The Sun and the Lion

At the same time as the Ottoman mission set off, the red heads descended along the mountain road to the western foothills of the Zagros Mountains, leaving the cool Iranian plateau and arriving in Mesopotamia. Compared with Tabriz, where the maximum temperature in autumn hovers around 20 degrees, Mesopotamia, where the temperature can rise to ten degrees higher in the same season, made Ibrahim feel very uncomfortable.

Sweat continued to seep from the forehead and torso, flowing down along the skin. The soldiers kept wiping their foreheads with their cuffs. Their shirts and cuffs were completely wet with sweat, as if they had been thrown into a big trap twenty-five kilometers away. Like Buhe, Ibrahim is no exception.

However, strict military discipline and the desire for spoils still allowed the soldiers to overcome their aversion to the hot weather, and sufficient supplies also minimized the chances of soldiers mutinying or deserting.

After more than ten days of marching, Ibrahim led the main force to arrive near the city of Erbil. As the vanguard, Gaolaberi had arranged for the Gulams to build a camp based on the settlement in the north of the city, and deployed the cavalry to Kelek. to monitor the banks of the Great Zab River.

"Dear King of Kings, your loyal servants are extremely grateful for your arrival." Arriving at the gate of the camp, Gaolaberi and a group of officers who had been waiting here quickly dismounted, and the guards led the horses aside. After leaving the venue, the officers, led by Gaolaberry, saluted Ibrahim.

"Okay, my King Khan, there is no need for complicated etiquette. Tell me the situation here and your suggestions." Sitting on horseback, Ibrahim said condescendingly to the officers in front of him. At Rahim's suggestion, Mustafa and other generals who followed Ibrahim also dismounted and walked. Only Ibrahim and the bow holders were on horseback, and Gaola Beli led everyone into the camp on foot. .

"Your Majesty." Arriving at the open space in the center of the camp - Ibrahim's tent had not yet been set up - Gaolaberi ordered two soldiers to unfold the map. A crude map centered on Erbil, marking settlements, main roads and rivers, was displayed in front of everyone.

"The city of Erbil is to the south of the main camp. It is relatively close. You can see the other side's fortifications through the watchtower." Gaolaberi pointed at the main camp and Erbil on the map, and then moved his finger When he arrived at the surrounding villages, he continued to explain: "Most of the farmers and herdsmen in the surrounding villages have fled. Many people are very repulsive to us and even attack our troops. Because they fled in a hurry, many wheat fields have not been harvested, and the captives There are still a lot of livestock, so I will use them as military supplies for the time being."

Ibrahim nodded, and Gaolaberi continued to explain: "In order to monitor the direction of Mosul not far away, I sent a small force to Kelete to monitor the Great Zab River." His eyes followed his fingers to the left. Moving, rubbing the rough paper, he stopped when he reached a line marked as the Great Zab River.

"So, what about the south?" There is no need for more surveillance in the northwest and northeast. Murad wants to support Erbil, and materials and personnel can only come from the south.

"The village ministers in the south have sent cavalry to sweep through it, and they have repelled the defenders who came out of the city to stop us. The avenue has also sent scouts to monitor. If you are still worried, you can build a temporary camp in the south."

"No need." Ibrahim waved his hand and rejected the suggestion. Then, before the big tent was installed, he took the guards and rode around to inspect the camp.

It has to be said that although the camp is simple, all facilities are still complete. In addition to the most basic accommodation, there are markets, temples, bathhouses, stables, etc. In order to solve the water supply problem, Gaolaberi not only dug wells, but also asked the Gulams to extend the diversion canal to divert the river water that should have been diverted to the farmland to the camp. This not only solved the drinking water problem of the troops, but also provided water for the soldiers. They take turns bathing.

The defenders on the city could only look at the large and well-equipped camp in the distance with fear. It seemed that the enemy was ready for a long-term siege.

Without any obstruction, the messenger headed straight for Baghdad.

The forest resources around the camp are not rich. Every piece of wood used to build the siege tower must be transported from the Caucasus and Mazandaran. Transportation on the Iranian plateau where there are no navigable waterways is very difficult, slow and costly.

However, Ibrahim brought other siege equipment, mainly ballistae and trebuchets that were dismantled into parts and transported on carts, as well as enough gunpowder to blow down the city wall.

The small number of siege engines were pushed slowly towards the city wall by the Gulams. The archers also rushed onto several earth platforms that had been built, preparing to shoot arrows at the city head to suppress the defenders. However, this wave was in the void. Seeing that the enemy had pushed out the siege equipment, but without ladders and siege towers, the defenders at the top of the city withdrew this section of the city wall.

The first round of attacks by the siege engines basically missed the target. Almost all the stones or other construction debris flew over the city wall and hit the buildings behind. A few pieces of debris unexpectedly hit a few unlucky people, but they didn't kill them.

Under the cover, the Gulams began to dig forward into the trenches. Several trenches extended forward slowly like snakes. Although the defenders who were monitoring the enemy's movements on the towers were not able to He knew what the Persians would do, but out of instinct, on the one hand he fired arrows to harass them, and on the other hand he quickly sent people to report back.

The archers of the Aries Dynasty reappeared on the top of the city. Fearing the Persian archers on the platform, the Aries archers huddled behind the female wall and fired arrows with their crossbows. A few thoughtful people shot towards the city wall. Shoot arrows on a high earthen platform. But all this is just self-deception by burying their heads in the sand. The well-prepared Gulams put a cover on their heads, and the arrows shot by manpower could not penetrate this layer of defense. The archers on the earthen fort relied on With his height advantage and precise shooting skills, he easily killed many Aries crossbowmen.

"Is the city's defense so lax? Not even a trebuchet or a ballista?" Seeing that the siege was so successful, Ibrahim couldn't help but express his doubts, and the surrounding generals also used No, just observing the battle situation. But they were more surprised than Ibrahim was confused.

"Kamran, how much money did the baggage camp bring? How much reward can be given to the soldiers?" After watching for a while, Ibrahim, who felt that there was no suspense and was bored, planned to ride back to the main camp and meet Ibrahim. Meyer plays, but the work still needs to be handed over.

Kamran, Ibrahim’s newly hired chief secretary and historian, reported to Ibrahim fluently on the reserves of the baggage camp. Ibrahim didn't have much money, and he could still pay the soldiers for one and a half months. If he wanted to pay extra reward money to the soldiers who attacked the city, he wouldn't be able to get the money on pay day.

"Let the military judges keep an eye on them, and the importance of military merit must be minimized. However, we can first give a small reward to the soldiers who participated in the siege, just a quarter of a month's military pay." In Kamlan's Notes After giving these orders, Ibrahim rode away from the scene.