Ricote, Murcia, January 1225
Ibn Hud tossed his falcon into the sky, watching as it swooped down onto the hare. He looked at it, grimly. It was a bit like watching the Christians invading Al-Andalus. The hare ran and ran and ran, always trying to escape; but the hawk always caught it in the end.
Why should the Almohads rule Al-Andalus, anyway? What gave them the right to claim the title of caliph when it was clear that the true one resided in Baghdad? What was the point of making them lords of Al-Andalus if they couldn’t even beat the Christians? They were the ones who were ruining the garden of Islam. They were the ones who had let the Christians ride to Seville.
As Ibn Hud knelt down and prayed towards Mecca, he prayed, and decided to go on the hajj. When he returned, in the beginning of 1228, he was a changed man.
Murcia, May 1228
Abu ibn Abi Musa ibn Abd al-Mumin was lying in his harem with one of his concubines when word reached him. There was a revolt in the lands around the city, led by some fool claiming to be the last of the Hudids of Zaragoza.
â€You interrupted me for this?†he demanded of the messenger. “It is likely a mere bandit with delusions of grandeur.â€
“No,†said the messenger. “I have seen him with my own eyes, and he is more than that. He is coming for you, they say.†The messenger coughed discreetly. “Incidentally, I will soon be leaving this fair city to visit my family in Seville.â€
Abu grumbled a bit, but returned to what he was doing. Priorities, he decided, were always important.
The next day was the market day in Murcia, when farmers from all around the city came to visit it. As usual, there was grumbling, when the Almohad guards helped themselves to some of the produce. They particularly gave one man, who was a bit embarrassed, a great deal of trouble.
Initially the man was treated with a great deal of respect, for he had gone on the Hajj. Surely, the guards reasoned, this was a pious man. “What are you selling?†demanded one of the Almohad guards, looking at the barrels.
“Oh, just olive oil,†said the merchant. “Nothing of great value. I, am a man of modest means, you see.â€
The Almohad guards looked at one another. “Are you now? And yet you have completed the hajj? Commendable. Surely such a pious and honest man would not mind showing a bit of charity towards his protectors and share some of that oil with us?â€
Suddenly the man became nervous. He stepped off of his wagon, and walked towards the guards. “I do not think this is necessary,†he said. “You see, I am selling something that the governor demands I bring him.â€
The guard grunted. “We’ll see,†he said, as he opened the first jar.
“No!†said the merchant. “Get away!†he cried, as the guard looked twisted it open.
“Wine!†said the Almohad in shock. “Ah, I see. That pervert in the palace wanted wine, and forced you to bring it to him.†The guard made a sound of contempt. “Pass on, pass on.â€
Ibn Hud rolled with his wagons into the city. It was indeed fortunate that they had not checked the other barrels, containing weapons and armor for his followers who were already in the city.
That night, they crept into the palace of the Almohad governor. The servants from the city told them were to find the governor, smiling as they saw the swords.
Yet again the governor was in his chambers with another of his women. Ibn Hud stormed in, causing the governor to pass out. Ibn Hud took the wine that lay beside him and splashed it on the governor’s face. One of the warriors behind him fiddled with the wheels on his bow, and then aimed it at the governor.
“Get up,†he told Abu. “You shame us all by your cowardice.†Abu did as he was told, and was then tossed over the wall of the palace. Through the night, the agents of Ibn Hud attacked the Almohad guards where they slept, tossing the bodies into the moat.
As dawn rose, Ibn Hud, the last of the Hudids, ruled Murcia. A new time was beginning for Al-Andalus. But how to let the people know? He smiled, and called for his Kamanjoar Kaman [118].
The Almohads had always foolishly thought that music was wrong, as if something so glorious could offend God [119]. They had opposed using gaudy clothing, preferring the dark black that they wore. They shut their wives up, even on feast days.
Ibn Hud had walked that path, as had his land. But that was done with. As dawn rose over Murcia, and the people awoke to a new day, they could hear, faintly, the sound of music from the palace of the governor, played by the Emir al-Muslimin, servant of the Deputy of God, al-Naser.
Cordoba, July, 1228
Abdul Rabi, governor of Cordoba, looked at the mob. He laughed. “You dare to challenge me?†he shouted. “I am the sayyid of Cordoba, appointed by the supreme Caliph to rule over you. Return to your homes, rebels, and disperse!â€
A rock hit Abdul in the head, knocking him off of his horse. The mob surged forward, and yet another city joined the cause of Ibn Hud.
Cartagena, October, 1228
Giacomo Tiepolo, citizen of Venice, delegate of the Federation of Italy, stepped off of the boat and onto the dock. This muslim ruler, Al Sad, stepped off of his horse to meet him.
“I, Ibn Hud, Emir of the land you call Andalus, greet you,†said Ibn Hud in passable Cataln. “May your trade be profitable and safe.â€
Giacomo bowed before the Emir. “I, Giacomo Tiepolo, delegate of the Italian Federation, come to you in friendship,†he replied in Arabic.
The other junior delegate on this voyage spoke up. “That’s their ruler?†he said. “I thought they were ruled by the Caliph.â€
Giacomo muttered to him in Italian. “No, you fool, the Caliph is like the Pope to them. They honor him when it’s convenient. He looks like a king. Behold, his eye, as bright as the eagle's. I think we will be seeing more of this man.†He turned back to Ibn Hud. “We come seeking trade and offering our friendship.â€
Ibn Hud looked at the ship and considered. “You are most welcome here. Please, come to my humble abode in this city, that we might talk of what must be done.â€
Ibn Hud ordered his servants to retire and poured Giacomo a cup of wine and then poured himself one. Evidently this Moor was fond of wine, but that was no surprise. “It is always good to see ships not bearing the banner of Aragon,†he said.
Giacomo smiled. “I doubt you will see many of those for a long time to come,†he said, and told them of the great victory off of Sardinia.
Ibn Hud clapped his hands. “Praise be the High One! A pity their king did not join their fleet on the bottom of the bay. Word has it, you know, that they are going to sail against Tunis. Should a fleet happen to arrive there, it would be most unpleasant.â€
Giacomo considered briefly. To ally against Christians with Muslims? Could they do it? He thought for a second, and smiled. If Frederick invaded Hell, he would at least give a few prayers for the devil. “That is most interesting. But that is not why I am here.â€
Ibn Hud sipped his wine. “Trade is always welcome,†he said neutrally.
Giacomo nodded. “Of course. But we have, apparently, common enemies. The Kings of Castille, Leon, and Aragon are vassals of the Emperor of Rome, who seeks to enslave all Christians. To that end he has asked his subjects, the Franks, to join in the war against you.â€
“This Emperor,†said Ibn Hud, “seems to love wars. He fights you, and us?â€
â€And the Greeks, and the English, and his wife, for good measure.â€
Ibn Hud wasn’t quite sure who the English were, so he nodded. “And thus…â€
â€We offer you help,†said Giacomo. “Gold, swords, and armor.â€
Ibn Hud nodded. He knew where this was going. “And I, of course, would be most happy to let your merchants, whose industriousness is known throughout the world, trade in the cities along the coast of Al-Andalus.â€
Ibn Hud took a sip of the wine, and thought. Like most Andalusis, he thought himself a poet. “It seems to me that this Emperor attacks everyone around him, and thrashes about at all who anger him. He threatens us, yes. But you are a sailor, and know of fisherman. Think of us not as prey, but the fishmen with the net. We will trap him, in time.â€
Seville, November, 1228
The Caliph of the Almohads had left only a month ago, and Seville was in chaos. The urban patricians, wealthy merchants, had taken control of the city, but everyone knew that they could not defend it.
It was then that Ibn Hud, on a white horse, had ridden to the city. There, in the Grand Mosque of Seville, he had called for a public debate to decide the future of the city [119].
“We have lived for too long under the shadow of the warriors from across the straits. The Almohads, the Almovarids, all of them, were a disaster to us. We turned to them for protection, instead of doing it ourselves, and we paid the price. They were upstarts who took over our lands and ruined our country. And because of that, the Christians are going to take over our lands.â€
â€But you would make alliances with them!†shouted a voice. “We will not be their puppets!â€
“Of course I would!†said Ibn Hud. “Better that they kill each other than that we do. We fight their enemy, and they fight ours.â€
There were mutters of agreement in the crowd. The argument went on through the night, but, by dawn of the next day, the men of Seville agreed.
Abu Ammar, a member of a long established families of qadis, spoke for them. “We who are as good as you, swear to you, who are no better than us, to accept you as our lord and representative, provided that you observe all our laws and ways. But, if not, then not.â
[117] Think a violin.
[118] Although to be fair, they have mellowed out by this point. But Andalusis really hated them by 1230.
[119] Note that all of this, aside from the Italians, of course, is OTL. I admit to dramatizing situations in which sources are sketchy, however.