The Crescent of the Sultan

Regardless of the East or the West, countries have emerged very early, but it was the modern West, such as France, that first proposed the concept of nation and equated it with the country.

In the view of Emperor Seth, although there were many countries in ancient and medieval Europe, the Roman Church stood high and occupied the dual authority of politics and religion, leading to fierce power struggles between the church and the state, and between the pope and the king.

As medieval society disintegrated, forces opposed to the pope and the church began to develop in various places, and nationalized ideas that promoted local and national superiority emerged.

Culturally, people vigorously praise the language, bloodline, history and myths and legends of their own ethnic group, emphasize their differences from other ethnic groups, and stimulate a unified sense of community toward the outside world.

Politically, he put forward the theory of popular sovereignty and firmly believed that the people of each country have the supreme power to handle internal and external affairs independently. In order to combat the monopoly power of the church and safeguard the country's political and economic interests.

This highly unified and completely autonomous group constitutes a nation, and the state is its basic organizational and institutional form.

The country and the nation are naturally connected, and the nation-state was born.

Since the nation-state is the product of opposition to clericalism, its basic characteristic is its belief in secularism. Secularism requires that the highest object of loyalty of citizens or national members changes from the church to the nation and its state.

One view is that a nation-state "refers to a country in which one nation controls political sovereignty. It is not only politically organized and independent, but also has strong social cohesion." In other words, a country in the so-called Western European sense is a country of a single ethnic group.

But in fact, many nation-states in modern times, including Europe, are multi-ethnic countries. This is a question and challenge to the theory of a single nation-state, and it is also an opportunity for the Ottoman Empire.

In the history of the Ottoman Empire, in order to fight against the Safavid Persians, the empire granted certain privileges to the Kurdish tribes and gained some loyalty from the Kurds. The Kurdish tribes nominally recognized the empire’s right to rule, so it was a mutually beneficial product. .

Kurdish tribal chiefs banded together to help the Ottomans, and in return they received an autonomous way of life.

What the Ottoman Empire needs is the loyalty of the Kurds, and the Kurds need the empire to respect their way of life.

On the one hand, the mountainous terrain of Kurdistan and the unruly character and tribal structure of the Kurds hindered the effectiveness of direct rule by the empire.

On the other hand, both sides are aware of the boundaries and limitations of each other's power, so they can arrange territorial issues through negotiation.

As for Emperor Sai's handling of the Kurds this time, the most important requirement is actually "loyalty."

After all, in a borderland, political loyalty is far more important than routine tax payments.

So, this requires Emperor Sai to express himself.

A long-term autonomous Kurdistan will have an extremely strong backlash when faced with taxes and bureaucracy. Therefore, before solving the emir tribal system, what needs to be solved is the other side's autonomous state.

Emperor Cypriot never denied that the Ottoman Empire started from nomadic tribes.

However, looking across the East and West, any nomadic regime, once it established an empire, turned against tribalism and committed to establishing a highly centralized government along the lines of civil culture, including a regular army and a large and relatively effective bureaucracy. .

An empire, a long-lasting empire in the feudal period, must derive its main economic income from agriculture. It is difficult for nomadic tribes to find their place in it. Therefore, once the political power takes root somewhere, it seeks to resettle and settle the tribes. Register.

Yet the rulers of an empire were also realist strategists, and the sultans were faced with an intertwined dilemma that the empire faced in its eastern frontier in the 16th century—the need to prevent Safavid subversion and infiltration on the one hand, and the need to prevent Safavid infiltration on the other. On the one hand, it is extremely difficult to implement direct management and tax collection in this area, and may even have side effects.

So these ancestors always treated the Kurds as a unique group, especially using them to ensure border stability.

In exchange for their autonomy, the Kurdish nobles paid taxes and provided soldiers to the sultan.

The existing principalities in Kurdistan were consolidated and recognized, with political systems similar to those of the Black and White Sheep dynasties and the Turkmen Federation states.

It can be said that the Kurds identify with the central government on a large scale, but also identify with various religious brotherhoods and tribes on a local level.

Here comes the problem. The reason why the Kurds maintain such a semi-autonomous state is partly because the Ottoman Empire needs to deal with Persia, and partly because they are used to autonomy.

There is no need to consider the former at this time. As for the latter, Emperor Sai already has a method.

While Sudan was planning its famously detailed solution, discussions were also taking place within the Kurdish tribes.

In the camp, the leaders of the two emirs, Bitlis and Botan, were discussing Emperor Sai's proposal.

"So, you are already planning to agree to the Sultan's request? Kamran"

The leader of the Botan Emir asked with some uncertainty.

It was obvious that he didn't really agree with the other party's approach, but he wasn't too disgusted either.

"Otherwise, Diyar, are you still planning to join the Armenians in creating a rebellion?"

Kamran, the leader of the Emir of Bitlis, said casually.

"Don't think too much, I just don't want my people to work for these black-hearted businessmen.

Besides, the conditions given by His Majesty are indeed good. After all, not everyone is qualified to become the governor of a place.

Besides, the tribe cannot stay in this ravine forever. Your Majesty is right, we have to embrace the outside world.

The Safavid dynasty had perished, but the Ottoman Empire had the possibility of regaining its glory.

We no longer have the possibility to rely on the pressure of the Safavid dynasty to maintain autonomy externally, but internally we have to be pressured by the high sects that have basically suppressed the Balkans.

In this case, is it really good to go for a semi-autonomous name? "

Dial was silent for a while and then said.

"However, our population is too small. Entering it hastily will only cause the tribe to perish."

Kamran smiled.

“Diyar, you have to remember that there is no such thing as Kurds and Turks.

We are all Sunni Muslims and true believers in God.

Also, it is not our choices that will make the tribe die, but our complacency that will make the tribe die.

This is no longer the era of swords. We have to go out, go outside, seek a higher status for the tribe, and become a member of the rulers of this huge empire. "

Dial didn't question it anymore, but said.

"How to solve that Armenian businessman?"