Page:Destruction of the Greek Empire.djvu/198

 164 DESTEUCTION OF THE GEEEK EMPIKE When Murad's dream of quiet days at Brousa was dis- turbed by the news that the treaty solemnly accepted a few weeks earlier had been violated by the faithless Christians, who in this case are justly characterised by the Turks as infidels, he at once resumed the duties of a ruler and pre- pared to go to the aid of his son, young Mahomet. With the aid of the Genoese he crossed the Bosporus, probably at the extreme north end below the Giant's Mountain, where the entrance into the Black Sea was, and long con- tinued to be, known, from the number of temples which had existed there from pre-Christian times, as the Sacred Mouth. The Italian and Greek fleets near the capital were unable successfully to resist the passage, the ascent of the Bos- porus being almost impossible for sailing vessels during the continuance of the prevailing north winds. From thence Murad hastened to meet the army of Ladislaus. 1 Battle of The place of rendezvous for the Christian armies was Nov. l'l, Varna. Ladislaus took the field in the autumn, with only ten thousand fighting men. He marched along the valley of the Danube, and was joined by Drakul, prince of Walla- chia, with five thousand of his subjects. The total of the two armies probably never exceeded twenty thousand men. The Wallachian prince advised prudence and delay. He 1 The Turkish accounts agree that the crossing was at the Bosporus. Barletius, Book II. p. 38, with whom Leunclavius agrees, says : ' Si vera est fama,' merchant vessels transported the army over the Bosporus, receiving a gold coin per man. Bonfinius likewise gives this story of payment and says it was made to the Genoese. Lonicerus, p. 18, says the fleet crossed the Dar- danelles. Ducas, whose account I have adopted, states that the fleet only crossed with great difficulty and against the will of the emperor. Chaleondy- las makes the transit take place at Hieron, near the Dardanelles (Chalc. 135) ; one writer, at Asomaton. There is a church of the Asomatoi (the Bodiless, i.e. of Angels) at Arnaoutkeui still existing. See The Constantiade, where the Patriarch gives an account of it. Phrantzes identifies the position on the Bosporus (namely, opposite Anatolia-Hissar) by saying that it was near the narrow part of the Bosporus above the village of Asomaton or Arnaout- keui : Kara rb ffTtvbv iyyvs rod avurzpov fiepovs rrjs rS>v 'AffufidrGov /ccfyojs (Ph. ch. II. p. 223), which is conclusive as to the locality he wishes to indicate. Ducas also in several places gives the name of Hiteron to the straits between Anatolia and Boumelia-Hissar. It is therefore clear that two places on the Bosporus were known as Hieron. The safest passage would be at the Hieron below the Giant's Mountain.