The Last of the Lombards - Principality of Salerno AAR

[Ultimatum357]

THE LAST OF THE LOMBARDS - Principality of Salerno AAR


INTRODUCTION:​

With the release of CKIII as well as my longrunning interest in AAR's, I have decided to post my very own. Consequently, this also happens to be my first post, mostly because I prefer to lurk, as I previously used this account to purely keep track of things on the forums. My interest in making this AAR is based on mostly just wanting to write down something, and I will admit that it's not unlikely that I will abandon this AAR should my interests be changed, though if people become genuinely invested in this, I will likely continue. For now, it's a simple way of writing down what I experienced in this campaign as well as delving into what I consider a rather interesting historical situation.

PREMISE:​

This AAR takes place during the waning days of the Lombards/Langobards of Italy in 1066. The great Lombard Kingdom of Italy was effectively destroyed by Charlemagne almost 200 years ago, and the last Lombards in Southern Italy are just that, the last of their people. Their culture is at risk of dying out and the remaining Lombard Lords squabble with each other, all the while the Norman invaders are pushing further and further into their lands. The AAR follows the house of Lantpertidi, the rulers of the Principality of Salerno.

OBJECTIVES:

• Preserve the house of Lantpertidi
• Remove the Normans from Italy by any means necessary
• Re-establish Lombard rule over Italy, preferably without swearing fealty to the Holy Roman Empire

Now, even with some of the mods that I will be using for this campaign (Yes, this is a modded AAR) there will historical inaccuracies and historically unaccounted people, such as the hypothetical wife of Gisulf II. I will use historical sources, people and my own headcanon to justify events and quirks in-game. I am open to people's recommendations when it comes to improving the AAR, whether it be via more mods or improving the historical aspect, or anything else people think would be a good addition.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Gisulf II Lantpertidi (1052- )

PROLOGUE
CHAPTER I: Part 1 - 1066-1067
CHAPTER I: Part 2 - 1067-1069
CHAPTER I: Part 3 - 1069-1072

***
​

EDIT: Improved the Introduction, added a number of new parts to the post such as the Table Of Contents

 

[Ultimatum357]

THE LAST OF THE LOMBARDS:

(Gisulf II Lantpertidi, Prince of Salerno)​

Gisulf II of the house of Salerno (more commonly known as the house of Lantpertidi by his vassals) was a man plagued by the past. He, as his ancestors before him, ruled the Principality of Salerno; one of the last realms of the glorious Lombard peoples, the invaders of Italia. His people had once upon a time invaded the prosperous lands of the Romans, after the Goths had first invaded and broke Roman power over Italia. His ancestors advanced slowly and steadily and slowly overtook all of the northern regions, establishing the great kingdom of Lombardia.

Yet, where their great power and wealth allowed the Lombards to usher Italia into a new golden age, it also bred instability, schemes, and skullduggery. Not many Kings reigned long over Lombardia, and those who did often oversaw their own destruction as their heirs were murdered, seduced, and beaten back by the many power-hungry vassals.

By the time Charlemagne and his great Frankish Empire attacked Lombardia, its fate was sealed. The kingdom was absorbed, the Lombard Dukes and Counts all for the most part lost their influence, wealth and power, if they weren't outright stripped of their titles.

By the time of Gisulf II's grandfather, Guaimar III, the Eastern Roman Empire ruled a large chunk of modern-day Sicily, projecting influence over the Lombard rulers in the surrounding lands. Yet it all changed when the Normans first arrived and were hired as mercenaries to help Salerno defend itself from the Saracen pirates. The mercenaries proved skilled but refused a more permanent position as hired mercenaries for Salerno. Yet that was not to be the last of the Normans.

In 1038, the son of Guaimar III, Gisulf's father, Guaimar IV begun to establish Salernitan hegemony over southern Italy, as he allied himself properly with the Holy Roman Emperor at the time, Conrad II. With the Emperor's support, Guaimar IV was given suzerainty over all the other Lombard realms in the region. Additionally, he charged Guaimar IV with conquering Apulia, Calabria, and other surrounding realms. And with the help of the Norman mercenaries, being led by the Noble house of Hauteville, a family that Guaimar established close relations with, the lands were conquered and brought under the rule of Salerno. The lands were bequeathed to the Norman mercenaries directly, but they were all under the rule of Salerno.

(The Principality of Salerno as it existed in Guaimar's time. Guaimar IV extended his suzerainty over the Duchy of Amalfi and Principality of Capua and also over much of the purple-shaded lands belonging to Byzantium.)​

But the rising power of Guaimar IV was cut short when he was assassinated by a coalition of traitors, led by his own wife and her brothers. They aimed to put one of her brothers of the throne, an act in which they succeeded, for a short time until the loyal Normans attacked Salerno. They swiftly captured those responsible, released Gisulf from imprisonment, and brutally executed all those responsible. This act was done out of sheer loyalty according to the Normans, for they held Guaimar IV in high regard.

Some would claim that Guaimar IV's death was justified, for his hegemonic ambitions over southern Italia were reason enough to have him killed. Yet more were repulsed by his actions, for he had allowed the Normans to settle large tracts of land under the suzerainty of the Greeks. They were seen as invaders by many, perhaps rightfully so.

As for Gisulf II? He had seen his father be murdered and his murderers brutally executed by the Normans as justice for their actions when he had only been seventeen. His lands had been reduced to little but Salerno itself and he now bordered the strongest force in southern Italy; Robert de Hauteville, Duke of Apulia as well as his brother-in-law. An alliance was ultimately guaranteed between their realms, but many doubted that it would last, despite the elder Duke's marriage to Gisulf's sister. And with how Robert 'the Fox' viewed him, Gisulf II and his council doubted that the Duke and his Normans held nearly as much respect for the current Prince of Salerno as they did for his father before him.

(Robert 'the Fox' de Hauteville, Duke of Apulia​

By 1066, the Lombards, previous rulers of most of Italia, are weaker than they've ever been. They stand at the precipice of destruction, being bordered by the Holy Roman Empire on one side, and the ambitious Normans on the other. Though Gisulf II is not the strongest of the last of the Lombards, he does harbor the legacy of his great father, and an alliance with the Normans, tenuous as it is.

(Southern Italy, 1066)​

The remaining Lombard realms at this point in time were the Principality of Salerno, Duchy of Benevento (currently under the vassalage of the Pope), and the Duchy of Capue. Directly neighboring Salerno was also the independent Greek controlled County of Neapolis, controlled by Count Sergios Spartenos and his diplomatically inclined brother, Ioannes.

It was quite clear to most that Neapolis would not remain under Greek control for much longer. The lands would be conquered by one of the Lombard realms bordering the County, it was only a question of who would be the quickest to destroy the last remnant of Greek control over Sicily. It was more than clear to Gisulf II that he needed that land far more than any of the others. It was to be his duty to restore Salerno to the heights it had reached under his father, or at the very least leave his future son(s) more land than what he was left with when he inherited his father's titles.

(He certainly does not lack in ambitiousness. Let us hope that Gisulf II's ambitions are realized, for there are not many Lombard Rulers remaining in Italy.)​

 

[Ultimatum357]

Does anyone know why I can't add pictures to my posts? It registers as spam everytime I attempt to do it.

EDIT: Found out why, should be fine now.

 

[Werther]

Love the style. A great start I'll follow.

 

[Hootieleece]

Interesting Start!

 

[hjarg]

Interesting.

What's the plan? First, Napoli, then Sicily?
It will be no easy task though, unless Robert Guiscard manages to hit early demise and split Normans to Apulia and Calabria.
Hmm, you have extremely high intrigue and one sister close to Robert?

 

[Pied-Noir]

A fun start in CK II, so hope you do well here. I suppose Benevento must be interesting too because if anyone attacks you they have to attack the Pope.

I'll be following!

 

[HistoryDude]

Interesting beginning!

So, Neapolis first? Then, Capua?

Perhaps swearing allegiance to the HRE is a good idea...

On the other hand, you could take control of Sicily by sea, leaving Apulia surrounded...

 

[Ultimatum357]

Interesting.

What's the plan? First, Napoli, then Sicily?
It will be no easy task though, unless Robert Guiscard manages to hit early demise and split Normans to Apulia and Calabria.
Hmm, you have extremely high intrigue and one sister close to Robert?

Interesting beginning!

So, Neapolis first? Then, Capua?

Perhaps swearing allegiance to the HRE is a good idea...

On the other hand, you could take control of Sicily by sea, leaving Apulia surrounded...

Neapolis is first on the chopping block, yes. Purely because it's the only available target that Salerno borders. Capua is the next likely target, though it's possible that the Pope will either vassalize or otherwise take Capua's lands. I've seen the Papacy rapidly expand by conquering bordering independent rulers, and with how overpowered the Pope can be Gisulf II will have his hands full with taking as much land as he can before he borders someone who he isn't allied with and is more powerful than him.

Moving on, I don't have a set posting plan. I'll be writing new chapters whenever I have time and interest in the matter (which I have an abundance as of right now). I'll likely have the first proper Chapter up either later today or tomorrow. And as I specified in the introduction, this is my first proper AAR, so it's likely that there will be some hiccups along the way.

Furthermore, I hope to see you all continue to post your thoughts and ideas! I enjoy the interaction a lot, and while this AAR was started purely because I happened to enjoy writing these sorts of things for my own entertainment, I also thoroughly enjoy seeing other people's opinions on what I write!

 

[Nikolai]

The Normans will surely fall below your might.

 

[Ultimatum357]

CHAPTER I: Part 1 - 1066-1067
A time of marriages, alliances, and intrigue

​

It was generally agreed upon by most affluent Lords and ladies of Salerno that Prince Gisulf II had found himself a marriage beyond reproach- it was unexpected as well, for Gisulf II had remained unmarried for nigh on three years, following the death of his wife. The matter was seldom discussed or even mentioned in the Salernitan court, as the Prince was known to harbor a most vengeful nature toward those who insulted him or otherwise angered him. There were even insidious rumors that the Prince engaged in doling out cruel punishments to his prisoners personally, but they were never substantiated beyond simple rumors.

Regardless, Gisulf II's second marriage had borne him no children, a situation which would have called for more unsavory actions, for what was a feudal Lord without an heir? But no such actions were ever taken, for the wife of the Prince died in childbirth, an ironic fate considering how long the pair had been attempting to produce an heir.

It was in late 1066 that Gisulf II finally married once more. No man would doubt his dedication to his late wife, for few feudal Lords remained unmarried for as long as he had. Though some of the more politically savvy Nobles simply pointed out the fact that it was much more likely that Gisulf II simply sought a much more political marriage, one that would bring him much prestige in the eyes of many.

(Sancha of Aragon, sister of the King of Aragon)
​

And there was little that could be said against such an argument, for somehow the Prince of Salerno had gained the hand of the sister of a King! Many would question how this was ever achieved, for while Gisulf II did hold a prestigious position, it paled in comparison to the Kingly title held by the House of Aragon. But no answer would ever be provided, and the second wife of the Prince of Salerno proved an able diplomat, deftly weaving her way through the Salernitan court and firmly establishing herself as the second strongest power in the lands, small as they might have been at the time.

Many would have considered just this marriage victory enough for the Salerno, as the unbound ambition of Gisulf's father, Guaimar IV, had ultimately brought down the Principality to the weakest position it had been in since the 9th century. Guaimar had been dead for fifteen years by this point, but his presence was still felt. It was he who had raised Salerno to its greatest height in power, but it had also been under his reign that great instability had taken root in Southern Italy.

When the Greeks were finally driven out of Italy by the coalition of the Lombard Lords and their Norman mercenaries, it had been Guaimar IV who had ensured that his great allies were given most of Apulia and Galabria. It was known by many that Guaimar and the leader of the Normans, Robert Guiscard, were friends and great allies beyond that.

It was this and Guaimar IV's unbound hegemonic ambition over the other Lombard Lords that eventually led to his assassination and the destruction of the burgeoning Salernitan kingdom. And now that Gisulf II ruled, many hoped that he would usher in a time of healing, rebuilding, and repairing of relationships with the other Lombard Lords of Italy.

​

As many hoped, Gisulf II began to establish better relations with his neighboring states, though in much more underhanded ways. The slow and methodic gifts and compliments sent to the Norman Duke unfortunately did little to truly endear the Prince of Salerno to his brother-in-law, but in the eyes of the Salernitan Nobles, as long as the alliance held strong between the two realms there would be little to worry about.

And as was known to the Lombards by this point, the Normans preferred to split their belongings evenly between their sons. A fact that made the Lombards very, very relieved. Upon the death of Robert de Hauteville his lands would be split evenly between his sons. Though the Duke held Apulia as his primary title, the historical status of Galabria within his holdings was known. Apulia itself would be inherited by Robert's eldest son, Bohemond, borne from his first marriage. The Duchy of Galabria would be given to Roger, borne from the Duke's marriage to Gisulf II's sister.

Thus it was a foregone conclusion that the Norman power over Southern Italy would severely be weakened upon the death of Robert de Hauteville. The Salernitans simply hoped to capitalize on that when it happened, and many hoped that Roger de Hauteville, nephew of Gisulf, would be easy to influence.

(The first standing army of Salerno)
​

Yet the ambitions of Gisulf II were soon proven to extend beyond simple diplomacy and courtly intrigue, as with the help of his excellent Steward, Pando Mauridi, the Principality of Salerno was able to amass great wealth. The source of this windfall was unclear, but many pointed out the distinct absence of the Greek merchants who had long dominated seaborne trade in the region. Some suspected piracy sponsored by Gisulf II himself, as he had always been interested in naval matters in his youth.

(Pando Mauridi, Steward of the realm and the youngest member of the prominent Mauridi noble family of Salerno)​

Regardless, the newly acquired wealth was put to good use as the levies of the realm were reorganized. The Prince also pursued a much more ambitious bolstering of the army of Salerno. He hired a number of the Norman mercenary bowmen, but not as a mercenary army for future wars, but instead as veterans to train his own people in archery. The Normans were well known for their skills with the bow, and Gisulf II intended to use it to his advantage.

​

It soon became clear that it was war that Gisulf II wanted, as he publicly announced his rightful claim to Napoli. It was attested that the Greeks held no rightful claim to Napoli. It was a fact that the Republic of Amalfi had long dominated trade in the region as well, thus no one would weep over the last of the Greeks being driven from Italy. The hatred toward the Greeks still burned bright as well, for the crushed Lombard revolts once led by Melus of Bari still remained in public memory.

(Matilda di Canossa, Duchess of Tuscany and Spoleto, declares war for the County of Lanciano, seeing it as rightful land belonging to her)
​

Yet it would not be a war over Napoli that would see the armies of Salerno raised for the first time in almost twenty years. No, it was Duke Robert de Hauteville calling his ally to war. An unexpected call to war it was as well, for many knew of Robert Guiscard's skill in leading armies. The Norman Duke actually calling his much weaker brother-in-law to war was downright foreboding. Surely Robert 'the Fox' could defeat this Italian Duchess, just as he had defeated the Greeks and Lombards so many times before in the years prior?

Only time would tell.

 

[Ultimatum357]

I wanted to elaborate on the structure of the AAR, seeing as we have now entered into the story proper.

The first post, the Prologue, was a more historical look at that situation in Southern Italy in 1066, providing a backdrop to my AAR. If anything, it was written from the perspective of a future historian of some. The first proper chapter however is written from the perspective of a layman, mostly because I wanted to keep the dispassionate outlook on the AAR.

There is no denying that Gisulf II is a bad man, he is guaranteed to always have the Vengeful and Torturer traits when one loads into the 1066 start date. Thus, I wanted to keep my distance from the direct headspace of the character, and instead look at it from the perspective of a Lombard noble of some sort. It's also a fair bit easier for me to write this way rather than doing it with proper dialogue and so on, though all that is likely to come up in the AAR later on anyway. It's just not the focus of the AAR (as much as I would love to try and get even slightly close to how the amazing Before Plantagenet – A House d’Anjou AAR is written).

 

[HistoryDude]

Well, that ending was ominous.

Italian Duchess? The Duchess of Tuscany? Wouldn't she be backed up by the Holy Roman Emperor? This war will be... difficult, to say the least.

 

[Ultimatum357]

Well, that ending was ominous.

Italian Duchess? The Duchess of Tuscany? Wouldn't she be backed up by the Holy Roman Emperor? This war will be... difficult, to say the least.

Well, she attacked the Duke Robert of Apulia by herseld over de-jure land. Officially speaking the Holy Roman Emperor does back her, but since she's the aggressor the Emperor won't take part.

Now, from a historical perspective, Matilda was one of the biggest rivals of the Emperor, what with her ruling over a big chunk of Italy. In an RP sense I doubt that the Emperor backs her in this though.

 

[hjarg]

This will be a tough fight for sure. Whom Matilda got hitched to?

And interesting choice, befriending Robert Guiscard. Don't rely on him dieing too soon though, he's a resilient bastard.

 

[Ultimatum357]

This will be a tough fight for sure. Whom Matilda got hitched to?

And interesting choice, befriending Robert Guiscard. Don't rely on him dieing too soon though, he's a resilient bastard.

Matilda married Aribo von Weimar, brother of the Count of Meissen. It's a regular marriage obviously, as the AI rarely goes for matrilineal marriages. There will likely be a new Italian cadet branch established when her heir takes over, assuming of course it isn't another woman who ends up controlling Tuscany.

As for befriending Robert Guiscard, as I mentioned in the chapter, the swaying of the Duke went basically nowhere. I lost the rolls for swaying him a number of times, even when I had 47% of succeeding. Regardless, joining and helping your ally in a war often gives you a pretty good opinion boost, so ultimately attempting to sway Robert was unnecessary.

Also, I've played for a bit. I originally intended to make the first proper post much longer, but with the abundance of screencaps I ended up taking, actually using all of them in a post would make it far too long. I'll be able to easily make at least one or two more posts out of what I currently have. There will be another post up later today most likely, at the very least.

 

[Ultimatum357]

CHAPTER I: Part 2 - 1067-1069
A time of war

​

When the call for war came, being delivered to Salerno personally by one of the nephews of Duke Robert, a feeling of dread washed over the Salernitan court. The alliance between the Principality of Salerno and the Duchy of Apulia was by all accounts purely an informal one. Robert Guiscard would recognize the Salernitans as his allies, he was bound by their familial bond after all. Though alliances could always be broken, it would have been extremely dishonorable to attack his own brother-in-law.

But beyond that? Prince Gisulf II had never expected to actually have to call his meager levy and men-at-arms and actually use them in a war not started by himself. It was however expected that the Prince would eventually attack Napoli and seize the lands from the Greeks. The levies drawn from the surrounding lands around Salerno were not overly eager to help the Normans in war, especially when they'd be fighting against the Italians, people who were not so different from them. But regardless, the Prince of Salerno was able to muster a force of some six hundred men. It was unfortunate that he even had to muster men for the war, an opinion he voiced openly in the many council meetings before the army left Salerno.

(Robert de Hauteville, Count of Lanciano)
​

What further angered Gisulf II was when Count Robert of Lanciano, the deliverer of the message and nephew of Duke Robert, chose to stay in Salerno. He claimed to simply be on a further diplomatic mission from the Duke, but it had been his lands that the Duchess of Tuscany had declared war for. One would have thought that the warlike Normans wouldn't be quite so craven, but ultimately despite the dislike felt toward Count Robert he was allowed to stay in Salerno.

(The armies march on Firenze, the capital of Tuscany)
​

The war in its early stages proved to be both organized as well as rather desperate for the Normans, as beyond the Salernitans that they had called into the war, they also called upon the Greeks. This came as a surprise to Gisulf II and his court, who had seen firsthand the multiple wars between the Normans, Lombards, and the Greeks. But regardless of their prior conflicts, Duke Robert had married his eldest daughter off. She had married the son of one Nikephoros Palaiologos, Doux of Epirus. This did not sit well with the Lombards of Salerno, but it ultimately only proved that despite having become landholders themselves, the Normans still retained the mercenary nature, not caring about old grudges or conflicts.

As the springtime of 1068 rolled in, no battles occurred. The combined armies of the Normans, the Lombards, and the Greeks all slowly marched their way to Florence. It also became known that the Tuscan armies had chosen to abandon their lands completely. Instead, they chose to directly march on Lanciano. The size of the Tuscan army was also reported to be well past three thousand, at least according to the Norman scouts in the area. Perhaps the actions of Count Robert of Lanciano had been smart after all?

The number of men that the Tuscans had managed to muster heavily worried Gisulf II. If they chose to march on Salerno there was little he or his mediocre generals could do to defend their lands, even if the army led by Pandolf Paldefridi, Salerno's most skilled general, returned to defend their lands.

​

Perhaps it had been that air of fear in Salerno that had finally driven Gisulf II's mother, Gemma, to want to leave. Not many cared if she left or not, however, as she had been one of the prime plotters in Gisulf's father's murder. Where her brothers had all been executed by the Normans when they had come to stop the plot, she had been allowed to live- both because executing her was deemed as dishonorable by the Normans and because she had managed to convince them of her ultimate innocence.

Gemma had always been rather skilled diplomatically, and even when she had been known to have been behind her own husband's murder, she was able to retain her position in Salerno. Many however speculated that her remaining in Salerno was because of how complicated the relationship between Gisulf II and her was, rather than any real diplomatic skill on her part. It was widely known that Gemma had asked for mercy for her son when her husband was murdered, even when she been behind it.

But when Gemma Landolfidi chose to announce her plans of leaving Salerno, Gisulf II did little stop her from leaving. He certainly wasn't going to declare war on Capua, when he was still helping the Normans with their war.

​

By April of 1068, the siege of Firenze was well on its way, with many suspecting that the city would fall in only a few more months. Privately Gisulf II raised his concerns about the distinct lack of siege weapons being used. But his worries would swiftly be forgotten about as news came of his wife's pregnancy. This brought great joy to the Salernitans, as the succession of the Principality had been rather unclear prior to the announcement. Officially, the next in line to the Principality would have been Gisulf II's brother, Landolf, an unskilled craven man. Many had dreaded his rule.

Yet this time of joy would swiftly fade from public memory, as reports came from multiple sources that the Tuscans had ended their siege of Lanciano. The county had fallen, and now the scouts were reporting that the Tuscans were now swiftly marching back to their lands. The siege of Firenze had ended by this point, but no prominent members of the Duchess' family were captured. According to some sources, she herself was marching with her army.

By late October of 1068, the siege of Siena had begun, but the reports of the size of the Tuscan army had become distinctly worrying. Their number had increased by near a thousand men, she had called her husband's brother into the war. This caused great discord in the combined armies, as it became clear that they were outnumbered. The Greeks were especially worried, as they weren't used to being the underdog in such wars. And it was the Greeks being led by Doux Nikephoros himself who first abandoned the siege. This led to the Normans also abandoning the siege, believing it impossible to be able to defeat the Tuscans in such circumstances. The Salernitan forces had been sieging down the surrounding county of Arezzo at the time, but as news of the retreat reached their army, they also began a hasty retreat.

​

Fortunately, the news in those times weren't all bad, as Sancha gave birth to a son. The name of the son was a foregone conclusion in the minds of many. Despite the last years of Guaimar IV's reign having somewhat tainted his memory, many still remembered his achievements. As such, the baby was named Guaimar, after his grandfather.

​

But there was little that would comfort the Salernitans, as the unorganized retreat out of Tuscan lands proved a failure. The army led by Pandolf Paldefridi was slaughtered almost completely on the fields of Soana. Little reports of the details of the battle reached Salerno, aside for news that neither the Normans or Greeks came to support the severely outnumbered Salernitan army. Pandolf himself was also captured, being defeated handily in single combat by the German general of the Tuscan forces.

​

The events back in Salerno also proved disastrous, as Gisulf II's only son was deemed to be sick by the many midwives that were hired upon his wife's pregnancy. The news hit the Prince hard, as his first wife had died in childbirth. Rumors of Gisulf II's inability to produce healthy children began to circulate in the Salernitan court.

Furthering the growing unrest in Salerno were also the roving bands of bandits, that had appeared following the utter destruction of the Salernitan army. Taxes became harder to collect as a result as well, as the people of Salerno became discontent. Because after all, when one's brother, father, or husband dies in an ill-fated war, who would not be discontent.

​

But regardless of the tightening of resources available to him, Prince Gisulf II chose to hire a physician to attempt to heal his ailing son. And after some time and a hefty payment of gold, a Norman physician named Walter was hired. Some more pragmatic Nobles pointed out that the gold could have been used to begin rebuilding the army more efficiently, but ultimately it was agreed that despite the war over Lanciano still being on-going, the Salernitans were done with it. No further support would be given to the Normans, for they had allowed the Salernitan army to be slaughtered on the fields of Soana. One had to wonder what had happened to the great martial might of the Normans? Robert Guiscard himself had led the Norman armies in Tuscany, and he and his brothers had in the past defeated much more superior armies.

Fear of the Norman threat had begun to decline in Salerno, being replaced with resentment instead.

 

[The Kingmaker]

Looks like you’re off to a great start.

I’m certainly flattered that you like my tried-and-true table of contents style with leader portraits.

I’ll definitely want to keep my eye on this and will be rooting for you. As a big Anglo-Saxon supporter, I’m hoping you manage to put those bloody Normans in the ground, no matter what house they may be.

 

[Ultimatum357]

Looks like you’re off to a great start.

I’m certainly flattered that you like my tried-and-true table of contents style with leader portraits.

I’ll definitely want to keep my eye on this and will be rooting for you. As a big Anglo-Saxon supporter, I’m hoping you manage to put those bloody Normans in the ground, no matter what house they may be.

Oh yes, I did say I liked your formatting. I think it made for a good addition to the Intro post, as well as generally made it more pleasant to look at. It's probably a good thing I changed it recently instead of later on, for clarity's sake.

I will also admit that I appropriated a bunch of things from other AAR's on the forums when it came to formatting, mostly because I don't really have a style of my own, since this is my first AAR.

As for the Normans, it'll be slow going. I'm making decisions in-game according to what my character would do, it is an RP centric AAR after all. As such, it's unlikely that I'll outright attack the Normans unless it fits with what my character would do. In Gisulf II case, he's allied with the Normans and his nephew is set to inherit a large chunk of the Norman lands. He might be ambitious, but he still cares for his family. Though with recent events, his resentment of the Normans might just trump that.

 

[hjarg]

What can I say but ouch. This is one war that really did not go your way. Getting caught by an enemy like that and losing your entire army. Hope you manage to come in top!