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J.C. 1448, he made them put shirts over their arms, in order

to 1451.

Heg. 851, that they might know one another in the dark,

to 855.

and he penetrated with them into the enemy's quarters, after a terrible flaughter of foldiers, for the most part buried in profound fleep. He cut his way through the bands of janiffaries that the tumult had awaked, and who oppofed in vain their battalions, always too open in their ranks, to the efforts of these formidable warriors, whose ftrokes carried with them certain death. Scanderbeg kept up a conftant intelligence with the befieged, by means of fires lighted on the hills, or letters carried to the count of Uruena by fpies who found means to cross the Turkish camp. The befieged made frequent fallies, and, by means of their well regulated intelligence, were always certain of the outfide of the Turkish intrenchments being attacked at the fame time, and on the oppofite fide. Scanderbeg's foldiers and the count of Uruena's often joined in the midst of the enemy. Then the befieged ufed to bring back reinforcements with them. Not a day paffed but Scanderbeg intercepted convoys, and made every where a terrible flaughter, as much to diminish the number of his enemies, as because he had not fufficient troops to guard prifoners. In fine, the whole fummer was confumed in fruitless efforts by the Turks, whom the fire and fword of the Greeks, and the neceffity of continually watching, in order to prevent furprises,

to 1451.

to. 855.

furprifes, leffened by degrees. Amurath, ex- J.C.1448, perienced in war and accustomed to fuccefs, Heg. 851, fumed to fee a young foldier, whom he had trained under his eyes, refift him with fuch a trifling force.

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In the middle of the autumn, the rain began Amurath to moisten the earth, the works became more fiege. and more difficult, and the befieged found themfelves ftronger than at the commencement. murath refolved to give over an enterprise, which had already cost him so dear; he raised the fiege of Croia; but, to return to Adrianople, he was obliged to pass the defilés of the mountains, where Scanderbeg was waiting for him. Amurath loft a great number of men again in this paffage: a few troops ftopped the broken remains of this fhattered and difcouraged army a great while there. At length, after much bloodshed, the troops returned to their quarters, with the difgrace of having been conftantly beaten by a young general, who had not the eighth part of their forces.

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The following winter, a glorious event con- Homage foled the fultan for this difafter. The homage Turkish which the Greek emperor fancied himself obliged the empe to pay the Ottoman fceptre, was an important Greeks. victory over this ancient rival in greatnefs. John Paleologus was dead without children: his brother Conftantine Dracozes would not venture to afcend the throne of Conftantinople, without the permiffion

J.C. 1448, permiffion of Amurath. He fent ambaffadors to

to 1451.

to 855.

Heg. 851, him to afk his confent, before he prefumed to call himself fovereign. This fhameful proceeding feemed to prefage the approaching deftruction of the empire. Ducas, the hiftorian, counts John Paleologus for the laft Greek emperor, without doubt because he did not confider as fuch, a prince who had not dared to reign without the permiffion of his enemy..

Battle of
Caffovia

Hungari.

defeated.

J.C.1451.

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Amurath's last attempt was directed against the against the Hungarians. The brave Hunniade had been ans, who are declared regent of the kingdom fince the death of Ladiflaus the last monarch, whilft his fon, yet Heg. 855. a child, was at the court of the emperor Frederick. Hunniade, encouraged by the example of Scanderbeg, refolved to avenge the misfortunes of Hungary. In the beginning of the fpring, he entered the Turkish dominions. The fultan affembled his forces, and came up with the Hungarians, near Caffovia, in the very place where Amurath I. was killed, after having gained the victory. Hunniade's army was composed of forty thousand infantry, seven thousand cavalry, and two hundred armed chariots. These armed machines were very formidable before the use of powder; they penetrated and separated the battalions, by forcing the foldiers to divide, or receive the edge of the fcithes with which the wheels and flanks of the chariots were armed. But the fire of cannon, or even of fmall arms,

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Heg. 855.

foon rendered them useless. The horfes were J.C. 1451. killed before they were able to reach the enemy, and the chariots became often a rampart for the troops whom they had been fent againft. The Hungarians and Turks fought at Caffovia three fucceffive days by piece-meal, with equal courage. The latter, being moft numerous, had at laft the advantage; but Hunniade fold it to them very dear. He retired, leaving behind him two-thirds of his troops; the Ottomans loft more than twenty thoufand men.

1

Death of

This bloody victory was not followed by any incurfion, or the taking of any town. Amurath's health, which grew worfe every day, obliged him to return to Adrianople, where he married Ma homet his fon to the daughter of Solyman Begi defpot of Albistan. This young prince, to whom he had once already refigned the fceptre, was intended to fucceed him foon: the nuptials were scarcely finished, when the fultan's infirmi Amurath. ties degenerated into a fevere illness, which carried him off in three days, after a reign of thirty years, and a glorious life of forty-nine years. Amurath poffeffed great qualities, obfcured by an inordinate love of pleasure. Though born. for war and to command, his inclinations had fo effeminated him, that he once abdicated the throne. Nevertheless, circumftances again roused him, and the love of glory preponderated in his heart. He ftrengthened and extended the Turk

Heg. 855.

J.C. 1451. ifh empire; he humbled the Greeks more than either of his predeceffors; he fhewed ability and courage; and he opened to his fon a career of conqueft, in which that young prince even exceeded him.

MAHOMET

MAHO

SURNAMED THE GREAT.

SEVENTH REIG N.

H.

AHOMET learned the death of his father, Amurath II. at Maniffa in Lydia, where he had been fent as governor. The young prince was but juft arrived, when the viziers difpatched a meffenger for him to come and take poffeffion of the throne. Mahomet repaired to Adrianople, where he was received with the acclamations of the people, who loved Amurath, and who joined to the funeral honors paid his memory, the teftimony of the most heart-felt joy at the fight of his fon, of whom they had conceived great hopes. But the first use that this prince made of his authority, was an act of barreign com- barity. Amurath's afhes were fcarcely laid in mences by eruelties. the tomb of his ancestors at Burfa, when Maho

Mahomet's

met ordered the aga of the janiffaries, called Ali, to have his brother, an infant at the breast, whom

Amurath

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