The Emir and the Prince
In June 1119, Bohemond passed the law. No more will there be creating any creation of any rogue Kingdoms after his death. He knew his history enough, and the partition of the Frankish Empire was a warning enough- how the powerful Empire could fall into several squabbling Kingdoms after the death of a monarch. Now, his lands would be partitioned, yes. But at least, all would be vassals of his primary heir.
No more surprise Kingdoms upon the death of Bohemond!
Speaking of heirs, Mernissa bore yet another son to Bohemond in August 1119. Named Drogo. He was a latecomer, and unexpected- for Mernissa was already 40 at the time. Bohemond, who had already settled with the fact that Gerbert would be his latest, was pleasantly surprised at the late pregnancy of the Queen. Drogo, named after Drogo, the great-granduncle of Bohemond, brother of Robert Guiscard, was both brilliant and strong as Pippi Longstocking.
Drogo de Hauteville, 9th child of Bohemond and Mernissa
On other news, Clemens III reached new heights of being charitable- granting Bohemond 457 gold in June 1119. Still, the Papal coffers seemed inexhaustible.
The Pope still has too much money
The Muslim rebels in Iberia grew more and more powerful. In May 1119, Bohemond and his small army crushed a peasant army of 4300 soldiers. Still no march for the Normans, who lost a total 66 soldiers in the battle. Once again, one sister saved. Bohemond dropped into Valencia to say “Hi” and the following morning, headed back to Palermo.
Again in Iberia
The Emir
The Persian Empire in the East was almost as powerful as the Byzantines. Though lacking the succession laws of the Byzantines, the Empire occasionally crumbled as another succession crisis began. Still, they were a worthy opponent, holding the city of Bagdad and lands from Arabian peninsula up to India.
Yousifid Emirate used to be part of them, but somehow, Emir Hisn II ad-Dwalah Haydar ibn Ali managed to become independent of the Seljuks, most likely during one succession crisis or another. Normally, a wise choice, but perhaps not so wise when you happen to border the Kingdom of Sicily.
In August 1119, Bohemond, thinking of expanding eastwards and creating a buffer zone before Jerusalem, declared war on Hisn II, claiming Duchy of Amman, northernmost part of what was considered to be the Kingdom of Arabia.
Perhaps independence from Seljuks wasn't the best idea
Normans marched to put the province of Balqua under siege. Then, the news arrived- the enemy was making a naval landing in Ghazza. None of the Normans really understood why the Yosufids had taken the boats, but there they were- most likely gathered in Damascus, boarded the ships in Byzantine lands and were now thinking it is a wise plan to land behind the Norman backs.
The enemy making a grand mistake
Bohemond stopped the siege at once and ordered his troops to march back. No way he was going to let an opportunity like that go to waste. In early November, Normans attacked the still disorganized enemy and slaughtered them. As a bonus, the Normans captured Emir Hisn II himself. Making this one very short war, as the poor Emir was given two choices- Amman or hanging. Hisn II chose Amman.
The result of the mistake
New ruler of the lands was Niketas Gymnos. Prince Charming of Giselle, daughter of Bohemond and quite an accomplished diplomat and administrator. Lustful as well, so Bohemond was expecting lots of grandchildren. Especially since Giselle was now pregnant already.
Niketas and Giselle and their new lands
Thus ended one very short war and Normans made their first step into what were considered Arabian lands.
The Prince
The Tadlid Grand Emirate was to the west what Persia was to the east. A huge Muslim Grand Emirate, reaching from Southern Iberia to the lands of Sahara. The father of Grand Emir Thabitah ibn Yusuf Tadlid was an Emir of Marrakech and Fes, until in 1099, he overthrew the former Almoravid ruler, Abu-Bakr, became the new Amir al-Umara and named the country after his own family.
Thabitah was confident in his power. Able to muster almost 9000 troops, the Grand Emirate was feared by all their neighbours. Apart from the Normans, that is. In July 1120, Bohemond declared war on Tadlids, calming county of Tanas as his own by right of God. Bohemond already controlled the other county of Duchy of Algiers and was eager to add the other to his collection.
Picking a fight with the strongest power in the west
Normans marched to Tanas and put the county under siege. In November, the county fell. The Normans marched on. This time though, Bohemond took backup- he knew full well the might of the enemy and he recruited every single man that he could. For the first time in ages, the maintenance cost of the soldiers pushed the Norman income to negative.
It was a wise choice. In November, reports of an enemy army in Orania, the neighboring province, first appeared. Then, the reports turned into enemy armies. Led by Amir al-Umara Thabitah himself, the full might of the Tadlid Emirate and their allies, the Zirids, plus some mercenaries as well, were brought down upon the Normans.
Oh, look, an enemy army!
It was 9000 against 11 000. It was the biggest battle Normans have fought yet- and it was fought in Oran, with Bohemond taking the offensive. A rarely seen event where the smaller army attacks a larger one. This was actually paramount to victory, for no-one was expecting that. Including Thabitah. Grand Emir refused to believe the news of Normans approaching, thinking them to be scouting parties and thinking his own scouts to be piss-poor cowards who mistake small units with big army.
Oops, a bit more then one! And led by al-Umara himsef!
Until the Normans lined in the fields before him. Then, he hastily tried to put up a defense, but it was too little, too late. While Tabitah was a good general, one with experience and knowledge of the Christian tactics that he knew how to use to his advantage, he was nothing compared to the military genius of Bohemond.
The Norman forces caught the enemy unprepared and without giving them time to recover, Bohemond gave the order to attack. The Norman knights, core of Bohemond’s army, lowered their pikes and the ground trembled as they started their terrible charge, crushing into enemy forces with the full force. The other Norman troops followed suit. The enemy still outnumbered the Normans, but in times like this, no-one has time to count. Instead, the ferocity of attack forced the enemies to pull back, then pull back even more, until gradually, the pulling back turned into rout.
It was a costly battle. Bohemond lost nearly 2000 soldiers there- a cost that would have forced his grandfather, Robert Guiscard, to his knees. Also, one of his knights, Khalid Aqilid, was killed.
Khalid, the Mashriqi knight
But in the end, Normans were the masters of the field, with more than twice the enemy corpses decorating the field. Günther von Gencher, the most legendary knight alive, killed more then 200 soldiers alone. Well, alone with his retinue. Despite being 65 years old. So did Jakob Bach, a Frankish knight, recently arrived to the service of Bohemond. Count Torgils of Derna was one short of 200. Truly, the knights were the cornerstone of Norman success.
Günther, a swabian and Jakob, a Franconian. Stars of the battle.
There was one more bonus. Prince Yusuf ibn Thabitah. Son and heir of al-Umara himself, was found, wounded in the thick of battle and captured. A giant of a man, but not much of a fighter. This capture sped up the war quickly.
From Fari to bargaining chip
In April 1121, Orania fell to Norman troops. This was enough for Tabitah. He gave up the county of Tanas, crying over 4000 soldiers lost over a mere county.
Well, that wasn't so bad
Duke Arnald of Kroumerie, a cousin of Bohemond and a head of House Arnaldid, had been a busy man. He inherited County of Constantine from his father, Tomasz. Then, he took Annaba, the second province of Duchy of Kroumerie, from Cagliari. Then, he expanded southwards, taking provinces of Blizima and Biskra from the Duchy of Zab. Then, he expanded westwards and took Algier. Finally, just recently, he conquered Ashir and Figuig, in the Duchy of Tahert, south of Algier. He was called Little Bohemond for a reason. From one county to seven, he had started as a mere count and ended up as one of the most powerful vassals of Bohemond, commanding nearly 2000 troops.
Arnald, the Duke who started as a Count of one county
While Bohemond liked Arnald, he knew full well that too powerful vassals can cause trouble. So, he gave the newly conquered province to Count Robert of Algiers, who happened to be another cousin of Bohemond and a brother of Arnald. And as soon as the Norman coffers will fill up again, he will make Robert another Duke, thus curbing the power of Arnald a bit.
Robert of Algiers, vassal of Duke Arnald, conveniently controlling the Duchy of Algiers now
Royal Matters
In May, Duke Arnald of Calabria died. The beloved Duke died not even reach 50. And as he lived by the sword, he died by one. Complications of the wound. . He was a marshal of King Bohemond. He was also lauded as one of the finest knights in Europe and his contribution in victories of Bohemond was without a doubt, great. His son, Robert, was not as great a man as his father, and instead, Bohemond was forced to pick Duke Alfons of Alexandria as his marshal.
In June 1120, Bohemond became a proper strategist. Mostly through learning through practice, for the King had seen more than his fair share of battles. Now, the King was even more supreme of a general. All the comparisons made- like Alexander of our time, or Ceasar, or Hannibal, were more then justified- Bohemond was a brilliant leader of men. And now, he was even more brilliant.
Bohemond the Pure Brilliance of Military Command
