Episode 131
While the assassins schemed beneath the surface, the war raged on.
Determined to avenge their previous defeat, the Khwarazm forces launched relentless attacks, which the Crusaders met head-on.
Both sides engaged in sporadic skirmishes, neither gaining significant ground.
Despite their initial enthusiasm, neither the Holy Roman Empire nor the French forces achieved notable success.
This wasn’t due to their lack of strength but rather because Khwarazm skillfully avoided full-scale battles, exploiting the Crusaders’ weaknesses.
In this drawn-out conflict, only one faction shone brightly: the English army led by Richard.
Anticipating that the enemy would avoid direct confrontation, Richard accurately predicted their movements and launched a surprise attack.
Khwarazm, having underestimated Richard as merely a brave warrior, suffered yet another setback.
From that point on, Khwarazm’s strategy became clear.
“Let’s not engage with that troublesome Richard.”
Richard was not only formidable in combat but also possessed exceptional tactical acumen. It was wise to avoid direct confrontation with such a lethal force.
Khwarazm then divided their army into large units, launching simultaneous attacks across multiple regions.
The Crusaders, grateful for this development, divided the front lines among the three nations, but the balance didn’t tip as much as they had hoped.
The Khwarazm forces facing Richard continued to avoid direct conflict, while the French and Holy Roman forces failed to decisively crush their opponents.
Despite this, the Crusaders were confident that the tide was slowly turning in their favor.
In war, the defending side generally holds the advantage. If things continued as they were, Khwarazm would eventually exhaust itself, and victory would belong to the Crusaders.
However.
The expressions of the kings gathered for a rare meeting were not as optimistic as one might expect.
“How goes the war?” one asked.
“It’s not bad,” came the reply.
“Same here. Not bad.”
Not bad, but not particularly good either. This was the Crusaders’ frustration.
Despite their differing personal agendas, the Crusaders shared a fundamental goal: to crush Islam and elevate the Crusaders’ prestige.
For the nations participating in this Crusade to lead the world, they needed to demonstrate their power and achievements.
The simplest way was to decisively defeat the invading Khwarazm forces and extract a hefty indemnity.
To replenish the resources spent bringing a massive army to Anatolia, this war needed to end in a resounding victory.
The problem was that the current trajectory of the war was not heading in that direction.
“Look at those Khwarazm forces. They once boasted they would cross the Bosporus and invade, and now look at them.”
“Indeed. If they want to fight, they should fight. If they want to flee, they should flee. But they keep avoiding full-scale battles like cowards.”
“King Richard, how fares England?”
“Since we dealt them a blow last time, they seem to have lost the will to fight. Even I’m starting to get frustrated.”
It was as if their strategy was to frustrate us to the point of exasperation.
Khwarazm was likely just as troubled, lacking a clear solution, but this was not a favorable situation for the Crusaders either.
Philip II, his expression more tense than usual, voiced the concern everyone shared.
“What if the war drags on and Khwarazm withdraws their forces?”
“That would be a victory for us, but… sigh, it would be problematic.”
“Unless we push into Khwarazm territory and secure a definitive surrender, we have no way to force them.”
If the war continued like this, it would likely end inconclusively, with neither side achieving significant results.
In such a case, the Crusaders might earn the honor of defending Anatolia, but they would gain little tangible benefit.
Khwarazm would be in a worse position than the Crusaders, but that was not the concern of the other kings.
The important thing was that it had become difficult to reap the rewards of mobilizing such a massive army from afar.
Heinrich VI, who secretly wished to tighten his grip on the Holy Roman Empire, was equally troubled.
He had hoped to achieve a victory so clear that even a child could understand it, but that seemed increasingly unlikely.
Richard, at least, had demonstrated his prowess, which would earn him some recognition. However, what Richard truly desired was to be remembered as the brilliant commander who led the Crusaders to a historic victory.
This was not how he wanted things to end.
I waited patiently for the kings’ anxiety and dissatisfaction to reach their peak.
And then, naturally…
“Marshal, do you have any good ideas?”
“We’d like to hear the prophet’s wisdom.”
“Perhaps you could pray for guidance from Christ?”
Even the secular rulers of Europe were now turning to me, pleading for help.
Feigning solemnity, I nodded and closed my eyes, pretending to pray in silence.
The kings, careful not to disturb me, waited anxiously for me to speak again.
The room was so silent that you could hear a pin drop.
Finally, I opened my eyes and shared the plan I had prepared.
“There is one way.”
“Oh!”
“As expected!”
From what I’ve observed, if both sides clashed at full strength, nine times out of ten, the Crusaders would win.
Especially with Richard in command, the odds would be about ninety-nine percent in our favor.
The enemy knew this, which is why they constantly avoided direct confrontation, merely trying to irritate us.
So the answer was simple.
We needed to convince them that they could win a direct battle.
“Our Crusader forces are so strong that no single nation can withstand us. Unless Khwarazm and Ayyubid join forces, even Islam cannot stop us alone.”
“Of course. They were never our match to begin with.”
“The problem is, they know this too, which is why they refuse to fight us head-on. But even though we’re strong, we’re not so overwhelmingly powerful that we can charge in recklessly. That could lead to another disaster like Hattin.”
“We agree. We need a clever strategy, but we haven’t found one…”
“There is a way.”
The key is to give them the impression that they have a chance to win.
If this war ends inconclusively, Khwarazm will be in trouble too.
In fact, if we assess the situation calmly, they’re in a more urgent position than we are.
“So, what wisdom has God whispered to you? Please, share it with us.”
“It’s simple. Any army thrown into sudden chaos and weakened internal cohesion will struggle to use even half its strength. We need to convince them that we’re in such a state. Specifically…”
As I explained my plan, Heinrich VI and Richard’s eyes widened in surprise.
Even Philip II seemed genuinely astonished, letting out a faint gasp.
Though they didn’t voice it, they all shared the same question.
Can that really work?
Instead of answering, I offered them a confident smile.
Just wait and see.
While Marshal was busy selling his plan to the Crusader kings, the real pressure was mounting on the Khwarazm side, just as he had predicted.
Initially, they had anticipated an easy victory, but reality proved otherwise.
It was understandable, in a way.
The current Crusaders were a far cry from the ones Islam had faced in the First and Second Crusades; their strength was on a different level.
But taking responsibility for such miscalculations was the duty of those in power.
If things continued as they were, the Sultan would have to admit that his poor judgment had led to significant losses.
And it wasn’t just the Sultan’s problem.
The reputation of Muhammad, the heir apparent, was also at stake.
He had been hailed as the Alexander of Islam, undefeated until now.
But if the war ended like this, he would be mocked as someone who only achieved victories against lesser foes.
To turn the tide, they needed to secure a victory somehow.
Yet, no matter how hard they searched for an opening, there was no clear path forward.
Had Allah truly abandoned Khwarazm?
Was Muhammad’s ambition to transform Khwarazm into an unprecedented Islamic power destined to end in such a futile manner?
Just as his thoughts began to shift from seeking a decisive victory to minimizing losses, Muhammad received a sign that Allah had not forsaken him.
A group known as the Southern Merchants approached him, offering substantial supplies.
While the supplies were welcome, they weren’t urgently needed at the moment. But that wasn’t the important part.
It was the identity of a man disguised as a member of the merchant’s group that saved Muhammad.
“From Alamut, you say?”
“Yes. I am a messenger sent by the Imam.”
In Islam, there isn’t a single fool who wouldn’t recognize the significance of those words.
Muhammad let out a dry laugh, looking down at the man kneeling before him, surprised by the unexpected visit.
“You haven’t come all this way out of spite for being expelled from your base, I assume… So, what brings you here?”
“The Imam harbors no hostility towards Khwarezm. In fact, he hopes that Khwarezm will emerge victorious in this war and swiftly quell the unrest in the East.”
“By the East, do you mean the Western Xia?”
“Yes. Currently, refugees and defeated soldiers are pouring in from Western Xia. If I may offer some unsolicited advice, General, you should focus your efforts on securing peace in the East rather than the North. Of course, I understand it’s not easy with the Crusaders as your adversaries.”
Caught up in the war with the Crusaders, Muhammad had indeed neglected the situation in the East.
If what the Alamut envoy said was true, it seemed the Western Xia and the Mongol barbarians were locked in a fierce battle, which was expected. Muhammad was confident that neither side would pose a significant threat to Khwarezm, provided they secured an advantageous position against the Crusaders and concluded the war.
“As you mentioned, we can’t divert troops to the East with the Crusaders at our doorstep. Besides, Western Xia is a formidable state; it won’t fall so easily.”
“Your judgment is sound, General. We merely wish to assist you in achieving your goals and hope for mutual cooperation.”
“Assist me? You? Tell me what you’re thinking. What exactly do you want, and how do you propose to help? I’ll listen and then give you my answer.”
“The Imam wishes to secure a promise that when you ascend to the Sultan’s throne, you will not oppose us. Of course, it would be ideal if you allowed us to regain our former status in Alamut.”
For a ruler to officially recognize a dangerous group of assassins like the Assassins was almost unheard of.
Unless they were willing to convert to Sunni Islam, which was unlikely given that the Assassins of Alamut were Shia.
Naturally, Muhammad couldn’t help but think, “Have these people lost their minds?”
But just before he could voice his disapproval, the envoy from Alamut quickly added, “In return, we will eliminate the false prophet, Marshal.”
Muhammad’s mouth snapped shut, and a shiver ran through his entire body.
This was it. A singular opportunity granted by God.
It was an offer he couldn’t refuse, a devil’s whisper.