Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 624 Change of Dynasty
Upon arriving at Topkapi Palace, everything was operating normally. The carriage stopped in front of the gate, and everyone on the committee was welcoming the palace's new master.

“Your Excellency Shah, every door of Topkapi Palace is open to you.” Kamil Pasha bowed deeply, his voice carrying a barely perceptible hint of reverence. The committee members behind him also bowed and shouted in unison, “Welcome, Shah!”

Camille Pasha, who was at the head of the group, stepped forward and respectfully extended his hand to help Naserdin down from the carriage. Naserdin, however, slightly turned aside and stepped off the carriage himself using the footboard.

Naserdin nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd: "I am not here to take over a cold palace, but to work with you to revitalize the country."

"Camille Pasha, please lead the way!"

The Shah and his entourage entered the palace through the Imperial Gate, completed in 1478 and later covered with marble in the 19th century. This massive stone gate emphasizes its defensive role. The central archway is a tall, domed passageway, its top inscribed with Ottoman script in gold leaf, containing verses from the Sultan's Tula and the Quran.

The entire palace covers an area of ​​70 square meters, and many parts of the palace offer clear views of the Bosphorus Strait. Located on a hilltop, it is the highest point near the sea. Naser al-Din walked up to Kafis and asked if the Ottoman royal family was all imprisoned here. The accompanying black eunuch nodded.

"Open the door!"

The black eunuch used a key to open the door of Kafis. The facilities inside were quite complete. No wonder, Ottoman princes are princes after all, and they would never mistreat them.

Most of the royal family members hid, but Aziz sat on the sofa in a daze. When he saw Nasserdin arrive, he didn't hide but said directly, "You've finally come."

Aziz raised his cloudy eyes and gave a strange smile: "What, are you here to send me to see the Prophet?"

"A prophet will not meet with someone who has forgotten his own mission."

Aziz abruptly raised his head, a fleeting glimmer of light flashing in his cloudy eyes before being swallowed by despair. He gave a self-deprecating laugh, his long, slender fingers gripping the sofa armrest so tightly that his nails almost dug into the carved wood grain: "Mission? The Ottoman mission was buried long ago with Suleiman the Magnificent's tomb. The empire now is nothing more than a dead man dressed in a magnificent shroud."

“So I have come.” Nasser al-Din walked up to him, bowing and gazing intently at the former Sultan. “Since Your Excellency is incapable, then let someone else take the place!”

Looking at Naserdin's face, Aziz knew that anything he said would be futile. He could only await his final fate.

Nasser al-Din would not exterminate them. As for Aziz, he would be sent to Baghdad, where he would be provided with a generous pension, servants, and medical care to ensure his comfortable life, but all political ties with the outside world would be severed.

For others, he arranged marriages with Iranian nobles. Those who wanted to maintain their status and wealth had no choice but to obey Nasser al-Din's arrangements. Despite his outwardly conciliatory manner, Nasser al-Din made everyone understand the consequences of betrayal. Religious powers such as the Grand Mufti also recognized Nasser al-Din's position, and just eleven days after the committee's announcement, the Ottoman Empire had a new monarch. The Ottoman dynasty ended, lasting 573 years and thirty-two monarchs.

On March 26th, the sky was crystal clear. Security was tight inside and outside the palace, the atmosphere solemn to the point of being frozen. The main streets leading to the palace had been cleared, lined with soldiers of the new army, behind whom stood countless citizens, holding their breath, feeling both apprehensive and hopeful for the new era.

The inauguration ceremony was not held at the traditional Blue Mosque, but rather in the central second courtyard of Topkapi Palace. This was where the Sultan received his ministers and handled state affairs, symbolizing secular power.

Inside the courtyard, banners fluttered. The Ottoman crescent flag and the Iranian lion-sun flag flew side by side, a subtle yet powerful visual symbol. To the left of the reviewing stand were members of the Progressive Council, led by Kamil Pasha and Avni Pasha, along with Ottoman civil and military officials who supported the coup; to the right were key Iranian cabinet ministers and military generals who had accompanied Nasser al-Din. They wore different clothes and spoke different languages, yet together they witnessed history.

The auspicious hour had arrived; horns sounded, and drums beat steadily. Nasser al-Din walked with measured steps through the solemn crowd to the makeshift platform at the far end of the courtyard. Each step seemed to resonate with the pulse of history.

The Grand Mufti spoke first. He stepped forward and recited relevant verses from the Quran, praying for God's blessing on the new leader and protection of the nation. He then turned to Nasser al-Din, formally confirming his status as "the Protector trusted by the Prophet" in his capacity as religious authority. This step completed the "divine" coronation.

Next, Kamil Pasha, as the representative of the Ottoman government, held a "Decree of Support" written in both Ottoman Turkish and Persian and read it aloud. The decree listed the malpractices of the previous dynasty, explained the national crisis, and then solemnly declared that, after consultation between the Progressive Committee and various sectors of the empire, they unanimously supported Shah Nasser al-Din of Iran as the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, to lead the empire out of its predicament and to a new beginning. After reading it, he bowed first and shouted, "Long live the Sultan!"

The Ottoman officials and new army generals in the courtyard echoed each other in unison, their voices deafening.

Finally, it was Nasser al-Din's turn. After the cheers subsided, he stood on the podium and spoke with deep emotion.

In the name of Allah, who is merciful and compassionate!
I pledge to uphold Islamic law and treat every subject fairly, whether they come from the Anatolian Plateau or their Persian homeland! I pledge to implement constitutional government, encourage open communication, and let wisdom and talent be the cornerstones of governance! I pledge to revitalize the economy, improve people's livelihoods, and ensure that bread and dignity belong to every hardworking family!

"And to our common enemies, those plunderers who devour our territory and despise our dignity, I have only one promise—blood debts must be repaid in blood! What has been lost will be reclaimed! Whether it is the giant bear of the north or the jackals of the sea, they will all see the power of our united strength!"

This speech, a blend of appeasement, promises, and declarations of war, ignited the entire scene. The Ottoman soldiers, in particular, seemed to find an outlet for their long-suppressed humiliation and anger, waving their fists excitedly and shouting in waves.

"Long live the Sultan! Long live the Shah!" The subjects of Iran and the Ottoman Empire, in different languages, shouted the same title, their voices converging and rushing out of Topkapi Palace, echoing for a long time in the sky above Constantinople.

(End of this chapter)