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I like it! BTW, two brief questions:
1) In Scandinavia, who is the black in the top right? I thought Sweden owned that in 1399.
2) Are you playing vanilla? In which case, are you just making up the Avignon Papacy?
1) In Scandinavia, who is the black in the top right? I thought Sweden owned that in 1399.
2) Are you playing vanilla? In which case, are you just making up the Avignon Papacy?
1) As said before, its permanent terra Incognita. It is the precursor to 'waste land'
2) I'm playing plain vanilla. Though I'm not exactly making up the Avignon Papacy, I am using it to make the AAR more interesting and apply some sense to otherwise randomly generated wars.
Haha, very longthis is going to be insane
insanely long at least ^^
Thanks!This is a mammoth project....GOOD LUCK!
I'm glad you enjoy it!
Book One
Chapter One
1400 - 1405
Russia
1400 A.D.
Russia is a region that has been dominated by various forces throughout history, until recently the region was dominated by the Mongol Khanates, and it still is for the most part. It is only recently that many of the Russian States have become free from their Mongol Masters. Of the Russian states, two are the most powerful: The Republic of Novgorod and the Kingdom of Moscow. The Republic of Novogorod was, perhaps, the more aggressive of the two. In the year 1400 the republic sent a formal insult to a smaller rival republic known as Pskov. Days later an alliance was formed with the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth which lead to the war and annexation of Pskov in the years 1401 and 1402 respectively. The war would not be a simplistic one, however. Both the states of Tver and the Kingdom of Moscow would rally to Pskov's aid. The Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth would quickly leave the war that Novgorod started, signing a white peace with Moscow in 1402 and their alliance with Novgorod would end in 1403.
Novgorod attempted to forge many other alliances. They were rejected by the Kalmar union as well as from the Genoese republic. Eventually Novgorod realized that the only way that they will gain an ally worth keeping would be to force the creation of a client state. This opportunity arose in the form of Tver, a Russian Kingdom, that they were at war with. Tver did not own a lot of land and were thus easily forced into becoming client states after signing away half of their territory to Novgorod. Tver's king was forced to step down as a republic took control. The Kingdom of Moscow would not be defeated so easily. As of the end of 1405 the war between these two forces raged on. Novgorod managed to capture some Russian territories on the immediate border while Moscow managed to capture several territories in the frozen forests to the north. All the while powerful forces surround the region.
The region where the Russian States dwell are surrounded by various predators. To their north there is the powerful Kalmar Union under Erik of Pomerania. That state is immensely powerful so long as it remains united. Novgorod, the more powerful of the states, would be unable to defeat them without significant help. On the coast of the Baltic lies the Teutonic Order, a monastic state where crusaders still maintain their authority and power. Currently they are at war with various other states in the region, but if it ever set its eyes north there is little doubt that Novgorod would be defeated without aid. To the southwest lies the remnants of the once powerful Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth. Now the powerful Kingdom of Lithuania remains locked in a war with its former master in Poland. Lithuania, however, is strong. It may overpower Poland and set its eyes northward for expansion. If they do... Novgorod and Moscow are finished. To the southeast lies the former rulers of the Rodina, the Golden Horde.
While the Golden Horde was devastated by Timur's attack north, it remains very much a powerful force in the region. Upon the election of the new Novgorod leader many chose the military candidate Knyaz Iosif Vorotynsky for the express purposes of uniting the Russian states and resisting the Golden Horde. The Golden Horde could, if it wished, restore their control over the Russian States. At the moment this is not happening due to more powerful threats in the region. The Golden Horde has dealt with pretenders amassing and rebels wishing for freedom. They forged an alliance with the Sultanate of Sindh, the Chagatai Khanate, and the Osman Sultanate, all powerful forces in the world, but all for the direct purpose of containment. The Timurid Empire is far too strong to be ignored. For this, and this alone, Russia remains safe from any possible invasion from the Mongols.
1405 A.D.
Chapter One
1400 - 1405
Russia
1400 A.D.
Russia is a region that has been dominated by various forces throughout history, until recently the region was dominated by the Mongol Khanates, and it still is for the most part. It is only recently that many of the Russian States have become free from their Mongol Masters. Of the Russian states, two are the most powerful: The Republic of Novgorod and the Kingdom of Moscow. The Republic of Novogorod was, perhaps, the more aggressive of the two. In the year 1400 the republic sent a formal insult to a smaller rival republic known as Pskov. Days later an alliance was formed with the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth which lead to the war and annexation of Pskov in the years 1401 and 1402 respectively. The war would not be a simplistic one, however. Both the states of Tver and the Kingdom of Moscow would rally to Pskov's aid. The Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth would quickly leave the war that Novgorod started, signing a white peace with Moscow in 1402 and their alliance with Novgorod would end in 1403.
Novgorod attempted to forge many other alliances. They were rejected by the Kalmar union as well as from the Genoese republic. Eventually Novgorod realized that the only way that they will gain an ally worth keeping would be to force the creation of a client state. This opportunity arose in the form of Tver, a Russian Kingdom, that they were at war with. Tver did not own a lot of land and were thus easily forced into becoming client states after signing away half of their territory to Novgorod. Tver's king was forced to step down as a republic took control. The Kingdom of Moscow would not be defeated so easily. As of the end of 1405 the war between these two forces raged on. Novgorod managed to capture some Russian territories on the immediate border while Moscow managed to capture several territories in the frozen forests to the north. All the while powerful forces surround the region.
The region where the Russian States dwell are surrounded by various predators. To their north there is the powerful Kalmar Union under Erik of Pomerania. That state is immensely powerful so long as it remains united. Novgorod, the more powerful of the states, would be unable to defeat them without significant help. On the coast of the Baltic lies the Teutonic Order, a monastic state where crusaders still maintain their authority and power. Currently they are at war with various other states in the region, but if it ever set its eyes north there is little doubt that Novgorod would be defeated without aid. To the southwest lies the remnants of the once powerful Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth. Now the powerful Kingdom of Lithuania remains locked in a war with its former master in Poland. Lithuania, however, is strong. It may overpower Poland and set its eyes northward for expansion. If they do... Novgorod and Moscow are finished. To the southeast lies the former rulers of the Rodina, the Golden Horde.
While the Golden Horde was devastated by Timur's attack north, it remains very much a powerful force in the region. Upon the election of the new Novgorod leader many chose the military candidate Knyaz Iosif Vorotynsky for the express purposes of uniting the Russian states and resisting the Golden Horde. The Golden Horde could, if it wished, restore their control over the Russian States. At the moment this is not happening due to more powerful threats in the region. The Golden Horde has dealt with pretenders amassing and rebels wishing for freedom. They forged an alliance with the Sultanate of Sindh, the Chagatai Khanate, and the Osman Sultanate, all powerful forces in the world, but all for the direct purpose of containment. The Timurid Empire is far too strong to be ignored. For this, and this alone, Russia remains safe from any possible invasion from the Mongols.
1405 A.D.
Book One
Chapter One
1400 - 1405
Steppe
1400 A.D.
The Steppe is a region where most information is inferred from the records of other nations. The largely nomadic peoples of the steppe are difficult to keep track of and even more difficult to study. What is certain about the Steppe is that it was merely a boundary between three superstates. The Golden Horde ruled the lands north and west of the steppe and was a powerful force in the region. To the south lay the Timurid Empire, still ruled by Timur. And to the far east lay the Empire of China, under the Ming Dynasty. The territory in between the states were divided among relatively weak states. The Nogai Khanate along the Caspian Sea. The Kazakh Khanate ruling the vastness of the steppe. The Chagatai Horde, without a doubt the strongest of the steppe states, ruled along the the mountainous terrain bordering the Oriat. The Oriat Horde was one of two states baring the title "Emperor of the Yuan Dynasty" and one of three to claim to rule China. This state, however, while large is tragically fragile.
While it is easy enough to identify the states that rule there, it is difficult to recall what happened in these regions without relying heavily on outside sources. The Golden Horde, for instance, is known to have made allies in the region, specifically the Chagatai Khanate, to act as a counter balance to the growing Timurid Empire, while the Timurid Empire is known to have guaranteed the Chagatai Khanate's independence and territorial sovereignty a year later in 1401. Many accounts, often in conflict, lead to a rather incomplete picture of the Steppe. It would not be until the year 1405 where Sardinian chroniclers took up residence in the steppe to better catalog and understand the regions.
With regards towards the Nogai information is more plentiful, not only because the Nogai are closer to the west, but because the Nogai were known to have cities along the Caspian sea and some records from this time period do survive. It appears that while the Golden Horde was eager to form an alliance with the Chagatai Khanate, the Golden Horde did not share this desire with the Nogai, officially insulting their Khan in the year 1400. However, just because the Golden Horde was uninterested in allying with the state did not mean that no one was. Later on in that same year the Mameluk Malik would forge an alliance with the state to counteract the growing Timurid Presence in the region. The Nogai would also ally with the Sultanate of Candar. As both states went to war with the Timurid Horde the Nogai broke off the alliance. This dishonor of their bonds earned the state two guarantees, one from the Golden Horde and one from the Timurid Horde.
I am not certain as to why this occurred. It is obvious that there is something missing. While the Nogai were better with record keeping there appears to be very little reason for these actions. The Timurid Empire could well have struck up a deal with the Nogai Khan in exchange for not going to war with them earlier. Or it could be a mutual recognition by both the Golden Horde and the Timurid Empire to avoid any possible border to prevent future wars. No further record of the state would be found until the year 1405. Now if we compare the records of the Chagatai and the Nogai, we will find that the Nogai records superior in every way, but both would be superior to the Kazakh Khanate which is only known, oddly, for the exact same military arrangement that the Nogai went through. Allying with the Mameluks and Candar, and betraying them, only to be a guaranteed buffer state. While these facts are hardly questioned by the modern day community, I doubt this. Either the Kazakhs and Nogai were the same entity for this period of time or they were treated equally by several surrounding states. At least, however, they were known for something. The Oriat Horde is only known for one event:
Going to war with another obscure nation known as Tibet. While we know next to nothing about the Steppe now, I can say with certainty when we have access to Sardinian historians' works inside the Steppe we will be able to maintain a greater degree of understanding in this region.
1405 A.D.
Chapter One
1400 - 1405
Steppe
1400 A.D.
The Steppe is a region where most information is inferred from the records of other nations. The largely nomadic peoples of the steppe are difficult to keep track of and even more difficult to study. What is certain about the Steppe is that it was merely a boundary between three superstates. The Golden Horde ruled the lands north and west of the steppe and was a powerful force in the region. To the south lay the Timurid Empire, still ruled by Timur. And to the far east lay the Empire of China, under the Ming Dynasty. The territory in between the states were divided among relatively weak states. The Nogai Khanate along the Caspian Sea. The Kazakh Khanate ruling the vastness of the steppe. The Chagatai Horde, without a doubt the strongest of the steppe states, ruled along the the mountainous terrain bordering the Oriat. The Oriat Horde was one of two states baring the title "Emperor of the Yuan Dynasty" and one of three to claim to rule China. This state, however, while large is tragically fragile.
While it is easy enough to identify the states that rule there, it is difficult to recall what happened in these regions without relying heavily on outside sources. The Golden Horde, for instance, is known to have made allies in the region, specifically the Chagatai Khanate, to act as a counter balance to the growing Timurid Empire, while the Timurid Empire is known to have guaranteed the Chagatai Khanate's independence and territorial sovereignty a year later in 1401. Many accounts, often in conflict, lead to a rather incomplete picture of the Steppe. It would not be until the year 1405 where Sardinian chroniclers took up residence in the steppe to better catalog and understand the regions.
With regards towards the Nogai information is more plentiful, not only because the Nogai are closer to the west, but because the Nogai were known to have cities along the Caspian sea and some records from this time period do survive. It appears that while the Golden Horde was eager to form an alliance with the Chagatai Khanate, the Golden Horde did not share this desire with the Nogai, officially insulting their Khan in the year 1400. However, just because the Golden Horde was uninterested in allying with the state did not mean that no one was. Later on in that same year the Mameluk Malik would forge an alliance with the state to counteract the growing Timurid Presence in the region. The Nogai would also ally with the Sultanate of Candar. As both states went to war with the Timurid Horde the Nogai broke off the alliance. This dishonor of their bonds earned the state two guarantees, one from the Golden Horde and one from the Timurid Horde.
I am not certain as to why this occurred. It is obvious that there is something missing. While the Nogai were better with record keeping there appears to be very little reason for these actions. The Timurid Empire could well have struck up a deal with the Nogai Khan in exchange for not going to war with them earlier. Or it could be a mutual recognition by both the Golden Horde and the Timurid Empire to avoid any possible border to prevent future wars. No further record of the state would be found until the year 1405. Now if we compare the records of the Chagatai and the Nogai, we will find that the Nogai records superior in every way, but both would be superior to the Kazakh Khanate which is only known, oddly, for the exact same military arrangement that the Nogai went through. Allying with the Mameluks and Candar, and betraying them, only to be a guaranteed buffer state. While these facts are hardly questioned by the modern day community, I doubt this. Either the Kazakhs and Nogai were the same entity for this period of time or they were treated equally by several surrounding states. At least, however, they were known for something. The Oriat Horde is only known for one event:
Going to war with another obscure nation known as Tibet. While we know next to nothing about the Steppe now, I can say with certainty when we have access to Sardinian historians' works inside the Steppe we will be able to maintain a greater degree of understanding in this region.
1405 A.D.
Book One
Chapter One
1400 - 1405
Persia
1400 A.D.
Persia at the dawn of the fifteenth century was without a doubt the domain of the great Khagan Timur, warlord of all of the Timurid Empire. When the new century arose the great empire of Timur was already at war with a number of states. The Kingdom of Georgia, the Osman Sultanate, and the Jalayirid Khanate all were at war with Timur at the time. Records, however, as with many Steppe based peoples are based on other records for support. What we know of Timur's campaigns has primarily come from the Osmans and the Georgians. These records will improve significantly as the Timurid Empire becomes more solidified. The Timurid invasion of Georgia was a brief one. Georgia's armies were destroyed without Timur's forces suffering any heavy casualties. This worked in their favor as Timur was relatively lenient in his sacking of Georgia allowing it to rebuild over the next few years to the point where it could win a war against the Sultanate of Candar.
The Jalayirid Khanate was invaded by Timur because it was one of the last remaining remnants of the Il Khanate that was not completely under his control. The Qara Koyunlu state, while independent of Timur, had readily acknowledged Timur as his better. The war with the Jalayirids would take longer and result in stiffer casualties so Timur was not as forgiving. All resources the Jalayirids had were immediately transferred to Timur as well as one of the more profitable territories (Mosul) as well as the recognition of Timur as the Jalayirid khan's superior. While Timur could have done far worse, the Khanate suffered various economic downturns and suffered greatly from the action still reeling from rebellion and public discontent several years after the conflict ended. Even so, after the Jalayirid Khan recognized Timur as his better, Timur guaranteed the independence of the state.
With the Osman Sultanate we encounter something interesting, here the war lasted much longer. For three years the Osman Sultanate battled with Timur and neither side could effectively defeat the other. The war ultimately ended with the transfer of Angora to Timur's ever expanding empire and the recognition of Sivas as a rightful territory in the Timurid Empire. Neither side was completely beaten making the Osman state the first and only state to resist Timur successfully. Over the next few years Timur and the Osmans would battle for control over the smaller Turkish States, Karaman, Dulkadir, and Candar would be the battlefield of diplomacy and the future proving ground for alliances as war would inevitably come to the region.
Apart from finishing these three wars Timur oddly did not pursue any further military action. He did not march into China to restore the Yuan Empire as he had planned, nor did he launch yet another punitive expedition into Delhi for the muslim rulers were being too soft on their inferior Hindu populous. Instead Timur spent the next few years locked in a game of brinksmanship with the Golden Horde. Guarantees were placed on all Khanates that bordered both the Golden Horde and the Timurid Empire. Insults were sent to various Khanates that were getting too close to the Horde and warnings were set out to the Chagatai after an alliance was forged between them and the Golden horde. While Timur fears no man, certainly not a Horde he devastated not a decade ago, current historical opinion is that Timur was focusing on securing his newly established empire before he headed off yet again into war. The truth? It is impossible to tell, Sardinian Historians rarely had contact with Timur.
1405 A.D.
Chapter One
1400 - 1405
Persia
1400 A.D.
Persia at the dawn of the fifteenth century was without a doubt the domain of the great Khagan Timur, warlord of all of the Timurid Empire. When the new century arose the great empire of Timur was already at war with a number of states. The Kingdom of Georgia, the Osman Sultanate, and the Jalayirid Khanate all were at war with Timur at the time. Records, however, as with many Steppe based peoples are based on other records for support. What we know of Timur's campaigns has primarily come from the Osmans and the Georgians. These records will improve significantly as the Timurid Empire becomes more solidified. The Timurid invasion of Georgia was a brief one. Georgia's armies were destroyed without Timur's forces suffering any heavy casualties. This worked in their favor as Timur was relatively lenient in his sacking of Georgia allowing it to rebuild over the next few years to the point where it could win a war against the Sultanate of Candar.
The Jalayirid Khanate was invaded by Timur because it was one of the last remaining remnants of the Il Khanate that was not completely under his control. The Qara Koyunlu state, while independent of Timur, had readily acknowledged Timur as his better. The war with the Jalayirids would take longer and result in stiffer casualties so Timur was not as forgiving. All resources the Jalayirids had were immediately transferred to Timur as well as one of the more profitable territories (Mosul) as well as the recognition of Timur as the Jalayirid khan's superior. While Timur could have done far worse, the Khanate suffered various economic downturns and suffered greatly from the action still reeling from rebellion and public discontent several years after the conflict ended. Even so, after the Jalayirid Khan recognized Timur as his better, Timur guaranteed the independence of the state.
With the Osman Sultanate we encounter something interesting, here the war lasted much longer. For three years the Osman Sultanate battled with Timur and neither side could effectively defeat the other. The war ultimately ended with the transfer of Angora to Timur's ever expanding empire and the recognition of Sivas as a rightful territory in the Timurid Empire. Neither side was completely beaten making the Osman state the first and only state to resist Timur successfully. Over the next few years Timur and the Osmans would battle for control over the smaller Turkish States, Karaman, Dulkadir, and Candar would be the battlefield of diplomacy and the future proving ground for alliances as war would inevitably come to the region.
Apart from finishing these three wars Timur oddly did not pursue any further military action. He did not march into China to restore the Yuan Empire as he had planned, nor did he launch yet another punitive expedition into Delhi for the muslim rulers were being too soft on their inferior Hindu populous. Instead Timur spent the next few years locked in a game of brinksmanship with the Golden Horde. Guarantees were placed on all Khanates that bordered both the Golden Horde and the Timurid Empire. Insults were sent to various Khanates that were getting too close to the Horde and warnings were set out to the Chagatai after an alliance was forged between them and the Golden horde. While Timur fears no man, certainly not a Horde he devastated not a decade ago, current historical opinion is that Timur was focusing on securing his newly established empire before he headed off yet again into war. The truth? It is impossible to tell, Sardinian Historians rarely had contact with Timur.
1405 A.D.
Book One
Chapter One
1400 - 1405
The Middle East
1400 A.D.
The Middle East is sometimes referred to as the sandbox of the world and not just for the vast multitudes of sand that exist there. It is also a mess of contradiction where earthly desires are often at odds with faith. While it pains me to bring up Dickens, he wrote something that could readily be adapted to this situation (even if it was more regarding Paris): The Middle East was born of two loves, the earthly love of thyself, even to the contempt of God, and the heavenly love of God, even to the contempt of thyself. These two loves form two allegiances and often lead to the separation and recognition of two separate regions known as the Middle East, the religious world and the materialistic world are blended and repel each other in a near constant dance. In the religious world we have the holy cities of Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem and we have the two faiths of Islam, Sunni and Shiite. This influences the daily lives of the populous to a great extent rivaled perhaps only by a union between Constantinople and Rome, should such a union ever occur.
The materialistic world of the Middle East is by far more visible from the eyes of a historian. The Middle East was dominated by two powers, the Mongols to the North and the Mamluke Sulanate to the west. Both competed for control of relatively tiny and minor Arabic States, none more equal than the other, though Haasa is clearly the weakest with only the city to its name. The Mongols to the north are divided into two groups, the Timurid Empire, which was the dominant force in the region (as well as many others), and the Jalayirid Khanate, a far more established state in the region. The Jalayirids provide a buffer protecting the Middle East from the wrath of Timur, should he dare attempt an invasion. This buffer, however, is fragile. A Timurid invasion had crippled the state where rebels and pretenders rise and fall in the spread of a few years. In addition the religious face of the Middle East shows itself, a struggle is going on inside the Jalayirids between the Shiites and the Sunnis.
The shiites used to rule the state as the Jalayirids were under the Il Khanate, but later when the state began to crumble and the Jalayirids assumed complete autonomy the government's main faith began to shift from shiite to Sunni. In recent years nearly all the leadership of the Jalayirid Khanate is sunni whilst the capital province and several surrounding territories remain Shiite. While the Jalayirids have made very little moves towards the populous to change to the Sunni version of Islam, the populous has become more incline to produce religious fanatics in times of crisis and economic strife and so religious rebels are prevalent, in a particularly embarassing turn of events the Jalayirid capital was captured by religious fanatics demanding a return to Shiite Islam, this failed and the Jalayirid Khan was forced to bring the full force of his army among the populous of his own capital to restore order. Sunni Islam is not without its supporters as many territories to the west follow the faith leading the state into a difficult position.
Regarding the west things are not so quiet. The Mameluke Sultanate was one of the most powerful states that was Arabic in origin. The Mamelukes, however, claimed to be the true defenders of the Islamic Faith. In 1403 the Mamelukes went to war with the state of Hedjaz and over the course of a year would severely cripple it and rob it of all its territories apart from Mecca itself. Medina, however, would be added the the Mameluke collection of Holy Cities. Should it receive the last one, there is little doubt that they would become a new Caliphate. Other powers in Arabia include the Sultanate of Nejd which while large controls a large number of Shiite states. Then there is the Sultanate of Yemen, a powerful force that that rules a group of islands off to the south and east of the Middle East, the only power to do so. Then there is the state of Oman, the oldest and possibly the most powerful (though not by much) state inside Arabia. While the state is technically Ibadhi state, many do not draw this distinction and refer to them as Shiites. The Middle east is indeed a tale of two allegiances, what its situation will be in another five years is anyone's guess.
1405 A.D.
Chapter One
1400 - 1405
The Middle East
1400 A.D.
The Middle East is sometimes referred to as the sandbox of the world and not just for the vast multitudes of sand that exist there. It is also a mess of contradiction where earthly desires are often at odds with faith. While it pains me to bring up Dickens, he wrote something that could readily be adapted to this situation (even if it was more regarding Paris): The Middle East was born of two loves, the earthly love of thyself, even to the contempt of God, and the heavenly love of God, even to the contempt of thyself. These two loves form two allegiances and often lead to the separation and recognition of two separate regions known as the Middle East, the religious world and the materialistic world are blended and repel each other in a near constant dance. In the religious world we have the holy cities of Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem and we have the two faiths of Islam, Sunni and Shiite. This influences the daily lives of the populous to a great extent rivaled perhaps only by a union between Constantinople and Rome, should such a union ever occur.
The materialistic world of the Middle East is by far more visible from the eyes of a historian. The Middle East was dominated by two powers, the Mongols to the North and the Mamluke Sulanate to the west. Both competed for control of relatively tiny and minor Arabic States, none more equal than the other, though Haasa is clearly the weakest with only the city to its name. The Mongols to the north are divided into two groups, the Timurid Empire, which was the dominant force in the region (as well as many others), and the Jalayirid Khanate, a far more established state in the region. The Jalayirids provide a buffer protecting the Middle East from the wrath of Timur, should he dare attempt an invasion. This buffer, however, is fragile. A Timurid invasion had crippled the state where rebels and pretenders rise and fall in the spread of a few years. In addition the religious face of the Middle East shows itself, a struggle is going on inside the Jalayirids between the Shiites and the Sunnis.
The shiites used to rule the state as the Jalayirids were under the Il Khanate, but later when the state began to crumble and the Jalayirids assumed complete autonomy the government's main faith began to shift from shiite to Sunni. In recent years nearly all the leadership of the Jalayirid Khanate is sunni whilst the capital province and several surrounding territories remain Shiite. While the Jalayirids have made very little moves towards the populous to change to the Sunni version of Islam, the populous has become more incline to produce religious fanatics in times of crisis and economic strife and so religious rebels are prevalent, in a particularly embarassing turn of events the Jalayirid capital was captured by religious fanatics demanding a return to Shiite Islam, this failed and the Jalayirid Khan was forced to bring the full force of his army among the populous of his own capital to restore order. Sunni Islam is not without its supporters as many territories to the west follow the faith leading the state into a difficult position.
Regarding the west things are not so quiet. The Mameluke Sultanate was one of the most powerful states that was Arabic in origin. The Mamelukes, however, claimed to be the true defenders of the Islamic Faith. In 1403 the Mamelukes went to war with the state of Hedjaz and over the course of a year would severely cripple it and rob it of all its territories apart from Mecca itself. Medina, however, would be added the the Mameluke collection of Holy Cities. Should it receive the last one, there is little doubt that they would become a new Caliphate. Other powers in Arabia include the Sultanate of Nejd which while large controls a large number of Shiite states. Then there is the Sultanate of Yemen, a powerful force that that rules a group of islands off to the south and east of the Middle East, the only power to do so. Then there is the state of Oman, the oldest and possibly the most powerful (though not by much) state inside Arabia. While the state is technically Ibadhi state, many do not draw this distinction and refer to them as Shiites. The Middle east is indeed a tale of two allegiances, what its situation will be in another five years is anyone's guess.
1405 A.D.
Thanks, I was reading an exert from a Tale of Two Cities and I thought it could be aptly applied to the Middle East.
Book One
Chapter One
1400 - 1405
North Africa
1400 A.D.
North Africa was a placed often referred to as the area where Europe and the world beyond begins to blur. This may have been the case, but I prefer to think of the Steppe and the Balkans as a far more apt place to make this description, nevertheless it is impossible to ignore that the states of North Africa share a close relationship with Europe above and that they are divided far more by faith than they are by level of civilization. There were four states that exist inside the northern portion of the African continental mass, but these were not all created equal. The Sultanate of Morocco was without a doubt the stronger of the four, with the Algiers in a close second. Far lower in the scales of power lay the Sultanate of Tunisia and then there is the Tuareg state of Tripoli. The region, however, is not separate and is often the victim of Christians and Muslims alike. To the north various kingdoms lust for North Africa's wealth and to launch yet more crusades. To the east lay the Mamluke Sultanate which has always shown a keen interest in acquiring the rest of North Africa.
This does not mean that North Africa has banded together to fight off these outside influences. In fact it is quite the contrary, Morocco and the Algiers bicker with each other over petty land and distinction of being the strongest in the region. As the wheels of political change continued to turn Morocco's Sultan sent an insult to the Sultan of the Algiers. Morocco immediately forged ties with the Sultanate of Tunisia preparing for war with the Algiers Sultanate. These plans were put on hold when a massive uprising occurred in February. The revolt was put down sometime in August after many painstaking months. The Sultanate of Morocco also forged an alliance with the Emirate of Granada. This revolt had damaged Morocco's army and economy leading towards a period of rebuilding and many trade agreements with other powers, often having to guarantee their nations territorial sovereignty to get them earning Morocco the ire of the Mamelukes.
The Algiers Sultanate was no where near as troubled and focused on creating a massive navy and army. It knew that it could not hope to compete in a two front war forcing the Algiers to try to fight better than their opponents. This is where the navy came in, so the Algiers could smash Morocco's navy and send in troops far from the front lines. In addition forces continued to build up around Tunisia so that they can be knocked out of the war quickly and efficiently so it does not stay a two fronted war for long. Towards this end the Algiers forged an alliance with Granada to effectively make the small state neutral. The Sultanate of Tripoli was also allied with in order to counterbalance Tunisia should they be harder to overcome than expected. The Algiers would also go to war with the Turkish State of Dulkadir over Candar. The Algiers would actually win this war earning a single ducat for its troubles. Tripoli would not be so lucky, being defeated by the Mamelukes (also in the war) and taking a third of their territory. Should the Mamelukes grow too powerful Morocco's and the Algiers' plan for war may be put on hold, indefinitely.
1405 A.D.
Chapter One
1400 - 1405
North Africa
1400 A.D.
North Africa was a placed often referred to as the area where Europe and the world beyond begins to blur. This may have been the case, but I prefer to think of the Steppe and the Balkans as a far more apt place to make this description, nevertheless it is impossible to ignore that the states of North Africa share a close relationship with Europe above and that they are divided far more by faith than they are by level of civilization. There were four states that exist inside the northern portion of the African continental mass, but these were not all created equal. The Sultanate of Morocco was without a doubt the stronger of the four, with the Algiers in a close second. Far lower in the scales of power lay the Sultanate of Tunisia and then there is the Tuareg state of Tripoli. The region, however, is not separate and is often the victim of Christians and Muslims alike. To the north various kingdoms lust for North Africa's wealth and to launch yet more crusades. To the east lay the Mamluke Sultanate which has always shown a keen interest in acquiring the rest of North Africa.
This does not mean that North Africa has banded together to fight off these outside influences. In fact it is quite the contrary, Morocco and the Algiers bicker with each other over petty land and distinction of being the strongest in the region. As the wheels of political change continued to turn Morocco's Sultan sent an insult to the Sultan of the Algiers. Morocco immediately forged ties with the Sultanate of Tunisia preparing for war with the Algiers Sultanate. These plans were put on hold when a massive uprising occurred in February. The revolt was put down sometime in August after many painstaking months. The Sultanate of Morocco also forged an alliance with the Emirate of Granada. This revolt had damaged Morocco's army and economy leading towards a period of rebuilding and many trade agreements with other powers, often having to guarantee their nations territorial sovereignty to get them earning Morocco the ire of the Mamelukes.
The Algiers Sultanate was no where near as troubled and focused on creating a massive navy and army. It knew that it could not hope to compete in a two front war forcing the Algiers to try to fight better than their opponents. This is where the navy came in, so the Algiers could smash Morocco's navy and send in troops far from the front lines. In addition forces continued to build up around Tunisia so that they can be knocked out of the war quickly and efficiently so it does not stay a two fronted war for long. Towards this end the Algiers forged an alliance with Granada to effectively make the small state neutral. The Sultanate of Tripoli was also allied with in order to counterbalance Tunisia should they be harder to overcome than expected. The Algiers would also go to war with the Turkish State of Dulkadir over Candar. The Algiers would actually win this war earning a single ducat for its troubles. Tripoli would not be so lucky, being defeated by the Mamelukes (also in the war) and taking a third of their territory. Should the Mamelukes grow too powerful Morocco's and the Algiers' plan for war may be put on hold, indefinitely.
1405 A.D.
Book One
Chapter One
1400 - 1405
India
1400 A.D.
As much as the Middle East is a war between two allegiances and North Africa is a bridge between two worlds, India is a place where two faiths collide far more prevalently than anywhere else. The Islamic forces from the west have established themselves in the primarily Hindu region and has met fierce resistance ever since. India, unlike those other regions, was full of many various and powerful states. The Delhi Sultanate, the Deccan Sultanate, the Gujarat Sultanate, the Bengali Sultanate, the Vijayanagara Kingdom, the Mysore Kingdom, the Sultanate of Sindh, the Kingdom of Rajputa, The Kingdom of Orissa, and the Sultanate of Bihar, along with several other more minor states made up the geo-political landscape of the region. Due to the sheer number of wars and major powers attacking one another many records have been destroyed or fragmented, among those that remain viable there is clear bias towards and against the opposite faith or strong rivals.
A particularly strong instance where this has occurred is the Delhi-Bihar war. It is uncertain whether or not this was a single conflict or multiple conflicts within the space of five years. It is unknown if it was started by Delhi or Bihar. What is known is that it started over the various wars against the Bengal Sultanate. The Sultanate of Delhi, in spite of having numerical superiority in almost every fashion lost the conflict and was forced to cede on of its most profitable provinces to Bihar. The Delhi ally in Bengal was not left off so easily. Bihar had destroyed the country and pushed it to the brink. In a cruel twist of fate it had only requested a single province from them which promted the Kingdom of Assam to launch their invasion which did far more harm to the state. Bengal would be reduced to its capital and the surrounding area while Assam robbed them of half their empire as well as supporting a pretender to Bengal's position in the form of Deva Bengal, a more Hindu version of itself.
There is too much confusion over the matter to fully understand why or how this occurred. A similar instance revolves around the Sultanate of Sindh, Gujarat, and the Kingdom of Rajputa. The Kingdom of Rajputa had declared war on Sindh. For some reason Sindh's allies largely did not come to their aid. The one power that did was the Golden Horde which was far too far away to help. The Kingdom of Rajputa would go on to cripple Sindh and leave them only with a minor territory. The Sultanate of Gujarat, an ally of Sindh, for some reason decided to enter the war only after Sindh had lost and their war would end in a success, but not a decisive one. No one is certain why Gujarat did not immediately come to their aid, nor is anyone truly certain what caused the war. Sindh claimed Rajputa, Rajputa blamed Sindh, and Gujarat only records a 'conflict' and 'resolution'.
More wars have occurred, albeit leading to inconclusive results. The Vijayanagara-Mysore conflict apparently started over an insulting statement from a Mysore retainer. It was used as an excuse for war in which Vijayanagara won quickly. Orissa got into a conflict with Bengal as all the surrounding forces were attacking it, but made no territorial gains from the conflict, as it is hard to do so when the entire country is occupied. The Sultanate of Kandesh forged marital ties to both Deccan and Delhi in order to solidify its rather tenuous position. What we know about events not pertaining to war are exceedingly rare before the advent of Sardinian Historians. Mysore reportedly executed hundreds of artisans that complained about their treatment to the Mysore King. Orissa's king embraced a foul reputation, what this reputation was is largely unknown some theories range from him taking on a mistress to him killing his brother. Thankfully we will have better records from now on because trying to piece together fact from fiction is a nearly impossible task.
1405 A.D.
Chapter One
1400 - 1405
India
1400 A.D.
As much as the Middle East is a war between two allegiances and North Africa is a bridge between two worlds, India is a place where two faiths collide far more prevalently than anywhere else. The Islamic forces from the west have established themselves in the primarily Hindu region and has met fierce resistance ever since. India, unlike those other regions, was full of many various and powerful states. The Delhi Sultanate, the Deccan Sultanate, the Gujarat Sultanate, the Bengali Sultanate, the Vijayanagara Kingdom, the Mysore Kingdom, the Sultanate of Sindh, the Kingdom of Rajputa, The Kingdom of Orissa, and the Sultanate of Bihar, along with several other more minor states made up the geo-political landscape of the region. Due to the sheer number of wars and major powers attacking one another many records have been destroyed or fragmented, among those that remain viable there is clear bias towards and against the opposite faith or strong rivals.
A particularly strong instance where this has occurred is the Delhi-Bihar war. It is uncertain whether or not this was a single conflict or multiple conflicts within the space of five years. It is unknown if it was started by Delhi or Bihar. What is known is that it started over the various wars against the Bengal Sultanate. The Sultanate of Delhi, in spite of having numerical superiority in almost every fashion lost the conflict and was forced to cede on of its most profitable provinces to Bihar. The Delhi ally in Bengal was not left off so easily. Bihar had destroyed the country and pushed it to the brink. In a cruel twist of fate it had only requested a single province from them which promted the Kingdom of Assam to launch their invasion which did far more harm to the state. Bengal would be reduced to its capital and the surrounding area while Assam robbed them of half their empire as well as supporting a pretender to Bengal's position in the form of Deva Bengal, a more Hindu version of itself.
There is too much confusion over the matter to fully understand why or how this occurred. A similar instance revolves around the Sultanate of Sindh, Gujarat, and the Kingdom of Rajputa. The Kingdom of Rajputa had declared war on Sindh. For some reason Sindh's allies largely did not come to their aid. The one power that did was the Golden Horde which was far too far away to help. The Kingdom of Rajputa would go on to cripple Sindh and leave them only with a minor territory. The Sultanate of Gujarat, an ally of Sindh, for some reason decided to enter the war only after Sindh had lost and their war would end in a success, but not a decisive one. No one is certain why Gujarat did not immediately come to their aid, nor is anyone truly certain what caused the war. Sindh claimed Rajputa, Rajputa blamed Sindh, and Gujarat only records a 'conflict' and 'resolution'.
More wars have occurred, albeit leading to inconclusive results. The Vijayanagara-Mysore conflict apparently started over an insulting statement from a Mysore retainer. It was used as an excuse for war in which Vijayanagara won quickly. Orissa got into a conflict with Bengal as all the surrounding forces were attacking it, but made no territorial gains from the conflict, as it is hard to do so when the entire country is occupied. The Sultanate of Kandesh forged marital ties to both Deccan and Delhi in order to solidify its rather tenuous position. What we know about events not pertaining to war are exceedingly rare before the advent of Sardinian Historians. Mysore reportedly executed hundreds of artisans that complained about their treatment to the Mysore King. Orissa's king embraced a foul reputation, what this reputation was is largely unknown some theories range from him taking on a mistress to him killing his brother. Thankfully we will have better records from now on because trying to piece together fact from fiction is a nearly impossible task.
1405 A.D.
Book One
Chapter One
1400 - 1405
The Far East
1400 A.D.
The Far East was the domain of the Ming Dynasty, everything else were clients or indirect client states. The Ming Dynasty is one of the premier empires in the world separated from the west only due to distance and the forces of Islam. In terms of power the Ming Dynasty could, at the moment, challenge even the most powerful countries. There is little doubt that Timur would have trouble keeping himself from being overrun. However the states surrounding the Ming are small and give the Ming their nominal vassalage. The Manchurian Horde often considered the next most powerful force on the mainland is light years below the Ming and often bows their head ever so slightly to prevent complete and utter defeat. The Kingdom of Korea is next, though is much weaker than its northern neighbor and its Ming master. Its navy is small, but useful. Which is what allowed the small state to triumph over the far weaker state of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
The Ryukyu Kingdom was a vassal of the Chinese and the Japanese. They were, however, a weak state. In the year 1400 it opted to end its vassalage to both the Japanese and the Chinese in a movement designed for the island nation to assert its independence. In reality it was little more than committing suicide. While both China and Japan were unhappy with it and planning for war they would move far too slowly for Korea's tastes which declared war within a single week of the secession of political ties. The Koreans would conquer and annex the islands focusing on crafting it and shaping it to their will by enforcing Confucianism on the populous. While it is incredibly unlikely this coupled with massive immigrations from Korea appears to have made the island forget its otherwise ancient ancestry and become Korean.
Other client states to China include the Mongol Khanate and the Tibetan Princedoms. The Mongol Khanate was one of two states to claim the title of Yuan Emperor, and one of three states to claim to be the Emperor of China. They were, however, humbled when the actual Emperor of China forced them into a form of protective guard against the other Khanate. The Oriat Horde, while much larger than the Mongol Khanate, was strangely far weaker. The Oriats invaded the Tibetan Princedoms and would be defeated and lose part of their own territory inspite of Tibet's rather poor land and poorer people. The Far East is indeed the domain of China, how this will change and what it will be in the next few years is impossible to say, but it would be safe to assume that China will become stronger before it becomes weaker.
1405 A.D.
Chapter One
1400 - 1405
The Far East
1400 A.D.
The Far East was the domain of the Ming Dynasty, everything else were clients or indirect client states. The Ming Dynasty is one of the premier empires in the world separated from the west only due to distance and the forces of Islam. In terms of power the Ming Dynasty could, at the moment, challenge even the most powerful countries. There is little doubt that Timur would have trouble keeping himself from being overrun. However the states surrounding the Ming are small and give the Ming their nominal vassalage. The Manchurian Horde often considered the next most powerful force on the mainland is light years below the Ming and often bows their head ever so slightly to prevent complete and utter defeat. The Kingdom of Korea is next, though is much weaker than its northern neighbor and its Ming master. Its navy is small, but useful. Which is what allowed the small state to triumph over the far weaker state of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
The Ryukyu Kingdom was a vassal of the Chinese and the Japanese. They were, however, a weak state. In the year 1400 it opted to end its vassalage to both the Japanese and the Chinese in a movement designed for the island nation to assert its independence. In reality it was little more than committing suicide. While both China and Japan were unhappy with it and planning for war they would move far too slowly for Korea's tastes which declared war within a single week of the secession of political ties. The Koreans would conquer and annex the islands focusing on crafting it and shaping it to their will by enforcing Confucianism on the populous. While it is incredibly unlikely this coupled with massive immigrations from Korea appears to have made the island forget its otherwise ancient ancestry and become Korean.
Other client states to China include the Mongol Khanate and the Tibetan Princedoms. The Mongol Khanate was one of two states to claim the title of Yuan Emperor, and one of three states to claim to be the Emperor of China. They were, however, humbled when the actual Emperor of China forced them into a form of protective guard against the other Khanate. The Oriat Horde, while much larger than the Mongol Khanate, was strangely far weaker. The Oriats invaded the Tibetan Princedoms and would be defeated and lose part of their own territory inspite of Tibet's rather poor land and poorer people. The Far East is indeed the domain of China, how this will change and what it will be in the next few years is impossible to say, but it would be safe to assume that China will become stronger before it becomes weaker.
1405 A.D.
Book One
Chapter One
1400 - 1405
Southeast Asia
1400 A.D.
Southeast Asia is a composite of Indian and Muslim influence as well as Chinese dominance. There are a lot of different states taking up much of the region, however there is no clear state that dominates the region apart from China, which exists in a scale based for its own needs. To the Northwest we have the Burmese Kingdom of Taungu. Its neighbors include the minor Muslim state of Arakan and the powerful Shan states. To its south lay the Kingdom of Pegu. Bordering Pegu is the powerful state of Ayutthaya, or Siam. To the north are minor Thai states and to the east lay the state of Khmer which in turn borders Champa and Lan Xiang. The final pieces of the north is Dai Viet, but further south lay the Sultanate of Malacca, Aceh, and Brunei. None of these states are vastly powerful, apart from a few minors these states are all on relatively even terms. Taungu appears to be the more powerful state, but it is marginally so (if at all).
Due to the overbearing nature of the Ming Dynasty many of the states inside Southeast Asia do not often come to blows. When they do it is almost always due to absolute necessity for survival, or when opportunities arrive that are too rare to ignore. Two wars existed in the five year period, but only one would be largely ignored. This surrounded the annexation of Sukhotai by Chaing Mai. It was a war between two minor states that was hardly noticed and it occurred in early 1400. The second revolved around the ill fated invasion of Malacca by the Kingdom of Siam (Ayutthaya). Malacca, however, was guaranteed by the Ming Dynasty which made the war take a tragic turn for Siam forcing them to lose some land, a great amount of cash, and a huge loss in terms of regional prestige. Even so, these two exchanges of land did little to upset the balance of power in the region.
A third war, however, would begin in the year 1405 causing some amount of confusion. The conflict effectively had Southeast Asia draw sides in the Conflict as the Ming opted to stay out of this renewed Ayutthaya-Malacca conflict. The Muslim Sultanates of Aceh, Brunei, and Malacca went to war with Ayutthaya supported by Taungu. This renewed conflict is often seen as a continuation of religious conflict in the region. The war would end inconclusively, but it allows me to clearly identify how clearly religion plays a role in Southeast Asia. There are the relatively neutral Hindus in Champa. There are the overbearing Confucians of China. There are the Buddhists that occupy much of Southeast Asia and then there are the Sunnis which control the Malay Peninsula and many islands to the southeast. It is interesting that when conflicts occur it often brings Muslims together as allies. While this is certainly true elsewhere, it is nowhere near as apparent here. In Anatolia, the Middle East, or North Africa Muslims often attack each other and are at constant odds, even in India of all places where the divide between faiths is so apparent there is little cooperation between muslims as a whole. It will be interesting to see how this will unfold.
1405 A.D.
Chapter One
1400 - 1405
Southeast Asia
1400 A.D.
Southeast Asia is a composite of Indian and Muslim influence as well as Chinese dominance. There are a lot of different states taking up much of the region, however there is no clear state that dominates the region apart from China, which exists in a scale based for its own needs. To the Northwest we have the Burmese Kingdom of Taungu. Its neighbors include the minor Muslim state of Arakan and the powerful Shan states. To its south lay the Kingdom of Pegu. Bordering Pegu is the powerful state of Ayutthaya, or Siam. To the north are minor Thai states and to the east lay the state of Khmer which in turn borders Champa and Lan Xiang. The final pieces of the north is Dai Viet, but further south lay the Sultanate of Malacca, Aceh, and Brunei. None of these states are vastly powerful, apart from a few minors these states are all on relatively even terms. Taungu appears to be the more powerful state, but it is marginally so (if at all).
Due to the overbearing nature of the Ming Dynasty many of the states inside Southeast Asia do not often come to blows. When they do it is almost always due to absolute necessity for survival, or when opportunities arrive that are too rare to ignore. Two wars existed in the five year period, but only one would be largely ignored. This surrounded the annexation of Sukhotai by Chaing Mai. It was a war between two minor states that was hardly noticed and it occurred in early 1400. The second revolved around the ill fated invasion of Malacca by the Kingdom of Siam (Ayutthaya). Malacca, however, was guaranteed by the Ming Dynasty which made the war take a tragic turn for Siam forcing them to lose some land, a great amount of cash, and a huge loss in terms of regional prestige. Even so, these two exchanges of land did little to upset the balance of power in the region.
A third war, however, would begin in the year 1405 causing some amount of confusion. The conflict effectively had Southeast Asia draw sides in the Conflict as the Ming opted to stay out of this renewed Ayutthaya-Malacca conflict. The Muslim Sultanates of Aceh, Brunei, and Malacca went to war with Ayutthaya supported by Taungu. This renewed conflict is often seen as a continuation of religious conflict in the region. The war would end inconclusively, but it allows me to clearly identify how clearly religion plays a role in Southeast Asia. There are the relatively neutral Hindus in Champa. There are the overbearing Confucians of China. There are the Buddhists that occupy much of Southeast Asia and then there are the Sunnis which control the Malay Peninsula and many islands to the southeast. It is interesting that when conflicts occur it often brings Muslims together as allies. While this is certainly true elsewhere, it is nowhere near as apparent here. In Anatolia, the Middle East, or North Africa Muslims often attack each other and are at constant odds, even in India of all places where the divide between faiths is so apparent there is little cooperation between muslims as a whole. It will be interesting to see how this will unfold.
1405 A.D.
While not planned originally, I think I'll make "Chapter One" an overview and a smaller table of contents.