Encore of Europe: Gameplay Thread

[Kingpoleon]

My dynasty shall invite Princess Anastasia of Georgia, Heracles II, Solomon I, as well as an Ethiopian Ambassador to our court. We invite Wolde Selassie, Ras of Tigray, to represent a fellow ancient kingdom, and suggest that a trading agreement may be arranged.

Our court will begin mending the wounds of civil war by inviting Agha Mohammed Qajar, Azad Afghan, and Shahrokh Mirza Afshar, to the court. In exchange for pledges of absolute fealty, they will each receive the position of Governor. Whichever can raise the largest army(not counting current members of the Shah's Imperial Army and excluding Azad Afghan) in one years' time will have first choice as to which Governorship to claim. Azad Afghan, if he does not wish to become Vizier or Commanding General, will be made Governor over the Western lands in exchange for the loyalty and fealty of himself and his army. The Shah and Azad Afghan will work together to play the two other men off of each other in fighting for the Shah's favor.

[Kingpoleon]

A Proclamation from Isfahan

We, the nation of Persia, have elected to immediately begin extensive trade with Europe. Our vast amounts of stored wheat and barley will begin being shipped West shortly, if the Ottoman Empire will permit. We will send massive caravans to Beirut, and pledge 1,000 troops to five massive caravans each. Other, smaller caravans will need a total of one hundred vehicles to qualify, and will be provided with fifty soldiers each. All vehicles may begin applying at once, in whatever groups they wish, and will be put in caravans. The smaller caravans will number no more than two hundred in total. The larger caravans will have between 300-500 vehicles, or maybe more. The Persian government is willing to supply these merchants with money so that they will reduce the price of wheat, tea, and barley by fifty percent to a fixed price among all Persian caravans. However, all who purchase our crops must pledge not to sell them above a certain price, gaining only the bare minimum in profits. We will send this price to all countries in Europe, and request that they pay the merchants and then sell the crops at a reduced fixed price themselves.

From Beirut, ships will sail to Western Italy, landing in Venice, and from there we will open stores to sale our produce so all may come and purchase what their countries need. We invite Ethiopia, China, Korea, Japan, Oman, Tibet, the nations of India, and the Durrani Kingdom to join us in this endeavor, sending what they can at reduced prices, if possible. To all the European World, we offer our greatest condolences in this crisis.

To: The Minister of Agriculture
From: Shah Ismail III Safavid

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To: The Chief Servant of the Imperial Household
From: Shah Ismail III

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To: The Ottoman Empire
From: Shah Ismail III

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To: All the Nations of Italy, Germany, and Western Europe
From: Shah Ismail III

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[Kingpoleon]

To: Emperor Paul of Russia
From: Shah Ismail III of Persia

We appreciate your majesty’s assistance in dealing with the starvation crisis of Europe, and urge your government to reduce the price of all grains, such as barley and wheat, by one-half, as we have. Additionally, we sincerely pray to Allah that your nation’s loss in harvest does not hurt your country's people.

[Kingpoleon]

His Sacred and Imperial Majesty Sultan Abdulhamid Khan, Padishah and Commander of the Faithful, had noticed Tripolitanian rebels are now trying to rally fellow Muslims to their defense as the Venetian forces are crushing them. The Caliph believes however it is a righteous punishment send by the Allah himself upon them for defying the sacred authority of Amir al-Mu'minin. Venetians, though not Muslim, proved to be infinitely better Men of God than the pirates and became the Sultan's valuable ally. This war has nothing to do with faith and our sacred faith shall not be twisted by these scroundels for their own interest. Let it be plain: the faithful who defy the Amir al-Mu'minin shall not receive his protection.

The Caliph will not threaten the faithful who are neutral in this struggle. Know, however, that bullying and threats does not lead to friends, much as salt water quenches no thirst.

[Kingpoleon]

Know that the words of a Persian are more true and straight than any arrow, and more unyielding and flawless than any fortress. We are neutral, and neutral we shall remain.

[Kingpoleon]

Know that the words of a Persian are more true and straight than any arrow, and more unyielding and flawless than any fortress. We are neutral, and neutral we shall remain.

Proclaiming neutrality in what an internal conflict between the Sultan and treacherous rebels implies the two sides are equal in a sense. It is a grave insult, same as if the Sultan said a similar thing about the Shah and the past pretenders to his throne.

Therefore no Persian caravan shall be permitted to enter the Ottoman land.

Will you punish all of Europe on a technicality? Speak not in haste, I urge you.

Furthermore, does any man recall the Ottomans practicing naught but neutrality in the Persian Civil War? No! And did we begrudge them for it? No! We have forgiven and forgotten. The rebels hardly threaten the Sultan. We do not threaten the neutrality. Rarely is such a promise made for nothing that it is treated as an insult. The rebels have asked for friendship - the Ottomans have not done so in centuries. Once more, we pledge to never attack the Ottomans in an aggressive war. We urge the Sultan to not take our pledge of neutrality to his empire as an insult. We ask not for a similar proclamation from the noble Ottomans, but only that they allow our humanitarian mission to pass. To that end, we are prepared to give the Sultan ninety-five of our largest camels as an offering of friendship.

[Kingpoleon]

A Declaration From Isfahan

Whereas the Durrani Kingdom has consistently funded rebels, as well as the false Zand dynasty, among others, and has constituted a direct threat to the Marble Throne of Safavid Persia. As such, we recognize this threat from a government led by a false dynasty who succeeded a false dynasty. We call on Timur Shah Durrani to surrender his government at once or face an army with troops from the Caucasus to Tajikistan. We call on all those who are oppressed by the Sunni Muslims of the Durrani to join us, and we pledge to issue an edict of tolerance as regards religion for all those who are in the Durrani Kingdom. If the Durrani dynasty surrenders at once, one of their sons shall marry a daughter of one of our nobility, and he shall be allowed to remain ruler over the area, pledging fealty and sovereignty to ourself.

[Kingpoleon]

Isfahan Warns Its Enemies

To the nation of Russia, Tsar Paul, we issue a formal warning: No less than 20,000 troops will be stationed along our eastern borders, and we firmly intend to protect our borders. Russian expansion is a serious threat to Safavid Persia, and we do not intend stand calmly by as the greatest enemies of the Safavid dynasty stand to grow in size. We also issue an order for an immediate mobilization of 15,000 troops. Our ambassador will soon enter into negotiations with Russia regarding the state of tensions between our two countries.

[Kingpoleon]

The Surplus Manifesto

We, the nation of Safavid Persia, plan to plant all of our excess harvest that we can, at least for all crops that are capable of such, and send any that remains to the nation of Venice. We cannot afford a discount at this time.

[Kingpoleon]

A Call To The Tribesmen Under Durrani

The Safavid dynasty calls on all Pashtun tribes and Sikhs to revolt against Timur Shah Durrani. All who join the Safavid cause will take the rank of their fellows who refuse to do so and granted their lands. The Safavids will pledge to give the most land to those with the greatest merit, ability, and success among those who rebel, and the least land to those with the least merit, ability, and success among those who rebel. Loyalty and capabilities determine your rank in the Safavid Empire, not who your father is.

[Kingpoleon]

The King of France will remain neutral in the Durannis-Iran war as well.

This neutrality will be remembered in our victory.

[Kingpoleon]

The King of France will remain neutral in the Durannis-Iran war as well.

This neutrality will be remembered in our victory.

When the Shah declared "neutrality" in a war between the Sultan and his own treacherous Libyan subject, Persia pretended as if it was of no importance in our bilateral relations.

Once again, we simply meant it as thanks for not intervening in a war between two sovereign states.

[Kingpoleon]

The Shah of Persia is pleased to announce the adoption of an edict of tolerance for all religions. In Isfahan, we will return to the old customs of the Safavid: our officials must prove themselves not by heritage nor religion but by talent. The ways of the Afsharid and the Zand are gone. The Safavid shall remember our allies, such as the noble Qajar family, but they, outside of their governorship, shall be shown no favoritism in the army or in the court of Ismail III. The merits and features of Persians shall overcome the mothers and fathers of Persians - and that goes for all people in our land, all those loyal to the Ancient Safavids, who come from the seed of the prophet Mohammed and from the seed of Roman Emperors, through Teimuraz I through Constantine I through Anna of Trebizond. Our ancestors come from the greatest of Christians and from the greatest prophet of Islam. It is for that reason we recognize all religions, and offer the position of Patriarch of Armenia and Nakhchivan to Erekle Cholokashvili, son-in-law of Bagrat, grandson-in-law of the last Safavid Governor of the area, Constantine II, and distant relative of the Orthodox Saint Bidzine Cholokashvili. We also offer to allow a merger of the Armenian Orthodox Church and the Georgia Orthodox Church to form an Orthodox Church of the Caucasus, and intend to negotiate the terms of such with Georgia over the coming years. Furthermore, we fully recognize the independent of Sunni mosques, though our own court is Shi’a. May the Isfahan Edict of Tolerance last for centuries! The unity of the people under the Shah is our chief priority. Long live the Safavid dynasty! In the name of the Shah Ismail III, we announce that any governor who suppresses the Christian or the Sufi; the Hebrew or the Sunni; the Shi’a or the Parsi; is an enemy of the Shah and will be dealt with as such. Long live Shah Ismail III!

[Kingpoleon]

The Safavid Limits

1. To represent Imam al-Mahdi on earth.
2. The position of Safavid kings as full masters of the followers of the Sufi tariqa(the Safawiyya).
3. The right of might: as the strongest and most capable force in Persia, it is the right of the Safavids to rule.
4. The creation of an advisory council: each governorship shall send a representative of their merchant, the clergy of the majority religion, the local nobility, and the peasantry. These may petition the Shah on certain issues, as well as be joined with the Safavid bureaucracy.

[Kingpoleon]

On China

The divine Chinese Emperor is truly unwise. We offered an alliance, using descriptive terms that refuse to understate the threats Persia and China face, and the Chinese agreed - on the condition of Persia swearing a degree of sovereignty and loyalty to China. We consider no country an enemy unless they intend to threaten the throne of the ancient Safavids, seed of Mohammed, the prophet of Allah. The Durrani have made this mistake - no other nation has. They have married and adopted the enemies of the Safavids, and they have harbored a threat against the Shah. This is truly intolerable, and we call on all nations who support the right of the Safavids to rule to denounce all attempts at rebellion funded from Kabul.

[Kingpoleon]

Protection of Shia Islam

Shah Ismail III, Khan of Greater Persia, is hereby proclaimed the Sheikh of Sufism, Aga Khan of the Nazaris and Ismail, Peer of the Qizilbash and Alevi, and Grand Ayatollah of Shi’a Islam. Long live the Shah! Long live the Grand Ayatollah! The false prophet is he who questions Allah, and he who questions the right of the Grand Ayatollah to authority. The Grand Ayatollah demands that all mosques, churches, temples, and other places of worship expound on his authority. The Patriarch of Christendom, the leading rabbis, the Pirs of the Qizilbash, the Murshid of the Qizilbash, and the leading imams of Sunni and Shi’a: all within Persia of the leaders of religion are invited to this ceremony. Their attendance and sworn allegiance to the Shah will unite the nation and allow their places of worship to continue, untaxed and unoppressed.

In the Bible, it is written: “And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding.” In the Torah, their God sets up a king over them during the time of Samuel. In the Quran, 3:26 says “Say: O Allah, Master of the Kingdom! Thou givest the kingdom to whomsoever Thou pleasest and takest away the kingdom from whomsoever Thou pleasest, and Thou exaltest whom Thou pleasest and abasest whom Thou pleasest in Thine hand is the good; surety, Thou hast power over all things.”

From this, we claim our universal power - over all of Persia. He who serves the Shah serves Allah. Long live the Shah, seed of the prophet Muhammad! Long live the Grand Ayatollah, the living servant of Allah! Long live the Shahanshah, King of Kings! Long live Ismail III!

[Kingpoleon]

It's been long clearly established and recognized the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople is the supreme religious authority of the Orthodox Church within the Ottoman realm. Therefore any foreign-based prelate claims to represent His Sacred and Imperial Majesty's Orthodox Christian subjects is simply illegitimate.

(Of course we're not referring to other established denominations, such as Church of Antioch)

The Shah of Persia, the Grand Ayatollah, and the Safaviyya Sheikh make no claim to authority over the subjects of other sovereign nations. The Orthodox Churches in the Caucasus are separate churches.

[Kingpoleon]

A Declaration On The Chinese Intervention

The Chinese have invaded a country without declaring war, in direct violation of international law. This kind of invasion of sovereignty is illegal and must be denounced by all nations. We call on all nations that condemn this act to immediately embargo the nation of China. To the people of China, we know that your frustration with your government’s expansion is justified. Now they intervene, with the European foreigners, in the Durrani Empire against the Safavids.

Europe must not allow this kind of outrageous diplomacy to continue. The Durrani make it quite clear who is the bad guy by allowing such a breach of international law.

[Kingpoleon]

To: The Durrani
From: Safavid Empire

We, the royal personage of Ismail III, are prepared to offer a peace treaty. We shall release the royal children of the Durrani Empire, those we have captured, and not take any plunder from your capital. In return, the Durrani armies will withdraw their forces to the status quo borders before the war.