Part 18: 1180-1199, The Duru Revolt.

Mercenaries are raised and sent north, meanwhile, the peasants revolt.



The army forms up, but not in time, the Muslim forces assault the cities, throwing away lives for time. This allows them to bring the war to a close before Ghanan forces can be brought to bare.



Every Mansa needs a nickname, Bongo the Fat shall be Bongas.







The army marches to engage the peasants, who run away.



We quickly retake the land they took then give chase, finally bringing them to battle.



They are defeated in two battles and the leader captured and banished, leaving the state 75 gold.







Duru leads a mass revolt against Bongo.



The Mansa raises his troops, and soon battles are erupting across the country.



The Rebels win a string of early victories before Bonga is able to mass his forces and begin to clean them up.







Leading from the front, Bonga dies in battle.



Ten year old Fadazu takes the throne, greedy and gluttonous, his is not looking like the best of rulers so far.



The war continues, a Duru is slain in battle. Unfortunately, not THAT Duru.



Isolated in the castle, Fadazu is happy with his lot.



The war has gone on long enough that fresh levies can be raised, these numbers tip the war finally into the Loyalist camp.



Fadazu learns to be a just ruler.







Just when you think things can't get any worse....



Days later, the largest of Fadazu's armies, nine thousand men in all, melts away, returning to their masters.
The Duru war is ended with a white peace.



As soon as these lords agree to the peace, their men are once more raised to deal with the new war!



Fadazu is learning from this constant conflict, he learns that he must always strive to be the best!







The war drags on through numerous small battles, but the Loyalist forces (made up mainly of former traitors) once more tip the scales.



Finally, the last major rebel force is caught in battle.







Having spent all of his reign at war, Fadazu finally comes of age, he is a master of the books, and not to shoddy in his learning. He is just, kind, ambitious if a bit gluttonous.



The rebels meanwhile, have also raised fresh troops. The Ghanan army marches to deal with them.







The war ends, its almost like no-one can remember what they were fighting over.



Only Lignure is slow to return to the fold, but quickly return under threat of war.



For the first time in eight years the kingdom it at peace. The Mansa empties his prisons of twelve noblemen and women captured during the revolts.



Fadazu legitimize his first bastard.







The Qadirid's have another civil war. With his manpower recovered, Fadazu orders an attack. This time the smaller target of Infi is chosen for the holy war.



The forces mass, by the Qadirid forces get the quicker and inflict defeats on the Ghanan forces.



The only thing that saves us from a total rout is the two rebel forces fighting each other.



To make matters worse, smallpox runs through the nation, claiming many, including the Mansa's son!







The reformed Ghanan force goes once more into battle.



We win the battle and the war! Capturing the Sultan give them no other choice but to cede the lands to Ghana.







Fadazu gets a legitimate daughter and a new nickname.







The Thirteenth Century is about to begin, and Ghana has not changed much in size in the last hundred years.



Aquitaine is currently undergoing a civil war, otherwise it is a strong nation.



France still holds land in Italy, while Lombardy is still strong.



Wessex, Scotland and Ireland still fight it out over Britannia.



Norway and Finland are the major Scandinavian powers.



Central Europe is a patchwork of small nations.



The Seljuk Turks have broken down into a number of large nations in Eastern Europe.



The Romans are fragmented but still hanging in there.



The same large powers rule the Middle East and north-east Africa. The Shushtarids are another Slejuk offshoot.