The Norman Conquest of the World

[Nick B II]

The Traitor-Duke of Navarra Gains a County

When he was created Duke of Navarra Robert the Traitor had only one vassal, Joan Countess of Viscaya. However her Husband Edward was also a Count -- of Vasterbotton in Norrland, Sweden. Vasterottn was pledged to the Duchy of Samigotia, but somehow by the time their grandson inherited he had his grandfather’s primary title and his grandmother’s allegiance:

Robert the Traitor-Duke’s Fourth Rebellion

Unfortuneately for Edward, his title-granting only improved his reputation to Very Bad. Almost everyone hated him -- even his heir, Lukomorie of Anjou, was uncomfortable.

Surprisingly, the Traitor was among the first to rebel. The Traitor publically denounced his liege-lord’s heavy-handed tactics in dealing with the Vojislov King. Moreover he boldly announced such a person was unfit to be Lord of Dung -- and that by primogeniture Robert the Traitor was best qualified to lead the realm. This was a rather odd theory, as Robert’s brother Richard was the only other Roman Emperor, and he had sons to take over.

Edward’s strategy during this rebellions was to win a battle, and then accept a white peace. Disinheriting the flamboyantly serial Traitor would only hurt his reputation further.

Unfortuneately Robert the Traitor was not the only traitor:

As you know, the Traitor lost his vassal a little while back. Evidentally the Counts of Vasterbotton tired of allegiance to an incompetant Traitor, best known for ruiniung Rioja, stabbing his father in the back thrice, and his great-grandson Edward I once. They are loyal vassals to your Imperial Majesty.

And thus have things stood my Emperor and kinsman, Cassian de Normandie of England, Byzantium, and Rome; Emperor of Christendom.

 

[stnylan]

Heaven knows what will happen if you get a King that goes insane.

 

[Nick B II]

Heaven knows what will happen if you get a King that goes insane.

Nice juicy, rebellions.

It looks like I'll avoid that -- I played until 1256 and crushed the Golden Horde. In 1270 I plan on exterminating the Il-Kahns and going over to Gavelkind to see what happens. The current King is only 20, so he'll probably be the last Emperor of Everything for a little while.

Nick

 

[Nick B II]

the Iberian War of the 1150s

By 1149 two of the great Iberian Emirates had fallen to William’s sword. Zaragoza and Valencia were no more. With their fall William became King of an Aragon several times greater than it’s predecessor. Cordoba was a shadow of it’s former self; although it’s vassals held significant lands in France and central Europe. Almeira, Sevilla, and Badojoz alone stood against William’s aggression.

Our ancestor, Davi de Normandie, was raised to the rank of Duke of Murcia on the ashes of the Emirate of Valencia.

For William the question was: who next? The answer was obvious: Badajoz. For one thing he was already at war with them -- By this time he had already conquered Navarra from Badajoz and granted the Kingdom to the Traitor-King. Adding Badajoz’ other Iberian counties to William’s Empire would allow him to gain the Portuguese crown, and bring him within a single county of Leon.

William anticipated a short, relatively easy, war. And he had one. Until Badajoz fled to Tunisia, and pledged allegiance to their King.

Tunisia promptly declared war on William, followed by its allies, followed by their allies, resulting in:

Strictly speaking William had not helped the situation with his unprovoked attack on tiny Cordoba. Such a large war required a major shift in strategy on William’s part. A few armies were no longer enough.

The Dukes of Mallorca, Cumberland, and Toledo fought in Iberia; a Lukomorie Count spearheaded the war effort in France; his Duke’s troops had traveled to Egypt; a Leofricson Count fought the Moslems in southern Scotland and the North of England; the Leofricson Duke himself led an army in Hungary; as did the Archbishop of Sussex; the Count of Desmumu conquered the Highlands; and William himself fought in Denmark. William wanted to give many of these men land -- Cumberland and Toledo were William’s choices as heirs, and titles would hemp them win elections to the throne; Desmumu was a vassal of Cumberland (and thus his glory would win his liege votes); and Mallorca was a recently established de Normandie Duke. Ultimately William would decide to raise even further armies.

For William the problem generals were the Lukomorie s and Leofricsens. Both were major threats for in an election; so heaping glory on either was quite unwise. While William managed to defuse the Leofricsens by putting the Archbishop of Sussex in command of their Duke, and restricting their English Count to defensive actions; Lukomorie power was born in this period. It is the major threat to our house’s rule today.

By 1160 the war was over everywhere except Mauretania and France. William was the greatest King in the world:

It should be noted that out illustrious ancestor, Davi de Normandie, had enlarged his small domain by a single County during the war. Our family's talent for seizing opportunity was beginning to manifest itself.

 

[stnylan]

Going gavelkind - sounds like fun.

 

[Nick B II]

The Conquerers Last Three Crowns

Mauritania

Mauritania was easily attained in September of 1166 -- the Crusade against the Moslems had gone quite well, and William owned most of the country.

Croatia

Croatia was the first crown the de Normandie’s acquired by “stretching.” At war in the region, William engineered a claim to the Croat throne -- which was not difficult. King Kaloya and his predecessors had lost almost the entire country to Moslems. In turn the Moslems had been conquered by the Empires (both German and Byzantine), and Swedes of all people.

All who mattered in Croatia realized who would win the war; and agreed that their small nation needed the leadership only the Conquerer could provide. William was “invited” to take the crown of Croatia by all involved.

Burgundy

William’s reconquest had given him quite a bit of Burgundy. More than a third -- 6 of 16 provinces to be exact. The Duke of provence happened to own five more, enough to usurp the title King of Burgundy should William acquire the Duchy.

Given Germany’s terminal weaknesses -- the Emperor’s desmene was that of a single province -- William realized this was the perfect opportunity to heap yet more glory on himself.

It worked.



The Death of a Conquerer

On October 13, 1168 William the Conquerer died in his sleep. His second son, Richard Duke of Cumberland, was elected in his place as William intended.

Richard was richly rewarded for loyally serving his father for years; unlike his elder brother Robert the Traitor. Richard’s actions upon being proclaimed Byzantine Emperor would only go to underline his deep love and devotion for William.

All William’s sons gained at least a Duchy, but the most loyal of all gained 14 countries. Richard knew that his father would be a hard act to follow.




The First English Emperor

When Richard Ascended in 1168 the Byzantine Empire was a shadow of its former self. Embroiled in litterally dozens of pointless wars; the Emperor had been driven far from the Gates of Troy. As Richard’s reign continued he would be forced to flee to Russia.

Saving the Empire was Richard’s highest priority. It would not be easy, but Richard had watched his father save several other kingdoms in a similar situation -- in many cases (Scotland, France, Croatia, etc.) he had not only stopped the bleeding but reconquered the kingdom’s original borders.

Saving the Eastern Empire would make Richard’s name, and do his father proud at the same time.

Fortuneately the Princes of Serbia -- the Vojislavs who would be so much trouble in the latter half of Richard’s reign and the begining of Emperor Edward’s -- supported Richard strongly. They held Byzantium, and knew that the Byzantine Emperors could not allow one of their vassals to continue holding that city. A King of England was a different creature altogether. An English King would also be strong enough to protect the Empire’s people; and perhaps even expand into moslem territory. The English Kings also had a long record of allowing their vassals to retain conquered lands, and the Vojislovs oif Serbia and the City fully expected themselves to benefit.

With the full support of the Vojislovs the Patriarch came aboard. Technically the Patriarch who came aboard Richard’s bandwagon was the third Patriarch that week, the first having been assasinated by Orthodox Priests appalled at the idea of a Catholic Emperor; the second died under more mysterious circumstances. The third fled to the Prince’s palace and was quite agreeable.

Within days the Church declared that given the Empire’s dire straits; declared there was no reason to believe Richard was not descended from Caeser or some other Emperor. Now all that remained in his way was thed incumbant Georgios. The war was short, and not terribly bloody. Georgios had fled to Muron in Russia. It fell quickly as it had only a Hill Fort.

Richard was now truely a worthy succesor to the Conquerer.

 

[Nick B II]

Tomorow, making BYZA my primary title. And shameless "re-interpretation" of a blatent cheat.

I love roleplaying.

Nick

 

[stnylan]

Roleplaying is fun A little upmanship with his departed father I note.

 

[Nick B II]

Roleplaying is fun A little upmanship with his departed father I note.

He is 112, and is just now becoming his own man.

Nick

 

[Nick B II]

The Crowning of the Second Norman Emperor

In late 1171 Richard’s brother William visited him in Essex. Admiring the Imperial regalia William said it was a pity their father had never lived to see this day; for the only thing he had never done was be an Emperor.

This gave Richard a tottaly crazy idea:
Why not crown his father’s bones?

The ceremony took place in Cremona, William’s favorite County. It was originally scheduled for Christmas but heavy snow in the Alps delayed the ceremony until New Year’s Day 1172.

Richard insisted on pledging allegiance to the casket, and demanded a “real Imperial Election” be held that very day. It was and Richard won. Henceforth he would be known primarily as Emperor of the Romans, not King of England.

Everything seemed to be going well for the Emperor, but the Vojislov problem that would so mar Richard’s death and Edward I’s ascension was brewing:

 

[stnylan]

Ohh, a hint of things to come. Excellent!