Honored by the Glory of Islam. Conversion and Conquest in Ottoman Europe

154 honored by the glory of islam

That summer the sultan continued to write passionate, pious letters urg-

ing on his grand vizier (74b–75a). He asks him how he is faring “against the

atheist enemy” and announces the birth of prince Mustafa, an auspicious sign

that he hopes will be accompanied by glad tidings from the ghazis and muja-

hids fi ghting on his behalf in the struggle between the forces of good (Mus-

lim ghazis) and evil (the miserable infi dels destined for Hell). He repeatedly

emphasizes that it is only reverence for God that will cause matters to turn

out well. In the Ottoman version of the twenty-year peace treaty offered to

the Habsburg emperor in 1 664 at the end of the campaign, which would be

unwisely broken by Grand Vizier Kara Mustafa Pasha when he launched the

invasion ending with the failed siege of Vienna, Fazıl Ahmed Pasha is referred

to as the “opener of the gates of jihad” and the “ghazi on the path of God”

(88b). The sultan at the time was in Edirne enjoying a manly round of javelin;

he later journeyed to the Dardanelles, hunting along the way (90a). Having at-

tained peace with the Habsburgs, Fazıl Ahmed Pasha and Mehmed IV decided

to immediately turn their attention to Venetian Crete.

Let us examine how the commentator narrates the campaign against Crete.

According to Hasan Agha, following the settling of matters with the Habsburgs

the previous year, in the winter of 1 665, Fazıl Ahmed Pasha proposed a major

campaign to fi nally conquer the last holdout of Candia, an effort initiated

twenty years before, which was still unresolved. To Ahmed Dede, the stubborn

resistance of the defenders was increasingly troubling as Venetians battled Ot-

tomans with the swords of slain Muslims inscribed in Arabic with the phrase,

“Oh God, the Conqueror and Victor.”^48 The grand vizier met with the sultan

in Edirne to ask for authority to launch a campaign for the citadel of Candia,

desiring to take revenge on the Venetians in the name of the dynasty, for it was

the perfect time to “completely exert ourselves on this greater jihad so God may

liberate the citadel for the community of Muhammad” (95a). The grand vizier

appealed to the sultan’s honor: “For how many years has the citadel of Candia

caused great tumult and confusion to the sultanate of the House of Osman,

and [this failure] is on everyone’s tongues. Give your blessing right away, my

sovereign, and we will also see this concluded in a peace treaty” (95a–b). The

sultan agreed. Allowing Candia to remain in infi del hands did not befi t sultanic

zeal.^49

The grand vizier personally led the siege efforts. In accordance with Ot-

toman statute, Fazıl Ahmed Pasha fi rst appeared before the sultan wearing a

short-bodied fur coat brocaded with silver thread, red velvet pants, and a Selimi

turban.^50 After he kissed the ground before the sultan, the latter placed two jew-

eled aigrette pins on his turban and dressed him in two sumptuous fur cloaks.

The sultan then handed the grand vizier the black banner of Muhammad and