So it came in the winter that the city of Baghdad was covered in snow, so that passage to and from the city was made so difficult and slow, that the barges of grain and other necessary items that flowed up the mighty river were delayed by ice and floods. The price of bread began to rise and the people grumbled. On the river many bandits took advantage of the ships that became stuck or isolated and took without care of others from their holds. Many thousands of dirhams were lost to these vile dogs. In the city itself an envoy arrived from Persia, bringing word to the Caliph Mustasim from their leader the great Khan Hulagu. This viper sought to exact tribute and submission from the Caliph and the faithful of Syria and the Jezirah through a show of force and threats. The envoys read their message and were sent away immediately, in disappointment. The Caliph would not easily submit to such tactics, preferring to rely upon the strength of his fearless soldiers and city walls.
Letter between Subject Al-Adil Ibn Ghazi and Subject Sueliman ibn Afar.
Brother Sueliman, a new group of Franj have now entered the city, they have been searched and reviewed and they appear to pose no threat, however their presence here, in ever increasing numbers causes me worry. I do not believe in coincidence and I think that this must all be as Allah wills; we are not to question but accept His ways. Yet given the attempts by the Franj in the past to make contact and enter into alliance with the devils who ride the winds from the East, and the recent arrival of their envoys a certain amount of care must be taken. I shall leave all the matters in your hands brother.
Al-Adil,
January 9th 1258
Letter between Subject Tarwar ibn Kamil and Subject Darius the Parthian.
Noble borther, wise beyond years, I would seek your advice upon the matter brought before us in Elysium these past nights. The envoy of the Great Khan Hulagu rests here in this city as you well know, my initial answer given to him and that handed down to the Caliph still stands, but in your wisdom and long experience, what would you do now? How to we proceed from here? The Mamluk rebellions in Egypt and Syria place ut at a disadvantage, and the Georgians to the North are said to have allied with these devils. Evil news has reached us concerning the fate of the Ismail ‘is at Alamut, they have been destroyed to a man. Storm clouds gather.
Tarwar
January 11th 1258.
Letter between Subject Darius the Parthian and Subject Tarwar ibn Kamil.
Tarwar, what would you do if you had broken open a nest of hornets?
Darius
January 12th 1258.
Extract from MS Aleppo
So the winter bit hard and snow remained upon the ground for a time longer than it is usually accustomed to. In the city people began to die and waste as they suffered from numerous diseases. Some killed quickly while other lingered and took over a week or more to release the soul of the infected. The entire populace of the village of Mena was wiped out at this time. The hospitals were soon overwhelmed with applicants seeking aid. All were in excruciating agony and yet more people arrived every day on the roads leading to the great gates, all bringing with them tales and rumours of what the Tartars, the horsemen of the east had done to the faithful. They spared nobody in their rampages, not man, woman, child or beast; all were put to the sword and to the fire. In the city fear began to take hold, and soon bodies were washed up on the banks of the Tigris.
Letter from subject Yazidi to unknown recipient.
Brother, disturbing reports have come to us here in the city of Baghdad on the banks of the Tigris. This jewel which we and our other kin, assisted by the Al-Amin so long ago may once again be infested with that vile scourge the Baali. I know not if their presence can be confirmed, but the recent outbreaks of plague and the death of many has left with little doubt. I shall of course attempt to gather more conclusive evidence. If my worst fears are correct I urge you to dispatch a group of Warriors to the city as soon as it is possible. I know much currently concerns you in regards to the devastation of the rebellious ghouls of Alamut, but we cannot let an infestation grow.
Yazidi
January 16th 1258
Letter between Subject Suleiman Ibn Afar and Subject Tarwar ibn Kamil.
Lord, the dispute between Efira and Miraj grows worse ever nightly. Never were these two on particularly good terms but each is now convinced of the others guild and malice in bring about their downfall and ruin. While there is much else that currently needs to be seen to, and while I do not wish to burden you with this matter, a resolution must be made at some point. I fear that they will bring this before Elysium for a judgment, and if it is not dealt with they will seek out others, notably that wretch Nasser al-Maliki to bring the matter to a conclusion for them.
In other matters, the Franks have returned from their expedition to Mena, all there are now dead and have been for some time, a pestilence appears to have been the cause. As such for their faithful service I have offered to sponsor them for entrance into the House of Wisdom.
Suleiman
January 18th 1258.
Extract from MS Aleppo
From the North and from the East they came, hundreds of thousands strong the dust from their progress could be seen for miles about, but they had moved fast under the cover of night and so had come upon the city of Baghdad unexpectedly early. At the city gates and below the walls thousands of people pressed to find safety within. The army that was in the city was assembled, with those that could be pressed into service to man the walls and carry rocks to drop upon the foe, and those troops which had arrived from allied realms the defenders numbered some 30,000 in all. Food was short and the winter was hard, sickness was within the walls and many began to waste away, their bodies placed in the river to flow southwards. Further upstream the Mongols built a bridge of boats so that they might cross the banks of the Tigris with ease and reach all parts of the city. Those who tried to escape were harassed and cut down by their horsemen. Others took ships out of the city, for the Mongols had brought none with them, though these too were pelted with missiles from the banks. Slowly they began to build siege engines so they might hurl huge rocks against our walls and towers.
Letter between Subject Tarwar ibn Kamil and Subject Suleiman.
Brother,
The Franj have proved their worth, if nothing else they have for the time being laid to rest the feud between Efira and Miraj. As was suspected iyt was a third party, but their report suggests that the feud was entirely incidental to this Slaubri’s true intention. He required a religious text of some description from the House of Wisdom, one kept in the section concerning Transoxania and the lands east of Samarqand. What exactly this text was is unknown to me. Anyway, there are more pressing matters to be dealing with now. He shall have to wait until the current crisis has passed.
Tarwar,
Januray 28th 1258
Extract from MS Aleppo
The Mongols began to batter the walls of the great city daily, Fire rained down, towers and gates were damaged and had to be repaired. Those ships and rough buildings that had grown up along the river were pulled down and broken so that their wood might be used to help in the repairs of the city’s defences. Buildings were pulled apart so that stones might be thrown down at the Mongols when they came with their ladders. Thousands fell but the siege continued. In the city the dead began to pile up so one could not walk through the streets without encountering them, stumbling over them blocking the streets and passageways. Fathers slew their wives and children rather than see them suffer.
Letter from subject Yazidi to Subject Yusuf
Brother, I suggest you pack with all swiftness. The Barbarians will soon be within the city, the walls and gates will not hold and we do not have sufficient men to keep them out. I have had no word back from Alamut yet and all carrier pigeons are being shot down by the Mongols. I am thus blind to what their actions are. We must think of ourselves as being alone, we must put our faith in Rashid’s plan and hope that we might be able to save something from the House of Wisdom.
Yazidi
February 3rd 1258
Letter between Subject Tarwar ibn Kamil and Subject Lam ibn Larn
Lam, do not flood me with your demands to investigate the disappearances of material from the House of Wisdom. There are much more important matters; the enemy is very much at the gate right now. If you persist in this matter then more drastic measure will have to be resorted to.
Tarwar
February 7th 1258
MS Aleppo
And so in a mighty
horde did the Mongols fall upon the city, countless thousands attacked the
walls, bringing forth ladders and great shields unto the breaches made by the
catapults. The stormed up and despite the resistance of the garrison, the
Muslims took to flight and ran back into the city. Thus the Mongols came to
control the city walls. They then proceeded into the city, killing all that
came before them. Men, women and children of every age were put to the sword;
others were trapped alive in burning buildings. Many took their heads and
paraded them about as trophies. When they came to the House of Wisdom, the
books and scrolls of the library were taken and thrown into the Tigris; so much
ink fell into the river that day that it turned the waters black for a week. The
Caliph was taken and locked inside his treasury with his gold. Later they took
him outside to watch the execution of thousands of his people, then they
wrapped him in a carpet and laid him in the road. The Mongol army then marched
their horses over him, trampling the life out of him. No drop of royal blood
touched the ground. In doing so the Abbasid line was destroyed and snuffed out.
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