Vindicatio Vasconum: the rise of House Ximena

[NeoAC]

Vindicatio Vasconum: the rise of the House Ximena

No, it's not a typo.

The term Dark Ages refers to the lack of written records of the time period. It's no surprise, then, to find that there are truckloads of things that we ignore about the history and whereabouts of this House. For starters, the origin of their name. It looks like it stems from a certain Jimeno, chieftain over some lands and a handful of Vascons somewhere in the northern lands of modern Navarre, circa 720. One of his grandsons, Eneko or Iñigo Aritza/Arizta, the Oak Tree, (What? Did you think that those guys had less pompous names than other Kings?), would become the first recognized King of Pamplona, making House Iñiga a cadet branch of House Ximena.

Anyway, there is something quite certain. The ancient pronunciation of "Jimena", put into modern Spanish or Basque, would be closer to "Ximena", with a sound close to the one at the beginning of Shakespeare.

And with my apologies about the boring history lesson, I can define the game

The game:
v1.091
Updated to v1.092 Since Emperor Eneko I
1.111
Sword of Islam
Legacy of Rome
The Republic
Dynasty coats

...and first goals.

1) Carve a big enough realm to survive without fears of being crushed by some casual invasion.

2) Unite the land of the Ximena. ​

Check! And check!
Long term, much more ambitious, goals include

3) Apply some historical karma to the Franks and take Paris. Final Check!

4) Apply a lot more karma and undo as much as Charlemagne's legacy as possible. Even taking over the Holy Roman Empire (mwah ha ha!). Check! ​

Let's begin, and may the black eagle soar high!

Antso IV of Navarra and I of Hispania​

Chapter 1: Defying Fate

Chapter 2: The first two complete duchies

Chapter 3: Swords, Marriages and... Wine?

Chapter 4: One Iberia, One True Faith, One True Ximena King

Chapter 5: Interlude: Si vis pacem, para bellum.

Chapter 6: Birth of an Empire.

Chapter 7: The late years of a legend.

​

Piñolo I of Navarra and Hispania​

Chapter 1: Crisis and determination

Chapter 2: The North African Crusade begins

Chapter 3: No limit

Chapter 4: On great men and great goals


Eneko I of Hispania and II of Navarra

Chapter 1: Expand or Die!

Chapter 2: Africa will be ours!

Chapter 3: The Holy Truce Breaker

Chapter 4: A legacy to consider


Munio I of Hispania and Navarra

Prologue

Final Chapter


​

 

[DensleyBlair]

Having enjoyed your last (ill-fated) AAR, I'll be keeping my eye in this. Good luck!

 

[Clophiroth]

Will be following this n.n

 

[NeoAC]

Antso IV (I)

Antso IV (I): Defying Fate
1066-1071​

Pamplona
1066


For more than three months, King Antso, fourth of his name, had found it really difficult to sleep. Of course, his natural lack of talents and inclination to cruelty coupled with the fact that he made some unknown peasant girl pregnant twice could be enough to make a god-fearing man sleepless. But it wasn't just that.

With the sunset, he had a look of his small city. It could be easy to overlook it. In fact, the entire Kingdom could be easily overlooked, as it was poor and fighting for it almost a lost cause. Nothing there could spark something like the epic battle between Norse, Saxon and Norman that the English Crown started.

For more than 300 years and starting with King Eneko, men related to Antso had ruled those lands. He was named after his grandfather, who ruled over Navarra, Aragon, Castille and even Leon, before dying in an accident, poisoned or simply by illness. Nobody knew. After that, everything went downhill for the Navarran Crown, with the King betrayed by his own brothers and lands taken from every corner of the realm, Antso was crowned when his father died in the battlefield.

He looked at the horizon.

"Well, first thing's first. Bastards simply won't do."

He had his chancellor look for suitable candidates around Europe and found Marià, a princess from Hungary. Ambitious, Just, Gregarious quite good-looking and, more importantly for Antso, expected to be quite fertile.


In the meantime, strange news reached the capitals of the other Ximena Kings. They were being called to war. But not against the Taifa of Saraqusta, the land that had been subjected to the pressure of the Navarran Crown and their Muslim allies, the Banu Qasi. It was a war against Calatayud, Albarracin and Lleida!

The entire Ximena House answered the call. Only the King of Castille felt some uneasiness when he received the message. Something about the scale of this strike against Muslim Iberia indicated that his cousin Antso's plan were a little too ambitious for his taste. Moreover, he thought that it could bring the Duchy of Aragon, and the Kingdom itself, back to Navarran fold. He shook the idea. In fact, Antso could have a lot of internal problems created by his half-brother, the Count of Nájera.

"Tell my cousin that I will gladly ride to his side."

The messenger bowed. Everything was going according to plan.

With the full might of the Christian Kingdoms backing him, Antso could easily overrun the positions of the enemy. Even when other Muslim rulers rallied to defend their faith, their lack of coordination made them easy to defeat, even more when the mercenaries hired by Antso entered the war. Albarracin and Calatayud fell before the end of the year 1067.

The next year, the Taifa of Lleida followed suit.

In the meantime, the Queen bore four children much to the joy of the King. Eneko, the heir to the again ascendant Navarran throne, Gartzia and two daughters: Elida and Oneka.

Even more, an alliance with the great power of the North, France, was concluded through the marriage of Antso's sister to Philip I.

Feeling powerful enough, King Antso launched the war destined to gain control of the last Muslim stronghold in the Ebro valley: Zaragoza.


Saraqusta
1069

"Victory is ours, my King! It won't be necessary to call allies..."

Marshall Rodrigo was more than exultant. Inexplicably expelled from the Castillian court, he sought refuge into the closest and most reputable one. Antso didn't need much more to hire him and he allowed him to lead the Navarrese assault.

Then, a messenger came. When Rodrigo read the message, he went first pale with surprise and after red with anger.

"My King! Count Ramiro...!"

"Is trying to take over the throne."

Rodrigo blinked.

"Did you know?"

"That he would one day try to do so? Yes. Send my response to him: it's war."

Focusing first into finishing the siege of Zaragoza, Antso was more surprised when the King of Aragon allied with Ramiro. But he smiled. All the easier to justify the annexation of his lands in the future.

Zaragoza was at last conquered and, later, Count Ramiro was taken prisoner.

Pamplona
1071

With this conquest joining his lands together, Antso took a more domestic approach. First of all, he strengthened the Crown Authority and used his new prerrogatives to strip down Ramiro of his title. Second, much to the surprise of everybody and to the annoyance of many, he decreed that the Crown shall be passed by election. This time, of course, Prince Eneko was appointed as the heir.

And, at age 32, King Antso IV contemplated his life, the extent of his domain and his children and smiled broadly.

"This is just the beginning!"

 

[Paraipan]

Interesting, I always pronounced the dynasty's name as "Himena", but "Shimena" actually sounds cooler. Anyway, I'll be following.

 

[DensleyBlair]

A solid start for Navarra, it seems - this certainly looks to be more long-lived than your first attempt already

 

[NeoAC]

Antso IV (II)

Antso IV (II): The first two complete duchies
1071-1076​

Meanwhile, things were set once and for all for the English Crown. William, Duke of Normandy, became William the Conqueror of England. He was a force to be reckoned with. Antso could clearly see that an alliance would greatly benefit his plans of expansion.

But, before that, he needed to consolidate the lands recently conquered and to delegate some power in someone. Fully aware of the difficulties of handing everything by himself, Antso decided to give two counties to a certain Erramun, a pious man from a locally important family of Logroño that could, incidentally, serve as his steward if needed.

The very next year, something strange happened. For unknown reasons, probably including treason within the dynasty, the crowns of Leon, Galicia and Castille ended up being held by infants. One of them was a girl and his position called for a very possible future addition of Galicia to the Navarran Crown, so he arranged a betrothal between his son Eneko and Queen Urraca.

The year 1072 saw the usurpation of the Duchy of Aragon. After all, Sancho was no more than a descendant of the bastard son of King Antso III.

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/9/usurparagon.jpg[IMG][/CENTER]

Less than two years later, the conquest of Alto Aragon was complete.

[CENTER][IMG]http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/5710/winaragon.jpg​

In the meantime, Antso set up another alliance, this time with Aquitaine. This also meant that the Ximena House would rule the Duchy of Aquitaine, starting with the next generation. The ties between the two sides of the Pyrenees, lost with the death of the last duke of Gascony, were reestablished.

And last, but not less important, Antso attacked his nephew Alfonso to recover the rightfully Navarran county of Vizcaya. It took just another year.

Pamplona
1076

The Council was called for assembly for the first time in months. Marshall Rodrigo was the first to arrive. Really,
nothing changed the routine of this tough soldier, except maybe the perspective of a further vengeance against the Castillian Kingdom that rejected him. Bishop Karlos, the Court Chaplain, arrived next. He acknowledged the other man with a nod. Next came Erramun and the other Karlos, the Chancellor and the Steward, discussing matters about the treasury, as usual. With the arrival of Spymaster Jean, a courtier with an obscure Italian origin, the Council was complete.

They understood how special the occasion was when King Antso in full regalia took his place.

"As you know, the Realm is as strong as it was at the time of my grandfather. Maybe even more, through our ties to England and France. But it's not enough."

Marshall Rodrigo smiled. He knew all too well about the light in his King's eyes.

"Therefore, I decree that we hit the Heathens with all the strength of our alliance and excerpt our position as clearly as possible."

He unrolled an old map of Iberia carefully. Every mayor power was represented.

"This is our target he said pointing."

Rodrigo smiled even more broadly.

"Toledo. We will crush the most powerful Heathen state and we will recover the ancient capital of the Visigoths."

"Indeed, Marshal. You will have plenty of Heathens to slay, but just don't die on me. We still have many glorious campaigns to fight."

"I think that he could defeat the enemy even if he were dead, my King!"

All Councillors laughed at the invective of Chancellor Erramun.

---

Notes and comments:

This one went smoothly. Sometimes, bastard sons and claim-stripped brothers are really useful, if I dare to say. About the last joke, see Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, the section about the death of El Cid and the legend of his victory.
I still don't understand how Alfonso of Castille could be such an idiot, but it's more gain for Navarra.

@DensleyBlair This time I think that it will be the good one.

@Paraipan. Yes, like the original title of the immortal work by Cervantes, "Don Quixote". The name Jimeno/Ximeno either originated from Simeon or from "seme" (son, in Basque).

 

[DensleyBlair]

I was going to comment on this:

"I think that he could defeat the enemy even if he were dead, my King!"

But then I saw the comments section, and saw that you had already picked up on it. El Cid was a great figure, so I was really excitied when I found that he was in the game

 

[aniuby]

I see the internecine bloodbath in north Iberia is going off to a good start! Show those little kids who's boss - and that, of course, would be the last adult still standing. Any plans to get the knives and go all kinslayer?

I always wanted to start a Basque game sometime, though not as Navarra proper. But I do look forward to seeing where you take Antso and friends!

I always pronounced the dynasty's name as "Himena", but "Shimena" actually sounds cooler.

I always thought it was pronounced 'Yimena'... well, it's not like I need to know any languages other than English, anyway. =)

 

[NeoAC]

Antso IV (III)

Antso IV (III): Swords, Marriages and... Wine?
1076-1088



Toledo
1076

The original plan was to conquer the Duchy of Toledo. In the meantime, the first Navarran retinue ever was formed.

This addition to the Navarran part was, at the end, the easiest. With Frank and Norman support, there was really very little that the Heathens could do to withstand the Navarran assault so they gave up after three years of war, boosting Christian morale around the Mediterranean.

With the Heathens weakened, King Antso expected to be able to devote some time to inner matters and to some soul-saving. Indeed, the first steps were made the very next year.

But fate, as usual, had other plans. Smelling the blood, Kingdoms of France and Leon and the Most Serene Republic of Genoa attacked the weakened Iberian Heathens, leaving Antso with no option than act immediately or see how other Kingdoms took strategical assets.

So ordered a double attack against Badajoz and Valencia. Even if it cost him a lot of prestige and the hatred of Sunni rulers around the known world, the move was a masterstroke. The already weakened Emir Yahya II crumbled and gave up Valencia.

Badajoz would come next, but before that, King Antso had other plans, he summoned his Spymaster Jean and asked a simple question while drinking, just in case, from the very same jar.

"The Kingdom Leon. Who would inherit it if King Alfonso suddenly... Disappeared"

"Sancho III of Castille, my King."

"And if he where to die very young, too?"

"Your future daughter in law, the Queen of Galicia."

"Perfect."

No direct order was given. It was not necessary, in fact.

The results were quite impressive.

King Antso called for his son Eneko.

"Everything is ready for your marriage, Eneko. It's a pity your cousin is getting all the titles, my son."

Eneko smiled. Of course, he suspected the say that his father had in the sudden increase of titles for Sancho III, but he kept it for himself. In fact, he expected to be more than King Consort of Galicia, anyway. At least, he would receive the whole package of lands from his father.

The upcoming holy war went surprisingly well. With the Heathen armies locked in a futile attempt to stop the Frank conquest of Denia, Badajoz fell and this one Emir, of course called Yahya, submitted in 1086.

For two more years, nothing interesting happened. Then, the second part of the spymaster plan succeeded...

And the situation on Iberia looked like this by the end of 1088.

The next phase of the plan could begin. This part could meant getting claims into the counties that were not direct vassals of a certain daughter-in-law or other things.

For now, the King officially mourned the death of his beloved nephew and waited. He'd hear news of an incredibly skilled diplomat...

 

[DensleyBlair]

It seems you're not far away from being able to create Aragón (are you able to create it, or are there restrictions?)

Really well played with Galicia - I don't think I've ever seen it so big I wonder if you can't get the Reconquista done before 1150...

 

[aniuby]

Nicely done in taking all those territories with Navarra's tiny army and no Holy Orders available yet. True that France and Genoa 'helped', but they might not if the Muslims got their act together and came calling before you've assimilated all of those territories.

Also, knives/arrows/poisoned wine/whatnot are fun. More blood, for the glory of Navarra!

 

[NeoAC]

Antso IV (IV)

Antso IV (IV): One Iberia, One True Faith, One True Ximena King.
1089-1094

Pamplona
1089

King Antso was already past the 50-year-old mark. Already an elderly, everyone expected him to settle and calmly wait while his issue and descendants took over counties, duchies an even some Kingdoms around Europe and to be buried with all the honors that his reign deserved. Especially the men that proudly claim to be his equals, the Kings of Europe, found it incredible that the ruler of a Kingdom that could be easily mistook for a mere county less than quarter a century before carved such a large Realm for himself and managed to secure other three Crowns for his grandchildren. Thanks to this and his generally moderate rule,King Antso was known as The Wise.

Even the Kaiser sent regular envoys to Pamplona by the late eleventh century and the position of Papal nuncio at this city was almost as highly regarded as being a cardinal in the Eternal City herself, because it means a power base among the one Catholics that see the armies and acts of the Navarran King as a spearhead of the Faith itself.

They were not disappointed. In the year 1089, Antso decreed that the Heathens would tarnish Iberia no more and launched three holy wars. One to support his daughter-in-law final bid for the Atlantic Coast and two to add the remaining county of Badajoz and the Duchy of Cordoba to Navarran territories.

It was certainly a matter of Divine Providence because, at the other side of the Mediterranean Sea, a Heathen movement that could have opposed the expulsion of the followers of Muhammad from Iberia, or even reversed it, was formed.

After four years of fighting, King Antso sent a message to the Holy Father.

"Hispania christianum est."

But other sources of concern arise. Somehow, the grandchildren of the Wise were being targeted. His daughter-in-law saw the natural death of one of her children and the suspicious demise of the other three. Even considering that she was pregnant and the new infant could be luckier, she rested more soundly knowing that, if something happened to them, her titles were to fall into good hands.

She thought...

The Queen disappeared and the new Queen of Castille, Leon and Galicia ruled just for some months before dying of sudden asphyxia.

The nobility of Iberia faced a choice. They could elevate some people with no legitimacy at all to the position of rulers of the several Kingdoms, or they could accept the sturdy protection of the Navarran King's rule.

They swore fealty and only one ruler remained...

There are no words that could describe the extent of Antso's cruelty and ambition that, centuries later, the Imperial Archives revealed. He managed to maintain a public image of caring father and grandfather while mercilessly slaying his relatives to gain more and more power, effectively becoming a Medieval Caligula with the dangerous addition of a good reputation.

Historian Xabier of Uxalar in his "Notitia Vasconum, annals of the Navarran conquest and expansion."

 

[DensleyBlair]

I've never seen Iberia so united - and a Catholic Iberia by 1093 is incredible.

 

[NeoAC]

My experience with several independent Iberian characters is that holding this patchwork of Kingdoms together is more difficult than outright conquering them. After all, in historical fact, the union between Leon and Castille didn't become permanent until the 13th century and that didn't coalesce with Aragon to form the origin of modern-day Spain until the 15th.

By the way, it looks like it's not as easy to form Hispania as it was before 1.09 patch, meaning that you can't simply assume an Imperial position and let the small Kingdoms battle themselves. It's a pity, but it will probably make the future struggles more interesting.

 

[NeoAC]

Antso IV (V)

Interlude: Si vis pacem, para bellum
1094-1097


Iruñea(formerly called Pamplona)
January, 1095

King Antso's health was declining with age and he couldn't stand the cold winters as much as before. Even worse, his beloved Queen Maria died before the end of 1094.

He'd been told of marrying again, maybe to a young princess of Norman blood, but he declined. He had more than enough children anyway, he felt old and, after all the machinations he himself planned, he felt that trapping a princess of young age and full of life in a marriage with someone like him would be tempting a still-not-accepted demise.

Because he felt that he needed to build up more of an economical and military power base, he asked his vassals to give a small percentage of their income to him. Some muttered, but they accepted in the end. So Antso could reduce his demesne and gave some of his lands and titles to his son Eneko that was already expanding the family again.

Family. At least, King Antso has his family. His Marshall Rodrigo found himself suddenly without a spouse childless and, thanks to a bizarre decision of the late Queen of Galicia, a Bishop! He was invited by Antso's daughter-in-law to return to Burgos and made Bishop of Silos. When all the Iberian Kingdoms were united for the first time since the Visigoths, he returned to the service of Antso. At least his martial skill were more than intact, even if he had to renounce his famed sword Tizona and constraint himself to giving orders.

They were having dinner together, talking about a time when theyr where younger and it looked like they would never be old.
When Rodrigo ended, he turned serious.

"I have grave news for you, my King. The King of England is about to be attacked by a son of the Godwinson House."

"Damn. Is there something we could do?"

"Unfortunately, they have the full support of the King of France."

"Of course! That way, he can recover Normandy!"

"Also, there is something even more important. The Pope is going to call for a Crusade for Jerusalem."

King Antso nodded.

"Could you sen a message to His Holiness telling Him that I fully support the Crusade?"

Rodrigo smiled. As usual, King Antso was more than eager to fight against the Heathens!

"Of course, my King."

But while the his troops were fighting the Heathen and ostensibly failing to crush the steadfast Muslim resistance, King Antso prepared to grasp one last Kingdom title.

If he were to unite the lands of the, he could award his House the right of wearing an Imperial Crown. An Emperor of Hispania not only in name, as the Kings of Leon had been before, but recognized by everyone as such.

 

[DensleyBlair]

What are the new formation conditions for Hispaña? Are you too far away from becoming Impirator, or will it be Eneko who dons the purple?

 

[NeoAC]

Apparently... None. I was one county short of the requirements.

 

[NeoAC]

Antso IV (VI)

Birth of an Empire
1098-1110



Iruñea
Fall of 1097

King Antso could read the answer from Barcelona in the eyes of the messenger long before he had the change to speak.

"No."

Duke Eneko of Aragon looked at the King with a puzzled expression.

"Father, what do you mean, no? He didn't say a word."

"The Duke of Barcelona refuses to accept my protection. He still considers me a barbarian

The messenger cleared his throat.

"In fact, he appreciates your offer and deeply laments that an agreement can't be reached."

King Antso nodded. He had no time for this.

"Please, send this response."

The messenger awaited.

"I am the rightful King of Aragon. I will have Barcelona, by any necessary means."

"But, that means..."

"War."

The messenger was speechless.

"We are losing the Crusade because men like your Lord refuse to join us. Now, he dares to defy the natural order of things? It's time he learns a lesson that he better don't forget!"

For two years, the Crusade for Jerusalem stalled. Then, bad news reached Iruñea.

It is said that the King went into a rampage and demanded the county of Barcelona taken as soon as possible. Was it a mere legend or historical truth, after a year the Duke of Barcelona sought peace.

The Cathedral
Iruñea
Fall of 1100


Antso stood at the altar knelt before the Archbishop while the boxes where carried.

The year started with the worst news for Christian powers. Whit the aid of the Assasims, the Crusaders were utterly defeated and the Pope had to call the Crusade off. It was a black day, indeed.

King Antso of Navarra felt it as a personal failure. He had devoted most of his resources to the task but it was not enough. To be able to defeat the Caliph, he would need to be his equal. He would need to be... an Emperor. With this in mind, he put together the gold and sent letters to Rome, to Constantinopla and to the Kaiser. The answer was surprisingly good. Even if they wouldn't outright accept him as of really equal standing with the other two, his claim of the title was accepted. In fact, the Kaiser sent the new Imperial Crown as a present and the Byzantine Emperor sent some precious ointments for the consecration.

And so, the 3rd day of September, Anno Domini 1102, King Antso the Fourth of Navarra kneeled in front of the Archbishop, only to be raised back as Emperor Antso de I of Hispania and receive the acclamation of the Court and the People of Navarra.

The very same day, he announced to his son Duke Eneko that, from that moment on, he would have the Crowns of Castille, Aragon, Leon and Galicia.

"Father, I don't know what to say..."

"I don't do it just for the goodness of my heart, my son. Hispania was created as an elective Empire, meaning that you would need support from the different Crowns that form her. Also, I need you to prepare yourself and gain power and prestige. I feel that the day when I shall join Marià in the afterlife is not that far anymore."

"Don't say those things, father!"

Emperor Antso smiled. His son turned out well, after all. He would do a good job both as a King and as an Emperor.

"There is another decision I want to discuss. But before..."

He seated.

"Did you know how Hispania was conquered by the Heathens?"

"Of course. King Roderic was defeated..."

"Yes. Did you know what he was doing before he had to march south?"

"No, father."

"He was fighting us, the Basque or "Vascones" as they called us. They used to put that they crushed us again and again at their Royal Chronicles."

"A fitting Irony, then, that the broad recognition Roderic never had, now falls upon the shoulders of a Basque Emperor."

"Yes. And do you now the other irony? We are going to teach the Heathens that they won't ever again be safe. Tangiers and Marrakech shall be ours!"

It took almost seven years of bloody battles and scowling from every Muslim ruler of the known world. But what also felt as the first step to entirely wipe any non Christian influence from the Mediterranean Sea was completed. Hispania had a foothold in North Africa.

Then, something strange happened.

"My Emperor, France fell into Civil War."

"How bat it is?"

"Enough to tear the entire Kingdom apart."

Emperor Antso smiled with amusement.

"Excellent."

He was, of course, thinking about the lands that France and Genoa, allied with each other, held into his de jure territory. It was time to reclaim them.

 

[DensleyBlair]

Congratulations on getting the Imperial Crown so quickly - could we please have a political map?

As ever, really nicely done.