Dozens of decorated imperial banners flocks breezily outside the Topkapi Palace, its complex and decorated structure is a site to be seen. Councillors’, Viziers and other permitted members gathers around residing inside the Divan’s Chamber or council of viziers, in positions they await for someone steadily and silently whilst bearing minimum conversations.
An iron door opens revealing two Janissaries who bore pure red clothing especially their Bork which are all high-quality grade, their designs differ from the rest clearly they were future officers and bodyguards, which can only mean one thing and everyone knew exactly what it was…
“Attention! Our Sultans arrives, everyone to your post!” The Third who entered bossily called out It was Grand Vizier of the Army Hersekzade Ahmed Pasha (58), despite his old-age he is far more capable than he looks this was the 3rd time to be appointed as the Grand Vizier. Everyone scuffled sensibly towards their post and bowed their heads lower. The Sultan dominantly walked inside “My Sultan!” everyone greeted their ruler honestly and humbly whilst others feel sweaty intermediated by the aura coming in. He wore a simple round turban little with few decorations he simply liked that way it seems.
Sultan ‘Selim the Grim’, the word ‘grim’ describes it all Selim is an untamed ferocious lion easily angered of what displeases his hearing and dares harms others a fiery temper they say. Gestured his hands downwards gently everyone began to sat down respectively.
“Kuzey! Give me report on our treasury”
“Evet Efendim (Yes Lord)” Treasury Kuzey is the man who’s in-charged with treasury finance and management stepped and presented a scroll.
“We have an abundant of 10,000,000 Akçe” Proudly presented he knew by the looks of his Sultan that his report was more than just standard satisfactory met. Enlightened mood visibly seen from The Grim itself tensions dissipated immediately from others as no one wanted to see an enraged or displeased lion as it would bring ill-harm. Others mindfully thanked the Treasury finance manager for his professional performance.
“As expected” Selim nodded, “We have more than enough expenditure for another empire expansion”. Everyone willingly fully nodded.
“As always we are with you my Sultan, are we now back on expanding further deep into the we-“ “We will be consolidating our strength towards the middle-eastern provinces!” Selim pressed onwards cutting out one of the speaker. However hearing this announcement everyone taken-aback while not showing it directly they look each others startled eyes ‘What has our Sultan thinking’ communication through eye contact.
“My Sultan, I-I don’t think that’s quite a good decision” one tried to persuade Selim’s decisions he continued “Fighting against our brothers whose also in the same religion as ours, By Allah (God) this is not the way. Your janissaries will feel discouraged it will be their first expedition against Muslims! Please Sultan reconsider” he pleaded despite knowing the future consequences however calmly their Sultan counteracted.
“Hush my subordinates, we victoriously subdued the Byzantine and entered deep within the Balkans,” pressing onwards whilst walking in the middle of the Divan Chamber “We are now expanding further the west, but what good does it when we can’t protect our empires backyard”.
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“As you may know these Persians Muslims of Safavid Empire are threatening our borders, they had lingered around our domain far longer and know it is time for the lion to pay notice and take action. They are a threat leaving those tiny problems will become bigger in future if left unchecked. This goes for the Mameluke Caliphate. I will lead this campaign and never mind the Janissaries after all the veterans will put the young bloods in place.” Despite several but few discontented members of the divan eventually stomached and accepted his decisions.
“Now is the time to protect our empires backyard, It’s time to mobilize the Kapikulu GO! DISMISS!” Reinforcing his orders with aggressive posture everyone exits the chamber and issued the orders. The Arsenal heeded the call, the navies heeded the call and the whole Kapikulu force heeded their Sultans’ call, such boredom of silent idle atmosphere reversed once again heavily lively masses of bodily movements can be seen everywhere public servants, workers, officials and many more.
Revival clashing sounds of metalwork’s soldered and hammered from the arsenal factories and hammering woods from the shipyards. Several barracks opened their lonely large iron gates, more than thousands of Sultans Janissaries exited out and reformed their ranks neatly covering the courtyard with their distinctive white felt headgears.
Full deployed Janissary Cemaat division of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Orta of 'Deveci' or Camel Drivers. Next beside them are the 5th-13th Janissary Ortas of regular frontier janissary combatants. Sultan’s Elite Veteran guards of the 14th Janissary Orta ‘Hasekis’ and Sultan’s personal imperial legion units Solaks of the 60th, 61st, 62nd and 63rd Orta. Last two combatants of the 64th and 65th Janissary Lance-Cavalry ‘Greyhound Keepers’ these two ortas were the only Janissaries cavalries aside from the kapikulu Sipahis, originally act as hunting partying along with their Sultans now they too are capable reserve elite cavalry forces in the frontlines equally similar to their elite armoured counterpart Silahdar weapon-masters Sipahi orta. There were also the Boluk division and several artillery regiments.
As their Sultan; Selim the Grim cladded with his ottoman mail mirror-plated armour and distinctive chichak traversed past his Ortas while inspecting they loyally stood steadily, quietly and organised. “We hear and obey my Sultan” one of the Janissary Agha came forward.
“Your orders efendim” every division lowered their heads towards their emperor. Hands placed behind his back Selim one at a time drawing towards the Agha “My children….We shall march”.
Pleasing sounds distorts the public atmosphere the Mehter military band in crescent formation came down the road parading bashing and clanking their cymbals and rattles in unison with other instruments behind them follows suit of the Cemaat division marching in rhythm. Without disruptions within their ranks lead by a thread they slithered across the districts. The sultan remained vanguard in-front cannot be seen thanks to his Imperial Legion whom had longer and broader plumes nearly as far as obscuring visuals of the sultan himself.
Every public civil servants and populace attracted mad-charge rushed along the lanes in file lines.
“Hail the Sultan’s Champions!” One of the male joyfully preached out.
“Mom look-look it’s the bands!” A child pompously called his mother.
“Please notice us ;).” Three youthful beauties went as far into the front intentionally trying to attract one of the young guards of the 7th Janissary Orta none swayed and faltered even if they did behind them were the Veterans Guards of the 14th a bad omen for the younglings if one caught.
Exiting outside Selim and his Division had just began their journey in land on foot, marching hours by hours till Constantinople dissipates from view, days by days without rest throughout the lands of Anatolia and nearing the eastern provinces whilst musically marching everyone near and afar can even hear their approaches.