Prelude
Bagrat was stunned, when only months before the imperial German herald had taken his crown and pledge of allegiance to that thrice accursed son of Judas who sat open the throne of Germany, he had thought it was truly the end times. A heretical bastard who openly disavowed the teachings of Jesus claiming he was the true Messiah, with hundred of thousands of soldiers which grew daily as every petty count, prince and king in the known world bowed there knee before the towering German monarch, even the Bloody emperors in Constantinople had sworn! "Lord have mercy" thought Bagrat. He looked out his window, the populace of imertia were pulling down the German imperial standard with a glee that bordered on blood lust. He looked on proudly at his small realm, his populace celebrating in ways that hadn't been seen in his lifetime, In the distance around the walls and in the harbour German citizens and soldiers were being pulled apart crowds as they fought for their life, he wasn't worried they died quickly and those they killed were just martyrs to encourage his people to regain their former Prestige, it brought a tear to his eye.
"Ahem" a deep masculine voice startled Bagrat from his thoughts, he spun around, drawing his dagger, staring around the room looking for the source. His eyes strayed to the ceiling beams, there, perched in the shadows was his spy master, Nino Vardanidze. "Nino..."he sighed as his face contorted into a balance of rage and interest, "What is it" he spat. "My lord" Nino droned, "I was on my way here with the reports you requested and thought with all the unrest I should check the roof". Nino dropped lightly to the floor, "in case some luckless German had decided to find refuge on the roof. now my lord Would you like me to read the reports to you?" he said giving a bow slightly less then protocol demanded. "You know how I hate it when you do that ... did you find anything on the roof or not?" Bagrat thundered, more angry that his spy master could get a rise out of him, then over any mild slight the man may have committed. "No my lord" Nino said, allowing himself a small smile before his gaze once again became stony. Sighing Bagrat sat down and waved his hand, giving his spy master permission to continue.
A copy of a spy report intercepted by Georgian agents in the 11th century, as best as scholars at the imertia university department of historical research can confirm this copy dates from much later somewhere in 1460's. There is no mention of how the report was obtained anywhere in the ministry logs of the time.
"Is this authentic Nino?" said Bagrat slipping into a more casual tone with his spy master, a man who the king despite some appearances of malice between the two, believed he could trust with his life and genuinely valued. "as best as we can tell my lord", answered his spy master with all the grace of any court bred minister, despite his less then honest upbringing. "We intercepted the courier just outside of Trebizond boarding a ship in a fishing village not far from their capital.. The man died trying to protect it and it confirms what our agents have all said the new king who is a devout Christian and genuinely charismatic, but is a man of the same mould as his predecessor and is determined to rebuild and even expand his former kingdom." Waiting for the full weight of the situation to strike his lord, Niño glanced around the room and then pulled out a map of Europe. "This map my lord whilst not as current as I would like is a clear showing of who has declared against the German menace, as it clearly shows most of Europe is against him but they are mainly weak one province counties not many were able to reobtain their titles and positions my lord he holds 90% of all kingship titles in the world and his lands while not even a shadow of their former selves are still quite large compared to any other nation. We estimate he could gather 26,000 soldiers throughout his empire and many will kneel to him before this is through." Bagrat winced and visibly paled at the sheer scope of this war and then calmed himself and let his training and years of experience come to the fore, "I want a map of our neighbours prepared immediately along with recommendations from the court ill hold court after the noon meal and we will prepare a strategy to make Georgia strong enough that she will be able to make a difference when the German scourge returns to our lands because I do not doubt that eventually Europe will fall to her armies again and this time by a true leader not a heretical lunatic!" After nearly shouting his orders Bagrat grabbed the map from his spymasters hands and stormed out of the room to find somewhere private to think.
The map of Europe prepared for Bagrat Bagratuni by spymaster Nino, which still hangs in the office of the chancellor of the Georgian empire to this day. The dark gold blobs across Europe a German provinces, By the turn of the century it would be a lot less multicoloured.
Panting and sweating, chest heaving more from fear then exertion, Manfred gently rapped on his lieges door. A guardsmen within opened it and signalled him leave to enter, he gently walked in worried that even the slightest noise might break the spell and wake him from his dream. As a lowly runner slave newly purchased by the household and a foreigner to boot, he had never expected the chance to get this close to a living member of the Bagratuni line, a dynasty that had ruled Georgia for nigh on 600 years. Throwing himself on the floor at his masters feet he begin "mightiest of lords, benevolent ruler of all that he beholds, Graced of the lord Jesus in h.." he stopped as a hand grabbed his chin and pulled him roughly to his feet. "Stop that nonsense as once I wont accept it from my enemies let alone a man from proud Armenian stock. I am not the lord in heaven and he does not forgive a man usurping his dominion, now what did you want boy?" Resisting his urge to squirm as Bagrat looked him over he started again, hesitantly, "my lord, your spymaster sends me with this report that you may look it over before meeting with your council. He bid me tell you that he marked our relationships with the counties around us in a scale between -200 and +200 that you might better plan any campaigns and diplomatic actions." With his orders followed to the letter Manfred threw himself to the floor again, though careful not to say a word lest he upset his master again. Bagrat paced back and forth in front of him for many long minutes stroking his beard and examining every inch of the paper in front of him, finally as Manfred's eyes began to weep and his head pound from the blood rushing there he smiled one deep and happy smile.
Green represents positive relations and red negative also displayed is the Georgian kingdoms basic income, standing and manpower.
