Volume 1

A full and just account of the present state of the Ottoman Empire in all its brances: with the government, and policy, religion, customs, and way of living of the Turks, in general ... from a serious observations, taken in many years travels thro' those countries / By Aaron Hill.

  • Aaron Hill
Date:
1709
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A full and just account of the present state of the Ottoman Empire in all its brances: with the government, and policy, religion, customs, and way of living of the Turks, in general ... from a serious observations, taken in many years travels thro' those countries / By Aaron Hill. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    C H A P. It Of ^eTurkifh Tolicy, HE Political Maxims of an Arbitrary Government, may not improperly be compar d to the /pleading Roots and twilling F^res of lome Tall Oak, whole elevated Heigth expofing it . „t0 d°ub,e Danger, by the raging Force of Stormy Winds a- mong its Branches, has np Security but the Rooted Depth, by which it is fupported againft the ftrongeft Efforts of contending TempGis- and ZT$ ;S°VCnVmeiU ^ Lai'Se’ f0 'nexP' eiTibly R£ and fo ftrangely different from all other, mull be fupported flrongly by %ne uncommon Policy; without which Guard, the daring Ambiuon of Pr‘nces; ,and the formidable violences of intelline Difcords, would like lome furptmmg Earthquake, break fiercely thro’ the Bands of Duty, Ruinby t l6ir faftlSUS Confe<luences lnvolve tbe Empire in moll inevitable T H A T I may with greater eafe Defcribe the folid Foundations upon which the have bu.lt their Safety, ’twill be neceffary ro di- 1 e their Maxims into Two Parts. The Full, are tliofe by which the Sultan fupports fecurely his unnval’d Grandeur, and the Pure Dominion of h,s extenfive Empire. The Second, are fuel, Notions as are taught SjbffS Wldl the, eailieft Rudiments of their common Knowledge and diflufe with eafe a certain Awful Dutv nr almnfl- ° 7 Veneration thro’ the whole Country for the Pei’fon of theh^Emperour5 and are the only caufes of that mild Obedience and miferable Servitude’ with which they own themfelves his Slaves, and endeavour vigoroufly o exert an uncommon Indullry, in hopes to gain fome Mark of Fa^ vour from the meflimable Bounty of their Common Mailer * I fhall begin with the Sultan, whofe firfl Maxim of Policy is to Deno- pulate as much as may be the remoter Parts of his wide Empire the more effeaual y to flrengthen its Center. The Reafons he gives to prove the Ufefulnefs of this Maxim are thefe, Firfl, That Countries far di- flant from his Eye, might with more eafe and lefs danger be induc’d n fome fatal Rebellion, were the Number of their Inlafi ants but any °f 'i“ir fy able and bairen Condition of a dif-peooled Counrrv twould be found a m/ter of inconceivable difficulty,Pfor an Invading Enemy to penetrate their Empire with a numerous Army ; finee their Troops without the chargeable Inconvenience of vafl quantities of Pro vifions, would never be able to fubfift in a Country, whofe flymg hand-' hil of inhabitants, would immediately, convey what little Stores their Poverty afforded them, to Woods and Mountain]and^ Places macSf pb' rt0 Pe°P!c unacquainted with the Paffes ofthe Country • Another 2,5“ lJ? ,the utter impoffibility, which Difcarded Favorftes f by this Means; find to efcape the Anger of their Offended Sultan • for knowing nie to lome Cbnftidn Country, they rather choofe a voluntary Rp fignation of thejr Lives and Fortunes, to the undifputed Will dtheir cudonw.^ ’ 3nd qU‘etly fubmic tbei1' Necks to the Sword ofthe Exe- The m Mnxim of the Turhijh Policy. The Reafons upon which this Maxim is founded. B U T