Shadow of God (19 page)

Suleiman nodded solemnly.

Piri smiled and went on, “I am sure you have heard the story of the Grand Vizier who asked a dervish Sheikh, ‘Who is the greatest fool in the world?’ The dervish replied, ‘Why
you
, oh mighty Vizier. You have done everything in your power to attain your office, even though you rode past the bleeding head of
your
predecessor, which lay upon the same spike as the bleeding head of
his
predecessors!’”

Suleiman laughed, though the room remained silent. A few heads turned to look at Achmed Pasha, who was thought to have designs upon Piri’s job. Achmed kept his eyes on the Sultan.

Piri spoke again. “Our Sultan’s victory at Belgrade should have made two things clear. First, the
ferenghi,
the Europeans, are afraid of us. They cower now, even as we speak, and wait to see where we will turn our mighty armies next. Each of their kings prays to their Jesus that it will be the
other
whom we attack.” Suleiman smiled at his Vizier.

“Secondly, the Belgrade campaign made it clear that they will
not
come to the aid of each other. I strongly suspect that they will not come to the aid of the Knights at Rhodes. They may send a few more soldiers, and some food and weapons. But, they will not come to reinforce the island in strength. Their Pope, Adrian, has, our spies tell us, refused money or men in their defense. And the Venetians will not use their fleet to obstruct us. Though they have no love for us, they know that they are vulnerable should they incur the Sultan’s anger.”

Suleiman said nothing, but waited for Piri to continue.

“
Against
that, my Lord, is the fact that this Rhodes is the bestbuilt and the best-defended fortress in the world. These knights have shown incredible bravery against many onslaughts. Even your great-grandfather’s troops—may Allah’s blessings shine upon him—were not able to breach their walls. Though they are a nest of vipers and should rot in Hell, we should not underestimate their bravery
and determination in battle. In the past, they have either died bravely, taking many good Muslim soldiers to their deaths, or they have been victorious, slaughtering the innocents of battle, the women and children. Even their women fight in the end. It is told that two hundred years ago they slaughtered six thousand Turkish captives, and that one crazed English woman beheaded one thousand of them with her own hands! In victory or in defeat, there will be much Turkish blood on the sands of Rhodes.”

The Sultan bowed to Piri and turned his attention to Mustapha Pasha, who was sitting next to Piri Pasha on Suleiman’s left. He was a huge man with full mustache and a great black beard, which hung down over his chest. Suleiman had appointed Mustapha Commander-in-Chief of all his armed forces. Mustapha was also Suleiman’s brother-in-law, married to the Sultan’s eldest sister, Ayse. The men had had a long and close relationship years before Suleiman ascended the Ottoman throne. Mustapha was now Second Vizier, and nobody doubted his ability to function both as a military leader and as Suleiman’s confidant. He was brave to the point of recklessness and absolutely fearless in situations where other men faltered. He was known for his furious temper, and his soldiers made very sure that his orders were carried out to the letter. More than once he had waded into battle, driving his soldiers forward, shouting and cursing and beating them with the flat side of his scimitar.

“Well, Mustapha, my
Seraskier
? What say you to our plans for these knights?”

“Majesty, those Sons of
Sheitan
have disrupted our lives long enough. Your great-grandfather was correct to try to weed them from their Island of Roses. And your father, may Allah smile upon his tomb, would have attacked them had he not been prematurely cut down by the cancer. These knights have captured eight other Dodecanese islands surrounding Rhodes. They use the islands as lookout posts and ports for reinforcing their fleet. I fear that they will expand their sphere of power further. Even now their lookouts and galleys on the island of Kos betray our movements and harass our ships. I am for our immediate departure. Sultan Selim had started the building of the
necessary fleet, and we need only to complete that job. Our cannon foundry at Tophane has turned out the most formidable weapons ever made. With them, we should reduce the knights’ fortress to rubble within days. I am ready when your Majesty tells me he is ready.”

“Very good, Mustapha. Prepare your troops. When I send word, you will sail with our fleet directly to Gallipoli. There, you will join forces with the
Kapudan,
Admiral Pilaq Mustapha Pasha, and his ships. I will try to get Cortoglu and his smaller fleet to join you there.”

“Cortoglu? The pirate? Forgive me, Majesty, but Cortoglu has failed us in the past, and I fear he might again. He fights for himself and his own profits, and I think we might not be able to depend upon him. His men do not respect him. He rules only by the terror he instills in his crews. He made fools of us when he let the new Grand Master slip by his fleet near Malta.” Cortoglu had attacked Philippe’s fleet many years before, when Philippe was a commander of ships. But, under Philippe’s command, the knights’ small force escaped under the cover of darkness, leaving Cortoglu raging and swearing at the empty horizon.

“What you say is true enough, Mustapha. But, I think we can make good use of his ships and his men. They will add strength and numbers to our fleet, and his duties will be merely to harass any of the knights’ ships that try to come or go from the island. He will intercept messengers and blockade reinforcements from reaching the island. This would free up your men and ships for more important duties on the island. I plan to use you and your troops against the ramparts of Provence once we are established there. Should Cortoglu fail us, he will meet a pirate’s end. His head will end up upon a pike as would any man’s who fails in his duty to us.”

The
Divan
was quiet. It was clear that Suleiman wanted each of his Aghas to make a stand and declare himself. There would be no avoiding this conversation.

“Bali Agha, my ‘Raging Lion.’ You are quiet today. Do the wounds you received in Belgrade still trouble you?”

“No, my Sultan. I am healed. These knights will know they have fought, indeed, when they feel the steel of my Janissaries. They shall drown in a sea of their own blood, and we shall bring you their
heads upon the tips of our swords for your pleasure. If need be, the bodies of my Janissaries will be but the stepping stones for their brothers march into the breach! We are the Sons of the Sultan!”

Suleiman nodded and let out another of his rare laughs. “I can always look to you for enthusiastic killing, Bali Agha. We will all aspire to the level of commitment and ferocity that you display. And we all know that this is no charade spoken from the safety of the
Divan
. With you at their head, your Janissaries will perform.
Inch’ Allah
, it will be just as you say.”

Suleiman turned to his right and looked at Achmed Pasha, his Third Vizier. Achmed was an Albanian, and had risen in the ranks by pure fierce ambition. He was a devious man, and his colleagues knew him to be overly proud and often envious of the Sultan’s affection for the other Aghas. Achmed had risen rapidly after the war at Belgrade, for his troops performed well. Suleiman had made him
Beylerbey
, regional Governor, of Rumelia. But, he now recalled him to Istanbul for this new war that was pending. The other Aghas all knew that Achmed eyed the post of Grand Vizier. Whether he would live long enough to see that dream was another matter.

“My Sultan, the men and I are ready to serve you. Anywhere. Any war. We will see that these knights know that the strength of Allah is with us; that under the Banner of His Prophet, our swords wield His might.”

Suleiman turned and smiled as he looked at Ayas Pasha. He knew Ayas to be prudent and generally fair. Most of all, the man would set his sights upon a task and plow straight on until it was completed. But, Ayas Pasha was an undistinguished leader of men, and Suleiman weighed this thought in the total equation. “And you, Ayas Pasha? What do you say?”

“Majesty, if we are to rid ourselves of these Hellhounds, there is only one way. They must be attacked in force and for however long it takes us. Your Empire will not be safe as long as this nest of vipers is secure in our midst. They have had two hundred years to fortify Rhodes, and they have succeeded well. Your great-grandfather, may the blessings of Allah be upon him, laid siege to that island with fewer men than necessary to do the job. Also, he fought the war
from his ships rather than from land. We should also remember that your people will support this venture. There is a strong contingent of merchants in Istanbul who threaten insurrection unless the pirates of Rhodes are destroyed. These merchants have lost so much to the knights’ predations, they would gladly give whatever funds are necessary to support our armies. I believe if we commit our entire military to the task—army, navy, cavalry—we cannot fail.”

The Sultan’s eyes fell next upon Qasim Pasha, the son of one of Bayazid’s slaves. He commanded a huge feudal force of Sipahis. His men were given fiefs of land in exchange for their services. They provided their own horses and their own weapons in return. He was respected by all the fighting men for his valor and his ferocity. He was a quiet man and dependable. “Qasim Pasha? Are you ready to go to war against the Infidel?”

Having seen the mind of the Sultan, Qasim Pasha had no chance to dissent, for everyone had shown unequivocal enthusiasm for this attack. ‘Yes, my lord. I, and my men, are ready to leave forthwith.”

“Very well. You have all spoken your truths. Now leave the
Divan
, and make ready your men and supplies.” The men bowed low and backed out of the room. Only Piri Pasha remained. Suleiman waited until they were alone, and then motioned Piri to his side. Piri remained standing before the Sultan and did not speak.

“Piri Pasha, there is something on your mind. Share it with me.”

“My lord, I have heard these men. They serve you well, and they all have fought for our Empire with no small success. Even Cortoglu as naval
Seraskier
is wisely placed, no matter what the others think. He is bent upon revenge against the Grand Master, de L’Isle Adam, for humiliating him in the Malta Straits. Cortoglu has a strong will, and a long memory for such things. He will be of value, though probably a source of great irritation as well.

“But, duty demands that I offer a word of caution: we have only just returned from Belgrade, and our treasuries are strained with the debts of war. We brought back many slaves and a good deal of treasure. Another war will cost us dearly, I’m afraid, in both men and gold. These knights have been a thorn in our sides for two hundred
years. Though I would be rid of them, too, would it not be wise to take our time and rebuild our strength in all regards before we set out on this undertaking?”

“My old friend, I know you speak from your heart. But, I also think that your heart is older than mine, and perhaps tired of these campaigns. I know you loved my father well, and served him loyally. He kept you far from home for eight long years. You would be well and truly content to stay in your garden by the sea, and tend your tulips and roses in peace.” Piri nodded wearily as the Sultan spoke.

Suleiman continued. “But, I need you now even more than did the Sultan Selim. I have nobody I can trust as he trusted you. Ibrahim, even though he has been with me since my wild youth, is still untried and not ready for the post of Grand Vizier.” Piri raised his eyebrows at the realization that the Sultan had even
considered
Ibrahim for such a post. To elevate a childhood playmate to such a position was beyond possibility from Piri’s point of view.

“Majesty, you have many fine leaders and fighters among the Aghas. I will admit that there are one or two less well suited for the post of Grand Vizier than the others. Ayas Pasha would not last long, I fear, in such a position of power.”

Suleiman cut him off. “There are none other in this
Divan
who can bear this responsibility. The Grand Vizier is not only a soldier, but he must be loyal to a fault. As you have been. And as I
know
you are. The Grand Vizier must be wise, not only in the making of war. Any of my Aghas can do that. No, Piri, I need the wisdom that age alone can bring. I honor your experience and the store of knowledge that you bring to this post. I am fortunate to be the heir not only to the Empire, but to the Grand Vizier who served my father so well and wisely. I need you for my teacher as much as for my Grand Vizier.”

The Pasha sagged in resignation, then quickly pulled himself together. “There are more things that you must know, my Lord. Permit me.”

Suleiman nodded for Piri to continue.

“Our spies tell us that the knights already know of your father’s preparations for war. They have seen the large fleet that your father
built before he died, and they must have seen our continued preparations. They cannot ignore the threat to their island and they are making preparations to reinforce their defenses. Possibly, they may have already sent for more men and arms from Europe, though I think they will have little success in that regard.”

“Have we captured any of the Christian spies?”

“No, my Lord. We have not. With so many merchants passing through our ports and cities daily, it is doubtful that we would learn much anyway. I think that there are Greek sailors and others who report to the knights as part of doing business. It is not necessary for them to have a full-time spy here. Any passing ship plying its trade could learn much about our preparations just from observing us as he sails by.”

“And what can we learn about the knights?”

“My Lord, this is what I have come to tell you. It is of greatest importance that you know what your father has already done.”

“My father? Tell me, Piri. All of it.”

“We have good intelligence that the knights are fully aware of our plans, and that they are at this moment preparing their defenses. Fortifications are being strengthened and supplies are being stockpiled. The Greek Rhodians are preparing to retreat into the city and aid the knights. They are ready for a long siege.”