Chapter 38 History
"Interesting, Paleoleg? There are still remnants? The key is that I didn't notice it at first.
Selim couldn't help but feel funny. He might have become confused recently.
Then again, these people are really tenacious.
However, since the nobles of Vlach have not died yet, how can Selim ask them to donate land to the country? Without land, how can the people of the empire live happily?
In order to help others, Selim decided to let Justinian get rid of these remnants.
Pretending to be in deep thought, after a few minutes, Selim slowly spoke.
"Dear John, considering that the two principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia have been sparsely populated after being ravaged by the Russian army, many nobles have also died.
It may not be appropriate to discuss this matter at this time. Let's discuss it next time."
After perfunctorily dealing with this dying man, Selim looked around and saw that the participants no longer had any questions, so he announced the adjournment.
"Your Majesty. "
Selim was about to leave when he heard the voice of Patriarch Nicholas.
"What's the matter, dear Nicholas?"
Selim couldn't understand why Patriarch Nicholas called him at this time. He just used him as a positive example. With his father-in-law's face, he would not call him for such a small matter.
"Your Majesty, Simon Ducas's reaction is very strange.
He did not try to persuade you to change your actions on the Greek peninsula, and did not fight for the interests of the Phanaar people in the two principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia.
This is not in line with Simon's style. He has always been extremely stubborn in terms of interests. "Patriarch Nicholas answered seriously.
"Nicholas, what do you mean? But does Simon, or the Phanaar people behind him, have the courage to do so? Or do those Greek scum think they are good again? "
Selim didn't think the other party could play him. As the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, he held the empire's top intelligence organization "Ottoman Sword" at hand. He thought no one could calculate him.
"Your Majesty, maybe it's not just them.
You have always regarded the Guards as lambs to be slaughtered, but not everyone in the Guards is a waste. Aladdin Pasha is not an easy person to deal with. Similarly, is there really a solid support behind your Grand Mufti?
Most importantly, will you stay in Constantiniya forever? "
Selim fell silent for a rare time. In fact, he has never relaxed his surveillance on this group of people.
Reform is not something that can be accomplished by the Sultan's order, even if he led the Ottoman Empire to win the Russo-Turkish War.
The honor that the world can see can only guarantee that no one dares to directly disobey the Sultan's order, but behind the scenes, there are too many things that are lip service and sly disobedience.
Selim knew that he was a little impatient. He conquered Egypt but did not let anyone get involved. On religious issues, he repeatedly challenged the Grand Mufti's fragile nerves and used the Russo-Turkish War to weaken local forces.
The vested interest groups whose interests were damaged did not dare to confront Selim head-on, but what if there was an assassination?
"Your Majesty, perhaps you should slow down your pace. Suppressing them blindly is not conducive to your reform. "
Patriarch Nicholas gave his own suggestions.
Selim smiled and said nothing, but motioned Patriarch Nicholas to follow him.
The two walked to the third courtyard deep in the Topkapi Palace.
The third courtyard, also known as the inner palace, is the heart of the Topkapi Palace and outsiders are not allowed to enter.
The two turned around the audience hall and saw a verdant garden in front of them.
The courtyard is a complex of buildings, and the structures of the buildings are not independent and unified. Various low buildings surround the courtyard and are connected to each other by corridors and passages.
There are not many buildings over two stories high, and trees, gardens and pools are scattered among them, which makes people refreshed.
Right behind the audience hall and in the middle of the third courtyard is a library called the Mohammed III Library.
It was built by the royal architect Mimar Beshir Agha in 1719 at the order of Sultan Ahmed III on the basis of the pool pavilion at that time.
"Dear Nicholas, what do you think of this library?"
"Very beautiful, Your Majesty. The lovely neoclassical style, the entire surface is made of marble.
There are four equal-length passages in the library, forming a cross, with a round arched hall in the middle, and three rectangular compartments.
One of the roads in the cross passage leads to the main door, which can be reached by stairs on both sides.
There is an exquisite drinking fountain under the central arched hall, and there are niches on all four sides. The library has a basement to prevent precious books from getting wet. "
Nicholas didn't understand what Selim meant, but he came here often, so he answered quickly.
"Yes, it's very beautiful. The entire library has more than 3,500 manuscripts, some of which are inlaid with pearls and ivory.
But what are these books? It's just a pile of theology, Islamic decrees and other manuscripts in Ottoman Turkish, Arabic and Persian.
In contrast, what do the French and British have in their libraries?
Selim sighed and continued.
"Dear Nicholas, the current empire is like this library, it looks magnificent and is a great country.
But what is behind it? We all know it.
Compared to the prosperity of Suleiman the Magnificent, which dominated Europe, the current empire is like a crescent moon that will fall forever."
As they walked and chatted, they came to the Conqueror's Pavilion, located northeast of the Expeditionary Army's Sleeping Palace.
This place was originally one of the pavilions built during the reign of Mehmed II, and it is also one of the oldest buildings in Topkapi Palace.
The pavilion was built around 1460, when the construction of Topkapi Palace began.
The Conqueror's Pavilion is used to store crafts and also collect imperial treasures.
It consists of three rooms: a terrace overlooking the Sea of Marmara, a basement and a connected haman.
The Conqueror's Pavilion has two floors and is built on the top of the cliff. The Sultan can enjoy the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus Strait from an excellent angle in front of the Conqueror's Pavilion.
"Look, Nicholas, my ancestor Selim the Great once led his army to conquer Egypt, and he left the treasures from Egypt here."
Selim pointed to the four rooms next to the second arch of the Conqueror's Pavilion and said.
"However, I want to take you to visit another place, follow me."
Entering the three treasure houses deep inside, Selim said.
"This is the sword of the Conqueror Mehmed. The hilt is decorated with three large emeralds, and the surface of the scabbard is made of enamel and diamonds.
The Conqueror loved it very much. It witnessed the fall of one empire and the birth of another."
"This is the throne of Suleiman the Magnificent. Legend has it that it was given by King Francis I of France.
The whole body is made of walnut wood, and the throne is inlaid with mother-of-pearl and tortoise shells.
The King of France, who suffered from the oppression of Charles V, respectfully sent a gift to please my ancestors."
The treasurer, who had been following the Sultan and the Patriarch and was about to explain the history of the cultural relics, suddenly found that he was not as good as the Sultan.
Selim ignored the treasurer who was alone and sad, and strode into the last exhibition room.
"Come on, Nicholas, we're still behind."
The Sultan's voice came from the empty showroom, and it seemed extremely heavy.
It made Nicholas feel as if the 500-year history of the Ottoman Empire had turned into a dark mountain pressing down on him.
It was difficult to take a step, but he was extremely yearning.
I looked up a lot of information for this chapter, so it can be said that it was posted quite late.
I mainly wanted to create a sense of historical heaviness, and I don't know if it has met everyone's standards. Hamman means bathroom
Finally, please read and collect it