Empire Ascension: The Rise of the Fated One-Chapter 165: Concerns of Central India

Border Region of Ahmednagar Sultanate and Bidar Sultanate, Near Purna River Valley, Dusk of March 23, 1557

Central India in this era was a patchwork of sultanates that emerged from the decline of the Bahmani Sultanate. Originally part of the Tughlaq Dynasty until 1347, the region later fragmented into various sultanates, including Ahmednagar, Bijapur, Berar, Golconda, and Bidar.

Despite their fractured political ties, these sultanates retained their trade links and resolved internal disputes due to their shared cultural roots. They served as a formidable barrier against incursions from the north and south, except in their protracted conflicts with the Gajapati Kingdom, which sought dominance over the region. However, the arrival of the Dutch began to disrupt their activities.

Initially, the sultanates welcomed the Dutch incursions into the Vijayanagar Empire, viewing it as a positive development against the kafir rulers. But when the Dutch also captured Bijapur, the sultanates’ attitude shifted from indifference to alarm. Their historic rivalries were put aside to form a united front known as the Deccan Alliance, with Bidar Sultanate taking the lead. This alliance provided refuge and support to Bijapur’s nobles, despite their past betrayals and the establishment of their own independence.

The Dutch, wary of this newfound alliance, sought to avoid direct conflict. They accused Bijapur of betrayal and retaliatory actions, leading to a treaty of peace and trade that resulted in a stalemate.

The sultanates, though suspicious about the Dutch, preferred to avoid open warfare. The Dutch, however, proved aggressive in their trade practices. Their merchants employed underhanded tactics, that started to undermine the economy and interest of deccan rulers.

In response to these challenges, these rulers arranged a secretive meeting at a border outpost between the Bidar and Ahmednagar sultanates. To attend this critical gathering, Murtaza, the third prince of Ahmednagar, was already en route.

After the arrival

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the border outpost of the Bidar Sultanate. A lone tent, adorned with the Bidar banner fluttering in the evening breeze, stood as the focal point of the secretive assembly.

Prince Murtaza Shah rode forward on his horse, flanked by a small entourage of cavalry of 200 guards. His gaze took in the sight of various banners and delegates stationed around the outpost.

Upon entering the tent, the thick air of anticipation hit him. The soft glow of lanterns cast flickering shadows on the faces of the gathered princes. At the head of the gathering stood Prince Zafaruddin, the first prince of Bidar, who offered a welcoming smile as he gestured to the last reserved seat beside him.

"Welcome, Prince Murtaza Shah," Zafaruddin said with open arms, as he gestured him to sit beside him. "We are honored by your presence. Please, take your seat."

Murtaza nodded, his expression a mask of seriousness, hiding the nervousness he felt. This was his first time in such a high-stakes meeting, and while he would have preferred the safety of his palace, his father’s orders left him no choice. Taking the seat offered to him, Murtaza allowed himself a moment to take in the other princes.

Zafaruddin, sensing the weight of the moment, began the introductions. "To your right, we have Prince Shamsher Ali of Berar and Prince Faiz Ahmed of Golconda. And to your left, the Crown Prince Raifuddin of Bijapur, who joins us in light of the current troubles in his sultanate."

Each prince offered a polite nod, their eyes assessing Murtaza as much as he was assessing them. Murtaza returned their greetings with equal courtesy, masking his internal unease. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Once the formalities were completed, Prince Zafaruddin addressed the group with seriousness. "Today’s main agenda would be the growing influence of the Dutch. We all know how they handled Bijapur. Their traders have become more aggressive, and it seems they are planning to escalate tensions even further."

Prince Shamsher Ali of Berar leaned forward. "Indeed, we also got reports of their traders killing our business by flooding the market with their cheaper goods and even using our own local authorities to gain unfair advantage. At first, we thought they would soon leave after suffering losses, but recently we received new complaints of them taking supplies from locals on credit and denying payment with ridiculous excuses. And with no worry of taxes, it’s no wonder they can afford to sell the same goods at cheaper prices." He slammed his fist into his palm, with growing furstration. "It’s nothing short of theft and extortion, and our hands are tied."

Prince Faiz Ahmed of Golconda scoffed, "Only that much? At least it’s better than opium. Our people are being made addicted to it, and despite us banning it, somehow it is still being sold at high prices in the slums. Law and order have deteriorated as people are willing to do anything to purchase it, but now the hands of these opium peddlers have reached the houses of nobility. . It’s hard to discern who is loyal and who is a traitor as they are addicted to drugs. The situation is beyond control. We need a collective solution."

Crown Prince Raifuddin of Bijapur, his expression grim, spoke up next. "The best course of action is to rally our forces and strike the Dutch at their stronghold before they have the chance to entrench themselves further."

But Prince Faiz Ahmed immediately shot back, his voice sharp. "And lose the only advantage we have—our home ground? Attacking them on their turf would be suicide."

Rafiuddin’s eyes narrowed as he responded, "There will be no home ground left once they’re fully prepared. They’ll claim the rest of us, one by one."

Prince Shamsher Ali couldn’t hold back his frustration any longer. "That kind of reckless aggression is exactly why Bijapur lost so much territory in the first place."

Rafiuddin flinched at the remark, the truth of it stinging more than he cared to admit. His sultanate had indeed attempted a night raid on the Dutch, only to be decimated in daylight on the riverbanks, giving the Dutch the pretext to claim even more of Bijapur’s lands. Trying to deflect, he opened his mouth to argue, but Prince Zafaruddin, sensing the rising tension, raised a hand to calm the room.

"Let’s not reopen old wounds," Zafaruddin said firmly, his voice cutting through the tension. "Blaming each other will only lead to new injuries, not solutions." He turned to Rafiuddin, his tone softening slightly. "While it’s true that we must not act rashly and give the Dutch any excuse to strike, we also cannot afford to sit idle and do nothing."

Rafiuddin, feeling the sting of both rebuke and truth, lowered his head slightly, the weight of Bidar’s judgment heavy upon him.

Zafaruddin then turned to Faiz Ahmed, his voice steady. "And while inaction won’t serve us, neither will scattering to the winds or hoping the problem will resolve itself. We need a strategy."

Impatience flared in Shamsher Ali’s eyes as he blurted out, "So what do we do then? Empty our treasuries and flee to another region?"

Zafaruddin shook his head slowly, a small smile playing on his lips. "No, we have a solution. We’ve received a letter from the Sultan of Ahmednagar, detailing a strategy that could change the game. And Prince Murtaza is here to elaborate on it."

Murtaza was taken aback. At first, he was enjoying the show as they quarreled and argued over who was right, but the sudden shift of the spotlight was unexpected. He knew his father had sent the letter, but the change of topic was too abrupt. Nonetheless, since the work had fallen upon him, he would do his best to rope them in and gain easy scores for coronation.

Clearing his throat, he stated, "It’s an open secret to everyone now that we have made a trade alliance with Northern Samrajya, meaning we will have surplus supplies that can help us leverage against any possible crisis . And if we take their mercenary services.."

"Pfft... mercenary services?" Faiz Khan mocked.

Prince Shamsher Ali chimed in, "And at what cost? Losing your freedom by accepting a kafir at your court?"

Murtaza shook his head, "You are misunderstanding. That courtier is just for namesake. Besides, important matters are dealt with behind closed doors as we usually do..."

Prince Faiz Ahmed again interrupted, "Now our days are so bad, we have to look for kafirs to survive."

But Zafaruddin’s voice gave Murtaza some respite, "We’ve heard of their victories over the Mughals and the rebels. There are rumors of them getting involved with western regions, and the Mughals won’t simply sit down quietly. I don’t think it will be wise to ally with them in such a condition."

Murtaza Khan took a deep breath before replying, "The Dutch threat is undeniable, but what we rely on is not just the supply trade, but the military gear that Samrajya is offering. Prince Aditya’s new weapons are more deadly than cannons, which can blow units away like paper and far off distance. That’s why I am confident in this alliance. Besides, their mercenary army is no less than the Dutch. If they can train us.."

Prince Shamsher Ali, laced with disdain again, interjected, "You are delusional my friend. Weapons better than cannons? And their mercenaries better than dutch? I could have agreed if was Portuguese."

The discussion grew heated as each prince expressed their concerns and opinions, with Murtaza Khan facing a series of pointed criticisms and mockery for his advocacy of the alliance.

Finally, Prince Raifuddin, who had remained mostly silent, spoke up. "While the concerns raised are valid, the Dutch threat is significant. The Bidar Sultanate has called this meeting for a reason. Perhaps we should carefully evaluate Samrajya’s intentions and capabilities."

Sensing the rising tension, Prince Zafaruddin decided to bring the meeting to a close. "We shall continue our discussions, but for now, let me take Murtaza out for a little walk."

With that excuse, he took Murtaza outside and asked directly, with no one’s interference, "Prince Murtaza, tell me more about this Samrajya and their conditions."