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The Crusades, 1105

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For example:
Name: Dietrich of Welf
Age :24
Culture/Religion: German/European/Christian
Family: Several Powerfull Nobles including Even some Dukes. Uncles and so on.
Father:Welf I Duke Of Bavaria
Mother:Judith of Flanders, Countess of Northumbria
Biography: Coming from Relatively Powerfull family of nobles But being the 3 Son Dietrich Decided to embark upon crusade, using his experience in commanding Mercenary soldiers to claim himself some Respect and Riches. Dietrich Understand German,(mothertongue) and has decent Knowlage of Latin . and Basic Knowlage of Greek and Arabic.

Location: Jerusalem


So i decided to create ahistorical 3rd son and fourth child to the historical character seems pretty decent mix
 
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Cool. CC, your character is accepted.

Yes its alive but I have things like a job that take up some time. I'll complete and post the stats later today.

Orders are due for Wednesday 9pm GMT.
 
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Count Baldwin II of Bourcq itched his nose. Mosul stank and was filled with mosquitos and heathens. At least the Bey fed him well, always providing far more fruit than Baldwin himself would offer a prisoner if he ever had one. Maybe, one of these days, if he was ever bailed out by the useless cousin he called King, he would treat his prisoners of worth and birth better.

But by the Holy Robes of Christ himself, he wanted to get out of this overgrown village and back to his lands!
 
Ilghazi Beg looked over the city of Amida from his palace. The Turks called it Kara Amid, the black Amida, for its thick black walls, which stood out from the fertile countryside around the city. The Diyar Bakr, abode of the Bakr tribe, surrounded the countryside. The region was wealthy, in riches of the stone, in people and in yields. Yet, northern Jazira and the cities and towns waned in comparison to those grand places he had visited. Baghdad, Damascus, Bayt al-Maqdis, all glorious centers of history, learning and economy. Ilghazi usually joked and bragged around with the thought that if the Fatimids hadn’t seized the Holiest from him, he could have easily beaten back the crusaders. In reality he could be grateful to Al-Afdal Shahanshah for having been spared the humiliation of losing the city and its population to the murderous invaders.

And in Baghdad and now in Jazira he could rest from the years of conflict, he had fought for years in Sham with his father Artuq and his brother Sökmen. And now he was more confident than ever before, as the Artuqid domains in upper Mesopotamia had been secured, and he had created his own network of friends and allies. During his adventures in Sham he had married Olgun Khatun, the daughter of the Atabeg of Damascus, and thus his father-in-law was now the true power behind the main Muslim bastion in Sham. In Baghdad he had served as a shihna, overseeing the puppet Caliphate for the Seljuq Sultan. In the battle of Harran he had fought together with Sökmen and the Seljuq Atabeg of Mosul, Jikirmish, whom he now considered a friend and brother-in-arms. And then after the death of Sökmen he had returned to Jazira, and begun to rule over the Artuqid domains together with his nephew Ibrahim, who held Hasankeyf. But a man of his rank had to always be careful, and to always make new allies. Ilghazi walked to the balcony, opened a scroll and started to write.
_ _ _

To Gümüshtekin ibn Danishmend
As-salamu alaykum,

My dear brother-in-faith, I wish that my letter finds you and your domains well. However, that cannot be said of the entirety of the realm of Islam. The infidels, the Franks, they continue to push on, humiliating the sacred religion and sacred land with their continued stay in the land of Sham. Even though Allah granted me and my brother, as well as the soldiers of the Seljuq, victory at the battle of Harran, the infidels continue to occupy Edessa and a large part of Jazira. And from the coasts of Sham, the news is hardly better. I have been told that ships sail from the Great Sea and from the lands of the Romans, bringing infidels to Sham to slaughter our Muslim brothers and sisters.

Indeed, at this moment of urgent threat to the very presence of Islam in Sham, can our overlords the Seljuq do anything? Not really. The Sultans are weak, and their puppet Caliphs is even weaker. It doesn’t really matter whether you are supposed to be subject to the Seljuqs ruling from Baghdad or those ruling from Rum. Neither has any real authority over their emirs, begs or atabegs. We are the frontiersmen of Islam against the infidel, yet we can’t rely on our supposed superiors. As the Franks continue to flock to Sham, how can we prevail in this struggle of great urgency? Indeed, the time has come for us to unite in the holy struggle of defending our faith.

Thus I write to offer you an alliance. We face the same threats, don’t we? The infidel Franks at Edessa, the Armenian lords and princes along the Euphrates, and maybe some of our own kin and religion. Can we trust Mengujek Ghazi? Or our Sultans and their generals? Indeed, we both have a very few friends. I have been to the land of Sham and I have been in Baghdad, I know that the spear pointed at us by our co-religionists is just as sharp as the sword of the infidel. Thus, my friend let us ally for the greater good of our tribes, our domains and our religion. The best way to seal such an alliance would of course be a union of our clans via marriage.

Fi amanillah
Najm ad-Din Ilghazi ibn Artuq
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Statistics are linked in the second OP just below the map. They are still WIP, but should give you something to go on. (Realm stats are mostly complete, personal stats are barely begun).

Yes, you may begin writing and posting IC. Cheers guys.
 
((It's time))

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Name: Dai Abu Tahir al-Saigh, Leader of the Nazari in Syria

Age: 46

Culture/Religion: Follower of the Isma'ilism "movement"/Persian

Family: None that are known

Biography: Abu Tahir al-Saigh is and was a wealthy goldsmith from the Alamut area. When the Nazari came there, he joined them and their movement and religious thinking. As Abu Tahir was one of the main sucessors to dai al-Munajjim, he was sent to Aleppo shortly after his death.

Location: Aleppo ​
 
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Name: Emir Tutush Duqaqoğlu al-Muluk Seljuk, the Second

Age: 17

Culture/Religion: Turkish Sunni Muslim

Family: Brother, Baqtash, age 10 and Uncle, Irtash, age 12

Biography: Born in 1088 to Duqaq of Damascus, Tutush grew up living the typical life of a Muslim noble child, being tutored and pampered by the best educators in the region. He was sheltered from the chaos following the death of his grandfather, Tutush I, in 1095, and the brutal Crusade that followed a year later. Following the death of his father (who had become Emir following the death of Tutush I), Duqaq, Tutush was crowned Emir of Damascus, under the watchful eye of the influential Atabeg Toghtekin. While most agree that the real power in the Emirate is Toghtekin, Tutash is slowly growing more aware of his figurehead status as he ages.

Location: Damascus
 
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Bohemond de Hauteville, Prince of Antioch​

Age: 47 (b. 1058)
Culture/Religion: Norman Catholic
Family: Tancred de Hauteville, Regent of Antioch (nephew), Richard of Salerno (cousin)

Biography: Born in Calabria the son of Robert Guiscard, the great Norman general and conqueror of southern Italy; initally christened Mark, he was renamed by his father to Bohemond (after Buamundus gigas, the legendary giant), due to his great size as a child. After a relatively quiet childhood, he began serving in his father's army in 1079. He would serve with honour and distinction during the Byzantine Wars, unsuccessfully besieging Larissa, and taking a host of other cities before his return to Italy in 1085, shortly before his father's death. After the succession crisis that followed came to a tenuous end, Bohemond became lord of Taranto, and would serve his brother Roger Borsa well in the years prior to the Crusade.

When the Crusade was declared, Bohemond was amongst the many nobles who answered the call, and soon emerged as the most capable tactician amongst the leaders (owing to his experience fighting the Byzantines and other Normans); through martial prowess and diplomatic tact, he came into possession of Antioch in 1097, and from there established a powerful base from which he would establish his Principality.

During his first years as Prince, Bohemond suffered a setback at Melitene, where he was captured by Ghazi Gümüştekin, who ransomed him in 1103, after three years imprisonment; he exchanged vows of friendship with his former captor and returned to Antioch, which had been ably governed in his absence by his nephew Tancred. Following another defeat, at Harran, he left for Europe (though he was deprived of England due to Henry I's fear of him stealing away nobles to fight his wars). He has spent few months in France attempting to gain the support of Philippe I.

He was described by Anna Komnene as such:
Now [Bohemond] was such as, to put it briefly, had never before been seen in the land of the Romans [that is, Greeks], be he either of the barbarians or of the Greeks (for he was a marvel for the eyes to behold, and his reputation was terrifying). Let me describe the barbarian's appearance more particularly – he was so tall in stature that he overtopped the tallest by nearly one cubit, narrow in the waist and loins, with broad shoulders and a deep chest and powerful arms. And in the whole build of the body he was neither too slender nor overweighted with flesh, but perfectly proportioned and, one might say, built in conformity with the canon of Polycleitus... His skin all over his body was very white, and in his face the white was tempered with red. His hair was yellowish, but did not hang down to his waist like that of the other barbarians; for the man was not inordinately vain of his hair, but had it cut short to the ears. Whether his beard was reddish, or any other colour I cannot say, for the razor had passed over it very closely and left a surface smoother than chalk... His blue eyes indicated both a high spirit and dignity; and his nose and nostrils breathed in the air freely; his chest corresponded to his nostrils and by his nostrils...the breadth of his chest. For by his nostrils nature had given free passage for the high spirit which bubbled up from his heart. A certain charm hung about this man but was partly marred by a general air of the horrible... He was so made in mind and body that both courage and passion reared their crests within him and both inclined to war. His wit was manifold and crafty and able to find a way of escape in every emergency. In conversation he was well informed, and the answers he gave were quite irrefutable. This man who was of such a size and such a character was inferior to the Emperor alone in fortune and eloquence and in other gifts of nature.​

Location: Paris, France

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To His Majesty, Philippe of France

Having enjoyed your hospitality greatly these past few months, and having acquainted myself intimately with yourself and your noble family, I believe it is now time to more fully bind our two families together, for the greater good of Christendom. To that end, I ask for your daughter Constance’s hand in marriage, and the same for your daughter Cecile on behalf of my nephew, the Regent of Antioch. The former wedding shall take place post-haste, and from there we shall discuss matters of reinforcing the Latin States of the Levant more fully, whilst the latter marriage shall occur when young Cecile comes of age.

I hope such proposals are amenable to Your Grace’s wants and desires.

Bohemond, Prince of Antioch
 
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Beglik of Hasankeyf
Ibrahim ibn Sökmen of the tribeof Oghuz
Age: 23
Culture: TURK TURK
Cousin(s): Balak (20)
Uncle(s): Ilghazi (35)

Ibrahim is the son of Sökmen, he himself the son of the founder of the Artuqid Dynasty, Artuq Bey, who on behalf of the Seljuk Empire had been one of the generals in the conquest of Anatolia. Unlike his Uncle, who is notorious for his consumption of sweet sweet wine, Ibrahim does not display the notoriety of his Uncle, however also does not yet have the fame and authority his uncle commands thanks to his military victories.
 
To His Holiness Pope Paschal II

Holy Father, I must preface this letter with my confession of the utmost respect and admiration of Your Holiness. Christendom is truly blessed to have such a pious leader in these trying times. As I am sure you know, King Baldwin of Jerusalem has appointed me to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. I would like to inform Your Holiness that the Bishops of Palestine recommended me for the Patriarchate, and I had no ambitions on the post. However, I have reached the conclusion that I would best serve God as the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, so I ask Your Holiness that you would graciously confirm my appointment as Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.

I hope that Your Holiness takes my request into account.

Ehremar, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
 
Dietrich Stood and looked at the city of Jerusalem. The city that took so many lives to take. May our dead companions dine with Christ in Heavenes. Still He still felt the failure of the 1101 Crusade upon him The moment when father died and he lead mercenaries and remnants of his surviving force away. What is family doing now and will he ever see them again. that Dietrich didnt know. However he needed to do something and so he decided to petition king of Jerusalem for audince.
To King Balduin
My lord im Veteran of 1101 Crusade and me and my compatriots are offering you our services In the Name of God and his Son Jesus Christ. I thefore ask you to grant me the privilegia of audience with you.
 
To Atabeg Jikirmish of Mosul

Greetings from the Emirate of Damascus, and good health and blessings upon you. I, Emir Tutush of Damascus, humbly request an engagement between myself and your daughter Derya, and that we shall be wed once she has reached legal age.

Most Graciously,
Emir Tutush of Damascus
 
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simcull said:
To Atabeg Jikirmish of Mosul

Greetings from the Emirate of Damascus, and good health and blessings upon you. I, Emir Tutush of Damascus, humbly request an engagement between myself and your daughter Derya, and that we shall be wed once she has reached legal age.

Most Graciously,
Emir Tutush of Damascus
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To Emir Tutush of Damascus,

Greetings to you as well, great Emir. The offer of engagement between yourself and my daughter is happily accepted. I would be happy to allow Derya to marry you, and I hope that when the time comes she may bear you many strong and healthy children so that a friendship between our two houses may last for generations.

Most Graciously,
Atabeg Jikirmish of Mosul
 
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To the lords of Jerusalem

After reports of increasingly large numbers of Saracens gathering at Ascalon, this is hereby a call to raise your armies and gather with the royal army at Jerusalem. As such we shall assemble our army and march against Ascalon under the banner of Christ and beat back the infidels.

- Baldwin I, King of Jerusalem
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To the Doge of Venice

Most honoured Doge, I write to you as Jerusalem is still under threat and a Saracen army has gathered near Ascalon. As such I ask for the help of the Venetians to beat back these infidels and if god wills it, take Ascalon in the process. I hereby pledge to you that should your men arrive, proper and ready for combat, and help beat back the Saracens, and if we do not take the city, then we shall pay amply for the aid which you have given us, to cover any expenses which you may take in this endeavor.

- Baldwin I, King of Jerusalem
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To Dietrich Von Welf

His Majesty is most happy and content that you offer your services, not only to him, but also to God and his son Jesus Christ. As you have no doubt heard by now, a Saracen army has gathered at Ascalon, and as such the army is being gathered. We would most happily accept your services, as well as those of other mercenaries, as every man is needed to ensure that God’s kingdom shan’t fall in the face of the infidels.

I however on behalf of the King has to decline your wish for an audience, the King is most busy these days as preparation for battle, and the maintenance of the defense of the realm takes much of his time. We are few here in the holy land as of now, and as such it must be ensure that no unneeded casualty is to happen.

Every Christian here is a brother, and as such we must stand together. If your lordship proves himself, then I will ensure that the king has time to grant you the audience which you seek in due time.

- Arnoul, chancellor of Jerusalem
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Raymond struggled with his wounds as he dictated a letter to his scribe, which would then be sent to Gibelet.

Guglielmo Embriaco,
I have greatly appreciated the help the Genoese have given to efforts in the Holy Land so far, but I'm afraid I must ask for your support once more. The wounds I've suffered from the Saracens are slow to recover, and I fear I am not long for this life. Thus I ask for the support of your ships and soldiers, to secure Tripoli for God and all of Christendom before I pass on. Rest assured that as with Gibelet, a quarter of the city shall be set aside for Genoa once it is taken.
Deus Vult!

-Count Raymond IV of Toulouse
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Guglielmo frowned as he read the letter from the Count of Toulouse. If the Count was wounded then no doubt the areas which he controlled around Tripoli would be contested soon, by Betrand back in Toulouse and William-Jordan there in the Holy Land, and that of course would mean trouble for Genoa. If things were more secure prior to the count's death, he figured, the transition would likely be smoother.

To the most excellent lord Raymond, by the grace Of God, Count of Toulouse, &c,
I wish you health, as it saddens me deeply to think that the Holy Land may soon lose one of its most pious lords. It would be an honor to assist you in claiming Tripoli for God. Let Genoese ships block the Saracen's ports and supply our men while my crossbowmen sweep the walls clear of defenders as they did in Jerusalem. I will begin to prepare the men to sail north immediately.
Deus Vult

- Consul Guglielmo Embriaco
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To: Arnoul, chancellor of Jerusalem
To The Great Servant of our Mighty Liege I accept Will of our King,but where he wants my men ? You forgot to ask His majesty for orders to my troops, I thefore humbly request for this Oversight to be corrected. God deserves only the best from our hearts and souls.


In Meantime Dietrich Mobilized his troops and prepared them for move just in case or training if it would be decided his troops would remain in the city.
 
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