Hawks over Egypt

Introduction

“Hawks over Egypt”. Howard’s agent, Kline, received this story and also “The People of the Serpent” on October 23, 1933. Probably a rewrite was received by Kline on August 19, 1935. The story was submitted to Argosy by Kline Agency on August 26, 1935. It was returned to Kline from Argosy on September 10th. The story was sent to Blue Book, by Kline, on January 31, 1936. It was returned to Kline on February 7. Kline then sent it to Adventure on February 10, but they also returned it (on February 13). It was then submitted to Street & Smith’s Complete Stories on April 10. It was returned to Kline on May 20, 1936. The very next day Kline submitted the story to Short Stories. Returned by Short stories on June 5.

The story is set in Egypt in 1021 AD. Diego de Guzman, a Castillian, is in Cairo on a mission of personal vengeance. Disguised as a Moor, he seeks a man responsible for the deaths of his comrades and his own imprisonment. He learns that this man is now a high-ranking officer in the army of the Caliph, al Hakim, and learns that the Caliph, believing himself to be God Incarnate, plans to launch a jihad against Spain. De Guzman, with the aid of a Turkish ally, is able to take advantage of court intrigues and simmering rebellion among the Caliph’s subjects to prevent the jihad.

The Cross Plains Library has an original draft of this story. L. Sprague de Camp rewrote “Hawks Over Egypt” into a Conan story “Hawks Over Shem”.

Alternative title:

The Man Who Would be God

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