Cordoba - Following the defeat of the Almohads in the battle of al-Iqab (Navas de Tolosa) in 1212, the Muslim Kingdoms and Emirates were soon threatened by the advancing Christian armies attempting to 'liberate' central and southern Iberia, which had become Muslim at the high tide of expansion in the eighth century. In that hour of crisis, a Warrior Monk by the name of Mohammed al-Ahmar (The first Nasrid) captured by the force of arms the cities of Granada and Seville, where he proclaimed a new regime , and initiated a series of military reforms aimed at stopping the already-weakening tide of Christian warriors.After a few decise battles against the various Christian armies assembled against him, he was able to lift the siege from Cordoba.Upon entering the city he relocated his administration to the Rusafa and declared his Kingship over all of al-Andalus .The fact that this took place a single generation after the collapse of the nearby Kingdom of France may have been Cordoba's saving grace - the resulting turmoil distracted Cordoba's enemies, including the famed Breton mercenaries, during this critical period. In the fourteenth century, at Cordoba's low tide, the Christians made significant progess toward Christianizing central Iberia, including the important cities of Barcelona, Lisbon, and so on. However, beginning in the closing decade of the century, Cordoba returned to the offensive under the leadership of Sultan Mohammed al-Gani, and these cities quickly fell back into Muslim hands with the Christian nobility fleeing to the north - in some cases, as far as Eire. As the fifteenth century opened, only four Iberian states - Porto, Leon, Asturias and Navarra - remained between the Sultan's territories and those of the disorganized independent duchies of southwestern Gaul. Those duchies were once threatened by Muslim troops (In the eighth century "high tide era", at the Battle of Poitiers) and, Allah willing, may be less able to resist this time.
Caliphate - Following the death of the Prophet Mohammed the Muslim Ummah was divided as to how they would choose his successor.Most wanted a republican-like 'Caliphate' whereby the best amongst the candidates would be proclaimed Caliph of Islam.Another, more marginal group demanded that only the House of the Prophet would rule.The tension soon broke out after the ascension of Ali on the throne of the Caliphate, the nephew of the Prophet Mohammed.Muwaiya, the Ummayed rebelled against him, and soon enough, Ali was disposed by the triumphant Muwaiya - though he incured the spite of much of the Muslim community.The Ummayed house would rule for a century, conquering vast tracts of land , though their achievments would not give them penance from the restive populace.The Abbasid house made a bid for revolt, and succesfully emerged victorious after the Kufa rebellion in 172 AH.Ruling a vast dominion spanning Egypt, eastern Anatolia, and Persia the Abbasids maintained a political and economic mastery over the whole of the Middle east.The dynasty reached the pinnacle of it's glory during the 8th century under the illuminous rule of Harun ar-Rashid.However, the Abbasids soon came under the domination of the Turks sweeping from the east, followed by a wave of Orgiz Conquerers.The arrival of the Mongols, who were determined to destroy the Caliphate, was a waking call.The famous battle of Ayen al-Bugdadiya saw the repulsion of the Mongol Hordes and a primal revival in the Abbasid Caliphate.Though the Caliphate emerged battered and broken, the following century would see the Kingdom reviving economically and fragmenting politically.With the Crusaders to her west,the Byzantines to her North, and the heirs of the tartars to her east, the Caliphate became the central figure in the Islamic awakening - a spiritual stronghold of Islam amidst a sea of disbelief.
Hedjaz - Emerging as a weakened state from the wreckage of the great battle of Bugdadiya, the Abbasid Caliphate was unable to exercise any control over the rebellious Sharif family of Mecca, who immediatly took the route of independence.Healing from the wounds of the bloody Mongol conquest, the Abbasids soon re-affirmed their spiritual hold over the Hedjaz as Masters of Islam.
Egypt - In 1250 the Mameluks replaced the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt and their first dynasty, the Bahri (Sea) dynasty would rule Egypt for the next 130 years. Named for their barracks on Roda Island, the Bahri Mameluks.Being fit to fight any enemy, the Mameluks were not fit for ruling. Their period was known for many revolts from the egyptian population and it only became worse. Although having a few successful sultans Nasser Mohamed Ben Qalawoon being one of them, the final blow came in the middle of the 14th Century with the Black Death. Turmoil continued under his sons and relatives, who were in general ineffectual or incompetent. The only one of his ten sons that ruled after Nasir and managed to leave anything behind is Hasan. He built what is still possibly the most impressive madrasa in Cairo, which is the Mosque of Sultan Hasan. The Madrasa-mosque is considered to be the finest existing monument in Egyptian architecture. The body of Hasan lies in a marble tomb inside the mosque. None of Nasir's sons reigned for long. The Mameluke emirs kept murdering the sultans as one faction would become more superior than another. Lacking strong sultans to control them, the Bahri (Sea) and Burgi (Tower) Mamelukes were continually at loggerheads, using their local wars as excuses to plunder the civilian populations. In 1382 an egyptian general, Faruq, took the throne and forcefully crushed what was left of the Bahris and Burgis. Instead Faruq became the head of the new al-Sharay dynasty. Even if the Bahris and Burgis were crushed, the Mameluks had not lost all their power and were still a large part of the army.
Yemen - Yemen's strategic location and its importance as a commercial center long made it a coveted conquest for its rapacious neighbors. Muslim Arabs held the region since the the 7th century.The Imams of the numerous Yemeni dynasties - the Ruslids and Bazluks had always been supportive of the Caliph, perhaps due to the fact that they needed protection from their more greedy neighbours in Oman.Even after the devestating battle of Ayen al-Bugdadiya they remained loyal to the Abbasids - an indispensible tool to the crown of Abbas.
Oman - Virtually cut off from the rest of the Arabian Peninsula by vast deserts, the Omani developed their own culture and skewed version of Islam.They declared that the Abbasid hold on the Caliphal title was invalid, citing religious scripture as proof.Mostly for political gain, the Omani Sultans cultivated their animosity to the Abbasid Caliphate by forcefully conquering the al-Hassa region and the island of Bahrien during the Mongol invasion.The Sultan of Oman Abu Lurd even approached the Khan Hulagu in hope of establishing a worthwhile alliance.Attacking the city of Basrah, the Omani Sultan had hoped for support from the Khanic army, which had fled after the battle of Ayen al-Bugdadiya.Alone and defenceless,the Sultan fled southern Iraq to the saftey of his dominion.In spite of the 'treachery' the successive Sultans of Oman maintained good relations with the Ill-Khan in hope of one day overcoming their rivals - the Abbasids.
Karaman - The greatest Turkish principality to emerge from the ruins of the Seljuk Empire, the Beylik of Karaman was the most succesful state in Anatolia to defend the Muslim holdings against the Crusaders and Byzantines.
Dulkadir - A large independent Turkish principality in south-eastern Asia Minor, the Beylik of Dulkadir fought against the Byzantines and were largely unsuccessful against them.
Candar - Candar was established in the closing years of the 14th century by Yaman Candar - a chieftain of the Turkic tribes who had settled the northwestern Black Sea coasts of Asia Minor.Arising from the ashes of the Seljuk Sultanate, the Candarian Beylik maintained her legacy as a stout warriors against the infidel Byzantines.
Morocco - The Wattasids, an old vizier family of the Marinid dynasty, took over formal control of Morocco in 1419. Truth be told, the Wattasids had been the de facto rulers for more than 50 years already, mastering and maintaining the gold and salt routes of the desert whilst ruling the Maghrib. Indeed, in 1400, Yahyâ al-Wattâsî took advantage of Marinid weakness and started a formal regency in Marrakech. The country was divided into a Southern Wattasidi sphere and a northern Merdinandi sphere. The fighting escalated to a high pitch in 1411 with the battle of el-Basta, where the last Merindi ruler, Abu Sayfun was killed with the bulk of his army. However, Yahya did not enter Fez until 1418 due to the rebellion of Emir Hazim el-Tangi, who carved a small princedom for himself on the Tizi Wozo cross. Yahya feared the loss of Timbuktu to the Emir's forces, and thus, rushed to the south where he fought Hazim in a phoney war in the mountains and deserts of the Sahara. Luckly for Yahya, the Emir's rebellion came to an abrupt end when he was killed by his own guards in a general mutiny of the Berbers. The forces of the Emir quickly fell into disorder, and Yahya was able to subdue the south and enter Fas in tiumph. Morocco was united once again, and this time, under competant rule.
GH - The Golden Horde was one of the successor states to Gengis Khan's enormous empire. It occupied most of the Mongols' European territory and held all of the Russian principalities east of the Teutonic Order. The state went through a slow but steady decline and its mainly Russian population became vassals in little more than name.The rise of the Orthodox Ukrainians added catalyst to the decline of the Horde.With festering tensions between the various ethnicities, succession infighting and oppourtunist enemies beyond her borders, the Khante is doomed - lest of course, a change of fortunes comes to pass.
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