Oh - you are all too kind with your messages of sympathy and encouragement
. I'll be honest and admit that, if I hadn't been writing this AAR, I'd almost certainly have jacked the whole thing in at this point and started a new game as Aragon or something. Ditto if I'd posted my tale of woe and got nothing but stony silence. But how can I let you down and abandon the tale now???
And in any case, the news is somewhat better this time, though nothing astounding.
Episode 6: A Time for Giving
In 1494 Sultan Zakariyya Ibn Hafs the Useless finally died, and when the celebrations had died down it was discovered that his son Muhammad V was now Sultan, and that he seemed at first glance to be just as useless as his father. However, Sultan Muhammad V took a very different approach from Zakariyya. His ambition was to regain the province of Tripolitania from the mentally unstable rebel leader ‘Sultan Muammar’. However he guessed that Tunisia was in no condition to go to war successfully during his reign, and instead he spent virtually all of his tax income buying costly gifts which he sent to ‘Sultan Muammar’.
First, however, the nasty Mameluks declared war on Tripoli, evidently hoping to pick up the province by a quick annexation. Tunisa and Fez came to the aid of their new ally, while the Hedjaz gave support to the Mameluks. The Hafsid Army thus found themselves marching to Tripoli once more, but this time to defend ‘Sultan Muammar’s independence. After an initial defeat at the hands of a small Hedjaz contingent, the Tunisians regrouped, raised some reinforcements, and were back in Tripoli in time to inflict two defeats on the Hedjaz forces in October and November 1496. The Mameluks promptly made peace with Tripoli, paying the alliance a large sum in indemnities, which was certainly a welcome addition to Muhammad V’s treasury.
Sultan Muhammad immediately began sending gifts to ‘Sultan Muammar’. These gifts had varying effects. Some appeared to be immensely appreciated, while others left the flaky rebel completely indifferent.
One of Muhammad V’s less successful gifts - an Arab thoroughbred with a handmade Tunisian carpet thrown in - ‘Sultan Muammar’ appeared to completely ignore it
This tasteful Minnie Mouse snowstorm souvenir was by far the most appreciated of all Muhammad’s gifts to ‘Sultan Muammar’ - the rebel leader came all the way to Tunis to personally thank him, and to grovel at his feet gibbering incoherently with pleasure
In 1508 all this costly gift-giving finally paid off, when an ecstatically happy ‘Sultan Muammar’ accepted to become Tunisia’s vassal. Sultan Muhammad, eager to see if the same strategy would work elsewhere, began plying the Sultan of Fez, Muhammad II, with similar gifts. But although Muhammad II became extremely friendly, for some reason he never showed the slightest interest in becoming a vassal.
Meanwhile ‘Sultan Muammar’s relations with Tunis remained volatile, and he had to be appeased every now and again with more gifts. This meant that the whole operation took much longer than expected, but finally, in 1525, after Muammar had just received a magnificent set of pink robes, he happily agreed that Tripoli would be much better off as a province of the Sultanate of Tunisia once more.
‘Sultan Muammar’ sporting the trendy outfit that clinched the deal
Having at last fulfilled his ambition, Sultan Muhammad felt it was only fair to die as soon as possible and leave the throne to his son Al-Hassan. This he did in 1526.
Well there we are - back where I was about 50 years ago! And my inflation is now at an impressive 95.8%
. So this is where I need some helpful advice from some hardened campaigners - what on earth can I do now that will make the game interesting again? All suggestions welcome!
