The Ottoman empire escaped from this danger ous war with the loss of only a small portion of its territory, but its internal organization was shaken to the centre. The government was overawed and controlled by the rebellious janissaries, who re garded every improvement or reform with jealousy and aversion; and these troops, from being at one time the most efficient in the world, had been gra dually retrograding till they had now become little better than a disorderly crowd, without discipline or energy, and so easily panic struck, that the duke of Saxe Cobourg used to say that " when one has only once well beaten the Turks, one is at case for the whole campaign." While the capital was exposed to military out rages and insurrections, the provinces had shaken off the authority of the sultan. Ali-bey had usurped in Egypt, the power and rank of an independent sovereign. Ali Pacha of Janina had resisted the authority, and defied the enmity of the porte. Pas wan Oglou had raised the standard of rebellion at Widin. The Servians had taken up arms under Czerni George. Arabia was possessed by the Wa habites. The pachas of Asia Minor, ambitious of independence, and secure in the weakness of the government, set at defiance the firmans of the grand seignior. Selim and his ministers became alarmed at the general disaffection, and the reverses of the last war convinced them that the safety of the em pire depended upon the extinction of the influence of the janissaries, and a thorough renovation of its military system. They therefore prepared for the gradual introduction of the more improved tactics of mcdern warfare; and as a prelude to a more general measure, a levy of 12.000 men were armed and disciplined after the European fashion. These troops were distinguished from the janissaries both by their uniforms and arms; and had splendid bar racks erected for their accommodation at Leven Tchiftlik. Reforms were also introduced into all the other departments of the military and naval service, and a general regulation provided that the new discipline should be gradually communicated to the janissaries. In order to meet the increased expenditure of the state by these improvements, new and extraordinary taxes were imposed; and this revenue was placed under the control of a distinct officer of state, ith the title of Treasurer of the New Bank. This military establishment was intro duced under the name of Nizam Nedit or new con stitution; and the improved discipline of the troops proceeded with considerable success, and without exciting much attention.
The steadiness and bravery of the new corps in the defence of St. John d'Acre made them be re ceived on their return to Constantinople, with great affection and enthusiasm; and they farther acquired the confidence and gratitude of their countrymen, by extirpating the predatory bands which had long continued to infest the provinces of Bulgaria and Bournelia. These important services were followed by liberal honours and rewards; and sultan Selim, availing himself of the general feeling of enthusi asm in favour of those forces, resolved to increase their number, and issued an order for a levy of picked men from the janissaries to be incorporated with the nizam djedit. This measure was received by the haughty janissaries with the most marked antipathy and opposition. They could not but fore see, in the success of this project, the extinction of that overpowering influence which they had so long maintained in the government, and they conse quently spread disaffection and discontent in the principal cities of the empire. After a series of dif ficulties and dangers, the order was suspended; but the flame which it had raised continued to increase in measure and intensity until it involved the un fortunate Selina and his ministers in its devouring vortex.
During these disturbances, the affairs of the em pire were distracted by the contending influence of France and England. The councils of France at last prevailed, and precipitated a war with Eng land and Russia. The latter power seized upon the principalities, while the English, under admiral Duckworth, passed the Dardanelles and approach ed the capital, but were compelled to make an in glorious retreat. Freed from any immediate appre hension of danger from that quarter, the divan directed an extraordinary levy of troops for the re covery of the principalities. But while the army
under the grand vizier was hastening to the seat of war, an insurrection of the janissaries precipitated Selim from his throne. This revolt was hastened by the death of the mufti, who had been the early, faithful, and tried friend of Selim, and who had also assisted and supported him in all his plans of re form. His successor, on the contrary, entertained a personal dislike to his sovereign, and was besides inimical to the new institutions. The same senti ments were harboured by Musa Pacha the kaima ken, who with an outward show of devotion and attachment to Selim, was crafty, cruel, and ambi tious, and waited only for an opportunity to over turn the existing government, and to rise upon its ruins. The absence of the vizier from the capital had placed the executive power in the hands of Musa, who was thus enabled to prosecute his ma chinations with the less risk of discovery. He ac cordingly fomented the discontents of the janissa ries, and directed their hostility against the new institutions. An order for clothing a few Yamaks, who formed part of the garrisons in the batteries of the Bosphorus, with the new uniform, and in corporating them with the nizam djedits, was made the signal of revolt. These troops, issuing from their quarters, assembled at Buyukdere, and hav ing chosen a leader, marched directly to the capi tal. Here, at the instigation of Musa, they were joined by the seditious janissaries, who repaired to the Atmcidan* with their kettles sounding, and demanded the heads of those ministers who had fa voured the new institutions. Selim, who had hith erto been kept in ignorance of these proceedings, and misled by the treacherous kaimaken, was now aroused to a sense of his clanger, and endeavoured to avert the fate of his friends by an offer to abolish the nizam djedit; but the demand was reiterated, and seven heads were on the morrow presented to the insurgents, with an order for the suppression of the new institutions. The traitor Musa, how ever, with his associate the mufti, encouraged the rebels to demand a nobler sacrifice, and a thousand tongues called for the deposition of Selim, and the elevation of Mustapha, the son of The revolution which raised IV. to the throne, threw the whole executive power into the hands of the kaimaken and the mufti, and the sultan became the passive instrument of those to whom he was indebted for his sceptre. The asso ciated traitors, however, could not long agree; and in the struggle for pre-eminence Musa was banish ed, but the triumph of the mufti was but of short duration. The violence and insolence of the janis saries excited universal complaints, and a counter revolution was speedily effected by the daring en ergy of the pacha of Rudshuk. This chief retained the surname of Bairactar or standard bearer, inti mating the humble rank from which he had been raised, and had always regarded Selim as his pa tron and friend. Collecting a band of 40,000 Alba nians, he hastened to the capital, and sent an inti mation to the sultan, that he came to reform the abuses of the state. Mustapha, alarmed for his personal safety, readily submitted to the first de mands of Bairactar, and consigned to punishment the mufti and the seditious Yamaks. But the pa cha of Rudshuk had a higher object, and contem plated nothing less than the restoration of his for mer master. his determination, however, had been allowed to transpire; and when he marched to the seraglio he found the gates shut, and preparation made for resistance. The disappointed chief or dered an immediate assault, and soon forced his way into the palace; but this short delay was fatal to the deposed sultan, and when the impatient Ba iractar called for the appearance of Selim, the body of his murdered friend was cast down before him. Overwhelmed with grief at the sight, he kept kneel ing beside the corpse until he was reminded that the time for revenge was now come. Proceeding to the presence chamber, he pulled the sultan Mus tapha from his throne, and the cannon soon after announced to the people the elevation of MArtmoun II.