The news of the co-emperor’s proclamation did not remain confined within the empire.
There was one place where they listened more intently than any other to the movements of the empire—a prepared victor, one that inevitably had to bring down the empire to claim dominance in this new era.
In Ottoman lands, too, John’s decision was quickly known.
For Murad, it was an unwelcome development.
The young emperor had declared his intent to focus all his strength on Dragases, reinforcing the long-standing internal instability that had been the empire’s weakness.
It was only natural for Murad to be displeased.
In order to return to Edirne, he had been forced into humiliating negotiations with both Morea and Venice.
The Venetians, having swiftly taken Thessalonica, sought a non-aggression pact—likely out of fear that the sultan’s wrath would turn upon Thessalonica at once.
But could they have known that, instead, they had only hardened his resolve?
Yet before he could punish Venice and the empire, Murad had a more pressing matter to deal with: a rebellion in Anatolia. He had to crush the Anatolian beylik factions that had put forward his long-missing brother, Mustafa, as a claimant to the throne.
Though there had always been tensions between the sultan and his viziers (ministers), never before had those conflicts surfaced so openly. This only proved how much of a threat Murad’s policies of centralization were perceived to be.
And yet, some viziers still remained loyal.
One of those few was the man kneeling before Murad now.
Murad could not help but find it unexpected. The viziers, unhappy with his centralization efforts, had been the ones to support his brother Mustafa. Yet some had chosen a different path. That fact alone intrigued him.
Murad spoke at last.
“Curious. Were we not fated to be at odds?”
Murad sought to reinforce the sultan’s authority through centralization, while the viziers fought to preserve their own influence. They stood at diametric extremes.
Yet the kneeling man shook his head, replying in a calm voice.
“We are all Muslims, who live by the words of the Prophet. There is the sultan, and there are those who serve him. But all are merely servants of Allah.”
“And yet, not all seem to share your view.”
“They have lost sight of the Prophet’s words in pursuit of immediate gain.”
“And what makes you different?”
Even with Murad’s pointed question, the man’s voice remained unwavering.
“As natural as the truth itself,” he replied, as if speaking an immutable fact.
“I believe in the oath sworn upon the Ottoman sword.”
“Oath?”
“Yes. The promise made by the first Muslims to set foot on this land—the solemn vow that, in the city of cities, surrounded by three seas, the recitation of the Quran would one day reach the heavens.
That oath is why my clan has followed the Ottomans.”
“And that is why you follow me?”
“What more reason is needed?”
The man met the sultan’s gaze, his posture unyielding.
Murad saw in his eyes a sincerity that could not be feigned.
This man truly believed that the Ottomans would fulfill the prophecy.
Only then did Murad let down his guard.
After a measured breath, he spoke again.
“There must be a reason you came to me. Speak freely.”
“Sultan, I have come to discuss a way to tear apart the net Dragases has cast over you.”
Straight to the point, without even the pretense of courtesy. But Murad had not expected courtesy from him.
What mattered was the substance of his words.
Sensing a flicker of interest in the sultan’s expression, the man continued, his voice clear but never frivolous.
“The most pressing matter is, of course, the rebellion. Though many viziers have turned their backs on you due to their treacherous schemes, there are still those who remain loyal—faithful not only in service but in belief. They await the day you arrive in Anatolia, Sultan. At their head stands your trusted friend, Ishak Pasha.”
“Ishak Pasha? He…”
Occupied with the war in Morea, Murad had not paid close attention to Anatolia.
Hearing such an unexpected name, he could not help but show a hint of surprise.
The man nodded before explaining Ishak Pasha’s current situation.
“He is, of course, at a disadvantage. But the fact that not all have turned against you means there is still hope. More than that, the one you must face—Mustafa—is young and untested. He has yet to prove himself. If you march to the battlefield yourself, you will force the matter to its conclusion. The more decisive your response, the clearer it will become who the true sultan is.”
Yet the man was not finished.
“There will, of course, be great costs. I have heard that, through Dragases, you have secured three thousand Genoese mercenaries and one thousand troops from Prince Thomas of Epirus. Epirus, being little more than a puppet of the empire, is of no real concern. But Genoa… is another matter entirely. They will undoubtedly demand more in return for their support. For example…”
“They will demand greater trade monopolies. Or perhaps, new lands of their own.”
Murad’s voice was sharp, and the man nodded silently.
Murad had already suspected as much.
Genoa and Venice—two scavengers circling the Aegean, seeking any opportunity to expand their influence.
Especially Genoa, desperate to open new trade routes to preserve its profits in the Black Sea.
But the man before him did not focus solely on the losses that would come.
“Sultan, you must use this as an opportunity to bring Genoa to your side.”
“They are a force worth considering, but I have yet to find the means.”
“There is something they seek, just as there is something we seek. And in that, there is common ground.”
Murad furrowed his brow at the man’s words.
In response, the man offered a pleasant smile and spoke the answer the sultan had been waiting for.
“Genoa wishes to diminish Venice’s influence, and we must oppose Venice as well. Then all we need to do is weaken their power. Use the Dardanelles Strait. Build fortresses on both sides and impose strict inspections and heavy tolls on Venetian ships.”
The Dardanelles Strait lies between the Gallipoli Peninsula and the Anatolian coast. It connects the Sea of Marmara and the Aegean Sea, serving as a key passage right before Constantinople. It was also designated as the naval route for the upcoming Anatolian campaign.
However, Murad was not satisfied with this answer alone.
“Is that all?”
“This is merely the first step toward Thessalonica, which Your Majesty has set your sights on. Next, you must forge close ties with the Anatolian beyliks (Chieftain) through marriage alliances. What they fear most is being completely stripped of their influence in the court. Give them false hope, even if only temporarily. Once they are pacified, Your Majesty must then advance into Rumelia (Greece).”
“…How did you know I had my eyes on Thessalonica?”
Despite Murad’s continued questioning, the man answered calmly.
“Thessalonica is a strategic stronghold in the Aegean and one of the most developed port cities. If Your Majesty still intends to campaign against Morea, then it is an indispensable supply line that must not be abandoned. And I simply could not believe that Your Majesty would ever give up on Morea.”
“….”
“But even that will not be enough. There are too many Christians who fear Ottoman expansion. They do not know true faith, and thus they will remain wary of us rather than accept us.
Your Majesty must first break their unity. And I propose Wallachia as the first target.”
Wallachia, a state located north of the Danube River, was established specifically to resist the Ottoman threat. As he brought them up, the man began to explain why they must be dealt with and how it should be done.
“As long as they remain north of the Danube, Your Majesty must contend with three forces—the main Crusader army from Serbia, Wallachian troops possibly marching south across the river, and Dragases advancing from the south.
Even if Wallachia cannot be subdued immediately, securing peace with them will limit the enemy’s options. Fortunately, Your Majesty has already defeated them once. Their subsequent inaction speaks volumes.”
Wallachia had once supported Büyük Mustafa with thousands of soldiers. But after Murad’s victory, they made no further moves. While this was partly due to the severe losses they had suffered, the man saw it differently.
“-Wallachia fears the Ottomans.”
He did not hesitate to continue.
“Persuading those consumed by fear is easy. Even if they harbour reckless bravado, it will take them years to recover from their past defeat. Offer them that time. Wallachia will do everything in its power to avoid incurring Your Majesty’s wrath.
Once peace with Wallachia is secured, Your Majesty will face two choices.”
“What are they?”
For the first time, Murad, who had been silently listening, revealed his curiosity.
The man answered without delay.
“Will you strike Dragases, knowing that a Crusade may follow? Or will you strike Serbia to collapse the Crusaders before they can unite?”
The man had no intention of letting this opportunity slip by. His mouth continued to move.
“Regardless of your choice, the prerequisite remains the same—pressure Thessalonica relentlessly. Weaken Venice until it buckles under the strain. Only by securing Thessalonica can your supply lines be stabilized.
After tightening the noose around Thessalonica, the actions to take will depend on your decision between the two paths.
If you choose the first option, speed will be critical. Before making your move, offer peace to the Venetians. Then, with safe naval routes and a secured overland path for your main army, swiftly crush each enemy force one by one. However, if you delay, Dragases may call upon the West for a Crusade. And he possesses both the resilience and the means to hold out until then.”
Both Murad and the man knew this well.
Dragases was incredibly tenacious. Despite suffering multiple devastating defeats, he had always managed to rally his troops and retreat to a final stronghold.
And in the Peloponnesus, where he had fortified numerous castles in preparation for attrition warfare, the battle would be all the more grueling.
“Thus, Your Majesty must take the second option. Summon Dragases to campaign against Serbia before he can fully prepare. He is cautious—rather than risk everything in another war, he would prefer to buy more time. And, Your Majesty, remember this: You must ensure that the Christians see this as a mere struggle for dominance, not a holy war. The events in the Balkans must not be perceived by the Western world as a conflict driven by the threat of heathens. Instead, the Pope must recognize it as a secular power struggle.”
Murad quickly grasped what the man was implying.
The expansion of the Ottomans in the Balkans must not be framed as a religious war. The Pope must be led to believe that it was simply a clash of ruling powers.
“Fortunately, Hungary, our most formidable enemy, is still preoccupied with its civil war. But that may not last. If they remain strong, they will intervene the moment peace with Wallachia is secured. At that time, Your Majesty must use their intervention to your advantage. Promise the Balkan rulers autonomous governance under Ottoman dominance. Make them fear Hungary more than the Ottomans. Once that happens, the Crusaders will be paralyzed.”
At last, the man lowered his head toward the sultan.
“That moment will be when the Ottomans fulfill the Prophet’s prophecy.”
Murad remained silent for a long while, contemplating the man’s words.
When he finally spoke, quite some time had passed.
“What is your name?”
“Çandarlı Halil.”
The man, who introduced himself as Çandarlı Halil, slowly rose from his seat.
His appearance was unremarkable, the kind of face one could find anywhere.
But the fire in his eyes was different from that of others.
Çandarlı Halil, the leader of the faction that had sworn loyalty to Murad, lifted his head once more and met the sultan’s gaze directly.
“I have pledged upon the name of my lineage to serve as the sword of the Ottomans, fulfilling the Prophet’s prophecy.”