Tarabolus Ali Pashà (E). However, not to feem ungrateful for his fervices, the Soltân takes away neither his estate, nor his liberty, but makes him alfo governor of Damafkus, a rare example among the Turks. A. D. 1693, Peace op pofed. ALI Pafa, confidering the distressed state of the empire, and defpairing of victory, as foon as he is advanced to the Wazirship, endeavours to make peace with the Germans and Poles (F), exclufive of the Venetians: but, as on one hand, the emperor refused to treat on any terms, unless they were parties; and, on the other, the French ambaffador, by prefents, and great promifes, had gained both the nobles and Ulema firmly on his fide, they unanimously opposed that defign. The Wazir, being thus disappointed, in the end of the year 1105, fends the Serafkier into Hungary, who, af- Hej. 1105. faulting Titul, is repulfed with great lofs by Caprara, general A. D. of the imperialists: but the Germans were not able to im- 1694. prove this victory; the emperor, intent on the war with France, having left but a small army in Hungary 1. TITUL, in the Turkifb account, feems to be a mistake The Gerfor Peterwaradin; and one of the most famous actions in all mans atthis war is here paffed over in filence. The imperial army tacked in 1694, not being fo numerous as it used to be, the marfhal count Caprara, who commanded it, understanding, that the Wazir intended to attack Peterwaradin, entrenched himself about that place. In effect, the Wazir did arrive with his army in view of the imperialists: but, instead of falling on them, he also entrenched himself; and, what till then was unheard-of, began his approaches against the retrenchments of the enemy. Count Caprara, furprised at this novelty, found it expedient to make another retrenchment between the former and the town: to which, upon occafion, he might re 1 CANT. p. 390, & feqq. (E) That is, Ali Pashâ, governor of Tripolis in Syria. (F) Ricaut fays, that about May 1694. the Polish ambaffador was difmiffed from Adrianople, re infecta; and that the mystery of his embaffy (which was properly to the Tatar Khan, who gave him audience, his letter being directed to that prince), could never be unravelled; for that, though he pretended to treat of peace in the name of all the confederates, the rest knew A. D. 1694. threaten furrenders the place himself (I). The Venetians hereupon, to oblige the pope, fhut-up the Greek churches; and partly by force, and partly by artifice, compel the inhabitants to conform to the Romish church: acting alfo in many other things contrary to juftice, and the terms of the furrender. HAVING fettled at pleasure the affairs of Khios, they reSmyrna: folve to befiege Smyrna : but the French, English, and Dutch confuls, meeting them in their march, intercede for that city; urging, among other reasons against a siege, that almoft all the warehoufes there were full of merchandize of their respective nations; and that, if they should be destroyed, or plundered by the foldiers, the republick would be responsible to their masters for the damage with interest. Upon this, the Venetians desist from their defign, and return with Success in their fleet. In Dalmatia however, under the command of Dalmatia. Delfini, they take Kiklut and Klobukh, which last they attempted the year before. The Serafkier, Soleymân Pashâ, governor of Albania, endeavouring twice to recover the former, is both times repulfed: for which reason, being accufed of negligence to the Soltan, he is deprived of his post, and fucceded by Elmas Mehemmed Pafbâ, governor of Bofnia, lately fent from the Saray. The Arabs in arms. WHILE the Othman arms are fuccessful in all parts of Europe, a new fedition breaks-out in Afia. Amir Mohammed, one of the Arab princes, with several thousands of his countrymen, plunder and spoil the karawân, going in pilgrimage to Mekka (K). AFTERWARDS, augmenting the number of his troops, he befieges Mekka itself: but, touched with reverence for the place, and the dread of facrilege, `retires from before it. The Beglerbeg of Shâm (or Damaskus), attended by the other (I) Ricaut only fays, that the Venetians by furprize, with little difficulty, took the island in a few days; that at firft both the caftle and forts capitulated; and, on the 19th of Sptember 1694, all was delivered up.. Lastly, that the Turks were ftruck with a terrible confternation at the news. (K) After the time of Selim I. 40,000 gold crowns were paid yearly to the Arabs of the defart between Damafkus, Bagdad, and Mekka; by way of bounty un der the denomination of Surreh, as if paid them for fecuring the roads, but, in reality, to restrain them from robbing the karawâns. Now the Surreh not being fent for fome years, on account of the Hungarian war, was the occafion of this attack. But the moft illuftrious Khân of Tartary being taken among the pilgrims, the Arabs obliged him to carry their complaint to the Soltán; and he never refted till the arrears were paid. Cant. Pafbás Pafbâs of thofe parts, is fent against him but the Sheykh defeats them all by a ftratagem, and puts them to flight P. A. D. 1694 Perfuaded THE Amir Mohammed, in the foregoing paragraph, feems, from circumftances, to be the Amir mentioned before from Ricaut, who, about this time, fpeaks of the Sharif (L) being in arms; and, having plundered a very rich city, he fays, that his army, which observed exact discipline, was divided in two parts: that one divifion remained with the Sharif, encamped between Mekka and Medina; the other in the to peace. province of Bafrah, to oppofe the Pafbás on that fide, and cut-off all communication with Halep, or Aleppo. At length, the Mufti, from a fenfe of the empire's low condition, wrote to the Sharif, exhorting him to peace; declaring, that he could not, without betraying the Musulman intereft, persist in war against the Soltán, at a time when the Othman empire was oppreffed on all fides with enemies. This letter of the Mufti was feconded by exhortations from many Pafbâs, Mollahs, Kâdis, Sheykhs, and other religious: even Kalailikos Ahmed Pafba, who was fent with forces against the Sharif, became an advocate for peace, making ufe of the pen inflead of the fword. These admonitions, in behalf of religion, had fo good effect, that first, several Arab princes fell-off from their alliance with the Sharif; and, at length, the Sharif himfelf defifted from hoftilities. THE year 1695 began with a terrible fire in Conftantinople, Ahmed which confumed 4000 houfes and fhops: however prepara- dies. tions for war went on both by sea and land 9. Mean time, the empire being surrounded with so many enemies, and almost intirely ruined, Soltân Ahmed, in the year 1106, leaves (M) Hej. 1106. the world, having lived fifty years, and reigned four. 1695. In his temper and difpofition, he intirely resembled his His chabrother Soleyman, to whom in devotion he was a little infe- racter rior; but was of a fomewhat more lively, though not acute, genius. He liftened to the calumnies raised by his domestick officers; and, on their fuggeftions, often, for flight causes, changed the most important affairs. He affected to appear a lover of justice, though, by reafon of his ftupidity, he could not discharge the function of a judge; and believed every thing which his friends, bribed by the contending parties, reprefented to him ". r P CANT. p. 391, & feqq. RICAUT, ubi fupr. CANT. p. 394. (L) This must be understood of the prince of Mekka, who pretends to be a defcendant of Mohammed. (M) The 27th of January, 1693. Ricaut puts it on the fame day. A.D. 1695. and perfon. 22 Soltân Mostafa. RIC AUT gives a more advantageous character of him; as that he was a very good-natured prince, who feared no hurt himself, nor intended harm to any body: that he was of a lively, free, jocund, humour; being both a poet and a mufician, fo that he made verfes and fang them. He played well alfo on the Citern and Kolosseo after the Perfian manner. The fame author fays, that the cause of his death was a great defluxion on the lungs; that, in his last agony, he defired to speak to his brother Moftafa; and that, Moftafa not being to be perfuaded to go to him, he ordered him to be told all his defire was, that he would permit his fon to live. He had large black eyes, a pale complexion, a round fandy beard, with a mixture of black; a ftrait and long nose, a middle stature, with a prominent belly, occafioned rather by the dropfy than fat ‘. CHAP. XXII. The Reign of Mostafa II. SECT. I. Tranfactions to the Battle of Olafh. FTER Ahmed's death, the Wazir Shâm Tarabolus Ali hammed IV. as Kyoprili Moftafa Pasha had done on the death of Soltán Soleyman II. but not with the like fuccefs. To gain this point, he calls a council of the principal officers of state, and exhorts them to place Ibrahim, the fon of Ahmed, a prince of three years old, on the throne; alledging that it was unjust to give the crown from the fon of a Soltân, who had died in poffeffion of it, to the son of one who had been deposed. These were his pretences: but his true reason was, that he feared to lose, under a prince of vigour, and versed in affairs, as Moftafa was, that abfolute power over the state and army, which he had enjoyed under Ahmed, and hoped to continue, without danger or controul, under his infant fon. But, before he could gain the great men to his opinion, Nezîr Aga, the Hazandâr Bâshi (N), informs Mostafa of his brother's $ RICAUT, ubi fupr. (N) Or keeper of the treasure depofited in the womens Saray. He was foon after made Kizler + CANT. ubi fupr. Aga, and continued fo the whole reign of Moftafa, with fo much anthority, that the Wazirs fear ed A. D. 1695. the Wazîr. brother's death; and, releafing him from his confinement, calls on him to affume the Othmân fceptre. The prince readily agrees to fuck grateful advice; and, while the Wazir is confulting about the election of a Soltán, without his knowledge afcends the throne, where he is firft faluted emperor by Chalik Ahmed Aga (O), and Cherkies Mohammed Aga (P). THIS election being notified to the reft of the courtiers, it Confirms was extremely agreeable to them, and all met to kifs the Soltan's robe. The Wazir himself, finding his defigns prevented by the domestick officers, haftens, with an air of joy in his countenance, to pay his devoir; and is presented with a robe lined with fables by the new emperor: who, diffembling his refentment, orders him to take care of the affairs; and the third day after declares his intention to command the army in perfon against the Germans (Q). He examines, orders, and difpofes, every thing; appoints great cannon to be caft, and directs the military preparations: nor was he unmindful of his father's faithful officers, dispersed in distant countries; these he rewards with new pofts. Among the reft, Elmas Mohammed Pafbá (R), his father's most beloved chamberlain, is fent for out of Bofnia, and first made Nishânji Pashâ (S), ed him. But, after Moftafa's depofition, the rebels laying on him the blame of all which had been done amifs, he was sent to Egypt. Cant. (0) Chalik fignifies maimed or wounded. He was Imrahor, but would never accept of a Fabalik. There was another of the name, who was made Janizar-Aga by the rebels under Ahmed III.-Cant. (P) He fucceeded Chalik Ahmed Aga as Buyûk Imrahor, or great fword-bearer; was afterwards Pafbá of Halep; then of Jerufalem; and, laftly, Serafkier of the Morea, as he now is. Cant. (Q) According to Ricaut, on this occafion, there having been only 15 purfes left in the treafury by Ahmed, the great officers and Ulema were taxed; the Wazir in a million and half, befides five millions in jewels. The queen mother advanced feven millions and a half in ready mo- (R) For his great beauty call- (S) He who fets the Tura, mark, or character, of the Soltan's name at the top of all the Fermáns, or orders which are made. This is a very honoura. ble place.-Cant. then |