The Empire Strikes Back - a Byzantine Megacampaign (Part 2)

[Idhrendur]

Part 2​

Welcome back to my megacampaign. It's been a while, I know. That's what happens when you demand perfection from the converter.

New readers, welcome! This is part two of a megacampaign. In the first part, the Byzantine Empire rose to new glory. It reconquered the Mediterranean, mended the great schism, and reformed the Roman Empire. You can read of all that here.

During this AAR, I welcome reader input. I'll try to leave some things obviously open, and will take any input people care to give. I do reserve the right to completely ignore others' input, however.

Anyways, let's begin.

CK2 Installments
Konstantinos X, the Ill-Ruler - 1059-1085
1. A New Beginning
2. Internal Affairs
3. A Sicilian Adventure
4. The Sea of Galilee
5. War, Wars, and Half a War
6. The Ill-Ruler

Konstantios III, the Saint - 1085-1112
7. A Heathen Assault
8. The Χριστιανός ρυπαρός υιοθεσία
9. Prince of Egypt
10. The Saint

Konstantinos XI, the Peaceful - 1112-1163
11. The Peaceful
11a. Interlude: Religious Map

Konstantinos XII, the Childless - 1163-1177
12. The Egyptian Rebellion
13. Childless and Bereft
14. The Childless

Makarios I, the Cruel - 1177-1189
15. The Great Rebellion
16. Castrato
17. Ah, Venice!
18. Losses
19. The Cruel

Konstantinos XIII, the Glorious - 1189-1260
20. The War Regency
21. The Glory of Battle
22. De Jure
22a. Interlude: Political Map
23. The Donation of Constantine
23a. Interlude: Updated Political Map
24. The Glorious

Niketas I, the Duke - 1260-1264
25. Imperial Italian Irredentism
26. The Great Rebellion
27. The Duke

Konstantinos XIV, the Great - 1279-1328
28. Regaining the Throne
29. River and Islands
29a. Interlude: More Maps
30. East and West
31. The Great
31a. Bonus Religious Map

Konstantinos XV, the Cruel - 1328-1363
32. The Sicilian War
33. Civil Wars
34. The Cruel

Konstantinos XVI, the Wise - 1363-1408
35. όχι πιο πέρα
36. Thallasa Mas
37. Gallia
37a. Interlude: Strategy Request
38. The First Timurid War
39. The Second Timurid War
40. The Wise

The Empire in 1408
41. The Eve of Change


EU3 Installments
Konstantios IV, The Reformer - 1408-1449
42. The Reformer
43. Europa 1408
44. War in the East
45. The Three Themas
46. The Scottish Play
47. War! What is it good for?
48. The End of an Era

Zoe I - 1455-1502
48a. The World, 1450
49. The Persian Plan
50. Kings of Leon
51. 1500 Update
52. βασιλιάς είναι νεκρός…

Konstantios XI, the Holy - 1502-1565
53 . …ζήτω ο βασιλιάς!
54. The 15 Year War, Part I
55. The 15 Year War, Part II
56. The Peace of Westphalia
57. The New World
58. A Minor War or Three
59. 1550 Update
60. The Holy

Ioannes VII - 1565-1574
Konstantinos XVIII, the Zealous - 1574-1637
61. The Reign in Spain
62. Solomon's Gold
63. 1600 Update
64. The Fall of the Papacy
65. The Particularist Revolt
66. The Zealous

Demetrios I - 1637-1639
Ioannes VIII - 1639-1650
67. The War of Three Emperors
68. Minor Wars

Demetrios II - 1650-1658
69. 1650 Update
70. The War for Huron

Theodoros I, the Sun Emperor - 1661-1669
71. The Sun Emperor

Konstantinos XIX - 1669-1726
72. Expansion Resumes
73. 1700 Update
74. Gallia Falls, and More
75. 'Murica

Konstantios XII - 1726-1760
76. To the Rhine
77. The Epistle to the Empire
78. 1750 Update
79. War in Africa

Alexander, Megas Alexandros - 1760-1820
80. Alexander Goes to War
81. Megas Alexandros

Konstantios XIII - 1820-
82. 1821 Update

Vic2 Portion

 

[Idhrendur]

The Reformer

This was Konstantios IV Doukas, Emperor of the Romans.

He would be known to future generations as the reformer. On his ascension to the throne, he summoned the various dukes, counts, barons, and other assorted nobles to Constantinople. He proposed to them a radical restructuring of the Empire. The various rulers under the Emperor would be more akin to the military governors of old. They would still rule their lands, but only the Emperor would reign. All diplomacy with other lands would be done by the Emperor, and only by the Emperor.

The governors would no longer supply levees to the Empire. Instead, they would ensure there were a sufficient number of recruits to the Scholai Palatinae from their territories. The more savvy of the nobles recognized that this was a perfect method of disposing of the more troublesome commoners in their lands.

As well, the governors would no longer pay a percentage of their income as taxes. Their lands and people would be taxed, and the governors would do the collecting, but they would not be directly taxed. Again, the savvy nobles recognized that this could mean greater profits for them.

Finally, agents of the Emperor were to be allowed access throughout the lands. These agents would be in charge of various projects to improve the infrastructure and such. Their initial projects would pacify the peoples and increase the stability of the realm.

The nobles were not entirely happy at these reforms. While their feudal burdens were eased, they did recognize the loss of privilege. While none were inclined to rebel, nearly all maintained the notion that they had the right to reign in their lands. But for now, the benefits of reform were worthwhile.

During the various visits to Constantinople, Konstantios inquired of the various governors what course the Empire should take. Despite the Timurid threat to the east, most of them were eager to see the former French King humiliated further. They suggested that Britain should again be Roman. Or at least Mercia should, for now.

---

Konstantios also assessed the institutions of the Empire. The church already preached loyalty, constables in the major cities kept crime down (and tax incomes high), the army and navy had armories and docks, and markets had been established everywhere. As well, there were major universities in many cities (Constantinople, Thessaloniki, Varna, Adrianople, Kozani, Sevilla, Córdoba, Amastris, Mus, Dayr Az Zor, Van, Alexandria, and Tripoli). Finally, there were textile manufactories in Nicaea and Cherson. Truly the Empire was wealthy.

The control over the Mediterranean meant an increase in trade. Konstantios began commissioning merchants to trade for the profit of the Empire.

There were various provinces that still swore by the Pope. Konstantios sent missionaries to lead them to the truth.

The ships donated by the different governors were sent to Constantinople to be organized into fleets. It turned out most of the donations were cogs, suitable only for transporting troops.

The Scholai Palatinae were moved about and shuffled into different units to avoid attrition in the east. They were split into provisional units of 11,000 horsemen, each in a different province. The armies in Constantinople were sent to the unwatched borders with the Timurids, except for 1000 men who would watch over the City of Man's Desire.

---

Finally, Konstantios considered the ideas that would rule the Empire. He had the opportunity to adjust the nature of the government while all the governors visited.

And with his agents beginning to go throughout the land, there was the idea to instill an idea in the popular imagination.

---

In case that wasn't entirely clear, I'm looking for advice on my sliders and first NI.
Also, where should I stick my national focus?

 

[Emeny]

Oh wow, that's a big Timurids. Are you playing in 5.2?

Can we have a map of the known world?

 

[Sakura_F]

Eeee- YAY

 

[Avindian]

Mighty impressive indeed, and delighted to see this continue!

 

[Warlord Skorr]

I'd centralize, both to represent the unease of the nobles that you wrote into the story and to make the Roman Empire start pumping out obscene amounts on money. I'd take the NI Bureaucracy for the same reason. A Roman Empire without a gargantuan bureaucracy is no Roman Empire at all.

P.S. Your picture is of the wrong Emperor.

 

[oskar-kar]

Finally! Next part of AAR! Subscribed of course! I can't wait to see what else have you changed!

 

[Mithfir]

The time has come!

 

[Idhrendur]

P.S. Your picture is of the wrong Emperor.

I have no idea what you're speaking of.

Nope, no revisionism here. Move along, move along.

 

[Sujit]

Huzza! like M&B II this AAR is back.

 

[Arakhor]

The Doukids return! I support centralisation and bureaucracy - good Roman values for fine Roman people.

 

[scelestus13]

YAY! Does your retinue convert over in any way?

 

[Nikolai]

Nice seeing you continue this.

 

[Idhrendur]

Oh wow, that's a big Timurids. Are you playing in 5.2?

Can we have a map of the known world?

I like that idea.

Eeee- YAY

Mighty impressive indeed, and delighted to see this continue!

Finally! Next part of AAR! Subscribed of course! I can't wait to see what else have you changed!

The time has come!

Huzza! like M&B II this AAR is back.

Nice seeing you continue this.

Thanks, everyone. It's mighty encouraging. Especially as the blog version of this only gets spam comments. I guess it's just the wrong audience over there.

I'd centralize, both to represent the unease of the nobles that you wrote into the story and to make the Roman Empire start pumping out obscene amounts on money. I'd take the NI Bureaucracy for the same reason. A Roman Empire without a gargantuan bureaucracy is no Roman Empire at all.

The Doukids return! I support centralisation and bureaucracy - good Roman values for fine Roman people.

And wouldn't you know, they fit the narrative of reform quite well!

YAY! Does your retinue convert over in any way?

Yes, it does. All of the armies in the conversion are retinues. Raised levees would have converted as well, but the Empire had stopped using those quite awhile before. Really, the reforms were just matching the practical reality.

 

[Idhrendur]

Europa 1408

This was Iberia circa 1400. The Mediterranean coast and most of the Pyrennes were controlled by the Empire, but the rest was controlled by Leon. At this time, there was a rebellion by nobles who felt King Bosón Jimena's rule was too strict.

These were the British Isles. They were mostly ruled by Scotland and England, with a smattering of petty kingdoms ruled by members of the de Normandie family. Though England was ruled by Anglo-Saxons, it mostly ruled over Norwegians, remnants of the second Danelaw. Most of the Anglo-Saxons lived in the South and West, though many in the South-central regions now spoke a mongrel French/Saxon language.

This was the Holy Roman Empire, the last great refuge of Catholicism. Emperor Meinhard II Salian, King of Mazovia and Silesia, had been forced to take great concessions by the members of the HRE more powerful than he, which was nearly every ruler. The Golden Bull of 1408 greatly changed the nature of the HRE. The rulers of the HRE who answered directly to the Emperor would be kings and queens in their own right. The five most prestigious (Tirol, Galich, Karelia, Volhynia, and Korsun) would be permanent electors of future Emperors. Where the Empire's reforms were a centralization of power in Constantinople, the HRE's reforms were a decentralization of power to it's outermost edges.

This was the remnants of the Golden Horde. They had once ruled from the Urals to Iceland, and even briefly to the Horn of Africa. But the Timurid invasion provoked a series of rebellions, and the steppe Empire had fractured. Only time would tell if they could reassemble themselves.

This was Abyssinia. Long an independent kingdom, it had been conquered by Muslim powers, who were themselves conquered by the Il-Khanate. After the Il-Khanate's inheritance by the Golden Horde, the Timurid invasion isolated the region, which broke into several minor kingdoms. At the turn of the 15th century, Gondar and Adal dominated the region.

These were the Timurids. Unlike the other Mongol hordes, they had yet to convert to Christianity and settle. They had conquered much of the Central Asian region once ruled by the Il-Khanate. The Orthodox Christians of the land groaned under the oppression of their Shiite rulers, and many had converted to Islam in the false hope of relief.

And this was central Africa. Though there had once been trade between them and the north, but the routes had been lost. There were rumors of an Imperial expedition, and of a great Christian nation in Timbuktu, but the deserts were silent.

Thus was the known world in Anno Dominae 1408.

 

[Nikolai]

Scary Timurids. But you're strong enough to withstand them I think.

 

[horngeek]

Huh. So Mali, in this game, is a Christian nation? Or is that just a bunch of rumors?

 

[Emeny]

I give that Timurids 10 years at most before they utterly colapse on themselves. Nomads are hilariously bad at keeping themselves together in 5.2, especially when they have a lot of hostile borders.

That's a pretty crazy world and a pretty crazy HRE. I wonder how they will react to so much of their territory held by foreign nations. Are you planning to try and become the Emperor, or disband it?

A lot of the rest of the world will probably consolidate fairly quickly.

 

[sirrichard]

Sounds like fun, you better put many limits on yourself though since you're so big, or you'll get bored roflstomping everyone . Also I hope for a Caligula II!

 

[Idhrendur]

Scary Timurids. But you're strong enough to withstand them I think.

When I checked later on, they had the second largest armies and the second highest manpower reserves.

Of course, I was number one in both categories, by a significant margin.

Huh. So Mali, in this game, is a Christian nation? Or is that just a bunch of rumors?

That's a good question, isn't it? While I reverted most of what the converter did in Africa, I did edit in the appropriate demographics. But how will that all turn out?

I give that Timurids 10 years at most before they utterly colapse on themselves. Nomads are hilariously bad at keeping themselves together in 5.2, especially when they have a lot of hostile borders.

That's a pretty crazy world and a pretty crazy HRE. I wonder how they will react to so much of their territory held by foreign nations. Are you planning to try and become the Emperor, or disband it?

A lot of the rest of the world will probably consolidate fairly quickly.

During some debugging runs where I loaded as the Timmies, they did collapse pretty quickly. I went into this session with a lot of confidence as a result. Of course, except for the north or the east, I'm the only border they have worth considering.

Also, it is beneath the Empire to care too much what happens to the Germans. I guess I mostly plan on ignoring them, except to take back old Roman territory. I'd like to see a united Germany form, or at least a situation that'll make that easy in V2.

Sounds like fun, you better put many limits on yourself though since you're so big, or you'll get bored roflstomping everyone . Also I hope for a Caligula II!

I have plans to keep it under control, I guess. And an Emperor increasing his personal power and paying the consequences? And having nasty rumors spread about him? That sounds likely (though the idea makes me wish I were a better character writer).