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Dear Readers,
I want to sincerely thank you all for your amazing support in sending Power Stones to "Osman II: Rebirth of a Dynasty" from the previous chapter to this one! Your contributions mean the world to me, and they help fuel my passion to keep moving forward with this story.
A special shoutout to daoist_northsky07, Falken19, Oxsinus, Nirvana_homeless, Fitch, mouhib, and Odyprix for your generous support. Your encouragement truly drives me to push the boundaries of this alternate history and to make Osman's journey even more exciting.
With your continued support, I'm excited to see how this tale unfolds as I work on the next chapters! Thank you once again for being such an incredible part of this adventure.
See you in the next chapter!
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I wanted to let you know that I'll be revising some of the earlier chapters soon. I'm really sorry for any inconvenience this might cause. I've been reflecting on them, and I believe I can make them better, so I'll be working on improving them. I just wanted to give you a heads-up in case there's any delay or disruption. Please bear with me, and I truly appreciate your understanding and patience.
Despite this, I'll continue posting a new chapter every day as usual, so there won't be a break in the story. I'm excited to keep sharing this journey with you all, and I'm so grateful for the support you've shown so far.
Thank you again for sticking with me and for being a part of this story. I promise to keep improving, and I can't wait to see where we go next!
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Osman's land reform had finally begun to be implemented. The establishment of the Royal Foundation Bank was a cornerstone of this initiative. Public reaction was generally positive, partly because Osman had involved the ulema class in his reforms and gained the support of the Sheikh al-Islam. Interestingly, despite being the first sultan to execute a Sheikh al-Islam, Osman had maintained strong relations with the ulema by appointing many of them as tax officials.
It was impossible for Osman to directly oversee the implementation of his reforms across the empire. In this initial project to boost agriculture, the task of monitoring was assigned to tax officials. These officials had no authority to make decisions or enforce policies; they would only act as supervisors. Since they were already performing similar tasks when collecting taxes on agricultural yields, this added responsibility would not significantly increase their workload. Moreover, Osman's extensive anti-corruption campaigns during his reign had created a climate of fear among officials, discouraging them from engaging in malpractice. At this time, an average yield of 600–800 kilograms of produce could be achieved from 100–150 kilograms of seeds. Osman planned to exempt new agricultural lands from taxes for a few years to allow farmers to develop them. However, this exemption would apply only to new lands, as granting such a benefit to all farmers would create unfair competition between old and new cultivators.
The Royal Foundation Bank began providing new landowners with agricultural tools and seeds. Osman also encouraged the establishment of new villages on newly cultivated lands. These villages would be directly managed by officials appointed by the central administration, and investments would be made to provide shared agricultural tools for collective use. Incentives were introduced to encourage villagers to collaborate, using the tools sequentially on each other's fields. The cost of these investments would be recovered from the harvest in the first year, while the cost of the tools would be spread over several years. Once the villagers achieved sufficient prosperity, they would gain ownership of these tools. This system not only revitalized workshops producing agricultural tools but also promoted standardization within the empire, despite the initial increase in costs.
Osman's support for farmers was not limited to agricultural tools. Livestock, such as cattle, were also provided to villagers, both for agricultural purposes and to support animal husbandry in the future. Tools made from iron, such as plows, were introduced to enhance agricultural productivity. Osman refrained from issuing commands for the construction of irrigation canals or roads, believing that landowners would naturally undertake such projects for their benefit. Village headmen appointed by the central administration would undergo several months of training to learn about agriculture and irrigation systems. Additionally, Osman did not want these headmen to earn money idly; thus, he tasked them with responsibilities such as teaching children in the villages to read and write. Minor disputes were to be resolved within the village, while larger cases would be referred to towns or cities.
Osman invested a significant portion of his wealth into the Royal Foundation Bank to strengthen the state's capacity for reform. The land reform had officially begun. Although Osman had taken precautions to prevent uprisings, he was indifferent to those who resisted. In his view, rebels would only harm themselves, potentially forfeiting their wealth to the state. To Osman, such resistance was not a problem but an opportunity.
However, these reforms came at a cost: the Ottoman military would weaken. The timariot system would no longer produce cavalry as it once did. Osman planned to incorporate former timariot cavalry into the Janissaries, which would dilute the structure of the latter. Yet, he viewed this as a precursor to more comprehensive military reform. A centralized army was essential for the empire's future. The upcoming Hotin Campaign would serve as a testing ground for this new army, laying the foundation for both military reforms and a new era for the Ottoman state.