Became The Sultan Of The Ottoman Empire [EN]: Chapter 211

Mehmet gazed at the approaching capital with heavy eyes.

The selection of the next Padishah [Ottoman Emperor] rested solely on the current Padishah’s judgment, and the moment was fast approaching when everything he had built over the years would be evaluated.

He heard footsteps behind him.

“It seems like it’s the first time I’ve seen the Prince so nervous. Are you worried about not being chosen?”

It was Ivan IV, who had come at Mehmet’s request to see the renowned Ottoman Padishah in person before his abdication.

At his question, Mehmet shook his head.

“I’m more nervous about how the Padishah will evaluate me than about being chosen as the next Padishah.”

“That’s incomprehensible.”

“You’ll understand what it feels like when you meet the Padishah in person.”

Even after saying this, Ivan remained doubtful, but he suppressed his curiosity.

The question would be resolved soon enough. Besides, his attention was captured by the metropolis, a scale of city he had never seen before. He didn’t have time to dwell on it.

To Ivan, who considered Moscow quite large, the numerous ships docked in the harbor and the people busily moving through the streets were overwhelming.

“Ugh!”

He refrained from expressing his awe outwardly, mindful of his younger brother, who was awkwardly exclaiming beside him, and Ayşe Hatun [a noble lady], who wore a smile full of excitement.

Before long, the ship docked at the port. As Mehmet and his party disembarked, a husky voice called out.

“Hatun, it’s been a while.”

Murat, guarded by men with dark skin, greeted Ayşe, who returned a subtle smile.

“It’s been a while. Is Hatice Hatun doing well?”

“She’s waiting for you, Hatun. And since when have you been so full of fatherly love, brother? I was surprised when I heard the rumors.”

Looking at Ivan and the Yuri brothers, he asked teasingly, and Mehmet scoffed.

“Is your complexion any better? I thought you had applied charcoal.”

“The sun is strong where I live. And I prefer my tanned face.”

“So, what brings you out to greet me?”

“You didn’t come out to greet me last time, brother. I thought I’d return the favor this time. Go and freshen up at the palace prepared for you. You’re the last one to arrive, brother.”

“How trivial.”

Mehmet lightly rebuked him and entered the carriage that was waiting. The faces of the people in the capital passing by were filled with anxiety and doubt about whether the prince could fill the current Padishah’s position.

Perhaps even if he had conquered all of Europe, he wouldn’t be able to avoid such doubts, as the capital was firmly Yusuf’s territory.

‘Either way, one of the princes must fill that position.’

Arriving in the capital, he felt the weight of responsibility pressing down on him like a mountain.

After finishing his preparations at the assigned palace, Mehmet and his party entered Topkapi Palace, escorted by the Janissaries [elite Ottoman soldiers] who had come to greet them.

The First Courtyard, Janissary Square, usually crowded with ordinary citizens, was empty, filled instead with Janissaries and royals standing guard.

Mehmet expressed his delight to the first person he saw.

“Hasna, it’s been a while.”

Even with her face covered by a veil, he couldn’t help but notice her bright aura from afar.

Hasna, who approached with a subtle floral scent, smiled brightly.

“Welcome. And Mother, I missed you.”

“I missed you too. You’ve grown so much already.”

While Ayşe and Hasna enjoyed their reunion, Mehmet lightly greeted the other royals.

They didn’t have time for formal greetings.

“The Padishah has ordered you to enter the palace!”

At the Janissary Agha’s [commander of the Janissaries] loud cry, the doors of the Second Courtyard, which had been tightly closed, opened, and the royals moved through the space where no officials were visible.

Despite the thousands of people gathered, including the Janissaries, a heavy silence prevailed. They arrived at the entrance to the Third Courtyard, the Padishah’s private space.

Officials with pious faces were lined up on both sides. As today’s protagonists stood in the center, the soft sound of footsteps echoed.

As Yusuf appeared through the wide-open door, everyone bowed at once.

-We greet the great Padishah!

As the shout echoed through the quiet palace, a heavy voice was heard.

“Raise your heads.”

As they all raised their heads, Yusuf declared.

“The day has come when the empire will change.”

***

It was as if he was seeing his youth, which seemed like it would last forever, disappear, leaving only his old and shabby self.

The day that had felt so far away had finally arrived.

Yusuf slowly raised his head and looked up at the sky. The sky was clear and blue, as if to announce that the rainy winter had passed.

Yusuf asked himself.

‘Am I regretful?’

It would be a lie if he had no regrets. But this was not regret over the power he was letting go of, but regret over the things that had passed.

A battle where he could have saved even one more soldier, a policy that would have been better if implemented sooner.

Yusuf, suppressing the regrets that anyone would have, lowered his head and looked at the princes.

“You’ve all grown old.”

“You haven’t aged at all, Father.”

Yusuf twisted his lips at Mustafa, who countered his joke.

“This is how much older I’ve gotten in the past two years because of the letters you sent. Look at the Grand Vizier’s face. It’s all your fault.”

“There’s a rumor that the Grand Vizier’s resignation has been rejected over a hundred times.”

“I guess I have some influence too.”

Yusuf, who replied shamelessly, erased the smile from his face.

This was enough joking to ease the tension.

“34 years have passed since I sat in this position, and the empire has written a brilliant history. The territory has expanded beyond comparison, and the empire’s ships have sailed all over the world. And this is all thanks to everyone here.”

Considering the past when they struggled even in the small well of the Mediterranean, it was a tremendous change. The officials recalled the past years.

They had endured the time spent staying up all night relying on coffee and candles, fueled by the pride of being part of the empire’s great history.

It was such a difficult time that they could never have endured it without the pride of being able to give their lives, and some even teared up.

“However, now the path the empire must take is not expansion but stability. It is time for changes that benefit the people who make up the empire, and that’s how I decided to abdicate. It means that the prince who can embrace all the people of the empire must take over this position.”

When Yusuf stopped speaking, everyone tensed up.

The words that would follow would be the turning point of the empire.

Yusuf, who looked at the faces of the princes one by one for a moment, called out one name.

“Mehmet, stand up.”

“Yes, Padishah.”

When Mehmet was called, the officials nodded. He was the most likely candidate from the start.

Yusuf asked Mehmet, who stood up indifferently.

“Do you know why you were chosen?”

“I don’t know exactly.”

“If stability is the goal, it doesn’t matter if it’s not you. There’s no one so incompetent that they can’t maintain the empire even with the help of the officials.”

Murat, who had ruled half of vast Africa, Kasim, who had outmaneuvered Karl, and Mustafa, who was rich in navigation and trade experience, were all talented enough to rule the empire.

Orhan, who still lacked experience, was not considered a serious contender in the first place.

“Then why me?”

“Because you are the most suitable person to embrace all the people of the empire. If you take this position, will you favor the Crimean Khanate and the Circassians who have helped you so far?”

“No. I have already compensated them for what they have done. I trust them, but there is no reason to favor them.”

“That’s why I chose you. Isn’t that right, Murat?”

“I will not make excuses.”

Murat, the most likely prince besides Mehmet, bowed his head.

It was good that Murat conquered Africa and ruled it smoothly, but his thoughts were centered on the Africans.

It was obvious that he would favor Africa even if he became Padishah.

Mehmet, who had been silent for a moment at Yusuf’s explanation, asked.

“Padishah, was what I have done so far worthy enough to take that position?”

“It was more than enough to the point where there is no room for doubt. Does that answer your question?”

At this answer, Mehmet lowered his body with a bright smile for the first time.

“I will do my best so that you will not regret it, Father.”

He didn’t know how long it had been since he heard Mehmet call him Father.

Yusuf smiled softly.

“I’ll be expecting it.”

It was the moment when the next Padishah was decided, and soon Mehmet’s inauguration ceremony was held.

***

Abdication was not unprecedented in the Ottoman Empire, but the situation was clearly different from then.

At the time of Murat II, he suddenly declared a retirement close to seclusion due to a humiliating defeat, but Yusuf voluntarily relinquished his power at its peak.

It was more difficult than donating all his wealth, but Yusuf held Mehmet’s inauguration ceremony without any regrets.

After the inauguration ceremony held at Topkapi Palace, Yusuf and Mehmet sat facing each other.

“How does it feel to sit in the position of Padishah?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“You’ll realize it when you solve mountains of documents every day.”

The Padishah that Yusuf experienced was a strange position where the more he worked, the more work piled up, and there was an essential person to perform the job properly.

“The most important thing is who you make Grand Vizier. It won’t be easy to fill Shemsi’s vacancy with just any person. Do you have anyone in mind?”

“I am going to appoint Ilhan Pasha, the Beylerbey [governor] of Cairo, as Grand Vizier.”

What kind of place is Cairo? It was one of the places in the empire that was famous for having a lot of work because of the canal.

Anyone who ruled that place would be able to handle the position of Grand Vizier well, but there was one thing that bothered him.

“Isn’t he Shemsi’s son?”

“The one who resigned was Shemsi, not his son, isn’t it?”

“That’s true.”

It felt like he was doing terrible things not only to the father but also to the son.

“Someone has to sacrifice for the empire. If you’re going to make him Grand Vizier anyway, hold him tight so he can’t run away. Don’t regret it later.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

It seemed like a letter of resignation would be coming up from Cairo soon, but it didn’t matter. It would be rejected anyway.

“And don’t unnecessarily keep your brothers in check.”

This wasn’t soft talk about brothers getting along well.

For the sake of the empire, he had to be able to abandon even his children, not just his brothers, but he wouldn’t say such a thing.

It was just advice because it was much better to leave them alone.

“All three of them are in situations where they can’t be replaced. Murat’s support in Africa is greater than mine. It’s not an exaggeration to say it’s Murat’s kingdom.”

“I know. He’s not at a level where he’ll be satisfied with being a Beylerbey unless there’s a situation where food support is needed.”

Food was a kind of leash, and he didn’t know how long it would last.

When the reclamation was over and self-sufficiency was possible, he would take off the leash himself.

It wasn’t desirable from the ruling position, but there was no other way.

“The territory of Africa is maintained by Murat personally. The moment you push Murat away, it will scatter like sand. You could end up losing something big by coveting something small.”

“I have no intention of touching Murat if he fulfills his role faithfully.”

“The same goes for Mustafa. He’s the only one who can control the natives there.”

He couldn’t send settlers to that far-off Australia, so he had to maintain the current policy, and this was something only Mustafa could do.

“I don’t need to say anything separately about Kasim, right?”

“Just having a close relationship with Ferdinand is useful.”

Mehmet, who was quick at calculating profits and losses even if he didn’t explain it separately, knew that it was much better to save his brothers than to kill them.

It was just a word added out of concern.

“What are you planning to do in the future, Father?”

“As planned, I’ll be in Trabzon, where Orhan is the Sanjakbey [district governor], and once you’ve firmly grasped power, I’m thinking of touring the country as promised. If I look at the lives of the people directly, I’ll see points to improve.”

It was impossible when he was the Padishah, who couldn’t leave the capital carelessly.

“And Ayşe has decided to go with me.”

“Father?”

Mehmet, who knew how big of a role the Valide Hatun [the current Padishah’s mother] played in managing the harem, was flustered, but Yusuf came out shamelessly.

“Not only Ayşe but also my other Hatuns will be living in Trabzon with me. Surely you wouldn’t ignore the wishes of your mother, who has suffered so much, would you?”

“…As you wish.”

It was a battle he couldn’t win in the first place, and Mehmet quickly raised the white flag.

Of course, Yusuf, who had received a lot of help from Fatima, was not trying to take Ayşe away without any countermeasures.

“Hasna will fill Ayşe’s vacancy. I stopped that child from following me, so be thankful.”

Mehmet, who gained comfort from the fact that Hasna would remain, recalled a fact that he had forgotten because of the inauguration ceremony.

“Come to think of it, Ivan IV asked if Hasna had a place where her marriage was arranged.”

“Tsk, another poor guy has been added.”

He didn’t know when the King of France would come to his senses.

Around the time when Ivan proposed to Hasna and was soundly rejected, the letter from the King of France, who heard this news, arrived in the Ottoman Empire.

Yusuf headed to Trabzon.

It was time to take a breath for the future.