XLVIII. CHAP. riod of fix hundred years, from the days of Heraclius to the Latin conqueft: a rapid abftract, which may be supported by a general appeal to the or der and text of the original hiftorians. In this introduction, I fhall confine myself to the revolutions of the throne, the fucceffion of families, the perfonal characters of the Greek princes, the mode of their life and death, the maxims and influence of their domeftic government, and the tendency of their reign to accelerate or fufpend the downfal of the Eastern empire. Such a chronological review will serve to illuftrate the various argument of the fubfequent chapters; and each circumftance of the eventful ftory of the Barbarians will adapt itself in a proper place to the Byzantine annals. The internal state of the empire, and the dangerous herefy of the Paulicians, which fhook the East and enlightened the Weft, will be the fubject of two feparate chapters; but thefe inquiries must be poftponed till our farther progress shall have opened the view of the world in the ninth and tenth centuries of the Chriftian æra. After this founda tion of Byzantine hiftory, the following nations will pafs before our eyes, and each will occupy the space to which it may be entitled by greatness or merit, or the degree of connection with the Roman world and the present age. I. The FRANKS; a general appellation which includes all the Bar, barians of France, Italy, and Germany, who were united by the fword and fceptre of Charlemagne, The perfecution of images and their votaries, feparated Rome and Italy from the Byzantine throne, and 1 XLVIII, and prepared the restoration of the Roman empire CHA P.. in the Weft. II. The ARABS or SARACENS. Three ample chapters will be devoted to this curious and interesting object. In the first, after a picture of the country and its inhabitants, I shall investigate the character of Mahomet; the character, religion, and fuccefs of the prophet. In the fecond I shall lead the Arabs to the conqueft of Syria, Egypt, and Africa, the provinces of the Roman empire; nor can I check their victorious career till they have overthrown the monarchies of Perfia and Spain. In the third I fhall inquire how Conftantinople and Europe were faved by the luxury and arts, the division and decay, of the empire of the caliphs. A fingle chapter will include, III. The BULGARIANS, IV. HUNGARIANS, and V. RusSIANS, who affaulted by fea or by land the provinces and the capital; but the last of these, so important in their prefent greatnefs, will excite fome curiofity in their origin and infancy. VI. The NORMANS; or rather the private adventures of that warlike people, who founded a powerful kingdom in Apulia and Sicily, fhook the throne of Conftantinople, displayed the trophies of chivalry, and almost realized the wonders of romance. VII. The LATINS; the fubjects of the pope, the nations of the West, who enlifted under the banner of the crofs for the recovery or relief of the holy fepul chre. The Greek emperors were terrified and preserved by the myriads of pilgrims who marched to Jerufalem with Godfrey of Bouillon and the peers of Christendom, The fecond and third crufades trod B 4 XLVIII. CHAP. trod in the footsteps of the firft: Afia and Europe were mingled in a facred war of two hundred years; and the Chriftian powers were bravely refifted, and finally expelled, by Saladin and the Mamalukes of Egypt. In thefe memorable crufades, a fleet and army of French and Venetians were diverted from Syria to the Thracian Bofphorus: they affaulted the capital, they fubverted the Greek monarchy and a dynasty of Latin princes was feated near threefcore years on the throne of Conftantine. VIII. The GREEKS themselves, during this period of captivity and exile, must be considered as a foreign nation; the enemies, and again the fovereigns, of Conftantinople. Misfortune had rekindled a fpark of national virtue; and the Imperial feries may be continued with fome dignity from their restoration to the Turkish conqueft. IX. The MOGULS and TARTARS. By the arms of Zingis and his defcendants, the globe was fhaken from China to Poland and Greece: the fultans were overthrown: the caliphs fell, and the Cæfars trembled on their throne. The victories of Timour fufpended above fifty years the final ruin of the Byzantine empire. X. I have already noticed the first appearance of the TURKS, and the names of the fathers, of Seljuk and Othman, difcriminate the two fucceffive dynasties of the nation, which emerged in the eleventh century from the Scythian wilderness. The former established a potent and splendid kingdom from the banks of the Oxus to Antioch and Nice; and the first crufade was provoked by the violation of Jerufalem and the danger XLVIII. danger of Conftantinople. From an humble ori. CHA P. gin, the Ottomans arofe, the fcourge and terror of Christendom. Conftantinople was befieged and taken by Mahomet II. and his triumph annihilates the remnant, the image, the title of the Roman empire in the East. The schism of the Greeks will be connected with their last calamities, and the restoration of learning in the Western world. Į thall return from the captivity of the new, to the ruins of ancient ROME: and the venerable name, the interesting theme, will shed a ray of glory on the conclufion of my labours. THE emperor Heraclius had punished a tyrant and afcended his throne; and the memory of his reign is perpetuated by the tranfient conqueft, and irreparable lofs, of the Eastern provinces. After the death of Eudocia, his firft wife, he disobeyed the patriarch, and violated the laws, by his fecond marriage with his niece Martina; and the fuperftition of the Greeks beheld the judgment of heaven in the diseases of the father and the deformity of his offspring. But the opinion of an illegitimate birth is fufficient to distract the choice, and loosen the obedience, of the people: the ambition of Martina was quickened by maternal love, and perhaps by the envy of a step-mother; and the aged husband was too feeble to withstand the arts of conjugal allurements. Conftantine, his eldest fon, enjoyed in a mature age the title of Auguftus; but the weakness of his conftitution required a colleague XLVIII. A. D. 638, July 4. A. D. 639, CHAP. league and a guardian, and he yielded with secret reluctance to the partition of the empire. The fe nate was fummoned to the palace to ratify or atteft the affociation of Heracleonas, the fon of Martina: the impofition of the diadem was confecrated by the prayer and bleffing of the patriarch; the fenators and patricians adored the majefty of the great emperor and the partners of his reign; and as foon as the doors were thrown open, they were hailed by the tumultuary but important voice of the foldiers. After an interval of five months, the pompous ceremonies which formed the effence of the Byzantine ftate were celebrated in the cathedral and the hippodrome: the concord of the royal brothers was affectedly difplayed by the younger leaning on the arm of the elder; and the name of Martina was mingled in the reluctant or venal acclamations of the people. Heraclius furvived this affociation about two years: his laft testimony declared his two fons the equal heirs of the Eastern empire, and commanded them to honour his widow Martina as their mother and their fovereign. A. D. 641, Conftan tine III. February. When Martina first appeared on the throne with A. D. 641, the name and attributes of royalty, fhe was checked by a firm, though refpectful, oppofition; and the dying embers of freedom were kindled by the breath of fuperftitious prejudice. "We reve rence," exclaimed the voice of a citizen, " we "reverence the mother of our princes; but to "thofe princes alone our obedience is due; and "Conftantine, the elder emperor, is of an age "to sustain, in his own hands, the weight of the "fceptre |