T U R K E Y IN A S IA .
J^TESr-
C H A P T E R I.
H i s t o r i c a l G e o g r a t h y .
Extent.— Boundaries.—Original Topulaiion.— TrogreJ/ive Geography.—Uiflorical
Epochs and Antiquities.
THIS region extends from the fhores of the Egean fea, .or Archipelago,
to the confines of Perfia; afpace of about ioj;p Britifh
miles. The boundaries towards Perfia are rather ideal than natural,
though fomewhat marked by the mountains of Ararat and Elwepd.
In the north the Turkifh territories are-now divided from the Rdffian
by the river Cuban, and the -chain of Caucafus j ap the’ fouth they
extend to the jundion of the Tigris and the Euphrates, ^hjiQh, laft
nver for a confidemble fpace, divides the Turkifh poffeflions from
thofe* of the Arabs. From the river Cuban to the jundion of the
T ig r i s and Euphrates, maybe about no? Britifh miles.
This extenfive territory, which in itfelf would conftitute an empire,
xould it refume its priftine population, is divided into nine or ten pro-
Vinces. Natolia, the moft wefterly, is followed by Karaman in the
£>uth; and Roum in the north eaft. To the north of Armenia are
Curia, or Guriel, Mingrelia, and the Abkhas of CaUcafus, the ancient
Circaffians. Armenia is alfo ftyled Turcomania j to the fouth of which
^uce Rurdiftan, and Irak Arabi, a part of ancient Perfia around - the
celebrated
celebrated! capital} Eete^ .
Tigris,and: t&eilupteatfes,';- aowipajs#:
iipme tefi-&yri**K Soria? is-ftjllrallied tpttbe>
celebrated countries along the eaftferp- extremities.of£1* Mediterraneans
Some of thefe provinciate comparatively toeeat;aequt£%n ; Bagdad? <
having belonged't o fEerfiai, till while on *br* So^tr-ary ErivanW
reconquered^by ’ thg Pearls in.; :bas>:jremained freq ft?m. ;ther
Turkifh domination. p n
Thefe provinees Jtre fubdivided intojj governments, arbitral il^J^d-'
miniftered'by.Ea%as, a detail nf Which .wfijjld afbfd- lit|k Msfadiop^,
especially in the prefentedeclining ftate of the T*fk¥b empire- £ r
The-original popafetic« of thefe regiPjisi eflofifteds et&fy of Saytbi# Ongma^
itotiens,/«ttogledwitba. few Affyrians fromtherfeHth.. ,But ^°pu tI0B^
IMinfedtibnofthis fubjeift-would, bdioxeig»'to thefnato^pfrthi^ work,-
At profent the ruling language-ist the-.Turkifr,, .nexttoiwhich may be-;
pkced ; the modem Gtoek ;: hut the Ar^
menianv with- varitaus_ disdeds. mfed by; * the .t»ih^.; the;Elapk
the idiverfity of papulation;, .. .
f -Th^pr^efilve geography may be traced: from the;remoteft | p M p
to inddurhrimqi Turkic barbarifm has.pressepted theiprecifiotp <$ , \
reeskckiiowledgefeomradding complete .-Hlaftrattop^tha geography,of-
this .partlof/Afia. : c - ' . , .
-Thq chief epochs t f Turfdfhhiftofly have Skwfy »4
defcribing' their European poffeffions. .Atmpria and Q><^gft%?fer*£ fob-*
dttedhy 'the Turks in-the’eleventh 'dentusy, and;,the W.hP^f&i&fia |
Min®r-rapidly foUOwefh Their ktngdomtof R<tom extended ;(r 0^1 the
Euphrates-to Coriftantmople, -and from the Bkcki fea/ to- the Confines,~of
SU^r-.:,Suecdriv8 warlike princes.’; acquired ; additional’ tet&f&cj'. ftfeto
the -MamalUks- of Egypt, and ther-Perfiank ,,^ri%?forte% :an ^ .
panade of Egypt» was cohqtiered by; Selim II’ in- >£»6;,‘.Tanias .And \
-Blaifh^r,; which ,laft- had formerly: bebngerb t o Perfi^weie rfuktoed g
by the feme- monatch i and.ite u ^ Abbas, theng^at
Perfia, to ,'theJQitomana, ,
he- extended--his donquefts-to' the :eaft; andjBagdad^akalto^y'men^ -
tioned,