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Thank you for the wonderful two-hour voyage and providing the link (subbed). I wonder what surprises that the third hour has for us.
Thank you all for your support and comments in this and in Part 1. I was a little burned out near the end of Part 2( it can be attested to by the rushed storytelling) but I'm glad you kept reading through it and I already see a few of you in the EU4 thread. It should definitely be better as the excitement is back as I dive into a game I know so little about.
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Clearly, I was on hiatus too long.
Attalus had some luck, but the Achaemenids have a realm again!
What was that deed that got the natives kicked out of Kyiv?
What were these "dark arts" that Attalus apparently knew?
How did the Magyars and Pechenegs adopt Islam?
How long did it take for Aleksii's treatise to reach the ears of the Pope and the Muslim states?
RIP Jerusalem.
How did Europa form? Was it just the remnants of Jerusalem's empire in Greece?
Hormazd seems to have been a great conqueror. Restoring the Empire was no small feet...
It's a shame that the (new) Orthodox and Catholics couldn't settle their differences, although it makes perfect sense.
Are Jews also people of the book in Khodan theology? Did they adopt the Sabians from OTL Muslim theology, and, if so, what religion is meant by "Sabianism"?
The Mad King Attalus seems like an interesting character. His reign is probably written about in dramatic novels...
The collapse of central authority is not good.
Given that Ivana was a Zalmoxian, how many followers of that faith remain? Is she just a member of a dying religion?
How theoretical was the Kingdom of Macedonia's fealty to the greater Achaemenid Empire during Kyriake's rule?
Lilyana's role as Mother of the Empire will probably be remembered as a golden age.
The Nizaris founded Rum? That's new.
How much do Carthaginensis and Arabia want revenge on the Achaemenids for destroying their empire in Jerusalem?
How many of the nobles in the Achaemenid Empire followed Zakariyah's decision to reunite with Rome? How did Muslims react to that decision?
When did Rome conquer Sicily?
Honestly, Konstantinos's policies were asking for this alt-Fourth Crusade to happen.
Gerolt was a great ruler.
Latin Epirus was interesting. Is that region part of the new HRE?
The Achaemenid Empire is restored - again. They're like cockroaches.
How powerful will the Ottomans become?
How did Eran form?
How did Hellenism reach Yugra?
Attalus had some luck, but the Achaemenids have a realm again!
What was that deed that got the natives kicked out of Kyiv?
What were these "dark arts" that Attalus apparently knew?
How did the Magyars and Pechenegs adopt Islam?
How long did it take for Aleksii's treatise to reach the ears of the Pope and the Muslim states?
RIP Jerusalem.
How did Europa form? Was it just the remnants of Jerusalem's empire in Greece?
Hormazd seems to have been a great conqueror. Restoring the Empire was no small feet...
It's a shame that the (new) Orthodox and Catholics couldn't settle their differences, although it makes perfect sense.
Are Jews also people of the book in Khodan theology? Did they adopt the Sabians from OTL Muslim theology, and, if so, what religion is meant by "Sabianism"?
The Mad King Attalus seems like an interesting character. His reign is probably written about in dramatic novels...
The collapse of central authority is not good.
Given that Ivana was a Zalmoxian, how many followers of that faith remain? Is she just a member of a dying religion?
How theoretical was the Kingdom of Macedonia's fealty to the greater Achaemenid Empire during Kyriake's rule?
Lilyana's role as Mother of the Empire will probably be remembered as a golden age.
The Nizaris founded Rum? That's new.
How much do Carthaginensis and Arabia want revenge on the Achaemenids for destroying their empire in Jerusalem?
How many of the nobles in the Achaemenid Empire followed Zakariyah's decision to reunite with Rome? How did Muslims react to that decision?
When did Rome conquer Sicily?
Honestly, Konstantinos's policies were asking for this alt-Fourth Crusade to happen.
Gerolt was a great ruler.
Latin Epirus was interesting. Is that region part of the new HRE?
The Achaemenid Empire is restored - again. They're like cockroaches.
How powerful will the Ottomans become?
How did Eran form?
How did Hellenism reach Yugra?
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I'm impressed and grateful for your readthrough and raising of questions. Without further ado, let's get into it:
Attalus had some luck, but the Achaemenids have a realm again!
What was that deed that got the natives kicked out of Kyiv?
The history for the region of Kyiv is difficult to piece together but our best guess is that the initial settlement was Bosporan Greek refugees who fled north when the Spartokide dynasty fell to Muslim Sarmatians in the early 8th century. There are scattered pieces of archaeological evidence to show that they were present in the area for a while but we don't know how or where exactly they were removed to.
What were these "dark arts" that Attalus apparently knew?
There was a darker side to Attalus. He was known to be a skilled torturer, perhaps providing him some knowledge of the human body he used for treating illnesses. He helped the King with the 'care' of his prisoners and built up a network of spies within the kingdom to ensure no rebellion or dissent grew too widespread.
How did the Magyars and Pechenegs adopt Islam?
As the Caliphate established itself, it began to move away from conquest and focused on missionary work. Many tribes were visited by an Ustaz or Imam following the trade caravans and were converted by the desire to curry favour with Medina or to acquire better trade terms. The Pechenegs and Magyars tribes were among them. With the steel traded from the Caliphate, they would subjugate the neighbouring tribes and expand their bases.
How long did it take for Aleksii's treatise to reach the ears of the Pope and the Muslim states?
The earliest copies of the treatise still in existence are from the Vatican which date to about the late 10th century, around the time of the Empire re-establishing itself. The Muslim states probably had earlier access to it. We haven't discussed much about the state of Islam in Anatolia during this period but the great wealth and luxury of Al-Anatolia gave rise to leisure and contemplations of the divine - giving rise to the Sufi schools and their brand of mysticism and esoteric spiritual exploration. Many of them would engage Christian scholars and hermits about the nature of religion and these conversations would influence later Nizari imams. We even have recorded excerpts from Aleksii's treatise in several of the Friday Khutbahs that was shared within Rum during the time of Imam Tigran and Mikael.
RIP Jerusalem.
How did Europa form? Was it just the remnants of Jerusalem's empire in Greece?
Europa is a legacy of the old Greek settlement of Byzantion before the Achaemenids conquered it a millennia ago. After the fall of the Empire and the breakaway state form, it leaned on the old histories for a name, identifying itself as the Kingdom of Europa. As an interesting fact, Achaemedia would become the marker that divides Europe and Asia, growing beyond the old Greek province names they originated from. Any land West of Achaemedia was Europe while anything East of it was Asia by the Middle Ages - thus we have the names for our continents.
Hormazd seems to have been a great conqueror. Restoring the Empire was no small feet...
He was but credit should be given to Nikola II who did much of the work and shepherded the empire through a disastrous plague and brought stability to his grandfather's conquests. Hormazd was capable in his own right but he did benefit from standing on the shoulders of those who came before him.
It's a shame that the (new) Orthodox and Catholics couldn't settle their differences, although it makes perfect sense.
Arising from two different civilisations that spent most of their existence warring with each other. I don't think there was any other way.
Are Jews also people of the book in Khodan theology? Did they adopt the Sabians from OTL Muslim theology, and, if so, what religion is meant by "Sabianism"?
So this is a complex question. While the Khodans recognised the Jews as the God's original chosen, they held to the belief that they lost that divine favour and the act of betraying their saviour counted made the entire race the worst sinners. Jews never received the same status as they did in Muslim lands but were not as oppressed as their brethren in the West. Khodan theology calcified in many ways until The Great Catholic Betrayal. Similar to Islam, they developed a view that the Bible was inviolate and no changes could be made to it. Several clergymen would become medieval Indiana Jones, searching for the oldest extant copies of the Bible or the Gospels in order to get to the original truth. Khodan theology imported ideas from Islam but never accepted the Quran as a holy book - thus there is no Sabians in their scriptures or history.
The Mad King Attalus seems like an interesting character. His reign is probably written about in dramatic novels...
Yes, renaissance era plays would eventuall give rise to modern era operas about his life.
The collapse of central authority is not good.
Given that Ivana was a Zalmoxian, how many followers of that faith remain? Is she just a member of a dying religion?
Not many but some did survive despite the efforts of Christian Kings in Dacia and Thrace to destroy the religion. The Balkans are extremely mountanous and some areas are inaccessible, even to this day. I would not be surprised to discover there's some remnant Zalmoxians in an isolated mountain valley still living to this day.
How theoretical was the Kingdom of Macedonia's fealty to the greater Achaemenid Empire during Kyriake's rule?
Without their standard bearer, Narseh, the Macedonian lords would eventually return to the fold. Luckily for them, Kyriake did not live long enough to punish them for their rebellion and Lilyana was a conciliator.
Lilyana's role as Mother of the Empire will probably be remembered as a golden age.
The Nizaris founded Rum? That's new.
How much do Carthaginensis and Arabia want revenge on the Achaemenids for destroying their empire in Jerusalem?
The Carthaginensis Mihrans would not last long, eventually supplanted by Punic then Roman dynasties. It's hard to say how long institutional memories can last within a family but I'd hazard that the Mihrans would move on to more pressing matters with the Shia threat on their borders. There would be some dream to reclaim Jerusalem but day-to-day, they would attend to the faithful across the Muslim world.
How many of the nobles in the Achaemenid Empire followed Zakariyah's decision to reunite with Rome? How did Muslims react to that decision?
Zakariyah's decision doomed any chance to bring the Byzanstans into the fold. Just as they were getting comfortable with Khodan theology, it gets replaced with a more zealous doctrine. To most Christian lords, they probably viewed themselves as closer to the Catholics than the Muslims and if changing a few words would bring about long term peace, they'd accept it. More than half the Dukes and Counts re-christened themselves as Catholics. The holdouts were in the north in old Bulgaria and the Moldavian lands. Of course, the switch did create a firestorm within the clergy that Zakariyah would be distracted by just as the Nizari threat became imminent.
When did Rome conquer Sicily?
The period from 1150-1250 AD saw Rome recover much of its strength and expand in all directions. The capable Urcebas dynasty would lead them through this golden age and they would eventuall pull Sicily into the Roman orbit after defeating the Norman lords in battle and forcing them to swear allegiance to the Imperator.
Honestly, Konstantinos's policies were asking for this alt-Fourth Crusade to happen.
Reaction leads to reaction to disaster.
Gerolt was a great ruler.
Sometimes, it's better to be Lucky than Great though.
Latin Epirus was interesting. Is that region part of the new HRE?
Yes, Gerolt and his descendants referred to themselves as Batavo-Greeks and they had made Epirus as their homeland. Even to the 15th century, the lands of Epirus and Campania would be unified under the rule of Gerolt's descendants.
The Achaemenid Empire is restored - again. They're like cockroaches.
How powerful will the Ottomans become?
They will dominate Anatolia but their future fate can only learned in the next chapter of the Achaemenid history.
How did Eran form?
How did Hellenism reach Yugra?
I've no idea. Perhaps they are the last surviving Bosporan Greeks who adapted to local culture but held on to their religion?
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After much reading, I have finally caught up with this portion of the mega-campaign. This is quite the sweeping epic. Even if I hadn't checked out of the forums for most of the past quarter or so, I think I would have fallen behind. What is impressive is the depth and posting pace. Quite the history you are telling. And you certainly speedily post updates! Very much enjoy the cultural details you are including along with how you delve into the personalities of the rulers.
I do wonder about a few items though: 1) Did the Turks send an assassin after Emperor Dragoman or did someone else? 2) And if someone else, will we ever learn who? And... 3) Although you have characterized the realm as more of a single state, like Bulgaria, doesn't it still have some of the trappings of empire with holdings in Africa and other parts of Europe? How are those maintained?
Or perhaps my questions will be answered in the EU IV part of the campaign?
Well done. I definitely suggest others jump into this series.
I do wonder about a few items though: 1) Did the Turks send an assassin after Emperor Dragoman or did someone else? 2) And if someone else, will we ever learn who? And... 3) Although you have characterized the realm as more of a single state, like Bulgaria, doesn't it still have some of the trappings of empire with holdings in Africa and other parts of Europe? How are those maintained?
Or perhaps my questions will be answered in the EU IV part of the campaign?
Well done. I definitely suggest others jump into this series.
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Hi Chac, glad you took the time to finish reading and commenting. I've put the EU4 portion on hiatus as I'm not enjoying EU4 that much. There's a little to read but it ends relatively soon. My next AAR is probably something in Vic3 after the next DLC/patch is out as that's my current game of choice.
To your questions:
1) I never checked out who assassinated Dragoman but I'd hazard it was probably either a secret papist within the empire or the van Gaverens. The Turks rarely ventured into such skullduggery.
2) I can't go back into the game after the latest DLC broke all the mods/saves so nope
3) I frame the Achaemenids as Bulgarian in nature with imperial trappings/perspective. Africa was under the rule of a single lord who pledged fealty to the throne but Achaemeniyya was content to take a laissez-faire approach to his dues as the prestige mattered more than the money/men. In later times, I can see it becoming an albatross around the Empire's neck as a distant and difficult-to-defend territory while the more immediate danger threatened them across the Bosphorus. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll play it out to see how it shapes up.
Despite having my mega-campaign tail off in EU4, I hope you enjoyed the story through I:R and CK3.
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I (and I think many others) enjoyed this quite a lot. I'm sorry the save broke. But thank you for attempting it!
Well, this is disappointing. You certainly have a real command of these histories. Yes, enjoyed I:R and CK3. I will go on to read what is available in EU a bit later. Good luck to you!
Wait, is it over? As in over-over?
That was a bummer. I really enjoyed your story.