Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 6.djvu/791

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legend was painted by St Luke. Pilgrims from all parts of Poland visit the shrine in large numbers. In 1655 the monastery withstood a siege by the Swedes in the War of

Succession, and another by the Russian troops in 1771, during the War of Independence.

CZERNOWITZ, or Czernâuz, the capital town of the Austrian duchy of Bukowina, in 48 26 N. lat. and 25 57 E. long., picturesquely situated on a height above the right bank of the river Pruth, 140 miles S.E. of Lemberg, 720 feet above the sea. The line of railway from Cracow and Lemberg to Galatz on the lower Danube passes by Czernowitz. It is a clean, pleasant town, possessing for its chief buildings a Greek cathedral, a theological seminary, and several schools ; and it is the seat of an archbishop, of an Oriental Greek patriarch, and of the metropolitan of Bukowina. A fine bridge of 720 feet in length crosses the Pruth, with six spans. There are manufactures of machinery and bronze work, and a considerable trade is carried on with Moldavia and Bessarabia in grain, brandy, cattle, hides, wood, wool, and potashes. Population with suburbs (1869), 33,884.

CZERNY, Karl (1791-1857), pianist and composer, was born at Vienna on the 21st February 1791. His father, who was a teacher of the piano, trained him for that instrument from an early age with such success that he performed in public at the age of nine, and commenced his own career as a teacher at fourteen. He was brought under the notice of Beethoven, and was his pupil in the sense in which the great master had pupils. It is perhaps his greatest claim to distinction as a performer that he was selected to be the first to play Beethoven s celebrated Emperor concerto in public. He soon became the most popular teacher of his instrument in a capital which abounded in pianists of the first rank. Among his pupils he numbered Liszt, Dohler, and many others who after wards became famous. As a composer he was prolific to an astonishing degree, considering the other demands on his time. His works, which included every class of com position, numbered 849 at the time of his death. Com paratively few of them possess high merit, and none are destined to the immortality that belongs to the productions of genius. He had considerable skill in devising variations for the piano of the display type, and in this and other ways helped to develop the executive power which in the modern sensational school of pianoforte playing seems to have reached the limits of the possible. His various books of exercises, elementary and advanced, of which the best known are the Etudes de la Velocite, have probably had a wider circulation than any other works of their class. To the theory of music he contributed a translation of Reicha s Traite de Composition, and a work entitled Umrise der ganzen Musikgeschickte. Czerny died on the 15th July 1857 at Vienna, which he seldom left, one of the few ex ceptions being a visit paid to England in 1836. Having no family, he left his fortune, which was considerable, to the Vienna Conservatorium and various benevolent in stitutions.

CZERNY GEORGE (1 1766-1817), or Kardjordje, or Black George, as he is always called, though his name was properly George Petrovitch, a Servian who freed his country from the domination of the Turks, born about 1766, was the son of a Servian peasant. He was about twenty when, having killed a Turk in some wild adventure, he was forced to flee into Austria. It said that he forced his father, or his stepfather or father-in-law, to accompany him ; but the old peasant could not be persuaded to leave his country, and, to prevent his falling into the pitiless hands of the Turks, Czerny George put him to death with a pistol- shot. In the Austrian army Czerny George fought against the Turks from 1788 to 1791, and rose to the rank of ser geant; but, either unwilling to submit to discipline or disgusted by some slight, he left the service for the life of a-heyduc, or bandit who preyed only upon the Mahometans. He afterwards, however, is said to have held an appointment as inspector of forests to a monastery in Austria.

For a time Servia was under the mild rule of Hadji Mustapha, and Czerny George lived on his farm in peace. But the Janissaries overran the country, killed the Pasha, and began to murder the Servian chiefs. Many escaped, however, and, headed by Czerny George, who was chosen coinmander-in-chief, summoned every male Servian to arms. The sultan sent troops against the Janissaries, who were overwhelmed, and their leaders executed. But the Servians now refused to receive again the yoke of the Turks, Russia supported their claim to independence, and war com menced. Czerny George commanded his countrymen" with fiery enthusiasm, rough vigour, and considerable ability. Several victories over the Turks were won ; and, in October 1806, the independence of Servia was recognized by the Porte, a tribute only being exacted, and the sign of Turkish sovereignty maintained by the residence at Belgrade of a Turkish officer with a very small force. The Turks refusing, however, to give up Belgrade and Schabaz, both towns were taken by Czerny George by assault, and the Janis saries and Turks in both were massacred in cold blood.

Czerny George, as commander-in-chief, now became the ruler of Servia; and till 1813, despite strong opposition in the Servian senate and constant danger from the Turks, he maintained his position. His elevation made no change in his habits. He continued during peace to cultivate his farm at Topola with his own hands, and he never laid aside his coarse peasant s dress. He had received no school education, and was never able to write. In general, he was moody and taciturn, though, when excited, he was fond of joining in the village dances. His passion was terrible ; he killed his warmest adherent in a fit of anger. His execution of justice was stern and prompt ; he hanged his own brother for assaulting a girl, and for bade his mother to make any signs of mourning. In war he displayed marvellous energy and valour, and he had the power of inspiring his followers with the fierce enthusiasm by which he was himself animated.

In 1809, on the outbreak of war between Russia and Turkey, Czerny George, who had formed the scheme of achieving the independence of all the Slavonic countries under the rule of Turkey, took up arms against the Turks, and, after attempting to excite a revolt in Bosnia, marched on Herzegovina. The Turks at this juncture invaded Servia; and Czerny George, though wishing to place the country under the protection of Austria, was forced to seek the aid of Russia. A vigorous attempt was now made to dis possess him of the supreme power ; but he forced 1m opponents to submit or flee the country. The treaty of Bucharest (May 1812), however, while depriving the Ser vians of the protection of Russia, failed to claim for them sufficient guarantees from the Turks, in whose hands all the Servian fortresses were placed. In June 1813 the Turks again entered Servia, and Czerny George, in despair, with almost all the Servian chiefs, took refuge in Austria.

Four years after, having been persuaded that his country

men were only awaiting his signal to burst into revolt, he ventured to return in disguise into Servia He discovered himself to Vuitza, an officer who had served under him, by whom he was basely murdered (27th July 1817), at the instigation of Milosch Obreuovitch, a Servian senator, who had come to a compromise with Turkey and obtained the chief power, and was jealous of the popularity of the old

chief. See Servia, and Ranke s Die Serbische devolution.