Life on the Bosphorus. Doings in the city of the Sultan. Turkey, past and present, including chronicles of the Caliphs from Mahomet to Abdul Hamid II

Part I Life On The Bosphorus

entered at stationers' hall THE AUTHOR IN ALBANIAN COSTUME. Frontispiece LIFE ON THE BOSPHORUS DOINGS IN THE CITY OF THE SULTAN TURKEY, PAST AND PRESENT INCLUDING CHRONICLES OF THE CALIPHS FROM MAHOMET TO ABDUL HAMID II. BY WILLIAM J. J. SPRY, R.N. F.R.G.S., F.R.Hist S. Author of "The Cruise of H.A/.S. •Challenger,'" _c, S_ LONDON H. S. NICHOLS 3 SOHO SQUARE and 62* PICCADILLY W MDCCCXCV [All rights reserved \ PRINTED BY H. S. NICHOLS, 3 SOHO SQUARE, LONDON, W. TO HER EXCELLENCY THE MARCHIONESS OF DUFFERIN AND AVA WHO DURING HER OFFICIAL RESIDENCE IN THE CITY OF THE SULTAN SHED OVER THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY A CONTINUOUS GLEAM OF SUNSHINE A VERY QUEEN IN HER OWN HOUSE SHE IMPARTED TO ITS HOSPITALITIES ALL THE DIGNITIES OF A COURT AND ALL THE CHARM OF INTIMATE SOCIETY THE WORKS OF CHARITY IN WHICH HER LADYSHIP ALWAYS TOOK AN ACTIVE AND PROMINENT PART LEAVE ENDURING MEMORIES WHICH WILL EVER BE A PLEASING REMEMBRANCE TO ALL WHO HAD THE HONOUR OF HER ACQUAINTANCE THIS NARRATIVE WHICH RECORDS MANY OF THE STIRRING EVENTS WHICH OCCURRED DURING HER SOJOURN IN TURKEY IS BY PERMISSION respectfully 5> eJitateJ. William J. J. Spry. " Therapia," Southsea, 1895.

Preface

TO

PART I

I have attempted in the following pages to give an account of the Turkish Empire of the Past and Present, which, though brief, I trust will not be the less interesting. I have endeavoured to reduce to the simplest elements what I think may be really curious in the history, manners and customs of the people, and what, perhaps, may be considered worth knowing respecting a country of which so many strange tales have from time to time been circulated. I cannot flatter myself at having produced any great novelty in these pages, as the materials for the most part are possibly too well known to many of my readers. I have, however, extracted from some of the best European authors matter of an interesting character, and have described scenes which came under my personal observation during my sojourn in the City of the Sultan, as well as narrated some of the tales of travellers and old residents with whom I was brought in contact.

It will be some gratification if I can direct my readers to a nation which of late years has been so prominently brought under their notice by the rapidly occurring series of events and by the pens of so many talented correspondents ; yet, perhaps, there are many persons who know but little and think so differently of this great Empire. I must, therefore, leave my readers to judge how far this task which I have attempted has been fulfilled. I trust, however, this volume will have a place amongst the numerous works on the subject already published, from which much of its contents have been culled. Fame is not to be expected from my attempt, but it will afford me a certain amount of pleasure if this volume conveys any information to my readers. WILLIAM J. J. SPRY. ILLUSTRATIONS TO

PART I

Full-page Plates Map of the Turkish Empire. The Author in Albanian Costume. (Frontispiece.) page Entrance to the Golden Horn of to-day ... . . 2 In the Imperial Harem — The Sultan's Favourite . . 22 Tomb of Solyman the Magnificent . . 49 The Selamlik — The Sultan going to Prayers . . ■ 51 Dancing Dervishes at their Devotions ... . . 52 A Dancing Dervish ' . . . . . . -54 Our Companions en route to Mecca ... . . 61 En route to Mecca — The Passage of the Sacred Standard 64 The Procession starting for Mecca .... .66 En route to Mecca — Camel-riding ... 68 The City of Al-Medina ...... 70 Omar Ben Amer ....... -72 Her Majesty's Despatch Vessel Antelope . . ... 78 His Excellency the Earl of Dufferin, H.B. Majesty s Ambassador to the Porte ........'. 80 Fast of the Ramazan — At Prayer, St. Sophia . . 89 Before Prayer — Ablution before a Mosque . . . 117 Turkish Firemen at work . . . . 127 Lady of the Harem — Shahrazade . . ■ 156 City of Smyrna, Asia Minor . . . .162 The Turkish Fleet in the Golden Horn . . . 167 The Castle of Europe on the Bosphorus . . 173 Therapia— H.M.S. Antelope . . .192 Her Excellency the Countess of Dufferin ..... 195 Illustrations in the Text PAGE Palace of Dolma-Bagtche .... 19 Entrance Gate of the Dolma-Bagtche Palace . 21 The Fountain of Tophane ... 23 The Grounds of Yildiz Kiosk _ . . 26 Cascade in the Grounds of Yildiz Kiosk . 28 Mosque of Sultan Bajazet, Stamboul . 47 Plan of Central Bazaars of Constantinople ■ 112 Entrance Gate of the War Office, Stamboul .118 The Burnt Column, Stamboul . . 120 Old View of the Tower of Galata . . 125 Entrance to the Mosque of Sultan Bajazet . . 147 A Window of the Harem ... • J6o The German Embassy, Pera . . ■ 17° Leander's Tower .... ■ 17I ILLUSTRATIONS TO

Part II

(1757-1774) . 146 Abdul Hamid I. (1774-1789) . . . 152 Selim III. (1789-1807) 157 Mustapha IV. (1807-1808) . .163 Mahmoud II. (1808-1839) . . . 167 Abdul Medjid (1839-1861) . 186 Abdul Aziz (1861-1876) . . . 224 Murad V. (1876) . . . 240 PAGE Bajazet a Prisoner before Tamerlane . 32 Capitan-Pasha Barbarossa . . 65 The Ottoman Parliament, 1877 ... 254 Autograph of Abdul Hamid II. ... . 288 1 From photographs by Abdullah Frcres, Constantinople, Photographers to H.I.M. the Sultan. CONTENTS TO

PART I CHAPTER

I Constantinople page Its Early History — The Old Seraglio— Imperial Palaces i

Chapter II

Religion, &c. Mosques and their Builders — The Selamlik — The Sultan going to Prayers — Dancing and Howling Dervishes — Departure of the Pilgrims for Mecca — Mustapha's Narrative of his Visit to the Holy Cities . 32

Chapter III

Ceremonies, &c. Giving Audience to an Ambassador — The Reception and Presentation — The Khirkai Cherif — Relics of the Prophet — Fast of the Ramazan — Feast of the Bairam — Installation of the Chief Eunuch . . . 78

Chapter I

MAHOMET— Prophet, Legislator and Conqueror— a. d. 610-632 PAGE Origin of the Turk — Joktanides and Ishmaelites— They settle in Arabia— Their religion— The Kaabah at Mecca— Early days of Mahomet— His marriage— His prophetic mission — His disciples — Commencement of Islamism — His vision ; receives from Gabriel the first portion of the Koran — The temple at Mecca— Pilgrimage— Conversion of Omar— The Hegira— Tradition of the spider— His success at Medina— First mosque built — Attack on the Meccan caravans — The Battle of Beder — Tenets of Islamism — Promises to his followers — Religious massacres — His successes as prophet, legislator and conqueror — His pilgrimage to Mecca — Marries Ayesha — Attempt on his life — Constitutes himself ruler of his native city, Mecca — His death — Election of Abu Beker as his successor . ■ • ■ 5

Chapter II

The Interregnum — a.d. 632-1300 Mahomet's successor, Abu Beker — The chapters of the Koran collected in book form — The sayings and doings of the Prophet compiled, forming the " Sunnah " — Abu Beker's military successes — His death — His successor, Omar — His wars ; fighting in Palestine, Armenia and Persia — His assassination — Othman chosen as his successor — His warlike successes in Khorassan and Persia — The Island of Rhodes captured — War with the Greek Emperor — Death of Othman — Succession of Ali — Ayesha's intrigues — Ali accused of the murder of Othman — Ayesha collects an army and gives battle to Ali — Her defeat — Ali, after a turbulent reign, is assassinated — His successors, Moawiyah, Walyd, &c, &c, during their reigns — The Arabs become masters of Spain — Caliph Almansur, founder of the City of Bagdad — Haroun al Raschid, the patron of literature — Successes of the Caliphs — The Crusades . . . . . . ■ 17

Chapter III Othman

I. — First Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1300-1326 Othman — The commencement of Ottoman power — His wars and victories — Death of Othman .... .22

Chapter IV Orkhan

— Second Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1326-1360 Orkhan succeeds his father — Splendour of his court — Appoints his brother Grand Vizier — Introduces great reforms in the Empire — His wars and successes — Capture of Nicomedia and Nice — Descent on Europe — Siege of Gallipoli — Conquests of his son, Solyman — Orkhan's death . .

Chapter V Amurath

I. — Third Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1360-1389 PAGF. Amurath succeeds to the throne — Conquests in Europe and Asia — Establishes the corps of Janissaries and Sphays — Rebellion of his sons — Their punishment — Abdication of the Greek Emperor — Great battle fought on the plains of Kosowah — Defeat of the Prince of Servia — Death of Amurath . 27

Chapter VI Bajazet

I. — Fourth Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1389-1403 Bajazet proclaimed Sultan — Conquests — The defeat of his army in Europe — Successes against the Hungarians — Manuel, Emperor of the Greeks, abdi- * cates — Timor, or Tamerlane — Great battle fought — Bajazet taken prisoner — Interview with Tamerlane — Kindness of the conqueror to his captive — Death of Bajazet . . . . . . . 30

Chapter VII

Interregnum under Solyman and Musa — a.d. 1403-1406 Solyman, Bajazet's second son, seeks protection of the Greek Emperor — Gives himself up to excesses of all kinds — Message from Tamerlane— Solyman deposed and succeeded by his brother, Musa — Civil war — Solyman's death — Musa's reign — Divides his authority with his younger brother, Mahomet — His successes in the Morea and against Servia — Victory over the Hungarian army — Mahomet leads an army against his brother — Musa's defeat and death . . . . . . . -34

Chapter VIII Mahomet

I. — Fifth Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1413-1421 Mahomet I. reunites the Empire — His successful reign — The Turkish fleet destroyed by the Venetians — Civil war — His death and character 37

Chapter IX Amurath II

— Sixth Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1421-1451 Accession of Amurath II. — Mustapha, a pretended son of Bajazet, lays claim to the throne — Lands at Gallipoli — Meets with success at first — Later, is deserted by his followers — Makes his escape — Is captured and put to death — Sincis, the traitor, put to death — Capture of Thessalonica — Wars with the Servians, Hungarians and other nations — Scanderbeg assumes the sovereignty of Croia, in Albania — Amurath sends an army against the usurper and is defeated — Amurath's death -39

Chapter X Mahomet II

— Seventh Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1451-1481 Reign and character of Mahomet II. — Siege and conquest of Constantinople — Mahomet's entry into the city — His return to Adrianople — Scanderbeg declares war — Holds out gallantly against Mahomet — Death of Scanderbeg — Mahomet lays siege to Belgrade — Is repulsed with great losses — Conquests in the Crimea — Unsuccessful attack on Rhodes — The capitulation of Negropont — Mahomet's cruelties to his prisoners — Orders his son, Mustapha, to be strangled — Mahomet's death . . . CONTENTS to

PART II CHAPTER XI BAJAZET II.

— Eighth Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1481-1512 PAGE Bajazet succeeds his father — His rival, Prince Djem — Bajazet goes on pilgrimage to Mecca — During his absence, civil war breaks out under Djem — Djem's defeat and escape to Egypt — The Prince's return to the capital — Afterwards seeks an asylum with the Knights of Rhodes, and, later, in France — Meets his death in Rome by poison — Defeat of the Venetians — Bajazet dethroned and poisoned by order of his son, Selim . 52

Chapter XII Selim

I. — Ninth Emperor or Sultan — a.d. — 1512-1520 Selim I. — His character — War with Persia — Mutiny among his troops — Conquests in Upper Asia — War with the Mamelukes — Their defeat — Conquests in Syria and Egypt — His tyranny — Death of Selim . . . 56

Chapter XIII Solyman

I. — Tenth Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1520-1566 Solyman succeeds to the throne — The importance of his reign in the history of the Empire — Conquest of Belgrade — Siege of Rhodes — Its capitulation — Solyman's entry in the captured city — Departure of the Knights — War with Hungary — Siege of Vienna — Barbarossa — His piratical successes — Barbarossa appointed Capitan-Pasha — He ravages the coast of Italy and the Archipelago — War and treaties with Austria — Solyman's domestic tragedies — Death of his favourite son — Death of Barbarossa — Roxalana — Troubles in Hungary — Dragut the Corsair appointed to the command of the fleet — Siege of Tripoli and Malta resolved on — Domestic affairs — Solyman orders the death of his eldest son, Mustapha — Civil war — Siege of Malta — Turks repulsed with great loss — Death of Solyman . 60

Chapter XIV Selim II

— Eleventh Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1566-1574 Selim, the only surviving son of Solyman, proclaimed Sultan — Mutiny of the Janissaries — War declared against the Venetians — Troops landed in the Island of Cyprus — Capture of Nicosia and Farmagusta — Cruelty of the Turks — Great sea-fight in the Gulf of Lepanto — Losses of the Turks — Peace with Venice— Capture of Tunis — Selim's death . 72

Chapter XV Amurath III

— Twelfth Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1574-1595 Accession of Amurath III. — His cruelty — Orders his five brothers to be put to death — War with Persia — Disasters of the army — Ferhad, the cook, made Grand Vizier — War with Austria — His death . 75

Chapter XVI Mahomet III

— Thirteenth Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1595-1603 Mahomet III. begins a reign of cruelty by ordering the death of all his brothers — Great disorder in the capital — Revolt in Moldavia and Wallachia— The disasters attending the army — Plague in Constantinople — Mahomet relinquishes the government in favour of his mother — Tumult in consequence in the Seraglio — Insurrection quelled — The leaders put to death — Famine and pestilence in the capital — Mahomet's death ...

Chapter XVII Achmet

I. — Fourteenth Emperor or Sultan— a.d. 1603-1617 page Achmet I. begins his reign— Revolution— The rebels make themselves masters of Antioch, Damascus, Tripoli, &c, &c— The Sultan's forces defeated— Treaty of Vienna signed— Achmet builds the famous mosque in the Hippodrome—Plague breaks out in the city— Unsuccessful war with Persia— His death g2

Chapter XVIII Mustapha

I. — Fifteenth Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1617 OTHMAN II. — Sixteenth Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1617-1622 Mustapha, Achmet's brother, proclaimed Sultan— His unfitness to reign - Deposed after a few months' reign— Othman I. ascends the throne — Success of the army in Persia— War declared against Poland— Defeat of the Turks — Peace concluded — Revolt of the Janissaries — Attack on the Seraglio — Mustapha restored to power — Othman put to death — Mustapha's short reign — Again deposed ... .86

Chapter XIX Amurath IV

— Seventeenth Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1623-1640 Accession of Amurath IV.— Unsuccessful expedition sent against the Tartars of the Crimea— Mutiny amongst the Janissaries— Troubles with Persia— Hafiz Ali, Grand Vizier, restores order in the capital— Fighting in the Lebanon against the Druses — Civil war in the capital — Troubles of the French Ambassador — Amurath's severity and cruelty — Reconquers Bagdad — His death .... 91

Chapter XX Ibrahim

— Eighteenth Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1640-1648 Accession of Sultan Ibrahim — His unfitness for the throne — Intrigue in the Seraglio — Cause of the war in Candia — Life in the harem — Revolution — Ibrahim deposed and put to death . 100

Chapter XXI Mahomet IV

— Nineteenth Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1648-1687 Mahomet, at the age of seven, raised to the throne — Continued tumult and misery in the capital — Terror of the young Sultan — Mahomet signs the death-warrant of his grandmother — The Janissaries, pacified, take the oaths of allegiance — The Grand Vizier, Sinan, assassinated in the capital — Mehemet Kiuperly appointed Grand Vizier — Re-establishment of tranquility in the city — Successes of the Venetians in Bosnia, Tenedos and Lemnos — Mahomet visits Adrianople — The Pasha of Aleppo in rebellion — A pretender to the throne is captured and put to death — Troubles in Transylvania — Death of the Grand Vizier ; he is succeeded by his son — War with Austria — Defeat of the Turks by Montecuculi at St. Gothard — Truce with Austria — Achmet Kiuperly takes Candia — Rejoicing in the capital- War with Russia and Poland — Sobieski defeats the Turks in several engagements — Siege of Vienna — Rescue of that city and overthrow of the Turkish army by Sobieski — War declared by the Venetians — Great losses of the Ottoman troops — Mahomet deposed and imprisoned . . contents to part II

Chapter XXII Solyman II

— Twentieth Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1687-1691 PAGE Solyman succeeds his brother, Mahomet — Troubled times in the capital — Insurrections of the Janissaries — Success against Germany — Kiuperly- Zade Mustapha made Grand Vizier — His wise policy to the Christians — His successful campaigns — Death of the Sultan .... 120

Chapter XXIII Achmet II

— Twenty-first Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1691-1695 Accession of Achmet II. — Conspiracy against the Grand Vizier — War with Austria — Kiuperly defeated and killed — Great losses of the Turks — Disastrous reign of Achmet — His death . . .124

Chapter XXIV Mustapha II

— Twenty-second Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1695-1703 Mustapha II. ascends the throne — Assumes personal command of the army — His successes and defeats — Housein Kiuperly appointed Grand Vizier — Conquests of Peter the Great of Russia over the Turks — Prince Eugene's victories over the army — Consternation in the capital — Insurrection in Constantinople — Mustapha deposed — His death .... 126

Chapter XXV Achmet III

— Twenty-third Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1703-1730 Achmet's accession — His reign begins in bloodshed — Peace of Europe — Charles XII. of Sweden seeks an asylum in Turkey — War declared against Russia — Success of the Turkish army — Treaty of the Pruth — Attack on Charles XII. of Sweden at Bender — Extraordinary results — War with Venice — The Morea recovered — Austria declares war — Disasters to the Ottoman army — Peace of Passarowitz — Troubles with Persia — Revolution in the capital — Deposition and assassination of the ministers — Achmet deposed . . . . .131

Chapter XXVI Mahmoud

I. — Twenty-fourth Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1730-1754 OTHMAN III. — Twenty-fifth Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1754-1757 Mahmoud ascends the throne — His interview with Patrona Khalil — His demands complied with — Punishment of the rebellious Janissaries — The Grand Vizier's attempt to restore order in the capital — Peace with Persia — Russia and Austria make war on Turkey — General peace — Great discontent in the capital — Punishment of the ministers — Order restored in the city — Death of Mahmoud — Succeeded by his brother, Othman, who had a short and uneventful reign — Death of Othman .

Chapter XXVII Page Mustapha III

— Twenty-sixth Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1757-1774 Mustapha III. ascends the throne under favourable circumstances — In the ninth year of his reign trouble begins — Russia attacks Poland — Turkish remonstrances — War with Russia — Sanguinary encounter between Russian and Turkish fleets in the Archipelago — The town of Tchesme, with its forts, batteries and stores captured — Russian successes on the Danube — Loss of the Crimea — Turkish troops sent to Egypt — Ali Bey captured — Death of the Sultan ......... 146

Chapter XXVIII Abdul Hamid

I. — Twenty-seventh Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1774-1789 Abdul Hamid commences his reign after forty-four years of captivity — Troubles in the Asiatic provinces — Treaty of Kainardji signed — Russia in possession of the Crimea — Troubles in Egypt — War with Russia — Hostilities in the Black Sea — Austria assists Russia — Disasters sustained by the Turks — Death of Abdul Hamid . . . . . 152

Chapter XXIX Selim III

— Twenty-eighth Emperor or Sultan— a.d. 1789-1807 Selim III. succeeds his uncle — Russian successes — The French land an army in Egypt — War between Turkey and France — Alliance with Russia and England — Defence of Acre— French evacuate Egypt — General peace— Selim's reform — The new army and navy administration — The Janissaries in revolt over the new regulations— Selim deposed by the Janissaries . 157

Chapter XXX Mustapha IV

— Twenty-ninth Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1807-1808 Mustapha succeeds Selim— Commences his reign by the aid of the Janissaries- Triumph of the Janissaries— Postponement of reform— Russian intrigue— Mustapha Bairactar assumes command of the army— Attempt to restore Selim to the throne— His attack on the Seraglio— Mustapha orders Selim and his brother Mahmoud to be seized and strangled— The order carried out in Selim's case— Mustapha deposed and imprisoned . . .163

Chapter XXXI Mahmoud II

— Thirtieth Emperor or Sultan— a.d. 1808-1839 Mahmoud II. proclaimed Sultan— Mustapha Bairactar appointed Grand Vizier —He orders the death of ex-Sultan Mustapha and of all his adherents— The Janissaries in revolt— The city a scene of carnage and conflagration— Death of the Grand Vizier — Triumph of the Janissaries — The Greek War of Independence— Mahmoud destroys the Janissaries— Desperate fighting in the capital— France, England and Russia interfere on behalf of the Greeks —Battle of Navarino— War with Russia— War with Mehemet Ali— Death 167 of Mahmoud • ■ ■ • b

Chapter XXXII Page Abdul

MEDJID— Thirty-first Emperor or Sultan— a.d. 1839-1861 Abdul Medjid succeeds to the throne— Settlement of the Egyptian Question- Convention controlling the navigation of the Dardanelles agreed to— Reforms introduced —The Crimean War — Moldavia and Wallachia united and recognised as the Principality of Roumania — Disturbances in Syria— Civil war between the Druses and Maronites— Turkish troops act with great severity against the Maronites — Disturbances in Damascus — Massacre of Christians — French troops land on the coast of Syria — Death of Abdul Medjid . . . . . . 182

Chapter XXXIII Abdul

AZIZ— Thirty-second Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1861-1876 Abdul Aziz succeeds his brother, Abdul Medjid — His reckless extravagance — The National Debt — A firman issued promising extensive reform — Midhat Pasha appointed Grand Vizier — His short tenure of office — Insurrection in the Island of Crete aided by Greece — Turkish troops sent to quell the disturbance — Servia becomes practically an independent State — The Sultan leaves Constantinople on a visit to Europe — His reception in Paris and London — Entertained by Queen Victoria — The Order of the Garter is conferred on him — The naval review at Spithead and Portsmouth — His return home — War declared between France and Germany — Russia takes the opportunity to demand the abrogation of Articles XL to XIII. of the Treaty of Paris, 1856 — Much discontent and agitation in the capital — Insurrection breaks out in Bosnia and Herzegovina — Startling events in Salonica — The settlement of Cretan troubles — The deposition of Sultan Abdul Aziz ......... 224

Chapter XXXIV Murad

V. — Thirty-third Emperor or Sultan — a.d. 1876 Murad V. proclaimed Sultan on the deposition of Abdul Aziz — Imposing reception in the capital — Hope of the nation — The late Sultan's letter — Imperial messages foreshadowing necessary reforms — Death of the Sultan, Abdul Aziz — Mystery surrounding the cause of his death — Death of the Sultana Mihri — Assassination of the Council of Ministers by Hassan — Hassan's trial and sentence — Insurrection in Bosnia and Herzegovina — Troubles in Bulgaria — The terrible massacre — Declaration of war by Servia — Disappointment of the people at delay in carrying out promised reforms — Murad's health — Another revolution in Constantinople — Murad deposed — Abdul Hamid consents to ascend the throne . . 240

Chapter XXXV Abdul Hamid II

— Thirty-fourth Emperor or Sultan — A.D. 1876 TO PRESENT DATE.

Abdul Hamid ascends the throne — Unsettled state of the Empire — Servian war —Conference assembles at Constantinople — Peace with Servia — Failure PAGE 24S of the conference — Protocol signed in London, suggesting carrying out promised reforms in Christian provinces — The Porte's reply — Russia declares war — The new Constitution proclaimed — Midhat Pasha becomes Grand Vizier — Parliamentary elections — Midhat Pasha dismissed from office and banished — The first Ottoman Parliament opened by the Sultan — War with Russia — Its mismanagement — Osman Pasha — The defence of Plevna — Fighting in the Shipka Pass — Suleiman Pasha's army — Mehemet Ali abandons Adrianople — Russian army occupies Adrianople — Armistice concluded — Preliminaries of peace agreed to — British fleet enters the Dardanelles ; arrives off the Princes Islands — The Russian army at San Stefano — Provisional treaty of peace signed at San Stefano — The Berlin Congress — Treaty of peace signed 13th of July, 1878 — Some of the results — British fleet leaves Turkish waters — Meeting of the second Ottoman Parliament — Parliament prorogued — Troubles with the Hellenic government — Greece's demands — The settlement — Midhat Pasha returns from exile — Dispute with Austria — Cession of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Austria — Trial of Midhat Pasha and the ministers — The death sentences — Troubles in Egypt — Arabi Pasha — British demands — Bom bardment of Alexandria — Arrival of British troops — The fighting — Cairo entered — Arabi Pasha surrenders — The rebellion ended — Lord Dufferin at Cairo — Arabi's trial — Revolution in Eastern Roumelia — Servia invades Bulgarian territory — The fighting — Greece again gives trouble — Prince Alexander of Bulgaria abdicates — Prince Ferdinand elected — Troubles in Armenia — Massacre of the "Innocents" — Pressure by the Powers on the Sultan to introduce reform in Armenia — The result — Reform the Sultan has endeavoured to introduce .......

Appendix

Treaty of Paris, 1856, on the conclusion of the Crimean War . 289 Treaty of San Stefano on the conclusion of the Russian-Turkish War, 1878 . 295 Treaty of Berlin on the conclusion of the Russian-Turkish War, 1878 . 303 Anglo-Turkish Treaty, 1878 . . . . . . . .312 Armenian Reforms — Text of the Scheme presented by the Powers to the Porte, June 4, 1895 ......... 316 The Scheme of Armenian Reforms .......

Chapter I

Constantinople Its Early History — The Old Seraglio — Imperial Palaces The " City of Two Continents " can trace back its birth to six hundred and sixty-seven years B.C. By four names is the City of the Sultan known, alike to the Christian and the heathen world. Three of these names are used almost indifferently by geographers and historians ; the fourth one is but seldom found in books, though long a household word amongst a race conspicuous rather sot its numbers than its literature — " Byzantium," after its founder. The story goes that Byzas, in company with a number of his townsmen, sailed away from the little Greek city of Megara about the period of 660 b.c — as the Delphic oracle had bidden them — to found a new colony on the spot "that is over against the colony of the blind." The emigrants started.

Chance led their vessels from the Greek islands through the Dardanelles and into the Sea of Marmora, which they traversed to its furthest end. Here, where the Bosphorus commences, they lighted upon the little town of Chalcedon, which some of their fellow-citizens had established seventeen years before. But those emigrants had not, unluckily for themselves, shown the usual discernment of Greek colonists; they had, in fact, been so stupid as "to have seen the better, and yet to have chosen the worst." So they were called, by way of jest, the " blind men," the name, according to Herodotus, being given them by a Persian traveller when he was once on a visit to Byzantium and noted the marvellous advantages of the site. "The joke," says the historian, "was one of immortal memory, and the name stuck ever afterwards to the unfortunate citizens of Chalcedon ; so that, when Byzas and his followers arrived on the scene, especially after being warned by the "oracle," they at once took the hint and crossed forthwith from the Asiatic shore, settling on the European side upon a site which could not fail to promise a brilliant future for their city.

It was all that could be desired. The town was not long in thriving, and it grew rapidly in extent and importance. As its advan tages became known its population increased, until, by the time of Herodotus, it had become an important city and a powerful factor for peace or war. On the land side the place was easy of defence, and the new settlers were not long before they had constructed walls and fortifications to ensure their safety from the attacks of the barbarous Thracian tribes. In quite early days there was a good trade in corn with the countries bordering on the Euxine, and a fairly-good revenue was raised by the Byzantines out of the dues levied on the corn - ships. Another great source of wealth was their fisheries. Huge shoals of fish used to pour down from the Euxine into the Bosphorus.

Riches, in fact, flowed into the city from all sides, and the deep and splendid harbour to the north was known to the ancients, as it is to us, as the "Golden Horn" — the aptest phrase the ancient mind could conceive for wealth and plenty. Byzantium was indeed, in all respects, a highly-favoured city, and life there must have been eminently enjoyable. For a long period after its foundation it was quite able to hold its own against all comers, until it began to attract the notice of Persia. A large force was sent under an able general, who won several considerable conquests in the Propontis and the Bosphorus, and among them the cities of Byzantium and Chalcedon fell into his hands. These colonies remained for some time under the power of Persia, till that great Ionian revolt about the period of 463 b.c, which led to the desperate struggle between Greece and Persia, and from which may be said to have dated the fame and grandeur of Greece.