Kolbein Hakonsson Crovan
King of Norway and of Serbia, Emperor of the Greeks and King of the Bulgars
In Which General Viglik Is An Ineffective Scout
(1 May 1453 – 12 December 1454)
1454 will be devoted to building fortifications throughout the empire.
Well, that and peasant uprisings.
And now the Sardinians have proposed an alliance, which I happily accept.
Meanwhile, In Serbia:
General Viglik Crovan, brother to the King, slips out of camp to reconnoiter the rebel lines.
Where he learns much about the Serb’s small arms, their Sampson-esqe hair stylings, and their methods of dealing with spies.
None of which would be useful to him in the coming battle, you know. Since he’s dead.
And now, the rebels, defeated in a half-hearted effort by my army, have gone to harass someone else for a while.
And a bunch of carefree, drunken Frenchmen have rebelled. Apparently Good Crovan Ale isn’t a fruity enough drink for them.
“Chancellor Geoffrey, I have tried everything I can think of to break the nobles and bend them to my will, to end their insufferable complaining and rebelling. I have set the most powerful ones free, giving them their lands as a present. I have outlawed the construction of modern fortifications by everyone except me. I have banned and dismembered the feudal levies and forbid private armies, leaving only the approved Crovan Guard as the only professional army in the country. Still, these people torment me. What can be done about this?”
“Mayhap, my lord, to the old days we’ll roam,
Ancient lords did rule alone appropo,
And so our eyes should turn to fabled Rome,
The halls of Constantine and old Nero.
While rebels they did face and crush here-o,
The Senators were cowed and broken men,
With only tiny lands given to them.”
“What is that? Iambic Pentameter. The rhyme scheme is new.”
“Yes, sire, I call it the Rhyme Royal,” Geoffrey bowed low, “in your honour sire.”
“Hm. Call it the Crovan Couplet and you’ll honour me more. Still…you’ve given me quite an idea Geoffrey, quite an idea.”
The Crovan Couplet! And now the Crovans have entered literary fame! What is the idea Kolbein had? And what on Earth was Geoffrey talking about? Find out on the next exciting episode of