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1499-1500
7th January 1499
Udine
Armand des Ecures enters the room. Much to his surprise Raimondo II had actually turned up.
"The Venetians my Patriarch, they have refused our offer of an Alliance," Armand says.
"Then either they are fools or they have designs on 'reclaiming' our territory which is slightly worrying, " Raimondo II replies.
"But it would be an opportunity to take over the City of Lagoons or at least become it's overlord,"
"We need to cover our backs because the Saracens will not forgo any such opportunity to take back what we have taken from them, an alliance with Venice would achieve this purpose,"
"A war on two fronts. The Venetians need not cover their backs, yet we must do so, this places us at a great disadvantage,"
"But they fear us do they not?"
"At the moment yes they do, but I am unsure if that fear would hold up if we were distracted and they grow stronger by the hour,"
"But we will always be stronger than them will we not?"
"The loss of Venice's empire is in truth more of a blow to its glory than to it's true power, what true need does the wealthiest, most productive and most populous city in all of the Mediterranean have in subjugating a handful of Greek peasants?"
"I suppose that was what allowed them to subjugate them in the first place, that they had no need of them,"
"Yet the Venetians fully expect us not to forgo the opportunity to acquire Venice at any cost as that is what *they* would do in our place, therefore we can expect them to strike us if they ever sense weakness, believing that otherwise we would strike them,"
There is a long pause.
"In the end therefore the Venetian alliance is in everyone's alliance, send them another proposal around say July after they have had a few months to change your mind. Don't bother informing me if they refuse,"
*********************************************************
1st February 1499
Udine
The dream, always the same dream, again and again, since he couldn't remember, must have been during the last war. Ranks and ranks of infantry, hundreds, no thousands walking through the smouldering ruins of a Cathedral. At their head is a man, but is he is a man?
He wears a mask, a mask of silver. He wears smart clothes, clothes that are azure blue and on his head he wears a three pronged crown of gold. He looks like a king, yet he bears a drum which he beats with the drumsticks that he holds in his hands. Raimondo II had long decided that the man was the Devil, leading his armies against the Holy Mother Church and thus against Aquileia.
The banners, they depicted a azure blue snake devouring a man and crowned with a gold crown, with three points. He had always taken the banner to represent the serpent that had tempted Adam and Eve in the garden, who is human form now led them. Yet it had always looked just too familiar.
But now he realized what it was. It was the flag of Milan, originally of the Visconti dynasty, the devils soldiers were Milanese and they waged war at his command. Now the last bit of the dream made sense, the bit before he woke up. Written as graffiti on the ruins of the Cathedral were the words.
You must have more
*********************************************************
20th July 1499
Zadar
Juraj II King of Croatia had decided for once in his life to do something glorious. Too long had Croatia been mutilated, mutilated first by the failure of the patriotic Croatian people in central Croatia to break free of the Hungarian yoke and secondly by the terms that Hungary despite its weakness had managed to impose on Croatia. They had demanded that the so-called 'King' of Ragusa be reinstated to his throne, despite the fact that Ragusa was part of the liberation movement.
Hungary since then had fallen into ever greater ruination, money had become virtually worthless, the state was bankrupt and virtually completely at the mercy of the mob while heretic sects preached at will. By any criteria whatsoever Hungary was a failure?
Hungary could not stop him from reclaiming Ragusa for a free Croatia.
*********************************************************
7th September 1499
The Region of Gabes
Yanus Saber had survived the great defeat of the patriotic army led by Mustafa Dali. Three years ago they, the Christian invaders had killed the great man himself, killed the man in whose life he had placed himself. After a short spell hiding in Algeria, Yanus had returned and gathered the anger of the Tunisian people at their humiliation into a new army.
The Christians had left a vast army, replete with cannon to ensure the Moroccan people would not rise up against them. On paper his forces were insufficient to defeat them.
But had not Allah granted the Muslims victory against a superior force at the Battle of Badr?
*********************************************************
17th September 1499
The Region of Gabes
The vultures gorged themselves on the Tunisian dead. Meanwhile an up and coming cavalry commander, a certain Gastone Medici di Marigliano led his prize captive up to the tent of General Alberto Mancini by the hair.
White with fear Yanus Saber comes face to face his victorious enemy, Alberto Mancini for the first time.
"So you thought you could defy me! You marched your band of bandits against grapeshot and thought you could win!" Alberto Mancini gloats.
"General, I don't believe that he understands our tongue," Gastone Marigliano tells him.
"I know he doesn't understand me. What we should do with him?"
"Mercy is wasted on these people. Mercy is what allowed the whole thing to restart all over again. Gastone II should have burned down all those stupid desert villages and put their inhabitants to the sword,"
"I believe we lack.... the authorization to engage in such a drastic measure, although I have a plan that should pacify the fools sufficiently,"
"We will march our army with all its cannons down to Kebili and then have all the prisoners publicly hanged there, the key here is not so much that we punish them, but that the superiority of our forces be demonstrated as well so that nobody in future will be able to convince anyone to defy us, "
*********************************************************
19th June 1500
Verona
Administrator Mario Celio had purged one by one all the cities in Aquileia. It had been a long process, rooted our Ghibelline sentiment, but now even Verona was a loyal Guelph city, with the expulsion of Guibellines and suspected Guibellines. Mario Celio felt a smug satisfaction, he had virtually finished his work and the Imperial conspiracy to suppress the ancient liberties of the Italian communes was now uprooted from Aquileia.
*********************************************************
12th July 1500
Udine
Armand des Ecures interrupts Raimondo II while he is carrying out his favourite activity of resting.
"Algiers has attacked Tunisia, they claim that they wish to 'liberate' their fellow Muslims from our rule," Armand des Ecures.
"They don't just want to take Tunisia and all its wealth for themselves?" Raimondo II interjects.
"I was just about to say that," Armand adds.
There is a pause.
"I guess if Algiers wants to take Tunisia we will have to stop them,"
*********************************************************
23rd August 1500
The Coast of Istria
Barbarossa surveyed the devastation he had wrecked upon Istria. These Aquileans had proven a major thorn in the side, with their capture of Tunisia and annexation of the region of Gabes. It brought him a particular pleasure to see this people punished for their defiance.
But now the time had come for his galleys to depart for Algiers, to sell of their loot and slaves for a heavy profit. This time he not only had profited, he had furthered the cause of the liberation of Tunisia.
*********************************************************
1st September 1500
The Coast of Istria
It wasn't Administrator Mario Cellio's best day. The recent raids in Istria had forced him to borrow money in order to both construct defences against further attacks and also to ransom several government officials captured by the pirates.
The moneylenders knew had had them over a barrel. They had demanded 167,000 be borrowed at 10% interest. Cursed usurers!
*********************************************************
31st October 1500
Gafsa
It felt funny to fight alongside his former enemy but Raimondo II was in exactly this position in relation to the siege of Gafsa. Tunisian and Aquilean forces co-operated in the conducting of a join siege of the city, which still showed yet little sign of damage.
Meanwhile his main army, equipped with cannons and led by would besiege the city of Constantine on the coast. Alberto Mancini would lead this army.
But what was most disturbing was where the Algerians were? After an initial clash in which 1000 Algerians had fought against 1000 Tunisians led by Ali I, a struggle in which the Tunisians had been victorious, they had retreated to the west. What were they up too?
*********************************************************
2nd December 1500
Outside Pazin
They didn't care about them. Toma Lackovic had learned this as had several thousand others. *They* had done nothing to protect them against the pirate threat and so Barbarossa had reduced Istria to ruins and drove thousands of its people into slavery.
They had hurtled off to war against the Saracens without doing ANYTHING to protect it's people against the CONSEQUENCES of this! The government didn't care about them because they were Italians and Croatians to them were subhuman.
While centuries of Aquilean rule had caused them to forget this, it was true. There was only one recourse possible, to seek union with Croatia, a nation that actually would care about them.
And so extensive was the people's anger, that he had gathered 6000 armed men to join this cause. While the Aquilean army was still busy fighting it's war in North Africa.
*********************************************************
December 1500
Outside Constantine
Alberto Mancini rode towards the coast. With the Algerian army proving elusive, the distraction that the rebels thought they would pose would not be forthcoming. While they would have to abandon their siege of Constantine, he was confident that they would be able to return after the rebellion was crushed.
7th January 1499
Udine
Armand des Ecures enters the room. Much to his surprise Raimondo II had actually turned up.
"The Venetians my Patriarch, they have refused our offer of an Alliance," Armand says.
"Then either they are fools or they have designs on 'reclaiming' our territory which is slightly worrying, " Raimondo II replies.
"But it would be an opportunity to take over the City of Lagoons or at least become it's overlord,"
"We need to cover our backs because the Saracens will not forgo any such opportunity to take back what we have taken from them, an alliance with Venice would achieve this purpose,"
"A war on two fronts. The Venetians need not cover their backs, yet we must do so, this places us at a great disadvantage,"
"But they fear us do they not?"
"At the moment yes they do, but I am unsure if that fear would hold up if we were distracted and they grow stronger by the hour,"
"But we will always be stronger than them will we not?"
"The loss of Venice's empire is in truth more of a blow to its glory than to it's true power, what true need does the wealthiest, most productive and most populous city in all of the Mediterranean have in subjugating a handful of Greek peasants?"
"I suppose that was what allowed them to subjugate them in the first place, that they had no need of them,"
"Yet the Venetians fully expect us not to forgo the opportunity to acquire Venice at any cost as that is what *they* would do in our place, therefore we can expect them to strike us if they ever sense weakness, believing that otherwise we would strike them,"
There is a long pause.
"In the end therefore the Venetian alliance is in everyone's alliance, send them another proposal around say July after they have had a few months to change your mind. Don't bother informing me if they refuse,"
*********************************************************
1st February 1499
Udine
The dream, always the same dream, again and again, since he couldn't remember, must have been during the last war. Ranks and ranks of infantry, hundreds, no thousands walking through the smouldering ruins of a Cathedral. At their head is a man, but is he is a man?
He wears a mask, a mask of silver. He wears smart clothes, clothes that are azure blue and on his head he wears a three pronged crown of gold. He looks like a king, yet he bears a drum which he beats with the drumsticks that he holds in his hands. Raimondo II had long decided that the man was the Devil, leading his armies against the Holy Mother Church and thus against Aquileia.
The banners, they depicted a azure blue snake devouring a man and crowned with a gold crown, with three points. He had always taken the banner to represent the serpent that had tempted Adam and Eve in the garden, who is human form now led them. Yet it had always looked just too familiar.
But now he realized what it was. It was the flag of Milan, originally of the Visconti dynasty, the devils soldiers were Milanese and they waged war at his command. Now the last bit of the dream made sense, the bit before he woke up. Written as graffiti on the ruins of the Cathedral were the words.
You must have more
*********************************************************
20th July 1499
Zadar
Juraj II King of Croatia had decided for once in his life to do something glorious. Too long had Croatia been mutilated, mutilated first by the failure of the patriotic Croatian people in central Croatia to break free of the Hungarian yoke and secondly by the terms that Hungary despite its weakness had managed to impose on Croatia. They had demanded that the so-called 'King' of Ragusa be reinstated to his throne, despite the fact that Ragusa was part of the liberation movement.
Hungary since then had fallen into ever greater ruination, money had become virtually worthless, the state was bankrupt and virtually completely at the mercy of the mob while heretic sects preached at will. By any criteria whatsoever Hungary was a failure?
Hungary could not stop him from reclaiming Ragusa for a free Croatia.
*********************************************************
7th September 1499
The Region of Gabes
Yanus Saber had survived the great defeat of the patriotic army led by Mustafa Dali. Three years ago they, the Christian invaders had killed the great man himself, killed the man in whose life he had placed himself. After a short spell hiding in Algeria, Yanus had returned and gathered the anger of the Tunisian people at their humiliation into a new army.
The Christians had left a vast army, replete with cannon to ensure the Moroccan people would not rise up against them. On paper his forces were insufficient to defeat them.
But had not Allah granted the Muslims victory against a superior force at the Battle of Badr?
*********************************************************
17th September 1499
The Region of Gabes
The vultures gorged themselves on the Tunisian dead. Meanwhile an up and coming cavalry commander, a certain Gastone Medici di Marigliano led his prize captive up to the tent of General Alberto Mancini by the hair.
White with fear Yanus Saber comes face to face his victorious enemy, Alberto Mancini for the first time.
"So you thought you could defy me! You marched your band of bandits against grapeshot and thought you could win!" Alberto Mancini gloats.
"General, I don't believe that he understands our tongue," Gastone Marigliano tells him.
"I know he doesn't understand me. What we should do with him?"
"Mercy is wasted on these people. Mercy is what allowed the whole thing to restart all over again. Gastone II should have burned down all those stupid desert villages and put their inhabitants to the sword,"
"I believe we lack.... the authorization to engage in such a drastic measure, although I have a plan that should pacify the fools sufficiently,"
"We will march our army with all its cannons down to Kebili and then have all the prisoners publicly hanged there, the key here is not so much that we punish them, but that the superiority of our forces be demonstrated as well so that nobody in future will be able to convince anyone to defy us, "
*********************************************************
19th June 1500
Verona
Administrator Mario Celio had purged one by one all the cities in Aquileia. It had been a long process, rooted our Ghibelline sentiment, but now even Verona was a loyal Guelph city, with the expulsion of Guibellines and suspected Guibellines. Mario Celio felt a smug satisfaction, he had virtually finished his work and the Imperial conspiracy to suppress the ancient liberties of the Italian communes was now uprooted from Aquileia.
*********************************************************
12th July 1500
Udine
Armand des Ecures interrupts Raimondo II while he is carrying out his favourite activity of resting.
"Algiers has attacked Tunisia, they claim that they wish to 'liberate' their fellow Muslims from our rule," Armand des Ecures.
"They don't just want to take Tunisia and all its wealth for themselves?" Raimondo II interjects.
"I was just about to say that," Armand adds.
There is a pause.
"I guess if Algiers wants to take Tunisia we will have to stop them,"
*********************************************************
23rd August 1500
The Coast of Istria
Barbarossa surveyed the devastation he had wrecked upon Istria. These Aquileans had proven a major thorn in the side, with their capture of Tunisia and annexation of the region of Gabes. It brought him a particular pleasure to see this people punished for their defiance.
But now the time had come for his galleys to depart for Algiers, to sell of their loot and slaves for a heavy profit. This time he not only had profited, he had furthered the cause of the liberation of Tunisia.
*********************************************************
1st September 1500
The Coast of Istria
It wasn't Administrator Mario Cellio's best day. The recent raids in Istria had forced him to borrow money in order to both construct defences against further attacks and also to ransom several government officials captured by the pirates.
The moneylenders knew had had them over a barrel. They had demanded 167,000 be borrowed at 10% interest. Cursed usurers!
*********************************************************
31st October 1500
Gafsa
It felt funny to fight alongside his former enemy but Raimondo II was in exactly this position in relation to the siege of Gafsa. Tunisian and Aquilean forces co-operated in the conducting of a join siege of the city, which still showed yet little sign of damage.
Meanwhile his main army, equipped with cannons and led by would besiege the city of Constantine on the coast. Alberto Mancini would lead this army.
But what was most disturbing was where the Algerians were? After an initial clash in which 1000 Algerians had fought against 1000 Tunisians led by Ali I, a struggle in which the Tunisians had been victorious, they had retreated to the west. What were they up too?
*********************************************************
2nd December 1500
Outside Pazin
They didn't care about them. Toma Lackovic had learned this as had several thousand others. *They* had done nothing to protect them against the pirate threat and so Barbarossa had reduced Istria to ruins and drove thousands of its people into slavery.
They had hurtled off to war against the Saracens without doing ANYTHING to protect it's people against the CONSEQUENCES of this! The government didn't care about them because they were Italians and Croatians to them were subhuman.
While centuries of Aquilean rule had caused them to forget this, it was true. There was only one recourse possible, to seek union with Croatia, a nation that actually would care about them.
And so extensive was the people's anger, that he had gathered 6000 armed men to join this cause. While the Aquilean army was still busy fighting it's war in North Africa.
*********************************************************
December 1500
Outside Constantine
Alberto Mancini rode towards the coast. With the Algerian army proving elusive, the distraction that the rebels thought they would pose would not be forthcoming. While they would have to abandon their siege of Constantine, he was confident that they would be able to return after the rebellion was crushed.
Last edited:
1501-
2rd January 1501
Istria
Toma Lackovic had not expected the Aquilean army to redeploy so fast. Indeed it had taken them a mere month to get what might well be their entire army from Tunisia to Aquileia. It was an impressive feat he had to grant them.
But the greater the force, the more glorious would be the victory. Toma got on his horse and galloped along the Croatian battle line.
"For Croatia! God is with us!" he declared waving his sword in the air.
*********************************************************
21st 1501
Gafsa
Ali I Sultan of Tunisia looked upon the Algerian army that had been deployed by Muhammad VII of Algiers to defeat the 3000 men under his command. His former enemy Raimondo II was beside him. The situation looked bleak.
*********************************************************
23rd January 1501
Istria
It had perhaps been vain to expect his forces to prevail against the Aquilean army. His forces had fought well he decided, given the circumstances. The Patriarch's General, the legendary Alberto Mancini had artillery and he had more and better cavalry. He was impressed.
Now his tattered army, nursing their wounds and meandering along in scattered bands, without formation nor spirit would be able to retreat into Hungarian Croatia. The Hungarians having no army to speak of would not be able stop him from liberating the Croatian people from Hungarian tyranny.
And then maybe when he was finished he could return once again to Istria.
*********************************************************
25th January 1501
Gafsa
Muhammad VII smiled; the enemy had fled, abandoning their vain bid to take Gafsa. Oh they had believed he was far away, what fools they were to leave only a puny force to take on his entire army!
The forces of his glorious Jihad verified by the Ulema, against the Christians and the hypocrites that aided them would ultimately sweep away all resistance, of that he was certain.
And when he was finished, the spoils would be his. He would take the city of Tunisia, obliterating the dynasty that Allah had placed shamefully under to subjection of a Christian power, reversing the natural order that had been instituted by Allah for the infidels, revealing to the faithful that the Tunisian dynasty were hypocrites not Muslims.
And Allah would reward him for his faithfulness with Tunisia and all its wealth. Such were the rewards of Islam.
********************************************************
12th February 1501
Gabes
The Algerian army, it was Raimondo II decided fast. Despite its size it moved with all the smoothness and agility of a snake. And now he, Raimondo II had no army left, the survivors were now en-route to the slave markers of Algiers.
But at least he was not; he was en-route to Tunisia. That was all that mattered; he could always get more men. The war definitely wasn't going his way though. His only hope was that reinforcements would arrive back soon from suppressing the rebellion in Istria to turn the tide of the war.
*********************************************************
4th March 1501
Tunis
If only Raimondo II had left the Tunisians to their fate and not got his army wiped out! Perhaps then they would have sufficient that they weren't outnumbered!
His army was large, containing mostly his Aquilean forces and a few Tunisian rabbles to provide weak points in the line. Alberto Mancini was regardless forced to command them.
The Algerian forces, they were an awe-inspiring force; he hoped not too many of his forces arrived at the same conclusion. But they would not be equal to his glorious Aquilean army; they would be rabble, much like the Tunisians were. They were used to fighting on the sea, not the land. A race of pirates was not in its element on the land.
His victory here would decide the war; maybe even kill the Algerian Sultan himself.
*********************************************************
15th May 1501
Tunis
For 2 months his forces had fought time and time-again bravely standing their ground, slaying hundreds of the Algerians and being slain in return.
He would have won, if only those ill-disciplined Tunisians had stayed their course. But his forces had never-the-less made the Algerians pay dearly for every mile of ground they took! If only those 2000 men had been Aquileans he would have prevailed, but alas they were not.
Now all that was left was to organize the retreat to Gabes. While he believed his losses were equal to those of the Algerians, the loss of cavalry would weaken greatly his future ability to wage war unless reinforced.
*********************************************************
15th July 1501
The Tripoli border
Small band by small band the Aquilean army makes its way over the border.... into Tripoli. There would be able to regroup and reinforce safely, since their Algerian enemies would be unable diplomatically to follow them.
Their losses had been great; the Algerian army had won victory after victory against them. There was no obvious hope of a quick victory and cheap any more, too many had died.
*********************************************************
7th September 1501
Istria
Nenad Subic had been a trusted lieutenant of Toma Lackovic since the beginning of the rebellion. Not so long ago he had fought in Aquileas army, now he fought to separate Istria from Aquileia in the name of Croatia.
The swiftness of the Aquilean departure had done little to inspire great fear among the patriotic Croatians of Istria. He had been sent back and had spent several months practically openly gathering another army, one as big as the one that Toma Lackovic commanded.
While his master was in Hungary liberating Croatians there from Hungarian rule, he would take Istria. What news he had manages to collect about the war suggested it was not going well. He had confidence in ultimate victory in such conditions.
*********************************************************
28th December 1501
Tunis
Trusting in the arrival of fresh infantry reinforcements and in order to protect the arrival mercenary German knights they had foolishly left Tripoli.
A tactical retreat had been called after another rebellion had broken out in Gabes, hoping that the Algerians would be held up by it for long enough to reinforce and re-organise in Tunis. But the rebels had simple gone home, leaving the Tunisian army free to pursue them.
Alberto Mancino and Gastone Medici di Marigliano survey the butchered remains of hundreds of the mercenary knights they had hired. The enemy had arrived too early, and they had arrived too late.
Now they had to lead the shattered remains of his army against Algeria for another 'great' battle while Raimondo II cowered in Tunis, after his heroic attempt to rally the now butchered cavalry had only made them more easily hunted down by the Algerians.
2rd January 1501
Istria
Toma Lackovic had not expected the Aquilean army to redeploy so fast. Indeed it had taken them a mere month to get what might well be their entire army from Tunisia to Aquileia. It was an impressive feat he had to grant them.
But the greater the force, the more glorious would be the victory. Toma got on his horse and galloped along the Croatian battle line.
"For Croatia! God is with us!" he declared waving his sword in the air.
*********************************************************
21st 1501
Gafsa
Ali I Sultan of Tunisia looked upon the Algerian army that had been deployed by Muhammad VII of Algiers to defeat the 3000 men under his command. His former enemy Raimondo II was beside him. The situation looked bleak.
*********************************************************
23rd January 1501
Istria
It had perhaps been vain to expect his forces to prevail against the Aquilean army. His forces had fought well he decided, given the circumstances. The Patriarch's General, the legendary Alberto Mancini had artillery and he had more and better cavalry. He was impressed.
Now his tattered army, nursing their wounds and meandering along in scattered bands, without formation nor spirit would be able to retreat into Hungarian Croatia. The Hungarians having no army to speak of would not be able stop him from liberating the Croatian people from Hungarian tyranny.
And then maybe when he was finished he could return once again to Istria.
*********************************************************
25th January 1501
Gafsa
Muhammad VII smiled; the enemy had fled, abandoning their vain bid to take Gafsa. Oh they had believed he was far away, what fools they were to leave only a puny force to take on his entire army!
The forces of his glorious Jihad verified by the Ulema, against the Christians and the hypocrites that aided them would ultimately sweep away all resistance, of that he was certain.
And when he was finished, the spoils would be his. He would take the city of Tunisia, obliterating the dynasty that Allah had placed shamefully under to subjection of a Christian power, reversing the natural order that had been instituted by Allah for the infidels, revealing to the faithful that the Tunisian dynasty were hypocrites not Muslims.
And Allah would reward him for his faithfulness with Tunisia and all its wealth. Such were the rewards of Islam.
********************************************************
12th February 1501
Gabes
The Algerian army, it was Raimondo II decided fast. Despite its size it moved with all the smoothness and agility of a snake. And now he, Raimondo II had no army left, the survivors were now en-route to the slave markers of Algiers.
But at least he was not; he was en-route to Tunisia. That was all that mattered; he could always get more men. The war definitely wasn't going his way though. His only hope was that reinforcements would arrive back soon from suppressing the rebellion in Istria to turn the tide of the war.
*********************************************************
4th March 1501
Tunis
If only Raimondo II had left the Tunisians to their fate and not got his army wiped out! Perhaps then they would have sufficient that they weren't outnumbered!
His army was large, containing mostly his Aquilean forces and a few Tunisian rabbles to provide weak points in the line. Alberto Mancini was regardless forced to command them.
The Algerian forces, they were an awe-inspiring force; he hoped not too many of his forces arrived at the same conclusion. But they would not be equal to his glorious Aquilean army; they would be rabble, much like the Tunisians were. They were used to fighting on the sea, not the land. A race of pirates was not in its element on the land.
His victory here would decide the war; maybe even kill the Algerian Sultan himself.
*********************************************************
15th May 1501
Tunis
For 2 months his forces had fought time and time-again bravely standing their ground, slaying hundreds of the Algerians and being slain in return.
He would have won, if only those ill-disciplined Tunisians had stayed their course. But his forces had never-the-less made the Algerians pay dearly for every mile of ground they took! If only those 2000 men had been Aquileans he would have prevailed, but alas they were not.
Now all that was left was to organize the retreat to Gabes. While he believed his losses were equal to those of the Algerians, the loss of cavalry would weaken greatly his future ability to wage war unless reinforced.
*********************************************************
15th July 1501
The Tripoli border
Small band by small band the Aquilean army makes its way over the border.... into Tripoli. There would be able to regroup and reinforce safely, since their Algerian enemies would be unable diplomatically to follow them.
Their losses had been great; the Algerian army had won victory after victory against them. There was no obvious hope of a quick victory and cheap any more, too many had died.
*********************************************************
7th September 1501
Istria
Nenad Subic had been a trusted lieutenant of Toma Lackovic since the beginning of the rebellion. Not so long ago he had fought in Aquileas army, now he fought to separate Istria from Aquileia in the name of Croatia.
The swiftness of the Aquilean departure had done little to inspire great fear among the patriotic Croatians of Istria. He had been sent back and had spent several months practically openly gathering another army, one as big as the one that Toma Lackovic commanded.
While his master was in Hungary liberating Croatians there from Hungarian rule, he would take Istria. What news he had manages to collect about the war suggested it was not going well. He had confidence in ultimate victory in such conditions.
*********************************************************
28th December 1501
Tunis
Trusting in the arrival of fresh infantry reinforcements and in order to protect the arrival mercenary German knights they had foolishly left Tripoli.
A tactical retreat had been called after another rebellion had broken out in Gabes, hoping that the Algerians would be held up by it for long enough to reinforce and re-organise in Tunis. But the rebels had simple gone home, leaving the Tunisian army free to pursue them.
Alberto Mancino and Gastone Medici di Marigliano survey the butchered remains of hundreds of the mercenary knights they had hired. The enemy had arrived too early, and they had arrived too late.
Now they had to lead the shattered remains of his army against Algeria for another 'great' battle while Raimondo II cowered in Tunis, after his heroic attempt to rally the now butchered cavalry had only made them more easily hunted down by the Algerians.
Last edited:
1502-1503
January 17th 1502
South of Tunis
Alberto Mancini was pleased with the performance of his forces thus far but he had decided that his winning streak and his troop’s morale could not hold out forever. The strategies that they had adopted thus far had failed them. They could not beat the Algerians in a pitched battle, because there were way too many. Even Gastone Medici di Marigliano, usually a hothead now agreed with him.
Raimondo II had already left Tunis and departed to Gabes by a separate route. In all likelihood he was already there.
The time had come to adopt a new strategy. That strategy was simply based upon the fact that that there was nothing that Algeria could really do to destroy his army unless he chose to wear himself down in continual pitched battles. If they chose to besiege Tunisia, then he could always reinforce his army within Gabes while if they chose to pursue him and besiege Gabes, he could retreat back into Tunisia or even back into Tripoli.
In the end, the only thing left for them to do would be to besiege either Gabes or Tunis. And doing so would inevitably cost Algeria men, while his men could acquire for themselves luxury conditions in friendly territory, building up their numbers, while the Algerian army slowly faded away in the all too familiar miserable military squalor.
*********************************************************
February 1st 1502
Gabes
Alberto Mancini had learned that the Algerians had chosen to besiege Tunisia instead pursuing his army. This suited his new plans perfectly, Gabes was securely under his control and it was the ideal base to carry out the new plan.
The plan was to ship whatever fresh conscripts could be recruited from Aquileia to Gabes in small civilian merchant vessels. But that might not be enough, if the degree of manpower that was available to the Algerians was sufficiently greater, there might still not be sufficient forces. Aquilean cavalry had taken serious losses as well, mainly in combat with their seemingly more powerful Muslim equivalents.
Alberto’s plan was to eventually recruit perhaps 2000 mercenary knights, which would add sufficient cavalry forces to overwhelm the Algerian army, by then weakened by many months of siege. However, it would not be possible to pay them over long periods of time, so the time had not yet come to hire them. And when the siege of Tunisia was lifted they would be dismissed as would be written their contract.
*********************************************************
3rd August 1502
Pazin, Istria
Nenad Subic led his victorious Croatian army through the streets of liberated Pazin. The people of Pazin had been disappointing in the extreme, rather than embracing their glorious liberators they had put faith in the aid they foolishly believed the idiot 'Patriarch' would send. Thankfully, he had let them down and as their bellies began to rumble they had began to see sense.
The most disappointing thing was how few Italians he actually found among the garrison. They were Croatians almost to a man. Why did such people fight so hard to uphold the rule of a souped-up Italian Bishop against the glorious cause of the unification of Croatia?
*********************************************************
10th September 1502
Gabes
The dream came again to Raimondo. But this time the dream was different. There was no devil, only him. The Milanese troops fled, they had thrown their banners to the ground. Once again his dream-eyes were drawn to the ruined Cathedral and the graffiti on it. This time it said.
To the one that has little, even what they have will be taken away
*********************************************************
23rd December 1502
Near Tunis
Muhammad VII was amazed. The Aquileans had managed to field a rather impressive army against him and in such a short time. No doubt such a gesture could not be sustained as he hoped. The war would be his since time would be his. And so Allah willing would go the battle.
*********************************************************
Aquilean forces finally get the upper hand
27th December 1502
Tunis
The people of Tunis had gathered in their mosques to celebrate the lifting of the cities siege. In the central Zitouna Mosque it was Sultan Ali I himself that led them in prayer.
But grave doubts were growing in his soul. For what was this war being fought? Was it to remain in tribute-paying subjection under the reign of a Christian ruler? For sure, despite himself he had come to rather like his Christian overlord. Without his aid Tunis would have fallen, yet to him Tunis had already fallen.
And why they may say their prayers of thanksgiving for their victory and it was truly their victory since they had in a determined and organized fashion rained death down on the besieging army, so that it became possible for the Aquileans to lift the siege, in what sense was this victory really of Islam?
But all victories were of Allah, since Allah determined all ways and paths. But if that were so, then that would mean that Tunisia's conquest by Aquileia was also the will of Allah, but that if were so then that would mean that Allah wished Tunis to fall to Christians, but not to the Muslims? Were that so then why did Tunisia become part of the Ummah in the first place?
Theology had always made his head spin. But at least now he had a wife to take his mind off such things....................
*********************************************************
Driving the Algerians further into Algeria.
31st January 1503
Constantine Region
Gastone Medici di Marigliano watched the Algerian forces with frustration as they melted. They were beaten, soundly beaten and they knew it. But he had failed to surround them and wipe them all out. In time they would be back, back with more forces.
Raimondo II and Alberto Mancini insisted that now was the time to make peace and on no terms whatsoever. He hoped they would reject the puny offer as peace was boring.
*********************************************************
Warlike Algerians reject peace offer!
2nd February 1503
Constantine Region
Raimondo II had sent a peace offer to the retreating army of Muhammad VII, his adversary. It was even, nothing at all would change hands. And they had rejected it. Their logic escaped him. War was boring and he longed to be back in his palace in Udine with his nice soft bed and his books.
It was time to recall Armand des Ecures to determine what the logic of their refusal might actually be.
"Armand, why do you think that the Algerians rejected my offer," he inquired.
"Two reasons, firstly that they perhaps disbelieve that our advantage is as overwhelming as we think it is, they gain confidence from their past victories and secondly they gain confidence from our 'internal problems' referring of course to the loss of the area of Istria to a rebellion,"
"Why would they gain confidence from such a rebellion?"
"They believe that our inability to suppress the rebellion means we cannot be relied upon to launch any protracted military campaign against Algeria, meaning Algeria is still in a strong position to fight on, to put it in diplomatic theory terms it's called War Capacity,"
"But we cannot afford to let Istria slip away Armand,"
"They know that we will have no choice but to abandon our siege of Constantine and return our entire army to Aquileia in order to suppress the rebellion, it gives them confidence. But as long as we are able to swiftly crush it, we will then be able to destroy whatever forces the Tunisians have managed to raise in the meantime, further demonstrating our military superiority before seizing whatever Algerian towns we wish in order to force a resolution of the conflict,"
"That we must do then I guess.
*********************************************************
The Algerians waste no time in taking advantage of the army's departure!
*********************************************************
17th July 1403
Outside Pazin
His cannons fired their first deafening volley against the walls of Pazin. Alberto Mancini was confident that the rebel city would not hold out for that long. Meanwhile ships cut off all sea access to the region, a blockade. The rebel army had thus far not appeared, but he knew that they were only days away.
*********************************************************
22nd June 1503
Alberto Mancini had prepared his forces and deployed them. While he had every advantage, except perhaps sheer numbers over them, it was unwise every to underestimate an enemy.
*********************************************************
July 1503
Croatia
Matija Radoslav was the recently appointed governor of the border region of Primorje. The recent defeat of the Croatian Patriotic armies in Istria, the origin of the liberation movement that had ultimately liberated the whole of Hungarian Croatia had caught him and the whole of Croatia in a major bind.
Until recently the entire area had been under the control of Toma Lackovic the leader of the Croatian/Istrian rebellion. But an allied peasant rebellion had forced the formal surrender of the already virtually powerless royal government on July 1st, such formal surrenders to various rebellions being the only real power the monarchy of Hungary actually still had.
In this way, the regions of central Croatia and Slavonia had finally become part of an independent Hungary. It had also catapulted him to power. However several thousand Croatian 'patriot' soldiers had recently scurried over the border onto his lands. If he was to allow them to launch an invasion from Croatia into Istria, this would be an act of war against Aquileia and he would likely be deposed on order of the King.
He lacked the military forces necessarily to slaughter them all and even if he did so such an action would lead Toma Lackovic to rise in rebellion against the Croatian King unless the King had him deposed and his rebellion would likely be supported by all the lands he had personally liberated.
Only two things could resolve the situation. He would try to get King Ivan Pavao I to personally order the Istrian rebels to throw down their weapons. At the same time Patriarch Raimondo II would have to make a treaty with Croatia making an offer of amnesty to those rebels that would allow them to return to their homes. It would be a formidable diplomatic endeavour.
*********************************************************
28th July 1503
Istria
Toma Lackovic had gazed in horror upon the orders he had received from Ivan Pavao I himself. They were clear, precise and devastating.
In accordance with the Treaty of Pula signed with Raimondo II Patriarch amnesty has been granted by Aquileia to all those involved in the war of liberation. They are only ordered to throw down their weapons and return to their original place of residence to receive amnesty. The lives of all who disobey this order are to be considered forfeit by both Croatia and Aquileia.
Ivan Pavao I, King of Croatia by the grace of God.
However Toma Lackovic knew he was in the right for he had a copy of the Sacred Contract of Rights. All Croatian Monarchs pledged upon their coronation to uphold the specific rights listed in the sacred contract.
While their power was not shared with anyone, they also swore that should they break one of them, then they would no longer be acting as King. This balance had functioned to maintain harmony in Croatia for over 30 years since the first King of an Independent Croatia, Juraj I had been crowned in Zagreb in 1470. The King had violated three of Toma Lackovic’s fundamental rights as listed in the Sacred Contract of Rights.
1. All Croatians have the right to dwell within the borders of Croatia.
2. All Croatians are equally protected by these rights and no Croatian may be deprived of any right unless he should trespass against one of the rights listed here, in which case any of his rights can be disposed of at the discretion of the King
3. The Sacred Charter of Rights is eternal and unalterable. No foreign treaty may even release any Croatian from having the rights possessed by all Croatians
This made his blood boil. For all he done for Croatia he was to be discarded, left to the unreliable mercy of a foreign ruler, exiled forever from his homeland. Was he not a Croatian? Did he not have the rights that all Croatians have!
*********************************************************
5th August 1503
The Croatian rebel armies had collapsed with rapidity and finality. Very few Aquileans perished in the final battle of the Istria revolt. Historians would one day speculate as to whether Toma Lackovic had failed in keeping the news of the treaty secret from his men. But never-the-less their defeat was crushing.
Toma Lackovic, now a broken man was made to march to the gates of Pazin and hand the Kings orders to the garrison. But as soon as he gave them the orders they were filled with rage. They turned against and killed their former leader as a traitor, throwing his mutilated body over the cliffs and into the Pazin pit.
Now all that remained was a long, bleak siege to reduce the city to obedience and finally extinguish the Istrian patriot rebellion.
January 17th 1502
South of Tunis
Alberto Mancini was pleased with the performance of his forces thus far but he had decided that his winning streak and his troop’s morale could not hold out forever. The strategies that they had adopted thus far had failed them. They could not beat the Algerians in a pitched battle, because there were way too many. Even Gastone Medici di Marigliano, usually a hothead now agreed with him.
Raimondo II had already left Tunis and departed to Gabes by a separate route. In all likelihood he was already there.
The time had come to adopt a new strategy. That strategy was simply based upon the fact that that there was nothing that Algeria could really do to destroy his army unless he chose to wear himself down in continual pitched battles. If they chose to besiege Tunisia, then he could always reinforce his army within Gabes while if they chose to pursue him and besiege Gabes, he could retreat back into Tunisia or even back into Tripoli.
In the end, the only thing left for them to do would be to besiege either Gabes or Tunis. And doing so would inevitably cost Algeria men, while his men could acquire for themselves luxury conditions in friendly territory, building up their numbers, while the Algerian army slowly faded away in the all too familiar miserable military squalor.
*********************************************************
February 1st 1502
Gabes
Alberto Mancini had learned that the Algerians had chosen to besiege Tunisia instead pursuing his army. This suited his new plans perfectly, Gabes was securely under his control and it was the ideal base to carry out the new plan.
The plan was to ship whatever fresh conscripts could be recruited from Aquileia to Gabes in small civilian merchant vessels. But that might not be enough, if the degree of manpower that was available to the Algerians was sufficiently greater, there might still not be sufficient forces. Aquilean cavalry had taken serious losses as well, mainly in combat with their seemingly more powerful Muslim equivalents.
Alberto’s plan was to eventually recruit perhaps 2000 mercenary knights, which would add sufficient cavalry forces to overwhelm the Algerian army, by then weakened by many months of siege. However, it would not be possible to pay them over long periods of time, so the time had not yet come to hire them. And when the siege of Tunisia was lifted they would be dismissed as would be written their contract.
*********************************************************
3rd August 1502
Pazin, Istria
Nenad Subic led his victorious Croatian army through the streets of liberated Pazin. The people of Pazin had been disappointing in the extreme, rather than embracing their glorious liberators they had put faith in the aid they foolishly believed the idiot 'Patriarch' would send. Thankfully, he had let them down and as their bellies began to rumble they had began to see sense.
The most disappointing thing was how few Italians he actually found among the garrison. They were Croatians almost to a man. Why did such people fight so hard to uphold the rule of a souped-up Italian Bishop against the glorious cause of the unification of Croatia?
*********************************************************
10th September 1502
Gabes
The dream came again to Raimondo. But this time the dream was different. There was no devil, only him. The Milanese troops fled, they had thrown their banners to the ground. Once again his dream-eyes were drawn to the ruined Cathedral and the graffiti on it. This time it said.
To the one that has little, even what they have will be taken away
*********************************************************
23rd December 1502
Near Tunis
Muhammad VII was amazed. The Aquileans had managed to field a rather impressive army against him and in such a short time. No doubt such a gesture could not be sustained as he hoped. The war would be his since time would be his. And so Allah willing would go the battle.
*********************************************************
Aquilean forces finally get the upper hand
27th December 1502
Tunis
The people of Tunis had gathered in their mosques to celebrate the lifting of the cities siege. In the central Zitouna Mosque it was Sultan Ali I himself that led them in prayer.
But grave doubts were growing in his soul. For what was this war being fought? Was it to remain in tribute-paying subjection under the reign of a Christian ruler? For sure, despite himself he had come to rather like his Christian overlord. Without his aid Tunis would have fallen, yet to him Tunis had already fallen.
And why they may say their prayers of thanksgiving for their victory and it was truly their victory since they had in a determined and organized fashion rained death down on the besieging army, so that it became possible for the Aquileans to lift the siege, in what sense was this victory really of Islam?
But all victories were of Allah, since Allah determined all ways and paths. But if that were so, then that would mean that Tunisia's conquest by Aquileia was also the will of Allah, but that if were so then that would mean that Allah wished Tunis to fall to Christians, but not to the Muslims? Were that so then why did Tunisia become part of the Ummah in the first place?
Theology had always made his head spin. But at least now he had a wife to take his mind off such things....................
*********************************************************
Driving the Algerians further into Algeria.
31st January 1503
Constantine Region
Gastone Medici di Marigliano watched the Algerian forces with frustration as they melted. They were beaten, soundly beaten and they knew it. But he had failed to surround them and wipe them all out. In time they would be back, back with more forces.
Raimondo II and Alberto Mancini insisted that now was the time to make peace and on no terms whatsoever. He hoped they would reject the puny offer as peace was boring.
*********************************************************
Warlike Algerians reject peace offer!
2nd February 1503
Constantine Region
Raimondo II had sent a peace offer to the retreating army of Muhammad VII, his adversary. It was even, nothing at all would change hands. And they had rejected it. Their logic escaped him. War was boring and he longed to be back in his palace in Udine with his nice soft bed and his books.
It was time to recall Armand des Ecures to determine what the logic of their refusal might actually be.
"Armand, why do you think that the Algerians rejected my offer," he inquired.
"Two reasons, firstly that they perhaps disbelieve that our advantage is as overwhelming as we think it is, they gain confidence from their past victories and secondly they gain confidence from our 'internal problems' referring of course to the loss of the area of Istria to a rebellion,"
"Why would they gain confidence from such a rebellion?"
"They believe that our inability to suppress the rebellion means we cannot be relied upon to launch any protracted military campaign against Algeria, meaning Algeria is still in a strong position to fight on, to put it in diplomatic theory terms it's called War Capacity,"
"But we cannot afford to let Istria slip away Armand,"
"They know that we will have no choice but to abandon our siege of Constantine and return our entire army to Aquileia in order to suppress the rebellion, it gives them confidence. But as long as we are able to swiftly crush it, we will then be able to destroy whatever forces the Tunisians have managed to raise in the meantime, further demonstrating our military superiority before seizing whatever Algerian towns we wish in order to force a resolution of the conflict,"
"That we must do then I guess.
*********************************************************
The Algerians waste no time in taking advantage of the army's departure!
*********************************************************
17th July 1403
Outside Pazin
His cannons fired their first deafening volley against the walls of Pazin. Alberto Mancini was confident that the rebel city would not hold out for that long. Meanwhile ships cut off all sea access to the region, a blockade. The rebel army had thus far not appeared, but he knew that they were only days away.
*********************************************************
22nd June 1503
Alberto Mancini had prepared his forces and deployed them. While he had every advantage, except perhaps sheer numbers over them, it was unwise every to underestimate an enemy.
*********************************************************
July 1503
Croatia
Matija Radoslav was the recently appointed governor of the border region of Primorje. The recent defeat of the Croatian Patriotic armies in Istria, the origin of the liberation movement that had ultimately liberated the whole of Hungarian Croatia had caught him and the whole of Croatia in a major bind.
Until recently the entire area had been under the control of Toma Lackovic the leader of the Croatian/Istrian rebellion. But an allied peasant rebellion had forced the formal surrender of the already virtually powerless royal government on July 1st, such formal surrenders to various rebellions being the only real power the monarchy of Hungary actually still had.
In this way, the regions of central Croatia and Slavonia had finally become part of an independent Hungary. It had also catapulted him to power. However several thousand Croatian 'patriot' soldiers had recently scurried over the border onto his lands. If he was to allow them to launch an invasion from Croatia into Istria, this would be an act of war against Aquileia and he would likely be deposed on order of the King.
He lacked the military forces necessarily to slaughter them all and even if he did so such an action would lead Toma Lackovic to rise in rebellion against the Croatian King unless the King had him deposed and his rebellion would likely be supported by all the lands he had personally liberated.
Only two things could resolve the situation. He would try to get King Ivan Pavao I to personally order the Istrian rebels to throw down their weapons. At the same time Patriarch Raimondo II would have to make a treaty with Croatia making an offer of amnesty to those rebels that would allow them to return to their homes. It would be a formidable diplomatic endeavour.
*********************************************************
28th July 1503
Istria
Toma Lackovic had gazed in horror upon the orders he had received from Ivan Pavao I himself. They were clear, precise and devastating.
In accordance with the Treaty of Pula signed with Raimondo II Patriarch amnesty has been granted by Aquileia to all those involved in the war of liberation. They are only ordered to throw down their weapons and return to their original place of residence to receive amnesty. The lives of all who disobey this order are to be considered forfeit by both Croatia and Aquileia.
Ivan Pavao I, King of Croatia by the grace of God.
However Toma Lackovic knew he was in the right for he had a copy of the Sacred Contract of Rights. All Croatian Monarchs pledged upon their coronation to uphold the specific rights listed in the sacred contract.
While their power was not shared with anyone, they also swore that should they break one of them, then they would no longer be acting as King. This balance had functioned to maintain harmony in Croatia for over 30 years since the first King of an Independent Croatia, Juraj I had been crowned in Zagreb in 1470. The King had violated three of Toma Lackovic’s fundamental rights as listed in the Sacred Contract of Rights.
1. All Croatians have the right to dwell within the borders of Croatia.
2. All Croatians are equally protected by these rights and no Croatian may be deprived of any right unless he should trespass against one of the rights listed here, in which case any of his rights can be disposed of at the discretion of the King
3. The Sacred Charter of Rights is eternal and unalterable. No foreign treaty may even release any Croatian from having the rights possessed by all Croatians
This made his blood boil. For all he done for Croatia he was to be discarded, left to the unreliable mercy of a foreign ruler, exiled forever from his homeland. Was he not a Croatian? Did he not have the rights that all Croatians have!
*********************************************************
5th August 1503
The Croatian rebel armies had collapsed with rapidity and finality. Very few Aquileans perished in the final battle of the Istria revolt. Historians would one day speculate as to whether Toma Lackovic had failed in keeping the news of the treaty secret from his men. But never-the-less their defeat was crushing.
Toma Lackovic, now a broken man was made to march to the gates of Pazin and hand the Kings orders to the garrison. But as soon as he gave them the orders they were filled with rage. They turned against and killed their former leader as a traitor, throwing his mutilated body over the cliffs and into the Pazin pit.
Now all that remained was a long, bleak siege to reduce the city to obedience and finally extinguish the Istrian patriot rebellion.
Last edited:
1504-1505
January 1st 1504
Outside Pazin
The camp stank. And Raimondo II was bored. War was mostly boredom with a small amount of extreme excitement spoiled by fear. Not mentioning that he was cold.
The cold did nothing to take his mind of the death of his long-time friend, the diplomat Armand des Ecures. On the 2nd September, after going back to Fruili to keep tags on Administrator Celio he become suddenly very ill and died.
He heard that it all happened after a banquet held by Mario Celio for Armand's delegation, but Celio wouldn't do such a thing would he?
Maybe he could retire to the camp brothel to 'warm up' and forget his mourning Raimondo II wondered, tempted. No! He would not for the life of him follow in the footsteps of his father, or his mother for that matter. He had to be chaste, virtuous and holy to wipe away the stain of his vile conception as a clerical bastard.
Besides soon he would have to be available to say mass for the men, Alberto Mancini as commander had insisted that he take on a full clerical role in the camp rather than be its commander so as to raise morale by creating the maximum contrast between godly Aquileia and their heathen enemies.
12th February 1504
Pazin
Alberto Mancini looks wearily upon the devastated town of Pazin. He pitied the town inhabitants, weary, tattered and afraid. They would no longer be any threat; all they wanted now was to live in peace.
In the end the rebel garrison, now on the edge of starvation and with the walls of the city shattered so that cannon volleys to fire freely into the city had mutinied against their leaders. For all their bravado in the way they had executed Toma Lackovic the original leader of this infernal rebellion who had carried the Croatian King's orders to surrender, the garrison, upon learning that the new Croatian rebel army which their leaders had desperately promised them would materialize was a figment of imagination had ultimately deposed them and seized control of the city for him.
Now those rebel leaders, 8 men in total were being marched to the gallows in weary silence. Thus ended Alberto Mancini supposed all rebellions against legitimate and just authorities. And with the rebellion no more they would be free to focus on the real enemy.
*********************************************************
6th April 1504
Near Gabes
The Aquilean forces had disembarked from their ships as they ever did under his command, swiftly and in a disciplined fashion. Alberto Mancini expected to swiftly clear Gabes of the Algerian forces before moving on.
The forces they had sent to conduct the 'siege' of Gabes were pitiful.
*********************************************************
7th April 1504
The Algerian border
Mustafa Kelkal rode his horse like he had never done in his life. In a single cavalry charge his forces had been routed, run down and slaughtered to a man. What was Muhammad VII thinking of leaving him with so few men?
*********************************************************
29th April 1504
Near Gafsa
The Algerians had attempted to field another army, an army of mercenaries he had determined but no bigger and even worse equipped than the first. Its fate had been as swift and crushing as the first.
Now his armies prepared to march onto Gafsa, he had little doubt that the town would strongly ‘appreciate’ his cannons. He would also order his cavalry to return to Gabes, aware that the resources available for a large army to survive in the bleak semi-desert wilderness were scarce. It would not do to lose his army to starvation before they saw action.
*********************************************************
28th October 1504
Gafsa
The town of Gafsa had not held out for long, his cannons had proven decisive. Faced with the prospect of being reduced to rubble, they had handed over the keys relatively fast.
To the north the Algerian army besieged Tunis. Now he had covered the strategic flank leading to Gabes, it was time to defeat them.
*********************************************************
4th December 1504
Near Tunis
Gastone Medici di Marigliano was excited as he ever was at the arrival of battle. War was his profession, his life and his passion. His cavalry knew that and he did his to make them feel otherwise.
The Algerians retreated, hoping to reach a rocky hill pass where his cavalry would be of limited use against him. They had no cavalry, such was their weakness. Never-the-less they presumed to exclude his glorious forces from any serious role in the battle. The cheek of it!
"Charge!" he shouted.
*********************************************************
4th December 1504
Near the Algerian/Tunisia border
In the end Gastone had decided, this was less war and more a hunt. There was the familiar *thwack* as his sword removed the head of yet another terrified Algerian infantryman and the equally familiar *thump* as the head hit the ground.
He had yet to suffer a single casualty; the only annoyance that had afflicted him was the requirement to continually pause in order to allow the infantry and artillery to catch up. He knew it was for the best, but it was still annoying. It might mean that some Algerians actually got away.
*********************************************************
9th January 1505
Near Constantine
Muhammad VII had made a puny attempt to regroup his forces inside Algeria itself, but predictably it was to little avail for him. The hunt continued........
*********************************************************
11th January 1505
Near Constantine
It had been Antonio Odelesci's idea and it had worked. Having seized control of Gafsa, killed most of the Algerian army and besieged the Algerian city of Constantine the Algerians were it was guessed ready to make peace. And they would be delighted to receive such favourable peace terms as the liberation of Tunisia.
They had accepted precisely that offer. And what an opportunity such a 'liberation' could be made into.
*********************************************************
11th January 1505
Tunis
Ali I was again interrupted by the usual minions trying to get him to do such and such as thing or say such and such a thing to such and such a person. It was ambassador Inal Kansur.
"It's a letter from Aquileia Sultan, would you care to read it," Inal reported.
"Is it about the war?" Ali I asks.
"No, it appears the war is over,"
Ali I reads the letter.
Ali I Sultan of Tunisia. We report that the war against Algeria has been concluded. At it's conclusion your liberation from our rule was declared. We chose this apparent defeat over victory because we consider you to be a double-dealing tyrant that lacks the honour of a snake. To have you as a subject ruler is a disgusting blight on the honour of Aquileia. You have dishonoured the very treaty by which peace was made between our nations by continuing to harbour pirates in your nation.
"It's a threat Inal Kansur, the Aquileans who are the very devious snakes that they accuse "us" of being have used their recent treaty with Algeria to rip up the peace treaty which binds us to their protection, they sent the insult in order to weaken our relations with them so it would not be perceived by their own people as rank treachery," Ali I explains.
"They have liberated us from their rule only so they can destroy us at their will!" Inal remarks.
"Except that they will do no such thing!" Ali declares.
"But our armies are not strong enough to resist them, we have barely gathered 1000 infantrymen, Aquileia eats such armies for breakfast," Inal protests.
"And that is why I have you. Contact our agents in Algeria and Morocco, indeed every Muslim State you can and inform them of the situation WITH ALL HASTE! Our survival depends upon it,"
"It will do done ask you ask. With all haste,"
"If we should succeed the Aquilean plan of an easy kill will be ruined and we will indeed not only survive but gain our freedom,"
*********************************************************
January 15th 1505
Tunis
A Moroccan delegation arrives.
"We have determined the nature of the ruse that Aquileia is attempting under the guise of defeat. We shall now guarantee your independence in the event of any attempt by them to profit to turn their recent defeat in their late war against Algeria into any form of victory," the diplomat announces.
*********************************************************
January 19th 1505
Tunis
An Algerian delegation arrives.
"We have long been suspicious of the terms offered by the Tunisians. We were alarmed to hear of their plans towards your nation. Weary as we are of an ongoing war, we guarantee your nation and will consider any Aquilean attack on Tunisia as a breach of the treaty we have made with them,"
*********************************************************
February 5th 1505
Tunis
Ali I learned of yet another helpful offer from the 'Great' Sultan of Morocco al-Mustadi I.
This time it was Fariha, the Sultans own full-sister in marriage. He had eagerly accepted this offer, Moroccan support would be crucial not only in repelling the imminent Aquilean invasion but also to deter the Algerians in future once he won. She was certainly beautiful too but perhaps that was simply because she was a woman and young.
However he was unlikely to have much time to enjoy his first marriage let alone his second one given the present situation. But when he had time, perhaps she could produce many heirs to the throne of Tunisia. Assuming there still was a throne that was.
********************************************************
22nd March 1505
Tunis
Ali I was coming to hate his life. All the time he had actually had some opportunity to control his fate, it was too late. All the time he had been forced to leave his Sultanate's destiny in the hands of others!
First when the accursed Aquileans had invaded he was just a boy. His mother's regency had led the country into ruin, humiliation and military defeat. By the time he was old enough to take command, he was shut away inside Tunis under siege. And then he was subject to Aquilean 'rule'.
The Aquileans had sent their declaration of war on 12th February. He had gathered all his forces, a mere 1000 men to meet them. Predictably they had all been wiped out and now he was shut away once again in an over-sized prison.
That was his reign, one endless siege. Sometimes the besiegers were Muslims, sometimes they were Christians. It made rather little difference in truth. His destiny was still in the hands of others and he was still just as trapped.
*********************************************************
8th May 1505
West of Tunis
Muhammad VII was getting tired of the war. But the Aquileans had to be stopped. And so he led yet another army against the Aquileans. This time at least he had Cavalry, but in all honesty even if he lost yet again, he would still win. His men were he hated to say entirely expendable, what mattered that the Aquilean army was whittled down to the level that they could not seize Tunis for themselves. Time was on his side.
*********************************************************
7th June 1505
West of Tunis
They had prevailed so many times before against Algeria that Gastone di' Marigliano was not surprised to see the backs of yet another of their armies. However unlike the previous glorious battle against Algeria, they had actually brought some cavalry.
Those cavalry had indeed taken their toll on his brave men before they had been run from the field as was normal. The so-called Voyniq Knights were well to be feared. He hated to admit it but they were the reason that the Saracens had any real chance against the disciplined and heroic forces of Aquileia.
*********************************************************
20th July 1505
Near Tunis
Alberto Mancini had watched grimly the Moroccan fleet had scattered their blockade around Tunis's harbour. This was a blow to his siege plans as it would allow them to potentially bring new supplies to support the beleaguered city and its garrison.
And from the south-west, Muhammad VII again followed familiar tracks, determined to avenge yet another defeat at his hands. His scouts reported that this time they brought cavalry in abundance. While he had his glorious cannons and was skilled at their use, this battle would probably be costly.
He would need reinforcements in greater numbers if he was to hold up the siege. The Algerians could seemingly replace their losses faster than he could.
*********************************************************
25th July 1505
Near Tunis
Raimondo II glibly performed the ritual that would bless the new cannons of the Aquilean army. They were the latest most modern cannons. Now instead of having 10 cannons, they would be able to have 20. Smaller and more manoeuvrable, but still massive these cannons while individually less powerful than the huge mortars that proceeded them, would overall command more firepower. With their victory over the latest Algerian army the time had come to install them in the place of their obsolete predecessors.
*********************************************************
August 5th 1505
Tyrannean Sea
It was clear to historians that the Moroccans didn't learn from their mistakes. After their 'victory' outside of Tunis, they proceeded to sail towards Aquileia, leaving their transport cogs entirely unguarded. And so it was that once again the Aquilean navy was able to engage them.
Pursuing them all the way to Spain, the last cog was sunk off Catalonia on the 23rd September. Taking advantage of their treaty, the Aquilean ships then proceeded to take dock in that region.
*********************************************************
September 2nd 1505
Udine
"So Administrator Celio, I take it you will be requesting an extension of your loan, with a 'modest' interest increase perhaps," the leader of the bankers 'suggests'.
"No, I have your repayments right here. All 167,000 ducats of it in fact," Mario Celio responds.
The bankers look both shocked and disappointed. They had actually found a nation that could actually pay back its debts.
*********************************************************
14th November 1505
Near Tunis
Muhammad VII surveyed his glorious Voyniq Knights in all their splendour and above all numbers. Now was the time to shatter the worthless Aquilean cavalry, cut down the infantry like the animals that they were and when that was done butcher the men manning those infernal cannons. Yes, his time had come at last. Victory would be his.
An meanwhile a huge army of 10,000 men had been sent by Morocco to besiege Gabes. They would have no safe ports to which to run.
*********************************************************
15th December 1505
Near Tunis
Faced with an ever dwindling siege force in Tunisia, Alberto Mancini had devised a brilliant relief plan. He would return to Aquileia and see to the hiring of mercenary infantry in order to add additional forces to the siege. Now his forces had managed to land and assemble he had learned that his arrival could not have happened earlier.
He found that the majority of the Aquilean army had already been slain or had fled. The remnants of the cavalry had dismounted and lined up in front of the cannons for a desperate last stand. The Algerians had all but won.
But now 2000 mercenary infantry had arrived to reinforce them.
*********************************************************
31st December 1505
Near Tunis
Alberto Mancini gazed along the smooth slope of the hill along which his forces had positioned themselves, gazing upon the familiar forms of Voyniq Knights. Behind him his cannons were preparing to load and beside were 2000 mercenary infantry.
Their equipment might be inferior to those of his regular troops, but their swift arrival may well have saved him now that most of those forces had fled or lay mutilated upon the ground. One thing was certain however, the Algerian cavalry after nearly 2 months of fighting still had plenty of fight in them.
January 1st 1504
Outside Pazin
The camp stank. And Raimondo II was bored. War was mostly boredom with a small amount of extreme excitement spoiled by fear. Not mentioning that he was cold.
The cold did nothing to take his mind of the death of his long-time friend, the diplomat Armand des Ecures. On the 2nd September, after going back to Fruili to keep tags on Administrator Celio he become suddenly very ill and died.
He heard that it all happened after a banquet held by Mario Celio for Armand's delegation, but Celio wouldn't do such a thing would he?
Maybe he could retire to the camp brothel to 'warm up' and forget his mourning Raimondo II wondered, tempted. No! He would not for the life of him follow in the footsteps of his father, or his mother for that matter. He had to be chaste, virtuous and holy to wipe away the stain of his vile conception as a clerical bastard.
Besides soon he would have to be available to say mass for the men, Alberto Mancini as commander had insisted that he take on a full clerical role in the camp rather than be its commander so as to raise morale by creating the maximum contrast between godly Aquileia and their heathen enemies.
12th February 1504
Pazin
Alberto Mancini looks wearily upon the devastated town of Pazin. He pitied the town inhabitants, weary, tattered and afraid. They would no longer be any threat; all they wanted now was to live in peace.
In the end the rebel garrison, now on the edge of starvation and with the walls of the city shattered so that cannon volleys to fire freely into the city had mutinied against their leaders. For all their bravado in the way they had executed Toma Lackovic the original leader of this infernal rebellion who had carried the Croatian King's orders to surrender, the garrison, upon learning that the new Croatian rebel army which their leaders had desperately promised them would materialize was a figment of imagination had ultimately deposed them and seized control of the city for him.
Now those rebel leaders, 8 men in total were being marched to the gallows in weary silence. Thus ended Alberto Mancini supposed all rebellions against legitimate and just authorities. And with the rebellion no more they would be free to focus on the real enemy.
*********************************************************
6th April 1504
Near Gabes
The Aquilean forces had disembarked from their ships as they ever did under his command, swiftly and in a disciplined fashion. Alberto Mancini expected to swiftly clear Gabes of the Algerian forces before moving on.
The forces they had sent to conduct the 'siege' of Gabes were pitiful.
*********************************************************
7th April 1504
The Algerian border
Mustafa Kelkal rode his horse like he had never done in his life. In a single cavalry charge his forces had been routed, run down and slaughtered to a man. What was Muhammad VII thinking of leaving him with so few men?
*********************************************************
29th April 1504
Near Gafsa
The Algerians had attempted to field another army, an army of mercenaries he had determined but no bigger and even worse equipped than the first. Its fate had been as swift and crushing as the first.
Now his armies prepared to march onto Gafsa, he had little doubt that the town would strongly ‘appreciate’ his cannons. He would also order his cavalry to return to Gabes, aware that the resources available for a large army to survive in the bleak semi-desert wilderness were scarce. It would not do to lose his army to starvation before they saw action.
*********************************************************
28th October 1504
Gafsa
The town of Gafsa had not held out for long, his cannons had proven decisive. Faced with the prospect of being reduced to rubble, they had handed over the keys relatively fast.
To the north the Algerian army besieged Tunis. Now he had covered the strategic flank leading to Gabes, it was time to defeat them.
*********************************************************
4th December 1504
Near Tunis
Gastone Medici di Marigliano was excited as he ever was at the arrival of battle. War was his profession, his life and his passion. His cavalry knew that and he did his to make them feel otherwise.
The Algerians retreated, hoping to reach a rocky hill pass where his cavalry would be of limited use against him. They had no cavalry, such was their weakness. Never-the-less they presumed to exclude his glorious forces from any serious role in the battle. The cheek of it!
"Charge!" he shouted.
*********************************************************
4th December 1504
Near the Algerian/Tunisia border
In the end Gastone had decided, this was less war and more a hunt. There was the familiar *thwack* as his sword removed the head of yet another terrified Algerian infantryman and the equally familiar *thump* as the head hit the ground.
He had yet to suffer a single casualty; the only annoyance that had afflicted him was the requirement to continually pause in order to allow the infantry and artillery to catch up. He knew it was for the best, but it was still annoying. It might mean that some Algerians actually got away.
*********************************************************
9th January 1505
Near Constantine
Muhammad VII had made a puny attempt to regroup his forces inside Algeria itself, but predictably it was to little avail for him. The hunt continued........
*********************************************************
11th January 1505
Near Constantine
It had been Antonio Odelesci's idea and it had worked. Having seized control of Gafsa, killed most of the Algerian army and besieged the Algerian city of Constantine the Algerians were it was guessed ready to make peace. And they would be delighted to receive such favourable peace terms as the liberation of Tunisia.
They had accepted precisely that offer. And what an opportunity such a 'liberation' could be made into.
*********************************************************
11th January 1505
Tunis
Ali I was again interrupted by the usual minions trying to get him to do such and such as thing or say such and such a thing to such and such a person. It was ambassador Inal Kansur.
"It's a letter from Aquileia Sultan, would you care to read it," Inal reported.
"Is it about the war?" Ali I asks.
"No, it appears the war is over,"
Ali I reads the letter.
Ali I Sultan of Tunisia. We report that the war against Algeria has been concluded. At it's conclusion your liberation from our rule was declared. We chose this apparent defeat over victory because we consider you to be a double-dealing tyrant that lacks the honour of a snake. To have you as a subject ruler is a disgusting blight on the honour of Aquileia. You have dishonoured the very treaty by which peace was made between our nations by continuing to harbour pirates in your nation.
"It's a threat Inal Kansur, the Aquileans who are the very devious snakes that they accuse "us" of being have used their recent treaty with Algeria to rip up the peace treaty which binds us to their protection, they sent the insult in order to weaken our relations with them so it would not be perceived by their own people as rank treachery," Ali I explains.
"They have liberated us from their rule only so they can destroy us at their will!" Inal remarks.
"Except that they will do no such thing!" Ali declares.
"But our armies are not strong enough to resist them, we have barely gathered 1000 infantrymen, Aquileia eats such armies for breakfast," Inal protests.
"And that is why I have you. Contact our agents in Algeria and Morocco, indeed every Muslim State you can and inform them of the situation WITH ALL HASTE! Our survival depends upon it,"
"It will do done ask you ask. With all haste,"
"If we should succeed the Aquilean plan of an easy kill will be ruined and we will indeed not only survive but gain our freedom,"
*********************************************************
January 15th 1505
Tunis
A Moroccan delegation arrives.
"We have determined the nature of the ruse that Aquileia is attempting under the guise of defeat. We shall now guarantee your independence in the event of any attempt by them to profit to turn their recent defeat in their late war against Algeria into any form of victory," the diplomat announces.
*********************************************************
January 19th 1505
Tunis
An Algerian delegation arrives.
"We have long been suspicious of the terms offered by the Tunisians. We were alarmed to hear of their plans towards your nation. Weary as we are of an ongoing war, we guarantee your nation and will consider any Aquilean attack on Tunisia as a breach of the treaty we have made with them,"
*********************************************************
February 5th 1505
Tunis
Ali I learned of yet another helpful offer from the 'Great' Sultan of Morocco al-Mustadi I.
This time it was Fariha, the Sultans own full-sister in marriage. He had eagerly accepted this offer, Moroccan support would be crucial not only in repelling the imminent Aquilean invasion but also to deter the Algerians in future once he won. She was certainly beautiful too but perhaps that was simply because she was a woman and young.
However he was unlikely to have much time to enjoy his first marriage let alone his second one given the present situation. But when he had time, perhaps she could produce many heirs to the throne of Tunisia. Assuming there still was a throne that was.
********************************************************
22nd March 1505
Tunis
Ali I was coming to hate his life. All the time he had actually had some opportunity to control his fate, it was too late. All the time he had been forced to leave his Sultanate's destiny in the hands of others!
First when the accursed Aquileans had invaded he was just a boy. His mother's regency had led the country into ruin, humiliation and military defeat. By the time he was old enough to take command, he was shut away inside Tunis under siege. And then he was subject to Aquilean 'rule'.
The Aquileans had sent their declaration of war on 12th February. He had gathered all his forces, a mere 1000 men to meet them. Predictably they had all been wiped out and now he was shut away once again in an over-sized prison.
That was his reign, one endless siege. Sometimes the besiegers were Muslims, sometimes they were Christians. It made rather little difference in truth. His destiny was still in the hands of others and he was still just as trapped.
*********************************************************
8th May 1505
West of Tunis
Muhammad VII was getting tired of the war. But the Aquileans had to be stopped. And so he led yet another army against the Aquileans. This time at least he had Cavalry, but in all honesty even if he lost yet again, he would still win. His men were he hated to say entirely expendable, what mattered that the Aquilean army was whittled down to the level that they could not seize Tunis for themselves. Time was on his side.
*********************************************************
7th June 1505
West of Tunis
They had prevailed so many times before against Algeria that Gastone di' Marigliano was not surprised to see the backs of yet another of their armies. However unlike the previous glorious battle against Algeria, they had actually brought some cavalry.
Those cavalry had indeed taken their toll on his brave men before they had been run from the field as was normal. The so-called Voyniq Knights were well to be feared. He hated to admit it but they were the reason that the Saracens had any real chance against the disciplined and heroic forces of Aquileia.
*********************************************************
20th July 1505
Near Tunis
Alberto Mancini had watched grimly the Moroccan fleet had scattered their blockade around Tunis's harbour. This was a blow to his siege plans as it would allow them to potentially bring new supplies to support the beleaguered city and its garrison.
And from the south-west, Muhammad VII again followed familiar tracks, determined to avenge yet another defeat at his hands. His scouts reported that this time they brought cavalry in abundance. While he had his glorious cannons and was skilled at their use, this battle would probably be costly.
He would need reinforcements in greater numbers if he was to hold up the siege. The Algerians could seemingly replace their losses faster than he could.
*********************************************************
25th July 1505
Near Tunis
Raimondo II glibly performed the ritual that would bless the new cannons of the Aquilean army. They were the latest most modern cannons. Now instead of having 10 cannons, they would be able to have 20. Smaller and more manoeuvrable, but still massive these cannons while individually less powerful than the huge mortars that proceeded them, would overall command more firepower. With their victory over the latest Algerian army the time had come to install them in the place of their obsolete predecessors.
*********************************************************
August 5th 1505
Tyrannean Sea
It was clear to historians that the Moroccans didn't learn from their mistakes. After their 'victory' outside of Tunis, they proceeded to sail towards Aquileia, leaving their transport cogs entirely unguarded. And so it was that once again the Aquilean navy was able to engage them.
Pursuing them all the way to Spain, the last cog was sunk off Catalonia on the 23rd September. Taking advantage of their treaty, the Aquilean ships then proceeded to take dock in that region.
*********************************************************
September 2nd 1505
Udine
"So Administrator Celio, I take it you will be requesting an extension of your loan, with a 'modest' interest increase perhaps," the leader of the bankers 'suggests'.
"No, I have your repayments right here. All 167,000 ducats of it in fact," Mario Celio responds.
The bankers look both shocked and disappointed. They had actually found a nation that could actually pay back its debts.
*********************************************************
14th November 1505
Near Tunis
Muhammad VII surveyed his glorious Voyniq Knights in all their splendour and above all numbers. Now was the time to shatter the worthless Aquilean cavalry, cut down the infantry like the animals that they were and when that was done butcher the men manning those infernal cannons. Yes, his time had come at last. Victory would be his.
An meanwhile a huge army of 10,000 men had been sent by Morocco to besiege Gabes. They would have no safe ports to which to run.
*********************************************************
15th December 1505
Near Tunis
Faced with an ever dwindling siege force in Tunisia, Alberto Mancini had devised a brilliant relief plan. He would return to Aquileia and see to the hiring of mercenary infantry in order to add additional forces to the siege. Now his forces had managed to land and assemble he had learned that his arrival could not have happened earlier.
He found that the majority of the Aquilean army had already been slain or had fled. The remnants of the cavalry had dismounted and lined up in front of the cannons for a desperate last stand. The Algerians had all but won.
But now 2000 mercenary infantry had arrived to reinforce them.
*********************************************************
31st December 1505
Near Tunis
Alberto Mancini gazed along the smooth slope of the hill along which his forces had positioned themselves, gazing upon the familiar forms of Voyniq Knights. Behind him his cannons were preparing to load and beside were 2000 mercenary infantry.
Their equipment might be inferior to those of his regular troops, but their swift arrival may well have saved him now that most of those forces had fled or lay mutilated upon the ground. One thing was certain however, the Algerian cavalry after nearly 2 months of fighting still had plenty of fight in them.
You are bleeding yourself dry in Tunis...
Tell me about it. It's all be worth it if my flag flies over Tunis though. Tunis is rich, rich rich.
1506-
January 7th 1506
Outside of Tripoli
After nearly two months of fighting the last remaining Algerians had finally been driven from the region of Tunis. Alberto Mancini led the weary remnants of his army back towards the siege line of Tunis their cannons in tow. He was confident that the city could not last much longer .
To the south the reports were worrying however. Over 10,000 Moroccan soldiers, thankfully mostly infantry had besieged the town of Gafsa. With it's fall, they would be left free to move against his forces outside Tunis. The situation was critical, Gafsa had to hold for longer than Tunis. For this he prayed.
*********************************************************
February 20th 1506
Outside of Tripoli
The Algerians were growing desperate Alberto Mancini had decided. Muhhamad VII knew the hour of Tunis's fall would soon come and so they had marched their army, defeated only a month ago back into the Tunis region. Now he would have to drive them back all over again.
*********************************************************
March 5th 1506
Outside of Tripoli
The fate of the Algerian army was not in any real doubt. They were defeated once again and driven back into Algeria. There he had to allow them to regroup once again, since until Tunis fell and the Moroccan army in Gafsa remained undefeated he was not truly free to move against them.
*********************************************************
April 6th 1506
Verona
All the notables of Verona and the region around had gathered to witness the only significant event in Aquileia that was not related to killing people. Georg Wilhelm I of Brandenburg, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire had come to Verona to renew the lien of Verona to the Patriarchate.
It was a lavish ceremony with plenty of food and drink for the assembled notables. It had cost a total of 3060 ducats in total to arrange. The Emporer would however be impressed and it would do much to increase Aquileia's popularity with the Emperor.
But that was all it really cost. For all the apparent humility and submission to the Emperor when the ceremony was over and the Emperor went back to Berlin it was quite clear who would really be in charge of the province. For the price of a pretty ceremony Aquileia and Raimondo II would command all the wealth along with most importantly all the men of Verona for the war.
********************************************************
21st June 1506
Verona
The additional 2000 new mercenery infantry they had hired and shipped to Tunisia had paid off, Tunis had surrendered just in time for his return from Verona Raimondo II was pleased to learn. The cities inhabitants were tired, fearful and hungry yet they looked upon him with undisguised hatred. The streets were strewn with rubbish and pitted with the large craters where his cannonballs had hit. Many the buildings were ruined or half-ruined as well.
Ali I, Sultan of Tunisia, who had been his ally and his enemy both had been brought before him by Alberto Mancini. Now he had to determine his fate and Ali I had already decided what his fate was to be.
"Must I die?" he protested.
"Not at all Ali, there is a way for you to live," Raimondo II told him.
"What would that be?"
"You may be baptized a Christian and enter a monastery in my realm to devote the rest of your life to our God,"
"Is there any other way?"
"No there isn't,"
"But we were allies once, we fought together at Gafsa do you not remember?"
"You were always truly my enemy. The pirates never left your ports and even now their Christian slaves are being liberated from the marketplace,"
"I could not, for my people's sake Raimondo. Those pirates, their revenge would have been truly terrible had I put into practice the treaty, I would be left ruling a heap of ruins and before long a pirate would sit on my throne,"
"I would happily reduce Aquileia and abdicate the Patriarchal throne if it would destroy those pirates!"
"But what of my wife and her child!"
"She will be imprisoned and when her child is born it will be taken from her. He or she shall receive an Aquilean name and they shall never know who they truly are," Alberto Mancini interjects.
Ali smiles sadly.
"What do you decide Sultan?" Raimondo II asks.
"I will die and go to join the martyrs in paradise, to join the many thousands who have died for my rule, may I be the last," Ali I declares finally.
And so Ali I was marched in chains to the execution square to die. The axe was ready and sharp. Only a handful of Tunisians had been brave enough to attend the death of their ruler.
"I shall not be the last!" he shouted in Arabic at the tiny crowd before the axe fell and ended his life. The royal martyr's cryptic words would inspire many in the years to come.................
*********************************************************
5th August 1506
Tunisian border
His worst fear, that the Moroccans would successfully take control of Gabes before he had control of Tunis had not been realized. But another fear was looming, the prospect of fighting not only the vast Moroccan host but the armies of Algeria combined with them. To dispel this fear a new battle had to be faught and won. They would have to prevail against the Algerian army and drive them away from the Tunisian border.
So now his forces, now reinforced with the fresh mercenaries they had hired in back in January and victorious at Tunis crossed the border into Algeria.........
*********************************************************
19th August 1506
Constantine Region
They had won yet another victory over the Algerians. That was in truth a foregone conclusion despite the many cavalry the Algerians commanded, although a general was unwise to ever take anything for granted.
The heaps of Algerian dead that now littered the field should hopefully be enough to discourage the remainder from aiding their Moroccan brethren when the hour for battle against them came.
*********************************************************
3rd September 1506
Kabylia Region
In the end Sultan Muhammad VII met his end not at the end of an Aquilean pike but that of his own men. After his last defeat at Constantine, he set to hunting down the deserters who had fled the battle not in proper order in order to regroup his army. It was then that a band of those deserters had turned their arms against their own Sultan and murdered him.
The Sultan younger brother, Khidr Khair Ad-Din and his supporters had moved swiftly to take control, murdering Muhhamad VII sons, his own cousins in order to place himself first in the line of succession. It worked and he was swiftly acclaimed as in Algeria as Sultan Khidr Khair Ad-Din I.
*********************************************************
November 1506
Gabes
Great Sultan Al-Mustadi basked in the applause of the people of Gabes, his fellow Muslims. His armies were vast, while the Christians resources drained away by the day. The Garrison had resisted desperately, he heard rumored that they had resorted to devouring his sympathizers inside the city in order to survive. The fools now believed that their surrender would spare their lives. It wouldn't.
By their deaths he would win the love of the people of Gabes, a sure grounding for his new dominion there. He had received disturbing reports of the unrest and piggish defiance of the people back in Morocco. But perhaps his glorious victory in Tunisia would placate them.
There was certainly no way the pitiful remnants of the Aquilean army could stop him winning that glorious victory.
January 7th 1506
Outside of Tripoli
After nearly two months of fighting the last remaining Algerians had finally been driven from the region of Tunis. Alberto Mancini led the weary remnants of his army back towards the siege line of Tunis their cannons in tow. He was confident that the city could not last much longer .
To the south the reports were worrying however. Over 10,000 Moroccan soldiers, thankfully mostly infantry had besieged the town of Gafsa. With it's fall, they would be left free to move against his forces outside Tunis. The situation was critical, Gafsa had to hold for longer than Tunis. For this he prayed.
*********************************************************
February 20th 1506
Outside of Tripoli
The Algerians were growing desperate Alberto Mancini had decided. Muhhamad VII knew the hour of Tunis's fall would soon come and so they had marched their army, defeated only a month ago back into the Tunis region. Now he would have to drive them back all over again.
*********************************************************
March 5th 1506
Outside of Tripoli
The fate of the Algerian army was not in any real doubt. They were defeated once again and driven back into Algeria. There he had to allow them to regroup once again, since until Tunis fell and the Moroccan army in Gafsa remained undefeated he was not truly free to move against them.
*********************************************************
April 6th 1506
Verona
All the notables of Verona and the region around had gathered to witness the only significant event in Aquileia that was not related to killing people. Georg Wilhelm I of Brandenburg, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire had come to Verona to renew the lien of Verona to the Patriarchate.
It was a lavish ceremony with plenty of food and drink for the assembled notables. It had cost a total of 3060 ducats in total to arrange. The Emporer would however be impressed and it would do much to increase Aquileia's popularity with the Emperor.
But that was all it really cost. For all the apparent humility and submission to the Emperor when the ceremony was over and the Emperor went back to Berlin it was quite clear who would really be in charge of the province. For the price of a pretty ceremony Aquileia and Raimondo II would command all the wealth along with most importantly all the men of Verona for the war.
********************************************************
21st June 1506
Verona
The additional 2000 new mercenery infantry they had hired and shipped to Tunisia had paid off, Tunis had surrendered just in time for his return from Verona Raimondo II was pleased to learn. The cities inhabitants were tired, fearful and hungry yet they looked upon him with undisguised hatred. The streets were strewn with rubbish and pitted with the large craters where his cannonballs had hit. Many the buildings were ruined or half-ruined as well.
Ali I, Sultan of Tunisia, who had been his ally and his enemy both had been brought before him by Alberto Mancini. Now he had to determine his fate and Ali I had already decided what his fate was to be.
"Must I die?" he protested.
"Not at all Ali, there is a way for you to live," Raimondo II told him.
"What would that be?"
"You may be baptized a Christian and enter a monastery in my realm to devote the rest of your life to our God,"
"Is there any other way?"
"No there isn't,"
"But we were allies once, we fought together at Gafsa do you not remember?"
"You were always truly my enemy. The pirates never left your ports and even now their Christian slaves are being liberated from the marketplace,"
"I could not, for my people's sake Raimondo. Those pirates, their revenge would have been truly terrible had I put into practice the treaty, I would be left ruling a heap of ruins and before long a pirate would sit on my throne,"
"I would happily reduce Aquileia and abdicate the Patriarchal throne if it would destroy those pirates!"
"But what of my wife and her child!"
"She will be imprisoned and when her child is born it will be taken from her. He or she shall receive an Aquilean name and they shall never know who they truly are," Alberto Mancini interjects.
Ali smiles sadly.
"What do you decide Sultan?" Raimondo II asks.
"I will die and go to join the martyrs in paradise, to join the many thousands who have died for my rule, may I be the last," Ali I declares finally.
And so Ali I was marched in chains to the execution square to die. The axe was ready and sharp. Only a handful of Tunisians had been brave enough to attend the death of their ruler.
"I shall not be the last!" he shouted in Arabic at the tiny crowd before the axe fell and ended his life. The royal martyr's cryptic words would inspire many in the years to come.................
*********************************************************
5th August 1506
Tunisian border
His worst fear, that the Moroccans would successfully take control of Gabes before he had control of Tunis had not been realized. But another fear was looming, the prospect of fighting not only the vast Moroccan host but the armies of Algeria combined with them. To dispel this fear a new battle had to be faught and won. They would have to prevail against the Algerian army and drive them away from the Tunisian border.
So now his forces, now reinforced with the fresh mercenaries they had hired in back in January and victorious at Tunis crossed the border into Algeria.........
*********************************************************
19th August 1506
Constantine Region
They had won yet another victory over the Algerians. That was in truth a foregone conclusion despite the many cavalry the Algerians commanded, although a general was unwise to ever take anything for granted.
The heaps of Algerian dead that now littered the field should hopefully be enough to discourage the remainder from aiding their Moroccan brethren when the hour for battle against them came.
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3rd September 1506
Kabylia Region
In the end Sultan Muhammad VII met his end not at the end of an Aquilean pike but that of his own men. After his last defeat at Constantine, he set to hunting down the deserters who had fled the battle not in proper order in order to regroup his army. It was then that a band of those deserters had turned their arms against their own Sultan and murdered him.
The Sultan younger brother, Khidr Khair Ad-Din and his supporters had moved swiftly to take control, murdering Muhhamad VII sons, his own cousins in order to place himself first in the line of succession. It worked and he was swiftly acclaimed as in Algeria as Sultan Khidr Khair Ad-Din I.
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November 1506
Gabes
Great Sultan Al-Mustadi basked in the applause of the people of Gabes, his fellow Muslims. His armies were vast, while the Christians resources drained away by the day. The Garrison had resisted desperately, he heard rumored that they had resorted to devouring his sympathizers inside the city in order to survive. The fools now believed that their surrender would spare their lives. It wouldn't.
By their deaths he would win the love of the people of Gabes, a sure grounding for his new dominion there. He had received disturbing reports of the unrest and piggish defiance of the people back in Morocco. But perhaps his glorious victory in Tunisia would placate them.
There was certainly no way the pitiful remnants of the Aquilean army could stop him winning that glorious victory.
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I am sorry to report that during the reinstall process (why means the install process of the latest IN patch) I have managed to destroy the version of Magna Mundi which the game used. As a result, this AAR is unfortunately over even though I still have the save game.
Except for computer crashes... They seem to go on indefinitely...
Will you be trying again with a newer/different version of MM...?
Aquileia holds a special place in my heart... (it was my first AAR)
T
Except for computer crashes... They seem to go on indefinitely...
Will you be trying again with a newer/different version of MM...?
Aquileia holds a special place in my heart... (it was my first AAR)
T
I was thinking of playing Bohemia, or the Mamalukes but only privately. I might play again with Aquileia but only once the Heir to the Throne is installed and the relevant version of Magna Mundi.
That would make the game different enough that it wouldn't feel strange. Otherwise I will probably make a Golden Horde AAR.