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J.C. 1694.
It was not in Europe only that the Ottomans
Heg.1105,
& 1106. found enemies this year. The Afiatic bafhaws had

of Mecca

The emir to fight the emir of Mecca, the fovereign of those vagabonds who inhabit the deferts between the and forces prophet's town and Damafcus. This horde of

pillages a caravan,

the Turks

the fums

that are

to pay him freebooters plundered the caravans of all the pilgrims who went to Mecca. Though thefe Arahis due. bians were fuch miferable wretches, they were become very formidable, as it would have been neceffary to keep a numerous army conftantly on foot to protect the multitude of pilgrims drawn to Mecca by duty and devotion. The Turkish emperors would rather make a fort of bargain with these vagabonds, than endeavour to bring them under fubjection, which in fact would be a difficult matter; for thefe plunderers, accustomed to live on a little, to inhabit caverns, and to bear the inclemency of the air, eafily maffacre travellers and escape the purfait of regular troops. For eighty purfes, which their emir received yearly from the treasures of the mosques, they were not only to difcontinue their rapines, but likewise to be answerable for the safety of the roads. The wants of the ftate caused the payment of this debt to be neglected a good while, which the viziers confidered, with much reason as difgraceful for fuch a ftate as the Ottoman empire. The emir of the Arabians thought himself authorised to pillage the caravans anew, which he executed with fo much cruelty, that fixty thousand defenceless pilgrims were plun→ `dered,

Heg.1105,

dered, wounded, and dragged into flavery, whilst J.C. 1694. they thought themselves travelling in safety on & 1106.. the faith of treaties. The neighbouring fangiacs affembled their troops too late; they were beaten by piece-meal. This disorder did more injury to the empire than a real war could. After a great many men had been loft, government was obliged to fatisfy a creditor who took advantage of circumftances to pay himself with his own hands. The eighty purses were again furnished, as the empire was not then in a state to free itself from this mortifying debt.

Heg.1106.

This affair was fcarcely terminated, when the J.C. 1695. fultan was attacked with an inflammation of the lungs which carried him off in a few days. This prince, perceiving himself near his end, eagerly afked to see Muftapha, his nephew, who was to fucceed him. Either through infenfibility or mistrust, Mustapha obftinately refused the expiring emperor this fatisfaction, who at length defired that his nephew might be told that he recommended his children to his protection. Achmet Achmet died the 27th of January aged fifty years, of which he had reigned four, if it may be called reigning to give way to every impreffion, to let good or evil be committed indifferently, and to view with the fame eyes great or ill fuccefs, which the imbecility of this monarch prevented him from taking any part in.

Death of

II.

MUSTAPHA

J.C. 1695.
Heg.1106.

How Muftapha gets

on the throne.

MUSTAPHA II.

TWENTY-SECOND REIGN.

ACHMET being dead, the grand vizier, Ta

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rabolus Ali, who meant to choose an emperor, ordered the officers of the feraglio who had been prefent at the death of their master, to conceal this event. They renewed public prayers in the mofques for the fultan's recovery; and whilft the creatures of the vizier were publishing that there were great hopes for the emperor, the minister secretly affembled the mufti, the mollacs, the bashaws, and the agas of the different corps, propofing to them to place Ibrahim the fon of Achmet on the throne, who was only three years old. "This child," faid Tarabolus, "is the

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eldeft fon of our fovereign who died emperor "of the Ottomans. Has he not more right to "fucceed his father, than Muftapha his coufin, "the fon of a dethroned emperor?" This pretext, which feemed to fatisfy the affembly, covered the true reafon which no one faid, but which all equally comprehended. The mufti and the grand vizier knew Muftapha to be a prince that would reign himself. They hoped on the contrary to be abfolute mafters under the name of an emperor of three years old, and there was not a fingle member of the divan who did

not

not aim likewise at fome part in this government, Heg.1106. J.C. 1695. or who at least flattered himself with finding his independency in it. Whilft they were deliberating, not any longer on the choice of a fovereign, but how they fhould proclaim the prince whom they had chofen, the felictar aga and the chiau pachi entered the affembly, and commanded the mufti and the grand vizier to go inftantly and proftrate themselves at the feet of Muftapha II. who was waiting for them on his throne in the divan chamber. A black eunuch, who was treafurer of the haram, had informed this prince of his uncle's death. Muftapha had fhewn himself to the bostangis and icoglans, who had immediately published the death of Achmet and the acceffion of Muftapha, the oldest prince of the Ottoman blood, and confequently the lawful inheritor agreeably to the laws of the caliphs and of the empire. Already they heard the drums and the acclamations of the janiffaries, who were marching under the orders of their odas pachis to the outer court of the feraglio: the people affembled, and all bleffed the new emperor aloud. Neither the mufti nor the grand vizier thought himself strong enough to refift this torrent: both having gotten up in filence, repaired to the divan chamber, where they were followed by those who compofed the affembly. On their arrival at the foot of the throne, on which Mustapha already displayed all the majesty and pomp of an empe ror, they kiffed with refpect the bottom of the fultan's

VOL. IV.

E

J.C. 1695. fultan's veft, who told them both that he would Heg.1106. confirm them in their dignities, and that he should measure his affection for them by the fidelity of their services. He fent directly for the defterdar, commanding him to bring an account of all the money then in the public treasury. The emperor, feeing that this fum amounted to no more than fifteen purfes, afked what had been done with the reft. On the defterdar's anfwering him that his predeceffor had disposed of it: Declaratie And I," faid he, looking at the grand vizier he makes with a menacing eye, "will take care to bring acceffion. thofe to a ftrict account who have diffipated

on which

on his

"it. But let not the troops expect the prefent " which the weaknefs of my predeceffors has fo " often granted them on their afcending the "throne. I am come to my eftate, and want all "the money that I can raife to defend this estate "and keep the enemy from it." Muftapha declared that he would command the army in perfon the next campaign.

This fultan, aged at that time thirty-three years, had a manly, noble countenance, and was known to be a prince that would not be trifled with. ' His refusal of the prefent to the janiffaries, which had feveral times occafioned feditions, did not then produce any effect. One of the first cares of his mother Muftapha was to take his mother from the old feout of the raglio, where fhe had been languishing ever fince the depofition of Mahoinet IV. and bring her to Adrianople to enjoy all the honors and power

He takes

old ferag

Jie.

attached

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