History of Carcassonne
Carcassonne was a strategically important city near the Pyrenees in southern France. The Romans conquered the city in 122 B.C. and controlled it until the Visigoths conquered it in 436 A.D. The Visigoths controlled most of Southern France but in 508 A.D. Clovis launched an attack that took Toulouse but failed in taking Carcassone. It changed hands twice until the Arabs conquered it in 725. Pepin the Short kicked them out of France in 759 and took control of the city once and for all. Raymond-Bernard Trencavel became Viscount of Carcassonne by his marriage to Ermengarde who was the sister of the last count.
The Walled City
"I should be a duke in my own right," Raymond-Bernard proclaimed suddenly.
His startled newly appointed steward, Rangearde Gaden, asked,"But the Duke of Toulouse is your liege my lord and the only way to become the duke yourself is to take his lands."
"No I do not mean I should be the Duke of Toulouse but I should be a duke myself." The count walked over to a painting of his father, "I make more money than Toulouse and most of these other dukes. I control the most land in Languedoc and therefore I should be the Duke of Languedoc."
The steward had calmed down slightly but was annoyed that a man with all his power could want more, "My lord you would need either Narbonne or Viviers to support you before you could proclaim that and Narbonne is happy as they are and Viviers is German and does not want a Frenchman as it's ruler."
Raymond sat himself down pondering his position. Everything Rangearde said was true. These had been some rough years ever since he inherited his title. Wait, he thought suddenly, my wife is 15 and we are childless. When we do have a son, God willing, he will need a wife and maybe one of these counties will have an eligible daughter. If I can't have a dukedom then maybe my heir will. His steward noticed him stroking his clean shaven chin. Everytime he did this he was deep in thought planning something. Rangearde couldn't resist the temptation, "Lord, what are you thinking if you will allow me to know?"
"My good steward can you tell me how I became ruler of this county?"
The puzzled steward answered, "Through your wife. Her brother had no children and you became his..." It all made perfect sense now.
The count realized she now fully understood, "Very good dear steward when I have a son he will need a wife. I might be able to get him named the heir of one of these neighboring counties. Then everything will be all legal and most likely recognized by the King."
"How do you know the king will recognize this," his wife suddenly said entering the room. She always did have a way of sneaking up on him. Perhaps she could be useful in this way?
"My dear I do not which is why we would need to ask the King for his blessing. I am sure he will understand that it is our right to be the Dukedom of Languedoc and not some minor French county. Not to mention, as my steward knows, we are one of his richest vassals and I don't think he would care to lose us. Now to state matters steward. When we have the money you begin the construction of a fishing wharf and since we have no major vassals, save minor barons and such, to be angered at us make sure we institute a feudal system understood? Oh, and I would like my wife to be our spy master"
"Yes my lord."
His surprised wife suddenly remembered why she was there in the first place, "Raymond I have good news for you. The reason I came here was to tell you that I'm pregnant and the midwives have confirmed it."
Raymond jumped out of his seat and rushed over to embrace his wife"Servants! Fetch us some wine so that we may celebrate my wife's pregnancy." Raymond went back to his lavish chair. He was going to have a child. Hopefully it will be a boy he prayed. Hopefully this would be the boy that would someday be a duke and not a count like his father. For now he had to make sure the county was in proper order. The nobles should obviously be favored in all decisions. What of the military he wondered? If Carcassonnes ascension to a dukedom was contested he would have to have a proper army to defend it. Raymond knew he needed a good marshall to train and develope his armies. No matter what thought he could rest peacefully tonight. Today the County of Carcassonne and tommorrow the Dukedom of Languedoc. He was going to make sure he left a grand inheritance for his heirs.
Normal/Normal 1.04
Goals:Become Duke of Languedoc and find my own Kingdom
I've actually played this game throught to 1178. I would start over but I don't think a new game would be as unique as this one has been. I wrote some of the important things down and have all the save games so it won't matter. I'll put up some screenshots with the next update. Also I'll try not to give up anything important that happens but this has been a unique game.
If your curious about why I spelled Raymonds name Trencavel in the brief history part but I spelled it Treancavel everywhere else it's not a typo. When I looked for a history of Carcassone I found two sites. One was in French and another was written by a Frenchman in english from the area and they both had his name spelled that way. I use Treancavel in the story so I don't confuse myself since that is how it is in the game.
Carcassonne was a strategically important city near the Pyrenees in southern France. The Romans conquered the city in 122 B.C. and controlled it until the Visigoths conquered it in 436 A.D. The Visigoths controlled most of Southern France but in 508 A.D. Clovis launched an attack that took Toulouse but failed in taking Carcassone. It changed hands twice until the Arabs conquered it in 725. Pepin the Short kicked them out of France in 759 and took control of the city once and for all. Raymond-Bernard Trencavel became Viscount of Carcassonne by his marriage to Ermengarde who was the sister of the last count.
The Walled City
"I should be a duke in my own right," Raymond-Bernard proclaimed suddenly.
His startled newly appointed steward, Rangearde Gaden, asked,"But the Duke of Toulouse is your liege my lord and the only way to become the duke yourself is to take his lands."
"No I do not mean I should be the Duke of Toulouse but I should be a duke myself." The count walked over to a painting of his father, "I make more money than Toulouse and most of these other dukes. I control the most land in Languedoc and therefore I should be the Duke of Languedoc."
The steward had calmed down slightly but was annoyed that a man with all his power could want more, "My lord you would need either Narbonne or Viviers to support you before you could proclaim that and Narbonne is happy as they are and Viviers is German and does not want a Frenchman as it's ruler."
Raymond sat himself down pondering his position. Everything Rangearde said was true. These had been some rough years ever since he inherited his title. Wait, he thought suddenly, my wife is 15 and we are childless. When we do have a son, God willing, he will need a wife and maybe one of these counties will have an eligible daughter. If I can't have a dukedom then maybe my heir will. His steward noticed him stroking his clean shaven chin. Everytime he did this he was deep in thought planning something. Rangearde couldn't resist the temptation, "Lord, what are you thinking if you will allow me to know?"
"My good steward can you tell me how I became ruler of this county?"
The puzzled steward answered, "Through your wife. Her brother had no children and you became his..." It all made perfect sense now.
The count realized she now fully understood, "Very good dear steward when I have a son he will need a wife. I might be able to get him named the heir of one of these neighboring counties. Then everything will be all legal and most likely recognized by the King."
"How do you know the king will recognize this," his wife suddenly said entering the room. She always did have a way of sneaking up on him. Perhaps she could be useful in this way?
"My dear I do not which is why we would need to ask the King for his blessing. I am sure he will understand that it is our right to be the Dukedom of Languedoc and not some minor French county. Not to mention, as my steward knows, we are one of his richest vassals and I don't think he would care to lose us. Now to state matters steward. When we have the money you begin the construction of a fishing wharf and since we have no major vassals, save minor barons and such, to be angered at us make sure we institute a feudal system understood? Oh, and I would like my wife to be our spy master"
"Yes my lord."
His surprised wife suddenly remembered why she was there in the first place, "Raymond I have good news for you. The reason I came here was to tell you that I'm pregnant and the midwives have confirmed it."
Raymond jumped out of his seat and rushed over to embrace his wife"Servants! Fetch us some wine so that we may celebrate my wife's pregnancy." Raymond went back to his lavish chair. He was going to have a child. Hopefully it will be a boy he prayed. Hopefully this would be the boy that would someday be a duke and not a count like his father. For now he had to make sure the county was in proper order. The nobles should obviously be favored in all decisions. What of the military he wondered? If Carcassonnes ascension to a dukedom was contested he would have to have a proper army to defend it. Raymond knew he needed a good marshall to train and develope his armies. No matter what thought he could rest peacefully tonight. Today the County of Carcassonne and tommorrow the Dukedom of Languedoc. He was going to make sure he left a grand inheritance for his heirs.
Normal/Normal 1.04
Goals:Become Duke of Languedoc and find my own Kingdom
I've actually played this game throught to 1178. I would start over but I don't think a new game would be as unique as this one has been. I wrote some of the important things down and have all the save games so it won't matter. I'll put up some screenshots with the next update. Also I'll try not to give up anything important that happens but this has been a unique game.
If your curious about why I spelled Raymonds name Trencavel in the brief history part but I spelled it Treancavel everywhere else it's not a typo. When I looked for a history of Carcassone I found two sites. One was in French and another was written by a Frenchman in english from the area and they both had his name spelled that way. I use Treancavel in the story so I don't confuse myself since that is how it is in the game.