You could divor-- lose your wife in a TRAGIC ACCIDENT and marry a greek female of your dynasty matrilineally to get a Greek child. That or keep trying to educate your heirs with gregarious greek tutors and make the one who culture flips heir.
This Is Madness - Story Of The Crumbling Europe [House Angelos]
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Thanks, I'm a fan of a TV series so that's very nice to hear
And that's exactly my plan, as you'll see in the next chapters. Apart from, err, accidents.
CHAPTER 16
1348-1351
GATHERING OF VULTURES
1348-1351
GATHERING OF VULTURES
Tragic assassination of basileus Luis Angelos the Pious on 29th January 1348 was a devastating blow to the Empire. Not only the Emperor himself was murdered, but Basileia Romaion has lost one of the greatest military leaders of these dark times. No matter what lies the enemies of the House Angelos were spreading, nobody dared to question strategy and conquests of basileus. It was obvious that without his brilliant Aragonese Offensive the Second Great War with the Horde could have had a very different conclusion. Basileus Luis, the first of the Aragonese Emperors, not only strengthen the Empire but by defeating savages from the Far West he gave hope to the citizens of Basileia Romaion and to all good Christians of Europe. With him gone, the dark clouds were once again gathering over the Empire.
Basileus Luis II Angelos, ascended to the Throne on 29th January 1348, the same day his father was murdered. He was 18 years old. The reaction of the aristoi was immediate.
First were the separatists from the so called Alepponian League, who declared war on the Throne on 8th February 1348. The massive forces of the traitors were gathering in Asia Minor and with the Konstantinoupolis itself threatened, young basileus ordered elite tagmata and mercenaries to march on the rebels immediately. Strengthen by the soldiers from thema of Nikaea, Imperial Army clashed with the traitors in the mountain passage near Ancyra on 30th March 1348.
But it was just a beginning for there were a lot of aristoi from the old Romanoi families who were dissatisfied with yet another Aragonese on the Throne. Using sister of the basileus as a false pretext, powerful faction led by House Doukas demanded from the Emperor to abdicate and retire to the monastery. Their motives were clear – with a woman on the Throne they hoped to marry her with one of their kin and thus reclaim their position as the ruling House of the Empire. Basileus Luis II obviously refused to these outrageous demands and so another civil war started on 27th September 1348. House Doukas and their supporters were powerful and the war would surely make the Empire bleed again. How hungry for power are those who are willing to kill their brothers and sisters in Kristos only to achieve their goals?
But just like years ago, House Angelos found salvation in tragedy.
Young Maria Angelos was found lying in the pool of her own blood with her throat cut in her chamber in the Great Palace few weeks after the war was declared. It was a second successful assassination attempt at one of the members of the Imperial Family during the last months. Great fear overcame the citizens of the City – if even their blessed Emperor and his close ones aren't safe from the Aztec obsidian daggers or Mongol poison, what a common man can expect? The riots erupted in Konstantinoupolis, bloodily surpressed by the Varangians. Whatever the intentions of the Tengri worshippers were, with sister of basileus murdered in such a brutal way the rebels lost their justification for war. The pointless spill of Romanoi blood ended shortly after, when on 7th October traitors from Aleppian League accepted white peace with the Throne.
But it was not yet over – this time treason came from Aragon.
On 13th November duchess Onega of Navarra boldly demanded from the Throne the change of the imperial laws. As the leader of a powerful faction of aristoi, she dared to demand from the Emperor that the title of exarchos of Abyssinia was not forever tied to the Throne but available for the aristoi to have. Although distant and relatively poor province, the Exarchia of Abyssinia had powerful garrisons to guard the citizens of the Empire from the threat of Shia raids. If any aristos was to control this force, he and his family were surely to gain more power than any other Great House of the Empire. What was perhaps the most outrageous in this demand was that the last exarchos died centuries ago when Exarchia of Ravenna was lost to the barbarians and the title held by the Emperor was only titular – to give it to the aristoi would greatly weaken the Throne. But basileus wanted to secure peace, no matter what, and so a compromise was created according to which aristoi could gain the title of exarchos but only with the support of the Abyssinian themata.
Seeing what they perceived as a weakness of the Emperor, another powerful faction formed and in the person of doux Nikephoros IV of Wallachia aristoi demanded the unthinkable – to restitute the privileges gave to them by Imperial Regent Salvador de Luna decades ago. When basileus Leon VII Angelos was only a small child, the aristoi forced his regent to sign a decree which allowed them to ““solve their disputes in justified cases without bothering His Magnificence, the Emperor of Romans, so that His High Authority may not be occupied by these lowly matters”, thus eroding the power of the Throne. The results were tragic – free to enforce the “imperial justice”, the aristoi started tens of small local wars, spilling the blood of Romanoi. Themata of Basileia Romaion was greatly weaken by this tragic decree and it was only years later when basilissa Martha Angelos was able to rebuilt the authority of the Throne.
Alas, basileus Luis II had no choice, for to start another civil war would endanger the whole Empire - after short negotiations he accepted the demands of the aristoi.
The aristoi were pacified, at least for the time being. But not only the authority of the Throne was in danger – the position of House Angelos itself was threatened. Without a son or daughter, basileus Luis II only heir was porhpyrogenneta Martha Angelos. If the brother and sister were to die, the Throne would go to the pretenders from the House Doukas, who was waiting for such opportunity for decades. Without a doubt Doukoi would have their revenge on Angeloi for taking the Throne from them.
Something had to be done.
On 5th March 1349 porphyrogenneta Martha was married to Hypatios Angelos, a distant cousin of the Imperial Family. Few weeks later basileus Luis II lost his wife – princess Brunhilde von Zähringen seeing the terrible destruction caused by a disastrous civil war between the German nobles and Theoderich decided to become a nun and pray for her House, begging Our Lord for forgiveness and mercy. Kind-hearted Emperor decided to approve her petition to change the Great Palace for a monastery – and so a bride-show was announced.
In the meantime Europe was bleeding. Another invasion was declared by savages on king Faste of Sweden on 2nd May 1349. This time Aztecs decided to seize the lands of north Germany, for their appetite for death was never satisfied. But soon the imperial spies brought even more surprising news to the City - as it turned out, the England still had a king. Before Aztecs came British Isles were consumed by war among the Catholic and Cathar heretics, kings of Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland fighting each other. But since the invasion of England no new from the Isles have reached Konstantinoupolis – it was widely believed that the Christian population was completely wiped out, the fate of Scotland and Ireland remained a mystery. There was no way to even transport imperial spies to England with the seas completely controlled by savages from the Far West. But, unexpectedly, some of the heretics managed to escape and, as the reports were saying, find a safe heaven on the isles of Zeeland. What was even more impressive, suffering from hunger and disease refugees led by their king Gregory Godwin in desperation tried to capture some lands from the terrifying Cult of Huitzilopochtli. Obviously, they lost – the remnants of once might kingdom reduced to but a few islands were doomed.
Disturbed by the sad news from Europe and hoping to find a way to strengthen his position, basileus Luis II decided to make a pilgrimage to the Holy City of Hierusalem, just like his father. And nothing seemed more important to him in these dark times than God's blessing which would show everyone that he, the Emperor of Romanoi, is the true God's Regent on Earth. And so the journey began on 25th December 1349, this time by sea. Traveling on board of a splendid dromon of Imperial Navy was a fascinating experience for basileus, who so far has traveled the sea only once when his father left Aragon to take the Throne.
The Emperor with his court arrived in Hierusalem on 20th January 1350. Full of beggars and refugees, the Holy City didn't impress basileus who was used to the glory of Queen of Cities. But he had not come there to seek men but God's blessing – and he did receive it.
He met a young servant from a minor House, whose wit and beauty made a great impression on him. Iulia Balsamon was a daughter of a horeiarios of Hierusalem, a was in charge of distributing food from the state granaries to the poor. Although not wealthy or influential, even such insignificant family as House Balsamon had a right to present a maiden to the Emperor during bride-show – and so did her father. The Emperor, impressed by her knowledge about Hierusalem was spending hours with her at his side, visiting Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Gethsemane, garden at the foot of Mount of Olives were Our Lord and Savior Iesus Kristos prayed to his Father the night before His crucifixion and from where Theotokos was assumed into Heaven. She was like a precious flower on a desert, a priceless gem hidden in a distant province. Basileus Luis II fell in love and he took Iulia Balsamon as his wife in Church of the Holy Sepulchre on 15th February 1349, with a much more glorious ceremony planned to be taken in Hagia Sophia after the pilgrimage was over. Blessed by God, basileus and basilissa found peace and love in the Holy City – a rare thing to enjoy in such harsh times.
Alas, it didn't last long.
When the news of the Emperors' pilgrimage reached the common men, a violent Tengri revolt erupted on 27th February 1349. Worshippers of the Dark Gods were hoping to seize the Hierusalem and kill basileus Luis II, whose sole presence so close to the border of consumed by terrible civil war Ilkhanate was a show of courage. He was forced to shorten the pilgrimage and with Iulia Balsamon as his wife and blessing of God he left the Holy Land while the themata were gathering to suppress the dangerous revolt.
Having returned to Konstantinoupolis, Emperor decided to put an end to Mongol threat to Hierusalem and ordered Imperial Army to destroy horse-lords whose petty realms border Basileia Romaion. Isolated from the Horde, they couldn't resist the power of the Empire and soon were defeated, their armies wiped out and their subjects taken as slaves.
Just a couple of weeks after return to the City, Iulia Balsamon was blessed by a child. To celebrate this, Emperor gave the Holy Church a generous donation and ordered to built a chapel in Great Palace with holy icons from Hierusalem for his wife.
Taking this a sign from God, the Emperor ordered celebrations in the whole Basileia Romaion – with Iulia pregnant and Mongols defeated it seemed that a short period of strife after his father murder was finally over. Although de facto controlled by the Empire for decades, with the reconquest of the last small province from the barbarians the restoration of province of Aegyptus was declared by basileus on 12th March 1351. The citizens of Basileia Romaion rejoiced.
Several months later, on 16th June 1351 porhpyrogennetos and heir to the Throne Markos Angelos was borned. His arrival to this world not only secured the line of the Imperial Family but, being named after Saint Markos, he was a symbol of hope for the people and his father. With aristoi pacified – although for a great cost – and secured borders, the Emperor could start thinking not only about preserving Basileia Romaion and his rule but also about expansion.
Consumed by a terrible civil war which already lasted for years and saw tens of thousands of Mongols slaughtered in battles between different factions, the Horde posed no threat to the Empire. With the savages from the Far West occupied in central Europe and Shia reduced to a shadow of their former glory the borders were safe, at least for the time being. Civil war between the German lords was a perfect occasion to reconquer old imperial provinces. With the new doge elected in Republic of Pisa, it was also a good time to finally drove out the traitorous Pisans from the Empire and secure the imperial trade routes. Embargo on Pisans could also gave the Emperor support from the merchants – and there was never enough gold in the imperial coffers.
But in these times of chaos nothing is certain and nobody expected what Shia Caliph happened declared on 5th November 1351.
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Take advantage of the Ilkhan's weakness. Attack and reconquer so the Tengri holy wars are that much weaker. Start with the Duchy of Arabia. Taking that will open up to take Nefoud and Mecca, which will in turn let YOU take out the Shia in Sanaa so their lands are part of the Empire. I also suggest you get a dang good spymaster for assassinations and make your ambition to boost your martial. Expel the Jews if you're desperate.
EDIT: Most of all, get a Greek to educate your heir. He must be loyal and gregarious at the bare minimum.
EDIT: Most of all, get a Greek to educate your heir. He must be loyal and gregarious at the bare minimum.
Sucha daring move! Show them their true place ! Although I smella manzikert from the disloyal aristoi :/
The Horde has really imploded - very welcome news indeed. That means only the Aztecs form an existential threat to the Empire right now (well, they and the traitorous aristoi). Go smack down those uppity Shia and then... Frankly, I don't know what to do next. Much will depend on when the Aztecs next declare war. If they leave you be, this would be a great time to push the Pisans out of Italy - they can remain alive as a useful barrier between you and Aztec France.
Oh, and as everybody else is saying, try to hellenize your son. Should provide some extra stability.
Oh, and as everybody else is saying, try to hellenize your son. Should provide some extra stability.
The Horde has really imploded - very welcome news indeed. That means only the Aztecs form an existential threat to the Empire right now (well, they and the traitorous aristoi). Go smack down those uppity Shia and then... Frankly, I don't know what to do next. Much will depend on when the Aztecs next declare war. If they leave you be, this would be a great time to push the Pisans out of Italy - they can remain alive as a useful barrier between you and Aztec France.
Oh, and as everybody else is saying, try to hellenize your son. Should provide some extra stability.
Stability with vassal opinions and Cataphracts!
Shia are dying like a heathen dogs they are - that is, smaller than you think.
With recent levy nerf outside of de jure realm I don't think that getting more Mongol/Tengri provinces would help. But to fight my way through to the last Shia emirate is a good idea I think.
I know, I know, I'm working on it
To live in these times is to be one amongst millions, it is to live in a collapsing, warring continent.This alt hist world just give and give when it comes to grief.
Well, we'll see about that soon...
I was also thinking about Italy - it makes sense both story-wise and game-wise plus battle of Calcinaia - never forget!The Horde has really imploded - very welcome news indeed. That means only the Aztecs form an existential threat to the Empire right now (well, they and the traitorous aristoi). Go smack down those uppity Shia and then... Frankly, I don't know what to do next. Much will depend on when the Aztecs next declare war. If they leave you be, this would be a great time to push the Pisans out of Italy - they can remain alive as a useful barrier between you and Aztec France.
Oh, and as everybody else is saying, try to hellenize your son. Should provide some extra stability.
Savages are so far concentrating on the central and northern Europe, so the biggest threat is probably a deadly combination of aristoi and the Horde.And yup, I'm going to do exactly this - it's about time to have a Greek ruler.
Not only that but heir is porphyrogenneto, which gives even more prestige and bonus to vassal opinion.
Few faction wars, several uprisings and liberation revolts - yeah, they are completely divided. How long would it last is another question entirely however.
They are determined, I'll give them that. But it was worse during the regency of Leon VII since I couldn't really do anything about their plots and factions with terrible diplomacy and Imperial Regent changing laws according to his whim.
CHAPTER 17
1351-1353
GLORY OF GOD
1351-1353
GLORY OF GOD
Jihad. Unholy war in the name of a false god. For centuries it was feared by good Christians, for the legions of Muslim fanatics were vast and without mercy. But nobody expected this to happen then, not with the Shia Caliphate in its pathetic state. The followers of the Prophet were dying, most of their lands conquered by Aztec savages or the brutal horse-lords of the Horde. Persecuted and hunted down like animals in barbarian realms, finally the Muslims were punished for the atrocities they did to the God's children. Just like the fanatics of the Prophet under banners of islam spreading their blasphemous beliefs by fire and sword, the barbarians from the East and invaders from the Far West were cleansing the world from unbelievers. Dark Gods worshipped by them demanded blood of those faithful to the teachings of Prophet – and so they were dying by tens of thousands. Decades after the invasions began, Muslims were all but wiped out, with small communities scattered across the world. After Sunni faith was declared heresy by Ibadi majority, then flourishing on the ashes of Christian Iberia, more divisions in umma followed. First were Yazidi who believed that when God created the world He left seven angels in charge of the Earth. According to their blasphemous beliefs, Peacock Angels was chief of the Seven, a being called by them Melek Taus and known by the other Muslims as Shaytan – Diabolos. These heretics managed to rise in prominence so much that just a few decades after Ibadi triumph they were in complete control of Sultanate of Mali. This distant and mysterious realm hidden deep in the jungles of Africa has remained isolated to this day and not much is known about it. Surprisingly, Mali was completely ignored by the Aztec invaders, some believe it's because of Melek Taus is in fact a daemon, one of the servants to the Dark Gods.
When the jihad was declared, the Sunni were no more and remnants of small Ibadi communities were going extinct under the oppressive rule of the Aztecs. The once great umma was reduced to Shia Caliphate and small emirate ruled by Aghlab Aghlabid, called by his servants “the Liberator”. With Sunni Caliphate destroyed completely by Mongols decades ago, Caliph Suhail Zaiaid was one of the last remaining descendants of the Prophet. Forced out of Abyssinia by Imperial Army, his realm was reduced to but a few strongholds and cities. He knew that the days of Shia were numbered and out of desperation he decided to launch one last hopeless attack against Christians.
This didn't mean however that the Shia snakes couldn't bite.
Wicked Caliph ordered all men and children above age of 13 to take arms and join his army. Together with cursed Mamluks, still loyal to the Caliphate, this huge forces left Aden defenseless and soon on 12th December 1351 they arrived on the coast of Abyssinia and laid siege to fortress of Tadjoura. What Shia Caliph wanted to achieve by this remains unknown – perhaps the infidel dogs preferred to die by the sword then to await for their inevitable destruction. Basileus Luis II decided to send elite forces against the Shia army – not only tagmata but also Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre and even some members of the Varangian Guard were sent to Abyssinia.
It was a slaughter.
By the time when on 6th July 1352 Imperial Army met the forces of the enemy in mountains of Ambassel, the Shia forces have shrank considerably. Deadly sun of Africa and resistance of citizens of the Empire, most of whom remembered the times of oppression under the rule of Shia, was a deadly combination. Thousands of men and children from the Shia army died by disease or water from a poisoned wells. What was left was mainly composed of Mamlukes and soldiers of once great army of Caliphate.
Although the infidels were in control of mountains passages and their main forces had a betters position on the battlefield, they were no match for the elite of the Imperial Army. With superior numbers and tactics, Romanoi soldiers led by one of the best strategoi of the Empire were victorious. And just like the orders from the City demanded, they showed the infidels the might of the Throne.
No prisoners were taken. Every captive Muslim, was it a Mamluk or a Caliphate soldier was put to the sword for there is no mercy for the enemies of Our Lord Iesus Kristos. Children who could barely hold their spears sent by their Caliph for certain death were spared however – castrated they were going to serve as eunuchs for the Empire. Mountains of Ambassel were bathed in blood of the Shia and with the destruction of his last army, Caliphate was completely defenseless.
But by the time the news of this glorious victory reached Konstantinoupolis, the attention of the Emperor turned to the East.
On 18th August 1352 the disastrous civil war which began with death of khagan Menggei in 1341 was declared to be over. His young son's regent was completely unable to control the vast Mongol realm – the Ilkhanate has divided into dozens of small fiefdoms, waging wars against each other. After 11 years of infighting during which whole nations were wiped out and cities burned to the ground, the Horde chose its new master and the horse-lords accepted him as their overlord. But the House Toluid was no longer in power.
Bogorchu Csikid, grandson of khagan Belgutei, son of Yesugei, emerged from the chaos as the new khagan. According to the reports from Bureau of Barbarians, he was not only very young but also wasn't as warlike as most of the Mongol war-chiefs. While other claimants to the supreme power over the Horde died in pointless battles between their armies, he remained hidden aside, patiently waiting for the other pretendents to bleed out and building alliances. When the time came, faction which was supporting him turned out to be the most powerful and so using rather cunning than raw power he became a Great Khan.
This terrible news meant not only that the Horde was once again united by that it was led by not by a simple barbarian but by an intelligent and devious one. This could mean that the days of fragile peace were over. On the other hand, as eunuchs from Skrinion ton Barbaron suggested, with his position still not strong enough to risk open confrontation with Basileia Romaion this new khagan was probably going to concentrate on eliminating all opposition among the horse-lords rather than waging war against the Empire. But the Mongols were unpredictable, being animals they are – and there never can be peace between the light of civilization and darkness of the nomadic hordes of barbarians.
On 26th January 1353 the wicked Caliph of the Shia finally accepted his utter defeat. With all his soldiers butchered, his realm was now limited to but a few holdings, his subjects being mostly women, children and elderly. And although as it turned out not all Mamluks were sent to Abyssinia, what little was left of the Caliphate was now completely defenseless.
And so the last jihad of Shia has ended.
A great triumph was held in Konstantinoupolis, with hundreds of young Shia eunuchs kept in cages behind the parading soldiers of the Imperial Army. The God was with basileus Luis II Angelos and his beloved Basileia Romaion, there was no doubt about it. The City celebrated and even the aristoi were forced to acknowledge this splendid victory of their Emperor. Young Luis II finally felt that the Throne's authority is rebuild and that his Empire is safe.
Another blessing was received on 24th February 1353, when Iulia Balsamon announced that she's expecting another child. The line of the Imperial Family and a position of the House Angelos was secured. Basileus rejoiced – not only the Empire was defended against the infidels but his beloved wife was going to give him another child. Feeling confident and perhaps even happy – a rare privilege in these dark times - the Emperor set his plan in motion.
Even with the Horde united once again, it would take at least a couple of years before the Mongol try to devour the Empire like they did so many times. Complete defeat of the Caliphate proved above all else that the southern borders are safe and that the Imperial Army can protect the citizens in Abyssinia, Nubia or Aegyptus. With Aztecs distracted by rebellions in what once was Scandinavia and France, the Emperor turned his attention to heretics.
Since the Cathar Schism initiated by declaration of Ninety-Five Theses by kaiser Eudes IV de Blois on 26 January 1168 in Wittenberg, central Europe was consumed by devastating religious wars. Struggle between the kaiser of Cathars and the rest of the Latins following arrogan bishop of Rome brought them only ruin. Being torn apart by a disastrous wars between heretics, each side claiming the other is betraying Our Lord while both of them were obviously wrong in their blasphemous beliefs, Germany and France were bleeding for decades. When the savages from the Far West arrived, heretics were divided and terribly weakened and not only they became the first prey of the Aztecs but they also allowed the invasion to continue unopposed. Without a doubt the Latins wouldn't have succumb so easily to the savages if the Cathars and Catholics weren't fighting for control. It was only when Saint Markos mended the First Schism the good Christians of Europe returned to the Holy Church and Free Men started to fight back the invaders.
In the year 1353 what Cathars blasphemously called “Holy Roman Empire” was a pathetic remnant of its former might. Once the most powerful state of the Latins was reduced to nothing more but a few isolated counties, struggling to survive surrounded by Catholic heretics, Aztec savages and good Christians of Germany. The so called “kaiser” had to fight for scraps with refugees from England still surviving on the isles of Zeeland and Teutonic Order, still loyal to Catholic heresy. Magnus II Ezzonen had no real authority and with both him and heretic bishop of Rome left with virtually no power over Christendom, there was only one Defender of Faith – the Emperor himself. Still standing Christian realms acknowledged this over the decades. Every one of the Free Men of Europe knew that the heart of Christian World lies in Konstantinoupolis and that their only Protector is basileus, ruling over Basileia Romaion from the Queen of Cities. Having survived countless attacks of the barbarians and even with Caliphate on its knees, the Empire was the last best hope of Christendom, being its Shield with Imperial Army as a Sword of God.
Basileus Luis II Angelos decided that the time has come for the Latins to officially recognize this.
By the first days of May 1353 envoys from all Christian rulers arrived in Konstantinoupolis. Emissaries from kingdoms of Poland and Bohemia, envoys from Aquitaine, diplomats from king Theodorich of Germany, still consumed by a civil war. Even kingdom of Sweden, desperately fighting against Aztecs and Romuva pagans, sent special plenipotentiaries to the Queen of Cities. Only the treacherous Pisans ignored the invitation of the Emperor, affront for which they were going to pay.
And so on 29th May 1353, after all the documents have been signed, basileus Luis II Angelos together with basilissa Ioulia Balsamon, surrounded by Latin emissaries, members of the High Council and courtiers of the Great Palace, walked slowly in a long procession to the Holy Church of Hagia Sophia to share the joyous news with aristoi and citizens of the City.
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Romaion is reborn, officially. The last, good hope for peace and victory over the barbarians. Will she deliver?
That Ilkhanate Khan is really sitting on throne made of blades. With zero intrigue he will be assasinated.
Hopefully, he'll have an underage heir before that happens. I liked it when the Ilkhanate was completely shattered - seeing it reform like that was a nasty surprise.
Still, the Roman Empire lives again, unchallenged by western pretenders. Does this mean the 'Holy Roman Empire' title no longer exists?
So far, so good. Given the level of violence we've seen in this update, it's a time of peace and quiet for the Empire. I wonder how long until the Aztecs throw themselves at your legions, and how far behind the Mongols will be...
It exist if you look pictures closely and their situation is pretty much same as Byzantines in 1453.
Will the Reborn Rome save Europe from these dark invaders? Or will Roman intrigue find the absolute worst time to fuck things up and get everyone killed or converted?