Sultan, Sultan! someone was calling for him it shook him from his reverie. There was a report for him news from Malta
He had outlived them all that Spanish Prince Charles and his brother Ferdinand
Francis King of France all the Hungarian princes who had come and gone?
But they had all been replaced by younger men and here he remained feeling very very old
Phillip the Spanish prince that succeeded Charles had used the wealth he had garnered from that far-off [new] [world] to rebuild a navy and had
declared himself the eternal enemy of all but the catholic faith for years his ships had harried ottoman fleets and
Contested their mastery of the mediterranean while his successes were limited they emboldened other enemies of the port and one old foe had grown
too bold the knights of Malta
they had used their island in the center of the sea to serve as a safe harbor for Christian fleets looking to disrupt trade from
North Africa he closed his eyes all of his old decisions seemed to haunt him even those he'd thought were the best
When he had once so proudly cast the knights hospitaller out of their sanctuary on rhodes he had in his magnanimity
Let them live in peace and establish themselves on another [Island] further from his [shores] Malta these were the same knights he had defeated
So long ago back when all was glory and everything seemed possible he smiled for a moment remembering that mighty campaign
But now he was old and tired, and none of his friends were by his side
Instead [of] going himself he had sent subordinates to deal with a threat he sent
30,000 men and 200 ships to crush the Christian fastness in his sea
The Knights had recalled all of their members from abroad but still his forces outnumbered than three to one
But this wasn't the dis unified Europe that he had faced in his youth while there were still great rifts in Christendom his messengers had
Told him that [a] league had come together to reinforce the knights of Malta
His ships were Swift and at first took Europe by surprise, but not the Maltese knights though
They hadn't expected him so early [they] knew he would come
They had strengthened to their mighty readouts shored up their walls and stocked their larders and when his men landed the men of Malta all
Hid behind their walls the land itself was his only the three great fortresses of St.. Alma, St.
Angelo and Saint Michael defied him
But his command was split his commander-in-Chief was a man of
70 with less experience in military Matters than matters political the rest of his command were hardened veterans of the sea
Privateers and admirals there was constant conflict in command as soon as the first contingent of his forces arrived at Malta his [commander-in-chief]
Immediately had them disembark and begin seizing the small fort of st.. Elmo for three weeks
They bombarded the fortress the small Garrison some 400 strong died to a man
But their valiant stand cost the turks three weeks
And in the indignities that God now seems to reign upon him his best
Commander was killed in the useless Siege by a fragment of loose stone
Meanwhile
Reinforcements from Lombardi Had made their way to the more formidable forts on the Island
Filled with rage his commander-in-chief had the corpses [of] those who had died defending Saint elmo nailed to boards and thrown under
Ramparts of the enemy fortresses so they might see what became of those who resisted him?
But the Grand master of the hospital Errs ordered those turks that had been thus far captured in the fighting
Executed and their heads shot from cannons into the ottoman camp the fighting grew grim and ugly
The Ottoman plan seemed to Devolve down into an all-out assault but in the blistering heat of mid-july
The men simply could not take the high walls of the knights of Malta
By september a large Christian fleet sailed for Malta with supplies and a massive force to bolster the defense of the remaining
Strongholds the Ottoman admirals were torn they knew that if this fleet landed the invasion was over victory would be impossible
[they'd] be left only with retreat
But what would happen if they fought this fleet and lost?
There would be no retreat there would not even be supplies the entire invasion Force would be lost
Timidity won the day and so with staggering casualties and nothing to show for it the once
Invincible force of the Empire had had to withdraw
The Note fell from his hand
He knew what this would mean how the world would see it the power and prestige the empire
That was a glory to all the world these things would no longer be
His Empire which even the mightiest monarchs of Europe feared would no longer be seen as some
Supernatural force some all-powerful actor on the world stage, but simply as another nation and here
He was forced to make the decision he knew he would have to
the decision which had conjured in his mind thoughts of that old Roman emperor a
gamble does he accept this new and humble place for his empire acting with the prudence that reason might perhaps dictate or
does he embrace destiny as the master of the lands of Caesar and
Alexander and show the world his might by doing the one [thing] he had never been able to do
He knew what that old roman would do and he knew what it had cost his empire, but he could not help
But make the same choice in the end they were very much alike he would march on Vienna one last time he would at last
Capture that capital of the hapsburgs and show the Christian world that rather than finally repelling the ottoman Empire from Europe they had merely parried
One inconsequential thrust that the ottoman juggernaut could not be stopped from rolling across all the lands of the world
He marshaled [his] forces and for the first time in ten years [plans] to lead them himself [on] the 1st of may
1566 with the Finest display the World Had ever [seen] his army departed the capital
It was good to [be] out of the city away from the tombs and the memories away from the politics
He only wished that he could ride like in the olden days
He was too frail too worn by the years and too riddled with aches and pains to Ride
Even in his carriage every bump seared his gout ridden joints
But still he would not have them slow the army for him
Again rain and bad weather plagued him it reminded him of earlier times how many times had nature herself?
Opposed him should he have taken it as a sign as he crossed into Transylvania the prince he had helped install
They're scattered [jewels] about his throne in Reverence
This was what it meant to be Sultan and yet the rain always the rain
His army marched on the rain fell the ground swallowed Cannon Rivers carried away oxen whole and yet?
They made it to second the first town. They were to besiege for a moment he felt young again
He mounted a horse and ordered the cannonade but then the weakness came back. He started to sweat
He asked a nearby aide to help him back to his tent time passed
He didn't know how much time he just heard the ceaseless beating of the rain he would fade in and out of awareness
Sometimes he would wake and there would be faces bending over sometimes he would be alone except for his guards
The rain Beat down it was after sunset the light in the tent was dim and ibrahim sat in a chair next to him
He put a hand on his shoulder ibrahim smiled at him. [I] know you're frightened, but there was never anything. We couldn't accomplish together
He felt an ache in his chest he had something he had to tell ibrahim something to apologize for but he couldn't quite remember
He hoped. They'd go hawking tomorrow. If only it didn't rain
His eyes opened everything was a sort of haze everything except the handsome face of Mustafa
He was glad to see him the boy was hard to get along with sometimes, but he was a fine man
And he would make a great Sultan perhaps even a better one than he had he was proud to have such a son
He wanted to give the boy his sword. Where'd he put it no, no?
No, that wasn't it something else something. He wanted to say to him. He hoped. He'd be kind to his brothers
He drifted off again to the sound of rain on the [Pavilion]
He woke and it was dark [Rock] Solana was sitting at the foot of his bed
She was like she was in his youth he tried to reach for her and she put a finger to her lips
Sheesh rest now. You're almost done
No one can fault you [for] things you've done for love his eyes closed rain and time
He vaguely wondered what happened to the fortress outside then he closed his eyes