Shadow of God Read Online Free Page A

Moses Hamon. Hamon had been in constant attendance for several months, as Selim’s life began to slip away. The Hamon family had served the Sultans of the Ottomans for many years. In 1492, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella had expelled the Jews from Spain. The Inquisition had steadily eroded the power of the Jews. By the time of the expulsion, thousands had been tortured to death for their perceived corruption of the new Christian principles. These Sephardic Jews emigrated to Portugal, North Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and the Ottoman Empire. The Portuguese forced baptism upon the new settlers, and the European Christians persecuted the newly arrived Jewry, as had the Spanish. Only under the Muslims was the Jewish community welcomed and able to flourish.
    Joseph Hamon was one of the Sephardic Jews who landed upon the shores of Turkey in the late fifteenth century. A skilled doctor, he became the personal court physician of both Sultan Bayazid and his son Selim. Joseph’s son, Moses Hamon, succeeded Joseph and became the court physician to Selim. Moses would ultimatelybecome one of the most influential men in the Ottoman Empire, and his sons would carry on the dynasty of Jewish doctors who served the Sultans.
    Hamon was just finishing his dinner when Piri Pasha entered his tent. The doctor rose from his cushions on the floor, and greeted him.
    “S alaam Aleichum, Piri Pasha,” Hamon said in Arabic.
    “ Shalom Alechem, Doctor Hamon,” Piri replied in Hebrew.
    Hamon smiled at Piri’s courtesy in using the Hebrew, rather than the Arabic greeting. He motioned to the cushions, and the two men sat down. A servant brought in a tray of fruit and two goblets of wine. Piri waved away the wine, and instead took a bunch of grapes from the tray. Hamon dismissed the servant with a wave of his hand.
    “How is the Sultan today, Piri Pasha?”
    “The same. No. Worse, I think. He does not wake now. I cannot get him up to eat or drink. I think the end is very near.”
    “His sleep is a kindness. The tincture of opium is a blessing to those who suffer from the terrible pain of cancer. But, I think you may be right. If the Sultan stops eating and drinking, then he cannot live very long.”
    “Come with me, please, Doctor. I need you to assure me that he will be comfortable. And I need you to tell me when the end comes. You have served my Sultan well. As did your father, Joseph.”
    Hamon nodded his thanks, but he said nothing. He could sense that Piri had more to say. The silence lasted several minutes, and the men filled the time nibbling at the fruit. Finally, Piri said, “Doctor Hamon, I trust your discretion as I trust almost no one else. The Hamons have never betrayed their position in our household, and have always given us the best of care.”
    Hamon nodded again, and still he waited.
    “So, I must ask you to bear a burden for me.”
    Hamon smiled. “But, you , Piri Pasha, are the ‘Bearer of the Burden,’ are you not? I have heard the Sultan call you that many times.”
    “Yes, I am, Doctor,” Piri acknowledged with a smile. “But, I am old; and for now, I must share this heavy weight. Only you can be trusted to help me.”
    “Tell me what to do, and I will do it.”
    “First, you must wait with the Sultan until life has left his body.”
    “This, I can do. This is my job. My duty.”
    “But, you must tell only me, when he is dead. Nobody else must know for ten days. We must make the pretense that he lives, until I can bring his only son, Suleiman, back to Istanbul. Right now, Suleiman is in Manisa, where he governs. It will take me two or three days to get word to him, and then another five days for him to return to the capital. I must make sure that the succession is unopposed, and that there will be no obstruction to his taking the throne.”
    “I understand, Piri Pasha. You can rely on me.”
    “I know I can, Doctor. Let us go directly to the tent of Selim. I will tell you more when we have seen to the