Chapter 18:The Smoldering Flame of War

The Ottoman-Safavid War was on the verge of reigniting. That year, Incili Mustafa Çavuş, who had been sent to Iran as an envoy, had not returned, and the 200 bales of silk that were due annually under the Nasuh Pasha Treaty were also not delivered. In response to these violations, Sultan Ahmed I decided to end the peace with Iran in 1615. Grand Vizier Öküz Kara Mehmed Pasha, appointed as the Supreme Commander for the Iranian front, set out for Aleppo in May. Before departing, he remembered the advice Osman had given him. Prince Osman had leaned in and whispered, "Shah Abbas is a cunning man. He will try to stall you with peace talks and gain time until winter."

This wise counsel broadened Mehmed Pasha's foresight; earning Osman's trust filled him with pride. Yet he still felt a pang of regret, a sense of guilt for not being able to fully prepare the army. Finally, due to the advanced season, military action was postponed, and the troops settled for winter quarters in Kahramanmaraş, Malatya, and Sivas.

In April 1616, the campaign resumed. The Ottoman army advanced through Erzurum, Göksun, Yayla, and Kars toward Revan and Nihavend. Small skirmishes with Safavid forces along the way ended in victory, and the Ottoman army finally reached Revan, held by the Iranians. As the troops began besieging the city, Mehmed Pasha, standing tall before Revan's towering walls, surveyed the rugged mountains, the billowing banners, and the Ottoman tents being set up with determination.

The siege of Revan had begun. The city's strong walls were battered by Ottoman artillery, filling the plains with smoke and the terrifying sound of cannon fire. Ottoman soldiers, digging trenches in front of the walls, worked tirelessly under the blazing sun and endured showers of arrows and stones from the battlements. With each new day, the disciplined Ottoman forces struck fear into the hearts of the city's defenders as they inched ever closer.

Meanwhile, envoys from Shah Abbas arrived at Mehmed Pasha's tent with peace proposals. But Mehmed Pasha, recalling Osman's warning, viewed these peace offers with suspicion. "Shah Abbas will try to extend the negotiations until winter to gain time," Osman had said. Mindful of this, Mehmed Pasha received the envoys but was resolved not to pursue peace talks earnestly; with the well-prepared logistical support of the Ottoman army, the chances of success in this challenging siege seemed assured.

The city of Revan resisted the Ottomans' resolve and preparedness, but this time, logistics posed no issue for the Empire. As Mehmed Pasha tightened the siege, he once again admired Osman's foresight. Strengthened by the prince's counsel, Mehmed Pasha aimed to demonstrate the might of the Ottomans in this siege and take the first step toward reclaiming the lost lands.