Hassan is in a difficult position. The Copts are a threat, but behind them are the Romans, an absolutely enormous threat. If he stayed in Upper Egypt, he could increase the possibility of some sort of diplomatic arrangement with Rhomania but it is not the type of chance one would bet lots of money. If diplomacy doesn’t work, he doesn’t have the resources to stop a more serious challenge than the Army of Pacification. The Copts can put another dozen tourmai into the field and if the Romans corset them with another five or six, that’s a force he has no chance of stopping without the resources of Cairo and environs. With that he has the resources to possibly stand up to another counterattack.
The Ottomans and Russians are looking in different directions but borders have the tendency to create friction. Also most of the frontier between them is held by the Cossacks. OTL Kazakhstan ITTL is Cossack-stan. A lack of sparks is extremely unlikely. Osman Komnenos’ first combat experience was repelling a Cossack seaborne raid via the Caspian on Mazandaran.
Georgia’s a credible power in its own right, if not on the scale of the Roman or Second Ottoman Empires. Either one could defeat it if they were willing to go all-in, but nothing less would cut it. As for conquering or vassalizing it, it does have the entire Caucasus mountain range to fall back on as a fortress.
Iskandar is healthy and still in his 20s. The Turks are a minority but they control the majority of the military hierarchy while Persians staff most of the bureaucracy and religious positions in the Ottoman domain.
OTL Egypt definitely had it better. But I figured that a Christian empire dominating a largely Muslim Middle East was bound to end in a lot of tears and blood, much as I would like otherwise.
Ottoman POV: To the west is Rhomania, rich, prosperous, and disgustingly good at defending itself. And to even get at it one has to deal with Georgia because of their conquests from Timur II. They’re also quite capable of defending themselves. But they are Christians who have a habit of pushing on the House of Islam.
To the east, first is Sukkur. The Indus valley is a decent acquisition. The Sindhi are no slouches, but they haven’t shown any signs of being hard hitters on the level of Rhomania or Georgia. Beyond them is the rich and teeming Gangetic plain, still filled with petty states, the jetsam of Delhi and Bihar. But expanding this way means attacking fellow Muslims.
South: Hormuz and the #@*% Omani. Establishing a protectorate over the Holy Cities would be nice.
North: Frostbitten inebriated hairy infidels. We’ll pass.
Pyrgos is OTL Cavite City.
Rome is under the control of the formerly Mainz Pope. The Romans and Sicilians have reluctantly acquiesced in the matter.
Egypt seems to be turning into a bloodbath, tho.
