Chapter 344: Sorry I Can’t See You Off

This time Menshikov, a nobleman of the Russian Empire, came to Constantinople as the plenipotentiary envoy of the Tsar.

Its ostensible purpose was to regain all the rights of the Orthodox Church in the Ottoman Empire, such as the right to use the Holy Land Church, and to provide security for the parishioners of the Orthodox Church.

Of course, religious issues are just one excuse.

The Russian Empire was founded on Tsarism, Orthodoxy, and expansion.

Emperor Russia used the name of Orthodoxy to target the Ottomans, but in fact he intended to target the mouth of the Black Sea and even Constantinople.

Menshikov arrogantly sent a message to the Ottoman Empire's envoy, asking the Ottoman Empire's Grand Vizier (similar to the Chinese prime minister, under one person in the Ottoman Empire and above ten thousand people.) to dress up in person and go to the port of the Castle to welcome the great Plenipotentiary Envoy of the Russian Empire.

If this request is still barely reasonable, then Menshikov's next request is really too humiliating to the Ottoman Empire and the Sultan of his empire.

In very strong terms, Menshikov demanded that the Ottoman Sultan Abdulmecid personally wait for his arrival at the gate of the palace instead of him going to the palace to pay homage to the Ottoman Sultan.

Mecid, who was in his prime, was trembling with anger at Menshikov's rude behavior.

The Tsar sent a reckless man with no diplomatic experience as a special envoy to Constantinople with an aggressive face. He was clearly here to stir up trouble.

Naturally, Mecid did not agree to this rude request.

He was a sultan and a king, and no matter how powerful Menshikov was in the Russian Empire, he was only a minister at best.

Even if the Tsar comes, it is already the due etiquette to go out of the palace to greet the Tsar.

And this Menshikov, a mere minister and a plenipotentiary envoy, actually asked him, a sultan, to wait for him at the gate of the palace.

Mecid was not in a hurry to reply to Menshikov, but first summoned the British ambassador to Constantinople: Stratford Canning. He wanted to know the British attitude.

Canning, wearing a suit and leather tie, came to the palace with his head held high and bowed deeply to Mecid.

This made Meguid feel a little more comfortable. The British, at least on the surface, were more polite than the arrogant Russians.

When Megid explained Menshikov's rude behavior and purpose to Canning, Canning immediately made his attitude clear, that is, the attitude of London.

"Ignore reckless men like Menshikov, ignore the rude demands of the Russians, and don't make concessions."

Canning's clear answer made Mecid feel at ease, but the sultan was still afraid of the huge Russia.

"What if the Tsar declares war on us? The military strength of the Ottoman Empire cannot resist the attack of Tsarist Russia."

The Russians directly sent troops, which was the issue that Meged was most worried about. Meged knew that he could not compete with the Russian Empire with his own military power.

"The Russians dare not start a war. If they dare, the British Empire will never stand idly by. We will firmly stand on the side of Sudan." Canning replied confidently and calmly.

Canning's promise instantly emboldened Meguid.

Since Menshikov humiliated him, he would naturally humiliate him back.

Meged put on a nightgown and came to the palace in slippers to meet Menshikov. He wanted to express the attitude of the Ottoman Empire to Menshikov face to face.

The Ottoman Sultan did not come to the palace gate to greet Menshikov in person. This made Menshikov furious. He thought he had been slighted and shouted that he would attack the Sultan to hold him accountable.

Menshikov clamored all the way to the palace. At this time, he looked more like a rogue street gangster than a special envoy of a country.

Just as Menshikov was about to enter the hall, the Sudanese soldiers standing at the door of the hall stopped Menshikov.

"If you want to see the Sultan, you need to bend down and bow to show respect before you can enter the palace!"

Menshikov glanced coldly at the Sultan who was wearing nightgown and slippers in the main hall, eating grapes and drinking red wine leisurely.

Menshikov's anger reached its peak. He suddenly raised his voice and shouted sternly: "I'm not here to meet your Sultan! I'm here to deliver the credentials of His Majesty the Tsar! If you delay national affairs, even you The Sultan cannot bear this responsibility, let alone a little soldier like you!”

After saying this, Menshikov was about to force his way into the palace, but was immediately blocked by the sturdy Sudanese soldiers.

"Sorry, Your Excellency, the envoy, the Sultan has an order! No matter who comes, as long as they don't bow, they can't enter the palace!"

Menshikov's face turned red with anger, but in order to hand over his credentials to the Ottoman Sultan in person, he decided to bow.

Menshikov made a 180-degree turn, faced the Sultan north, and bowed to the sky.

In Meguid's sight, Menshikov entered the palace with his butt pointed towards him.

This scene not only stunned the Sultan's soldiers at the entrance of the palace, but also the Ottoman ministers in the store and even the Sultan himself were suffocated by it.

"Here are the credentials of His Majesty the Tsar!

I, His Majesty the Tsar, have suffered unfair treatment and even shameful and cruel massacres of the Subon Christians in the Ottoman territory. Therefore, I have been specially appointed as the Tsar’s Plenipotentiary Envoy to present my credentials to the Ottoman Sultan. On the day when the Ottoman Sultan received the credentials, the Ottoman Sultan The great Tsar Nicholas I must be recognized as the protector of all Orthodox parishioners.

The Ottoman Sultan must hand over the right to use the holy church to the Orthodox believers and make a written guarantee. When necessary, His Majesty the Tsar has the right to send troops to protect the rights and interests of the residents of the Orthodox parish in the Ottoman Empire."

Menshikov appeared in the palace with an arrogant attitude and read the main contents of the letter to the Ottoman ministers and the Sultan in the palace.

The unreasonable demands of Tsarist Russia made Mejid's face very ugly. He threw the wine glass to the ground fiercely: "The Tsar is the protector of the Orthodox Church, and I am also the protector of Christianity! Go back and tell your Tsar that it is not his turn to interfere in the internal affairs of the Ottoman Empire! ”

Religious issues have always been a very sensitive issue in the Ottoman Empire. One-third of the population in the empire believes in Christianity, and Orthodox Christians are only a small part of this one-third of the population.

Once the right to use the Holy Land Church is given to the Orthodox Christians as the Tsar wishes, Christians of other denominations will inevitably have opinions.

Majid will not easily hand over the right to use the Holy Land Church to the Orthodox Church. What's more, Tsarist Russia also requires sending troops to the Ottoman Empire to protect the rights and interests of Orthodox Christians in the Ottoman Empire.

This is even more unacceptable to Majid. Who knows whether the Tsar cares about the Orthodox Christians in the Ottoman Empire or the land under the feet of these Orthodox Christians. .

Mejid knew that things had come to this point, and there was no room for maneuver, and the Tsar would not make any concessions.

The Russians did not dare to start a war. If they did, the British Empire would never stand idly by, and we would stand firmly on the side of the Sultan.

The words of Canning, the British ambassador to Constantinople, echoed in Mejid's ears, which made Mejid more determined.

Mejid made up his mind and tore up the Tsar's letter in front of Menshikov, and then threw the torn letter into the air. His resolute eyes penetrated the waste paper scraps, and he coldly ordered Menshikov to leave: "Your Excellency the Special Envoy, please go back, I'm sorry I can't see you off!"