I Became the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire

Is this a pretext? (1)

Ismail looked up at the sky.

As a sigh-like breath escaped him, a faint puff of air dispersed like a drifting cloud.

Before the scenery of Tabriz, he could vaguely see people filling barrels with the snow that had fallen the night before, before it melted.

Before long, what they were filling the barrels with would no longer be snow, but rain, which meant that war was imminent.

“What are you thinking so deeply about?”

In response to the question from his most favored subordinate, Muhammad Khan Ustajlu, Ismail answered.

“I was remembering that day. The day I first saw his fleet.”

The moment he was almost within reach of his objective, a thunderous roar rang out that remained vividly etched in Ismail’s mind.

The sight of the Samtskhe fleet being hopelessly sucked into the sea filled him with a deep sense of helplessness, casting doubt upon himself.

At the moment when he just had to take that last step, it felt as though Allah had abandoned him and favored that damned Yusuf’s hand.

Ustajlu, sensing Ismail’s heart, spoke comforting words.

“This time, we have firepower just like theirs. Allah will smile upon us this time.”

“Yes, this time we have.”

Though he wasn’t fond of the Venetian scoundrels who had soured all their plans, they had imported their firepower.

Though it was only 200 cannons, considering the advantage of defense, it was not a force to be underestimated.

In addition to the cannons, they had prepared nearly 2,000 matchlocks using all available resources.

He should feel confident this time, yet his heart raced even more than when he fought a multitude of enemies on the plains with just 7,000 cavalry.

“I must prove it through this war. That I am the one chosen by Allah.”

“Do not worry. Allah, who has led you here, will not turn away from you.”

“Of course, that must be so.”

If it were not, it would feel as if his entire life were being denied.

With heavy eyes looking down upon the kingdom he had built, Ismail turned away.

“Have you sent back the envoy from that guy in Kabul?”

“Yes, I informed the envoy from Babur of the current situation and sent him back.”

If it weren’t for the war, he would have accepted the proposal to jointly occupy the land of Shaybani, whom he had killed previously, but now he had no such leeway.

Not that he had directly met with him, which meant he had essentially dismissed him, but someone far more important had come, so he had no choice.

Ustajlu asked about the messages he had missed while meeting the envoy.

“Did he say things were proceeding as planned?”

“It wasn’t a complete success. Ramazan showed lukewarm reactions, while Dulqadir said they would help us.”

“Dulqadir, you say?”

Ustajlu asked, seemingly taken aback.

It had not been five years since Ismail had turned the capital, Dulqadir, into ruins.

Dulqadir had moved the capital because Elbistan was too devastated, and it was hard to understand why they would ally with him.

“The old man is afraid of my nephew in the hands of the Ottomans. It means he’s willing to close his eyes to the suffering of my subjects to protect his power.”

Ismail sneered.

The Ottoman forces who had lent help had lost a prince and thousands of soldiers, yet the duplicitous old man betrayed their goodwill far too easily.

It was behavior completely devoid of divinity, but he didn’t care. Even a beastly man would suffice as long as he was helpful.

“If they can loot the Ottoman’s supplies, we will have even more leeway.”

“That’ll catch them by surprise, making it even more lethal. In any case, the key to this war will be the war of supplies.”

Crossing through the desolate western lands, if supplies do not properly reach them, the army will crumble more easily than expected.

The outcome of this war will depend on how effectively they sever supply lines.

*

Kayseri.

A city located at an altitude of over 1,000 meters, it was once the capital of a small kingdom during the Crusades.

Turning his head, he could see the iconic perpetual snow piled on the 3,916-meter high Mount Erciyes from anywhere.

“Brr, it’s cold.”

Winter had not fully passed yet, and it was cold enough to send shivers down his spine as the flock of sheep huddled together grazing.

As the shepherd with a red nose blew warmth into his hands, the sound of rough hooves echoed.

– Maaa!

– Kurr! Kurr!

As the ground shook, sensing danger, the flock tried to scatter, but the shepherd’s dogs ran around, herding the sheep into one spot.

It would be frightening to see cavalry charging in while splashing through the unthawed snow, but the shepherd stood firm, not even gripping his staff tightly as he awaited the encounter.

He had experienced this situation several times before.

As expected, the cavalry, numbering a little over 200, halted in front of the shepherd and raised their voices.

“May I ask something? Has the Padishah arrived yet?”

This was a question he had heard several times before, and the shepherd provided the same response he had repeated each time.

“Of course. People gathered in the city even during winter to meet the Padishah.”

“What about the others? Have the other cavalry gathered as well?!”

“The area around the castle is overflowing with people.”

“Oh no!”

At the shepherd’s answer, the cavalry hastily grabbed their reins and began moving quickly.

The reason the moving soldiers were similar to a band of thieves did not bother the shepherd at all.

Along the route to Kayseri, it was easy to see hundreds and thousands of cavalry moving about, and Kayseri itself was bustling.

“What is the gathering situation?”

In response to Yusuf’s question as he looked out from the castle walls, the Grand Vizier replied cautiously.

“I’m sorry, Padishah. So far, only about 30,000 have gathered, which is barely half. It will take a bit more time for the Azab to join us.”

“Very well. There’s no reason to blame you.”

Since winter had not fully gone, there were still many places in Anatolia piled with snow, and it made sense that it would take longer for the gathering.

He had not reduced his journey by taking a ship just to travel back a longer distance.

“Though it is unavoidable that we take more time to gather, it is strictly prohibited for soldiers to engage in quarrels after they gather.”

“I will warn the commanders once again.”

Outside Kayseri, there were 30,000 cavalry and 10,000 central troops stationed, which was only half of the overall manpower, yet the area outside the castle was already bustling.

It was natural for problems to arise when young, energetic men gathered like that, and many who felt confident in their strength often ended up in fights.

If not strictly managed, it could turn chaotic in an instant.

‘60,000 cavalry, 10,000 central troops, and about 40,000 Azab. And there are 10,000 naval forces.’

While over 90,000 cavalry were registered in the Timar, it was not possible to mobilize all of them.

He needed some of those cavalry who assured the collection of taxes in Timars of the cavalry who had set out while defending the homelands.

Of course, a total of 120,000 troops was not a small number, but considering the troops needed for supply lines, he had to view the numbers as inferior to the enemy.

Moreover, as they captured more land, the supply lines would grow longer, and they would also need to leave behind troops to maintain order, meaning the available troops would dwindle further.

“Have all gathered in the conference hall?”

“Yes, everyone is just waiting for the Padishah to arrive.”

“Then let’s go.”

Kayseri, whose name comes from Caesarea, meaning the streets of the ancient Roman emperor, had a rich history where even Apostle Paul had once operated.

As such, it was filled with many ancient structures, and the castle where Yusuf currently resided was a solid fortress exuding the aroma of time.

Yusuf, who had already stayed for about a week, moved into the conference hall and all the gathered vassals paid their respects.

The highest seat was occupied by Yusuf, who spoke to the kneeling vassals.

“Everyone, rise.”

When Yusuf’s command fell, those filling the conference hall stood up.

Despite the spaciousness of the hall, it felt remarkably crowded.

Many came from the capital, including the Grand Vizier, ministers, and Janissaries, but there were also quite a number of Sanjakbeys.

Typically, a Sanjakbey would lead around 2,000 to 3,000 cavalry into battle, so with about 13 Sanjakbeys present, they were only half represented.

Some were familiar from the previous conquest of Georgia, while many were new faces.

“Grand Vizier.”

“Yes, O Padishah.”

“What do you believe is the most important factor for winning this war?”

“I believe the outcome of this war hinges on supplies.”

“You speak rightly.”

Even novice Janissary recruits could answer such a simple question.

“The Safavid, no matter how many cannons they acquire, primarily rely on cavalry. They cannot just hoard themselves in fortresses.”

The true strength of the Qizilbash comes forth when they hold the reins, so wasting their forces on siege warfare would be a mistake.

However, just because they burst out of the castle does not mean they will engage in open battle against the Ottomans.

“The Safavid and Mamluk will relentlessly target our supply lines. That would be the surest way for them to secure victory.”

The importance of supply favors the attacking side more than the defending side, and it was clear they would persistently cling to this objective.

That being said, it would only be folly to invest too many troops into the logistics operation out of fear of an enemy attacking their supply lines.

In response to Yusuf’s words, the Grand Vizier cautiously asked.

“What counsel do you have, O Padishah?”

“First, what response have we received from Dulqadir and Ramazan?”

“Ramazan said he cannot participate in this war. While he can open Mersin, he stated that no more than 200 troops can enter the city.”

“And Dulqadir?”

“The same goes for that place. They voiced difficulties in participating in the war due to the significant damage from the recent Safavid attack. However, they said they would allow the transit of supply troops.”

Upon hearing this response, Yusuf frowned.

“Both princes treat us as fools. How audacious.”

The two principalities can be compared to duchies in Western culture, referred to as Emirate in Arabic and as Emirates in English.

In fact, the modern name of the United Arab Emirates implies the union of seven principalities.

Anyway, between the Ottomans and Mamluks stood two principalities acting as buffer states—Ramazan and Dulqadir.

Ramazan comprised territories including the port of Mersin, while Dulqadir was a landlocked territory.

Because of these two nations, the Ottomans and Mamluks did not share a direct border.

“Both have been under the strong influence of the Mamluks for a long time, yet for Dulqadir to abandon its revenge on the Safavid seems suspicious.”

“It is arrogant, indeed, but O Padishah, as long as we can maintain our supply lines, it will not be too late to punish them later.”

At that, Yusuf scoffed.

“Only if those Dulqadir fools keep their promises.”

“Surely, they would not betray us after seeing what happened to Georgia?”

“The world is vast and filled with fools. Wouldn’t you agree, Ali Bey?”

Ali Bey, the nephew of Bozkurt Bey, the lord of Dulqadir, nodded deeply, agreeing.

In the original history, Ali Bey, being a nephew, had blocked the Ottoman supply routes and looted, so there remained a significant possibility.

Of course, given that history has changed, Bozkurt’s actions could also differ.

“It doesn’t matter. It is better to remove any sprouts of danger from the start.”

He was not foolish enough to let risks linger and end up getting stabbed in the back later.

“Ramazan as well. If we capture that place, it will surely restrict our supply lines.”

Given the port of Mersin and that they wouldn’t need to pass through the high altitude of Kayseri, it would result in a significant gain.

Realizing the plan to conquer both principalities, the Grand Vizier spoke.

“Then, the pretext will be important.”

“The pretext, indeed. Bring in Hasan.”

At Yusuf’s instruction, the Janissaries went outside and brought in a man.

It was Hasan, who had wandered for nearly two years in cursed land, and kneeling before Yusuf, he was asked.

“Is everything prepared?”

“Yes, the nobles of Dulqadir have promised to attack our scouts. There is no need for concern, as they will ensure no harm comes to our troops.”

A pretext?

If you don’t have one, you can create one.

Playing the victim is not difficult at all.