J.C.1393, of his throne, was, as we have feen, constrained to 1401. to 804. Heg. 795, to obey this barbarian, John Paleologus had had the eyes of his fon and grand-fon put out, because that prince had attempted to ferve his country against Amurath I. Since this, Bajazet had ordered him to erafe two towers recently built for the defence of the city. Manuel, the fon and fucceffor of John, foon perceived that he could not defend his crown better than his predeceffors. This crown did not belong to him in the order of natural fucceffion; for Andronicus, his elder brother, who had undergone the operation of having his eyes put out by order of the feeble John Paleologus, was living at Selivrea, as was alfo John, his fon and companion in misfortune. The fame decree which had ordered the blinding of these two princes, had likewife excluded them from the empire; but, as we have already faid, neither of them had absolutely loft his fight. They waited at Selivrea, hoping that fortune would one day reftore them what had been wrefted from them. Andronicus died, leaving John his fon heir to his pretenfions. In his laft moments he recommended him to keep in with the fultan. Thus Manuel saw rife up against him, on the one fide, a nephew who might pafs for the lawful heir to the throne, and on the other, a powerful enemy ready to crufh him. The fultan, accustomed to give him law in his court, had exacted that the caufes between his fubjects to 1401. to 804. fubjects that traded to Constantinople, fhould be J.C. 1395, judged by a cadi, and that the Muffulmen fhould Heg. 795, have the free exercise of their religion in the city. Since Bajazet's victory over Sigifmund, he meditated the fubverfion of the remains of the Greek empire. John, the fon of Andronicus, folicited his protection against his uncle Manuel, promifing to give up Conftantinople, as foon as he should be mafter of it, provided he were given what the Greeks ftill poffeffed in the Morea, to live like a fovereign there. Bajazet seized this occafion to destroy the Greeks by one another. Whilft he was conftructing public edifices at Adrianople and Bursa, and enjoying, fucceffively in each of these cities, the fruits of victory and peace, he committed ten thoufand Turks to John, the son of Andronicus, to lay fiege to Conftantinople, or rather to disturb the emperor his uncle, and give the party which John might have in the city, an occasion of declaring themselves. This prince undertook to ftarve Conftantinople, by ravaging its neighbourhood. Most of the places from whence this immenfe city drew its fubfiftence, had been conquered by the Turks. It was easy to interrupt the convoys. Manuel, feeing the impoffibility of provifioning his capital, weary of an authority which had nothing real, and moreover, convinced that the Greek reign was juft at an end, chofe rather to fee the throne fink under another than himself. Of J.C. 1395, his own free will and confent, he remitted to to 1401. to 804. Heg. 797, John, the fon of Andronicus, with the vain title of emperor of the Eaft, the keys of his city, full of enemies and foreign mafters. He embarked immediately in the galleys of Conftantinople, with fome riches, to go and lead a wandering life in the different courts of Europe, lefs wretched, without doubt, than that of a fovereign, equally the contempt of his enemies and fubjects. When John was master of Conftantinople, and propofed, or feigned to propofe, to keep his word with Bajazet; all the Orders of the ftate conjured him to remain on his throne, protesting, that they would rather fee their children maffacred before their faces, and perifh themfelves in the flames, than live under the domination of barbarians. Notwithstanding this feeble refiftance, fuch would certainly have been the fate of the Roman empire, if providence had not raifed it up a defender, perfectly unexpected, who stopped Bajazet in the course of his profperity. This defender was the invincible Timur, or Tamerlane, defcended from Zengiskhan, the greatest conqueror of his age. This Tartarian prince, born at Samarcand in the country of the Sacae, on the frontiers of Parthia, was employed in his younger days to look after the ftud of the king of the Maffagettites. The neceffity of attacking, and of felf-defending, foon formed a warrior of a herdsman this warrior performed prodigies of valour, He to 1402. to 894. ftops the conquests. valour, and became, in a little time, the general J.C. 1395, of his master's armies. The king of the Maffa- Heg. 797 gettites dying, Tamerlane married his widow, and afcended his throne. He knew how to improve the difcipline of his indefatigable Tartars. He conquered, with incredible rapidity, Afiatic Sarmatia, Perfia, Mefopotamia, Syria, and forced the city of Bagdad to receive his yoke. made himself the protector of the Muffulman princes that had not pretended to oppose him, and whom Bajazet fancied he had a right to opprefs. The fultan, who was abfolutely on the point of Tamerlane taking poffeffion of Conftantinople, wanted befides courfe of to render Taharten, the emir of Arfenjan, his tri- Bajazet's butary. He ordered him to come to Burfa to lay at his feet a fum of money, which Bajazet demanded for tribute. Inftead of obeying, Taharten fled to Georgia, where Tamerlane then was, to take shelter under his wings. The Tartarian monarch sent ambaffadors to Bajazet, who addreffed this prince with all the haughtiness of a conqueror of the world. He forbade him to dare disturb in future the Muffulman princes, whom he (Tamerlane) had taken under his protection, reminding Bajazet, that the law of the prophet did not allow him to opprefs his brethren; he affured him, that the Tartars were ready to come and take his conquefts from him by force, if he did not restore the Mahometans what he had un juftly to 1402. to 804. J.C.1395, justly taken from them. Bajazet heard, for the Heg. 797, first time, orders and menaces: he replied haughtily to the ambaffadors, that he had for a long time wifhed to have a war with their master, and that if Tamerlane did not come to him, he would go and feek Tamerlane at the extremity of Perfia, Tamerlane & Bajazet Angora. On the receipt of this answer, the Tartar began Sebaft or Siwas, he met Mehemet, the bashaw Bajazet, encouraged by this inaction, marched eet near against Taharten, the author of the quarrel, defeated him, feized his eftates, and dragged his family after him in captivity. As foon as Tàmerlane had learned this act of hoftility, he fent |