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Alien Space Bat
Sep 9, 2002
3.493
11
Country: Aragón
Scenario: 1419
This AAR will be very loosely based on my old "The Catholic King". Emphasis on very--most of the similarities will be the setting and some familiar characters around 1492.

(Thanks to Birger Jarl for the shield)

aragon2.gif

Prologue

15 December 1418
Barcelona


Sancho, a petty nobleman from northern Catalonia, sat in a hallway of the palace of Alfonso V, King of Aragón, wringing his hands. What does His Majesty want with me? I am just a simple nobleman. I have done nothing famous or infamous.

"His Majesty will see you now."

Sancho was led into a side room. King Alfonso nodded and the servant left the room, closing the door behind him.

Sancho bowed. Alfonso waved him to a chair, which he sat in as Alfonso began speaking.

"I brought you here--because I am a good judge of talent. You are, I believe, the best administrator in my kingdom. I have had word that you, two years ago, quelled a potential rebellion in your lordship without use of military force or concessions--merely through speaking alone. And that is only the least of your feats.

"I have a position for you, a very good one. I wish for you to become my prime minister--the man who will have the third most power in my realm, behind the Pope and myself. Do you accept?"

"Gladly, if you truly believe me to be that good."

"I do. You shall begin working in your position upon the First of January in Anno Domini 1419."

Sancho rose, bowed, and left.
 
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An AAR on Aragon. I was thinking of starting one of those maybe after I finish my current Hungary AAR. Good luck.

Any goals we should know of?
 
Originally posted by Machiavellian
Any goals we should know of?

Nope. Don't like to put goals down unless it's a game (1) I've already played or (2) The goals are necessary things.

I tend to change goals all the time. :)
 
aragon2.gif

Book I: The Dukes of Valencía
1419-1490

Section One
Being a period of five years

I, Sancho Fernandez, made so recently the prime minister of His Majesty the King of Aragón, and also given the duchy of Valencía for my personal domain, have ordered a record of the foreign and domestic affairs of the Crown of Aragón.

For my first act, on 1 January 1419 I reined in the many nobles of the Kingdom and ordered them to show increased fealty to the King. [Centralization +1]

Second, I turned outward. The double kingdom of Castilla y Léon (hereafter referred to as Castille) was sent was sent an offer of alliance, which they happily accepted--not caring to look at the fine print which made Aragón the leader of the alliance.

On the fifth we recieved news that the King of Castille had declared war upon Granada. We happily honored our alliance and Alfonso rushed the army to Gilbraltar--this was a very important strategic position. Meanwhile, he also sent merchants to Lisbon to partake in the trade of valuable items the Portugese brought back from their many ventures down the coast of Africa.

When I heard news of an Algerian fleet of the Baleares, I immediately was given command of the Aragonese navy. I sent the fleet out into the Gulf of Valencía where, in a grand battle in February, we easily defeated them and sent them back to Barbaria.

Our army arrived in Gilbraltar in March, but was defeated by the defending Moors. I ordered the nobles in Catalonia to bring together more soldiers, and they did, 8000 strong. In August they arrived in Andalucía and, along with the rest of the Aragonese army, marched back to Gilbraltar. The Moors were this time easily defeated and Gilbraltar itself put under siege.

During the long siege we also brought Portugal into our alliance. Finally, the city fell (long after Granada did) and, on 4 October 1420, Granada was allowed to live for a sizable tribute and the cession of Gilbraltar to us.

Now began a period of peace. The Church sent inquisitors to Gilbraltar to "encourage" the locals to convert to the True Faith. Meanwhile, we continued building up and maintaining our trading presence in Lisbon, and, in September 1422, Navarra was added to our alliance. In fact, after another year and one month, and several gifts, they soon decided to become vassals of King Alfonso.

Sancho, Duke of Valencía &c., 1 January 1424.
 
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Fine start. Of course turning Spain is not on your plans, right?

:D

And Sancho is a nice guy. Keep on going!
 
Who knows?

Good start.
 
[Anibal: A bit too difficult, I'm afraid. There is just no way I'm going to annex Castille before 1490.]

Section Two
Being a period of five years and twenty days

During 1424 and 1425 we prepared for the end of the Reconquista. Our plan was as follows: Declare war upon Granada as soon as the truce period ended, without calling upon our allies as Castille's leader Alvaro de Luna would likely steal the siege from us. After that, conquer Granada while sending the Algerian navy to the bottom of the sea and possibly invading North Africa.

Early in 1424 the Moors began fighting against each other, with Morocco and Fez at war with Algiers and Granada. This served to weaken both sides--good for us.

Finally, on 4 November 1425 (one year and one month since the truce), the Aragonese army, 36,000 strong, invaded Granada and engaged their 28,000 man army. The battle was long and difficult, causing many casualties, but finally the Granadan army was defeated, only 5000 remaining to retreat into their fortifications.

While Granada was besieged, the Aragonese navy, under my command, set out and engaged any Algerians we came across. However, there was one problem:

Fez.

One would think they were on our side (the whole "enemy of my enemy is my friend" thing), but whenever Fez ships arrived to help, they lost the battle for us due to their low morale. Again and again the Aragonese navy was defeated due to Fez incompetence.

Finally, Granada fell, and, on 14 March 1427, with King Alfonso of Aragón and King Juan II of Navarra, along with representatives from Castille and Portugal, attending, King Muhammed of Granada officially surrendered his lands to Aragón. The Reconqista, after over 700 years, was finally completed.

However, the war with Algiers was still ongoing. We cheered when Fez's 3-ship fleet was finally destroyed, and the Algerians were quick to follow. King Alfonso and I decided an invasion of Algeirs was unfeasable, however, and peace was signed on 20 January 1429, with our dominance of the western Mediterranean now firmly established.

Sancho, Duke of Valencía &c., 20 January 1429
 
With friends like those ...
 
Section Three
Being a Period of Three Years and Three Hundred Forty-Five Days

After the conquest of Granada and the Algerian war, King Alfonso and I began a series of tax reforms, starting in the province of Aragón and spreading through Catalonia, Valencía, and Sicily in 1429, and later through the rest of Alfonso's kingdom.

In October of 1430 I recommended to His Majesty that we build a monument in Granada to our conquest. He agreed. The Moors there, however, did not like this news very much and we were forced to put down a revolt. Construction began in November.

In February we learned that the noble who was overseeing the consruction, Juan de Majorca, had embezzled funds, used some of the stone for a monument to himself in Majorca, and even worked several Moors to their death during the construction. Alfonso proposed stern action against him, but some nobles didn't like His Majesty taking such a hard line. Also, we were forced to put down another revolt in Granada when they heard about the deaths.

I went personally to oversee the final stages, and, on 14 March, the fourth anniversary of the fall of Granada, the monument was completed, at a final cost of, I estimate, over 10,000 Venetian ducats. On the four sides of the base were scenes: one, of the Aragónese army preparing; another, of the Battle of Granada; a third, of a naval battle against Algeirs (one that we actually won); and a fourth, of me originally taking possession of the city (before the actual ceremony). On the base was a grand statue, in unearthly glory, of King Alfonso V, brandishing his sword, a shield with the arms of Aragón at his feet.

aragcarv.jpg

The carving on the west side: The Battle of Granada​

After the completion of the statue I thought of another plan to further Aragón's glory. Portugese explorers had for many years been travelling down the coast of Africa looking for adventure, glory, but most of all money, for there were many lucarative goods to be had there. I convinced Alfonso that we should save up money for an expedition southward. Finally, on the New Year of 1433, Alfonso, having spent 20,000 ducats on three ships, many sailors, charts, and all other things necessary for a good expedition, sent it out under the command of my eldest son, Sancho Sanchez de Valencía.

Godspeed, Sancho.

[That whole monument thing was just an explanation for the corruption event, and I fit those two revolts into it as well. I made the carving by taking an Age of Empires II screenshot and messing around with it. The expedition is an event I made where I got an explorer leader ("de Valencia") for 200 ducats.]
 
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Finally! An update! Only took nearly a month! <nudge, nudge> You aren't going to take as long to update again, are you? :)
 
Amric said:
Finally! An update! Only took nearly a month! <nudge, nudge> You aren't going to take as long to update again, are you? :)

Nope. It took this long because I had to set aside time to play the game, which I just didn't have. I've played past that point now so the next update should be soon.
 
Anibal said:
And Sancho is a nice guy. Keep on going!
Yep, but being he from northern Catalonia, it is very unlikely that his name could be Sancho... something like Sanç would be better :D

Just nitpicking! Keep the good work! :) Glad to know you're going to update the AAR more often.
 
mfigueras said:
Yep, but being he from northern Catalonia, it is very unlikely that his name could be Sancho... something like Sanç would be better

Just because he's from Catalonia doesn't mean he's Catalonian. ;)
 
Judas Maccabeus said:
Just because he's from Catalonia doesn't mean he's Catalonian. ;)
That explains all :p ;)
 
Section Four, Part I
Being a Period of Three Years and One Hundred Fifty-Seven Days

Log of the expedition of Sacho Sanchez de Valencía

2 January 1433

We have left the city of Valencía and are now headed through the gulf to the Mediterranean.

25 February

We have just passed through the Strait of Gilbraltar. We can see the Aragónese fortifications. Someone joked earlier that they could see the monument at Granada, but that is very unlikely.

28 May

The expedition has entered uncharted (for us at least) areas for the first time. We have explored the coast but found no suitable areas for later habitation, nor encountered any locals.

1 August

Further exploration has achieved nothing. A Portuguese trading post we came across is unable to replenish our supplies, so we must return all the way to Gilbraltar to do so.

12 September

During our return we have come across a potential harbor which could support a small town. However, we found no local tribes. Ten men have remained behind to set up a small outpost.

27 October

The expedition has returned to Gilbraltar. I have met with a local representative of the King and he has assured me that my father and the King will ask the King of Castille to allow our ships to replenish supplies at Las Palmas in the Canary Islands rather than travel all the way to Gilbraltar every time. We will set out again on the 29th.

1 January 1434

We pass the new outpost. They are certianly surviving, but not well enough to replenish our supplies.

28 March

We mapped more territory this time, but still must turn back. When we sailed to Las Canarias, they refused to allow us in their harbor. I assume the negotiations fell through.

14 July

We return to Gilbraltar. The representative tells me that negotiations are still ongoing and to be patient. The expedition will set sail next time with 100 more men for our new (and as of yet unnamed) colony.

14 September

The expedition stops over at the outpost. We unload the hundred colonists, but the twenty now at the outpost complain that the area cannot support that many. I merely shrug and tell them it wasn't my idea.

1 January 1435

We now travel farther south. The coastline has turned east. Perhaps this means we have found a way around Africa to Asia? We won't find out this time, we must turn back again.

3 March

While passing an area south of our colony, we found another area suitable for an outpost. Unfortunately, we also came across a group of very angry natives. We managed to leave before things became violent. We did ask them to allow ten of our men to remain behind, and they agreed. I don't like the looks on their faces, though.

28 March

We came to the port of Las Palmas. This time the Castillan governor had orders to allow us to stop there and replenish our supplies. Well, it was a different governor, the last one had been recalled to Castille. This one is much friendlier. He tells us that many of the colonists died, but the colony has stabilized at 60 and my father is planning on continuing that work.

4 May

We passed the location of the native village we found. Our ten men's bodies are being displayed on the coastline. We keep our distance.

28 October

The expedition has travelled east for quite some time, expecting at some point for the coastline to go north and set out a path to Asia. However, we have just found a point where it begins to go south, and looks to have no sign of going east again. Supplies are again running low and we must return.

4 March 1436

We return to Las Palmas. With the Castillan governor is the representative from King Alfonso. He asks if I have found anything of use on this last trip, and I tell him that we have not. He shows me an order to return to Valencia, that my expedition is over.

5 June

We return to Valencia. The three ships of the expedition are to be altered for use in the Aragonese fleet (they were King Alfonso's, after all). I learn the worst news of all: My father died two weeks ago.

King Alfonso meets me personally, and tells me that not only am I the new Duke of Valencia, but shall also continue in the position of Alfonso's prime minister.
 
Section Four, Part II
Being a Period of Three Years and One Hundred Fifty-Seven Days

These are the (scarce) writings of my late father, covering the period during which I was away.

After my son left Valencía on the second I returned to the governance of Aragón. There wasn't much, however, as most of our effort was behind Sancho and his expedition. About the only other thing that has happened is our increased trading presence. That is good, however, since my age is beginning to show. King Alfonso is prepared to take control directly.

--------

Section Five

From now on these writings are my own.

My first challenge (if you really could call it a challenge) was the revolt of the people of Granada in August. This was swiftly put down.

Early 1437 was a good time for our nation. In two sudden and glorious political moves we greatly expanded our power. First, King Alfonso tricked the King of Navarre into surrendering his crown on 8 February. I was sent in to smooth the transfer of power. There were no immediate revolts.

While in Navarra I, without the knowledge of King Alfonso, drafted a proposal to the King of Portugal. It proposed an economic agreement between our countries. I carefully worded it, however, so that it would make the Portuguese practical vassals without their suspecting. I gave it to Alfonso who looked at it and gave it his approval. Next, I sent it to the Portuguese. Their King Duarte, thinking it to his advantage, signed it happily.

By the time he realized what it truly meant, it was too late. He couldn't back out now without losing prestige. So, on 9 May, Portugal became a practial vassal of Aragón. King Alfonso applauded my careful trickery in private.

In September of 1438 there was a sudden civil war in Castille. We hoped that this would weaken Castille to the point that we could make it a vassal as well, but the rebellion was quickly crushed.

On 16 August 1439 we heard good news from Florence: A council there between the Greeks and the Pope had convinced the Greeks to rejoin our holy Church. Well, the leaders, at least. One step at a time.

As 1440 comes around, Aragón is now much stronger than it has ever been. My father would be very proud of what I have done.
 
One step along the road to Iberian domination. Good good.