AAR – A Chronicle of Byzantium

The Tales of Araltes – A Chronicle of Byzantium

Prologue

From the time when the heathens swallowed up the Holy Land, and to the rise of Napoleon, there was an age undreamed of. Unto this came Araltes, the Norse, with sword in hand, destined to bear the jeweled crown of Norway upon a troubled brow. It is I, his descendant and chronicler, who alone can tell you of his saga. Now this was a time of high adventure.

Araltes was the Norse king who helped the Greeks against the muslim onslaught in the year of 1000. Had it not been for the courageous Norse, the mighty city would have fallen to the armies of Allah on that day. Araltes and his faithful brother in arms, Olavos, came to the aid of the emperor, and Byzantium was saved, at least for a time. Their descendants chose to stay in the mighty city, and served as advicors and chroniclers for the empire. It is a collection of their chronicles that I will now tell you of, I that am the last of the Chroniclers, Araltes XXIV.

Our story begins more that 400 years ago, on the banks of the Marmara sea, beneath the shining palaces of Constantinopel.

January 1st, 1419:

Our empire is in crisis. The emperor, Manuel II, admits that the future looks dim. Byzantium is surrounded by the hostile Turks, the acolytes of the heathen Arabs who threathened our empire long ago, at the time when my great forefather, Araltes I, came to the rescue of Constantinopel. Our only possessions outside Constantinopel and nearby Thrace are a handfull of walled towns on the southern coast of Morea, of which Nafplion is the strongest. Our economy is ruined too. We can barely keep a standing army to defend our beloved capital. With such dire conditions, we’ll have to be cunning and cynical... Let’s just hope that our emperor has it in himself... Or else, our Pathriarc’s humble prayers to our Lord, might be our only hope.

I, Araltes XII, asked for an audience with the emperor at the evening of January 1st, 1419. It was granted to me immediately. Manuel II was really out of his mind in figuring out what to do with the vast problems bulding up, around him and his empire. Though many things could and should be done, I adviced him to strengthen our economy. Strengthening imperial control over the finances in the districts would allow us to rebuild our crumbled economy. The emperor agreed, and decided to move one of our DP-sliders towards Centralization. When the news reached the districts, the local people weren’t rejoicing, but they had to accept it never the less.

Our next action was to order a bank loan from the Constantinopolitan Bank. We were granted 200 gold pieces. I asked Manuel II what was the reason with that. He only told me: “I have a cunning plan...”.

Gameinfo:

I play as Byzantium in the GC.

My version is 1.08 b21apr

I play on VH, Weakling (told that this is hardest)

My goals are to unite the Eastern Roman Empire with the Italian provinces..

Hard goals, but you should have high goals..

Chapter II – A Dagger into his Heart​

His first action, in spending the newly aquired money, was to order that tax collectors offices be built in our two administral cities, Constantinopel and Nafplion. “That will ensure our financial wealth, for now”, the emperor stated. His next move was not so good... Our fine emperor decided to grant the Ottoman sultan Selim I, a jeweled dagger. What an act of stupidity! I quickly stated to him that: “You shouldn’t give that heathen warlord a gift! The only gift suitable, except from a dagger in the heart, might be a cross or a bible, so that he may repent from his heathen belief!” “Who says I didn’t send this dagger into his heart?” The emperor hastily replied. “What do you mean?” I said. Manuel seemed to be talking in riddles... “What I mean is: this dagger will truly hit Selim in his heart... He will be very pleased with us, since we sent him this gift. In fact, I hope that we can become allies soon.” The emperor’s answer was like a thunderstorm hitting my head... “What, are you planning to betray our empire, our people, our faith?” The fire of righteous fury started to burn inside me.
“Leave me”, the emperor suddenly said. “Not you Araltes”, he stated as I and the other servants left the great hall.

I had spoken against the emperor, and now, he was really going to let me have it... As I waited for the hall to be emptied, I looked back at my life, and looked at what I had achieved. Tomorrow I could be dead, beheaded at the towncentre, what a shame... for my ancestors... I would surely not make it for Valhalla now... As my mind drifted away into these miserable thoughts, the emperor suddenly began to laugh... “Thee, hee, hee... Do not be afraid Araltes”, he stated. “I salute you for being such a loyal servant of the empire and of God.” His voice turned back to normal. “You misunderstood me, which is not so strange, since I really spoke in riddles to all of you. You see, I had to send the others out before I could reveal my real intentions with this dagger.” He smiled at me and said: “You Araltes, is the only one that I can really trust. Now let me tell you about my plan.”

He then told me that the jeweled dagger for the sultan really was a way of bribing him, so that he would send his armies toward the small sultanates to the east rather than against us. “I see, quite smart, but what about that alliance-talk you spoke of?” I replied. He then told me that he really intended to become the sultan’s ally, but that this alliance was of purely tactical value. “Together with the sultan, we can win any war we want!”, he said. “As long as we lead the wars and let the Turks carry the heaviest losses, my plan will work. Our strategy must be to grab as many provinces as possible, while denying the Turks to gain any territory. If we succeed with this, the Turks themselves shall fall by our hands when the time is ripe... Then I will send a dagger straight into the heart of the sultan.”, Manuel excitingly proclaimed. Now I understood how good his idea really was.

The overseer of religion was told to minimize tolerance toward the catholic faith, upsetting the catholic diplomats slightly. Tolerance was raised against muslims, but not at serious expence of our orthodox population. Our emmisary left Constantinopel this evening, fulfilling the first act of our scheming play. I went to bed and slept very good that night, knowing that important events soon would take place in my life and in the life of good old Byzantium.

Guess where I've taken the core of my intro from..?

A film, yes.. the "governator" plays..

Anyone?

I'll probably be able to post some pictures soon...

But so far it's no reason to post any.. as most know that Byzantium starts with Thrace and Morea (southern Greece), and are surrounded by the OE...

In other words, a desperate position..

I am hopefully able to get pictures in the post, without to much troubling around..

Thanks for your good wishes for the Empire..

I'll add some chapters tomorrow

CHAPTER III: An Unholy Alliance​

January 2. 1419 - September 6. 1419:

The gift our wise lord, Emperor Manuel II sent to the Sultan really fulfilled its intended goal. A Turkish emissary let us know that Selim was overjoyed with the jeweled dagger, and that he hat decreed not to attack us for a long time... That was really relaxing for us to hear... The first part of Manuel's plan had been successful.

April 1. 1420 Manuel decided to send another gift to the Sultan, this time it was a bit smaller, but still, a small jeweled spoon was an awesome gift. The Emperor said to me that: "If the Sultan survives the sting by the dagger, I'll cut his heart out with a spoon". My Emperor was truly a devoted man (to his task of beating the Sultan), coming up with such an idea. This second gift also had its intended effect, and suddenly Byzantium was the favourite country of Selim, the Ottoman Sultan.

Our present ally, the Greek empire of Trapzon, attacked the small Sultanate of Candar, which was already at war with the Ottomans. When they asked us to join their war, we promptly rejected their bid. Of course this led to must frustration among the citizens of the Empire; why would the Emperor not join our Greek brethren in their just war against the heathens?
The state revenues the next months were mainly used for increasing stability and control in our Empire. At the end of summer, 1419, the Emperor had regained support and restored order in the realm, and on September 6. the next step of our clever plan was set to life.

The morning of September 6. the Emperor sent for me, and I, Araltes, stood before him. "Today, Araltes, you are going to the Sultan Selim, to request an alliance with his realm." he, said. "I am ready to do your bidding master, and besides, this alliance is of pure tactical reasons, right?", I replied. "Yes, of course... you know my true intentions, but for now, let us pretend to be Selim's friends.". I left the castle by midday, and set out on the Marmara sea with a small escorte.

As I arrived in Bursa, the seat of Ottoman power, my heart was filled with grief, as a saw this ancient Greek land, occupied and reduced by the Turks. However, I had to be proffessional, and headed for the Sultans palace. I decided to get it over with as quickly as possible, and so headed to the throneroom promptly. I expected to find Selim there, but he was gone... The Ottoman emissary told me that the Sultan was in the stables... Ok, I thougt, I shall see him there then... I went to the stables, but I didn't find him there eihter. One of the guards pulled med to the side and discretely told me that Selim vistited his harem... Stupid me, I should have known it... Of course, this preverted Sultan was in the Harem...

The Sultan soon got to know that a Byzantine emissary had arrived, and quickly got his clothes on. He met me soon thereafter, obviously not ready for a visit from a foreing diplomat, as he still smelled of womens perfume...
I hastily presented him with the official letter from Manuel, and after reading it, he smiled at me, and said: "good, an alliance with the good emperor Manuel, in time you might even become our vassals". The sultan was certainly content with this treaty, and he also thought that this would give him the right to swallow up Byzantium peacefully.

Let him believe that for now, but things shall not stay like this for ever.
I returned to Konstantinopel the same day, and told Manuel that things had gone as forseen. "Good, good", he said, now it's time to think about our expansion, the first part of the second rise of Byzantium...

Chapter IV: The First Balkans War​

September 7. 1419 - May 20. 1421:

At the 30th september, Emperor Manuel II decided to attack the treacherous Greeks in the Duchy of Athens. Those infidel dogs, who had joined the westerners, who once had occupied our glorious city. Their Italian allies, namely Tuscany, Siena, Papal States and Genoa, joined the Atheneans, meaning that we had to fight five powers with our meager forces. It was time for the next step in our plan; call for the Turks!

I, Araltes, rushed toward the Marmara sea, and ordered that a boat be made ready imediately. After a short trip across, a carriage took me to the Sultan's palace in blazing speed. I rushed into the throneroom and stated: "Now it's time for you to honur our alliance-agreement, your excellency! Manuel has declared war on The Duchy of Athens..." "And The Ottoman Empire will answer", the Sultan rapidly answered. "Eh.. we're at war with some Italian states too, the Pope, among others." I added. "Good, then it will be me against the Pope, an epic duel." Selim shouted. "It will be our God (Allah) versus their God". the Sultan stated, forgetting for the moment that I, and my fellow Byzantines believed in the same God as the Italians... "Oh, Araltes, I'm sorry" the Sultan said when he remembered his allies. "Drop that last sentence!" he told his chronicler...

Territorial expansion in the southern Balcans

In late October general Ducas invaded Hellas with his 6000 cavalry. The Ottomans also sent some of their thousands. Ducas encountered the force of Atheneans on the 5th of November. Because the Athenaen force consisted of mainly infantry, they were easy match for Ducas' men (and horses).. After some days of hard combat, the Greeks were driven out, and the city was besieged at the 9th of november. The Turks arrived shortly thereafter and helped Ducas in the siege.

At the same time the Roman fleet had set sail from Constantinople and reached the Agean sea outside Athens. It lay there from the 25th of October until it was engaged by hostile ships on the 15th of november. Our fleet was victorious on the 16th of November, destroying large parts of the Greek fleet. The fleet patroled the Agean sea during the winter, and ensured that no enemy armies would break the siege on Athens from that direction.

On March 25th 1420, the siege of Athens was over - the city surrendered and was occupied by the coalition's forces, though under the juridical control of Byzantium. As expected the Greeks sent an emissary to Ducas (on the 30th of march) offering 150 gold pieces, in return we would hand over Athens and leave. Of course Ducas rejected their pitiful offer. After much consideration Emperor Manuel sent me, Araltes, to Athens to meet with Ducas, ordering him to annex Hellas. The order was carried out on the 3rd of April, ensuring ortodox control of Hellas for the first time in many years. Of course this action created much disgust in the Catolic world, and the Atheneans Italian allies were not willing to lay down their arms. Though this annexation cost our Empire some diplomatic points in Europe, it was neccessary because it was the first step in our plan to restore the Byzantine Empire.

At the same day as Athens was conquered, Manuel, clearly excited by his recent military victories, ordered that Albania should be conquered as well. The Albanians were currently under attack by the Serbs, wich were among our ortodox friends. Though the people of Albania were followers of the ortodox faith, the rulers were not, and they tried to hide behind the western powers og Naples and the migthy Aragon.

Needless to say, the bloodthirsty Turks joined our war against Albania, Naples and Aragon. At the same time (3rd of April 1420), word reached us that Dulcadir, a small Turkish principality, had attacked our former allies in Trebizond. We would have to leave that for now.. Though we wouldn't engage in that conflict to save Trebizond, we would prohibit this territory from falling into the hands of the Turks.

Though the first battles against Athens had cost us some men, the army of general Argyrus, leader of the infantry, were rested and ready. On the 29th of April Argyrus reached Albania, fought away the Albanians and besieged the city of Dürres on the 7th of May. They were soon joined by Serbs, who speeded up the fall of the city. On the 4th of July the Albanians struck back, but with to little enthusiasm and power - they fled on the 5th..

Our calvalry, which had rested in newly aquired Athens, was ordered to crush another Albanian force, who had besieged Ottoman Macedonia. On the 6th of July they engaged them, and on the 7th, the Albanians were beaten. The siege of Dürres continued with maximum strenght trough the summer and autumn. At the same time, word reached us that the mighty Castile had been beaten in war by Granada, the last muslim power in Iberia. The Turks were rejoicing, of course.

On the 7th of April 1421 Dürres was finally captured, and promptly annexed. As a result our relations with the Catolic world was ruined completely, but what did that mean? As we had the support of the Ottomans... Though we had kept away from the Italian powers, the fanatical Turks had continued to engage them, and had won many battles. The alliance leader, Siena har realized that the Turks wouldn't stop, and therefore sent a diplomat to us (20th May 1421), offering 100 ducats to end hostilites. Manuel II accepted it, happy as can be, after doing nothing in that conflict after the fall of Athens. The Ottomans got 50 ducats, and seemed to be happy with that. The money was used to recruit taxcollectors in newly won Athens and Dürres, ensuring the economic wealth of our Empire...

The first Balcans war was over, and we had doubled our territory.

Author's comments:

In the next chapter we will follow our brave Byzantines as they conquer even more land. Manuel II knows that his Empire has to grow rapidly during these first decades, because he sences that the Turks has some golden years in the near future... Therefore they need to be conquered. We will just use their strenght for some more years (and wars), then we will turn against them and take back our homelands.

To be continued...