strong Egyptian fleet set
out for the third time, landed east of Limasol, and took this fortress
after a few days' fighting. The Moslem army was, however, forced to
retreat. But the Cypriots scattered instead of pursuing the enemy, and
the Mamluks, seeing this, renewed their attack, slew many Christians
and took the king prisoner. The capital, Nicosia, then capitulated,
whereupon the Egyptian troops returned to Egypt with the captive king
and were received with great jubilation. The King of Cyprus, after
submitting to the greatest humiliations, was asked what ransom he could
pay. He replied that he possessed nothing but his life, and stuck to
this answer, although threatened with death. Meanwhile, Venetian and
other European merchants negotiated for the ransom money, and the
sultan finally contented himself with two hundred thousand dinars (about
$500,000). Janos, however, was not set at liberty, but sent to Cyprus
as the sultan's vassal. After the death of Janos in 1432, his son, John
II., still continued to pay tribute to Egypt, and when he died (1458)
and his daughter Charlotte became Queen of Cyprus, James II., the
natural son of John II., fled to Egypt and found a friendly reception at
the sultan's court.

[Illustration: 069.jpg PRAYER-NICHE IN THE MOSQUE OF THE SULTAN MAHMUDI]

The sultan then ruling was Inal, and he promised to re-install James as
King of Cyprus. Meanwhile messengers arrived from the queen, offering a
higher tribute, and Inal allowed himself to be persuaded by his emirs
to acknowledge Charlotte as queen, and to hand James over to
her ambassadors. But as soon as the ambassadors had left the
audience-chamber, a tumult arose; the people declared that the sultan
had only the advantage of the Franks--especially of Prince Louis of
Savoy--in view, and they soon took such a threatening attitude that
Inal was forced to declare himself for James again and renew his former
preparations. In August, 1460, an Egyptian fleet bore James to Cyprus,
and with the help of the Egyptian troops he soon obtained the island,
with the exception of the fortress Cerines, which Queen Charlotte still
had in her power. The majority of the Egyptian troops now returned to
Egypt, and only some hundred men remained with James. Later, when the
Genoese declared themselves on the side of Charlotte, fresh troops had
to be sent out from Egypt, but, as soon as James had taken Famagosta and
had no further need of them, he dismissed them