1635 Han style rises again

October 1671, 10, Ottoman Empire, Istanbul.

Since the Grand Vizier Mehmet Koprulu took over the Ottomans in 1656, he has gone all out to restore the vitality of the empire.At the heart of Mehmet Kopurulu's plan to revive the Ottoman Empire was simple: stop corruption and embezzlement in the empire first.

In the Ottoman officialdom, he used his iron fist to ruthlessly remove and punish a large number of corrupt and dereliction of government officials, including the head of the True God religion, the commander of the navy and the commander of the guards, and even the head of the eunuch in black in the imperial court. within punishment.

Muhammad Koprulu believes that to stop the decline of the empire, the so-called social reforms cannot be carried out like the predecessors, but can only rely on heavy penalties.Because social reforms were both condemned by the religious laws of the true God and hated by the people, these reforms were demagogues and the bane of social instability in the empire.

His purpose was to restore the empire to the methods of rule of the time of the great Suleiman the Magnificent, who was known throughout the history of the Ottoman Empire as the lawgiver and enforcer.If the systems that the Ottomans were proud of in the 16th century were fully restored, and the imperial codes compiled by Suleiman the Great himself were respected and implemented, then the Ottoman Empire could fully restore its former glory and revive its majesty.

After Muhammad Koprulu had rectified the administration of the empire and firmly consolidated his political position, he turned his attention to dealing with enemies inside and outside the empire.

First of all, he took decisive measures to suppress the domestic rebellion by force, and put down the armed rebellion led by the governor of Anatolia, Abaza Hassan Pasha, with thunderous means, including Abaza Hassan Pasha. Many of the rebels were beheaded and their heads were exhibited in the imperial capital, Istanbul, as a warning to those who attempted political intrigues and openly challenged the imperial authority

Secondly, continue the war against Venice unswervingly.He led the reformed and upgraded Ottoman Navy, defeated the Venetians twice at sea in August and November 1657, recovered Tenedos Island and Lemnos Island successively, and relieved the foreign giants suffered by the capital Istanbul. The pressure revived the military prestige.

Immediately afterwards, Mehmet Koprulu sent troops into Serbia in 1656, killed its monarch George II Rakozy, and established a new monarch, bringing Serbia back under the control of the Ottoman Empire.

In 1661, Muhammad Koprulu died of illness, and his son Ahmed Koprulu succeeded him as Grand Vizier. He continued to return to Cao Sui in terms of the governance of the empire, and continued his father's political philosophy.Today, the Ottoman Empire has clear officials and a stable society, showing signs of imperial revival.

Although it was repelled by the Austrians united with the German states and the French in the Battle of St. Gotthard commanded by Ahmed Koprulu in 1664, and allowed Habsburg to obtain equal status with the Sultan, resulting in His reputation is damaged.But in the ensuing Battle of Crete, Ahmed Koprulu led his army to capture this strategically important island in the Mediterranean and ended the long and dangerous war with the Republic of Venice. This culminated in his fame and prestige.

The energetic Ahmet Koprulu shifted his focus of foreign conquest to Poland last year.He personally led the Ottoman army to capture the two castles of Kotin and Kamenepoldski on the Dnieper River, and pointed his sword at Lewo, an important military town in Poland.

Ahmed Koprulu is a grand vizier with considerable political experience and ability to govern the country. Compared with his father's iron-fisted political rule, he is more gentle and compassionate. Bingji, a person who hides needles in the cotton.His father's success in restoring the empire created a more relaxed political climate for his statecraft.

Although the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet IV was completely absorbed in hunting and entertaining in the harem, his support for the Koprulu family has always been steadfast.The monarch and ministers are compatible, the political atmosphere is relaxed, and the imperial army is gradually returning to its former invincible glory. This makes Grand Vizier Ahmed Koprulu have great ambitions, and he is preparing to fight in Transylvania, Hungary, Poland and other regions. Achieve new breakthroughs for the empire.

"France is about to attack the Netherlands, and then, it is likely to trigger a huge European war."

Grand Vizier Ahmed Koprulu sat on the soft bed, drank the wine glass in his hand, and then placed it heavily on the small table next to him. The jug filled the glass again.

"Therefore, our Ottoman Empire should make full use of the chaotic situation in Europe, aim at the vast steppes of southern Ukraine, subdue the Cossacks there to gain a strategic advantage, and continue to weaken the strength of Poland in order to eliminate the northeast of the empire. threaten."

"Dear Vizier, the empire has fought many wars in a row in the past ten years, although it has achieved brilliant victories in many directions. But..." Pashakara Mustafa, who is in charge of the empire's finances, hesitated After a while, he said softly: "However, the current empire is in a serious financial deficit and cannot afford to support a new war. Should we wait for a few more years and let the Crimean Khanate send troops to continuously harass the Ukrainian region?"

"Dear Kara, if every war of the empire needs to be fully prepared, and we have to save enough financial and material resources to proceed, then our empire will lose many strategic opportunities." Ahmed Kopp Lulu said seriously: "You have to remember that sometimes, the key factor in war is not whether the financial resources are completely sufficient, but the fleeting opportunity."

When Kara Mustafa heard this, he immediately groaned secretly. Although the Grand Vizier was extremely reasonable, the empire's army did not rely solely on honor and fighting enthusiasm to maintain its combat effectiveness.For hundreds of years, there have been countless mutinies launched by the imperial army due to lack of pay.If during the war to attack Poland, the army suffered a change due to lack of food and supplies, wouldn't he, the pasha in charge of the empire's finances, become the last one to take the blame?
"Actually, fighting is not all consumption, we will also gain." Ahmed Koprulu saw that Kara Mustafa was embarrassed, and his tone softened a little, "Look at that Kerry Every time the Mia Khanate attacked Ukraine or invaded Russia, they plundered tens of thousands of people and then sold them all. In addition to supplementing military expenses, there was even surplus to enrich the Khanate’s finances.”

"Grand Vizier, there are fewer and fewer buyers who can buy slaves in large quantities." Kara Mustafa smiled wryly, "so that the price of slaves is getting lower day by day, and people still have to pick and choose , only those strong men are needed."

"I remember that the Qi State in the southern New World seems to be more inclined to buy female slaves and young slaves." Ahmed Koprulu said: "Go down and find them and see if you can sell more slaves to them.  … There are no less than ten commercial stations in the Ottoman Empire, and the products they provide are also of various types and of high quality, and there should be no shortage of gold and silver."

"..." Kara Mustafa looked at Grand Vizier, "Our Ottoman Empire still owes a lot of foreign debts to Qi, and several of them will be due at the end of the year."

"People from the state of Qi... come here to pay off the debt?" Ahmed Koprulu was taken aback for a moment.

"The ambassador of Qi State to the Empire once mentioned this matter tactfully, and hoped that we would add additional collateral for these debts, so as not to..."

"What do they want?"

"The Qi people want Aden." Kara Mustafa said: "They want to obtain land within ten kilometers around Aden in the form of lease, and establish commercial ports and sea supply points."

"We can consider giving it to them." Ahmed Koprulu said: "Since the local Arabs rebelled against the rule of the empire more than 50 years ago, our control over this area has become more and more incapable. That Fah The kingdom of Lisudan is also gradually becoming alienated. In this case, we will lease the land of Aden to the people of Qi, so that we can stay out of the matter and be a fair judge."

"The people of Qi also want to build a road in Egypt to connect the port of Suez to Cairo, and ask for land development rights within five kilometers along the line." Kara Mustafa saw that the grand vizier did not veto the request of the people of Qi, so he Then he said.

"Building roads?" Ahmed Koprulu was stunned for a moment. "Are they trying to get the goods arriving at the port of Suez to Cairo faster?"

"Yes, Grand Vizier. After the Qi people quickly transfer the goods arriving at the port of Suez to Cairo, they can use the Nile River to go down the river and directly reach the ports along the Mediterranean Sea. So..." Kara Moos said Tafa peeked at the Grand Vizier.

"What else?"

"The Qi people claim that in order to better maintain this trade channel, they want to lease the Port of Suez and the Port of Damietta on the Mediterranean coast."

"Hmph, the people of Qi are self-aware and didn't ask us for Alexandria." Ahmed Koprulu sneered, "Both the Port of Suez and the Port of Damietta can be leased to them, but the civil affairs and defense of the two places It shall be managed by the Governor of Cairo. As for the road from Suez Port to Cairo, five kilometers along the line is too wide, so it is reduced to three kilometers, and no force shall be maintained."
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November 11, Egypt, Port Damietta
"More than 400 years ago, Louis IX of France launched the Seventh Crusade and led as many as 5000 knights to attack Egypt. At that time, the French landed from Damietta Port and then captured But the long-distance raid exhausted the French, and they were hit by another plague. Louis IX was defeated and retreated to Damietta."

"Then the king himself contracted the disease and lost thousands of soldiers. The Egyptian army, waiting for work, pursued the victory and captured Louis IX and the remnants of the French army. After long-term negotiations, Louis IX paid a large amount of ransom and returned the amount Mietta was only released after making conditions, and returned to France in embarrassment..."

An Egyptian interpreter led the visiting Qi people to visit this ancient port, while telling the historical stories of what happened to it.

Damietta Port is one of the oldest ports in Egypt, but more than 800 years ago (853 AD), the Byzantine Empire Navy raided Damietta, captured and burned it, in order to combat the influence of the Arab Empire in Egypt.Today it is just an unremarkable small fishing port on the southern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, with a population of only 500 people, and the wharf facilities are dilapidated, and only a few small merchant ships and fishing boats can berth there.

Originally, the Qi State Representative Office in Ottoman planned to follow His Majesty's will and tried to lease a coastal port called Port Said, thinking that the Port of Suez echoed it from afar.But after searching the local people in Egypt, none of them had heard of this port, so they gave up, and the next best thing was to lease the Damietta port near the mouth of the Nile River (Port Said was established in 1859 with the opening of the Suez Canal). It was excavated and built, and named after the Governor Said Pasha who was stationed at that time).

For the Mediterranean region, the Ottoman Empire only cared about controlling the business and collecting taxes here, while other powers were entrusted to the imperial navy and local pashas. The former enjoyed the honors and privileges brought by various wars, but had never participated in many imperial battles. The latter manages the empire's huge fettered area, and is responsible for providing the empire with a prescribed amount of taxes and sources of Sipahi cavalry.

"The Ottomans are really easy-going, and they agreed to everything we proposed about road construction and leased ports. If I knew it, we should have put forward some more conditions, such as complete tax exemption for goods, building fortresses in leased areas, or letting them The legendary ancient canal has been dug again, which will bring more long-term benefits to many trading companies in Qi State." Cui Lianxiang, the person in charge of Qi State Ottoman Trading Company in Egypt, looked at the flowing water of the Nile River and couldn't get enough of it. Said.

"Although we have had good relations with the Ottoman Empire for more than 20 years, don't act recklessly and be arrogant because of this." Pu Anyuan, commercial counselor of the Qi State Representative Office in Ottoman, glanced at Cui Lianxiang coldly, "You must know that the Ottoman Empire is a vast land. The huge empire has a population of more than 2000 million, and it overwhelms European countries militarily. Do you think such a big country will easily agree to your rude request?"

"..." Cui Lianxiang's face suddenly became very ugly when he heard this, and he said anxiously: "The counselor said this..., I am not thinking that the Ottoman Empire owes us a lot of money, and half of it is us The payment for the goods that the trading company has not paid over the years. This is short-handed, he must be... must be pretending to us."

"By saying that, you think you can handle the Ottomans?...Hmph, aren't you afraid that they won't pay back their debts?"

"It..., does it really dare not pay back the money it owes?" Cui Lianxiang's eyes widened.

"What do you think?" Pu Anyuan looked up at a dozen or so Mamluk cavalrymen in the distance, and sighed, "Could it be that, you think my country of Qi sent troops to fight in Egypt for several million silver? It's not worth it." You businessmen, you need to have a clear understanding of the situation, and understand which places can jump around and which places must abide by other people's rules. Don't think that all places in this world are like the Nanyang region."

"In addition, what you said just now, to encourage the Egyptians to dig through the ancient canal, let it go, and don't make any more publicity. With the current strength of our country, even if we dig through, we may not be able to hold this golden canal." The waterway is simply cheaper for the Ottomans and Europeans. What we have to do now is to continue to stabilize and strengthen the layout and construction along the Red Sea coast. Half a month later, the first batch of more than 600 Slavic slaves purchased will arrive in Alexandria. You The trading company is responsible for the smooth transfer of these people to the port of Suez, and then to several strongholds along the Red Sea coast."

The history of the construction of the Suez Canal may be as far back as the No.12 Dynasty of Egypt. Pharaoh Senusret III (Senusret III, whose name is the source of the word "Suez") ordered the excavation of a canal for direct trade through land-based flat-bottomed boats. The "east-west" canal connecting the Red Sea and the Nile.Some evidence suggests the canal existed at least until the time of Ramesses II in the 13th century BC, after which the canal was abandoned.

According to the Greek historian Herodotus's book "History", about 600 BC, Necho II started its re-excavation work, but did not complete it.

The Suez Canal was regained by Ptolemy II around 250 BC.It was continuously improved, destroyed, and rebuilt over the next 1000 years, until it was finally abandoned in the 8th century AD for the Abbasid Caliph al-Mansour of the Arab Empire.

Afterwards, the Suez Canal was excavated and opened intermittently, and it was opened for two long periods in 117 BC under the Roman King Trajan and in 640 AD during the period of Umar ibn Khattab.