<SPAN name="chap24"></SPAN>
<h3> THE FALSE IBRAHIM OF TURKEY. </h3>
<h4>
A.D. 1644.
</h4>
<p>The story of this pseudo prince is no less romantic than those of the
other claimants mentioned in this work, but it differs from most of
them inasmuch as the hero of it was an innocent victim rather than a
conscious impostor. His history has been variously stated, some works
asserting that the man was the eldest son of the Sultan Ibrahim of
Turkey, and elder brother of Mehemet the Fourth, whilst others,
including De Rocoles (the chief authority for our version) describe him
as the illegitimate child of some unknown personage.</p>
<p>Tumbel Aga, according to the account given by De Rocoles, was chief of
the eunuchs to the Sultan Ibrahim, as he had also been to his
predecessor, Sultan Amurath. Having had occasionally to employ a
certain well-known merchant of Constantinople, named Cesi, to execute
various commissions for the imperial seraglio, he fancied he might
entrust him with a delicate matter on his own behalf, and accordingly
favoured him with instructions to procure him as pretty and modest a
maiden as he could purchase in the market, regardless of cost. It is,
of course, difficult to say what the Aga's object was in giving so
strange a commission to Cesi, nor is it material to the story to know
whether the girl was to be presented to the Sultan as a gift, or
whether she was to be retained as an ornament for Tumbel's own abode.
The merchant speedily informed the would-be purchaser that he had
obtained a girl—a Russian, named Sciabas—who was as modest as she was
beautiful. Delighted at this intelligence, the Aga paid the price
demanded, and had his purchase sent to his rooms. Her beauty and
manners were everything that could be desired, but Tumbel had not long
had his purchase home before he discovered that she was likely to
increase his household in a way neither wished for nor calculated upon.
Indignant at the deception which had been practised upon him, but
probably somewhat softened by the beautiful captive's manner, the old
Aga pretended to chase her out of the seraglio, but meanwhile gave
private orders that she should be cared for in every respect.</p>
<p>About five or six months after the <i>accouchement</i> of Sciabas, her
master paid her a visit, and was so charmed with the beauty of her
child, a handsome boy—or, what is more probable, fancied he should be
enabled to recoup himself for his expenditure by the sale of both
mother and infant—that he ordered every care to be taken of them. All
his efforts to discover the paternity of the boy were useless; Sciabas
would not gratify his curiosity, and nobody else, apparently, could.</p>
<p>About this time the Sultana presented her husband with a boy, for whom
the Aga was instructed to procure a nurse. He recommended Sciabas,
doubtless to repay himself for his outlay, and, accordingly, the young
Russian and her baby took up their abode in the imperial apartments,
where, indeed, they continued to live for about two years. The child
of Sciabas inherited not only her beauty, but also her gentle temper;
in which he contrasted so favourably with young Mehemet, the Grand
Sultana's child, that the Sultan noticed the difference, and began to
display a preference for it over his own offspring. The wife speedily
discovered this alienation of the Sultan's affection, and not only
vented her rage on the innocent objects of it, whom she ejected from
the imperial apartments, but determined to avenge herself, on the first
convenient opportunity, upon the Aga for having introduced them.
Tumbel was not slow in perceiving his danger, and in order to escape
it, requested the Sultan to allow him to make a pilgrimage to Mecca,
doubtless not intending to return to Constantinople. Ibrahim was loath
to let him go, as he greatly valued his services, and, according to the
custom of the Ottoman court, the slave who is permitted by the Sultan
to make this sacred journey becomes a free man, and is assigned an
annual pension. Nothing daunted by refusal, Tumbel renewed his
request, offering to go as a captive, promising that on his return he
would resume his duties at the seraglio. Ultimately the Sultan gave
his consent, and the Aga made grand preparations for his journey.</p>
<p>When everything was ready, Tumbel embarked on board a vessel bound for
Alexandria, taking with him, among other valuable possessions, Sciabas
and her beautiful child. After various adventures their vessel got
separated from its convoy, and was attacked by six Maltese cruisers.
Headed by the Aga, the Mohammedans made a gallant resistance; but their
master being killed by a cannon-ball, they surrendered at discretion.
When the Maltese boarded their prize, their cupidity was gratified by
the richness of the cargo; they found Sciabas dead, apparently of
fright, and her handsome little boy playing about, unconscious of the
danger of his situation. Surprised by his beauty, and the magnificence
of his garb, they inquired as to his parentage, and their captives,
hoping probably to obtain better treatment for themselves if they
exaggerated the value of the prize, declared that the child was Sultan
Ibrahim's eldest son, whom they were escorting to Mecca, to have him
circumcised. The victors greedily swallowed this tale, and, delighted
with their good fortune, set sail for Malta, where they no sooner
arrived than they noised abroad the capture they had made of the Grand
Sultana and the Sultan's eldest son. The joyful intelligence was
spread through all Christendom, and caused such excitement that
portraits of the mother and child were extensively sold all over
Europe. So highly was their prize valued, that the Knights of St. John
talked of proposing the return of the Isle of Rhodes, which had been
won from their enfeebled grasp by the Turks, as a ransom for the child
and its mother; for they concealed the fact that she was dead, and
substituted a slave in her stead. Letters were sent to Ibrahim to
inform him of the capture of his wife and child; but as a long time
elapsed and he vouchsafed no reply, the Maltese began to question the
identity and value of their little captive, who, in the meantime, had
been treated with regal attention. Finally, in 1649, they were enabled
to make positive inquiries in Constantinople, by means of a certain
Master Pietro, who knew Turkish; and were intensely chagrined to learn
that the Grand Sultana and her eldest boy were both comfortably located
in the Mohammedan capital, whence, indeed, they had never departed.
This intelligence caused the grandees of Malta to treat their youthful
charge with less consideration; but as they did not desire to become
the laughing-stock of Europe, they concealed the truth, and allowed the
world to remain in ignorance of it. As for the son of Sciabas, he was
christened with the name of Ottoman, and consigned to a monastery in
Italy. When the young Turk grew up, he was treated with no slight
amount of consideration by many persons who believed in his royal
parentage, and as "Father Ottoman" was considered a shining light by
his fellow Dominicans.</p>
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