Red Crescent - The Sultan of Mauretania's bid for Hispania

TinMann · Mar 4, 2014

Table test - 100%

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Hello,

Thanks for the suggestion. Personally, I would like to set the table width exactly so that i know were the words wrap. It seems to me table width=100% fills the browser, which is not what i was hoping for. I am a bit picky about my layouts, perhaps too much so. However if you look at my posts at less than 1600 pixels of screen resolution, my tables spill over the screen and scroll bars appear. I realize that is less than ideal, but I think it is better than having the text run for 1920 pixels across for those people with HD monitors.

TinMann · Mar 4, 2014

A decade of relative peace: 895-905CE
The intervening years passed by relatively smoothly. Prince Kussil, serving as Steward, passed away after a period of illness on February 16, 900. He was replaced by Mayor Asad of Ouarzazate. Unfortuantely he died a natural death in the following May and had to be replaced with Muhsin ibn Hashmaddin, the brother-in-law of Sheikh Wahab of Cadiz. In September of 901 Prince Al-Qasim, Yahya’s oldest son, was caught plotting to fabricate a claim on the Emirate of Tangier. His father promptly imprisoned him. Yahya never liked him very much, anyway. Prince Azan was replaced on the council with his brother Prince Badda, who already had been proving himself as a talented young diplomat. Yahya’s youngest son, Yeften, reached his majority in January of 903. That same month Sheikh Laweye of the Atlas Mountains rebelled after an arrest attempt, following a plot discovery. Yeften was given command of the Sultan’s personal retinue to deal with the traitor, which he did swiftly. Following that Yeften was given a council seat as Steward. A peasant revolt flared up in 904 that was quickly crushed, and a Tournament was held as planned shortly after.
Sheikh Wahab of Cadiz revolted in 905, after resisting arrest following a plot discovery. After it was resolved, Yahya took personal control of the holding, and handed the Atlas Mountains Sheikhdom to Ghumer, his daughter Barakah’s new husband. In 905 the Andalusians declared war on West Francia for Aragorn. Even though the Sultan was then sixty years old, the potential prize of seizing Grenada was too good to pass over. He and his advisors watched carefully as the Analusians’ war unfolded, waiting for an opportunity to strike. If the Andalusians wore themselves down sufficiently against the French, Yahya should have little trouble seizing Grenada.	I typically marry my sisters and daughters off to relative nobodys who I am going to grant a sheikdom. Mainly I do this for roleplaying purposes, and to stop the nagging - which is nonstop if I let the women linger as old maids. Although this does create a bonanza of claims later on, at least those claims are within the Realm and are easier to deal with. Marrying them to outside leaders is nothing but trouble. If I want an alliance, I will marry their daughter - not the other way around. With Muslim leaders you can have four wives and divorce at will - so you can always make room for one more in a crisis. Click to expand...

Menschenhasser · Mar 4, 2014

TinMann said:
Hello,

Thanks for the suggestion. Personally, I would like to set the table width exactly so that i know were the words wrap. It seems to me table width=100% fills the browser, which is not what i was hoping for. I am a bit picky about my layouts, perhaps too much so. If you use tables differently I am definitely interested in hearing more!

I suggest layout that fills in all browsers, not in your browser, but if you care only about your computer — I have no power over it.

TinMann · Mar 4, 2014

August 1, 905: Yahya's final years

Yahya ordered the attack later that year. As was his custom, the aged Sultan could not be dissuaded from commanding the left flank of the attacking army, which helped to inspire the men to many victories.

By October of 907 Yahya held Granada and the Andalusian capitol of Alcolea in Qurtubah, as well as a wife and two children of his enemy. Still, the war was dragging on as the Andalusians stubbornly refused to surrender. Rather than lose more men, Yahya decided to wait things out within the walls his enemy’s capitol.

With his army far from home, during that venerable time the unexpected happened: the Sultan Hafiz the Unready of Africa declared war on Mauretania! While Yahya was furious, deep down he couldn’t blame the Sultan for his boldness. After all, this is exactly what he had done to Sultan al-Mundir of Andalusia.

The prospect of dealing with two wars with fronts nearly a thousand miles apart, without a navy for transport, did not look promising. Gravely Yahya drew up plans with his advisors. Shortly thereafter a large portion of his army marched south and east towards the new enemy, with Yahya at its head. Regardless of what happened in Andalusia – the reclamation of Kabylia by the Africans would not take place. Yahya was determined to make Sultan Hafiz live up to his epithet.

It was at that critical moment that the Andalusians retired from the field. It could not have come at a better time, and the remainder of Yahya’s army immediately set out to join the main force. Not long after word was received that they had lost their war with the French as well. Sultan Yahya could not have been happier.

Partially because of the time it took to move armies across the length of the realm, the war dragged on until the end of 909, when the Africans surrendered after a humiliating defeat. Still enraged, Sultan Yahya went against the advice of his counselors and declared a holy war on them for all of Tunis. While their army was certainly strong enough to defeat what remained of the Africans, they worried for the Sultan’s health. Old habits die hard, as they say, and so did Sultan Yahya.

Yahya succumbed to pneumonia in the middle of the campaign in 911. His son Adil, his chosen heir, immediately took the throne, and command of the attacking army. There was still a war to be won.

Shadrol · Mar 4, 2014

Menschenhasser said:
I suggest layout that fills in all browsers, not in your browser, but if you care only about your computer — I have no power over it.

Many sites use 900px as width i believe. I looked up the thread on my laptop and it looses about ~50px on the right side, since it requires about 400 px for the forum layout on a 1377 wide screen.

TinMann · Mar 4, 2014

Chapter 1 Epilogue

Sultan Yahya “The Bold” died doing what he loved most – leading his armies in the field. During his 44-year reign he tripled the number of holdings under his control, expanded the Shia faith into new lands and become its Caliph, all with minimal internal strife. This was a career that his forebears will have difficulty repeating.

Sultan Yahya’s remains were returned to Essaouira. There he was given an extravagant funeral as would befit a beloved monarch and conquering hero. An elaborate tomb was ordered constructed by his son Adil, a project that would not be completed until fifteen years later during the rule of Yahya’s grandson, Keraja. The story of their struggle to hold the Sultanate together will be told in Chapter 2.

This was the first character I can remember playing for 44 years without noticing a single faction forming. Granted no one had claims on his Sultanate, but still – no factions at all? He must have been one well-loved guy. It didn’t last though. The moment he died I had a dozen factions form… and counting!

Realm Statistics – Reign of Sultan Yahya “The Bold”

Start (867CE)

End (911CE)

Retinue

0

3000 (300 HI / 1500 LC / 1200 A)

Levies from Demesne

2433 / 2433

5594 / 5786

Levies from Vassals

56 / 56

7150 / 7150

Army ranking

#11

#3

Shia Religious Authority

30%

51.4%

Decadence

25%

2%

Wealth

93

3429

Income

+6.7

+32.68

Realm Size (total holdings)

41

122

Score

0

8,057

Idhrendur · Mar 4, 2014

That's a pretty solid start. Looking forward to chapter 2!

TinMann · Mar 4, 2014

Chapter 2: Unification February 19, 911: Succession
This was the day that Prince Adil had been so impatiently waiting for. The last twenty-six years had been torture since he was made heir at eleven years old. The old man kept going off to war – and kept coming back! Would he ever die? There were times Adil wondered if he would pass away from old age before his father. Now, the 37-year old Emir finally had his chance to rule. At least the long wait gave him plenty of time to plan his opening moves, which he executed with precision. He summoned all of his male relatives, counselors, and a few other key vassals to Tunis, where he had been taking part in the siege of the African capital. By the time most of them reached the place Adil was holding court within its walls. Smoke from smoldering fires hung heavy in the air, and carrion birds were still feasting outside when he gathered them all together. First, he explained, self-indulgence among members of his family would be dealt with harshly. He felt it unseemly for the Shia Caliph to suffer wastrels. His uncle Azan, the most decadent in the family by all accounts, was made an example of right on the spot. He was arrested and dragged from the council as he pathetically and vainly begged for mercy.
	After the commotion had subsided Adil praised his three brothers, Al-Qasim, Yeften, and Babba, for their skills and dedication before promoting them to his council. All present were told to be wary, and that he would be watching them. And then he unveiled an even more sinister threat. “If I learn of any substantial plot to take one of my titles for yourself, I will have you arrested that very moment – whether you are complicit or not. If anyone declares open rebellion on your behalf while in my dungeon, I will execute you personally on the spot. Do not tempt me or your fate. Consider this my promise to you.” This was something that his father would never have needed to say, but in the end, Adil was not his father. Times had changed, and the new Caliph was aware of many plots already afoot against him. He was giving his men clear warning of what was in store for them if they moved against him. The point was made and taken, but few were dissuaded from their underhanded schemes. In the weeks that followed the faction to replace Adil with his older brother, Al-Qasim, swelled to dangerous numbers. Perhaps they felt he should have been made heir since he was older. In any case, true to his word, Adil had Al-Qasim arrested. He had tried to warn his brother, but to no avail. On March 3, 912, Sultan Hafiz ‘The Unready’ of Africa surrendered all of the Emirate of Tunis to Calpih Adil, completing the conquest his father had begun. The rich province was more than two-thirds of what remained of the Sultanate of Africa, leaving Hafiz in control of only the Emirate of Tripolitania. Adil hand-picked six loyal Berber Shias to serve as the new Shkeiks of the region. ‘The Unready’ died two years later, a broken and disheartened figure. At this point I could have claimed the Sultanate of Africa, but I don’t want to be involved in politics further east. Since I am planning on playing this game out for the long haul, I would rather Kablya and Tunis drift into the Sultanate of Mauretania. Click to expand...

TinMann · Mar 5, 2014

Caliph Adil’s Justice: 912-918CE
Calpih Adil assumed that the once the war for Tunis was over the volatile political situation in his realm would settle down. Unfortunately that was not to be the case. A messenger arrived less than a week after his army returned to the capital in Essaouira with a treasonous demand. Shiekh Assam sent word that he had formed an army bent on replacing Adil with his brother Al-Qasim. Perhaps Assam was unaware that Al-Qasim was Adil’s prisoner. The Calph sent a reply message to Assam that read, “If you have any further demands, I now have an open cell in my dungeon.” The message was accompanied by a leather sack containing Al-Qasim’s head. Following that, nothing more was heard on the matter. Historians in later generations would suggest that Yahya was shortsighted to have nominated Adil as his successor. Although he was a skilled diplomat, Adil’s pride and arrogance wore down even his most ardent supporters over time. Realizing that he would never be as popular as his father, Adil decided to focus his reign on what needed to be done – regardless of whether or not it pleased anyone. With the help of Qadi from across the realm, Caliph Adil revised and tightened the laws that his father had instituted, which enhanced the central authority of the crown. Needless to say this was wildly unpopular with his vassals.	The AI needs to stop demanding that a prisoner of a Muslim dynastic head be handed a title, when both men are of the same dynasty. Maybe a Christian would worry about becoming a kinslayer, but that doesn’t apply to a Muslim leader in the same situation. And then once you execute him, the rebellion collapses but the rebels are not valid targets for arrest. That needs to change too. Adil would not have let this slide otherwise. Click to expand...
Almost overnight those same lords who backed Al-Qasim threw their full weight behind a faction to replace the Caliph with his other half-brother, Yeften. Yeften was arrested right from the council chamber the day Adil was told by his informants. He was later replaced on the council by Adil’s eldest son, Tacfin. Caliph Adil was little surprised, then, when the same movement formed behind his brother Babba in early 913. Babba was arrested the day before another messenger arrived with the ultimatum, and Babba was executed that same afternoon. After hearing this, the rebels dejectedly headed back to their castles. Then in July of 913 Sheikh Aghilas of Infa, Adil’s nephew, had been caught circulating the idea of himself becoming Calpih. He was promptly imprisoned and his Sheikhdom was immediately revoked. The holding was later given to Adil’s 12-year old son Keraja, which effectively nominated him as Adin’s designated heir. This caused great disappointment among Keraja’s brothers and half-brothers as would be expected. During the ensuing years Adil did not feel secure enough in his realm to send his army away on expedition. Instead he focused his energy on holding the realm together that his father had bestowed upon him. He did this primarily by ferreting out traitorous relatives, while allowing those loyal to him to marry and raise families of their own. Prince Keraja turned 16 on October 5th of 918, and Sultan Adil died after a short illness on November 13th of that same year. Adil’s six year reign was brief and unappreciated by nearly all of his subjects. The funeral service was private and lightly attended. The young Prince Keraja found himself the monarch of a large and unruly realm much sooner than he had planned on. His trial by fire was about to begin.	I leave faction targets like him alive in my dungeon even though, as his dynastic head, I can execute them without penalty at will. I do this for the sake of having as large a family as possible, but also because those people factioning for him may be preoccupied from joining another faction that could pose a more serious threat. Click to expand... Caliph Adil upon his death in 918CE.

Idhrendur · Mar 5, 2014

Brutal but necessary.

TheDeaconBosco · Mar 5, 2014

The Quadi? How on earth did Adil manage to recruit members of a Germanic Tribe that was thought extinct for 700 years?

Seriously though, this might be one the best AAR's of 2014. A definite Sub to me.

sansastark · Mar 5, 2014

Great AAR! Really love the formatting, especially your explanations for things at the side. It's going to be hard for someone to top Yahya's reign.

tnick0225 · Mar 5, 2014

Just thought I'd drop in and say you are doing a great job with this AAR. Like how you set it up too! Very nice and unique layout.

TinMann · Mar 5, 2014

TheDeaconBosco said:
The Quadi? How on earth did Adil manage to recruit members of a Germanic Tribe that was thought extinct for 700 years?

Seriously though, this might be one the best AAR's of 2014. A definite Sub to me.

Yes! The Quadi have flocked to my banner!

Sorry that should have been Qadi.

Thanks everyone for all the kind words! They are really appreciated.

TinMann · Mar 6, 2014

December 1, 918: Caliph Keraja comes of age
His head spinning, Prince Keraja had no idea what to do first. Within a span of a month he found himself at his father’s funeral, invested as the Sultan of Mauretania and the Shia Caliphate, and married to two women – all before his seventeenth birthday. He thought he would have a decade to prepare himself for all this, but such was the fickle nature of fate. After the bloodletting that took place under his father, Keraja was advised by his persuasive Grand Vizier, Sheikh Yunus of Tamdoult (grandson of Marshall Yunus who served Sultan Yahya), to take a more diplomatic path. Wide-eyed and impressionable, the young Caliph took his advice to heart, and it ultimately served him well. Keraja spent the next few months traveling the realm and meeting with his chief vassals to better understand the men who served him. He granted wishes when he could, and even added to the coffers of some who seemed deserving. In his travels he explained that although he was not going to revoke the unpopular crown laws (called the ‘Laws of Adil’), he was not going to expand them either. He reassured them that he was his own man, and quite a different one from his father. Those were the exact words that were given to him by Yunus, and the young man delivered them convincingly. He was persuasive enough that a year passed without any significant rebellions taking shape.	Caliph Keraja and his First Wife Kit in 926, the year thier first son was born. Note how being of Greek descent, she gets to wear a crown.
	It was around that time, in December of 919, that external politics once again began to preoccupy the leaders of the realm. Mauretania’s long standing rival to the north, Andalusia, was weaker than ever. Incessant wars with the Christians had left them extremely vulnerable. So much so that Keraja’s martial, his cousin Iken ibn Ahmed, insisted that they invade Andalusia for the Emirate of Cordoba. At first Keraja thought this would be too dangerous. Unsure of himself as he was, however, he allowed himself to be convinced. In the new year the Caliph and Marshal Iken led Keraja’s personal retinue and levies to the north. Keraja’s first taste of battle was a forgiving one. The Andalusian army they met was nothing like their forebears faced by his grandfather Yahya. The men were exhausted, broken and dispirited, and the fortresses gave in without much fight. By August 4th of 921 Andalusia surrendered Cordoba, sparking celebrations throughout Mauretania, as in the days of old. Keraja had matured considerably through the experience. When his council suggested breaking their truce in order to take more land from Andalusia, Keraja would near none of it. He took his role as Shia Caliphate very seriously, and he was concerned that truce breaking could have dangerous repercussions for the faith. Furthermore, when in Hispania it became clear to him that Mauretania’s true enemy was not the Andalusians, but rather the people who lived north of them. “The Andalusians are our brothers. You may not agree, but they are nonetheless,” he told his council. “It is becoming clear that, as a nation, our primary responsibility is to protect our brothers from the invaders to the north. We will not betray our faith for wealth or power as long as I rule Mauretania.” The council could tell that Keraja had begun to become his own man, and relented.
Several years of quiet followed. Keraja, concerned by a lack of sons provided him by his wives, married two others. In 926 Allah blessed him with two sons: the Princes Keraja and Adil. The younger, Adil, was the son of Caliph Keraja’s first (and favorite) wife, the beautiful Sultana Theoktiste. Of Greek descent, Kit was the daughter of Sheikh Methodios of Safed in the Galilee. Although from very different backgrounds, the two instantly fell deeply in love. That same year Andalusia started coming unraveled. Yet another assault from Asturias resulted in the loss of Beja, the key Emirate along the western shores of Hispania. Now, for the first time, Mauretania had a border with Christian Europe. This sent shock waves through the entire country, and Keraja instinctively knew that the time had come to act.	This is the first time I can remember my Muslim leader becoming lovers with one of his wives. Odd that it hasn't happened before... Click to expand...

Marco Oliverio · Mar 6, 2014

This is a great AAR! I look forward to every update!

TinMann · Mar 6, 2014

Idhrendur said:
I am loving this. The writing style, the tips, the layout, and the maps (how are you creating those, BTW, I'd love to adapt the technique for my own AARs), all are excellent!

I started working on the tutorial for how I make my maps. I realized though that many steps reference the resolution of screen shots provided by the game. Since we are going to get a huge map upgrade by the end of the month, I decided it makes sense to wait until then, so that I'm not doing this twice, or someone doesn't try instructions that don't work on the coming map.

Thanks for reading and for your patience on this if you are waiting for a tutorial!

TinMann · Mar 6, 2014

December 5, 926: The Road North

The tumultuous meeting of Keraja’s war council ran late into the evening. Tempers flared from the very start, and for hours the great hall of Essaouira rang with the sounds of shouts and curses. The noise kept Keraja’s four infants awake in their nurseries, who could not be comforted by their nurses. No one slept in Essaouira that night.

This special council gathering was something new in Mauretania. Keraja’s forebears simply attacked who they wished. Karaja, though, wanted opinions. And opinions he received.

“Assuming the Christians don’t all band together and we win Beja, what would stop Andalusia from then attacking us? They refused our marriage proposals! They hate us as much as the Christians!” shouted Sheikh Awzal of Taroudant, the fifty-five year old grizzled army commander who had served under two former lieges. He had experience fighting everyone in the region except the Christians.

Keraja's Sheikhs in Hispania were especially nervous; they had the most to lose if a war turned against them. Sheikh Khidr of Niebla, the eldest among them, was the most outspoken.

“May I remind everyone of the Battle of the Palace of Martyrs? All of Europe banded together to defeat the Andalusians! We cannot have a repeat of that disaster!” Khidr, slightly exaggerating, was referring to the defeat of the Umayyads by Charles Martel in 732, which the Christians referred to as the Battle of Tours.

“’All of Europe’ did not claim Beja,” Karaja tried to argue rationally. “The King of Asturias did, and only recently. We are not attacking one of their homelands. This would be different than the invasion of Gaul by Tariq ibn Ziyad, Allah grant him peace.”

“And what of your other vassals, the ones who refused to join you here?” asked his Martial Iken abn Ahmed. “Even if we take Beja, your loyal armies may be so depleted that you could fall victim to a coup. You have only ruled for eight years – I recommend waiting until at least ten.” That’s what your grandfather would have done, Iken tried to convey through his expression.

That brought the 24-year old Caliph to his feet.

“I will NOT stay here and hide within these walls from my own vassals while Andalusia burns,” he said firmly but calmly. “Beja will be reclaimed. Shiekh Yunus, go to Caceres. Your mission will be to convince the Umayyads that we are now on their side. We will provide them a gift to aid them in their struggles against the Christians. Do everything you can to arrange a marriage. The rest of you, return home and prepare your levies. We all shall march on the first of January, rallying at Cadiz. You may rest until morning or depart now if you wish. Such is the word of the Caliph.” With that, the debate had ended. Keraja then invoked a prayer and granted them a blessing before retiring.

No one was pleased with the decision. His vassals departed, each with their own trepidations about the coming conflict, and each considering ways to turn it to their own advantage.

Caliph Keraja’s council in 926.

Idhrendur · Mar 6, 2014

I hadn't known that Muslims used a different name for the Battle of Tours. It makes sense, of course, but I hadn't thought about it.

TinMann · Mar 6, 2014

January 1, 927: Beja, and the collapse of Andalusia
The Caliph’s armies met little resistance as they marched north. No enemy armies materialized to meet them, and the depleted fortress garrisons did not hold out for long. In July the last holding in the Sheikdom of Evora fell to a force led by Salomon of Aracena. While on the road to Lisboa, Salomon’s men were surprised by the delayed appearance of King Alfonso (‘the Cruel’) of Asturias’s army at the Battle of Portalegre. Outnumbered two-to-one, initially things did not look good for Sheikh Salomon. His fortunes turned around on the third day when Keraja’s troops arrived and immediately joined the fight. The Caliph himself led the left flank, the customary place held by his grandfather Yahya in his time. Two days later the battle was won decidedly by the Mauretanians, who chased and eventually finished off the enemy’s remnants in Alcacer do Sal, capturing Duke Lucidio III of Portucale in the process. Defeated, King Alfonso surrendered Beja on August 29th. Victory was achieved faster than anyone had anticipated – even Keraja. Impromptu celebrations again sprung into being across the land. As Keraja had gambled, Europe had not banded together to save Asturias. It appeared their enemy was as internally as fractured as they were. Keraja’s impetuousness appeared to have paid off.
	Keraja distributed the four sheikdoms of the region to promising young nobles from across the realm. This was a conscious break in tradition his grandfather’s days, when nobles were raised from the tribes instead. This was an indication that the political power in realm had shifted away from the tribal leaders to the budding nobility, much to the dismay of the tribesmen. The ensuing years were quiet for Mauretania except for the occasional Viking raid and the incorporation of the Canarias Islands into the realm in 931. Meanwhile Andalusia was under continuous attack from Asturias and West Francia. Keraja’s offers to help and/or enter into political marriages with the Umayyad were continually rebuffed, although relations were improving. Then things took a turn for the worse in 932. That year Sultan Mirza of Andalusia was removed from power by his cousin Mansur. As Keraja had no truce with Masur, his councilors begged him to attack their neighbor once again. As before, they all seemed intent on Keraja liberating Andalusia from the Andalusians. Keraja was not convinced – he would prefer to protect the Muslims in Andalusia without declaring war on them. Once more he sent Yunus to open diplomatic relations with the new Sultan and even donated to Massur’s war chest. As the weeks went on it became clear that Massur was also uninterested in forming an alliance with Mauretania. Keraja was disheartened and confused. Why would the Sunnis rather surrender their lands to the Christians than ally with Shia? Later in the year the political situation degenerated rapidly in Andalusia as rival claimants attempted to remove Massur from power. Chaos reigned throughout the land, and Andalusia’s Christian neighbors were moving to take advantage of the situation. Keraja was faced with the very real possibility that all of Andalusia might fall to the Christians in his lifetime. This was a situation that was even more unpalatable than attacking Andalusia, lead to a great deal of soul searching. In the end, the Caliph came to the realization that sometimes a spiritual person must choose between two worldly eventualities.
Riders were dispatched to all of his vassals with a simple message. “From this day forward, the lands that were once called Andalusia shall be incorporated into Sultanate of Mauretania, so that we might protect the faithful who reside there from their enemies; and from the leaders who have betrayed them.” The message concluded with praise for Allah and blessings on all of his loyal followers, and the order for all vassals to march immediately for Seville. The Invasion of Andalusia had begun.	I genuinely would have helped prop up Andalusia if they would have let me. In any case only about half of the Umayyad Sultanate is de jure Andalusia, so the subjugation is going to take a few wars to complete. Click to expand...

Red Crescent - The Sultan of Mauretania's bid for Hispania

First Lieutenant

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Keeper of the Converters

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Keeper of the Converters

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Field Marshal

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Major

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Keeper of the Converters

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