Became The Sultan Of The Ottoman Empire [EN]: Chapter 52

Ismail and the Princes (4)

Occupying Erzincan was an easy task for Yusuf.

Unlike Erzurum, which had long served as a fortress, Erzincan was just an ordinary frontier city.

It was surprising that it even chose to resist, considering it didn’t even have proper walls.

Of course, it couldn’t even last two days.

-Krrrrrr

The walls, which had been battered by catapults dozens of times, collapsed helplessly, and the soldiers climbing the walls on ladders surged through the breaches.

Looking at the scene from horseback, Yusuf clicked his tongue lightly and said to Arda,

“It’s a shame we couldn’t occupy it as easily as last time. The soldiers are quite injured.”

Although it was relatively easy to occupy, a siege is still a siege.

Injuries were inevitable.

“It’s unreasonable to expect the same luck as before. And the responsibility for the losses can be placed on Erzincan.”

Unlike Erzurum, it wasn’t a land they could keep occupying anyway.

There was no need to worry about public sentiment and be cautious.

“More importantly, is everything ready for departure?”

The Sipahis [Ottoman cavalrymen], being cavalry, had no place to play an active role in the siege, and they were all in good condition.

Arda nodded at the question while gripping the reins.

“Yes, we can leave for Diyarbakir immediately.”

Diyarbakir was a city about 200km south of Erzincan.

Historically, it dated back to the Stone Age and was a key city in Mesopotamia during ancient Roman times.

‘The most important thing is that it’s on the way for Ismail returning from Dulkadir.’

Of course, it was impossible to occupy it with the current forces, but they could certainly pillage the surrounding areas.

“Then let’s leave quickly. We’ll be able to arrive before the news of our invasion reaches them.”

The horsemanship skills he had learned using his unique ability were now so good that he could be considered a nomad, and he could cover 200km in 5 days.

Now, before they heard the news of the occupation of Erzincan and strengthened their defenses, was the only chance to pillage the area around Diyarbakir, and he had no intention of missing this opportunity.

Yusuf, turning his horse south with 4,000 Sipahis, wore a mischievous smile.

“Ismail might collapse in shock when he returns.”

It would be a good experience for him to realize that if you play with fire in someone else’s house, your own house can also burn down.

Lessons learned are always long-lasting when they are painful.

***

Yusuf, born when the current Sultan Bayezid II was over forty, was a complete late bloomer.

When Yusuf was born, Ahmed, the oldest, was in his mid-twenties.

The only one who could be said to have spent his childhood with Yusuf was Alemshah, who had already passed away, and even he had only been with Yusuf for a short time when he was a baby.

Instead, the princes other than Yusuf were not much different in age and had many memories together.

Of course, they were never good memories.

“Come to think of it, I once had a terrible stomachache after eating food that Ahmed *hyung* [older brother or respected male figure] gave me.”

“Did that happen? It was so long ago that I don’t remember well.”

Selim smiled at Ahmed’s nonchalant reply.

“You may not remember. But I certainly remember, as I almost died of dehydration.”

Korkut frowned at Selim’s reproachful words.

He didn’t know what would happen in the future, but for now, he was in a position to help Ahmed, and he had something to say.

“Selim, anyone would think you did it on purpose. If you’re going to be like that, isn’t it a bigger deal that you pushed me down the stairs?”

“Are you talking about the time I tripped and fell? I remember falling together at that time.”

“You pinned me down.”

Korkut growled, stroking the scar on his arm from that day, and Mahmud, tired of the stagnant meeting, asked irritably.

“Selim *hyung*, why are you bringing up old things now?”

“We don’t trust each other anyway, so let’s end this meaningless power struggle.”

The commander-in-chief was the owner of Dulkadir, Bozkurt Bey, who had the most troops, but it was practically just a title.

From the perspective of the princes, who were united in the idea that they would not listen to someone weaker than themselves, he didn’t meet the standard.

However, the distrust between them was too deep for one of the princes to take the lead.

“As you all know, we don’t have much time left. Winter will be here soon.”

“I heard it’s not that cold here even in winter?”

Maras had a Mediterranean climate that was cool in winter, and Selim scoffed at Korkut’s remark.

“That may be the case here, but Elbistan, which the enemy occupies, is cold in winter. Isn’t that so?”

“That’s true. Unlike here, it snows there in winter.”

Bozkurt agreed with Selim’s question.

It was a distance that could be reached on foot in less than a week, but the temperature difference was quite significant.

“When winter starts in earnest, the enemies will return to Elbistan. There’s no reason to suffer in the field. Then are we going to lay siege to Elbistan then?”

The princes, who had received the best education of this era, knew well how foolish it was to wage a siege in winter.

If winter ended without any gains and spring came, the Sultan would summon the army, and they would be ridiculed for rushing over and wasting time.

Ahmed, tapping the table with his hand, pondered for a moment and came to a conclusion.

“Then we need to revise our strategy.”

The initial plan was to fight a battle in the plains, but in a state where they didn’t work well together and the command was not unified, there was a high possibility of suffering a crushing defeat.

A battle was good for gaining merit, but there was no need to take risks.

“Each unit will be operated autonomously, and we should avoid all-out war as much as possible while preventing the enemy from looting. We have no choice but to give up villages that don’t have proper walls.”

“Good. Now you’re making sense.”

Selim smiled and got up from his seat.

“Since a decision has been made, I’ll go prepare for departure.”

Selim, who left the conference room with a smiling face, entered his room, which was tightly guarded by his subordinates.

Selim, his face hardened as if he had never been smiling, turned to the subordinate who had followed him in.

“Oktar.”

“Yes, speak.”

“You haven’t forgotten our plan, have you? Any number of troops can be sacrificed.”

Unlike the other princes, who had to minimize troop losses to prepare for the future, he was different.

His main force was the support troops he would receive from the Crimean Khanate.

‘If I move to the Crimean Khanate, I won’t be able to use the soldiers from Teke, who are far away.’

For Selim, who was thinking of moving to the Crimean Khanate and starting a rebellion, the soldiers from Teke were people who could be sacrificed as much as possible.

“There’s no need to try to achieve great feats.”

Since he had gained the support of the military with his previous remarks, there was no need to covet great achievements.

As long as he didn’t suffer a ridiculous defeat, his position would not be greatly shaken.

There was only one thing Selim wanted in this war.

“Three have died, and there are still five brothers left. That’s still too many. We need to reduce that number a little more.”

Selim smiled cruelly.

***

After the conqueror Mehmed II captured Constantinople at the age of 21 and built the Topkapi Palace, it became a symbol of power.

Bayezid, who once felt he had everything in the world by occupying this place, raised his glass.

“Grand Vizier [chief minister], isn’t the world a funny place?”

Ahmed Pasha, who had sent a *hatt-i sharif* [imperial decree] to Yusuf, had stepped down from his position last year, and Hadim Ali Pasha, who had taken the position of Grand Vizier again, bowed his head silently.

Even the Grand Vizier, who had been with him for a long time as a eunuch, had never seen him drink alcohol, as he was a devout and pious Muslim, so he was called the Just Bayezid.

Bayezid simply burst into laughter at Ali, who was weighed down by the heavy atmosphere.

“There’s no need to be so nervous. It’s just a light question. One of the people who taught me when I was young once said this: When a cow falls, there are many knives.”

It meant that when you’re on a downward path, people gather to tear at your flesh.

The Grand Vizier exclaimed in astonishment at Bayezid’s words.

“How can you say such a terrible thing?!”

“I was just joking because you looked so grim.”

He burst into laughter, but it wasn’t entirely empty words.

Bayezid, shaking his glass with a slightly flushed face, continued.

“I’m just reminded of old times. Seeing that my sons don’t listen to me at all.”

Selim, who had directly rebelled, and the three who had joined Dulkadir were all opposed to his judgment.

Yusuf was better than these four, but he left words that were no different from a unilateral notice and launched an offensive against the Safavids.

“At least Prince Shehinshah is staying still, isn’t he?”

“Hmph, don’t even mention that idiot who doesn’t even know who’s attached to him.”

“Surely he knows? He’s just watching to use them.”

“Even so, he’s no different from the others since he’s attached to the Turkmens.”

In Bayezid’s eyes, they were all the same.

Seeing things turn out this way reminded him of what he had done to his father, Mehmed II, in the past.

“My father hated me too. Well, I guess it’s understandable. I opposed him on everything.”

“It’s not the Padishah’s [Ottoman ruler’s] fault. The Conqueror started wars too often, and the internal finances were in ruins.”

Mehmed II started wars almost every year, and financial deterioration became extreme in his later years.

Even if it wasn’t a financial problem, there was an unbridgeable conflict between him, who liked Western culture, and Bayezid, who valued Islamic culture.

“My father was better off. At least Jem followed my father well.”

“Still, it is the Padishah who became the master of the empire.”

“And I came to this position with the help of the Janissaries [elite Ottoman infantry].”

The Janissaries, who supported Bayezid, rebelled when Mehmed II died, killed the Grand Vizier, and appointed Korkut, who was in the capital, as the temporary Padishah.

Without this help, his brother Jem could have become Sultan.

“Isn’t it funny? The one who came to this position with the help of the military later had his position threatened by the military.”

“…If you give the order, I will execute all the disloyal people.”

Bayezid shook his head at the Grand Vizier’s words.

“How can you claim to be the master of the empire if you can’t even control this much discontent? If they realize that the time has not yet come, the discontent will naturally subside.”

He was still too young to let go of power.

‘I don’t want to end up being poisoned by my son like my father.’

Bayezid, who had assassinated Mehmed through the discontented forces, smiled coldly.

As a cold chill flowed through the room, the voice of the eunuch waiting outside was heard.

-Padishah, urgent news.

“Come in.”

At his permission, the eunuch entered and said, paying his respects.

“Prince Mahmud has been killed in battle with Shah Ismail.”

The six princes had been reduced to five.