Women's Troubles : A Tuscan CK-2-Demo contest AAR

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This is a re-post of the AAR that I wrote as a submission to TheLoneGunman's contest to win a free copy of Crusader Kings II.

The contest rules were simple:

Each of us must download the official CK-II Demo, play a short game (twenty years, 1066-1086) using one of the four approved characters, and then write it up as an AAR and post it in the OT forum. The members of the Paradox OT forum would then vote on who should receive the free copy of the game.

The following AAR represents my own submission, which won the prize.

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Women's Troubles - A Tuscan CK2-Demo AAR, by Blue Emu.

Initial situation and Prologue :

The Duchy of Toscana is a medium-sized feudal holding in northern Italy, currently controlled by the 20-year-old Dowager Duchess Matilda di Canossa, of Toscana and Spoleto. It is on the extreme southern fringe of the Holy Roman Empire, where the imperial mandate runs thin and fief-holders are caught between their treacherous HRE neighbours to the north, the infidel Saracens in Sicily, and the ambitious Pope Alexander II of Rome.

11th-century painting of the Duchess Matilda di Canossa of Toscana and Spoleto

In addition to the uncomfortable geographic situation, distant from its liege-lord and very close to his rivals and enemies, the Duchy of Toscana and Spoleto has one additional, urgent problem... the current Duchess has no legal heir. On her death, the Duchy will revert to the HRE Crown... unless she can contract a marriage and produce an heir. Unfortunately, feudal custom would mean that any children born of the union would belong to her new husband's dynasty, not to hers; which would mean the end of the di Canossa line (and of the game).

The current Crown Laws of the Holy Roman Empire prevent the Duchess from changing the Ducal Laws regarding succession, so her only hope of continuing the di Canossa dynasty is to find a husband who will agree to a matrilineal marriage... which would mean that any children born of the union would not be eligible to inherit the father's patrimony. It would be, from the husband's point of view, a morgantic marriage... one which few men would agree to, unless they had no better prospects elsewhere.

This AAR will be written in-character, from the viewpoint of Matilda.

 

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Women's Troubles - A Tuscan CK2-Demo AAR, by Blue Emu.

Chapter 1 : Family Matters

From the diary of Countess Matilda di Canossa of Toscana

September 15th, year of our Lord 1066.

Many grave matters press on my attention. Since I have no husband or rightful heir, the Ducal succession is insecure, and my vassals are growing uneasy. My Chancellor Battista has lately been urging me to find myself a man... any man. I have tried to convince him that the matter is not so simple. The proper administration of a Duchy requires more than a set of gonads; even peasants have those. To be a proper Duke of Toscana, a man must come from a good family, and he must possess the proper temperment... diligent, serious-minded and God-fearing. But the qualification most difficult to satisfy is that he must be willing to forsake his own dynasty and attach himself to ours in a morgantic marriage. The Duchy of Toscana will not be ruled by outsiders! Whatever my future husband's name may be, our children will be di Canossas! Despite his misgivings, I have sent Chancellor Battista forth to visit our neighbours and search for a suitable spouse for me.

But my search for a suitable husband is far from my only concern. I don't blame my vassals for their worry over the Ducal succession, but one vassal in particular occupies my thoughts. The County of Parma is a hive of intrigue, and I'm uncertain whether Count Oberto is one of the plotters, or is simply unable to keep his own house in order. I have dispatched my Spymaster Ausillio to Parma, with instructions to sniff out whatever plots are being formed, and to instantly report them to me. I wish our Court Cleric, the Lord-Spiritual Comita were here... his conversation is always a source of comfort for me. But he is at Rome, seeking an audience with His Holiness Pope Alexander.

Late September, year of our Lord 1066.

Chancellor Battista has returned with discouraging news. He visited each of the neighbouring Duchies and spoke with several eligible bachelors of good family, and each seemed interested in marrying the Duchess of Toscana... interested, that is, until he mentioned my stipulation that any fruit of the union must be of my dynasty, not theirs. All refused. None were willing to give up their dynastic connections. Most of them at least framed their refusal politely, hoping to spare my feelings. Only the Duke of Lombardia, our northern neighbour, gave his tongue full rein... saying (according to Battista) that the di Canossa women typically look like bewildered pigs, and should count themselves lucky to exchange their name for that of their husband.

The insult is, of course, a trivial matter. But the fact that the Duke of Lombardia feels free to insult me is indeed a matter for some concern... he clearly has no interest in maintaining the relationship of distant cordiality that our two polities have so far enjoyed. I am forced to assume that the Duke of Lombardia has designs of his own on my northern Counties. I must speak to our Marshal, Anastasio, about improving the defenses along our northern border.

Meanwhile, my search for a suitable husband must, by necessity, become more desperate. Since none of the men that Chancellor Battista approached were willing to give up their patrimony in return for my hand in marriage, we must now focus our search on those men who have no patrimony to lose. But I refuse to marry a commoner. The blood of the di Canossas will not be watered down! To use an indelicate term, we must find an eligible Bastard... needless to say, one of noble family and of proper character.

Naturally, Chancellor Battista objected strenuously; pointing out the damage that a marriage to a Bastard would inflict on the good name of the di Canossas... but I was as obdurate as a rock. The matter is starkly simple: if no man will give up his inheritance to enter a morgantic marriage, then we must find a man who is already disqualified from inheritance... a man who has nothing to lose by agreeing to my terms, and everything to gain. The damage to our reputation will heal in time; but the extinction of the di Canossa line could never be repaired.

Muttering to himself and shaking his head, the Chancellor has set off again to comb the courts of the neighbouring Duchies for suitable Bastards of good family.

Early October, year of our Lord 1066.

Praise the Lord! Chancellor Battista has found me a suitable husband! He is named Geoffry, a scion of the well-respected di Boulogne family. By all accounts, he is a kind-hearted, temperate and God-fearing man; who would no doubt have risen high if not for the unfortunate circumstances of his birth. As a Bastard he has no inheritance to lose, and little chance of ever gaining a fief of his own. He has gladly agreed to my conditions... and the Duchy of Toscana will soon celebrate the arrival of the new Duke-Consort.

I thank the Lord for his kindness in giving me a husband. Now I must diligently pray for an heir... not for myself alone, but for the di Canossa dynasty and for the Duchy of Toscana.

 

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Women's Troubles - A Tuscan CK2-Demo AAR, by Blue Emu.

Chapter 2 : Popes and Pagans

Christmas Day, year of our Lord 1066.

I have received a disturbing missive from our Court Cleric, Lord-Spiritual Comita at Rome. He tells me that His Holiness Pope Alexander has, in his infinite wisdom, laid formal claim to the Bishopric of Spoleto, in my own demesne.

I am shocked and bewildered by this turn of events. Have we somehow inadvertently offended His Holiness? I have written to Comita, instructing him to assure His Holiness of our continued unconditional fidelity to the True Church, to acknowledge that the future Episcopal appointments of the Bishopric of Spoleto will be under Papal control, and to humbly beg his indulgence. I am on tenterhooks waiting for the Lord-Spiritual's reply. I cannot sleep... I cannot eat.

January 17th, year of our Lord 1067.

Praise God! In his latest letter, Lord-Spiritual Comita assures me that the recent decision of His Holiness carried no personal onus... He merely wished to consolidate all of the nearby Bishoprics under a central authority. Since the Bishopric of Spoleto is scarcely twenty leagues from the Holy City, it was naturally included in the reorganization.

What a weight has been lifted from my soul! I had feared... but no. Best not even to think of such things. My heart is at peace, for the first time in weeks.

November 10th, year of our Lord 1067.

News has reached me that my Liege-Lord, the Holy Roman Emperor, has gone to war with the Godless Pagans of Pommerania on the Baltic Shore. I wish him all success, for Christ and Crown... but I daily pray that he will not require our troops for this distant campaign. I do not trust the Duke of Lombardia. If our troops were taken from us to serve in a war hundreds of leagues away, the treacherous Duke of Lombardia would certainly take full advantage of our defenseless state.

February 20th, year of our Lord 1068.

We have been blessed by God! At last, I am with child. We now have the promise of an heir, for the Duchy and for the di Canossa line.

Despite the demands imposed by the administration of the Duchy, I must try to take life easier for the next several months. It would be tragic to lose God's gift to a miscarriage. My husband Geoffry must now play a larger role in the administration of the Duchy.

Always there are small troubles to fret us. Mayor Ausilio of Firenze has brought news that the town's coffers are nearly empty, and the Burghers of Firenze may soon be forced to default on their feudal dues. Naturally, I cannot allow this, if only because it would set such a poor precedent for the rest of the towns in my demesne. Rather than reduce the Duchy's revenues by forgoing the taxes, I have promised Mayor Ausilio that I will build them a new Market, at my own expense, to draw additional revenue into the town. He agreed to the plan, and departed well satisfied.

March 7th, year of our Lord 1068.

The Duchy is in an uproar. The infidel Sarecens have attacked the Christian holdings in the south of Italy! The fighting is currently confined to Calabria, but who knows how far north it will spread? Perhaps... God forfend!... the Holy City itself might come under threat? If only the Dukes of southern Italy had given their fealty to my Liege-Lord, the Holy Roman Emperor, they could now count on his protection from the vile Sarecens. But no, they chose to enjoy a precarious independance instead... and now they must pay the piper.

September 7th, year of our Lord 1068.

We have learned that our Liege-Lord, the Holy Roman Emperor, has decisively crushed the Pagans of Pommerania and annexed their land to the Crown. This is happy news, both for the Empire and for the Pagans themselves, who can now give up their blasphemous false Gods and be guided along the path to the True Church. I will pray for their souls.

September 26th, year of our Lord 1068.

This morning, my beautiful baby daughter Agalina di Canossa drew her first breaths!

My joy knows no bounds! We have an heir... the Duchy is saved. Our dynasty is safe. Forgive me... I am too overcome to write further.

 

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Chapter 3 : Lombardia Sharpens the Knife

January 21st, year of our Lord 1070.

I am again heavy with child. Truly, the Lord has taken me into the palm of his hand! Once again, my dearest husband and my council of ministers must deal with the daily affairs of the Duchy, while I rest and pray for a healthy baby. The Court Medico, Raphael, has assured me that each pregnancy will be easier than the last... I hope he is correct, since my dear Agalina's birth caused me much travail.

May 3rd, year of our Lord 1070.

Every day my belly swells larger. Surely my time is not yet approaching?... it has not yet been five months! Walking is already difficult for me, and I spend most of the day in my chambers. I could not join Geoffry in his Hawking excursion... to ride a horse in this state would surely be the end of me. To pass the time, I have taken to reading poetry instead. I have even attempted to scribe a few verses of my own, although my penmanship is not above reproach.

May 26th, year of our Lord 1070.

I am beside myself with rage! Ubaldo, vassal to the perfidious Duke of Lombardia, has laid claim to Brescia, the northern-most province of my demesne... a claim based on spurious documents. I cannot believe that any sane person will take such obvious forgeries seriously.

For the present at least, I must swallow my anger... it cannot be healthy for my unborn child, to be jostled and shaken by the gusts of my rage. There will be a time of reckoning with the odious Duke of Lombardia... but not yet. Not yet.

June 4th, year of our Lord 1070.

Our Liege-Lord has gone to war with the Heathen Pechenegs, in support of his ally the King of Hungary. Again I must pray that he will not feel the need to mobilize our forces for this war. Threatened as we are by the ambitions of that Lombardian weasel, we require all of our troops at home. Even so, the balance of forces is not in our favor. Alberto of Lombardia has somehow found an ally for his nefarious schemes, in the Duke of Ravenna. I can only hope that if the Lombards attack us, his ally Ravenna will prove as treacherous to him as Lombardia has been to us.

If I can find the strength to stir from my couch, I must speak to our Marshal, Anastasio... and to Steward Conone as well. We must try to save up as much gold as we can, in case it becomes necessary to hire a mercenary company to assist us in fending off the predatory ambitions of the Duke of Lombardia. Steward Conone can get to work on amassing a war-chest, while Marshal Anastasio begins making discrete inquiries among the mercenary companies. The Lord knows, I have little regard for mercenaries in general, who are loyal only to their purses... but I would deal with the Devil himself (God help me!) if it were the only way to keep our Duchy out of the hands of those treacherous foreigners.

July 10th, year of our Lord 1070.

The Medico is a fool. Never have I known such an onerous pregnancy... I am swollen like a sow, and every slight movement pains me. Even my hair hurts! I lie a-bed most days, which is just as well since I am in a vile temper. Poor Geoffry has been avoiding me lately, and who can blame him? I am not a fit companion when in this state.

Ah, well... by our best guess, the baby was conceived early in the new year. My pregnancy will not last forever.

It will just seem like forever...

September 18th, year of our Lord 1070.

Praise God! Twins! I have been blessed with healthy twin daughters, Margherita and Giulia. My difficult pregnancy is now explained, and as soon as I have recovered my strength, I must apologize to the much-abused Medico Raphael. The fault was not his. Margherita is the elder of the two... by only a few seconds, but it is just such small details that determine titles and inheritances.

May 17th, year of our Lord 1071

The Hungarian war is over. Thank God for his mercy!... our troops were never called into the battle, and the odious Duke of Lombardia was given no opportunity to strike. For the present, at least, I can relax.

 

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Women's Troubles - A Tuscan CK2-Demo AAR, by Blue Emu.

Chapter 4 : Stabbed in the Back

April 17th, year of our Lord 1072.

Again, war has come to Tuscany. Our Liege-Lord has declared a Holy War against the Saracens to the south, and this time there is no hope that we can avoid mobilization, since our own Duchy of Toscana is the nearest to the enemy. I pray to God that the evil Duke of Lombardia does not strike while our men are away.

Through my open window I can hear our troops out in the training-yard, shouting and cheering at the prospect of facing the Infidel Saracens in battle. I lack all such enthusiasm. To me, each new war is a misfortune at best, with the prospect of utter disaster always lurking just beyond the horizon. Even in victory, what would it profit us to defeat the Saracens if our army is so weakened by its efforts that the treacherous Lombards could then attack us?

When he is finished inspecting our troops, I must speak to Marshal Anastasio... perhaps it would be wisest to anticipate our Liege-Lord's call-to-arms, and to immediately mobilize some of the demesne troops ourselves. That way, when the Emperor called for a general mobilization we would at least retain some fraction of our forces in our own hands... and under our own control. It is not that I distrust the Emperor's wisdom... Heaven forbid!... but our priorities are different. To him, an attack on our Duchy by the Lombards would be an annoyance: a troublesome squabble between two of his vassals. To us, it would threaten instant disaster, and the extinction of the di Canossa line.

Yes... we must mobilize at least some fraction of our troops now, before our Liege calls us to arms. We have no choice. I am certain that Marshal Anastasio will agree.

June 10th, year of our Lord 1072.

As we expected, the Emperor has issued a general call-to-arms and mobilized our remaining forces for the war in the south. It seems that he was favorably impressed by our early partial mobilization, and I thank God that our Liege has agreed to leave those three Regiments under our own control. We are mustering them in Spoleto, in preparation for an advance to the south in company with the Emperor's forces.

Late this afternoon a messenger arrived from Modena carrying word that Lombard troops are pouring across our northern border! Our Marshal convened an immediate Council of War... which was fortunately interrupted by the arrival of a second messenger bearing news that the approaching Lombard forces are flying the colors of the Holy Roman Empire. Even a treacherous weasel like Alberto of Lombardia would never dare to attack us while under the Emperor's own banners... our Liege-Lord would have his head on a pike for such an insult. It appears that our Liege has mobilized the Lombards as well as our own Tuscan troops, and that Lombardia is now as empty of soldiers as Tuscany. Duke Alberto must postpone his ambitions for some more favorable moment.

July 15th, year of our Lord 1072.

Treachery! Our neighbours along the Adriatic shore, the Duchy of Ancona, have not only refused to heed the Emperor's call-to-arms... they have actually dared to declare independance and mobilize against our Liege!

The Emperor's army is already marching southward, so our own loyal troops will march to suppress the Rebel Duke, and thus protect the left flank of the main army. I have assured the Emperor's messenger that he can rely on us to deal with the Rebels, while our Liege-Lord's main army continues southward, to seek battle with the Saracens. My own dear husband, Geoffry, will lead the punitive force against Ancona... which at least will keep him close to home.

August 2nd, year of our Lord 1072.

Word has arrived that the force commanded by my dear husband has arrived at Ancona and laid siege to the castle and town, while another of our demesne forces has intercepted and beaten the army of Ancona in open battle!

I pray that the siege will be swiftly successful. August is an unhealthy time of year for such operations; in winter the besieging forces are prey to cold and exposure, but in summer the most fearsome enemy is disease.

December 11th, year of our Lord 1072.

I gratefully thank the Lord that the siege of the first of the Rebel strongholds has ended in victory, with my dear husband still in good health.

My husband Geoffry will continue to besiege the remaining Rebel strongholds, and will wait for the return of our Liege-Lord before accepting the surrender of the last of the Rebels. They revolted against the Emperor, and it is only fitting that they should surrender to him as well.

Even more encouraging is the news from the south... we have heard that our Liege is successfully prosecuting his war against the Infidels, and it seems unlikely that he will need to call Geoffry's detachment south to join the main army. I pray that my husband may be posted near our home for the remainder of the campaign, so that he need not stay in a disease-ridden military camp.

July 19th, year of our Lord 1073.

Victory! Our Liege-Lord has declared a victory over the Saracens, and has demobilized most of the troops! He now marches back north, to confront the Anconan traitors.

I went out to the gate to watch our brave soldiers returning home. I was cut to the heart by the sad gaps in their ranks... too many of our young men left their bones to bleach under the southern sun. Still, I must thank the Good Lord for his mercy, that even this many of our men returned safely. We will surely need them, now that the Lombard army is also returning home. Duke Alberto's ambition knows no bounds, and I fear that a confrontation with Lombardia will not be long in coming. As soon as he has recovered from the campaign, I must set our Marshal to the task of training fresh recruits.

Meanwhile, our forces will continue to recover the remaining Rebel strongholds in Ancona.

March 24th, year of our Lord 1074.

That treacherous Lombard weasel has declared war on us, barely two days after the end of the Ancona revolt! That back-stabbing half-breed son of a Barbary ape! I will see him drowned in his own oubliette!

I have no time to write further, at present... I must join my ministers in the Council of War. Our decisions today may well determine the fate of the Duchy, and the future of the di Canossa line.

 

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Women's Troubles - A Tuscan CK2-Demo AAR, by Blue Emu.

Chapter 5 : The Council of War

March 24th, year of our Lord 1074

Our Council of War convened, and I learned that Marshal Anastasio had brought Cataldo, Captain of Mercenaries, to our meeting. Spymaster Ausilio instantly objected, pointing out that the mercenary captain was not under contract and owed us no loyalty; was it wise, he asked, to lay out our plans in front of him? Fortunately, Captain Cataldo took no offense at the remark, and swore on the cross that he would hold our deliberations secret... for a reasonable price, of course. On this understanding, the meeting began.

Marshal Anastasio was invited to speak first, but said that he would prefer to hear the views of the other Council members before offering his own advice. Steward Conone was therefore the first to tender his report, which at least allowed the meeting to begin on an optimistic note. He confirmed that we had begun saving money in good time, and had by now amassed several hundred Ducats.

Gold, at least, was not lacking... we had enough money saved to maintain our own forces in the field and to hire a band of mercenaries as well, if that should be required.

Chancellor Battista then offered us his views on the diplomatic situation. The Lombardian weasel had formed an alliance with his neighbour to the west, the Duke of Ravenna; and while Ravenna had not yet declared war in support of their ally, it was almost inevitable that they would do so before much longer. That would leave us outnumbered in fighting troops, and at all costs we must prevent the evil Duke of Lombardia from gaining additional allies. The greatest threat would be Lombardia's eastern neighbour, the Duke of Carinthia, who held a wide and rich domain and who alone outnumbered us in fighting men.

Fortunately for us, the Duke of Carinthia was not on friendly terms with the Lombardian weasel, owing to conflicting dynastic claims over the Lombardian County of Padua. This circumstance presented us with an opportunity: if we could improve our own relations with Carinthia, and if we could win a battlefield victory that severely weakened the Lombard army, the Duke of Carinthia might well choose that moment to attack his Lombard rival, hoping to wrest the County of Padua from him. While it was unlikely that the Duke of Carinthia would agree to a formal alliance with us... not while we were already fighting for our lives... it was quite possible that no formal alliance would be needed. It might well be sufficient that our two Duchies shared the same enemy.

But how should we woo the favor of the Duke of Carinthia? We had plenty of gold with which to bribe him... but the Duke is a proud man, and bribery is a two-edged sword. Any attempt to purchase his goodwill might only succeed in offending him. On the other hand, the Duke of Carinthia had a six-year-old son, Arnulf; only two years older than our twin girls. Chancellor Battista suggested that we might offer to betroth our second daughter, Margherita, to young Arnulf. Such a dynastic connection between two prestigious houses would be natural and reasonable, and could not be misinterpreted as a bribe. I happily agreed to this plan.

Spymaster Ausilio and the Lord-Spiritual Comita both supported the Chancellor's idea, but neither one had any new insights to offer... so it was now time for Marshal Anastasio to lay out our battle-plans.

Our first concern, he told us, was for our isolated troops in the County of Brescia, surrounded on all sides by Lombardia and Carinthia. This detachment was strong enough that it need not fear any single opposing Regiment, but it could hardly hope to survive a converging attack by all of the nearby enemy forces. The Marshal urgently advised that we withdraw this exposed detachment and muster it with the rest of our troops in the county of Modena. To avoid interception by the Lombards, he suggested that the Brescia levy should march east and then south through Carinthia. This would mean presuming on the goodwill of the Duke of Carinthia... but our own offer of betrothal should reach the Duke before he hears of our military movements.

We hoped to draw the main Lombard armies into battle in the favorable terrain of the Po valley along our mutual border, where our concentrated demesne forces could strike them in unison, before they had completed their own concentration. At that moment, we would spring the intended trap...

The Marshal now called Cataldo, the Captain of Mercenaries, to the front of the room. As our Brescia levy marched away through Carinthia, Captain Cataldo would secretly assemble his mercenary band in the now-vacated stronghold of Brescia. The mercenary force would be immensely strong... six hundred Heavy Infantry, three hundred Pikemen, three hundred Archers, and an equal number of Light Cavalry... and Cataldo himself was considered one of the most gifted military tacticians in Italy; a compliment which Cataldo modestly acknowledged.

Owing to their need to filter into Brescia in secret and there assemble themselves, the mercenary troops would be unfit for open combat for nearly a month... but our plan took this factor into account.

The mercenaries would not be called upon to fight in open battle... not at this early stage of the campaign. Instead, they would wait in Brescia until the main Lombard armies had been drawn south into the Po valley, and then they would march directly on the Duke of Lombardia's own seat of power: the County of Lombardia. Stripped of troops, the Duke's own holdings would be ripe for a siege, and the treacherous Duke would find himself caught between not just two, but three fires: he would find his vanguard ambushed by our entire united army as it attempted to cross the Po, while our mercenary force laid siege to his own castle far to the rear, with the Duke of Carinthia waiting for a favorable moment to declare war on him over the disputed County of Padua.

With a bit of luck, the Duke's ally Ravenna would be an irrelevance... their forces might reach the battlefield just in time to be included in a crushing Lombard defeat.

I and the others were much impressed by the Marshal's intended plan of campaign. It appeared to offer a real hope... not only of victory, but of victory at a low cost in lives. The matter was finalized on the spot, and Captain Cataldo put his mark to the contract and accepted his first payment in gold.

The Council of War was then adjourned and the participants dispersed, each to carry out their own parts in the campaign. I pray for their success, and for the safety of our Duchy.

 

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Women's Troubles - A Tuscan CK2-Demo AAR, by Blue Emu.

Chapter 6 : The Lombard War

Mid-April, year of our Lord 1074

The Duke of Carinthia has sent his own Chancellor, Azzo, to visit us. In the short time that he has been with us, he has already impressed me with his frankness and courtesy. He tells me that the Duke has happily accepted our proposal of betrothal between Arnulf and Margherita, and that he wishes us all possible success in our campaign against the odious Duke of Lombardia.

The Duke showed no trace of resentment over our Brescia levy's march through his Carinthian lands, and he even provided guides and watering-points for our troops. My Chancellor Battista attempted to draw Azzo into a firmer commitment to our cause by pointing out that if the Lombards were to conquer the Duchy of Toscana and incorporate it into their own holdings, they would then be stronger than Carinthia itself... but Azzo merely nodded soberly and replied "A disaster for both of us. Fight well". It seems that the Duke of Carinthia is not yet ready to intervene in our favor, but it is also clear where his real sympathies lie.

In truth, we may not require his aid. Our battle-plan is unfolding smoothly, exactly as laid down at our Council of War.

The Brescia levy succeeded in escaping encirclement and reaching our lands intact. Our muster in the County of Modena is nearly complete. Captain Cataldo's mercenaries are assembling in secret at Brescia, and are ready to push towards the County of Lombardia as soon as the Lombard forces have been drawn southward out of their path. The main cause of delay is the perfidious Duke of Lombardia's own incompetence; it is taking him much longer than we had calculated to muster his troops and bring them south. In theory, we could take advantage of the delay by invading and ravaging the nearest Lombard holdings... but our agreed plan is to fight the battle as far south as possible, so that the surprise flanking move by Cataldo's mercenaries will have the maximum effect. We must continue to bide our time, and to hope that the Lombardian weasel will misinterpret our inaction as timidity or incapacity.

As expected, the Duke of Ravenna has declared war upon us in support of his ally. We dismissed his messenger without a reply, as if the matter were not worthy of our attention.

Late May, year of our Lord 1074.

Finally, the army of Lombardia approaches our border! Now we must choose a suitable battlefield. Either Cremona in Lombardia or Mantua in Carinthia would suit our purpose... and we decide that we will meet the enemy at Mantua, in the Duchy of Carinthia. I have no doubt that Duke Berthold of Carinthia will be exasperated to see a battle fought by outsiders within his own domains; but he has shown us conspicuous favor lately and is already at odds with the ambitious Duke of Lombardia over claims to the County of Padua... I am confident that it will be that Lombardian weasel Alberto, and not us, who feels the weight of Duke Berthold's anger. To be certain, we will hold back our own troops until the Lombards have crossed the Carinthian border into Mantua; then we can justly claim that it was the Lombards, not us, who chose to fight a battle in our friend's domain, while we merely reacted to repel the incursion.

June 1st, year of our Lord 1074.

The battle is joined at Serravalle, in the County of Mantua. At the same time, our mercenary company under Captain Cataldo leaves our province of Brescia to attack Duke Alberto's personal holdings in the County of Lombardia.

The enemy force is smaller than we had expected... it seems that even now, Duke Alberto's mobilization is not yet complete. So much the worse for him! There is yet no sign of the Duke's ally, Ravenna.

June 6th, year of our Lord 1074.

Praise God! Our combined force, under my dear husband's personal command, has shattered the enemy center! The entire Lombard army is in retreat, pursued by our Light Cavalry.

Now we must chase the shattered remnants of Duke Alberto's army, and ride them down. It is tragic to see so many young men die... but the Duchy of Toscana will know no safety as long as one Lombard soldier still holds a sword.

Battle after battle is fought, but the demoralized Lombard troops have no chance. Their soldiers are dispersed in panic flight, and their leaders captured.

Meanwhile, the mercenary company under Captain Cataldo has laid siege to the evil Duke's own castle.

... and at last, Duke Alberto's tardy ally finally arrives on the field of battle, but too late!

The Lombard army has virtually ceased to exist and all of his feudal holdings are under siege. Marshal Anastasio quickly issues orders to reinforce the sieges nearest to the arriving troops from Ravenna, to discourage them from attempting to break one of our sieges.

Frustrated in their efforts to aid their ally, the troops from Ravenna lay siege to one of our castles instead; but our Marshal ignores them. The war will be decided in Lombardia, not in Toscana.

Town after town falls to our besieging forces...

... and at last, the evil Duke of Lombardia confesses himself beaten.

Victory! Praise the Lord! After this tremendous blow to his prestige, the odious Duke of Lombardia will face too much trouble keeping his own Barons in line to bother us again. Even his own vassals are laughing at him now.

... and now the Duke of Carinthia declares war on that Lombardian weasel, pressing his own dynastic claim to Padua! I wish him all possible success.

 

[blue emu]

Women's Troubles - A Tuscan CK2-Demo AAR, by Blue Emu.

Chapter 7 : The Hive of Intrigue

April 10th, year of our Lord 1076

Our friend, Duke Berthold of Carinthia, has laid siege to the Lombardian holdings in Padua. Since our own desperate war against the Lombards has already run its course, it is right and proper that I should release all the prisoners taken in the earlier battles... even that odious wretch Count Ubaldo of Cremona, who originally precipitated the war by laying claim to my County of Brescia. At least I have had the satisfaction of holding him pent in my dungeon these past eighteen months.

While the Duke of Carinthia prosecutes his rightful claims against the Lombards, we are continuing to strengthen our northern defenses. Half of the gold that we had saved, and all of the spoils from the successful Lombard campaign, are being spent on new fortifications; Town Walls, Guard Quarters and Training Grounds. That Lombard weasel will find us an even tougher nut to crack in the future, should he choose to persist in his ambitious folly.

June 23rd, year of our Lord 1076

To further strengthen the ties between our two Duchies, I have sent my betrothed daughter Margherita to be educated at the court of Duke Berthold of Carinthia.

This seems only fitting, since she will some day marry his son and heir. Ordinarily, I would not send any child of mine on a journey through a war-zone... but Duke Berthold's Chancellor, Azzo, has assured me that the Lombard army has been utterly destroyed, and has offered to personally escort Margherita to the Duke's court. He has my heart-felt gratitude.

August 11th, year of our Lord 1076

I am very pleased to record that our friend, Duke Berthold of Carinthia, has reciprocated our guardianship agreement by asking us to tutor his own son and heir, Arnulf, here at our court! This is a wonderful development, and I have gladly agreed to the arrangement. Not only do the two guardianship agreements guarantee an era of peace between our two Duchies... for who would be rash enough to attack the guardians of their own flesh and blood?... it also portends a closer future rapproachement between our two polities, since each child will grow up with fond memories of the other Duchy's court. All of my councillors agree that this mutual arrangement bodes well for the future.

March 30th, year of our Lord 1077

The Lombardian weasel has bought peace by surrendering the County of Padua to our friend, Duke Berthold of Carinthia. Upon hearing the happy news, we visited the Duke at his castle in Verona to offer our warm congratulations and to see our beautiful daughter Margherita once more. Duke Berthold seemed oddly restrained in his celebrations, drinking little and smiling rarely. All was explained, shortly before we departed, when his Chancellor Azzo confided to me that the good Duke is in failing health... his chest pains him, and he grows weaker each day. This is dreadful news, since among all of the neighbouring Duchies, the Duke of Carinthia is the one true friend upon whom we can rely implicitly. I daily pray that the Lord will spare him, at least until his son and heir Arnulf comes of age.

July 3rd, year of our Lord 1077

It is with heart-felt grief that I write these lines... the Good Lord has taken our friend Duke Berthold from us. I can only console myself with the conviction that he is surely now smiling down at us from Heaven; for he was a decent and honorable man, and a faithful friend.

His Chancellor Azzo is coming, to take young Arnulf from us as well. Having now inherited his father's titles and estates, he must perforce return at once to Verona to take up the administration of the Duchy of Carinthia. It will be a sad parting, since we have grown very fond of the young man. By God's grace, he has all of his father's best qualities, and wisdom beyond his years. We will try to come and visit him at Verona as often as possible, and my dear daughter Margherita as well.

January 11th, year of our Lord 1078

Dear God! My mind is in turmoil, senses reeling... my hands shake so that I can barely write!

My Spymaster Ausilio has uncovered a truly grotesque and macabre plot in my vassal County of Parma. For more than ten years, he has been discreetly monitoring the odd household of Count Oberto of Parma, and now his diligence has finally borne fruit. The Count's eldest daughter, Giudetta, has long held an unsavory reputation for selfishness, cruelty and ruthlessness... some of the Parman locals jocularly refer to her as "Giudetta the Impaler", as if it were a matter to joke about!... and she has finally revealed her true colors!

Spymaster Ausilio has written to me to warn me that Giudetta is plotting to murder her own younger brother, Ardoino, whose birth seven years ago shattered her own hopes of inheriting the County of Corsica. Naturally, I will not allow such a vile outrage to be perpetrated here in my own Duchy! I have sent a sealed letter to that Spawn of Satan, advising her that her foul plot is known to me, and sternly warning her of the inexorable justice that will descend upon her head unless she instantly abandons her evil schemes.

January 29th, year of our Lord 1078

That wretch Giudetta of Parma has replied to my letter. At least she had the good sense to confess her guilt rather than lying to me, her own Liege. She has sworn to abandon her plotting, and has begged my forgiveness... a favor which I must reluctantly grant, since I cannot, in good conscience, punish her for deeds undone.

I will write to her again granting conditional forgiveness, but reminding her that only my Spymaster's vigilance has saved her life... for had she succeeded in her nefarious scheme against her own sweet brother, I would surely have taken her head.

November 9th, year of our Lord 1078.

By the holy blood of all the Christian martyrs! Again!! Again!!!

Spymaster Ausilio has informed me that now that the evil Giudetta of Parma has abandoned her murderous schemes, the boy's own mother is planning to have him murdered!

What's wrong with these people? Is there something in the Parma water supply that drives them all crazy?

I am sorely tempted to have Marshal Anastasio muster the demesne troops, march them down to Parma, and clean out that pest-hole! Alas... feudal obligations run in both directions, and I am accountable to my Barons just as they must account to me; I could hardly justify such a draconian punishment for deeds that have not yet been done.

I have written to the poor boy's mother notifying her that I am fully cognizant of her plot and reminding her of the inescapable consequences, should she dare to put her evil scheme into effect.

I have also written to the boy's father, urgently advising him to send the child here, to my own court, to be tutored. I hope that this measure will finally bring an end to the scheming and plotting... else, I will be sorely tempted to bring an end to the schemers and plotters, instead.

 

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Women's Troubles - A Tuscan CK2-Demo AAR, by Blue Emu.

Chapter 8 : Tragedy... and Triumph

October 4th, year of our Lord 1080

My Liege-Lord, the Emperor, has again declared war upon the Infidel Saracens; who have recently conquered both the island of Sardinia and one of the independant Duchies near the Holy City itself. Once again, our peaceful Duchy of Toscana is being drawn into the whirling vortex of war... and again, I am convinced that we must anticipate our Liege's inevitable call-to-arms by mobilizing the demesne troops ourselves before we are ordered to do so.

My dear husband Geoffry will muster the troops in the County of Lucca; where they will be ready either to march south to support the defense of Holy City, or to embark and sail to defend our County of Corsica. One of our Barons is already bringing the Adriatic squadron of galleys around from Ferrara to Lucca on the Ligurian shore, so that we will have enough bottoms in hand to transport all of our forces. A long and dangerous voyage, but they are urgently needed. I pray that they will arrive safely and in good time.

October 27th, year of our Lord 1080

I am again with child... how I wish that my devoted husband were here, to hear the happy news from my own lips.

I must write to him at the camp in Lucca, and let him know that he will be a father yet again.

So far, this new war has been only a shadow-show; with neither our Liege-Lord nor the Saracens risking a major engagement. Personally, I will be well content if the fire of war sputters out. Let others hope for victory and glory... I hope only for the safe return of my dear husband Geoffry.

March 17th, year of our Lord 1081

I write these lines through tears of grief, and with shaking hands. The Lord has taken my beloved husband Geoffry from me, carried off not by a Saracen's sword, but by a disease of the camp.

I am inconsolable. Even the Lord-Spiritual Comita's kind words cannot assuage my grief. It cuts like a knife.

This was always my fear... brave and reckless though he was, I somehow knew that my dearest Geoffry would not fall in battle. It was always the disease of the camp that I feared. And now, at a stroke, it is so.

I can write no more. Forgive me.

April 1st, year of our Lord 1081

My period of mourning is only two weeks old, and already Chancellor Battista is urging me to find a new husband. Has the man no sense of fitness? And who would take me?... still in mourning, and seven months pregnant with another man's child? Again I reminded him that I could only consider a matrilineal marriage; I have already borne three wonderful daughters, but if I should later produce a son, his claim would trump theirs and he would inherit the Duchy in their stead. That son must be a di Cannosa, not an outsider!

So who, then, would have me?... should we search every closet in Italy for another Bastard? I am no longer young, I carry another man's child; and I would, by necessity, be demanding that the potential suitor give up his own name and patrimony. It is impossible. I called Chancellor Battista a fool, and told him not to waste my time with such nonsense.

He departed, almost immediately, to visit our Margherita and the young Duke Arnulf at Verona in Carinthia. No doubt I had offended him, after his long years of faithful service to me. I bitterly regret my hasty words, and on his return I will beg his forgiveness and assure him that only my inconsolable grief could have wrung such a torrent of calumnies from me.

April 17th, year of our Lord 1081

God be praised!

Chancellor Battista has returned from Verona, wearing the expression of a cat that has just eaten a very large mouse.

He tells me that the noble Azzo, now Chancellor to the young Duke Arnulf, has offered to give up his name in exchange for my hand! Azzo, who has already earned our gratitude by negotiating the betrothal and the two guardianships... who personally escorted my daughter Margherita through the war-zone to Verona!

When I learned that my dear Geoffry had died, I felt that my life was over, that I would never feel joy again... but I do! I live again!

The young Duke Arnulf has graciously given Azzo his leave to retire from his service and move to our court. The wedding will take place as soon as I have recovered from the birth of my expectant child.

God is merciful... he has given me the promise of a new life.

May 25th, year of our Lord 1081

Early this evening, my lovely daughter Pernelle was born. I thank the Lord for giving me another healthy child, to carry on the di Cannosa line. Now I must rest, and recover my strength. Dear Azzo has agreed that our wedding will take place at the beginning of June.

June 1st, year of our Lord 1081

Today, Azzo and I exchanged our vows in the Court Chapel. Despite my mature years, I am as giddy as a teenage girl.

Our nuptials will be brief... all too soon, Duke-Consort Azzo must leave for the ill-omened camp at Lucca, to take charge of our army.

Please, Lord... let him return to me safely.

June 5th, year of our Lord 1081

The Saracens have landed in our County of Corsica.

My new husband Azzo has barely had time to eat his share of the wedding-feast, and now he must leave. Our demesne forces are on the march towards Lucca and our galleys are being prepared for a counter-landing, to break the Saracen siege and drive them off before our vassals run out of food and water.

I feel a great foreboding, a sense of helplessness in the face of approaching doom. Am I to lose another wonderful husband, only days after our wedding? I try to hide my anxieties from my dear Azzo... he has worries enough already, organizing a complex landing operation on such short notice.

My husband must leave this very day. I pray for his safety. I pray...

June 20th, year of our Lord 1081

Our preparations are complete. My dearest husband, Duke Azzo, has assembled every available soldier and boarded ship for Corsica.

After all my earlier anxieties, I now feel a great sense of calm. Or perhaps I am numb. It is now in the hands of the Lord. I can do nothing. As God wills.

August 11th, year of our Lord 1081

I am almost fainting with relief. The battle is won. My husband lives. The Saracen army has been defeated... I might almost say, annihilated.

A messenger has brought me a report of the action. Duke Azzo sailed our galleys right into the enemy-held harbor, avoided the docks and grounded them on the shingle. A great battle was fought, almost at the water's edge.

The Saracens were caught with nearly half of their force away, pillaging the country-side. They were decisively defeated, with nearly their entire force destroyed, and their leader captured. Our losses were light.

God is merciful.

My husband pursued the enemy survivors to the neighbouring island of Sardinia, and there destroyed them. Now he has settled down to besiege their fortress on the island of Sardinia, which they conquered from a Christian Duke only a few short years ago.

March 6th, year of our Lord 1082

Praise God. The siege of Sardinia is over. My husband has conquered the fortress, and has handed it over to a garrison sent by our Liege, the Emperor. Our Liege has declared a temporary truce with the Saracens, but no-one expects it to hold for long.

My husband is returning home, for the present at least. I go now to Lucca, to wait for him on the docks.

 

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Women's Troubles - A Tuscan CK2-Demo AAR, by Blue Emu.

Chapter 9 : Enemy at the Gates

May 18th, year of our Lord 1083

The truce with the Saracens has held much longer than any of us expected... but it cannot last forever. They hold a County scarcely twenty leagues from the Holy City, a constant threat to His Holiness and to all of Christendom. I hear word that our Liege the Emperor is pondering a great campaign, perhaps even a Crusade, to drive the Infidels back from the gates of Rome.

Since our Duchy of Toscana is the closest to Rome of all our Emperor's fiefs, and the closest to the Saracens as well, it is inevitable that the main burden of the coming campaign will fall on us, at least in the initial stages. I pray that the campaign will not begin soon... each month that passes allows us to strengthen our castles and our armies.

I can only pray that this fragile peace holds as long as possible.

September 6th, year of our Lord 1083

War. The truce has been shattered, and by a lightning-bolt. His Holiness himself has called for a Crusade against the Saracens, and our Liege the Emperor has answered the call.

We must mobilize our troops immediately... the Saracens are almost on our door-step, at Capua just south of the Holy City. I have despatched both Marshal Anastasio and Steward Conone to hire a dependable mercenary company. We will surely need them, since our Liege is only now raising his levys in Germany and we cannot expect them to arrive until next Spring. What a pity that Captain Cataldo and his brave men are not available... they rendered stirling service in our war with Lombardia, and we could surely depend on them again. But they are far away in Hungary, fighting for the ally of our Liege-Lord.

September 27th, year of our Lord 1083

We have hired a large company of mercenaries, commanded by Captain Marko.

He seems willing enough, since our gold is good; but he strikes me as a fighter, not a thinker. Again I wish that Captain Cataldo and his men had been available... but enough of that. We must make do with what forces we have, and trust in the Lord.

Marshal Anastasio has explained our battle-plan: we need only buy sufficient time for our Liege to arrive with his armies. Surely with a Crusade underway, our Emperor will march south with every available man. We will concentrate all our forces, including the mercenary company, in Spoleto near the Holy City... that should give us near four thousand men under arms... and then hope that the Saracens are thereby deterred from any aggressive move while our Liege approaches, bringing with him an army that will roll the Saracens right out of Italy.

November 13th, year of our Lord 1083.

Dear God... dear God.

A Saracen army has debarked in Capua: over seven thousand men, with thousands of horses. Our own loyal demesne troops number barely eighteen hundred, with a few hundred horse. Even if we could count on the mercenaries to stand and fight instead of fleeing to save their skins, the Saracen army outnumbers our combined forces nearly twice over... and our scouts tell us that they are headed directly towards our camp in Spoleto. There is yet no sign of our Liege's army approaching. In truth, we cannot expect him for months yet; the way from Germany is long, and winter snows close the most direct route, through the Alps.

Our brave men are ready to stand and defy them, but that would be suicide. We cannot hold against a host of this size... we must pull back, even though it abandons our people in Spoleto to the Infidels. It is tragic to betray some of our own folk into the hands of the Saracens... but if our army is destroyed with our Liege still beyond the Alps, then our whole Duchy will be over-run before Spring.

Marshal Anastasio has ordered our army to pull back north of Rome. We can only pray that the Infidels will not attempt to attack the Holy City while our army still contests the field. Perhaps we can lead them a merry chase through the Tuscan hills, thereby buying enough time for our Liege-Lord to arrive with overwhelming force.

I pray that it might be so.

December 3rd, year of our Lord 1083

The Saracens arrived in Spoleto, and immediately assaulted the castle. Somehow our loyal garrison threw back the first assault, and drew much blood from the Infidel host... but they cannot last long. Scarcely a hundred men survive within the walls, while the Saracens number in the thousands. It cuts me to the heart, but we can do nothing to aid them; we can only hope that they hold the castle as long as possible. The Saracens are accustomed to warmer climes, and every day that they are forced to remain outside the walls in December, they lose more men to the cold and wind. In this case, their great numbers tell against them: it cannot be easy to find shelter, food and fire-wood for such a host of fighting men, especially in a hostile land, where none will assist them.

It is an odd reversal, but for once in my life I find myself praying that my old enemy, the camp disease, will strike.

December 25th, year of our Lord 1083.

The castle has fallen. A bitter Christmas, indeed. With their flank now secure, the Saracen army is going mad, looting and burning in the nearby town, desecrating the Church of the Bishop of Spoleto... I shudder to think of the vile atrocities now being committed upon my people, upon folk who trusted me to keep them safe. Our soldiers are enraged by the Infidel's barbarity, but we must continue to hold them back; there are still far too many Saracens, and too few of our own men. We must bide our time, and wait for our Emperor's arrival.

Please, God... let him come soon.

January 19th, year of our Lord 1084.

The Saracen host is again on the march... back to Capua, south of Rome. All of us are baffled; having utterly conquered our County of Spoleto, why would they then choose to retreat? Even with their losses to the assault, the siege and the winter weather, they still outnumber us by a huge margin. The only explanation that seems to make sense is the winter weather... the Saracens have had enough of our bitter January winds, and are returning to their comfortable camps in sunny Capua. Praise God for his mercy if it be true! No doubt they will return in the Spring, but by then we can expect the Emperor's arrival as well, at the head of a host out-matching even this huge Saracen army!

February 20th, year of our Lord 1084.

More than a month has passed, and still there is no sign of the Saracens. Nor of our Liege-Lord either, but all agree that we cannot reasonably expect him before Spring. Just another month or two, and it will be the Saracens, not us, who are confronted by a huge host of enemy troops. The shoe will then be on the other foot, indeed.

March 15th, year of our Lord 1084.

The Emperor is coming! Praise God for our deliverance! A messenger has arrived from Carinthia on a lathered horse, bringing word that the Emperor is already on the near side of the Alps, at the head of a truly enormous force of men... at least twelve thousand troops!

Our deliverance is at hand... and only just in time, since our scouts report that the Saracens are stirring in their camps, and a new campaign is clearly in the offing.

April 4th, year of our Lord 1084.

My Barons report that the Emperor's vanguard force has crossed the Po and entered our Duchy. The vanguard comprises only four thousand-odd men, but a second army more than eight thousand strong marches behind them! We are saved! If only the Saracens bide quiet for yet another month...

April 17th, year of our Lord 1084.

Our hopes are dashed... the Saracens have begun their Spring offensive, and are marching directly on the Holy City itself. The Emperor's main army has crossed the Po, but has not yet arrived on the field; and his vanguard has been ordered back to link up with it... leaving the Holy City uncovered.

The very thought of the Infidels committing the same atrocities in Rome as they did in Spoleto... burning, pillaging, desecrating the holy churches... it cannot be borne! Whatever the cost, we cannot allow it!

All our troops, including the mercenary company, are marching on Rome, to defend the Holy City from the Infidel.

The Saracens still outnumber us by three-to-two, but even if our army is destroyed, we will so weaken the enemy force that it will lack the strength to assault the walls of Rome, and the approach of our Emperor's army will surely not give them enough time for a formal siege.

April 24th, year of our Lord 1084.

I cannot believe it...

The scouts have brought us news... of disaster. The battle for Rome is lost; our troops, annihilated. My dear husband Azzo, dead.

I cannot believe it. I will not believe it...

April 25th, year of our Lord 1084.

Praise God! The rumor was false! My dear husband Azzo still lives!

Our army was overwhelmed by six-and-a-half thousand Saracens. The treacherous mercenaries fled; nearly two-thirds of our brave young men were lost... a tragic sacrifice... but my dear husband Azzo took the remaining troops in hand and cut his way out to safety, through the host of enemies, leaving a thousand enemy dead behind him! Even in victory, and with an advantage in horse, the Saracens were too badly shattered to pursue; nor could they reorganize themselves to assault the walls of Rome! When Azzo and his remaining men reached the hills in safety, the Saracens were still milling about ineffectually on the plain outside the walls of Rome.

And now our Emperor approaches, at the head of twelve thousand men, and more! The Holy City is saved, and the battered Saracen army is doomed.

I can write no more... I must go to meet my husband, and see with my own eyes that he still lives!

May 5th, year of our Lord 1084.

Our Emperor's army has defeated the disorganized Saracen host... indeed, nearly annihilated them. He is pursuing the remnants southward, intending to besiege their base at Capua and drive them out of Italy entirely. With the Emperor's kind permission, we have demobilized our troops. Our forces were shattered at the battle of Rome. We will be helpless to assist our Liege's campaign until many new recruits have been trained.

My husband and I have returned to our Court, to recover our wits after this desperate campaign.

June 3rd, year of our Lord 1084.

As odd as it may sound, there has been no shortage of fresh recruits despite our grievous losses. After we lost two-thirds of our demesne soldiers at the Battle of Rome, one would think that any sensible man would choose a different profession... dog-barber, perhaps, or ditch-digger. But our sacrificial role in the defense of the Holy City seems to have fired the imagination of the young men of the Duchy. They are crowding onto the training fields, mad for honor and glory.

Already, barely a month after our cruel losses, we have enough half-trained men on hand to re-mobilize most of our forces; and we can set about recovering our strongholds in the County of Spoleto, taken from us by the Saracens and bypassed by our Emperor in his hurry to catch the fleeing enemy.

I have made it clear to my dear husband Azzo that one of our Barons will lead the siege at Spoleto... I am emphatic about this! Having lost one husband and then nearly lost another, I want Duke Azzo to bide at home for a time, at least until my nerves recover.

He laughed at my fears, but acquiesced nonetheless.

October 24th, year of our Lord 1084.

The last of the Saracens have surrendered in Spoleto. The war itself has receded far to the south... indeed, all of Italy seems to be clear of the enemy, and we hear that our Emperor has landed a great force in Sicily. He has not again called us to arms; in fact, he seems to have forgotten about the Duchy of Toscana entirely... and I have made it clear to Azzo that I will beat him senseless if he reminds our Liege of our existence.

As far as I am concerned, for us, the war is over.

July 9th, year of our Lord 1085.

Our Liege-Lord has declared a great victory... the Saracens have been cleared from Italy. The Holy City is saved. The war is over. The realm is at peace

I have decided that dear Azzo and I are going to grow old together...

... and we are going to start right now! No more adventures. We will leave that to the youngsters.

Our eldest daughter has come of age, and Azzo and I will now sit by the fire and plan her wedding.

... and thus ends my tale.