LICENSED Nov. 24. 1676. Roger L'Estrange THE HISTORY OF THE Grand Uisiers Mahomet and Achmet Coprogli Of the three last GRAND SIGNIORS THEIR Sultana's and Chief Favourites With the most secret Intrigues of the SERAGLIO Besides several other particulars of the Wars of Dalmatia Transylvania Hungary Candia and Poland Englished by Iohn Evelyn junior LONDON Printed for H. Brome at the Gun at the West-end of St. Pauls 1677. To the High and Mighty Prince GODEFROY MAURICE De la Tour d' Auvergne Sovereign Duke of Bouillon Duke d' Albret and Chasteau Thierry Count d' Auvergne Eureux Viscount Turenne Governour and Lieutenant for the King in High and Low Auvergne Peer and Great Chamberlain of France SIR THIS Book I look upon as a Present so far from worthy of your Highness that I cannot but charge my self with Presumption in the very Dedication of it But as the Work it self was written under your Roof and the Author of it had the honour at the same time to be generously obliged by your Highness As it is properly the Life of an Hero whom you your self have encountred with his Scimitar in his hand an Hero whose Victorious Course was then stopped by your assistance when our brave French gave that famous Defeat to the Grand Visier near the River Raab the place where you gave so many signal marks of that extraordinary Valour which is essential to the Character of your Illustrious Family and hereditary to all that bear your Name to whom Sir should I inscribe this Book but to your self either upon the point of glory or protection To sum up the number of your Ancestors whose great Actions fill the best pages of our History to present you with your Pedigree or the pourtraits of so many Princes who have made your very Name immortal to insist upon those that bear it now and by their own merit and the great Charges they possess are so considerable that in your Highness and your Brothers one may behold all that is high and exalted in France to say that in your Family those Dignities are at present united which never met in any Kings Reign before as the Office of Great Chamberlain Great Almoner of France and Colonel of the Light Horse I am not Sir now to learn that these are Truths would offend your Modesty and that it is peculiar to your House to reject all praises how just soever This is the reason that makes me sparing upon this subject and to content my self with this humble profession that I am with all respect and veneration as I ought to be SIR Your Highnesses most Humble and Obedient Servant De Chassepol To my GOVERNESS THere needs no more to declare to all the World who you are when I shall tell them that it is to the most Religious and vertuous the most discreet and the most charming of your Sex to speak less were to injure your Merits as well as my Iudgment to say more and name you were to undervalue the discernment of all who know what perfection is and where all the Graces which are scattered amongst other Ladies of Quality are assembled in one I made choice of this piece whilst I was lately at Paris to divert my Governess with because the Truth and Dignity of the Historical Part which you more affect may commute for the Trifles of the Romantick which you less regard and have rendered it English not because you are unacquainted with the Original who are Mistress of the most polished Languages but to give you some account of the instructions I acknowledge to have received from you how I should employ the less serious moments of my Time as well as the most studious and recollected I had but to imitate your example to pay at once my duty to God my self and all the world This is the express Character of my Governess the account her Pupil thinks fit to give of his attempt and of the veneration he bears Philothea THE HISTORY of the Grand VISIERS The First Book History of Sultan Amurath the Fourth AMurath the Fourth of that name Emperor of the Turks had no sooner put an end to the differences that were between him and Vladislaus the great King of Poland but he immediately resolved to execute his long intended design of recovering the City of Babylon vulgarly called Bagdet Pekier Bassa the better to shelter himself from Amurath had delivered it to the King of Persia. The importance of this enterprise was such as made the Sultan think his own presence necessary to accomplish it Therefore to reestablish that glory which his Arms had lost under the Conduct of his Generals he took the field at the head of three hundred thousand men with such expedition that he prevented the Sophy and forced him to retire after he had fortified some places which were not before in a condition to make any resistance Tauris was the first place that presumed to withstand the Sultan and it was so vigorously defended that it provok'd him after he had taken it to rase it and plough up its very Foundations thereby to strike terror into other places which he designed to attack from thence he march'd to Revan where the Governor brought him the Keys and came over to his side Being thus possessed of this place he turned all his Forces against Babylon which he besieged and plied so furiously that at two and fifty days end he carried it after four of the bloudiest Assaults that were ever made The Pillage of it he bestowed on his Souldiers commanding them to put all to the Sword without regard of Age or Sex Not satisfied with this advantage he extended his Conquests over divers Provinces wasting all the Country through which he past and nothing being able to satiate his desire of revenge but the defeat of the Sophy he staid not to attend his coming but advanc'd to find him out and offer him Battle which the Persian Monarch thought not fit to hazard against the Victorious Ottoman but retreated to the remotest Mountains of his Empire from whence the Grand Signior seeing he could not draw him by open force he resolved to send him a challenge by which he let him know that setting apart the consideration of those great advantages he might certainly promise himself from so powerful an Army which was sufficient to subdue all Persia he was ready by a private Combate to terminate their antient quarrel and the War which had so long ingaged both Nations The Sophy to free himself from the Obligation of answering it made as if he had not received this challenge and dispatched a Cham or Persian Prince to make overtures of Peace to Amurath Who perceiving his Troops to be much harrassed to give them some repose consented to interrupt the course of his Victories and hearkned to the Propositions of the Sophy leaving his Grand Visier behind him to conclude the Peace whilest he himself retired to Damas where till the season was fit to return into
given his Mother Hers and the Childs cries brought the Sultana Valide and some Officers to the place who freed them from the danger they were in The young Prince was hurt above the right eye where he has yet a great scar which a modern Historian imputes to the scratch of a Diamond which Ibrahim had on one day when he gave him a box on the ear However it was this action made a great noise in the Seraglio and alarm'd all the City Every body thought that the Heir of the Empire was dead and Ibrahim himself was induced to believe it by the pains that the Sultana took to publish it and her making a magnificent Funeral for him which filled the Seraglio and the Town with mourning He was the only man that shewed no sorrow for so deplorable an accident which made him more hated than before He sought to comfort himself for the death of his beloved Sultana and the taking of his eldest Son by the furious War which the undertook against Malta He swore to ruine that famous Island and to destory all the Kinghts that should come into his power and having learn'd that they were French Knights that took his Gally he could hardly forbear violating the person of the Sieur de Harley Count of Cis◠then Embassador of France at the Port who retired to Pera to escape his fury He would have massacred all the French in his Dominions if the Aga of the Eunuchs who was very powerful with him had not hinder'd him by Remonstrances that had very near cost him his life His cruelty augmenting more and more fell upon the chief Officers of the Empire One Hussein whom from a poor Shepherd the Sultan had raised to an eminent condition because during his confinement he had diverted him with his Pipe and Country Songs feeding his Sheep near the Prison helped to nourish his brutish passions The Grand Signior gave credit to none but this man who being jealous of the authority of the Grandees of the Port endeavour'd to build his reputation on the ruine of their fortune To this end he caused Mahomet the Grand Visier to be strangled for going about to disswade the Grand Signor from the War of Malta the event of which he judged to be very dangerous This wholsom advice was the reason of his death which was followed by that of Bekir Captain General of the Sea but whatsoever is too violent cannot last long Zelim Achmet Governour of Syria and Baruth Mahomet Coprogli's enemy was made Grand Visier by the favour of the Traitor Hussain who was his particular friend either made so by presents or that the sympathy of their ill nature had begot their friendship Achmet was no sooner raised to this high charge but he thought of overthrowing all those whose fortune gave him any suspicion He wanted but little of ruining Valide and Zaime by the counsel he gave the Emperour because they had heretofore thwarted his interest The Sultan who had resolved whatsoever it cost him to be revenged on the Knights of Malta seeing himself disswaded from that expedition that his great preparations might not be fruitless chose the Isle of Candy and the Dominions of the Venetians to be the object of his vengeance sending all his Forces to the conquest of the ancient Kingdom of Crete under the conduct of Mahomet Bassa who commanded the Land Army and of Saffi who in right of his charge of Captain General of the Sea which Ibrahim had bestowed on him after the death of Bekir who succeeded Pial commanded the Fleet. These Generals attacked Canea and took it notwithstanding the vigorous resistance of the Governour Antonio Navario and the succours which Andrea Cornaro the General of Candy sent thither under the Colonels Angeli and Iustiniani who signalized their address and courage on this occasion as they have done on a thousand others They continued the War three years with great disadvantage and with such excessive charge as exhausted Ibrahim's Coffers without making any great progress which either proceeded from the Venetians couragious defence or from the frequent change of the Generals who out of jealousie or vanity acted quite contrary to their predecessors In the mean time the Army required continual supplies of necessary provision and the General Vssain Bassa was very importunate for money to maintain his Troops which not being sent he suffered the Janizaries who were in Candy to return to Constantinople to demand their pay and be relieved by their Companions who seeing those who came back so ill satisfied refused to embarque unless they were paid beforehand which so provoked the Grand Signior that he threatned the Grand Visier Achmet with the loss of his head if he did not find money to carry on the War This base Minister was glad of this absolute order which was a sufficient pretence for him to lay extraordinary impositions on the people and to spoil all those Bassa's and Governours of Provinces of their riches whose power he either suspected or envied To this purpose he summoned several of them to give an account to the Treasurers of the Exchequer not forgetting Mahomet Coprogli whom he imprisoned with a great many more as innocent as himself But he set himself particularly to persecute him whom he had now gotten into the snare which he had so long laid for him He thought he had now met with a lucky opportunity of revenging the affronts he had received from him both in his love and his fortune He no longer feared the Sultana Zaime who had ever protected his enemy against whom he had maliciously fomented the Grand Signiors displeasure since the death of the Sultana Bassée and he already beheld the ruine of unfortunate Mahomet with pleasure but to accomplish his vengeance he had a mind to make him perish shamefully by accusing him as well as the rest of the Bassa's and Beys whom he had imprisoned of extortion and rapine Though Mahomet Coprogli was innocent his behaviour having always been unblameable yet he could not but apprehend so dangerous an enemy who without doubt would have brought his pernicious design to pass if he had not been obliged to neglect his revenge to take care of his own life which was odious to all the world The injustice of this Grand Visier and the crimes which he committed every day by sending persons of all ages and conditions to execution on the least suspicion and frequently without any other ground than the satisfaction of his Hatred and Avarice or the keeping up of his Authority were not to be indured The Grandees of the Empire the Mufti and the Sultana Valide her self thought it not fit to defer the performance of their design any longer They foresaw the ruine of the State if the Government should continue in the hands of such a lewd hairbrain'd Emperor who committed the Sovereign Authority of the powerfullest Empire in the world to two of the basest Ministers that ever mannaged publick Affairs They
his own Affairs when she should be forced to leave them to him by age and incapacity Thus had she gained all those we mentioned who by the incredible diligence of the Visier Azem were Arrested he caused her Apartment to be secured to prevent her escape The Sultan though very young had so much tenderness for his Grandmother that he could not be brought to sign a Warrant for her Death who intended his And his Mother was as good natur'd as himself being of opinion that she should only be imprisoned She reflected on their former friendship and her generosity out-weighed the necessity of her wrong but her Virtue appeared not only in behalf of the Sultana Kiozem she was moved with compassion also to her Rival Maiama who with her Son Soliman was to have been punished with the rest of the Conspirators She obtained their Pardon of the Grand Signior and the Ministers who would have sacrificed her to his Highnesses safety but she was forced to yield to the Remonstrances of the Mufti and other Officers who convinced her and the Sultan too that the Sultana Kiozem's Death was absolutely necessary to the good of the State and quiet of the Empire so that her Grandson Mahomet was obliged to consent to her death The Ichoglans Eunuchs and some of the Souldiers out of a brutish zeal undertook this execution instead of the Mutes and running tumultuously to the old Sultana's Apartment they could hardly find her for hearing she was looked for she hid her self in a Wardrobe under the cloaths from whence they pulled her out by the feet and forgetting the Emperour's Orders who charged them to put her to no pain they treated her basely without any respect to her Character or age She in vain endeavoured to stop their insolence by fair words and offers of great sums of money for without hearkening to what she said they drew her by force out of her Chamber stript her gave her several blows and tore her very ears for Pearls of a prodigious greatness that hung in them She strugled a great while with them defending her self with extraordinary vigour for a woman of her age but at last with much ado she was strangled Thus dyed this unhappy Princess after she had lived fourscore years in the reigns of five Emperors She was of the Isle of Chios nobly descended She had five Sons and two Daughters by Sultan Achmet Amurath Osman and Ibrahim sate on the Throne her two Daughters with Bajazet and Orchanes died by the hands of Executioners She seemed not to be above fifty years old Her Constitution was wonderful her great age had abated very little of her strength and brought no inconvenience at all along with it She had still some remains of beauty that shewed her to have been the handsomest woman of her time Her stature which was the most advantagious in the world did not incline her to stoop she was not grown too lean her gate was steady her conversation pleasing her hair very thick and the change of the colour had taken away very little of its grace Her forehead was not wrinkled and her eyes were very lively Her teeth were still so strong that she bit off one of his fingers who went to take away a rich Necklace she had on She was naturally very neat her heart was magnificent her inclination generous her soul great resolute and constant she was mistress of a thousand extraordinary qualities which had rendred her the most admirable person of her Sex if she had been less cruel and ambitious These were the two greatest defects that could be imputed to her which at last deprived her of her honour and her life Bactas Aga of the Janizaries the Bostangibachi the Capi Aga the Captain General of the Sea the Aga of the White Eunuchs the first Capigi or Captain of the gate of the Seraglio and all the other Officers who were concerned in the Conspiracy expiated their Crimes by several kinds of deaths And the Grand Visiers command to hinder the Criminals from escaping was so well executed that none of them could avoid the punishment they had deserved The Janizaries knew nothing of what had passed till they were disabled from doing any mischief and were not in a condition to resist the Spahies who would have fallen upon them and stirred up the people to put them to the Sword for their Treason to Ibrahim and their attempt on Sultan Mahomet and the Grand Signiors Authority would not have kept them from coming to blows if the Grand Visier had not with-held the Spahies by giving them money and assuring them that the Sultan was satisfied with the punishment of their leaders After that he assembled the Divan whither all the Grandees of the Port and Constantinople repaired to whom he made a fine speech which he ended with thanking them from the Sultan and the Great Sultana who were present All the Assembly answered him with a thousand acclamations of Joy and nothing was heard all over the City but live Sultan Mahomet and the Great Sultana Valide his Mother This Title which signifies Queen or Empress was then conferr'd on her it being never given to any but the Emperors Mother THE HISTORY of the Grand VISIERS The second Book AFter that Mahomet Coprogli had thus diverted the dangers that threatned the Sultana he made it his business to restore the peace of the whole Empire which had been long disturbed by the tumults of the Janizaries but knowing their seditious humor and foreseeing it would be difficult to make them continue the War of Candy in which they could never succeed if they undertook it unwillingly He resolved to desist from that a while and find them imployment somewhere else where they could make no excuse or objection to keep them from fighting He took exceptions at the ambitious projects of Ragotski Prince of Transylvania who was fallen out with the King of Poland in favour of the Swedes contrary to the orders of the Port which allowed not that Prince to make any War without its approbation The Grand Visier chose the most factious Officers to send with the Janizaries into Transylvania as well to chastise Ragotski's rashness as to receive the punishment due to their own disobedience for he doubted not but that they would meet with a vigorous resistance This War proved extremely bloody and disadvantagious to the Janizaries they almost all perished in it either at the siege of Clausembourg which they were fain to raise after they had lost most of their Forces before it or at the Conquest of Waradin and the Combats they had with Prince Ragotski besides those whom the Plague swept away in the Camp finishing the destruction of those who survived the War so that there hardly remained an handful of them to bring the news of their total defeat to Constantinople The Grand Visier who hoped for no better success was satisfied to see his expectation was not deceived Their arrogance was so much
to be in the Field by March in the mean time he continued his negotiations with the Great Duke of Moscovy to divert him from invading the Grand Signior in favour of the Venetians He expected the arrival of his Deputies at the Port who were to explain the Dukes intentions and not finding it so easie to appease the Emperor of the Tartars whom he dreaded more than all the rest of the Sultans enemies he secretly engaged the Cham of the petty Tartars to joyn himself with the chief of the Great Chams Subjects who were revolted so that when this Prince prepared vast Forces to invade the Grand Signiors Provinces he was obliged to make use of his preparations to defend his own Estate and was glad to send an Embassador to the Sultan to make him reparation and offer him all his Forces when he had appeased the Troubles which the petty Cham and his own Grandees had raised This Embassy secured the Grand Visier and freed him from a very dangerous enemy However he left not off his warlike preparations both by Sea and Land and continually endeavoured to render his Master the most formidable and powerful Prince in the world While he waited for a proper season to make some expedition he dispatched a Chiaux to the Emperor to demand passage through his Dominions for the Sultan's Army into Friuli The Chiaux was sent back with a refusal dishonourable to the Grand Signior but the Visier Azem thought it not time to shew his resentment or to send any Troops into Dalmatia till the Sophy were quite determined either to Peace or War He feared lest he should agree with the Mogol seeing the Ottoman Arms imployed in another place and defer the sending his Embassadors to Constantinople to renew the Peace which he had broken The Venetians in the mean time being informed that the Troubles of the Port were accommodated and that Embassadors were arrived there from those Princes of Asia who had given them hopes of diverting the Ottoman Forces were afraid of having them all turned upon them in a short time and though they had obtained great advantages over Sultan Mahomet's Fleet they resolved to send and implore peace of him But this Prince being swayed by his first Minister received their Agents very coldly and told them that the Signiory of Venice had no other way to end the War but to yield the Kingdom of Candia to him and the Town of Clissa the most considerable place in Dalmatia and to pay him three Millions of Gold for the charges he had been at since the beginning of the War These conditions were too hard to be accepted and the War it self could not be more disadvantagious to the Venetians and it was the Visier Azem's design to continue it he had private reasons not to make Peace with the enemies of the Empire He knew by experience that after such considerable preparations it was dangerous to dismiss the Souldiers without abating their heat and impetuosity by the toils of War He had a mind to imploy the Janizaries to avoid the Seditions they commonly raise in Peace So that the Venetians seeing themselves rejected implored the assistance of all the Princes of Christendom The Grand Visier who foresaw they would have this refuge prepared to resist all their attempts and obstinately pursued the getting of Candia accounting it the most glorious and beneficial conquest the Emperor could ever make He sent great refreshments to the Troops that were there and all provisions necessary to continue the Siege of the chief City of the Island Now the Sultan was more desirous than ever of commanding his own Army threatning if they continued to with-hold him that he would steal away privately to go to the Camp and discover himself to his Souldiers Mahomet Coprogli imployed all his art to moderate his ardor without incurring his hatred making use of all his prudence on so nice an occasion The Grand Signior honoured him as his Father and had intire confidence in his conduct but he listned to the flatteries and partial perswasions of a great many young men and Bassa's who would have drawn him out of the Seraglio that they might with more ease insinuate into his favour and diminish the authority of the Grand Visier This Minister foreseeing the consequences desired the Sultana Valide to joyn her endeavours with his to convince the Emperor that he ought by no means to expose himself to those disgraces that might be followed by the loss of his Estate and life too The Sultan would not disoblige the Sultana his Mother or the Visier Azem he permitted him to send an Army into Dalmatia under the conduct of Mahomet Coprogli who had order to besiege Clissa and Zara but his Valor was not seconded by his Souldiers and with all his attempts he could not carry these two places This young Captain shewed a fierceness that astonished the most resolute he desired nothing but a Battle to end that War Those who wondered at this vehemence knew not that the desire of glory was not the only passion that animated his courage but it is not yet time to discover the cause and interrupt the relation of Mahomet Coprogli's Ministry to treat of his Sons loves which we will speak of at length in the sequel of this History While brave Achmet pressed the Siege of the Capital City of Dalmatia and the Army in Candia endeavoured to conquer that Island in spight of all the Venetians resistance the Grand Visier who applied himself to the particular Affairs of the Empire and to provide for the subsistance of the Armies found himself at the same time obliged to extinguish a Civil War which began to break out by the factiousness of some discontented persons The frequency of these kind of disgraces had so confirmed Mahomet's soul and courage that nothing surprised him nevertheless he stopt not this flame without difficulty and bloodshed It cost young Morat the Author of the Revolt his life who was the Son of Vssain Captain General of the Sea whom the Grand Visier caused to be beheaded for favouring Soliman Amurath and the Bey of Togor suffered the same punishment for having committed some fault contrary to his duty These troubles were no sooner quieted but the death of Ragotski Prince of Transylvania gave the Visier Azem an opportunity of extending the Grand Signiors Dominions This Province had been the seat of a long War which was ended by the submission of the deceased Prince who paid great sums to the Port. The Grand Visier pretended this was a Tribute and that this Province holding of the Turkish Empire the right of nominating a Prince belonged to the Sultan The States of Transylvania not giving way to this pretence were assembled after Ragotski's death to elect another Prince Chimin Ianos and Count Barelay were Competitors at this Election The first who was the most considerable put himself into the Emperors protection promising never to have any thing to do with the Grand
took a resolution which would have deprived him of the ablest and best of all his Subjects if Achmet Coprogli's prudence had not equalled the Sultans cruelty and injustice He sent this brave General word that he should suddenly put an end to the Siege which his rashness had prompted him to undertake and in a very short time either send him his Head or the Keys of Candia This order was very peremptory and sufficient to have shaken the firmest Courage The Grand Visier had great reason to think himself very rigorously and unjustly dealt with his fidelity and zeal for his Master and the hazards his life was so often exposed to for his glory deserved better usage and might have inclined him to revenge himself and shew his resentment by abandoning his Army which would undoubtedly have perished if he had sought to secure himself by going over to the Venetian side as he might have done but honour having ever been his only object he never so much as entertained a thought that was prejudicial to his reputation He answered the Sultan very submissively yet in such terms as shewed the greatness of his soul and that it was not the fear of death he was threatned with that made him hasten a conquest which he undertook for the augmentation of his Dominions and glory that he never had any other end in it and that if his Highness could reap any benefit by his death it was in his power to satisfie himself when he pleased that as to the Siege of Candia he hoped to finish it if he would allow him time having been deceived by a false account of the state of the place Achmet imparted the Grand Signiors command to his Mother Fatima and having consulted together they concluded that this blow proceeded from the persecutions of his enemies at Court and soon after they were confirmed in their opinion by the Couriers which they sent continually to the Port to bring them news of all that passed there They found that some Courtiers who had insinuated themselves into the Grand Signiors favour had attempted to disgrace him and had succeeded in it However he did not much trouble himself being assured that his conduct would justifie him and that the detractors would be punished for their calumnies by their own remorse and the Sultans anger who would in time discover their treachery He continued to press the besieged who received great assistance from the King of France under the conduct of the Count de la Feuillade who was accompanied by the Count de St. Paul the Duke of Chasteau Thierry the Sieurs de Caderousse de Villemaur and many more Gentlemen and Officers who came to shew the Turks that they could overcome them as well in Creet as in Hungary And the sallies of these brave men put the Turks almost in despair who were incouraged by their Generals presence He went from quarter to quarter to animate them and exhort them to do their duty He caused new Candia which the Turks built after the taking of Canea to be demolished that he might make use of the materials in his works and by depriving his Troops of a safe retreat force them to secure themselves by their valour always telling them that they must either conquer or die But while he endeavours to become master of Candia Constantinople was filled with tumults raised by the male-contents of the Empire who seeing the ill success of the Grand Signiors Arms in this Island and that several neighbouring Princes were ready to declare War against him resolved to make use of this opportunity to revenge his Highnesses contempt of them and prevent the punishment that was due to their Rebellion in which they engaged the Ianizaries who remained at Constantinople to guard the Town the Sultan and the Seraglio The Mutineers threatned to depose the Emperor and to set up Prince Soliman his Brother in his room The absence of the Visier Azem strengthened this Sedition which all the Sultan Valide's power could hardly appease The Sultan was then at Adrianople and was so displeased with the Inhabitants of Constantinople that he would not so much as take notice of their earnest solicitations of him to return thither He declared openly that this proud City should no longer be the Imperial Seat since she had rendered her self unworthy by her frequent disorders The people and the Ianizaries who for the most part have their Families at Constantinople were extremely provoked by this reproach And if Prince Soliman had been among them they had certainly proclaimed him Emperor but he was in the Grand Signiors power who not being so barbarous as his Predecessors would not practise their inhumane policy of securing the possession of the Empire by the death of all their Brothers Far from being so cruelly cautious he allowed his three Brothers an honourable freedom and suffered them to employ themselves in exercises agreeable to their high birth yet when he went from Constantinople he took Soliman along with him This Princes Mother Maiama was dead she did all she could to place him on the Throne which is partly the cause that the Sultan is jealous of him His good qualities render him beloved by all the world especially by the Souldiers who are not ignorant of his vast courage His impatience to give some proofs of his valour made him inconsiderately desire his Brother to let him accompany the Grand Visier in the Candian War which his Highness thought not fit to grant and the Visier Azem convinced the Sultan that it concerned him not to trust this young Prince with Arms which he might one day turn against him but to keep him where his actions might be better observed not that he gave him this advice to exasperate him against his Brother but he knew the Souldiers inclination to Soliman who was of an active undertaking spirit and capable of raising great troubles in the State if he should after the example of the Ottoman Princes endeavour to free himself and affect the Empire Mahomet who had never seriously made these reflections and did not at all distrust Soliman suffered him to live at liberty but the young Princes imprudence in repining at his Brothers refusal opened the Sultans eyes and made him rereflect on what the Grand Visier had represented to him The Sedition that happened afterwards at Constantinople caused him to watch Soliman's behaviour more narrowly In the mean time Prince Soliman mistrusted nothing Ambition was not his predominate passion he loved hunting as well as the Grand Signior always following him to that sport and sometimes he went alone But this exercise did not so take him up but that he was well enough pleased with another which is the usual employment of people of his age His Brother was the most amorous Prince in the world nor was he less inclined to gallantry himself but he loved to keep it secret not affecting to make a noise with his pleasures He long sought for an object worthy
of his kindness and at last Zizim Morat Bassa by an extraordinary adventure furnished him with such an one as he desired The Sangiac of Smyrna who was akin to this Bassa had sent him a very pretty Slave which he bought of a Corsair Tartar and brought up with a great deal of care to make a Present of her to the Grand Signior according to the custom of the Governors of Provinces and Cities who by this means acquire and preserve his Highnesses favour The Sangiac Sinan who looked on Zizim Morat as his Patron at the Port desired him to present her to the Sultan who was then at Adrianople where he intended to establish the Seat of the Empire as Soliman the first of that name surnamed the Magnificent had done before The Bassa deferred the acquitting himself of Sinan's Commission till the Grand Signiors return to Larissa where he spends most part of the year as well for the beauty of the place which is the finest in all Thessaly as for the convenience of Hunting in the great Forrests about it He was an intimate friend of Prince Soliman who a few days after came thither with his Brother Zizim Morat told him he had a Present to make to his Highness which would without doubt be well received but that it must be kept secret lest the Grand Sultana should come to hear of it who would hate him mortally if he should know that he preferred a new Favourite to the Grand Signior then he described the young womans beauty to him which made Soliman desirous to see her before she was delivered to the Emperor his Brother The Bassa not dreaming of what would happen carried him home with him and shewed him the fair Slave with whom he fell desperately in love He made no secret of it to Zizim but told him with a great deal of joy that she was absolute mistriss of his heart and conjured him to give him a proof of his friendship by letting him have the young Slave The Bassa used strong arguments to the contrary and told him that he could not betray the trust the Sangiac of Smyrna reposed in him without being at the same time false to the Grand Signior who would punish them both if he came to know it But amorous Soliman answered his arguments with so much force and eloquence convincing him that it might be easily kept secret since the Sultan was ignorant of it and the absent Sangiac could never discover it that at last friendship surmounted all other considerations and he granted his request Soliman embraced him a thousand times and having expressed how much he was obliged to him they contrived how they should conceal this Beauty from the Sultan that he might not find out Soliman's treason and Morat's falshood They could think of no better way than to keep her in a Country house which Zizim had in the pleasant Valley of Ianica heretofore the delicious Tempe watered by the famous River Peneus between the Mountains of Ossa and Olympus In that Country there is a Forrest the same that Virgil speaks of where the Grand Signior often hunts and Soliman with him who then visits the fair Zulemai without being taken notice of This lasted some time during which Soliman's life was as happy as Zulemai could make it who loved him and wanted no charms to engage him She was perfectly well shaped her complexion was so bright that it dazled those who beheld it her hair was brown her eyes black and full her mouth little her lips juycy her teeth white and well set she had a sweetness in her chin and the midst of her cheeks that became her wonderfully when she spoke Her neck was well shaped as also her arms and hands her carriage was noble her speech pleasing and her humor the best in the world Soliman was tall and strait his face round his complexion smooth and white his forehead large and high his eyes blue and smiling his nose a little aquiline his mouth pretty his min great his humor magnificent and his nature very generous His inclinations are like the Grand Signiors but he is a little more impatient and quick His soul is noble and extremely grateful and his temper so complacent that he easily gains the friendship of all men These two Lovers freely enjoyed the pleasures of mutual love but one day chance brought the Sultan to Zizim Morat's Country house where the Prince was abroad hunting in the Forrest The Grand Signior being thirsty came alone to this house to refresh himself and there seeing the Bostangi's or Gardeners Daughter he liked her very well The good man presently found who he was and told his Wife Zabra of it They were both overjoyed to see that their daughter pleased the Sultan and commanded her to use all her art to engage him and deserve his favour their good fortune depending upon it They endeavoured to conceal Zulemai from the Grand Signior fearing her beauty would eclipse Abdimai's with whom he was so well pleased that he desired them to take care of her and let no body else see her promising to come and visit her often The good peoples joy appeared in their blessing of Mahomet and throwing themselves at his feet they gave him thanks for the honour he did their Daughter who they hoped would bring forth a Prince that should be the support and strength of the Musulmans and should spread the Law of their Prophet over all the earth When the Grand Signior was gone they charged Abdima not to tell any body what had happened and to take heed of letting the Sultan know when she saw him that Zulemai was in their house Abdima who had no less wit than beauty obey'd their commands being convinced how much it concerned her to do so In the mean time Prince Soliman continued his visits and the Emperor his but it was impossible for them both to go so often to the same place without meeting there at last Mahomet has ever had a greater esteem for the Grand Sultana Zachi than usually the Sultans have for their Wives and avoids doing any thing that may make her jealous who loves him so tenderly that she follows him where ever he goes and seldom leaves him but when she lies in Therefore he was glad of having a Mistress whom the Sultana could not find out and whom he might visit under pretence of hunting This was the reason that kept him from removing Abdima from Zizim Morats house but the Sultana Zachi who often went hunting with the Grand Signior observing that he always lost himself in the Forrest she believed he had some design in his wandering and caused a slave to go after him afar off by which means she learnt that he went into a house on the edge of a Wood whither she fail'd not to follow him the next time she saw him go that way Prince Soliman was got thither before the Emperor and was already with the charming Zulemai when the Bostangi of
Souldiers should march out with their Arms and Baggage that the Inhabitants who would not stay there might go whither they pleased with their Families and Goods that the Christians might take with them all the Reliques and other things that belonged to the Church that all Prisoners should be freed on both sides and that there should be an inviolable Peace between the two Nations All these Articles being drawn up were presented to the Grand Visier who presently signed them though they were somewhat too advantagious for a place that could hold out no longer but he had urgent reasons that obliged him to grant these conditions and to hasten the conclusion of a Peace He had news from Constantinople that the troubles continued there which he fear'd would be very prejudicial to the State and the Grand Signior besides he apprehended that the fresh Succors which the King of France and the Pope were sending under the Conduct of the Mareschal de Bellefonds might retard the taking of Candia which would be more inconvenient to him than all the favourable clauses that he granted to the Christians Therefore he received the Keys of the place with great satisfaction and gave him that brought them a Purse full of Sultanines and sent rich Presents to the Venetian General who not to be behind-hand with him in Magnificence sent him an handsom service of Venetian Glasses and several other curious things which the Grand Visier received very civilly and gave a considerable sum of mony to those who brought them The Venetians being retired he made his entry into Candia whither the principal Officers of his Army came to complement him he received them with a great deal of modesty I expect not said he to them any rejoycing or extraordinary pomp here in a place that has cost us so dear over whose ruines we ought rather to weep His astonishment increased at every step he made in the Town and the desolation he met with every where augmented his good opinion of the Christians who had so valiantly defended the City so long after it was in so wretched a condition After this he bountifully rewarded his Souldiers and dispatched a Courrier to Adrianople to give the Grand Signior notice of the taking of Candia and to let him know that he was now ready to give proofs of his Fidelity which had been suspected and that in a short time he would be at Constantinople with fifty thousand well disciplin'd men to reduce and punish those who had slighted his Highness and had made use of his absence to mutiny and disturb the Empire This unexpected news was exceeding welcome to the Grand Signior who lived in strange apprehension of the tumults which daily increased at Constantinople He thought he could never enough commend his first Minister whom he fully absolved notwithstanding all the ill impressions of his enemies declaring openly that Achmet Coprogli was the prop of the Ottoman Empire and that none but he was capable of such brave Expeditions or could have so happily ended a Siege that had lasted five and twenty years He sent him the Ratification of the Articles of Peace with a rich Cimarr embroidered with Gold and a Scimitar the Handle Guard and Scabbard of which were set with Diamonds and Stones of inestimable value withal assuring him that he would receive the Chevalier Molino kindly whom the Republique designed to send to him with Presents for himself the Sultana Valide the Great Sultana and the chief of the Port. He likewise gave him notice that he had nominated Commissioners to go into Dalmatia and other places where their presence would be necessary to regulate the bounds of the Venetian Territories and to remove all difficulties that might hinder the conclusion of a firm and lasting Peace The Visier Azem having procured this Peace omitted nothing that might establish it and punctually performed all that he promised He was so careful not to violate the Treaty with the Venetians and to shew the sincerity of his intentions that he caused some Turks to be impaled for abusing the Christians at Sudâ— contrary to his Proclamation that they should do them no wrong upon pain of death and treated the Prisoners that were in his Army very civilly and set them at liberty after he had given them several marks of his generosity When he had ordered all things necessary for the conservation of the Island of Candia he prepared to march with the rest of his Troops to Constantinople where the news of his Conquests and design to chastise the Mutineers quickly calmed the Sedition and those who had been most active in it provided for their safety by flight which obliged the Sultan who might perhaps apprehend the Visiers approach with so powerful an Army to order him to send forty thousand men towards Mecha and Medina to punish the incendiaries that were retreated thither that they might disturb the remotest Provinces of the Empire where they had taken away the rich Offerings which the Grand Signior sent to Mahomet's Temple and had slain the Officers and Ianizaries that carried them Achmet Coprogli obeyed the Sultans commands so exactly that the Criminals soon received the punishment they deserved and yet marched on to Constantinople where the Sedition was not so well laid but that there was still a secret Faction among the Ianizaries against his Highness and the Grand Visier The Emperor advertised him of it that he might hasten his march to that City when his presence was absolutely necessary When he arrived there he was of opinion that the surest way to put an end to the Tumults was to remove the Garrison which corresponded with the people to appoint new Troops to guard the Town and the Seraglio and to employ the others at a distance where they might not be able to plot against his own and the Sultans Authority But before he would undertake a new War he advised the Grand Signior to maintain a good understanding between himself and those Princes who might oppose his designs From thence he took occasion to commend the extraordinary valour of the French assuring him that they only had retarded the taking of Candia as they had before stayed the progress of his Arms in Hungary and inflamed him with a desire of conâ—racting an alliance with the King of France and sending an Embassador to him to implore his friendship The Sultan being convinced of his Ministers experience and judgment agreed to his proposition and resolved to follow his counsel and not long after dispatched Soliman Mutafaraca into France where he was magnificently received and was incredibly surprised when he beheld the Majesty and Greatness of the incomparable French Monarch to whom he presented a Letter stuffed with the most splendid Titles that ever any Ottoman Emperor had given to another Potentate This Embassador staid some time at Paris and after he had admired the Politeness and Glory of the French he returned laden with rich Presents to give Sultan Mahomet and the
a Peace to the Emperor These Envoys met not with that satisfaction that the Vivier Azem wished The Emperor gave them to understand that the Principality of Transylvania which was the cause of his difference with the Sultan was a member that had been separated from his Estate and that his Highness could not without injustice think of obliging him to quit his pretensions to that Province and to desert Prince Chimin Ianos who had put himself into his protection and that he could not agree to the dismantling of Serinwar unless the Grand Signior would demolish the Fortifications of Waradin and some other places This answer did not please the Grand Visier who was no less careful than his Father had been of his Masters glory and industrious to enlarge his Dominions but hearing for certain that the Sophy marched against Bagdet he saw it was necessary to temporize now therefore he sent orders to Ali Bassa the General of the Army in Transylvania to continue the overtures of Peace This General at the same time received the news of the taking of Chimen Ianos by Michael Abaffi who succeeded Count Barelay and was protected by the Port in his pretences to Transylvania The death of Chimin Ianos whom Abaffi caused to be beheaded in Prison as Chimin had treated his first Competitor facilitated the Conquest of the Province and favoured the Grand Visiers designs Ali Bassa immediately sent a Courrier to him to know what he should do in this conjuncture but Achmet sent him word again that he should observe the orders he had received so that he pressed the Emperor to send Deputies to the Port to negotiate a Peace between the two Empires In the mean time the Ottoman Army made continual inroads into Hungary and the Imperial Troops did the like in the Grand Signiors Dominions But the Turks being tired with this tedious skirmishing War threatned the coming down of the Grand Signior himself with a formidable Army to invade Hungary if the Emperor did not very suddenly conclude a Peace which made him dispatch Doctor Perez to the Divan The Grand Visier whose drift was to prolong the Negotiation till his own affairs were in a better posture dismissed him with order to tell his Master that he should send his Agats to Themidwar to treat there with Ali Bassa and the Cappigi Bassa but hearing that the Sophy for fear of being invaded by the Mogol had given over his enterprize on Babylon he commanded General Ali not to recede from the first conditions which he had proposed in order to the conclusion of the Peace The Emperor finding the Sultans propositions unreasonable and that the Turks continued their Incursions believed the Divan whatever it pretended had no desire to terminate the War therefore he began to look about him betimes for fear of being surprized foreseeing that it would not be long before the Grand Visier would fall upon him who as soon as he had put the particular affairs of the Ottoman Empire into order resolved to pursue the enterprize which his Father began and was forced to leave unfinished by death After he had rigged a powerful Navy to encounter the Venetians and the Christian Princes whose Forces he apprehended at Sea he prepared to march against the Emperor to let his Master see that he was as expert as the old Generals who proud of their long command and age flighted him as a young man and raised disadvantageous stories of him He ordered the Bassa's of Albania Natolia Buda and some others to draw towards Hungary with their Troops and desired the Sultan to stay at Adrianople and to permit him to go and exercise his Authority and give proofs of his valour He led with him the old bands of Ianizaries and Spahies placing the Mutineers in the Forlorn Hope that they might be cut off in this War which he hoped to finish in a short time that he might turn all the Ottoman Forces against Candia But while he marched towards Hungary his Fleet which he set forth to scour the Sea and succor Canea which was distressed by the Venetian Army was not so successful as he expected it shun'd ingaging the Venetian Fleet which would have fought to have prevented the relief of Canea The same Fleet however pursued Turkish Gallies in the Archipelago so briskly that it took ten Saiques gave chace to four great Vessels that followed a Caravan of Alexandria and being come up with them took three and several Saiques that carried abundance of persons of quality of both Sexes who were going on Pilgrimage to Mecha The news of this disgrace did more inflame the Grand Visiers courage who made long marches to arrive at Belgrade where the body of the Army expected him under the conduct of Ali Bassa who was newly made Visier of Hungary The approach of this great Minister and the arrival of the Bassa's of Bossina Silestria Waradin Aleppo and the Beglerbeg of Natolia so terrified the Emperor that he presently commanded the Baron de Goez one of his Deputies to divert the dreadful storm that threatned the Empire by granting several of the demands which Ali Bassa made in the Grand Signior's name Ali acquainted the Grand Visier upon what terms the Emperor was willing to purchase Peace that he consented that Michel Abassi who was under his Highnesses protection should be acknowledged Prince of Transylvania and promised to withdraw his Garrisods out of some places and to demolish the Fort of Serinwar but Achmet had no mind to go back now he was so forward and had made such preparations for the War thinking it below him to make Peace on any conditions either less advantageous to his Master or less glorious for himself than the Victories that seemed to attend his Arms and for this reason not being satisfied with what the Emperor offered He asked over and above two millions for the expences he had been at with a Tribute of an hundred thousand Rixdollers a year for the Kingdom of Hungary which he resolved to make wholly tributary to the Ottoman Empire Besides this he would have the Emperor give free passage for what Troops the Grand Signior pleased to send into the Venetian Territories These proud demands made the Emperor despair of the accommodation he had hitherto flattered himself withal He perceived that the Grand Visier would not let the Ianizaries return to Constantinople till their fierceness and insolence were abated by the toils of a War which through the animosity of both parties would undoubtedly prove very bloody Achmet Coprogli being informed of the Emperors continual preparations for War was glad to meet with resistance in such an Enemy whose defeat would augment his glory and convince the world that he was as able in the Camp as in the Divan and could not only advise like an Oracle but could command also like a great Captain THE HISTORY of the Grand VISIERS The fourth Book THE Emperor seeing his Commissioners return without any effect of their
Negotiation made no question but that the Visier Azem would endeavour all he could to come and besiege him in Vienna Therefore he fortified that City that it might be in a condition if need were to resist the Ottoman Forces implored the assistance of all the Potentates of Europe and with four distinct Armies secured the hereditary Provinces of the Empire The Grand Visier on the other side aimed at some considerable Expedition and having determined what to do passed the long Bridge of Essek and sate down before Newhausel He immediately invested the place and defeated some Troops which Count Forgate and Balsi and Marquiss Pio would have put into it then he summoned it according to the custom of the Turks who do so to all places they besiege But Count Forgats the Governour having given such an answer to his summons as made him find that fair words and splendid promises were not sufficient arguments to perswade him to surrender a place which the Emperor had intrusted him with he planted so furious a Battery as soon made breaches wide enough to invite the Turks to an assault in which great numbers of them were slain by the defendants But the Grand Visier pressed the Siege so vigorously that the Governour was forced to yield the place upon composition and the Articles were so advantagious that several of the Officers and the chief of the besieged knowing to what necessity of surrendring the Town was reduced and what multitudes of their Enemies had perished before their Walls in so small a time were of opinion at first that the Grand Visier readily consented to whatever Count Forgats demanded with design to break his word and to have it the sooner in his power to revenge the loss he had sustained during the Siege but the event shewed that they did him wrong to suspect he could be guilty of a baseness so much below the greatness of his soul though otherwise such actions are very common among the Turks Achmet Coprogli has always profest himself an enemy to treachery and thinks himself concerned in honour to keep his word on all occasions The Governour of Newhausel was the first that found this to be true the good usage he received from the Grand Visier constrained him to be just to his vertue and desert and far from what his Officers apprehended to thank him for the complement he made him upon his generous defence of a Town which seemed incapable of holding out against so powerful an Army Count Forgats being marched out of Newhausel the Visier Azem made his entry into it and at the same time dispatched an Officer to carry the news to the Grand Signior but designing to make an entire conquest of Hungary to accomplish it without shedding of blood for ruining the Country he bethought himself of issuing out a Proclamation that all the places that would submit to the Ottoman Empire should be exempted from Contribution for six years at the end of which each house should pay but a Rixdoller This did not succeed so well as he expected however he possessed himself of Schinta Novigrad Levens and some other places of less importance with which he ended the Campagna that he might refresh his Army and be at leisure to look after the affairs of the Port which he still took care of notwithstanding the War To this end he had Courriers continually on the way who informed him of all that passed and carried messages from him to the Sultan who was then at Adrianople where he made publick rejoycings for three days together for the Victories of his chief Minister and concluded them with the death of his principal Nectangis or Secretary His Highness caused him to be beheaded upon the advice he had from the Visier Azem that he was corrupted by the Emperors Ministers from whom he had received a very considerable sum of money which was found in his Coffers being not only a certain argument of his Crime but a mark of Achmet Coprogli's faithful correspondence in all parts The season of the year which obliged the Visier to retreat did not hinder him from sending Succors to Canea and Recruits to the Troops that were in Dalmatia so that at the same time that he had undertaken another War he pressed the Venetians in two several places to show the Christian Princes that the Sultan could maintain more Armies than one against his Enemies and that he did not at all fear the great preparations they threatned him with being advertised that Count Serini did very much distress the Troops that wintered in the conquered places and along the River Traag and Dravus He composed three small Armies of Tartars Moldavians and some Turkish Companies to wast Moravia and Silesia and to make inroads as far as Presburg the Capital City of Hungary by that means to divert Count Serini who by the Emperor and the Diet at Ratisbon was nominated Generalissimo of the Hungarian Forces But neither these Forces nor the extremity of Winter could hinder this Hero from taking Bernezet Raboscha Seques and several other places which the Turks had conquered He made himself Master of Palanka and Peez a populous trading Town and leaving his Army under the conduct of Count Horlac he besieged and took Tainskirken and attacked the Bridge of Essek where he met with a vigorous resistance which however could not keep him from burning that and many Magazines which the Turks had along the River Dravus After this he undertook the Siege of Canisia a place of great importance The Grand Signior hearing of this Siege was resolved to go in person and relieve this Town and stay the course of Count Serini's conquests but the Visier Azem dissuaded him from his design representing the danger he exposed himself to and the mischievous consequences of his absence from Constantinople where the people being provoked at the punishment the Sultan had inflicted on the chief of the City who conspired against him were ready to rise and spoke of making one of his brothers Emperor The Grand Visier too had a mind to finish the War he had so happily begun and was unwilling that his Highnesses presence should rob him of his glory and be thought to have effected more than all his industry yet the care of his own glory was not the only motive that caused him to divert Sultan Mahomet from this expedition the affection and zeal which he ever had for his Masters service at this time prevailed over all other considerations knowing the violence of his nature and the greatness of his courage he feared he would engage himself too far into danger and that he would receive more prejudice by the enterprizes of the Mutineers at Constantinople than advantage by the conquest of the whole Kingdom of Hungary Nor did he doubt but that he should finish the Expedition successfully without the assistance of the Captains and old Generals that were in his Army who out of jealousie opposed his design and hindred him from