EGYPT. 



383 



Hiamry. e d to the throne ; but so rapid were the changes of 

 s ^~i-"*' royal succession, that twelve descendants of Naser Ma- 

 horamed scarcely extended their reign through the pe- 

 riod of forty-one years. During the short and turbu- 

 lent reigns between Bibars and Naser Mahommed, and 

 while the Sultan Calib was on the throne of Egypt, tile 

 city of St John d'Acre was taken from the Christians. 

 The attack was violent, and the defence brave ; but the 

 Mussulmans obtained possession of Acre, and the whole 

 land of Palestine, after much treasure had been spent, 

 and innumerable lives lost in the wars and victories of 

 the crusades. Soon afterwards, the knights templars 

 departed into Europe ; but those of St John formed a 

 settlement in the island of Rhodes. From this situa- 

 tion they made frequent inroads into Egypt ; for, al- 

 though the knights were comparatively weak, yet the 

 distracted situation of Egypt permitted them to retire 

 from the coast, without the severe vengeance which 

 they might have inflicted ; but indeed Egypt was in 

 the utmost state of distraction ; and a revolution in the 

 government could not be avoided. If the Ayubite dy- 

 nasty was superseded by the Baharite Mamelukes, who 

 surrounded their throne, the Baharite sultans were al- 

 so supplanted by the Circassian slaves, who had been 

 cherished at court, and permitted to acquire uncon- 

 troulable power. The sultan Hagi, who was but a 

 child, was deposed by the influence of a Circassian 

 chief; and the Baharite dynasty was terminated in 

 Egypt, after it had existed about 128 years. See 

 Aliulfifiarag, Deguigncs, Oleveri Scholast. in gcst. Dei 

 per Francos D'flerbelot ; and Dr Wilson's Hist. 

 Borgite The Circassian slaves, whose chiefs had in their turn 



dynasty. become masters of Egypt, were called Borgites, be- 

 cause, in the capacity of soldiers, they had been dis- 

 persed through the different fortresses of the country, 

 to keep in check the people, who had long been in 

 want of sulx>rdination ; and these fortresses were called 

 Bucok. Borges. Barcok was the first of this dynasty on the 

 throne of Egypt ; but so powerful were the adherents 

 of the dethroned family, that Hagi was soon restored 

 to the kingdom. But his renewed power was of short 

 duration ; for Barcok suddenly recovered his situation, 

 and the Borgite dynasty was established. Scarcely had 

 he overcome the internal enemies of his kingdom, when 

 he was threatened by a formidable power from with- 

 out. Tamerlane the Great, who hail formed th< now 

 empire of th- Moguls, ami denominated the Cham of 

 Tartary, was desirous of adding Syria to his dominions ; 

 and the sultan of Egypt marched with an army to meet 

 him at Damascus. At the approach of Barcok, Ta- 

 merlane retired ; and, directing his course towards In- 

 dia, his arms were attended with great success. 



In the mean time, Bajazet, at the head of the Otto- 

 man armies, and the rival of Tamerlane, was spread- 

 ing terror upon both sides of the Hellespont, mid had 

 carried his arms to the very gates of Constantinople. 

 Indeed, he was determined to take possession of that 

 city, and establish his government upon the ruins of 

 the Roman empire. For this reason, he solicited the 

 friendship of the Egyptian sultan, and the blessing of 

 the caliph, who-was then residing at Grand Cairo with- 

 out any civil authority, but only as imam of the Ma- 

 homrnedan faith. 



Abu^iadt. About this time, Barcok died ; and his son Pharage, 

 A. D. I3fly. gurnamed Abulsaadat, reigned in his stead. When this 

 prince obtained the government, he was but ten years 

 of age ; and the affairs of- the kingdom were managed 

 by a regent. In these circumstances, the national com- 

 motions were continued ; and bis Syrian dominions 



rose in rebellion. But Abulsaadat, under the influence 

 of his native vigour, took the reins of government in 

 his own hand, recovered the provinces which had re- 

 belled, and put his whole kingdom into a state of or- 

 der and obedience. In this situation of affairs, Tamer- 

 lane returned from India, and found that his rival had 

 been extending his power, and was more formidable 

 than ever. 



These ambitious and terrible warriors were deter- 

 mined on each other's destruction. Bajazet laid claim 

 to the assistance of Egypt, because he had entered into 

 a formal alliance with the sultan ; but he did not re- 

 ceive the expected support, because he had not been 

 faithful to the terms of agreement ; and we may add, 

 that the power of Tamerlane was another reason with 

 the sultan of Egypt, for withholding aid from his rival 

 Bajazet. These two powerful chiefs met once and 

 again in the field of battle, when Bajazet was finally 

 overthrown, and taken prisoner. Having overcome 

 his rival, the ambition of Tamerlane was more unbound- 

 ed than ever. He intended to ravage the south of Eu- 

 rope, cross into Africa by the straits of Gibraltar, and 

 continue his course through Egypt and Syria, till he 

 arrived at the seat of his government in the East. But 

 there was one power of which he stood in awe, and 

 which prevented the project which his ambition had 

 laid. The knights of St John, now established at 

 Rhodes, and enriched by the spoils of the forfeited 

 Templars, were formidab'le to the neighbouring pow- 

 ers, and maintained a mighty preponderance hi the 

 scale of nations. Though small in numbers, their 

 strength was great, their fame extensive, and their cou- 

 rage well tried. 



In these circumstances, it was not expedient to at- 

 tack the knights directly in the island of Rhodes ; but 

 he laid siege to Smyrna, and reduced it to ashes. He 

 was drawn away, however, from any further attempts 

 upon the power and interests of that religious order, 

 by dangers which were threatening him in the East. A 

 powerful prince, whom Tamerlane had subdued in his 

 Indian expedition, appeared again with renewed 

 strength, and was laying waste the kingdom of Persia. 

 Thither he directed his course, but his power was 

 much diminished through a long succession of obstinate 

 engagements ; and, having met his enemy in greater 

 power than was expected, they entered into terms with 

 mutual agreement ; and Tamerlane, having withdrawn 

 from public life, retired to Samarchand, and there, in a 

 few years, ended an active and victorious life. In the 

 mean time, the distractions of Egypt still continued ; 

 and the sultan Pharage Abulsiuidat, being weary with 

 continual broils and confusion, retired from the dan- 

 gers of public life, and surrendered the throne to his 

 brother Abdolaziz, but to assume it again. 



This happened in the year 1405; and there was little 

 more than a rapid succession of feeble monarchs, till 

 the year 1517, when the Borgite dynasty was over- 

 thrown ; and the kingdom of Egypt was converted in- 

 to a province of the Turkish empire. During this pe- 

 riod, there were many broils, and much warfare be- 

 tween the .sultans of Egypt and the knights of Rhodes. 

 The Portuguese, who had acquired some settlements 

 in India, alarmed the governors of Egypt, who had 

 long been enriched by the merchandise of the East ; 

 and ineffectual efforts were made to overthrow the pow- 

 er of the European invaders. In the mean time, Eu- 

 rope itself was in commotion ; and, upon the 29th of 

 May 1453, Constantinople was taken by Mar'ommed II. 

 the sultan of the Turks. This success opened his way 



History. 



