The Battle of Religions - Rise of Islam

[Emperor Ike]

The Battle of Religions -Rise of Islam

The Family

We have all heard stories about the great crusades and how the Catholic world fought against the Islamic world over the control of the Holy Land and Jerusalem. We have heard how the Armies of Christ defeated the Muslims in Jerusalem and established a Kingdom of Heaven where Muslims and Christians lived in perfect harmony. That is one side of the truth or the truth that Christian world has made us believe. Few of us know the true stories behind the crusades and how it all began in the old city of Baghdad where the Abbasid dynasty ruled.

Abdallah al-Qa'im Abbasid Emir of Abbasid and Sheik of Baghdad and Karbala.

Once the Islamic world had been ruled by the Abbasid Caliphate spanning from the Western edge of Sahara to the steppes of India. Now due to the rise of Seljuq Turks and the rise of Shia it had been reduced to the old capital of Baghdad. There they had remained as loyal subjects to the Seljuqs and acted as their help in the matters of the state. Al-Qa'im I had successeded his father thirtyfive years ago and had ruled Baghdad since.

Abdallah al-Muqtadi Abbasid Marshal of Abbasid armies.

al-Muqtadi was the eldest son of al-Qa'im and was destined to rule Baghdad after his fathers death. He had served fifhteen years as the Marshal of his fathers forces and had become a skilled warrior. He also had a son of his own Ahmad al-Mustazhir.

[Emperor Ike]

And so our story begins

In July 14th 1068 al-Qa'iams second wife Mariam became pregnant. All Baghdad rejoiced as it was always good to have more Princes in the line to in case the first one should die.


Then the first war of our story begun. War of Seljuq Aggression towards the Kingdom of Georgia. When the courier arrived to Baghdad al-Qa'im knew that it was his duty to rise his regiments and march to the north to defeat the infidels for the glory of his Sultan. Both al-Qa'im and his son al-Muktadi joined the armies of the Sultan.


On the way to the Georgian border news reached al-Qa'im from Baghdad. His wife had given birth to an healthy baby boy. A prince had born and he was to be named Akin.

[Fiftypence]

You don't see many Muslim AARs, so it'll be interesting to see if you can restore the Abbasids to their former glory.

[Auray]

I haven't seen any. Even I've browsed through almost every CK AAR since I registered. Interesting!

[Alfredian]

As the Seljuks are normally the Big Bad in most CK AARs it is especielly interesting to see one from the perspective of a Seljuk vassal. Especially if it is possibly a less than willing vassal.

[Patukov]

A CK AAR with a Islamic nation?THIS IS RARE

[Emperor Ike]

You don't see many Muslim AARs, so it'll be interesting to see if you can restore the Abbasids to their former glory.

Abbasids will rise to take back what is their and maybe even more. If the Evil Crusaders won't get in our way too much.

I haven't seen any. Even I've browsed through almost every CK AAR since I registered. Interesting!

Well that might be because of the instabilities caused to the game when playing with Muslims and Pagans.

As the Seljuks are normally the Big Bad in most CK AARs it is especielly interesting to see one from the perspective of a Seljuk vassal. Especially if it is possibly a less than willing vassal.

Well Abbasids shall remain loyal to the Seljuks for the time being and let them build our Sultanate for us.

A CK AAR with a Islamic nation?THIS IS RARE

Well someone had to do it now that CK 2 is coming.

[Kurt_Steiner]

If memory serves me well, there's a mod for CK that allows it.

And it's always fun to see good old Emperor Ike storming the world :d

[Emperor Ike]

Forging alliances
Chapter 1

Georgian expedition and aftermath

The Seljuk-Georgian war was short and doomed to fail from the beginning. Many had refused the Sultans call to arms and had gone forth with their armies to conquer lands for themselves and when the Sultans armies, including the Baghdad regiments arrived to the front much of the vassals of Georgia had been conquered by the Sheiks and Emirs of the north. Sultan of course wasn't happy about this and expelled those Emirs and Sheiks who hadn't obeyed his orders from the Empire and refused to grant them any protection against foreign threats. When the Sultan and the King of Georgia met in the battlefield they signed peace.

So the Baghdad regiment returned to home as well as the Old Emir al-Qa'im and his son. Their armies had not seen a single battle on the expedition in the north but still they were tired after the long trip. And so was the Emir and he began to show signs of illness on the way back. In May 18th 1069, two weeks after the expedition had returned home Emir al-Qa'im passed away in his palace. His last wish for his son had been "Don't destroy the Empire" and al-Muktadi had promised that he would protect the Empire with all his might. The Emir was dead and new Emir had taken his place.


The son of al-Muktadi, Ahmad al-Mustazhir showed prodigal ability in his training and studies. Many believed that he would one day successeed his father and become a great Emir that would unify the Islamic world under one banner.


Few years passed and the Seljuk Empire healed it's pride from the failure against Georgia. But it seemed that the Sultan was not happy with the size of his realm and when news about Byzantine civil war reached him he seized the opportunity. Seljuks declared war against the Byzantine Empire and marched over the borders to defeat the Greeks. Once again Baghdad answered the call of their Sultan.


But al-Muktadi had plans how this war would be successful. He send ambassadors to the independent sheiks in the former Georgian lands who now faced the threat of being invaded by the Georgians who had truce with the Seljuks. al-Muktadi offered his protection for the sheiks if they would pledge loyalty for Baghdad and only Baghdad. In July 21 1071, Sheiks of Dvin and Kartli accepted this and pledged themselves to Baghdad. The Sultan of course believed that these Sheiks would be loyal to him too.


The war against Byzantine Empire was going on well and many rejoiced. Except for the independent Emirs of Aleppo, Drebent, Edessa and Azerbaijan who now feared that after Seljuk victory over the Greeks the Sultan would turn against them and force them in to the Seljuk Empire. al-Muktadi heard about their worries and visited each of the Emirs personally. He offered them the same deal as he offered for the Sheiks, pledge loyalty to Baghdad and be free from fears of Seljuk invasion. Only the Emir of Azerbaijan was willing to take this offer while the rest of them were too stubborn to accept Abbasid protection.

[Iain Wilson]

Interesting to see a Muslim AAR - I'll follow!

[Emperor Ike]

Called to arms again

Years passed by and Seljuk Empire remained in peace. This was good news for the Abbasids as the new Emir had no problem of keeping the Empire safe as he had promised to his father on his dying bed. But not all was well in the family. Rahima, wife of the Emir had grown depressed and many believed that she had lost the will to live and would end her life soon. They couldn't be more wrong as Rahima killed herself in April 1073. The Emir was devastated and locked himself into his quarters for months until he had mourned enough and remarried.


The married life was good for the Emir and he was happier than ever. Even better news came in August 1074 when Salma got pregnant. But the good news wouldn't last long.


The Seljuk Sultan once again declared war against Georgia and Baghdad was called to arms. al-Muktadi raised his armies and marched north to meet his vassals who were gathering in Kakhveti.


By February 1075 Baghdad regiments arrived at Kakhveti where they prepared to support the Sultans forces in Imereti.


But it seemed that the Sultan was doing pretty well in Imereti against the Georgian forces and reinforcements wouldn't be necessary.

[Enewald]

How do you get around game mechanics, Emir having Emir as vassal?
Or are you in secret the overlord of the Seljuks?

[Emperor Ike]

How do you get around game mechanics, Emir having Emir as vassal?
Or are you in secret the overlord of the Seljuks?

Well to that question there is now real answer. Because it seems that you can vassalize some Emirs if you are Emir but then some Emirs you cannot. Same goes with Sultan vassalizing Emirs, some you can and some you cannot exsample if I would rebel against Seljuks, they cant vassalize me without taking all my Emir titles. Also with Pagan High Chiefs it is the same. Exsample High Chief of Karelia can't vassalize other High Chiefs but High Chief of Tavast could vassalize High Chief of Karelia.

Must be some sort of TAG related thing. One could say that it is a bug.

[Patukov]

Thumbs up for this AAR

[Emperor Ike]

Nations tremble under the pressure of Seljuks

By the summer of 1075 Georgian armies had been all but defeated and the Seljuk armies had conquered the Georgian castles and only Abkhazia remained. al-Muktadi had the honor of leading the final siege.


In September 1075 the siege was lifted when the Georgian agreed to cede the southern provinces to the Seljuks. Great victory again for the Empire.


But the Sultan wasn't happy, he wanted more and what an better opportunity to gain more land than use the Byzantion civil war as an advantage. Sultan thus declared war on the Bishopric of Mesopotamia.


Emir of Baghdad had time to visit his home and get his wife pregnant again.


After Mesopotamia had been added to the Empire a new enemy rise from the north, the King of Alania. They had long harassed the Ugric pagans in the north and now that Seljuks had come they were a threat to them.

[Kurt_Steiner]

Were not for hostile neighbours, life would be pretty boring...

[Enewald]

Greek Alan-King? So early, wtf.
Ex-Prince of Crimea?

[Emperor Ike]

Greek Alan-King? So early, wtf.
Ex-Prince of Crimea?

That is not so weird. If you want a real WTF moment you'll need to wait till the 1100 when the first map update of the world will come. There you will see strange things and maybe even dragons.

[Kurt_Steiner]

Dragons? And a never ending winter?

[Emperor Ike]

Dragons? And a never ending winter?

If i ever bring this all the way up to the HoI era there might be a never ending nuclear winter.