Chapter 13:A Treaty of Defeat, A Heart of Defiance

As Osman compared the historical texts he had studied in his past life with the political events he witnessed in this world, he began to see the Ottoman Empire's grandeur fading like a tale slowly losing its brilliance. The worried faces of the old statesmen, the new troubles he heard of each day, and the increasing challenges all made Osman feel that the empire was going through difficult times. Despite his young age, he found himself questioning his father Sultan Ahmed I's rule, the decisions of the statesmen around him, and even their courage, as he tried to understand the internal and external threats the empire faced.

In 1603, the Safavids, seizing upon the Ottoman Empire's distractions with the Celali Rebellions and wars with Austria, moved to reclaim the lands they had lost under the Treaty of Ferhat Pasha. Even at a young age, Osman was disturbed by his father's retreat in the face of the Safavids. In his mind, he questioned why the powerful Ottoman army had accepted defeat, why they had not struck back more forcefully against the Safavids. He listened carefully to the whispers around him, believing that the Ottomans needed a firmer stance on all fronts. This childish anger and conviction began to lay the foundations of Osman's thoughts on governance.

In 1610, the Ottoman army, led by Grand Vizier Kuyucu Murad Pasha, advanced as far as Tabriz, but they retreated to winter quarters without clashing with the Safavids. Osman viewed this as a failure under his father's rule, feeling a deep inner disappointment. Unable to contain himself, he muttered, "Why aren't we winning the war?" Though just a child, this question planted the seeds of rebellion within him.

After Kuyucu Murad Pasha's death in 1611, Nasuh Pasha became grand vizier and opened peace negotiations with the Safavids. In the summer of 1612, a Safavid delegation, led by Shah Abbas's chief judge Kadı Khan, arrived in Diyarbakir. Upon hearing of these peace talks, Osman felt a brief relief at the idea of an agreement but saw peace with the Safavids as a form of submission rather than victory. He believed that while the Safavids would offer tribute, the empire's retreat was unworthy of its former glory.

As Osman tried to understand the terms of the Treaty of Nasuh Pasha, he saw it as painful evidence of the empire's dwindling power.

The terms of the treaty stated:

The Ottoman Empire would return the lands it had taken under the Treaty of Ferhat Pasha to the Safavids. To Osman, surrendering these lands felt like a defeat; he could not bear the idea of the empire's honor being tarnished.

The borders established by the Treaty of Amasya (1555), from the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, would be reinstated. To Osman, this condition showed the empire's decline, as if the state could no longer uphold the legacy of Suleiman.

The Safavids would pay an annual tribute of two hundred loads of silk to the Ottoman Sultan. For Osman, this was nothing more than a consolation; a tribute that should have been part of a grand victory now symbolized submission to him.

The regions under Ottoman sovereignty would remain with the Ottomans. To Osman, this clause merely confirmed that the state was holding onto the existing status quo without any new gains.

The Safavids would not support Hilev Khan and Seyyid Mubarak, who had invaded the Province of Shahrizor. Although this might ensure security, for Osman, it was far from a real victory.

Upon hearing the terms of the treaty, Osman could no longer suppress his growing disappointment and anger. In his childish frustration, he asked himself, "Has the power of the state fallen this far?" This question laid the foundation of Osman's ideals for the future, sparking an inner resistance and a desire for reform.

The fact that his father Sultan Ahmed I had accepted this peace felt like a great weakness in Osman's eyes. He was losing trust in the ruling officials and grand viziers with each passing day. Osman began to vow that, when it was his turn to sit on the throne, he would rule very differently.

Before falling asleep at night, he whispered quietly to himself so that only he could hear: "Either this state will rise from the ashes like a Phoenix… or I, like the Osman of history, will be left to die in the dungeons of Yedikule."

These treaties and the empire's continued loss of power only fueled Osman's inner fire of rebellion. He was no longer just a young prince; he was also a determined leader in the making, resolute in his desire to restore the Ottoman Empire's strength