1921, November 6th, Sunday.
Sunday brought a semblance of quiet to the bustling administrative offices of Constantinople, but for Sultan Murad VII and his nascent government, it was no day of rest. The intrigues and pressures that had defined the past week continued to simmer beneath the surface, and the young Sultan knew that every moment of apparent calm was merely an opportunity for his enemies – both foreign and domestic – to regroup and plot. His own efforts to fortify the foundations of his rule had to be relentless.
The morning began with a detailed report from Ferik Fevzi Pasha, Minister of War, delivered in Murad's private study. Tevfik Pasha, the Grand Vizier, was also present, his attendance at these key briefings now standard practice. "Your Imperial Majesty, Your Highness," Fevzi began, his voice crisp, "Liva Pasha Kenan was relieved of his command at Selimiye Barracks yesterday evening and placed under house arrest as per your Irade. The operation was conducted swiftly and without incident by a detachment of officers I trust implicitly. His second-in-command, a Binbaşı (Major) of known integrity, has assumed temporary command and is fully cooperating with our inspectors." "And the reaction within the garrison?" Murad asked, his gaze fixed on Fevzi. "A mixture of shock and, amongst the junior officers and common soldiers, considerable, if subdued, approval, Your Majesty," Fevzi reported. "Kenan Pasha was widely despised for his corruption and his… overly familiar relations with certain foreign military attachés. His removal is seen as a sign that the old ways of impunity are ending. There has been some unease amongst a few senior officers known to be his associates, but no overt dissent. They are watching, waiting." "Let them watch," Murad said. "What of Kenan himself? And the palace official Hafız Bey apprehended – Süleyman Efendi, was it not, the Deputy Master of Ceremonies?" "Kenan Pasha is… indignant but cooperative, now that the reality of his situation has sunk in," Fevzi replied. "A search of his quarters revealed ledgers detailing illicit sales of army supplies and significant undeclared funds. Cavit Bey's auditors will have much to examine. As for Süleyman Efendi," he glanced at Tevfik Pasha, "the initial interrogation, conducted by Hafız Bey's most discreet men, has yielded disturbing, though perhaps not unexpected, results. He has confessed to passing information about palace routines, your visitors, and even snippets of overheard conversations to an intermediary known to work for Damat Ferid Pasha's former private secretary, who in turn is suspected of having direct links to at least one Allied intelligence service."
Murad's jaw tightened. "So, Damat Ferid's network remains active, a conduit for foreign espionage within my own palace. This cannot be tolerated." He looked from Fevzi to Tevfik, then to Hafız Bey, who had entered silently with a tray of morning coffee. "Gentlemen, the events of the past few days, particularly the arrest of Süleyman Efendi and the increased Allied surveillance Hafız Bey reported, underscore an urgent, critical need. We are operating in a city awash with spies, informants, and internal enemies. We need our own eyes and ears, a dedicated, fiercely loyal, and utterly discreet intelligence and counter-espionage service, responsible directly to the Sultanate."
Tevfik Pasha nodded gravely. "I concur, Your Majesty. The existing police and gendarmerie intelligence units are… unreliable, often compromised, and primarily focused on common criminality or perceived political dissent amongst the general populace. They are not equipped, nor are their loyalties sufficiently assured, for the kind of sensitive work required to protect the state at this level." "I propose the immediate formation of a new organization," Murad stated. "Let us call it the Muhafız-ı Hümayun İstihbarat Şubesi – the Imperial Guard Intelligence Directorate. Small, elite, operating in the deepest shadows. Its mandate: to identify and neutralize foreign espionage networks, to monitor the activities of disloyal internal factions, including remnants of Damat Ferid's clique, to vet key government and military appointments for absolute loyalty, and to provide me with untainted, direct intelligence."
"A Teşkilat-ı Mahsusa for our times, but even more discreet, even more loyal," Fevzi Pasha murmured, a spark of approval in his eyes, referring to the famed, now defunct, Ottoman special operations unit. "It would require a leader of exceptional caliber – intelligent, ruthless, and utterly devoted to Your Majesty." "Do you have such a man in mind, Fevzi Pasha?" Murad asked. Fevzi thought for a moment. "There is a young Kolağası (Senior Captain) currently in my Ministry's planning department, Esad Bey. He served with distinction in intelligence roles on the Caucasian front. He is quiet, highly observant, speaks several languages including passable French and English, and his loyalty to the Ottoman ideal, rather than to any political faction, is beyond question. He is young, perhaps thirty, but his mind is sharp as a razor." "Summon this Esad Bey to meet with me this afternoon, Fevzi Pasha," Murad commanded. "If he is as you describe, he may be the man we need. Hafız Bey, you will work with Fevzi Pasha to provide Esad Bey with the initial resources and cover he requires. His existence, and that of his Directorate, must be known only to those in this room, and to Tevfik Pasha's most trusted ministerial colleagues if absolutely necessary." "Understood, Your Majesty," Hafız Bey affirmed, his usually impassive face showing a grim understanding of the necessity.
Later that morning, Cavit Bey, the Minister of Finance, arrived with a report that was a mixture of grim news and fierce determination. "Your Majesty, Your Highness," he began, his usual crispness tinged with outrage, "the more I delve into our inherited financial arrangements, the more I uncover a systematic effort by certain foreign banking interests, often acting with the implicit support of their legations, to defraud the Ottoman state. I have found evidence of loans issued at usurious rates, secured against national assets valued at a fraction of their worth, with clauses that trigger punitive penalties for the slightest perceived default." He presented a specific case concerning a Belgian-French consortium that had been granted a concession for operating the tramways and electricity grid in Constantinople, whose contract included clauses allowing them to remit almost all profits abroad in foreign currency, leaving the city's infrastructure to decay while providing minimal tax revenue to the Ottoman treasury. "This contract, Your Majesty, is a noose around our neck," Cavit declared. "I have also, however, had a small success. The auditors investigating Liva Pasha Kenan's affairs have already identified and seized a significant sum in gold and foreign currency – clearly embezzled funds. It is a drop in the ocean of our debt, but it is a start. And it sends a message." "An important message indeed, Cavit Bey," Murad said. "That corruption will no longer be a path to enrichment in this Empire. What do you propose regarding this tramway concession?" "A formal review by our new Imperial Audit Office, followed by a demand for renegotiation based on fairness and equity, Your Majesty. And if they refuse, we explore all legal avenues to challenge the contract's validity, perhaps even citing duress and unconscionable terms. It will be a battle, but one worth fighting." "Then prepare for battle, Cavit Bey," Murad approved. "Let Reşid Akif Pasha be prepared to handle the diplomatic fallout when your intentions become known."
The diplomatic front remained tense. Reşid Akif Pasha, the Foreign Minister, reported that the note regarding the Port Authority's administration had indeed been delivered to the Allied High Commissions. "There has been no formal response as yet, Your Majesty," he said. "However, my attachés report a flurry of consultations between the British, French, and Italian missions. They are clearly displeased and are likely coordinating their reply. I expect a summons or a joint démarche within the next forty-eight hours." "We will be ready for them," Murad stated. "Our position is reasonable and based on demonstrable facts of mismanagement. Let them argue against transparency and efficiency if they dare."
The afternoon was spent in further detailed planning. Murad met with the young Kolağası Esad Bey, the officer Fevzi Pasha had recommended to lead the new Imperial Guard Intelligence Directorate. Esad Bey was indeed as described: quiet, intense, with eyes that seemed to absorb everything. He listened without interruption as Murad outlined the dire need for such a service and the immense risks involved. When Murad finished, Esad Bey simply said, "Your Imperial Majesty, my life has been dedicated to the service of the Ottoman state. If you believe I can serve you and the Empire in this capacity, I will do so to my last breath, with utter loyalty and discretion." Murad knew he had found his man. He gave Esad Bey his initial instructions: to recruit a handful of equally loyal and capable men, to begin establishing a network of informants within the city focused on Allied activities and internal dissent, and to report directly, and only, to him or via Hafız Bey.
As Sunday drew to a close, Murad felt that despite the immense external pressures, the internal foundations of his new regime were slowly but surely being fortified. Liva Pasha Kenan's arrest had sent a clear signal to the military. The new intelligence directorate, though embryonic, was a crucial step towards safeguarding his government. Cavit Bey was preparing to wage war on the financial front. Tevfik Pasha's steady hand was guiding the cabinet. The "unseen war" of espionage, corruption, and internal disloyalty was now being met with a nascent, but equally determined, unseen defense. The whispers from Ankara remained unheard, a silent question mark hanging over his long-term strategy. But within Constantinople, within the very walls of his palace and the ministries of his government, Murad was beginning to feel a sense of control, however fragile, however contested. He was no longer just reacting to the decay he had inherited; he was actively combating it, one carefully planned, perilous step at a time. The echoes of the old, corrupt order still resonated in the corridors, but new voices, loyal and determined, were beginning to make themselves heard.