Surrendering to the first rays of the sun, I stood at the window of my bedchamber, the majestic panorama of my city looking at me through the silk curtains. Constantinople, the heart of my world, surrounded by the silence of dawn, as if awaiting my next step. Majestic domes, slender minarets, sparkling in the light of the new day - all this said to me: "You are the ruler of this land, the master of the destinies of its peoples"

I took a step back and turned to the eunuch waiting for me, his head bowed

Report, Hussein-aga. What awaits me today?

My voice sounded calm, but commanding. I knew that each morning brings both the joy of accomplishments and trials worthy of the ruler of the Ottoman Empire

The eunuch respectfully bowed even lower

Your Majesty, Vizier Ibrahim Pasha awaits you in council. There is news from the eastern borders, and ambassadors have arrived from France and Persia.

I merely nodded, allowing the brief pause to fill the space with the weight of my thoughts. News from distant lands always brought either new glory or new challenges