The Iron Eagle: A History of Germany | Book I: The Holy Reich | A German Megacampaign

[HMAS-Nameless]

(WARNING: IMAGE HEAVY)​

Firstly, I'd like to say welcome to AARlanders and casual readers to alike to the first part of The Iron Eagle: A History of Germany! Having been a huge fan of Paradox and everything they produce in the realm of Historical Grand Strategy for the past 10 years I am more than excited to jump wholeheartedly back into the community and begin the journey towards completing a project I have considered undertaking for a long time. I was quite active on the Paradox forums in my teen years (possibly a few of you remember me?/Are still around?) and while my first 6 years of adult life saw me busy and unable to dedicate time to this wonderful community I nevertheless continued lurking the forums more casually and never stopped playing Paradox games. In fact it was my experience with Paradox which fostered a lifelong love of history and has actually led me to recently complete my undergraduate B.A. in History (and Public Policy, but thats not as fun!) at the University of Queensland in my home city of Brisbane, Australia! Having always had an interest in German history (my family are descended from Germanised Poles from the Polish Corridor near Gdansk) I have decided to attempt a Megacampaign charting the History of Germany from Charlemagne to the Modern Age (and hopefully into Space!) In support of this, The Iron Eagle will be completed in a mostly History Book-style as I hope to utilise my work here as practice for my upcoming Honours year and future PhD work.

General Rules:
-Play in a historical-style where my actions in game reflect the attributes of the rulers I am playing
-Start as Charlemagne and form the Carolingian Empire but work through his descendants to shift the centre of power in the HRE towards Germany in order to build a Medieval German Empire.
-Charlemagne narrative events enabled
-Mongol Invasions Enabled
-Historical focuses wherever possible
-Should the Karling dynasty lose control of Germany (Kingdom of Germany, not necessarily losing the HRE) I will continue as the successor dynasty. This is a History of Germany not the Karling family.
-No Heresies until their historical start dates.
-Work to preserve a level of historicity in regards to Kingdoms and powers within Europe
-Reloads are allowed where they advance the progression I have planned.
-Intention to continue the History of German nation through EUIV-Vic2-HoI4

While I am considering small narrative sections to also practice my writing, these will primarily serve to give the reader a small glimpse into the game-world and bring the characters to life. Alongside this, please note that as a student who lives out of home and works there may periods of time in which new chapters are not written, however I plan to try and keep some integrity by writing chapters in advance (I am currently writing in the 900s having started in 769) and slowly releasing already-written material over time to counteract this. Please find a Table of Contents in the post below and without further or due let us begin The Iron Eagle: A History of Germany | Book I: The Holy Reich!

CHAPTER III NOW POSTED! (18/06)
​

 

[HMAS-Nameless]

​

Prologue: The Forebears of a New Europe (300-769 AD)
Prelude

Emperor Charlemagne (769-802 AD)
Chapter I: From the Ashes, the Eagle Spreads its Wings (769-772 AD)

The Iron Crown

Chapter II: Sancti Imperatoris (773-785 AD)
Chapter III: The Emperor from the Bedside (786-802 AD)

Fathers

Emperor Pepin 'the Hunchback' (802-)

 

[HMAS-Nameless]

Since the times of antiquity, Germanic peoples have occupied the deep forests of central Europe. Dormant yet consistently these peoples maintained their lands from Celts and Romans alike, however with the cold winds of the north persisting and further pressure from the east mounting, the early centuries of the first millennium proved a turning point…

A modern animated reconstruction of Frankish warriors assaulting a late Roman barricade
(c. 410 AD)


The Rise of the Merovingians
​

In the transformation and anarchy that ensued following the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD, the Germanic Salian Franks consolidated a formidable claim to authority in the proceeding power vacuum. Having established a temporary homeland as fœderati on the fringe of the Rhine frontier around 358 AD, following the crossing of that river the Salian Franks under Merovech played an integral role in repelling Atilla the Hun at the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains. In a time when Western Europe had been continuously assailed by Hunnic and Gothic peoples alien to the continent, it was ultimately an indigenous German people which rose to suzerainty among the countless migrations of the period. With the defeat of the local Gallo-Roman petty-king, Syagrius, and the end of the Roman successor Kingdom of Soissons’ authority over the provinces in 486 AD, the Frankish King Clovis I led his people to establish Frankish hegemony over the former Roman provinces of Gaul and Aquitaine. Converting the Frankish people to Catholicism in 496, Clovis I came to unify the Franks under one ruler, controlling a swath of territory extending from the Pyrenees to the Rhine. Having dominated the peoples of Gaul, Clovis consolidated the new Kingdom of Francia thereby establishing a new base of Germanic Christian power in Western Europe.

​

Upon the Clovis’ death in 511 AD, his realm was divided amongst his sons: Theuderic, Chlodomer, Childebert and Clotaire. Amongst the descendants of Clovis, Francia was reorganised into the political units of Austrasia, Neustria and Burgundy; each a Kingdom in their own right. Through the next century the Frankish Merovingian Kingdoms squabbled incessantly amongst themselves in a form of near-ceremonial warfare. Following the reunification of the Frankish realm under Chlothar II, his son Dagobert I proved the last Merovingian King to wield tangible authority. In the aftermath of Dagobert’s death, the royal authority of the Merovingians declined rapidly under the rois fainéants or “do-nothing kings”. This paved the way for the King of Francia as a largely ceremonial role, with the Mayor of the Palace wielding true authority.

​

The Ascendance of Charles the Hammer
​

With the death of Dagobert the Frankish Kingdoms of Austrasia and Neustria ceded patronage and granted control of land, privileges and the treasury to their respective Mayors of the Palace, with the Carolingians maintaining authority in Neustria and the Arnulfings wielding executive power in Austrasia. The Carolingian Mayor of the Palace, Pepin of Herstal, died in 714 AD leaving the title to his son, Karl, who would eventually be known as Charles Martel, or Charles the Hammer. Throughout the next fifteen years, Karl consolidated an immense level of authority over the Frankish kingdoms, effectively routing the remnants of Arnulfing power. Through reorganising Frankish power in all of the sub-kingdoms Charles came to rule (while not in title) a realm equivalent to that of Clovis two centuries prior.

​

Concurrently, the Umayyad emir of Cordoba had amassed an enormous force of Arabs and Moors with the intention of conquering Aquitaine. This force managed to besiege Toulouse, but was ultimately repulsed in 721. Under the emir’s successor, Abdul Rahman, the Ummayyads launched a massive invasion of the region ten years later, defeating Odo and his Aquitainians. Charles, as Mayor of the Palace, immediately turned his attention south and advanced the Frankish army against the emir. At the celebrated Battle of Tours, Charles was successful in routing the entire Ummayyad force and established a permanent border against the Iberian Moors in Catalonia. It was in this battle that the Muslim advance in Europe was halted and Karl, Mayor of the Palace, earnt the title “the Hammer” and ever-since, has been known as Charles Martel. The Merovingian throne eventually became vacant and as such, Charles Martel effectively became the new Duke and Prince of the Franks, ushering in the new Carolingian, or Karling dynasty onto the thrones of Francia.

A modern rendition of the Battle of Tours (732 AD)​

 

[Levgar]

this looks awesome!! How did you get it where heresies spawn historically?

I'm excited to see how this story unfolds!

 

[HMAS-Nameless]

this looks awesome!! How did you get it where heresies spawn historically?

I'm excited to see how this story unfolds!

Oh I wish I could! More that I wont be taking on any heresies until its historically reasonable to do so

 

[Bullfilter]

Good luck with this project! Interested to see how it goes.

 

[Levgar]

Oh I wish I could! More that I wont be taking on any heresies until its historically reasonable to do so

oh, ok. I wish I could to.

 

[HMAS-Nameless]

Aachen, Kingdom of the Franks. December 769.

Dusk fell quietly across the streets of Aachen welcoming a brisk wind, skirting forcefully between the wooden taverns and trading halls of the city. Upon the tail of the foreboding current a figure wrapped in a particularly striking blue cloak, dyed through the use of woad flowers, made their way inconspicuously up the winding sludge of the city’s main thoroughfare. An armed man whose hood did little to disguise the sheen of the mail protruding from his chest, accompanied the cloaked individual to the right. The cloaked figure, while small and somewhat graceful, seemed to struggle across the slippery pathway with a limp indicative of clubfoot. Near the stonecutter’s guild hall to the left of the path, an elderly tradesman struggled to push a small cart of his wares through the winter sludge stopping briefly to catch his failing breath. Through the twilight he looked upon the figure and their attendant.

“Probably another of the new lord’s courtiers, late to the feast of Christmas and ready to make amends for their tardiness,” he thought to himself, reflecting on his own animosity towards his righteous masters. Since the death of the short King Pepin in the previous spring, his sons Karl and Karloman had divided the lands of the Franks between themselves. Having taken Aachen as the centre of his influence over the realm, the young King Karl had welcomed a multitude of noblemen to the burgeoning city to celebrate the birth of Christ. As such, the nobility had become an all-too-familiar site to the craftsmen, traders and labourers of the city and the elderly tradesman turned back to his cart. As night returned upon the howling gale of an approaching snowstorm, the cloaked figure approached the enormity of the city’s inner walls. Pressing upon a dislodged stone, a postern soon swung open from the wall. Within, stood a man cloaked in indigo who welcomed the figure and her retainer inside.

Once within the safety of the dimly lit passage, the man in threw back his indigo hood to reveal the face of a middle-aged man, his gaunt face hedged by a small dusty-blonde beard.

“My Queen, while I am ill-worthy of your divine presence, I welcome thee whole-heartedly to the court on behalf of the righteous King Karl and hope your journeys were without hinderance,” the man said falling to one knee.

“Duke Roding, through your scholarly pursuits you have surely realised that there is no need to fall to one’s knee unless requesting or pleading with my person? Tell me, what news comes from your lands in Flanders? A prosperous harvest for this winter one hopes. Also, I trust my son, the dutiful King has made proper arrangements for our meeting?” The Queen replied as she threw forth her hand, beckoning for the Duke to rise.

“The markets of Brugge and Gent seemed prosperous upon my departure for the King’s court, alas I worry that this winter has proven worse than expected and await news of my own holdings. As the King’s new steward, I have made the necessary arrangements for a meeting of secrecy in the King’s personal quarters, would you please follow me my Queen?” Duke Roding requested as the trio began to climb the dimly-lit passage.

Eventually they came upon across a doorway guarded by Frankish knights who quickly separated to allow the Queen and her company to enter. Passing beyond another corridor the group came upon the quarters of the King and were beckoned in by his personal guardsmen. The guestroom itself was magnificent to behold, its timbered walls detailed intricately with adornments of Burgundian gold. A large-wooden table stood centrepiece to the room at the head of the table sat King Karl. A younger man of twenty-six years, King Karl was strong man, heavily built, study and tall for a man of the Frankish realm. He sported the signs of a newly-grown beard, patchy yet full in places across the breadth of his round face and short neck. Particularly striking was the liveliness of his eyes, which lit up upon the entrance of his mother and her entourage. To his left sat the Bishop, Gaujoin of Gelre peering over an enormous scroll.

“Righteous King, the Queen Mother presented in health and safety as requested,” proclaimed Duke Roding moving to the side of the former Queen who threw back her blue cloak and bowed before her son, “My King”.

“Mother there is no need for such formalities, I am thankful to the Good Lord to see you in fine health and am pleased to meet your company after these many months”, King Karl echoed before reaching out his Mother’s hand and drawing her to seat at his table. Roding and the Queen Mother took seats before the King’s table and spoke at large about the Christmas Feast and the recounted their travels since they had last spoken at the deathbed of the former King Pepin during the Spring.

“Is there any news of my brother King Karloman”, Karl said at last as if he had been looking to ask since Queen Bertrada had entered the quarters. “As my long-favoured son, I bring you news of the upmost secrecy though as I fear the news I bring is ill-natured. While Karloman works to proclaim a level of co-lordship as the successor King’s of your father with yourself, he continues to speak at length of the illegitimacy of your claim within his own court and felt it necessary to proclaim myself as an agent of your rule rather than that of the Frankish domain. I fear that if this attitude is left unchecked, he may come to threaten your own rule and the very Kingdom established by your grandfather, righteous King Karl the Hammer”, confided Queen Mother Bertrada to her son.

“I feared such news. While I still love for my brother, as required by the Lord, I fear that he seeks to deny his own incompetency with boastful claims and sincerely doubt his loyalty to the realm. Karloman has long sought his own ends and his marked by the same envy and jealously that tarnished our younger years. With each passing day the Saxons become more fearless in their raids of Franconia while the Caliph of the Moors continues to amass men on our southern border. In mere months his moves to undermine my mutual authority have continued to the threaten to the integrity of our realm,” said the King.

“If I may speak freely my King, my pursuits within the annals of Saint Peter’s Abbey have brought to my knowledge a long-forgotten tale that I feel is being mirrored by God within the domain of the Franks. Some many centuries ago, the Emperor Septimus Severus sought to divide his lands between his rival sons, the Emperors Antoninus and Geta. The brother Emperors quarrelled with such ferocity that the Empire of the Romans neared collapse entirely. With each passing day it is confirmed to me that the heavenly God has sought to replicate this turn of events on the children of Pepin and as such, action must be taken to avert clearer catastrophe,” interjected the Bishop.

“Your bookish pursuits have long served the realm, Bishop Gaujoin, yet I am lost for the course of action I might take against my own brother”, the King replied.

“King, I believe that there may be methods to null this threat that may not prove tasteful in public knowledge,” Bertrada confided.

“However, I believe that such actions must be taken as a last resort and that we have diplomatic means at our disposal to surround your troublesome brother. I met with the emissaries of King Desiderius of the Lombards while in Troyes who seemed little-impressed by Karloman. They seek an alliance of marriage with a worthy Frankish King and are interested by the calibre of your character. With that said, the Lombards are locked in a struggle with the divine Pope of Rome, your father’s firm ally and may prove disloyal allies once the Papacy becomes involved. I believe that it would be worthy to follow this course of action and if we are presented by disloyalty by the Lombards, we must resort to more unsavoury strategies to deal with King Karloman’s aggression”.

“Then do what you need to do my mother, you have my blessing though I fear that my greatest threat may be from the lands to the south under Duke Hunoald of Aquitaine and Duke Lope of Vasconia,” replied the King.

“My lord, if I may, this is may not be a typical course of action but there may be worth in bringing Lope of Vasconia to court, his talents as an advisor are renowned and keeping him at court may dissuade his disloyalties from manifesting a greater threat in conjunction with Hunoald. Duke Hunoald remains a figurehead for the dissenting Basques and Romans to the south and would command too great a power in the courts,” Steward Roding interjected.

“Be that as it may, should I bring Duke Lope of Vasconia to court would that not leave Hunoald free to orchestrate a rebellion regardless?” queried the King.

“Then, my King, send your most trusted of servants to stroke Hunoald’s ambitions at court while expanding a network of spies throughout his lands? If I may make a recommendation, Chancellor Thuringus and Spymaster Anselm are certainly not lacking in talent nor loyalty to your majesty.”

“Then we shall make the necessary arrangements! As King Pepin’s true heir, I intend to stake my claim to the Frankish throne as befitting my abilities. Mother I shall intrust you with Karloman, however you see fit and Steward Roding I trust your judgement,” announced the King standing from the table to the joy of his confidantes.

 

[Nikolai]

I was quite active on the Paradox forums in my teen years (possibly a few of you remember me?/Are still around?)

Of course. Welcome back!

 

[Leandor]

Oooh, I love how this is looking! And hey, a megacampaign is truly a big commitment. Cannot wait for your first chapter!

 

[PEnglish82]

Some high looking production values on this one, I'm watching with interest.

 

[stnylan]

Welcome back to the forums

A couple of presentational notes - your first screenshot is telling me bandwidth exceeded.
Secondly, it is a good idea to leave a clear line break between paragraphs - including (and indeed especially) dialogue. This makes it a lot easier to read.

Let us see what Karl can do

 

[tpmcinty]

Very interesting so far. Curious to see where it goes.

 

[HMAS-Nameless]

Of course. Welcome back!

Ah Nikolai! Great to see you're still as active as ever, glad to be here

A couple of presentational notes - your first screenshot is telling me bandwidth exceeded.
Secondly, it is a good idea to leave a clear line break between paragraphs - including (and indeed especially) dialogue. This makes it a lot easier to read.

Let us see what Karl can do

Cheers for the feedback stnylan! I've spaced out the dialogue a bit more so hopefully its now easier to read I'm not sure what's happening with the bandwidth issue though, it seems to be all good on my end, is anyone else experiencing this? I might try another image host if so.

Thanks to everyone thus far! I'm considering whether to post the first chapter or potentially leave it for a few days to garner interest

 

[HMAS-Nameless]

I'd also like to make a quick note that due to the significant amount of content in Charlemagne's reign that he will be split between three history book chapters, I aim however to bring it to closer to one chapter per Emperor among his successors so we don't get too bogged down

 

[Levgar]

the pictures are all good on my end.

 

[guillec87]

interesting!!

subbed!!

 

[Atilla The Bun]

Really looking great! My only fears is a massive germany by EU4, but we'll see how that goes

 

[Nikolai]

Ah Nikolai! Great to see you're still as active as ever, glad to be here

I am pretty active, at least in the AAR section. @stnylan has me beat 10 times over though.

 

[Nikolai]

I'm not sure what's happening with the bandwidth issue though, it seems to be all good on my end, is anyone else experiencing this?

All images show fine for me.