In The Fifth, He Gives An Account Of The City And Court Of
Constantinople, As Follows:
Constantinople is an exceedingly great city,
the capital of the Javanites[2], or the nation called Greeks, and the
Principal seat of the emperor Emanuel[3], whose commands are obeyed by
twelve kings, for every one of whom there are several palaces in
Constantinople, and they have fortresses and governments in other places of
the empire, and to them the whole land is subject. The principal of these
is the Apripus, Praepositus, or prime minister; the second, Mega
Dumastukitz, [Greek: Mezas Domestichos], or great chamberlain; the third
Dominot, Dominos, or lord: but his peculiar office or department does not
appear; the fourth Mackducus, [Greek: Mezas Dochas], great duke or high
Admiral; the fifth Iknomus Megli, [Greek: Oichonomos mezas], or lord high
steward of the household; and the rest have names like unto these[4].
Constantinople is eighteen miles in circuit, half of it being on the sea,
and the other half towards the continent; it stands on two arms of the sea,
into one of which the sea flows from Russia, and into the other from Spain;
and its port is frequented by many traders, from the countries and
provinces of Babylon, Senaar, Media, Persia, Egypt, Canaan, Russia,
Hungary, Psianki[5], Buria, Lombardy, and Spain.
The city is extremely populous, and hath none to compare with it, except
Bagdat, the mighty city of the Ismaelites[6]. In it is the magnificent
temple of St Sophia, where dwells the patriarch of the Greeks, who do not
agree in doctrine with the pope of Rome.
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