Episode 204
Right after the meeting in preparation for the council.
Only four of us remained in the room: Richard, Philip II, Saladin, and myself.
“Well, it seems we’ve managed to wrap things up somehow.”
Richard, who had been relatively quiet during the meeting, nodded in satisfaction.
“The Caliph of the Almohads should know his place by now. We shouldn’t expect any disputes for a while.”
“Your Majesty Richard, it’s quite the opposite. The Almohads are finished.”
Philip II, who had been the star of the meeting, couldn’t hide his amusement.
“Finished? But the Caliph eventually knelt and acknowledged the Prophet, didn’t he?”
“Yes, he did. And everyone saw it—not just us, but the Amirs and Imams he brought along.”
“Are you saying the Caliph’s authority has crumbled?”
“That’s a given, but it’s not the only issue. Regardless of the outcome, the Caliph made statements that seemed to deny their own apostle. It showed a lack of awareness of reality. He may have knelt, but do you think the Amirs and Imams believe he truly repented?”
It’s possible, but unlikely. Given Al-Nasir’s nature, genuine repentance seemed improbable. He knelt only because of the overwhelming power difference.
“A young, hot-blooded leader who can’t grasp the situation. Imagine the fury boiling inside him after being humiliated like that. Even I could sense it from a brief encounter, so how do you think his close aides feel?”
“Won’t they try to persuade the Caliph?”
“They might. But if he were the type to listen, he wouldn’t have knelt in the first place. Remember the reaction of the Almohad Imams when the Prophet suggested they could leave?”
“They were almost in a state of panic. It was almost pitiful how they tried to distance themselves from the Caliph.”
“Exactly. The Imams and Amirs likely spent the entire journey here extolling the greatness of the Islamic apostle. Just look at how they prioritized the apostle over their own Caliph.”
I had my doubts, but Philip II’s words solidified my thoughts. Of course, I maintained a calm demeanor, as if it had all been part of the plan from the start.
Philip II glanced at me and chuckled before continuing.
“See? The Prophet knew all along. If they were brought here, they must be the Caliph’s closest aides, yet he’s lost their trust. And when they return, the news will spread throughout the Almohads. What do you think will happen? Rumors tend to grow with each retelling.”
“If the rumors become exaggerated, it could be serious. The Caliph might even have to step down.”
“In our culture, the nobles would have already declared they couldn’t recognize him as king. I don’t know how it works here, but I’m sure someone can explain it better than I can…”
All eyes turned to Saladin, who had been silent. He sighed softly before speaking.
“It’ll be similar here. This isn’t just about the Caliph’s disgrace. The key issue is that the Almohads defied the Prophet’s words. This will create a fear that they might not receive divine blessings, or worse, face a catastrophe. People will inevitably start saying such things.”
“Exactly. Devout Muslims will feel wronged and anxious. They’ll wonder why someone like that is their Caliph and what to do if a disaster strikes because of him.”
This isn’t an era of absolute monarchy. Even kings must maintain relationships with local leaders, and if all the nobles turn against them, they can’t hold onto power.
The Almohads are no different. Especially in a state that claims religious legitimacy, this aspect is even more pronounced.
“So, the Almohads might soon see a change in leadership.”
“There will be chaos. I suspect the Prophet believes it’s best for Christian nations to manage the Iberian Peninsula.”
If the Almohads fall apart, they won’t be able to manage the Iberian Peninsula, which will naturally return to Europe’s fold.
It wasn’t intentional, but the flow of history seems to be heading that way.
“I didn’t plan it that way. While I can foresee the outcome, I don’t wish to stir unnecessary trouble.”
“Regardless, I think it’s a favorable arrangement. European nations in Europe, Asian nations in Asia. If we’re to live peacefully, we should focus on our own regions.”
Neither Richard nor Saladin objected. After all, the fate of the Iberian Peninsula didn’t concern them much.
The conversation naturally shifted to another topic.
“By the way, do you think the Jews will cause any trouble?”
“Your Majesty Richard, you know how stubborn they can be.”
“Still… they must have some sense. Some acknowledged the Prophet at the last council.”
“A few, perhaps. Shall we make a wager? I’ve been looking for some entertainment.”
“Sounds fun. I’ll bet nothing will happen.”
Richard and Philip II soon began discussing the stakes of their bet, seemingly enjoying themselves.
It might seem irreverent, but I didn’t mind. Whatever happened, it wouldn’t affect the larger picture.
I simply waited for the day of the council to arrive.
After what felt like both a short and long preparation, the day of destiny finally dawned.
Today, people from Europe, Africa, and the Middle East gathered to witness a historic moment.
The crowd was so large that temporary towers were erected, and the space expanded, yet it still wasn’t enough.
Some even camped out for days to secure a good spot.
Even the Crusader kings and Saladin, who had commanded armies of tens of thousands, were taken aback by the sea of people below.
“This is incomparable to the last council.”
“Managing the crowd to prevent accidents is a monumental task.”
“We’re already short on manpower, so we’re bringing in guards from other cities. Even then, it’s not enough.”
Normally, such a meeting would be held in a grand building or hall, but this time it was impossible.
There simply wasn’t a space large enough to accommodate not only the general public but also the nobles, scholars, and their families from various regions.
As the Crusader kings took their seats and the Caliph entered with a subdued demeanor, Saladin stood and moved forward.
The crowd erupted in cheers so loud that I could feel the vibrations from where I sat.
I almost felt sorry for the delegates who had to conduct the meeting in such an atmosphere.
Saladin seemed to share the sentiment as he glanced at the representatives of each religion and cleared his throat.
“Ahem.”
Despite the modest volume, the surroundings fell silent almost instantly.
Everyone was focused, not wanting to miss a word from Saladin.
“First, let us offer a prayer of thanks to God for granting us the opportunity to host this meeting in such an honorable setting. And let us also give a heartfelt round of applause to our Prophet and Apostle, Edward Marshall.”
“Wow!”
“Prophet! Bless our future!”
As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd erupted again, shaking the square with their cheers.
When I waved to the crowd below, their cheers grew even louder, almost reaching a fever pitch.
It was almost at the level of screams now.
As the kings from various nations followed with their greetings, the excitement in the square continued to build.
Finally, the opening ceremonies concluded, and the greatest stage ever began.
The Christian and Islamic delegations greeted each other warmly, a stark contrast to the last council, and took their places at the center.
There was another difference.
This time, the Jewish delegation was seated separately from the Islamic one.
Just seeing that made me uneasy.
With all eyes on them, the Christian delegation was the first to speak.
Cencio Savelli, the personal tutor to the Crown Prince of the Holy Roman Empire and a key figure in the Vatican, opened the proceedings.
“Though we call this a council, it is, in fact, something entirely different. This is a place to prepare for the peace to come and a milestone to correct the misguided paths we’ve all been on.”
Cencio paused, glancing around.
With so many people present, the staff needed to relay his words to those at the back.
“In this place, pride is not what matters. We have the courage to humbly admit that we’ve been on the wrong path until now. It’s not about one side being right and the other wrong. We were all mistaken, heading down an irreversible road. That’s why the prophet has come to this world. Let’s address this first. In the last council, we claimed that Edward Marshall was a prophet sent by God, but it was not accepted due to opposition from the Islamic side. We would like to hear the Islamic perspective first. If we can’t agree here, the meeting can’t proceed.”
Cencio was careful with his tone, ensuring it didn’t sound like an attack on Islam.
As he finished speaking, a representative from the Islamic side stood up.
Ibn Arabi, renowned as the most distinguished scholar and philosopher in Islam, began to speak in a calm manner.
“I deeply agree with Cardinal Cencio’s words. Pride is indeed insignificant here. I also concur that we were all wrong. We acknowledge that we have certainly been mistaken until now. We admit it. Edward Marshall is a messenger sent by God, and in our ignorance, we failed to accept this truth at the last council. We deeply reflect and repent.”
The conclusion came so swiftly that it seemed to unravel the fierce debates of the previous council.
There was no argument, no heated discussion.
But just as everyone was beginning to feel relieved that this meeting would proceed peacefully, a rabbi from the Jewish side slowly raised his hand and stood up.
“Yes, I also deeply agree with Cardinal Cencio’s statement that both Christianity and Islam have been mistaken. Both sides are on the wrong path.”
As they say, any drama needs a villain to keep things interesting.
Just when the council seemed like it might proceed without tension, a single comment injected a spark of life back into the proceedings.
“Because there is no prophet in this world right now.”