reader must remember that the Mahometan reli- J.C.1517. Heg. 923. gion does not permit arms to be borne, without reason, against those of the fame belief. A pretext therefore was neceffary at least, for the grand feignior to attack the Mammeluke Muffulmen, Sunnites like the Turks, and he took care not to be wanting in that formality. The retreat of his nephew, who was lately dead in Egypt, could no longer ferve his purpofe; but, knowing there was a recent treaty between Perfia and Egypt, he published, that he was going to make new efforts against the corrupters of the Mahometen law. He fent a confiderable corps across the straits, who, under the orders of Sinan bafhaw, took the road to Caramania. The Mammelukes, informed of this motion, not knowing whether the Turks intended to attack the Perfians or them, marched a large body of cavalry towards Aleppo; this was what Selim wanted. On this intelligence, he made the mufti fpeak, who, on the pretended doubts of the emperor, published a fetfa, the fense of which was, that in all cafes it is permitted to repel the aggreffor. The fultan immediately placed himself at the head of an army, and, having paffed the ftraits, haftened to join the troops commanded by Sinan bafhaw. The two divifions when united formed a body of a hundred and fifty thoufand men; this was three times as many as fultan Guari had, who conducted himself to the war a cavalry in good order and Heg. 923. J.C. 1517 well difciplined. Notwithstanding the smallness of his number, he could have manoeuvred, with advantage, in a country interfected by rivulets and dikes, which the horses of the Mammelukes leaped eafily. Some of Gauri's generals advised him to draw the numerous army of Selim, by continual retreats, into the deferts of Egypt, where they would have been infenfibly destroyed by fatigue and famine. But the fatal destiny of the Egyptian monarch made him place his confidence in traitors; they perfuaded him, that the address and agility of his horsemen would easily destroy heavy troops crowded upon one another. The fultan of Egypt offered battle in the plains of Aleppo to the Turkish emperor, who ardently wished to come to action: the first charges of the Mammelukes made great flaughter; they managed their horfes in fuch a manner, that, after having fucceeded in the thrufts they made, they eluded thofe of the enemy. The spahis, as brave as they, were neither fo active nor well exercised; but the volleys of musket-shot of the janiffaries foon caused this advantage to vanish. These infantry, by firing at the horses, were sure to difmount all that came in their way. The Mammelukes, on foot, no longer knew how to make use of their long lances, which became a burden in their hands. Caitbek and Gazelbek, two of fultan Gauri's lieutenants, who had in a manner obliged him to engage, deferted to the enemy, Heg. 923. each at the head of the corps that he commanded. J.C. 1517. This perfidy decided the victory against the Mammelukes: their fovereign, overcome with grief and rage, precipitated himself, sword in hand, on the broken fquadrons of the fpahis, where he made a terrible carnage, loudly calling on Selim, who was directing elsewhere the attacks of the janiffaries. At length the Egyptian monarch loft his powers; after having blunted his fword, his horfe fell under him,.overcome with fatigue and pierced with wounds. The unfortunate foudan, who had killed more than forty men with his own hand, died with fatigue and rage on the field of battle, without having received a single wound, as the Turks wanted to take him alive. The Turkish cannon completed the defeat. The Mammelukes efcaped by flight, as it was too late for Selim to think of pursuing them. The field of battle was left him, covered with eleven thousand of the enemy; this victory coft the fultan only two thousand men, and procured him all Syria. The next morning, at break of day, the citizens of Aleppo carried the keys of their town to the vanquisher. Though Selim was fuch a barbarian, he conceived that clemency and juftice would fecure him his new conqueft, much better than force of arms. Thefe people, for near three hundred years, had groaned under the power of the Mammelukes, who regarded them only as flaves, enjoying the work of Heg. 923. J.C. 1517 their hands, of their commerce, and of their industry, without ever admitting to the offices of state, or even to the army, any but foreigners like themselves. Selim en. The grand feignior, according to the usage of ters Alep the Turks, ordered caftans or precious vests to po, and fe towns of Syria, ra ther as a pacific king zor. veral other be diftributed to the deputies of Aleppo. Having entered the town, he forbade, under fevere than pains, the committing of any disorder. The a conque- Friday he affifted at the mosque, where he heard himself publicly prayed for as fovereign of Syria. In a transport of gratitude, he loudly promised the Syrians to treat them always as his faithful fubjects, and caufed the iman who had pronounced the prayers, to be invested with a precious veft, even before he was come down from the pulpit. He diftributed gratifications and alms to the priefts and the indigent. This mildnefs, though affected, fecured and multiplied his conquefts. Tripoli, Baruth, Sidon, and Antioch, opened their gates and earnestly defired Ottoman garrifons. Selim advanced into Syria, as a peaceable king who takes poffeffion of the throne which nature has given him, not like a conqueror. His troops feemed to honor his march rather than fecure it. The inhabitants of Damafcus fent deputies against their new mafter, who received them with the fame favor as he had fhewn to thofe of Aleppo. Their request was read twice in prefence of the emperor, who granted Heg. 923. granted it without changing any thing, and he J.C. 1517 went to pass the winter in their city. The prince, wishing likewife to gain the affection of the people by exterior acts of religion, had hofpitals built in the most confiderable towns of Syria, and affigned lands for their fupport. He ordered prayers for the profperity of his reign and the preservation of his conquefts. He founded public schools, where children were to be brought up at the expence of the ftate: in fine, intereft, which often fubdues nature, made for fome time a wife and gracious king of the ferocious Selim; but this change could not be of long duration. The fultan, after having enjoyed his new foveJ.C. 1518. reignty several months, meditated the conqueft Heg. 924. of another ftill more confiderable. The Mammelukes, retired to the extremity of Egypt, feemed to wait for Selim to come and drive them out. Notwithstanding the severity of the winter, the emperor of the Turks prepared every thing for this conqueft. As he was giving orders, in his council, for his march towards Palestine, one of his bashaws had the boldness to ask him, when he thought he should arrive at Grand Cairo. Selim, fo popular among the Syrians, answered this indifcreet queftioner: "That will be when it shall please God; but for thee, my will is, that thou "remain here," and he immediately ordered him to be ftrangled. The Turks learned, before they |