Of course you have title over Sinai. The original kingdom of Jerusalem made vassals out of Egypt. Crusade's are Holy Work; God empowers you to liberate the land and rule it for him.
The de Lusignan Dream - Cyprus 1337
- Thread starter ComradeOm
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Great work liberating the rest of the kingdom, and adding Syria as well. I'm really wondering about what your next goal will be.
yeah i must agree great progress, an oasis of peace amid the chaos of mongol invasion 
A Kingdom of Peace (1370-1380)
The destruction of the Mamluks, their last holdings would be hunted down by the Byzantines… who would promptly lose most of them, had removed the most persistent threat to Cypriot ambitions in the Levant. Both Guy of Jerusalem and Berkan of Baghdad would pointedly ignore each other as they went about their separate business; while the young Yakut Khan of the Il-Khanat was far too preoccupied with the progress of his armies through Europe to even consider a war with the increasingly powerful Jerusalem. There is no record of Guy weeping but perhaps, just perhaps, he too felt as if there were no more worlds to conquer.
Of course there is nothing to suggest that Guy was anything but happy to finally lay down his sword and govern, rather than expand, his possessions. The next several years would see the true foundations of the kingdom laid as the framework for a stable and prosperous society. No doubt wary as to the continued political infighting that had crippled the previous dysfunctional kingdom, or the Old Kingdom as it would increasingly come to be called, Guy set out to create a centralised bureaucracy and to lay down a new set of laws and precedents, the latter drawing for John of Jaffa's work of over a century beforehand. The absence of constant struggle against hostile neighbours could only help the new country emerge. Despite the lack of immediate foes a major castle building program was initiated with massive work on the fortifications in Antioch, Beirut, Palmyra and Sinope undertaken over the next decade. Guy would seek to secure the future of his new kingdom in every sense.
Guy oversees construction of the New Kingdom
This is not to say that the King would devote all of his time to internal matters. The submission or destruction of his Muslim neighbours did not end the Guy's interest in the affairs of abroad. With calm in the East his attention was increasingly called to events in Europe itself. In early 1370, as Pope Innocent VI lay dying in Avignon, nobles from Jerusalem lobbied hard to install their favourite as Pope. As the man who controlled the Patriarchs of both Antioch and Jerusalem, not to mention the Holy Sepulchre itself, Guy carried no small influence in the proceedings. Finally on 12 May 1370 Cardinal Enguerrand de Vogue, reportedly a close friend of the de Lusignan family, was elected Pope, taking the name Gregory XI. It was a clear snub to the rival faction sponsored by Mathieu d'Anjou. Two years later salt would be rubbed in the Neapolitan's wounds when Guy sponsored a campaign to wrest Rome from Naples and return it to Papal hands.
De Lusignan influence in Rome reaches new heights
Closer to home the death of Emperor Ioannes of Byzantium in 1367 had not ended the de Lusignan – Palaiologos alliance. The new Emperor, Heraklios, would need the support ofJerusalem as he battled to hold his inherited empire together. De Lusignan influence and ships would be a decisive factor in Heraklios' victory over an Athenian-Bulgarian alliance in 1374; even if no Cypriot soldiers actually took part in the fighting. Further adventures in the Mediterranean were apparently contemplated with Guy disputing the ownership of Crete in 1379 but ultimately nothing would come of it.
Naturally the seemingly unstoppable march of the Il-Khanat would also draw the attentions of the King. By the late 1370's Cyprus was the only power west of the Urals that could hope to compete with the rampaging horde. While even Jerusalem and its large experienced army - some sources suggest that up to 140k men could be mustered at its peak - could not match the Il-Khanat for numbers, the opening of another front would relieve a battered Europe and cripple the Mongol war effort. Despite the pleas there would be no planned offensive into the lands of Mesopotamia and beyond.
Despite the calls of Europe, throughout the 1370's Guy's attention was focused squarely on the management of realm. Those events to the West were considered distractions and chroniclers within the royal court were left in no doubt that the King was unwilling to plan or lead another crusade. Only the suppression of rebellion could not cause Guy to take up his sword. Throughout the decade regular sorties were made against those that questioned his rule. While the loyalty of his vassals was assured, that of the local Muslim populations and lords would often waver. Guy was a Christian ruler and those "infidels" that lived within his realm suffered heavy taxes and persecution was common. Disputes between the local nobility and Christian lords would often take on a religious tone and lead to the forced conversions of entire villages and towns.
The Royal Court moves to the Holy City in 1379
The most significant mass forced conversion was a concerted campaign against the local Muslim nobility in and around Jerusalem during September 1379. Having just obtained the backing of the Estates General for a large contribution, over 3,000 bezants, in order to expand the citadel complex that comprised the Tower of David, Guy began a campaign to "cleanse" the surrounding environs. Those local lords who refused to convert were either killed or banished. It was not a particularly noble last act but in reality was little different from similar campaigns of brutality in Seleukeia and elsewhere decades previously.
Just over a year after work began on his new citadel Guy de Lusignan would pass away in his sleep on 27 November 1380. He was 65 years of age. A month later his son Hugues de Lusignan would crowned King of Jerusalem in the Temple of Solomon.
Guy de Lusignan 1315-1380
I suppose a time of strengthening was really needed. And Guy becoming beatified at his death was really fitting!
Now begs the question, how will Hugues fare with the taking of the crown? Will he shrivel in the shadow of his father or will he create his own renown in some way? It will prove interesting how either will effect the New Kingdom.
Great work, can't wait for more!
Great work, can't wait for more!
Hey - a CK beatification that made sense!
Guy reconquered the Holy Land. It appears it will be for his successors to weather the Mongol storm.
Guy reconquered the Holy Land. It appears it will be for his successors to weather the Mongol storm.
As soon as the mongol khan get lots of children and then dies, it all should be easier. The new king better pray to God that so happens.
That's a very successful rule, looking forward to what Hughues will do with his inheritance. I don't think the Mongols will ignore Jerusalem forever.
Due to my current workload my next update will be tomorrow evening at the earliest.
I've also decided not to continue with the game. What with Jerusalem taken and Guy dead there's no structure left to the story. Besides there's no real challenge left in expanding unceasingly. I've 2-3 updates to finish off the story and see how Guy has affected history.
I've also decided not to continue with the game. What with Jerusalem taken and Guy dead there's no structure left to the story. Besides there's no real challenge left in expanding unceasingly. I've 2-3 updates to finish off the story and see how Guy has affected history.
I must say I expected that. Given the style of the AAR so far, continous expansion just for the sake of it just wouldn't fit.
I'm glad you decided to give some closing updates though! Looking forward to it.
I'm glad you decided to give some closing updates though! Looking forward to it.
Exit Guy
Guy de Lusignan
Born 1315 - Died 1380
Ruled (1339-1380)
Guy II de Lusignan in 1380
Born 1315 - Died 1380
Ruled (1339-1380)
Guy II de Lusignan in 1380
Guy de Lusignan was born into an Outremer in which the glory of Jerusalem seemed to have been extinguished forever. The tales of Frankish heroes such as Godfrey of Bouillon or Bohemund I rang increasingly hollow as their descendents meekly surrendered lands long fought for. Of the once great crusader states only Cyprus remained under Christian rule, an island kingdom depending on the naval support of the mercenary Italian trading houses to stave off the seemingly unstoppable Muslim advance. Yet during the reign of Guy II this advance would be sharply reversed as Christian armies carved out a new kingdom in the Levant.
The Man
It often comes as a surprise to learn that very little is known about the private life of Guy de Lusignan. While profiling the individuals that lived during these times is notoriously difficult, in Guy's case we must also contend with centuries of myth and revisionism that have further obscured the man. This hardly a new phenomenon and had begun while Guy was still alive. The stories of his apologists and propagandists, who sought to embellish his character to further much realer political aims, have over the years been joined by a host of similar stories that pay little attention to fact. While can safely discard stories of slain dragons, the lack of any one impartial witness makes other stories much harder to divine.
Of the primary sources that we do have at least two, that of Borzyslaw Piast and the Muslim commentator Ibn Khaldun, are openly hostile and paint the de Lusignan king as a harsh and vengeful zealot interested only in increasingly his own wealth. While both can be considered to be highly biased, note the contrast with Khaldun's praise for both Richard I and Frederick II, they do present a startlingly contrast to the typical image of the servant of God seeking to rebuild Jerusalem for the glory of the Church. Was he the ruthless taskmaster and betrayer of Borzyslaw or the honourable knight intent only on some perceived divine duty?
Guy II leads his knights in battle
Regardless, to express Guy, or indeed anyone, as such a one-dimensional figure ignores both the realities of human nature and the many contradictions and flaws in his particular character. A Christian hero and zealot who had no qualms in allying with Muslims to achieve his ends; a holy warrior who never took the cross and would betray other crusaders; a cautious commander only willing to attack when his foes' had turned their back yet who could to take huge risks when needed; a King who treated his vassals as equals and yet demanded complete obedience from them… the list goes on. There are clear problems with summing such a complex figure up in a single line. Did Guy de Lusignan even posses a burning desire to reclaim Jerusalem or is this a matter of fitting a story around events? As with all historical figures they must be treated not according to how history portrays them or by some Hollywood archetype but simply as people, complete with often complex emotions and reasoning.
Deeds & Legacy
In 1339 the de Lusignan family ruled over the small but troubled island of Cyprus. Forty years later, in 1379, the same family controlled a vast kingdom stretching from the Black Sea to the Red Sea. What had begun as a mission to subdue the troublesome Turkish pirates of the Aegean would lead to the conquest of both Anatolia and the Levant by Frankish soldiers. It was to be the most dramatic Christian campaign since the First Crusade and would permanently destroy Islamic and Arab power in the region. From its inception to its climax this campaign of conquest, whether driven by the need for spiritual or material fulfilment, is forever associated with the name Guy de Lusignan.
The Frankish advance across the Near East was the result of centuries of increasingly militant Church thought coupled with the contradictions within Muslim hegemony at the time. Such a resurgence would doubtless have occurred with or without one Guy de Lusignan at the helm. At the same time it is impossible to dismiss the impact that the Cypriot king had on this last major crusade.
The Campaigns of Cyprus
As a commander and general Guy would prove to be a capable, if not brilliant, strategist and an excellent opportunist. It was the latter quality that was first displayed in the Tekke campaign and would serve the King well through Safed and on to Naples. As a capable leader Guy would personally command almost a dozen major campaigns to expand his holdings and destroy his foes. He would visit dozens of major battlefields where he would, as was the Frankish tradition, lead his knights from the front and engage in personal combat himself. Such a life of war was not unusual in those days, and is startling reminiscent of the life of Richard I, but Guy's life in the saddle must have been punishing in the extreme.
This throws into sharp relief the other aspect of Guy's life - the kingdom that he left behind. While the many wars required to build this kingdom have drawn much scrutiny, less obvious is the stable political and economic framework that would be constructed in the years spent between campaigning. The Old Kingdom of Jerusalem had ultimately collapsed not under the weight of the Mamluk aggression but rather a decrepit and divided political establishment unable to act to defend itself. From the beginning of his reign it is apparent that Guy sought to avoid a repeat of this scenario by granting power only to family and close supporters. A less pleasant measure to maintain homogeny was the brutal suppression of Islamic courts, practices and families in the newly occupied territories. Campaigns against such internal foes would mark Guy's tenure as much as those waged to extend the borders.
Guy de Lusignan, Protrayed King of Cyprus, Jerusalem and Syria (left to right)
And just what of Guy's role in history? As always this depends on just who is writing the history. For much of medieval times the rise of Cyprus has been hailed as the Will of God. Centuries later the Romantics would create a new mythos out of the existing legends while the 20th century would see the fascist de Coucy make use of Guy in the same way Generalissimo Franco would draw upon the imagery Spanish Reconquista. Today it is fashionable to focus of the factors behind that rise, a scenario in which Cyprus would have come to dominate the Levant with or without one Guy de Lusignan. Who is to say who is right? Perhaps another power would have arisen to exploit the collapse of the Mamluks - is it too far fetched to imagine a Muslim power such as Eretnid, Karaman or Ottoman dominating the Eastern Mediterranean? Perhaps it is, but we shall never know. That is perhaps Guy de Lusignan's most significant contribution to history.
Just to note that I'm not particularly happy about the above update. Inspiration simply failed me, even on such a simple task, and the writing was a real struggle. Hopefully I'll hit better form in the final two planned updates and, if all goes well, I should be able to finish this by the end of next week.
In many respects I thought it was an excellent summing-up update. I especially liked the details of later historical debate. Was there any specific part that you dislike, or is it a more generalised malaise?
I have to agree with stnylan that it was a very good update. I really liked the part about the different views on Guy's character. I guess that sometimes when you struggle with writing you're not as pleased with the result as when it flows naturally, but I think you'll change your mind after you sleep on it and read it again in the morning.
I'll add a third voice of approval of the wrap up, as someone that has followed this in lurker mode. It's a nice sum-up. I especially thought the three king picture, much along the lines of the trinity, was a nice touch, especially with the underlying religious motif of this kingdom title.
If I had to pick out one aspect it would probably be the structure. To my mind the writing simply doesn't "fit" well. I'd get the odd paragraph that I'd like and then have to stitch them together with poor writing.stnylan said:
But, as always, thanks for the reassurances and comments everyone. Perhaps its not quite as bad as I first thought. Still, I feel it could be a whole lot better and I might give it a rewrite later next week.