CHAP. XVIII. XVIII. Selim usurps the THE states of Italy were now freed from the CHAP. calamities of internal war, but the apprehensions entertained of the increasing power and desolating ferocity of the Turks diminished that satisfaction which their inhabitants had begun to experience. Nor was there ever a time when these apprehensions were more Ottoman justly founded. The Ottoman throne was now filled by a monarch, who to the most ardent and persevering courage, united the most insatiable thirst of conquest and the utmost cruelty of disposition. By a successful rebellion and the murder of his father Bajazet, Selim had prematurely seized upon the reins throne. of A. D. 1518. A. Et. 43. A. Pont. VI. XVIII. CHAP. of empire, to the exclusion of his brother Achmet; whom, having afterwards defeated in an engagement, he publicly put to death. The two sons of Achmet and a younger brother of Selim, with many others of the family, experienced a similar fate; and such was the unnatural hatred by which this monster was actuated against his own blood, that he intended to deprive of life Solyman his only son; who lived, however, to inherit the sanguinary jealousy of his father, and to complete the unnatural example by the destruction of his own offspring.(a) A. D. 1518. A. Et. 43. Defeats the Sophi of Persia. Having by these means endeavoured to secure himself against all competition at home, Selim directed his efforts towards the conquest of the surrounding states, and it was for some time doubtful whether Asia, Europe, or (a) Solyman put to death two of his sons, Mustapha, and Bajazet, with their innocent offspring: "I principi "di questa casa nascono," says Sagredo, "come i gio"venchi al Coltello, per essere vittime scannati e sacri"ficati al idolo dell'ambizione.” v. Memorie Istoriche de' Monarchi Ottomani, lib. ii. p. 119. lib. iii. p. 122. lib. vii. 343. 349. Robertson's Hist. Cha. V. lib. xi. vol. iii. p. 289. XVIII. or Africa, would first have to sustain the fury CHAP. of his attack. A shade of difference in construing the law of the great prophet, and the offence of having afforded assistance to Achmet his unfortunate brother, determined him, however, to turn his arms against Ismael sophi of Persia, whom he defeated in a decisive engagement, and possessing himself of the city of Tauris, delivered it up to be plundered by his soldiery; having first sent the principal inhabitants as slaves to Constantinople. The sterility of the country, which disabled him from obtaining supplies for his numerous army, compelled him, however, to relinquish his conquests; but Selim found no delight except in slaughter, and no relaxation except in preparing for a new expedition. After possessing himself of a great part of the country lying between the Tigris and the Euphrates, he attacked the sultan of Egypt; Conquers and notwithstanding the power and resources of that sovereign, and the courage and fidelity of the Mamalukes, he succeeded in subjugating that kingdom and annexing it to the Ottoman dominions. In this contest the sultan Campson perished in battle, and his successor Tomombey, the last sovereign of the Mamalukes, having been made a prisoner, Egypt. VOL. III. K K was A. D. 1518. A. Et. 43. A. Pont. VI. CHAP. was put to death by Selim with circumstances of peculiar ignominy and cruelty.(a) XVIII. A. D. 1518. A. Et. 43. A. Pont. VI. Apprehen the safety of Europe. The fall of such a long established and powerful empire, which had been supported sions enter- by a military system of unexampled vigour tained for for upwards of three hundred years, struck all Europe with terror, which the preparations carrying on at Constantinople for another, and apparently still more important expedition, were not calculated to allay. This general alarm was also increased by the knowledge of the personal character of Selim, who sought to cover the enormity of his guilt by the splendour of his triumphs. He is also said to have inflamed his passion for conquest by perusing the narratives of the deeds of Alexander and of Cæsar, which he caused to be translated and read to him. Thus is the world destined to pay the penalty of its blind admiration of those, whom it dignifies with the name of heroes. At some times it was supposed that the island of Rhodes and the knights of St. John of Jerusalem, who then possessed it, and were considered as the bulwark of Christendom, would be the first ob jects (a) Sagredo, Mem. Istor. lib. iii. p. 141, XVIII. jects of his attack. At other times, appre- CHAP, hensions were entertained that the kingdom of Hungary, then governed during the infancy of its sovereign by a regency, would most probably excite his ambition; whilst others deemed it probable that the example of his grandfather Mahomet, who had, in the year 1480, captured Otranto and gained a footing in the kingdom of Naples, might induce him to attempt the conquest of Italy. A. D. 1518. A. t. 43. A. Pont. VI. deavours to the Chris At this juncture, Leo X. conceived it to be his peculiar office and duty, as head of Leo X. enthe Christian church, to endeavour to form form an alsuch an alliance among the sovereigns of liance of Europe, as might not only repress the incur- tian pow. sions of these formidable enemies, but by car- ers. rying the war into the Ottoman dominions, might either expel them from the countries which they had recently occupied, or afford them sufficient employment in providing for their own defence. But although the circumstances of the times were the immediate motives which induced the pontiff to take an active part in opposing the power of the Turks, yet his dread and abhorrence of them had long been avowed. From the commencement of his pontificate, his efforts had been. employed KK 2 |