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THE DECLINE AND FALL

CHAP.LX VIII.

Magnesia. Before the end of six weeks he wasrecalled by a sudden message from the divan,which announced the decease of Amurath, andthe mutinous spirit of the janizaries. IIis speedand vigour commanded their obedience; hepassed the Hellespont with a chosen guard ; andat the distance of a mile from Adrianople , thevizirs and emirs, the imams and cadhis, the sol-diers and the people, fell prostrate before the newsultan. They affected to weep, they affected torejoice; he ascended the throne at the age oftwenty-one years, and removed the cause of se-dition by the death, the inevitable death, of hisinfant brothers. 1 The ambassadors of Europe and Asia soon appeared to congratulate his ac-cession and solicit his friendship; and to all hespoke the language of moderation and peace.The confidence of the Greek emperor was re-vived by the solemn oaths and fair assuranceswith which he sealed the ratification of the trea-ty : and a rich domain on the banks of the Stry-mon was assigned for the annual payment ofthree hundred thousand aspers, the pension ofan Ottoman prince, who was detained at hisrequest in the Byzantine court. Yet the neigh-bours of Mahomet might tremble at the severitywith which a youthful monarch reformed thepomp of his father’s household : the expencesof luxury were applied to those of ambition, and

1 Calapin, one of the«e royal infants, was saved from his cruel bro-ther, and baptised at Rome under the name of Callistus Othomanns.Tbe emperor Frederick III. presented him with an estate in Austria ,where he ended his life; and Cuspinian , who in his youth conversedwith the aged prince at Vienna , applauds his piety and wisdom (deCtesaribus, p. 672, 673).