Annals of the Turkish Empire, from 1591 to 1659Naima, Mustafa
History
Annals of the Turkish Empire, from 1591 to 1659
Naima, Mustafa
Turkey -- History -- 1453-1683
_Continuation of the account of the war carried on against the
heretics.—The Sháh reduces Reván._
We come now to relate, that though the sháh’s troops had been repulsed
before Reván in their first attempts against that city, they at last
prevailed. The sháh having again resumed his operations against Reván,
pressed the besieged exceedingly, and afterwards sent a messenger to
the inhabitants, calling upon them to capitulate. The Revánís, however,
were not so disposed, and in their zeal slew the messenger, in order to
convince the sháh how determined they were. The sháh was exasperated at
this, collected his whole force against their city, and redoubled his
efforts; and in consequence of his having succeeded in destroying the
aqueducts which conveyed water under-ground into the city, he by this
means subjected them to a famine of water, a most dreadful privation.
They, however, managed to collect so much of this necessary element
in wells and ditches within the city, as in some measure to assuage
their thirst, and were thus enabled to maintain their defiance of the
enemy. Finding, however, that continued resistance only augmented
their danger; that their resources were daily becoming less, and
that they were wholly cut off from receiving any succour whatever
from the Moslem army, they became totally dispirited. Exertion and
deaths weakened them so much that the enemy at length, by one vigorous
assault, took the city. Many of the Sunnís were made prisoners by the
conquerors, but the greater part of them perished by their swords. Thus
fell Reván, after a siege of seven weeks. At the commencement of the
siege the number of the inhabitants amounted to five or six thousand.
One thousand five hundred of this number died in defence of their city,
and about five hundred were carried off by death. About one half of the
whole became traitors, so that, in fact, only five hundred, at most,
was the whole strength of Reván when it fell into the hands of the
red-heads.
_The Sháh conquers Shirwán._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account