Bastion of the East - A de Bailleul AAR

[RustyHunter]

Chapter 19: A Family Dispute ( May 1083 - Nov. 1084 )​

The rest of 1083 was quiet, but Roussel still continued to feel overwhelmed and worried about the future. This only got worse when the Greeks ended their revolt and stabilized under Emperor Michael VII. Most Greeks were unhappy with the man, and the only people that liked him were those that used him as a puppet or were swayed by his flattery. Fortunately, the man was cowardly and more likely to while away his time in the safety of his palace, not on campaign on the frontiers.

Roussel continued to educate Robert and encouraged him in his aggression. The two’s only positive bonding was during military training, so Robert sought to please his father by becoming the strongest and meanest of the children. One of the cooks’ sons was the brunt of this, but Roussel was proud to see the boy could stand up for himself.

1084 opened much worse as Roussel fell ill. At first he thought it was a cold, but it suddenly worsened and left him bedridden for most of each day. His wife and lover both tended to him in his illness, studiously avoiding each other in a truce that had occurred years before. Roussel could not take his mind off the future and continued to work with Mayor Aubrey, the last obstacle in securing the duchy.

Aubrey paid the duke a personal visit and was greatly flattered by Roussel’s frank trust in him. The duke eventually extracted a guarantee that he would support a change in the duchy’s inheritance law, removing the final obstacle.

Roussel continued to be overwhelmed by fever and symptoms of his possession flared up during this time. Talk of his madness spread throughout the court, especially as he continued to make transformational changes in the duchy. William Gifford, the court chaplain, was named count of Lykandos, elevating another Norman to the minor nobility. This decision was not controversial, but it paved the way for decisions that would divide the realm.

Next, Roussel named a Greek lowborn, Basileios, as commander. The man had fought on the wrong side of a Greek civil war and escaped to Roussel’s realm to sell his services once more. He had distinguished himself as something of a strategist, intriguing Roussel greatly.

In early July, Roussel had entered a deep fever, drenched in sweat with slightly unfocused eyes. He had sent a servant to gather the council in his chambers, and the group filed in one by one. Theophano also joined them in her role as regent and caretaker for Roussel. Most of them had looks of concern as they saw his poor condition but held their tongues.

“I have gathered you today for an important decision I have decided to make,” Roussel began. He was interrupted by a wracking cough and then continued, “My children by Ermyntrude are now legitimate children of my family.” Theophano’s face betrayed her shock and outrage as she began to protest, “You would let a bastard inherit over our son?! That is against the teachings of the church, is it not William?”

Court Chaplain William began to stutter out a response when Roussel spared him the embarrassment. “The good chaplain and I have already discussed this. Anfroi remains my one and only heir to all titles I hold upon my death. This just allows Robert, Lancelin, and Ferant to inherit my family name and the respect it deserves. This conversation was not for debate, it has already been decided.”

Theophano stormed from the room, outraged at her husband’s selfish actions. Anfroi was also upset because his half-siblings would now be rivals upon his father’s death, and Theophano had convinced him his father secretly planned to make Robert heir. Roussel’s illness passed a week later, but the consequences of his decisions appeared much more permanent. The duke had succeeded in isolating another of his sons, but perhaps the gulf between them was not irreparable?

Notes: This inheritance change/legitimization was partly motivated by game considerations and partly by the story for this AAR. I want to have a large family since Roussel's dynasty starts with just him, and it seems dangerous to only have one legitimate son when he's had so many bastards. However, I needed to use elective monarchy to keep Anfroi the heir after doing this since I don't think Robert would get to jump ahead of a legitimate son.



For the AAR, I think it does a good job complicating relationships even further. Anfroi now hates his father for the threat to his inheritance while Roussel's marriage is back in the toilet. I hope it sets up some interesting conflicts in the next generation of the realm, so I hope no one minds my use of the slightly gamey elective

monarchy. In the future, I intend to resist my urges to nominate the best child and instead try to keep a realistic line of succession.



I'd also like to mention, there should be one more narrative update to set up the foreign situation, and then a major war!

 

[RustyHunter]

Chapter 21: The Independence War ( ~1086 - ~1092 )​

The child Seljuk sultan that Roussel and his conspirators had been plotting against died just before the revolt, being succeeded by his younger brother. (Note: I don't remember what killed him. Probably court intrigue though!) The new sultan did not prove any more capable of resisting his corrupt advisors, leading Fariburz to insist the plan must continue. After securing the others' agreement, Fariburz formally demanded the sultan grant their independence under the threat of war. The haughty advisors were confident in their strength and refused, leading both sides to levy their troops for war.

The independence faction, consisted of Roussel's duchy of Charsianon, the Danishmends' beylerbiks of Cilicia and western Armenia, Tharwan's beylerbik in central Iraq, and Fariburz's beylerbik of Azerbaijan. Against this motley band was the entirety of the Seljuk Empire, stretching from Armenia to India. However, the Seljuks had been in a state of decline for quite some time, leaving both sides' levies roughly equal at approximately 17,000 each. The rebels acted first as their individual realms were far more concentrated, while the Seljuks took quite some time to muster. The Danishmends immediately set to besieging Adana with roughly 5000 men in order to secure the entirety of Cilicia. Tharwan and Fariburz joined their forces as planned, immediately laying siege to a fortress in northern Iraq. This force was roughly 6,000 men, the bulk of the revolt. Roussel raised his levies and hired the Turkic Band's mercenaries, bringing his army to roughly 5,500 men. He advanced east, into Seljuk Armenia to hunt down levies as they were raised.

Roussel and his men wiped out at least 2,000 Seljuk levies in a matter of months, ambushing them as they marched east to wherever the sultan's army was rallying. Good progress was made in the sieges, but Roussel was frustrated with Gumustekin, beylerbey of the Danishmends. Adana was not strategically important, or a threat to the revolt, but Gumustekin was obsessed with taking the province. Roussel had wanted him to head east to join the others in northern Iraq. Roussel's fear was that the Seljuk's would pick off the armies one by one, ending the revolt once and for all. Therefore, he kept his army within Armenia, relatively close to both the army in Iraq and the army in Adana.

Several weeks after Roussel had finished dealing with the Seljuk levies, Tharwan's scouts reported a massive army marching through his territory in Iraq. Roussel rushed east, desperate to join his comrades in the decisive battle. However, when Roussel was within one province of the battle, he received news that Fariburz and Tharwan were already routed, having taken significant casualties. (Note: I got there as the battle was ending and didn't want to throw my men away in a battle that was already lost.)

Casualties had been relatively light with only 1,500 of Tharwan's army being killed. He and Fariburz successfully withdrew into central Iraq and began to recover slowly. Meanwhile, the Seljuks counter-sieged everything that had been captured in northern Iraq, taking it back very quickly. The massive army of roughly 10,000 men then withdrew east, for reasons Roussel could not understand.

Gumustekin then finally finished besieging Adana and was decided to head east to join Fariburz and Tharwan's army, bringing them up to an army of roughly 9,000 men. This group laid siege to a province on the border between Iraq and southern Armenia while Roussel laid siege to Edessa, just to their north. The main revolt army succeeded in capturing the province, provoking the Seljuks into attacking once more. This time they arrived with an army of 15,000, marching directly on the smaller revolt army.

The Seljuks fell upon Tharwan, Fariburz, and Gumustekin's army immediately, initially gaining the upper hand thanks to their superior numbers. However, this time the terrain was in favor of the defenders, allowing the rebels to resist much more effectively. Roussel had immediately struck camp when he received news of the approaching Seljuk army, but he could only hope he would arrive this time. If the rebels were defeated, the war would be over, and Roussel would be in danger of punishment by the sultan.

When Roussel's men took the field, they found the battle well balanced by turning slightly in the Seljuks' favor. However, the Norman infantry reinforced the front, steadily pushing the weary Seljuks back. While the battle ground on, Roussel gathered his knights in preparation for a grand charge. The Seljuks were largely locked in battle, and they were not expecting the sudden arrival of heavily armed and armored warriors. After Roussel had organized his men, he leaad a devastating charge against the flank of the Seljuks, quickly routing them from the field.

As the Seljuks' cavalry fled, their infantry soon lost heart and formed into a headless mass, desperate to escape the slaughter. Roussel's fresh warriors rampaged through the retreating horde, striking many of their foes down. As the day ended, the Seljuks had lost almost 8,000 men, over half their army. It is likely the sultan could have eventually gathered a new army, either through mercenaries or new levies from his vassals. However, the massive loss had devastated the sultanate's finances and manpower reserves, leading the regency council to negotiate. All of Fariburz's demands were met, allowing the four conspirators to leave the Seljuk Empire.

Roussel's first goal of shattering the Seljuk Empire was successful, but his ulterior motives remained to be satisfied. Gumustekin had proven he was an incompetent warrior, and his armies had been severely depleted in the fighting. He was greatly overstretched, trying to dominate the restless Armenians in Cilicia while his core realm was only two counties.

Once Roussel's army returned to Kaisereia, he immediately declared a holy war against Gumustekin, intent on taking the entirety of Cilicia. The war was uneventful, especially as one of Gumustekin's two counties in Armenia revolted against him, leaving his army too weak to do anything. After several lengthy sieges, he eventually surrendered Cilicia to Roussel. The Greeks were quick to exploit this sudden weakness on their borders, invading and conquering both Gumustekin and his rebellious vassal.

Roussel returned Seleukeia to the eldest Pahlavuni, restoring his birthright. Teleuch, the easternmost province that served as the gateway to Cilicia, was given to Robert; the boy had grown into a masterful warrior, but he continued to have behavior problems as he was angry, proud, and lazy. Roussel hoped the young would grow into a true ruler if given territory, but it would happen that he was sorely disappointed...

Note: Sorry for the lack of screenshots, but I hope this is still coherent and interesting. This all follows what happened in game, and I actually had played up to Roussel's death.

 

[RustyHunter]

Chapter 22: The End of an Era ( ~1092 - 1098 )​

After securing Cilicia, Roussel declared one final war to clean up his borders. Vahram, Roussel's rival from years before, had somehow maintained a single barony in Cilicia despite losing a holy war to the Danishmends. This territory rightfully belonged to Roussel, and he intended to claim it. The levies were mustered and set to besieging the lone barony, eventually capturing it after several months.

However, the occupation was not enough to force Vahram to negotiate, especially since the wily Armenian had laid siege to one of Roussel's own territories. Roussel led his men north, engaging Vahram in combat. Victory was eventually obtained, but Basileios, the lowborn Greek commander was captured in the chaos. Vahram's army retreated to his territories in the duchy of Antioch with Roussel in close pursuit. A final battle was fought, destroying Vahram's army again. He finally surrendered the barony, giving Roussel control of all of Cilicia except Adana.

A few months later, Roussel managed to ransom Basileios, but the poor man had been brutalized in Vahram's dungeons, being both blinded and castrated. There was no duty to rescue the man, but Roussel felt it was owed to the Greek. When he finally returned, Roussel set him up with a comfortable retirement, hoping to ease his suffering in thanks for his service.

---

Within a few months, both Theophano and Ermyntrude got pregnant, promising Roussel even more children. His family was continuing to develop as Anfroi came of age, becoming something of a skilled tactician. He had not picked up on the intricacies of strategy, but the heir was very well rounded and certainly more agreeable than his older brother, Robert. During this time, Lancelin also came of age (second bastard by Ermyntrude). He was a bit of a disappointment, a decent warrior but beholden to his numerous vices. He had been betrothed to the countess of Taranto and quickly married off to her in an effort to spread the dynasty across the realm. Robert married a relative of the Duke of Toulouse while Anfroi married a granddaughter of King William the Conqueror. Both of these matches demonstrated that the de Bailleul family was now a legitimate dynasty that would (hopefully) prove long-lived.

Theophano eventually gave birth to a son, named Gerald (her second boy) while Theophano gave birth to Adelise(?), her first daughter. Both of the mothers were quite happy, and Roussel appeared to have balanced the women in his life. Within a year, Theophano received word that her brother had died in the dungeon of the doux of Dyrrachion. He had languished in the dungeons for years, ever since the doux had revolted and usurped the duchy. Theophano had been named his heir as he never had children, making her countess of Dyrrachion in addition to duchess of Charsianon. She also became heir to her mother's titles, namely the duchy of Opsikion and the bulk of northern Anatolia. Her mother was nearly sixty at this point, but her health was beginning to decline.

This is an old picture but Theophano's mother is the heir in this, her brother would be second, and Theophano is third. I believe it also includes Nicomedia and maybe a couple other counties nearby.​

Once Theophano died, this would grant Anfroi both his father's lands of Charsianon and Cilicia, and his mother's lands of Opsikion and Dyrrachion, making him the largest single landholder in Anatolia. This gave some of the nobles in the Greek emperor's court pause, but there was currently nothing they could do about it. Roussel was adamantly opposed to the Greeks while Theophano was determined to guarantee her son's inheritance. Within a few years, she actually expanded Anfroi's inheritance by seizing another county from the war torn Kingdom of Serbia.

During this time, Roussel had betrothed Ferant (third son by Ermyntrude) to the duchess of Achaea, threatening to spread de Bailleul control even further into the Greek empire. However, this betrothal was canceled a few years later due to Lancelin's untimely death at his wife's court in Taranto. The murderer was unknown, but it was probably one of the de Hautevilles because the countess entered an incestuous marriage within six months. Roussel was greatly upset, convinced he had sent his son into a den of thieves and murderers. The duke took Lancelin's death very personally and promised not to risk his other sons in foreign realms. Ferant's betrothal was immediately canceled and a new, unlanded woman was found for him.

---

As Roussel entered his late fifties, people began to refer to him as 'the Old', possibly because he was beginning to lose his vitality, looking far older than reality. His bouts of madness had never receded, and Lancelin's death sent him into a steeper decline. Theophano spent more time in her county in the west, leaving his children and lover to care for him. The rest of the 1090s passed very quietly as Roussel contented himself with hunting, reading, and visiting his sons. Anfroi had demonstrated he was a skillful heir, and Roussel began to feel that the realm was safe and his work was done.

Roussel passed in his sleep at the age of sixty, in the year of our Lord 1098. Anfroi ascended the throne without issue, but rumors would plague him for years. Some claimed that Roussel's body disappeared after he died, and a few peasants claimed to have seen a demon escaping his chambers moments after his death. The peasantry would continue to claim that Anfroi had been conceived by a demon, sowing fear and dissent among them. These rumors were obviously farcical, but they had a way of growing uncontrollably.

Robert journeyed to Kaisereia for the funeral, commiserating with his siblings and mother. He then remained behind, ostensibly to help his younger brother handle the transition to power. Anfroi decided to serve as a continuation of his father's rule, maintaining the councilors as they were. The largest challenges of his early realm were ensuring that his siblings received decent inheritances and the youngest children were raised properly. Robert had already been taken care of, being named count of Teluch while Roussel yet lived. Ferant (third son of Ermyntrude), had not yet been given a title, but something could certainly be found.

Robert was named heir, until Anfroi had a son of course. It appeared the succession had been as smooth as possible, and Roussel would be proud of the foundation he had built. Anfroi was only twenty at the time of his ascension, but he appeared a capable and just ruler. He would need time to gain experience and grow into his title, but Robert's assistance was certain to help...

Note: There is probably one more gameplay update covering the early years of Anfroi's rule since some dramatic and hopefully interesting events occurred. This will then be closed by an epilogue, charting the broad course of the dynasty through the rest of the Middle Ages. Thanks for following along, and I hope you enjoyed the update!

 

[RustyHunter]

Chapter 23: Duke Anfroi ( 1098 - 1101 ) and Epilogue​

When Anfroi took power at the young age of twenty, he was unfortunate that many of his father's loyal comrades from his mercenary days had already died, leaving something of a gap of older, experienced leaders in the realm. This had to be filled by the talented but inexperienced men of Anfroi's generation, most notably his half-brothers Robert and Ferant, and Herman Mortimer, Anfroi's secret half-brother born of Roussel's affair with Mechthild. Robert and Ferant were very similar, both competent warriors but plagued by their numerous personal failings and foibles.

Herman and Anfroi got along very well as they both had similar personalities, as well as decent military skills. However, Anfroi was prioritizing giving his siblings titles, as Roussel wished, rather than Herman. The man had to remain satisfied being a commander for now.

Anfroi's main desire during this time was to sire an heir with Emma, his de Normandie wife, and allow the realm to prosper without war. Things seemed to be going well as Emma gave birth to a daughter in 1100, and Anfroi felt that he and his wife were falling in love despite not marrying for love. Robert continued to spend much of his time at court in Kaisereia, supporting his younger half-brother in ruling the realm.

However, Anfroi's world fell apart at a feast in 1101. It had been celebrating another successful harvest, and all the notable figures of the duchy attended. Anfroi sat upon the dais, enjoying his food and wine, chatting with his various courtiers. Mechthild, Herman's mother, interrupted the duke, seeming to throw herself on him.

"Come my lord, I wish to show you something, in private," she slurred, obviously drunk. She insistently tugged on Anfroi's arm, leading him from the hall. The duke was not interested in sleeping with his friend's mother, but he did not wish to humiliate her in front of the entire court. Once they could no longer hear the raucous feast, Mechthild's demeanor changed immediately. She immediately let go of Anfroi's hand, stood up straight, and appeared much more alert.

"Apologies my lord, but I had to get you alone without raising suspicion. I have dire news to share with you," she said, clearly sober.

"What is it?" Anfroi asked, concerned by this cloak-and-dagger game.

"It is of your brother, my lord. He is a lecher, preying on the noblewomen of the realm."

"Robert? He has always had a way with the wenches, but he would never seduce a married woman," Anfroi responded, concerned by the claim.

"You are wrong there my lord. I caught him in the act with Herman's wife, Sibyl, and I have a witness that caught him with your own lady-wife!" Mechthild exclaimed. "Sibyl confessed the whole thing when I confronted her, and I swear this is no jest."

Anfroi closed his eyes, visibly disturbed by his brother's treachery. He briefly shuddered before thanking Mechthild for her honesty and gathering his guards to arrest both Robert and Duchess Emma. The young duke did not return to the feast, devastated by the betrayal of those he loved. It would be three days before he finally confronted the lecher and the harlot, determined to be hard on them.

When he finally went to the dungeon, Anfroi saw to Robert first. The count sat in his finery smugly taunting the guards. As the door opened and Anfroi entered, Robert let smiled, apparently treating the entire thing as a game. Anfroi punched the idiot, knocking the smile off his face.

"I loved you, you bastard! I treated you like my brother despite being the son of a whore! I did not complain when Father elevated you, and this is how you repay me?!" Anfroi screamed. Robert said nothing as his expression hardened. "At least repent, say you are sorry! It will not fix anything, but it will prove you are not the filth my mother always claimed you were," Anfroi continued, pleading with Robert to assuage his guilt.

"I have nothing to apologize for," Robert sneered. "Your wife was unsatisfied, and I met her needs." At this Anfroi slapped Robert, shutting him up once again.

"You are lucky I am a kind and just ruler, unlike you," Anfroi replied. "You have officially violated your vassal oaths, forfeiting your county. You deserve to die, but I will not prove myself a kinslayer. You are to leave the realm and never return, on pain of death." With that final pronouncement, Anfroi turned and left the cell, leaving the unrepentant Robert to his fate.

The duke then came to his wife, the harder decision. She was huddled in the corner, her eyes ringed by red, her face coated in dried tears. When Anfroi entered, she began to sob once more. "Silence, woman, you have brought shame upon yourself and get what you deserve," Anfroi snapped, silencing her immediately. "I thought you loved me, but that is clearly false. I have petitioned the Holy Father for a divorce in light of your actions. Once it comes through, you shall leave my realm and never return. I care not where you go, but do not return here. I should put you to death, but the last of my love stays my hand. All I ask, if you even loved me, is our daughter truly mine?"

Emma seemed on the verge of tears, clutching at Anfroi's leg. My lord, I swear she is your daughter! Your brother was but once, a mistake of a sad and lonely woman! I still love you and beg your forgiveness!" Anfroi extricated himself from her grip, glaring down at her.

"He is not my brother!" Anfroi yelled. "And your love is false. Our marriage shall soon be over, and you shall be less than nothing to me. I shall raise my daughter, and you shall live with the torture of never seeing her again. Goodbye Emma, I wish it had not ended this way," Anfroi said as sadness crept into his voice. He turned on the pitiful woman even as she began to cry once more.

---

After dealing with Emma and Robert's treachery, Anfroi elevated Herman to Robert's county of Teluch, rewarding his friend and securing a strongg ally. Ermyntrude was asked to leave the court, removing her poisonous influence but outraging her remaining children. A new wife was eventually found, and Anfroi managed to put the trauma behind him.

The realm continued to prosper as Anfroi grew into his title. His grandmother died in 1106, seeing the bulk of Anatolia pass to Theophano. The Greeks were growing increasingly restless as it appeared a Norman would inherit most of their borderlands, pulling them out of the empire. As Theophano's health worsened, the Basileus invited Anfroi to his palace in Constantinople. No one knew exactly what occurred, but Anfroi eventually swore fealty to the Greek, bringing his lands back into the empire. He then launched a war against a neighboring duke, adding two more Anatolian counties to his titles. The Greeks were upset, but the Basileus was happy to have a strong realm in the east, serving as a bastion against the Seljuk threat.

When Theophano finally passed, Anfroi was named Despot of Anatolia, unifying his numerous duchies under a single title. Gerald, Theophano's youngest son was given the lands in Albania, making him a relatively strong count under Anfroi. The Normans continued to prosper and grew in importance in the Greek realm, but tensions remained high as it seemed they were taking over the entire realm.

Perhaps Roussel's greatest legacy was carving out a strong realm and grooming an effective heir. The Normans of Anatolia were certain to face their rough patches, but Roussel and Anfroi's legacies would live on for centuries, long past the realm they carved in the east...

Note: Thanks for reading my AAR! I've really enjoyed writing this and I hope you enjoyed reading! I really appreciate all your comments and hope this was a satisfying end to Roussel's adventure. It probably would make more sense to have left off at Roussel's death, but I wanted to share the early parts of Anfroi's life that I had played.

I really appreciate your support in finishing my first AAR, and I'll hopefully write something new in CK2 at some point. If you're interested in branching out a bit, I have a HOI4 AAR set in the Fallout universe (post-nuclear sci-fi). This will be going on for quite some time, and heavily emphasizes the story, so HOI4 knowledge is not necessary. I think this is some of my best narrative writing so far, and I really enjoy the topic. If that sounds interesting to you, I'd greatly appreciate your readership (found here: Savages of Utah)! I also have a HOI3 AAR that is nearly finished, following the Republic of China in the early stages of WWII. There are maybe two more parts to write, and then it will be over. This was my first AAR so the writing is a bit hit or miss, but I've enjoyed it quite a bit (found here: One Heart, One Soul, One Mind, One Goal).

Thanks again for your readership! I've really appreciated how friendly everyone has been on these forums, and I look forward to staying involved.