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lács, imans, and cadis, were confirmed, except those who were in the intereft of the old mufci Fezula and the grand vizier Rami. It is to be supposed that the fly-catchers of Jerufalem voluntarily drove out the mollac who had treated them fo cruelly.

J.C. 17029

Heg.1114.

The caimacan Kiuperli, who received early advice of the conspiracy, had taken advantage of the first indetermination of the confpirators to efcape to Adrianople. It is remarkable that in this convulfion of a defpotic government, there was not a fingle drop of blood fpilt. Almost all the depofed officers were at Adrianople, and those who inhabited the capital had yielded to the ftorm or fled before they could be taken into cuftody. Their houfes were pillaged, or rather the new grand vizier caused juridical seizures to be made, with all the order and precaution employed in the quieteft times. They penetrated into the very inner part of the feraglio; and the kiflar agafi, who ought not to acknowledge any other authority than the fultan's, was forced to give an account of all the fums intrufted to him, both in the treafuries of the royal mofques and in those of his highness, and even in that of the haram. With this money and that of the other impofts which the new defterdar daily received in the name of the grand feignior, the troops were paid, and even gratified with an indemnity for what they ought to have received on Mustapha's acceffion to the throne. The mufti, the grand

vizier,

Heg.1114.

The rebel

army en

J.C.1702. vizier, and Caracach his counfellor, judged it prudent to encamp the troops near Conftantinople. They counted more than fifty thoufand camps men under arms; for the people had inlifted ftantino in crowds in the different corps, and fome odas had had time to come from the nearest

near Con

ple.

March of

Afiatic provinces.

The iman of the Porte arrived foon in the name of the grand feignior, to afk the rebels what it was that had induced them to take up arms, and what they reproached the officers of the empire with, whom they refused to acknowledge any longer. This proof of their master's weakness increased their audacity; they carried their infolence fo far as to abuse and beat this effendi who appeared before them in the name of their emperor, fo much fo, that he was obliged to flee to fave his life. The grand vizier Dorojan bathe rebels fhaw propofed to the foldiers to go themselves to the emperor with the explanations which he had sent to demand of them, having no doubt of the confideration which an army of fifty thousand men, well paid and difciplined, would obtain with a prince, who had chofen rather to facrifice the finest provinces of the empire, than continue a juft war: this propofal was received with acclamations. The mufti of the rebels publifhed a fetfa which authorised the faviours of the empire (that was the name which he gave the rebels) to march to Adrianople to complete their work; and he placed himself at their head. They marched

to Adria. nople.

Heg.1114.

deputies in

grand

with fuch celerity, that Muftapha learned almost J.C. 1702. at the fame time that his envoy had been infulted and that the rebels were advancing. On their arrival at Hapfa, a fmall town a little way from They fend Adrianople, they pitched their camp, and dif- vain to the patched their caimacan to Muftapha, with orders feignior. to fay to him verbally, or to write to him, in cafe he could not be admitted to his presence: "The fifty thousand avengers of the Ottoman "name, encamped near Adrianople, are not "come with intention to fight Muffulmen. We "demand to have delivered to us, not the blood " of the innocent, but of thofe traitors who have "fold to the enemy the finest provinces of the "empire, and we will make them feel the weight "of their crime. People may call our proceed"ing a rebellion if they pleafe; it is true that "we have determined to chaftife the bad mini"sters, who are so many public enemies, but we "will not fwerve from the bounds of refpect due <c to his highness, unless he have recourfe to the "fword in an affair where only an examination "is intended. If we are oppofed, we will repel "force by force; and, in that cafe, we will not "be anfwerable for the blood that shall be spilt." The caimacan went to the gates of Adrianople; but not being admitted, as he had forefeen, he wrote this declaration to be conveyed to the grand feignior; he wrote likewife to the inhabitants of Adrianople: "We are your brethren; you should look on us with the fame eyes as N

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VOL. IV.

66 we

I.C. 1702.
Heg.1114.

The army of this

prince

against the

rebels.

we do on you. We flatter ourselves that, far from thinking of fighting us, you will affift us "in restoring to the law of the Alcoran all its "wonted force against traitors and the tyrants "of the Ottoman nation." On the reading of the manifefto, Mustapha gave orders for marchmarches ing against the rebels, who must inevitably fail, he faid, in fighting in fuch a bad cause. He affembled the chiefs in the divan; and, after having represented to them their duty with a pathetic tone, defired that they would take a new oath, which was, that they would fhed their blood in the defence of their master. After this, the grand vizier Rami put himself at the head of what foldiers there were in Adrianople, and the citizens who would embrace the cause of Muftapha all these troops together did not amount to fifteen thousand men.

:

The mufti Fezula thought to fupply the want of number by oppofing a fetfa to that of the rebel mufti; but his old age and the faults of his administration had loft him all his credit. As foon as the rebels perceived at a distance the troops coming out of Adrianople, they got under arms and advanced in order of battle. Kiafibi It is dif- Mehemet effendi, their mufti, ordered, that all acts of hoftility fhould be fufpended, with that authority authority which the minifters of the Muffulman

perfed by the eloquence and

of the

mufti.

religion know how to affume over a credulous people. He advanced at the head of his ef fendis, who carried in evidence the Alcoran,

and

L.C. 1702.
Heg.1114.

and invited thofe whom he faw armed, in the name of the God who had dictated this immortal book and of the prophet who had written it, tó come and listen to words of peace and be reconciled to their countrymen and brethren. The Orientals, all barbarians as they are thought to be, are more fenfible than other men of the charms of eloquence. The manner in which the mufti appeared commanded refpect, and foon drew around him a crowd of foldiers, who, having heard him with great attention, passed over into his army; others returned to their comrades to invite them to go over with them to the fide of the faviours of the country. The grand vizier Rami bafhaw, who faw this defertion, made his escape before it became general; and, without appearing again before Muftapha, disguised himfelf in order to fave his head with more certainty from the fury of his enemies. The rebels marched close up to the walls of Adrianople; they fent deputies again to the grand feignior, but without afking, as they had done at firft, the favor of being admitted to his prefence. Caracach Mehemet, the officer of the jebeggis, who had been the firft inftigator of the infurrection, and Ferrari bafhaw, the caimacan, appeared with four hundred fpahis at the gates of the town, which were opened to them without the leaft refiftance. They proceeded to the feraglio, and ordered the trembling boftangis to introduce them into the grand feignior's chamber. It was of no ufe for Mustapha

VOL. IV.

N 2

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