Became The Sultan Of The Ottoman Empire [EN]: Chapter 32

#32. The One Who Eats First (1)

In about a hundred years, most Sanjaks will have an upper administrative district called Eyalet [a larger province in the Ottoman Empire].

This is because the country has grown enormously, but due to a lack of communication technology and administrative capabilities, the central government cannot properly control it.

‘But that’s in the distant future.’

Currently, in many regions, the Sanjak is the highest administrative district, and the Sanjakbeys [governors of a Sanjak], who have been granted autonomy, can wield absolute power in their areas.

To put it simply, they are people who live for their own egos and wouldn’t even deign to listen to ordinary people.

“We greet the Prince.”

“We greet you.”

They only act tough to those they deem worthy of their attention.

The two Sanjakbeys of Kenik and Lazistan, which border Trabzon, greeted him politely.

“I am glad to meet you all.”

It had been over two years since I became a Sanjakbey, but this was the first time I had actually seen them.

Even though they are neighboring areas, it takes more than a day’s ride on horseback.

‘There was no need for me to bother visiting them, and it would have been awkward for them to come to me.’

They might face repercussions later for becoming too close to a prince with little chance of succession. Yet, they couldn’t try to win favors, as Yusuf had proven he was not an easy opponent.

It was best to remain distant, and Yusuf didn’t bother trying to get close either.

‘There’s no need to work hard. When the Sultan steps in, they have to cough up soldiers anyway. That’s the role of a Sanjakbey.’

The word Sanjak itself means a military banner in Turkish. Sanjak was not only an administrative unit but also a military organization.

“You must have seen the orders sent by the Padishah [Ottoman Sultan]. How many troops can you mobilize immediately?”

Yagiz Pasha, the Sanjakbey of Kenik, was the first to answer this question.

“I can muster up to a thousand Sipahi [Ottoman cavalrymen] at most.”

Trabzon is considered a large Sanjak, so it has many troops, but a thousand from Kenik is the maximum they could gather.

Yusuf’s gaze turned to Hakan Pasha, the Sanjakbey of Lazistan.

“We can also mobilize up to a thousand men.”

“I would like more, but there’s no need for Lazistan to overdo it.”

Lazistan bordered not only the White Sheep Dynasty [Aq Qoyanlu, a Turkoman tribal confederation] but also Georgia.

They needed more defensive forces, and the Sipahi were also responsible for maintaining order. They couldn’t afford to pull too many troops while refugees were crossing over from the White Sheep Dynasty.

Hakan’s face brightened at Yusuf’s words.

“Then we will support you with eight hundred men.”

“Then I will keep that in mind.”

Yusuf replied with a friendly face, and they thought he was more flexible than they had expected.

Of course, if Yusuf were the type to consider others’ circumstances, he wouldn’t have engaged in incitement and fabrication in his own territory.

There was a good reason this time.

‘If Erzurum becomes a battleground, some troops might bypass it and attack Ottoman lands.’

Trabzon has Bayburt in between, so it can minimize the damage, but Lazistan could be attacked directly.

They had to bear that risk, so what was two hundred men less?

“The departure will be in Gümüşhane in a month, so please don’t be late.”

“Then we will see you then.”

A month is a tight preparation period for war, not a trip, but anyone with the title of Pasha would know the atmosphere.

They would have already completed the basic preparations for supplies and troop mobilization, and they could gather in Gümüşhane within a week if they wanted to.

In fact, the month-long period was not prepared for them.

It was for the Circassians.

A week after the meeting with the two Sanjakbeys, about ten ships arrived in Trabzon.

They were ships sent to carry the Circassian troops, and Yusuf chuckled at the familiar face.

“Asker, you acted like you would never come back, but here we meet again?”

Asker, the leader of the Circassian Five, smiled lightly and replied.

“It is an honor to see you again. There are not many who can speak the language of the Empire, so I had no choice. The others will be following with the subsequent troops.”

“Everyone has been very successful.”

Being in charge of translation meant sticking close to the commander, so success was indeed success. Behind Asker, who was modestly yielding, a large man walked forward.

The man greeted in a difficult-to-understand language, and Asker immediately translated.

“This is Ivan of Kabardia.”

“Nice to meet you, I am Yusuf.”

Yusuf looked at the man with interest at the mention of Kabardia [a region in the North Caucasus].

“A descendant of the great Inal.”

The man’s expression immediately changed at Yusuf’s words.

Decades ago, a remarkable ruler named Inal emerged in Circassia, uniting the Circassians and establishing the Principality of Kabardia.

Of course, it was divided again after his death, but Inal was almost a divine figure to the Circassians.

So much so that they named mountains, passes, and streams throughout Circassia after Inal, and when a major event like a war broke out, they united under Inal’s name.

‘In short, it’s like the president of another country praising King Sejong the Great [a revered Korean monarch] as a great king.’

Sometimes, a single word is better than hosting a hundred banquets.

Ivan, bursting into a cheerful laugh, immediately responded.

“That’s right. You know well, as they say we share the same blood.”

Look at this.

The overflowing affection in his eyes made it seem like they were long-lost brothers who had been separated in childhood.

“I know a little. More importantly, how many troops are coming?”

“The people who came now are the advance team. The total force is a thousand infantry and five hundred cavalry.”

Sending 1,500 troops to a foreign war, not to defend their own country, was a significant contribution.

‘They must be planning to establish a firm connection with the Ottomans this time. Well, there aren’t many alternatives right now.’

The only countries around are fragmented Georgia and nomadic tribes that see Circassia as a delicious loot.

Whatever the reason, it was a good thing.

“I hope this will deepen the relationship between the Empire and you.”

Yusuf was sincere, as Circassia could be a source of strength for him.

The final piece, Circassia, had completed its joining.

***

Before leaving Trabzon Castle, I received fairly calm greetings from Fatima and Aisha.

They told me not to overdo it and be careful, which made it sound like I was going on an overseas business trip rather than to war.

Listening to these greetings, I could feel anew that this was the first and beginning of war.

‘That’s what an Ottoman prince is.’

To seize the Sultan’s throne, he had to achieve military exploits and kill his brothers, so he was destined to live a life of war and battle.

I could now accept this well enough, and Yusuf led his soldiers toward Gümüşhane.

Gümüşhane is one of the Kazas [administrative divisions] of Trabzon, meaning the house of silver, because there is a silver mine nearby.

‘Speaking of silver mines, I am reminded of the cupellation process [a refining process in metallurgy].’

It is a method of extracting pure silver from lead-containing silver ore by using the difference in melting points of silver and lead.

It was created in Joseon [ancient Korean kingdom] in the early 16th century, but Joseon, the suzerain state, did not use it properly. Japan, which received the technology, became the world’s third-largest silver producer.

It is an innovative technology in a situation where most countries use primitive methods of burning ore and picking out silver.

‘There’s not much place to use it right now.’

There is no huge silver mine, and with the war right around the corner, I don’t have the mental capacity to worry about it here.

It is a suitable technology to use later when I become Sultan and grow the monetary economy.

Yusuf looked around at the assembled troops on the hill.

Eighteen hundred Sipahi from Kenik and Lazistan and fifteen hundred troops from Circassia.

With the addition of two thousand cavalry gathered from Trabzon, there were as many as 5,300 elite troops.

‘And that’s not the end of it.’

The Ottoman military system has infantry called Azabs [irregular soldiers], which means young men.

In the border regions, one man from every 20 to 30 households had to support the Azabs, and the remaining men had to provide economic support.

As irregulars, they were infantry who used various weapons, from polearms with various blades attached to long poles, to maces, bows, and curved swords. There were about two thousand of these Azabs.

“It’s magnificent.”

With over seven thousand troops, they formed a huge village with the yurts [portable tents] they set up.

Yurt is a Turkish word for a portable dwelling used by nomads, similar to the Mongolian ger, and in Europe, gers are called yurts.

Anyway, among these gathered, the five hundred cavalry armed with quilted armor bestowed by the Sultan and spears as long as those used by pole vaulters stood out.

Yusuf fiddled with the matchlock in his hand.

‘The Sultan is more fond of me than I thought. Seeing that he’s even giving me this.’

Hungary had already used it in large quantities, so it was not strange that the Ottomans, who were deeply interested in the introduction of gunpowder weapons, had it.

The meaning of giving himself two guns, including spares, was important.

‘He probably means not to die holding a sword in front.’

He even gave me gunpowder, but he probably doesn’t expect me to act like a sniper with a body that can’t even handle the recoil properly.

The Sultan doesn’t even make a tomb for his son when he dies, so this was quite a surprising expression of affection.

‘Well, it could also mean to commit suicide neatly with this if I’m about to get caught.’

Because it’s the Ottomans, that’s probably more likely.

Yusuf chuckled and asked Arda, who had come to find him.

“Is everyone gathered?”

“Yes, we are just waiting for the Sanjakbeys.”

Yusuf rode his horse into the conference hall prepared inside Gümüşhane and sat at the head of the table, looking around.

Including Ivan from Circassia, the commanders, the two Sanjakbeys, and the Subashis [officers] who would command the Sipahi.

He could not feel a single point of fear from those facing war.

‘I felt it during the Burka incident, but I can’t ignore the people of this era.’

How could he ignore those who could throw away not only their families’ lives but also their own?

He felt reassured to be with such people, and Yusuf opened his mouth in a firm voice.

“You must have all heard the rumors that Ismail, who leads the Shia, is severely oppressing our Sunnis. I hereby declare a jihad [holy war] to save our religious brethren.”

Jihad, which means struggle, is a word that includes various meanings, but in this case, it corresponded to a holy war.

Everyone nodded heavily at Yusuf’s declaration.

The rumors coming through the refugees were that serious.

“We will meet the enemy in Erzurum, achieve victory, and prove that Allah’s will is with us.”

“Then how will you take Bayburt and Erzurum?”

Yusuf replied as if he were asking something obvious.

“They are all brothers of the same faith, so shouldn’t we try to resolve it through dialogue first?”

***

-If you do not open the gates immediately and respond to dialogue, Allah’s stern judgment will befall Bayburt!

-The lord must come out immediately and greet his brothers in faith!

Yusuf nodded as he watched the thousands of troops besieging Bayburt and those attempting to converse in loud voices.

“As expected, civilized people should resolve things through dialogue.”