OF THE TURKISH MONARCHY. 



23 



troops of some neighbouring province are compelled to march against 

 him; the Pasha of Kurdistan was instigated by the Porte in 1810 

 to take arms against the Pasha of Bagdad ; and the latter was 

 defeated and put to death. Sometimes the government proceeds in 

 a more summary manner ; the lives of these refractory Satraps are 

 taken from them by officers sent expressly from Constantinople.* In 

 no part of the empire has the authority of the Porte been more dis- 

 puted than in Egypt; and while the Mamelukes remained unsubdued, 

 the Pasha of Cairo was able to exercise a very limited power in the 

 country. Since the year 1791 a small part only of the revenue due to 

 the Sultan had been remitted. -j- A proposal had been once made at 

 Constantinople to massacre some of the most distinguished leaders 

 among the Mamelukes, and thus put an end to all fear of future 

 disobedience. The plan was at that time rejected ; but in the year 

 1811 the measure was carried into execution, attended with circum- 

 stances of perfidy and cruelty not to be paralleled in the most bar- 

 barous and ferocious part of the Turkish annals. Bad as the govern- 

 ment of the Mamelukes might be, the inhabitants of Egypt will find 

 that they have derived no benefit from the exchange of £ rulers. 

 Whatever was taken by the former from this exhausted province was 

 at least expended in it ; more injury will be done by a succession of 

 rapacious governors sent by the Porte, than if the same swarm of 



* The officers of the Porte are not always able to execute their commission. The 

 Grand Signior sent down more than one to take the life of Achmed, Pasha of Bagdad; 

 but Achmed had his agents at Constantinople, who gave him timely intelligence. Nieb. 2. 

 Mustapha, the father of Selim, wished to take away the life of a Pasha of Bagdad, and 

 sent a Capigee or officer for that purpose. The Pasha cut off the Capigee's head, and 

 sent it back to the Sultan. De Tott. 1. Some of the Capigees who were sent to take 

 Djezzar's life, died suddenly of the cholic. Volney, 2. 



f See Hamilton's iEgyptiaca, p. 425. 



J See the remarks of Raige, Reynier, and Girard, on the nature of the different tenures 

 by which property is held in Egypt, and on the impediments which exist to a further 

 improvement of the agriculture of the country. Memoire de S. de Sacy. Mem. de 1'Instit. 

 1815. t. i. Classe D'Histoire. 



