Episode 160
The distance from Damascus to Baghdad isn’t too far in a straight line, but the route is not ideal for finding drinking water.
While it’s possible to replenish water from the Euphrates River near Habbaniyah, doing so requires a detour, which is inconvenient.
In the Middle East, it’s common knowledge that nothing is more crucial than securing water supplies when moving a large army.
The Crusaders’ folly of neglecting this and being utterly crushed is a tale so famous that even a child just learning to walk in Ayyubid knows it.
In any case, when the roads are this poor, the paths available for an army of ten thousand to move are naturally limited.
“Usman, sir! Our scouts have spotted what appears to be enemy scouts ahead.”
“They must have anticipated our arrival. It’s only logical, given that this is the shortest route to Baghdad.”
“What should we do?”
“My father… no, His Majesty wants to know the strength of their forces. It might be wise to engage lightly and then decide our next steps.”
Al Aziz Usman, Saladin’s second son, saw the Mongol invasion as a unique opportunity.
Though his elder brother was chosen as the heir to their great father, the competition was far from over.
Everyone knew their father’s favor lay with his elder brother, but it wasn’t as if his brother had any particularly outstanding achievements compared to him.
Moreover, there was a pervasive fear among their father’s close aides that the elder brother, Afdal, might alienate the existing loyalists.
If Usman could amass enough achievements and win over the other emirs, perhaps his father’s opinion might change.
That’s why he volunteered to lead the relief forces to Baghdad.
His father would never send the designated heir into such a dangerous battlefield.
Of course, he tried to dissuade Usman as well, but after promising not to take any reckless actions, he reluctantly gave his permission.
Still, perhaps out of concern, he sent Al Ahwad, Usman’s cousin and a seasoned warrior, to accompany him.
“Don’t overextend yourself. Just gauge the enemy’s strength.”
Usman intended to follow his father’s orders to the letter, neither more nor less, as he wasn’t blinded by ambition.
Though he might have felt uneasy going alone, having his reliable cousin by his side made the task seem manageable.
“By the way, what did they say about the enemy scouts? Even if they didn’t engage, they must have seen their equipment.”
“Well, they said…”
“They were pathetic, apparently.”
Before his subordinate could answer, a confident voice in ornate armor approached, answering instead.
Seeing his cousin’s self-assured face, Usman smiled broadly and gestured for him to join him.
“Did the scouts say that?”
“Yes. They said the enemy looked like a band of beggars, wrapped in rags instead of proper armor.”
“Could it be a ruse to make us underestimate them?”
“I’ve considered that possibility and haven’t jumped to conclusions. I’ve ordered the scouts to advance a bit further to determine the enemy’s approximate location.”
While going too deep could be dangerous, they already had information that the main Mongol force was encircling Baghdad.
Thus, the nearby Mongol forces were likely a detachment meant to check their advance, and their numbers probably weren’t large.
Depending on the situation, they might even be able to repel them and put pressure on the Mongols besieging Baghdad.
“His Majesty advised against underestimating the Mongols and to avoid direct combat as much as possible. But he didn’t say not to fight if victory seemed certain, did he?”
“Of course not. There’s no need to turn back if victory is assured.”
“Hmm… I suppose you’re right. Did your uncle say anything else?”
“My father said something similar. He warned to be cautious as His Majesty is wary of them.”
“It’s rather confusing, isn’t it? It would be easier if the orders were either to avoid fighting altogether or to defeat the enemy. Don’t you think?”
Seeing his cousin nodding vigorously, it seemed he felt the same way.
Until now, Saladin’s orders had always been clear, making this ambiguity more pronounced.
In truth, many of Usman’s subordinates still underestimated the Mongols, and even Usman himself couldn’t help but think they were just barbarians, no matter how strong they were said to be.
If the Mongols had shown overwhelming power beyond dispute, it might have been different, but their achievements seemed slightly flawed to him.
They crushed Khwarezm? But Khwarezm was already weakened by the Crusaders, wasn’t it?
They conquered Western Xia? But they were already defeated by Khwarezm, weren’t they?
Frankly, the Ayyubid elite forces could easily handle the likes of the devastated Western Xia or Khwarezm.
Whether the Mongols were truly formidable or just lucky opportunists was still too uncertain.
His father likely shared this sentiment, hence the cautious orders.
“Honestly, I hope the Mongols are just overinflated bubbles. That way, we could gain some easy glory.”
“Haha, but you’ll inherit at least Cairo, so why worry about achievements?”
“More is always better, isn’t it? Who knows? If you become the hero who saves Baghdad, you might be promised even greater glory. Sometimes I think a cousin might be more reliable than a blood brother.”
“Ah, I see. That makes sense.”
Understanding the underlying meaning, Al Ahwad nodded with a knowing smile.
Though Al Ahwad was the son of Al Adil, the second-in-command of the Ayyubids, there was no guarantee it would remain so in the future.
After all, Saladin had three sons to divide his power among.
But history has shown that while wealth can be shared, power cannot.
Depending on which side he aligned with, Al Ahwad could either remain a key figure like his father or be cast aside and fall from grace.
That’s why Al Adil sent Al Ahwad to support Usman in this campaign.
If the second son could surpass the first and rise to the top of the Ayyubids, it would be wise to strengthen their bond now.
At the same time.
In the temporary camp of the Mongol detachment led by Subutai.
“The Ayyubid forces are approaching.”
“How many?”
“The scouts estimate at least 20,000.”
Subutai, separated from the main force besieging Baghdad, had been harboring a slight unease until yesterday.
‘What if the Ayyubids abandon Baghdad entirely?’
He had confidently set out to cut off the relief forces, but if no one came, he’d end up looking foolish.
Though he was certain the Ayyubids would send forces, even if just for reconnaissance, unexpected situations could always arise.
“The Muslim merchants said the Ayyubid army is as strong as, if not stronger than, Khwarezm. Unlike Khwarezm, they haven’t suffered any losses from war.”
“Baghdad must have ignored the Great Khan’s warning because they trust them.”
“Indeed. And we’ll show them just how misplaced that trust is.”
To Subutai, the strength or weakness of the enemy was of little concern.
What mattered more was how the enemy perceived them.
“The Great Khan’s main force will need at least a month, maybe two, to capture Baghdad. Until then, no army should approach Baghdad. Giving them even a glimmer of hope will only prolong the siege unnecessarily.”
“Then we must repel those approaching.”
Even if they didn’t annihilate them, driving them away would fulfill their mission.
However, as his subordinate suggested, Subutai had no intention of letting them retreat so easily.
Once Baghdad was captured, the next target would be the Ayyubids, so weakening their forces now would aid their future conquests.
“If we assume their numbers are between 20,000 and 30,000, they’re roughly equal to ours. A straightforward battle won’t inflict significant damage.”
“Especially since they’re mostly cavalry, like us.”
With both sides relying on cavalry, encirclement using mobility was nearly impossible.
If the battle turned against them, the enemy would likely retreat, making it difficult to inflict additional damage during pursuit.
If they had more troops, they could devise various strategies, but most of their forces were tied up in the siege of Baghdad.
“We’ll have to draw them in deep and strike from both front and rear.”
“Can we manage that? The Ayyubid forces seem ready to retreat at any moment, never venturing too far in. They likely have no intention of a decisive battle here.”
“Then we need to make them feel that way.”
While warriors like Boorchu and Tiraun might not notice, Subutai had a keen understanding of the mindset of the people they were dealing with.
The Khwarazmians were just like this, so there was no reason to think the Ayyubids would be any different.
This tactic couldn’t be used repeatedly, but it was guaranteed to work the first time.
That was the limitation of those who dismissed them as mere barbarians.
“First, we’ll split our forces in two. One group will lie in ambush along the river path, while the other will act as bait to lure the enemy.”
“I’m not trying to argue, but shouldn’t we increase the proportion of light cavalry for the bait? There’s no real reason to deploy heavy cavalry… Besides, it seems like we’re using too many troops as bait.”
Baekhojang, who had been watching the division of forces, voiced his doubts, prompting Subutai to chuckle.
If even his own men questioned the strategy, it was all the more likely the enemy would fall into the trap.
“They don’t know the exact size of our forces. We need to show them enough to make them think it’s nearly all of us. If we show too few, they might suspect it’s a trap.”
“I understand that.”
“And the reason for deploying heavy cavalry is to show them off. Last time, the Khwarazmians seemed to underestimate our heavy cavalry.”
“What? Khwarazmians?”
Baekhojang blinked in confusion, not understanding why the Khwarazmians were being mentioned while they were facing the Ayyubids.
“Well, you’ll see. I’m curious to see how eagerly they’ll charge at us.”
In hunting, the easiest prey isn’t the weak herbivore.
Animals that are naturally prey know their vulnerability and are always on high alert, ready to flee.
But those that believe themselves to be predators are a different story.
Once they perceive a feeble creature as prey, they charge without a second thought, making them the easiest to hunt.
Like those enemies up ahead, blindly following the bait without realizing they’ve taken it.