Chapter I: Preface

The first edition of _Janicsárok végnapjai_ appeared forty-five years ago. It was immediately preceded by the great historical romance, _Erdely aranykora_ (_The Golden Age of Transylvania_), and the still more famous novel of manners, _Egy Magyar Nábob_ (_A Hungarian Nabob_), which Hungarians regard as, indisputably, Jókai's masterpiece, while only a few months separate it from _Kárpáthy Zoltán_ (_Sultan Karpathy_), the brilliant sequel to the _Nabob_. Thus it belongs to the author's best literary period.

It is also one of the most striking specimens of that peculiar group of Turkish stories, such as _Törökvilag Magyarorszagon_ (_Turkey in Hungary_) and _Török mozgolmak_ (_Turkish Incursions_), _A kétszarvú ember_ (_The Man with the Antlers_), and the extremely popular _Fehér rózsa_ (_White Rose_), which form a genre apart of Jókai's own creation, in which his exuberant imagination revels in the rich colors of the gorgeous East, as in its proper element, while his ever alert humor makes the most of the sharp and strange contrasts of Oriental life and society. The hero of the strange and terrible drama, or, rather, series of dramas, unfolded with such spirit, skill, and vividness in _Janicsárok végnapjai_, is Ali Pasha of Janina, certainly one of the most brilliant, picturesque, and, it must be added, capable ruffians that even Turkish history can produce. Manifold and monstrous as were Ali's crimes, his astonishing ability and splendid courage lend a sort of savage sublimity even to his blood-stained career, and, indeed, the dogged valor with which the octogenarian warrior defended himself at the last in his stronghold against the whole might of the Ottoman Empire is almost without a parallel in history.

With such a hero, it is evident that the book must abound in stirring and even tremendous scenes; but, though primarily a novel of incident, it contains not a few fine studies of Oriental character, both Turkish and Greek, by an absolutely impartial observer, who can detect the worth of the Osmanli in the midst of his apathy and brutality, and who, although sympathetically inclined towards the Hellenes, is by no means blind to their craft and double-dealing, happily satirized in the comic character of Leonidas Argyrocantharides.

Finally, I have taken the liberty to alter the title of the story. _Janicsárok végnapjai_ (_The Last Days of the Janissaries_) is too glaringly inapt to pass muster, inasmuch as the rebellion and annihilation of that dangerous corps is a mere inessential episode at the end of the story. I have, therefore, given the place of honor on the title-page to Ali Pasha--the Lion of Janina.

I have added a glossary of the Turkish words used by the author in these pages.

R. NISBET BAIN.

Contents

Chapter Page
I. THE CAVERNS OF SELEUCIA 1
II. EMINAH 19
III. A TURKISH PARADISE 45
IV. GASKHO BEY 62
V. A MAN IN THE MIDST OF DANGERS 72
VI. THE LION IN THE FOX'S SKIN 78
VII. THE ALBANIAN FAMILY 105
VIII. THE PEN OF MAHMOUD 110
IX. THE CIRCASSIAN AND HIS FAMILY 129
X. THE AVENGER 160
XI. THE FLOWERS OF THE GARDEN OF BEGTASH 187
XII. THE SHIPWRECK OF LEONIDAS 198
XIII. A BALL IN THE SERAGLIO 213
XIV. KURSHID PASHA 238
XV. CARETTO 244
XVI. EMINAH 252
XVII. THE SILVER PEDESTAL IN FRONT OF THE SERAGLIO 262
XVIII. THE BROKEN SWORDS 275
GLOSSARY OF TURKISH WORDS 293

The Lion of Janina