The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-23

"!
on n tho different colleges attached 70 the
rrAosuues A course Of ten grades was drawn
IN, through which Ulema had TO pass
before attaining to tho higher eco,esiastical
IDENTITIES or to the higher judicial posts OF
the empire None Of the ten grades WAS 10
Re omitted. Nevertheless, suoh omission
eventually took place, for abuses orept M
and the Ulema, having become heredi-
tary caste, registered their sons IN their
earliest childhood, even In the cradle, as
scholars In the lowest class, 80 that Oh boys
they might be at once declared ready LOT
ono Of the higher forms. We are reminded
that things were not 80 very diherent IN
the Catholic Church before the Reforma-
ton, when Giovanni de Medici, aftsrward
Pope Leo x, as q child Of became Arcn-
bishop Of AK and az boy OF IA CARDINAL
in spite OF the fact that the very rope,
Innocent VIII. who made him Cardinai
had established rule that to have reaoheo
the age OF at least 30 was requisite before
attaining to the dignity OF the cardinalate.
| 1t appears that apart from these tnstitu-
lions for theological training little or moth
ing was done In Solyman's time for the
education Of the Ottoman people. Ihe
national demand for education was slight.
The Turks were far from resembling the
Arabians, under whose government IN
Andalusia almost every one could read ana
write, and could carry further his eduoa-
ton In one OF the many schools OF grammar
and rhetoric Such was the state OF things
in the tenth century OF our era, when
Christian learning was outstripped py
Mohammedan; whereas in the sixteenth
the Moslems had In their turn been dis
tanoed.
Not only with reference to his fellow
believerp did Solyman comport himself
az the head Of the faith, but also IN regard
to the Orthodox Greek Christians OF his
realm. Mohammed II. had shown him.
self keenly alive to the significant fact that
the numerous Greek Christians In his en-
pire greatly preferred himself to the Pope,
and willingly received their Patriarch at
his hands. The conqueror Of CONSTANT
nople, indeed, and his grandson, Solyman.
could hardly, as Sultans, who presently
were to become Caliphs also. look upon
themselves as other than supreme in all
the affairs OF their subject Christians
spiritual as well as temporal. 1t Is certain
that they appointed and depoeed the Pa
triarchs Of the Greek Church as they pleased.
The Arabian Sultans in Spain had acted in
precisely the same way, confirming the
election OF Christian Bishops. and even
convoking Christian Councils. Out OF the
practise OF appointing to the Patriarchate
eventually grew that Of selling 1t. Solyman
raised the price Of attaining to this dignity
from Ave hundred to three thousand ducats
Later the candidates for the office tried tc
outbid one another. In the seventeenth
century the price OF the Patriarchate had
risen from eighteen to twenty thousand
ducats and more. We are cautioned. how,
ever, by DR.. Brosch against supposing that
it was only with the Christians that the
Sultan so dealt and bargained. Govern.
ment posts were sold in Solyman's time, anc
the practise grew until it exercised fata
} influence upon the Ottoman Empire.
J Light is thrown in the book before us
, upon the condition OF the rdyahs, or Christian
, subjects Of the Ottoman Sultan. from a
social az we'll as a religious point OF view
DR.. Brosch shows that outside Of Church
| affairs their condition was not much bet
ter than that Of a subject people which
J has to work for its lords at very low wage
The rayahs had to pay = the holders of the
timars, or fefs, held by military tenure
a tenth, and often by abuse a higher pro
r portion Of the produce Of the ground. To
: the State they had to pay poll tax ane
, deliver mp tenth OF their boys to the army.
Moreover, they were bject to whole
3 series Of rents and taxes. which, although
} reduced to a system by Solyman, formed
r taken alto gether, a suficiently heavy burden
8 The moro names Of these taxes-bride
= tax, hoof tax. pasture. bee, mill herd an'
B. meadow tax, compulsory or villein ser,
t vice, and provisions for the army taking thu
t the field-recall the conditions OF feuda
. dependence in the West; the reality OF the
= obligations implied fully correspondent
8 with the evil sound Of the names. Still
9 and this is fact not to be lost sight OF
= az explaining why the sub ect Greek popu
n lation preferred the state OF things II
Turkey to that which contemporaneousl,
g existed in Central and Western Europe
}, the rayah appearing before Turkish Cad
g who was obliged to observe the great LAY
s book of Ibrahm OF Aleppo. compiled a
g Solvman's command, was much more Ger
n tain to get justice than was a serf in Ger
n MANY or France from his hereditary judge
n for even il the Islamic law gave fewer right
70 To Christians and Jews than it gave t.
70 Mohammedans, 1t still afforded the pos
It sibility for each man to secure in full thos
n rights which by law belonged to him. Nc
d without reason, therefore, was this sulta
a. called the "Lawgver' by his people.
n DR.. Brosch holds on the other hand, thf
y with regard to Solyman's title OF the Mas
a, nificent" the case Is quite different. /
A, the hi Oh sense in which this title was apple
!, to Lorenzo de Medici for instance, Soly
s man by no means deserved 1t. Tho Sultai
l. IL is true, was fond OF splendor, and h
Is magnates followed the example he set
ly this respect. He adorned superbly the cit
So OF Constanunople by the building Of 81
% new mosques; by undertaking works {
l. utility, such az bridges and aqueduct
10 he enchanced the comfort Of its inhabitant
1t and by opening up new means OF con
TO munication by road he greatly facilitate
Ill intercourse between different parts OF Il
h, empire. At the same time, he had rega1
Ia to the filing OF his treasury and the steat
d; increase Of the income Of the State. 80 tn
n TO carry on costly wars. pay the cost
4 luxury and heap up treasure he must b.
n vond doubt have tempered with econon