The Annual Tribute of Moldavia
The following account of Moldavia’s tribute was reported by a man who had worked for many years as an agent […]
The Rank Below the Grand Vizier
Next in authority after the Grand Vizier, also called the Vizier Azem or First Vizier, are the officials known as
The Sultan’s Table at the Vizier’s Expense
The Grand Signior often demands twenty dishes of meat, which is the usual amount served at his ordinary table. On
The Vast Wealth of a Greedy Vizier
If a Grand Vizier is naturally careful with money and used to living frugally, he often decides to lose nothing
The Official Income of the Grand Vizier
The official revenues of the Grand Vizier, which come directly from the Crown and are fixed parts of the office,
War as a Means of Survival for a Vizier
According to Ottoman political thought, the only likely way for a weak or unstable Prime Vizier to protect himself was
The Unstable Nature of Power among the Turks
Stories like the one just told are common among the Turks. They clearly show how men are raised by fortune
Complaints Against Corrupt Officers
The dervish continued his complaint by saying that the officers responsible for public order were careless and negligent in correcting
A Humble Man in Trouble
Among those affected by the shortage of meat was a dervish, who worked as a cook for a chamber of
Honor and Humility in Ottoman Thought
Among the Turks, it was not considered shameful to move down from the highest positions of honor and command to