I apologize for the long delay, guys. I had some minor surgery done and am recovering. I'll update in the next few days.
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Good luck; surgery can be tough to deal with sometimes, both before and after, but hopefully all will go well.
(Never had any myself, but a lot of people in my family have.)
(Never had any myself, but a lot of people in my family have.)
Emperor Konstantinos XI emerged from his contemplation and convened his Council once again.
"The Empire is surrounded by enemies, especially Venice and the Kamaran. We cannot afford to focus all of our attention on one front while we remain so vulnerable. Therefore, the Empire will expand both East and West, taking advantage of any weakness in our neighbors."
Her path chosen, the Empire moved quickly, striking eastward at the small nation of Candar on March 11, 1450. The Candar had a surprisingly large army for their nation size, and it took over a year of battles across Anatolia to crush their military. Once the Candar Army was crushed, however, their capital fell swiftly. Candar was absorbed into the Empire on September 28, 1451.
Even with this victory, many nobles in the Imperial Court were dissatisfied. Several aligned themselves with the Roman splinter state of Trebizond, attempting to undermine the Emperor's authority. However, Konstantinos XI's reputation and popularity among the citizenry prevented any coup attempt. The Empire would remain stable for now.
The second target for Roman re-expansion was the southern Turkish tribe of Kamaran. This tribe had grown strong recently after absorbing the remnants of the Ghazi and an Ottoman pretender to its east. Kamaran had to be crushed before it truly became a threat to Roman power. The declaration of war was issued on July 27, 1452.
The invasion went well. So well, in fact, that Dulkadir, a small neighbor of Kamaran's, attacked the larger nation in hopes of gaining the border province. The Roman commanders had seen this coming, however, and hastily laid claim to the territories Dulkadir wanted. The tiny nation was forced to accede.
The war with Kamaran would be the Emperor's last, however. On the night of May 30, 1453, when a stray arrow from the defenders of the beseiged city of Adana stuck Konstantinos XI in the heart. The Emperor died shortly afterwards, to the mourning of all the Empire. His soldiers took special revenge on the city of Adana when its defenses finally collapsed...
His brother Demetrios assumed the throne and called for great reforms of the Roman state in his brother's name, crying "Let us become still more perfect!" This is considered by many historians to be the beginning of the Roman Renaissance.
Indeed, reforms followed swiftly, even as the war with Kamaran continued. In early August, a breakthrough in infrastructure technology occured, bringing up the standard of living throughout the Empire. This was followed by a reform of the Imperial 'bureaucracy', forcing the dynatoi to pay for their privliges of access. Though not the massive sweeping reform many expected, this plan did increase Imperial revenue while keeping the Empire stable.
The war with Kamaran would drag on until March 11, 1455, when the Kamaran leaders would finally give in and cede the provinces of Konya, Antalya, and Adana to the Empire. Dulkadir got nothing.
The problem of land settlement was brought before the Emperor soon afterwards. With the reconquest of much of what had been Roman, the dynatoi were pressing for their old estates to be reestablished. The Emperor saw the dangers of this path and chose to redivide the new lands among the soldiers of the Empire, granting each a parcel of land upon their retirement. A massively popular move, it had the bonus of limiting the powers of the aristocracy.
With the sudden expansion of Roman power in Anatolia, the Empire now shared a long border with its splinter state of Trebizond. Both rulers saw the benefits of reuniting, especially as the two states had already been joined in alliance. Thus, when the Emperor asked the Komneni to submit to Constantinople in exchange for being allowed to keep their titles and land, the latter gladly accepted. Trebizond rejoined the Empire.
Peace reigned over the Empire for the rest of the year as Emperor Demetrios consolidated his expanded realm. But in January of 1456, peace was shattered. The Emperordeclared that "We shall be our own masters!" in trade and expelled or raised huge taxes on the Italian merchants clogging up the trade of the City.
In retaliation, the Venicians and Genoese declared war on the Romans. Their allies Tuscany and the Order of St. John joined in. The Empire readied itself to strike west.
"The Empire is surrounded by enemies, especially Venice and the Kamaran. We cannot afford to focus all of our attention on one front while we remain so vulnerable. Therefore, the Empire will expand both East and West, taking advantage of any weakness in our neighbors."
Her path chosen, the Empire moved quickly, striking eastward at the small nation of Candar on March 11, 1450. The Candar had a surprisingly large army for their nation size, and it took over a year of battles across Anatolia to crush their military. Once the Candar Army was crushed, however, their capital fell swiftly. Candar was absorbed into the Empire on September 28, 1451.
Even with this victory, many nobles in the Imperial Court were dissatisfied. Several aligned themselves with the Roman splinter state of Trebizond, attempting to undermine the Emperor's authority. However, Konstantinos XI's reputation and popularity among the citizenry prevented any coup attempt. The Empire would remain stable for now.
The second target for Roman re-expansion was the southern Turkish tribe of Kamaran. This tribe had grown strong recently after absorbing the remnants of the Ghazi and an Ottoman pretender to its east. Kamaran had to be crushed before it truly became a threat to Roman power. The declaration of war was issued on July 27, 1452.
The invasion went well. So well, in fact, that Dulkadir, a small neighbor of Kamaran's, attacked the larger nation in hopes of gaining the border province. The Roman commanders had seen this coming, however, and hastily laid claim to the territories Dulkadir wanted. The tiny nation was forced to accede.
The war with Kamaran would be the Emperor's last, however. On the night of May 30, 1453, when a stray arrow from the defenders of the beseiged city of Adana stuck Konstantinos XI in the heart. The Emperor died shortly afterwards, to the mourning of all the Empire. His soldiers took special revenge on the city of Adana when its defenses finally collapsed...
His brother Demetrios assumed the throne and called for great reforms of the Roman state in his brother's name, crying "Let us become still more perfect!" This is considered by many historians to be the beginning of the Roman Renaissance.
Indeed, reforms followed swiftly, even as the war with Kamaran continued. In early August, a breakthrough in infrastructure technology occured, bringing up the standard of living throughout the Empire. This was followed by a reform of the Imperial 'bureaucracy', forcing the dynatoi to pay for their privliges of access. Though not the massive sweeping reform many expected, this plan did increase Imperial revenue while keeping the Empire stable.
The war with Kamaran would drag on until March 11, 1455, when the Kamaran leaders would finally give in and cede the provinces of Konya, Antalya, and Adana to the Empire. Dulkadir got nothing.
The problem of land settlement was brought before the Emperor soon afterwards. With the reconquest of much of what had been Roman, the dynatoi were pressing for their old estates to be reestablished. The Emperor saw the dangers of this path and chose to redivide the new lands among the soldiers of the Empire, granting each a parcel of land upon their retirement. A massively popular move, it had the bonus of limiting the powers of the aristocracy.
With the sudden expansion of Roman power in Anatolia, the Empire now shared a long border with its splinter state of Trebizond. Both rulers saw the benefits of reuniting, especially as the two states had already been joined in alliance. Thus, when the Emperor asked the Komneni to submit to Constantinople in exchange for being allowed to keep their titles and land, the latter gladly accepted. Trebizond rejoined the Empire.
Peace reigned over the Empire for the rest of the year as Emperor Demetrios consolidated his expanded realm. But in January of 1456, peace was shattered. The Emperordeclared that "We shall be our own masters!" in trade and expelled or raised huge taxes on the Italian merchants clogging up the trade of the City.
In retaliation, the Venicians and Genoese declared war on the Romans. Their allies Tuscany and the Order of St. John joined in. The Empire readied itself to strike west.
Good Map There.
The Eastern Frontiers are safe for now. Good Luck vs. Those Italians and St. John!
The Eastern Frontiers are safe for now. Good Luck vs. Those Italians and St. John!
Who's the yellow to the left of 6 and who north of 10?
The Italians have picked on poor Byzantium. I think you are going to need a lot of luck in this war.
The Italians have picked on poor Byzantium. I think you are going to need a lot of luck in this war.
Nice map, and an ironic handling of the death of Konstantinos, considering that he died during the final fall of Constantinople in real life.
Looks like things are shaping up nicely, althought those who possess lands who rightfully belongs to the empire seems to favor preemptive strikes against you.
The war against the Italians and the Knights would go well for the Empire, despite first impressions on all sides. The Knights and Tuscany were driven from their strongholds in Albania and Dodjruba, and the tide of the Roman army with force the Venicians clear out of the Balkans.
However, the Roman Navy was severely outmatched. Though several small battles were won, Venician and Knightly control of the seas was never in danger. Thus, the Empire could not gain control of the Ionian Islands and Crete, the gateways of the Aegean Sea.
Roman-hired pirates, however, did manage to keep the majority of the Venician Army trapped on the islands of Venice, allowing for much greater freedom of movement in the Balkans.
The final peace treaty was signed in March of 1459. Genoa had not actually contributed any forces against Romania, so a simple white peace was agreed to by both nations. Venice, however, ceded Kosovo, Istria, and Dalmatia to the Emperor.
Though those provinces were undoubtedly the least desirable in the Venician Balkans, the city of Constantinople was overjoyed. The Empire had won a war against the foul republic that had brought it to its knees two hundred and fifty-five years previously. Romania's thirst for revenge was not quenched, however. All knew that Venice must one day be destroyed as it had destroyed the Empire.
In celebration, the Emperor ordered the renovation of the Hagia Sophia, restoring the great church to its former glory (and, unknown to many, the Empire near to bankruptcy). Monastic orders were reestablished as well, in gratitude to the Lord Who had restored Romania's luster.
The Empire settled down as it absorbed its conquests. Dynastic connections with Muscowy were renewed during this time, the Emperor seeing the rising star to the north.
The old themata were reestablished in the Empire in June of 1461, to the dismay of the mercenary companies that had leeched off Romania's treasury for hundreds of years.
In February of 1463, a diplomatic incident erupted when Louis XI of France was proclaimed Emperor by the electors of the Holy Roman Empire. The double insult of crowning a Frank 'Emperor of the Romans' while expressly ignoring the resurgent true Roman Empire in the East drove Emperor Demetrios to hurl the foulest of obcenities at the heralds of the Western 'Emperor'. War with France was narrowly avoided.
This would mark the decline of Demetrios' reign. The insults to his authority from the West, as well as the strain of Imperial rule, conspired against him. The Emperor became erratic in his actions and speech and spent much of his time locked away in the Imperial Palace.
Troubles shook the Empire in the following years. In 1464, a plague swept into Asia Minor from Georgia. Georgia itself, a longtime friend and ally to Romania, collapsed, splitting into two nations. Bankruptcy struck the Empire in August, prompting an ambitious Turk to proclaim himself an heir to the Ottomans and lead a massive revolt in Asia Minor that took months to defeat.
The Emperor turned down the proposal for an Imperial Printing Press, declaring the worthy could afford tutors. The people of the Empire began to turn against him, especially when he refused to hear a petition for redress in November of 1466.
The Imperial invasion of Serbia in October 1468 did little to restore confidence in the Emperor and was seen as the landgrab it truly was by most citizens and foreign nations. After the small nation was annexed in July 1469, the governor of Dalmatia attempted to lead a revolt against the Emperor. He misjudged the prevailing mood of the Empire at the time, however, and his rebellion ground to a halt.
But, a court scandal in October 1469 struck the final nerve of many. When Demetrios died of a stroke the following month, few truly mourned his death.
Demetrios presents an odd portrait to students of 'Byzantine' history. It has come to light that Demetrios was never as skilled as he appeared to be in his early years. He was clever, however, at using the prestige as brother of Konstantinos the Great to ensure his reforms would be accepted. He also knew his own limitations and surrounded himself with skilled men in his early years.
Even in his later years, he did useful things for Romania, including reestablishing the Imperial spy network and supervising land reclaimation in Rumelia. Even his rejection of some proposed reforms was not without reason, as Demetrios greatly feared plunging his Empire into another bankruptcy,well aware of the damage the previous ones had caused.
But, whatever his faults, one thing is clear. Demetrios was a far greater Emperor than the travesty that followed him - Andreas.
However, the Roman Navy was severely outmatched. Though several small battles were won, Venician and Knightly control of the seas was never in danger. Thus, the Empire could not gain control of the Ionian Islands and Crete, the gateways of the Aegean Sea.
Roman-hired pirates, however, did manage to keep the majority of the Venician Army trapped on the islands of Venice, allowing for much greater freedom of movement in the Balkans.
The final peace treaty was signed in March of 1459. Genoa had not actually contributed any forces against Romania, so a simple white peace was agreed to by both nations. Venice, however, ceded Kosovo, Istria, and Dalmatia to the Emperor.
Though those provinces were undoubtedly the least desirable in the Venician Balkans, the city of Constantinople was overjoyed. The Empire had won a war against the foul republic that had brought it to its knees two hundred and fifty-five years previously. Romania's thirst for revenge was not quenched, however. All knew that Venice must one day be destroyed as it had destroyed the Empire.
In celebration, the Emperor ordered the renovation of the Hagia Sophia, restoring the great church to its former glory (and, unknown to many, the Empire near to bankruptcy). Monastic orders were reestablished as well, in gratitude to the Lord Who had restored Romania's luster.
The Empire settled down as it absorbed its conquests. Dynastic connections with Muscowy were renewed during this time, the Emperor seeing the rising star to the north.
The old themata were reestablished in the Empire in June of 1461, to the dismay of the mercenary companies that had leeched off Romania's treasury for hundreds of years.
In February of 1463, a diplomatic incident erupted when Louis XI of France was proclaimed Emperor by the electors of the Holy Roman Empire. The double insult of crowning a Frank 'Emperor of the Romans' while expressly ignoring the resurgent true Roman Empire in the East drove Emperor Demetrios to hurl the foulest of obcenities at the heralds of the Western 'Emperor'. War with France was narrowly avoided.
This would mark the decline of Demetrios' reign. The insults to his authority from the West, as well as the strain of Imperial rule, conspired against him. The Emperor became erratic in his actions and speech and spent much of his time locked away in the Imperial Palace.
Troubles shook the Empire in the following years. In 1464, a plague swept into Asia Minor from Georgia. Georgia itself, a longtime friend and ally to Romania, collapsed, splitting into two nations. Bankruptcy struck the Empire in August, prompting an ambitious Turk to proclaim himself an heir to the Ottomans and lead a massive revolt in Asia Minor that took months to defeat.
The Emperor turned down the proposal for an Imperial Printing Press, declaring the worthy could afford tutors. The people of the Empire began to turn against him, especially when he refused to hear a petition for redress in November of 1466.
The Imperial invasion of Serbia in October 1468 did little to restore confidence in the Emperor and was seen as the landgrab it truly was by most citizens and foreign nations. After the small nation was annexed in July 1469, the governor of Dalmatia attempted to lead a revolt against the Emperor. He misjudged the prevailing mood of the Empire at the time, however, and his rebellion ground to a halt.
But, a court scandal in October 1469 struck the final nerve of many. When Demetrios died of a stroke the following month, few truly mourned his death.
Demetrios presents an odd portrait to students of 'Byzantine' history. It has come to light that Demetrios was never as skilled as he appeared to be in his early years. He was clever, however, at using the prestige as brother of Konstantinos the Great to ensure his reforms would be accepted. He also knew his own limitations and surrounded himself with skilled men in his early years.
Even in his later years, he did useful things for Romania, including reestablishing the Imperial spy network and supervising land reclaimation in Rumelia. Even his rejection of some proposed reforms was not without reason, as Demetrios greatly feared plunging his Empire into another bankruptcy,well aware of the damage the previous ones had caused.
But, whatever his faults, one thing is clear. Demetrios was a far greater Emperor than the travesty that followed him - Andreas.
I can't understand the objections to annexing Serbia. You have to link up your territories and the Emperor's mother's Serbian.
The empire is growing nicely, Hagia Sophia's restored at the cost of a bankruptcy and now you have Andreas to survive for the next thirty years. Keeping all your territory will be a challenge with him on the throne.
The empire is growing nicely, Hagia Sophia's restored at the cost of a bankruptcy and now you have Andreas to survive for the next thirty years. Keeping all your territory will be a challenge with him on the throne.
Chief Ragusa said:
In-game, I took a -1 stab hit since Serbia was the same religion as me.
Think of it as a combination of several things. Attacking a defenseless (they had no army) minor nation following your religion, disgust of the usual things that happen to a countryside during a seige (since they're happening to a 'brother' nation), and diverting attention from the Venician threat on the border while still not linking the Coast to the rest of the Empire (as Venice holds Bosnia and Ragusa provs).
A diploannexation would've been better, but it's more fun to play in-character.
Sounds like Demetrios- small, defenceless and weak - must attack. Venice has an army, navy and good generals; er,, no not today thank you!