[Footnote16:Willerm。Tyr。l。i。c。7,p。633。ThedivinationbyarrowsisancientandfamousintheEast。]
[Footnote17:D'Herbelot,p。801。Yetafterthefortuneofhisposterity,Seljukbecamethethirty—fourthinlinealdescentfromthegreatAfrasiab,emperorofTouran,p。800。TheTartarpedigreeofthehouseofZingisgaveadifferentcasttoflatteryandfable;andthehistorianMirkhondderivestheSeljukidesfromAlankavah,thevirginmother,p。801,col。2。IftheybethesameastheZalzutsofAbulghaziBahadurKahn,Hist。
Genealogique,p。148,wequoteintheirfavorthemostweightyevidenceofaTartarprincehimself,thedescendantofZingis,Alankavah,orAlancu,andOguzKhan。]
[Footnote18:Byaslightcorruption,TogrulBegistheTangroli—pixoftheGreeks。HisreignandcharacterarefaithfullyexhibitedbyD'HerbelotBibliothequeOrientale,p。
1027,1028andDeGuignes,Hist。desHuns,tom。iii。p。189—
201。]
[Footnote19:Cedrenus,tom。ii。p。774,775。Zonaras,tom。ii。
p。257。WiththeirusualknowledgeofOrientalaffairs,theydescribetheambassadorasasherif,who,likethesyncellusofthepatriarch,wasthevicarandsuccessorofthecaliph。]
[Footnote20:FromWilliamofTyreIhaveborrowedthisdistinctionofTurksandTurkmans,whichatleastispopularandconvenient。Thenamesarethesame,andtheadditionofmanisofthesameimportinthePersicandTeutonicidioms。FewcriticswilladopttheetymologyofJamesdeVitry,Hist。
Hierosol。l。i。c。11p。1061,ofTurcomani,quesiTurcietComani,amixedpeople。]
[Footnote21:Hist。GeneraledesHuns,tom。iii。p。165,166,167。M。DeGognesAbulmahasen,anhistorianofEgypt。]
WiththebeliefoftheKoran,thesonofSeljukimbibedalivelyreverenceforthesuccessoroftheprophet。ButthatsublimecharacterwasstilldisputedbythecaliphsofBagdadandEgypt,andeachoftherivalswassolicitoustoprovehistitleinthejudgmentofthestrong,thoughilliterateBarbarians。
MahmudtheGaznevidehaddeclaredhimselfinfavorofthelineofAbbas;andhadtreatedwithindignitytherobeofhonorwhichwaspresentedbytheFatimiteambassador。YettheungratefulHashemitehadchangedwiththechangeoffortune;heapplaudedthevictoryofZendecan,andnamedtheSeljukiansultanhistemporalvicegerentovertheMoslemworld。AsTogrulexecutedandenlargedthisimportanttrust,hewascalledtothedeliveranceofthecaliphCayem,andobeyedtheholysummons,whichgaveanewkingdomtohisarms。^22InthepalaceofBagdad,thecommanderofthefaithfulstillslumbered,avenerablephantom。Hisservantormaster,theprinceoftheBowides,couldnolongerprotecthimfromtheinsolenceofmeanertyrants;andtheEuphratesandTigriswereoppressedbytherevoltoftheTurkishandArabianemirs。Thepresenceofaconquerorwasimploredasablessing;andthetransientmischiefsoffireandswordwereexcusedasthesharpbutsalutaryremedieswhichalonecouldrestorethehealthoftherepublic。Attheheadofanirresistibleforce,thesultanofPersiamarchedfromHamadan:theproudwerecrushed,theprostratewerespared;theprinceoftheBowidesdisappeared;theheadsofthemostobstinaterebelswerelaidatthefeetofTogrul;andheinflictedalessonofobedienceonthepeopleofMosulandBagdad。Afterthechastisementoftheguilty,andtherestorationofpeace,theroyalshepherdacceptedtherewardofhislabors;andasolemncomedyrepresentedthetriumphofreligiousprejudiceoverBarbarianpower。^23TheTurkishsultanembarkedontheTigris,landedatthegateofRacca,andmadehispublicentryonhorseback。Atthepalace—gateherespectfullydismounted,andwalkedonfoot,precededbyhisemirswithoutarms。Thecaliphwasseatedbehindhisblackveil:theblackgarmentoftheAbbassideswascastoverhisshoulders,andheheldinhishandthestaffoftheapostleofGod。TheconqueroroftheEastkissedtheground,stoodsometimeinamodestposture,andwasledtowardsthethronebythevizierandinterpreter。AfterTogrulhadseatedhimselfonanotherthrone,hiscommissionwaspubliclyread,whichdeclaredhimthetemporallieutenantofthevicaroftheprophet。Hewassuccessivelyinvestedwithsevenrobesofhonor,andpresentedwithsevenslaves,thenativesofthesevenclimatesoftheArabianempire。
Hismysticveilwasperfumedwithmusk;twocrownswereplacedonhishead;twocimetersweregirdedtohisside,asthesymbolsofadoublereignovertheEastandWest。Afterthisinauguration,thesultanwaspreventedfromprostratinghimselfasecondtime;buthetwicekissedthehandofthecommanderofthefaithful,andhistitleswereproclaimedbythevoiceofheraldsandtheapplauseoftheMoslems。InasecondvisittoBagdad,theSeljukianprinceagainrescuedthecaliphfromhisenemiesanddevoutly,onfoot,ledthebridleofhismulefromtheprisontothepalace。TheiralliancewascementedbythemarriageofTogrul'ssisterwiththesuccessoroftheprophet。WithoutreluctancehehadintroducedaTurkishvirginintohisharem;butCayemproudlyrefusedhisdaughtertothesultan,disdainedtominglethebloodoftheHashemiteswiththebloodofaScythianshepherd;andprotractedthenegotiationmanymonths,tillthegradualdiminutionofhisrevenueadmonishedhimthathewasstillinthehandsofamaster。TheroyalnuptialswerefollowedbythedeathofTogrulhimself;^24^!asheleftnochildren,hisnephewAlpArslansucceededtothetitleandprerogativesofsultan;andhisname,afterthatofthecaliph,waspronouncedinthepublicprayersoftheMoslems。Yetinthisrevolution,theAbbassidesacquiredalargermeasureoflibertyandpower。OnthethroneofAsia,theTurkishmonarchswerelessjealousofthedomesticadministrationofBagdad;andthecommandersofthefaithfulwererelievedfromtheignominiousvexationstowhichtheyhadbeenexposedbythepresenceandpovertyofthePersiandynasty。
[Footnote22:ConsulttheBibliothequeOrientale,inthearticlesoftheAbbassides,Caher,andCaiem,andtheAnnalsofElmacinandAbulpharagius。]
[Footnote23:Forthiscuriousceremony,IamindebtedtoM。DeGuignestom。iii。p。197,198,andthatlearnedauthorisobligedtoBondari,whocomposedinArabicthehistoryoftheSeljukides,tom。v。p。365Iamignorantofhisage,country,andcharacter。]
[Footnote*:AccordingtoVonHammer,"crowns"areincorrect。
TheyareunknownasasymbolofroyaltyintheEast。V。Hammer,OsmanischeGeschischte,vol。i。p。567。—M。]
[Footnote24:EodemannoA。H。455obiitprincepsTogrulbecus……rexfuitclemens,prudens,etperitusregnandi,cujusterrorcordamortaliuminvaserat,itautobedirenteiregesatqueadipsumscriberent。Elmacin,Hist。Saracen。p。342,vers。Erpenii。
Note:Hedied,being75yearsold。V。Hammer。—M。]
ChapterLVII:TheTurks。
PartII。
Sincethefallofthecaliphs,thediscordanddegeneracyoftheSaracensrespectedtheAsiaticprovincesofRome;which,bythevictoriesofNicephorus,Zimisces,andBasil,hadbeenextendedasfarasAntiochandtheeasternboundariesofArmenia。
Twenty—fiveyearsafterthedeathofBasil,hissuccessorsweresuddenlyassaultedbyanunknownraceofBarbarians,whounitedtheScythianvalorwiththefanaticismofnewproselytes,andtheartandrichesofapowerfulmonarchy。^25ThemyriadsofTurkishhorseoverspreadafrontierofsixhundredmilesfromTauristoArzeroum,andthebloodofonehundredandthirtythousandChristianswasagratefulsacrificetotheArabianprophet。YetthearmsofTogruldidnotmakeanydeeporlastingimpressionontheGreekempire。Thetorrentrolledawayfromtheopencountry;
thesultanretiredwithoutgloryorsuccessfromthesiegeofanArmeniancity;theobscurehostilitieswerecontinuedorsuspendedwithavicissitudeofevents;andthebraveryoftheMacedonianlegionsrenewedthefameoftheconquerorofAsia。^26
ThenameofAlpArslan,thevaliantlion,isexpressiveofthepopularideaoftheperfectionofman;andthesuccessorofTogruldisplayedthefiercenessandgenerosityoftheroyalanimal。HepassedtheEuphratesattheheadoftheTurkishcavalry,andenteredCaesarea,themetropolisofCappadocia,towhichhehadbeenattractedbythefameandwealthofthetempleofSt。Basil。Thesolidstructureresistedthedestroyer:buthecarriedawaythedoorsoftheshrineincrustedwithgoldandpearls,andprofanedtherelicsofthetutelarsaint,whosemortalfrailtieswerenowcoveredbythevenerablerustofantiquity。ThefinalconquestofArmeniaandGeorgiawasachievedbyAlpArslan。InArmenia,thetitleofakingdom,andthespiritofanation,wereannihilated:theartificialfortificationswereyieldedbythemercenariesofConstantinople;
bystrangerswithoutfaith,veteranswithoutpayorarms,andrecruitswithoutexperienceordiscipline。Thelossofthisimportantfrontierwasthenewsofaday;andtheCatholicswereneithersurprisednordispleased,thatapeoplesodeeplyinfectedwiththeNestorianandEutychianerrorshadbeendeliveredbyChristandhismotherintothehandsoftheinfidels。^27ThewoodsandvalleysofMountCaucasusweremorestrenuouslydefendedbythenativeGeorgians^28orIberians;buttheTurkishsultanandhissonMalekwereindefatigableinthisholywar:theircaptiveswerecompelledtopromiseaspiritual,aswellastemporal,obedience;and,insteadoftheircollarsandbracelets,anironhorseshoe,abadgeofignominy,wasimposedontheinfidelswhostilladheredtotheworshipoftheirfathers。
Thechange,however,wasnotsincereoruniversal;and,throughagesofservitude,theGeorgianshavemaintainedthesuccessionoftheirprincesandbishops。Butaraceofmen,whomnaturehascastinhermostperfectmould,isdegradedbypoverty,ignorance,andvice;theirprofession,andstillmoretheirpractice,ofChristianityisanemptyname;andiftheyhaveemergedfromheresy,itisonlybecausetheyaretooilliteratetorememberametaphysicalcreed。^29
[Footnote25:ForthesewarsoftheTurksandRomans,seeingeneraltheByzantinehistoriesofZonarasandCedrenus,ScylitzesthecontinuatorofCedrenus,andNicephorusBryenniusCaesar。Thetwofirstoftheseweremonks,thetwolatterstatesmen;yetsuchweretheGreeks,thatthedifferenceofstyleandcharacterisscarcelydiscernible。FortheOrientals,IdrawasusuulonthewealthofD'HerbelotseetitlesofthefirstSeljukidesandtheaccuracyofDeGuignes,Hist。desHuns,tom。
iii。l。x。]
[Footnote26:Cedrenus,tom。ii。p。791。Thecredulityofthevulgarisalwaysprobable;andtheTurkshadlearnedfromtheArabsthehistoryorlegendofEscanderDulcarnein,D'Herbelot,p。213&c。]
[Footnote27:Scylitzes,adcalcemCedreni,tom。ii。p。834,whoseambiguousconstructionshallnottemptmetosuspectthatheconfoundedtheNestorianandMonophysiteheresies,Hefamiliarlytalksofthequalities,asIshouldapprehend,veryforeigntotheperfectBeing;buthisbigotryisforcedtoconfessthattheyweresoonafterwardsdischargedontheorthodoxRomans。]
[Footnote28:HadthenameofGeorgiansbeenknowntotheGreeks,Stritter,MemoriaeByzant。tom。iv。Iberica,Ishouldderiveitfromtheiragriculture,l。iv。c。18,p。289,edit。Wesseling。
Butitappearsonlysincethecrusades,amongtheLatinsJac。aVitriaco,Hist。Hierosol。c。79,p。1095andOrientals,D'Herbelot,p。407,andwasdevoutlyborrowedfromSt。GeorgeofCappadocia。]
[Footnote29:Mosheim,Institut。Hist。Eccles。p。632。See,inChardin'sTravels,tom。i。p。171—174,themannersandreligionofthishandsomebutworthlessnation。SeethepedigreeoftheirprincesfromAdamtothepresentcentury,inthetablesofM。DeGuignes,tom。i。p。433—438。]
ThefalseorgenuinemagnanimityofMahmudtheGaznevidewasnotimitatedbyAlpArslan;andheattackedwithoutscrupletheGreekempressEudociaandherchildren。Hisalarmingprogresscompelledhertogiveherselfandhersceptretothehandofasoldier;andRomanusDiogeneswasinvestedwiththeImperialpurple。Hispatriotism,andperhapshispride,urgedhimfromConstantinoplewithintwomonthsafterhisaccession;andthenextcampaignhemostscandalouslytookthefieldduringtheholyfestivalofEaster。Inthepalace,DiogeneswasnomorethanthehusbandofEudocia:inthecamp,hewastheemperoroftheRomans,andhesustainedthatcharacterwithfeebleresourcesandinvinciblecourage。Byhisspiritandsuccessthesoldiersweretaughttoact,thesubjectstohope,andtheenemiestofear。
TheTurkshadpenetratedintotheheartofPhrygia;butthesultanhimselfhadresignedtohisemirstheprosecutionofthewar;andtheirnumerousdetachmentswerescatteredoverAsiainthesecurityofconquest。Ladenwithspoil,andcarelessofdiscipline,theywereseparatelysurprisedanddefeatedbytheGreeks:theactivityoftheemperorseemedtomultiplyhispresence:andwhiletheyheardofhisexpeditiontoAntioch,theenemyfelthisswordonthehillsofTrebizond。Inthreelaboriouscampaigns,theTurksweredrivenbeyondtheEuphrates;
inthefourthandlast,RomanusundertookthedeliveranceofArmenia。Thedesolationofthelandobligedhimtotransportasupplyoftwomonths'provisions;andhemarchedforwardstothesiegeofMalazkerd,^30animportantfortressinthemidwaybetweenthemoderncitiesofArzeroumandVan。Hisarmyamounted,attheleast,toonehundredthousandmen。ThetroopsofConstantinoplewerereenforcedbythedisorderlymultitudesofPhrygiaandCappadocia;buttherealstrengthwascomposedofthesubjectsandalliesofEurope,thelegionsofMacedonia,andthesquadronsofBulgaria;theUzi,aMoldavianhorde,whowerethemselvesoftheTurkishrace;^31and,aboveall,themercenaryandadventurousbandsofFrenchandNormans。TheirlanceswerecommandedbythevaliantUrselofBaliol,thekinsmanorfatheroftheScottishkings,^32andwereallowedtoexcelintheexerciseofarms,or,accordingtotheGreekstyle,inthepracticeofthePyrrhicdance。
[Footnote30:ThiscityismentionedbyConstantinePorphyrogenitus,deAdministrat。Imperii,l。ii。c。44,p。119,
andtheByzantinesofthexithcentury,underthenameofMantzikierte,andbysomeisconfoundedwithTheodosiopolis;butDelisle,inhisnotesandmaps,hasveryproperlyfixedthesituation。AbulfedaGeograph。tab。xviii。p。310describesMalasgerdasasmalltown,builtwithblackstone,suppliedwithwater,withouttrees,&c。]
[Footnote31:TheUzioftheGreeksStritter,Memor。Byzant。
tom。iii。p。923—948aretheGozzoftheOrientals,Hist。desHuns,tom。ii。p。522,tom。iii。p。133,&c。TheyappearontheDanubeandtheVolga,andArmenia,Syria,andChorasan,andthenameseemstohavebeenextendedtothewholeTurkmanrace。]
[Footnote32:UrseliustheRusseliusofZonarasisdistinguishedbyJeffreyMalaterral。i。c。33amongtheNormanconquerorsofSicily,andwiththesurnameofBaliol:andourownhistorianswilltellhowtheBaliolscamefromNormandytoDurham,builtBernard'scastleontheTees,marriedanheiressofScotland,&c。DucangeNot。adNicephor。Bryennium,l。ii。No。
4haslaboredthesubjectinhonorofthepresidentdeBailleul,whosefatherhadexchangedtheswordforthegown。]
Onthereportofthisboldinvasion,whichthreatenedhishereditarydominions,AlpArslanflewtothesceneofactionattheheadoffortythousandhorse。^33HisrapidandskilfulevolutionsdistressedanddismayedthesuperiornumbersoftheGreeks;andinthedefeatofBasilacius,oneoftheirprincipalgenerals,hedisplayedthefirstexampleofhisvalorandclemency。TheimprudenceoftheemperorhadseparatedhisforcesafterthereductionofMalazkerd。ItwasinvainthatheattemptedtorecallthemercenaryFranks:theyrefusedtoobeyhissummons;hedisdainedtoawaittheirreturn:thedesertionoftheUzifilledhismindwithanxietyandsuspicion;andagainstthemostsalutaryadviceherushedforwardstospeedyanddecisiveaction。Hadhelistenedtothefairproposalsofthesultan,Romanusmighthavesecuredaretreat,perhapsapeace;
butintheseovertureshesupposedthefearorweaknessoftheenemy,andhisanswerwasconceivedinthetoneofinsultanddefiance。"IftheBarbarianwishesforpeace,lethimevacuatethegroundwhichheoccupiesfortheencampmentoftheRomans,andsurrenderhiscityandpalaceofReiasapledgeofhissincerity。"AlpArslansmiledatthevanityofthedemand,butheweptthedeathofsomanyfaithfulMoslems;and,afteradevoutprayer,proclaimedafreepermissiontoallwhoweredesirousofretiringfromthefield。Withhisownhandshetieduphishorse'stail,exchangedhisbowandarrowsforamaceandcimeter,clothedhimselfinawhitegarment,perfumedhisbodywithmusk,anddeclaredthatifhewerevanquished,thatspotshouldbetheplaceofhisburial。^34Thesultanhimselfhadaffectedtocastawayhismissileweapons:buthishopesofvictorywereplacedinthearrowsoftheTurkishcavalry,whosesquadronswerelooselydistributedintheformofacrescent。
InsteadofthesuccessivelinesandreservesoftheGreciantactics,Romulusledhisarmyinasingleandsolidphalanx,andpressedwithvigorandimpatiencetheartfulandyieldingresistanceoftheBarbarians。Inthisdesultoryandfruitlesscombathespentthegreaterpartofasummer'sday,tillprudenceandfatiguecompelledhimtoreturntohiscamp。Butaretreatisalwaysperilousinthefaceofanactivefoe;andnosoonerhadthestandardbeenturnedtotherearthanthephalanxwasbrokenbythebasecowardice,orthebaserjealousy,ofAndronicus,arivalprince,whodisgracedhisbirthandthepurpleoftheCaesars。^35TheTurkishsquadronspouredacloudofarrowsonthismomentofconfusionandlassitude;andthehornsoftheirformidablecrescentwereclosedintherearoftheGreeks。Inthedestructionofthearmyandpillageofthecamp,itwouldbeneedlesstomentionthenumberoftheslainorcaptives。TheByzantinewritersdeplorethelossofaninestimablepearl:theyforgottomention,thatinthisfataldaytheAsiaticprovincesofRomewereirretrievablysacrificed。
[Footnote33:Elmacinp。343,344assignsthisprobablenumber,whichisreducedbyAbulpharagiusto15,000,p。227,andbyD'Herbelotp。102to12,000horse。ButthesameElmacingives300,000mettotheemperor,ofwhomAbulpharagiussays,Cumcentumhominummillibus,multisqueequisetmagnapompainstructus。TheGreeksabstainfromanydefinitionofnumbers。]
[Footnote34:TheByzantinewritersdonotspeaksodistinctlyofthepresenceofthesultan:hecommittedhisforcestoaeunuch,hadretiredtoadistance,&c。Isitignorance,orjealousy,ortruth?]