Trouble in Persia~~The Battle is Joined

Personal letter to scholar Wolfgang Capito, from his cousin and friend, Diether von Michelstadt, Knight of the Holy Order of Saint John, from the garrison on Rhodes.

My dearest friend, you will certainly recall my previous comment on Sultan Selim of the Ottoman Turks, the most dangerous enemy to our fortified outpost.  The threatened clash between himself and Ismāil, Shāh of Persia, has now transpired.

Shah Ismail–Turkish miniature

Selim and Ismāil hate one another passionately, particularly because Selim is a devout Sunni, who sees the Persian Shi’ites as heretics and blasphemers.  To aggravate the situation further, Ismāil supported Selim’s brother Ahmed against him in their bloody struggle for power, and allowed Persian raids into Turkish lands.

Selim led a substantial army eastward to the upper reaches of the river Euphrates. Clouds of feudal cavalry were stiffened by the disciplined Janissaries and Selim’s impressive artillery.  Ismāil’s forces were not as large, and consisted mainly of lancers and bowmen on horseback.  It is said the Persians eschew firearms as unmanly and trust in divine providence rather than armor.

They do wear helmets, though the Shãh and his special qizilbash warriors wear distinctive red caps. Outnumbered three to one, Ismāil burned and devastated his own territories to slow the Turkish advance, but Selim’s careful planning for a good supply train kept the Turks fed and well armed.

The battle was joined at a place called Chaldiran, where Selim deployed his Janissaries behind a deep trench, with their flanks protected by carts and wagons chained together, and defended by artillery roped together wheel-to-wheel.  This is the same tactic used by the Hussite heretics against the emperor’s army decades ago.

Great Cannon (of Turks) Dürer–1518

Persian cavalry attacked the flanks, in an attempt to avoid the Janissary corps, but the Turkish guns blew them to pieces.  By my word, these Persians are the enemies of Christendom, but I cannot help but feel sorrow for such brave men smashed beyond recognition by the stone shot of those formidable guns.

Map of Tabriz–16th century

Ismāil himself was wounded in the battle and his troops routed.  Some reports state that he was drunk on wine during the battle, a thing strictly forbidden to good Muslims.  His capital city of Tabriz, famous for its rich carpets and bazaar, was captured by Selim’s forces, but held only briefly.  Selim’s troops refused to advance any further beyond what they considered safe limits, so the Turkish Sultan had to fall back on the freshly conquered lands west of Lake Van.  Leaders of the Kurdish Muslims and Armenian Christians abandoned their loyalty to the Persians, and switched their support to Selim after his victory.  This leaves the Turks in possession of much of ancient Mesopotamia.

16th century Greek Merchant

All of this news is reported to us by a good friend of our Order, the Greek merchant Apostolis.  This worthy trader specializes in Smyrna figs and other fruit commodities, and travels extensively in the lands loyal to Muhammad’s followers.  At the time of the recent conflict, he had arrived at Tabriz, and spoke to Turkish soldiers during their brief time in that city.  After their withdrawal, the Persians returned, lamenting what they predict will be many decades of warfare between these giant empires.

For the immediate future, my own prospects may involve travel back to Europe.  Our Grand Master sees a temporary period of respite in our watchfulness.  It has been many years since I have been to our homeland, so he might send me to visit Germany, Switzerland and the north to recruit more dedicated knights, collect contributions of money and supplies, and amass more and better weapons.  If I am sent on such a tour, it would give me great joy to see your face again after these many years.

I close with a prayer for your health and wellbeing.  May your studies keep you close to the grace of God, who sets all things right.  Please remember your faithful friend and cousin, who holds you in high esteem.

Diether

The Fortress of Rhodes, Feast of St. Matthew, 1514

Battle of Chaldiran–note Persian helmets

Diether von Michelstadt created by Leopold Glueckert, O.Carm.,Ph.D

Previous letters from Diether:  Letter from a Knight on Rhodes; From Christian child to Turkish Janissary; Sunnis and Shi’ites~~The Gathering Storm

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Sunnis and Shi’ites~~The Gathering Storm

To Wolfgang Capito, currently in Bruchsal, from Diether von Michelstadt, Knight of Saint John of Jerusalem, who now serves the garrison on the blessed Isle of Rhodes.  My dearest cousin, greetings in the Lord and sincere prayers for your wellbeing, good health, and growth in virtue.

In my previous communications, I spoke of Selim the Grim, the new Sultan of the Ottoman Turks, and his threat to the security of our island fortress.  I related how Selim’s struggle with his brothers and cousins for the throne ended in his favor and their deaths.  Now he has entered into a dangerous game of chess with his arch-enemy Ismāil, Shāh of Persia.

This Shāh Ismāil is a force to be reckoned with.  After his father was killed in battle, Ismāil went into hiding for several years, then returned, vowing to make Shi’ite Islam the official religion of his empire.  His followers are slavishly loyal to him, many believing that he is a relative of Mohammed.

Shi’ite Muslims have serious quarrels with the majority branch, known as the Sunni.  Shia Muslims insist that only direct relatives of Muhammad should be in the most important positions of leadership.  They revere the twelve imams, ancient religious leaders, most of whom were poisoned, but one who they believe did not die but was hidden by God.  This last imam will return one day as the savior of mankind to bring peace and justice to the world.

Selim, of the Sunni sect, wishes not only to stop the spread of Shi’ism into his Ottoman domains but to conquer and rule them and unite Islam.  According to our Venetian contacts, he now exchanges belligerent letters with Shāh Ismāil.

Venetian galley

When he first came to power, Ismāil sent a secret Persian delegation to Venice, hoping to receive military and naval support from that Serene Republic against the Ottoman Turks.  Since Persia does not have a seacoast on the Mediterranean, the Mamluk Sultans of Egypt allowed Ismāil’s envoys to cross Syria.

So Selim has a quarrel with Shāh Ismāil’s foolish efforts to build an alliance with the Venetians and is equally incensed at the Egyptians’ aid to Ismāil.  It appears that a great battle is brewing.

Shi’ites place great value in personal martyrdom and heroic sacrifice for their religion.  For that reason, a Shi’ite warrior may be a fanatical foe on the battlefield, and hence very dangerous.  Sunni warriors are also brave, but more careful about selling their lives.  The Ottoman Janissaries, in particular, are brave, but very intelligent in calculating how to make best use of their weapons and skills in battle.  A collision of the three giant Islamic empires could bode evil days for one or two of them.

Discord within the ranks of the Muslim princes helps our prospects for survival here in the east of the Mediterranean, but if any one of the three gains a clear superiority over the others, it will not go well for us…a united Islamic military force could represent our worst nightmare.  The rise of one over the others could change the world.

Likewise, the need for a common cause among our Christian princes has never been more urgent.   It is my fervent hope that there be no strife among them, and, most especially, no quarrel over religious truths which could weaken our common efforts to defend Christendom against the infidel.

In closing, I pray for your continued success at your studies, and your happiness in your work.  Your devoted Diether continues to remember your kindness with much gratitude.

From your own Diether,

The Fortress of Rhodes, on the Ides of August, 1514

~~~~~

Diether von Michelstadt created by Leopold Glueckert, O.Carm.,Ph.D

Previous letters from Diether:  Letter from a Knight on Rhodes; From Christian child to Turkish Janissary

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Letter from a Knight on Rhodes

Diether von Michelstadt, Knight of the Holy Order of St. John, quartered on the Isle of Rhodes, to his dear cousin and brother in the Lord, Wolfgang Capito.

Greetings to you my dear friend, and all the blessings which God can bestow. Your recent letter reached me just yesterday with the arrival of our supply galleys from Venice.

Selim I

This past year, a new and vigorous Ottoman Sultan arose, who goes by the name Selim. He deposed his father Beyezid, whom he considered too weak. Selim quickly killed all his brothers and nephews.  He remembers the challenge to his father’s rule by his uncle Djem, who fled to our protection on Rhodes.  (Beyezid made an agreement with the Pope to keep Djem in luxurious restraint until he died, thereby preventing a civil conflict in Constantinople.)  The new Sultan is called “Selim the Grim.”

Local Greeks report that Selim seeks to unite the many Islamic realms by force, to present a united front against us. Selim claims the title of “Caliph of Islam.” Our spies report that Selim prepares his forces for a clash with Ismail, Shah of the powerful Safavid Empire of Persia. Selim is a fervent Muslim of the Sunni faction, and passionately wants to surpass the Shi’ites of Persia, and assume their leadership. He is well aware of Ismail’s power and resilience, but he places much hope in his corps of Janissaries, who are well trained in the use of firearms, a device which Ismail holds in contempt. If Selim gains Syria and Mesopotamia, he will be nearly impossible to stop.

Our spies also suggest that he may move against the Mamelukes, the Islamic slave-soldiers who have ruled Egypt for centuries. By my faith, control of Egypt and the Holy Land would give Selim the lucrative pilgrimage road to Mecca and Medina, and the title Defender of the Holy Places, which carries enormous religious prestige even among the Shi’ites.

Since the Turks have long since gained control of most of Greece and the mainland of the Levant, we alone on Rhodes remain as an armed outpost of Christendom. Our fleets of war galleys terrorize their spice convoys from Asia and shipments of grain from Egypt. They do not wish us well, and when the day of reckoning comes, the fighting will be severe. Let us hope that our walls will defeat the hoards of unbelievers, as happened in 1480. May God and Holy Mary continue to protect us.

In these present days, all is quiet on our beautiful island, but the threat of invasion is never absent. My fellow brothers in the Order’s German langue never stop their training and preparations for the assault which we know must come. We have amassed vast stores of food, powder, shot, arrows, and counter-siege apparatus.

Our fortifications are no doubt the finest and best crafted in the world, and yet we continue to strengthen our masonry, deepen our moats, and multiply our cisterns. We boast to the other seven langues that our German bastion is the best defended section of the walls, and that we hope that the Turks make their first assault against us, so that we may teach them a lesson.

Last week I accompanied three of our galleys on a raid to capture stores of powder in the magazine of a Turkish village. We spared the women and children, as well as men who raised no weapons. While I do not agree with Erasmus that a Christian should not go to war, I do agree that if we slaughter the innocent, as the Turks do, then we have become Turks of the spirit and not Christians.

I am disturbed to hear your news of the bickering among theologians in your district. Their issues mean very little to me. I understand the need to stamp out corruption and greed among the clergy, but why fall into hostile factions over theories that no normal person wishes to understand? If only your friends could see the great threat posed by the Turks against our poor outpost here on the East of the Great Sea. There has never been a time in history when devout Christians needed to honor their common beliefs more than now.

With all that said, my brother, do not worry about my welfare. Our situation on Rhodes is most pleasant for now. Like all the other auberges of the Knights, our German residence palace is comfortable and strong, a true fortress within a fortress. Our supply of food and wine is generous and delicious, more than you could wish.

We maintain our rhythm of prayer as devoutly as our military preparations. The spirit among our Knights and our other helpers is warm and fraternal, as I wish that your own companions might be. As I fondly remember your kindness to my own dear mother, I wish you the Lord’s choicest blessings.

From your own, Diether

Diether von Michelstadt created by Leopold Glueckert, O.Carm.,Ph.D

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