[250] Trevisano, 129. [251] Giovio, _Commentarius_, 77. [252] Ramberti, below, p. 254; Junis Bey, below, p. 269; D’Ohsson, vii. 28. [253] Postel, iii. 25. [254] Postel, iii. 22, says that only those who had special privilege from the sultan were allowed to learn letters. Ricaut, 76, says that some of those in the palace service were taught to read and write. In D’Ohsson’s time (vii. 327), each _oda_ had a _hoja_ to teach reading and writing to those who wished. [255] Junis Bey, 269, 270, says that they had 2 or 3 aspers per day at first, and more as they advanced, and that their chief was allowed 100,000 aspers a year for their food and clothing. Postel, iii. 23, says that their chief was allowed 10,000 aspers a day to keep them and pay them, and other money for their clothing. [256] Ramberti, 254; Junis Bey, 270; Postel, iii. 25. [257] Spandugino, 104. Trevisano, 130, says that they became such at from 20 to 25 years old, according to their mind, value, or favor. [258] Ricaut, 76. But those of the principal palace in Constantinople had greater opportunities; they might become Janissaries, _Solaks_, _Kapujis_, etc. (Ramberti, below, p. 245.) [259] Chalcocondyles, 97. [260] Trevisano, 130; Barbaro, 316; Garzoni, 397. [261] Zinkeisen, iii. 228. [262] Ricaut, 53; D’Ohsson, vii. 34-39. [263] Ramberti, below, p. 244; Junis Bey, below, p. 263; Ricaut, 53. [264] Junis Bey, as quoted above, p. 81, note 4. [265] Chalcocondyles, 171; Barbaro, 305; Nicolay, 89 (“the wages of each are increased, according to the merit of their military valor”). [266] Hammer, _Geschichte_, iii. 160. [267] _Tractatus_, ch. viii. [268] Postel, i. 121. [269] _Ibid._ iii. 19. [270] Tanco, 197, 206. [271] Busbecq, _Life and Letters_, i. 105. [272] Busbecq, _Life and Letters_, i. 154-155. [273] Ricaut, 77. [274] Spandugino, 185; Busbecq, _Life and Letters_, i. 108. [275] Spandugino, 132. [276] The grand vizier Rustem’s wealth is summed up in detail in Hammer’s _Geschichte_, iii. 386: “He himself left at his death an immense fortune; no grand vizier before him had amassed so much wealth. His estate consisted of 815 farms in Rumelia and Anatolia, 476 water mills, 1700 slaves, 2900 war horses, 1106 camels, 5000 richly embroidered coats and robes of honor, 8000 turbans, 1100 caps of cloth of gold, 2900 coats of mail, 2000 cuirasses, 600 saddles finished in silver, 500 others adorned with gold and precious stones, 1500 helmets plated with silver, 130 pairs of golden stirrups, 760 sabres adorned with precious stones, 1000 lances trimmed with silver, 800 Korans, 130 of which were set with diamonds, 5000 volumes of various works, 78,000 ducats, 32 precious stones representing a value of 112 donkey-loads (that is to say, 11,200,000 aspers); the ready money which was found in his house was estimated at 1000 loads (100,000,000 aspers, or 2,000,000 ducats.)” [277] D. Barbarigo, 30-33. [278] Menavino, 128.