Han Shizu

Chapter 2155: Emperor Shizong's Chapter 31: The Sixth Battle of Han and Yi in the Sixth Year of Jianlong
In the sixth year of Jianlong's reign, the Han Empire had become increasingly prosperous, with continued political stability, the thorough correction of corruption and malpractices, and the further recovery and development of the economy and people's livelihood. "Work hard to govern the country and catch up with the Yongxi era" had become the slogan directly sung by the Xuanwei Office.

As the vassal states at home and abroad developed equally rapidly, exchanges with the vassal states became increasingly important in the various military and political activities of the Han Empire. Under the "normalization" of exchanges between the imperial center and the vassal states, exchanges between the two sides in various aspects such as politics and economy became even closer.

During the entire sixth year of Jianlong, three major events occurred within the Han Empire, and two of them were related to vassal states, namely Anxi and Andong, the two most powerful vassal states.

On the Anxi side, after several years of testing, entanglement, and struggle following Liu Min's death, a war broke out again between the Central Asian Han civilization and the Islamic civilization, a war of a decisive nature.

This time, the two sides involved in the war were much more "pure". The Han side was the Anxi Dynasty, and the Islamic side was the Ghaznavid Dynasty mixed with the jihadists who always charged forward. From the perspective of civilization, this was another outbreak of contradictions between the two empires. From the perspective of the Central and West Asian situation, this was a battle for hegemony between the Anxi Dynasty and the Ghaznavid Dynasty. Whoever won would be the sole hegemon in the Central and West Asian region.

Such a war that determined the direction of history in Central and West Asia would cause a lot of commotion. Although it was just a one-on-one duel between Anxi and Ghazni, the scale of the military mobilization was the largest in all the "Han-Iranian Wars".

Sultan Mahmud of Ghaznavid is undoubtedly the most outstanding monarch in the current Islamic world. Based on the efforts of his father and grandfather, he led the young Ghaznavid dynasty out of the remote and barren mountainous areas of Afghanistan, conquered India in the south, took Persia in the west, and faced the Central Asian vassal states of the Han Empire in the north.

Except that he did not march into Baghdad and bring the Caliph under control, Mahmud and his Ghaznavid dynasty did the same thing as many dynasties under the Abbasid Empire did during their heyday.

The only difference, or the thing that is most praised and admired by the Islamic world, is that he made outstanding contributions in resisting the invasion of the powerful Han Empire from the East.

Although the coalition forces suffered a disastrous defeat in the "Five Great Wars" between the 11th and 12th years of Yongxi, the Han people did not end up well either and also suffered huge losses. Without the tragic bloodshed and sacrifices back then, there would not have been nearly two decades of "peace" in the Islamic world.

Otherwise, with Liu Min, the "King of Central Asia", being greedy and powerful, it might not be impossible for him to invade the base camp of Islamic civilization, drink from the two rivers, and march to Baghdad. How could he concentrate on governing the country for more than ten years, stop the Western Expedition, and focus on rectifying and solving the internal problems of Anxi?

Like the brothers Liu Min and Liu Ye, Mahmud was also a horseman. His life was basically associated with war. From the beginning of his reign, he was either fighting or on the way to war. Although he made many achievements in civil governance, the Ghaznavid Empire he ruled was in fact a military dynasty. Against the backdrop of the Han civilization advancing into Central Asia, this trend was exacerbated.

During the nearly thirty years of Mahmud's reign, he also established countless achievements and gained countless honors. In addition to the occupation of the wealthy Persian region, the conquest of northern India was also a shining embellishment on his crown of victory.

By the sixth year of Jianlong, Mahmud had made fourteen expeditions to India, bringing almost the entire northern Indian region under the rule of the dynasty, making the most solid contribution to the expansion of Islamic civilization in the South Asian subcontinent.

In the past two or three decades, the dynasties and states in the Indian (Tianzhu) region have faced unprecedented pressure for survival. On the one hand, the Ghaznavid dynasty in the north frequently launched expeditions to the south, and on the other hand, the Han merchants in the southern coastal areas became increasingly restless.

We can draw a conclusion that the overseas expansion and development of the Han civilization is exacerbating the turmoil and unrest in the world.
For Mahmoud personally, no matter how many victories and glory he achieved in other wars, the disastrous defeat in the Battle of Min was an indelible fact, and this shame accompanied him almost for the rest of his life.

The only way to wash away this shame is with a greater victory and more blood. Mahmoud, who has a strong personality, always keeps this in mind and has been preparing for it for almost twenty years.

In the past twenty years, apart from the tug-of-war with Anxi in the Khorasan region and the southern expedition to India, Mahmud spent almost all his energy on selecting talents, restoring national strength, developing the economy, and strengthening military equipment. In addition, the wealth plundered from northern India was also invested in the defensive preparations against the powerful enemy in the north.

Twenty years later, powerful enemies like Liu Min and Liu Ye, who had caused Mahmoud a lot of trouble, had passed away. Their successors were obviously not enough to make Mahmoud afraid. After feeling fully prepared, he organized the "Eastern Expedition" again.

Of course, there were more reasons that prompted Mahmud to start a rebellion. For example, he was old, and by the sixth year of Jianlong, he was already over fifty years old. At the end of his life, if he did not fight hard, he might return to the embrace of Allah one day. Before that day came, he had to take action to avenge the defeat in Mingcheng that had been bothering him for nearly twenty years.

Another consideration is that the development of the military dynasty established by Mahmud was limited. Under the pressure of the Han Dynasty in Central Asia, it even became somewhat deformed and militaristic.

The more military equipment they have accumulated, the more conflicts they have accumulated. Foreign wars and resource plunder are naturally a way to divert domestic conflicts. If the target of the war is still the Han Dynasty, which is a feud, then there is no need to hesitate.

Various factors and contradictions led to the start of a new round of the "Han-Iran War". Mahmud's decision to start another expedition to the east naturally caused a strong response in the Islamic world in the Mesopotamian region and received support from many sects and believers, even though Mahmud's intention to exploit religious fanaticism was obvious.

In the past twenty years, the rule of the Abbasid Empire has become increasingly chaotic. The Buyid Dynasty, which once dominated the Mesopotamian region and still held the Caliph hostage, has also become increasingly decadent. After severe internal friction, it is like a dangerous building in the wind, and is on the verge of collapse.

Therefore, apart from the Ghaznavid dynasty ruled by Mahmud, there is currently no force in the entire Islamic world that can stand up for Islam and punish the pagans of the Han nationality for Allah.

At the same time, twenty years is more than enough time for a new generation to grow up. Relying on the profound heritage of the Mesopotamian region and the continued development of the Ghaznavid Empire, the Islamic world once again has the strength to launch a counterattack against the Han Empire.

Therefore, at the beginning of the military campaign in March of the sixth year of Jianlong, Mahmud organized an army of 200,000 from the country. Together with the jihadists from western Persia and the Mesopotamian region, the total force reached 240,000. If the later mobilization is included, the total force exceeded 300,000.

This was a real army of 300,000. For the Ghaznavid Empire, except for taking a defensive retreat in the northeastern mountains and guarding against the Kangju Kingdom, the entire army was mobilized. Only basic security forces were retained in the country, including its capital, while all the troops, money, food, and military equipment accumulated over the years were invested in the war against the Anxi Kingdom.

In conclusion, Mahmoud went all in!

It is conceivable that facing the Ghaznavid Empire, which was engaged in a war of national destruction and the Islamic holy war, the Anxi Kingdom, as its target, had to bear a huge military force. In his heart, Anxi King Liu Wenzhe did not want to fight this war. After all, he had just completed the integration of Anxi's military and political affairs and established his own authority after completely suppressing his second brother politically. For him, it took more time to digest the political victory.

Mahmud's second expedition obviously disrupted his rhythm and shook his newly consolidated throne again. Even though he didn't want to fight, after the Islamic army's massive attack, he had no other choice but to fight back.

Not to mention Mahmoud's aggressive attitude to destroy Anxi, the national conditions of Anxi did not allow Liu Wen Ze to have any weakness or hesitation. As the successor of the previous king, he must resolutely maintain and defend the country. This was almost the mission given to Liu Wen Ze by the dynasty consciousness. If he could not do this, he would not be able to sit firmly on the throne even if there was no enemy attack.

For Liu Wenzhe, he first needs to thank the late King Liu Min for leaving him a legacy that is strong enough, at least in Central and West Asia, to cope with threats from any foreign civilization.

In the sixth year of Jianlong's reign, the population of all ethnic groups in the areas ruled by the Anxi Dynasty had exceeded 550 million. Among them, the Han population (Han + ethnic minorities in Han areas) who served as the core of the ruling class was close to , and the standing military force reached .

The Anxi Dynasty under the camp system was actually also a military dynasty. Its most basic structure and grassroots rule were all centered around military organizations, and it could only fully unleash its power when faced with expansion and war.

More than 30 years after the founding of the country, with the passing of the older generation of meritorious generals, Anxi's use of the camp system is no longer as good as it used to be, and it can even be said that it is far inferior to the past. However, the former king Liu Min was not in office for long, and his legacy still widely influenced the ruling class of the dynasty, especially the Han elites.

Moreover, in terms of comprehensive strength, the Ghaznavid dynasty alone may not be better than the Anxi dynasty. After all, Anxi occupied almost the most essential areas of the Seven Rivers Basin, and the dynasty with 700,000 Han people as its core, its creativity in production development was not comparable to that of the Ghaznavid dynasty.

Going back to the origin, there was not much difference in the time when the two countries sprouted and grew. However, Ghaznavid, a military dynasty brought by Mahmud, was not as powerful as the outsider Anxi more than half a century later.

When it comes to the cultivation of "internal strength", the strength of Han civilization is far beyond the reach of other civilizations. Even the Han civilization in Central Asia has been adjusted by Liu Min to suit local conditions.

Therefore, after a military meeting was held in the Dacheng Hall of the Hezhong Palace, the military machine of the Anxi Kingdom, which had been running at low speed for nearly twenty years, started up at full speed again.

Mahmud came in full force, and Liu Wenzhe had no choice but to welcome him with his entire country. After the order from the King of Hezhong was issued, all cities and major military bases under the rule of the Anxi Dynasty, from Haidong in the west to Samakan in the middle and Suiye Prefecture in the east, began to mobilize urgently, and in just one month, they organized a force of 200,000.

Unlike the previous Han-Iranian war, this was the power of Anxi alone, and there was no further mobilization. Of course, judging from Anxi's rule over Central Asia, even if the camp system greatly absorbed and assimilated the local population of various ethnic groups, its organizational and mobilization capabilities were limited and could not reach the theoretical level, and it was more likely to fall into self-collapse.

But even so, it was enough to repel the enemy. To be able to take on the entire Islamic world with the power of one country was not an exaggeration for the Anxi Dynasty during this period, but a real testament to its national strength.

If there was any shortcoming of the State of Anxi, it was the "one-country confrontation". Unlike any previous time, this time, at least in the early stage, Anxi had neither the support of the Han Empire nor the support of the two brother countries of Kangju and Beiting.

The Ghaznavid Empire had the support of the entire Islamic world, the direct participation of tens of thousands of Jihadist troops, and more spiritual and material support.

At the same time, although Liu Wenzhe had served as governor in Khorasan, fought against Ghazni, and passed Liu Min's test with great success, in this kind of national war, he was always inferior to the experienced Mahmoud.

At least in the early stage, he was confused by Mahmud and did not detect the large-scale military preparations of Ghaznavid in time. Of course, Liu Wenzhe and the Hezhong court cannot be blamed entirely, because the military preparations of Ghaznavid lasted for so many years, and the voices of "Eastern Crusade" in Mesopotamia, Persia and Ghaznavid regions have been singing since Liu Min's death. In the past, they were used to the low-intensity tug-of-war in Khorasan and Haidong regions, but they did not expect that Mahmud would be serious this time.

This unexpected event put Anxi in a very passive situation at the beginning of the war. Mahmud had made sufficient preparations for the expedition to Anxi before the war. After the war was officially launched, the action was extremely swift and fierce, and the goal was firm and clear.

He did not even choose to wait for the holy warriors to march east. Having learned the lesson from the previous war, he did not follow the routine to go north to attack Mingcheng. After the fifth war, Mingcheng's status in Anxi was further enhanced. It was the strongest fortress for Anxi to wedge into West Asia, and it was the rear base to consolidate the southwest of the dynasty and resist the Arabs. It had extremely important strategic significance.

But this time, after sending two detachments from Khorasan to make a feint and create the illusion of attacking Mingcheng from the north, Mahmud personally led an army of 150,000 north along the Murghab River to capture Leizhou and Gaozhou established by Anxi in the southeastern part of the Karakum Desert. These two states were the main transportation routes connecting Mingcheng (state), Khorasan area and Ducheng River from the southern edge of the central desert.

Under the sudden and powerful attack of the Ghaznavid army, although the Leizhou defenders defended tenaciously, they were ultimately unable to overcome the absolute disadvantage of being outnumbered and were conquered after only five days. Of the more than 5,000 soldiers and civilians stationed there, less than 1,000 survived.

After taking Leizhou, the Ghaznavid army basically cut off the connection between Anxi and Haidong areas. Mahmud continued to march northward without stopping. Before the end of March, he reached Gaozhou City (Turkmenabat) and drank water from the middle reaches of the Jihun River (Amu Darya).

Gaozhou City is also a new city developed by the Han people. It was originally just a small city (town) on the banks of the Jihun River. In the 13th year of Yongxi, Liu Min ordered its expansion and established Gaozhou.

The original purpose was only to consolidate Hezhong City and prepare for the subsequent relocation of the capital. However, in the past twenty years, Gaozhou has not only assumed the military function of protecting the royal city, but also served as a link between the east and the west of the capital.

If Gaozhou was lost, the Ghaznavid army could cross the river northward without restraint and attack the heart of Anxi State, Hezhong City. The distance between the two places was not far. At least in late March, Anxi was not fully prepared for war.

However, the five days of Leizhou's desperate defense bought Anxi a lot of time. At least Liu Wenzhe made a perfect deployment of Gaozhou in an emergency. He appointed the veteran Kang Jirong (grandson of Anxi's founding general Kang Zaiyu) as the defense commander, commanding the Gaozhou army, and gave him 30,000 more troops to lead the Jihun River defense line to resist the Ghazni army and buy more time for Anxi.

Therefore, no matter how hard Mahmoud tried, it was impossible for him to conquer Gaozhou in a few days like Leizhou. Mahmoud did learn the lesson of the Battle of Mingcheng 20 years ago. After launching several rounds of attacks, he decisively gave up the siege and retreated to set up camp without even planning to besiege the city.

The sixth war between Han and Iraq also unfolded with the military decisions of both sides around Gaozhou.
(End of this chapter)