I Became the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire

Twenty-five years have passed since Yusuf crushed all his brothers at the age of twenty and ascended as Padishah.

The first time the West truly felt Yusuf’s presence was through the infidel emperor spreading rumors of him being a prophet, but it didn’t take long for this perception to change.

Through the Conquest Wars, he gained vast territories and amassed great wealth through canals.

Particularly, the event of aiding the looted Rome, breaking down the barriers of infidels, sent shockwaves even greater than the fall of Eastern Rome.

In that sense, the defeat in the siege of Rome, the last opportunity to suppress the Ottoman Empire, was fatal, leaving little choice but to cling to a thread of hope.

– Only nine years remain until the abdication of the emperor. If I can just endure until then. No matter how talented the princes are, can they match the current emperor?

– The Lord has granted us one last hope! After nine years, we won’t have to deal with that annoying emperor.

Succession was no longer just an Ottoman affair, and the princes were starting to feel this atmosphere.

In a room infused with the aroma of coffee, a soft voice emerged.

“I pray to become Padishah, Ra.”

It was not unfamiliar to Mehmet. When he left Rome, it was the greeting from the Pope and the cardinals.

Except for the fact that those words came from the current Padishah, Yusuf.

Unable to bear the gaze of Yusuf resting his chin on his hand, Mehmet’s mouth twitched.

“…Padishah.”

“There’s no need for excuses. I have no reason to care about the nonsense those fools spew.”

As Yusuf chuckled softly, Mehmet felt the cold blood in his veins finally warming up.

With his stiff body finally relaxing, Mehmet bowed his head.

“Still, I apologize, Padishah. I should have pointed it out when they said such things.”

There was no denying that it was an infringement of the Padishah’s authority, and Mehmet quickly sought forgiveness while wracking his brain.

‘There were only six people who heard that greeting besides me, and they were all my closest aides.’

How many eyes and ears were hidden for such information to reach his father so quickly?

Yusuf sipped his coffee and said, “Mehmet, you’re a good lad, but sometimes you overthink things. Anyone who knows your character would easily see through you. You’re too vulnerable to unexpected situations.”

“Is there a way to resolve this?”

“Well, if I told you to act with your heart like Murad, would you manage that?”

“Act like that bastard?”

Telling him to act like Murad, who moves before he thinks, was the same as telling him to live upside down.

It was ridiculous.

Seeing Mehmet’s slightly sullen face, Yusuf couldn’t help but chuckle.

“They say if a mountain moves during the night, believe it, but if a person changes, don’t. Is a person’s essence that easily changed? No one in this world is without flaws.”

“Are you saying that about yourself, Padishah?”

“Me? I appreciate your high opinion, but I’m human too. Why wouldn’t I have flaws? The fact that I teased you into starting this can be one of them.”

Yusuf let out a low laugh.

When he brought up the words he’d heard from the Pope, he must have sweated a bit. If his ambition had been strong, Mehmet would have had a tough time.

‘Well, it looks like we’re finally starting to move.’

News of those approaching other princes was continuously coming in, not just Mehmet.

Whether for personal gain or the stability of the nation, more and more people were reaching out to the Ottomans.

‘It won’t be dull until abdication.’

After a fleeting malicious smile, Yusuf spoke to Mehmet.

“I hope I haven’t left your mountain unattended for too long. It has become an extremely important place in the Empire.”

“Not at all. Thanks to my mother holding things together, I’ve heard there haven’t been any major issues.”

“If it’s Aishe, then she must have done well.”

If he was abdicating, it would also be nice to spend time with the women he would have to let go.

Of course, he wasn’t sure if they would want to stay with him after being unceremoniously sent away.

Shaking off his slightly heavy heart, Yusuf explained to Mehmet why he called him back from Donbas.

“Mehmet, while you were away, some fearless folks attempted to raid Donbas multiple times. Are you aware of that?”

“I am.”

Donbas, producing an enormous amount of iron, had grown into the largest steel city in the Ottoman Empire, which made it a target for greed in the area.

From nomads looking to loot the city’s wealth to spies attempting to extract technology, various attempts were being made.

“It’s about time we gave them a proper warning.”

“Where should we strike?”

“First, let’s clear the surrounding nomads, and the ultimate goal is Moscow.”

At the mention of Moscow, Mehmet nodded.

Attacking Lithuania, which is allied with Poland, would be a less burdensome target.

“What’s the deadline?”

“The timing is until I am here. There’s no rush. While conquering Moscow is important, raising the quality of iron and the glass we’re researching is also crucial.”

In the end, the assigned mission encompassed not just conquering Moscow but also improving the quality of iron and glass.

Knowing that Mustafa had already visited the capital, Mehmet asked, “Is this a test being given to me?”

“You could say that.”

“Do other brothers have assigned tasks as well?”

“Of course. You’re implying the obvious. Kasim is already moving.”

Among the four princes, the first to receive orders was indeed Kasim.

*

“Long time no see.”

“You don’t look too happy to see me?”

“I don’t think we’re in a friendly position. Until recently, we were at each other’s throats.”

Kasim smiled slyly at Ferdinand, the Archduke of Austria and younger brother of Charles V.

“What grudge could I have against a blade that I didn’t even get to swing?”

“Hah, that’s a funny thing to say.”

Ferdinand’s face contorted.

During the siege of Rome, the Austrian Duchy and the Holy Roman Empire were preparing for the Ottoman invasion.

Due to Venice’s betrayal, the preparations ended up being utterly useless.

“I’ve heard that your brother is pushing the blame for the defeat onto someone else. Is that true?”

To Kasim, who had been toying with Yusuf’s hands, Ferdinand became the scapegoat as the one who ultimately stood by doing nothing.

It seemed plausible to say that if the Holy Roman Empire and Austria’s forces had united, they could have captured Yusuf.

He was also responsible for the delayed discovery of enemy movements in the Balkans.

“Did you come here just to scrape my insides?! Do you think Vienna is your playground? This could very well be your grave.”

While the greatest damage had been done to Spain, Austria, being under the shadow of the Habsburgs, also ended up being defeated.

Kasim’s arrival in Vienna, seemingly unfazed right after the war wasn’t just reckless, it was downright foolish.

However, in the face of Ferdinand’s threat, Kasim didn’t flinch.

“While it’s easy for you to take my life if you so wish, can you handle the consequences? The nobility and soldiers here might worry if something happens to me.”

If something happened to Kasim, what kind of chaos would ensue?

The precarious peace treaty they had barely made would be torn apart, and Vienna would surely burn under the wrath of the Ottoman army.

“I wouldn’t recommend taking me prisoner either. My father wouldn’t bat an eye at the loss of my life.”

“Hah, are all Ottoman royals like this?”

Whether it was a Padishah throwing himself into Rome or a prince threatening with his life, they must have looked insane to Ferdinand.

“Our royalty is a bit unusual, and I’m on the more ordinary side.”

“If you think more about this, it’ll just give you a headache. So why have you come all the way to this place? Surely it’s not just to open a coffee shop again.”

“For the next nine years. Do you know?”

How could he not know?

It was a central issue that had emerged in the European aristocratic society.

In just a few more years, even monks or nuns living apart from worldly matters would surely be bringing it up.

“Then do you know who is the closest among the princes to the Padishah position?”

“Please tell me it’s not you.”

To be honest, Kasim was the one among the four competitive princes with the least presence right now.

With a grin, Kasim shrugged at the scoffing Ferdinand.

“Who said it was me? The prince above all is my brother Mehmet. So who do you think comes next?”

Is it the Prince Murad, who has led many victorious wars? Or is it Prince Mustafa who established the Eastern Trading Company and created a massive merchant group?

Answering the visibly pondering Ferdinand, Kasim revealed the answer.

“It’s me.”

“Hah! You?”

“Listen closely to what I’m saying, and you’ll understand. First, do you know why Mustafa established an Eastern Trading Company? It’s because he wanted to sail.”

No amount of vigilance could pierce the secret affairs of the Ottoman dynasty flowing out, and Ferdinand leaned in closer.

“Originally, Mustafa was to be appointed to Tabriz, and Tazlu Hatun had already built her influence, but he pushed her aside. The reason is as I mentioned earlier. Would a wandering prince like him be made emperor?”

“…That would be difficult.”

Setting out on an adventure while neglecting state affairs would risk a disastrous end during a voyage, and since there were other princes, there was no need to abdicate to Mustafa.

“The Padishah holds more than half of the rights to the trading company for that reason. It’s to prevent the next Padishah from tightening the leash on Mustafa. If there was a thought to pass it down to him, it would be an unnecessary move.”

“What about Prince Murad?”

“With Murad, the issue lies with the heir. His firstborn is of mixed heritage from Africa. Would the officials properly recognize that?”

Of course, as long as Yusuf’s will was in place, everything could be achieved, but Kasim chose not to mention that fact.

“An African mixed heritage, huh. So Prince Murad would also have a hard time.”

It wasn’t strange for European nobles to perceive Africans as mere cheap slaves, leading to that judgment.

“So you’re saying you’re second?”

“That’s right. And not significantly behind either. There are already those who consider my brother Mehmet the next Padishah, which is upsetting my father.”

“Didn’t you say there would be an abdication?”

“Still, human emotions are not so simple. You would be displeased if you were in the same situation.”

Ferdinand internally agreed.

Being a power holder, he well understood that power could hardly be shared with children.

“Hmm, I’ve heard your story well. So what is it that you want to say?”

“Is it necessary for the Ottomans and Habsburgs to stand against each other? If we establish a friendly relationship, what is there to fear in this world? That’s my thought.”

Though it was framed subtly, it was a plea for help, and Ferdinand leaned back in his chair.

“Is there a chance of success? What’s the method?”

“All you need is to accomplish one achievement that your father could use as justification. Then you could rise to the Padishah position. For example, constructing a bridge connecting Buda and Pest would be sufficient.”

“Is it possible to build a bridge over the Danube River? The distance is significant.”

“The Empire has already built bridges at Kinjak. The technology exists; it’s just a lack of funds holding it back.”

Ferdinand’s mind was in chaos.

Regardless of how much it would cost to build the bridge, if Kasim became Padishah, immense profits could potentially be reaped.

‘If I can just get permission to pass through the canal, it would be a profitable deal.’

The issue was how credible Kasim’s words were.

“By the way, just as a reminder, it wouldn’t be good for you if my brother Mehmet becomes Padishah. Remember that he was in Rome with my father during the siege and spent a long time with the Pope.”

The potential animosity towards the Habsburgs was significant, and after pondering, Ferdinand came to a conclusion.

“I’ll need time to think.”

“Good, it’s not an easy decision. But you should understand this: nine years is not a long time to build a bridge.”

As Kasim got up from his seat, he added as if he almost forgot.

“Oh, and soon there will be news that the Padishah has been secretly watching over me.”

Kasim left with those cryptic words, and soon after, news arrived that the Grand Vizier had visited Buda.

The news that the firm second-in-command of the Ottomans had traveled as far as Buda to meet Kasim was enough to rattle Ferdinand.

*

An endless expanse of blue sea stretched out.

It was Dragut’s first impression upon stepping into the Atlantic.

Traveling under the guidance of the compass and stars brought an unsettling feeling about whether they were really on the right path.

‘It must succeed no matter what.’

As land should have slowly come into view, frustration grew as only the sea unfolded before him when a lookout shouted from the mast.

– Ship! Two ships spotted!

“A ship?!”

Dragut jumped up.

It couldn’t possibly be a coincidence in the vast sea; the likelihood of land being nearby was high.

This expectation was proven true.

– An island! It’s an island!

Hearing the lookout shout again when two ships came into view, Dragut clenched his fists.

This meant they had properly secured the first button, and just as he felt relieved, the pirate scratched his head and said,

“Captain, those guys look scared.”

The pirate seemed not to have anticipated this and did not flee, merely watching the passing ships, prompting Dragut to smirk.

“Let’s start our business!”

The covert dealings of pirates who had stepped into the Caribbean Sea had begun.