŞS, 1755, V. 47 – A, H. 1, Canik Muhassılı Süleyman dâme mecdühûya hüküm, 29 Ş 1211). See also. SŞS, 1755, V. 47 – B, H. 1, Samsun Kadısı Mevlana El – Hâc Ali’nin yazısı, 9 L 1211/7 April 1797.

[4] See. Mehmet Beşirli, "Trabzon Valisi Hazinedarzâde Osman Paşa ve Zamanı (1827-1842), Karadeniz Tarihi Sempozyumu, Karadeniz Teknik Üniversitesi, 26 Mayıs 2005, I, Trabzon 2007, p. 397 - 415.

[5] Sultan Mahmut the second was against the idea of the appointing any royal family members as governors of provinces. Despite this attitude, he had to appoint Osman Pasha who was one of the mostly respected and able members of the royal family and knew the region very well ,because of the chaotic situation of the 1828-1829 Turkish-Russian war. (Abdullah Saydam, “Trabzon’un İdari Yapısı ve Yenileşme Zarureti (1793-1851)”, p. 296 (pp.285-317). It is available in the web page: dergiler.ankara.edu.tr

[6] Mehmet Süreyya, Sicill-i Osmani, Prepaered by. Nuri Akbayar, C. IV, İstanbul 1996, p. 1306.Süleyman Bey who performed the duty of high teacher and was the son of Osman Pasha was passed away in 1851. His grave was in İstanbul Bahariye (Mehmet Süreyya (1996), V, p. 1532); Murat Karaca, Ordu İlinde Araştırmalar, Ordu Halkevi Yay. Ordu 1948, p. 10 - 11.

[7] Goloğlu, p. 158.

[8] Saydam, “Trabzon’un İdari Durumu…”, p.297.

[9] M. Emin Yolalıcı, Samsun Eşrafından Hazinedarzâde Esseyid Abdullah Paşa’nın Terekesi, Samsun 1987, p. 14 - 15.

[10] Mehmed Süreyya, I, p. 81.

[11] Mehmed Süreyya, IV, p. 1306.

[12] Bk. Goloğlu, p. 157 – 170; R. Vadala, Samsoun Passé – Présent – Avenir, Paris 1934, p. 21 - 22.

[13] Saydam, “Trabzon’un İdari Durumu…”, p.298.

[14] M. Emin Yolalıcı, p. 17, Vadala, p. 22. Abdullah Pasha died in 21 May 1848 according to the manuscripts, retireved from his family members’ private collection in Fatsa. A record about Abdullah Pasha at the toll of the decaeased persons in Eyup (Istanbul) Mihrishah Mother Sultan tomb: “1264 (1848) tumbled tomb: (Trabzon eyaleti müşiri Hazinedar-zade Abdullah Paşa)” . http://ekitap.eyup.bel.tr:9600/sempozyum/tarih/Mezarliklar.pdf

[15] Beşirli, p. 492.

[16] Serhan Alkan İspirli, “Trabzonlu Kadın Divan Şairlerimiz: Fıtnat, Saniye ve Mahşah Hanım”, Karadeniz Araştırmaları, Issue. 16, Winter 2008, p. 113 – 115 (113 – 120).

[17] Sıtkı Çebi, Ordu Şehri Hakkında…, p. 185.

[18] Çebi, Ordu Şehri Hakkında…, p. 187.

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