Was that your own event with the kingdoms? Either way an interesting one. I think you ought to have an enquiry into the reliability of your statisticians given that odd revolt in Table.
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Thanks Fulmcrumvale. I like them too but without giving too much away I'm not sure how long the peace will last.
Yeah it was my event Duke. I just edited an old Safavid event which didn't fire to make them vassals and changed the names/colours in the right files. Had to edit the save to get some of the provinces sorted and make the Ottoman vassals though. Not 100% confident with events to be honest. I tried back when the Black Sheep ended but it didn't work too well so left it alone until just now
Yeah it was my event Duke. I just edited an old Safavid event which didn't fire to make them vassals and changed the names/colours in the right files. Had to edit the save to get some of the provinces sorted and make the Ottoman vassals though. Not 100% confident with events to be honest. I tried back when the Black Sheep ended but it didn't work too well so left it alone until just now
Yup both Shiite but relations are high in the negatives so diploannexing is a long way off. If they survive that long either being annexed would probably start an Ottoman-Safavid war (which as I've said before scares me ).
).
Fingal said:Yup both Shiite but relations are high in the negatives so diploannexing is a long way off. If they survive that long either being annexed would probably start an Ottoman-Safavid war (which as I've said before scares me
Aye - those accursed Ottomans and their infernally high technology! They stand astride the Muslim world like a colossus. Now let's go bonk some heads - oh, wait, wrong game. Yeah, those Ottomans are nothing but trouble. Maybe you can work out an alliance with the BWB or something?
Shah Tahmasp – The War of Peace
After spending three hours straight in his tent with a pen Tammy couldn’t work out a nice way to carve up the Uzbeks and so he gave up and went back to what he was good at – fighting. He took his army and marched off north to find some Uzbeks to slaughter. The war would be a hard one as the Uzbeks had called the Chagatai and Sibir to war presenting a potentially huge force to the north while Tammy’s allies were either too weak or too distant to influence the war heavily.
Tammy decided to assault the western Uzbek provinces and try to remove Sibir from the war early while letting the Mughals fight in the east. Tammy himself would defend the area around Herat where the main Uzbek offensive was almost bound to fall.
Only a month into the war, before Tammy had even made it to Herat an army larger then had been seen in this part of the world for almost a century emerged from the icy north. A mixed force made up of Chagatai, Sibir and the Uzbeks marched on Safavid lands. 88,000 men poured across the border and made camp in Herat and laid siege to the city. Tammy was just to the south and fended off smaller invasion forces there while waiting, hopefully for supply lines to remove some of his foe before he met them on the field.
As Tammy waited the war in the west went well. Safavid siege armies attacked the Uzbeks at Turkmenistan, Kara Kum and the wine rich province of Bukhara. These forces laid siege to the Uzbek cities while fending off attacks from Sibir who was throwing thousand upon thousand of men into the war. Another newly trained siege army marched north to Karabogtaz where they assaulted the walls with cannon before storming the city and taking control. Safavid forces now had much of the west under siege and just needed a few more thousand infantry and cannon to do the same to all the cities of the west.
As the spring of 1560 came Tammy led his men to attack the Uzbeks in Herat, any more waiting and there would be no city left to save. Tammy would later name of the battle ‘The Battle of Peace’ as he believed it would mark the turning point in the area and lead to peace, not just in this war but in the long term.
The battle plan itself was simple. The infantry who were now armed with even better weapons which were known as muskets would line up in a large square block and fire volley after volley into the enemy. If any Uzbeks made it past the power of Safavid guns the more traditional cavalry element of Tammy’s forces, lead by the man himself would charge in and slaughter them. The battle was a massive success. Tammy took losses of only around 3000 while killing over 20,000 and routing the rest of the enemy. The defeat broke the Uzbeks, witnessing the power of Safavid arms and prowess of Tammy on the battle field would surely instill the fear of the true faith into them!
The Uzbeks fled and despite further futile attempts never managed to regain a foothold in Herat. Meanwhile back in the west Bouzatchi and Khwarizm fell to Safavid forces simultaneously. Then news arrived of the Ottomans attacking Hungary – no one so much as batted an eyelid at this but around the same time Emba and Ust Urt fell so there was much rejoicing throughout the lands.
After being handed defeat after defeat at the barrel of Safavid muskets the people of Sibir pulled out of the war paying 22 gold in indemnities. A year later in 1562 Khiva and Kyzylkum fell which also triggered the Chagatai to initiate a get-out clause in their war contract for 29 gold. The Uzbeks were left well and truly alone in the world. With the Ottomans starting to drift in from the west and the Mughals advancing from the south the Uzbek future looked doubtful. After a years more fighting and a siege in Samarkand the Uzbeks surrendered, and became vassals of Tammy. The days of a free Uzbekland were over – they now owed allegiance to Shah Tahmasp! The Mughals were also given Surkhandarya in the peace.
Tammy hoped that peace would now reign across the empire. This dream was brought a step closer when a city was completed in Safavid South Africa in Table and colonisation attempts started in Ciskei. Unfortunately for Tammy trouble was now growing in the vassals states of the west where the people of the region were less then happy at being played with like pawns by Suleyman and Tammy.
Shah Tahmasp – The War of Peace (1559 – 1564)
After spending three hours straight in his tent with a pen Tammy couldn’t work out a nice way to carve up the Uzbeks and so he gave up and went back to what he was good at – fighting. He took his army and marched off north to find some Uzbeks to slaughter. The war would be a hard one as the Uzbeks had called the Chagatai and Sibir to war presenting a potentially huge force to the north while Tammy’s allies were either too weak or too distant to influence the war heavily.
Tammy decided to assault the western Uzbek provinces and try to remove Sibir from the war early while letting the Mughals fight in the east. Tammy himself would defend the area around Herat where the main Uzbek offensive was almost bound to fall.
The Uzbek-Safavid Border
Only a month into the war, before Tammy had even made it to Herat an army larger then had been seen in this part of the world for almost a century emerged from the icy north. A mixed force made up of Chagatai, Sibir and the Uzbeks marched on Safavid lands. 88,000 men poured across the border and made camp in Herat and laid siege to the city. Tammy was just to the south and fended off smaller invasion forces there while waiting, hopefully for supply lines to remove some of his foe before he met them on the field.
The Army of the Uzbeks and their allies
As Tammy waited the war in the west went well. Safavid siege armies attacked the Uzbeks at Turkmenistan, Kara Kum and the wine rich province of Bukhara. These forces laid siege to the Uzbek cities while fending off attacks from Sibir who was throwing thousand upon thousand of men into the war. Another newly trained siege army marched north to Karabogtaz where they assaulted the walls with cannon before storming the city and taking control. Safavid forces now had much of the west under siege and just needed a few more thousand infantry and cannon to do the same to all the cities of the west.
Safavid forces in control in the west of Uzbekland
As the spring of 1560 came Tammy led his men to attack the Uzbeks in Herat, any more waiting and there would be no city left to save. Tammy would later name of the battle ‘The Battle of Peace’ as he believed it would mark the turning point in the area and lead to peace, not just in this war but in the long term.
The Battle of Peace
The battle plan itself was simple. The infantry who were now armed with even better weapons which were known as muskets would line up in a large square block and fire volley after volley into the enemy. If any Uzbeks made it past the power of Safavid guns the more traditional cavalry element of Tammy’s forces, lead by the man himself would charge in and slaughter them. The battle was a massive success. Tammy took losses of only around 3000 while killing over 20,000 and routing the rest of the enemy. The defeat broke the Uzbeks, witnessing the power of Safavid arms and prowess of Tammy on the battle field would surely instill the fear of the true faith into them!
The Uzbeks fled and despite further futile attempts never managed to regain a foothold in Herat. Meanwhile back in the west Bouzatchi and Khwarizm fell to Safavid forces simultaneously. Then news arrived of the Ottomans attacking Hungary – no one so much as batted an eyelid at this but around the same time Emba and Ust Urt fell so there was much rejoicing throughout the lands.
After being handed defeat after defeat at the barrel of Safavid muskets the people of Sibir pulled out of the war paying 22 gold in indemnities. A year later in 1562 Khiva and Kyzylkum fell which also triggered the Chagatai to initiate a get-out clause in their war contract for 29 gold. The Uzbeks were left well and truly alone in the world. With the Ottomans starting to drift in from the west and the Mughals advancing from the south the Uzbek future looked doubtful. After a years more fighting and a siege in Samarkand the Uzbeks surrendered, and became vassals of Tammy. The days of a free Uzbekland were over – they now owed allegiance to Shah Tahmasp! The Mughals were also given Surkhandarya in the peace.
Tammy hoped that peace would now reign across the empire. This dream was brought a step closer when a city was completed in Safavid South Africa in Table and colonisation attempts started in Ciskei. Unfortunately for Tammy trouble was now growing in the vassals states of the west where the people of the region were less then happy at being played with like pawns by Suleyman and Tammy.
That's the way to deal with the Uzbeks. I hope you have made them Shiite. I shall miss Tammy, when he goes. He's certainly raised Safavid Iran and Shia Isalm to the centre of the Islamic world.
Unfortunatly no Ragusa seen as I couldn't vassalise and convert and I was going for the quickest peace possible. Gotta say I'm a Tammy fan too - lots of things happened while hes been in charge.
The 88k shocked me too Fulcrumvale fortunatly they had spears and we had muskets
The 88k shocked me too Fulcrumvale fortunatly they had spears and we had muskets
Shah Tahmasp - Peace at last?
Tahmasp was old now. He couldn’t move or think as quick as he once could and yet for a while it seemed as though this may not matter. It was 1568 and for four years there had been no war, no rebellion and no trouble. It appeared that Shah Tahmasp’s long policy of pursuing peace had paid off. The borders of his realm were relatively secure and the Safavid state itself was the most stable of any in the region.
Tammy knew this couldn’t last forever but then neither could he. Perhaps with good luck the rest of his days would be spent like this – wandering in the gardens of the palace and finally enjoying the riches of his empire. He had more or less given up hands on ruling of the empire and when advisors came to him he simply said ‘no more war, apart from that do what you wish’ and so life went on in the Safavid realm with no more war. Everyone enjoyed it really they had been fighting for a very long time.
Unfortunately for Tammy his first born son was a man called Ismail, soon to be Ismail II so long as nothing drastic happened to him. Unfortunately for the Safavids and people around them Ismail was a half crazed psychopath who loved nothing more then watching his men kill people. He didn’t kill people himself after all that might cause him to get hurt or blood on his clothing. Throughout most of his young life Ismail had wandered around the realm having people executed at will. In 1568 he managed, without really trying to trigger rebellion across the new vassal states of Egypt.
While on one of his wanderings just on the border of the Alexandrian province of Aleppo Ismail came across an old wizened man preaching to a small crowd. Ismail was, despite being incredibly unpleasant a zealously religious man and so stopped to listen to this man; after all he might bear words of wisdom! Unfortunately for the preacher he wasn’t a Shiite and when this became obvious from his speech Ismail, as he often did, ordered the man to be put to death. His personal guard did so without hesitation and then proceeded to slay half the gathering as punishment for listening to the preacher. Now normally this would have passed by without much incident after all this is what Ismail did but on this occasion the man he just had killed happened to be a well respected man in the Sunni world and so the news of his death provoked a violent reaction in the area. Sunni revolts flared up all along the coast and in response armed Shiites rose up.
Tammy was furious. After all he had worked. He wasn’t held by the same religious fervour as much of his court and had tried, genuinely tried to unite the cultures and peacefully convert the realm without such unsavoury events and now the whole of the peace plan for Egypt was in danger of falling to pieces!
The revolts roared on for over two years with the vassal states too weak to fight the rebels and the Safavids and Ottomans reluctant to get involved in the matter. The whole affair weakened Tammy and it was said he was never the same again afterwards. For that matter neither was Suleyman who died soon after the start of the rebellions – Tammy held a private party dedicated to peace to celebrate the death of the warmonger Suleyman but the fighting continued.
Two years later in the Lebanon the Shiites were gaining the upper hand and declared allegiance to the Safavids. The Ottomans now under Selim II (often referred to as Selim the Really Bad Leader) were angered by this as it went against the Treaty of Cyprus and reacted by marching into Aleppo and taking control of the region again.
Despite relations being made a little tense between the two great powers of the region their involvement ended the rebellions and again brought peace to the Safavid Empire. This is how it remained until 1576 when one night Tammy passed away peacefully in his sleep. His reign had seen the Safavids become the dominant force of the near east and even assert their influence into Africa. The once threatening Mamluks were now merely lap-dogs who barked on demand and so Shah Tahmasp was given a funeral to match the achievements of his rule. All of the country mourned. The mourning was partly for the death of Tammy and partly as they knew Ismail II would now take the throne.
Shah Tahmasp – Peace at last? (1564 - 1576)
Tahmasp was old now. He couldn’t move or think as quick as he once could and yet for a while it seemed as though this may not matter. It was 1568 and for four years there had been no war, no rebellion and no trouble. It appeared that Shah Tahmasp’s long policy of pursuing peace had paid off. The borders of his realm were relatively secure and the Safavid state itself was the most stable of any in the region.
Tammy knew this couldn’t last forever but then neither could he. Perhaps with good luck the rest of his days would be spent like this – wandering in the gardens of the palace and finally enjoying the riches of his empire. He had more or less given up hands on ruling of the empire and when advisors came to him he simply said ‘no more war, apart from that do what you wish’ and so life went on in the Safavid realm with no more war. Everyone enjoyed it really they had been fighting for a very long time.
Unfortunately for Tammy his first born son was a man called Ismail, soon to be Ismail II so long as nothing drastic happened to him. Unfortunately for the Safavids and people around them Ismail was a half crazed psychopath who loved nothing more then watching his men kill people. He didn’t kill people himself after all that might cause him to get hurt or blood on his clothing. Throughout most of his young life Ismail had wandered around the realm having people executed at will. In 1568 he managed, without really trying to trigger rebellion across the new vassal states of Egypt.
While on one of his wanderings just on the border of the Alexandrian province of Aleppo Ismail came across an old wizened man preaching to a small crowd. Ismail was, despite being incredibly unpleasant a zealously religious man and so stopped to listen to this man; after all he might bear words of wisdom! Unfortunately for the preacher he wasn’t a Shiite and when this became obvious from his speech Ismail, as he often did, ordered the man to be put to death. His personal guard did so without hesitation and then proceeded to slay half the gathering as punishment for listening to the preacher. Now normally this would have passed by without much incident after all this is what Ismail did but on this occasion the man he just had killed happened to be a well respected man in the Sunni world and so the news of his death provoked a violent reaction in the area. Sunni revolts flared up all along the coast and in response armed Shiites rose up.
The Ismail caused revolts
Tammy was furious. After all he had worked. He wasn’t held by the same religious fervour as much of his court and had tried, genuinely tried to unite the cultures and peacefully convert the realm without such unsavoury events and now the whole of the peace plan for Egypt was in danger of falling to pieces!
The revolts roared on for over two years with the vassal states too weak to fight the rebels and the Safavids and Ottomans reluctant to get involved in the matter. The whole affair weakened Tammy and it was said he was never the same again afterwards. For that matter neither was Suleyman who died soon after the start of the rebellions – Tammy held a private party dedicated to peace to celebrate the death of the warmonger Suleyman but the fighting continued.
Two years later in the Lebanon the Shiites were gaining the upper hand and declared allegiance to the Safavids. The Ottomans now under Selim II (often referred to as Selim the Really Bad Leader) were angered by this as it went against the Treaty of Cyprus and reacted by marching into Aleppo and taking control of the region again.
The new Safavid corridor just before the Ottomans take Aleppo
Despite relations being made a little tense between the two great powers of the region their involvement ended the rebellions and again brought peace to the Safavid Empire. This is how it remained until 1576 when one night Tammy passed away peacefully in his sleep. His reign had seen the Safavids become the dominant force of the near east and even assert their influence into Africa. The once threatening Mamluks were now merely lap-dogs who barked on demand and so Shah Tahmasp was given a funeral to match the achievements of his rule. All of the country mourned. The mourning was partly for the death of Tammy and partly as they knew Ismail II would now take the throne.
The funeral of Shah Tahmasp with lots of weeping
You'd weep , too if Ismail II (psycopath) was about to rule your land. You'll be playing an aggressive warmonger, now? Safavid power will expand with lots of conersions by the sword personally overseen by the Shah.
Ismail II - The Mad Man
When Ismail was crowned Shah there were just over a hundred people at the ceremony. Of these the first twenty to stop clapping were executed for not being enthusiastic enough about their new ruler. The fact that the twentieth person had clapped for over four hours did nothing to dissuade Ismail that he should face death and the man was actually given an even harsher death then the others on the grounds he faked enthusiasm for so long.
With the dissenters within the inner court removed Ismail started on his brothers. He ordered the execution of all Safavid royalty which could realistically challenge him to the throne and three of his brothers were killed only moments after the ceremony. A few others along with the most cunning of the lot, though still not brilliant, Mohammed Khodabanda fled for Kabul to seek shelter with the Mughals. Ismail decided to pursue them there after all the Mughals were no match for Safavid muskets! Unfortunately before he could start the march news arrived that the Ottomans had attacked Bremen and their allies the Danes and Lithuanians. Taking a lead from his father Ismail offered his support and did little, continuing to prepare for the march east.
The Christians attacked first in the east of the Ottoman lands…
…but after the Ottomans got organised and smashed them they retreated further east into Safavid lands of Syria and Kurdistan. Ismail now took his fathers policy a step too far by marching further east. In the capital at Tabriz the people were horrified here was this horrifically brutal man who most thought would at least defend them and he was letting infidels march through the homelands! This man was a disgrace… something had to be done!
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The Camp of Ismail II – somewhere on the way to India
Dusk fell and the men hurried off to tents and campfires for the night. Hot in the day and cold at night – marches through the desert were never fun. A hawk flew silently above and below Ismail sat quietly with a knife gleaming in his hand. Below him was a cage full of baby desert mice which had been caught. He was slowly chopping them up alive one by one until they died presumably of blood loss.
It was acts like this which attributed to the man cloaked in black around 20 yards behind him. No one in the camp had noticed him, he had moved though the shadows and passed Ismail’s guards as if they weren’t there and even if they had noticed him they would have probably let him go about his business.
On his belt there was a small purse with enough gold for a man to live comfortably for a life time. He would get half that again once the job was done and so he slowly pulled out a well balanced knife from a sheath. He then held it in each hand for a moment, judging the weight before in one lighting fast move flinging it in Ismail’s direction. The knife flew true and struck Ismail in the back of the neck – he died instantly still babbling insanities to the mice he was cutting up. The figure snuck off into the night – his job was done.
Ismail – The Mad Man (1576 - 1577)
Ismail II has limited talents at best
When Ismail was crowned Shah there were just over a hundred people at the ceremony. Of these the first twenty to stop clapping were executed for not being enthusiastic enough about their new ruler. The fact that the twentieth person had clapped for over four hours did nothing to dissuade Ismail that he should face death and the man was actually given an even harsher death then the others on the grounds he faked enthusiasm for so long.
With the dissenters within the inner court removed Ismail started on his brothers. He ordered the execution of all Safavid royalty which could realistically challenge him to the throne and three of his brothers were killed only moments after the ceremony. A few others along with the most cunning of the lot, though still not brilliant, Mohammed Khodabanda fled for Kabul to seek shelter with the Mughals. Ismail decided to pursue them there after all the Mughals were no match for Safavid muskets! Unfortunately before he could start the march news arrived that the Ottomans had attacked Bremen and their allies the Danes and Lithuanians. Taking a lead from his father Ismail offered his support and did little, continuing to prepare for the march east.
The Christians attacked first in the east of the Ottoman lands…
Attacks on the Ottomans
…but after the Ottomans got organised and smashed them they retreated further east into Safavid lands of Syria and Kurdistan. Ismail now took his fathers policy a step too far by marching further east. In the capital at Tabriz the people were horrified here was this horrifically brutal man who most thought would at least defend them and he was letting infidels march through the homelands! This man was a disgrace… something had to be done!
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The Camp of Ismail II – somewhere on the way to India
Dusk fell and the men hurried off to tents and campfires for the night. Hot in the day and cold at night – marches through the desert were never fun. A hawk flew silently above and below Ismail sat quietly with a knife gleaming in his hand. Below him was a cage full of baby desert mice which had been caught. He was slowly chopping them up alive one by one until they died presumably of blood loss.
It was acts like this which attributed to the man cloaked in black around 20 yards behind him. No one in the camp had noticed him, he had moved though the shadows and passed Ismail’s guards as if they weren’t there and even if they had noticed him they would have probably let him go about his business.
On his belt there was a small purse with enough gold for a man to live comfortably for a life time. He would get half that again once the job was done and so he slowly pulled out a well balanced knife from a sheath. He then held it in each hand for a moment, judging the weight before in one lighting fast move flinging it in Ismail’s direction. The knife flew true and struck Ismail in the back of the neck – he died instantly still babbling insanities to the mice he was cutting up. The figure snuck off into the night – his job was done.
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Phew that was a good move to get rid of a useless Shah before they do too much damage.
Shah Mohammed Khodabanda – The Man in Black Strikes Back
After the sudden and violent death of his brother Mohammed Khodabanda, better known to most as Momo returned to Tabriz where he was welcomed with open arms. Momo was much kinder and altogether less crazed then his brother and so after a year of Ismail the people again felt they had a true Shah in Momo. He started off well by sending his brother who had fled with him to Kabul, Hamza Mirza to Azerbaijan to remove the Christians from Safavid lands.
The small Christian force was smashed and not long after the Danes begged for peace – offering almost 200 ducats. The offer was accepted and calm brought back to the realm. The end of the war did however anger the current Ottoman sultan Murat III but again Momo showed himself as a good Shah by sending a gift and offering the marriage of a Safavid princess.
Despite these early achievements the death of Ismail had still brought turmoil to the land. The people in the eastern parts of Safavid lands such as Fars and the Sunnis along the Indus saw his death as a chance to seek independence.
For Momo there was only one choice. While some spoke of negotiations with the splinter groups Momo knew this would lead to more trouble as it would appear he could not even control his own lands. Momo sent Hamza Mirza to the Indus with 60,000 men where the main trouble had broken out.
The Safavid forces were well organised and under the charismatic leadership of Hamza not only smashed the rebel armies but won the hearts of the people. While Hamza wasn’t the sharpest tool in the box he was devilishly charming and lying was to him what breathing is to most people and he knew how to use these talents. In just under a year the rebellion was put down and the people of the region were more loyal then they had ever been even under Tahmasp! Upon hearing of these events the people of Meched who had long held onto their Sunni believes declared they had converted to the Shiite faith on the grounds Hamza was a Shiite and he was great. Momo was pleased with the situation and felt he had regained control. The fact that the people were much fonder of Hamza then himself didn’t bother him at all. After all he was Shah with the divine mandate and Hamza was just some general.
Next item on the agenda for Momo was one of the stranger events to occurred in Safavid lands (save the number of rebels in Safavid South Africa). News arrived that the Mughals had declared themselves pagans.
Now the Mughals had in their growing empire Shiites, Sunnis, Hindus even a few Buddhists they did not however have any pagans that anyone knew of. In fact the last pagan state in the whole of Asia, the Mongols, had just recently converted to Buddhism so none could explain how the Mughals had come to this decision. Some suggested due to the similarity in name and belief they were descended from Mongols they felt the need to fill the pagan void. Others felt the Sultan was simply mad. Whatever the case may be the Mughals were out of the Shiite Alliance and on the list of people who are likely to suffer Safavid wrath.
More troubling news was on the horizon for Momo as two of the major tribes of Tabriz had gone to war. Momo didn’t know or care why. Not that the tribes needed a reason to go to war.
It cost almost 500 ducats but Momo, well in reality Hamza managed to settle the differences between the tribes before any major fighting could break out. This maintained the fragile stability that had existed since he had put down the rebels in the east together.
Unfortunately for Momo this was one time too many that Hamza had bailed him out of trouble and supporters of Hamza began calling for him to be instated as Shah. What Hamza felt about this is unclear although he wasn’t trying too hard to put down their attempts. And so a few weeks later a man wearing black, the same man that had killed Ismail 8 years earlier, again carrying a well made throwing knife snuck into the Shah’s palace at night. He headed straight for the bedchamber of the Shah and again his blade struck true removing a second Shah of the Safavids. The only question for the assassin was how to spend all the gold he was making.
Shah Mohammed Khodabanda – The Man in Black Strikes Back (1577- 1585)
The latest Shah is a little better
After the sudden and violent death of his brother Mohammed Khodabanda, better known to most as Momo returned to Tabriz where he was welcomed with open arms. Momo was much kinder and altogether less crazed then his brother and so after a year of Ismail the people again felt they had a true Shah in Momo. He started off well by sending his brother who had fled with him to Kabul, Hamza Mirza to Azerbaijan to remove the Christians from Safavid lands.
Hamza Mirza proves himself a capable general
The small Christian force was smashed and not long after the Danes begged for peace – offering almost 200 ducats. The offer was accepted and calm brought back to the realm. The end of the war did however anger the current Ottoman sultan Murat III but again Momo showed himself as a good Shah by sending a gift and offering the marriage of a Safavid princess.
Despite these early achievements the death of Ismail had still brought turmoil to the land. The people in the eastern parts of Safavid lands such as Fars and the Sunnis along the Indus saw his death as a chance to seek independence.
Ismail II is still causing problems even in death
For Momo there was only one choice. While some spoke of negotiations with the splinter groups Momo knew this would lead to more trouble as it would appear he could not even control his own lands. Momo sent Hamza Mirza to the Indus with 60,000 men where the main trouble had broken out.
Fighting the rebels
The Safavid forces were well organised and under the charismatic leadership of Hamza not only smashed the rebel armies but won the hearts of the people. While Hamza wasn’t the sharpest tool in the box he was devilishly charming and lying was to him what breathing is to most people and he knew how to use these talents. In just under a year the rebellion was put down and the people of the region were more loyal then they had ever been even under Tahmasp! Upon hearing of these events the people of Meched who had long held onto their Sunni believes declared they had converted to the Shiite faith on the grounds Hamza was a Shiite and he was great. Momo was pleased with the situation and felt he had regained control. The fact that the people were much fonder of Hamza then himself didn’t bother him at all. After all he was Shah with the divine mandate and Hamza was just some general.
Next item on the agenda for Momo was one of the stranger events to occurred in Safavid lands (save the number of rebels in Safavid South Africa). News arrived that the Mughals had declared themselves pagans.
Not too sure where this one came from
Now the Mughals had in their growing empire Shiites, Sunnis, Hindus even a few Buddhists they did not however have any pagans that anyone knew of. In fact the last pagan state in the whole of Asia, the Mongols, had just recently converted to Buddhism so none could explain how the Mughals had come to this decision. Some suggested due to the similarity in name and belief they were descended from Mongols they felt the need to fill the pagan void. Others felt the Sultan was simply mad. Whatever the case may be the Mughals were out of the Shiite Alliance and on the list of people who are likely to suffer Safavid wrath.
More troubling news was on the horizon for Momo as two of the major tribes of Tabriz had gone to war. Momo didn’t know or care why. Not that the tribes needed a reason to go to war.
Not a pleasant event
It cost almost 500 ducats but Momo, well in reality Hamza managed to settle the differences between the tribes before any major fighting could break out. This maintained the fragile stability that had existed since he had put down the rebels in the east together.
Unfortunately for Momo this was one time too many that Hamza had bailed him out of trouble and supporters of Hamza began calling for him to be instated as Shah. What Hamza felt about this is unclear although he wasn’t trying too hard to put down their attempts. And so a few weeks later a man wearing black, the same man that had killed Ismail 8 years earlier, again carrying a well made throwing knife snuck into the Shah’s palace at night. He headed straight for the bedchamber of the Shah and again his blade struck true removing a second Shah of the Safavids. The only question for the assassin was how to spend all the gold he was making.
Hamza Mirza – Just another could have been…
Hamza Mirza was crowned Shah in 1585 after winning much popularity across the realm during the reign of his brother Momo. He was good looking, charismatic and ridiculously arrogant. All signs of a potentially good Shah after all Ismail I was the cockiest thing to come out of Persia for over a thousand years and look how well he did. Unfortunately for Hamza he didn’t share the intelligence of his forefather.
His accession was met with little open rebellion after the reputation he had made himself but nowadays in Safavid Persia that meant little if a few rich people didn’t like you. Everyone knew Hamza had effectively had his brother murdered and lots of people liked his brother and so only a few months after his reign began before he could really do anything of significance his death awaited. One day while pretending to mourn at his brother’s grave the man in black paid him a visit. Now onto his third Shah he was getting very good at removing them.
Hamza had just recently dismissed his guard claiming the people loved him and he needed no men to protect him. He was wrong and so Hamza died with a knife in his back. Being Shah was becoming a dangerous career choice.
Hamza Mirza – Just another could have been… (1585 - 1586)
Hamza Mirza pretty similar to his brother really
Hamza Mirza was crowned Shah in 1585 after winning much popularity across the realm during the reign of his brother Momo. He was good looking, charismatic and ridiculously arrogant. All signs of a potentially good Shah after all Ismail I was the cockiest thing to come out of Persia for over a thousand years and look how well he did. Unfortunately for Hamza he didn’t share the intelligence of his forefather.
His accession was met with little open rebellion after the reputation he had made himself but nowadays in Safavid Persia that meant little if a few rich people didn’t like you. Everyone knew Hamza had effectively had his brother murdered and lots of people liked his brother and so only a few months after his reign began before he could really do anything of significance his death awaited. One day while pretending to mourn at his brother’s grave the man in black paid him a visit. Now onto his third Shah he was getting very good at removing them.
Hamza had just recently dismissed his guard claiming the people loved him and he needed no men to protect him. He was wrong and so Hamza died with a knife in his back. Being Shah was becoming a dangerous career choice.
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I see that death by throwing knife is replacing natural causes as a source of changing Shah. Hamza should ban all throwing knives. Too late, I see. Mayhap, the next will heed the warning.
I don't think the Mughal Sultan was mad. He had so many different religions that he just had to do something to end religious wrangling. You should annex them soonest before they choose Hinduism.
If anything I am a little surprised that the Ottoman Sultans who have few Shia provinces under them have not converted back to the Sunni beliefs.
I don't think the Mughal Sultan was mad. He had so many different religions that he just had to do something to end religious wrangling. You should annex them soonest before they choose Hinduism.
If anything I am a little surprised that the Ottoman Sultans who have few Shia provinces under them have not converted back to the Sunni beliefs.
A dangerous career choice indeed. Me thinks it would be good business to choose the path of assassin these days.
Anyway bring back Momo from the dead. He was good to have steering the nation. After all isn't he the reason that a certain car accessory is named what it is?
Anyway bring back Momo from the dead. He was good to have steering the nation. After all isn't he the reason that a certain car accessory is named what it is?