Chapter 32 January 407 AD-Negotiations

            Osroes IV, King of Parthia, had a very difficult decision to make since the Romans took the city of Dura. Dura gave the Romans the ability to march into Parthia’s heartland, which meant that Osroes needed to focus all his armies on the west side of Parthia to combat the Romans. Unfortunately, Parthia was also fighting a war with Kushan on the eastern side of their empire. Fighting a war on two fronts was difficult, but not overwhelming. They were a massive empire who bordered two massive empires. They spent centuries building fortifications and using war to trade land with their two neighbors. Unfortunately Rome’s new weapon, the fast fire bow, was devastating their soldiers on the fields of battle, and Osroes just got word that Rome had gifted Kushan thousands of the new bows. Worse, Kushan also had Paulsland new steam weapon.

            At this point no matter what they did they were going to lose territory to both Rome and Kushan; all they could do was limit their loses. With that in mind Osroes sent a message through communication towers to Vima II Kadphises, King of Kushan, wishing to talk peace, and surrendering land to his forces. King Vima II sent a message back agreeing to the discussion through diplomats and the communication tower network.

            Parthia’s diplomat, Diblu, left Ctesiphon, the capital of Parthia for Purushapura, the capital of Kushan. He left with haste down the Tigris River, then sailed across the Erythraean Sea, and made his way up the Kabul river before reaching the Kushan capital. The journey took him two months. The Kushan diplomat, Kutan, started his journey in Purushapura, and followed the same path toward Ctesiphon, albeit his journey took three months.

            When Diblu reached Kushan’s capital he wasn’t allowed to see King Vima II. As far as he was concerned that was a boon. It allowed Diblu to reach out to the court and point them in another direction. In this case Diblu pointed them northeast, to Zhang China. He reminded them that the nobility of Kushan fled the Han Empire, the nation that Zhang China sprouted from, before forming Kushan. He then pointed out that although Zhang China didn’t have the steam weapons or fast fire bows, that they were twice as big as Kushan. He reminded them that Parthia had more steam weapons than they did, and asked if it was worth the cost in lives to go after Parthia when Zhang China was practically a lamb, not having the newest weapons, and likely hadn’t even heard of them yet. Furthermore if they attacked Zhang China, Parthia was so focused on their war with Rome they were not in a place to take advantage of Kushan’s war.

            The nobility was only one of Diblu’s targets. Kushan was well known for allowing all religions to be practiced, albeit under the authority of the government. The king or one of his many nobles built temples, places of worship, and churches with the tax money generated throughout the kingdom. In return the Buddhist, Hindus, Zoroastrians, and Christians sent their wisest advisors to the builder of their religious sites. These men were beggars, and so Diblu talked at length with these men how much more profitable land taken by decree instead of the sword was, as land taken by the sword often had destroyed fields, factories, and aqueducts.

            Eventually the other diplomat finally reached the capital of Parthia and once word reached King Vima II, a day for negotiations were set up a week later.

            As they waited the war continued. Vima II wasn’t about to lose his leverage. There would be no peace until after the peace terms were hashed out and Kushan received its reward for winning this war.

            On the appointed day Diblu made his way into the King’s court. Inside, the room was made with marble, with a dome roof held up by eight pillars. Each pillar was covered in carvings of the various religions of the various religions the King supported. Each religion had two pillars. The Hindu one was covered in carvings of its various gods. The Buddhist one was covered in carvings telling Buddhist parables. The Zoroastrian was covered in stories of their god and their god’s enemy. The Christian pair told the story of creation and the life of Christ. Each pillar had members of their religion nearby. Each in fine clothes and jewelry. Although it appeared that the Christians and Buddhist were hypocrites King Vima II would have executed them if they showed up to his courts dressed in anything other than the finest clothes and jewelry.

            Although the pillars showed tales of the various regions, the walls had tapestries of silk telling the story of Kushan’s triumphs. Next to those tapestries stood the nobles of Kushan. Each noble was dressed in splendor and armor. Each looked like the generals they were, albeit they did not carry weapons.

            In the midst of the nobles were the King’s guards. They were fully armed and armored. They had rounded helmets with a point on top, chain armor from their head to their knees, and large round shields. Each carried a spear and two swords.

            As for the King, he was an older man, in his early fifties. He was a bit overweight, but he carried it well. He was a man who spent his youth fighting battles, both against Kushan’s enemies, and his siblings. He seemed to be able to pay attention to everything in the room at the same time, and as Diblu entered he took note, but didn’t acknowledge Diblu until the others noticed and ceased their conversations.

            Once all eyes were turned on him King Vima II asked, “What is your king’s offer?”

            “King Osroes the fourth offers you, King Vima the second, the provinces of Baluchistan, and Mangyshlak, as your personal property. In fact he is willing to remove the population if you so desire.”

            “That isn’t enough. I also want Herat and Sistan.”

            “Not enough? Balunchistan adds hundreds of miles of coast to your nation, alongside harbors and wonderful trade routes. Mangyshlak gives your nation access to the Caspian Sea.”

            “True, but my soldiers have fought bravely, and my nobles have spent coin to take over your land. It is not fair that I alone profit from their sacrifices.”

            “I will send your answer to my King.”

            “And I will send my answer to my diplomat.”

            When King Vima II sent his coded message he simply said that his diplomat was to argue for four provinces instead of two. Diblu’s coded message said he thought that King Vima II would settle for three provinces, but some tribute could help. It took nearly six hours for the two messages to make it from Purushapura to Ctesiphon.

            As soon as Osroes IV received the message he had Kutan the diploma brought to his throne room immediately and said, “Tell your king I am willing to offer Balunchistan and Mangyshlak to him, and Herat for his nobles. I am also willing to offer him one thousand talents of brass, one hundred talents of silver, and twenty talents of gold.”

            Kutan frowned and said, “My master wants four provinces.”

            “Fine then we will offer him Ufa as well.”

            “Ufa?”

            “Yes its our most north eastern province.”

            “That isn’t valuable, but it meets my king’s requirements as I understand it.”

            And so the two sent coded messages back. Kutan simply told his king of the offer but also mentioned that he didn’t think they would get much more out of the deal, although they could probably stall for months if they wanted. King Osroes IV let Diblu know that he wasn’t willing to offer anything more, and if they stalled he would have to turn his armies toward Kushan to force them to take the deal.

            Two days later Diblu was once again invited to the King’s throne room. Once he was there King Vima II simply told him, “Tell your king I accept his offer. Also tell him there is no need to remove the population, anyone who stays will serve as a vanguard when we head north to introduce the Zhang to our new weapons.”

Authors note-We should be introducing china soon. Not to mention the Trade Alliance