With how close it is to Christmas, I realized my 'weekly' update goal would of had me posting on Christmas Day. So I decided to post today, that way I don't miss my deadline.
Comments are always welcome, and here we go.
Chapter 5: Why are we friends with the Georgians again?
Darn Hordes.
Dramatis Personae
Armenia:
Gosdantin III Lusignan, King of Cilicia
Zoe Lusignan nee Komnenos, Queen of Cilicia
Avedis Kazanjian, Royal Treasurer/Diplomat (Level One Trade Tech Investor)
Lukasz Kurowecki, Minister of the Army (Level Three Fortification Expert)
Allies of Armenia:
Alexios III Komnenos, King of Trebizond
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With the somewhat depressing end to the First Ottoman War (none in Cilicia had any doubts it would be the only one), Armenia went into a phase of avoiding war with its neighbors. Byzantine and Knight guarantees, plus the triple alliance with Trebizond, Cyprus and Georgia aside, they weren't ready. At best, the territory they controlled could support ten thousand troops...the treasury couldn't do more than five without risking going into the negatives.
Thus, the court contented themselves with watching news from the other nations for now. Such as a very good reason that Cilicia was no longer a Roman vassal:
"If the Austrians will annex their own people, how would the Byzantines act towards us?" Avedis mused, reading the dispatch he had received (ironically, from a Roman messenger).
"Not well, my ancestors broke away for a reason," Zoe piped up, referring to Trebizond forming its own Empire some time before the Crusaders had sacked Constantinople.
Avedis nodded, "You have a point there."
You see, the Romans weren't generally viewed favorably in the Armenian court. Probably had something to do with not helping enough when the Turks overran Armenia-proper and reduced that great nation to the enclave in southern Anatolia they currently were. Trebizond was different, so
their view of the split was generally more accepted.
A distraction soon arose in the form of the King slamming the door behind him, looking distinctly harried.
"Sir?" Avedis questioned.
"Don't let Lukasz in here," Gosdantin said, panting slightly.
"You mentioned me my Liege?" a Polish-accented voice said from the window.
Leaning in from said window was Lukasz, grinning devilishly.
"..."
"..."
"How did you get up there?" Zoe asked, when it became clear the other two weren't going to.
Lukasz shrugged, "I redesigned this Castle, there are few places I
can't reach my Queen."
"And why is my husband so determined you shouldn't be here?"
"Well..."
"How was I supposed to know I insulted the Georgian ambassador? I assumed I was saying 'hello'," Gosdantin defended himself.
"You called his mother a dirt..." Lukasz began, before the King silenced him with a glare.
"I assume this has to do with the message I received from the Georgians?" Avedis spoke up, holding up another diplomatic message from the pile on his desk.
"...are you sure you didn't intentionally insult him dear?" Zoe asked dubiously.
"Positive," Gosdantin replied, "even if I hadn't had to hide here..."
"Which didn't work."
"I was coming to say goodbye before I rally the army. The Eretnids are still hurting from their last war and are allowing our troops to move through to help Georgia," he finished with a glare at the unrepentant Pole.
"Be careful," Zoe said, hugging the King.
"Don't worry dear, our army will be backing up your Fathers, so we won't be alone."
And with that, the King of Cilicia marched to yet another war. Little did he know that this would be his last...
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As they marched through territory still under assault from Byzantine forces, messages came from home. The riots that had arisen from the loss to the Ottomans had finally calmed down. Coincidentally, they had died down exactly when the missionaries in the newly renamed Orha Province had finished returning it to the Orthodox Christian fold.
(The Knights are doing amazingly well this game...)
This good news rose the Army's spirits as they rode through the Eretnid territory on their march to Georgia. The locals were unfriendly at best, but when they entered Giresun and Trebizond's territory began it changed significantly. Naturally, news had filtered down about Zoe's marriage to Gosdantin, and the Trebizondian people were coming out to see who their Princess had married. This lead to large groups of people cheering the Armenian Army on as it moved towards Georgia. Even a handful of stray units of Trebizond's army latched on so that they could join up with the main force already holding steady in Georgia.
Unfortunately, the good news couldn't last forever. As the Army crossed the border, news came from Avedis and it was
not good.
Most of Ak Koyunlu's territory had fallen to the Mamluks.
"We're surrounded now my King. Lukasz is rallying the reserves and implementing more improvements to our fortifications, and the Navy is ready to evacuate Queen Zoe and Prince Musegh to Cyprus if need be. Please hurry and return."
As he read that message in the bitterly cold Georgian fall, Gosdantin frowned. It wasn't surprising that the Mamluks had expanded...but it was still far from a good thing.
"Come on men! We need to end this war quickly!!"
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Soon enough, banners became visible in the distance, many nations represented in their common goal of holding back the Horde. Byzantine, Georgian and Trebizond dominated, though Gosdantin thought he could pick out a few mercenary banners from nations such as Serbia. Standing at the head of the formation, and waiting to greet the approaching Armenians was the imposing form of Alexios Komnenos, the Commander of this mismatched Army.
"It is good to see you my son!" the Trebizondian called out, walking up and shaking hands with Gosdantin.
"It is good to see you too," Gosdantin agreed, "is this all we could muster?"
Alexios looked out at the twenty thousand troops and nodded, "With your regiments bolstering our forces to twenty regiments, yes. Palaiologos sent one regiment, the Georgians have gathered their entire army, and so have I."
"As have I," Gosdantin added, "the Horde?"
Alexios sighed, "Fourteen regiments besieging Abkhazia, and at least as many gathered around Grozny."
"Grozny? I thought that was their own territory?"
"It was, until rebels took control and asked for our governance."
"..."
"I didn't think it was a good idea either my son."
Before either man could discuss things further, a scout came up to Alexios with a message to deliver...the Horde had taken Abkhazia and was marching on the encampment. Battle had come to Georgia!!!
At first, the battle was going well for the Allies. The famed Mongol cavalry was being battered against the equally skilled Armenians, while Georgian and Byzantine spearmen kept the infantry busy. Alexios himself lead his own army on a flanking maneuver, aiming to push the Horde's troops into a trap. Unfortunately, despite suffering far more losses, a final charge of Mongol cavalry broke through the area where the Romans and Georgians met. Facing a potential surrounding of his army, Gosdantin took temporary command and ordered a withdrawal.
As the Allies fell back on Alania, Gosdantin watched from the rear as the Horde began a new siege. The Armenian cavalry had proven superior to the infamous Mongols in this battle, but it hadn't been enough to prevent the flaws of a multinational army from rearing its head...namely the difference in tactics between the Byzantines and Georgians. However...there may be a way to counter that...
"Alexios!!" the Armenian called out, riding up to his father-in-law's own horse.
"Yes my son?" the Trebizondian replied.
"I have a plan..."
(for the record I still have no idea how Trebizond got Grozny. I just
assume it was rebels of some sort)
As the Trebizondian, Roman, and Georgian Armies consolidated around Alania, the Armenians continued on to the border of Kartli. The aim here was drawing the Horde into a trap. A successful one this time. Despite the losses suffered in the last battle, the Alliance could still muster twelve effective regiments. These men numbered the same as the Mongols chasing them, and the hope was that they could hold long enough for the Armenians to spring their trap.
And, at first, it looked like it would work. The two armies proved evenly matched under Alexios' command, neither giving any ground. The Armenians were coming in on the undefended flank of the Horde army, ready to smash them against the Allied walls. All was going according to plan when...
The Georgians signed a white-peace with the Golden Horde. Later historians would believe the beatings the Alliance Army had given the Horde gave them pause, and told them this wouldn't be an easy fight...especially if the Byzantines could bring the full force of their own Army to bear. At the time, Gosdantin just cursed up a storm, and was forced to sign his own white peace, with the ever-present threat of the Mamluks hovering over his homeland.
Alexios was understanding of this.
"Keep my daughter safe. That comes first my son...my friend. Palaiologos and I will continue to fight the Horde until Grozny is safe."
Gosdantin nodded, coughing slightly as he rallied his battered force and marched them back to Cilicia.
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When the King and his Army returned to Cilicia, the first thing he did was order an expansion of the Navy. The recent battles with the Horde and the Ottomans had made it quite clear Armenia couldn't stand up to the larger Islamic nations on its own. So he wanted a secure navy that could safely evacuate Zoe and his son to Cyprus if need be.
"Are you sure you're okay dear?" Zoe asked, worry showing quite plainly on her face.
Gosdantin coughed, something he had been doing ever since he had returned from the campaign in Georgia, "I'm fine, don't worry about me dear."
Zoe looked dubious, so the King put a hand on her cheek and looked in her brown eyes, "Don't worry. Even if I should die, you are in good hands. As much as they annoy me, Avedis and Lukasz know what they're doing. I wouldn't trust anyone else in command of my nation."
"Just...please be careful," the Queen said, "I don't want to lose you so soon. It hasn't even been ten years yet...our son is still so young."
Gosdantin grinned, even if it was painful to do so, "Oh don't worry, just because I trust those two doesn't mean I have any plans of dying yet."
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Nonetheless, the King had to delegate more and more to his Court as he was getting sicker by the day. This lead to many problems in the outlying cities, such as a corrupt Bailiff.
Gosdantin was forced to order an execution, knowing that Armenia couldn't afford any problems with the Mamluks brutally cracking down on revolts in their new territory. Toss in the fall of Ak Koyunlu to Ottoman sponsored rebels, and things looked bleak. The Eretnids remained the only friendly Islamic nation in the area, and they came with the problem of blocking access to Trebizond.
And the problems didn't even end there, as the Knights new border with Armenia lead to some friction between the states.
(note: Yes, that says 1360. The screenshot is older than the 'story' timeline is at. But it provided nice material, so I used it here.)
It was the refusal of Gosdantin to capitalize on these issues that lead to the Eretnids being the first Islamic nation to open official ties with Armenia, beyond sending declarations of war. They were far from being willing to offer an alliance, but it was hoped in the future, they could be used as another ally against Ottoman aggression, and a buffer that would allow Cilicia to concentrate on reclaiming the Homeland.
Sadly, Gosdantin would not live to see that day. For on July 8th, 1366, the King who had secured the Quadruple Alliance, fought the Turks and Mongols, and reclaimed Urfa...passed away in his sleep.
Cilicia was now in mourning, as Queen Zoe tearfully assumed control of the functions of State, with Lukasz and Avedis continuing their own duties while tutoring young Musegh, who would now grow up without a father.
Ten years in, and I already have my first King dead with the Mamluks cutting me off from all my allies aside from the Knights. I'm aiming for forming the rare Christian/Muslim alliance with the Eretnids, who really are quite surprisingly friendly to me, but for now its still the Quadruple Alliance of Armenia, Cyprus, Georgia, and Trebizond that will bear most of the fighting.
Next update will be sometime after Christmas. Also, a question...does this writing style work? Just want to make sure if I should adjust things or not. And on that subject, does anyone have a favorite character? Want to make sure I'm developing people well enough and all.
). Cilician Armenia starts as a Three Province Minor, nestled where Karaman/Ramazan would be in Vanilla DW. Its an Orthodox nation, surrounded on all sides by hostile Muslim neighbors. To make matters worse, we are Eastern Tech group. Can it survive and retake the Armenian Homeland? And reform the Kingdom of Armenia? Or will I be eaten up by some combination of the Ottomans and Mamluks (+allies)?
