Just what this empire needs, another good civil war. What has it been, a year or two since the last one? Far too long.
Empress Maria frequently visits and taunts her with the little window slit. “My memory is getting so bad at my age. Did I mention that I choose this very cell for you because I knew it would have a view of your old Imperial palace? I thought it would be a little pleasant souvenir of the good days.” And Maria would laugh and end her visits by saying, “Sleep well. If I remember I will have you tortured and murdered in the morning.” Ioanna thought her renown for eloquence was overrated given that she would resort to the same damn thing each time she visited.
Interesting! Go, Ioanna!
Just what this empire needs, another good civil war. What has it been, a year or two since the last one? Far too long.
Loving this AAR! I think the titles have changed because the top level title holder is an Armenian now instead of a Greek.
Is that a Princess Bride reference?
Just read through the whole thing. Brilliant AAR, makes me want to write one of my own - doubt it would be anywhere near this good.
Before I read this i'd tried an Abyssinia game of my own. Got unlucky as I was invaded by one of the muslim factions, and in the same battle first my Heir, then my ruler died (Why did the AI put them both in charge of columns I don't know). My two year old son was on the throne, but was assasinated before his 4th birthday.
Loving the story though, how you constantly make little stories from the tiniest things. I'd have given up long ago... Hope you don't any time soon.
Just my two pennies.
So, I have been following this AAR on and off for a while now, and seeing his struggle to survive and eventually hopefully gain the Byzantium empire makes me feel bad in my current game. I am playing with the most updated TPTT mod, and started as the grand Prince of Rostov. In an attempt to gain some land I declare war on my brother, Grand prince of Novgorod. I promptly get a message that my wife whom I started the game with became the ruler of Byzantium, with my son as her heir. My character is so shocked by this news that I almost immediately die in the battle, quickly followed by my wife for god knows why. And then a mere 6 years into the game I inherit the ERE as a 19 year old unmarried genius XP. Decided I may as well try and mend the schism given the surprising position I got shoved into XP.
Byzantium is only a stepping stone to regaining the true prize... Abyssinia.
As lord Clinton once said - Sennar, stupid!
So far so good. Athalcor is right though, why don't you just march around the rebels by going through Abydos & Kaliopolis? Plotting an assassination is a much more Byzantine solution to the problem though.
Yes, but unless the plot power is >600% it's going to be faster marching the slightly longer way round. Not the long way round, which means walking all around the Black Sea through Crimea.
Isn't there another land bridge west of Constantinople?
So far so good. Athalcor is right though, why don't you just march around the rebels by going through Abydos & Kaliopolis? Plotting an assassination is a much more Byzantine solution to the problem though.
Yes, but unless the plot power is >600% it's going to be faster marching the slightly longer way round. Not the long way round, which means walking all around the Black Sea through Crimea.
I think Princess Gyla's been reading too much of that book she got from the mercenary (and should have, but hasn't, passed on to her liege... but we all know that would have just resulted in the Duchess reading every book but that one.) Darling half-sister is just offended that Princess Gyla knows secrets that should only be known to initiates of the Secret Order of Monophysite Goat-Herders.
I might be mistaken, but the county our good Duchess is trying to reach and the assassination attempt are not aimed at the same target, are they? The county belongs to the Doux of Mesopotamia and therefore is part of the war for Zagwe expansion, while the assassination is meant to end the war started by the Count of Limisol against the half-brother's wife.
Two observations: I find it peculiar that the Doux of Mesopotamia resides west of Constantinople, while his de jure territory should be to the east. Does he also hold lands that belong to his duchy? If not, the additional claim on the county the chancelor fabricated might mean additional expansion, even if it is to the wrong direction (The Mongols are going to come, after all!). Then again, becoming Duchess of Mesopotamia would give you the inherrent right onto that county. But you probably can't have too many claims, I suppose.
Also: If your half-sister-in-law (or is it sister-in-half-law?) looses the war against the overthrower to be, doesn't she at least keep her county as his new vassal? I would be more confident about this if I had played a bit more recently, but if I recall correctly, he would only take over her duchy, which at least gives you a chance to at one point inherit a little bit of land.
Also, I support the detour to the southwest. Hopefully there won't be another enemy army blocking it by the time you get there.