[DM AAR] Osman's Vision: An Ottoman AAR

[Chirurgeon]

Prologue:

The history of our people is laced richly with legend. We originated as nomads storming across distant plains. It is rumored we were fleeing a great enemy and looking for a new safe home. Nomads from the frozen Steppes likely drove us down between the two great seas. Underneath the Caspian and Black sea we found a land that was relatively safe.
There are many important leaders of our people but the greatest may very well have been the first. Our first leader, or Sultan, was Ertoghrul. No more than a chieftain he wanted the best for his people. With four hundred horse he moved across Asia Minor. At some point he came across a battle. In a Chivalrous move he choose to fight for the losing side. This turned the scales of the battle and Ertoghrul found out he had helped out a very powerful chieftain. As his reward Ertoghrul was granted his own fief and would later earn his own insignia of sovereignty. This would present itself as a banner and drum. Ertoghrul was a non-moslem but his son Osman would become the seed from whence an empire would grow.
Osman had fallen in love with a moslem girl but the father forbade the marriage for several years. Eventually Osman read the Koran and stayed up all night devouring the pages of the book. Having read the book he had several visions. In one vision, after falling asleep near dawn having read the Koran all night, an angel appeared to him and uttered: "Since though has read my eternal word with so great respect, thy children and children of thy children shall be honored from generation to generation."
How powerful this must have been for a nomad in a strange land. Osman had other prophetic visions as well. It is not clear whether he was converted to Moslem before or after the following but the vision speaks for itself as being prophetic:
"...Then from his loins there sprang a tree, which as it grew came to cover the whole world with the shadow of its green beautiful branches. Beneath it Osman saw four mountain ranges - The Caucasus, the Atlas, the Taurus, and the Balkans. From its roots there issued four rivers, the Tigris, the Euphrates, the Nile and the Danube. The fields were rich with crops, the mountains thick with forests. In the valleys were cities adorned with domes, pyramids, obelisks, columns, and towers, all surmounted by the Crescent. Their balconies rang with the call to prayer, mingling with the song of nightingales and bright-colored parrots, perched among interlaced, sweet smelling branches.
Their leaves started to lengthen into sword blades. A wind arose, pointing them toward the city of Constantinople, which, situated at the junction of two seas and of two continents, seemed like a diamond mounted between two sapphires and two emeralds, and appeared thus to form the precious stone of the ring of a vast dominion which embraced the world."

Before he could put the ring on he awoke. People took the vision as a sign from God. It is this vision and Osman's determination that still motivates our people today. Osman's vision became a reality when in the next century our people conquered the heart of infidel power in the east, Constantinople. It was a test of resolve. A sacrifice of great numbers as many died trying to capture the great city.
I sit in a hallowed hall in the now great city of Istanbul. I write this journal inspired by my father Abduraham Edhem.

Mustafa II had appointed him but there is much to be done. My father has convinced the Sultan not to pursue aggression against Russia any longer. Our diplomats now seek a peace agreement with the various powers of Europe, including the Hapsburg's of Vienna. Although I am too young to remember the city of Vienna was nearly in our grasp several times but it would appear that for the moment that would be too lofty a goal to achieve again. There are troubles here in our homeland as well. In the land of the fertile crescent a new movement of Islam is gaining ground. This Shia sect has spilled over into Mesopotamia from Persia. It has caused great strife that will have to be dealt with. Mustafa II, with my father's guidance, has decided to forestall action in Europe and focus on this new threat to the east. However before this can begin much reform is necessary. The ceaseless wars with the west and the Russians has caused our infrastructure to degrade. Many taxes are not collected and the farms of the empire have stagnated with inattention. So for the first time in recent memory Europe will have to wait as we consolidate and focus on inward growth.

[dezikeizer]

Great start, and I have to say you did a very good job with putting in the founding legends of the first of the dynasty. +rep

[Chirurgeon]

The Winter of 1700 - Marmara
My father wanted me to keep my thoughts on parchment. He said I could reflect on what I know when I read what I wrote in the past. We have an estate in Marmara here on the coast of Rumelia. Although I have finished formative school in the madrassa I still have much to learn. My father has left Istanbul and traveled to Mesopotamia. As Grand Vizier the Sultan has appointed him to deal with the Shia insurrection in that land. Our agents are reportedly working to eliminate the untruths of the Imams from Persia. I fear if the Persians find that their religious figures are being eliminated for emulating their version of Islam things could get quite tense.
My younger brother is part of the Janissaries who have traveled east with my father. Having a brother and a sister, who lives in the royal harem, is a very important part of my life. However the brother of the Sultan always seems to live in some sort of fear. As I read the old scrolls it is tradition to eliminate your rivals for power as the Sultan. I could never do this to my brother as he is the most important person in my life next to my father. My mother died when I was very young but our family is quite strong. My father sees a good career for me in palace life but has made me promise never to become a Vizier like himself. When I ask why he tells me to read the history of our people. It seems that Vezir's are the first to be strangled when things do not look good for the Sultan. Upon reading this i know fear for my father's life. What if this Shia rebellion is not put down? What if the Sultan is given a bad light?
Our estate is several days outside of the capital but we still receive the same news that the capital does. My father wants me to record events in addition to my feelings and I feel events of this year out weigh my feelings greatly.
This has been an event filled year. The Russians have reached peace with us. Our ambassadors have brokered an agreement that has seeming left everyone happy.

However there is great trouble in Europe. The lands of Bosnia, Serbia, and Greece are ripe with rebellion. The Sultan, against my father's wishes, withdrew the garrisons from almost all of Europe. He wants the Persians to see an overwhelming force arrayed against it. The Sultan says that with peace we have no immediate concerns. However, Islam is not a major religion in the lands of Europe and the people there wish to be free. I cant say that I blame them but someone has to rule so it should be us. Our people have seen rebellions before but it is still a frightening prospect with all the chaos that ensues. Our greatest enemy may lay within our own borders.



Next year I will be traveling to the Palace to serve as a scribe for the court. I will have to leave the vineyards and only be able to return for festivals

[Chirurgeon]

Great start, and I have to say you did a very good job with putting in the founding legends of the first of the dynasty. +rep

Thank you sir. I should have another update tomorrow

[Horatius Flaccus]

Excellent, I'll be following this one!

[Chirurgeon]

Thank you Horatius. I have another installment from Ibrahim's journal forthcoming

[Chirurgeon]

The Winter of 1701- Istanbul
I have been assigned as a records keeper in the great Suleimaniye Mosque. As I am not yet 20 years, the Sultan despises young people working in his palace...unless they are young women of course. My sister is a favorite of the Sultan and spends considerable time together. She does her duty well as does my father.

he has written me and tells of the elimination of a senior member of the Persian armed forces.

A particular commander that embraced the Shia sect. The Persians know of our plan and are now seeding the Christians of Armenia with hatred of us. As most of the Armenian people are of the Orthodox faith this has been easy. Persian agents are trying to make Armenians desire independence. As expected Greece, Bosnia, and Bulgaria have kicked out our scant garrisons and taken back their lands. Many of the mosques that were built have been torn down and the crescent has been smashed in Europe.




Apparently, according to my father, this has infuriated the Sultan. He has decreed a new push to instill the faith of Islam within all of his subjects. A grand building program has been instructed to build new mosques across the breadth of the empire.
My father writes me to tell me that all this is noble but will tax our treasury even more. As is we are barely making ends meet. The rebellions in Europe and problems in Armenia has deprived us of valuable income. The new Sultan has decreed that an army of Imams and scholars will flood the lands of our enemies and convert the infidels.
These new actions has created a fervor and practical worship of our Sultan by many people. He is spoken highly of even in back alleys and the back rooms of coffee houses.

[Chirurgeon]

The Winter of 1703 - Istanbul
Much has come to pass over the last two years. I have celebrated my 20th birthday and my father came home last winter to spend time with myself and my sister. Rebellions continue in Europe. Austria, our age old enemy, has taken advantage of the chaos and moved in to remedy the situation. It worries me greatly as they make their way closer to our capital. As much as this is bad there is good as well. Far to the East we have one a great victory. The Armenians rebelled with support from Persian agents.

The Sultan looked to this as an act of war and moved his army north to deal with the rebels. My father writes of the battle that started in Armenia and ended on the coast of the Caspian sea.






What a terrific day. However I am concerned that we will be perceived as vulnerable. I cannot blame the Sultan for pursuing the Rebels into Persian lands. The Sheikh in Esaphan will clearly not persecute the rebels he aroused with his utterance of nonsense from his agents of deception. But alas the last of the agents responsible for rebellion has been tracked down near the Euphrates river. He was knifed as he took a whore for his pleasure.
I have found a lovely girl in my time here in the city. She is of Nobility and I am anxious to introduce her to my father upon his return.

[dezikeizer]

Great updates again. It's very good to see that you have a good knowledge of the history of the Ottomans, and that you incorporate it into your aar. Just one thing:

Much has come to past over the last two years.

Past should probably be pass.

[Chirurgeon]

Thank you sir I fixed it.

[Chirurgeon]

The Winter of 1704 - Marmara
I have been given the rest of the year to be with my new wife. Here at the vineyard we were married and have spent day and night together. It is truly the happiest time of my life. I hope that Anatolia will soon be with child so I can be a father. We go once every few weeks to the Suleimaniye Mosque for Friday prayers and relish every moment. Although we have to pray separately we enjoy each others company on the journey into Istanbul. I have been able to take many manuscripts with me to the villa so that I can spend more time with my wife.
In the spring there was another battle with the Persians. This one was further south. Father seems to think that the Persians are exhausted. Once again we were able to overwhelm the enemy with numbers.




However it would seem that the Sultan and my father are changing the army so that better men are constantly being added. He tells me that the front line of men are irregulars called Bashi Bazooks. These swords men charge into the enemy lines causing much damage and then our second line of muskets follow up with volley after volley of musket fire. Nomads have joined the army and their camels instill fear in horses.
The Greeks have blockaded one of our ports in Anatolia. My father tells me that it will be impossible to raise a fleet at this time. Perhaps when the war with the Persians is over we can deal with the rebellious provinces our ancestors worked so hard to secure. This lack of attention to these rebellious provinces has caused much rumor to be produced. Some would say it is the beginning of the end our dominance in the world. It worries me as well but our people are strong and we will regain those lands again. Who knows maybe our guns will once again fire upon the walls of Vienna.

[dezikeizer]

A little shorter than the others, but still great. Weird name for the wife though: Anatolia?

[Chirurgeon]

A little shorter than the others, but still great. Weird name for the wife though: Anatolia?

Yes i know its an nontraditional name but I like the way it sounds . Since I am doing an installment for each year they will not be too long unless events unfold that dictate otherwise. The forthcoming installment will be a bit longer than the last. I will also periodically show the world map to show the changes that occur outside the empire. Thanks for following!

[Archduke Greens]

How do you get 500 troops to a unit? Thats awesome

[Chirurgeon]

How do you get 500 troops to a unit? Thats awesome

Darth mod. Its totally worth it if your computer can handle it. It bogs down a bit when 5000 guys are meleeing each other but overall it really gives the game an epic feel. He has also changed the BAI enough so that the battles feel really good. Check it out at the Mod forum. thanks for following!

[Chirurgeon]

The Winter of 1705 - Marmara
Earlier this year I was in the main cannon foundry in Istanbul. Here our engineers craft beautiful artillery pieces that are more than just functional. Many are like works of art. Intricate designs and inscriptions from the Koran cover their bores. The iron is mined in a variety of places and brought in either by ship, which is difficult due to the Greek blockade, or by road. The mountains of Anatolia as well as Rumelia provide a vast source of Iron. I watched as the engineers precisely measure each diameter of each bore checking for any inconsistencies. Its dirty and dangerous work. The engineers tell me of the history of how the cannon came to be. They tell me that the Chinese used bamboo tubes to launch projectiles. As I look at the tubes of Cannon around me i realize that we have come a long way. They showed me several cannon the army had requested and they told me to pick up one of the cannon balls that was shot out. 18 lbs of devestation moving at a ridiculous speed.

Our people have a unique relationship with artillery. Engineers in the siege of Constantinople devised a truly giant cannon. It was so big they gave it a name: Basilic. Mehmed II used a Hungarian engineer named Urban to construct a truly amazing cannon. The engineers showed me a drawing on the wall of one of the foundries that showed the real life size of this behemoth. 27 feet long and 2.5 feet in diameter. It could throw a 1200 pound stone a mile. However it could only be fired three times a day. The engineers here insist that this cannon caused the fall of the city. However an unlocked gate was the most likely reason. However I did not want to debate that with these burly craftsmen. When i asked how much it weighed they simply shook their heads and said that some mountains weigh less than Basilic. Indeed it must have been quite heavy. I found myself completely fascinated with these beasts that launched giant balls that lay mayhem into an enemy you could barely see. It was the ultimate form of death from a distance.

The reason things are busy here in the cannon foundry is that our army in the east has surrounded Estafan, Persia. Having spent most of the year traveling along the Caspian sea and the countryside to the south, they arrived at Estafan just before winter. Food and supplies were being pressed into the mountains and to our men from Baghdad. The Sultan is returning to the palace, which has caused quite the stir. Mustafa II has always desired leading his armies into battle. But now there are pressing matters of state for him to attend to. The world has not been static while we were at war with the Persians. Our neighbors have offered us trade agreements. This has been a boon for my family in particular. Our age old enemies the Austrians along with other Europeans are in demand of our goods. The army has acquired many Persian treasures and the Europeans seemingly cannot get enough of these goods. Our unique wines produced in Marmarra have a flavor all their own and even the Austrians wish to purchase them. This has been good because we can effectively circumvent the embargo that Greeks have placed upon our ports.
The Moroccans have stormed across Northern Africa and have reached the ancient region known as Kyrenia. Fortunately it would seem they do not wish their Islamic brothers harm.
With the return of the Sultan to Istanbul my father has been placed in overall command of the forces. What a glorious day. And on top of that he has personally invited me to visit him at the encampment outside of Esafan. I was ecstatic to actually get the chance to see the army in person. I would be leaving in the spring for the long overland journey to Persia.

[samsmithnz]

Keep it up, I like the quick style - it means you can post more often (where as it takes me a week to play 10 years and then another 2 weeks to type it up and edit it before I can publish it).

Love that you are playing the Ottomans - I really think they were under-represented here, and like others, I like how you've incorporated real history into your story.

[Chirurgeon]

Keep it up, I like the quick style - it means you can post more often (where as it takes me a week to play 10 years and then another 2 weeks to type it up and edit it before I can publish it).

Love that you are playing the Ottomans - I really think they were under-represented here, and like others, I like how you've incorporated real history into your story.

Thank you very much. I have several AARs over on the EB forums. As I am a true lover of all things classical but I decided to take a break from EB until EBII comes out. I hope to post several times a week.

[dezikeizer]

Superb update! He's going to the army in the East huh? Well, that probably means more battle updates coming. I'll be waiting for the next one.

[Chirurgeon]

The Winter of 1706 - Esaphan, Persia

We left as planned and crossed the golden horn into Anatolia. I smiled as I hear my wife's name throughout our travels. She was to stay behind as it could be a dangerous journey once into Persian lands. We took the main road and spent a few days in Ankara. This city could easily be the capital of the empire, seeing its glory, but Istanbul is more symbolic and makes advances into Europe a bit easier.
After a few days in Ankara we loaded our wagons with many supplies and passed many villages and towns including Kayseri and Batman. As we moved across the great plain we came across a river and i was informed that this river is the Euphrates. So young and vibrant. Much different than the river further downstream. Eventually we crossed the headwaters of the Tigris river and followed it south. Many villages and farms along this fertile strip of land.

For to our West lay a desert of great length and about as fertile as an old woman. We passed through Mosul, a great center of learning, and then into the rich farmland of Kirkuk. Alas the great city of Babylon lay before us. This ancient city although in decline is still magnificent. Ah to have seen it in its glory during the greatness of the Persian Empire. Its ancient gates and inscriptions are foreign to me but beautiful all the same.

We stayed in Baghdad for much needed rest and here I received word, just as summer was approaching, that Estaphan had fallen. Here we also found the Janissaries. These were glorious soldiers who did much of the conquering in Europe and were preparing to head east across the Zagros Mountains. In a few days travel we would cross into Persia.

A breath taking land full of lush valleys and high peaks. The mountains seemingly endless. It was cold at night and we would camp in various valleys and cross the mountains during the day. This went on for a week or so until we came into a Plain where we could see Estaphan.
The Jannisaries would be following us. I asked their commander why they were not present for the siege at Estaphan. They were delayed due to civil strife in Southern Mesopotamia. Basra had been attacked by a fleet of Persian galleys and as a result the Janissaries were dispatched. Apparently the besieged defenders of Estaphan had heard this and attempted to fight their way out. I talked to some of the soldiers that had returned to Baghdad and they said the battle went well but we suffered heavy casualties. My father and the commanders apparently underestimated the resolve of the garrison. Our army was apparently in a less than ideal location. They formed lines at the bottom of a hill. The Persians were able to come directly down that hill. In a controversial move the commander ordered the Bashi-Bazooks to charge up hill into one group coming from the city. However as this battle raged, another group of defenders stormed down the hill from an area that was unseen. Using the terrain as cover this new threat poured into our left flank. Fortunately they enemy could not capitalize on this surprise and were essentially halted by our line infantry. Had they used cavalry it could have been a much different outcome. However they did not and our camel nomads charged into their rear and routed them. All along our artillery smashed the lines of any of their soldiers still intending to stand ground.
I was a bit sad I had not seen this battle in person. However, with the sheer number of casualties and the civil unrest in the Persian capital, it has become apparent that the army will not be leaving anytime soon. Far to the south of the city along the Persian gulf is a determined group of the enemy willing to try and take back the capital. It is expected that we will engage them in the following year.

Battle of Estaphan:








Although my father had not remarried he has a regular woman that he sleeps with. This surprised me a bit, but a man has needs and a man of my father's stature is in need of basic carnal pleasures.

I will hopefully be able to explore the city a bit more and better yet my father has promised me access to the palace archives to investigate various Persian artifacts and scrolls.