Lords of the East - Council Chambers

[phonicsmonkey]

The ambassadors and dignitaries of the Court had been aware for the preceding weeks of the Crusaders' advance through the lands of the Seljuk Caliph. First Mosul, then Kirkuk and Samara had fallen, and refugees from these battle zones had been streaming through the gates of the capital, first a trickle, then a flood of displaced humanity leading livestock and bearing with them the scant possessions they had been able to salvage in their hurried retreat.

Then, it was rumoured that the Crusading armies marched on Baghdad itself and sure enough one morning their blue and gold banners were sighted on the horizon and Mahmud of Gorgan was sent by the Caliph with a mercenary army to defend the city outside the walls.

All who watched from the city walls were dismayed as his makeshift force were utterly defeated and fled back inside the city. Even the great walls of Baghdad were to provide no refuge for the Seljuks, as great siege engines were brought to bear on them, shattering the stone and ripping open a gaping wound through which poured the armies of Christ, seeking out Mahmud and his garrison and cutting them down to a man.

Then the crusading forces withdrew to a camp outside the city and word was sent to the denizens of the palace that their new rulers bade them attend a meeting at the former court of the Caliph.

So here they all are, gathered in the court room in small groups, whispering and speculating about what is to come next.

With a fanfare of trumpets, the doors of the Court are flung open, and in comes Orloomo Bland, resplendently attired in a set of purple silk robes in the Arabian style, that the courtiers could swear they last saw draped over the Seljuk Vizier.

Madames et monsieurs, I welcome you to the Court of the Crusader King Baldwin. His majesty sends his warmest regards and regrets that he cannot attend in person this morning to greet you all personally.

As you will have noticed, our former hosts are no longer in control of the great city of Baghdad. In fact it is the first time in history that a Christian King has raised his flag over this magnificent burg.

Many of you will be rightly concerned at this development but let me assure you that the right of the people of Baghdad to worship as they choose will not be interfered with; and what contents there are in the Great Library will be retained for posterity.

It is King Baldwin's aim, like the great Alexander before him, to rule his subjects in a style permissive of their cultural differences and not to impose his own strongly held beliefs upon them.

Should the benighted peoples of this land choose not to see the glory of Christ, that is their own concern and while opportunities will be presented to them to make the right decision it will not be forced upon them.

So with that, I present myself to you as the King's representative at Court - a Vizier if you will.

Bland sits down looking self-satisfied.