The History of the Turks describing the rise and ruin of their first empire in Persia, the original of their second : containing the lives and reigns of their several kings and emperors from Ottoman its first founder to this present year, 1683, being a succinct series of history, of all their wars (forreign and domestick) policies, customs, religion and manners, with what else is worthy of note in that great empire.

CHAP. VII. The Life and Actions of Orchanes, otherwise Urchan, Second King of the Turks in Asia.

THE Funeral rights of this great Conqueror being performed by his Sons, viz. Orchanes, alias Ʋr∣chan, his Second Son, and Aladin his third and youngest Son, and he having left great store of wealth, Orchanes his Successor took upon him the rule of the Kingdom, allotting to his Brother Aladin, at his request the Lordship of Fodore in the Teckences Country, where he lived a private Life, without doing any thing worthy of memory, but Orchanes now settled in his Kingdom, following his fathers footsteps, whose Armies of late he had altogether commanded as his General, he forgat not to proceed where he had left off, and therefore pre∣pare to War upon the Christians, but at first with no great Success, for the Christians upon the death of

Othoman, drawing their forces together out of all parts, recovered the City of Nice, with divers Castles and Towns, and amongst the rest the Castle Tzuprichiser, which greatly hindered the Turks excursions, who dwelt in Bithynia; whereupon Orchanes upon notice that it was slenderly Guarded, went with several of his fol∣lowers, in the attire of Merchants, and by that means deceiving the warders got admittance, but were no sooner entered e're they proved fatal ones; for drawing their Swords they put all such as they found therein to death, and seized the Castle, and having Garrison∣ed it, passed on to the City of Nice, to which they lay'd siege, when to rescue it the young Emperor Andronicus came with such power as he could raise, but being for the most part unexperienced Soldiers, the Turks from the Mountains, as they were passing through the hot Country, setting upon them a cruel battel begun, but night coming on they parted by con∣sent, yet in this fight the Emperor lost near half his People, and was himself wounded with an Arrow, so that despairing of effecting what he came for, leaving his Tents and great store of Furniture therein, every man shifted for himself in the dead of Night, so that next Morning what they left became a prey to the Infidels, who hightened by this Success, took in seve∣ral Sea Towns, and within a while recovered the City of Nice, by Stratagem; As thus the Emperor in his flight thither from his Camp, had promised to send them 1000 Horse-men of which Orchanes having notice disguised 800 of his men in Grecian habit, and sent them with full instructions, who being come within sight of the City, he sent out 300 other in Turkish habit as foragers, whom the other espying, as if they had been ignorant of the Matter, turned upon them, and after a feigned skirmish put them to flight, then taking their way to the City, the Citizens who from their walls had

beheld what had passed joyfully opened their Gates, supposing them to be the Emperors promised Aid; but they no sooner entered but the other 300 Horse, and several Companies of Foot who lay in Ambush, were at their Heels; by which means that great City was a second time taken by the Turks, whose Riches became a prey to the Soldiers, and whose Inhabitants became of free Persons miserable Captives.

The Fate of this great City followed many others in the same Tract, the Turks wasting all before them as they went, miserably burning up what they could not carry away; so that the Countries before them were dispeopled, all the Inhabitants flying from them, as a ten-fold Contagion: So that no considerable Forces being sent from the Emperor, the Cities fell into his Hands in great abundance, and above all being desi∣rous to possess the two fair Castles of Abydos and Sestus, he sent Accecozza, one of his great Captains to win them if possible, who by the way having In∣telligence that the Captains Son of the Castle of Sea∣mandra being dead, his Funeral was such a day to be Solemnized without the Walls; whereupon laying an Ambushment, they upon the Mourners approach, suddenly issued from their Coverts, and slew several of them, taking the remainder Prisoners, and amongst them the Captain, whom they carried to the Castle; telling those that kept the Walls, that if they did not deliver it, he should be put to a Cruel Death be∣fore their Eyes; at which nothing dismayed they re∣turned Answer, that they might Kill him, Boyl him, and Eat him if they pleased, but as for the Castle they would not deliver it; whereupon he finding it a work of great Difficulty to take by force, departed to Sestus which he with little Difficulty took, and had his Prisoners Ransomed for a great Mass of Mony, and amongst the rest, the Captain of Scamandra; and

now Abydos standing in Europe on the other side the Hell••••••••, was the only place Aimed at, when, as Fate would have the Night before the Turks came before it the Captain of the Castles Daughter dreamt that she falling 〈◊〉〈◊〉 miry made her Clean; the which as soon as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the viewed Abdurachman one of the Tur∣kish Captains, the fancied him to be the same Person she had 〈…〉〈…〉 Vision, and so strongly her fancy wrong 〈…〉〈…〉 he lead up his Forces against the Wall, 〈…〉〈…〉 Power from whence she beheld what was 〈…〉〈…〉 a Letter tyed to a stone at his Fee•••• 〈…〉〈…〉 presed her Passion, Protesting that 〈…〉〈…〉 of her Love, she would on such a 〈…〉〈…〉 Castle into his Hands. This Letter 〈…〉〈…〉 Ac••ecozza, he much doubt∣ed the 〈…〉〈…〉 searing it was a design to draw them 〈…〉〈…〉 upon Abdurachman's Request, that he might 〈…〉〈…〉 the Enterprize, he Consent∣ed; it being agreed, that to give the besieged the less Suspicion, the Army should give a general assault, and then draw off, the which being done, the Garrison buried in Sleep and Wine for joy of the Turks depar∣ture, neglecting their Watches; the Captain being Conducted by his Mistress a private way, entered with about fifty Followers, and putting the Warders to the Sword, opened the Gates and let in the Army, who the next Morning took the Garrison. The Turks departed with their Prisoners and such Booty as they found: The Tratyress being given to Abdurachman as a reward of his Adventurous undertaking, not long after Accecozza dying, Orchanes made his Sons, Amurath and Solyman Lords of the Provinces he had taken from the Christians, who lay'd Siege to the City of Ni••••media, which despairing of succour, surrender'd upon Condi∣tion, that so many as would depart might, and those

that would stay there might, without any hurt: Ei∣ther Body, or Goods, of which City Solyman was made Governour, and thereupon he removed his Court from Prusa to Nice, that he might be near his new Conquests at all times, to give such necessary Or∣ders as were Convenient; and so prospered that he soon after got Possession of Taraxa, Govinucia, and Mndurne; and raising a puissant Army, he invaded the Country of Carasiana (the Brothers of the deceased King being at odds about the Succession) and soon over-run it, forcing one of the Brothers to fly into Pergamum, and the other as his Vassal to hold the Kingdom in Fee of him, at the same time made his younger Son Amurath Lord of Prusa.

The Turkish Kingdom being thus settled in Asia, Archanes consulted with his Son Solyman about getting footing in Europe, which he promised to effect; and upon his return to his Government, sent over Ezes-Bey his chief Captain, and some others to discover the Country; who taking a Greek Prisoner returned and presented him to Solyman, who having given him Mo∣ny and Rayment, inquired of the Nature of the Country, who informed them at large: Whereupon repassing with a small Force, they seized upon the Ca∣stle of Zembenick, without doing any harm to the Gar∣rison, which was indeed but small; most of them be∣ing gone out to fetch in their Harvest.

The News of the Turks landing in Europe, soon flew to Constantinople, but such was their Co∣wardise and Sloath together with intestine Divisions, that no Care was taken to expulse them: So that they daily increasing their Power, by such as were sent over in Boats, seized also upon the Castle of Maditas, and afterward spoiled the Country of Chersonesus, as far as Callipolis; which City they took after having over∣thrown the Governour in a pitched Battle; yet so infa∣tuated

were the greater part of the Greeks, that they made a jest of the proceedings of the Turks, who were by this time advanced 200 from the Castle of Zembenick, where they first Landed. Whereupon Solyman sent to his Father, to acquaint him with what had passed, as likewise to desire him, to send him fresh supplies of Men, not only to secure what he had won, but to prosecute his successful beginning; upon the receipe of which news Orchanes greatly rejoyced, and immediately Commanded 1000 Sarazens and Turks, to pass the Hellespont in Boats prepared for that purpose, upon whose Arrival Solyman intercepted the Goveronour of Conger Castle, who had greatly annoyed the Turks, and striking off his Head before the Castle-Gate so terrified those that were within, that they soon surrendred the Place, from whence the Turks frequently sallying fetched in great Booties, venturing even to the Walls of Didymotichum.

And thus in the space of one year, the Turks got strong footing in Europe, possessing themselves of di∣vers Castles and Towns, with the Countries about them; which Solyman as a reward of their Service, gave to his Captains and Soldiers, as appeareth by the Mo∣numents of Ezes-Beg, and Fazel-Beg the first, Two Tur∣kish Captains that set Footing in Europe, but for a while a stop was put to the Turks Progress, occasioned by the Death of Solyman; who hawking in the Fields of Bolyre, and following too furious in taking a Ditch, his Horse threw him where he received such a mortal bruise, that he within a few days after died, which News coming to his Father Orchanes, he for grief fell sick, and with∣in two Months gave up the Ghost, Anno 1359. and of his Age 80 years, having Reigned 31 years.

This Orchanes was both warlike and Politick; Courteous he was to his Friends, and stern to his Ene∣mies, much devoted to the Mahometan superstition; and a great Enemy to the Christians.