Division of Seljuk Empire, according to the wishes of Lords of Egypt, Antioch and Pereyslavl?
This is medieval ages, not 19th century Realpolitik! :rofl:
One of the eastern empires goes elective and you expect everybody and their dog
not to throw their hats into the ring.
Hopefully the behemoth will collapse under its own weight and rid us of this predicament
o
The Fatimid Caliphate: Resurrection
Muhammad smiled as the wind ruffle his hair, the day was finally here. After all the preparations, bribes, strong arming and plotting it was finally here! He had not wanted this at first, he was a modest man trained by the scholars and poets of Alexandria. It was the stuttering coward Mustandir and his heretic brothers who had brought him here, only 2 generations ago the Caliphate had stretched from al-Andalus to Mecca. Ruined, all of it. One by one the emirs and scholars had begun to question if the descendants of the Prophet, peace be upon his name, really had a divine right to rule. Everywhere one turned there was an agent of the apostate abbasid calipha, sowing the lie that one could elect a Caliph from outside the Fatimid bloodline. Mustandir had only looked on as his realm fell to bits, not even a finger did he lift when the charismatic Nubian king convinced half the realm to stop paying taxes and form a defensive alliance against the fool. By the devils, he did not even flinch when the Grand Mullah of Mecca declared no Fatimid could undertake the hajj untill his brother repented from his heretical marriages to 7 wives, declaring he had already gone once!
So it was that Muhammad and his brother Sayeed had moved to consolidate their rule of Alexandria and the delta, declaring they would rule it directly. The cities of Safed and Baalbek as well as the port of Sarqihya had been convinced to join the younger Fatimid branch, Africa and the Levant looked on as Alexandria mustered. Everywhere towns were fortified and banners being raised, the old Fatimids just sat in Cairo, oblivious to the fact that their messengers never returned. And now finally they stood here, facing each other. The new and old, decay and rebirth. It was in Muhammads mind a formality, Cairo for all its wealth could not raise an army to match Alexandria. The crisp emerald banners of the delta levies contrasting clearly against the dull green of the Cairo city guards. The only thing that could spoil it was the lack of cavalry, the only horses he had been able to muster had been pulling merchants carts. But that was of no concern, the old Fatimids were quite handily outnumbered. Not to mention outclassed, he looked lovingly at his Sayeedi guard. Strong men armed and armoured with the best equipment money could buy, all descendants by one way or the other to the Prophet, peace be upon his name. Carrying the white banners only allowed the guard of the True Calipha they were not only his personal guard, but also a potent symbol of his claims and a start to the rebuilding of the prestige of the Prophets bloodline.
"Quit dreaming and order the bloody army forward!"
Muhammad looked at his twin brother, straightened in a stately fashion and turned slowly towards him.
"Is that any way to speak to your Caliph?"
"By two minutes brother" Sayeed smiled "Now shall we engage them or do you intend to seize the throne by a staring contest?"
"If you are finished questioning my right to rule you may take command of the merchant cavalry and tempt their heavy horse away from the levies" The Caliph said with the most serious voice he could muster. "I'll lead the center"
"Just don't get yourself killed, I would never survive our mother alone!" Sayeed quipped and turned his horse.
Muhammad watched as their poor excuse for a cavalry force disappeared in a cloud of smoke, said a prayer for them, and turned forward.
"The Line will advance!"
Slowly the the army started to move forward, the well armoured center moving at a brisker pace than the levies to the flanks. With the old Fatimid banners at the opposing center that was where the deciding blow would fall, no sense in wasting the levies. They were untrained after all, despite how professional their gear made them seem. It was the White Guard who he relied upon, sayeedis all, many were veterans of the conflicts in al-Andalus and Sicily. Some were survivors of the lost battle of Aleppo, where the prince of Antioch had been laid low by a well aimed arrow. The arrow had been brought to Alexandria by a Armenian physician who had failed to save the princes life, and now hung from one of the Caliphas banners. A reminder of his duties to his oppressed brothers.
The battle, as predicted, was brief. The Cairan militia gave way as soon as they realized how numerically outmatched they were. Mustandir had fled almost as soon as the lines clashed, and would have to be hunted down in the desert before the Young Fatimids could properly cement their rule. A parade should be held, Muhammad pondered as he congratulated the bloodied troops, and some suitably heroic soldiers rewarded richly to boost morale. He would first solidify his claims, then the Nubians, and the Turks and their Abbasid lapdogs....
"Muhammad!"
The Caliph turned to fast and almost lost his balance
"What? Have you discovered mother got us mixed up and you are the elder one? Shall I give you my cape and diadem now or can I keep it as a souvenir?" He scowled
"Worse!"
"Worse than you having to work?"
"The Christian caliph has declared jihad to retake the holy land!"
"Let the emir of Jerusalem throw himself at my feet and I'll see what I can do"
"Starting with Alexandria!" Sayeed panted
"There is nothing holy here" The Caliph said puzzled
"Gold?"
"Gold is not holy, nor a land. But I see your point, we shall have to return as quickly as possible and strengthen our defenses"
"And buy 'we' you mean?" Sayeed raised an eyebrow
"I will see to the quarries, and you the men" The Caliph retorted
"I shall alert the brothels to to our return" Sayeed said with a deep bow
"We may have to rearrange your face lest the clerics get us confused and start hounding me for your ill deeds" The Caliph spurred his charger to a trot "Secure the surrounding areas, post a loyal guard and then bring the rest to Alexandria!"