text:  Mohamned Kiuprili was at this period nearly eighty years of age and so wholly illiterate that he could neither read nor write; yet such was the general estimation of his wisdom and abilities that the young sultan on entrusting to him the ensigns of office voluntarily pledged himself to leave entirely at his discretion the regulation of the foreign and domestic relations of the empire as well as the disposal of all offices of state--thus virtually delegating to him the functions of sovereignty