Became The Sultan Of The Ottoman Empire [EN]: Chapter 98

The End of the Foolish (3)

Osman had captured Ardahan. It wouldn’t have been surprising if only this news had been delivered.

Artvin, Şavşat, Ardahan.

These three cities fell without putting up a proper fight to buy time, but no one expected them to halt Osman’s advance anyway.

The capitals of the three kingdoms and five principalities that constituted Georgia couldn’t guarantee how long they could withstand Osman either.

There was no way cities mostly defended by conscripted soldiers, used just to fill the ranks, could hold out, and everyone expected them to fall.

However, no one ever dreamed they would fall in this way.

“A revolt. Are you saying it was captured by a revolt?”

Alexander, the king of the Kakheti Kingdom, the easternmost of the Georgian nations, wore a serious expression.

He was an old hand, having ruled the kingdom for 50 years, including the period when he was appointed as co-ruler, and the wrinkles around his eyes deepened with concern.

“The new master of the empire is radical. Terribly radical. Is it because he is still full of youthful vigor?”

“Does Father see the revolt as a trick of the empire as well?”

To his second son, Demetre’s question, Alexander answered without hesitation.

“Of course. I should have noticed from the moment the strange rumors started spreading.”

Alexander squeezed his dim eyes shut.

No, perhaps he had anticipated it in his head, but he had simply been turning a blind eye to reality.

For a long time, ominous rumors had been circulating within Georgia, such as, ‘Osman invaded because of the wrong choices of the nobles,’ and ‘If only the nobles die, we can live.’

The rumors spread uncontrollably quickly and became openly talked about among the people trembling with anxiety.

‘The ruthless looting must have been to incite fear in the people.’

Looting that turns a city into ruins is an inefficient act for an occupying army.

Losing a land to govern is a loss in the long run, and slowing down the advance is also a loss when you think about it.

He thought it wasn’t enough to cause a revolt to this extent, but the important thing was that it actually happened, even if he didn’t know the exact reason.

Now, the countries within Georgia had to worry not only about the Ottoman army but also about revolts.

As a heavy sigh escaped his white beard, an angry voice echoed through the grand hall.

“That’s why I told you! There’s no good to be had from getting involved with those Kartli bastards!”

“George, don’t talk nonsense.”

Alexander sternly spoke to his firstborn, George, who was shouting while mentioning the Kingdom of Kartli, one of the three kingdoms of Georgia.

However, George, who was usually full of complaints, spoke strongly despite his father’s criticism.

“Was the peace that Father always talked about something that would make the kingdom more dangerous?!”

“Watch your tongue.”

Alexander worked hard to maintain peace, and that included with their rival, the Kingdom of Kartli.

Unlike his father, who loved peace, George, who always advocated for war with Kartli, sharply pressed his father.

“Instead of weakly aligning ourselves with other kingdoms and principalities, we should have sided with Osman as much as possible.”

“Don’t forget, we border the Safavids, not Osman.”

That was why they couldn’t carelessly offend the Safavids [a Persian dynasty and major rival of the Ottomans].

If they had sided with Osman and suppressed the Safavids’ schemes, they would have been retaliated against by the Safavids.

Considering the regional situation where it was not easy to receive support from Osman, it was an unavoidable decision.

“What is that great Safavid doing now? Aren’t they just burying their tails like dogs?!”

“That’s just a result-oriented argument.”

“I guess it means that Father made a big mistake as a result.”

George, who had harshly cornered his father, turned around and left the grand hall.

George wore a cold sneer beneath his angry face.

“Father is too old.”

George, who was 19 years younger than his father Alexander, was already approaching fifty.

He couldn’t be sure when he would take over the throne, and his father’s gaze towards his younger brother Demetre was also unusual.

George, who was always full of ambition, had no intention of simply watching the throne pass into his brother’s hands.

‘If you don’t come down, I’ll have to drag you down myself. Osman’s invasion and the revolt—it’s all for the better.’

Because it would give him a justification to oust his father.

According to the original history, he would kill his father and blind his brother next year.

The man with the nickname of the devilish George moved.

***

Even when they first started the revolt and captured the nobles, an uneasy feeling lingered in Ardahan.

Like the mind of a criminal who has committed an accidental crime, once they had done the deed, they worried about whether it was really okay to do this.

They feared that Osman would loot despite their surrender.

However, contrary to their worries, peace came to Ardahan.

The Ottoman army that entered Ardahan disarmed the surrendered soldiers and first resolved the issue of the refugees crowding the castle.

“Those who have fled, return to your villages!”

“Re-really?”

People asked with brightened faces at the Ottoman army’s cry.

They had fled with the desire to live, but the life of a refugee, where it was difficult to even drink a sip of water properly, was very difficult.

“Even if you return to your villages, no harm will come to you!”

“Take the necessary food with you when you go. It is the Padishah’s [Ottoman ruler’s] mercy.”

Those who had been worried about making a living for a while were moved by the soldier’s words.

Until now, no one had ever taken care of them like this.

The people who left with enough food to eat for a while praised the Sultan’s grace as they departed, and Yusuf looked down at Ardahan, where most of the refugees had already left.

“They take the food of those who were their neighbors until yesterday and praise me. Isn’t it funny?”

“Isn’t it that what’s important to them is having food to eat tomorrow?”

Yusuf nodded at Şemsi’s reply.

“Yes, they are not greedy.”

It is an era where the problem is not relative poverty, wanting to live better than others, but absolute poverty, where food, clothing, and shelter itself are not resolved.

Most of them would be satisfied if they didn’t have to worry about making a living, and their thoughts were evident in the way they left.

‘The problem always arises because of the greed of power holders like me.’

Yusuf was also a human, and he wasn’t so devoid of humanity that he enjoyed watching the massacre in Artvin.

He simply thought of it as a necessary task even if it wasn’t enjoyable, and he had no intention of trying to avoid that responsibility.

If he had decided to be greedy, he couldn’t look back.

“The rumors must have spread quickly, right?”

“Georgia is small compared to the empire. Soon, all of Georgia will know of the Padishah’s mercy.”

The power holders with quick access to information would have already heard the news of the revolt in Artvin, but it would take time for the story to spread even to the people.

The power holders would try their best to block this news, but the spies who had infiltrated all over Georgia while the Sipahi [Ottoman cavalry] were gathering would quickly spread this news.

“Like a cartwheel that has started to roll is easy to roll. Everything is difficult at first. Isn’t it?”

“Yes, now that the difficult beginning has been resolved, there are also things to worry about. The current experience may become a great danger in the future.”

Yusuf smiled at Şemsi’s answer.

It was quite a surprising thought considering that many power holders in this era did not fear the countless people laid beneath them.

“That’s not wrong. I doubt anyone would dare to dream vain dreams in my era, but if an incompetent descendant succeeds me someday, they might revolt. Is that what you’re worried about?”

“Yes. The blood of the great Padishah will someday thin.”

Yusuf’s children, Mehmed and Murat, are both excellent talents, but it is unknown how far the characteristic of being an excellent bloodline will continue.

As all kingdoms have done so far, an incompetent person may someday ascend to the Sultan’s throne.

Yusuf raised one corner of his mouth at Şemsi’s worry.

“If he’s so incompetent that he gets stabbed by the people, shouldn’t he just die like that?”

“Padishah?!”

Şemsi had a surprised look on his face at those words, and Yusuf lightly tapped his shoulder, surprised enough to lose his usual expressionless face.

“What are you so surprised about? If the dynasty declines to the point where we have to raise such a moron as the master of the empire, there’s no need to continue that pathetic breath.”

It’s not just empty words.

If he was going to worry about what would happen to the dynasty in the future, he wouldn’t even think about expanding public education through the education of orphans.

It’s true that the more foolish the people are, the easier it is for the rulers to maintain power.

‘Based on this experience, a civil revolution may occur after a long time. My descendants may have their heads cut off on the guillotine like Louis XVI.’

If his descendants die like that, Yusuf had no intention of recognizing such a moron as his descendant.

Even Louis XVI lived for several years after the revolution broke out, and he had plenty of opportunities to maintain his life, let alone maintain his power.

The last emperor of the Russian Empire, Nicholas II, also clearly had a last chance to prevent his family from being massacred.

There’s no need to worry about descendants who can’t even seize such opportunities and die.

Şemsi had a dizzying experience at Yusuf’s firm words.

“…Padishah.”

“Enough. We’re not going to live forever, and there’s no need to live in the present while worrying about distant descendants, don’t you think?”

Perhaps it was because of the Ottoman-style succession to the throne, which considered it okay for incompetent children to lose their lives, but Yusuf sincerely thought so.

Yusuf, as if to say let’s stop with the boring stories, waved his hand and said to Şemsi.

“Anyway, the important thing is that the revolt has occurred, and Georgia is divided.”

Even if another revolt doesn’t occur, the nobles will not be able to trust the people and soldiers recklessly.

With a difficult enemy right in front of them even if they unite and resist, if their rear is itching, there’s no need to think about the result.

“In fact, Georgia has already been virtually captured.”

“I think so too. From now on, it’s really just a matter of time.”

Yusuf, who had erased Georgia’s faith and made them distrust each other, laughed as if it was fun and said.

“It’s truly pitiful to see them struggling to hold on at the edge of a cliff. I’ll have to step on their hands so they don’t continue their futile efforts. Şemsi Pasha.”

“Yes, Padishah!”

“Inform the Sipahi. It’s time to rampage.”

He no longer wanted to drag out the time while dealing with just Georgia.

It was time to slowly unleash the reins of the forty thousand Sipahi.

Şemsi, who was receiving Yusuf’s instructions, asked one thing he needed to confirm.

“Padishah, what should we do with the nobles who surrender?”

If they conquer the land of Georgia at a tremendous speed unlike before, there will surely be those who surrender.

‘In addition, there will surely be those who try to seize power by taking advantage of the chaotic situation.’

The existing power holders have committed tremendous mistakes, and the situation is very chaotic.

It’s a great situation for a coup to occur, and there will surely be those who seize new power.

Yusuf twisted his lips at Şemsi’s question.

“Do we need to pick up and raise even stray dogs?”

They may lick our hands and wag their tails for now, but the nobles of Georgia are those who can change who they serve at any time, just like this time.

That’s what the past history was like, and that’s what the original history was like.

“Then what do you want us to do?”

“There are no changes to the plan. Erase all those called nobles in Georgia.”

“I will obey your command.”

Along with Yusuf’s command, the shackles that had been tied were released.

The Sipahi, divided into groups of ten thousand, began to devour Georgia.