Sardinian Chronicles: Giudicato of AARborea

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SARDINIAN CHRONICLES

I give thanks to God Almighty for freeing me of my captivity, and pray that he give me the strength to commit these words to parchment! The dreadful storm of five days earlier proved too much for the Mahometan pirates to handle, and it appears the good Lord has sent them all to a grisly death beneath the waves. Free at last! Or am I? I was washed ashore on the island of Sardegna, where I was discovered by the retainers of their giudice Marianus and brought to his court - a modest place, with nary a soul around. Upon hearing my tale, the Judge had graciously offered me his hospitality until such a time I saw fit to return to Venice. As luck would have it, his lady wife is of the Dandolos, and has received me with goodwill.

And thus do I find myself among this strange, isolated folk, whose customs and governance still owe much to the Empire of Byzantium. It seems as if only yesterday I had left the Serenissima on board the Falcone, and the memories of the Saracen assault upon our vessel, the slaughter of my shipmates, and the ensuing captivity are vivid in my memory. Who knew all this would come to pass? Who could have dreamed? Yet, the Lord works in mysterious ways, and I am sure He had a reason to place me upon this isle.

To pass the time and maintain the sharpness of my mind, I've decided to keep a chronicle of events transpiring in this land, observe the workings of the court, and record useful knowledge of the Sardinians for the benefit of the people in all Christendom. Signior Mariano has generously provided me with quill, ink and parchment after I informed him of my plans, and has offered me any further assistance I might require. He is, as most rulers are, a vainglorious man, eager to have his deeds recorded for posterity and celebrated in song for centuries to come. Among his subjects, he is feared and respected. I have found him to be a pleasant man to converse with, a man of obviously good breeding, possessed of a keen intellect, and particularly interested in matters of trade and commerce, in which he is reputed to excel. On occasion, however, I have witnessed a darker side of him come to the fore - in his treatment of subordinates he is at times unneccessarily brutal.

It is safe to declare him the most powerful man on the island. Three of the northern giudicatos of the island are now under his command, with only his rivals in the giudicato of Cagliari independent of his rule. He has revealed to me in confidence his grand plans for uniting the whole of Sardegna under his banner, and he appears to have the resources to achieve such a feat. His lady wife is still a young woman of 17 years of age, and has yet to provide him an heir. The giudicato's finances, managed by her, are in good condition, and will continue to improve unless certain misfortunes befall the isle.

I have been granted lodgings in the palace of the giudice, and intend to stay here at least until spring, when it shall be safer to travel by ship.

In the town of Oristano, on December 26th anno Domini 1066,

~ Adriano Marinetti

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Hello all. Long time lurkAAR, first time writAAR here. I hope I'll manage well.

The format will be a sort of chronicle style recounting of important stuff from year to year (well, obviously not every year), written from the perspective of a Venetian shipwrecked on the island. My main goals are:

1. Maintain independence.
2. Unite the island into the Duchy of Sardinia.
3. God willing, eventually claim the crown of Italy.
4. Do some crusading (Tunisia is tantalisingly close).
5. Have fun.

I hope at least someone will find this enjoyable.

Played normal/normal (because I'm not a very good player >_> ) with the DVIP 9.21 mod.

 

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Good luck man.

It is a nice formate you are using I am really interrested in your progress.
*subscribed*

 

[coz1]

Sounds like fun. Welcome to AAR writing and good luck!

 

[General_BT]

This looks interesting - good luck! Hopefully the big German blob breaks up enough that you can snatch the entirety of the island, and the Zirids stay focused closer to home and don't go roving northwards until you're ready...

 

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December 28th, a.D. 1066

An emmissary arrived this morning from the county of Salerno, offering an alliance. Given their precarious position close to the Norman Duke of Apulia - a man with evident appetites for conquest - one understood why they would seek to get as many men by their side as possible. The offer presented an interesting problem for the Giudice. On one hand, he desired to increase the stature of his small fief and bolster its reputation among the Italian states. On the other, he realised that siding with the Salernitans against the impending threat of Norman conquest would likely bring the Sardinians much troubles, and at worst put them under the boot of Robert Guiscard.

Nevertheless, the giudice decided to accept the offer. A modest but pleasant banquet was held in the honour of the Salernitan ambassador, and I was granted the honour of attendance. Also present were certain new additions to the court.

I made the acquaintance of Landone Concini, 37 years of age, a merchant of note who had just been appointed steward of the giudicato's finances, replacing signor Mariano's lady wife. He seemed pleasant enough, but like most men of his - or rather, our trade! - he appeared to me inordinately greedy. Those who knew him spoke of him as a confoundingly complicated man - no one could be certain that he would do in the afternoon what he said in the morning. It is perhaps this characteristic that has brought him such success.

I also had the misfortune of being accosted by a most unpleasant and uncouth fellow named Spinetto Mastropiero. The pits of Hell itself do not have such a cruel tormentor in them! It is not cruelty that makes him so insufferable, but abject stupidity. Lord forgive me for succumbing to rage, but the man deserves no more charitable a description. He is in charge of the giudice's spy ring, and fancies himself an intrepid schemer. In reality, he is the laughing stock of the court, held in his post only because no suitable replacement yet exists. He interrogated me for hours, certain that I was a spy, although he could not say for whom I was spying. Finally the giudice himself ordered him to desist.

All in all, it was a pleasant evening. The quail was delicious, and I noticed a fair lady, the youngest daughter of a local noble.

March 14th, a.D. 1067

News reached us from the Mezzogiorno. War. The Duke of Apulia had declared war on the county of Capua, seeking to add it to his domain. His allies in the Kingdom of France entered the war on his side, out of pure formality. The young King Phillipe had little apparent interest in the region, but the Capuans would certainly be discouraged by the declaration. The Count of Capua had a military alliance with the Slavic Duke of Rashka, who was likely alarmed by the possibility of the de Hautevilles extending their demesne to the other side of the Adriatic as well. Still, he wisely chose to stay aside.

Our allies the Salernitans remained safe, for now at least.

April 21st, a.D. 1067

Around a month after they declared war, the French arranged a peace treaty with the Capuans, withdrawing from the conflict in return for 2100 ducats in gold.

As for myself, I have decided to forego my return home. The island has charmed me - specifically, one of its denizens. Sweet Maria! I have been smitten thoroughly, and have begun courting the lady with her father's permission. God willing, I shall spend the rest of my life on Sardinia.

July 25th, a.D. 1067

A well-off exile from Capua arrived at court today, pledging allegiance to the giudice in return for a small appanage of land. He introduced himself as Candido Tittoni, and stated he fled before the Norman onslaught. That fool Mastropiero once more began his ramblings of fiendish plots and espionage, but was ignored by the giudice, who granted the fellow 700 ducats and appointed him marshal of the realm, despite his lack of military prowess. He appears a man concerned primarily with his own survival and prosperity, as evidenced by his cowardly flight from danger, but overall a decent and competent courtier.

October 14th, a.D. 1067

The war in Capua ended with a triumph of Robert Guiscard, as was expected. The Count of Capua surrendered his claim to his title and withdrew to exile.

November 12th, a.D. 1067

Fortunate news! The whole court was assembled this morning for a happy announcement: Lady Margherita Dandolo, wife of the giudice Mariano I, is with child! Signor Mariano is thrilled with the news, and prayed several times today for a male child.

August 7th, a.D. 1068

A day of celebration was declared to honour the birth of the giudice's son and heir, Davide. I played a game of chess with signior Mariano this afternoon. He was so happy with the news that he was not at all upset with the fact I defeated him. The future of the Torchitorio dynasty was safe, for now at least. I pray that the Lord grants the babe good health and a long life.

August 14th, a.D. 1068

The Duke of Apulia declared war on the Principality of Salerno - our allies in the county of Salerno were still spared of the Norman's wrath. All points to another victory for Guiscard and his host.

January 25th, a.D. 1069

Alarming news have reached us. The conte of Corsica, Alberto Rufo of the famiglia Obertenghi, has declared war upon the giudicato of Cagliari. The count has a claim to the lands in the south of Sardinia, and has finally decided to assert this claim by force of arms. I had inquired with the giudice whether Arborea would get involved in the war to defend their neighbors from encroachment, but he simply laughed. It was explained to me later by signor Concini that the giudicatos were independent and not on the best of terms. Also, I was told, signor Mariano was in fact biding his time, waiting for an appropriate opportunity to strike. Despite his power on the isle, he had no claim to either Cagliari or the lands in Corsica, and thus saw for himself no real advantage in siding with either of the warring counts.

Nevertheless, tension is in the air at court, and our Chancellor observes the situation intently.

March 24th, a.D. 1069

The war in Salerno ended, with the Greek princes of Naples forced to yield their claim to the title of Count of Naples to Robert Guiscard. Meanwhile, I am pleased to record this day as the date of my wedding to Maria.

April 24th, a.D. 1069

Nary a month after one war ended, another has begun. The Duchy of Toscana has declared war on the Kingdom of Germany, seeking no doubt to rid the north of Italy of the authority of Enrico. Their allies in the Byzantine Empire could have conceivably helped them in this risky endeavour, but news come from the east of uprisings and insurgencies across the crumbling empire, which the Emperor of Constantinople shall be busy crushing for some time. Time alone will tell if the Duchess' gambit shall pay.

May 10th, a.D. 1069

The Corsicans landed near Cagliari today with 650 men, led by their conte. Torcotore of Cagliari rode out to meet them in battle at the head of his own retainers, numbering 450 all in all, hoping no doubt to strike a quick and decisive victory against Obertenghi rather than suffer a protracted siege. The armies have clashed on a field near the town, but no news of the victor reaches us yet. Giudice Mariano keeps his troops at the ready, in case the conflict spreads north.

June 20th, a.D. 1069

Cagliari has withdrawn north to lick his wounds after a crushing defeat. Giudice Mariano has granted him passage, but to the southern giudice's chagrin has refused to offer any aid or intervene on his side. Over half of his troops had fallen on the battlefield, but he refuses to surrender, and plans to launch a counterattack to break the siege of Cagliari. I must admit I doubt his chances. The odds, numerical and otherwise, are heavily against him, and only an act of God could save them now.

Maria is with child. I pray that it is healthy, and preferably a boy.

October 14th, a.D. 1069

The count of Cagliari lies beaten and shamed, having been forced to surrender his fief to the Obertenghi count of Corsica. His armies have been crushed and scattered to the four winds, and we now have a new neighbor. God only knows if this victory has sated count Alberto's thirst for glory. Are we next?

Giudice Mariano has told me not to worry, assuring me with typical bluster that we would crush the Corsicans utterly.

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Yay, people are reading. Anyways, just a comment regarding money: I've decided to add a couple of zeroes to the money sums in-game, to make them look more realistic. So, if you see 2100 ducats, that's 21. Just in case someone went "whuh?!" at that bit. Update numero due coming in a few hours - it's going to be more interesting than this one.

 

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February 1st, a.D. 1070

The education of little Davide Torchitorio has been entrusted to a group of Camaldolese monks who have recently arrived from Lombardy and set up a small community on the island. After much cajoling and flattery by Brother Arnulfo of the monks, the giudice was persuaded that an education by the monks shall adequately prepare the boy for governance in the future, teaching him both virtue and knowledge required for successful statecraft. While he fears the monks will make the boy too meek for the task of governing the giudicato, he is aware that the finest education on the isle is to be had with the church, and that few men of his court circle are capable enough to be entrusted with the task.

My beloved wife is still healthy and well, and is due next month. I pray to Saint Catherine daily that the child arrive to the world alive and healthy.

February 23rd, a.D. 1070

A most curious event happened today.

Along with the giudice and several notable men of court, I attended a festival held in Cagliari by the count of Corsica to celebrate his son's birthday and his victory in last year's war. All enjoyed much drinks and merriment, and the finest knights and barons of both sides engaged in dazzling displays of martial prowess. It almost seemed, as our chancellor suggested, that the magnificent feast was organised to better relations between the two rulers. Then, however, count Alberto insulted the giudice terribly. After having imbibed a few cups of wine too many, he spoke with contempt of Sardinian soldiers, calling them cowardly dogs, and mockingly promised to signor Mariano that he would meet the same end as Torcatoro.

The giudice was incensed at this outrageous provocation, nearly coming to blows with the arrogant Corsican conte. Swearing revenge, he asserted a claim to the county of Corsica, and stormed out furiously along with his entourage.

We set off for Arborea that afternoon, and during the ride I pondered what would happen next. Was the giudice serious about his claim or was it but a rash statement made in wrath? For the duration of the trip home, he was silent.

February 28th, a.D. 1070

War!

The news were brought to me by the Chancellor, lady Margherita. Her husband had spent the last few days brooding and plotting, in consultations with the Marshal, and had finally made his announcement at a morning meeting of the council. We would go to war with the county of Corsica. The giudice had decided to pursue his vendetta against the Count to the bitter end.

All in all, it was not a decision made rashly or without careful consideration. Arborea could field more men at arms than the Corsicans, despite being smaller, as the Corsicans had depleted both their manpower and their finances on their war against Cagliari. Thus weakened, they were ripe for the picking. A swift strike first at Cagliari and then at Corsica itself would surely bring them to their knees, the giudice reasoned.

Our Salernitan allies had pledged their support to us, further improving the odds of triumph in the war. I look upon it all with some trepidation. Should the campaign go wrong, Oristano could find itself under siege. A town under siege was a very dangerous place for an infant. God be with our gallant soldiers.

March 11th, a.D. 1070

Giudice Mariano had yesterday mustered his army, leading a unit of 850 men south towards Cagliari, where he hopes to catch Alberto by surprise and take him prisoner. The province was ravaged by the recent war, so the forces available to the Corsicans in and around Cagliari were scarce. According to scouts, barely over a hundred men rose up to defend the south of the island from Mariano's offensive.

We have the upper hand in numbers, for now.

Other news of war reached our shores today. The Duchy of Toscana was decisively defeated by the King of Germany, and the Duchess forced to relinquish her claim on all her titles as an example to any vassals harbouring rebellious notions.

March 27th, a.D. 1070

What a glorious day this has been! Early in the morning a smiling messenger came from the battlefields of Cagliari, bringing news of our triumph against the Corsicans. Of the 850 men Mariano led to battle, less than 50 had fallen, while the enemy army was wiped out entirely. Cagliari was now under siege, and it was only a matter of time when it would fall into our hands. Alberto Rufo was far from defeated, however, and could still rely on Corsican troops. Spymaster Mastropietro swore on his life that he had 500 men at most, certainly not enough to defeat Mariano's host.

Then, in the afternoon more wonderful news came. Maria gave birth to a healthy baby girl, who we named Vittoria in honour of our people's glorious victory against the Corsican count. I pray that she survives to adulthood without troubles.

April 1st, a.D. 1070

A strange occurence that shall certainly be remembered for generations to come!

This morning the town was alerted by sails on the horizon. The sight had filled many of us with dread. Were the ships Corsican? With the army still besieging Cagliari, the town was defenceless and would easily fall. The townsfolk were not ready to subject themselves to a foreign yoke without resistance, however. A militia was hastily assembled and sent to defend the port. I too was recruited, being now a full-fledged subject of the giudice, given a crude mace and assigned to a group of men. Huddled together, we awaited anxiously the onslaught of the Corsican fleet.

As the ships drew closer, fear gave way to astonishment. It was a strange and beautiful sight. Long ships, their prows elaborately carved in monstrous shapes, slowly sailed into the harbor. Steering them were tall, strong men, fair haired, bearded, and armed to the tooth. Once they disembarked, it became clear that they were not here to conquer.

Language was a barrier initially, but as luck would have it one of the warriors had served in the Byzantine court as a Varangian, and spoke passable Greek. I served as an interpreter, having finally found a use for the lessons of my childhood. It turned out the men were Norse mercenaries seeking plunder and glory, calling themselves the Blades Of The North. They had heard while sailing through the Mediterranean that our island was embroiled in conflict, and saw an opportunity. The Marshal was thrilled with the news, and immediately agreed to pay 2 000 ducats for the services of the Swedes. Our army had a thousand fierce warriors more, thereby effectively sealing the fate of the count of Corsica. The men left for the south that afternoon.

It was surely a sign of God's mercy that he saw fit to send these men to us.

June 10th, a.D. 1070

Our Salernitan allies have landed, joining the siege of Cagliari.

Lady Margherita is with child again, a few weeks after having visited her husband in the camp.

June 15th, a.D. 1070

Alberto Rufo received reinforcements from Corsica - a mere 565 men. They sallied forth in a futile attempt to beat back our forces, who numbered over 3 000 combined. Messengers assure us of swift and decisive victory.

June 28th, a.D. 1070

Alas, it seems that his numerical supremacy has made the giudice far too arrogant for his own good. The talk of the town today was a story told by a wounded soldier returning from the battlefields of Cagliari. He was one of the men the giudice recklessly led in an ill-thought out military manouvre. During a skirmish with Corsican troops, a portion of count Alberto's troops had fled the battlefield. Mariano, who led a small detachment of cavalry troops, foolishly gave the order to pursue them. By the time they caught up with the fleeing peasants and slaughtered them to the last man, the main part of the army had suffered a humiliating defeat despite superior numbers. He had obviously not head of the proverb: "A nemico che fugge, ponti d'oro". Had he engaged in a flanking assault, perhaps the battle would have been won. Now, 80 men lie dead due to his incompetence. Perhaps he is not cut out for a grand military leader.

Nevertheless, it is unlikely that this minor setback will affect the course of the war. We march on to certain victory.

July 1st, a.D. 1070

After two weeks of sorties and skirmishes, the enemy has been decisively defeated, having lost over half of his men. Our losses amount to a paltry 100 men - barely a dent in our 3 thousand strong force. The surviving Corsicans have once more withdrawn behind Cagliari's city walls, and stubbornly resist the besieging army of the giudice and the Salernitan count Gisulfo.

July 29th, a.D. 1070

A messenger arrived this morning, bearing happy news. The Cagliari garrison has finally surrendered. Alberto Rufo has avoided capture, fleeing from the town onboard a cog with a handful of his troops. An important battle has been won, but the war still rages on.

August 9th, a.D. 1070

At a meeting with the curators of the giudicato of Cagliari, signor Mariano has declared himself the rightful giudice of Cagliari as well. All the men assembled acknowledged his claim over the region, making him the de jure as well as de facto ruler of the giudicato. Count Alberto still hasn't yielded his claims, however, but signor Mariano now has another demand to place on the table during peace negotiations.

August 29th, a.D. 1070

The ravages of war are being felt by more and more people, despite the successes we have had in the past months. Prices of food have begun to increase, and many fields lie unused, as many able-bodied men were taken into battle. Further, the absence of the giudice, who in normal times kept his underlings in check through shrewd management and occasional threats, has led to rumblings of discontent. The curators and governors of the villas, no longer feeling as constrained by central authority, have begun to act far more independently than before. Rumours of abuses and corruption spread through town.

The finances of the giudicato are suffering greatly. Signor Concini has told me of the dismal state of the treasury. To finance the war effort, he has had to borrow money from foreign moneylenders to the tune of 3 900 ducats. While the situation is difficult, he assures me that the debt will be repaid in full without undue stress on the people, especially if the giudice succeeds in his plan to bring the whole of both Corsica and Sardinia under his rule.

October 30th, a.D. 1070

Giudice Mariano has landed on Corsica with about 1 500 men, and has laid siege to the town of Ajaccio. As for count Alberto, he is on the verge of a crushing defeat, with both the communes of the north of his isle and the barons of the south refusing to rally to his banner. Victory is imminent.

March 10th, a.D. 1071

A tragic day. Lady Margherita went into labour this morning, and despite the best efforts of the midwives she died during childbirth. The child died with her. Word of this has yet to reach the giudice, who is still in Corsica.

A day of mourning has been declared.

April 12th, a.D. 1071

Ajaccio has fallen! The count of Corsica has been taken prisoner, and forced to renounce all his titles in favour of giudice Mariano. Signor Mariano has achieved a magnificent victory, gaining more than he had hoped for. Both the isles now recognise him as their rightful ruler, at least officially. The death of his wife shall surely dampen his spirits a bit, but he shall rightly be pleased with himself. Signor Concini has said that the giudice will likely look to claim for himself the title of Duke, but that is still a long way away.

The conquest of Corsica has brought as many problems as it has advantages. His demesne now spans two islands, and will be far more of a challenge to successfully manage than the provincial giudicato of Arborea had been. The treasury has been bled dry by the war, and the state has accumulated a massive debt of 14 000 ducats. Most of the taxes received from his new possessions would have to go towards repaying the debts to foreign moneylenders and paying off the arrears to soldiers and sailors.

Further, even though the victory has made him the talk of courts from Genoa to Napoli, it shall surely make him notorious and seen as a threat to the established order. The Obertenghis are influential in Genoa and Pisa, and will surely not take the dislodgement of one of their cousins lightly. The maritime republics had definite interest in the strategically placed island of Sardinia, which is perfectly placed to control the shipping routes. The Pope too is said to have an interest in the isles.

All in all, giudice Mariano has made himself a man to be reckoned with, but only time will tell whether he can preserve his gains and build on them to achieve true greatness for his bloodline.

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Okay... I kinda feel I'm going to burn myself out if I keep the writing this detailed, so I'll make future updates just a general recap of important events in the span of two or more years. Also, I'll try to have more pictures.

Comments and criticism are welcome, requested even.

 

[Enewald]

I like the story, but maybe there might be a little too much information for a short time period?
And if you continue writing this way, you won't make it for long.
But I like this aar.

 

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Enewald: Very good point, that. There's certainly far too much unneccessary detail, and I've realised myself that it's impossible to keep writing at this level of detail for much longer. Further, after having read up on actual Medieval chronicles, I realised they're not exactly broad and all-encompassing themselves. Sometimes the entry for one whole year is just "Such-and-So died". Of course, I'll not go to that extreme myself, but the diary style is going to be transformed into a more summary-like annals style, with updates coming in 5 year chunks.

Graphically, I'm hoping to add at least a couple screenshots every once in a while, to break up the monotony.

Also, I'd like to assure my imaginary readers that a fresh update is coming soon.

 

[Enewald]

Imaginary reader: yay! a update coming!

 

[General_BT]

Considering the momentous nature of the events - the taking of Corsica and the rest of Sardinia, I personally thought the detail was warranted, and I fully enjoyed the little asides the narrator left to his personal life. You can go with this style, but it'll be a long, hard haul. Really good, nonetheless.

So the guidice now rules Corsica and Sardinia, but has a rather bad reputation amongst the courts of Europe. I assume claiming the Duchy of Sardinia is next... after that though... where will Mariano cast his greedy eyes?

 

[unmerged(65423)]

Great story, i want to now more!

 

[Veldmaarschalk]

A really good AAR so far, don't worry to much about being to detailistic. I know you won't be able to keep this up for the entire campaign, but that is not really important.

It is clear that you enjoy writing this way and that is what counts and it really shows how good a game like CK is.

Keep up the good work

 

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Il Giornale di Adriano Marinetti:

June 1st, a.D. 1071

The giudice visited me today, inquiring of my progress on the chronicles I had said I was writing to honour him. What embarassment! I was forced to admit to myself and signor Mariano a bitter and uncomfortable truth, so offensive to my vanity and scholarly pretensions, that I had in my five years spent upon this isle assembled naught but a disorganised collection of impressions, opinions, portraits and gathered rumours. Thankfully, he did not ask to read them, or I would have surely been banished from these shores, or even beheaded for insulting him. Indeed, in these pages I have called him a cruel, selfish and reckless man, and few rulers appreciate an honest appraisal of their person. I had been granted hospitality in his court precisely because he wished me to write a fawning chronicle of his deeds, not out of the goodness of his heart, and if I am to remain in his good graces, I should best put my quill to parchment and produce one.

This diary I shall continue to use, and on its pages commit my private thoughts and true portrayals of life at the giudice's court. On the official Chronica I shall begin work tomorrow, hopefully writing a summary of events which have transpired in the past years in a manner that will be concise, informative, and pleasing to the vanity of the Giudice.

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Thanks to everyone for the words of encouragement, I highly appreciate it. Anyway, I've figured out how to do the format. It'll basically be two concurrent narratives. One the official Chronica Sardiniae, giving a summarised account of important events in the realm and beyond it, and delivered in five year installments. The other will be periodic excerpts from the personal diary of signor Marinetti, portraying the events transpiring in a more honest manner, and revealing certain things that would be out of place in a formal chronicle, like relations between characters and bits of his personal life. That way I can have a satisfactory level of detail when neccessary, but not get lost in tedious minutiae. Brilliant, no?

 

[General_BT]

Sounds like an excellent compromise. Looking forward to it!

 

[Enewald]

Brilliant, yes!

 

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Chronica Sardiniae

CHRONICA SARDINIAE

ANNO DOMINI MLXXI

The war between the Giudicato of Arborea and the County of Corsica ended in a glorious triumph for Giudice Mariano, who claimed as the spoils of victory the titles of Count of Corsica and Giudice of Cagliari, thus uniting the whole of Sardinia and Corsica under his banner. Alberto Rufo fled to shameful exile in the lands of the King of England, having been forced to renounce all claims to land on either island. Victory came at a cost of many lives and many thousands of ducats in gold. The people were weary of war and its burdens, and some of the giudice's new Corsican subjects refused to acknowledge his lordship over the island. The treasury was empty, and the war debt large. Nonetheless, the land was now united and at peace, and things began to slowly but surely improve.

The giudice's wife, lady Margherita Dandolo, died in childbirth in March while her husband was campaigning near Ajaccio, and her child died as well. After two months of mourning, signor Mariano set out to marry anew, so that the future of his dynasty may be secured if some evil should befall his firstborn son and heir, Davide. Emissaries were dispatched to all the courts of Italy, seeking a woman of good character and still in child-bearing years. On the 28th of June, the giudice married Lucia Malatesta, a woman of 29 years who had previously served as Chancellor to the Bishop of Nice, and was granted the same position in the giudice's court as well. Her dowry of 5 100 ducats was a blessing, and went immediately to pay off a portion of the war debt.

Branislaus von Rendsburg, a Wendish priest exiled from his faraway homeland in the north by his pagan tribesmen, arrived at court, whereupon he was made bishop of Sardinia.

King Henry of Germany, Italy, and Burgundy has died, leaving his three year old son to inherit the throne of his crumbling empire, torn asunder by vassals seeking to break free of regal oversight or to claim the crown of Germany for themselves. In those parts of Italy which are either vassals or fiefs of the German king many are rising up in rebellion, taking advantage of the infant king's inability to govern.

Our own land was at peace, governed wisely by the Giudice and prospering more with every passing day.

ANNO DOMINI MLXXII

Mariano Giudice of Arborea, Cagliari, and Corsica sent a delegation to the Pope, suggesting the Church threaten with excommunication the rebels in the north of Corsica who defied his authority. The negotiations proved fruitless.

Life continued as usual, with the land recovering from the consequences of warfare. The burden of debt accumulated in the past two years was significantly reduced through the shrewd management of the Steward Concini. Nearly 4 800 ducats were collected in taxes over the year.

Naught else of note happened.

The war in Germany continued with relentless intensity.

ANNO DOMINI MLXXIII

In December of this year Dietmar King of Germany yielded his crown to Heinrich Archbishop of Franconia, who styled himself henceforth as Cardinal of Germany. The child King and the few men still loyal to him as rightful heir withdrew to the town of Brescia, where he continued to rule as King of Burgundy and Italy, but a handful of nobles still allied to his cause. The Duchies of Swabia, Carinthia, Holland, Upper Lorraine, Provence, and Osterreich no longer acknowledged the King of Germany as their liege.

In Sardinia there is peace, and in the northern communes of Corsica still rebellion and strife.

ANNO DOMINI MLXXIV

In January of this year young Davide Torchitorio, heir to the giudice, ended his stay with the Camaldolese monks and continued education at court.

On the isle of Corsica, the giudice has ordered the clearing of forests and claiming of new land for crops and settlements, which has greatly increased the prosperity and happiness of its inhabitants. Nevertheless, some ungrateful and savage men continue to live as rebels and outlaws in the hills and forests, flaunting the rightful authority of signor Mariano. In October a large band of these villeins was caught and brought to justice in Ajaccio, where they were disemboweled and quartered before the giudice himself. Their bodies were later gibbeted on the city walls and by paths in the countryside, as a reminder to all of the penalties of treason.

ANNO DOMINI MLXXV

Spinetto Mastropietro was replaced as the giudice's Spymaster by a new arrival, one Lealdo Ruffo of Corsica, and marshal Tittone was replaced by signor Pellegrino di San Bonifazio of Oristano. Another new arrival at Court is a Genoese merchant named Chiaffredo Grimaldi.

On the 4th of August, all the curators of Sardinia and barons of Corsica convened at a ceremony held in Cagliari, where Mariano Torchitorio giudice of Arborea and Cagliari and count of Corsica read an epistle from the Holy See that recognised him as the rightful Dux Sardiniae. There was much cheering and thunderous applause, and all the men assembled swore fealty to him as Duke.

In October a lady in waiting to Duchess Lucia gave birth to a boy named Matteo, who she claimed was the bastard son of signor Mariano. While lesser men would have avoided the consequences of their sins, the Duke, a generous and honest man, acknowledged the child as his and provided funds for the boy's upkeep and education.

ANNO DOMINI MLXXVI

Pope Alexander II died, succeeded by his nephew Anselmo of Lucca, who has taken the name Gregory VII.

The Duchy continues to thrive in peace, with only some stubborn communes in the north of Corsica continually refusing to acknowledge the authority of Duke Mariano. He continues to hold the vast majority of his fief under firm control, and enjoys the love and respect of many of his subjects. Good governance has made the land stable, prosperous, free and strong, capable of withstanding all adversaries both internal and external.

In September, having found the burdens of his office too much to bear, Lealdo Ruffo was replaced as Spymaster by Chiaffredo Grimaldi.

In October came the call for a great Crusade against the infidels, the object of which is the liberation of the city of Antiochia from the hands of the Seljuk Turks. It remains to be seen whether Sardinia shall strike against the Moors as well.

Elsewhere, wars continues to rage in Byzantium, while the German archbishop Heinrich has succeeded in bringing some former vassals of the Crown under his rule, and has made peace with others. The boy-King Dietmar of Germany has deposed the rebellious count-bishop of Valais, moving his court to that province, from which he reigns as King of Burgundy. In Italy he is derisively known as the King of Brescia, after the sole possession he has left on the peninsula. Only the count of Ancona remains faithful to him, all the others having either switched allegiances to the King-Cardinal of Germany or declared independence.

=======================================================

That's the first part. Basically, nada happendidos. I've had to pay off the war debt and gather cash to build some improvements, so no exciting stuff this update. The diary excerpts will hopefully be posted up later this evening, offering more detail into the situation.

 

[Veldmaarschalk]

nada happendidos.

still a nice update


and I notice that in your game, the son of Heinrich von Franken is also named Dietmar. A thing that seems the case in all my games

 

[unmerged(96639)]

From the diaries of Adriano Marinetti:


June 24th, a.D. 1071

I had a chat with our new bishop today - what an odd fellow! He is, as far as I've gathered from his halting and broken Latin, a native of Mecklenburg, far in the north of Germany. He was converted to the true faith only recently, but found little audience for his preaching amongst his compatriots, who banished him from their lands. A stern fellow, as harsh and cold in character as the land whence he hails, he is completely absorbed in his calling as a priest, and displays little interest in any other line of service.

June 28th, a.D. 1071

The giudice has remarried, taking as his second spouse one Lucia Malatesta. She is a lady of no great beauty, but upstanding in character and well-educated - surely she shall be a fitting mother to the giudice's sons, and a worthy successor to the late signora Margherita in managing affairs of state. The ceremony was hardly lavish, but then one could not have expected luxury in times of contrition, when paying our debts remains a top priority.

I spoke to Concini, who was quite pleased with the lady's dowry. It came at quite an opportune moment, as he had been hounded in the past few days by a group of creditors from Toscana.

October 28th, a.D. 1074

Sweet Jesus what savagery! I was forced by the giudice to bear witness to an act of cruelty befitting only the bloodthirsty pagan Emperors of old, not the ruler of a Christian land, and further forced to extol it in my chronicle as an act of wisdom and justice! God forgive me!

The stubborn Corsican peasants continue to fight the giudice's authority, hiding in the many forests and hills of the island. A group of peasants from some village near Corte was apprehended by a local loyalist baron on rather flimsy grounds and brought in chains to Ajaccio, where the giudice was making one of his regular visits. Upon hearing of the arrest of the peasants, he saw in it an opportunity to demonstrate his might to the people. The poor souls were brought to the town square, where they were hastily sentenced to death and disemboweled fully conscious. The giudice observed the spectacle with evident glee, enjoying the horrid shrieks of the dying peasants and ignoring the pleas of the gathered mass of townsfolk for mercy.

The bodies of these unfortunates, or what was left of them, were exhibited around the town and in the village as a warning to rebels, but it is not likely that this massacre shall serve to put an end to the rebellion. If anything, it shall give the rebels additional strength and will to struggle against a ruler now seen as a tyrant by many of his subjects. God help us.

June 3rd, a.D. 1075

New arrivals came to the court in recent days.

Signor Chiaffredo Grimaldi, a native of Genoa, came to Sardinia to seek employment in the giudice's service, thinking that his abilities would be better appreciated in a poor and isolated land than in the Genoan Republic. The giudice respects him, though he has yet to grant him a position in the Council. I spoke with Grimaldi yesterday, and he struck me as erudite, occasionally prone to sophisms and rhetorical excess, but on the whole an honest man. Our conversation occured by chance, after I had by accident spilled a cup of wine over his doublet at a court banquet. He forgave the impasse with a smile.

The other two are scheming, devious men: Pellegrino di San Bonifazio, a Sardinian from Sassari, and Lealdo Ruffo of Ajaccio. I've noticed a large degree of animosity between the two, born no doubt out of competition for the giudice's favour. Both of them have been granted positions in the Council, with Ruffo finally replacing the incompetent Mastropiero. This fact alone was enough to endear him to me - whatever his faults, he cannot be as bad as that wretch.

August 4th, a.D. 1075

It took a bribe of 10 000 ducats to the Pope, but the giudice is now officially Marianus I Dei Gratia Dux Sardiniae, the rightful ruler of these isles. Of course, the Pisans and Genoans have not abandoned their claims, and will eventually seek to assert them forcefully, but the Duke is now ready to face them. As he is now a Duke rather than a mere upstart count with ambitions for expansion, he is taken far more seriously both within and without Sardinia. His grasp on the machinery of government is likely to become more secure and far-reaching in the coming months. Perhaps even the Corsicans shall lay down their arms.

The court is to be moved to Cagliari, more prosperous than the north of Sardinia. Maria is not thrilled about a move, but since most of the notables - and that includes her closest companions, the sisters, wives and daughters of the island's most powerful men - shall be following the Duke southward it shall not pose her a great problem. She is with child again, God bless her, but I am assured by a court physician that she may freely travel in this early period of pregnancy.

October 29th, a.D. 1075

The birth of a bastard child of the Duke is the talk of court lately, with everyone busily wondering whether he shall acknowledge the boy as his natural son. The question of whether the boy really is his son is not even asked, as all had seen the Duke make lewd advances at the girl who bore his bastard at a banquet in February, and afterwards retire with her to his chambers. Signor Mariano is said to be furious, but eager to keep the situation from complicating further. He shall most likely grudgingly accept the boy, and perhaps lock him up in a monastery once he reaches a certain age, to keep him out of the way.

His wife merely sighs and tolerates it stoically. Rumour has it she too has not been completely faithful to her husband, though she fulfills her marital duties regularly and dilligently.

April 14th, a.D. 1076

Maria has given birth to a healthy boy, who we have named Giulio, after my grandfather. The Duke has graciously agreed to be the godfather of the child.

September 29th, a.D. 1076

Ruffo has been replaced by Grimaldi after complaints of his increasingly erratic behaviour and frequent outbursts of rage reached the Duke. Pellegrino is said to be quite pleased with the news. It is said he was the one who convinced the Duke to remove Ruffo from duty, and his Corsican rival shall likely not let this scheme go unavenged.

 

[General_BT]

I'd say the new style works very well... its great to see the "official" version of events, and then Marinetti's true version. A gracious and honest Duke indeed! :rofl:

 

[Enewald]

Me too likes the new style.