Became The Sultan Of The Ottoman Empire [EN]: Chapter 8

#8. The Sultan’s Test (1)

Not a single day has been peaceful since I became Yusuf.

On the first day, poison was served before breakfast, and after that, I was almost stabbed, even though I intentionally provoked it.

Fortunately, things went according to plan, so I tricked the Sultan while shouting Allahu Akbar [God is the greatest]. Just when I thought I could finally take a breather, a traitor almost sent me to meet Allah instead of becoming a Sanjakbey [governor of a district].

All of this happened in just four days. At this point, I deserve recognition for wrestling with fate.

‘What would have happened without Lady Luck?’

There’s a reason why Zhuge Liang [a famous strategist] chanted, ‘Devote yourself to human affairs and await the mandate of heaven.’

No matter how hard a person tries, they’re doomed if heaven (luck) doesn’t favor them. Luckily, luck was on my side, and I overcame the crisis well.

However, I don’t plan to rely on luck in the future.

Misfortune comes to those who are intoxicated with luck.

‘There’s a reason why law school at NYU says the bankruptcy rate for lottery winners is 1/3.’

Lottery winners go bankrupt, but I’m in a situation where I’ll die if I make a mistake, so I need to stay sharp.

What I should hope for with a luck stat of 10 isn’t success through luck, but that my perfect plan doesn’t fail due to bad luck.

So, I had to keep moving busily.

Hassan, I mean.

“Hassan!!”

“Yes! Your Highness!!”

“Bring the recently acquired weaponry and grain prices here. Estimate how much prices will change if the war lasts about four years. Compare it with the fluctuations from the last war, and you should get a rough idea, right?”

“Understood!”

Watching Hassan disappear like the wind with his plump body, Yusuf let out a satisfied smile.

Hassan’s loyalty was secondary, but his abilities were useful.

His knowledge was at the level of a decent scholar, but the experience he gained from working as a merchant for over 10 years was essential for Yusuf.

‘Of course, Hassan alone isn’t enough.’

I keep mentioning my brothers’ ages and saying I’m at a disadvantage, but it’s not just because they established their power earlier.

It’s also a problem that there are countless nephews I’ve never even met because arranged marriages where children have children are the norm.

If it were just a matter of having many nephews, I’d just give them toys and say, ‘This uncle will spare your life when I become Sultan. Good, right?’ But the problem is that these nephews also have the title of Şehzade [prince] in front of their names.

‘Şehzade isn’t just a title for a prince; it specifically means someone with the right to inherit the throne.’

It’s a somewhat special case, but among the sons of Selim I, who became Sultan, Uveys’s mother was kicked out of the harem while pregnant and married another man. So, although he was a prince by blood, he was treated as illegitimate and didn’t receive the title of Şehzade.

Anyway, the conclusion is that as long as my nephews are also Şehzades, they will become Sanjakbeys and future competitors.

‘And they’ll be supported by their fathers and become strong allies, making it even more difficult.’

Even Selim I rebelled but was defeated by the Sultan. He then temporarily relied on his son Suleiman and seized the Sultan’s throne after looking for another chance.

Even if it’s not such a case, when considering who to support as the next Sultan, whether they have an heir to succeed them is also a factor.

No matter how much I rack my brain, I can’t bridge this gap.

‘I can’t just assassinate all my nephews…’

If I had that ability, I would have killed my other brothers instead of killing snot-nosed kids.

I haven’t even reached puberty, so I can’t have children, and even if I had a child now, it would be too late.

“It’s not like I only have one or two disadvantages anyway. When you think about it, only I’m having a hard time. Besides, I’m not even a Sanjakbey yet.”

It’s like worrying about running when I can’t even stand.

Yusuf, shaking off his worries, began to read the documents Hassan had left behind.

As Yusuf was concentrating, he heard a knock and a servant’s voice.

“Your Highness, there is an order from the Padishah [Ottoman Sultan] to enter the palace immediately.”

The time to determine my fate has finally come.

***

The Sultan’s palace was called Yeni Sarayı, meaning the New Palace.

This palace would later be called Topkapi Palace, combining Top (cannon) and Kapı (gate) after cannons were placed on both sides of the palace entrance.

Seeing a place that will become a tourist attraction in modern times being used as a palace is a surprisingly strange feeling.

“Clear the way!”

There’s no time to leisurely look around, though.

Of the four courtyards, the First Courtyard is accessible to ordinary people and is crowded with people because it contains the infirmary, firewood storage, and bakery.

The Janissaries [elite Ottoman soldiers], who were in charge of guarding from the courtyard, parted the crowds, allowing easy access to the Second Courtyard.

Since ordinary people are prohibited from entering the Second Courtyard, it can be said that this is the real palace. As Yusuf passed through the Gate of Salutation, the entrance, he smelled a terrible stench.

Turning his head to find the source of the smell, Yusuf saw heads placed on the marble.

“Are those my guards and the eunuch who gave the orders?”

“Yes. Is it a bit gruesome to look at?”

The Janissaries burst into laughter as they looked at the faces filled with terrible fear.

It was the first time he had seen people die, and they were people who died because of his decisions, so he felt nauseous, but Yusuf didn’t show it.

Although it was to survive, he was not taking the resolution to become Sultan lightly.

Considering the blood and corpses he would accumulate in the future, this was only a small part.

‘Instead of seeing Allah, I’ll fall into hell.’

Yusuf coldly retorted to the Janissaries, who seemed to be enjoying his reaction.

“You’re guarding while keeping those smelly things next to you. Get rid of them before they smell even worse.”

“…Understood.”

Yusuf, who didn’t show even a hint of agitation, carefully observed the Janissaries’ actions.

The Gate of Salutation originally had a well where executioners washed their hands and swords and two marble stones where the heads of the beheaded were placed.

‘Even so, it’s still a palace, so why did they leave the rotting heads as they were? Anyone would think I assassinated the Sultan.’

It was too much for an attempted assassination of a prince that wasn’t even that important.

Moreover, it wasn’t the assassin’s head but the heads of the guards who failed to guard, so there was only one thing he could guess.

‘Is this a test? How impressive.’

Showing him the people who died because of him on purpose.

Seeing the Janissaries, who only followed the Sultan’s orders, removing the beheaded heads without complaint, he became even more convinced.

It was a cruel yet very Ottoman-like test.

‘Becoming a Sanjakbey is really hard. I’m going to get traumatized.’

Unlike his inner thoughts, Yusuf calmly moved his steps.

Since he didn’t hear the Janissaries’ laughter, it could be said that he passed safely for now.

In the Second Courtyard, there is the Palace Kitchen on the right, a huge kitchen that consumes 200 sheep every day, and a building where the Divan [imperial council] is held on the left.

The Divan is a court meeting where ministers gather.

They discuss and review the empire’s political, administrative, military, customary, religious, judicial, and financial issues, complaints, and lawsuits. It can be easily thought of as the State Council of Joseon [ancient Korean kingdom].

From the Second Courtyard onwards, only people belonging to the palace were present, and those he met along the way all showed courtesy and curiosity to Yusuf.

‘Is it still curiosity? Well, it’s better than indifference.’

You can’t be full on the first try.

Changing that gaze into support was something he had to do in the future.

The Gate of Felicity, the entrance to the Third Courtyard, looked like a building with a dome-shaped roof at first glance, unlike the previous gates.

The Gate of Felicity, which only the Sultan and his closest aides could pass through, was under stricter guard than any other place before.

When Yusuf passed through the gate, he could see the beauty of the Third Courtyard, which he couldn’t see when he visited last time because it was a dark night, at a glance.

‘Is this where I’ll hold a splendid coronation or meet a miserable end?’

A prince’s life is like a moth drawn to a flame.

An old eunuch approached Yusuf, who was indulging in unnecessary sentiment.

“Your Highness, please follow me.”

The place he was guided to was the same Sultan’s residence as before, and the Sultan was not the only one inside the open door.

“I greet the Padishah.”

The Sultan gestured towards Yusuf, who was showing courtesy.

“Come closer.”

Yusuf, approaching as ordered, could see the person standing next to the Sultan in more detail.

Bayezid II was old enough to be called elderly, but the person next to him was an old man who could die at any moment.

Knowing that Yusuf was looking, the Sultan asked with a smile.

“Do you know who he is?”

“Isn’t that the Grand Vizier, Kandali Ibrahim Pasha?”

“Haha, that’s right. You saw him during the circumcision, right?”

Yusuf agreed to the Sultan’s words, who unnecessarily brought up painful memories.

Pasha (Paşa) is a title attached to high-ranking officials or high-ranking soldiers, and the Grand Vizier was the end-game of Ottoman officials.

He could be said to be the most powerful person in the current era, excluding the Sultan.

‘So what? He’s going to die within this year anyway.’

Ibrahim dies during the war with Venice, and then Mehmed Pasha, the nephew of Constantine XI, the last emperor of the Roman Empire, becomes the Grand Vizier.

That Mehmed Pasha also dies in just two years.

Grand Vizier sounds good, but they die in war, suppressing rebels, putting out fires, and if they somehow survive, they are executed by the Sultan.

It was hard to find someone who had a good ending.

“But what brings the Grand Vizier here?”

“Ibrahim said he has something to ask you.”

Yusuf, knowing that this was also a kind of test, looked at the Grand Vizier, and he stepped forward.

“You’ve changed a lot since the circumcision. The future of the empire seems bright. And thank you for letting me feel that Allah’s grace is with us.”

“You’re welcome.”

What are you trying to say, with such a long tongue?

Of course, he outwardly expressed humility, and the Grand Vizier continued.

“I heard from the Padishah that you foresaw the birth of a Shia state in the east and said you would stop them, is that right?”

“That’s right.”

“But is there an Imam [religious leader] who will become their leader?”

The biggest difference between Sunnis and Shias is that Sunnis follow the words and practices of Muhammad, while Shias follow bloodlines.

In Sunni Islam, Imams are like pastors in Protestantism, but in Shia Islam, it means someone who continues the bloodline of Muhammad.

In Iran, a Shia state, the Imam, who is also the Supreme Leader, Rahbar, has more power than the president after the Islamic Revolution.

The Grand Vizier’s point was sharp, but Yusuf answered nonchalantly.

“There’s no need for a real Imam. They can just call themselves one.”

“That doesn’t make sense…”

Yusuf interrupted the Grand Vizier rudely.

If he was pushed back by a political monster who had experienced all kinds of hardships, there would be no answer.

“Why not? I think they can do that to build a Shia empire.”

In fact, Ismail I, who founded the Safavid Empire, which will soon be born, claimed to be a descendant of the Imam, but research showed that he was from a Kurdish tribe who spoke Turkish, so it was likely just a self-proclaimed title.

Of course, I couldn’t convince them of this now.

“We’ll see later. Who’s right.”

“Understood.”

Knowing that the two would be running on parallel lines anyway, they moved on to the next topic.

“Who do you think will win the upcoming war, Your Highness? Do you think we should devote all our efforts to destroying the Shia empire that may soon be born?”

Yusuf smirked at this question.

It was ridiculous to see a human who had never even turned a globe start a world history battle.