The Imperial Age with the Resurgence of Han Style

Chapter 7 Departure
November 11, Bushehr Port.

More than 20 years ago, Bushehr Port was just a small fishing village with a population of no more than 200 people. It was desolate and lonely, attracting no one's interest or attention at all.

However, in the 16th year of Shaoning (1702), the Persian trading company of Qi State considered that the location of Bandar Abbas Port was too far east and the distance to the prosperous Persian cities such as Shiraz and Isfahan was too far. Then he proposed to lease this small fishing village located on a small peninsula on the north shore of the Gulf (Persian Gulf) and build a trading port here.

The Persian Trading Company only presented 25 silver dollars and several pieces of precious porcelain to the powerful Princess Maryam Begum (sister of Suleiman I and aunt of the current Shah Sultan Hussein of the Empire). At the price, he obtained a [-]-year land lease within three kilometers around Bushehr, and only had to pay eight hundred silver dollars per year to the Shah of the Empire.

After more than 20 years of development and construction, Bushehr has become a major commercial port in the Gulf second only to Bandar Abbas Port. More than 100 merchant ships from various countries gather at this port every year.They brought a large number and variety of commodities from all over the world and transported them overland to the vast interior of Persia. From here, they transported ship after ship of Persian-specific products, as well as countless gold and silver, back to their own country.

Of course, in addition to the large number of Qi merchants, managers and armed guards in Bushehr Port, which has increasingly prosperous trade activities, there are also tens of thousands of Persians living and working in this port. Therefore, the Safavid Dynasty sent many people here. There are official institutions and ulema (such as the true god, religious judges, etc.) to manage and restrain the people of the country to avoid conflicts with the people of Qi.

Because it is a leased area, the Qi people have unsurprisingly obtained extraterritoriality. No matter what they commit, they will only accept the sanctions and punishments of the relevant Qi laws. Safavid local officials cannot handle it on their own.

Over the past few decades, as Qi's strength has increased day by day, its influence on Persia has also increased.The trade volume between Qi and Persia accounts for more than [-]% of their overall trade volume, and commodities such as steel, hardware, machinery, glass, metal products, ceramic products, cotton textiles, cane sugar, tea, coffee, precious wood, rice, etc. are monopolized The entire Persian domestic market.

The weapons, equipment, and armor of the Imperial Guards and the Shah's Guards were all provided by Qi factories. The artillery units, which were comparable to those of the Ottoman Empire, were also trained step by step by Qi military instructors.

The first Qi-India War (also known as the Qi-Mo War) broke out in the seventh year of the Han Dynasty (1677). The Qi State defeated the Mughal Empire's more than [-] troops with less than [-] troops, and even killed the Mughals in the battle. This result greatly shocked the Safavid Empire.

You know, the Mughal Empire was a huge empire with a population of more than 1 million. The annual government revenue was as high as [-] million taels of silver, and the army numbered hundreds of thousands.It was really surprising that such a powerful empire was so vulnerable to Qi's attack.Whether in terms of population size or financial resources, the Safavid Empire was inferior to the Mughal Empire. The only thing it could rely on was the sturdy (poor) Persian cavalry.

In addition to Qi's powerful land warfare force, what makes the Persians even more afraid is that they also have a maritime fleet that is the best in the Indian Ocean region, which can easily block all maritime trade of the empire, and its strength is even greater than that of Portugal.They thought that the armed merchant ships from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and France were already very powerful, but when they saw a large number of Qi's professional warships swimming in the Gulf, the Red Sea, and the waters surrounding the Arabian Sea, the Persians truly understood , what is the real maritime overlord?

With deep fear, from the previous Shah Suleiman I to the current Shah Sultan Hussein, they all maintained a friendly and modest attitude in their interactions with Qi, and tried their best to avoid any conflicts and disputes with it. .

Fortunately, although the Qi people were extremely powerful, they did not show aggressive behavior. The Qi merchants within the territory also maintained a certain respect for the imperial government and fully respected and understood the domestic religious beliefs.

Just this evening, when the crimson sunset dyed the entire horizon red, three Qi warships quietly sailed into Bushehr Port and docked at the exclusive berth of the Persian Trading Company on the west side of the pier.Immediately, groups of fully armed Qi Army officers and soldiers filed out of the ship, and under the guidance of several port personnel, settled in Hexingbao near the port.

"What is this for?" Yan Shaowu, commander of the Third Mixed Battalion of the 106th Regiment of the Qi State Army, saw several trading company guys carrying several large bags of Persian robes and asked in surprise: "You are going to have all our officers and soldiers disguise themselves Dress up and pretend to be Persian civilians and go to Isfahan?" "Sir, you can't have all your officers and soldiers dressed in the uniforms of our Qi Army and go to Isfahan in a grand manner, right?" The person in charge of the Black Guard stationed at Bushehr Port Renyong Colonel (Lieutenant) Ren Shude said with a wry smile: "Although our Qi State can enjoy various privileges in Persia, it is too...too ostentatious to march to someone's capital in a fully armed appearance. , this is a gross offense to the Safavid dynasty."

"Since we can't enter Isfahan in the name of our Qi army, then can't we wear the uniforms of the Persian trading company escort?" Yan Shaowu grabbed a Persian robe with some disgust, curled his lips and said, "I All the officers and soldiers are wearing such attire. How will they respond if they encounter the enemy? Look, these robes are all a burden on the body!"

After more than two months of "hard fighting", the third mixed battalion captured all the Omani-occupied islands in the Gulf, causing the "hegemony" of the Sultanate of Oman to establish in the Gulf that had taken several years of hard work to instantly collapse.Just when all the officers and soldiers were preparing to make persistent efforts to counterattack to the Bahrain Islands and wipe out the local Omani defenders, they took the initiative to "kneel" and issued a request to Qi for a truce and peace.

After some questioning with the visiting envoys from the Kingdom of Oman, the people of Qi finally understood that the Omanis' request for a ceasefire was indeed not a delaying tactic, but that they really could no longer fight.

The talented and ambitious Sultan bin Seif II of the Kingdom of Oman suddenly passed away two years ago, and his successor, Sultan Rashid I, was a child less than eight years old.This caused the powerful factions in the kingdom and the princes from various places to start to prepare for action, and fierce conflicts began between some people who coveted the throne. The deepening of the conflict also reignited the war between the Hanawi and Jafari tribes, and there were signs of a split civil war. .

Muhsin Ghassani, the Assistant Minister of the Kingdom of Oman, originally wanted to build up his personal prestige by resisting Qi's "invasion", so that he could suppress various domestic opposition forces.Unexpectedly, Qi State used a devastating offensive to seize all the islands occupied by the Omanis in just two months. It lost more than [-] troops and more than [-] large and small warships. Not only did it lose its prestige, but it also lost its troops. Lost ground.If the situation continues like this, Qi State will attack Muscat sooner or later. Not only will it destroy the entire Kingdom of Oman, but it will also capture him and the young Rashid I and bring them to Qi State for punishment (this powerful empire has the ability to capture The tradition of questioning the king of an enemy country) is probably not difficult.

In exchange for Qi's withdrawal of troops and an end to the war, Muhsin Gassani fully accepted the peace terms proposed by Qi, including compensation, trade, land cession, and various trade privileges for Qi merchants.Finally, in order to quell internal conflicts and ensure his regent status, he also invited the Qi army to station in Muscat to suppress the emerging opposition forces in the country.

In order to defeat the Kingdom of Oman and restore trade order in the Gulf, Qi State specially deployed eight warships, seven armed merchant ships, and nearly [-] marine troops, preparing to deal a heavy blow to Oman with a thunderous strike.In addition to expelling them from the many islands entrenched in the Gulf, Qi has even formulated a battle plan to attack Muscat, trying to force the Omanis to sign a humiliating alliance under the city.

Who would have thought that before our joint land and sea combat forces of Qi State have really exerted their strength, the Kingdom of Oman directly "knelt down and surrendered", accepted all the conditions proposed by Qi State, paid an indemnity of 70 silver dollars, cut off the Musandam Peninsula, and fully occupied the domestic market of Qi State. Open up, grant extraterritorial rights to Qi merchants, etc.

In response to Oman's Regent Minister Mohsin Ghassani's invitation to the Qi army to enter Muscat, the commander of the Persian Fleet, General Guangwei (Major General) Kuang Housheng, who was in charge of the operation, readily agreed and immediately ordered the Army Commander-in-Chief Luo Zhanping to lead two dragons. A cavalry company and three battalions of Mozhou servants were stationed in Muscat to help Mohsin Ghassani stabilize the situation.

At the same time, the Qi people also re-armed more than [-] Omani troops captured in the previous battle, mixed with hundreds of Persian young men, and handed them over to the Omani Regent Minister to enrich his armed forces.

As for the remaining two line infantry companies, they were transported to Bushehr Port, and then went all the way north to Isfahan to perform a special mission.

(End of this chapter)