tht Origine of 

 the Grandees of 

 the Fert. 



A Relation of tbe Grand Seignor' s Seraglio. 



The Story of the Commerce carried on in the difpofat of the five Sols Pie- 

 ces, French Mony. 7'he jealoufies of the Perfons concern dm that Trade. 

 Slmifchievom Fraud mildly punijl/d. The ancient fincerity of the Turks 

 corrupted by the Commerce of the Europeans. 



Hey who are advane'd to Charges,whether it be in the Seraglio,or in the Em- 

 pire (excepting only the Eunnchs,of whom I (hall give an account anon ) arc 

 generally rais'd out of the Children taken in War,or fent by way of Prefents, 

 by the Baffa's,or out of the Tributary Children, who,about nine or ten years 

 of Age are taken out of their Mothers arms,through all the Provinces fubdu'd by 'the Ot- 

 toman PrincjS - They are all to be of Ghriftian Parents -, and counting only the Slaves ta- 

 ken from the Enemy, we find by the Regiftcrs of the Cuftom-houfe- of Confiantiuopk 

 alone, that, of both Sexes, there are brought thither every year , near twenty thou- 

 fand. The Inhabitants of the leffer Tarta.y, who make continual Incurfions into all 

 the Countries, that are in hoftility againft the Ottoman Empire, fend up vaft numbers 

 of them, and the Grand Seignor 1 having the choice of all thofe young Children, the 

 beft thap'dj and fuch as have the moft promiling looks, are diftributed into fcveral Se- 

 raglio's, to be there inftru&ed in the Law of Mabomet> and all forts of Exercifes. And 

 afterwards, out of the choice or callings of thefè lait is the Seraglio of Ccnjlantinopk 

 repleniftvd i and they are to be diftinguilh'd into two Orders. The firft and the melt 

 eminent is that of the Mog/<a«j,defign'd for the great Charges and Dignities of the Em- 

 pire : The fécond, that of the Azamoglans, employ'd in fuch Office; as require only 

 iirength of body. The Icboglans, are thofe, in whom, befides the accomplilhments 

 of the Body, they difeover alfo a noble Genius, fit for a high Education, and fuch as 

 may render them capable of ferving their Prince, fume time or other. 



Thefe are accordingly inftru&ed with great care, and educated with the obfervance 

 of a moft fevere Difcipline. They pafs through four feveral Chambers, call'd Oda\ 

 which are as it were four Forms,where they learn,in order, whatever is convenient for 

 young perfons, who are to be continually about a great Prince, and are as it were his 

 Pages, or Gentlemen. If they commit the leaft fault, they are fevere] y chaftis'd, and 

 there is a great flock of patience requit! te, for any one to be advane'd to thefourth 

 Oda, which when they have attain'd, they begin to take a little breath. But the 

 hopes of being exalted tothegreateft Honours, and the moft eminent Dignities, makes 

 them endure the barbarous treatments of the Eunuchs, who are appointed to be their 

 Mafters-and are very liberal of the Baftinado to them. I ftull give anac;ount elfewhere 

 of thè manner of their Education, and of thofe four OdJs, or Chambers, where they 

 learn thofe things, whereby they are qualin'd for the Charges, for which the Grand 

 Seignor defigns them. Though it be appointed by the received Cuftom of the Em- 

 pire, that thofe Children lhould be all defcended from Cbrijiian Parents, of the beft 

 extraction, and the beft thap'd that can be found -, yet the Capi-Aga, or Grand Ma- 

 fter of the Seraglio, the Principal of the white Eunuchs, who hath the chief Com- 

 mand over the Icboglans, (ticks not to admit into their number fome natural Turk/, 

 fuch as may be recommendable, upon the fcore of their good qualities and endow- 

 ments : But that happens very feldom, and that not without the particular permilfion 

 ot the Prince, who would rather have all thofe Children to be Renegado-Chriftians. 

 And this is the Origine of the Great Perfons belonging to the Grand Seignor,and 

 the Port. They are all Slaves, and not having any knowledge of their Parents, or 

 Relations, they wholly apply their affe&ions to the Service of their Prince, who has 

 been pleas'd to advance them to fuch high Fortunes. 



tht Authority of The BaJJa's therefore are taken out of the Order of the Icboglans, and the name of 

 the four Princi- BaJJa, or Bajha, is only a Title of Honour and Dignity, common to all the Grandees 

 ^Êmtf $ c°ï °* t ' 1£ ^ ort ' > are diftinguifhable, according to the difference of their Charges. 

 fiquenee to the The four Principal are thefe. The Vizir- A zem, or Grand Vizir y the Caimacan, the 

 Grand seignor, Baffa of tbe Sea, and the Aga of tbe Janizaries. The Authority of thefe four Baffa's 

 and -how he can is fo great, that fometimes they deprive their Sovereign of the Crown, and beftow it 

 ukfit off. on w hom they pleafe i ' as it has happen'd, in our Age, to two Emperours immediately 

 fucceeding one the other, Muftapba^w&Ofwa^ of whom the later dy'd in Prifon, by 



the 



7k fevere Di- 

 jcipline of the 

 Seraglio. 



I 



