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active habits. But their relations with the Tatars of the Crimea were then too unsettled to admit of much interference. Indeed, in Von Hammer's voluminous history of the Ottoman empire, when the people of the peninsula are first noticed, under the reign of Selim I., or prior to 1520, he is made to speak of them as formidable enemies, though, at the same time, as tribes, more or less, acknowledging his suzerainty. His successor, Soliman the Great, endeavoured, but ineffectually, to induce all the Tatar nations to unite, in order to save Kasan, as the bulwark of Islamism on the north. The practical co-operation of Tatars and Turks, as politically one power, dates from the next reign,- that of Selim II., 1566—1574, when Devlet Gherai, named after the founder of the dynasty, was khan of the Crimea.

The Russians, in acquiring possession of Astrachan, had the Caspian Sea thrown open to them, and could readily extend their influence to the nations on its shores, and to the highlanders of the Caucasus. They were not slow to avail themselves of the advantage. In 1561, Ivan married a Circassian princess, whose brother became one of his most ferocious bloodhounds. Anthony Jenkinson, the agent of an English mercantile company, and a

diplomatist accredited from Queen Elizabeth, materially furthered the views of the czar in the direction of Georgia and Persia, on travelling to those countries from Moscow. He states:-" 15th day of May, 1562, I took leave of his highness, who did not only give me letters as aforesaid (of commendation to divers princes), but also committed to me matters of importance and charge, to be done in those countries whither I intended to go." On his route, he met with an Armenian envoy of the Georgian prince, who declared the lamentable estate of his master,"that, being enclosed betwixt these two cruel tyrants and mightie princes, the said great Turke and the Sophie (shah of Persia), — hee had continual warres with them, requiring, for the love of Christ, and as I was a Christian, I would send him comfort by the said Armenian, and advise how hee might send his Ambassador to the sayd Emperour of Russia, and whether I thought he would support him or not, and with many other wordes required me to declaire his necessitie to the same Emperour at my returne." Jenkinson counselled Russian protection. Upon reporting the fact, on his return to Moscow, the czar was pleased to say that it was "much to his contentation;" whereat the astute diplomatic commercial traveller, prompt to strike while the iron

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was hot, humbly besought "his grace to continue his goodness unto your worships, the society of merchants adventurers; and even," says he, "at that instant I humbly requested his majestie to vouchsafe to grant unto you a new privilege, more ample than the first, which immediately was granted.' Jenkinson, doubtless, left the presence in high spirits; and his masters, in due course, signified their satisfaction with him. Little thought either party what a bitter cup had been prepared for the nations of the Caucasus, not yet drained.

The result was, that the Georgian prince, Alexander, was formally taken under Russian protection. He then assumed a high tone to the pashas of the neighbouring Turkish fortresses, while the czar took the title of "Lord of the Iberian country, of the Georgian Czars, of the Albardaks, and of the Circassian and Highland Princes,”—a truly comprehensive designation. Unfortunately for the prince, he adopted a protector without any guarantee of his ability to serve him; neither calculated the distance from Moscow to Tiflis, nor the dangers of the way; and, when assistance was needed, there was none to be had. Advice was given him to "amuse the sultan," the language of the despatches. Priests and image-painters were sent to ornament his

churches, instead of troops; and he was obliged to pay tribute to the "great Turke," or the " Sophie," as either had the upper hand, till the latter

crushed him. Yet

upon these transactions the

cabinet of St. Petersburg founds its original claim to the empire of the Caucasus. They are here adverted to, because they brought Tatars and Turks in conjunction into the field.

In order to check the southerly extension of Russian influence, and more conveniently to attack Persia than by an overland march, Selim II. conceived, or rather revived, the idea of connecting, by an artificial canal, the two great streams of the Don and the Volga; thus opening a navigable passage from the Black Sea to the Caspian. He had also a commercial object in view,—that of restoring the trade between Eastern Asia and Western Europe to its old route, and thereby bringing it through his own dominions. Accordingly, in 1568, Turkish troops were despatched to commence this industrial operation, the superintendence of which was entrusted to Devlet Khan. But the soldiers were ill able to bear the fatigue of navvies, and suffered much from disease and exposure. The work, however, proceeded, till a body of men of uncouth figures, strange features, and barbarous language, sallied out from a

neighbouring town, surprised the enfeebled expedition, and cut soldiers and workmen to pieces. They were the Muscovite subjects of Ivan; and this was the first encounter between the Turks and the Russians. Some traces of the canal are still visible. In consequence of this aggression, the following year a large Tatar army, aided by a Turkish contingent, invaded the province of Astrachan, and attempted the capture of the capital. But, by avoiding battle, and cutting off all means of supply, the Russians succeeded in defeating the enterprise. Exasperated by failure, Devlet determined to have his revenge. He left Perekop in 1571, with his whole force, carrying fire and sword to the gates of Moscow, which was pillaged and burnt to the ground, May the 24th. Some members of the English factory in the city perished on this occasion. The khan died soon after this terrible episode in his history, leaving behind him, as a monument, the great mosque of Eupatoria,

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the largest and most beautiful in the Crimea. His signature as the founder is attached to a deed deposited in the sanctuary. It also bears the signatures of the eighteen sovereigns who, in succession after him, occupied the throne of Bakchi-serai till the Russian annexation. A bold cupola, surrounded by sixteen smaller domes, surmounts the edifice; and

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