Became The Sultan Of The Ottoman Empire [EN]: Chapter 175

Became the Sultan of Osman – Episode 175

The Black Knight (1)

The Italian Wars, which began in 1494, were initially a struggle for succession involving the Kingdom of Naples and the Duchy of Milan.

Driven by the self-interests of various nations, alliances shifted and betrayals mounted, leading to a dynamic realignment of powers. The war dragged on for four rounds, leaving the Italian Peninsula devastated.

Amidst this chaos, negotiations between France and the Habsburgs, the two major players in the conflict, promised to reshape the Italian Peninsula.

Then came the news that France and the Ottoman Empire had officially formed an alliance, sending shockwaves throughout the West.

“Those French bastards have finally gone insane, consorting with infidels!”

“Even if it’s strategically advantageous, this alliance is absurd! Have they forgotten the Crusades?”

Criticism erupted even within France, but the French court ignored the predictable backlash.

Under immense pressure from the Habsburgs, who demanded the cession of significant territory, France couldn’t afford to be picky about allying with “infidels.”

The unexpected alliance caught the Habsburgs off guard, forcing them to enter negotiations, while neighboring countries braced themselves for the fallout.

Among the many nations, the Ottoman Empire was the first to make a decisive move.

“We will support Algiers with approximately ten thousand troops, including Janissaries [elite Ottoman infantry].”

The cessation of hostilities between France and the Habsburgs also meant the end of the existing peace treaty between the Ottoman Empire and the Habsburgs.

Given how severely the Spanish had been harassed by pirates during the peace, they were likely to attempt seizing Algiers again.

This Ottoman support for Algiers was seen as strengthening France’s negotiating position, giving them a slight advantage.

Under Yusuf’s command, troops were dispatched to Algiers, and the Habsburgs, who had initially been unyielding, had no choice but to concede.

– France completely abandons Milan and withdraws from Lombardy.

The countless sacrifices made to occupy Lombardy in northern Italy were rendered futile, but France had to be content that Flanders and Burgundy were excluded from the negotiations, and they signed the treaty.

The French army withdrew from Lombardy as agreed, and just when it seemed peace might return to Italy, news broke of the alleged assassination of the Pope.

Yusuf turned to Hasna, who sat gracefully nearby, and asked,

“Was the journey worth it?”

“I believe it was a valuable experience. It also made me realize how difficult it would be for noble ladies to travel to the Empire.”

“Traveling is inherently more difficult for women than for men.”

Beyond the physical challenges, there were numerous inconveniences and dangers associated with casual travel in that era.

Giving up a comfortable life for a perilous journey abroad required considerable motivation.

“It’s not a problem that can be solved quickly, so there’s nothing we can do about it. You performed your role admirably.”

“Thank you. By the way, it hasn’t even been a year since I returned, and so much has happened here. The bridge is completed, and Mustafa is actively involved, isn’t he?”

“Yes, the shipyard is bustling with activity, building the ships he ordered.”

While Mehmet dedicated himself to glass research, Murat conquered the Western Sahara, and Kasim established his influence in France, Mustafa had been far from idle.

Mustafa, who became the Sanjakbey [governor] of Basra, invested heavily in ships and became a major patron of the shipyard.

“Mustafa will likely venture out to sea himself.”

“I imagine so. He’s been waiting a long time, with our family’s blood coursing through his veins.”

Hasna covered her mouth and giggled at Yusuf’s jest.

None of the princes possessed an easygoing personality, and in Mustafa’s case, even his parents, Tazlu, had given up trying to control him.

‘He’s a lucky fellow; he probably won’t die no matter where he goes.’

In a different way than Murat, Mustafa wasn’t a source of worry.

It felt like he could find an oasis in the desert in less than a day.

“Father, may I ask you something? Is the chaos you mentioned before I left related to what’s happening in the Papal States now?”

“Yes.”

“Was the Pope truly assassinated?”

As Hasna asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity, Yusuf leaned back in his chair and said casually,

“Well, it’s certainly possible he was assassinated. Look at the foolish Romans rejoicing over the Pope’s death. I heard the cardinals even threw a party afterward, didn’t they?”

Where there is great power, there are always many who covet the position.

Based on modern accounts, at least six Popes were assassinated by poisoning or strangulation, and there are even more suspected assassinations.

It wouldn’t be surprising if the cardinals, who wield considerable power, assassinated the Pope, who was advocating for reform, taking advantage of the chaos after the war.

“Of course, he may have simply died from declining health. He was an old man, over seventy, isolated and surrounded by enemies, so he couldn’t have been in good health. His public appearances have also been infrequent for nearly a year.”

“Then we’ll never know the truth.”

“They’re simply being honest about their desires; the cardinals aren’t stupid. Now that the assassination has succeeded, there’s no reason for the truth to be revealed to the outside world.”

Having said that, Yusuf offered a knowing smile.

“But sometimes, the suspicion itself is enough, even without the truth.”

Spreading the suspicion of the Pope’s assassination throughout Italy would not be a futile endeavor.

Suspicion alone was enough to provoke the Habsburgs.

– Padishah, Hassan Shaytan Pal Pasha requests an audience.

At the eunuch’s announcement, Yusuf rose from his seat.

“Return now. It’s not yet your time to intervene.”

“Understood.”

She might have felt disappointed, but Hasna didn’t complain.

No matter how favored a princess might be by the Padishah, there was a line that shouldn’t be crossed, and she understood better than anyone that her current favor was maintained because she hadn’t overstepped that boundary.

Leaving Hasna behind, Yusuf entered the audience chamber, sat on the throne, and addressed Hassan, who was paying his respects, with regal authority.

“Report.”

“The Imperial Army stationed in the Lombardy region has begun to advance towards Rome.”

“It has finally begun.”

The greatest threat in Italy, the French army, had retreated, and the Italian states, exhausted from the long war, lacked the strength to confront the Imperial Army.

They wouldn’t miss the opportunity to plant their flag in the city of Rome, which held immense symbolic significance for the Roman Empire.

Anyone familiar with the course of the Italian Wars in this era could have foreseen this development.

“Then we should start moving in earnest as well.”

Yusuf smiled deeply.

***

Kwaang!

A cannonball slammed into the Aurelian Walls, which had protected Rome for centuries. The walls, cracked and crumbling, emitted a terrible tearing sound.

– The walls are collapsing! The walls are collapsing!

The sight of the walls, which had been precariously holding on, finally collapsing, signaled the fall of Rome’s last defense.

“Commander! The walls of the Vatican Hill have collapsed!”

“I can see that too. Damn it!”

Kasper Röist, the commander of the 3rd Vatican Swiss Guard, cursed, gripping his blood-stained sword tightly.

From the outset, the odds had been overwhelmingly against them.

The Roman defense force consisted mainly of a ragtag group of 5,000 mercenaries and militia, while the Imperial Army was an elite force of 20,000 seasoned soldiers.

The walls, which had protected the capital for nearly 1,300 years, couldn’t withstand the superior artillery of the Holy Roman Empire.

“Risk your lives to evacuate the Pope!”

“Understood!”

Protecting Clement VII, who had succeeded Hadrian VI as Pope, was the last remaining duty for the guards who had sworn allegiance.

The mercenaries hired by the Papal States fled in all directions as the walls were breached, and the guards cut a bloody path towards St. Peter’s Basilica.

“Catch the Pope! Catch him and kill him!”

The Imperial Army surged towards the guards protecting the Pope, their eyes filled with bloodlust.

During the battle, the Duke of Bourbon, the commander of the Imperial Army, who was easily identified by his white commander’s cloak, was shot dead by a musket.

The last vestige of control over the Imperial Army, which was already rife with discontent due to unpaid wages, was severed, and indiscriminate violence was unleashed upon Rome.

“Keuheuk! Qu, quickly!”

A guard, clutching the sword that had pierced his chest, gasped for breath and clung to the enemy. Even as the following Imperial soldier slashed his neck, his grip on the enemy didn’t loosen.

Even while shedding tears of blood over the death of his comrade, whom he had lived with like a brother, the guard didn’t back down.

The number of guards, which had started at 189, quickly dwindled, and when they arrived at St. Peter’s Basilica, only a handful remained alive.

Clement, stained with splattered blood, looked at the burning Rome and said in a dazed voice,

“That’s enough. Return to your homeland.”

The sounds of looting by the Imperial Army, consumed by madness, made Rome sound like hell itself.

Screams and shouts, even pitiful pleas for help, filled the air.

It was a scene unimaginable in Rome, which had boasted a splendid culture until recently, and Clement, overwhelmed with terrible guilt, wanted to surrender everything.

At Clement’s words, the guard commander, Kasper, knelt down.

“Our swords have already been offered to the Pope. Our loyalty will not waver until our last breath. Go. We will protect this place.”

“…Thank you. I will not forget your sacrifice.”

Clement, looking at the guards with conflicted emotions, entered St. Peter’s Basilica.

St. Peter’s Basilica had a secret passage connected to the Castel Sant’Angelo, 800 meters away, providing him with an escape route from Rome.

As Clement departed, Kasper shook the blood off his sword, watching the Imperial Army pour in to capture the Pope and loot the basilica.

“Today, we die here.”

With Kasper’s declaration, the guards wielded their swords to block the Imperial Army, and were martyred without a single survivor.

With the last resistance extinguished, all that remained in Rome was an uncontrollable mob of looters.

Philibert of Châlon, Prince of Orange, who assumed command following the death of the Duke of Bourbon, ordered the looting to cease, but no one heeded his commands.

Most of the Imperial Army were German Lutherans influenced by Martin Luther’s Reformation, and for them, who had been treated as heretics, forced to convert, tortured, and burned at the stake, Rome was the headquarters of the Antichrist.

Because of this, the Imperial Army had no reservations, and the ensuing looting was horrific.

The soldiers of the Papal States who were taken prisoner were brutally executed, and women, whether nuns, old, or young, were subjected to unspeakable acts.

Churches, monasteries, and the residences of cardinals and high-ranking clergy were not spared from the looting, and even cardinals had to pay exorbitant sums to survive.

Corpses littered the streets, and those nailed to pillars reeked of decay.

To survive, one had no choice but to flee Rome, which had become a living hell.

Sacco di Roma (Sack of Rome) [Italian for the Sack of Rome]

The Sack of Rome had begun.

***

“Prince Murat, the destination is in sight!”

Murat, who had been leaning on the railing with his eyes closed, opened his eyes at the report.

The Janissary, meeting his eyes filled with ominous murderous intent, straightened up, feeling a chill run down his spine. Murat slowly straightened his massive frame.

A common port city was visible in the distance, and Murat slammed the deck with his huge sword.

“Is that Ostia?”

Barbarossa Hayreddin, who had accompanied him from Algiers, nodded.

“I came here to plunder with Urji before.”

“I see.”

Murat, loosening his armor-like muscles, bared his teeth in a fierce grin.

“If you go a little further from there, you’ll reach Rome.”

“That’s right.”

“My father is often harsh with his sons, but this time, it will be a bit more enjoyable. It’s certainly better than playing in the desert, where most of the people have no will to resist.”

Murat, who had conquered the Western Sahara and waited in Algiers for orders, looked around.

The fleet of 120 ships, carrying approximately ten thousand elite soldiers and 5,000 pirates who had come to support Algiers, moved towards Ostia, cutting through the water.

“A ship is approaching from the port!”

As the small port city was thrown into chaos by the sudden appearance of the large fleet, a ship that had departed from Ostia raised a white flag and approached.

A man who had been thoroughly searched boarded the flagship, and, trembling with fear as he looked at the red flag fluttering on the fleet, he asked in a trembling voice,

“Th, this is the land of the Papal States. What brings you here?”

“The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.”

At Murat’s signal, an elderly man standing behind him stepped forward.

The Patriarch, wearing a splendid robe embroidered with gold thread, gave a gentle smile to the trembling man.

“Do not be afraid, brother in faith.”

“H, how did you come all the way here?”

“I heard that impious people have invaded Rome, a city with a long and venerable history. Is that correct?”

At the Patriarch’s words, the man replied with a terrified expression,

“R, Rome has already fallen. People fleeing the terrible looting continue to arrive here.”

“Oh, how could such a terrible thing happen?”

The Patriarch, embracing the man with sorrowful eyes, patted him on the back to calm him.

When the man had calmed down, the Patriarch said in a gentle voice,

“The Padishah knew that this tragedy would occur and sent us all the way here.”

‘Who sent whom?’

Murat gave a hearty smile to the man’s confused face.

“It means that we have stepped forward as knights to defend Rome. Our Empire, that is.”

The black knight, with a dark heart, twisted his lips into a sinister smile.