The historie of the holy vvarre by Thomas Fuller ...

Chap. 32.

The succession of the Mammaluke Princes in Egypt. Alphir taketh Tripoli and Tyre; The wofull estate of Ptolemais.

BUt whilest these titular Kings slept, the Mammaluke Princes were vigilant to infest the reliques of the Christians in Pa∣lestine: Which Princes succession we will adventure to set down; nor are we discouraged with the difficulties which encounter us herein. The hardnesse in the story of the Mammalukes proceed∣eth (as we conceive) from one of these causes: First the State is not written directly, but by reflexion; not storied by any con∣stant writer of their own, but in snaps and parcels, as the Chro∣niclers, of neighbouring Christian countreyes have catched at them. Secondly, out of a popular errour, their chief Captains by reason of their large authoritie passe for absolute Kings. Third∣ly, the same King hath many names, and the same name by translation in sundrie languages is strangely disguised. How-ever, we will use our best conjectures in these uncertainties: and a dimme candle is better then no light.

Bendocdar or Bandodacar, otherwise Melechdaet, was the last Egyptian Prince we mentioned. A dangerous man to the Christians, but that Abaga the Tartarian took him to task, and kept him in continuall imployment. This Abaga had a prettie trick to make cowards valiant, causing them that ranne away from the battell, ever after to wear womens clothes. Bendocdar died at Damascus of a wound he received in Armenia: or, as some say, by cold in swimming over Euphrates.

Elpis succeeded him, his sonne (say some) but the Mamma∣lukes laws forbid that except his extraordinary worth was his facultie, and dispenied with him ad succedendum patri. But who knoweth not that the Eastern tongue speaketh nephewes and kinsmen to be sonnes? Some wholly omit him; enough to make us suspect that he was onely some Deputy clapped in to stop up the vacancie till Melechsaites was chosen.

Melechsaites (called by Marinus, Melechmessor) wonne the strong castle of Mergath from the Hospitallers. He much loved and was very bountifull to the Carmelites, who lived dispersed in Syria: but afterwards he banished them out of his countrey, because they altered their habit, and wore white coats at the appointment of Pope Honorius; the Turks being generally enemies to innovations, and loving constancy in old customes. Nor was this any mishap but an advantage to the Carmelites, to lose their dwellings in Syria, and gain better in Europe, where they planted themselves in the fattest places: So that he who knoweth not to choose good ground, let him find out an house of the Carmelites (a mark that faileth not) for his direction.

Alphir was next to Melechsaites, otherwise called Elsi. He perceiving that now or never was the time finally to expell the Christians out of Palestine, whilest the Princes in Europe were in civil warres, besieged and wonne Tripoli, Sidon, Berytus, and Tyre, beating them down to the ground, but suffering the inha∣bitants on some conditions to depart. Nothing now was left but Ptolemais: which Alphir would not presently besiege, lest he should draw the Christians in Europe upon him; but conclu∣ded a peace for five yeares with the Venetians, as not willing wholly to exasperate them by winning all from them at once, and thinking this bitter potion would be better swallowed by them at two severall draughts.

Mean time Ptolemais was in a woful condition. In it were some of all countreys; so that he who had lost his nation, might find it here. Most of them had severall courts to decide their causes in; and the plenty of Judges cause•••• the scarcity of justice, malefa∣ctours appealing to a trial in the courts of their own countrey. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was sufficient innocencie for any offender in the Venetian court, that he was a Venetian. Personall acts were entituled nationall, and made the cause of the countrie. Outrages were every-where practised, no-where punished; as if to spare Divine revenge the pains of overtaking them, they would go forth and meet it. At the same time, there were in fitters about prosecuting their titles to this citie, no fewer then the Venetians, Genoans, Pisans, Flo∣rentines, the Kings of Cyprus and Sicily, the Agents for the Kings of France and England, the Princes of Tripoli and Anti∣och, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, the Masters of the Templars and

Hospitallers, and (whom I should have named first) the Legate of his Holinesse, all at once with much violence contending about the right of right nothing, the title to the Kingdome of Jerusa∣lem, and command of this citie; like bees, making the greatest humming and buzzing in the hive when now ready to leave it.

Notes

• Vide Calvi∣sium in anno 1227. & Magdeburg. Cent. 13.
• Magdeburg. Cent. 13. cap. 16. Col. 701.
• 1285
• 1289