Heg. 961.

J.C.1554 the fame cup in fign of reconciliation. Thus, Bajazet regained his father's favor; but though this revolution ended as it had begun, the grand vizier, Achmet, who, by discovering the real confpirators, had faved his mafter his throne and life, was facrificed to Roxalana, who could not pardon him for having accused her fon. The pretext taken against him was that of extortion: an accufation which always fubfifts against the minifters whom it is defired to get rid of. Achmet was condemned to the fatal bow-string, and the feals of the empire were restored to Ruftan, the fon-in-law and accomplice of Roxalana, who had never been out of favor, and who fhared with the empress the advantage of deceiving and governing his master.

J.C. 1555, Meanwhile, Erneft Scinfki had fuccefsfully & 1556. ferved queen Ifabella with the grand feignior. & 963. This princefs, who would no longer adhere to

Heg. 962,

Queen Ifa

bella the treaty concluded with Ferdinand, under pre

makes new

procure her

Da the

restoration

of the

Tran

efforts to tence of that prince's having broken it the first, reclaimed Transylvania and the affistance of the Turks to re-enter it. The grand seignior caused fovereignty the troops which he defigned for Ifabella's fon, fylvania. to be preceded by a manifefto in favor of the houfe of Zapoli, which threatened the Tranfylvanians with conftant war with the Turks, as long as they should withdraw themselves from an authority which they ought not to forget, as the fon of Zapoli, the feudatory of the Porte,

had

1

& 963.

pro- Truce beWeft emperors

tween the

of the Eaft

had not been able to transfer his inheritance with- J.C. 1555, & 1556. out the confent of his high fovereign. Though Heg. 962, Ferdinand was become emperor of the Weft by the abdication of Charles V. it augmented his power but little in Hungary. Guaftaldo, who commanded there for him, had in vain affembled a diet, in order to afk fuccours of the Tranfylvanians. The latter, either through ill will or indigence, would not give even the money neceffary to pay the Spanish troops, who presently difbanded. Though Solyman kept Ferdinand's ambaffador prisoner at his court, yet he fent himself an embaffy to that prince to pofe a truce, which the emperor of the voluntarily accepted, on the fole condition of and Weft. acknowledging Stephen Zapoli, fon of Ifabella, for fovereign of Tranfylvania. The emperor of the Weft refolved to take advantage of this truce, in order to have the crown of Hungary declared hereditary, and to inveft his fon in it; but the haughty Hungarians maintained, that he held his crown of their election, and would not renounce the privilege of choofing their own mafter. Fer- Maximidinand confented at laft to have his fon Maxi- lian is elected king milian elected king of Hungary, hoping that the of Hunright of the house of Auftria would confolidate itself by a long poffeffion. Solyman, on his fide, would have turned this truce into a lafting peace, if domestic troubles had not diverted his attention from the affairs of Europe.

VOL. II.

12.

He

gary.

Roxalana.

J.C. 1557. He loft in a few days the perfon whom he Heg. 964. most loved, and who had wronged him moft. Death of Roxalana died of a violent cholic in the arms of the husband from whom he had wanted to take the throne and perhaps life. Solyman's grief could be compared only to the pafion which he had conftantly had for this ungrateful and artful woman. After this lofs, one should have thought that Bajazet would have become more dear to him; but the fultan foon faw, how little this fon, whom he had pardoned for fuch capital faults, was worthy of his affection. Solyman was growing old. Bajazet, accuftomed to judge mankind by his own heart, faw with grief Selim ready to become his fovereign. Roxalana's fon had always relied on the fultan's weakness; he neglected nothing to get rid of a dangerous elder brother. He attempted to poison this brother whom he did not care at first to attack openly. One of his attendants introduced himtempts to felf into Selim's kitchen, and threw poison on. feveral dishes intended for the prince. The poisoner was detected before he had executed his defign; he acknowledged, in the torments of the rack, that he was only the inftrument of Bajazet, Selim referred this crime to Solyman; the proofs. of it were clear; but the feeble old man no longer knew how to punish.

Bajazet at

poifon his brother Selim.

He contented him

felf with feparating the two brothers. Selim, governor of Magnefia, was ordered to go to Ico

nia;

Selim gained by

This was all the

J.C.

Heg. 964.

Hc refufes

order he

go to

nia; Bajazet, governor of Kutaya, received orders likewife to go to Amafia; the change; Bajazet loft by it. chaftisement which Solyman thought the blackest and bafeft of crimes merited. The government of Amafia was but a bad omen for Bajazet. This to obey the was the fame which the unfortunate Muftapha receives to held, when he perifhed by the intrigues of his Amafia. mother-in-law. Selim obeyed instantly; but as to Bajazet, far from going to Amafia, he thought only of establishing himself at Kutaya, of raifing contributions, and of laying on new impofts, without law or reason, to contribute towards the expences of a war which he meditated. Solyman refolved to fend a vizier to each of his two fons, to have an eye on their conduct. Bajazet, who had reafon to conceal his proceedings, would not fuffer a spy near him. He fent back Pertau bafhaw, who had been defigned for him, defiring him to intereft himself for him with his father, to answer for his fubmiffion, and particularly to obtain for him another government than that of Amafia, the ominous name of which terrified him. This pretext, frivolous in appearance, was less so among the Turks than any other nation, Prefages with them are powerful reafons; they make prudence confift in knowing when to accept or reject them feasonably. Pertau bafhaw, who foon difcerned Bajazet's real intentions, obeyed without difficulty. He thought to serve

Solyman

J.C.1557. Solyman better, by confirming to him his fon's Heg. 964. rebellion, than by remaining a witness of all the proceedings that he had discovered.

The emperor at length faw it was time to chaftife an ambitious fon, whofe defigns were as much against him as his brother. The beglerbeg of Greece received orders to collect-his forces. and enter Burfa, as there was reafon to fear Bajazet would make himself master of it. Selim haftened, by order of his father, to take the command there. As Bajazet's numerous friends appeared discontented, Solyman would fain back his authority with a fetfa of the mufti before he fent troops against his rebellious fon. Thefe the mufti. fetfas are always an exact answer to a question propofed. That obtained by Solyman against Bajazet was conceived in the following terms. "How should he of my subjects be treated who "dares, against my confent, keep poffeffion of

Fetfa of

my towns, raise troops and contributions in « them, and disturb the repose of my empire? "what punishment do thofe merit who fight "for him, and give him affiftance? In what

manner should those other fubjects be treated "who refufe to take up arms for my defence, " and who fay, on the contrary, that the cause "of this revolt is juft?" The mufti's answer was: "That man and all thofe of his party deferve death. Thofe, who refufe to carry arms in fuch a juft caufe, fhould be regarded as

profane