The conquest of Turkey

Front matter

THE

CONQUEST OF TURKEY;

OE,

Preface

Deeming no apology necessary in offering the present volume to the public, either in respect to its subject or our method of presenting it, our preface is designed simply to invite attention to some facts and features of the work.

Early last summer, Dr. L. P. Brockett published an interesting work, " The Cross and the Crescent," as an introduction to a history of the war then but just begun. When the time came for writing the history, however, that gentleman, for reasons of health and the pressure of other engagements, relinquished his purpose. Believing that a concise and reliable history would prove of value and interest to Americans, we have undertaken to compile and write one. It will be observed that we have prefixed the substance of Dr. Brockett's work to our history, omitting only those passages which did not appear strictly germane to an introduction. The first eight chapters and the biographies are abridged from the former work, the succeeding chapters are ours.

We do not claim that the work is original in the same sense or to the same extent that we should make a treatise or an essay original ; for instance, inasmuch as we were not an eye-witness of the battles or historic events narrated, we have necessarily obtained our facts at secondhand. But, on the other hand, we have not blindly copied or heedlessly followed the accounts of any one authority, but have critically examined every accessible newspaper, magazine, pamphlet and book, in which information was to be obtained, comparing one with the others, and, when ^possible, discriminating between the several correspondents and other writers, and between the stated facts and the opinions and suppositions of each. The daily press of London has been our chief source of information ; the leading newspapers of that city vied with

V vi

PREFACE.

each other in maintaining correspondents at the different and various military head-quarters, both in European and Asiatic Turkey, throughout the war ; of these, the Daily News was exceptionally well served. We have carefully gathered our facts from the columns of the London press generally, and in many instances have given the graphic accounts of important battles and movements in the words of the correspondents who, it must be recollected, were eye-witnesses ; in each instance, when we have known the writer's name, we have been careful to mention it.

We have hereby publicly to tender our thanks to Lloyd P. Smith, Esq., of the Philadelphia Library, for his courtesy and kindly interest in our labors, evinced by placing the treasures of that library at our disposal, permitting us ready access to every file or volume that could be of service to us. We also acknowledge our indebtedness to J. Harned Morris, Ph. D., of this city, for assistance in the preparation of our "copy" for the press.

In conclusion, we would ask the reader to note that we have brought our history actually down to date, giving in our letter-press the latest news in reference to the complications that have arisen since the war, and that threaten to demand another war for their unravelling.

PORTER C. BLISS.

Philadelphia, April 10th, 1878.

TABLE OF CONTEXTS.

Introduction

The original entrance of the Osmanli Turks into Europe — They overrun fb.3 Danubian region — Their conquest of Hungary — The wars between Sclavonic tribes in Russia — Raids of the Tartar Khans — Polish hatred of Russia — The Polish wars with Turkey — Cossack and Tartar power and influence of Turkey in the beginning of the Seventeenth Century — Russia its most formidable, and, at times, its only foe — Five wars between Russia and Turkey in the Eighteenth Century — The wars of 1806-12, of 1828-29, and of 1853-56 — War the normal condition of the Ottoman Porte — The character of the Turk portrayed — His barbarism and deceit — Mr. N. W. Senior's description of the results of Turkish rule — Mr. Cobden's opinions of their demerits Pages 21-30.

CHAPTER I. History of Russia

Origin of the Sclavonians, Scythians, and Sarmatians — The Finns — Sclavonian Colonies or Communes — The lex tJAonis — Weregeld or vera — Barbarity of early Sclavonians — Founding of Novgorod and Kief — King Rurik, the Norman — Introduction of Christianity — The reigns of Vladimir and Yaroslav— Burning of Kief — Famine in Novgorod — Irruption of the Tartar Khans— Destruction of the capital, Vladimir — The victory of Alexander Nevski — Coiistant.wars for a hundred years— Moscow, the capital — Invasion of Timiir — His retreat — 'The first Mint — Earthquake at Novgorod — The vigorous reign of Ivan III. — Destruction of Achmet's Golden Horde — The Russian standard, the two-headed Black Eagle, adopted by Ivan III. — Karamsin's description of him — Ivan IV., the first Russian Czar — Organization of the Streltsi — " Ivan the Terrible" — Defeat of Gustavus Wasa — Ivan's Code — Karamsin's estimate of his character — His death — Theodore I., the last of the dynasty of Rurik — Boris Godunof, a Russian Richard III.— Murder of Dmitri — the false Dmitri, Otrepief — His brief reign and death — Terrible famine in 1600 ; half a million people perish in Moscow — Serf age instituted in 1597— Occupation of Moscow by the Poles, 1610 — Their expulsion — Michael Romanoff elected Czar ; the founder of the Romanoff dynasty — The States General first summoned — Sophia as Empress-regent — Her downfall — Peter the Great — His. wars with Sweden and Turkey — His reverses — His achievements and death — His adventures in London — His reforms — -Anne of Courland — The Constitution— She destroys it — Cruelty of her favorite, Biron, Duke of Courland — Reign of Elizabeth — Her hypocrisy — Peter III., his short reign and violent death Pages 31-67.

CHAPTER II. History of Russia continued

Reign of Cathefine II.— Vy*ar_with Turkey— Subjugation of Poland— Capture and annexation of the Crimea — The combination against England — Another war with Turkey (1788-1790) — 660,000 men slain on all'sides — The fall of Warsaw — Catherine's death — Her remarkable abilities and great achievements — Her reforms — Her personal appearance — Adminis-

Table Of Contents

tration and assassination of Paul— Accession of Alexander I. — He joins the Northern Powers against France — Makes peace with Napoleon — Again breaks with France — Napoleon's Russian campaign — Battle of Borodino — Capture and burning of Moscow — Scenes of terror — The retreat from Moscow and its horrors — The allies enter Paris — The judicious measures of Alexander I. — His religious character — " The Holy Alliance " Madame Krudener — Alexander's death — Trouble in regard to the succession — Constantine declines — Nicholas crowned — The insurrection — Severity with which it was repressed — War w r ith Turkey in 1828-9 — Insurrection in Poland — Its cruel suppression — The Czar Nicholas the ally and protector of Turkey in 1833 — The Protectorate of the Five Powers over Turkey — Russia assists Austria in suppressing the Hungarian revolt in 1849 — The Crimean War in 1853 — England, France, Sardinia, and Turkey against Russia — Early incidents of the war — The battle of the Alma — Defeat of the Russians — The Light Cavalry charge at Balaklava — Battle of Inkerrnann — The Russians again defeated — Operations around Sevastopol — Storming the fortress — Its capture — Death of Nicholas I., March 2d, 1855 — Peace — Treaty of Paris, March 30, 1866 — Its provisions — Coronation of Alexander II. — His reforms — Emancipation of the Serfs — Provisions of the Act — The new courts of law — Abolition of cruel punishments — Educational reform — The clerical reforms — Distribution of the Scriptures — Suppression of Polish insurrection — War in Central Asia — The^apprehensions of the British Government unfounded.

CHAPTER III. Russia — Its Geography, Existing Races, Religion, and : •. Social Life

Geographical extent of Russia — Its northern lands and races — The Finns and Lapps — The White Sea region — The Northern Sclaves — Archangel — The holy tombs of Solovetsk — Religious character of the Russian — Great number of churches in Russia — Russian devotion— Social instincts of the Russians — Manufactures of the towns — Three classes — Merchants, burghers and artisans — Character of each — The Annual Fair, or Yarmark, at Nijni Novgorod— The Traffic of Novgorod — Tartar Tribes of Turkestan —Chase for a Bride Pages 104-122.