Became The Sultan Of The Ottoman Empire [EN]: Chapter 197

Became the Sultan of Osman – Episode 197 (197/213)

Terrible Things (1)

Returning to Buda after visiting Vienna, Kasim greeted his guest with a bright smile.

“You’ve had a long journey, Grand Vizier.”

Shemsi Pasha, an old man who straightened his back while tapping the ground with his cane, smiled kindly. “A hardship? Not at all. It feels good to be out and about for the first time in a while. I had a hard time shaking off the other officials in the capital who kept grabbing my arm, begging me to let them accompany me.”

“The capital seems the same as ever.”

“The Padishah’s [Ottoman ruler or emperor] philosophy is that the more those above suffer, the more comfortable the people are. Since the Padishah is suffering, those below have no choice but to follow diligently.”

Even though the officials filtered out trivial matters as much as possible, Yusuf’s workload in making final decisions was still considerable.

As the empire grew, so did the amount of work, so the officials couldn’t easily complain.

In any case, the number of officials continued to increase, but Yusuf only had one body.

“Seeing that, it’s no wonder Father is talking about abdicating.”

“I just wish he would stop holding onto an old man who will soon meet Allah [God in Islam].”

Shemsi, one of the few people who could say such things about the esteemed Padishah, looked around.

When Hungary fell, only a handful of Jews remained in Buda, but before long, quite a few people gathered in Buda again.

Although he had confirmed it with documents, the change that had occurred in less than 10 years was remarkable.

“It has quite the appearance of a large city. You must have worked hard.”

“Hahaha, isn’t it a geographically advantageous location? Thanks to the many merchants who visit.”

Vienna, the capital of Austria, is northwest of Buda, and Krakow, the capital of Poland, is to the north.

As a city that is passed through when precious goods from the East are transferred to the two countries, it is prospering rapidly.

“I’ve kept someone who has come a long way standing outside for too long. Please come inside.”

The story to be told next was not suitable for sharing outside, and Kasim took Shemsi to his office.

In the office where they were alone, Kasim offered coffee, and Shemsi took the lead in the conversation.

“How did the conversation with the Archduke go?”

“He’s halfway convinced. Since Father sent the Grand Vizier [chief minister in the Ottoman Empire], it will proceed smoothly.”

The Grand Vizier, who had been with Yusuf since he was a prince, was clearly the second-in-command of the empire and rarely left the capital.

Previous Grand Viziers participated in wars on behalf of the Padishah when they broke out, but Yusuf never sent the Grand Vizier, even when sending princes.

The mere fact that Shemsi, whom he cherished so much, had left the capital and visited Buda had a tremendous ripple effect and was enough to fuel speculation.

Shemsi smiled slightly at this answer.

“Do you know? Your four princes are somewhat similar to the Padishah.”

“In what way?”

“Prince Mehmed is similar in that he thoroughly considers the empire’s interests. He is not afraid of sacrifice if it benefits the empire.”

He is so calculating that he can even put his sons and his own life at risk.

“Prince Murat is similar in that he cares about the people. He fundamentally believes that the reason for pursuing the empire’s interests is for the sake of the people.”

The security of the dynasty and the people.

If he had to choose between the two, he would naturally choose the latter.

“Also, Prince Mustafa and the Padishah are similar in that they 추진 [push forward] without hesitation for what they want. You can see this from the fact that he stubbornly dug the canal that many people viewed negatively.”

“Then what am I like?”

At Kasim’s curious words, Shemsi savored the coffee with frustrating slowness.

After enjoying the aroma, Shemsi put down the cup and gave his answer.

“The two of you are similar in your mischievousness. Tell me honestly. You truly enjoy swindling the West, don’t you?”

Does he enjoy making people in the West, including Archduke Ferdinand, clutch the back of their necks?

“You’re stating the obvious. I enjoy it very much. Although I may not become the Padishah, it’s satisfying enough.”

As a prince, not being able to become the Padishah is something that shakes his very existence, but Kasim said it indifferently.

From the moment he was tasked with swindling the West, the position of Padishah was distant.

If he were to become the real Padishah, it would give the West room to interfere in the empire.

“Are you disappointed?”

“I knew this would happen since I was young. I’m just grateful for the lifeline Father gave me.”

Even if Kasim couldn’t become the Padishah, the West, including Ferdinand, would not turn their backs on him.

They had already invested a lot of money to build a friendly relationship, and rather than treating him coldly because he couldn’t become the Padishah, it would be better to use him as a channel of communication with the empire.

Furthermore, this would increase Kasim’s value within the Ottoman Empire, so it was worth calling it a lifeline.

“The Padishah has given Prince Mehmed a mission. He has ordered him to improve the quality of iron and glass and to occupy Moscow. And the advance to occupy Moscow will have to wait at least five years.”

“Appropriate.”

Until the occupation of Moscow, he will be focusing on improving the quality of iron and glass, which will seem like a meaningless waste of time on the surface.

It was obvious that they would pour support into Kasim.

“By then, the bridge construction will be well underway, so they won’t be able to pull out.”

The cost invested in the bridge construction has all become sunk costs, and they will not be able to pull out even if they regret the money they invested.

Like an addict who can’t let go of the money they lost in a casino, they will have no choice but to continue pouring money in.

“The Padishah said this: It’s natural to have corruption when doing large-scale projects like bridge construction.”

“When doing construction, costs often snowball. I will try to adjust the pace well.”

“You are indeed remarkably similar to the Padishah.”

Kasim and Shemsi burst into laughter.

***

Murat strode forward.

“Is it my turn this time?”

“Your Highness.”

At the Janissary’s [elite Ottoman soldier] call, Murat, as if he had forgotten, untied the sword he was carrying on his back and handed it to the Janissary.

The Janissary, who inhaled a breath of air at the unexpectedly heavy weight, hurriedly hugged the sword he was about to drop.

“I need to exercise more! What’s so heavy about that?”

When a hand like a pot lid patted his back, the Janissary’s body shook.

He could see that his senior’s words that Prince Murat had defeated a Janissary since he was a minor were not 허언 [empty words/lies].

Murat, who had entrusted his sword, entered the audience chamber and shouted loudly.

“It’s been a while, Padishah!”

Yusuf frowned slightly at the voice that echoed through the audience chamber.

“I’m not deaf. Soon you’ll be able to catch people with your voice.”

“I wish I could.”

“You’d kill the closest ally first.”

“Then I don’t need it.”

After exchanging light jokes, Yusuf asked Murat.

“You know why you came all the way here, right?”

“Isn’t it about the abdication issue? There are only about eight years left now. Those who bother me have increased by my side.”

By the time Murat in Africa came to the capital, it was 1535, and only eight years remained of the promised period.

Since Murat had already achieved great feats in many wars, people who predicted him as the next Padishah would have started to cling to him.

“Even if it’s true, aren’t you speaking too bluntly?”

“Isn’t it something you already know? There’s no reason to hide it.”

It wasn’t wrong, but saying it so bluntly showed Murat’s personality as it was.

Yusuf smiled slightly at the unchanging appearance since he was young.

“Well, it’s done. Since you already know why I called you, let’s get to the point. The task you will take on is to prevent slaves from Africa from flowing into Europe.”

“Preventing slave trade. Is it important?”

“At least it’s necessary.”

It’s not a policy taken because Africans are pitiful.

In the first place, it is Africans living on the same continent who are selling Africans as slaves in this era.

It was clearly different from the era when Europeans kidnapped Africans and sold them as slaves during the age of imperialism, and it was nothing special considering the era when serfs and prisoners were sold as slaves.

‘The problem is that if cheap African slaves start going to South America, it won’t be good for the empire in the long run.’

The Atlantic slave trade flourished greatly not because slaves were sold at high prices.

The money earned from the slave trade was small, but the sugarcane plantations made with cheaply imported slaves brought astronomical profits.

“Carlos and Portugal are accelerating the development of the New World. They must have judged that expanding eastward is impossible due to the defeat in the last war.”

“The only hope is the New World, which means.”

“Yes, fortunately for them, there was not much damage to the fleet in the last war.”

During the siege of Rome, they waited for an enemy that didn’t even come, and then they only confronted each other before the end of the war, so there was almost no damage.

“They chose the New World as a hole to recover from the past damage, and many ships are going to the New World. The more they rush to develop the New World, the more people they will lack.”

“They will try to fill that shortage with slaves.”

“Ordinary people would not go to the New World for development. There’s no other way.”

Of course, they could enslave Native Americans, but they are arguing through the Pope that Native Americans are people with reason and culture.

Starting with Columbus’s massacre, all sorts of brutal atrocities are rampant, so this argument has more power.

Since slavery is officially prohibited in Europe, they cannot 함부로 [recklessly] enslave them if they are recognized as people.

‘But African blacks are different. They don’t even consider them the same people.’

The reason why slaves were tied to the same spot for a month on slave ships was because they were seen as nothing more than goods, not people.

Murat tilted his head at Yusuf’s mission.

“Isn’t it difficult to trade slaves because we have occupied all of North Africa?”

“If you’re thinking of going to the New World, you don’t even need to go through North Africa.”

Even in the original history, the Atlantic slave trade took place between West Africa and America.

Murat smiled at Yusuf’s order.

“Does it matter what method I use?”

“For example?”

“I’m asking if I can make Africans citizens of the empire.”

“Do as you please if you want. But it won’t be easy.”

They are usually lumped together and called Africans, but inside, they are made up of incredibly diverse ethnic groups.

Occupation itself is not difficult, but integrating them into one and making them citizens of the empire is not an easy task.

‘It would be much easier to just make them all slaves.’

Murat gave a cool smile at Yusuf’s warning.

“I know better than anyone else in the empire that it’s not easy. And I think I’m the only one in the empire who can do it.”

“Is that arrogance?”

“It’s confidence. I haven’t just fought the wars you ordered during the long years I’ve spent in Africa.”

He already knew that Murat was very interested in Africa.

He knew this from the fact that he entrusted the work to Mehmed and returned to Africa after finishing all the work he had to do in Rome.

“Good. Do it if you can. I’ll give you as much support as you need.”

“Can I trust you?”

“The owner of the empire does not 허언 [lie/speak falsely], and the empire is rich. It’s not something you should worry about.”

“Then I’ll trust you and proceed.”

Murat, who answered that way, got up from his seat.

“Then I’ll be on my way. I don’t have time.”

Yusuf shook his head as he watched Murat take his leave.

It was like Murat to return to Africa as soon as he arrived in the capital.

Yusuf, who had taken his eyes off the closed audience chamber door, looked down at the map and four chess pieces on the table.

‘All four pieces have been placed.’

To put it coldly, the word prince is not very valuable in Osman.

In that there are plenty of alternatives, its value will be close to the pawn corresponding to the pawn.

‘But there are times when that value jumps. That’s the time just before the succession.’

The princes will be able to move with massive support from those who support them, which is like four pawns promoting to queens.

For the remaining eight years, the empire will become even more solid.

***

When the ships that had to return from the New World for the first time went missing, I thought they had been shipwrecked by unlucky storms.

That was the case until the number of missing ships increased rapidly.

Charles V doubted his ears when he heard the truth he had reached after so much gold and silver had gone missing.

“Tell me again.”

“It, it seems that Barbary pirates have settled in the New World.”

“Why are they there! You bastards!”

Charles clutched the back of his neck at the news that a terrible cancer had settled in the New World.