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| - Arwa The Pearled One is the claimant to the throne of the Sarranid Sultanate. She says that she was purchased as a slave by the former Sultan, Ayzar, who was impressed by her intelligence and loved her like a daughter, eventually permitting her to manage his realm. Upon his death, she was made ruler to prevent civil war with the requirement that she marry the general, Emir Baybak. Arwa was recognized as the "Mother of the Realm", while Baybak as "Commander of the Armies". After Baybak was slain in a battle against the Khergit, his nephew Hakim drove her out of the palace at sword point and proclaimed himself Sultan. She now seeks an army with which to overthrow her husband's nephew and retake the throne.
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abstract
| - Arwa The Pearled One is the claimant to the throne of the Sarranid Sultanate. She says that she was purchased as a slave by the former Sultan, Ayzar, who was impressed by her intelligence and loved her like a daughter, eventually permitting her to manage his realm. Upon his death, she was made ruler to prevent civil war with the requirement that she marry the general, Emir Baybak. Arwa was recognized as the "Mother of the Realm", while Baybak as "Commander of the Armies". After Baybak was slain in a battle against the Khergit, his nephew Hakim drove her out of the palace at sword point and proclaimed himself Sultan. She now seeks an army with which to overthrow her husband's nephew and retake the throne. Hakim, however, defends his actions, saying that her power was completely derived from her ability to manipulate men like Ayzar and Baybak with her wit and beauty. He argues that a woman alone could not rule the throne, and claims he prevented tyranny and civil war by forcing himself into power. Hakim served her loyally while her royal husband was alive, and now he expects her to return the favour. Arwa's name (أروى) means "beautiful" in Arabic and could be a reference to Arwa al-Sulayhi, an early medieval queen of Yemen also of common descent and known for her beauty and cunning.
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