The Osmanli Turk-, who form the ruling portion of the Turkish empire, have the same source. They are now scattered over the whole Turkish empire in Europe, As a, and Africa, and their number amounts to between eleven and twelve millions. They form the landed gently, the aristocracy and bureaucracy of Turkey ; and their language, the Osmanli, is spoken by persons of rank and education, and by all Government authorities in Syria, in Egypt, at Tunis, and at Tripoli. In thc southern provinces of Asiatic Russia, along the borders of the Caspian, and through the whole of Turkestan, it is the lan guage of the people. It is heard even at the court of Teheran, and ,is understood by official personages in Persia. The ancestors of the Osman Turk are men as well known to European his torians as Charlemagne or Alfred. It was in the year 1224 that Sulaiman Shah and his tribe, pressed by Mongolians, left Khorasan and pushed westward into Syria, Armenia and Asia Minor. Sulaiman's son Ertoghrul aided, and then took service under, Ala-ud-Din, the Seljuk sultan of Iconium (Niccea), and, after several successful campaigns against Greeks and Mongolians, received part of Phrygia as his own, and there founded what wa.s afterwards to become the basis of the Osmanic einpire. During the last years of the 13th century the sultans of Iconium lost their power, and their former vassals became inde pendent sovereigns. Osman, after taking his share of the spoil in Asia, advanced through the Olympic passes into Bithynia, and was successful against the armies of the emperors of Byzantium. Osman became henceforth the national name of his people. His son Or-khan, whose capital WaS Prusa (Bursa), after conquering Nicomedia (1327) and Niccea (1330), threatened the Hellespont. He took the title of padshah, and his court was called the High or Sublime Porte,' the Bab-nl Makaddas. His son Suleiman crossed the Helles pont (1357), and took possession of Gallipoli and Sestos. He thus became master of the Dardan elles. Ilurad r. took Adrianople (1362), made it his capital, conquered Macedonia, and, after a severe struggle, overthrew the united forces of the Slavonic races south of the Danube, the Bulgarians, Servians, and Croatians, in the battle of Kossova-polye (1389). He himself fell, but his successor Bayazet followed bis course, took Thessaly, passed Thermopylte, and devastated the Peloponuesus. The emperor of Germany, Sigis mund, who advanced at the head of an army composed of French, German, and Slavonic soldiers, was defeated by Bayazet on the Danube in the battle of Nicopolis (1399). Bayazet took Bosnia, a.nd would have taken Constantinople, had not the same Mongolians who in 1244 drove the first Turkish tribes westward into Persia, threat ened again their newly - acquired possessions. Timur had grasped the reins fallen from the hands of Chengiz Khan ; Bayazet was compelled to meet him, and suffered defeat (1402) in the battle of Angora (Ankyra) in Galatia. Europe now had respite, but not long. Timur died, and with him his empire fell to pieces, while the Osmanic army rallied again under Muhammad (1413), and re-attained its former power under Murad tr. (1421). Successful in Asia, Murad sent his armies back to the Danube, and, after long-continued campaigns, and powerful resist ance from the Hungarians and Slays under Ilunyad, he at last gained two decisive victories, Varna in 1444, and Kossova in 1448. Constanti nople could no longer be held, and the Pope endeavoured in vain to rouse the chivalry of IVestern Europe to a crusade against the Turks.
Muhammad Li. succeeded in 1451, and on the 26th of 3lay 1453, Constantinople, after a valiant resistance, fell, and became, as now, the capital of the Turkish empire.
In the region west of a line drawn from Con stantinople to the mouth of the Gerenis Chai in Lycia, or the region of the six rivers, Bakor Chai, Gedoz Chai, Kychyk and Bojzk Menderes, Gerenis Chai, and Godchai Chai, the population is about 1,500,000, of whom 600,000 are Turks, 300,000 nomade mountain Yoruks, 400,000 Greeks, 40,000 Chepis (wood-hewers and charcoal-burners, with out any religion, perhaps the 'mains of the aborigines of the country), 60,000 Artnenians, 40,000 Jews, 15,000 Catholics, 10,000 to 15,000 gypsies, Arabs, Bulgars, Croats, etc., and 4000 to 5000 Eurcpeans other than Greeks. These Turks seldom speak any other tongue but their own. Their chief occupations are agriculture, cattle rearing, carpet-weaving, saddlery, and other small industries, and they greatly delight to act as caravan guides. The strict seclusion of the women demanded by Islamism seriously hinders theni from helping the men in their business. On them alone falls the whole burden of military service. At 18 years they marry, and at 21 or 22 they are taken as soldiers and separated from wedlock for long yews. The women become immoral, and these are the chief causes of the gradual extinction of the race. The Greeks have got possession of nearly all the trade and ship ping. The Greeks are energetic, diligent, and eager to learn. The Greeks are preferred as physicians, lawyers, teachers, and also as traders and workmen. They are intolerant, like the Turks, but without any inner religious feeling. Yet many Slays, mostly Bulgars and Wallachs, join their Church, and soon assume the Greek language and Greek names, and become in all respects Greeks.
Tajak.—The modern distinction of Turk and Tajak which in its application denotes men of 1 military and men of civil pursuits, has existed from the most early ages in this extended country.
Oigur.—According to Vambery, the Uigur are the most ancient of the Turk tribes, and formerly inhabited a part of Chinese Tartary which is now occupied by a mixed papilla tion_of Turk, Mongol, and Kalmuk. They Were the first who reduced the Turki language to writing, borrowing the characters from tho Nestorian Christians, who came to their country as early as the 4th century of our ern. The manuscripts of thia language, written in the characters mentioned, afford there fore the most ancient and valuable data in investig,ating the history of Central Asia, nay, uf the whole Turkish race. 13ut these monuments are of great scarcity ; he believes he has collected all that has been discovered of the Uigur language, though the Uigur had a literature and were very fond of books at a time when the western world WAS involved in ignorance and barbarisin. The most valuable manuscript he obtained bears date 1069, and was written in Kashgar ; it treats of ethics and political subjects, and forms a kind of manual of advice to kings how to govern with justice and success. It reveals the social con dition of this people, and fonns the basis of the later regulations by which all Turks are governed. —Malcolm's Persia ; Muller's Lectures; Ferrier's Journ. ; Vambery, Bokkara.