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A Relation of the Grand Seignor s Seraglio. i i 



The Eknicfgi-batbi is the "Mafrer-Baker, who has the over-fight, and gives direction 

 for the Eaking- of all the Bread that is eaten in the Seraglio. Thefe two Imployments 

 are not bcftow'd on any of thofe who have their abode within the Seraglio, but to 

 Perfons who Uve out of it, but have the liberty of ingrefs into it, egrels out of it, at 

 any time. 



To be fhort, I (hall have occafion to (peak of the Caragi-bachi, and of the Cham oi 

 the lefler Tartary, and I have fome curious Obfervations to make upon both of 

 them. 



The Caragi-bachi is the Chief of thofe, who collect the Tributes,' and it is of him,7& Oeconomy 

 as alfo of trie Gemmerou-bachi, or grand Fasmer of the Cuftoms, and of the Bazarcan- #kPartizans, 

 bdebi, or Chief amongft the Merchants, that the Grand Seignor makes ufe of, to make".^ 5 '" °f 

 Advancements, when he wants Money, and that there is not any in the Publick Trea-^" bliC ^ Montys; 

 fury, he' being unwilling that they ihould meddle with the Secret Treafury. They 

 muft of necciTity rind it out, and it is no hard matter for them to do, in regard that 

 of all the Tributes, Cuftoms, and other Impoiitions due to the Grand Seignor, there 

 is not any thing pay'd till the end of the Year, and thefe Officers oblige Men to the 

 payment thereof at the beginning of it. 



All (brts of Perfons, what Religion foever they are of, except the Mahumettn, are 

 oblig'd to pay the Tribute without any exception, from the time of their fettling iri 

 the Empire, and having attain'd the fixteenth year of their Age. And this Tribute, 

 or Poll-Money, amounts to rive hundred and fifty- old Afters, which neither rife nor 

 faH, but always keep at the fame rate of eighty, to a Piajiro, which, in the French 

 Money, and confecjuently with little difference in ours, amounts to five Crowns and 

 {. All other Cbrijtians who come into the Empire, upon the fcore of Trade, or Bufi- 

 nefs, though 'twere but for one day, are fore'd to pay, at the firft City where they ar- 

 rive. The forrcign Greeks, fuch as they from Mufcovy or other places, pay three hun- 

 dred and fifty Afters ■■> but the Armenians, who come from Perfia> Georgia, Mingrelia^ 

 and other Countreys, arc tax'd but • at three hundred. As to the Chilians, whom 

 they call Franguis, they pay nothing j and that has given much trouble to the Ambaf- 

 fadors of Ettrope, efpecially to the French Ambaflador, there being more French that 

 are Inhabitants in Turkey, than there are of any other Nation. And yet though the 

 Turfy make their Year to confiit but of twelve Moons, ours being near twelve and a 

 half, they make the Tributaries pay but for twelve Moons > yet in reauital, and that 

 nothing may be loft, they make them pay that Tribute double, every Aree and thirtin 

 eth year , and are very frugal Husbands for the benefit and advantage of their 

 Mailer. 



There are but two Princes in the World that are known by the Name of Cham, t&7U folic) of ibt 

 wit, the Emperour of great Tartary, and the King of the little Tartary^ a Vaflal to the £f|> w ^? *** 

 Ottoman Monarchs. I conceive my felf oblig'd, to give the Reader fome information /jln^nary* 

 of the prefeit condition of the latter. When the Cham of the leffer Tartary enters up-«^ f . 

 on the Government, he comes to take his Oath cf Fidelity to the Grand Seignor, and 

 the Turfy look upon him no otherwife than as a Governour of a Province, or at mod, 

 but as a VaiTal-Prince. But thofe of his own Countrey, the* Mufcovites, the Poles, the 

 Georgians^ the MingrelUns, and the other Nations bordering upon him, treat him as a 

 King, when they write to him. The Grand Seignor ufes much Policy towards r the 

 Cham, left he (hould revolt from him, and render himfclf more powerful than he is, 

 by Alliances with the neighbouring Princes. For it is to be obferv'd, That the {effer 

 Tartary, whereof the City Caff a, near the Cimcrian Streight, is the Metropolis, is not 

 a Countrey fubdu'd by the Arms of the Ottomans, The ancient Kings of it did only 

 put themfelves under the Grand Seignor's protection, who receivMthcm into it, upon 

 condition, that when the Father dyM, his Son, or the next of kin, his SuctefTor, was 

 not to enter upon the Government, till he had teceiv'd the Jnveftiture from the Port, 

 and taken the Oath of Fidelity to the Grand Seignor, obliging himfelf to come to him, 

 upon the firft Orders to that purpofe. The Grand Seignor promis'd in requital, that 

 hp would not cftablilh any other than what were of their race, to command in the lef 1 

 (er Tartary, And whereas there are two branches of that Family, he keeps one of . 



(C) then* 



