In  its  first  stage  the  Servian  rising  was  not  directed  against  the
Turkish  Government,  but  against  the  Janissaries,  and  the  Serbs
long  protested  that  they  were  loyal  to  the  Sultan,  and  only  wished
to  live  in  peace  under  his  paternal  rule.  Their  land  had  suffered
more  than  any  other  part  of  Europe  from  the  presence  of  the  terrible
band  of  men  which  was  at  this  time  the  scourge  of  the  Turkish
Empire  and  the  dread  of  neighbouring  realms.  As  the  Belgrade
Pashalik,  like  that  of  Bagdad,  was  far  removed  from  the  capital,  it
was  the  custom  to  send  thither  the  most  turbulent  members  of  the
Janissaries'  corps.^  They  had  constantly  outraged  the  Hungarian
frontier,  and  at  the  treaty  of  Sistova  it  had  been  stipulated  that  they
should  be  withdrawn  from  Servia.  Many  of  them  entered  the
service  of  Pasvanoglu ;  but,  when  that  rebel  was  induced  to  make
peace  with  his  Sovereign  and  appointed  Pasha  of  Yidin  in  1799,  he
stipulated  that  the  Porte  should  fulfil  the  promise  which  he  had
made  to  the  Janissaries  and  restore  them  to  the  Pashalik  of
Belgrade.^  The  Porte,  anxious  to  weaken  Pasvanoglu's  forces  or
else  desirous  to  pacify  him  at  the  cost  of  the  Serbs,  consented  in  an
evil  hour,  and  the  Janissaries  came  back  to  their  old  hunting-
ground.     Austria  was   too   much   occupied    with  Western   affidrs


^  IdromenoB,  20.
'  Cnnibert,  Eitai  hittorique  mr  let  JUvolutions  et  VIruUpendanee  de  la  Serhie,  15.
*  Ihid.  22.    Von  Eillaj,  Ottchiehte  der  Serben,  1, 810.
