The Fatimid Caliphate: The Seventh Branch pt.3
The night darkened around the fortress city of Firenze, brightened occasionally by a flaming boulder hurled over the walls. They frightened the horses and citizenry, but were of little real concern to Jordan de Toulouse, Lord Imperial of all Christendom. What concerned him wast the rhythmic rum-tum-tum of hurled rock working its way through the last ring of walls of the only remaining free city in Italy. He contemplated briefly surrender, per chance the infidel would let him live out his life in some golden cage on the Red sea coast. More probable was of course then putting his head on a spike outside Alexandria, as the Caliphas were wont to do, or sell him to the Iconists to be paraded around in some triumph and then strangled. No, it was not a fitting end for an Emperor of Rome.
Having escaped war for many generations, and sporting some of the most impressive fortifications in Italy, the inhabitants of Firenze had hoped they could hold out for long enough for rescue to arrive from Christians in the north. The siege engineers of the Lord Leviathan of Baalbek soon disabused them of such notions.
Jordan looked upon his reflection in one of the palaces cracked mirrors. He did look the part of Last Emperor, his face dirty and rugged, his armour and tabard battered and worn. He should at least have his crown and helmet shined before going out again.
"Sic transit gloria mundi" Innocentius, 6th of that name, needlessly added.
"I do not believe we are quite dead yet holy father, or have you lost your faith?" Jordan grunted.
"Certainly no. But it does not seem the Lord is quite intent on delivering us, not that surprising given the times we live in.." he turned a tormented look towards the young Emperor "If he were, would he not have done so outside Roma? And not have let it be pillaged by the infidel, the keys of St Peter and the Triregnum brandished on some heathen banner. No, our sins are not yet paid for."
"The only sin committed here was when my forefathers did not burn all of Africa when they had the chance. Now, find some suitable outfit to bless my men in, the Saracen shall soon be upon us."
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As Arab naval raids increased, so did proportionate Imperial counter-reaction. Later historians have criticised the Toulousian Emperors for not immediately countering the very real threat posed by the raids of Barbarossa, particularly after Arab fleets started moving from large-scale raids to blatant conquest of strategically important islands. The response however was largely made up of ramshackle naval forces led by various semi-independent Italian city states. Even when Siracusa and Messina rebelled and rejoined the Caliphate the Imperial court in far of Toulouse failed to coordinate a joint response. It was then that the Pope called for a Holy league to meet the Infidels head on, marshalling most of Italy proper as well as the remnants of Holy Orders and volunteers from many lands. Unfortunately they had failed to realize this was exactly the response the Tunisian raiders had hoped to elicit. With Moslem lands suddenly under threat the Calipha was obliged to come to the aid of the Sicilian Arabs.
Several lesser clashes finally led to the massive Battle of the Thyrrenian Sea, somewhat south of Rome itself.
The largest naval battle until that day, it pitted some 252 ships of the combined Barbary and Alexandrian Battle Fleets against the 219 ships of the Holy League Fleets. The battle seemed even, until the Greeks captains from Taranto and Bari received word of Byzantion's entry into the war and abandoned their position at the centre of the line. Allowing for the League fleet to be divided in two, faulty communication between various nationalities soon led to the rout of the Occitan flank and the following capture or destruction of the Italian City fleets.
With all of Italy under threat it was not long before Imperial authority collapsed completely. The German cities by the Alps threw themselves at the feet of the Bavarian. The Andalusians temporarily forgot about all the Sultans talk about discussion and consensus long enough to launch a Jihad to conquer all of Occitania. The Greeks and Croats scuffled to claim the Empire as their own, gaining Imperial Ravenna and the tradehub of Venezia respectively. Down south the depleted Banners of Barbary laid siege to Roma herself. Meanwhile the Caliphas own, the Banners of the Nile, landed in force by Livorno. Engaging directly the major armies of North Italy one by one, leaving little remaining for the arriving banners of Syria to mop up. In the end only Firenze stood, and the Calipha impetuously gave the order to storm it.
Last of the Emperors
Siracusan University press
