Constantinople
Around the court of the Sultan some thought he was French, others Italian and a small group was sure he was Austrian, but all called him friend. Well, at least they liked his gold. He paid well for rumor and innuendo. At the moment, however, there was more fact than anything else. Egypt had fallen hard and the Sultan was now picking up the pieces bit by bit. What had not been won with the sword would fall for other reasons. His influence was spreading up the Nile and west along the coast to Tripoli. The hand of Beyazid II was at work in the Balkans too. New taxes on non Muslims were coupled with increased pressure to convert to the One True Religion. Even the war against Hungary had been quite successful for such little effort.
The Coast of West Africa
Sunni Ali was quite pleased as he watched the three small ships sail past his viewing station on the hill overlooking a small harbor. The lateen sailers were small, but quite sea worthy and could maneuver nicely in the shallow waters of the coast. The king beamed! The world was his. Had he been a younger man he would sail all the way to the far off Scotland and greet all the people who lived there and give them gold. The small Scottish fort was off to the north and beyond that out of sight a slightly larger Portuguese one. These strangers had brought much change to Songhai and it was a struggle to master so many new things. Ships had been one thing, but metal working for weapons was another. Spears and daggers could surely kill a man, but the Harquebus of these foreigners was a fearsome weapon and he wanted them. He had bought some, but his craftsmen still had not mastered the art of making them. These European men were hungry for gold and he had plenty; he just had to use it wisely. Both fort leaders had asked for more land to provide for the soldiers and whXXXZOMGoes who lived in the forts, but Sunni Ali had been careful and only granted a few acres of good farmland. Sometimes these fair skinned visitors make him nervous.
Off the coast of Pulau Selatan
Pulau Seletan was a dry place. The wet coast had been a deceptive lure. Abu Jabar had found a river mouth for his first settlement that was quite suitable for a small fort. But inland the land was dry and hot for as far as they could go. It was a barren land inhabited by lizards, birds, thorny plants and little else. The peninsula to the west was much the same: a wet coast with hot dry desert stretching far to the south. Abu knew this place would never be a great city, but for now it could be a base for resupply and repair to and from some better place he was sure he could find. Fresh water and fishing seemed the best that Melaka Baru would have to offer.
Bangka Island Indonesia
From his small house overlooking the harbor Wu Kuan could keep easy track of what was happening in the busy port. Ships from all over stopped to load, unload, resupply and repair. Little escaped his sharp eyes and the ears of his contacts throughout the colony. His daughter Wu Meiying who as a child had loved to listen as he talked with captains and sailors from the four corners of the known world, now contributed. At 20 she could speak four languages, sail a ship, negotiate profitable deals and even command a crew (if a big man stood beside her).
Kuan and Mei Mei (as he called her) had been reviewing the news so that they could plan their next trading voyages. They were relieved to hear that Japan had settled down and that all rebellion had been crushed by Shogun Ashikaga. More interesting though was the expansion of Japanese territory onto the northern island of Hokkaido. It was a land rich in furs and timber and waters full of fish, crabs and other creatures of the sea. The Lords who had been loyal in the recent trouble had been granted large tracts and they were encouraging peasants to travel north to settle in this virgin land. Already its riches were filling the coffers of the Shogun. Mei Mei noted too, that three Indian vessels had stopped at Bangka recently. They were seeking the Nippon and the islands of the rising sun. They did sail north.
China, his homeland, was undergoing even more changes. The Emperor was raising taxes and few were happy with that. Many factions were grumbling as perceived changes in the balance of power came to light. Even the bureaucrats were complaining that trying to increase taxes without expanding the administrative offices of the government was foolhardy. Abu guessed that everything they were trying to collect in new taxes went into someones pocket. The Yangtze had run high for two consecutive springs and the death toll had been huge and central China was in turmoil once again. Floods and taxes bred unrest. The new Chinese colony in Ceylon was well established and ship traffic was even semi regular. An embassy was sent to King Parakramabahu VII to establish formal relations and if the rumors were correct, an alliance of some sort to protect the island from the evil eye of King Raya. Kuans contacts werent sure it was working though. Mei Mei thought that the Malaccans would put a stop to all the Chinese shipping if they could not tax it for profit. The failed Chinese attempt to establish a fort on Java made the Ceylon enterprise even more iffy. A formal Chinese presence there would be resisted vigorously it seems. Regardless, Bangka Island was a thriving port. It was growing rich off the spice trade from the east and as a trading point for moving the coveted tastes west and north.
Samarqand
After moving his capital to Samarqand and rebuilding the city, Samarqand flourished and trade from the east flowed into the city once again. But further expansion was on Baburs mind. He invaded Transoxia and restored the ancient heritage of Timur in all his conquered lands. The Uzbeks stirred and settled their differences and borders with the Afghani and the Safavids and turned their eyes to the east and watched.
Mughals: -2390 men
Ramadan 1506, Delhi
Tonight, the last night of the holy month, fast was to be broken in a great feast for all the lords of Delhi. Barbak Shah and Alam Shah would join Sikander Shah in a show of unity and reconciliation. The Sultanate would prosper in the conquest of its enemies. Merwan , wandered the great dining hall in the guise of a servant of Barbak Shah. The stage was set and he was making sure that the play would end correctly. His master did not believe that Sikanders call for unity was genuine. Barbak Shah knew that the impending war with Rajput would provide too many opportunities for treachery; it would be best to cut the head off the snake early and sleep and peacefully at night. Ramadan was sacred and Sikander would feel secure in his own palace, but the presenting of a gift, and an act of fealty and submission would provide the chance to change history and put his master on the throne of all India. He only needed to get close, just out of arms reach and the deed would be done. Sikander Shah would preside over his last feast tonight. As he stood with his back to the place where Sikander would be sitting, he noted a pattern in the carpet. This was all the closer he needed to be. With the passivity of a servant he moved toward the door and departed.
Three hours later Merwan stood outside the hall waiting to be called in. The gift was carefully wrapped in fine silk and held in his left hand. His right arm, under his sleeve, was burdened with a different weight. Commotion in the hall drew his attention and he moved to where he could see inside. Alam Shah was face down into his meal. Knives flashed and slashed across the throats of the servants and body guards who held allegiance to Alam or Barbak. Merwans eyes, though, were on his master. With his guards dead, a warrior jerked the would-be-king upright and slit his throat. The blood spurted across the table as Barbak Shah convulsed and died. Then the screaming began. Merwan turned and ran for the kitchens where he might escape, but the sword of a man he never saw, spilled his guts in the hall adding to the mess that would need to be cleaned up in the morning.
Some weeks later in a matter little noted, by even those with sharp eyes, a foreigner, looking like he was from the east arrived at the former palace of Barbak Shah. His mule was heavily laden and his attire nice, but well traveled. His inquiry at the gate brought a puzzled look and then the gate was closed sharply in his face. After a moment the stranger turned back into the city and disappeared.
With his throne firmly in hand, Sikander Shah prepared to rule all India. It would be his now and there was nothing to stop him. He ordered a census of his lands to begin and learned men to standardize the weights and measures used by tradesmen and traders. Gold flowed from the royal treasury to build roads and prepare for war. At Paniput a fortress was begun as was one in the Kyber pass. Afghan mercenaries and tribal warriors were recruited. Jatt and Pashtun arrived ready for war. In 1508 they marched south to Rajput.
Far beyond the sound of Delhi war drums, in the hot lands of the south King Raya also prepared for war. Part of that preparation was the grand marriage of Prince Tirumalai to Berar Princess Bibi Meriem. With the thrones united an alliance followed. The war in Ceylon continued unabated with 5000 men on a relentless push to force the stubborn King Parakramabahu into capitulation. Perhaps the rumors of Chinese support were true. But war in Ceylon was not the only conquest Raya planned.
Every effort was made to secure the knowledge of new weaponry from Ottomans and Safavids. Traders set up shop in Aden and Hormuz. And the army trained. In 1509 the attack burst upon Bijapur like a monsoon storm. 11,000 troops and 14 cannon attacked. Goa fell and the army moved north towards Bijapur city itself. Less than 6000 men would oppose them. Three weeks into the campaign word came that Ahmadnagar had joined the fight and was marching south. Raya didnt know whose side they were on, but felt confident he would be victorious. As it turned out Ahmadnagar was on their own side and was merely taking advantage of Bijapurs difficulty. Bijapur was lost, defeated north and south. All her land swallowed by her attackers who faced off in an uneasy truce.
Vijayanagar losses
Bijapur attack: -2687 men and 11 cannon
Ceylon attack: -223 men
Indus Valley 1510
In a cave along the Indus Rana Sangra had been hiding for weeks with his wife, two of his six children and a handful of devoted soldiers. His father had made his stand outside Chitor with over 11,000 men and elephants. Delhi had about the same and the battle could have gone either way had not another 10,000 men from Gujarat shown up; and they were not backing Rajput. An even fight turned into a rout and total destruction. His father was slain and most likely that proud head adorned the city gate. Sangra didnt know for sure though, he had fled with what family he could pull together. He needed to stay alive. The hand of Delhi was heavy and there would be those who would follow his call to reclaim the crown of his father. Tonight they would move again. He had friends in Kandahar if they could get there.
Delhi: -1936 men and 1 cannon (725 are losses taken by mercenary troops)
Gujarat: -770 men
Rajput: conquered, Sangra Rana still at large
