The Bondage and Travels of Johann Schiltberger, a Native of Bavaria, in Europe, Asia, and Africa, 1396-1427Schiltberger, Johannes
History
The Bondage and Travels of Johann Schiltberger, a Native of Bavaria, in Europe, Asia, and Africa, 1396-1427
Schiltberger, Johannes
Timur, 1336-1405 -- Early works to 1800; Turkey -- History -- Bayezid I, 1389-1403; Voyages and travels -- Early works to 1800
(2.) “Ternowa.”—Trnovo or Ternov, the capital of Eastern Bulgaria,
was taken and destroyed by the Turks in 1393, at a moment that
Shishman happened to be absent. Turkish authors have recorded, that at
Nicopolis he surrendered at discretion, and died, according to some,
in confinement, and at an advanced age; others, however, state that he
was beheaded, which, judging by the narrative in the text, would appear
doubtful. Alexander, Shishman’s eldest son, having turned Mahomedan,
was appointed governor of Saroukhan, as we are informed by Rehm
(_Gesch. d. Mittelalt._, iv, 2, 584); and it is possible that he was
transferred to Samsoun after the conquest of the province of Janyk, in
the province-general of Trebizond. His younger brother Fruzin remained
a Christian, and died at Kronstadt in 1460.—BRUUN.
CHAPTER IX.
(1.) “Wurchanadin.”—It has already been noticed that Bourhan uddin
was prince of Sebaste or Sivas. The Turkish lord named Otman in this
chapter, was Kara Yelek, chief of the Turkoman Horde of the White
Sheep.—BRUUN.
(2.) The death of Bourhan uddin.—Oriental writers are at issue as to
the date of the death of Bourhan uddin, and of the incorporation of
his domains with those of Bajazet. Saad uddin (Weil., _Gesch. d.
Chalifen_, ii, 60, note i) observes, that various dates are given,
from the year 794 to 799 of the Hegira = 1391–96. In his History of
the Ottoman Empire (i, 226), Hammer expresses himself in favour of the
opinion of Nishandi, an Arabian author, who fixes the date at 795 =
1392. This opinion is supported by Zinkeisen (_Gesch. d. O. R._, i,
353), who states he has no doubt that “the course of events and the
most reliable authorities testify in favour of the year 1392”, although
Weil makes it clear, that the death of Bourhan uddin could not have
taken place before the year 800 = 1398. German historians are guided by
the statements of Oriental writers, who have apparently confounded two
wars between Bajazet and the sovereign of Sebaste, the one having taken
place before, and the other after the battle of Nicopolis. Indeed we
learn from Schiltberger, that previously to the war in which he himself
was engaged (see page 17), the younger son of Bajazet had driven
Bourhan uddin out of “Marsüany”, a city which, from being situated on
the borders of Karaman, must have been identical with Marsivan (Viv.
de Saint-Martin, _Desc. de l’A. M._, ii, 448) or Merzyfoun, as it
was called by Hadjy Khalpha (_Jihan-Numa_, etc., ii, 407), and was
perhaps the village of Morivazou, the birth-place of St. Stephen of
Sougdaia (_Zap. Odess._, v, 625). In the introduction to his edition
of 1859, Neumann submits that Amasia is here intended; but he is in
error, because that place had already been taken by Bajazet, not from
Bourhan uddin, but from Bajazet the “Impotent”, together with Samsoun,
Kastamouny, and Osmandjyk (Hammer, i, 312–315).
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