The Life and Deeds of the Ever-Remembered Despot Stefan

appearance (Musa) showed himself to the surrounding (peoples) as meek, generous, under the guise of piety (he pretended to be) a peacemaker, which afterward proved to be more bitter than gall, even to those who served him.

57. Coming out of Wallachia, he first learned of a great Ishmaelite grandee named Saraja-basha in a place called Dubulin, and took him by deceit; taking him along, he came to Adrianople, where they told him to go to Gallipoli, and there he slew this Saraja. Since many soldiers, and brigands at that, had gathered around him, he sent (messages) throughout all the western and Ishmaelite regions with various oaths and promises. And they (the dignitaries of those lands), deeming this certain, all came to him, and soon he took all the western lands from his brother. He sent also to Despot Stefan firm and sworn promises that he would come to him as a brother, in aid, and avenge himself on Süleyman for what he had done to him. "I will give thee," he said, "a good part of the land, as to a brother born." He sent (messages) also to his brother Vuk (saying), with (other) firm promises: "I will see to it that you live in the best of peace and contentment." And he sent like assurances to their nephews as well. At the same time he raised with him certain surrounding (grandees), who from the beginning had been as it were slighted (in something). "To each," he said, "I will do good," confirming (it) with an oath.

58. Despot Stefan sent the commander Vitko to make certain of this; he (the commander) was shrewd in all things; (Musa) wished to deceive him and (did not) want to swear before his eyes. Seeing (that he could not deceive him), the sultan called the commander to himself. The commander examined whether the letter on which he was to swear was genuine, or whether it was a deceit. And he had with him one skilled in the Ishmaelite script. (Musa) shouted at him for vexing him, but nevertheless he swore. Then the Despot, known by name, came with his soldiers, and others came too. All this was by the will of God. He then took Gallipoli as well. At that time Süleyman came to an agreement with the Greek emperor and came from the eastern (lands) to Chalcedon.¹⁰² Hearing this, Musa rose up with all his army against Constantinople. With him was also the ever-remembered Despot, lord of the Serbs. Since the Greeks and the Franks were in friendship with the eastern (sultan Süleyman), they ferried him over to Constantinople, and as aid they also anchored ships nearby. Musa and the renowned (Despot), passing above Galata,¹⁰³ destroyed those ships. Musa, learning that Vuk wished to defect to Süleyman, pursued him to slaughter him on the ride, and said to the renowned (Despot): "Go back and take all thy brother's (lands), for I have seized (his) letters (which bear witness) to his faithlessness, and (for this) he must die." And the Despot answered him: "If he is (faithless), then so am I." And he stood surety for his brother. And who else, if not he? That night Vuk fled from that sultan (Musa). When they came again before Constantinople (intending) to wage a great battle, and when the soldiers of the eastern (sultan) poured out of the city, Musa too with his men made ready for battle.

59. And the most pious, God-aided (Despot), arming himself with the shield of faith - for it was (so) ordained that regiment should strike regiment - came in person against the very commander-in-chief of the eastern (sultan Süleyman), who was excellently armed. And like lightning he swiftly routed him, shed much blood and destroyed many of his soldiers; (then) Musa and