Oh I have some allies such as Castille, but I doubt they would be helpful or strong enough to aid me against the yellow blob. I'm just hoping the HRE implodes when the current emperor dies.
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The Italian Boot (A Sicily HIP AAR)
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Oh I have some allies such as Castille, but I doubt they would be helpful or strong enough to aid me against the yellow blob. I'm just hoping the HRE implodes when the current emperor dies.
Oh, AT LAST, I can post now 
, expect a chapter over the next few days, but chapters will be irregular due to me having exams soon...
, expect a chapter over the next few days, but chapters will be irregular due to me having exams soon...
The reign of Bohemond De Hautville - Chapter VI On the Iberian Peninsula 1092- 1096
By 1092, Bohemond’s brother Roger came of age. He was a decent enough diplomat, but his cruelty and arbitrariness left much to be desired. Not to mention the fact he hated his brother due to Bohemond’s holding the crown of Sicily instead of him. Indeed, Roger’s descendants would be a problem for Bohemond’s and his heirs due to the strong claim passing through their bloodline.
By May 1094, after a few years of peace in the Boot, A law was passed raising the feudal obligations of Bohemond’s vassals, and by May 1095 the following next year Crna Gora had been converted to the Catholic faith.
A few months later in November 1095, Bohemond’s decided to aid Rey Blasco of Castile, was married to one of his sister’s Herminie, in his war against the Moors, and so the full might of Sicily’s armed forces descended on Spain, totalling 16,000 men.
With the arrival of the Sicilans, victory seemed assured for Rey Blasco, and this was further shown by Bohemond’s victory over a small Moorish force at the battle of Ul-Ulya in December 1095.
However, despite this victory, the battle of Hevula that followed in the first days of January shock Sicilian morale, not because of defeat but because of the loss of Bohemond’s the Lionheart, for while fighting in the bloody and violent battle, Bohemond found himself fighting Sultan Abu Bakr, by all accounts the duel was a sight to behold as these two skilled warriors fought each other across a grass plain. But eventually, Bohemond’s defence broke and the sultan slew him by plunging both of his Scimitars into his chest, and so on the 3rd of January 1096, Bohemond the Lionheart died, and his son Tancred, became King of Sicily.
Tancred himself was fighting on the left flank of the army at the time of his father’s death and became a skilled fighter after cutting a path through the enemy with a small infantry contingent to capture a notable Muslim noble.
After hours of holding off the Muslims, the Sicilians managed to break through the enemy on the left flank, forcing them to retreat. The centre of the Muslim forces quickly followed suit, fearful of being outflanked. The right side of the Muslim army quickly fell under an onslaught of horses and men while most of the retreating Muslims were run down like dogs. Less than 4000 men escaped out of a total force of 14,000 men, with their forces beaten the Muslims were forced to surrender to the Castilians.
Tancred was crowned King of Sicily on the battlefield with little pomp or ceremony. He returned home with his army, and took his seat on the Sicilian throne. He quickly replaced his old council with his father’s loyal council members, and decreed that the Jews should be allowed to return to Sicily in May 1096.
Editors Note: I miss the old editor, how the hell do you add titles and lines? Anyway updates will be a bit slow over the next month or so due to exams and such. Onward to Tancred reign.
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Good to see you back Saxon! Good post too. Unfortunate for The Lionheart eh? Let's hope Tancred can live up to his father's great name. Re the forums lots of bugs still to be sorted. I didn't get any notification you'd posted despite watching this thread...
Good to see you back Saxon! Good post too. Unfortunate for The Lionheart eh? Let's hope Tancred can live up to his father's great name. Re the forums lots of bugs still to be sorted. I didn't get any notification you'd posted despite watching this thread...
Indeed, I WANT MY TITLES AND LINES BACK!!! Tancred should hopefully surpass his father.
Titles seem to have changed into bold text at the start of the update. If you happen to learn how to add lines, I'd love to know too.
It sucks to lose your king in battle, but at least the war was won.
It sucks to lose your king in battle, but at least the war was won.
Indeed, Onwards to Tancred
The war may be won but expansion is limited...
Just a quick note: I am taking a break, to focus on revision and exams. I will return to writing in a month or so.
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We are still alive here just have exams this week and the week after. I can return to the adventures of the De Hautville's on the Italian Boot after May 20th. So hang on a little longer readers.
just have exams this week and the week after. I can return to the adventures of the De Hautville's on the Italian Boot after May 20th. So hang on a little longer readers.
OkayWe are still alive here
We are still alive here
Hanging on. Good luck on the exams !
Okay
Thank you for you patience/support Gentlemen. I will see about finishing up the first offical chapter of Tancred's reign this weekend, as well as performing some much needed general maintenance on the thread.
The reign of Tancred De Hautville - Chapter I Early Years 1096 – 1099
The Feudal Obligation Law
The Feudal Obligation Law
The first years of Tancred’s reign were focused on cementing his rule in Sicily. Indeed, with two brothers who were likely to have sons, Tancred was concerned for the future of his line of the de Hauteville Dynasty. To make matters worse, he had been raised to follow Normund values, while the majority of his vassals had taken to the Sicilian culture.
Yet despite all of this Tancred was able to hold onto the kingdom, and continue to take Sicily from strength to strength, during the summer months of 1096 Tancred attempted to improve his vassal’s obligations to him as their ruler. The law states the following:
The Vassals obligations law as written by Prince Roger Chancellor of Sicily.
Following the passing of this law, all vassals of the kingdom of Sicily, are to provide 9% more tax to the crown in addition to a 15% increase of their max levy which is to be given to the crown in times of war. Any Vassal found to be breaking this law shall be imprisoned and judged accordingly.
This law would not be formally passed until July 1099, and yet it shows how concerned Tancred was with securing his realm. But to fully understand his concerns we must look at Tancred’s Uncle Roger the Hunchback and his other Uncle, Guido.
A Tale of Two Uncles
Prince Roger had served as chancellor of Sicily since he came of age in 1077, and was respected for keeping many disputes both in the royal court and the counties of Sicily from boiling over as well as for his great diplomatic skill. This is a great contrast to Prince Guido his brother who was generally disliked by many, for his deceitfulness and general lack of diplomatic skill. What concerned Tancred was the fact that these two men, had land, (which had passed to them after the passing of King Roger, due to the law of Gavelkind.) Not, to mention the fact that they would inherit strong claims to the Kingdom of Sicily, which is why Tancred was concerned. Indeed, Bohemond had limited claimants within Sicily itself by marrying off his daughters and his other sons to various rulers throughout Europe, something that Tancred would imitate, but Bohemond had been unable to oust his brothers from their counties and so was forced to accept that their descendants would be a concern for his line of the dynasty.
The War for Salerno
Within the final month of 1096, Tancred decided to move against the last independent nation within Sicily, the ‘Kingdom’ of Salerno. In truth it was a very one sided war, with Salerno lacking any allies their forces where utterly crushed at the Battle of Castiell e Arechi. It was during this battle that Tancred learned the value of Heavy Infantry, as he led them charging through the enemy lines, in an attempt to shatter the centre of the opposing forces. Following this great victory, Salerno was quickly besieged and the war was won in less than a year.
A Pilgrimage to Rome – Crusader Kings
Following this victory and unification of the Italian Boot, Tancred went on a pilgrimage to the holy city of Rome, while he did not acquire any new skills or become a Zealot, on this holy journey he returned home with news from the Papacy.
The Crusades were about to begin…
---
Well there you go the first chapter of the reign of Tancred, next week, we return to Spain and the First Crusade will begin...
Yet despite all of this Tancred was able to hold onto the kingdom, and continue to take Sicily from strength to strength, during the summer months of 1096 Tancred attempted to improve his vassal’s obligations to him as their ruler. The law states the following:
The Vassals obligations law as written by Prince Roger Chancellor of Sicily.
Following the passing of this law, all vassals of the kingdom of Sicily, are to provide 9% more tax to the crown in addition to a 15% increase of their max levy which is to be given to the crown in times of war. Any Vassal found to be breaking this law shall be imprisoned and judged accordingly.
This law would not be formally passed until July 1099, and yet it shows how concerned Tancred was with securing his realm. But to fully understand his concerns we must look at Tancred’s Uncle Roger the Hunchback and his other Uncle, Guido.
A Tale of Two Uncles
Prince Roger had served as chancellor of Sicily since he came of age in 1077, and was respected for keeping many disputes both in the royal court and the counties of Sicily from boiling over as well as for his great diplomatic skill. This is a great contrast to Prince Guido his brother who was generally disliked by many, for his deceitfulness and general lack of diplomatic skill. What concerned Tancred was the fact that these two men, had land, (which had passed to them after the passing of King Roger, due to the law of Gavelkind.) Not, to mention the fact that they would inherit strong claims to the Kingdom of Sicily, which is why Tancred was concerned. Indeed, Bohemond had limited claimants within Sicily itself by marrying off his daughters and his other sons to various rulers throughout Europe, something that Tancred would imitate, but Bohemond had been unable to oust his brothers from their counties and so was forced to accept that their descendants would be a concern for his line of the dynasty.
The War for Salerno
Within the final month of 1096, Tancred decided to move against the last independent nation within Sicily, the ‘Kingdom’ of Salerno. In truth it was a very one sided war, with Salerno lacking any allies their forces where utterly crushed at the Battle of Castiell e Arechi. It was during this battle that Tancred learned the value of Heavy Infantry, as he led them charging through the enemy lines, in an attempt to shatter the centre of the opposing forces. Following this great victory, Salerno was quickly besieged and the war was won in less than a year.
A Pilgrimage to Rome – Crusader Kings
Following this victory and unification of the Italian Boot, Tancred went on a pilgrimage to the holy city of Rome, while he did not acquire any new skills or become a Zealot, on this holy journey he returned home with news from the Papacy.
The Crusades were about to begin…
---
Well there you go the first chapter of the reign of Tancred, next week, we return to Spain and the First Crusade will begin...
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Good to see you found time to update between exams, although I'm sure everyone wouldn't have minded waiting if you didn't have time.
Sounds like there's a conflict brewing in the family. It's always nerve-wracking having relatives with claims on your titles.
Sounds like there's a conflict brewing in the family. It's always nerve-wracking having relatives with claims on your titles.
Good to see you found time to update between exams, although I'm sure everyone wouldn't have minded waiting if you didn't have time.
Sounds like there's a conflict brewing in the family. It's always nerve-wracking having relatives with claims on your titles.
Most of this chapter was finished already, just needed to finish it up and edit the images. Roger and Gudio's son's worry me a little, but hopefully I can them and their fathers in check.
Great new update Saxon and good to pick this up again. As always your writing is tight and efficient but always interesting too. Welcome back