ack to the time
of Sultan Selim I. This Sultan conquered Egypt and over-threw the
dynasty of the Mamelukes. He found at Cairo the Caliph Mohammed XII.,
and brought him as a prisoner to Constantinople. He was kept at the
fortress of the Seven Towers for several years, and then sent back to
Egypt with a small pension. While Selim was in Cairo, the Shereeff of
Mecca presented to him the keys of the holy cities, and accepted him as
their protector. In 1517 Mohammed XII. also made over to him all his
right and title to the Caliphate. This involuntary cession, and the
voluntary homage of the Shereeff of Mecca are the only titles possessed
by the Ottoman Sultans to the Caliphate, which, according to the word of
the Prophet himself, must always remain in his own family. If the
Ommiades and the Abassides were imperfect Caliphs, it is plain that the
Ottoman Sultans must be doubly imperfect. It was easy, however, for an
all-powerful Sultan to obtain an opinion from the Ulema that his claim
was well-founded; and it has been very generally recognized by orthodox
Mohammedans, in spite of its essential weakness. When the time comes,
however, that the Ottoman Sultans are no longer powerful, it will be
still more easy to obtain an opinion that the Shereeff of Mecca, who is
of the family of the Prophet, is the true Caliph.

The Ottoman Sultans have also assumed the other and more generally used
title of _Imam-ul-Mussilmin_, which may be roughly translated Grand
Pontiff of all the Moslems, although, strictly speaking, the functions
of an Imam are not priestly. This title is based upon an article of the
Mohammedan faith which says--"The Mussulmans ought to be governed by an
Imam, who has the right and authority to secure obedience to the law, to
defend the frontiers, to raise armies, to collect tithes, to put down
rebels, to celebrate public prayers on Fridays, and at Beiram," &c. This
article of faith is based upon the words of the Prophet--"He who dies
without recognizing the authority of the Imam of his time, is judged to
have died in ignorance and infidelity."

The law goes on to say--"All Moslems ought to be governed by one Imam.
His authority is absolute, and embraces everything. All are bound to
submit to him. No country can render submission to any other."

Under this law the Ottoman Sultans claim absolute and unquestioning
obedience from all Moslems throughout the world; but their right to this
title rests upon the same foundati