Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 623 Arrival
The train sped along, and Nasser al-Din looked at the newspapers he had bought along the way; as he got closer to Constantinople, the headlines changed.

From the heretical Shah's coveting of the Sultanate, to the arrival of the Liberator, and then to following the new Sultan to avenge past humiliations, the change in newspaper headlines illustrates the shift in Ottoman domestic attitudes towards his arrival from resistance to welcome. After all, neighboring Iran was developing so well; surely having the Shah would be better than the current situation?
The train slowly arrived in Bursa, where Naser al-Din received an even warmer welcome. He also met with many local celebrities, as well as numerous workers and farmers.

The Shah also did his utmost to help and promise to address their most pressing concerns. Everyone was amazed and invigorated by such a peaceful monarch, wondering if their good days were about to begin.

Six days after departing from Iran, Nasser al-Din and his party boarded a ferry and crossed the Sea of ​​Marmara.

The Ottoman opposition did little to address this, frankly, they didn't care who the Sultan was. All they cared about was saving the Ottoman state. While Nasser al-Din's Iranian identity was the most criticized aspect, other countries have similar backgrounds.

For example, when Russia said that Iranians were about to rule the Ottoman Empire, Iran immediately retorted that the Tsar's family had German blood in their veins and that they were not pure Slavs but were calling themselves Slavic brothers. How could this not be laughable?

Austria is another tense country. They originally planned to gradually annex Bosnia, but this has become less likely if Iran were to annex the Ottoman Empire.

Looking at the map, Bosnia is surrounded by Austria on three sides, and its annexation seems inevitable. However, it also borders Serbia and Montenegro, and has a significant Serbian population. Serbia also wants to acquire Bosnian land. This is territory conquered by their most powerful emperor, Dušan the Magnificent, and they must obtain it.

Franz also discussed the situation with his cabinet, and Prince Olsperger believed that calm was necessary. Austria's economy was entirely dependent on Iranian funding, especially during the economic crisis; offending Iran at this time would have unimaginable consequences.

Furthermore, since Germany hasn't taken any action yet, they can follow suit. This way, they can temporarily seize the initiative.

Another country that jumped the gun was Italy, yes, Italy. Protests erupted in Florence, the Italian capital, with protesters saying they would send an army of 20 to rescue the Ottoman royal family if Iran annexed the Ottomans.

No one knows what Italy's motives are, but everyone just treats it as a joke. After all, with its fragmented territory, it should focus on unifying the Apennine Peninsula first.

Germany remained silent, and Bismarck continued dealing with diplomatic affairs with France. The fact that France had paid off the reparations so quickly suggested that the amount owed was still insufficient. The next step was to quickly establish an encirclement of France; this was the best course of action for Germany.

On March 21, Nasser al-Din sailed into the Golden Horn. The city of Constantinople came into view.

"Wow!"

Ali saw the spire of Aya Sofia and the four minarets surrounding it, and couldn't help but exclaim. Nasser al-Din also saw it; this ancient city, weathered by time for thousands of years, was now right before his eyes.

To be honest, Naserdin would love to travel back to Constantinople in 1453 to see how the city was conquered. But things are alright now; at least he didn't use guns and cannons, but rather the hearts and minds of the people to conquer the city. "This is Constantinople. The Roman Empire survived for over a thousand years thanks to this city, until it was finally conquered by Mehmed II and became the capital of the Ottoman Empire."

This place is indeed excellent, with a strategically important location guarding the strait and the entrance to the Black Sea. No wonder Russia was so desperate to acquire it.

"Yes, Shah, Constantinople has been besieged at least ten times in history, but except for the times in 1204 and 1453, the enemy was repelled on all the other occasions. This shows their defensive strength."

"Look over there, that used to be Genoa. The Romans sold them out for money, and later the Ottomans drove them out. This shows that the Ottomans loved this place more than the Romans."

The Shah and the ministers who had come with him discussed what Constantinople looked like, while the ships had already docked at the pier.

As Naser al-Din stepped onto the scarlet-carpeted dock, a thunderous cheer erupted from the crowd. An elderly woman with a headscarf pushed past the guards, handed him a bunch of dried saffron, and cried out in a mix of Turkish and Persian, "May you shine like the sun upon our Constantinople!"

Naser al-Din accepted the bouquet of dried saffron, which still gleamed with a dark golden hue. He bowed slightly, pressed the bouquet close to his chest, and replied in Turkish with a Persian accent: "May the fragrance of saffron waft into the courtyard of every Ottoman."

The cheers of the crowd surged once more, and cannon salutes boomed over the Sea of ​​Marmara, startling seagulls from their roosts in the Golden Horn. The generals of the Imperial Guard who had participated in the deposition of the former Sultan knelt on one knee, their scimitars pointing diagonally to the ground. This gesture, a symbol of "swearing allegiance to the monarch" in Ottoman history, was now offered to an Iranian Shah.

Meanwhile, in Topkapi Palace, former Sultan Abdulaziz and other members of the Ottoman royal family were placed under house arrest in Kafis, a luxurious prison within Topkapi Palace specifically designed to imprison princes and ensure that no one could rebel.

Although the committee continued to provide food and water, they lost their freedom, and not just the Sultan, but all members of the royal family.

Upon hearing that Nasser al-Din had arrived in Constantinople, tears welled up in his eyes. He was filled with resentment at his family being driven out so easily. His ancestor, Mehmed II, had conquered Constantinople and inherited the Roman Empire; Suleiman I had brought the country to its zenith; and his father, Mahmud II, had spearheaded national reforms. His family, if not necessarily meritorious, had certainly contributed greatly. To be so easily handed over was unbearable for him.

But more than anything, they worried about what the Shah would do to them—he'd probably kill them all. As long as they were alive, they would threaten the Shah's position. They'd already started discussing which way of dying would be the least painful, or begging the Shah to send them to a remote place where they would never return.

The dome of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque gleams like glass in the sunlight, standing in stark contrast to the golden minaret of the Al-Ayar Sofia in the distance, like two silent monuments witnessing the rise and fall of dynasties. They have witnessed much history, and now, another significant historical event is unfolding. No one knows what the future holds, but it will surely be better than the present.

(End of this chapter)