The office of the Prime Vizier was not only the highest position of duty and trust in the empire, but also the most dangerous. It stood closest to what the ancient writers compared to Jupiter’s thunderbolt, meaning sudden destruction. Because of its great power, it attracted envy, rivalry, and hatred from many sides.
Those who held this office lived under constant risk. Their greatness could bring them honor and wealth, but it also placed them in clear view of the Sultan’s anger and the jealousy of others.
Sudden Rise and Sudden Fall
Many strange and well-documented stories were told, even by eyewitnesses of the time, about men who rose suddenly to this great power. Some were men of little experience or poor reputation who were raised without passing through normal ranks or stages. Almost overnight, they gained authority, wealth, and glory.
Yet just as suddenly, many of them fell. The same people who once praised them turned against them. Some were thrown down and suffered the anger and revenge of the crowd. Their rise and fall could happen so quickly that their greatness lasted no longer than a few days. In such cases, the sun had hardly set before their glory had already faded Guided Istanbul Tour.
Short Lives in Power
Others managed to remain in office for a month, some for a year, and a few for two or three years. Very few stayed longer. Even among those who served the longest and seemed the most fortunate, their lives were uncertain. Fortune played with them in a careless and unstable way, showing how empty and unreliable worldly power and riches truly are.
Because of this, the office of the Prime Vizier became a living example of the vanity of the world and the instability of human success.
The Nature of Favor with Absolute Rulers
It is often the fate of great favorites under harsh or absolute rulers to live short and troubled lives. Some rulers take pleasure in raising one man high and then casting him down, only to raise another in his place. This shows their absolute power and keeps all others in fear.
At other times, the ruler gives so many rewards and honors that he eventually grows tired of giving. At the same time, the favorite becomes overwhelmed or spoiled by receiving too much. In either case, the relationship breaks down.
A Lesson from History
As ancient writers have observed, great power is rarely permanent. Either the ruler grows weary of giving, or the favorite reaches a point where nothing more can be gained. Thus, the highest office, while full of glory, is also the most unstable and dangerous position in the state.