212 Mansa Musa
Outside Tirana's northern gate, a single rider on horseback held an envoy flag. Behind the rider was a carriage with flour white envoy flags waving in the wind.
The horse rider and carriage were allowed inside to greet his majesty.
Inside the capital, the envoy began throwing millions of coppers and silver Fermion coins. The peasants rushed to the carriage, praising Fermion's gratitude. The sultan, his ministers, and advisers looked at Fermion flaunting their wealth. Even worse, the penniless commoners were acting like loyal dogs at their feet.
The sultan knew sentiment against him was rising. After all his lords denied his request without concern. The sultan left for the throne room to greet his guests.
The envoy and his servants keep throwing millions of coppers and silver in the street. The peasants rush to horde the coin and then run to a nearby bakery.
Before the envoy arrived in the throne room, the cost of bread had risen over 3,000% that morning! Moreover, local merchants, crafters, and shop owners only accepted Fermion currency. In a single day, Albanian currency was worthless.
This subterfuge was Will's idea. He had used this idea once before when he first became a Baronet. Will took the idea from Mansa Musa.
Mansa Musa was a man from Earth's antiquity. He was a powerful African emperor, and one of the richest men alive. The emperor was so wealthy, that when he went on his pilgrimage to Mecca, the gifts he brought with him were so valuable that they caused hyperinflation in the region. He handed money out liberally to rulers and friends, building mosques and buying souvenirs. He spent so much gold that he inadvertently plunged Cairo, Medina, and even Mecca into a long recession.
Will lectured the king on demand-pull inflation and the story of Mansa Musa on the trip to Elbasan. By the time they arrived: Operation Musa was approved. King Roland and Will planned to devastate Tirana's economy.
Even before the war, Tirana's population swelled due to the plague and famine. Food and goods were scare and the price of bread was already out of reach for most commoners.
While the capital had food reserves, they weren't substantial. Furthermore, the influx of war refugees only worsened the economic situation. Food rations grew smaller while the citizen anger grew larger.
Will knew a large injection of money would be just enough to send the capital spiraling towards hyperinflation.
And their plan worked perfectly, by evening the Albanian soldiers could not afford to feed their families because they were paid in worthless Albanian coppers. Yet it would not be until the next morning the sultan learned of the ruse.
After circulating five million coppers, or 500 gold in equivalency, the envoy entered the throne room.
"Announcing the Ambassador of Fermion, Colonel vont Valdez," the steward shouted.
"Greetings your grace, I bring you a message from the Rightful King of Albania—," Colonel vont Valdez was interrupted.
"Grace, you would lower his majesty to Duke," a minister shouted angrily.
"Surely you know your history. Albania was once two Fermion dukedoms. The two dukedoms married each other, and your Duke's ancestors falsely proclaimed their fief a separate kingdom," Colonel vont Valdez chided
"Calm down, let's hear King Roland's demands, said Sultan Almeric vont Guillemot.
"King Roland Godwin Fermion III demands you surrender Tirana at once. He's prepared to spare your family, ministers, and advisers," Colonel vont Valdez informed.
"What shall happen to my heirs, my wives and children?" the king as worriedly.
"You and all males of your line shall die. But your wives and daughters may live. The king is even willing to marry a daughter. You have 24-hours to consider the offer?" Colonel vont Valdez warned.
"What about the nobles and citizens?" The king asked considering the offer.
"The citizens already belong to his majesty. As far as the nobles, it depends on their usefulness and goodwill to his majesty," Colonel vont Valdez advised.
"I shall consider your king's offer," the sultan said sadly.
After the ambassador left, the sultan's ministers and advisers argued.
"Your majesty, we can send an envoy to the Great Imperial Capital. Let's pleas before the emperor," recommended one adviser.
"Your majesty we can hold out for months. There are plenty of rations and the grain silo is full," said a second adviser.
"Your majesty, our soldiers have full bellies and are rested," said the general.
"Your majesty we have the strongest array. They'd run out of rations before our array expires," said a minister.
"Your majesty, what say you?" the last adviser asked. The advisers and ministers were all wanting for the king to speak.
"If history has taught us nothing, it's to be wary of Viscount vont Ballard. King Remus Albus was fortunate to find such a gem. And he brilliantly married him into the family. Now King Roland Godwin has a crafty Economic Adviser for a cousin. Someone tell me what's Viscount vont Ballard's plan?" The sultan asked.
"He planned to give out money. He did the same when he received a peerage. It's the same, he wants to endure our citizens to King Roland," said the sultan's economic adviser.
"Surely that can't be all?" said another adviser. They debated until evening.
It wasn't until dinner they learned the true plan. That evening the tired sultan returned to his throne.
"Tell me the damage?" The king asked sadly.
"Your majesty, the capital now has a shortage of bread and beer. Since the envoy's arrival, food prices have risen 11,000%. The price of bread stands at 1,650 Albanian coppers or 16 Fermion coppers.
Our grain stock is depleted, and we cannot afford to restock our supplies because the merchants and soldiers now demand to be paid in Fermion currency," the economic adviser winced.
"Our own citizens don't want our currency? How did this happy?" the sultan asked sadly.
"We don't know your majesty, but the price of goods continues to rise!" the economic adviser winced.
"Guards, kill him. I should have killed you a long time ago!" the sultan yelled.
"Your majesty, if we don't get a handle on things, the citizens will demand our heads. And our soldiers may open the gate for Fermion," an adviser warned.
"What shall we do?" the sultan asked.
"We could pay our soldiers in Fermion currency, wouldn't that solve everything?" the general said.
"And General where would we get enough currency to pay our soldiers?" another adviser asked.
"Just take it from the citizens?" the general struggled.
"Wouldn't that start a war between our citizens and military? We'd be doing our enemy's job for them! Not to mention how embarrassing it would be to start a war within our city over Fermion's currency?" a minister said.
"Your majesty, I believe this is a problem only Viscount vont Ballard can solve," said the oldest adviser.
"Is there no other solution than my line ending?" the king asked sadly.
"We can smuggle out your great-grandson," an adviser said.
Just then a steward ran into the throne room. "Your majesty the soldiers are threatening to strike if they don't receive their wages," he said.
"How did it become this bad so fast? If you find Dervish, kill him for me," the sultan said rising.
"General, hand me my old sword," the old king said.
"It's too soon, your majesty. We have until morning to talk," the General said handing the king his sword.
"Thank you, old friend. But there's no point extending the inevitable. Royal Steward, bring the Royal Family here," the king said pessimistically.
An hour later, a mournful queen; the Crown Prince, four princesses, and their families stood in front of the king. The king's only unmarried child was his youngest, Princess Rosalind.
"Today at sunrise, I shall abdicate my throne. I am truly sorry, I was not able to be king you all needed," Sultan Almeric vont Guillemot said sadly.
"Son, you'll hand my body to King Roland Godwin," the sultan said.
Rosalind was the first to hug her father. She cried. The sultan's heartfelt a fleeting sense of happiness.
"Rosalind, you are to marry King Roland Godwin so your mother, sisters, and their families may live," the sultan told her.
"I can't! How can I marry the man that usurped your throne?" Rosalind protested.
"Then you'll damn your mother, sister, and their families to Tartarus!" the king guilted her.
Her father's words pricked her heart. She had denied her father, his dying wish. Was she solely responsible for her mother and sister's lives?
At dawn, Sultan Almeric vont Guillemot announced his abdication and committed Seppuku in front of his ministers and advisers.
Tirana's northern gate was opened and General vont Smith moved his 30,000 soldiers into the capital.
When King Roland received word Tirana had fallen, Elbasan held a city-wide celebration. Will was the first to congratulate his majesty.
"Cousin your devious planned worked!" King Roland said as he and Will rode triumphantly to Tirana.
"Thank you for trusting your faith in me?" Will said seated across from the king.
"Will, I want you to join my War Council. I'll need your help to conquer the rest of Central and Eastern Albania," King Roland said.
"Your majesty, I'm securely in your fraction. I'll do as his majesty asks of me," Will replied.
Two weeks later King Roland's carriage rolled into Tirana for a city-wide celebration. The entire city tossed flowers at the feet of King Roland's carriage and cheered loudly.
King Roland waved out the carriage at his adoring new citizens.
When King Roland Godwin Fermion the III sat on the Albanian throne, everyone in attendance bowed. It was a surreal feeling. He'd accomplish something neither his father nor grandfather accomplished. How many of his generation fought to reunify Fermion. Now he was so close to achieving this goal.
"Your majesty, you have guests, should I announce them?" Bryson asked.
"Yes," the king replied.
"The Dowager, Duchess Esmeralda vont Guillemot, and her son Duke vont Guillemot. Her daughters, their husbands, and children!" Bryson announced.
They all kneeled with their head held down in front of their new king. All except for Rosalind, who wanted to see how her potential husband looked. King Roland caught her staring.
"Why do you stare at me curiously and not mournfully," he asked.
"I want to see the man whom I am to marry!" Rosalind said.
"Marry? Are we to marry then so soon after your father's line has ended?" he chuckled.
"As long as you spare my mother, brothers, sisters, and their families, I'll marry you," she informed him.
"I can't spare your brothers, but your mother shall be sent to Yorkshire. You may live with me in the castle. And your sisters and their husbands must leave at once," King Roland said.
"Shouldn't they be given time to pack?" Rosalind protested.
"I'm sure they packed before I arrived. General have someone escort them out of the city," the King ordered.
"Thank you for sparing the lives of our children," the sisters and their husbands kowtowed. They planned to move in with their husband's families.
Only Rosalind lay kneeling. "Your majesty, what is your request of me?" Rosalind asked.
"You shall be held indefinitely in the palace," he commanded.
"As you wish," she kowtowed before returning to her room.
"Your majesty, Duke vont Khan's troops are outside the castle. He requests an audience," Bryson whispered to the king.
King Roland nodded okay, and Bryson announced," Announcing his Grace Duke vont Khan."
When the duke entered, everyone looked on in wonder. Even Will was curious what the Duke would say.
Approaching the throne, the Duke vont Khan kneeled, "Your majesty, I pledge to serve you and your family line. I swear to protect Fermion and her people. My king Roland Godwin Fermion III, I brought 10,000 troops to serve at your command. I've also brought all the Eastern lords who swear allegiance to you!" he said.
"Arise Duke vont Khan. I received your pledge and your vassals' allegiance. You may retain your title and dukedom," King Roland announced to loud cheers.
Just like that Northern and Eastern Albania had fallen under Fermion's control. Now only Southern, Western, and Central Albania remained. Southern Albania was the most important region remaining because the two largest ports Vlore and Durres needed to be firmly brought under Fermion control.
Will knew the upcoming War Council would be an interesting meeting.
