Heg.1138, 1.C. 1726. expected from it. A number of foldiers, touched &1139 with the eloquence and outward appearance of Victory of the Afgh vans over the Turks. thefe effendis, followed them to the ufurper's Much valour was fhewn the following day on both fides. After a rather equal fight of eight hours, Afchraf, feeing the victory declare for his troops, took a flute and began to play on the elephant which carried him, either to brave the enemy, or infpire his foldiers with more confidence, When the Turks had loft twelve thousand of their foldiers they were feized with a panic; they fled, and Aschraf, who was defirous of pleasing them even in war, forbade to pursue the fugitives, faying, that it was with regret he faw the fwords of Muffulmen dipped in Mahometan blood. He fent the Turks, who had retreated more than thirty miles, a great deal of baggage and booty, which he would not permit his men to plunder. He also fent a fort of herald, to declare from him to Achmet bashaw, that, not confidering booty between people of the fame religion as lawful, he wished to take poffeffion of -of his dominions as a magnanimous prince, and J.C. 1726. Heg.1138, not like a freebooter enriched with the fubftance & 1139 of his brethren; that, in confequence, Achmet Afchraf might fend for his treafure, equipages, generally all that his troops had left in and draws a their Turkish number of deferters army. camp after their defeat, except only the arms. into his This fame officer brought back to the Turks a great number of prifoners, who highly extolled the kindness of the ufurper. This conduct, more ingenious than could have been expected from a barbarian, gained him the love of those whom he had just vanquished. Every day his army was increased by those whom the good treatment they experienced in the camp of the Afghvans detached from the party of the Turks. Grand Cai❤ ro, which peace with fians, The news of the victory of the Afghvans, and Revolt at the desertion which daily diminished the Ottoman army, being arrived at Conftantinople, had the occafions a greater effect there, as they had just learned that the Pera rebellion had broken out in Egypt. The beis, Egyptian lords who compofe a fort of fenate to which the government is intrusted, did not agree between themselves; and the bashaw of Grand Cairo, who is rather an envoy invefted with an honorable title than a provincial governor, had been driven from that town for having imprudently endeavoured to fupport the weakest party with the authority of the grand feignior. An army was on the point of being fent into Egypt, and the people and janiffaries cried aloud, that the Ottoman arms were no longer employed but Heg.1138, He 1.C. 1726. but against Muffulmen: The pacific Ibrahim & 1139. had no difficulty to make his master perceive that it was time to conclude a peace with Aschraf, if he would preferve the conquefts made in Perfia, and manage the humour of the people, who fhould never be occupied with difputes on religion. Achmet bashaw, instead of the reinforcements which he defired from the Porte, received instructions to enter on a treaty. Afchraf, who had learned with fome inquietude that Shah Thamas was affembling a new army in the Mafanderan, began to fear left he fhould be attacked the following campaign by three enemies at once. liftened to propofitions which he had formerly made himself. The moft difficult matter to fettle / was the universal fovereignty claimed by Achmet III. and denied by Aschraf. While both had hoped to vanquifli, each had remained untractable with regard to what established the foundation of his power. But the defire of a peace made them feek and find palliatives. After a rather long difcuffion, the grand feignior was confirmed in the quality of chief of the Muffulmen and lawful fucceffor of the caliphs. It was decided, that he acknow- fhould be stiled fuch in the koubé or public prayer of Perfia. ufed throughout Perfia, but that Afchraf should Afchmf ledged king be acknowledged by Achmet III. lawful and irrevocable fovereign of the kingdom of Perfia, and named as fuch in the koubé after the grand feignior. The right to coin money and adminifter juftice was folemnly and irrevocably granted Heg.1138, him in all the provinces which he poffeffed, and J.C. 1726 those that he might conquer; Georgia and the & 1139other territories which Achmet III. had conquered in Perfia were declared to belong to the Ottoman fceptre. Afchraf thought to gain confiderably by this peace, even in acknowledging Achmet III. for commander of the Faithful, because the chief of the law having acknowledged him in his turn for lawful fovereign of Perfia, no Sunnite could any longer conteft with him this fovereignty conquered from the Aliians. The peace was figned by Achmet bafhaw and by Afchraf in his own camp. He affected great pomp on this occafion. The immense riches found in Ifpahan decorated the ufurper's tent, who was defirous of giving the Turks a high idea of the power of him whom they had made fo much difficulty to treat as fovereign. The rebellion at Grand Cairo was the occafion J.C. 1727. Heg.1139 of this peace. However, there was no neceffity & 1140 to agree with enemies in order to give way to dif obedient fubjects as Achmet III. did. One of the twenty-feven beis who governed Egypt had revolted in concert with the foldiery; he had feized The grand on the treasury, and refufed to fend to Conftan- vizier aptinople the twelve hundred purfes, the product of troubles the imposts or rather tribute: for the Egyptians Grand Cai pay a fixed fum to the grand feignior. The Smyrna grand vizier Ibrahim contented himself with changing the bafhaw of Grand Cairo, as if the rebels had only made a lawful refiftance against tyranny. peafes the both at ro, and 1.C.1727. tyranny. However, by means of careffes, they Heg.1139, &1140. drew the bei of Grand Cairo, the author of the revolt, to Constantinople; and, as weak governments are often obliged to fubftitute treachery for the want of authority, this Egyptian, who had been loaded with honors, and had had the interest to have the bashaw of Grand Cairo depofed, was thrown into the fea in a leather fack in the night, left his friends, on being informed of his fate, should attempt to avenge his death. This conduct produced the effect which fhould have been expected, that is to fay, the fuppofed impunity foon invited other revolts. This is the property of defpotic governments, when they are weak, the fubalterns tyrannife, and the oppreffed at laft throw off the yoke. A fervant of Ibrahim's, whom that vizier had put in fome office at Smyrna, occafioned by his bad conduct a revolt of all the janiffaries in garrifon in that town. The malecontents propofed nothing less than to feize on Smyrna, and to keep it 'till the grand vizier fhould be punished. A bashaw of twotails, called Abdalla, who was bringing back ten thousand men from Perfia, quelled this rebellion by his address and firmness. A hundred of the most feditious were punished, notwithftanding the general amnefty which Abdalla had promifed. This infurrection, which had no other difagreeable confequences at that time, left deep traces in the hearts of thofe who hated the grand vizier. Nevertheless, the peace which he had |