Alberto, pleased with his purchase, set about considering his future. Turning to his trusty aid he reminded him that he had no wife.
"I be needing a lusty wench, yarr! Find me one me lado!", said Alberto.
"I'm 58, Sir, not a lad any more" said Silvano, wearily.
"Ye be right lado, but I be needing a wench!", Alberto replied. "A lusty one!"
"Well, there's this young lass who has been hanging around the docks. She's lusty, for a price, so.. er.. so they say".
"Arr, she be sounding great, bring her to my castle!", said Alberto, excitedly.
"Which castle would that be Sir?"
"I mean, my dirt mound with the hut on it", said Alberto, testily.
"Right you are Sir"
The First Decade
With Margherita at his side Alberto was ready. It was only a matter of time before all of the Mediterranean was his! But first, he must put his county in order.
"Silvano me lad-o, tell me of our holdings, our treasury and our mighty army!"
"Well, Sir, we have 25 gold left now, we gather a little over 1 gold a month in tax and we have around 350 men at arms"
"Yarr, that not be sounding very mighty Silvano!", said Alberto.
"Indeed Sir, you are most observant"
"Yarr. I think I be needing a lie-down"
"Right you are Sir, do you need anything else?", said Silvano
"Erm, try not to be stepping in the filth pile on your way out, it be freshly stacked. Garr"
But all was not to go badly. Within days of taking over the Count of Capua had sent an envoy to treaty an alliance. Alberto readily agreed, even though the count was clearly a scurvy land lubber who could do with days at sea, the salt spray stinging his face and a swathy sailor to cuddle up to at night.
In June 1067 Silvano came rushing into Albertos hut. "Sir, most wonderful news!".
"Yarr? What be it? You be interupting important affairs of state!". There came a giggle from under the blanket of the straw bed"
"Right you are Sir, but here, look, I found this document behind a wall when we were rennovating the cow shed!"
"What be it man, speak plain!", said Alberto, sitting up and causing a squeal from a wench-shapped lump under the covers.
"It be.. I mean, it is a document proving that the count of this land has claim on the Duke of Milano!".
"And that be a good thing?", said Alberto.
With a sigh Silvano replied, "Yes sir, it means that we could take the lands of the Duke and make ourselves strong!"
"Garr! That be good news! Mobilize the army! Call on the ships! Lets set sail! How many of them are there again?", said Alberto, excitedly.
"One, maybe one and a half thousand, Sir. Shall I belay that order?"
"Er, yes. Perhaps... perhaps we shall bide our time and take back our rightfull title when they least expect it!"
"Yes, yes, most wise Sir", replied Silvano.
Later that year Margherita announed she was pregnant and in June 1068 Camilla was born. Within months another child was due and the people were pleased to see their Count so active! Sadly, the child was another daughter, Euginia.
July 1069 turned out to be an interesting month. The King of England became the Papal controller (what a terrifying idea!) and Capua managed to get itself into two wars. The first, with the Kingdom of Nubia, the second with the Duchy of Apulia. Of course, envoys were rushed to Corsica to plead Alberto's assistance.
"Sir, the Count of Capua seems to have a fight on his side. He asks for assistance!"
"Lets join him, he's our ally after all! Gar!", said Alberto.
"Are you sure you want to join two wars, my lord?!"
"Why not? We've 'ad worse me lado!", shouted Alberto.
"Er, no we haven't. The odd scared merchant and tittilating bar wench does not compare to the might of an African Kingdom, let alone an italian Duchy! But, as you will my most wise Lord"
However, a lack of funds, men, or any interest from the locals in those foreign wars led to the indefinite delaying of any offensive action. But perhaps this was the wise course of action as the delay meant the messenger informing that Alberto could claim the title of Piombio was not hindered any longer than necesary. Soon he was sent rushing back to the continent to inform the great houses that Alberto did indeed wish to persue his legal right!
By December Capua was conquered and Alberto, under pressure from Silvano, sent messenger after messenger to the Duke of Apulia requesting peace. During this time the Count of Ancona offered an alliance, to which brave Alberto happily agreed. However, by February the traitorous dog had abandoned the peace pact, scoring him a mark in Alberto's little black book.
A stroke of luck! In February 1070, the shaky alliance between the heathen Nubians and Apulia collapses and a white peace is signed, but the Duke of Apulia is inconsolable and soon a fleet is dispatched.
April, Apulia invades, 1600 hardened warriors land and the siege begins. "Yar, we can't be letting these scurvy sons 'o dogs be looting our island!", shouted Alberto over the din of the siege. "Raise the men, Yar!".
Five hundred sallied out from a gap in the mud, and the hardened pirates put the Duke's men to the sword. Despite losing half their number, they won the fight and the Duke's men were driven back to their ships. The pirate cutlasses did their work that day and Corsica remained un-pillaged and sovereign!
Despite the glorious victory another 1600 men were seen sailing to Corsica and so all the County's gold and a humble apology was sent to the Duke as fast as possible. This offer he finally accepted and licking their wounds the men and count of Corsica welcomed peace once more.
The only bright spot in this time of trouble is that finally a son was born to Alberto, Bonifacio. He was shortly followed by Ottavio. Perhaps a sign of the county's luck changing?
But it was not to be! Bonifacioi died in infancy, leaving the county's hopes on Ottavio, the spare.
The next few months and years proved quiet. At least, there were no wars to worry about! The Duke of Belgrade favoured an alliance and the girls started their education at court. In 1073 Silvestro, the loyal steward died. Later that year, a bastard born of the lustful Alberto also dies. The only bright point being the birth of Ezzelino, a second son in November.
By 1076 the county is stable and profitable and within a year or so the first building will be constructed. The lineage is fairly secure and the future count already has 11 stewardship before starting school. Perhaps now it is time for Alberto to look south, to Sicily, to start the might pirate empire!