A. D. Rifano, with what they poffeffed in the neighbourhood. Both 1698. parties were allowed to fortify their borders with new fortreffes; or to repair those which were decayed, excepting Naupaktum, Prevefa, and the caftle of Romania before-mentioned (C).

Fresh

murmurs

THE Turkish ambaffadors, at their return to Adrianople, receive royal rewards for their fervices from the Soltán; who having fettled a peace with all his enemies, difbands his army, and departs for Conftantinople. There committing the whole administration of affairs to Huffeyn Pafbá, he removes, with his court, to Karifhtirân (D), to divert, by hunting, his regret for the lofs of fo many provinces. But the people, efpe cially the foldiery, grow uneafy at this recefs of their Soltán, after fo many toils, as if the peace was granted them for no other end but to watch and cenfure his words and actions. They blushed not to say in their assemblies, that he seemed difpofed to imitate his father in all things; and that, like Hej. 111. him, after applying the firft years of his reign wholly to the 1699. affairs of ftate, he was now refolved to follow dogs and hunting, though he was yet young, and not fo confpicuous for his fervices to the Othman empire as Soltán Mohammed: against the alledging that he had recovered nothing from the enemy, nor done any thing deferving the thanks of the public during the late war, except in hindering the enemy to penetrate farther into the empire. They therefore conclude, that fince his father, illuftrious for fo many victories, was depofed on account of his exceffive fondnefs for hunting, it was to be feared that a like, if not a worfe fate, would attend the fon, who was much inferior to him1.

Soltán,

Ruffian

To avoid thefe reproaches, Soltân Mostafa takes a method, prepara- often tried, and retires to Adrianople with the Wazir, and all the great officers of the empire; which had the defired effect. During his ftay there, in the month of Rajeb,

tions.

I CANT. p. 425, & feq.

(C) Ricaut has given the treaties made with the feveral confederate powers at large. The conferences began about the middle of November 1698, and by difputes were spun out in that cold place, till the new year began. The Ruffians were the first who figned the treaty; the Poles and Germans figned

two days after; the Venetians, laft of all.

(D) A town between Chorlo (or Chiurli) and Purgaz, near the road to Adrianople, where is a fine palace built by Mohammed IV. for the conveniency of hunting in that pleasant country, whofe hares are famous for their swiftnefs. Cant.

IIII (E), he is informed by letters from the Khan of Tartary, that the Czar of Ruffia having changed the habit and religious ceremonies of his country (F), had introduced thofe of Germany, and raised a very numerous army, disciplined after the German manner that he was preparing a fleet with the utmost expedition, as well as building new cities and caffles on the Don, Nieper, and other rivers: that therefore the Soltân ought to take care left while he was at eafe from the Germans in the weft, a new Nemche Gyawr (G) from the north did not endanger the Othman empire; fince nothing could hinder the Ruffians from over-running all Krim Tartary in the first campaign, before the Othmâns could come to its relief that it was neceffary therefore either to fettle a firm peace, or immediately to declare war, before the enemy could ftrengthen themselves; and that if the Soltan fhould doubt the truth of this report, he would do well to fend a trusty officer, who might examine it on the spot.

:

A. D. 1699.

HEREUPON Soltân Moftafa fends his master of horse, Kibleli Kibleli Ogli, fon to the Wazir's fifter, without that minister's Ogli's knowledge, into Krim Tartary; with orders ftrictly to pry into the conduct of the Ruffians, and immediately return, without acquainting any person with the occafion of his journey. For all this charge Kibleli Ogli, before his departure, fecretly informs his uncle of the Soltân's commiffion. Huffeyn Pafha, for fear this fpark fhould become a greater flame than what had been extinguished, directs his kinsman to come to him, at his return, for inftructions what to say, before he went to the Soltan. Kibleli obeys his uncle's orders; and, being returned, goes to him in difguise, and acquaints him, that the Ruffians had built a large fleet at two places, Varonefbi and Azak (H), and were every day increafing it that they had fortified Taganorok in a furprising manner; and that above 20,000 workmen were employed in. building new fortifications: that the works at Kamenzaton, above the Nieper, were already finished, and the cataracts of that river opened fit for navigation: that the Tatars had no thing fecure beyond the Kherfonefus; and were perpetually. annoyed by the incurfions of the Kofaks.

:

THE Wazir, confidering that if thefe and many other facts falfe reof the like nature, were related to the Soltân, that they would port

(E) December 1699.

(F) The firft is true; the last falfe. Cant.

(G) That is, a new German infidel; in allufion, doubtless, to

the Czar's introducing the Ger
man difcipline. For Nemche, with
the Turks, fignifies Germany, or
the Germans.

(H) Veronitz and Afof.

occa

A. D. occafion à more dreadful war than the former, defires his 1699. nephew to conceal them, and perfuade his mafter that the Khan's report of things was a mere fiction, aggravated after the ufual manner of the Tatars, impatient for plunder that the Ruffians had, indeed, during the war, began feveral castles, but had now discontinued their works; were defirous of nothing more than preferving the peace and commerce between both nations; and for that end would foon dispatch an ambaffador extraordinary to the refplendent Porte. Kibleli Ogli, furnished with this falfe ftory, next day waits on Soltán Mostafa, as if just come from his journey, and tells him exactly what he had been taught. The Soltân, suspecting his fidelity, is extremely incenfed against the Khân; and, in a letter, feverely reprimands him for his false information. The Khan perceiving by this that the Soltân had been impofed on by his mafter-of-horfe, anfwers, that he never dared prefume to offer falfhoods to his majesty, but judged that Kibleli Ogli, bribed by the enemy, had concealed what he had seen and heard in the Krim, and perhaps had accused him of falsehood, because he had not received fuch rich presents from him as he expected: adding, that the account which he had before given his majefty, was as evident as the light of the fun; and that Kibleli Ogli himself would not deny it, in cafe he was strictly examined.

detected

and pu

nished.

THIS answer of the Khân being delivered by unknown perfons to the Soltán, as he was coming out of the Fâmi, he immediately fends for Kibleli Ogli, who, threatened with death in cafe he did not declare the truth, acknowledges that every thing which the Khân had afferted was fact; and, humbly begging pardon for his crime, alleges, that what he did was by perfuafion of the Wazir, whofe commands he could not refufe on account both of his authority and relationship. The imposture of both being thus detected, the Soltan deprives Kibleli Ogli of his post, and banishes him; but foon after orders him to be put to death. At the fame time removing Huffeyn Pafba from the office of Wazir, he banishes him to a village near Sillebria, though without touching his estate. After his removal, the Wazirship, by a very rare example, was vacant 40 days, till the arrival of Dultabân Mostafa Pafbâ governor of Baghdad, whom the Soltân had refolved to advance to that dignity, for having fubdued the Arabs (I); and during

(I) This Pafa having been falfly accufed during this expedition, by Rami Reis Effendi, as

this

if favouring the Arabs, an offi. cer was fent to take off his bead: but finding he had fubdued them,

and

this interval Silahdar Haffan Pâfbâ had the administration of affairs under the title of Vekil m.

As foon as the new Wazir was vefted with his office, he calls for a lift of the caftles which the Othman empire was poffelfed of before the last war with the Germans; and finding by it that a great many towns beyond the Saave, which he had taken from the Germans when Pâshâ of Bosnia, were restored to them by the peace, he is extremely provoked, declaring that the perfons who had made the peace were no lefs Gyawrs than the Germans themselves, fince they had delivered-up, without any neceffity, fo many places reduced to the Othman obedience by his own blood; and had given Kaminiek, a city defigned by Soltan Mohammed for the bulwark of the whole empire, as well as a noble monument of the Mufulman religion, by the erection of a magnificent Fâmi, in exchange for three towns of Moldavia filled with Chriftians. Not content with reproaching the makers of the peace, he refolves to break it, and particularly to declare war against the Poles, whose weakness, while Serafkier on that fide, he had obferved; and the rather as the confused state of Europe, on the death of the king of Spain, was fuch, that neither the emperor, nor any other Christian power, could affift them.

A. D. 1699.

Doltabân

made Wa

zîr.

His next bufinefs was to feek a handle for declaring war, Plots left the people, thinking the truce violated, might fear the against the event: but having no pretence to accufe the Poles of a breach Mufti. of the treaty, he declares, that the Othman ambaffadors had acted contrary to the Koran, and the Soltan's command, by giving-up more than their orders would justify; for which reafon he refolves to put them to death. But perceiving that the Mufti's authority would be a great obftacle in this affair, fince he had not only approved of the peace by his Fetvah, but was also a profest patron of the ambassadors, he determines to dispatch him privately, in reverence to his office. With this view he feigns a fincere friendship for him, often visiting him in a familiar manner, and difcourfing with him about public affairs. At laft, when he thought the matter ripe for m CANT. p. 428, & feq.

and that it was dangerous to execute his commiffion, he re. turns and tells the Soltán how matters flood. After this, Doltabân, knowing the Mufti's covetoufnets, and great intereft with the Soltan, whofe preceptor he had been, fends him a pre

MOD. HIST. VOL. XIII.

fent of 60,000 gold crowns.
Feizallah Effendi, in return, of
fers to get him made Wazir
(Huffeyn Paha being fickly, and
become unfit for affairs by his
drunkenness); which he accord-
ingly performed. Cant.

I

execu

A. D. execution, he invites the Mufti to a fplendid entertainment; 1699. directing fome of his chamberlains fuddenly to ftrangle that prelate with a cord, when the water was pouring-out for him to wash his hands.

His Kye- BUT this plot, through his own imprudence, proved his haya's ruin for having discovered the fecret to his Kyehaya Ibrahîne treachery. Aga (K), the latter, to ingratiate himself with the Mufti, goes with the Kafab Bâshi (L), and informs him of the danger. On this the Mufti, pretending fickness, throws himself on his bed; and, in a faint voice, anfwers the Wazir, now come to invite him (M), that he was extremely forry his sudden indifpofition fhould prevent his going: but that he would fend his fon, the Nakib Effendi, to fupply his place. When Huffeyn Pâfba was gone, the Mufti fends for the Reis Effendi, Rami Mehemed Pâshâ, lately made a Kubbeh Wazîr (N), and Mau