„The world sunk in the shadows of the Three Mountains”
The Ryukyu Kingdom (1429–1879) was located in the Ryukyu island chain, the largest of which is Okinawa, between modern day Japan and Taiwan. A special maritime trade agreement with Ming China, which placed it as a tributary state, allowed the Kingdom to play an important role in the trade network of the region. However, because of its size and weak military capabilities, it was invaded by Japan in the beginning of the 17th century, and was a dual vassal of both China and Japan until 1872. The de facto annexation of the islands by Japan occurred 7 years later. Its culture is a mixture of Japanese and Chinese influences with indigenous elements. The Ryukyuan Kingdom is also sometimes referred to as The Three Mountains because the Okinawa island was divided into three principalities named Hokuzan (Northern Mountain), Chūzan (Central Mountain) and Nanzan (Southern Mountain). The unification of these three principalities occurred in 1429, and is considered the beginning of the Ryukyu Kingdom. In the grand strategy computer game Europa Universalis IV, conquering the world as Ryukyu, a deed not easy with any other country to begin with, is considered the hardest possible achievement.The following story is based on the presumption that Ryukyuans are one step away from achieving just such a feat…
Vardo
Citadel located inside the northernmost fortress in the finnmark (Northern part of present day Norway) amter (Administrative division name – roughly the equivalent of a county/province)
Coalition of Nordic Kingdoms
29th of March1796
Siege of Vardo: day 143
14:42
12°C
In the deepest part of the citadel of the Vardo fortress, shadows dance on the walls in tune with the slow flicker of several candles, as three men loom over a desk. The faces of the men and the items located on the desk alternatively light up and disappear in darkness as the candles conduct their little dance. The stench of mould and sweat can be felt with each new breath, and each exhalation is accompanied by a small cloud of vapour. It stays in the air for a second or two in ever changing form, before finally dispersing.A sign of still lingering vitality. These four men and the 647 soldiers they command still cling to their life, although calling a few hundred ill-equipped,hungry and freezing men with broken spirits and some with broken bodies -soldiers - can only be considered an exaggeration, as is calling their current existence living.
Four years ago, the Coalition forces numbered almost 130,000 souls split into four proud armies, each roughly the same size. The first battles were tactical victories at best, yet they were more than other seemingly more capable militaries could manage. Taking into account that the Ryukyu’s seemed destined for a succession crisis and were also fighting two other wars and putting down several rebellions at the time, there was a faint light of hope that perhaps the enemy could be defeated. Empires rarely last forever and the Ryukyu Empire seemed to have begun showing signs of tear. But with time, a new ruler was chosen from amongst the Ryukyuan royal family without causing internal turmoil, both of their wars concluded in victories, and each uprising was quenched either by sheer brutality, bribe or via negotiation. Clearly the empire had avoided or perhaps averted a possible downfall. And not for the first time either. The Nordic Kingdoms now stood as their latest and final conquest. Slowly, but surely the armies of the Three Mountains were reinforced, and even battles that could be considered as small successes,in time turned out to be nothing more than unnecessary prolongations of the inevitable. As Cities, forts and members of the coalition either fell or surrendered of their own accord, only one possible outcome remained for the Swedes who decided to fight on alone, and the Vardo fortress was to become the witness of the world’s last act of defiance and its ultimate defeat.
The room is currently silent. Apart from the three men, there is only one servant standing against the wall closely observing and waiting for a chance to provide them with whatever they deem necessary. Actually, that statement would have been true in the past,before the war.Now he is observing and waiting for a chance to provide the men with whatever is available. And that wouldn’t be much, as you can imagine would be the case in the last phase of a lost war. The man, or rather a young adult to be more specific, is fully aware that his time is rapidly coming to a close.He is performing his duty not from a sense of loyalty or diligence, but more so, because by doing what he was taught to do from an early age gives him a moment of respite, that allows his mind to ward off thoughts of his impending demise. As currently nothing is required of him, a lone drop of sweat, despite the cold, is making its way across his forehead. His eyes are fixed on the four men, waiting for the slightest sign to act. Each passing second of being useless, brings the ever creeping sensation of death closer and closer.It is hard to stay focused in times of idleness. One by one all other thoughts part and give way to feelings of dread, despair and dismay akin to a sky slowly being consumed by an ever ravenous swarm of locusts.
Suddenly, one of the men raises his hand grasping an empty cup, gesturing a demand for water. The servant conducts the task of retrieving, pouring and returning the jug with a certain lethargic quality, which in other conditions would be met with a reprisal, but now goes about unnoticed. Whether it is a deliberate act to gain a few more precious seconds of serenity, or just another example of the apathy exhibited by people under prolonged dire conditions is impossible to judge. But it should be noted that the man requesting the water, Gustav III of Sweden also places the cup against his mouth and sips the liquid in it, in a tortoise like manner. He slowly puts his cup away and turns his eyes to the other two figures standing next to him. They are, in order from his left side: his beloved son and heir prince Gustav IV,and major general Johan Christopher Toll current commanding officer of the last remaining shambles of an army.
The king of Sweden runs his skinny finger over a map of the fortress. “Here, here and perhaps here. These are the most likely places that the next assault will take place. What say you, commander?” his gaze shot up as it locked on the withered face of Johan Christopher Toll, a man who under different circumstances could have achieved much more.
- “I have placed the men here and decided on having sentries conducted by the less injured soldiers in these four places. We should be able to reinforce them in a matter of minutes. Although, please forgive my frankness, your majesty, I see no chance of the fortress withstanding another assault. Especially if the enemy attacks simultaneously here, here and here. We are only playing for time, gaining weeks, or more probably days, betting on the hope that perhaps those cursed devils will decide to continue the siege until we die of starvation, or until the fortress is nothing but a heap of ruins.”
- “And for how many more days will our supplies last?”
- “With the current number of men and the current rations? We have ample amounts of water and ammo, but we have food for a maximum of two weeks. I say the men won’t be capable of combat in three weeks. Maybe sooner.”
- “Can we lower the rations further?”
- “I am afraid not sire. They are currently consuming 2/3 of their normal intake and they can barely muster the strength to perform basic tasks, let alone garrison an entire fortress built for five times their number.“
- “How are their spirits?” – the crown prince of Sweden inquired
- “The same as ours. Everybody who wanted to, already deserted during our march from Lulea. Those who stayed with us, will stay with us until the end.”- replied the general.
- “That is comforting to know” - Gustav IV looked at his only living parent, the King – “You know we won’t be able to repel them again, Father. And we lose strength with each passing day. Let’s use up all the food now, let the men make the most of the time that God left us, given the current circumstances, and in two or three days I say gather them all up, and attempt one final sortie. Death awaits us anyway. Better to die like a ferocious wolf, biting and clawing until the end, than a hunted down fox in his hole waiting for the jaws of a hound to snap his neck . Let us choose the time.Let us choose when the thread of fate is cut.”
A grin appeared on commander Toll’s face – “How poetic, sire. Your youthful lust for glory is commendable, yet completely unnecessary. We will inflict much heavier losses on them within Vardo, were their superiority in numbers and armament can’t be used to their full potential. Outside you would perhaps get one shot off with your pistol, hitting the air before them, never coming close enough to use your rapier. Here they are in your pistol’s range and doors are great bottlenecks which, prior to death, would enable you to perhaps cut down at least…”
- “Enough!” – Gustav III shouted as his fist hit the desk, emitting a loud whump. The cups and the candles wobbled for a second, before stopping and returning to their usual state of stillness. “Enough talks about dying…” a noticeable trace of distress appeared in his voice.
- “Forgive me, my Lord, yet as the current commander, I have no tactical choices available to me with the exception…” – the voice of commander Toll became mute as the king’s thoughts began to drift to the past. The toll these years took on him suddenly became that much more visible when the candles illuminated his tired face for a second. But even worse was the wear endured by his soul. A king is used to making rulings by which others prosper or wither, gain or lose, live or die. It is something he must grow accustomed to, given the number of decisions taken on a daily basis. Gustav III certainly had no trouble making judgement and rarely felt any signs of guilt or remorse. Some rulers must or even prefer to share this burden with others, but this was not the case for Gustav III, who dismantled the last vestiges of the Riksdag (Swedish house of assembly), when such an opportunity presented itself, and took great pleasure in manning the reins of his state and its destiny personally, or at least in the capacity for which one is capable of ruling by himself. But some decisions weigh more than others.
Such was the case with the one decision that was now crushing him. Four years ago in response to an offer of a Ryukyuan envoy he met with Christian VII, and together along with their advisors and military officials debated on whether to join the Ryukyuan Empire as an official allied kingdom, which could barely be considered a glorified vassal state. Refusal meant war. The Three Mountains were just starting to gain a foothold in the Balkans, and all of Europe wasn’t really aware with what they were facing. The few skirmishes and lost colonies in Asia and Africa, definitely installed a sense of uneasiness, but recapturing them was simply not economically feasible or advantageous until the right time came along. And from a European perspective that time was not far along.The empire seemed to be an overextended blob on a map, too culturally, religiously and ethnically diverse to manage efficiently. So when two different alliances which included the Poland-Lithuania Commonwealth, the Tsardom of Russia, the Habsburg Monarchy and many parts of the Holy Roman Empire decided to wage war, Gustav III began to lean towards fighting. When news of large unrest in the empire reached the court debating in Malmo, it seemed the Ryukyuans bit off more than they could chew and were on the brink of collapse. The King of Sweden managed to drown out any objections put forth by Christian VII, or by anyone else for that matter. The prospects seemed favourable, and the King hoped for an increase in renown and a chance at obtaining some profitable colonies this time, perhaps in India, unlike the earlier failed outings in New Sweden or in the so-called “Swedish Gold Coast”. His son would one day inherit the foundations for a truly powerful Swedish Kingdom.
His son. He and the possibilities that would lay before him commanded his hand and ruled his thoughts, as he signed the declaration of war. The boy was a keen observer, understanding a lot for his age, and seemed more than capable of ruling competently one day.Of course he had his vices like everyone. He was short-tempered and lacked patience for some of the more mundane tasks of running a kingdom day-to-day. Yet all in all, the future for the house of Holstein-Gottrop and Sweden seemed secured. Now four years later all that lay before his son were days, perhaps weeks of a dreadful existence, god only knows how much more. With that one stroke of the quill pen, as the ink settled on the parchment, he sentenced his son, his house, his compatriots and his realm to death. His sons eagerness to part ways with life, for the last couple of weeks served as a grim remainder of the consequence of that one action.
“…as such all that’s left is to figure out how to cause as much casualties to the enemy as possible.” – the major general concluded.
Gustav III returned back to the present, he would address commander Toll in a moment. He turned to his son and began speaking “Dearest son, I don’t…” when a sudden chill enters the room and blows out two of the candles, increasing the darkness for the next couple of seconds.The servant once more jumps at the chance to do anything remotely useful and begins relighting the candles. Another few seconds of blissful ignorance.As the doors open, Guardsman Kjell Gustafsson storms in and yells in an nervous voice “They have commenced the assault”.
Any chance for the servants mind to catch a breath of calmness is gone. There is no more escape from reality. The crown prince seems displeased as his attempt at heroism becomes impossible. Toll stoically begins loading up his pistol with fresh powder. The King leans on the table to keep his composure as his heart sinks in his chest. So not days or weeks, but only hours remain. As he begins to straighten himself up, he notices the servants terrified face in the warm orange light of the candle, as he finishes relighting the second one. The King thinks to himself, he looks so much like my boy…
Vardo
Ryukyuan encampment outside the Vardo fortress
Ryukyuan Empire held territory
29th of March1796
Siege of Vardo: day 143
09:27
-15°C
Kumi-Gashira (Japanese lieutenant) Tomoji Miyagi sits cross-legged on a small hill in the earthworks surrounding the Vardo fortress. Banners containing various logograms are located on his right.Most of them are symbols for the many different regions of the Empire, the elements or animals. They all look rather lifeless without a hint of flutter.Among them is the one of his platoon,which has earned the distinction of using the logogram of Chuzan . A banner with a character of one the three sacred mountains of Ryukyu is only given to the most distinguished units, who have proven themselves in battle numerous times. Miyagi’s unit,consisting of 50 men from all over the empire, had many occasions to earn it in the last 25 years.
It was 25 years ago when he left his small village in the Tohoku region in the north of Honshu to fight in the Empire’s army. The arduous situation of his family was the main factor for his decision. He still could remember the face of his mother, dripping in tears, holding on to his clothes so tightly, as if she knew it was the last time they would see each other. But there could have been no turning back. She died 4 years ago. It took the letter from his sister with the news, two years to arrive. Letters travel slow when they must span half the world to turn up in the hands of their intended addressee. As he read that letter he found that he had a hard time remembering her face, though he still could recount the warmth of her hand on his cheek. Yet the news hardly made any sort of impact on him. He knew she was someone important, and he knew he should have felt sadness, but to him she was like a reflection in the water, distorted, someone who was dear to him in another long lost and forgotten existence.
The army became his new life, but to say it was a new family would be an exaggeration, for it is hard to imagine a harsher one. First came the training. The Ryukyuan military had a very fierce training regime. It was implemented after the surrender of Ming China in the beginning of the 17th century. Ryukyuan historians and military leaders were fascinated by Genghis Khan’s conquests, thanks to a plethora of historical documents regarding the Yuan dynasty. They had come upon the notion that the Mongols successes were a result of the incredibly bleak conditions of a nomad lifestyle on the steppes. Freezing winds in the winter and a scorching sun in the summer. Inedible grass as far as the eye can see. To survive one had to adapt, sometimes living of mare milk for days. This was a recipe for creating the world’s most resilient military and for vastly increasing the Ryukyuan’s military potential known as the “third pillar of military might”.
Of course the training only resembled some aspects of the horde’s lifestyle, but after one year, each soldier was prepared to thrive in circumstances that would greatly hinder those of other armies. Fear and hunger, heat and cold shaped Miyagi’s body and mind. When he was deemed ready he became a komono (Japanese equivalent of a page) with the unit he now commands, which back then did not share its current renown. His first battles were skirmishes with peasants during a revolt in Champa (present-day southern Vietnam). Being a part of the lowest rank in the Ryukyuan army, this was a time of humiliation. Komono’s received meager wages and rations. They were the last to choose spoils, often ending up with worthless trinkets. Although not quite as awful a period as the time spent training, he still went to sleep hungry and cold on many nights. But this was also the time first friendships were born. The sort of bond between people that can only bloom on the battlefield, impossible to recreate in any other condition.Although he still longed for home, this was the one and only period were he could say without a doubt that the army was like a second home.
After two years of skirmishes with rebels in different places around the empire, including India and China, he achieved the rank of Ashigaru (Japanese infantry). One month later war broke out with the Ottoman Empire and his unit was relocated. They weren’t fighting poorly armed peasants with sickles, but a regular army. Although inferior in every aspect ranging from weaponry, organization to morale, they were still vastly superior to anything his unit had ever fought. Of course the Ryukyuans would have simply overpowered them with sheer numbers anyway. This was a direct result of the revised “second pillar of military might”, which allowed any person from the Empire, regardless of race or background to join the army. The previous version only allowed citizens of Ryukyuan territories in Ryukyu, China, Japan and Korea to be a part of the military force. The revision came after subjugating Persia in the second half of the 17th century and discovering the history of Alexander the Great. This greatly increased the manpower capacity of the Empire.
During the war with the Muslims, which lasted for 8 years, the unit’s losses were few and far between, and it was that period that gave them their first recognitions. Still the unit lost a few souls during the campaign, two of which were people who, Miyagi had no doubt, deserved the distinction of friend. A couple of other unit members suffered injury and were sent to their homes. It was then that it became obvious to Miyagi that just as one cannot become attached to something that is far away, one also cannot be attached to something that may be lost in a blink of an eye. His family was already becoming more distant, and from this moment on he tried to distance himself from other comrades, to ease his pain if they should fall, and to ease their pain if he was to die. But such things are easier said than done, and despite his best efforts, as often happens in life, other people had become replacements in the role of friend. One cannot shut himself out from the world completely. Newer recruits began referring to him as “Uncle”, for the advice he handed out to them, often proving invaluable for survival.
The next 10 years spent in Arabia and Crimea, consisted mostly of fending off ambushes and raids. “Shadow warfare” it was called. Losses to death, injuries and attrition were small, but noticeable. Miyagi was being surrounded by more and more unfamiliar faces and slowly becoming the soldier with the most combat experience.Because of his experience with battling Muslims his nickname expanded to “Uncle Pork”. This was not out of disrespect, but as a sign that the adherents of Islam best keep away from him as they refrain from eating pig meat.
When the empire began its war in Europe, Miyagi was the second oldest soldier of the unit. Only one other person besides him had served in the unit since his time as komono - an old Kumi-Gashira who lost his hand from artillery fire in the third week of the war. His departure home resulted in Tomoji Miyagi receiving his ceremonial sai (Okinawan dagger with two metal prongs to the side) – a symbol of a Kumi-Gashira. The weapon itself proved handy and saved his life on more than one occasion. Miyagi proved himself a very skilled commander, who did not squander the life of his subordinates in vain,and in a span of just two yearshis unit gained the honour of having the Chuzan logogram inscribed on their banner.
Now it was four years and countless more victories later. He looked at the fortress in front of him. This war, all wars would end when it falls. He would not have to make the best out of other people’s judgements. The green banner would soon be just a memento, and his soldiers would go home, or wherever in the world they wanted to. It was all just a matter of time. Two, perhaps three weeks at most, probably sooner as some soldiers with their backs to the wall prefer to die in battle and mount one last hopeless sortie. Pointless loss of life. But no more. All in all since his promotion, thanks to his tactical prowess, his unit lost only two soldiers with seven injuries, none requiring longer than a couple of months of convalescence. The fact that he managed to keep his losses low, brought him more satisfaction than the elation felt after accomplishing another military objective.
As he looked to the sky and noticed that a pinch of white snowflakes began falling, he began hearing footsteps cracking the tough frozen snow, heading towards him, louder and louder with each passing moment. A messenger came up to him and handed him a letter from the Monogashira (Japanese equivalent of a captain). Two minutes later, when he read its contents, his peace of mind was gone replaced with a feeling of grief and unjustness. An assault was ordered. The emperor demanded his triumph now, not in an uncertain number of days in the future. More men were going to die. Miyagi thought to himself, if my letter with the news of my mother’s death took two years to arrive, couldn’t this one from the emperor be late by two or three weeks? He darted up and began slowly walking to his unit’s tent to deliver the order. He was aware that for some of them it will be their last.
Vardo
Citadel located inside the northernmost fortress in the finnmark amter
Coalition of Nordic Kingdoms
29th of March1796
Siege of Vardo: day 143
19:20
11°C
The last thing Guardsman Kjell Gustafsson managed to say before dying was “Do not let them get to this door! Protect our King!”. Just as he finished that sentence a cast lead ball ripped through his throat. In a matter of minutes his brain would send its last electrical impulse. Sadly, he died unaware that his last words were understood by no one as was the last Swedish soldier to die in the passage leading to the King’s chamber.
Commander Tomoji Miyagi brushed his sleeve against his eye. “Condemn this blasted smoke” – he thought to himself. Tears began pouring down his cheek. “Prepare to breach that entrance”. The Swedish soldiers managed to put up a fierce resistance, despite overwhelming odds. Whatever lay beyond that door, must have been something substantial, as the closer his unit got to it, the more tenacious the defence.They had incurred heavy losses. Seventeen were dead and ten lay scattered around the fortress injured, unable to carry on fighting. “A cornered animal is indeed the most dangerous.” – Miyagi reflected grievously – “I’ve lost more men today, than during this entire campaign” He looked at a young recruit from the middle east. ”You there, you were trained in lock picking. You know what to do”. There was an eerie stillness around him, gunshots from around the fortress had stopped, and the only noise that could be heard was the moaning of wounded soldiers, as if the very room they were trying to get into was the last place not yet taken by Ryukyuan forces.
Inside the chamber the silence outside did not go unnoticed.
-“What’s going on. Why has all the noise ceased?” – asked the frightened servant
Commander Toll explained without a sign of emotion in his voice - “We have about 30 minutes before they finish lock picking that door. Is everyone prepared? King? Crown Prince? You, servant”
Each of them replied with a different tone. The Crown Prince’s “Yes” was filled with disappointment and frustration, the servants stuttered “Yyyyes” contained only fear, and the King’s fast “I am” mixed a strong feeling of accepting ones fate with a hint of hope that perhaps not all is yet lost. Pistols laid on the desk had all been loaded and were ready to use.
-“Now all that is left is to wait…” – Commander Toll summed up the situation.
Back on the outside Miyagi’s Monogashira nonchalantly approached through the rubble, and the dead and wounded bodies lining up the walls in the passage and yelled:
–“What is going on?”
- “We are lock picking that door. It will take about half an hour.”
- “Nonsense, this is the last part of the fortress with any sort of fighting. Whatever is behind that door, I want it now. You there!Mix some gunpowder, honey and egg whites and apply it to the door and hinges”
“Bloody fool, he hopes to gain glory for himself, but using gunpowder in windowless corridor is an unnecessary risk” – thought Miyagi to himself. He issued a command – “You two do as instructed. The rest is to fall back with me”.
Ten minutes passed before an explosion knocked the door down. The Monogashira and another soldier stood too close to the blast. The first only lost hearing in his left ear, the second suffered major burns. The defenders hidden inside the chamber are startled by this turn of events. Even major general Toll requires a second before finally taking a pistol. “This is sooner than anticipated” – He thinks to himself and instinctively begins shooting. As soon as one pistol discharges it is dropped, and another is taken. He manages to fire off four pistols, hitting three Ryukyuan soldier, before being shot himself. He stumbles and falls against the wall. He is the first of the Swedes in the room to die.
Amidst smoke men begin pouring through the door and more shots are fired. The Kumi-Gashira enters the room as the sixth person. Four of his men lay dead with two people standing behind a desk and taking shots, although their aim seems to be horrendous, as exemplified by the number of smoking pistols before them. “Look at their clothes. That must be the King and the Crown Prince!”. He aims his pistol at the younger person and hits him in the chest. He will endure many minutes of whizzing and shortness of breath. A slow and painful death. The King has used all of his pistols and takes out a rapier. He attacks a Ryukyuan soldier, by kicking him in the shins and piercing his stomach. As more men enter the room, Tomoji Miyagi barks an order - “Stop shooting!”. He takes out his Bongukgeom (Korean double-edged sword). - “His head is mine by custom. I will end this.”. As he slowly approaches Gustav III of Sweden, he sees that the King taking up a defensive stance. “Kumi-Gashira look!” – one of the soldiers says while pointing at the desk. A young man in visibly worse clothes, jumps out from under it and begins running at the Ryukyuans with a rapier. “For Sweden” – he yells. Just as he is about to puncture a surprised soldier, his rushing attack is cut short with a throw of the sai from the Kumi-Gashira. It lands in his eye and he drops dead instantly. “A gallant act of courage from a worthless servant.”- thought Miyagi to himself – “Again this cumbersome thing had proved useful. A lucky throw, but at least I managed to save one of my men.” At that moment, the King’s rapier falls out of his hand, the last will for fighting gone from his body. He says in distraught to himself “Son…, no…they might… have spared you…”. No one in the room could understand these words of a utterly broken man. Before tears begin forming in Gustav III’s eyes,Kumi-Gashira Tomoji Miyagi hacks his Bongukgeom into his neck. The cut should be cleaner, but this disregard for technique is not intentional, but simply a result of a tired soldier committing his last act of violence. The King’s body falls down. Three more hacks and Gustav III’s head finally comes off. With iti n his hands, he begins slowly walking to the body of the last soldier of his unit to fall…
Seoul
Imperial Palace in Changdeokgung
Ryukyuan Empire
17th of June1799
Victory audience before the emperor
16:00 P.M.
29°C
As a newly promoted Monogashira Tomoji Miyagi was kneeling before the emperor, his chancellor and countless advisors and nobles, he couldn’t help himself from pondering on the awkwardness of the Empire he served.Despite calling itself the Ryukyuan Empire not many elements of it were truly Ryukyuan. Of course the nobility and king all wore traditional hana-nunus (Literally means “flower cloth”. Okinawan traditional clothing now known as bingatas, characterized by colourful flower patterns), and the music played was koten (Classical Ryukyuan music), but everything else was foreign.The military ranks and structure were Japanese, the government type, writing system and fondness for meritocracy was Chinese, the capital was in Seoul and the language a mixture of Rykyuan, Korean, Mandarin and Japanese with many words simply taken directly from conquered territories. This was without even mentioning all the European elements adopted from their traders, and captured colonies and territories. He had never even seen the Islands. Even the Emperor and the Chancellor visited the Ryukyu islands strictly for ceremonial purposes that occur once or twice a decade. The faces all around him contained all possible colours that a human can have. “Ryukyuan empire indeed” – he thought to himself.
Shortly, it would be his time to present his gift to the emperor. A samurai who distinguished himself could take the head of a fallen enemy. After being cleaned, perfumed and stuffed with powdered rice to stop blood and fluids from leaking, such a head was taken back to the base camp, where all the details of the act were written down on paper including the time, date, name and rank of the deceased, and the name rank and weapon of the victor. Such a memento was cherished, and was a symbol of a distinguished warrior. But his trophy was different. He had the severed head of the last ruler to oppose the Ryukyuan Empire in a poach. A worthy gift to the emperor. And not his only one…
The chancellor was finishing his long speech, detailing the events that have led to Ryukyu becoming the most powerful nation on earth. The dream that King Sho Shitatsu had during the fifth month of his rule (11th November 1444). It was considered the most important event in Ryukyuan history. He awoke at midnight and began giving out orders to explore the islands south of Ryukyu. Soon expeditions began, and the Ryukyuans began colonizing the islands of Leyte and Samar. Other islands followed, and they began engaging themselves in conflict gaining land in Southeast Asia. When the Portuguese arrived, instead of isolating themselves like China and Japan, they began to rapidly westernize, despite strong internal opposition. The newly acquired European weapons and tactics became known as “the first pillar of military might”, giving the Islanders a distinct advantage. Soon they began meddling in the Sengoku wars in Japan, slowly gaining a foothold and subjugating the entire four islands in a span of fifty years. The conquest of Japan began a period of 230 years of almost constant warfare with campaigns in Korea, China, India and the rest of the known world. The chancellor in a exalted voice said “Now, our current glorious emperor has managed to surpass his great ancestors.The world is ours. A new era of peace is to begin!” The Emperor, sitting above him in his throne seemed pleased with himself. “Behold the head of the last person to refuse our rule” – the chancellor concluded.
He aimed his finger at Miyagi, who stood up and approached the emperor in proper ceremonial fashion. Out of his poach he took out the head of the King of Sweden and placed it carefully before the emperor. “Witness the symbol of our might. Only possible because of our benevolent…” – the chancellor continued praising the emperor. Miyagi slowly reached into his pouch again, and took out another head. The emperor, intrigued, waved his hand at the chancellor, signalling him to be quiet, and enquired “Is that the head of the crown prince of Sfed…Swet… of that Northern Kingdom?” Miyagi shook his head. “No it is not. It is the head of the last soldier from my unit to die in combat. A reminder to your majesty, that decisions do not only bring glory and triumph..” A gasp of shock ran through the audience chamber “Impertinence!!! Execute him now!” – the chancellor shouted. As the Guardsmen surrounded him, Miyagi stood up. He did not want to die on his knees. The last thing Miyagi thought about before being impaled by the Guardsman’s spear was that at least this conclusion was only his own…
The Ryukyu Kingdom (1429–1879) was located in the Ryukyu island chain, the largest of which is Okinawa, between modern day Japan and Taiwan. A special maritime trade agreement with Ming China, which placed it as a tributary state, allowed the Kingdom to play an important role in the trade network of the region. However, because of its size and weak military capabilities, it was invaded by Japan in the beginning of the 17th century, and was a dual vassal of both China and Japan until 1872. The de facto annexation of the islands by Japan occurred 7 years later. Its culture is a mixture of Japanese and Chinese influences with indigenous elements. The Ryukyuan Kingdom is also sometimes referred to as The Three Mountains because the Okinawa island was divided into three principalities named Hokuzan (Northern Mountain), Chūzan (Central Mountain) and Nanzan (Southern Mountain). The unification of these three principalities occurred in 1429, and is considered the beginning of the Ryukyu Kingdom. In the grand strategy computer game Europa Universalis IV, conquering the world as Ryukyu, a deed not easy with any other country to begin with, is considered the hardest possible achievement.The following story is based on the presumption that Ryukyuans are one step away from achieving just such a feat…
Vardo
Citadel located inside the northernmost fortress in the finnmark (Northern part of present day Norway) amter (Administrative division name – roughly the equivalent of a county/province)
Coalition of Nordic Kingdoms
29th of March1796
Siege of Vardo: day 143
14:42
12°C
In the deepest part of the citadel of the Vardo fortress, shadows dance on the walls in tune with the slow flicker of several candles, as three men loom over a desk. The faces of the men and the items located on the desk alternatively light up and disappear in darkness as the candles conduct their little dance. The stench of mould and sweat can be felt with each new breath, and each exhalation is accompanied by a small cloud of vapour. It stays in the air for a second or two in ever changing form, before finally dispersing.A sign of still lingering vitality. These four men and the 647 soldiers they command still cling to their life, although calling a few hundred ill-equipped,hungry and freezing men with broken spirits and some with broken bodies -soldiers - can only be considered an exaggeration, as is calling their current existence living.
Four years ago, the Coalition forces numbered almost 130,000 souls split into four proud armies, each roughly the same size. The first battles were tactical victories at best, yet they were more than other seemingly more capable militaries could manage. Taking into account that the Ryukyu’s seemed destined for a succession crisis and were also fighting two other wars and putting down several rebellions at the time, there was a faint light of hope that perhaps the enemy could be defeated. Empires rarely last forever and the Ryukyu Empire seemed to have begun showing signs of tear. But with time, a new ruler was chosen from amongst the Ryukyuan royal family without causing internal turmoil, both of their wars concluded in victories, and each uprising was quenched either by sheer brutality, bribe or via negotiation. Clearly the empire had avoided or perhaps averted a possible downfall. And not for the first time either. The Nordic Kingdoms now stood as their latest and final conquest. Slowly, but surely the armies of the Three Mountains were reinforced, and even battles that could be considered as small successes,in time turned out to be nothing more than unnecessary prolongations of the inevitable. As Cities, forts and members of the coalition either fell or surrendered of their own accord, only one possible outcome remained for the Swedes who decided to fight on alone, and the Vardo fortress was to become the witness of the world’s last act of defiance and its ultimate defeat.
The room is currently silent. Apart from the three men, there is only one servant standing against the wall closely observing and waiting for a chance to provide them with whatever they deem necessary. Actually, that statement would have been true in the past,before the war.Now he is observing and waiting for a chance to provide the men with whatever is available. And that wouldn’t be much, as you can imagine would be the case in the last phase of a lost war. The man, or rather a young adult to be more specific, is fully aware that his time is rapidly coming to a close.He is performing his duty not from a sense of loyalty or diligence, but more so, because by doing what he was taught to do from an early age gives him a moment of respite, that allows his mind to ward off thoughts of his impending demise. As currently nothing is required of him, a lone drop of sweat, despite the cold, is making its way across his forehead. His eyes are fixed on the four men, waiting for the slightest sign to act. Each passing second of being useless, brings the ever creeping sensation of death closer and closer.It is hard to stay focused in times of idleness. One by one all other thoughts part and give way to feelings of dread, despair and dismay akin to a sky slowly being consumed by an ever ravenous swarm of locusts.
Suddenly, one of the men raises his hand grasping an empty cup, gesturing a demand for water. The servant conducts the task of retrieving, pouring and returning the jug with a certain lethargic quality, which in other conditions would be met with a reprisal, but now goes about unnoticed. Whether it is a deliberate act to gain a few more precious seconds of serenity, or just another example of the apathy exhibited by people under prolonged dire conditions is impossible to judge. But it should be noted that the man requesting the water, Gustav III of Sweden also places the cup against his mouth and sips the liquid in it, in a tortoise like manner. He slowly puts his cup away and turns his eyes to the other two figures standing next to him. They are, in order from his left side: his beloved son and heir prince Gustav IV,and major general Johan Christopher Toll current commanding officer of the last remaining shambles of an army.
The king of Sweden runs his skinny finger over a map of the fortress. “Here, here and perhaps here. These are the most likely places that the next assault will take place. What say you, commander?” his gaze shot up as it locked on the withered face of Johan Christopher Toll, a man who under different circumstances could have achieved much more.
- “I have placed the men here and decided on having sentries conducted by the less injured soldiers in these four places. We should be able to reinforce them in a matter of minutes. Although, please forgive my frankness, your majesty, I see no chance of the fortress withstanding another assault. Especially if the enemy attacks simultaneously here, here and here. We are only playing for time, gaining weeks, or more probably days, betting on the hope that perhaps those cursed devils will decide to continue the siege until we die of starvation, or until the fortress is nothing but a heap of ruins.”
- “And for how many more days will our supplies last?”
- “With the current number of men and the current rations? We have ample amounts of water and ammo, but we have food for a maximum of two weeks. I say the men won’t be capable of combat in three weeks. Maybe sooner.”
- “Can we lower the rations further?”
- “I am afraid not sire. They are currently consuming 2/3 of their normal intake and they can barely muster the strength to perform basic tasks, let alone garrison an entire fortress built for five times their number.“
- “How are their spirits?” – the crown prince of Sweden inquired
- “The same as ours. Everybody who wanted to, already deserted during our march from Lulea. Those who stayed with us, will stay with us until the end.”- replied the general.
- “That is comforting to know” - Gustav IV looked at his only living parent, the King – “You know we won’t be able to repel them again, Father. And we lose strength with each passing day. Let’s use up all the food now, let the men make the most of the time that God left us, given the current circumstances, and in two or three days I say gather them all up, and attempt one final sortie. Death awaits us anyway. Better to die like a ferocious wolf, biting and clawing until the end, than a hunted down fox in his hole waiting for the jaws of a hound to snap his neck . Let us choose the time.Let us choose when the thread of fate is cut.”
A grin appeared on commander Toll’s face – “How poetic, sire. Your youthful lust for glory is commendable, yet completely unnecessary. We will inflict much heavier losses on them within Vardo, were their superiority in numbers and armament can’t be used to their full potential. Outside you would perhaps get one shot off with your pistol, hitting the air before them, never coming close enough to use your rapier. Here they are in your pistol’s range and doors are great bottlenecks which, prior to death, would enable you to perhaps cut down at least…”
- “Enough!” – Gustav III shouted as his fist hit the desk, emitting a loud whump. The cups and the candles wobbled for a second, before stopping and returning to their usual state of stillness. “Enough talks about dying…” a noticeable trace of distress appeared in his voice.
- “Forgive me, my Lord, yet as the current commander, I have no tactical choices available to me with the exception…” – the voice of commander Toll became mute as the king’s thoughts began to drift to the past. The toll these years took on him suddenly became that much more visible when the candles illuminated his tired face for a second. But even worse was the wear endured by his soul. A king is used to making rulings by which others prosper or wither, gain or lose, live or die. It is something he must grow accustomed to, given the number of decisions taken on a daily basis. Gustav III certainly had no trouble making judgement and rarely felt any signs of guilt or remorse. Some rulers must or even prefer to share this burden with others, but this was not the case for Gustav III, who dismantled the last vestiges of the Riksdag (Swedish house of assembly), when such an opportunity presented itself, and took great pleasure in manning the reins of his state and its destiny personally, or at least in the capacity for which one is capable of ruling by himself. But some decisions weigh more than others.
Such was the case with the one decision that was now crushing him. Four years ago in response to an offer of a Ryukyuan envoy he met with Christian VII, and together along with their advisors and military officials debated on whether to join the Ryukyuan Empire as an official allied kingdom, which could barely be considered a glorified vassal state. Refusal meant war. The Three Mountains were just starting to gain a foothold in the Balkans, and all of Europe wasn’t really aware with what they were facing. The few skirmishes and lost colonies in Asia and Africa, definitely installed a sense of uneasiness, but recapturing them was simply not economically feasible or advantageous until the right time came along. And from a European perspective that time was not far along.The empire seemed to be an overextended blob on a map, too culturally, religiously and ethnically diverse to manage efficiently. So when two different alliances which included the Poland-Lithuania Commonwealth, the Tsardom of Russia, the Habsburg Monarchy and many parts of the Holy Roman Empire decided to wage war, Gustav III began to lean towards fighting. When news of large unrest in the empire reached the court debating in Malmo, it seemed the Ryukyuans bit off more than they could chew and were on the brink of collapse. The King of Sweden managed to drown out any objections put forth by Christian VII, or by anyone else for that matter. The prospects seemed favourable, and the King hoped for an increase in renown and a chance at obtaining some profitable colonies this time, perhaps in India, unlike the earlier failed outings in New Sweden or in the so-called “Swedish Gold Coast”. His son would one day inherit the foundations for a truly powerful Swedish Kingdom.
His son. He and the possibilities that would lay before him commanded his hand and ruled his thoughts, as he signed the declaration of war. The boy was a keen observer, understanding a lot for his age, and seemed more than capable of ruling competently one day.Of course he had his vices like everyone. He was short-tempered and lacked patience for some of the more mundane tasks of running a kingdom day-to-day. Yet all in all, the future for the house of Holstein-Gottrop and Sweden seemed secured. Now four years later all that lay before his son were days, perhaps weeks of a dreadful existence, god only knows how much more. With that one stroke of the quill pen, as the ink settled on the parchment, he sentenced his son, his house, his compatriots and his realm to death. His sons eagerness to part ways with life, for the last couple of weeks served as a grim remainder of the consequence of that one action.
“…as such all that’s left is to figure out how to cause as much casualties to the enemy as possible.” – the major general concluded.
Gustav III returned back to the present, he would address commander Toll in a moment. He turned to his son and began speaking “Dearest son, I don’t…” when a sudden chill enters the room and blows out two of the candles, increasing the darkness for the next couple of seconds.The servant once more jumps at the chance to do anything remotely useful and begins relighting the candles. Another few seconds of blissful ignorance.As the doors open, Guardsman Kjell Gustafsson storms in and yells in an nervous voice “They have commenced the assault”.
Any chance for the servants mind to catch a breath of calmness is gone. There is no more escape from reality. The crown prince seems displeased as his attempt at heroism becomes impossible. Toll stoically begins loading up his pistol with fresh powder. The King leans on the table to keep his composure as his heart sinks in his chest. So not days or weeks, but only hours remain. As he begins to straighten himself up, he notices the servants terrified face in the warm orange light of the candle, as he finishes relighting the second one. The King thinks to himself, he looks so much like my boy…
Vardo
Ryukyuan encampment outside the Vardo fortress
Ryukyuan Empire held territory
29th of March1796
Siege of Vardo: day 143
09:27
-15°C
Kumi-Gashira (Japanese lieutenant) Tomoji Miyagi sits cross-legged on a small hill in the earthworks surrounding the Vardo fortress. Banners containing various logograms are located on his right.Most of them are symbols for the many different regions of the Empire, the elements or animals. They all look rather lifeless without a hint of flutter.Among them is the one of his platoon,which has earned the distinction of using the logogram of Chuzan . A banner with a character of one the three sacred mountains of Ryukyu is only given to the most distinguished units, who have proven themselves in battle numerous times. Miyagi’s unit,consisting of 50 men from all over the empire, had many occasions to earn it in the last 25 years.
It was 25 years ago when he left his small village in the Tohoku region in the north of Honshu to fight in the Empire’s army. The arduous situation of his family was the main factor for his decision. He still could remember the face of his mother, dripping in tears, holding on to his clothes so tightly, as if she knew it was the last time they would see each other. But there could have been no turning back. She died 4 years ago. It took the letter from his sister with the news, two years to arrive. Letters travel slow when they must span half the world to turn up in the hands of their intended addressee. As he read that letter he found that he had a hard time remembering her face, though he still could recount the warmth of her hand on his cheek. Yet the news hardly made any sort of impact on him. He knew she was someone important, and he knew he should have felt sadness, but to him she was like a reflection in the water, distorted, someone who was dear to him in another long lost and forgotten existence.
The army became his new life, but to say it was a new family would be an exaggeration, for it is hard to imagine a harsher one. First came the training. The Ryukyuan military had a very fierce training regime. It was implemented after the surrender of Ming China in the beginning of the 17th century. Ryukyuan historians and military leaders were fascinated by Genghis Khan’s conquests, thanks to a plethora of historical documents regarding the Yuan dynasty. They had come upon the notion that the Mongols successes were a result of the incredibly bleak conditions of a nomad lifestyle on the steppes. Freezing winds in the winter and a scorching sun in the summer. Inedible grass as far as the eye can see. To survive one had to adapt, sometimes living of mare milk for days. This was a recipe for creating the world’s most resilient military and for vastly increasing the Ryukyuan’s military potential known as the “third pillar of military might”.
Of course the training only resembled some aspects of the horde’s lifestyle, but after one year, each soldier was prepared to thrive in circumstances that would greatly hinder those of other armies. Fear and hunger, heat and cold shaped Miyagi’s body and mind. When he was deemed ready he became a komono (Japanese equivalent of a page) with the unit he now commands, which back then did not share its current renown. His first battles were skirmishes with peasants during a revolt in Champa (present-day southern Vietnam). Being a part of the lowest rank in the Ryukyuan army, this was a time of humiliation. Komono’s received meager wages and rations. They were the last to choose spoils, often ending up with worthless trinkets. Although not quite as awful a period as the time spent training, he still went to sleep hungry and cold on many nights. But this was also the time first friendships were born. The sort of bond between people that can only bloom on the battlefield, impossible to recreate in any other condition.Although he still longed for home, this was the one and only period were he could say without a doubt that the army was like a second home.
After two years of skirmishes with rebels in different places around the empire, including India and China, he achieved the rank of Ashigaru (Japanese infantry). One month later war broke out with the Ottoman Empire and his unit was relocated. They weren’t fighting poorly armed peasants with sickles, but a regular army. Although inferior in every aspect ranging from weaponry, organization to morale, they were still vastly superior to anything his unit had ever fought. Of course the Ryukyuans would have simply overpowered them with sheer numbers anyway. This was a direct result of the revised “second pillar of military might”, which allowed any person from the Empire, regardless of race or background to join the army. The previous version only allowed citizens of Ryukyuan territories in Ryukyu, China, Japan and Korea to be a part of the military force. The revision came after subjugating Persia in the second half of the 17th century and discovering the history of Alexander the Great. This greatly increased the manpower capacity of the Empire.
During the war with the Muslims, which lasted for 8 years, the unit’s losses were few and far between, and it was that period that gave them their first recognitions. Still the unit lost a few souls during the campaign, two of which were people who, Miyagi had no doubt, deserved the distinction of friend. A couple of other unit members suffered injury and were sent to their homes. It was then that it became obvious to Miyagi that just as one cannot become attached to something that is far away, one also cannot be attached to something that may be lost in a blink of an eye. His family was already becoming more distant, and from this moment on he tried to distance himself from other comrades, to ease his pain if they should fall, and to ease their pain if he was to die. But such things are easier said than done, and despite his best efforts, as often happens in life, other people had become replacements in the role of friend. One cannot shut himself out from the world completely. Newer recruits began referring to him as “Uncle”, for the advice he handed out to them, often proving invaluable for survival.
The next 10 years spent in Arabia and Crimea, consisted mostly of fending off ambushes and raids. “Shadow warfare” it was called. Losses to death, injuries and attrition were small, but noticeable. Miyagi was being surrounded by more and more unfamiliar faces and slowly becoming the soldier with the most combat experience.Because of his experience with battling Muslims his nickname expanded to “Uncle Pork”. This was not out of disrespect, but as a sign that the adherents of Islam best keep away from him as they refrain from eating pig meat.
When the empire began its war in Europe, Miyagi was the second oldest soldier of the unit. Only one other person besides him had served in the unit since his time as komono - an old Kumi-Gashira who lost his hand from artillery fire in the third week of the war. His departure home resulted in Tomoji Miyagi receiving his ceremonial sai (Okinawan dagger with two metal prongs to the side) – a symbol of a Kumi-Gashira. The weapon itself proved handy and saved his life on more than one occasion. Miyagi proved himself a very skilled commander, who did not squander the life of his subordinates in vain,and in a span of just two yearshis unit gained the honour of having the Chuzan logogram inscribed on their banner.
Now it was four years and countless more victories later. He looked at the fortress in front of him. This war, all wars would end when it falls. He would not have to make the best out of other people’s judgements. The green banner would soon be just a memento, and his soldiers would go home, or wherever in the world they wanted to. It was all just a matter of time. Two, perhaps three weeks at most, probably sooner as some soldiers with their backs to the wall prefer to die in battle and mount one last hopeless sortie. Pointless loss of life. But no more. All in all since his promotion, thanks to his tactical prowess, his unit lost only two soldiers with seven injuries, none requiring longer than a couple of months of convalescence. The fact that he managed to keep his losses low, brought him more satisfaction than the elation felt after accomplishing another military objective.
As he looked to the sky and noticed that a pinch of white snowflakes began falling, he began hearing footsteps cracking the tough frozen snow, heading towards him, louder and louder with each passing moment. A messenger came up to him and handed him a letter from the Monogashira (Japanese equivalent of a captain). Two minutes later, when he read its contents, his peace of mind was gone replaced with a feeling of grief and unjustness. An assault was ordered. The emperor demanded his triumph now, not in an uncertain number of days in the future. More men were going to die. Miyagi thought to himself, if my letter with the news of my mother’s death took two years to arrive, couldn’t this one from the emperor be late by two or three weeks? He darted up and began slowly walking to his unit’s tent to deliver the order. He was aware that for some of them it will be their last.
Vardo
Citadel located inside the northernmost fortress in the finnmark amter
Coalition of Nordic Kingdoms
29th of March1796
Siege of Vardo: day 143
19:20
11°C
The last thing Guardsman Kjell Gustafsson managed to say before dying was “Do not let them get to this door! Protect our King!”. Just as he finished that sentence a cast lead ball ripped through his throat. In a matter of minutes his brain would send its last electrical impulse. Sadly, he died unaware that his last words were understood by no one as was the last Swedish soldier to die in the passage leading to the King’s chamber.
Commander Tomoji Miyagi brushed his sleeve against his eye. “Condemn this blasted smoke” – he thought to himself. Tears began pouring down his cheek. “Prepare to breach that entrance”. The Swedish soldiers managed to put up a fierce resistance, despite overwhelming odds. Whatever lay beyond that door, must have been something substantial, as the closer his unit got to it, the more tenacious the defence.They had incurred heavy losses. Seventeen were dead and ten lay scattered around the fortress injured, unable to carry on fighting. “A cornered animal is indeed the most dangerous.” – Miyagi reflected grievously – “I’ve lost more men today, than during this entire campaign” He looked at a young recruit from the middle east. ”You there, you were trained in lock picking. You know what to do”. There was an eerie stillness around him, gunshots from around the fortress had stopped, and the only noise that could be heard was the moaning of wounded soldiers, as if the very room they were trying to get into was the last place not yet taken by Ryukyuan forces.
Inside the chamber the silence outside did not go unnoticed.
-“What’s going on. Why has all the noise ceased?” – asked the frightened servant
Commander Toll explained without a sign of emotion in his voice - “We have about 30 minutes before they finish lock picking that door. Is everyone prepared? King? Crown Prince? You, servant”
Each of them replied with a different tone. The Crown Prince’s “Yes” was filled with disappointment and frustration, the servants stuttered “Yyyyes” contained only fear, and the King’s fast “I am” mixed a strong feeling of accepting ones fate with a hint of hope that perhaps not all is yet lost. Pistols laid on the desk had all been loaded and were ready to use.
-“Now all that is left is to wait…” – Commander Toll summed up the situation.
Back on the outside Miyagi’s Monogashira nonchalantly approached through the rubble, and the dead and wounded bodies lining up the walls in the passage and yelled:
–“What is going on?”
- “We are lock picking that door. It will take about half an hour.”
- “Nonsense, this is the last part of the fortress with any sort of fighting. Whatever is behind that door, I want it now. You there!Mix some gunpowder, honey and egg whites and apply it to the door and hinges”
“Bloody fool, he hopes to gain glory for himself, but using gunpowder in windowless corridor is an unnecessary risk” – thought Miyagi to himself. He issued a command – “You two do as instructed. The rest is to fall back with me”.
Ten minutes passed before an explosion knocked the door down. The Monogashira and another soldier stood too close to the blast. The first only lost hearing in his left ear, the second suffered major burns. The defenders hidden inside the chamber are startled by this turn of events. Even major general Toll requires a second before finally taking a pistol. “This is sooner than anticipated” – He thinks to himself and instinctively begins shooting. As soon as one pistol discharges it is dropped, and another is taken. He manages to fire off four pistols, hitting three Ryukyuan soldier, before being shot himself. He stumbles and falls against the wall. He is the first of the Swedes in the room to die.
Amidst smoke men begin pouring through the door and more shots are fired. The Kumi-Gashira enters the room as the sixth person. Four of his men lay dead with two people standing behind a desk and taking shots, although their aim seems to be horrendous, as exemplified by the number of smoking pistols before them. “Look at their clothes. That must be the King and the Crown Prince!”. He aims his pistol at the younger person and hits him in the chest. He will endure many minutes of whizzing and shortness of breath. A slow and painful death. The King has used all of his pistols and takes out a rapier. He attacks a Ryukyuan soldier, by kicking him in the shins and piercing his stomach. As more men enter the room, Tomoji Miyagi barks an order - “Stop shooting!”. He takes out his Bongukgeom (Korean double-edged sword). - “His head is mine by custom. I will end this.”. As he slowly approaches Gustav III of Sweden, he sees that the King taking up a defensive stance. “Kumi-Gashira look!” – one of the soldiers says while pointing at the desk. A young man in visibly worse clothes, jumps out from under it and begins running at the Ryukyuans with a rapier. “For Sweden” – he yells. Just as he is about to puncture a surprised soldier, his rushing attack is cut short with a throw of the sai from the Kumi-Gashira. It lands in his eye and he drops dead instantly. “A gallant act of courage from a worthless servant.”- thought Miyagi to himself – “Again this cumbersome thing had proved useful. A lucky throw, but at least I managed to save one of my men.” At that moment, the King’s rapier falls out of his hand, the last will for fighting gone from his body. He says in distraught to himself “Son…, no…they might… have spared you…”. No one in the room could understand these words of a utterly broken man. Before tears begin forming in Gustav III’s eyes,Kumi-Gashira Tomoji Miyagi hacks his Bongukgeom into his neck. The cut should be cleaner, but this disregard for technique is not intentional, but simply a result of a tired soldier committing his last act of violence. The King’s body falls down. Three more hacks and Gustav III’s head finally comes off. With iti n his hands, he begins slowly walking to the body of the last soldier of his unit to fall…
Seoul
Imperial Palace in Changdeokgung
Ryukyuan Empire
17th of June1799
Victory audience before the emperor
16:00 P.M.
29°C
As a newly promoted Monogashira Tomoji Miyagi was kneeling before the emperor, his chancellor and countless advisors and nobles, he couldn’t help himself from pondering on the awkwardness of the Empire he served.Despite calling itself the Ryukyuan Empire not many elements of it were truly Ryukyuan. Of course the nobility and king all wore traditional hana-nunus (Literally means “flower cloth”. Okinawan traditional clothing now known as bingatas, characterized by colourful flower patterns), and the music played was koten (Classical Ryukyuan music), but everything else was foreign.The military ranks and structure were Japanese, the government type, writing system and fondness for meritocracy was Chinese, the capital was in Seoul and the language a mixture of Rykyuan, Korean, Mandarin and Japanese with many words simply taken directly from conquered territories. This was without even mentioning all the European elements adopted from their traders, and captured colonies and territories. He had never even seen the Islands. Even the Emperor and the Chancellor visited the Ryukyu islands strictly for ceremonial purposes that occur once or twice a decade. The faces all around him contained all possible colours that a human can have. “Ryukyuan empire indeed” – he thought to himself.
Shortly, it would be his time to present his gift to the emperor. A samurai who distinguished himself could take the head of a fallen enemy. After being cleaned, perfumed and stuffed with powdered rice to stop blood and fluids from leaking, such a head was taken back to the base camp, where all the details of the act were written down on paper including the time, date, name and rank of the deceased, and the name rank and weapon of the victor. Such a memento was cherished, and was a symbol of a distinguished warrior. But his trophy was different. He had the severed head of the last ruler to oppose the Ryukyuan Empire in a poach. A worthy gift to the emperor. And not his only one…
The chancellor was finishing his long speech, detailing the events that have led to Ryukyu becoming the most powerful nation on earth. The dream that King Sho Shitatsu had during the fifth month of his rule (11th November 1444). It was considered the most important event in Ryukyuan history. He awoke at midnight and began giving out orders to explore the islands south of Ryukyu. Soon expeditions began, and the Ryukyuans began colonizing the islands of Leyte and Samar. Other islands followed, and they began engaging themselves in conflict gaining land in Southeast Asia. When the Portuguese arrived, instead of isolating themselves like China and Japan, they began to rapidly westernize, despite strong internal opposition. The newly acquired European weapons and tactics became known as “the first pillar of military might”, giving the Islanders a distinct advantage. Soon they began meddling in the Sengoku wars in Japan, slowly gaining a foothold and subjugating the entire four islands in a span of fifty years. The conquest of Japan began a period of 230 years of almost constant warfare with campaigns in Korea, China, India and the rest of the known world. The chancellor in a exalted voice said “Now, our current glorious emperor has managed to surpass his great ancestors.The world is ours. A new era of peace is to begin!” The Emperor, sitting above him in his throne seemed pleased with himself. “Behold the head of the last person to refuse our rule” – the chancellor concluded.
He aimed his finger at Miyagi, who stood up and approached the emperor in proper ceremonial fashion. Out of his poach he took out the head of the King of Sweden and placed it carefully before the emperor. “Witness the symbol of our might. Only possible because of our benevolent…” – the chancellor continued praising the emperor. Miyagi slowly reached into his pouch again, and took out another head. The emperor, intrigued, waved his hand at the chancellor, signalling him to be quiet, and enquired “Is that the head of the crown prince of Sfed…Swet… of that Northern Kingdom?” Miyagi shook his head. “No it is not. It is the head of the last soldier from my unit to die in combat. A reminder to your majesty, that decisions do not only bring glory and triumph..” A gasp of shock ran through the audience chamber “Impertinence!!! Execute him now!” – the chancellor shouted. As the Guardsmen surrounded him, Miyagi stood up. He did not want to die on his knees. The last thing Miyagi thought about before being impaled by the Guardsman’s spear was that at least this conclusion was only his own…
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. One thing that always causes me a lot of strife are the different spelling and punctuation rules between American English, British English and Polish. 
