The Chronicles of the De Montgomery family

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Hey guys and gals! My first ever AAR was with this Dynasty, sadly however I didn't even get past my first character on that AAR as my save corrupted. I have no luck when it comes to AARs they all seem to die prematurely, so hopefully this one won't! The first chapter or two will be totally my creation and will not derive from the game in anyway. Please feel free to leave feedback and a comment if you want!

House rules are as follows.

1. No cheating.
2. No reloads.
3. No ragequits/reloads.
4. No save editing (unless needed for technical reasons).
5. No fabricating claims on provinces that are not neighboring my lands.
6. I will only use claims that are two generations old at the most. This is to prevent claimant spamming.
7. No pressing of claims on family members or dynasty members.
8. Marriage rules:
At Count level no one outside of England, Normandy, Brittany and Flanders. ( This is only as the William the Conqueror was helped by Bretons and Flemish nobles.

At Duke level no one outside of Britian, Ireland and France.

At King level no one outside of Britian, Ireland, France, Spain Modern Holland &
Belgium, Denmark and Norway.

However marrying to people of the same culture is acceptable.

The eldest son and daughter will always marry for an alliance unless none is available.

No matrilineal marriages at all.

I am not going for total world dominance. I am trying to roleplay this game as a Medieval Dynasty would have done.

I will be starting at the second scenario that is possible, post Norman Conquest of England. However my AAR writing will start at Norman invasion and will follow the historical outcome, until the start date of the CK2 Scenario.

 

[EtzelHoveri]

Best of luck sir. I will be following your AAR. Though where do the de Montgomery's rule?

Also if you are interested in other AARs to read the follow the same kind of concept of playing like the actual characters I would suggest reading either Avindian's Rise of Hohenzollern or you could check out my newest AAR de Marsan.

 

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Invasion of Saxon England



​

Roger De Montgomery was old now, he had lived fifty three years now. He was at an age where he had hoped he would never see war again. But the dreams of old men rarely take flight to become reality. Roger longed to be back in Normandy with his wife and children all but his eldest son had remained home. His other four sons remain back in Normandy as do his five daughters. His eldest daughter caught the eye of the Dukes own brother , the Count of Mortain. Whilst he was old he was not without knowledge and skill in war. He had been to war many times and was considered by all to be a brilliant master of tactics, even the Duke had hear Rogers advice on the matter of the invasion.

Roger was upon his warhorse as he had been these past two weeks since they had landed in Sussex. He led a small group of cavalry now. His eldest son was among them. These men where not Rogers' own troops but Bretons and some Normans in the service of Duke William. He had been given command over fifty of these horsemen. Each was dressed in chainmaile that covered their arms fully and their legs down to their knees. Also each carried a kite shield, sword and spear. They had ridden a few hours east of the Norman camp they had been tasked by Bishop Odo too "search" Saxon villages. The scouts reported to Roger that a large Saxon village had spotted, not only that but that the side Roger his troop approached from was screened by trees, thick enough to hide them but thin enough to allow the horsemen to move forward without much difficulty.

"Fransez take ten of your Bretons around to the north of the village and make sure no Saxon scum slip away north to their false king. Oh and if any of them rape the women again I will have Rolf here geld them. That goes for all you Breton bastards" Roger shouted at his company. The last three villages Roger had attacked the Bretons had started to rape the women. Roger was a man of war, when he had to be, but he believed in honour. Rape was not honourable or Christian and so he despised any man who raped women.

The village was the typical Saxon village Roger and his men had become used to "searching", a couple of dozen hovels with a small "church" near the center. Roger's troop edged through the woods carefully so as to avoid detection by the Saxons.

"NOW" Roared Roger. The horseman crashed through the last few yards of woods and stormed into the village. A Saxon boy of no more than fourteen was standing outside a hovel. Without hesitation the boy reached into the hovel quickly pulling from it a bow and a shaft of arrows. Within seconds of having the bow in his hands the bow had fired two arrows at the on coming Normans. The first arrow caught a Breton name Peter square in the eye, he was thrown from his horse by the force of the arrow and hit the ground dead with the arrow still lodged in his eye socket. The second arrow glanced off Roger's own helmet and span away into the trees. As Roger and his men reached the edge of the village two dozen men rushed from various hovels. Most were armed with spears or axes but three including the boy that had killed the Breton Peter. This village was not prepared to submit to Norman control as the others had. Roger's men where in among the Saxons before they had time to prepare the Normans and Bretons hacked and slashed at anyone who was not on a horse. Women and children came out of hovels now armed with anything they could find, they began to attack Roger and his men. Roger wished they had not. He and his men had little choice but to slaughter these foolish Saxons. By the end the village that had once been home to nearly one hundred people was filled with bodies of those that had lived there. Blood ran through the paths between the houses.

"Burn this place to the ground, remind these Saxon pigs who is the rightful king of this land. Then bury our fallen in the graveyard of that church." Roger hated this part of war the slaughter of those who had no right to fight. Boys, women, children none had a place in war save at home waiting for news of their loved ones. Roger looked down from his horse to see the corpse of a boy the same age as his second eldest son. His eldest son had been unhurt in the skirmish and was even now setting alight to a hovel. Suddenly a group of five horsemen galloped wildly into the village. Roger knew they were Norman troops but why had they come here and at such speed? " Roger De Montgomery!?" A rider called out with hope. " Yes, what brings you here at such speed!?" Roger cared little for politeness after the bloodbath that had just happened. " The King has ordered that all search parties return to the army at once. The Saxons are a day north of the main army." Duke William of Normandy now called himself King William of England and Duke of Normandy. Roger thought to himself " The war is not yet won my Duke and already you claim the title of King.

 

[addsub]

Best of luck sir. I will be following your AAR. Though where do the de Montgomery's rule?

Also if you are interested in other AARs to read the follow the same kind of concept of playing like the actual characters I would suggest reading either Avindian's Rise of Hohenzollern or you could check out my newest AAR de Marsan.

They rule Sussex. I will check both out and thank you!

 

[NewbieOne]

I am not going for total world dominance. I am trying to roleplay this game as a Medieval Dynasty would have done.

Kudos for that! The universal modus operandi consisting in maximum use of matrilineal marriages with assissinations of preferred heirs or truce parties and claim forging at every step is not totally devoid of historicity but makes things boring.

I will be starting at the second scenario that is possible, post Norman Conquest of England. However my AAR writing will start at Norman invasion and will follow the historical outcome, until the start date of the CK2 Scenario.

Reasonable for a Norman family!

Also, very good writing. It does give the AAR a Norman feel. I think, technically, this probably comes down to when you described the full body chainmail and kite shields with spears and swords but it expands from that on the entire piece. It's good to see an English OPM AAR. The setting has a ton of potential.

 

[addsub]

Thanks I just don't want this AAR to be another total world domination, I want it to be realistic and attempt to accurately represent a dynasty. I am adding a few other house rules that you might approve of as well.

Thank you, any feed back is great but such positive feedback so early on is really nice! I personally have done research into this period of History and I already had some knowledge of it. Forgive me for ignorance but what does "OPM" mean? Thank you I hope you enjoy it!

Also a general update the next chapter will be up in the next 24 hours.

 

[NewbieOne]

Oh, sorry for the jargon. OPM = One Province Minor. It's a carryover from the Europa Universalis series, I think. Looking forward to the update.

 

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Hastings​

Eleven thousand Normans advanced the last few hundred yards to the bottom of Senlac Ridge. Of those Eleven thousand, six thousand were on foot, two thousand on horse and three thousand archers. Roger and his son were on horseback again. Roger was with King Williams retinue. His son was on the left flank with the Bretons.

William had decided on basic tactics with archers in the front rank weakening the enemy with arrows, followed by infantry which would engage in close combat, culminating in a cavalry charge that would break through the Saxon forces. The Saxon position was flanked by woods on one side and a river on the other. A direct assault was the only way to clear the way to London and to secure the Kingdom. The Saxons had formed a shieldwall on top of the hill. They were mainly made up of the Fyrd and the professional Huscarls, Saxon archers were so small in number they would not effect the course of the battle. The Normans feared little apart from the Huscarls, they carried huge two handed axes that could cut a mans head open with little effort. These Huscarls would defend their Lords and the false King Harold to the end.

"Montgomery, have the archers fire five arrows each, no more no less." King William was keen to maintain his missile power. He also wanted to win here quickly. He knew the longer the Saxons had the stronger resistance to his invasion and claim to the throne there would be. After the archers had loosed their arrows the footman advanced up the hill. To no result a few corpses now lay in front of the Saxon line. Now came the chance of the Norman horseman.

Roger kicked his horse into a gallop to follow the King and the papal banner that the pope had given to William. They thundered up the hill getting closer and closer to the Saxon line. As the front riders hit the shieldwall they effectively bounced off the line. Roger drew his horse back to see this happening all along the line. "FOR NORMANDY AND KING WILLIAM" Roger shouted and pushed his horse forward, instead of charging straight in he rode along the line thrusting his spear into the Saxon ranks. Others followed his example. Finally his spear struck the face of a Saxon. After a while the Norman cavalry withdrew and the tactic was repeated again and again. Archers shot arrows, infantry attacked and cavalry harassed.

" The left flank has broken!" The messenger from Odo was none other than the Count of Mortain. The message was pointless as the King was not there to see for himself. He had gone into thr battle himself. With out warning Roger saw the whole Norman line fall back in disarray. His mind was filled with panic, all along the battle line Saxons broke ranks and charged after the Normans. Roger was tired and had remained behind the line, but the panic he sensed was unmistakable. The King is dead he heard shouted all around by men falling back to the foot of the hill. "GOD NO" Thought Roger, if the King was dead then all was lost. Many men fully fleas the field. Roger himself refused to flee. He had never left a battlefield in cowardice he would not now. He looked to the Norman left, a small group of perhaps twenty Normans were surrounded and being cut down by the Saxon troops. " REFORM THE KING LIVES! TURN AND FIGHT YOU SCUM WE HAVE ALL ENGLAND TO WIN." A man rode wildly up and down the retreating Norman line with his helmet pushed up to show his face. William Duke of Normandy and rightful King of England lived. The Norman army suddenly turned and crashed into the pursuing Saxons. For once the Norman horsemen were able to fully show their advantage and hacked and slashed many a Saxon to his grave. Before the Saxons could make a general advance the Normans reformed at the base of the hill to rest.

Roger rode to the left with a group of horsemen to reinforce it, only to hear news that two of the Saxon Kings brothers had been slain. However whilst the Normans rested the Saxons were peppered with arrows and crossbows. This new weapons was deadly and could punch through anything nearly. The once many Huscarls of the Saxon lords now dead meant that the Fyrd held most of the front line. Roger searched for his son during the Norman respite. But he did not find him. William now ordered the archers to fire straight at the Saxons while some fired into the air. This caused the Saxon line to thin quickly. A general attack was agreed upon. Roger would lead the left most unit of Odos left flank. As they advanced up the hill one final volley was loosed. And then the final clash. Both sides knew now that this last clash would decide the fate of England. But before Roger could lead his unit into battle a single arrow flew from the Saxon lines and hit Rogers horse killing it from under him. Roger was found another horse. But whilst this happened England was won.
In the final volley of arrows one had done what eleven thousand swords had not. Slain Harold Godwinson and won King William of Normandy his throne. The Fyrd broke almost instantly. The Norman horsemen knowing all was won charged now and began to cut down the fleeing Saxons. The hill ran red with blood. But the fight was not over. Roger spired his horse to the centre to find the King. But instead he found a hundred Huscarls unmoved standing around the banner of Harold Godwinson. Men encircled the group. One Saxon stepped forward and shouted in poor French " One man to fight me" No one moved these were not Huscarls these were Royal Huscarls the best in all England. Men who had fought and died for Harold at Stamford Bridge and now here. The mans response was a crossbow bolt through the eye from a Breton Noble. " Death to the Saxons" he shouted. Roger did not stay to watch that fight he searched for his son now. During the battle men had followed Roger and now he had a large of perhaps three hundred with him. He knew not who they were only they had fought with him and bleed with him.

There on Senlac Ridge was England won, the first born of Roger De Montgomery gave his life for his Kings dream of England. So had nearly two thousand others. Roger's son had been one of the Normans who had been cut of and surrounded on the left flank. His body was never found by Roger or identified as the eldest of the Montgomery children. For his service to the Duke Roger was given all the lands of Sussex. Roger's lands now included the site of this great battle. Roger did not go to his lands until the day of the Kings coronation in London on Christmas day. His family came to their new home the day after Christ was born.

And so started the Noble line of the De Montgomerys of Sussex.

 

[Dovahkiing]

Shame I didn't really notice this when it started!
However, it seems I have come in at an opportune time, and rest assured I won't want to leave till it's done!
Best of luck, and R.I.P Roger's eldest son, did you mod him and his death into the game as well?

 

[addsub]

Shame I didn't really notice this when it started!
However, it seems I have come in at an opportune time, and rest assured I won't want to leave till it's done!
Best of luck, and R.I.P Roger's eldest son, did you mod him and his death into the game as well?

Its never to late to follow an AAR Excellent to hear! No to my knowledge he starts the game dead. I am useless at modding or codes so aviod then. Currently my gaming PC is in for repair and due to be fixed for firday so hopefully i can begin the AAR in full then!

 

[Dovahkiing]

Wait, so the Montgomerys are in the vanilla game?
Oh, I thought you made them up and set the eldest son to be dead at the start, but I like the way you explain his death, it's, as NewbieOne said, quite fitting for a Norman family.
Can't wait for Friday!

 

[addsub]

Wait, so the Montgomerys are in the vanilla game?
Oh, I thought you made them up and set the eldest son to be dead at the start, but I like the way you explain his death, it's, as NewbieOne said, quite fitting for a Norman family.
Can't wait for Friday!

Yep they are indeed. Nope they are full vanilla characters. Thanks its just something that could be expanded on and add depth too Roger and the Montgomery family character. Thanks and neither can I!

 

[addsub]

The first update of actual game play will come after this weekend. My PC is not working and is being repaired. Also marriage rules have been introduced.

 

[addsub]

I wrote out a huge update for this that took me two hours to write only for the forum to say the token had expired and I lost all my writing. I am not going to re write the post tonight. Needless to say this has seriously pissed me off

 

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Alliances​

" So Robert you wish to marry my eldest daughter?" Robert Count of Mortain had stopped at Rogers castle to ask for the hand of Roger's eldest daughter only two days after the birth of Christ. "Yes with your permission, it would tie our two families together. And you could Count on my brother Odo's support from his lands in Kent should you have any trouble..." Odo and Robert De Conteville were half brothers to the King and so to have them as allies would give Roger and his family not only friends but friends who had the Kings ear at court. " Very well agreed you will marry my daughter Maud in five days at the start of the new year. Then I assume you will be returning to Normandy and your lands there?". Roger liked Robert but had not love of the man. He and his men where more mouths to feed and Roger had little enough money as it was with paying for the expense of the wedding feast. " Yes we will, I never liked England myself. Normandy is my home. I will be away to my quarters I have matters to attend to. Thank you M'Lord.

The wedding was a large matter half of the Norman nobility attended. Roger spoke with many lords there. One Lord however was unable to attend. The Lord of Oxford was badly wounded after Hastings and had not recovered.

"I WONT MARRY THAT FAT FOOL OF A MAN! NO FATHER I WONT BE SOLD OF LIKE SOME WHORE TO HIM!" Sibyl Roger's second eldest daughter did not have the decorum a lady of her rank and title should have. But she had just learnt she was to marry a man twice her age who she had never met. Roger had heard nothing but her protests since he told her he was planning on offering her hand in marriage to the Count of Leicester and Lincoln. He was a powerful man and held lands nearly four times larger than Rogers' own. However his lands were not as rewarding as Rogers. "If you don't marry him its the convent and a nuns life! In Christs name child be grateful you aren't marrying a Breton or one of those Flemish nobles! Or even a Saxon! The man is at least a Norman! After hours more shouting and refusal Sibyl realised it was her duty to marry whom ever her father decided was best. It was not for her she was to be married but to help here father and brothers gain allies. After all what other purpose did women serve? They could not rule, they could not pass on there name. Only produce children and follow the word of god. Sibyl agreed to her fathers wishes. Roger sent a message to the Count, another Robert.

Some days later Roger was standing on top of a tower at Arundel when his now eldest son climbed atop the tower carrying a scroll of parchment. " Father Count Robert of Lincoln has sent his answer". Roger the Younger handed his father the scroll. It was very small so clearly the message was to the point. Roger the Elder read the note balled it up in his hand and throw it off the tower. " He says no. Who can I marry your sister too know? Nearly every other Lord in England and Normandy is married or betrothed to someone..." Roger the Younger knew of someone but he was not yet a man and feared his father. None the less he gave an answer. " Gerard of Oxford father? He is only a few months older than I..."
" Stupid boy his father would never agree, Gerard the Older is just as careful as I am. He would know our treasures is not as full as it once was... "
" But father Gerard the Younger rules now, his father died a few weeks ago..."
" Then have the priest write a letter offering your sisters hand to the boy. He will doubtless jump at the chance of a bride"

Sibyl and Gerard the Younger were betrothed on March 1st 1067. This alliance ensured allowed the Montgomery family to relax slightly as they now had a few allies in England and Normandy.


A few weeks after the marriage agreement, King William declared war against the Capet King in France for Vexin. This land was rightfully those of the Duke of Normandy, however for some reason the King of France held them. The war lasted two years until a peace agreement was signed by the two Kings, handing over control of Vexin and its lands to King William and his heirs. The war saw few actual battles apart from the only large scale engagement in Southern Normandy, the war cost many lives despite having only three large scale battles.

The war also left many areas of England with few Norman troops to hold the provinces against the rebellious Saxons, that even after nearly three years of Norman rule thought that they were the masters of the land. Sussex could only muster roughly five hundred men not enough to keep the Saxons in check and garrison the cities and castles. The Saxons in Sussex knowing that the bulk of Norman troops were away fighting in France and Normandy went into open rebellion against Norman rule and under a Saxon "Noble" armed themselves and began to siege Arundel itself.

Roger had not gone to war the garrison of Arundel numbered two hundred and fifty. Roger managed to get messages to the ports in Sussex with men he trusted who were ordered to take the message to the King as quickly as possible. He also sent word to the various Counts around Sussex asking them to help him. Roger did not have the troops to fight this Saxon rebellion. Would the Castle at Arundel hold long enough for help to come? Or would Roger and his family be murdered by the Saxons barely three years into the Montgomery control of Sussex?