[1451.1481.] Mohammed IL, the son of Mitred II., was twenty-ono when he ascended the throne. His reign is memorable for the siege and capture of Constantinople, which he entered as a conqueror on the 29th of Slay, 1453. Mohammed now began a series of victories and conquests by which his empire became one of the most powerful states in the world. Service, formerly a vassal state, became a Turkish province ; the Peloponnesua was conquered, but it was afterwards lost ; Trebizond, the last remnant of Greek independence, was also taken ; Ka& was captured; and the khans of the Crimea took the oath of vassalage. In Asia the frontiers of Turkey were extended by the victories obtained over several petty Seljukian princes, and Europe was alarmed at the incursions of the Turks into Wallachia, Moldavia, Transylvania, Hungary, and Germany, and especially by the fall of Otranto in Italy, which was taken by Ahmed Kediik in 1479. Scan derbeg was defeated, and his dominions, Epirus and the Herzogevina, were united with Turkey. During the reign of Mohammed IL great numbers of Turks settled in Europe, where they received lands which had been taken from the Greek's. Mohammed was very active in the administration of his empire. His criminal laws imposed a money fine payable to himself for injuries to the person, and sanctioned his assumption of power to put his brothers to death on the plea of pre venting troubles. He established schools and academies for the study of theology, jurisprudence, mathematics, and philosophy.
[14314 512.] Bayazid IL, the son of Mohammed IL, having only one brother, Jem, or Zizime, did not avail himself of his power to put him to death ; the consequence was a rebellion of Jern, who disputed the crown with his brother : after a long civil war, Jam was at last obliged to fly to Rhodes. The Knights of St. John sent him a prisoner to France, whence ho went to Rome under the protection of the Pope. Pope Alexander VI. again put him into the hands of Charles VIII., and eight days afterwards Zizime died, 1491. Besides these civil commotions the reign of Bayazid was troubled by wars with Egypt, Venice, Hungary, Poland, and Airdrie- In 1495 the first Russian ambassador appeared at Constantinople. Bayazid towards the end of his life experienced the bitterness' of a civil war with his youngest son, Salim, which ended in Payazid being compelled by Salim to abdicate, and he died soon afterwards, in 1512.
[1512-1520.] The reign of the cruel, but most active and gallant Sultan Sellm I., though short, is one of the most glorious in Turkish history. Immediately on his accession he put to death his brother Korkud and five of his nephews. Ile then marched against his brother Ahmed, whom he defeated, seized, and murdered In 1513. In a war with Persia, Sam, after having routed Shah Isms 11 in a decisive battle, took Tabriz in 1514. After this victory he attacked 'Ald-ed dewlet, who reigned over the extensive country between Armenia, Kurdistdn, Syria, and Karamanis. 'Alieed-dewlet was defeated, and lost his life In 1515 : his dominions were nuked to Turkey. The third
and most important conquest was that of Egypt and Syria (1516-17). Al-mutawakkel, the last kalif of Cairo, was deposed from his rank as Chief of the Believer's, and Salim was acknowledged as his successor by Mohammed Abfi-I-Berekiat, the Sherif of Mecca, who presented him with the key. of the Ka'bah. Selina returned to Constantinople in 1517 with 1000 camels laden with the spoil of Egypt. Ho died in 1520, In consequence of his passion for taking opium. One of his last acts was the creation of a powerful navy. Selim, a zealous Sunnite, persecuted to death great numbers of the heretical Shiites who lived in his empire. Ile also resolved to kill all the Christians who would not adopt the Mohammedan religion ; but he was prevented by his ministers, who besought him not to violate the Kerlin, which com mands toleration of non-believers who pay the capitation-tar..
[15204566.] Soliman, or Suleiman I., surnamed the Great, the son of Sam L, is the greatest sultan of the Osmanli; and his reign is tho most important period of Turkish history. In tho firet year of his reign he took Belgrade, and Rhode!, which was defended by the Knights of St. John ; and he made Itadul, the prince of Wallachia, his Tamil. In 1526 Louis, king of Hungary, lost his life in the battle of Mohacs against Soliman, who overran Hungary in one campaign; took the capital, Buda ; and received Zapolya, the waiwode of Tran sylvania, into vassalage. Soliman penetrated Into Germany, and laid siege to Vienna in September, 1529; but he was compelled to raise the siege In 1533. From Hungary Soliman proceeded to Persia, then governed by Shah Thematic, who had protected Sherif-Bey, the khan of Bedlis, who had revolted against the Sultan. This war lasted till 1554; and although the Turks took Baghdad, Soliman gave up his conquests on condition of the Shah not aiding the rebellious subjects of the Sultan.
While one Turkish army was thus occupied against Persia, another, supported by a fleet, made war against the Venetians, who lost several of their islands in the Archipelago. Zapolya having died in 1539, Ferdinand of Austria seized the kingdom of Hungary, whereupon the Sultan invaded Hungary in 1541. In this war Soliman was victorious, and Ferdinand was compelled to cede to Soliman the greater part of Hungary, with the capital, Buda or Ofen, in 1547. In two years fresh hostilities broke out, and after a long war, a new peace was concluded in 1562, by which Soliman maintained possession of his conquests, and Ferdinand promised to pay an annual tribute for Upper Hungary. Previously to this, Sam and Bayazid, sous of Soliman, disputed the future succession to the throne. After the loss of the battle of Koniah, Bayazid with his four sons fled to Persia, and Soliman having declared himself for Salim, the Shah delivered the fugitives to the messengers of the Sultan. Bayazid and his suns were put to death in 1561.