The Southern Balkans have been subject to the Latinokratia- the rule of the Latins- since the Fourth Crusade, which left the Empire reeling. Although the Empire made a return, it is now in its death throes. A new power has come at full force from the East, rapidly expanding into Europe. The Ottomans. Having taken over most of Anatolia, they stand poised to overwhelm the rest of the Balkans with ease. However, many rulers of these southern Balkan states are subject to Western European powers- the Crown of Aragon, Naples and Venice. The Knights of St. John hold out valiantly on the Isle of Rhodes, defending Christendom on the front lines.
The Latinokratia is, however, not the only Christian force left in the Balkans. The remains of the Empire stand proud. Though there is little hope of revival, in the right hands, that hope might well
be enough. After all, Constantinople, the City of the World’s Desire remains in the hands of the Emperor.
At this critical time in world history, which side will you take? Will you continue the Ottoman expansion into Europe, gaining both land and enemies? Or will you play as Latin ruler, hanging on to what was seized from the Empire and trying to negotiate your survival against the devastating force of the Ottomans? Alternatively, you could try to restore the Empire, perhaps the most challenging option of all. As Emperor, there is very little Imperial territory remaining for you to govern, and relying on military aid from the Latins is fraught with risk at best. At this turning point in history, it is up to you to shape the future.
(Bulgaria has not yet been modded in. Once it is complete, it will be under Ottoman rule)
Basileus Manouel II
Basileus Manouel spent much time visiting European courts, attempting to gather military support to help him against the Ottomans. In fact, he was even the first and only Byzantine Emperor to visit England, showing just how desperate the situation had become. However, despite his diplomatic abilities, conflict within Europe made his task a difficult one, and in the end, he failed to gather the support he needed. However, in your hands, this man’s ambitions may be achieved. As Basileus, you will start at war with the Ottomans, as they attempted to besiege Constantinople. In real life, the Ottomans failed after an 8-year siege, and were forced to withdraw in order to face the Timurid threat, which is also present in-game. God willing, you too will be able to repel the initial siege of Constantinople, but how you act thereafter will be of the utmost importance. Manouel is no great general, but he has inherited oratory skill from his Roman predecessors, which perhaps he will be able to use to his advantage. If he can manage to guide his Empire further into the century, he might even see sympathy from Renaissance Europeans who have rediscovered their Roman origins, and see it as their duty to uphold the last link the world has to the true Roman Empire…
King Esau of Epirus
The Kingdom of Epirus has been greatly reduced over the years, facing threats from Serbians, Albanians and Ottomans. Now there is very little left of it, but Esau is in a position to reclaim what is rightfully his. He has de jure claim to a significant amount of land in the area- including small, fractured states in the south. Directly to the north, however, lies Ottoman territory. With the right alliances and with enough of the kingdom restored, Esau might just stand a chance at pushing back the Ottoman borders further east. With a firmly-established kingdom and the confidence to gnaw away at Ottoman territory, the Kings of Epirus may be in a position to establish themselves as the dominant force in the Latinokratia, or prove a valuable ally to the Byzantine Emperors. From a humbled state, Esau and his descendants could become a force to be reckoned with for decades to come…
That’s all for this week’s Dev Diary. Look forward to next week’s one, where we will head north to Scandinavia and the nascent Kalmar Union! We are also looking for more modders to help out, so if you're interested, let me know!
(Traits pending)
Here are all of the dev diaries so far:
Dev Diary #000
Dev Diary #1
Dev Diary #2
Dev Diary #3
Dev Diary #4
Dev Diary #5
Dev Diary #6
Dev Diary #7
Dev Diary #8
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