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Prologue
Excerpted from My Journey Into the East: The Account of Christiaan Sutphen, Ambassador to Persia
The Shah's road from Samarqand skirted the Alburz Mountains as far as the Caspian, and followed the thin coastal plain along the shores of that inland sea, before finally turning south into the mountains from Chaloos, to Tehran. In this way, it avoids the twin deserts of eastern Persia, the Dasht-i-Kevir and Dasht-i-Lut.
Persia is of its own nature a dry country, but it is also one of the oldest centers of civilization in all the world. A vast network of dams and irrigation has watered the land for 3000 years, and though much of it was destroyed in the centuries between the Mongol invasions and the ravages of Temur, the wealth of Asia has flowed in to rebuild it. The plateau on which the larger part of the Persian population is situated is now a fabulously wealthy country. It recalls the legendary Baghdad of Scheherazade and Caliph Haroun-al-Rashid, where wonders were commonplace and every building shines with precious metals.
From Isfahan through Baghdad and Mosul, there is a belt of prosperous cities bustling with industry and commerce. Most of the luxury goods consumed by people in the Near East and treasured by the European upper classes come from these cities. Silk rugs, fine pottery, sculptures and painted miniatures, all find trace themselves to this part of the world. I rode through Tehran, second city of Persia, and found in the glitter of its golden domes and blue tiles the image of the most beautiful city I had yet seen in my life.
Hashimel saw my gawking and said, "Isfahan still lies before us. Save your awe."
Excerpted from My Journey Into the East: The Account of Christiaan Sutphen, Ambassador to Persia
The Shah's road from Samarqand skirted the Alburz Mountains as far as the Caspian, and followed the thin coastal plain along the shores of that inland sea, before finally turning south into the mountains from Chaloos, to Tehran. In this way, it avoids the twin deserts of eastern Persia, the Dasht-i-Kevir and Dasht-i-Lut.
Persia is of its own nature a dry country, but it is also one of the oldest centers of civilization in all the world. A vast network of dams and irrigation has watered the land for 3000 years, and though much of it was destroyed in the centuries between the Mongol invasions and the ravages of Temur, the wealth of Asia has flowed in to rebuild it. The plateau on which the larger part of the Persian population is situated is now a fabulously wealthy country. It recalls the legendary Baghdad of Scheherazade and Caliph Haroun-al-Rashid, where wonders were commonplace and every building shines with precious metals.
From Isfahan through Baghdad and Mosul, there is a belt of prosperous cities bustling with industry and commerce. Most of the luxury goods consumed by people in the Near East and treasured by the European upper classes come from these cities. Silk rugs, fine pottery, sculptures and painted miniatures, all find trace themselves to this part of the world. I rode through Tehran, second city of Persia, and found in the glitter of its golden domes and blue tiles the image of the most beautiful city I had yet seen in my life.
Hashimel saw my gawking and said, "Isfahan still lies before us. Save your awe."
O, Empire
The peace with Russia would last only as long as the Tsars chose to let it be so, and as the internal instability of Persia and the series of weak-minded Shahs continued, there appeared to be an opportunity to exploit. Russia again declared war upon Persia in 1719, not long after the treaty of peace had expired, and again Cossack armies charged across the border in Central Asia.
The Russians now knew of the resistance that they would surely face, and they were better prepared for it. The Persian armies were again defeated in most engagements, and only the vastness of Persia and her immense reserves of manpower and gold allowed her to survive and rebuild. Russian armies ravaged Central Asia and marched once again along the shores of the Caspian Sea to threaten the heartland of the Persian Empire.
It was in these desperate times that a great leader, Nadir Qoli Beg, took control of Persia and rallied her defenses. He all but eliminated the Shah in Isfahan from the decision-making process and formed a new strategy for the war. Persia armies would not seek the offensive, nor would they attempt to stand fast at their defenses. Rather, the armies would be marshalled en masse, and would engage the Russian invader only when victory was assured, trading the endless expanses of Persian territory for time. With this strategy, Nadir turned the tide of war, and in time Persian armies entered Russian territory and threatened Astrakhan and the whole Volga region. Both Persia and Russia were exhausted by the war, but the momentum was with Persia and thus Nadir assumed a commanding position in negotiation. He surprised both the nobles of Persia and the Russians with his demand: that Persian armies be allowed free passage through Russian territory in time of peace.
The Russians accepted this offer, and Nadir soon revealed his intentions. Persian scouts ranged through Russia, finding the best routes through trackless Eastern Russia. When the next war came, they would be better prepared to take the offensive. So, too, did Nadir alter the policies of the Persian government; all research funding was placed at the disposal of the army, so that Russia's technical lead could be narrowed.
Finally, in 1736, Nadir deposed Abbas III, the last Safavid Shah, and took his place on the throne.
His first campaign as Shah was in the Majarashtra of India, where he defeated the Nepalis and took from them several important cities.
This was to be the end of Persia's easy expansion in the subcontinent, however, as the Hindu rulers of Nepal and Vijayanagar banded together to oppose further Persian aggression. Though Nadir could have easily marshalled the power to break this alliance and storm across India, he remained occupied with his northern border and could not trust Russia to let him alone. The Nepalis and Dravidians knew also the strength of Persia, and dared not attack, so that India was left in peace and Persia's southern and eastern border secured.
Nadir turned his considerable intellect on the west, where he again plied the Ottoman Empire with gifts and joined them in alliance. During his reign he fought wars against the Arab rulers of Yemen and Najd, and converted both to Shi'ism (eventually, they would be vassalized and incorporated into Persia). Thus were all the borders of Persia made secure, except for that in Central Asia, abutting Russia. Nadir, himself of humble origins, also inaugurated a policy of increasing the freedoms of common folk and peasants, rather than keeping them as serfs and virtual slaves.
Nadir was assassinated in 1747, and after him there was again a period of weak Shahs who intrigued and politicked, or lazed in their harems, rather than ruling. Yet, after the rule of Nadir Shah, it became clear that Persia was no longer just a nation, it was a great Empire, greater than any single man, even though he might be Shah.
The peace with Russia would last only as long as the Tsars chose to let it be so, and as the internal instability of Persia and the series of weak-minded Shahs continued, there appeared to be an opportunity to exploit. Russia again declared war upon Persia in 1719, not long after the treaty of peace had expired, and again Cossack armies charged across the border in Central Asia.
The Russians now knew of the resistance that they would surely face, and they were better prepared for it. The Persian armies were again defeated in most engagements, and only the vastness of Persia and her immense reserves of manpower and gold allowed her to survive and rebuild. Russian armies ravaged Central Asia and marched once again along the shores of the Caspian Sea to threaten the heartland of the Persian Empire.
It was in these desperate times that a great leader, Nadir Qoli Beg, took control of Persia and rallied her defenses. He all but eliminated the Shah in Isfahan from the decision-making process and formed a new strategy for the war. Persia armies would not seek the offensive, nor would they attempt to stand fast at their defenses. Rather, the armies would be marshalled en masse, and would engage the Russian invader only when victory was assured, trading the endless expanses of Persian territory for time. With this strategy, Nadir turned the tide of war, and in time Persian armies entered Russian territory and threatened Astrakhan and the whole Volga region. Both Persia and Russia were exhausted by the war, but the momentum was with Persia and thus Nadir assumed a commanding position in negotiation. He surprised both the nobles of Persia and the Russians with his demand: that Persian armies be allowed free passage through Russian territory in time of peace.
The Russians accepted this offer, and Nadir soon revealed his intentions. Persian scouts ranged through Russia, finding the best routes through trackless Eastern Russia. When the next war came, they would be better prepared to take the offensive. So, too, did Nadir alter the policies of the Persian government; all research funding was placed at the disposal of the army, so that Russia's technical lead could be narrowed.
Finally, in 1736, Nadir deposed Abbas III, the last Safavid Shah, and took his place on the throne.
His first campaign as Shah was in the Majarashtra of India, where he defeated the Nepalis and took from them several important cities.
This was to be the end of Persia's easy expansion in the subcontinent, however, as the Hindu rulers of Nepal and Vijayanagar banded together to oppose further Persian aggression. Though Nadir could have easily marshalled the power to break this alliance and storm across India, he remained occupied with his northern border and could not trust Russia to let him alone. The Nepalis and Dravidians knew also the strength of Persia, and dared not attack, so that India was left in peace and Persia's southern and eastern border secured.
Nadir turned his considerable intellect on the west, where he again plied the Ottoman Empire with gifts and joined them in alliance. During his reign he fought wars against the Arab rulers of Yemen and Najd, and converted both to Shi'ism (eventually, they would be vassalized and incorporated into Persia). Thus were all the borders of Persia made secure, except for that in Central Asia, abutting Russia. Nadir, himself of humble origins, also inaugurated a policy of increasing the freedoms of common folk and peasants, rather than keeping them as serfs and virtual slaves.
Nadir was assassinated in 1747, and after him there was again a period of weak Shahs who intrigued and politicked, or lazed in their harems, rather than ruling. Yet, after the rule of Nadir Shah, it became clear that Persia was no longer just a nation, it was a great Empire, greater than any single man, even though he might be Shah.
Very nice, especially that last line. Once the success of a nation no longer depends on the ability/incompetence of her ruler, it may be said to be truly Great.
A shame nadir couldn't leave a lasting legacy of good successors. Even if not entirely necessary they are nice to have.
Nadir Qoli Beg sounds like he has a lot in common with people like a certain Roman general called Fabius, and a few other masterful strategists and tacticians throughout the ages.
The Lion Triumphs over the Bear
The Third Russo-Persian war was initiated by the Russians in June of 1750. The Tsarina Elizabeth hoped to overturn the Persian privilige of military access through Russia, and to take those territories east of the Caspian Sea that Russia had coveted since the days of Peter the Great. This time the Persians boldly took the offensive, charging into Armenia and Daghestan and Russian Central Asia. The Russians expected a repeat of their previous experiences of victory over the Persians, but were shocked to find their foe equally as technically advanced as they.
Meanwhile the Persian side of the war had become a series of bloody battles along the Volga. Finally, in 1753 The Persian army demanded and recieved military access through Ottoman territory, and broke the stalemate by sending an army of 60,000 men through the Caucasus to assault Russian positions in Ukraine and points North. With her whole defensive effort unhinged, Elizabeth sued for peace.
This was a landmark victory for Persia, as they had fought the Russians on their own ground and won. Yet the Russian Bear had not yet been completely vanquished, only the margins of their territory had been nibbled away at. A final contest would be needed to decide the issue. Persia quietly continued to build up her armed strength, including the construction of conscription centers in Isfahan, Tehran, Hamedan, and Merv, and the drafting of an army of 400,000 men. The next war would be decisive.
(Meanwhile, between 1770 and 1786, Persia and her allies fought two wars against the Sunni rulers of the Hijaz; these wars ended with the annexation of Mecca, holiest city of Islam, to Persia)
The war came in August of 1805, when Russia declared war on Persia with the support of its allies in France, the Netherlands, and Saxony. Though a small expeditionary force of less than 10,000 French troops would land in Awhaz on the Persian Gulf, they were obsolescent compared to Persian forces, and too few to have any effect.
The Ottomans, a Persian ally, were also ineffective. In many ways they had never recovered from the day in 1611, when Shah Abbas I had forced them to accept Shi'a Islam. Of all their territories, only the Arabs of the Levant accepted Shi'ism, and the loss in income and manpower had left the Turks weak, especially in technology. Their possessions in Ukraine were picked off the vine by Russian armies, and in only a few years they gave them up to withdraw from the war.
The war would be fought by Persians and Russians, and the Persian Army immediately proved itself equal to the contest. Decades of military investment had made it the most advanced in the world, and the Persian manpower reserves of nearly half a million men were colossal enough to render Russia nearly a mote in comparison. The Russian armies were rapidly annihilated in border battles as the Persian army marched out of Astrakhan and assaulted cities in southern Russia. After the withdrawal of the Ottomans from the war, Persian troops marched through their territory as well, reinforcing the thrust to the northwest.
Although the harsh Russian winters took a severe toll on Persian forces, they received continual reinforcements. Finally, in 1808, Persian forces reached the walls of Moscow itself, and took it in a short seige. Russian power was utterly broken in Asia, and the court in Isfahan briefly considered extending the march all the way to the shores of the Baltic Sea, to take St. Petersburg and drag the Tsar back to Persia to swear eternal fealty. But already, hundreds of thousands had died in the war, and Persia was not unmerciful. With Persia's primacy demonstrated, only a few territories in Central Asia changed hands.
In 1820, Persia was master of West Asia from the Tigris to the Ganges. Though her naval and trading technology lagged somewhat behind the Western European powers, Persia's land military technology and infrastructure were the most advanced in the world, and her vast territory produced enormous wealth. Also, Persia boasted the most innovative administration, and the most free populace, of any nation in the world.
Would these policies be able to sustain Persia, a land divided into dozens of ethnic groups and a plethora of religions, in the future?
The Third Russo-Persian war was initiated by the Russians in June of 1750. The Tsarina Elizabeth hoped to overturn the Persian privilige of military access through Russia, and to take those territories east of the Caspian Sea that Russia had coveted since the days of Peter the Great. This time the Persians boldly took the offensive, charging into Armenia and Daghestan and Russian Central Asia. The Russians expected a repeat of their previous experiences of victory over the Persians, but were shocked to find their foe equally as technically advanced as they.
Meanwhile the Persian side of the war had become a series of bloody battles along the Volga. Finally, in 1753 The Persian army demanded and recieved military access through Ottoman territory, and broke the stalemate by sending an army of 60,000 men through the Caucasus to assault Russian positions in Ukraine and points North. With her whole defensive effort unhinged, Elizabeth sued for peace.
This was a landmark victory for Persia, as they had fought the Russians on their own ground and won. Yet the Russian Bear had not yet been completely vanquished, only the margins of their territory had been nibbled away at. A final contest would be needed to decide the issue. Persia quietly continued to build up her armed strength, including the construction of conscription centers in Isfahan, Tehran, Hamedan, and Merv, and the drafting of an army of 400,000 men. The next war would be decisive.
(Meanwhile, between 1770 and 1786, Persia and her allies fought two wars against the Sunni rulers of the Hijaz; these wars ended with the annexation of Mecca, holiest city of Islam, to Persia)
The war came in August of 1805, when Russia declared war on Persia with the support of its allies in France, the Netherlands, and Saxony. Though a small expeditionary force of less than 10,000 French troops would land in Awhaz on the Persian Gulf, they were obsolescent compared to Persian forces, and too few to have any effect.
The Ottomans, a Persian ally, were also ineffective. In many ways they had never recovered from the day in 1611, when Shah Abbas I had forced them to accept Shi'a Islam. Of all their territories, only the Arabs of the Levant accepted Shi'ism, and the loss in income and manpower had left the Turks weak, especially in technology. Their possessions in Ukraine were picked off the vine by Russian armies, and in only a few years they gave them up to withdraw from the war.
The war would be fought by Persians and Russians, and the Persian Army immediately proved itself equal to the contest. Decades of military investment had made it the most advanced in the world, and the Persian manpower reserves of nearly half a million men were colossal enough to render Russia nearly a mote in comparison. The Russian armies were rapidly annihilated in border battles as the Persian army marched out of Astrakhan and assaulted cities in southern Russia. After the withdrawal of the Ottomans from the war, Persian troops marched through their territory as well, reinforcing the thrust to the northwest.
Although the harsh Russian winters took a severe toll on Persian forces, they received continual reinforcements. Finally, in 1808, Persian forces reached the walls of Moscow itself, and took it in a short seige. Russian power was utterly broken in Asia, and the court in Isfahan briefly considered extending the march all the way to the shores of the Baltic Sea, to take St. Petersburg and drag the Tsar back to Persia to swear eternal fealty. But already, hundreds of thousands had died in the war, and Persia was not unmerciful. With Persia's primacy demonstrated, only a few territories in Central Asia changed hands.
In 1820, Persia was master of West Asia from the Tigris to the Ganges. Though her naval and trading technology lagged somewhat behind the Western European powers, Persia's land military technology and infrastructure were the most advanced in the world, and her vast territory produced enormous wealth. Also, Persia boasted the most innovative administration, and the most free populace, of any nation in the world.
Would these policies be able to sustain Persia, a land divided into dozens of ethnic groups and a plethora of religions, in the future?
Great ending. Well done on creating such a big empire. Would have been nice to get that last little bit of the Caspian shore.
Epilogue
Excerpted from My Journey Into the East: The Account of Christiaan Sutphen, Ambassador to Persia
Isfahan was not quite what I expected. With a population of only 150,000 souls, it was no great metropolis and bore no comparison with Baghdad, Samarqand, or Delhi. It hosted no great marketplace, no vast army was quartered within its walls, and there was no soaring castellan nor towering idol of conquest. Isfahan is a city of beauty and learning, of peace and prosperity. In Europe we know of the Ottoman Topkapi or, greater still, Versailles, but where do the shahs make their home?
The Ali Qapu is the palace of the Shahs, and it is no mere banal monument to wealth and power. It shows beauty rather than opulence in the airy sweep of its arches and domes. Its glory is more like that of a great cathedral, but it inspires tranquility instead of terror and awe. The palace is itself abutted by the Nagsh-i Jahan maidan at the center of the city, with whole complexes of beautiful mosques and centers of learning on all sides. At the universities one can listen to lecturers from every country of the Orient. Isfahan is the very center of learning and art for all the Empire.
Moreover, the largesse of the Shah has turned Isfahan into a veritable Garden of Eden. The whole city sparkles with well-kept streams of clear water, which sustain green flora imported from all across the known world. It is kept in order by an army of the Shah's gardeners. As I awaited my meeting with Mohammad Shah, I laid beneath the shade of a fig tree. Our word "paradise" comes from an ancient Persian word for garden; Greek soldiers returning home from campaign in the Achaemenid Empire brought with them lurid tales of just these gardens.
I told this to Hashimel. He smiled.
"It is said that many men summoned before the Shah pass through the gate, only to believe they have died and found themselves in Jannah--Heaven," Hashimel said.
"And what do you think?" I asked.
He laughed. "I am fond of my rocky soil and looming mountains, but perhaps this is more pleasing to the senses."
"It is not only the Ali Qapu that is a palace," I said, "but the whole city. It elevates the very soul of man; with such a city for a capital, Persia should last forever."
Hashimel sighed. "Memphis was great in its day, as were Rome and Constantinople. Persia is a very strong country, true, and Isfahan is very beautiful. But as the wise man said to King Solomon of the Hebrews, 'this too shall pass,' even the mountain is washed to the sea."
"Will Persia then be destroyed like Rome or Byzantium?"
Hashimel shook his head. "Five hundred years before Julius Caesar cast his die, there was Persia, and still it was there when Rome crashed down. The Persian Lion spent seven centuries in chains beneath Arabs, Turks, and Mongols, and still it sprang back into the sun and took the world by the throat. As long as the sky stands above and the earth below, there will always be Persia. But in what form? No man can tell--God knows."
"What do you guess, then? What does the future hold?" I asked.
Hashimel looked over my shoulder toward the Ali Qapu. "What does the future hold for Persia? Come, let us find out. It is time for your audience with the Shah."
I rose to my feet and made my way down the garden paths toward the palace.
The End
Excerpted from My Journey Into the East: The Account of Christiaan Sutphen, Ambassador to Persia
Isfahan was not quite what I expected. With a population of only 150,000 souls, it was no great metropolis and bore no comparison with Baghdad, Samarqand, or Delhi. It hosted no great marketplace, no vast army was quartered within its walls, and there was no soaring castellan nor towering idol of conquest. Isfahan is a city of beauty and learning, of peace and prosperity. In Europe we know of the Ottoman Topkapi or, greater still, Versailles, but where do the shahs make their home?
The Ali Qapu is the palace of the Shahs, and it is no mere banal monument to wealth and power. It shows beauty rather than opulence in the airy sweep of its arches and domes. Its glory is more like that of a great cathedral, but it inspires tranquility instead of terror and awe. The palace is itself abutted by the Nagsh-i Jahan maidan at the center of the city, with whole complexes of beautiful mosques and centers of learning on all sides. At the universities one can listen to lecturers from every country of the Orient. Isfahan is the very center of learning and art for all the Empire.
Moreover, the largesse of the Shah has turned Isfahan into a veritable Garden of Eden. The whole city sparkles with well-kept streams of clear water, which sustain green flora imported from all across the known world. It is kept in order by an army of the Shah's gardeners. As I awaited my meeting with Mohammad Shah, I laid beneath the shade of a fig tree. Our word "paradise" comes from an ancient Persian word for garden; Greek soldiers returning home from campaign in the Achaemenid Empire brought with them lurid tales of just these gardens.
I told this to Hashimel. He smiled.
"It is said that many men summoned before the Shah pass through the gate, only to believe they have died and found themselves in Jannah--Heaven," Hashimel said.
"And what do you think?" I asked.
He laughed. "I am fond of my rocky soil and looming mountains, but perhaps this is more pleasing to the senses."
"It is not only the Ali Qapu that is a palace," I said, "but the whole city. It elevates the very soul of man; with such a city for a capital, Persia should last forever."
Hashimel sighed. "Memphis was great in its day, as were Rome and Constantinople. Persia is a very strong country, true, and Isfahan is very beautiful. But as the wise man said to King Solomon of the Hebrews, 'this too shall pass,' even the mountain is washed to the sea."
"Will Persia then be destroyed like Rome or Byzantium?"
Hashimel shook his head. "Five hundred years before Julius Caesar cast his die, there was Persia, and still it was there when Rome crashed down. The Persian Lion spent seven centuries in chains beneath Arabs, Turks, and Mongols, and still it sprang back into the sun and took the world by the throat. As long as the sky stands above and the earth below, there will always be Persia. But in what form? No man can tell--God knows."
"What do you guess, then? What does the future hold?" I asked.
Hashimel looked over my shoulder toward the Ali Qapu. "What does the future hold for Persia? Come, let us find out. It is time for your audience with the Shah."
I rose to my feet and made my way down the garden paths toward the palace.
The End
So the fight with Russia ended in victory - good. Truly the master of central asia.
A most excellent AAR. As I think I said earlier, the sense of travelogue from our diplomat was nicely done, and those passages chimed quite well with the gameplay updates. All in all a pleasure to read and very enjoyable.
A most excellent AAR. As I think I said earlier, the sense of travelogue from our diplomat was nicely done, and those passages chimed quite well with the gameplay updates. All in all a pleasure to read and very enjoyable.
Finished already? 
I who hardly got started... Did you write it even before starting this thread or what?
Anyway, from what I've read, a most splendid AAR.
I who hardly got started... Did you write it even before starting this thread or what?Anyway, from what I've read, a most splendid AAR.