Became The Sultan Of The Ottoman Empire [EN]: Chapter 89

Rising Beacon Fires (3)

Ismail gazed at Trabzon Castle.

Trabzon was so prosperous that he briefly forgot his purpose and coveted it, and the culmination of that was the castle before his eyes.

The walls stretched from the hill down to the sea, encompassing the harbor. The enemy soldiers lining the thick walls appeared tense, but not fearful.

‘An excellent castle. It won’t be easy.’

It was a well-defended castle, so much so that even he, a conqueror of many castles, acknowledged its strength.

As he contemplated this, several ships approached the coast, and Ismail went to meet them.

The ships docked at the pier used by ordinary fishermen. A middle-aged man stepped onto land, escorted by soldiers visibly nervous amidst the surrounding Kizilbash [a militant Sufi religious order].

“I am Sargis of the Samtskhe Principality, here to see Shah Ismail, the ruler of the Safavid Kingdom.”

Ismail nodded at Sargis, who greeted him with a stiff face.

“Enough with the formalities. You’ve besieged the port without delay, I presume?”

“You don’t have to worry. We have been monitoring the ships leaving the port since before the siege of Trabzon, and no suspicious ships have left.”

“Are you sure?”

The question, implying doubt, stung Sargis, who replied in a rigid tone.

“This battle determines the fate of our principality. Please do not think we approach it with any less seriousness than the Safavid Kingdom.”

“How dare you disrespect the Shah! Do you wish to die!”

At Sargis’s words, the Kizilbash grabbed their swords and growled. Ismail waved his hand, dismissing the menacing atmosphere.

This operation was impossible without Samtskhe’s help, so there was no need for unnecessary conflict.

“You’re not wrong. We are in the same boat.”

“…That is correct.”

From the beginning, Samtskhe had no choice. More precisely, Kvarkvare [the ruler of Samtskhe] had no choice but to side with the Safavids.

Time waits for no one, and Kvarkvare knew Mzechabuk’s [Kvarkvare’s predecessor] power wouldn’t last forever.

However, he had to act decisively because he wasn’t the only one anticipating Mzechabuk’s death.

Sargis sighed inwardly, realizing his country had embarked on a dangerous path.

‘If only Manuchar weren’t there, we wouldn’t have betrayed the Ottomans.’

Manuchar was another of Kvarkvare’s uncles and the instigator of this affair.

He was a pro-Ottoman figure who led the army in the Ottoman succession war on behalf of the regent and puppet, openly vying for Mzechabuk’s position.

The Ottomans would obviously choose Manuchar, who seemed willing to give everything, rather than Kvarkvare, who would likely harbor resentment while being a puppet.

‘So much so that he beheaded Manuchar as soon as he seized power.’

That showed how much fear he felt.

Whatever the reason, having crossed the point of no return with the Ottomans, this battle was crucial for survival.

He had to achieve his goal, even at the cost of his life. Ismail briefly acknowledged the determination in Sargis’s eyes.

“Good eyes. The same eyes as the Kizilbash.”

To be compared to the Kizilbash, who had overcome countless hardships, was high praise from Ismail.

“Don’t worry. I didn’t come here lightly either.”

The advance from Tabriz to Trabzon in such a short time was no ordinary feat. It wasn’t just about the cavalry’s fatigue.

To maintain speed, he couldn’t lead a supply unit and had to rely on supplies from the cities they passed through.

This was only possible with smooth supply lines from each city, and only Shah Ismail could ensure that in Safavid.

He was also the only one who could lead the wild Kizilbash on a forced march.

The fact that Ismail himself had stepped forward underscored the importance of this matter.

“This is the only chance to stop the new Ottoman Sultan. Don’t you agree?”

“That is correct. He is a fearsome man.”

“Fearsome… I’m not sure if that’s the right word.”

Ismail agreed, surprised to hear himself utter such hesitant words.

It hadn’t even been ten years since the name Yusuf became known, but now that name alone made everyone nervous.

The West, which had been flaunting its authority by denouncing heretics and infidels, hurriedly sought cooperation, and the Mamluks, branding Yusuf a heretic, kept silent to prevent rumors from spreading.

No Ottoman Sultan in history had ever inspired such widespread apprehension. Everyone realized that if they didn’t restrain this monster now, he might devour them all.

“There’s no need to be afraid. All we need is time.”

All they had to do was sway the Mamluks, who were worried about the Ottomans’ growth but hesitant to act, and endure until the chaos in the West subsided.

When everyone turned against the Ottomans, they would be free from this fear.

So, they had to capture the hostages to buy time.

“Sargis, are all the supplies ready?”

“Of course. Not only Samtskhe but also other countries will provide supplies.”

As Samtskhe betrayed them, the movement to unite some Georgian kingdoms was exposed, and they turned to the Safavids.

With their support, there was no need to worry about supply issues.

After forgoing supplies to advance quickly, they received the necessary provisions through Samtskhe, which controlled the coast.

So far, everything was going according to plan.

“Shayish, have you returned?”

While conversing with Sargis, the subordinate who had been temporarily away bowed deeply.

“What happened?”

“It was completely destroyed when we arrived. It seems difficult to confirm the manufacturing method of cement or the research that took place there.”

Ismail nonchalantly acknowledged the news that the place they had tried to infiltrate spies had been reduced to ruins.

“It’s okay. After all, those who know the method are hiding inside. We just need to get over that wall.”

The hostages to buy time and the technologies Yusuf was hiding were all inside that wall.

That was another reason to overcome it.

“Prepare for the siege.”

The Shah’s order was given.

***

“When the Padishah [Ottoman Sultan] comes, I will tear those Samtskhe bastards apart.”

Arda declared angrily, and the Sipahi [Ottoman cavalry soldiers] with stiff faces agreed.

They were furious at having to watch the siege equipment being supplied through Samtskhe’s supply lines.

“Sanjakbey [governor of a district], the cement blocking the gate is almost hardened.”

Hassan, who climbed up the wall, wiping away sweat, said roughly.

Since there was no need to open the gate until the Sultan’s reinforcements arrived, they completely blocked it with stones and cement.

It was a desperate move to hold out as long as possible.

“Thank you for your hard work, Hassan.”

“There’s no need to be so polite!”

Hassan waved his hand at Arda’s polite reply.

The difference in status between Hassan, recently freed from slavery, and Arda, who had even received the title of Pasha [high-ranking official], was enormous.

“Hassan is the Padishah’s man, so there is a need to be polite. You may receive a proper position when you return to the capital.”

“Would it be higher than Sanjakbey?”

“That’s also something we don’t know. The Padishah is not one to take merit lightly.”

He played a role in the production of cement, gunpowder, and guns, and was now in charge of researching saltpeter fields.

The task he was assigned was by no means light, which was why Arda’s words were not empty flattery.

Looking at the enemy’s catapults being completed one by one, Arda said firmly.

“Thank you for your help so far. Now, please evacuate to a safe place.”

“It’s more dangerous to turn back without fighting before the battle even starts.”

“Hahaha, you’re still living under her thumb.”

Arda and those around him burst into laughter.

Everyone knew that Hassan was completely under Nene’s control.

“What can I do? I have sins to atone for. She said she would kill me herself if this place falls because I know too many secrets.”

“Those are her kind of words. Aren’t you upset?”

To hear directly that she would kill him to keep the secrets might be upsetting, no matter how justified the decision was.

“It’s okay. I knew she was that kind of woman. Instead, I said I would die after her, so I should take comfort in that.”

Arda spoke firmly to Hassan, who was laughing heartily.

“Don’t worry. That won’t happen. I will hold out, even at the cost of my life. And now, please return to a safe castle.”

With the sound of drums, the catapults that had finished assembling slowly moved forward.

It was the moment to announce the start of the full-scale siege, and the soldiers who grabbed their weapons let out heavy breaths mixed with tension.

“From now on, it’s our time.”

Arda turned and shouted loudly.

“Prepare the catapults!”

-Attack! Attack!

Along with the rushing advance of the enemy, the catapults inside Trabzon Castle hurled stones.

The full-scale siege began.

***

The betrayal of Samtskhe and the attack of the Safavids quickly became known.

Thanks to the rapid news sent from Trabzon, the information quickly reached Cherkess [Circassia], which was closer to the capital.

“How many troops can you mobilize immediately?”

“Even if we gather everything, it’s only 6,000.”

Even 6,000 was possible because Cherkess, divided into several tribes, had recently united under the Ottoman Empire’s influence.

It wasn’t easy to maintain a standing army in Cherkess, a tribal society rather than a unified kingdom.

“Then we must send even those troops as support.”

“What help can a mere 6,000 be! Even Trabzon told us not to send reinforcements!”

Trabzon needed every person for defense, but since they were completely surrounded and reinforcements couldn’t enter, they sent a message to that effect.

6,000 wasn’t a small number, but there were as many as 30,000 Kizilbash who had overwhelmed enemies several times their number with only 7,000.

It was a difference in power that would lead to annihilation without being able to hold out for long, and Ivan agreed.

“I know that. But we must provide support.”

“Even if Ayşe Hatun [a revered figure in Cherkess] is there, that’s nonsense!”

Just as Yusuf was treated as a prophet in the Ottoman Empire, Ayşe was revered as a saint in Cherkess.

However, no matter how much they wanted to save Ayşe, they couldn’t waste 6,000 troops meaninglessly.

“It’s not just because of Ayşe Hatun. Now is our chance. I believe you haven’t forgotten how much has changed since we received the protection of the Ottomans.”

“That is…”

The shadow of the cruel plunderer, the Crimean Khanate, was also fading, and the Astrakhan Khanate, which had newly taken its place, rarely attacked because it was mindful of the Ottomans.

Cherkess was experiencing its most peaceful period in decades.

“It’s a chance to receive more favor from the Padishah. He is not one to be shaken by this level of danger.”

“So, you mean to waste 6,000 troops in vain?”

At that point, Ivan smirked.

“You are mistaken about one thing. We are not going to Trabzon.”

“Then where do you intend to go?”

“I’m thinking of attacking the port of Samtskhe. How about it? Wouldn’t that be doable?”