Well done so far Ironmonkey! i really like your choice of pictures. They really give you a good graps on the intensity of the battles, even ones fought with small numbers of troops. Congrats!:yes: :2thumbsup:
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Well done so far Ironmonkey! i really like your choice of pictures. They really give you a good graps on the intensity of the battles, even ones fought with small numbers of troops. Congrats!:yes: :2thumbsup:
Great AAR IronMonkey! I'm looking forward to your next entry.
@ dacdac, CaesarAugustus thanks!
Part IV: Unification and Invasion
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The Sultanate of Jalal
...by the year 1120 Ad. most of Anatolia was in the hands of the Empire, the dream of Jalal was nearly complete only Aleppo, Smyrna and Nicaea were missing from the picture.
...Unfortunately Aleppo was captured by the Sultan of Egypt, these Shi'i heretics are fabulously wealthy and at the time to powerful to confront directly. In time they must be dealt with and shown the true path to paradise. The Sultan has wisely kept relations with Egypt very good, our spies have infiltrated the highest levels of their court, the intentions of our southern neighbors are always known and the Sultan keeps an army in Edessa and Adana ready to defend any invasion launched by these Smiling Jackals.
...Smyrna and Nicaea belonged to the Rum (Byzantium). Smyrna (once ours) was given back to the Rum in exchange for an alliance and a small fortune in tribute to our mighty empire. These would not remain in Rum hands much longer. The Magyars and Venetians had been at war with the Rum for nearly 2 decades and were nearly at the walls of Constantinople.
...Jalal was now dead (Died in his sleep in 1100AD), he was taken East and buried in an unknown location near his birthplace near the Caspian Sea. Jala's eldest son Mustafa was now Sultan.
... At he time of his coronation, Mustafa had two brothers, Tutush his full brother and Suleyman_Beg his half brother (different mother). Suleymen was pierced with a lance in the siege of Trezibond and died 4 days later of infection.
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...after the capture of Trezibond the years passed peacefully, with our armies only engaging in ridding the lands of brigands who robbed the caravans traveling to and from our trading centers. Sultan Mustafa built up the infrastructure of our lands and secured our borders with a network of stone watchtowers. Our envoys acquired trade rights with every known power in Europe and Northern Africa our coffers overflowed, praise be to Allah!.
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The Sultan's Horse Archers!
...in the year 1103 AD. the Caliph of the Franj in Rome called for his Christan faithful to take up arms and capture Jerusalem from the Egyptians.
A year later our spies spotted an Army from Milan marching south toward Constantinople. the Sultan and his mighty army of Horse archers headed west from Caesarea to the border of Nicaea. If these infidels wish to pass through our lands to capture Jerusalem, they will pay dearly, their mothers and wives will lament their passing into the sands of nameless graves!
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Mercenaries in service of the Sultan!
...the first crusade of the Franj was a complete failure the Spanish from far to the west landed at Antioch and were defeated and driven back into the sea by the Egyptian armies. The Army of Milan turned back after hearing word of the Spanish failure, they made it as far as Nicaea. Gifts were sent to the Egyptian Sultan to congratulate his defense of the Prophet's holy place of nocturnal journey!
...the Sultan knew the Franj would return and realized that the Egyptians would be weakened by each attack from the infidels. The Sultans spies have learned that the Egyptians are planning to declare a Jihad against the Rum in Constantinople under the pretense of their harboring and help to the Crusaders. The truth is the Sultan of Cairo has drained his coffers and desperately needs the immense wealth a sack of Constantinople would bring!
...After a long and heated meeting of the Sultans high council, it was decided that Egypt must not capture the Rum capital, their presence to the north is to great of a threat. When the call for Jihad comes our armies will be ready to join and capture Constantinople before the Egyptians arrive.
...Over the next 2 years no word of a Franj invasion had reached our kingdom.
The King of Hungary has captured Constantinople, the Jackals of Egypt have declared Jihad and are gathering an army to capture the city regardless of who holds it. Upon hearing this an army is assembled under the Sultan and his generals, the Sultan has ordered 2 separate armies, one for the siege and one to protect our infantry from attack.
...Units of Heavy Infantry (Janissaries) are being called up for duty. These elite troops are slaves trained from a young age to lead our armies into battle with extreme courage and martial skill. Each unit has a band of musicians with drums and horns to strike fear into the enemy. Many of these men hail from the steppes north of the Caspian sea.
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...Within a year our armies were sitting outside the walls of Constantinople. The siege army was led by the Sultan himself, he ordered the construction of siege engines and once assembled the siege began. The Magyars finding themselves short on food, escaped during a particularly stormy night leaving the city full of confused and scared citizens. The sultan entered the great city in triumph. All the citizens lives were spared and they were allowed to leave with most of their possessions, the wealthy were required to pay a fee of 5 bezants each to purchase their freedom.
...the Egyptian Sultan flew into a rage upon hearing of our success and immediately broke our alliance and headed back to Antioch. War was expected within the year.
...the Sultan had the great Church of Haga Sophia converted into a mosque, the orthodox images were covered with tapestries of wisdom from the Koran and a crescent and star was placed on top of the dome, the entire structure was cleansed with rose water.
...word has reached the sultan that a mighty Horde of horseman known as the Mongols is laying waste to the Persian empires in the east, these warriors are sweeping with great speed toward our lands! Spies were sent east to watch for any signs of danger. Baghdad began preparing and the walls were fortified with ballista towers and garrisons were increased.
...with in a years time the Magyars attempted a siege of Constantinople. The Sultan had headed east to Iconium and Caesarea to refit his troops and meet with his council. The city was left with out archers as (ottomans) the Sultans bows were traveling from Caesarea. The city was defended by 4 units of Horse archers, 3 units of the Sultans elite guard (Janissaries), 4 units of ghazi Infantry with 2 units of generals bodyguard.
...as the Hungarian towers and battering ram moved toward the gates and walls an alert horse archer commander noticed shadowy figures opening the main gate he immediately charged out to intercept the Hungarians, the men opening the gate were arrested and executed, but the gate mechanism was destroyed . The other 3 units of Horse archers joined to charge upon seeing the commander Move.
...the commander tried to turn sharply and escape the front rank of Hungarian infantry but was blindsided by a unit of mounted knights before he could get clear almost his entire unit was killed he and 3 others barely escaped being pinned and crushed.
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Many of our brave Horse archers lay dead after being crushed by the enemy!
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The Sultans Elite Guard charge into the Hungarian knights and tear their ranks to shreds!
...The Sultans Elite guard charged down off the wall and ripped into the enemies ranks just outside the main gate, butchering the infidels savagely, not one one Magyar set a foot inside our city! Praise be to Allah!
The enemy was routed off the field and the remaining Horse archers chased down the dogs capturing and slaying them as they ran.
..the gate was repaired the dead were buried and ransom was paid by the enemy for the release of the Hungarian nobles we captured.
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...word has reached the Sultan, that the Mongols are outside the gates of Baghdad, "the horde's camp fires are more numerous than the stars in the sky, Allah deliver us!".
...just as word of the Mongols reached the Sultan, another envoy from the south enters the throne room and informs Mustafa that the Egyptians have declared war on us and an army is moving to invade Edessa.