Sultan'sHelmsman
Sultan's Helsman -- A novel of the Ottoman Navy and Renaissance Italy
The Sultan’s Helmsman -- a novel of the Ottoman Navy and Renaissance Italy
Available from www.Amazon.com. A Turkish translation will be published soon by Grup Yayınları, Istanbul.
September 1494 -- Amid the chaos of Charles VIII’s devastating invasion of Renaissance Italy, a squadron of Turkish galleys slips out of Istanbul under cover of night, and disappears west into the autumnal gales. Aboard are three Ottoman diplomats, a papal nuncio, and a fortune in gold ducats. The unforeseen consequences of their dangerous mission threaten to destabilize the papacy and alter the military alliances of Europe. A tale of seagoing adventure and actual historical events, The Sultan’s Helmsman is also a philosophical novel exploring eastern and western ways of thought. Kachak -- the helmsman of the Turkish galley White Falcon -- is a fugitive from war-torn Europe who has been educated at the elite Ottoman palace school. When the west attempts to reclaim him, he must rely on his training, and on the loyalty of his friends, to make himself the person of his own choosing. While patrolling the Aegean, Akdoğan’s crew captures evidence that the Knights of Rhodes are secretly violating their treaty with the Ottoman Empire. Corsairs sailing under the Knights’ protection are attacking cargo ships of all nations and faiths. Capturing the cargoes and passengers, they extract ransoms, colluding with merchants who become rich by lending ransom money at high interest.
During this period, Spanish persecution of the Moors and Jews increases. Sultan II Bayezid sends the Ottoman navy to Andalusia to evacuate them, commenting, “Why do people call this king wise when he is expelling from his kingdom the very people whose talents will enrich mine?” Kachak and his shipmates take part in these daring voyages, climbing the cliffs at night “with lanterns in their teeth” to lead the refugees to safety.
One of the Moors evacuated aboard Kachak’s ship is a printer, Olaya, who lives in a world of dangerous books and new ideas permeating the Mediterranean. Later, back in Istanbul, Niccolo del Guercino, manager of the Medici bank branch there, seeks Olaya’s help finding rare books by eastern philosophers to send to Florence. At Olaya’s suggestion, Kachak agrees to translate “some of the most dangerous books in the world.”
On the death of the King of Naples, the French King Charles VIII claims the throne. The Borgia Pope Alexander VI -- who had earlier encouraged Charles in hopes that Charles would use Naples harbor to launch a crusade against Turkey and to capture Jerusalem – realizes he has made a terrible mistake. In one of history’s strangest secret negotiations, Alexander sends his nuncio, Georgio Bocciardi, to Istanbul to request money and support from Sultan Bayezid – at the same time the pope, in public, is proclaiming a crusade against the Muslim world.
Upon docking in Italy, the Turkish sailors are embroiled in the violence and intrigue of Renaissance politics. While escorting Bocciardi and the Ottoman diplomats to the Vatican, they are ambushed by soldiers of the Prefect of Rome, who is betraying the pope on behalf of the French. Charles VIII publishes translations of letters supposedly captured from Bocciardi. These allegedly ask the pope to murder Bayezid’s younger brother – Prince Cem – who had earlier fled to the Knights of Rhodes…only to be used as a pawn in a cruel diplomatic game.
Convinced that the letters published by Charles are forgeries, Kachak and his shipmates desperately try to survive in an Italy torn by invasion. Their little squadron – alone and far from home -- may be Turkey’s first line of defense. As town after town falls to Charles’ troops, Kachak’s shipmates find unexpected allies among the citizens of Mantua and Venice striving to restore Italy’s freedom.
Sultan's Helsman -- A novel of the Ottoman Navy and Renaissance Italy
The Sultan’s Helmsman -- a novel of the Ottoman Navy and Renaissance Italy
Available from www.Amazon.com. A Turkish translation will be published soon by Grup Yayınları, Istanbul.
September 1494 -- Amid the chaos of Charles VIII’s devastating invasion of Renaissance Italy, a squadron of Turkish galleys slips out of Istanbul under cover of night, and disappears west into the autumnal gales. Aboard are three Ottoman diplomats, a papal nuncio, and a fortune in gold ducats. The unforeseen consequences of their dangerous mission threaten to destabilize the papacy and alter the military alliances of Europe. A tale of seagoing adventure and actual historical events, The Sultan’s Helmsman is also a philosophical novel exploring eastern and western ways of thought. Kachak -- the helmsman of the Turkish galley White Falcon -- is a fugitive from war-torn Europe who has been educated at the elite Ottoman palace school. When the west attempts to reclaim him, he must rely on his training, and on the loyalty of his friends, to make himself the person of his own choosing. While patrolling the Aegean, Akdoğan’s crew captures evidence that the Knights of Rhodes are secretly violating their treaty with the Ottoman Empire. Corsairs sailing under the Knights’ protection are attacking cargo ships of all nations and faiths. Capturing the cargoes and passengers, they extract ransoms, colluding with merchants who become rich by lending ransom money at high interest.
During this period, Spanish persecution of the Moors and Jews increases. Sultan II Bayezid sends the Ottoman navy to Andalusia to evacuate them, commenting, “Why do people call this king wise when he is expelling from his kingdom the very people whose talents will enrich mine?” Kachak and his shipmates take part in these daring voyages, climbing the cliffs at night “with lanterns in their teeth” to lead the refugees to safety.
One of the Moors evacuated aboard Kachak’s ship is a printer, Olaya, who lives in a world of dangerous books and new ideas permeating the Mediterranean. Later, back in Istanbul, Niccolo del Guercino, manager of the Medici bank branch there, seeks Olaya’s help finding rare books by eastern philosophers to send to Florence. At Olaya’s suggestion, Kachak agrees to translate “some of the most dangerous books in the world.”
On the death of the King of Naples, the French King Charles VIII claims the throne. The Borgia Pope Alexander VI -- who had earlier encouraged Charles in hopes that Charles would use Naples harbor to launch a crusade against Turkey and to capture Jerusalem – realizes he has made a terrible mistake. In one of history’s strangest secret negotiations, Alexander sends his nuncio, Georgio Bocciardi, to Istanbul to request money and support from Sultan Bayezid – at the same time the pope, in public, is proclaiming a crusade against the Muslim world.
Upon docking in Italy, the Turkish sailors are embroiled in the violence and intrigue of Renaissance politics. While escorting Bocciardi and the Ottoman diplomats to the Vatican, they are ambushed by soldiers of the Prefect of Rome, who is betraying the pope on behalf of the French. Charles VIII publishes translations of letters supposedly captured from Bocciardi. These allegedly ask the pope to murder Bayezid’s younger brother – Prince Cem – who had earlier fled to the Knights of Rhodes…only to be used as a pawn in a cruel diplomatic game.
Convinced that the letters published by Charles are forgeries, Kachak and his shipmates desperately try to survive in an Italy torn by invasion. Their little squadron – alone and far from home -- may be Turkey’s first line of defense. As town after town falls to Charles’ troops, Kachak’s shipmates find unexpected allies among the citizens of Mantua and Venice striving to restore Italy’s freedom.