The Turkish Empire, Its Growth and DecayEversley, G. Shaw-Lefevre (George Shaw-Lefevre), Baron
History
The Turkish Empire, Its Growth and Decay
Eversley, G. Shaw-Lefevre (George Shaw-Lefevre), Baron
Turkey -- History
Zadé Kiuprili repleted the treasury by heavy contributions on the
officials, who had enriched themselves at the expense of the public. He
filled the ranks of the army by calling out veterans. He revived the
Ottoman navy. He fitted out a flotilla of vessels for service on the
Danube. He replaced a number of incompetent and corrupt governors by
honest men on whom he could rely. He endeavoured to win the support of
the Christian rayas throughout the Empire. He issued imperative orders
to all governors and pashas that no one should be allowed to oppress
the rayas. No taxes were to be levied on them except the capitation
tax. He allowed the Christians everywhere to build churches, though he
himself was a most strict Mussulman. He freed trade from many unwise
and unnecessary restrictions. He was personally austere and simple in
his habits, very reserved in his utterances. It was said of him that
he never committed a crime and never used a superfluous word. He was
commonly called ‘Kiuprili the Virtuous.’ Unfortunately for his country,
he held the post of Grand Vizier for less than two years, for it will
be seen that he was killed in battle in 1691.
At the time when he assumed the Grand Vizierate the Austrians had
crossed the Danube and had advanced far into Macedonia. Kiuprili sent
an army against them and defeated them in two engagements. As a result,
nearly all the important posts south of the Danube were recovered and
the pressure on the Empire in this quarter was removed. Zadé Kiuprili
now took command of the army in person, and in August, 1690, advanced
through Bulgaria, drove the Austrians from their position between
Sofia and Nisch, and besieged and captured the latter place. He then
attacked and captured in succession Semendria, Widdin, and Belgrade.
Another Ottoman army under Tekeli Pasha invaded Transylvania and drove
the Austrians from it. Kiuprili returned to Constantinople covered with
glory.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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