Propontine-Rashani Diplomacy

[Pelasgia]

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Tiburan Empire
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Private Communiqué
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14th of April, 1956
To the attention of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Rashan.

Your Excellency,

It is with the utmost joy that I am writing to you, as commanded by His Imperial Majesty, to extend to you and to His Majesty, the Great Sultan, an invitation from His Imperial Majesty to meet at the Palace of Kerasond, in the Imperial Dynasty's home city, so as to discuss the terms of a possible cooperation between our realms. It is no secret that both of our Nation seek to strengthen themselves through modernisation and industrialisation, so as to claim what is rightfully theirs on the international stage. We believe that a cooperation between our nations would greatly help in achieving that goal, while ensuring the stability and progress of Europe as a whole. While we might have traditionally been separated by faith and geography, we both worship, in different ways, the same God and we both seek what is best for our Peoples. Let us forge our Nations' future, together. We eagerly await your response and would be deeply honoured by your acceptance.

Signed and Sealed,

Ioannis Argyropoulos

Minister of Foreign Affairs
Tiburan Empire

ONE EMPIRE · ONE LAW · ONE CHURCH

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[Salen]

You must be registered for see images His Noble Majesty's Council of Government Office for Foreign Affairs

From . Zafar Sirajuddin Muhammad, Councillor for Foreign Affairs To . His Excellency Ioannis Argyropoulos, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Tiburan Empire Concerning . Strengthening Diplomatic Ties ​

Your Excellency, Ioannis Argyropoulos, humble greetings, We received with great pleasure your letter of 14th April and are most grateful for the good wishes which Your Excellency has sent to His Majesty, Sultan Nuruddin and in extend to myself and the Rashani people. Such genuine sentiments merit our deep thanks. We are genuinely honoured by your willingness to strengthen the bonds between our two nations, by adhering noble principles and constant efforts toward safeguarding the freedom of our nations and the protection of human dignity, with God's Eternal Guidance. As a result, His Majesty the Sultan accepts this noble invitation and wishes to personally meet His Imperial Majesty at the designated Palace of Kerasond to discuss matters of state, matters of commerce and matters of eternal amity. Finally, we send His Imperial Majesty and Your Excellency our warmest wishes for your continued good health and safety, and for the happiness and prosperity of the people of the Tiburan Empire. Yours sincerely,​ ​

You must be registered for see images ​ Zafar Sirajuddin Muhammad Councillor for Foreign Affairs With God's and Sultan's Eternal Affection ​ ​

 

[Pelasgia]

Kerasond, Theme of Euxenia
Kerasond had been the seat of the Great Komenoi since 1204, during the Great Crusade by the heretic barbarians against the Empire. Even after Propontis was recaptured, the Great Komnenoi had held on to Kerasond, as its Despots, paying tribute and owing fealty to the Emperor in Propontis. After taking the throne of Propontis under their control, the Great Komnenoi had moved their court to the capital, but their home would forever be Kerasond. Save for stars in the field behind the eagle, the arms of Kerasond were identical to those of the Empire and the Imperial flag was the same as that of Kerasond, in different proportions. Normally the Emperor would have welcomed all his guests in the Great Palace of Propontis. But for his meeting with the Sultan of Rashan, he preferred some privacy, away from the politics of the capital, which were now more intense than ever.

The Chrysocephalon, named after the golden dome above its chapel, was a Palace right at the heart of the acropolis of Kerasond, a wealthy trading port built by ancient Pelasgian colonists in 8 century BC, on slopes of the coastal cliffs that dominte the mountainous and mineral rich region of Euxenia. Having never fallen to foreign invaders, Euxenia was, in a way, more Pelasgian than any other part of Pelasgia. Its dialect, its architecture, its culture and its people were far closer to their ancient ancestors than the rest of the Pearl of the Long Sea. But it wasn't just the beautiful scenery that the Emperor hoped to show to the Rashani Sultan here. In the great hall of the Chrysocephalon, the Emperor along with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ioannis Argyropoulos, and Marshal Irakleios Artopoiopoulos waited to meet with a Rashani delegation, with whom they hoped to forge a pact that would define the Kalahari Sea for decades to come.

 

[Salen]

The Chrysocephalon, Kerasond

In the chapel a medium-sized man, clad in an ivory white costume embellished with a white silk shawl with embroidered golden floral patterns and wearing a turban, sat on the floor facing the southern wall towards the Muhammadan lands. Barefooted, his knees and hands touching the ground as he prostrated. The Christian icons around him were set in dissimilar symbolic positions, facing other directions, but nonetheless the room was more than fitting for his morning payer. His face, stern and tan, a black beard and dark eyes, expressed the piety and devotion he so eloquently endeavoured. Finally, the Great Sultan stood up and so did his four fellow countrymen behind him.

The envoys along with His Majesty Nuruddin Umur Shah, walked in formation across a long hallway before eventually entering the great hall of this magnificent palace. First came in the Sultan, followed by his second-eldest son and nephew - two kinsmen who possibly may one day inherit the Sultanate and are learning the tips and tricks of diplomacy and daily management. It was clear to every single member present in the room that these cousins will one day have to face one another as political rivals; and that their Sultan intended it to be this way. Next to greet the Propontine hosts were the Rashani Councillor for Foreign Affairs and the Councillor overseeing all economic affairs. The explicit absence of a military figurehead beyond doubt proved the Sultan's intend to focus on commercial matters, or to at least supervise and influence the martial aspects of this meeting himself.

"Kind greetings, Your Majesty and again many thanks for this genuine warm welcome. It appears the reality of Propontine hospitality lives up to its reputation and has already satisfied me indeed. Hm." The sternness of the Sultan's expression is met with a subtle yet honest smile.​

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[Pelasgia]

The Emperor responded with a smile.

"We are humbled by Your Noble Majesty's presence. We are delighted to hear our hospitality lived up to Your Noble Majesty's expectations."

The Rashani delegates were shown to the great hall, where traditional Euxenian food had been prepared for them. The cooks made sure not to include wine and pork, so as to not offend the pious men of the Rashani delegation. The Emperor toasted, with tea instead of wine filling the diners' glasses, to the joint prosperity of the two Empires. After the formalities of welcomes and soothing comments were finished and the men had concluded their meal, the actual meeting begun. The Tiburians were rather concerned at the idea that they might, one day, have to deal with a partner in the midst of a power struggle but they were confident that whatever the Sultan agreed tom his successor would respect, regardless of which cousin the successor in question was.

"We hope that Your Noble Majesty and Your Noble Majesty's companions enjoyed the meal. Impressive is it not, Your Noble Majesty? Hundreds of years of labour, of artisans painstakingly crafting every detail of a massive project, brought us works such as this palace. Sadly, in our time of industry, there is little room for craftsmanship and artisanry; only the unrivaled, brutal efficiency of the machine seems to matter. These Gallo-Germanians certainly know how run factories, but they lack the finer culture, the civilised ways, that millennia-old nations such as Yours and Ours have. It would be in the interest of everyone that Empires such as ours would restore balance and reason to this frenzied world. We must, however, work together, if we wish to overcome the many obstacles that stand between us and our goal. And the very first sector we could and should work at would be cooperation between our economies. Would Your Noble Majesty not agree?"