Quest for Albion
Kicking the Pope Out of Italy (again)
The Pope had crawled back into Italy. Kaiser Leopold had granted His Holiness the county of Urbino and once again, the Pope was ruling an entire county, instead of ruling under mercy of Normans in Trapani. Of course, this will not do- plus, there is a nice county available. So, in January 1266, Adelise declared war against the Pope.
Her armies were still resting in Ireland, so she did something she hadn’t done for a while- used her local levies. Over 23 000 soldiers in total were still waiting for her command in Sicily and Calabria, sailing to the Italy and 6000 were still left to siege Trapani. Basically, Normans sailed to Italy, kicked the Pope, assaulted Urbino and by April the war was over. Pope was kicked back to Trapani and Urbino was given to Doge of Ancona.
The Papal holdings in Italy... now Norman holdings in Italy
Landing in England
When Normans attacked England back in 1066, they assembled a huge fleet and sailed across the Channel. Now, there was no such need for it. Instead of attacking from the south, Normans attacked from the north, near the scottish border. Using local transportation to cross the strait between Ireland and Scotland and then marching across the scottish lands seemed like a more prudent cause.
Oh yes, and by the way, we’re attacking England. Why? The simple answer would be “because it’s there”, but people suspect it is more complicated then that. Normans already took Normandy and are obviously planning to become sole Norman (or ex-Norman) rulers in the world. So, in April 1266, exactly 200 years after William the Conqueror had crossed the English channel and beat the usurper Harold in battle of Hastings, it was time for Normans once again invade England- this time, their northernmost holdings- the Duchy of Northumberland.
The Normans marched from Ireland to England, with some English army approaching
By the end of May, Norman forces were in place- 2 armies sieging Cumberland and Northumberland while the third stayed as reserves. English mobilized their forces quickly, but their number were thinned when Normans kicked their butt in Ireland, so they only managed to get 12 000 soldiers under their flag. Obviously, it was not enough, but it did not stop English from bravely attacking the Norman army in Northumberland. In a battle of Lindisfarne, September 1266, they assaulted bravely the Norman troops- just as it was a good proper Norman way. So did they Normans, and they met in the middle of the field, causing the most intensive battle Normans had had for ages.
With this battle, the fate of England was decided. Shame it wasn't in Hastings
In the end, the Normans.. khm, the proper Normans won. Still, English lost 8000, while Normans 3000, so the battle was pretty even. But with that, the war was over and in November 1266, King Nicholas III gave up his first Duchy to the Normans.
War for Tripoli
Meanwhile, in September 1266, Radolf de Hauteville, councillor of the Empire, managed to gain a claim that shows that ancestors of Doux David of had given themselves to the Norman protection from the Byzantine Empire, making Tripoli vassals of the Norman Empire. Of course, doux David refused to ackowledge the Norman rights and as a result, Adelise declared war on him. By the way, the whole thing took over 2000 gold to set up...
Anyways, 18 000 soldiers from Jerusalem crossed the border of Duchy of Tripoli (independent from Byzantines, by the way) and sieged the county of Tripoli. Armies of Tripoli were too afraid to counter them, so with assaults, they made the province theirs and in January 1267, Doux David gave up Tripoli.
Holy War for Lancaster
Meanwhile, intrigues in England had created perfect opportunity for Normans. Duke Michael I of Lancaster saw the opportunity- after all, King Nicholas III troops were defeated by Normans and the crown was defenceless. Isabella de Normandie, the daughter of King Nicholas I and aunt of the current King Nicholas III, was married to the Mathgamain Ua Cheinniselaig, son of King Gilla-Colum the great and was nephew of current King of Ireland, Halkjell II. Basically, this meant that when Michael could manage to get Isabella to the throne of England, the children would be Irish Ua Cheinniselaigs, so of course Halkjell was also interested in backing them up. Soon, all England was involved in rebellion against Nicolas III and tried to get Isabella to the throne. Lead by Duke of Lancaster, backed up amongst others, Duke Randolf II of Northumberland.
The intrigue of England: two conspirator-Dukes and potential queen and her husband
Not a wise thing to do, that rebellion. Not when there are Norman troops present. Adelise was quick to use the opportunity. Duchy of Lancaster was mostly owned by Duke Michael I of Lancaster, but Randolf of Northumberland also had a province in the Duchy. Both got declarations of war from Adelise in January 1267. There is actually not much to write about the war. Both Northumberland and Lancaster were busy fighting the King, so when Norman armies entered their lands, they were unprepared, taken in by surprise and were not able to mount serious defence. One by one, their provinces fell, their subjects were killed, their lands were looted and they became more desperate.
Rebels are besieging loyalist lands, Normans are besieging rebel lands, loyalists are besieging Norman lands. That's English confusion for you...
Randolph, Duke of Northumberland, was the first to give up- in July 1267, he gave up the county of Westmoreland. Soon, he will lose his title as a Duke as well, leaving him just a count of Lothian. What a fall- from one of the most powerful rules in England to a lowly count in Scotland. His fall was of course not as high as was Michael’s. In the beginning of the year, Duke of Lancaster fancied him a great intriguer, maker of Kings. World, of at least England, was his oyster. When he too gave up, month after Randolph, he had nothing left. Rest of his days will be spent as a courtier in county of Wiltshire, drinking and remembering his days of glory. He turned to be a bitter man.
As for Normans, they had wedged themselves to England. Northumberland and Lancaster were under English control and the rest of the Albion would soon to follow... Two new Duchies were granted to proper de Hauteville Dukes, not merchants. Adelise was planning to keep England as a Kingdom, not something personally under her command.
Normans getting into England
Personal Matters
In June 1266, Adelise have birth to her 4th son. Megistos Kantakouzenos. A greek, an orthodox and fourth in line to the succession pool of Hauteville Empire. What will that bring to the Empire remains to be seen...
The devil's spawn- first son of Adelise and Nikolaos
Kicking the Pope Out of Italy (again)
The Pope had crawled back into Italy. Kaiser Leopold had granted His Holiness the county of Urbino and once again, the Pope was ruling an entire county, instead of ruling under mercy of Normans in Trapani. Of course, this will not do- plus, there is a nice county available. So, in January 1266, Adelise declared war against the Pope.
Her armies were still resting in Ireland, so she did something she hadn’t done for a while- used her local levies. Over 23 000 soldiers in total were still waiting for her command in Sicily and Calabria, sailing to the Italy and 6000 were still left to siege Trapani. Basically, Normans sailed to Italy, kicked the Pope, assaulted Urbino and by April the war was over. Pope was kicked back to Trapani and Urbino was given to Doge of Ancona.
The Papal holdings in Italy... now Norman holdings in Italy
Landing in England
When Normans attacked England back in 1066, they assembled a huge fleet and sailed across the Channel. Now, there was no such need for it. Instead of attacking from the south, Normans attacked from the north, near the scottish border. Using local transportation to cross the strait between Ireland and Scotland and then marching across the scottish lands seemed like a more prudent cause.
Oh yes, and by the way, we’re attacking England. Why? The simple answer would be “because it’s there”, but people suspect it is more complicated then that. Normans already took Normandy and are obviously planning to become sole Norman (or ex-Norman) rulers in the world. So, in April 1266, exactly 200 years after William the Conqueror had crossed the English channel and beat the usurper Harold in battle of Hastings, it was time for Normans once again invade England- this time, their northernmost holdings- the Duchy of Northumberland.
The Normans marched from Ireland to England, with some English army approaching
By the end of May, Norman forces were in place- 2 armies sieging Cumberland and Northumberland while the third stayed as reserves. English mobilized their forces quickly, but their number were thinned when Normans kicked their butt in Ireland, so they only managed to get 12 000 soldiers under their flag. Obviously, it was not enough, but it did not stop English from bravely attacking the Norman army in Northumberland. In a battle of Lindisfarne, September 1266, they assaulted bravely the Norman troops- just as it was a good proper Norman way. So did they Normans, and they met in the middle of the field, causing the most intensive battle Normans had had for ages.
With this battle, the fate of England was decided. Shame it wasn't in Hastings
In the end, the Normans.. khm, the proper Normans won. Still, English lost 8000, while Normans 3000, so the battle was pretty even. But with that, the war was over and in November 1266, King Nicholas III gave up his first Duchy to the Normans.
War for Tripoli
Meanwhile, in September 1266, Radolf de Hauteville, councillor of the Empire, managed to gain a claim that shows that ancestors of Doux David of had given themselves to the Norman protection from the Byzantine Empire, making Tripoli vassals of the Norman Empire. Of course, doux David refused to ackowledge the Norman rights and as a result, Adelise declared war on him. By the way, the whole thing took over 2000 gold to set up...
Anyways, 18 000 soldiers from Jerusalem crossed the border of Duchy of Tripoli (independent from Byzantines, by the way) and sieged the county of Tripoli. Armies of Tripoli were too afraid to counter them, so with assaults, they made the province theirs and in January 1267, Doux David gave up Tripoli.
Holy War for Lancaster
Meanwhile, intrigues in England had created perfect opportunity for Normans. Duke Michael I of Lancaster saw the opportunity- after all, King Nicholas III troops were defeated by Normans and the crown was defenceless. Isabella de Normandie, the daughter of King Nicholas I and aunt of the current King Nicholas III, was married to the Mathgamain Ua Cheinniselaig, son of King Gilla-Colum the great and was nephew of current King of Ireland, Halkjell II. Basically, this meant that when Michael could manage to get Isabella to the throne of England, the children would be Irish Ua Cheinniselaigs, so of course Halkjell was also interested in backing them up. Soon, all England was involved in rebellion against Nicolas III and tried to get Isabella to the throne. Lead by Duke of Lancaster, backed up amongst others, Duke Randolf II of Northumberland.
The intrigue of England: two conspirator-Dukes and potential queen and her husband
Not a wise thing to do, that rebellion. Not when there are Norman troops present. Adelise was quick to use the opportunity. Duchy of Lancaster was mostly owned by Duke Michael I of Lancaster, but Randolf of Northumberland also had a province in the Duchy. Both got declarations of war from Adelise in January 1267. There is actually not much to write about the war. Both Northumberland and Lancaster were busy fighting the King, so when Norman armies entered their lands, they were unprepared, taken in by surprise and were not able to mount serious defence. One by one, their provinces fell, their subjects were killed, their lands were looted and they became more desperate.
Rebels are besieging loyalist lands, Normans are besieging rebel lands, loyalists are besieging Norman lands. That's English confusion for you...
Randolph, Duke of Northumberland, was the first to give up- in July 1267, he gave up the county of Westmoreland. Soon, he will lose his title as a Duke as well, leaving him just a count of Lothian. What a fall- from one of the most powerful rules in England to a lowly count in Scotland. His fall was of course not as high as was Michael’s. In the beginning of the year, Duke of Lancaster fancied him a great intriguer, maker of Kings. World, of at least England, was his oyster. When he too gave up, month after Randolph, he had nothing left. Rest of his days will be spent as a courtier in county of Wiltshire, drinking and remembering his days of glory. He turned to be a bitter man.
As for Normans, they had wedged themselves to England. Northumberland and Lancaster were under English control and the rest of the Albion would soon to follow... Two new Duchies were granted to proper de Hauteville Dukes, not merchants. Adelise was planning to keep England as a Kingdom, not something personally under her command.
Normans getting into England
Personal Matters
In June 1266, Adelise have birth to her 4th son. Megistos Kantakouzenos. A greek, an orthodox and fourth in line to the succession pool of Hauteville Empire. What will that bring to the Empire remains to be seen...
The devil's spawn- first son of Adelise and Nikolaos
