The Sun and the Lion

Everything is stable and improving in Isfahan, but the mentality in Cairo is up and down.

When the news of the previous battle in Ankara reached Cairo, the complete defeat of the Ottomans first surprised the Sultan and the Emirs, and then they were not happy about the allies' victory, but worried.

Now the envoys who went north to Kostantiniya have returned, and they have brought more detailed and accurate new information.

The current situation is very unfavorable for the Mamluk Sultanate - also known as the "Circassian Turkic State", "The State of Towers", and the "Abbasid Caliphate". Saladin Castle originally expected The "stable triangle" was now easily broken. The Ottomans completely lost their land in Anatolia, their vitality was severely damaged, and they even lost the ability to contain the Persians!

Nowadays, Safavid's big hands are stretched out everywhere. Not only are Syria, Iranian Kurdistan and Arab Iraq separated by a river, Durkadir has actually surrendered to Isfahan, and the northern buffer barrier is only The remaining kingdom of Ramazanbei was divided into Cilicia.

Looking south is the most important thing. Taking advantage of the expulsion of the Portuguese invaders, the Safavids successfully concealed their maritime expansion under the guise of jihad. Muslims on all coasts praised the Iranian navy for defeating the Frankish pirates, but no one ever mentioned it. and the oppression of fellow Muslims in Yemen.

Perhaps no one cares who rules Yemen, but it does hold the lifeblood of Cairo. The Rasul dynasty that originally ruled Yemen once competed with the Mamluks for control of Mecca. Now that Iran has obtained Yemen as a springboard, it also has the ability to influence and even seize the holy city, even if they have no intention of conquering the Levant and Mish. Son, the guardian of the holy city can still compete, the influence of Mecca is too tempting.

Ibrahim's actions in business were even more obvious. According to the report of the Governor of Aleppo, the amount of raw silk imported from Iran was significantly reduced. Although the tax lost as a result was not enough to shake Cairo's finances, it was enough. This shows that Safavid has begun to regard the Mamluk regime as an enemy rather than a friend.

If the Safavid fleet deployed in Aden directly raids Egypt's ports on the Red Sea, then customs and commercial taxes will have nothing to do with Saladin Castle. This is an indispensable financial source for the Egyptian Sudan. However, the current Egyptian navy is very weak and cannot be used at all. Protect commercial interests and Hajj routes from the threat of foreign enemies.

Not only do these two directions have to be taken into consideration, but now we have to look westward. Now that the Hafsid dynasty has declined, the Franks have taken advantage of the situation and have captured many ports. Tripolitania has come under the rule of the Spanish king. As far as he knew, the Franks were still obsessed with the Holy Land. If they could win a big victory in the Maghreb, they might try to return to Jerusalem in pursuit of the victory.

"The envoy to Kostantiniya has returned? What is his attitude now?" Regardless of the Maghreb, Cansu Gauri is eager to re-establish balance in the Levant to avoid anything happening to Ibrahim. Bad thoughts.

"Dear Sultan, although Selim suffered a defeat in Ankara, he has not yet reached the point of subjugation. The Persians only took Anatolia and were unable to touch Rumelia. Now he is fighting in Rumelia again. He won the battle and forced the pagans to cede territory and pay indemnities and seek peace, and his strength was restored." Tumanbey replied that this newly appointed "Adjutant of the Sultan" was the nephew of Kansu Gauri and was first recommended to the Sultan of Ketbey. , and then began to serve in many places such as the palace and local governments, with excellent work ability and rich resume.

He continued: "The Ottoman Sultan is now interested in easing relations and hopes that our country can provide them with the necessary help. He said that those who are aggressive now are Persian heretics. He hopes that Cairo can cut off ties with Isfahan and that the two countries can unite to fight against powerful enemies. ."

After speaking, Selim's autographed letter was handed to Kansu Gauri. The Sultan did not read it, but directly ordered to the servant: "Read it."

"Ottoman Supreme State Padishah Selim Misil and Sultan Ashraf Kansu Gowri of Sham, may Allah bless your rule and make your territory prosperous until the Day of Judgment..."

The attitude in the letter changed from the previous toughness, and Padishah communicated with the Mamluk Sultan in very gentle and friendly terms. Selim first boasted about his victory over Hungary and showed off his considerable military strength after reorganization, so as to prevent Saladin's castle from looking down on him because of the battle in Ankara. Then he began to analyze the current situation. The most dangerous thing at the moment was not the Ottomans with all their limbs broken. , but you are the Mamluk who dominates the Holy Land.

Among them, Selim also revealed information to Kansu Gauri: "Now the pirates from the Maghreb have surrendered to the Persian heretics. If they succeed in using their strength to expel the Franks or even counterattack Al-Andalus, then the Maghreb They will all fall into the hands of the heretics, and at that time, Sham, Michel, and Hijaz will become isolated islands of threat, and the waves of heresy can wash you off the coast at any time."

This parable spoke to the Sultan's heart, and this was exactly what he feared.

Finally, Selim proposed that the two countries could form a secret alliance to fight against the Safavids. He was willing to sell artillery and provide instructors to help the Mamluks build their firearms force. He could also sell large quantities of the wood and ship equipment needed to build the fleet to In Iskandaria, the channel for purchasing slaves from the Black Sea will also be reopened.

In terms of strategy, he did not recommend that the Mamluks take the initiative and "maintain the deterrence brought by past victories" and wait for the opportunity. In the meantime, they can rely on the Bedouin to continue harassing the enemy's territory.

It can be said that this part of the content has exceeded the normal scope of interaction between two stranger monarchs. It is completely Selim instructing him on how to deal with the Safavid threat, and he is serving his master like a capable staff member.

Atabok, who had not expressed his opinion, suddenly said: "Your Majesty, it seems that the Ottomans are now eager for revenge, or are afraid of being beaten, and are willing to abandon the past discord and directly form an alliance with our country. I think it is better not to fall into Rummu easily. In the Sultan's verbal trap, now that I am strong and he is weak, the leadership should be unquestionably in your hands."

"I think it is better to resolve the Red Sea issue first. The custody of the Holy Land and customs taxation are both crucial. There is an urgent need to build a fleet in Jeddah that can defend the port." Tumanbey is inclined to accept Selim's help , rather than showing off to allies.

Tumanbey has more plans than this. He is very familiar with and values ​​Hijaz as he once served as the Emir of Hajj. Consolidating Jeddah can only be regarded as a passive defense. He must shake the Safavid rule in Yemen and expel all its forces. Going out is the only way to truly eliminate hidden dangers.