An Important Class in the Ottoman Communication Organization and Alay-ı Hümayun: Peykler
Metin MenekşePeykler, which were part of the Ottoman communication system and served as pedestrian postmen, were known for their ability to travel long distances quickly. Their primary duty was to deliver the Sultan's orders to the relevant location quickly. Peykler, which served as a kind of "emergency mail service" in the early times, became ceremonial troops showing magnificence as the state gradually grew. They began to fulfill their duty as "ceremonial company" in various ceremonies such as the Sultan's departure for a campaign, Friday prayers, and holiday celebrations, and they displayed a magnificent appearance with their ornate costumes. In this study, we tried to include the observations of foreign travelers on the satellites that served within the Ottoman communication organization. It focused on what information was processed about the peyk class and what was noted about it. While the travelers who visited the Ottoman geography for different reasons shared information about the organizational structure of the state and its officials, they also included the peyklere that attracted attention with their duties and clothes. In particular, they discussed various aspects of their duties in the sultan's regiments, their training process, their numbers and some remarkable features. As a result, an attempt was made to conduct a study on the peykler that provided urgent postal service in the Ottoman Empire by making use of archival documents, contemporary sources and research works, especially the observations of Western travelers.
Osmanlı Haberleşme Teşkilatında ve Alay-ı Hümâyun’da Önemli Bir Sınıf: Peykler
Metin MenekşeOsmanlı haberleşme sistemi içerisinde yer alan ve yaya postacı sınıfı olarak hizmet gören peykler, hızlı hareket etmeleri ve uzun mesafe yol alabilmeleriyle tanınmışlardır. Zira Padişahın emirlerini hızlı bir şekilde ilgili yere ulaştırmak başlıca vazifeleri olmuştur. İlk zamanlarda bir tür acil posta hizmeti gören peykler, devletin giderek büyümesiyle birlikte ihtişamı gösteren tören bölüğü haline gelmişlerdir. Padişahın sefere çıkışı, Cuma namazı, bayram kutlamaları gibi çeşitli merasimlerde tören bölüğü vazifesini de yerine getirmeye başlamışlar ve süslü kıyafetleriyle ihtişamlı bir görüntü sergilemişlerdir. Bu çalışmada, Osmanlı haberleşme teşkilatı içerisinde önemli bir vazifeyi icra eden peykler üzerine yabancı seyyahların gözlemlerinden ağırlıklı olarak istifade edilmiştir. Peyk sınıfına dair hangi bilgilerin işlendiği, bu konuda nelere dikkat çekildiği üzerinde durulmuştur. Zira farklı sebeplerle Osmanlı coğrafyasını ziyaret eden seyyahlar, devletin teşkilat yapısına, görevlilerine dair bilgi paylaşırken, vazifeleri ve kıyafetleri ile dikkatleri üzerine çeken peyklere de detaylı bir şekilde yer vermişlerdir. Özellikle padişah alaylarındaki vazifelerini, yetişme süreçlerini, sayılarını ve dikkat çeken birtakım özelliklerini çeşitli yönleriyle işlemişlerdir. Netice itibariyle, Batılı seyyahların gözlemleri başta olmak üzere arşiv belgelerinden, çağdaş kaynaklardan ve araştırma eserlerinden istifade edilerek Osmanlı’da acil posta hizmeti veren peykler üzerine bir inceleme yapılmıştır.
When we look at the situation before peyk, it can be seen that communication was of vital importance for people in many periods of history. In communication, the idea of delivering the news quickly and quickly has pushed people to develop new communication methods. As a matter of fact, from the beginning, this need was met by fire towers and runners, as well as pigeons and messenger horsemen were used. In the Ottoman Empire, communication was carried out through the messenger system in the early periods. Ulaklar fulfilled their duty of bringing and taking the official documents notified to them. At the same time, there were also officials who provided private postal services, and these were called sai. Apart from these officials who provided the private and official communication system, it is seen that there were also some runners who were responsible for conveying the messages of the palace by running over long distances. The class they form is called peykler.
The expansion of the borders of the Ottoman Empire in a short time revealed the need for faster and more reliable communication between the central government and local administrations. In this sense, in addition to the official Ottoman Ulak system, special persons outside this system, especially those in the sultan's entourage and who would be responsible for quickly reporting his news to the necessary places, were also appointed within the palace organization. These people were called peyk, meaning the messenger who sees the "emergency postal service" in today's sense. While the peykler were a class that served as a kind of "emergency mail service" in the early days, especially due to their ability to run fast, as the state gradually grew, they became a ceremonial company that showed magnificence. They started to fulfill their duty as "ceremonial company" along with the left-handed people in various ceremonies such as the Sultan's departure for a campaign, Friday prayers, and holiday celebrations, and they displayed a magnificent appearance with their fancy clothes.
Peykler have been an important subject that attracted the attention of travelers visiting the Ottoman geography. As a matter of fact, Menavino and Nicolas de Nicolay, who were among the first to talk about the planets, stated that they were of Iranian origin. As a matter of fact, the similarities in training messenger runners between the Ottoman Empire and the Safavid Empire in the 16th and 17th centuries indicate the existence of organizational transfer between the two states. Because it is seen that there is a natural interaction in terms of the trial exam applied to the peykler. For example, Jean Chardin, who was in Isfahan during the reign of Shah Suleiman of Iran, talks about the exam held for the selection of peykler and shares similar information.
In travelogues, while the prominent features of the peykler were included, their speed was frequently mentioned. Because it has been emphasized that they can travel further than a horse can. It was stated that they never rested while doing this, and even if the task ended, they continued the journey with another task. Regarding their ability to move so fast and travel long distances, several travelers have shared that they learned that their spleens were removed.
Peykler definitely took part in processions such as Alay-ı Humayun, Eid Regiment, Prince Regiment, Friday Regiment, Surre Regiment. In the sultan's processions, they presented a visual feast to the audience with their appearance, demeanor and movements, especially to increase the ostentation. These processions were watched not only by the public but also by foreigners who came to visit the country or lived in the country. Therefore, the sultan's regiments served as international mirrors reflecting the image of the Ottoman world. As a matter of fact, this was one of the reasons why so much importance was given to the organization of the processions.
Peykler were the objects that attracted attention while performing their duties. Because they sometimes tied them to their knees, sometimes to their ankles, and sometimes to their waists. While the cymbals were traveling rapidly, these bells naturally made sounds. Therefore, this voice announced that the sultan's messenger was coming and ensured that the road traveled was evacuated. It can also be said that it helps keep rhythm while running.
Another ingredient that the peykler kept with them was rose water. During the journey, they both carried an ax in their hands and kept rose water. Therefore, they sprinkled this rose water on the people they met on the roads, and in return, people could bestow money on them. They also carried sweet-smelling and breathtaking candies with them. It is thought that these candies have soothing properties during travels, and even correspond to today's menthol or mint candies. It is seen that the marbles, which serve a similar function, are carried in the peykler mouth and facilitate breathing.
