• We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
GQ2rSmT.jpg
For many years now, the House of Cantabria has wisely ruled over the lands of Asturias. Now their lands stretch from Santiago in the North to Valencia in the south. Never before had the lands prospered so. The people rejoiced and held up their kings as god's divine sent from heaven to free the catholic faithful from the grasp of the Muslim invaders. Yet History has once more fooled the masses. For it was not the iron will and strength of kings that catapulted Spain to the world stage, but the socio-economic circumstances of the world around them. It was only a matter of time for the catholic masses to eclipse the faltering Muslim regime to the south. Poor harvests in the south due to ever hotter summers and breakouts of plague led a decline in population for many areas of Al-Andalus, such as in Lisbon where around 10% was believed to have been wiped out by disease. Primary accounts detail how the dead where wheeled out in carts. One Muslim preacher wrote down the circumstances in his diary:
We have nought but our faith in god to guide us through this turmoil. Our food is short and our kings are weak. Action must be taken against our incapable monarch. Gods work must be completed if we are to save our peoples from the catholic heathens who wish to slaughter us all.”
Contrary to the accounts in Al-Andalus, the reverse appears true for Asturias. In contrast with the dreary, poor developments of its European neighbours, Asturias appears to break the trend of the so-called 'dark ages'. Its trade links through the Mediterranean gave the lands access to goods and technologies from Byzantium and along the Silk road. Growing populations allowed kings to wield greater armies, and land owners to grow filthy rich off excess food and fine luxuries.

-exert from
Prof. Carlos Verdana's: History of the Asturian Kings(1950)
(Prominent Marxist historian)

Muño I Emperor of the Spanish and King of Leon
In the year of our lord 1030, the Pope granted Muño King of Leon and Asturias the title, Emperor of all the Spanish. The coronation ceremony had been set at the 8th of August in the capital of Leon. Festivals and feasts were held throughout the capital to celebrate the momentous occasion. Emissaries from all over Europe arrived in the capital to pay homage to the second European Emperor.
The coronation of Emperor Muño was a spectacle to behold. Although not a grand a spectacle as that of the Holy Roman Emperor, the event still reverberated around Europe. The name Muño was on the lips of every ruler from Arabia to Iceland. Feasts and tournaments were held for days in the capital of Léon, the Castillo de la santa proving its age was barely able to accommodate for the crowning ceremony, let alone all the guests arriving for the feast.
The tournament was a spectacle to behold. Knights from all four corners competed on the kings grounds, with Spanish Knight Rodrigo de Cantabria earning second place, bested only by Knight Philippe 'the giant' of France. Immediately after the event, the Emperor was bombarded with marriage requests from the Kings of Europe. The King entered into an alliance with the King of Lombardy and Lower Lorraine. Such alliances would keep the Islamic invaders away and prevent the Spanish nobility from rebelling, notably Arias de Castilla.

KnqjbyG.jpg

Muño is crowned Emperor of all the Spanish by the Pope

Following the inadequacy of the royal court for holding the event at the Castillo de la Santa, the Emperor ordered the construction of a new Imperial palace near Pollos and Tordesillas. The Palace to be built on the banks of the Duero River would be the image of Imperial splendour. The palace however would not be completed in his lifetime, and is still not completed as of the reign of Guzmán I. The construction site lays half finished, the hulk of a hall stands near the banks, with what appears to be the outline of an wall system. Reports suggest the Emperor became bored of his construction, instead wanting to focus on reforming the Imperial retinue.

fortress-2010.JPG

Construction of the new Castle near Tordesillas

The Emperors new reforms saw much of the original retinue dismissed, many of the knights had simply inherited their position from the original Spanish and Portuguese men brought into the army and as such, the army had seen better days. Muño's reform saw new Occitan knights and highland German mercenaries known as 'the Swiss' take the place of unreliable or unfit knights in the Imperial retinue. Although the new foreign warriors cost far more than the original Royal Retinue, the reforms were much needed to improve the quality of Muño's personal military.

As newly crowned Emperor, Muño set about transforming his realm. The succession laws were changed, the dukes no longer had the right to elect their monarch. The title would be inherited on an agnatic-cognatic primogeniture basis. The Emperor also abolished the title of the Kingdom of Asturias to centralise the realm around one crown and throne. From now on, Leon would be only kingdom held by the crown, under which the vast majority of the nobility served. The king also enacted the King's peace Law, a law which prevented the nobility of the kingdom from declaring war on each other, much of the smaller nobles were happy to see this move, as a bulwark against the aggressive expansion of Castilla and Galicia. In terms of the succession laws, many of the new nobility were indifferent over Muño's decision. However the old-nobility were furious. As such Muño looked to gain the favour of one of the powerful houses to counter balance the rebellious ones. Muño created the title the Republic of Portugal, giving it to the Lisboa Republic, along with the sovereignty of several ports along the Atlantic coast.

800px-Braun_Lisboa_HAAB.jpg

Lisbon is the heart of the Portuguese Republic

Exercising his new title, Muño intervened in the ongoing Navarran civil war. After all, Navarra is a natural part of Spain. Decisive military action on Muño's part brought the King of Navarra to heel, surrendering his title and fleeing to exile in Aquitaine. Many Pyrenean counts swore fealty to Muño rather than face invasion. The Navarran civil war however had led a lowly Catalan duke to declare himself King of Aragon. This would not stand. Several campaigns into Catalonia and a siege of Barcelona saw the Aragonese King bow his knee before Muño. The despot was allowed to keep his title and lands on the grounds he swear fealty to the King and provide royal land near Amposta on which a castle could be built at some point in the future.

Muño continued to rule as Emperor of the Spanish for 8 years after his coronation, however the final year of his life took a turn for the worse. Already weak from illness, the Emperor spent much of his later life in seclusion, it was here Muño developed strange tendencies. It appeared the king had been struck down with the same condition of his father Guillén. This was the second known case of so-called 'Cantabrian madness'. It appeared Arias de Castilla was correct, Muño had inherited much from his father. Fortunately Muño's state meant he was rarely in the public view, with his madness being mostly kept secret. Muño First Emperor of the Spanish died soon after developing his insanity. His death saw the Empire pass to his son Fernando I.

sqpt97h.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • 2
Reactions:
Very nice, good use of picture this time round :p, but would've been nice to see the split of the Portuguese republic from the crown (I.e what territory it hosts) and a look at the aragonian war.

Good luck to the next entry and looking forward o the reign of Fernando the First.

P.S in M+ T ( at least in 1.19) Leon is pale green.
 
Very well done AAR! Consider me subbed and thrilled. Below, I leave some questions and criticism, if you don't mind

-I'm glad you finally have claimed the emperorship over all the Spanies -and enforced it! It seems like the Reconquista can be completed very soon. I hope the newly created Portugal remain loyal though. And that flag is SO badass!

-you are consistently misspelling the name of a city. It's not Alacá, but rather Alcalá (it derives from al-Kalat, arabic for castle).

-Also, on the subject of toponims, it seems a bit of inconsistent to call some places by the Spanish name and others by the arabic one. In a Spanish-centric story, specially one told from a future where Spain has probably prevailed, using spanish names would be better IMHO.

-I'm quite puzzled by the story about the germans and other foreigners entering the imperial retinue. Before reaching that part, I was to suggest to let the retinue stand for the Santa Hermandad, which historically was a military secular order that was tasked to ensure peace was kept in the country. It was specially fitting with the initial comments regarding the retinue originally being created to counter revolteers.

-What are your goals post-reconquista-wise?

-Also, do you intend to make the new palace a permanent capital? Traditionally, the kings would have seen Toledo as the natural and historical capital of all of Spain. (Not that I mind for the alternative, just wondering from the standpoint of historicity).

-In general I would like to see more maps. Somewhere down the line, a map depicting the conquests of the different kings would be cool, to summarize the progress, which has been a bit dificult to follow, only with the european maps as references.

-Also, at times it seems unclear who the narrator is. Sometimes, it is seen talking as if he were telling the story from the timeline if Guzmán, but in general it seems to be a contemporary (to us) narration.

-Lastly, if you are going to implement some sort of interactive council with the readers, it must be called Cortes (the traditional spanish name for the parliament). ;-)
 
Very nice, good use of picture this time round :p, but would've been nice to see the split of the Portuguese republic from the crown (I.e what territory it hosts) and a look at the aragonian war.

Good luck to the next entry and looking forward o the reign of Fernando the First.

P.S in M+ T ( at least in 1.19) Leon is pale green.

Sorry i don't have many pics of the past kings due to a lack of save games unfortunately - but that will change very soon!
The Portuguese merchant republic is still part of the crown though, just a LOT more powerful
Wait what Leon is green?!? Guess i'll be needing to change that to a good old fashioned purple!
 
Very well done AAR! Consider me subbed and thrilled. Below, I leave some questions and criticism, if you don't mind

-I'm glad you finally have claimed the emperorship over all the Spanies -and enforced it! It seems like the Reconquista can be completed very soon. I hope the newly created Portugal remain loyal though. And that flag is SO badass!

-you are consistently misspelling the name of a city. It's not Alacá, but rather Alcalá (it derives from al-Kalat, arabic for castle).

-Also, on the subject of toponims, it seems a bit of inconsistent to call some places by the Spanish name and others by the arabic one. In a Spanish-centric story, specially one told from a future where Spain has probably prevailed, using spanish names would be better IMHO.

-I'm quite puzzled by the story about the germans and other foreigners entering the imperial retinue. Before reaching that part, I was to suggest to let the retinue stand for the Santa Hermandad, which historically was a military secular order that was tasked to ensure peace was kept in the country. It was specially fitting with the initial comments regarding the retinue originally being created to counter revolteers.

-What are your goals post-reconquista-wise?

-Also, do you intend to make the new palace a permanent capital? Traditionally, the kings would have seen Toledo as the natural and historical capital of all of Spain. (Not that I mind for the alternative, just wondering from the standpoint of historicity).

-In general I would like to see more maps. Somewhere down the line, a map depicting the conquests of the different kings would be cool, to summarize the progress, which has been a bit dificult to follow, only with the european maps as references.

-Also, at times it seems unclear who the narrator is. Sometimes, it is seen talking as if he were telling the story from the timeline if Guzmán, but in general it seems to be a contemporary (to us) narration.

-Lastly, if you are going to implement some sort of interactive council with the readers, it must be called Cortes (the traditional spanish name for the parliament). ;-)

Thanks for the Sub, and the criticism is great, the more the better!

-Sorry for the errors in spelling, most of the spellings i use however are taken straight from the HIP mod, except that one, will fix.

-Yeah i was debating putting everything in English when i was writing, but i decided to use the Islamic toponyms for when the holdings are under the control of the Moors and then revert to English when they are mine. That being said i'm not opposed to standardising each spelling, potentially into Spanish.

-On the subject of the retinue, not to spoil much but it will be reformed eventually. I'm not very well versed in early Spanish history, but Santa Hermandad definitely looks promising for the future. As for choosing foreigners, i do know that Swiss mercenaries in particular were renowned around Europe for their military prowess, specifically in the 14th/15th centuries, as for earlier i have no idea.

-As for future goals, who said the reconquista was finished? Other than our Moorish friends down south, i'm sure that frontier with Aquitaine can be pushed a bit further north...

-I definitely have a plan to create a new capital, but i was thinking of to saving that for EU4. I'd always considered 3 potential capitals for CK2. Either Leon, Toledo or Cordoba, but i'm thinking of keeping it at Leon for the time being, to centralise rule around the Leonese Kingdom.

-That sounds like a good idea. I was thinking of doing the big beefy photoshopped ones for the end of each chapter, but smaller ones are a good idea for each post.:D

-I have always tried to keep it from the time of Guzman, but i'm sure there are areas where the flow is broken. The only areas where this is not the case is wider reading, where it is stated from which period the writing is from. Any flow issues however should be eliminated when Guzman enters the fray however.

-As i am already so far ahead in the campaign i was considering leaving any audience interaction to start in early EU4 or the very late game, when it makes sense, as the Emperors right now aren't exactly up to listening for the subjects.
 
all very cool news, i'll repeat my little post,

what is the general idea of the "cortes"/our interaction? do we each join a particular party? or just act as almost chairmen to the monarch, like minister of war, colonies etc...

and yeh here's the evidence for leon being green (the lighter green)
http://s1070.photobucket.com/user/m... finally achieved enmity of Portugal.png.html

idk if special colours for other forms, like al-analus (or to that effect) par spain which is like a warmer yellow than its castile (also in above picture)
 
My general idea for the cortes would just be a general vote for each reader based on a certain issue, say if we go to war or not in time of crisis.
However later on as international diplomacy improves in late EU4 and for Victoria 2 for major international events i may have people represent a particular viewpoint like you suggested. Having said that i think there are certain limitations to player involvement and permission will be required from moderators if things get to role-play levels of involvement.
 
kk, mixed opinions on that- like vote but think it would be cool, at least in Vic 2, if we all host ministerial roles.
but we can solve that and other associated hurdles when we get there.

hope the next entry is going good and all the best ;).
 
Fernando I Emperor of the Spanish, King of Leon and the Basque

Fernando came to the throne following the death of his father in 1038. Muño's son was one of the very few who knew of his late fathers mental condition, along with a few courtiers and trusted advisers. If word had spread of Muño's condition, following Fernando's ascension, the realm would be strife with rebellion. Initially Fernando was fearful he would develop the same condition as his father and grand-father before him, after all it was in the family line. Yet over time Fernando was determined not to give into his paranoia, he would forge his own path and not give into his 'impending' fate and set out to rule the Kingdom to the best of his abilities.

Fernando was an ambitious king, but not for conquest as with his father. He had seen his fair share of blood and loss whilst fighting in his fathers wars. Instead Fernando wanted prosperity, not just for his subjects, but all of God's children on earth. Trade with the Mediterranean was key to Fernando's ambitions. Great construction works began in Valencia and Barcelona to improve both cities' naval facilities, allowing for an increasing number of merchant vessels to anchor down on Spanish land. The improved docks paved the way for Roman and Italian merchants to frequent the Spanish ports with an increasing number of goods. In fact trade improved enough to satisfy the ambitions of the King of Aragon. After Muño had spared the King on the field of battle and allowed him to keep his titles, many thought the 'so-called' king would look to break away once more, or even vie for the Imperial throne. The wise rule of Fernando however, along with the ever increasing imports from cities such as Constantinople, Naples and Genoa saw Aragon's ports flourish far more under the Spanish Empire than when the land was independent.

cot4Mb0.jpg

Merchants set up shop, awaiting trade in Barcelona

Fernando also wished to revive the legacy of Muño the blessed, by resigning the Treaty of Seville with Al-Andalus. Fernando knew now that the Moors no longer had the power to challenge the Spanish and so now was an ideal time for a treaty of perpetual peace. The treaty was signed in 1043 and saw a great influx of goods from north Africa and Andalusia into Spanish trade hubs once again. Yet as with the reign of Muño, many were opposed to the treaty. The nobility in Toledo and Calatrava in particular reminded Fernando of the treachery of Sultan Muhammad and the subsequent invasion of Leon. Others however suggested that as the Moors were so powerless they should be subjugated under the boot of the Catholic faithful. To finally finish the reconquista would be the destiny and history written for Fernando of the Spanish. Yet the Emperor was not zealous but temperate and humble, suggesting there was a place for Christians and Muslims to coexist, and that place would be Hispania, the shining beacon for all lands, east and west, and all religions, Christian or Muslim. Many of the more zealous in Fernando's court still denounced Fernando's plans as evil and downright treacherous. Some more loud mouthed members of the court even branded Fernando a heretic or infidel himself. Yet Fernando did not strike back, for his biblical teachings and readings reinforced his beliefs.
Galatians 5:14
For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

225px-Treaty_of_Dovydi%C5%A1k%C4%97s_between_Jogaila_and_Order.png

The Treaty of Seville was once again reinstated

Fernando's beliefs came from his wide study of the works of Muño the blessed in the Castillo de la Santa archives and other biblical readings. Fernando was known to spend many a day studying the texts, in hope of gaining a much greater insight into the workings of the world and the peace that should exist between Christian and Muslim alike. Despite many further ambitions the Emperor held in his head, little else was achieved during his reign. Peace prevailed over the Empire and Fernando worked tirelessly to ensure it remained this way. Diplomatic deals, and other such treaties however where handled by his chancellor mostly. But the mastermind behind them was Fernando, his deceptive nature made sure every deal was favourable to Spain over any other relevant party. This was especially true for the new marriage alliance signed with the Kingdom of Wessex. Fernando's daughter would marry Armadeus, heir to the Kingdom in the hopes greater trade rights would be agreed between the seats of Leon and Winchester.

Fernando had ruled over the Spanish for 21 years until his death of natural causes aged 54 in the year of our lord 1059. At no point in his life did he develop any signs of the 'Cantabrian madness' or any other unusual tendency. His death marked the ascension of our current Emperor, Guzman I.

6I53iEc.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • 1
Reactions:
Whoop we at Guzman :D

Nice prose and a sweet reign for Fernando, if only we knew his income though.

Good luck and nice to see evidence of a king willing to unite into other realms, and who knows, perhaps the leonese kings may yet sit on the Anglican throne :p.

Good luck and excited to see what changes may occur to the format, seeing as we are at our current ruler. (we at 1060 now then?)
 
Nice update.

I wonder, do you think it would be interesting to have one of those "in-depth articles" casting some light to the pre-unification history of the other iberian realms?

Also, it seems the title localisation is abit bugged in that screenshot "emperor of the Spain", where it should be "emperor of Spain". It's strange to see that in HIP. Is your empire the de-jure one, or a vustom created one?
 
Sure that sounds like a good idea for a wider reading article, i may consider looking at Navarra, its internal issues and its limited participation in the reconqusta, i'm fresh out of ideas for chapter 2 wider reading.
As for the localisation i know it is weird being the de jure title. But i think it would be equally strange if on the map it just said 'Spanish' as 'the' is coded not to appear, although it would make sense for events and character titles. I may consider modding it to 'español imperio' which i guess would make sense on both accounts.
 
Ibicko and ngppgn, there is no major fault in the localization of the name. In this time, and up to post nationalistic Spain in the early 1900s, the monarch eas called the king of all Spains. So the title emperor of the Spain isn't too far removed from this,

It was dubbed as such due to the deep principality based nature of Spain, with each being akin to a kingdom in status. A example of a Monarch exercising this naming is Charles V, who also, to my knowledge, has the longest titular name, with nearly 80 individual titles.
 
Guzmán I Emperor of the Spanish, King of Leon and the Basque

The early reign of Guzmán I saw the rise of a true warrior king, learned in the art of swordsmanship and marshal strategy. However much of the Emperor's early life saw his fixated on the art of history and the previous rulers of Asturias and Leon. Guzmán was brought up on tales of the Great Alfonso III who led the Spanish to victory on the field of Naxera, and Muño the Blessed's victory at Madrid that crushed the infidel once and for all. Guzmán was determined to live up to the legacy of his forefathers and be remembered for all time by the Spanish people well on into the near future.

HjAjcAB.jpg

Guzmán's ascension to the throne was successful, the old nobility had mostly been placated by the greater prosperity from improved trade links during Fernando's reign. However Guzmán was not interested in peace. He would be crowned true warrior king of all the Spanish. Guzmán set his eyes on the last bastion of the Moors, Cordoba. The high walls of the city still proved an obstacle to every Spanish king, providing safety and shelter for the infidels lurking inside. Guzmán was determined to conquer the city once and for all.

Raising his banners and calling his warriors forth, Guzmán set out to conquer the city. However the Moors were quick to respond, raising an army of around 18000 men to defend their holy city. Both forces clashed in the Battle of Lebla. The battle is seen as a dark day in Spanish history. Alternatively, Islamic legend calls it 'The Miracle at Lebla'. 18000 Muslim knights defeated the Spanish army nearly twice their size, driving them back north. Guzmán was furious. If not for the arrival of a second army of Spanish soldiers, Guzmán would have lost the war all together, becoming a laughing stock among the kings of old. Guzmán fortunately prevailed, scattering the Infidel far and wide. The siege layed to Cordoba was long and arduous, yet the defenders eventually surrendered and the purple banner of the Spanish finally flew above the city once and for all. The victory in Cordoba resulted in another major civil war in the Andalusian lands. One the Nasr dynasty would not live to see the end of.

fNcOfEI.jpg


Victory had definately come at a cost, the realms levies were depleated and the Imperial retinue exhausted. It was at this point the King of Aquitaine had some ambitions of his own. The rightful Spanish land of Navarra proper was already in his hands, yet the Occitan king wanted more. The King of Aquitaine demanded Bilbao for his own. The declaration of war also prompted an uprising of local Aragonese peasants in the Pyrenees, demanding independence from the Spanish crown. Faced with two wars in the same region, Guzmán reluctantly surrendered Bilbao in order to deal with the rebellion, which was ultimately put down by the Imperial retinue. Guzmán entered a deep depression following the loss of Bilbao. The Emperor was sure he would not live up to the light of his forefathers.

Faced with the losses of his northern territories, Guzmán had some ambitions of his own, still unmaried, Guzmán would marry the recently widowed Duchess of Gascoy. As her previous marriage had yielded no children, The heir of the Spanish crown would also inherit Gascony. A marriage would suit them both, in securing the future of each territory. Especially in the light of increasing subjugation of the Occitan culture by the new French king of Aquitaine. Occitan's are far closer to the Spanish than their French counterparts.

It is at this point we reach the point of my writing. 5 years ago, Emperor Guzmán commissioned several learned men in court to write the history of the Spanish Kings. Earlier little more was known of the Spanish Kings passed legend and old wives tales. Yet thanks to the wise rule of Guzmán we have a greater record than ever before of the exploits and rulership of each King since 867.

6a00e54efdd2b388340133f0019aab970b-pi

The writings of Alfonso Cardona (yours truly) take centre stage of the Imperial museum and Library in Leon to this day. The advisor also continued to support the Emperor as a fatherly figure, providing guidance for Guzmán's quest for glory and recognition. Following the completed works of Alfonso, Guzmán set out a precident for each future Emperor to have their lives recorded by their advisors for future generations. Guzmán's patronage of the arts did not stop at history however. Under Guzmán's reign, the castle under construction near Tordesillas was completed, named the Palacio del Duero. However Guzmán selected not to move the court to the new castle, but remain in Leon, with his subjects. The Palacio del Duero would instead serve as a retreat for the royal couple of Spain.

Guzmán's defeat at the hands of the Aquitainian king had earned him many rivals among court. Chief among them was Muño of Eivissa, who denounced god's appointed as if he himself had a right to the throne. Guzmán would no longer stand for such slander and challenged the outspoken count to a duel. The traitor willingly agreed.

bUbg2Ar.jpg


The duel was close, Guzmán was nearly hit several times, yet his combat skill prevailed as Muño was struck down. Reluctantly Guzmán agreed to spare his life, as the count promised to end his blastphemous denouncement of god's appointed.

EznLVtV.jpg


Many say on the day of the duel Guzmán emerged a new man, his temper grew shorter, as did his desire to redeem himself from his militarily defeats in the eyes of history.

ZTcugxn.jpg


Guzmán's elder sister Maria was married to King Armadeus Welf of England who had finally united the Anglican people under his banner. Armadeus was determined to unite the isles under his control, striking out at the Anglo-Norse Petty Kingdom of Jorvik.

hLfu654.jpg
tBUBNZQ.jpg


It was through Armadeus that Guzmán learned of the Welsh king. A heretic to the Catholic faith, bibles were circulating the Welsh kingdom, not in Latin, but the Welsh language. Such blastphemy would have to be crushed. On the advice of Guzmán, Armadeus lauched an invasion of the Welsh lands, capturing Pows from the heretic king.

cxFutAz.jpg
b0xTTiU.jpg


Guzmán of the Spanish died aged 61 of servere depression. Despite the Emperor's determination to be remebered and solidify his place in history, the failure of Guzmán ultimately drove his to his death. Guzmán was sure he would be remembered for all the wrong reasons.

2rXyBIE.jpg

The death of Guzmán marked the opening of the Imperial Guzmán library in Leon. Guzmán's legacy would be remembered not his his conquests, but for his dedication to history and the lives of the Asturian kings.
Guzmán's death saw his son Carlos rise to the throne of the Spanish.
 
Last edited:
  • 2
Reactions:
Seemed a tad rushed, perhaps split some of the reigns into early and late era of their reigns.

Happy with the picture use, perhaps add some war shots, like the death counters of the end of a battle.

All the best to the future, and looking forward to the next entry.
 
Sorry for the lapse in updates, internet was down for some time :(
However i'm back and so is chapter 2!
Speaking of Guzmán i was trying to build up hype for his reign, only to crush it all. King's attempting to live up to the legacy of their predecessors unsuccessfully played a heavy role throughout history, and i hope to continue this theme throughout the AAR.
I will be breaking up some of the later updates due to the length of reigns.
Speaking of blobbing... don't worry i have my ways....
(also i will be clearing up border gore for eu4 anyway)
 
Carlos I Emperor of the Spanish, King of Leon and the Basque

umZ8ls6.jpg

The rise of Carlos to the throne of the Empire saw an improvement in foreign diplomacy. Following Guzmán's reign, Spain had very few allies. In fact, Carlos himslef was married to the daughter of a powerful family in the Portuguese Republic, hardly a diplomatic move. But this was about to change. Spain herself was already politically and militarilly powerful, but still relatively isolated from greater European affairs, sticking to the lines of the reconquista mostly. Carlos however saw a chance for increasing influence however. As such, his daughter Violante was married to Kettil, heir to the Kingdom of France and his son and heir Guzmán would be married to Princess Johanne of Denmark.

Rmgn5W0.jpg
MANo2sM.jpg

During Guzmán's rule the county of Mursia had passed outside of the realm, instead inherited by a lowly English duke. The death of Armadeus of England put an end to the alliance between the two realms and as such Carlos was determined to regain Murcia for Spain. King Garsiya of England however would not surrender willingly.

orc1SSe.jpg

Carlos raised his banners, marching south to lay siege to Murcia. Count Gausfred of Empuries was placed in charge of the besieging forces whilst Carlos led the Imperial retinue to deal with any English defenders in the surrounding area. After several months however, the Emperor received a strange note from Gausfred, accusing Gustio of collaboration with the King of England. Details of an attempted landing in Santander were enclosed, yet the document appeared dubious.

42dD5iO.jpg
nBy4D1c.jpg


Still, Carlos was not willing to let any further collaborations continue. Gustio was arrested and imprisoned for his alleged plot. The Count would soon be released following the end of the war, no evidence showed the count as part of any plot. Shortly after his release, Carlos asked the King of Aragon to hunt down the traitor Gausfred.

English forces however did make a landing, but not at Sanatander. English forces stormed the Murcian coast, running straight into the besiegers. The English forces had not organised their assault effectively and were still recovering from the landing when they encountered the Spanish army.

SF1GvuQ.jpg


The English had sorely underestimated the size of the besieging army. The English forces were outnumbered over 3 to 1, standing little chance of making any lasting impact in the war. Following the battle, the English were very quickly defeated, retreating onto their boats and back to shelter on their island over the waves.

RdLy2KJ.jpg


After several months siege, Murcia fell to the Spanish forces in 1093. Crowds in cities cheered as the Spanish Knights marched into the town, liberating them from their oppressors. Other sources however suggest widespread looting and pillage occurred throughout the town as Spanish forces rushed to collect the spoils of war, even if it was from their own brethren.

The fall of Mucia sealed the fate of the war, as fewer English ships arrived on the Spanish coast, and only a few months later in December, the Treaty of Sussex was signed, ending the war between Spain and England once and for all.

aikrjj8.jpg


Much of Carlos reign following the end of the war with England was focused on diplomacy and foreign treaties. Carlos spent many years attempting unsuccessfully to coerce the Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire to sign a trade treaty exempting Spanish merchants from certain tolls. After much talk and very few breakthroughs, Carlos eventually dropped his policy instead looking to expand trade with Burgundy and Arles which proved about as successful as his Roman exploits.

News reached Leon from the King of Aragon that Gausfred after years in hiding had emerged to rebel against the Spanish Emperor. The King of Aragon however busy with internal matters asked Emperor Carlos to deal with the matter at hand. The slothfulness of the King angered Carlos. Still it was his duty to the realm to defend it from all threats and a chance to get the traitor saw Carlos mount up with the Imperial retinue and set off for Girona. Upon arrival at the town, news reached the king that the rebel had fled and set up camp in the Pyrenees. Traversing the uneasy terrain with his forces the King met Gausfred in open battle clashing near Ripoll. After a long arduous battle the Emperors forces prevailed. However Carlos became isolated from the rest of his forces. Gausfred himself confronted the Emperor who lost his horse after it was shot by an arrow. On an equal playing field the two engaged in a melee, onlookers watched as two military titans battled it out until the Emperor was slain on the field of battle by the traitor Gausfred.

dhm1054.jpg

Depiction of the Battle of Ripoll

5Pj2y6S.jpg

2 Years after the capture of Murcia, Carlos Emperor of the Spanish died at the young age of 43 on the field of battle at Ripoll in the year of our lord 1095. His son Guzmán, barely over 20 years old ascended to the throne of Spain.
 
  • 1
Reactions: