THE DECLINE AND FALL

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chap, to style himself emperor of Trebizond;* and theLXVI11 ' nearociation was comprised in a short and pe-remptory question, “ Will you secure your life“ and treasures by resigning your kingdom? or“ had you rather forfeit your kingdom, your“ treasures, and your life?” The feeble Com-nenus was subdued by his own fears, and theexample of a mussulman neighbour, the princeof Sinope, " who, on a similar summons, had yield-ed a fortified city with four hundred cannon andOfTrebi- ten or twelve thousand soldiers. The capitu-I°D d ’i46i. tatw 1 of Trebizond was faithfully performed ;and the emperor, with his family, was transport-ed to a castle in Romania ; but on a slight sus-picion of corresponding with the Persian king,David, and the whole Comnenian race, were sa-crificed to the jealousy or avarice of the con-queror. Nor could the name of father long pro-tect the unfortunate Demetrius from exile andconfiscation; his abject submission moved thepity and contempt of the sultan; his followerswere transplanted to Constantinople ; and hispoverty was alleviated by a pension of fifty thou-sand aspers, till a monastic habit and a tardy

1 Though Tonrnefort (tom. iii, lettre xvii, p. 179) ipeaks of Trebi-*ond as mal pcupl£e, Peyssonel, the latest and most accurate observer,can find 100,000 inhabitants (Commerce de la Mer Noire, tom. ii, p. 72,and for the province, p. 53-90). Its prosperity and trade are perpetu-ally disturbed by the factions quarrels of two odas of janizaries, in oneof which 30,000 Lazi are commonly enrolled (Memoires de Tott, tom.iii, p. 16,17).

“ Ismael Beg, prince of Sinope or Sinople, was possessed (chieflyfrom his copper mines) of the revenue of 200,000 ducats (Chalcocond.1. ix, p. 258, 259). Peyssonel (Commerce de la Mer Noire, tom. ii,p. 100) ascribes to the modern city 60,000 inhabitants. This accountseems enormous; yet it is by trading with a people that we becomeacquainted with their wealth and numbers.