1444, Byzantium Resurrects

Chapter 262 Chaos in the Near East
A caravan traveled through the mountains, with horses and mules carrying goods and bells around their necks ringing.

This is the Great Aara Mountain area of ​​the Armenian Plateau, located between Lake Van and Yerevan. In addition to the Armenians who have lived here for generations, there are also many Turks and Turkmen from the east who roam here.

A few months ago, this place belonged to the Black Sheep Dynasty, but with the defeat and death of Jahan Shah, the White Sheep King Uzung Hasan rushed eastward, and the Armenian villages and Turkmen tribes here came under the rule of the White Sheep Dynasty again.

However, both the Black Sheep Dynasty and the White Sheep Dynasty were nomadic regimes without any grassroots governance system. They always adopted a laissez-faire model towards the lower-level villages and tribes, granted them a certain degree of autonomy, and appointed tax farmers to collect taxes.

This extensive management model enabled a dynasty to seize large tracts of land in a very short period of time. The villages and tribes at the bottom had a relationship with the central government that was completely that of protected and protector, with no loyalty or centripetal force at all.

After the defeat of the Black Sheep Dynasty, they immediately sought refuge in the White Sheep Dynasty without any lingering feelings.

This kind of dynasty is highly dependent on the personal qualities of the ruler and has very poor resistance to adversity. Once an unexpected change occurs, it will immediately fall apart.

This kind of nomadic dynasty is often as bright as a meteor, which can lead the trend for a while, but it cannot leave a long-lasting mark in history.

Its prosperity is also great, and its death is also sudden.

"Marcus, those Bendu people are too arrogant. They rely on the protection of Uzon Hassan and don't want to have any more contact with us."

In the center of the caravan, a middle-aged man said indignantly.

The middle-aged man was tall and burly, with strong muscles supporting the chain mail. There was an ugly and hideous scar on his face, running from his forehead to his cheek.

He was riding a horse, holding the reins with his left hand, and his right hand hanging naturally, very close to the sword at his waist.

As he spoke, he looked around vigilantly.

"Juve, don't say that, they were forced to do so."

Marcus, who was riding on a horse nearby, said with a smile.

"A small country sandwiched between three major powers, with Georgia, once an important ally, falling apart, they have no choice but to move closer to one of the powers."

"Why can't it be us? But those Aries people? Are they still Orthodox Christians?"

Yuwen asked gruffly.

"Because once they get close to us, both Aries and Osman will be very unhappy, and their safety will not be guaranteed."

Marcus said calmly.

"Besides, the Komnenos family of Trebizond is short-sighted and only wants to hide in a corner of the Black Sea and carve up a piece of land to rule. Aries can give this kind of autonomy, but we can't."

"Oh?"

Juve suddenly laughed.

"Aren't you a member of the Komnenos family? Why do you look down on your own relatives?"

"Humph, I am an orthodox Constantinople person. We are the main branch of the Komnenos family. Those Pontic people are just a small branch."

Marcus snorted.

"However, they are not as arrogant as you said. They are quite polite to us. Not only did they reveal some information to us, but they also allowed us to register under the name of the Komnenos Chamber of Commerce and do business in Aries."

"Without their help, we wouldn't be able to travel this far, let alone collect intelligence and draw maps."

"Alas, this Aries King Uzon Hassan is really good to Trebizond. Not only does he allow them to do business in the east, he also protects them from the Ottoman attacks."

Juve sighed.

"Have you heard about the agreement between Aq Qoyunlu and the Ottomans? One of the clauses is about Trebizond. Uzum Hassan forbade the Ottomans to attack Trebizond, and Mehmed II agreed."

"Humph, don't bring up such an embarrassing thing."

Marcus's face didn't look good.

"Trebizond is indeed free from Ottoman attacks, but it has to pay tribute to Aq Qoyunlu and Ottomans once a year, and it must also allow the two countries to station troops outside the city of Trebizond."

"A princess in exchange for a short period of miserable life, can this last long?"

"You mean the Komnenos princess who married Uzon Hassan? Theodora?"

Juve asked.

"Yes, that's her."

Marcus gave a wry smile.

"That princess is not only of the Komnenos bloodline, she is also a maternal descendant of Emperor Michael and the granddaughter of the Georgian Bagration family."

"Well, that's nothing. When Emperor Michael first recaptured Constantinople, he sought marriage alliances with many pagan monarchs, and even with two Mongol Khans."

Juve shrugged.

"Yugebe Khan of the Jochi Ulus, Janibeg Khan, Hulagu Khan of the Hulagu Ulus, and Abagha Khan all married princesses of the Palaiologos family."

"However, those barbarians from the east were really barbaric. Hulagu Khan died before marrying the princess, and the princess fell into the hands of Abaqa Khan."

"You are talking about Princess Maria, right? She was a very capable person, and Abaka Khan obeyed her in everything. At that time, Hulagu Ulus was quite friendly to Christians."

Marcus recalled.

"However, life on the grassland cannot be compared with that in Constantinople. Princess Beiyelong, who married Jochi Ulus, and Princess Maria, who married Hulagu Ulus, both returned to Constantinople in the end. Princess Beiyelong even gave birth to Yuejibe Khan's child in Constantinople."

"This branch still has bloodlines. The heir of this generation is called Antoninus Yujibe Borjigin. I have met him before. Your Majesty allowed him to restore his ancestors' surname and sent him to follow Your Majesty Justinian to the steppes."

Speaking of this, Marcus was very envious.

"If His Majesty Justinian can gain a foothold in the steppes, this Antoninus will be a local Khan at best."

"It's been so long, do those grassland tribes still recognize this prince?"

Juve asked doubtfully.

“Sometimes, all you need is a status, regardless of whether it is real or not.”

Marcus curled his lips.

"Besides, the less legitimacy he has, the more he will rely on us, which is a good thing."

"Alas, why don't I have a good surname?"

Juventus was full of envy.

"By the way, since Your Majesty wants to form an alliance with the Aq Qoyunlu to fight against the Ottomans, can we get the young Prince Constantine engaged to the daughter of Uzon Hassan? After all, she will be the descendant of Komnenos, so it won't be shameful."

"Shame on you. Very shameful."

Marcus interrupted Juve unhappily.

"Besides, Uzon Hassan and Princess Theodosius did give birth to a child, and it was indeed a girl."

"But as far as I know, the princess' marriage seems to have been settled. Although she hasn't been officially engaged yet, the candidate for her husband has basically been determined."

"Oh? Which kid is so lucky?"

Juve asked.

"That man is the nephew of Wuzong Hasan, and he is also a famous family in this area."

Marcus recalled.

"I remember that he was the leader of a religious group. Although he was only ten years old, he had many followers in this area and a high prestige due to the accumulation of his ancestors."

"This child's name is Haidar, but Saracens don't have the concept of surnames. We usually use the name of this sect instead of surnames."

“Haydar Safawi.”

Marcus uttered an unfamiliar word.

"The Safavid sect, no wonder."

Juve shook his head.

"I've heard of them in Trebizond. They've taken root here decades ago, and now their power is very large."

"If Uzon Hassan marries them, there will be a severe backlash one day."

"Never mind. At least for now, the Safavids are still good allies of the Aq Qoyunlu."

Marcus said noncommittally.

"Since the time of Hulagu Ulus, the faith of this land has become very confused. Several generations of Hulagu Khans were Sunnis at one time and Shiites at another time, which led to the various Saracen sects intertwining and attacking each other."

"The purpose of our trip is to find the minority Saracens and try to establish contact with them to prevent the Safavid Order and the Aq Qoyunlu from becoming too powerful."

"When the Aq Qoyunlu conquered Persia, the arrogant Uzung Hassan would never continue peace with the Ottoman Empire. An alliance between our two countries is inevitable."

Marcus' eyes flickered.

"However, when attacking Anatolia, the Aq Qoyunlu has an advantage over us. If the Ottoman Empire is defeated, those Saracen forces will definitely move towards Uzung Hassan, who is also a Sunni, in order to avoid our attack."

"In this way, we went to great lengths to defeat the Ottomans, but instead cleared the way for them to take control of Anatolia."

"As for the relationship between the Safavids and the Aq Qoyunlu, according to your majesty, it is unlikely that they will fall out before Uzung Hasan dies."

"In order to curb the rise of Aries, we must act as soon as possible."

"We are just one of them. There is a larger caravan going south to look for the Mushasha Order."

Marcus sighed.

"It's really troublesome. Over the past few centuries, wave after wave of nomadic tribes have come from the east, disrupting the entire Persia and the Near East."

"Forget it, I'm just a guard, these things have nothing to do with me."

Juventus didn't quite understand and shook his head vigorously.

"Anyway, we own several important trade routes, and we have everything from gold, silver, and jewelry. If we continue to drag it out, they will never be our opponent."

As they were talking, the mountain road suddenly opened up and a small valley appeared in front of them. A stream flowed in the valley. There were some tents stationed beside the stream. Herdsmen were driving a few skinny cattle and sheep.

"Oh? How come there is a new tribe here? It's not marked on the map given by Trebizond."

Marcus took out the map and looked at it, feeling a little confused.

"This should be the winter pasture of a Turkmen tribe, but it's midsummer now, so no one should be coming here."

"From the looks of it, they must have fled here, and they are not just Turkmen tribesmen."

Juventus looked carefully and pointed to the tents in the distance.

"There are also many tents belonging to Armenians. I recognize this way of pitching tents. It is quite common in several Armenian settlements in North Africa."

"Okay, then we will meet them. The Saracens are quite protective of merchants. Besides, we still belong to Trebizond in name, and the King of Aries has granted us the right to trade freely."

Marcus nodded.

"Okay, they've already sent someone over. I'll gather the guards first."

The tribe in the distance had discovered the caravan and took quick action. Soon, a neatly arranged cavalry squad ran over.

"The troops are well-disciplined and very different from ordinary Turkmen tribes."

Juve commented.

"Oh no! Quickly form a battle line! There are emblems of the Koyonlu family on their armor. These are the remnants of the Black Sheep Dynasty!"

Marcus yelled.

Juventus frowned and was about to give an order when a familiar Greek voice came from afar.

"Comnenus merchants! Don't panic! We are not bandits!"

A voice came from afar, and the leader waved his hand, and the cavalry stopped abruptly.

"We are merchants from Trebizond! We come to the plateau to trade furs! Whose troops are you?"

Marcus shouted in Turkish.

"We were once a subordinate tribe of the Koyonlu family. Our leader died in battle, and we became homeless, so we fled here!"

The leader will raise his empty hands to show that he has no hostility.

"Our strengths are almost the same, there is no need to go to war. I need food and weapons. I can exchange them for furs!"

"My name is Zayd bin Arslan, and I swear on my honor that I will abide by the most ancient business rules and will never attack you!"

"Zayd? Or a so-called descendant of saints?"

Juve sneered and looked at Marcus.

"What should I do? Should I trust him?"

"They don't have many soldiers. Although their military appearance is acceptable, their weapons are relatively outdated and many of them are injured. They are no match for us."

Marcus thought about it and waved his hand to stop Juve.

"Don't worry about Zayd for now. There are so many people who claim to be descendants of the Prophet. Just treat him as a sheikh from a refugee tribe."

"The situation here is changing too fast. The intelligence Trebizond provided is obviously out of date. We can get some information from him."

Marcus said, turning to Arslan.

"I am Marcus Komnenos, a branch of the Komnenos of Trebizond. I am responsible for leading the caravan to trade. I don't have weapons, but I have some food. I can come in and trade with you, but I must bring guards equal to your number. This is the bottom line!"

Arslan talked with a few people around him, agreed to Marcus' request, and took him back to the stream.

There were already quite a few poor people gathered by the stream, some were Armenians, some were Turkmen, and they got along fairly well.

When the people saw the food on the backs of the animals, they cheered and shouted Arsalan's name.

Marcus frowned and winked at Juventus, who immediately understood and nodded at the guard following behind.

After leaving the trade matters to his subordinates, Arslan brought Marcus and Juventus to his own tent and hosted a banquet for them.

An old man came in, wearing a simple religious robe.

"Hello, dear brother. I am Father Mace Rob of Zod Village. We have escaped from the south and have nothing good to offer you."

The old man spoke fluent Greek.

"However, the food you brought solved our urgent needs. Thank you."

"An Armenian priest?"

Marcus looked at Mesrob and then turned to Arslan.

"A Turkmen leader who claims to be a descendant of Zayd?"

"How is this going?"

Arslan smiled and drank a glass of water.

"They signed a contract with me. I will protect them. It's as simple as that."

Seeing that Marcus was still very confused, Arslan sighed.

"I am not a Turkmen, I am from Baghdad, an orthodox Arab."

"My father was a tax collector for the Black Sheep Dynasty. Later, he was criticized and the whole family was scattered. My two brothers and I fled to the north and took refuge with a Turkmen tribe."

"That tribe was also a follower of Ali and was very friendly to me. The tribal sheikh handed the tribe over to me before he died."

"Later, the devastation of war forced us to move constantly, like a grain of sand drifting in the wind. My two younger brothers were also displaced, and they probably went to the east."

"Later, I gradually gained some reputation in the war. The Black Sheep King Jahan Shah summoned me and settled my tribe east of Lake Van. I also protected an Armenian village there." "I strictly implemented the teachings of the prophet and did not exploit Christians like other believers. I also married the daughter of a local elder, the niece of Father Mesrob, during our relationship."

"You can just marry a Christian?"

Juve snorted.

Arslan glanced at him and said lightly.

"In Allah's world, Christians and Hebrews are not untouchables; they are all People of the Book and worship the same One True God as we do."

"The Prophet has warned us not to marry anyone who does not believe in Allah, except Christians and Hebrews."

"We have always left a place for you in our world, but you always seem to regard us as a scourge."

"In all Muslim cities there were Christian and Hebrew settlements, but there were few Christian monarchs who would accept us."

"Heh, it was you who first invaded our land and robbed our people, and now you're pretending to be a good guy."

Juve curled his lips.

"You caused so much bloodshed in Syria, North Africa and Anatolia, but now you have completely forgotten it."

"That was done by apostates, especially that apostate Muawiyah."

Arslan said slowly.

"They have long forgotten the prophets' warnings and are arrogant. They are not the same kind of people as us."

"Muawiyah? Such a familiar name..."

Juve frowned and looked at Marcus.

"A general during the reign of the third caliph Osman, the governor of Syria, built a huge navy. His navy annihilated the fleet of the Eastern Empire in the Battle of the Masts, threatened Constantinople, and had the blood of countless people, including Arabs, on his hands."

Marcus said simply.

"Later, he came into conflict with the fourth caliph, Ali, and became the fifth caliph, founding the Umayyad dynasty after Ali's death."

"Please don't call this scum the caliph, he doesn't deserve the title."

Arslan looked at Marcus.

"Ali is the only legitimate leader designated by the Prophet's will. The others are usurpers."

Marcus raised his eyebrows and the corners of his mouth rose slightly.

"I didn't expect you to be a follower of Zaydi, and a radical one at that."

Marcus was a scholar and knew something about Islam.

Unlike the disputes among various Christian sects, the process of Islam's division directly tore off the gentle cloak of doctrinal conflicts, revealing its bloody essence.

Power struggle.

Simply put, after the death of Prophet Muhammad, a conflict over succession rights broke out between his Hashemite family and the great nobles of Mecca, which ultimately led directly to the division of Islam.

Shia means "followers" and they insist on blood ties and are staunch followers of the fourth Caliph Ali, the cousin, adopted son and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, believing that only Ali's descendants can rule.

The full name of Sunni is "Sunni and Popular Sect". It believes that the Prophet Muhammad did not stipulate blood succession, and anyone can become Caliph through election, but it soon became hereditary.

The number of Shiites has always been small and they have suffered from oppression by the Sunnis, so they are relatively united, but they are still divided into many small sects within the sect.

The Zaydi sect, also known as the Five Imams sect, is the followers of Zayd ibn Ali. They are relatively conservative, and some radicals do not recognize the legitimacy of the other three caliphs except Ali.

In addition to the Five-Imamate sect, Shia Islam also has a series of small sects such as the Seven-Imamate sect and the Twelve-Imamate sect.

Among these three mainstream sects, the Twelver Shiites are relatively moderate in theology and have more believers. Both the Safavid sect and the Mushasha sect belong to this sect.

Of course, this moderation is on the theological level. The Twelver Shiites, especially the current Safavid sect, have a very strong militaristic and theocratic color. They often launch jihads against Christians and massacre pagans and heretics.

"Yes, I strictly follow the teachings handed down by the Prophet. The Quran has clearly stated what should be done and what should not be done."

Arslan nodded.

"Before my Armenian wife died, she entrusted this village to me and asked me to protect them until they found a better home."

"Then how did you get driven here? King Uzon Hassan of Aries doesn't like you?"

Marcus asked.

"It's a long story. The Black Sheep King Jahan Shah was very kind to me, and I served him loyally until he was defeated and killed. Then I took my tribe back to Zod Village to graze."

Arslan shook his head bitterly.

"After Jahan Shah's death, Uzung Hasan began to conquer cities. He did not target the tribes that had pledged loyalty to Jahan Shah, but in order to fill military supplies, he allowed his subordinates to plunder the occupied areas."

"My tribe and this Armenian village became the hunting grounds of a nobleman named Aries. I was very angry and led my men to set an ambush and kill him."

“I later found out that he was the nephew of Uzon Hassan. My name, my tribe and my village were all on the wanted list.”

"So I took them to the north, where there weren't many Aries troops."

"Then why don't you follow Jahan Shah's descendants? You know, the only major country that still believes in Shia Islam is the Black Sheep Dynasty."

Juve asked.

"I have not pledged my loyalty to the descendants of Jahan Shah, nor have I signed any contract with them. I do not need to risk my life for them."

Arslan said seriously.

"I am a descendant of Zayd, and I am the group of people who are closest to the teachings of the Prophet, who admonished us to abide by contracts, whether in business or politics."

"Okay, whatever you want."

Juve said noncommittally.

"So, what about the Safavids? Uzon Hassan didn't suppress the Shia too much. Why didn't the Safavids protect you?"

"Safavids? Those lunatics."

Arslan said with disgust.

"They plundered everywhere, waged jihad all the time, and used killing and looting to win over those barbaric Turkmens."

"They have completely abandoned the teachings of the Prophet and have completely regarded Christians as untouchables. I am not one of them."

"According to the Prophet's teachings, Christians pay us taxes, so we should provide protection and uphold fairness and justice. This is what an orthodox Islamic monarch should do."

"However, judging from the current situation, they have probably forgotten all this and are busy fighting for power and profit."

"Besides, Uzung Hassan and the Safavids are actually using each other. The Safavids have been accumulating strength and will not allow other sects to compete with them for power."

Arslan sighed.

"So you don't want to fall into the hands of Uzung Hassan, nor do you want to ask for asylum from the Safavids. What are you going to do in the future?"

Marcus played with the pottery jar in his hand and looked at Arsalan.

"Who knows? With the food, we can move north again, to the border between Armenia and Georgia, and maybe we can get something."

Arslan said dully.

"It is impossible for Safavid's ideas to be accepted by everyone. I plan to expand my influence with my status, at least to gain the qualifications to negotiate with them."

"If it doesn't work, I'll go to Georgia and try. I heard they have a tradition of hiring pagan troops. Maybe I can get another contract."

"Aries' center of gravity is in the east, so the north is safe for now."

Marcus nodded and smiled casually.

"What is the current situation like? Is it any different than before?"

"The Aq Qoyunlu dynasty was advancing triumphantly, while the descendants of Jahan Shah were losing step by step. There is no difference."

Arslan said.

"If there is a difference, since there is conquest, there will definitely be people whose interests will be harmed. The Safavids cannot unite all of Ali's followers, and their despicable alliance with Sunni apostates has caused dissatisfaction among many people."

Arslan thought for a moment and glanced at Marcus.

"However, although the situation here is complicated, it is not something you can just meddle in. You don't have enough strength."

Marcus's expression froze, and he quickly smiled and waved his hands.

"Of course. We in Trebizond are weak and can only rely on the protection of Uzon Hassan. How could we possibly have such thoughts?"

Arslan smiled and shook his head.

"I'm not talking about Trebizond. They are not the masters behind you."

"Oh? I'm just a businessman, I don't have any master."

Marcus' expression remained unchanged.

"Then why are you, a Greek with a pure Constantinople accent, doing business here?"

Arslan chuckled.

"Has the gold and salt trade in North Africa been cut off? Is the trade in the Eastern Mediterranean no longer profitable? Has the ocean trade been banned?"

"There are so many ways to make money, but you came here. If not for intelligence, what else could it be?"

As he said that, Arslan threw the cup in his hand and hit Juventus like lightning.

boom--

The water cup broke into several pieces. Juve put down the knife and looked at Arslan angrily.

"What are you doing? You want to start a war?!"

Arslan ignored him and stared at Marcus.

"There are no such warriors in Trebizond."

"The guards you brought are well-equipped, highly motivated, and well-trained. Ordinary small tribes are no match for you."

"I have seen the soldiers in Trebizond. They can't be called soldiers at all. They are just a bunch of scoundrels who eat and wait to die."

"There are only two Greek-speaking countries along the Mediterranean coast today. Since you are not from Trebizond, the answer is obvious."

"It seems that although you say you want to be allies with Uzon Hassan, you don't really trust him in your heart."

Marcus still kept smiling and said nothing.

"The Aq Qoyunlu is too weak to contain the Ottoman Empire. If they are too strong, they may become the next Ottoman Empire. While you are fighting the Ottoman Empire in the west, we can take the opportunity to march into Anatolia and quickly become powerful."

Arslan continued.

"And the Safavid sect. Everyone underestimates them. One day they will grow into a tiger."

"I have heard their teachings, and in this land, that teaching is very attractive, and they will only grow stronger."

"If the Ottoman Empire collapses, whether it is the Aq Qoyunlu or the Safavids who rise, your eastern Anatolia will not have a moment of peace."

"So, what do you want to say by telling us this?"

Marcus asked slowly.

"It's too early to say that now. You should continue to do business in the south and see if you can find other tribes willing to resist the Aq Qoyunlu and the Safavids. If there are any, try to persuade them to come to the north to find me."

Arslan stood up and waved.

"I will go to the Georgian border to build up my strength so that we can perhaps cooperate in the future."

"Cooperation? Why do you deserve that?"

Juventus snorted and turned his head to the side.

"You can't cause much trouble to the Aries Dynasty."

"Without outside help, we will fail, no matter what."

Arslan said.

"But I think your emperor would never want to see a unified and fanatical behemoth appear in the east, and he will definitely try his best to slow down the pace of the Aq Qoyunlu or the Safavid Order in the future."

"It's too early to talk about this now. Let's talk about it later."

Marcus nodded and stood up.

"The goods have been exchanged, and it's time for us to leave."

Under the watchful eyes of Arsalan and the Armenian priests, Marcus and Juventus left the tent, counted the caravan, walked out of the valley, and continued to move south.

"Marcus, you don't really believe what Arslan said, do you?"

Seeing Marcus lost in thought, Juventus couldn't help but ask.

"Although their sect is somewhat different from other Saracen sects, it is still a pagan religion after all. We must completely eliminate them and leave no room for them!"

"There are so many pagans in the Near East. Can you eliminate them all?"

Marcus frowned and shook his head.

"Strike the main enemy, subdue the secondary enemies, and assimilate the others. This is the basis of our rule over Anatolia."

"While attacking the Sunni sect, Your Majesty generally tries to win over and divide the other small sects. This is the case with Emir Mzab, who believes in the Ibadi sect in the southern border region."

"I was originally planning to find the Safavids and rely on the power of the Shiites to stop the Sunnis, but now it seems that the Safavids are a religious organization that is even more extreme than the Sunnis. There is absolutely no possibility of compromise between us."

"Arsalan's idea is not bad. Since Christians can pay protection fees in exchange for their asylum, can the roles be reversed?"

"There are extreme Saracens as well as moderate ones. Perhaps they can be divided and disintegrated."

"Perhaps, we can gradually baptize these moderates into Orthodox Christians."

"The Zaydis are very special. They can be said to be the most primitive Saracens. There is no such thing as false conversion or regret later in life. Once you make a decision, you are truly converted."

"We'll see later. It's really complicated. Your Majesty has to make the decision yourself."

Marcus shook his head.

"Well, after this trip, I will never come to the Near East again. I will be bullied everywhere."

Juve looked annoyed.

"Haha, we are not being bullied. They need us now, and we have absolute right to choose."

Juve grinned.

"We can support whatever Saracen sect we think is suitable for our rule."

"Let's go to the south and have a look. Maybe there are better options."

The caravan continued on its journey, and the sound of bells echoed along the ancient mountain path.

Where they couldn't see, a young man was asking for his resignation from his uncle and father-in-law, preparing to follow his father's example, lead the sect and organize a holy war.

His name was Haydar Safavid, the sixth leader of the Safavid Order.

After that, he and Uzohn Hasan's daughter will give birth to an extraordinary child, who has the blood of the Palaiologos, Komnenos, Bagration and Uzohn Hasan families, but he never cares about these. He firmly believes that he is a messenger of God and will lead the Shiite Safavid Order to the true peak.

The child's name was Ismail.

(End of this chapter)