[X] The Tsehafi Taezaz: Already one of the most powerful men in the imperial court, the Tsehafi Taezaz, or Imperial Scribe, is perhaps the most powerful appointed noble in the empire, responsible for recording all the emperor's orders and commands, issuing laws and proclamations, and keeping track of the titles and lands handed out by the emperor. The current Taezaz, Lemuel, is hailed by the Mekwanint as a capable and efficient organizer who has already proven himself capable of running an imperial court. Yet, he is a Jew, and many in the court bare teeth at the thought of letting him rise any higher. His long years in the bureaucracy and at the side of the last emperor may prove a boon.
[X] The Harari Campaign: With the death of the emperor Baeda Maryam, the Sultans of Adal whom he struggled so hard to force into tribute have declared their oaths null and void. While the Sultan has kept his insolence to sending no tribute, his emirs have begun their old patterns of raiding into the imperial lowlands and terrorizing Christian subjects. One in particular, an Imam named Mahfuz, lord of the city of Harar, is more daring than all the others. Leading a force of elite Malassay warriors, he has led a devastating raid into the imperial borderlands during the season of Lent, just as the ritual fasts and holy observances have left the borders near defenseless. He has crowned this blasphemy by looting churches and monasteries, the stolen wealth of which he has taken back to Harar. This crime must be avenged. The clergy and the army alike urge the emperor to march east and make his name by conquering Harar and seeing this Mahfuz to deserved end.
[X] The Empress Regent: Briefly regent of an empire and mother to a king, the former empress Romna now has little to her name beyond her pride and the clothes on her back. Deserted by most in the court after her ambitious gambit failed, she awaits her fate in Axum with her most loyal retainers and allies. Many expect her to be packed off to a monastery to wait out her days in solitude, but some few voices, the preacher Kabede among them, remind the emperor that mere days ago this woman nearly bent an empire to her whim with little more than words.
[X] The Harari Campaign: With the death of the emperor Baeda Maryam, the Sultans of Adal whom he struggled so hard to force into tribute have declared their oaths null and void. While the Sultan has kept his insolence to sending no tribute, his emirs have begun their old patterns of raiding into the imperial lowlands and terrorizing Christian subjects. One in particular, an Imam named Mahfuz, lord of the city of Harar, is more daring than all the others. Leading a force of elite Malassay warriors, he has led a devastating raid into the imperial borderlands during the season of Lent, just as the ritual fasts and holy observances have left the borders near defenseless. He has crowned this blasphemy by looting churches and monasteries, the stolen wealth of which he has taken back to Harar. This crime must be avenged. The clergy and the army alike urge the emperor to march east and make his name by conquering Harar and seeing this Mahfuz to deserved end.
Rather worried about picking the Bitwoded considering I think we're about to go to war with the folks that serve as his intermediary through which he earned his money. Also, all those connections and the fact he is specifically called out as having gold-coated fingers everywhere? This is a guy that I think we want close but not too close, otherwise we may very well see our centralisation gains reversed quietly.
Also, got to admit that I was utterly stunned at what the guy I kind of pushed for just pulled. Let's hope that he manages the aftereffects well, because it's both something that could give us great long term gain... Or be a rallying point for overthrowing the King and crippling his power in the future.
[X] The Harari Campaign
The faction that's actually attacking us [x] The Bitwoded
We're being radical elsewhere, a bit of continuity will help smooth things.
[X] The Empress Regent: Briefly regent of an empire and mother to a king, the former empress Romna now has little to her name beyond her pride and the clothes on her back. Deserted by most in the court after her ambitious gambit failed, she awaits her fate in Axum with her most loyal retainers and allies. Many expect her to be packed off to a monastery to wait out her days in solitude, but some few voices, the preacher Kabede among them, remind the emperor that mere days ago this woman nearly bent an empire to her whim with little more than words.
[X] The Harari Campaign: With the death of the emperor Baeda Maryam, the Sultans of Adal whom he struggled so hard to force into tribute have declared their oaths null and void. While the Sultan has kept his insolence to sending no tribute, his emirs have begun their old patterns of raiding into the imperial lowlands and terrorizing Christian subjects. One in particular, an Imam named Mahfuz, lord of the city of Harar, is more daring than all the others. Leading a force of elite Malassay warriors, he has led a devastating raid into the imperial borderlands during the season of Lent, just as the ritual fasts and holy observances have left the borders near defenseless. He has crowned this blasphemy by looting churches and monasteries, the stolen wealth of which he has taken back to Harar. This crime must be avenged. The clergy and the army alike urge the emperor to march east and make his name by conquering Harar and seeing this Mahfuz to deserved end.
[X] The Empress Regent
[X] The Imperial Expedition
The Empress Regent is charismatic and will help in making alliances. Between that and vassalizing the Horn of Africa, we'll have enough power to turn and secure the frontiers. Then we can do a royal progress to bring the whole realm under one bureaucratic aegis.
[X] The Empress Regent: Briefly regent of an empire and mother to a king, the former empress Romna now has little to her name beyond her pride and the clothes on her back. Deserted by most in the court after her ambitious gambit failed, she awaits her fate in Axum with her most loyal retainers and allies. Many expect her to be packed off to a monastery to wait out her days in solitude, but some few voices, the preacher Kabede among them, remind the emperor that mere days ago this woman nearly bent an empire to her whim with little more than words. [X] The Harari Campaign: With the death of the emperor Baeda Maryam, the Sultans of Adal whom he struggled so hard to force into tribute have declared their oaths null and void. While the Sultan has kept his insolence to sending no tribute, his emirs have begun their old patterns of raiding into the imperial lowlands and terrorizing Christian subjects. One in particular, an Imam named Mahfuz, lord of the city of Harar, is more daring than all the others. Leading a force of elite Malassay warriors, he has led a devastating raid into the imperial borderlands during the season of Lent, just as the ritual fasts and holy observances have left the borders near defenseless. He has crowned this blasphemy by looting churches and monasteries, the stolen wealth of which he has taken back to Harar. This crime must be avenged. The clergy and the army alike urge the emperor to march east and make his name by conquering Harar and seeing this Mahfuz to deserved end.
[X] The Empress Regent: Briefly regent of an empire and mother to a king, the former empress Romna now has little to her name beyond her pride and the clothes on her back. Deserted by most in the court after her ambitious gambit failed, she awaits her fate in Axum with her most loyal retainers and allies. Many expect her to be packed off to a monastery to wait out her days in solitude, but some few voices, the preacher Kabede among them, remind the emperor that mere days ago this woman nearly bent an empire to her whim with little more than words.
[X] The Harari Campaign: With the death of the emperor Baeda Maryam, the Sultans of Adal whom he struggled so hard to force into tribute have declared their oaths null and void. While the Sultan has kept his insolence to sending no tribute, his emirs have begun their old patterns of raiding into the imperial lowlands and terrorizing Christian subjects. One in particular, an Imam named Mahfuz, lord of the city of Harar, is more daring than all the others. Leading a force of elite Malassay warriors, he has led a devastating raid into the imperial borderlands during the season of Lent, just as the ritual fasts and holy observances have left the borders near defenseless. He has crowned this blasphemy by looting churches and monasteries, the stolen wealth of which he has taken back to Harar. This crime must be avenged. The clergy and the army alike urge the emperor to march east and make his name by conquering Harar and seeing this Mahfuz to deserved end.
This seems like it might advance the influence of the Preacher Kabede and that's a plot-point that I want to delve into some more, for better or worse.
[X] The Empress Regent: Briefly regent of an empire and mother to a king, the former empress Romna now has little to her name beyond her pride and the clothes on her back. Deserted by most in the court after her ambitious gambit failed, she awaits her fate in Axum with her most loyal retainers and allies. Many expect her to be packed off to a monastery to wait out her days in solitude, but some few voices, the preacher Kabede among them, remind the emperor that mere days ago this woman nearly bent an empire to her whim with little more than words.
[X] The Harari Campaign: With the death of the emperor Baeda Maryam, the Sultans of Adal whom he struggled so hard to force into tribute have declared their oaths null and void. While the Sultan has kept his insolence to sending no tribute, his emirs have begun their old patterns of raiding into the imperial lowlands and terrorizing Christian subjects. One in particular, an Imam named Mahfuz, lord of the city of Harar, is more daring than all the others. Leading a force of elite Malassay warriors, he has led a devastating raid into the imperial borderlands during the season of Lent, just as the ritual fasts and holy observances have left the borders near defenseless. He has crowned this blasphemy by looting churches and monasteries, the stolen wealth of which he has taken back to Harar. This crime must be avenged. The clergy and the army alike urge the emperor to march east and make his name by conquering Harar and seeing this Mahfuz to deserved end.
Adal has been the premier opponent of Ethiopia for over a century. Her cities are wealthy and high-walled, and her Emirs are powerful and well-liked, exceeding their Sultan in both economic power and strength of arms. For a decade the Emperor Baeda Maryam struggled to conquer Adal, allying with border tribes and raising levies from all across the borderlands. And yet, here they stand.
Conquering Adal would indeed grow the Ethiopian coast significantly and catapult her to unquestioned dominance not just over the Horn of Africa, but over the Red Sea — which is why so many emperors before Susenyos have tried it.
The explorer Richard Burton records the story that on his deathbed, Baeda Maryam I ordered that his body be buried so his face looked towards Adal, "upon whose subjugation the energies of ten years had been vainly expended."
A hard nut to crack, to say the least. Should he march, Susenyos hopes perhaps to shame or conquer Harar, one of the Sultanate's mightiest cities. Overcoming the Sultanate entirely is a dicey proposition, and might require a full levy of the empire — the Sultan is no overambitious Emir, but a peer and a rival.
Adal has been the premier opponent of Ethiopia for over a century. Her cities are wealthy and high-walled, and her Emirs are powerful and well-liked, exceeding their Sultan in both economic power and strength of arms. For a decade the Emperor Baeda Maryam struggled to conquer Adal, allying with border tribes and raising levies from all across the borderlands. And yet, here they stand.
Conquering Adal would indeed grow the Ethiopian coast significantly and catapult her to unquestioned dominance not just over the Horn of Africa, but over the Red Sea — which is why so many emperors before Susenyos have tried it.
A hard nut to crack, to say the least. Should he march, Susenyos hopes perhaps to shame or conquer Harar, one of the Sultanate's mightiest cities. Overcoming the Sultanate entirely is a dicey proposition, and might require a full levy of the empire — the Sultan is no overambitious Emir, but a peer and a rival.
In all honesty, I'd rather have a focus on Adal before they get to close to the Ottoman's. I can't say I'm an expert on Ethiopia's history but by the next few decades or so, Ethiopia and Adal end up having a war that lasts over a decade and it ends with status quo. So I'd rather take Harar and whittle away at Adal as a whole. I know we can't ignore Beta Israel and the Maya but Adal has been Ethiopia's main rival for awhile, so if we deliver a decisive blow against our main rival, I'd feel like we'd be in a safe position.
*raises eyebrow*
Well, this is an unusual and intriguing premise...But given that it seems to be historical-based I'm just going to mostly contend myself with watching how this story plays out.
Our power move has given us an exceptional free hand, but it has given the great men of the empire frontrow seats to our performance as ruler. Every monarch has his failures, but after pissing them off like that we better hope we roll more 10s than 1s.
The Tsehafi Taezaz
Pros as I see them:
Incredible experience and capable as an organiser and bureaucrat which we can sorely need since we crippled the administration of the empire just a teeny tiny bit. As a Jew unlikey to make a play for himself
Cons:
He is a Jew and we already have people in the description who grind their teeth at the thought of letting him rise further. I imagine the church officials are among those who don't want to see him climb the ladder and we already have snubbed them.
The Abeto
Pros:
I feel like the flavour text oversells him a bit as a potential rival. His "stone-throw" was more like the outside bet. He doesn't have the backing of the army at this point and the nobility didn't favour him back then. This has switched, interestingly enough. The bureaucracy doesn't want to see him take away their jobs (as he was mentioned to be very prepared to become a courtier), but the nobility now see him as a tempering influence. Too bad the church didn't like him either, but we could use him to mend bridges and get our administration in order.
Cons:
Said to be intelligent, he could use his new found freedom to forge alliances and actually become a rival to the throne, although he is described as sickly, so he might never get the full support of the army. He is also completely untested. Being well-prepared in a golden cage and intelligent does not automatically translate to successful. He might not fulfill our hopes.
The Queen Mother:
Pros:
Ties to the outer fringes of the empire, at least in the past a staunch ally of the emperor and definitely intelligent. Allowing her to become the right hand could also soothe the snubbed nobility. That said, she arranged that in the past by granting autonomy to nobles whose autonomy we've just took away for a year, but she paradoxically managed to use that to centralise power. So it sounds like she knows what she is doing, especially since she managed to outshine the actual empress.
Oh, and if we don't take her we might create an enemy.
Cons:
Well, she sounds too good to be true? Not a big fan of granting autonomy to nobles where we don't have to and she might in later years outshine our own chosen empress or see her as a threat, even if that isn't on the cards yet.
The Bitwoded:
Pros:
Church connections is a big one, not to mention that we might be able to create ties to Muslim community in the east that may or may not be a crowbar for the Ottomans to assert influence in our backyard. In general we can likely expect to get our revenue in order now that we allowed for tax reliefs spanning five years. As an expected candidate he will also not serve as a slap to the face to any factions, except the Queen Dowager maybe.
Also, given how powerful he used to be he might just turn enemy on the basis of us not giving him what he deserves.
Cons:
Same with above, I don't see any automatic disadvantages save for snubbing the queen dowager. I guess the lack of focus on the administrative side of things could bite us in the ass, but that problem will (hopefully) vanish in a year while our decreased tax revenue will last five.
The Empress Regent:
Pros:
She might turn into a strong ally given that we have decided to protect her son. Also, she would owe her position to us.
Cons:
Whatever happened to her son anyway? We didn't adopt him and seeing as she promised everyone the stars from the heavens she might work to undermine us eventually to place her son on the throne. Or perhaps she did that for her own status, who knows. I imagine marrying her won't do, so this might end with a snake in our midst. Beyond that, I don't see what she brings to the table, if I'm being honest.
Personally I'm sitting between the Bitwoded and the Abeto. Personally I believe we should turn to the ocean and commerce to find riches, perhaps create ties to the Muslim traders and find unlikely allies in the Europeans. In the hopes of keeping Ottoman power in the Indian Ocean and especially at the Horn in check.
On the other hand we want a well-run empire and pick our people instead of the great and important men who are great and important because our predecessor chose them.
I'll go with [X] The Bitwoded
The Harari Campaign:
The army are our backers and they will want retaliation. We would even get the church on our side. That said, they have a big brother in the far north and failure when everyone is looking could be devastating.
The Royal Progress:
Adminstrative focus, who doesn't love it?! Kind of bad time with a rebellious vassal, but we have people for that. Or not, given that the army expects us to be proactive.
The Semien Campaign:
More show of force, without a big backer, but also likely harder to subdue.
The Great Pilgrimage:
Gets the church on board, but with two vassals not showing the proper respect? I dunno.
The Wej Campaign:
Ok, that is the third vassal. And here I wanted the Royal Progress. The enemy is a smart one, so failure possible, but success would strengthen the trade.
The Imperial Expedition:
I kind of like the expedition idea, especially in tandem with my choice for right hand man, but after Adal raided churches and monasteries this may not be as popular as I may hope.
I am a little stuck between the expedition, the Harari and Wej campaign. I'll take a look at what happened historically and sleep on it.
[X] The Tsehafi Taezaz: Already one of the most powerful men in the imperial court, the Tsehafi Taezaz, or Imperial Scribe, is perhaps the most powerful appointed noble in the empire, responsible for recording all the emperor's orders and commands, issuing laws and proclamations, and keeping track of the titles and lands handed out by the emperor. The current Taezaz, Lemuel, is hailed by the Mekwanint as a capable and efficient organizer who has already proven himself capable of running an imperial court. Yet, he is a Jew, and many in the court bare teeth at the thought of letting him rise any higher. His long years in the bureaucracy and at the side of the last emperor may prove a boon.
[X] The Harari Campaign: With the death of the emperor Baeda Maryam, the Sultans of Adal whom he struggled so hard to force into tribute have declared their oaths null and void. While the Sultan has kept his insolence to sending no tribute, his emirs have begun their old patterns of raiding into the imperial lowlands and terrorizing Christian subjects. One in particular, an Imam named Mahfuz, lord of the city of Harar, is more daring than all the others. Leading a force of elite Malassay warriors, he has led a devastating raid into the imperial borderlands during the season of Lent, just as the ritual fasts and holy observances have left the borders near defenseless. He has crowned this blasphemy by looting churches and monasteries, the stolen wealth of which he has taken back to Harar. This crime must be avenged. The clergy and the army alike urge the emperor to march east and make his name by conquering Harar and seeing this Mahfuz to deserved end.
[X] The Empress Regent: Briefly regent of an empire and mother to a king, the former empress Romna now has little to her name beyond her pride and the clothes on her back. Deserted by most in the court after her ambitious gambit failed, she awaits her fate in Axum with her most loyal retainers and allies. Many expect her to be packed off to a monastery to wait out her days in solitude, but some few voices, the preacher Kabede among them, remind the emperor that mere days ago this woman nearly bent an empire to her whim with little more than words.
[X] The Harari Campaign: With the death of the emperor Baeda Maryam, the Sultans of Adal whom he struggled so hard to force into tribute have declared their oaths null and void. While the Sultan has kept his insolence to sending no tribute, his emirs have begun their old patterns of raiding into the imperial lowlands and terrorizing Christian subjects. One in particular, an Imam named Mahfuz, lord of the city of Harar, is more daring than all the others. Leading a force of elite Malassay warriors, he has led a devastating raid into the imperial borderlands during the season of Lent, just as the ritual fasts and holy observances have left the borders near defenseless. He has crowned this blasphemy by looting churches and monasteries, the stolen wealth of which he has taken back to Harar. This crime must be avenged. The clergy and the army alike urge the emperor to march east and make his name by conquering Harar and seeing this Mahfuz to deserved end.
[X] The Empress Regent: Briefly regent of an empire and mother to a king, the former empress Romna now has little to her name beyond her pride and the clothes on her back. Deserted by most in the court after her ambitious gambit failed, she awaits her fate in Axum with her most loyal retainers and allies. Many expect her to be packed off to a monastery to wait out her days in solitude, but some few voices, the preacher Kabede among them, remind the emperor that mere days ago this woman nearly bent an empire to her whim with little more than words.
[X] The Imperial Expedition: War has always been among the emperor's first resorts with the powers to her east. The Sultans of Adal and Ajuraan are powerful and haughty, and too often it has been necessary to shatter their walls and their pretensions at royalty...and yet, there may be another way. A merchant by the name of Nasr, hailing from Yemen, has suggested another course: an imperial expedition, a show of might and wealth that would cow the high lords of the Horn of Africa without a drop of blood spilt. March the splendor of Ethiopia through Adal and Ajuraan, visit the cities that have so long defied imperial power, and imprint indelibly on all their minds who is lord and master. Who could see the host of the King of Kings, and not know fear for all their days?
First choice, I'm leaning towards the Tsehafi Taezaz primarily and secondarily the Queen Mother. The Bitwoded seems to be kind of mediocre. Beyond him, I think that the Empress Regent and particularly the Abeto would just be bad.
Secondly, I favor primarily the Wej campaign as it seems to shore up our finances and seems easily achievable with our military power while also setting up a good stage for better border defense, enhanced tribal respect and mercenaries to augment our forces. Secondarily there is responding to Adal but that seems both dicier and more like something I'd want to put off until we have greater advantages in our favor.
I think that the combination of Tsehafi Taezaz and Wej campaign is the most balanced for bumping our admin and court administration bonuses just as the court is very important and our administration is dinged, while a successful Wej campaign should alleviate some tax concerns through maintaining trade and bettering our merchant relations and contacts as well as setting up other good situations like enhanced border defenses and tribal respect
As to why:
[] The Tsehafi Taezaz:
Already one of the most powerful men in the imperial court, the Tsehafi Taezaz, or Imperial Scribe, is perhaps the most powerful appointed noble in the empire, responsible for recording all the emperor's orders and commands, issuing laws and proclamations, and keeping track of the titles and lands handed out by the emperor. The current Taezaz, Lemuel, is hailed by the Mekwanint as a capable and efficient organizer who has already proven himself capable of running an imperial court. Yet, he is a Jew, and many in the court bare teeth at the thought of letting him rise any higher. His long years in the bureaucracy and at the side of the last emperor may prove a boon.
This would be throwing a bone to the bureaucracy / Mekwanint faction which is presently ambivalent towards us. The pro would be a coup in administration just as we jarred that by locking up the court, and he is rather experienced in court dealings which would pair quite nicely with the sudden importance of our court. The downside is that people aren't a fan of his faith, but even that has a sunny side in that the influence of the Church has been strongly reeled in versus the start.
In a vote, a + besides one of these groups indicates that picking this option will strengthen them in the future, while a - indicates that this option will weaken them.
Taking this, that --- at the start has rather greivously harmed Church influence. For reference, the captive Nobility is now at ----, only one more minus... that said, we haven't gotten to the point of them being explicitly downgraded to weak, and balancing as they are near that threshold but still with more strength they'd likely try to pull some stunt to pushback and recover.
Overall, solid looking choice, patches up our fresh admin weakness and court organization after we just emphasized the court at penalty of an already weakened group being upset with us. Likely the blood nobility also won't be fans, but this guy seems to be one of the best suited to make them not matter.
[] The Abeto:
Newly freed from his imprisonment on the Mountain of the Princes, the Abeto Yohannes has now been imprisoned once more, this time as part of the Imperial Court. Many among the nobility champion his inclusion into the inner circles of power, hoping that his royal blood will curb his royal cousin's excesses. Meanwhile, the Mekwanint, who might have loved him as a king, fear that the Abeto's ascension to chief minister will diminish the power of the appointed nobility. Untested and untried, the Abeto is still an intelligent youth — who once, it must be remembered, was a stone's throw from an empire.
Olive branch to the blood nobility and church (going off of his apparent close relations with the Abuna which do not seem to be contradicted here like the previous affiliation with the Mekwanint) to soothe them after the harm we did in the last update, at harm of inviting decline of the pen nobles. Also, while this does seem to be a smart young guy, I don't see a twenty year old shy of actual experience outside the mountain will have all that much ability to reverse our problems with admin and tax burdens outside of compromise with the church and nobles. Basically an option if you want to call a mulligan on what we just did, but that seems like squandering an opportunity to just vacillate...
[] The Queen Mother:
Traditionally, the Emperor's mother plays a dominant position in the state. With the early death of his own mother before his ascension, the late emperor instead elevated the last of his father's wives, the Queen Eleni — his mother in spirit if not in fact. Intelligent, well-educated, and shrewd, the dowager empress served her stepson with an iron fist and a silver tongue, eclipsing the actual empress Romna. In her youth she was a princess of the Hadiya tribe to the far east of the empire, a fact which has won her much love from the outskirts in the years since, and she has emerged in her time in the court as an outspoken defender of the emperor — a strategy she has achieved by appeasing the nobility and granting them autonomy to avoid civil war, working instead to centralize power on the imperial person. The Queen Mother is, some suggest, far too powerful to be ignored outright.
In some ways a bit like The Abeto in that she seems liable to reverse the course with respect to autonomy for the blood nobles (assuming not the pen ones as that doesn't seem to make sense for a mostly courtly faction...), but crucially she seems more liable to pump up the outlying tribes and imperial power rather than the partially deflated church. I wouldn't mind making the outlying tribes more fond of us and stronger, as we're not so far off from a period of time where human migrations are likely going to be at play and a depopulated or weakened exterior is quite likely to be probed with an escalating series of opportunistic raids and settlements. Stronger minor powerholders on the periphery present a stiffer, fiercer resistance as well as strategic depth should the outermost ones be hurt (unlike if say a central army rode out, was defeated and nothing local was left around to defend...) so raiders or migrants are more likely to look around for other points of least resistance. Plus she is intelligent, educated, AND experienced. The main advantage to her is hitting on our already present strengths with the tribes and our current ability to strongly, substantially boost imperial power with the captive court at cost of maybe giving more power back to the blood nobles down the line... I'd also like this option, albeit not so much as the imperial scribe.
[] The Bitwoded:
Bitwoded Amda Mikael, builder of a dozen churches, father of a dozen sons, and lord of a dozen lands, was the most powerful man in the reign of the emperor Baeda Maryam. Widely supported and widely liked, many expect the honor of being the emperor's right hand to be near-automatically granted to him once more. Beloved by the clergy for his charitable donations, Mikael has deep connections among the Islamic merchants of the Horn, which he has used to build his outrageous fortunes. A close ally of the Bahr Negus, his gold-coated fingers can be felt in nearly every corner of the empire.
Pretty much seems to be a better version of the Abeto. Seems less focused on re-supporting the nobility although he is clearly one of them, moreso on appeasing the Church (which is not as weakened so may be prudent) and brings in merchant ties which we have previously been weak on. Potentially he could help with our current money troubles by empowering trade to replace lost taxation. I'm still not a fan as this seems to be working counter to the disempowering of the factions we've been working against already, but if you want to do appeasement this definitely seems like the better option for maybe helping with the tax problem, opening up Islamic merchant opportunities and calming down the worries of the church.
[] The Empress Regent:
Briefly regent of an empire and mother to a king, the former empress Romna now has little to her name beyond her pride and the clothes on her back. Deserted by most in the court after her ambitious gambit failed, she awaits her fate in Axum with her most loyal retainers and allies. Many expect her to be packed off to a monastery to wait out her days in solitude, but some few voices, the preacher Kabede among them, remind the emperor that mere days ago this woman nearly bent an empire to her whim with little more than words.
This is our spritual advisor saying this to us, and she was able to wrangle quite a lot of folks to her side. I think she may be an exclusive option here given the promise we made for the life of her son. What I would worry most about with her is that, if we spurn her, we might see her try and free her very much alive son from the mountains and lead some sort of pretender revolt if things were to go south and we put forth a poor showing. Honestly, I'm fine with risking that rather than heaping power onto her when she's going to still maintain a vested interest in her son getting the throne and she doesn't seem to have nearly as much current pool to bring to the table.
---
[] The Harari Campaign: With the death of the emperor Baeda Maryam, the Sultans of Adal whom he struggled so hard to force into tribute have declared their oaths null and void. While the Sultan has kept his insolence to sending no tribute, his emirs have begun their old patterns of raiding into the imperial lowlands and terrorizing Christian subjects. One in particular, an Imam named Mahfuz, lord of the city of Harar, is more daring than all the others. Leading a force of elite Malassay warriors, he has led a devastating raid into the imperial borderlands during the season of Lent, just as the ritual fasts and holy observances have left the borders near defenseless. He has crowned this blasphemy by looting churches and monasteries, the stolen wealth of which he has taken back to Harar. This crime must be avenged. The clergy and the army alike urge the emperor to march east and make his name by conquering Harar and seeing this Mahfuz to deserved end.
Makes the clergy and army happy, very important to keep the army happy. We have a more powerful military monarch than Eskender would have been, which is good because apparently military adventurism in Adal around this time apparently did not go well due to a nasty ambush... Anyway, trade is likely to be weakened by this. I think the best choice for success here would be with the Queen Mother as she should be best at raising imperial power (good for us with a militarily inclined monarch) and good relations/understanding with the tribes which as said before should help to firm up the power of the very sorts of outlying lowland areas that are being raided and our ability to take use of their resources. I think this would be a good option to take IF we are giving it our all with the Queen Mother as Harar is quite the prize... but if we lose, this could go quite poorly so I wouldn't want a non-optimal minister on this one.
[] The Royal Progress:
Even in the best of times, organizing an empire is difficult. Obtaining a proper tally of the population, resources, and defenses of the various regions is a monumental task, and has uncertain results even in the best of times — and these are not the best of times. When the occasion calls for it, emperors have been known to circumnavigate the entirety of the empire, visiting every kraal, fortress, and city to simultaneously conduct a census, collect taxes, and allow the people to see their emperor. The Mekwanint urge the emperor to embark on a progress now, showing off the imperial army and the court at every end of the empire.
This would be best to solve our admin problem, and certainly best overseen by the imperial scribe. That said, the military is not likely to be impressed by this since they are after glory and they are a rather strong stakeholder... not sure if tribes would care. Maybe helps out imperial power with that face time everywhere.
[] The Semien Campaign:
High in the Semien mountains of the Ethiopian highlands, a kingdom resists the empire of Christ as it has resisted it for nigh on a thousand years: the Beta Israel, the House of Israel, those Jews of Ethiopia who defied the conversion to Christianity. For centuries, their kingdom has struggled against and warred with the Ethiopian Empire, and many long centuries ago, they sacked Axum and razed the Mountain of the Princes. Though greatly reduced in size and strength from that ancient triumph, the Beta Israel are no less indomitable. Their King, Gideon (tenth of that name), has refused to pay tribute or to acknowledge Susenyos as his emperor, and many among the army and the nobility are encouraging the new emperor to prove his reign with a show of force against the empire's staunchest foes. But the mountain-cities of the Jews are fortified and well-armed, and many an emperor has returned in shame from those green heights.
Boost in favor from the army and nobility. Our monarch is specifically experienced in northern warfare, i.e. pretty much the vicinity of this area... an outstanding martial showing here would be a great boon, and Semien is quite weakened in these days. That said, since they're weakened, it's hard to see them being on anything but the defensive unless a chance for opportunism strikes (see the historical flip flopping on the Ethiopia-Adal wars) so this would pretty much be making an enemy we don't need to make for not much reason which is probably not a great idea when we're already being raided on the opposite side of the empire. Overall, not a fan.
[] The Great Pilgrimage:
Ethiopia is an ancient and holy land. Massive rock-hewn churches dot her landscape, titan cathedrals of basalt and rock cut from the living mountains. These churches mark momentous events in the history of Ethiopia, or the burial sites of emperors and saints. Axum itself stands as one of the holiest cities in the world, peer to Jerusalem, home of the Ark of the Covenant. In a time when many doubt the provenance of the emperor, there are some monks and priests who suggest that a great royal procession between all of Ethiopia's holy sites is precisely what is needed, both as a show of strength and a show of piety. Is not the emperor Protector of the Holy Places, and the Elect of God?
Most church favor, also a peaceful option that the army would hate. Not really a fan of retreading ground here.
[] The Wej Campaign:
In the Wej region to the southeast of the Ethiopian highlands dwell the Maya tribe, skilled archers and warriors who have long served as mercenaries for the emperors. On learning of the emperor Baeda Maryam's death, however, the Maya have begun shirking their duties, abandoning the borders, and sending no tribute. It is said they even dare to raid the valuable salt caravans which pass through their lands, threatening the beating heart of Ethiopian trade. Outraged, the merchants have demanded the emperor do something about this injustice. The Maya king, Gojan, is known to be an opportunistic and clever warrior, who has fought in many battles. Many of the Dejazmaches advocate a quick and brutal war to put the Maya back in their place — a triumph over a warrior such as Gojan will win respect and fear from all the tribes surrounding the empire.
From Wikipedia it seems that this tribe was very important in later resisting and slowing Adal's encroachment (until it got occupied and then flipped sides...) and was also a bulwark against Oromo migrations. This gets clout with the army and merchants, and it also seems like an opportunity to shore up tribal respect more so than we have already. Being that they aren't quite so organized, they seem to make for an easier target to awe with a mobile show of force, and since we have a lot of military and tribal input through their power I am confident in being able to face them even without a fully martial build with the Queen Mother. I think this is key to taking a balanced approach; we could shore up the damaged administration with the imperial scribe and further marginalize the blood nobles while launching a campaign here to satisfy the army, bring in the merchants and simultaneuously repair disrupted trade routes to improve on the damaged taxation. As a bonus, success there should shore up our hinterlands with enhanced tribal respect and the services of these tough mercenaries, which could help to quell the raiding.
[] The Imperial Expedition:
War has always been among the emperor's first resorts with the powers to her east. The Sultans of Adal and Ajuraan are powerful and haughty, and too often it has been necessary to shatter their walls and their pretensions at royalty...and yet, there may be another way. A merchant by the name of Nasr, hailing from Yemen, has suggested another course: an imperial expedition, a show of might and wealth that would cow the high lords of the Horn of Africa without a drop of blood spilt. March the splendor of Ethiopia through Adal and Ajuraan, visit the cities that have so long defied imperial power, and imprint indelibly on all their minds who is lord and master. Who could see the host of the King of Kings, and not know fear for all their days?
Seems like this would be best undertaken with the Bitwoded, but I think we should have had another candidate if we wanted to do this. First of all, it's quite tough to justify not riding off to an inaugural campaign given the army's power now, and our merchants have already been damaged and diminished by his accession and by the threat of raids on our salt caravans. That puts obstacles in the path of overawing the Sultanate... and with our borders currently lacking since they're raiding us anyway, I don't know if advertising that we have some sweet loot but not enough for a totally disgusting show of financial dominance is the best way.
[x] The Tsehafi Taezaz: Already one of the most powerful men in the imperial court, the Tsehafi Taezaz, or Imperial Scribe, is perhaps the most powerful appointed noble in the empire, responsible for recording all the emperor's orders and commands, issuing laws and proclamations, and keeping track of the titles and lands handed out by the emperor. The current Taezaz, Lemuel, is hailed by the Mekwanint as a capable and efficient organizer who has already proven himself capable of running an imperial court. Yet, he is a Jew, and many in the court bare teeth at the thought of letting him rise any higher. His long years in the bureaucracy and at the side of the last emperor may prove a boon. [x] The Wej Campaign: In the Wej region to the southeast of the Ethiopian highlands dwell the Maya tribe, skilled archers and warriors who have long served as mercenaries for the emperors. On learning of the emperor Baeda Maryam's death, however, the Maya have begun shirking their duties, abandoning the borders, and sending no tribute. It is said they even dare to raid the valuable salt caravans which pass through their lands, threatening the beating heart of Ethiopian trade. Outraged, the merchants have demanded the emperor do something about this injustice. The Maya king, Gojan, is known to be an opportunistic and clever warrior, who has fought in many battles. Many of the Dejazmaches advocate a quick and brutal war to put the Maya back in their place — a triumph over a warrior such as Gojan will win respect and fear from all the tribes surrounding the empire.
[X] The Empress Regent: Briefly regent of an empire and mother to a king, the former empress Romna now has little to her name beyond her pride and the clothes on her back. Deserted by most in the court after her ambitious gambit failed, she awaits her fate in Axum with her most loyal retainers and allies. Many expect her to be packed off to a monastery to wait out her days in solitude, but some few voices, the preacher Kabede among them, remind the emperor that mere days ago this woman nearly bent an empire to her whim with little more than words. [X] The Harari Campaign: With the death of the emperor Baeda Maryam, the Sultans of Adal whom he struggled so hard to force into tribute have declared their oaths null and void. While the Sultan has kept his insolence to sending no tribute, his emirs have begun their old patterns of raiding into the imperial lowlands and terrorizing Christian subjects. One in particular, an Imam named Mahfuz, lord of the city of Harar, is more daring than all the others. Leading a force of elite Malassay warriors, he has led a devastating raid into the imperial borderlands during the season of Lent, just as the ritual fasts and holy observances have left the borders near defenseless. He has crowned this blasphemy by looting churches and monasteries, the stolen wealth of which he has taken back to Harar. This crime must be avenged. The clergy and the army alike urge the emperor to march east and make his name by conquering Harar and seeing this Mahfuz to deserved end.
[X] The Empress Regent: Briefly regent of an empire and mother to a king, the former empress Romna now has little to her name beyond her pride and the clothes on her back. Deserted by most in the court after her ambitious gambit failed, she awaits her fate in Axum with her most loyal retainers and allies. Many expect her to be packed off to a monastery to wait out her days in solitude, but some few voices, the preacher Kabede among them, remind the emperor that mere days ago this woman nearly bent an empire to her whim with little more than words. [X] The Harari Campaign: With the death of the emperor Baeda Maryam, the Sultans of Adal whom he struggled so hard to force into tribute have declared their oaths null and void. While the Sultan has kept his insolence to sending no tribute, his emirs have begun their old patterns of raiding into the imperial lowlands and terrorizing Christian subjects. One in particular, an Imam named Mahfuz, lord of the city of Harar, is more daring than all the others. Leading a force of elite Malassay warriors, he has led a devastating raid into the imperial borderlands during the season of Lent, just as the ritual fasts and holy observances have left the borders near defenseless. He has crowned this blasphemy by looting churches and monasteries, the stolen wealth of which he has taken back to Harar. This crime must be avenged. The clergy and the army alike urge the emperor to march east and make his name by conquering Harar and seeing this Mahfuz to deserved end.
[X] The Empress Regent: Briefly regent of an empire and mother to a king, the former empress Romna now has little to her name beyond her pride and the clothes on her back. Deserted by most in the court after her ambitious gambit failed, she awaits her fate in Axum with her most loyal retainers and allies. Many expect her to be packed off to a monastery to wait out her days in solitude, but some few voices, the preacher Kabede among them, remind the emperor that mere days ago this woman nearly bent an empire to her whim with little more than words. [X] The Harari Campaign: With the death of the emperor Baeda Maryam, the Sultans of Adal whom he struggled so hard to force into tribute have declared their oaths null and void. While the Sultan has kept his insolence to sending no tribute, his emirs have begun their old patterns of raiding into the imperial lowlands and terrorizing Christian subjects. One in particular, an Imam named Mahfuz, lord of the city of Harar, is more daring than all the others. Leading a force of elite Malassay warriors, he has led a devastating raid into the imperial borderlands during the season of Lent, just as the ritual fasts and holy observances have left the borders near defenseless. He has crowned this blasphemy by looting churches and monasteries, the stolen wealth of which he has taken back to Harar. This crime must be avenged. The clergy and the army alike urge the emperor to march east and make his name by conquering Harar and seeing this Mahfuz to deserved end.
[X] The Queen Mother: Traditionally, the Emperor's mother plays a dominant position in the state. With the early death of his own mother before his ascension, the late emperor instead elevated the last of his father's wives, the Queen Eleni — his mother in spirit if not in fact. Intelligent, well-educated, and shrewd, the dowager empress served her stepson with an iron fist and a silver tongue, eclipsing the actual empress Romna. In her youth she was a princess of the Hadiya tribe to the far east of the empire, a fact which has won her much love from the outskirts in the years since, and she has emerged in her time in the court as an outspoken defender of the emperor — a strategy she has achieved by appeasing the nobility and granting them autonomy to avoid civil war, working instead to centralize power on the imperial person. The Queen Mother is, some suggest, far too powerful to be ignored outright.
Mostly because she's an interesting character
[X] The Imperial Expedition: War has always been among the emperor's first resorts with the powers to her east. The Sultans of Adal and Ajuraan are powerful and haughty, and too often it has been necessary to shatter their walls and their pretensions at royalty...and yet, there may be another way. A merchant by the name of Nasr, hailing from Yemen, has suggested another course: an imperial expedition, a show of might and wealth that would cow the high lords of the Horn of Africa without a drop of blood spilt. March the splendor of Ethiopia through Adal and Ajuraan, visit the cities that have so long defied imperial power, and imprint indelibly on all their minds who is lord and master. Who could see the host of the King of Kings, and not know fear for all their days?
