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The Sultan's Helmsman
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The Sultan's Helmsman (edit title/settings)

by Robert Colburn (Author) (edit contributors)

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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 October storms. Aboard are three Turkish diplomats, a papal nuncio, and a fortune in gold ducats.... read more

Summary edit see section history

While patrolling the Aegean, the crew of the Turkish galley Akdoğan 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... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

While patrolling the Aegean, the crew of the Turkish galley Akdoğan 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 Spain 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.” Chased by Spanish galleys, the flagship of Akdoğan’s squadron sails west through the strait of Jebel Al-Tariq, (Gibraltar), into the Karanlikin Denizi itself, the Atlantic, the “Sea of Dark¬ness.”
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 King Ferrante of Naples, the French King Charles VIII claims the now vacant throne. Pope Alexander VI -- who had earlier encouraged Charles in the hope 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 and not the ones the diplomats were carrying, 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.

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Quotes edit see section history

  • “"Forget the colors of the threads, but remember the pattern."”
    Grand Vezier Daud Pasha
  • ““Why do people call this Ferdinand a wise king, when he is expelling from his kingdom the very people whose talents will enrich mine?””
    Sultan Bayezid II

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First Sentence edit see section history

Four Turkish galleys spread out in a line abreast, sailing easily with the wind on their beam, their hulls sharp and fast, and their banks of oars cleated up out of the water like wings. Yildirim — “Lightningbolt”— the squadron leader, was easily recogniseable because she was larger and carried three brass lanterns on her stern.

Table of Contents edit see section history

I. The colors of the threads
II. The place I sprang from
III. Lanterns in our teeth
IV. Dressed to suit their image
V. The most dangerous books in the world
VI. A thousand hidden ways
VII. The hunted
VIII. Green over the bows
IX. “Out of the oil; into the hail”
X. Juravi et affirmi
XI. Mantua
XII. The Most Serene Republic
XIII. The lion on the walls

Series & Lists edit see section history

This book is in The Historical Fiction Group. (community list)
This book is in Military History. (community list)
This book is in The Italian Renaissance. (community list)
This book is in Historical Fiction/Non-Fiction. (community list)
This book is in Renaissance navigation. (community list)

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Robert Colburn (Author)

Classification edit see section history

Links to Supplemental Material edit see section history

More Books Like This edit see section history

   
  • Niccolo Rising
  • Master & Commander
  • The White Castle
  • The Religion
  • The Janissaries
  • The Aviary Gate
  • A Tabernacle for the Sun
  • Leo Africanus

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