Çınar incident
A 1656 Ottoman rebellion over unpaid salaries and devaluation.
The Çınar incident, also known as the Platanus Incident or the Event of the Wakwak, was a rebellion in the Ottoman Empire in the 17th century. It occurred during the Cretan War (1645–1669), when military expenditures and economic difficulties led to devaluation and delayed payment of soldiers' salaries. The rebellion is named after a mythical tree on which human beings grew, as an analogy to the corpses hung from trees after the event.
- field
- Ottoman history, rebellion
- known_for
- Rebellion triggered by unpaid salaries and economic crisis; led to hanging of officials from a plane tree
- date
- 26 February 1656 (rebellion began); 4 March 1656 (meeting with sultan)
- location
- Constantinople, Ottoman Empire
- participants
- Soldiers returned from Crete; Sultan Mehmet IV; Valide Sultan Turhan Hatice; Osman Aga
Lore & Background
During the Cretan War, the Ottoman Empire faced rising military costs and economic strain. Sultan Mehmet IV was a teenager, and regent Valide Sultan Turhan Hatice, along with short-term grand viziers, could not resolve the crisis. After the execution of reformist grand vizier Tarhoncu Ahmet Pasha, the only solution proposed was devaluation, leading to the minting of 'red coins' with reduced gold content. Salaries were paid in these coins, but payments to some soldiers were delayed up to nine months, and markets in Constantinople refused to accept the red coins.
Reader's Guide
The Çınar incident demonstrated the urgent need for stable administration in the Ottoman Empire. Before the rebellion, ten grand viziers had been appointed in rapid succession over eight years (1648–1656), none able to solve the empire's problems. In response, Valide Sultan Turhan appointed Köprülü Mehmet Pasha as grand vizier in September 1656, after promising not to interfere with his administration. Köprülü Mehmet proved a wise choice, marking the beginning of the Köprülü era. The incident also highlighted the power of the janissaries and the fragility of the sultan's authority during economic turmoil.
Did You Know?
- The rebellion is also called 'The Event of the Wakwak' (Vakʿa-ı Vakvakiye), named after a mythical tree bearing human beings.
- The rebels killed most of the 30 men on their list, hanging them from a large Platanus orientalis tree (Turkish: çınar).
- Before the incident, ten grand viziers had been appointed in eight years between 1648 and 1656.
- The new coins minted during the devaluation were known as 'red coin'.
More in Rebellions in the Ottoman Empire 1-24
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