Naples: Master of Time -Day 1, Year 1
In the year of our Lord, 1399, the Feudal kingdom of Naples owns several provinces in Southern Italy. These include Abruzzi, Apulia, Calabria, and the capital, Napoli. Napoli is by far the richest province within our realm.
While Naples is econimically stable, its military is rather small. Consisting of a single regimenet of knights, and two regiments of ordinary, late medieval foot soldiers.
The Naples Royal Navy consists of 9 ships. 6 of them are galleys, well suited for transverssing the Mediteranean, and 3 single-masted cogs.
The current king of Naples is Louis II de Valois. He is a man capable of leading an army and engaging in the political intrigue of the day, but is sorely lacking in the ability to tax the peasants, balance the books, and other administrational tasks.
To aid him in the administration of the realm, 0.30 ducats were payed to hire professional statesmen. They will surely lead to advancements in our government.
On the same day the men were hired, they suggested that the king enlarge the national army. An infantry regimenet immediately began training in Napoli in order to increase the size of the Armata di Napoli.
However, with the levying of these new troops, the Royal fleet no longer had the transport ability to carry all these men. In Calabria, a new cog was ordered for construction.
The statesmen also advised Louis to improve his diplomatic relations abroad. A royal mariage with the royal family of Milan, Austria, Savoy, and Sardinia was arranged. Military access was also given to the Pope, in order to strengthen our ties with the head of the Catholic Church.
The emissary sent to the Vatican came back with news of God’s will for us. We are to form an alliance with the Sicilians, lands we have a legitimate claim on!
Even though it may be the will of God himself, such a proposition is absurd. Clearly, God speaks in a divine tongue, and the messanger of his will made an error in his traslation. At least, that is how Lousis justified dismissing that mission.
The next piece of advise God gave us was far more reasonable. We shall comply with the will of God immediately, as soon as we have trained enough diplomats for the task.
In mid November, an emissary from Ferrara decided it would be wise to enter a royal marriage with us. King Louis saw no harm in this. An abundance of women in our court to breed with means more suitable heirs to ascend to the throne, should Louis meet an untimely demise.
Around the same time, an emissary from Urbino to our North came into our court, pleding for help. Tuscany has decided to invade Urbino. The kings hands are tied right now, but Louis shall watch this event unravel closely.
In early December, both the Papal States and Sicily decided to declare war on Urbino. An intervention from Naples was now futile and suicidal. However, a new infantry regimenet completed its training in December, and in light of the recent war mongering between Naple’s neighbors, yet another infantry regimenet began preparation to be fielded.
Happy new year! In the year of our Lord, 1400, our new emissary was trained. However, do to the eminate annexation and take over of the Urbino throne, it was best decided to let the victors go the spoils. A royal marriage with Tuscany was established.
On the splendid day of Febuary 13, the 4th regimenet of Napoli was fielded. Now Naples boasts a standing army of 4,000 infantry, and 1,000 cavalry. Naples has 5,000 brave soils to defend itself, and catipult it into glory. It would be desirable to have a larger army, the king thought, but the economy wouldn’t survive it.
Louis was always a cautious and suspicious man. It was his philosophy that its always the small, quiet guys that end up causing the most harm. In order to help prevent this, a warning was officially issued to the noble republic of Ragusa.
On April 8, our fleet grew to 10 ships large. The new cog, Vieri de Cerchi, is now ready to take on the world.
On the first of May, an alliance with Milan, who was successfully fighting Savoy, was proposed. Its good to have strong allies. However, despite the advisors claims that this alliance would be Likely to happen, Milan rejected. How absurd!
At the tail end of May, the kingdom of Urbino was no more. It became incorperated into the kingdom of Tuscany.
This is of course, very odd, since God willed it for us to form a royal marriage with a member of the court of Urbino. God, however, works in mysterious ways. His next vision for us was to retake Messina. Finally, something very agreeable!
There is, however, one small problem with this. Sicily is allied to the great Iberian kingdom of Aragon. Surely, we will have to be oportunistic with our attack.
Meanwhile, Louis decided to kill time by attempting to centralize the government. That backfired. A rebllion occurred.
But fear not! The particularists will break against our walls, with the aid of the previously unbattle tested Armata di Napoli, like the ocean against the cliffs! Louis himself lead the national army into battle. Its easy to be born onto a throne, but true kings are forged in the glory of battle!
It is now August. The battle in Abruzzi rages fiercly. The rebels have the numerical advantage. However, surely a national army is equipped to deal with mere rebels. This is not the case, however. Louis’s forces are suffering very heavy loses. Things do not look good. Perhaps we shall ask the Pope for help? In return, we shall pledge to aid them in their wars, and the expansion of God’s own demense on Earth.
Shortly thereafter, Louis’s brave souls lost the battle. The rebel scum continue the siege.
This is not God’s will though. We are not destined to lose Abruzzi. The Pope himself leads his personal guard of 2,000 men into battle. Is it a divine miracle, an act or God, or is it just the Pope’s way of saying thanks for the military access and alliance. Regardless, it is appreciated.
The news of the Pope’s intervention sweeps across the citizens of Naples.
However, special orders were sent out to all state officials as to not advise the populace that, well, the Pope’s 2,000 men were utterly defeated down to the last man. Except the Pope himself, who cannot be slain by the sword, as he is blessed by the Lord himself!
An alliance with Milan was propsoed once again, but rejected. The Milanese progress well in Savoy. Such a military behemoth couldn’t possibly be bothered with someone who can’t control their rebels, I assume.
In early October, the Armata di Napoli under the command of king Louis make one more attempt to crush the rebel menace.
Who will win?
