The Sun and the Lion

Tabriz, inside the palace meeting hall. This room that was not often used by Ibrahim rarely welcomed its own owner. Also coming here were his Grand Vizier, Financial Vizier, Grand Emir and tribes that could participate in this meeting. Chiefs.

Under the guidance of the servants, these dozen high-ranking and prominent people entered the palace. The two viziers and Hussein were frequent visitors to the palace, and they had already seen enough of the palace's exquisite gardens and fountains. Thanks to Ibrahim's never-reduced palace spending, these well-maintained facilities also reveal their charm to surrounding passers-by.

The tribal leaders who had never entered the palace kept turning their heads to admire this exquisite building complex, but they did not express their feelings into emotions.

Enter the palace and walk through the corridor to the meeting hall. Although this room was not used much, the maid and eunuch carefully cleaned it countless times. The room is covered with carpets, but if you look up, you can see that there are very few decorations on the walls. Their simplicity contrasts with the luxury of the carpets.

There are sofas and tables of just the right height in the hall. Because they were prepared in advance, the number is just right. Everyone is seated according to their status. After the nobles "sinked" into the sofa, the prepared servants brought the drinks and desserts in and placed them on the table according to the nobles' needs. The leaders, who were told that they still needed to wait, took drinks and desserts freely and chatted with others while eating.

"Dear Shamru Khan, Sheikh's Lale, I wish you good health." Qajar Khan greeted Hussein not far away with a half glass of wine. Hussein responded to his greetings, and then Qajar Khan asked directly: "I heard that you were called into the palace alone yesterday. Do you know what your Majesty called us here today?"

As soon as these words came out, all the tribal leaders present more or less focused their attention. Only the Grand Vizier and the Financial Vizier continued to talk in low voices with their heads tilted.

"Of course it's a good thing, everyone. There will be nothing in the world where you pay without getting anything in return. God will not allow this to happen." After Hussein finished speaking, he continued to drink coffee.

"Shamru Khan, is the reward you are talking about a reward for us?" Talish Khan asked uncertainly.

"Yes, but exactly what the Sheikh is going to give us, I don't know."

At this moment, the door opened, and an officer with a bow walked in first and announced loudly to everyone in the room: "The Shaykh of the Safavid Order, the King of Kings of all Iranians and non-Iranians, Ibrahim Shah has arrived!"

Then, Ibrahim, who was wearing regular clothes, entered the meeting hall surrounded by guards, and then took a seat at the main seat. Everyone who had already stood up from the sofa - the two viziers saluted Ibrahim respectfully, while the tribal leaders only sent greetings and blessings, which was much more casual than the civil servants.

"Today, I summoned you all to announce an important matter, especially about Qizilbash." After speaking, Ibrahim motioned for the guard to hand the document to him. After he personally checked that it was correct, he personally read the order to everyone present.

This should be the second time Ibrahim has allocated real estate to the army, but the last time the allocation was mainly made up of some red heads. But this time, he gave the grazing rights of fields and pastures to the tribes, and the chiefs and emirs were the biggest beneficiaries. However, after this compromise, the tribe has to assume more obligations. Ibrahim has completely stopped paying military salaries, and the red-headed cavalry's logistical support expenditures will no longer go to the central fiscal account. Instead, the tribes uniformly paid military ration taxes to the quartermaster, and then the quartermaster used the money to maintain the logistics of the red heads.

"I have no objection, Your Majesty," Talish Khan first expressed his support.

Although Ibrahim's main consideration in allocating fiefs was war contribution, the strength of the tribe and the close relationship with Ibrahim also played a large role. Therefore, the Talish tribe, which only provided soldiers, obtained a large number of fiefs and territorial citizens, and the harvest far exceeded his expectations.

The monopoly on pasture grazing rights silenced everyone present. The number of Qizilbash tribesmen who follow the Safavid order can be described as powerful and can be counted on two hands. The Iranian plateau is a mixed agricultural and pastoral area, and herders on the entire plateau account for 30% to 40% of the total population. Obtaining this power is equivalent to Ibrahim distributing a large part of the taxes collected from these herdsmen to the tribes. .

After Talish Khan, Hussein also expressed support, but he pointed out an "omission" of Ibrahim: "Your Majesty, you have given us so many powers. Find these powers. The operation of the army also requires status. Your servants hope to provide you with more services. Your Majesty, Berg and Emirs can not only serve in the army, they can also be qualified for government work."

At this time, the silent Grand Vizier retorted: "Your Majesty, this is not a feasible suggestion. How can emirs from nomadic tribes have the ability to manage a city? Write official documents in Persian and use arithmetic to Measuring acres and collecting taxes... most of you can't do these two basic tasks. The herdsmen can't manage anything except felt tents and herds."

Snapped! Kajia Khan slammed the table, stood up, and loudly said to the Grand Vizier: "What qualifications do you have to speak? You are so powerless, can the poems you write can withstand the enemy's sword?" We were the first to follow the religious order, and we contributed the most and shed the most blood in the great cause of opening up territories and spreading faith. But you, the so-called pen-writing aristocrats, have no firm beliefs and no loyalty at all. Now you are nothing more than a group of people. They are just domestic slaves, their status is not much higher than that of eunuchs in the palace!"

The Grand Vizier glanced at the tribal leaders and found that they were all watching a show and did not want to get involved in this conflict. He was about to continue the conversation, but Ibrahim spoke: "They are all serving me and serving Allah. How can it be appropriate to have such a quarrel in the palace meeting hall?"

The two became silent and each took a step back.

"As for the position issue, I have returned the power to govern your people to you. The defeated people will also be under your control, and the ordinary herdsmen will also have to pay taxes to you. What is there to be dissatisfied with?"

Ibrahim passed the matter aside and discussed the details with the chiefs and viziers until dinner.