encouraged rebellions, which troubled both his J.C. 1421. Heg. 824. and his fucceffor's reign. His viziers concealed his death, according to his own inftructions, in order to give Amurath, his eldest son, time to arrive from Amafia. During forty-one days, justice was administered in the name of Mahomet, as if he had been still living: after which, the new emperor fent the body of his father to Burfa, where it was interred in the mosque which that prince had founded. A MURATH II. SIXTH REIGN. AMURATH II. was eighteen years old when the empe he afcended the throne. ror Manuel He received an raifes up the falfe against the embaffy from the Greek emperor Manuel, im- Muftapha mediately thereon, to demand his two brothers, new fultan. in order to their being educated at Conftantinople, according to the will of Mahomet. The Greek prince offered likewife to renew the alliance between them. The grand vizier Bajazet, replied in the name of his master, that the Ottomans would never be the first disturbers of the peace established between the two crowns, but that a Muffulman fovereign could not confide the education of two princes of his house to Infidels, and J.C. 1421. and that, in fhort, Amurath was refolved not to Heg. 824. comply with a disposal, which Mahomet never could nor ought to have made. The ambaffadors retired apparently discontented; but Manuel was feeking only a pretext for a rupture. He was not long in feizing it; he fent Demetrius Lafcaris, with ten galleys, to the ifle of Lefbos, for the pretended Mustapha and Sineis his companion in fortune; this was the fame Demetrius who had once already faved their lives. Manuel, who wanted only to profit by the diffentions of the Turks, prescribed to the phantom that he set against Amurath, conditions, which the pretended prince agreed to without difficulty. As he poffeffed nothing, he promised every thing. Mustapha was to cede to the Greeks the countries bordering on the Pont Euxine as far as the frontiers of Walachia, and all the towns of Theffaly, as far as mount Athos. Without doubt he would have promised the empire entire, had it been demanded of him. Immediately after this treaty, which was confirmed by oath, ten galleys, commanded by Demetrius, conveyed to the port of Gallipoli the pretended Mustapha, Sineis, and all those who would embrace their party. The pre tended The noble air of this adventurer, who perMustapha fectly resembled the prince whofe name he ufeffion of furped, his affability and perfuafive eloquence, takes pof Gallipoli. The grand foon opened to him the gates of the city, which vizier Ba jazet at firft had threatened refiftance. Sineis took marches a gainst him. poffeffion Heg. 824. poffeffion of the citadel fword in hand, whilft J.C. 1421. Muftapha went to get himself acknowledged in the Hexamilium.† In effect, whether the people were afraid of being governed by a master too young, or that they thought they faw their lawful prince in this man, whofe outward appearance feduced them, Muftapha entered feveral places, more like a favorite monarch than a conqueror. The arrival of these news at Burfa, raised the whole council of the young emperor against the grand vizier Bajazet. They reproached this minifter with a misfortune which he ought to have foreseen, for no one doubted but it was the haughty reply made the Greeks, which had determined them to fet up an emperor. The council was unanimous for charging Bajazet with the event of a war which he alone had incited. The time was precious, as it was neceffary to march troops from Afia. Bajazet paffed the straits with less than thirty thousand men; fome foldiers joined him in Europe. The ufurper feemed to be a prince confirmed on his throne, which fome factious people were vainly attempting to pull down. Though This was what they called the peninsula on which Gallipoli is fituated, because the ifthmus, which joins it to the continent, is but fix miles broad; this was what gave the name of Hexamilium to Lyfimachia, built on this ifthmus. The ifthmus of Corinth had a wall and a town which bore the fame name. J.C. 1421. army de Though Bajazet's forces were very inferior, he marched courageously against the enemy. MufBajazet's tapha advanced flowly, at the head of fixty ferts by de- thousand men: Sineis commanded the troops. Muftapha was employed only in increafing his The grand vizier him- party, in flattering all those whom he had inte grees to the enemy. felf goes & furrenders reft to gain, and in perfuading by careffes those to the u Sineis has him put to death. furper: men accustomed to tremble before their masters, and to kifs the duft of their feet. And indeed Mustapha intentionally permitted the enemy's army to approach him. He and Bajazet met near Gallipoli; the ufurper's camp was well fortified; almost convinced that his enemy would not attack him, he undertook to vanquish him without ftriking a blow. He advanced every day, with a feeble escort, as far as the advanced guards, or towards the difperfed knots of men, and conversed familiarly with the commanders or foldiers. He made all thofe recollect him that had formerly feen Muftapha; he called God to witness the justice of his cause, and fwore by the prophet to govern equitably the empire which he was obliged to conquer. His converfations had almoft always the fuccefs which he expected the foldiers either followed him, or returned to their camp only to bring him a greater number of deferters; in fhort, in a few days, Bajazet's army was fo reduced by desertions to Muftapha's, that the vizier could no longer flatter himself with making the leaft refiftance. He went 1 Heg. 824. went the last to implore the clemency of him, J.C.1421. who had vanquished him without a battle. The pretended prince would have fpared him, agreeably to his political principles; but his general, Sineis, whom it was dangerous for him to offend, was the declared enemy of Bajazet. This vizier had formerly fought the alliance of Sineis; he had afked his daughter in marriage for his fon. Sineis, who hated Bajazet, had preferred giving his daughter to a flave newly enfranchifed, whom he made fangiac of Nimphea. In the first disgrace of Sineis, Bajazet had taken poffeffion of that town, imprisoned the governor, who had been preferred to his fon, and ordered him to be made an eunuch. The remembrance of this cruelty had left deep traces in the heart of Sineis. He no fooner faw this vizier prifoner, than he had him wrefted from Mustapha's tent, notwithstanding the protection of that prince, which the unfortunate vizier loudly claimed, and had him beheaded in his presence. After this event, Mustapha flattered himself, The prethat he should peaceably poffefs all that the tende Ottomans had conquered in Europe. He had refufes Madispersed an army of Amurath's without difficulty; price of his and was received at Adrianople with the accla- This mations of all the people. This child of fortune ritated at was beginning to refign himself on the bofom deceived, of his profperity, when the Greeks demanded of murath. him Gallipoli and the other places which they M had Mustapha nuel the fuccours. prince, ir havingbeen joins A |