a decade of crisis 49while one wound had not healed he opened another, harming those unfortu-
nate ones further.”^47 But he was obstinate: “When they petitioned that he annulthe decision to decrease the weight of coins, he refused; meanwhile, since it
was unsafe to send salaries of the fort commanders of Azov [Crimea] by sea
[due to Cossack patrols], they had to send [devalued coins] by land,” causing
the value of the weak asper to fall even further. They had sent messengers to
Istanbul to collect their salaries, but since Cossacks controlled the sea, it was
not possible to send their pay directly. Corrupt offi cials, including the treasurer,
exchanged the promised pay for clipped coins and gave them to the tradesmen,
who were supposed to exchange them for gold that would be sent to the troops
in Azov.^48 They revolted instead.
Merchants had become conscious that, like the Janissaries and sipahis, theytoo had a shared interest. And when that interest was threatened it was time to
act. In 1 650 they closed their stores, took to the streets, and rose in rebellion,
demanding the dismissal of the grand vizier and execution of Janissary com-
manders. A great crowd of fi fteen thousand artisans and merchants marched to
the home of Sheikhulislam Karaçelebizade. They wept, rending their clothes,
crying that their complaints fell on deaf ears, that they suffered from harm-
ful innovations, such as monthly extraordinary taxation, and feared debtor’s
prison.^49 The sheikhulislam was sympathetic to their laments and wished to
send word to the sultan to “cancel evil innovations,” but they surrounded him
and compelled him to go with them to the palace. They placed the unwilling
sheikhulislam on horseback in the lead to give them legitimacy.^50 At the Hippo-
drome the crowd swelled to twenty thousand men. They entered the compound
of Hagia Sophia hoping for an audience with the sultan in the ancient house
of worship, but then were permitted to enter the palace. Passing through its
grounds they marched as far as the Gate of Felicity to press their grievances.^51
Kösem Sultan arrived in an uproar, angrily asking, “Why did you not turn back
these people, instead bringing them to the palace?” The sheikhulislam claimed,
“We did not bring them, they brought us.”^52
Hearing the shouts of the merchants, the sultan asked what caused the
clamor. When the sheikhulislam brought their grievances to him, Mehmed IV
told them to return the next day, but they responded, “We will not take a step
backward until we receive what we deserve.” Moreover, “in Istanbul there are
fi ve sultans. We cannot take their oppression.”^53 After this the sultan wanted
to see his grand vizier, but Melek Ahmed Pasha preferred to return his seal of
offi ce rather then appear before him, wisely reasoning that “it is generally a
great mistake and dangerous to go inside [when beckoned by the sultan dur-
ing a crisis].” He cited the Qur’anic verse, “And do not with your own hands
cast yourselves into destruction” as he repeated, “I will not cast myself into