Became The Sultan Of The Ottoman Empire [EN]: Chapter 122

The Justification? (3)

Bozkurt couldn’t bring himself to crumple the paper in his hand and shouted.

It hadn’t even been a few hours since he’d heard the news that a battle had broken out between the Ottoman army and the tribes under his command.

He hadn’t even grasped the exact situation yet, but his mind went blank when he saw the letter brought by the Ottoman envoy.

‘A declaration of war?! From us?’

Bozkurt was so timid that he had run away without even resisting when the Safavids attacked.

He had no intention of confronting the Ottoman army head-on, let alone looting relatively easy supplies. It was literally a bolt from the blue.

With casualties on both sides, he couldn’t even properly deny it.

The Ottoman envoy, hearing Bozkurt’s shout, snarled.

“Are you saying that the Padishah’s [Ottoman Sultan’s] words are nonsense?”

“N-No, that’s not it!”

“Then are you saying I’m deaf and heard nonsense?”

The envoy who came to declare war had half his life already in Allah’s embrace, but having come prepared for death, he spoke condescendingly.

Bozkurt desperately wanted to cut off the envoy’s head, but he knew well that if he acted on it, there would be no turning back.

Exercising patience, he quickly changed the subject.

“That’s not important now. What do you mean *we* declared war? We have more casualties!”

“That’s because you are incompetent.”

Bozkurt was speechless at the envoy’s sneering words.

They had about twice as many casualties as the Ottomans, with an exchange ratio of about 3:1, so he couldn’t think of anything to say in rebuttal.

As resentment filled his aged face, the envoy continued.

“What’s important is that there were casualties on our side. I trust you won’t spout nonsense about how a force of about 200 men was just passing by.”

“I don’t know anything about that.”

“That’s a truly incompetent thing to say.”

Bozkurt’s hands trembled with anger at the envoy’s immediate retort.

The thought of, ‘Even if I can’t kill him, wouldn’t breaking an arm or a leg be okay?’ popped into his head.

Instead of his father, who looked like he was about to explode, his son, Shahrukh Bey, hurriedly stepped forward.

Attacking the envoy, who seemed hell-bent on dying, would only add to their justification.

“I understand that the Padishah is angry. But think about it. Why would we attack the Ottoman army that we allowed to pass through? If we were really going to attack, we would have set up a trap.”

Logically, Shahrukh’s words were correct.

Instead of openly declaring war and provoking them, it would be more logical to set a trap and inflict heavy damage.

The envoy replied coldly to Shahrukh’s reasonable words.

“How would we know why you did this? And I am merely a messenger conveying the Padishah’s words.”

“…Did it really have to come to this? We will compensate you sufficiently for the damages.”

“The Padishah said, if you say that, answer like this.”

With these words, the envoy twisted his lips.

“Blood price can only be repaid with blood.”

“Blood only begets blood!”

He shouted a common Arab proverb, but the envoy, having finished speaking, turned his body and left a final word.

“It’s too late. The Padishah has already moved.”

The letter, which he couldn’t bring himself to crumple in front of the envoy, was now crumpled mercilessly.

Like the future of Dulkadir.

***

Rough dust billowed up.

The Sipahi [Ottoman cavalry soldiers], numbering about ten thousand, quickly marched south, taking only a few days’ worth of food.

They could have complained about the forced march that had lasted for about three days, but there were no complaints in their minds.

“The place the Padishah spoke of is not far!”

Ahmed Pasha Dukakinzade, the Beylerbey [governor-general] of Anatolia, thought about the remaining distance.

The reason why he marched south with only ten thousand soldiers out of the 40,000 who were moving as the advance party was to quickly occupy Aintab.

‘We must occupy Aintab before the news reaches there.’

If Aintab is not occupied in time, Bozkurt may flee to the Mamluks, or the Mamluks may occupy it first.

It was an important stronghold to prevent the Mamluks from advancing north, so losing it could cause great disappointment to the Sultan.

The Sipahi ran without showing any signs of fatigue at the thought that they could become the main culprits for ruining the plan, and they arrived at their destination.

“That’s the place.”

Dukakinzade, who arrived at his destination through a rough road made only by the footsteps of people, not a formally made one, raised his head.

The city was small overall.

Based on the number of households, the total population seemed to be no more than 3,000.

Of course, the number would increase if you consider the surrounding farmers who had passed by while marching, but even so, it was less than half of the troops they had brought.

-Dong dong dong! Dong!

“They noticed quickly.”

Dukakinzade sneered.

Compared to the small village, the castle located in the center of Aintab was excellent.

Although it was built over a thousand years ago, it had become a sturdy castle with a circumference of over 1 km and 12 towers thanks to repeated renovations and expansions.

However, no matter how excellent a castle is, if the person inside is incompetent, it is no better than a sandcastle.

“What shall we do? Shall we wait for the follow-up troops?”

Since they arrived first, they had time to wait for the follow-up troops of about 30,000 with cannons, but Dukakinzade shook his head.

“We go straight to the castle.”

Of course, he had no intention of laying siege with the cavalry Sipahi.

The castle, built on a high hill of dirt, was so difficult to climb even to the walls.

The citizens living here, startled by the late alarm, could not properly escape into the castle and locked themselves in their homes.

Ignoring the fearful gazes pouring out of the buildings, Dukakinzade stood in front of the castle.

-Who are you?!?

The troops in the castle were only about 300?

The sight of them clutching spears and trembling with fear on the walls was so pitiful that Dukakinzade brazenly answered the question coming from the castle.

“We are the imperial army that came here according to the will of the great Padishah. We have come to receive permission from Bozkurt Bey to use the castle!”

There was a brief murmur, and soon an answer came back.

-We have not received such contact!

“Are you telling us to disobey the Padishah’s order and return! Can you take responsibility for that statement!”

The lord, who was talking, was sweating at these words.

Although it was a small city on the outskirts, he knew the reputation of the Ottomans.

The troops that had come right now were more than enough to turn the city into a sea of fire, and he opened his mouth in a much softer voice.

-Evidence! Do you have evidence!

“No! Isn’t it your responsibility for not receiving the contact!”

The lord’s head became complicated for a moment at the opponent’s too confident appearance.

It was suspicious, but in his heart, he wished their words were true.

He didn’t even want to imagine that so many troops were the enemy.

The words he uttered afterward could be said to contain this glimmer of hope.

-Do you swear to Allah that your words are true?!

“I swear!”

The subordinates behind him widened their eyes at Dukakinzade’s words, who answered without even thinking.

Perhaps not expecting him to lie in the name of Allah, the castle gate began to open, and the subordinates said with concern.

“Beylerbey. Are you really okay?”

Even if Yusuf was not very interested in Islam unlike the previous Padishah, it was a statement that could cause problems if he was wrong.

“The Padishah said. If we can reduce the sacrifice of our troops, we must be able to sell even the name of Allah.”

The subordinates were stunned by this answer.

The Padishah who said such a thing was shocking, but Dukakinzade, who put it into practice, did not seem normal either.

Aintab fell into Ottoman hands without shedding a drop of blood in exchange for Allah.

***

Yusuf’s main force in Elbistan was moving towards Maras.

The distance between the two places was so close that a messenger could travel back and forth in less than a day, but Yusuf never rushed.

Rather, he started marching leisurely, as if it were slow.

-It’s comfortable, but is this okay?

-The Padishah must have a plan.

So much so that such conversations were common among ordinary soldiers.

When he declared that he would occupy Maras and take the life of the traitor Bozkurt, he was prepared for a rapid march, so it was even more so.

‘It’s not difficult to cut off Bozkurt’s head before he runs away.’

The troops he could mobilize were 30,000, which was not a small number, but for the elite Ottoman army, they were just scarecrows.

What was there to be afraid of when they were the same troops who were so afraid of about 20,000 Kizilbash [Safavid soldiers] that they ran away?

The reason for moving slowly to the enemy’s capital, Maras, was all within the plan.

Yusuf checked the letter that had just arrived through the messenger.

“The follow-up troops have also joined the occupied Aintab.”

Perhaps by now, Bozkurt would have heard the news that Aintab had been taken.

The troops stationed in Aintab numbered only 40,000, but their strength was such that even the Mamluks could not easily attack.

Yusuf handed the letter to the Grand Vizier [chief minister] standing next to him and asked the gathered officials.

“Have you been frustrated by moving comfortably all this time?”

The Beylerbey of Rumelia [Ottoman Balkans], meaning the Balkan Peninsula, smiled and responded to Yusuf’s question.

“I have been struggling to stop the brave sons of Rumelia.”

“It’s when they are full of energy. Isn’t that right?”

Everyone burst into laughter at Yusuf’s joke, who was among the youngest not only among those gathered here but also among the soldiers participating in the war.

Although it was a joke, there must have been many who were eagerly waiting.

War was a terrible nightmare for some, but an opportunity for others.

The easiest way to rise in status was to make achievements on the battlefield.

Yusuf, who had changed the atmosphere with laughter, grabbed the gun he usually carried next to him.

“The prey, not knowing it was a place to die, was caught in a trap.”

Bozkurt would have been surprised to hear that Aintab had been occupied.

The 40,000 troops led by Dukakinzade would play a role in preventing him from escaping to the Mamluks.

‘Of course, it would be difficult to catch him if he abandoned all his troops and ran away with only a few.’

That would never happen.

The 30,000 troops were essential for him to maintain his power.

So much so that when the Safavids attacked, he preserved those troops even while abandoning the important capital.

As a human who would betray the Ottomans for power, he would surely try to preserve those troops.

“We are going down from above, and 40,000 of our allies are blocking the retreat from below.”

Bozkurt would feel suffocated.

He had only wasted a few days, but it was as if a knife was held to his throat.

“A trapped beast struggles. Let’s see how it struggles. Grand Vizier.”

“Yes, Padishah.”

“Inform the entire army. Advance towards Maras at full speed.”

“I will obey your command!”

As Yusuf’s order fell, the music of the military band, which had been maintaining silence, rang throughout the army with the sound of drums.

It was a signal to announce the advance.

Bozkurt, who heard the news that Yusuf’s main force was rapidly marching south to occupy Maras, fled with 30,000 troops.

***

The Ramazan Beylik [principality], protected by the Taurus Mountains, also known as the Toros Mountains, which rise like the back of a bull.

A guest came to this land with fertile plains protected by rugged mountains.

“S-Save me!”

“A-Are you crazy?! What brings you here!”

Mahmud Bey, the owner of the Ramazan Beylik, shouted, looking at Bozkurt with a horrified face.

The guest’s name was Ruin.