Kingdom of Jordan

The Kingdom of Jordan is a nation located in the Middle East and is a Puppet State of the Italian Empire. It is east of Palestine, Southwest of the Maharajahnate of Mesopotamia, Southeast of the Sultanate of Syria and North of the Emirate of Jabal Shammar.

## History

### Origin

In 629 AD, during the Battle of Mu'tah in what is today Al-Karak, the Byzantines and their Arab Christian clients, the Ghassanids, staved off an attack by a Muslim Rashidun force that marched northwards towards the Levant from the Hejaz (in modern-day Saudi Arabia). The Byzantines however were defeated by the Muslims in 636 AD at the decisive Battle of Yarmouk just north of Transjordan. Transjordan was an essential territory for the conquest of Damascus. The first, or Rashidun, caliphate was followed by that of the Ummayads (661–750). Under the Umayyad Caliphate, several desert castles were constructed in Transjordan, including: Qasr Al-Mshatta and Qasr Al-Hallabat. The Abbasid Caliphate's campaign to take over the Umayyad's began in Transjordan. A powerful 749 AD earthquake is thought to have contributed to the Umayyads defeat to the Abbasids, who moved the caliphate's capital from Damascus to Baghdad. During Abbasid rule (750–969), several Arab tribes moved northwards and settled in the Levant. As had happened during the Roman era, growth of maritime trade diminished Transjordan's central position, and the area became increasingly impoverished. After the decline of the Abbasids, Transjordan was ruled by the Fatimid Caliphate (969–1070), then by the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem (1115–1187).

The Crusaders constructed several Crusader castles as part of the Lordship of Oultrejordain, including those of Montreal and Al-Karak. The Ayyubids built the Ajloun Castle and rebuilt older castles, to be used as military outposts against the Crusaders. During the Battle of Hattin (1187) near Lake Tiberias just north of Transjordan, the Crusaders lost to Saladin, the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty (1187–1260). Villages in Transjordan under the Ayyubids became important stops for Muslim pilgrims going to Mecca who travelled along the route that connected Syria to the Hejaz. Several of the Ayyubid castles were used and expanded by the Mamluks (1260–1516), who divided Transjordan between the provinces of Karak and Damascus. During the next century Transjordan experienced Mongol attacks, but the Mongols were ultimately repelled by the Mamluks after the Battle of Ain Jalut (1260).

In 1516, the Ottoman Caliphate's forces conquered Mamluk territory. Agricultural villages in Transjordan witnessed a period of relative prosperity in the 16th century, but were later abandoned. Transjordan was of marginal importance to the Ottoman authorities. As a result, Ottoman presence was virtually absent and reduced to annual tax collection visits. More Arab Bedouin tribes moved into Transjordan from Syria and the Hejaz during the first three centuries of Ottoman rule, including the Adwan, the Bani Sakhr and the Howeitat. These tribes laid claims to different parts of the region, and with the absence of a meaningful Ottoman authority, Transjordan slid into a state of anarchy that continued till the 19th century. This led to a short-lived occupation by the Wahhabi forces (1803–1812), an ultra-orthodox Islamic movement that emerged in Najd (in modern-day Saudi Arabia). Ibrahim Pasha, son of the governor of the Egypt Eyalet under the request of the Ottoman sultan, rooted out the Wahhabis by 1818. In 1833 Ibrahim Pasha turned on the Ottomans and established his rule over the Levant. His oppressive policies led to the unsuccessful peasants' revolt in Palestine in 1834. Transjordanian cities of Al-Salt and Al-Karak were destroyed by Ibrahim Pasha's forces for harboring a peasants' revolt leader. Egyptian rule was forcibly ended in 1841, with Ottoman rule restored.

Only after Ibrahim Pasha's campaign did the Ottoman Empire try to solidify its presence in the Syria Vilayet, which Transjordan was part of. A series of tax and land reforms (*Tanzimat*) in 1864 brought some prosperity back to agriculture and to abandoned villages; the end of virtually autonomy predictably provoked a backlash in other areas of Transjordan. Muslim Circassians and Chechens, fleeing Russian persecution, sought refuge in the Levant. In Transjordan and with Ottoman support, Circassians first settled in the long-abandoned vicinity of Amman in 1867, and later in the surrounding villages. After having established its administration, conscription and heavy taxation policies by the Ottoman authorities led to revolts in the areas it controlled. Transjordan's tribes in particular revolted during the Shoubak (1905) and the Karak Revolts (1910), which were brutally suppressed. The construction of the Hejaz Railway in 1908–stretching across the length of Transjordan and linking Mecca with Istanbul helped the population economically, as Transjordan became a stopover for pilgrims. However, increasing policies of Turkification and centralization adopted by the Ottoman Empire disenchanted the Arabs of the Levant.

### Creation of Puppet State

The Kingdom of Jordan was created by the Italians and the Hashimite Dynasty after the Arab Revolt. Ruler of Jordan was chosen to be Abdullah I bin Al-Hussein who became Abdullah I of Jordan.

## Government

The Government of Jordan is a Constitutional Monarchy with the Monarch ruling as a Ceremonial Ruler and the Commander in Chief of the Military. The other ruling duties are left to the Province Senate led by the Praetor who is elected into power by the King himself. The Praetor appoints members of the Senate who are elected into power by the people as the members of the Senate elect a Prime Minister appointed by the Praetor and the King. The Prime Minister then appoints a cabinet to represent the country.

#### **Administrative Cabinet of Jordan**

* **Praetor:** Fakhri Pasha
* **Prime Minister:** Tawfiq Abul-Huda
* **Foreign Minister:** Samir al-Rifai
* **Armament Minister:** Omar Pasha Mattar
* **Minister of Defense:** Awni Abdul Hadi
* **Minister of Intelligence:** Shaker ben Zaid
* **Chief of Staff:** Yoshua Abdel Ahti
* **Chief of Army:** Abdullah Mecit Pasha
* **Chief of Navy:** Hibah abd-el Adir
* **Chief of Air Force:** Esmael al-Khaliq

## Military

### Army

The Army of Jordan is the largest branch of the Military. The Army consists of 110 Infantry Brigades, 100 Calvary Divisions and 90 Artillery Pieces. The Army is commanded by Abdullah Mecit Pasha.

### Navy

The Navy is the smallest branch of the Military due to the fact that Jordan is landlocked except at its southern extremity, with only 26 kilometres (16 mi) of shoreline along the Gulf of Aqaba providing access to the Red Sea. It consists of 100 Patrol Boats that are used to block access to Jordan to enemies. The commander of the Navy is Hibah abd-el Adir.

### Air Force

The Air Force is the second largest Branch in the Military. It consists of 100 Warplanes piloted by 100 Pilots who are trained by the Royal Italian Air Force. Esmael al-Khaliq is the commander of the Air Force.

## Foreign Relations

* Colonial Relations with the Italian Empire.
* Great Relations with the Sultanate of Syria and the Maharajahnate of Mesopotamia.
* Bad Relations with the Emirate of Jabal Shammar.