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A. D.

The Wazîr

THE campaign being over in Hungary, the Wazir returns 1689. with his army to Adrianople, where he is received by the people as their deliverer: But the physicians being of opinion that the air of that city did not agree with the Soltan, triumphs. who laboured under a dropfy, Kyoprili departs with him to Conftantinople, which he enters in a triumphant manner. For three days there were rejoicings, accompanied with feafts and games, which the French ambassador gave, with no less expence than the Turks; thereby to fhew them how acceptable the defeat of the Chriftians was to the most Christian king.

AFTER this the Wazir applies himself to raising a new and more powerful army than the former, to profecute the Hungarian war, the command of which he refolves to take in perfon. He appoints Moftafa Pafbâ to be Serafkier against the Poles; and Kaplân. Ali Pasbâ aginst the Venetians. This last, encamping at the river Celidnus, reftrains the Albanians, just ready to revolt. He also takes poffeffion of Kunina and Vallona, reduced by the Venetians the year before, and now deferted by them P.

Affairs of As to the affairs of Hungary, it would be too tedious to Hungary. relate every action which happened before the opening of the campaign in 1691. The brave prince of Hanover we find fo early as January marching against count Tekeli, at the pass of Terez; but advancing before his troops was fhot dead from an ambuscade near the village of Sernift. On the other hand, the castle of Tacket, and fort Waradin, were taken by colonel Pohland; who alfo defeated the general of Walakhia near Karanfebes, and hindered a great body of Turks and Tatars from breaking into Tranfilvania. Of these he killed above a thoufand, and took three hundred prifoners, befides much booty. In February the garrifon of Great Waradin were defeated by count Nigrelli; and although the Turks took the caftle of Novi, yet the Kroats defeated them near that place, and killed a thousand upon the spot.

Lugos

NOR were they lefs unfortunate at Lugos, where colonel and Kho- Pohland drew the garrison into an ambush; and pursuing nad taken. them to the caftle, had it furrendered after eight hundred and

fifty of the defendants were flain out of one thousand. Soon after the garrifon of Segedin having furprifed the city of Khonad, and killed all the inhabitants, the Turks abandoned the caftle in the night. In March the governor of Effek fentout Percilia, who, with 400 men, furprised and deftroyed Inik, with all in it; routed a body of Turks and Tatars, kill

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ing twelve hundred ; and returned with a great booty. In like manner Antonio, the famous Rafcian captain, took the caftle of Kârakowar, situated on a high rock, by stratagem. After this he attacked ten fhips failing from Widdin with provifions for Belgrade, and took two of them; two others fell into the hands of the Rafcians near Modava; and the rest returned. He likewife by artifice difperfed a thousand Turks on their March to furprise Lugos.

A. D.

1689.

Ir being now June, when the year began to be fit for Titul furgreater actions, count Guido of Staremberg drew together prifed. the troops from several parts to Saufeberg; during which the Rafcians furprised Titul, and put four hundred Turks to the fword. Mean while Veterani, the general in Servia, hearing that 300 fhips laden with provifions, under the convoy of four thousand men, were defigned from Widdin to Belgrade, he fent Pohland and Antonio to intercept them with four thousand men. Thefe drawing together fo close that they appeared not to be above four hundred, the Turks detached one thoufand Janizaries firft, and then another party, out of which one thousand were killed, befide many drowned in their retreat; but the ships escaped by getting to the other fide of the river. Soon after this a party of Rafcians took four hundred waggons, laden with provifions, between Belgrade and Temifwaer. Another party attacked Kathina Moftáfa, and flew fifteen hundred of his men, near Mitrovitz, which the Turks thereupon quitted 9.

ALL things were now ready for the Hungarian expedi- Soleymân tion; but the Wazir deferred fetting-out on account of So- dies. leyman's illness; for he feared that if the Soltân should die while he was abfent, one of Mohammed's fons might fucceed, and deprive him either of the Wazîrship, or command of the army. At length Soltan Soleymân, exhausted by an inveterate dropfy, dies on the 26th of Ramazan 1102 (P), having lived fifty-two years, and reigned three years nine months.

Hej.

1102.

A. D.

SOLEYMAN was from his infancy a valetudinarian, of a grofs body, low ftature, a pale and bloated face (Q), with 1691. eyes like an ox, a black oblong beard, with a mixture of Perfon and grey hairs; of a heavy understanding; eafily moved by the character. whispers of his chamberlains, and the Koltuk Wazirleri (R) :

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A. D. but none among the Othman Soltáns was more eminent for 1691. fanctity, devotion, and (S) obfervance of the law'. Ricaut fays, that as books were his entertainment in his confined life, fo he seemed to have had an affection for them in the choice he made of Kupriogli for his favourite, who was esteemed a learned man in that country, and to have had the best library of any man in the whole empire: however Soleyman was no other than a dull, heavy, fimple, and weak man, fitter to be a Derwifb than an emperor'.

Ahmed

II.

T

CHA P. XXI.

The Reign of Ahmed II.

21 Soltan HE death of Soleymân, though long expected and wished for, yet filled the Othman court with new and fecret commotions. The nobles, with almost all the people, were for advancing either Moftafa or Ahmed, fons of Mohammed; and fome were even for Mohammed himself, whom they had deprived of the crown. The choice of any of these was dangerous to the Wazir: for if Mohammed thould be restored, he was apprehensive of his life; as being fufpected to have been pretty deeply concerned in the fedition which depofed him. On the other hand, if either of that prince's fons were elected, he was afraid left those youths, who had been liberally educated in the palace, contrary to the custom

r CANT. p. 375, & feq.

the Soltán when he walks, or
gets on horfeback, or of fupport.
ing him under the arm-pits:
which laft word Koltuk fignifies.
They are the chief courtiers,who
have a profpect to be made Wa-
xirs or Pafhas, when vacancies
happen; and among them are
the fix chief officers at court.
Cant.

(S) The Turks have no Soltán,
whofe holiness they so much ex-
tol. They even afcribe mira
cles to him. Among the reft,
they fay, when firft placed on

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A. D.

of the other Shehzâdeh, and already instructed in the adminiftration of affairs, might divest him of both his employ- 1691.

ments.

In order therefore to avoid the danger, he refolves to ad- Numerous vance Ahmed, younger brother of Soleymân, and not fuperior army to him in wisdom. Accordingly, by the authority which he had gained among all the people, by his fucceffes the last year, he procured him to be unanimously faluted Soltan the fecond day after his brother Soleyman's death. However, left the malecontents should take occafion from the new Soltan's stupidity to raise a sedition, he departs with him to Adrianople, in the beginning of Shawal, where he applies himself intirely to preparations for war. The Mufulmans, excited by the fuccefs of the laft campaign, voluntarily come from all parts, in fuch numbers that there never was before fo numerous an army feen in the Othmân camp. The Wazir hereupon orders the Pafha's not to bring more forces into the tiers. field than had been appointed: fince being to fight against the Gyawrs, he faid, there was no occafion for a great army; which befides might want provifions before they reached Buda.

BUT the foldiers, regardless of this order, flock together in ftill greater numbers: declaring it was not for hopes of pay, but out of zeal for their law, that they entered into the fervice and therefore could be content with their wallet, and place their whole happiness in either becoming Gâzi (A), under fo fuccefsful a general, or being crowned with Shehadet (B).

:

of volunt

THE Wazir's fame thus greatly increasing, envy, the per- A plot laid petual attendant upon merit, could not but caft her darts. upon him from the court, her favourite refidence. The Kizlar Agafi, and other officers of the inner palace, uneafy to find that Kyoprili Ogli was now poffeffed of the interest which before they had in the Soltan and people, who now despised them, all confpire his destruction; and abufing the stupidity of their master, fill his mind with fufpicions against the Wazir. They inform him, that the prime minifter was contriving to depofe him; and had prevailed on the Fanizaries to fet up Moftafa, fon of Mohammed, as foon as he should decamp from Adrianople. The Soltan, perfuaded by this accu fation, afks what he thought was to be done? The Kizlar

(A) Gázi, or Gházi, fignifies one who conquers in a religious war, or on account of religion.

(B) That is, Martyrdom; for

the Mohammedans hold that all
who are flain in battle against
Gyaners, or infidels, die martyrs.

E 3

Agafi

A. D.

Agafi advifes him to fend the Baltajilar Kyehayafi (C), to tell 1691. the Wazir he wanted to speak with him, and then to do as he thought fit, when he had him in his power.

against the Wazîr.

DURING the time this eunuch was fuggesting these things to the Soltân, Dilsîz Mohammed Aga, a mute (D), held the curtain of the door; and difcovering by the motions of their lips and hands, that they were concerting to depofe the Wazir, haftens to that minifter, and gives him, by figns, an account of the whole affair. While he was yet telling his ftory, comes the Baltajilar Kyehayafi, and acquaints the Wazir that the Soltân in hafte wanted to speak with him. Kyoprili ogli finding by this that the mute's account must be true, immediately orders a horfe to be gotten ready for him, and the messenger to go before, telling him that he would presently follow. When he is gone the Wazir fends privately for the Fanizar-Aga, and fome other Ojâk-Agalari, whom he knew to be his friends; and, having, in a speech, related the fervices he had done the empire, by recovering feveral Difcover- provinces loft by his predeceffors, and what he was likely ed by a farther to do by the numerous forces he had raised, tells mute. them, that all was going to be overturned, and they with himself to be removed from the army, by the artifices of fome at court, who had perfuaded the Soltán, a prince of great goodness, but unfkilled in the administration of government (E), that the Wazir and Fanizaries were plotting to depofe him. He adds, that as he forefaw one of the haughty courtiers would fucceed him, who might reduce the Othman affairs to a worse condition than ever; he was therefore willing to remind thofe his friends, that after his removal or death (which, he said, he wished for, that he might not fee the approaching ruin of the empire), they would take on them the care of the ftate, which the emperor was incapable of: "for, concludes he, I fcruple to make any resistance to my Soltan's commands; and therefore have determined

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(C) The chief officer of the regiment of the Baltaji (hatchet men, or battle axes); he is fubject, in other refpects, to the Kizlar Agafi.-Cant,

(D) There are many of thefe in the palace, whofe only bufinefs is to hold up the curtain before the door of the room, where the Soltán is talking in private with any of his great

men. Nor are either they, or the dwarfs, and buffoons, ever employed, as most Europeans have affirmed, to put perfons. privately to death, or even fent on any serious meffage.-Cant.

(E) And who knows not how to return any anfwer to what is propofed to him but Khof, Khosh.

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