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Well, you would have been back to plus three stability...I know, I know...not helpful...
1440
February
...Lorenzo had gone up to the walls with a spear and an old bronze shield, to aid the guard in defense of the city. I went up briefly myself, and saw, camped just out of bowshot, a host of rebels, with archers, men-at-arms, mounted swordsmen and lancers.
Though the sound of prayers echoed from the churches and out into the streets and citizens crowded into the inner city, King Rene did not seem terribly worried. He merely strode out of the court, seeking the master of arms.
And as the morning dawned, the gates of the city were opened wide, and five thousand cavalrymen surged forward. They swept away the rebel host, and drove forth for hours, scattering and slaughtering them...
March
...news that the garrison at Messina has surrendered to the Sicilian rebels. It seems like the Kingdom will be sundered at any moment...
May
...King has gone south, to Messina, and personally oversaw their defeat. All that remains, it seems, is to retake the city. Lorenzo has...
Oct
...still the war drags on, with no sign of ending. They have, at last, cleared the corpses and bones from before the city walls, so the smell will no longer bother us. We are told that the Duke of Savoy has cut a bloody swath through Austrian territory, taking from them many important cities. Much to my relief, the King was called to his dukedom of Lorraine on urgent business, and it seems like no wartaxes will be levied in the months to come...
1441
April
...there is no rest, no rest at all. The King has not returned, and messengers bring word of a host of angry peasants and minor lordlings who have risen up in this very province and are even now marching towards the city...
May
With the King still not returned from Lorraine, a small council of highly important lords and courtiers have taken over control of the Kingdom until he returns. They benefit from the King's centralized measures, for it seems they are managing the crisis quite effectively. The royal mints have begun working, and today there was word that the war with Austria was finally over. The spoils of war amount to some faraway land-Istria, I believe it is called-on the Adriatic Sea and some small bit of treasure.
Lorenzo was often in the company of these lords...
August
...with the King returned, things may soon revert to their proper state. The rebels in the outlands of Napoli have been destroyed; the army in Istria has sailed home, and now terrorizes the insurgent government of Marche, driving them from one hiding-place to the next, but the King has heard of troubles and disturbances in newly-won Istria...
December
...rebel garrison has surrendered Messina to the King's army. There was much feasting and celebration long into the night, for it is said that the insurgents in Marche are on the verge of collapse. Now, finally, we may have peace in our time...
February
...Lorenzo had gone up to the walls with a spear and an old bronze shield, to aid the guard in defense of the city. I went up briefly myself, and saw, camped just out of bowshot, a host of rebels, with archers, men-at-arms, mounted swordsmen and lancers.
Though the sound of prayers echoed from the churches and out into the streets and citizens crowded into the inner city, King Rene did not seem terribly worried. He merely strode out of the court, seeking the master of arms.
And as the morning dawned, the gates of the city were opened wide, and five thousand cavalrymen surged forward. They swept away the rebel host, and drove forth for hours, scattering and slaughtering them...
March
...news that the garrison at Messina has surrendered to the Sicilian rebels. It seems like the Kingdom will be sundered at any moment...
May
...King has gone south, to Messina, and personally oversaw their defeat. All that remains, it seems, is to retake the city. Lorenzo has...
Oct
...still the war drags on, with no sign of ending. They have, at last, cleared the corpses and bones from before the city walls, so the smell will no longer bother us. We are told that the Duke of Savoy has cut a bloody swath through Austrian territory, taking from them many important cities. Much to my relief, the King was called to his dukedom of Lorraine on urgent business, and it seems like no wartaxes will be levied in the months to come...
1441
April
...there is no rest, no rest at all. The King has not returned, and messengers bring word of a host of angry peasants and minor lordlings who have risen up in this very province and are even now marching towards the city...
May
With the King still not returned from Lorraine, a small council of highly important lords and courtiers have taken over control of the Kingdom until he returns. They benefit from the King's centralized measures, for it seems they are managing the crisis quite effectively. The royal mints have begun working, and today there was word that the war with Austria was finally over. The spoils of war amount to some faraway land-Istria, I believe it is called-on the Adriatic Sea and some small bit of treasure.
Lorenzo was often in the company of these lords...
August
...with the King returned, things may soon revert to their proper state. The rebels in the outlands of Napoli have been destroyed; the army in Istria has sailed home, and now terrorizes the insurgent government of Marche, driving them from one hiding-place to the next, but the King has heard of troubles and disturbances in newly-won Istria...
December
...rebel garrison has surrendered Messina to the King's army. There was much feasting and celebration long into the night, for it is said that the insurgents in Marche are on the verge of collapse. Now, finally, we may have peace in our time...
Well, now that the board's back up, I can finally update this again. I've played up until the mid-1480's, and have expanded my domain considerably, at the cost of much blood and treasure.
Nothing like a rebellion or two to keep you busy. Good posts Cyblack looking forward to more.
Joe
Good posts Cyblack looking forward to more.Joe
1442
January
It is clear to me now that the world of men will never know peace nor tranquility until all it's occupants have been scoured from the surface of the Earth with fire and steel.
For the King of Aragon, Alfonso V, has lately laid claim to the throne of Naples. His claims have been disputed by many and disbarraged by King Rene, and even the Pope declined to affirm them.
But on the eve of the Christ Mass, a large mercenary company camped outside the city with the King's permission. They said they were from the northern city-states, traveling to the southern ports where they would embark on ships and voyage to the Levant.
But, in the night, while the city slept, five hundred of them had infiltrated the city during the day's celebrations. They attacked the palace, overwhelming the guards and putting all who opposed them to the sword. They were led by an Italian named Cicero, and they took King Rene by surprise and now hold him prisoner in the castle dungeon.
The King was taken hostage and on the morn the truth was revealed to all the city. The mercenary force, merely a host to the parasitic Cicero, moved on before the King's army could arrive to stop them. Cicero informed us the city that he was in the employ of the King of Aragon. Collecting over a hundred hostages from every wealthy family in the city, he sat and waited for instructions from his lord.
But this past month has brought a great and terrible suprise. Alfonso V has demanded that Cicero hand over the throne of Naples to him, and Cicero has refused. Rather, he has claimed the throne for himself. He has discarded the name Cicero and now calls himself King Alfonso I, Lord of Naples. The nobles, who's power is still now mostly unaffected by the specifics of royalty, have mostly acquised to his demands, though angry mutterings run rampant. The Pope himself has recognized Alfonso I's "right" to rule...
April
The King's reign is off to an auspicious start, with an envoy from Venice granting his Majesty military access through their holdings. This, I presume, is a step in dealing with the Istrian rebels...
October
...and Rene's farewells to the small, assembled crowd were short and bitter. He has now departed Italy to return to his dukedom at Lorraine. I noticed that Lorenzo was not among the crowd, choosing rather to appear in the new King's court. As if the day was not yet bad enough, we recieved word that the Istrian rebels have driven the Neapolitan knights from the field...
November
Sicily has risen up against the false King; or perhaps they still wish for a return to the rule of Aragon. Alfonso's men have crushed the uprisings in Istria, and now move through Venetian territory on their way to Sicily. I am not impressed with the new King's reign, and neither is...
1443
May
...no sooner did word reach us of victories in Sicily than we heard of new uprisings in Istria. It is remarkably enjoyable to see Alfonso so stricken with frustration, although Lorenzo, who is spending more and more time with the King, does not see it this way. He is certain the Istrian rebels will be smashed by September, and as it seems these new lot of insurgents are poorer farmers and serf-folk, I see no reason to disbelieve him...
November
...missed the event, but Lorenzo tells me that the envoy from Bologna graciously accepted the hand of Alfonso's sister in marriage(who, I am told, traveled all the way from Paris), and pledged his country's loyal support to the Great Italian Alliance. Now it seems that all the northern states save Venice are bound to one another.
I believe my time here has passed. In the summer Giovanna and I will retire to our grand and profoundly royal estate in the southern provinces and live out our lives there. Victor, his life made much more difficult by the pain in his joints, has accepted our invitation to come and live with us.
Ioannes and his wife, now and forever childless, have decided to embark upon a great five-year tour of Europe. When they have returned, they will settle into a neighboring estate and the five of us will live out our ties of friendship.
Lorenzo has chosen to remain here, in the court, for he is a great supporter of King Alfonso, and one of his most trusted advisors. I wish him well...
January
It is clear to me now that the world of men will never know peace nor tranquility until all it's occupants have been scoured from the surface of the Earth with fire and steel.
For the King of Aragon, Alfonso V, has lately laid claim to the throne of Naples. His claims have been disputed by many and disbarraged by King Rene, and even the Pope declined to affirm them.
But on the eve of the Christ Mass, a large mercenary company camped outside the city with the King's permission. They said they were from the northern city-states, traveling to the southern ports where they would embark on ships and voyage to the Levant.
But, in the night, while the city slept, five hundred of them had infiltrated the city during the day's celebrations. They attacked the palace, overwhelming the guards and putting all who opposed them to the sword. They were led by an Italian named Cicero, and they took King Rene by surprise and now hold him prisoner in the castle dungeon.
The King was taken hostage and on the morn the truth was revealed to all the city. The mercenary force, merely a host to the parasitic Cicero, moved on before the King's army could arrive to stop them. Cicero informed us the city that he was in the employ of the King of Aragon. Collecting over a hundred hostages from every wealthy family in the city, he sat and waited for instructions from his lord.
But this past month has brought a great and terrible suprise. Alfonso V has demanded that Cicero hand over the throne of Naples to him, and Cicero has refused. Rather, he has claimed the throne for himself. He has discarded the name Cicero and now calls himself King Alfonso I, Lord of Naples. The nobles, who's power is still now mostly unaffected by the specifics of royalty, have mostly acquised to his demands, though angry mutterings run rampant. The Pope himself has recognized Alfonso I's "right" to rule...
April
The King's reign is off to an auspicious start, with an envoy from Venice granting his Majesty military access through their holdings. This, I presume, is a step in dealing with the Istrian rebels...
October
...and Rene's farewells to the small, assembled crowd were short and bitter. He has now departed Italy to return to his dukedom at Lorraine. I noticed that Lorenzo was not among the crowd, choosing rather to appear in the new King's court. As if the day was not yet bad enough, we recieved word that the Istrian rebels have driven the Neapolitan knights from the field...
November
Sicily has risen up against the false King; or perhaps they still wish for a return to the rule of Aragon. Alfonso's men have crushed the uprisings in Istria, and now move through Venetian territory on their way to Sicily. I am not impressed with the new King's reign, and neither is...
1443
May
...no sooner did word reach us of victories in Sicily than we heard of new uprisings in Istria. It is remarkably enjoyable to see Alfonso so stricken with frustration, although Lorenzo, who is spending more and more time with the King, does not see it this way. He is certain the Istrian rebels will be smashed by September, and as it seems these new lot of insurgents are poorer farmers and serf-folk, I see no reason to disbelieve him...
November
...missed the event, but Lorenzo tells me that the envoy from Bologna graciously accepted the hand of Alfonso's sister in marriage(who, I am told, traveled all the way from Paris), and pledged his country's loyal support to the Great Italian Alliance. Now it seems that all the northern states save Venice are bound to one another.
I believe my time here has passed. In the summer Giovanna and I will retire to our grand and profoundly royal estate in the southern provinces and live out our lives there. Victor, his life made much more difficult by the pain in his joints, has accepted our invitation to come and live with us.
Ioannes and his wife, now and forever childless, have decided to embark upon a great five-year tour of Europe. When they have returned, they will settle into a neighboring estate and the five of us will live out our ties of friendship.
Lorenzo has chosen to remain here, in the court, for he is a great supporter of King Alfonso, and one of his most trusted advisors. I wish him well...
Looking Forward: The Journals Of Lorenzo Galachio
The era of Andre Galachio saw Naples rise from mediocrity to a position as one of key players in the Italy, ruling all of the southern pennisula unchallenged and dominating Rome itself. However, Naples was hardly a great power. Several northern city-states still thrived, and both the Genoese and the Venetians far exceeded the Kingdom in terms of wealth and influence.
It is important to note two things when comparing the era of Andre to the era of Lorenzo:
1) All of the conquests in Andre's time were accomplished through military means
2) Andre himself had nothing to do with them
This would change with the ascension of Lorenzo. Lorenzo reigned as High Advisor to the Kings of Naples from 1443 to his retirement in 1490. He died two years later at the age of 72.
This fifty year period would see the influence of the Kingdom grow by leaps and bounds, accomplished by the pen and by the sword. The Second Aragonese wars, the Ink Conquests, and the Italian Wars both saw Neapolitian power and prestige expand considerably, interrupted only by periods of peace and the futile Paper Wars with the so-called Islamic Empire.
Lorenzo's journals illuminate a fascinating piece of European history, as you will soon see...
The era of Andre Galachio saw Naples rise from mediocrity to a position as one of key players in the Italy, ruling all of the southern pennisula unchallenged and dominating Rome itself. However, Naples was hardly a great power. Several northern city-states still thrived, and both the Genoese and the Venetians far exceeded the Kingdom in terms of wealth and influence.
It is important to note two things when comparing the era of Andre to the era of Lorenzo:
1) All of the conquests in Andre's time were accomplished through military means
2) Andre himself had nothing to do with them
This would change with the ascension of Lorenzo. Lorenzo reigned as High Advisor to the Kings of Naples from 1443 to his retirement in 1490. He died two years later at the age of 72.
This fifty year period would see the influence of the Kingdom grow by leaps and bounds, accomplished by the pen and by the sword. The Second Aragonese wars, the Ink Conquests, and the Italian Wars both saw Neapolitian power and prestige expand considerably, interrupted only by periods of peace and the futile Paper Wars with the so-called Islamic Empire.
Lorenzo's journals illuminate a fascinating piece of European history, as you will soon see...
The Journals Of Lorenzo Galachio: Encompassing 1444-1490
1444
January
...court life suits me exquisitely. The King is a good man, and wise, much his ill-fated predecessor.
I have aided the King in arranging the marriage of a young nobleman to an Austrian princess(twentieth in line for the throne, I believe). It is my hope that this will help repair the breach in relations caused by the Istrian wars, although I feel some small bit of pity for young man; the princess has a prodigious appetite and is interested in little else.
March
The revolutionaries in Sicily yet again rear their ugly heads; I warned the King that they would. The army races to deal with them, but I have dispatched a few men of mine own, men who do not mind earning some extra gold. If properly posistioned, I may have an ear into the revolutionary world very shortly, and I am certain I will some most interesting things.
June
They say the grounds around Palermo were soaked red with the blood of the insurgents; I cannot say I am terribly displeased. No doubt the survivors have scattered and now plan some new uprisings. A few of my own men were unfortunetly killed in the slaughter, but eggs are worth breaking if one must make an omlette...
December
Nowhere on this Earth is there a race that can squawk half so well as the Genoese. They sound they learned the King had not the gold to repay their 'generous loan!' They accepted it, of course, eventually, but no doubt the interest payments will be greatly inflated.
1445
February
The King has made a small, personal gift to the Bolognian envoy, showering him with coins and silver cups. A nice touch...
March
King Alfonso has taken for his bride a beautiful Genoese noblewoman, a Greek, from the far-off land called the Crimea. This is a most wise move on the part of our King, for he cements our alliance to the Genoese and secures his lineage in one....
August
The King's gift has come back to bite us. The royal mints must be kept running in order to cover the Kingdom's monthly costs, for the treasury is smaller than I imagined. Father spoke of the Venetian doge bathing in gold; if Alfonso took it in his head to do such a thing it would bankrupt the kingdom. I must keep a stricter eye on spending in the future...
November
The King's wife, it has been announced, will shortly bear him a son, an heir to the throne of Naples. Such an announcement is cause for rejoicing, though I have hired a number of very quiet men with very sharp knives, in an effort to prevent any other quiet, knife-bearing men from disrupting this happy occasion...
December
The King is quite pleased with me, and I must remind myself to send my informants a nice, juicy bonus. The King's army was moved to the outskirts of Messina months in advance. Of course, the few Aragonese loyalists left in the province still went ahead with their planned insurrection- and were slaughtered mercilessly at the cost of fifty Neapolitian lives.
To date the King's knights must have slain over fifteen thousand Sicilians. The House of Aragon must be smuggling in dissenters, for there seem to be an almost limitless supply of them...
1446
January
One of the King's cousins, recently arrived in the city, has run off married a Savion princess of his own accord. Far from scandalizing the court, this has proved a most fortuitous occurance. Almost all the states of Italy are now bound to each other with bonds of blood and ink...
February
Ignoring my requests to be frugal, the King has dispatched another personal gift to the lords of Bologne. One of my own men will travel with the gift, and once in the court of Bologna he will regale all the court with tales of the heroism of Naples and King Alfonso. I might as well make the best of this long and lasting friendship...
May
Austrian loyalists have risen up in Istria. As the King's army moves to deal with them, I have made arrangements similiar to those in Sicily, moving my men across the Adriatic Sea well in advance of the King's knights...
October
The loyalists suffered only minimal casualties, it seems, but when the bulk of the King's host arrived they scattered into the countryside. My men are securely in place and will almost certainly begin feeding me information at once...
1447
June
It is with more than passing interest than I note the recent activities north of our borders. The Milanese, recently placed firmly under the thumb of the Austrian Empire, have risen up against their conquerers. My informants assure me that tens of thousands of Milanese oppose Austrian rule- as soon as one revolution fails, another will take it's place, dwarfing the movements we have experienced in Istria and Sicily...
1444
January
...court life suits me exquisitely. The King is a good man, and wise, much his ill-fated predecessor.
I have aided the King in arranging the marriage of a young nobleman to an Austrian princess(twentieth in line for the throne, I believe). It is my hope that this will help repair the breach in relations caused by the Istrian wars, although I feel some small bit of pity for young man; the princess has a prodigious appetite and is interested in little else.
March
The revolutionaries in Sicily yet again rear their ugly heads; I warned the King that they would. The army races to deal with them, but I have dispatched a few men of mine own, men who do not mind earning some extra gold. If properly posistioned, I may have an ear into the revolutionary world very shortly, and I am certain I will some most interesting things.
June
They say the grounds around Palermo were soaked red with the blood of the insurgents; I cannot say I am terribly displeased. No doubt the survivors have scattered and now plan some new uprisings. A few of my own men were unfortunetly killed in the slaughter, but eggs are worth breaking if one must make an omlette...
December
Nowhere on this Earth is there a race that can squawk half so well as the Genoese. They sound they learned the King had not the gold to repay their 'generous loan!' They accepted it, of course, eventually, but no doubt the interest payments will be greatly inflated.
1445
February
The King has made a small, personal gift to the Bolognian envoy, showering him with coins and silver cups. A nice touch...
March
King Alfonso has taken for his bride a beautiful Genoese noblewoman, a Greek, from the far-off land called the Crimea. This is a most wise move on the part of our King, for he cements our alliance to the Genoese and secures his lineage in one....
August
The King's gift has come back to bite us. The royal mints must be kept running in order to cover the Kingdom's monthly costs, for the treasury is smaller than I imagined. Father spoke of the Venetian doge bathing in gold; if Alfonso took it in his head to do such a thing it would bankrupt the kingdom. I must keep a stricter eye on spending in the future...
November
The King's wife, it has been announced, will shortly bear him a son, an heir to the throne of Naples. Such an announcement is cause for rejoicing, though I have hired a number of very quiet men with very sharp knives, in an effort to prevent any other quiet, knife-bearing men from disrupting this happy occasion...
December
The King is quite pleased with me, and I must remind myself to send my informants a nice, juicy bonus. The King's army was moved to the outskirts of Messina months in advance. Of course, the few Aragonese loyalists left in the province still went ahead with their planned insurrection- and were slaughtered mercilessly at the cost of fifty Neapolitian lives.
To date the King's knights must have slain over fifteen thousand Sicilians. The House of Aragon must be smuggling in dissenters, for there seem to be an almost limitless supply of them...
1446
January
One of the King's cousins, recently arrived in the city, has run off married a Savion princess of his own accord. Far from scandalizing the court, this has proved a most fortuitous occurance. Almost all the states of Italy are now bound to each other with bonds of blood and ink...
February
Ignoring my requests to be frugal, the King has dispatched another personal gift to the lords of Bologne. One of my own men will travel with the gift, and once in the court of Bologna he will regale all the court with tales of the heroism of Naples and King Alfonso. I might as well make the best of this long and lasting friendship...
May
Austrian loyalists have risen up in Istria. As the King's army moves to deal with them, I have made arrangements similiar to those in Sicily, moving my men across the Adriatic Sea well in advance of the King's knights...
October
The loyalists suffered only minimal casualties, it seems, but when the bulk of the King's host arrived they scattered into the countryside. My men are securely in place and will almost certainly begin feeding me information at once...
1447
June
It is with more than passing interest than I note the recent activities north of our borders. The Milanese, recently placed firmly under the thumb of the Austrian Empire, have risen up against their conquerers. My informants assure me that tens of thousands of Milanese oppose Austrian rule- as soon as one revolution fails, another will take it's place, dwarfing the movements we have experienced in Istria and Sicily...
1448
May
Tuscany and Genoa have both gone to war with Siena, rattling their sabers loudly and clearly. The armies of Tuscany and Siena clash once a week, and though Tuscany is often the victor it has made no aggressive movements.
I have noticed a stream of travelers passing through Neapolitian ports on the Adriatic Sea. From what I gathered, they are bound for new, empty lands south of the Muslim kingdoms, to lands not marked on any Neapolitian map. Most of these travelers are Genoese, though are not a few Venetians making the journey.
I shall have to keep an eye on this, lest the other states gain some advantage over the Kingdom...
May
Tuscany and Genoa have both gone to war with Siena, rattling their sabers loudly and clearly. The armies of Tuscany and Siena clash once a week, and though Tuscany is often the victor it has made no aggressive movements.
I have noticed a stream of travelers passing through Neapolitian ports on the Adriatic Sea. From what I gathered, they are bound for new, empty lands south of the Muslim kingdoms, to lands not marked on any Neapolitian map. Most of these travelers are Genoese, though are not a few Venetians making the journey.
I shall have to keep an eye on this, lest the other states gain some advantage over the Kingdom...
1449
January
The mints are once again steaming at one-fourth capacity to supplement the royal income. I had no idea the tax revenue was so inadequete...
I have been pouring over the diaries of my father, from his time in court here. This Kingdom started as an insignificant, two-province Italian backwater, and in twenty sort years has taken control of half the pennisula and made some headway into reigning in the nobles who once ruled the Kingdom in all but name.
Therefor, I set before myself what I consider to be a Holy Task. Should I fail to complete it, I set it before my descendants, so that it should never remain undone.
The Task is thus- Italy must be unified. All people descended from the Italians of antiquity must be brought together, united in a common cause, from Rome to Venice to the provinicials of Savoy.
Not under the banner of the Roman Empire- it passed from existance long ago. Not for Rome, nor Europe, nor God, but for the Kingdom of Naples! From Genoa to Sardinia, they must submit to the will of the Kingdom, must cast aside their ties to the squabbling city-states of the north. Only then, unified and strong under the Kingdom will Italy be able to resist being swallowed up, one by one, by the French and Austrians and Germans and English. Only by this road will the pennisula be spared the fate of Milan.
Blood, treasure, and lives all pale to the significance of this undertaking. If one million must die and the treasuries of all Europe be exhausted, then let it be so.
To this quest I pledge my life, my lineage, and my fortune. I will not fail, no matter the cost.
February
The King's power must be made stronger, of that there can be no doubt. The patriarchs have plagued his land too long.
Of this aspect of government Alfonso I needs little urging. He has decreed that all regional govenors answer directly to, and are appointed by, him. This has angered the nobility but greatly increased his power over them.
I note, with some displeasure, that Austria has retaken Milan. It does not matter. It will all become ours, eventually.
April
I flattered the Bologne emissary with a cordial letter and dinner. Quite effective, as he is now much more enarmored of the city than he was previously. It was not terribly costly and has worked political wonders. I believe with enough coaxing, the weak, vunerable city can be brought under our 'protection'...
May
The King has appointed me official ambassadorial receptionist. This puts me in a posistion to directly utilize the Crown treasury to further our goals; most excellant indeed. I have treated the entire Bologne embassy to a particularly stirring play, and agents inside the city of Bologne itself tell me that public opinion in recent years has perked in Naples' favor...
August
King Alfonso I, acting on his own intitiative, has dispatched a friendly letter to the monarch of Bologne. The King is quite sharp and has picked up on my strategy at once.
A small band of Papal supporters have risen up again in Marche. Though the Pope publicly condemns them, I suppose they realize he is merely a (quite useful)puppet. It matters not, as the rebels have been scattered by the King's army, the survivors of the clash hunted down and hanged, one by one...
September
Hah! At last, the monarch of Bologne(a self-proclaimed saint, I believe), has come to accept the protection of the King. He has offered half of his monthly incomes to pay for this protection, and has graciously been accepted under our wing. This is an excellant turn of events...
October
The mints have finally stopped running and the Genoese have finally stopped squawking. Some of the King's advisors(save me, of course) were in favor of spending the surplus on renovating the navy, but the King wisely decided to get the Kingdom's debt squared away.
1450
March
The King has donated a great platter of gold, filled with exotic foods, to the monarch of Modena. A bit costly, but it will suffice. Though the Bolognian court resists my efforts to insert newcomers, the court of Modena has welcomed them, and even now my spies are wheedling their lord, turning him to certain ends...
June
All is well. With the city of Modena now existing as a vassal-state of the Kingdom, we are the dominant power in Italy, a position the King clings to tenously. We must secure a firmer foothold.
In the meantime, the court of Bologne is proving most unresponsive to my attempts to subvert it. God has blessed them with strong wills, although defying God's own wishes will prove to be a bit of a welcome challenge...
July
The King has vested in the title of Count! Most excellant. The Galachio family's holdings have doubled in size and I now have a much larger house. This blessings are rather empty, though, as my parents are the only ones living on the land and I am the only one living in the house, aside from a few subservient maids and butlers. Still, this markedly increases my powers and influences...
September
The Savoian envoy was most pleased with dinner. I feel the food may have disagreed with me, however, and I have recently discovered that vomiting for two hours straight is not a pleasant experience.
November
This latest revolt in Sicily has been perpetrated not by Aragonese dissidents, but by Sicilian seperatists who wish to return to the Old Kingdom of Sicily. Quite a foolish notion, as the mounds of corpses that litter the ground outside Messina indicate.
Unfortunetly the King's men sustained fifty percent casualties, which is quite unacceptable. To rebuild the army will take much time and money, and I shall have the endure the King's angry outbursts whenever someone mentions this Pyrrhic victory.
Well, it is as it is said, the wrath of the prince is death....
January
The mints are once again steaming at one-fourth capacity to supplement the royal income. I had no idea the tax revenue was so inadequete...
I have been pouring over the diaries of my father, from his time in court here. This Kingdom started as an insignificant, two-province Italian backwater, and in twenty sort years has taken control of half the pennisula and made some headway into reigning in the nobles who once ruled the Kingdom in all but name.
Therefor, I set before myself what I consider to be a Holy Task. Should I fail to complete it, I set it before my descendants, so that it should never remain undone.
The Task is thus- Italy must be unified. All people descended from the Italians of antiquity must be brought together, united in a common cause, from Rome to Venice to the provinicials of Savoy.
Not under the banner of the Roman Empire- it passed from existance long ago. Not for Rome, nor Europe, nor God, but for the Kingdom of Naples! From Genoa to Sardinia, they must submit to the will of the Kingdom, must cast aside their ties to the squabbling city-states of the north. Only then, unified and strong under the Kingdom will Italy be able to resist being swallowed up, one by one, by the French and Austrians and Germans and English. Only by this road will the pennisula be spared the fate of Milan.
Blood, treasure, and lives all pale to the significance of this undertaking. If one million must die and the treasuries of all Europe be exhausted, then let it be so.
To this quest I pledge my life, my lineage, and my fortune. I will not fail, no matter the cost.
February
The King's power must be made stronger, of that there can be no doubt. The patriarchs have plagued his land too long.
Of this aspect of government Alfonso I needs little urging. He has decreed that all regional govenors answer directly to, and are appointed by, him. This has angered the nobility but greatly increased his power over them.
I note, with some displeasure, that Austria has retaken Milan. It does not matter. It will all become ours, eventually.
April
I flattered the Bologne emissary with a cordial letter and dinner. Quite effective, as he is now much more enarmored of the city than he was previously. It was not terribly costly and has worked political wonders. I believe with enough coaxing, the weak, vunerable city can be brought under our 'protection'...
May
The King has appointed me official ambassadorial receptionist. This puts me in a posistion to directly utilize the Crown treasury to further our goals; most excellant indeed. I have treated the entire Bologne embassy to a particularly stirring play, and agents inside the city of Bologne itself tell me that public opinion in recent years has perked in Naples' favor...
August
King Alfonso I, acting on his own intitiative, has dispatched a friendly letter to the monarch of Bologne. The King is quite sharp and has picked up on my strategy at once.
A small band of Papal supporters have risen up again in Marche. Though the Pope publicly condemns them, I suppose they realize he is merely a (quite useful)puppet. It matters not, as the rebels have been scattered by the King's army, the survivors of the clash hunted down and hanged, one by one...
September
Hah! At last, the monarch of Bologne(a self-proclaimed saint, I believe), has come to accept the protection of the King. He has offered half of his monthly incomes to pay for this protection, and has graciously been accepted under our wing. This is an excellant turn of events...
October
The mints have finally stopped running and the Genoese have finally stopped squawking. Some of the King's advisors(save me, of course) were in favor of spending the surplus on renovating the navy, but the King wisely decided to get the Kingdom's debt squared away.
1450
March
The King has donated a great platter of gold, filled with exotic foods, to the monarch of Modena. A bit costly, but it will suffice. Though the Bolognian court resists my efforts to insert newcomers, the court of Modena has welcomed them, and even now my spies are wheedling their lord, turning him to certain ends...
June
All is well. With the city of Modena now existing as a vassal-state of the Kingdom, we are the dominant power in Italy, a position the King clings to tenously. We must secure a firmer foothold.
In the meantime, the court of Bologne is proving most unresponsive to my attempts to subvert it. God has blessed them with strong wills, although defying God's own wishes will prove to be a bit of a welcome challenge...
July
The King has vested in the title of Count! Most excellant. The Galachio family's holdings have doubled in size and I now have a much larger house. This blessings are rather empty, though, as my parents are the only ones living on the land and I am the only one living in the house, aside from a few subservient maids and butlers. Still, this markedly increases my powers and influences...
September
The Savoian envoy was most pleased with dinner. I feel the food may have disagreed with me, however, and I have recently discovered that vomiting for two hours straight is not a pleasant experience.
November
This latest revolt in Sicily has been perpetrated not by Aragonese dissidents, but by Sicilian seperatists who wish to return to the Old Kingdom of Sicily. Quite a foolish notion, as the mounds of corpses that litter the ground outside Messina indicate.
Unfortunetly the King's men sustained fifty percent casualties, which is quite unacceptable. To rebuild the army will take much time and money, and I shall have the endure the King's angry outbursts whenever someone mentions this Pyrrhic victory.
Well, it is as it is said, the wrath of the prince is death....
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1451
January
The King has summoned two thousand free men and serfs to assemble in the city. Far from knighting every one of them, the King has decided to abolish the lance entirely. I am not sure if this is wise, but the details of the military have never been my forte.
This does nothing to reduce the cost of our troops, however, for the lances and suits of plate mail have been replaced with finely crafted, light sabers, spears, and light, flexible mail vests, all hand-crafted by professional blacksmiths.
I can feel the Crown gold slipping out of my fingers...
May
The Savoian envoy and I decided to dine far, far away from restraunt we met at previously, to avoid any more unpleasant spells of vomiting(evidently he suffered through them as well).
It worrisome to me that the armies of Tunisia, a barbaric Moslim state far to the south of Italy, has managed to move it's armies all the way to the gates of Genoa. The King is also worried and spoke at length to the ambassadors from Savoy, Modena, and Bologne, who all agreed that, if Genoa falls, Tunisia must be stopped from spreading their heresies any further into Christian lands. I agree that the Moslems must be stopped, but merely because I do not wish Europe to become a twin to North Africa...
June
Don Rafielio is a rather absentminded man who has caused me much trouble. He is preaching some rather odd notions that make out the heavenly lights to be bodies of earth much like our own. I must admit this idea fascinates me, but it has enraged the Pope that he should speak such heresies, and the King has been greatly pressured to imprison and burn the man.
It took all the persuasiveness I could muster to keep the man out of bars long enough for him to wander into Modena, but though he himself is gone his ideas have lingered and found their way into many open minds throughout the Kingdom...
January
The King has summoned two thousand free men and serfs to assemble in the city. Far from knighting every one of them, the King has decided to abolish the lance entirely. I am not sure if this is wise, but the details of the military have never been my forte.
This does nothing to reduce the cost of our troops, however, for the lances and suits of plate mail have been replaced with finely crafted, light sabers, spears, and light, flexible mail vests, all hand-crafted by professional blacksmiths.
I can feel the Crown gold slipping out of my fingers...
May
The Savoian envoy and I decided to dine far, far away from restraunt we met at previously, to avoid any more unpleasant spells of vomiting(evidently he suffered through them as well).
It worrisome to me that the armies of Tunisia, a barbaric Moslim state far to the south of Italy, has managed to move it's armies all the way to the gates of Genoa. The King is also worried and spoke at length to the ambassadors from Savoy, Modena, and Bologne, who all agreed that, if Genoa falls, Tunisia must be stopped from spreading their heresies any further into Christian lands. I agree that the Moslems must be stopped, but merely because I do not wish Europe to become a twin to North Africa...
June
Don Rafielio is a rather absentminded man who has caused me much trouble. He is preaching some rather odd notions that make out the heavenly lights to be bodies of earth much like our own. I must admit this idea fascinates me, but it has enraged the Pope that he should speak such heresies, and the King has been greatly pressured to imprison and burn the man.
It took all the persuasiveness I could muster to keep the man out of bars long enough for him to wander into Modena, but though he himself is gone his ideas have lingered and found their way into many open minds throughout the Kingdom...
1452
June
The Duke of Savoy has refused to bend te knee to King Alfonso. This is most unfortunete, but expected. The Duchy of Savoy is far more distant than either Modena or Bologne, controls far more lands and fields a much larger army.
Still, the defeat of the Moslem barbarians by the armies of Genoa is certainly a bright spot on an otherwise dreary day...
1453
January
Two thousand men from all of Italy are being assembled in the southern province. The King's prodigious effort to rebuild the army is slowly draining the coffers, but I suppose it is a worthwhile effort.
I have dispatched a few men to the court of Genoa, to feed me potentially useful information....
May
I have dispatched, on the King's behalf, a large, jeweled silver goblet to the court of Genoa, as well as a couple of bottles of ancient Neapolitan wine. It is damn good wine; if I find the gift was wasted I shall be most distraught.
At the same time, I have dispatched false letters bearing the Genoese seal to the allies of the Genoa; Tuscany, Venice, and the King of Serbia. They are rather unpleasant, but utterly authentic.
King Alfonso is currently preoccupied with the Sicilian seperatists who are fighting in Messina, leaving me a free hand in matters of diplomacy and court intrigue. Lord Lothar and Lord Constantine have been encroaching on the King's soveriegn powers. I know of a few things Constantine would like to prevent being made public, but I fear Lothar is due an untimely demise.
July
My efforts have paid enormous dividends! Genoa has left the company of it's former allies(who have, for inexplicable reasons, suddenly become extremely angry) and bound itself to the Grand Italian Alliance- comprised, of course, of all the Italian powers save Siena, Tuscany, and Venice. A great coup for the Kingdom, indeed...
June
The Duke of Savoy has refused to bend te knee to King Alfonso. This is most unfortunete, but expected. The Duchy of Savoy is far more distant than either Modena or Bologne, controls far more lands and fields a much larger army.
Still, the defeat of the Moslem barbarians by the armies of Genoa is certainly a bright spot on an otherwise dreary day...
1453
January
Two thousand men from all of Italy are being assembled in the southern province. The King's prodigious effort to rebuild the army is slowly draining the coffers, but I suppose it is a worthwhile effort.
I have dispatched a few men to the court of Genoa, to feed me potentially useful information....
May
I have dispatched, on the King's behalf, a large, jeweled silver goblet to the court of Genoa, as well as a couple of bottles of ancient Neapolitan wine. It is damn good wine; if I find the gift was wasted I shall be most distraught.
At the same time, I have dispatched false letters bearing the Genoese seal to the allies of the Genoa; Tuscany, Venice, and the King of Serbia. They are rather unpleasant, but utterly authentic.
King Alfonso is currently preoccupied with the Sicilian seperatists who are fighting in Messina, leaving me a free hand in matters of diplomacy and court intrigue. Lord Lothar and Lord Constantine have been encroaching on the King's soveriegn powers. I know of a few things Constantine would like to prevent being made public, but I fear Lothar is due an untimely demise.
July
My efforts have paid enormous dividends! Genoa has left the company of it's former allies(who have, for inexplicable reasons, suddenly become extremely angry) and bound itself to the Grand Italian Alliance- comprised, of course, of all the Italian powers save Siena, Tuscany, and Venice. A great coup for the Kingdom, indeed...
1454
January
I am certain this is the last gasp of the Marche seperatists. This latest defeat should be sufficient to cool the flames of rebellion.
April
I begin to question the wisedom of aligning the Kingdom with the Genoese. For it seems that they possess some Greek territory on the edge of the Black Sea, surrounded by Tartars and Mongols and Turks.
This is naturally a rather untenable posistion, and not one that I envy, but they have dragged us, kicking and screaming, into a most unprofitable war with the Mongols and Tartars of the so-called Golden Horde.
The King has summoned five thousand strong, able men to the southern provinces for training and equipping and has ordered the fleet and the armies there as well. In council with myself, several court advisors and the King's generals he decided upon a definite strategy; an invasion of the Mongol lands bordering Poland and Lithuania. The Khanate of the Crimea prevents the Mongols from shipping more soldiers to these far-away provinces and once taken, they should prove sufficient bargaining chips.
Still, I fear the outcomes of this war. If the seperatists in Marche, Istria, or Sicily decide to take advantage of the conflict, we may find ourselves in a world of pain...
May
Damn! Damn, damn, damn! The Sultan of the Ottoman Empire has declared war upon the Grand Italian Alliance, in support of their Moslem Mongol brethern. The fleet of the Sultan is far more powerful than any the Kingdom can muster and their armies much greater. This will complicate the war immensely...
June
The army, save for a small reserve guard, has set sail for Crete, a currently Venetian holding. After landing, it will head for the Black Sea, to lay siege to Mongol possessions along it's waters.
My agents in Istria tell me that the natives are restless...the Austrians are certainly slipping huge numbers of dissidents across the border. I must find some way to deny that option to them...
August
Arg! The Princes of Suzdal have declared war on the Alliance to save their worthless Russian hides from the Horde. This fruitless war grows more complicated by the hour...
December
In retrospect, my decision to levy wartime taxes among the populace of the Kingdom in order to pay for a most unpopular conflict was, perhaps, unwise. Austrians living in Istria have risen up in record numbers and the King hs been forced to recall his fleets, for the home guard is insufficient to put down the revolution by itself...
1455
January
Three thousand men have been summoned to the city to be trained in the military arts, to supplement the growing armies of the Kingdom. Further, on my advice, he has decreed the construction of three galleys in Sicily and the southern provinces, to supplement the lagging navy of the Kingdom....
July
The armies have returned from the Black Sea, and they are marching to crush the rebels in Istria. A rather extravagant Venetian diplomat made an appearence at the court, demanding wealth and money in exchange for his 'services'.
He was thrown out, of course. The royal coffers can barely support my meals; how are they going to support his? Tsk tsk...
November
The city groans under the weight of war-taxes, but it will not have to groan much longer. Genoa has made considerable gains in the war against the Moslems, and has secured a favorable peace for the Alliance. Now, if only this fragile peace can be maintained, I can turn my attention to more important matters...
December
The Istrian seperatists must be recieving Austrian aid, weapons, and drilling. How else where they able to defeat the King's armies so thoroughly? Our forces have retreated to Venetian territory in the south, but Istria has already fallen to the rebel forces, who have set up a provincial government; it is only a matter of time before the province is returned to Austrian hands.
The rebels have turned north, to the city of Venice, Austria's long-time enemy, proving they are working for that Empire, but they have made a terrible blunder; Istria is open and vunerable. The King's armies will march north as soon as they have collected themselves...
January
I am certain this is the last gasp of the Marche seperatists. This latest defeat should be sufficient to cool the flames of rebellion.
April
I begin to question the wisedom of aligning the Kingdom with the Genoese. For it seems that they possess some Greek territory on the edge of the Black Sea, surrounded by Tartars and Mongols and Turks.
This is naturally a rather untenable posistion, and not one that I envy, but they have dragged us, kicking and screaming, into a most unprofitable war with the Mongols and Tartars of the so-called Golden Horde.
The King has summoned five thousand strong, able men to the southern provinces for training and equipping and has ordered the fleet and the armies there as well. In council with myself, several court advisors and the King's generals he decided upon a definite strategy; an invasion of the Mongol lands bordering Poland and Lithuania. The Khanate of the Crimea prevents the Mongols from shipping more soldiers to these far-away provinces and once taken, they should prove sufficient bargaining chips.
Still, I fear the outcomes of this war. If the seperatists in Marche, Istria, or Sicily decide to take advantage of the conflict, we may find ourselves in a world of pain...
May
Damn! Damn, damn, damn! The Sultan of the Ottoman Empire has declared war upon the Grand Italian Alliance, in support of their Moslem Mongol brethern. The fleet of the Sultan is far more powerful than any the Kingdom can muster and their armies much greater. This will complicate the war immensely...
June
The army, save for a small reserve guard, has set sail for Crete, a currently Venetian holding. After landing, it will head for the Black Sea, to lay siege to Mongol possessions along it's waters.
My agents in Istria tell me that the natives are restless...the Austrians are certainly slipping huge numbers of dissidents across the border. I must find some way to deny that option to them...
August
Arg! The Princes of Suzdal have declared war on the Alliance to save their worthless Russian hides from the Horde. This fruitless war grows more complicated by the hour...
December
In retrospect, my decision to levy wartime taxes among the populace of the Kingdom in order to pay for a most unpopular conflict was, perhaps, unwise. Austrians living in Istria have risen up in record numbers and the King hs been forced to recall his fleets, for the home guard is insufficient to put down the revolution by itself...
1455
January
Three thousand men have been summoned to the city to be trained in the military arts, to supplement the growing armies of the Kingdom. Further, on my advice, he has decreed the construction of three galleys in Sicily and the southern provinces, to supplement the lagging navy of the Kingdom....
July
The armies have returned from the Black Sea, and they are marching to crush the rebels in Istria. A rather extravagant Venetian diplomat made an appearence at the court, demanding wealth and money in exchange for his 'services'.
He was thrown out, of course. The royal coffers can barely support my meals; how are they going to support his? Tsk tsk...
November
The city groans under the weight of war-taxes, but it will not have to groan much longer. Genoa has made considerable gains in the war against the Moslems, and has secured a favorable peace for the Alliance. Now, if only this fragile peace can be maintained, I can turn my attention to more important matters...
December
The Istrian seperatists must be recieving Austrian aid, weapons, and drilling. How else where they able to defeat the King's armies so thoroughly? Our forces have retreated to Venetian territory in the south, but Istria has already fallen to the rebel forces, who have set up a provincial government; it is only a matter of time before the province is returned to Austrian hands.
The rebels have turned north, to the city of Venice, Austria's long-time enemy, proving they are working for that Empire, but they have made a terrible blunder; Istria is open and vunerable. The King's armies will march north as soon as they have collected themselves...
1456
January
The King has arranged for me to marry a Venetian noblewoman three years hence; she is currently in far-off London. The arrangement took me by surprise, but I suppose I should have expected it, given my high posistion in the court. I have rejected the offer of a fiefdom in Istria; such land would take me too far from court, and, besides, the Crown must retain as much land as possible if my dream is ever to be recognized.
Of course, if my bridge turns out to be at all ugly, then the Crown will have a good deal of explaining to do...
February
The King's army is marching on the Istrian capital, in an effort to retake it from the insurgents. The lands I was offered a month ago have been burnt to cinders by retreating rebels....better, than, that I had not taken them.
April
The King's army has been too depleted to effectively purge Istria of rebels. Though such a happy event will eventually occur, I fear it would take many, many months before it's completion. Therefor I have urged the King to decree the formation of another brigade of cavalrymen, and he has done so. Three thousand men from all of Italy and Sicily have flocked to Naples...
September
My agents report that the Sicilian loyalists have officially dissolved. Excellant! Now the movement will give the Kingdom no more trouble. I have submitted my happy report to the King; I am certain he will be most pleased. I believe I shall crack open a bottle of French red wine, it is most pleasing...
December
The King has decreed the construction of galleys in every Neapolitian province save Marche. A prudent move, as the Neapolitian navy is vastly inadequete...
1457
August
One of the King's appointed governors took it upon himself to pass an internal tax ordinance in the province of Apulia, boosting revenues considerably. Perhaps I should give some thought to granting the governors more power, at the expense of the local patriarchies. Of course, the nobility itself must be maintained, for a strong aristocracy supplies the bulk of the King's cavalry and lends his diplomatic efforts greater credence.
I am told that the last of the Istrian insurgents has been pulled bodily from the governorial mansion and hanged from the town square. A fitting end to such a worm, and with Istria once more in the hands of the King revenues will certainly increase....
1458
February
The long struggles in Marche have left many thousands without employment or shelter. I have decreed that an army of four thousand horsemen be raised in the province, to siphon off some of the disgruntled populace in that province.
The death of the King's son has struck him hard; the doctor announced that the boy had succumbed to the flu only last night. I am not certain who killed the child, but I suspect Lord Constantine is at the heart of it; I have granted him the posistion of diplomat to the court of the Irish king in Ulster.
King Alfonso has been weakening for some time, and I fear his rope is at an end. Old wounds sustained before his rise to power throb with pain, and he has been hacking up blood...
July
King Alfonso is dead. Long live King Ferrante!
The man is a crafty, vicious bastard with a gracious streak ten miles wide. I know him well and on cordial terms; he was the former governor of Sicily. An excellant man to serve under and nearly my age; he was involved in a thousand plots before his appointment as Heir to the Crown, and those are only the ones I know of.
1459
February
The King has warmed immediatly to my suggestion that his governors be granted full power to rule the lands they have been appointed; aided in no small way by his former stint as a governor.
The nobility mutters, but that is to be expected. The King's power has grown expotentionally and the Crown now has the means to overrule a disgruntled patriarchy...
March
In a burst of generosity, Lord Oliver, govenor of western Sicily, has funded the construction and crewing of five galleys out of his own pockets. While the navy has benefited greatly from his generosity, I find it vaguely disconcerting that a member of the aristocracy is capable of matching the Crown treasury...
January
The King has arranged for me to marry a Venetian noblewoman three years hence; she is currently in far-off London. The arrangement took me by surprise, but I suppose I should have expected it, given my high posistion in the court. I have rejected the offer of a fiefdom in Istria; such land would take me too far from court, and, besides, the Crown must retain as much land as possible if my dream is ever to be recognized.
Of course, if my bridge turns out to be at all ugly, then the Crown will have a good deal of explaining to do...
February
The King's army is marching on the Istrian capital, in an effort to retake it from the insurgents. The lands I was offered a month ago have been burnt to cinders by retreating rebels....better, than, that I had not taken them.
April
The King's army has been too depleted to effectively purge Istria of rebels. Though such a happy event will eventually occur, I fear it would take many, many months before it's completion. Therefor I have urged the King to decree the formation of another brigade of cavalrymen, and he has done so. Three thousand men from all of Italy and Sicily have flocked to Naples...
September
My agents report that the Sicilian loyalists have officially dissolved. Excellant! Now the movement will give the Kingdom no more trouble. I have submitted my happy report to the King; I am certain he will be most pleased. I believe I shall crack open a bottle of French red wine, it is most pleasing...
December
The King has decreed the construction of galleys in every Neapolitian province save Marche. A prudent move, as the Neapolitian navy is vastly inadequete...
1457
August
One of the King's appointed governors took it upon himself to pass an internal tax ordinance in the province of Apulia, boosting revenues considerably. Perhaps I should give some thought to granting the governors more power, at the expense of the local patriarchies. Of course, the nobility itself must be maintained, for a strong aristocracy supplies the bulk of the King's cavalry and lends his diplomatic efforts greater credence.
I am told that the last of the Istrian insurgents has been pulled bodily from the governorial mansion and hanged from the town square. A fitting end to such a worm, and with Istria once more in the hands of the King revenues will certainly increase....
1458
February
The long struggles in Marche have left many thousands without employment or shelter. I have decreed that an army of four thousand horsemen be raised in the province, to siphon off some of the disgruntled populace in that province.
The death of the King's son has struck him hard; the doctor announced that the boy had succumbed to the flu only last night. I am not certain who killed the child, but I suspect Lord Constantine is at the heart of it; I have granted him the posistion of diplomat to the court of the Irish king in Ulster.
King Alfonso has been weakening for some time, and I fear his rope is at an end. Old wounds sustained before his rise to power throb with pain, and he has been hacking up blood...
July
King Alfonso is dead. Long live King Ferrante!
The man is a crafty, vicious bastard with a gracious streak ten miles wide. I know him well and on cordial terms; he was the former governor of Sicily. An excellant man to serve under and nearly my age; he was involved in a thousand plots before his appointment as Heir to the Crown, and those are only the ones I know of.
1459
February
The King has warmed immediatly to my suggestion that his governors be granted full power to rule the lands they have been appointed; aided in no small way by his former stint as a governor.
The nobility mutters, but that is to be expected. The King's power has grown expotentionally and the Crown now has the means to overrule a disgruntled patriarchy...
March
In a burst of generosity, Lord Oliver, govenor of western Sicily, has funded the construction and crewing of five galleys out of his own pockets. While the navy has benefited greatly from his generosity, I find it vaguely disconcerting that a member of the aristocracy is capable of matching the Crown treasury...
Err...there are several repeats opf teh last post. Its kind of disconcerting and I fear that I am missing some good bits not wanting to read essentially the same thing three times.
I hope you manage to depart an interesting and slightly different personality and writing style to each of your diary keepers. It makes for a fun read.
I hope you manage to depart an interesting and slightly different personality and writing style to each of your diary keepers. It makes for a fun read.