The History of the Southern Netherlands: Book I - A Megacampaign

[Belgiumruler]

Hello, I am back to the CKII forum with another attempt at a mega campaign! Okay, so I will start as custom made character, and with a custom made dynasty, the van Brabant Dynasty. I will be playing the county of Brabant in the Old gods scenario. I play with all DLC's on, so also sunset invasion (for a bigger challenge in EUIV, against the Aztecs).

House Rules:

No cheating
No reloading

So let's get started!

The History of the Southern Netherlands

Book I: The medieval Era

List of rulers:

Duke Robrecht I 'the Gentle' : 1 January 867 - 11 February 890 (Duke of Brabant)
King Whicher I 'the Cruel': 11 February 890 - 22 June 935 (King of Asturias)
King Robrecht I 'the Cruel': 22 June 935 - 7 August 952 (King of Asturias)
King Robrecht II 'the Holy: 7 August 952 -15 September 972 ( King of Asturias)
King Ordõno II 'the Old': 15 September 972 - 4 July 1006 (King of Galicia)
Prince Ordõno: 25 March 1006 - 3 July 1071 (count of Gent)
Sheik Cesare: 3 July 1071 - 23 July 1100 (Count of Verdun)
Emir Franz I 'the Blessed': 23 July 1100 - 20 June 1135 (Duke of Lower Lorraine)
Sultan Manfred I 'the Great': 20 June 1135 - 18 August 1169 (King of Lotharingia)
Sultan Abu-Bakr I 'the Holy': 18 August 1169 - 5 October 1191 (King of Lotharingia)
King Manfred II 'the Confessor': 5 October 1191 - 6 July 1216 (King of France)
King Manfred III: 6 July 1216 - 5 April 1226 (king of Belgium)
Emperor Manfred I: 5 April 1226 - 24 April 1283 (Emperor of the Holy Belgian Empire)
Emperor Raoul I: 24 April 1283 - 23 May 1300 (Emperor of the Holy Belgian Empire)
Emperor Savary I: 23 May 1300 - 2 August 1333 (Emperor of the Holy Belgian Empire & Carpathia)
Emperor Godefroy I: 2 August 1333 - 7 November 1333 (Emperor of the Holy Belgian Empire & Carpathia & Hispania)
Emperor Pierre I 'the Just': 7 November 1333 - 18 July 1376 (Emperor of the Holy Belgian Empire & Carpathia & Hispania)
Emperor Petros II: 18 July 1376 - 14 June 1398 (Emperor of the Holy Belgian Empire & Carpathia & Hispania)
Emperor Bartholomeus I: 14 June 1398 - 30 April 1413 (Emperor of Hispania & Carpathia)
Emperor Apolliana I: 30 April 1413 - ??? (Emperor of Hispania & Carpathia)
​

 

[Belgiumruler]

Chapter I

Robrecht van Brabant​

The oldest note of the house van Brabant goes back until 867, when a young boy, of 18 years old received the County of Brabant from his liege Lothar II, King of Lotharingia. The boy was Robrecht van Brabant. He was still young, but dreaming of independence. His wife was Yonefij, also 18 years old, and also dreaming of an independent Brabant. Two months after he received his county, he already came together with Count Werner of Pfalz and Count Liutfried of Sundgau. When Lothar II is at a weak point by war, a demand would be send by Robrecht. The letter was written the same day, and would be send when the time was ripe.

the letter ​

A story tells us of a famous hunt in October that year. Robrecht invited counts from all over Lotharingia to Leuven. From there he leaved with a great parade, and he moved to Turnhout. In the woods around Turnhout, he was going to hunt. He became the laughing stock of Francia, with his very bad hunting skills. However, he admitted it, something very unusually in that time period. He wanted to prove himself, and when a large bear was spotted, he took his chance. He attacked the bear, and he proved himself that he was a good hunter by killing the bear fearing for his own live. Around eight days later, a large boar would be spotted. According to the story, he killed it with his spear. The beast kept fighting, and he was pierced ten times when the young count killed the beast with his bare hands. For two year he would be praised for his bravery, and he was considered a master hunter. Himself was proud of his hunting capacities. That was the story of the Grand Hunt. In reality, nobody knows what happened in October, because this stories was only written down 230 years later.

 

[unmerged(271387)]

Another AAR?
Sign me up
Throwing my two cents in here:
I think you should form Frisia and conquer Southern England or something as illogical as that.Why?
Let me tell you something psychological I have noticed from my self.When we play as a nation in a Paradox Game,let's say England,we mostly try to do things that have been done by this country sooner or later than the start date we play,like Conquering Scotland or France and uniting the British Isles etc.But,if we do things like forming a Danish - English Kingdom or a Dutch - South English Dual Monarchy like I suggested,we don't follow,subcionsiously or not,things that country did or tried to do in OTL(our timeline)because we don't know what it did or would do and as such we have to put our personal influence in it.Would such a Dual Kingdom pursue to conquer the rest of England,or would it stay neutral and develop?Would it perhaps use south England as a base for Ireland or France,or would it develop it so that it could colonise later on?Plus it would make an interesting mega-campaign.
Those were my two cents.However,I want to see the AAR for your choices and actions and not mine,so If you don't do what I said I won't mind
I hope you form Frisia atleast.Or will you be sneaky and steal Lotharingia through dynastic marriage?

 

[Belgiumruler]

Another AAR?
Sign me up
Throwing my two cents in here:
I think you should form Frisia and conquer Southern England or something as illogical as that.Why?
Let me tell you something psychological I have noticed from my self.When we play as a nation in a Paradox Game,let's say England,we mostly try to do things that have been done by this country sooner or later than the start date we play,like Conquering Scotland or France and uniting the British Isles etc.But,if we do things like forming a Danish - English Kingdom or a Dutch - South English Dual Monarchy like I suggested,we don't follow,subcionsiously or not,things that country did or tried to do in OTL(our timeline)because we don't know what it did or would do and as such we have to put our personal influence in it.Would such a Dual Kingdom pursue to conquer the rest of England,or would it stay neutral and develop?Would it perhaps use south England as a base for Ireland or France,or would it develop it so that it could colonise later on?Plus it would make an interesting mega-campaign.
Those were my two cents.However,I want to see the AAR for your choices and actions and not mine,so If you don't do what I said I won't mind
I hope you form Frisia atleast.Or will you be sneaky and steal Lotharingia through dynastic marriage?

I will form Frisia, yes, But first, get those pesky house Karling out of my lands!

 

[unmerged(271387)]

I will form Frisia, yes, But first, get those pesky house Karling out of my lands!

I wonder how the world will be looking by 1453.I suggest you give slight hints so that you leave us in suspense

 

[Belgiumruler]

I wonder how the world will be looking by 1453.I suggest you give slight hints so that you leave us in suspense

, writing update right now...

 

[MiltonS]

Great, looking forward to Belgiumruler megacampaign...!

 

[Belgiumruler]

Great, looking forward to Belgiumruler megacampaign...!

glad you are in (update should be up in abour one hour, stay tuned)

 

[siempie78]

Killed the beast with his bare hands? . I'll be following.

 

[Belgiumruler]

Killed the beast with his bare hands? . I'll be following.

according to the story :rofl:

 

[Belgiumruler]

Chapter II​

It must be around April 868 that Konrad I Upper Burgundy declared war on Lotharingia, for installing Ludwig II on the throne of Lotharingia. This date is unsure however, and there is discussion who started the war, Konrad I or his Brother. The most sources say Konrad I, because there is no evidence that he had a brother (at least that wasn’t official, maybe he had one, but then it was a bastard, and nothing was written down about him except in this war). Ludwig II was already king of Italy, but he wanted more power. His dream was to unite the house Karling under his rule, and he decided to set up the nobles up against their kings. If the kings died without an heir, he could interhit the throne. One thing is sure, on 3 may 868 the letter was send, however, Lothar II was furious. An army of 2000 men was send to the county of Brabant, but Burgundian forces destroyed that army before it could reach Brabant. Across the realm, peasants and nobles joined the cause of Robrecht, and he marched with an army of 1600 men upon Breda. A local garrison of 24 men was killed, with only four men lost on the side of Robrecht. City after City was taken, But then Robrechts armies met the armies of Lothar II and his allies, Robrecht was crushed.

Robrecht retreating after the battle​

He was wounded during the battle, and just barely survived. He retreated back to Leuven, together with the remnants of his army. The Lotharingian armies made a fatal mistake there. They moved south to fight the armies of Konrad I, and they gave Robrecht and his allies the change to recover and strike.

On 28 March 869 Yonefij gave the birth to a daughter, Olinde. It was Robrechts first child, a child born during wartime. At Julich Robrecht was fighting at that very moment. His forces where pushed back already, and he and 20 of his men where still standing.

​

All of them would be slaughtered, Robrecht escaped however. He hired the Breton Band, 1500 fresh men, with them he directly attacked again, sieging the capital of Lotharingia, Luxembourg. At Sainth-Vith, he ambushed the Karling army, turning the tide of the war, into his favor.

No big battle’s where gouht after Sainth-Vith. His wife was pregnant again, and another daughter was born on 30 December 871, Swanildhis. Robrecht wanted a son, to secure his line of succession. His daughter where betrothed to the children of his allies, to secure a strong alliance between the nations. Three years later the war was won by the Brabantian League. Many men died, but Brabant was independent, and so where the allies. Robrecht was a hero. He followed the doctrine of never surrender, and he fought until the last men. Brave Robrecht was brave, but the church disliked him, because he attacked the house Karling. Robrecht begun praying day after day, to become a paragon of virtue.

 

[siempie78]

Hmmm, you could swear fealty to Flanders and destroy them from the inside...

 

[unmerged(271387)]

Yey,update!

 

[misterbean]

Impressive. winning a war against your liege is not an easy thing to do. I will follow this.

 

[siempie78]

Impressive. winning a war against your liege is not an easy thing to do. I will follow this.

Sometimes, opportunists flock to your banner. That usually eases things up.

 

[Belgiumruler]

Sometimes, opportunists flock to your banner. That usually eases things up.

yes, that happened to me

 

[Nikolai]

Another Belgiumruler AAR? Sign me up.

 

[Belgiumruler]

Chapter III​

Once victory was secured, a summer fair was held in Leuven. In May 874 a big summer fair was organized. The goal was to make the peasants (and nobles) happy because the amount of men lost during the war was huge. 1600 men, meanly peasants lost their lives. It was understandable that the population was unhappy. Robrecht really enjoyed a jester; who was insulting everyone on a funny way. An errant monk was also there, and he preached about the end of the world. The next day Bishop Alwin wanted him to be executed. Robrecht knew the church was upset, but he couldn’t let the men be killed, because the peasants would revolt then. When the summer fair ended, Robrecht enacted Large Church taxes, Alwin was very upset by this, and Robrecht feared for excommunication. However that was just a loose thing said by the Bishop, nothing happened to Robrecht. On 28 January 875 a third daughter was born, Thetburga. And in March 876 another daughter, Jolanda. Robrecht wanted a son, a son who would be able to fight for Brabant. Also he wanted to expand, in July of that year he ordered to fabricate claims on north France. To expand his power, he created het Hertogdom van Brabant in March 878, also called the Duchy of Brabant. On 30 finally a son was born. Robrecht decided to sign a betrothal with the Daughter of the King of Asturias, and he hoped that the Kingdom of Asturias would become part of the Duchy of Brabant. His son was called Wicher, nobody knew why that name was chosen, since it was very unusual. The joy in the castle wouldn’t last for long. In January 879 the first rumors of Slow Fever where circulating, and soon it was made official. The southern Netherlands and northern France where struck by this disease.

The red areas are infected almost completely, and the purple areas are partly infected.
​

 

[Forster]

I followed from EU IV so I can haunt you here.

 

[Belgiumruler]

Chapter IV​

In the period of 880-890 a popular storyteller was spreading the rumor that the Duke purchased a inn. The inn would be called the Drunken Squire, and, according to the story, He added more salt than usual, the goal was to make the people more thirsty, increasing the income. The funniest part was when the duke his Castrato singer came forward to the already drunken public; his high shrieks angered the public, and he was thrown out of the inn! The salt trick worked, increasing the profit! After a month the inn was closed, it was fun when it lasted, but normal life must continue. He made a nice profit by selling the inn. On 30 September 882 Ermingarde was born, another daughter. In the meantime became known as the ‘the Gentle’, the reason why is uncertain, probably because his inn, and his feeling for Justice and his kindness. To celebrate the birth of his daughter, a big feast was held that winter. In March 883 he decided that every city must give all of their forces in war time. In June 887 he attacked Flanders with an army of 2000 men, they marched upon Gent, and they eventually succeeded in taking the city. Flanders agreed to give the city, after several bloody battles with high casualties where fought. The Breton band was dismissed after the war, a fatal mistake.

the siege of Oudenaarde​

Exactly a month later, on September the second 889, the count of Ieper declared war. He wanted to retake Gent. Flanders was weakened in that time, and the count of Ieper gained more and more power. During the battle of Kortrijk, Robrecht was forced to stay in the camp because of consumption. A few days later, when the battle was in full progress, he died because of that. It was the 11th February 890. When the news reached the soldiers, they fled and deserted. Robrecht was dead, and Gent surrendered to Ieper. Whicher van Brabant became the next Duke, he was only 12 years old.