WITH the advent of printing begins the long and incalculable series of more modern descriptions of the Holy Land.

During the sixteenth century one or two events took place of a certain importance in the history of the Holy Sepulchre. In 1516 the whole of Syria and Palestine passed from the possession of the Egyptian Caliphs into the hands of the Turkish Sultans, who from henceforth became the owners of the Holy Sepulchre. Selim I is credited with being the most bigoted of the Turkish Sultans, but fortunately for Christendom his religious animosities were directed more against dissenters from his own faith than against the Christians. Passing on his devastating campaign of 1520 close to Jerusalem, he contemplated the total destruction of the city, but changed his mind in consequence of a lucky dream, and is even said to have presented gifts to the Christians in the Holy City.

The Turkish occupation of the Holy Land seems to have been inaugurated by friendly relations between the new governors and the Latins. The policy of Selim I was to subdue the Moslem world beneath the new Caliphate of Constantinople, for which purpose he employed the firearms and artillery, and even the bombardiers, lent him by the Grand Master of Rhodes and the Venetian Republic. He did not live long enough to turn upon his Christian allies, as he doubtless intended to do when once he had consolidated his empire; he left this for his son Solyman the Magnificent to attempt after his death.