The Sands of Time - MoT diplomacy thread

[phonicsmonkey]

He takes a long sip of the wine

Ibn Battutah shakes his head and tsks disapprovingly.

[Myth]

The Sicillian rubs his chin and looks at the map of the known world spread before him and converses with his retinue in a hushed tone.

"It is difficult to say my Lords. The King is in the field in Greece, and the young nobles assigned with this task take the assaulting on allies as a very grievous act. Leaving the Genoese at our borders will mean we will constantly need to have a levy present there in anticipation of further incursions on their part. And even if we were to call off our armies, Venetia would probably be impossible to convince, given that they have suffered the first blow of this war. I shal not put words into the Venetian diplomat's mouth, of course, but peace seems very unlikely. In order for Genoa to survive as a nation, it must abandon it's namesake city and the lands in Italia. A relocation North or East may suit them better.

I am sure the King would agree to pay 5000 florins for the costs of relocating the refugees to a remote land to whomever King or Sultan wishes to house them and grant them a province. But only if they return our African province and abandon their remaining cities in Italia."

[Nightbringer]

The Sicillian rubs his chin and looks at the map of the known world spread before him and converses with his retinue in a hushed tone.

"It is difficult to say my Lords. The King is in the field in Greece, and the young nobles assigned with this task take the assaulting on allies as a very grievous act. Leaving the Genoese at our borders will mean we will constantly need to have a levy present there in anticipation of further incursions on their part. And even if we were to call off our armies, Venetia would probably be impossible to convince, given that they have suffered the first blow of this war. I shal not put words into the Venetian diplomat's mouth, of course, but peace seems very unlikely. In order for Genoa to survive as a nation, it must abandon it's namesake city and the lands in Italia. A relocation North or East may suit them better.

I am sure the King would agree to pay 5000 florins for the costs of relocating the refugees to a remote land to whomever King or Sultan wishes to house them and grant them a province. But only if they return our African province and abandon their remaining cities in Italia."

The moorish Sultan would support such a move as well. Would the Doge be willing to do this?

[slysnake]

The moorish Sultan would support such a move as well. Would the Doge be willing to do this?

My Dodge sees such a proposal as a fitting idea, although all of us have yet to hear words from the mouth of the Genoese diplomat. As a great philosopher once said - "Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding." And so, it would seem, that it is that mutual understanding between our nations we require before we can move forwards with peace talks with Genoa...

[Ignoramus]

The Genoese emissary demurely replies.

"My Doge will give his answer shortly."

[Myth]

A messenger arrives. The Sicillian diplomat reads the scroll carefully and waves for the man to leave.

"Well as expected, Genoa and Piza have fallen, as no improvements have been made here between us my Lords. Our noblemen cannot risk the war effort and stall their armies. The Genoese Dodge has fortified himself near one of our cities, and King Drogo of Sicillia is behind him with an army.

I am also informed by the Royal treasurer that Sicilla that our levies have taken too much of a toll on our treasury and as such we will find it hard to finance a Genoese rellocation. We still wish for them to have a chance at a peaceful existence, though far from our borders and the lands of Italia."

[Mithridate]

Ibn Battutah shakes his head and tsks disapprovingly.

That sure made me giggle, it is a well tempered reaction though.

[slysnake]

The Swabian ambassador stands,

"It has come to our attention that Moorish spies have entered the lands around Frankfurt and Bologna. Whilst I am sure this is only an innocent movement of one's agents to another region, my King would still like to know of their intentions and why they have come to be positioned in Swabian lands."

[Nightbringer]

I apologize if you have taken affront to this, but we have simply positioned them there so as to watch our borders. If it offends you, they can be moved back into the edge of our territory. I assure you, there is no hostile intent.

[phonicsmonkey]

All the delegates are aware that the great city of Constantinople has been reclaimed by the armies of the Fatimid Caliph and the Byzantines ejected from the walls. Little has happened in the weeks since the re-occupation save that the greek icons and statues have once more been hauled away into storage and replaced with gilded calligraphed hadiths and mosaic works.

Ibn Battutah has been absent from the Courtroom for some days when, one morning, the conversations between the delegates are interrupted by a blare of trumpets.

The giant doors to the Courtroom swing slowly open and into the vast space parades a procession of ghulams in ceremonial garb, holding banners aloft and leading an elephant atop of which sits the Caliph himself, great Habushan of Al-Qahira, who styles himself Defender of the Faith and Prince of the Two Seas.

As the procession nears the throne it halts and the Caliph is helped down from his impressive mount by a pair of Nubians who clasp their hands together to form a step for his noble foot.

He ascends the dais as the great beast is led away and waits for the hubbub of conversation to abate before addressing those gathered.

Lords and Dignitaries of all the lands of the world, Bishmallah I address you today once more as Emir of this fine city, once the seat of my power and then rudely seized from me by the graceless and infidel Byzantine Greeks.

As it transpired this was to be but the glancing blow of the flailing arms of a drowning man. The so-called Romans are In shaa'Allah now scattered to the four winds, their brutish Basileos slain by my own hand in a great battle east of Nicaea. Now, under the leadership of some pup who can barely command the loyalty of those who remain aligned with his flag, they have but minutes left on this earth before our great alliance of Italy, Russia and Islam wipes them from the pages of history for ever more. Alhamdulillah!

I am most pleased to be able to host you here once more. In recognition of this momentous occasion this city will be renamed Al-Habushani and will form the seat of my empire from this day forth until the sun sets on the Caliphate forever, may the accursed day never come.

[phonicsmonkey]

Ibn-Battutah stands, a grave expression on his face.

I hereby announce, in the name of Caliph Habushan, that a jihad has been called upon the Kingdom of Sicily in order to reclaim North Africa and bring the Islamic peoples under the graceful banner of the Defender of the Faithful.

Great armies and fleets have been mobilized under the crescent moon and the armies of Islam have this season captured Athens and Sparta from the Sicilian infidels.

The Swabian navy has been blockaded at its ports at Arta and Corinth and will not be allowed to leave while hostilities are in progress between the Caliph and the Normans.

We beseech the allies of Sicily, the Swabians and the Tsar of Russia, to stay out of this conflict. If you join this war, our own allies the Moors will be forced to make war upon you wherever you are to be found.

This conflict can have only one end - the ultimate victory of Islam over the Sicilian infidel and the return of North Africa to the bosom of faith - do not stand in the way of mighty Allah!

[Nightbringer]

Ibn-Battutah stands, a grave expression on his face.

I hereby announce, in the name of Caliph Habushan, that a jihad has been called upon the Kingdom of Sicily in order to reclaim North Africa and bring the Islamic peoples under the graceful banner of the Defender of the Faithful.

Great armies and fleets have been mobilized under the crescent moon and the armies of Islam have this season captured Athens and Sparta from the Sicilian infidels.

The Swabian navy has been blockaded at its ports at Arta and Corinth and will not be allowed to leave while hostilities are in progress between the Caliph and the Normans.

We beseech the allies of Sicily, the Swabians and the Tsar of Russia, to stay out of this conflict. If you join this war, our own allies the Moors will be forced to make war upon you wherever you are to be found.

This conflict can have only one end - the ultimate victory of Islam over the Sicilian infidel and the return of North Africa to the bosom of faith - do not stand in the way of mighty Allah!

The Kingdom of Denmark is also encouraged to stay out of this war. It is a result of the Sicilians refusal to follow through on their promise to turn over North Africa after defeating the Byzantines.

There is no reason for the northern nations to involve themselves in this war, as it will only bring suffering to the people.

[slysnake]

Ibn-Battutah stands, a grave expression on his face.

I hereby announce, in the name of Caliph Habushan, that a jihad has been called upon the Kingdom of Sicily in order to reclaim North Africa and bring the Islamic peoples under the graceful banner of the Defender of the Faithful.

Great armies and fleets have been mobilized under the crescent moon and the armies of Islam have this season captured Athens and Sparta from the Sicilian infidels.

The Swabian navy has been blockaded at its ports at Arta and Corinth and will not be allowed to leave while hostilities are in progress between the Caliph and the Normans.

We beseech the allies of Sicily, the Swabians and the Tsar of Russia, to stay out of this conflict. If you join this war, our own allies the Moors will be forced to make war upon you wherever you are to be found.

This conflict can have only one end - the ultimate victory of Islam over the Sicilian infidel and the return of North Africa to the bosom of faith - do not stand in the way of mighty Allah!

The Swabian emissary stands, startled.

My King needs time to gather his thoughts on this issue. To him, this feels like an utmost betrayal. We kindly surrendered Jerusalem to your forces and left the holy lands to return to Europe. We stayed out of your waters surrounding west Turkey. We made trade. And now you repay us by blockading our ports and waging war on our allies?