Episode 97
“Any news from over there lately?”
“Not really. Is there something on your mind? You didn’t mention anything last time.”
There wasn’t, until Alexios III’s letter arrived.
“The Byzantine Emperor sent a rather cryptic letter. I think it’s time to mobilize the Assassins.”
“I’ll inform my brother right away. What should we investigate?”
“Find out what the Khwarazmian Empire is up to, especially in Anatolia. Keep a close eye on that region.”
“Khwarazm?” Fatima tilted her head slightly, surprised by the unexpected order.
“Is it difficult to keep tabs on Khwarazm?”
The Syrian Assassins mainly operate within the Ayyubid territory. Khwarazm, being further east than Baghdad, might seem too distant to monitor effectively.
“Alamut might have more information on Khwarazm than we do.”
“But you don’t exactly get along with the Assassins of Alamut, do you?”
“That’s true. We’ve always served the Apostle, and since Alamut doesn’t recognize him, we consider them heretics.”
The Syrian Assassins are already under my influence, but I can’t help but wonder if there’s a way to bring the Alamut Assassins into the fold.
I pondered for a moment, but no clear solution came to mind. It’s best to leave Middle Eastern affairs to those well-versed in the region. When the opportunity arises, I’ll seize it.
“It’s a bit disappointing, but I’m not interested in Khwarazm’s heartland. You have some dealings in Anatolia, don’t you?”
“If we limit our investigation to the Anatolian Peninsula, there shouldn’t be any issues. We might also gather some information from the Ayyubid capital, given their increased interactions with Khwarazm.”
“Saladin dealing with Khwarazm?”
I recall hearing something similar before. It wasn’t part of the original history, so I found it curious. Perhaps it’s not just a trivial matter.
Europe isn’t the only place diverging from the original historical path; the Middle East is too. With the Third Crusade not happening, Saladin is living longer than history recorded, which could have significant ripple effects.
Saladin’s extended life means a more stable succession for the Ayyubids, potentially preventing their downfall as history recorded.
Could Alexios III’s concern with Khwarazm be related to this?
“Saladin’s in contact with Khwarazm, and Byzantium is wary of them… there might be something there.”
“Do you think Saladin is provoking Khwarazm?”
“Possibly, or maybe Khwarazm is acting on its own.”
In the history I know, Khwarazm shouldn’t be meddling in Anatolia. Shah Tekish of Khwarazm only unified Persia near his death. It wasn’t until the reign of Shah Muhammad II that Khwarazm became a dominant power in the eastern Islamic world.
So, if history were following its normal course, Khwarazm should be consolidating its power now.
With that thought, a good idea struck me.
“Fatima, when investigating Khwarazm from Damascus, find out the extent of their current territory.”
“Should we just assess Khwarazm’s sphere of influence?”
“Specifically, determine the current state of the Kara-Khanid dynasty.”
The Kara-Khanid Khanate, once a flourishing dynasty based in Transoxiana, now barely survives after its defeat by the Western Liao.
Eventually, it was completely conquered by Muhammad II of Khwarazm, who moved the capital from Gurganj to Samarkand, according to the history I know.
If the Kara-Khanid dynasty has already fallen or Khwarazm’s territory is unusually vast, it would suggest some unknown butterfly effect at play.
As I was deep in thought, Fatima cautiously asked, “But Apostle, didn’t you say Khwarazm could be left alone?”
“Well, I did say that.”
I knew that Saladin’s prolonged life would cause shifts in the Islamic world. But that was separate from needing to worry about Khwarazm.
If I didn’t know Khwarazm’s eventual fate, I might have been more concerned. But in my mind, Khwarazm was just the first victim to be crushed by the Mongols.
No matter what they do, once the Mongols invade, they’ll be swept away. That was my calculation.
But now, I’m a bit confused. Even if Khwarazm pushes into Anatolia, their main territory will soon be in flames. Does it matter?
However, if Khwarazm establishes a foothold in Anatolia before the Mongols arrive, the Byzantine Empire, which I’ve painstakingly stabilized, could be in jeopardy again.
It’s frustrating. I thought I had a breather after neutralizing the Fourth Crusade, but now there’s an unexpected variable from the Islamic side.
“It’s not Khwarazm that’s the problem; it’s Byzantium that concerns me.”
“Of course, since you’ll inherit the empire one day, we should ensure Alexios III manages it well.”
Wait, what?
“I’m going to inherit Byzantium?”
“Isn’t that the plan? We all thought so… You’re destined to lead the world, so naturally, you should claim the Roman throne.”
The Roman Emperor, huh? Alexios III has no sons, so I could position myself as a successor if I wanted.
If even straightforward people like Fatima think this way, others probably do too.
But would the Byzantines accept me as their emperor?
This could sow the seeds of future discord between Europe and Byzantium.
I can’t appear power-hungry without considering public sentiment. Perhaps I can use this situation to my advantage.
Months later, while I was consolidating my influence domestically, I received a report from Nasr in the Middle East.
Considering the time it takes for messages to travel, they didn’t have much time, yet the report was thorough.
The Syrian Assassins’ capabilities were impressive, but the information they gathered was troubling.
“Are these findings verified?”
“Of course. We only included thoroughly vetted information in the report for you, Apostle. Speculative data is separately compiled here.”
Nasr’s deputy, who had come from Syria, laid out a stack of parchments on the desk.
“You’ve gathered an impressive amount of information in such a short time. I expected a response next year.”
“Ha ha, most of this isn’t new. We’ve compiled what we already had and regularly investigated.”
“So, you were already monitoring Khwarazm?”
“Yes. Khwarazm is currently the most active in the Islamic world. Saladin’s Ayyubids are focused on internal consolidation, and the Almohads are struggling to manage their own affairs.”
So Khwarazm is indeed making waves locally. It seems history is diverging significantly from what I know.
Is it the butterfly effect? It must be.
I could feel the window of relying on future knowledge closing.
I’ve been too active lately, so I must accept the consequences.
My knowledge was always a form of equivalent exchange. Intervening in history grants influence, but it shortens the lifespan of my knowledge.
Thus, achieving significant results with each intervention was crucial, and I believe I’ve done well so far.
Even if the future changes, the assets and status I’ve accumulated should suffice to handle it.
“According to your information, the Kara-Khanid dynasty has indeed fallen?”
“Yes. Sultan Tekish is planning to relocate the capital.”
“To Samarkand?”
“That doesn’t seem to be the case. While Samarkand is a candidate, moving further west is more likely.”
“Further west?”
Are they really planning to push into Anatolia?
Relocating a capital often signals a country’s future direction.
If Khwarazm moves its capital westward, it suggests Tekish intends to expand westward, unlike Muhammad II, who focused eastward.
Even the part about this guy already being officially recognized as a sultan by the Abbasid Caliph caught my attention.
The Khwarazm Shahs I knew only claimed the title of sultan and didn’t hold the caliph in high regard.
Naturally, the caliph wasn’t fond of Khwarazm either, and political conflicts were frequent.
But now, everything seemed to be proceeding so smoothly.
There was only one possible reason I could think of.
Saladin’s involvement.
That sly old fox.
So, while he was all smiles and laughter with me, he was secretly cozying up to Khwarazm?
Yet, I still couldn’t quite grasp why he was doing this.
Strengthening Khwarazm wouldn’t be that beneficial to the Ayyubids… Wouldn’t a stronger neighbor be more of a nuisance?
Still, Saladin wouldn’t make a move without purpose.
If I assume the Ayyubids are backing Khwarazm to use them, maybe I can start to see Saladin’s strategy.
After a long period of contemplation, I finally hit upon the most likely possibility and slapped my knee.
“A windfall.”
That’s the scheme they’re aiming for.