Tartaria Precopensis

Sources from old books

1652. Cosmographie in four bookes by Peter Heylyn. OF TARTARIA.

TARTARIA PRECOPENSIS is bounded on the East, with the River Tanais, now Don; on the West, with the River Borysthenes, now called Nerper, by which last parted from P•dol••, a Province of Poland; on the North, with part of Russia; and on the South, with some part of the Euxine Sea: and by this accompt lying totally within Europe.

It had the name of Precopensis, from Precopia a chief Town thereof. By some called Tartaria Minor, to distinguish it from the greater body of that people: the Inhabitants hereof most commonly passing by the name of Crim-Tartars, from the Town of Crim, in which their Cham or Emperor doth reside most usually. The Countrey by them now possessed, part antiently of Sarmatia Europaea, was inhabieed by a warlike nation called the Tauri; from whom those parts hereof which lie betwixt the Empire of Russia, and the two Rivers Tanais and Borysthenes, were called Tauro Scythia; that which shooteth out into the Sea, encompassed with the Euxine on the one side, and Palus Maotis on the other, being called Taurica Chersonesus. In the description whereof at this place and time, as formerly I made bold with some part of Asia to lay together the estate of the Russian Empire: so now to satisfie for that trespass, I shall make bold with part of Europe, to lay together the discourse and affairs of Tartary,

The whole Countrey plentiful of fruits, and the soyl indifferently disposed to tillage and grazing, though more accustomed unto the last: the people more delighting in their heards of cattel, than in the fulness of their Garners. Camels, Horse, Oxen, Sheep, and Goats they have plenty of; great store of delicate fowl, and abundance of fish, bred in the large Fennes of Moeotis: and in their forrests plenty of all sorts of Venison. Which Character as it belongeth generally to all the Countrey, so most especially to the Chersonese or Demy-Iland. United to the main land with so narrow an Isthmus, that the Tartars once went about to dig it thorow: from whence some say they had the name of Precopenses, Precoph in the Sclavonian tongue signifying a deep trench, or a digging thorow. In length not above 24 German, or 96. Italian miles; in breadth but 60 of the one, or 15 of the other. Blest with a very temperate Air, and a gentle winter: which beginning with the last of December ends the first of March. Never extreme, and when the frosts are at the sharpest, but of short continuance. Divided in the middest with a chain of hills extended from the East to West, the boundary of the Dominions of the Turk and Tartar.

The people of the same complexion and composition, as the rest of the Tartars; and not much different in manners. Their diet, Roots, Cheese, Garlick, and of the poorer sort, for the most part horseflesh (none but the better sort presuming upon Beef or Venison, though of both abundance) which they eat without bread or any thing else: and therefore when they go to the wars every Souldier takes two horses with him, the one to serve upon, and the other to kill. And yet for all this havock which they make of horseflesh, there are few years in which they sell not 40 or 50 thousand in the fairs of Mosco. Towns they build none, scarce willing to maintain those which were built to their hands. Nor have they (except men of trades and manufactures) any standing houses, removing up and down with their Droves of Cattel, moving their houses with them, (which they build on wheels) from one place to another. Of money they make no esteem, preferring brass and steel before other metalls, because more usefull to them for Swords and Knives. Good Souldiers for the most part, especially at the Bow and A rows; to which so accustomed from their child-hood that they can shoot as readily backward as forward. Trained also of late times to the Harquebuse, well skilled in handling the Turkish Scymitars, and their horsemens Staves. Not to be vanquished but by death, as men that are resolved rather to die than be taken Prisoners: and if victorious, more intent upon taking Captives (especially young Boys and Girles, whom they sell to the Turks) than upon any other Booty or spoils of war.

The Religion most embtaced and countenanced is that of Mahomet, mingled with some of their old Principles of Christianity: for they confess that CHRIST shall be the Judge both of quick and dead in the day of judgement, and punish those that speak irreverently of him. In that regard more favourable to the Christians than other Mahometans, which makes great store of Grecian and Armenian Christians to dwell amongst them. The language which they speak is their own Tartarian, but intermixt with much of the Arabick, and Turkish Tongues, and when they write, they use either Chaldaean or Arabian Characters.

Rivers of most note in it, are 1. Borysthenes, & 2. Tanais, which though they have their spring-heads in the Empite of Russia (as was there declared) have their falls in this: the first in the Euxine Sea, in the 57th. the other into Palus Moeotis in the 67th. Degree of Longitude; by which we may conjecture somewhat of the length of the Countrey. 3. Hipanes, 4. Carcimitis, falling into the Euxine. 5. Agaris, and 6. Byces, which lose themselves in the Fennes of Moeotis; As do also 7. Pasiascus, 8. Gerus, 9. Lycus, from the mainland, and 10. Istrianus from the Taurican Chersonese. By the confluence of which waters, and many others falling from the Asian side, the lake or Fennes of Moeotis are of great extent, in compass at least a thousand miles, well stored with fish, and still retaining somewhat of the sweetness of those many Rivers which are emptyed into it. So called from the Moeotae who formerly inhabited on the banks hereof, and giving name to an excellent kind of fish which were called Moeotides by the Antients. At this day generally called Mar delle Zabahe, by the Italians commonly Mar della Tana, the sea of Tanais, and sometimes also Mer Bianco, or the White Sea, to difference it from the Euxine, which they call the Black, for the reasons formerly delivered. Passing directly towards the South, it is streightned by a narrow Channel not above four miles in breadth though about 24 in length, called antiently by the name of Bosphorus Cimmerius. Bosphorus, because Oxen did use to swim over it; Cimmerius from the Cimmerii who possessed the adjoining Countrey on the Asian side: but known at this day by the name of Stretto di Caffa; from the City Capha neer unto it; aud by the Inhabitants Vospero, more neer the originall. Out of this Streight that confluence of waters which do meet in the Maeotick Fennes do make their way into the Euxine. According to that of Lucan.

Qua{que} Fretum currens Maeotidas egeritundas.Where the Maeotick Pools at lastThorow a narrow Streight makes hast.

Chief Cities of it at the present, 1. Capha, or Caffa, in the Chersonese not far from the Streight called hence Stretto di Caffa; a flourishing Empory, and furnished with a large and capacious Haven. Heretofore possessed by the Genoese, who by the benefit of this Port, and the plantation which they had in Perah on the North side of Constantinople, engrossed into their own hands the whole trade of the Euxine. Taken by Mahomet the Great, Anno 1475. it became subject to the Turks, and drew into that thraldome all the Southern parts of the Chersonese which depended on it: deprived thereby of the greatest part of its former lustre, the Christian Churches being destroyed, the Towers and publique buildings razed, the houses of the Genoa Merchants which were fair and beautifull destroyed and ruined; yet still the principall of this biland, or Demy-Iland; and antiently better known by the name of Theodosia, and by that name remembred in Ammianus. 2. Precoph, in Latine called Precopia; a Town and Castle situate in or neer the place where stood the Eupateria of the Antients: called also Pompeiopolis, Heraclea, and A•hillis Cursus. 3. Corsunum, the Chersonesus of Ptolomy, antiently a Greek Colony; & then accompted for the chief of the whole Peninsula: ric•, populous, and well-traded, by reason of the Haven which was safe and large; and of great beauty and magnificence, as the ruins testifie. By the Turks at this day called Sari-Germanum, or the yellow Tower, the soyl about it being of a Saffron colour. 4. Cremam, or Crim, the antient Seat of the Chams or Princes of these Tartars; and at that time the fairest and greatest of this Bil•nd. Situate in the middest thereof, and fortified with a strong Castle, for the height of the walls, and depth of the ditch esteemed impregnable; supposed to be the Taphrae of Pliny, or the Taphros of Ptolomy. Mentioned by Florus, as then lately taken by some Roman Emperor, and so most likely to be Trajan, the first that ever extended the Roman Empire beyond Danubius and the Euxine. Situate in the very Isthmus, and so commanding both the Euxine and the Lakes of Moeotis; as Corinth betwixt the Aegean and Ionian Seas. 5. Panticapaeum, situate on the very Bosphorus, and now called Vospero by the natives: the antientest City of this Peninsula, and said by Ammianus to be the mother of all the Greek Colonies which were planted in i•. 6. Tanas, the Tanais of Ptolomy and other antients, because situate on the mouth of that River, or rather betwixt the two mouths of it, distant from one another a degree of Longitude. A town of great trade, and well frequented by the Merchants of all those Countries which border on the Euxine Sea: but subject to the Turks who hath there a Garrison, and by them called Azac. 7. Ingermenum, situate on a large and losty Mountain, and fortified with a Tower or Castle of stone, under which there is a Church, with great charge and Art cut out of the Rock: formerly of great wealth and fame, now decaied and ruinous. 8. Jamboli, by some called Balachium. 9. Mancopia, by the Turks called M•ngutum, 10. Circum; all boasting of their severall Castles. 11. Oczakow, or Ocz••covia, situate neer the influx of the great River Borysth•nes into the Bay of Carcimitis; and so most like to be built in the place of that which Ptolomy calleth Olbiah, Pliny, Olbiopolis. Honoured of late times (since the taking of Taurica by the Turks) with the residence of the great Cham: from whence these 〈◊〉 are by some called Olsanenses. 12. Metropolis as Ptolomy, or rather M•letopolis as Pl•ny calleth it; a Colony in old times of the Milesians, not farre from Olbia. Besides all which, and many others mentioned by the antient Writers of which there is nothing now remaining; the Court of the great 〈◊〉 in Summer time makes a moveable City; built upon Wheel-houses, and transported from one place to another, as occasion serveth: which houses at every station are orderly disposed of into Streets, and lanes, and by the Tartars are called Agara, or a Town of Carts.

The antient Inhabitants hereof were of Scythian race; for by that name some elder writers call not onely the true and proper Scythians lying on both sides of Imaus; but even the Sauromatae or Sarmatians also; and those not onely of Sa•matia Asiatica bordering next unto them, but even such Europaean nations, as lived on the Northern banks of Ister, and the Euxine Sea. And so they are affirmed to be by Ptolomy himslf, though otherwise more exact than any in distinguishing Sarmatia Europaea from Asiatica; and Asiatica from the Scythians For speaking of the Nations of Sarmatia Europaea, inhabiting on the Palus Moeotis, he ranks them thus. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. i. e. And all along the coasts of Moeotis, dwell the Iazyges (distinct from those called Metanastae) and the Rhoxolani; and more within the land, the Hamaxobii and Alani, Scythians. More towards the banks of the Euxine, and in the Chers•nese it self, dwell the antient Tauri, subdivided into the severall Nations of the Sin•hi, Napaei, and Arinchi, by the said Ptolomy included in the general name of •au•o Sovt•. To none but these of all the Europaean Sarmatians doth he give this name. And therefore I conceive them to have been those Scythians against whom Darius Kings of Persia made his fruitless warre. Picking a quarrell with this people, because their King had denied to give him one of his daughters to wife; or to revenge, as others more improbably say, the inrode which the Scythians formerly had made into Asia; he drew together an army of 700. thousand. Passing over the Thracian Bosphorus, he came at last to the banks of the Ister, where it parteth Moldavia and Bulgaria; and there for the passage of his men caused a bridge to be built; to the keepers whereof he left a Cord of 60. knots: commanding them every day to untie one knot, and if he came not back before all were united, to return to their houses. This done he marched towards his enemies, who still fled before him; leading him into the most desert and unhabitable parts of their Countrey: and when they had brought him into a streight, sent Ambassadours to him with a bird, a mouse, a •rog, and an handfull of Arrows; willing the Persians, if they could, to expound that Radle. Darius willing to hope the best of his design, conjectured that the Scythians did submit unto him, by delivering into his hands their Air, Earth, Water, and Arms, Hierog•yphicall signified in their present. But Gobrias, one of the seven Princes made this exposition, that if the Persians could not flie like a bird thorow the air, or like a mouse creep under the earth, or like a frog swim over the water, they could by no means scape the Persian Arrows. And to say truth this Commentary best agreed with the Text. For these Scythians following close upon him, or rather driving him before them, and vex••g him with continuall skirmishes, forced him to make such hast to get over the River, that he lost 80000 of his men in the sight and flight. This was the onely memorable Action of these Europaean Scythians in those elder ages: more memorable in the times succeeding for their horrid cruelty, than any argument of their valour. For it is said of these Tauri, or Tauro Scythae, that for the pleasing of their Gods, especially of 〈◊〉 whom they called Orsiloche, they used to sacrifise all such strangers as they could lay hands on, and with their heads most barbarously adorned the walls of her Temples. An inhumanity with which the Christian Advocates of the Primitive times, did much use to upbraid the Gentiles; taunting them with the sacrifices of Diana Taurica (so named from hence) as inconsistent with the nature of a God or goodness: most rightly giving them this brand or censure, that they were not sacra, but Sacrilegia. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Better it was to be of no Religion, than of one so cruel.

But to go forwards with the story, in the actions of the Greeks and Romans we hear nothing of them, unless it were that the Emperour Trajan (as Florus seems to intimate) took the City of Taphre. Which if he did, he added by that action somewhat to his own honour, but nothing to the Roman Empire: this people being never reckoned amongst their Provinces. Nor hear we any thing by name of their infesting the Roman territories (as the other barbarous Nations did) except they passed in the account of the 〈◊〉 Alani, Hunnes, Avares, or other of the Scythian or Sarmatian people, by which the majesty of that Empire was trod under foot. But what the Persians, Greeks, and Romans were not able to do, was with ease effected by the Tartars: who in the time of Joccatha, or Hoccata, the next to Cingis, under the conduct of Bathu, or Roydo, one of their most renowned Commanders, subdued all these parts, together with Russia, on the North Bulgaria, and Hungarie on the East. Subject at first to the command of the Great Cham of Cathaia, as the rest of the Tartarians were, they came at last to have a Prince of their own; one L•chtan Cham, descended from the aforesaid Bathu, and (as it was pretended) of the blood of Cingis. They grew at last of so great power by conquering the Asiatick Tartars which lay neerest to them, that Mahomet the Great thought fit to keep them down before grown too strong for him: and therefore under colour of taking in the City of Capha, then possessed by the Genoese, made himself master of the greatest part of the Taurican Chersonese, and the Port of Tanais; thereby commanding both Moeotis and the Enxine Sea. In the time of Selimus the first, who had maryed a daughter of this Crim-Tartar (for so they call him) and was aided by him with an Army of 15000 men against his Father; the Turks and these Tartarians grew into a League. The chief conditions of it were, that the Tartar should aid the Turk upon all occasions, with 60000 horse, if it were required; that they shall not make war with any of their neighbours, (except the Moscovite) without leave of the Turk; that they shall pay yearly to the Grand Signieur in the way of tribute 300 Christians; that the new Cham, upon the death or deposition of his Predecessor, shall receive from the Great Turk a Royall Banner in token of his Confirmation in that estate: that in reward of these services the Crim-Tartar shall have yearly from the Grand Signieur 5500 Ducates in the way of pension; and succeed finally in the Turkish Empire, if ever the male issue of the house of Ottoman should chance to fail. According unto this agreement the Tartars have been aiding to the Turks from time to time against the Persians, Polanders, Hungarians, Moldavians, and indeed whom not, and that with great and puissant Armies, the Great Cham sometimes arming 150000 of his own Subjects (leaving but one man in an house to attend their cattel) and sometimes adding 50000 Circassians, and others of the Asian Tartars. And for the Moscovite, whom he is left at liberty to assault by this Capitulation; he hath had so hard an hand upon him, that in the year 1571 they pierced as far as to the City of Mosco, and set fire on the Suburbs: which flaming into the City built most of wood, and then reckoned to be 30 miles in compass, within the space of four hours burnt the greatest part of it, and therein no fewer than 800000 of all sorts of people: A quarrel not to be composed, the Tartar not only laying claim to the Kingdomes of Casan and Astrachan, which the Russe possesseth; but even to Moscovie it self, as hath there been shewn. Nothing so punctuall is the Turk on his part, to perform the contract, who not content to have the Tartar for his friend, or at the worst his Homager, hath of late times attempted to make him his slave or Vassall. For Amurath the third, quarrelling Mahomet the Crim-Tartar for a design to intercept Osman Bassa in his way from Persia to Constantinople; authorised the said Osman to war upon him: by whom the poor Crim and his two sonnes, betrayed by some of his own Counsellers (corrupted with Turkish Gold) were strangled with a Bow-string; Islan a brother of the Crims, first sworn a Vassall to the Turk, put into the place; and over him a Turkish Beglerbeg or Bassa to command in chief. What hopes he hath of succeeding in the Turkish Empire, if the house of O•toman should fail, hath been already taken into consideration, in our discourse upon that subject.

What the Revenue of this Prince is, it is hard to say; his subjects having little money, and living most upon the bartery of their Cattel. But besides what he hath in Lands or customes, and the 5500 Ducats yearly which he receiveth from the Turk; he hath the tenth of all the spoils which are got in the warres, and a Checkine for every Captive, for some two or three (whosoever taketh them) according unto their estates.

As for his power, what he can do in horse we have seen already; And as for foot, and Ammunition, and other necessaries, he is supplied with them by the Turk, (who doth sometimes espouse his quarrels) by whose assistance they have brought the Moscovites to some extremities. And upon confidence of the favour and protection of the Grand Signieur, the Cham then being, upon the death of Stephen Bathori (whom Amurath the 3d. commended to the Crown of Poland) sent Ambassadours to negotiate his election to that Kingdome: and to induce them thereunto promised them in his letters amongst other things, that their Pope should be his Pope, their Luther his Luther; and that rather than put them unto any charge to find his Table, he could live with Horse-flesh. His Embassie entertained with Laughter, as it well deserved.