Became The Sultan Of The Ottoman Empire [EN]: Chapter 63

Became the Sultan of Osman – Episode 63 (63/213)

Rebellion and Opportunity (1)

The rain poured as if the sky had sprung a leak, and the sound of raging waves echoed above the relentless downpour.

As the heavily oiled torch flickered precariously, threatening to extinguish, the soldiers guarding the watchtower huddled together for warmth.

“Ugh, when is this damned rain ever going to stop?”

“It’s going to rain again in a few days anyway, why are you acting like it’s something new?”

The winter in Teke, a region in southern Anatolia, was characterized by its cool temperatures and incessant rain.

It rained for about ten days each month, so the soldiers of Teke were accustomed to the constant dampness and didn’t dwell on their complaints for long.

They quickly shifted the topic of conversation.

“I heard a while ago that our Sanjakbey [governor of a district] might not be coming back.”

It had been almost five months since Selim’s departure from Teke, and his comrade spoke with an air of indifference.

“Why should we care about what the higher-ups are thinking? Well, it would be nice if he didn’t come back.”

“Because he made us do hard training and stuff. The Sipahis [cavalry soldiers] seem to be relieved too. He came back empty-handed from the last battle, didn’t he?”

Selim had distinguished himself in the Dulkadir War, but for the soldiers, it was a battle where they risked their lives for no tangible gain.

It wasn’t a campaign where they could enrich themselves through conquest or plunder, and Selim hadn’t been in Teke long enough to command unwavering loyalty.

It was inevitable that there would be considerable dissatisfaction with Selim’s leadership.

“That’s right. It’s better for us if he stays away. We don’t need to be dragged into unnecessary fights and put in danger.”

With that, the soldier yawned.

The enemy territory was impossibly distant from Teke, and even the treacherous coastline was unlikely to be breached by invaders braving the rough seas.

The guard duty was essentially a formality, and they were struggling to stay awake against the overwhelming drowsiness.

Thud, thud.

The sound of splashing mud and heavy hooves jolted the soldiers awake, and they peered anxiously into the darkness.

A dark shape raced through the village outside the castle walls, and the soldiers frantically sounded the alarm amidst the sporadic screams.

“Please!”

Afraid that the alarm would be swallowed by the deafening rain, the soldiers waved their arms desperately as they heard a sound that should never have reached their ears.

Dozens of clashing swords and desperate cries echoed through the night, and a heavy tremor reverberated through the walls.

-Thump!

-The castle gate is open!

The castle gate, which should have stood firm and allowed the castle walls to serve their purpose, swung open, and the soldiers rushed towards the breach.

In the brief span of time, more than a dozen bodies lay strewn across the ground, and the commander shouted at the group of strange men guarding the pulley mechanism.

“Kill them quickly! Kill them and close the gate!”

As the sound of approaching hooves grew louder, his voice became more urgent, and the soldiers wielded their weapons with increasing desperation.

However, the enemy soldiers guarding the pulley, who were preventing the gate from being closed, seemed to have no fear of death.

Even after being stabbed multiple times, they clung to the swords embedded in their bodies, shouting “Allah,” their eyes filled with a disturbing fanaticism.

And their sacrifice was not in vain.

“Allah!”

“Judge the heretics!”

The thousands of cavalry that surged through the open gate mercilessly slaughtered the soldiers attempting to defend it and swept into the castle.

A middle-aged man, who cautiously entered the castle under heavy guard, knelt on one knee before a man leaning against the pulley, gasping for breath.

“Sha… Shakulu-nim.”

“Ah, brother. How can you be in such a miserable state?”

The man called Shakulu stroked the kneeling man’s face with a hint of sorrow.

The man, who appeared to have much to say, opened his mouth several times, but eventually his head fell forward, and Shakulu slowly closed his eyes.

Shakulu casually flicked the blood and rainwater from the man’s hands and shouted to those watching him.

“Brothers, the time has come! The era of the great Shia, who have driven out the false faith, will begin!”

“Oh, Shakulu! Oh, Allah!”

“Jihad! It’s time for the holy war!”

A night of terror unfolded, as blood mingled with rainwater, brought on by uninvited guests who arrived in the dead of night.

Shakulu’s rebellion had begun in Teke, which had been transformed into a scene of carnage.

***

The Ottoman Empire was a constantly expanding country, and its control over the provinces was correspondingly weak.

In the provinces, only major strongholds were directly controlled, and authority was delegated to influential figures to govern smaller units such as villages or tribes.

This authority was so extensive that even the central government or the Sanjakbey could not easily interfere, and there were even regions where tax resistance was so fierce that they resisted with force and enjoyed tax exemptions.

Due to this limited control over the provinces, rebellions were a relatively frequent occurrence in the Ottoman Empire.

However, a large-scale rebellion that managed to seize control of a major city was far from common.

“Damn bastards.”

Kara Goz Ahmed Pasha, who was marching south with eight thousand cavalry to crush the rebels who had seized Teke, muttered in annoyance.

Just as a province exists above a city, there is a higher administrative division called an Eyalet above a Sanjak.

These Eyalets were located in Rumelia and Anatolia, the core regions of the Ottoman Empire, and the rulers of these regions were called Beylerbey, meaning the “bey of beys” or “commander of commanders.”

Kara Goz Ahmed Pasha was the Beylerbey of Anatolia and was tasked with suppressing the rebellion.

“Mutulu, are the enemies still holding Teke?”

“Yes, they appear to be trying to defend themselves within the castle walls.”

“Stupid fools. They couldn’t even protect the castle properly in the first place.”

Kara Goz sighed briefly.

If he were to assign blame, Selim, who had abandoned his Sanjak and left, would be the most culpable, but he couldn’t publicly criticize the prince, regardless of the circumstances.

“The estimated enemy strength is five thousand.”

This information comes from those who managed to escape, so it is not entirely reliable.

The most concerning aspect is that Shakulu, who initiated the rebellion by capturing Teke, has gained notoriety, and others who were previously hesitant are now joining his cause.

No one could predict how large his forces would become as time went on.

“It’s a pity for the people of Teke, but this simplifies things. Blockade Teke and request reinforcements from the surrounding Sanjaks.”

“That would be the most prudent course of action.”

The Anatolian Eyalet encompassed the western region of Anatolia, which was close to the capital, and had 17 Sanjaks under its jurisdiction.

If he requested troops from nearby regions, he would have sufficient forces to deal with the enemy.

Kara Goz, having made this decision, was met by an unexpected guest when he was about halfway from Ankara, the capital of the Eyalet, to Teke.

“It’s the army of Prince Shehinshah!”

When approximately 6,000 cavalrymen approached late in the evening, Kara Goz, who had hastily dispatched soldiers, smiled broadly.

Kara Goz welcomed Shehinshah’s army, which approached slowly, seemingly without any intention of posing a threat.

“I am very glad to meet you.”

“Thank you for your hospitality. I am pleased to meet the Beylerbey in this manner.”

Shehinshah, glancing at the soldiers who were hurriedly preparing the camp again, realized that they were not enemies and spoke softly.

“It is said that one should not arrive empty-handed. Although I was not formally invited, how could I come without a gift when we meet for the first time? I have prepared something for you.”

“Haha, your presence to help is gift enough.”

“There is no need to refuse. Okai.”

At Shehinshah’s command, Okai, who was standing behind him, slowly stepped forward and reached into his robes.

Kara Goz, anticipating a valuable present, was instead met with a sharp blade.

“Keheok…”

Shehinshah spoke softly to Kara Goz, who was clutching the sword piercing his neck, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“The gift is the warm embrace of Allah. Go now.”

“It’s, it’s the enemy!”

At the scream, Shehinshah’s army, which had been waiting for this moment, attacked Kara Goz’s forces.

The soldiers of Kara Goz, who never imagined that the prince would turn against them, were easily overwhelmed, and Ishvat approached Shehinshah, who was observing the scene from behind.

“This place is dangerous. We should withdraw for now.”

“Of course, we should.”

Shehinshah, about to leave, turned back to Ishvat as if he had forgotten something.

“Ishvat, thank you for your hard work.”

Seogeok.

Ishvat’s face, his head severed by Okai’s sword, was filled with bewilderment, and Okai kicked the fallen head with force.

Shehinshah, staring at the shattered head without any emotion, slowly walked away.

“Okai, now let the world know.”

Shehinshah, who had escaped from Ismail’s shadow by killing Ishvat, declared.

“I, Shehzade [Prince] Shehinshah, am now the Sultan of Anatolia.”

***

“It has begun.”

A vast conference hall.

Yusuf, seated at the head of the table, surveyed the room.

Yagiz Pasha, the Sanjakbey of Kenik, Hakan Pasha, the Sanjakbey of Lazistan, and Isaac Pasha, the newly appointed Sanjakbey of Erzurum, who had seized Erzurum together, were present.

Behind them, Yusuf’s men, such as Kadis [judges] and Sobashis [police chiefs], filled the remaining seats.

This meeting was convened after the news that Kara Goz’s army, which was marching to suppress the rebellion, had been ambushed and destroyed by Shehinshah.

Everyone present was aware of the implications of this event.

“Pasha, what about the Cherkes [Circassians] and Georgia?”

“Both have agreed to send 10,000 and 15,000 troops respectively, and they are expected to arrive within a month.”

With a total of 25,000 soldiers, this was the maximum number they could muster.

Both Cherkes and Georgia were internally divided and wary of foreign enemies, limiting their capacity to send more troops.

“What about our forces?”

“We can mobilize approximately 10,000 troops without straining our resources.”

Combined, that amounted to 35,000 soldiers.

This was a significant force for a single prince to command.

Furthermore, if the Sanjakbeys who supported Yusuf joined the cause, the number of troops could increase even further.

“What are your intentions?”

In response to the request for a decision, Yusuf replied.

“There is no need to act rashly without justification. Let us observe the situation further.”

The rebellions instigated by Shakulu and Shehinshah had already escalated beyond a manageable level.

The Sultan’s only remaining options were to dispatch the central army under the Grand Vizier or to appoint a prince to assist in suppressing the rebellion.

Yusuf made a calculated decision.

“If I am not chosen, I will raise an army.”

Yusuf had reached the same conclusion as the other princes.

***

“Shehinshah, why?”

Bayezid lamented, his face etched with sorrow.

It was an unavoidable reality that princes would vie for power, sometimes even resorting to violence.

However, initiating a rebellion was a completely different matter, and he was deeply shaken by Shehinshah’s betrayal.

“…Padishah [Sultan], it is too late. There is overwhelming pressure to punish Shehinshah.”

Even Hadim Ali Pasha, who was considered Bayezid’s most trusted advisor, voiced this opinion.

From the moment he killed Kara Goz, Shehinshah had crossed the point of no return, and everyone from the military to the bureaucrats demanded his execution.

Bayezid, taking a deep breath, said.

“Yes, I must make a decision. Grand Vizier.”

“Your command?”

“I will entrust you with 8,000 central troops.”

The Grand Vizier and the officials awaited the words that would follow.

The prince who would lead the central army to quell the rebellion would effectively be positioned as the next Sultan.

Bayezid, after careful consideration, spoke the name of one person.

“Inform Shehzade Yusuf to assist the Grand Vizier in suppressing the rebellion.”

“I will obey!”

Bayezid closed his eyes, feeling utterly drained, at the resounding response.

A decision that Ahmed and Selim would undoubtedly find unacceptable had been made.