SECTION VIII.
Sieges of Constantinople.
In the forty-third year of the Hijreh (A.D. 663), Mo’áviyyah became Commander of the Faithful; and in the course of his reign sent his commander in chief Moslemah, son of ’Abdu-l-malik, at the head of a hundred thousand men of the Syrian army, with two hundred ships, and two hundred transports laden with provisions, ammunition, &c. from the port of Shám-Tarah-bólús (Tripoli in Syria), and trusting in God, first against the island of Máltah, which at that time was Rodós (Rhodes), and of which they made a conquest almost as soon as they disembarked. They next proceeded to the islands of Istánkóï (Cos), Sákiz (Scio), Medellí (Mitylene), Alimániyah (Lemnos), and Bózjah (Tenedos), which were taken in a few days; and they immediately afterwards laid siege to Kostantaniyyeh, having taken four hundred ships in their passage, and intercepted all vessels laden with provisions coming from the White or Black Sea. The infidels soon sued for peace, on condition of paying the annual tribute of a galley laden with money; and the victorious general returned to Arabia with joy and exultation, carrying with him the impure son of that erring king (királ) Herkíl (Heraclius) as a hostage, with treasures to the amount of some millions of piastres.
Second Siege. In the fifty-second year of the Hijrah of the pride of the world (A.D. 671), Ebú Iyyúb Ansárí, the standard-bearer of the Prophet, and ’Abdullah ibn ’Abbás ibn Zeïd, proceeding with some thousands of the illustrious companions of the Prophet, and 50,000 brave men, in two hundred ships, followed by reinforcements under the command of Moslemah, first carried supplies to the warriors of Islám in garrison at Rodós, and then, casting anchor before the Seven Towers and landing their men, laid siege to Islámból by sea and land. Thus, for six months, did this host, which had the fragrance of Paradise, contend day and night with the infidels. By the wise decree of God. Ebú Iyyúb their leader suffered martyrdom in one of these assaults, by an arrow from a cross-bow: but, according to a sure tradition, he was received into mercy (i.e. he died) of a disorder in his bowels.
Third Siege. In the year of the Hijrah 91 (A.D. 710), by order of the khalif Suleïmán, son of ’Abdu-llah of the Bení Ummayyah, his nephew ’Omar ibn ’Abdu-l-’azíz marched by land against Islámból with 87,000 men, who ravaged Ghalatah with fire and sword, and having carried off an immense booty, crossed over into Anátólí (Natolia); and after having laid siege to Sínób, which made its peace at a great price, and Kastemúní, the capture of which likewise it did not please God to make easy to him, he returned to Syria (Shám).
The fourth Siege. In A.H. 97 (A.D. 716), the same khalif again sent his nephew ’Omar ibn ’Abdu-l-’azíz against Islámból, with an army of 120,000 men by land, and 80,000 embarked in three hundred ships at sea. They established their winter-quarters that year in the town of Belkís-Aná, near Aïdinjik (Cyzicus), in the district of Brúsah, and in the following spring they laid siege to Islámból, and reduced the inhabitants to the greatest distress, by laying waste all the surrounding fields and meadows.
The fifth Siege. In the year of the Hijrah——, ’Omar ibn ’Abdu-l-’azíz, having become khalif of Shám (Syria), sent an army of 100,000 men, by land and by sea, against Islámból, and crossing the Strait of the Black Sea at Ghalatah, conquered it, and built the mosque of the lead magazines; and the mosque of the Arabs (’Arab jámi’sí) in that suburb was likewise named from its having been built by him. Having erected a lofty heaven-aspiring tower at Ghalatah, he called it Medíneto-l Kahr (the City of Oppression). He made peace with the Tekkúr of Islámból on condition that Mohammedans should be allowed to settle in that city, from the Crooked (Egrí) and Adrianople gates, and the hill on which the Suleïmániyyah stands, to that of Zírek-báshí, and from thence by the flour-market (ún-kapání) as far as Iyyúb Ensárí. He built the rose-mosque (Gul-jámi’í) in the market of Mustafá Páshá, erected the court of justice near the Sirkehjí-tekiyeh, and formed a new district of the town at the summer-quarters of Kójah Mustafá Páshá, near the Seven Towers. Another condition on which this unilluminated Tekkúr (emperor) obtained peace, was the annual payment of a tribute (kharáj) of 50,000 pieces of gold. ’Omar ibn ’Abdu-l-’azíz fixed his winter-quarters at Ghalatah for that year, having received the tribute due for three hundred years in consequence of a former treaty, departed, leaving Suleïmán ibn ’Abdu-l Malik governor of Ghalatah, and appointing Moselmah his Grand Vizír. His fleet having met near Rodostò one of two hundred sail, sent by the infidels to succour the Tekkúr, a great battle ensued; and just as the infidels were about to be destroyed, a stormy wind sprung up and drove both fleets on shore, notwithstanding all the cherubims in heaven emulated the zeal of the true believers on earth. The Moslims disembarked, laid waste all the villages round about, carried away more than 3,000 horses, asses, and mules, and 23,000 prisoners. The treasures taken from the ships which were sunk, were so great, that God only knows their amount; and the number of the dust-licking infidels passed over the edge of the sword such that their bones lie piled up in heaps in a well known valley, called even now ‘Omar Kírdúghí Jórdú, i.e. ‘the camp broken up by ‘Omar.’ After gaining another signal victory by sea and land, he returned into Syria (Shám).
The sixth Siege. In the year of the hijrah 160 (A.D. 777) Merván ibnu-l Hakem besieged Islámból with an army of 150,000 Moslims and a fleet of a thousand ships during six months, added three new districts and built a mosque in the Mahommedan part of the city, and compelled Mesendún, son of Herakíl (Heraclius), to pay a yearly tribute of 500,000 golden tekyánúses, (i.e. coins called Decianus).
The seventh Siege. Seventy-four years after the peace made with Merván, in the year of the hijrah 239 (A.D. 853-4), after the conquest of Malatíyyah, Islámból was pillaged by the khalif Yahyá son of ’Ali, who returned to Kharrán (Charrhæ) after having smote 20,000 infidels with the edge of the sword.
The eighth Siege. Sixteen years afterwards, A.H. 255 (A.D. 869), I’liyá (Elias) son of Herakíl being king (királ) of Islámból, Harúnu-r-rashíd marched from his paradisiacal abode at the head of 50,000 troops; but finding it difficult to effect the conquest of the city, he made peace on condition of receiving as much ground within the walls as a bulls hide would cover. He therefore cut the hide into strips, so as to enclose space enough in the district of Kójah Mustafá Páshá for building a strong castle, and he fixed the annual tribute at 50,000 fulúrí (florins). He then returned to Baghdád, having levied the tribute (kharáj) due for the last ten years.
About this time the infidels, taking advantage of the dissensions which prevailed among the Muselmáns respecting the khalífat, massacred all those established in Islámból and Ghalatah, not however without great loss on their own side, the king and royal family being all slain; in consequence of which Ghirándó Mihál (Grando Michael), a grandson of Herakíl who had come from Firengistán, was made king; and on that very day Seyyid Bábá Ja’fer, one of the descendants of Imám Hoseïn, and Sheïkh Maksúd, one of the followers of Veïsu-l-Karní, sent by Hárúnu-r-rashíd as ambassadors, entered Islámból. They were attended by three hundred fakírs and three hundred followers, and were received by the new king with innumerable honours. The Sheïkh asked and obtained permission to bury the remains of the many thousand martyrs who had been slain in the late massacre, which lasted seven days and seven nights. He immediately set to work, and with the aid of his own three hundred fakírs and Bábá Ja’fer’s three hundred followers, buried those many thousand martyrs in the places where they had died. In the ancient burying ground behind the arsenal, there are large caverns and ancient vaults, where, from the time of ’Omar ibn ’Abdu-l-’azíz, some thousand companions (of the Prophet) had been buried. To that place Sheïkh Maksúd carried some thousand bodies of these martyrs, and buried them there, where, on a hewn stone, there is written in large and legible characters, so that it may be easily read, this inscription, said to be by the Sheïkh’s own blessed hand:
These are the men who came and went!
In this frail world (dári fenà) what have they done?
They came and went, what have they done?
At last to th’ endless world (dári bakà) they’re gone.
It is to this day celebrated throughout the world as an extraordinary inscription, and is visited by travellers from Rúm (Greece), ’Arab (Arabia), and ’Ajem (Persia). Some of them, who, in the expectation of finding hidden treasures, began to work at these ancient buildings with pickaxes like Ferhád’s, perished in the attempt, and were also buried there. Some holy men make pilgrimages to this place barefoot on Friday nights, and recite the chapter entitled Tekásur (Korán, chap. 102); for many thousands of illustrious companions (of the Prophet) Mohájirín, (who followed him in his flight), and Ansárs (auxiliaries) are buried in this place. It has been also attested by some thousands of the pious, that this burial ground has been seen some thousands of times covered with lights on the holy night of Alkadr (i.e. sixth of Ramazán).
In short, Seyyid Bábá Ja’fer, Hárúnu-r rashíd’s ambassador, having been enraged, and taking offence at his not having been well received by the king Ghirándó Míhál, reproached him bitterly, and suffered martyrdom by poison in consequence of it. He was buried by Sheïkh Maksúd, who received an order to that effect, in a place within the prison of the infidels, where, to this day, his name is insulted by all the unbelieving malefactors, debtors, murderers, &c. imprisoned there. But when (God be praised!) Islámból was taken, the prison having likewise been captured, the grave of Seyyid Ja’fer Bábá Sultán, in the tower of the prison [the Bagno], became a place of pilgrimage, which is visited by those who have been released from prison, and call down blessings in opposition to the curses of the unbelievers.
The ninth Siege. Three years after that great event related above, Hárúnu-r-rashíd marched from Baghdád with an immense army, to require the blood of the faithful from the infidels of Rúm (Asia Minor and Greece), and having reached Malatiyyah, which was conquered by Ja’fer Ghází, surnamed Seyyid Battál, that hero led the vanguard of the army into Rúm; and Hárún himself brought up the rear with reinforcements. Having taken possession of the straits, they blockaded the city, cut off all its supplies, gave no quarter, slew 300,000 infidels, took 70,000 prisoners, and made an immense booty, which they sent to Haleb (Aleppo) and Iskenderún, and then returned laden with spoils to Baghdád. Yaghfúr (void of light), the king at that time, was taken prisoner and carried before Hárún, who gave him no quarter, but ordered him to be hung in the belfry of Ayá Sófiyyah (Sancta Sophia). Having been from my infancy desirous of seeing the world, and not remaining in ignorance, I learned the Greek and Latin languages of my friend Simyún (Simeon) the goldsmith, to whom I explained the Persian glossary of Sháhidí, and he gave me lessons in the Aleksanderah (Alexandra), i.e. the History of Alexander. He also read to me the history of Yanván, from which these extracts are taken. But after the race of the Cæsars (Kayásirah) became extinct in Kanátúr, Kostantiniyyah fell into the hands of various princes, till the house of ’Osmán arose in A.H. 699 (A.D. 1300), and, at the suggestion of ’Aláu-d-dín the Seljúkí, first turned its attention to the conquest of that city.