Section Three: 1438-1470
To his magnificence the Doge of the Serene Republic of St. Mark and his Respected Council:
June 15, 1450
I believe I have repaired most of the damage done by the previous consul. That man’s incompetence was exceeded only by his arrogance, begging your highness’ indulgence. The Caliph has, it is true, cracked down on all Christian worship, but this is apparently due the need to pacify the Shia sect, who now make up a majority of the empire’s inhabitants. By emphasizing their common hatred of Christians, he is able to buy domestic peace. In a private interview the Caliph explained the regrettable necessity of this policy, but hoped that it would not effect our trade relations. To sweeten the pill, he offered a trade agreement to the Republic, so that we now have a favorable position in Basrah. He also suggested not too subtly that we should probably avoid sending another such “dung-eater” to represent the Doge. I assured him that the long trip by desert on the way to Baghdad must have unhinged his mind, and that he has been restrained for his own good. Might it be good policy to actually do so, in case the Caliph has spies in Venice?
I have settled in comfortably here in Basrah, and his majesty has kindly offered me free use of one of his palaces in Baghdad when in the capitol. A charming and gracious man, who, I must add, is wisely consolidating his father’s acquisitions rather than looking for new conquests. The prospects for trade appear bright.
August 30, 1453
I have importance news to report to the Doge and the Council of the Ten. The balance of power in the fertile crescent as been significantly changed, the advantage of the Caliphate. There has been a longstanding alliance between the Caliph and the Qara Koyunlu, a Turkish tribe to the north of Mesopotamia. This balance in the relationship has moved steadily in favor of the Caliph, and in 1438 the young sultan of Qara Koyunlu swore fealty to the Caliph. A few weeks ago, the sultan died, leaving as his heir only a daughter, who happens to married to the Caliph. The result has been predictable- the Caliph’s armies swept over the border, seized the capitol, and invited the turkish lords to accept the new order. Some continue to resist through periodic revolts, but they are inevitably crushed. The entire Qara Koyunlu domain, comprising the provinces of Tabriz and Kirkuk, have been swallowed by the Caliph. I believe it might be possible that the Caliph could serve as check to the Ottomans at some point in the near future, result that can only help our position in the Levant.
September 2, 1456
I fear the long peace is coming to an end. The Caliph’s ministers have been extraordinarily active of late on all fronts. He has brokered a full military alliance with the Mamalukes of Egypt, and has built up a large treasury. This union can only be pointed in one direction: the Ottoman-Ak Koyunlu league. This is a hopeful sign for the preservation of Byzantium, but can only be sacked cities and lost trade. I will continue to observe the situation closely.
November 11, 1459
The war has begun. The Caliph waited until his Turkish rivals were distracted by war in the Balkans, then invaded, claiming the territory of Azerbaijan as an old Qara Koyunlu fief. They have laid siege to Baku with a substantial force. I am in Baghdad, and the Caliph’s government seems to be devoting its full resources to this war. Every other project is being postponed, and every ducat dedicated to organizing more troops.
September 14, 1460
I have had the dubious honor of witnessing a great and awful battle. Three nights ago Sultan Ulay Hassan, a feared warrior, marched to the relief of the city of Baku, which had been under siege from the beginning of the war. I was in the camp of the commanding officer, and witnessed the struggle from a high hill overlooking the battle. At first it appeared that Hassan’s forces would sweep all before it- hey pressed the Caliph’s army back against the gates as the garrison sallied forth. But at the climax of the battle the Ak Koyunlu forces buckled and began to disintegrate. Unbeknownst to the enemy general, or to myself, supporting cavalry regiments had been recalled from their forward positions, and fell upon the rear of Hassan’s troop. A massacre quickly ensued, and Ulay Hassan fled with a small detachment of troops back towards his capitol.
After a day of the putrid stench of burning bodies, the Caliph’s armies are lifting the siege in order to pursue Hassan. If my analysis is correct, they lured him here in order to surround and destroy his army- the siege was a mere lure which has led to the sultan’s undoing. I am accompanying the army as it moves west in pursuit, and will contact the Council again as events dictate.
March 26, 1461
The heart has gone out of this war. The Caliph’s armies pursued the beaten Ulay Hassan northward, defeating him again in Kurdistan, and finally bringing him to bay in Armenia Major. The defeated warlord was captured and executed, his head placed on a spike and paraded before the army in a dreadful display. The main army thence returned to Baku, and has recently captured the city. With the principal Ak Koyunlu armies destroyed and their leader dead, their Ottoman armies distracted in the Balkans and Anatolia (where in the latter the Mamalukes have done their allies good service)- it is only a matter of time.
January 31, 1463
Peace has been restored. An emissary from the new Ak Koyunlu leader arrived at our camp in Armenia with an offer of peace, ceding territories to the Mamalukes in Anatolia, Azerbaijan to the Caliph, and bearing an offer of tribute. The Caliph, who was observing the campaign, graciously accepted the ambassador and accepted the proposal. He has now defeated a major Islamic power, and to celebrate the success he has ordered the construction of a Great Mosque.
The Caliphate’s resources have been severely strained by the conflict, and I have observed that all, including the state’s ruler, are glad it is over. From this fact I have determined that the Caliphate is truly not equipped to fight a prolonged war, given its relatively narrow political base. Its successes have come as much from shrewd exploitation of other’s difficulties as from any inherent strength. The underlying fragility of the Caliph’s power renders the future prospects of his empire very ambiguous. I suspect that he will refrain from further adventures for the moment.
This said, however, the Caliphal-Mamaluke alliance has demonstrated its ability to check the Ottoman Turks, a capability I would suggest we can make use of.
December 25, 1466
I am quietly observing my devotions this Holy Day, as I have been forced to throughout my tenure here. Public affairs have been quite pacific, as the Caliphate recovers financially from the last war and consolidates its new possessions. It has resolved several outstanding disputes with the Ak Koyunlu, improving relations with that state, and successfully put down rebellions by the ever-fractious Turkish lords in Azerbaijan. The burden of maintaining garrisons on his frontiers have forced him to reduce the monthly allotment to his troops to the absolute minimum, which is of course a very risky practice. Additionally, the Caliph has worked hard to stem the growing tide of corruption, which developed during the difficult war years. The state seems somewhat over-extended, but its inherent strength is probably enough to bear up against any single forseeable opponent.
I send my heartfelt best wishes to our Doge and all the members of the Council.
February 23, 1470
Important events have transpired over the last twelve months. As the Timurid empire to the east has decayed, its power has been challenged by the of the Caliph and by a tribe of central asian nomads called the Uzbeks. The Caliph has paid very close attention to affairs in the east, fearful that a power vacuum could develop. He has for some time cast his eyes covetously at the parts of Persia outside his control.
Following the custom of his forbears, the Caliph has awaited the proper moment to strike another blow at Timur’s heirs. The time came when the Timurids were enmeshed in conflicts in far-off India. Taking advantage, the Caliph held a formal and somber ceremony accusing the Timurid ruler of breaking violating the tenets of Islam by making war on his neighbors. My esteemed host then proceeded to declare war!
The result of the war was foregone from the first afternoon. Sweeping over the border provinces, the Caliph’s troops advanced north into Bukhara and Khorasan. They also raided the Baluchi emirate, an ally of the Timurids, and forced them to withdraw from the war. Just as the campaign was truly gaining momentum, the a pretender to the Timurid throne captured the capitol, Samarkand, and the old ruler was promptly executed by his own troops. The Caliph quickly made peace with the new Great Emir, acquiring the provinces of Hormouz, Kerm, and Birjand with little expenditure of resources.
The war was brief and very profitable for the Caliph, although the new acquisitions require new garrisons and are full of the ever-rebellious Shia. The old dream of conquering Persia appears to be well on its way to fulfillment.
As my tour of duty is drawing to a close, I would like to thank the Council for allowing this poor and humble man to serve in such an important and always interesting post. My final observation is that the Caliphate is entering a dangerous new time, when it shall either acquire a local hegemony, or swiftly fall prey to jealous and greedy neighbors. I would hazard a guess that the former is the more likely possibility.
Good luck uniting the world under the civilizing influence of Islam. 
