Chapter XVIII – Sunnites et Equites Sancti
Finn Mac Finnachta:
While the legion was hurrying from one skirmish to the other, Imperatrix Ulpia wondered why the Caliphate only sent small groups into Coloneia 'just to get slaughtered'. My agentes quickly provided an answer: The Caliphate had reached its strongest point under the Abbasids around one hundred years ago after they had invaded Graecia, but they grew decadent and lost most of the lands they took from the Greeks to upstart Emirs and the Hospitallers, later the duke of Poitou. And the Seljuk Turks not long ago invaded their heartland; now the Caliphate had their lands separated and could not throw a unified army at the Legion. Coloneia would be a first step for the reunification of their provinces, the Caliph surely thought. He should have informed himself of the change in its political status first!
The generals of the Sunnis tried their best with their limited manpower, launching a sneak attack on the not already fortified city of Phanagoria in the new res publica of Chersonesus, but their initial success didn't last long. Worse for them, the Georgian King agreed to help the Caliph in his effort while the Legion was marching through their lands. The only real battles of the war were fought in Georgia before the Caliph capitulated as Ulpia sacked Edessa.
Journal of Cornelius:
(…) Since the Imperatrix actually stopped needing my services, the internal plotting and scheming augmented. I'll pick the case of the ducatus of Insulae as example: Since Ulpia's namesake from the Vitsercus family died in her accident, Tiberius I ruled Segovium and Insulae, who died recently. Now, Tiberius Secundus is married to the ducissa Gordiana of Eburacum, as the old quaestor Publius now counts the denarii on his tomb. This upsets the balance in Britannia; even the Greeks seemed to fear that, as if the Vitserci would set out and conquer them from the inside. I knew old Fabius, and his descendants are still better with their weapons then their words. Ducissa Pelagia of Venetia represented the request of the status-quo-party to Ulpia, being the nearest to her current location, and convinced her to reply positively. I think she just wanted to concentrate on her wars in Asia Minor and did whatever Pelagia wanted to get rid of her as soon as possible. Tiberius accepted the request, probably fearing a prolonged stay in Ulpia's preferred diplomatic solution. Now Fabius III, son of the rebel Fabius II's bastard son, rules the ducatus. Having talked to him, he seems like a bright man and would surely have been able to earn a title or office in the Imperium by himself. Maybe in Ulpia's current wars... (…)
Imperatrix Ulpia:
The Gafurid war was too long. Too many years lost for my dream. I won't be able to return Asia Minor and Graecia to the Imperium myself. But at least the Northern coast of Asia Minor! I still remember Julius' face when I told him a state of war existed between us and most of the minor emirates. Maybe he wanted to rest a bit, but I am running out of time. So much stress to become the greatest Roman of all time! The Georgians and Gafurids tried to help once more, and although they shared their sneak attack strategy on the Taurican merchants, it didn't save the little states from being integrated into the Imperium.
I was leaning over the map, pondering my next moves. As I had just dismissed my councillors to think alone, I yelled 'Out! Wasn't I clear enough?' to the person who just entered my tent.
'I won't leave, Ulpia, you need me. Your councillors are worried for your sanity.'
It was my brother Vespasian. What did a perfectus like him look for in a military camp? One who some duces want to replace me? An Elect, one who has sworn to live an ascetic life? To discard all material things? I still wonder what those duces are thinking. 'What do you want, Vespasian? Preach of peace? Not now, please.'
'I understand that the teachings of Martinus cannot always be respected when you are the Imperatrix, sister. As despicable as it is, war may be a necessity for the prosperity of the Imperium. The simple population, unlike the Elect, are depending on this prosperity. No, I come to deal with your stress. It won't do you any good.'
'Don't bother. I am feeling fine, the Legion is strong and ready, and Graecia awaits the return under the eagle. Don't let the looks deceive you, I love dealing with logistics, planning campaigns, my rise to eternal glory... I have to conquer much more! Where to go, who to attack?'
I had my attention back on the map as Vespasian hit a nerve: 'You are already known as the Great, Ulpia. No ruler is only measured by her conquests. Your rule had a chaotic beginning as father left, but no bellum civile ensured. You showed your strength and will, finally uniting the Imperia hundreds of years after they were torn apart. Roma is rising, Illyria, Bulgaria, Taurica, Valachia and much of Asia Minor are under the eagle now. You won a war against the Catholics, scaring their elite force so much they don't even try to engage in battle. History will remember you, your name will be compared to those of Alexander, Caesar and Carolus Magnus. Really, there is no need to reach for more quantity. Be content with what you have achieved. The world's problems are on other shoulders.'
My brother left, and I looked up from my map. He was right. I am the greatest. There is no need to risk much more. My body and memory are not the same as in my youth, and the future will know me as the Unifier Of The Imperia. I should focus on quality.
Journal of Cornelius:
(…) It looks like this will be the last entry I am able to make. I feel weaker every day. But my mind is still fully present, unlike Ulpia's, although she is around 20 years younger then me. Her frequent illnesses surely played a role in that. Thankfully Vespasian managed to stop her rage, but war has reached Graecia now. While Ulpia's Bulgarian plan worked, with Biagio dead and Aurelia succeeding him, Finn reported a civil war under the Hospitallers. Orson de Lavardin contested Rainero's position as Grandmaster and had declared himself the rightful leader of these knights. With his supporters, he searched the Catholic kingdoms to overthrow Rainero and attacked. She may not be the same warmonger as before, but Ulpia still is opportunistic. She eyes their capital Dyrrachion. I hope that the Hospitallers are like the Templars. But unlike them, they have conquered most of Graecia. I won't be here to worry about that.
Imperatrix Ulpia:
'Are you sure you want to lead the Legion? Don't you think you will forget something important while in battle? Like that we are in battle? I don't doubt your abilities, but your condition can prove dangerous for our victory. Your son Claudius could earn some experience.'
'I have never felt better, Gaius. Besides, the scouts number the Hospitaller army to around 6.000. We have 14.000! We can't lose that! Also, you are older then me, if someone is forgetful, it is you, Marcus.'
Rex Julius of Hibernia sighed, then left to prepare the march. Templars or Hospitallers, what is the difference anyway? And how the Templars fight, nobody knows that better then me.
While the Hospitallers had retreated to the mountains around Chounavia, it was not to worry, the first skirmishes made a great impact and I thought the fight would end soon. But then a huge number of reinforcements arrived on the knights' side and the tide seemed to turn. They concentrated on the Hibernian flank and routed it while their left one collapsed. Now in defence, I did everything for the centre to hold on until Aurelius and his troops got behind the initial defenders' line and dealt a heavy blow to their morale, abandoning their position and fleeing. The battle was won, although under heavy losses. Over 9.000 legionnaires for over 8.000 unholy knights. Antonius was maybe right; maybe not, his flank was the one which fled after all. But I needed to act: I called the magister inquisitiones Máel to summon the whole army with his communication network; the Hospitallers were a tough nut to crack.
The knights had retreated and combined their forces. Just as I sent a messenger back to Nova Roma to replace the late Crassus with my heir Petronia as cancellaria, they attacked us in Durrës. The ducissa of Morai Aurelia, an expert in defence, had joined us and we had fortified the legion behind a river on a steep hill. And if that was not enough, 2.000 Romans reinforced from the sea. The incompetent generals on the knights' side charged blindly in the flanks, held narrow by long and sharp pikes and quickly pushed back, while their center's commander advanced smarter, but couldn't stop our assault after the flanks were dealt with. Durrës was a crushing defeat for the knights, who with almost equal numbers sustained ten times the casualties. They routed eastwards, a disorganized mess, and with a forced march over the shortest pass, I was able to catch them in Debar. 1.800 heavily armoured knights came from Birsiminium, but couldn't avert the next defeat of the Hospitallers. Two commanders were captured and swiftly executed, one more in a following battle. Surely they wouldn't be able to continue much longer.
The Britannian troops hadn't arrived yet in the Haemus peninsula, and the Breton conqueror of Rhodes joined the defenders. Stationed in Ohrid, the Legion had to intervene in Kratovo to stop the Rhodesians from lifting our siege there. As I wondered how the Hospitallers could concentrate all their men against us while dealing with a man who aimed to replace them all, Crimthann informed me that the troublesome claimant found an end in an inn in Sicily. Not from a natural cause. The Bretons filling the fields of Kratovo, the knights had assembled 4.500 men once more to save their castle in Dyrrachion, but it was a force of mostly light mercenary infantry whose morale had already crumbled before the remaining Legion got to ducissa Severa's rescue.
As finally the Britannian ships came in sight at the coast, I was in the castle negotiating.
'Mother, the army is here and ready for your orders! Wait...who are these men?'
Claudius had entered the room in which I sat with Loïs for the terms of his surrender.
'Send them home. They can make a stop in Roma so that the trip was not completely useless. Arnau here is surrendering. The war is won.'
Claudius looked disappointed, then maybe changed his mind on the prospect of seeing Roma and left.
'I hate to admit it, but the heretics have won. I, Grandmaster Rainero, am admitting this defeat in the name of the Order and hereby surrender all titles in the duchy of Dyrrachion to the Empire of the Romans. For in a glorious moment, the Order shall regain its rightful lands, when you all burn in hell.'
Then, he signed the peace treaty and was escorted outside. The most difficult war in all my reign had ended. You cannot compare the Hospitallers to the Templars, after all.
Finn Mac Finnachta:
While the legion was hurrying from one skirmish to the other, Imperatrix Ulpia wondered why the Caliphate only sent small groups into Coloneia 'just to get slaughtered'. My agentes quickly provided an answer: The Caliphate had reached its strongest point under the Abbasids around one hundred years ago after they had invaded Graecia, but they grew decadent and lost most of the lands they took from the Greeks to upstart Emirs and the Hospitallers, later the duke of Poitou. And the Seljuk Turks not long ago invaded their heartland; now the Caliphate had their lands separated and could not throw a unified army at the Legion. Coloneia would be a first step for the reunification of their provinces, the Caliph surely thought. He should have informed himself of the change in its political status first!
The generals of the Sunnis tried their best with their limited manpower, launching a sneak attack on the not already fortified city of Phanagoria in the new res publica of Chersonesus, but their initial success didn't last long. Worse for them, the Georgian King agreed to help the Caliph in his effort while the Legion was marching through their lands. The only real battles of the war were fought in Georgia before the Caliph capitulated as Ulpia sacked Edessa.
Journal of Cornelius:
(…) Since the Imperatrix actually stopped needing my services, the internal plotting and scheming augmented. I'll pick the case of the ducatus of Insulae as example: Since Ulpia's namesake from the Vitsercus family died in her accident, Tiberius I ruled Segovium and Insulae, who died recently. Now, Tiberius Secundus is married to the ducissa Gordiana of Eburacum, as the old quaestor Publius now counts the denarii on his tomb. This upsets the balance in Britannia; even the Greeks seemed to fear that, as if the Vitserci would set out and conquer them from the inside. I knew old Fabius, and his descendants are still better with their weapons then their words. Ducissa Pelagia of Venetia represented the request of the status-quo-party to Ulpia, being the nearest to her current location, and convinced her to reply positively. I think she just wanted to concentrate on her wars in Asia Minor and did whatever Pelagia wanted to get rid of her as soon as possible. Tiberius accepted the request, probably fearing a prolonged stay in Ulpia's preferred diplomatic solution. Now Fabius III, son of the rebel Fabius II's bastard son, rules the ducatus. Having talked to him, he seems like a bright man and would surely have been able to earn a title or office in the Imperium by himself. Maybe in Ulpia's current wars... (…)
Imperatrix Ulpia:
The Gafurid war was too long. Too many years lost for my dream. I won't be able to return Asia Minor and Graecia to the Imperium myself. But at least the Northern coast of Asia Minor! I still remember Julius' face when I told him a state of war existed between us and most of the minor emirates. Maybe he wanted to rest a bit, but I am running out of time. So much stress to become the greatest Roman of all time! The Georgians and Gafurids tried to help once more, and although they shared their sneak attack strategy on the Taurican merchants, it didn't save the little states from being integrated into the Imperium.
I was leaning over the map, pondering my next moves. As I had just dismissed my councillors to think alone, I yelled 'Out! Wasn't I clear enough?' to the person who just entered my tent.
'I won't leave, Ulpia, you need me. Your councillors are worried for your sanity.'
It was my brother Vespasian. What did a perfectus like him look for in a military camp? One who some duces want to replace me? An Elect, one who has sworn to live an ascetic life? To discard all material things? I still wonder what those duces are thinking. 'What do you want, Vespasian? Preach of peace? Not now, please.'
'I understand that the teachings of Martinus cannot always be respected when you are the Imperatrix, sister. As despicable as it is, war may be a necessity for the prosperity of the Imperium. The simple population, unlike the Elect, are depending on this prosperity. No, I come to deal with your stress. It won't do you any good.'
'Don't bother. I am feeling fine, the Legion is strong and ready, and Graecia awaits the return under the eagle. Don't let the looks deceive you, I love dealing with logistics, planning campaigns, my rise to eternal glory... I have to conquer much more! Where to go, who to attack?'
I had my attention back on the map as Vespasian hit a nerve: 'You are already known as the Great, Ulpia. No ruler is only measured by her conquests. Your rule had a chaotic beginning as father left, but no bellum civile ensured. You showed your strength and will, finally uniting the Imperia hundreds of years after they were torn apart. Roma is rising, Illyria, Bulgaria, Taurica, Valachia and much of Asia Minor are under the eagle now. You won a war against the Catholics, scaring their elite force so much they don't even try to engage in battle. History will remember you, your name will be compared to those of Alexander, Caesar and Carolus Magnus. Really, there is no need to reach for more quantity. Be content with what you have achieved. The world's problems are on other shoulders.'
My brother left, and I looked up from my map. He was right. I am the greatest. There is no need to risk much more. My body and memory are not the same as in my youth, and the future will know me as the Unifier Of The Imperia. I should focus on quality.
Journal of Cornelius:
(…) It looks like this will be the last entry I am able to make. I feel weaker every day. But my mind is still fully present, unlike Ulpia's, although she is around 20 years younger then me. Her frequent illnesses surely played a role in that. Thankfully Vespasian managed to stop her rage, but war has reached Graecia now. While Ulpia's Bulgarian plan worked, with Biagio dead and Aurelia succeeding him, Finn reported a civil war under the Hospitallers. Orson de Lavardin contested Rainero's position as Grandmaster and had declared himself the rightful leader of these knights. With his supporters, he searched the Catholic kingdoms to overthrow Rainero and attacked. She may not be the same warmonger as before, but Ulpia still is opportunistic. She eyes their capital Dyrrachion. I hope that the Hospitallers are like the Templars. But unlike them, they have conquered most of Graecia. I won't be here to worry about that.
Imperatrix Ulpia:
'Are you sure you want to lead the Legion? Don't you think you will forget something important while in battle? Like that we are in battle? I don't doubt your abilities, but your condition can prove dangerous for our victory. Your son Claudius could earn some experience.'
'I have never felt better, Gaius. Besides, the scouts number the Hospitaller army to around 6.000. We have 14.000! We can't lose that! Also, you are older then me, if someone is forgetful, it is you, Marcus.'
Rex Julius of Hibernia sighed, then left to prepare the march. Templars or Hospitallers, what is the difference anyway? And how the Templars fight, nobody knows that better then me.
While the Hospitallers had retreated to the mountains around Chounavia, it was not to worry, the first skirmishes made a great impact and I thought the fight would end soon. But then a huge number of reinforcements arrived on the knights' side and the tide seemed to turn. They concentrated on the Hibernian flank and routed it while their left one collapsed. Now in defence, I did everything for the centre to hold on until Aurelius and his troops got behind the initial defenders' line and dealt a heavy blow to their morale, abandoning their position and fleeing. The battle was won, although under heavy losses. Over 9.000 legionnaires for over 8.000 unholy knights. Antonius was maybe right; maybe not, his flank was the one which fled after all. But I needed to act: I called the magister inquisitiones Máel to summon the whole army with his communication network; the Hospitallers were a tough nut to crack.
The knights had retreated and combined their forces. Just as I sent a messenger back to Nova Roma to replace the late Crassus with my heir Petronia as cancellaria, they attacked us in Durrës. The ducissa of Morai Aurelia, an expert in defence, had joined us and we had fortified the legion behind a river on a steep hill. And if that was not enough, 2.000 Romans reinforced from the sea. The incompetent generals on the knights' side charged blindly in the flanks, held narrow by long and sharp pikes and quickly pushed back, while their center's commander advanced smarter, but couldn't stop our assault after the flanks were dealt with. Durrës was a crushing defeat for the knights, who with almost equal numbers sustained ten times the casualties. They routed eastwards, a disorganized mess, and with a forced march over the shortest pass, I was able to catch them in Debar. 1.800 heavily armoured knights came from Birsiminium, but couldn't avert the next defeat of the Hospitallers. Two commanders were captured and swiftly executed, one more in a following battle. Surely they wouldn't be able to continue much longer.
The Britannian troops hadn't arrived yet in the Haemus peninsula, and the Breton conqueror of Rhodes joined the defenders. Stationed in Ohrid, the Legion had to intervene in Kratovo to stop the Rhodesians from lifting our siege there. As I wondered how the Hospitallers could concentrate all their men against us while dealing with a man who aimed to replace them all, Crimthann informed me that the troublesome claimant found an end in an inn in Sicily. Not from a natural cause. The Bretons filling the fields of Kratovo, the knights had assembled 4.500 men once more to save their castle in Dyrrachion, but it was a force of mostly light mercenary infantry whose morale had already crumbled before the remaining Legion got to ducissa Severa's rescue.
As finally the Britannian ships came in sight at the coast, I was in the castle negotiating.
'Mother, the army is here and ready for your orders! Wait...who are these men?'
Claudius had entered the room in which I sat with Loïs for the terms of his surrender.
'Send them home. They can make a stop in Roma so that the trip was not completely useless. Arnau here is surrendering. The war is won.'
Claudius looked disappointed, then maybe changed his mind on the prospect of seeing Roma and left.
'I hate to admit it, but the heretics have won. I, Grandmaster Rainero, am admitting this defeat in the name of the Order and hereby surrender all titles in the duchy of Dyrrachion to the Empire of the Romans. For in a glorious moment, the Order shall regain its rightful lands, when you all burn in hell.'
Then, he signed the peace treaty and was escorted outside. The most difficult war in all my reign had ended. You cannot compare the Hospitallers to the Templars, after all.
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