The Crescent of the Sultan

In February 1787, in Constantiniya and Topkapi Palace, Selim was in a daze at his desk, muttering to himself: That’s about it, today is the day.

At this time, there were hurried footsteps outside the door, and a white male servant pushed the door open. Selim chuckled: "Paul, there's no need to be in such a hurry."

The footman stopped and muttered: "Your Highness, but..."

"I know my uncle has passed away,"

Selim said calmly, and then stood up slowly.

"Come on, it's my turn to be Padishah."

The master and servant walked towards the outside of the palace, where the Grand Vizier Yusuf Pasha and others were waiting outside.

It’s not far from Topkapi Palace to the Ayup Sultan Mosque. Selim sat on the boat and thought of his uncle Hamid I.

To be honest, his uncle was not bad to him. Compared with Murad IV and other genocidal killers in the history of the empire, Hamid I not only allowed him to enter and exit Topkapi Palace freely, but also allowed him to receive an education and allowed him to communicate with other countries. Correspondence between monarchs and ambassadors simply focuses on thoughtfulness.

But Selim will not be overly sad about his uncle's death, because there are more things to worry about ahead.

For example, he has no intention of stopping the upcoming Russian-Turkish war. Future reforms will be unsustainable without a halo, but we must be prepared for this war.

"It's a pity that the time to fight for more is still too short."

Selim sighed in his heart. He stood up, his tall body looking particularly tall in the sun.

Yusuf Pasha, who was standing at the stern of the ship, turned his attention to this place at this moment. In a trance, he seemed to feel that the person in front of him was already a sultan.

The ship gradually docked, and Yusuf Pasha took a shortcut.

"Your Highness, please come with me. The Grand Mufti and Ulama are already waiting for you. Sharif will wear the Ottoman Sword for you."

Selim nodded slightly.

For this process that every sultan must go through when he ascends to the throne, if nothing else, it is at least better than being covered in holy oil. Selim despised the pretentious Western monarchs in his heart.

The coronation ceremony didn't take long, but sitting in the Grand Salaquilio Palace was just the beginning for him.

How to secure this seat and sit well is the follow-up task. Selim does not want to be killed like the original owner.

"Paul, go and ask the Grand Vizier and Hassan Pasha to come over."

The manservant heard the master's order and trotted out the door. Not long after, Yusuf Pasha slowly walked in from the door, while Hassan Pasha was waiting outside.

"Your Majesty, what do you want from me?"

It was obvious that Yusuf Pasha was a little tired. For this nearly eighty-year-old man, the series of events from Hamid's death to Selim's accession to the throne had exhausted his energy. But if the Sultan summons him, can he not come?

"Dear Yusuf Pasha, I would like you to chair a Diwan meeting tomorrow and I will attend it myself".

Selim said gently.

"Your Majesty, what is the content of the meeting?"

Yusuf asked uneasily. You must know that since Suleiman the Magnificent, no Sultan has participated in person. Instead, the Grand Vizier presided over it, and the Sultan secretly observed from the side.

"The topic is about the war with the Russians. My uncle's words were spoken too early. The empire's corrupt army and logistics cannot defeat the Russians. Are you right, Pasha?"

Selim's slightly casual words shocked Yusuf.

"Your Majesty, we do need a reform, but not now. After all, your father and uncle both..."

"No, no, my Grand Vizier, I just want you to ensure two things. One is that after the war, the imperial army can receive sufficient supplies, and the other is that the army will never be allowed to flee. I believe you can Do it, right, my Grand Vizier.”

Yusuf slowly let go of his worries. He really had no intention of reforming now.

But he asked himself whether he could still fulfill these two requirements of the Sultan, even though this was the obligation of officials.

"By the way, one more thing. Didn't the empire go to France to recruit military instructors before? I remember there was one named Napoleon, and I asked the French government to invite him over and treat him with the highest treatment."

Selim added.

"Yes, Your Majesty." While Yusuf responded respectfully to Selim, he secretly cursed his predecessor Sultan Hamid II in his heart. This is not your son. You can just let him go as usual. State secrets must be kept as is.

However, Yusuf also understood that this sultan was indeed different from the sultans of the past. After all, looking through Ottoman history, no one could freely enter and exit Kostantiniya like him when the previous sultan was still alive.

"Perhaps the empire can really be revived in his hands. After all, the empire has been in decline since Suleiman the Magnificent." Yusuf Pasha thought silently in his heart.

"Let Hassan Pasha come in." Although both of them are old, compared with Yusuf's senility, Hassan looks old and healthy.

"Your Majesty, I wonder what your orders are." "Pasha, please sit down. My uncle's actions against the Russians during his lifetime have destined a war between Osman and Tsarist Russia. No later than this summer, Catherine, the usurper, will definitely declare war. Do you think the empire's navy can Stuck the Russians on the Black Sea coast?"

Selim asked worriedly.

"Your Majesty, give me some time to prepare, and you will see me sink those infidels to the bottom of the sea," Hassan replied forcefully.

"That's what I hope." Selim said slowly, "Paul, please send the two pashas out of the palace."

After summoning the two pashas, ​​Selim began to think about the subsequent situation - a greedy tsar, an ancient monarch, and a mess stick.

Selim secretly laughed in his heart again, "There won't be a democratically elected emperor for a while, after all, everyone will be taken away by me."

Selim sat on a chair, facing the crescent moon over the Aya Sophia Mosque, lost in thought.

Because a lot of information is quite difficult to check, there may be problems with the details. Newbies, new readers, please support me, thank you all.

Note: Grand Vizier is similar to Prime Minister

The Grand Mufti is similar to the Medieval Orthodox Patriarch

Pasha is an honorary title in the Ottoman Empire

The Great Salagilio Palace is Topkapi Palace

Book club group: 866261215