Veliyyüddin Efendi

Veliyyüddin Efendi, also known as Veli Efendi or Ekşiaşzâde or Imad-ı Rûm, was an Ottoman scholar and calligrapher of the 17th and 18th centuries and was twice Sheikh al-Islam of the Ottoman Empire.^[1]

Veliyyüddin was born in the Yayla area of Silivrikapı, Istanbul, possibly in 1684. His father was Solakbaşı Hacı Mustafa Ağa, a Janissary leader. His grandfather Hacı Hüseyin Ağa probably also held a similar position.^[2]

Career

During the time Ebezâde Abdullah Efendi was Sheikh al-Islam (1708-1710 or 1712–1713), Veliyyüddin was müderris at the madrasa built by his father in the Arabacı Bayezid area of Silivrikapı. Veliyyüddin came to the attention of Grand Vizier Nevşehirli Damat İbrahim Paşa, who appointed him an inspector of foundations. Veliyyüddin was made qadi of Aleppo in 1729, but was dismissed from this post the following year. Four months later, he was made qadi of Galata. He also served as qadi in Cairo and Medina, during which time he performed the hajj for the first time. In May 1756, he was appointed kazasker of Anatolia, and in April 1758, kazasker of Rumelia. In August 1758, he was dismissed and exiled to Manisa because of a petition submitted to Sultan Mustafa III claiming that he had accepted a bribe. When Çelebizâde Âsım Efendi was appointed Sheikh al-Islam in 1759, Veliyyüddin was pardoned at the request of Grand Vizier Ragıb Paşa and the new Sheikh al-Islam and was allowed to return to Istanbul.^[3]

When Âsım died in February 1760, Veliyyüddin was appointed Sheikh al-Islam. He was dismissed September 1761, apparently because of his harsh temperament. After his dismissal, he was sent to Bursa and told to stay until hajj season, at which time he went on hajj another time. Eventually, he was pardoned and allowed again to return to Istanbul. In April 1767, when Dürrîzâde Mustafa Efendi was dismissed as Sheikh al-Islam, Veliyyüddin was appointed a second time. During one of his terms as Sheikh al-Islam, he established a board of physicians to prevent people from practicing medicine without training.^[4]

Veliyyüddin learned calligraphy from Durmuşzâde Ahmed Efendi and went on to become a master of Ottoman taliq and calligraphy instructor to Sultan Mustafa III, Sultan Ahmed III, as well as many others. Veliyyüddin also had a special interest in floriculture, especially tulips.^[5]

v t e Sheikh-ul-Islams of the Ottoman Empire
15th Century	Molla Fenari Fahreddin-i Acemi Molla Hüsrev Molla Gürâni Molla Abdülkerim Efendi Alâeddin Arabî Efendi Efdalzade Hamîdüddin Efendi
16th Century	Zenbilli Ali Efendi Kemalpaşazade Ahmet Şemsettin Efendi (İbn-i Kemal) Sadullah Sadi Efendi Çivizade Muhiddin Mehmed Efendi Abdülkadir Hamidî Çelebi Fenarîzade Muhyiddin Çelebi Ebussuud Efendi Çivizade Damadı Hamid Efendi Kadızade Ahmed Şemseddin Efendi Malûlzade Mehmed Efendi Çivizade Hacı Mehmed Efendi Abdülkadir Şeyhî Efendi Bostanzade Mehmed Efendi Bayramzade Zekeriya Efendi Hoca Sâdeddin Efendi Cafer Mustafa Sunullah Efendi
17th Century	Hocazade Mehmed Efendi Ebülmeyamin Mustafa Efendi Hocazade Esad Efendi Zekeriyazade Yahya Efendi Ahizade Hüseyin Efendi Ebusaid Mehmed Efendi Muid Ahmet Efendi Hacı Abdürrahim Efendi Bahai Mehmet Efendi Karaçelebizade Abdülaziz Efendi Hüsamzade Abdurrahman Efendi Memikzade Mustafa Efendi Hocazade Mesud Efendi Hanefi Mehmet Efendi Balizade Mustafa Efendi Bolevi Mustafa Efendi Esiri Mehmet Efendi Sunizade Seyit Mehmet Emin Efendi Minkarizade Yahya Efendi Çatalcalı Ali Efendi Ankaravi Mehmet Emin Efendi Debbağzade Mehmet Efendi Feyzullah Efendi Ebusaitzade Feyzullah Feyzi Efendi Sadık Mehmet Efendi İmam Mehmet Efendi
18th Century	Paşmakçızade Ali Efendi Yekçeşm Hüseyin Efendi Sadık Mehmet Efendi Ebezade Abdullah Efendi Mehmed Ataullah Efendi İmam Mahmud Efendi Mirza Mustafa Efendi Menteşzade Abdürrahman Efendi Ebu İshak İsmail Efendi Yenişehirli Abdullah Efendi Mirzazade Şeyh Mehmed Efendi Paşmakçızade Abdullah Efendi Damatzade Ebulhayr Ahmet Efendi Ebuishakzade İshak Efendi Dürri Mehmed Efendi Feyzullahzade Mustafa Efendi Pirizade Mehmed Sahib Efendi Hayatizade Mehmet Emin Efendi Seyit Mehmet Zeynelabidin Efendi Ebuishakzade Mehmed Esad Efendi Mehmed Said Efendi Seyyid Murtaza Efendi Abdullah Vassaf Efendi Damatzade Feyzullah Efendi Dürrizade Mustafa Efendi Mehmed Salih Efendi Çelebizade İsmail Asım Efendi Veliyyüddin Efendi Ebubekirzade Ahmed Efendi Pirizade Osman Sahib Efendi Mirzazade Seyit Mehmet Sait Efendi Şerifzade Seyit Mehmet Şerif Efendi Dürrizade Mustafa Efendi İvazpaşazade İbrahim Bey Efendi Salihzade Mehmet Emin Efendi Vassafzade Mehmet Esat Efendi Mehmet Şerif Efendi Seyit İbrahim Efendi Dürrizade Seyit Mehmet Ataullah Efendi İvazpaşazade İbrahim Bey Efendi Arapzade Ahmet Ataullah Efendi Dürrizade Seyit Mehmet Arif Efendi Müftizade Ahmet Efendi Mekkî Mehmet Efendi Seyit Mehmet Kamil Efendi Hamitzade Mustafa Efendi Seyit Yahya Tevfik Efendi Mustafa Aşir Efendi
19th Century	Sâmânizade Ömer Hulusi Efendi Salihzade Ahmed Esad Efendi Şerifzade Ataullah Mehmed Efendi Arapzade Mehmed Arif Efendi Dürrizade Abdullah Efendi Mehmed Zeynelabidin Efendi Mekkizade Mustafa Asım Efendi Çerkes Halil Efendi Yasincizade Abdülvehhab Efendi Ahmed Reşid Efendi Kadızade Mehmed Tahir Efendi Ahmed Arif Hikmet Bey Efendi Meşrepzade Mehmed Arif Efendi Mehmed Sadeddin Efendi Atıfzade Hüsameddin Efendi Mehmed Refik Efendi Hasan Fehmi Efendi Ahmed Muhtar Molla Bey Efendi Turşucuzade Ahmed Muhtar Efendi Hasan Hayrullah Efendi Hasan Fehmi Efendi Hasan Hayrullah Efendi Kara Halil Efendi Uryanizade Ahmed Esad Efendi Bodrumlu Ömer Lütfi Efendi Mehmet Cemaleddin Efendi
20th Century	Mehmed Ziyâeddin Efendi Mehmed Sahib Efendi Çelebizade Hüseyin Hüsnü Efendi Musa Kazım Efendi Abdurrahman Nesib Efendi Mehmed Esad Efendi Ürgüplü Mustafa Hayri Efendi Ömer Hulusi Efendi Haydarizade İbrahim Efendi Mustafa Sabri Efendi Dürrizade Abdullah Beyefendi Medeni Mehmed Nuri Efendi

Veliyyüddin Efendi

Career

Death and burial

Legacy

References

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