Heirs of the Pharaohs: Ancient Egypt Restoration Campaign
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We talking hermetic science emperors with pistols five hundred years early, or full on satanic rituals giving you slaves?
Chapter 1.5: He Who Opens the Ways
Chapter 1.5: He Who Opens the Ways
History often acts in these broad, faceless moves. The Bubonic Plague. The Great Migrations and the Fall of Rome. The Late Bronze Age Collapse. All of these are massive, world-changing events, but they're also deeply impersonal.
But other times you get these rare events that seem so confoundingly unlikely and yet so monumentally impactful that it's easy to understand how the people living through them could honestly believe that this was all predestined. That they were genuinely chosen.
The events that would take place over the next two years in the lands of Kordofan and Darfur can seem like they were barely a footnote in the grand scale of history. But the people who were there would see their whole world turned upside down in the blink of an instance, through a series of coincidences so fortuitous that to many, they could only be a sign of divine favor.
This is the story of how Bolad became High Chieftain of Darfur -- according to the Kushite customs. [1]
Immediately following the fall of the village of Mao-Darfur, before he had even returned with his men to Ubaid, Bolad got word that Chieftain Eri of El-Fasher had declared war on Chieftain Dahab of Darfur, who had recently been defeated by Bolad in the conquest of West Kordofan. Eri had decided to make good on Dahab's temporary weakness in the wake of his defeat and invaded the eastern lands of Darfur.
In the tribal customs of the Kushite Daju at this time, peace treaties between warring tribes usually included an agreed-upon truce, enforced at penalty of grave dishonor, and these truces usually lasted for years, so Bolad would have had nothing to fear from Dahab, and vice versa. But if Chieftain Eri managed to subjugate the tribes of East Darfur, he could lead their warriors against Bolad.
Further, the Chroniclers claim (a bit hypocritically, one might say) that Bolad was simply trying to prevent the shedding of Daju blood by other Daju, by uniting the fracturing tribes. He had planned to do this diplomatically (and one must raise an eyebrow at this claim as well), but Eri's attack simply left him no choice.
In any case, war was declared, and the Kordofani warriors marched south to the village of El-Fasher[2] while their enemy still fought against the warriors of Chief Dahab the Muglad.
It took time for the messengers to reach Bolad at Mao-Darfur, and even longer to gather the warriors who were still securing the province for the march on El-Fasher, so even with Youssouf's expertise, the enemy managed to secure the villages of East Darfur before El-Fasher could be captured, claiming the lands of Eastern Darfur and slaying Chief Dahab and ending the Muglad line. When the village did finally fall, it came with a handsome prize: Chieftain Eri's young son and heir Ederisu was taken hostage. Bolad ordered him released even while the war was still being fought, in exchange for a ransom of many heads of cattle for his herds.
Soon after the village of El-Fasher fell, Bolad's men caught up with the warriors of Cheiftain Eri in the highlands north of Mao-Darfur, at a place called Malha. It was a costly battle, and many warriors on both sides fell. But in the fighting, Chieftain Eri himself was grievously wounded and taken captive by the Kordofani. In exchange for his safe release and the forfeiture of the lands surrounding El-Fasher, Eri was released, sealing the customary truce.
If Chieftain Eri's ill-fated decision to invade Eastern Darfur before Bolad's army had even returned to Kordofan was the first pivotal event in this tale, the second came as a result of the Battle of Malha. Chieftain Eri had negotiated a five year long truce with Chieftain Bolad and sealed it with their blood, and five years would have been a long time to wait before securing the rest of Darfur. The fractured Daju tribes had been steadily losing ground over the prior few decades to the neighboring Zaghawa people to west and the Coptic Nubians to the east. Yet so long as the truce stood, Bolad would not have even imagined invading Dar Al-Said. Breaking a truce would have shattered the people's faith in him and in his message, maybe irrevocably, and the last echoes of ancient Egypt would have died out, muffled in the sands of the Sahel.
Bolad's path to victory was opened, he would later claim, by the direct intervention of the god Wepwawet himself. Before the men of Dar Al-Said had even reached their own territory, the Chief was dead, his internal injuries from the battle having festered.
Eri's heir was a boy of four years old named Ederisu, and Bolad wasted no time declaring that the gods have warned him that the boy was unfit to rule land along the western frontier's hostile border, where the Sheikhdom of Ayn-Farah was ruled by a cruel and craven animist named Kpodo.
For the protection of all Daju Kushites, he claimed, be they in Darfur or Kordofan, it was crucial a strong, fit ruler control these contested territories. A four year old boy certainly did not qualify. Bolad would seize and rule Dar Al-Said while the boy chief would be allowed to keep the lands of Eastern Darfur, which his father had won by right of conquest.
Of course, Bolad could use his troops to enforce this decree without fear of violating the truce, for his pact was with Eri and died with him. He owed Ederisu no loyalty.
Bolad raised his troops in El-Fasher and marched them to the village of Dar Al-Said, hoping to catch the retreating soldiers before they could regroup. Indeed, Bolad and his men arrived at Dar Al-Said first; but when the warriors of Eri reached the village where his son had been encircled, they abandoned him, fleeing into the mountains instead. Bolad took Dar Al-Said easily, capturing the boy chief, but magnanimously released him, 'granting' him the land of East Darfur.
It was barely half way through his fifth year of reign, and Bolad was now High Chieftain of a land that would come to be known as "Dardaju", or "Land of the Daju" in the native tongue. The name was chosen as a unifier for all the different tribes, Kordofani, Darfuri, and so on. This strategy of consolidation wouldn't always work, though it would always prove more effective when the realm was under external pressure.
Bolad's own title was Chief of All Daju, which wasn't true quite yet -- the sheikh of Ayn Farah ruled over tribes of Daju people, and Bolad would turn his eye to their liberation next. And the tribes of East Darfur did not yet swear loyalty to the Chief of All Daju - in fact, Ederisu (or his regent) would resist peaceful offers of vassalage. But in the minds of many of the Daju themselves, this was a pivotal moment, where Bolad had proven his worth at ruling their people and restoring them to glory.
There is one other smaller, more personal story that comes down to us through the Daju oral traditions of this time. According to the tales it happened slowly throughout this war, but so as not to interrupt the flow of the narrative, I'm placing it at the end. This is the story of Bolad's more personal ccampaigns, where he proved less effective a conquerer.
During the previous war[3], Bolad had convinced Youssouf of the sincerity of his faith and swayed him; there was no questioning Youssouf's faith in Bolad as a leader. But Youssouf had originally caught Bolad's eye for more sentimental reasons, and Youssouf had previously made it clear that he was not interested in such attentions. Still, their relationship had grown along the years, and during this war Bolad tried once more.
His attempts at courtship were quite awkward, and often ended in failure. These sorts of relations were not forbidden or even shunned in Kushite society, but they generally weren't something a chief with aspirations for conquest would air publicly, especially if that chief was married and held multiple concubines yet had fathered no children in many years despite his youth. Yet Bolad publicly pursued Youssouf, to the latter's great embarrassment.
Yet in the days following the conquest of Dar Al-Said, as Bolad and his men went over the village's new management, Youssouf came to Bolad one evening, soon after the rest of his courtiers departed, and revealed his intentions. He did not wish to reject Bolad, the opposite; he simply wished to accept him on his own terms, not be badgered into it by public displays.
Bolad and Youssouf finally accepted each other, and the realm was rapidly growing. But not all Daju were united under the Chief of All Daju, nor were his tribes powerful enough to deal with the Nubian Coptics. Dardaju was not yet safe.
[1] The Coptic chroniclers do not go into nearly as much detail about this period, only plainly stating that Bolad conquered the lands of Darfur through guile and force of arms.
[2] El-Fasher was built at the foothills of a mountain that was holy to the Daju people, known as Jebel Marra. Securing this site would go on to grant Bolad much of his divine legitimacy.
[3] It is likely the two tended to bond on campaign because they were away from Bolad's wives and concubines, but the Chroniclers are unclear on this topic.
History often acts in these broad, faceless moves. The Bubonic Plague. The Great Migrations and the Fall of Rome. The Late Bronze Age Collapse. All of these are massive, world-changing events, but they're also deeply impersonal.
But other times you get these rare events that seem so confoundingly unlikely and yet so monumentally impactful that it's easy to understand how the people living through them could honestly believe that this was all predestined. That they were genuinely chosen.
The events that would take place over the next two years in the lands of Kordofan and Darfur can seem like they were barely a footnote in the grand scale of history. But the people who were there would see their whole world turned upside down in the blink of an instance, through a series of coincidences so fortuitous that to many, they could only be a sign of divine favor.
This is the story of how Bolad became High Chieftain of Darfur -- according to the Kushite customs. [1]
Immediately following the fall of the village of Mao-Darfur, before he had even returned with his men to Ubaid, Bolad got word that Chieftain Eri of El-Fasher had declared war on Chieftain Dahab of Darfur, who had recently been defeated by Bolad in the conquest of West Kordofan. Eri had decided to make good on Dahab's temporary weakness in the wake of his defeat and invaded the eastern lands of Darfur.
In the tribal customs of the Kushite Daju at this time, peace treaties between warring tribes usually included an agreed-upon truce, enforced at penalty of grave dishonor, and these truces usually lasted for years, so Bolad would have had nothing to fear from Dahab, and vice versa. But if Chieftain Eri managed to subjugate the tribes of East Darfur, he could lead their warriors against Bolad.
Further, the Chroniclers claim (a bit hypocritically, one might say) that Bolad was simply trying to prevent the shedding of Daju blood by other Daju, by uniting the fracturing tribes. He had planned to do this diplomatically (and one must raise an eyebrow at this claim as well), but Eri's attack simply left him no choice.
In any case, war was declared, and the Kordofani warriors marched south to the village of El-Fasher[2] while their enemy still fought against the warriors of Chief Dahab the Muglad.
It took time for the messengers to reach Bolad at Mao-Darfur, and even longer to gather the warriors who were still securing the province for the march on El-Fasher, so even with Youssouf's expertise, the enemy managed to secure the villages of East Darfur before El-Fasher could be captured, claiming the lands of Eastern Darfur and slaying Chief Dahab and ending the Muglad line. When the village did finally fall, it came with a handsome prize: Chieftain Eri's young son and heir Ederisu was taken hostage. Bolad ordered him released even while the war was still being fought, in exchange for a ransom of many heads of cattle for his herds.
Soon after the village of El-Fasher fell, Bolad's men caught up with the warriors of Cheiftain Eri in the highlands north of Mao-Darfur, at a place called Malha. It was a costly battle, and many warriors on both sides fell. But in the fighting, Chieftain Eri himself was grievously wounded and taken captive by the Kordofani. In exchange for his safe release and the forfeiture of the lands surrounding El-Fasher, Eri was released, sealing the customary truce.
If Chieftain Eri's ill-fated decision to invade Eastern Darfur before Bolad's army had even returned to Kordofan was the first pivotal event in this tale, the second came as a result of the Battle of Malha. Chieftain Eri had negotiated a five year long truce with Chieftain Bolad and sealed it with their blood, and five years would have been a long time to wait before securing the rest of Darfur. The fractured Daju tribes had been steadily losing ground over the prior few decades to the neighboring Zaghawa people to west and the Coptic Nubians to the east. Yet so long as the truce stood, Bolad would not have even imagined invading Dar Al-Said. Breaking a truce would have shattered the people's faith in him and in his message, maybe irrevocably, and the last echoes of ancient Egypt would have died out, muffled in the sands of the Sahel.
Bolad's path to victory was opened, he would later claim, by the direct intervention of the god Wepwawet himself. Before the men of Dar Al-Said had even reached their own territory, the Chief was dead, his internal injuries from the battle having festered.
Eri's heir was a boy of four years old named Ederisu, and Bolad wasted no time declaring that the gods have warned him that the boy was unfit to rule land along the western frontier's hostile border, where the Sheikhdom of Ayn-Farah was ruled by a cruel and craven animist named Kpodo.
For the protection of all Daju Kushites, he claimed, be they in Darfur or Kordofan, it was crucial a strong, fit ruler control these contested territories. A four year old boy certainly did not qualify. Bolad would seize and rule Dar Al-Said while the boy chief would be allowed to keep the lands of Eastern Darfur, which his father had won by right of conquest.
Of course, Bolad could use his troops to enforce this decree without fear of violating the truce, for his pact was with Eri and died with him. He owed Ederisu no loyalty.
Bolad raised his troops in El-Fasher and marched them to the village of Dar Al-Said, hoping to catch the retreating soldiers before they could regroup. Indeed, Bolad and his men arrived at Dar Al-Said first; but when the warriors of Eri reached the village where his son had been encircled, they abandoned him, fleeing into the mountains instead. Bolad took Dar Al-Said easily, capturing the boy chief, but magnanimously released him, 'granting' him the land of East Darfur.
It was barely half way through his fifth year of reign, and Bolad was now High Chieftain of a land that would come to be known as "Dardaju", or "Land of the Daju" in the native tongue. The name was chosen as a unifier for all the different tribes, Kordofani, Darfuri, and so on. This strategy of consolidation wouldn't always work, though it would always prove more effective when the realm was under external pressure.
Bolad's own title was Chief of All Daju, which wasn't true quite yet -- the sheikh of Ayn Farah ruled over tribes of Daju people, and Bolad would turn his eye to their liberation next. And the tribes of East Darfur did not yet swear loyalty to the Chief of All Daju - in fact, Ederisu (or his regent) would resist peaceful offers of vassalage. But in the minds of many of the Daju themselves, this was a pivotal moment, where Bolad had proven his worth at ruling their people and restoring them to glory.
There is one other smaller, more personal story that comes down to us through the Daju oral traditions of this time. According to the tales it happened slowly throughout this war, but so as not to interrupt the flow of the narrative, I'm placing it at the end. This is the story of Bolad's more personal ccampaigns, where he proved less effective a conquerer.
During the previous war[3], Bolad had convinced Youssouf of the sincerity of his faith and swayed him; there was no questioning Youssouf's faith in Bolad as a leader. But Youssouf had originally caught Bolad's eye for more sentimental reasons, and Youssouf had previously made it clear that he was not interested in such attentions. Still, their relationship had grown along the years, and during this war Bolad tried once more.
His attempts at courtship were quite awkward, and often ended in failure. These sorts of relations were not forbidden or even shunned in Kushite society, but they generally weren't something a chief with aspirations for conquest would air publicly, especially if that chief was married and held multiple concubines yet had fathered no children in many years despite his youth. Yet Bolad publicly pursued Youssouf, to the latter's great embarrassment.
Yet in the days following the conquest of Dar Al-Said, as Bolad and his men went over the village's new management, Youssouf came to Bolad one evening, soon after the rest of his courtiers departed, and revealed his intentions. He did not wish to reject Bolad, the opposite; he simply wished to accept him on his own terms, not be badgered into it by public displays.
Bolad and Youssouf finally accepted each other, and the realm was rapidly growing. But not all Daju were united under the Chief of All Daju, nor were his tribes powerful enough to deal with the Nubian Coptics. Dardaju was not yet safe.
[1] The Coptic chroniclers do not go into nearly as much detail about this period, only plainly stating that Bolad conquered the lands of Darfur through guile and force of arms.
[2] El-Fasher was built at the foothills of a mountain that was holy to the Daju people, known as Jebel Marra. Securing this site would go on to grant Bolad much of his divine legitimacy.
[3] It is likely the two tended to bond on campaign because they were away from Bolad's wives and concubines, but the Chroniclers are unclear on this topic.
- 1
This is still vanilla CK3 my friend
I don't think either of those are available quite yet 
Re: Bolad becoming the High Chieftain, they say that it is better to be lucky than good.
Very excited. #TeamYoulad
Very excited. #TeamYoulad
Chapter 1.6: Chief of All Daju
Chapter 1.6: Chief of All Daju
By the fall of 870, High Chieftain Bolad had declared himself Chief of All Daju, and found himself in direct control of more land than he could possible manage alone. Almost all the Daju tribes had now been united under his rule, with the exception of the tribes to the west which still lay under the thumb of the Zaghawan Sheikh Kpodo.
In order to secure the loyalty of his men, Bolad granted two of the villages in Darfur to Kamalgi, his top lieutenant.
Kamalgi was a skilled warrior, clever in the ways of the desert but also skilled with a blade in personal combat. For years, he had loyally led Bolad's men into battle asking for little in return beyond the traditional annual tribute of a Chieftain to his best warrior -- the best of the year's calves, prime cuts of meet from the Chief's best slaughtered bulls, and so on. Once Bolad needed loyal men to manage the villages taken from Chieftain Eri, he turned to his lieutenant with little hesitation.
Never one for words when action would do, Kamalgi's impatience often caused friction between him and his liege. But Bolad could certainly tell that Kamalgi, for all his faults, was a Just man -- even if he took too much pleasure in seeing that justice carried out. Bolad knew he could count on the villages staying firmly in Kamalgi's control.
Kamalgi's first task as a lesser chieftain was to take the men west, into Zaghawan land. They would raid and pillage the animist's lands to inspire the men, giving Bolad the influence he would need to expand his conquests further.
The raid went well, though Bolad was growing weary of the lack of discipline his men showed. They were, at this time, less an army, and more a collection of tribesmen, mustered for war by faith in Bolad's visions and fear of Kamalgi's punishment. So long as they only faced other disorganized tribes in the Sahel, Bolad was not worried; but if the Daju people were to hold their own against the larger Zaghawan kingdoms further west, not to mention the powerful Nubian kings and chiefs to the east, they would need better trained troops.
With this in mind, Bolad had Kamalgi choose three hundred of the tribe's best warriors. These men were equipped and trained with bow, pike, or on horseback; recent raids paid for the equipment and Kamalgi ran the training personally.
As soon as the men had gotten used to their equipment, High Chief Bolad ordered the invasion of Ayn Farah. Bolad's new troops easily outmatched the defending levies, and soon a new village had been freed from its Zaghawan overlord to join the Dardaju.
Sheikh Kpodo, though an Animist, had ruled over a land of Daju, and so many in his service were Daju, too. In the village of Ayn Farah, Bolad captured Ur, the Sheikh's spymaster, as well as Shendi, his marshal. Both were Kushite Dajus, and eager to join up with Bolad's Dardaju nation. Ur would become Bolad's concubine while Shendi would serve Bolad as a champion.
For months, Bolad's men would skirmish with Kpodo's as fighting raged back and forth across the grasslands. Many men lay dead, yet with every engagement the Daju would come out further on top. Finally, in pitched battle at a place called Hurayz, Sheikh Kpodo fell captive, and a truce was sealed, recognizing Dardaju's claim to the lands of Ayn Farah. The Sheikh consolidated his holdings further to the west, in a land known to the Daju as Qimr and prepared to lick his wounds, while the Daju celebrated their victory and the liberation of more of their people.
The Coptic Chroniclers had mostly been silent on the story until now[1]. In their telling, Bolad's conquest of Dardaju is glossed over, the High Chief painted as a bloodthirsty tyrant who unified his lands through fear and dread. Yet strangely, there is one story - a tale of diplomatic expansion, no less - which has survived only in the Coptic Chronicles. If the Kushite or Daju traditions had a similar story, it hasn't survived. Still, this author is inclined to grant some credibility to this story as told by the Coptics, because it seems to portray Bolad in a positive light, taking great lengths to avoid another war with Ederisu and his tribe.
What is clear, even in the Kushite tradition, is that East Darfur had stayed independent even after the rest of the free Daju tribes had eagerly pledged themselves to Bolad. The young Chief Ederisu ibn Eri had not yet forgiven Bolad for the loss of his lands, nor for the death of his father. He certainly wasn't stupid enough to send the ragged warband of East Darfur against the mighty Dardaju warriors openly; perhaps he remembered what had happened when his men had come upon the encircled village of Dar Al-Said and abandoned him to be captured, but he also refused to swear fealty to Bolad, despite the latter's repeated offers.
Eventually, though Bolad had come to control many villages on either side of East Darfur, and the lands claimed by Ederisu started to become inconvenient. The truce with the boy chief would expire in but a year or two, and Bolad would be free to conquer East Darfur and do with it as he would. But instead, he offered to betroth his new daughter[2] to Ederisu, forming an alliance between the Tantamani and Tunjur clans. Ederisu agreed, and Bolad would follow lavish gifts in an attempt to get Ederisu to pledge fealty to the Dardaju, though he still hesitated to do this.
Before further progress could be made with bringing the tribesmen of East Darfur into the fold, war broke out once more. This time the Zaghawa Sheikh Dalu, of a land further west called Dar Sila, had invaded the lands of Qimr, hoping to capitalize on the weakness of Sheikh Kpodo. He would seize the southern half of the region, around a village called Masalit, and claim it for his own. The perfect opportunity for Bolad to invade once more without breaking a blood truce. The future was clear: soon enough, the Dardaju would march off to war again.
[1]While the Zaghawa undoubtedly had their own rich and fascinating take on this tale, these traditions haven't made their way down to us.
[2]The Chroniclers mention that Bolad's wife and concubines had given him five daughters during these wars, but no sons. The exact timing of each daughter's birth is unclear.
By the fall of 870, High Chieftain Bolad had declared himself Chief of All Daju, and found himself in direct control of more land than he could possible manage alone. Almost all the Daju tribes had now been united under his rule, with the exception of the tribes to the west which still lay under the thumb of the Zaghawan Sheikh Kpodo.
In order to secure the loyalty of his men, Bolad granted two of the villages in Darfur to Kamalgi, his top lieutenant.
Kamalgi was a skilled warrior, clever in the ways of the desert but also skilled with a blade in personal combat. For years, he had loyally led Bolad's men into battle asking for little in return beyond the traditional annual tribute of a Chieftain to his best warrior -- the best of the year's calves, prime cuts of meet from the Chief's best slaughtered bulls, and so on. Once Bolad needed loyal men to manage the villages taken from Chieftain Eri, he turned to his lieutenant with little hesitation.
Never one for words when action would do, Kamalgi's impatience often caused friction between him and his liege. But Bolad could certainly tell that Kamalgi, for all his faults, was a Just man -- even if he took too much pleasure in seeing that justice carried out. Bolad knew he could count on the villages staying firmly in Kamalgi's control.
Kamalgi's first task as a lesser chieftain was to take the men west, into Zaghawan land. They would raid and pillage the animist's lands to inspire the men, giving Bolad the influence he would need to expand his conquests further.
The raid went well, though Bolad was growing weary of the lack of discipline his men showed. They were, at this time, less an army, and more a collection of tribesmen, mustered for war by faith in Bolad's visions and fear of Kamalgi's punishment. So long as they only faced other disorganized tribes in the Sahel, Bolad was not worried; but if the Daju people were to hold their own against the larger Zaghawan kingdoms further west, not to mention the powerful Nubian kings and chiefs to the east, they would need better trained troops.
With this in mind, Bolad had Kamalgi choose three hundred of the tribe's best warriors. These men were equipped and trained with bow, pike, or on horseback; recent raids paid for the equipment and Kamalgi ran the training personally.
As soon as the men had gotten used to their equipment, High Chief Bolad ordered the invasion of Ayn Farah. Bolad's new troops easily outmatched the defending levies, and soon a new village had been freed from its Zaghawan overlord to join the Dardaju.
Sheikh Kpodo, though an Animist, had ruled over a land of Daju, and so many in his service were Daju, too. In the village of Ayn Farah, Bolad captured Ur, the Sheikh's spymaster, as well as Shendi, his marshal. Both were Kushite Dajus, and eager to join up with Bolad's Dardaju nation. Ur would become Bolad's concubine while Shendi would serve Bolad as a champion.
For months, Bolad's men would skirmish with Kpodo's as fighting raged back and forth across the grasslands. Many men lay dead, yet with every engagement the Daju would come out further on top. Finally, in pitched battle at a place called Hurayz, Sheikh Kpodo fell captive, and a truce was sealed, recognizing Dardaju's claim to the lands of Ayn Farah. The Sheikh consolidated his holdings further to the west, in a land known to the Daju as Qimr and prepared to lick his wounds, while the Daju celebrated their victory and the liberation of more of their people.
The Coptic Chroniclers had mostly been silent on the story until now[1]. In their telling, Bolad's conquest of Dardaju is glossed over, the High Chief painted as a bloodthirsty tyrant who unified his lands through fear and dread. Yet strangely, there is one story - a tale of diplomatic expansion, no less - which has survived only in the Coptic Chronicles. If the Kushite or Daju traditions had a similar story, it hasn't survived. Still, this author is inclined to grant some credibility to this story as told by the Coptics, because it seems to portray Bolad in a positive light, taking great lengths to avoid another war with Ederisu and his tribe.
What is clear, even in the Kushite tradition, is that East Darfur had stayed independent even after the rest of the free Daju tribes had eagerly pledged themselves to Bolad. The young Chief Ederisu ibn Eri had not yet forgiven Bolad for the loss of his lands, nor for the death of his father. He certainly wasn't stupid enough to send the ragged warband of East Darfur against the mighty Dardaju warriors openly; perhaps he remembered what had happened when his men had come upon the encircled village of Dar Al-Said and abandoned him to be captured, but he also refused to swear fealty to Bolad, despite the latter's repeated offers.
Eventually, though Bolad had come to control many villages on either side of East Darfur, and the lands claimed by Ederisu started to become inconvenient. The truce with the boy chief would expire in but a year or two, and Bolad would be free to conquer East Darfur and do with it as he would. But instead, he offered to betroth his new daughter[2] to Ederisu, forming an alliance between the Tantamani and Tunjur clans. Ederisu agreed, and Bolad would follow lavish gifts in an attempt to get Ederisu to pledge fealty to the Dardaju, though he still hesitated to do this.
Before further progress could be made with bringing the tribesmen of East Darfur into the fold, war broke out once more. This time the Zaghawa Sheikh Dalu, of a land further west called Dar Sila, had invaded the lands of Qimr, hoping to capitalize on the weakness of Sheikh Kpodo. He would seize the southern half of the region, around a village called Masalit, and claim it for his own. The perfect opportunity for Bolad to invade once more without breaking a blood truce. The future was clear: soon enough, the Dardaju would march off to war again.
[1]While the Zaghawa undoubtedly had their own rich and fascinating take on this tale, these traditions haven't made their way down to us.
[2]The Chroniclers mention that Bolad's wife and concubines had given him five daughters during these wars, but no sons. The exact timing of each daughter's birth is unclear.
- 1
Making some serious progress.
I wonder if doign a Kushite run is going to be a "thing" of CK3, given the tendency of Paradox players to want to restore former faiths/empires to their ancient glories.
I wonder if doign a Kushite run is going to be a "thing" of CK3, given the tendency of Paradox players to want to restore former faiths/empires to their ancient glories.
I could see it. I have a friend who made her first run a Kushite restoration, and I kinda want to give it a shot.
Chapter 1.7: Consolidation
Chapter 1.7: Consolidation
In the last days of the year 875, High Chief Bolad had found himself in a tight spot. Almost all of the Daju people had been freed from foreign rule, aside from the tribes of the Masalit and Qimr, in the far west of their lands; but even there, war between the Zaghawa Sheikhs had left them fairly distracted, allowing their Daju subjects to do as they pleased, for the most part.
Though still highly respected for his religious motivations, the Daju tribes had been at war for five years; they did not wish to follow their High Chief into yet more battles, not yet.[1] But now was the opportune moment to strike, precisely because the Zaghawa Sheikhs were at each other's throat!
The Kushite tradition holds that Bolad was in constant communication with the god Wepwawet, Opener of the Ways, at this point. Every victory the Daju had won, Bolad had attributed to Wepwawet's aid. Now he turned to him in his time of need, and -- according to the tales -- Wepwawet delivered, coming to Bolad in a dream or vision and showing him of the Boar of Osiris[2]. This massive creature was said to be a great boar bearing massive tusks; its thick hide was a pale tan, nearly white. It was closely associated with the god Osiris, and if Wepwawet's vision could be trusted, it was somewhere near the village of Ubaid.
Bolad called a great hunt, and summoned his chiefs to him. Together, they went forth and found the great beast.
Bolad's slaying of the boar got the minor chiefs of Dardaju's blood boiling once more. Bolad would now have no trouble convincing them to follow him to war.
Another story of this hunt, this time from the Coptic Chroniclers, speaks of Murtin. Chief Bolad's son and heir had come along on this grand hunt, as they tracked the boar, they found a wounded antelope. The creature must have angered the mighty boar somehow, for it had been gored savagely, its legs folded under it at awkward angles. It bleated in pain as Bolad and Murtin approached, feebly trying to rise.
Murtin seemed amused by this sight, which angered Bolad. "You wish to make light of a living creature's death, when you yourself are the most pitiful of creatures? You are as helpless as this antelope! Be like the boar. Be strong. Until then, do not mock your equals." It was said that Murtin would remember these words, and everafter strive to prove mighty, not weak.
Meanwhile, in the west, Sheikh Dalu of Dar Sila had won his war against the Sheikh of Qimr, seizing the village of Masalit for himself. This was what Bolad had been waiting for, as he had agreed to a blood truce with the Sheikh of Qimr, but owed nothing to Sheikh Dalu. Bolad mustered his men and prepared to march on Masalit.
Almost as soon as the war had begun, it had ended. Bolad's men took Masalit unopposed and caught the Dar Silan warband closer to its eponymous village. With Bolad's Lions, Hyenas, and Jackals, as the men had taken to calling the regiments of Pikes, Bows, and Cavalry, the battle was no contest at all. The Dar Silan tribesmen were scattered to the winds. Undefended, Dar Sila itself was captured and Masalit was forfeited by the Sheikh.
Nearly all the Daju people were now united under High Chief Bolad. Only two small tribes - under the young Kushite Cheiftain Ederisu of East Darfur, and the Zaghawa Sheikh of Qimr - were still independent. The Daju of Qimr would, of course, have to be rescued from beneath their oppressive Bori yoke; but Cheiftain Ederisu was a potential vassal, not necessarily an enemy.
The Chroniclers list out the fine gifts that Bolad granted Ederisu (beyond the promise of the hand of his daughter in marriage, of course) -- fine Arabian cloth, shells from the seashore of west Africa, and of course, dozens and dozens of heads of cattle. It is said that High Cheif Bolad's gifts were worth more than the whole of East Darfur.
Yet the Chronicles say that none of this was enough. Ederisu felt greatly indebted to Bolad, and saw him nearly as a father; yet he refused to swear his lands to the High Chief until finally, the Chieftess Pid[3] took him aside and whispered something -- exactly what has been lost to history -- and returned to Bolad with a confident smirk on her face. Soon after, Ederisu ibn Eri swore himself as a lesser chief of Dardaju.
Perhaps it was this symbolic unification of the Daju people, nearly all united at last, that provided the final push in Angrun's efforts to remove the taint of Coptic Christianity from the lands of the Daju, for soon after Ederisu's pledge, he had announced that his task was complete. The village of Ubaid would once more follow the Kushite ways.
The village of Masalit was given to a skilled warrior named Bug Gadabuursi; Chief Bug was known for his fervor in following the Kushite faith and fighting its enemies, a trait which would prove useful in the near future.
Two more tales concerning these wars can be found in the Chronicles, though exactly when they occurred varies by the exact source.
The first story had become something of a Kushite parable in years to come. In the village of Masalit, soon after it was taken, Murtin and Bolad came across a Zaghawa priestess. The woman, whose dangerous magic was known to all, had been chained up to a post in the center of the village while the elders decided what to do with her; she had often made the Kushites' life difficult during her master's rule over the village.
As Murtin and Bolad passed her, she begged them for water; Murtin laughed, saying, "Why would I bring water to you, my enemy?" But Bolad chastised him, saying, "You must bring water even to your greatest enemy, for one day you may be in his place yourself." Murtin himself would often tell this story later when he wished to make a point.
The second tale tells of a personal tragedy experienced by Bolad, which would haunt him in years to come.
For some time now, Bolad and Youssouf had been intimate companions to one another, but only at a superficial level. Bolad would do his duty with his wives and concubines, but his passion lay with Youssouf; but their relationship was one of friendship and physical intimacy, nothing more.
Youssouf had never taken a wife, though, so Bolad remained hopeful that one day he could win the other man over. There are various tellings of his adventures (or, more often, misadventures) on this quest; but eventually, the stories all end the same way. One night, Bolad came to Youssouf's residence, hoping to surprise him -- again, the details vary -- when he heard the sound of a struggle. Thinking his friend and lover was under attack, he ran into the home, screaming.
Yet Youssouf was not in danger -- not in the least -- and Bolad realized that while he could have Youssouf's friendship and desire, he could never have his love.
The two remained close, but the Chroniclers agree that there was something reserved about Bolad from that day on for the rest of his days.
[1]Read another way, I was out of Prestige.
[2]Most historians dismiss this tale as fanciful exaggeration, but some have pointed to a wider historical distribution of the Giant Forest Hog Hylochoerus meinertzhageni as a potential explanation.
[3]I was stuck at -1 until I put Pid to Court Politics; this just convinced Ederisu to accept vassalage!
In the last days of the year 875, High Chief Bolad had found himself in a tight spot. Almost all of the Daju people had been freed from foreign rule, aside from the tribes of the Masalit and Qimr, in the far west of their lands; but even there, war between the Zaghawa Sheikhs had left them fairly distracted, allowing their Daju subjects to do as they pleased, for the most part.
Though still highly respected for his religious motivations, the Daju tribes had been at war for five years; they did not wish to follow their High Chief into yet more battles, not yet.[1] But now was the opportune moment to strike, precisely because the Zaghawa Sheikhs were at each other's throat!
The Kushite tradition holds that Bolad was in constant communication with the god Wepwawet, Opener of the Ways, at this point. Every victory the Daju had won, Bolad had attributed to Wepwawet's aid. Now he turned to him in his time of need, and -- according to the tales -- Wepwawet delivered, coming to Bolad in a dream or vision and showing him of the Boar of Osiris[2]. This massive creature was said to be a great boar bearing massive tusks; its thick hide was a pale tan, nearly white. It was closely associated with the god Osiris, and if Wepwawet's vision could be trusted, it was somewhere near the village of Ubaid.
Bolad called a great hunt, and summoned his chiefs to him. Together, they went forth and found the great beast.
Bolad's slaying of the boar got the minor chiefs of Dardaju's blood boiling once more. Bolad would now have no trouble convincing them to follow him to war.
Another story of this hunt, this time from the Coptic Chroniclers, speaks of Murtin. Chief Bolad's son and heir had come along on this grand hunt, as they tracked the boar, they found a wounded antelope. The creature must have angered the mighty boar somehow, for it had been gored savagely, its legs folded under it at awkward angles. It bleated in pain as Bolad and Murtin approached, feebly trying to rise.
Murtin seemed amused by this sight, which angered Bolad. "You wish to make light of a living creature's death, when you yourself are the most pitiful of creatures? You are as helpless as this antelope! Be like the boar. Be strong. Until then, do not mock your equals." It was said that Murtin would remember these words, and everafter strive to prove mighty, not weak.
Meanwhile, in the west, Sheikh Dalu of Dar Sila had won his war against the Sheikh of Qimr, seizing the village of Masalit for himself. This was what Bolad had been waiting for, as he had agreed to a blood truce with the Sheikh of Qimr, but owed nothing to Sheikh Dalu. Bolad mustered his men and prepared to march on Masalit.
Almost as soon as the war had begun, it had ended. Bolad's men took Masalit unopposed and caught the Dar Silan warband closer to its eponymous village. With Bolad's Lions, Hyenas, and Jackals, as the men had taken to calling the regiments of Pikes, Bows, and Cavalry, the battle was no contest at all. The Dar Silan tribesmen were scattered to the winds. Undefended, Dar Sila itself was captured and Masalit was forfeited by the Sheikh.
Nearly all the Daju people were now united under High Chief Bolad. Only two small tribes - under the young Kushite Cheiftain Ederisu of East Darfur, and the Zaghawa Sheikh of Qimr - were still independent. The Daju of Qimr would, of course, have to be rescued from beneath their oppressive Bori yoke; but Cheiftain Ederisu was a potential vassal, not necessarily an enemy.
The Chroniclers list out the fine gifts that Bolad granted Ederisu (beyond the promise of the hand of his daughter in marriage, of course) -- fine Arabian cloth, shells from the seashore of west Africa, and of course, dozens and dozens of heads of cattle. It is said that High Cheif Bolad's gifts were worth more than the whole of East Darfur.
Yet the Chronicles say that none of this was enough. Ederisu felt greatly indebted to Bolad, and saw him nearly as a father; yet he refused to swear his lands to the High Chief until finally, the Chieftess Pid[3] took him aside and whispered something -- exactly what has been lost to history -- and returned to Bolad with a confident smirk on her face. Soon after, Ederisu ibn Eri swore himself as a lesser chief of Dardaju.
Perhaps it was this symbolic unification of the Daju people, nearly all united at last, that provided the final push in Angrun's efforts to remove the taint of Coptic Christianity from the lands of the Daju, for soon after Ederisu's pledge, he had announced that his task was complete. The village of Ubaid would once more follow the Kushite ways.
The village of Masalit was given to a skilled warrior named Bug Gadabuursi; Chief Bug was known for his fervor in following the Kushite faith and fighting its enemies, a trait which would prove useful in the near future.
Two more tales concerning these wars can be found in the Chronicles, though exactly when they occurred varies by the exact source.
The first story had become something of a Kushite parable in years to come. In the village of Masalit, soon after it was taken, Murtin and Bolad came across a Zaghawa priestess. The woman, whose dangerous magic was known to all, had been chained up to a post in the center of the village while the elders decided what to do with her; she had often made the Kushites' life difficult during her master's rule over the village.
As Murtin and Bolad passed her, she begged them for water; Murtin laughed, saying, "Why would I bring water to you, my enemy?" But Bolad chastised him, saying, "You must bring water even to your greatest enemy, for one day you may be in his place yourself." Murtin himself would often tell this story later when he wished to make a point.
The second tale tells of a personal tragedy experienced by Bolad, which would haunt him in years to come.
For some time now, Bolad and Youssouf had been intimate companions to one another, but only at a superficial level. Bolad would do his duty with his wives and concubines, but his passion lay with Youssouf; but their relationship was one of friendship and physical intimacy, nothing more.
Youssouf had never taken a wife, though, so Bolad remained hopeful that one day he could win the other man over. There are various tellings of his adventures (or, more often, misadventures) on this quest; but eventually, the stories all end the same way. One night, Bolad came to Youssouf's residence, hoping to surprise him -- again, the details vary -- when he heard the sound of a struggle. Thinking his friend and lover was under attack, he ran into the home, screaming.
Yet Youssouf was not in danger -- not in the least -- and Bolad realized that while he could have Youssouf's friendship and desire, he could never have his love.
The two remained close, but the Chroniclers agree that there was something reserved about Bolad from that day on for the rest of his days.
[1]Read another way, I was out of Prestige.
[2]Most historians dismiss this tale as fanciful exaggeration, but some have pointed to a wider historical distribution of the Giant Forest Hog Hylochoerus meinertzhageni as a potential explanation.
[3]I was stuck at -1 until I put Pid to Court Politics; this just convinced Ederisu to accept vassalage!
- 1
Sorry Cora -- I wanted to give Bolad a happier ending but it wasn't meant to be He actually failed all his Seduction rolls and only had a 40% chance of success for that, too, but I got lucky and Youssouf seduced Bolad a month before the event was gonna fire off. But the Romance roll didn't work out...
Well, I guess it's not an ending yet. He's only 32, 10 years into his reign.
Also, let me just say, being forced to roleplay my characters is a pain! I kid -- but I hate Compassionate and Ambitious, Sadistic is like the best trait! No stress, ever -- just keep some prisoners in the dungeon to torture! Yet here we are shooting it down.
He actually failed all his Seduction rolls and only had a 40% chance of success for that, too, but I got lucky and Youssouf seduced Bolad a month before the event was gonna fire off. But the Romance roll didn't work out... Well, I guess it's not an ending yet. He's only 32, 10 years into his reign.
Also, let me just say, being forced to roleplay my characters is a pain!
I kid -- but I hate Compassionate and Ambitious, Sadistic is like the best trait! No stress, ever -- just keep some prisoners in the dungeon to torture! Yet here we are shooting it down.
Okay, I've changed my mind. Youssof is TRASH.
Also, your kid was on the way to becoming a real psychopath. Good thing that two brief conversations have changed his mind.
Also, your kid was on the way to becoming a real psychopath. Good thing that two brief conversations have changed his mind.
Ahhh, but playing that psychopath would have been so fun! And easy! And stress free!
I think you can play it as, Bolad really tried to keep his kid from being a psychopath but the kid just wouldn't listen.
Shame about the failure of #Youlad.
The Coptics speaking of Bolad? This is new...
Good job on uniting the Daju...
It's good that Mulad is being educated... although whether or not it succeeds is another matter.
The Coptics speaking of Bolad? This is new...
Good job on uniting the Daju...
It's good that Mulad is being educated... although whether or not it succeeds is another matter.
Chapter 1.8: The Kingdom of Kush
Chapter 1.8: The Kingdom of Kush
Midway through the year 877, with the village of Masalit secured under Dardaju rule, High Chief Bolan sent his men into the Zaghawa territory to the west, to raid and pillage. When they finally returned in early the next year, laden down with plunder and driving cattle before them, Bolan kept the lion's share to himself and distributed the rest among the minor chiefs, thus earning their loyalty.
Vassalage is often viewed, by our modern eyes, as a very one-sided relationship -- the king lording over his servants. But in fact, vassalage was more like a contract. The exact duties of each party varied from culture to culture, but in general, the vassal would pay tribute to his liege, obey him, send his men to fight for him; and in return, the liege owed the vassal protection, and in the case of the Sahel tribes, a share of the plunder. While offensive wars of conquest would drain the realm and require significant investment of political capital to maintain, low level raiding was a near constant, and an expected part of the liege's duty. Bolad would fill the time between expansionist wars with plenty of raiding, much to his vassals' delight.
While men like Youssouf, Shendi, or Chieftain Bug of Masalit[1] took the men into enemy territory, Bolad would attempt to commune with Wepwawet or debate theology with High Shaman Angrun, who would become Bolad's close friend and confidant. The two would also try to interpret any ancient scrolls they could get their hands on. Occasionally a forbidden scroll bearing the lore of the old gods would be found in Coptic Nubia, and Angrun's agents would do their best to spirit such finds away from the zealous hands of the Nubians and into Dardaju. The oral traditions claim that Bolad could read hieroglyphics, though this is considered by modern historians to be quite farfetched. Even the Coptic Chronicles agree that he was quite eager to acquire such scrolls, but it is unclear what their true purpose was.
When he wasn't with Angrun, or with his wife or concubines (who would continue to give him daughters during this period, some of whom become important later; but no sons), Bolad would spend his time with his son Murtin and the boy chief Ederisu, who he took under his personal protection as soon as East Darfur had been incorporated into Dardaju. Both sons were said to thrive under his guidance, learning much from the wise Chief.
It was rumored, even during Bolad's life, that he secretly preferred Ederisu to his own son. By the Kushite traditions, the former was incredibly patient as a child -- a trait praised in Kushite doctrine -- while the latter was a shy and sometimes jealous boy who was, in his youth, often seen as soft. Murtin, on the other hand, absolutely adored his father, and looked up to him in every way.
Once the raiding parties had returned midway through 878, Bolad sent them right back out to conquer the village of Qimr, as the blood-sealed truce between him and Sheikh Kpodo had finally expired. War was declared and Bolad's men marched to encircle Qimr. No enemy warriors sallied out to meet them -- the men of Qimr were away, raiding the village of Dar Sila; when they saw the superior forces arrayed against them, they dared not march in to relieve their Sheikh. Even when he called in his supposed 'ally' Sheikh Alooma of Wadai, the craven dog dared not send his men into battle against the mighty warriors of Dardaju. While the cowardly Animists hid away, Bolad and his men seized Qimr and freed the final Daju village under foreign rule. Now every Daju village on the face of the earth paid tribute to one man: High Chieftain Bolad Tantamani of Kordofan.
And High Chief Bolan surveyed his domain, and he found it lacking, for he knew that compared to the fertile river-valleys of the Nile along which the twin Nubian kingdoms of Makuria and Alodia lay, his own land was barren and dry. All the Daju in the world didn't compare to the might of of just one of the Coptic states. How could he hope to retake the lands of his fathers when those lands were ruled by the enormous Tulunid Sultunate?
The Chronicles say that this was the first time that Bolan truly understood what Wepwawet had meant. His path lay to the west; this was the path Wepwawet had opened for him, all those years ago, when Chief Eri died of his wounds, taking the blood truce with him and freeing Bolad to unite the Daju lands. He would subjugate the splintered Zaghawa tribes to the west, and in their lands his people would multiply and grow strong and mighty. And in time, perhaps his sons' time, perhaps his sons' sons', perhaps even beyond that; in time the Daju people would be a great people once again, and when the time was right they would descend upon the kingdoms of Nubia and upon the Sultunate of the Tulunids and they would crush them, and they would once again reign as Pharaohs in the land of their fathers.
Bolad would commune with Wepwawet more often now, and his conviction had grown clearer too. His people had won so many wars by following him that there was less doubt, now. When he told them it was time to strike west once more, the lesser chiefs did not question him again, despite the next village now longer being a Daju village they would be freeing from Zaghawa masters. Instead, they would be subjugating a foreign tribe.
The targets were twin Sheikhdoms, each ruled by a boy Sheikh - Dar Sila and Salamat. Their fathers had died, leaving each child with one village. Unfortunately, the boys' advisors both had similar ideas: raise an army and conquer the neighboring village, by force, in the name of their boy Sheikh.
Bolad would put an end to the war by annexing both villages in a quick deployment of troops -- neither boy's army could put up a real fight. He would then send High Shaman Angrun to the region, to convert the local Bori to the Kushite faith. He would then hand out the new conquests, including the village of Qimr, to three of his best warriors, rewarding service once again.
The Daju people had now annexed foreign land, putting another peoples under their own yoke. Cheif Bolad had taken a downtrodden people and elevated them; now the shoe was on the other foot. The next rival to the Daju's west was a large, united Emirate known as Wadai; beyond them were more fractured tribes, as well as the much larger Kanem kingdom. Chief Bolad betrothed his son Murtin to a princess of the Kanem named Jalila, cementing an alliance with the Mai, Aritso.
Of course, now that they were allying with mais and conquering foreign lands, the Daju people were more than just a tribe. In early November, in the year 880 (or so claim the Chroniclers), a host of peasants from all over Daju lands arrived at the village of Ubaid and came before Chief Bolad, praising his rule and the prosperity it had brought them. Their herds have swollen thanks to raids on their enemies, the Daju were free once again, and their lands were safe from bandits or enemy tribes. As such, they came before Bolan bearing a gift -- the elders of each tribe had gathered all the golden objects they could find. As pastoral herders, they didn't have much, but there was always some few golden objects, taken during a raid or found in a stream. The villagers had brought the gold from throughout the land together, and found the greatest Daju smith in all the land. They had him make the gold into a crown and scepter, which they now presented to Bolad, begging him to be their king.
In that great tradition that all mythical kings seem to follow, Bolad denied their request, claiming he wasn't worthy and asking that they crown Edrisu instead, but he declines, begging Bolad to continue leading them. Bolad refuses again, claiming the Daju people need no king, but they rebuke him; before he was High Chief, their lands were divided and bickering, but now they were united and strong. Finally, at the third request, Bolad acquiesced, and Shaman Angrun anointed him King of Kush.
[1]Chieftain Bug was granted the village of Masalit in 876 after his remarkable performance during the battle. His specific deeds are long forgotten, but they impressed Bolad enough that he granted Bug the village.
Midway through the year 877, with the village of Masalit secured under Dardaju rule, High Chief Bolan sent his men into the Zaghawa territory to the west, to raid and pillage. When they finally returned in early the next year, laden down with plunder and driving cattle before them, Bolan kept the lion's share to himself and distributed the rest among the minor chiefs, thus earning their loyalty.
Vassalage is often viewed, by our modern eyes, as a very one-sided relationship -- the king lording over his servants. But in fact, vassalage was more like a contract. The exact duties of each party varied from culture to culture, but in general, the vassal would pay tribute to his liege, obey him, send his men to fight for him; and in return, the liege owed the vassal protection, and in the case of the Sahel tribes, a share of the plunder. While offensive wars of conquest would drain the realm and require significant investment of political capital to maintain, low level raiding was a near constant, and an expected part of the liege's duty. Bolad would fill the time between expansionist wars with plenty of raiding, much to his vassals' delight.
While men like Youssouf, Shendi, or Chieftain Bug of Masalit[1] took the men into enemy territory, Bolad would attempt to commune with Wepwawet or debate theology with High Shaman Angrun, who would become Bolad's close friend and confidant. The two would also try to interpret any ancient scrolls they could get their hands on. Occasionally a forbidden scroll bearing the lore of the old gods would be found in Coptic Nubia, and Angrun's agents would do their best to spirit such finds away from the zealous hands of the Nubians and into Dardaju. The oral traditions claim that Bolad could read hieroglyphics, though this is considered by modern historians to be quite farfetched. Even the Coptic Chronicles agree that he was quite eager to acquire such scrolls, but it is unclear what their true purpose was.
When he wasn't with Angrun, or with his wife or concubines (who would continue to give him daughters during this period, some of whom become important later; but no sons), Bolad would spend his time with his son Murtin and the boy chief Ederisu, who he took under his personal protection as soon as East Darfur had been incorporated into Dardaju. Both sons were said to thrive under his guidance, learning much from the wise Chief.
It was rumored, even during Bolad's life, that he secretly preferred Ederisu to his own son. By the Kushite traditions, the former was incredibly patient as a child -- a trait praised in Kushite doctrine -- while the latter was a shy and sometimes jealous boy who was, in his youth, often seen as soft. Murtin, on the other hand, absolutely adored his father, and looked up to him in every way.
Once the raiding parties had returned midway through 878, Bolad sent them right back out to conquer the village of Qimr, as the blood-sealed truce between him and Sheikh Kpodo had finally expired. War was declared and Bolad's men marched to encircle Qimr. No enemy warriors sallied out to meet them -- the men of Qimr were away, raiding the village of Dar Sila; when they saw the superior forces arrayed against them, they dared not march in to relieve their Sheikh. Even when he called in his supposed 'ally' Sheikh Alooma of Wadai, the craven dog dared not send his men into battle against the mighty warriors of Dardaju. While the cowardly Animists hid away, Bolad and his men seized Qimr and freed the final Daju village under foreign rule. Now every Daju village on the face of the earth paid tribute to one man: High Chieftain Bolad Tantamani of Kordofan.
And High Chief Bolan surveyed his domain, and he found it lacking, for he knew that compared to the fertile river-valleys of the Nile along which the twin Nubian kingdoms of Makuria and Alodia lay, his own land was barren and dry. All the Daju in the world didn't compare to the might of of just one of the Coptic states. How could he hope to retake the lands of his fathers when those lands were ruled by the enormous Tulunid Sultunate?
The Chronicles say that this was the first time that Bolan truly understood what Wepwawet had meant. His path lay to the west; this was the path Wepwawet had opened for him, all those years ago, when Chief Eri died of his wounds, taking the blood truce with him and freeing Bolad to unite the Daju lands. He would subjugate the splintered Zaghawa tribes to the west, and in their lands his people would multiply and grow strong and mighty. And in time, perhaps his sons' time, perhaps his sons' sons', perhaps even beyond that; in time the Daju people would be a great people once again, and when the time was right they would descend upon the kingdoms of Nubia and upon the Sultunate of the Tulunids and they would crush them, and they would once again reign as Pharaohs in the land of their fathers.
Bolad would commune with Wepwawet more often now, and his conviction had grown clearer too. His people had won so many wars by following him that there was less doubt, now. When he told them it was time to strike west once more, the lesser chiefs did not question him again, despite the next village now longer being a Daju village they would be freeing from Zaghawa masters. Instead, they would be subjugating a foreign tribe.
The targets were twin Sheikhdoms, each ruled by a boy Sheikh - Dar Sila and Salamat. Their fathers had died, leaving each child with one village. Unfortunately, the boys' advisors both had similar ideas: raise an army and conquer the neighboring village, by force, in the name of their boy Sheikh.
Bolad would put an end to the war by annexing both villages in a quick deployment of troops -- neither boy's army could put up a real fight. He would then send High Shaman Angrun to the region, to convert the local Bori to the Kushite faith. He would then hand out the new conquests, including the village of Qimr, to three of his best warriors, rewarding service once again.
The Daju people had now annexed foreign land, putting another peoples under their own yoke. Cheif Bolad had taken a downtrodden people and elevated them; now the shoe was on the other foot. The next rival to the Daju's west was a large, united Emirate known as Wadai; beyond them were more fractured tribes, as well as the much larger Kanem kingdom. Chief Bolad betrothed his son Murtin to a princess of the Kanem named Jalila, cementing an alliance with the Mai, Aritso.
Of course, now that they were allying with mais and conquering foreign lands, the Daju people were more than just a tribe. In early November, in the year 880 (or so claim the Chroniclers), a host of peasants from all over Daju lands arrived at the village of Ubaid and came before Chief Bolad, praising his rule and the prosperity it had brought them. Their herds have swollen thanks to raids on their enemies, the Daju were free once again, and their lands were safe from bandits or enemy tribes. As such, they came before Bolan bearing a gift -- the elders of each tribe had gathered all the golden objects they could find. As pastoral herders, they didn't have much, but there was always some few golden objects, taken during a raid or found in a stream. The villagers had brought the gold from throughout the land together, and found the greatest Daju smith in all the land. They had him make the gold into a crown and scepter, which they now presented to Bolad, begging him to be their king.
In that great tradition that all mythical kings seem to follow, Bolad denied their request, claiming he wasn't worthy and asking that they crown Edrisu instead, but he declines, begging Bolad to continue leading them. Bolad refuses again, claiming the Daju people need no king, but they rebuke him; before he was High Chief, their lands were divided and bickering, but now they were united and strong. Finally, at the third request, Bolad acquiesced, and Shaman Angrun anointed him King of Kush.
[1]Chieftain Bug was granted the village of Masalit in 876 after his remarkable performance during the battle. His specific deeds are long forgotten, but they impressed Bolad enough that he granted Bug the village.
- 1
Take out the tribes, all the way to the Atlantic if needs be. Why not unite all of Africa too, as well as restore pharaohs to Egypt?
"His path lay to the west " - I must admit after I read this line I suddenly had the Pet Shop Boys' son Go West resounding in my ears.
It is surely a fine destiny to have.
It is surely a fine destiny to have.