5 years of Caliphate

[KaRei]

Mod development is taking a lot of time and 99% of my launches of EU2 are only for the purpose to test country placement, AI, events, Gfx, etc.
It has been a long time since I really played Eu2 for the last time.
No wonder that after years of passivity the first try ended with fiasco as soon as first 5 years of game passed

Settings:
Version: Vanilla Eu2 1.09
Scenario: Grand Campaign
Country: Caliphate
Difficulty: hardest
Aggressive: normal

Starting as a two province country and as a vassal of Timurid Empire.
Good diplomats are rare (2/year) and so I was waiting half year to get out of Timurid's rule. DP settings in the beginning was far from my taste and I was preparing for long reformations. In finances I wanted to make a base of income from trade and tax collectors at first, so instead of keeping 0% inflation I targeted on 0.0 balance to have some cash for the needed establishments.
As a vassal my income was 1.3, which was hardly sufficient on upkeep of the 10k army stationed in Iraq (5k INF + 5k CAV). After breaking the vassal status in half of the first year I got into green numbers. Soon I reached Lvl1 INFRA and built tax collector in Iraq, while first merchants were sent to try their luck in CoT in Isfahan (just 1$ for placement). So that would be the economy.

Diplomacy was a hard nut because of permanent lack of diplomats. Before I got second diplomat in the game, Timurid Empire offered an alliance, which I refused. Not because I would see them as bad allies, however I wanted to make the alliance by myself and grab the VPs
Here I made a fatal strategic mistake. In the Missions list appeared alliance with Dulkadir and I invested my precious diplomat there. Before another diplomat was available, the Timurid Empire joined with Delhi.
But Timurids are not the only ones around. I invited Aden, and then I spent about 4 diplomats on Candar trying to get it to the alliance too (again a mission). Strategic ally of Qara Koyunlu was intended to be invited after that.

4 years passed and not many diplomatic gains were achieved. Economy was however relatively flourishing from trade and the freedom from Timurid Empire. Military was without changes. Still 10k army in Baghdad. I saw them sufficient as the militia before the economy is more stabilized and I can afford build larger army and use the 19k supportable amount. Sending merchants to Oman and India reduced my cash to 5$.

It's year 1423 and Timurid Empire declares war.
War taxes are raised and all income is minted to make money for army. I don't see loan necessary yet.
In the border provinces are just 5k and 3k armies. Both my allies joined the war, although I was counting just with Aden, since Dulkadir was separated from us by Ak Koyunlu and Qara Koyunlu.
With the beginning of new month I send Army of Caliph to the mountain province of Timurid Empire, where is un-walled city and 5k army. Ahwaz to the south with 3k army is no threat to Basrah except looting. In the middle of march to the mountains the army of Timurid Empire began to move to Iraq. I stop my army to wait on the better terrain for cavalry, hoping that 5k CAV in my army will be superior. Timurids arrived, 1.5K INF + 3.5 CAV. Expected cavalry superiority vanished. At first it looks that 10k army would take the 5k, however morale was not on my side. DP of Caliphate is set to Quantity and my maximal moral seems to be about 80% of that of Timurids.
Battle for Iraq was for long very uncertain and the victory of Caliph's army was possible till the last day. My army is breaking to Basrah with 7k men and no morale. Around the same time 3k army from Ahwaz is starting to move there too. From Timurid Empire came a little reinforcements to help the enemy units in Iraq in besiege of Baghdad.

Army of Caliph and the 3k army of Timurids from Ahwaz arrived to Basrah in the same day. My army already in panic ran away within few days. They returned to Iraq where they were totally annihilated. Both provinces came under siege. Baghdad fell, Basrah followed soon after.
In 1424 is Caliphate forced to peace. 75$ paid in indemnities, Basrah to Timurid Empire, and Caliphate was reduced to vassal status... again.

After such failure I resigned on my office.

EDIT:
In the end I decided to try continue with the Caliphate to the very end.
The AAR continues

 

[unmerged(84806)]

Nice to see a new AAR here, even if it was only one update.
Being a small nation in the shadow of the Timurid Empire is never an easy game. It sounded like you had the best odds against them, but the morale difference put you down... Let's hope the Caliphate wasn't diploannexed after your resignation.

 

[PrawnStar]

Oops, I always found the Caliphate tricky.

It's all in the timing of the dropping vassalage if I remember correctly.

Good AAR.

 

[KaRei]

Somehow I got a taste to take the autosave, and continue with the subdued Caliphate. So here is a report of the following years

My inflation was at 5.6% and most of incomes were coming from trade (having 5 merchants in Isfahan, 5 in Oman, and 2 in Kutch). For the following 10 years the Caliphate remained without army. Timurid army in the known areas was for at least 5 years not more than 7k. My only reaction on this was a facepalm. The 5k invasion forces of Timurid Empire which chased Army of Caliph from Iraq in 1424 seemed to be their major force. If that would be defeated, almost whole Empire would be a piece of cake for the Caliph's cavalry. It's strange how one battle can be so decisive for the future of such large territory.

After the subjugation of Caliphate the Aden became leader of the alliance. I refused offer of alliance from Timurid Empire - no way to support those who invaded us. The Empire then joined with my old allies, Aden and Dulkadir.
I became closing at least friendships with surrounding states, giving the daughters to other Muslim rulers, to reduce the threat of another possible invasion and later annexation.
In 1430 the Qara Koyunlu is hardly pressed by their neighbor Ak Koyunlu. Timurid Empire uses their weakened possition and declares war on them too.
While the armies of Timur are occupied with sieges, we in February 1431 are canceling vassal status on the Empire once again. It's a dangerous step, since we are still without forces able to defend us against possible punishment. In the same month we forge an alliance with Ak Koyunlu, securing the defense at least somehow.
Ak Koyunlu reduced Qara Koyunlu to one province country. Tabriz is in control of rebels and the Qara Qoyunlu government is thus immediately overthrown, ending the war with Timurid Empire as well.
In April the Qara Koyunlu are invited to join our alliance. They welcomed this sort of protection against the expanding Ak Koyunlu to the west, and untrustworthy Timurid Empire to the east.

After a year of the alliance, Ak Koyunlu declares war against Timurid Empire. Both of it's allies, Dulkadir and Aden, joined the war.

Ak Koyunlu invade Dulkadir on the north, leaving the south borders. I took a loan and began construction of army. 6K INF and 7K CAV are trained in Iraq. From the fog of war came 18k army of Timurid Empire. Either they were hiding around Samarkand from the beginning, or were trained during their war against Qara Koyunlu. Iraq Regiment is waiting in Baghdad to get the morale. When the green bar is almost filled, the Timurid army from Hamadan leave the hills and proceeds to the plains of Iraq.

My 7K CAV are now superior, but it is not enough to win the battle. When the loss is evident (again morale), I am recalling the remaining troops to Kirkuk. Timurid Empire besiege Baghdad in Iraq, while Caliph's army march to the unprotected cities of the Empire in Hamadan and Ahwaz.
As soon as the flag of Caliphate is raised over these two cities, the Empire asks for peace. Caliph, as the representative of Islam, followed the words of Allah to not make the wars longer than necessary and the peace was made, Timurid Empire paying 36$ to us.

War against the Dulkadir and Aden continued. But in the beginning of next year I sent a messenger to Aden as the leader of the alliance offering them a peace. Ak Koyunlu was successful in the north against Dulkadir, so we was in a good position. Aden paid 200$.

The indemnities were marginal for collecting money in our treasury to be able pay back the loan. The remaining deficit had to be minted, which raised our inflation to 9.2% (in 1437).

After the peace in 1433 the Timurid Empire faced problems with rebelions in the south of the realm. Whole coast was in hands of rebels, from Basrah to Kalat. The rebellions were rising during their war with us, and were so successful because of Timurid's army occupied by siege in Iraq.

Baluchistan declared independence in Baluchistan and Kalat, and Mesopotamia in Basra. I hoped that the rebelling Basra would join again the Caliphate, but probably because their Shiite nationality they preferred absolute independence. The newly created Shiite countries were backed up by Gujarat declaring war against the Empire in the east.
Mesopotamia soon allied with Oman.

 

[KaRei]

Oman, through allying with Mesopotamia, got to the war against Timurid Empire and Aden. At first the Omanites tried to attack Timurid's in Hormuz and surrounding provinces, with various successes. Their not so much protected homeland was then an easy target for Aden forces. Aden got almost to the gates of Mascat itself. Oman subscribes separate peace with Timurid Empire and recalls its forces from Hormuz. Aden armies are pushed beyond Hadramut and this situation is used by The Hedjas to press Aden from the opposite side.

Timurid Empire in the meantime continued in their war against Gujarat, and newly created Baluchistan and Mesopotamia. Basrah is annexed and Baluchistan reduced to one province country, losing Kalat. Gujarat subscribed peace with some little gains.

Rebelling province Elbruz in the north of Timurid Empire defected to Uzbek Kaganate and became a pretext for later Timurid-Uzbek war.

While Timurid's were enjoying the heat of wars and rebellions, the Caliphate saw a period of peace. We tried establish some trading posts on coast of Africa, but without success. At least trade flourished and we was able increase the numbers of our soldiers. In our military also started reformations, which showed themselves very necessary in the previous wars against Timurid Empire. All other reformations, that was planned to improve our economy, was now of lesser importance. If we want survive we must change our military organization.

After six years of peace we find ourselves again in war with Timurid Empire. Timurid's are fighting against Uzbek Kaganate and Samarkand is under Uzbek control. All forces from Empire are either marching to Samarkand or are fighting in distant Uzbekistan and Qara Koyunlu saw it as the right time to try to take Tabaristan.

I sent 9k of infantry to Basrah, while the cavalry counting more than 3.5k are going to loot the provinces and swiftly take as much unprotected cities as possible.

Whole cavalry force takes Hamadan and Awhaz. Then they pass Isfahan, looting only the countryside, and continue through Fars to Hormuz. From Lut came 8k force of Timurid Empire, marching to relieve Basrah. They take back Awhaz on their route and attack my besieging forces. In the meantime has been finished training of 1k CAV, whom I sent then to take back Awhaz.

My army in Basrah is however going to loss and I am recalling them to Iraq, where they are replenished. Infantry from Iraq and cavalry from Awhaz meets in hills of Hamadan from where they together continue against Timurid army.

Timurid Empire repeatedly asked for peace, offering gold as indemnities, but Caliph decided that this time no peace will be made without Basrah.

While battles for Basrah was fought, the cavalry forces in Hormuz has been split into three regiments, taking the cities of Timurid Empire by a storm.
First takes Lut and Meched.
Second took Kerman and Birjand.
And third made it's way through Makran, Zahedan and Qandahar to Kalat.
About half of the Timurid Empire is now under control of Caliphate.

Timurid Empire is offering peace, offering Basrah and Hamadan, but they are several times refused.
The lust for territory has grown in us.
May Allah be with us...

Army in Basrah wins finally against Timurid Empire. But the defeated enemy force is now marchig to Awhaz and is free to take back all the gains we made by little cavalry regiments. In Basrah is thus kept only a besieging force, while the rest is chasing the defeated Timurids away.
But in Isfahan the chasing is stopped. The plan is to return this force back to Basrah to get it quicker while the small cavalry regiments in central Iran would retake the chasing. A battle occurred in Meched between the retreating army and my 1.8k cavalry regiment. Hills showed their big disadvantage for us. Battle is lost and retreat of Timurids stops. It is evident that the little cavalry armies operating in the area have no chance. Timurids are now taking back their cities.

After the central Iran was lost, also the major forces of Timurid Empire were released from their occupation. Samarkand was conquered back from Uzbek Kaganate and 13k Timurid army was now available to defend the Empire.

Although much larger, the forces of Qara Koyunlu and Ak Koyunlu were occupied in siege of Tabaristan, with no close prediction of the city's fall.
13k army of Timurid Empire move south, as far as Hormuz, joined with the rest of their forces and turned to the west to Isfahan. Their destination was for sure Basrah.
Our quick gains were crushed.

Timurid ruler saw however the large forces of our allies in Tabaristan as a big threat for the future, and tried offer us peace once again with the terms proposed already before.

Allah showed us what is the result of disobey of His commands quite clearly. Now we agreed with the terms and peace was made.
Although we gained Basrah and Hamadan, rather than happiness the treaty brought a relief.

 

[Beleg32]

Veru good AAR IMO. Keep it up and good luck with Caliphate.

 

[KaRei]

Bismi 'llahi

We began training some troops to replenish the losses, and because peace with Timurid Empire was just separate (leader of the alliance is Aden) the diplomatic sessions with The Hedjaz about military access were launched. The Hedjaz in this time has already ended war with Aden and so our campaign did not attract their interest. Over time our war with Aden was forgotten.

In the beginning of 1448 some noble families asked for an audience at Caliph's court. They complained about their weakening influence over the cities and asked Caliph for His support in the case. They wanted their privileges be granted by the court. Although some people of the court suggested grant them the privileges instead of risking the disquietude of the noble families and subsequent instability of the country, such step was in contradiction with the targets of our reforms. The power was supposed to be in hands of central government. Our economy was already suffering enough from the division of power and from too strong noble families. The nobles showed their displeasure with our answer quite clearly that even the Caliph himself had to remember them where they are and how they should act.

In May of the same year the nobles in Hamadan took their loyal followers and captured the city. Our army from Iraq was sent immediately to restore the order there. Since then they remained stationed in Hamadan to prevent similar nuisance.

In the same time our first colonial possession has been successfully founded.

The next year, in January 1449, the Hedjaz declared full independence on their overlords - Mameluks. We immediately used the opportunity to get them on our side and expanded the alliance. Now we want to get also Aden to us, but for this, their connection with Timurid Empire must fall first. Insha 'llah, this will be the beginning of re-unification of the Muslim world.

Allahu Akbar

 

[unmerged(144242)]

This is really becoming a nice AAR.

Lots of game shots, descriptions of why certain decisions are made, with just a little spicing of back story. Just as I like it!

It's also good to see someone (almost) falling into traps because of greed. The player himself is not infallible either.

Keep it up!

 

[KaRei]

Qara Koyunlu wants Tabaristan so badly, that the wars with Timurid Empire became almost our daily bread. No wonder that soon after the peace treaty expired, we are again marching into the lands of ancient Persia.
We have about 14k troops, while Timurid forces in the border provinces are 25k in Tabaristan and 7k in Awhaz.
Qara Koyunlu has 24k in Tabriz and is preparing to launch an attack.
In order to fund the war, all our income was redirected into our treasury.

While the 7k army from Awhaz is leaving north to join the main force of Timurid Empire, we are making a sneak attack on the cities of Awhaz and Isfahan behind the Timurids' backs. Infantry is supposed to be kept in Isfahan while cavalry force should continue taking the unprotected cities. However the force was not reorganized before it reached walls of Isfahan and what followed was an absolute mess. The disorganisation of the forces reached a point when half of the army was returning back to Awhaz and the second half proceeded to Fars. There they were finally reorganized and each regiment received finally correct orders.
Infantry was returning to Isfahan to lay a siege and horses continued deeper into the Timurid's realm.

Qara Koyunlu attack on Tabaristan failed and the subsequent reinforcements of Timurid army raised the force over 45k men.
Soon they split and above 30k force marched to Tabriz, while the remaining 14k stayed as a back up in Tabaristan.
Our troops proceeded without fight, only in Lut one of the cavalry regiments annihilated small group of enemy infantry (990 men).
When the Timurid forces reached Tabriz, a fierce battle between the two Mongol countries began. We was already preparing on the loss of Qara Koyunlu and their annexation, when a messenger reached the court with surprising news: Qara Koyunlu won the battle and Timurid forces are retreating.

When our northern cavalry force captured Meched, we found out that 6k enemy force is coming from the east, from Khorasan. We had two options:
- fall back and fight them on better terrain for us
- or go away from their route and maneuver around to take the other cities.

From the beginning of the war we was in the meantime training reinforcements in Iraq and Basrah to fluently replace the casualties in future. The first cavalry reinforcements was in this time already approaching Isfahan.
Due their close presence was the decision quick - northern cavalry regiment will fall back to Lut, where they'll meet with cavalry reinforcements from Isfahan and together they will try to stop the coming enemy before they will join the main force in Tabaristan.
It was still risky, because even together the cavalry force will be just slightly above 3.4k.
The northern regiment did not evacuate Meched in time before the arrival of enemy from east. So I used them to observe the numbers and quickly retreated to Lut, before any casualties were made. Approaching enemy force was 6.8k infantry.
Because in the northern regiment were just horses, they approached Lut before the Timurid army.
3450 horses then soon faced in the desert of province Lut the enemy force of 6861 men on foot.
Cavalry showed their superiority on the opened terrain and the battle was going in our favor.

The last day of battle, when both sides were already breaking, our forces did not withstand the pressure and abandoned Lut to Fars, however they managed reduce the force of enemy to only 1.5k men.
An emissary from Timurid Empire reached after that our court with an offer of 37$ for peace. Caliph was decided to accept the peace this time, and not risk another failure of our campaign due the greed. As a part of Muslim hospitality the diplomat was invited on a tea. Above the cup of hot drink, the Caliph tried to make a counter offer - peace for Awhaz and 25$.
Our position was strong in the war. We held a lot of cities and Awhaz was not that important. The emissary accepted immediately. His lord probably allowed him to come to larger demands, and the Caliph's offer was generous compared to our successes in the campaign.

The peace was subscribed in June 19, 1450, but it took till the end of October before all our forces left the lands of Empire.
Timurid Empire then hardly pressed against all the cities, that did not protest against our occupation during the war. For a lot of people the Mongols were still invaders. The pressure from Timurid Empire however launched a chain reaction of rebellions all over the realm.
(In fact it was event "Disintegration of the Timurid Empire" with a choice "Attack all traitors".)
Isfahan rebelled 4 days after we crossed borders back to Caliphate.

The war was however not over yet. Although with Timurid Empire was subscribed peace, it was again a separate one. In the south of Arabian peninsula was our newest ally, The Hedjaz, fighting against Aden, a former leader of alliance with Timurids. Aden was still in the war with Oman, into which it got through alliance between Oman and Mesopotamia, a revolting country that declared independence on Timurid Empire in 1437. About 10 years of fighting between those two still did not bring a clear victor. Now Aden was in war also with The Hedjaz and the Caliphate. This was a great opportunity to break the ties between Aden and Timurid Empire.

It took some time before our forces reached border line between The Hedjaz and Aden. Right before our arrival The Hedjaz sent (probably another) little force from Mekka to Yemen, and chased away the 10k army of Aden. However the Hedjaz' remaining forces were not strong enough to keep their position in Yemen and were falling back. This gave us great opportunity to take the lead of the siege of Yemen.

Yemen is a province not giving much to feed your troops. It is able to support 6k army, and we came there with 14k. I wanted to keep there only a besieging force and with the remaining force continue south to the province of Aden. But when 13k enemy army appeared there, I suddenly was not sure of the army structure. Are they all just the troops that retreated there with a panic morale, or are there also fresher reinforcements that maybe came from Hadramut. Filled with this uncertainty, I kept whole the force in front of walls of Yemen. Both Qara Koyunlu and The Hedjaz of course came there with their forces to "help". The city was taken after 9 months of siege, but the attrition losses were horrible.
From 8,700 men on foot and 6,100 on horse remained only 400 men and 4,400 horses. About two thirds of army died due starvation.

While we was occupied by siege of Yemen, a relatively small expedition force of Qara Koyunlu passed around and chased the enemy army from province Aden. So Yemen was under control of Caliphate, Aden covered by Qara Koyunlu, and Hadramut was under control of Oman and under siege of Aden. I recalled my troops back to Iraq to replenish the numbers, and deciding whether I will keep the rest of Aden just on The Hedjaz and Qara Koyunlu or will participate at least in the siege of Hadramut in the future.

In January 1453 my forces stand in Mekka, preparing to march through Yemen and Aden to Hadramut to besiege the last free city of Aden.
One year later the Hadramut is under our control, and victory of our alliance over Aden is total.
Aden pays 100$ and becomes a vassal of Caliphate. Their ties with Timurid Empire are finally broken. Soon they join our alliance.
The Caliph also sent a personal gift to ruler of Qara Koyunlu as a thanks for their help in the war. But the true reason behind was a kind gesture for better acceptance of letter that was sent with it. Caliphate rapidly rose in power during last decades, and such small coutry as Qara Koyunlu would maybe welcome more direct protection from Caliphate. The Qara Koyunlu was invited to became our vassals.

Allahu Akbar!

 

[unmerged(144242)]

Excellent progress, two vassals gained and a Plains province that might be very helpfull to slaughter any adventurous invading Timurids.

Loved the hospitable tea negotiation.

 

[Duke of Wellington]

Well done on surviving in the first place. Not an easy nation to try at all. Good luck.

 

[KaRei]

From the beginning of war with the Timurid Empire until the peace of Aden passed 5 years. All the time we was minting all our income to be able train fresh troops and replace the losses. Now, when the war is over, I plan to keep minting for a while to train last replacements, and then return the investments back to technologies.

The successes of the Sunni Caliphate is however an eyesore for the Shiites. Soon after our tired forces returned from Aden, Ahwaz rose in rebellion. 12k Shiites then marched against Basra. We are strongly outnumbered. First replacements are almost done, so I wait on them. With 10k men then I tried to relieve Basra from the rebels' siege. The army lost the battle, but successfully reduced to numbers of revolters to only 3k. I am waiting until the moral recovers to crush the remaining force in Basra. But what a luck - encouraged by the victory of their fellows even more people from Ahwaz joined the rebellion. Another 12k people joined the remaining rebels in Basrah.
Now I don't see a chance to crush them with my remaining 7k troops.
I am waiting on another replacements and in the meantime a cavalry is sent to Ahwaz to restore there the order.

With 10k army, made in large by cavalry, I then successfully crushed the besiegers in Basrah, before they managed take the city.

But it was becoming clearer and clearer, that our treasury will need money for much longer time. After we left Aden, the pressure from Oman against them again continued. Aden was our vassal and the prosperity of Aden meant prosperity for Caliphate. We had to intervene...

(Console was a side effect of tool I used for capturing this screen.)

Caliph urged to Oman that they recall their forces. The sultan of Oman refused with words that they (Shiites) will not obey what a false (Sunni) Caliph says. Oman was then subsequently labeled as "not true Muslims" and we was preparing for Jihad by sword. Jihad may be declared just for defense, and we was going to defend the Aden and help them chase away the enemy forces.
Our intention to get Oman out of Aden's territory was fulfilled. Now we must occupy the Oman forces long enough until Aden again grabs it's powers and peace between those two is subscribed.

We entered Oman with 12.000 men, from which 4.000 was cavalry. In the desert of provinces Damman and Katar we are defeating one Oman army after another. But their forces are like without end. It had to be about 20k of total, or even more.

Our original army was exhausted and I had to send there first reinforcements.
When it looked that Oman is finally out of breath, we got to Al Kharam. First province on our path which city was protected by walls.
Aden in this time has trained first troops and proceeds to Dofhar.

But the forces of Oman was far from being depleted. One would say that after such long war against Aden the country would be economically exhausted, but it was like sultan of Oman was bringing his troops from the very hell. Our siege was soon broken.

In our homeland I had to visit Basrah by myself due the affairs of state. There, when I visited a local masjid for the prayer, I noticed a painter who was decorating the ceiling of the dome. His art was exceptional and I couldn't resist to not invite him to the court in Baghdad.
The Caliph was at first a bit skeptical when I was telling him, how exceptional the work of the painter was, but he decided to try him, and gave to the painter a task to decorate several rooms in the eastern part of palace.
The painter created there a real masterpiece, maybe even better than the impressive ceiling decoration in Basra's masjid.
Caliph was impressed by the result too and when the painter also showed that he is also talented in science, the Caliph hired him immediately and ordered me to pay the painter 50$ from our treasury.

Timurid Empire was in this time dealing with many rebellions all over their realm, and the instability of Timurids was spreading into the areas directly neighboring with them. Ahwaz inspired by successes of rebels in Timurid Empire forgot on its earlier defeat and again rose in rebellion. To deal with this new threat I built second army in Iraq, counting 5k INF and 4k CAV.
After they dealt with the rebels I sent them south to Oman where the first army, although they restored siege in Al Kharam, was on the edge of its powers while Oman was coming with new troops.

The city in Al Kharam almost capitulated when our siege was again broken. At least Aden was successful in siege of Dofhar to the west.
After arrival of our reinforcements we returned to Al Kharam once more. Soon after the army established camp in front of the city, an army counting about 7k came again from Masquat. Although we won, the battle left us only with 6k men in Al Kharam.
I planned to split the force and besiege both - Al Kharam as well as Masquat - at first, but now the plan was ruined.
I trained another reinforcements in Iraq and sent them immediately to Oman capital, bringing the city under siege.
Aden is covering Masirah in the meantime, last possible source of Oman troops.

After we finally took control over Al Kharam, I sent the freed army to Masirah, where Aden was still covering the city. Together we started a siege.
Although Masirah came under siege later than Masquat, it capitulated first.
The last Oman province was under siege of both - Caliphate as well as Aden - and it was time to return to home, where Ahwaz was again making troubles.
Siege of Masquat was haded over to Aden.

During our war the Oman offered us peace numerous times. But every time they required a gold to be paid. Even when Al Kharam fell and we was besieging Masquat they were not afraid to ask for 75$.

With Dofhar and Masirah in Aden hands and Aden forces besieging Masquat it was highly probable, that even if we leave Oman and return to them their northern provinces, they will not recover to press Aden again.
Freedom of Aden was secured and we offered Oman a peace. But I still was thinking about security of Aden and persuaded Caliph that except gold we should cut Oman also off Damman and Katar to limit their income.
Thus in the end of May 1461, after about 5 years of war, the Oman pays $75 and is reduced by Damman and Katar.
Al Kharam returned to their hands, but without money they were not able to build troops. Aden continued in siege of Masquat.
Although I heard that in November came from the sea an Oman army counting 9000 men and tried to take back Masirah, in December Aden managed to subscribe peace, receiving $81 as indemnities, ending their long lasting war against Oman.

We succeeded in securing the Aden's freedom, and we also expanded our influence over new territory.
On the other side Oman during the war burned both our trading posts in Mudugh and Somalia.
The war also cost our treasury quite a lot due the needed reinforcements and it was also a big hit for our inflation, because all the time I minted all our income to have the so needed money for training new troops.
After a long decade of minting, we can finally invest again in technologies.
Or can't we? ...

...TO BE CONTINUED

 

[Ayeshteni]

Allah Akbar!

Nice comeback.

Aye.

 

[unmerged(144242)]

It seems there is to be no rest for the Caliphate, and while it is expanding this seems to lead to only more troubles and not an actual increase in power, wealth or technology.

Still loving the reports!

 

[unmerged(103789)]

How is your screen resolution so big?

Looks better then 1024x800

 

[KaRei]

Thinsulate >> I am playing on 1280x1024

SnagaDance >> Yeah. It's a bit irritating. I am dragged from one war into another, having only few years between each war to recover. Oman was the only case where I declared war and not my allies.
The situation after peace with Oman was for some time quite calm and I had time to do some establishments. I'll tell more about it in the next entry.
For now I'll only say that the east is no threat. The only source of possible problems in the future are Mameluks to the west.
Insha 'llah they will keep Caliphate in peace and I'll have time for proper economical recovery and will be able catch the delay in technology research.

 

[Saulta]

It will be interesting to see where this ends up =) Good luck!

 

[Teodor]

Great AAR! I will definitely follow this one!

 

[KaRei]

The years that followed after war with Oman was quite peaceful and in the east we sought almost a destruction of our largest enemy - Timurid Empire.
But let it take from the beginning...

Only few months before I declared war upon Oman, the Qara Koyunlu entered another war with Timurid Empire. They held the situation there firmly and our help was not necessary, so I concentrated on the Omanic subject.
A big help for Qara Koyunlu was lasting war between Timurid Empire and Uzbek Khaganate. I already don't remember, whether that war was a longer lasting conflict, or it was a new one between those two.
All by all the war in the east front ended relatively soon and our alliance gained about 125$.

Not very long after that the Timurids subscribed peace also with Uzbeks and lost forever their northern borders.
We didn't hear much about Timurid Empire for some time since then.

Our war in the south against Oman ended successfully (as described in previous entry) and a peaceful period started. However the internal situation was almost unbearable. Except two, no province is fortified and what is worse, most of the country are Shiites and only the capital is Sunni. The easiest thing here would be probably change to Shia and transform the capital to majority. But I would rather die than dishonor the Muhammad's heritage.
With Caliph we prepared our plan of infrastructural expansion. All provinces should be converted to Sunni and fortifications built in every province. Colony in Qatar should be expanded into city and join its sister colonial town in Damman.
The process should hit at first the Basrah, our second largest city. Ahwaz should follow as there were some problems with local population during last years. Hammadan, a hilly outpust, would be third. Little city in Damman as fourth and the little colony in Qatar the last.
These improvements needs a lot of money however and to me it's clear that only census taxes won't be enough to cover all the expenses in time. To make the plan at least somehow realizable the minting was allowed to continue.

A group of enthusiasts for army were welcomed as a cheap replacement.
My attention about army is attracted by the army of Qara Koyunlu, whom I am going to annex as soon as the internal situation is stabilized.
I don't want try annex them now, because the number of their units would take a lot from our budged.
But Qara Koyunlu have already their place in the future.

Our colonial plans were frozen for now as there were more important things where to spend the money. However the relaunched Omanic expansion on the islands and African coast lead me to re-evaluate the option of sending settlers now. A massive wave was sent and they successfully reserved large part of coast for us for the future.
I just hope that I'll be able turn at least some of those trading posts into colonies before they'll be burned in some war.

In the meantime the Timurid Empire and Uzbek Khaganate entered another war over the Iranian hills. Simultaneously the Empire was facing one rebellion after another. This led to it's collapse. Uzbeks gained vast territories in central Iran while Timurid Empire was left in ruins with three separated enclaves.

Our largest enemy almost perished, but the walls of palace began to mumble about rise of Uzbeks in the east and expansion of Ottoman Empire in the west.

Was just one enemy replaced by another?

 

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You're gonna have to 'liberate' everyone, to get rid of that little problem i think.