1444, Byzantium Resurrects

Chapter 148: Minister in Charge of the Domain
The southern frontier of the Hafsid dynasty, Gafsa Oasis, and Gafsa city.

This city located in the valley is one of the few large cities in the southern part of Hafs. With its unique geographical advantages, it has become a distribution center and transit station for nearby agricultural and pastoral products, and has frequent trade exchanges.

The city of Gafsa is surrounded by mountains to the north and south. Commercial activities are mainly carried out through the east-west mountain corridor, which connects the coastal port of Gabes in the east and the inland town of Rudayf in the west. Its strategic location is extremely important.

This place is far away from the ruling center of the Hafsid Dynasty, and is easy to defend and difficult to attack. The local forces are strong, and it has close relations with the Djerid Sultanate in the south and has always maintained private contact with it.

During the reign of Abu Aziz, the grandfather of the then Caliph Yahya, the Hafsid Dynasty experienced a revival. Faced with the pressure of the enemy's army, Sultan Jared was forced to withdraw his outstretched black hand from the city of Gafsa, pay tribute to the Hafsid Dynasty, and agree to form an eternal alliance.

Having said that, although successive Djerid sultans were nominally vassals of the Hafsid dynasty, they never concealed their covetousness for this great city. Whenever they had the chance, they would cross the Great Salt Lake Djerid and attack northwards, repeatedly testing the bottom line of the Hafsid dynasty central government.

The current Sultan of Jared, Murshiti, is an ambitious man. Seeing the decline of the Hafsid dynasty a few years ago, he joined forces with several tribal shaikhs to overthrow his more moderate brother, killed him and his sons, and sat on the throne of the Sultan.

Instead of attracting an attack from the Hafsid dynasty, Murshiti's presumptuous behavior resulted in a title and marriage request from Caliph Yahya.

Yahya, who was trapped both internally and externally, did not want to cause any trouble, so he sent the princess, gifts and documents to his house, formally recognizing his position in Jared and trying to stabilize the situation in the south.

Murshiti saw the plight of the Hafsid dynasty through this incident, accepted the princess and gifts, but drove the Hafsid envoys out of the court and brazenly declared independence.

In the following years, Murshiti Sultan not only refused to submit to Yahya, but also took advantage of the Hafsid dynasty's lack of time to eliminate some of their strongholds north of the Great Salt Lake of Djerid, sharpening his sword and aiming at the city of Gafsa.

In his opinion, the decline of the Hafsid Dynasty was a foregone conclusion. If he did not take advantage of this opportunity to strengthen himself, he would probably regret it for the rest of his life.

You know, the Hafs family, which seems to be so arrogant now, was just a local family of the Almohad dynasty back then, no different from him.

The small city of Gafsa could not satisfy his ambitions.

However, the development of events was completely beyond Sultan Murshiti's expectations.

The Hafsid dynasty was indeed on the road to decline, but the Greek emperor in the east was becoming increasingly prosperous. The control of the Hafsid dynasty was shrinking again and again. In just a few years, the sword of Christians had reached him.

After the Battle of Tripoli, the city of Gafsa was empty. A golden opportunity was right in front of him. Murshiti had no time to think about it. Several tribal sheikhs he arranged in the north acted on their own initiative and took advantage of the residents' fear of the Greek emperor to occupy the city, looting the bustling market and the supplies that had not been transported away in time.

Murshiti did not blame these people. He quickly took control of the grasslands, orchards and farmland around the city of Gafsa, and distributed them to his relatives and tribes to win the hearts of the people.

Afterwards, he took advantage of the time difference while the Western Army led by Ferdinand was advancing alone and launched a beautiful ambush on the mountain road leading to the city of Gafsa. He chased the defeated troops northward and drove them all the way out of the valley to the plain town of Suhaila.

The triumphant Murshiti withdrew his troops back to the city, held a grand banquet, and proclaimed himself the Lord of Gafsa. The heads of each tribe were rewarded and everyone was very happy.

However, the good times did not last long. Emperor Isaac did not continue to attack the remaining territories of the Hafsid dynasty as he had expected. Instead, he led his troops south and marched to the city of Gafsa with a large army, determined to kill them.

Seeing waves of refugees and defeated soldiers coming from the east, the once powerful princes retreating in defeat, and rows of well-trained troops heading to the battlefield, Mursiti finally felt a little fear in his heart and began to retreat.

However, when he tentatively told his relatives and subordinates about his concerns, he was met with doubts and accusations.

These people did not have Murshiti's strategic vision and did not know what a powerful enemy they would face. All they thought about were the fertile land around them, the dazzling array of goods in the market, and the beautiful women in the city. They were like misers, clinging tightly to the benefits they had already obtained.

This is the biggest drawback of the tribal alliance. Everyone is a shareholder. If most people are unhappy with you, they can unite and change the person in charge at any time.

In desperation, Mursiti led his troops eastward into the valley, where he fought a bloody battle with the arriving army. He was defeated in both battles and retreated back into the city.

The Greek emperor's army was like a leech attached to his bones, chasing relentlessly. It wasn't long before they arrived at the foot of the city, set up camp, and began to attack the city.

Facts have proved that for the Berber tribes who were born on horseback and accustomed to defeating the enemy in field battles, defending the city was a completely bad move. Having lost their mobility, they had no advantage at all in the brutal attack and defense of the city walls and were gradually worn out.

If the city of Gafsa had not been located between mountains, making it impossible to deploy siege artillery, and if it had not been for the continuous heavy rain, they would not have been able to hold out for so long.

Late at night, in the siege camp under the city of Gafsa, Isaac was meeting with several of his ministers who had come from afar.

"Ahmed, Hussein, long time no see, how are you doing?"

"Thanks to you, Holy Father, we are doing well."

Ahmed and Hussein looked at each other and said in unison.

Isaac looked at the luxurious clothes they were wearing, the gold and silver jewelry on their hands, and the jeweled crosses on their chests, nodded, and a trace of nostalgia flashed in his eyes.

They were all old acquaintances of Isaac. They were originally nobles of the nomadic tribes around Saint Joseph's Land, and they were also the first local Berbers whom Isaac defeated and subdued.

"It's been almost ten years, right?"

"Yes."

The eyes of the two were also full of reminiscence.

During the past ten years, as the first group of Berber nomads to convert to Orthodoxy, they were absorbed into Isaac's trade system at an early stage. With the expansion of territory, the prosperity of the slave market and the vigorous development of ocean trade, they made a lot of money. It is said that they are currently organizing caravans to participate in the trans-Sahara Desert trade.

As the Hellenization of Surt and other places deepened, they were inevitably affected and became more like merchants rather than tribal shaikhs. Many of their nomadic subordinates also became accustomed to the abundant goods and cheap labor brought by European merchants. They no longer regarded themselves as the same group as the primitive Berber tribesmen in the south, and their identity gradually changed.

In another ten or twenty years, or one or two generations, they will probably move from semi-settlement to complete settlement, and will no longer be any different from the Romans in the coastal towns.

"I heard that you even built towns and castles on the original oasis. Is that true?"

Isaac asked with a smile.

"Your Majesty, the town we built has no city walls. The construction of the city has also been approved by the local governor and the prime minister. The document allowing the construction of the city also has your signature..."

Ahmed thought the emperor was somewhat dissatisfied with this, and spoke quickly.

"We built churches in the newly built towns, appointed Orthodox priests to teach Greek, and paid taxes that were never less. You—"

"I'm not blaming you. I know all this."

Isaac waved off their excuses.

"How many people are there in each of your two tribes?"

The two of them breathed a sigh of relief and reported the basic situation of their tribe.

The Ahmed tribe has 600 pastoralist households, or about 3,000 people.

The Hussein tribe is not as well off, with 450 pastoralist households and about 2,300 people, but they have a date processing factory in the city of Sirte.

Of course, they all have children and relatives, and these household registrations are not all controlled by them.

Isaac didn't want to care whether what they said was true or not. He motioned for them to come closer and unfolded a map in his hand.

"You have come all this way, so you should have learned a little bit about this place. What do you think of it?"

Isaac drew a circle on the map that included a large area of ​​land south of Gafsa, including the entire Sultanate of Djerid and the surrounding towns.

"The land in the north near the mountains is really good. There are plenty of water sources, and the winter rainfall is more abundant than where we are."

"When we arrived, even some dry rivers were full and we were afraid that they would flood."

Hussein recalled and spoke truthfully.

"The land in the south is much worse. Although there is water near the Great Salt Lake, it is indeed barren compared to the north."

"I'm afraid this is why Sultan Jared is so obsessed with Gafsa City that he is not willing to offend you."

Isaac listened to his opinions and nodded frequently.

"What about the west? Do you know anything about it?"

Isaac pointed to the lands of Tugurt and Mzab, west of the Sultanate of Djerid.

"I've heard passing merchants mention this place. It should be similar to Jared. The area in the north near the mountains is relatively prosperous and is also the main base of the two regimes. The population in the south is mainly concentrated in oases, mostly occupied by nomadic tribes." Ahmed added, his eyes thoughtful.

"Compared to where you are, so what?"

Isaac asked, staring into the two's eyes.

"Your Majesty, you mean..."

"Sultan Jared's sudden attack reminded me that although this piece of land is not valuable, once it falls into the hands of the enemy, it will bring great hidden dangers to the empire. We must be on guard."

"I plan to set up an organization to coordinate the management of these border areas, coordinate conflicts between tribes, and hand them over to our own people."

Isaac circled an area on the map, from the Emirate of Mzab to the Sultanate of Djerid, which included almost all the lands in the southern border of the Hafsid Dynasty.

Before Isaac could continue speaking, the servant came to report.

"Your Majesty, Baron Abel has arrived and is waiting outside the tent."

"Let him in."

Under the astonished gaze of Ahmed and Hussein, Abel, who was over two meters tall, squeezed through the door of the tent and appeared in front of them.

"His Majesty!"

The giant knelt on one knee, with his hammer at his feet.

He had already received the emperor's letter and had a rough understanding of his new mission. He came here to conduct some preliminary field investigations.

Isaac gently helped Abel up and introduced the three of them to each other.

Seeing that everyone was present, Isaac clapped his hands, and the servants brought wine and food and filled the marching table.

After pouring fine wine for himself and his ministers, Isaac picked up the glass and looked at the three men.

"From now on, you will be working together for a long time. May the Holy Father bless you and wish you success."

Abel naturally had no objection. He immediately drank the wine in his glass, sat down and started eating.

Ahmed and Hussein had some vague guesses about the emperor's arrangements and were a little uneasy, but they quickly adjusted themselves and began to eat and drink.

They were not clear about the specific arrangements, but they understood that their majesty would never treat meritorious officials unfairly. The two of them had worked diligently for so many years, and they would surely have a good destination.

When he was half drunk, Isaac stood up and looked at the gloomy sky outside the tent.

"It's almost time, come with me, there's a good show to watch."

As early as the end of 1455, when Isaac first entered the city of Gafsa, he discovered the huge problems he faced in attacking the city.

There are many mountains near the city, and the Spartan heavy artillery cannot be mobilized. The small artillery can only cause limited damage to the city walls and is not very effective.

The most hateful thing is the weather here. The humid air in winter is blocked by the mountains and turns into rain, forming many dry rivers between the mountains, causing great trouble to the deployment of the army.

On the one hand, Isaac ordered a violent attack, mixing servants with regular troops, and rushing up the city wall one after another, engaging in a bloody battle with the defenders to wear down their fighting spirit.

On the other hand, Isaac sent people to survey the characteristics of nearby dry rivers and build earth dams on several dry rivers with large water volumes to block the water flow and change the direction of the river.

In this semi-arid desert area, due to the special geological conditions, the land has poor water absorption and rainwater cannot penetrate in time. It will only accumulate more and more, often forming magical desert floods.

On the evening of January 1456, 1, Isaac saw that the time was ripe and ordered his men to dig up the earth dam and open the gates to release the water.

In an instant, the turbid torrent rushed down from great heights, converging and blending in the valley, with unrivaled power, roaring and shaking the earth, rushing towards the predetermined target.

Gafsa City!

The soldiers and civilians in the city finally ended the terrifying battle to defend the city during the day, but they suddenly woke up from their dreams and jumped out of bed, only to find that the land they were on was already a flood.

The water level rose rapidly, and fear and panic began to spread in the city. People tried desperately to scoop water out of the houses, but to no avail.

They began to flee to higher ground, trampling each other along the way, killing and injuring countless others.

Jared Sultan Murshiti was awakened by his personal soldiers. He pushed away the naked woman beside him, walked out wearing armor and holding a knife, but his eyes were full of devastation.

At this moment, he was completely desperate and quickly gathered his soldiers to prepare for escape.

Of course, floods cannot drown people, but they will greatly damage the base of the city walls. The city walls soaked in water will collapse with a push, and it will be meaningless to defend them any further.

Murshiti finally gathered his soldiers and escaped from the west gate which was on higher ground. Not long after he ran, he saw the double-headed eagle flag flying high at the mountain pass ahead and the ambushes waiting in the mountains.

On the muddy ground, the cavalry, which the Berbers were so proud of, could not run at all. They were treated as living targets by the archers and musketeers who had been stationed on the mountain in advance. After a barrage of shots, only one in ten tribal riders who escaped survived and they knelt down in surrender.

"Your Majesty, this..."

Looking at the flood still raging in the distance and listening to sporadic gunshots in the distance, the three ministers around Isaac were stunned.

“I’ve learned one thing in my short life.”

Isaac smiled meaningfully.

"The more you play tricks, the more you realize that human ability has its limits."

"But the power of nature is infinite."

On January 1456, 1, Isaac ended the siege that lasted nearly a month. After the flood receded, he entered the devastated city of Gafsa and formally declared the Eastern Roman Empire's absolute rule over the city.

In the following month, Isaac led his army westward and southward, annihilated the remaining forces of the Sultanate of Djerid, captured the royal court in the city of Djerid, and obtained tens of thousands of livestock and slaves.

On February 1456, 2, Isaac entered the city of Rudayf, west of Gafsa, and threatened Togurt.

Seeing that the situation was not going well, Sultan Togurt and Emir Mzab no longer hesitated and sent envoys to the city of Rudayf to seek reconciliation.

In addition to them, Isaac also sent notices to all the large tribes in the southern part of Hafs, ordering them to go to Rudayif and pledge allegiance to Isaac.

On February 1456, 2, after ten days of consultation with the local forces that came to the meeting, Isaac announced the formal establishment of the Southern Frontier Region of the Roman Empire, which was responsible for managing local affairs.

The Southern Border Region is located south of the Atlas Mountains and north of the Sahara Desert. It stretches from Mzab in the west to Djerid in the east, and covers a vast area.

Isaac renamed the city of Rudayif to New Hadrian and the city of Djerid to Romanusburg, which served as the two capitals of the southern border region and radiated to the surrounding areas.

Abel, the former defense chief of Bilinchi, served as the first resident minister of the Southern Frontier Region. Ahmed and Hussein served as judge and financial officer respectively, responsible for assisting the resident minister in his daily work.

The entire southern border region is divided into two parts. The Djerid Sultan Murshiti refused to submit to the king and died, and his country was destroyed. The entire territory of the former Djerid Sultanate was directly governed by the border region. Ahmed and Hussein set an example by moving their tribes to the direct-governed area. In the future, more Orthodox tribes will come from the east and occupy the grasslands and oases of the former Djerid Sultanate.

Except for the directly governed areas, the rest of the southern border region will be governed by the Sultan of Togurt, the Emir of Mzab and the remaining tribal sheikhs. They will retain the power of military and political autonomy and religious freedom, and will only be nominally loyal to Isaac for the time being.

In the future, Isaac also plans to introduce more forces into this mixed land. The Cyrenaica United Chamber of Commerce, the Knights of Saint Simon, the Catalan Mercenary Corps and the Navarre Mercenary Corps can all establish branches here to expand their business.

According to the agreement, the resident minister had the right to mobilize part of the troops of the subordinate tribes in time of war, the right to mediate the contradictions and conflicts between them, and the right to attack the sheikhs and monarchs who disobeyed his orders. Constantinople would be his strongest backing.

Of course, the southern frontier is now entirely on paper, and several monarchs in the west are likely to simply laugh it off after reading it and throw it into the trash.

This is just the beginning, don't panic, take it slow.

On March 1456, 3, after giving a few instructions, Isaac waved goodbye to his three important ministers, drove some of the captured livestock and continued north to the front.

(End of this chapter)