Aragón and its Place in European History, a MEIOU AAR

[gigau]

Aragón and its Place in European History​

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Introduction​

This is my first AAR, so i hope you'll be forgiving for my lack of writing skills, and for some inevitable delays that there may be in the future (although i'll do everything i can to keep them minimal).


I'll be playing Aragon in a 1356 start of MEIOU v5.5.01b.

I'll try to expand in a plausible manner, with the exception (given i intend to form Spain) that i'll leave the Americas to the AI (there too there'll be exceptions...).

Note that :
- i loaded as some AI nations during the XVIIth century to have them send settlers, so that they begin colonizing
- i'll console-fire the MEIOU Revolutions feature to test a new version

I hope that these two points (the first one clearly to help the AI and not Aragon) will not make you discard this AAR. But i wanted to be upfront.

Difficulty : Normal
AI Aggressiveness : Normal
Spread of Sea Province discovery : 50 years
Spread of Land Province discovery : 100 years

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Table of Contents​

1. Origin

1137-1356 : birth of the Crown of Aragon


2. Expansion

• 1336-1378 : Pere IV el Cerimonòs, the Restorer of the Aragonese might

• 1378-1392 : Joan I el Croat, the Crusader, albeit Misguided Warrior

• 1392-1393 : Ferran I el Efímer, the Brilliant Strategist

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Addendum​

• The Tenth Crusade, sometimes referred as the First War of the Silk Road

• The Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Poblet, pantheon of the Sovereigns of the Crown of Aragon and, later, the Kings of Spain

• The Hashshashins, most likely responsible of the death of Ferran I





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[gigau]

1137 - 1356 : Birth of the Crown of Aragon

1137 - 1356 : Birth of the Crown of Aragon
​

The origin of the future "Crown of Aragon" dates back to 1137, when the Kingdom of Aragon and the County of Barcelona merged in a dynastic union, by the marriage of Raymond IV of Barcelona and Petronilla of Aragon. Their titles were combined in the person of their son Alfons II of Aragon, who ascended on the throne in 1162.


This Union respected the existing institutions and parliaments of both entities. Given the higher rankingas a kingdom due to the lineage from Imperator Hispaniae Sancho III of Navarra, the combined state would be known as Aragon. But, given the wealth of Barcelona and its position on the Mediterranean, if the kings were crowned in the official capital Zaragoza for the most part, the Court spent most of the time in Barcelona, making it the true capital of the Crown.


Slowly the Union of Aragon and Barcelona expanded its influence in Occitania, under control of vassal local princes such as the Counts of Toulouse. However, a huge blow was recieved when Pope Innocent III called for the Albigensian Crusade ; the Battle of Muret in 1213 marked the integration of the Occitan territory in the French crown.
King Jaume I started a new phase of expansion by conquering and incorporating Mallorca and a large part of the Emirate of València to the Crown. València was made a new kingdom with its own institutions and added as third member of the Crown. However, Mallorca, Cerdanya and Roussillon would be held independently by Jaume II of Mallorca as a vassal of the Crown, until 1344 and its full integration.
In 1282, following the Sicilian Vespers, Pere III landed and Sicily and made it a vassal of the Crown of Aragon.

When Pere III refused to impose the Charters of Aragon to València, the nobles and towns united in Zaragoza to demand a confirmation of their privileges. Thus began the Union of Aragon which developped a counterpower that Aragonese kings would have to confront every now and then, until the Union was finally destroyed by Pere IV.

As long as the kings had to deal with the Union of Aragon, they would have to rule their possessions outside of the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands by proxy through local elites. The end of the power struggle with the Union, under Pere IV, allowed the Crown of Aragon to successfully acheive the transition to an early modern state with a more and more centralized government (although it would only be in 1595 that Aragon managed to be a fully centralised state).

 

[the_hdk]

woot. subscribe. been waiting for this

edit: full centralization? all the way to the left? wow never managed that as Poland

 

[gigau]

Welcome.

I hope i won't disappoint

 

[Evander]

Whoo ! Gigau AARing is like Chuck Norris cooking ! Even if it's not his domain you can really expect some explosions !

 

[Blxz]

Nice little intro. What style can we expect from you? Will this be a more narrative focus, a gameplay focus with only light touches of narrative or do you plan on going full historybook style?

 

[Samwell]

Subscribed

 

[gela1212]

I am a big fan of the country of Aragon! I also used to play exclusively MEIOU, though I've been doing mainly vanilla as of late. I will be following.

 

[GregElSho]

Will definitely read this!

 

[Seelmeister]

Excellent, very much looking forward to this.

 

[gigau]

Thanks a lot guys !

Whoo ! Gigau AARing is like Chuck Norris cooking ! Even if it's not his domain you can really expect some explosions !

:rofl:

Nice little intro. What style can we expect from you? Will this be a more narrative focus, a gameplay focus with only light touches of narrative or do you plan on going full historybook style?

I am going more towards some Wikipedia-like pages for each monarchs, on different stages of the Aragonese history, hopefully on some wars/battles, and if enough inspiration on the Aragonese dynasty on other thrones...

 

[gigau]

edit: full centralization? all the way to the left? wow never managed that as Poland

And starting from a fully decentralised state (all the way to the right)...

Was tough, long and had to fight off rebellions... but i made it.

 

[gigau]

Pere IV d'Aragón​

Pere IV (Aragonese : Pero, Spanish : Pedro, English : Peter, French : Pierre, Italian : Pietro), called el Cerimoniós ("the Ceremonious"), was the King of Aragon, the King of Sardinia and Corsica as Pietro I, the King of Valencia as Pedro II, and Count of Barcelona (and the rest of the Principality of Catalonia) as Pere III from 1336 until his death. He deposed Jaume III of Majorca and made himself King of Mallorca in 1344. His reign was occupied with attempts to strengthen the Crown against the Union of Aragon and the Union of Valencia with their near constant revolts, and with foreign wars in Sardinia, Andalucia, Maghreb, southern Italy, Provence and Greece.

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Succession Conflicts​

Peter was born at Balaguer, the eldest son and heir of Alfons IV, then Count of Urgell, and his first wife, Teresa d'Entença. Peter was designated to inherit all of his father's title save that of Urgell, which went to his younger brother Jaume.
Upon succeeding his father he called a corts in Zaragoza for his coronation. He crowned himself, disappointing the Archbishop of Zaragoza and thus rejecting the surrender Peter II had made to the Papacy. This was a first step back to the historical Aragonese stance regarding the Pope (the highlight of which being the support given to Raymond de Toulouse and to the Cathares during the Albigensian Crusade).
In 1338 he married Maria, second daughter of Philip III and Joan II of Navarre. In May 1339 he allied with Alfonso XI of Castile against Morocco, but his contribution of a fleet had no effect at the pivotal Battle of the Saulty River (October 1340).
For several years after his corronation, Jaume III of Majorca, Pere's brother-in-law, post-poned the ceremony to pay hommage. He only performed it in 1339, on his terms. After a diplomatic ballet also involving the King of France and the Pope, but also some rigged corts, Pere declared Jaume forfeit of his kingship and lands. And in 1344, after a swift conquest, Pere incorporated the Kingdom of Mallorca into the Crown of Aragon in perpetuity.

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Internal Policies​

During the first two decades of his reign, Pere IV had to deal with the fact that he had no male issue. His brother Count Jaume d'Urgell was his presumptive heir. Distrusting his brother Pere IV decided to name his daughter Constança a his heir to the throne. His manoeuvres led his brother to go to Zaragoza and to gain the support of several nobles of the Union of Aragon, an anti-royalty movement among the nobility of the Kingdom of Aragon.


Pere IV was forced to make concessions, like restoring Jaume as heir. But, as Pere IV was returning to Barcelona, Jaume died. There was suspicion of poisonning. But the main aftermath was that, deprived of their leader, the Union of Aragon was greatly weakened. After a century of existence, the Union would fade away.


Venturing next to Valencia, Pere had to face a nascent Union of Valencia, who attempted to emprison him. Amidst a strike of Black Plague, Pere fled and came back with his army. He had the ball used to call the meetings of the Union of Valencia melted down and poured in the throats of the Union leaders.


With the end of the threat of the Unions, Pere ordered the increase of the size of the army, then composed of 7 or 8 regiments. Besides the Exèrcito Reial, led by the King, he created the Exèrcito de València and the Exèrcito de Sicilìa. This was in line with larger policy of focusing a little less on the navy and more on land forces.


During the year 1360, Pere is impressed by new architecture developments. He starts a campaign of great works in the major cities following those new ideas. The major result of these developments was the creation of the first University of the Crown, in Casteddu.

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Foreign Policies​

Pere's focused on forming tighter bonds with the kingdoms of the Iberian peninsula. To that end, in 1356, he sent his Ambassador Josep Domènec to Valladolid, Lisboa and Iruna to negociate an alliance with the kings of Castile, Portugal and Navarre. These alliances would last many generations.


Anxious and feeling threatened by his northern neighbour, the King of France, Pere also tries to set up an anglophile policy. The relations between Pere and Richard III, however, will prove to be difficult, the King of England having a condescending attitude towards what he would call "a minor kingdom". The alliance will ultimately die out when, on 25 August 1363, Richard III declares war on France and Scotland, while Aragon was already involved in two wars.


Long before Pere IV, Aragon already had a long tradition of free thinking, sometimes confronting the will of the Papacy. It even went as far as supporting Raymond de Toulouse and helping the Cathares during the Albigensian Crusade. Pere IV would persue the tradition, encurring, at times, religious scandals.


The alliance with Castile, if it helped to tighten the bonds between the two kingdoms and would have a definte role in shaping the Empire to come, is called upon quite quickly. In 1356, Pedro I I de Borgoña is embroiled in rebellions. His vassal Muhammad V Nasrid, the Emir of Granada, tries to use this opportunity to get his independence. Pere IV would lead his armies and lay siege to Almeria, Granada and Gibraltar (then known as Jabal Tariq). Three years ater, Muhammad V cedes Malaga to the King of Castile.

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Restoration of the Aragonese dominance​

In 1359, Ugo IV Durazzo, of the Giudicato of Arborea, was excommunicated by the Pope. Pere saw this as an opportunity to restore the Aragon dominance in the western Mediterranean Sea, and ordered the Exèrcito de Sicilìa to invade last territories of Sardinia that the Crown of Aragon didn't control. This led to as larger war with the Kingdom of Naples and the Duchy of Epirus.


By the end of 1359, Aristanis of the Giudicato, and Forcalquiers and Poensa of the Kingdom of Naples are under siege. After three years of warfare, Aristanis is annexed to the Crown.

The same year, Pere enters Napule, creating a great trauma in the Kingdom of Naples. At that point, the sole remaining strength of the Kingdom is its navy, until the Battle of the Gulf of Taranto.

In 1365, the Duchy of Epirus falls to Ponç Bielsa. Theodoros I de Palaiologosis compelled to accept to become a vassal of the Crown of Aragon. Feeling betrayed by his ally, Queen Jeanne signs a peace with Pere ceding Proensa, Forcalquiers, Calabria, Cusenza, Kerkyra and Inioi Nesoi. Those last two provinces were granted to Carlo Doukas, as Duke of Cephalonia.

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Reconquista​

In 1360, England calls on us in a defensive war against Fez. Quickly, Ignasi Montaguedo is sent to Melilla. The Expedition is soundly defeated, but manages to reembark. He will later manage to annihilate a Fezzan army under the walls of València. The following year, Monteguado lands to help an English army at the great Battle of Ouarhan. He crushes the remainders of the Fezzan army en route to Rif. However, Melilla will prove to be his curse, as he is severely wounded during a sortie attempt. A Fezzan relief army annihilates our army. Thanks to better luck, England ends the war, grabbing Arzew.


Several years after, we are called by Castile in their war against Albret, England and Portugal. The Aragonese-English Alliance had been annuled a few years previous, when an inconsiderate England tried to drag Aragon in an ill-fated war with France and Scotland. Aragon had decided to betray their ally, being already in the Aragonese-Sardinian Excommunication War and in Fezzian-English War. Pere sends his armies to besiege Papal Venaissin and English Arzew. By the end of the war, Arzew is fully ours. Fact that is aknowledged by England in the peace treaty of 1374.

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Gains of Pere IV for the Crown of Aragon

Yellow : Aragonese demesne upon Pere's death
Green : Vassal kingdom of Sicily
Blue-grey : Vassal duchy of Epirus
Pink : Vassal principality of Cephalonia
Circled in dark red : Pere's expansions​

 

[the_hdk]

nice. love the map!

Peter was a fine King. I wonder how his heirs will handle venice, genoa and the Empire

also how did you gain provance?

 

[gigau]

nice. love the map!

Thanks

Peter was a fine King. I wonder how his heirs will handle venice, genoa and the Empire

Time will tell...

also how did you gain provance?

Provence starts in a PU under Queen Jeanne of Naples, on which Aragon begins with a core on.

When at war with Sardinia and Naples (and therefore Provence), i got Forcalquiers through the War Dynamism feature (control of a cored province for long enough leads to a transfer of ownership out of peace deal). Took Proensa (Marseille) in the peace deal with Naples.

 

[the_hdk]

ahhh tnx for explanation I knew I missed it somewhere I even re-read it twice. but my knowledge of french topography failed me

 

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Looking good. I'll hang on for the ride.

 

[Tallfellow]

Will ofcourse be following! Hope you got your inflation a bit under control in the later part of the game

 

[Seelmeister]

Very interesting update, taking Provence opens up a lot of interesting possibilities in the future, particularly if France are winning the Hundred Years War. Do you intend to unite all of Iberia, or just cobine Aragon with Castille? I like the territory map, is the choice of yellow a way of staking a claim on the Castillian crown?

 

[gigau]

Colour reveals indeed my intention to unite with Castile and form Spain peacefully. Portugal is an ally i intend to keep independent.

For my plans with France, they are summarised in two points :
- not be conquered
- try to get Montpelliers back