The record-union., 1897-03-21
RISE AND FALL OF TURKISH EN-
PRE-.

Nearly all the thoughtful press of
the day is engaged with more or less of
volume devoted to the work of giving
readers synoptical sketches of history
of the Turkish empire as induces to and
eppetizingfor thorough reading of some
of the most dramatically romantic
pages of the worlds record. This is
induced because of the serious situation
of affairs in the East at the present
moment. and which may result in the
outbreak of a war that will cause the
Iedrawing of the map of Europe with
material change Of boundaries Of en-
pire.
The New York Tribune" and one or
two others of the greater press have
been especially useful in thus spread
ing information The text of such
knowledge is very often accompanied
IN such papers by elaborate maps and
extended notes for examination. Such
newspaper work is of the best order and
must certainly be instrumental in en-
eouraging thorough reading. Recently
the 'Record-Union" gave a somewhat
extended sketch of the history of
Greece and Crete as related to Turkish
occupation; we content ourselves now
with a rapid outline index of the great
events marking the rise and fall of the
Turkish empire, the most elaborate and
satisfactory of such reviews as well
as historical records being consulted,
since to correct understanding of the
thought, purpose and history of the
peoples involved in the present crisis
in Europe it is essential that something
of the past of the Turkish empire
should be brought to mind
Through all the confusion and con-
tradiction of the news from Europe
there is discernible the fact that the
feeling is growing all over the enlight-
ened world that the days of the Otto
man empire are about numbered. and
that the earliest, best results of high
civilization which went to ruin before
the arms of conquest will be avenged
in the history of the next few years
About seven centuries the Ottoman
Turks have been foremost in the eyes
of the world, from the time when the
Mongols drove the Oghuz Of Persia to
the west and into the mountain fast
nesses of Asia Minor. The reader is
familiar with the historic and tragic
Otoomans making themselves felt at
Sugud as the coming dictators over an
empire.
Osman was born in that city in 1858,
and from him the tribe of Osmanli
took it's name He was known to Euro
peans as Otham, and his people as OF
tomans. His successors followed up
his victories of conquest by crossing
the Dardanelles in 1888, and seizing Gal
lipon and planted the first Ottoman
foot upon European soil. Under Mu-
rad l. the beginning of the Ottoman
empire was proclaimed. with Thrace
Bulgaria and Servia in its grasp. I'm
Ger Mahomet l. and his son Murad
after the Wallachians had soundly
punished the interlopers, the Ottoman
power was greatly extended, and Con-
stantinople was taken in May. 1853.
The Osmanu did not have easy sail
ing all the time. however. and met with
serious checks. notably in Albania.
Greece was seized in 147T and Otranto.
in Italy. three years later. Early in
the following century Egypt, Syria and
Arabia fell before the Turkish arms,
and the Ottoman Power reached its
high tide under Suleman, the Magnifi-
cent 0520-1560, he subjugating Bel
grade and Buda-Pesth, and making the
whole Balkan peninsula, and Hungary
as we'll. acknowledge the scepter of the
Turk. The wonder is that this mon
arch should have failed as he did to
take Vienna.
The power Of the Sultan. however,
began to decline under Suleiman's son.
Selim H., who undertook to dispute