Santiago! - A CKII Kingdom of Castille AAR

[BonniePCharlie]

Santiago! - A CKII Kingdom of Castile AAR

Table of Content:

Chapter I : Sueño de Ensueño
Prologue: The Longest Crusade
Chapter II: upcoming
Chapter III:
. . .​

 

[BonniePCharlie]

Chapter I: Sueño de Ensueño

The Dream of a Dream​

A loud banging on the stable door waked Marshall Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar from his slumber.

“Mi*rda” he muttered under his breath realizing he’d fallen asleep in the hay again. And indeed, that was the smell of the stable mixed with the misty breath of the resting horses.

Maybe that’s why women don’t tend to get close to me, he wondered. But who else would put the work in? Cavalry could the determining factor in battle, as the Moorsish light horse had shown time and time again. Across the Pyrenees though larger, heavier breeds were beginning to be used by the Franks as a shock factor, mailed knight charging straight into the enemy lines, and it was some of those horses he had been accommodating. It was this use that intrigued the hard-working Marshall of the Kingdom. A new weapon to aid his King in wars to come.

The renewed pounding on the door shook him from his distracted half-waking state, as a breathless stable boy and royal guard burst in. Rodrigo snapped to attention.

“What is it?” he asked, in the most dignified manner he could with strands of hay still tangled in his hair.

“The king…” said the boy, as the guard hushed him with a stern look.

“My lord Marshall” he said turning to Rodrigo, “His Majesty the King requires your presence immediately.”

Rodrigo raised an eyebrow, but got up nonetheless. “I suppose ‘immediately’ means now. Lead on then”



The soldier led him through the courtyard and up the steps of the Osma citadel. He held the torch in his right hand, and Rodrigo could see his left hand resting on the hilt while the man’s grey beard fell over his mail shirt.

Rodrigo discretely tried to brush his clothes and the hay out of his hair while they walked in silence. He then cleared his throat and asked “so… what is the occasion for the King to call me in the dead of night? What time is it anyway?”

“It is the beginning of the fourth watch,” responded the guard.

“And?” said Rodrigo when he realized no more information was forthcoming.

“His Majesty has been up all night, I believe. When he called me in I noticed the candles were nearly burned out. He asked me to get you, and so I have. And here we are sir. Please proceed.”

What could’ve gotten into him? Rodrigo wondered as he strode into the royal quarters. After a second he saw Sancho must’ve not gotten in bed at all as it lay untouched, and two manuscripts lay on the small table beside. A few strides further in he could see him in his nightgown holding on to the railing of the balcony and staring into the night.

“Your majesty called?”

Sancho II, King of Castille and turned around and looked at his friend with a strange expression of vagueness and resolution mixed in his eyes.

“Rodrigo, what did I tell you we would do?”

“You mean the whip your brothers into shape bit, or the part about never buying Basque wine because it tastes like ash?”

The hint of a smile passed by Sancho’s lips, but only briefly, before setting his face solidly.

“Our thinking has been all wrong. Not only futile, but sinful as well. And I do not intend to bring upon myself the displeasure of Heaven”

“Your majesty? Did you have a bad dream, or did you eat something bad?” He had not expected religious language from Sancho at this time of night.

“Rodrigo, listen to me. Yes, I have been thinking a lot…”

“Not exactly your strong suit” interrupted Rodrigo trying to make a joke, but he quickly shut up when the King’s glare showed he was dead serious.

“I have realized what I should have known all along,” continued Sancho in a steady tone “Fighting between brothers is wrong. We cannot turn against those we must love, least of all when we have an enemy at our doors, threatening our very existence and oppressing our people.”

“I know that the Andalusians are infidels, but they don’t pose…”

“A threat? You know how they have raided our lands, stealing women and children into slavery. It is time to turn our gaze not upon the lands of my brothers, but against the Moors at our doorstep.”

It made sense, thought Rodrigo. Zaragoza had refused the payment of parias since the old King died, so bringing them to task was a logical move, but why the high language and religious tone? “Your Majesty must know that the other Muslim rulers will come to each other’s aid.”

“Then we shall fight and conquer them too, until there are none left!”

Rodrigo was stunned. ALL OF THEM?! Had he gone mad?

But the King straightened himself and raised his voice: “Yes! It must be so. I promise you, here and now, that I shall not rest until all of Spain has been freed. Before almighty God, this I swear!”


The thought was insane, and Rodrigo was gripped by a feeling he was unaccustomed to. Fear. “Your majesty should not swear lightly, and such an enterprise would take more than a few miracles to be achieved within one lifetime. The Moors have been here for hundreds of years, and to the south, few hold on to the faith or a common tongue with us.”

“I see you take the path of unbelief.”

“I believe in God, and His mercy. But He helps those who help themselves, and not those who tempt Him with rash words and deeds,” he answered breathlessly.

“I had hoped to have your help as a friend on this enterprise, but I see I shall have to command you to assist me.”

“You are my liege lord, to whom I have sworn fealty. I am yours to command. Say and I shall do, or die trying.” He bowed his head, and took a knee.

But then Sancho chuckled and relaxed his voice. “It’s good to have you on board. I do not know a better warrior to make this dream come true. You may go and get some rest. Maybe in a bed, and not a haystack.”

Rodrigo grimaced and turned around. As he walked out his eyes fell on the books, and a word in one of the titles stuck out to him: Alexander. He sighed as he left the room. “I suppose we might be trying those Frankish horses sooner than I thought. Though we might need a whole lot more.”

 

[BonniePCharlie]

Feliz fiesta de Santiago!

It seems fitting to start a Spanish AAR on the feast of their patron. I've been reading AARs here for the past couple years and enjoyed them quite a bit, so I finally got to writing my own. Hope y'all enjoy! It is my first attempt, so I'd really appreciate the "constructive criticism", as I've heard American's call it. Ofc, this is alt-history, but I'll try to keep it as grounded as possible even though high middle ages Iberia is not my specialty. I will sometimes indulge in more modern humor, but overall I'll try to be accurate to what I do know about the era and characters, even if my pop-culture understanding of El Cid might seep into it a bit as well. I think the Charleton Heston movie is great, the Spanish animated film is dumb but funny, and I have no idea how the Amazon show holds up. #NotSponsored

All that being said, I'll try to balance characters, exposition, and battles; but more than that I'll try to post regularly (usually every two weeks) and actually provide an ending to the story. I know it can be frustrating when an AAR just stops. Cheers!​

 

[generalis Julius Caesar]

Very nice to see a person trying out writing AARs! It seems good so far. I shall be watching this.

 

[Midnite Duke]

@BonniePCharlie, welcome to AAR writing. Having a 27 martial marshal is a good start to liberating Iberia. But my king, you want to think about brides and babies before battles, otherwise you will do the work and your brothers will reap the rewards. As a fellow 1st timer, my biggest advice is to comment on other AARs so that your link may be followed. I think that my AAR has broken more rules of good AAR writing than every other current AAR combined. So please take any advice that I give with a shaker of salt.

 

[generalis Julius Caesar]

I think that my AAR has broken more rules of good AAR writing than every other current AAR combined.

Well .... it has totally broken all *traditional* rules of AAR writing. However, it is still quite good.

 

[RustyHunter]

El Cid is such a cool character, totally surrounded in myth and glory! I remember reading a version in Spanish class back in high school, and it was quite interesting. How closely do you think you'll follow the story? Do you think Sancho will land El Cid and allow you to play as him?

I think that my AAR has broken more rules of good AAR writing than every other current AAR combined.

Despite that, it's quite fun! You've made some sort of community hang-out or something, probably because you tried something totally new!

 

[Kage265]

An AAR about the Iberian states during the Taifa period? Count me in

 

[TWR97]

El Cid fascinated me as a figure when I was reading stuff about the Reconquista, so I'm looking forward to see where this AAR goes!

 

[HistoryDude]

Well, that is a good start. Very ominous.

Let the Reconquista begin in earnest...

 

[Specialist290]

Definitely will have to keep this one on my watchlist. The reconquista and the "El Cid" legend are both topics I've had a passing interest in for a long time, but I've never really looked into them that deeply. This sounds like the perfect way to remedy both

 

[guillec87]

subbed

 

[BonniePCharlie]

Prologue:​

The Iberian Peninsula lies on the westernmost end of the European continent. Spanning over half a million square kilometers, it is dominated by large highlands and crisscrossed by mountain ranges and rivers, the principal three being the Ebro, Tagus, and Duero. While it may appear geographically separated from the rest of the continent by the Pyrenees to the north and surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Mediterranean Sea to the east and south, such isolation is illusory.

​

By 1066 Anno Domini, only few historical records existed of the land’s history, preserved by monastic scribes. As in all ages, even fewer people had the inclination to learn, but for those who cared, it was a turning point. It was believed that the first inhabitants were a mix of Iberian tribes, followed by waves Celtic migrants, with Greeks and Phoenicians later established ports along the Mediterranean coast to colonize and trade.

​

These colonies and the profitable mining of tin and silver turned Iberia into a battlefront of greatest war of ancient times. And just as Hannibal’s elephants and brilliant encirclements spread terror throughout Italy the Republic returned in kind with the Scipio brothers leading the legions into the Barcids’ personal domain. When the titanic struggle was finally over and the Carthaginian lands sown with salt, Hispania was organized into Roman provinces.

Though ruthless conquerors, the Romans were great builders who developed the land and imparted their technology and culture on the Iberians. Great bridges and aqueducts, roads connecting the new cities, and a universal alphabet were but a few of the gifts of Rome. In Hispania, the native peoples were not displaced, but rather allowed to integrate for their own betterment while retaining many of their own ways of life.

​

It was during this great Pax Romana that another cultural influence came across the sea: A former fisherman from the backwater province of Judea. At first only met with difficulty and discouragement, he was about to give up, when the mother of his departed master mother appeared to him upon a pillar. It is unknow what the bilocating matriarch said, but the man was thereafter filled with zeal and met with great success. So much so that after he returned to his native land to be executed by his countrymen, his disciples returned his body to the land in which he planted the words of his God and buried him near Finis Terrae, the end of the earth.

Hispania would be spared the worst of the persecution of Christianity by the decaying Empire only to be ravaged by the marauding Vandals before being chased off by the western Goths as the west collapsed. The Arian Visigothic warrior caste lorded over the Hispano-Roman Chalcedonian population until the example of the prince Hermenegild who converted to the Catholic Church and was executed by his father Leovigild for refusing communion from a heretic bishop led to his brother Reccard converting upon his ascension to the throne.

The rest of the nobility soon followed and were fully integrated into the dominant culture. But good times make men week, and when a land is surrounded by water on three sides and tall mountains on the fourth, its warriors can be tempted to leisure or intrigue. Thus it was when a new power came to Spain’s sunny shores.

 

[BonniePCharlie]

The Longest Crusade:

​

The warriors of Islam exploded out of Arabia like a dessert storm during the reign of the Rashidun after the death of their faceless prophet. They destroyed the weakened Sassanid Empire and conquered Mesopotamia and the lands of Iran. They pushed the Byzantines to the brink and conquered the lands where the Christ had walked and preached, and where the Apostle of the Gentiles was knocked off his horse. They swept through North Africa where Athanasius had triumphed against the world and where Augustine had penned his Confessions. After a brief Fitna, a change of management, the Caliphate would besiege the queen of all cities twice, barely failing to take Constantinople. And so, in 711 Anno Domini, Tariq ibn Ziyad landed upon the rock that would take his name.

​

The new King Roderic marched to meet him, but betrayed by some of his noblemen, was destroyed at the Battle of Guadelete dying along with his loyal men. A second invasion force quickly crossed the straights to reinforce success and the leaderless country was soon at its knees. Many nobles submitted to the Umayyad conquerors in hopes of merciful treatment, often converting to Islam to maintain their position and status. The royal treasure was shipped off to Damascus, Berber garrisons were installed in all cities, and the never-satisfied raiders probed into Frankia.

It would have seemed to all in the world that Spain would follow the example of all the other Christian lands who had fallen to the warriors of Islam but for a small twist of fate on which history seems so often turn. One man refused to give in, and that changed everything.

An insignificant knight from the north was being dragged south in chains to the new capital of Cordoba for daring to resist the inclusion of his sister into the governor's harem. Rather than resigning himself to be sold into slavery, he somehow managed to escape and flee hundreds of miles out of reach of his enemies. He found refuge in the northern mountains, amongst the savage Astures. These tribesmen had resisted the Romans the for decades after the rest of Spain, and had little love for the Visigothic nobles. But for some reason these wild men decided to follow the disgraced knight. He promised them to fight the Muslims, and in some forgotten glen, these skin-clad mountain men elected him King of Spain.

 

[RustyHunter]

An excellent start, and I look forward to what happens next!

 

[Midnite Duke]

Welcome Back, thank you for updating. Iberia will see blood and tears.

 

[generalis Julius Caesar]

A resistance is forming against those who invaded, now we must only see if it works.

 

[guillec87]

yes! continue ir please!

 

[HistoryDude]

And Iberia was not completely lost to Christendom...