Heg.1130. peace, by lowering the nation in the eyes of its J.C. 1718. enemies and neighbours, would only producer wars ftill more bloody. The treaty of Paffarowitz began to raife a contempt for the reign of Achmet. Heg.1131, A great fire tinople. A fresh misfortune, which happened at Con- J.C.1719, ftantinople foon after, increased the difcontent. to 1721 A fire broke out in the Jews' quarter. By a law to 1134both weak and injurious, the Chriftians are for- at Conftanbidden to endeavour to extinguifh fires that break out in the houfes which they inhabit. Some men, appointed for that purpose, repaired thither very flowly, because, they faid, it was only the houses and property of Giaurs that were burning. In about two hours, the wind, having rifen all of a fudden, the flames raged with fo much fury, that, in less than two days, a quarter of Conftantinople was confumed, notwithstanding the too tardy efforts of the Turks, who were well punished for their inhumanity. This misfortune having reduced a great number of artifans, tradesmen, and even rich citizens, to the greatest mifery, thefe people furrounded the feraglio for feveral days, to folicit the fultan for fuccours, which the ftate of fo many unhappy perfons rendered indifpenfable; but Achmet, quiet in his hatam, enjoyed the fight of his vafes full of gold, which were multiplying every day, without thinking of the evils which the mifery of his people might accumulate over his head. These commotions, in which neither foldiers nor effendis appeared, to 1721. to 1134. J.C.1719, appeared, had no other confequences, for the preHeg.1131, fent, than to make these unhappy perfons thoroughly dislike the emperor in their hearts. But this was the firft caufe of the fall of Achmet, who was incapable of perceiving that a monarch, and particularly a defpotic one, rifks every thing when he draws on himself the hatred of his fubjects. The grand vizier is in admini tice. The grand vizier Ibrahim wanted neither good employed intentions, nor even defigns. If he had not been ftering juf- reftrained by the avidity and caprices of his mafter, he might have governed well. In the midft of peace, he paid great attention to the adminiftration of justice. But, as there is no other written law in Turkey than that of the Alcoran, and the catcherifs of the fultans are never directed but to particular objects, the greatest, and almost only service which the minifters can do in this refpect is to choose wife and upright cadis, who follow exactly the light of their reason and the impulse of their heart. Ibrahim was exafperated at the number of falfe witneffes, of whom he thought himself fure, but of which he could not get proof. This crime is of great confequence in Turkey, as almoft every thing is decided by the hearing of witneffes. The grand vizier refolved, if he could not prevent these abuses, at leaft to fright the culprits by examples. He prevailed on feveral men, who were devoted to him, to bring fome imaginary caufes before the divan, for which it was neceffary to fuborn witneffes. Thefe to 1721. to 1134. Punishare wit ment of neiles. These pretended litigants applied to thofe who J.C. 1719, made a profeffion of felling their teftimony, and Heg.1131, who had feveral times affirmed in the divan what they were fuppofed to have never had any knowledge of. More than fifty of these wretches at tested at hazard, in the fame morning, what they had been charged to certify, without fufpecting the fnare that was laid for them. There was no difficulty to convict them of this crime, with which they were familiar. They were all empaled the fame day. The grand vizier drew at least this advantage from arbitrary power, fo fatal in most cafes, that he punished the crime every time he thought he detected it, without the formalities or evasions of an obfcure defence being able to fave the culprits from chaftisement. He raised himself above the prejudices of his nation, fo far as to protect the Roman catholic Chriftians against the Greeks, their greatest enemies. It is neceffary to enter into fome details in this respect, to give an idea of the fervice which the grand vizier did the Roman catholic church. the Greeks The Greek fubjects of the Ottoman empire Affairs of receive from their fovereign, as we have already and Latins. faid, patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops, who pay him a large fum for thefe dignities. The Greek church not only differs from the Roman catholic in feveral dogmas and the manner of inftituting prelates, but likewise in a venality that is authorised, and which the Latins call fimony. Every thing is paid for among the Greeks, VOL. IV. Kk J.C. 1719, Greeks, even the entrance into their temples; and to 1721. to 1134 Heg, 1131, thefe fums, which the prelates and other pastors carry in great part to the fovereign, either to obtain better fees, or that the public exercife of their religion may be tolerated, form an impoft very heavy for the Greek Chriftians. Oftentimes the latter, difpleased with the avidity of their priests, liften to the perfuafions of the Romish pastors, whofe zeal is not mercenary, and whofe religion is free from fimony. The Greek prelates bear rather impatiently what they call apoftafy. Instead of entering into theological disputes with their adverfaries, they complain to the grand vizier, and especially to the mufti, charged more particularly with what concerns, not only Iflamifm but other religions. In the reign of Muftapha II. they infinuated, that if the Roman catholics wrefted their diocefans from them, who paid them for instructions and facraments, they would no longer be in a fituation to furnish the treasury of the fultan with the fums demanded. They added, that these Greeks, born fubjects of the grand feignior, ceased to acknowledge him for their master as foon as they were under the fubjection of the pope, a foreign prince, who ufurped the fovereignty over all thofe of his religion. (The Ottomans do not comprehend the diftinction of two powers, which, among the Roman catholics, form equally the basis of the fovereign power and of the authority of the pastors. The prophet Mahomet has ordered, on the contrary, that the fovereign to 1721. to 1134. fovereign fhall be likewife the chief of the reli- J.C. 1719, gion, because, says the Alcoran, there can be but Heg.1131, one representative of the Divinity in those countries which are not separated by feas or Infidel empires. It is on this principle that the grand feignior, not only depofes the mufti, but likewise raifes up or pulls down the khan of the Tartars at his pleasure, and the other fovereigns his tributaries; it is moreover on this principle, which the effendis say is the very foundation of the throne, that the pope is looked upon, not only as the chief of an erroneous fect, but even as an ufurper.) The mufti Fezula, who, it must be remembered, was omnipotent during the reign of Mustapha II., iffued a fetfa, in confequence of what had been represented to him by the Greek clergy, which was presently backed by a catcherif. The grand feignior, authorised by the decision of the mufti, forbade, under pain of death, any of the Greek Chriftians to frequent the Romish churches. The French ambaffador, whose first duty at the Porte is to protect the Roman catholic religion, in the name of his mafter, ftrongly remonstrated against this rigorous ordinance. He demonftrated, that it was the intereft of the empire to grant liberty of confcience to those fubjects who, not being Muffulmen, ought not to be dependant on the mufti, and who were confidered as the beft hufbandmen and the ableft merchants in all the grand feignior's territories; for the Greek and Latin Chriftians, not being allowed VOL. IV. Kk 2 |