The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-13


OF his thrco natural sons. but such n
thing would not have suited the policy
OF the venctians, whose Admiral. then winter
ing In the island with II powerful fleet. received
orders TO recognize Catherine ms Queen OF
Cyprus. Catherine rcigncd alone for sixteen
years. during which time the Signury strOvc in
vain to secure her abdication in favor uf her
native country. At last. in 1883. rccogniz-
ing tho impossibity Of keeping the crown
much longer. she was persuaded hy the
Venetian Ambassador. who WIS her brother,
TO surrender the island To Venice. Who this
event was npproachine in Cyprus. the Inst le-
gitimate heir ot the Lusignans, Cnriotta. died
in Rome Il 1877. bcstowing in solemn manner
the Kingdom Of Cyprus on Charles. Duke Of Sa-
voy. and his licirs. who from that time. nssumed
the title Of Kings Of Cyprus aud Jerusalem.
The cx-Quocn Catherine WIS accompanied to
Venice by the three illcgitimatc sons Of her hus.
band James from whom. by the way, must
DO descended tho Lusignan claimants OF
whom we have heard lately. Tho only
ground OF their tito Is nm alleged will
OF their father James. who was himself
usurper. while the Venetian occupation was
founded on deed from Catherine Cornaro.
who herself had no de jO'r clnims. On the
whole. the technical rights Of tho House Of Savoy
rs heirs Of Queen Carloita. and as nssencen of
the Signory Of Venice. seem TO be unim-
peachnbc and we arc not surprised at the
annoyance which found some vent in Italy MP
ropos Of the recent transfer to Grent Britain.
Tho republic Of Venice kept Cyprus for only
80 years. It's governors Attempted to restore
order and foster Il commerce which. during the
last century. had been gradually falling off
But to large extent success was frustrated 10y
circumstances among which may be men.
toned series Of calamltics with which tho
island WINS visited. Thus In the year when
America was discovered. md again in 1912.
many Of the towns were destroyed by earth
quakes. In l5ii locusts made thoir appear
ance in such numbers that they destroyed
all existing vegetation. and FOR two years com
PEELED the inhabitants to rely on imported
provisions. In l5i7 tho rain fell in such volume
that rivers were changed into torrents and the
plain OF Mcsaoria into a lake, so that no crops
could be raised. and the population suffered Us
grievousy Ms from tho locusts. But the direst
poril that threatened Cyprus was the increas-
ing power Of the Turks. whose territories by
this time envroncd the island on all sides. In
1870 Selim II. called upon Venice to sur
render Cyprus. and upon her refusal
made extensive preparations to take II
by force. Thereupon. Famagusta and
Cerynia were sufficiently strengthened rs II was
supposed. TO withstand a siege. and the walls
of Nicosia were reduced in compass. but all tie
other fortresses in tho island were dsmantled
as beyond repair. In vain Plus V. undertook 10
start another crusade; much tmo was wasted
in negotiations, Spain delayed TO collect its
fleet, and Venice. trembling Tor itself THE ar
senal had Just been fired by incondiaresl. forgot
TO garrison her Cypriote outposts In word.
the great naval battle which ought to have taken
place OF Limasol in July 1870, did not occur
until Rtwevemonth afterward. Mt Lepanto. and.
meanwhile. Cyprus was cut OF from Chrston-
dom for 800 years.
1t appears tlpt Selim II. had contracted a
strong taste fou CyprGn wine. the companion
in his carousal being u Portuguese Jew called
Massey. who is said to have melted the Sultan to
put his son on the throne Of Cyprus. In order
to accomplish this end. and it may be to
control the vintage Of the Commandcry.
Sellm appRred before Limasol In 1870
with the Turkish fleet. whereupon the
providatoro decided to abandon the whole
island. with the exception Of Tamngusta and
Nicosia. The Turks marched to tho capital
one hundred thousand strong under the serns-
kior Mustgiha while the ships kept guard lest
assistance might come from Europe. For
seven wee ks tho city OF the Luslgnnns with
stood tho siege. and its defenders. who at no
time nun 1ered more than ten thousand. bore
themselves like desperate men. Twice the
Turks n nm assault in vain. and it was only
after Eturiue roenforcemenis that they were
able to undertake the third general storming
Of the W orks On the night Of the 9th Of Sep
tornberthe whole Ottoman army hurled itself
NJ on ; man against the walls and before sun
rise hree bastons were in its hands, In Nj
COSTA Tho unfortunate women rs soon as they
saw n Mt all was lost flung themselves in num-
bers tom the roofs many daughters. We are
told. meeting their death at the hand Of fnther
or mrther To save then from another fate. The
wors OF destruction lasted for eight
days. and whom It ceased what had been
a IA city was merely n blank space dotted here
and hero with blackcned ruins while only its
stilutowcrinE dome looked down upon the scene
Tho fall OF Nicosia gave tho Turks enormous
be n y. comprising an immense amount U. jcw-
el = gold cloth. and works Of art which, together
wlu 1000 OF the iairest and noplcst maiicns.
weie put on board three ships 10 be sent
To- Constantinople. ono 81 these Greek Ia
dts. preierrinG death TO the existence
th't awaited her. found her way to the
powder magazine which she gnitcd. and the
ship. at once exploding set Are to its compan.
ion vessels, which were also totally destroyed.
-Four years later. Sultan Selim. having enjoyed
'.he choicest Cypran wines 10 his hcart's content
happened one day e. take u fuller cup than
usual before entering his bath. his foot slipped,
and his skull was fractured on its marble floor.
From Nicosla the Turkish army marched to
! Famagusta whose garrison under the COM
mand OF u brave Venetian, Bragadino. held out
for about yrnr. Six times the Jnnissaries
stormed the place with iasclnes in hand and
swords between their teeth. and six times were
driven hack with friGhtful slaughter. There
upon the town was formally invested by sea
aud land. and at last, when every SCRAP
of food and ammunition was exhausted
the starving people forced their captain to
surrender. The garrison were 10 retain their
arms md baggage. and ba sent in Turkish
ships TO Crete. But when Bragadn rode down
To the shore 10 deliver up the keys. the Scrns.
kicr addressed him with So much insolence
that tho Venetian replied IN angry terms
Thcrcupon his COM anions were hcwn in pieces
Bragadino's nose and ears were cut of. three
hundred Of the garrison were ptilessly butch
cred, and there cnsued n some Of carnage and
pillago which lGsiod iorthroc days. Oulya small
remnant OF the higher classes were sullrrel
10 escape, on condition that thcv should migrate
to other towns and to this day no Christian il