A good solid base with which to start from! Will await the ongoing activities of the de Zadorras with great interest
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Prologue
An Overview of the Latin Empire, Part 2: Iberia
Of Jimenas and de Zadorras
An Overview of the Latin Empire, Part 2: Iberia
The history of Iberia is deeply linked to that of the Reconquista and the ongoing war between Iberian Christians and Moorish Muslims that was waged for centuries over control of the peninsula, and to the political machinations of two major noble houses -- the Jimenas, who ruled most of Christian Iberia in 1066, and the de Zadorras who eventually usurped them.
For the Christian kingdoms of the north, Medieval history is an alternating series of holy wars to reclaim the peninsula for Christendom and intra-Christian wars as the different ruling families struggled to become the sole dominant kingdom of the peninsula. For many years the Jimena family was the undisputed dynasty at the top of the Iberian political ladder, ruling every major Catholic kingdom in the region. While 1066 saw the north divided between six different realms, Castile quickly became the most dominant kingdom, which swallowed up Navarre, Leon, and Galicia into one great kingdom, with Aragon in the northeastern corner as its sole rival -- all within the Jimena family.
That changed in 1217 AD, when a Crusader kingdom of Andalusia was created under the Breton King Briac de Penthievre, uniting the southern peninsula into a great kingdom that could challenge Castile for dominance. A bitter rivalry quickly developed between these two Christian regional powers, and with the last of the Islamic Emirs purged from the peninsula, wars between these rival Christian realms became increasingly commonplace. The balance of power was relatively steady, even slightly favoring Castile, until a decisive political move gave Andalusia the upper hand. The de Zadorra family had been the Counts of Alava for many years, eventually rising to become the Dukes of Navarre in 1178. By marriage, the primary branch of the de Zadorra family inherited the Kingdom of Andalusia in 1280 AD, giving Andalusia control over territory in the Castilian north.
Under the de Zadorra dynasty, Andalusia surpassed Castile for the first time. and the long-dominant kingdom fell on even more difficult times when Portugal broke away and regained its independence. Substantially weakened, Castile -- which eventually came to be ruled by another branch of the de Zadorra family, which viewed the Andalusian branch as a prime rival -- was unable to prevent Andalusia's capture of Valencia and the eventual annexation of Aragon.
The Empire of Cordoba was founded In 1386 and quickly grew in power, protecting the Knights of Calatrava while waging on-and-off wars with their rivals in Castile. Cordoba had been an empire for less than a century when it was merged with the Latin Empire on Pelaio's succession, making the acceptance of the dual empire difficult for many of the local nobility.
Cordoba was a very ethnically diverse empire, comprised of a mixture of Basques, Bretons, Castilians, Catalans, and Andalusians in Iberia and Tunisians and Bedouins in Africa. Catholicism, heavily influenced by the Mozarabic Rite, was the dominant religion of the Empire, but significant Sunni minorities remained in many regions. Historically, the powerful vassal Dukes of Cordoba were very aggressive and assertive, resulting in a decentralized empire that saw frequent in-fighting and scheming. Still, the Empire was a strong one thanks in large part to its control over the valuable trade port of Gibraltar, the gateway to the Mediterranean and an area of both military and economic importance. As an empire in its own right, Cordoba had the potential to rival the Latin Empire in military and economic resources, making the acceptance of a twice-crowned Emperor difficult for some. If the union of the empires succeeded, the result would be a nearly unstoppable Mediterranean powerhouse. If it fell through, it was likely that Cordoba would have the resources to stand on its own and still rule as a formidable power in its region.
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In terms of ideas, Cordoba uses most of the standard Navarran ideas, but has lifted its first two ideas -- Beacon of Learning and Strait of Gibraltar -- are taken from Granada's ideas.
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Ah, Cordoba is just as much a powerhouse as the Latin Empire. United, you're going to control all that you desire.
I'm curious to see how well behaved Cordoba will be. I suspect their liberty desire will be quite high and keeping that PU with them at that size will be quite difficult.
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quite difficult or not.. it will be a great journey... true is if you lose Cordoba, the gate to the Atlantic and the New World... you will have to focus on getting to the red sea or the persian gulf in order to get fleets to the spicy islands of the East
True -- if I can't integrate Cordoba, my prospects for colonizing the new world will basically be dead for a long time.
The Mozarabic influence to the Cordoban Catholicism mentioned in the updated and the impact it may have upon the development of the church in the area in the future is another potential point of opposition between the Latin and Cordoban empires. As the way of practising religion has already started to diverge across Catholicism, it may widen if someone would challenge the mainstream views.
On the short-term, securing the other side of the gateway to the Mediterranean and connecting up North African holdings to those of Iberia will be a priority, even though the Constantinopolitan regime may not be too eager to expand the power of the lesser partner in the union.
On the short-term, securing the other side of the gateway to the Mediterranean and connecting up North African holdings to those of Iberia will be a priority, even though the Constantinopolitan regime may not be too eager to expand the power of the lesser partner in the union.
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Are you going to add in some events for the relationship between the PU partners or some changes to the religion in TTL?
If you end up becoming a Mediterranean power house, God help your enemies!
On a side note, any plans on expanding into Bulgarian lands? Because those Rum territories are rightful Byzantine, er I mean Latin Clay after all.
On a side note, any plans on expanding into Bulgarian lands? Because those Rum territories are rightful Byzantine, er I mean Latin Clay after all.
It continues!
I love the historical updates, nicely tying in the events of the medieval era.
I love the historical updates, nicely tying in the events of the medieval era.
If you end up becoming a Mediterranean power house, God help your enemies!
Oh you bet I am
Prologue
A Brief Overview of Europe
Western Europe (France and England)A Brief Overview of Europe
The Kingdom of France had a difficult time during the Middle Ages, often coming to the edge of extinction before managing to fight its way back onto the world stage. In the 12th century, King Ferrand II de Toulouse failed to pay a large force of Lombard mercenaries hired to help put down the uprisings of rival claimant factions, causing the mercenaries to turn on him. In a protracted war, the Lombard Band conquered over half of France and broke Ferrand's vassalization of many smaller duchies, reducing the French crown to a fraction of its former power. Over the next several centuries, the Kings of France worked hard to regain their former vassals and drive the mercenaries out of their territory. Still, even in 144, a sizeable holdout in the center of the kingdom was still held under the sway of the Lombard Band, and France still had work ahead to finally purge its territory of their influence. The result of on-and-off wars with England, France also held a small portion of land in southern England. Strong and stable kingdoms in Ireland and Scotland also complicated the political situation of Albion, as did the presence of small states like Gwynedd, Deheubarth, and The Isles.
Central Europe and the Holy Roman Empire
While France was fighting for its life, the Holy Roman Empire remained strong and stable through the Middle Ages. A few Emperors occasionally challenged France for territory, but it was rare for the Germans to press too far into France or Italy, and the size of the empire remained largely stagnant. In 1444, Emelrich von Tyrol of Bavaria held the Imperial Crown, with Baden, Carinthia, Franconia, Hansa, and Teck as electors.
Eastern Europe and the Caucasus
Of all the regions of Europe, the east had the most delicate balance of power in 1444, and the most potential to see wars for regional dominance. Hungary, which for many years was a forced vassal of the Mongol Empire, had retained its sovereignty and control over Carpathia, posing an immediate threat to a weak Poland and the small kingdoms of Croatia and Duklja. Poland, still attempting to grow into a full-fledged regional contender, bordered a number of smaller ethnic Polish and Russian kingdoms -- Leczyca, Sieradz, Trakai, Ovruch, and Podolia -- which it would need to subdue in order to grow large enough to contend with Hungary to the south or Lithuania and Pomerania to the north. In the Caucasus, Georgia controlled the northern border of the Black Sea, bordering the Sunni Mongolia and Volga Bulgaria to the north, and Rum and its nearby Sunni states in the south.
Scandinavia and the Baltic
The Teutonic Order dominated eastern Scandinavia in 1444, having received generous land grands from Christian nobles and then conquering territory held by Romuvan pagans to the direct south. With a large realm of religious crusaders, the Teutonic Order shared a wide border with Volga Bulgaria, a Sunni Islamic nation also populated by a great many Uralic pagans. In addition to the heathen, though, the Teutons had to keep a close eye on Sweden, Pomerania, and Lithuania, all of whom had the potential to make a pass at controlling the Scandinavian peninsula.
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That does it for introductory material, folks. Next time I post, it will be getting the game moving
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I'm hoping the Teutonic Order holds out in this AAR like your Lombard one. Won't be the same with them not in the Middle East though.
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I'm hoping the Teutonic Order holds out in this AAR like your Lombard one. Won't be the same with them not in the Middle East though.
Yeah, my AARs always seem to end up with a powerhouse Teutonic Order...