Part 22: 1260-1279, The Rise of Bongo the Wise.

With the arrival of another huge army, the war is lost. But Nafissa has lots of prisoners to ransom back before they are freed by a peace treaty. The Sultan of Qadirid alone nets 250 gold.



For now, we will have to abide the Muslim presence in Africa. But with 1,600 gold in her coffers, the Sultana has at least fought a profitable war. Until the war costs take all but 350 of that.
Still, at least the country is not in debt!







Nafissa's second son, Fatta (not one I modified, before anyone starts) dies.







A second daughter enters the world. In fact, after a period of stability the Ogoonu tribe is undergoing something of a lustful renaissance. Birth after birth is reported and the Ogoonu count goes up to 204! Then five as soon as I unpause.



Nafissa, Nafissa's daughter, is married off to the heir of a temple. A matrilinial marriage means we shall soon have another Ogoonu in the world. This was the highest ranking heir unmarried at this time.







A Jew arrives at the Sultanas court. He and his wife are quickly convinced to convert to the Sahelian faith. Nafissa is interested and starts a plot to seduce this strange looking man.



Apparently his wife has really taken to the way of the Well Snake.



With even his loving wife on board, the plot moves quickly.



Nafissia gets her taste of exotic fruit.



Then she tells her husband a small fib.



Nine months later Halima is born.



Shmeul does not play as an Ogoonu however!







The Aarifids are at war with the Aghlabids. While we still have a truce with the latter, the former are fair game for the snake!



As the troops march forwards, we hear that the Golden Horde has become Muslim.



As normal, as soon as people see Ghana winning, they flock to worship the Snake.



We see nothing of the Aarifid army, and soon we are burning their castles.



The war is quickly won and Nafissa celibrates as only an Ogoonu knows how!



Nepotism is employed, and we are in the odd position of owning the fortresses of a province while not technically owning the province itself....







Another Ogoonu is welcomed into the world. Although people think that the Sultana thinks to much of herself.







The Pretty Borders faction demands that Bejaija is claimed properly. Nafissia tries to do this with only her own troops, but then the Muslim peasants who have not accepted Ghanan snake into their lives rise up.



Both wars are soon going well, and more people convert to the Snake.



The war is won, and sanity returned.







Nafissa is on a role, and after a few quiet years to rebuild her forces, it is time to take the richest of the Aghlabid lands.



Unfortunately, this is the last command she gives, as he life gives out at an early age.



Bongo I is the perfect example of a Ogoonu, at twenty four this lustful, strong, gregarious, honest gluttonous and proud man already has five children, one of which has passed from this world.



We suffer some early defeats before the main army arrives, but they take out a good number of the enemy.



I have to march the army back to deal with the Qadirids when they join in, but somehow all my commanders desert the army in its hour of need, causing a defeat!



I raise a mercenary army to defeat them, but they cannot do enough quickly enough to affect the course of the war. We lose and are plunged into debt.







We spend time rebuilding our funds, and expanding the bloodline, secretly this time.







Some more peasants refuse to take the snake.



Bongo forms an army and proves himself to be a patient and careful man. The war is not a long one.







Bongo the Wise welcomes another son into the world. The debt is paid off and the country can go back to replacing its losses.



He also has a daughter with the wife of a man in his cells. Who still thinks its his child, despite having been rotting there for eight years!



Ladies and Gentlemen, Ghana in a nutshell.