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
Murad, when he heard, at Brusa, of this mad outbreak, returned with all
haste to Europe, and organized resistance to it, in concert with the
Greek Emperor. They agreed that the two rebels, when captured, should
be deprived of their eyesight. Murad thereupon, taking what soldiers he
could get together, marched to meet Saoudji’s army. When within hearing
of it, he called out to the soldiers by night, urging them to return
to their duty and promising pardon to them. The soldiers, hearing the
voice of the Sultan, who had so often led them to victory, repented
of their treachery and deserted the cause which they had so foolishly
taken up. Saoudji and Andronicus and the band of Greek nobles, thus
deserted by the rank and file of the army, took refuge in the fortress
of Demotika. Murad had no difficulty in capturing this place, and
with it the two rebel princes and the Greek nobles. In pursuance of
his agreement with the Emperor, he then deprived his own son of his
eyesight and, going beyond his promise, had the young man executed.
He caused the Greek nobles to be bound, two and three together, and
thrown into the Maritza, while he stood on the bank and revelled in
the sight of their drowning struggles. In some cases he insisted on
parents themselves putting their sons to death in his presence. When
they refused, the parents were drowned in the river together with their
sons. In this instance Murad showed that he had in him the vein of
cruelty which was conspicuous, more or less, in all the descendants of
Othman. Andronicus was handed over to the Greek Emperor, who partially,
but not completely, carried out his promise of depriving his grandson
of eyesight.
As a result of these events, the Emperor John Palæologus found himself
compelled to enter into another treaty with Murad, by which, in order
“that he might enjoy up to the end of his life in peace his last
possession,” he recognized himself as vassal of the Sultan, promised
to do military service in the Ottoman army, and gave his son Manuel in
charge of Murad as a hostage.
2. THE CONQUESTS IN MACEDONIA, BULGARIA, AND SERBIA.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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