- ARCHIVE - Khanate Court of the Timurid Empire

[unmerged(9313)]

A letter arrives from Genoa

Great Khan of the Timurids!

I have spoken to your messenger in my city, and I am pleased that this whole matter is based on a misunderstanding. I will explain why. Your excellency, the matter concerning the silk trade is quite simple. Genoa is only seeking to monopolise the silk trade in the sense, that we handle the trade of silk AFTER is leaves the control of the Muslims. We wish to be the link between your suppliers and our markets. After all, you supply the silk, but in the end, the markets for silk is mainly in Christian lands, and that is where Genoa comes into the picture. It is in no way an attempt to steal your profitable silk trade from you, by my honour no! It is a question about handling the trade in our own markets.
That is why Genoa suggests some kind of agreement with the Timurids. As you know, we are wealthy people, we Genoese. Very wealthy indeed. We are capable of paying your merchants massive amounts of money for their silk, for we know how to make a profit of it in our own markets. You need only name your price for your silk, and we will pay it with great pleasure. You have absolutely nothing to fear from Genoa, for our interest do nowhere collide, in fact we have only increased wealth to gain by cooperating. Your excellency, Genoa is your humble servant, and you need only name your price.

Signed with highest respect
Allesandro Doria
Doge of Genoa

 

[unmerged(3236)]

while Agha Bugu goes to write a personal letter to the Caliph Huang JJie takes care of the messanger from Genoa. She bows slightly to the messanger then begins to speak in rather bad latin.

Yes, I understand what you say and I also understnad how this could be befeficial to us both. I will imidiatly send a trade agreement to Genoa which surely will be befinicial to us both.

Huang Jie goes over to a desk in the court and begin to write, and after a while she hand over this message to the messenger and waves for him to return to Genoa.

Silk Distribution Agreement

Article 1
The Silk embarge against Genoa will be ceased imitiatly

Article 2
Genoa will be the only Christian state which is allowed to trade silk in Timurid harbours.

Article 3
The price genoa is to pay is atleast 133% of the old price for christians, if genoese merchants wish to raise the price with rising demand then that is allowed.

Article 4
Genoa will not sell the silk with a profit higher then 10%

Article 5
The Aghakhan and the Doge may end this agreement whenever they wish without consequenses.

Article 6
The doge will send a permanant Elci(diplomat) to Samarkand for the duration of this agreement.

 

[unmerged(9313)]

Those blasted camels! He would never get used to riding them, but some idiot salesman in Damascus had persuaded him, that camels were the ideal beast of transportation in these parts of an unchartered world. Aside from the first 15 painstaking falls from the huge animal, and that the smell had been keeping him sick half of the trip, the animal itself was extremely bad mannered. It had several times eaten one of he pieces of clothing. He would have preferred a horse, but his supply of silver was running low, as he finally, after several months of changing between travel and stand-still, arrived in Samarkand, the goal of his epic journey. He had his other camel unloaded, and took great care, that the box in dark wood was handled extremely carefully and that the barrel alongside it was also not mishandled.
Before presenting himself before the Khan, he took the opportunity to take a long, long bath, and freshening himself up. The constant chanting and yelling from the practitioners of this strange faith kept him on his toes, making him hug his trusted sword when he was alone. There was something about this place that gave him the jitters. Maybe it was the water or the fact that he for obvious reasons hadn't had a drink for five months. All in the name of Genoa.
The Genoese finally managed to get an audience with the Khan, only to find that he wasn't there! He was so surprised and disappointed that he could cry... and he did, but out of sight of course. All this way for nothing. That was until he found out that the Khans sister or something apparantly governed while he was fighting one of his enemies. Hmm... well, she would be better than nothing, so the Italian entered the Khanate court.
There he found many guards, many servants and much wealth, and not surprisingly... silk. The reason for his arrival.
He bowed before the woman in front of him, not looking at her while he spoke. Someone had told him to avoid eye contact and remember to show fear. They liked that.

"Your glorious excellency... Huang Jie. Donatello Moraldino at your service. I have come from the far, FAR away land of Genoa to serve as amba... uh... Elci to Samarkand. My lord, the Doge of Genoa, is extremely pleased with the friendship you have blessed us with, and we will do everything possible not to disappoint you or in any way dishonour you. Uhmm... I was hoping to find the Khan here, for I have brought him a luxurious gift from the Doge, with instructions to give to him in person. It is a man's gift, but if your majesty wants to, I can display it for you and the court here."

 

[unmerged(3236)]

Haha, what a pathetic little Italian. Im sure he went and cried when he heard the doge was away. Well, what more can one excpect from a Italian? -was what Huang Jie thought when she saw the Elci form Genoa

You are most welcome to the lands of the Al-Agta Khanate, i hope you will find it pleasant. I will make sure that you are given a fine resident.

About that gift, i do not know what gift it is so how do you excpect that i know if it is right or not to deliver it. But i warn you, the Aghakhan will be gone for sevral months, so i dubt you can wait for his arrival.

 

[unmerged(9313)]

"Oh, noble excellency. I shall present the present to you then, in the hope that you will send it to the Khan."

The Italian then orders his two servants to present the gift to the queen. One of them open the dark wooden box, and takes forth a musket of excellent quality, and with the newly invented serpentine lock shining on it. The weapon has only been fired once, when it was tested. The second servant presents the barrel filled with the black powder, called gunpowder. Also, a collection of 50 small lead bullets is taken out of the wooden box.

"This, your highness, is the most advanced handheld weapon in the world, handcrafted in the arsenal in Genoa, especially for his Imperial majesty to use. The firepower of this weapon is truly demonic, for its lead bullets is propelled forth by the igniting of the black powder there. Combined it creates..."

The Genoese goes on and on about the weapon as it is handed over to her highness. It is very heavy indeed, and Donatello shows her the support stick need to balance the weapon.

 

[unmerged(3236)]

Huang Jie listens with alot of intrest to the words of the Genoese. So instead of just brushing it all aside as lies she decided to test it. She walks outside the court and aims at a tree a short distance away and fires at it.

BAM!

first Huan Jie screams something in chinese, then when she is gathered herself form the loud noise she walks over to the tree to see the effect of the gun....
...
...nothing
did she miss, did Huang Jie, the fine archer form china really miss?

She decides to test again in order to save whats left of her honour, this time she is prepared for the loud boom, she prepare herself and squese the triger

click...click...clik click click

The Elci moves in and tells her that the weapon needs to be reloaded, and after a long long while of reloading Huang Jie is eady to shoot again. She aims very closely, prepare herself for the bam and squese the trigger once agian

BAM

She once agian walks over to inspect the tree and find.. nothing..

She orders the Elci to reload one last time, this time she aims for the wall of a small shack in the garden surounding the court. She angrily squese the trigger.

BAM

The bullet smash into the dried clay wall, small shreads of clay flies of in all direction and gives a truely mighty visual effect.

They head back into the court where Huang Jie imidiatly begin to speak to the Genoese.

Well, this weapon truely deliver a hard pounch, but i can not be usefull with such a long reloadtime, a archer will be able to throw out 5 arrows in the time this thing shoots one single bullet.
And the noise. I wont be able to sleep for days after that noise!

But your gift is still greatly appriciated, as a gift of friendship... also, i think it will make a nice addition to my Brother collection of exotic weapons.

 

[unmerged(7347)]

A letter arrives from Cairo

"Khan of the Timurids,

Do not assume that because the brave forces of the Mamelukes is occupied, restoring the Sultanates honor, else where, that I look kindly upon your agression towards our common neighbour, the honorable Il Khanate. It may be so that the forces of the Il Khanate will have to fight alone in their just cause for now, but the forces of the Mamelukes will not be occupied with the infidels for all eternity... Upon their arrival from the current conflict, my forces deserves their rest and a great feast to celebrate their valiant victories, but if I have to, I will send them east instead...

signed by

Yusuf al-Zahiri, Sultan of Egypt, Lord of Africa"

A sealed letter is also included for the Agha Khans eyes only.

 

[unmerged(8915)]

Event

Baghdad​

The Caliphate has shifted its center of gravity rapidly. No longer are the murderous hordes to the north-east, the bane of Mesopotamia from times immemorial, their overlords, but rather the civilized Egyptians now hold a hand of protection over the greatest city of Islamic culture, learning and theology – Baghdad. The splendid city now ruled by the whip and arrow of the Mongol brute. Yes, the offspring of the Tatars ruled the land betwixt the two rivers, but now unwashed and unkempt horse-archers of distant lands never subjugated by Iskander himself patrol the beautiful street of the pearl of the Middle East – Baghdad. Will the remaining troops support the ousted former rulers?

1. The people rally beneath the banner of Il-Khanate (+1 morale for 1 year, +1 current land mil, +1 starting land mil for 1 year to Kaliphate).

2. The soldiers rally beneath the banner of Il-Khanate (+1 current land mil, +1 starting land mil for 1 year to Kaliphate).

3. The populace remains passive (no effect).

4. A new ruler makes no difference, think the people (no effect).

5. Loyal units join their formal overlords ((-1 current land mil to Kaliphate).

6. Men of noble birth support their former Timurid overlords ((-2 current land mil to Kaliphate).

Roll:1; The people rally beneath the banner of Il-Khanate (+1 morale for 1 year, +1 current land mil, +1 starting land mil for 1 year to Kaliphate).

 

[unmerged(3236)]

A large muscular man with a large wound in his leg comes riding back home to his Village. He gathers the men and women of the tribe before he begins to tell people of his adventure.

Greeting my brothers and friends, I am here to tell you of my recent adventure, the battle of Baghdad.

thirteen nights after Azirga Khan came here to requite men to his army we arrived at Isfahan where all the Khans and their armies gathered, even the Aghakhan and his personal lifeguard! You wont believe the skill of the soldiers of his lifeguard, I am sure that they alone could beat any foe!

The noble Aghakhan and the other Khans had a large meeting two nights after we arrived in Isfahan, they planned the long travel to Baghdad and made sure the entire army have food and water. I know this since I stood guard outside the tent.

The following day we begun the travel to Baghdad, but first the Aghakhan held a speech

"Honourable Tsereg of the Al-Agta Khanate, I am more glad to see that you support me then I am saddened by the fact that the Il-Khanate does not.

You all should know that you fight for the right, for the Il-Khanate have at several occasions tried to start war between noble Moslems. These acts are clearly against the teachings of Mohamed.

Also the Il-Khanate have made agreements which do not see the gain of the entire Khanate but to the personal gain for the Il-Khan. Believe my words, the only deity which the Il-Khan acknowledge is gold!

We will ride of towards Baghdad at noon, Baghdad, which Timur once invaded and now we will do so again!

Your Individual Khans will tell you what path you are to take there."

After this the Aghakhan clearly showed his brightness as each of the Khans took their own routes towards Baghdad, so that we will be able to live of the land better. Very wise, since I cant think of a field where all those horses would be able to eat at once.

After two weeks of riding we finally arrived at the lands of the Il-Khanate and here all armies but the Aghakhans personal lifeguard united and travelled towards Baghdad. It was very clear that the Il-Khan was afraid for all his soldiers have taken cover inside the walls of Baghdad.

After no more then 2 days of riding in the Il-Khanate we found the magnificent walls of Baghdad, truly magnificent walls as high as at least 4 men and almost as thick. Those walls seamed to be impenetratable. I could not think of a way to even scratch those walls.

Three hours after we set up camp outside Baghdad the Aghakhans Lifeguard arrived, and they had some weird tree structures with them, trebuchets I think they were called. Believe me when I say that a trebuchet is the mightiest weapon in the world, somehow they begun to throw rocks as large as horses with those machines, and they all hit the walls with unimaginable power.

It was not easy to sleep that night, the constant noise from the siege but finally we all fell asleep. The next morning Arslan Khan told us that the Aghakhan had breached the walls at several points, we was supposed to charge the city in one hour.

And we sure did charge, we stormed into the city like a river and the weak Il-Khanate soldiers was swept away like thin sticks on a dead tree. We slaughtered them with ease.

It only took us a ten hours to invade the whole city and then we received our pay for the fight. We raped their cattle, burned their women and slaughtered their fields. But sadly I entered a small hideout for those who still was loyal to the bong(Mongolian Satan) worshipping Il-Khan. I was cut in my leg and therefore forced to go home.

Here I am now, with a leg which wont be used for a year but I am not sorry for that. A leg is a cheap price for the adventure I have had.

 

[Chris8b]

In al-Jaza'ir, the Zayyanid sultan calls for Elci Kereg and demands he attend him at his court this day.

 

[unmerged(7347)]

A letter from the Caliph arrives to Baghdad and the Agha Khans quarters.

"Khan of the Timurids,

It may have been Allahs will that you should conquer the magnificent city of Baghdad but it is indead not his will that any religious or holy site will be defilated. I urge you to take actions for there protection. Baghad is one of the most splendid cities of all Dar l Islam, its value is not meassurable in earthly goods.

As for your conflict with the Khan of the Il Khanate I believe you have proven to be superior your opponent on the battlefield, with the help of Allah or not, but as you now have won your victory, sign peace and return home victorius. Vassals should obey there overlord as the servants of Allah should obey his and his earthly representatives divine will, but as you now already have beaten your opponent and restored your honor I can not approve further aggression..."

 

[unmerged(7347)]

A letter from Cairo arrives. It is for the Agha Khans eyes only.

 

[unmerged(3236)]

img]http://kumiku.mine.nu/img/mongol3.jpg[/img]
After the glorious Invasion of the most holy city of Baghdad the Aghakhan rides south with his forces. Finding water is easy since their next target is downstream on the rivers of Eurufat and Tigris.
The Aghakhan splits up his army in two equal parties, one led by him and one by Azirga Khan, and they ride down one river each. They plan to unite the armies where the rivers unite shortly north of Basrah.

The trip is almost trubble free, the rivers provide water and the banks are richly farmed. Accordingly to the Aghakhans orders all farms are plundered, but only so much that the people there will survive and be productive members of the Aghakhans society.

When the armies unites again the Aghakhans Lifeguard once again rides of ahead in order to build Trebuchets to use for the siege.

When the two larger armies arrives at the city of Basrah they se the flag of the Al-Agta khanate waving above the fort, not an enemy in sight.

A member of the Aghakhans lifeguard rides out and speaks to the Khans


Greetings my honourable Khans, I can inform the that the city of Basrah have already been invaded. While we was out searching for wood the defenders of the fort must have seen us, foolishly they thought that they would be able to beat our force.

At nightfall they stormed out of the Fort and almost caught us by surprise, luckily though we had guards positioned who saw the enemy coming. We quickly armed ourselves and rode of to fight back, suddenly they became the surprised ones as our arrows rained down and hit them in their chests. First they tried to charge in the woods, but due to the dark moonless night they did not see the ground and they just stumbled forward slowly. Soon they gave up and tried to flee back to the Fort, but they found that we had sent 200 horsemen there to meet them. While they were trying to get past those the rest of our force caught up with their soldiers, we cut them all down, each and every one!

At this time we discovered that the fort had not been able to see the slaughter and still had the gate open, we ordered the 100 fastest horses to storm into the fort before they could close the gates, most of them got inside and they managed to kill the few living defenders.

 

[unmerged(7400)]

A letter arrives from Cairo, but it is from a Baghdadi, as it is written on the papyrus.

The The Aghakhan of the Al Algta Khanate, son of Timur and heir to the Tchinnigis throne.

I, Mohhamad Al-Muktar, servant of Allah and leader of the Baghdad true faith Mosque, spiritual leader of arabians Muslims in Irak, am the new ruler of the Il-Khanate. Hulegu Il-Khan has traveled a long mile right to the Chagatai Khanate, in which he will stay for the rest of his life.

Therefore, he named me his successor.

I am ready to reclaim my vassalship to the Al-Agta Khanate, in exchange for total peace.

I am now moving to Baghdad, and hope for a quick answer.


Mohammad Al-Muktar, ruler of the Iraqi faith

 

[unmerged(17500)]

A letter from Ragusa arrives

"Aghakhan of the Al-Agta Khanate I have your words in the west, and am quite suprised to have a nation that has no reason to enter this war. The Ottomans have tred on Christian ground and they will pay. They have attacked first and we have responded. Anyone who supports their cause will be supporting the aggresors in this battle. I would think that the weakening of trade competition would be favorable to you but regardless, we will provide more then good reason for you to stay out of this war when we declare our reasons and facts of war. We first await the Ottomans to respond to our fair and honorable peace offering.

I can only promise that we will not take liberties we do not disserve. We do not ask for much as you can see within the peace treaty we present. We feel it is more then fair, and extremely generous. Their is no reason for Ionia to be under Muslim ownership as there is no curiosity from the west to take Muslim land under Christian ownership. So we hope that you will move to pressure your brethren into this peace. We do not look forward to shedding Muslim blood, but will if need be.

While standing on the shoulders of the European giants we await your response of peace.

~Stefan Crnojevic, Duke of Ragusa"

 

[von Streusser]

To the leader of the Al-Agta Khanate,

We have received your letter. As we would help our friends and neighbors, we respect your decision to do the same. I hope that it will not come to that, as the Ottoman Empire can still sign a white peace with the Balkans and be done with this war. However, if they do not do so before this plague lifts, we will have no choice but to fight beside our brothers.

Know that Moldavia shall conduct itself with honor on and off the field of battle. We have no desire for Ottoman land or money, only for the protection of our brethren. The Muslims may have Turkey, we care not for it, but we will not give them an inch of the Balkans without a fight. If that means that we must face the Timurids on the field of battle as well, then so be it. We shall await you on the fields of Thrace.

Ilias I
Stefan II
Voivodes of Moldavia

 

[unmerged(3236)]

Huang Jie turns her head to the messanger from the new leader of the Il-Khanate, she shakes her head and then speaks.

Messanger, go home to your master and deliver these words.

You say that the Il-Khan elected you as his successor, that means he trusts you, means that he likes you and probobly that you share the same ideals.

I do not know if you are worthy of the Il-Khanate or not, niether do my brother. Due to the recent happenings in the Il-Khanate I can not gamble, there must be a strong ruler there, someone that I know that I can trust.

If you Mohhamad Al-Muktar could come to Samarkand and proove that you are worthy then perhaps you will be elected to rule the Il-Khanate.

 

[HJ Tulp]

A messenger arrives with a letter for Agha Bugu.



To the Great Agha Bugu,

I am sending you this letter in reply of a letter send to me by a messenger from your nation. There was no name of the sender on it but I figured that you or the Aghakhan would want my reply.

Firstly I want to say that it's not me with who the Ottoman Empire is in war with but my close vassal and son, the Grand Governor of Dobrudja. However I have talked with him about this matter and I support him wholeheartly. I also have his answers.

The Grand Governorship of Dobrudja doesn't wishes for any large quantities of land. In a treaty I've written the only thing the Grand Governorship of Dobrudja receives are a couple of islands with not more then 100 citizens all christian.

The reason the Grand Governorship declared war on the Ottoman Empire is that it threatened the beautiful and christian city of Constantinople.

As soon as we have found someone in power in the Ottoman Empire we will send a very generous peace treaty, espacially considering the situation in the Ottoman Empire.


Duke Willem of Gelre, Prince of Vastgoterland, Grand Admiral of the North, Count of Zutphen.

Grand Governor Hendrik van Egmondt, Grand Governor of Dobrudja.

 

[HJ Tulp]

A messenger arrives in the court.


To the Great Agha Bugu,

where in my letter did I wrote that I didn't know of my sons declaration of war? Where in my letter to you did I wrote the word renegade? I take it that your translator has translated the letter wrongly. I support my son in his fight against the Ottoman Empire.

Furthermore, there is something I don't understandt. Are you the ruler of the Ottoman Empire? Is the Ottoman Empire your vassal? If not then why do you propose a peace on their behalf?

I have nothing but respect for your armies however I believe that the forces of my son are atleast as good as yours and I think that my son is atleast as good a tactician and strategist then your Khan. Same with my sons allies.

I myself propose peacetalks on neutral terrain. I heard about a small island in the Bospurus, that looks like a good place for my sons and the Ottoman diplomats to meet. My son would like to invite the Ottoman leader but it isn't known who's in control at the moment.


Duke Willem of Gelre, Prince of Vastgoterland, Grand Admiral of the North and Count of Zutphen.

 

[von Streusser]

A letter from Moldavia arrives.

"To whomever,

Perhaps such vague threats and posturing intimidate your fellow Muslims before you attack them, but they will not work on Moldavians. Mongol hordes have visited our lands before, and I must say we failed to be impressed last time.

As for the Ottoman Empire finding a suitable noble to rule my lands, I should say they may want to direct their efforts to finding a suitable noble to rule their own, as last I heard the Sultan's loyal bodyguards were currently employed shooing crows away from his corpse.

Ilias I
Warlord of Moldavia"