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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE. XXI
Amurath IV. ascended the throne in 1624. He took Babylon, and caused 30,000 of
its inhabitants to be massacred in cold blood, under his own eyes. In addition to the
usual cruelty, and disregard of human life, which distinguished other sultans, he adopted
a practice peculiarly his own. It was his custom to issue from the palace at night
with drawn scimitar in his hand, and not return till he had committed some murder.
Another of his favourite amusements was to place himself in a window with a bow and
arrows, and pin to the opposite wall any casual passenger. Historians represent him as so
fond of shedding human blood, that it seemed to be the aliment on which he lived. His
caprice was equal to his cruelty; he found, or made, cause for displeasure in every thing,
as a pretext to justify him. He sent thirty poor pilgrims to the galleys, because he did not
like their dress. It was his delight to render those unhappy, whom he hesitated to
deprive of life. Whenever an ill-assorted marriage was likely to cause this, he adopted it.
He broke suitable arrangements, and compelled young girls to marry decrepit old men,
and youths of eighteen to unite themselves with women of eighty. He indulged freely
in the use of wine, but disliked tobacco, and was so determined that no one else should
enjoy it, that he instantly stabbed with his yategan the man on whom he detected the smell
of it. One instance only of mercy is recorded in the course of his life. A certain Tiraki
was an inveterate smoker, and, to indulge it, he dug a hole in the ground. Here the
sultan stumbled upon him, and proceeded at once to despatch him; but the smoker
bade him observe, that his edict was issued for the surface of the earth, and was not
meant to extend below it. For the first time, he* spared the life of an offender. He died
in 1640. Unfortunately for his subjects, he reigned fourteen years.
Mahomet IV. was placed on the throne at the age of nine years, but the talent of his
vizir compensated for his own want of experience. His reign was distinguished by
several remarkable events. The great island of Crete, or Candia, had hitherto resisted
Turkish rule. It was determined to reduce it, and, after an obstinate resistance of
twenty-four years, it was at length taken by treachery. The Turks lost 200,000 men;
and such were the ravages committed, that this fine island remained a desert. A second
siege of Vienna followed. Tekeli, the noted Hungarian rebel, had raised the standard of
revolt against his sovereign : to aid his plans, the renegade Christian called in the
assistance of the greatest enemy of his faith; and Mahomet advanced with an immense
army, now certain of realizing the plans of Soliman the Magnificent, and declaring himself Sultan of all Christendom. But his projects were arrested in the moment of their
accomplishment, and from a quarter least expected. John Sobiesky advanced from his
deserts with his gallant Poles, and signally defeated the Turks in two engagements.
They were driven from their strong hold in Pest, the capital of Hungary, of which they
had held obstinate possession for 157 years, and retired behind the Danube. Since
that time, instead of being the assailants, pushing on their advances into Europe, they
merely struggle to keep their position in a European soil. To console himself for his
losses, the Sultan, whose disposition seemed susceptible of other enjoyments besides those
of war, became attached to rural occupations. The Turks have always been distinguished
by their fondness for flowers, and he engaged in the pursuit of cultivating them with more |
