Chapter 2: Shield of Al-Andalus (1071-1086)
Though he still revels in his victory at Cordoba, Emir Abbad has little opportunity to celebrate his victory. A messenger has brought word that the Dhunnunid Emirate to the northeast of Abbad’s domain is being invaded by King Alfonso of Leon. Once more, Abbad must become the Shield of Al-Andalus.
Though the old fear is still with him, the Emir mounts his horse and leads his army away from the comforts of Cordoba. Eventually, they reach the town of Cuenca, which has already been occupied by Leonese soldiers. Abbad orders his men to prepare to lay siege town, but after several days a Christian army arrives with orders to lift the siege. The Emir reckons their numbers to be roughly equivalent to his own. Though victory is not a foregone conclusion, he orders the men to ready themselves for battle.
The ensuing battle is hard fought, but the Abbadid army proves victorious in the end.
The Emir goes to rest in his tent having been exhausted by the fighting. When he awakes the next day, Abbad discovers that the injury he took years ago when he first fought against the Christians has finally healed.
Though the war against Leon continues, their offensive has been blunted and victory seems likely regardless of Abbad’s continued participation. Abbad feels comfortable focusing on other matters and returns to Seville with his army following the liberation of Cuenca. It does not take him long to find a new target.
It is a sad thing, but Emir Abbad knows that he must make war on his fellow Muslims as well as the Christians if Al-Andalus is ever to be reunited. The lands of Emir Abu-Bakr of the Aftasid Emirate lie just to the north of the Abbadid Emerite and shares a lengthy border with the Abbadid Emerite. Abbad vows to move the border northwards.
Emir Abbad moves his army into Aftasid territory and begins laying siege to their castles. But while Abbad was occupied, Abu-Bakr gathered a host, even greater than Abbad's. When the two armies met at Monsaraz, Abbad’s forces were decimated and the survivors were forced to limp back to Seville.
Though he had lost many men, Abbad is not out of the fight yet. With promises of gold, he gains the service of a company of Bedouin warriors to aid him in battle.
Abbad regroups his forces and once again marches north. When the two armies meet again, it is the Aftasids who are annihilated.
Following a few successful sieges, Abu-Bakr surrendars and agrees to Abbad's territorial demands.
Though they had been enemies on the battlefield, Abbad felt no ill-will to Abu-Bakr. Both Abbad and Abu-Bakr were brothers in Islam, which is why Abbad fell into a great fury when he heard that the King of Leon had invaded the Aftasid Emerite before its levies could recover. Abu-Bakr begrudgingly accepted Abbad ‘s offer of assistance. When Abbad caught the Leonese army, they were few in number as a civil war had broken out in Leon and many of their soldiers had returned home. Abbad had those who remained cut down like wheat for the harvest.
Enjoying a rare respite from war and battle, Emir Abbad takes a moment to attend to spiritual matters, embracing the Mu’tazila school of Islam, which promotes rational thought, and begins to promote the school of thought within his realm. Surely, encouraging reason and inquiry will foster innovation throughout his realm.
The Emirate of Granada is under attack by two rival Emirs. Abbad quickly declares war as well and seizes Granada in a lightning fast conquest, before separately defeating the other two attacking Emirs.
Kafnai of Sankt Veith, a wandering Jew, has arrived in Seville. Emir Abbad is impressed with the man’s experience with intrigues at rival courts and immediately appoints Kafnai as his new spymaster.
Kafnai’s appointment could not come soon enough as they spymaster uncovers a plot by Abbad’s grandson Fath to assassinate Abbad’s son Muhammad, Fath’s own father. Abbad is disgusted by his grandson’s treachery and orders the duplicitous youth seized and thrown in the dungeon.
Having finished attending to domestic matters for the moment, Abbad returns to the field. This time he sets his sights on the Sheik of Alansia who after another brief war kneels before the Emir and offers him homage.
Fresh from his victory at Alancia, Abbad learns that the so-called Emir Tamim of Granada, a province he no longer holds, has embraced Shia Islam. Abbad vows to end Tamim's misrule before the rival faith can get a foothold in Al-Andalus. Furthermore, the Almoravids, whose lands lie across the Strait of Gibraltar, have also declared war on Tamim, so Abbad must act soon lest they use Tamim’s heresy as an excuse to seize his remaining holdings as their own.
Abbad’s forces move quickly and easily overwhelm Tamim soldiers thanks. The so-called Emir surrenders the last of his holdings to Abbad and departs in exile to Fatimid Egypt.
Emir Abbad is feeling his years more than ever now that he is almost 70. In particular, he has great trouble breathing. He consults with his physician, who informs the Emir that he has consumption and is not long for this world.
Emir Abbad is furious. He still not close to accomplishing his dream of a unified Al-Andalus. He needs more time. Yet, he must still try. Once again he looks north to the Aftasid Emerite and calls for a great host after first dispatching a messenger to Emir Abu-Bakr with a declaration of war.
Abu-Bakr’s armies move boldly and invade the Abbadid Emerite before Abbad’s armies can fully assemble and catching small army unaware. While the Aftasid enjoy an easy victory, the main Abbadid army moves in, catching the Aftasids and overwhelming them.
Wheezing in his armor, Emir Abbad struggles through the battle. He realizes that his dream of a unified Al-Andalus will never come to pass in his lifetime. But if he has perspective and patience, perhaps it will happen in future generations.
Victorious in battle, Abbad takes his army north and begins laying siege to the Aftasid castles he has claimed. However, before the last siege is complete the Emir receive an unexpected message.
Throughout his rule, Emir Abbad has always carefully watched the Christian kingdoms to the north, warry of attack, and looked for opportunities to expand amongst the fellow tafias of Al-Andalus, but he has spent scant time thinking of the Almoravids to south. That may have been a grave error for now Sultan Ismail of the Almoriavid Sultanate marshalled to seize Abbad’s side of the strait that divided their realms.
Rather than rushing south to meet the Sultan, Emir Abbad is patient and finishes sieging the remaining holdings he needed to convince the Aftasid Emirate to Surendar.
With one war done, Emir Abbad moves his army south to Seville, where they rendezvouse with a mercenary company of Taureg warriors that Abbad thought it prudent to hire.
Emir Abbad’s breathing has grown painful and coughs up blood regularly. None the less, he mounts his horse and joins the army on its march south to meet the Almoravids. Abbad’s host would have roughly equaled the Almoravids, but with the addition of the Tauregs Abbad is able to overwhelm the Almoravids and drive them back across the strait.
Though he has taken no wound, Abbad needs to be carried back to his tent in the battle’s aftermath. As his servants lay him down, Abbad thinks of his only son Muhammad and wishes they had spent more time together. He also thinks of Al-Andalus and the task Abbad had set himself, a burden his son must now take up. Abbad’s eyelids grow heavy and he closes them for the last time.
