Part 22 1135
At the end of 1134 Prince Epimachos was becoming very frustrated with the Venetians who were still holding on to the port of Damietta in order to pressure him into agreeing to a trade treaty that would give them exclusive right including exemption from all taxes. The fact that the volume of trade that Venetian ships was bringing to Egypt was impressive and growing made him put off a confrontation. However trade with both Genoa and Pisa has been growing as well. Furthermore Egyptian trade on the Mediterranean using their own ships, some of which are newly constructed, was also expanding.
So on 11 January, Epimachos issued an ultimatum to the Venetian delegation in Cairo that they had 15 days to turn over control of Damietta and that he was not going to offer any concessions in return. The Venetian delegates have succeeded in planting spies in Epimachos’ court so they had some forewarning that this was coming. Epimachos is quite serious about taking control of the port by force if necessary. In December there had been a steady buildup of Coptic infantry units near the port. Now they are reinforced by 800 Axumite foot soldiers. On 25 January as the deadline is about to expire, the Venetians suddenly announce that they are going to withdraw their mercenaries but they will need four days to accomplish this. Epimachos doesn’t want a fight and grants them the extra days.
In late January, the geographer Muhammad al-Idrisi visits the court of King Paul in Soba after spending a month with Prince Epimachos in Cairo. The king finds him utterly fascinating. One result of this is that Paul assigns Biktor of Faras the mission of exploring the White Nile River as far as possible. Biktor will make it to Lake No where he finds the impenetrable Sudd Swamp. He then returns to Soba where he tells Paul what he found. Paul decides to start a settlement on Lake No to trade with the local inhabitants there who are mostly Dinka. He recalls that Emperor Nero had sent an expedition to explore the White Nile and found the same dense swamp. For that reason Paul is going to call the settlement Neropolis.
In February Sultan Geedi of Showa finally feels that the crises in his realm have been resolved. He believes it is safe for him to travel to Sana’a to see both elderly Queen Arwa and the imam child, Abu’l-Qasim al-Tayyib. Because he is a devout Ismaili this means a great deal to him. He leaves him older brother, Mohamed in charge while he is gone despite Mohamed being a Sunni. On the way Geedi stops at Aksum to confer with King Sergios.
This meeting is uneasy. Geedi thanks Sergios for his assistance even though he knows that King Paul is the one responsible. Sergios is formally polite and respectful but he is sullen because he still hasn’t succeeded in crushing Jewish resistance in the Simien Mountains. His antipathy towards Moslems is not well hidden even when Geedi reiterates that he will continue to permit Christians practice their faith. They agree that trade between their realms is mutually beneficial and that the Adal Kingdom is a mutual opponent that bears watching.
On 9 March Imad al-Din Zengi begins a siege of Damascus but when King Fulk shows up with his army at the end of the month he promptly retreats back to his fortress at Homs. Fulk does not try to pursue. Instead he decides that it is time to besiege the fortress at Baalbeck. This siege starts on 11 April. The outer city holds out until 13 July and the citadel until 25 July. Meanwhile Zengi turned his attention to the large frontline strongholds of Principality of Antioch starting with al-Atharib which he captured in May. After that he takes Zardana, Tell-Aghdi, Ma’arrat al-Numan and Kafartab. While Zengi was busy doing this he sent Sawar to organize attacks on the Tell-Bashir, Azaz and Ayntab districts which prevents the County of Edessa from sending help to Antioch. After this successful campaign Zengi returns to Mosul.
On 14 April Alodia establishes a new settlement on Lamu Island near the location of the one that the Mogadishu Sultanate has destroyed. This includes building a new church. They work with the newly established Tamil settlements in the archipelago and acknowledge the authority of the Chola Dynasty. Meanwhile they attempt to establish a good trading relationship with the Tunni Sultanate which controls an important port, Barawa. The Alodians rightly assume that the Mogadishu Sultanate will remain hostile for a long time. In November they begin to extract salt from the plentiful deposits located near Hafun. Trading in salt will soon prove very lucrative.
Despite the ongoing charade of the Regency there is some festering Moslem discontent within Lower Egypt about what they increasingly perceive as Christian domination. As instructed by King Paul Prince Epimachos has avoided persecuting any Moslems with the conspicuous exception of the Nizari Ismailis. Moslem discontent erupted much earlier in Makuria controlled Upper Egypt as King Georgios IV has made it clear from the beginning that Christians are in power but it has leveled off and Georgios considers to be manageable. In both Upper and Lower Egypt Nubian rule has brought more order and increasing prosperity. This is serving as a counterweight to religious discontent.
By the spring of 1135 Lower Egypt has an army of over 20,000 loyal Copts. The Alodians regard its cavalry component as being mediocre but the heavy infantry has received decent training which had not been the case under the Fatimids. In addition there are still nearly 3,000 Alodian cavalry and 5,000 Axumite infantry stationed there. Epimachos has been ruling Lower Egypt without a vizier which he finds burdensome. On 9 October he finally appoints a vizier. It is Bahram al-Armani, an Armenian Christian. This soon agitates Moslem discontent still more.
At the end of 1134 Prince Epimachos was becoming very frustrated with the Venetians who were still holding on to the port of Damietta in order to pressure him into agreeing to a trade treaty that would give them exclusive right including exemption from all taxes. The fact that the volume of trade that Venetian ships was bringing to Egypt was impressive and growing made him put off a confrontation. However trade with both Genoa and Pisa has been growing as well. Furthermore Egyptian trade on the Mediterranean using their own ships, some of which are newly constructed, was also expanding.
So on 11 January, Epimachos issued an ultimatum to the Venetian delegation in Cairo that they had 15 days to turn over control of Damietta and that he was not going to offer any concessions in return. The Venetian delegates have succeeded in planting spies in Epimachos’ court so they had some forewarning that this was coming. Epimachos is quite serious about taking control of the port by force if necessary. In December there had been a steady buildup of Coptic infantry units near the port. Now they are reinforced by 800 Axumite foot soldiers. On 25 January as the deadline is about to expire, the Venetians suddenly announce that they are going to withdraw their mercenaries but they will need four days to accomplish this. Epimachos doesn’t want a fight and grants them the extra days.
In late January, the geographer Muhammad al-Idrisi visits the court of King Paul in Soba after spending a month with Prince Epimachos in Cairo. The king finds him utterly fascinating. One result of this is that Paul assigns Biktor of Faras the mission of exploring the White Nile River as far as possible. Biktor will make it to Lake No where he finds the impenetrable Sudd Swamp. He then returns to Soba where he tells Paul what he found. Paul decides to start a settlement on Lake No to trade with the local inhabitants there who are mostly Dinka. He recalls that Emperor Nero had sent an expedition to explore the White Nile and found the same dense swamp. For that reason Paul is going to call the settlement Neropolis.
In February Sultan Geedi of Showa finally feels that the crises in his realm have been resolved. He believes it is safe for him to travel to Sana’a to see both elderly Queen Arwa and the imam child, Abu’l-Qasim al-Tayyib. Because he is a devout Ismaili this means a great deal to him. He leaves him older brother, Mohamed in charge while he is gone despite Mohamed being a Sunni. On the way Geedi stops at Aksum to confer with King Sergios.
This meeting is uneasy. Geedi thanks Sergios for his assistance even though he knows that King Paul is the one responsible. Sergios is formally polite and respectful but he is sullen because he still hasn’t succeeded in crushing Jewish resistance in the Simien Mountains. His antipathy towards Moslems is not well hidden even when Geedi reiterates that he will continue to permit Christians practice their faith. They agree that trade between their realms is mutually beneficial and that the Adal Kingdom is a mutual opponent that bears watching.
On 9 March Imad al-Din Zengi begins a siege of Damascus but when King Fulk shows up with his army at the end of the month he promptly retreats back to his fortress at Homs. Fulk does not try to pursue. Instead he decides that it is time to besiege the fortress at Baalbeck. This siege starts on 11 April. The outer city holds out until 13 July and the citadel until 25 July. Meanwhile Zengi turned his attention to the large frontline strongholds of Principality of Antioch starting with al-Atharib which he captured in May. After that he takes Zardana, Tell-Aghdi, Ma’arrat al-Numan and Kafartab. While Zengi was busy doing this he sent Sawar to organize attacks on the Tell-Bashir, Azaz and Ayntab districts which prevents the County of Edessa from sending help to Antioch. After this successful campaign Zengi returns to Mosul.
On 14 April Alodia establishes a new settlement on Lamu Island near the location of the one that the Mogadishu Sultanate has destroyed. This includes building a new church. They work with the newly established Tamil settlements in the archipelago and acknowledge the authority of the Chola Dynasty. Meanwhile they attempt to establish a good trading relationship with the Tunni Sultanate which controls an important port, Barawa. The Alodians rightly assume that the Mogadishu Sultanate will remain hostile for a long time. In November they begin to extract salt from the plentiful deposits located near Hafun. Trading in salt will soon prove very lucrative.
Despite the ongoing charade of the Regency there is some festering Moslem discontent within Lower Egypt about what they increasingly perceive as Christian domination. As instructed by King Paul Prince Epimachos has avoided persecuting any Moslems with the conspicuous exception of the Nizari Ismailis. Moslem discontent erupted much earlier in Makuria controlled Upper Egypt as King Georgios IV has made it clear from the beginning that Christians are in power but it has leveled off and Georgios considers to be manageable. In both Upper and Lower Egypt Nubian rule has brought more order and increasing prosperity. This is serving as a counterweight to religious discontent.
By the spring of 1135 Lower Egypt has an army of over 20,000 loyal Copts. The Alodians regard its cavalry component as being mediocre but the heavy infantry has received decent training which had not been the case under the Fatimids. In addition there are still nearly 3,000 Alodian cavalry and 5,000 Axumite infantry stationed there. Epimachos has been ruling Lower Egypt without a vizier which he finds burdensome. On 9 October he finally appoints a vizier. It is Bahram al-Armani, an Armenian Christian. This soon agitates Moslem discontent still more.
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