The Foundation of the Ottoman Empire; a history of the Osmanlis up to the death of Bayezid I (1300-1403)Gibbons, Herbert Adams
History
The Foundation of the Ottoman Empire; a history of the Osmanlis up to the death of Bayezid I (1300-1403)
Gibbons, Herbert Adams
Turkey -- History -- 1288-1453
Ibn Batutah calls him the ‘lord of Brusa, son of Osman the Little,
powerful and rich among the Turcoman kings, in treasures, cities and
soldiers’. He never ceased making the tour of the hundred castles he
possessed. In each of these he would pass several days to repair them
and inspect their situation. It was common report that he never spent a
whole month in a city, not even in Brusa. He was all the time fighting
and besieging the infidels. It was his indomitable energy which seems to
have impressed the traveller from Morocco. The absolute lack of
slothful, indifferent acquiescence in the will of God of these
latter-day Turkish converts was naturally a source of continual surprise
to this doctor of Islam, fresh from his observation of races who had
been for hundreds of years in the faith of Mohammed.[129]
Shehabeddin is less complimentary. He says: ‘Orkhan has under his
domination fifty cities and a still larger number of castles. His army
consists of 40,000 horsemen, and an almost innumerable host of
foot-soldiers. But these troops are not warlike, and their number is
more formidable in appearance than in reality. This prince shows himself
very pacific in regard to his neighbours, and always ready to help his
allies. However, he is engaged in continual wars and is always at odds
with many enemies. If he gains little from these struggles, it is
because his soldiers do not serve him well, his subjects are not well
disposed towards him, and several of his neighbours live in open
hostility to him. I am told that the Osmanlis are treacherous men, whose
hearts know only hatred and whose heads are filled with base
thoughts.’[130] In another place Shehabeddin records that Orkhan has in
the field 25,000 horsemen who are fighting daily the prince of
Constantinople. ‘The Greek emperor is eager to buy the goodwill of
Orkhan by paying him a monthly tribute.’ Orkhan sends expeditions into
Europe, ‘where waves of blood flow’.[131]
V
The first Ottoman legislation, and the organization of the army, is
attributed by tradition to Orkhan’s brother, Alaeddin, rather than to
the emir himself. The story goes that Alaeddin was a man of peace, and
did not engage in war.[132] He refused to accept the generous offer of
Orkhan to share the states of Osman, when their father died. Not only
would he not accept a division of the chieftainship, but he also refused
to share the personal possessions of Osman. Then Orkhan said, ‘Since you
will not rule, be my vizier, and bear the burdens of the organization of
the state.’ Thus was created the office of Grand Vizier, which has
played so important a part in Ottoman history.[133]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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