The Crescent of the Sultan

Chapter 3 Authority



According to Machiavelli, the Ottoman Empire was difficult to conquer but easy to rule.

Selim expressed that he really wanted to give him a big showdown.

The era that Machiavelli lived in was the period of the rise of the Ottoman Empire. Both Bayezid II and the filial son Selim I were the wise masters. In the empire under their rule, the Sultan could be said to make decisions with one word.

Later jurists had the right to depose the sultan, which was simply a provocation to Allah. After all, the sultan of the Ottoman Empire was also the shadow of Allah.

However, an autocratic system cannot be maintained forever. The Eastern dynasty periodic law is the best example.

But the Ottoman Empire was different from the East. It had never completely established a complete national governance system. The main function of the government was military services, and even public services and tax collection could be outsourced.

But why did the Ottoman Empire never have emperors taking turns?

Selim is not a historian, but he understands that the Ottoman Empire has never had such people as "Princes, Generals, Prime Ministers, I would rather have the kind" and "They can replace them."

Not only the Ottoman Empire, but also the entire West has basically had no emperor from a poor background since the complete collapse of Rome.

As for the Mamluks, this is a class and cannot be generalized.

In other words, no one is thinking about this, so you can imagine the situation in Europe as a whole.

In fact, Selim can barely explain it.

After all, under the influence of religion, people all hold on to the idea of ​​suffering in this life and going to heaven after death. How could a spiritual guy like Bang Ge appear?

In the Ottoman Empire, the Islamic jurists headed by the Grand Mufti certainly limited the power of the Sultan in the later stages of the empire, but they also ensured that the people of the empire believed that only descendants of Osman were the Sultan.

Of course, being a sultan comes with a price.

Since Suleiman the Magnificent, the power of the Sultan has been divided between the powerful bureaucracy and the Ulema, and his dignity has been trampled on.

But at least, he is still a Sudan after all. Wingdings: ♦︎♦︎⬧︎♦︎◆︎⌧︎♦︎♦︎□︎❍︎

The first thing Selim has to do is to let these worms understand who is the master of the empire. I really thought that the Sudan was born to be killed by you, right?

Selim stretched, and Paul's voice came from outside the door: "Your Majesty, it's time for you to have breakfast." "Bring it in, Paul," Selim responded lazily.

The Ottoman Empire was quite rich in breakfast, thanks to the vast territory of the empire.

Greece, the Bursa region south of Marmara, provided wheat to the court;

The Balkans, Wallachia, and Moldova supplied sheep;

Egypt and Bulgaria provided the rice; Crimea provided the butter, and sugar came from Egypt and Cyprus.

When it comes to the quality of life, the Sultan of the Grand Salakirio Palace is far better than the King of the Sultan who urinates everywhere and shares the same toilet and dining room.

However, Selim was not used to the Empire's food at all, let alone having two meals a day.

Therefore, since Selim gained the trust of Hamid I, his diet was all prepared by himself, and the Sultan allocated funds.

For example, the food in front of you was made by the imperial chef under Selim's training. Although it is not as good as the Republic, it is still good.

After breakfast, Selim headed to the gate to prepare for the Diwan meeting, or in other words, my morning meeting. Selim had a bit of a naughty thought, and asked Paul to pack four breakfasts and go there.

At this time, the sky was slightly brighter. Yes, you read that right.

Selim innovated the time of the Diwan meeting and adjusted it to six o'clock in the morning. The ministers were already waiting in front of the palace under the leadership of Yusuf Pasha to pray early. A group of ministers had already gone to Aya an hour ago. Sophia Mosque.

As for whether the ministers will complain, if you want to do a good job in the country, don't you have to stimulate your energy and spirit? Mass entrepreneurship and innovation, right?

It was still a bit cold in Constantiniya in February. A group of pashas were shivering in the cold wind. They didn't even have time to eat breakfast, so they hurried to the palace gate.

The guards surrounded the pashas and entered the second courtyard of Topkapi Palace. The meeting hall in the northwest corner is where today's Diwan Conference will be held.

Entering the hall, Selim was the first to sit under the gold-framed window. The Grand Vizier and the Grand Mufti sat on the left and right of the Sultan respectively, followed by Hassan Pasha and Ali Pasha representing the Guards. (っ◔◡◔)っ

In front of the table of these four people was the breakfast that Selim had ordered Paul to pack. As for the rest of the pashas, ​​they were naturally sitting on their chairs and watching.

"My dear ministers, Yusuf Pasha must have mentioned the main content of today to you, right?" Selim asked casually. "Ali Pasha, please express your opinion first."

Ali Pasha was an Albanian, but he was already a Muslim. After all, in the Ottoman Empire, it was normal for people to move up and believe in Allah, right?

"Your Majesty, I think it is not suitable for us to start a war with the Russians now. As you know, the Sipaxi cavalry is not able to serve as the imperial forward, and the Guards have not yet received sufficient rest."

Ali Pasha carefully considered his words and gave Selim an answer that he thought he was satisfied with.

"Ali Pasha, what are you talking about? Are you going to let those infidels trample the face of Sultan Hamid under their feet? How can the empire have a general like you?"

Aladdin Pasha, the general of the Guards who came from the same origin as Ali Pasha, immediately stood up to refute.

Ali Pasha, who was feeling complacent, suddenly became confused and complained wildly in his heart: "Hasan, stand up, I admit it, Yusuf, I can understand it, even the Grand Mufti can accept it, but who are you? What's the situation?"

No need to think too much, this is exactly the spy installed by Selim in the army. As for Aladdin Pasha, although Ali Pasha single-handedly promoted him, do people also need to make progress?

Therefore, I believe it is understandable for Ali Pasha to seek refuge with the Sultan. Aladdin Pasha kept comforting himself in his heart, ignoring Ali Pasha's murderous eyes.

Aladdin can choose to ignore it, but Ali has no choice. The two old guys Hassan and Yusuf must support the Sudan.

The Grand Mufti will probably remain neutral. After all, the Sultan is trying to get money from him in the war.

As expected, Yusuf spoke: "Ali, is His Majesty's order so difficult for you?"

Hassan on the side was more direct: "You boy, if you can do it, do it. If you can't, let Aladdin come. Your Majesty's treasury will not support idlers like you."

Aladdin Pasha on the side was excited when he heard this, and the image of himself acting domineering as the commander of the Guards suddenly appeared in his mind.

However, Selim has no intention of changing people. If he changes people, will Aladdin's family be left alone? Then why did you bother to make friends with him before? Selim was not in a panic.

"Okay, Ali, I understand your concerns, but I still hope you can prepare an army of 200,000 people before August, okay?

As for military supplies, the Grand Vizier and Grand Mufti will help you deal with them. I believe you can do it. "

Selim said gently.

The Grand Vizier and Grand Mufti on the side bowed respectfully and responded in unison: "Yes, Your Majesty."

And Ali also had a grimace on his face, "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Ali, there is one more thing. From today on, I will coordinate the establishment of the Imperial Staff Headquarters and make it clear to the generals of the Guards. There will be a unified examination in three days."

Selim dropped another bombshell.

"Examination?" Ali had long heard that the Sultan had given many suggestions to Hamid I. The current examination was naturally one of them, but he did not expect that the Sultan's implementation would come so quickly.

"But it doesn't matter. The empire's army really needs to be reorganized. Isn't it ironic that a bunch of orthodox believers are mixed up in the army of God?"

Ali thought for a moment and then replied.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will obey your will."

“As for the upcoming war with the Russians.

Well, Grand Mufti, you will be responsible for the preparation of supplies, Yusuf, you will handle the transportation of supplies, and I will personally lead the army. "

After Selim determined the personnel arrangements for this war, he announced the dissolution of the meeting, and many pashas also left one by one.

Selim returned to his bedroom and prepared to write a letter to Sophia.

No need to be surprised. Although Selim is a time traveler, he has not seen the power of the first industrial revolution with his own eyes, so he conducted an inspection three years ago, and the location was naturally the United Kingdom.

As for why Great Britain would receive a pagan, are you kidding me? France, the filial son of God, can do it, but Great Britain, the pioneer of the Reformation, cannot do it?

After an edict from Hamid I, the Ottoman Empire officials immediately contacted the British, and Selim easily landed in London in the name of large-scale import business.

Due to the pressure of public opinion, George III really could not receive him grandly, but it was still necessary to arrange a family dinner for the future Sultan.

It was also this family banquet that allowed Selim to see the treasures of George III, who would later be known as his daughter-slave. What amazed Selim the most was the second princess, Sophia. Although she is only sixteen years old, she is already a beautiful woman.

While thinking about his first meeting with Sophia, Selim thought that if he really kidnapped this girl in the future, George III would go crazy on the spot. It would be outrageous to think about a British princess matching an Ottoman sultan.

Having finished writing the letter in his hand, Selim called Paul and asked him to deliver it to the Imperial Embassy in London so that Sophia could pick it up.

He slowly walked to the balcony. The Golden Horn looked sparkling under the setting sun. The beating sea surface was dyed into jumping gold by the sunlight. Three-masted sailing ships were passing through the sea like seagulls. That was Hassanpa. Xia is training the navy.

In the distance, a building with a crescent moon shines slightly. It is the Royal Academy of Sciences of the Ottoman Empire.

Selim blew the sea breeze and remembered the Ottoman Empire in the original time and space, and couldn't help but smile.

Under his influence, Hamid I established many institutions in advance and reorganized the country. This made the empire's national power far stronger than it was in the original time and space, and also gave Selim more confidence in the future.

Selim firmly believed that he would recast the Ottoman ring, just like every sultan who established a great cause, the Crescent Sword has been unsheathed.

This chapter partially explains the butterfly effect brought about by Selim, and it can also be regarded as a golden finger for the protagonist.


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