Note.—After the death of Alexander the Great, the Grecian Empire was divided by his four leading generals, Cassander, Lysimachus, Seleucus, and Ptolemy, into four parts,—east, west, north, and south,—the first three of which were shortly afterward absorbed into one kingdom, the kingdom of the north, Egypt remaining the king, or kingdom, of the south. In the breaking up of the Roman Empire, the Turks gained possession of the Holy Land in a.d. 1058, and finally of Constantinople, and considerable portions of eastern Europe,—the kingdom of the north,—in 1453, to which, with varying fortunes and shrinking geographical boundaries, it has held ever since.
4. How has Turkey been regarded by European nations?
“The Turks have ever remained quite insensible to the influences of European civilization, and their government has been a perfect blight and curse to the countries subject to their rule. They have always been looked upon as intruders in Europe, and their presence there has led to several of the most sanguinary wars of modern times. Gradually they have been pushed out from their European possessions, and the time is probably not very far distant when they will be driven back across the Bosporus.”—Myers's “General History,” edition 1902, page 468.
5. When did the independence of Turkey cease?
In 1840, at the close of a two years' war between Turkey and Egypt, when the fate of Turkey was placed in the hands of four great powers of Europe,—England, Russia, Austria, and Prussia. See page 294, under question 19.
6. What is one of the last predictions of the prophecy of Daniel concerning the king of the north?
“But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.” Dan. 11:44.
Note.—Upon this, Dr. Adam Clarke, writing in 1825, said: “If the Turkish power be understood, as in the preceding verses, it may mean that the Persians on the east and the Russians on the north will at some time greatly embarrass the Ottoman government.” Such indeed was the case, and these conditions brought on the Crimean war of 1853-56, between Russia and Turkey. In this war England and France came to the help of Turkey, and prevented Russia from grasping Constantinople, her coveted prize, and thus gaining access to the Dardanelles and the Mediterranean and so possessing herself of the gateway of commerce between Europe Asia. Without an outlet to the sea, Russia cannot be a strong naval power. In his celebrated will, Peter the Great of Russia (1672-1725) admonished his countrymen thus: “Take every possible means of gaining Constantinople and the Indies, for,” said he, “he who rules there will be the true sovereign of the world; excite war continually in Turkey and Persia; ... get control of the sea by degrees; ... advance to the Indies, which are the great depot of the world. Once there, we can do without the gold of England.” The authenticity of this will has been questioned, but it outlines a policy which Russia has quite faithfully pursued.
7. What since 1840 has saved Turkey from complete overthrow?
The help and interference of various European powers.