In the year of 1066 me have taken the role of the Duke of Catalonia, with a demesne of two provinces, Barcelona and Leida, having three vassals, Count of Urgell, Count of Rosello and Empuries.
Major Goals:
1, Survive.
2, Become a king.
I have known from my previous experiences, that a lone duke (or king) has no chance to survive in the Iberian peninsula, so I have swore allegiance to the King of France. He was kind to accept it. I had a chance to create a new title, the Duke of Spanish Marque, so soon I have had two duke titles. As soon it was possible I granted the Count of Rosello title to my first-born son, Pere Ramon (his brother is called Ramon Berenguar - seems the duke has no fantasy in giving names, because his name was Berenguar Ramon...), and with the prestige I had gained with creating a new title, i claimed the title of the Count of Jaca, which was the only province of the King of Aragon. I could claim the "King" title from him but that seemed folly... and soon I saw why.
The Duchy developed well, and I have felt the urge to conquer - the nation needs more land, i have heard from everyone. I took my favoruite sword, my favourite armor, called my horse and it was the right time to declare war against Aragon. And so be it.
As I declared the war, the Peninsula felt into turmoil. The yet resting and watching emirs of the Iberian collected their troops and declared war (together) against every single christian land in Iberia save me...
Jaca felt to my hands, but the remainder of the peninsula (save the Catalonian demesne) has lost to the moors.
In his deepest remorse feeling guilty in the tragedy of the other christian domains in Iberia, the first ruler of Catalonia passed, and Pere Ramon came to the throne.
The curse of the slain spanish knights was not easy to deal with. Berenguar Ramon lost two wives as they couldn't give birth to their child and the third one has gave birth to three stillborn children. The ruler prayed to the God to forgive him the sins of his father. Pere Ramon erected schools, monastery's and templar buildings to praise the God - and He has shown mercy allowing me to have children.
In the year of 1097 rebellion broke in Kingdom of France: the dukes of Poutiou and Toulouse had lost the controll above their vassals and as a storm the war has swept through the kingdom. Pere Ramon is a kind and gentle man, with great diplomatic skills, so his vassals remained loyal but he was the son of his father and the temption of demon of the greed has won his soul: He demanded the County of Foix and Auvergne, and when the rebel counts said no to these claims, Pere Ramon lead his knights to war. This was a cruel war: the army of Catalonia evaded the fighting troops of the rebels and the king, they marched directly to the provinces of Auvergne and Foix, and in a short siege the exhausted defenders of the rebels surrendered. The Duchy of Catalonia gained the County of Auvergne and Foix.
But this wasn't enough. Treason is sin Berenguar knew it well but the demon of the greed was far too strong to resist: With the help of his great chancellor the Duke of Catalonia and Spanish Marque offered protection - and claimed their allegiance - from their former liege to the Counts of Bearn and Laboued. The revolters took their chance and accepted the offer of Berenguar Ramon, and joined his Duchy.
In fourty years the Dukes of Catalonia and Spanish Marque doubled their demesne... but in what cost? The Christian Iberia - with the exception the land of the Dukes - has fallen to the infidel hands because the first ruler of the Duchy of Catalonia and Spanish Marque has started a war against Aragon. In France the Dukes of Toulouse and Poitoue has become the shades of themselves - loosing their provinces they are greatly weakened. The King of France - the liége of the Duchy of Catalonia and Spanish Marque - has lost the most of his troops in the huge rebellion because Pere Ramon did not give him hand in those hard years. The moors are strong and almost unified... when will God send those infidels against the fallen Duke of Catalonia and Spanish Marque to punish him because of his sins?
Major Goals:
1, Survive.
2, Become a king.
I have known from my previous experiences, that a lone duke (or king) has no chance to survive in the Iberian peninsula, so I have swore allegiance to the King of France. He was kind to accept it. I had a chance to create a new title, the Duke of Spanish Marque, so soon I have had two duke titles. As soon it was possible I granted the Count of Rosello title to my first-born son, Pere Ramon (his brother is called Ramon Berenguar - seems the duke has no fantasy in giving names, because his name was Berenguar Ramon...), and with the prestige I had gained with creating a new title, i claimed the title of the Count of Jaca, which was the only province of the King of Aragon. I could claim the "King" title from him but that seemed folly... and soon I saw why.
The Duchy developed well, and I have felt the urge to conquer - the nation needs more land, i have heard from everyone. I took my favoruite sword, my favourite armor, called my horse and it was the right time to declare war against Aragon. And so be it.
As I declared the war, the Peninsula felt into turmoil. The yet resting and watching emirs of the Iberian collected their troops and declared war (together) against every single christian land in Iberia save me...
Jaca felt to my hands, but the remainder of the peninsula (save the Catalonian demesne) has lost to the moors.
In his deepest remorse feeling guilty in the tragedy of the other christian domains in Iberia, the first ruler of Catalonia passed, and Pere Ramon came to the throne.
The curse of the slain spanish knights was not easy to deal with. Berenguar Ramon lost two wives as they couldn't give birth to their child and the third one has gave birth to three stillborn children. The ruler prayed to the God to forgive him the sins of his father. Pere Ramon erected schools, monastery's and templar buildings to praise the God - and He has shown mercy allowing me to have children.
In the year of 1097 rebellion broke in Kingdom of France: the dukes of Poutiou and Toulouse had lost the controll above their vassals and as a storm the war has swept through the kingdom. Pere Ramon is a kind and gentle man, with great diplomatic skills, so his vassals remained loyal but he was the son of his father and the temption of demon of the greed has won his soul: He demanded the County of Foix and Auvergne, and when the rebel counts said no to these claims, Pere Ramon lead his knights to war. This was a cruel war: the army of Catalonia evaded the fighting troops of the rebels and the king, they marched directly to the provinces of Auvergne and Foix, and in a short siege the exhausted defenders of the rebels surrendered. The Duchy of Catalonia gained the County of Auvergne and Foix.
But this wasn't enough. Treason is sin Berenguar knew it well but the demon of the greed was far too strong to resist: With the help of his great chancellor the Duke of Catalonia and Spanish Marque offered protection - and claimed their allegiance - from their former liege to the Counts of Bearn and Laboued. The revolters took their chance and accepted the offer of Berenguar Ramon, and joined his Duchy.
In fourty years the Dukes of Catalonia and Spanish Marque doubled their demesne... but in what cost? The Christian Iberia - with the exception the land of the Dukes - has fallen to the infidel hands because the first ruler of the Duchy of Catalonia and Spanish Marque has started a war against Aragon. In France the Dukes of Toulouse and Poitoue has become the shades of themselves - loosing their provinces they are greatly weakened. The King of France - the liége of the Duchy of Catalonia and Spanish Marque - has lost the most of his troops in the huge rebellion because Pere Ramon did not give him hand in those hard years. The moors are strong and almost unified... when will God send those infidels against the fallen Duke of Catalonia and Spanish Marque to punish him because of his sins?
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