At this dangerous moment, the officers feared that the King was about to be taken from their control. The Capa Aga declared firmly that he would not raise the Ichoglans, who were the royal pages, unless he received a written command from the King himself. He insisted that such an action was too serious to be taken without clear authority.
While this discussion was still going on, the servants of the Capa Aga awoke and overheard the conversation. They could not restrain themselves. Without waiting for further orders, they hurried off to awaken the pages in both the greater and the lesser chambers Ephesus Sightseeing.
The Alarm in the Greater Chamber
One of the servants, the Butler, entered what was known as the Greater Chamber of the Pages. It was about five hours into the night, when all should have been quiet. The chamber was very long, nearly eighty paces in length. The Butler ran to the center of the room, stopped suddenly, and clapped his hands loudly.
To make such noise in the Seraglio during the night was considered a serious offense, and greatly against palace rules. Some of the pages were awakened by the sound. They raised their heads in confusion and fear, shocked by such an unusual alarm. They immediately asked the reason for this disturbance.
Panic Spreads Among the Pages
The Butler clapped his hands again and cried out loudly, “Arise! The Grand Signior is about to be taken out of our hands!” At these words, the entire chamber sprang into action. The pages rose in great confusion and alarm.
More than six hundred Ichoglans rushed from their places. Some were half-dressed, others had no weapons. Some prepared themselves to fight, while others thought only of escaping. Many believed that the Janissaries had already entered the Seraglio and that the palace was under attack.
Confusion and Disorder in the Palace
In the darkness and confusion, order was lost. The pages ran in different directions, uncertain whether they should defend the King, flee for safety, or seek orders from their superiors. Fear spread quickly, and the quiet of the night was completely broken.
This sudden alarm showed how fragile the situation had become, and how close the royal household was to chaos, all because the safety of the Grand Signior seemed to hang by a thread.