The Reign of Tancred De Hautville - Chapter VI Norman No Longer 1112 – 1116
With the Irish Invasion dealt with, Tancred received a nickname from the common folk; they began to call him Tancred Ironside because of his many victories and skill in battle.
Roger who had been imprisoned after the invasion had been defeated was banished from Sicily never to return on pain of death, he returned to Ireland to his wife and children. The money he would have used to pay for his forces was seized and used for building projects throughout the Kingdom.
At the beginning of the year 1113, news reached Sicily that a new holy order had been formed, The Knights of Saint John. Once carers and healers of the sick, they now had the full weight of the Catholic Church behind them and had now militarised to protect the Holy Land from the Muslims.
Only a month later, Rey Blasco once again asked for Tancred’s aid in Hispania, Tancred once again gathered his forces to return to Spain, privately however he decreed that this would be the last time he support Rey Blasco in his wars in Iberia. As Tancred wished to focus on expansion on his own terms, for he was tired of helping Blasco expanding his land across Spain.
The next month, Tancred and his three sons who had not become Sicilian converted to the Culture of Sicily. No longer would the De Huatville main line be Normand, Tancred’s descents would be Sicilian, with little French influence within their bloodline. The army was radicalised in terms of armour and weaponry, pike men discarded shields in favour of a single long pike, heavy cavalry soon bore a striking resemblance to the Eastern Cataphract while the heavy infantry of Sicily put down the sword in favour of the axe.
The De Huatvilles had now thrown off their Norman culture and integrated with the local society but at what cost to future generations?
The year went by as Tancred travelled to Spain with 10,000 men and did little in Rey Blascos war apart from laying siege to one county. News reached him however that his son Roger came of age, despite his best efforts to train him as a warrior he had failed to train him well, for despite Roger’s ability to understand tactics he could not apply them well on the field of battle due to his lack of fighting skill. His weakness in general also further showed his lack of martial ability. Ashamed of him, Tancred had him married to a Spanish Duchess, to further her own bloodline.
The war in Spain would not end until the next year in 1115, though Tancred and his forces had departed months earlier for it became clear that the victory would be easy coming for Rey Blasco.
The rest of the year passed without incident, and in early January 1116 Tancred’s son Enrico came of age, he was truly a masterful warrior, blessed with great tactical as well as fighting skill. His good looks and general lust also drew women to him like a moth to a flame. Tancred decided to give him a county in Sicily and allow him to be serve his older brother William as his marshal.
In April, Blasco once again asked for Tancred’s aid but he was refused. Tired of fighting in Spain for someone else, Tancred elected to prepare for war to bring the Muslims to heel in North Africa, as well as gabbing land in the process.
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The 1116 World Update will be done and on here tomorrow.
With the Irish Invasion dealt with, Tancred received a nickname from the common folk; they began to call him Tancred Ironside because of his many victories and skill in battle.
Roger who had been imprisoned after the invasion had been defeated was banished from Sicily never to return on pain of death, he returned to Ireland to his wife and children. The money he would have used to pay for his forces was seized and used for building projects throughout the Kingdom.
At the beginning of the year 1113, news reached Sicily that a new holy order had been formed, The Knights of Saint John. Once carers and healers of the sick, they now had the full weight of the Catholic Church behind them and had now militarised to protect the Holy Land from the Muslims.
Only a month later, Rey Blasco once again asked for Tancred’s aid in Hispania, Tancred once again gathered his forces to return to Spain, privately however he decreed that this would be the last time he support Rey Blasco in his wars in Iberia. As Tancred wished to focus on expansion on his own terms, for he was tired of helping Blasco expanding his land across Spain.
The next month, Tancred and his three sons who had not become Sicilian converted to the Culture of Sicily. No longer would the De Huatville main line be Normand, Tancred’s descents would be Sicilian, with little French influence within their bloodline. The army was radicalised in terms of armour and weaponry, pike men discarded shields in favour of a single long pike, heavy cavalry soon bore a striking resemblance to the Eastern Cataphract while the heavy infantry of Sicily put down the sword in favour of the axe.
The De Huatvilles had now thrown off their Norman culture and integrated with the local society but at what cost to future generations?
The year went by as Tancred travelled to Spain with 10,000 men and did little in Rey Blascos war apart from laying siege to one county. News reached him however that his son Roger came of age, despite his best efforts to train him as a warrior he had failed to train him well, for despite Roger’s ability to understand tactics he could not apply them well on the field of battle due to his lack of fighting skill. His weakness in general also further showed his lack of martial ability. Ashamed of him, Tancred had him married to a Spanish Duchess, to further her own bloodline.
The war in Spain would not end until the next year in 1115, though Tancred and his forces had departed months earlier for it became clear that the victory would be easy coming for Rey Blasco.
The rest of the year passed without incident, and in early January 1116 Tancred’s son Enrico came of age, he was truly a masterful warrior, blessed with great tactical as well as fighting skill. His good looks and general lust also drew women to him like a moth to a flame. Tancred decided to give him a county in Sicily and allow him to be serve his older brother William as his marshal.
In April, Blasco once again asked for Tancred’s aid but he was refused. Tired of fighting in Spain for someone else, Tancred elected to prepare for war to bring the Muslims to heel in North Africa, as well as gabbing land in the process.
---
The 1116 World Update will be done and on here tomorrow.
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