Bulgarian Khanate from 690 AAR

[Dr_Quin]

The Road to Constantinopole

~~~~~~Bulgarian Tzardom~~~
--------/ 1035 - 1155 \--------

The Road to Constantinopole​

After the defeat of Kongo Abbasyds weren't charmed by the direction of which my recently humble country developed. Now I'm dominating power in South-Western Africa and the patch to cape of Good Hope is before me. THis mean I would be able to colonise India and East Africa

Bulgaria use resourses from newly conquered provinces in building a navy. Africa is huge piece of land, but I doubt it is the only one rich and not owned by world power continent. So I send my glorious marines in South West direction in search for.....nobody knows. After thousands of miles travelling in the vast ocean and months without saw any piece of land, my navy found coast of huge island. Or maybe a new continent?

However I won't let my adventures to get away my focus from as it is called in most of slavic countries "Tzarigrad". Better known around the world as Constantinopol. Tzarigrad means the town of Tzars (Emperors) or city which is emperor among the other cities. To conquer any city (it is the same with villigaes) you need access to its province. The case with Constantinopol is something diferent. On one side is Minor Asia coast of Galata which is held by smart Byzantians. On the other side is Trace, owned by Abbasyd Caliphate, which deny all my requests for free passige.

Abbasyd Caliphate have the biggest army in the world. Part of it - about 40 000 soldiers are waiting in Biga (on the other side of Marmara sea, near Dardanelles). How ever my recently created navy is located in Marmara Sea. So when the war against Abbasyds is started my Admirals block Abbasyd army in Biga. On the other side my war with "the infidels" grant me free passage from Byzantians - what a surprize! For the first and maybe last time in history we are in near friendly relations.

Without any resistance i put hand on Adrianopol, Dardanelles and hole Trace without Constantinopol. Then I can safely transfer my army thru Constantinopol and with minnor battles in Anataloia (Asia Minior), gradually to destroy the Abbasyd military power. After six mounts of gurelia war I succsseed.

However I send 10 000 infantry in Gibraltar, Cadiz, Iberia and North African Coast. Gibraltar isthmus is too good taste to be let slip away form me. Th owner of Gibraltar and Tangeries earn all charges from pasing ships. It is door to my African colonies and basse from which to colonise America.

My chance is that Africa and Iberia are non-guarded by Abbasyds soldiers, as all of them are fighting with me in Asia Minor and Levanta (now days Lebanon). So almoast without any resistance we occupy Hole Abbasyd Caliphate.

Ten years after the first battle between Bulgarians and Arabs just passed. The results are catastrophic for Arabs. Now Bulgaria owns Gibraltar and Tangeries, most parts of Anatolia, Sinai and Alexandriaи. For the first time in history Bulgaria get access to the Mediterranean. On the other hand Sinai is strategical place - the one who held it owns the only land way to Africa and it could be shortcut for armies travelling from Europe to East Asia.

Abbasyd Caliphate surely will recover from its wounds, but it is not the power by which grace our existance depend on, anymore.

The new provinces we've ern raise us from local power to European factor.
Our way to Constantinopol now is open...

 

[Dr_Quin]

The Road to Constantinopole part 2

Ten years later after non-stop battles between Transylvania and nomadic trybe of Cumans Wallachia is under control of Cumans. Surprisingly several provinces defected to us. This is double benefit - once the new territories and second this tear the compactness of Cumanian territories.

After 20 years of developing our terriory and peaceful life....

In Mali (West Africa) start a rebellation of Songhai tribe (actually Mali appear much later in history, but it will be fixed in next version of "The Wolves"). This is good casus beli for us to enter in war. At least we can't stand to watch how our brothers are mascared! Heh, you know the cradle of humanity is Africa so I guess Bulgarians and Mali people are kind of brothers :rofl:

Incas were always clever weasels. We recently became neighbor
of Incas by colonisation. When they saw we are in war with Songhai they thought they could crop the harvest of our hard work. well they manage to occupy two of our provinces in South America, while my cavalry were travelling thru Atlantic Ocean. But did I mentined that American Indians were astonished by our horses and bleeding by our blades?

 

[Enewald]

A Bulgarian 12th century WC?
Yeah, sure...o

 

[Dr_Quin]

I was suppoused to be defeated by the Byzantians, but on their side they were defeated by Abbasyds, so finally I manage to survive. How ever what's the point to be defeated in 11 century, while I'll appear in 13 th. :rofl:

 

[unmerged(59077)]

12th c. colonization is far more amusing

 

[Enewald]

12th c. colonization is far more amusing

Well, there was the German Ostsiedlung, which was more of integrating a lot of West slavs into the German culture group, but here we have Bulgars in the Amazon... :rofl:

 

[unmerged(59077)]

here we have Bulgars in the Amazon... :rofl:

It's somewhat intriguing. I always wondered what Slavic-speaking Americas would look like. When I'm Tzar of all the Slavs in Vicky I sometimes give Bulgaria and Poland colonies where I don't want any myself. They don't normally do so well with them. Ah well.

 

[Dr_Quin]

Bulgarian Tzardom

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Bulgarian Tzardom ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_____________________________Part Eight _________________________________
.............................................. 1030 - 1177 ...............................................

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––African Wars –––––––––––––––––––––––––––

The Incas approached the strategic province of Panama which I can't them let seize.

While they siege Panama with fast raid I got South and I seized from them their core provinces.

After those succseses at South I bring my army at North in Panama again where my Cavalry smash the 8000 infantry of Incas.

I don't demand too much from Incas while making a peace, because rather then Incas there are 3 more tribes, which can't challange my power in South America.

THe situation is Afrca is a bit different. The war with Songhai endend with full anexation. With this act we stoned our positions in West Africa and Sahara desert.

 

[Enewald]

May I ask how does the Bulgarian empire stay together?

 

[Dr_Quin]

The secret of such prosperity is simple - Full Centralization, temple in each province and stability on 3. Offcourse there are still revolts - so I have armies from 10 000 calvary which crush any attempts. Most revolting areas are HRE provinces and Africa.

 

[unmerged(59077)]

Orthodox has a low stab cost, kind of convenient.

 

[Dr_Quin]

Part Nine

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Bulgarian Tzardom ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_____________________________Part Nine _________________________________
.............................................. 1178 - 1199 ...............................................

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Mediterranean Hegemony–––––––––––––––––––––––––––


After my little African adventure my mind was smitten by the situation in Mediterranean. No matter that Bulgaria recently grew into Mediterranean country and held control over Gibraltar my position in this part of the World wasn't strong at all. Especially if we mention The Iberian Peninsula in which South Parts Granada were situated. North from it there were Castilie, Leon and Visigoths. In the West parts there were remainings of Portugals embarased by the strong hug of Aquitane. On the other - East side there was the strong presence of France.

In this colourful situation , with the Tzar we decieded to invade the lonely state of Granada. We dispached our Cavalry in borders provinces, while infantry marches in the same direction. After Bulgari declare war on Granada with obscure documents, casus beli, in a month our soldiers got all of their provinces (3). Granada were on its knees.

As we designed the peace treaty, Granada remained semi-independent and become our vassal holding only its capital and seceeding other two provinces to us.

Several Decades after the first defeat over the Abbasyd Caliphate in time that we thought they would be again on the top, they were severly defeated by Byzantne Empire. There is something about the Byzantians. You can defeat them as many times as you want, you can seize their most treasured provinces and when you think they gonna fall - surprize! In that corner you look so rare there is huge purple bubble. I don't have any idea how they maintance their navy from more then 90 ships with just 9-11 provinces or how they manage to beat the arabians on land. The fact is that they are now tha factor in the Middle East, holding only several islands in Aegean Sea.

we make meeting of Tzar council immediatly. The blooming of Byznatines could block our expand in Mediterranean. So I'm considering new war, but before any actions I have to check what is the current situation in Bulgaria. I asked my advisors (a.k.a. Tzar advisors) about the reports. I'm surprized by the good news - with annual profit of about 1200 denars, Bulgaria is the richest country, followed by Frankish Empire with their humble profit of 235 franks.

As well our army is the biggest - 121 000 men willing to die for Bulgaria.

Because of the great succsess of the Byzantians we had to make a move. If we stays passive, we'll lost our positions in East Mediterranean.

On the Tzar council I succseed to persuit the Tzar to invade the Abbasyds. The Left wing of the army is sittuated in our province of Palestine, the center is dispatched in Alexandria and the right wing is sailing on ships in Magreb direction, where is the new capital of the Abbasyds.

The war is prolonged because of the many battles in the desert. Inspite our technology advancement our soldiers doesn't have such experience in desert as Arabians. I'm not sure anymore in our fast win. At least on the African coast batlles are easier for us.

Situation gets worst after the allies of Abbasyds enter the war- Kanem Bornu, Hausa and Mali - which are factors in Sahara. They all are desert countries so again I have to fight with more experienced enemies.

Battles are so many, that you can't tell until the last one if you are the winner or loser. After we occupy almoast hole their teritorry, Abbasyds made several very foxy counter strikes in which they seize from us aloast all of ours provinces in North Africa. At last in the 1193 year AD, the luck gets on our sholders again - We defeat the Arabian army, take our provinces back and get theirs as well. The faith of their allies were the same. After six exoustive years of desert wars we gain the most importnatn North African teritorries and we destroyed their system of alliances and vassals. For the first time in history we replace them as main power in The North Africa coast.

In the line with all gains we get after the war there are a lot negatives as well - we are exousted both military and economical. We need to enlarge our army, but our economy is already in recession.

In order to save our economy we began massive campain for building farmes, temples, workshops. Only the time will show if this strategy will be profitable.

In the same time in the sky is born new star ( not the North Star) Sweden - mighty and centralaized monarchy, with ambition for hegemony in Baltic region. This is the place where our interests crossed - Bulgaria controls small province in Pomeranian coast. And Sweden decides to invade us in order to kick us out from the region. It is fact that we are weaker after Bulgarian- Arabic war from 1188-1194, but for 3 years we restore partly our military power.

The Campain for defeating of Sweden is fast. As reparation we demand only 1200 denars, but we don't need any of their provinces for now.

In 1199 there is new escalation between us and Arabians. This time much fasters and succsessful - we seized all of their teritorries

Unfortunetly the crisis is not showing that it's gonna fade, our profits are reducing, but our expenses are growing растат.

 

[Enewald]

Proto Finns?
Tell me more, please.

 

[Dr_Quin]

Fino-ugric people situated round Ural Plains. At some point around 8-9 cen. starts to migrate at west direction. So in my mod I split them at Magyars (Proto-Hungarians) and Proto Finns (as I don't know how to make difrence between now days Finland). However in my game they manage to survive very long but they are still far from Finland (as geography).