The Slaves of the Padishah · Chapter
The Mad Man explained
In the secret chamber of the Divan, the Viziers and the Sultan deliberate on the impending war.
What happens
In the secret chamber of the Divan, the Viziers and the Sultan deliberate on the impending war. The Sultan remains silent and corpse-like while the Grand Vizier Kara Mustafa directs the proceedings. Ambassadors from France, Tököly, and Transylvania present their cases, but the Turkish policy is clear. The ulemas, led by the Chief Mufti, ritually dissolve the peace treaty with the Kaiser, symbolically washing away the writing and burning the fragments. Feriz Beg, now mad with grief, appears before the Divan and delivers a prophetic and audacious speech, predicting the war's failure and the Sultan's doom, before withdrawing.
Themes in this chapter
Religion and Fanaticism
The ulemas use the Alkoran to justify breaking the peace treaty, showing how religious texts are manipulated for political ends.
Power and Corruption
The Divan's deliberations reveal the corrupt use of power, with the Sultan as a figurehead and Kara Mustafa wielding real authority.
Fate and Death
Feriz Beg's prophecy of doom and the Sultan's corpse-like demeanor highlight themes of inevitable fate and mortality.
War and Destruction
The chapter centers on the impending war, with the ritual destruction of the treaty symbolizing the coming devastation.
Characters to notice
- Feriz Beg
Appears before the Divan in a state of madness, prophesying the war's failure and the Sultan's death.
- Kara Mustafa
Directs the Divan's deliberations, answers for the Sultan, and reacts with fanatical joy to the Mufti's ritual.
- The Sultan
Present but silent and corpse-like, only speaking once to address Tököly's envoys.
- Kucsuk Pasha
Mentioned as one of the wise counsellors who are dead.
- Kiuprile Pasha
Mentioned as one of the wise counsellors who are dead.
- Emeric Tököly
His envoys offer the blood and swords of Hungarian malcontents to the Sultan.
- Michael Apafi
Mentioned as the Prince of Transylvania whose embassy seeks the Sultan's favor.
Key passages
“The Alkoran saith: 'The knot which hath been tied in the name of Allah the hand of Allah can unloose!'”
The Koran says that any agreement made in God's name can be undone by God's hand.
The Mufti uses this text to justify breaking the peace treaty.
“I have broken the hilt of my own sword in order that I may not draw it forth.”
I have deliberately disabled my sword so I cannot use it.
Feriz Beg explains his refusal to fight in the war.
“Thou wilt lose the war for which thou dost now prepare, for thy viziers are incapable, thy soldiers are cowards, thy allies are traitors, thy wise men are fools, thy priests are hypocrites, and thou thyself art an oath-breaker.”
You will lose this war because your leaders are incompetent, your soldiers are cowards, your allies betray you, your advisors are foolish, your clergy are hypocrites, and you yourself break your promises.
Feriz Beg's audacious prophecy to the Sultan.
“Poor Sultan!—so young, so young—and yet thou must die.”
What a pity, Sultan, you are so young but you are doomed to die.
Feriz Beg expresses sympathy for the Sultan's fate.
