บท 145: 143 Treaty of Constantinople 2
After everyone left the tent, I checked outside that nobody was listening, then I returned to the Ottoman delegation, sat down at the table... I looked at the faces of my interlocutors, I was curious what and how much I could win.
"Let me explain why I wanted to talk to you in private... first of all, I will always be able to deny that this conversation did not take place. Second, the things that I am going to offer you are for the benefit of us and you." (MC)
The Ottoman delegation sat and listened attentively to my words. The Grand Vizier nods his head to give me a sign to continue.
"Since we understand each other, let's move on to the essentials. Currently, there are 10-15 thousand soldiers of the Holy Roman Empire in the Balkans. Even if we sign a peace treaty, the war will not end for you, but most of your troops are on the other side of the Bosphorus... We can sign the peace quickly or delay it, by then the Austrians will strengthen their position in the Balkans and it will be almost impossible to defeat them." (MC)
"You want to use this argument to... it's blackmail!" (Grand Judge)
"Yes, that's exactly what we want... we want to use this argument and some others to make you make more concessions. That's politics." (MC)
"So if we agree, you will sign a peace with us quickly and we will be able to transport troops and fight the Austrians? But why should we do this?" (Grand Vizier)
"Good question, you are now losing Moldova, Wallachia, Crimea and Transylvania... if the Austrians occupy Balkans territories, your sphere of influence will significantly decrease... and in a few years it will be time for Bulgaria, Greece, maybe even Constantinople." (MC)
"I do not understand what is the interest of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth for the Ottoman Empire to retain its influence?" (Grand Vizier)
"Balance, the Muscovy principality has ceased to exist and a void has been created... and we will fill that void, but we do not want to have such a second void on our southern border. Austria, Poland, and the Ottoman Empire will keep each other in check, and Wallachia and Transylvania will be our safety zone... Of course you don't have to believe me. You don't have to sign the peace either, we can keep fighting, each of these options is good for us." (MC)
"And you have no other requests?" (Grand Vizier)
"We have, even a few. We want you to complete the construction of the canal in Egypt, we want you to free the Christian slaves, of course not all, a few or several thousand. We want you to outlaw Orthodoxy, and I personally want the head of Cyril Lucaris." (MC)
"That's all? Or maybe you want the moon or all the sand in the desert?" (Grand Judge)
I drank some wine, the Grand Judge's mock anger was funny... his lips said one thing, but all the rest revealed that it was just a performance.
"You can keep the sand, but we need to talk about trade and Jerusalem." (MC)
"Jerusalem?" (Grand Vizier)
"As long as this city exists, it will be always a bone of contention, between religions. Personally, I would like to burn this city, but the reality is different. If the Ottoman Empire wants to improve relations with the Christian world, some changes are needed..." (MC)
This time the Grand Admiral wanted to speak, but I noticed the Grand Vizier put his hand on his knee, preventing him from speaking... the roles were carefully assigned. The Grand Vizier negotiated, the Grand Admiral listened attentively, and the Grand Judge pretended to be angry to add to the drama of the situation.
"It is only a proposal and you do not have to agree to it, I have a good heart and I want to help you... Jerusalem must be a free city, but dependent on the Ottoman Empire. Priests will exercise power, six months by someone appointed by the Papal State, and the other six months by someone appointed by you. Conflicts will be resolved by a gathering of several priests, no army will be stationed in the city, but only a group of city guards responsible for order and security." (MC)
"And the Orthodox? Protestants? Jews?" (Grand Vizier)
"The Orthodox religion will be forbidden by you, and Protestants and Jews... they don't matter. Just think how much profit the crowds of pilgrims and trade will bring you." (MC)
Of course, I did not have a good heart and despite the initial success in introducing such a method of governance, Jerusalem was a project doomed to failure... sooner or later a religious conflict would break out, the Ottomans will speak up for the followers of Islam, the Pope will call for the defense of Christian interests... and another holy war will break out.
"You don't have to answer immediately, you have until tomorrow. The longer the wait, the stronger the position of the Austrians will be... If you agree to solve the problem of Jerusalem, we will send a ship to Rome to bring the ambassador to sign the documents. For understandable reasons, there will be nothing in the official documents that our site required the completion of the construction of the Egyptian canal, the prohibition of the Orthodox Church and the head of the Patriarch of Constantinople. Nor will it be anything that we are passing your troops across the Bosphorus to fight the Holy Roman Empire... these are our private arrangements, and this conversation has never happened." (MC)
Since the Spaniards did not help us in the war, I was going to get the Turks to finish the construction of the Suez Canal, if it would bring losses to Spanish trade, so much the better... and if the Ottomans complete the canal, maybe Graf Ferber will be interested in trading with India or other countries.
I did not manage to inflict large losses on the Ottoman army, but the Austrians will do it for me and no matter which side wins, both sides are my enemies... and the head of the Patriarch of Constantinople, Cyril Lucaris, is the icing on the cake, a few years ago he ordained new Orthodox bishops without consent, and even against the will of the Polish Kingdom, he also called the Orthodox to rebellions and wars against Poland... another enemy of mine killed by the hands of my other enemy, and I will be clean as a tear.
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