Warning: Very long post with spoilers ⚠️
Episode 112!!
Another brilliant episode that not only gave us a deep, soul stirring sense of the Gazi Warrior’ spirit but also provided us with an exhilarating climax – the entrapment & beheading of Kantacuzenos – an absolutely delightful insight into the strategic genius of Osman Bey.
Some others thoughts on this episode in no particular order.
🏹 The Certainty Of Faith: “Look into the eyes of those who are not afraid of death, so that you can remember death”.
The opening scene & dialogue (after Osman Bey saves Bala & Sheikh Edebali & there is a face off between Ismihan’s guards & Osman Bey’s alps preemptively infiltrated within the enemy ranks) was simply magnificent in terms of dialogue, delivery & impact!
Not only his dialogue with Ismihan but also the way he looked around the pathetic, spineless crowd around him – the way he said that even people who stay quiet/ passive in face of a grave injustice/ oppression to their fellow human will be taken to account.
Of course, although Osman Bey had brought Sultan Masud for the purported prisoner exchange, he had never intended to go against Kayi töre & throw Masud (taking refuge in him) under the bus. His plan was (with the help of both alps disguised as Seljuk soldiers & alps hiding underground in the tunnel & of course, evelAllah) to put up a strong fight & escape with all three.
And this was the reason…he’d sent Turgut to divert Sultan Alaeddin & his contingent of soldiers from Konya to Soğut….
🏹 The Boy Sultan Alaeddin IIII:
Anyway, the tension in this scene was amazingly built right until the moment Sultan Alaeddin III, his trusted ‘advisor’ Sevili and his regiment of soldiers (who were purposely diverted in Soğut to buy time) enter the stage. His subsequent action revealed the fact that the young Sultan, although often under the shadow of his mother, is not always on the same page as her & that unlike the rash, spiteful, often cruel actions of his mother, he is more concerned with his image & his desire to somehow maintain that fast waning good will of his people.
He realizes that executing the widely respected Sheikh Edebali could easily trigger a revolt even in Konya & he asks his mother to release the Sheikh & to delay executing ‘Rebels’ Osman Bey & Bala Hatun (not hand them over to Kantacuzenos) just to make them go through a sham trial.
This was an interesting sign of a rift, a difference of opinion between the Sultan & his Mom.
🏹 Sultan Alaeddin III, The Teen Sultan’s Brief Reign:
According to some historical accounts, his brief reign was deeply unpopular due to rash, often violent decisions that were taken to cling onto power (or what remained of it because, for most practical purposes, he was under the suzerainty of the ilkhanate Sultan Mahmud Gazan (referred to in the show as Gazan Han).
Some historical accounts also mention how, after being placed on the throne by Gazan Han, he’d eliminated his predecessor Sultan Masud’s many loyalists & supporters in Konya & elsewhere by violent means – a rash decision that had not only earned him deep unpopularity but also resulted in unrest & turbulence amongst his subjects (mentioned in some accounts as one of the reasons why Gazan Han had to bring his predecessor Sultan Masud back to the throne)
In light of this background, I can understand the thought process behind the fictional subplot of Ismihan Sultan, Alaeddin III & Sultan Masud. It makes sense to me. The Great Seljuks (& the Sultanate Of Rum) were great no doubt but that doesn’t mean that they didn’t have their share of evil Valide Sultans. Like Terken, Sultan Mellik Shah’s wife, for example.
If anything, Ismihan showcases how an evil, misguided, egregiously power hungry Valide Sultan can weaken & ultimately bring down an entire empire!! (By Allah’s permission, of course)
🏹 The Complex Equation Between A Subservient & Superior State: Suzerainty.
In textbooks, it’s defined as a relation between states in which a subservient nation (Seljuk) has its own government, agency in domestic affairs, but is unable to take international action independent of the superior state (Ilkhanate) but in reality, it was complex, shifting, ill defined & with roles that were often poorly understood by both parties involved.
Interestingly, Mahmud Gazan had recently (show’s timeline) converted to Islam like his cousins in the Golden Hordes & the Chagatai Khanate.
As to whether this conversion was sincere or merely a clever move to consolidate his power in Muslim lands has always been up for debate.
🏹 Kantacuzenos & The Rogue Varangian Commander Olof: Their Secret Alliance with the yet to be introduced Ghazan Han – who has cleverly placed his mole, Sevili, Sultan Alaeddin’s trusted advisor, in Konya, as his eyes & ears.
A fictional subplot, but yes, historically, there are accounts of Byzantium trying to forge alliances with Gazan Han to keep Osman Bey in check (after Battle of Bapheus). Andronikos II Palaiologos is said to have sent his very young daughter as a bride to Gazan Han to forge this alliance but luckily for her, her bridegroom is said to have died on the battle field before the marriage could be consummated!!
Anyway, coming back to the show, Ismihan is unaware of this secret alliance where the three decide to remove Osman Bey & Bala Hatun from Marmaracik dungeon (as suggested by her) but only to keep them alive until they get from Osman Father Gregor’s ‘Sacred Relic’ (purportedly the last remaining piece of the Holy Cross Christians believe Jesus (peace be upon him) died on).
🏹 The Sacred Relic: The Roman Cardinal we saw in last episode is approaching the Eastern Orthodox Church again to safeguard dwindling Roman/ Christian presence in Western Anatolia and unites with Gazan Han (who wasn’t interested in expanding Westward and just wanted to safeguard his borders there)
And they plan on using this sacred relic, the reminder of the holy cross, their root, one basic point in theology both sides agree upon….to bring about this unity somehow. Not exactly sure how this is supposed to play out….Let’s see.
I guess it’s like how in DE, the Seal Of Oğuz Han was being sought as a means to remind all Turkic tribes & men (even those in Mongol army) of their root and thereby unite them.
Historically, it is generally accepted that this East/ West, Catholic/ Eastern Orthodox schism was one of the factors that led to the ultimate end of Eastern Roman/ Byzantine Presence in Anatolia.
🏹 Kantacuzenos: This Kant be Orhan’s Father-In-Law-to-be Kantacuzenos Cuz he’s too old to be John VI Kantacuzenos.
This Kantacuzenos was NOT John VI Kantacuzenos. This was probably Michael (or some other member of the House Of Kantacuzenos) & not John VI. He was way too old to be John VI – Theodora’s (Orhan’s future wife’s) father because it has been well recorded that John VI Kantacuzenos was only around 10 years of age during the Battle Of Bapheus.
The House of Palaiologos, The House Of Laskaris & The House of Kantacuzenos were some of the eminent nobel families of 13th/ 14th century Byzantium.
Kosses has been shown to be from the House of Palaiologos just like Andronikos III and late Rogatus & Leo of Bilecik from the House of Lascaris.
🏹The Tests Of Faith: Don’t leave those who are in your way in the dungeon. Just as we accept your mercy, we accept your trials as well.
Loved Osman Gazi & Bala Hatun’s time together in the dungeon and just like Edebali said to Sultan Alaeddin III, being imprisoned physically is nothing compared to being in the shackles of one’s nafs, having a heart devoid of Allah’s dhikr or remembrance.
Also, loved Osman & Bala’s time together. The words exchanged, the playful banter, the simple happiness, the effervescent joy, that they find in each others company, even in a dungeon lol, is heartwarming.
With Bala Hatun, every once in a while, Osman Bey is able to be just….Osman. He is able to drop his heavy mantle of responsibility and duty, his often grim single mindedness of purpose….and joke about silly things like flowers in meadows & horse races. Every once in a while he is able to be just Osman…
🏹 Osman Bey, The SHREWD STRATEGIST 🖤
His contingency plans were sheer brilliance!!!🖤🖤🖤
Every military or political strategist worth his or her salt has contingency plans – often contingency plans within contingency plans – in place and I’m in awe of Osman Bey’s plans in this episode!!!
Contingency plans are designed to take a possible future adverse event or circumstance into account and the fake sacred relic hidden in his sleeve, the predetermined designated area to lure an enemy in, the network of shepherds to alert & summon the alps were just brilliant examples of the same!!
The code sentences he shared with Kantacuzenos and sent him to his death with! Genius👏👏
🏹 Osman’s Dream:
Loved the way Osman Bey said – it’s time to reveal the State, the secret of his Dream that he’d carried around his heart for 20 years.
Reminded me of his very first dua in Season 1: “Oh Allah, you’re the one who know my vision that exceeds these lands, my dream that won’t fit into maps, make this dream a reality”.
All in all, a PHENOMENAL episode! Can’t wait for the next!!
The trailer is LIT 🔥
