Page:The Fall of Constantinople.djvu/129

 DYNASTIC TROUBLES. m of these divisions, laid siege to Dadjbra in Paplilagonia. The emperor had himself gone into Asia Minor to put down the revolt of Alexis, the Cilician pretender, who had sought and obtained aid from this Sultan of Angora. lie urged the inhabitants of Dadybra to hold out, and they maintained the defence of their city bravely during four months, but, as no succor was forthcoming, they made terms with the besiegers. They surrendered the city on condition of being allowed to leave with their women, children, and goods. The emperor, finding that his safety required him to return to the capital, was obliged to confirm the surrender. A little later, in 1198, Alexis was at war with the Sultan of Iconium, named Kaikhosro. The war arose out of a slight matter, which, but that the emperor and sultan were always ready to contend with each other, might easily have been arranged. Two Arab horses having been sent as a present to the emperor by the Sultan of Alexandria, were stop23ed by Kaikhosro, and one of them had its leg broken while in his possession. Kaikhosro expressed his regret and offered to send others, but the emperor, either enraged at the insult, or want- ing a pretext for war against a prince who had so often given aid to his enemies, imprisoned all the merchants in Constan- tinople who were the subjects of the Sultan of Iconium, and allowed their houses to be pillaged. Thereupon the sultan immediately declared war, ravaged all the imperial territory around the Meander, and captured a great number of prisoners. Worse than this, he energetically carried out a policy which inflicted a severe blow on the empire. The subjects of Alexis in Asia Minor, who had been heavily taxed, were by no means well affected towards the emperor personall}^, and were weary of the various demands upon them. The sultan collected his prisoners, gave them lands according to their social rank, pro- vided them houses at Philomelium, near Iconium ; distributed seed-corn and provisions among them, promised that he would make their peace with the emperor, and that if the latter re- fused they should become his subjects, with the right of ex- emption from all taxes for five years, and of a light taxation afterwards. The treatment of these prisoners had the effect