Became The Sultan Of The Ottoman Empire [EN]: Chapter 108

Became the Sultan of Osman – Episode 108

Religion (1)

For Ottoman princes, becoming Sanjak-beys [governors of a district] was an incredibly early education.

A prince directly governing a vast territory as a Sanjak-bey at a young age is akin to a chaebol [South Korean conglomerate] chairman appointing his elementary school-aged son as the president of a subsidiary in modern terms.

Throughout human history, it’s hard to find a country that provided early education like the Ottomans, and this education allowed them to perform excellently even when they ascended the throne suddenly at a young age.

Even Mehmed II, his grandfather, ascended the throne at 19 and destroyed the Eastern Roman Empire at 21.

It was a bold and excellent educational method, but one drawback was that the princes had no opportunity to learn the duties of their father, the Sultan.

‘It can’t be helped, though. Even if he’s a son, he’s still a rival vying for the throne.’

Thinking that way, being a Sanjak-bey was both education and a check.

It was like a lion driving its grown cub out of the pride, and the wandering male constantly seeking to become the leader.

In any case, once a prince reached a certain age, even coming to the capital was forbidden, so they couldn’t even dream of things like regency or co-rule, unlike in other countries.

Only after their father died did they indirectly receive the handover from officials, including the Grand Vizier, which was why they spared even officials they didn’t like during the honeymoon period at the beginning of their reign.

Of course, they would purge them within a year or two.

The important thing was that Yusuf also had to learn the Sultan’s duties, but he became even busier with the earthquake recovery and expeditions.

Meeting Urzi amidst the hectic schedule was almost a breather.

“Two beggars, a Venetian envoy, and Michelangelo, you say?”

Yusuf pointed to the envoy among the two suspected imposters.

The clothes, now rags, faintly showed traces of being expensive. Their miserable appearance undermined their credibility.

“If that man is truly the envoy who traveled to and from the Safavids, he wouldn’t have revealed it willingly, would he?”

“We caught him with difficulty, but he wouldn’t reveal his identity and only repeated that he wanted to be released for a ransom. So, we threw him into the galley as an oarsman.”

“He sang like a bird then.”

Usually, the levels of punishment were, in order, death, torture, and galley slavery, and that’s how arduous and harsh galley slavery was.

Muscle tears or beatings while rowing were commonplace, and one might become more willing to talk if they were barely fed even urine-soaked bread.

If he was a real envoy, it was easy to understand why the West and the Safavids were out of sync.

“Alper Pasha.”

“Yes, my Padishah [Sultan].”

Alper Pasha, the Silahdar Agha [Sword Bearer] in charge of security, saluted and pointed a finger at the envoy, who was trembling and looking around nervously.

“Take him away and go through the verification process.”

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Urzi, but the prisoner was valuable enough to warrant a verification process.

The crime of brandishing a knife in front of him didn’t disappear just because he wasn’t stabbed, and the price for baring teeth at the Ottomans had to be paid.

That was why the fleet led by Kemal Reis was seizing Venetian merchant ships in the Mediterranean, and if they secured the envoy as well, they could also put pressure on the Mamluks.

‘For envoys to travel between the two countries, they have to pass through Mamluk territory.’

The Mamluks couldn’t have been unaware of the secret meeting between Venice and the Safavids.

Now that they had captured the envoy and secured evidence, the Mamluks couldn’t completely evade responsibility, and countless ways to use the envoy were already coming to mind.

This was an issue to discuss with the officials once his identity was confirmed, and Yusuf turned to look at the last remaining person.

“Is this man truly named Michelangelo?”

“That’s what he said himself. The slaves we caught at the port also knew the name, so we brought him here. Do you perhaps know the name?”

How could he not know?

Europe was in the Renaissance period, so there were many talented people, but when it came to artists, three could be named.

Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarroti, and Raphael Sanzio.

All three were great artists, but if he had to pick the most desirable talent, it would be Michelangelo.

The reason was simple.

‘Because I can use him for longer.’

Da Vinci, already old, had less than 10 years left to live, and Raphael, who was worth his looks, would die young at the age of 37 due to his fondness for women.

He was ugly, arrogant, stubborn, and didn’t hesitate to make harsh remarks, but he was a long-lived figure due to his ascetic life, so he was tempted, and he never expected to get him like this.

Of course, the premise that he wasn’t an imposter was necessary.

“I’ve heard of him roughly. But, if it’s him, he should be a great artist, so what’s with this appearance?”

Even though Michelangelo was famous for wearing rags, it wasn’t to this extent.

It was the kind of clothes that even a passing beggar would hesitate to wear, and Urzi scratched his head at Yusuf’s remark.

“Actually, he claims to be a decent artist, but his paintings were so strange that I threw him into the galley as an oarsman for about two months.”

“His paintings were strange?”

He considered himself a sculptor, and although he hadn’t formally studied painting, it wasn’t like he couldn’t paint.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to create masterpieces like the Sistine Chapel ceiling or the Last Judgment.

Yusuf naturally looked at him with suspicion, and Michelangelo became furious and shouted.

Of course, Yusuf, who couldn’t understand the words, looked at the official in charge of translation, and the translator, sweating profusely, said.

“He says that they lack the insight to properly see his paintings.”

“Say exactly what he said.”

At Yusuf’s command, the translator trembled, but whose order was it?

He squeezed his eyes shut and spat out the words he had uttered completely.

“Your eyes for paintings are worse than the Pope’s, who’s like a dog. Whose paintings are strange? You Islamic guys are always drawing strange pictures, that’s why you’re in that state. That’s what he said.”

“I see.”

The paintings of Islam, including the Ottomans, were traditionally miniature paintings.

At first glance, they looked like caricatures, but it was because they killed perspective, three-dimensionality, and vitality to avoid the risk of idolatry.

If one didn’t understand this background, it could look quite strange.

Yusuf stared at the man with a severely crooked nose and nodded.

‘Seeing him utter arrogant words in front of me, there’s a high possibility that he’s Michelangelo himself.’

Being himself was one thing, but tolerating arrogance was another story.

“Alper Pasha.”

“Yes, my Padishah.”

“Throw this guy into the galley of a warship. Make it as hard as possible for him, as long as it doesn’t harm his body.”

“Leave it to me.”

Alper, who had been glaring at the guy who had uttered arrogant words in front of the Sultan, received the order with a bright face.

Two Silahdars, who received Alper’s signal, grabbed Michelangelo’s arms.

Michelangelo, who never expected to be dragged away like that, shouted, but soon even his mouth was gagged as he was dragged away.

It was a pathetic sight for one of the three great masters of the Renaissance, but Yusuf didn’t care.

“I’ll have to see how much he can resist as a slave.”

If he was tempered as an oarsman, he would come out a better person, and it wouldn’t be too late to give him a carrot then.

Yusuf, who neatly settled Michelangelo’s fate, smiled at Urzi.

“Urzi, you’ve brought a useful gift. I heard you also worked hard in looting the Papal States?”

“Everything is thanks to the support of the Padishah.”

“Even so, it doesn’t mean that the efforts of you and others will disappear. I will make sure to give you a generous reward.”

“Thank you, Padishah!”

Now that he had proven his worth, there was no need to give a meager reward.

If they conquered the Mamluks as well, the Mediterranean islands like Rhodes, Crete, and Malta would be the next targets.

They would have direct conflicts with the West, and there would be plenty of room for the Barbary pirates to operate.

Yusuf patted Urzi on the shoulder.

“Just keep doing what you’re doing.”

It would be nice if he could bring Raphael next time.

***

It was a dark night.

The man who had briefly sat in the seat of the next owner of Topkapi Palace entered the audience chamber with cautious steps.

The deaf servant turned on the faucet, and with the sound of trickling water, Suleiman, who had entered the room, immediately knelt down.

“I greet the great Padishah.”

“You may raise your head.”

As permission was granted, Suleiman raised his head and was slightly surprised.

It had only been a few months since he had last seen his face, so his face hadn’t changed.

However, the atmosphere was definitely different.

‘The stories circulating among the officials these days weren’t just empty words.’

The son of Selim who brought disaster, the heir whose title of Shehzade [Prince] was revoked.

Such rumors were circulating even to Suleiman, who couldn’t get close to the officials.

The rumor that the Sultan, who had returned from the expedition, had become even more of a monster.

Witnessing the reality of the rumors firsthand, he felt chills all over his body, but Suleiman calmly composed himself and asked.

“Did you call for me? Padishah.”

“Have you been well? I heard that the work you did with Tahir was fruitful.”

“I was merely reproducing the blueprints given by the Padishah.”

“That’s not a technology to be taken lightly.”

The technology of using waterwheels as a power source to carve cannons was a technology that would come out 200 years later.

It was the time it took to come up with the idea of carving the cannon barrel instead of making cannons with molds.

The innovation created by this difference in thought created a tremendous change.

‘Safer, lighter, and the power of the shells is stronger. And the Ottomans have it now.’

Of course, the technological gap wouldn’t last forever.

Once they realized that the Ottoman cannons were superior, other countries would also conduct research and eventually reach a conclusion.

However, the time it would take to catch up with the technology was important, and there was no need to be afraid even if Venice supported the Mamluks and the Safavids.

Yusuf praised Suleiman with a benevolent face.

“What you have done deserves praise, and there is no need to diminish your contribution. You, as well as Tahir, will receive due compensation.”

“Thank you, Padishah.”

Of course, the reason for calling Suleiman late at night wasn’t just to praise him.

“Suleiman, I heard that you spent a lot of time with Mehmed while I was away. Is that true?”

“Yes, he often came to the workspace.”

“Yes, how does he seem to you based on what you’ve observed so far?”

After pondering for a moment at the question, Suleiman gave a firm answer.

“He’s a monster.”

“More than you?”

Suleiman, who had been rumored to be intelligent since he was young, shook his head.

“He can’t be compared to me. He’s so capable that there would be no problem even if he worked as an official right now.”

Princes were appointed as Sanjak-beys at the age of 12, but usually, they were close to being figureheads until they became adults.

The people in charge of education governed the territories on their behalf, while the prince learned the practical work from the side.

However, saying that an 8-year-old could do practical work right away was the highest praise.

“It seems like Mehmed impressed you quite a bit?”

“When I think about how he will grow in the future, I feel both anticipation and fear. Only Allah knows how he will grow.”

If a capable person goes astray, there’s nothing more frightening than that.

Suleiman, who answered honestly, asked cautiously.

“But, why are you asking?”

“Well, I was thinking of sending him to Sanjak-bey quickly, but it seems like he’s already noticed. He’s pretending to be a useless child. I wonder who he takes after, only his head works, tsk.”

No matter how smart he was, an 8-year-old trying to send him to Sanjak-bey, or an 8-year-old who noticed it and was resisting.

Both were not ordinary, and Suleiman had a slightly horrified look on his face.

***

Before returning to the capital after the expedition, Yusuf made one resolution.

If it would help the empire in the long run, he would no longer hesitate.

Now, before conquering the Safavids and the Mamluks.

Before the Muslim population increased and he obtained the position of Caliph [leader of the Muslim community], the pope of the Islamic world, there was something he needed to take care of.

“Bring Sheikh al-Islam [highest religious authority], Zenbilli Ali Efendi.”

He had to sort out the religion first.