He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 223

(223) Constantinople is Devastated

Here, a city that was the capital of the empire for fifteen hundred years.

“How can the entire empire be shaken by failing to stop a mere 30,000!”

‘Porte’ in Turkish means [Gate].

However, the term usually referring to the highest power group tends to use figurative expressions.

Here, ‘Gate’ means the gate that closes the deepest part of the palace.

Therefore, Porte is a general term referring to the Sultan, viziers, and high-ranking officials of the Ottoman Turkish Empire.

Now, this Porte was being shaken by the roar of Sultan and Padishah [Sovereign], Selim III.

In fact, it was inevitable.

Because half of the empire had disappeared in just one year.

Grand Vizier Ziyauddin stammered.

“Padishah, please calm down.”

“Calm down? Calm what down? Are the enemies in Cairo now? Or are they in Acre? Or are they in Damascus or Aleppo!”

“Konya is still far from the capital. We can defend it sufficiently.”

However, Selim III pointed and shouted at Ziyauddin.

“You should have said that before you were defeated in Damietta! You one-eyed man!”

The one-eyed Grand Vizier Ziyauddin gritted his teeth in humiliation.

However, not a single word of the Padishah, the Emperor, was wrong.

If he had achieved even a slight victory in Damietta and retreated, Ziyauddin would have become a hero.

Unfortunately, Ziyauddin not only failed to win but also lost almost his entire army.

Even the [New Army, a modernised military corps], which Selim III had painstakingly nurtured, was annihilated.

It was the last hope after the defeats against Austria and Russia.

In addition, the Janissary forces [elite infantry units] defending Rumelia were also annihilated in Konya.

All that remains is the army defending the capital.

At that moment, the only man in the room not wearing a turban spoke.

“Padishah, issue a general mobilization order throughout the empire.”

Only then did Selim III notice the man and twisted his lips.

“Ha, here is the distinguished ambassador of Great Britain.”

“Padishah, pull yourself together.”

“Your brother’s defeat led to this situation, so what are you telling me to pull myself together for, Spencer Smith!”

Selim III glared at the British Ambassador, Spencer Smith, and shouted.

“The French are pushing into this Bosphorus!”

However, instead of being afraid or backing down, Spencer Smith threw the medal he was wearing on his waist to the ground.

-Clang!

The Grand Vizier was startled by the sound of the medal hitting the floor and shouted.

“What is this? British Ambassador!”

“Since the Grand Vizier cannot calm the Padishah, shouldn’t I calm him down?”

“Even so, this is the Imperial Court!”

Before the astonished Sultan and his officials, Spencer calmly said.

“Great Padishah, descendant of Osman. Please listen to me first. [Russia] is coming now.”

The Sultan’s eyes widened.

“Russia? Why?”

“Currently, in the west, in Europe, France has declared war on the whole world. Our England is also fighting against it.”

“So you came to help us. But it seems you’ve lost everything. In Misr [Egypt] and Syria.”

Spencer responded very calmly to Selim III, who was sneering again.

“Originally, our England does not fight with its own strength alone. We always borrow the help of allies. That ally is Russia.”

It’s not just empty words or excuses.

In fact, from the 17th century to this era, England has continued to fight, changing alliances.

Even if England fights alone at sea, it has always put allied forces at the forefront on land.

The same is true even now, with France on the verge of dominating Europe.

During the war against France, Prussia and Austria were chosen as allies, and this time, Russia was chosen.

The problem is that Russia is the number one hypothetical enemy of the Ottoman Empire.

Selim III shouted at the British ambassador, the self-proclaimed ally of the Ottomans, revealing this fact.

“Russia is our enemy!”

“Then, does the empire have any other army now?”

“What?”

Spencer, like a true Englishman, was cold, calm, and mixed with black humor.

“The few [New Army] or Janissaries guarding this palace cannot defeat the French army. Unless a miracle of Allah occurs.”

Selim III, who was trembling with anger, stopped.

60,000 troops were annihilated in Konya.

It is clearly an unavoidable reality.

No matter how much he tries to ignore it, no troops are coming from anywhere.

However, the so-called [general mobilization order] that the British ambassador spoke of is impossible in the Ottoman Empire.

France was able to issue a general mobilization order in the first place because several conditions were met.

Vast population based on fertile territory, pentagon-shaped territory with convenient transportation, and voluntary enlistment of soldiers due to the inspiration of revolutionary spirit.

The Ottoman Empire has none of these conditions.

In fact, it is also an impossible system for England in this era.

However, Selim III tried to get angry but held back.

Spencer wouldn’t have said it to mock him.

“So?”

British Ambassador Spencer calmly explained.

“Once you issue the mobilization order, Russia will take responsibility for the rest. Russia has sent its best admiral and most promising general.”

“Whether they are the best or promising, that’s not the point now. Are you telling me to give up the Bosphorus Strait?”

“Or is there any chance of saving this empire?”

The Bosphorus, that is, the name of the strait that separates Constantinople and the land beyond.

By controlling this strait, the Ottoman Empire governs Rumelia and Anatolia as one.

It can also block the Black Sea occupied by Russia and control the Eastern Mediterranean.

However, the era is the end of the 18th century.

The Ottoman Empire’s forces are already struggling to stop Russian battleships.

And France has now brought battleships to Rhodes.

Can the Ottoman Empire really stop them?

Just as Selim III, who was quite familiar with European affairs, could not answer, Spencer shouted.

“Admiral Ushakov’s Black Sea Fleet is coming. With 16 battleships!”

Then Grand Vizier Ziyauddin’s one eye gleamed.

“The army is not coming?”

“Indeed, you are wise, Grand Vizier. If we dispatch the army in this situation, wouldn’t it seem like we are trying to conquer the empire? The Tsar of Russia has taken that into consideration.”

“Hmph, isn’t it because they don’t have the resources to fight France?”

Then Spencer smiled and shrugged.

“Isn’t it diplomacy to pretend not to know these things?”

With England’s [guarantee], the participation of Russian troops was confirmed.

***

Of course, Russia also has limitations in its mobilization capabilities, so it does not have the resources to fight an all-out war.

“Who is coming?”

In an era without an intelligence agency, overseas information is the responsibility of diplomats.

Although in a state of confinement, the French embassy is still functioning.

This is because it has an internal information network within the empire that it had built up during its prosperous days.

The most active information network is held by Constantine Stamati, a Greek-Frenchman.

Stamati, the consul in Bucharest, reported to French Ambassador Aubert de Dubayet.

“It’s Admiral Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov. He is the one who defeated the Turkish fleet at Kerch, Fidonis, Tendra, and Kaliakria, Ambassador Dubayet.”

“Consul Stamati, I’m not curious about that man right now. The army general. Tell me again.”

“Yes? Uh, well, Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev, or something like that.”

Dubayet narrowed his brow.

“Kutuzov?”

Originally, Dubayet was Kleber’s adjutant as an army general.

He knows quite a bit about the high-ranking generals of major countries.

Russia was not a hypothetical enemy of France, but he had to know about Kutuzov.

Because he is the adjutant of the most famous general in Russia.

That is, Suvorov, the nightmare of the Turks and the conqueror of Poland.

“I’ve heard of him. When Russia and Poland fought, he was virtually the second-in-command after Suvorov.”

“Didn’t all the Suvorov lines get sidelined after the Tsar changed?”

“I heard the new Tsar hates Suvorov very much.”

Dubayet nodded at Stamati’s words and twisted his mouth.

“It seems they were in a hurry. Seeing that they are using Suvorov’s subordinates, it means they will be employing Suvorov in this war as well.”

The new Tsar, Emperor Paul I, hates everything his mother left behind.

Among the things he hates the most is the army.

Originally, Paul, who was very interested in the military, especially hated the ‘old-fashioned’ imperial army, including Suvorov.

Naturally, when the war started, Paul, who had never experienced actual combat, was bound to be embarrassed.

It seems they ended up summoning Suvorov.

Stamati nodded and asked.

“Anyway, if this happens, we should abandon the rebellion that the Greeks were trying to start, right? Especially the rebellion that was being prepared in Bucharest.”

“Why abandon it? The army isn’t coming.”

“I heard that 16 battleships are coming? They have confirmed that they are mobilizing 5 frigates and 20 bulk carriers and auxiliary cruisers each.”

However, at this point in time, the Russian Imperial Army’s fleet is even larger than that.

67 battleships, 40 frigates, and 300 auxiliary ships.

Of course, there are fleets in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, and not all of them are concentrated in the Black Sea.

However, it is also true that the Black Sea, where Russia has an ice-free port, is the most important from Russia’s perspective.

Conversely, sending only 16 battleships means that Russia underestimated the Eugene Corps.

Dubayet, who was calculating that point, shrugged.

“Monsieur Stamati, this [Egyptian Expedition] was never supposed to have troops coming here in the first place. If it was a great success, we would have had to go to India. The plan was to make contact with a sultan named Tipu or something there.”

It’s a truly absurd plan.

However, under this plan, an army of 50,000 crossed the Mediterranean and rushed to Egypt.

It also took half of the Ottoman Empire.

Now Stamati solemnly nodded at the plan that he could no longer laugh at as a delusion.

“I know, Ambassador.”

“You don’t know properly. That is, this expedition depends on a single genius.”

“Oh, you mean the boy commander?”

Dubayet nodded and turned his head.

“Yes. How successful that prodigy is will determine the entire expedition. Anyway, is the preparation to run away all done? Claude!”

Claude Cara Saint-Cyr, the ambassador’s aide.

He is also a distant relative of Laurent de Gouvion Saint-Cyr, who belongs to the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, and is acting as the second-in-command of the embassy instead of Sebastiani.

The still young Claude ran over, sweating profusely while working with the servants.

“Yes! Ambassador, all preparations are complete. Your wife has already left, and so have the embassy staff. By now, they should have arrived at Corfu Island via Morea.”

In the original history, Claude marries Dubayet’s wife right away.

Why?

Because Dubayet died of a fever.

However, Dubayet, who was not confined thanks to the Egyptian expedition starting too early, shouted passionately.

“Good, then let’s escape from this Constantinople to welcome our French conquering army!”

So, it was the moment when the French ambassador decided to leave Constantinople.

***

In an era of chaos, the goddess of fortune does not smile on those who are slow to make decisions.

“Rise up! Greece, now is the time to become independent! Now, let’s write the phrase like this.”

The governor of Moldavia, Alexandros Ypsilantis, was now preparing to start a rebellion.

In fact, it is a natural course of action.

He harbored resentment against the Ottoman Empire, the empire’s garrison had crossed over to Anatolia, and they were even annihilated in Konya.

At this point in time when the French army is rushing to the capital every moment.

It would not be strange to think that if he missed this moment, he would not even be able to start a rebellion.

It’s just that Ypsilantis was too late looking for an opportunity.

A secretary ran to Ypsilantis, who was preparing a phrase to incite the soldiers, and shouted.

“Governor, something terrible has happened!”

“What’s wrong?”

“The Muruzis family has raised an army! They are running to this governor’s office!”

The Muruzis family is a Greek noble family that alternately serves as the governor of Moldavia with Ypsilantis.

Surprised, Ypsilantis summoned the guards.

However, it was already too late, and the Muruzis family’s private soldiers had taken control of the governor’s office.

Gritting his teeth, Ypsilantis shouted.

“Alexandros Muruzis! Why are you doing this!”

Were they not on the same side, dreaming of the independence of Greece together?

Why are you interfering at this moment?

Muruzis shook his head with a pale face.

“It’s not my intention.”

“Then, whose intention is it!”

“It’s the intention of those who will uniquely make our Greeks independent.”

Ypsilantis’s eyes widened.

Because a familiar general appeared behind Muruzis.

A one-eyed warrior.

The soldiers behind him are blond-haired and blue-eyed Russians.

The general said in a solemn tone.

“Long time no see, Ypsilantis.”

Ypsilantis screamed.

“One-eyed Kutuzov! Why are you here!”

Kutuzov has already won several victories in the Turkish-Russian war.

However, it has another meaning for the Greeks.

It is Russia that especially thought of Greece, which was ruled by the Ottomans.

Therefore, the Greek independence movement has traditionally had close exchanges with Russia.

Even at this point in time, there are many Greek exiled nobles lurking in the Black Sea.

Later, in the original history, Ypsilantis’s grandson also becomes a Russian general.

However, now, Kutuzov did not come to make Greece independent.

“Well, I can’t hand over this Black Sea, Aegean Sea, and Mediterranean Sea to the French. Now, let’s take care of it. Soldiers of the great Russian Empire.”

The Russian Imperial Army rose up and aimed their guns all at once.

-Hurrah!

As Ypsilantis was killed and the guards were dying, Muruzis sighed.

“General Kutuzov, the soldiers’ morale is high.”

“Hmph, this level is not a great battlefield. Marshal Suvorov will be advancing to Italy by now!”

“A battlefield is waiting for the general as well.”

Muruzis, a noble from a long-standing Greek family in Rumelia, secretly informed him of the information he had just obtained.

“Bonaparte’s brat is coming to the Dardanelles Strait.”

It is information that the French army is heading to the Dardanelles Strait, not the Bosphorus.

Kutuzov rolled his eyes and smiled strangely.

That means that the French army is trying to cross the European side rather than attacking the Bosphorus Strait.

“If this goes well, we’ll have a fight in Europe!”