The Rise of the Chawda - A RoI AAR

The Reign of Raja Akadadeva I


June 869, Bhumilka
Raja Akadadeva Chawda looked at the man kneeling before him. "Rise," he commanded. Thakur Chuda rose. Chuda was the lord of this castle and, until recently, Akadadeva's enemy. The siege had ended days prior. "Now that you have sworn fealty to me, I wish to speak to you of an important matter."

"Yes, my liege?" Chuda said, in a tone of forced subserviance. He was a thin man, at least in comparison to the size of Akadadeva.

"I have heard it told that you are a man skilled with words. I wish you to be my chancellor." ((26 diplomacy!))

"If that is what you wish, sire." Chuda continued to use an overly subserviant tone.

"Hmm," murmured the Raja. While a skilled chancellor would be an obvious boon for him, he did not need one who was hostile to him, openly or not. "Perhaps you should think about it for longer. Once you have served me as a vassal for some time, I may call upon you again."

"Again, whatever you wish, sire."

Akadadeva looked at his new vassal for a moment, then strode off. Chuda was left with the task of putting his castle back together after the destructive siege his new liege had subjected it to. He was not the first conquest of Akadadeva; that 'honour' belonged to Thakur Toramana of Mohadavasaka, another vassal of Bhoja Pratihara who Akadadeva had made his own in 867. That had been quickly followed by Akadadeva's war against Chuda, which he began in 868. ((Both were de jure claims.))


Expansion of the Chawda Raj to 869

As he entered the castle courtyard, he found a messenger waiting for him. "I bring a message from the Maharaja. He has declared war against the Muslim infidels of the Banu Sama Raj of Multan."

"Very good! Soon, perhaps, they will be expelled from India entirely." Maharaja Bhoja had previously set off on a holy war against the Muslim Habbari Kingdom on the Indus river, taking the region of Sauvira earlier that year. However, he had also increased the privileges of the crown, beginning an attempt to end the autonomy of the individual Rajas. Akadadeva, however, considered himself a loyal vassal, and did in fact approve the new laws.



August 873, Dhamalpur
"So it is agreed then. You will no longer be called the Raja of Gurjara Mandala, and in return, we shall no longer oppose your rule there." The speaker was the Guhilot Raja, who ruled lands to the northeast of Chawda.

"Agreed." This agreement would anger his vassals, but there was no alternative. Three times now, other vassals of Bhoja Pratihara had attempted to weaken him by forcing him to abdicate Gurjara Mandala to a vassal. With this agreement, the attempts would, hopefully, stop, though it was a humiliating event that would reduce his prestige in the eyes of the world.

The first attempt had come in 871, from the Thakur of Sonda. He was easily defeated and imprisoned by Akadadeva. Undeterred, the Crown Prince Mahendrapala also tried to weaken him. Mahendrapala had been given the Thikana of Vadodara by his father Bhoja, and was no match for the Chawda Raj. Even so, this was the beginning of an animosity between Akadadeva and Mahendrapala, as Akadadeva vowed not to bow his head to him when Bhoja died.

This now was the third attempt, lead by the Guhilot Raja, who also had several other vassals supporting him. They were, numerically, superior to him, but he had managed to recently defeat the Saindhava Raja's army. His chancellor, Bhuda of Bhumilka, convinced him to try this instead of continuing the war. He agreed, though only because he had learned from his spymaster that no less than three other rulers harboured plots to weaken him, and one was backed by Maharaja Bhoja himself.

The next day, he sent a message to the Abhira Raj, to the north. He proposed the betrothal of his infant son, also named Akadadeva, to his infant daughter Puppadevi. Young Akadadeva had been born three years earlier, and had prompted him to change the laws of succession, decreeing that henceforth all titles would pass to the youngest son. This was meant to prevent the split of his realm on his death, though this was no longer relevent. Furthermore, his first son, Bhuyadadeva, was angry at being denied the inheritance. He could not change it back now, though. Upon gaining a betrothal for his heir, he named him the Thakur of Somnath, where he would now be raised. The loss of authority after being forced to relinquish his title had made it more difficult to administer his demesne.

January 881, Dhamalpur
"Father, why have you called me to Dhamalpur? You know I have my own land to administer."

"Because, son, I wish for you to join me on a little adventure." Raja Akadadeva said to his son, Bhuyadadeva. He had been given the Thikana of Valabhi after the ruler there had treasonously plotted against Akadadeva in 875, prompting a minor civil war. He had come of age around the same time, and had forgiven his father for changing the law of succession to favour his younger brother and had learned to be content.

"What sort of adventure is this? Does it have something to do with your new ships?" Akadadeva had invested in building shipyards in Dhamalpur some years earlier, and now seven galleys were floating in the harbour.

"Exactly so, my son. I am planning to launch an expedition to explore the mysterious lands of the west!"

"Are those not infested with Muslim infidels?"

"Yes... RICH Muslim infidels." Akadadeva had a gleam in his eyes.

December 881, Dhamalpur
"So, Chancellor Chuda. I trust the Raj has not collapsed during my absence?" Akadadeva said jovially. Akadadeva had travelled west to the Persian Gulf with his son, and first landed on the isle of Bahrein. They raided some minor villages there, but with only 504 men, could not penetrate their major settlements and soon travelled east to Dhu Zabi, where he continued to raid. He then travelled back out of the Gulf, and raided the Azdid Emirate at their capital of Muscat. He had returned to Dhamalpur with ships full of loot only earlier that day.


Map of the 881 expedition to the Persian Gulf

"Definitely not, sire." After over a decade, Chuda had truly accepted the rule of Akadadeva. At the very least, as his chancellor he did not have to travel throughout the whole of western India, as the Maharaja's chancellor did. "As you ordered, I have produced some convincing documents that will legitimize your war with the Saindhava Raj."

"Very good, Bhuda." With the Saindhava Raj's land, the Kathiawar Peninsula would be entirely under Akadadeva's control. "Well, there is no time like the present, Bhuda. Go to Ranaka Saindhava and present our declaration of war." He knew there would be little resistance: the Ranaka Saindhava only controlled a single Thikana, and had no allies among the other vassals of the Maharaja.

July 888, Dhamalpur
"The Maharaja is dead! Long live the Maharaja!" Akadadeva heard the crier in the castle town. The news meant many things to him. It was a reminder of his own mortality: though he was decades younger, he himself was no longer young, having reached the age of fifty a few years ago. Politically, it meant the accession of a new Maharaja, Mahendrapala. Personally, he remembered that, fifteen years earlier, Mahendrapala had been one of those who attempted to deny him the Raj of Gurjara Mandala.



He knew also that Mahendrapala had looked at the expansion of the Chawda realm with some alarm. After defeating the Saindhava Raj in 883, he had then taken Dasapura in 887. He was, in fact, large enough to be a Maharaja himself, had he not been a vassal of the Pratihara.

Akadadeva had not rebelled against Bhoja, however. For one thing, he had been grateful to him for putting down a peasant revolt that broke out in Dhamalpur in 885. But more to the point, the other vassals had been loyal to Bhoja. A loyalty which, perhaps, did not extend to Mahendrapala.

Akadadeva picked up his quill, and began writing letters to the other Rajas. He was informing them of his intention of declaring independence from Mahendrapala, and seeking their support.

December 889, Vadodara
Blood soaked the ground in the plains near Vadodara. The troops of the Maharaja were routing. "My liege!" A soldier came up to him, with a prisoner being pulled behind him. In fact, not just any prisoner. Akadadeva smiled as he saw the livid face of Maharaja Mahendrapala.

Though alone he had been too small to challenge the might of the Pratihara Kingdom, he had found several Hindustani Rajas in the east of the realm who wished to throw off the yoke of the Rajput Maharaja, as well as his northeastern neighbour and former enemy, the Guhilot Raja. Even then, he did not immediately declare independence. Mahendrapala, seeking glory in war, had attacked the Rashtrakuta Maharaja, the Jain who ruled the land to the south, shortly after gaining the throne. A clash between their armies had cost Mahendrapala about half his army, though he had actually won that battle. When he had heard news of the battle in July, Akadadeva had immediately sent word to his fellow rebels, and an ultimatum to the Maharaja.

The Maharaja refused, of course. Akadadeva had prepared for a long rebellion; he had been saving money for mercenaries, though as a miserly person he was inclined to keep it. In fact, he had been able to do so, as a large host of opportunists had thrown their lot in with him. The result was the Battle of Vadodara, where almost 7000 rebels faced only 3500 Pratihara troops. The result was predictable, though the capture of the Maharaja was not.



"Hello. My liege." Akadadeva bowed before him in an obviously overdone manner. Mahendrapala had no response but to spit at him. Akadadeva laughed. "Your spit has inconvenienced me more than your armies," he said, wiping it off his head. "But now we have business. I think it is obvious that now you must accept my demands."


Western India at the conclusion of the Pratihara civil war.

December 893, Dhamalpur
Raja Akadadeva Chawda lay in bed, the pain of the Camp Fever he had contracted clouding his mind. He knew now, after sixty years of life, that his time was at an end. His two sons, Bhuyadadeva and Akadadeva, as well as his daughter Mahidevi, stood at his bed.

"Akadadeva," he hissed. "The Raj is in your hands now." It was now the Raj of Anartta as well as Saurashtra, a title he had adopted after gaining his independence. "Rule it wisely."

"Bhuyadadeva," he continued. "I know you are still disappointed that you will not rule. But you should not hold that against your brother. No; support him. The Muslims have attacked once, and though I was able to defeat them, it was only through the loyalty of you and him, as well as my other loyal subjects." He referred to the attack launched by the Samma Kingdom of Sindh, which had attacked in 890, but was defeated by Akadadeva with help from the Guhilot Raj in 891.

"Ah... I am fading, now. May Ganga watch over you, my children." And Raja Akadadeva was no more.

@tnick0225 : Thanks! I'm hoping that this will surpass my Savoyard adventure.

@scelestus13 : Yes it is an interesting position! Perhaps I was a bit impatient in breaking free... but honestly, I didn't want the Pratiharas to become too powerful.

@mike the knight : Thanks! I intend to spread the Hindu faith far and wide!

@alscon : Welcome to you too, and thanks for reading!

Unfortunately the next update will not be for a few more days... perhaps Sunday. This is because I want to post the next two rulers at once for reasons that will hopefully become clear, and I have been sort of delayed in playing through the third ruler's reign. But never fear, this will be continuing!

@Forster : Welcome aboard!

Sorry for the unintended hiatus. This continues now!


December 895, Dhamalpur
The coronation ceremony had been quite extravagant; over a quarter of his treasury had been spent on it. Akadadeva Chawda was now no longer a mere Raja, but a Maharaja, proclaiming himself the rightful sovereign of Gujarat. To the north, Mahendrapala Pratihara did not recognize this, and still claimed this title.

Revolts by the Muslims in his western territories and a war with the Rashtrakuta Kingdom had prevented him from attacking the Chawda realm thus far. However, he believed it was only a matter of time before the Pratiharas tried to retake Gujarat, and their lands were still many times more vast. The new Maharaja looked out over the sea as he contemplated this; behind him was the emblem of his dynasty: the Sun hovering in the blue sky.

"The western infidels have attacked India many times," he thought to himself. "And my personal realm, as well; late in my father's reign, and then again last year. But we defeated them. Perhaps the time will come when we will invade their lands.

"After all, it is the destiny of the Sun to travel west."

May 900, Dhamalpur
Before Maharaja Akadadeva was a small man; his face was wrinkled and he had a look of imperturbable serenity on his face.

"I wanted a guru. Not half of one!" Akadadeva bluntly yelled.

"How rude! Judge me by my size, do you?" said the man.

"Yes."

"Deceiving, looks can be. Heard, I did, of your adventure to the west." In 896 and 897, Akadadeva had, following his father's example, went to explore (and raid) the western lands.


Maharaja Akadadeva's expedition to the Gulf of Aden

"And the purpose, what it was I wondered. Hmm?"

"Gold and land, of course," Akadadeva scowled. "Compared to my neighbours, the Pratihara and Rashtrakuta, I am a minor ruler. To secure my rule I need land; to take land I must conquer. That is why we are now planning another expedition; this time, we will take their land as well as their gold."

"Not yet, you can go! A claim you need. Go there I will, and get one!"

"Wait, what?" But the strange man had already left.

June 903, Socotra
"Greetings my liege! I trust you do not feel ill?"

"No, Acharya; my wounds healed months ago." Akadadeva was talking to his friend Acharya Vermid, who had accompanied him to this remote island. After his diminuitive chancellor had fabricated a claim, he had set off immediately with 1500 men. During the battle, Akadadeva had taken an arrow in his shoulder.



"Very good, sire. I have good news: the natives had succumbed to our siege, and their ruler has surrendered the island to us!"

"Excellent. With this island in our control, we will be able to expand into the mainland. As I promised you, this isle will be yours to govern. As for myself, I look forward to returning to my wife and daughters. I only hope they have not forgotten my voice now!" His two daughters had been born just two years previously: Hariyadevi to his wife Puppadevi, and Mahalakshmi to a concubine.

"Yes, you should return. Thank you for this opportunity, and may your journey home be safe!"

April 907, Dhamalpur
Hariyadevia Chawda, now six years old, was arguing with her mother Puppadevi. "I wwwwant to gggo, Mmmother! I'm b-b-b-b-bored, and I have not seen ffffather in fffforever!" Akadadeva had been waging war overseas, and had rarely been back since 904.

"Please, Hari. The barbaric western lands are no place for a young girl."

"Wwwwell I'm ggggoing to be the Mmmmmaharani someday, and thththen I can go wwwwwwherever I wwwwant!"

"I'm sorry darling, but I told you. I'm having another baby, and he's going to inherit. Besides, you would hardly be a good ruler if you keep stuttering!"

"Your highness!" Coming up to them was Pujari Bhoja, the Upadhaya of Gujarat, in charge of the religious affairs of the realm. "I bring word of your husband."

"Yes, what? Has he decided to come home, finally?"

"Ah... my lady, I'm afraid that is no longer possible. He has died of illness."

"Yyyyyyyes!!!" said the young Hariyadevi. "That means I'm in chchcharge now, rrrrrright?"

"Hari! Do you hear yourself? Your father is dead!" said her mother.

"I bbbbbarely knew him anyway!"

"I'm afraid the young Maharani is right, my lady." said Bhoja. "Your next child is not yet born, so the realm passes to her. Of course, she is much too young to rule at the moment... I would be honoured to act as her regent and guardian until her maturity, if you will."

"What?" said Puppadevi. "As her mother, I am surely a far better candidate!"

"My liege." said Bhoja, ignoring Puppadevi. "The newly conquered lands in the west are full of infidels... I was instructed by your father to attempt to convert them to our ways. If you were to accept me as your regent and guardian... you would of course have to come with me to these lands."

"Of course she could not! She is staying here with me!"

"Nnnnno mmmother! I'm going with thththis guy! Hhhhhe's cool, and has rrrred pppaint on his head!"

Hariyadevi Chawda and her regent Bhoja

October 912, Berbera
Hariyadevi Chawda had lived the last five years of her life here in Berbera: almost half of her life now. Her mother had stayed behind in the capital, not wanting to go to far away barbaric lands.


Map of Abyssinia during the Bhoja regency

Bhoja had, meanwhile, taken over most of her powers. Shortly after they arrived, there was a battle in Tadjoura, which the Chawda armies narrowly won. Bhoja then made peace with the King of Abyssinia, taking control of the Raj of Berbera.

But to the north, the Hashimid Sultan of Arabia had demanded that they relinquish control of the isle of Socotra. With Arab troops occuping the island and fortified against a landing, he had no choice but to surrender. Hariyadevi, on hearing this, was angry that he had lost her territory, but was soon mollified by his explanation that it was just a small desolate speck of land.

This began a period of peace, as more soldiers were recruited after the losses in the war against Abyssinia. Hariyadevi spent much of her time in lessons to prepare for her reign, but had begun to sneak out of the castle. She made friends with some of the native children, learning their language.

One day, she heard a rumour that the country was at war, back in the homeland. To see whether this was true, she snuck into Bhoja's rooms one day while he was out preaching. There, she found records of a declaration of war by the Rashtrakutas, and more recently an offer for peace with them, giving up the Thikana of Dasapura! One more document showed the reversal of the reforms her father had made to centralize the realm, leaving her vassals once more practically autonomous.

"Of course I surrendered... remember, as your regent, I am in charge of all matters of state." Bhoja said when she confronted him later.

"Bbbbut why? Cccan't I have you executed for tttreason?" she yelled in a rage.

"Hmm. I think not. It was just one minor territory on the edge of my--I mean--your realm. It is not even traditionally considered Gujarati. It was hardly worth spending the entire treasury on mercenaries to oppose one of the largest kingdoms in India."

"And wwwwwhat about the laws!"

"My dear, your father, when he made those laws, was taking away important traditional rights of the nobles. In fact you should be thanking me... if such a thing were to continue, I'm sure the realm would fall appart in a civil war."

She glared at him. He kept his face completely neutral. "If you truely feel so strongly you can always reenact his reforms once you take over. But for now, I am in charge. Not you."

October 916, Dhamalpur
The ceremony was especially grand, given that it was in fact two ceremonies. Hariyadevi's coronation was immediately followed by her marriage to Indranarayan Bhagadattid, a Buddhist noble from Bengal. He was, in fact, not an especially highly ranked noble: Hariyadevi had insisted on a matrilineal marriage, so most of the nobility of India had refused. But nevertheless, Indranarayan was intelligent and a capable warrior: Hariyadevi had promised to give command of the army to him.


Maharani Hariyadevi and her husband, Indranarayan

Her first act as Maharani, of course, was to reinstate the laws that were repealed by Bhoja. He was much less powerful now, and furthermore his age was exacting its toll on him. None expected him to last much longer. "And gggood riddance," she muttered to herself.

"What was that, my lady?" her new husband Indranarayan asked.

"Oh, nnothing. Now, as you are my new mmmarshal, I wwwish for your opinion on my plans for ccconquest."

"Yes. While we are smaller than our neighbours, I think that if we hire mercenaries, we should be able to defeat even the Pratihara or Rashtrakuta-"

"No, I am not attacking thththem. Perhaps you have hhheard that my father conquered some land in the wwwwest. I actually grew up ththere. I intend to expand this ttterritory."

"Oh. I see." Indranarayan looked thoughtful. "I'm not sure we have enough ships to transport an army large enough."

"In fffact, my ships are cccurrently being used to rraid the Red Sea. They should return soon. The rrreal problem is our army. We ddefeated them before, but now their King has completely united their llands."

"In that case, I have a suggestion. I have a friend, by the name of Varshapala, who has organised a large army called the Followers of Arjuna. They are dedicated to fighting infidels: with his army, you surely could not fail."

March 929, Berbera
"What shall you name her, my lady?" asked her guru, Jendraraja. Hariyadevi's fourth child had been born days prior, and by the principle of ultimogeniture, he was now the heir.

"Not nnow, tell me how the wwar is." Over the last decade, her husband Indranarayan and the Followers of Arjuna had waged several wars against the Abyssinians.

"Our armies have met at Gereger, near their capital of Gondar. I expect the battle will be easily won." All of the battles had: the Followers of Arjuna had attracted thousands of Hindu warriors. About half of Abyssinia was now under Chawda control.


Chawda conquests during the 920's

"And there are nno other ccomplications?" Some years earlier, while Axum was being conquered, a wandering Turk and his host had attempted to carve out a dominion in her territory: though the Turk's army was slightly bigger, they were caught crossing the straight of Mandeb, and were slaughtered.

"Not this time. So, what of the child?" Hariyadevi's first had been a daughter, Mayanalladevi. Her second and third were sons: Akadadeva and Shurapala.

"I've decided. His nname is Selassie."

"Um... my lady, that is not an Indian name."

"No. It is Ethiopian. I believe that this is the ttrue home of the Chawda nnow. Our land hhere is larger than Gujarat is. And the natives have bbbegun to accept the Hindu way. Ssoon, their capital shall ffall, and once I have taken all of this lland... it will truly be my home."

September 943, Gondar
The conquest was complete.

In an elaborate ceremony here in the traditional capital of Abyssinia, Hariyadevi was crowned the first Hindu Queen of Abyssinia.

The Solomonid Kings had been driven out of the last corner of the land after another series of wars. Gojjam was taken in 931 followed by the rebelling Duchy of Shewa in 932. A period of truce then began, though not of peace: twice, groups of Christians rebelled aginst their Hindu overlady, but were crushed. After the truce ended, the last Solomonid lands were taken.

"Mom!" Young Selassie was now 14. "I get it, you and dad conquered lots of lands. But when do I get to?"

Hariyadevi had had no other children, so Selassie was still the heir. He was as brave as his father, though (and she hated to admit it) he didn't have half the ability in combat.

"At least let me have some land of my own! I mean, Akadadeva and Shurapala both got some."

"Vvery well, Selassie. You can hhave Berbera."

"What? You mean that empty desert place in the east?"

"It's nnot just a ddesert! It's also the pplace where I grew up, and was taught by a guy with red paint on his head who took way too much power as a regent!"

"Ugh, fine! Whatever, mom."

July 959, Gondar
"My lliege! I mean, liege! The Arabs are attacking!" a messenger came up to her.

"Wwhat? Why?" Hariyadevi asked.

"Well, you did conquer Sana'a."

"Oh yeah. Well they sstarted it by cconquering Socotra about ffifty years ago."

"Also, the christians are rebelling."

"They're still hhere? I thought we wwere all Hindu nnow."

"Not quite, my liege. Also, the muslims in Sana'a decided to rebel as well."

"Ddang. Hey hhoney!" Hariyadevi called upstairs, to her husband.

"What?" he replied.

"I nneed you to command the aarmies!"

"Against who?"

"Mmuslims, rrebels, and mmuslim rrebels."

"Ugh, fine! Whatever, honey."

November 962, Gondar
"Hey, I'm back. I won the wars," said Indranarayan.

"Yyes! I am aawesome. Llook at all this land I cconquered dduring my life."


Look at all this land she conquered during her life.

"Well, it was me leading the armies-"

"Hhush, the lady is ttalking. I'm glad I got to rule instead of my brother. Ggood thing my ddad ddied when he did!"

"Um, yes-"

"Anyway. I'm ggetting kind of old. My grandfather died around this age you know. So if you should outlive mme, there's something you need to tell our sson, Selassie."

"Yes, my dear."

"Tell him... that I was the best Chawda ruler ever, and I'd like to see him ttry to do better than this!"



To be continued...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bonus picture: the religious mapmode

Note the pretty red in Abyssinia!

@mike the knight : North is the plan! Note that I culture-shifted to Ethiopian: that helped a lot to lower revolt risk. (though now I realize that it means I have no elephants...)
@alscon : I'm not sure what Indranarayan has to do with Baghdad, but I'll get there. Eventually. I'll take Arabia first, and I doubt the muslims will like me holding Mecca.
@Tommy4ever : Glad you like it! I really liked your Egypto-Norse AAR, and it helped to inspire this! (for instance, doing a crazy ahistorical migration)


August 963, Gondar
It had been a week since the passing of Queen Hariyadevi. The newly crowned King Selassie was still mourning her death, and now it seemed that his father, Indranarayan, was also near his end.

"My son," his father said to him from his bed. "Your mother told me to tell you something, before she passed on..."

"Oh?"

"She said that... she was the best Chawda ruler ever. She, er, dared you to try to do even better than her."

"What? Aw geez, I didn't know this was a competition!" Selassie was pacing now. "Okay, she conquered a whole kingdom, plus some more."

"Well I commanded the armies-"

"Yes, father. So I need to conquer another kingdom then. What about that place to the north, Nubia?"

"Son, to be a good king, you do not necessarily have to-"

"Nubia is weak and divided. So I'll conquer that. Then I'll have to conquer some more places. Like in Arabia or Egypt. Then I'll be as good as her!"

"... fine, whatever, you're the King. Unfortunately, I will not be able to help you. I am dying, son."

Selassie stopped pacing, and went to his father's side. "Yes, father. You and mother will both be missed; but I promise, I will make both of you proud."

October 963, Gondar
"Father, why are you still awake?" said Girma, Selassie's six year old son. Girma's mother was Selassie's cousin, but he tried not to think about that.


Selassie's wife Annaladevi and their son Girma

It was late at night; a fire lit up the room. "I am thinking about our homeland, Gujarat."

"I thought this was our homeland now. Grandmother told me so."

"Gujarat is still our other homeland. But the Rajas there are not happy with such distant rule. My second cousin Vabghata, one of the Rajas, has been threatening war for his claim on Gujarat."

"Why do you not simply let him have that kingdom? We can hardly hold on to such a distant land forever."

"What? You mean giving up land?"

"It would be better than waging a destructive civil war far from home. Besides, if you wish you could use your troops to conquer land nearby instead."

"...sometimes I forget you are so young, Girma!" Selassie laughed. "You speak with wisdom far beyond your years. Perhaps that is a better plan indeed. I will send word to Vabghata that he will be Maharaja of Gujarat, and my armies will march north, to begin the conquest of Nubia!"

June 971, Gondar
"Sire, the diplomat from the rebels is here."

"Very well. Send him in." A group of Muslim rebels had risen up on the isle of Socotra six years earlier. They had occupied the entire island.

The Arab man was shown in. Selassie spoke to him, "I am willing to negotiate. We will cede Socotra to your rule." An attempt to defeat the rebels had failed: after transporting one army, it was defeated before another could get across.

"Ha! Foolish infidel! We will not accept peace. We will conquer your entire kingdom!"

"What? You don't have any ships, I know that. And even if your army did get here, I have enough troops to defeat them easily."

"That is of no concern to us!"

"Fine then. I will grant independence to the ruler of Socotra, you can negotiate with him."

"But we are still at war! Even if you do this, there shall never be peace!"

Selassie motioned for the guards to take him away. "Nice talking to you. Really."

Though the rebels were an irritation, otherwise the kingdom was doing well. The conquest of Nubia was well under way. Though the Azim family had been crowned as Kings of Nubia, the duchy of Alodia in the south never gave up its independence. Furthermore, monophysite heretics had risen up, tearing away most of the duchy of Makuria from the King's grasp. It was, therefore, unsurprising that most of Nubia was now under his control. Miaphysite Nubia and monophysite Makuria remained in control of some inland regions due to truces.

Selassie walked through the halls of his palace. He eyed the dungeons as he passed, but continued on to his room. In the dungeon, his eldest daughter Lishan was imprisoned; he had caught her trying to poison his heir Girma. This had formed a rift in his family; his wife Annaladevi did not believe that she would really do such a thing, and their relationship had soured.

The woman waiting in his room was therefore not his wife, but a servant he had taken a liking to. With her he could forget about the pressures of his rule...

July 973, Aswan
Prince Girma dipped his quill in ink, and began writing.

"For many years, the major power of the Middle West was the Abbasid Caliphate. However in recent times, the fortunes of this once mighty realm have dwindled. Some decades ago, a rival muslim sect known as the Shia revolted in Syria, forming a rival Caliphate under the Zeydid dynasty. This prompted the Romans to the north to strike at Abbasid weakness, and they took some land in northern Persia. After these major losses, the Abbasids were considered too decadent by their subjects, and were overthrown by the Kamran dynasty, who have held on to the scattered remains of the realm.


The Middle West in the time of King Selassie

"The Hashimid Sultanate in Arabia proper is intact, but is embroiled in a civil war. Further west, Africa has fallen under the influence of yet another sect, the Ibadi. Thus, my father King Selassie took the chance afforded by the weakness and division of the Muslims to expand Chawda control into Egypt.

"The war was decided by two main battles; the battle of Bigeh last year resulted in the complete destruction of the Tulunid army. They called on Caliph Youkhanna for help, but his army was crushed at Shellal just last month."


The Followers of Arjuna continued to aid the Chawda dynasty, leading to crushing victories against Egypt and the Caliphate

"Son!" Girma turned his head to see his father standing at the door. "What have you got there?"

Girma stood. "Hello father. It is a history I am writing; I expect it will be useful to future generations. How did the negotiations go?"

"Hardly negotiations, when they are in no position to negotiate!" King Selassie laughed. "We now control the entire Duchy of Aswan. In fact, you now control it. You have come of age, and you'd definitely make a better ruler than any other noble I could find."

Girma bowed. "Thank you father."

"I will take the army back south, to defeat the rebels still in Socotra. I expect the battle to be bloody, but if they do not listen to reason then there is no choice."

August 975, Gondar
The illness had lasted for a year now. Though it seemed initially like just a passing cold, it had worsened considerably. Selassie knew he didn't have long now.

Girma was standing at his side. "Son," rasped Selassie. "I have a request, before I die. You must take care of your sister."

"...Father, she did try to kill me. You locked her in the dungeon yourself."

"No, not Lishan. You have another." He motioned to the servant at his side. "Bring our daughter, Semhar."

The woman returned with a young child, about two or three years old. "This is your sister Yehudit, son. I fear what would happen if your mother were ever to learn about her. Keep her safe for me." He coughed wetly. "Girma, I am sad to say that I do not think I lived up to my mother's example."

"This again, father? I promise you, you were a good king."

"Perhaps; but not a great one. But you are still young, and you are an intelligent man. You will be great. I believe in you."

@Tommy4ever : I culture-shifted to Ethiopian as Hariyadevi shortly before Selassie's birth; so Selassie's three older siblings had Gujarati names. In RoI they added a "Convert to Local Culture" decision for when your capital is a different culture, so it is easier to control than the old random event.
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June 978, Gondar
The three years of King Girma's reign had been mostly uneventful. He had not yet involved himself in wars against the powerful Muslim states. Instead he sent his armies to conquer the last minor Christian lords in Nubia, while he stayed in the capital making sure that his vassals were remaining loyal.

Underneath his castle, his dungeons contained many imprisoned Christian and Muslim nobles, whose families were unwilling or unable to pay their ransoms. There was one prisoner, however, who was his own family member. Lishan Chawda, his sister, had attempted to kill him years ago during his father's reign. She had spent the last twelve years rotting in the dungeon.

To be sure, she had it easier than the infidel prisoners, mainly due to her mother Annaladevi, who had always preferred her to Girma. As she had every day since Lishan's imprisonment, Annaladevi visited her today. This time, she brought with her a key.

"Lishan, the time has come for you to be free." She opened the cell.

Lishan stepped out in confusion. "I don't understand, mother. I didn't think Girma would ever forgive me."

Her mother beckoned her out of the dungeon. "No need to worry about that now. He... suddenly died. Of poor health."

"Poor health?"

"That is what the records will show, yes."

Lishan walked towards a window; through it shone the first natural light she had seen in twelve years. "And Girma never did have any children."

"His bride was not yet of age, so no."

Lishan smiled at the rising sun. "Then now I am Queen."


The greatest kings die young.


December 978, Gondar
The feast hall, where the Chawda family had celebrated Diwali with the nobles of the realm since the conquest of Abyssinia, looked different this year. For one thing, there were more human skulls.

During her time in prison, Lishan had become a zealous follower of Kali, the goddess of death. Now, she was giving Kali the honour due to her.


The first of many sacrifices to Kali during Queen Lishan's reign.

The queen smiled through the sacrifice. But when her attending vassals looked into her eyes, they saw no pleasantness, only a warning: this could be you, next year.

February 986, Alexandria
In the years following her ascension, Queen Lishan had imprisoned some vassals who had been caught with minor plots. Some continued to plot to reduce her power, but with two dukes in prison she had the time to focus on expanding the realm: she had conquered Oman from the Hashimid Sultan a few years earlier.

Now she had travelled far to the north, to visit the new territory taken from the Tulunid Sultan. She had expected the Kamran Caliph to join the war, but the Caliph had been preoccupied with wars in Persia. With Alexandria under her control, Abyssinia now stretched to the Western Sea.

"This ocean is beautiful, isn't it Krishnray. Though not as much as the Indian Ocean of course!" With her was her husband Krishnray. Krishnray came from a family of minor Rajput nobility; they had had their first daughter, Zeina, five years earlier.

"Yes... beautiful." Looking at her husband, Lishan saw that he was staring at their muscled bodyguards for some reason.

"Go wait outside our room!" she ordered the guards.

She turned back to her husband. "Now, Krishnray. In our eight years of marriage, we've had only one child. And you know I am getting older. I think it's time we... try a bit harder." She gave him a sultry smile.

He sighed. "Whatever you wish, my lady."


Krishnray: A man's man.

August 1001, Gondar
They had been able to produce two more children: another daughter, China, and finally a son Merille, as she passed beyond child-bearing age. That was eleven years ago, and she and Krishnray had not shared a bed since. She had begun to suspect there was another woman; but last year she found out that it was actually another man. This had thoroughly baffled her, and she had denounced it as sinful. So, now there was just a single throne in the palace (though they remained legally married).

As for the realm: another duke was imprisoned, while some still called for a reduction of her power. Many had started calling her "Lishan the Cruel"; not to her face, of course. The county of Fustat was taken from the Muslims in a short war. Then four years ago, she declared war against the Kamran Caliph, who held onto Dhu Zabi, which was properly part of Oman.

A messenger had just arrived. "Your Highness, I bring important news of the war."

"So, has he surrendered then?"

"...no, highness. There was a fierce battle on an isle called Bahrein. Even with all our troops there, they outnumbered us three-to-one. Out of about ten thousand of our troops who were there, perhaps three thousand still live."

The court gasped. Such a defeat was unprecedented in all the years that the Chawdas had ruled in Abyssinia. The Queen stood, fury in her eyes. "What is this? Since when did they have such an army?"

The messenger trembled. "There is word that he is being aided by a conqueror known as Sabuktigin Ghaznavid; some decades ago he embarked on a campaign of conquest, and now rules Afghanistan and Punjab. He is now allied to the caliph, and he sent his armies across all of Persia to fight us. After our defeat, our general offered a white peace to the Caliph, which was accepted. He said, we should be thankful for their lenience-"

"Lenience?! Guards! Throw him in the dungeon."

"No, please, I am only a messenger-" he whimpered as he was dragged away.

"Your Highness," someone said as he approached the throne. It was her vassal Duke Teka of Alodia; in his hand he held a letter, which he presented to the Queen. "With the army in such a poor condition, I fear I must insist that you relinquish some of your power. The power of the throne has grown too high now."

Queen Lishan snatched the letter and glared at him. It was signed by six of the kingdom's dukes; refusing now would plunge her into a civil war against almost half her realm, with the army already devastated. "Very well," she spat. "But this treachery I will not forget."

June 1004, Al-Alamayn
Though most of the realm had been satisfied by her concession to Duke Teka's faction, a group of rulers in Egypt had decided to attempt to gain their independence. The war was practically decided in the Battle of El-lisht, in Gizeh; nevertheless, the rebels would not surrender.



The leader of the revolt was named Fasilidas; a mayor who was given authority over the county of Al-Alamayn. Most of the strength behind the revolt had actually come from the Duke of Aswan, however. This duke, the mayor, and one other count were all who tried to revolt, and now she was occupying Fasilidas's land, in the hope of making him surrender. Lishan was here to negotiate, as soon as he was willing.


Egypt during the civil war.

She was waiting a safe distance from the castle under siege, getting a report on their progress. A camel rider approached her; he was The rider dismounted, and called to her, "Your highness! The Kamran Caliph has declared war! It is a Jihad: they wish to retake the entire south coast of Arabia from us."



This was worrying. The Zeydid Caliph had declared a renewed Jihad some years ago to retake Roman land in Syria, and had succeeded. It seemed the Kamrans were following this example. And with the full might of all of the Sunni lands, it would be a serious war. "Damn these infidels. Send word to the rebel leader! I will offer them amnesty for their treasonous actions. We must be united to defend our land."

December 1006, Gondar
The rebels had agreed to the terms, and the full levies of Abyssinia, joined by the Followers of Arjuna, were sent across the sea to Arabia. The first battle took place at Aden: a small Muslim army had sailed there, and part of the Abyssinians marching through had annihilated them.

The bulk of the caliph's army was then caught invading Oman; but their 7000 troops were matched by twice the number of Abyssinians, and so were slaughtered. They pushed into Muslim territory to force them to yield.

But then, one year ago, the news Lishan had been dreading arrived. Sabuktigin had again been called to war by the Caliph. Orders were sent to the armies to assault the enemy strongholds as quickly as possible; for if the war could not be ended before Sabuktigin's armies crossed Persia, there could be no hope of victory.

The strategy worked. The caliph agreed to a white peace in July, leaving Sanaa and Oman secure in Lishan's control.

Now, it was December, and Lishan was celebrating a very special Kali Puja this year. Not only had they defeated the caliph, but also her only son, Prince Merille, had come of age. In his place of honour, he was given the first chance to drink the blood of this year's sacrifice.


Prince Merille when he came of age.

"So, mmmother," said the Prince. "Now ththat I am of age, when wwwill I be gggiven some lland?" He had, it seems, inherited his great-grandmother Hariyadevi's tendency to stutter.

"Yes son, I have been thinking about that. In fact," she said, rising to address the entire room. "It is time to punish the Muslims for their arrogance; thinking that they could defeat us! For this, we shall continue our conquest of their land, which will also be my son's 'coming-of-age present,' as it were. But not just any land. We shall conquer their most holy city: Mecca."

June 1016, Gondar
The Hashimid Sultan had not stood a chance; his control over Arabia had shrunk over the years to just the Emirate of Medina, and a few other holdings. Moreover, the Tulunid Sultan was attacking for his own claim on the Sultanate of Arabia. Unfortunately the lands occupied by the Tulunids were therefore not taken; but Mecca itself was. Merille was made the Count of Mecca, and was married to a Princess of Orissa named Vennaval.

With Merille's position as heir secure, Lishan's daughters Zeina and China had become jealous of being locked out of the inheritance (for now Lishan was the second Chawda Queen to reign, and both she and Hariyadevi had ruled for longer than any of the male Chawdas).

China, some years earlier, had been caught trying to kill Prince Merille; then earlier this year, Zeina attempted to murder Merille's baby son Hakiem. To both of these, Lishan responded with just a smack upside the head and the words "Do you want to spend twelve years in prison like I did? Then cut it out."

But now, there was a graver concern. Her daughter-in-law Vennaval was caught plotting to kill her. She was therefore dragged in chains to the capital.

"So," said Lishan to Vennaval, in chains on the floor of her throne room. "You dared to plot against me. To attempt regicide. Against your own husband's mother."

Vennaval glared at the queen. "Well, I suppose I was tired of waiting in the desert for you to die, you old witch." The court was taken aback; but of course, having attempted murder of the queen, it was hardly possible for her to make it any worse.

Queen Lishan glared at the woman, then laughed. "Ha! Very good. I admire a woman willing to murder to get what she wants. I was right; you're an excellent wife for my son. I will let you live!"

This caused a stir amoung the court. Lishan continued, "I can't just forgive you though. No, you'll be spending the next few years in prison. Maybe if you and my son behave nicely I'll even let you go before I die!"

October 1023, Gondar
Vennaval was ransomed to Prince Merille after a couple of years. As Lishan's strength ebbed in the last years of her life, she ordered one last war against the Egyptians. The Followers of Arjuna, accompanied by her retinue, fought a close battle with a large Muslim army at Bilbays. The Muslims actually outnumbered them by two thousand men, but they were crossing the Nile, allowing the Abyssinian army to kill more than twice as many as they lost.


The Muslim army may have been supplemented by mercenaries, as well as Mamluk slave-warriors.

When the levies caught up to the main army, they could no longer resist, and gave up the rich Nile Delta, leaving the Sinai as the only part of Egypt still under Muslim control.


Abyssinia and neighbouring states at the end of Queen Lishan the Cruel's reign

Lishan continued to age and her strength decayed; but she was pleased to hear that the great conqueror Sabuktigin had died before her, in 1022. Her son sent news also that the people of Mecca had renounced Islam, and converted to Hinduism.

In 1023, shortly before that year's planned Kali Puja feast, she died peacefully in her sleep.

@Tommy4ever : Thanks, but I intend to grow it immenser!

@KaiserWilhelmI : Oh, it's fairly simple really. I'm using GIMP2. I take the CKII screenshot and crop it. Then I add the text; the font is Papyrus. Then I go into Filters->Artistic->Canvas, which automatically generates the canvas effect.