¡Santiago y cierra, España! -- HIP | Navarre AAR
- Thread starter RedTemplar
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And here I was waiting for a full update on the crazy Duke and all the hijinks that would ensue and you up and kill him off almost immediately. Oh well, the son does seem a better fit for the future and that was some shrewd plotting to put your family in line for a Kingdom. Well done.
Nothing like contracting an STD and then dying of leprosy. That's the way to go!
A kingdom title is finally within your grasp. Now to get the lords of Castile to place Gartzia on the throne next.
Actually, the official cause of death was the gonorrhea, not the leprosy
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Gartzia II has done a lot for the de Zadorras. Hopefully the throne of Andalusia will end up in the hands of his grand-child, allowing for both the acquisition of a kingdom title and the independence of Navarre.
The First Turkish Crusade
1253 - 1268 AD
The Basque Crusaders
The success of the Reconquista did much to reinvigorate the nobles of Iberia, who had fought for generations to purge Islamic invaders from their land. They knew, however, that their success was ultimately the result of a crusade, which brought the might of Christendom down upon the final Emirates of the south to bring all of Iberia under Christian dominion. For some, it meant little; but to others in Iberia, their loyalty to the Pope ran strong, and they viewed the crusades as the instrument of their freedom.
When Pope Benedict XIII called for a crusade to liberate the holy city of Constantinople and the Kingdom of Thessalonica from the Sultan of Rum in June of 1259 AD, Duke Gartzia of Navarre insisted that his people were honor-bound to lend their support. The Crusades had lifted the yolk of the Emirs from Iberia, and it would be a grave sin to turn a blind eye to the Pope's effort to do so elsewhere. Duke Gartzia became one of the first of nearly a dozen lieges, including King Erik of Denmark, King Ingoald of Croatia, and Doge Ciro II of Pisa, to commit his men to the invasion.
Refusing to miss the opportunity to gain glory in the Crusade, Gartzia donned his armor and personally lead his men from the front as they set sail for Constantinople. It took many months to arrive, but by December of 1259, six months after the crusade's proclamation, a force of 7,500 Basque soldiers landed at the former Byzantine capital and began their extended siege of Constantinople. The venerable city was well-defended, though not to extent it was during the height of the Byzantine Empire. His force of Basque warriors was sufficient to lock down the region, but their progress in breaching and capturing the city was slow. Weeks and months dragged by as Gartzia directed his forces from his camp, awaiting word that the city was ready to fall.
The Crusade's timing meant that the Christian forces had a significant advantage. Large portions of the Sultan's army were deployed along his eastern borders as part of a large coalition defending against the Mongol Empire, limiting what manpower he could commit to repelling the crusading army. A portion of the Sultan's army marched in from the north, attempting to push the Christians back toward the sea as they laid siege to the territories west of Constantinople. Here, the well-funded armies of Pisa stood their ground and repelled the counterattack with vastly superior numbers, aided by Papal and Croatian armies to their north. This represented the only attempted counterattack by Rum, and its failure meant that the crusade was destined to be a short one.
After the fall of Constantinople to the Basques, Sultan Karatay II surrendered to the Christian invaders in September of 1261, and Pope Benedict traveled to Constantinople to honor Duke Gartzia's victory. Constantinople had been Orthodox, and then Muslim, and was finally -- long overdue in the Pope's eyes -- a center of Catholic rule. Following a Mass in celebration of the victory, Duke Gartzia granted the Kingdom of Thessalonica, with its capital in Constantinople, to his eldest son Suero. After Andalusia, Thessalonica became the second kingdom to be ruled by a de Zadorra, cementing their position as a leading family in Medieval politics.
Bloodshed Back Home
While Gartzia and his Basque followers were fighting outside Constantinople, King Mendo of Castile had laid down a challenge to King Richard of France, demanding the return of northwestern Galicia to the Castilian crown. The territory had passed to France many years prior by way of inheritance, but Mendo demanded that Iberia be united. Richard's France had made progress against the Lombard Band, but still had not reclaimed the full glory and power it had wielded before the collapse of the kingdom. Still, his men were numerous and proved a strong challenge for Castile.
The first clashes of the war took place in southwestern France, in territories controlled by Castile and the Lombard Band. The largest of King Richard's armies pressed down into Marsan, where they encountered a Castilian force of similar size. Despite being hobbled by poor terrain, Richard's army destroyed its opposition, while the remainder of the Castilian army battled a much smaller French detachment to the north. With the loss of nearly 5,000 Castilian lives in the first round of fighting, Mendo was on the defensive. His men retreated back into the heartland of Iberia, and Richard's armies came united and prepared to take him down. Eventually, the Castilian army assaulted a fortified French position in Lugo, where Mendo's men were cut down in large numbers thanks to the French's superior positioning and expert command.
Fortunately for Mendo, this battle was taking place just as the Navarrese crusaders were returning home from their victory at Constantinople. High on their victory and ready for another fight, the crusaders joined with another force drawn from Gartzia's Basque vassals, and an army of 11,000 men marched out to reinforce Mendo's struggling soldiers. The addition of the Basque army flanking King Richard's men from behind trapped the French army between two hostile forces, and it was not long before the French Galician provinces were handed back to Castile, marking a victory for the Castilian King Mendo.
For some time thereafter, the peninsula remained at peace. Electoral politics took a turn for the violent in Castile, as several elected Kings died from confirmed or suspected assassinations, each Iberian noble family struggling to put its own claimant on the throne. War kept its distance, however, and Duke Gartzia returned home to Pamplona to continue administrating a wealthy (and now well-connected, thanks to his son's rule in Constantinople) family.
Map, 1268 AD
1253 - 1268 AD
The Basque Crusaders
The success of the Reconquista did much to reinvigorate the nobles of Iberia, who had fought for generations to purge Islamic invaders from their land. They knew, however, that their success was ultimately the result of a crusade, which brought the might of Christendom down upon the final Emirates of the south to bring all of Iberia under Christian dominion. For some, it meant little; but to others in Iberia, their loyalty to the Pope ran strong, and they viewed the crusades as the instrument of their freedom.
When Pope Benedict XIII called for a crusade to liberate the holy city of Constantinople and the Kingdom of Thessalonica from the Sultan of Rum in June of 1259 AD, Duke Gartzia of Navarre insisted that his people were honor-bound to lend their support. The Crusades had lifted the yolk of the Emirs from Iberia, and it would be a grave sin to turn a blind eye to the Pope's effort to do so elsewhere. Duke Gartzia became one of the first of nearly a dozen lieges, including King Erik of Denmark, King Ingoald of Croatia, and Doge Ciro II of Pisa, to commit his men to the invasion.
Refusing to miss the opportunity to gain glory in the Crusade, Gartzia donned his armor and personally lead his men from the front as they set sail for Constantinople. It took many months to arrive, but by December of 1259, six months after the crusade's proclamation, a force of 7,500 Basque soldiers landed at the former Byzantine capital and began their extended siege of Constantinople. The venerable city was well-defended, though not to extent it was during the height of the Byzantine Empire. His force of Basque warriors was sufficient to lock down the region, but their progress in breaching and capturing the city was slow. Weeks and months dragged by as Gartzia directed his forces from his camp, awaiting word that the city was ready to fall.
The Crusade's timing meant that the Christian forces had a significant advantage. Large portions of the Sultan's army were deployed along his eastern borders as part of a large coalition defending against the Mongol Empire, limiting what manpower he could commit to repelling the crusading army. A portion of the Sultan's army marched in from the north, attempting to push the Christians back toward the sea as they laid siege to the territories west of Constantinople. Here, the well-funded armies of Pisa stood their ground and repelled the counterattack with vastly superior numbers, aided by Papal and Croatian armies to their north. This represented the only attempted counterattack by Rum, and its failure meant that the crusade was destined to be a short one.
After the fall of Constantinople to the Basques, Sultan Karatay II surrendered to the Christian invaders in September of 1261, and Pope Benedict traveled to Constantinople to honor Duke Gartzia's victory. Constantinople had been Orthodox, and then Muslim, and was finally -- long overdue in the Pope's eyes -- a center of Catholic rule. Following a Mass in celebration of the victory, Duke Gartzia granted the Kingdom of Thessalonica, with its capital in Constantinople, to his eldest son Suero. After Andalusia, Thessalonica became the second kingdom to be ruled by a de Zadorra, cementing their position as a leading family in Medieval politics.
Bloodshed Back Home
While Gartzia and his Basque followers were fighting outside Constantinople, King Mendo of Castile had laid down a challenge to King Richard of France, demanding the return of northwestern Galicia to the Castilian crown. The territory had passed to France many years prior by way of inheritance, but Mendo demanded that Iberia be united. Richard's France had made progress against the Lombard Band, but still had not reclaimed the full glory and power it had wielded before the collapse of the kingdom. Still, his men were numerous and proved a strong challenge for Castile.
The first clashes of the war took place in southwestern France, in territories controlled by Castile and the Lombard Band. The largest of King Richard's armies pressed down into Marsan, where they encountered a Castilian force of similar size. Despite being hobbled by poor terrain, Richard's army destroyed its opposition, while the remainder of the Castilian army battled a much smaller French detachment to the north. With the loss of nearly 5,000 Castilian lives in the first round of fighting, Mendo was on the defensive. His men retreated back into the heartland of Iberia, and Richard's armies came united and prepared to take him down. Eventually, the Castilian army assaulted a fortified French position in Lugo, where Mendo's men were cut down in large numbers thanks to the French's superior positioning and expert command.
Fortunately for Mendo, this battle was taking place just as the Navarrese crusaders were returning home from their victory at Constantinople. High on their victory and ready for another fight, the crusaders joined with another force drawn from Gartzia's Basque vassals, and an army of 11,000 men marched out to reinforce Mendo's struggling soldiers. The addition of the Basque army flanking King Richard's men from behind trapped the French army between two hostile forces, and it was not long before the French Galician provinces were handed back to Castile, marking a victory for the Castilian King Mendo.
For some time thereafter, the peninsula remained at peace. Electoral politics took a turn for the violent in Castile, as several elected Kings died from confirmed or suspected assassinations, each Iberian noble family struggling to put its own claimant on the throne. War kept its distance, however, and Duke Gartzia returned home to Pamplona to continue administrating a wealthy (and now well-connected, thanks to his son's rule in Constantinople) family.
Map, 1268 AD
I suspect that the good duke sees the crown of Castille as a poisoned chalice - or a bull that has not yet been weakened by spears. The de Zadorra dynasty grow in stature even without it.
Well there's nothing like a bit of crusading adventuring to make oneself feel important eh? Anyone would think the good Duke more powerful than the king...oh wait
The Kingdom of Thessalonica added to the de Zadorra's power is wonderful news. It's all coming together beautifully.
It didn't make it into the screenshot, but thanks to a faction demand, Ireland briefly controlled all of England; that didn't last, though.
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Constantinople in the hands of a de Zadorra is welcome news. The Duke is truly starting to surpass his king.
I think you should help your son to expand the Greek Kingdom.... Thracia seems a nice target... and the expulsion of the infidels a just cause
Suero is already working on that ... he's got a small kingdom but he's aggressive!
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Moving Toward a Basque Andalusia
1268 - 1280 AD
Fighting for the Future
Duke Gartzia II had accomplished much in his reign. His soldiers had played a critical role in the success of the First Turkish Crusade, establishing a Catholic Kingdom in Thessalonica ruled by a member of his bloodline. He had helped ensure the capture of Galicia from the French, and he had successfully arranged for his granddaughter Mentzia to inherit the Kingdom of Andalusia. Still, Gartzia was not one to rest -- he had many more ambitions, and greater plans for expanding his realm. His people adored him, his family respected him, and he had the makings of a great Duke.
His career was cut short, however, when his health failed in his mid forties, leaving the Duchy of Navarre in the hands of his eldest daughter, Fakilo. Fakilo was a strong-willed and ambitious woman, and left her husband's court in Andalusia to reside in Pamplona and rule over her inherited lands. She had immediate designs on Avila and Medina del Campo, but King Florenc and his council frequently intervened to force the cessation of hostilities within Castile, making it difficult to win them by conquest. Fakilo made ambitious attempts at invading to claim these counties, but was stifled by a declaration of the King's Peace.
Fakilo and her husband, King Arnald, often saw the world differently. Unlike Arnald, who had taken steps to integrate Andalusian culture into his court and generally preferred peace, Fakilo held strongly to her Basque identity and hoped for conquest. Despite their disagreements, they both desired to ensure that their daughter Mentzia would inherit a strong and stable kingdom, and so the alliance between their realms remained strong. It was tested in December of 1272 AD, when Queen Timbor of Aragon marched against Andalusia to reintegrate the kingdom into Aragon.
The military capabilities of Aragon and Andalusia were roughly even; a war between the two kingdoms could have gone either way. Each side, however, brought its allies to bear on the other. King Arnald had the aid of his wife and her sizeable army of Basque soldiers, the product of their marriage and the eventual combination of their realms. Paying little heed to the combined power of their armies, Queen Timbor and her generals marched straight out, hoping to end the war early without need for a protracted campaign. As Arnald's men met the main Aragonese army in Almeria, his Basque reinforcements marched around a nearby mountain range and assaulted Queen Timbor's men from behind, trapping them between the two armies in a deadly and effective trap. Timbor's top generals were defeated, and her army was sent fleeing back into their homeland.
As a result of their aggressive attack, the Aragonese soldiers arrived far ahead of their allies, a ten thousand-strong force sent by King Nizamaddin II de Hauteville of Sicily to aid in Timbor's campaign. Arriving with no support, the Sicilian force was cut off at the eastern border of Andalusia by Duchess Fakilo's force, which fought a bloody but even battle against the invaders that resulted in the retreat of the Sicilians.
Having both been defeated once, the Sicilian and Aragonese armies finally united on friendly territory, combining their forces into a single attack aimed at northern Andalusia. Initially, they succeeded in catching the Basque army off guard -- their troops held the line in a desperate defensive until the main Andalusian army arrived, and their combined numbers overwhelmed and destroyed the combined invasion force. Queen Timbor issued her surrender in June of 1275, marking the end of the war.
Following the victory, Duchess Fakilo finally found a gap in King Florenc's constant enforced peace to strike at Avila and Medina del Campo, claming both counties for Navarre.
The First Torch Passes
As hostilities died down in Iberia after Aragon's field attempt to conquer Andalusia, the Iberian rulers turned to expanding their territory outside of the peninsula. King Arnald succeeded in expanding into northwestern Africa as Aragon and Castile did likewise, but his personal conquests were cut short by a relative of his from Castile -- Markesa de Zadorra -- who orchestrated his murder in March of 1280 AD.
Thanks to the assassination plot, the first step of Duke Mentzia's long-ranging plan went into effect. Arnald's daughter, Mentzia, became Queen of Andalusia with her father's death; if she were to inherit Navarre, the Duchy would become part of Andalusia, completing the de Zadorra's scheme to create a massive Iberian kingdom ruled by their line. And as Fakilo's sanity seemed to slip away from her in the coming years, that event didn't seem far off.
1268 - 1280 AD
Fighting for the Future
Duke Gartzia II had accomplished much in his reign. His soldiers had played a critical role in the success of the First Turkish Crusade, establishing a Catholic Kingdom in Thessalonica ruled by a member of his bloodline. He had helped ensure the capture of Galicia from the French, and he had successfully arranged for his granddaughter Mentzia to inherit the Kingdom of Andalusia. Still, Gartzia was not one to rest -- he had many more ambitions, and greater plans for expanding his realm. His people adored him, his family respected him, and he had the makings of a great Duke.
His career was cut short, however, when his health failed in his mid forties, leaving the Duchy of Navarre in the hands of his eldest daughter, Fakilo. Fakilo was a strong-willed and ambitious woman, and left her husband's court in Andalusia to reside in Pamplona and rule over her inherited lands. She had immediate designs on Avila and Medina del Campo, but King Florenc and his council frequently intervened to force the cessation of hostilities within Castile, making it difficult to win them by conquest. Fakilo made ambitious attempts at invading to claim these counties, but was stifled by a declaration of the King's Peace.
Fakilo and her husband, King Arnald, often saw the world differently. Unlike Arnald, who had taken steps to integrate Andalusian culture into his court and generally preferred peace, Fakilo held strongly to her Basque identity and hoped for conquest. Despite their disagreements, they both desired to ensure that their daughter Mentzia would inherit a strong and stable kingdom, and so the alliance between their realms remained strong. It was tested in December of 1272 AD, when Queen Timbor of Aragon marched against Andalusia to reintegrate the kingdom into Aragon.
The military capabilities of Aragon and Andalusia were roughly even; a war between the two kingdoms could have gone either way. Each side, however, brought its allies to bear on the other. King Arnald had the aid of his wife and her sizeable army of Basque soldiers, the product of their marriage and the eventual combination of their realms. Paying little heed to the combined power of their armies, Queen Timbor and her generals marched straight out, hoping to end the war early without need for a protracted campaign. As Arnald's men met the main Aragonese army in Almeria, his Basque reinforcements marched around a nearby mountain range and assaulted Queen Timbor's men from behind, trapping them between the two armies in a deadly and effective trap. Timbor's top generals were defeated, and her army was sent fleeing back into their homeland.
As a result of their aggressive attack, the Aragonese soldiers arrived far ahead of their allies, a ten thousand-strong force sent by King Nizamaddin II de Hauteville of Sicily to aid in Timbor's campaign. Arriving with no support, the Sicilian force was cut off at the eastern border of Andalusia by Duchess Fakilo's force, which fought a bloody but even battle against the invaders that resulted in the retreat of the Sicilians.
Having both been defeated once, the Sicilian and Aragonese armies finally united on friendly territory, combining their forces into a single attack aimed at northern Andalusia. Initially, they succeeded in catching the Basque army off guard -- their troops held the line in a desperate defensive until the main Andalusian army arrived, and their combined numbers overwhelmed and destroyed the combined invasion force. Queen Timbor issued her surrender in June of 1275, marking the end of the war.
Following the victory, Duchess Fakilo finally found a gap in King Florenc's constant enforced peace to strike at Avila and Medina del Campo, claming both counties for Navarre.
The First Torch Passes
As hostilities died down in Iberia after Aragon's field attempt to conquer Andalusia, the Iberian rulers turned to expanding their territory outside of the peninsula. King Arnald succeeded in expanding into northwestern Africa as Aragon and Castile did likewise, but his personal conquests were cut short by a relative of his from Castile -- Markesa de Zadorra -- who orchestrated his murder in March of 1280 AD.
Thanks to the assassination plot, the first step of Duke Mentzia's long-ranging plan went into effect. Arnald's daughter, Mentzia, became Queen of Andalusia with her father's death; if she were to inherit Navarre, the Duchy would become part of Andalusia, completing the de Zadorra's scheme to create a massive Iberian kingdom ruled by their line. And as Fakilo's sanity seemed to slip away from her in the coming years, that event didn't seem far off.
Cruel to say, but I can't wait for Fakilo to die. You're so close to being an independent kingdom, I'd hate for the AI to screw things up for you so close to the finish line.
Seems the Reconquista is doing even better than in real life. Catholics already conquering North Africa is impressive.
Looking forward to kingdom title we've all been waiting for.
Looking forward to kingdom title we've all been waiting for.
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Fakilo's death will make Mentzia Queen of Andalusia, but she'll also have the option to create the Titular Kingdom of Navarre... Wonder if she'll use one or the other, or be both ;D
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The reconquista over? Bah, it will only end until the savage Andalusi are driven to the sea. Good to see Mega!Lithuania.