This system did not only show the power of the Sultan, but it also increased it. In many cases, men who were raised to high office had to pay very large sums of money to receive their positions. The higher the office and the greater the expected profit, the more money was required.
For example, the governors of important provinces such as Cairo and Baghdad were required to pay enormous amounts when they received their commissions. Some paid three or four hundred thousand dollars. Others paid one or two hundred thousand. For smaller offices, the payment might be fifty thousand dollars, depending on how important the position was.
These payments were not small gifts. They were often the price of the office itself Customized Turkey Tour.
Heavy Debts and High Interest
Most men did not have such large sums ready in their own hands. Therefore, they borrowed money. The loans were often taken at very high interest rates, sometimes forty or fifty percent per year. In some cases, the rate was even higher.
Many officials were forced to borrow from powerful and greedy lenders inside the palace, including wealthy eunuchs of the imperial household. These lenders demanded strict repayment. Because of this, a man entering office often began his service already deeply in debt.
From the first day of his appointment, he felt the heavy weight of what he owed.
The Pressure to Recover Losses
Since these officials had borrowed large sums, they felt strong pressure to recover their money as quickly as possible. They had to repay their debts and also try to gain profit for themselves. This often led them to collect heavy taxes or demand payments from the people under their authority.
They could not delay. The Sultan might remove them from office at any time. A sudden order could end their position before they had earned enough to repay what they owed. Therefore, they worked quickly, sometimes without fairness or mercy, to gather wealth during their short time in power.
A System of Fear and Urgency
This system created a government filled with urgency and fear. Every official knew that his position might not last long. He was like a servant who had been trusted with a large responsibility but could be called to give account at any moment.
Because of this, many officers thought more about quick profit than about long-term justice. The need to repay debts and secure their future shaped their actions.
In this way, the practice of selling offices not only strengthened the Sultan’s control but also deeply influenced the behavior of those who served under him.