Servants of the Crown
All those who receive wages from the imperial treasury, or who hold any office connected with the Crown, are given the title Kul, which means the slave of the Grand Signior. This title applies even to the highest officers of the Empire, including the Grand Vizier and all the Pashas. In this system, the name “slave” is considered more honorable than that of an ordinary subject.
The reason for this is that the Kul stands in a closer and more direct relationship to the Emperor. He serves by personal command and enjoys certain privileges above common subjects. A Kul may scold, strike, or mistreat an ordinary subject without fear of punishment, but the subject must never respond in kind. If a subject injures a Kul in any way, even slightly, he risks severe and immediate punishment.
Slavery as Absolute Obedience
Among the Turks, slavery does not always mean chains or physical labor. Instead, it represents total submission to the Emperor’s will. A Kul must be ready to obey every command, whether spoken directly or merely suggested. The highest form of loyalty is to anticipate the wishes of the ruler and act without delay Private Sofia Tours.
This obedience is taught as a virtue and praised as the foundation of order and greatness in the Empire. The Emperor’s command is not questioned, judged, or debated. Even if the order appears harsh, dangerous, or unreasonable, the Kul is expected to obey without hesitation.
Extreme Examples of Submission
Writers of the time often describe this obedience in dramatic terms. They claim that if the Emperor were to command his servants to leap from a cliff, to form a bridge with their bodies so he could cross a river, or even to destroy one another for his pleasure, many would do so without resistance. While such examples may be exaggerated, they are used to show the depth of loyalty and submission expected in this system.
Those who have witnessed this kind of obedience firsthand often express amazement and horror, calling out, “O men prepared for slavery!” Such submission appears shocking to those raised in countries where law and personal liberty limit the power of rulers.
Flattery and Life at Court
This condition of slavery naturally produces excessive flattery in the Seraglio. Those closest to the Emperor compete to please him, praise him, and support his every opinion. Since their honor, wealth, and even lives depend entirely on his favor, they often imagine his wisdom to be perfect and his judgment beyond error.
Thus, the system of the Kul creates a court where obedience is absolute, flattery is constant, and personal freedom is willingly surrendered for power, status, and survival.