So, I am playing as an African Catholic King. The only real challenge so far that I have had is the Umayyad Sultanate which is giving me quite the run for my money. I have been trying to make some allies but most of Europe has shattered. The only major players left other me and the Umayyad Sultanate in Europe are Lombardy and the Byzantine Empire - both of which are suffering from revolt after revolt. It is only 823. The Umayyad have already got a fair bit of land from what was once Francia. It would appear that I will be the only power able to take them down, but I can't do it alone. I am trying to conquer as much land as I can and saving as much money as I can in order to hire as many mercenaries as I can. Hopefully, I can beat the Sultanate up enough to make them shatter. Any other hints or suggestions?
Europe Has Collapsed
- Thread starter CoreyD95
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1. Maybe you can do it alone? If it is possible to raise any fleet, use hit and run tactics. Hunt down groups of Umayad soldiers before they can stack into one army. Then, siege coastal holdings with the least garrison and levy. Then, make your stand somewhere in mountains, behind a river and force them to attack you.
2. However, the better idea might be to force Lombardians and Byzantians to pay you a tribute. Wait for a young monarch to take over your realm (for the tribute to last longer), wait for a revolt in one of the target realms and do the "1." on one of them. Win, declare war on another, call the first of your tributary to war, win and easily smash Umayads with the help of your two tributaries.
2. However, the better idea might be to force Lombardians and Byzantians to pay you a tribute. Wait for a young monarch to take over your realm (for the tribute to last longer), wait for a revolt in one of the target realms and do the "1." on one of them. Win, declare war on another, call the first of your tributary to war, win and easily smash Umayads with the help of your two tributaries.
I faced a similar thing a while ago as a Duke in Aquitaine.
If the Umayyads or any non-christian are holding the county of Toulouse in the year 900, crusades and at least 4 holy orders will trigger pretty much immediately. Followed shortly by a crusade for Aquitaine.
Hold out for that: as soon as the Crusade fires hire all the holy orders immediately. It should be pretty easy to win the crusade with that.
Then, because the Pope will be treaty blocked with them, not you, keep the holy orders raised for one more holy war on them. Target whichever duchy is the Badshah's capital/personal demesne. With the Badshah's personal demesne troops gutted there's a decent chance a revolt or two will fire. Attack the revolts quickly and take their land, pretty soon you'll be stronger than the Umayyads on base strength and have the holy order to defend with.
Be wary though: if you're holding Africa, Jihads will trigger almost immediately at 900 too. If the Abbasid Caliph still holds the religious head title he will probably be too busy withh other wars to declare one though.
Hope this helps.
If the Umayyads or any non-christian are holding the county of Toulouse in the year 900, crusades and at least 4 holy orders will trigger pretty much immediately. Followed shortly by a crusade for Aquitaine.
Hold out for that: as soon as the Crusade fires hire all the holy orders immediately. It should be pretty easy to win the crusade with that.
Then, because the Pope will be treaty blocked with them, not you, keep the holy orders raised for one more holy war on them. Target whichever duchy is the Badshah's capital/personal demesne. With the Badshah's personal demesne troops gutted there's a decent chance a revolt or two will fire. Attack the revolts quickly and take their land, pretty soon you'll be stronger than the Umayyads on base strength and have the holy order to defend with.
Be wary though: if you're holding Africa, Jihads will trigger almost immediately at 900 too. If the Abbasid Caliph still holds the religious head title he will probably be too busy withh other wars to declare one though.
Hope this helps.
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To add onto the crusade idea- since everything else is fractured you could also personally conquer the Jerusalem Kingdom and create the title. I'm pretty sure that the Pope has a weight for Andalusia so after the crusade for Aquitaine is over the next one would be for Andalucia, assuming there are no other non-christian kingdoms with heavier weights.
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