IhaveexpatiatedonthepersonalanecdoteswhichmarkthecharacteroftheMogulhero;butIshallbrieflymention,^36
thatheerectedontheruinsofBagdadapyramidofninetythousandheads;againvisitedGeorgia;encampedonthebanksofAraxes;andproclaimedhisresolutionofmarchingagainsttheOttomanemperor。Consciousoftheimportanceofthewar,hecollectedhisforcesfromeveryprovince:eighthundredthousandmenwereenrolledonhismilitarylist;^37butthesplendidcommandsoffive,andten,thousandhorse,mayberatherexpressiveoftherankandpensionofthechiefs,thanofthegenuinenumberofeffectivesoldiers。^38InthepillageofSyria,theMogulshadacquiredimmenseriches:butthedeliveryoftheirpayandarrearsforsevenyearsmorefirmlyattachedthemtotheImperialstandard。
[Footnote33:SeethereignsofBarkokandPharadge,inM。DeGuignes,tom。iv。l。xxii。,who,fromtheArabictextsofAboulmahasen,EbnSchounah,andAintabi,hasaddedsomefactstoourcommonstockofmaterials。]
[Footnote34:Fortheserecentanddomestictransactions,Arabshah,thoughapartial,isacredible,witness,tom。i。c。
64—68,tom。ii。c。1—14。TimourmusthavebeenodioustoaSyrian;butthenotorietyoffactswouldhaveobligedhim,insomemeasure,torespecthisenemyandhimself。HisbittersmaycorrecttheluscioussweetsofSherefeddin,l。v。c。17—29]
[Footnote35:TheseinterestingconversationsappeartohavebeencopiedbyArabshahtom。i。c。68,p。625—645fromthecadhiandhistorianEbnSchounah,aprincipalactor。Yethowcouldhebealiveseventy—fiveyearsafterwards?D'Herbelot,p。792。]
[Footnote36:ThemarchesandoccupationsofTimourbetweentheSyrianandOttomanwarsarerepresentedbySherefeddinl。v。c。
29—43andArabshah,tom。ii。c。15—18。]
[Footnote37:Thisnumberof800,000wasextractedbyArabshah,orratherbyEbnSchounah,exrationarioTimuri,onthefaithofaCarizmianofficer,tom。i。c。68,p。617;anditisremarkableenough,thataGreekhistorianPhranza,l。i。c。29
addsnomorethan20,000men。Poggiusreckons1,000,000;anotherLatincontemporaryChron。Tarvisianum,apudMuratori,tom。xix。
p。8001,100,000;andtheenormoussumof1,600,000isattestedbyaGermansoldier,whowaspresentatthebattleofAngora,Leunclay。adChalcondyl。l。iii。p。82。Timour,inhisInstitutions,hasnotdeignedtocalculatehistroops,hissubjects,orhisrevenues。]
[Footnote38:Awidelatitudeofnon—effectiveswasallowedbytheGreatMogulforhisownprideandthebenefitofhisofficers。Bernier'spatronwasPenge—Hazari,commanderof5000
horse;ofwhichhemaintainednomorethan500,Voyages,tom。i。
p。288,289。]
DuringthisdiversionoftheMogularms,Bajazethadtwoyearstocollecthisforcesforamoreseriousencounter。Theyconsistedoffourhundredthousandhorseandfoot,^39whosemeritandfidelitywereofanunequalcomplexion。WemaydiscriminatetheJanizaries,whohavebeengraduallyraisedtoanestablishmentoffortythousandmen;anationalcavalry,theSpahisofmoderntimes;twentythousandcuirassiersofEurope,cladinblackandimpenetrablearmor;thetroopsofAnatolia,whoseprinceshadtakenrefugeinthecampofTimour,andacolonyofTartars,whomhehaddrivenfromKipzak,andtowhomBajazethadassignedasettlementintheplainsofAdrianople。
Thefearlessconfidenceofthesultanurgedhimtomeethisantagonist;and,asifhehadchosenthatspotforrevenge,hedisplayedhisbannerneartheruinsoftheunfortunateSuvas。Inthemeanwhile,TimourmovedfromtheAraxesthroughthecountriesofArmeniaandAnatolia:hisboldnesswassecuredbythewisestprecautions;hisspeedwasguidedbyorderanddiscipline;andthewoods,themountains,andtherivers,werediligentlyexploredbytheflyingsquadrons,whomarkedhisroadandprecededhisstandard。FirminhisplanoffightingintheheartoftheOttomankingdom,heavoidedtheircamp;dexterouslyinclinedtotheleft;occupiedCaesarea;traversedthesaltdesertandtheRiverHalys;andinvestedAngora:whilethesultan,immovableandignorantinhispost,comparedtheTartarswiftnesstothecrawlingofasnail;^40hereturnedonthewingsofindignationtothereliefofAngora:andasbothgeneralswerealikeimpatientforaction,theplainsroundthatcitywerethesceneofamemorablebattle,whichhasimmortalizedthegloryofTimourandtheshameofBajazet。ForthissignalvictorytheMogulemperorwasindebtedtohimself,tothegeniusofthemoment,andthedisciplineofthirtyyears。Hehadimprovedthetactics,withoutviolatingthemanners,ofhisnation,^41whoseforcestillconsistedinthemissileweapons,andrapidevolutions,ofanumerouscavalry。Fromasingletrooptoagreatarmy,themodeofattackwasthesame:aforemostlinefirstadvancedtothecharge,andwassupportedinajustorderbythesquadronsofthegreatvanguard。Thegeneral'seyewatchedoverthefield,andathiscommandthefrontandrearoftherightandleftwingssuccessivelymovedforwardsintheirseveraldivisions,andinadirectorobliqueline:theenemywaspressedbyeighteenortwentyattacks;andeachattackaffordedachanceofvictory。Iftheyallprovedfruitlessorunsuccessful,theoccasionwasworthyoftheemperorhimself,whogavethesignalofadvancingtothestandardandmainbody,whichheledinperson。^42ButinthebattleofAngora,themainbodyitselfwassupported,ontheflanksandintherear,bythebravestsquadronsofthereserve,commandedbythesonsandgrandsonsofTimour。TheconquerorofHindostanostentatiouslyshowedalineofelephants,thetrophies,ratherthantheinstruments,ofvictory;theuseoftheGreekfirewasfamiliartotheMogulsandOttomans;buthadtheyborrowedfromEuropetherecentinventionofgunpowderandcannon,theartificialthunder,inthehandsofeithernation,musthaveturnedthefortuneoftheday。^43InthatdayBajazetdisplayedthequalitiesofasoldierandachief:buthisgeniussunkunderastrongerascendant;and,fromvariousmotives,thegreatestpartofhistroopsfailedhiminthedecisivemoment。HisrigorandavaricehadprovokedamutinyamongtheTurks;andevenhissonSolimantoohastilywithdrewfromthefield。TheforcesofAnatolia,loyalintheirrevolt,weredrawnawaytothebannersoftheirlawfulprinces。
HisTartarallieshadbeentemptedbythelettersandemissariesofTimour;^44whoreproachedtheirignobleservitudeundertheslavesoftheirfathers;andofferedtotheirhopesthedominionoftheirnew,orthelibertyoftheirancient,country。IntherightwingofBajazetthecuirassiersofEuropecharged,withfaithfulheartsandirresistiblearms:butthesemenofironweresoonbrokenbyanartfulflightandheadlongpursuit;andtheJanizaries,alone,withoutcavalryormissileweapons,wereencompassedbythecircleoftheMogulhunters。Theirvalorwasatlengthoppressedbyheat,thirst,andtheweightofnumbers;
andtheunfortunatesultan,afflictedwiththegoutinhishandsandfeet,wastransportedfromthefieldonthefleetestofhishorses。HewaspursuedandtakenbythetitularkhanofZagatai;
and,afterhiscapture,andthedefeatoftheOttomanpowers,thekingdomofAnatoliasubmittedtotheconqueror,whoplantedhisstandardatKiotahia,anddispersedonallsidestheministersofrapineanddestruction。MirzaMehemmedSultan,theeldestandbestbelovedofhisgrandsons,wasdespatchedtoBoursa,withthirtythousandhorse;andsuchwashisyouthfulardor,thathearrivedwithonlyfourthousandatthegatesofthecapital,afterperforminginfivedaysamarchoftwohundredandthirtymiles。Yetfearisstillmorerapidinitscourse;andSoliman,thesonofBajazet,hadalreadypassedovertoEuropewiththeroyaltreasure。Thespoil,however,ofthepalaceandcitywasimmense:theinhabitantshadescaped;butthebuildings,forthemostpartofwood,werereducedtoashesFromBoursa,thegrandsonofTimouradvancedtoNice,everyetafairandflourishingcity;andtheMogulsquadronswereonlystoppedbythewavesofthePropontis。Thesamesuccessattendedtheothermirzasandemirsintheirexcursions;andSmyrna,defendedbythezealandcourageoftheRhodianknights,alonedeservedthepresenceoftheemperorhimself。Afteranobstinatedefence,theplacewastakenbystorm:allthatbreathedwasputtothesword;
andtheheadsoftheChristianheroeswerelaunchedfromtheengines,onboardoftwocarracks,orgreatshipsofEurope,thatrodeatanchorintheharbor。TheMoslemsofAsiarejoicedintheirdeliverancefromadangerousanddomesticfoe;andaparallelwasdrawnbetweenthetworivals,byobservingthatTimour,infourteendays,hadreducedafortresswhichhadsustainedsevenyearsthesiege,oratleasttheblockade,ofBajazet。^45
[Footnote39:Timourhimselffixesat400,000mentheOttomanarmy,Institutions,p。153,whichisreducedto150,000byPhranza,l。i。c。29,andswelledbytheGermansoldierto1,400,000。ItisevidentthattheMogulswerethemorenumerous。]
[Footnote40:ItmaynotbeuselesstomarkthedistancesbetweenAngoraandtheneighboringcities,bythejourneysofthecaravans,eachoftwentyortwenty—fivemiles;toSmyrnaxx。,toKiotahiax。,toBoursax。,toCaesarea,viii。,toSinopex。,toNicomedaix。,toConstantinoplexii。orxiii。,seeTournefort,VoyageauLevant,tom。ii。lettrexxi。]
[Footnote41:SeetheSystemsofTacticsintheInstitutions,whichtheEnglisheditorshaveillustratedwithelaborateplans,p。373—407。]
[Footnote42:ThesultanhimselfsaysTimourmustthenputthefootofcourageintothestirrupofpatience。ATartarmetaphor,whichislostintheEnglish,butpreservedintheFrench,versionoftheInstitutes,p。156,157。]
[Footnote43:TheGreekfire,onTimour'sside,isattestedbySherefeddin,l。v。c。47;butVoltaire'sstrangesuspicion,thatsomecannon,inscribedwithstrangecharacters,musthavebeensentbythatmonarchtoDelhi,isrefutedbytheuniversalsilenceofcontemporaries。]
[Footnote*:SeeV。Hammer,vol。i。p。310,forthesingularhintswhichwereconveyedtohimofthewisdomofunlockinghishoardedtreasures。—M。]
[Footnote44:TimourhasdissembledthissecretandimportantnegotiationwiththeTartars,whichisindisputablyprovedbythejointevidenceoftheArabian,tom。i。c。47,p。391,Turkish,Annal。Leunclav。p。321,andPersianhistorians,Khondemir,apudd'Herbelot,p。882。]
[Footnote45:ForthewarofAnatoliaorRoum,IaddsomehintsintheInstitutions,tothecopiousnarrativesofSherefeddinl。
v。c。44—65andArabshah,tom。ii。c。20—35。OnthispartonlyofTimour'shistoryitislawfultoquotetheTurks,Cantemir,p。53—55,Annal。Leunclav。p。320—322,andtheGreeks,Phranza,l。i。c。59,Ducas,c。15—17,Chalcondyles,l。iii。]
TheironcageinwhichBajazetwasimprisonedbyTamerlane,solongandsooftenrepeatedasamorallesson,isnowrejectedasafablebythemodernwriters,whosmileatthevulgarcredulity。^46TheyappealwithconfidencetothePersianhistoryofSherefeddinAli,whichhasbeengiventoourcuriosityinaFrenchversion,andfromwhichIshallcollectandabridgeamorespeciousnarrativeofthismemorabletransaction。NosoonerwasTimourinformedthatthecaptiveOttomanwasatthedoorofhistent,thanhegraciouslysteppedforwardstoreceivehim,seatedhimbyhisside,andmingledwithjustreproachesasoothingpityforhisrankandmisfortune。"Alas!"saidtheemperor,"thedecreeoffateisnowaccomplishedbyyourownfault;itisthewebwhichyouhavewoven,thethornsofthetreewhichyourselfhaveplanted。Iwishedtospare,andeventoassist,thechampionoftheMoslems;youbravedourthreats;youdespisedourfriendship;youforcedustoenteryourkingdomwithourinvinciblearmies。Beholdtheevent。Hadyouvanquished,Iamnotignorantofthefatewhichyoureservedformyselfandmytroops。ButIdisdaintoretaliate:yourlifeandhonoraresecure;andIshallexpressmygratitudetoGodbymyclemencytoman。"Theroyalcaptiveshowedsomesignsofrepentance,acceptedthehumiliationofarobeofhonor,andembracedwithtearshissonMousa,who,athisrequest,wassoughtandfoundamongthecaptivesofthefield。TheOttomanprinceswerelodgedinasplendidpavilion;andtherespectoftheguardscouldbesurpassedonlybytheirvigilance。OnthearrivaloftheharemfromBoursa,TimourrestoredthequeenDespinaandherdaughtertotheirfatherandhusband;buthepiouslyrequired,thattheServianprincess,whohadhithertobeenindulgedintheprofessionofChristianity,shouldembracewithoutdelaythereligionoftheprophet。Inthefeastofvictory,towhichBajazetwasinvited,theMogulemperorplacedacrownonhisheadandasceptreinhishand,withasolemnassuranceofrestoringhimwithanincreaseofglorytothethroneofhisancestors。
Buttheeffectofhispromisewasdisappointedbythesultan'suntimelydeath:amidstthecareofthemostskilfulphysicians,heexpiredofanapoplexyatAkshehr,theAntiochofPisidia,aboutninemonthsafterhisdefeat。Thevictordroppedatearoverhisgrave:hisbody,withroyalpomp,wasconveyedtothemausoleumwhichhehaderectedatBoursa;andhissonMousa,afterreceivingarichpresentofgoldandjewels,ofhorsesandarms,wasinvestedbyapatentinredinkwiththekingdomofAnatolia。
[Footnote46:ThescepticismofVoltaireEssaisurl'HistoireGenerale,c。88isreadyonthis,asoneveryoccasion,torejectapopulartale,andtodiminishthemagnitudeofviceandvirtue;andonmostoccasionshisincredulityisreasonable。]
Suchistheportraitofagenerousconqueror,whichhasbeenextractedfromhisownmemorials,anddedicatedtohissonandgrandson,nineteenyearsafterhisdecease;^47and,atatimewhenthetruthwasrememberedbythousands,amanifestfalsehoodwouldhaveimpliedasatireonhisrealconduct。Weightyindeedisthisevidence,adoptedbyallthePersianhistories;^48yetflattery,moreespeciallyintheEast,isbaseandaudacious;andtheharshandignominioustreatmentofBajazetisattestedbyachainofwitnesses,someofwhomshallbeproducedintheorderoftheirtimeandcountry。1。ThereaderhasnotforgotthegarrisonofFrench,whomthemarshalBoucicaultleftbehindhimforthedefenceofConstantinople。Theywereonthespottoreceivetheearliestandmostfaithfulintelligenceoftheoverthrowoftheirgreatadversary;anditismorethanprobable,thatsomeofthemaccompaniedtheGreekembassytothecampofTamerlane。Fromtheiraccount,thehardshipsoftheprisonanddeathofBajazetareaffirmedbythemarshal'sservantandhistorian,withinthedistanceofsevenyears。^492。ThenameofPoggiustheItalian^50isdeservedlyfamousamongthereviversoflearninginthefifteenthcentury。Hiselegantdialogueonthevicissitudesoffortune^51wascomposedinhisfiftiethyear,twenty—eightyearsaftertheTurkishvictoryofTamerlane;
^52whomhecelebratesasnotinferiortotheillustriousBarbariansofantiquity。OfhisexploitsanddisciplinePoggiuswasinformedbyseveralocularwitnesses;nordoesheforgetanexamplesoappositetohisthemeastheOttomanmonarch,whomtheScythianconfinedlikeawildbeastinanironcage,andexhibitedaspectacletoAsia。ImightaddtheauthorityoftwoItalianchronicles,perhapsofanearlierdate,whichwouldproveatleastthatthesamestory,whetherfalseortrue,wasimportedintoEuropewiththefirsttidingsoftherevolution。^533。AtthetimewhenPoggiusflourishedatRome,AhmedEbnArabshahcomposedatDamascusthefloridandmalevolenthistoryofTimour,forwhichhehadcollectedmaterialsinhisjourneysoverTurkeyandTartary。^54WithoutanypossiblecorrespondencebetweentheLatinandtheArabianwriter,theyagreeinthefactoftheironcage;andtheiragreementisastrikingproofoftheircommonveracity。AhmedArabshahlikewiserelatesanotheroutrage,whichBajazetendured,ofamoredomesticandtendernature。HisindiscreetmentionofwomenanddivorceswasdeeplyresentedbythejealousTartar:inthefeastofvictorythewinewasservedbyfemalecupbearers,andthesultanbeheldhisownconcubinesandwivesconfoundedamongtheslaves,andexposedwithoutaveiltotheeyesofintemperance。Toescapeasimilarindignity,itissaidthathissuccessors,exceptinasingleinstance,haveabstainedfromlegitimatenuptials;andtheOttomanpracticeandbelief,atleastinthesixteenthcentury,isassertedbytheobservingBusbequius,^55ambassadorfromthecourtofViennatothegreatSoliman。4。Suchistheseparationoflanguage,thatthetestimonyofaGreekisnotlessindependentthanthatofaLatinoranArab。IsuppressthenamesofChalcondylesandDucas,whoflourishedinthelatterperiod,andwhospeakinalesspositivetone;butmoreattentionisduetoGeorgePhranza,^56protovestiareofthelastemperors,andwhowasbornayearbeforethebattleofAngora。Twenty—twoyearsafterthatevent,hewassentambassadortoAmuraththeSecond;andthehistorianmightconversewithsomeveteranJanizaries,whohadbeenmadeprisonerswiththesultan,andhadthemselvesseenhiminhisironcage。5。Thelastevidence,ineverysense,isthatoftheTurkishannals,whichhavebeenconsultedortranscribedbyLeunclavius,Pocock,andCantemir。^57Theyunanimouslydeplorethecaptivityoftheironcage;andsomecreditmaybeallowedtonationalhistorians,whocannotstigmatizetheTartarwithoutuncoveringtheshameoftheirkingandcountry。
[Footnote47:SeetheHistoryofSherefeddin,l。v。c。49,52,53,59,60。ThisworkwasfinishedatShiraz,intheyear1424,anddedicatedtoSultanIbrahim,thesonofSharokh,thesonofTimour,whoreignedinFarsistaninhisfather'slifetime。]
[Footnote48:AftertheperusalofKhondemir,EbnSchounah,&c。,thelearnedD'HerbelotBibliot。Orientale,p。882mayaffirm,thatthisfableisnotmentionedinthemostauthentichistories;
buthisdenialofthevisibletestimonyofArabshahleavessomeroomtosuspecthisaccuracy。]
[Footnote49:Etfutlui—memeBajazetpris,etmeneenprison,enlaquellemourutdeduremort!MemoiresdeBoucicault,P。i。
c。37。TheseMemoirswerecomposedwhilethemarshalwasstillgovernorofGenoa,fromwhencehewasexpelledintheyear1409,byapopularinsurrection,Muratori,Annalid'Italia,tom。xii。
p。473,474。]
[Footnote50:ThereaderwillfindasatisfactoryaccountofthelifeandwritingsofPoggiusinthePoggiana,anentertainingworkofM。Lenfant,andintheBibliothecaLatinaMediaeetInfimaeAetatisofFabricius,tom。v。p。305—308。Poggiuswasbornintheyear1380,anddiedin1459。]
[Footnote51:ThedialoguedeVarietateFortunae,ofwhichacompleteandeleganteditionhasbeenpublishedatParisin1723,in4to。,wascomposedashorttimebeforethedeathofPopeMartinV。,p。5,andconsequentlyabouttheendoftheyear1430。]