Could Hezarhesp or a member of his family be responsible?...
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No it was this guy:
Alexander has a lot of enemies due to the number of executions he has ordered.
Well, when you live to be 63 in the 11th Century then I guess that is going to happen.
Alexander is infirm now so I am just waiting for him to pop his clogs and then it's time for the messy succession.
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20th May, 1028
I am Prince Serapion, son of Lazaros and heir to the Despotate of Persia. My grandfather, Alexander ‘the Ruthless’, is now infirm and in his final days. He has asked me to write an account of his last campaigns.
Following the creation of the Despotate of Persia, my grandfather immediately set about securing the de jure territory of his new crown, as well as seizing the lands of the Despotate of Makran. Alexander won a swift war against Amir Abdallah of Rayy in March 1023, but soon after, he faced a fierce uprising of peasants and disloyal vassals led by Vālī Kamyar of Mandestan. The rebellion was, of course, crushed. The rebel lords were stripped of their titles, and the peasant leaders were brutally executed.
Alexander destroyed what remained of the Sassafid Caliphate in two wars: annexing the Duchy of Jabal Kufs in September 1021 and the Duchy of Sistan in January 1028. This allowed him to create the Despotate of Makran, which shall pass to my uncle Simeon upon Alexander’s death.
Our realm now stretches from the Caspian Sea to the Himalayan peaks. It will be divided when Alexander dies. I hope we will be able to live in harmony when that day comes.
Persia in 1028
RIP Alexander II. I'm not sure what the incest stuff is about, it was a false accusation made early in his reign.
Persia and Northern India in 1030
I am Prince Serapion, son of Lazaros and heir to the Despotate of Persia. My grandfather, Alexander ‘the Ruthless’, is now infirm and in his final days. He has asked me to write an account of his last campaigns.
Following the creation of the Despotate of Persia, my grandfather immediately set about securing the de jure territory of his new crown, as well as seizing the lands of the Despotate of Makran. Alexander won a swift war against Amir Abdallah of Rayy in March 1023, but soon after, he faced a fierce uprising of peasants and disloyal vassals led by Vālī Kamyar of Mandestan. The rebellion was, of course, crushed. The rebel lords were stripped of their titles, and the peasant leaders were brutally executed.
Alexander destroyed what remained of the Sassafid Caliphate in two wars: annexing the Duchy of Jabal Kufs in September 1021 and the Duchy of Sistan in January 1028. This allowed him to create the Despotate of Makran, which shall pass to my uncle Simeon upon Alexander’s death.
Our realm now stretches from the Caspian Sea to the Himalayan peaks. It will be divided when Alexander dies. I hope we will be able to live in harmony when that day comes.
Persia in 1028
RIP Alexander II. I'm not sure what the incest stuff is about, it was a false accusation made early in his reign.
Persia and Northern India in 1030
The divsions sure is the worst ck3 feature. It can make for good stories though.
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"You have died" is actually a paradox. If I am dead, how can I read it?
It keeps the early game interesting though. Once everyone has primogeniture you just get huge, unchanging blobs. That is fun as well because you get some insane wars but it is good that the game evolves as time passes.
This sucession definitely could have gone worse. Serapion's uncle Simeon died in the first week of his reign leaving him with the Despotate of Makran, so that's a huge chunk of the Persian Empire he gets to keep. Also, this is a second ruler to grandson sucession in a row which helps with long reigns.
I'm going to miss Alexander though, heading down to the prison to execute some people as stress relief was fun. Serapion is compassionate and improvident so he will probably be broke most of the time.
Afterlife confirmed?"You have died" is actually a paradox. If I am dead, how can I read it?
It was a priest that made the accusation, clearly he must be telling the truth! He'd have no reason to be lying, right?...
A priestess no less! We are very progressive here in 11th Century Greek Persia. Meanwhile, while waiting to be called to action, Serapion has married an actual family member and no one has batted an eyelid.
Something to remember Alexander 'The Ruthless' by. Here is a later depiction of him heading down to the dungeon to choose a prisoner or two to be burned at the stake:
His great-grandfather Serapion 'the Man-Eater' would have been so proud of him at family BBQs.Here is a later depiction of him heading down to the dungeon to choose a prisoner or two to be burned at the stake:
The recorded memories of Serapion, Despot of Persia
3 January 1030
I ended my family's feud with House Faravid. This pointless hatred had dragged on for too long; it was time someone put an end to it. My council were furious, claiming that people will call House Alexandropoulos a “weak house.” So be it. I will win renown for our name through stewardship and diplomacy, not by spilling blood over old insults. They are also urging me to go to war. “There is much low-hanging fruit,” they say. But I must bring order to the realm first. Ten years of peace…that is what we need.
I have tried to make contact with our Greek cousins in the Roman Empire. I had hoped to secure an alliance to defend against any Abbasid aggression. But I was firmly rebuffed. It seems our old gods offend more deeply than our shared blood can soothe. I turned to The Travels of Alexander Alexandropoulos for comfort and found a passage describing how our family and fellow worshippers of the pantheon were hounded out of Greek lands. We shall build a new Hellenistic realm here, in the land chosen by Alexander.
23rd October 1031
So much for peaceful succession. For two years now, my uncles have been shedding blood defending the crown of Neo Macedonia. Phokas, Despot of Neo Macedonia, and Artemio, Despot of Punjab, are fighting together to defend Phokas’s crown from a faction rallying behind Duchess Phyllis of Kasmira. They are losing. Phyllis is fierce; missing one eye, with a terrible temper and no fear of men. I always found her unnerving. Phokas is furious with me. He claims he called me into the war, but I never saw the letter. Perhaps I misplaced it. That’s not like me… but I cannot find it now.
31st December 1031
I agreed to go to war! There’s a peasant uprising in Kasmira, and I’ve sent my army to crush that unwashed mass. Phokas will likely get there first, but at least I’ve made the gesture.
15th June 1032
News from Neo Macedonia: my army arrived looking splendid as they marched in from the south… but they were not needed. Phokas crushed the peasants before they even reached the front lines. The whole endeavour cost me 100 pounds of gold. Seven thousand men marching around farmland like painted statues. I will not be repeating that any time soon.
25th October 1033
Shocking news. Phyllis has defeated Phokas and taken the crown of Neo Macedonia. Worse; during the war, she captured and blinded Artemio. This woman must be stopped. I would act, but I am keeping firm watch on the western frontier in case the Abbasids decide to strike.
16th January 1034
I have reigned for five peaceful years! Let the warmongers gnash their teeth; peace is a triumph too. And joy has returned to our household: my first son by Sophia was born this month. I named him Isidoros, after my great-great-grandfather, the wise and resourceful Despot who overcame his unfortunate visage to achieve great things.
3 January 1030
I ended my family's feud with House Faravid. This pointless hatred had dragged on for too long; it was time someone put an end to it. My council were furious, claiming that people will call House Alexandropoulos a “weak house.” So be it. I will win renown for our name through stewardship and diplomacy, not by spilling blood over old insults. They are also urging me to go to war. “There is much low-hanging fruit,” they say. But I must bring order to the realm first. Ten years of peace…that is what we need.
I have tried to make contact with our Greek cousins in the Roman Empire. I had hoped to secure an alliance to defend against any Abbasid aggression. But I was firmly rebuffed. It seems our old gods offend more deeply than our shared blood can soothe. I turned to The Travels of Alexander Alexandropoulos for comfort and found a passage describing how our family and fellow worshippers of the pantheon were hounded out of Greek lands. We shall build a new Hellenistic realm here, in the land chosen by Alexander.
23rd October 1031
So much for peaceful succession. For two years now, my uncles have been shedding blood defending the crown of Neo Macedonia. Phokas, Despot of Neo Macedonia, and Artemio, Despot of Punjab, are fighting together to defend Phokas’s crown from a faction rallying behind Duchess Phyllis of Kasmira. They are losing. Phyllis is fierce; missing one eye, with a terrible temper and no fear of men. I always found her unnerving. Phokas is furious with me. He claims he called me into the war, but I never saw the letter. Perhaps I misplaced it. That’s not like me… but I cannot find it now.
31st December 1031
I agreed to go to war! There’s a peasant uprising in Kasmira, and I’ve sent my army to crush that unwashed mass. Phokas will likely get there first, but at least I’ve made the gesture.
15th June 1032
News from Neo Macedonia: my army arrived looking splendid as they marched in from the south… but they were not needed. Phokas crushed the peasants before they even reached the front lines. The whole endeavour cost me 100 pounds of gold. Seven thousand men marching around farmland like painted statues. I will not be repeating that any time soon.
25th October 1033
Shocking news. Phyllis has defeated Phokas and taken the crown of Neo Macedonia. Worse; during the war, she captured and blinded Artemio. This woman must be stopped. I would act, but I am keeping firm watch on the western frontier in case the Abbasids decide to strike.
16th January 1034
I have reigned for five peaceful years! Let the warmongers gnash their teeth; peace is a triumph too. And joy has returned to our household: my first son by Sophia was born this month. I named him Isidoros, after my great-great-grandfather, the wise and resourceful Despot who overcame his unfortunate visage to achieve great things.
Family infighting may end up being the dynasty's downfall...
19th January 1034
My loyal marshal, Count Zenon of Aror, has finally persuaded me to prosecute a war of conquest. I voiced my concerns; the risk of Abbasid retaliation, and the needless bloodshed such campaigns bring. Zenon replied that the Abbasids would be more likely to strike if they thought us weak. A good point.
We struck a compromise: I will ensure the treasury never drops below ten thousand pounds of gold, so we may weather any Abbasid attack. In return, he is free to wage war on neighbouring realms and expand the Despotate. He also agreed to spare me the gory details of the battles, only bringing me new maps when the wars are done. Still, I shall sleep uneasily tonight, thinking of the poor people of Behabad who will be cut down by Zenon’s warriors. May Hades cherish their souls.
11th June 1034
Zenon brought word that the conquest of Behabad is complete. The war cost one hundred pounds of gold; it will take over six months to earn that back!
He is eager for new orders, but I told him to wait until next year at least.
26th February 1035
Count Zenon browbeat me into declaring war again, this time against a child.
The boy in question, Amir-e Amiran Gostasp Kure Ismail of Kabulistan, is just two years old. He may be one of those Faravids my more bellicose subjects despise, but still, he is a child. I shall never rid myself of the guilt. Zenon insisted that if I failed to act while a child sat the throne, no one would take me seriously. I signed the order. I only pray the boy comes to no harm.
2nd September, 1036
War is such a waste of men and gold. For eighteen months, we kept eight thousand men in the field, a staggering expense. Now it is done. Zenon brought me news that Amir-e Amiran Gostasp Kure Ismail was captured and the war is won. He was ecstatic with joy. I could only think of the traumatised four-year-old. And for what? One more county in the Despotate. As if that weren’t enough, Zenon is also honour-bound to send our troops east into Rajasthan to support our ally, Maharaja Bhumpala 'the Healer'. I have never met the man, but I am told that the threat of his five and a half thousand troops is part of what keeps the Abbasids from our borders.
One good bit of news is that the court is in a frenzy over the revelation that Zenon has captured the Derafsh Kaviani, the royal standard of the Sassanids! I admit I am curious to see this legendary artifact when it arrives.
This latest war has left us far beneath our agreed treasury limit. Zenon will have to wait a very long time before I approve another campaign.
My loyal marshal, Count Zenon of Aror, has finally persuaded me to prosecute a war of conquest. I voiced my concerns; the risk of Abbasid retaliation, and the needless bloodshed such campaigns bring. Zenon replied that the Abbasids would be more likely to strike if they thought us weak. A good point.
We struck a compromise: I will ensure the treasury never drops below ten thousand pounds of gold, so we may weather any Abbasid attack. In return, he is free to wage war on neighbouring realms and expand the Despotate. He also agreed to spare me the gory details of the battles, only bringing me new maps when the wars are done. Still, I shall sleep uneasily tonight, thinking of the poor people of Behabad who will be cut down by Zenon’s warriors. May Hades cherish their souls.
11th June 1034
Zenon brought word that the conquest of Behabad is complete. The war cost one hundred pounds of gold; it will take over six months to earn that back!
He is eager for new orders, but I told him to wait until next year at least.
26th February 1035
Count Zenon browbeat me into declaring war again, this time against a child.
The boy in question, Amir-e Amiran Gostasp Kure Ismail of Kabulistan, is just two years old. He may be one of those Faravids my more bellicose subjects despise, but still, he is a child. I shall never rid myself of the guilt. Zenon insisted that if I failed to act while a child sat the throne, no one would take me seriously. I signed the order. I only pray the boy comes to no harm.
2nd September, 1036
War is such a waste of men and gold. For eighteen months, we kept eight thousand men in the field, a staggering expense. Now it is done. Zenon brought me news that Amir-e Amiran Gostasp Kure Ismail was captured and the war is won. He was ecstatic with joy. I could only think of the traumatised four-year-old. And for what? One more county in the Despotate. As if that weren’t enough, Zenon is also honour-bound to send our troops east into Rajasthan to support our ally, Maharaja Bhumpala 'the Healer'. I have never met the man, but I am told that the threat of his five and a half thousand troops is part of what keeps the Abbasids from our borders.
One good bit of news is that the court is in a frenzy over the revelation that Zenon has captured the Derafsh Kaviani, the royal standard of the Sassanids! I admit I am curious to see this legendary artifact when it arrives.
This latest war has left us far beneath our agreed treasury limit. Zenon will have to wait a very long time before I approve another campaign.
Are you happy now, Zenon? You made a little boy cry.
He now cries as a boy, but might later retaliate as a man. Keep an eye on him.
Great point and he still owns lots of land.
Anyway, Serapion better get used to bloodshed quick. There is a bad factional situation and an eight month cooldown on calling the army after getting back from India.
Is the Abbasids much stronger than you? Else, perhaps it is time to….weaken them further.