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178 DESTEUCTION OF THE GEEEK EMPIEE the inhabitants themselves, with such forces as, at the insti- gation of the pope, should be sent to the aid of the emperor. But to add to the chagrin and difficulties of the aged John at seeing the Christian armies defeated, he had once more formally to promise the sultan that he would not assist any of the enterprises set on foot from the West. Nor did the influence of the disasters upon the emperor and people of Constantinople stop here. A formidable party in the city, headed by the bishop of Ephesus, which was opposed to the Union, and which strongly resented the proceedings at the Council of Florence, was greatly strengthened. Its members pointed to the victories of Murad, and asked, with scorn, what had been gained by the abandonment of their faith. They knew that they had the support of Murad in their opposition to the Unionists, and the fact that they were not forcibly suppressed by the Court party during the reign of John's successor can probably be best accounted for on the ground that any strong steps taken against their mem- bers would be represented to the sultan as a violation of the engagement to have no further intrigues with the West.- Death of The disaster of Cossovo-pol hastened the death of John, be??^? 0 " which took place on the last day of October 1448, within a few days after he had heard the news. 1 Of Murad, In February 1451, his great contemporary, Murad, died at February ^£^^^1^ jj e h a fl b een a succe ssful warrior, and, with the exception of his failure to capture Belgrade, had succeeded in most of his enterprises. Gibbon is perhaps justified in speaking of him as a philosopher in matters of religion, but he was relentless in imposing his creed. Cantemir, his eulogist, relates that in Epirus he converted all the churches into mosques, and ordered every male Epirot, under penalty of death, to be forcibly made a Mahometan. He deserves the praises of Turkish writers. Chalcondylas and Ducas recog- nise in him certain good traits of character. The first says 1 According to Scholarius and Manuel the Khetorician, John shortly before his death declared against the Union. In such a matter, however, both these witnesses are suspect.