Sultanate Court of Tunisia in Tunis

[Shiiuga]

Welcome Ye to the Sultanate Court of the Hafsid Dynasty in Tunis



NATIONAL STATISTICS

Nation: Tunisia
Head of State: Hajji al Omar
Player: Shiiuga
Religion: Sunni
Culture: Arabic
Stats: 2/2/4/4/2 --> [2/2/4/4/2]
Provinces: 2
Ports: 2
Owned: Tunisia, Tripolitania, Malta

INFORMATION

Location: Tunisia and Tripolitania are in Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between the Al Djazair Sultanate and the Mameluk Empire. The Island province of Malta lies off the Southern coast of the Island of Siciliy and the Italian Peninsular.
Claims: The Sultanate claims the provinces of Tunis and Tripolitania as its legal and rightful territory and exerts its claim on the island of Malta. The Sultanate also holds lesser claims on the surrounding North African provinces, Cyrenaica (Mameluk) and Kabylla (Algerian) but recognises the rightful rule of both powers in both provinces in the interest of peace in North Africa.
Maritime Claims: 12 Nautical Miles from the coast of all provinces, including the surrounding seas of Malta.
Climate: Temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south.
Terrain: Mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the 'terra incognita' of the Saharan deserts.
Ethnic Groups (In order of size): Arabic (Majority), Berbers, Iberian Moors, Saharan Nomads, Various Caucasian European, Jews.
Religious Groups (In order of size): Sunni Muslim, Catholic, Shi'a Muslim, Orthodox Christian, Jewish.
Languages: Arabic, Various Nomadic.

GOVERNMENT

Government Type: Royal Sultanate
Head of State: Sultan Hajji al Omar Hafsid
Administrative Head of Government: Vizier Ahly al Said
Administrative System: Cabinet Elected by Sultan, advised by Vizier. Contains ministries of foreign affairs, trade, agriculture and domestic affairs.
Judicial Branch: Court of Cassation

ECONOMY

Overview: The Tunisian economy relies heavily on agriculture in the temperate north, as well as mining in the mountainous region in the same area. The southern part of the country, leading into the Sahara desert is unfarmable. This has led to an economy heavily centred around the northern, coastal areas.
Slavery: Slavery is not practiced in Tunisia.
Unemployment: Unemployment in the working classes is high. Administrative/middle class unemployment is low.
Poverty: Poverty, hand in hand with high unemployment rates, is rife.
Agricultural products: Olives, olive oil, grain, dairy products, tomatoes, citrus fruit, beef, sugar beets, dates, almonds


HISTORY IN BRIEF

814 BC: Foundation of Carthage by Phoenician settlers led by Queen Dido.
264 BC to 146 BC: The Punic Wars: Three wars with Rome, including elephant-mounted expedition by Hannibal across the Alps (218-202 BC,) end with the defeat of Carthage.
146 BC-439: Establishment of the first Roman Colony, Africa, and its attachment to the Roman Empire.
439: Takeover of Carthage by the Vandals.
533: Takeover of Carthage by the Byzantines.
647-698: Advent of the Arab-Islamic period. Foundation of Kairouan by Oqba lbn Nafaa (670), and takeover of Carthage by the Arabs (698).
800-909: Expansion of Islam and establishment of the Aghlabid Dynasty. (Construction of the Zitouna Mosque in Tunis).
909-1159: Fatimid and Zirides dynasties. Foundation of Mahdia (921).
1159-1230: Almohads unify the Maghreb countries and Moslem Andalusia.
1230-Present: The Hafsids break away from Almohads and establish new dynasty based in Tunis.

Extended History

The Latin element in Africa and the Christian faith almost disappeared in a single generation. The North African Church was not utterly swept away by the Moslem conquest, though its numbers at that time were greatly diminished, and thereafter fell gradually to vanishing point, partly by emigration to Europe. Its episcopate in the 10th century still numbered thirty members, but in 1076 the Church could not provide three bishops to consecrate a new member of the episcopate and for that purpose Gregory VII named two bishops to act with the archbishop of Carthage. In the 13th century the native episcopate had disappeared. Abd ul-Mumin, the Almohade conqueror of Tunisia, compelled many of the native Christians to embrace Islam. The last remnants of the mountains, who had never been latinized and never really christianized, accepted Islam without difficulty, but showed the Arabs their stubborn nationality, not only in the character quest and of their Mahommedanism, which has always been Berber mixed up with the worship of living as well as Dynasties, dead saints (marabouts) and other peculiarities, but also in political movements. The empire of the Fatimites (q.v.) rested on Berber support, and from that time forth till the advent of the Turks the dynasties of North Africa were really native, even when they claimed descent from some illustrious Arab stock. When the seat of the Fatimite Empire was removed to Egypt, the Zirites, a house of the Sanhaja Berbers, ruled as their lieutenants at Mahdia, and about 1050 Moizz the Zirite, in connection with a religious movement against the Shiites, transferred his very nominal allegiance to the Abbasid caliphs. The Fatimites in revenge let loose upon Africa about AD. 1045 a vast horde of Beduins from Upper Egypt (Beth Hill and Solaim), the ancestors of the modern nomads of Barbary. All North Africa was ravaged by the invaders, who, though unable to found an empire or overthrow the settled government in the towns, forced the agricultural Berbers into the mountains, and, retaining from generation to generation their lawless and predatory habits, made order and prosperity almost impossible in the open parts of the country. The Zirite dynasty was finally extinguished by Roger I of Sicily, who took Mahdia in 1148 and established his authority over all the Tunisian coast. Even Moslem historians speak favorably of the Norman rule in. Africa; but it was brought to an early end by the Almohade caliph Abd ul-Mumman who took Mahdia in 1160.

The Almohade Empire soon began to decay, and in 1336 Abu Zakariy, prince of Tunis, was able to proclaim himself independent and found a dynasty, which subsisted till the advent of the Turks. The Hafsites (so called from Ab Issaf, the ancestor of Abu Zakariya, a Berber chieftain who had been one of the intimate disciples of the Almohade mahdi) assumed the title of Prince of the Faithful, a dignity which was acknowledged even at Mecca, when in the days of Mostansir, the second Hafsite, the fall of Bagdad left Islam without a titular head. In its best days the empire of the Hafsites extended from Tlemcen to Tripoli, and they received homage from the Merinids of Fez; they held their own against repeated Frankish invasions, of which the most notable were that which cost St Louis of France his life (1270), and that of the duke of Bourbon (1390), when English troops took part in the unsuccessful siege of Mahdia. They adorned Tunis with mosques, schools and other institutions, favored letters, and in general appear to have risen above the usual level of Moslem sovereigns. But their rule was troubled by continual wars and insurrections; the support of the Beduin Arabs was imperfectly secured by pensions, which formed a heavy burden on the finances of the state; and in later times the dynasty was weakened by family dissensions. Leo Africanus, writing early in the 16th century, gives a favorable picture of the great city of Tunis, which had a flourishing manufacture of fine cloth, a prosperous colony of Christian traders, and, including the suburbs, nine or ten thousand hearths; but he speaks also of the decay of once flourishing provincial towns, and especially of agriculture, the once powerful Church. Traces of Christianity remained among the Kabyles till after the conquest of Granada (1492), when the influx of Andalusian Moors from Spain completed the conversion of those tribes. It may be added that down to the early years of the 19th century it was alleged that some of the Tuareg tribes in the Sahara professed Christianity (see eg. Hornenianns Travels).

In the 13th and 14th centuries the Hafsites also paid tribute to Sicily for the freedom of the sea and the right to import Sicilian corna clear proof of the decline of Tunisian agriculture.

The greater part of the open country lay in waste for fear of the Arab marauders. Taxation was heavy, and the revenue very considerable: Don Juan of Austria, in a report to Philip II., states that the land revenue alone under the last Hafsite was 375,935 ducats, but of this a great part went in tribute to the Arabs.

[Shiiuga]

The Country

MAP OF THE REALM

(Borders in black)

MAJOR CITIES

Tunis


The Sultanate Palace in Tunis


Some middle-class housing in Tunis

Tunis is the capital of the Tunisian Sultanate and her major port city. All major central administrative tasks take place in Tunis and it is the home of the major religious, governmental and cultural figurets of the country.

Tripoli


The hillside city of Tripoli


The Mosque in Tripoli


The Sultans holiday redience in Tripoli.

Tripoli is Tunisia's 'second city', behind the capital, Tunis, and is the favourite holidaying home of the Sultan. It is the capital city of the Tripolitanian province and the administrative centre for the area.

Valletta


Valletta from the water.

Valletta is the capital city and administrative centre of the island of Malta.

Physical Features

Geographically speaking, Tunisia is merely the eastern prolongation of the Mauretanian projection of northern Africa, of that strip of mountainous, fertile and fairly well-watered, country north of the Sahara desert, which in its flora and its fauna belongs rather to Europe than to Africa. Tunisia is divided into the following four fairly distinct regions:

I. On the north and north-west the Auras mountains of Algeria are prolonged into Tunisia, and constitute the mountainous region of the north, which lies betwaen the Majerda river and the sea, and also includes the vicinity of the city of Tunis and the peninsula of the Dakhelat el Mawin, which terminates in Ras Addar (Cape Bon). This first division is called by the French the Majerda Mountains. The highest point which the mountains attain in this division of Tunisia is about 4125 ft., near Am Draham in Kroumiria. The country, however, about Bizerta is very mountainous, thotigh the summits do not attain a greater altitude than about 3000 ft. The district between Bizerta and the Gulf of Tunis is a most attractive country, resembling greatly the mountainous regions of South Wales. It is well watered by streams more or less perennial. The principal river, the Majerda, is formed by the junction of the Wad Malleg and the Wad Kkallad. It and its i It is possible that Ras-ben-Sekka, a little to the west of Cape Blanc, may be actually the most northerly point.

II. The central plateau region, stretching between the Majerda valley and the mountains of Gafsa. The average elevation of this country is about 2000 ft. The climate, therefore, in parts is exceedingly cold and bleak in winter, and as it is very wind-swept and parched in summer by the terrible qibli or sirocco it is much less attractive in appearance than the favored region on the northern littoral. Although it is almost always covered with some kind of vegetation, trees are relatively rare. A few of the higher mountains have the Aleppo pine and the juniper; elsewhere only an infrequent wild terebinth is to be seen. In these two regions the date palm is never met with growing naturally wild. Its presence is always due to its having been planted by man at some time or another, and therefore it ss never seen far from human habitations. These central uplands of Tunisia in an uncultivated state are covered with alfa or esparto grass; but they also grow considerable amounts of cerealswheat in the north, barley in the south. The range of the Saharan Atlas of Algeria divides (roughly speaking) into two at the Tunisian frontier. One branch extends northwards up this frontier and north-eastwards across the central Tunisian table-land, and the other continues south-eastwards between Gafsa and the salt lakes of the Jerid. The greatest altitudes of the whole of Tunisia are attained on this central table-land, where Mt Sidi Ali bu Musin ascends to about 5700 ft. About 30 m. south of the city of Tunis is the picturesque mountain of Zaghwan, approximately 4000 ft. in altitude, and from whose perennial springs comes the water-supply of Tunis to-day as it did in the time of the Carthaginians and Romans. North-east of Zaghwan, and nearer Tunis, is the Jebel Resas, or Mountain of Lead, the height of which is just under 4000 ft.

III. The Sahel. This well-known Arab term for coast-belt (which in the plural form reappears as the familiar Swahili of Zanzibar) is applied to a third division of Tunisia, viz, the littoral region stretching from the Gulf of Hammamet to the south of Sfax. It is a region varying from 30 to 60 m. in breadth, fairly well watered and fertile. In a less marked way this fertile coast region is continued southwards in an ever-narrowing belt to the Tripolitan frontier. This region is relatively flat, in some districts slightly marshy, but the water oozing from the soil is often brackish, and in places large shallow salt lakes are formed. Quite close to the sea, all along the coast from Hammamet to Sfax, there are great fertility and much cultivation; but a little distance inland the country has a rather wild and desolate aspect, though it is nowhere a desert until the latitude of Sfax has been passed.

IV. The Tunisian Sahara. This occupies the whole of the southern division of Tunisia, but although desert predominates, it is by no means all desert. At the south-eastern extremity of Tunisia there is a clump of mountainous country, the wind-and-water-worn fragments of an ancient plateau, which for convenience may be styled the Matniata table-land. Here altitudes of over 3000 ft. are I reached in places, and in all the upper parts of this table-land there is fairly abundant vegetation, grass and herbage with low junipers, but with no pine trees. Fairly high mountains (in places verging on 4000 ft.) are found between Gafsa and the salt lakes of the Jerid.

These salt lakes are a very curious feature. They stretch with I only two short breaks in a line from the Mediterranean at the Gulf of Gabes to the Algerian frontier, which they penetrate for a considerable distance. They are smooth depressed areas (in the case of the largest, the Shat el Jerid, lying a few feet below the level of the Mediterranean), which for more than half the year are expanses of dried mud covered with a thick incrustation of white or grey salt.

During the winter, however, when the effect of the rare winter rains is felt, there may actually be 3 or 4 ft. of water in these I ahats, which by liquefying the mud makes them perfectly impassable. Otherwise, for about seven months of the year they can be crossed on foot or on horseback. It would seem probable that at one time these shats (at any rate the Shat el Jerid) were an inlet of the Mediterranean, which by the elevation of a narrow strip of land on the Gulf (it is a region of past volcanic activity, and these salt depressions may be due to that cause. Man is probably the principal agent at the present day in causing these shats to be without water. All round these salt lakes there are numerous springs, gushing from the sandy hillocks. Almost all these springs are at a very hot temperature, often at boiling point. Some of them are charged with salt, others are perfectly fresh and sweet, though boiling hot. So abuntlant is their volume that in several places they form actual ever-flowing rivers. Only for the intervention of man these rivers would at, all times find their way ,into the adjoining depressions, which they would maintain as lakes of ,water. But for a long period past the freshwater streams (which predominate) have been used for irrigation to such a degree that very little of the precious water is allowed to run to waste into the lake basins; so that these latter receive only a few salt streams, which deposit on their surface the salt they contain and then evaporate. This abundant supply of fresh warm water maintains oases of extraordinary luxuriance a country where rain falls very rarely. Perennial streams of the description referred to are found between the Algerian frontier and Gabes on the coast. The town at Gabes itself is on the fringe of a splendid oasis, which is maintained by the water of an everrunning stream emptying itself into the sea at Gabes after a course of not more than 20 m.

All this region round the shats has been called the Jerid from the time of the Arab occupation. Jerid means in Arabic a palm frond and inferentially a palm grove.

Towns.

Besides the capital, Tunis, the chief towns of Tunisia are Sfax, Susa and Kairwan. These places are noticed separately, as are also Goletta (formerly the port of Tunis), Bizerta (a naval port and, arsenal), Kef, Porto Farina, and the ruins at Carthage and Sbcitia (Sufetula). Other towns of Tunisia are, on the east coast, Nabeul, pop. about 5000, the ancient Neapolis, noted for the mildness of its climate and its pottery manufactures; Hammamet with 3700 inhabitants; Monastir (the Ruspina of the Romans), a walled town with 5600 inhabitants and a trade in cereals and oils; Mahdiya or Mahdia (q.v.; in ancient chronicles called the city of Africa and sometimes the capital of the country) with 8500 inhabitants, the fallen city of the Fatimites; and Gabes (Tacape of the ,Romans, Qabis of the Arabs), on the Syrtis, a group of small villages, with an aggregate population of 16,000, the port of the Shat country and a dpt of the esparto trade. The chief town of the Majerda basin is Beja (pop. 5000), the ancient Vaga, an important corn market. The principal mosque at Beja was originally a Christian basilica, and is still dedicated ,to Sidna Aissa (our Lord Jesus). Gafsa, in the south of Tunisia, is a most interesting old Roman town, with hot springs. It is in railway communication with Sfax. West of Gafsa are immense beds of phosphates. Almost all the towns of Tunisia were originally Roman or romanized Berber settlements; consequently the remains of Roman buildings form a large part of the material of which their existing structures are composed.

[Shiiuga]

Prominent Court Figures and Geneologies

Sultan Hajji al Omar Hafsid, Sultan of Tunis, Emir of Tripolitania and King of Malta


The Sultan at his Tripolitanian palace.

The Sultan is the head of state for the Sultanate Kingdom of Tunisia, Tripolitania and Malta. A strong willed, confident, but not stubborn man, the Sultan is very open to the world at large, encouraging relations with other African and Muslim nations, and to a lesser extent, the Christian nations of Europe.

The Sultan, although influenced by his grand vizier, is not afraid to make his own decisions.

The Sultan is 41 and is in good health.

Grand Vizier Ahly al Said


The Grand Vizier on a Royal hunting expedition.

The Grand Vizier is the Sultan's chief aide and is his representative in the administrative government. A very influential man around court, the vizier holds a lot of sway over the Sultan and other members of the government.

A tall, thin, man with a spry beard, his weasel like features make him appear untrustworthy, but this is an unfair description of a man who cares about his Sultan and his country.

The Vizier is 61 and although he is currently in good health he is becoming noticeably frailer with old age.

Asad Majh Hafsid

Son of the Sultan, heir to the throne of the Sultanate of Tunisia and Governor of Tripoli. More interested in the military aspect of running a government than the administrative aspect, aspires for a career in the military, where he is attempting to enter at a high officer level, with his fathers influence.

Asad is aged 20 and is in good health.

Nuriyah Amber Hafsid

Daughter of Sultan Hajji, advisor to the Sultan, Nuriyah Amber being only advisor to the Sultan, has nevertheless much influence in the tunisian court. Showing interest in politics, diplomacy and court intrigues very early, now at the age of 24, she is still young but is already a feared advisory. Noone really knows how much power she wields, or how much she really knows.

Nuwwarrahh Nurud

Favoured and most important companion of the Sultan, Nuwwarrahh Nurud holds no position in the Tunisian goverment, but a certain influence on Sultan Hajji Amhed Hafsid. She has given birth to both Asad Majh and Nuriyah Amber.

Past Rulers of Tunisia

MUWAHID (ALMOHAD) CALIPHS OF SPAIN & NORTH AFRICA

'Abdul-Mu'min 1130-1163
Yûsuf I abû Yaqûb 1163-1184
Ya'qûb ibn Yûsuf al-Mansûr 1184-1199
Muhammad ibn Ya'qûb 1199-1213

Devastating defeat by Christian Spain at Las Navas de Tolosa, 1212

Yûsuf II Abû Yaqûb 1213-1224
'Abdul-Wâhid
Abû Muhammad 1224
'Abdallâh Abû Muhammad 1224-1227
Yahyâ Abû Zakariyyâ' 1227-1235
Idrîs I ibn Ya'qûb 1227-1232

Abandonment of Spain, 1228-1229

'Abdul-Wâh.id ibn Idrîs I 1232-1242
'Alî ibn Idrîs I 1242-1248
'Umar ibn Ishâq 1248-1266
Idrîs II ibn Muhammad 1266-1269
North Africa breaks up between Hafsids, Marînids, & 'Abdul-Wâdids (Zayyânids)

With the decline of the Almohads, we get North Africa breaking up into familiar parts, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. These modern divisions may not be perfectly natural, and the borders ebb and flow, but we are not that far from the modern divisions. Morocco originally looks the most likely to retain the unity of the region, and briefly holds it, but otherwise is the most durable unit, with a continuous succession of rulers, despite some moments of anarchy or transition, down to the present.

The Hafsid Amirs, Caliphs, or Sultâns of Tunisia

Yahyâ I 1229-1249
Muhammad I 1249-1277

Seventh Crusade by St. Louis IX, 1270

Yahyâ II 1277-1279
Ibrâhîm I 1279-1283
'Abd al-'Azîz 1283
Ahmad 1283-1284
'Umar I 1284-1295
Muhammad II 1295-1309
Abû Bakr I 1309
Khâlid I 1309-1311, (d.1313)
Zakariyâ' I 1311-1317
Muhammad III 1317-1318
Abû Bakr II 1318-1346
Ahmad I 1346-1347
'Umar II 1347
Marînid rule, 1347-1350
al-Fadl 1350
Ibrâhîm II 1350-1369
Khâlid II 1369-1370
Ahmad II 1370-1394
'Abd al-'Azîz 1394-1425
Abdulraham 1425-1431
(?) 1431-1434
Muhammad Hafsid IV 1434-1435
Uthman Hafsid 1435 - ?
Kedar Tawhid Hafsid ? - ?
Hajji Muhammad Omar Hafsid 1449 - Present

Some information taken from previous courts.

[Shiiuga]

Foreign Ministry

Foreign Relations

Friendly

Mameluk Egyptians

Neutral

Piedmonte

Moldavia-Wallachia

Unfriendly

Knights of Rhodes

Portugal

Hostile

Abbasid Egyptians

Alliances, Pacts and Agreements of Mutual Beneficiency

None

Wars, Conflicts, Boundary Disputes and Battles

Tunisia has become involved in the Egyptian civil war on the side of the Mameluks against the Abbasids.

Emissaries

Tunisian emissaries in other nations

None

Foreign emissaries in Tunis

Magister Manlio Scasì da Tenda - Piedmonte

Treaties

The Almohid Unity and Reconstruction Pact between the Almohid Provences of Algeria, and Tunisia (March 1450)
Mechanical Effects
Military Alliance between Algeria and Tunisia
Algeria and Tunisia give each others armies RoP
Algeria and Tunisia enter into a Trade Agreement
No RoP for other nations (excepting Fez, Morocco and future Iberian Moorish states)

Tunis-Egypt Decree of the year 1460
Mechanical Effects
Military Alliance between Mameluk Egyptians and Tunisia
Mameluk Egyptians and Tunisia give each others armies RoP
Mameluk Egyptians and Tunisia enter into a Trade Agreement
(Note: This treaty will void if Abbasid Egyptians come to power in Egypt)

Second Agreement on Mediterranean Trade
Mechanical Effects
Trade Agreement between ITU (Effectively Piedmonte) and Tunisia

Ottoman-Tunisian Pact of Mutual Alliance & Prosperity
Mechanical Effects
Military Alliance between Ottoman Empire and Tunisia
Ottoman Empire and Tunisia give each others armies RoP
Ottoman Empire and Tunisia enter into a trade agreement

Sultanate Commission to the Casa San Maurizio
Mechanical Effects
Piedmonte loans Tunisia 2 eco (repaid)

Trade Agreement between Moldavia-Wallachia and Tunisia signed in the Year of Our Lord 1451
Mechanical Effects
Trade Agreement between Tunisia and Moldavia-Wallachia

[Shiiuga]

Reserved 5

[Shiiuga]

The Court is Open

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[Calipah]

Tunsia, Eastern Province of the Almohad Empire

A Messenger , wearing the Mameluck noblitiy elbem, arrived to Sfax, asking for audience with the Sultan, repeatively underlying its urgency.He it in full war drab, signfying that a Great bloodbath is occuring in his homeland.

[SaT]

Onto His Grace the most wise & most noble Prince Alius Alsaido, Dux Bellorum in the service of His Royal Highness the Sultan of Tunisia & King of Tripolitania; from Magister Manlius Scasi ex Tenda, master of the guild house of the Lombardian Trade Union in Tunis, duly appointed representative of the Baron Angelo Correano -- greetings & salutations.

Your Grace,

Please let me express the merriment and joy I feel now that the law and order are restored in Tunisia, that the times of calamities and anarchy have finally ended, that the prosperity and calmness have returned to the countryside, and I do sincerely wish this calmness will be preserved and maintained for a long time under the rule of the King Hajji -- may God smile upon this fair realm and upon her King. And I say to Your Grace: the Lombardian Trade Union and the banking house Casa San Maurizio shall never cease to provide help and aid to Tunisia.

Now let me seize the opportunity to remind Your Garce to the rights, liberties and immunities the abovementioned organizations enjoy in Tunisia, as they were detailed in the cordial agreement that was signed by the Vizier Faruq al-Sharay in the name of His Royal Highness the Sultan. And also, I would like to remind Your Grace to the tasks His Royal Highness the Sultan entrusted the Casa San Maurizio with. I send the full text of the agreement and the commission enclosed.

I would like to recieve official confirmation whether or not the abovesaid liberties and commissions are still considered to be in effect -- we heartily hope His Royal Highness the Sultan does not forget the old allies and friends who gave Tunisia so much aid in the hour of need.

In the case Your Grace wishes to have a personal consultation over these matters, or over any other things, I am always at Your Grace’s service and disposal.

Written in the city of Tunis, A.D. MCDLVI ~ A.H. DCCCXXXIV.

Magister Manlio Scasì da Tenda

[Shiiuga]

The Sultan signs an official document and turns to see an attentive messenger bowing humbly at his feet.

"Your grace, I bring a letter from the Piemontese and news of a Mameluk messenger awaiting an urgent audience."

He takes the letter from the messenger and tells him to send the Egyptian in.

[Calipah]

Sultanate palace

The Egyptian prostrated himself upon gaining audience with the Sultan, bowing slightly."My lord, I represent his Lord Abdul Rahman of the Mamelucks.The Abbasids, our overlords , the ones ruling our nation are slaughtering us as we speak!Already they have killed every Mameluck noble in Alexandria, they have surpressed us in Syria and Egypt under the guise of protecting Islam from the Shiite menace from Persia.The Abbasids have gone too far now, and at this pace, their dynasty will assume control of all of Egypt and declare a Caliphate.My lord Abdul Rahman asks for military support against the Abbasids,for he is rebelling with many Mamelucks, anything your lord can spare would be welcome.Abbasid installment would mean bloodshed for Islam for many years to come!"

[Shiiuga]

The Sultan looks at the Egyptian for a second, stroking his beard.

"You ask that I provide you with military or financial support against the Abbasids. However, it occurs to me that the Abbasids are the rightful rulers of Egypt, and have been friends of my country in the past. I am wondering if you can maybe explain further why I should support your claim to overthrow them."

[Calipah]

Sultanate Palace

"They are slaughtering us as we speak!we the Mamelucks ruled Egypt for well over 2 centuries!We have a stronger claim, and then suddenly these Abbasids, coming from the decadent Baghdad, assume control of Egypt and impose their dictatorialship!They recaptured Syria and slaughtered the Shiites, the hated the almohads greatly and almost went to war against the Confederate!They are pure evil!they intend to recreate the Caliphate by the sword, we ask for support!"

[Shiiuga]

The Sultan considers this for a second.

"Hmm. Maybe you are correct. The Mameluk claim on Egypt is stronger than the Abbasid. However, you cannot expect a country as small as Tunisia to take on the Abbasids and win. The size of the Tunisian army pails in comparison to that of the Abbasids, even if we were to recruit. We could not hope to defeat them."

[Calipah]

Sultanate Palace

The Egyptian grinned slightly, he was pleased with the progress he was making "My lord, Tunisian troops marching into Cyrenia and Qatara will be enough for us to put an end to the Abbasids, for every man, woman and child will rise up for the cause"*


*I dont want a real war, just Rp fun to help me declare the Abbasid Caliphate and bring some color to the civil war.

[Shiiuga]

The Sultan writes a quick message to the Mameluk on a scroll.

[Shiiuga]

The Sultan stroked his beard again and ordered a servant to fetch him a drink before turning back to the Mameluk.

"I have come to a decision. You will return to Egypt, and with you you will take news. You will tell the Mameluk people that the Almohads are coming, and they support their claims. In two days I will call the Tunisian army to Tunis and they will march into Cyrenia, where they will split, one half staying there, and one half moving on to Qatara. They will go no further. Any further conflict is not my business."

[Calipah]

Sultanate Palace

The Egyptian smiled "My lord, this is most pleasent news, if the Tunisians can secure Western Egypt, we will be able to hold out until the survivors from the culling can amass in Qatara for a counter attack.I will send news to lord Abdul Rahman,but please my lord, dispatch the forces quickly!I have already gotten word that the Abbasids eredicated most of the Mamluki nobility in the eastern flanks of the empire, our numbers our dwindling.Fair well!" the Egyptian runner quickly rushed through the doors after a gesture of thanks and rode his arabian directly to Egypt.

[Shiiuga]

A huge buzz went around the square as the soldiers went about their preparations for the march. Many were packing supplies or strapping their belongings to their camels. Some sat polishing scimitars, whilst others were engaging in impromptu wrestling matches or other similar contests of strength. All were waiting for the Sultan to come and make his speech before the march.

The main topic of conversation amongst the gathered men was the reason for their march and their destination. The Sultan was not at war with anyone, where could they be going?

"Myself, I think we're going to Tripoli, escorting the Sultan or something, eh?" mused Raafi Issan to noone in particular as he swiped his scimitar through the air in a stylish fashion."

"Reinforcing Al Djazair from nomad attack perhaps?" interjected Hassan Ismail from his seat on top of a crate of food. He picked his scimitar up from its position next to him on the crate and jammed it blade first into the ground, where it wobbled slowly to a halt.

"No, they are strong enough themselves, they don't need help from their 'Almohad brothers'." replied Issan. "I tell you what though, I'm sick of waiting for the damn Sultan to turn up, 'his lordship' must have better things to do." He held his scimitar in his hand, looking intently at it for a few seconds as if he was weighing it in his mind. He turned and hurled it at a nearby tree, embedding it in the trunk, the handle quivering incredibly quickly.

"That was a good shot my friend, aim like that will come in handy fighting the enemy...whoever it is..."

***

Sultan Hajji strode along the corridor that led to the balcony overlooking the square muttering his speech to himself. He pondered to himself whether he was making the right decision. He had no doubt now that the Mameluk was right, they had the stronger claim on the throne of Egypt, the Abbasids were Irakis, and probably infidels, they all were from that area weren't they? He could not shake from his mind the worry that his troops would be crushed by the superior Egyptian forces, however. He just had to trust that his generals were better strategists. As he reached the silk curtains that led out to the balcony he stopped a moment to compose himself. He pushed the curtains aside, took a deep breath and stepped out onto the balcony. The buzz died down to an expectant silence within seconds as 2000 pairs of eyes looked up at him expectantly. He composed himself again and began to speak.

"Gentlemen, I imagine you are wondering why I have summoned you all here. There is a crisis in Egypt. The Mameluks, the rightful claimants to the Egyptian throne are being suppressed by the Abbasid dynasty. Today I was visited by a Mameluk messenger, asking for aid. You are the aid. You will be marching to Cyrenia, where you will likely be met first of all by people joining our cause, to fight on our side, and then secondly by Abbasid resistance. With the added help of the Mameluks you should crush this opposition beneath you like a bug.

Half of you will remain in Cyrenia. The other half, led by General Hossam will continue on to Qatara, where a similar victory should take place. You will depart at dawn tommorow. May Allah be with all of you throughout your campaign, I will be praying for you every day."

The Sultan bowed slightly before backing through the curtains and striding off down the corridor. This was it, he thought, there was no turning back now.

***

"Cyrenia, now there is a surprise!" exclaimed Ismail to Issan.

"We are fighting someone elses stupid civil wars now?! This is beyond ridicule!" shouted Issan, yanking his scimitar from the tree. "The Sultan grows crazier with every sunset!"

"Watch your mouth friend, you do not know who is listening..."

[Calipah]

A Last Stand in El-Amien

The Abbasid contraptions and siege weapons continued laying seige on El-Amien day and night.Lord Abdul Rahman could not see any escape from the eminent peril of the Abbasid scimitar.His men's flimsy palasides and barricades were useless against the battering catapults and rams, his men were drying short as he sent wave after wave to die for the defense of the town.

"My lord, we must evacuate El-Amien to the near by villages, we can no hold on much longer, perhaps we will put up a better fight in the Azzerah Hills" whispered his lieutenant Abdullah bin Zagir as he surveyed the progress of the battle from below.
"Perhaps you are right Abdullah, but El-Amien is our last viable stronghold in the area, losing the city would mean losing the war in the long range" he replied camly, unnerved by the question.
"Allah be praised!We will not be able to turn the tide of th.." He was abrutly interrupted by the coming of a messenger from the West.The Egyptian, looking exhausted gasped for breath and said "Lord Abdul Rahman , a Tunisian force is marching to El-Amein, they have pledged help to our cause!".
"Allah Akbar!lieutenant, provide refreshments and a safe bed for this bearer of good news" he barked happily.
He estimated that the Tunisians would arrive in three days,barely enough time for his soldiers to keep the fight.Though he feared morale would break before the arrival of the Tunisians, or the fall of the Stronghold before then.In the plains of Azzerah, the Abbasid Caliphal Gaurd and the Mameluck rebels slaughtered each other in pitch battle, another clash of death , ending as usual with Mamelucki defeat.He lacked cavalry,and his light infantry and arches could not stand a chance against the superior forces of Bani Abbas.He prayed that the Tunisians would be able to turn the tide of the battle.He dispatched a runner to the Tunisian army...

***

The messenger met the Tunisian army somewhere by the town of Geras, he quickly met witht he leading General and informed them to attak the Abbasids from the South West, meaning they would have to treck the nomadic areas.It would be more effective in routing the Abbasids than a direct attack.

[Shiiuga]

Raafi Issan waited in formation next to Hassan Ismail. Both sat on their horses, one hand on their scimitars, waiting for the order to charge at the enemy they could see lining up in formation on the hill opposite them. The Abbasid army was vast, much bigger than the Tunisians, but they were tired and their supplies depleted.

"We should be able to beat them if we outmanouevre them with our cavalry. We have enough camels," he raised his hand to shade his eyes and squinted at the enemy ranks, "and we have more than they do. We have plenty of help from those peasants that joined us along the way, though they are underequipped, they will make good fodder."

"Yes, we will win, but it will be closely fought. Oh well, a few more notches on the hilt of my scimitar."

"That's a very cynical way of looking at the slaughter of other human beings."

"You have a very cynical way of looking at the Sultan. Why do you distrust him so?"

"You know why? I should be with my wife and son right now, not awaiting potential death at the hands of filthy Egyptians. He is insane, and this time he has gone too far, meddling in a civil war that we should be having nothing to do with. When we get back, things are going to change, I can tell you..."