DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.25694#0035
ORCHAN,
SECOND EMPEROR OF THE TURKS.
1325-1358.
O* chan having, by his victories, annexed a considerable extent of territory to his father’s
dominions, had acquired the reputation of a great general. These conquests were accelerated
by the continued supineness of the Greek emperors, whose civil dissensions enabled Othman
and his successor to lay the foundation of a great empire in Phrygia and Bithynia. The cessation
of arms which ensued on the part of the Turks, in consequence of the death of Othman, gave the
Christians an opportunity to recover possession of the city of Nissa, and other places of less note,
which happened to be but feebly garrisoned ; but Orchan soon retaliated and obtained several
important advantages. The conquest of a strong castle near the river Sangarius formed the first,
and one of the most dexterous exploits of the emperor’s reign. With a chosen body of his guards,
disguised as Christian merchants, Orchan peaceably approached the gates of the castle : their
appearance, though in number considerable, created no alarm; they were readily admitted, and
seizing an opportunity for surprising the garrison, they possessed themselves of the place before
the Christians had recovered from their consternation. This conquest opened a passage for the
Turks over the river ; so that all communication being cut off between the Christian forces and
Nissa, that city was threatened with famine. To afford it timely relief, young Andronicus, the
Greek emperor, marched in person, and passed the Straits of Constantinople into Asia ; but
great part of his force consisting of new levies, it was an unequal match for the veteran soldiers
of Orchan. The armies met at a small town in Bithynia, where an irregular, but sanguinary, en-
gagement took place, which was terminated only by the darkness of the night. Great courage was
displayed on both sides; but the loss of the Christians was so considerable, that they retired
during the night, leaving the Turks, who were in no condition to pursue them, in quiet possession
of the field of battle. The Greek emperor received a wound in the foot with an arrow, and being
desirous of procuring relief secretly, he withdrew to a neighbouring village for that purpose ; but
a report arising that he had fled, the army soon caught the alarm, and each endeavoured to consult
his own safety in flight. Many hundreds lost their lives in this scene of confusion and dismay ; a
few only regained their boats, and the remainder fell into the hands of a strong detachment of
Turkish cavalry which the Sultan had posted as an advanced guard, to observe the motions of the
Greeks during the night. Andronicus seeing his army routed, and his camp together with his
horses, armour, tents, and furniture taken possession of by the Turks, re-embarked, and returned to
his capital. The city of Nissa, now entirely surrounded by the forces of Orchan, surrendered at
discretion: it was given up to the army for plunder, and the principal citizens were, according to
the custom of those times, sent into captivity : yet Orchan, soon afterwards, rebuilt the city, and
not only removed to it his imperial court, but founded several colleges for learning ; and by
his munificent patronage of arts and sciences, restored it to more than its former splendour.
While the Sultan was enlarging his dominions by these conquests, his generals were successful in
every quarter. The castle of Abydos, one of the strongest in Asia, and forming, with the opposite
castle of Sestos in Europe, what are now called the Dardanelles, was taken by surprise ; and in
about ten years after the fall of Nissa, Nicomedia, the capital of Bithynia, after an obstinate
siege, shared the same fate. The Sultan constituted his son Soliman governor of this city, which vied
in riches and beauty with Rome itself. Many of the Christian churches were changed into Turkish
mosques, and colleges for the professors and students of the Mahometan law. In his government
SECOND EMPEROR OF THE TURKS.
1325-1358.
O* chan having, by his victories, annexed a considerable extent of territory to his father’s
dominions, had acquired the reputation of a great general. These conquests were accelerated
by the continued supineness of the Greek emperors, whose civil dissensions enabled Othman
and his successor to lay the foundation of a great empire in Phrygia and Bithynia. The cessation
of arms which ensued on the part of the Turks, in consequence of the death of Othman, gave the
Christians an opportunity to recover possession of the city of Nissa, and other places of less note,
which happened to be but feebly garrisoned ; but Orchan soon retaliated and obtained several
important advantages. The conquest of a strong castle near the river Sangarius formed the first,
and one of the most dexterous exploits of the emperor’s reign. With a chosen body of his guards,
disguised as Christian merchants, Orchan peaceably approached the gates of the castle : their
appearance, though in number considerable, created no alarm; they were readily admitted, and
seizing an opportunity for surprising the garrison, they possessed themselves of the place before
the Christians had recovered from their consternation. This conquest opened a passage for the
Turks over the river ; so that all communication being cut off between the Christian forces and
Nissa, that city was threatened with famine. To afford it timely relief, young Andronicus, the
Greek emperor, marched in person, and passed the Straits of Constantinople into Asia ; but
great part of his force consisting of new levies, it was an unequal match for the veteran soldiers
of Orchan. The armies met at a small town in Bithynia, where an irregular, but sanguinary, en-
gagement took place, which was terminated only by the darkness of the night. Great courage was
displayed on both sides; but the loss of the Christians was so considerable, that they retired
during the night, leaving the Turks, who were in no condition to pursue them, in quiet possession
of the field of battle. The Greek emperor received a wound in the foot with an arrow, and being
desirous of procuring relief secretly, he withdrew to a neighbouring village for that purpose ; but
a report arising that he had fled, the army soon caught the alarm, and each endeavoured to consult
his own safety in flight. Many hundreds lost their lives in this scene of confusion and dismay ; a
few only regained their boats, and the remainder fell into the hands of a strong detachment of
Turkish cavalry which the Sultan had posted as an advanced guard, to observe the motions of the
Greeks during the night. Andronicus seeing his army routed, and his camp together with his
horses, armour, tents, and furniture taken possession of by the Turks, re-embarked, and returned to
his capital. The city of Nissa, now entirely surrounded by the forces of Orchan, surrendered at
discretion: it was given up to the army for plunder, and the principal citizens were, according to
the custom of those times, sent into captivity : yet Orchan, soon afterwards, rebuilt the city, and
not only removed to it his imperial court, but founded several colleges for learning ; and by
his munificent patronage of arts and sciences, restored it to more than its former splendour.
While the Sultan was enlarging his dominions by these conquests, his generals were successful in
every quarter. The castle of Abydos, one of the strongest in Asia, and forming, with the opposite
castle of Sestos in Europe, what are now called the Dardanelles, was taken by surprise ; and in
about ten years after the fall of Nissa, Nicomedia, the capital of Bithynia, after an obstinate
siege, shared the same fate. The Sultan constituted his son Soliman governor of this city, which vied
in riches and beauty with Rome itself. Many of the Christian churches were changed into Turkish
mosques, and colleges for the professors and students of the Mahometan law. In his government