The Rise of the European Emperor

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"Afterwards, the Turkish army divided into 20,000 troops. Under the guidance of the surrendered Syrian servants, they crossed the former Lebanon Mountains, arrived in Damascus, and took control of this ancient city. Moreover, they went to take over the entire Syrian region..." Kohler continued. . \u003cr /\u003e

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"Turkey controls the whole of Syria?" Marin frowned—this is not good news...\u003cr /\u003e

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You must know that the Syrian region is one of the few major agricultural countries in the Middle East, and later generations are one of the few grain exporters in the entire Arab region. \u003cr /\u003e

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Although Ottoman Turkey also occupied the Balkan Peninsula, which produces food, it was a Christian area. In the Green Church area, on the Asia Minor peninsula, there are still very few grain-producing areas. Mainly, the peninsula of Asia Minor is mostly mountainous. Moreover, there is no tradition of developing agriculture. \u003cr /\u003e

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The Syrian region is different. It has a long history and was once the core ruling area of ​​the Umayyad Dynasty of the Arab Empire. Although the local climate is not humid, the river resources are abundant and can be used for irrigation. Therefore, the local agriculture is very developed, and it is an important food producing area of ​​the Mamluk Dynasty. Moreover, during the Mamluk dynasty, Saladin also moved the capital to the historic city of Damascus in his later years. \u003cr /\u003e

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Then, let alone the famous Damascus scimitar, everyone has heard of it...\u003cr /\u003e

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Occupying Syria, for Turkey, means getting a big granary. Moreover, although Damascus is not the capital of the Mamluk dynasty, it is one of the most prosperous commercial cities and can bring huge economic benefits to the Mamluk dynasty. \u003cr /\u003e

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Moreover, after the Portuguese and the Spaniards blocked the Arabian Sea, the Mamluk dynasty opened up the spice trade route on land. And Damascus is precisely the most important distribution center for camel caravans on land. \u003cr /\u003e

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The camel team transporting pepper and spices of the Mamluk dynasty set off from the northern states of India,

Pass through the Sindh area. Then, enter the territory of the once hostile and now friendly Persian Safavid Dynasty, all the way to the northwest, and then enter the Mesopotamia of Iraq. \u003cr /\u003e

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Afterwards, the camel team went west along the Mesopotamia, entered the Syrian area, arrived in Damascus, and gathered again. Then, merchants in Syria or Lebanon transported it to Beirut Port on the west coast and other places, resold it to Venetian merchants who came to buy spices, and then shipped it back to Italy...\u003cr /\u003e

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Therefore, Turkey's capture of Damascus, an onshore spice transfer station, did greatly harm the economic interests of the Egyptian Mamluk dynasty. \u003cr /\u003e

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After losing Damascus, a thousand-year-old commercial city, the camel caravans of the spice trade will no longer be able to take the Syrian route. Even if the Egyptian Mamluk dynasty adjusted the spice transportation route, it would definitely suffer huge losses. After all, it is not easy to change the business route easily. During this period, many problems will come to the fore. Before the new trade route is opened, the loss of the Mamluk dynasty will definitely be very large. \u003cr /\u003e

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You know, further south of Damascus is the Kingdom of Jordan in later generations. Where is Jordan? It was a barren land with 80 territories all desert. The only place with some water is on the east bank of the Jordan River at the border with Palestine. And there are some small rivers in the western mountainous area, and the vast eastern area is completely barren desert area. \u003cr /\u003e

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Moreover, in the west of the Jordan region, there are towering Ajloun Mountains, which are difficult to cross. Even if you come from the east and cross the Ajloun Mountains, you will encounter obstacles from the Jordan River and the Dead Sea. \u003cr /\u003e

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As for Damascus in the north, because it is an ancient city, it has a mature commercial route and a commercial route to the coast of Lebanon. Therefore, the land spice trade route was set in Damascus before. \u003cr /\u003e

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But now that Syria is lost, the old trade routes before have disappeared in an instant. But to open up new business routes, it will be extremely difficult. Among other things, it will be more troublesome if it spans the northeast region of the later Jordan. Because there are deserts there, and there is no oasis along the way. \u003cr /\u003e

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This era is not as convenient as later generations have satellite navigation. In the vast sea of ​​sand, people are easy to lose their way. If the thousand-year-old road is okay, the most fearful thing is the road that has never been opened up, which will easily make the caravan lose its way. \u003cr /\u003e

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North African businessmen crossed the Sahara Desert, and they also went south along the wells and oases along the way. If you really have to walk in the vast sandy sea for too long, even the camels can't bear it. \u003cr /\u003e

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The desert in the northeast of Jordan is not far away, only a few hundred kilometers away. But no one walked by. In the very beginning to open up a business path, someone must have an accident. It would be fatal if a caravan of camels lost their spices. After all, spices are so expensive these days...\u003cr /\u003e

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In other words, because the eastern part of Jordan is a desert area in later generations, the current Mamluk dynasty did not send people to control it at all, but only sent people to control the mountains in western Jordan. \u003cr /\u003e

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At this time, according to intelligence, the Turks had already occupied most of Syria under the guidance of the original Syrian servant army. However, the south also belongs to the Jordan Mountains under the jurisdiction of the Governor-General of Damascus, and the Turks have not yet controlled it. The main reason is that the Turks are short of manpower, and they can't spare their hands to go south for the time being. It is not bad to be able to control the land of the later generations of Syria. \u003cr /\u003e

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In addition, while Adimir led the army to guard the narrow area at the southern end of the Bekaa Valley, he also sent troops to occupy the Golan Heights at the southern end of the former Lebanon Mountains, which is the area where the later generations of Syria and Israel fought fiercely. \u003cr /\u003e

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Known as the water tower of the Middle East, the Golan Heights is the birthplace of many rivers in the Middle East. In later generations, it was the source of fresh water for Israel 40. Therefore, Israel is desperately trying to be accused by the international community and occupy this place. \u003cr /\u003e

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Moreover, the strategic position of this place is extremely important. The Golan Heights is located at the junction of Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan. As long as you occupy this place, you can attack the four regions at any time. Therefore, until the crossing, Marin did not see Israel willing to return this place to Syria. \u003cr /\u003e

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And Adimir didn't intend to occupy this crucial place. He heard that the Turks had already occupied Damascus under the leadership of the traitors. In order to prevent the Turks from sending troops from Damascus and going around behind him, they divided up 5,000 troops and stationed in Quneitra to control the Golan Heights. \u003cr /\u003e

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Unexpectedly, this was a stroke of genius, because after controlling the Golan Heights, Adimir fully grasped the strategic initiative. Damascus is 60 kilometers down the east slope of the Golan Heights. After the Turks took control of Damascus, they also organized an offensive to seize the Golan Heights. Firstly, it solved the threat of Damascus; secondly, it also opened up a road to the west to outflank the rear of Admir's defenders, and was able to go south to control Jordan. \u003cr /\u003e

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However, it is too difficult to attack from below the Golan Heights. There were still many musketeers in the Mamluk defenders, who easily repelled the Turkish army's attack. \u003cr /\u003e

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In this way, relying on the "magic stroke" of controlling the Golan Heights, coupled with the terrain advantage of the Bekaa Valley, Admir's 20,000-strong army actually blocked the way for the 60,000 Turkish army to go south, forming a stalemate...\u003c r /\u003e

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