The Fatimid Caliphate: The Seventh Branch pt.1
When we speak of the end of the 13th century historians have a strange tendency to ignore the larger picture for the lesser players of the day, attributing unfairly victories to feats of bravery by Generals and Admirals and defeats to the Lighthouse Court. It is indeed a sad blemish upon our history that Calipha Zeyd is primarily remembered for his close friendship with the Sultan of al-Andalus clouding his judgement and allowing Iberia to fall into religious anarchy, while failing to attribute the enormous growth of the Caliphate coffers and peace in the Holy Land as well as the victories for Islam around the Caspian to his pragmatic aproach...
Heroes of the Caliphate
Jerusalem Press
Calipha Zeyd, unlike his predecessor Abdul-Gawfur, never managed to take credit for the unprecedented peace and prosperity that followed for the Islamic world after the so called "Miracle at Jerusalem"
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Somewhere high up in the Fortress-Lighthouse of Pharos, in a small study at the end of a unassuming hallway
Most Caliphas prefered to conduct their affairs in much pomp and splendor, with masters of ceremony and great courts waiting on them. It was not Zeyds way. He had been the Emir of Tripoli and Galilee, and had been deep in the council of the Hassassins of Beirut and the Engineers Guild of Baalbek. He did not need the symbols and circumstance of office, nations were held together by the bureaucracy behind it all. People who critizised him did not see clear enough through the smoke and mirrors to understand , why throw money and bread at the plebeians when you could lower tariffs? They would probably never quite understand how much they had gained because of him, but they would be content and the Caliphate would be stronger.
The heresies of al-Andalus were nothing new, it had been thus since days immemorial. Was that not the reason the Dhu'l-Nuns had been made Sultans, to rid the Calipha of such worries? No, better to focus at troubles at home. Since the days of Afzal the Fatimids had grabbed more and more power throughout the realm, and rightly so. For they were of the Purest strain of the Prophets Blood. And so only a few Sheiks who were of lesser birth remained, and then only because no Fatimid had bothered to come and drag him out of his keep.
Under them were the Sayeedi Arabs, who could track their family to the Prophet in one way or another. And they paid no tax, so long as they sent their firstborn son to the Guard, and equiped him properly. Being exempt from paying to the Calipha obviously meant that they would soon outcompete any other man in their field, and therein lay a problem. For the Fatimids and Sayeedi Arabs had now taken control of most every sector of society, and were often above the law since it was often their peers who administerd the Sharia. And so the citydwelling lesser Arabs and Copts grunted and complained at their lot in life, saying it had not always been so. Zeyd had of course had little problem with this, instituting carnivals and opening theatres so as to not only take their mind of such things but also foster culture and some literacy. The taxes and tarrifs preempted any trouble, and if that did not help the Hassassins knife would. But he worried of those who would come after him, who might not be as subtle or sly. For a blunt response against the complaints of the lower classes risked creating a rift in the society, something outside forces would no doubt use against Islam.
"Calipha" Zeyd was rudely awakened from his dark musings. "The reports have come"
"And?"
"The Greeks are indeed transfering much supplies and timbermen to Cherson, it appears they intend to stay much of their fleet there to guard the rivers for at least a few winters more"
"Most excellent. Make sure the people at Crete know not to 'tax' the grain shipments to Constantinople to hard, lest the Emperor decide to shift ships down here. You may inform the Lord Hayreddin the Alexandrian squadrons are his, and he may begin ridding the western sea of Imperial Pirates."
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Lord Hayreddin "Barbarossa" of the Seventh branch Fatimids, High Castellan of Tunis, Master of the Western Watch and Keeper of the Banner of Akbarzib.
His personal grudges against the Empire would soon see the Fatimid fleet conduct operations somewhat larger than the anti-piracy work the Calipha had imagined...
It was then, as the wars in Russia were still raging, that the Greekified Bureaucrat of a Calipha finally heeded my perfectly sensible requests for naval reinforcements and strenthened my
Tunisian Sicilian Fleet with the potent wargalleys of the Pharos Fleet. The blasted whoresons in Baalbek still refused me their secrets of the black powder, despite every last son of a Greek knowing full well they had conjured it into a weapon and tested it on the islands outside Acre. "We want Siracusa back" they whined, "We can't risk these secrets falling into the hands of our enemy" they cried. Traitors all! Nevermind! I am the great gandson of Sayaddin ibn Isa, and I shall have what belongs to me nomater how little they give me to accomplish it!
The Calipha had ordered me to "Extinguish Imperial piracy in the West" and by Allah, what better way is there than to take the very islands from whence they come for ourselves? Thus reasured of reinforcements I put my plans and timbermen to work!
My Island!
A Memoir of Blunt Force!
When the Pharos squadrons arrived half a year later they found not only the pirate haven of Malta in Caliphate hands, but the productive power of the entire Emirate of Tunis mobilized towards naval construction.
By 1294 the Western Fleet encompassed no less than 150 ships of varying sizes and armament, 35 of the Caliphas own wargalleys, as well as 12 siegeships. To that came the Tunisian Banners of 20.000 men especially trained for maritime action.
Unlike the Arabs the Imperial navy did not consist of expensive active duty warships, but relied mainly on the Trade Leagues to provide their own protection. As well as privateers and remnants of Crusader Orders to harry Saracen shiping. In addition there was no coordination between the various ports and most cities were protected by militias drawn from the local populus, something that would soon prove troublesome for Imperial plans.
Heroes of the Caliphate
Jerusalem Press
Unperturbed by the Engineers unwillingness to share in their knowlege Hayreddin had his own warengines constructed, here seen in action during the seaside assault against the Knights of st.Waldemar at Valetta.
