The Turks

In the seventh century Molianimed rornulgated Islamisni, and it was rapidly adopted by the Arabs, wlio, in a century, overran África and Western Asia, to the very walls of Constantinople, and established the great empire of the caliphs, with its capital at Bagdad. In the very next century it had passed its zenith, and in the nintli centnry the cnliphs bqlstered themselves up with Turkish mercenaries from the Turcoman tribes whose grazing-grounds were northcnst of the Caspian sea. A tribe of Turks under a chief named Seldjuk, whence they were known as Seldjukid Tiu-ks, wrcsted Persia from the caliphs, and in the eleventh century Togrul Bey, grandson of' Seldjuk, entered Bagdad with 100,000 soldiers, assumed the title of Sultan, and deprived the caliphs of their temporal power, though continuing to recognize them na the successors of Mohammed, and the pontiffs of Islamism. Alp-Arslan, the son of Togrul Bey, pushed his conquesta westward over the greater part of Asia Minor, routed the aimies of the Greek empire, and establi lied his capital at Iconium, the modern Koniah. In the thir eenth century the Seldjuk Sultan of Iconium granted a large territory in Asia Minor to a Turcoman chiei'tain named Ertogrul and his tribe, in payment i'or their military services. Tiris tribe liad no religión except a simple form of pnganism, but Othman, the son of Ertogrul, feil in love with the daughter of an Arab (Mohammedan) Sheik, and to propitiate his desired father-in-law embraced Islamism. Othman, cc Osman, was the progenitor of tlie twenty-eight Sultans who have reigned in Constantinople, and their six predecessors who reigned at Rara Hissar, Broussa, and Adrianople. From his name his tribe became known as Osmanlis, or Osmanli Turks, and their country as the Ottoman empire. Subsequently, Othman received the title of Emir from his sovereign at Iconium. At his death this Sultan left no successor, and Emir Othman embraced the opportunity to declare his independence of the Seldjuk Turks. The'title of Sultan was not immediately assumed, but as the power of the Seidjuk Turks had passed away, and the power of the Osmanli Turks rapidly grew, Othman's snecessors soon carne tobe known as Sultans. Having succeeded to the temporal power of the Seldjukids, they eventually succeeded to the religious authority of the caliphs, and are now reoognized by Mohammedans everywhere as the successors of the Prophet. Kara Hissar, or the Black Castle, was the capital given by the Seldjuk Sultan to Othman. From this point Othman, and after ñim his son Oi'khan, rapidly pu3hed their conquests westward, constantiy wresting territory from the decaying Greek empire of Constantinople. Westward their star of empire took its way, and they changed their capital to Brussa and tlien to Nice, celebrated for its council and its creed. They conquered several islands of the Archipelago, and, crossing the Dardenelles, they overran Thraco and Macedonia. The title of Pasha, now so frequently mentioned, was first conferred by Orkhan. The word is a compound of two Persian words, meaning " the foot of the King." Orklian was succeeded by Amurath, or Mourad I. , who conquered Adrianople and Pliilippopolis, and waged victorious war against the Bulgarians and Servians. Mourad easily captured Nissa, the modern Nish, headquarters of the Turkish army in tlie late Servian war, from the Bulgarians and Serviar.s, and his General def eated the combined Bulgarians, Serviaus, Hungarians, and Wallachians in the Balkan mountains. It was Amurath who chose red as tlie color of his flag. The Prophet had prescribed yellow, the color of the sun, as the color of the Arabs. The Fatimites selected green, the color of the earth, or the color of the garments of the son of Abdallah, and green is still a sacred color even with the Turks. The Ommiads selected white, the color of day. The Abassides chose a dark color, suggestive of' night. Amurah adopted red, the color of flre, and blood, tlie symbol of his conquering mission. He inflicted an overwhehning def eat on the Servians atOassova, but was immediately after :iKSUK.smated, and Bajazet succeeded him. Lest there should bc a contest for the crown, the brother of Bajazet was supplied with a cup of poison, as Abdul Aziz was supplied with a pair of scissors, and like the Tatter he took the hint. The Turkish imperial succession being from brother to brother instead of from fatlier to son, the reigning Sultan has usually secured peace for himself and the suc■cession ot' his own offspring by assassinating all of his brothers. Mohammed III. had to remove nineteen brothers before he could f eel sure of the scepter for himself and his son. Latterly there has been more humanity, or else Abdul Medjid would not have been succeeded by Abdul Aziz, his brother, nor would the latter have been succeeded by Abdul Medjid's son instead of his own, for whose benefit he sought by every peaceful ineans to change the law of succession. Taking advantage of dissensions and seditions in the imperial family at Oonstantmople, Bajazet entered that capital and dictatcd the most humiliating terms of peace to the Emperor. The latter became the Sultan's vassal, and agreed to pay a tribute of 40,000 "Venetian ducats, and supply 12,000 soldiers annually. Subsequently Bajazet compelled the Emperor to accord to Mussulman residents of his capital certain peculiar privileges, not unlike those whicli in recent times the Sultans have boen compelled to accord to foreign Christians living in their dominions, Bajazet enjoys the unenviable i'ame o) introducing tlie Greek vices of drunkenuess and uunatural scnsuality amung tin Turks. His ideas of justice were nol very unlike those of some of his co-religionists, even at this day. A woman having accused a page of the Sultan o! stealing milk from her, Bajazet had the page cut open to see whether it was so or not. Even at this early period in the career of the Ottoman empire the Judges were so universally bribe-takers thai when the Sultan ordered all the corrup Judges in Broussa to be burned, it was suggested to him that he wonld liave to send for Ohristion monks to preside ovei the courts, as every benoh would be va éfcted. Having ta'ken 10,000 Clhritstian prisoners in one battle, he had all o them bufc twenty-iour beheadod iii fron of his tent. In 1453, having deprived the Greek empire of everyíliing but itn capital. and onoe i-ducci] that to u state of rijs Balge, the Tnrkri nndor Molmumietl i i. j captui'fi't tliat city and put an end to tli I last exhausted Buccessor of the Koniai 1 empire, 'J'licii üiey overran tlie Balkan península nuil Hnngiuyj and threatened Poland and Austria. The empire of tlie Ottoinans touchcd its Ligli-water mark, and remained one of the most powerful nations in Europe, till, in 1683, Mohammed IV. was driven back from Vienna ay John 8obicnki, of Poland. It was the 'ourth repulse of the Turks in a dozen years. Then had the cresoent attained x the full moon and entered its third quarter. Then had the star passed its right ascensión, and for two centuries hoso have been meaningless symbols on ;he Turkish flag. The Turks as a nalion have never grown in any such sense as national growth is understood in Europe and America. They have not muliipliod till more room was neoded. Tlieir commerce has never demanded ;he protection of alTny and navy. No amily of colonies has grown up around ;he parent stem. All that the Turks ever obtained of territory or power was obtained solely by the sword, and conquest has been their solé motive in wieldng the sword. If those who draw the sword are to perish by it, then in war must the Osmanli look for the end of liis lominion.