CHAP. XVIII. Of the originall of the Turkes.
THe Egyptians wearied with the yoke of the Romans, sub∣mitted themselues to the Saracens, and receiued their re∣ligion. They continued Saracens aboue 400. yeres, vntil such time as the Sultan of Syria conquered them, which was a∣bout the yeere of our Sauiour Iesus 1170. at which time he made himselfe Sultan of Egypt also: at length the multitude of captiues,* 1.1 which the Sultan had brought from the Tartari∣ans for his warres, growing mighty, killed the Sultan, & took to themselues the kingdome of Egypt. They called their king Turquemenius, and conquered al Asia the lesse from the Sul∣tan of Asia, which they termed Turkia. And thus they conti∣nued till Zelimus the great Turke conquered Egypt, and de∣stroied the gouernment of the Mamaluchies,* 1.2 which were chri∣stians that had denied their faith; so it remaineth vntil this day, vnder the Turke, holding the new no religion of Mahomet, as do all of the east for the greater part.
This kingdome or empire of the Turkes, began about the yere of our Lord 1300. in the dayes of Othomannus the rich and mighty Turke; for before it was of no reputation,* 1.3 though it had some being. The church of God flourished before this tyranny, one ful thousand yeeres, euen from the dayes of Con∣stantine the great. From this time the kingdome of Mahomet was called the empire of the Turkes.