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kaydesmith

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Apr 3, 2015
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Hello everyone, this is definitely my first AAR ever and if anyone tells you otherwise they are most definitely a liar. This AAR will be centered around a Sunni invasion of the British Isles, starting from Dublin. The AAR will switch between character based writing and gameplay writing.

Mod List:
Minimap Makeover Emboss
Clean Map Mod Dark
Rev Borders Mod
Rev Tooltip Font
Bloody Peasants
Combat Rebalance
Heir Designation for Everybody
Normal Retreat
Old Portrait Frames
Right Click to Interact Remover
Ruler Designer Unlocked
Sin's Visit Chambers
[VS] Plain map

Chapter 1 - I am Ibrahim and we are the 5000

'Fertile ground.' Ibrahim said to no one in particular as he kicked into the soft grass that made up most of the Irish Countryside. Dublin was behind them, with the 5000 invaders just leaving the city after announcing their conquest. They had picked up a few Irishmen who had declared their allegiance to them militarily, if not spiritually.

Aed Ua Flaithbertaigh was one. He rode up beside Ibrahim, eager to meet with his new ruler, or to perhaps end his rule just as soon as it had begun. Ibrahim's closest within the 5000 barred the man from coming more than an arms length from him. Nevertheless Aed waved his arm, attempting to keep a light mood, perhaps not to anger his new rulers. 'Ho there, Ibrahim! Tell me of yourself, and of course the question we all want to know the answer to - why Dublin?'

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Ibrahim smirked. Luckily he had taken it upon himself to learn Irish before taking up arms against them, and so he was one of the few 5000 who could speak with Aed.

'I am of 21 years of age,' he began, 'and am descended from the Prophet himself - blessed be his name. On my 19th nameday, I took it upon myself to complete the Hajj, and there I received a vision from Allah.' Ibrahim paused, to recount the events of that day. 'I was told that our lands in al-Andalus are close to falling - and this I knew no doubt. I was lucky enough to be born near Cordoba, and so I can remember the frequent wars between Muslims and Kaffirs. Anyway, Allah has told me that a new age of jihad is to begin - and I am to lead it. I was told that to the north of al-Andalus lies the Emerald Isle - shattered between a thousand warlords. Of course upon arriving here, I have learnt that it is not a thousand warlords, but the land is shattered no doubt. I declared myself Mujahid, and upon my journey to return to home I called upon whichever man I came across, to ask for his aid in a new era of conquests. Within 2 years, I had gathered 5000 men - and they form who you see behind you, standing on the city walls, and riding next to me. Bar you of course.'

Aed smirked. 'And you outnumber the locals.' With that he rode off.

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'Rashid. I have need of you.' Ibrahim called for his steward, perhaps one of the greatest administrative minds in the known world.

'What do you wish, m'lord?' Rashid arrived by his side.

'Let us return to the castle. Speak with Aed, and designate defence schedules of this land. After that, gather the council and let us meet in the Great Hall.'

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Ibrahim was married to 3 women which he brought to Dublin with him from the Andalusian realms. Of course, he could always have a fourth.

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The 5000 spent their time readying for inevitable war with the Irish chiefdoms, and so did Ibrahim. He held a strong belief that the center must hold, or the army collapses.

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His first son, named Abu ibn Ibrahim Ibrahimid, was born.

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The prospect of war was always in the air - having a strange people occupying the most powerful city in the Isle would do that. Ibrahim and the 5000 came to the Emerald Isle to conquer it, and they were ready to do so. At the beginning of 1069, a letter was sent to the Chief of Cill Dara, to the west of the 5000's land.

To whomever finds himself as ruler of the lands of Cill Dara,

We are the 5000, some of the greatest warriors in the Muslim World. We politely ask that you surrender your land and live as loyal and peaceful subjects, to avoid spilling blood onto what can be virgin land for a grand new world.

Signed,


Sheikh Ibrahim Ibrahimid of Dublin, Leader of the 5000 and the Emerald Isle

The letter was delivered by Dun Sleibe mac Eochaid, a local Irishman who laid down his arms and joined the 5000. Out of respect for his countrymen, the Chief of Cill Dara didn't have Dun Sleibe executed for delivering such an insulting message. Instead, he sent him back with another, simpler message:

Don't draw your sword unless you plan to cut something. I am ready.

The message was simple to interpret. Ibrahim ordered the local Irish levies to rise and merge with the 5000, and to march west. On the 3rd of January 1069, the two armies clashed.

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Ibrahim won, as was to be expected. Outnumbering Cill Dara 7 - 1, Ibrahim won an easy victory. It seems they were not ready after all.

After the battle, the 5000 surrounded Cill Dara and waited for the city to surrender. It was only a matter of time, and inevitably the war was over.

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Shortly after the war, the Council met once more within the walls of Dublin.

'M'lord.' Dun Sleibe was the first to speak. 'You are the ruler of the lands of Meath - and ancient set of lands from which Petty Kings ruled from. You have the complete right to declare yourself as Petty King of Meath.'

'Quiet Kaffir!' Court Imam Lubb yelled back across the room. 'Remember that a pious Muslim rules over these lands, not an Irish Kaffir. He needs a more fitting title like -'

'Emir.' Ibrahim finished for him with a single word. 'I hereby declare myself Emir of the Emirate of Meath. Rashid, see to it that the lands know of this. This meeting is over.'

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Ibrahim gave himself a year to restore order to the subjugated provinces before continuing his wars. Two separate letters were sent to the Chiefs of Osraige and Laigin, both similar to the first declaration of war. Both messages were sent by less prominent Irishmen, and no response was received from either. Ibrahim took this as a declaration of war, and mobilised his armies.

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Both Chiefdoms were aware of the fate of Cill Dara, now renamed to Kildare, and united their armies into one main force, leading an incursion into Ibrahims land.

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The two armies clashed in Kildare, and the 5000 won once more.

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Throughout all this battle, Ibrahim still had to attend to his lands. His 5000 had treated the Kaffirs as lesser, and had burned, raped and looted their way through the lands they had occupied. Ibrahim put a stop to this, believing that a true ruler needs to protect his people regardless of who they were.

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In an attempt to get the locals to trust him more, he brought them together under a young man named Diarmait mac Enna, to assemble a Mercenary company.

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The company was known as 'The Irish Followers', and Ibrahim told him that they had all gained a place in Heaven for their service to Islam.

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Osraige was the first to fall to the 5000. After the grand victory at Kildare, a meagre 800 men remained from Laigins army, but Osraige lay undefended. Ibrahim sought the opportunity to end half the war quickly. They surrendered, under the condition that Osraige be ruled by its previous ruler, however a vassal of Ibrahim.

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With the war going on, Ibrahim sought for new ways to invade the Irish without calling it a Holy War - potentially making other Catholic nations join in their defense. Ibrahim had sent Dun Sleib to Teadmhumhain, to prove Ibrahims legitimacy over the land.

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When Ibrahim had left a year earlier for war, Steward Rashid had informed him of his plan to build a large monument in Dublin. Ibrahim left content with the knowledge that the statue would be of him, making his legacy as a conqueror visible for all for thousands of years to come. Unfortunately, a messenger came to him one day in his war tent, informing him that the 'Statue of Rashid' was done.

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After Laigin surrendered, a peace was made under the same terms as the previous. The Chief of Laigin was allowed to keep his land, but became part of the Emirate of Meath.

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And with that, Ibrahim declared himself Emir of the Emirate of Laigin, a title which he would no doubt later grant to one of the two subjugated Irish lords, to gain their loyalty. Within 6 years, Ibrahim and his 5000 had landed in Dublin, and quadrupled the size of their lands. The Emerald Isle was coming closer and closer into their grasp by the day.
 
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Well, I wish you well in your first AAR endeavor. May it be successful and memorable as all first AARs should be. Of course, if you're successful with your plans, I think the Brexiteers are vindicated! :p

Cheers!
 
volksmarschall - Thanks mate, and welcome aboard!

The Sunni Invasion
Chapter 2 - Flawless Emerald Isle, Flawed Emerald Family

Conquering an island was no small thing, but owning half of it certainly gave you an advantage. Ibrahim was intent on uniting the whole of the Emerald Isle during his lifetime, and subjugating the local Irishmen one by one was the way to do so.

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It was during this time that a woman by the name of Maha Fernsid captured Ibrahim's eye, though not for her looks. She was a dastardly webspinner, claiming to have come to Ireland along with the 5000, but Ibrahim nor any of his men could remember her. Nevertheless, Maha was made spymaster of the realm, in attempt to curb Ibrahim's growing paranoia.

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After winning a crushing victory over Breifne and Connaught at the battle of Kildare, Ibrahim left many a man alive to tell the tale - which later became the song Ibrahim and the 5000. Here are the first few lines:

Ibrahim slew a million men,
Striking out from his hidden den,
Ibrahim, we hear your call,
To you, our isle will fall,

With this song came the realisation that Ibrahim was no coward, and that he was here to stay, even if faced with overwhelming odds.

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After the battle, Ibrahim's settled into a siege of Breifne, and after a time the castle surrendered. The Earl of Breifne was brought to his own great hall, and made to kneel before Ibrahim.

'Look at me.' Ibrahim demanded.

The man, Earl Aed, raised his head and met Ibrahim's gaze. He smiled when looking at him, unafraid of the Muslim. He hadn't smiled in a while, but Aed felt that now was the time.

'Do not fear me,' Ibrahim said, 'For I have great, great plans for you. I request only your undying loyalty of you and your sons until the end of time.'

I don't fear you Saracen, Aed thought to himself. 'Aye lord, House Ua Ruairc swears fealty to House Ibrahimid. I declare myself your sworn bannerman, vow to protect and uphold the law of you and your sons, until the end of time.' The words tumbled out his mouth.

'Then we are done here. See to it that your levies merge with mine. There is still a war to win.' With that, Ibrahim left Aed to his own devices.

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The war raged on still. 10 months into 1073, the subjugated Earl, now Sheikh, Domnall of Ossory, produced a claim to Urmhumhain, granting Ibrahim legitimacy over all the south.

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Perhaps Ibrahim was overextending himself. One day a diplomat came to him, delivering a declaration of war from the King of Scotland. He claimed to liberate the lands of Ossory and Leinster from Saracen rule, and eventually throw the Saracens out of Ireland. In the letter, he styled himself as King of Scotland and Ireland, believing this to be the first step in Scottish control of Ireland.

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Ibrahim panicked. The Scottish outnumbered Ibrahim's armies, and he called in the only ally he had. The faraway Turkish Bey had no chance of sending soldiers to Ireland, so perhaps it was done out of morale support more than anything. He quickly forced the Earl of Connaught to cede his lands to him, rather than subjugate him.

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When the two armies met outside Christchurch (which will have to be renamed), Ibrahim took up an ambush position. They stayed out of sight of the enemy, and when the Scots found the church empty, they stopped to pray, believing that God had sent the Saracen away out of fear.

'Fools...' Ibrahim whispered to himself. Then he sounded the warhorn. He and his men ran screaming over the hills, and right into the defenceless Scotsmen. When one was praying, only to be interrupted by heavily armoured screaming men, and cavalry charging out of nowhere, it seemed logical to run. The Scotsmen were demoralized, and with Ibrahim charging into the fray himself, it only made them more scared. Ibrahim swung his sword, cutting the head off one man, spun it round and jabbed through the chest of another, before finally slitting an archers throat. He stood where he was, grinning, when he spied an archer further away, aiming right at him. He dived out of the way, and the arrow went straight through his knee.

'Aw shit,' he muttered, 'My adventuring days are over.'

Though Ibrahim was forever doomed to be a Skyrim guard, the battle was still one, ending the Scottish invasion with one clever battle.

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Hearing only of an epic victory against Christians, and not the circumstances, the Sheikh of Leinster converted to Sunni Islam.

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After chasing around and smashing the remnants of the Scottish Army, the King of Scotland surrendered, relinquishing the title 'King of Ireland', and paying 400 gold to Ibrahim.
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With the war over, Ibrahims master plan came to fruition - he would grant land to the subjugated lords, to gain their favour and nudge them along the way to conversion, showing the local peasantry that the Andalusians were not genocidal barbarians.

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After declaring another minor war, news of Ibrahim's exploits had spread across all of Europe. The Pope saw him as a threat to Christianity in Britannia, the Seljuks saw him as a fearsome equal, the Caliph saw him as a grand Mujahid, and the Andalusian lords saw him as an adventurer headed north to seek his fortune, as they once did. Whatever the tale was, people knew of Ibrahim.

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After the Sheikh of Leinster converted to Sunni Islam, he was more open to conversion of his populace. After a time, they followed along with their liege lord, and Sunni became the majority religion.

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Battling in the North of Ireland proved Ibrahim's patience. He carefully manoeuvred his men, despite having numerical superiority, to take as little losses as he could. The Earl of Oriel surrendered soon after.

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On the 3rd of May, 1076, Ibrahim called for those of importance in the realm to attend him at Dublin. Without telling them reason, they eagerly filled the great hall to see what was going to happen. Court Imam Lubb stood just in front of the throne, and demanded the people make way for Ibrahim. As he entered the main hall, the people parted and look in awe at his splendour. Dressed in his battle armour, with a cape bearing the Harp of Ireland fastened to it, the people knew what was coming. As he reached the throne, he knelt before Lubb, who placed a golden circlet with 3 emeralds onto his head.

Court Imam Lubb gave the formalities. 'In the name of Allah and Muhammad, ordained by the Caliph, I hereby declare Ibrahim of House Ibrahim, Sultan of Ireland.'

Ibrahim rose, with big smile on his face, and threw his arms up to the cheers of his people, but yet he saw how silent some of them were.

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The day after the crowning ceremony, he assembled the same crowd, however this time Sultan Ibrahim stood at the throne, and Sheikh Ualgarg of Breifne and Connaught knelt before him. Ibrahim placed a small iron circlet, with small circles of bronze embedded in it, onto Ualgargs head.

'I, Sultan Ibrahim of Ireland, by the grace of Allah, hereby declare Ualgarg Ua Ruairc the Emir of Connaught..... should he convert to Sunni Islam.'

Ualgarg had knelt as a sheikh, and now he rose as an Emir. 'Aye my lord. I, and all my children, shall be Sunni.'

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Sultan Ibrahim held a similar ceremony for the crowning of Sheikh Murchad of Leinster as Emir of Leinster.

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With his hold over Ireland created, House Godwin was brought to his attention. Being expelled from England after the Norman invasion, the sons of Harold Godwin fled west, to Leinster, in an attempt to gain supporters to press his claim to England. With the crowning of Ibrahim, they approached him and offered their skills. Ibrahim took a liking to the eldest, Godwine, and they could regularly be seen training together.

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The friendship with Godwine had changed Ibrahim, however. Impressed by his dueling skills, Godwine urged him to try his skills against a ruler. Ibrahim challenged the Earl of Tir Eoghain in a duel of honour, though Ibrahim knew in his heart he meant to kill the fool. Having him dead would put his child son on the throne, allowing for the Sheikh of Oriel's weak claim to be pressed. The duel was incredibly one sided - with the Earl missing his left arm, and having no idea what Ibrahim was capable of, he threw himself at Ibrahim. The duel raged on for a few minutes, and Ibrahim proved to be the most nimble of the two. After felling the Earl, he waited not a moment before stabbing him through the heart. For this action, and duels with similar outcomes he would take in the future, Ibrahim was known as 'The Ruthless'. Whatever honour and patience Ibrahim had dissolved as quickly as it had come.

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With the Earl dead, Ibrahim quickly hopped back to his side of the border before returning days later with an army. Fighting against a child gave the obvious outcome, and soon after the Sheikh of Oriel became the Sheikh of Tir Eoghain as well.

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After this, Ibrahim spent time consolidating his realm. He dissolved the Irish Followers, as after the Scottish Scare he wanted the men recruited into the Followers to instead join his army.
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The consequence of having multiple wives finally reared its ugly head. Ibrahim was diagnosed with syphilis in mid-1080, and the amount of children he was having slowed down.

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Perhaps out of sorrow for the Sultan, or fear for his new found anger, Rashid came to the Sultan bearing a gift of 300 gold coins. He claimed it was to help with the protection of the realm, and to ready Ireland for any war.

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'And...,' Rashid whispered, 'A bit of extra gold could come your way for rewarding my hard work with perhaps .... the Sheikhdom of Kildare?'

'Rashid,' Ibrahim grinned, 'I can not afford to give up Kildare now. Perhaps after I invade the south, you can gain land there. But until then, I owe you a favour.'

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Soon after, Ibrahim sought it upon himself to introduce his eldest son and heir, Abu, to the realm. Over a few months, Abu met with many people, and unfortunately Ibrahim was not impressed with his treatment of them. After it was done, Abu seemed oddly satisfied.

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In secret, Ibrahim beat his son, yelling at him to try harder. From this, Abu learnt of two things - he needed ambition to reach great places, and he hated his father.

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When Abu came of age, Ibrahim was secretly disappointed again. His son was not a leader, just a great soldier.
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Despite this, Ibrahim made Abu a commander, and Abu went west to join a patrol in Kildare. Talk of his exploits came back to Ibrahim, and it was revealed that he was often up late into the nights, drinking with his friends, and raping women. Ibrahim demanded Abu return and face trial for his crimes, but when he never returned, invoked Tafkir against him. Ibrahim sent out men to bring Abu to him in chains, but when searches of the whole of Ireland turned up empty, a letter came to Ibrahim.

Father,

I have no time for your justice. I am heir to this land, and when I rule, no alcohol will not have been tasted by me, no farmer not extorted, and no woman who has not had a taste of my cock.

For now, I have returned to the lands of our ancestors, and will return north when you pass. Until then, I have taken up residence in al-Andalus with those more tolerant of me.

Signed,

King Abu of Ireland

Ibrahim tossed the letter away angrily, angry at his son for what he has done, angry at him for assuming his title, but yet Ibrahim was oddly satisfied. He was never impressed by Abu, and now that he was in al-Andalus, he could be cast away and forgotten with no repercussions. Ibrahim smiled, as a plan formed in his mind.

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His eldest daughter Wahida came of age, and was married to Ibrahims friend, Godwine of Godwin. Should House Godwin ever reclaim England, having them as an ally would be very useful.

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But now, for the master plan. Ibrahim assembled everyone of his even slightly important subjects to see what he had in store for them.

He stood on his throne, with his S'ad by his side.

'You have probably already heard the news of Abu.' Ibrahim began his speech. 'He is currently living in al-Andalus.... and he will die in al-Andalus. I hereby declare Abu a traitor to the realm, to never return to Ireland unless in chains, and cast away his title of heir. As for my new heir - my fourth child, my third son, S'ad, is with me here. I hereby declare S'ad the heir to all of my lands, and the heir to my rule over all my subjects.

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The Council convened once more, when a threat to Ibrahim's life came up. The news of Abu's disinheritance obviously hadn't reached him, as he was still spinning his web in an attempt to kill his father and gain his birthright. The news of the plot came to him when one of Ibrahim's lesser wives tearfully admitted to giving Abu inside knowledge. Ibrahim let the woman off, for he honesty, but demanded she never conversed with Abu again. Nevertheless, the council decided to not send bounty hunters after Abu, as the threat he posed was minimal.
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Ibrahim's third son, S'ad, came of age early 1087. He knew he had made the right choice.

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And that's it for this chapter.

Authors notes :

Phew! AAR writing is bloody hard, this chapter took me two hours to write haha. But I'm enjoying it nevertheless.

I'm tempted to use console to give Abu land in al-Andalus, seeing as he is a tough soldier and a cunning bastard, he seems to be the type to project himself into power, starting a rival been northern and southern Ibrahimid's.

Also my modlist, mainly so I don't forget it :

Minimap Makeover Emboss
Clean Map Mod Dark
Rev Borders Mod
Rev Tooltip Font
Bloody Peasants
Combat Rebalance
Heir Designation for Everybody (which is why S'ad is heir)
Normal Retreat
Old Portrait Frames
Right Click to Interact Remover
Ruler Designer Unlocked
Sin's Visit Chambers
[VS] Plain map
 
Hello and welcome back to The Sunni Invasion! Sorry for the long wait, we are in our final weeks of school and I was also dealing with my other AAR, but don't worry, because I'm back!

Chapter 3 - The Next Generation

Ibrahim was fully aware of the greatest nation in the British Isles, which wasn't his - it was England. Recently conquered by Norman's, England was undergoing political and cultural upheaval which would change the fate of their country forever. Nevertheless, any Englishman willing to escape the turmoils of England could turn west, to Ireland, citing the Holy Bible and declaring Holy War upon the Ibrahimid Sultanate, just as the Scottish had once done. England was not Scotland, and Ibrahim wanted to legally pacify them. His daughter, Zahra, was betrothed to the grandson of William the Conqueror, future Heir and King of England.

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A similar marriage was arranged between Raisa and the youngest son of William, Botolf.

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Ever so long ago, Ibrahim had set his sights on the Duchy of Mumu, sending his chancellor to claim the provinces of the Duchy. Now, to complete a unification of the Emerald Isle, Ibrahim pressed his claims to all within the Duchy.

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Fighting the Irish Army led to an event which virtually halted the conquest of Ireland by at least 10 years. When but 500 of the Irishmen remained to the 3500 Muslims, Ibrahim charged in himself, hacking wildly, and was almost killed in battle, losing his right arm to a greatsword which was meant for his head.

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The battle was won nevertheless, however Ibrahim returned to his tent and let his generals commit to the war, while he tended his wound, and his pride. Physicians throughout the Sultanate urged Ibrahim to return to Dublin, where some of the greatest minds in Britannia were located, but he stayed on the battlefield, with a green boy to attend to him.

That day he received a message.

A young Irishman burst through the tent flap, panting. He had clearly run as fast as he could do deliver the news.

'Take a seat.' Ibrahim gestured to one of the seats at his desk. 'What brings you here?'

'Y...y..your son, Mi Lord!' The Irishman coughed out his words.

Ibrahim had a sinking feeling. After banishing Abu, Sa'd was his only true son. Was he dead?

'Abu, the Traitor Across the Waters, has shown his cunning. He resides in the Emirate of Murcia, currently having a civil war over whom is the rightful ruler. He has bribed, cajoled and sweet talked his way to power. He now holds the title of Emir of Murcia. He is, however, still under invasion by an adventurer claiming the Emirate.'

Ibrahim thought for a moment. 'Inform my heir, S'ad, and all the council of this news,' He said with a sad smile, and looked into the Irishmans eyes, 'For I may not make it long enough to deal with this problem. Begone.'

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The Council had ridden hard west, and Ibrahim had ridden hard east, and both parties met in a field in the Sheikdom of Kildare, to the West of Dublin. S'ad was there too.

Ibrahim spoke first. 'My son sits as a Traitor Across the Waters, holding an Emirate in his own name which he gained through words, not by swords. I believe he will never hold it, but I must prove S'ad's legitimacy if this is so. I have thought, and S'ad is to marry Gulbahar Selcukid. She is of a minor Turkish noble house far to the East, but her prestige matters not. It is her skills. She had the blood of the Kurds, and the mind of one too.'

'Thank you, Father.' S'ad replied. 'I am honored by your choice, and will respectfully take this Gulbahar as my first wife, till death do us apart.'

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The Campaign in Mumu continued for some time. Sieges were going slow, and Ibrahim decided to return to Dublin. Not in the way most people expected, however.

He came back in the form of a message. S'ad was to ride hard for the location mentioned, to bury his father before the sun was down. He did just that. From the combination of the loss of his right arm, and the Great Pox, Ibrahim died relatively quickly after the fateful day where he lost his arm.

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S'ad returned to Dublin, convening a council meeting.

S'ad looked around the room. Is this who my father kept as council? He thought to himself. 3 of them were old Irish defectors, who could remember the days before Ibrahim, seduced to Islam by gold and land. 1 was a young Irishman with a quick wit and a sharp tongue, finding himself in the Chancellors seat. Only 1 was an Andalusian, an old member of the now defunct 5000, finding himself as the realms Marshal.

'Milord,' the Steward began, 'You are now the absolute ruler of this realm. We are here to give you a state of affairs which you may find interesting.'

'Milord,' the Chancellor spoke up, 'Your brother, the traitor across the waters, finds himself in an increasingly difficult situation. It is no doubt that Abu's realm is to collapse shortly.'

S'ad nodded. 'If..... when he falls, where will he go?'

'He may find refuge in another Andalusian's court, however they have most likely heard his tales of treachery. Therefore, I believe that Abu will return to us.'

Once again, S'ad nodded. He added no words.

'Milord,' The Marshal was next, 'The war in Mumu..... it's over. Our claims are not strong enough to declare against a grown man. A child, maybe, but not a grown man.'

'Then pull out,' S'ad responded, 'But move the army north. We will declare an invasion of the County of Ulaidh, as it is our right as the Sultanate of Ireland to claim this province our vassal. This meeting is over.'

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When news of Abu's imminent downfall reached S'ad, he left the field of battle and instead travelled back to Dublin. He would be waiting for his brothers return.

On the 16th of February, 1090, it happened.

The door to the throne room burst open, and a man came strutting through.

'Oh, my dear father...' his hands swept around the world, 'I have come to reclaim my birthright, as heir to Ireland, as it was stolen ...... from me!.... by my dastardly brother S'ad. I hope to one day sit in that great throne, in this great palace, which you.... yes, you!... have created.'

He knelt down before S'ad.

'Open your eyes, fool!' S'ads voice boomed across the throne room. 'Has your network of spies not reached this far north? Father is dead, with the Houris in Paradise.'

Abu was silent for a moment. He rose. 'If that is the case, then I am here to assume my rightful position as Sultan of all Ireland. Guards, seize this pretender!'

No one moved. S'ad spoke up. 'Abu, I name you everything our .... my father named you. You are a traitor to House Ibrahimid, grown soft by the temptations of gold, wine and women, forgetting what our true purpose was here - to subjugate Britannia. You fled across the Sea to avoid fathers justice, took refuge with a man and promptly stole his land in the confusion. Father is dead because of a sword strike which took his arm. You should've been the one to take that strike, being by fathers side in his campaigns, but you were too busy on your own personal escapades in the South.'

Abu grinned. 'And did I not do what father wanted me to do? I set out and made a name for myself, just as he did, and in return I am named a traitor, and the son who sucked up to him the most named his heir. If I truly am to not be named Sultan of Ireland, right here, right now, let all in the future no that Abu ibn Ibrahim Ibrahimid, true Sultan of Ireland, was denied of his title by a brother devoid of brotherly love.'

S'ad grinned back. 'So be it. Scribes, did you catch that? If not, I'm sure there are plenty here who can recount these events. Guard, take Abu the traitor to a room full of my brotherly love, which, apparently, is none. Take him to the dungeons.

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A few months after Abu's return, Ibrahim's first son was born. He was named Abbas.

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With the war in Ulaidh over, the Count of Tyrone-Oriel was granted the newly formed Emirate of Ulster, under the condition he converted to Sunni Islam. He did.

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With another quick war adding the province of Tyrconnell to the Emirate of Ulster, 2/3 of Ireland was united. Here is an overview of the composition of Ireland. The realm is peaceful, bar the long going civil war in Leinster.

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At this time, S'ad went to Mecca. His trip to Mecca humbled him.

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With his return, came a call for Furusiyya - a grand tournament of all the warriors in the land. The winner would be greatly rewarded.

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S'ad was intent on uniting the Emerald Isle. He invaded the Southern Tip of the Island, called Desmond.

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S'ad also assured the survival of the Ibrahimid Sultanate. Aware of the English Civil war, he agreed to intervene on the side of House de Normandie in exchange for a lifelong alliance. S'ad was famed for leading his army across the waters and smashing a rebel army in Gloucester, virtually ending the English Civil War there and then.

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A series of mysterious assassinations led to a child being named King of Mumu - a child being the person S'ad could press his weak claim on. The Duchy of Mumu was invaded for one half of it's land.

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The war was quick, and the main battle was fought on the same field where Ibrahim lost an arm.

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The winner of the Furusiyya was granted the Sheikdom of Thomond.

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And thus ends the third chapter.

Authors notes :

It's a shame Abu didn't last to long in Andalusia. The place he was staying in was holy warred by Aragon, and they lost, so he returned to Ireland which I thought was a little weird. I gave him the smallest Emirate in Andalusia. I was uncertain whether he could fight off the adventurer, but apparently he wasn't. Thanks for reading!
 
Excellent. S'ad has almost completed his father's dream of a united Irish sultanate. Hopefully unity will allow them to stand firm against the Christian kings to the east, and maybe eventually claim the whole of the British Isles for themselves.

Incidentally, I've noticed that the Ibrahimids have been making great strides in converting the nobility, but how much traction has Islam been gaining among the masses? Has it spread anywhere in Ireland beyond Dublin?
 
I have little doubt that an Ireland united under Islam is far off. But where after?

An Irish-Muslim invasion of the British isles of course! Oh the irony of that... :p
 
Chapter 4 - Fortress Ireland

All of Ireland, bar one County, had been subjugated by the Andalusian invaders. A convenient but mysterious death replaced one child with another, and soon S'ad had no treaty with the child ruler of the Duchy of Mumu. Naturally he attacked.

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However at this time, the Duchy was being invaded by Scotland to make it a tributary. Because of this, S'ad had to wait for the Scottish to be done before he could invade. Instead, he performed an action which would forever change the history of the Ibrahimid's. In a stroke of military genius, S'ad declared war on Scotland.

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This meant the Scottish army was split in two - half in Ireland, half in Scotland. S'ad moved down and easily crushed the Scottish Army, and began the siege of Ormond.

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What S'ad was not aware of was the fact that the HRE was allied to Scotland. The current Kaiser was old and his death would nullify the alliance, but nevertheless 10 000 Imperial troops landed in Ulster, in an attempt to prevent the Ibrahimid's from crossing into Scotland.

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Conveniently, the Kaiser died and another dynasty was elected. For now, the HRE was out of the war. S'ad hired some mercenaries to bolster his troop count and overcome the new Scoto-Welsh army in Ulster.

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S'ad lost almost half his army, but nevertheless he won the battle, crushing most of the enemy. He immediately released the mercenaries to avoid any loss of money.

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With that, S'ad chased down the remnants of the last army. They had little morale, but still had the advantage of being a few days ahead of the Ibrahimids. S'ad personally led the charge into the Scottish.

The first day of the battle ended with over 700 Scottish dead for very few Ibrahimids. If the Scottish were to survive at all, they needed a new tactic. Upon the new morning, the leader of the army, Bishop Eric flew a white flag over his men, and began marching towards S'ad's camp. Upon arrival, he requested to speak with S'ad himself.

'Disarm yourself and your men, and the deed will be done.' A command was made to Eric. He did so.

S'ad came out of his tent, onto the open field to meet with Eric. Both men spoke fluent Irish, and it was the language used in the following dialogue.

'Do you surrender? I can understand, you are outnumbered and certain to die. There is no shame here.' S'ad spoke the first words.

'I have come for something else,' Eric responded, 'I have come to meet the mighty S'ad with my own eyes. But yes, me and my men surrender.'

S'ad smiled. The man had realised his inferiority, and wished to have his life judged by S'ad himself. S'ad knew what he was doing. 'You are appealing to my ego. Unfortunately for you, I have none. Did you come here to insult me?' S'ad was angered by this lowborn before him. 'Sultan's ask to meet with peasant leaders, not the other way around. I should put you to death right here, but I have no plan of butchering unarmed men. Imprison the enemy, enslave them and send them to Dublin.' S'ad turned away.

'WAIT!' Eric yelled. 'I have a proposal.' S'ad had no response, he merely arched one eyebrow. He was clearly intrigued.

'I do not wish to be sold into slavery. Fight me here, right now, and end my life a man, not a sub human. I request my weapon to be..... a horse!' Eric begged him.

S'ad couldn't help himself. He began to laugh, and so did his men, but a hush fell over the field when they realised Eric was being serious. 'Alright then. Someone get this man a horse, and get me my sword.'

The two fighters faced across each other on the field. A voice called out. 'When I reach one, begin. Three.... two.... one!'

S'ad stood his ground while Eric charged him. Eric was incredibly concentrated on his riding, moving his horse at it's fastest speed towards S'ad. I will cut him off his horse if he continues like this. Unfortunately, Eric had other plans. Just before reaching S'ad, he tapped his horses ribs and pulled on it's mane, and the horse jumped, it's hooves smashing S'ad right in the face. The force was so much that S'ad threw his sword in the air, and in an incredibly lucky movement, Eric grabbed his sword out of the air, wheeled the horse around, and charged right back at S'ad. Just as he was getting up, the dazed S'ad finally realised what was going on. He was dead.

Eric shore of S'ad's head with a single swipe, and did not stop the horse. He kept going, past the Muslims, past the Catholics, and then everyone realised what was going on. Some Scots screamed and begged for their lives, others fought back with their own bare hands, as futile as it was, but the Muslims had weapons and the Catholics didn't. It was a massacre of Scots, but the truths remained unchangeable - S'ad was dead, his killer was away, and a 14 year old was Sultan.

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Whether he liked it or not, the teenage Abbas was Sultan of a united Ireland - his father subjugating Ormond just before his death. In an attempt to gain revenge, Abbas wasted no time in consolidating his realm. He left it in the charge of his mother, travelling to the frontline himself to lead the invasion of Scotland. To keep the momentum on, the army moved without opposition into the heart of Moray.

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After a successful siege of Moray, Abbas came of age with the last of his education years being firsthand experiences of war. He was a respected and skilled tactician, despite ruling for just 2 years.

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Abbas' campaign continued for some time, but in the end Moray was ceded to Ireland, and Abbas installed several Andalusian minor nobles and commanders as Lords of the land.

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One of the terms of the peace treaty was the surrender of Eric to Abbas. Eric would spend the rest of his days in a dungeon being tortured for his disgusting murder.

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After the war in Scotland, Ireland enjoyed a period of peace and prosperity, and conversion of it's populace. Below are some maps for the religious and cultural borders of Ireland circa August 18, 1107.

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With the peace, Abbas took the time to go on a Hajj to Mecca.

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His reputation as a fearsome and furious leader had reached as far as the deserts of Arabia. Despite being outnumbered, a band of bandits fled after identifying Abbas as the leader of the small group of Muslims on their way to Mecca.

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Abbas returned to Dublin and received the news of Eric's death. The constant torture and the terrible conditions had taken it's toll on the old man, and he died just over half a year of imprisonment.

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To celebrate the return of Abbas, and the death of Eric, Abbas called for Furusiyya. He politely reminded all contestants to not cheat, and that both parties would be armed equally, and that no horses were allowed to jump.

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During the Furusiyya, Abbas' first child was born - Jyad.

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To further his expansion into Scotland, the Kingdom of the Isles under Gudrod Crovan, a Norwegian invader who wanted the legacy of the Vikings to continue, was invaded for the County of Argyll.

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Abbas' skill as a commander was unparalleled, and his invasion of the Isles proved this.

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News reached Abbas of Italian and Norman expansion into Tunisia. The Caliph's of both Sunni and Shia decided to meet - an event which few would ever witness again in the future. The talks went on for a while, but both agreed that a renewed Jihad, a mobilisation of the whole Islamic world, had to occur. No Jihad was called, but the idea was there.

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The Pope responded with his own statement. He believed that Islam oppressed religious minorities within it's borders, and began the Crusades. He aimed to free Christians living under heathen rule, and recapture the Holy Land. His first target was Ireland.

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Thankfully, the King of England realised he was directly on a front with Ireland, and believed that Britannia needed to stand together regardless of race or religion. He sided with Ireland despite being a Catholic.

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Catholic zealots throughout the Ibrahimid realm joined the Crusade. They formed up in Buchan, and they declared war on Abbas.

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Whatever happened, Abbas was determined to end his war in the Isles. He left his army to siege out Argyll, and he forced Gudrod Crovan to surrender.

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The first real battle of the Crusade was fought on the fields outside Dublin. with the Papacy sending an advance army of over 5000 soldiers.

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With the initial invaders defeated, Abbas turned north and ended the Buchan Catholic Revolt with a single battle.

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With his unlikely and untimely rise to power, and his ability to defend all his people as shown at Dublin, be it Muslim or otherwise, Abbas was known as Abbas the Holy. He was the forefront of Islam in the north, and he was able to defend it skilfully.

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More zealots rose up in Buchan and we swiftly defeated.

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After some time, Abbas had successfully thwarted any attempts to land in Ireland or Scotland, and the Pope soon realised he could not win. The Crusade was called off.

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Abbas now stood over a realm from which he had utter respect and loyalty. In just a few short years, he had invaded Scotland as a child and returned a man, fought off the united Christian world and proved to be a kind and just ruler for all his subjects.

And thus ends the 4th chapter.

Thank you for reading.

Authors notes -

I am glad to have invaded Scotland, because if I lost that Crusade the game would be over. The fact that England joined me and not the Pope played a big role in my victory.
 
Yesterday, Ireland. Today, Scotland. Tomorrow, England! Eventually, Europe!! :p
 
What a fun idea.
 
Sunni Ireland weathers its first real crisis and extends its reach across the North Channel. S'ad's sudden death was a real wrench in the machinery, but Abbas appears to be doing his father and grandfather proud thus far.
 
Chapter 5 - The Dual Monarchy

With the end of the First Crusade, House Ibrahimid was in possession of a large amount of money, men and allies. Abbas aimed to put this to good use. He already owned half of Scotland, and with England on side few would oppose further expansion into Scotland. War was declared to finally envelope the land.

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The English joined in, however their peace treaty with the Scottish girl Queen meant that their armies would only fight the Isles. House Ibrahim was alone against Scotland.

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The Isles was in a state of war with itself, and so they had a very small army. The main battle of the war with the Isles was fought in Carrick.

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The English sent an army of just over 5000 to subdue the Isles. House Ibrahim sieged out Carrick, while England sieged out Galloway.

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With England focusing on the Isles, Abbas marched his battered armies north to meet the Scottish in battle. Perhaps Abbas underestimated his enemies, or he waited too little for his armies to recover after the First Crusader, but the following battle with Scotland was a disaster and embarrassment.

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The Caliph finally made true to his promise made before the First Crusade. A Jihad was declared on the Kaffir's in Pisa, holding Tunis under the name of a false God.

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Losing almost half his army at the Battle of Moray, Abbas disbanded his army and raised it once more a month later, reorganising and preparing for a counterattack. He could not lose to Scotland. He had gained great international prestige after his victory in the First Crusade, and could not have his nation being seen as vulnerable.

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With the money gained from Jizya and war reparations, a mercenary group of 3600 was raised an added to levy. With this extra force, Abbas would be able to crush the Scottish army and then siege their lands before they recovered.

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The two armies met on the same battlefield where Abbas first lost. This time, he would not lose. Having double the men of the Scots, the outcome was decided before the battle even begun.

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With the Scots beaten, the Isles saw no hope of victory, and ceded the demanded lands to House Ibrahimid.

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The Emirate of Galloway was granted to Abbas' brother, Abdallah.

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The war with Scotland continued for some time. The capital province of Scotland, Gowrie, had been completely occupied by House Ibrahimid, but still the girl Queen chose not to surrender. She demanded to meet with Abbas, to come to terms that better represented Scottish stubbornness. Both parties agreed to meet in occupied Gowrie.


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Little Queen Maisie may have been physically much smaller compared to Abbas, but yet they sat across the table as equals.

Maisie spoke first, in Irish, which would be the spoken language for the treaty dealings and the language it was written in.

'Great Sultan Abbas, it is within no doubt that you and your soldiers have beaten me in this war of ours. We have met here today to sign the inevitable peace treaty early. I wish for one that remembers how hard the Scottish fought.'

'It shall be granted, Your Grace.' Abbas responded. Some of the men attending the meeting guffawed at Abbas, calling a little girl he had beaten Your Grace, but Abbas silenced them. 'The war is not over yet. I and my men are guests within the halls of Scone, which is ruled by Queen Maisie. For that reason, she is the highest person here. Now onto the treaty. Do you agree to cede all of Scotland's lands to the Ibrahimid Sultanate?'

Maisie was ready for the question. 'I do not. However, I do offer the subjugation of all Scotland to the House Ibrahimid. I wish to retain all my personal lands, however ruling them as Duchess, or Emira in your language, under the authority of you and your descendants.'

Abbas pondered for a moment before countering once more. 'That will happen. However, you are to marry my brother of 15, and your children are to be Muslims of the House Ibrahimid.'

'Agreed.' Maisie was quick to accept, and counter once more. 'However I ask of you two promises which I hope will be preserved for all time. I ask that in the event of an Empire, my and your brother, my soon to be husband, our descendants shall rule the Kingdom of Scotland under the authority of an Ibrahimid Emperor. I also ask that my right to my religion are respected, and that I shall remain a Catholic until my death.'

'Those terms are fair. You have fought well, young Maisie. Welcome to my realm.' With that, scribes began writing down the terms of the treaty, multiple copies to be stored, and one to be hung in Gowrie and another in Dublin. The treaty was known as 'The Treaty of the Subjugation of Scotland, and the Creation of the Dual Monarchy of Ibrahimid.' It was written in Arabic, Irish and Scottish.

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As per the terms of the treaty, Maisie was allowed to keep her lands, which were the Duchy of Albany, and she was betrothed to Abbas' brother.

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With the First Sunni Jihad ongoing, the Seljuk's had decided to embark on their own holy wars. Constant harassment of the Byzantine eastern border lead to the creation of The Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre. Upon learning of the creation, Abbas uttered the famous quote 'These clerics should stay in their monasteries.' It was a testament to the strength of the House Seljuk, and Abbas' belief that they would crush the Byzantines.

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With peacetime upon House Ibrahimid, Abbas saw fit to not repeat the disastrous battle of Moray. He would allow time for his army to recover, and expanded the standing retinue. By the time it was finished, it would have a total of 1050 standing men.

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The peace would not last long. After just 1 and a half years, Abbas' Chancellor produced a claim to the County of Broerec, capital of Brittany. House Ibrahimid went to war once more, with England on side once more.

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6700 soldiers of House Ibrahimid landed in Broerec, accompanied by an army of 4000 Englishmen. An scouting force of 1500 Englishmen was crushed in Kernev by a larger than expected Breton Army.

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To dishearten the Breton's, England attacked their only army in Kernev. The numbers were close, but England was eventually defeated by the Breton's.

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After Broerec was sieged, Abbas was not going to let the English be smashed by a mere 4000 Bretons. He sent his own army west and shattered the Bretons at the decisive battle of Kemper.

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With that, King Argantmoet was ready to surrender. The entire county of Broerec was personally ceded to Abbas.

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After the war, Abbas finalised the treaty between Scotland and Ireland. He declared himself Sultan of Scotland, Sultan of Ireland, Emir of Meath, Sheikh of Dublin, Kildare, Broerec and leader of all Muslims in the North. For short, he was Sultan of the Dual Monarchy.

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The Jihad for Tunis had failed. The Muslims had captured land within the interior of Tunis, but failed to capture the important cities of Bizerte and Tunis itself. The combined coalition of Pisa, Sicily, the Papacy and the Holy Roman Empire had overwhelmed the Jihadists, and Caliph Al-Muqtadi declared the Jihad a failure.

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When told of the news, Abbas made his most famous speech, and one of the most famous speeches of the Early Ibrahimids. Known to modern historians as 'Worry Not', it was written to instil optimism and fervour in the everyday citizen of the Dual Monarchy. Here is an excerpt :

'But worry not at the news of the Jihad. Both Ireland and Tunis are integral parts of the religion which held it before conquest, and both have been conquered by foreign invaders. Here in Ireland, the Christians attempted to reclaim their traditional land by mobilising their religions armies. In Tunis, we attempted to reclaim our traditional land by mobilising our religions armies. Both failed. A loss for a loss I say.

And so worry not. Here in the North, House Ibrahimid will not let foreigners take a single inch of land, and we will prevail. If we believe we can, we will go into every battle and every war victors before we have even fought.

And so worry not. For under House Ibrahimid, we will prevail.'

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Authors notes : I am very sorry for the lack of updates in the last two weeks, and if you feel this chapter is not as good as the others. The reason being is that I am having some personal problems. I will endeavour for the next few months to get as many updates out as possible. Thank you.





 
Re personal issues: No worries :) Whenever there's a conflict between your AAR schedule and real-world needs, the latter should always take precedence. Don't feel like you have to rush in order to "catch up"; we're a relatively patient bunch.

The Ibrahimids achieve dominion over Scotland, or at least the vast majority of it. Where will their ambitions turn next? Is Sultan Abbas ready for a confrontation with England, or does he plan on consolidating his gains and picking off easier targets first? It'll be fun to see how events unfold.
 
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