Episode 149
True to his word about turning crisis into opportunity, Tekish moved with unwavering determination.
Upon returning to the capital, he immediately informed the various Amirs about the Mongol invasion, declaring that surrender was not an option.
“I am well aware of the fatigue you all feel from the Crusades. But they dare demand that the Sultan of Great Khwarezm personally apologize to their leader. How can we possibly accept such an insult?”
He made no mention of their defeat at the hands of the Crusaders.
Under normal circumstances, many Amirs might have taken issue with this, but the Mongol invasion was too timely.
Before criticizing a Sultan who had lost a war, it was more pressing to deal with the Mongol threat.
“Their demands are an affront, implying they see us as beneath them! We cannot stand idly by!”
“If we yield here, it is not just our empire at stake, but the dignity of all Islam that will be trampled!”
“Let us declare a jihad!”
The idea of the Sultan, recognized by the Caliph as the ruler of Khwarezm, being humiliated by Mongol barbarians was unacceptable.
From one perspective, this was a war to uphold the authority of Islam.
The call for jihad was not made lightly.
Naturally, Tekish had no reason to refuse.
“You are right! We will punish those ignorant barbarians and show the world that Khwarezm stands strong!”
“Yes!”
“Crush the barbarians!”
The emphasis on honor and dignity is a tradition shared by civilized nations, East and West alike.
With their pride and honor provoked, Khwarezm rallied its soldiers faster than they had during the Crusades.
Considering they had just suffered a massive defeat and lost tens of thousands of soldiers, this was remarkable.
Yet, no matter how quickly they regrouped, or how united they seemed, the fact remained that they were pouring their national strength into this effort.
The loss to the Crusaders had already been a significant blow, and now they were mustering tens of thousands more troops.
For now, they might be turning a blind eye to the potential consequences, but in time, the strain could overwhelm the nation.
To avoid this, they needed an overwhelming victory, reclaiming all the spoils the Mongols had taken.
While the wealth of the steppe barbarians might not seem much, the Mongols had conquered Western Xia, so a significant portion of its wealth was likely in their hands.
If they played their cards right, they might even recover enough to pay off the reparations owed to the Crusaders.
It was akin to trying to win back gambling losses with more gambling, but Tekish had no other choice.
Political and economic debts were mounting, but there was no need to worry.
As long as they won the war, everything could be recovered.
Why not? Win it all back and settle the debts.
When a great battle concludes, the first to feel the heat are the losers.
But the victors cannot simply sit back and enjoy their triumph.
While they might savor the taste of victory, the war itself is not yet over.
It was clear that Khwarezm could no longer sustain the war, but they still needed to officially acknowledge their defeat and surrender.
The most crucial task in the aftermath was to ensure that the interests of the allied forces did not conflict.
First, as the Byzantines desired, they advanced their forces and reclaimed all of Anatolia.
Khwarezm had driven out the remnants of the Seljuks and withdrawn their troops, so there was no resistance.
With domestic rebellions quelled and Anatolia fully reclaimed, the Byzantine Empire had nearly restored its territories to their former glory.
This largely settled matters with the Byzantines.
The next step was to reward the Crusader states, each with its own desires.
The Holy Roman Empire was the most straightforward in its demands.
“First, I want to recoup the costs of the campaign and have you and the Pope acknowledge my significant contribution to this war. This will ensure that other electors cannot challenge my authority.”
France and England also had clear expectations.
“Surely it was our French forces that killed the most enemies? I want that clearly documented. And, of course, we must recover the costs of the campaign.”
“I want my deeds to be recorded for posterity in all nations. Naturally, the Islamic side should acknowledge this too. And we wish to embrace the advanced culture coming through the Byzantines in the south. Of course, we need to quickly replenish the funds spent on this war.”
While their demands varied, they all shared a common interest: money.
Although the Byzantines had provided much of the food, transporting tens of thousands of soldiers and thousands of knights from Europe to Anatolia was no small feat.
In the long run, this would become a debt for the kings.
Having won the war, it might not seem like a pressing issue, but the kings would want to refill their coffers as quickly as possible.
To do so, they needed to extract as much money as possible from Khwarezm. But how to do it without making it obvious?
“We should bring them to the negotiating table quickly. There’s no need to waste any more time.”
“Agreed. So, how should we proceed? Should we send an envoy to propose peace talks?”
“We need to gauge their intentions, so that seems like the best approach. But who should we send…?”
The problem was that no suitable candidate came to mind.
I couldn’t go myself, and sending just anyone might provoke them unnecessarily.
We needed a mediator who could smoothly connect both sides, but unfortunately, the Crusaders lacked such a person.
Just as I was considering asking the Byzantines for help, fortune smiled upon us as someone capable of the task appeared on their own.
“Hmm? What brings you here from Ayyubid?”
“It’s been a while. I hear you’ve achieved a great victory. Congratulations. The Sultan believed you would prevail.”
“Weren’t the Ayyubids supporting Khwarezm’s supply lines? I assumed you were backing them.”
“If we truly intended to support them, we would have sent our army. We merely offered minimal assistance as fellow Muslims. I hope you understand our position. Haha.”
Nur ad-Din, the Sultan’s younger brother, smiled warmly.
His demeanor had changed significantly since I last saw him, suggesting he had learned much in the interim.
Perhaps he had become more politically astute, or maybe it was both.
Regardless, his words weren’t entirely off the mark, so I didn’t challenge him.
The Ayyubids likely aimed to play both sides, but their lack of direct involvement had indeed favored the Crusaders.
Moreover, the fact that the Sultan’s own brother had come as an envoy lent credibility to their words.
“Thank you for the Sultan’s consideration. But I doubt you came all this way just to offer congratulations. Do you have a proposal for us?”
“Indeed, you are wise. Time is of the essence, so I’ll be direct. We wish to mediate a ceasefire with Khwarezm. Would you allow us to take on this role?”
“The Ayyubids want to mediate between the Crusaders and Khwarezm?”
This unexpected proposal required a moment of reflection.
Sensing my hesitation, Nur ad-Din calmly elaborated.
“To clarify, we have no intention of siding with Khwarezm. We simply wish for a swift resolution.”
“Prolonged conflict isn’t beneficial for the Ayyubids either, I take it.”
“Precisely. We share borders with both sides. Continued unrest would disrupt trade and unsettle merchants. Moreover, if the war drags on, there might be calls for us to intervene.”
“It sounds like the last point is the crux of the matter, doesn’t it?”
“Since we’re speaking candidly, yes. The Sultan is most concerned about Khwarezm declaring a jihad and seeking aid from the Caliph and us.”
Even if such a call were made, we could ignore it, but public opinion could complicate matters.
This war, while political, was officially seen as a crusade against Islam.
If Khwarezm exploited this angle, fervent Amirs might demand support for them.
“I understand your point, but I doubt the Sultan’s authority would be significantly challenged by this. His position seems secure.”
“True, but His Majesty is getting on in years and wishes to avoid any potential issues. Besides, there are other reasons to end the war now.”
“Sometimes, it’s best to let things take their course. Ahem! Hmm.”
Nureddin cleared his throat, giving me a look that said, “You know what I mean.”
Of course, I wasn’t so oblivious as to miss his point. Though he couldn’t say it outright, he was hinting that it might be better for the future of the Ayyubids if the Khwarazmian Empire started to decline.
Saladin, already advanced in years, needed to secure a clear line of succession. If the neighboring Khwarazm maintained its status as the most powerful Islamic state, it could complicate matters. Even if the succession was stabilized, Saladin’s successor would face immense pressure.
The Ayyubids had maintained good relations with the Byzantine Empire and had preemptively resolved potential conflicts with the Crusaders by opening Jerusalem. If Khwarazm were to weaken, it could mean decades of stability for us.
“I understand now that the Ayyubids aren’t looking to support Khwarazm. If that’s clear, it would certainly make negotiations easier for us.”
If Saladin got involved, it would be much easier to bring Khwarazm to the negotiating table, and any treaty would carry more weight. Plus, it would be easier to have a backup plan if Khwarazm decided to default on reparations.
“Then I’ll leave it to you. I’ll make sure to explain it to the others.”
“Thank you. Anticipating this, I’ve already sent someone to the Khwarazm side. We should hear back in a few days.”
“You’re efficient. Shall we just sit back and relax while we wait? Haha!”
“Let’s do that. I’ll wait here with you.”
Feeling optimistic about how smoothly things were progressing, I walked away with a smile.
But strangely enough, despite Nureddin’s confident assurances, days passed with no sign of the Ayyubid envoy.