Washington sentinel., 1899-06-17

tions-to the woods, the city, the
suburban churches-and left the
Emperor with only a small body
guard to make a brave retreat.
The enemy passed on, and en-
camped near he city on the other
side Of the great ravInes which lie
to tine east and west OF Trebizond.
The first attack was made from the
north or seaward side, but it failed,
and now all the energies OF the be-
siegers were bent upon storming
the upper citadel from the south,
The attempt was made at night.
Melik, the Sultan's son and COM
n,ander-ln- chief OF his armies, is
sued forth from the sacred pre-
clncts OF St. Eugenius, where he
had established mis- harem. He
was followed by a large division
OF his army, and from opposite
directions two other divisions came
10 assist in the assault. They were
storming the gra nd old fortress and
It was about to fall when suddenly
d tempest arose, st. Eugenius
had not been deaf to the appeals for
ms Intercessron. Many Of the
cavalry were forced over the great
preclplces. Many OF the infantry
we're hurl d along the rapid tor
rem and sweptInto the sea. Then
there came a calm and the besleged
took advantage of 1t to max
sortIe The Turkish army fled IN
confusion. The victory OF An
dronicus was compile &.
AT the death Of Andronicus,
Joannes, son Of AlexIus, reIgneu
IN his stead. Manuel sue
ceeded his brother Joannes, and
for a quarter OF a century upheld
the imperial authority with such
signal military ability that he is
known to us as the Great Cap
tain" But 1t was reserved tor
Georgius, Manuels eldest son, to
carry the prestige of the empire 10
its highest point, This ruler not
only became absolutely independ-
ent OF his great neighbOrs, the
Mongols and the Turks, but even
undertook to drive the latter from
the borders Of his empire. Yet
such was the far his mobiles had
OF his oYershadowing authority,
that they basely deserted him on
one Of his expeditions against the
Turks, and left him to be taken
prisoner by the enemy rather than
see their own power weakened by
his policy Of Capitalization. Joan
mes H., his brother, entered on the
vacant throne, and almost immedl
ately upon his accession a power
ful party at Constantinople asked
him, as head Of the house OF Com
nenos, to be their champion in the
struggle against the EmDeror
Michael PaleologOs, who had ior-
felted their allegiance by uniting
with the Latin Christians. A val
liant man like Georgius would have
most eagerly accepted such a
tempting opportunity to win glory,
and in all likelihood he would have
led the Trepizontine armies to
splendid victories, but, alas! he
was then a prisoner, and ] cannes
was all unequal to the enterprise.
Instead of appearing at CONSTANT
nople as the victorious leader of
the orthodox Christians, about to
reclaim the throne of his fore
fathers, this weak man went to that
capital merely as a suppliant Tor
the hand of the Emperor's daugh-
ter The Emperor Michael did
not welcome his imperial guest in
person, for he had absented him
self from his capital and delayed
his return until Joannes not only
had consented to appear before
him shorn Of imperial insignia
the purple boots, and gorgeous
robes embroidered in double.
headed eagles, indicative oil his
empire over both the East and the
West--but had also agreed not to
resume them until the occasion of
his marriage. Thus the Emperor
of TrebIzond exchanged the time
honored title OF Emperor OF the
Romans" for the less magnfic mt
one Of Emperor oil the East" and
appeared hencelorth with the
eagles on his robes no longer
crowned with double heads.
The life OF the empire Of Trebi-
zOnd was OF about two hundred
and fifty years duration. During
the first half oi this period ITS rulers
with the single except on OF the
weak Joannes, defended their
domlnIons from the frequent
attacks of their powerful neighOors
with signal diplomatic skill and
brilliant military prowess But
when the rlins OF government
passed from the strong hands OF
Alexius III. 10 the feeble guidance
OF his son AndronIcus, all the base
passions OF the mobiles, which had
been held IN res rant, suddenly
burst forth, and the whole empire
was thrown into such a state of
confusion and dlsorganization that
for a score of years the capital was
the scene OF great disorder and
violence.
At the beginning OF the fifteenth |
century, when the vast armies OF |
the Mongols, led by the renowned !
Tlmor, swept, a mighty wave OF |
desolation, over the continent oil |
Asia, the empire Of Trebizond was |
threatened with annihilation, but |
Manuel ILL.,, son Of Alexins, who |
was then on the throne, hearing |
that they were fastening to over
power him, was polite enough to |
declare himself a vassal Of the