The Variag Sultanate of Khand

The Second Age​


 The Khanate of Khand was founded in the second age by Variags, a mix of Swarthy men and Northsmen. It was originally allied with the other Swarthy men kingdoms, the Sultanate of Near Harad and the Khaganate of Rhudel. As the Khaganate grew, It began to threaten Khand. Khand and Rhudel went to war. The war was long and bloody, lasting many years. Neither side accomplished anything, so Rhudel withdrew its soldiers and Khand rebuilt its infrastructure.

 After the death of the Khagan of Rhudel, Khand and Rhudel became allies once again. Aslan Khan the Variag and Chao of Rhudel agreed never again to war with one another. The Easterlings and Variags built up their army to war with the free peoples of Middle-earth, but only minor skirmishes happened.

 After a few peaceful centuries, Numenor invaded Khand. Erdem Khan road towards the Edain and fought the army of attacking Numenoreans. As they began to lose the battle, with many arrows from the Edain, Altantsetseg Khagan advanced with thousands of Rhudelrim, and forced the Edain to retreat out of Khand.

 Numenor had many more conflicts with Khand, but none as major as that situation.



The Third Age


 During the third age, the Variags of Khand served Sauron, dark lord of Mordor. They fought alongside his armies during his wars on the free people of Middle-earth. They fought with the Wainriders against the Gondorians on multiple occasions. Under the reign of Kudret Khan, they fought Gondor at the crossings of Poros alongside their Wainrider and Southron allies. The Gondorian king Ondoher was slain in battle by the Wainriders.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> <span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:400;white-space:pre-wrap;">The death of Ondoher was much celebrated in Khand, as it was in the Sultanate of Near Harad and Khaganate of Rhudel. Later, during the War of the Ring, Variags under Aydin Khan I and his son Aydin II charged to aid Sauron’s forces at the battle of Pelennor Fields. Aydin I charged into battle, and was slain quickly the Rohirrim. Aydin II rallied his troops and retreated out of the fields, wanting to avoid the slaying of his people.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> <span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:400;white-space:pre-wrap;">He returned to Al-Zatikh with his forces and stated that the Khan had been slain.

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<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:14pt;font-weight:400;white-space:pre-wrap;text-indent:36pt;">The Fourth Age
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<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-indent:36pt;"> <span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:400;white-space:pre-wrap;">Aydin declared himself Sultan Emirhan, new ruler of Khand. He became an ally of the Reunited Kingdom, who helped him many times.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> <span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:400;white-space:pre-wrap;">During the revolt of Kadir Khan, Gondorian soldiers helped defend Al-Zatikh. In order to stay popular, the young Sultan grew farther from the Reunited Kingdom, but he hopes to be close again some day.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> <span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:400;white-space:pre-wrap;">Khand’s economy grew, and many cities were built. It had become a great Sultanate.

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<span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:400;white-space:pre-wrap;">Culture
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> <span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:400;white-space:pre-wrap;">Khand has a unique culture. It is religiously mixed between old Haradric and Variag religions, Melkorism, and Eruism. It is related to the culture of Harad and Rhun, yet it is different in many ways. <span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-weight:400;white-space:pre-wrap;">