I was the Queen of Persia

Page 153

The westward expansion of the Turan Khanate objectively confirmed this law. However, because the Samanid Empire, which represented Islamic-Persian civilization, was too powerful, it turned its expansionist ambitions westward.

To date, most of the enemies encountered by the Turan Vanguard have been tribes that have not yet been fully Christianized, with low levels of organization and rather disorganized strength.

For these weak, peripheral tribes, the Turan army did not need to send out its main force; the strength of its vanguard alone was enough to defeat and conquer them.

But as Turan's army crossed the Carpathian Mountains and entered the rich Pannonian plain, a powerful feudal state in central Europe—the Kingdom of Hungary—appeared before these Central Asian warriors.

This country, founded by the once-powerful nomadic Magyars, has been deeply influenced by Christian culture and was formally baptized and converted to Christianity more than 20 years ago, thus becoming a "guardian of the Christian world."

The King and nobles of Hungary had heard of the formidable reputation of the Turan Khanate in the East. Faced with the overwhelming Turan army, Hungary naturally would not stand idly by and wait for its doom. It immediately mobilized 10 troops from across the country and deployed them at the crucial crossing point on the Danube River, ready for battle.

The Turan scouts who were gathering intelligence at the front immediately relayed the news back to the commander's tent.

"The Kingdom of Hungary? The Magyars? Hah, they are nothing but defeated foe of the Pechenegs."

"Qiliqi Chaglitqin, the Turan commander who participated in the western expedition, said contemptuously."

The defeat at the Battle of Kuban greatly diminished the prestige of Prince Turan, who ruled the Black Sea steppes. In order to regain his authority, he actively responded to the call of the Mother Khan to launch a westward expedition.

Because his "Uluge" (territory) was located at the westernmost edge of the Khanate, he had a geographical advantage due to his proximity to the water, and thus successfully seized the initiative and became the supreme commander of this western expedition.

His bold words were not without reason.

Historically, the Magyars were defeated by the Pechenegs, who in turn were conquered by the Turans. So, what chance did these "defeaters of their own" have against the formidable Turan army?

Thinking of this, he immediately ordered the assembly of 6 troops to meet the Hungarians in battle.

……

On the banks of the Danube.

The 6 troops of Turan and the 10 troops of Hungary have already lined up in formation and are facing each other.

When he saw the formation of the Hungarian army on the other side of the river, Zaglitsky laughed triumphantly again.

Although the Hungarian army remained courageous, its weaponry was no match for that of the Turan army. Its largest force, the feudal tribal peasant soldiers, were protected only by fur and felt clothing, while the best-equipped feudal knights and royal guards were only in chainmail and light chainmail, and their warhorses were at most covered with horse coats.

This was indeed a significant difference compared to the well-armored Turan army, which possessed armored cavalry.

Even so, the battle was not easy, because Hungary had seized advantageous positions such as bridges, making them easy to defend and difficult to attack. If they were to force a crossing and attack, they would inevitably suffer heavy casualties.

After observing the situation of the two armies, the Zaghli Special Forces decided to use the tactics they had learned from their old rival, the Samanid Empire.

He first sent a detachment to launch a feint attack from the front, drawing the attention of the Hungarian army, while he himself led the main force, taking advantage of mobility, to quickly cross the river at the next crossing point and maneuver around the enemy.

Soon, they gained the advantage of a pincer attack on the Hungarian army, disrupting the Hungarian army's deployment and defense.

At this point, Turan's rocket-propelled vehicles proved invaluable. This weapon was already quite common on the Asian battlefield, but unheard of on the European front. The volcanic eruption of rockets and explosions immediately threw the Hungarian army into chaos, causing horses to flee and their formation to crumble.

The tide of battle had turned completely, and Turan's army immediately launched a multi-pronged attack, breaking through the chaotic formation of the Hungarian troops and killing many nobles and knights.

Pressing their advantage, Turan's army swept through the enemy lines, advancing as far as Buda, the capital of Hungary.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Roman Empire, based on a secret treaty reached with the Turan Khanate, promptly led its troops north to annex the southern territory of the Kingdom of Hungary.

Faced with the combined attack of two powerful nations, how could Hungary possibly retaliate? The army suffered repeated defeats, the king disguised himself and fled, and his whereabouts became unknown. The country was destroyed, and its former territory was divided between Turan and the Eastern Roman Empire, with the Danube River as the boundary.

When the news reached the west, it caused an uproar in the Christian world.

……

In contrast to the tense atmosphere in the Western world, the Samanid Empire in Iran in the East was much more orderly, stable, and peaceful; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it "paradise."

Jahanshahr, a state-run arms workshop.

"Behold the great Shah Shah, the projection of God on earth."

As soon as Shahzani arrived with her court attendants, the busy officials and artisans immediately bowed respectfully to pay their respects.

“Gentlemen, please continue,” Shahzani gestured, then looked at the head craftsman in charge of gunpowder weapon construction, “How is the development of the new weapon progressing? Take me to see it.”

"Yes, Your Majesty, please follow me." The chief firearms craftsman—a talented Chinese man—bowed slightly and led the way.

Inside the workshop, dozens of armorers from Iranian, Chinese, Russian, and Hindustani ethnic groups are busy with their respective tasks. In the open space in the center, more than a dozen steel "black pipes" of various sizes are laid out.

That's right, it was the prototype of guns and cannons.

As early as after the great success of the rocket vehicle, Shahzani began to promote the research and development of guns and cannons. However, in this ancient era when productivity was not yet highly developed, technological progress often required in-depth research, overcoming difficulties and solving one problem after another.

Fortunately, as the supreme ruler, Shahzani firmly supported scientific and technological research and development, and the annual financial allocation was also considerable. With ample material support, the military artisans of the Samanid Empire continuously overcame difficulties and continued to absorb advanced technologies from the Song Dynasty in the East, ultimately achieving remarkable results.

Chapter 354 The Advent of Persian Cannons

Through the efforts of outstanding and diligent military craftsmen, the Samanid Empire had mastered the art of building cannons, and the next step was to put these weapons into actual combat.

On the training ground, battle flags stood tall and the troops were in perfect formation.

The steel-forged cannon barrel gleamed with a dazzling iron light, shining brightly.

All the Saman soldiers watching held their breath, driven by curiosity to concentrate on seeing what kind of power this unprecedented "divine weapon" would unleash.

Many Saman soldiers were probably still wondering at that moment: "Isn't this just an iron pipe? How can it be called a weapon? Is it really as powerful as Her Majesty the Queen says?"

But soon, they will know the answer.

"let's start."

Shahzani stood on the high platform and waved to the sergeant in charge of operating the cannon.

The sergeant nodded in agreement and immediately carried out the order. He was a sergeant in the Saman Empire's "Fire Phoenix" unit, skilled in operating various incendiary and explosive weapons such as Naftan incendiary bombs and rocket-propelled vehicles. However, he was extremely cautious when faced with this new type of equipment.

With their excellent skills and superb technique, the entire process of inspecting shells, loading shells, correcting the orientation, and igniting them was very smooth.

With a deafening roar, as if the wrath of God had descended upon the world, dazzling flames erupted violently, and thick dust and smoke billowed up. Looking again, the target had been reduced to piles of wreckage and fragments.

Such a destructive weapon is unprecedented in the history of Iranian warfare.

Even the seasoned Samanid soldiers were shocked by the sheer force of the explosion. The frightened warhorses reared up and neighed wildly, forcing the riders to quickly grab the reins to stop them.

After a brief commotion, the training grounds returned to order thanks to the iron discipline of the Samanid army.

“Very good.” Shahzani showed a satisfied expression. “Produce fifty of these according to these specifications and equip them for the firearms units.”

"As you command!" The military officers in charge of weapons manufacturing and equipment allocation bowed and replied.

After Shahzani left.

During a break in training, the Saman soldiers discussed among themselves the “powerful” “iron pipe” they had just seen.

"God above! What kind of weapon is that?! I swear by my soul, the power that thing unleashes is enough to turn the strongest city walls into rubble!"

"According to the officers, it's a new type of gunpowder weapon called 'cannon,' which Her Majesty the Empress personally ordered its development. God bless us! Our Empress is truly a woman of unparalleled talent and wisdom!"

"This weapon is far more powerful than rocket tanks."

"Of course! The power it unleashes is like the divine weapon of the war god Bahram descending to earth, enough to tear the evil dragon Ardahaka to shreds!"

"In any case, let us praise Her Majesty the Queen once again in the name of Allah Hudda and Khormozd! Praise her for making the Shah of Iran strong again!"

Finally, a soldier who practiced Zoroastrianism concluded.

Accompanied by the sounds of war drums and suonas, the brief rest ended, and the soldiers once again threw themselves into intense military training, their enthusiasm even greater and their will even more resolute. For they firmly believed that under the banner of the brilliant and ambitious Empress, they could surely achieve even more outstanding feats.

……

Rome, the Papacy.

Bishops at all levels gathered to discuss the recent invasion of "Eastern pagan barbarians" in Hungary.

"Everyone!"

Pope John XIX, seated on his high throne, spoke in a somber tone: "You must have heard of the calamity that has befallen Hungary. The demonic race from the East has struck again, and the death and calamity it brings this time will be far more terrifying than the invasions of the Huns and Avars in history!"

The clergy members at all levels present all looked worried, as if they were quite concerned about the Pope's future and fate, and listened attentively to the Pope's call.

"In the name of Jehovah!" the Pope proclaimed, "we must call upon Christians in the West to launch a holy counterattack against the infidels!"

“We should contact the Church in Constantinople to fight against the heretics!” said a clergyman.

"No! That's exactly what I want to emphasize!" the Pope retorted. "Those Eastern heretics have degenerated into accomplices of infidels! They no longer deserve to have a sacred faith!"

This is indeed true. In the 9th and 10th centuries AD, the differences between the two major churches of Christianity in the East and West became increasingly serious. The two major sectarian forces were hostile to each other, accused each other, and there was a strong trend of them splitting into two.

"We call upon all orthodox believers in the Western Church—Germanic, Frankish, Italian, and Anglo-Saxon—to fight together to defend the sacred faith!" the Pope said.

Divine right of kings.

For a considerable period after the fall of the Roman Empire, the Roman Catholic Church wielded significant influence in both religious and secular affairs in Western Europe, commanding respect even from secular kings.

As the church often says, "The church is like the sun, and the king is like the moon; his authority is borrowed from the sun!"

After some discussion, the clergy and staff members unanimously agreed with the Pope's proposal, believing that in this time of crisis for the civilized world, all Christian kings should be mobilized to jointly declare war on the Turanites.

……

Meanwhile, on the green plains of Pannonia.

The Turan army, on its march, was setting up camp and resting in a strict formation of ten thousand households. The vast green plains were dotted with brown-black battle flags and gray-white felt tents.

"Report! Report! The vanguard scouts have been attacked by Hungarian troops!" Turan's rider rushed through the heavy camp and tents to report urgently.

Despite the defeat of the main force and the near collapse of the country, the Hungarian veterans, still full of rebellious spirit, frequently waged guerrilla warfare against the Turan army, relying on cavalry tactics and strategic locations.

The Magyars had not completely shed their nomadic and martial spirit; they still possessed many loyal and valiant heavy knights and hussars. Faith and courage sustained them as they continued to fight against the Turans.

"What?! These defeated rabid dogs still dare to harass our troops repeatedly?!" Chagli Special Agent was quite annoyed. "Send the order! Strengthen the camp's security and make sure these rabid dogs don't return!"

Although the Pannonia region is flat and open, unlike the Central Asian steppes, it is also covered with dense mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forests. Hungarian heavy knights and hussars often took advantage of their familiarity with the terrain to maneuver against Turan's army.

This naturally caused some disruption to the Turan army's advance, although this disruption was negligible compared to the Turan army's massive size.

Chapter 355 The Persian Queen Continues Farming

In ancient times, when communication was underdeveloped, merchants and travelers often served as mediums for information transmission.

Thanks to its efficient national system, advanced postal system, frequent commercial activities, and its advantageous location in the center of Eurasia, the Samanid Empire was often more effective than other regimes in obtaining external information.

The Turan Khanate's invasion of Hungary and the reactions of some kingdoms in the Christian world had already been learned by Shahzani through spies planted in the Turan steppe or Constantinople.

In contrast to the fear and anxiety of the Western Christian world, Shahzani was quite at ease and comfortable at this moment, immersing herself in the joy of building and managing the country.

已经是公元1026年11月26日，波斯历395年阿扎尔月5日。

"Your Majesty, the observatory in Maragai, Azerbaijan Province, has been completed."

"Reporting to Padisha, the expansion of Bam Castle in Kerman Province has been completed, adding five caravan inns, five stables, and two public reservoirs."

"Reporting to Shahsha, the expansion project of the irrigation wells and canals in Salahash City, Khorasan Province, has been completed, and the water transport efficiency is expected to increase by 15 percent."

"Reporting to the King of Kings, the library in Firuzabad, Fars Province, has been completed and currently houses over a thousand books, divided into Persian, Pahlavi, Turanian (Turkic), Sogdian, Sanskrit, Rum (Greek), Qin (Chinese), and Arabic classics."

"Reporting to God's projection on earth, the expansion of the Zoroastrian shrine in Yazd has been completed. The eternal holy fire of Hormozd will continue to burn."

……

Shahzani sat leisurely on the throne cushion, listening to the ministers report on the progress of operations in various regions, and a sense of accomplishment welled up within her.

If the current situation were a game, then:

For Western Christian countries, this is a post-apocalyptic survival game;

For the Turan Khanate, this is a real-time strategy game;

For the Eastern Roman Empire, this was a turn-based strategy game;

For the Samanid Empire, this was a farming and development game.

Without expending too much effort, one can keep the country under one's rule running smoothly.

Leaning back on a comfortable Persian rug, watching the enchanting dancers, sipping jewel-colored fermented fruit juice, enjoying sweet and delicious fruit desserts, and then eating spicy and flavorful cumin-roasted lamb pilaf.

Even the carefree emperors in the Book of Kings couldn't have lived a life more like this!

Oh, right, thanks to Ibn Sina's invention of distillation and the introduction of crops from China that could replace tobacco, Persian-style hookah had already come into existence. Smoking the fragrant Persian hookah was better than being in God's paradise.

While the Western world is engulfed in war, my country continues to thrive.

"How is the westward campaign of the Turan army progressing?" Shahzani asked.

"Reporting to Shahsha, he has conquered and annexed 'Mazaristan' and is now at the gates of 'Alemanistan'," reported Minister Diwan, who was aware of the situation.

Both are Persian names. Literally, Magyaristan refers to the Kingdom of Hungary established by the Magyars, while Alemanistan refers to the Holy Roman Empire established by the Germanic peoples.

"The Alemanns (Germans)? You mean those pagan barbarians who occupy the former territory of the Roman Empire and call themselves the 'true descendants of the Romans'?" Bahramu asked.