To be honest, Viscount Stratford did not care in the slightest about Murad V—or even whether the Ottoman Empire lived or died.
Yet the decline and fall of the Ottoman Empire would directly bolster Russia's power, undermining Britain's Balance of Power Policy on the continent.
At this moment, the decisiveness—or lack thereof—displayed by the Ottomans made Viscount Stratford deeply doubt whether they could weather this crisis. After all, he had no idea how many Russians had actually come, or whether further reinforcements were on the way.
Preserving the Ottoman political entity was the most urgent matter. At least in Viscount Stratford's eyes, when the capital was under siege, the timely evacuation of the supreme ruler was not cowardice but a mark of wisdom. After all, no small number of kings and emperors had done the same throughout history.
But because of their differing cultural traditions, Viscount Stratford's proposal sounded exceedingly grating to Murad V's ears—so much so that it could even be called an insult.
Chief Ulama Dilam roared in fury.
"How dare you ask the great Sultan to abandon his capital like a coward! This is the most vicious insult to Allah and the Prophet!
"Istanbul belongs to us! To the descendants of Muhammad! To the Muslims! We will never abandon the city and flee like cowards!"
Other conservative officials also leaped out one after another, accusing Viscount Stratford of shaking the army's morale.
"That's right! We swear to live and die with Istanbul!"
"This Briton must be in league with the Russians!"
The intensity of the Ottoman reaction far exceeded Viscount Stratford's expectations. He had never known the Ottomans could be this fearless.
In truth, Viscount Stratford had struck these conservatives right where it hurt. This was about far more than mere national honor.
In Islam, abandoning a