DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.25694#0040
AMURATH I.
THIRD EMPEROR OF THE TURKS.
1358-1389.
Amurath began his reign by an expedition against the confederated Mahometan Princes in
Asia, who had taken advantage of his father’s death, and the absence of the Turkish army in
Europe, to encroach on his dominions. Having reduced them to obedience, he passed over to
Callipolis, and made himself master of many strong places in Thrace ; of which some were garri-
soned by him, and others razed to the ground. The conquest of Adrianople next became the
object of the Sultan’s ambition ; and notwithstanding a severe check sustained by one of his chiefs,
the governor, either through fear or treachery, secretly fled on the approach of Amurath, who took
possession of the city; which appearing to him conveniently situated for keeping the Christians
in awe, or for invading their territories, he removed to it the Turkish court.
This Sultan having, during a short space of time, greatly extended his territories, found it necessary
to adopt some plan by which his armies might be recruited : by the advice of his Vizier, he issued
an edict claiming, as his imperial right, the fifth part of all Christian captives. They were, accord-
ingly, selected from the most robust and beautiful of the Christian youths, between the ages of
fifteen and twenty years, and immediately conducted to the Ottoman court, where they Avere
instructed in the Turkish language, religion, and manners ; and when sufficiently accomplished,
were appointed to attend on the person of the Emperor, and to serve in his armies. From the
novelty of this levy, they were called Janissaries, or new soldiers. Such was the origin of this
famous body of men, who have since proved equally formidable to their enemies and to their
sovereigns ; and who, like the praetorian band of the Roman empire, have venally, or tumultuously,
disposed of the crown they are sworn to defend.
Amurath had now become the fear and envy of those princes of Asia, whose possessions lay on
the borders of the Ottoman kingdom. One of the most powerful of them courting the alliance of
the Turkish sovereign, Bajazet, the son of the Emperor, was contracted to his daughter, and the
nuptials were afterwards celebrated with pomp and magnificence, until that time unknown to the
Mahometan princes. After the marriage of his son, Amurath passed the Hellespont with a power-
ful army, and marched to Adrianople with the view of crushing Lazarus, the despot of Servia, who
had ravaged some of the Turkish possessions in his absence. The Sultan laid siege to the capital
of Servia, which so disconcerted Lazarus, that he sent ambassadors to sue for peace ; and offering
an annual tribute of fifty thousand pounds, with a thousand men to serve as auxiliaries in the
Turkish armies, when required, a peace was concluded.
But Avhile Amurath was extending his conquests in Europe, his son-in-law, Aladin, King of
Caramania, taking advantage of his absence, ravaged his dominions with fire and sword. To oppose
this invasion, the Emperor led his victorious army : negotiations were indeed entered into, but
the Sultan would accede to nothing short of absolute submission and complete restitution ; which
being refused by the Caramanian King, the two armies advanced, and encamped within a short
distance of each other on the plains of Caramania ; being the same spot on which the Christians
reposed their troops when proceeding to the conquest of Jerusalem. Amurath having refreshed his
men, arranged them in the order of battle. The right wing was led by his youngest son, with
whom he joined many of his principal warriors and tributary Christian princes. The left was
entrusted to Bajazet, his eldest son, under Avhose command were placed the Servian auxiliaries.
The centre was led by the Emperor himself, surrounded by his best troops. Aladin was not inferior
to the Sultan in his arrangements ; and the armies, inspired by the mutual hatred of their leaders,
THIRD EMPEROR OF THE TURKS.
1358-1389.
Amurath began his reign by an expedition against the confederated Mahometan Princes in
Asia, who had taken advantage of his father’s death, and the absence of the Turkish army in
Europe, to encroach on his dominions. Having reduced them to obedience, he passed over to
Callipolis, and made himself master of many strong places in Thrace ; of which some were garri-
soned by him, and others razed to the ground. The conquest of Adrianople next became the
object of the Sultan’s ambition ; and notwithstanding a severe check sustained by one of his chiefs,
the governor, either through fear or treachery, secretly fled on the approach of Amurath, who took
possession of the city; which appearing to him conveniently situated for keeping the Christians
in awe, or for invading their territories, he removed to it the Turkish court.
This Sultan having, during a short space of time, greatly extended his territories, found it necessary
to adopt some plan by which his armies might be recruited : by the advice of his Vizier, he issued
an edict claiming, as his imperial right, the fifth part of all Christian captives. They were, accord-
ingly, selected from the most robust and beautiful of the Christian youths, between the ages of
fifteen and twenty years, and immediately conducted to the Ottoman court, where they Avere
instructed in the Turkish language, religion, and manners ; and when sufficiently accomplished,
were appointed to attend on the person of the Emperor, and to serve in his armies. From the
novelty of this levy, they were called Janissaries, or new soldiers. Such was the origin of this
famous body of men, who have since proved equally formidable to their enemies and to their
sovereigns ; and who, like the praetorian band of the Roman empire, have venally, or tumultuously,
disposed of the crown they are sworn to defend.
Amurath had now become the fear and envy of those princes of Asia, whose possessions lay on
the borders of the Ottoman kingdom. One of the most powerful of them courting the alliance of
the Turkish sovereign, Bajazet, the son of the Emperor, was contracted to his daughter, and the
nuptials were afterwards celebrated with pomp and magnificence, until that time unknown to the
Mahometan princes. After the marriage of his son, Amurath passed the Hellespont with a power-
ful army, and marched to Adrianople with the view of crushing Lazarus, the despot of Servia, who
had ravaged some of the Turkish possessions in his absence. The Sultan laid siege to the capital
of Servia, which so disconcerted Lazarus, that he sent ambassadors to sue for peace ; and offering
an annual tribute of fifty thousand pounds, with a thousand men to serve as auxiliaries in the
Turkish armies, when required, a peace was concluded.
But Avhile Amurath was extending his conquests in Europe, his son-in-law, Aladin, King of
Caramania, taking advantage of his absence, ravaged his dominions with fire and sword. To oppose
this invasion, the Emperor led his victorious army : negotiations were indeed entered into, but
the Sultan would accede to nothing short of absolute submission and complete restitution ; which
being refused by the Caramanian King, the two armies advanced, and encamped within a short
distance of each other on the plains of Caramania ; being the same spot on which the Christians
reposed their troops when proceeding to the conquest of Jerusalem. Amurath having refreshed his
men, arranged them in the order of battle. The right wing was led by his youngest son, with
whom he joined many of his principal warriors and tributary Christian princes. The left was
entrusted to Bajazet, his eldest son, under Avhose command were placed the Servian auxiliaries.
The centre was led by the Emperor himself, surrounded by his best troops. Aladin was not inferior
to the Sultan in his arrangements ; and the armies, inspired by the mutual hatred of their leaders,