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Cripes, the Spanish branch of the family is looking to be in dire straits. At least their neighbors to the south aren't doing so well either.
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Aug 12, 2013 13:58
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What's the state of the HRE?
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Aug 12, 2013 14:44
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New idea. Let's take Spain. All of it. Edit: Or at least murder some of our more horrid relatives.
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Aug 12, 2013 15:55
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paragon1 posted:New idea. Let's take Spain. All of it. Yeah, taking a blowtorch to some of the creepier branches of our tree suddenly doesn't seem so bad 
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Aug 12, 2013 16:06
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Serpentis posted:Yeah, taking a blowtorch to some of the creepier branches of our tree suddenly doesn't seem so bad It might be a nice distraction for Alessandro & Co. after restructuring the Empire. EDIT: Actually that's an interesting point. As a king under an emperor, how effective are we at getting the rest of the Empire to do something? If we conquer Spain can we turn it over to the Emperor and have him form a new kingdom? Triskelli fucked around with this message at 16:23 on Aug 12, 2013 |
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Aug 12, 2013 16:14
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We're free to do anything we could do as an independent kingdom except things prohibited by the empire's crown authority level, and the emperor gets to call up some of our levies (depending on how much our ruler likes him). I'm 99% sure that if a vassal king takes a second kingdom and then gives it to someone else, that king will be a vassal too. Sindai fucked around with this message at 16:31 on Aug 12, 2013 |
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Aug 12, 2013 16:28
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e X posted:What's the state of the HRE? If I don't talk about something much in a State of the World update, odds are that it's because not too much of interest happened recently. The HRE has been pretty stable recently, but also hasn't expanded any further into France or Italy for a while. The only noteworthy thing is that the Salians managed to take power again. Triskelli posted:EDIT: Actually that's an interesting point. As a king under an emperor, how effective are we at getting the rest of the Empire to do something? If we conquer Spain can we turn it over to the Emperor and have him form a new kingdom? We can't really get the empire to do anything - generally we can just do things ourselves. If we conquer a new kingdom, for example, we'd be able to form/usurp that title without problem. We'd also be able to give it away as normal. The only real difference in terms of forming titles is that we would not, of course, be able to form an Empire-level title while a vassal. Anyway, I'm going to leave voting open for another six hours or so if people want to get in any last-minute votes.
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Aug 12, 2013 16:49
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Man, look at that Rum. ...I kind of want them to crush Nicaea. Be a nice final boss, a war for Constantinople.
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Aug 12, 2013 18:15
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Seriously though, what the gently caress happens to d'Hautevilles when they leave Sicily? Is it something in the water?
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Aug 12, 2013 21:04
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paragon1 posted:Seriously though, what the gently caress happens to d'Hautevilles when they leave Sicily? Is it something in the water? Eh, Alessandro isn't really that great either. I think once he stops being our character we are going to find out how unpleasant he can really be.
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Aug 12, 2013 21:26
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Viscardus posted:Anyway, I'm going to leave voting open for another six hours or so if people want to get in any last-minute votes. Gonna cast my lot in with Ruggerio. He's just so... rugged.
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Aug 12, 2013 21:59
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Ruggerio seems like the chap for the job.
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Aug 12, 2013 22:20
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I'm gonna be progressive and vote Ruggiero so we can have our first homosexual emperor.
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Aug 12, 2013 22:25
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Ruggiero looks good.
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Aug 12, 2013 22:54
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Ruggiero, so things will get bear-y interesting.
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Aug 13, 2013 02:03
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Viscardus posted:Anyway, I'm going to leave voting open for another six hours or so if people want to get in any last-minute votes. Oh, right, the voting thing. Ruggiero for hijinx
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Aug 13, 2013 04:01
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Ruggiero because I am a slave to peer pressure.
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Aug 13, 2013 07:37
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Roger But seeing as I'm going to lose, I recommend trying to find a gay wife for Ruggiero to have, it'll be a nice symmetry. I married my last gay king to a gay queen and they produced 7 children, which just goes to show what you can do if you put your mind to it.
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Aug 13, 2013 11:36
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ManicMarine posted:Roger "Lie back and think of
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Aug 13, 2013 20:18
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Ruggiero
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Aug 15, 2013 19:07
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Chapter Twenty-Six: The Partition (1250-1253) The debate is long and difficult, but in the end the will of the Curia Regis becomes clear: Ruggiero is the chosen candidate. Alessandro argues heatedly against the decision, but ultimately is forced to accept the Curia’s choice. As a point of honour, however, he decides to ensure that his sons are not outranked by his nephew. To this end, Prince Roberto is named King of Sardinia.  The Kingdom of Sardinia – separate for the first time from the Kingdom of Sicily – includes not only the island of Sardinia itself but also all of the empire’s territories west of Sicily, including its Spanish and North African holdings.  Many of Alessandro’s Sicilian vassals see this division of the former kingdom as a betrayal of the Curia’s decision. Radulf of Salerno, the most vocal opponent, eventually launches a rebellion in protest.  He is joined by most of the major lords of the Sicilian Kingdom, including Duke Ruggiero himself.  With the support of the Sicilian and Greek territories, however, they are outmatched, and Alessandro meets them in battle outside of Naples.  As expected, it is an imperial victory.  He follows up his success outside Salerno itself, marching directly on Radulf’s capital.  With few of his allies in any shape to rescue him, the city is taken, and Radulf’s followers surrender soon afterward.  Most of the rebels have their titles revoked. Most expect that Ruggiero will suffer the same fate, with Alessandro using the rebellion as an excuse not to fulfil his promise to the Curia.  Surprisingly, though, this is not the case. After a private conversation with Ruggiero, Alessandro announces that they have come to an agreement.  Alessandro creates a new title for himself: King of Naples.  Shortly afterwards, he grants this new kingdom to his third son, Marco.  He then grants the Kingdom of Sicily to Ruggiero, as promised.  All of the Italian territories – save Calabria, which Ruggiero rules himself – are put under Marco’s control, while the island of Sicily itself, along with Calabria and Malta, are given to Ruggiero.  This compromise solution is only made possible by the intense regret that Ruggiero expressed to Alessandro over the rebellion. A kind and honourable young man, Ruggiero had participated in the rebellion reluctantly, under pressure from his fellow dukes.  Alessandro and Ruggiero quickly reconcile, with Ruggiero being made Steward of the Empire. Despite the significant personality differences between the two men, they get along surprisingly well.  Due to his new responsibilities, Ruggiero actually spends much of his time in the emperor’s court in Constantinople, despite now having a kingdom of his own.  He is a positive influence there for Alessandro, now steadfast in his support of the emperor – not to mention a rare example of Alessandro’s mercy.  Sad news comes while Ruggiero is in Constantinople, however: a plague of measles sweeping through Sicily has killed Prince Enrico, his only child and heir. 
Viscardus fucked around with this message at 02:10 on Aug 18, 2013 |
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Aug 17, 2013 19:14
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Daaaang I didn't expect that! Perhaps sometime, in future, the Three Sicilies will re-unite.
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Aug 17, 2013 19:34
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Is Roberto the heir to the Latin Empire, or does Alessandro have an older and non-titled son?
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Aug 17, 2013 19:36
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GOONS  Man I am having major Crete flashbacks here. Thanks for making our stupid advice / demands suitably destructive!
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Aug 17, 2013 19:36
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Can't wait for the Empire to fall apart so that we can claim our right.
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Aug 17, 2013 19:44
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aqu posted:Is Roberto the heir to the Latin Empire, or does Alessandro have an older and non-titled son? Alessandro has an older son, also named Alessandro. He's the heir to the Latin Empire.
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Aug 17, 2013 20:14
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We're not in that bad a shape, though it's a shame that little Henry died. What's Ruggiero's wife like?
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Aug 17, 2013 20:44
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You'll see her in the next update.
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Aug 18, 2013 02:24
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Oh god, four vassal kings, all with dynastic claims on the empire and each other. All fairly distant from the imperial demense. This is going to be such a clusterfuck. Before when a vassal rebelled it was just some scattered dukes with armies too small to pose real threats, but an entire kingdom is a different story. As soon as Alejandro dies (and maybe before that), one or another of these Hautvilles is going to make a play for the imperial throne and no matter who ends up on top it will shatter the realm and provide the perfect opportunity for the other kingdoms to start breaking away. The empire itself will probably persevere for another century or two, but I doubt it will ever get much larger than it is now and as central authority collapses it's likely a great many of these new Hauteville dynasties will fall with it. Basically, spinning off the kingdoms may have been the right call in the short run as it shifts most of the rebellious pressure from Alejandro to his vassals, but in the long run it has almost certainly doomed his empire to discord and decline. Oh, BTW, Viscardus, what's the crown authority in the empire like? Can vassals war with each other? Because if so, things will probably collapse even quicker. Should be fun to watch.
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Aug 18, 2013 02:29
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Chapter Twenty-Seven: Romance of the Three Kingdoms (1254-1263) While Ruggiero would be content with his younger brother Boemondo as his heir, he cannot escape the pressure to try to father another heir. As such he is forced to return to Sicily, where his wife Filippa, daughter of the Duke of Athens, awaits.  Ruggiero does his duty, and it isn’t long before Filippa is pregnant.  In the end, they have a daughter named Caterina. While it is not the son they hoped for, it is good enough for now, and Ruggiero returns to Constantinople.  Once there, he resumes his more masculine relationships.  Not long after Ruggiero’s arrival, Emperor himself falls ill. While it seems only a minor ailment at first, it quickly worsens. Within a week, the conqueror of Constantinople is dead.  He is succeeded by his eldest son, also named Alessandro. Both highly intelligent and much more likeable than his father, Alessandro seems well-equipped to keep the realm together.  His brother Roberto disagrees, however, launching a war to claim the throne for himself. Without much support outside his own realm, however, his chances of success seem slim.  The likeable young man has faded somewhat, embittered by the Curia’s snub and subject to such ill fortune that he is known as Roberto the Accursed.  It isn’t long before Roberto is on his heels, the islands of Sardinia and Corsica completely occupied.  Things are not rosy in Constantinople either, though. Famine and excessive taxation have led to riots throughout the city. When one riot threatens the imperial palace, Ruggiero is among those who attempt to disperse the mob. It is a fatal miscalculation: violence erupts and he is among those stabbed to death by the mob.  The king’s tragic death creates a difficult question of succession. No woman has even ruled the Kingdom of Sicily in her own right, let alone an infant, and many say that the king’s brother, Boemondo, should be given the crown instead. Boemondo will not hear of it, however, vowing to uphold his brother’s wish that his daughter be his heir.  Even so, Boemondo is still the current heir presumptive, and so is granted the Duchy of Calabria that his brother had once held.  Between the succession crisis, the riots in Greece, and now the death of King Ruggiero, many of the realm’s powerful lords are questioning the wisdom of remaining a part of the empire. Chief among them is Marco of Naples, disgusted with his brothers’ war and wishing no more part in it.  Before long, they have risen up to demand independence, and the surprisingly ineffectual emperor has even more to worry about.  Without any sort of strong leadership, the Kingdom of Sicily is in no condition to join the rebellion. Between the rebellion and Roberto’s war for the throne, however, there are few others remaining loyal to the emperor.  King Marco wastes little time in invading his southern neighbours, attempting to ensure that they either join the rebellion or are absorbed into his kingdom.  The lords of Sicily are still reluctant until yet more bad news comes from Constantinople: only four years into his reign Emperor Alessandro has been found murdered – stabbed to death in his bedchambers without any explanation as to the culprit.  His successor is his 12-year-old son, and few believe that a child could succeed where his father failed.  It is enough for the lords of Sicily to agree that independence is the only answer to escape the sinking ship that is the Latin Empire.  The imperial court does not even put up a fight, and Sicilian independence – along with that of the rest of the rebels – is granted almost immediately.  After four more years of fighting, the vastly weakened empire finally surrenders to Prince Roberto, whose war for the throne had once seemed hopeless.  As a compromise, the former emperor is allowed to retain the title “King of Georgia”, though it is strictly nominal, given that Georgia itself has been conquered by the Golden Horde during the war. He also retains overlordship over what remains of the eastern half of the empire, with the exception of the imperial city itself.  To the west, the lords of the former Kingdom of Sardinia are now direct vassals of the empire.  Roberto has won himself an imperial crown, but destroyed much of what it represents in the process. 
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Aug 22, 2013 20:16
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Well Good Job Roberto 
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Aug 22, 2013 20:24
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That escalated quickly. Seems like things never go well for the Latin Empire.
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Aug 22, 2013 20:25
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Good to see the d'Hautevilles keeping up the most sacred traditions of the empire that they have succeeded.
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Aug 22, 2013 20:51
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Alas, Ruggiero died in his prime, before he could fill Sicily with works of fine art portraying the beauty of STRONG muscles. The Latin Empire as it now stands seems pretty... weak. I doubt they'll be able to hold on to their eastern holdings, a rebellion by the King of Georgia doesn't seem like something they'd be able to stop.
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Aug 22, 2013 20:58
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Viscardus posted:Chapter Twenty-Seven: Romance of the Three Kingdoms (1254-1263) Although
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Aug 22, 2013 21:00
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I probably won't be able to update again until Sunday. In the meantime, feel free to suggest nicknames for both Alessandro and Ruggiero.
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Aug 22, 2013 21:14
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Assuming we're talking about Alessandro the first, I can't think of anything other than "the Great". Became emperor, died unexpectedly and his empire broke into squabbling kingdoms  As for Ruggiero, how about "the Steadfast" referring mostly to the manner of his death. I'm avoiding the low-hanging fruit here, people 
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Aug 22, 2013 21:44
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RabidWeasel posted:Assuming we're talking about Alessandro the first, I can't think of anything other than "the Great". Became emperor, died unexpectedly and his empire broke into squabbling kingdoms For this very reason, I think "the Second" would be a decent fit.
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Aug 22, 2013 21:49
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Alessandro may have parallels to Alexander the Great, but that's unoriginal, and besides he wasn't as great. Instead, seeing as he conquered the Byzantine Empire, renamed to Latin Empire, essentially taking up the Roman legacy, I could only suggest that we name him 'the Roman'. For Ruggiero there is no question, I vote for Ruggiero 'the STRONG'.
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Aug 23, 2013 00:31
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He doomed the empire he had just conquered solely because he didn't QUITE get his way in the curia, I vote we call him Alessandro the Spiteful.
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Aug 23, 2013 00:48
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