Uvagru il-Qasam

Uvagru il-Qasam
Uvagru il-Qasam in his youth
Born	c. April of 504
Died	c. 587 or 592

Uvagru il-Qasam (Old Shohuanese: Bagrum ilî Qasama), sometimes written as il-Qasaum, or simply known as Qasam Ganduz (English: Great Qasam) in Western Vaniuan countries, was the founder of the Qasamist Sect of Zarasaism. Considered both a great military leader and scholar by historians, Uvagru il-Qasam's conquest of Ohania formulated the first Shohuanese state in history. Il-Qasam's conquest destroyed much of Ohania's stability and reduced the old imperial system into a rump state. He would be known for eventually achieving victory and promoting a Zarasaist system of economics to the region.

Early Life

Not much is known of il-Qasam's life prior to his adoption of Zarasaism. He was born to an Ujajuan merchant clan, having been educated in the clan's finances and traveling much of the trade routes throughout the late Ohanian Empire. Around his late teens, he came across the teachings of Zarasa in Hodhat, where he converted to Zarasaism as one of Zarasa's early disciples. After several years in the acquaintance of Zarasa, he set out to found another monastery to teach others of the Zarasaist faith within the Ohanian Empire. He was permitted to build the monastery and preach the Zarasaist faith along Lake Melkanchuta where he named the monastery Ganîvbold. After several years of preaching, a local Ohanian governor who had recently been appointed to the area, took offense to the Zarasaist preachings and had executed dozens of il-Qasam's followers. Il-Qasam had sent a letter which is believed to have never arrived to Zarasa requesting advice on the matter. Il-Qasam and several hundred of his followers took arms and captured the governor and several of his soldiers after a short battle near the monastery.

Military Exploits

The capture of the Ohanian governor in 539 had not sat well with the Ohanian Emperor who had sent an army to crush the rebellion Il-Qasam had raised. With the defeat of an Ohanian governor, it had inspired several Western Vaniuan tribes to rise in rebellion as well, which Il-Qasam had taken advantage of, sending missionaries to convert the tribesmen to his cause. Altogether, Il-Qasam managed to convert the tribes of the Mosuli, Daskani, and Ourini to his cause and to Zarasaism itself. After a short festivity to commemorate the joining of these tribes to Il-Qasam's cause, his now enlarged army had begun to conquer the river valley of the Oni River, granting garrisons who surrendered generous terms while converting the local tribes to his cause. It is believed that at one point, Il-Qasam's army was 40,000 men strong. The army then marched towards the Ohanian core territories, where Il-Qasam had faced off against the Ohanian Emperor's army under his personal command. The battle of Patra saw the armies clash over a period of nine days, where casualties were heavy on both sides but saw the rout of the Ohanian army.

Il-Qasam having crushed the core of the Ohanian army, swiftly made for the Ohanian capital of Mamig where upon he granted terms to the city; "Accept the truth of Thagha and flee the city within the week, those who refuse shall burn with it", that Il-Qasam will allow those who wished to leave the city to do so in peace. Much of the populace was reluctant to believe him, but when several serfs were unharmed when leaving the city, thousands more took upon the offer of Il-Qasam before the siege began. The siege of Mamig lasted several months before an assault on the outer walls broke the defense and opened the gates to Il-Qasam's army. The city was razed as he would proclaim months prior, with many of the defenders slaughtered and the civilian populace who survived were enthralled as servants to Il-Qasam's warriors. The conquest of Ohania took four years but was reduced to nothing.

Reign

Uvagru il-Qasam is noted for destroying the old land holding system in favor of a communal share-cropping system where upon landowners that are appointed by the thamik, or king. The thamik was an established title that is believed to either be derived from Shohuanese substrate languages, or from referring to the city of Mamig. The Thamik was responsible for ruling and administrating the realm, where no hereditary titles of land ownership existed, rather, it was based on a system where upon land titles were granted to adherents of Zarasaism where they'd lease the land to those who wished to farm upon it. Those who received land by appointment were known as qusur and would receive tithes from those residing on the land, which would then be paid to the thamik. Il-Qasam's rule started with conquest but for forty years, peace remained in Western Vaniu as Zarasaism spread under Il-Qasam's guidance. Much of the land reform was favored by the non-Ohanians who were treated as second-class Humans and a multi-ethnic empire was formed from its remains, with Mosuli, Daskani, Kovat, Ujajuan, and Cirni taking the forefront of Western Vaniuan politics. Il-Qasam's long reign had a negative effect, however, as he had outlived his sons and upon his death, his empire was split in four between his grandsons, which would eventually become the modern states of Mordar-Kovatia, Shohuan, and Arkamka.