Chapter 138: The End of the War
"This is the Buganda Palace, doesn't look very impressive," Felix remarked casually as he sat on the throne in Buganda's Mungo Palace.
"Well, compared to Zanzibar, this isn't a wealthy country. The fact that Mutesa I and his ancestors managed to build a palace like this is quite remarkable," the staff officer replied.
Mungo's location was favorable, situated to the north of the Great Lake, surrounded by several relatively large islands. Mungo itself was built on a peninsula among these islands, with Buganda Palace perched atop a nearby hill.
"It's a shame that Mutesa I was on the southern front and didn't face us," Felix lamented.
The commander of the Buganda forces on the eastern front was Mutesa I's son, the prince of the Buganda Kingdom. However, it appeared that the prince didn't share his father's bravery.
After a series of battles, they had been defeated, and Prince Buganda was the first to flee. In the days that followed, Felix's pursuit had led him to the capital of Buganda.
Now, the city lay deserted, its valuables plundered. Buganda Palace bore an evident Arabic architectural influence, likely reflecting interactions with North African nations.
"Sir, our vanguard has encountered resistance from the south. General Yarman has ordered us to advance northward," the intelligence officer reported, handing an order to Felix.
"That's swift! It seems General Yarman achieved a significant victory on the southern front. Given the presence of the Allied Forces of the Four Nations there, Enkole and Buganda were still putting up a fight on the mainland. I didn't expect them to crumble so easily," Felix remarked.
"Well, the Buganda people are not ignorant natives. They've had interactions with the Egyptians, even possessing Egyptian-made weaponry. Unfortunately, their handling and maintenance of these weapons in battle left much to be desired. We'll see how it impacted their performance," Felix continued.
"It's a pity that the Buganda people are inland and can't establish direct contact with the civilized world. Otherwise, their development might not have lagged behind so much, possibly reaching the level of the coastal nations along the Indian Ocean," the staff officer analyzed.
Buganda had evidently been influenced by Egypt and other nations, with numerous structures exhibiting a halal architectural style. However, the surrounding regions hadn't seen a similar level of advancement.
The only indirect connection Buganda had with Egypt was through Arab caravans that served as intermediaries, as Buganda didn't share a direct border with Egypt, with nomadic tribes forming a barrier between the two.
Especially in Egypt's Sudan region, the vast Sahara Desert made overland travel arduous, discouraging deeper penetration into the African interior.
"Alright, let's gather the rest of the army. Our next objective is to push the natives northwestward. We aim to secure the entire shoreline along the Great Lake," Felix ordered.
The Buganda royal family, which had withdrawn from the front lines, had already fled northwest under the leadership of Mutesa I.
The reserve force left by Mutesa I in Kampala now served as the capital for his efforts to rebuild the kingdom. Mutesa I understood that heading north wouldn't be sufficient.
While Mutesa I had maintained a good relationship with Egyptians, it primarily involved dealings with Arab traders who procured valuable goods for him. The true centers of Egyptian power lay to the north, and Mutesa I had no intention of living as a dependent. Moreover, he anticipated the East African colonies' potential northward expansion, prompting his choice to move northwest.
Mutesa I had a sound plan; however, his elder brother didn't share the same vision. Influenced deeply by Arabic culture, the Buganda prince hastily led a group of around a hundred individuals toward Egypt's Sudan region after their defeat, hoping to reach the Egyptians directly.
Mutesa I, in contrast, remained unfazed. With dozens of sons at his side and the elite forces of Buganda under his command, losing one member wasn't a significant setback. As they packed up their belongings in the palace, Mutesa I headed northwest.
He was rich and powerful, unafraid to venture anywhere, and had secured firearms from Arab traders to establish the most elite royal guard. This time, they hadn't participated in the battle. Mutesa I was confident in his ability to carve out a realm in the northwest.
The defeat hadn't shaken Mutesa I's resolve; instead, it