Constantinople and the Scenery of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor: Series One and Series Two in one Volume — John Shaqi
Constantinople and the Scenery of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor: Series One and Series Two in one VolumeWalsh, R. (Robert)
History
Constantinople and the Scenery of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor: Series One and Series Two in one Volume
Walsh, R. (Robert)
Istanbul (Turkey) -- History; Istanbul (Turkey) -- Pictorial works
This man was a rough soldier, of large stature, and immense bodily
strength, fierce in disposition, and coarse in manners, but susceptible
of the most affectionate attachment. He was called Bairactar because he
had been originally a standard-bearer, and, though now raised to the
command of a large army, with the usual pride of a Turk, still retained
the original name of the humble rank from which he had raised himself.
When he heard that the master he loved was deposed and a prisoner, he
hastened with his army to the seraglio, and demanded admission at the
great gate of the Babu Hummayoun.
Mustapha, who was of a light and frivolous, though cruel character, was
in the habit of amusing himself daily on the Bosphorus; and when he
heard of this insurrection in favour of his deposed cousin, he hastened
to land at the sea-gate of the seraglio. He here motioned to his
attendant eunuch, who ran to obey his orders. Selim was found in his
private apartment, engaged in the performance of the _namaz_, at the
hour of prayer, which he never omitted. In this position he was seized
by the eunuch, who attempted to strangle him. He started up, however,
and made a vigorous resistance; but his murderer, twining round his
legs, seized him in such a way as gave him exquisite pain: he fainted,
and in this senseless state was strangled. Meantime, the Bairactar
thundered at the great gate, and threatened to batter it down, if
the deposed sultan was not produced. He was answered, that his wish
should be immediately complied with. The gate was thrown open, and the
lifeless Selim cast before him: the rough soldier threw himself upon
the body of his gentle master, and wept bitterly.
Another revolution immediately ensued−-the cruel and frivolous Mustapha
was deposed, and the soldiers searched for his brother Mahmoud, who
was known to be in the seraglio, but was no where to be found. It
was at length discovered, that a slave attached to his person had
immediately seized him when the disturbance began, and hurried him to
an oven, where she shut him in, and kept him concealed. From thence he
was taken, and placed on the throne. His first act of Turkish policy,
immutable in ferocity and disregard of human life, was to cause his
brother Mustapha to be strangled; and his next, to cast into the sea
all the females of his brother’s harem, lest any of their children,
even then unborn, should cause a disputed succession.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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