The Sun and the Lion

The few ships docked in Jeddah Port are quite an eyesore, especially the flag of the Shah of Iran hanging on the mast, indicating their ownership. Tumanbey came here to deal with this matter.

The theory of threatening the Holy Cities proposed by the Sudanese representative in the secret meeting attracted the attention of the Sudan and Atabok. The religious significance of the Two Holy Mosques is extraordinary and can add a lot of legitimacy to the rule. It is impossible to give them up to others.

Originally, these tasks only need to be handed over to the Governor of Jeddah, Hussein Kurdi, and let him do it. There is no need for the important minister Tumanbey to come in person. However, the Emir just happened to ask Cairo at this "appropriate" time. A list of pilgrims who had recently arrived in Jeddah by boat was sent to them. Several Safavid ships were listed at the top of the list, which looked particularly eye-catching.

When I learned about this at this nerve-wracking moment, I had no time to tell whether it was carrying ordinary pilgrims or a pilgrim mission representing the royal power. It was like a spark that directly ignited the kerosene scattered on the ground. Today, the Persians dared to bypass it. Cairo is directly connected to Mecca, so will Jeddah be captured tomorrow and troops stationed in Mecca?

Seeing that the control of the Holy City was threatened, Saladin's Castle responded immediately. Tumanbey personally went to Mecca to see what the Persians were up to, while Kansu Gauri sent an envoy. Go to Isfahan to protest and test Ibrahim’s attitude.

The Governor of Jeddah and his general Selman came to the port to greet Tuman Bey in person. They were very surprised at the speed and intensity of the center's response. The Sudanese representative actually came to Hijaz in person to intervene because of this report.

"It is a great honor for the distinguished representative of Sudan to be able to come to Jeddah to guide the work. The port is not convenient for discussions, so please come to the city." Hussein Kurdi politely complimented the superior, but Tumanbey did not refute the emir's kindness. He followed the governor into the mansion with his entourage to receive the reception.

The anxious Tumanbey acted in a hurry, and after having a few drinks, he started talking about business: "His Majesty the Sultan attaches great importance to your report. Since the defeat of Sultan Romu, although everything seems to be calm, potential threats are still unstoppable. Don’t be defensive.”

Due to long-term friendly relations and experience in Goa, the Governor of Jeddah did not expect that the enemy country Tumanbey mentioned was Safavid Iran. He was still trying to recall the situation around Jeddah. Could it be that Cairo wanted to expedition against Abiy Xenia, capture the King of Kings and show him to the Copts in the Nile Delta?

"On behalf of Your Excellency, the defense of Jeddah is rock solid and can withstand any sea attack. I have not wasted the funds allocated by the center. I have built forts and renovated fortresses like the Persians in Goa. The warships in the harbor are all large ships, carrying sailors They are all elite, and you cannot just send a fleet to run wild." Hussein tried his best to show Tumanbey the results of his military training.

What Hussein said is true. With the help of Venice and the Ottomans, the Mamluk shipbuilding industry in the Red Sea developed. With the insistence of Tuman Bey, the shipyards in Suez continued to manufacture warships, and also continued to build warships. Imported large quantities of artillery to Venice to arm the navy. These resources were properly utilized by him. No less than a hundred artillery pieces were deployed in the newly built city and coastal fortifications in Jeddah alone, and no less than 30 round ships and long ships were built under the guidance of foreign consultants. By relying on Sharif to share military expenses, the sailors' treatment and training will be improved, and at least they will not be in arrears with their military pay for several months.

The governor of Jeddah's request for credit was regarded as a request for war. In the view of the Sudanese representative, Hussein had fought with the Persians in India. Among the Mamluk emirs, he was the one who knew the Safavids best. In addition, the port of Jeddah was more sophisticated than Cairo. Being close to Yemen and the Holy City, it is logical to directly delegate the task of fighting Iranian heretics on the peninsula to the governor.

"Your Excellency is a hero who protects shipping. If His Majesty the Sultan and I don't trust you, who can you trust?" Tumanbey followed the words with praise, and then continued to ask: "You should still remember that in the report sent to Cairo Several Persian ships, and I would like to know the identities of their passengers.”

He raised his eyebrows and realized that the matter was not simple. Hussein immediately reacted and said: "Those merchant ships were all carrying pilgrims from Persia, and they all came in their own names. There were no official envoys, but there were some The wealthy merchants and nobles brought with them a lot of property that they wanted to donate."

"I understand." Tumanbey did not rule out the possibility of a secret mission and asked, "What is Sharif's attitude towards them?"

"It is said that they were very welcome. At least they were not kicked out of the Haram Mosque because they were supporters of Ali. All the donated property was accepted." The governor of Jeddah was vague. He was not the manager of the holy city and focused entirely on the military. He didn't know how Sharif treated the pilgrims.

Within seconds, Tumanbey included negotiations with the Sharif of Mecca in his upcoming itinerary.

"Getting back to the subject, Roma is newly defeated, and the ambition of the Shah of Persia is expanding infinitely, which will backfire on our country sooner or later. The Sultan and Atabok agree that their presence in Yemen has threatened the security of the Holy Land. If some means can be used to defeat Persia, The best thing is to drive people out of Aden. In short, we must get rid of all potential Persian threats. This task is very difficult, but you are the best candidate. No matter what, we must live up to the expectations of His Majesty the Sultan."

The Sudanese representative's words almost caused the Governor of Jeddah to crash: "Me?"

He almost thought that he was a loser in the palace struggle and was exiled to a remote and dangerous jurisdiction.

He issued this vague and unfeasible order just on the spur of the moment with a non-negotiable tone. He rolled up his sleeves and got to work without consulting local officials for reliable opinions beforehand. It seemed a bit hasty.

But at least Saladin Castle packaged the entire task and gave him full responsibility, instead of the Sultan taking it for granted to formulate a plan for him to implement, nor did he set a deadline of several years to allow him to move freely.

Tumanbey saw the Emir's hesitation: "Why, do you have any concerns or difficulties?"

"I thought that if we relied solely on the manpower and material resources of Hanzhi, it would be difficult to fight against the heretics." Hussein complained in his heart. It was precisely because of his understanding of Safavid that he was filled with pessimism. Now, in his view, even mobilizing the country's financial and military resources may not necessarily lead to victory. Making small moves in Yemen is like scratching the surface.

Tumanbey, who was unable to sense the defeatist thoughts in the other party's mind, replied: "Since this is His Majesty the Sultan's will, the palace will naturally provide corresponding support. If you need anything, you can apply again. As long as it is conducive to the war, there is nothing you can't do." fulfilled."

"Thank you for your trust and support, Your Excellency, Representative Sudan."