Became The Sultan Of The Ottoman Empire [EN]: Chapter 193

Watching Dragut leave the audience chamber with a complicated expression, Yusuf leaned back in his chair.

He must be deeply troubled.

Although Ottoman ships had never set foot in the New World, the Ottoman Empire had been keenly observing its discovery.

This interest had been ongoing since the reign of the previous Padishah, Bayezid II, and a considerable amount of exploration records created by the West had already been accumulated.

‘However, relying solely on records for navigation poses significant risks.’

The environment of the inland Mediterranean Sea and the open Atlantic Ocean were entirely different.

Unlike the Mediterranean, where supplies could be easily obtained and the sea was relatively calm, the Atlantic required long voyages across the vast ocean, and the sea was much rougher.

Moreover, sailing ships had to be used, which was unfamiliar to the current Barbary pirates who operated galleys with rowing slaves, and even the infrastructure for it had to be created.

This was not something to be undertaken with half-hearted resolve, so he had no choice but to let Dragut leave with a heavy heart.

“Padishah, may I ask why you singled out that man?” Shemsi inquired.

“Is that what you’re curious about?” Yusuf responded.

Shemsi nodded.

“To promise support for sailing ships implies a great deal of interest, but I doubt he can fulfill such a role.”

“It is an important matter, as you say.”

Although many things had changed with Yusuf’s intervention in history, some things were destined to follow their historical course.

For example, the conquistadors who advanced into America before he even ascended to the position of Padishah.

The conquistadors were Spanish conquerors who invaded the New World.

‘By now, it’s highly likely that the Inca have been conquered.’

He wasn’t a true prophet like some Ottomans revered him to be, so he couldn’t be certain about what was happening in distant South America.

However, considering the Spaniards’ greed and the Inca’s military strength, which remained at the Bronze Age level, conquest was only a matter of time.

This meant that more silver and gold would flow in from the New World.

Signs of this were already apparent.

“In this recent peace negotiation, Carlos immediately paid a large sum of 500,000 ducats [a European gold coin]. Even though he claimed he couldn’t pay in installments, the fact that he paid immediately means he has that kind of funds.”

“Wasn’t that because he feared war with the Empire so much?”

“Perhaps, but considering his wealth, it’s still puzzling.”

The kings and nobles of this era were not that wealthy, and Carlos had been waging frequent wars, leaving the national treasury depleted.

Considering the Sack of Rome was caused by the inability to pay mercenaries properly, the source of such a large sum needed to be considered.

With just this much, Shemsi understood what Yusuf was implying.

“I have heard news that gold and silver are coming from the New World, but is it in such quantities that the Padishah is concerned?”

“Yes, the rewards for past investments are starting to come in.”

This meant that the Price Revolution was beginning in earnest.

The Price Revolution refers to the event where prices in Western Europe increased sixfold over 150 years from the late 15th century to the early 17th century.

It was a type of inflation, increasing by about 1-1.5% annually.

‘It’s not a significant figure in modern times, but it was a huge shock in the 16th century, when inflation was not commonly experienced.’

This Price Revolution was driven by the massive amounts of gold and silver flowing in from Spanish colonies, and the resulting inflation was already quite advanced.

Gold and silver would continue to flow in, and he couldn’t just sit idly by.

Yusuf wore a mischievous smile.

“It wouldn’t be fair if only Carlos benefited. It’s hard to intervene directly, so we should at least collect tolls.”

“As the Padishah wishes.”

Shemsi, already accustomed to outsourcing to pirates, reacted nonchalantly.

Whether Carlos clutched his head over the pirates who followed him from the Mediterranean to the New World was of no concern to Shemsi.

Besides, he had too much work piled up to worry about it.

Yusuf rested his chin on his hand, disappointed by Shemsi’s unenthusiastic reaction.

“In the end, whether through conquistadors or pirates, gold and silver will come in through the New World, and that’s the problem.”

“What is, sir?”

“The possibility of rising prices. Especially for us. Don’t you think?”

Shemsi nodded with a heavy expression.

It wasn’t the time to worry about the Price Revolution in Western Europe. Signs of rising prices in the Ottoman Empire were already alarming.

“I was about to report on that. Prices have risen more than half since the Padishah ascended to the throne.”

“What’s the biggest cause?”

“The Empire is emerging as a center of trade, absorbing the wealth of surrounding countries too quickly.”

As Shemsi said, the trade imbalance was too severe.

Europe was buying goods from the East, including spices, at high prices, while the Ottoman Empire had little to import from Europe.

“The rapidly growing population is also a problem.”

As the country became wealthier, the birth rate increased, and the mortality rate decreased as hygiene and medicine, which Yusuf had been greatly interested in since his days as a prince, improved.

As the population needing food, clothing, and shelter increased, prices naturally had to rise.

“For the food problem, we can only hope for the fertilizers that have started coming in from Western Sahara.”

“The areas where we are testing them seem to be yielding bumper crops.”

Fertilizer wasn’t necessarily good just because you used a lot of it, so it was necessary to study the effects of the fertilizer made from phosphate rock.

Still, the initial evaluations were good, so it was worth hoping for increased food production.

“Even if food production improves, we can’t stop inflation. What we need to do is minimize the damage from it.”

“Do you have any ideas?”

“The poor suffer the most when prices rise. We need to slowly prepare measures to support them.”

Undertaking large-scale reclamation or construction projects to employ many people was one method, and it was also necessary to improve the system for relieving the poor.

Even if not everyone could become rich, it was important to create an environment where hardworking people could make a living.

Even this was not easy.

“You and I have less than 10 years until retirement. We may be impatient, but let’s prepare one by one.”

He was speaking to Shemsi, but also reminding himself.

As the promised 15 years approached, he hesitated at the thought of how much work still needed to be done.

‘But I can’t do that.’

In the short term, it might be better to rule the Empire without abdicating, but in the long term, it would not benefit the Empire at all.

Yusuf quickly shook off the sudden surge of greed.

“Going back to the beginning, you asked why I singled out Dragut.”

“Yes, I did.”

“He has the talent for it. The concern is that he hasn’t gained enough experience.”

He had many shortcomings to trust and entrust him with the task, but he had also prepared a way to solve this.

“He must have met him by now.”

Yusuf smiled playfully.

***

“Brother.”

“Barbarossa!”

Stroking his magnificently grown red beard, Urji approached, and Dragut’s face lit up.

Until he was drafted into the Eastern Fleet, the two had been together, and Urji was a protector and close friend to Dragut.

Shaking hands warmly, Urji looked around.

The newly returned sailing ships were entering the docks for repairs, and it was bustling with the sound of hammering and the voices of craftsmen moving materials.

It was a scene that sailors couldn’t help but be interested in, but Dragut didn’t know why he had been called here.

“I heard that you arrived in the capital at the Padishah’s call, but what was the reason?”

After exchanging light greetings, Dragut replied with a complicated feeling to the question.

“The Padishah asked if I had any intention of leading the Barbary pirates to the New World.”

“That’s not an easy problem.”

As a fellow sailor, he knew how difficult the decision was.

“It will be the first time operating sailing ships, so I couldn’t give the Padishah an immediate answer.”

“You did well. The Padishah doesn’t like answering lightly. Sailing ships, huh? Come with me.”

Urji took Dragut to a ship docked at the dock.

It was a ship that had spent nearly six years with him in the East, and Urji smiled faintly as he climbed onto the deck.

Perhaps because it hadn’t been fully repaired yet, the traces of the past years could easily be found.

“Operating sailing ships is very different from galleys that move with rowers, as you might think. The top priority would be to recruit sailors with sailing ship experience.”

“If I ask the Padishah, there might be a way.”

“And if you go to the New World, you won’t be able to return to your home country easily, so it’s important to control the sailors’ dissatisfaction well.”

He had felt this keenly while in the Eastern Fleet, and he had to pay more attention to it since going to the New World was a much harsher environment.

“We need to establish new rules.”

“That’s right. There would be problems if we applied the rules we used before as they are.”

The more Dragut listened to Urji, the more overwhelming the task felt.

Simply sailing and arriving in the New World was a task in itself, but he had to establish a base in a place where his enemy, Spain, had already set foot.

“It’s a good opportunity, but honestly, I keep thinking it’s better to give up. The Padishah said that even if I give up, there’s nothing to worry about, so I should make a decision comfortably.”

Urji tilted his head at Dragut’s words.

At least the Padishah he knew was not someone who would react like that.

If he had met him in person, it meant that he had judged him to be a decent talent, and he was not someone who would let go of such talent easily.

‘Unless he was going to exploit him until he died of old age.’

He would have understood if he had threatened him that he would regret it if he gave up.

‘It can’t be that the Padishah has changed in the meantime.’

If that were the case, he wouldn’t have seen the officials wandering around with coffee-stained, haggard faces.

No matter how he thought about it, Urji was puzzled and asked Dragut.

“Didn’t the Padishah say anything else?”

“Well, he said that if I gave up, he would entrust it to the commander who came from the Eastern Fleet this time. I guess someone with more experience would carry out the orders better?”

Urji’s eyes widened at Dragut’s words.

“Brother!”

Urji grabbed both shoulders tightly and said in a firm voice.

“Report to the Padishah immediately that you will do it!”

“No, but still.”

“Immediately!”

Dragut nodded blankly at the attitude that seemed like he would be thrown off the ship right away if he didn’t agree.

Urji, who had barely released the force from his eyes, patted his shoulder with a bright face.

“You thought well. It was a very precious opportunity to miss. Haven’t you heard the rumor? The rumor that ships full of gold and silver treasures are coming from the New World.”

“I have heard it.”

“Even if you exclude the share for the Padishah, the amount left for you will be enormous. It’s not a dream to build an even bigger fleet with that money.”

Dragut’s face perked up at the thought that any captain would dream of.

“Besides, the Padishah always gives generous rewards based on performance. If it goes well, you could be appointed as Beylerbey [governor-general] beyond Sanjakbey [governor of a district].”

“Beylerbey, huh.”

“It’s the same position as your brother. I think it’s definitely possible. And the captains of the Eastern Fleet will do their best to help you carry out your mission successfully.”

“Is that okay? I thought they all received vacations.”

“Everyone will be happy to help, so don’t worry. Isn’t this something the Padishah said was necessary?”

Urji pushed Dragut straight into Topkapi Palace and moved busily.

That day, an emergency was declared for the captains who had returned from the East.

If they didn’t raise Dragut properly, someone would be dragged to the New World.

***

Urji’s advice was effective.

The captains voluntarily began racking their brains for Dragut during their vacation.

‘Since captains with extensive experience in long-distance voyages are helping, there’s no need to worry too much.’

Thinking so, Yusuf unfolded the thick letter that had come to him.

“Mustafa, I don’t know what you’ve been doing while your whereabouts have been obscure.”

Perhaps his whereabouts during that time were contained in this letter, and Yusuf unfolded the letter with curiosity.

Starting with a simple greeting, he could see that his whereabouts had been obscure.

-While exchanging with countries near Malacca that have become territories of the Empire, I encountered a great storm. The waves and wind were so strong that I couldn’t even turn north.

It was fortunate that he hadn’t been shipwrecked, but he wasn’t too worried.

Since a letter had arrived, it meant that he was now in a safe place.

‘Luck, indeed.’

Yusuf smiled lightly and continued reading the letter.

-The first island I arrived at was a barren land with only deserts. The sailors told me to go back, but because of my stubbornness, I continued to sail east.

-And unlike the desert, land where people could live came out, and I was able to meet the natives living there. They lived by hunting and gathering.

There was nothing strange about the content.

Indonesia was a region that prospered through trade with India and China, but since it was a region with so many islands, it was not strange to have natives who lived by hunting and gathering.

-I became friends with the natives, and they caught an interesting animal. The body is muscular, it runs on two legs, and there is a pouch on its belly to put its young in…

“Huh…?”

A kangaroo…?