I was the Queen of Persia

Page 112

"Followers of the Karmaite! Now those cursed Blackblade Faction are our common enemy! Take up arms! Fight side by side and destroy them! Our Iranian Saman Empire will be your strong support!"

Shahini led the Holy Torch Brigade, and as they passed through villages and fortresses, they reassured and preached to the local Arabs.

Through her remarkable military achievements and powerful political skills, Sahini quickly gained widespread support. All the tribal villages and fortresses in the entire Daman Oasis submitted to her steel boots and were willing to be at her beck and call.

Sahini, of course, still adopted a ruling method adapted to local conditions.

She allowed the local sheikh chieftains to rule their tribes, and tribal affairs were resolved internally according to the customary law and Sharia law of the local Arab clans. The Iranian army under her command served only as a military protector and did not excessively interfere in tribal affairs.

These reports of victory quickly reached the imperial capital, Jahanshahr.

Empress Shahzani affirmed Shahini's achievements and issued a decree to incorporate the conquered island of Bahrain into the imperial administrative system in a gradual manner. Once the plan was completed, officials from the coastal province of Sherab would be dispatched to govern it.

Although Bahrain Island is isolated overseas and not traditionally part of the "Greater Iran" region, and its population consists mostly of Shia Arab-Bedouins and slaves from various foreign lands, its geographical location is extremely important.

The Samanid Empire, with its weak navy, had to make great efforts to develop these islands in the Persian Gulf and arm the island chains as a strategic buffer at sea.

After establishing a foothold in Bahrain, Sahinian planned to establish herself in the Dammam Oasis. The Dhahran Oasis, located slightly to the south, quickly came into her view as an excellent strategic foothold.

For some time afterward.

Through exchanges along the Persian Gulf, manpower and resources continued to be imported from the Samanid Empire to build fortresses and strongholds in Dhahran.

Armor, ironware, warhorses, camels, and all sorts of military supplies were continuously delivered, and the female warriors of the Sacred Flame Brigade once again mounted their warhorses, further enhancing their combat effectiveness.

Relying on accumulated strength, Sahini regrouped the scattered Kalmatians and re-established initial order in the Daman Oasis.

……

Time flies, and it has already entered the year 1009 AD.

It has been a full ten years since Shahzani came into this world.

That year she was thirty years old, her daughter Farukzad was four years old, and her sisters who had followed her in battles and made great achievements—Bahram, Farzana, Sahinian, and others—had transformed from somewhat naive girls into more mature, alluring, and beautiful young women who were better at commanding armies and governing the country.

Looking beyond the Samanid Empire.

The fighting in the Arabian Peninsula remains in a low-intensity stalemate, with occasional sporadic skirmishes and periods of relative calm.

The Fatimid dynasty continued to supply the Blackblade sect, whether it was the northern faction led by Haqqavi or the southern faction led by Muhaddaeb.

This is a strategy that benefits both sides.

As Muhadab waged more wars and grew stronger, his ambition to establish his own sect intensified, though this rift had not yet become public within the Blackblade Cult.

However, the Fatimid dynasty has already noticed this subtle change, but it is not convenient to make a choice at the moment, so it has temporarily adopted a balancing strategy.

In an effort to secure more aid and strengthen their own power, both Haqqavi and Muhaddaeb have been quite active recently, trying to prove their "worth."

In the north, Haqqavi, who was based in the Syrkha River Valley, used the assassination skills of his loyal followers to carry out a series of assassinations against officials of the Syrian Hamdan dynasty and the Iranian Samanid Empire.

Although such assassinations had been somewhat curbed under the strong suppression of the Samanid regime, the proverb says, "A snake that never dies will always bring trouble," and the dark cloud of terror has once again loomed over the area.

This is especially true for Syria, a country with relatively weak national strength.

In the south, Muhadeb, who had suffered repeated defeats, was much more "wise" this time. Facing the surging Iranian-Kalmat coalition forces, he took the initiative to withdraw from the Hassa region and retreat to the barren, desolate, and isolated oasis in the heart of Najd in order to preserve his strength.

Chapter 261 Marching into Oman

Through the back-and-forth battle reports, Shahzani continued to keep abreast of the situation on all fronts.

In most cases, as long as she puts forward an overall strategy, Sahinnian and the officers of the Torchbearer Brigades in each theater can formulate countermeasures and tactics according to the objective situation on the ground within this macro framework.

This is one of the manifestations of the Torch Relay Brigade's strong adaptability.

at this time.

Through its victories in the Bahrain counterattack and the Battle of Daman, Sahini has become a significant military force in the Hasa region. However, this has also aroused suspicion among some conservatives within the Kalmatians, including the sect's imam leader and the conservative republican slave-owning aristocracy.

“Imam, that Persian woman is taking advantage of our power! The Samanid Empire of Persia wants to seize our power while we are preoccupied with dealing with the Black Blade Cult! They are Khorami heretics, apostles of the devil! We cannot trust them!”

Many slave-owning nobles secretly advised their imams in this way.

"Yes! What you said makes sense, but..."

The imam responded to them in this way:

"You all know that without the aid of these Persian Horamitic heretics, we would have long since perished under the blades of the Black Blade Army! Therefore..."

"By God I swear! I have never condoned the depraved doctrines of these heretics, but we need their military protection! Only when the Blackblade Cult is completely driven back to Hell can we break with these Persians, understand?"

The conservative republican aristocracy had no choice but to reluctantly agree.

Sahimian was also aware that many Karmats outwardly cooperated sincerely with the Saman Empire, but secretly they were hypocritical. For example, in the skirmish at the Daman Oasis, the conservative nobles stayed in the rear and passively fought, hoping that the Iranian army and the armed forces composed of farmers, herdsmen, slaves, small merchants, and artisans would stand in front and bear the casualties.

Sahimian saw through these little tricks clearly, and she decided to turn the tables on them.

Now that the Blackblade forces in the Kaza Oasis have been largely eliminated, Sahinian plans to continue his eastward advance and penetrate into the Oman region.

While invading the Republic of Kalmat, the Black Blade Army also harassed the territory of the Omani Faith. Although the Omani armed forces composed of the Ibad sect fought back fiercely, they were eventually forced to retreat to the coastal oasis northeast of Hajar due to their inferior numbers and equipment.

Due to the intervention of the Samanid army, Muhaddaeb withdrew the Blackblade army from the Hassa Oasis and also ordered his troops to withdraw from Oman. However, this Blackblade leader was cautious this time; he only withdrew the Blackblade's main force and did not withdraw its vassal forces. A large number of Bedouin tribes, who had been incited and followed the Blackblade's doctrines, controlled the wilderness and desert west and south of Mount Hajar, acting as allies and accomplices.

However, Sahini was not afraid of these rabble. After reorganizing and streamlining the allied forces, they launched an attack from the Hassa Oasis in February 1009 (the month of Bahman in the Persian calendar). Overcoming the difficulties of marching through the desert, they pacified and subdued the Bedouin tribes along the way, and within just a few weeks, they reached the Hajar Mountains.

Meanwhile, Hoslu, stationed in the Fars military district, was working closely with Sahinnian: on the one hand, she continued to provide Sahinnian with supplies; on the other hand, she mobilized a maritime merchant force composed of Indians and Arabs in Hormuz to attack Sohar and Muscat (both Omani cities) by sea.

The Bedouin armed forces, which were pro-Blackblade, were crushed, and the remaining followers fled Oman and returned to their original homes deep in the desert. Shahini helped the Ibad faction regain control of the government.

The Samanid Empire's sphere of influence extended to the entire area south of the Persian Gulf, showing a strong tendency to turn the Persian Gulf into an inland sea.

……

Jahanshahr, the royal palace.

Shahzani strolled through the royal garden, listening to the military reports from the ministers around her.

"...Your Majesty, in accordance with your decree, for the past two years, the mints in Khorasan, Transoxiana, Fergana, Khwarazm, and Sistan provinces have been making great efforts to improve their minting techniques and stabilize the value of the Dirhan currency. The new Dirhan currency that you ordered to be minted uniformly in 374 (1005 AD) is now in full circulation in the market..." reported Finance Minister Afshin.

Economy and commodity circulation are also important national affairs. The Persian Empire and the eastern Islamic world mainly circulated Dirhan currency, which was made of silver.

In recent years, the Eastern Roman Empire has frequently engaged in "trade wars" with Iran, attempting to devalue the Iranian dirham through various means, thereby reducing the purchasing power of Iranian officials and citizens.

However, through a strong state apparatus, Iran has managed to maintain the stability of the dirham's value. For a long time, the exchange rate between the dirham silver coin and the dinar gold coin has fluctuated between 12:1 and 17:1.

In the first few years after the fall of the original Samanid dynasty, the Dirhan currency depreciated rapidly.

After consolidating the new Samanid dynasty, Shahzani implemented strong trade controls, locking the exchange rate at around 15:1 to ensure the relative stability of the national economy.

“Very good.” Shahzani nodded slightly. “What was the annual revenue of Khorasan Province last year?”

“The total value of the currency and goods is equivalent to 7500 million dirhams,” Afshin said, “an increase of 300 million dirhams compared to the previous year.”

Shahzani nodded slightly. She turned the rosary in her hand and calculated that the figure was higher than the assessed tax amount for Khorasan in the "Qudamma Tax Register" and far higher than the 3700 million regular annual revenue during the Abbasid Caliphate's Mamun era. More importantly, this was the result after she continued to implement tax reduction policies.

Not only in Khorasan, but also in other provinces, incomes have seen significant growth.

Therefore, it can be concluded that the current level of productivity is significantly higher than that of the same period in previous history, and the empire's financial strength must be even more robust.

“Very good.” Shahzani nodded again. “Finance is an important material guarantee for a country. With tax revenue, we can maintain a strong empire and a well-trained army. Keep up the good work! The future of the country is bright.”

"I will obey your orders," Afuxin said, bowing and touching her chest.

Just then, a Nassak intelligence officer entered the royal garden and presented the secret report in his arms to Shahzani.

"The Blackblade Cult's invasions in the regions of Karmat and Oman have both been repelled by our warriors," Shahzani read aloud to his ministers, looking at the contents of the paper in Samarkand.

The civil and military officials naturally offered their congratulations.

“Great King of Kings, what do you intend to do with these two new lands that now lie prostrate at your feet?” a Samanid minister asked.

“Use deterrence and incentives to control them,” Shahzani said calmly.

Chapter 262 A New Force Emerges

Shahzani knew very well that despite the consensus on interests, the ethnic conflict between Persians and Arabs, and the religious conflict between Khorami and Shia, would not disappear instantly.

Compared to the more civilized Arabs of the Fertile Crescent, the Arab-Bedouin people of the peninsula are more barbaric and uncivilized, retaining more remnants of slavery and tribal society. This difference is difficult to eliminate.

The time is not yet ripe for direct annexation and occupation, and for incorporating our territory. The most practical strategy at present is to implement a system of control through alliances of interests, where we can mutually benefit from each other.

With the southern front temporarily stabilized, Shahzani turned her attention to the north.

For several months, the Blackblade sect has significantly increased the frequency of its attacks on the Hamdan dynasty in Syria.

Numerous small-scale, low-intensity skirmishes have broken out between the two sides along the border between the Fertile Crescent and the Syrian Desert.

With the help of the Scorpion Army, Alawite militias, and Iranian Torchbearer troops, Syrian Princess Salim has been able to maintain overall control of the front lines. However, facing the increasing number of Black Blade "jihadists," the young Arab princess is finding it somewhat overwhelming.

Shahzani was a reliable ally of Selim, and for years she had dispatched a steady stream of caravans of merchants to provide him with supplies and intelligence support along the western extension of the Silk Road-Khorasan Road.

The intelligence network that Sahinien had built outside the borders was now playing a vital role in vigilance, constantly gathering information on the movements of enemies outside the territory and coordinating with the intelligence transmission system within the empire.

Located in a strategically important buffer zone, Daoshaobao frequently transmitted important military intelligence to the Saman Empire.

Shahzani learned that the Black Blade faction, led by Haqawi, had recruited tens of thousands of "jihadists" from Muslims in the Emirate of Mecca, the Maghreb, Sicily, and Andalusia. This religiously motivated armed force, though unable to match the Samanid Khorami army on the front lines, would still cause trouble on the borders.

More importantly, Haqqavi appears to have incited the opposition within Syria, with many Sunni Syrians dissatisfied with the Alawite regime and choosing to make dangerous deals with the Blackblade sect.

However, contrary to the infighting among their own followers, the militias of Christianity, Yazidi, and other pagan religions stood firmly on the side of the Alawite Shia rulers, training and rallying themselves, chanting the slogans of God and other deities, and waging a life-or-death struggle against the Islamic extremist "jihadists" who had infiltrated from abroad.

"What a turbulent time!" Shahzani put down the military report she had presented, a captivating yet dignified smile spreading across her face, accompanied by surging ambition.

Resisting foreign enemies, supporting allies, establishing even greater achievements, and leading her empire to even greater glory... a magnificent ideal unfolds in her heart.

……

Jahanshahr, the Imperial Armory of the Isvandiar.

This was one of the largest state-run arms workshops in the Samanid Empire of Iran. It was built and managed by the master smelter Birouni, and all the best arms craftsmen recruited were from Iran.

Inside the grand workshop, countless huge furnaces were burning brightly, the clanging of hammers echoed everywhere, and thousands of skilled craftsmen were sweating profusely.

Accompanied by supervising officials and master craftsmen, Shahzani toured the production facilities for various steel weapons and tools.

"Your Majesty, the Great King of Kings, as you can see, your most capable subjects are working day and night to manufacture steel armor and iron soldiers. In accordance with your decree, mass production of the new four-mirror armor is underway," the official in charge said, bowing and patting his chest.

"Where do the iron ore used for forging mainly come from? As far as I know, Sabzewar in Khorasan Province, Aldestan in Isfahan Province, Nakhshab in Transoxiana Province, and so on, all have quite high-quality iron ore," Shahzani said.

"Just as you instructed."

The official in charge spoke with great familiarity and clarity: "The finest iron ore from all the provinces of the Empire is transported here, with the largest quantity coming from Khorasan, due to its proximity and superior quality, embodying the same valiant qualities as Rustam and Shavash. Secondly..."

After listening to the report, Shahzani nodded slightly, expressing satisfaction with the report's rigorous performance of duties.

After inspecting the armory.

Shahzani then rode his horse and led the procession to the warhorse breeding grounds outside the capital to inspect the imperial army's warhorse breeding program.

The "Tahmasp" Imperial Horse Breeding Farm.

Located on a vast plain oasis about two and a half Farsahs (about 15 kilometers) west of Jahanshahr, this was one of the largest horse farms in the Samanid Empire of Iran. Of course, in addition to military horses, it also bred and raised camels and other livestock for war.

Vast fields of alfalfa bloom proudly, and strong, powerful horses gallop across the vast battlefield. Riders recruited from the Turkmen-Seljuk tribe are training the horses in discipline and tactics.

"Welcome, Great Shah Shah. Your finest horse trainers are breeding powerful war foes for the Empire's army. Thanks to their hard work, even stronger and more resilient warhorses have been bred here. Please take a look." The stable officer bowed and reported, clapping his hands and ordering the officials on either side to bring the horses over.

A magnificent, powerful warhorse appeared before Shahzani's eyes.

"This is the masterpiece of Master Farhad Hussein Qajyunni and the many learned scholars under his leadership. Praise be to God Hud! Farhad studied diligently in the library of Bukhara, and was especially proficient in animal husbandry and agriculture," the horse steward said with great pride.

"Hmm, very good!" Shahzani stroked the mighty warhorse, its hard, solid muscles providing a solid and reliable feel that the Queen loved.

Although she didn't understand the specific details of agronomy and animal husbandry, she was quite good at judging horses based on her years of combat experience on the battlefield.

Based on her experience, she speculated that this warhorse was bred from Persian heavy warhorses such as the Nisa horse. Although it did not look as graceful as the slender Arabian horse, it had stronger muscles, greater endurance and explosive power, and was more suitable for carrying fully armed Iranian heavy cavalry.

Shahzani stroked the powerful warhorse, becoming increasingly captivated. She immediately fitted the bridle and saddle, mounted, and galloped across the vast battlefield. Her dashing figure swept across the land, kicking up clouds of dust. The Empress pressed on, her spirits high.

"Good! Good! Good!" Back at the starting point, Shahzani leaped off her horse with a beaming smile, her joy overflowing: "Truly a divine steed comparable to Lahsh! What's its name?"

"We are delighted to have won Your Majesty's favor. We request Your Majesty to name it," said the officials, including the imperial horse officer and the horse master Farhad, bowing respectfully.

Thinking of the epic hero Rustam and his steed Rakhsh, and envisioning the even more powerful and magnificent Iranian steel army of the future, Shahzani smiled and looked around at her ministers, loudly announcing: "Then, let it be called—'Rakhsh' heavy warhorse!"

Chapter 262.5 Parviz's Funeral

May 1009 AD, the month of Khordad in the Persian calendar.

In Iranian and Islamic calendars, this month is often a time for performing various religious ceremonies and demonstrating religious fervor, and this year's month is no exception.

The venerable and respected Palwiz, a senior minister of the old Samanid dynasty, passed away one day amidst the devout chanting of prayers in Muanjin, and went to Paradise.