88 | A Shaykh, a Prince, and a Sack of Corn
considering that it was written by a member of a marginalized Sufi order to the
sultan, who was notoriously jealous about his sovereignty. The letter states that
an unveiling occurred from the direction of the spiritual axis of the time.
[I saw that] all the Sufis and the souls of the deceased saints had gathered
in Iznik. The sultan emerged from the sea holding the hand of Cem Sultan
and said, Oh friends of God, I entrust Cem Çelebi to you. Moreover, in an
auspicious moment the Prophet Muhammad gave me the glad tidings that my
Sultan will rule for seventy years, with the help of the Exalted God. My Sultan
knows that these dreams have outer and inner meanings. And they refer to
past, present, and future. And they are the result of certain actions. They are
supposed to be interpreted both exoterically and esoterically. If interpreted, it
would be speaking too much and revealing the secret.Karamani, in this part of the letter, replaces dreams with two different, perhaps
more elusive, means of communication: mystical experiences of unveiling and
good omen from the prophetic secret in the world of spirits. An unveiling, a lift-
ing of the curtain on the world of the unseen, comes to the Sufi as he polishes his
heart by invocation and recitation of the Koran. It is attainable by one who has
reached a certain stage on the Sufi path. Here we observe Karamani making a
claim of mystical authority. And a confirmation of this claim comes at the end of
the letter, as he tells the sultan that although he could provide more interpreta-
tion of these dreams and experience, he is keeping the letter short and the secret
safe. In this way he also seeks for an audience with the sultan, in case the latter
wants to learn more about the mystical world.
This letter marks an important phase in the Ottomanization of Karamani.
Here he deals with a political controversy. By stating that Mehmed II has left or
should leave the fate of Cem in the hands of the Sufis, he claims a position for
himself at the heart of the politics of the day. He is no longer a passive recipient
of Ottoman beneficence in the provinces. He transforms into a vigorous political
actor contributing to the making of a new political composition in the Ottoman
capital.
A Sack of Corn
Events did not turn out as Karamani had expected. In early May of 1481, Mehmed
II died outside Istanbul, on his way to Konya. A military rebellion swept the
Ottoman capital and eliminated the Karamanid faction, which the soldiers con-
sidered primarily responsible for Mehmed II’s death. Grand Vizier Mehmed Pa-
sha was among the casualties. This was such an unexpected result for the Amas -
yan faction that Bayezid himself had difficulty believing it. But in the end he was
enthroned as Bayezid II on May 20, 1481. İskilibi’s prognostication came true.
When İskilibi returned from pilgrimage he traveled to Istanbul at the invitation