Episode 148
Muhammad had stood by his father, who had led Khwarezm for many years, but he had never seen a reaction like this.
It was a sigh mixed with not just anger, but also disbelief and frustration.
If it had been a simple rebellion, the reaction wouldn’t have been like this.
“Your Majesty, what could possibly be in that message to make you sigh so? If you tell me, I will do my utmost to ease your worries.”
“They’ve declared war.”
“What? A declaration of war? Against us? By whom?”
The only countries bordering Khwarezm were the Ayyubid Dynasty and Western Xia.
Neither of those nations had any reason to declare war on them.
Western Xia was already at war with the Mongols, and the Ayyubids, though passive, were in a cooperative relationship with them.
Or could it be that the Ayyubids were trying to take advantage of Khwarezm’s defeat by the Crusaders?
It wasn’t entirely impossible that they might seize this opportunity to swallow up Khwarezm’s territory.
Sensing Muhammad’s thoughts, Tekish slowly shook his head.
“It’s neither the Ayyubids nor Western Xia. If what’s written here is true, the ones who declared war are the Mongols. They call themselves the Mongol Empire.”
”…What?”
“The Mongols?”
“Have those barbarians lost their minds?”
Even the amirs, who had been silent until now, couldn’t help but express their disbelief.
The report was so absurd and infuriating that it left them all speechless.
“Have those ungrateful fools forgotten that we sent them supplies?”
“We knew they were ignorant, but this is beyond belief…”
“Your Majesty, shouldn’t we first verify the reason for their declaration of war? It might be a flimsy excuse, but still.”
Even if they were barbarians, if they claimed to be a nation, they would at least provide a reason for their invasion.
As expected, the declaration of war document Tekish received included the Mongols’ stated reason.
Muhammad took the document and read it aloud on behalf of the Sultan.
“When we attacked Western Xia, Khwarezm had agreed to support us but failed to do so. This is a clear breach of agreement and betrayal, and the Mongol Empire will hold Khwarezm accountable. If the Sultan of Khwarezm shows sincerity by apologizing directly to the Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, Genghis Khan, we might consider leniency… They’ve truly lost their minds.”
“These madmen!”
“They’re out of their minds. How dare a king of barbarians demand an apology from the Sultan of Khwarezm… We should be the ones holding them accountable!”
Reading any further was a waste of time. Muhammad immediately understood why Tekish had reacted the way he did.
Who could have imagined that the Sultan of the great Khwarezm Empire, which had subdued Persia and Transoxiana, would be insulted by the leader of a group of barbarians who hadn’t even properly established a nation?
The reason for the declaration of war was equally absurd.
They had agreed to assist in the war against Western Xia, but no specific timing or method had been set.
Using this as an excuse to invade was nothing more than a declaration of their desire for war.
“If they were going to declare war for such a reason, shouldn’t they have requested cooperation in advance?”
“Exactly. They’re already in the midst of a war, so this is an absurd pretext.”
“Given the situation, why don’t we just ignore it?”
No one present considered the Mongol declaration of war a real threat.
Even though they had lost a war, they weren’t about to be dismissed by barbarians who couldn’t even enjoy a proper cultural life.
However…
“No. The war between the Mongols and Western Xia is already over. While we were fighting the Crusaders, Western Xia fell to the Mongols, and most of their leaders were brutally executed, unable to even seek asylum with us.”
”…What?”
“Are you saying Western Xia has fallen?”
“Western Xia was a formidable nation in its own right. How could it collapse after losing a few battles…?”
“If they couldn’t even flee and most were killed, it means they were overrun in an instant. Was Western Xia really in such a dire state?”
Naturally, not many believed the Mongols were that powerful.
Even if the opponent was strong, a nation collapsing so quickly was a different matter entirely.
It suggested that there were fundamental issues on the side of Western Xia.
Muhammad regretted that the amir who had previously interacted with the Mongols had died in the recent war.
If he had survived, they might have obtained more detailed information.
“Your Majesty, if Western Xia has fallen, the Mongol declaration of war is not just a threat but a reality. Their cavalry could cross our borders at any moment. They might have already done so. We need to decide on our course of action before returning to the capital.”
“You’re right. But is there really a need for a meeting? If there’s even a hint of public opinion suggesting I should bow to those barbarians, I might consider it, but…”
As Tekish glanced around, everyone shouted in unison.
“Absolutely not!”
“The Sultan of the great Khwarezm cannot apologize to rootless barbarians!”
“We were the ones betrayed, and there’s no way we should apologize!”
In international diplomacy, a king bowing is something that should never happen.
A king’s apology is tantamount to the entire nation doing the same.
Even barbarians would know this, so their demand was clearly a pretext for war.
And despite the defeat, the amirs of Khwarezm would never choose to avoid the challenge.
It was a matter of pride and national identity, far beyond practical concerns.
“If they want war, we have no choice but to give it to them.”
“If we enlist the support of the amirs who didn’t contribute much in the last war, we can drive out the Mongols.”
“They’re getting cocky after defeating a crumbling Western Xia. We need to wake them from their dream!”
The somber atmosphere was suddenly filled with renewed energy.
Muhammad wondered if the mood was becoming too heated, but he decided it was better this way.
After all, there had never been any choice but to fight.
After a heated discussion that seemed to erase the shock of defeat, the decision was made to gather forces and intercept the enemy upon returning to the capital.
But something still nagged at him.
Once everyone had left and only he and the Sultan remained in the empty tent, Muhammad voiced the concerns he hadn’t shared earlier.
“Your Majesty, are we really okay with this?”
“What do you mean?”
“The war. We’ve barely recovered from our defeat by the Crusaders, and now we’re raising another large army. I’m worried it might be too much of a burden.”
“We have no choice. We can’t give in to their demands. And if they invade and we don’t gather our forces, it would be tantamount to surrendering.”
“That’s true, but…”
The tales of the Mongols’ formidable combat prowess and the swift fall of Western Xia weighed heavily on his mind.
Of course, Khwarezm’s strength was incomparable to Western Xia’s.
Even after losing to the Crusaders, they weren’t weaker than Western Xia.
Muhammad didn’t believe they would lose to the Mongols.
He was only concerned about the aftermath of the war.
“Unlike the war with the Crusaders, we’re gathering troops within our own territory, so I believe the forces will assemble smoothly. But the strain on resources and the political burden will be significant, won’t they?”
“Your concerns are valid, but I see it differently. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us.”
”…I understand your intentions, Your Majesty, but…”
It wasn’t unreasonable for Tekish to see the Mongol invasion, or rather betrayal, as an opportunity.
Had they simply returned home, the Sultan’s position would have inevitably weakened.
In fact, saying it would weaken is putting it mildly; he might have lost all the power he had painstakingly built.
It wasn’t just that they lost the war; the way they lost could be seen as weak and incompetent, depending on one’s perspective.
Especially if it became known that they had been played by the Crusaders’ false apostle and betrayed by the Assassins… he might have to relinquish the throne.
Tekish had maintained control over this vast territory and earned the loyalty of the amirs because of his past achievements.
The moment doubt was cast on his leadership, the very foundation of his power would be in jeopardy.
And then, at this critical juncture, the Mongols had struck them from behind.
“If those barbarians had approached us peacefully, it might have been more troublesome for us, but look. No matter how dissatisfied the amirs are with me, I am still the Sultan of Khwarezm, recognized by the Caliph of Islam. Who would accept me bowing to them?”
“Your plan to use this war to restore your authority is sound. I understand, but…”
“That’s the best angle we have. But to make it work, we need an overwhelming victory.”
Even during the earlier meeting, it was clear that the leaders of Khwarezm didn’t see the Mongols as a real threat. No matter how formidable their combat skills were rumored to be, changing that perception wasn’t going to be easy.
To them, the fall of the Western Xia was just a matter of time, and not a single person considered that they might share the same fate. After all, the Crusaders had been a long-standing adversary of Islam, and the Holy Roman and Byzantine Empires claimed to be the successors of Rome. It was painful, but they could accept defeat at the hands of such formidable foes.
But not these barbarians.
The days when nomadic tribes from the steppes held power were relics of a past long gone. In this era of advanced technology and culture, such a resurgence was unthinkable and unacceptable.
“Muhammad, as you know, the best way to unite a group is to create a common enemy. We tried to make the Crusaders that enemy, but we have to admit they were stronger than expected. We must rectify that painful mistake this time.”
As the Sultan said, there was no other choice. If an overwhelming victory was needed, then so be it. Perhaps Tekish was right; thinking positively might be the best approach.
“After all, no matter how much they boast, they’re just barbarians who managed to unite the steppes with our help.”
No matter how strong they were, they couldn’t compare to the Crusaders we fought. If we achieve a decisive victory, we can restore the Sultan’s shaken authority and extract reparations from them to pay off the Crusaders.
Truly, it was a lifeline granted by Allah.
The shock of defeat that had been gnawing at my heart was slowly being washed away. All the pent-up frustration from before…
I would unleash it on these presumptuous barbarians who dared to rise above their station.