Heg. 905. J.C. 1500. fieged. Trevifano dispatched a felucca, which, by favor of the night, paffed across the fleet of the enemy, to warn the inhabitants of Modon, that they were coming to their fuccour. Five galleys in good condition, equipped with excellent crews of flaves, and loaded with provisions, carried thefe fuccours. The Turks prepared to difpute the paffage; but, fpite of their efforts, what had been always feen before, happened then; these five galleys croffed the enemy's fleet, and entered the port of Modon. The foldiers and citizens, overcome with joy, ran towards the port, to enjoy the fight of this unexpected fuccour; but this happy event was precisely the cause of the lofs of the place; they imprudently abandoned their walls: whilft the foldiers, gone from their posts, were indulging themselves in an indiscreet joy, the Turks mounted to the affault by four places that were not defended, and the befieged learned that the town was furprised, in the moment when every one was crying it was impregnable. Some foldiers attempted to defend themselves in the strongest places; but the principal avenues being gained by the enemy, they were foon obliged to yield to number. The Turks refigned themselves to cruelty, more than they would elfe probably, because they had been humbled by the disadvantage of their fleet. Though they found immenfe riches in Modon, it did not ftop Taking of their barbarity. After a horrible carnage, MufCoron tapha tion of tapha removed his fleet to Coron, and menaced J.C. 1500. Heg. 905. that town with the fame fate. The recent ex-d ample forced the citizens to furrender without ftriking a blow, notwithstanding the refiftance of the Venetian governor, who endeavoured to preserve the town. They bound him in his lodgings, whilft the citizens made the capitulation with Muftapha. Meanwhile, a Turkish army ravaged Friuli, and committed all the horrors Devaftaof war, which neceffity cannot authorife. The Friuli. Venetian garrifons only offered more victims to the conqueror. The janiffaries, who had not an opportunity of felling their flaves, unmercifully massacred every one that fell in their way, without being moved by prayers or weakness. Admiral Trevifano, who had escaped from the enemy's fword, died with grief at the fight of the diforders which he was unable to prevent. The Turks did not stop in this ruined country, which felt the effects of the flaughter a long time. They Taking of went and took Durazzo, which they retained. Durazzo. The Venetians, overwhelmed with this ex- J.C.1501. pensive and bloody war, were beginning to fear Heg. 906. the worst, when they met with Gonzalo de Cordova, who had just taken poffeffion of the kingdom of Naples, in the name of Ferdinand the Catholic his mafter. This Spaniard, so justly furnamed the Great Captain, joined thirty fail, his fortune, and talents, to the fhattered forces of the Venetians; he pursued, with them, the enemy's Heg. 906. J.C.1501. my's fleet as far as the mouth of the Hellefpont, and took thirty galleys from the Turks; then returning the fame way, he took the ifles of Egion and Cefalonia. He was going to take the ifle of Lesbos in the fame manner, when Bajazet, feeing it was different to fight Gonzalo and the Venetian admirals, propofed peace to this republic, which defired it as much as he did. Thefe two states were neceffary to each other. The Venetians, at that time factors to three parts of the world, tranfported all the merchandise, which they purchased of every nation. The Turks, rich by the extent and fertility of their different climates, furnished unwrought materials, which they knew not how to manufacture, and received in exchange the fruit and industry of the Franks. Wool, perfumes, and fkins, were at that time the principal objects of commerce. The Turks had deftroyed the industry of the Greeks by their defpotifm, and the only use they could make of these things, was to fell them to the Chriftians, who brought them, in return, ftuffs, cloaks, and compofitions, which no one knew how to make among them, or durft if he had. Thus, when the arms of the Turks caufed them to be dreaded throughout the world, the neceffaries of life fubje&ted. them to the industry of the weakest, and constrained thefe haughty people to avow, at least by their conduct, howmuch induftry has the real advantage over force and number. The Vene prea 1 tians restored fome places to the Turks in Al- J.C.1501. Heg. 907. bania. In other refpects, each retained his conquefts. A treaty was figned in the Turkish language, by which the two nations mutually agreed to permit the liberty of commerce, and a Venetian conful was established at Conftantinople. Bajazet flattered himself with enjoying a profound peace. The weakness of his character made him defire it rather than the love of humanity, of which the Turks at that time had very little. The repofe which the monarch procured these people, was for them, only an occafion to commit disorders. Whilft Bajazet was refigning himself to pleasures which he had ever loved more than war, the feraglio was fuddenly alarmed Scheitanby news which presently called forth the great kuli pre officers of the empire, lulled asleep by the fide of arms. their master. A dervis, who, during a long re- J.C.1510. Heg. 916. treat and profound meditations, had nourished ambitious projects, full of the defire of forming a new fect, conceived the defign of maintaining in Turkey the opinion of the Fatimite caliphs, embraced by the Perfians, who acknowledge Ali for the immediate fucceffor of Mahomet. One could not give credit to this opinion, without contra dicting the Sunna, a book of traditions the most refpected among the Ottomans, after the Atcoran, because it nominates Abubeker, Omar, and Othman, first fucceffors of the prophet, and predeceffors of his fon-in-law Ali. This dervis, Gg called 1.C. 1510. called Scheitankuli, was willing to render his new Heg. 916. doctrine more interefting, by embellishing it with several other new opinions. He preached, for example, that the Alcoran was from all eternity with God, and proved it by the fame reasons as were alledged before the caliph Almamon, He commjts a great Scheitankuli authorised his miffion by a refidence of ten years in a cavern in Natolia, near a town called Becbazar, where he affected, in prefence of the multitude, an outward aufterity. The reputation of his fanctity being well eftablifhed, he affembled foldiers; (for the Muffulmen know no other way of preaching than fword in hand, and believe that every envoy from God ought to reign in his name on earth;) having entered, by open force, one market day, into a town called Antalia, he preached in the public fquare. His enthusiasm entered the hearts of all those who heard him, and the effect of the fermon was, to feize on the cadi, quarter him, and place one of the quarters on each of the four gates of the town. Scheitankuli went from, thence and seized on Kutaia, the capital of the province; the people, fond of novelty, opened their gates, fpite of the bafhaw, whom their enthusiasin led them to empale in the public fquare, for having dared treat him as an impoftor. Korcut, the fon of the emperor, who had formany dif- merly reigned in his name, and was now at orders in Natolia, & Magnefia as bafhaw of that place, endeavoured beats Kor cut. te |