Enewald: That’s the idea.
morningSIDEr: Poor rulers indeed…
Thanks for the responses!
The Pharaohs Return: An Alexandrian AAR
Chapter Eight: The Boy who Would be Emperor
Makarios’ proclamation sent waves of outrage through the Byzantine Empire and many demanded immediate action to deal with the pretender. However, the Byzantine Emperor was ailing and not willing to go to war without hearing out the boy first. The Alexandrian Emperor explained that he wasn’t trying to usurp the position of Roman Emperor, but was instead creating a new title based on the Ptolemaic Empire and ancient Egyptian Empire before that. This apparently sated the Emperor, and he agreed to maintain peace as long as Makarios did not make a grab for his title or enter the Byzantine sphere of influence.
Makarios kept to his word as spoken. Italy technically wasn’t within Constaninople’s sphere even though it still laid claim to parts of it. He wanted to gain influence within Europe itself and interfering with the divided city states was the easiest way forward although they relied a lot on luck.
He also put a lot of money and diplomatic effort into gaining closer relations with Portugal. After much hassling, his distant cousin, their king, agreed to sign an alliance.
Immediately Alexandria was drawn into Portugal’s North African adventures, although this particular war was almost at its conclusion and Makarios saw fit to only send token support before it concluded.
He had far more important aims, the first being concluding what his father had started and securing Alexandria’s dominance over Armenia. Georgia came to their ally’s aid, but caught up as they were in a conflict with the Timurids they were unable to provide any support.
The full strength of the Army of Alexandria crossed into Armenia and easily tore through the defending armies and garrisons. Constant battle with the Timurids had depleted both the spirit and treasury of the kingdom and so morale was at an all-time low.
The contested region of Mus as taken, and Armenia brought under Alexandrian protection.
It was definitely needed, as Timur’s hordes continued to nip and bite at the civilised nations of the regions. Nonetheless, Makarios dismissed the idea of sending an expeditionary force as he had far more important matters to be focusing on. Georgia appeared to have the situation under control anyway.
As he continued to politic in Europe and plan his grand design for the Empire, Makarios ignored the complaints of the serfs. When the issue of the recently imported printing press came up, he took the simplest option to deal with heretical literature by banning the printing of all literature except the Bible in Greek. This had the natural effect of angering Muslims, but on top of that the lack of a provision for Latin Bibles angered the many Catholics who were supposed to have semi-equal rights within in the Empire.
His latest plan was a glorious one in his mind. Portugal was involved in a war with the Papal States as a result of them supporting opposing sides in a war in Scandinavia. With this justification he would march on Rome and crush the Catholics in an outstanding display of Orthodox might. An immediate expansion of the fleet was ordered to secure sea passage to Italy.
That was the plan at least. As it happened, the Emperor tripped and fell out a window in the palace before the fleet could be finished and the armies loaded. A few fingers were pointed, but in the end no one could find any proof implicating the Muslims, the Catholic nobles or the Byzantines. He died before reaching his twentieth birthday with very few of his dreams realised. Nonetheless, he would be remembered as the first ruler of Alexandria to take the country into European politics properly.
(Only four years with him? And his heir is only three at this time? Seriously?
Seriously?! The game really likes to mess with planned storylines. I did decide to let events in the game drive the plot though so this won’t be reloaded.)
Makarios was widely regarded as a powermonger, and his death did much to improve Alexandria’s relations with the surrounding countries.
With the planned invasion of Rome called off, the army was sent to assist the Armenians in holding off the Timurids. They were able to march to the Gulf before the horsemen agreed to withdraw. With that region quiet, there was nothing for Alexandrians to do except sit and wait and see whether the next Emperor would be able to live up to the title.
The year is now 1482.
To be continued…