Blood of the Trojans - A Cornish Restoration AAR

[AlemãoÉSopa]

It is said that Brutus of Troy found the isle of Britain while searching for a new home for his people, baptizing it and planting the Britonnic seed on its fertile ground. Among the many nations formed by the children of Brutus, were the Dumnonii, a brave people who managed to uphold their independence through centuries of advancements by foreign invaders.
However Dumnonia is no more, the blood of their rulers subjugated by the Anglo-Saxon barbarians. Even then, it lives on; in the tales of the elders, in the heart of its people, waiting to emerge into the world stage once again.
Now, it is up to house Cerneu to stoke this fire and claim its rightful place as sovereigns of the Britons. Onen hag ol!
​

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PREFACE​

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Howdy! I don't quite know how to write an introduction, so pardon me for this lousy one, but, oh well, you got to start somewhere.

I have played Paradox games for a while now and I always liked the story generator aspect of them, that is probably why Crusader Kings is my favorite franchise out of the publisher's library, its deeper focus on characters and the unique intra-realm interactions are fertile ground for storytelling (It also has a pretty sweet mod community, which has only grown with CK3, ready to fill the mechanical gaps in the games). So, now I want to write about it, this is my shot at an AAR.

As the name indicates, it will be about Cornwall, thus, its main objective is to restore the Kingdom of Cornwall in its full glory, and perhaps lead it to new heights, under the Cerneu. My goal will be to take the decision Restore the Kingdom of Cornwall and, as an additional limitation to make things more interesting, I will only allow myself to do such after securing Wessex and Hwicce. I also wish to at least attempt to keep my actions in character and historically plausible, though I will take some creative liberty, so, this might be a bit of a slower burn.

If it isn't already obvious, I have taken some formatting cues from The Legacy of Edmund: An East Anglian AAR by Koweth. I really like how that series is written and organized, so I'm stealing a bit from it. Lastly, as a disclaimer, English is not my native language and I haven't written in a while, I also haven't quite settled for a style for this AAR, so the writing in the beginning may be a bit awkward. If you have got any feedback, I'm all ears.

Spoiler: Playset

Unnoficial Patch by Kazarion
Multilingual Education by KeizerHarm
Nameplates by FUN
Rename Tribal Era to Late Antiquity by cybrxkhan
Rename Egalitarian to Cosmopolitan by cybrxkhan
Immersive Writing - Love & Romance by Seljuk Shah
Battle Events by Yefreitor
The Art of Heraldry by tezzica
Patrum Scuta by Solo
Recruit Courtiers by cybrxkhan
Mass Demand Conversion by Serp
Pervasive Crown Authority by pengoyo
Regional Immersion and Cultural Enrichment (RICE) by cybrxkhan
VIET Events - A Flavor and Immersion Event Mod by cybrxkhan
Holy Roman Triumph: Coronation Ceremonies by Kaepbora
Player Can Be Knight by XJ-9
Veritas - Lifestyle Perks Overhaul by idm
Community Flavor Pack by El Tyranos
More Interactive Vassals by perl
[Kei] Culture and Faith Granularity - 2.1.0 (CK 1.14.*) by Keitaro_Ura
Administrative Vassal War Prevention by Mightus
Join all the Wars by Mika
Brighter Text Colors by Zaister
Grant Cadet Branch by Mightus

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

Welcome to AARland, @AlemãoÉSopa.

I'm not great when it comes to giving feedback, but I'll repeat the points the vetAARans make whenever someone new joins;

1. Advertise your AARs in the Inkwell.
2. Create a signature (like the one I have which is beneath the post) to advertise both the AAR and your Inkwell page. [To do this, click on your profile, and you'll see a section called Signature. Click on it and it'll let you customise your signature]
3. Comment on other AARs. Commenting helps keep people going, and the more you comment, the more you can be seen.
4. Check out the SolAARium for writing tips and the bAAR to converse with other AAR writers.

I think I'm remembering all of them, if one of the other mainstays of AARland arrive, they might be able to remember any tips I've forgotten.

 

[Nikolai]

Intriguing. I wish you the best of luck! Koweth is a good master to follow.

 

[AlemãoÉSopa]

I. The War of English Succession (1066-1070)​

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Cadoc, Earl of Cornwall​

By the 1066th year of our lord, almost two centuries had passed since Dumnarth's kingdom followed him into the grave. While Devon had been considerably anglicized, Cornwall endured as a remnant of old Britain. Not much is known about the men who ruled the land since the fall of its kingdom, and what is known is shrouded in contradiction and legend. While the Domesday Book appoints to a culling of the native landowning class in the earldom by 1066, replaced by an Anglo-Saxon aristocracy, among who Harold Godwineson was included, it is known that a Cornish man had been appointed as its earl some time at the beginning of this year.

Few has been recorded about the early life of said earl, Cadoc ab Cador Cerneu. He is often described as ex Regio sanguine Britannorum, from the royal blood of the Britons, it is said that he might be a direct line descendant of King Dumnarth himself. While not much is certain about his character, a lot can be inferred from where he appears in the historical record. Cadoc is often found in the records of his time's battles, commonly directly engaging the enemy. Additionally, evidence suggests he was a pious and gentle man, as the writings of his suffragan bishop Judwal record his contributions to the church and consistent attendance to service, while also noting the earl's shows of compassion. It is also known that Cadoc composed poems, with the first being dated to around 1076, mainly about religious matters and battles of old.

Portrayal of Edward the Confessor on his deathbed​

On the 5th of January, the Confessor perished, childless. Without a clear heir, England was plunged into chaos, as vultures hovered over the kingdom. The Witan elected Harold Godwineson, who was supposedly endorsed by Edward in his last breath. His coronation wasn't uncontested, however, as two foreigners had their views set on the crown, Duke William of Normandy and King Haraldr of Norway.

Caught in this whirlpool of royal intrigue and sensing the winds of war, Cadoc was forced to choose a liege. He didn't believe Harold's claim, he found it too convenient, for a comatose king to wake up only to crown a man with no rights to the throne. It is also believed that he plainly didn't like Godwineson, as poems later written by Cadoc portray him as a power-grabbing arrogant fool with no regard for the stability of his kingdom, although that may have just been done by Cadoc to buy his new liege's favor.

As letters uncovered later on indicate, he had made his choice as early as October, as they show Cadoc corresponded with William, presumably in an effort to win his favor.

In January of 1067, their alliance was officialized through the betrothal of Enoguen merch Cadoc Cerneu, the earl's second daughter, and Richard de Normandie, the second son of the duke.

Still, Cadoc joined England's army as it marched north to combat the Norwegians in Northumbria, which had been recently reinforced with the men of Denmark. One day, while encamping in East Anglia, jolly news reached Cadoc's quarters as, on the 5th of May, his wife had given birth to a healthy boy, Peder ab Cadoc.

Two major battles occurred between the two English and Nowergians, Hartlepool, on November 25th of 1068, and Cottingham, on May 17th of 1069, both of which were decisive victories for Norway. Seeing no way to turn the tides of war, Harold sued for peace. The two monarchs convened in Lindsey on September 28th of 1069, where a Witenagemot of both army's important men proclaimed Haraldr king, officializing the transfer of power and making Haraldr the first Scandinavian king of England since the death of Harthacnut.

The ascension of Haraldr shook the politics of northern England, as Tostig Godwineson, the traitorous brother of Harold II, had his title as Earl of Northumbria restored as soon as the crown was placed on the Yngling's forehead. A few days later, Tostig had convinced Haraldr to swear to free his brother, Wulfnoth, who had been held hostage on Normandy, as well as his appointment as Earl of Mercia. Despite Harold being deposed, his house's power seemed to only grow.

The situation had changed, while Cadoc was sworn to the English king as an earl, Haraldr was no English, and his mockery of a Witan was not enough to make him king. On the 9th of October, when William issued a call to arms to Cornwall, its men rebelled against Norway and joined his forces.

In the conflict between the Norwegians and Normans, two major battles occurred. The first took place on February 13th of 1070, when the Norwegian-Danish army ambushed the Norman contingent responsible for besieging Hertfordshire. Unfortunately for the man of two crowns, the army's scouts had spotted his army with enough antecedence to notify the main body of William's army.

However, the first to come to the soldiers' aid was Cadoc, who was on his way with his fyrd to join William's army. The battle ended in Norman victory, although the casualties between the two sides were comparable. On Cadoc's side, the most notable loss was that of his vassal and councilor, Mybbard, the Lord of Tintagel, who was succeeded by one of his daughters.

​

The second battle happened on March 17th, when the Normans cornered the king and his men in Northamptonshire. The battle was a massacre, no more than 60 men perished on the Norman's side, while all but 6 of the Norwegian were slain.

On April 6th, after failing to muster an effective military response, Haraldr surrendered. A new Witenagemot was convened and William was proclaimed the rightful King of England, marking the end of the War of English Succession.

 

[AlemãoÉSopa]

Post Scriptum​

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This was an interesting struggle for England. I sure didn't expect William to actually accept that marriage proposal, he would even agree to a matrilineal one, though I found that crossed the line into unrealistic territory too much (But it sure was tempting). Haraldr got his 5 minutes of England, but it looks like it wasn't meant to be; he still has a pressed claim, so, who knows, maybe his descendants will come back to haunt the de Normandie.

Maybe this post could have used some more time on the oven, but I know better than giving myself excuses to post-pone posting this.

Welcome to AARland, @AlemãoÉSopa.

I'm not great when it comes to giving feedback, but I'll repeat the points the vetAARans make whenever someone new joins;

1. Advertise your AARs in the Inkwell.
2. Create a signature (like the one I have which is beneath the post) to advertise both the AAR and your Inkwell page. [To do this, click on your profile, and you'll see a section called Signature. Click on it and it'll let you customise your signature]
3. Comment on other AARs. Commenting helps keep people going, and the more you comment, the more you can be seen.
4. Check out the SolAARium for writing tips and the bAAR to converse with other AAR writers.

I think I'm remembering all of them, if one of the other mainstays of AARland arrive, they might be able to remember any tips I've forgotten.

Thank you very much! I will be sure to get myself a spot on the Inkwell and to check out the SolAARium (Also, it was good you reminded me to actually interact with other people's thread, I have been guilty of just lurking sometimes lol).

Intriguing. I wish you the best of luck! Koweth is a good master to follow.

Thank you! He sure is, I have read some AARs already and even started writing some of my own before, but being recommended his was actually what got me to commit to getting mine out of my head and into the screen.

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

Is this Oathbreaker trait from a mod?

Either way, will it be a problem now that William is your liege?

 

[AlemãoÉSopa]

Is this Oathbreaker trait from a mod?

Either way, will it be a problem now that William is your liege?

Yes, I believe it is from More Interactive Vassals, I found this mod recently and have been enjoying my time with it, definitely recommend.

I don't think so, I am now in 1076 and still haven't run into any problems because of it. I don't know if it's because my liege has changed or because I helped push William's claim or simply because I'm allied to him, but I appear to have, thankfully, been forgiven.

 

[Nikolai]

I foresee more oathbreaking before all of this is over.

 

[AlemãoÉSopa]

I foresee more oathbreaking before all of this is over.

Oh my, it seems Apollo has chosen to bless you with the gift of prophecy

 

[Cora Giantkiller]

Cadoc took a calculated risk and it sounds like it worked out for him. Next up is forming the duchy of Cornwall, I imagine?

 

[AlemãoÉSopa]

Cadoc took a calculated risk and it sounds like it worked out for him. Next up is forming the duchy of Cornwall, I imagine?

For sure, Cadoc is now solidly in William's good graces, all for the low low price of breaking an oath to a king of questionable legitimacy, a daughter's hand, a vassal's life, and the fall of 50 or so soldiers in his fyrd. I expect his ties to the de Normandie's to only tighten, as an unexpected event in the next post will bring Cornwall and Normandy even closer.

The Duchy of Cornwall is the next meta objective, however, I'm still struggling with whether Cadoc would personally be aiming for it or not. He isn't an ambitious man, he is actually rather Humble, so I don't know if he would go out of his way to claim new titles and expand his influence (I mostly sided with William because historically Cadoc did it, because Cadoc has a high Learning—so he is smart enough to see the writing on the wall—and because of both ruler's traits). Especially if it involved taking another man's title, as he is Compassionate, I don't think he would do that (Unless the Earl of Devon does something horrible to convince Cadoc he should be stripped of his titles).

Now, if William saw fit to appoint Cadoc as Duke himself, that would be a different story...

 

[Chac1]

Let me add to the various welcomes here Daybreak ( @AlemãoÉSopa ) (is that Portuguese?) . This is a fine start and @Koweth is definitely a great model for his various historical AARs.

Also, @StrategyGameEnthusiast has given you sage advice to start. There may be a few other nuances over time but best not to overwhelm a newcomer.

Looking forward to how this develops further. Nice start.

 

[AlemãoÉSopa]

Let me add to the various welcomes here Daybreak ( @AlemãoÉSopa ) (is that Portuguese?) . This is a fine start and @Koweth is definitely a great model for his various historical AARs.

Also, @StrategyGameEnthusiast has given you sage advice to start. There may be a few other nuances over time but best not to overwhelm a newcomer.

Looking forward to how this develops further. Nice start.

Thank you!

(is that Portuguese?) .

It sure is, it's a quote from a Brazilian WW2 song (The full quote translates to something like "To the Brazilian, the German is soup"), I thought it was only appropriate to sneak in a little reference to my country's history in my nickname.

I like it well enough, but I wish I had chosen a better name when I signed up for this forum, it just doesn't flow well, I think.

 

[Chac1]

It sure is, it's a quote from a Brazilian WW2 song (The full quote translates to something like "To the Brazilian, the German is soup"), I thought it was only appropriate to sneak in a little reference to my country's history in my nickname.

I like it well enough, but I wish I had chosen a better name when I signed up for this forum, it just doesn't flow well, I think.

I think quoting from a Brazilian WWII song will go over quite well in this overall forum, even if this is one of the CK sub-forums! Either way, Daybreak, good to see you here with the fine start.

No need to be self-conscious about the name. Also, great to have yet another newcomer from the Powerhouse of the South.

 

[AlemãoÉSopa]

I think quoting from a Brazilian WWII song will go over quite well in this overall forum, even if this is one of the CK sub-forums! Either way, Daybreak, good to see you here with the fine start.

No need to be self-conscious about the name. Also, great to have yet another newcomer from the Powerhouse of the South.

Thanks for the kind words

 

[Crimson Lionheart]

This is cool! Will be following

 

[AlemãoÉSopa]

This is cool! Will be following

Thank you! I will try my best to provide an entertaining tale

 

[Koweth]

If it isn't already obvious, I have taken some formatting cues from The Legacy of Edmund: An East Anglian AAR by Koweth. I really like how that series is written and organized, so I'm stealing a bit from it.

Well, I'm flattered! I'm so glad that my works have moved you to commit this to the forum, as the first chapter seems to be nothing short of an excellent one. With most of my family coming from Cornwall (it's a wonderful place to visit, the beaches especially), one could say I have a vested interest in seeing Cadoc's small realm across the Tamar flourish in the coming years.

On April 6th, after failing to muster an effective military response, Haraldr surrendered. A new Witenagemot was convened and William was proclaimed the rightful King of England, marking the end of the War of English Succession.

While Cadoc may have seen Harald Hardrada illegitimate and weak, the Normans aren't usually the most benevolent rulers of England, so we shall see how William and his successors consolidate their power and turn the kingdom into a more traditional feudal monarchy.

 

[AlemãoÉSopa]

Well, I'm flattered! I'm so glad that my works have moved you to commit this to the forum, as the first chapter seems to be nothing short an excellent one.

Thank you! Legacy of Eadmund is such a good work, I really liked the history book style you went for. By the way, I was just starting a binge read of it when I received the notification of your reply lol (Definitely will go back to it after I post this, got to catch up to the latest post).

With most of my family coming from Cornwall (it's a wonderful place to visit, the beaches especially), one could say I have a vested interest in seeing Cadoc's small realm across the Tamar flourish in the coming years.

That's interesting, I have seen beautiful pictures of it, definitely a place I want to visit one day. I have always been interested in the Celts (Lord knows how many Wales playthroughs I have done in both CK2 and CK3) and this playthrough has gotten me quite interested in Cornish history, there's so much I am learning researching for it and that will surely be one of the things that keep me pushing forward with it.

While Cadoc may have seen Harald Hardrada illegitimate and weak, the Normans aren't usually the most benevolent rulers of England, so we shall see how William and his successors consolidate their power and turn the kingdom into a more traditional feudal monarchy.

We shall see indeed, William spared Cornwall from his culling of England's southern earls, but this does not guarantee its perpetual safety.

 

[jak7139]

A very good start so far! Looking forward to how you handle your new Norman overlords.

Welcome to the forum!