Became The Sultan Of The Ottoman Empire [EN]: Chapter 21

#21. Internal Affairs (3)

I don’t know where it started or what the basis was, but the rumor that the prince was interfering with the succession spread quickly, leaving no time to take action.

In an era where rumors spread by word of mouth, it goes without saying that almost everyone knew the news in just a week.

The speed at which it spread was too fast to dismiss it as nonsense.

As if someone had orchestrated it.

“Your Highness, the Sipahi [Ottoman cavalrymen] are requesting an audience.”

“Tell them I’m sick.”

Eleven years old is a good age to be sick.

Whether the guard conveyed the message or not, it became a little noisy outside, but Yusuf didn’t care at all.

Yusuf, sitting on the bed and drinking the liquid in the bowl, frowned.

“Damn it, coffee milk flavor.”

It wasn’t easy to get a substitute for coffee, orzo [a type of short-cut pasta, here used as a coffee substitute], from Fatima’s hands.

She completely entrusted Yusuf with policy-related matters, but health-related matters were out of the question.

To Fatima, who had never drunk a cup of coffee in her life, the dark color and the bitter taste in her mouth were like junk food.

To get permission, I had to appeal to Fatima’s taste, and permission was granted only after mixing milk to create a coffee milk flavor.

Only this coffee milk flavor.

“I’m so sad. Coffee milk flavor with no caffeine and only a speck of flavor.”

I wanted to import coffee, which was popular in Mecca, directly through a merchant.

Of course, I had to stop imagining it because if this became a butterfly effect and coffee became popular in the Ottoman Empire, it would only strengthen the Mamluks’ [a powerful military caste in Egypt] financial resources.

You might think that’s unlikely, but you never know.

There was a huge disconnect between Yusuf, who was enjoying tea time leisurely, and the increasingly noisy outside.

Şemsi, with a calm face, entered through the door to Yusuf’s room, where he was pretending to be sick.

“How is it outside?”

“Is there any need to say it? The Sipahi are trying to get inside, and the guards are blocking them.”

“But it seems like there aren’t any hotheads drawing weapons in the castle.”

It was a shame. It would have been nice to punish such a hot-tempered person as an example.

“If the replenished guards are doing their job, there’s no need to worry.”

“They don’t have to be mindful of anyone here.”

As planned, 50 people were selected from those who received financial support to form a bodyguard.

Since all of them came from other cities, they didn’t have much friendship with the Trabzon Sipahi who were gathered outside, and they didn’t hesitate to stop them.

If they hadn’t been there, they would have already stormed in and were growling.

“At this point, they must know for sure that it’s not just a rumor.”

They can’t not know that the prince’s dagger, which had been quiet for months, was approaching their chins, since he was holed up with the excuse of being sick when he could have just dismissed it as nothing.

“How do you think Burca will react next?”

“They will try to rebel in connection with the Sipahi in other cities.”

“That won’t work.”

The Sipahi who earn less than 3,000 akçe [Ottoman currency] per year accounted for 40% of the total.

These were people who did not have financial means, and most of them received support, even if it was small.

As such, this policy had penetrated deeply and widely into Sipahi society, and other Subaşı [local administrators] could not dare to take Burca’s side.

“Then shall we throw a pile of firewood for Burca, who is out of his mind?”

“As you wish.”

A mischievous smile hung on Yusuf’s lips.

It was time to add substance to the intangible rumors.

***

“Why! Why won’t you issue the permit!!”

The man’s face, who was protesting against the manager’s answer, turned red.

The Ottomans were always wary of people who didn’t help properly and only took taxes, and they thoroughly managed the Timar [land grant] inheritance, which was an annual salary.

When the owner died, the Sanjakbey [district governor] sent a list of candidates to inherit the Timar to the capital, and only after the approval from the capital’s cabinet did the Sanjakbey issue a permit.

Only after the heir who received this permit went to the Land Office in the capital and received permission again could he become the real owner.

It was inevitable that he would be upset that this important permit was not being issued.

“The permit has already been issued from the capital, what more do you need to check?!”

“Well, I don’t know, it’s His Highness’s will.”

“I’d rather meet him in person and talk to him.”

“That won’t do. His Highness is sick right now.”

Because he was so noisy, it was soon spread that the heir was being held back because of the prince.

It was the moment when the rumors that were just floating around gained reality.

Even this was enough to give a big shock to the Sipahi, but Yusuf’s mischief was just beginning.

You never know when a person will die.

Even in modern times, when medicine has developed to the point where it is embarrassing to compare it to this era, sudden death always exists.

What made the unremarkable event receive attention was the response to the list of candidates sent to Sanjakbey.

-The first and second candidates listed have disqualifications, so recommend new ones.

Usually, it would be approved unless they had committed a major crime or were unable to serve as cavalry, but it was blocked.

The bigger problem with this official document was that it meant to put the remaining two sons on the list, but the fourth son was only 14 years old.

He was not old enough to be used as a reserve force, and this was pointed out, but.

-According to the law, if an heir under the age of 16 designates someone to go to war on their behalf, there is no problem.

That was definitely the law, but it was only applied when there was no adult successor.

Requests continued to come in asking for the reason, and Yusuf chuckled at this story.

“Originally, they don’t tell you why you failed the interview. Since you’re so curious, I should be generous this time.”

The answer that Yusuf wrote and returned made the minds of many people dizzy.

-It has been revealed that the two of them usually speak impurely about the ruler of Trabzon, so they are notified that they cannot inherit. This is because it goes against the Sipahi spirit of obeying orders.

He said it elegantly, but in simple terms, it meant, ‘Yes, I’ll give permission to the guy who listens well.’

There was no such thing as this kind of stubbornness, but there was nothing wrong with rebelling.

It was a move that made the back of their heads tingle, and the older Sipahi immediately had a fire on their feet.

“Maybe me···?”

Because sons who were excluded from inheritance for various reasons, such as being young or not being favored by their father, began to emerge.

The beginning was whistleblowing.

-Tarip’s sons, Ersin, Serya, and Pirat, usually speak ill of Prince Yusuf.

As the answer came back that they would investigate this report, the trigger for the full-scale inheritance battle was pulled.

Starting with whistleblowing and rumors, a loyalty competition to openly praise Yusuf began.

Of course, the Sipahi tried to resolve this situation, but there was no way that the sons who were already blinded by greed could be properly controlled.

“When my father dies, it is the prince who decides the heir anyway.”

“Even a dog knows who feeds it. At least it’s not the person my father feeds.”

There was no way to control it when these words were openly circulating.

It was not uncommon for children to go to the point of fighting with knives.

Yusuf, who created all this situation, shook his head.

“It’s a mess. Isn’t it?”

Ayşe, who had returned to Yusuf’s side just in case the atmosphere became increasingly fierce, replied.

“Isn’t it according to Your Highness’s plan?”

Yusuf shrugged at this question.

“I thought they would cleanly kill each other if they got in the way, like our brothers. There’s a lack of brotherly love.”

“What is brotherly love to you, Your Highness?”

That was a difficult question. But to put it simply.

“Hmm, it’s a hot feeling.”

So hot that you can throw the other person into the fire without hesitation?

To be honest, the Sipahi should be grateful that they are inheriting divided inheritance by several people. At least they don’t fight until one person is left.

Well, if all inheritance was a survival, would that be a country or hell?

“Anyway, it’s mild compared to the brotherly love of the imperial family. Isn’t it?”

I especially released the poison called the brotherly love of the Ottoman imperial family, but this was a tame side.

We’ve come this far, it’s time to clean up a few bodies.

As I was thinking this, Şemsi, with a serious face, entered the office with a knock.

“Pasha [high-ranking official], what’s going on?”

“There was a knife fight over the inheritance issue. Two of the brothers died, and one was seriously injured, so Sinan was dispatched.”

Speak of the devil.

The spicy taste of the imperial family has been transmitted.

“What are you going to do?”

“We have to deal with it according to the law as planned.”

Stabbing each other in the neck is only possible for royalty, and murder is a serious crime under Islamic law, Sharia [Islamic law].

“And announce that killing between family members is subject to more severe punishment.”

It’s fun to watch other people’s bonfires, but you have to play within the set rules.

It was not a good thing for a murder to occur when there was one less man who could fight.

Of course, you can say, ‘What are you talking about, you who made a mess of the family?’

‘It’s better for me if they cut ties with their family.’

Because I’m thinking of gathering those people and forming a separate bodyguard.

For those who cannot return to their families, the bodyguard will become their home and family, and they will show loyalty to me, who provided them with that place.

In addition, if this tragedy happens repeatedly, there could be radical public opinion towards me, who created this situation.

It was time to tighten the leash appropriately.

I had already anticipated that this would happen and had set a course of action with Şemsi in advance. I was just asking to confirm.

“Then I will proceed that way.”

If I set an example and give a warning, it won’t go as far as murder, so this level of response was enough, and Yusuf’s attention turned elsewhere.

“More than that, how is Burca moving?”

“He seems to be busy with internal control. There are already many people showing signs of defection.”

It is not easy to maintain loyalty to Burca when the family is in chaos.

The only answer to calm the succession issue was Yusuf, and it was natural for defections to occur.

“How old is Burca?”

“I think he’s about fifty.”

“Burca is getting old enough to retire.”