I gaze out of the window on a long hot day in Rome, the Library is always hot at this time of year making it hard to concentrate, as I peer through the Window I see all of Rome’s sites in the distance, The coliseum, St. peters square, the Trevi fountains and of course dominating the skyline the great Mosque, I turn away from its magnificence to continue my work, a history paper focusing on our empires greatest period of expansion 1492-1792, I open the book that I am studying a 19th century text which is drier than a bone in the Sahara I begin to read.
"In order to understand how the Hasfid empire came, from such humble beginnings to become the power that it is today, it is nessercery to look more closely at the man who began them on this long and difficult path. Historians today widely acknowledge that the driving force behind the empire was a good and virtuous man know affectionately as Cockney by the people of Tunis, his arrival was as Mohamed IV said "a most fortunate accident" A trader in Spices and other exotic goods, his ship was wrecked off the coast of Tunisia while heading for a refit in Malta. he was picked up by a fishing boat on the 30 of December 1473, being recognised as foreigner in port he was taken to the Emir, he wanted to throw the unfortunate Englishman into prison in retaliation for the sinking of a Tunisian merchant ship by English forces, but one of his advisors suggested a challenge for the Englishman and the Emir being a kind and generous man agreed, the Englishman was taken to the royal race track and was told that if he could predict the winner of the first race then he would be allowed to go free, he choose his horse and to everyone’s surprise (it had been a 20-1 shot) it won by 6 lengths, the Emir was impressed and he told the Englishman he was free to go the Englishman replied that if it pleased the Emir he would like to stay and predict more races for him, the Emir said it pleased him greatly and the Englishman and he talked for the entire afternoon, it is unclear what was said but by the end of the day the Englishman had a new job in the Trade ministry and a small apartment in one of Tunis' more fashionable districts. He spent 7 years there mostly concentrating on exploiting the ivory trade of Tripoitania which enriched the country greatly, in 1481 he was made Mayor of Sfax and did much to improve the town including its extensive walls, while in this his two sons were born the first in 1480 the second in 1487 he stayed in that post until 1491 when he was made finance minister by the Emir, the Emir had wanted the Englishman by his side as he thought that a time of great change was coming, on the 30th of December 1491 he Emir's chief minister and confident died suddenly, the next day the Englishman was called before the Sultan and given the position of chief minister....."
Its was too hot I stared out the window again and saw children playing in the street, there must a more interesting book I thought and went off to the bookshelf I looked through all the various volumes none of which held the prospect of any excitement, I turned around and bump, a book fell from the shelf and hit my head, I picked it up from the floor, it was covered in dust , I blew the dust off it read "power behind the throne, the dairies of the Cockneys" I hurried back to my place and opened the book, the first page contained a dedication "to all the blagards, thieves and whoremongers who may read this" I turned the page and started to read....
"In order to understand how the Hasfid empire came, from such humble beginnings to become the power that it is today, it is nessercery to look more closely at the man who began them on this long and difficult path. Historians today widely acknowledge that the driving force behind the empire was a good and virtuous man know affectionately as Cockney by the people of Tunis, his arrival was as Mohamed IV said "a most fortunate accident" A trader in Spices and other exotic goods, his ship was wrecked off the coast of Tunisia while heading for a refit in Malta. he was picked up by a fishing boat on the 30 of December 1473, being recognised as foreigner in port he was taken to the Emir, he wanted to throw the unfortunate Englishman into prison in retaliation for the sinking of a Tunisian merchant ship by English forces, but one of his advisors suggested a challenge for the Englishman and the Emir being a kind and generous man agreed, the Englishman was taken to the royal race track and was told that if he could predict the winner of the first race then he would be allowed to go free, he choose his horse and to everyone’s surprise (it had been a 20-1 shot) it won by 6 lengths, the Emir was impressed and he told the Englishman he was free to go the Englishman replied that if it pleased the Emir he would like to stay and predict more races for him, the Emir said it pleased him greatly and the Englishman and he talked for the entire afternoon, it is unclear what was said but by the end of the day the Englishman had a new job in the Trade ministry and a small apartment in one of Tunis' more fashionable districts. He spent 7 years there mostly concentrating on exploiting the ivory trade of Tripoitania which enriched the country greatly, in 1481 he was made Mayor of Sfax and did much to improve the town including its extensive walls, while in this his two sons were born the first in 1480 the second in 1487 he stayed in that post until 1491 when he was made finance minister by the Emir, the Emir had wanted the Englishman by his side as he thought that a time of great change was coming, on the 30th of December 1491 he Emir's chief minister and confident died suddenly, the next day the Englishman was called before the Sultan and given the position of chief minister....."
Its was too hot I stared out the window again and saw children playing in the street, there must a more interesting book I thought and went off to the bookshelf I looked through all the various volumes none of which held the prospect of any excitement, I turned around and bump, a book fell from the shelf and hit my head, I picked it up from the floor, it was covered in dust , I blew the dust off it read "power behind the throne, the dairies of the Cockneys" I hurried back to my place and opened the book, the first page contained a dedication "to all the blagards, thieves and whoremongers who may read this" I turned the page and started to read....
Last edited:
