Became The Sultan Of The Ottoman Empire [EN]: Chapter 42

#42. Power Struggle (2)

The Sultan could mobilize not only the 20,000-strong central standing army armed with gunpowder weapons but also over 90,000 Sipahi [Ottoman cavalry soldiers] from across the country if he so desired.

This disparity in forces meant that other brothers had no chance if another became the next Sultan, which was why the princes waged succession wars before anyone could ascend to the throne.

‘It’s a matter of life and death, so the other brothers must be preparing for the succession war as well.’

Recruiting soldiers was a given, and it was obvious that they would send spies to learn about Yusuf, who had achieved great feats.

The power he used in the recent battle with Ismail would be fully exposed.

This included his connections with the Circassians and Samtskhe, as well as the cataphracts [heavily armored cavalry] that played a significant role.

‘Now that I’ve achieved results with cataphracts, they’ll probably start training them too.’

The biggest problem with raising cataphracts was the cost, but the other brothers had already accumulated capital by working as Sanjakbeys [district governors] for nearly 20 years.

This meant they could raise cataphracts as much as they wanted.

If this happened, the advantage in power would inevitably disappear, leaving them with no choice but to reach for gunpowder weapons to secure victory.

‘But who knew it would get exposed.’

He wanted to kill Ahmed, who was making explosive remarks and leisurely drinking his beverage.

If the use of gunpowder, one of his key strategies, was revealed to the other princes, it would be problematic. Moreover, gunpowder was a strategic material highly valued in the Ottoman Empire.

‘You usually need a lot of gunpowder for every war.’

The Ottoman cannons were large cannons pulled by 60 oxen, launching stone blocks weighing hundreds of kilograms over a distance of more than 1 km.

A lot of gunpowder was inevitably consumed each time they fired, and since they didn’t just fire once or twice in a war, they always had to stockpile a massive amount of gunpowder.

If it was revealed that he coveted such gunpowder, even a prince didn’t know what consequences he would face.

‘Well, at least they haven’t heard that I’ve obtained saltpeter [potassium nitrate, a key ingredient in gunpowder], so it shouldn’t be a big problem.’

Yusuf responded calmly.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Pasha.”

“Heh heh, is that so?”

Ahmed laughed as if he expected that response.

“Then please consider what I’m about to say as the ramblings of an old man.”

“I’ll listen.”

If Ahmed intended to inflict significant damage on him, he wouldn’t have revealed it like this, so Yusuf listened attentively.

The subsequent conversation would determine Ahmed’s fate.

“Your Highness hasn’t made any particular mistakes. By welcoming many guests and attracting attention, you ensured that those who were secretly moving to obtain saltpeter were not exposed.”

There was meaning in deliberately receiving guests in a flamboyant manner.

“Continue.”

“Even I, who pride myself on knowing the capital like the back of my hand, wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t paid attention to Your Highness. Who would care if a few rowers on your ship took some time off?”

Yusuf nodded, realizing that Ahmed had used his power to act like a stalker and found out.

This was a problem that couldn’t be avoided no matter how well-trained the informants were.

Who would have known that there would be such a persistent sasaeng fan [obsessive fan] in the capital?

“That’s an interesting story. But I don’t know why you’re telling it.”

This wasn’t just a request to stop talking nonsense, but a demand to explain why he was giving up the opportunity to seize a weakness.

At those words, Ahmed stroked the Quran placed beside him with his rough hand.

“I was forcibly made to believe in Islam after being dragged to a foreign land at a young age.”

“You were from Devshirme [system of taking Christian boys into Ottoman service]?”

“Yes.”

The third son of the Duke of Bosnia couldn’t avoid being taken as a slave of the Sultan.

Rather, it could be seen that he was taken as a hostage because he was a high-ranking nobleman.

“Do you regret believing in Islam?”

“I’ve spent my whole life with it. The reason I came to believe in it isn’t important now. However, sometimes I wonder what Allah’s will is.”

This wasn’t very relatable to Yusuf, who wasn’t a devout Muslim, but he understood that someone with the highest power in this life would think about the afterlife.

“I simply want to observe whether Allah’s will is truly with Your Highness.”

“You don’t seem very helpful for someone who’s watching.”

In fact, saltpeter could be obtained by creating saltpeter fields, but even if you knew the basic methods, you couldn’t avoid trial and error.

It took years to produce saltpeter, so even one failure would be a significant blow, and you might not be able to produce the required amount in time.

He was trying to obtain saltpeter separately to reduce the risk, but now that there was an obstacle, he couldn’t help but complain.

“Heh heh, someone who’s watching shouldn’t interfere. A ship carrying gifts is probably heading to Trabzon by now.”

There was no need to ask about the contents of the gift, and Yusuf frowned as he asked.

“What do you want?”

“You can just think of it as a gift.”

A gift? There’s nothing more expensive than a free gift in this world.

Yusuf stared at him as if telling him not to play tricks and to speak quickly, and Ahmed smiled slightly.

“Since you’re pressing me so much, I can’t help it. In a few years, a beautiful woman will be visiting Trabzon.”

“Your relationship with her?”

“At my age, you tend to have a daughter or two that others don’t know about.”

A political marriage with someone who had risen to the position of Grand Vizier [chief minister] wasn’t bad.

Even if he had Aisha, someone who ascended to the Sultan’s throne couldn’t dream of or shouldn’t even consider monogamy.

However, even if it wasn’t Aisha, there was still something to consider.

“It seems Pasha wants to hide the political marriage?”

Sending a daughter that others didn’t know about meant that.

For Yusuf, a political marriage with the Grand Vizier would be more advantageous the more it was known, but Ahmed nodded.

“I’m just getting more cautious as I get older. You can think of it not as a political marriage, but simply as a sign of friendship.”

Yusuf quickly turned his mind.

Even a political marriage that couldn’t be revealed externally wasn’t bad. The person in front of him was someone who would be the Grand Vizier again starting next year.

At least he wouldn’t lose anything, and the only thing to worry about was the rise of an in-law faction later on.

‘If I become Sultan, I can always kill them.’

No matter how much the Grand Vizier was the second-in-command of the empire, he was nothing more than a fly before the Sultan.

“I will not forget your heart.”

“It’s enough for me to be able to watch Your Highness’s path.”

Ahmed, who could secretly establish a connection with Yusuf, who might develop amnesia after becoming Sultan, smiled at each other.

After sharing light conversation in a friendly atmosphere, Yusuf rose from his seat when the time was right.

“I pray to Allah that I may meet you again in the capital.”

“I also pray to Allah that you will be healthy until then.”

To visit the capital again, he had to become the Sultan. Yusuf responded to this greeting and left Ahmed’s residence.

It wasn’t a long outing, but Yusuf felt deep fatigue upon arriving at the detached palace.

After sending everyone out except Arda, Yusuf sank deeply into the chair, and Arda carefully asked.

“How was it?”

“He’s a remarkable person. Enough to survive no matter which prince becomes the next Padishah [Ottoman Sultan].”

Yusuf chuckled as he thought of Ahmed.

‘Allah my ass. There’s no way a daughter that others don’t know about would only come to me.’

How could someone who wanted to know Allah’s will not have any signs of using the Quran properly?

No matter how much he could memorize it all, if he was someone who kept the Quran by his side, there should have been signs of wear and tear.

‘Forget about Allah and all that nonsense. It just means that he wants to get in line now that I have a chance to become the next Sultan.’

It was also questionable whether the daughter who was coming in a few years was really his biological daughter.

Yusuf knew all of Ahmed’s tricks, but there was a reason why he played along.

A man who valued his life so much wouldn’t create problems that would become a future threat.

‘He would have helped the other princes just like he supported me with gunpowder.’

He didn’t know how he would help, though.

“Arda, our tail has been stepped on.”

“Has everything been stepped on?”

“No, thankfully, only the skin has been stepped on.”

Arda lowered his head as if he was sorry at the news that those who had moved to obtain saltpeter had been caught.

“What will you do?”

As he had assessed earlier, Ahmed wouldn’t use this to play tricks.

“If a wound occurs and you don’t treat it because it hurts, it will only fester. There’s no choice.”

“Then I will handle it according to the regulations.”

“Yes, tell them not to worry because I will definitely keep my promise.”

Deciding on the death of someone who followed him was a bitter thing, but it was an unavoidable choice.

Ahmed had found out, so there was no way others wouldn’t know.

“Then what will you do with the one who stepped on our tail?”

Ahmed had cleverly noticed those who were trying to obtain saltpeter, but he didn’t seem to know about those who had come before him and obtained gunpowder.

It wasn’t as difficult to obtain gunpowder as he thought, so he had already secured a considerable amount.

‘You can’t avoid defense corruption, whether it’s in the future or now.’

He had enough to put on a spectacular fireworks display if he wanted to.

“It’s okay. Let’s just keep watching what he does in the future.”

If Ahmed didn’t want to go to Allah’s side while trying to find out Allah’s will, he had to do well in the future.

A servant came to Yusuf, who was talking with Arda about future plans.

“The Padishah has ordered you to enter the palace tomorrow.”

After finishing the conversation with the Sultan, the time to leave the beautiful capital was approaching.

***

“Annoying.”

Selim clicked the handle of his sword with a cold face.

His youngest brother, who had taken his place in Trabzon, continued to irritate him.

It was fine that he brought a strange method and called it a smallpox prevention method, but the fact that he had won a great victory in the battle with the Safavids was a different story.

‘It’s okay that he’s been recognized as a prince with proper succession rights. However, it’s troublesome for him to gain the favor of the soldiers.’

To make matters worse, his father had even called his youngest brother to the capital.

He kept thinking about what would have happened if he had stayed in Trabzon.

“In the end, the ones I have to face in the future are Ahmed, Korkut, and Yusuf.”

There were many other brothers, but these three would be the biggest obstacles.

Of course, the most threatening enemy was Ahmed, and Selim sneered as he thought of him.

“Ahmed is too stupid, so he won’t make it.”

If he had received that much support, he would have sent his father to Allah instead of living with unnecessary anxiety.

He was a fool who went around this easy path.

A subordinate urgently came to Selim, who was wondering how he could kill the other brothers.

“A message has arrived from the Crimean Khanate.”

“Is that so?”

Selim received the letter with an indifferent face.

He had tried to proceed with political marriages several times with the help of Ahmed Pasha, who had been the Grand Vizier, but the Crimean Khanate had been passive.

Thinking that it would contain another soft rejection, Selim unfolded the letter and smiled deeply.

“It’s finally done.”

Selim laughed loudly at the contents written along with the answer that he would join hands with him.

“Is this even because of my youngest brother?”

There was subtle dissatisfaction with Bayezid, who had strictly controlled the attack on the Circassians.

That was why the Crimean Khanate had accepted a marriage that could lead to treason.

“It’s going to be more fun in the future.”

Selim smiled as he took out a sharp blade.