İlm-i Nudjum and 18th century Ottoman Court Politics

R. Hakan Kirkoglu

Astrology in Ottoman Historiography

Even though astrology was labeled a “wretched” subject by the late historian of science,
George Sarton, the history of astrology as an important element of ancient, medieval and early
modern science and culture has received much scholarly attention in recent decades.
Historians like Anthony Grafton, Ann Geneva, Otto Neugebauer, Tamsyn Barton have shown
that it was not until fairly recently that astrology was starkly distinguished from astronomy as
a pseudo-science. These revisionist historians point out the significance of astrology as a
historical source.

Despite a number of pioneering studies by Cornell Fleischer, nevertheless astrology or Ilm-i

nücum in the Ottoman context still remains an understudied topic.

Historiographically, mainstream works on astrology which has been written under a rigid type
of Enlightenment, usually tend to look at the subject in terms of a battle between progress and
inertia. In most of the histories of Science in the Ottoman Empire, Ilm-i Nücum has been
discussed as a residual form of ancient knowledge. To give an example, when Adnan Adıvar
discusses Kadızade Rumi, he points out with praise that this 15th-century mathematician and
astronomer never wrote any sentence on İlm-i Nücum 1. Contemporary historian of Science,
Yavuz Unat, touches on astrology very sparsely in relation to Ptolemy’s Tetrabiblos stating
that astrology was a scientific religion in the age of Ptolemy. 2 However, as Anthony Grafton
states that “trying to understand the society and culture of early modern times without taking
astrology into account is exactly as plausible as trying to understand modern society without
examining the influence of economics and psychoanalysis” 3

1
Adnan Adıvar, Osmanlı Türklerinde İlim, Remzi Kitabevi, 1982, p. 20
2
Yavuz Unat, İlk Çağlardan Günümüze Astronomi Tarihi, Nobel Yayınevi, 2001, p. 56-57
3
William R. Newman & Anthony Grafton, “Introduction: The Problematic Status of Astrology and Alchemy in
Premodern Europe” in Secrets of Nature: Astrology and Alchemy in Early Modern Europe, Cambridge Press, p.
14

1
Until recently, another factor behind the neglect of astrology, was the lack of a proper catalog
of related manuscripts. Fortunately, this situation has changed with the publication of
Ottoman astronomical and astrological texts by a team headed by Günay Kut from Boğaziçi
University in 2007. 4 Still to my knowledge, Ottoman astrology has been to date the subject of
only two scholary works, one by Salim Ayduz on the establishment of court astrologers in the
Ottoman Empire and another by Gülçin Tunalı Koç on a provincial astrologer’s life as a
micro-history. Besides, Ekmelleddin İhsanoğlu’s statement that astrology has an important
place among the bricks that went into the edifice of science, in his preface to IRCICA’s
History of Ottoman Astrological Literature, I presume indicates a new awareness. 5

At this point I would like to draw attention to the relationship between astrology and
astronomy, as both disciplines share a common historical ground. In Arabic language, the
technical term of astrology ilm (or sina’at) ahkam an-nudjum stands for science (or art) of the
decrees of the stars. Up until the 19th century, the distinction between astrologer (müneccim)
and astronomer (falaki) was not indicated in the Arabic language. In the Islamic learned
tradition, astronomy (ilm-el felek) and astrology (Ilm-i Nücum) were regarded as sister
sciences, having supplementary quality since according Ptolemy in his Tetrabiblos, the
science of the stars consists of two parts.

6
Astrology is comprised of two main branches, natural and judicial astrology. Natural
astrology consists of the observation of the influences of the stars on the natural elements
while judicial astrology dwells on the stellar influences upon human destiny. While natural
astrology was usually received and accepted as a beneficial practice, judicial astrology
purportedly was seen as an intervention into God’s will and was therefore strongly critiqued
by theologians. Furthermore, astrology as a body of knowledge in Islam has been divided into
principal categories of application in which several divisions were not fully esteemed or rather
not admitted due to their disapproval in Ptolemaic/Aristotelian model of thinking. 7

The courtly practice of astrology

4
Günay Kut, Kandilli Rasathanesi El yazmaları, vol.1 Türkçe yazmalar, Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Yayınları,
Istanbul, 2007, vol. 2 Arapça-Farsça yazmalar, 2012
5
Editor Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, Osmanlı Astroloji Literatürü Tarihi ve Osmanlı Astronomi Literatürü Tarihi
Zeyli, IRCICA, Istanbul, 2011
6
Encyclopedia of Islam, vol. ? p. 105
7
Carlo Nallino in the Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, vol. 12, p. 89

2
Despite its controversial nature, İlm-i Nücum was widely practised by Muslim astronomers,
müneccims. Its use was not only limited to the elite classes or to the court life and certain
people who desired to win the favor of a ruler, resorted to the astrology by casting charts and
making predictions. Although Ilm-i Nücum was critiqued by the majority of Muslim religious
authorities, a margin was left for it in view of its perceived usefulness in the state bureaucracy.
Finding and setting the most auspicious date for certain events, festivals and courtly matters
through Ilm-i Nücum, inherently could be seen to provide order and stability for the state
hierarchy in cosmological terms. In the minds of people, the selection of a certain date and
hour was able to create an aura of immovability, power and legitimacy for the Sultan’s actions
and the state itself. Stephen P. Blake states that in the early modern Islamic world, müneccim
8
was the time expert whose time concept was symbolic, eschatological and millenial. The
resiliency of Ilm-i Nücum rests in its strong relation with divinity, perfect order and cyclical
nature which were believed to be reflected in planetary movements. Hence, similar to the
traditional role of court astronomers/astrologers in the West, Muslim astronomers/astrologers
in the courts of Safavid and Mughal Empires, were employed for compiling planetary tables
(zics), writing almanacs and predicting future prospects like battles, marriages, casting the
ruler’s horoscope.

Akin to other Islamic empires, practice of Ilm-i Nücum can be seen as a part of state
bureaucracy. Although first calendars as court almanacs were prepared during Murad II’s
reign (1421-1451), names of these calendar makers are still unknown to us. However, we
know that Ali Kuşçu (d. 1474) was invited by Mehmed II to teach mathematics and
9
astronomy in various madrasas in Istanbul. Salim Ayduz states that astrological activities
were in apparent rise during the reign of Bayezid II. Andrea Gritti, later doge of Venice states
10
that Bayezid II was a great connoisseur of astrology and theology. The first admission of
astrologers to the Ottoman court was in the time of Bayezid II as seen from the record books
11
of state rolls dated between the years 1537 and 1544 in Topkapı Palace. Ismail Hakkı
Uzunçarşılı writes that “the astrologers were to determine the auspicious times (eşref saati)
for the ceremonies of accesion of the sultans, the births of sultan’s sons, waging wars and the

8
Stephen P. Blake, Time in Early Modern Islam, p. Viii, Cambridge, 2013
9
Salih Zeki, Asar-ı Bakiye, pp. 133-139
10
von Hammer, History of the Ottoman Empire, Volume VI. p. 625
11
Ö. Lütfü Barkan, “H.933-934 Tarihli Bütçe Cetveli ve Ekleri (İlave V)” İktisat Fakültesi Mecmuası, XV, 1-4,
İstanbul, 1955, pp. 314-329

3
movement of the armies, concessions of the seals to the viziers, launching of the galleys,
sultan’s feats, weddings and etc. The sultans and the dignitaries tended to and practised these
special moments for their fortunes customarily. For this reason, the custom of astrology had
been seen as an important practice in the state affairs” 12

Chief-müneccims belonged to the outer circle (birun) of the Ottoman Palace, and they were
supposed to complete a typical madrasa education along with special tuition in Ilm-i Nücum
and calendar making from learned people who had an interest in this direction. Chief-
müneccims themselves as members of the Ilmiye class could be employed as tutors as well.
They could also take office as professors (mudarisses) or could be assigned as kadıs or even
as chief physicians. (hassa hekim) Time-keeping houses (muvakkithanes) were one of these
places where students of Im-i Nücum were actively involved. Fatih, Yavuz Selim and Şehzade
mosques’ time-keeping houses were well-known places in this regard. 13

Although certain educational traits and degrees were demanded of people seeking the office
of chief-astrologership especially in the 19th century, the recommendation of the chief-
imperial physician and familial connections also played an important role in acquiring such a
position in the court.

According to Salim Ayduz, a total of 37 chief-müneccims served in the Ottoman court since
the reign of Bayezid II. Their length of service varied depending on the conditions of the
Sultan in power. While some of them were dismissed upon the accession of a new sultan,
some others were discarded due to their miscalculations and mistakes in calendar making, In
only one case, Huseyin Efendi was executed in 1650 (during the reign of Mehmed IV) for
reasons of enmity and corruption.

Despite Ilm-i Nücum’s fragile credibility and its contested nature, chief-müneccims’ Ilmiye
status would have bestowed on them a certain positional power in speaking out their point of
views. Their power could grow or decline depending on the personal affinity and special
interest of sultan and the other leading people in his entourage. Depending on the interest
groups in the court, a prediction by chief-müneccim or an astronomical phenomenon itself
could indeed be effective in indirectly influencing decisions in the power dynamics within the
court. In this respect, when ahkams’ dormant capacity was assumed and grabbed by key

12
İbrahim Hakkı Uzunçarşılı, Saray Teşkilatı, p. 269, Türk Tarih Kurumu, 1988, Ankara
13
Salim Aydüz, Osmanlı Devleti’nde Müneccimbaşılık ve Müneccimbaşılar, M.A. Thesis, 1993, p.32

4
figures, they could be used to serve political ends once they assumed to hold certain fateful
and moral power in themselves.

Undoubtly, in their ahkams chief-müneccims could point out the prevailing conditions in court
politics, positioning themselves within the sphere of gravity of the sultan’s power. Hence
ahkams can be expected to produce narratives recreating and enforcing the omnipotence of
the Sultan and his state machinery. However, indirectly, these works could align themselves
with different court factions. In these prophecies, chief-müneccim seem to have refrained
from mentioning specific names but pointed out through their status in general. This tendency
to omit personal names might indicate their subject status vis-a-vis the Sultan as well as
understandable necessity of using rounded expressions in order not to cause any potential
turmoil in state affairs, should predictions emphasize any negativity or enmity.

Chief-müneccim Fethiyeli Halil Efendi

In the rest of my talk, I would like to concretize these observations through a discussion of
selected ahkam of the year 1769, by the eighteeenth-century court astrologer Fethiyeli Halil
Efendi, the author of 23 yearly predictive works. Halil Efendi lived his youth during a
relatively peaceful period, when Ottoman culture began to orient itself towards the Western
world. There is no indication, however, that this orientation resulted in an appreciable decline
in the status of astrology. Halil Efendi himself studied astronomy (Ilm-i heyet) and astrology
(Ilm-i nücum), while completing his madrasa education. He began his career first as mudarris
and then became müneccim-i sani (vice astronomer/astrologer) and finally müneccimbaşı
(chief astronomer/astrologer) in the Ottoman court in 1746. 14

I chose to focus on Fethiyeli Halil Efendi mainly on account of his long tenure as chief-
müneccim, serving three sultans, Mahmut I, Osman III and Mustafa III. Of these three sultans
Sultan Mustafa III, in particular, seems have had a strong personal interest in Ilm-i Nücum.
The IRCICA catalogue of Ottoman astrological and astronomical works includes 13
translations of astrological works that were dedicated to this sultan. The only other Ottoman
sultan to have surpassed him in this regard was Bayezid II with 14 such works dedicated to
him, while Suleyman the Magnificent followed the two rulers with 9 astrological works
dedicated to his name.15

14
Salim Aydüz, Osmanlı Devleti’nde Müneccimbaşılık ve Müneccimbaşılar, p. 145
15
Editor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoğlu, Osmanlı Astroloji Literatürü Tarihi ve Osmanlı Astronomi Literatürü Tarihi
Zeyli, vol.1, IRCICA, p. 72

5
No doubt, we can presume a close relationship between the chief-müneccim Fethiyeli Halil
Efendi and Mustafa III. This relationship probably became closer when war was declared
with the Russians in 1768. It is striking that the first day of the campaign coincided with the
very same day when Mercury went direct in its motion on March 27th 1769. So, most likely,
it must have been an elected time by the chief-müneccim himself. For an astrologer’s
reasoning, this should not be surprising since Mercury rules movement, transport and
communication in astrological terms.

In addition to preparing ahkams, annual predictive works and making calendars, müneccims
were also expected to determine auspicious dates and times for specific events. This could be
well for a circumcision ceremony, a reception of an ambassodor, or for example, launching a
galley as seen below:

16
Fethiyeli Halil Efendi writes the following note: (Visual 1)

Ali Emiri Collection, III.MUSTAFA 3625

“Kalyon nüzûlü için Müneccimbaşı efendi kulları tarafından gelen pusuladır.

İnşaallahürrahman avn ve inâyet-i sübhân ile Rebiülahirin yirmi sekizinci isneyn günü
saatin akrebi dördü yirmi dakîka murûrunda ve Cemaziyelevvelinin ikinci hamîs günü saatin
akrebi beşi beş dakîka murûrunda üç kantarlı kalyonu rûy-ı deryâyâ ilkâya münâsib ve sa‘d-i
mübârek vakt-i şerîfler olmakla ihtiyâr olunup hâk-i pây-i devletlerine rûy-mâl kılınır.

Nüzûlü fî 2 Ca sene [1]171”

Translation:

“This is a memorandum by chief-astrologer for launching a galleon

God willing, with the help and by the grace of God, launching of a three kantars (a
specific weight measure) galleon has been found favorable when Jupiter is the ruler
of time on January the 9th, 1758 at 04:20 and on January the 12th, 1758 at 05:05
and this is bowed respectfully before sublime audience.”

Launch at year 1171 (Islamic calendar)

Ahkams (Yearly predictive works)

16
Fethiyeli Halil Efendi here provides with two alternative date, by placing Jupiter in Sag in the first house for
launching a galley. First one January 9th, 1758 at 4:20 and the second is January the 12th, 1758 at 05:05 in
Istanbul

6
Just before presenting samples from Fethiyeli Halil Efendi’s ahkams, I would like to give
brief information on their contents. Preparing and presenting ahkams to Sultan and his
entourage every Newruz was an essential part of court müneccims’ duties. When the structure
of yearly ahkams is studied, we come across a certain type of cosmological framework that
gives ahkams a distinctive form. Mainly two separate parts can be distinguished here:

The first part of ahkams, beginning with the Sultan’s current conditions, gives different entries
for each member of the court and imperial administration, starting from the top and moving
down all the way to the Reaya. The usual line-up is composed of predictions for the grand
vizier, other viziers and courtiers, the conditions of armies and commanders, Harem, members
of the Ilmiye Class, including the chief-müneccim himself, and later the merchants, the
conditions of food and the officially fixed price ceilings (narhs), the weather conditions and
the circumstances of the lands and people which rest beyond the periphery of the state.

The second part is composed of monthly predictions. In this part, the chief-müneccim depicts
certain acts as good or bad, depending on the position of the Moon, which is called elections,
(ikhtiyarat) There are also astronomical phenomena like planetary ingress into zodiacal signs
and retrograde movements, and their astrological significators (significations?) in this part.

A sample of ahkams

When studying Fethiyeli Halil’s ahkams, I intentionally tried to compare his writings with the
events that took place before he wrote down his ahkams and usually found that Halil Efendi
wrote his predictions based on these previous events took place. As expected, he was
interpreting astrological symbols in parallel within this pre-set atmosphere and prevailing
court politics. For example, in one of his notes relating to the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in
1762, when the grand vizier Koca Ragıp Paşa was still alive, he put forward astrological
testimonies against any military expedition which seems to be in line with Koca Ragıp Paşa’s
known attitude. Fethiyeli, at least from his written works, seems to have played his role
within the limits of predominant court politics.

It is also striking to note that when Fethiyeli Halil Efendi’s ahkams are listed in terms of the
years they were written, we cannot find the ahkam relating to the year 1768 when war was
declared against the Russians. For an unknown reason to us, ahkam of 1768 was not included
in the manuscripts collection in the Topkapı Palace. We might never know why this crucial
year’s ahkam was dislocated, but speculatively, perhaps, I presume, this one was removed and

7
destroyed perhaps by the court astrologer himself, because of the prevalent discussions prior
to the war.

Furthermore, it is very noticeable that ahkam of 1769 does not include a specific reference for
Shaik’ul Islam which in fact seems unusual in its form. Instead the text advances with general
titles of ulema, mudarrises, judges and seyyids. In terms of the power dynamics in the
Ottoman court prior to the Russian war ,Uzunçarşılı writes that Shaik’ul Islam Veliyyüddin
Efendi was on the side of Grand Vizier Muhsin-zade Mehmed Paşa in pointing out the perils
of waging war promptly without strengthening the fortresses and undertaking other necessary
arrangements. 17 Given Mustafa III’s pro-war attitude, the death of Veliyyüddin Efendi and the
assignment of Piri-zade Sahip Molla who was also in favor of going into war, along with the
dismissal of Grand Vizier Muhsin-zade Mehmed Paşa should have shifted the gravity of the
political centre towards a pro-war attitude in the court.

I was not able to find what Fethiyeli Halil Efendi wrote in relation to the prevailing pre-war
conditions in his dislocated ahkam for the year 1768, however, Mustafa III’s pro-war attitude
must have been supported by his müneccim’s interpretations. Later, the chronicler
Şemdanizade Süleyman Efendi, writing on account of the losses incurred in the war against
18
Russia, especially emphasizes Sultan Mustafa III’s great interest in astrology with regret.
İsmail Hakkı Uzunçarşılı notes that Mustafa III relied on his chief-müneccim’s interpretations
in his decision of waging war against the Russians. 19

Instead, for the time period before the campaign started in the spring of 1769, we find
Fethiyeli Halil Efendi utter encouraging words for Grand Vizier’s conditions, albeit followed
by some precautionary remarks and concerns about the negligent and untrustworthy ayan.

Fethiyeli Halil Efendi describes Grand Vizier’s conditions for the Spring time as follows:
20
(Visual 2)

17
Ismail Hakkı Uzunçarşılı, Osmanlı Tarihi, vol. IV, 2007, p. 367
18
Şemdanizade express his concerns as follow “Ve sebeb-i diğer Padişahımızın sevk-i kurena ile fenn-i nücuma
ragıp olup, sa’at-i sa’d ihtiyarsız bir işe meşgul olmadığından, iş-bu donanma Tersane’den feyz-i sabahda çıkmak
adet-iken, matlubu olan sa’at vakt-i asra karib olmağla kabl-i asrda ihraç olunmuş idi. Tevekkül terk edüp, bu
fenne itibar edenler süfli olup, böyle beliyyeye düçar olmaktan hali olmazlar. Muhavelü’l-ahval-i maznun olan
sa’di böyle nash hakiki eder.”
19
Ismail Hakkı Uzunçarşılı, Osmanlı Tarihi, vol. IV, 2007, p. 343
20
Fethiyeli Halil Efendi, in his ahkams for 1769 when the Ottomans already waged war against the Russians,
describes Grand Vizier’s stringent conditions for the Spring.

8
““Hal-i Vezir-i a’zam-ı azimü’ş-şan ve sipehderan-ı nusret unvan ve sa’ir vüzeren ve
müdebbiran alallahi te’ala iktidarahüm ila yevmi’l-mizan.

Tâli‘-i fasl-ı baharda sâhib-i beyt-i hâdî aşar Sa‘d-ı asğar kendi beytinde kaviyyü'l-hâl ve
Sâhib-i Sehmi'l-fellâh ve Sahib-i Sehm-i hâli'r-ra‘iyye bulunup ve intihâ-i tâli‘ sâl-i kırân-ı
ulviyyîn beyt-i hâdî aşar da vukû‘u ve Sahîb-i beyt-i hâdî aşar Müşterî'ye mukâbeleten nâzır
ve Müşterî râci‘ delâlet eder. Allâhü te‘âlâ a‘lem. Vekîl-i muhtâr ve müşîr-i büzürgvâr
hazretlerinin inân-ı irâdet ve ihtiyârları icrâ-yı evâmir-i aliyye-i Sultânî ve zimâm-ı itâ‘at ve
ınkıyâdları tedbîr-i mühimmât ve müşkilât-ı devlet-i pâdişâhîye masrûf olmağın mezîd
takarrub ve ihtisâslarından envâr-ı suver sa‘âdât-ı âyîne-i murâdâtlarında nümâyân ola ve
tedbîr-i feth ve zafer ve hirâset-i ra‘iyyet ve kişver ile kemâl-ı takayyüdlerine ve serdâr-ı
nusret mu‘tâdın techîz-i ecnâd ve ta‘ciz-i ehl-i bağy ve inâd ve teshîr-i kılâ‘ ve bilâd ve ihrâc-
ı donanma-yı hümâyûn zafer rehber ve teksîr-i hazâyin-i padîşâh-ı adâlet küster husûsunda
sarf-ı kudretleri zâhir ola ve vükelâ-yı devletden ba‘zıları berran ve bahren mahâfazat-ı
memleket ve ebrâr ve tahlîs-i kılâ‘ ve diyâr içün nakl ve hareketlerine ve ba‘zı diyâr ve
emsârda tekâsül ve ihmâl ve sû-i tedbîr ve nâ-sezâ ahvâl ve nehmet ve tezvîr sebebiyle
meşâhîr ve a‘yândan ba‘zıların azl ve nefy ve zevâllerine ve ashâb-ı sadr ve kadrden ba‘zı kâr
güzâr ve emekdârlara taraf-ı şehriyâr-ı cihândârîden iltifât ve i‘tibâr olunup ref‘-i mazarrat-ı
ehl-i fesâd ve eşrâr ve def‘-i zulm ve bid‘at-i ra‘iyyet ve ebrâr içün istihdâm olunmalarına
Allâhü te‘âlâ a‘lem.”

Translation:

Conditions of the Grand Vizier and chief-commander and of other viziers and of
cautious and thrustworthy courtesans

“Due to the Venus (Sad-ı asgar) in her own sign, and being the lord of farmers and
lord of Reaya, and the recent conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn (kırân-ı ulviyyîn)
happens in the 11th house, and the lord of the 11th house aspecting Jupiter (Müşteri),
respectable Grand Vizier’s requests and promises will be fulfilled by the commanders,
and because of abundant ammunition, shining skills of soldiers, conquest and victory,
and utmost efforts of reaya, and equipments of troops, and tenacity of vineyard
owners and gripping of castles, it would increase sultan’s treasure and also indicates
recovery of the castles by the transfer of deputies by land and sea and removal some
of loose, negligent, greedy and lier famous people and rich people (ayan) and
compliments and good reputations to the old and faithful…….”

9
Indeed, low morale and unpreparedness of military forces are also highlighted in Fethiyeli
Halil Efendi’s ahkams in a separate section on the condition of the army. (Visual 3) The
müneccim writes:

“Hal-i umera-i kiram ve sipehderan-ı namdar ve liva Keşan ve zevi’l-itibar ve hukkam-ı

bilad ve emsar ve asakir-i nusret asar.

Tali-i fasl-ı baharda sahib-i beyt-i hadi aşar Merih ile Zühre bulunmuşdur. Ve Sehmü’l-fellah
ve Sehmü hali’r-ra’iyye beyt-i hadi aşarda ve beyt-i hadi aşar Sa’d-ı asgar ile mes’ud ve sa’ir
edille ve şuhud delalet eder. Allahü te’ala a’lem. Mir-i miran-ı ve umera-yı namdar ve sipah
ve asakir-i zafer şi’ar ve muhafazat-ı memalik ve sıyanet-i ra’iyyeti ve sedd-i sügur ve eşrar
ve nehbb ü garet memalik-i a’da içün yerlerinden hareket ve ittifak ve cem’iyyet eve acele ve
sür’at ile ferman-ı olunan mahallere azimet edip harb ve cenk ve cidalden hali
olmadıklarından şehriyar-ı bende perver ve şehenşah-dad küster hazretleri kıbelinden enva’ı
nevziş ve ikrama ve mazhar olup necm-i iktidarları burc-ı şeref ve ikbalde da’ir ve sa’ir
olmalarına ve zümreden pest-paye ve ba’zı ma’zul ve furumayeler nazar-ı merhamet kibar ile
akranından ser efraz ve uluvv-i rütbe ve menzilet ile emsalinden mümtaz olmalarına..”

Translation:

Conditions of the soldiers and other famous commanders and lords of the districts
and persons of dignity and governors

“In the vernal equinox chart, Mars and Venus have been found as the lords of the 11th
house. And the part of lands and the part of the condition of the folks are in the 11th
house and the 11th house is happily aligned with the lesser benefic, give proof the
following that, Allahu te’ala a’lem. (Almighty lord of the worlds) famous soldiers and
victorious commanders will move out promptly in alliance and arrive to those places
by imperial order in order to protect and safegourd of people and to defeat the looters
and the enemy soldiers, some of them who feels worn out will be flattered by various
treatments of the sultan and their future stars of power will be intact but who are
those lousy and shabby and ignoble will be away from merciful regard and will be
lowered in rank…’

Through these explanations, we can conclude that the müneccim was well aware of the
conditions and prevailing political atmosphere in the court. His remarks on the poor
conditions of soldiers and the following prediction that the Sultan would soon reward them
can be read as an implicit political hint for the head of the military forces. It would seem that
the müneccim was also concerned about the ongoing debates about the weak state of military
forces, and tried to motivate the soldiers in line with Sultan’s own wishes.

10
Müneccim’s advisory role in the Ottoman court

Obviously, müneccims, could play a critical role in speaking out the hopes and expectations of
various players in the Ottoman court. Depending on their closeness to the Sultan and their
own personal interests, we could say that from time to time, müneccims would play the role of
musahib who could influence the ruler’s decisions. 21

Often we find them expressing soothing words and in a deliberate cautioning approach when
their astrological findings should contain dangerous significations. As for Fethiyeli Halil
Efendi, taking into account his long tenure, we could assume that his style in his ahkams
should be expected to be controlled, cautious and diplomatic, mostly in rounded words in
order not to cause any potential turmoil in state affairs should predictions emphasize any
negativity or enmity. In his advisory role, and probably close relation to Mustafa III, he can be
seen as narrating as well as supporting the Sultan’s decisions, as in the decision to wage war
against Russian. A contrary strategy would probably have unthinkable.

Bearing in mind that the introduction of modern astronomy which is based on the premise of
heliocentric universe model was not entirely accepted and adapted by Ottoman astronomers
until mid 18th century, müneccim’s advisory role was stil intact and as in the special case of
Mustafa III’s interest, Fethiyeli Halil Efendi, being a member of Ilmiye class he was an active
courtier in his entourage. Indeed widespread belief in astrological explanations could be found
among ruling elite. For example, Ahmed Resmi Efendi, Mustafa III’s ambassador to Frederick
the Great of Prussia mentiones the conjunction of Mars and Saturn in the sign of Cancer as
one of the reasons of debilitating war to Russians in his Hulasatü’l – İtibar. 22

Finally, in parallel to expansion of Ottoman Ilmiye Class in the 18th century, Harun Küçük
argues that an early Enlightenment flourished in the Ottoman court during the time of Ahmet
III, indicating that Naima’s writings, was in fact built on Naturalism which had contained
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astrological reasoning based on Aristotetalian world view. To him, the practice of History
and Ilm-i Nücum were deeply intertwined so that rebalancing the four humors of the Ottoman
body politics was a necessity against corruption and decay. By readdressing earlier Muslim

21
Halil İnalcık, Decision making in the Ottoman State, Essays in Ottoman History, Eren, 1998, p. 118
22
Editor: Dr. Osman Köksal, Ahmet Resmi Efendi, Hulasatü’l İtibar, Gazi Kitabevi, 2011, p. 53
23
Harun Küçük, Early Enlightenment in Istanbul, PhD Thesis, University of California, San Diego, 2012, p. 65-
66

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statecraft of Abbasid Dynasty and their close interaction with astrologers in the court, he
seems to imply that an astrological explanation of workings of state-craft is inherently upheld
in the concept of circle of justice in which foresees equity within a circle of social,
economical and political elements reminding Aristotelian political ideal.

Within this larger perspective, tradition of practice of Ilm-i Nücum and its established nature
was a natural product of court culture in which müneccims took advisory roles. Furthermore,
their ahkams can be seen as chronicles of future hopes and self-validating, self-legitimizing
tools of state-politics.

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