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
The decade following the Macedonian campaign of 1371-2 was spent in
ottomanizing southern Bulgaria and eastern Macedonia, in completing the
assimilation of Thrace, in reorganizing the army, and in a rearrangement
of the system of distributing the timarets or military fiefs. Royal
domains were created, and lands were set aside for the support of the
mosques and other religious institutions in the form of inalienable
endowments (_vakufs_).
The only move of Murad against the Hungarians was to send five thousand
archers, upon the request of the Senate, to help the Venetians in their
war against Louis.[345]
After the Macedonian campaign, Murad turned his attention once more to
Byzantium. John, when he returned from his unsuccessful trip to Rome,
placated Murad by sending his third son, Theodore, to serve in the
Ottoman army. In 1373, John, passing over Andronicus, raised Manuel to
the imperial purple as co-emperor. The disloyalty of his eldest son in
the question of the emperor’s ransom from his Venetian creditors made it
natural that John should have selected Manuel to rule with him.
John was not wrong in his estimate of the character of Andronicus. The
disappointed prince entered into a conspiracy with Saoudji, son of
Murad, who had been entrusted with the command of the Thracian army
while his father was occupied in Anatolia. John and Manuel, according to
some accounts, were also in the field with Murad. So the moment was
propitious. The two sons raised the standard of revolt against their
fathers.[346] Murad, who hated his own son and feared him, crossed
immediately into Thrace. The army which was supporting the cause of the
young princes abandoned them, and the rebels fled to shut themselves up
in Demotika.[347]
Faced with starvation, the inhabitants of Demotika opened the gates of
their city to Murad. He exacted a most atrocious vengeance. The garrison
were bound hand and foot and thrown into the river. The young Osmanlis
and Greeks who had been led astray by the princes, were put to death.
Wherever possible Murad compelled fathers to act as executioners of
their sons. He set the example by tearing out Saoudji’s eyes, and then
cutting off his head.[348]
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