From the middle of the feventh century to 1250, the Arabs were in poffeffion of Egypt, which then was a part of the vast empire of the Caliphs. Vizirs governed it in their name, and, poffeffed of unbounded power, exercifed fupreme authority. They had the right of life and death, and, rendering an account to the Caliphs, only, of their conduct, governed the country according to their caprice. However great their tyranny, the cries of the opprefied people never could reach the throne; the Vizirs took care to gain those who furrounded it by rich prefents. The government being thus defpotic, national happinefs, or mifery, depended on the virtues, or vices, of one man. Many of thefe Vizirs fwayed an iron fceptre; fome few made commerce, agriculture, and the arts flourish. Others, among whom was the famous Ebn Toulon, rebelled, and proclaimed themfelves kings; but the crown feldom descended to their children. After the death of the rebel, the province returned to the dominion of its former mafters.

In the year 982, Moaz, fovereign of the wefern part of Africa, and defcendant of the fatimite Caliphs, who had founded a king

dom

dom there two centuries before, fent his generals to conquer Egypt, which having performed, he made it the feat of Empire. His offspring reigned till 1189, when Salah Eddin established the dynasty of the Ayoubites there. This warlike prince, the terror of the crufaders, whom he had almoft driven out of Palestine, was overthrown by Richard Cœur de Lion, near the walls of St. John d'Acre; and the name of the English monarch became terrible throughout the east. The government of Salah Eddin, and his fucceffors, was monarchical, under whom Egypt became flourishing. 'The remains of the

academies they founded, and to which by their rich benefactions they drew the learned men of the east, are ftill to be seen at Grand Cairo. In the

In the year 1250, immediately after the defeat of Louis IX. the Baharite Mamluks,(n) Turks by defcent, maffacred Touran Shah, the last prince of the Ayoubites, and the fon of Nejem Eddin, their benefactor; with whom ended the reign of the Arabian

(n) Mamluk fignifies acquired, poffeffed. They called themselves Babarites, or maratime, becaufe Nejem eddin, who inftituted them, bestowed the government of caftles near the fea, and in the island of Raouda, on them..

princes

princes over Egypt, and fince which they have ever been governed by foreigners.

The Baharite Mamluks changed its form of government, and made it republican. Their principal men elected a chief, to whom they confided great authority. He had a right to make war or peace, first advising with his council, the members of which they themselves were. He could appoint ministers, ambaffadors, governors, and generals; provided he chofe them from among the Mamluks. The neceffity he was under of gaining the votes of thofe chiefs limited his power; and his politics confifted in procuring their favour, making fure of the most powerful, and in immediately crushing the confpiracies that were formed against him; for each of the powerful Mamluks, of this Ariftocracy, would neceffarily endeavour to depofe the poffeffor, and feat himself on the throne. Though the people had no part in the government, yet had the Prince caufe to fear their difcontent: an ambitious rival, aided by them, might deprive him of his crown. Thus we fee the chief of this republic was furrounded by dangers; the duration of his empire depended on his perfonal qualities,

and

and he could not tranfmit his power to his children. Hence, during the hundred and thirty-fix years the Baharite Mamluks governed Egypt, they had twenty-feven kings; a proof their reigns were fhort and tempes

tuous.

About the middle of the fourteenth century, the Circaffian Mamluks dethroned the Baharites, but preferved their form of government, and continued in poffeffion of Egypt till the conqueft of it by Sultan Selim, in 1517. It is neceffary to give clear and precife ideas of the Mamluks before we speak of the changes Selim made in the conftitution. The appellation Mamluk is bestowed on children who, carried off by merchants, or banditti, from Georgia, Circaffia, Natolia, and the various provinces of the Ottoman Empire, are afterwards fold in Conftantinople and Grand Cairo. The Grandees of Egypt, who had a fimilar origin, bring them up in their houses, and deftine them to fucceed to their dignities; and this cuftom is, perhaps, more ancient than the time of Jofeph, who, fold thus to Potiphar (0), High-priest of

(0) This Egyptian name comes from Potiphrai, priest

of the fun.

VOL. II.

I

Heliopolis,

A

of Cachef (q), when they govern the towns which are dependant on their patrons, at which time they are permitted to buy Mamluks, who follow their fortune, and become their companions and inftruments. Their next rife is to the dignity of Bey, which gives them a feat among the four and twenty members of the Divan, or council, of the republic but, though thus advanced, they ceafe not to regard themfelves as the fervants of their first mafter, and preferve a perfect fubmiffion to him. Such, Sir, is the origin of the Mamluks; and fuch the career they have to run. We will now proceed with

our narrative.

Sultan Selim, having conquered Egypt, and overthrown the Circaffian Mamluks, who could not withstand the numerous armies. and bloody battles of the Turkish Emperor, caufed their king, Thomam Bey, to be hanged at one of the gates of Cairo. This barbarous action difgufted them so much that they only waited the departure of the Turks again to take to their arms. The

(4) The Cachefs are the lieutenants of the Beys, and command the towns which are in the government of their patrons.

intoxication