Merchants in Jeddah were happy about Hussein’s appointment, or at least appeared to be. Politics did not interest them as much as business and the need to make the best of the circumstances that made their city an important corridor for trade. The merchants assumed that Hussein, like his predecessors appointed by Cairo to govern Jeddah, was a venal, incompetent agent of the sultan whose private interests he served first and foremost, in addition to his own. No matter what this new ruler was like, the merchants were prepared to bribe him to maintain their interests. All they had to do was to get to know him better to discover his weaknesses and deal with them accordingly.
Historically, the port of Jeddah was never too far from Cairo’s authority and influence. It was located along the maritime route controlled by Egypt, extending from Aden to Suez via Jeddah. The city’s people knew that the ruler appointed by the sultan of Egypt acted on behalf of the latter, and so accepted him, accustomed themselves to him and dealt with him as he was without resistance.
As soon as Hussein entered the palace, he sent for the treasurer, the commander of the city’s guard and the harbourmaster. He asked the first to present him with a statement of the revenues available, their source and how they were disbursed. The treasurer looked annoyed with this request, but promised to prepare it as soon as possible.
Hussein did not wish to wait long. ‘I want it tomorrow, Treasurer.’
‘Admiral, I need to close the accounts and make calculations before I present them to you.’
Hussein squinted deliberately, intimating a veiled threat to the treasurer. He said, ‘I want it tomorrow. There will be no further discussion.’
In an attempt to end the debate that the treasurer seemed to want to draw him into, he turned to the commander of the city’s guard, who was standing ready to receive orders. The old officer wore a marvellous sword, though it was clear he had not used it for a long time. Hussein asked him, ‘How many men do you have?’
‘We do not have many, my lord. I have around 200 soldiers guarding the port and the road to Mecca. But we lack the weapons we need to repel the Bedouins who attack the pilgrims’ convoys from time to time.’
Hussein did not look at the man as he spoke. He said, ‘Gather all the men you have. I want them in front of my palace within two days. Now go.’
‘As for you, Harbourmaster, I want you to present me with a list of merchants, their assets, their ships, their turnover and the taxes they pay. I want all this ready within three days. I think you already have this information. Now go too.’
When celebrations across the city subsided several days later, people started feeling that there was something about Hussein that set him apart from his predecessors. The man did not come out to take part in the celebrations. He did not accept the invitations of the city’s dignitaries, and had not left his palace since he set foot in Jeddah. He was of a different breed, and had firm and precise requests. He knew exactly what he wanted and did not share his plans with anyone.
There was much talk among the merchants in Jeddah’s coffeehouses. Some staked their bets on his corruptibility, others on his brutality. But in the end, no one knew who exactly Hussein Pasha al-Kurdi was and what he wanted. The Jeddans were divided into those who believed the merchants in the city were strong enough to co-opt anyone, and those who felt this man was different. No two people meeting in a coffeehouse, street, shop or mosque failed to talk about him.
The early days passed quietly until the new governor circulated an order which couriers distributed among the neighbourhoods of Jeddah. The announcement read: All men aged between fifteen and sixty must volunteer to build a wall around Jeddah, to protect it from Portuguese invasion. The treasury calls for donations to fund the works from private citizens.
The people of Jeddah did not take this seriously. They were still hoping that the Pasha, as they called Hussein, would not be able to resist the temptations of the merchants for too long. So it came as a shock to Hussein when his treasurer told him the Jeddans donated next to nothing, and that no more than fifty people had volunteered to build the wall – mostly poor people expecting to be paid for their work or, at least, to be fed.
Hussein issued another order compelling all men in the city to help in the construction of the wall. He confiscated some of the assets of the merchants and wealthy citizens to fund the works and fortify the city. Soldiers moved in the neighbourhoods to enforce this decision, which was seen as an extraordinarily bold one, though they finally understood how serious Hussein was when soldiers marshalled young people from the streets to register their names for the construction of the wall.
The people of the city grumbled and protested, but Hussein ordered the soldiers to flog anyone who failed to appear in the main square of the city. Hussein appointed whip-wielding supervisors to punish any slackers. A few days later, the residents of Jeddah realised Amir Hussein was a curse, and concluded that they just had to endure him until further notice, since the rulers of Jeddah never lasted very long.
Work on the wall took place from after the dawn prayer until sunset. Workers were divided into different groups: one quarrying stones from the mountain, another moving the stones to the coast, a third to cut the stones, and a fourth group to line them up. The heat was unbearable, and many died from sunstroke and dehydration. Hussein Pasha, however, did not tolerate any slacking or grumbling, and when some protested against the long working hours, the guard soon placed their severed heads on spikes near the wall for everyone to see.
When night fell and everyone went to sleep, Hussein stayed up thinking. He did not want to shed blood but there were many dangers threatening the realm. The sultan had shown great confidence in him personally, and this could be the only chance for him to prove to his master that he was worthy of the mission and the post. What else could he do when people stood in the way of achieving his objectives?
They were a group of traitors, Hussein thought, who were not even aware of the extent of their crime. How could they refuse to work on building a wall for Jeddah to protect the city from Portuguese assault? And how could they object to long working hours when others lost life and limb to defend the land and the faith? He had no answers.
Hussein spat on the floor in anger at the triviality and banality of those people, as he tried to find excuses for taking their lives and mutilating their bodies.
Days passed heavily for everyone. The wealthy felt this strange, stiff-necked man was too stubborn to be coaxed with money, and started smuggling assets that were easy to carry to other cities or even buried them in their gardens. When Hussein got wind of this, he summoned some of them to his palace and gave them a choice between the whip and handing over their money. More bodies were then hung on the walls, bloodied by the whips, to deter sluggards and those who were still thinking about smuggling their money out of the city.
Pressure on people in the coastal city increased. Many of its merchants went bankrupt. Some of the city’s leaders decided to have a parley with Amir Hussein, and convince him to ease his approach. They agreed with one another to exaggerate their penury and not wear any expensive-looking garments as they usually did, and chose their most senior leader to address him on their behalf.
‘Your Excellency Hussein Pasha. Your decrees have hurt us a great deal. Many of us have become poor after our possessions were taken, some of us even now beg in the streets and mosques. Our state must be no secret to you. Working on the construction of the wall is killing our livelihoods, so we implore you to exempt us from that work and return some of our confiscated money.’
Hussein squinted, which people now knew usually meant he was about to make a harsh decision. ‘Is that why you’re all here? To tell me you want your money, and that you don’t want to work?’ He started shouting, ‘Is this what you want?’ Hussein lowered his voice before continuing. ‘Several days ago, people on the southern coast rescued a number of Yemeni merchants. The Portuguese had cut off their hands and noses and then tied them up in their boat, which they had
looted. The boat and the victims on board were then pushed to the coast for everyone to see.’
Hussein began shouting again. ‘Do you want the Portuguese to do the same thing to you? Do you want to see your women and children their slaves and prisoners? You do not understand the threat surrounding you. You are a bunch of greedy merchants who cannot see anything beyond your own pockets.’
He then turned to the commander of the guard who was standing near them looking alert, as though he already knew what he needed to do. Hussein said, ‘Take them and flog them in front of everyone near the wall. Then let them work more hours to compensate for the time they have wasted in this frivolous conversation.’
The delegation started screaming and wailing. Not only had they lost their money and were being made to work as slave labour, but they were also to be humiliated and flogged in public, thanks to the scourge that was Hussein Pasha.
The wall started to take shape around the city. It was fitted with only two gates, one overlooking the sea and one in the direction of Mecca. The wall had six watchtowers, each tower having a perimeter of sixteen cubits. After arranging a guard unit and a plan for the defence of the city, Hussein appointed a deputy to govern in his stead and set sail to Aden.
From the top of one of the watchtowers, a soldier watched as Hussein’s flotilla sailed south. He kept his gaze fixed on it to make sure it did not turn back. The soldier looked around quickly, and then spat in the direction of the flotilla.
– 12 –
Al-Ahsa, Eastern Arabian Peninsula
Salghur grew accustomed to life in Bin Rahhal’s house. He enjoyed swimming in the pond from time to time and picking grapes from the vine that shaded it. In the evening, when temperatures cooled down, he would sit with Bin Rahhal and his close friends on a terrace outside the house, chatting and listening to the tales the guests and merchants had to tell. Bin Rahhal also brought many strange and wondrous stories from the sultan’s majlis.
As time passed, the friendship between the two men grew stronger. Salghur was almost childlike in his spontaneity, while Bin Rahhal slowly took on an avuncular mentoring role. The newfound bond between them was like the bond between son and father, or little brother and older sibling. Bin Rahhal eventually took Salghur to see his mother’s room, and told him how close they had been and how he had remained celibate to care for her in her old age. Salghur felt he had become part of Bin Rahhal’s life, their friendship now indissoluble.
In the winter, the temperature dropped and cooled further with rainfall. Bin Rahhal decided to take Salghur and his company hunting. He prepared a party complete with servants and camping provisions, in addition to falcons and hounds.
The hunting party set off to Al-Ahsa’s desert, which was teeming with gazelles, birds and hares. Salghur did not know much about falconry, but soon learned how to hunt game using the birds of prey. He was extremely pleased when his falcon caught a large bird and swooped down with it, before the servants came and retrieved the prey from its claws. Salghur was so happy with his feat that he displayed his hunt on his saddle for the rest of the day – like a small child refusing to let go of a new toy.
In the evening, the group sat around a fire to roast their hunt. Salghur sat watching the raptors. Their decorated hoods gave them an added look of beauty and pride. They were majestic birds that – as he saw them – were proud of their strength and looked dignified and gracious. These birds were made to live proudly and die proudly, he thought.
Carrying the falcon on his arm as he rode his horse was challenging. He could not keep his arm straight all the time, and failed to notice many times when the bird fluttered its wings to protest against the unsteadiness of his moving human nest.
After a year in Al-Ahsa, Salghur had learned that the world was much bigger than the small island his brother now ruled and that there were many experiences only those who left their homes, travelled the world and met and mingled with people could know about. However, he did not want to live in any place other than Hormuz. He had no other throne but the throne of Hormuz. Here, he was only Bin Rahhal’s friend, nothing more, and that did not satisfy him. He wanted to be a venerated king ruling the people and the realm like his father and grandfather before him.
One evening, before he opened the door to his guests, Bin Rahhal gave Salghur a knowing smile. Salghur returned the smile and said, ‘That smile hides many things behind it, my friend. I think there’s something you want to tell me. Go on then, please, don’t hide anything from me.’
Bin Rahhal’s sly smile grew wider. He peeked at the fruit platter in front of them and took two large figs, offering one to Salghur. He said, ‘These figs are miraculously tasty. I can never resist them. Don’t eat them immediately. Use your fingers to split them in half, then take a good look at the shape and colour before you taste them. You have to enjoy what is in your hands before you put it in your mouth; always remember that.’
Salghur was too impatient for this banter. He tried to end Bin Rahhal’s sleight of words and get straight to the point. ‘Come. Tell me what’s on your mind. I am at the end of my tether. I cry almost every day because of how frustrated I am and how much I miss home.’
‘Be patient, my friend. You must always enjoy what you already have. The more you do so the more you will grow fond of it. Such is life. Try to remember the blessings around you; if you forget them, you have renounced them, and if you renounce them, you will no longer see the world as a beautiful place.’ Bin Rahhal put half of the fig in his mouth and slowly savoured its taste, before he said casually, ‘The sultan has agreed to prepare a campaign to restore you to the throne, God willing.’
Salghur stretched out his hand and grabbed Bin Rahhal’s arm firmly, as though he was afraid he might lose him all of a sudden. ‘Is this true?’
‘Yes, it is true. We will leave soon for the Gulf of Salwa and from there to Julfar to rendezvous with our ships and men. After that, we will sail to your lost kingdom, my friend.’
Bin Rahhal offered the other half of his fig to his guest, who took it and kept it in his hand. Tears of joy prevented him from lifting it to his mouth. Up till now, he had lost almost all hope of ever returning home.
Salghur looked at the fig as though he had finally understood Bin Rahhal’s lesson, and whispered, ‘I think you have known about the sultan’s decision for some time, Bin Rahhal, but you hid it from me, is it not so?’
‘The sultan made the decision nearly a year ago, but I could not tell you before the sultan gave his explicit orders.’
‘I will never forget your generosity for as long as I live, Master Vizier. I have found in you a brother that I do not have in those who are of my flesh and blood. Isn’t it strange that my own brothers turned out to be my enemies, and a stranger like you has become a true friend and brother?’
Bin Rahhal replied quietly, ‘It is all about money and power, Your Majesty. Almost all the blood that has ever been spilled has been spilled for their sake. Your relationship with your brothers was destroyed by this deadly twosome, which may well destroy your relationship with people you care about in the future. Never forget this. Money and power may bring you happiness if you handle them wisely, and misery if they get the better of you.’
Bin Rahhal chewed the rest of the fig before continuing. ‘Also remember that you must enjoy what you already have. Treat everything you have like you treat this fig. Enjoy it with your eyes and nose before you put it in your mouth, because once you do, the pleasure you get from it goes away. Your relationship with those you love must follow the same idea; enjoy everyone around you with all your senses while they last.’
Bin Rahhal had not let the king leave his estate much during his stay; his movements had been strictly accounted for and tightly controlled lest people learn of his presence there. But the king felt bored from being restricted for many months, though he found solace in the idea that he would be returning to his kingdom soon, and consolation in his nightly meetings with Bin Rahhal that he eagerly awaited thr
oughout the day.
Now that the sultan had overtly approved the campaign to Hormuz, there was no need to restrict his movements any more. People learned the former king of Hormuz was a guest at their vizier’s estate, which tempered the secrecy imposed on the king’s presence, whereabouts and movements.
In the remaining days leading up to the campaign, Bin Rahhal and his guest visited the large market in Al-Ahsa. Salghur was impressed by how well-organised everything was. There was a large shaded yard for tethering, feeding and watering animals. The shops nearby had a roof that was high enough to allow air to circulate. And goods like meats, vegetables and fruits all had tags with the prices written on them, something the former king had not seen in Hormuz. In one shop, Salghur noticed that the intact heads of slaughtered animals were displayed in front of their meats in an eye-catching way. When Salghur asked about this, Bin Rahhal told him it was so buyers could see what the animals whose meat they were buying looked like and examine their condition.
In a higher place of the bazaar sat the muhtasib. His job was to ensure the market was clean and in good order, and that no cheating was taking place. The muhtasib also had to resolve disputes between buyers and sellers. The market was divided into several sections, with a muhtasib supervising each part.
What bothered everyone, however, were the flies that hovered in large numbers over the market. Everything was covered with the insects. Bin Rahhal was used to this, but Salghur was appalled. When he asked about this, Bin Rahhal explained to him that Al-Ahsa was an oasis surrounded by desert, and with its many palms and fruit trees, it was an oasis for insects too. Bin Rahhal passed his hand over a heap of dates, sending a swarm of flies buzzing loudly which startled Salghur, as Bin Rahhal laughed.
The Holy Sail Page 11