Heg. 974.

Alaves. He was a lover of glory, order, and C.1566.
even justice, of which he had not a fufficient
knowledge. To become a great monarch he
wanted men to teach him to be fo, and a people
that knew when to applaud and when to blame.
Solyman was a proof, that the vices of princes.
proceed oftener from what furrounds them, than
from their own natural inclinations.

SEL I M II.

ÉLEVENTH REIGN.

to Con

to gird on

of Oth.

man.

SELIM, the fon of Solyman, hastened to Con- Selim goes
stantinople immediately on the news of his ftantinople
father's death. The caimacan, Sender bafhaw, the fword
who then commanded in the capital of the em-
pire, was the only one in the fecret of this great
event. He sent the boftangi pachi with the im-
perial galleon for the prince at fsome distance;
and when the new emperor arrived in fight of
the feraglio, they published at the fame time the
death of Solyman and the acceffion of Selim to
the throne. The people remarked that the new
emperor drank, when he landed, two large glaffes
of wine, without taking any pains to conceal it.
This action, which, a hundred and fixty years be-
fore, had coft Solyman, the fon of Bajazet I., by
fome

VOL. II.

R 2

1

J.C. 1566. fome called Solyman I., his life, was received

Heg. 974.

He goes to

with transport by almost all the Muffulmen, who were discontented with the feverity of the last reign. Selim, furrounded by the bafhaws, who were at time in a very small number at Conftantinople, entered the divan chamber, and afcended the throne of his ancestors. As there was not a fingle janiffary in his capital, he feized that moment to have himself proclaimed, because it was the custom of that foldiery, formidable even to its masters, to exact, at each acceffion, very confiderable presents, which they durft not refuse them. Selim, after having held the divan, went in pomp to the principal mosque; he facrificed feveral heifers and fheep there, which were afterward diftributed to the poor, and the mufti girded the fword of Othman on him, pronouncing these words: "God grant thee the goodness of thy forefather Othman."

Thefe ceremonies being over, the new empeBelgrade ror departed in hafte at the head of fome bofhis father's tangis, who compofed all his guard, to meet the

to meet

corple.

army and the body of his father. On his arrival at Belgrade, he received letters from the grand vizier, who advised his mafter to wait for the army in that town, as there was no appearance of the least commotion, and the foldiers, and even the generals, marched in the train of Solyman's litter, always believing their master alive. Two days after, the new fultan learned that the army

was

Heg. 974,

was at the gates, and preparing to enter Belgrade J.C. 1566. in triumph. Selim, covered with a small mourning turban and a black caftan, advanced, at the head of some bashaws, dreffed in the fame manner, to meet the litter of his father, which he perceived at a distance covered with a cloth of gold. The colours, ftandards, and trophies of arms, taken from the enemy, were around. Trumpets and other musical inftruments founded flourishes. As foon as the prince appeared in fight, Mehemet ordered the army to halt; and having himself opened the litter, he fhewed the troops the dead body of Solyman, and at the fame tims his fucceffor, who was advancing to folemnize his obfequies. This surprise caused at first a profound filence; but prefently the janiffaries, fpahis, and all the men of courage, who loved Solyman's glory much more than his perfon, made woful lamentations; and, after having fhewn marks of grief, which are always very expreffive among the Orientals, wifhed a long life to Selim, who, they were told, was already proclaimed emperor. Selim ordered Solyman's funeral with all the pomp then in ufage in the Funeral of eastern empire. The janiffaries and spahis of the guard carried the corpfe to Conftantinople, where it was received by the whole ulema, or body of imans, It was remarked that all that were at this funeral folemnity wept, or feigned to weep; imans, officers of the feraglio, fpahis,

Solyman I,

Heg. 974.

J.C. 1566. fpahis, or janiffaries, all without diftinction heaved deep fighs; even the horses' eyes watered, as a certain powder had been blown up their noftrils in order to produce that effect. Solyman was buried in the mosque which he had founded, All the members of the ulema were ordered to recite the whole Alcoran in honor and for the repose of the emperor's foul, and they received in confequence a recompenfe proportionable to their dignity. A tubé or marble monument was raised over the grave. This tomb is ftill held in veneration by the Turks; they go to it and invoke Solyman, as a religious emperor and the friend of justice, who died a martyr by the arms of the Chriftians.

The funeral rites of the laft emperor being over, Selim would fain fhew himself to his peo. ple with all the pomp of his predeceffors. The janiffaries and fpahis of his guard were badly appointed. The fiege of Sigeth had injured their clothes; and their battalion in confequence did not appear with its ufual fplendor. As the emperor had ordered, for a day not very diftant, a magnificent cavalcade, he wanted to have fome companies of boftangis, and levantis or marines, take at this ceremony the place of those who were generally employed in guarding his perfon. The janiffaries, already very dif contented at being deprived of the present which they faid belonged to them at the acceffion of

each

Heg. 974.

Infurrec

janiffaries,

Selim to

give them

the prefent customary

ceffion of

rors.

each monarch, permitted Selim to go out of the J.C. 1566. feraglio with the escort that he had chofen, and having immediately blocked up the palace, they tion of the declared that the emperor fhould not re-enter who force 'till he had paid them his debt. Neither Selim nor his vizier Mehemet had refolution enough to attempt the reduction of these mutineers: a dou- at the ac ble month's pay was immediately given them; the empe and their aga received a folemn promife, that the honor of guarding the emperor's perfon fhould not be taken from their corps, nor one of them be punished for the insurrection. Though fuch a beginning ought to have convinced the feeble Selim, that, in order to have nothing to fear from his troops, he fhould employ them against foreign powers, he refolved to conclude a peace with the emperor of the Weft. This prince, whose hereditary dominions were defolated, had more reason to defire it than the Turks; he had even fent a refident to the Porte, called Albert De Vus, to propofe conditions; but the treaty was foon interrupted by a very great infult which the Austrian minister received in the streets of Conftantinople, and for which he could never have juftice. De Vus, riding, met the Infult of mufti marching with a great train: they called out to the German refident to alight before the chief of Mahomet's law. De Vus, ignorant of tanding

their customs, and trusting too much to his pub

م

ferred the Auftrian refident, notwith

which ano ther refi

dent con

lic character, refufed to pay this fort of homage cludes a

to

truce.