Chapter 6: False Allegiances: The Year of Derviş Mehmet’s Fall

The year 1606 marked a complex period for the Ottoman Empire. Within the walls of Topkapı Palace, intrigues, tests of loyalty, and power struggles deepened steadily. Despite his young age, Sultan Ahmed I was slowly trying to establish his authority. However, the loss of his mother, Mahfiruz Sultan, had deprived him of a trusted advisor, making it harder for the inexperienced sultan to navigate the dangers around him.

After his mother's death, Ahmed gradually came under the influence of Derviş Mehmet Pasha, the Admiral of the Fleet. Derviş Pasha, who had been rising within the palace and presented himself as a guide in Ahmed's life, appeared to the young sultan as a figure to trust. Yet, while Mahfiruz Sultan was alive, she had warned her son to be cautious around this man. While Ahmed heeded these warnings when his mother was alive, the void left by her absence brought him closer to Derviş Mehmet Pasha, who was increasingly taking advantage of the young sultan's vulnerability for his own gain.

Derviş Mehmet Pasha seemed like a reliable guide to Sultan Ahmed, speaking to him in calm and convincing tones in the palace corridors, almost as though revealing critical state secrets:

"My Sultan, loyalty and power mean everything. The endurance of this state relies on your strength. Be wary of those who only seem loyal," he would advise, looking into the young sultan's eyes.

Ahmed began to trust him. However, Derviş Pasha's true intent was to make the sultan serve his own purposes. As a first step, he aimed to sideline his biggest rival, Grand Vizier Lala Mehmed Pasha, by convincing Sultan Ahmed that the Grand Vizier should lead a campaign against Persia. At the time, Lala Mehmed Pasha, a man of integrity and loyalty to the state, was focused on negotiating a truce with Austria. Derviş Mehmet Pasha persuaded Sultan Ahmed that the Grand Vizier should be dispatched to Persia, which led the sultan to start doubting his trusted vizier.

One day, Lala Mehmed Pasha approached Sultan Ahmed and spoke in a composed tone:

"My Sultan, unresolved matters remain on the Austrian front. Now is not the time for a Persian campaign," he said. But Sultan Ahmed, under the influence of Derviş Mehmet Pasha, could not tolerate this counsel:

"Are you defying my command, Lala Pasha? I will have you executed!" he threatened.

This harsh response left Lala Mehmed Pasha silent, but the stress caused him to suffer a stroke, and he soon passed away. News of his death reached the palace, and Derviş Mehmet Pasha barely hid his satisfaction at achieving his goal.

Following Lala Mehmed Pasha's death, Derviş Mehmet Pasha was appointed Grand Vizier. However, his policies quickly led to unrest among the people. He cited a treasury shortage to seize the income of religious foundations, collect jewels from wealthy Jews, and impose heavy fees on every type of trade. Discontent among the Istanbul populace grew as these oppressive policies came to light.

In the early days of his vizierate, Derviş Mehmet Pasha convinced Sultan Ahmed to send the newly appointed Bostancıbaşı, Ferhat Ağa, to suppress the Celali Revolts, instead of embarking on a Persian campaign himself. However, Ferhat Ağa inflicted great suffering on the people of Aydın and Saruhan, prompting the local population to flood the streets of Istanbul, bringing their complaints to the Divan. When Sultan Ahmed heard these grievances, he confronted Derviş Mehmet Pasha with anger:

"How can you ignore the cries of these people, Derviş Pasha?" he demanded.

Derviş Mehmet Pasha attempted to justify his actions by saying, "My Sultan, such measures are essential to preserve our state's strength." But this failed to satisfy Ahmed. Rumors about the oppression and corruption of Derviş Mehmet Pasha soon spread through the palace. Whispers emerged that he had secretly built a passageway in the palace to plan a potential assassination of the sultan. When these rumors reached Sultan Ahmed's ears, he made a quick decision in a fit of anger.

Derviş Mehmet Pasha was summoned to the palace. As he left his residence and proceeded into the palace's depths, he wore a tense expression. When he entered the Şehzadeler School, palace acemi soldiers launched themselves upon him at a prearranged signal. Struggling and gasping for breath, the pasha met his end, fear and regret etched on his face.

The execution of Derviş Mehmet Pasha marked a turning point for Sultan Ahmed. In the absence of his mother, he had lost a man he believed to be a friend but ultimately revealed himself to be a traitor. The cold stone walls of Topkapı Palace mirrored the silence that filled Ahmed's heart, as he retreated to his chamber, opting to be alone for a time to grapple with the profound solitude and weight of his role.