Saint George and the Four Blindfolded Moors - a Sardinian History Book AAR

[Paraipan]

Saint George and the Four Blindfolded Moors

The History of Sardinia in the High Middle Ages under the House of Lacon





​

Prologue​

The Legend of the Sardinian Flag

​

The gallop of the thousand horses, spurred onwards by their Muslim riders, made a hellish noise. Preparing to receive the charge, the brave Sards imagined that the whole island trembled under the hooves of those animals. The Saracens, with their curved swords, held up, parallel with the ground looked like devils for the Sardinian soldiers, most of them being simple peasants. The Muslim charge hit the Sardinian line, making a terrible noise, broke it and retreated.

The Muslim Charge​

In less than a couple of minutes, what was a somewhat organized army, transformed into a mob. The two Sard leadears, Gonario of Arborea and Salusio of Cagliari, were shouting trying to keep their forces together. A second Muslim charge was approaching them. The two leaders managed to hold their army together, but with the same intimidating gallop, the Saracens were advancing again. “Holy Peter!” shouted Salusio just as the Muslim wave was about to hit them. “Open wide the gates of Heaven; many brave Christians are coming soon!” yelled him so loud that the soldiers around him were convinced that from Heaven, Saint Peter heard his cry. Gonario, next to Salusio, grasping his bardiche, was preparing for the imminent clash. Salusio armed with a heavy mace released a final war cry “For Christ!!!” before being hacked down and killed by a Saracen. Gonario, better prepared, implemented his bardiche in the chest of a beautiful brown horse.

Gonario de Lacon and the Saracen​

The rider fell of the dying animal, Gonario rushing to deliver the final blow. Taking out his weapon out of the horse, he saw the fair skin of the Saracen lying on the ground in front of him. “These are not Saracens!” shouted Gonario. “Oh yes they are, sir.” told him an old Sard warrior before splitting the head of an enemy with his axe. “Just that they were born Christians, but took as slaves by the Muslims, who converted them.” continued the warrior who seemed to know some things about his enemies. Gonario, taking another look at his enemies face, wavered a moment just enough for the Muslim to reach for his sword, but, waking up from the moment of hesitation he swinged his bardiche, through his enemy’s neck, down into his chest. Soon the place was swarmed by Saracens.

Gonario, about to lose his confidence, turned his large body around, facing east, to pray to Saint George, the patron saint of warriors. Around him, his army was breaking, the Muslims hacking and slashing the fleeing Sards. Gonario fell on his knees and started praying with his eyes open, watching the waves of the Tyrrhenian. As he started to mumble his prayers, suddenly his deep blue eyes sparkled as he watched the calm sea. Several giant crosses of Saint George were appearing on the horizon, just as if they were rising from the water. “A miracle!” thought Gonario, but soon wooden hulls appeared under the giant crosses, drawn on the sails of these ships. The Sard leader finally recognized the crosses. The ones coming from the north-east were proudly displaying the red cross of Saint George, the flag of the Genoese Republic, while the ones approaching from the south-east, drawn on a red background, a white cross, with three spheres on every arm, the coat of arms of the Pisan Republic, recently granted to them by the Pope.

Genovese ship​

Gonario shouted again from the deepest parts of his lungs, “Men, fight on with courage, the Italians are coming! Hold your ground, men!” and lifted himself from his kneeling position, and started hacking Saracens left and right with his heavy bardiche. His brave Sards regrouped around him, fighting for their lives, while one of them was desperately waving a flag with a cross drawn on it, in the direction of the Italian fleet, to let them know, that Christians were still fighting on the island.

The Sards fighting for their lives​

As the Pisans and Genovese were landing, only a handful of Sards were still fighting. The sun was setting over the beautiful landscape of Sardinia, now littered with bodies, mostly Christians. The Italians rushed to the battlefield, relieving the encircled Gonario and his few men. Before the sun had completely set, the Christians had turned the tide of the battle. Gonario, one of the few Sards who survived, had taken four Muslim prisoners after the battle was won. After blindfolding them, the Sard noble, decapitated those four unlucky Saracens with his bloody bardiche. The Genoans, impressed by the courage showed in battle and with the gruesome image of the execution imprinted in their minds, presented Gonario with one of their Saint George’s Cross flag, on which they drawn in each quarter a black blindfolded head, representing the four Moors executed by the Sardinian Giudice, who adopted the flag as his personal coat-of-arms.

Genovese soldiers with the flag of Saint George. In the background, the Papal banner.​

 

[Paraipan]

Hello, guys. If you're reading this, please be aware that this is my first AAR. Although I'm new around here, I have followed AARs for a long time and I always wanted to make one of my own. So, this might not be the best time to post a new AAR, as people are starting school/college, but I couldn't resist anymore and gave in to the urge to write.

Despite the lousy narrative in the prologue, this will be mostly a history book AAR. I've read a few of them around here, and I really liked them. History of the White Eagle II is one of them but there are a few older ones also. The epic Anglo-Prussian AAR or the Last Lombard Prince come to my mind (can't find links, sorry). There are other great AARs I've followed, but these are the ones I've read most recently.

As you might have figured it out by now, this AAR will be about Sardinia and it's rulling house "de Lacon". I have changed the name of the "Torchitorio" dinasty of Arborea, to "de Lacon", according to some sources I have read abut Mariano I and his two predecessors. The legend in the prologue is totally made up by me, as the four moors head flag was in fact adopted by the Aragonese, more than 400 years later. But the background of the prologue is historical. The Taifa of Denia invaded Sardinia around 1015 and the Pope started a "proto-crusade" asking the Pisans and Genoans to liberate the island. I will write a more detailed background in the next update to familiarise us in the context of 11th century Sardinia.

About the gameplay, I'm using CK DV with the DVIP mod. Besides the name of the Sardinian house, I've also modded the Serbian Muslims in Spain. I know they were Slavs, but the game produces weird names, like Mihajlo ibn-Ziri, if you leave them Serbian.

I will start as the Count of Arborea, with the goal of becoming Duke of Sardinia. Later on I might mod a Kingdom of Sardinia in the game, but I'm not really sure about that, yet. I will also try to role-play as much as I can, even though I never really managed to do a proper role playing CK game.

Thanks for reading all this (hopefully). Also any kind of comments are welcomed, so please give me your thoughts about this.

 

[loki100]

thats a rather dramatic opening ... looking forward to more

 

[Alfredian]

A good start. Hopefully life will get a little easier for the poor Sards.

 

[Paraipan]

thats a rather dramatic opening ... looking forward to more

Glad you're interested, and thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.

A good start. Hopefully life will get a little easier for the poor Sards.

Thanks. The Sards will see some better times soon. Speaking of which, is "Sard" a correct term in English ? My Office Word kept pointing it as an error, but I really think "Sard/Sards" sounds better than "Sardinian/Sardinians".

Also, Alfredian, sorry for not putting your Exile in the East in my second post. I've read it a few months ago, but I've missed some updates and now I have to catch up. Great story you have there.

 

[Hannibal X]

I read Transylvanian Teutons on alternatehistory.com- quite excellent. And this seems to be in the same vein of quality- can't wait to read more!

 

[Paraipan]

I read Transylvanian Teutons on alternatehistory.com- quite excellent. And this seems to be in the same vein of quality- can't wait to read more!

Thanks a lot. I'm really glad you like my TL on AH.com. Hope you will feel the same about this AAR too.

Edit: The next update will come with a new poster. Hope you will like it.

 

[Paraipan]

Historical Background​

The island of Sardinia, the second biggest island in the Mediterranean, was inhabited since the oldest times, evidence of human activity dating from the Paleolithic and the Neolithic. It was home to the Nuragic civilization, a name derived from the “nuraghi”, round tower-fortresses built by these populations. Some scholars identify these inhabitants of Sardinia with the Shardana, a tribe of the Sea-Peoples, which caused so much unrest in the Mediteranean in the Late Bronze Age.

The Nuraghe Losa near Abbasanta, Sardinia, a fine example of a nuraghi fortress.​

In the Antiquity it became a Phoenician trade post, serving as a refuge for the ships trading as far as Britain or the Atlantic Coast of Africa.

Phoenician trade routes​

Around 500 BC, the island became subject to Carthage, the famous city of Northern Africa, but after more than 260 years of Carthaginian rule, it was annexed by the Romans, as a result of the First Punic War.

Carthage at it's greatest extent​

The Romans began to colonize the island establishing colonies, including Turris Lybissonis (Porto Torres). Although the Phoenicians and Carthaginians often clashed with the Nuragic populations, the Roman conquest of Sardinia marked the end of this old culture.

Roman Empire at it's greatest extent​

However, the Roman administration of the island was often opposed by the remnants of the Nuragic peoples, who retreated to the mountainous heartland. Even though even here the Latin language came to dominate, the Latin civilization did not.

Ruins at Tharros. A settlement founded by the Phoenician traders, the city retained it's importance during Punic, Roman, Vandal and Byzantine rule. From the late 9th century, the city has served as the capital of the Giudicato of Arborea.​

Sardinia remained in Roman hands for almost 700 years, being an important supplier of grain for the city, during this time. The next chapter of the island’s history involves the Vandals. The Vandals were Germanic populations which migrated into North Africa, via Iberia, at the invitation of Boniface, the Roman governor of North Africa. Soon the Vandals rebelled against Roman rule and seized Carthage and Africa for themselves, creating the Vandal Kingdom of North Africa. In 455 AD, a strong Vandal fleet under King Geiseric, on its way to Rome, where the famous Sack of Rome happened, from which the Vandals gained their reputation, occupied Caralis (Cagliari) and other important coastal settlements, claiming Sardinia for themselves.

Vandal Kingdom​

Seventy seven years later Sardinia played again an important role in the history of the Mediterranean. Goddas, a Vandal noble, who was sent to Sardinia to ensure the loyalty of the island, following a coup in the Vandal Kingdom, did exact the opposite rebelling against the new king. Gelimer, the Vandal King, sent the bulk of his army to subdue Sardinia, leaving North Africa undefended. This mistake brought the end of the Vandal Kingdom, as Belisarius, a general of the Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian, overwhelmed North Africa. The Vandal Kingdom conquered, Sardinia returned under Byzantine rule.

Byzantine Empire at it's greatest extent. In purple, the conquests under Justinian.​

The Byzantine reorganized the island, dividing it into districts called “merèie” which were governed by a judge, residing in Caralis, and garrisoned by an army stationed in Forum Traiani (Fordongianus), under the command of a Dux (Duke). The Byzantines also converted the largely pagan island to Christianity. Only the mountainous region of Barbagia remained pagan. In Barbagia towards the end of the 6th century, a short-lived independent principality established itself, returning to the local traditional religions. One of its Princes, the last pagan Prince, was Ospitone, who conducted raids upon the neighboring Christian communities controlled by the Byzantine Dux Zabarda. Being reprimanded by Pope Gregory I (the Great), Ospitone was finally convinced to convert to Christianity, although his followers were not immediately convinced and ostracized their prince for a short time before they themselves converted.



After North Africa was conquered by the Arabs, the former Byzantine governorship of the region retreated to Caralis, after the fall of Carthage in 697 AD. The Arab presence in North Africa led to escalating Moorish and Berber raids on Sardinia (first one documented in 705 AD), forcing the island to rely on itself for defense. After the Muslim conquest of Sicily of 827 AD and 902 AD, communication with Constantinople was practically impossible, scholars inclining that this was the end of Byzantine rule over the island. As early as 864 AD, Pope Nicholas I mentions “the Sardinian Judges”, while a letter by Pope John VIII (reigned 872 AD – 882) mentions the as “Principes” (Princes). The scholarly Emperor Constantine VII, doesn’t list Sardinia as an imperial province in his “De Administrando Imperio”, completed in 952 AD. This suggests Sardinia was no longer considered part of the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantine rule however, left Sardinia with its new form of government, the “Giudicato” ruled by a “Giudice” (literally meaning “Judge”).



Although the position of Judge was hereditary, and were equivalent with other sovereign titles such as “Duke”, the old Roman/Byzantine imperial notion that separated personal title or honor from the state still obtained, the the Giudicato (“judgeship,” essentially, a kingdom) was not regarded as the personal property of the monarch (Giudice), as it was it the mainland European feudal system. Like the imperial systems, the new order also preserved Republican forms, with national assemblies called "corona de logu", although its powers and importance are not well understood by historians. Each Giudicato saw to its own defense, maintained its own laws and administration, and looked after its own foreign and trading affairs. In the tenth century there were five Giudicatos, but the annexation of the Giudicato of Agugliastra by the Giudicato of Cagliari stabilized the number of Giudicatos to four, until the second half of the eleventh century.

The four historical Giudicatos​

In 1015-1016, following the attacks of the Eastern Iberian Taifa of Denia, on Sardinia, the Republics of Pisa and Genoa, which had interests in the island, organized two expeditions against the Muslims. The two Republics, victorious, kept Sardinia in the Christian world, but also kept claims on the island, considering their rightful territory. Sponsored by the Pope, these expeditions were a precursor of the Crusades.

 

[loki100]

nice bit of context ... it must be my celtic roots but I really like narratives based around Islands just off the edge of the supposed main events

 

[Paraipan]

nice bit of context ... it must be my celtic roots but I really like narratives based around Islands just off the edge of the supposed main events

I do too and I probably don't have any Celts in my family tree in the last 2000 years, or so.

 

[Paraipan]

​

The First Recorded Giudices of Arborea, Logudoro and Gallura​

Gonnario I
Giudice of Arborea and Logudoro (until 1038)

​

Gonario Comita de Lacon, was the first recorded Giudice of Arborea. His name, also spelled as Gunther or Gunnar suggests a Germanic origin, possibly Vandal, Burgundian or Lombard. He is said to be the one who asked the Pope for help, against the Muslims. His rule coincided with the Pisan and Genovese expedition to Sardinia, and he is the protagonist of the legend around the Sardinian coat of arms. Before this event his shield displayed a cross and a tower (representing his capital in Torres).

​

Due to the success of the Genovese-Pisan expeditions of 1015-1016 to Sardinia the two Italian maritime Republics started interfering in the political life of the Judgeships, creating their own spheres of influence. He commissioned Pisan builders for the construction of the Basilica of San Gavino, in Porto Torres. The construction continued under his successor, Barisone, but the church was finished during the reign of Mariano I. Gonario was probably also Giudice of Logudoro, and some claim that he was the father of his successor, Barisone.

The Church of San Gavino



Barisone I
Giudice of Arborea (1038 – 1060)
Giudice of Logudoro (1060 – 1065)
Giudice of Gallura (1063 – 1065)

​

Torchitorio (Dorgodorio) Barisone de Lacon, probably inherited only the Giudicato of Arborea from his father, Gonario. He is the first Giudice of whom we have any real knowledge. He was in strong opposition against Pisa and he also brought Western Monasticism to the island, favoring monastic immigration from mainland Italy. In 1060, upon hearing about the death of the Giudice of Logudore, Barisone left his son (or nephew) Mariano, Giudice in Arborea and went to Porto Torres to receive the vacant Judgeship. His wife was Preziosa de Orrubu.

​

In 1063 Barisone asked the Abbot of Monte Cassino to send a group of monks to the island, to take possession of the church of Santa Maria di Bubalis and the church of the Holy Enoch and Elijah, on the top of Monte Santu. Twelve monks were sent to establish the Benedictine rule in Sardinia. Desiderius, the abbot of Montecassino, sent them via Gaeta, with books, relics, and other religious and cultural items.

Abbot Desiderius and Saint Benedict


The Church of Santa Maria di Bubalis


The Church of the Holy Enoch and Elijah, on the top of Monte Santu​

However, determined to maintain a religious monopoly in Sardinia, the Pisan archdiocese attacked the monks at sea, off the Giglio Island, where four monks died. The surviving eight returned to Montecassino. Barisone’s supporters, Pope Alexander II and Godfrey the Bearded, Margrave of Tuscany intervened against his rivals, the Pisans. The Pope excommunicated the attackers, while Godfrey, secured the passage of the monks and their arrival in Sardinia.

Pope Alexander II​

In the same year, Barisone, supported by his son Marianus, expelled the Giudice of Gallura, Constantine, from the island. A member of the Pisan Gheradeschi family, Constantine was a supporter of the Pisans, and it seems he had something to do with the attack on the monks from Montecassino. Barisone took over the Giudicato of Gallura, establishing his rule over the entire Northern half of the island. This was his second rule over Gallura, as he had governed it previously between 1038 and 1050. He constructed the Castle of Monte Acuto and more importantly, he moved the capital of Logudoro from Porto Torres to Ardara, where he will build a castle and the Church of Santa Maria del Regno.

Castle of Monte Acuto and the Church of Santa Maria del Regno​

In 1065, by request, two more monks were sent. Barisone gave them Santa Maria di Bonarcado and Sant'Elia di Montesanto. Later in the year Barisone died, leaving the Giudicatos of Logudoro and Gallura, to his son Mariano (or Marianus in some chronicles), already the Giudice of Arborea. Thus, Mariano, became Giudice of Arborea, Logudoro and Gallura, rulling almost two thirds of the island. The other third was ruled by Torcotore, Giudice of Cagliari, also a supporter of the Gregorian reform of the Papacy. He is said to have lent support to the monks from Montecassino, upon arriving in Sardinia.

The Church of Santa Maria di Bonarcado



Mariano I
Giudice of Arborea (1060 – 1066)
Giudice of Logudoro (1065 – 1066)
Giudice of Gallura (1065 – 1066)

​

Mariano de Lacon, who had ruled Arborea since 1060, saw himself ruler over two other Giudicatos in 1065. In 1066, he adopted the title “Count”, inspired from mainland Europe, to underline the new hereditary and despotic rule of his lands. The Giudicatos of Arborea, Logudoro and Gallura were dissolved, so were their national assemblies, and on Christmas Day 1066, the same day William of Normandy was crowned King of England, Mariano was being made Count of Arborea by Constantino de Castro, the Bishop of Bosa, with the blessing of the Pope, himself.

The Judgeships of Sardinia. From 1065 AD, only the Giudicato of Cagliari, ruled by Torcotore I of Cagliari, wasn't controlled by Mariano I. Due to the royal marriages between the rulers of the Sardinian Judgeships, Mariano and Torcotore were cousins. Torcotore's mother, was the sister of Barisone I.​

 

[Paraipan]

A few notes: This is the last part of the introduction. In the next update the real AAR will start. Also the last update is mostly historical. The only thing differing is the fact that at Barisone's death(several years later than when he dies in this AAR), he splitted his lands between Mariano and his other son Andrew Tanca (Andrea). Mariano received Arborea, while Andrea received Logudoro, instead of giving it all to Mariano. This is actually the point of divergence for this AAR. Also Barisone and Mariano never conquered Gallura, but I needed a backstory to explain how in-game Mariano ended up controlling the northern third of the island.

 

[Pirate Z]

Are you from Sardinia? You seem to know a great deal about it. It's a good AAR BTW, please continue.

 

[Paraipan]

Are you from Sardinia? You seem to know a great deal about it. It's a good AAR BTW, please continue.

No, I'm not from Sardinia, although I could use a real Sardinian around here, to tell me what's good and what's wrong. I just read all I can find about Sardinia on the internet. In English there's not much about Sardinia, but thanks to google translate I can read the Italian sources, which are plenty. Also wikipedia and this site I found googling it called "lamiasardegna.it" are very helpful. The portraits of the rulers are from that site. I'm from Romania, but I always was fascinated by Sardinia, mostly because of it's language. Strangely enough, from what I've saw it's close to Romanian and I find that intriguing. Another resemblence are the "Giudicati". Proto-Romanians also used this kind of government around the same age, the ruler being called "Jude" instead of the Sardinian "Giuighe" (Italian "Giudice") and the state "Judet" instead of "Giuigadu" in Sardinian and "Giudicato" in Italian.

Also, thanks for the praise. I will continue this, the new update might be here today.

 

[Ruwaard]

Nicely written! I'll be following the AAR! Btw Are you using the standard map or the Mappa Regnorum map-mod? In Mappa Regnorum the duchy of Sardinia is divided in Arborea, Cagliari, Gallura and Logoduro, it also adds a duchy of Corsica with the provinces Cardo and Cinarca; and there is a creatable kingdom of Sardinia & Corsica.

 

[Paraipan]

Nicely written! I'll be following the AAR! Btw Are you using the standard map or the Mappa Regnorum map-mod? In Mappa Regnorum the duchy of Sardinia is divided in Arborea, Cagliari, Gallura and Logoduro, it also adds a duchy of Corsica with the provinces Cardo and Cinarca; and there is a creatable kingdom of Sardinia & Corsica.

No, I'm only using DVIP. I've tried Mappa Regnorum, and the map looked great, but the game always crashed after a few years. But I think that was because DVIP was installed over the MR mod, but I never reinstalled it to find out.

 

[Paraipan]

​

Mariano I
Count of Arborea (1066 - 1073)​

​

Part I
It’s good to be Count​

Through the chronicles and writings commissioned by himself, Mariano I de Lacon, is the first Sardinian ruler, of whose life is almost completely documented. Mariano had two brothers, Orzocco and Andrea, whom he appointed to rule in Logudoro and Gallura in his name, while Mariano remained to rule from Tharos.

​

In the early 1067, Mariano arranged marriages for him and his brothers with three daughters of prominent families from mainland Italy. Mariano married Berta Luzzatti, the daughter of a rich merchant from Bologna, Orzocco married Lavinia Moneta, a relative (probably niece) of the Antipope Honorius II, from Parma, while Andrea married Micaela Pico, a Lombard noblewoman from Salerno.

​

Also in January 1067, the valiant Mariano, organizes an expedition against a gang of bandits, that were plaguing the island. He defeats the bandits and condemns them to death by impaling, gaining the reputation of a cruel but valorous ruler.

​

Soon after this event, Mariano is recorded spending a lot of time, with his beautiful, yet childish wife, both riding everyday outside the courtyard, playing games in which Mariano pretended to "hunt" his wife and taking lengthy trips enjoying the natural beauty of the island.

​

At the end of January, Mariano fainted during a hunt. Although in the middle of the winter, Mariano claimed recklessly it was just a heat spell, and the hunt should continue.

​

On the first of May, 1067, in Genoa, Mariano signed an alliance with the Doge of Genoa, Michelangelo Strozzi. The wise, yet cowardly Doge, was considering a rebellion against his overlord, the King of Germany Henry IV. Genoa also had its traditional claims on the islands of Corsica and Sardinia, just as Pisa, and the Doge wanted to discourage any attempt from the Pisans to invade the islands, this being the main reason behind the alliance.

​

In the summer of that year, Mariano enraged some of his knights, who started to consider him a stubborn man. His newly appointed marshal, Artemio Mocenigo, had given his sword to a boy to clean. The boy, trying to hold the heavy sword, dropped it, chipping its blade. The marshal, furious, tried to punish the boy, the smith’s son, but Mariano intervened, ordering Artemio to leave the boy alone. This event made Artemio to resent Mariano as future events will tell.

​

Few months later, the talented Mariano, inspired by the fast approaching Christmas Holyday, started painting the scene of Christ’s birth, on a wall of the party hall. The people at court were amazed when, around Christmas, a beautiful painting of Christ receiving gifts from the Three Kings stood on that wall, considering Mariano a man blessed by God because of his talents.

​

Also around that Christmas, Azzone, Andrea’s son and the first child of the Lacon brothers was born. Berta and Lavinia, Orzocco’s wife, were also expecting to give birth soon. During frequent hunting trips with his neighbor, Torcotore of Cagliari, a strong friendship took roots between the Count of Cagliari and Mariano.

​

In April, the King of Germany seized Pisa, from its rebellious governor, Gentille d’Appiano, but other vassals were starting to show their discontent. Stirred up by the Pope, Germany was soon in civil war.

The major vassals of the German King. In white minor counts, bishops or republics.​

Also in April, the bitter Artemio, the county’s marshal, started an affair with Berta, Mariano’s wife. Mariano decided to keep her under a watchful eye, but in June he started to show stress symptoms because of this.

​

On the eighteenth of July, Mariano’s first son was born, named Onorio by his father, in the honor of the Antipope Honorius II (Cadalous of Parma), a friend of Mariano at that time. Few moths earlier, Marcella, Orzocco’s daughter was born. In August, Antipope Honorius II, who had recently started to show a schizophrenic behaviour, offered Mariano an alliance, but in his letter, without planning it, insulted Mariano, who not knowing about the Antipope’s condition, sent an insulting letter in response, and aligned himself with the Pope in Rome, abandoning Honorius.

​

In December, Mariano signed an alliance with Azzo d’Este, the Duke of Lombardia, who had rebelled too against, Henry IV. In August 1069, Bartolomeo, Mariano’s second son was born.

​

In November 1069, when Mariano was preparing to depart for Corsica, which was under attack from Muslims, he caught his wife committing adultery. If Mariano didn’t took any actions when his wife had an affair with his marshal, this time Mariano caught Berta having sex with the stable boy. Mariano punished them both, Berta and the stable boy, whose name history did not record, where beheaded in front of a large audience in Tharos.

Mariano after Berta's death.​

 

[Pirate Z]

Ouch! Tough love...

 

[loki100]

you mean even despite you riding yourself into the ground .. she still had the energy for adultery?

but ... you need to amend the post I'm afraid. There's a limit of 20 screenshots for each update - what I'd suggest is to combine some of them into a single image (which is how you've laid them out in any case)

 

[Paraipan]

Ouch! Tough love...

Well, what can one do when his wife decides to bonk a smelly kid in a haystack.

you mean even despite you riding yourself into the ground .. she still had the energy for adultery?

That's what you get when you marry a silly 16 year old girl ...

but ... you need to amend the post I'm afraid. There's a limit of 20 screenshots for each update - what I'd suggest is to combine some of them into a single image (which is how you've laid them out in any case)

Sorry about that, I thought the rule doesn't apply to cropped screenshots. Anyway, I will edit the post right now.