The Return of the Caliph... A Mamluk AAR.

[phillosopher]

This will be my first endeavor to produce an AAR. I will be playing as the Mamluks with IN. It will be a narrative AAR with a blend of history with the ahistorical. The goal will be to attempt to see if I am any good at this, which I think will make the game much more alive for me, and hopefully you all as well.

I will set-up the game as a difficult game in an attempt to make it closer to what would have been a hard thing to accomplish in RL. The settings will be Hard difficulty, high aggressiveness for AI, with land and sea spread of 100 years. All other settings will be standard.

The narrative will be mainly from the eyes of the ruler. While others may get to chime in as well. Now to the disclaimers...

1) There may be strong language in the sense of cultures. The Mamluks will use the word infidel, they will talk of the Christian dogs, they will not be kind to the usurpers (OE, Persians, Timur, ect.). While this will occur it doesn't mean it expresses any feelings of this author, it is a fictional account.

2) While I will attempt to blend the history with the non-history I do not claim to be an absolute expert of the people and time. I will do research and the like. If you see something completely out of whack I do not mind a criticism but I would ask you to be kind.

3) I will post at least once a week. It will most likely be on Sunday, but can also be more than that.

4) I will not speak of "game terms" in the AAR but will use speech to hopefully designate game decisions. So hopefully with this AAR you, the reader, will get both entertainment and game help at the same time.

Thanks in advance for coming along on this little journey with me. I hope that it will be as fulfilling for you as it will be for me.

EDIT: There will also be no lucky nations.

 

[EUROO7]

So your first AAR with the Mamluks eh?

Can't wait to see how you explain the Succesion Crises!!!

*Subscribed!

 

[Dafool]

I'm looking forward to this. The Mamluks have so much potential to be powerful or to fall apart. I could never get anywhere(damn pretenders), but I'm excited to see what happens.

 

[Mike von Bek]

Ah, the Mamluks - it will be very interesting to see how you fare here. Onward, ye faithful!

 

[Enewald]

Play mamluks and mod the game so that you can annex christian provinces... would be realistic when creating the caliphate once again!

 

[comagoosie]

I actually have never played as the Mamluks (believe it or not )

I am looking forward to this.

 

[Capibara]

Haven't seen a Mamluk AAR before, I'll be following this

 

[robou]

Mamlukes? Well you got me there I'm a'follwing!

 

[phillosopher]

Chapter one... Prelude.

The Fall of One... The Rise of Another​

The night was a cold one. The family of Abdul Alim bin Issar had been on the run for years. Abdul Alim sat remembering his life so far, the feeling of running his whole life. Since his eighth year it had been so. Since that time he had spent no more then a week in any one place. Issar had once been a member of Barquq court. When Issar and his wife had their son it was a time of great joy. Narmin Abdul's mother took great joy in this gift of Allah. Issar was a treasurer held in great esteem by Barquq and thus there were many who loved the child. Of course Abdul did not remember this time. He only remember that he was hunted, and how much he hated the Imam who had started it all.

Imam Sharif had started all of this with his meddling, and his wealth of knowledge. He had decided to trace the lineage of all members of court, in order to find out if they were truly following Sharia law by ruling. Barquq claimed to be a descendant of Mohammad (may peace be upon him), and thus one who should rule. While it was to that Barquq was a very distant cousin, the genealogies showed that Abdul was a decedent of both Ali the last Caliph and Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet and another branch of the Caliph title. This made him the most like heir to those that wanted strict Sharia principals to guild the kingdom. Barquq of course had brought his first son into the world only two months earlier, and had already named him as heir. His loving parents understood the danger that their son was in a stole away from Cairo in the dark of night, once Sharif had told the Sultan.

Of course he still had allies. Some of the tribal Imam had heard of this news through Sharif. Many were looking for an enlightened leader who could join together the tribes, and give them back the prosperous times of the Caliphates of the past. Most of Abdul's time had been spent running from allied tribe to allied tribe, always escaping the warriors of Barquq just in time. Then the news came. Barquq was on his death bed, some said soon to pass from this world. His son was now nine, he himself 17. There were many saying that Abdul should be the next Sultan. While holed up in a small Bedouin camp in the Province of Syria he was visited by Sharif.

"Abdul Alim it is good that you yet live, may Allah continue to see it so. I am sure that you have heard the news of Barquq. This is the time where we must move to place you in line to become the next Sultan, and hopefully someday if it is the will of Allah the next and true Caliph."

"I want no such thing Sharif, I have never sought this and shall not begin now," said Abdul Alim.

"My son this is exactly why it should be so. Those that seek power use it not for Allah, and the ummah, but for their own greed. Have you read the Hadith?" Seeing that Abdul Alim had not he continued to speak. "These are the writing of the sayings of the Companions and relations of the Prophet. They are handed down to us now in writing. One such hadith Musnad Ahmed Ibn Hanbal says goes as such, 'Hadhrat Huzaifa narrated that the messenger of Allah said: Prophethood will remain among you as long as Allah wills. Then Caliphate on the lives of prophethood shall commence, and remain as long as Allah wills. Then corrupt erosive monarchy would take place, and it will remain as long as Allah wills. After that, despotic kingship would emerge, and it will remain as long as Allah wills. Then, the Caliphate shall come again based on the precept of prophethood." Sharif stood quietly to allow this to sink in for a time.

"Sharif are you saying that you believe me to be this such Caliph?"

"My Son that is exactly what I wish to convey. We have little time and this is the time of the Hajj, we must make this trip. We shall hope that Allah wills that you receive a vision on his will."

As the day rose Sharif and Abdul Alim began their journey to make the Hajj, the beginning of a possible shift in Islamic history...

 

[unmerged(61606)]

Well, you seem to have good knowledge of the Muslim culture of Egypt. Good start, your writing is interesting because it portrays a culture that is different from that of Europe, but in some ways similar.

Very good start, and keep it up!

 

[EUROO7]

Abdul Alim is too modest. He would be a great Caliph!

Now, what will happen!!!

 

[spl]

Interesting, hopefully the Mamluks won't end up like the Timurids

 

[Enewald]

Allah help yer!

No Praetorian coming to hunt this young man?

 

[comagoosie]

I can't wait to see the Islamic shift!!

will it be violent?

 

[Capibara]

I can't wait to see the Islamic shift!!

will it be violent?

I want blood!!

Seriously talking, I really liked the prologue, it'll be interesting how this turns, I'll be waiting next update

 

[Scorpi]

Nice start.. Seems like a good intro to a story written by a person who knows his history.

 

[phillosopher]

Continuation of the Prologue...

The Hajj and the Rise of a New Ruler​

The trip from Damascus to Mecca was a long one. Sharif had brought some warriors with him, and they taught Abdul Alim much on the journey. How to properly fire a bow while on horseback, how to don armor in a small amount of time, and most importantly how to clear and repair his gear. Of course they always stopped at the five times per day for prayer. Sharif spoke of the passages of the Qu'ran that told of how a Muslim should administrate his life and his government, as well as the laws as they are laid out in the Sharia. Abdul Alim learned much upon the journey, and grew to love the adventure that he felt on the road to Mecca.

The day that they approached the border between the land of the Mamluks and that of the Hadjaz, those that governed the Holy Lands, was one that Abdul Alim would never forget. The day seemed hot even for a normal desert day. The warriors had stripped their armor and were looking for a watering hole. They crested a small dune and on the horizon could be seen a cloud of sand. At first they believed it to be a small sand storm, and then the leader of the warriors threw up a hand. "ARMOR ON, AND PREPARE FOR BATTLE!"

That was when Abdul Alim saw what was causing the warriors command. Coming of the distant dune was a large troop of mounted warriors the lead carrying the standard of Barquq. The troops that he had been narrowly avoiding his whole life had finally caught up to him. He jumped from his horse knelt and started to throw on his armor, just as Ahkim said, "NO TIME, WE FIGHT NOW!"

Abdul jumped to his horse and drew out his scimitar. He had practiced much over the last weeks, but never with his life on the line. He began to sweat more then a desert heat could ever cause. "PROTECT THE CALIPH", said Ahkim and the warriors formed a wedge with Abdul in the middle. The battle was joined much faster then Abdul believed possible. It seemed as if the horses had become birds in the speed at which they moved. He was blinded for seconds when sword caught sun and reflected into his eyes. Sand kicked from the horses covered his very lungs, but yet he moved with the warriors. Deflecting sword blows as best he could. Then as Ahkim was fighting with a warrior from the army Abdul saw an opening, he reached out a drove his sword under the mans arm a felt it slide into the mans flesh. He did not understand the feeling that washed over him, and felt dizzy. He forgot to remove the sword, and as the man died and fell from his horse, Abdul went down with him. Shortly he was kicked about by the horses and then everything went dark...

 

[unmerged(61606)]

Well, the caliph has given his life, but in the end I hope his sacrifice will be worthwhile.

 

[phillosopher]

Well Abdul is the Caliph... Just a little cliffhanger.

 

[EUROO7]

I wonder if they'll capture him?

Great Update, and...

Cliffhanger!!!