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Feb 26, 2007
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Rome Reborn - A Byzantine AAR

Introduction


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Constantinople. The jewel of Europe. The mightiest city to stand in all the known world. It's proud bastions and mighty walls make any attack on the city impossible. The Fatimids look on in envy, even whilst they occupy our cities and land. This will only be temporary. The barbarian empires still stand in the west, under the nominal head of the heretic in Rome. Slavic princes rule further north, and the warring Rus stand divided. Meanwhile, disparate pagan tribes war with each other in the north. The Mahometan heretics still hold sway in Spain and much of the world. Yet for over a thousand years, the Empire has continued on. When Romulus founded the city of Rome, he probably didn't think too much about the consequences of his actions. But thanks to him, the emperor in Constantinople rules over an extensive empire. Rome stands beset on many sides, yet it wields considerable power still.

But, it is a failing star. The Empire's facade of strength is slowly breaking. Italy is lost, and Rome's enemies gather for the kill. Pechenegs from the north eagerly eye Constantinople, and wait for the day that they could sack it. The Turks wait, ready to exploit any weakness whatsoever. The Pope has began to preach for all Christendom to re-take Jerusalem and the holy land; how will his soldiers pass through the empire without causing damage? If the Empire fails what will prevent the Moslems from destroying Europe?

Hope still remains, but it is very dim. The ageing emperor is incapable of curbing in the wide corruption of his vassals. The days of Justinian, Heraclius and even Basil seem distant. No longer is the Empire the sole master of Europe. No longer can the empire afford to flex it's muscles with impunity and crush rebellion. If anything, the empire seems on the slow spiral downwards. But can anything be salvaged from this situation? Perhaps, but it will take someone with personality. A person who can inspire the empire and give it a new lease of life. Yes, it will take an extraordinary man to take the restore the empire into the fighting force that it was even at the turn of the century.

What if they succeed? What if the empire manages to struggle on? What if it rises out of the ashes; renewed and ready to spring back into action? Can the empire restore the borders of Justinian? Of Augustus? Or even Trajan? Or would it stop there? Could the empire establish it's dominion over the entire world, bringing civilisation to the unwashed mashes of Asia and the steppes? The Empire is at a crossroads; if it fails now, it will fail forever and the historians will look upon the empire with contempt and disgust. But if it manages to continue on, the change will herald a new age of conquest, reform and power.

The possibilites are endless...
 
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Woo! A ByzAARntium. Welcome to the club.

When the game begins the schism is not yet formalized and the crusades haven't happened yet, but we do know it happens in the near future.

Nice into. Feels like I'm in a cinema. (Opens popcorn).

Do you like the font? I think it's a bit narrow...hard to read it when it's narrow, and white on grey.
 
Actually, wasn't the schism in 1054? Either way, I presumed that the tension would be quite high enough for an Orthodox to call a Catholic a heretic; even if those terms hadn't really entered full use.

As for the font? I suppose I like it, although I may change it in the future.

I do appreciate the feedback though. I just realised about the crusade error. I'll edit it out.
 
Well, another Byzantine AAR. Subscribed. And could you change font to one a little bit bigger. I can hardly read what you have written here. Maybe it's just the evening, but bigger font would be a great improvement (at least for me).
 
Rome Reborn - A Byzantine AAR

Chapter One - The Rogue Prince

Man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward. Job v.7.


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In the year 1066 of our lord; the mighty Empire of the Romans stood. But, as noted in the last chapter, the empire was in a state of disarray. It's currency widely debased and it's military forces compromised, the empire was ripe for external attack. Tensions over the border with the Turkish Sultan Alp Arslan were rising; and numerous cross-border raids were perpetrated by both sides. This, combined with regular raids across the Danube on the empire's northern provinces by Pecheneg tribesmen was leading to an undermining of imperial authority. The Turkish issue was of rising concern to the reiging emperor, Michael VII Doukas.

But what of the Emperor? It has been widely noted by history that he was one of the more `malleable` Emperors. His seeming lack of any political ambition led to him being manipulated by his mother, Eudokia and his uncle, John. Whilst a fair amount of the empire's continuing decline can be attributed to the Emperor's puppeteers; the monarch was directly responsible for many of the short term causes leading to the empire's effective implosion. The armies' wages were reduced on a regular basis, and many regiments in the empire were refusing to take arms unless they were paid.

On the whole, it was a grim situation. The outlying provinces, like those under the personal rule of the Princes of Mesopotamia and Trebizond were effectively independent in all but name. In the streets of Constantinople, Athens and other such great hubs of imperial power; wages were decreasing and an atmosphere of pessimism prevailed. The Emperor and his regime were widely unpopular, and many nobles in the empire plotted for his demise. The Emperor was widely fed false information by his two `advisors`, and his absolute trust in his mother and her brother were to be his downfall. In the first month of 1066, a rebellion broke out in Thessaly. Whilst the revolt was a fairly small affair, the two managed to control all information sources coming to the Emperor and make the revolt seem like a full scale civil war. Frightened, the Emperor gave his two relatives carte blanche access to do as they pleased in all affairs regarding the state.


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The Roman Empire, January 1066


It was no suprise when the first declaration of independence came. The Prince of Trebizond, widely seen as an independent ruler; decided to formalise his independence to Constantinople. The Prince, Theodoros Gavras sent his declaration straight away at the beginning of March. When the Emperor received this letter, his rage was so great that he had the messenger put to death in the most hideous way possible. His body was disemboweled and staked upon the ramparts of the main gate. A letter was sent to the rebellious Prince, and his submission was demanded in great length; as well as the audacious demand that all the swords and arms in the area were to be delivered to the Emperor as a sign of penance. A keen student of laconic wit, the Prince sent but two words back; `Molon labe`.

The Emperor was now in a bad position. His armies were in terrible condition, and they would most likely refuse any overture for them to obey his commands. His coffers were empty, and any campaign would have to be funded by moneylenders; something that would greatly affect his prestige and regional standing. Another issue that compounded any military campaign was the incompetence of his military commanders. Whilst the generals were adequate at quashing local revolt, they would almost certainly fail at defeating a force led by any competent general. With this in mind, the Emperor decided to levy a force of foreign mercenaries; paid for by a loan taken from moneylenders.

However, when he tried to enact this measure; his two `advisors` blocked the idea. Whilst the Emperor's measure seemed somewhat logical, any moneylending would further show the financial instability of the Empire. Far better, they thought; that the Emperor send a limited force of his own soldiers, paid for with the private fortune of the Doukas family. Eudokia managed to raise enough funds for an army of five thousand men. Whilst the Emperor was sceptical at this small force, John assured him that they would be able to levy troops on the way; and create an army of fifteen thousand. The Emperor was placated by this, and military measures were made at once to quash the rogue Prince.


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The Roman Empire, July 1066; with the independent Trebizond

It was this event that was to ignite the spark of one of the great seminal catastrophes that the Roman Empire had seen in it's millenia long history.



 
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Well, it's one of the most depressing features of the empire; some of the arseholes who ran it. Heck, a lot of them were debauched imbeciles who liked to ransack the treasury for parties; like the Angeloi. We'd all be calling ourselves Roman if every leader was a Justinian, Heraclius, Alexios or Basil.

Any comments on the format? Like it, or not?
 
I like it. I also like the font. I use a rather large monitor and a high resolution so I don't really see what all of the fuss about font size is (Even though you did change it from the original size...).

I subscribed when I first saw it, but haven't had a chance to really read it until now. But, I have and I must say I rather enjoy it. Good luck holding off the Seljuks...
 
Yep. I have a baaad feeling about this. Let me guess - Gravas is going to ally with the Turks.
 
*Subscribes* :)
 
The Empire is on the verge of collapse, as always in this game. Should we expect more independent principalities in the near future?
And thank you about that font :)
 
Subscribed

good start on your first AAR. Byzantine seems like a difficult country to play with seeing as almost always all it's vassals break free and they're tormented by the seljuks. So good luck to you.

oh and by the way, I know he's your arch enemy and all but please don't go to hard on Alp there, he has enough trouble as it is ;)
 
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You're not doing too bad what with the Dukas factor and all...
 
CrackdToothGrin: I glad you like it, thank you. Mind you, I think the Seljuks will be the least of Byzantium's troubles...

aussieboy: Not necessarilly ;) Just wait for the next updates.

Fulcrumvale: Glad to have another subscriber. The more, the merrier.

Jan Skrzetuski: I can't reveal anything, but y'know; anything's possible ;)

bowl of soup: Pfft, heretics who claim to talk to Archangels deserve nothing but death. Indeed, it's a difficult Empire to play. Either you get a uber chancellor who manages to placate you vassals or you collapse immediately. The Doukas family have the most awful stats I've ever seen. I prefer playing a Alexios and then ushering in the Komnemnos restoration.

Llywelyn: Pfft, Papist claptrap! Besides, giving away all of my conquered titles would be . . . painful to say the least. Come on, I couldn't even do a Justinian! :eek:

RGB: Not doing too bad!? My goodness, just you wait :cool:

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And for everyone's collective amusement, some of the most BIZARRE courtier names I have ever had in another game as Alexios Komnemnus.


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Severance said:
bowl of soup: Pfft, heretics who claim to talk to Archangels deserve nothing but death.
For that you will face the hordes of a million Turks on your doorstep! (be it in a different universe :rolleyes: ) you have been warned.

Anyway to shamelessly advertise my AAR. with those big words I expect a suggestion for a handicap from you!
 
Strangely enough that three way family got a fourth part; yes, they married into the Angelos. Considering her forbears, Georgia is pretty decent.

Bowl of soup, consider sending an advance guard of Mongols just to teach the Turks the meaning of the word Horde.

If the Empire collapses, there's very little chance that there will be enough for the Komnenos to rebuild.