I was the Queen of Persia

Page 128

"Oh no! Oh no! His Majesty, the incarnation of God, has vanished without a trace while on a tour in the countryside!"

The shouts of the officials and servants suddenly resounded throughout the palace, spreading to neighborhoods, streets, and alleys. They were particularly jarring in the quiet night, waking people from their sleep.

Such a momentous event inevitably caused widespread panic, but before the citizens of Cairo could recover from their shock, the sound of galloping hooves echoed through the streets, accompanied by countless torches illuminating the night sky.

The citizens of Cairo were terrified. Doors were tightly shut, and the bolder ones peeked through cracks in their windows. They saw a fully armed army controlling the streets and alleys, with warhorses and camels neighing incessantly. Those familiar with the place recognized it as the Berber army stationed at the fortress outside Cairo.

Meanwhile, in an inn in Cairo, there were spies from a merchant caravan planted by the Samanid Empire. The huge commotion immediately alerted these vigilant intelligence gatherers. They carefully observed the situation and the current events, and after daybreak, they made inquiries from various sources in secret. Finally, they compiled a detailed intelligence report and quietly sent it back to Iran.

Before long, this intelligence was presented on Shahzani's desk—

"The Fatima prince Hakim disappeared while riding a donkey in the wilderness near Cairo at night. After several days of searching, he was nowhere to be found, with only his donkey and some fragments of blood-stained clothing discovered. His followers believed he had ascended to heaven and become a saint, and thus called him the 'Hidden Imam'..."

"...However, after analysis, we believe that this is the result of internal struggles within the Fatima regime. The most suspicious party is the Berber warlord who actually controls the military."

"...This major upheaval has caused an uproar in Fatima. It is reported that various undisclosed forces, including the Hakkawi Blackblade Cult, are already stirring."

Close the secret report.

Shahzani knew that in her previous life's timeline, Hakim had indeed mysteriously disappeared while wandering in the countryside, never to be seen again, neither alive nor dead. And now, a strikingly similar event had occurred in this timeline, only a few years earlier.

It seems the big one is coming soon.

“Hehe, no rush.” Shahzani smiled knowingly. “Let them fight amongst themselves for a while longer.”

Chapter 301 The Fall of the Fatima Dynasty (2)

As the years passed and the seasons changed, the internal strife within the Fatima dynasty continued.

Shahzani has ample time to leave the front lines and tour the provinces, allowing him to quietly await the collapse of Fatima without delaying his efforts in development and construction.

Leaving Syria, they toured the provinces and counties of Iraq, Fars, Yazd, Kerman, Sistan, South Khorasan, Semnan, and Ra'ibah.

While touring, he guided local governors and prefects on infrastructure projects, such as where to build new reservoirs, where to expand irrigation wells and canals, where bazaars needed repair, where to build windmills and mills, where to add schools and hospitals, where to widen trade routes and official roads, and where to assign new caravan stations... In short, all of these were daily matters related to farming and management.

At the same time, she continued to monitor domestic developments within the Fatimid dynasty. Leveraging her superior intelligence-gathering mechanisms and the country's well-developed postal and road network, she promptly received the latest information.

The intelligence reports from the spies continued to arrive on Shahzani's desk, describing the deteriorating political situation in Fatima.

Shahzani, combining intelligence, continuously summarized and analyzed the development of the situation:

……

Initially, Berber tribal warlords seized control of the national government and installed one of Hakim's cousins ​​as king. However, within five months, the Berber warlords deposed him and installed Hakim's youngest son as king, who then monopolized power.

Hakim's sister attempted to stage a coup, and to this end, she contacted the Druze elders who remained in Egypt. When the time was right, she launched the uprising.

However, the Druze armed forces, though possessing religious fervor, had few followers and rudimentary weapons. They were no match for the Berber warlords who controlled the army. The uprising lasted for three months but ultimately ended in failure. A large number of Druze followers were slaughtered and purged. Hakim's sister was stripped naked and beaten to death with slippers by a group of female slaves, and her body was thrown into the sewer.

But that wasn't the end of it. The Mashrik military group, which had also suffered suppression in the past, seized the opportunity during the lull in the crisis to stage a strong comeback and engage in even more intense infighting and slaughter with the Berber warlords (the Maghreb military group).

From 1014 to 1015 AD, civil war continued.

As the war spread, civilians were killed and wounded, vast tracts of fertile land were turned into wasteland, and even Cairo was not spared. Al-Izhar University, which had a large collection of books, was also destroyed and looted.

The civil war ended with the destruction of the Mashrik Group, but the Berber warlords were also severely weakened as a result.

Just then, the Black Blade Cult, which had been lurking in the shadows, began to incite its followers to rebel. Due to the devastation of war and famine, more impoverished farmers, suffering from hunger and cold, were lured into joining them, and the Black Blade Cult quickly amassed a vast army.

Ultimately, the Blackblade sect conquered Egypt, driving the Berber warlords to the distant Ifrikiyah and Maghreb; the Haqqavi became the de facto rulers of Egypt, slaughtering and expelling the Fatimid Shiites.

The Fatima dynasty, which dominated North Africa, thus came to an end.

……

Time flew by and it came to the year 1016 AD.

Shahzani learned that after Haqqavi seized power in Egypt, he acted perversely, not only imposing heavy zakat taxes on Egyptian farmers and merchants, but also waging war and expanding his army, intending to invade the Christian kingdom of Makuria to the south.

The Christian kingdoms centered around Maculia were what was known in classical times as "Nubia".

During the Middle Ages, with the infiltration and introduction of Christianity, the Nubians gradually converted to the belief in God and formed several Christian kingdoms, among which Makuria was the most powerful.

In the early stages of the Islamic expansion, Nubia, taking advantage of its geographical location, fought a back-and-forth battle with the Arabs and maintained its independence.

However, by the 10th century AD, Egyptian Muslims had increasingly penetrated the Christian world of Nubia.

The Haqqavi Blackblade sect is a rather extreme and fanatical Muslim force. Coupled with Egypt's years of civil war and economic devastation, the newly seized power group was eager to plunder wealth, so it set its sights on the relatively wealthy Christian kingdom of Nubia.

"This is the perfect time to launch a campaign!"

Shahzani immediately decided to seize the opportune moment when Egypt was vulnerable and launch a westward expedition.

With its strong mobilization capabilities and well-developed postal system, the Samanid Empire did not take long to amass sufficient troops, weapons, and provisions on the front lines in Palestine and Sinai.

Bahramu, Nasita, Khoslu, and Tahmina each led their respective armies.

Upon reaching the Sinai Peninsula isthmus, a scout reported: "The main force of the Haqqavi army is still invading Nubia in the south, and the garrison left in Egypt is quite small."

Shahzani was overjoyed and marched his army into the fertile oasis of Lower Egypt with great fanfare, just as Pawiz (Khosla II) had done four hundred years earlier.

At this time, Egypt's ability to resist external enemies was severely weakened due to the wars it had suffered.

Iranian troops then advanced rapidly, encountering little resistance, and captured the town of Bazhai near Cairo, annihilating a large number of Haqqavi soldiers.

The siege of Cairo was quickly put on the agenda. Shahzani knew that the siege needed to be swift and decisive; capturing the capital would greatly weaken the will to resist among the Haqqavi garrisons throughout the country. Chinese and Iranian engineers worked day and night to forge heavy weaponry and equip their troops with gunpowder weapons.

With everything in place, Shahzani decisively ordered an attack on the city.

Nasita volunteered to lead the vanguard. Under her command, the heavily armored Khwarazmian and Sogdian warriors charged into battle, and the fierce Ros-Slavic warriors also rallied to their aid.

Rocket tanks, incendiary grenades, and gravity-propelled boulders unleashed their fury upon the city walls.

Under the cover of long-range weapons, the Chinese engineering battalion dug numerous forward trenches, continuously supplying troops and damaging the foundation of the city wall.

The reserve teams then advanced in an orderly and alternating manner.

Cairo’s walls are indeed tall and sturdy, but if a slow, methodical siege is adopted, it would probably take at least a year and a half to take it down.

However, Shahzani, with the aid of advanced weaponry and powerful tactics, adopted a multi-pronged approach to the siege. Under this fierce offensive, Cairo's outer walls were breached in just three days, its inner walls in just one week, and the entire city fell in just over ten days.

Seeing that all was lost, the defending general led his remaining troops out of the inner fortress and surrendered to the Samanid army. Shahzani's red banners fluttered above the city walls.

After consolidating their hold on Cairo, Shahzani's army swept across the land, swiftly eliminating resistance in various regions and ultimately taking control of all of Egypt.

Following the fall of the Fatimid dynasty, the short-lived Haqqavi regime in Egypt also collapsed. Shah's army of Iran drank from the Nile River, realizing once again a long-held ambition of Iranian emperors since Khosrow.

Chapter 302 Drinking from the Nile River

The Samanid army had taken control of the Egyptian region, and Shahzani visited Cairo to inspect the city, which had been ravaged by war in recent years.

The city is indeed enormous, with Egyptian-style domes and elliptical arches standing side by side, creating a magnificent sight. Only a few major cities in Iran can match its size. However, due to the destruction caused by the war, many of the city's facilities have suffered considerable damage.

Shahzani immediately ordered the army to take over the city and communities according to their organization and to engage in post-war reconstruction work. In view of the famine currently breaking out in Cairo, he also ordered a large amount of food to be transported from Asian provinces to provide emergency relief.

“This is the limitation of this ancient civilization!” Shahzani said with emotion as she looked at the long line of starving people.

She knew that as an ancient country deeply nourished by the Nile River, Egypt's historical development had two main characteristics:

First, the lower limit is low. As long as the Nile River provides a continuous water source, the oases along its banks will never lack harvests. In fact, thanks to the fertile soil brought by the Nile's erosion, the yield per acre is also relatively high. With this accumulation of resources, civilization could emerge here relatively early.

Secondly, the upper limit is also low. Apart from the narrow Nile River basin, the rest of the region is barren desert. Almost all the people and livestock are concentrated in the oases along the river, which can easily lead to overpopulation and trigger the "Malthusian trap," causing war, famine, and plague, thus hindering the further development of civilization.

Based on the productivity levels of the agricultural era, Egypt could only support a population of 300-400 million at most; anything more than that would be dangerous.

“Only by improving productivity can this situation be changed,” Shahzani asserted.

She planned to further develop the economy by building roads, constructing water conservancy projects, and reclaiming deserts more extensively after the Nile River basin's economy recovered, while maintaining stable order.

Egypt's reconstruction is gradually getting back on track.

……

The largest market in Cairo.

Thanks to the restoration of order, commerce and trade have flourished once again. At this moment, the market is bustling with people, goods are lined up in rows, and buying and selling are in full swing.

In a corner stall, large quantities of goods were being unloaded from camel backs, and a group of merchants who had come from out of town to do business were sitting cross-legged on a carpet, chatting with each other.

"Now this place is under Persian rule! But... the Persian ruler is a woman, and most of their officials and soldiers are also women! God above! Isn't this against religious rules and morality?"

"Who cares who rules! As long as we have enough to eat and wear, she is the most benevolent protector of Muslims!"

“Yes, I agree with you. How miserable were our lives not long ago when Haqqavi (may Allah send him to Hellfire!) ruled here?”

“Back then, we had to pay huge taxes when we went into town to buy and sell, and we were also frequently whipped by the Dagazi and religious police! God above! Those scoundrels would take our goods without paying, until they had squeezed us dry!”

“I agree. In comparison, Iran’s religious police are so kind. Although they are strict, they are also very fair and don’t extort money or bribes like Hakawi’s lackeys!”

"Moreover, during the reign of Hakkawi, the clowns, dancers, and actors on the streets disappeared without a trace. The once bustling streets were deserted. Music, dance, and poetry were all banned. Everyone had to perform endless prayers and sing those damned doctrines!"

"Yes. If you leave Cairo, you will find that large tracts of farmland are abandoned, roads are in poor condition, the wealth of officials and common people has plummeted, and even the once prosperous gold and silver mines have been abandoned!"

“Alas! In short, we had nothing during the reign of Haqqavi (may that damned villain suffer eternal torment in hellfire!), but now the just Persian Empress has arrived and will give us what we have lost.”

……

He who wins the hearts of the people wins the world; he who loses the hearts of the people loses the world.

Because Haqqavi's rule was characterized by tyranny and perverse policies, offending all levels of Egyptian society—nobles, priests, officials, merchants, and peasants—it was only natural that his monstrous regime would collapse so quickly.

His "state" is a theocratic state, and Shahzani's state is also a theocratic state. They are both theocratic regimes, so why is there such a big difference?

Ultimately, it comes down to the influence of the nation's cultural heritage. A stateless and rootless extremist armed adventurer like Haqqavi can only lead to extremist groups like the Black Blade sect; they lack the capacity to govern a mature nation for the long term, and are incomparable to Iran's millennia-old history and civilization.

Shahzani consolidated his control over Egypt, made a brief visit to the Great Pyramids near Cairo, and then returned home.

……

After more than a month, the army returned to the long-lost capital, Jahan Shahr. Officials and citizens alike lined the roadside to welcome the triumphant army with flowers and naan bread. Shahzani's prestige continued to rise rapidly.

It's that time of year again for Muslims to pray.

Since the Kaaba's black stone has been transported to Iran and placed in a mosque outside Jahanshahr, this grand imperial capital has newly become a holy city in the Islamic world.

Islamic pilgrims from all over the world flocked to the empire—Iranians, Indians, Turks, Romans, Arabs, Bedouins, Berbers, and many more—making the roads and post stations throughout the empire bustling with activity and presenting a scene of prosperity and strength.

With the war over, the ascetic, austere life could finally come to a temporary end.

Shahzani returned to her magnificent palace, changed into a light and beautiful gauze dress, poured herself a glass of fine fermented fruit juice, had exquisite henna patterns painted on her toes, and comfortably lay down on soft cushions and pillows. Behind the shimmering, ornate curtains, barefoot and veiled dancers swayed gracefully, court poets recited poems of feasting and lyricism, and court musicians provided beautiful and melodious ensembles.

This is the life of a qualified Persian ruler: capable of enduring the hardships of military campaigns, swords and coarse barley bread, while also enjoying the pleasures of a life of sensual pleasures, luxury, and companionship with poets, dancers, and clowns.

The immense contribution of territorial expansion elevated Shahzani's prestige to new heights. At this time, the Samanid Empire was powerful and glorious, its army was fierce and skilled in battle, and all sectors of society were thriving.

Poets wholeheartedly sang praises to Her Majesty the Queen, even placing her reputation above that of ancient Iranian emperors.

"May the Emperor's rule last forever! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

"May the Shah of Iran prosper forever! Long live Iran! Immortal Iran!"

The people's praises resounded throughout the provinces and counties of the Samanid Empire.

Volume VI Iran-Turkic Wars

Chapter 303 The New "Turkic Empire"

1020 AD, Persian year 389.

That year, the Samanid Empire of Iran continued its path of strength and glory, but in the middle of the year, an unfortunate event stirred the hearts of patriots—

Ferdowsi, the great author of the Shahnameh, the noble Iranian poet, the immortal poet who single-handedly saved Iran with Persian, and a native of Tus, passed away peacefully at the age of 80.

For a time, the entire Samanid Empire was plunged into deep sorrow and grief.

With a heavy heart, Shahzani held a grand state funeral for Ferdowsi, the scale of which was comparable to that of famous kings and generals in history.

On the day of mourning, the streets were deserted as grieving men and women, dressed in solemn black, formed an endless crowd. They chanted mournful verses about Prince Shavash's sacrifice and wept incessantly to commemorate this great poet.

Shahzani personally carried the coffin for the great man. She wore a black chadol, was barefoot, and her face was filled with endless remembrance. Two lines of tears slid down her resolute and beautiful face. In this world, she was over forty years old, yet she still exuded the mature and beautiful charm of a young woman.

Ferdowsi's mausoleum is located on the outskirts of Jahanshahr, surrounded by red flowers and green trees in a square Persian garden. The garden paths are arranged symmetrically, and a central fountain flows with water. The walls of the main hall are covered with reliefs depicting figures from the Book of Kings. The powerful ancient Iranian warriors on the reliefs will forever guard this "immortal soul".

To commemorate the poet's immortal achievements, Shahzani declared this place a holy site for pilgrims from all over to pay their respects.

……

The passing of great figures is certainly a tragedy, but their achievements will be forever remembered in history, and future generations will follow in their footsteps and continue to move forward bravely.

After a forty-day period of mourning, the Iranian Samanid Empire gradually recovered from the grief of losing its poetic soul. The national system continued to function normally, and social development continued to flourish.