The Fatimid Caliphate: The Emperors Crusade
The times after Afzal were marked by upheaval and strife amongst the Fatimids. Calipha Taimur, who had inherited power after Sayyids sudden demise, had been to ill to conceive a heir and left the Fatimids with a great conundrum. That the lords Fatimid each held equal claim by blood to the title of Calipha, and one amongst them had to be elected by the others. Long did they quarrel over what criteria best showed Allah's grace upon a man, and no agreement was reached. In the end it was Adémar, Lord Fatimid of greater Tunisia, who received little over half the support of the council. But many said he had spent to many years amongst the infidels and was more Frank than Moslem. And so many chose not to follow his word when the wars came, but instead led their own campaigns as they saw fit or did not raise their Banners at all.
Crusades, of course, was nothing new to the Caliphate. Since the infidel Pope started calling for the end of the Dar al-Islam some centuries past many expeditions have been sent against it by the lords of every corner of the world. But in the days of Adémar men of ill intent and of every faith from around the known world swore themselves together to finally bring down Allah's voice on earth.
And so the Greeks renewed their aggressions, but the wild Croat tribes attacked them anew. And the Banners of the North turned their assaults back and pushed into
Anatolia.
And so the Persians attacked, but the Banners of the Two Rivers turned them back, and laid siege to Baghdad herself.
And so the Italians and Franks attacked, but across the Pyrenees they dared not go, and the Banners of Sicily and Tunisia boldly landed upon the north Italian plains, where many great battles were fought.
And on all fronts the Banners held and the Guard charged, regardless of numbers, terrain or weather they turned back the enemy again and again. So their numbers dwindled, and their supplies ran dry, and men of every station fell in the fighting, yet they held firm. It was then that the host of Waldemar, High King of all the North, landed upon the shores of Egypt tens of thousands strong, with every manner of barbarian under his command. But there were no more men to oppose him, no last guard to hold them off. So when Waldemar had arrayed his armies before the mighty walls of Alexandria he found only a single rider riding to meet him. Clad in so resplendid gold and emerald it could only be one man, and Waldemar rode to meet him alone.
Not much is know of this encounter, we know that they spoke Frankish and that Waldemar threatened to kill every man woman and child in every city along the Nile and further. Some say Calipha Adémar lost his nerve, others that he cared more for the lives of his people than the might of his realm, still some claim he felt closer to the infidels and conspired with them. In any event he was forced to surrender everything outside the Sultanate of Africa to the enemies of the Faith, and live out the rest of his days as lone nomad somewhere in the deserts.
When the word reached the Banners fighting in Anatolia, Italy and Persia there was much upheaval, but with their lines of supply cut there was not much to do, and many cursed that they had been stabbed in the back by their own rulers. Not all accepted such things however, and many of the more staunch Lords Fatimid fortified themselves wherever they could. Significantly Waldemar had failed to leave sufficient men to hold his new "Kingdom of the Holy Land", believing there was no more fighting spirit in the heart of the Saracens. The Crusaders soon found themselves holed amongst a hostile population, and their word carried not a foot outside the keeps of Alexandria and Jerusalem. And soon Ayesha, Lord Fatimid of Algiers, was elected amongst the remaining lords in Damascus.
This is not the end. The Righteous Caliph of the Isamili Imamate and Ummah will once again assert the will of Allah, we have been underestimated before.
So gather good and faithful men, amongst the Banners once again. There is vengeance to be got, so fall in lads behind the drum. With colours blazing like the sun, along the road to come what may, over the hills and far away.