1805, his master-in atrocity, was deputed to observe A.D. their movements and carry on the war. Under the savage rule of this monster the villages of Pindus and Agrafa, the chief strongholds of the independent Armatoli, were widowed of inhabitants; and the popular songs of the Greeks abound with details and execrations of his cruelty and crimes. By measures such as these, Ali had so far succeeded in enlarging and consolidating his territory, that at the commencement of the year 1806, his dominion A.D. may be said to have extended over the entire of ancient Hellas, with the exception of a few isolated towns and the provinces of Boeotia and Attica; and even the latter, in fact, might be considered as virtually submitted to him, since their vaivodes and rulers were creatures for whom his interest had procured their appointments. In the mean time matters had been rapidly tending to a rupture between Russia and the Porte. On the assumption of the imperial dignity by Napoleon, the Sultan had been the first to congratulate him on his enrolment amongst the legitimates of Europe; and the Emperor, ever prompt to improve an advantage, lost no time in returning his expressions of good-will through his ambassador Sebastiani, who forthwith replaced Marshal Brune as 1806. 1806. A.D. minister at Constantinople. It had for some time before been an important object with Napoleon to destroy the triple alliance of the English, the Russians, and the Turks in the Mediterranean; and the seizure of Malta by the former had been so represented to Paul I. who had lately accepted of the Grand Mastership of the Order, that he was readily induced to accede to his wishes. A complete revolution was instantly effected in the policy of the cabinet of St. Petersburgh; and the Czar, who but two years before had armed for the expulsion of an invading army from one of the remote provinces of the Sultan, now waited but for a favourable pretext to commence hostilities and attack him in his capital. An insult offered by the Turkish mob to his minister Tamara, when visiting the mosque of the Sultan Solyman, was gladly embraced as an occasion of quarrel, and an immediate rupture with the Porte was only prevented by the assassination of the unfortunate monarch when on the eve of proclaiming hostilities. Alexander, his successor, adopted a line of politics different from that pursued by his father; on a proper explanation of the affair having been offered by the Divan, he contented himself with recalling Tamara, on the grounds of his having accepted presents from the Sultan, which might have borne the appearance of compromising a national insult, and Italinski being dispatched to replace him at Constantinople, amicable relations were restored between Russia and the Porte. The design of Napoleon was thus effectually thwarted, nor did any opportunity occur of renewing the attempt till the exertions of Sebastiani served unexpectedly to effect its accomplishment. The Divan, at the moment of his arrival, was divided into two parties, favourable to the several interests of England and Russia; the Grand Vizir, the Capitan Pacha, and a large proportion of the other ministers, together with the Hospodars of Moldavia and Wallachia, were attached to the cause of the latter; whilst that of the former was chiefly supported by the friends of the Reis Effendi, who had been Secretary of Legation at London in 1797, and was a violent partisan of the English.* By the intrigues of Sebastiani, the English faction were speedily ousted, and replaced by individuals favourable to France; and it only remained to remove the Russian party in the same manner, and attach the Divan undividedly to the interests of Napoleon. The brilliant successes of the Emperor, the capture of Vienna, and the victory of Austerlitz, served to facilitate the task of his * Rizo, p. 186. A.D. 1806. 1806. A.D. ambassador, and he had little difficulty in inducing the Sultan, in 1805, to infringe the treaty of Yassi,* and depose the Hospodars Ipsilanti and Morousi, who were known to be friendly to Russia, in order to confer their governments on the Prince Charles Callimachi and Aleko Sowzo, who had espoused the party of the French. An effectual breach was thus accomplished between the courts of St. Petersburgh and Constantinople, and the Russian Emperor protested instantly against this infringement of the constitution of the two principalities. The Sultan, alarmed at his remonstrance, hasted to remedy the injury and restore the Hospodars; but Alexander, already dissatisfied with the disposition towards France manifested by the Divan, rejected his submissions, and in November 1806 took military possession of the two Hospodariats. Temporizing measures were no longer available, and in the December following war was proclaimed against Russia by the Porte.t On the first intimation of these proceedings and the certainty of an approaching rupture, Ali Pacha hasted to occupy the Venetian towns on the coast; he marched without delay upon Prevesa, drove out the Ottoman resident, Ab * See vol. ii. of this History, c. xii. n. p. 28. + December 17, 1806. 1806. dulla Bey, and garrisoned the fortress with his A.D. own soldiers. Contrary to the treaty of 1800, he next proceeded to despoil the principal inhabitants of their property and houses, which he conferred upon his followers; and having demolished two-thirds of the town, laid the foundations of a mosque, and commenced building a palace for his future residence, he retired to attack the other positions. Butrinto and Vonitza shared the same fate with Prevesa, and Parga narrowly escaped destruction by the timely arrival of a reinforcement of Russian troops.* This fresh disappointment in gaining possession of a spot which the Pacha had so long coveted, was galling for the moment; but his irritation was in some degree allayed by the prospect of securing some of the Ionian Islands in the approaching struggle. His designs on this head were promptly communicated to and warmly seconded by Sebastiani; he procured him immediate supplies of ammunition and military stores, French engineers were dispatched to his assistance, and for the more complete extension of his power the pachalics of the Morea and Lepanto were procured for his sons Veli and Mouctar, by the interests of the French minister. Under such favourable * Hughes, v. ii. p. 177. + Pouqueville, v. i. p. 254. Life of Ali Pacha, p. 174. |