Go West, Young Turk: A 769 Pecheneg AAR (MODDED)

[mrmagicman2287]

Prologue
In the year 769, the Turkic Pecheneg tribes are not in a good state of affairs. Being a tributary of the Khazars,
and controlling only a strip of coast around the Caspian sea, they were by far one of the weakest nomadic
tribes in Asia.
This would all soon change with the ascension of a great leader to the rank of Khagan, who will turn
the tribe's fortunes around and turn them from nomads into a genuine empire.

The man's name was Basarab, of the Tolui dynasty. His family were pig-herders, but through his
enlistment into the army of the Khagan, they were elevated into a Clan. Now that the Khagan had died,
the army proclaimed him Khagan of the Pechenegs.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is my very first AAR, and any contructive criticism is more than welcome! I'm not very
experienced with writing, so I might be switching styles and such. Thank you for reading this far, and I hope
I manage to spin an entertaining story.
The goal of this AAR is to switch through every playable government type, and I have a plan to do it as well.
In addition, I must say I am using some performance mods.
Without further ado, I hope you enjoy the AAR.

 

[mrmagicman2287]

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I restarted the game and made sure to give myself a son this time, just in case another sickness comes. Without further ado....
Chapter 1: Iron and Steel
After being acclaimed by the army as Khagan of the Pechenegs, Basarab spent the first year of his reign consolidating his power throughout the realm, and making sure his son Teber was seen as his successor in case of his death.

Basarab himself was a plain man, capable in matters of warfare, but little else than that.

After consolidating his grip on power, Basarab went to a shrine to consult the ancestors, asking them for victory in battle and sacrificing a courtier of his in their honor.

His current obsession with keeping power didn't however make him neglect his family, as he bought for his wife, Gunes, a majestic falcon.

He then went about assembling a competent council to guide him, with such brilliant minds as Kegen, and such capable hunters as Korkuten.

The Khagan then decided to attack his neighbor, the Khagan of the Yabguids, and assembled his men for war.

Basarab then led his men, successfully sieging the city of Atal, and chasing the Yabguid Khagan into Kipchak territory

But alas, victory eluded Basarab, and he had lost many capable men.
What he did gain that day, however, was an unlikely friend: Ertugrul, an enemy commander whom he defeated in duel, now sent him words of praise.

Basarab, however, was still reeling from the loss, and when met with the kind words of Ertugrul, he thought they were written with a malicious intent; that when they became friends he would be betrayed, and so he became increasingly suspicious of all things.

He later managed to capture Ertugrul in battle, and he put him in his dungeons, but treated him well.

Basarab, encouraged by this minor victory, set pursuit to the enemy army, despite his commanders protests.
What followed was another defeat, and more capable men killed.

It was then, that hearing of the Pecheneg weakness, that Oshi, the Khagan of Bashkiria, decided to attack.

Now faced with a war on two fronts, Basarab decided to hire Turkoman mercenaries, much to the relief of his Marshal.

He then led his army to a battle, winning it with ease due to his advantage in numbers. However, during the fighting, a spear was lunged in the Khagan's face, disfiguring it, and forcing him to wear a mask.

He then told his men to rest from the victory, and went to be treated by his personal physician.

 

[mrmagicman2287]

Chapter 2: Enemies at every corner
After somewhat recovering from his injuries, and letting his men rest a while, Basarab continued leading onwards, securing a series of victories against his enemies with his newfound numbers advantage.

But alas, this success would not last, as his coffers emptied and the mercenaries abandoned him in search of gold.

Now destitute, Basarab raised what little more men he could muster, and set out, seeking a victory against his enemies.

And a victory he achieved, which proved itself decisive. And so the Yabguids were beaten, and the war was nearly won. The Pecheneg army celebrated with parades and festivals as they headed home, and Basarab's council started drawing up battle plans.

It was then that Fortune would throw a wrench in the works, as the Pechenegs were attacked from the south by a vassal of the Bajanids.

Invigorated by victory, Basarab led his men southwards, winning a victory and laying siege to the enemy capital. The war seemed to be easily won...

Until the day of the attack came, and the Pechenegs were repulsed. Over half the Pecheneg army died in the assault, and hope seemed to be lost.

 

[mrmagicman2287]

Chapter 3: Cutting Losses
However, this hopelessness would not last. Kostas, proving himself an invaluable ally, sent gifts of gold to the Khagan from his newest raiding campaign. The Khagan then orchestrated a meticulous retreat, his paranoia driving him to make sure there was no chance of being ambushed.

Basarab then used his funds to raise two mercenary armies, though one of them complained about the lack of regular pay and left soon after.

With this massive army, Basarab went on to retake all lost territories, defeating his enemies with ease due to the sheer size of his army.

But just because the victories were easy does not mean the Khagan did not learn more about warfare.

Seeing that their invasion was foiled, both the Bashkirians and the Bajanids sued for white peace soon after, and Basarab tasted victory.

After this, Basarab's paranoia gradually faded, as he conquered his fears just as he conquered his enemies. He returned to the capital a different man, but none could yet discern if it was for better or for worse...

 

[mrmagicman2287]

Chapter 4: Good things come to those who wait
Soon after his return, the Khagan was afflicted with a sickness, later discovered to be food poisoning.

He was bedridden for a few months, while his wife managed the Khaganate as regent.
With the bad news also came good news: The Khatun was pregnant, and Basarab would soon father another child.

Basarab also eventually recovered from his sickness, and went back to manage the horde.

Basarab then cemented his victory over the Yabguids the previous year by declaring himself Khan of all the Oghuz, with much ceremony and celebration.

At around the same time, he started tutoring his son, Teber, on the art of war.

Basarab also saw that his neighbor, the Khagan of Bashkiria, who once surprise attacked him, was in a rough spot, and the Khagan decided to return the favor. He hired mercenaries and declared war.

Soon after leaving with his army, Basarab received news of his wife: she had given birth to a little girl, name Yeldem.

The men celebrated along with their commander, and then went on to win an easy victory against a small Bashkirian army, raising their spirits even more.

The Khagan then decided he wanted a direct confrontation with the Bashkirian Khagan, and his wish was quickly granted as he was ambushed by him. Their armies were even in size, but Basarab managed a victory, and then chased the broken Bashkirians in search of a second, which he easily acquired.

With these defeats, the Bashkirian Khagan realized he had lost, and surrendered soon after, making the Bashkirians a tributary of the Pechenegs.

Basarab then returned home, eager to meet his newborn daughter, and having won the unshakable respect of his army, thus truly cementing his rule.

 

[mrmagicman2287]

Chapter 5: Brave and Foolish
Dwelling on his victory, Basarab became full of himself, convinced he was a great undefeatable conqueror, and prepared his next invasion, a deadly gambit that could bring either complete annihilation or endless glory to the Pechenegs...

Basarab declared his intent to subjugate the entire Caliphate: the recent population booms among the Pechenegs drove him to seek a new home for his people, one built on the blood and bone of his enemies, but his Council beg to differ...

The Bashkirian Khagan, Oshi, considered this a suicide attempt on Basarab's part, but he still played the part of the helpful ally.

Basarab's council was now driven to open discontent and rebellion against the Khagan, which he quelled with a show of force, bringing an army to the capital in what become known as "Basarab's Standoff", there he made a speech to his men on how it was their people's duty to conquer the world.

Basarab then came upon a Sunni healer, preaching the message of the foreign god Allah. Under the laws of the Pechenegs, all apostates are to be burnt at the stake. However, Basarab instead cut a deal with the healer: He would be the Court Physician if he abandoned his evangelical habits.

The Healer took the deal at first, but deceitfully continued spreading his faith, which prompted Basarab to execute him.

Khatun Gunes sent word to her husband: He would soon be graced with yet another child, which strengthened the resolve of the soldiers.
The Pechenegs at first achieved victory after victory against the Caliphate, and Basarab's fighting skill was praised by his men, but this would not last...

Eventually Basarab was notified on his child, he had been blessed with a young daughter, whom he named Gunes after his beloved wife.

But his victories would not last, as he was notified by his scouts of a massive army: 7000 men, headed towards him.
Initially the Khagan tried retreating back to his capital, where he had ordered a retinue be raised, but he was too slow to evade the Muslim army.

As expected, his army was crushed and sent retreating back to the capital, as the Muslims started sieging back all the Pecheneg gains. Basarab now drew up a new plan as he tried to quell mutiny on the road home.

 

[mrmagicman2287]

Chapter 6: Heroic Victory
The Muslims, seeing the retreating Pecheneg armies, immediately chased them and pressed their advantage, winning an easy victory

But Basarab survived, and led the rest of his men to the capital, where they prepared as much they could for the Muslims, building fortifications and recruiting the populace. When the Muslims came...

They were met with a defeat, and one of their commanders had been captured.

The Pechenegs now chased the Muslims into the Northern Steppes, winning victory after victory, capturing enemy commanders.

And when met by the Caliph himself on the battlefield, the Pechenegs won a crushing victory and captured him. With this, the war was won. All of Basarab's wildest dreams had been realized. He was now the strongest ruler in Asia, rivaled only by the Chinese. The Arabs looked on warily at their new overlords, and some plotted in the shadows to restore the Caliphate, but none of that mattered to Basarab. He only cared that he won, and now he was held by his people in the highest regard. With that, he was satisfied, and returned home.

 

[mrmagicman2287]

Chapter 7: The Fourth Fitna
Basarab started to manage his new empire, satisfying his clans with more land and managing his vassals, but under the veil of a total conquest was a rebellious sentiment amongst the people that was just waiting to explode. With Basarab continuing to enforce the Pecheneg law of burning apostates, it all came to a head. This relatively small revolt would be the start of a period of unrest known as the Fourth Fitna.

Basarab did not have enough time before another revolt occured.

Smelling weakness, many petty nobles aspiring for independence banded together against Basarab.

Then, finally mobilizing his army, he declared all rebels were one and the same despite their different goals, and set out with his army, crushing his enemies in battle.

It was then that news arrived from the capital, Korkuten, Basarab's marshal, had been taking bribes and angering the local populace. Basarab decided that he had too much on his plate for now, and would deal with it later.

Then, Basarab made an example out of a captured rebel leader.

He then achieved yet another victory against the rebels.

Before long, more and more rebellions cropped up against Basarab.

Basarab had decided to execute any rebel leaders he could get his hands on, which severely discouraged rebellions.

It was then that the final rebellion would crop up, a Nestorian Christian uprising. Basarab went to meet them head on, winning victory after victory and destroying them, leaving only the petty nobles' independence revolt to deal with.

He then decided to let his weary army rest, and at that moment, he was ambushed and defeated.

However, the nobles would not win, as soon after this, their leader died, ending this war inconclusively.

With that, the Fitna was over. There was still much tension between the Pechenegs, the nobles and the people, but open revolt had been quelled for now. Basarab then moved the capital to Baghdad, and continued managing his empire much as before.

 

[mrmagicman2287]

Chapter 8: Settling Down
Basarab's reign continued to be undermined, and all those who opposed Basarab rallied against him one final time, because this time, for the rebels, it was either total victory or total annihilation. No matter if you were a Christian or a Muslim, a Peasant or a Noble, if you hated Basarab you were invited to support this uprising.

Of course, the uprising was crushed, and that was the true end of the Fitna.

Basarab then went to consult the Ancestors, those who had brought him victory, asking them for their wisdom in these uncertain times. In exchange for their wisdom, Basarab sacrificed the rebel leader to serve the ancestors in the afterlife.

He then personally tended to the education of his son, Teber, in diplomacy.

Finally, Basarab realized that an empire ruled by horsemen could never succeed, and so he abandoned nomadism and settled the Pechenegs as a tribe in the deserts of Arabia. Here he would receive a divine vision that would change the fate of the Pechenegs forever.

 

[mrmagicman2287]

Chapter 9: A Life Well Lived
Basarab was enticed by the sight of a certain woman, a one named Golbaanu, whom he made his concubine. This woman was a Zoroastrian, and would slowly convince him of her faith.

Basarab started teaching his daughter, Yeldem, the art of finance.

Basarab was then convinced of his concubines' zoroastrian religion, converting to it and issuing an imperial edict declaring christianity and islam to be allowed religions, ending the persecution of their followers.

He then reformed the legal system, increasing it's centralization and giving more power to the Khagan.

With this dabbling in politics, Basarab's wit finally showed itself.

News came from Kostas, the old capital was being raided. Without wasting a second, Basarab led his men and crushed the raider army, later counter-raiding them for gold and glory.

On the way, he received news from his wife: She was pregnant yet again, and he would be blessed by Ahura Mazda with yet another child.

Basarab then helped Kostas conquer the Yabguids once and for all, adding them to the now sprawling empire.

While the current capital, Hail, was all well and good, Basarab preferred somewhere closer to the seas, where he could observe trade. He began building up the city of Tithana, planning to one day make it his new capital.

Basarab's wife then concieved, and to his joy, it was a daughter.

Then a series of revolts started, which opened Basarab's eyes: the Fourth Fitna did not end, and it would outlive him, as long as the Arabs and Persians were not used to their masters they would rebel. Before he can give them the carrot, though, he gave them the stick, brutally putting down all rebellions and executing their leaders.

After that was said and done, he went back to continue his son's education. Basarab was now acutely aware that Teber continued to worship Tengri and the Ancestors. Basarab decided to ignore this for now, and planned on demanding conversion when Teber came of age.

Sadly, Basarab would not see that happen, as one day, when he was in the woods with his bodyguard, he was ambushed by a group of highwaymen and killed.

After 15 years of guiding the Pechenegs, Basarab died at the age of 53. He was a military genius, shrewd, tolerant of abrahamic religions, ambitious and proud of himself, having reigned with a mask to cover his disfigured face. For better or for worse, he was dead, and his son Teber succeeded him at the age of 15. Luckily, the regent chosen was none other than Kostas, and Teber could rest easy knowing that until he came of age, the Khaganate was in capable hands.

 

[mrmagicman2287]

Chapter 10: Live Quick, Die Young
The first year of Teber's reign went smoothly under the watchful eye of his regent, Kostas. Teber came of age, and immediately set his eyes upon finishing his father's plans.

He converted to Zoroastrianism, and immediately married, in addition to having a concubine.

He moved the capital to Tithana, where he started building a series of markets. Teber was quite interested in money and finances, and during his reign would pay careful attention to the treasury.

In order to consolidate his power, he sent his mother away to be re-married to a different Khagan.

It was then that the Fitna would rear it's ugly head once again.

Teber's wife became pregnant with his child, ensuring the Tolui dynasty would live beyond him.

He continued drumming up trade in the new capital.

It was then that Teber's concubine also reported bearing his child. Teber was ecstatic

Teber's mood however quickly soured, as his work piled up. He knew his reign would be spent managing the empire rather than achieving victory on the battlefield, but he underestimated the amount of paperwork piling up on him. He thus started a war to consolidate Persia under his rule, hoping to at least see a battle.

Teber's son was born, and he was named Basarab in honor of his mighty grandfather.

Teber's attention was drawn to two things after receiving a message: That his armies had achieved victory, and that his marshall was a corrupt incompetent thug. He declared that corruption would not be tolerated and replaced him with a more loyal man.

The Sunnis launched yet another revolt which was easily crushed.

Teber's son with his concubine was finally born, and he was named after his father.

Teber continued expanding the markets in the capital, making it the main trading hub connecting the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean with a series of roads branching down from Antioch towards the capital.

Then a treacherous vassal revolted against the rightful rule of Teber.

Before Teber could see this revolt through, however, he became bedridden with slow fever. His court physician managed to cure him, but the wounds inflicted upon Teber would eventually kill him. After leading the Pechenegs for only 4 years, Teber had died of his wounds. A Kurultai then elected his youngest son as Teber II, making the young boy their Emperor. May Ahura Mazda have mercy.

 

[mrmagicman2287]

Chapter 11: Power behind the Throne
It did not take long before another Sunni revolt broke out, but by now they were defeated as quickly as they appeared.

The capital finally bore the fruits of Teber I's hard work, it had become the foremost trading center in the Indian Ocean, and a wealthy merchant Patrician class was starting to appear...

Teber II was nicknamed 'The Inquisitor' due to his victory over the rebellion.

But the real inquisitor was Kostas, his regent, by now very old, and a true power behind the Khagan's throne.

By now, the Arabian Empire had officially been renamed to the Pecheneg Empire, altough it had commonly been refered to as such since Basarab's conquests.

It seemed the young Khagan was getting more independent by the day. At first, he was attacked and maimed by some assassins, whom when subjected to torture revealed that they had been paid by Kostas. Before the Khagan could react, however, he met his end in his sleep, leaving his young brother to become Khagan Basarab II.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Here is the family tree so far:

 

[mrmagicman2287]

Chapter 12: All the Khan's horses
The young Basarab II's regent, Kostas, had died at the ripe old age of 53. He would not be missed.

In his place, a man named Abd-al-Malik had been appointed. This man quickly bonded with the Khan, becoming a father figure of his.
Abd-al-Malik educated the young khan in struggle, and managed the empire with an even hand.

The Bashkirian Khagan decided to stop paying tribute to the Empire, calling it weak.

Abd-al-Malik was planning a retaliation, but he unfortunately died before that could happen, depriving the Khan of his father a second time.

In his place they appointed a man named Manuchihr, an expert in politics and a great orator.

The Nestorian minorities in Syria were getting more restless by the day, and it all came to a head with Manuchihr converting their churches into Zoroastrian temples. Several revolts flared up, but they would all be crushed.

As a reward for crushing them, Manuchihr was awarded the Duchy of Balkh, making him a Satrap and cementing him as the new power behind the throne. Thankfully, he proved much more loyal than the last power, telling the Khan that he would happily step down as regent if the Basarab was displeased. Basarab thanked him for his loyalty.

The Khan had been growing more curious by the day, likely due to his regent also having a thirst for knowledge.

Having reached the age of 12, Basarab II was now being tutored in diplomacy by the now quite old Manuchihr.

The Khan's curiosity about the natural world developed into skepticism, driving him to mistrust priests and religion in general, no doubt influenced by his equally cynical regent.

Speaking of his regent, Manuchihr had been accused of embezzling from the Treasury, but no proof was found.

News arrived from the West: hordes of pagans had started pillaging all throughout the West, as far south as Spain. Fear of them was very real in the Khan's court, but the fear eventually died down as these so-called Vikings became the stuff of legends, much like Amazons.

The old regent Manuchihr's sanity appears to have disappeared, as he has become completely insane. He was not replaced, however. Instead, the Khan now directly managed his lands despite being underaged, and left Manuchihr with the now-honorary title of regent.

Two revolts were put down by Manuchihr, earning him accolades in the council.

In the 11th year of his reign, Basarab II came of age. He was a natural at diplomacy. He took a wife. He immediately set his eyes on the City of the World's Desire: Constantinople.

He planned to take Cilicia first, due to its closeness to the border and its naval strategic value.
It was a hard fought war, but it was eventually won. During the war, he would be blessed with a child, and another was on the way by the time it was over.

 

[mrmagicman2287]

Chapter 13: Res Publica
Khagan Basarab II successfully centralized the realm, and then sought for the evolution of the state, for it can't remain a tribal confederation forever.

He thought of a way of pleasing his vassal clans, the ones whom built this empire in the first place, among them the Kani Kara clan, and decided to reform into a republic ran by merchants and gold. He abandoned the nomadic title of Khagan, and now called himself Grand Prince, and all the important clans became Patrician families, forming the Five Families, who advise the Grand Mayor on how best to run the realm.

Soon after this great reform, Basarab would be graced with an heir, named after himself.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry for the short chapter, hopefully I will be able to write longer ones soon, but I didn't want to leave you guys out in the cold.

 

[mrmagicman2287]

Chapter 14: The Conquest of North Africa
On his way back home, Basarab encountered a dog said to be holy to the Zoroastrian faith. He adopted this dog as his own, and it accompanied him as his pet on all his journeys.

The cooks had noticed the Grand Mayor's appetite growing by the day, but dared not question Basarab about it.

Basarab was then alerted to a political situation in Ifriqiya: the old Sultan had died and left many children behind, and one of these boys was now in his court. Basarab's cunning then enabled him to use this child's claim to the African throne as a casus belli, and invaded the kingdom.

On the way there, he was informed that his concubines were pregnant, and children were on the way.

(AUTHOR'S NOTE: I was very surprised to see three pregnancies in a row, I thought the same event fired thrice or something, but no, Basarab apparently is well-endowed in matters of fertility)

He achieved easy victories and before long the Sultanate of Africa was under Pecheneg control.

 

[mrmagicman2287]

Chapter 15: Return of the High Priest
Basarab II was blessed with three children, born only days after one another: One was named Teber, in the honor of the Mayor's brother and father, one was named Tatus, and a daughter was named Mutlu.

The Mayor gave his two newborn sons land, in case the Tolui family lost the election.

It was around this time that the Mayor became more fearless than ever.

Seeing that he was now undisputed Lord over all Persia, Basarab II revived the title of Shahanshah, albeit retaining the Republican laws of the Pecheneg Empire, and then reinstituted the ancient Zoroastrian High Priesthood.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Another short chapter, sorry about that. A bigger chapter will hopefully arrive Tuesday, or in about 4 days. Thanks for your continued support.

 

[mrmagicman2287]

Chapter 16: What is Truth?
Shortly after the re-instatement of the High Priesthood, a Holy Order named the Immortals was founded.

Basarab II sent away one of his courtiers on a diplomatic mission to the Tang Empire.

But so soon after the Zoroastrian believers were finally soothed with their religion's return, they were roused by Manichaeism, an ancient opponent of Zoroastrianism, which had now made itself the new orthodoxy.

In order to rally the believers, the High Priest declared a Great Holy War against the Tengri disbelievers in Armenia, victory would mean that the Pecheneg Empire would now possess access to the highly lucrative Black Sea trade.

Soon after, the diplomatic mission to China had returned with many fascinating tales.

Seeing as how the Great Holy War was quite indecisive, Basarab II was slowly convinced of Manichaeism by local preachers, and after reading their holy book immediately converted. Quickly using the new religion for political gain, he issued anti-heretical decrees and executed political enemies, among them the Zoroastrian High Priest.

The Zoroastrians had fallen from grace as fast as they had risen, but this would definitely not be the end of them. For the Fourth Fitna was not yet over, and the worst was yet to come...