Chapter II - The Sultan of Valencia (1073-1089)
“The Cruel?!? They call me Hakam the Cruel?!?” The new Sultan belted at his advisors. “How could this happen? I’m not an evil man!” He said as his council shifted their gaze among one-another.
“All this charity, all this praying and for nothing! Well, no more I say!”
It seems that Hakam’s brief flirtation with religion hasn’t amounted to much. The Sultan’s old callous nature had proved to have too much of a hold over his reputation for anybody to see otherwise.
With the reorganisation of the realm into a Sultanate underway, Hakam elects to yield the Sheikdom of Menorca to his loyal Grand Vizier Jyad in an effort to appease his subjects and move the centre of power onto the mainland at Dénia. A new local ruler on the Balearic islands would also improve the local administration. After all, the Sultan cannot be everywhere at once.
However, when the Grand Vizier wrote to the Sultan to thank him for the new titles, among his letter was something more concerning. News had reached the diplomat that the dastardly Castilians had succeeded in their holy war, conquering much of the Aragonese interior from the Hadids. The rest of the Muslim realms on Iberia would have to be united by either diplomacy or war if they are to successfully resist the Christian menace.
News also reaches the Sultan of a dangerous heresy making the rounds in Andalusia. The heretical Zikri faith had taken a foothold in the capital of Dénia. Strange new preachers have appeared on the city streets, sputtering all sorts of nonsense about the failings of Sunni Islam. Worse still, Hakam’s own wife had taken to following the local preachers! Though Hakam was not too fussed on the matter, and could barely point out the difference between the Sunni and Zikri creeds anyway; it was another matter for the realm's council. This could not stand! Court Imam Yahaff of Elx is dispatched to deal with the heretics, whilst Hakam demands his wife re-convert, fortunately Hakam's threats prove sufficient to make Hasti think twice about her decision.
In celebration of the formation of the new Sultanate, Hakam organises a Furusiyya, a tournament pitting the greatest horsemen of the realm against each other. The tournament, lasting for several days, would see the warriors of the realm display their equestrianism, archery skills, and ability with a lance.
Despite Marshal Hilal being the heavy favourite for victory in the tournament, first prize ultimately goes to an unknown local rider of little renown named Fadl, with Hilal coming second. Many questions are raised about Fadl’s victory, with allegations of cheating being spread among the other competitors. However, an investigation into the matter is not high on Hakam’s agenda, and so the lowborn goes home a happy man.
Having observed a number of neighbouring realms dogpile on the Emirate of Granada, Hakam decides he also wants a slice of the pie. In early March 1078 war is declared on the weakened Emirate for control over the province of Almeria.
Naturally, after Hakam’s last experience of war, he would leave this campaign in the hands of his generals. Commander Giyasaddin would take command of the Hayyid forces, whilst the Sultan remained in his cosy castle back in Dénia. After the month-long march into Granada, the Hayyid army faced little resistance. Almeria was fully occupied within a year, leading the remaining army to march inland in search of what was left of the Granadan levies.
Both sides ultimately met at the Battle of Andújar. The Granadans stood little chance, outnumbered almost 2:1, Hakam’s forces inflicted the decisive blow.
By the following year, the Granadans had surrendered. Almeria was part of the growing Hayyid Sultanate.
Seeing the emerging threat posed by the expansionist Christian kingdoms, Hakam thought it necessary to secure a diplomatic agreement with the other Moorish realms. A betrothal between Prince Mundir and Princess Ghada of the Aftasid Emirate would create the foundations for a bulwark against the Spaniards. Later marriage agreements would also be struck with the Zirids and Hammadids within the Maghreb.
But soon after, both León and Galicia invaded the Aftasids with the goal of conquering Badajoz and Beja respectively. With Hakam’s forces still recovering from the Granadan war, conflict with the Spanish kingdoms could not be risked at this moment. Fortunately, many of the other Moorish realms had troops to spare, ultimately driving the Aftasids onto victory. For all Jyad's talk of a united front against the Christians, Hakam didn't seem overly enthusiastic about committing his troops to foreign wars.
With Hakam’s heir Mundir approaching maturity it was important for him to be introduced to the various vassals of the realm so that they may become better acquainted with their future ruler.
Whilst some of the meetings went down well, with Court Imam Yahaff offering to tutor Mundir in the Koran, and a number of vassals being impressed by Mundir’s diplomacy; it was also clear that Mundir had a temperamental streak, having started a fight with the daughter of the Court Physician.
By the time of his sixteenth birthday, Mundir ibn Hakam had established himself as a crafty man of intrigue, though perhaps not as accomplished as his father. Mundir seemed almost a carbon-copy of his father in all ways but one. Thanks to his father’s religious phase, and the tutelage of Imam Yahaff, Mundir was a much more learned and religious man relative to the Sultan.
With a capable heir now of age, Hakam was in a position to reflect on his own legacy and achievements. And what better way to do this than with a statue? After several months of work, a new monument was unveiled at the town square in Dénia. A masterpiece of sculpture, the bronze statue stood boldly above the square clutching its sword with the scabbard. Hakam’s bronze double would continue to watch over the denizens of Dénia for many years to come.
News reaches Dénia of the goings-on in the world. Major revolts are taking place in both England and Byzantium. An Anglo-Norman alliance of Earls had risen up against the Norse King of England, Magnus I with the aim of putting Robert Curthose, son to the one-month King, William of Normandy, on the throne.
Meanwhile, in Byzantium a four-way civil war had broken out over the succession to the Purple throne. Perhaps this civil war would provide an opportunity for Seljuk or Fatimid expansion within the region?
Great news reached Hakam in August. Thanks to the diligent work of Imam Yahaff of Elx the horrid Zikri heresy had been fully removed from Dénia and the heretical preachers were nowhere to be seen within Hakam’s realm. The council celebrated a job well done amongst themselves. The Zikris were gone, and would surely never be seen again...
Several days later news reaches the capital that the Dhunnunids had launched an invasion of Jaen giving Hakam the perfect opportunity to add Granada to his growing realm. The troops were mustered and once more Hakam's commanders led the Hayyid army into battle whilst the Sultan sat at home.
With the Dhunnunids occupying most of the Granadan forces, the path to the capital was clear for Hilal’s forces. Marshal Hilal in command of around 6000 troops took to besieging the province. All seemed to be going swimmingly on the front lines.
However, back in Dénia, Hakam was not exactly feeling like himself. A slight dizziness, tiredness was it? Hakam wasn’t quite sure what was wrong with himself, but it was certainly something. After a thorough check-up by Court Physician Ya’far, it seemed that Hakam had come down with rabies. A dog bite from a previous hunting trip seemed to be the likely culprit. A deadly disease, Hakam would need to trust the physician with his life, but proved far too paranoid to try any of Ya’far’s more ‘experimental’ treatments.
With Hakam’s condition worsening by the day, Ya’far was soon giving the Sultan 24/7 care. But the Court Physician believed he had found a solution for the Sultan’s malaise. Ya’far produced a horrendously smelling jar containing a mixture of cow dung and various herbs and proceeded to smear it upon Hakam’s chest. The cure, allegedly a remedy from some far-flung land near Hindustan stunk out the palace for a number of days. But remarkably, several days later Hakam was feeling slightly better.
But alas, the feeling proved fleeting. On December 12th 1089 Hakam ‘the Cruel’ fell dead in his bed reeking of cow’s dung. It took the servants several days and multiple shifts to fully clear the stench out of the Sultan’s suite.