War of the Crowns

by Christian Jacq

  ‘Kamose is nothing but a petty princeling. He has installed himself in Memphis, which you will retake without difficulty as soon as the flood is over. For the moment, in accordance with our emperor’s instructions, march your regiments to Sharuhen. The lady Aberia will accompany you with a large convoy of deportees. Make sure none of them escapes.’

  ‘Don’t make another mistake, Khamudi. I shall be needed here.’

  The High Treasurer’s voice hardened. ‘Just obey your orders, Commander.’

  The emperor had burnt Ahhotep’s letter and put the head messenger to death in the labyrinth. Angered by his plan’s failure, he had shut himself away in the citadel’s strong-room, to gaze upon the Red Crown of Lower Egypt. He handled it lustfully, hoping to see himself crowned with this sacred emblem. The ancient texts considered it to be an eye, which made the pharaoh able to see the invisible.

  No one knew what the crown was made of; it was as solid as granite but as light as fabric. Soon Apophis would enclose it within the White Crown of Upper Egypt, taken from Kamose’s dead body, thus forming the Double Crown, the total vision that would give him absolute power.

  As he was preparing to place the Red Crown upon his head, a burning pain ripped through his side and stopped him. His blue flask was glowing red like molten metal. The emperor cut the string that tied it to his belt.

  As the flask fell to the ground, it exploded into fragments. With it vanished the map of Egypt that Apophis had manipulated for so many years.

  The herd of hippopotamus surged along the eastern canal, which passed in front of the citadel of Avaris. They caused panic among the fishermen and the river-guards patrolling the area around the city.

  Puzzled by the uproar, Tany, the emperor’s wife, climbed to the top of the ramparts with her serving-women. Suddenly, a brilliant light blinded them.

  ‘It’s coming from the river,’ said a frightened serving-woman. ‘A golden boat … It’s coming nearer.’

  The powerful voice of Pharaoh Kamose rose into the sky above Avaris.

  ‘Fledglings cowering in your nest, see: I have come, for destiny looks favourably upon me. My cause is just. The liberation of Egypt is in my hands.’

  Flattened against the wall like lizards, Tany and her servants could not move.

  The Egyptian fleet had no time to be impressed by the gigantic citadel that loomed over Avaris. After sinking the guards’ boats, Kamose’s soldiers recovered the heavy stones they used as anchors, and turned them into projectiles which they then used against a Hyksos war-boat, sending it straight to the bottom.

  Khamudi was aghast. Jannas had left the capital and nobody, not even the High Treasurer, was permitted to enter the strong-room where the emperor had shut himself away.

  It was like a dream. The pharaoh with the White Crown was cutting through the enemy defences, thanks to the agility and speed of his warships.

  Nevertheless, the ramparts of the citadel were lined with archers, whose accurate aim was bound to cause serious losses in the Egyptian ranks.

  ‘We cannot tackle this monstrous citadel from the river,’ said Moon. ‘Not even a very high flood would enable us to reach the ramparts.’

  Then we shall go round the other side,’ said Kamose, ‘and take the western canal.’

  Once out of range of the Hyksos arrows, the war-fleet headed along a broad waterway which led directly to the trading-port. There they found three hundred cedarwood boats had just arrived, laden with gold, silver, jars of wine and oil, and other supplies from the provinces. They were about to be unloaded, and the appearance of the Egyptians caused utter chaos.

  The dock-workers tried to take refuge in the guards’ offices, but the Hyksos killed several of them. In fury, their colleagues attacked the killers, and the quays became the scene of a fierce fight.

  Moustache and the Afghan were the first to jump from the prow of the flagship to tread Apophis’s domain underfoot. Using light axes and short-swords, they cut a path towards the main building, where the official responsible for checking goods had just been trampled to death by the dock-workers.

  ‘The Egyptians have seized the trading-port,’ an officer told the High Treasurer. ‘We must send reinforcements immediately, both from inside and along the canal. If we don’t, Kamose will invade Avaris.’

  Khamudi was wholly unprepared for such incredible news, but he owed it to himself to ensure the safety of the governing authorities. ‘The citadel and its surroundings must not be left undefended,’ he snapped. ‘It must remain impregnable.’

  ‘There are not enough soldiers at the port, High Treasurer. They will be massacred!’

  Tell them to do their duty and resist for as long as possible. The main body of our forces will stay here, in order to preserve the centre of the empire.’ But when, he wondered, would Apophis decide to make his appearance?

  Another officer rushed in. ‘High Treasurer, the enemy is approaching!’

  Well shielded behind an arrow-slit, Khamudi saw the White Crown glitter, and heard Kamose’s voice ring out again.

  ‘Apophis, vile, fallen tyrant, weak of heart: you still dare to claim, “I am the master; everything as far as Khmun and even Per-Hathor belongs to me.” You are nothing but a liar. Know this: I have wiped out those towns, and not one Hyksos remains there. I have burnt your lands, I have transformed them into bloody mounds because of the evil they inflicted upon Egypt by serving you.’

  He turned to face the citadel, and raised a goblet. ‘See, I am drinking wine from your vineyard! Your peasants, who are now my prisoners, will press the grapes for me. I shall cut down your trees, I shall lay waste your fields, and I shall seize your dwelling-place.’

  Already, the Egyptian sailors were steering the boats out of port, laden with riches.

  As Khamudi and the soldiers gazed in fascination at the pharaoh, whose bearing was deeply impressive, he felt an icy chill run round the ramparts. Apophis was standing there. Wrapped in a brown cloak, his head hooded, the emperor gazed down upon the disaster from the heights of his citadel.

  ‘Majesty,’ stammered Khamudi, ‘I thought I was doing the right thing by—’

  Order Jannas back immediately. Tell him to gather together the largest force he can muster.’

  57

  Because there was little or no wind, Ahhotep’s journey took longer than planned. At last she sighted Sako, and all the boats in the flotilla were put on the alert.

  Was there anything left of the Egyptian garrison? If it had been wiped out, how many Hyksos would still be there and what traps had they laid?

  The queen watched Laughter constantly and was surprised by his calmness. The huge dog was dozing in the shade of an awning, showing not the slightest sign of anxiety.

  ‘There’s someone down there!’ shouted the lookout.

  The archers drew their bows.

  ‘Don’t fire,’ ordered the queen. ‘It’s a child.’

  The little boy ran up, waving his arms to greet the ships that bore Ahhotep’s colours. Soon he was joined by several of his friends and their mothers, who were visibly enthusiastic. On the quayside, a crowd of civilians and soldiers gathered, waving palm-fronds as a sign of welcome. The boats berthed to the accompaniment of joyful shouts and spontaneous songs, celebrating the queen’s return.

  Forcing his way through, the commander of the little garrison prostrated himself before her.

  She looked at him, puzzled. ‘But you were attacked by the Hyksos, were you not?’

  ‘No, Majesty. Everything is quiet here.’

  ‘But Sako sent a message asking for help.’

  ‘I don’t understand, Majesty. There really is nothing amiss here.’

  It had been a false message, designed to separate Ahhotep and Kamose, in order to weaken the army of liberation. The queen had the answer to her third question: not only was Apophis’s spy still alive, but he had chosen a crucial moment to try to strike a fatal blow against his enemy.

  Now a new dilemma arose. Should she go to t
he North and rejoin Kamose or continue southwards to Thebes, which was probably the real target of the coming Hyksos counter-attack?

  Ahhotep did not hesitate for long. Kamose had proved his worth. He would know how to weigh up the situation and conduct the siege of Avaris. The thought of Thebes being attacked by barbarians was unbearable. If the Hyksos had the intelligence to hide troops in Middle Egypt, so as to strike at the heart of the rebels and destroy their main base, all that the Thebans had accomplished so far would be wiped out.

  ‘I would like to organize a festival to celebrate your arrival, Majesty,’ said the garrison commander.

  ‘It is much too soon to rejoice.’

  ‘But, Majesty, have we not defeated the Hyksos?’

  ‘Certainly not, Commander. Your women and children must leave Sako and take refuge, under close guard, in a neighbouring village. Increase the number of lookout posts. If the enemy attacks in numbers, do not try to resist. You must go to Thebes.’

  The Afghan caressed a little piece of lapis-lazuli, which he had been allowed to take from the supply delivered to the Hyksos.

  ‘It must remind you of your homeland,’ commented Moustache.

  Only the mountains of Afghanistan produce such beautiful stones. One day the trade will begin again, and I shall be rich again.’

  ‘I don’t want to be a pessimist, but we’re still a long way from that. Have you seen the size of Avaris’s citadel? It makes even my stomach turn over. There isn’t a ladder in the world long enough to reach the top of the ramparts, and the Hyksos archers seem as good as our own.’

  ‘All the same, we’ve given them a good shaking, haven’t we?’

  ‘We haven’t killed very many. There are a lot of them left behind those walls—and tough ones, at that.’

  ‘You really are feeling a bit pessimistic, aren’t you?’ said the Afghan. ‘To be frank, I don’t like this place. Even when the sun’s hot, I feel cold.’

  ‘Come and drink some of Apophis’s wine. That’ll cheer you up.’

  The cargo-boats were now travelling south; the pharaon thought of the moment when they would arrive in Thebes and be offered to Amon. Above all, though, he was preoccupied by the strange silence that filled Avaris. Holding the trading-port meant that they could block exchanges between Avaris and the outside world, but had the emperor’s power really been diminished?

  With his usual energy, Neshi was running around, checking that the men were well fed. Emheb was worried that the troops sheltering in the town and the citadel might try a lightning raid, so he had posted small groups of archers in many different places to give the alert.

  ‘How shall we organize the siege, Majesty?’ he asked.

  ‘We must explore the surrounding area and see if it is possible to isolate the city and starve out the emperor.’

  ‘That will take a very, very long time. Meanwhile, do you not find this lack of reaction surprising? Apophis certainly has enough men available to try and break through our blockade.’

  ‘Perhaps he thinks otherwise.’

  Emheb shook his head. ‘No, Majesty. I think he is waiting for reinforcements, in the belief that they will crush us. Seeing us pinned down, he believes, heralds victory for him.’

  ‘In other words, you advise me to retreat when we are right at the gates of Avaris?’

  ’I do not wish it any more than you do, Majesty, but I believe it necessary for us to regroup if we are to avert a disaster.’

  ‘You say that because we do not have Queen Ahhotep’s magic with us. As soon as she is back among us, our doubts will be swept away and we shall take the citadel.’

  There were three of them, three Hyksos guards who, instead of fighting the dock-workers with their comrades, had taken refuge in a guard-post. An officer there had arrested them and handed them over to his superior.

  Tied to a stake in the courtyard of the citadel, they had been beaten with clubs. Their ribs broken, they feared a long prison sentence at the end of which they would be condemned to carry out the lowest menial work.

  ‘Why did you behave like cowards?’ demanded the icy voice of the emperor, who was accompanied by Aberia.

  ‘Majesty, we thought the battle was lost and we would be more useful alive than dead. The dock-workers were in a blind rage—it was no longer possible to contain them.’

  ‘Those are indeed the words of a coward,’ said Apophis, ‘and cowards have no place among the Hyksos. Whatever the circumstances, my men must obey orders and remain at their posts. Lady Aberia, carry out my sentence.’

  ‘Have mercy, Majesty, and—‘

  Aberia’s enormous hands choked him into silence. She strangled him slowly, with obvious pleasure, and inflicted the same torture and death on the other two.

  The emperor’s calmness reassured his troops, who were champing at the bit at the thought of taking their revenge on the Egyptians. But Tany was so distressed that she had taken to her bed. A long procession of serving-women came to bathe her forehead and give her drinks. She was feverish and caught in a delirium of flames, torrents of mud and falling stones.

  Yima soothed Tany’s anxiety with the drug her husband had procured for her own use. No, the Hyksos Empire was not on the point of crumbling, and Apophis’s knife would rid it of the Egyptian cancer.

  As for Khamudi, he was not a happy man. The emperor had reproached him for sending Jannas away at the wrong time. But those had been the orders of Apophis himself, who did not wish to see the commander gain too much power.

  Only the trading-port was under Kamose’s effective control. He dared not attack the outskirts of the town, where Hyksos soldiers were ready to contain an attack.

  High on the walls of the citadel, the emperor gazed down on his domain, which had been violated by a spirited young man who believed himself invincible because he was wearing the White Crown.

  That illusion would cost him his life.

  58

  Water-bags made from tanned goatskin turned inside out were distributed to the soldiers of the Egyptian army. The supplies were vital, because the river water would not be drinkable for a day or two and the heat was increasing. Balanite fruit and sweet almonds had been dropped into the water to keep it pure.

  Neshi handed Kamose his water-skin, which was to be carried by a young footsoldier, proud to serve his king.

  ‘The fleet is ready, Majesty,’ announced Emheb.

  Kamose had decided to sail down the eastern canal, pass the citadel, where many skilful archers would certainly be posted, and see if it was possible to attack from the north. If not, the war-boats would establish a blockade and, as soon as Ahhotep returned, the king planned to seize Avaris, district by district.

  He drank a little water. ‘How is the troops’ morale, Emheb?’

  ‘They will follow you to the end, Majesty.’

  ‘Unless we take the citadel, all our achievements will have been in vain.’

  ‘Every soldier knows that.’

  Emheb’s solidity reassured the young king. Through all these hard years of struggle, the governor had never once complained, never once given in to despair.

  Just as the pharaoh was climbing the gangplank of the flagship, a lookout’s warning shout stopped him in his tracks. Many Hyksos boats were approaching from the north. They were entering both the eastern and the western canals, and would trap the Egyptian fleet in the trading-port.

  At last Jannas had received coherent orders: to assemble the regiments stationed in several Delta towns, then reduce Kamose’s army to nothing.

  Khamudi’s insult and the emperor’s indifference were forgotten. Jannas was once more fulfilling his role as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and he would show the young pharaoh what Hyksos military power really meant.

  Aboard ship, Jannas had absolute command and would not be hindered by the stupid decisions of a civilian like Khamudi. He would conduct the battle for Avaris as he chose. He was well aware that it would be ferocious, because of the quality of the enemy boats, whic
h were fast and easily manoeuvrable, and the zeal of the Egyptians, who had been hardened in several battles.

  The emperor had underestimated the enemy, but Jannas would not make the same foolish mistake. By surprising Kamose’s fleet from the east and west simultaneously, he would force it to divide, and thereby weaken itself. If the pharaoh had not thought of evacuating the cargo-vessels as a matter of urgency, he would be trapped in the port.

  ‘Trading-port in sight,’ announced the soldier on watch. ‘No cargo-vessels.’

  ‘That little king is not a bad leader,’ thought Jannas, ‘and the fight may be yet more difficult than I thought.’

  ‘They want to ram us,’ said Emheb. ‘They’re much heavier than we are, so it will be a massacre.’

  ‘There is only one solution,’ decided Kamose. ‘Our ships must head east. We shall concentrate all our forces in the same direction.’

  The manoeuvre was carried out with such cohesion and promptness that it took the Hyksos aback, and they had no time to turn side-on so as to form a wall. The flagship with the golden prow slipped between two enemy vessels, and for a few moments Kamose thought he might open up a breach. But the Hyksos threw out grappling-hooks and slowed his ship enough to board her.

  The first to set foot on the deck did not enjoy his triumph for long, for Moustache’s axe sank into his neck. The two men who followed him were felled by the Afghan’s dagger, while the arrows fired by Ahmes and his men soon sapped the attackers’ zeal.

  Several Egyptian vessels escaped from the Hyksos, but three were boarded and fierce hand-to-hand combat ensued. The flagship could not free herself. The boat carrying archers from Emheb’s town of Edfu rushed to her aid and, firing arrow after arrow, held off another Hyksos boat which was trying to join the attack.

  In the western canal, Jannas was hindered by his own vessels, which had no room to turn and come back at the Egyptians, some of whom sacrificed themselves to protect the pharaon.

  Kamose fought with incredible courage, and Moon himself took charge of the steering-oar. Seeing him threatened by a gigantic Asiatic, Moustache flung himself between them, and the man’s axe-blade slid along his left temple. Despite the pain, he sank his short-sword into the belly of the enemy, who staggered backwards, collided with the ship’s rail and fell into the water.