by Mika Waltari
Like the experienced toper he was, Master Gritti drank only enough to bring the blood back to his head and put him in a good humor, for important tasks awaited him. Then we left the camp and he hastened to his tent to change his clothes and prepare to join King Zapolya’s suite. In order to receive the King in a worthy manner, the Sultan paraded his great army on either side of the reception tent, so that when after the noon prayer the lawful King of Hungary approached with his following he seemed like a drop that at any moment might be swallowed up by the ocean. I was not admitted to this ceremony, but afterward Master Gritti gave me a detailed account of what had passed. It seemed that the Sultan was pleased to walk three steps to meet Zapolya and to extend his hand to be kissed, and that he then invited him to take his seat beside him on the throne. I fancied that in thus honoring Zapolya the Sultan but honored himself, but Master Gritti had a better explanation to give.
“The cause goes deeper, for although Janos Zapolya is a man of no consequence and brings only six thousand horsemen, yet he has in his possession a magic talisman of far greater importance than an army, and it was this object that the Sultan by his flattering reception was able to secure. Zapolya is better as a scout than as a soldier and his partisans have by cunning caught and held the keeper of St. Stephen’s crown. I was compelled to confide this secret to my brother Ibrahim, or the Sultan would scarcely have troubled to receive the fellow.”
I answered politely that I failed to grasp his meaning, since a mere crown made no man king. To win a kingdom a powerful army was needed. But Master Gritti said, “Holy Stephen’s crown is unlike any other. The Hungarians are still a barbarous and superstitious people and recognize no one as king of Hungary until he has been crowned with this crown. Therefore it is their greatest treasure and the Voivod Zapolya removed at least half the obstacles in his path when he discovered its secret hiding place. And now this credulous man has sold it to the Sultan, for a matter of four horses and three kaftans, and five hundred trustworthy spahis are on their way to fetch it before King Zapolya repents of his bargain.”
It seemed that Master Gritti was right, for during our continued march to Buda I observed that no one took much notice of King Zapolya. He and his followers brought up the rear of the column, and the janissaries referred to him disrespectfully as Janushka. Three days after leaving Mohacs, we pitched camp in the vineyards about Buda. The walls of the city appeared exceedingly massive and the German garrison kept up so lively a fire that I hastened to visit the warm springs of the region, while Sinan the Builder set his men to sapping and mining in preparation for the siege.
The Sultan and the Grand Vizier, wearing plain kaftans and helmets and attended by a few of the bodyguard, made a tour of inspection to hearten their men before the assault. I had the good fortune to meet them as I was bringing food to Sinan, who was so engrossed in his work that he often forgot to eat. When the Sultan, no doubt to display his excellent memory, addressed me kindly by name, some unexplained impulse made me mention a dream I had had.
“I’ve been told that your wife also has dreams,” the Sultan remarked, “and that she can see coming events in a bowl of sand. Tell me then what you saw in your dream.”
I was taken aback, and stammered, and glanced at the handsome Ibrahim, who seemed not altogether pleased at the Sultan’s words. It was a mystery to me how Suleiman could know anything of Giulia, but now I had begun there was nothing for it but to continue.
“Yesterday I bathed in the marvelous springs of this region, and was afterward so weary that I fell asleep. I dreamed, and saw the fortress of Buda and a vulture flying heavily over it, bearing in his beak a strange crown. The gates of the citadel opened and the defenders prostrated themselves before the vulture. Then the Son of the Compassionate stepped forward and the vulture set the crown upon his head. This I saw, but a wiser man than I must interpret the vision.”
I had indeed had this dream, which was no doubt suggested by Master Gritti’s account of St. Stephen’s crown, though in fact I had seen the crown fall from the vulture’s talons, crushing all Buda beneath its weight. My vision of the opened gates was no doubt born of a lively desire to see the city fall as rapidly as possible into the Sultan’s hands, that I might escape the perils of an assault.
So, as is usual, I improved the dream a little, yet not too transparently, I thought, since neither the Sultan nor the Grand Vizier could know what Master Gritti had blabbed to me of St. Stephen’s crown. Nor did they seem to suspect any deceit; they looked at one another in the greatest astonishment, and the Sultan exclaimed, “Allah’s will be done!” Even Ibrahim’s handsome face brightened. Later I received from the Sultan a new coat and a well-filled purse in reward for my dream.
It is hard to assess the value of dreams as omens, yet this one was fulfilled, in as much as Buda fell after six days’ siege, before even a breach had been shot in the walls. No one was more astonished than myself, for I had been far from expecting so speedy a conclusion.
When the two captains of the garrison saw the mighty forces of the Sultan and the large numbers of cannon that had been brought ashore from the rafts, they opened negotiations and consented to leave the city provided they might retain their arms and personal possessions. The Sultan gladly agreed to these moderate terms, for summer was far advanced and the main object of the expedition still lay a great way off.
To the beat of drums and clash of cymbals the janissaries paraded smartly on either side of the city gates to allow the German garrison to march out, and to show with words and gestures what they thought of them. At first the Germans walked humbly, exhorting one another to remember the suffering and scorn to which our Lord Jesus Christ had submitted; but when the janissaries vied with one another in treading the Cross underfoot and in subjecting the vanquished to every sort of mockery they could contain themselves no longer. Their faces darkened as they cursed their officers and reminded one another that they were German landsnechts, before whom the whole world trembled. Some paused to reply to those janissaries who spoke in German; the adversaries stood screeching nose to nose with outstretched necks, like fighting cocks. This gave me an opportunity to see and even handle the new light muskets, fitted with wheel locks, which many o£ the Germans treasured as their most precious possession. The janissaries who had come of! worst in the battle of words could no longer master their thievish desires, and now tried to wrench these weapons by force from the Germans’ hands. Struggles ensued; the conflict spread with ever increasing savagery, and it was not long before most of the Germans were slain and their weapons and stores were in Turkish hands.
I believe no more than five or six of the garrison escaped the massacre and hid in the willow thickets. All the ground between the city gates and the riverbank was strewn with heads, arms, legs, and other portions of dead landsnechts. The janissaries returned to their camp well pleased, to try their new weapons, or fight one another for them. The episode did great harm to the Sultan’s reputation in the world. Both the Emperor Charles and his brother of Vienna made haste to proclaim the Sultan’s treachery, though the noble Suleiman was so deeply stricken by the conduct of his janissaries that he retired into his tent and would not show himself for three days.
Shortly after this I was summoned to Ibrahim’s tent by Master Gritti, who escorted me thither. The Grand Vizier was sitting cross legged on a cushion studying a map. He invited us cordially to sit down beside him, then with a smile of mockery in his dark, sparkling eyes he said, “I am obliged to you for your dream, Michael el-Hakim, but I forbid you to have any more-or at least to tell the Sultan about them without my permission.”
Somewhat hurt I replied, “I can’t help my dreams, and my intentions were of the best. Moreover my dream came true, for Buda fell without a blow struck.”
Ibrahim gave me a searching glance and said, “In this instance your dream did indeed come true, and that is why I’ve sent for you. How could you guess what would happen? What was your object? Who put the words into your mouth?
Was it to make the Sultan suspect me, his slave, of coveting the crown of Hungary?”
I froze at these words, but he went on relentlessly, “How can I trust you? Do you think I don’t know how you’ve curried favor at the Seraglio and entered the service of Sultana Khurrem? As a sign of your loyalty you even gave your dog to her son, though she is a false woman and hopes to injure me. Confess that it was she who paid you to follow me on the campaign and dream these noxious dreams!”
I was too stunned to take in a word of what he was saying. Master Gritti looked at me through narrowed eyes and shook his head. Suddenly the Grand Vizier took out a great silken purse from under his cushion and flung it into my lap. A second and a third followed until my knees sagged beneath their weight. Then he cried, almost in fear, “Weigh that gold in your hands and think carefully-which of us is the richer, I or the Sultan, and which of us can reward you most liberally? I must admit that hitherto you’ve had no great profit from me. But that gold is yours if you will only confess that Khurrem the Russian has won you over and set you against me, for it’s hard to lay hold of an adversary in the dark and I must know what her intentions are.”
Nothwithstanding my agitation I could estimate that each of the three money bags contained at least five hundred gold pieces-a vast fortune for a man in my position. With this money I could buy a beautiful house and garden on the Bosphorus as well as slaves and boats and all that my heart could desire. I saw before me the plump face of Sultana Khurrem, the cold blue eyes, the irregular features, the perpetually smiling mouth and dimpled cheeks. I owed her nothing and was in no way bound to her, yet I hesitated to reply-not for her sake but because I found it difficult to lie to the Grand Vizier. Ibrahim watched my face closely and said, “Fear nothing, but speak openly. You need never regret it, for I alone require certainty on this point. This is my secret and the Sultan shall never learn of it.”
At last I said, “You have led me into cruel temptation, but I cannot lie to you-not even for all this gold.”
Tears of indignation rose to my eyes as I thrust the bags aside, and I told him how I had entered the harem and how I came to give my dog to Prince Jehangir. I ended bitterly, “I’m a fool to tell you this when a lie would make me a rich man. But I’ve never been able to work solely for my own advantage-a fault that my wife continually complains of.”
The senseless loss of the money caused me to burst into tears and curse my own weakness. Master Gritti and Seraskier Ibrahim looked at each other in wonder. Then Ibrahim stroked my shoulder soothingly and asked, “How then can the Kislar-Aga have made your wife known to the Sultana, so that she now pays almost daily visits to the harem to gaze into sand and to sell all kinds of lotions and ointments for the complexion?”
I struck my hands together in astonishment and replied, “Of this I had not the least idea, though it’s true that I spoke a word to the Kislar-Aga on my wife’s behalf and extolled her talent.”
Giulia’s great good fortune encouraged me to prattle on about her until the last shadow of the Seraskier’s suspicions melted away and he said with a smile, “I believe you. I cannot doubt your sincerity, though I’ve not yet made up my mind as to whether you’re a simpleton or a man of excessive cunning.”
To my sorrow he took back the money bags and hid them again under the cushions. But then he clapped his hands and dismissed the mute who had been standing hidden behind a curtain with a skein of colored silken cords over his shoulder. The sight of this man sent cold shivers down my spine and the Grand Vizier said, “If you had confessed to plotting against me you would have been given the gold, but little time to enjoy it, for I could not have allowed you to live. But your honesty deserves recognition, so ask of me what you will, within reason.”
Quaking with both fear and gratitude I threw myself to the ground before him and cried, “I will ever be your faithful servant, as hitherto-but tell me what you mean by ‘reason,’ for I would not insult your munificence by requesting too petty a token of your favor.”
At this the Grand Vizier laughed aloud, but gave me no help. I was indeed in a dilemma, for though I was loath to ask too little I feared to anger him by too bold a request. I rubbed my moist palms together in an agony of indecision, until at last I summoned up my courage and said, “I am a man of small pretensions, but my wife has long desired a dwelling that we might regard as our own home. A little house, however modest, with its own garden somewhere on the shores of the Bosphorus, not too far from the Seraglio, would be the most wonderful gift you could make me. I would bless you all my life long. You own large properties on the outskirts of the city-countless gardens, palaces, and summer villas-and would never notice the lack of one little corner on the shore.”
No request could have been more acceptable to the Grand Vizier. A smile overspread his handsome face as he stretched fqrth his hand to be kissed and said, “Your request is the best proof of your sincerity, for if you had meditated treachery you would certainly not have asked for a house near the capital, but rather such reward as could be carried abroad. And there is no lovelier city than Istanbul. Allah himself designed it to be the capital of the world, and if he wills it I mean to beautify it further with fine buildings and mosques. I will make over to you a spacious plot of ground next to my own summer palace on the Bosphorus, and Sinan shall build for you and your family a roomy wooden house to harmonize with the landscape and gladden the heart and the eyes. He may draw the necessary funds from my treasury and employ azamoghlans to help in the building. In confirmation of which I now repeat the first sura.”
Master Gritti shook his head at my stupidity, but my own joy knew no bounds and I saw that fate after all had been kind in sending me to this war.
But we wasted many valuable days at Buda, and when at last the army moved off the heavens opened once more, so that even the toughest of the janissaries began to fear that Hungary was infested with raging jinn, while the shivering dervishes foretold another deluge. Yet the Sultan’s army was too big for anyone to doubt its ultimate success. Not even the Hungarians doubted it, for when on our way up the Danube valley we came to the strong fortress of Gran, Bishop Varday surrendered at once and so far sacrificed himself as to join the Sultan’s suite, in order to save what could be saved of the property of the Hungarian church.
We pursued our way under great difficulties, and it was pitiful to see the camels in that icy rain, slipping and stumbling along the swampy roads and tearing the pads of their feet, until they lay down to die. By the time we reached Vienna we had hardly twenty thousand camels left, though we had started with over ninety thousand, and it will be understood how hard it became to carry supplies for so vast an army.
September was drawing to an end when at last our forces took up their positions before Vienna, and in his gorgeous pavilion the Sultan sat shivering before a charcoal brazier. The gold-embroidered lining of the tent gave little protection against the cold and was not even rainproof.
But from the hills of Semmering, the rich and populous city, with its cathedral spire soaring into the sky, seemed almost within reach. The walls looked as slender as threads while the hastily thrown up breastworks and palisades held no menace. Truly, I cannot think how we failed to capture Vienna with its slender fortifications and relatively small garrison, though this indeed was stiffened with a few veterans whom King Ferdinand had been able to install there before prudently taking flight into Bohemia.
But in all fairness I must mention that the defenders lived up to their reputation and did all they could to increase the homesickness of the besieger. They were supported by a firm and well-justified belief that time and the forces of nature were on their side, and I fancy also that they regarded themselves as the guardians of the last Christian stronghold. If this fell, nothing could hold back the tide of a victorious Islam from flooding in over Germany and all Europe. I felt this strongly as I looked out over Vienna from the Semmering heights, and renegade though I was I could not be sure for which side I desired victory. And when I
saw the incredible valor of the besieged I felt very painfully my apostasy, though the understanding reader will appreciate my sincerity and singleness of heart in matters of faith.
I had little time for profitless brooding, for Sinan the Builder soon set me to work in earnest. As his interpreter I had to interrogate every prisoner we had taken at the capitulation of Buda; he even sent me to the prison camp to question fugitives whom the akindshas had captured, and learn from them details of streets, houses, walls, towers, and new fortifications in Vienna. He gave me no rest. Panting, I dashed from one informant to another and noted on my map which houses were stone built and which were of timber, which had lost their roofs and which had been torn down to make room for artillery, where trenches had been dug, which streets were closed to horse traffic and who had command of the various gates, towers, and bastions. I became really exasperated at last and cried, “Allah preserve me, what trouble you give yourself! Make a breach in the walls, no matter where, and the janissaries will do the rest-if only for the sake of warming themselves at last in front of a good fire.”
But Sinan the Builder replied, “No, no. First I must note the slope of the ground and discover any subterranean springs, establish the water table, and note the depth of soil, lest my saps become flooded or brought up short by a wall of rock. I must know all there is to know about Vienna.”
I was already so familiar with the plan of the city that I could almost have found my way about it blindfold. Thousands of its inhabitants who were unfit to bear arms had been driven forth most mercilessly, and fell an easy prey to the savage akindshas. Their numbers so increased that there was scarcely room for them in the slave pens; nor was it possible to maintain an effective guard. Thus it was that many of them succeeded in escaping and carrying back useful information to the defenders.