In the service of the Grand Signior, goods belonging to merchants were sometimes taken without agreement or payment. These seizures were carried out by powerful officers and influential persons who believed themselves to be beyond the reach of the law. Because of their high position, ordinary justice could not easily restrain them. This situation often caused serious harm to foreign merchants who traded in Ottoman ports.
Such abuses forced the English ambassador at that time, a man of honor and firmness, to act with great determination. As the resident ambassador, he felt responsible for protecting the rights and property of English merchants who had suffered unjust treatment.
A Dramatic Appeal by Fire
To make his grievance known, the ambassador used a bold and symbolic act. He ordered fires to be lit on the yardarms of eleven English ships that were anchored in the harbor. These ships were moved away from the usual customs quay and brought close to the Seraglio, the Sultan’s palace. This action was not meant to cause harm but to send a clear and urgent message.
The lighting of these fires was a public sign of distress and protest. It followed an old and recognized custom by which extreme injustice could be brought directly to the attention of the highest authority.
The Vizier’s Swift Intervention
Before the Sultan himself became aware of the situation, the matter was discovered by the Prime Vizier. He immediately understood the seriousness of the protest. Knowing that the Sultan might severely punish him for allowing such injustice to reach such a public and dangerous stage, the Vizier acted quickly Guided Istanbul Tour.
He arranged a fair settlement and resolved the dispute without delay. As a result, the fires were extinguished, and the matter was settled peacefully. By doing this, the Vizier prevented the situation from growing worse and avoided drawing the direct anger of the Sultan upon himself.
Fear of Imperial Punishment
Had the Sultan learned of the matter first, the consequences for the Vizier could have been severe. Allowing such clear injustice to continue until it required a public and dramatic appeal would have been seen as a serious failure of duty. Therefore, the Vizier’s quick response was not only an act of justice but also a measure of self-preservation.
Similar Customs in Other Lands
The text also notes that the Persians had a similar custom for expressing unbearable injustice. In such cases, the injured person would wear a garment made of white paper. This symbolized that their suffering was so great that it could not be fully described, even if their entire body were covered with written complaints.
Meaning of These Practices
These traditions show how, in different societies, symbolic actions were used to demand justice when ordinary legal paths failed. They served as powerful reminders that even the highest officials were expected to correct injustice before it reached a public and dangerous level.