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angryclown

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If the boot fits... - an Apulian AAR

After getting CK not long ago and playing a few test games, I think I'm ready to play a full game. And while I'm at it, write my first AAR - after reading so many outstanding AARs in the past, i thought it was time to give something back

I'm still very much a newbie at this, and so I've chosen the Duchy of Apulia, since it has been recommended by so many as a good place to start. I'm using v1.04a with the Feb 3 beta - i patched the beta as soon as i got the game, so i have very little idea about how differently the game performs. And any problems that i might have will probably have more to do with my lack of experience :)

Not too many big objectives: found the kingdom of Naples, attempt dominance of the Mediterranean, just surviving would also be nice!

So coming soon: an Apulian AAR or How not to play CK. History will decide!
 
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Dammit. I go away for the weekend and a new beta comes out. Ah well, I've already played for 14 years and so I'll stick with the Feb 3 beta.

I've already got a heap of stuff to write so I better get started. Here goes...
 
Prologue

If the boot fits: Prologue
Tancrede's Legacy

realm_1066.jpg

Personal realm of the de Hauteville family, Christmas Day 1066

In 1041, Tancrede de Hauteville, undisputed master of the southern half of the Italian peninsular, died. He had no siblings of his own but was father of 7 sons and 1 daughter. Under Apulian law, Tancrede's lands passed on to the son who possessed the greatest military ability. This was his 5th son, Robert, who inherited his father's two ducal titles of Apulia and Calabria, in addition to the majority of his father's land - all of Apulia and the Calabrian province of Consenza.

me_1066.jpg

Such a fine upstanding man

Coming a close second was the youngest son, Roger. While 9 years Robert's junior, Roger was a son that any father could be proud of - and a brother that any sibling should be wary of. Roger was given rule over the provinces of Reggio and Messina. Not only was Messina the only Sicilian province that belonged to the de Hauteville family, but the only Sicilian province that was in Christian hands.

roger_1066.jpg

Robert's potential rival

The remaining two provinces may have been ruled by the two oldest sons, Guillaume and Drogo, at some point. However, both brothers died childless in 1046 and 1057. The third son, Humphrey, eventually received the province of Tarano before he also died in 1057, with the land passing to his only child, Abelard. The remaining province of Benevento passed on to the sixth son, also called Guillaume.

The fourth son, Serlo, inherited no land due to his poor military ability and died in 1060. However his son, was also named Serlo, was an excellent tactician and went on to attend Robert's Apulian court as his marshal.

Fressende, Tencrede's youngest child and only daughter, married Richard of Aversa, the count of nearby Capua.

land_1066.jpg

Distribution of land in Robert's realm, Christmas 1066

At Home with the Duke
By 1066, Robert de Hauteville, duke of Apulia and Calabria, father of four, could not rest easy. Sure, he had been the head of his family since the death of his father some 25 years ago; but his personal future, as well as that of the whole de Hauteville family, was not as secure as it could be. His oldest son, Bohemond, had a promising future as a great solider and would be an ideal heir.

However, there was just one tiny problem.
bohemond_1066.jpg

A problem

His only legitimate heir was his other son Roger Borsa who, by comparison, was something of a disappointment.
rogerb_1066.jpg

Another problem

Roger Borsa was clearly no match for his namesake, uncle Roger of Reggio-Messina, the one person who could prove to be a rival for Duke Robert in the near future. Thankfully, Roger had no legitimate heirs of his own, being the father of 3 girls.

The chances of Robert procuring more sons seemed low since his wife, Sigelarita, was busy in her duties as spy master for her brother, the count of neighbouring Salerno. While related to the counts of Capua and Salerno by marriage, neither were interested in placing themselves under Robert's protection.

While unsatisfied with the progress of young Roger Borsa, Robert had taken great interest in the well-being of his marshal, Serlo. Since the death of his father in 1060, Serlo had been treated as one of Robert’s own sons.

serlo_1066.jpg

A possible problem

This was not simply due to tenderness on Robert’s part, which was not something that the Duke was known for. Apart from an outstanding military prowess, Marshal Serlo was in an interesting position in the de Hauteville family. If Roger were to die heirless, his lands of Reggio and Messina would pass to Abelard of Tarano, who was childless by the end of 1066. Guillaume of Benevento had only one son, also called Robert, who was childless. Without heir, Robert’s successor would also be Abelard. Without an heir of his own, Abelard's successor would be, you guessed it, Marshal Serlo.

So even though Tancrede may have enjoyed absolute control of southern Italy, the future is not so bright for his son Robert. With a poor heir, potential rivals within the family, and nearby Sicily almost completely overrun with heathens, Robert will need to tread carefully if he wants his family to survive...

Next: Robert, the misguided crusader
 
Good start, lots of pictures and an interesting read :) . Just one minor question, what is the diplomacy score of Bohemond?
 
Ah, excellent! A new AAR to follow along with from the beginning. I've just gotten into the AAR business myself this past week, and I'd like to see what a fellow newbie can do, so I don't have to compete against all these experienced players and writers.

It must be fun playing with all those high-statted leaders in a part of the world rife with possibilities and profit. I tried that with my second CK game (I'm playing my third ever right now for my Limisol AAR), and I ended up conquering most of Iberia and the Balkans within a century. But I tend to play a little recklessly. Don't conquer the Mediterranean too quickly, now. I'd like to see a long, healthy AAR from you, K? :p
 
Well done. Look forward to seeing more.
 
good start to an AAR duchy of a Apulia is a great place to play and the Hautvilles are a great familly to play with many talented people i always thought it was a shame about bohemond although i had a game where i got the your son has been legitimised not sure of the exact wordings of the event anyway keep up the good work.
 
Thanks for the kind words everyone. I hope to have the next chapter up in a day or so - I'm just starting to realise that writing these things is quite a bit of work!

Fiftypence: Bohemond's diplomacy value is 7

Maccavelli: The de Hauteville family is definitely a good one to start with. Even before I actually started the game, it was interesting to simply look at the relationships within this one family. Gives the game a much more personal feel, too. Also, if Robert's line becomes a total failure, it is perhaps a good idea to keep my other options in mind ;)

Thistletooth: I don't think that my conquest of the Mediterranean will be *that* quick. I like to play this game in character, and so the results don't quite turn out the way that I like. But that's all part of the fun, isn't it?
 
If the boot fits: Chapter 1
Robert, the Misguided Crusader

1067-1071 – Growing Frustration
Duke Robert's major task in the new year of 1067, after commissioning the construction of fishing wharves along the Apulian coast, was to find a suitable bride for Serlo. And he found one in the form of Sancha Jiminez, youngest sister of the King of Aragon. Sancha was not only a fine bride for Serlo, but would be an ideal steward for Robert’s estates.

As 1068 began, the family was blessed with a number of births. Abelard of Tarano had a son, Louis – thus preventing Marshal Serlo from inheriting land any time soon – while Robert, son of Guillaume of Benevento had a daughter. Two months later, Robert’s wife was again with child. Duke Robert decided that he must send his own wife to visit Benevento some time soon, thinking that there must be something in the water there that promotes such fertility.

On March 5, 1068
proposal_1068.jpg

Why yes, thank you

With the mighty empire of Byzantium as an ally, Duke Robert felt far more comfortable about any future military ambitions of his own in the Mediterranean. All he needed was time to build up the forces that he needed, and the money to support them. And, or course, a target.

Later that month, Marshal Serlo became the proud father of a baby boy, Guy, who was now fourth in line for the Aragonese throne. Future developments in Jaca will be observed with much interest.

But it was not all good news. In April, small pox broke out in Foggia. But Duke Robert was not too concerned, since the outbreak did not seem to delay the completion of his last fishing wharf along the coast. In fact, Robert became amazed at how much money a Duke could make. He called for large contributions from the Estates General whenever he got the chance and took any other opportunity to accumulate cash. He began to put his personal wealth and fame above all other matters. Some said that it was his way of compensating for his disappointment in his heir Roger Borsa (with whom he almost never spoke) and his wife’s inability (or unwillingness) to have any more children, while some said that he was simply a very selfish man.

On June 27, three months after forming the alliance with Byzantium:
proposal2_1068.jpg

Um, no thanks

Compared to the Byzantine Empire, the kingdom of Croatia was small and weak. With a number of claims in place between the two realms it is clear that relations will not be peaceful forever. Keeping that in mind, Robert decided to stay on the winning side.

In November, Guillaume of Benevento became a grandfather for the second time. Unfortunately it was another granddaughter.

In Febraury 1069, Byzantium declared war on the Turkmen Emirate, on the eastern bank of the Caspian Sea. Knowing that the Turkmen are too far away to be a threat to him, and vice versa, Robert agreed to also declare war, even if that would be the only support that he would give.

Even though Robert refused to mobilise any troops, he was still considered highly by his people, partly thanks to some successful propaganda campaigns. A couple of months into the war, a dissident Turkmen noble by the name of Burak found his way into Robert’s court, bringing with him a claim on one of the Turkmen provinces. Robert saw no point to capitalise on this claim, since the territory was so far away and his personal demesne was already larger than he could efficiently handle. But to be on the safe side, Robert began construction of training grounds in Apulia province and allowed Burak to join the Apulian army.

By July 1070, Byzantium had completely absorbed the Turkmen Emirate. Observing the size of the Byzantine army, Robert even more justified in refusing to ally with the Croats. Robert continued to concentrate on increasing production, using newly-discovered technology to build tile factories in Bari and Lecce

In November 1071, Guillaume became a grandfather for the third time - this time to the boy Asclettin. Marshal Serlo’s chances of inheriting any territory were looking more and more remote, and his son Guy was now sixth in line for the Aragonese throne.

1072-1078 – Robert’s glory (and folly)

On the 17th of March 1072 Garcia Jiminez, Marshal to the King of Navarra, died during a routine inspection of his troops. How he came to be trampled by seventeen horses while visiting a foot soldier regiment was never fully explained. In unrelated news, Guy de Hauteville was now fifth in line for the Aragonese throne.

In May, Abelard of Tarano had a second son, Gauthier. And in August, the small pox that had been ravaging Foggia for four years finally abated. Robert didn’t really care how many people had died, so long as the money was making its way down to Lecce.

On October 3, the Pope had issued a call to arms throughout the Christian world. The Portuguese province of Lisboa was to be purged of the infidel. Robert saw this as a golden opportunity to achieve something great before he died. He was now 57 and had not had any more children since 1060. He didn’t have much hope for his immediate succession and so he decided to go on a crusade purely for his own gratification. Robert immediately mobilised all the able men under his immediate rule and set sail for the Iberian Peninsula. He did not call on any of his other family members to take up arms – this was Robert’s crusade, and Robert’s alone.

On November 24, as the Apulian army was sailing across the Mediterranean, Robert received news from his brother Roger that the infidels in Siracusa had attacked him. Robert immediately declared war to help his brother, as did Benevento but not Taranto. Half of Robert’s army was already at the Gibraltar, so he sent the other half back to Sicily.

On January 4 1073, Robert and Marshal Serlo landed in Coimbra, just north of Lisboa. Then he formally declared war and moved in. Lisboa’s liege, the Emir of Badajoz, reciprocated by declaring war on Robert. On January 26, the other half of his army, led by Chancellor Aubrey, landed on Sicily and immediately rushed to the aid of Count Roger.

It was February 1 when Robert’s forces arrived in Lisboa. On that same day, Marshal Serlo was delighted to hear that he had just become a father for the second time – again, to a son called Herman. Heartened by such news, the Apulian army drove the heathen forces out of Lisboa within 20 days and began to lay siege.

On February 6, the infidels in Siracusa were swept aside and Count Roger led the siege of the city. Chancellor Aubrey’s forces were then sent to join Robert, safe in the knowledge that Siracusa would soon be in de Hauteville hands. But exactly two weeks later, instead of capturing Siracusa, Roger simply accepts indemnities! Robert was furious to hear this, knowing that if Aubrey’s forces had remained on Sicily, Siracusa would belong to him.

However, Roger’s actions were not entirely stupid, for he spotted the Badajoz army sailing for the Italian coast. Something that Robert had completely overlooked!

In April, the church decided that it was time to convert the Orthodox population in Lecce. The population were converted to the one true faith, but was now rife with riots and looting. The Apulian court was moved north to Foggia.

On May 10, the other half of Robert’s army arrives in Lisboa and the province is finally liberated on July 22. Duke Robert pushed on with 2500-strong army to the land of the Badajoz. Meanwhile, Roger rushes to the aid of Guillaume of Benevento, where Badajoz forces had landed. But before Roger gets there, the infidels had left for the coast and set sail again, returning to defend their homeland from Robert.

Battle was joined in Badajoz on September 16. The battle lasted two whole weeks, but Robert emerged victorious. Unfortunately, the Turkmen noble Burak died during the fighting.

As the siege of Badajoz began, it was clear that the emirate was in a lot of trouble. Apart from Apulia, Badajoz was also under attack by the kingdoms of Castile, England, France and Scotland. The English army landed in Lisboa just as Badajoz forces were attempting to retake the city, which saved Robert the trouble of diverting his troops away from the siege.

battle_1074.jpg

Peak season in Iberia. English army in the west, the kings of both Scotland and France in Cacares.

Shortly before Cacares fell, King Malcolm of Scotland, the closest man on Earth to the Pope, accepted indemnities from the Emirate of Badajoz. This left Cacares in the hands of the French.

The walls of Badajoz castle finally yielded to Robert on July 16. But there was no time to celebrate yet. The Sheik of Siracusa, along with Agrigento, Palermo and the African Emirate of Cyraneica, renewed hostilities against Roger of Reggio. Robert declared war immediately, as did Abelard of Taranto, AND the Emperor of Byzantium! Truly a useful ally to have.

Back in Iberia, Robert decided against invading the remaining Badajoz province of Alcanatra, since King Phillipe of France was also moving towards that region. Instead, Robert returned to the coast Decide to move back to the coast and invaded Alcacer do Sal on August 26. The province fell on January 20 in the following year.

Meanwhile at home, the financial strain of Robert’s crusade was starting to show. It was no longer possible to maintain the hill fort in the Apulian capital, Foggia, and so the court was returned to the southern province of Lecce, even though the riots caused by the conversion in April 1073 were still going. Robert didn’t care as he moved his forces into Évora, which fell on June 3, 1075.

At the start of 1075, as Abelard of Tarano became the father of a third son and young Guy began military training, the Byzantine army had gathered in the neighbouring province of Napoli and set sail to strike the heathens on Sicily.

battle_1074a.jpg

Be happy that he’s on YOUR side

In February, the Byzantine juggernaut landed in Palermo and wiped out all opposition. Robert was the surprised to hear that Emperor Alexios was happy to just take every penny that the heathens had and then return home. This came as a relief to Robert, who feared a permanent Byzantine presence on HIS Sicily. After Évora fell in June, Robert decided that it was time to return home from Iberia and claim Sicily, after the Byzantine army had succeeded in doing what Roger of Reggio-Messina had failed to achieve. Besides, there were no more territories to take from Badajoz since King Phillipe was doing so well. So Robert sued the Emir for all the cash he had available and set sail for Palermo.

Meanwhile, the situation at home had worsened. The revolts in Lecce spread north to Bari in April, where the fishing wharf burnt down a month later. In September, religious zealots stirred up a new riot in Foggia, which raged until the following July. The only good news from home was that Bohemond had completed his military studies and emerged as a well-knowledged tactician. Such a fine son, what a waste

On October 14, Robert’s army landed in Palermo and liberated the province in May before moving south to Agrigento.

At this point, the Apulian treasury was beyond empty. With a debt of over 500 gold, Robert had no problem with selling a brewery that he found in Badajoz. All he wanted was money to keep his crusade going while he still had men left to fight for him. His eldest daughter Mathilde completed her court education with miserable results and so Robert married her off to the first person who asked for her – in this case, the son and heir of the count of Geneve – just to get the marriage duty.

On October 2, 1076, while the siege of Agrigento dragged into its fifth month, the neighbouring province of Trapani declared war upon Robert, bringing along with them the African Kingdom of Zirid. Alexios of Byzantium joined in the conflict, but only against Trapani. This was much more than Robert could handle, with less than a thousand men left in his entire realm at his disposal.

It was not until February 16, 1077 that Agrigento fell to the Apulian army. But by this point, the Trapani, Siracusa and Zirid armies had already started a siege in Palermo. It was time for Robert to cut some of his losses. He successfully sued the Sheik of Siracusa for everything that he had while a white peace was reached with the Kingdom of Zirid. All that was left was to take over Trapini, with the help of the Byzantine army which had just left Napoli for the province.

In May, the might of Byzantium smashed through the Trapani army and led the siege. However, just before the province fell, Emperor Alexios was content once again to sue the local sheik for everything but the coat of his back and then go home, leaving control of the siege to Robert. Byzantium was truly a good friend!

But there was still no time for celebration. In late May, the peasants in Foggia took to open revolt and attempted to overtake the city. Without any decent fortifications (since the hill fort fell apart two years previously due to lack of funding), Robert had to return home immediately, leaving Marshal Serlo and a skeleton crew behind to hold the city under siege. Robert crushed the revolt in Foggia in August, only to learn that his brother Roger – who had done nothing in the last few years – was now leading the siege in Trapini. This will not do at all! So in October, Robert returned to the siege and finally claimed the city for himself on February 7 1078. At last, everyone could go home.

1078-1079 – Welcome home, Robert
But go home to what? Robert had conquered Badajoz, Tejo and Sicily as he set out to achieve, but left Apulia as a complete mess. He was heavily in debt, fortifications and infrastructure had been wrecked and riots were still taking place throughout the duchy. In May, another peasant revolt needed to be crushed in Foggia.

Robert had achieved so much, but didn’t really have a lot to show for it. He could declare himself the Dukes of Tejo and Sicily, and could even crown himself as the King of Naples, but didn’t have the money to create any of these titles!

His possessions in Iberia were safe for the moment. Pope Bogumil had ended the Iberian Crusade in early 1078 before dying on March 11. An interesting point is that ten days before the Pope’s death, King Malcolm of Scotland used his influence on the Pope to have William the Conqueror, King of England, excommunicated. The Scottish kingdom and the duchies therein went on to claim titles on almost the entire south of England. The next few years in the British Isles should prove interesting.

1079 began with a shock for Robert. He was now a grandfather. Mathilde of Geneve gave birth to a son, Guillaume, who was now second in line after Roger Borsa for everything that Robert had fought so hard for! It was time to find a wife for his good son quickly. And so in February, Robert married Bohemond with Cecile, the bastard daughter of the duke of Provence, and gave them lands in Portugal. No way was he going to give land to anyone else. It was HIS! All of it!

He also married off his younger daughter Emma to the son and heir of the count of Gent.

bohemond_1079.jpg

Do me proud, son

What? He has another son? Bah! Not worth the trouble.

…such were Robert de Hauteville’s final thoughts when he died on April 9 1079 at the age of 64.


dead_1079.jpg

Oh, great

So now everything that Robert had fought for, his new territories plus his ruined homeland, passes to his greatest disappointment: his other son, Roger Borsa

realm_1079a.jpg

Personal realm of the de Hauteville family, April 1079

realm_1079b.jpg

Iberian possessions of the de Hauteville family, April 1079: all four yellow provinces south of the Tajo river. That large blue area belongs to France, the smaller one to Croatia

Next: Roger Borsa, the Boy who could be King
 
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Great update! For a while I thought it was going to be the last, especially when Zirid declared war without Byzantium coming to your aid. Also, Byzantium didn't nick any sieges :eek:

How he came to be trampled by seventeen horses while visiting a foot soldier regiment was never fully explained.

:rofl: Great line!
 
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Fiftypence said:
Great update! For a while I thought it was going to be the last, especially when Zirid declared war without Byzantium coming to your aid. Also, Byzantium didn't nick any sieges :eek:

Thanks

When Zirid stepped in, i thought that that was then end of it. If it wasnt possible to make peace with the allies one by one, I woulda been screwed!

Byzantium's refusal to capture territory was a big surprise to me. But seeing them amass their huge army in Napoli both times was a little intimidating. I guess my chances of taking Napoli any time soon are pretty remote.. But hey, you never know..
 
Brilliant stuff, congrats.

How does one go about making alliances?
 
A trooper said:
How does one go about making alliances?

From what I've read on the forums, and what I've experienced, this seems to be a big problem with CK. It is almost impossible to form alliances on your own. Every offer I have made has been refused. Sometimes, I have made an offer, been refused, and then offered an alliance by that same person almost immediately! :confused:

So in order to make alliances, it looks like you have to wait until someone makes you an offer. Annoying.
 
Alright, time to post again.

At first I was going to play until the next inheritance, but that can take far too long - leading to a huge post.

So from now on, bite-sized posts are the way to go, methinks
 
CHAPTER 2, part 1

If the boot fits: Chapter 2
Roger Borsa, the Boy who could be King

Part 1


me_1079.jpg


Roger Borsa de Hauteville, an 18-year-old boy who never received any attention in the Apulian court, was now the most important person on the southern Italian peninsula. He had inherited a bankrupt riot-infested land from a father who never had anything but contempt for him. The de Hauteville family had the potential to be something great and Roger Borsa wanted his family to use that potential.


1079-1089: The way to Royalty

If he was to undo his father’s mess and turn this destitute land into a formidable kingdom, Roger Borsa needed to take some drastic steps. He knew that was no great leader – his father told him that often enough – and so he would not be able to run his huge demesne on his own. While his father refused to give land to anyone else in the family, except to his bastard half-brother Bohemond, Roger Borsa had no problem in reducing his personal demesne to a more manageable level and giving land to other members of his family.

Roger Borsa’s first step was then to strip down his personal demesne. To his uncle Abelard of Taranto, Roger Borsa granted the Calabrian province of Consenza. To his cousin Serlo, who had faithfully served his father as Marshal in Portugal and Sicily, the young Duke gave the Sicilian provinces of Trapani and Agrigento. He would have given more land to his uncle Roger of Reggio-Messina, but he was now 50 and still had no sons of his own. If any of his 3 daughters had children, the land would leave the family. The Portuguese province of Évora was handed over to the church while the Castillian province of Badajoz would remain in Roger Borsa’s possession. He promised himself to give that land to his first born son.

In order to have a son, Roger Borsa would need a wife. Unfortunately, at the time of his father’s death, the only available bride was Ingegerd the Norwegian leper, so he decided it was worth waiting a bit longer

With a slimmer personal demesne, changes in the laws governing church influence, and reduced taxes in an attempt to win back peasant loyalty, it would take over two years to get out of the debt caused by his father’s crusades. After that, it would take even longer to claim the titles that his father had made possible, including that of the Kingdom of Naples. But Roger Borsa was not interested in making a mad race for personal titles. It was his father’s zealous race for personal glory which put his country in the mess that it was now, and he was not interested in rushing to give himself titles while his lands cannot afford to maintain themselves. No, Roger Borsa would become King only when he had created a land fit for rule.

From 1079 to 1082, as the crusade’s debt was paid off, a number of important births took place. His half-brother Bohemond became a father of two girls and, most importantly, a son Aubrey. Even though Bohemond was a bastard, his son could inherit, making Aubrey Roger Borsa’s immediate successor! Meanwhile, Roger of Reggio-Messina became a grandfather – his successor was now a boy in the court of Nevers, outside the family! In 1081, Roger Borsa completed his military training. He didn’t come out as a brilliant soldier, but he could have done worse. But still, he didn’t want to go to war any time soon.

By 1084, Roger Borsa had managed to rebuild the hill fort in Foggia that his father had allowed to fall apart. Early that year, the revolt in Lecce finally ended. Two family members had also come of age: Louis, son of Abelard of Taranto, was given the province of Consenza while Guy was given Agrigento by his father Serlo of Trapani. Both young counts became fathers a year later.

In March 1084, Roger Borsa created the title of Duke of Tejo. Since Bohemond owned all the land in Tejo, Roger Borsa wanted to grab the title before his half-brother did. He did not really do this for his own gratification, rather it was part of his plan to keep the family together.

In March 1085, the revolt in Bari spread back to Lecce. Lecce would be in a state of revolt for the next 30 years! June 18 would see the Pope issuing another call to arms, this time against the Egyptian region of Alexandria. Roger Borsa was in no way ready for a crusade, and so his troops stayed at home.

During 1085, as his cousins enjoyed the birth of more children, Roger Borsa finally found a suitable bride. She was Mór Ui Canannain, niece of the Count of the Irish province of Tir Connail. She was indeed a fine woman and would make an ideal wife and future queen. They were married on December 6, 1085. This time, Roger Borsa turned down taking the wedding duty.

wife_1085.jpg

What a catch

During 1086 the revolt in Bari finally ended, allowing Roger Borsa to rebuild the destroyed fishery. The Emperor Alexios of Byzantium offered Roger Borsa an alliance, which he happily accepted, still hoping that he would not have to honour it any time soon.

Roger of Reggio-Messina was still without a male heir of his own and so Roger Borsa took the drastic step of having the boy heir taken care of. Unfortunately, after the boy died, Apullian involvement was discovered. To make matters worse, two more boys were born to Roger’s daughters, creating two new heirs outside the family. Roger Borsa could not afford to have all of these people killed, and did not want to be discovered again. So by the end of 1086, Roger agreed to give up the province of Reggio to Roger Borsa, hoping to minimise the amount of land lost.

August 15, 1087 was one of the happiest in Roger Borsa’s life. He and Mór were expecting a child! Preparations were immediately made to form the Kingdom of Naples to coincide with the birth. His lands had recovered from his father’s foolishness and so they were now ready to become a kingdom.

However, May 14, 1088 would be the saddest in Roger Borsa’s life.

dead_1088.jpg

Nooooooo!!!

His coronation would have to wait. After overcoming his loss, he would need to find another wife. And at the end of the year he found Toda, the eldest daughter of the King of Aragon
wife_1088.jpg



The King had 2 older sons, neither of which have sons of their own. So if Roger Borsa were to have a son, he would be in a good position to claim the throne of Aragon in the future. Shortly after the wedding, Roger Borsa received news that the heathens in Badajoz had been converted. The throne of Aragon and the rich province of Badajoz, his son would truly be well looked after!

Another note, five days after wedding, Toda completed her court education as a naïve puppet master. Ah well…

In April 1089, Roger of Messina died. Without a male heir of his own, the title passed to Bertrand, grandson of the count of Nevers, and brother of the duke of Oxford.

On May 14, 1089. exactly 1yr after the death of his wife and child, Roger Borsa proclaimed himself the King of Naples

me_1089.jpg

The new King
 
Sad what happened to your first wife there, although Toda is not bad. Now that you're a King your plans for mediterranean dominance can begin :D Also, the new shield for Naples is much nicer than before imo. Good update!
 
I'm still playing Roger Borsa, and so I can't yet say where he will end, but he is definitely unlucky in love!

Yes, the new shield is a lot better. Being the Duke of Rebel Scum does not sit well at all

Another part coming soon