SEIM!, eager to relieve himself of every compe titor to the throne, devoted to death all his brothers and nephews. Fierce and cruel in his disposition, he was well inclined to indulge to the full his im patient and fiery janissaries in their love of conquest and plunder.
Ishmael, the shah of Persia, had adopted the heresies of the impostor Schietan, and had de stroyed throughout his kingdom the mosques of the Sunnites, who are regarded by the Turks as the only orthodox believers. Thus religious animosity, mingled with personal jealousy and national ag grandisement, hurried on a contest between two of the most renowned and powerful sovereigns of Is lamism, which continued to be prosecuted for two centuries with the bitter feelings of sectarian ran cour and zeal.
Selim having assembled a mighty army on the plains of Erzerum, crossed the mountainous deserts of Ararat, where his troops were subjected to great suffering and privations, and where in all likelihood he would have been sacrificed to their resentment, had not the appearance of the Persian forces, glit tering with gold and precious stones, and attended by numerous beasts of burden, excited the cupidity and courage of his janissaries. The two armies met on the plains of Chalderon, and after a long and obstiinate engagement the Turks obtained the victory; but so dearly was it bought that they called it "the day of judgment." An immense booty and the city of Tauris fell into the hands of the Otto mans; but their retreat was sudden and disastrous, and Selim with difficulty rescued the relics of his army from the harassing attacks of the Kurdish mountaineers.
Selim again prepared for the invasion of Persia by subjugating Armenia, Diarbekir, Kurdistan, and the vast peninsula between the Euphrates and the Tigris. By these important conquests he opened an easy access into the dominions of Ishmael; but he dreaded to leave the sultan of Egypt behind him, and,having vainly endeavoured to detach that prince from his alliance with Persia, he advanced into Sy ria and encamped on the plains of Aleppo. The Mamelukes, led by sultan Kansu Ghauri, hastened to the combat, and charged with such intrepidity that the Turks, being driven back, were on the eve of being overthrown, when they were saved by the treachery of the governor of Aleppo, who deserted from the enemy. Selim was thus enabled to rally his forces and to bring his artillery into action, which made great havoc among the Mamelukc squadrons. These brave troops however for a time
maintained their ground, hut were at last compell ed to retire with the loss of their sultan, who fell in the engagement. The Ottoman army marched without opposition to Cairo, when, after another ob stinate but decisive encounter, the power of the Ma melukes was annihilated, and Toman-beg, the new sultan, was some time after taken and hanged at one of the gates of Cairo by the inexorable Selim.
Selim established the government of Egypt in twenty-four begs, whose authority he subjected to a council of regency, supported by a standing army of 20,000 infantry and 12.000 cavalry. Syria and Palestine were converted into Ottoman pachaliks; the scheriff of Mecca proffered to him the keys of the holy city; and the Arabs of the desert submit ted to his sovereign authority.* On his return an ambassador from Persia met him at Aleppo, and endeavoured by presents and flattery to avert his hostility to his master; but Selim, in the pride of conquest, swore that he would subvert the Persian empire, and extinguish a race odious to God and man. Persia- however was saved by the death of Selim, who (lied of an impostume in his thigh, af ter forty days of severe suffering.
Selim was one of the ablest and most successful generals of his time, and during his short reign, added more territory to the Ottoman empire than any of his predecessors. ills sanguinary disposi tion obtained for him the appellation of Tams or cruel. His slightest displeasure was followed by death, and neither fidelity nor services could avert the tyrannical mandate.t But while his character was marked by many revolting cruelties, both to wards his family and his subjects, he was distin guished for his attainments in the literature and philosophy of his age. The following inscription in Arabic verse, composed by himself, and placed upon the pavilion of the Nilometre, which be con structed and embellished, testify his genius and his piety. " All the riches and the possessions of men belong to God, who alone disposes of them accord ing to his will. lie overturns the throne of the conqueror, and scatters the treasures of the lords of the Nile. If man could claim as his own the smallest particle of matter, the sovereignty of the world would be divided between God and his crea ture."