The Prince of India; Or, Why Constantinople Fell — Volume 02

by Lew Wallace

  BOOK V

  MIRZA

  CHAPTER I

  A COLD WIND FROM ADRIANOPLE

  It is now the middle of February, 1451. Constantine has been Emperor atrifle over three years, and proven himself a just man and aconscientious ruler. How great he is remains for demonstration, sincenothing has occurred to him--nothing properly a trial of his higherqualities.

  In one respect the situation of the Emperor was peculiar. The highwayfrom Gallipoli to Adrianople, passing the ancient capital on the south,belonged to the Turks, and they used it for every purpose--military,commercial, governmental--used it as undisputedly within their domain,leaving Constantine territorially surrounded, and with but oneneighbor, the Sultan Amurath.

  Age had transformed the great Moslem; from dreams of conquest, he haddescended to dreams of peace in shaded halls and rose-sprent gardens,with singers, story-tellers, and philosophers for companions, andwomen, cousins of the houris, to carpet the way to Paradise; but forGeorge Castriot, [Footnote: Iskander-beg--Scanderbeg. _Vide_ GIBBON's_Roman Empire._] he had abandoned the cimeter. Keeping terms of amitywith such a neighbor was easy--the Emperor had merely to be himselfpeaceful. Moreover, when John Palaeologus died, the succession wasdisputed by Demetrius, a brother to Constantine. Amurath was chosenarbitrator, and he decided in favor of the latter, placing him under abond of gratitude.

  Thus secure in his foreign relations, the Emperor, on taking thethrone, addressed himself to finding a consort; of his efforts in thatquest the reader is already informed, leaving it to be remarked thatthe Georgian Princess at last selected for him by Phranza died whilejourneying to Constantinople. This, however, was business of theEmperor's own inauguration, and in point of seriousness could not standcomparison with another affair imposed upon him by inheritance--keepingthe religious factions domiciled in the capital from tearing each otherto pieces. The latter called for qualities he does not seem to havepossessed. He permitted the sectaries to bombard each other withsermons, bulletins and excommunications which, on the ground of scandalto religion, he should have promptly suppressed; his failure to do soled to its inevitable result--the sectaries presently dominated him.

  Now, however, the easy administration of the hitherto fortunate Emperoris to vanish; two additional matters of the gravest import are thrustupon him simultaneously, one domestic, the other foreign; and as bothof them become turning points in our story, it is advisable to attendto them here.

  When the reins of government fell from the hands of Amurath, they werecaught up by Mahommed; in other words, Mahommed is Sultan, and the oldregime, with its friendly policies and stately courtesies, is at anend, imposing the necessity for a recast of the relations between theEmpires. What shall they be? Such is the foreign question.

  Obviously, the subject being of vital interest to the Greek, it was forhim to take the initiative in bringing about the definitions desired.With keen appreciation of the danger of the situation he addressedhimself to the task. Replying to a request presented through theambassador resident at Adrianople, Mahommed gave him solemn assurancesof his disposition to observe every existing treaty. The response seemsto have made him over-confident. Into the gilded council chamber atBlacherne he drew his personal friends and official advisers, and heardthem with patience and dignity. At the close of a series ofdeliberative sessions which had almost the continuity of one session,two measures met his approval. Of these, the first was so extraordinaryit is impossible not to attribute its suggestion to Phranza, who, tothe immeasurable grief and disgust of our friend the venerable Dean,was now returned, and in the exercise of his high office of GrandChamberlain.

  Allusion has been already made to the religious faith of the mother ofMahommed. [Footnote: "For it was thought that his (Amurath's) eldestson Mahomet, after the death of his father, would have embraced theChristian Religion, being in his childhood instructed therein, as wassupposed, by his mother, the daughter of the Prince of Servia, aChristian."--KNOLLES' _Turk. Hist._, 239, Vol. I.

  "He (Mahommed) also entered into league with Constantinus Palaeologus,the Emperor of Constantinople, and the other Princes of Grecia; as alsowith the Despot of Servia, his Grandfather by the mother's side, assome will have it; howbeit some others write that the Despot hisdaughter, Amurath his wife (the Despot's daughter, Amurath's wife) wasbut his Mother-in-law, whom he, under colour of Friendship, sent backagain unto her Father, after the death of Amurath, still allowing her aPrincely Dowery."--_Ibid_. 230.

  On this very interesting point both Von Hammer and Gibbon are somewhatobscure; the final argument, however, is from Phranza: "After thetaking of Constantinople, she (the Princess) fled to Mahomet II."(GIBBON'S _Rom. Emp._, Note 52, 12.) The action is significant of amother. Mothers-in-law are not usually so doting.] The daughter of aServian prince, she is supposed to have been a Christian. After theinterment of Amurath, she had been returned to her native land. Her agewas about fifty. Clothed with full powers, the Grand Chamberlain wasdespatched to Adrianople to propose a marriage between His Majesty, theEmperor, and the Sultana mother. The fears and uncertainties besettingthe Greek must have been overwhelming.

  The veteran diplomat was at the same time entrusted with another affairwhich one would naturally think called for much less delicacy innegotiation. There was in Constantinople then a refugee named Orchan,of whose history little is known beyond the fact that he was a grandsonof Sultan Solyman. Sometime presumably in the reign of JohnPalaeologus, the Prince appeared in the Greek capital as a pretender tothe Sultanate; and his claim must have had color of right, at least,since he became the subject of a treaty between Amurath and hisByzantine contemporary, the former binding himself to pay the latter anannual stipend in aspers in consideration of the detention of thefugitive.

  With respect to this mysterious person, the time was favorable, in theopinion of the council, for demanding an increase of the stipend.Instructions concerning the project were accordingly delivered to LordPhranza.

  The High Commissioner was received with flattering distinction atAdrianople. He of course presented himself first to the Grand Vizier,Kalil Pacha, of whom the reader may take note, since, aside from hisreappearances in these pages, he is a genuine historic character. Tofurther acquaintance with him, it may be added that he was truly aveteran in public affairs, a member of the great family to which thevizierat descended almost in birthright, and a friend to the Greeks,most likely from long association with Amurath, although he hassuffered severe aspersion on their account. Kalil advised Phranza todrop the stipend. His master, he said, was not afraid of Orchan, if thelatter took the field as an open claimant, short work would be made ofhim. The warning was disregarded. Phranza submitted his proposals toMahommed directly, and was surprised by his gentleness and suavity.There was no scene whatever. On the contrary, the marriage overture wasforwarded to the Sultana with every indication of approval, nor was thedemand touching the stipend rejected; it was simply deferred. Phranzalingered at the Turkish capital, pleased with the attentions shown him,and still more with the character of the Sultan.

  In the judgment of the Envoy the youthful monarch was the incarnationof peace. What time he was not mourning the loss of his royal father,he was studying designs for a palace, probably the Watch Tower of theWorld (_Jehan Numa_), which he subsequently built in Adrianople.

  Well for the trusting master in Blacherne, well for Christianity in theEast, could the credulous Phranza have looked in upon the amiable youngpotentate during one of the nights of his residence in the Moslemcapital! He would have found him in a chamber of impenetrable privacy,listening while the Prince of India proved the calculations of ahoroscope decisive of the favorable time for beginning war with theByzantines.

  "Now, my Lord," he could have heard the Prince say, when the last ofthe many tables had been refooted for the tenth time--"now we are readyfor the ultimate. We are agreed, if I mistake not"--this was not merelya complimentary form of speech, for Mahommed, it should be borne inmind, was himself deeply versed in the intricate
and subtle science ofplanetary prediction--"we are agreed that as thou art to essay the waras its beginner, we should have the most favorable Ascendant,determinable by the Lord, and the Planet or Planets therein or inconjunction or aspect with the Lord; we are also agreed that the Lordof the Seventh House is the Emperor of Constantinople; we are alsoagreed that to have thee overcome thy adversary, the Emperor, it isbetter to have the Ascendant in the House of one of the SuperiorPlanets, Saturn, Jupiter or Mars"--

  "Jupiter would be good, O Prince," said Mahommed, intensely interested,"yet I prefer Mars."

  "My Lord is right again." The Seer hesitated slightly, then explainedwith a deferential nod and smile: "I was near saying my Lord is alwaysright. Though some of the adepts have preferred Scorpio for theAscendant, because it is a fixed sign, Mars pleases me best; whereforetoward him have I directed all my observations, seeking a time when heshall certainly be better fortified than the Lord of the Seventh House,as well as elevated above him in our figure of the Heavens."

  Mahommed leaned far over toward the Prince, and said imperiously, hiseyes singularly bright: "And the ultimate--the time, the time, OPrince! Hast thou found it? Allah forbid it be too soon!--There is somuch to be done--so much of preparation."

  The Prince smiled while answering:

  "My Lord is seeing a field of glory--his by reservation of destiny--andI do not wonder at his impatience to go reaping in it; but" (he becameserious) "it is never to be forgotten--no, not even by the most exaltedof men--that the Planets march by order of Allah alone." ... Thentaking the last of the calculations from the table at his right hand,he continued: "The Ascendant permits my Lord to begin the war nextyear."

  Mahommed heard with hands clinched till the nails seemed burrowing inthe flesh of the palms.

  "The day, O Prince!--the day--the hour!" he exclaimed.

  Looking at the calculation, the Prince appeared to reply from it: "Atfour o'clock, March twenty-sixth"--

  "And the year?"

  "Fourteen hundred and fifty-two."

  "_Four o'clock, March twenty-sixth, fourteen hundred and fifty-two_,"Mahommed repeated slowly, as if writing and verifying each word. Thenhe cried with fervor: "There is no God but God!"

  Twice he crossed the floor; after which, unwilling probably to submithimself at that moment to observation by any man, he returned to thePrince:

  "Thou hast leave to retire; but keep within call. In this mightybusiness who is worthier to be the first help of my hands than theMessenger of the Stars?"

  The Prince saluted and withdrew.

  At length Phranza wearied of waiting, and being summoned home left thetwo affairs in charge of an ambassador instructed to forego noopportunity which might offer to press them to conclusions. AfterwhileMahommed went into Asia to suppress an insurrection in Caramania. TheGreek followed him from town to camp, until, tiring of the importunity,the Sultan one day summoned him to his tent.

  "Tell my excellent friend, the Lord of Constantinople, thy master, thatthe Sultana Maria declines his offer of marriage."

  "Well, my Lord," said the ambassador, touched by the brevity of thecommunication, "did not the great lady deign an explanation?"

  "She declined--that is all."

  The ambassador hurried a courier to Constantinople with the answer. Forthe first time he ventured to express a doubt of the Turk's sincerity.

  He would have been a wiser man and infinitely more useful to hissovereign, could he have heard Mahommed again in colloquy with thePrince of India.

  "How long am I to endure this dog of a _Gabour?_" [Footnote: Mahommedalways wrote and spoke of Byzantines as _Romans_, except when inpassion; then he called them _Gabours_.] asked the Sultan, angrily. "Itwas not enough to waylay me in my palace; he pursued me into the field;now he imbitters my bread, now at my bedside he drives sleep from me,now he begrudges me time for prayer. How long, I say?"

  The Prince answered quietly: "Until March twenty-sixth, fourteenhundred and fifty-two."

  "But if I put him to sleep, O Prince?"

  "His master will send another in his place."

  "Ah, but the interval! Will it not be so many days of rest?--so manynights of unbroken sleep?"

  "Has my Lord finished his census yet? Are his arsenals full? Has he hisships, and sailors, and soldiers? Has he money according to theestimate?"

  "No."

  "My Lord has said he must have cannon. Has he found an artificer to hismind?"

  Mahommed frowned.

  "I will give my Lord a suggestion. Does it suit him to reply now to theproposal of marriage, keeping the matter of the stipend open, he maygive half relief and still hold the Emperor, who stands more in need ofbezants than of a consort."

  "Prince," said Mahommed, quickly, "as you go out send my secretary in."

  "Despatch a messenger for the ambassador of my brother ofConstantinople. I will see him immediately."

  This to the secretary.

  And presently the ambassador had the matter for report above recited.In the report he might have said with truth--a person styling himself_Prince of India_ has risen to be Grand Vizier in fact, leaving thetitle to Kalil.

  These negotiations, lamentably barren of good results, were stretchedthrough half the year. But it is necessary to leave them for the time,that we may return and see if the Emperor had better success in themanagement of the domestic problem referred to as an inheritance.