Chapter 55, The Disappearing Tribe

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Constantinople

The Russian representative, Alexander Menshikov, who had lost face at the negotiating table, quickly reclaimed it, though by rather disgraceful means.

On April 2, 1851, Menshikov visited the Sultan and, in a very domineering tone, ordered the Sultan Government to dismiss the pro-British and French Foreign Minister Fuad and replace him with the pro-Russian Rifat.

It turned out that brute force was often the most direct and effective way, and under the pressure of the Russians, the Sultan Government compromised.

Menshikov's actions told the world who was the boss in the Near East. Politicians from various countries were collectively dumbfounded, as dealing with a player who didn't play by the rules gave everyone a headache.

The United Kingdom and France, having been slapped in the face, were naturally unwilling to accept defeat, but in the Near East, their influence simply couldn't compare with Russia's, and it was even less than Austria's.