capital. The prince became a fugitive, and the mother of the prince,
dressed in rags, was reduced to the wretched expedient of doing menial
service in the streets of Ispahan for a livelihood. The glory of the
Ottoman arms could not permit that a usurper should sit at his ease on
the stolen throne, and thy triumphant host, led by the Vizier Ibrahim
and the virtuous Küprili, the descendant of the illustrious Nuuman
Küprili, wrested Kermandzasahan from Persia and incorporated it with thy
dominions. And then it pleased the Prophet to permit marvellous things
to happen. Suddenly Shah Tamasip, whom all men believed to be
ruined--suddenly, I say, Shah Tamasip reappeared at the head of a
handful of heroes and utterly routed the bloody Esref Khan in three
pitched battles at Damaghan, Derechár, and Ispahan, put him to flight,
and the hoofs of the horses of the victor trod the rebel underfoot. And
now the restored sovereign demands back from the Ottoman Empire the
domains which had been occupied. His Grand Vizier, Safikuli Khan, is
advancing with a large army against the son of Küprili, and the darkness
of defeat threatens to obscure the sun-like radiance of the Ottoman
arms. Most puissant Padishah! suffer not the tooth of disaster to gnaw
away at thy glory! The Grand Vizier and I have already gathered
together thy host on the shores of the Bosphorus. They are ready, at a
moment's notice, to embark in the ships prepared for them. Money and
provisions in abundance have been sent to the frontier for the gallant
Nuuman Küprili on the backs of fifteen hundred camels. It needs but a
word from thee and thine empire will become an armed hand, one buffet
whereof will overthrow another empire. It needs but a wink of thine eye
and a host of warriors will spring from the earth, just as if all the
Ottoman heroes, who died for their country four centuries ago, were to
rise from their graves to defend the banner of the Prophet. But that
same banner thou shouldst seize and bear in thine own hand, most
glorious Padishah! for only thy presence can give victory to our arms.