Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-09-17

ADA, UIcIH0WS uHkEf, Arabia, Il :
STA, INDIA, and the rARrARIEs.
ASIA is a country of all others the most
interesting to Christian people. 1t is III
that quarter of the world, which is larger
than Europe and Africa, that the race 81
nan is supposed to have originated, and
where Christ is known to have been born
and crucified OF this portion of the globe,
the empire of the TURKS rs the most CONT
guous to Europe. The power OF their Chief
bestrides, like a Colossus, the ancient Hell
lesp mt. (aow called the strait of Gallipoii,
which is defended by the Dardanelles,) and
enforces the tenets of Mahomet where the
cross was once displayed with imperial mag
aifcencc. But the crescent is waning to
obsCuritt and the princes OF Christendom,
dnstigated by ambitious as well as by religi-
us motives, threaten to drive back these
hIidels to the land of their ancestors.
The Turks were originally a Scythian
II ride residing in the vicinity of Mount L.
maus, about the centre of Asia. Bursting
from the chains of servitude Ill which they
we're held by a neghboring power, they
spread themselves over the plains vi Scythia
drove before them, or subdued the hordes
Who had previously inhabited the country
and established an extensive empire, which,
in time, was broken and dismembcred The
hordes of the west, freed from their sway,
precipitated themselves upon Europe, where
their descendants compose part OF the
states at present in existence. L he eastern
hordes threw themselves into Persia, became
united with the Saracens in that part of A
STA, whom they eventually subjugated after
imbibing from them the doctrines IF Maho-
met. About the eleventh century the Fur
klsh chieftains took the name If Sultan, and
proclaimed themselves lieutenants of the ca
iiphs of Bagdad. which was the ancient Ia
byion, seated on the rigris, and then the
seat of the SaraCen empire. In the thr-
teenth century the Turks established new
sovereignty on the ruins Of the SaracenS
and parcelled out their kingdom into petty
seignories, the lords or which, as they rose
to supremacy, instituted dynasties, whose
names only tended to crafty pride and con-
fuse history. Otnman, an emir or prince OF
a district in Asia Minor, taking nd yantage
of the times in which he lived, and The death
OF his sovereign, seized upon portion of
the country in his own right, and attracted
by his valor and wisdom new troops OF Turks
to aid him. These, viewing in him the foun
der Of a rising kingdom, assumed the name
Ottomans in honor Of their leader. Gilman
died A. ID. 1926. Bursa, or Prusa, in tue
first instance, was the capital at his en-
pre-. This city, celebrated for its fountains
and the elegance offs mosques, on NJ lho
metan churches, stands at the foot of Mount
Olympus, only ninety nine miles south OF
COnStant!nople. Orchan, who succeeded
Gilman, carried his arms into Europe, and
| espouSed the daughter of the emperor OF
/ Constantinople. Orchan was followed by
Amurath 1. war!ike prince, who transfer
red the seat This empire to Ad,ianople, and
| instituted the military order of The Janiza-
ries. Bajazet was the successor of Anu
rath, and mounted the throne in 1889. He
| was restless and ambitious, and in conse-
! quence of the rapid success of his arms, wa:
called the rhunderbolt. He subiugated
| Thessaly, Macedonia, and Bulgaria, and had
! tn, honor of obtaining great victory at Nj
! cOpolis, near the Danube, in 1896, over
! Christian army under Sigismond, king O
! Hungary. Bat in the year 1902, he was to-
tally defeated ON the plains uf Angora, %,
the celebrated Timur, or Tamerane. Some
writer's affirm that rimur exposed him t
public view in an iron cage, whilst others as
sert that the victor treated him with grea
| liberality. This disaster was in some mea
sure retrieved by Mahomet /. Amuratl
| III. Obtained the crown III 1922. He defeat
ed the Hung Arian5 at Vorna with grea
slaughter, aud was successful in almost al
! his warhke enterprises, except iii that a
| gainst George Castriot, the celebrated Scan
debeg, king Of Albania, vino freed himsel
from the ~ rannv of the Othmans, maintain
ed the rights of his family. and obliged A
| nurath to conclude peace with linn on no
norable and advantageous terms. In tn,
| year 1853 Mahomet III. the most liustriou
of the Ottoman emperors, took Constantine
pie by assault. and made it tue capital o
the Turkish empire In 1920 ooman ii
surnamed the magnificent, succeeded his IA
Their Seiim j. He made alarming inroad
into Europe: In 1921 he took Belgrade ii
the next year Rhodes III 1924 he captures
Breda, and laid seige to Vienna but he wa
compelled to retire from the latter plac
with the loss of $4,000 men. The first peac
between Turkey and France took place un
der this prince with Francis ]. Vienna wa
beseged a second time by the Turks in 1886
under Mahomct w. but was relieved b
John sSobieski, King of Poland Mustaph
~. occupied TIC throne in the year 1907, {
ievated to that dignity by the Janizarici
who had previously dethroned Seiim III.
The possessions Of the Turks in Europ
were, in 1903, Bosnia, Servil, Albania. Nc
rea, Greece, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Rome
liza, Wallacha, and Modavia. A war Ina,
ing been carried on since that time betwee
them and the Russians, am no pcrmaner
peace having been yet concluded, it is im
, possible precisely to define tho present e.
tent or number of the Turkish provinces o
the European side Of Marmora and tn
Black Sea. On the AsiatC side they 20,
sess the finest countries, once held by til
Romans. These are the several districts
Asia Minor, and Syria, Palestine, sc. 1T
Grand Seignor can also boast consderab
= authority and influence IN Arabia. His az
thori,y over Egypt, in Africa, is very pr,
cariOus,