The Diaries of Zicenian Royalty (A Random World Narrative AAR)

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Table of Contents:


King Sabr-Ishu, "The Father"

Chapter 1: A Young Man Inherits a Stolen Throne…
Chapter 2: … And Secures It as His Own.

Chapter 3: He Reaches Out as Far as He Can…
Chapter 4: … To Grab His Place in History as The Father of Zicenia.

Chapter 5: A Strange Final Stretch.
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King Shahlufa, "The Hammer"

Chapter 6: The Warrior King Ascends
Chapter 7: The Caliphate Descends
Chapter 8: The Hammer

Chapter 9: Slowing Down

Chapter 10: Interregnum
Chapter 11: Waking Dream
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King Lazaro, "The Purifier"

Chapter 12: The Man Who Sought to Destroy All Evil

Chapter 13: Sic Semper Demens
Chapter 14: At All Costs
Chapter 15: Letting Go, And Holding On.
Chapter 16: Back to the Start

Chapter 17: Recession

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King Laszio, "The Builder"

Chapter 18: The Crisis Ends
Chapter 19: Back on Top

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King Raca, "The Cruel"

Chapter 20: A Renewal of Power
Chapter 21: Raca’s Will
Chapter 22: A Man of Action
Chapter 23: To Rule is to Be Judged
Chapter 24: Security
Chapter 25: A Final Idea

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King Babai, "The Fool"

Chapter 26: A Crown, and Other Amenities.

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King Sima, "The Magnificent"

Chapter 27: No Time to Sleep
Chapter 28: A Greater Zicenia

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[Centurial]

Sabr-Ishu, King of Zicenia and Head of House Mirza. 16 years old.

Attractive, Master Seducer, Lustful.

Honest, Humble.

Cruel.

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Chapter 1: A Young Man Inherits a Stolen Throne…



August, 936

Zicenia is finally at rest once again, though there is still work to do. My lovely wife, Talya, has just given birth to our first son, and we plan to make many more as quickly as possible! If House Mirza is to remain the new dynasty, it can’t be led by sickly and weak men incapable of even laying down in a bed without falling asleep!

I never expected to be so lucky as to end up King of Zicenia, particularly this early in my life - I wish the first of our house had been my father. After the sudden, childless death of Zicenia’s former king, war broke out over his succession, which only came to an end a few months ago – mostly, at least, since two rival dukes of the losing side fled to Corsica and Sardinia, which remain out of our control at the moment.



The most important man in the Kingdom is Abaya, Duke of Milan. Alongside my father, he led the armies that secured our victory in the War of Succession, though father did not live to see its end, and Abaya declined the throne on account of his age and lack of children. Instead, the territory of Milan was expanded greatly and Abaya remains heavily involved in the government – he is certainly the most powerful man in the entire Kingdom, even moreso than myself. I will do my best to keep Abaya on my side, though he has been a great friend to my father and seems content with his current status.

For now, we will make sure our hold on Zicenia is strong, so that one day our armies can grow strong again and reclaim Corsica and Sardinia for the throne.

In the meantime, I will make sure my hold on Talya is strong - House Mirza will not be lacking for heirs!

> November

West of Italy, the Raamite heretics encroach on our neighbors in the name of their heretic faith. Instead of fully joining the civilized faithful, these Iberians had claimed some Siorach canon while still keeping many of their tribal beliefs and practices that go directly against that taught in The Grand Story, particularly with their barbaric ritual sacrifices.

In recent decades, they have inched north into Europe, and now the heretic count of Toulouse seeks the land directly bordering our own Kingdom. Upon request, and alongside many of our neighbors, we have pledged our support in holding back the Raamite invasion, although Abaya ensures me that they are already greatly outnumbered. That being said, it is my duty to participate, and perhaps this effort will help unify Zicenia further.





March, 937

The war goes well, and the army Abaya has assembled impresses me with its size. It seems clear this expedition will end quickly.

That being said, I received news of Abaya’s continued attempts to justify claims for the expansion of Milan at the expense of another duke. I will not antagonize him, though a dominant Milan is concerning, particularly whenever Abaya’s chosen successor takes control. In the meantime, there are uses for his surprisingly large army that should hopefully distract.




> April

It seems Abaya is more shrewd than I thought. Mere days after my previous journal, I learned that he was amassing his personal army to launch an incursion against the other heretics to the northwest, the Orevi. The justification is somewhat slim, but the glory of advancing against heretics into the Alps is too great to resist. I expect he will be fine given his talent, and it does relieve me that Abaya is looking outwards.

> August

The barbarians march for my own capital, ignoring their own encroaching defeat. This low blow will not go unpunished – I have split the army to ensure that their leader pays for this even if he tries to retreat.

Word from Abaya’s campaign is positive so far, and the size of his own personal army is apparently equal to the combined Zicenian one under my command. Though I do speak with some concern, I suppose this is only natural given what our country has just gone through – on a personal level, I have no doubt that Abaya himself is loyal, and the amount of men our Kingdom is able to muster actually gives me great hope for what we may accomplish in the future.





> October

The concerns of an attack on Piemonte turned out to be false, as the barbarians continued to march into Nice, where we have cut them off. The journey was not kind to their numbers either – desertion and disease are expectedly harsh for an army marching through such a winter.

June, 938

The campaign has ended in success, and I have made a public show of having our captured enemies executed at home. The wealth brought back from the pillaging of Toulouse was an unexpected reward, but one we will make good use of. Immediately, we will fortify the capital, which is easily justified following the barbarian scare.

In the meantime, I have been corresponding back and forth with Abaya, and I am now certain his intentions are good. Unfortunately, it seems his incursion into the Alps attracted far more Orevi armies than expected due to a nearby war in the north, though Abaya has managed to avoid engaging the massive enemy force directly so far.

> September

One of my lesser vassals has requested an incursion into Modena, land which belonged to him before it was taken during the Succession War. Given the strength of our army, there is no reason to decline, and it would be good for the other vassals to grow. Some day, we will also retake Corsica from the traitors, and then Sardinia; Zicenia will then fully reach the power it once knew under the better days of the previous dynasty.

And speaking of dynasty, Talya is pregnant for the first of what shall be many children.



January, 939

The invasion continues slowly – the Duke of Ferrara, who holds the stolen land, has amassed a surprisingly large army, and I’m in no rush to fight a large battle and lose men if it can be avoided – Abaya has certainly taught me that lesson, as he somehow continues to campaign in the north without losing most of his army to the massive Orevi forces.

Another Duke from neighboring Lucca has also taken advantage of this war to lay claim to Modena, possibly expecting to seize the land while the two armies were fighting. He will be disappointed, and hopefully distracting as well.



> November

Talya gave birth to our second son a few months ago, but absolute dread followed this week as we learned my poor Talya has cancer. How could such a thing could happen to such a lively woman as Talya at just 19 years old?

February, 941

Talya has been doing well, thanks to the great work of our doctor. She is young and strong, he says, and so far it seems to be true. I fear for her ability to bear another child though…

Meanwhile, the war for Modena has been dragging on, but should come to a victorious end soon. We still have avoided engaging in battle, and the invasion from Lucca has actually worked to our advantage as the Ferraran army wastes time chasing them down.



> September

Good news all around this month – the soldiers have taken Modena without much bloodshed, and the war is over.

13

More importantly, it turns out that Talya’s cancer isn’t getting in the way of anything – her energy has been just as passionate as always, and she is now pregnant once again! We can only hope the pregnancy goes as well as the last two, but I have faith in Talya’s strength.



Finally, it seems that invasion of Corsica may come soon – there has been a peasant revolt on the island, and the other Duke of Sardinia has clearly gone back on their alliance by seizing the land of Gallura for himself.

14

Once the revolt is concluded and Corsica’s army is weakened, we will lead our invasion. Abaya himself will be involved as well this time – he finally has returned from his war in defeat, maintaining much of his army but now deeply in debt.




January, 942

Sad news has reached me today – Abaya finally passed away after a long life of 67 years. It seems the stress of his campaign and the debt it incurred finally got to the old man.

His titles are inherited by his adopted son Sabah, a young man who served as a general under Abaya during the Succession War and grew close to the childless duke. I do not know much about this new Duke’s personality, but his military skill is well-proven, so he shall replace Abaya as Zicenia’s marshal.

Historian’s notes: The reign of Sabr-Ishu was initiated by unlikely circumstances – the death of his father at the end of a succession war, and the honorable promise kept by the old and childless Abaya of Milan to watch over the throne while Sabr-Ishu got his footing.​

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Relatively peaceful at first, the King would find new reasons for tension with the succession in Milan, and throughout the rest of his reign, several events would slowly transform the humble young man into a much more imposing King, obsessed with the dynasty and its protection.​

 

[Centurial]

Chapter 2: …And Secures It as His Own.









Late January, 942

Talya managed to make it through the birth of our third son, but she is in very bad shape – my doctor doesn’t know if she will manage to survive. The child is in poor shape as well.

> February

Talya’s body seems to be recovering, but her mind is not there. I don’t know if she will survive this month, but if she does, I fear it may be only partially.

The child does seem to fare better though – I believe he will make it, at least.


Meanwhile, the new Duke of Milan, Sabah, had already begun another expedition into the Alps. I assume from his experience in the last war that he knows what he is doing, but it still strikes me as foolish. That being said, it’s good that he focuses his army on outsiders.




> May

My wife’s condition remains weak – she spends most of the day in bed, only able to get up for brief periods, and this has been the case for over a month now. Though she clings onto life, I fear it may be time to accept that death has taken over much of her body already.

As much as I hate to say it, my old wife is gone, and I must look to continue my bloodline.

Meanwhile, matters of state trouble me further. The Duke of Genoa has apparently been plotting to expand his claim to the entire coast, which includes my own personal land. Troublingly, it seems he has the support of Sabah as well – no doubt fearing a crackdown on his power.

Though I will say nothing to Sabah about his support, the count of Genoa will be crushed if he does not submit, and by seizing his title I will gain leverage over the Kingdom as a whole.




> July

As expected, the Genoese duke spouted lies about his innocence and refused to back down. My army will make quick work of him.



And as it turns out, Talya did indeed die this month. I still feel so confused when remembering how full of energy and love she was just a few years ago - at our age, I never thought it would end this soon.

I crave Talya, but with her gone, I must find some way to satisfy this urge.

March, 943

The Genoese insurrection is over, and with Corsica split from its peasant revolt, it will be easy to reclaim.

In the meantime, I managed to find another wife from German territory. She’s no Tayla by any means, but she’s sharp enough.

4


On the side, I’ve also been meeting with a certain Ferraran duchess…

And today, I received a demand from my small-time Count of Aosta, backed up in name by Sabah – they demand that the council has a say on any changes to Zicenian law. I don’t like this grab at power by my own subjects, but there is little that can be done yet besides placate them – I’m certainly not going to plunge this Kingdom into another civil war.

> May

I’ve been meeting women all over, and I can resist none of them. Yet, this is getting a bit out of hand…

Though I do hope to invade the southern islands soon, I must reward the people and soldiers that have brought us this far first – we are one people and must remain as such. Between the fairs and feasts of this year, everyone will remember why Zicenia is better as one, and why we must make sure to finish our promise to those living under the island traitors.

It also is a good opportunity to meet some fine women…



March, 944

Yet another son has been born to my new wife – who knew that growing the dynasty would be so fun? In the meantime, I believe I’ve given another three or four children to some lovely women during the leisures of last year.

> September

The invasion of Corsica has begun, though not as simply as I imagined. The armies have had to deal with raiders in our own territory, and the old Duke of Corsica took advantage of the fighting to invade the peasant half of the island, but our armies are large enough to defeat them all.

There has been a new count of Aosta as well – a much younger man who seems to have a great grasp on rulership. I’m going to try and ally this new count, both for his practical skills and the political concerns at home – though Sabah’s adventure in the Alps has gone even worse than his adoptive father’s, weakening his position in Zicenia for the time being.



January, 945

This newly-empowered council is a pain – self-serving men ask for favors just to support my invasion of Corsica. I did what needed to be done to gain their support, but these men are more focused on their own titles than the good of Zicenia.




March, 946

Corsica is once again under our control! The army did a great job of scraping up the bands of raiders in our own homeland while seizing the two castles of the opposing factions.

I even managed to bed the wife of the peasant count.



Sardinia would be the next target, but upon landing on Corsica we’ve learned that the island is already being invaded by the Dyamarian Empire – a massive force that dominates the entire South Mediterranean. If they take Sardinia, there’s nothing we can do about it.

> September

All these feasts and drinks have taken their toll on me – I fear I’m growing rather fat. I can’t afford to starve myself with so much work to be done though, despite Maud’s pressuring – and I already have enough women to satisfy me regardless…



> December

The Dyamarian Empire is on our doorstep, and Sardinia is out of reach. As much as it saddens me to accept the loss of Zicenian land, there is simply nothing to be done about it.

Still, I look in the mirror, and I look at my throne. I look at our restored kingdom, and I look at all of the women I have seeking my attention. This is my Kingdom, and I am its King. With territorial restoration out of the way, it is time to ensure my rule is respected. Abaya fought alongside my father to put me on the throne, and yet now his successor makes demands hiding behind the backs of others, implying he would split the Kingdom again just to promote his own influence. Now that the Kingdom is as whole as it can be, it is time to restore the honor of the King as well.

May, 947

The Kingdom expands further as one of my vassals pushes into Ferrara, and our own army marches towards Verona to demand tribute. I will need a large treasury to control this Kingdom, and there are plenty of weak Counts to gather it from, in exchange for subjugation.

April, 948

Maud seems to have found out about one of my affairs, and I admitted as much. That woman in particular is ill anyways, and it would have been pretty bad if my vassal had learned about what I’ve been doing with his wife…

We managed to avert an uprising in Corsica this month as well, and the peasant count was blinded. It’s going to be a constant battle to keep these traitors under our control – but if fear of our army won’t stop them, fear of their own punishment should do the trick.

> October

The fight for Verona was easy, but their funds will not be enough. The Duchy of Tuscany to our south is far larger, and after being humbled, they can help give the Crown the funds it needs.

> Late October

Ha! I hadn’t expected to write again this soon, but the Tuscan Duke immediately offered tribute without bloodshed. Now, we shall ask the same of Forcalquier to the west – they should be happy to gain our protection from the barbarians.

Historian’s notes: After the reconquest of lands in Central Italy, as well as Corsica, the King took a much more active role in government than he had as a younger man. His romantic adventures at the time would spread the bloodline discreetly throughout the entire region, though many of these instances remain undocumented. ​

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This period also marks the beginning of Sabr-Ishu’s tributary network, which would come to be a staple of his reign, just as much as the massive military expansion it funded within his territories to combat the constant threat in his mind of a Milanese takeover.​

 

[Centurial]

Chapter 3: He Reaches Out as Far as He Can…







July, 949

The tributary wars are finished, but a new threat has emerged – the heretic king of Friuli is encroaching west into Ferrara. We’ll show him who is in charge of Northern Italia.

Additionally, word has reached me that a pact is forming against the Dyamarian Empire, which is already suffering from revolt. I agreed to support it – this is the only chance I see of gaining Sardinia any time soon, even if it is a long shot.




> September

I’ve put some effort into expanding my own personal power by strengthening the reliance on larger vassals in general, which grants myself, as a Duke of three lands, more power as well. In the meantime, some minor battles have been fought in defense of our tributaries – it is important to consolidate our hold on them as well, while cowing any greedy outsiders.

The pact against the Dyamarian Empire crumbed quite quickly, so unfortunately Sardinia still remains untouchable.





April, 951

Sabah continues to expand his own power – he recently took control of Bern, and now his invasion of Trent is wrapping up. As far as I’m concerned, a race to expand Zicenia between the two of us is ultimately good for the kingdom, but I still intend to make sure House Mirza remains the dominant power – not that Sabah has even managed to have any children to secure his own house.

In the meantime, we will demand tribute from Augsburg, the Alp nation that Sabah and his father had failed to conquer. By not framing this conquest in religious terms and promising their independence, I should be able to avoid the pitfalls of outraging their heretic neighbors in their defense.

952

All the wars and whatnot go well, but events within the Kingdom are exhausting. All of my vassals seem to be expanding at their own whims, and due to calling in a favor, I was forced to entertain the council’s insistence on having a role in imprisonment decisions. Has the country developed such that the King cannot even rule his own country without asking permission?

I’ve spent the fortunes of recent conquests expanding the army and fortifications in my own realm, which are the only true way to maintain the Kingdom from both within and without.





955

Events continue steadily – the realm of Nice is now subjugated, and the wealth from the various tributaries has helped expand the army and defenses, particularly in Piemonte. I now have seven children, including two daughters – and countless others claimed by other unsuspecting men.

In order to both enhance my own power and secure the island, I had the boy of the peasant count on Corsica drowned – which passes the heirless title onto myself. We also are organizing an excursion into Duka for tribute – soon to be the wealthiest tributary Zicenia has seen.

956

The unexpected death of Modena’s duke suddenly grants another three counties to crown control – between that and the new tributary wealth, Milan is no longer a threat to the crown. Most of these lands will be passed on to my second son, Timai, who seems very capable, while my eldest son Enosh will be given one – I don’t trust Enosh with too much power given his lunacy, but he has done nothing to properly discount him from ruling.

957

The campaign into Duka goes well, though the King of Burgundy to the west has come to the man’s defense. Ultimately, the lands he raids are frontier ones anyways, while we strike at the heart of Duka in the name of simple tribute.

A sickness seems to be spreading through the land closer to the capital as well – both my wife and myself have fallen ill.



959

The war in Duka is almost complete, though it has been more of a struggle than I had expected. Sabah seems to constantly be in a state of conquering new lands, never satisfied with the already immense holdings he has gained.

The plague has passed without any major losses. Meanwhile, more of my sons are coming of age, and more of the old vassals are dying, giving me more opportunity to expand Mirza control over the Kingdom.



961

Initially, I had been skeptical about the Orevi heretics to the east, since the Raamite barbarians had been the ones sacrificing humans and pillaging – but the Orevians have turned out to be much more of a threat. Another invasion tries to enter Eastern Italia, and it has taken a larger force than expected to hold them at bay.

Zicenia and the Siorach faithful as a whole are surrounded on both edges of Italia, and it seems our kingdom has been forced into the role of defending the region, since nobody else is strong enough. I suppose this justifies the tribute, but this is going to be a constant concern unless we eventually manage to do something about it.


Sabah has also blatantly refused to stop supporting the other ambitious vassals who seek to undermine the Crown, giving me a justification to imprison him – however, doing so would require some hefty bribing of the council, and inevitably lead to war. I don’t want to make such a rash move, but the option remains if he gets out of hand.

962

My eldest son, Enosh, has managed to forge an excellent excuse for the imprisonment of Sabah on his own initiative! With no heir, the poor treatment of Milan’s duke in prison will hopefully result in his death, passing the lands on to my other sons and securing our place for good!

Enosh’s initiative here is absolutely impressive, and he will be heavily rewarded for doing something that I was unable to without risking civil war.

With this sudden coup, I have also taken this opportunity to replace two councilors, as well as fill the now-empty position of marshal. In addition to the two already present, another two of my sons now occupy the council. I knew that being fruitful was the key to success, but this has truly paid off much better than I had expected.

This war in the east is taking up all of the army’s effort, but when it eventually finishes, I will be able to mop up the disloyal vassals in Genoa and Corsica.




963

The war in the east has ended, and I have seized Genoa despite the Count’s revolt. As the crown holds the Duchy of Genoa, I’ve decided to keep the territory, and instead transfer Northern Corsica to my third son.

Unfortunately, the count of southern Corsica has managed to maneuver his way out of being caught committing obvious treason, so his lands can’t be seized yet. Milan’s personal territory is immense, but much of the intermediate territory now belongs to my sons, and the tributaries are bringing in a lot of money.





> September

Just as the army was disbanded, peasants in the frontier province of Aosta revolted against the Regency in charge of the territory. The mountains and winter are going to make this an expensive battle, and the army has already been worn down some, but it must be done. I must hope the foreigners remain docile in the coming year.

964

The revolt has been taken care of, and while I was in the prison preparing to bring its leader to his execution, I thought of Sabah in the oubliette. After the execution was finished, I returned and decided to give him a little encouragement to pass on his titles.




> December

Timai has been murdered! I don’t know who has done it, but I’ve lost my heir and most capable son.

970

Not much of note has happened in the last five years – a few minor wars of tribute and defense, and a minor expansion to the west, but nothing noteworthy. The land prospers, and I continue to expand the army whenever possible. Milan has descended into rebellions, infighting among themselves and the regent of their imprisoned Duke, but it is of little consequence. Sabah still lives even after all these years.

972

On behalf of the Duke of Verona, a tributary of mine, I have sent the army to support his invasion eastwards against the Orevi. With peace at home and no real threats, it only makes sense to expand our Siorach foothold in the east.

973

Damn! Sabah’s wife managed to ‘produce’ an heir – the man himself is finally dead, but now the lands go to a regent instead. The amount of territory Sabah managed to seize is staggering, and still strong enough to contest our own even after all that has happened. I’m going to see if we can have the boy killed before he comes of age.

He even had the gall to name the child “Abaya II”, as if there was any blood tie between any of these Milanese Dukes.



> May

And it is done. Milan, heirless, passes onto House Mirza. We now truly control Zicenia, and the kingdom has grown so strong since we first took power. I know my father would be proud. I just passed my 52nd birthday, and it has been a busy life, but as I grow old I know that I have done great.

Historian’s Notes: After decades of struggle, this was the period when Sabr-Ishu finally came out on top if it all – the regular expansion of both of Zicenia’s factions left the King with a dominion greater than any of his Kingdom’s predecessors, both in land and in wealth from his tributary network. ​

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His patience decreased with age, while his confidence became overwhelming. These two traits – his lack of patience and his abundance of pride – would come to define the last chapter of his life, just as they had brought him to this point through imprisonment, torture, and eventually child assassination. ​

 

[Centurial]

Chapter 4: … To Grab His Place in History as The Father of Zicenia.








October, 973

Though Milan is now mine, I also inherited the many vassals of the northern frontier, and this month they banded together to demand more council power, led by the bastard in Southern Corsica. With the army wounded by all the battles going on in the east, I’m in no position to refuse. I wish I’d been able to kill him when I had the chance.

974

I got him now. He was caught plotting a murder on someone insignificant, which I used as an excuse to bring him to my cells.

Revenge is sweet.




> November

The Eastern war is finally finished, and our tributary Verona has gained a new chunk of territory right in the middle of Orevi land. The more we can undermine these fools, the better.

976

I’ve been facing small revolts for the last two years – several of the smaller vassals are getting rowdy, and already I know of another plot to undermine the Crown. I’ve been saving money though, and I will assert control over the frontier piece by piece if necessary.

> December

Another one of my sons died, though this time it was cancer rather than murder. My new spymaster is less trustworthy as he is not blood, and already I’ve learned of a plot on my own life.



January, 977

I need to bring the council back on my side, so I can work to undo some of their excesses over the years. Wars will be avoided and money will be accumulated so that I can offer both the carrot and the stick. My first action was to grant my Chaplain, Chuma, control of the other half of Raetia, including the Duchy. As the chaplain, Siorach law doesn’t allow me to fire the man, so he must be given this small amount of power to be appeased.

My spymaster was replaced once again – better to have a mediocre dog than an expert snake by my side.

I’ve reorganized the duchies as well, handing them out to whoever I thought was loyal or weak enough to deserve them.

The one exception to this is the ruler of Provence, a man forced into vassalage years back. I have evidence he’s trying to murder his wife, which I can leverage as scandal to have him arrested and transfer the land to one of my sons.

> February

My fifth son (third surviving) wants me dead. I’m not sure what to feel about this – I just gave the brat Milan, and he’s not in line for the throne, unless he plans to kill Timai’s son too. After the action in Provence is over, I’ll give that land to another one of my sons to strengthen their position, and then I’ll imprison Avira for the time being.

Later though, I need to try and wrangle the council away from having control over my damn right to arrest vassals. Bribing them to support locking up my own son was already expensive enough.




> June

Damnit, my dynasty I worked so hard to expand is shrinking by the day. Some bastard vassal just murdered my third son, leaving only two left – My first, Enosh, and the imprisoned Avira. I still have a handful of grandsons to keep the legacy going, but this can’t be allowed. Count Raziel will be punished.

I’ve granted Enosh the newly-seized Provence, making him my heir by extension. With three sons, he seems the most stable choice, not to mention loyal. Enosh certainly has his issues, but he is talented in politics and I know he can keep this kingdom together.

979

I have taken Raziel’s title, and his leg. Nobody will get away with murdering my family.

Thanks to the loyalty of my blood on the council and some minor bribery, the council has lost their ability to interfere in future arrests as well.



980

A great statue will be built in Piemonte to remind everybody in the future exactly what can be accomplished by a single man, given the drive. Zicenia has grown to its greatest extent during my reign, our bloodline flows through the entire land, and despite the internal plotting, threats, and betrayals, I have overcome every single one of them. This statue should serve as an example and reminder to all who rule after I leave this world.

> October

With the kingdom secured, I have pledged the army to support another one of Fruili’s expansions into the east – their hold on the region is rather small, and the greater it is, the more the Orevi will be threatened into submission.

> November

Another family member murdered, another man to punish. This time, it was the Corsican who was already blinded by my hands, and his target was my grandson. This time, he won’t be left alive.

981

Very sad news today – Enosh is dead too, though this was simply a product of age. It is odd to consider that my firstborn may die of old age while I remain; this is a great loss. His own son was already serving as marshal, an excellent commander as well, so I feel confident with him being my new heir.

982

The war for Ragusa is over. It seems these Orevi are no longer willing to band together in defense; this was a very easy war.

> August

I caught another woman plotting to murder my blood – this time, the target was my grandson, and the plotter, his own wife. She will be blinded.

Historian’s Notes: By this point, the cruelty that tainted Sabr-Ishu's legacy was on full display – an impatient man with a solid grasp of power. The expanse of House Mirza started to become clear by this point: his many children were all adults, and there were several grandchildren between them all. As the dynasty entrenched itself within the many levels of Zicenia, several of them encountered opposition which was swiftly and heavily punished by the King.​

 

[Centurial]

Chapter 5: A Strange Final Stretch.






December, 982

It is time to begin a war I have wanted for decades now – an invasion of Burgundy, who has always been too strong to risk invasion over our rightfully claimed land on the frontier. With no threats remaining, this injustice can finally be resolved.

983

Some idiot vassal apparently wanted to have me killed. He shall be blinded too.



> April

Last year, I was approached by a beautiful courtier who managed to ignite a passion I thought had burned out long ago with age. Today, a son is born. Even at 62 years old, I’ve managed to not only enjoy the pleasures of a woman once again, but even have a new child!

> June

Rumors about my new child have spread due to his very odd behavior – talks of demonic possession – though even my chaplain tells me it is all nonsense. As if a child of my blood would ever be so tainted.

985

Burgundy has been defeated – our army is truly a force to be feared now, and our commanders are incredible. Once again, as a tribute to the old days, I have marched all of our prisoners through the capital, at the site where my statue is being constructed, and had them all executed in front of a great crowd.


Another insignificant vassal was caught trying to murder one of my sons. He has been blinded.



986

One of my daughters is dead, and continued talk goes around about my new child being related to this. He’s only 3 years old! Superstitious fools.

987

Great feasts have become a regular part of the court tradition every year; I love trying all of the distant foods our great kingdom has access to, particularly those ordered to be delivered as part of our tribute.

989

Yet another one of my daughters has fallen, and once again my child Taddai is blamed. I’m starting to worry.

I’m going to have the child surrounded by priests.



991

I always knew Corsica was bound to revolt, though admittedly I had forgotten about the island after all these decades, short of the bastard count that I had to deal with. Heretics have taken hold of the island, alongside barbarian raiders arriving on boats.

> May

Avira is dead – I have outlived my entire generation of children now, short of young Timai. The dynasty is still strong in numbers, but it is an odd feeling to witness the death of all your children. At 70 years old, I don’t expect I have much longer for this world either.

19 June, 991.

An eerie final diary, Sabr-Ishu died just one month later, shortly after his 71st birthday. He had ruled for an immense 54 years.

​

A complicated man, Sabr-Ishu had begun his reign as a 16-year-old, willing to share rule of Zicenia with his dead father’s comrade in order to maintain the fractured Kingdom, while he spent his days bedding women across the entire region following the death of his first wife – but by his end, he ruled a new Zicenia at its greatest extent ever with a heavy and impatient hand, regularly mutilating or killing anybody who attempted to harm his family.

During his rule, Zicenia not only grew in size - which it did, thanks to both Sabr-Ishu and the two great Dukes of Milan, but the Kingdom also became in many ways the center of the Siorach world in Northern Italy, protecting and expanding its frontiers while collecting its wealth to be spent on what would end up an enormous expansion of the kingdom’s military capability over the course of his long reign.

He managed to have a total of 11 recognized children, along with likely just as many unrecognized ones, and though none of his sons would outlive him (except the scandalous infant Timai), House Mirza would stand with 17 recognized descendants within its ranks at the time of his death.

Sabr-Ishu was succeeded by Shahlufa, Marshall of Zicenia. Shahlufa was the first son of Enosh, Sabr-Ishu’s firstborn and most loyal son, though Enosh was also known for his lunacy and infidelity. Shahlufa would inherit a very powerful kingdom, and the former Marshal’s first task would be the destruction of the Corsican Revolt.

 

[Centurial]

Shahlufa Bar Enosh Mirza, King of Zicenia. 36 Years old.

Skilled Tactician, Wroth.

Cynical, Greedy.

Shy, Trusting.​

Chapter 6: The Warrior King Ascends

The Corsican Revolt​

June, 991

The Great King is finally dead, and now this land passes on to me. With the crown, I inherit a grand army, along with several threats. Ishu expanded Zicenia greatly during his reign – now, with a large army already in place, I will lead us to dominate the entire region.

First, there is the Corsican revolt, which I had already been mustering to deal with upon learning of my ascension. The enemy army is large in number, but composed of untrained zealots.

There is also the matter of the Thracian raiders attacking the south, but they can be dealt with afterwards.



In the North, word comes that an Austrian Duke within the rapidly rising Vogakny Kingdom is going to lead an invasion, so the army has to be ready for them too. Ishu left a large treasury when he died, so I’ll direct some of that towards fortifications along the border.

After those threats are dealt with, I’ll be free to expand our Kingdom in many directions – the tributary network of Ishu is dead, but so are the obligations to protect our weak neighbors. That decision will only need to be made in a few years though.



I’ve also moved the capital inland to Monferrato – Piemont may have made sense for a King bunkering on the edge of the lands during a civil war, but it’s too close to the border now, and assembling in mountains is time-consuming.

> September

The battle of Corsica went perfectly – despite the difficulties of unloading such an army from boats into a battle, we managed to defeat the rebels with very few losses. During the battle, my newly-commissioned set of armor deflected a peasant’s arrow fired straight at my heart, and my cavalry detachment personally charged forward to kill the entire group of archers – makes for a good story for the soldiers to share.

> Late September

I finally had my first son today – my fifth child including all my daughters. Though I had a handful of nephews in line for the throne over my incompetent brothers, it is better to raise a King of your own.

The Northern Campaign

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> November

While we wait for the Austrians to strike, I’ll take this opportunity to claim our land in the border territories, as both a show of force and practice for the army.

July, 992

I slayed the enemy’s leader himself in single combat during the invasion. It’s through shows of strength like this that the respect of your men is cemented as a General, and in turn you will be able to trust your men on the battlefield.

June, 993

After all of this preparation, the Austrian invasion fizzled out – the sight of our army looming on the border ahead of our northern walls cowed them enough to give up, it seems.

The Italian Campaign​

> July

I’ve returned back to the capital, and decided the next best target will be the lesser Italians. Duka and Tuscany are currently in the middle of war, leaving both open for attack. First, I will take the county of Ravenna from Dukan control, and then invade Tuscany as a whole and integrate them into Zicenia as a vassal.

> September

The war is delayed by another round of coastal raiders – there are far more of them attempting to plunder nowadays than ever before.

> December

The invasion of Ferrara has begun, though this will be a small gain compared to the entirety of Tuscany. Our former Northern conquest is now fully integrated as well, giving us a much better frontier against Vogakny should they ever have another itch to fight us.

November, 994

Ravenna is now ours – I’m already drawing up the plans for the whole of Tuscany, as soon as the army returns home.



January, 995

We managed to take the Tuscans by surprise – they clearly didn’t expect a war from the army that had just defeated their enemy a few months ago. The quickness of our march through the snow managed to capture their army before it could fully assemble, and now we can mop up the rest and seize the whole countryside.

> March

Though Ishu did not intervene much in the army during my time as Marshal, he had always insisted on capturing the prisoners in order to make a show of publicly executing them at the site of his gold statue in Piemonte following the war. I find that ransoming the prisoners, particularly the landed ones, leads to even greater spoils in addition to the loot our armies have been capturing from the rich Tuscan country.

With all this income, I’ve commissioned another smith for a sword to go with my armor. Just as I had it with my armor, no expense will be spared.




> November

I much prefer life at the front to trying to manage all of these people at home – if you appoint the right people to your council, they will do a much better job on their own, and it saves the King much more time to focus on one goal. It’s through single-minded focus that I will expand Zicenia – not by wasting day after day bribing and promising my own people to change insignificant laws.

Of course, if something were to come up that was a real threat, I would intervene, but it seems that all of the incidents I’m told about are beneath me, and I’ve heard of no threat to the Crown in one way or another. Better for the tax collectors to fight with the vassals than myself.

Western Campaign​

March, 996

Tuscany is ours, and it was easy. Though I considered expanding further into Italy, I believe the next best course of action would be to secure the western lands of Forcalquier. Initially, I had considered invading one of their counties that Provence held claim to, but vassalising the whole region would leave both the old and new Zicenian capitals much farther from any invader.

> April

It seems my last campaign frightened all the Italians who had formerly been under our tributary protection – the leaders of Duka, Ancona, Verona, and Friuli have banded together in mutual defense. Even together they would be no match for Zicenia’s armies, but I was already finished with them anyways.

> September

The invasion continues with little issue – our ability to attack from several directions overwhelmed the enemy, and the speed at which we’ve learned to march through the mountainous terrain undoubtedly took them by surprise!

> November

The haphazard internal borders of Zicenia’s Dukes have done a remarkable job of sorting themselves out over the last decade – the Kingdom is now essentially split into four regions: The Crown Lands based in Ivera and Genoa, my cousin’s recently consolidated territory of Modena - which includes the historical lands of Milan, Transjurania to the North - encompassing the wide northern frontier, and finally, the newly-acquired Tuscany.

Of course, a fifth region will be added very soon.

Historian's Notes: Shahlufa began his reign as King by taking leadership of the entire army, and spent his first five years using it to its full potential. Inheriting a stable and powerful country thanks to the security brought about by Sabr-Ishu’s political savvy and army expansion, the new King immediately went to work with a barrage of great conquests. ​

​

Leaving the reigns of administration to his council, Shahlufa devoted himself to the military early on, and very quickly gained the experience that turned the man into a master strategist. This experience would immediately be put to the test, as next year brought about a challenge so great that it would go down in history as one of the legendary conflicts of the Middle Ages.​

 

[Centurial]

Chapter 7: The Caliphate Descends

The Mediterranean Campaign

​

February, 997

It’s the damn Dyamarians! The entire blasted empire!

This is big trouble. The Caliph seeks to soak up the entirety of Zicenia under his crown as a new vassal, just as we did to Tuscany. With an ocean between us, the invasion is limited in scope unless they march all the way through Iberia – defeating their armies individually will be our only hope of resisting such an onslaught.



> May

The war in the west is over, so now we can focus entirely on repelling the invaders whenever they arrive. There is no sign of the enemy yet, but I suspect Corsica would be their first target.

> June

They’re going to be landing near Noli, likely planning to march straight for the capital. We don’t know the size of their invasion force, but hopefully we will be able to catch them at the beaches with enough men to hold them off.

> July

Their scouting boats took notice of our army and decided to land in Lucca instead. The force they landed is smaller than our own, so I’m forcing the men to march day and night to meet them before they have time to supply or reinforce. My own men call me cruel, but this is necessary.

> Late July

The first Dyamarian army was disorganized and retreated quickly – their armies seem to be less focused on armor than ours, and more so on archery. Given the size of their Empire, I imagine this allows them to overwhelm their enemies with absolute masses of men, in addition to their still-respectable number of heavy soldiers.

I’ll do my best to break apart this army as much as possible, but this was only the first taste of a long war.



> August

As we chased down the previous army, my fears came true – the Dyamarians are sending forces over land from the west. We are about to meet a far larger and heavier army in Nice.

> September

We managed to reach the mountain pass before them, and after a short skirmish the enemy army fled. My initial judgment of their landing army was actually inaccurate – it seems the Dyamarian Empire is so large that its many armies lack one solid makeup. This one was much heavier in size, and has huge numbers of horsemen among their ranks.



> October

We chased them down to Noli, where a more decisive battle took place – the enemy lost nearly half of their forces this time. However, yet another enemy army approaches from the west.

> December

We assaulted the new army in Provence, but after a huge wave of reinforcements, I ordered the men to peel off instead of continuing the battle on such unfavorable terrain. Our men aren’t replaceable like theirs are.

March, 998

This next battle will be a tough one – both sides are even in number. I’ve recruited a band of mercenaries, including 300 pikemen, which should help give up the advantage against the enemy army, but they have a river on their side to slow down our attackers. Normally, I would wait this out, but with the Dyamarians your only hope is to hit them as soon as you see them, lest another three armies show up to back the first up. This will be the most important battle yet.

> April

We managed to win and drive off the enemy, but it was close.

The warrior Duchess of Burgundy has pledged her support for our war – adding another 3500 soldiers to our ranks, led by Duchess Teuta herself.

> June

Fantastic news! The Kings of Musnia and Vazdistan have both joined the cause as well, after hearing of my victories in the field and the threat of a Dyamarian foothold in Italy.

Now, this war will no longer be one of pure defense. The main front will likely be in Iberia, split between the two kingdoms, but first I will send my army to seize Sardinia.




> August

Just as the troops entered Sardinia, word reached me of another Jaenian uprising in Corsica. I’ll have to take the army back around to deal with this first, and after this war I’ll take a look into dealing with this problem more decisively.

January, 999

The army is forced to abandon Sardinia – a Dyamarian force is besieging Noli again. The Musnian army to the north is being delayed by rebellion, leaving the west open. With the war taxes I’ve been raising, I hired another mercenary band to help defeat this force, and after I’m done here I will march west instead to make sure the main front holds.

> March

The army fell apart at Noli! The weakening discipline of these mercenaries, who I can’t drill as heavily as I do my own men, is surely the reason there was a rout. There was no good cause to retreat there, not when we outnumbered the enemy in our own land.

> May

Bad news. The enemy in Noli are being reinforced by another from the west, led by the Caliph himself. I’d love to take that man on in single combat, but we are going to be clearly outnumbered here. Meanwhile, the Duchy of Modena’s internal power struggles aren’t helping the Kingdom stay together.

> June

The enemy armies remain split, but close enough to reinforce each other – and one of them besieges the capital itself.

I’m scraping together all the money I can for more mercenaries from the north, and once we are properly assembled this time, I’m going to march on the Caliph himself.

​

​

​

​

Historian’s Notes: These first two years of the Dyamarian Invasion were extremely treacherous, and were a man other than the brilliant Marshal Shahlufa to have ascended to the throne prior to this war, it very likely would’ve resulted in Zicenian subjugation. Shahlufa’s ability to lead an army was truly unmatched, and his victories in the first two years of the war managed to hold off the Empire long enough for other Siorach Europeans to offer their assistance and stave off what would have likely been an inevitable defeat by attrition.​

​

All that being said, these gains had only served to balance the war for the moment – and yet that balance still tilted slightly towards the Dyamarians. The siege of Zicenia’s capital would be yet another of the several massive and decisive battles of this war that would be dramatized and studied for centuries.​

 

[Centurial]

Chapter 8: The Hammer





August, 999

They decided to leave the capital alone, to my relief, and have assembled their army in Milano. I have taken all the time I can to wait, but the treasury will soon run dry if I don’t attack here. Our forces are even in number and the terrain is flat – this battle will be decided by pure strength.

> October

The battle was absolutely immense – one for the legends. At first, it seemed we were slowly being overpowered, but a decisive flank by a small mercenary force managed to fracture the enemy line, and eventually the entire army broke!

Losses were roughly even on both sides, but we managed to push them out, and I will chase down what remains. Apparently the Caliph himself left prior to the battle – robbing us of the chance to gut the coward on our own land.



> December

We fought them in Noli once again – the retreating army linked up with a small band of reinforcements to try and hold the occupied lands. We were victorious once again, but the losses were also roughly equal once again. We managed to capture the head of a mercenary band hired by the Dyamarians – though I wanted to get rid of the talented man, the fact is that these mercenaries have heavy pockets, and we are in dire need of money for this campaign.

February, 1000

I’ve been harassing the remaining enemy army in the west, not engaging them in a battle that would favor them, but instead forcing them to deal with starvation as they march back and forth through hostile lands.

> April

The harassing strategy worked perfectly – they were forced to march past the Alps and into the old capital of Piemonte. We now outnumber the Dyamarians two to one, and the battle will begin soon.

> June

We kicked them out of Piemonte, and captured two of their generals in the process. The more prominent man was ransomed away, as he apparently holds a lot of land somewhere within the Empire, while I decided to have revenge on the lesser one and execute him at the same site under Ishu’s great statue that the old King had used for so many similar celebrations in his era.

> August

We chased them down and managed to do some heavy damage to what remained of their army – this time, the Caliph actually was present, but he escaped. I’m going to keep chasing down what remains until this invading army is ground to dust.

February, 1001

The war is winding down, with no major Dyamarian armies to be seen. I’ve sent most of the mercenaries home and marched west to help the armies of Musnia and Burgundy push into the Empire’s holdings in Iberia.

> March

A massive plague spreads through Italy and beyond, and I’ve lost my wife to Gout as well. The march west continues for us, far from the trouble at home.

> May

Together, our armies besiege Almeria, seat of the Caliph himself. We will rob this land into ruin for all they have put us through – after such a hellish campaign these last five years, this will be only a sliver of the punishment the Empire deserves.

> November


The pillaging of Almeria is almost complete, and the Caliph has agreed to surrender. I will wait on his offer until we are fully finished devastating the city, and then finally this enormous conflict will be over.

I may admit now that when the Empire declared war on Zicenia, I expected we may face the end. My focus was always on seizing any advantage we could, and dragging out the war to be as slow and costly for the Caliph as possible, but it seemed unlikely at the start that we could hold out against such an enormous empire. Ultimately, it was thanks to the involvement of the other Siorach Europeans that we were able to hold them off, even though Musnia was delayed by a civil war and Vazdistan was weakened after having just ended one.

Our destruction was close enough that it leaves me concerned for the future – the fact is that the Dyamarian Empire will always be a threat to our Kingdom that could strike at any time, unless they fracture at some point. For the rest of my reign, and hopefully that of my descendants who read this account, I will keep a close watch on the Empire and look for any sign of weakness – any opportunity we can take to cut the Empire down, particularly if it involves retaking Sardinia, must be taken for the sake of our own survival.

Additionally, Zicenia must continue to grow so that it may be able to sustain itself against the many great threats that may face us – it is very plausible that were it not for my conquests earlier, we wouldn’t have had the strength to even hold off the Empire as long as we did before convincing the other Europeans to join us.

Stabilization​

Unfortunately, even at this point our troubles aren’t completely over – I’ve learned that the demon-child of Ishu, Taddai, wants to raise an army and take control of the Kingdom. I am not a religious man, but that boy is terrifying.

The stories of his behavior as an infant when I served as Marshal were offputting enough, but what I hear about the man now is even worse – they say he acts as if possessed, and exerts such unnatural ability in everything he does.

With the enormous sum of money I’ll receive from the Caliph, we should be able to hold him off; I’m not sure how many men he’ll be able to muster, but our army is full of veterans and we have been recovering our lost numbers over the last year since the major battles died down.

I am going to use the funds from the Caliph to construct an enormous monument to our victory in this epic conflict at the site of so many battles in Noli – this war should never be forgotten. But I will hold off on that, so I may first deal with this demon of a man and put him down.




October, 1002

The great breakout of Smallpox, though winding down, has managed to infect me upon my return to the capital.


November, 1003

The invasion force from Taddai is finally arriving, and unfortunately after all this time I am still not well enough to lead the army. Several of our generals from the Dyamarian war have fallen to the disease as well, though there are plenty of skilled veterans to replace them.

January, 1004

The army has definitely recovered in size since then, and though Taddai commands an impressively large force for an unlanded man, he will be no match for our army. I wish I was able to lead this battle myself, but my men are masters of warfare by this point.

May, 1004

Taddai’s army was defeated in battle and eventually chased down, and the man himself is captured. I’ve moved to execute him immediately – this man is far too dangerous to be left living in this world. Several of the vassals and councilors have objected to the execution of Ishu’s final son after already being imprisoned, but I can’t allow this man to live.

With that threat defeated, I have finally ordered the construction of our great monument – a massive mausoleum at the battle site in Noli, for all the dead Zicenians who managed to save our Kingdom from destruction against such a massive foe. This should be a good enough reminder of just how dangerous this Caliphate is to our Kingdom, and it will be an honor to be buried among all the men who fought with me to save our people.

Historian’s Notes: The Dyamarian Empire was defeated after 7 years of war. Several invasions by land and sea, several massive battles, and ultimately the complete sacking of Almeria had led to the massive Empire’s surrender and payout of gold to King Shahlufa, as well as the permanent abandonment of the city by the Dyamarian court. This war had a profound effect on both sides, ultimately ending with a plague that would kill many on both sides of the Mediterranean and weaken Shahlufa himself, forcing the man to finally step back from the head of the army. ​

​

Very little is known about the exploits of the infamous Taddai – only that he arrived with an army in Central Italy intent on taking the throne before being defeated and executed. The boy’s life was an oddity and many murders have been attributed to him across his 21 years of life, though the actual details were lost to history.​

​

With these threats dealt with and the enormous sum of gold gained at the end of the Dyamarian invasion, Zicenia managed to remain in a stable position despite its massive expenditure of money and men throughout the war.​

 

[Centurial]

Chapter 9: Slowing Down







August, 1004

My spymaster requested funding for his proposal to orchestrate a murder of the Caliph and any of his successors – there’s very little chance of it actually succeeding, but the man deserves to live in fear.

> October

The Duke of Forcalquier, who had become a subject just as the Dyamarian Invasion began, ended up in the position of Marshal towards the end of the war – but it turns out he’s been taking advantage of his position to threaten the peasants with my soldiers. I stripped his position and attempted to have the man arrested, but he declared revolt upon hearing this news. Crooked traitor.

> December

After such a long period of weakness following my overexertion during the war and the Smallpox afterwards, I finally feel well enough to lead my men again. It’s good to be back outside the capital.


May, 1005

My only son was murdered at the hands of my nephew’s wife. Such a disgusting act, and a blow to the Kingdom as a whole. I can’t believe the traitorous filth that exists within our own family.

She fled to the county of Genevois, an independent state bordering the revolting Forcalquier. After I’m finished here, we will march on that territory to add it to the Kingdom and catch that woman.

> October

These raiders come at us nonstop – I’ve already repelled several since the end of our great war, but they continue to plague the seas whenever the army is away.

> December

All these years of campaigning have gotten to me – just as I thought I had recovered, I fell into ill health once again. I suppose not all of us are built to live so long as Ishu. I fear my days of commanding armies are over… and unfortunately, with my son dead, the Kingdom will need to pass on to one of my other relatives.

I had hoped to grant some land to the man I felt had the greatest chance of guiding Zicenia through the struggles and triumphs of the future, but the council is adamant against my interference in succession. As much as I loathe to do so, I may need to engage in the politics of these men in order to guide the Kingdom.

It is a shame though – were it not for the Dyamarians, Zicenia could have grown so strong at the rate it had been expanding.




> March

I’ve decided the best man for the job of the available choices would be my brother Lazaro, who has at least proven himself in battle. He’s not my ideal choice by any means, but I don’t have any good options. Though it will weaken my personal power, I will grant him enough Crown land that he should hopefully be able to claim the throne in succession.

I’ve had to exchange favors and bribes, as well as reshuffling the council some, but I finally managed to get enough of them on my side. I hope it is worth it.


> December

We took the county of Genevois, but the woman who killed my son managed to escape once again to land farther away.


June, 1007

Now that things have stabilized once again, I will continue our expansion, this time by seizing Verona, the land Ishu helped expand into the east. The Duke of Transjurania already conquered Friuli, leaving Verona surrounded, so it only makes sense to absorb them.

August, 1009

We’ve vassalized Verona successfully. Interestingly, their eastern territories border one of the cities the Greeks have used as a base to raid our coasts all these years. As the army is already in the area, I’ve agreed it’s fitting to let our men get some revenge.

> September

I am told my wife has been cheating on me during my period of ill health and contracted a disease. I’ve ordered her put under house arrest in order to put a stop to this, but I don’t have the energy to worry about doing anything more.

March, 1010

This looting has actually been quite a great source of income! I’d originally entertained the idea purely to punish the Greeks and reward the army, but it’s been bringing in so much money that I’ve given them permission to raid Greece itself after they’re finished in Split. All Zicenia’s territorial expansion has continued to scare our neighbors into pacts of defense, but that’s no reason to put the army to waste.



> April

With my time at the court, I’ve had a much easier time keeping up with the internal politics of Zicenia, and while I still prefer not to intervene in anything unnecessary, I have been able to keep track of my family’s plotting – many of my kin are trying to expand their own influence, likely seeking the throne after my death. I’ve offered financial support to an apparently ongoing plot against my nephew – the one whose wife killed my son.

> Late April

Awful news – my chosen heir Lazaro has died of illness, leaving the inheritance to his son. Though not a bad man, Lazaro II lacks the experience of his father, and I have much less faith in his ability to lead. Unfortunately, at this point there is little I can do to intervene – I’ve already given away Provence to him, and most of the other potential heirs are scheming scum. I’ve tried my best, but at this point I’ll just have to rule the Kingdom as well as I can for the rest of my life and hope my example will be good enough.

Historian’s Notes: This phase of Shahlufa’s life was perhaps the least hectic – some time was taken to heal and grow the Kingdom, while Shahlufa got more involved in domestic politics. The death of his son would ultimately make the question of succession a much more difficult one – a fact not helped by the early death of his chosen successor.​

 

[Centurial]

Chapter 10: Interregnum









Historian’s Notes: In May of the year 1010, Shahlufa’s health worsened to the point where he was entirely bedridden and unable to rule.

However, Shahlufa’s health did not degenerate from there. The regency, set up for the purpose of managing the Kingdom during a bout of illness and potential succession, would end up controlling Zicenia for far longer, as what was expected to be a short-term transition turned into a full-blown interregnum, lasting an entire nine years.

Unfortunately, this era of Zicenian history left very little in terms of useful historical record – the regency, led by the former spymaster Veli, took seemingly no initiative and overall did very little other than sit and wait for the King to recover or die. Veli himself would come to be known as ‘the Ill-Ruler’ late into the interregnum, as a Kingdom riding on incredible momentum came to a halt under the custodianship of a council that was either too afraid or too complacent to make any major moves.

Most of what we know of this era comes from foreign accounts, as nobody maintained a proper record within Zicenia while the King was ill. The clearest evidence of Zicenia’s activity during the interregnum comes from Greece, where there is evidence of a large and persistent Zicenian army raiding dozens of cities along the Aegan Coast.

Though it’s unlikely that Shahlufa’s directive to raid the territory was meant to be a permanent policy, that was how it ended up – there are sporadic accounts across the entire nine years of large Zicenian armies landing across the region and sacking Greek cities – most prominently, Athens suffered a particularly brutal invasion which left the city destitute in 1012.

Aside from that, it’s known that at some point, two invasions in the East were repelled, as well as several continued raids, though obviously not by Greeks.

Countless internal wars were fought between the vassals in Zicenia as well, for a variety of reasons. The claimants to the throne were doubtlessly at each other’s throats, expecting the King to die at any moment, while others simply took advantage of the lull to expand their own power.



The capital province also seems to have flourished at this point, likely helped along by the regular shipments of loot brought from Greece over the years.

And during the middle years of the Interregnum, the Iberian Kingdom of Vazdistan collapsed, and the void was filled by the two great Empires of the west – The Dyamarian Empire and the Umarids.

The Dyamarians are already well-known by now, but their failed invasion of Zicenia clearly hadn’t crippled the empire, since they were able to quickly seize most of Iberia just a decade later.

The Umarid Empire, on the other hand, hasn’t yet been mentioned in the records of House Mirza. The Divine Umarid Empire was based in the British Isles, but had expanded south at an impressive rate during the reigns of Sabr-Ishu and Shahlufa, first seizing Brittany and then coastal Aquitaine. By the time of Vazdistan’s fall, the Umarid Empire controlled almost the entirety of Aquitaine, having cut the scattered Raamite tribes almost completely out of the region – in fact, the Dyamarian Empire was now the final bastion of the Raamite faith.

Unlike the foreign Dyamarians, the Umarid Empire was Siorach like Zicenia, and the two seem to have gotten along just fine. With the Umarids owning all of Zicenia’s western border, there was no more threat of relious invasion, and it gave the Dyamarian Empire a greater foe to worry about.



Ultimately, the Interregnum did come to an end after nine confusing years – and yet, it ended in the exact opposite way that everyone seems to have been expecting. In February of 1019, inexplicably, the King recovered.

However, it is obvious in his writings that he had not exactly ‘recovered’. Though he took charge of the Kingdom once again, Shahlufa’s remaining writings were practically scribbled in, and full of erratic and unfinished thoughts – whatever affliction had been affecting Shahlufa for all these years had left him hollow in the mind. For better or worse though, the King had risen from his bed, and went straight back to what he was known for.

 

[Centurial]

Chapter 11: Waking Dream






February, 1019

What has happened to me?!! Nine years lost??


The army is pillaging Dyamarian lands itself. But there is rebellion.

Come home for revenge.

Empire revolt ended. Will still use weakened empire for revenge.

New Spymaster. Old regent I am told was incompetent. Won’t vote for invasion either, likely weak.

Revenge Campaign

​

> May

War is starting. I am healthy after being in bed for nine years, and will lead once again.

> December

Invasion continues, no resistance. Raider General Tiv runs sieges better than anyone I have ever seen.

Peasant Saros also led army during raids. Strong man too.

January, 1020

Caliph men finally arrive. Mountains make attack bad idea, but more mercenaries hired to help. Our new raider fleet is very useful for transport.

> February

Caliph army massive and attacking. Our defenses strong. Hope mercenaries arrive soon.

> March

We were defeated, but not by much.

> May

More mercenaries hired. Caliph attacking Corsica. Going to land army in Egypt and attack new capital – New Caliph moved after my sacking in first war, but he can’t escape us.

> October

Enemy takes Corsica, but I am in Egypt taking their capital.

February, 1021

Enemy capital taken, they attack mine. Returning home.


> June

Enemy army weaker than reported. Still stuck sieging our castles in capital. Easy prey.

> August

Chasing down remains. Plague spreading through Provence.

> October

Outmaneuvered Caliph. Caught him in Iberia. In battle, managed to goad him into duel. Coward was defeated and became prisoner.

Just like that, Sardinia is ours.

Must purge heretics, first in Corsica and later Sardinia. Zicenia is untouchable.



> Late October

All potential heirs are pitiful. Will give Sardinia to half-brother. Vassals angry, but only powerful men should take my throne.

I am sick with plague. Must act fast. Even if vassals want to kill me, I will die soon.



November, 1021

House not happy. Demanding abdication in favor of random vassal. Civil war imminent.

January, 1022.



In January of 1022, King Shahlufa succumbed to Camp Fever, and finally died. He was 67 years old, and had been King for just over 30 years, including the 9 years of regency.​

The treatment given by his apothecary was known to have pushed him into a coma, and he perished the next day, though it’s a mystery about whether this failed treatment was a result of incompetence, a desperate action to prevent civil war, or even part of an assassination plot. Regardless, Shahlufa was dead, and with his death the civil war ended before it had a chance to cause any real damage.

The reign of Shahlufa was complicated by his ill health following the Dyamarian campaigns – he could no longer lead an army, and then his worsening illness resulted in interregnum, finally ending with his erratic 23 months of rule at the end of his life. However, as much as these events were a detriment to Zicenia, little blame can be placed at the feet of Shahlufa himself – though the convenient timing of his death certainly plays a role in that, given the potential outcomes of the civil war. His strange, long-term illness is difficult to explain, and one can only wonder what might have happened had he remained healthy.

Ultimately, Shahlufa’s reign is remembered for his legendary military victories on the field, and the sheer talent of the army over the course of his entire reign. The borders of Zicenia expanded fantastically due to his several campaigns, and it is very likely that it was only his military brilliance that managed to save the Kingdom from the invasion by the Dyamarian Empire.

Much can even be said for his role taken in his final 23 months – although unpopular and rash, the gamble to invade Sardinia ended up paying off extremely well, as the old King was still somehow able to best the Caliph himself in personal combat and take him captive – though the exact details of how this took place are cloudy at best, as the only surviving stories of the duel are practically mythological.

Despite the constant back-and-forth between the potential successors, including Shahlufa’s own controversial attempt at the end to place a new man on the throne, the King was succeeded by Lazaro the Second – son of the brother that Shahlufa had originally favored for the throne. Unfortunately for Zicenia, Lazaro's leadership would not be a return to normalcy by any estimate.

 

[Centurial]

Lazaro Bar Lazaro Mirza, King of Zicenia. 31 Years Old.

Slothful, Proud.

Lustful, Cruel.

Honest.

Tough Soldier, Renowned Duelist.






​

Chapter 12: The Man Who Sought to Destroy All Evil

​

January, 1022

What a mess I’ve inherited… A Kingdom ravaged by plague, Thracian raiders, and a family full of plotting bastards that have been trying to steal the throne for a decade.

I have claimants, dukes, and councilors at my doorstep, waiting to barge in. I’m gonna have to hold the line – if I let the army get battered by invasions or raids, these snakes will pounce in an instant.

The amount of plotting in this Kingdom is absurd – at the time I became an adult it was getting out of hand, and now it’s utterly rampant. I’m going to have to deal with Ilyas of Forcalquier, who’s been at my neck for years trying to grab Provence – with the entire Kingdom at my boots, he’ll be in for a shock now.

But for now, it’s time to sit it out and wait for the plague to pass.





> February

I’ve been hearing demons. This castle, this cursed castle where Shahlufa stewed for nine years, there’s something evil within it.

> April

They’re here! That Saros, the general who sacked Athens, he’s the vessel of the demons I was warned of, and he’s leading the plotters against me!

Almost all the competent generals either joined the Demon or are hiding from the plague! We’re going to have to draft some men out of the army and take on these evil creatures before they burn down the entire Kingdom!

We’re almost completely out of money too – the Mikhailists are going to have to be purged. They’ve been knocking at my door about debts for many years, and I can’t afford to deal with heathens while there’s evil afoot.

> May

There’s another plot brewing even within our half of the Kingdom! Another demon wants to seize the throne – I’ve arrested the Duke of Verona, and the count of Mantua rose up in protest. We need to hold, I’m the only one who can save Zicenia!



> October

I hear the rebel army is massive, but ours is over in the Demon’s keep, trying to drag out his thralls!

We’re running out of food too, here in the court. I won’t let them take our castle though - if they come, we’ll slay them! We have to!



> December

Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse – some heretic in Tunis wants to take back Sardinia. We don’t have time to deal with foreigners right now, but maybe someone else will offer to help.

March, 1023

We took Geneva, and captured eight prisoners in the court. Any one of them could be cursed already – we have to burn then all!

> June

We’ve run out of food and been forced to open the castle. This horrible plague still covers everything – the curse emanating from the evil demonic forces!

> August

I can’t even sleep longer than a few hours any more – this is too important, there is too much at stake. I’m going to burn them all. It’s the only way our people can survive!

May, 1024

The Demon still stands at the head of an army too large to face, but I’ve found a plan. One of his own men has come forth, willing to poison his vessel Saros in exchange for simple gold.

Perhaps this man isn’t of real virtue, but he isn’t possessed either, and ultimately this battle is between us and them, whether the others believe it or not.



> June

I’ve done it! I killed the demon!

The Kingdom is restored, and evil is at bay! His plague lifted as soon as the man fell, and now we can fight off the Tunisian - and then I will root out all of the other evils within.



> July

I’ve already discovered what may well be the source of this wave of possession, this corruption that is taking over so many of these men – my cousin Tomarsa in Modena is clearly the embodiment of pure evil, and his rituals must be stopped!

May, 1025

The Tunisians are gone now. The army itself is weak and I won’t be using it until we’re able to field enough men – there’s no doubt that my cousin Tomarsa, who I believe is the real Devil, will try and burn Zicenia to the ground if I leave it unprotected. I’m already assembling a plan to kill him, but it’s difficult to find anyone close to him that isn’t corrupted by his influence.

Historian’s Notes: King Lazaro was a unique figure, to put it lightly. The man had already developed a reputation for winning duels as a Duke, but upon becoming King of Zicenia, something changed in him – perhaps the weight of the job hoisted on him, or perhaps something else.​

Either way, the man’s mind developed an obsession - an obsession based on his belief that within the Kingdom, there was some sort of evil wave that was possessing several people of power – a wave he would later express had started with Shahlufa’s recovery into semi-madness at the end of his life.​

​

He would constantly find a new target, which he would label as some sort of evil being and single-mindedly seek to destroy. Interestingly, Lazaro did not seem concerned with actual religious heresy – it’s uncertain how much he even actually focused on the Siorach faith. Instead, he only cared about his own crusade against those within his own land and faith. In a Kingdom that was already increasingly characterized by internal conflict, the reign of Lazaro would only serve to completely cement this trend, as the already-plotting Dukes became increasingly agitated by their schizophrenic King.​

 

[Centurial]

Chapter 13: Sic Semper Demens






September, 1025


Farag of Sardinia is plotting to overthrow me as well – the man that Shahlufa, in his final year of demonic possession, tried to make heir. Clearly this man is a danger as well and must be ended.

> November

They tried to take me! They tried to kidnap me and bring me to their ritual to possess me!

The demons are everywhere, and they nearly succeeded. The damage that could have been done to our people were I possessed by them… It’s only thanks to the heroic Akh-es-Samain that I managed to make it out alive and untainted. This man is perhaps my most trusted – a General in the first revolt, he was given control of Geneva after the Demon was poisoned, and ordered to purify his court. He will be gifted and promoted as much as possible – the more power that we cleansers have over Zicenia, the easier it will be to win this war against evil.

> Late November

They revolt again! This time, the Devil himself, Tomarsa, has possessed Duke Tabbai to lead the effort to put the Devil on the throne!

This is the beginning of the greatest battle I must fight – it is only through the killing of Tomarsa that I may be able to stop the most powerful of corrupters and sweep up the others. They couldn’t turn their King into a demon, so instead they seek to put their own in my place!



> December

I also tried to have Farag of Sardinia captured, as the man clearly has evil intentions of his own, and he declared Sardinia independent instead. I must win this holy war and slay them all.

March, 1026

This time, no plots will be enough – we need to rely on the army and mercenaries. The army is led by the loyal Akh-es-Samain, the only other man who knows what is at stake.

> May

In the distant frontier, heretics rise up in revolt. Whatever overambitious Duke’s war brought these foreigners into Zicenia was a foolish one, but I have better things to do than deal with this faraway nonsense.

January, 1027

Akh-es-Samain is dead! My only true ally in this cleansing, and he was killed by Pneumonia, likely at the hands of the Devil’s thralls. The army and the cause will suffer, but I will press on. My army’s trying first to take out Sardinia, so we can then use its men and money to defeat the much larger Devil’s revolt.

> June

Raiders continue to take advantage of these revolts to pillage our coasts, though this is nothing new. After the Greeks were pacified, the raiders started to arrive from the inner Bosphorous coasts. I’m not so concerned with all these heretics at the moment, not when we have far more evil forces within our own lands trying to destroy everything. Besides, they’re raiding vassal coasts, not mine.

> October

The chaos still spreads, and Sardinia is taking too long. Still, the devil’s forces weaken every day, and they will be slain one day when I return with more men of virtue by my side.



> December

I’ve finally captured Sardinia, along with its puppet Duke. Now we can return home and move to kill the true source of evil, Tomarsa. First though, we must defeat the thrall leading his revolt.

June, 1028

The situation is bad – they are about to seize the capital, and more are coming. I tried to send the army to push them out, but it went badly and we lost too many men.

> August

It becomes more dire by the week. My remaining vassals are threatening to switch sides, accusing me of all sorts of lies and slander without understanding what it is I’m trying to save them from. We’re trying to retake the capital, but if the enemy army returns we will be forced to leave.



> October

The capital is ours again, but the castle will need to be searched for all cursed symbols and other evil items undoubtedly planted by the demons.

Our finances are too weak to hire enough mercenaries to best the devil’s army though. I admit that I am lost on what to do here, other than wait for our army to recover.





> December

They are returning, but we still cannot face them. Instead, I will take the fight to the castle of the Devil’s puppet.

January, 1029

It’s all falling apart. The enemy advance into all the crown lands, and my vassals are one-by-one turning against me. The capital is lost yet again. We’re marching back now.

> February

No, no, no, no!

He’s taken the throne. I still hold on to the crown lands in the west, but the seat of power is in Central Italy now, where the Devil claims to rule Zicenia. I will not stand for this – I will never stop until my land is freed of evil!

​

Historian’s Notes: After a combination of pushing the vassals too hard and leaving them an opening to attack, Lazaro was stripped of his crown in 1029 in favor of Tomarsa – a man who, by many accounts, actually was a devil worshipper. Now, Zicenia is left in another civil war. However, Lazaro did not lose everything – he was left with the single largest domain in all of Zicenia, including the well-developed lands near the capital. Now, there were two goals for Lazaro – defeat whatever new enemies he discovers in his endless crusade, and reclaim the crown.​

​

 

[Centurial]

Chapter 14: At All Costs





April, 1029

The Croatians attempted to invade the Kingdom just a week before the revolt ended. The Devil Tomarsa is off fighting them, but once he returns home, I’m going to challenge him to personal combat and plunge my blade into his black heart.

That scheming demon also decided to proclaim another Kingdom, in the northern frontier lands dominated by Transjurania. The only motive I can see is the Devil trying to destroy Zicenia by cutting off our northern land – or trying to use it as an excuse for him to hang on to this land when I retake Zicenia.

I’m going to slay that monster and put an end to this soon.

> Late April

I need to rebuild the army in order to take back what is mine – I own the single largest amount of land in Zicenia, and I will use this great power for the single purpose of slaying these forces and taking back my crown.

As I was finishing up in Sardinia, its thrall Duke died just weeks before the surrender, leaving the land to his 2-year-old son. The boy is a devilish freak – the kind born from these evil rituals. Still, the treasury given to him is immense, so I must ransom the boy back in exchange for the money needed to take my crown. If he ends up being possessed in the future, I’ll deal with him then, though in 13 years there should be nothing left of this underworldly invasion.

> June

Tomarsa seems to have a sway over his council of possessed. I shall write down their names - they will all need to be purged. The chaplain, Enosh, is the only man remaining from my council, as Siorach custom forbids the expulsion of Chaplains.

He even had the gall to offer me a position as Marshal. As much as I would like to get closer to the man and stick a dagger in his neck, I refuse to lend any assistance to growing the army that I will need to destroy. I don’t care if the Croatians or anybody else tries to invade – the Kingdom is lost with a Devil at its head.



> August

The Kingdom is already in chaos – the Croatians haven’t been stopped at all in the east, and now peasants in the heretic stronghold up north are rising again. The raiders attack without end, and now plague rears in the lands of Duka.

> November

It is even worse than I thought – Vogakny itself is supporting the Croatians in invading the east. This does present an opportunity for me to stab the Devil in the back – he can’t fight the two of us at once.

However, I’m currently ill with the flu, so the war will have to wait. I hope his puppets all get slaughtered in the meantime.




July, 1030

Hahahahahahaha! It seems that snakes can’t hide forever – Tomarsa was found burnt at the stake today! Nobody seems to know who did it, or where the Devil was the previous night, but clearly there are those out there in the Kingdom who believe in my crusade!

The Crown now belongs to his son of 15, Sabr-Ishu. With a boy on the throne, I will have a better chance of taking it back, and additionally, the Devil is no longer around to corrupt everybody he touches. That being said, his old wife is wicked as well, and he doubtlessly worked to corrupt all their children as well, including the new boy-king.

Though I am unwell still, the disease is not serious. I’m ordering the revolt to go ahead, so that I may save this kingdom once again.


> August

It begins! It is time to take back what is mine, and then punish all those that I know to be corrupted by the demons!

> October

We begin the invasion unopposed, as the far larger invading army distracts what’s left of the Devil’s offspring.

It’s going to be a problem to deal with these invaders after I take back my throne, but there are more important issues to worry about. I also have concerns over the new Kingdom proclaimed in the north – it’s possible he will try to hold on to that land after I take Zicenia.



> December

The absolute bastard!

I don’t know if this is a case of the Regent being damaged in the head or corrupted into sabotage of the kingdom by the Devil Tomarsa, but they’ve sacrificed the entirety of Eastern Italy to the Croatians!

This is a disaster. I know I can retake the crown – there is nothing left in the way of resistance to stop me – but the problems this presents are overwhelming. If only we had been able to root out this damned evil sooner. If only Shahlufa hadn’t been put into a coma and possessed for 11 years. We could have been clean on the inside, instead of these demons whispering in all of our ears. All this infighting is ruining the Kingdom!



June, 1032

The war continues slowly, and revolts are tearing apart what’s left of Zicenia. I’ve decided to help lead the army myself – at this point, I’ve learned how to do so, and the morale of my men will hold if I can show them why I must succeed.

It’s going to be a nightmare to deal with this aftermath – the Devil may be slain, but I couldn’t stop him fast enough, and now the ruin I so feared would come has arrived.



> August

While capturing Milan, we took the wife of its duke – a cannibal named Avdimi. Obviously he is one of the remnants of Tomarsa’s possession – though I can’t get him yet, his wife will be sacrified.



> November

It’s impossible to even run with war with all these foreign invaders running around! I defeated the Zicenian pretender’s army in battle, but with these Orevi hordes constantly running through the fields, I can’t even follow up on my victories without risking our army’s death.

September, 1034

The problems are unbearable. I can barely keep the army paid and fed, weakened as it already is, and now there’s men in Provence revolting against me, and raiders suck dry the few valuable lands I still have a hold of.

> December

I’ve slain another demon corrupted by the Devil – the mother of the current pretender king.

February, 1035

The Umarids have even gotten involved in order to stop all the foreigners from invading what’s left of the Kingdom. I lost several men to their combined army – apparently they care little who is in charge of Zicenia.

At the same time though, they did deal with the Provence revolt, so that’s one less problem. Hopefully they can help to keep what borders we even have intact through the rest of this chaos.



May, 1036

Zicenia is hadly even afloat any more. I’ve done everything right, I’ve killed and banished demon after demon, and yet now I can’t even retake my own Kingdom, not because the pretender’s soldiers stop me, but because the damned Orevi chase down my army every opportunity they get!

I have to keep them alive and try, bit by bit, to take back Zicenia. But this stubborn bastard won’t just submit to me and give me a chance to actually pull our land back together.

​

​

Historian’s Notes: The damage done to the recently unstoppable Zicenian Kingdom was never more clear than it was by this point. Lazaro’s single-minded focus on cleansing the vassals had ultimately weakened the Kingdom via so much internal strife that the entirety of Eastern Italy was lost in the midst of his civil war as both sides fought each other rather than the flooding Orevi invasion. Of course, not all of this blame can be placed at Lazaro’s feet – infighting within Zicenia had been a staple since the Interregnum, and Tomarsa’s bid for power ultimately left the crown in a perilous state, especially after his death.​

​

It can be said that Zicenia had never really been a very unified Kingdom to begin with, and the death of Shahlufa would have been a great time for such a diplomat to take charge and consolidate the land into a politically unified force – but instead, Lazaro had ascended and focused entirely on ending its internal divides through destruction of anybody he deemed evil. Unfortunately, his usurper Tomarsa was definitely not a diplomat, and by now it would likely be too late to save the Kingdom as it was even if such a great man was to have appeared, which certainly did not happen.​

​

Now, the state of affairs is chaos, as both sides in the renewed civil war struggle to do much of anything in the fact of a full-scale Orevi invasion. Fortunately for the Zicenian people, the Umarid Empire was unwilling to let the entirety of Zicenian land fall to a foreign religion and intervened against the invasion, but even that wasn’t going to solve the problems the fractured kingdom already found itself engulfed within…​

 

[Centurial]

Chapter 15: Letting Go, And Holding On.






February, 1037

I am ill once again – this plague has been ruining our land this entire time, ever since I lost the throne to that Devil. Even though he has been dead for years, people are dying in the streets every day.

> April

I’ve been reading through our family history, looking for guidance in this disaster. More and more, I find myself drawn to the stories of The Father, Sabr-Ishu – the man who took Zicenia out of civil war, brought the kingdom together, and grew it into prosperity. Now, I am presented with a similar, and perhaps greater, challenge. The Kingdom is once again split in civil war, there are once again lands that have broken off, and once again we need a man to bring everything back together. I want to be that man.

> September

Practically the entire family has gotten sick by this point. This plague is more cruel than any I’ve seen, or even heard of.



May 30, 1038

Next, I move on to the writings of Shahlufa, the great conquerer. Though I’ve said much of the damage his fate left Zicenia to by the time of my ascension, the first half of his reign was legendary, and I’ve learned much from reading over his battle plans and ideas. In order to reunify and then reconquer, I must learn to lead armies as he did too.

> August

I’ve gotten over the plague, finally. No weakness here – I’m heading the army once again and fighting until I have nothing left to give. There is still evil to be slain once I take the throne, and so much more fighting to do afterwards.



> October

We won a great victory against the pretender forces today – they had started to regroup following the end of the Orevi invasion, thanks to the Divine Umarid armies. I will be sure to thank them after this is over – and to grow closer in general to the Kings nearby – another invasion like that one will be the death of us all.




May, 1039

I’ve managed to capture the pretender’s wife during another assault on Milan! I’ll keep her imprisoned for the time being to pressure him, but she’ll see the stake soon enough alongside her husband.

February, 1040

I’m defeating them again and again, but then stubborn bastards still keep coming at us.



> May

Another battle, another victory. I managed to personally slay the army’s commander during the battle, and we’ve taken several prisoners. This war drags on and on, but it goes in my favor. Soon, I’ll be ready to destroy all the remaining demon-kin in Zicenia.

The Devil’s plague has let up as well, fortunately. I’ve lost countless men over the course of this vile war, but I see the end on the horizon.



> September

We managed to catch them going for their capital – the battle was a dream. We had the high ground, even numbers, and clearly superior command. The battle went as well as expected, except for the fact that I was knocked out by a vicious slash into my face.

January, 1041

My face is ruined, and though I’ve survived the surgery, the wounds have gotten infected. The war is still raging, I hear, but this damned conflict never ends. And neither does the pain.



January, 1043

The pretender army was growing once again, and I thought we were in trouble… but another invasion force took them out. I’m not sure there will even be a kingdom left to save by the end of this.

> April

This war has gone on with no end, and there’s nothing left to gain. Ever since Tomarsa the Devil took my throne from me, Zicenia’s already seen three more kings – first, there was his son, Sabr-Ishu II, who I expected to easily take the throne from. He made it to 24 years old before dying of the same plague that struck me and so many others. Then, his cousin Lazare took control, but he only made it two years before being killed in battle by the northern invaders. Now, his 15-year-old brother Shila has the crown.

At this point, it’s over. The Kingdom is already devastated, and neither of us can even gain any advantage over the other, all while foreigners take more and more. I’m going to end this war and do my best to defend my Kingdom – the demons are dead, and so is everybody else.

> May

Working alongside the new king, I’m pledging what’s left of our army to drive everybody out of Zicenia. Two Princes out of Vogakny are the current invaders, in addition to the raiders that have devastated our coasts this entire time. Together, we can take them.

> June

I’ve given the extra lands I was holding onto to my son Laszio. He’s only 16, but I see brilliance in him, and between the two of us, one should be able to save this Kingdom eventually.

Additionally, I’ve gained a powerful ally – the King of Gojia, who may in time be able to help us retake our lands from Croatia.

> July

Already, Gojia wants to get to work – they’re attacking the Croatians before they have time to cement their rule in Italy. Even if we can’t take the land ourselves, better for Ferrara to belong to Gojia than to the Orevi.

That war will be his problem though for now – we need to stop the northern invasion first.



February, 1044

My army’s pushing into Bavaria, where the invaders hail from. There’s various enemy armies all over though, including the fighting in Croatian-occupied Italy. It’s hard to keep track of, but with my limited army, I’m keeping my focus where it belongs – Zicenia’s defense.

It’s getting exhausting.

Apparently a lot of foreign kings are getting involved as well, including Musnia. But the Siorach Kingdoms of the north are in chaos of their own too… It’s complicated.

April, 1045

The Croatian war ended in a white peace, though I believe the Gojian king could’ve managed it. Either way, our war against the Vogakny Princes continues – my battered army, only a shadow of its original strength, pushes on to try and push them into surrender, while the main force led by “King” Shila and his other allies beats down the Vogak armies.



December, 1046

It goes well, but slowly, and the army is still weak. I’ve had little reason to write, as it is more of the same. That being said, there is one silver lining I’ve noticed –Shila only has one son, who is a child imprisoned by the Vogak Prince. That boy is the only one in the way of my succession to the Kingdom again without violence – whether to me, or to my son if I die. With the King’s wife imprisoned as well, he won’t be having any other children in the meantime.

Anyways, all of this is just speculation. I don’t have any real power over their lives, so for now I still focus on my task at hand. Going to war over the crown just isn’t worth it anymore.

December, 1047

The invasion’s been repelled, and Zicenia’s stable once again, though of course that only means so much with a pretender on the throne and almost a third of our land in Croatian hands.

Historian’s Notes: Zicenia had been in a state of civil war for nearly 18 years, if you include the year-and-a-half intermission between Lazaro’s capitulation and renewed attack. For most of that war, the Orevi forces, spearheaded by the Kingdom of Vogakny and its various High Princes, had been attacking at the same time. However, it seems that during all of this infighting, particularly once Lazaro took to the field himself as a leader, his devout paranoia seemed to die down, replaced by a tired pessimism. There’s many different ways to interpret this – perhaps he started to grow into a more rational man, or perhaps the realities of battle kept his mind distracted from delusions. Perhaps the death of Tomarsa, along with many others, truly worked to pacify that fervent part of his mind that always saw a new evil. Or perhaps he simply was exhausted by decades of internal conflict.​

​

Regardless of what was truly going on in Lazaro’s mind, his actions here managed to avert the collapse the Kingdom so nearly approached. By ending the civil war, which, though a stalemate, had generally been going in his favor, Lazaro helped Zicenia to rally its forces to beat back the remaining invaders. Of course, the rapid rise of the Orevi Kingdom of Vogakny hadn’t simply been a problem of Zicenia’s – the other Siorach rulers had been in near-constant warfare with the Orevi as well, keeping them busy enough to save Zicenia from any sort of organized full-scale invasion.​

​

The Kingdom of Zicenia would land in an odd position following its stabilization though – a flurry of successors left the new branch of House Mirza with little legitimacy on the throne, and their eastern sympathies made them quite unpopular with those Zicenian vassals that hadn’t already been conquered by Croatia…​

 

[Centurial]

Chapter 16: Back to the Start






March, 1048

King Shila still sees me as a threat, and tries to slander my name. If he can’t play along, I’ll just listen to the Dukes who are eager to have him killed. Doesn’t matter to me – if they want me back, I’ll be more than happy to don the Crown again, but I’m not going to fight for it.

> June

The King’s dead – now the only one left in the way of my ascension is the 3-year-old Ezekiel. I’ve even been appointed his regent.

Seems the vassals are coming around to me after all – I’m the one who got all the demons killed, after all, and all I want is to bring Zicenia back together. These weak usurpers descended from the Devil aren’t going to bring our Kingdom back – I will, along with my son.

To make matters even easier, the new boy-king is a damned Orevi. Whoever the hell managed to raise him that way is beyond me, but in case it wasn’t already obvious enough he had to go, that sealed the deal.




> July


And just like that, it’s done.

After all this chaos and hell, it was this easy to take back my throne. No war, just agreement among all the vassals that I’m not so bad compared to these incompetent Devil-spawn.


Now, my job will be gaining support for the invasion of Croatia, and preparing the men. In the meantime, I think it’s time to deal with the raiders that have been annihilating the coasts this last decade, while gaining money for war chest in the process.

Also, I can finally resume construction of Shahlufa’s mausoleum, which has been months away from completion ever since the Devil’s revolt first began.

> August

I’ve also destroyed the title of the northern “Kingdom” that Tomarsa tried to legitimize – Zicenia is the only Kingdom in these lands, and it will never be split in two.

February, 1049

We managed to sail out at the same time the raiders were on the way for us. Now their home is being destroyed, and if their army chooses not to flee, it’ll be destroyed too.

> May

The Jaenian heretics have been stirring up trouble all over – including in the holy burial site on Corsica, where an entire army of rebels has risen to try and secede.

July, 1051

I’m preparing the Kingdom for the Invasion of Croatia, though the going is slow. We’ve been decimated by all this war, and my allies are distracted with their own fighting in the meantime. Were it not for Vogakny’s protection, I’d invade right now, but that complicates the matter. In the meantime, I’m training an elite guard using the funds I’m raising, so that we can avoid relying on mercenaries more than necessary.

August, 1052

The preparations go well, but I want this to be decisive. In the meantime, we’ve been killing off the raiders. I am healthy for now, but I am 62 years old, and my son Laszio may need to pick up the torch soon. He’s been doing a fantastic job so far with all the tasks I’ve given him, and together we are holding enough power to keep everything stable for the first time in ages.



April, 1053

Now is the time. Croatia is in widespread revolt, and several local Italians have already seized independence. Gojia is at peace for once, and the army is recovered. It’s time to take back what was thrown away.

> August

Several of the revolting lords already pledge their support to my side, most being either former vassals or their sons. Our army is stronger than Croatia’s, should it come to battle, but it’s very possible we will win back our lands without needing to fight. Volgakny has surprisingly stayed out of this as well – it turns out Musnia’s been giving them a beating up north.

> October

The Croatian armies are busy battling the Dukan revolters, so we’re making for their capital.



January, 1054

The vassals are scheming once again, which is a big reason I don’t want to waste men on battle. The council’s power was butchered under the Devil’s reign, and now it seems they want it back to how it was when I was first King.

They need to at least hold off until I’m done here, and then I’ll either deal with them or just give them what they want, so long as what they want is just more influence, rather than yet another bid for the throne.



> May

We did it!

The Kingdom’s been restored, and all is well – without even needing to fight a proper battle either, thanks to the Italians.

For a while there, I really thought the Kingdom was doomed, especially during the Devil’s revolt. Now though, we’re whole again, and at peace. The Dukes still hold too much power, but now they are just men – not demons. I’ve done my job.

The most powerful of the dukes, as always, is Transjurania. Though the realm itself is weaker, Duke Balsag has many vassals under his control, as well as many allies. It seems I’ve come full circle at this point – just as I did at the start of my reign, I must maintain peace and grow my army so that these men can’t seize control.

With all the loyal Italians back on my side though, I should be able to make some allies. For the rest of my life, I will maintain the peace and heal this Kingdom that has seen so much pain.

Historian’s Notes: In a surprising flip of allegiances, the vassals of Zicenia sided with Lazaro in killing the two Kings, placing the deposed man back on the throne they had been instrumental in taking from him.​

​

His pessimism, unsurprisingly, seems to have receded at this point, particularly after he managed to retake the lands of Duka which had fallen under Croatian control in the civil war.​

​

However, there was a noticeable delay before the war actually started – though his cited reasons were mainly related to Volgakny, it is also worth wondering if the internal situation stayed his hand – even at its reduced size, the vassals of Zicenia quickly turned back against Lazaro. That being said, it was good for him that he did manage to reconquer Duka, as the grateful Italian counts would prove to be some of the only vassals that actually remained loyal to Lazaro and his son.​

 

[Centurial]

Chapter 17: Recession






January, 1055

That damned alliance with Gojia has been nothing but trouble – they’ve tried to rope me into countless wars already, and now one of them is trying to seize the damn throne.

I can’t escape these stupid revolts. But I sure as hell can win them.



> March

Well, this is complicated. Turns out the Gojian alliance wasn’t so bad – the King himself is actually going to help me with the revolt trying to put his own son in power.

I don’t know what’s going on in that family, but I appreciate the help.



> November

They’re just too strong. I don’t think I can bear to lose my throne twice. Gojia’s army is busy fighting in yet another war, and somehow this coalition of vassals has an army larger than the entire rest of the Kingdom.

I don’t even know what to say anymore.

October, 1056

I think Zicenia really has gotten too big for its own good. It’s impossible to control so many vassals who own so much land from my home in Ivrea, short of some sort of Imperial authority like the Umarids. If I somehow make it out of this, I feel we need to downsize.




February, 1057

I almost liked it better as a Duke. My whole life I’ve been dealing with these vicious bastards, and I had a part to play in rooting out the demons, but with that problem long gone, I think it’s easier to just worry about my own lands and leave getting backstabbed to whatever poor fool gets put on the throne in my place.




>March

The politics of Gojia are even more overwhelming. Ardit, the man trying to take my throne, became King after the murder of my former ally, his father. Then, he himself was just shot to death by assassins earlier this month – thankfully ending the war that likely would’ve put him in charge of Zicenia, alongside Gojia.

Now, both the Kingdoms of Gojia and Musnia are ruled by kid grandsons of mine. Maybe this Kingdom can be salvaged with their help. Or maybe it’s our destiny to combine into one greater Kingdom, as nearly happened already.

Anyways, with the war over, I can get back to growing my own army and worrying about vassals yet again. I’m just going to let some of them go free if they start making a fuss again; see how they like it when they they have nobody to revolt against, and stronger powers all around them.





> April

Already, I hear of new schemes. I’ll let the frontier lands go – they’re the least valuable anyways.

Transjurania to its south is pacified at the moment thanks to the death of its Duke, which will leave it in regency for quite a while. In the meantime, the money I’m bringing in continues to fund the expansion of my personal army.



I’ve also let a few Italian counties go in the east – they’ve been corrupted by the Orevi and are a known part of the factions trying to undermine my rule. The one exception is Treviso, led by an Orevi traitor – he’s going to be imprisoned for going after my daughter, after we put down his little revolt.

> September

Though I hate to do it, the Duke of Forcalquier has been nothing but trouble for me, and the territory in general has been a threat ever since Shahlufa tried to conquer them in the first place. They’re less of a problem as an independent Duchy than they are within Zicenia.

> Late September

The King of Amaigh now demands the insignificant province of Amous, at threat of war. I never thought a fellow Siorach would go to war over something so petty, but apparently his reputation for being rash exists for a reason.

I’ll just give him the province. It’s on the frontier and a hotbed for heretics anyways.

January, 1058

Finally, I’m going to release the eastern coasts originally conquered by Verona – though its Duke lacks control the Italian city itself.

These lands have been raided nonstop for years, and are magnets for Orevi invasion.

As much as the prideful Zicenians may balk at these moves I’m making, I’ve lived long enough to know it truly is the only way we’re going to be able to get anything done without constantly worrying about these far-fledged traitor Dukes undermining and revolting at every step. The Crown just isn’t strong enough on its own with all this extra land. Maybe Shahlufa could’ve created a great empire, as he probably dreamed of doing, but he never managed it, and his conquests haven’t done us any good since beating back the Dyamarian Invasion.




> March

I seized Treviso in the east from its Orevi count, since he can’t be trusted not to undermine the county. It’s nice to have some good land in the east as well for the crown – easier to keep control.

I’ve forced him to convert as well, though that matters less now that he’s only in charge of a minor city.




> May

We’ve formed an alliance with Musnia – that should keep out any invaders.

I’m starting to think that Sabr-Ishu had it right all along – if Zicenia’s stable, then collecting tribute without giving any sort of power to the foreigners is the best way to go about it. Not that I’ll probably get a chance to prove that theory at my age, but it’s worth considering.

Another plague spreads through Ivrea as well – it might be my time already if this one manages to catch me.



> September

The fever comes on, as expected. If I die, I have great faith in Laszio to bring Zicenia to prosperity.



May, 1059

My physician has been doing a good job, and I still feel well enough. Maybe our blood really is blessed, given how long my two ancestors lasted on the throne.

The work to finally pacify Corsica has been going well too, I am told. Half the county is now considered loyal once again.

> July

The Royal Guard is coming along well, though it takes a while to find so many experienced men. I hope one day they will be large enough to always be on guard against these raider scum.

February, 1060

Construction on Shahlufa’s Mausoleum is finally completed – a great monument for our Kingdom. A ceremony is being arranged to hold a formal funeral and rebury him in the main chamber, as well as several great generals and soldiers from the war.





> June

The release of disloyal provinces seems to be working – the internal threats to my rule are no longer a major concern, though they do still exist.

Now, we should make use of this peace to grow the heart of the Kingdom stronger, so that it will be impossible for any ambitious Duke to threaten the King again.



January, 1061

We’ve formed an alliance with Musnia, which should discourage the Vogaks from trying to push west. I won’t get involved with Gojia though – their politics are too complicated, and their possessions in Greece are just begging for conflict – and currently, revolting.

> August

Musnia has declared war on the faraway Kuyavia – we will join them, though I doubt it will take much to destroy them unless the other Orevi get involved.

November 27, 1061.


​

In November, King Lazaro finally died of Measles after a protracted battle with Measles. He was 71 years old, and had reigned as King twice: ​

first for seven years, and then for twelve.​

​

​

To call his reign chaotic would be putting it lightly. Lazaro’s personal delusions had gone a long way towards the collapse of his reign early on, and the constant infighting both during and after his first reign weakened Zicenia considerably, leading to the loss of Duka to the Croatians.​

​

Later on, thanks to the inability of the usurpers to actually secure a dynasty following the civil war, Lazaro managed to take the crown once again, and through luck, avoided losing it to the Gojian King. The rest of his reign was ultimately one of resigned stabilization – Duka was reclaimed from the Croatians, but then several territories were granted independence in order to avoid revolt. Ultimately, the Kingdom was left more or less equal in strength to how it had been at the start of his reign – more stable, but less powerful.​

​

A more competent and stable King might have seen the consolidation of Shahlufa’s conquests without civil war and secession, but instead Lazaro had nearly destroyed it. His own military competency had managed to help him prolong a second civil war against a stronger opponent into a bitter stalemate, but also helped recapture Duka and avoid any further foreign invasions. Overall, it was a complicated and tumultuous reign, though by the end the Kingdom was left with dynastic ties to two of its equals, a powerful army, and general stability internally. The crown was passed to his long-groomed son, Lazsio, who had ruled as the powerful Duke of Sardinia for over a decade already and entered the throne as a well-experienced 35-year-old man. Incidentally, Lazsio was also the first direct son to inherit the throne since the ascension of the Mirza dynasty, as well as the first to be actually selected and groomed for the job by his predecessor.​

 

[Centurial]

King Laszio Bar Lazaro Mirza, 35 years old.

Temperate, Kind.

Fortune Builder, Greedy.​

Chapter 18: The Crisis Ends






November, 1061


It’s finally time – my father lived a long life, and both he and I had been preparing for his death for years. He wasn’t a great man, but we stuck together and managed to make it to where I stand today.

The first matter of my reign is his burial, and it’s a very complicated situation. My father was not a popular man.

After some discussion with my advisors, we decided it would be best to bury him in private, rather than a lavish ceremony that could upset the vassals. It also saves money, which we will need for the war we just got involved in.



Aside from that issue, there’s also my living family to worry about. First and foremost is my brother Lazaro the Younger, who is now the most powerful vassal in the Kingdom. We are on good terms, but I still need to make sure he stays close.

I’ve given him a Ducal title, a position on my council, and the role of Food Taster to make sure he is happy. I expect he’ll work alongside me well, but I’ve witnessed enough infighting in this land to know it’s worth making sure.



The second consideration is my wife and son – I only have one son, aged 13, and if he were to die it would make succession a mess. However, my wife is religiously minded and chaste – it’s going to take a lot of work to have another son with her.

That aside, there aren’t any big problems for me to deal with, and that’s a blessing. The war up north will be my first priority for now.





> December

Back when I was a Duke, I had been negotiating with a Queen far to the east: one of the religious Tyians who have been pushing back the Orevi from their other flank. With my ascension, our discussions over trade became much more impactful, and I plan to strike a deal soon.

Learning about their long trade caravans stretching farther east than any map is fascinating, and the goods they are valuable.





March, 1062

We won a great battle in the north against a massive enemy army, but the treasury is running dry. I’m recalling the army – Musnia should have no problem ending what they started now that we’ve helped out.

> July

It turns out that my general took his own initiative during his return to attack two small enemy armies nearby, rather than coming directly home. Ultimately, he seems to know what he was doing, because the enemy surrendered this month. I’ll let it slide.

> August

I’ve learned of a plot to place a woman on the throne while my army is away. The Chancellor is already at work trying to sway its supporters, and I’ve ordered the arrest of the ringleader.

The army needs to come home soon though, and funds must be raised for mercenaries should there be such a need. I spent the trade profits trying to improve our cities and develop more wealth, but it seems that might have been premature. It's time to teach these ambitious fools what Kingdom they are living in.



> Mid-August

The plot is weakened, but there is still the matter of its ringleader, the Duke of Milan, whose wife is the woman claiming the throne. It will probably be necessary to fight him as soon as the army is home, though I will have to wait to strike until then, given Milan’s proximity to the capital.

> October

The army is in Zicenian territory and marching for Milan – though more Jaenians are revolting in the east. These religious revolts have been such a plague; and not just for Zicenia, but all of the Siorach lands. I had a hell of a time dealing with them in Corsica beforehand, and they always seem to pop up somewhere new.

> Late October

We tried to arrest the Duke and he revolted as expected, but we caught him by surprise, and his fellow conspirators are nowhere to be seen, so it shouldn’t be an issue.

> December

I guess I spoke too soon; Transjurania has joined the revolt as well. Either way, the army was well-prepared and Milan is already being seized, so I’m not too worried. Half of the army has been keeping them from touching my cities, while the other seizes Milan itself – it’s very important the Crown lands aren’t damaged in any way.

Conveniently, Transjurania was the site of the Jaenian revolt, so we no longer need to deal with that.



I’m trying to balance the needs of the other vassals as well, including my brother. I’m now starting to truly understand the reason my father granted independence to the frontier territories –the extended Kingdom is difficult to manage even for myself.



> June

The Duke I was negotiating with in Raetia - the only territory which managed to gain independence from the greater Transjuranian Duchy - died today, and his son is much more amicable. Our efforts against the revolt are going fine as well – the surviving enemy armies have stayed away from the valuable lands in Northern Italy, instead hiding in the mountains or attacking my unimportant vassals in the Italian peninsula.

It’s important we don’t let them lay a finger on my personal lands – they are already the richest in the Kingdom, and I want them to grow to be the centers of trade in the entire region soon enough.



April, 1064

Everything goes well – though this is taking a while, we’ve made great gains without losing any significant number of men at all. I had hoped the era of revolts had died with my father, but either way, putting these men in prison should do the job well enough.

I’ve also been sure to keep the raiders out of our coasts during the war, as we can’t afford to lose any of our strength in the meantime. Under my directive, the occupying forces in Milan have been seizing all the wealth they can and shipping it west – this serves the two purposes of robbing Milan of its wealth to keep it weak in the future, and to compensate us for the costs involved in quelling this revolt.



April, 1065

The revolt continues as it has been, which is good. We’ve also finally managed to finish rooting out the heretics in Corsica and moved on to the east where the Croatians held.

However, more important is the fact that my brother managed by himself to vassalize the entirety of Forcalquier, placing it under his Duchy of Savoy instead of the crown directly. This is quite a foolish move for the Kingdom as a whole, and it’s likely that at some point they may even revolt against him – it’s in their nature, after all.

> November

We’ve thoroughly looted Milan in the meantime for good measure – the Duke can’t revolt if he can’t even pay an army. Meanwhile, Transjurania has been pretty much useless in this revolt, between dealing with their heretic rabble and raids from Vogakny.



> December

Great news – we managed to have another son. That’s one more problem resolved – the succession should be secure should something happen to my eldest.

The finances have been rolling in as well, thanks in part to the fact the armies are sustaining themselves off the loot. I’m going to work on expanding the hospital in the capital, and later in the equally important city of Cremona – another set of protections to ensure the cities prosper. Especially with news of another plague in the peninsula, it’s important to get this done sooner rather than later, and even with these costs we will still have enough backup funds in case there is an emergency.



March, 1066

My Chaplain has been doing a fantastic job of dealing with the heretics – since finishing up in Corsica, he’s already made great progress in the eastern lands formerly conquered by Croatia. Hopefully that problem will be resolved within the decade.



> December

Eastern Transjurania seems to be in chaos ever since the revolt started – the Jaenians spread throughout the whole region, and now Vogakny invaders are being once again pushed back by the blessed Umarids alongside Amaigh. Our ties with the Umarid Empire are strong – I’ve even arranged a marriage between my niece and one of the King’s relatives, though the Emperor isn’t fond of formal alliances. Still, they’ve been a stalwart protector of Zicenia from the Orevi, all while still having the Dyamarians on the other side of their walls.

July, 1067

Finally, the Milanese revolters have surrendered.

We’re now left stable once again, except for Transjurania, which will be dealt with soon enough. Once everything is secure at home, I hope to begin seeking tribute from our neighbors, including the Croatians, and perhaps in the future we will go and raid the homelands of the pirates that I’ve been repelling, just to drive in the message that Zicenia is off-limits.



> October

I’ve issued a decree ordering all of the vassals to avoid fighting each other – something long overdue in our Kingdom. All internal plots for assassinations or title theft are being stopped as well – the vassals should stay exactly as they are.

Milan’s Duke is already imprisoned (and his land is useless anyways), the revolt has been put down in the west, and now I’m marching on Transjurania to deal with the final problem before looking outwards.



March, 1068

Even better – the Duke of Milan died in my dungeons from wounds sustained during the war, leaving the Duchy in the hands of a child’s regency for the next twelve years.

Historian’s Notes: In many ways, the first seven years of Lazsio’s reign were a continuation of the troubles faced by his father – fighting against revolts, dealing with Orevi invasions and raids, and worrying about conspiracies within. Regardless, his rule during this period shouldn’t be perceived as similar to that of Lazaro – the new King was vastly more shrewd in this management of the Kingdom, and began laying the foundations for long-term stability: allowing and forcing the rebellious Dukes to suffer the devastation of war, building up the Crown-controlled heartlands of Zicenia, and ending the many pockets of heresies that dotted the Kingdom. ​

​

These actions would set the stage for the rest of his reign, which would see Zicenia move back towards the prosperity and stability that it hadn’t seen since the later reign of Sabr-Ishu, nearly 90 years ago.​

 

[Centurial]

Chapter 19: Back on Top





July, 1068

My brother, Lazaro the Younger, continues to try and expand his territory, this time going for Verona. Meanwhile, my Chaplain continues to do a fantastic job of rooting out heretics. As soon as Transjurania is pacified and he can go to work there, the entire Kingdom will be restored to normal - A great turnaround from the constant pockets of resistance that were causing trouble all over Zicenia before I hired him.



July, 1070

I’ve been handing out several previously-ignored honorary titles to several vassals to keep them pleased. The revolt goes on slowly, but with no issues for us as the rebels are restrained to the mountains of Transjurania while we loot their castles.



> September

Between the wars and plagues, the crown lands have never truly had the opportunity to prosper. Though our castle and military is well-fitted, the cities dim in comparison to some of the great trading hubs abroad. Of course, I’m already protecting these lands from the damages of war, but we also need to invest in hospitals to contain any future plague – it’s only this way we may begin to actually grow our great cities.





March, 1071

The Transjuranian revolt has been dealt with, though Vogakny has expanded into Tyrol in the meantime. At some point, we will need to deal with them and push them out permanently, but for the time being we will be better served by maintaining our strength.

>July

In the meantime though, we might as well use what we have – it’s time to start grabbing tribute from our smaller neighbors, beginning with Sicily. Later, I hope to extend this to Croatia and the independent counties my father released, if they’re still around.

>September

My brother Lazaro’s effort to expand his personal territory has no limits – he’s now declared war on the entirety of Croatia. He remains friendly though, so I’m not too concerned – if he reckons himself another Shahlufa, that’s his problem to deal with. Besides, it is best our family as a whole controls the power in Zicenia, rather than usurpers like those who caused so much trouble for our father.



January, 1072

The finances are doing great at this point – my project has been Noli, which has great potential as a center of trade close to the capital. Both the hospital and the cities have seen the bulk of my investments.




>December

The Sicilian refuses to pay tribute, but the army’s been taking plenty on their own in the meantime. The ban on internal wars has been a great boon as well – several conflicts have been averted, giving everyone more time to flourish, or at least focus on external enemies.



February, 1073

Ever since imprisoning the Transjuranian Duke, the realm has collapsed into several independent duchies, robbing it of the power it once held. At this point, the Kingdom stands much stronger than any of the vassals on their own, short of my brother’s expansion of Savoy.

1 June, 1074


At the start of June, King Laszio unexpectedly suffered a heart attack and died – reportedly attributed to his heavy workload. He was just 47 years old, and had ruled for over 11 years.

​

Laszio’s reign as King was relatively uneventful by intention, but it was not unimportant. A diligent administrator and expert economic mind, Laszio managed to bring the Kingdom back together after the several near-collapses of his father’s reign, and aside from an initial revolt, he maintained the peace for the entirety of his reign. In the meantime, he initiated a period of growth in Ivrea, the heart of Zicenia, particularly in his favored coastal province of Noli.​

​

In war and revolt, his focus had always been on maintaining Ivrea’s eminence over all other territories within Zicenia – the early revolts saw great wealth drained from the cities and castles of Milan and Transjurania, all redirected towards the capital. At the end of his reign, the Sicilian holdings in Central Italy also suffered extensive looting during the war for tribute, which likely was funneled directly into the expansion of Noli - though his plans for a new tributary network never came to fruition due to his early death.​

​

Overall, his shorter reign saw a remarkable return to stability in Zicenia, securing the Kingdom once again from danger within and without. Much can be speculated about what might have been had he lived to be as old as his predecessors, but there is no doubt that he helped transform Zicenia away from the fractured free-for-all of his Father’s era and back to prominence as a prosperous regional power.​

​

Laszio was succeeded by his first of two sons, Raca, who was just 23 years old. While Laszio was known for his temperance and patience, Raca was quite the opposite – he would come to be known as “Raca the Cruel” for a good reason. Laszio’s legacy would continue in his son, but the power his predecessors had worked so long to restore to the Crown was no longer going to be simply fostered, but truly wielded.​