Rome AARisen - a Byzantine AAR

Plans to work on the map updates have been pushed back to next week due to some real life events (several people quit at work, so BT suddenly has far more work/overtime than he'd planned), but I will try my best to get something finished either this weekend or during the week next week. Thank you all for your continued patience.

Thanks Taii, but the main problem is that I need some time to sit down and write up country descriptions for the lovely map you've made. I've got about half of Africa finished, I'm hoping that will be the first in what should be weekly installments until the world is finished...

Hello everyone!

This has been a long time coming, but I'm taking a temporary hiatus from my other AAR to make sure that the map descriptions for Rome AARisen are finished. And here, for all of you still watching, is the first of what will be several of the next few weeks!



1.) Name: Despotate of Mauretania
a. Ruler: Despot Markos Thrakesiokomnenos
b. Capital: Basiliopolis
c. State Religion: Orthodox, though most rural areas are still Traditional Muslim
d. Affiliations: Independent. Mauretania is an ally of the Spanish Empire and a nominal vassal, but has become autonomous to the point of independence and has distant, if not cold, relations with Cordoba. Mauretania’s main income comes from the coastal caravan trade through Dahkla and Chinguetti, as well as the more direct route across the Saharan through Tlemecen. The Despot has cordial, if distant relations with the city states to her south, but views Mali with distrust. The Sultanate is distant, but richer and more powerful, and perhaps the only threat keeping Mauretania even aligned with Cordoba. The Despotate views thinks of Algiers as a potential ‘acquisition,’ a useful buffer with Africa and a soruce of more men and money to deal with Mali should the Sultanate make a definitive move north.

2.) Duchy of Algiers
a. Ruler: Duke Phillipos of House Toulouse
b. Capital: Algiers
c. State Religion: Orthodox, though the coastal provinces are Catholic and the interior is Traditional Muslim.
d. Affiliations: Nominally independent, but in precarious position between the crumbling Spanish Empire and the Kingdom of Africa. The Duchy has good relations with Karthagion, but spiteful ones with Cordoba and especially Mauretania, both of whom the Duke fears are contemplating invasion.

3.) Kingdom of Africa
a. Ruler: King Edmund I Godwinson
b. Capital: Karthagion
c. State Religion: Orthodox, with some Traditional Muslim minorities in the interior.
d. Affiliations: Africa is an independent monarchy thanks to careful political plays by the ruling Godwinson family. Officially she is subservient to Spain but since the collapse of the Spanish Regency in practice she is forcefully independent and a regional power. The Godwinsons have deep pockets and great authority, as well as a formidable fleet and claims to Sicily, as well as Algiers. Africa has a vassal in Leptis Magna, and good relations with Algiers as well as the Persian Vizierate in southern Italy. Views the Sicilians as a bunch of upstarts. King Edmund’s primary foreign policy goal is the acquisition of Sicily, as it would give him a strangehold on East-West Mediterranean trade.

4.) Principality of Leptis Magna
a. Ruler: Alaeddin Khobut Nubt
b. Capital: Leptis Magna
c. State Religion: Orthodox, with mainly Traditional Muslim majorities outside the major towns
d. Affiliations: Vassals to the Kingdom of Africa. Leptis Magna is poor, cut off, and vulnerable without outside support. Outside of the coastal cities, there are few people and even less resources. Without Africa, Leptis Magna could be easily overrun, though few would bother with the effort except to use her lands as a highway to other, richer places.

5.) Principality of Cyrenaica
a. Ruler: Ignatios Ammokomnenos
b. Capital: Benghazi
c. State Religion: Orthodox, with mainly Traditional Muslim majorities outside the major towns. Eastern portions have had a recent influx of Aionites as well as Taymiyyite Muslims.
d. Affiliations: Vassals to the Aionite Sultans of Egypt. The Ammokomnenoi can trace their lineage back to Georgios, son of the Megas, and wear this identity with pride, despite their distance from any of the imperial lines. Outside of a few areas such as Benghazi and the rebuilt Cyrene, the province is rather unremarkable, and viewed as valuable by the Sultans only because it serves as a buffer to the west. The Ammokomnenoi alternately love and fear their Aionite overlords—they fear they will be forced to convert, but they know they would be easy pickings for another power without the protection of Alexandria…

6.) Sultanate of Egypt
a. Ruler: Heraklios Aiguptokomnenos
b. Capital: Alexandria
c. State Religion: Aionite, with Coptic minorities within the borders of the Kingdom.
d. Affiliations: The Aionite Sultanate is a strong regional power, likely one of the most powerful of the successor states, inheriting a realm that has been free of war and strife for well over a century. The primary concern of the Sultans are the protection of the profitable Red Sea trade route, as well as spreading the Aionite faith around the Mediterranean world. Egypt is blessed with vast wealth, a powerful navy, and a strong if somewhat untested army. The Sultan of Egypt styles himself the leader of Aionism throughout the world, and has vassals in Makuria and Cyrenaica. He also styles himself the Protector of Mecca, and serves as overlord to the Kings of Arabia as well. Egypt views any of the remaining Muslim powers in the area with distrust, and is dire enemies with the successor Roman states to the north.

7.) Kingdom of Makuria
a. Ruler: Negest Tewodros II
b. Capital: Dongola
c. State Religion: Aionite, with large Coptic majorities.
d. Affiliations: Vassals to the Roman Sultans of Egypt, though Makuria often claims to be independent. While the Kingdom is nominally Aionite like their overlords, there is a large Coptic minority that does not wish to follow the “alliance” between the Copts and Aionites that fell into place further north. This has led to significant instability in Makurian society, a situation Makuria’s Abyssinian neighbors are likely to exploit.

8.) Empire of Abyssinia
a. Ruler: Negust Negest Menelik V
b. Capital: Axum
c. State Religion: Coptic
d. Affiliations: Abyssinia has uneasy borders with Makuria and Yemen—Makuria in times past was a part of Abyssinia, and Yemen even until recently has been a frequent religious and political enemy. More warlike elements of the Abyssinian court would like to see both driven away—Yemen for being Muslim infidels and Makuria for being both upstarts as well as too close to Aionite Egypt. At this time, Abyssinia does not have the power to face Makuria as long as she is backed by the Sultans in Alexandria, but Yemen is a foe that could be challenged. Abyssinia is fortunate in that terrain helps protect her from outsiders—part of the reason she has stayed fiercely independent for so long.

9.) Kingdom of Dakhla
a. Ruler: ?
b. Capital: Dahkla
c. State Religion: Traditional Muslim
d. Affiliations: Trading center south of Roman lands, and a waypoint for caravans. Duahkla has an neasy relationship with Mauretania to the north, but views Basiliopolis as their protector should Mali move north. In practical terms, she has formed a league in alliance with Chinguetti and Rosso to the south.

10.) Kingdom of Chinguetti
a. Ruler: ?
b. Capital: Chinguetti
c. State Religion: Traditional Muslim
d. Affiliations: Trading center and caravan waystation. Fearful of both Roman Mauretania and Mali to the south. Allied with Rosso and Dahkla for mutual protection.

11.) Kingdom of Rosso
a. Ruler: ?
b. Capital: Rosso
c. State Religion: Traditional Muslim
d. Affiliations: Final waypoint for south-bound caravans from Mauretania to Mali. While allied with Dahkla and Chinguetti, has much friendlier relations with Mali than her northern cousins. Derisively called ‘the Sultan’s spokesman’ by Mauretania to the north.

12.) Sultanate of Mali
a. Ruler: Caliph/Mansa Muhammad V
b. Capital: Djenne
c. State Religion: Traditional Muslim
d. Affiliations: The Sultan of Mali is also the self-proclaimed Caliph of the Faithful, and serves as the head of all the traditional Muslims left, mostly concentrated in Africa. These Muslims follow the Old Faith, free of the reforms unleashed by ibn Taymiyya or the counterreforms launched in his wake. Mali dominates the sub-Saharan landscape, and has aggressive eyes both to the north, and towards the west, to the islands off her coast. The Niger river valley provides a significant amount of gold for the Sultan’s coffers, and Mali’s armies are both numerous and powerful. Many feel it is only a matter of time before she turns her attentions to the rich but tiny city states to her north, or out to sea to try to bypass them to reach European trade networks…
13.) Kingdom of the Canaries
a. Ruler: ?
b. Capital:?
c. State Religion: Orthodox, with large pagan majority amongst populace
d. Affiliations: The Canaries were originally a Kephalate belonging to the Roman province of Mauretania. In the early 14th century, however, one local Kephalos declared himself King and gained independence. The islands have been ruled by his descendants, each as a king, since. The Canaries are nominal vassals, however, to the Roman Despot in Mauretania, and wisely supply him with annual tribute.

14.) Emirate of the Almorhavids
a. Ruler: ?
b. Capital: ?
c. State Religion: Traditional Muslim
d. Affiliations: The Almohravids gained their freedom by playing Emperors Leo and Alexios off each other while the two fought for African supremacy in the early parts of the 14th century. They now control much of the interior of Algeria, with strongholds in the Atlas mountains from which they now raid on their weak and divided neighbors. They also serve as a beacon of hope for Muslims from Algiera to Karthagion, who hope to be freed from the Christian yoke.

15.) Principality of Sicily
a. Ruler: Konstantios I Komnenos
b. Capital: Palermo
c. State Religion: Orthodox
d. Affiliations: Konstantios is the eldest surviving son of David, brother of Anastasios III, the last Megas Komnenos. As such he has one of the best claims to the Throne of Caesars, but his lands are weak and war ravaged. To make matters worse, his neighbors, the Godwinsons, covet his lands. Konstantinos thus has cultivated good relationships with both the Persian Vizierate and the Princes of Naples to his north, and is desperate to find allies to help him should the Godwinsons move.

Hi everyone!

Originally I'd planned on having Western Europe done next, but that is taking far longer than expected (50+ countries!), so in the meantime, I would like to post the map for the Far East... Transoxania, India, and beyond. In addition vadermath is kindly working on a chronologically summary of the entire AAR. Once that is finished, I will post it for everyone to see (as well as use it as the official "summation" for those that want to read ahead). I think he deserves a round of applause for his effort!

And without further ado, the Far East in 1399:

1) Khanate of the White Horde
a. Ruler: Khan Shahrukh Gok Rum (Tribal)
b. Capital: ?
c. State Religion: Nestorian, with Tengrist and Pagan majorities
d. Affiliations: The White Horde was originally the khanate handed to the children of Jamuqa, blood brother to Genghis Khan. Through intermarriage and surreptitious deaths, the title Khan of the White Horde was inherited by Timur in the mid 14th century, and has since remained within the Gok Rum family. However, the White Horde is only in union with Samarkand by the blood of the Khan, and should he die, there is no doubt a kurultai will be called to name a replacement. Should the kurultai feel bold enough, they could always not name the new ruler of Samarkand…

2) Shahdom of Faraud
a. Ruler: Shahjahan Shahrukh Gok Rum (Empire)
b. Capital: Samarkand
c. State Religion: Nestorian, with Taymiyyite Muslim, Reformed Muslim, and Zoroastrian minorities
d. Affiliations: Faraud was the urban, wealthy core of Timur’s empire. Properly feudalized and immensely powerful, the wealthy cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, Urgench, and Khiva all swear fealty and loyalty to the Shahjahan. Should Shahrukh pass on, there is little doubt Faraud will remain in the hands of the Gok Rum. Faraud has chilly relations with her vassals Persia, I-raq and Shirvan, all of whom are ruled by cousins of Shahrukh who dearly want their independence. Samarkand’s relations with her other vassals are not nearly as chilly, but not close—Basra and Syria are rather strong, and both are far removed from Samarkand. Other, even more distant tributaries, such as Trebizond and Ikonion, have nominal relations, if any, with their once overlord.

3) Khanate of Chagatai (not appearing on this map)
a. Ruler: Khan Shahrukh Gok Rum (Tribal)
b. Capital: Kashgar
c. State Religion: Nestorian, with Tengriist and Buddhist majorities
d. Affiliations: Junior partner in personal union with Faraud. The personal union between Chagatai and Samarkand has existed since the reign of Timur. Much like the White and Blue Hordes, the personal union is tenuous, and could erupt into conflict at the moment of succession.

4) Seljuk Turkish Sultanate
a. Ruler: Sultan Mehmet V Seljuk
b. Capital: Delhi
c. State Religion: Taymiyyist Muslim, with a very large Hindu populace
d. Affiliations: The Seljuk Turks are a proud, and resilient people. At the height of the First Seljuk Empire, they ruled lands from Anatolia to India, centered on the wealthy Near East. That empire collapsed under the joint hammerblows of Roman and Mongol alike. The Seljuks for a time were tributaries to the Romans, before migrating to the East, conquering the shattered Mongol remnants in India. Now, the Seljuks hold the populous and wealthy Ganges Delta, and have plans to expand south into the Hindu states there. They share a treaty of friendship with the powerful Shahjahan’s of Gok Rum, but should that empire break apart, their eyes could always turn westward, to their historic holdings in Persia…

5) Khanate of Kara-Kul
a. Ruler: Khan Kaykhusraw II Karal-Kul
b. Capital: ?
c. State Religion: Nestorian, with significant Muslim minorities
d. Affiliations: Kara-Kul is the official title of the lands granted to the Turkish horsemen who rode with Michael Komnenos as he consolidate what would become Faraud. Indigenous to the desert, they form some of the best scouts in the combined Timurid armies, and are perhaps the most loyal vassals Samarkand possesses.

6) Khaganate of the Great Khan (not appearing on this map)
a. Ruler: Qabul Khagan Borijign
b. Capital: Khanbalik
c. State Religion: Confucian, with significant religious minorities across the length and breadth of the realm (Tengriist in the north, Muslim and Buddhist in the West)
d. Affiliations: The Khaganate is the rump of the once great Mongol Empire. In theory, the Khagan serves as the overlords of potentates from Samarkand to Nagasaki, though in practice all of the other Mongol realms have long since drifted into independence. The Khaganate itself is on shaky ground—a string of weak and ineffectual rulers, coupled with the constant war with the rump Chinese Sung to the south of the Yangtze, had significantly weakened the Khaganate. The Korean kingdom of Goryeo has drifted from vassalization to independence, and there are signs of a possible indigenous uprising against Mongol foreign rule. The Khaganate also faces a threat from the West—the Timurid constellation of states could always come thundering out of Xinjiang, and cause havoc…

Well, the next portion of the map updates is finally done! As you can see, Western Europe took a long time to make because there was a HUGE amount of detail to put in… no less than 53 separate countries! Enjoy everyone! I'll have some replies up later today!


1) Kingdom of Alba
a. Ruler: King Artair I Comnen
b. Capital: Edinburgh
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: Alba, formally the Kingdoms of Scotland, Ireland and Wales, is a centralized, powerful state that has been emerging on the British Isles over the last hundred years. Under first the Dunkelds, and now House Comnen, they have built a large and wealthy realm, full of promise under the obviously gifted Artair. Alba claims dominion over all of the isle of Great Britain, and Artair will no doubt make war against the Capets to the south to press his claim. Cracks do exist in the realm, however. The majority of the ruling power sits in the hands of the Scottish elites, something that the nobility of Irelands and Wales resent…

2) Kingdom of Norway
a. Ruler: Harald III Ynling
b. Capital: Christiana
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: Norway since the days of Harald I Ynling has been in personal union with her more powerful Swedish neighbor. The union is close, strong, and likely to continue.

3) Kingdom of Sweden
a. Ruler: Harald V Ynling
b. Capital: Uppsala
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: The King of Sweden is the dominant force in a pan Scandanavian realm that includes personal unions with the Kingdoms of Denmark and Norway. So great has Harald “the Great’s” power become that many in the Holy See speak of turning their backs on the squabbling Burgundian and German lords and handing the crown of Charlemagne to the Swedish monarch. Harald’s primary foreign policy goal seems to be to turn the Baltic into a Swedish lake, as well as further weaken the Danish and Norwegian nobility, subsuming their realms wholly within a greater Swedish empire.

4) Kingdom of Denmark
a. Ruler: Harald VI Ynling
b. Capital: Aarhus
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: Denmark as it stands currently has been little more than a Swedish puppet for over a century. The original Danish Knytling line of kings fled to the lands of their kinsmen in the Rus, creating the Kingdom of Sortmark. In their absence, their nemesis the Swedes gained control over the region. Denmark briefly gained independence in the 13th century as several Swedish royal princes squabbled over the succession, but the crowns were reunited under the reign of Harald II Ynling (Harald I to the Swedes), also known as Harald the Great, in 1312. Little remains in Denmark of the former Danish identity—the nobility all speak Swedish as their preferred tongue, and it seems only a matter of time before Sweden swallows her southern neighbor for good.

5) Kingdom of Angleterre
a. Ruler: King Guy II Capet
b. Capital: Londres
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: Angleterre, also known as England, is the final remnant of the once mighty Capetian Empire that stretched from Marseilles to York. Angleterre is a nation on the brink. While the culture of court is French, the majority of the population are a mix of Saxon and Norman known as English. While Guy is a rather capable monarch compared to his more immediate ancestors, he faces a powerful neighbor with claims to his entire realm. Angleterre so far has looked to Burgundy to provide support, but with Burgundy continually distracted by continental concerns, can Angleterre stand alone?

6) Despotate of Valenica
a. Ruler: Simon Dandolo
b. Capital: Valencia
c. Religion: Orthodox, with Traditional Muslim minorities
d. Affiliations: Vassal of the Western Empire. The Dandolos, of Italian stock and elevated by the hand of Andronikos I over a century before, are perhaps the poorest and least regarded of the great Spanish families. Shut out of politics by the Thrakesiokomnenoi, they are now barging back into the political scene in the chaos following the fall of their rivals. They disdain the Orsinis, and similarly hate the Kantakouzenids.

7) Despotate of Murcia
a. Ruler: Carlos Kantakouzenos
b. Capital: Granada
c. Religion: Orthodox, with Traditional Muslim minorities
d. Affiliations: Murcia is a vassal of the Western Roman Empire in Cordoba, one of the Despotates formed by Emperor Thomas IV in the mid 14th century. The Kantakouzenids, previously merely Prines of Murcia, had amassed a great deal of wealth through their mercantile connections amongst the Muslim population—Carlos Kantakouzenos’ grandfather, Matteo I, in fact served as the “bank” for Thomas IV and his successors. Murcia wishes to see the Western Empire trundle on—the Kantakouzenids would lose a great deal should their greatest debtor fall. Despotes Kantakouzenos will do anything in his power to back the weakened Emperor in Cordoba…

8) Despotate of Lusitania
a. Ruler: Simon II de Normandie
b. Capital: Lisboa
c. Religion: Orthodox, with Traditional Muslim and Latin Catholic minorities
d. Affiliations: Lustania is a vassal of the Western Empire. Positioned on the far west of Iberia, Lusitania has long had a rather distant connection with Cordoba, in comparison with her neighbors. Instead, her affairs focus on the sea, and profitable fishing rights. Of late her Despotes has taken an interest into radical theories that the world is round—perhaps Lusitania could reinvent the international network of trade if she sailed west to Cathay, instead of East through the Egyptians, or overland through the Persians?

9) Western Roman Empire
a. Ruler: Emperor Ioannes II Komnenos
b. Capital: Cordoba
c. Religion: Orthodox, with some Traditional Muslim minorities in the south
d. Affiliations: This realm represents the demense of the Western Roman Empire, the offshoot of the traditional split in the Roman world since the days of Thomas II and Alexios I. The Western Empire is currently in a woeful state. One of her vassals, Galicia, was recently conquered by the others, and her vassals openly conspire to break free from Cordoba’s orbit. In addition, her emperor is a green boy, 21 years old, that knows more of hunting and feasting than he does ruling. Cordoba’s grip on her lands seems feeble, and could break should more than one of her vassals decide the time is ripe to break free.

10) Despotate of Galicia
a. Ruler: Despot David Orsini
b. Capital: Valladolid
c. Religion: Orthodox, with moderate Latin Catholic minorities
d. Affiliations: Galicia used to belong to the Thrakesiokomnenids, lands they were granted as fiefs by Emperor Thomas IV in the mid-14th century. However, in the 1390s, David Orsini decapitated the family, ousted the rightful lord Georgios Thrakesiokomnenos, and usurped the title Despot of Galicia. It remains to be seen if the Orsinis will maintain their hold, or if Cordoba will somehow wrest the region away and hand it to a new lord.

11) Despotate of Tarraconensis
a. Ruler: Despot David Orsini
b. Capital: Girona
c. Religion: Orthodox, with large Latin Catholic minorities
d. Affiliations: Tarraconensis is the core land of House Orsini, originally of Italian descent and transplanted to Spain during the reign of Andronikos I. The Orsinis also are arguably the power behind the Spanish throne, easily having more sway than their nominal liege lords. David Orsini also holds the Despotate of Galicia in personal union, a title he stole from the Thrakesiokomnenids only a decade before. As the most powerful noble in Spain, the Orsinis could easily prop up, or destroy the Spanish Empire…

12) Kingdom of Aquitaine
a. Reynaud IV de Poitiers
b. Capital: Poitiers
c. Religion: Latin Catholic, with Orthodox minorities
d. Affiliations: Independent Kingdom. Aquitaine was originally a Kingdom created by Charlemagne for his son in the 9th century, which then devolved into a Duchy during the height of Capetian France. However, in the aftermath of the death of Drogo II, the Dukes of Aquitaine became independent, and sought Roman protection. They proved steadfast allies of the Romans, who heaped successively greater titles on them until they were named Kings in the Name of the Emperor by Manuel II in the early 14th century, a title reaffirmed by Alexios of Spain. They functioned as northern allies of the Spanish monarchy, and still maintain cordial relations with Cordoba. The Aquitainians are mostly focused on internal affairs—King Reynaud is but a child, and his uncle Hugh de Beveres is the true ruler of the region. A multitude of suitors, including Cordoba, the Orsinis of northern Spain, and the Burgundians, have sought a marriage alliance with Aquitaine…

13) Kingdom of Toulouse
a. Ruler: Charles III de Toulouse
b. Capital: Toulouse
c. Religion: Latin Catholic, with Orthodox minorities
d. Affiliations: Toulouse is the great Occitan realm to the south of what had once been France. Like Aquitaine, she began as a Frankish duchy, who then gained successive titles from Konstantinopolis for supporting imperial interests in France. House de Toulouse was awarded a royal title at the same time as House de Poitiers, and the two have become something of rivals. Toulouse’s main interests, however, lie to her east, where the independent city states of rich northern Italy lay squabbling more or less. Toulouse has reached out to the von Frankens with offers to split these lands, but so far the von Frankens have not listened—they view themselves as the legitimate lords of the region, and are loathe to let an upstart have even a portion of their claim.

14) Duchy of Bourgogne
a. Ruler: Baudoin II de Bourgogne
b. Capital: Dijon
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: The bastard brother of Aquitaine and Toulouse, Bourgogne maintained a far more distant relationship with Konstantinopolis, and did not gain the rewards as a result. As always, her Dukes are busy poking their nose into the politics of fractious northern France, as well as the broken German realms, to little avail and no purpose.

15) County of Brittany
a. Ruler: Alan VI de Cornouaille
b. Capital: Nantes
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: A major rather lukewarm supporter of the League of Paris, the Counts of Brittany are powerful, if aloof. Their affairs are more focused on maintaining their distinct independence, and not on foreign adventures. For centuries they’d successfully played foreign realms off each other, a policy they are, in all likelihood bound to continue.

16) County of Anjou
a. Foulques II de Anjou
b. Capital: Angers
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: The Counts of Anjou have distant relations with the Capets, and hold a competing claim to the throne of France. As a result, while openly supporting the alliance headed by the Counts of Paris, the Angevins have been actively searching for outside parties to support their own claim…

17) County of Orleans
a. Ruler: Geoffrey III de Orleans
b. Capital: Orleans
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: Orleans is an independent county that is an enthusiastic supporter of the Count of Paris’ claims on the vacant French throne. She also has cordial relations with all the independent French states, save Aquitaine and Toulouse, whom she views with mistrust.

18) Duchy of Champagne
a. Ruler: Charles IV de Champagne
b. Capital: Reims
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: Vassals of the King of Burgundy. The Dukes of Champagne have become famous in northern Europe for their wealth, funded by the great annual fairs held there as a midpoint in the overland north/south trade routes between Antwerp and Brugges and Italy to the south. Charles IV spent a good deal of his fortune first attempting to angle himself as a candidate for the Burgundian throne on its vacancy, and then backing the lost cause of Peyt van Holland. A good deal poorer and unhappier, he openly complains of toiling under a liege like Heinrich.

19) Duchy of Normandy
a. Ruler: Gaspar III Capet
b. Capital: Caen
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: Vassals of the King of Burgundy. The Dukes of Normandy are descended from a distaff branch of the Capet dynasty, dating to 1332 when Burgundian King Dietmar III forced King Etienne of Angleterre to relinquish Normandy to his second son Gaspar, as a full vassal to the Burgundian crown. Gaspar supported the van Holland cause in the recent Burgundian civil war, and is still smarting from the wound to his pride suffered when King Heinrich’s army bested his own outside of Antwerp a few years before.

20) County of Flanders
a. Ruler: Count Phillipe de Dampierre
b. Capital: Amiens
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: Vassals of the King of Burgundy. The Dampierre family have been longstanding allies of the Lothringen dynasty, and supported them fully in the previous war. They remain loyal and wealthy vassals to Brugges.

21) County of Paris
a. Ruler: Count Hugh V de Lusignan
b. Capital: Paris
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: Aside from the ‘Kings’ in the south, and Burgundy in the north, the Counts of Paris are perhaps the richest and most powerful of the magnates who inherited the remains of the Roman Hypatate in France. For the past hundred years, from the formidable walls of their wealthy and prestigious capital, the Counts have been the leaders and organizers of every league, alliance, and plot to keep the Burgundians, Aquitaine, and Toulouse out of the affairs of central France. Count Hugh IV in 1388 managed to even persuade the Holy See to recognize that he had ‘potentially true and legitimate claims’ to the defunct title of King of France. The Count’s younger brother, Cardinal Ademar de Lusignan, is even now hard at work persuading the Holy Father that, should he recognize Hugh’s claim to the lost title, that France will reunite, and forcibly evict the Burgundians that currently surround the Holy See.

22) Duchy of Upper Lorraine
a. Ruler: Dietmar von Lothringen
b. Capital: Koln
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliaitions: Vassal of the Kingdom of Burgundy, and ruled by the King’s distant cousin, Dietmar. The Duke of Upper Lorraine was one of the first of the Burgundian dukes to back Heinrich in his war for the crown, and remains one of his most loyal subjects.

23) Duchy of Brabant
a. Ruler: Floris III van Holland
b. Capital: Breda
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: Vassal of the Kingdom of Burgundy. Floris III’s cousin Peyt was a rival claimant to the Burgundian throne against the present King, Heinrich I. With Peyt’s death, Floris has become the leading van Holland claimant to the Burgundian throne, with a small constellation of nobility secretly backing his rival claim. As a result, his relations with Brugges are decidedly cool…

24) Kingdom of Burgundy
a. Ruler: Heinrich I von Lothringen
b. Capital: Brugges
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: The core demense of the powerful King of Burgundy, likely the strongest contender for the Holy Roman Imperial throne, as well as pretender to the defunct title King of France. Heinrich obtained his crown only shortly before from his cousin Duke Peyt of Holland, killing the latter in a bitter war. Heinrich’s vassals have sworn him fealty due to force of arms, but some of their loyalty may be lacking. However, Heinrich’s core realm is both wealthy and powerful, and under his astute leadership, assuming he manages to overcome less than loyal vassals, Burgundy’s future looks bright.

25) Duchy of Frisia
a. Ruler: Duke Willem II van Groningen
b. Capital: Groningen
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: The Dukes of Frisia traditionally have migrated between swearing fealty to the Kings of Burgundy, and swearing fealty to the Holy Roman Emperor—whichever would give them more autonomy and leeway. With the collapse of the HRE and the resulting lawlessness, chaos, and war, Duke Erik II, father of the present duke, determined it wiser to kneel before Brugges and accept Burgundian protection, rather than becoming a potential target for Burgundian armies. Nonetheless, Frisia’s relations with Brugges are almost nonexistent—Willem II only answers his lord and master as far as the bare minimum allows, and no more.

26) Duchy of Munster
a. Ruler: Duke Ludwig Adolph II Welf
b. Capital: Munster
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: While independent, Munster since the 14th century has usually fallen under the sway of the Kings of Burgundy. The present Duke, however, has different aspirations. In the early 14th century, the Welfs briefly held the imperial title themselves during the back and forth tussles after the fall of the final Arpads. Ludwig Adolph sees himself as the continuation of this claim, and has recently begun recruiting allies from the great German nobility to advance his cause as a potential “Fifth claimant” once the current titular Emperor, Manfred von Franken, passes away.

27) Duchy of Luxemburg
a. Ruler: Duke Maximilian I de Valois
b. Capital: Luxemburg
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: Vassal of the Kingdom of Burgundy. The Valois are descendants of a cadet branch of the ancient Capet family, but have long since abandoned any pretensions to the French throne. The Valois mostly keep to themselves, serving as reliable, if somewhat uninspiring, bannermen to their liege lord.

28) Holy See
a. Ruler: Pope Clement X
b. Capital: Trier
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: The rump Holy See of the Legitimate Bishop of Rome. The Popes were driven from Rome by the Roman Empire in the late 12th century, and set up an initial exile in Hamburg, before moving to Trier under the protection of the Kings of Burgundy, a title of the Pope’s own making. However, Burgundy has since used the Holy See’s precarious position repeatedly to its advantage, browbeating many Holy Fathers into following Burgundian interests. While the Holy See does include the Free Cities of Bremen and Hamburg, these too are close to Burgundian borders. Even now, the Church attempts to plan a way to free itself of the vice of its own making, making alliances with French nobles, the Capets, the Swedens, and even the von Frankens…

29) Duchy of Saxony
a. Ruler: Karl II Askanier
b. Capital: Brauschweig
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: The Askanier of Saxony are among the most ancient and power of the north German noble families, with marriage ties to the von Frankens, Arpads, Wittlesbach and Welfs. Saxony’s primary foreign policy goal is to ensure the dissention and chaos that has so weakened the Holy Roman Empire continues. To that end, she is currently supporting the King of Burgundy against the ruling von Frankens… should the Burgundians come into ascendance, it is likely Saxony will switch her support at the most inopportune time.

30) Duchy of Pomerania
a. Ruler: Hans I Hohenzollern
b. Capital: Rostock
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliation: While Pomerania is officially part of the Holy Roman Empire, the Hohenzollern dukes by 1399 have all but turned their backs on their fellow Germans, and are secretly negotiating with the Swedes to become a vassal of their King. This policy has been discovered by their Pommeralian neighbors, who are vehemently opposed to Swedish influence in northern Germany. Swords may soon be drawn.

31) Duchy of Pommeralia
a. Ruler: Ludwig Adolf von Pommern
b. Capital: Stralsund
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliation: Close allies of the Dukes of Brandenburg, whom the von Pommerns are dependent upon for support. Pommeralia lies on the Baltic Sea, and thus the frontier of the powerful Swedish Empire. The King of the Swedes has for some time had his eye on Pommeralia as a place for expansion… and the Pommeralians know it.

32) Duchy of Brandenburg
a. Ruler: Dietrich II Wittlesbach
b. Capital: Berlin
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: Avowed enemies of the von Frankens. The Wittlesbachs made the mistake of supporting an opponent of Manfred von Franken’s claim to the title Holy Roman Emperor, and were stripped of the lands around Dresden as a result. It is a slight they have not forgotten, and they actively are seeking allies to help them reclaim their lost land, as well as supplant the von Frankens on the imperial throne…

33) County of Dresden
a. Ruler: Count Ludwig von Franken
b. Capital: Dresden
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: In personal union with the von Frankens. Dresden was once a part of the Duchy of Brandenburg that was stripped from Duke Karl for his support of the Burgundians twenty years before. Emperor Manfred handed Dresden to his son Ludwig in recompense for the young man’s service. Isolated from her main support further south, Dresden is rather vulnerable, and close to the Dukes of Brandenburg who want their land back.

34) Duchy of Bohemia
a. Ruler: Wenesclaus II Premyslid
b. Capital: Prague
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: Often called True Bohemia, the present Duchy is a product of the 13th century, when weakening Arpad emperors returned Bohemia to the ancient Premyslid family for their support. The present Dukes are erstwhile allies of the von Frankens due to proximity and marriage, but like all the German nobles they have much to gain from the ongoing chaos in Germany continuing.

35) Kingdom of Italy
a. Ruler: Manfred II von Franken
b. Capital: Pola
c. Religion: Latin Catholic, with large Orthodox minorities in the south.
d. Affiliations: Crown lands of the renowned von Franken family, whose current patriarch, Manfred II, sits as an aged and tottering Holy Roman Emperor. The von Frankens, through their control of the Adriatic Sea trade, have deep coffers and immense ambitions to rebuild the power their ancestors held when they were once Holy Roman Emperors, but a crumbling Komnenid Empire and all of its allures and dangers have dragged their attention south, east, and west on too many an occasion. Opportunity and danger lurks on all sides—the Arpads of Hungary as well as the Bohemians are noted rivals. The city states of northern Italy are only lukewarm friends at best, all assuming that the von Frankens intend on day to return Italy proper to the Kingdom with it’s name. The Balkan League to the southeast could pose a huge problem as well. The von Frankens have legitimate claims over much of northern Italy, as those lands were granted to them by an explicit imperial decree from Emperor Manuel II Komnenos, and reinforced by his successor, Andronikos II. To this end, the Prince of Toscana seems a natural ally to the von Frankens, save he has claims on many of the same lands as they…

36) Minor German States
a. Unfortunately, I simply can’t remember what was in this area. Because of the computer crash, I don’t have access to any screenshots of this region, and my memory fails me, other than it was full of minor states with incomprehensible CK borders.

37) Principality of Milan
a. Ruler: Ludovico I Visconti
b. Capital: Milano
c. Religion: Latin Catholic, with Orthodox minorities
d. Affiliations: Independent. The present Principality of Milan was created as a theme of the Roman Empire in the mid-13th century, after the death of Konstantinos Komnenos, with it’s seat at the rebuilt city of Milan (the third Milan, in fact). The Visconti took the principality after the original lords, the Orsini, were promoted to Despotes in Spain. Galezzeo I Visconti in the early 14th century was among the first of the Italian lords to take advantage of the chaos in the Roman Empire, and effectively turned Milan into a de facto independent state, and the lynchpin of north Italian politics. The Visconti deeply mistrust the von Frankens to the east, and are currently the primary centerpiece of an alliance of north Italian states dedicated to stopping perceived aggression from their larger neighbor.

38) Principality of Verona
a. Enzio IV della Scalla
b. Capital: Verona
c. Religion: Orthodox, with Latin Catholic majority
d. Affiliations: Independent, allied with Milan. The Veronese also began as a Roman theme, and still have many ties to the various successor states in the East. Like the Milanese, they fear the von Frakens.

39) Free City of Venice
a. Doge Silvestre III Campeggio
b. Capital: Venezia
c. Religion: Orthodox, with Latin Catholic minority
d. Affiliations: Shortly after its conquest, Venice was granted the status of a Free City, answering directly to the Roman Emperor without a prince or despot in between. For a time Venice parlayed this arrangement into a position of renewed commercial dominance, but her reliance on Konstantinopolis proved her undoing. As the Empire buckled and collapsed, her rival Pola supplanted her Adriatic trade. Venice is now an lavish spectacle that covers her decrepit state. Without the protection of Konstantinopolis’ fleets, her options are few. Some of her nobles favor joining with the von Frankens, while the current ruling party sees alliance with Milan’s Lombard League as the best means to ensure the city’s renewed prosperity.

40) Free City of Bologna
a. Ruler: Consul Enrico Dandolo
b. Capital: Bologna
c. Religion: Latin Catholic, with Orthodox minorities
d. Affiliations: Independent, but allied with the Lombard League. Bologna, like Milan, was originally a Roman theme, but with the collapse of the Empire, the citizenry took it upon themselves to drive out their unpopular prince and elect a council of their own to rule. Weaker than her neighbors, Bologna is entirely dependent on Milanese and allied protection.

41) Free City of Genoa
a. Ruler: Doge Cristoforo II Cavanna
b. Capital: Genoa
c. Religion: Latin Catholic, with Orthodox minorities
d. Affiliations: Independent. Genoa is a somewhat unwilling member of the Milanese alliance—she doesn’t see the problem posed by the von Frankens, and has good relations with them despite her official partnership with the Visconti. Genoa joined the arrangement more to keep the hands of her more powerful neighbor, Toulouse, away from Genoese interests in Piedmont. With the decline of Venice, Genoa is the most cosmopolitan of the north Italian city-states, and maintains important embassies in all the major capitals surrounding the Mediterranean.

42) Principality of Mantua
a. Ruler: Prince Georgios Ancyrakomnenos
b. Capital: Mantua
c. Religion: Orthodox, with Latin Catholic majority
d. Affiliations: Independent, but allied with the Milanese Lombard League. Like Ancona, Mantua has been recruited by Toscana to leave the league and join her own alliance. Jealous of the power of the Visconti—upstarts in the eyes of Komnenoi who can trace an ancient bloodline to the Megas, the Ancyrakomnenoi seem increasingly inclined to follow their cousin’s example and leave the Visconti to their own ends.

43) Principality of Toscana
a. Ruler: Prince Adrianos Katakomnenos
b. Capital: Firenze
c. Religion: Orthodox, with Latin Catholic majority
d. Affiliations: Independent. Katakomnenos, descended from a bastard branch of the Italian Komnenoi, has dreams of rebuilding the large Sebastokratorate of his ancestor, Konstantinos Komnenos, who once ruled Italy from the Alps to the Reggio. As a result, Adrianos abandoned the Lombard League in 1393, much to the anger of the Visconti, and has been actively recruiting current League members to join his alliance instead. So far, the war between the Katakomnenoi and the Visconti has been a cold one of assassins and poison, but few doubt it is only a matter of time before the cold war turns hot.

44) Free City of Ancona
a. Ruler: Consul Giovanni Malatesta
b. Religion: Latin Catholic, with Orthodox minorities
c. Affiliations: Independent, though allied with the Lombard League. Ancona, like Genoa, is only loosely tied to the Lombard Alliance. Recently, other interests, namely those of Prince Katakomnenos of Toscana, have begun trying to pry Ancona away from the Milanese and into the arms of Toscana and her allies.

45) Principality of Urbino
a. Ruler: Anastasios Romakomnenos
b. Capital: Urbino
c. Religion: Orthodox, with Latin Catholic minorities
d. Affiliations: Urbino was the first of the Italian city states to break from Milan’s orbit and embrace the claims of Toscana, a fact that has earned her the enmity of Milan and her northern neighbors—potentially not a good situation, considering Urbino is surrounded by rivals with claims to her lands…

46) Principality of Sardinia
a. Ruler: Pietro II Massa
b. Capital: Cagliari
c. Religion: Orthodox, with Latin Catholic minorities
d. Affiliations: Sardinia has an isolationist policy in the wake of the fall of the Empire. Weak compared to her neighbors, she has fallen into the orbit of powerful nearby Genoa, and also is under the influence of Toulouse. The factions within Sardinia fight constantly over who would make the better ally, making the island and Corsica a natural breeding ground for conflict between Genoa and Toulouse…

47) Free City of Roma
a. Ruler: Consul Matteo della Rovere
b. Capital: Roma
c. Religion: Orthodox, with Latin Catholic minorities
d. Affiliations: With the collapse of the central imperial state, the City of Rome, nominally a direct subsidiary to the Emperor in Constantinople, was left adrift. In the wake of the death of Emperor Andronikos II, the Kephalos of the city, elected by the City’s council and affirmed by the Emperor, grew increasingly autonomous. By 1399, Rome was an oligarchical republic for the second time in its history, governed by a Senate of 50 of the most powerful families. Far from aspiring to imperial ambitions, the greedy Roman families are more focused on grabbing as much wealth from pilgrims and sight seers as possible, while keeping the Eternal City as far above the surrounding squabbling and warfare as possible.

48) Principality of Spoleto
a. Ruler: Ioannes Skazioi
b. Capital: Foggia
c. Religion: Orthodox
d. Affiliations: Spoleto is an ancient principality, whose rulers claim descent from Leo Komnenos, brother of the Megaloprepis. Her aims, like her rulers, are somewhat scatterbrained—she simultaneously has claims on Urbino, Rome itself, as well as the Persian Vizierate, claims she sometimes attempts to press simultaneously, with laughable results.

49) Principality of Naples
a. Ruler: David Colonna
b. Capital: Napoli
c. Religion: Orthodox
d. Affiliations: Like Rome, Napoli was originally an Imperial City answering directly to the Megas Komnenos. Unlike Rome, under the waning Komnenid sun her Kephalos did not bow to the will of the burghers and the city government, instead bribing the weakened Anastasios III for a principality, giving an empty promise of money and troops for his African campaign in return. The Colonna family have made good on their shiny new princely titles, which elevate them to the same status as the illustrious Komnenoi of the peninsula. David Colonna’s rule has so far proven cautious and pragmatic, making allies with the Persians while casting a lustful eye towards isolated Urbino.

50) Vizierate of Taranto
a. Ruler: Vizier Fahrad al-Hoesseni
b. Capital: Taranto
c. Religion: Orthodox, with Zoroastrian and Taymiyyite Muslim minorities
d. Affiliations: the Vizierate of Taranto is the result of the forced ‘colonization’ of the southern tip of Italy by 60,000 orphaned Persian soldiers sent by Alexandros III to retake the region after he seized the throne in Konstantinopolis. Left without their lord or a way home on his death, they took over rule in the region, setting up a government along the lines of those they were used to in Persia. Through shrewd diplomacy, the Hoesseni family, descendants of one of Alexandros’ marzbans, have ascended to leadership of this odd colony, with its Persian crust of elite and Italian lower groupings. The Vizierate has long played a careful game of politics with her more powerful neighbors, and now faces a choice to the south—whether the back Sicily, or Africa, in their quest for that island. To her north, numerous city states lay… Naples especially is rich, but chances are high other powers might not think kindly on the Perso-Italians expanding their reach…

51) County of Iceland
a. Ruler: Count Bolli Aspiringar (Constitutional Monarchy)
b. Capital: ?
c. Religion: Latin Catholic
d. Affiliations: Iceland was once a republic, ruled by an Athling parliament that represented the interests of various godars, or chieftains, and their followers. This arrangement fell apart in the 12th century, when the Kings of Norway forcibly united Iceland with the Norwegian crown. The Athling returned to prominence during the repeated wars that saw Norway absorbed into Greater Sweden, and then the Swedish Empire repeatedly collapse, only to rise again. The Icelandic settlers came up with a unique solution to the problems of repeated chaos and outside intervention—they appointed an elected Godar as head of state, to rule in conjunction with the Athling. Godar Erik Aspiringar was recognized as a Count by the Swedish crown in 1312, a title all succeeding godars have used since.

52) County of Trondheim
a. Ruler: Haakon II Bjalbo
b. Capital: Trondheim
c. Religion: Latin Catholic, with pagan minorities
d. Affiliations: Vassal of the Kingdom of Sweden. Haakon is related to the Count of Jamtland. Both branches of the powerful Bjalbo family were installed in the mid 14th century to better enforce the will of the King of Sweden.

53) County of Jamtland
a. Ruler Count Erik III Bjalbo
b. Capital: ?
c. Religion: Latin Catholic, with pagan minorities
d. Affiliations: Vassal of the Kingdom of Sweden. The Bjalbo are descendants of a distaff line of the Ynlings, and as a result have a distant claim to the Swedish throne—not that they have the power to press any such claim.