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Selected and rare materials, excerpts and observations from ancient, medieval and contemporary authors, travelers and researchers about Cyprus.
 
 
 
 
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CLAUDE DELAVAL COBHAM
Exerpta Cypria
page 180

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made war upon Carlotta and her husband, who were compelled after various engagements to abandon the kingdom, and leave it iu the hands of Jacques, who proclaimed himself its conqueror and king, having also wrested Famagosta from the Genoese. After so many victories, wishing to fix hie position upon an enduring basis, he took to wife Caterina, daughter of Marco Cornare, α Venetian gentleman, whom he accepted as a daughter of the Republic from the hands of the Senate, who assigned to her a dowry. King Jacques died, leaving his wife enceinte, who gave birth to a son, who was called Jacques after his father, was crowned, and died when little more than two years old. Thereupon Queen Caterina resigned her kingdom to the Venetian Signory, and in 1489 was condncted to Venice, received with great pomp, and presented with the castle of Asolo in the Trevisano. So the Venetians remained lords of Cyprus, and held it until 1570, when the Turkish Sovereign Selim, without lawful excuse, and contrary to his plighted faith, declared war against the Republic for the conquest of the island. He landed a huge army at Saline on June 24 and besieged Nicosia, which he took by assault on September 8, cutting the inhabitants to pieces. Next he gained by capitulation the fortress of Cerine, whose defenders, Gio. Maria Mutazzo, a noble Venetian, and Alfonso Palazzo, surrendered it. After this he marched his troops to Famagosta, which city he invested, up to the end of July, 1571, with moie than two hundred thousand soldiers. The city was defended by its Captain, Marcantonio Bragadino, a Venetian gentleman, and Astorre Bagliori, the general commanding the troops in the island, who did all that men could do to harass the enemy and preserve the town. The assaults and attacks were many, and bravely borne, and the example left by the conrage and constancy of Baglione has indeed taught ns what advantage Christian troops have over Turks, seeing that he held out with so few men against so great a hostile force; and he would have proved himself even more their match, if, absolutely compelled by lack of ammunition and provisions, he had not agreed to treat with the Tnrks on honourable conditions. But these the infidels would not observe. Famagosta was lost, the officers who defended it killed or enslaved, and the kingdom of Cyprns, torn from the Venetian rule, passed into the Turkish Empire. I should describe this war, abont which I am very fully informed, with more detail, bnt I have set forth the whole stoiy in order in a separate book which I have composed about the life and deeds of Astorre Bagliori; in which it may be read with interest) if it be ever allowed me to send forth to the world as my own this work of mine. The reader can refer too to what I write at length in my "History of the events between 1550 and 1575." irò EXCERPTA CYPRÏA.

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