The Will of Empire: The Forgotten History of the Roman Empire

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This is my first AAR and was written before I even knew what AARs were. I acctually wrote this story using EUIII for a thesis project on alternate history while in school. It got good marks, so I hope yall will like it. I apologize for its lack of images, but like I said, it was a paper for school.

I hope this is the proper format for these things. If this one goes well, I look forward to writing one more piece meal for CK2 and EUIII again soon.

This AAR is writen from the perspective of an Imprial Historian ordered to keep a very detialed history of the Eastern Roman Empire.

Specs:
Normal Difficulty
Base Game

Please comment and give any advice to improve for the future.

Thanks and Enjoy!

The Will of Empire:
The Forgotten History of the Roman Empire​

Ordered By: The Imperial Chancery of Records 1402-1453

Overseen By: Innocentius Victorinus Maximianus ​

Eras of Recorded History (1402AD-1453AD)​

The Start of History: Introduction: July 20, 1402AD​

The First Era: Ancestral Rebirth (1402AD-1413AD)​

The Second Era: The Wars of Imperial Expansion (1413AD-1434AD)​

The Third Era: The Last Ancestral War: The Dawn of an Empire (1435AD)​

The Fourth Era: The Imperial Crusade and War of the West (1435AD-1453AD)​

An End to History: September 12, 1453AD​

 

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The Start of History: Introduction​

On July 20, 1402, in the wake of the Ottoman’s crushing defeat at the Battle of Ankara at the hands of the Timurid Empire, Basileus Manuel II Palaiologos ordered the creation of the Imperial Chancery of Records under the direction of an elite order of asekretis titled the Chartophylax. His emperorship decreed the order into existence while declaring that “the weakness of the Ottoman heathens is the time for the Roman Empire to rise again and fulfill the will of the one Almighty God and bring His Orthodox faith to the ends of the Earth.” The goal of this order was and is to chronicle the events in the rising of the Byzantine Empire to a new era of prosperity and dominance and to record the spread of the one true faith of Christian Orthodoxy across the known world. The Sebastos appointed Innocentius Victorinus Maximianus as the first Chartophylax, and it was to be under his direction, and that of his sons, that this complete history was to be written and protected.

 

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The First Era: Ancestral Rebirth (1402AD-1413AD)​

August 1, 1402- The Ottomans surrender to the Timurid Empire and its allies after being totally defeated at the Battle of Ankara ten day earlier. It is this event that marks the beginning of the end of the Ottoman Empire and its heretical rule over properly Roman land.

Later that day: The First Ancestral War against the Ottomans began when Basileus Mannuel II passed a declaration of war against the Ottoman Empire. In order to win this war, Basileus Mannuel II ordered the creation of a new Imperial Army.

April 20, 1403- After suffering a massive defeat by the Ottoman fleet in the Sea of Marmara a few months ago, the newly raised Imperial Army, which was 7000 strong, handedly defeated the 6000 strong Ottoman Army led by their Sultan, Mehmet I. This victory turned the tides of the war in favor of our great Empire.

December 10, 1403- The province of Edirne fell back into our hands and the Orthodox faithful have been rescued from the scourge of Islam; however, the Ottomite pretender, Suleyman Osmanli, Sultan Mehmet I’s brother, who is trying to claim the throne from Mehmet I, is turning from a blessing into a curse as his armies march across the Greek Peninsula.

February 2, 1404- The province of Burgas on the coast of the Black Sea was freed from Ottoman control. The siege and fighting took over two-hundred days. The Ancestral War has begun to turn from a war of survival to one of conquest, expansion, and glory.

April 1404- Serbia and her allies declared war against the Ottoman Empire. This is both a great blessing and a terrible curse. The Ottomans now have more enemies than even they can resist; however, the Serbians are medaling in our Basileus’s goals of freeing our ancestral lands from the Ottomans. They shall pay sooner or later for their insolence.

July 12, 1404- Basileus Mannuel II enacted land reform in and around Constantinople in the province of the Thrace. This land reform shall increase production efficiency, increase the area’s wealth, and thus increase the tax base from which the Empire can draw on to fund its expansion.

August 1, 1404- Serbia and her allies made peace with the Ottoman Empire and gained the province of Bulgaria as a result. Their actions have weakened the heathens’ further; however, because they have taken lands that rightfully belong in the Empire, they will have to pay for their mistake in blood.

January 4, 1405- The Venetians and their allies have entered the war against the Ottoman Empire, and again these outsiders are interfering in our Basileus’s war aims; however, after losing a third of the Imperial Army to an series of ill fated assaults on the Ottoman’s side of the Bosphorus, we are powerless to stop the partitioning of our ancestral lands amongst the vultures of Europe. Basileus Mannuel II has vowed to fight till the death for the cause of empire.

July 5, 1405- The province of Silistria has finally succumb to the will of the Imperial Army; however, Edirne is now under assault from the pretender, and the Ottoman Empire is again on the rise. Many fear, including Mannuel II, that things might turn out poorly for the Empire. The Imperial Army is being quickly rebuilt and organized to counter this threat.

September 11, 1405- The Imperial Army was crushed by the heathen armies of Suleyman Osmanli. The Ancestral War is turning into a quagmire that the Empire might never quite recover from.

December 9, 1405- Suleyman Osmanli and his forces marched victorious into the capital of the province of Edirne. The Ottomans also refused our peace offer. These recent actions have greatly shifted the balance in this war and may have cost the Empire much more than land. Popular opinion for the Basileus is still strong, but one can only wonder how long the good favor of the people will last under these conditions.

May 14, 1406- Basileus Mannuel II has orderd a population census be taken in the province of Thrace to determine a more effective system of taxation and military rerutment. Venice and her allies declare a white peace and gained nothing for their efforts. We are glad to see that God has not allowed the Catholics to enter into our sphere of influence in the Balkans any further. The Imperial Army is being rebuilt with recent end year taxes from 1405, and by the end of the year the army will be more powerful than ever before, but we can only hope God’s favor shines on us long enough to see the armies rebirth as the Ottomites have started sailing towards Constantinople.

December 22, 1406- At the Battle of Burgas, the Imperial Army finally defeated the pretender heathen, Suleyman Osmanli. The casualties were high on both sides, and half of the Byzantines’ glorious army was lost. However, the Imperial Army presses further to ensure the destruction of the Ottomans and the pretender at all costs.

January 8, 1407- Nestor Batatzes was proclaimed the first Magister militum of the Imperial Army. We pray he was the right choice, and that he will bring our armies to victory.

May 15, 1407- Magister militum Batatzes finally defeated Sueyman Osmanli for good at the Battle of Macedonia. With him out of the way, the Imperial Army marched to defend Constantinople from the invading Ottomans. The Ancestral War turned from a quick land grab into a war that is consuming all of our nation’s manpower and wealth. We can only hope it ends soon, but it does look like the tides are again moving in our favor. Thank God for that.

October 7, 1405- Caesar Ioannes dies of an illness, which leaves Basileus with no heir to his throne. This tragedy has stuck fear into the hearts of the Byzantine people and has brought the Basileus to his knees. The disgruntled populace stands by their ruler, but believes that we have lost God’s favor, which is utter heresy. Something must be done and soon to end this war and restore normalcy or things could get much worse.

February 7, 1408- Caesar Michael Palaiologos is born. The line of succession is safe and the spirits of the people and royal family are renewed as victory on the battlefield, thought difficult, continues. Praise God.

October 3, 1408- The province of Athens and Larissa defected to the Empire. This event has brought great strength to our nation and has added valuable economic and social benefits to our people. The constant war has forced Basileus Mannuel II to take out a loan from the Venetians. It is a sad day when such an event must occur. To help increase the administration of our growing empire, the bureaucracy was greatly expanded by the Basileus.

November 1, 1409- Magister Militum Batatzes and the Imperial Army defeated Sultan Mehmet I again in the Battle of Edirne. The war is finally on the Ottoman side of the Bosphorus. Maybe there is hope in this war after all. The Empire’s dept is fading away as the economy slowly grows as a result of reforms and the territorial acquisitions from Greece back in 1408.

January 18, 1410- Basileus Mannuel II graciously extended the hand of peace to the Ottoman Sultan in order to secure the majority of our ancestral lands and bring about a period of peace to the war weary citizens of the Empire.

January 22, 1410- The Ottoman Sultan humbly accepted the most gracious offer from our Basileus, and brought an end to the long, costly, brutal Ancestral War. As a result of the tenacity of our legions and the strategy of Magister Militum Batatzes, the Roman Empire is rising again with the acquisition of Edirne, Burgas, Silistria, Nis. This will be the true beginning of the end for the Islamic heathens, and the dawn of a New Roman Empire.

January 23, 1410- To celebrate the victory over the Ottomans and the royal marriages between members of the Byzantine Royal Family and the royal families of Serbia and Wallachia, his eminence Basileus Manneul II ordered a festival to take place in Constantinople. This festival will showcase all the advances and greatness of Byzantine culture. In ending his speech Basileus Manneul II declared “The world will marvel in our victory and bask in our glory to the ends of the Earth.”

July 7, 1410- Basileus Manneul II, on behalf of his family, has accepted the marriage offer by the royal family of Ragusa. This union has brought our two nations closer together.

January 20, 1411- Serbia accepted Basileus Manneul II’s offer to form a military alliance between our two countries. The alliance has been forged of necessity and its lasting impact will yet to be determined. Basileus Manneul II has declared that this alliance is the pretext to war against Wallachia and Ragusa, which will now divide the royal family itself.

January 30, 1411- Rebels from a neighboring nation invaded Athens and are trying to subjugate the city. Basileus Manneul II is sending 3000 men from the Imperial Army to handle this uprising before it gets out of hand. The Basileus also conducted another population census in Edirne to help insure the security and growth of the Empire’s tax base.

March 28, 1411- The people of the Empire have become discontented at the breaking of royal ties between the nation of Wallachia and our Empire. The populace has made it difficult to collect taxes and uphold the law. However, Basileus Manneul II is determined to protect the Serbians and war seems imminent now.

May 11, 1411- The Imperial Army’s first division of 3000 easily defeated the rebel armies and saved the region from their oppressive hand. God be praised for the quick victory and minimal losses. The skies loom darker as war approaches again.

July 1, 1411- Basileus Manneul II declared the war against the kingdom of Wallachia, thus starting the First War of Byzantine Intervention. The Imperial Army under Magister Militum Batatzes is marching toward the enemy capital of Wallachia and will be arriving within the month. We pray this war will be much shorter than the Ancestral War that consumed our nation for over eight long years.

July 31, 1411- Magister Militum Batatzes defeated the Wallachian Army with minimal losses at the Battle of Wallachia. The Imperial Army is pressing the initiative and following the Wallachian Army as it retreats northward to the coast of the Black Sea.

September 20, 1411- The Imperial Army narrowly defeated the Wallachian Monarch, Mihail I Basarab, at the Battle of Budjak. This defeat will hopefully bring a swift end to the war.

May 20, 1412- The Imperial Army under the firm and capable hand of Magister Militum Batatzes has won the siege of Wallachia and even beaten the Serbians into the capital. This was a rousing victory indeed. We can only hope that this war will end as the Imperial Navy nears its completion. The world shall soon fear our naval might.

June 27, 1412- King Mihail I Basarab, now Duke Mihail I Basarab, has accepted the gracious offer of vassalage extended to him by our most high Basileus Manneul II Palaiologos. This marks the end of the First War of Byzantine Intervention and the continuation of our aims to restore the Roman Empire to her former glory. It is on this day that our Empire had left the Venetians’ corrupt and vile trade league and joined their rival the Genoans.

July 28, 1412- The traitorous Serbians broke off their alliance with us! This is an action which most certainly precedes war. If war is what the Serbians want, than we shall be ready for them. The Imperial Army is moving quickly to the boarder. Our legions will be victorious, but the people are worried as this war would mean a breaking of another royal marriage.

April 14, 1413- Our Basileus Manneul II has accepted an alliance between the Kingdom of Georgia and our cherished and glorious Roman Empire. This alliance will be invaluable as the storm of war rises in the north. Magister Militum Batatzes has recommended the continued growth of our Imperial Army and Navy to ward off the advances of the Empire’s enemies both Orthodox and heathen alike.

May 3, 1413- The citizens of the Empire have ended their harassing of imperial officials, and the overall stability of the Empire has thus increased to normal operational levels. Taxation and revenue collection has increased greatly as a result of the newly realized stability.

 

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The Second Era: The Wars of Imperial Expansion (1413AD-1434AD)​

November 11, 1413- Basileus Manneul II Palaiologos has assumed the title Dux es Augustus and taken to the field to lead the Imperial Army in the impending war against the Ottoman Empire. Magister Militum Batatzes has been placed in command of the Greek Division of the Imperial Army in order to take Macedon from the barbarous hordes.

January 5, 1414- Basileus Manneul II declared war against the Kingdom of Candar in an attempt to draw the Ottomites into the fray; however, the result of the declaration of war has been to bring Yemen, Oman, Algiers, and every other God forsaken Islamic nation except the Ottomans! To add to the series of events that have come to pass, Georgia has refused to send us aid and thus backstabbed our Empire in the back. They will pay for their insolence soon enough. Regardless of these disappointing events, the First War of Imperial Expansion has begun, and our legions shall be triumphant!

January 6, 1414- Our scouts and explorers have discovered new lands for our future conquest. May God guide us to these lands safely and swiftly for His glory.

May 21, 1414- Caesar Michael Palaiologos asked his father, Basileus Manneul II Palaiologos, why all the women in Constantinople where crying, and in an expression of his will and calm mannered nature, he simply said, “they are crying for they do know not what the price of peace, honor, and Empire truly are.”

May 23, 1414- Dux es Augustus Manneul II took the Candarian capital of Kastamon without a single causality. This war will end shortly and bring more properly Roman territory back into the hands of the Basileus.

May 27, 1414- The Imperial Navy defeated the entire Candarian fleet at the Battle of the Gulf of Vanara. This victory demonstrates to the world that the newly rebuilt Byzantine Imperial Navy is and will be a power to fear throughout the seven seas.

June 25, 1414- As predicted yet unforeseen by all military and diplomatic advisors, the Serbians declared war against our Empire. This declaration of war has started the Second Ancestral War, and will be a true test of the strength and determination of our legions and our people. This war will bring into our hands the territory of Bulgaria. The Serbians will pay for their constant medaling in our affairs.

September 6, 1414- Dux es Augustus Manneul II again shows his tenacity in battle as he handedly defeated the Serbian Army, which was led by their incompetent monarch, in the mountains of Nis. This victory brings our legions one step closer to victory in Greece and Asia Minor. God be praised! The Imperial Army is now marching to finish off the Serbian Army and take the Roman province of Bulgaria.

November 18, 1414- Genoa has constructed a trade center in Burgas. This will increase our trade and thus our tax base to fund our military ambitions for the future.

December 4, 1414- The heathen kingdom of Candar has surrendered after being crushed under the boots of our Empire’s unstoppable legions. As a result of the peace treaty, the Roman province of Sinope is returned to the protective folds of the Empire. However, the allies of Candar have yet to surrender. Basileus Manneul II feels that it is only a matter of time before the other Islamic nations fall to the might of the Lord’s Army. The only problem we now face other than the Serbian fools, is the un-Christian peoples in the province of Sinope. They have been ruled for far too long by the Islamic heretics and have grown to accept their evil beliefs. In time, however, missionaries will be sent to teach these newly restored citizens of the Empire the way of the true Orthodox faith once more.

January 2, 1415- The provincial governors and local populace in Asia Minor have grown to except the backwards and barbaric Turkish culture as part of their own. This brings us great benefits in trying to convert the nonbelievers back to the true faith, but at the same time this acceptance will only bread mediocrity and weakness. “In time the Byzantine culture will be purified again,” declared Basileus Manneul II, “for now we shall accept their culture and the wisdom of our provincial governors for the sack of stability and political necessity.”

January 4, 1415- Basileus Manneul II enacted a land reform in the province of Burgas in order to create a more fair and effective system of farm production. This increased production will increase trade, manpower, the ability to feed and fund our Empire’s growing legion, and the tax base required to pay for continued progress and security.

April 25, 1415- The Imperial Army under Dux es Augustus Manneul II won the sieges of Serbia and Bulgaria simultaneously. This is a true testament to the military skill and prowess of our legions. Our Basileus has never failed us and will not do so in these wars. These stunning victories spell the beginning of the end for the ignorant Serbians.

July 10, 1415- Basileus Mannuel II has accepted the white peace offer from the gravelling Algerian emissary on behalf of their nation and their entire alliance. This peace has brought a quick end to the war against the best the Islamic world had to offer. Orthodoxy and the Roman Empire are sure to rise again if this is the best the enemy has to challenge our dominance.

September 10, 1415- As a result of the Basileus’s attempts to centralize our Empire's government, a gap in political control has occurred at the local level which has destabilized the Empire to a small degree. Tax collection and law enforcement will be harder with the lesser focus on provincial rule.

September 27, 1415- Caesar Michael Palaiologos asked his father why the women were crying again, and the Basileus said to him, “Son, it is because they are sad at the loss our Empire is suffering at the hands of the heathens. I want you to remember always that they are our enemy, and God is our friend. Be a powerful ruler son, and bring forth my dreams of Empire. Make me proud.” This is one of the rare moments where the Basileus can be seen not only to be nearly divine in how close he his is to the Lord, but also how human and emotional he can be.

October 27, 1415- The Second Ancestral War has come to an end as the blinded and greatly weakened Serbians have accepted Basileus Manneul II’s most gracious and just offer of peace. In the Treaty of Bulgaria, Serbia gave the Roman province of Bulgaria back to its rightful owner. The Serbians also agreed to release the nations of Montenegro and Ragusa from their tyrannical control. The end to this war helps to sure up even more of our ancestral land. Every province gained is one step closer to fulfilling our Basileus’s dreams of empire. The release of Montenegro and Ragusa from Serbian control gives us new allies in our ongoing passive political struggle against Venice and her interventionist allies. Now that the war is over in the North, we can finally stab at the heart of the Ottoman Empire once again and take the Bosphorus and Macedonia. This peace will be but a mere respite in between wars of empire!

October 28, 1415- the Empire of Byzantium has entered into an alliance with Montenegro and an alliance with Ragusa. In addition to these alliances, the royal families of all three nations have been bound together in holy matrimony. These small kingdoms will serves as exhalent allies in the wars and struggles to come and will be invaluable buffer states against further Hungarian expansion in the North.

November 27, 1415- Basileus Mannuel II has arranged a festival in honor of the recent unions between our Empire and the nations of Montenegro and Ragusa. In addition, this festival will act as another elegant showcase of our Empire’s ever growing wealth and power. The world will stand in awe of our greatness. Despite the joyous times, Venice has already begun intervening in our Empire’s foreign interests when they signed a trade league compact with Ragusa.

March 10, 1416- Magister Militum Nestor Batatzes died from illness. His greatness was unrivaled by any general in the Empire. He was a true and loyal general to the very end, and his strategy and countless victories are what gave this dying empire new life. He will never be forgotten, and his funeral is being held at state expense at the palace in Constantinople. Until such time as another candidate comes forward to attempt and fill the ever large boots of Batatzes, Basileus Manneul II will assume total and direct military control under the tile of Dux es Augustus.

January 5, 1417- The Second War of Imperial Expansion has begun against the Ottoman Empire and their heathen king. Our Imperial Navy now numbers sixteen ships, which makes it the most powerful in the Black Sea, and our Imperial Army, now known as the Imperial Legion, numbers over fifteen thousand strong. We shall take the Bosphorus by storm and without mercy. Eirenaies Kantakuzenos has been appointed the new Magister Militum. We pray he will lead our armies to victory always.

February 6, 1417- Basileus Mannuel II Palaiologos has died prematurely and left our great Empire without a true ruler as Caesar Michael Palaiologos is yet too young to rule with the proper will of a Basileus. In his place a Regency Council of Byzantine nobles was created to rule the Empire. They are highly resistant to aggressive diplomatic policies, and the Empire can only hope that the nobility and our enemies will not take advantage of the Empire’s current state of weakness to reverse the current path to progress we march upon. We will mourn the loss of our Basileus, immortalize him in our hearts, and bring his vision to realization by our triumph.

The funding and mission of the Imperial Chancery of Records and the Chartophylax will remain unchanged. We were created by a Basileus, and only a Basileus can change or end our mission of recording all events in the rise and spread of the Roman Empire. Praise be to God and the Palaiologos line of wise, righteous Emperors.

May 29, 1417- The province of Macedonia has fallen back into Roman hands. Finally, our ancestral lands in Greece have been made fully contiguous again; however, we have a long way and many bloody wars to go until all of our lands are properly under our banner. The heathens in Sinope have rebelled and are trying to return and implement their old blasphemous faith and godless ways. We shall defeat them after we deal with the Ottoman hordes.

May 30, 1417- The royal marriages between our Empire and the nations of Montenegro and Ragusa have been renewed. We hope these continued good relations will bring about security on our northern boarder for now. However, the Hungarians are beginning to meddle in our affairs, and they shall pay as soon as a new Basileus takes the throne.

October 12, 1417- Magister Militum Kantakuzenos and the Imperial Legion, after twenty battles across Asia Minor, finally defeated the Ottomans under the command of their Sultan Mehmet I. Now the provinces shall fall quickly and softly into the gracious hands of the Empire. God be praised! Our religious officials have substantiated our claim on the territory of Albania on the west coast of the Greek Peninsula. Our Empire and faith shall surly dominate this region and one day the world, one territory at a time.

November 7, 1417- Sultan Mehmet accepted the Regency Council’s most generous offer to cede Macedonia, all of the Bosphorus, and Anatolia to the Empire in exchange for peace and an end to the bloodbath and endless slaughter of their armies and heathen peoples. With this peace the Empire has entered a continuous peace until such time as the next Basileus takes full control on the throne.

December 2, 1417- The Grand Regency Council has passed the Bosphorus Sound Toll Act. This tax will be the first of its kind for the Empire and will be levied against all ships that wish to pass through the strait between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. The tax will be leaved at fifteen percent. The revenue from this tax will be used to fund the expanding Imperial Legion and the many investment projects for reforming the Empire.

December 18, 1417- The Grand Regency Council has declared a state of emergency. Three revolts are currently on going, and the Empire’s economy and stability are being badly damaged as a result. The nobility have ordered the revolts be crushed immediately without mercy.

March 14, 1418- The revolts in Edirne and Anatolia have been defeated without terrible loss; however, to our disgrace, Sinope has fallen temporarily into the hands of the heathen rebels.

August 11, 1418- Milan has extended her hand to the Empire in order to form a military alliance against Venice. This alliance will prove valuable to both our nations. It was Basileus Manneul II’s wish to be allied with Milan, and his dream has finally been realized. It is sad that he was unable to see such an alliance come to fruition.

September 14, 1418- The Roman Empire has been united with Milan by the bonds of holy matrimony. This union will ensure the longevity of our alliance and the permanent unification of our goals.

March 12, 1419- The Grand Regency Council has declared the state of emergency over as Sinope has been returned to the Roman fold. Several missionaries where sent out by the Council to spread the one true Orthodox faith to the heathen peoples of Islam.

September 8, 1419- The Suffragan Bishop Act was passed by the Grand Regency Council to allow the Suffragan bishops the authority to regulate Episcopal practices. The goal of this legislation is to make the Church more efficient in tending to the needs of the masses and the Empire. The Grand Regency Council also passed the Advancement of Religion Act and granted the state church the power to tax the peasants. The nobleman and clergy are the only ones who can read the Holy Scriptures and the state church is increasingly being centralized under the authority of the Sebastos.

January 30, 1420- The Third Ancestral War has begun against the infamous, ignorant Venetians and their treacherous allies the Achaeans and Naxos. Basileus Manneul II declared that the Venetians would pay for their insolence in blood, and in this war his prophecy shall come true. It is in his honor the Grand Council has agreed to participate in what bodes to be both an extensive and exhaustive war.

July 20, 1420- Achaea has surrendered to the Imperial Legion and offered Janina as a gift to slake our Legions thirst for the blood of the Achaean citizenry. The Roman Empire grows after every victory, and our Empire’s glory shines second only to God himself! May God continue to be with us and guide our Legions in our goal of freeing all of Greece from the Catholic heretics and unite them under our banner of Orthodoxy.

February 20, 1421- A peasant revolt has begun in the province of Bursa. This is the first revolt by imperial citizens during a time of war. This act of treason will be dealt with mercilessly by the Imperial Legion. The war is going well, and Venetian blood is filling the rivers and turning the plains of the battle field red. Victory will soon be ours, and this small rebellion will be but a blip in the history of the rising Byzantine Empire.

July 2, 1422- The Empire have learned new ways of governance that will surely increase efficiency and bring about a renewed sense of pride. Our generals have developed the practice of the military drill. This will increase discipline and troop effectiveness in battle. Our legions shall surly triumph now. However, the war with Venice is growing long and difficult. The power of Venice’s navy is in preventing the Empire’s legions from defending our Black Sea territories or seize the island of Crete. The main division of the Imperial Legion, lead by Magister Militum Kantakuzenos, has begun its assault just outside the capital of Venice after traveling through foreign territory. We can only pray that this attack at the heart of the Vincentian merchant empire will bring them to their knees soon.

July 3, 1422- To commemorate the governance of the Grand Regency Council, they commissioned a portrait from one of the greatest artiest of this era. The painting is truly elegant and conveys the power and wisdom with which the Council has ruled these past years.

September 26, 1422- The Serbians declared war on our ally Montenegro and The Grand Regency Council has decided that the Empire will support Montenegro despite our already thin lines. The rationale behind the Council’s decision is that Montenegro acts as an effective and most essential buffer state between the Empire and Hungary. We must defend our allies at all costs because we have few and our enemies are many. May God be with us always, for we will surely need Him now.

February 6, 1423- Basileus Michael X Palaiologos ascends to his proper place on the throne of the mighty Byzantine Empire! The coronation ceremony was like no other in the history of the Empire. The Grand Regency Council stepped aside without any confrontation and even gave advice to the young Basileus. We pray that God blesses his reign as the whole Empire watches and waits to see how the new Basileus will handle his first challenge as ruler. Will he bring peace and victory in this Third Ancestral War, or will he falter and the dreams of empire with him? Basileus Michael X does intend to follow in his father’s footsteps, and this intent is demonstrated by his words, “Victory, Orthodoxy, Empire, now and forever!”

February 7, 1423- Basileus Michael X ordered the passage of the Liquor Act to regulate the sale and purchase of gin inside the boarders of the Empire for the purpose of increasing the national tax revenue, which is essential for future plans of expansion. He also wasted no time with niceties and declared that all acts of blasphemy be punishable in courts of the Empire. No citizen or person within the borders of the Empire can say anything against God, Christ, or the Holy Scriptures. In passing this act Basileus Michael X declared, “One Faith, One Crown, One Empire!”

March 31, 1423- The populace of Bursa has converted to the one true Orthodox faith. Basileus Michael X is already fulfilling his father’s wishes and proving to be a great Basileus in his own rights.

May 11, 1423- The Serbians accept the most gracious peace offer extended to them by our Basileus Michael X. The peace agreement was done to not antagonize the goliath from the north, Hungary, and meant to be for Byzantine war costs. The Empire is secure, her allies are safe, and another war has been ended by the power of the legions and the speech of our Basileus. May God be praised always, and our glory shine forth of a millennia.

August 9, 1423- After seeing the increasing burdensome results of the Empire's rapid inflation and spending problems, Basileus Michael X has appointed a new Minister of Mint and has begun economic reforms to stop and slow down inflation. These reforms will greatly destabilize the Empire for several years and put a burden on our tax base; however, the Basileus believes this is the time for action. Many advisors have argued against enacting such a radical reform policy at such a high cost during war time, but Basileus Michael X believes that because of the pressure the Imperial Legion is placing on Venice by laying siege to her capital and the provinces of Crete and Albania, the war will be over soon. If anything, it can be said that Basileus Michael X is as daring and worthy to be Emperor as his great father before him.

September 17, 1424- Venice accepts their humiliating defeat at the hands of our all powerful legions by signing the Treaty of Greece. The terms of the treaty graciously spared Venice from total annexation in exchange for the provinces of Albania, Corfu, Crete, and Nanos. The treat also officially ended the Third Ancestral War and has brought the Empire almost all of its European Ancestral lands. Only Achaea stands in the way of a unified Byzantine Empire in Europe, and they shall not be standing for very much longer. The economic policies of Basileus Michael X are effectively combating inflation and restoring some semblance of normalcy to the economy. Basileus Michael X wants to fight for peace in the Empire after the union of all of Byzantium’s ancestral provinces have been returned to the Empire. The policy of conversion in the newly conquered lands of Asia Minor continues undaunted by the wars and indigenous resistance.

January 23, 1425-The Third War of Imperial Expansion has begun against Ramazan. The goal of this war as stated by Basileus Michael X is to “obtain complete and total control of the Aegean Sea and all of its adjacent land.” This war should truly be short; however, the Basileus has also hinted at another war against Candar to be coming in the near future.

May 8, 1425- The Third War of Imperial Expansion has turned from a short war against Ramazan into a massive war against almost all of Islam and Asia Minor. These unforeseen events are troublesome; however, this unbridled warfare will give the Empire a chance to greatly expand and even wipe out the Ottoman heathens.

October 18, 1425- The Ottomans accepted Basileus Michael X’s demands of total surrender and annexation of all properly Roman lands under control of the Ottoman Empire. As a result of these terms, the Ottoman Empire exists no more and has become nothing but a blot on the pages of history. The glory of Orthodoxy and of Byzantium shall forever be held as triumphant on this day, for this day the greatest threat to the Empire has been wiped from the Earth as a mere fly from the sky.

April 9, 1426- Basileus Michael X issued several governmental reforms to centralize the Empire under his control. The long term effects of these decrees will be great; however, the nobility are in an uproar and tax collection is becoming increasingly difficult. The Empire is almost completely destabilized, we can only hope that soon things will return to normal and the wars are ended.

May 2, 1426- The ambitions of Basileus Michael X are as boundless as this era of warfare and carnage. The Third War of Imperial Expansion has extended to even fighting the Catholic heretic Knights. The Basileus wishes to take control of the island of Rhodes and Cyprus to provide more naval bases for the Imperial Navy; because with the revenue gained from the acquisition of all the Empire’s ancestral lands, he wishes to make the Imperial Navy the envy of the Eastern world.

July 6, 1426- To a great degree, the war is fully in the Empire’s favor. However, backdoor deals have landed Montenegro with vital Roman territory in Asia Minor. If they do not give up land that rightfully belongs to the Empire, the alliance between the two nations will surely end by the spilling of much blood.

January 2, 1427- The Empire’s stability is finally returning ever so slowly to normalcy; however, the war rages on as the eastern islands refuse to surrender.

February 21, 1427- Basileus Michael X produced a heir to the throne, Caesar Helene Palaiologos. The birth of an heir has given the Empire new vigor in its wars against the heathens and heretics alike.

November 27, 1427- After the fall of Rhodes to the Imperial Legion, the Third War of Imperial Expansion finally came to an end. The casualties were extremely high during this war and the enemies even greater; however, Basileus Michael X’s vision of a unified Asia Minor and a secure Aegean Sea are yet to be realized, and therefore in so much as achieving the goals of these wars, they went along way, but still failed to reach them. The era of Neo Pax Romana is closer than ever now, but there is more blood that must be spilled to attain this era of peace and prosperity.

January 1, 1429- Basileus Michael X has reversed his father’s trade policies and left the trade league with Genoa in hopes of construction the Empire’s own center of trade at Constantinople. Having a center of trade here will bring in massive revenue from trade and commerce. We can only hope this risky policy will work and was worth shifting the international trade balance in favor of the ignorant Venetians.

May 18, 1429- The War of Eastern Expansion began against the kingdom of Trebizond. This war is a continuation of the Basileus Michael X’s war policy of Byzantine unification. This war promises to be short as it only involves the one province kingdom of Trebizond against our mighty Empire.

January 30, 1430- Basileus Michael X has established a center of trade in Constantinople and thus freed us from the bonds of trade leagues and the influence of outside powers on our foreign affairs. The benefits of this economic and trade policy have yet to be fully seen, but we can only pray and hope they were worth the high immense cost.

February 14, 1430- The royal houses of Bosnia and Byzantium have been joined together by the bonds of holy matrimony. This bond will aid the construction of an alliance against Hungary and Austria.

April 1, 1430- A military alliance has been formed between Bosnia and Byzantium. This alliance will help check the further spread of Hungary or Austria into the affairs of the Empire. This alliance will also allow for the Empire to hold great sway in the region against Serbian expansionist policies.

August 23, 1430- Trebizond finally fell back into the protective fold of the Roman Empire, and the War of Eastern Expansion has, as a result, come to a thankful close. Basileus Michael X has declared a six month moratorium on war that he says may last for a year. The rationale behind this decision is to allow for the Empire’s military to reorganize, regroup, and expand in order to face the great enemies to the north and south of the Empire. Only time will tell if this strategy will have any benefit when the seas of war wash across our shores once again.

February, 1432- The Fourth War of Imperial Expansion has begun with Basileus Michael X’s declaration of war against Ramazan. This war will expand to include the kingdoms of Candar and Achaea, the Mamluks, and the whole of the Muslim world. This war breaks Basileus Michael X’s promise of an end to war; however, it should guarantee all but one, if not all, of the Empires ancestral lands, which will ensure an end to war for a great time, we pray. Basileus Michael X opened the war by saying “these wars are essential for the survival and continued expansion of our Empire.”

June 21, 1433- The Mamluks and the whole of the heathen world surrendered under the might of the Empire’s Imperial Legion of over thirty thousand strong. The Fourth War of Imperial Expansion has ended with all of the Empire's ancestral lands being reclaimed except for Achaea, which has been promised to be assaulted as soon as the Imperial Legion is reformed. The reforms will be a simple shifting in command and regiment makes ups.

March 4, 1434- A scandal erupted in the court involving Basileus Michael X and his family. Apparently some infidelity was occurring within the family, but Basileus Michael X accepted the blame in order to return court life to normal and allow for continued focus on imperial expansion.

 

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The Third Era: The Last Ancestral War: The Dawn of an Empire (1435AD)​

March 3, 1435- The Last Ancestral War was started against Achaea and her allies. This war will be brief and completely unify the Empire in the east. When victory is in the hands of the Empire, Basileus Manneul II’s dream will have been realized, and it will be only a matter of time before the entire Roman Empire is reborn. After this war, Basileus Michael X shall begin a series of holy wars to claim the holy land from the Mamluks and their heathen allies.

September 3, 1435- The Last Ancestral War has come to an end with the signing of the Treaty of Achaea by Achaea and her defeated allies. This event will be marked down in history as the day Empire was truly reborn. Basileus Michael X has proved himself to be as great if not greater than his father, and he has revealed his plans to expand both towards the west as well as towards the east.

 

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The Fourth Era: The Imperial Crusade and War of the West (1435AD-1453AD)​

September 8, 1435- The Empire has entered a naval race against the heathen Mamluks as part of Basileus Michael X’s policy of naval expansion.

February 16, 1437- Basileus Michael X has been declared the defender of the Orthodox faith. All of Orthodoxy shall be forever safe in the loving embrace of Basileus Michael X and his Imperial Legion. A united faith under a united Empire is the most powerful tool in the world, and it is now in our hands. The heathens are almost all eliminated within the lands of the Empire, and soon the heathens will be eliminated throughout the world.

June 22, 1437- Basileus Michael X has put off the holy wars in order to expand westward. The westward expansion will lead the Empire in a more technologically advanced direction where we can gather important information to continue the progress and growth of the Empire. The Holy Land is held too strongly at the moment and therefore Naples is an opportune target for growth. As a result of these international aspects, the War of the West was started against Naples, as they are the gateway to the Western world for the Empire.

November 8, 1438- Basileus Michael X has agreed to enter several wars including one against the Golden Horde in the defense of Orthodoxy. During the War of the West, Genoa was forced to surrender and convert to Orthodoxy. God must be pleased with our work for he continues to shine fortune upon the Empire.

January 14, 1439- Naples surrenders after being totally defeated by the Imperial Legion. The first stage of the War of the West has proven to be a complete success! The Empire has gained two more provinces and secured the southern tip of Italy. Now all of the Empire's forces can be committed against the Golden Horde. Not only are we fighting for the faith, but also the gold held by the Golden Horde.

January 25, 1439- The plague has hit Thrace and devastated the region’s population. We pray to God for guidance and a cure for these terrible aliments. God save us! The good fortune of the Lord seems to have shifted.

December 5, 1439- Basileus Michael X has ordered the construction of a glorious monument in Constantinople to celebrate and showcase the glory and power of the Empire to the world. This monument will be a massive statue Basileus Michael X standing over the Bosphorus declaring the rebirth of the Roman Empire and standing watch over the Empire he forged.

December 17, 1441- Basileus Michael X declared the First Imperial Crusade against the Mamluk heathens. The goal is to claim the Holy Land for the one true Orthodox faith.

May 29, 1442- Byzantium is experiencing a salt crisis, which is harming production and trade throughout the Empire; however, the First Imperial Crusade is going fantastically well. Almost all of the Mamluk lands are already under Byzantine control. God’s grace shines upon us this day and all to come!

September 2, 1443- The First Imperial Crusade has ended with Rome owning everything from Alexandria to Jerusalem! Basileus Michael X and his military policies have against won the Empire another stunning victory and a great amount of territory. Because we control the holiest city on earth, the City of God, we are the envy of the entire Christian world. Basileus Michael X has ordered all the Holy Lands be made Orthodox so the people can return to the one true faith.

June 17, 1444- The second stage of the War of the West has begun as war has again been declared against Naples. The Empire shall again be victorious!

January 30, 1445- Basileus Michael X ordered the city of Alexandria destroyed and its center of trade closed so that more nations must trade through Constantinople. This was done as part of his nationalization and international economic centralization policy.

January 26, 1448- The second stage of the War of the West ended with the Empire gaining all but one of Naples’ provinces. In addition to the territorial gains, Naples paid a large indemnity and Genoa converted to Orthodoxy again. This victory brings the Empire one step closer to gaining all of southern Italy and getting closer to taking Rome, which will bring the third most holy city, and the seat of the Old Rome, bake under proper Roman control.

May 27, 1449- The third stage of the War of the West began after Sicily granted the Empire and Basileus Michael X the capital of Naples. This generous gift spared Sicily its country. The Empire is no longer on the verge of death, it is no longer afraid of its enemies, for they are weak and the Empire is now the strongest nation in the world! Praise be to God and glory to the Basileus. The finally step in securing Orthodoxy across world is taking Rome, and that shall be done very, very soon.

September 30, 1449- The nobility demanded compensation for their service to the Empire, and Basileus Michael X was more than happy to grant them the rewards they deserved, he had the group of nobles who opposed him killed and their heads given to the rest of the nobles to demonstrate to them what happens when you cross the path of a strong Basileus.

May 29, 1453- Basileus Michael X marches into Rome as Dux es Augustus and returns home as Basileus of the Roman Empire. The War of the City of God was short, sweet, and to the point. It took only two weeks to take the city, but it will take several months to empty the city of its treasures and then rebuild it in the Byzantine, the New Roman, image of imperial majesty. It is also on this day when by the force and will of empire, the Great Schism was forever ended, and for all of history Basileus Michael X shall from this day forward be called Basileus Michael the Great for restoring not only a large portion of the Roman Empire, but for bringing Orthodoxy to the head of Christendom. Long live the Basileus, long praise God!

 

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An End to History: September 12, 1453AD​

It is September 12, 1453 and Basileus Michael the Great has declared this project complete. He has said that “the will, goals, and aims of my father have been reached and the Empire is rising from the ashes like a phoenix reborn. The deeds, monuments, and stories of man shall keep the history of this great empire alive, not some history written on scrolls and kept in the achieves of a palace. This empire shall be known not for its writing, but for its military and political greatness, for its faith, and for its valor. Therefore, I hereby decree that the Chartophylax be disbanded.” He then ordered what had been written to be left in the Imperial Achieves as a record of how the Roman Empire come from the brink of death to the doors of greatness, and dared to step through them.