Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Locked thread
Jimmy4400nav
Apr 1, 2011

Ambassador to Moonlandia
My friends, I too offer my condolences to the Imperial family and offer my prayers. As we look at yet another rebellion which threatens our lands, we must look inward and ask ourselves the question of why does this happen to our most righteous and just empire and its rulers? The Komnenos have ruled fairly and have demonstrated great wisdom and bravery since the great Alexios restored us. While our beloved empress was slain by a bishop, we must realize that this bishop was lead astray by a group of misbegotten Douxs.

We will deliver righteous justice upon these rebels, make no mistake about this, the traitors and their ilk will receive their just reward, but my fellow senators, I ask you, then what?

How long until yet another Doux or group of Douxs get delusions of grandeur and decided to plunge our beloved realm into yet another civil war? How much more innocent blood will be spilled across Anatolia and the Black Sea to satiate the ambitions of petty lords? How many more of our beloved emperors and empresses must die? How long before we realize that this rot will never vanish until more permanent measures are taken stamp out the power of these miscreants?

The only vassals so far who have remained true to us have been our merchants and money lenders who have kept our economy afloat by generously extending a hand to us in our time of need and the priests and bishops of the Holy Church who have rallied the faithful to our cause.

But what of the parties and their solutions? None are to be had! The Old Romans just gaze wistfully at maps and old heraldry. The New Byzantines, for all their road building and dislike of the nobles, refuse to advocate the needed course of action to truly make this a New Byzantium! The Milvians and Komnenians only look to one part of the empire for a solution, when a solution involving greater aspects are needed. The Traitorous Papists? Need I say more *spits*

If none of these factions will take the next step, then I have no choice but to establish a new group, one that seeks to establish the great change needed to secure Byzantium!

Therefore, I hereby establish the Adelfikí Synénosi here we will take upon ourselves the mission to break the power of the nobility once and for all and establish a harmonious state, one ruled at the center by the Komnenos and supported by the types of vassals that have demonstrated themselves to be true to Byzantium, the patricians and the priests.

What we will do is such, as nobles commit treason, we will strip them of their titles. Their douxies and even their counties. Once we confiscate thee traitors lands, we will allocate them to the loyal patrician families and to the Orthodox church. Themes will be allocated on such a measure as well. If nobles still have to exist, they will be broken down into small counties, one or two provinces at most, the only noble family that should have any ascent is the Komnenos family.

As for expansion, our focus should first be on bringing the traitorous Bulgarians back into the fold, in addition, we must secure our whole region before we look elsewhere, given the large area around it, we should be focusing on the areas surrounding the Agean and Black Sea. In Asia Minor, we must take back our lands stolen by the Moslem invaders, we must also bring the wayward province of Cicisa back into the fold. In the Black Sea Area, we must finish our encirclement of the sea, let Byzantium be it's sole master.

Join now, and together we can forge a grand Byzantium, with the wealth of the merchants, the righteousness of god and the wisdom and power of the imperial family an even greater empire will emerge!



The circle represents the merchant coin, the Chi rho the Church and the double headed eagle the imperial family. Purple for the traditional background.

Jimmy4400nav fucked around with this message at 00:08 on Feb 22, 2014

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Ofaloaf
Feb 15, 2013



I want to take this opportunity to point out that an Orthodox priest killed our revered Empress.

Jimmy4400nav
Apr 1, 2011

Ambassador to Moonlandia

Ofaloaf posted:



I want to take this opportunity to point out that an Orthodox priest killed our revered Empress.



A priest lead astray by the vile Douxs that plague our empire like locusts. Never forget it was the nobles that launched this war, not the priest, his crime was being a loyal vassal and murdering our empress, not being one of the vile conspirators who constantly tries to seize power for themselves.

NewMars
Mar 10, 2013

Jimmy4400nav posted:



The circle represents the merchant coin, the Chi rho the Church and the double headed eagle the imperial family. Purple for the traditional background.

I join on the condition that someone fixes this up a little. It's jagged as the borders of bulgaria!

YF-23
Feb 17, 2011

My god, it's full of cat!


Jimmy4400nav posted:

Therefore, I hereby establish the Adelfikós Synénosi

Adelfikí Synénosi, as Synénosi is female-gendered and -os is male whereas -i (with a heta (Ηη)) is female (-o is gender-neutral). :eng101:

sniper4625
Sep 26, 2009

Loyal to the hEnd

NewMars posted:

I join on the condition that someone fixes this up a little. It's jagged as the borders of bulgaria!

I'm working on something.

lenoon
Jan 7, 2010


Learned and esteemed senators, friends all, though you may mock us, we too are devastated by the current turn of events. But is there not blame to be heaped upon ourselves?

In turning to idolatry have we not asked calamity to befall us? Our priests, charlatans as they are have turned away from the face of the right hand of god and his shield, the very phalanx that protects the emperor, has been withdrawn and a mark of punishment - the very mark of Cain himself! - has been branded into the noble brow of the Kommenos.

Our obstinate, mule headed stubbornness has brought this fate upon us! The Turk and bulgar, the doux and regents, the fires of all pervading hell - and for what? For the simple arrogance of proclaiming that the protector of all Christendom, Christ's representative on earth, is no more than a patriarch!

Fie upon you all! Would you see this empire crumble and fa for the sake of misbegotten pride? What churls, what villains you 'August' men of the senate are.

And when the theodesian walls can no longer protect us from the Turk? When the bulgar laughs in our groves and takes our women? To who then shall ye mighty Byzantines turn? To those members sitting here today fawning over our noble rulers? To the money lenders? To those hankering for a 'new' Byzantium?

No! You will turn, as you must, to the frank, to the German, to the successor of Peter! And as the streets run red with imperial blood, you will look up and whisper 'save us' and the Pope will say 'No!'

sniper4625
Sep 26, 2009

Loyal to the hEnd

Someone posted:

aaaaaah people in rincelp are using the double-headed eagle to represent the Imperial family despite an entire side-update being dedicated to "IT IS NOT KOMNENIAN"

So uh...do you want me to keep it?

Edit: Here's what I have so far. For a banner, an English name would be great! I've heard Fraternalists suggested, up to you.


sniper4625 fucked around with this message at 00:03 on Feb 22, 2014

sniper4625
Sep 26, 2009

Loyal to the hEnd

Old Romans: 15
Thanqol
Jazerus
mcclay
DivineCoffeeBinge
Sky Shadowing
EightDeer
StrifeHira
Flesnolk
Ubern00b
Horsebanger
Mortuus
Grim reaper
Jihad Joe
Gnooble
TheLoquid


New Byzantines: 26
Rogue0071
Pyroi
DentedLamp
Gygaxian
Clayren
zephyr42
Caustic Soda
HenessyHero
RabidWeasel
Sleep of Bronze
ChrisAsmadi
Meinberg
TheMcD
sheep-dodger
Luhood
Aeromancia
Blackunknown
Rejected Fate
Technowolf
Frozen_flame
cokerpilot
Syce300
Ezo45
Jimmy4400nav
Mirdini
Lynneth


Milvians: 8
Sindai
JT Jag
occipitallobe
LordGugs
AJ_Impy
YF-23
SavageGentleman
WilliamAnderson


Komnenians: 8
Patter Song
Lord Windy
Muskatnuss
ZearothK
Ghetto Prince
Duckbag
Deceitful Penguin
Capfalcon


???: 5
Ofaloaf
forkis
GrabbinPeels
lenoon
Tevery Best


???: 2
Jimmy4400nav
NewMars

Lord Windy
Mar 26, 2010
That looks much better than mine Sniper :)

Love the name Traitors.

NewMars
Mar 10, 2013
Friends, those undecided, even foes.

I come to you now to announce the establishment of a new, cross-factional initiative with a singular goal: the reestablishment of a standing army to protect the empire! The old legions are gone and with them our greatest military strength, to be replaced by the levies of the Doux. We have seen the fell harvest this practice has reaped. So it is I say to you, be you Old Roman, Komenian, New Byzantine, Milevian or Latin sympathizer, let us join together undivided as the Novum Mariae (or "New Marians" in the vernacular) and begin the resurrection of the might of Rome! We are not a faction, but a group that crosses such borders with a single, specific goal, just to clarify, that being the recreation of the Legions (or failing that, some sort of standing army).

TheMcD
May 4, 2013

Monaca / Subject N 2024
---------
Despair will never let you down.
Malice will never disappoint you.

Oh gently caress, here we go. Good thing I've gotten in on the ground floor on Crete 2.0.

Jimmy4400nav
Apr 1, 2011

Ambassador to Moonlandia

YF-23 posted:

Adelfikí Synénosi, as Synénosi is female-gendered and -os is male whereas -i (with a heta (Ηη)) is female (-o is gender-neutral). :eng101:

Fixed that, thank you!


sniper4625 posted:

So uh...do you want me to keep it?

Edit: Here's what I have so far. For a banner, an English name would be great! I've heard Fraternalists suggested, up to you.




This looks awesome, sorry about the Eagle, so just double checking (its late over here sorry), the Komenian symbol was a simple K? I wanted to try and include the symbol of the family in the middle, but if its the letter then it might not go will with the Chi Rho, in which case then the purple might symbolize the royal family.

Actually, would it be possible to replace the Chi Rho with the Staurogram, and then on one side have a K and the other side and R? I remember the Komenous of Rome suggestion someone had on page 3.

Fraternalists sounds cool, I just want to stress that while Fraternal sounds male gender its merely for the sake of convenience and not to indicate the superiority or inferiority of one gender!

NewMars posted:

AWESOME PROPOSAL



Temporary Symbol, Under Construction

I support this.

Jimmy4400nav fucked around with this message at 00:34 on Feb 22, 2014

AJ_Impy
Jun 17, 2007

SWORD OF SMATTAS. CAN YOU NOT HEAR A WORLD CRY OUT FOR JUSTICE? WHEN WILL YOU DELIVER IT?
Yam Slacker

NewMars posted:

Friends, those undecided, even foes.

I come to you now to announce the establishment of a new, cross-factional initiative with a singular goal: the reestablishment of a standing army to protect the empire! The old legions are gone and with them our greatest military strength, to be replaced by the levies of the Doux. We have seen the fell harvest this practice has reaped. So it is I say to you, be you Old Roman, Komenian, New Byzantine, Milevian or Latin sympathizer, let us join together undivided as the Novum Mariae (or "New Marians" in the vernacular) and begin the resurrection of the might of Rome! We are not a faction, but a group that crosses such borders with a single, specific goal, just to clarify, that being the recreation of the Legions (or failing that, some sort of standing army).



As a staunch Milvian, I have no problem with this initiative. I support taking power from the abusive hands of the Doux and putting it in ours and increasing the retinues whose loyalty to the Βασιλεὺς Βασιλέων Βασιλεύων Βασιλεῦσι is without question.

Pyroi
Aug 17, 2013

gay elf noises

NewMars posted:

Friends, those undecided, even foes.

I come to you now to announce the establishment of a new, cross-factional initiative with a singular goal: the reestablishment of a standing army to protect the empire! The old legions are gone and with them our greatest military strength, to be replaced by the levies of the Doux. We have seen the fell harvest this practice has reaped. So it is I say to you, be you Old Roman, Komenian, New Byzantine, Milevian or Latin sympathizer, let us join together undivided as the Novum Mariae (or "New Marians" in the vernacular) and begin the resurrection of the might of Rome! We are not a faction, but a group that crosses such borders with a single, specific goal, just to clarify, that being the recreation of the Legions (or failing that, some sort of standing army).



I would like to align myself with you. We need a standing army to be ready in case of any sort of a surprise attack on the Empire. The more widespread our territory becomes, the longer it will take to mobilize the army in its entirety. Not having to rely on the traitorous Doux is an added bonus.

Lord Windy
Mar 26, 2010


Don't you think placing power from a dozen of Douxs to five patrician families might just create worse rebellions? Perhaps if we break the themes into sub republics but I can't imagine that fixing anything. Instead of squabbling nobles we will have cashed up assholes. I think we should just leave well enough alone until Alexios is old enough to decide how to solve the issues.

ChrisAsmadi
Apr 19, 2007
:D
For those of you trying to make every vassal a priest or a patrician, you ought to know that there's a limit to how many of each you can have as vassals, so your plan kinda doesn't work.

Flesnolk
Apr 11, 2012


I know there were no kings in Rome, but would it be worth considering creating despots? The douxes would then be the despots' concern, and it is easier to keep a few despots loyal than a horde of ambitious douxes. I would also like to speak in support of restoring the Legions.

NewMars
Mar 10, 2013

ChrisAsmadi posted:

For those of you trying to make every vassal a priest or a patrician, you ought to know that there's a limit to how many of each you can have as vassals, so your plan kinda doesn't work.

I'm pretty sure that limit is moddable, and we are playing with a mod. Can someone more experienced with the HIP then I tell me if this is still true in Project Balance?

Empress Theonora
Feb 19, 2001

She was a sword glinting in the depths of night, a lance of light piercing the darkness. There would be no mistakes this time.
:siren: Party icons (as opposed to banners) should be 128 by 128 pixels. :siren:

TheMcD
May 4, 2013

Monaca / Subject N 2024
---------
Despair will never let you down.
Malice will never disappoint you.

NewMars posted:

I'm pretty sure that limit is moddable, and we are playing with a mod. Can someone more experienced with the HIP then I tell me if this is still true in Project Balance?

It's editable in every mod, because it's changed in the base defines. The only problem is that making a lot of republics and theocracies makes the game a lot easier (which is the reason the limits were introduced in the first place).

EDIT: And if you're talking about the limit still being intact in PB, then yes, it's still intact.

Gygaxian
May 29, 2013


As a New Byzantine, I would like to offer condolences to the Imperial family, and raise a toast to Emperor Alexios (may he live long), but would also like to remind the Senate under which faction the Empire's glory has been restored. Was it the nostalgiasts? The zealots? The blasphemers? perhaps even the doux? No! It was the forward-thinkers, we new men of a new Rome who brought you glory! And it was the perfidious doux and their allies in the Senate that slew our glorious Empress.

As such, I propose that a New Byzantine be made the regent of young Emperor Alexios, or at least that the regent follows our guidance.

Additionally, though I do not wish to create such a party/faction myself, I have enjoyed my estates in the Crimea so much that I propose that another Senator form a Crimean-based party with New Byzantine leanings. I would certainly join such a party as the perfect fusion of New Byzantine thinking and borderland ingenuity.

NewMars
Mar 10, 2013
Well, mine was only a couple pixels too large, but just to be sure, here is the 128x128.

Horsebanger
Jun 25, 2009

Steering wheel! Hey! Steering wheel! Someone tell him to give it to me!

NewMars posted:

Friends, those undecided, even foes.

I come to you now to announce the establishment of a new, cross-factional initiative with a singular goal: the reestablishment of a standing army to protect the empire! The old legions are gone and with them our greatest military strength, to be replaced by the levies of the Doux. We have seen the fell harvest this practice has reaped. So it is I say to you, be you Old Roman, Komenian, New Byzantine, Milevian or Latin sympathizer, let us join together undivided as the Novum Mariae (or "New Marians" in the vernacular) and begin the resurrection of the might of Rome! We are not a faction, but a group that crosses such borders with a single, specific goal, just to clarify, that being the recreation of the Legions (or failing that, some sort of standing army).





My Good Senator, I cannot see any fault with your line of thinking. It was Marius who saved Rome before.

The Legions were Rome's Sword and shield, and shall be again!

DivineCoffeeBinge
Mar 3, 2011

Spider-Man's Amazing Construction Company

Flesnolk posted:



I know there were no kings in Rome, but would it be worth considering creating despots? The douxes would then be the despots' concern, and it is easier to keep a few despots loyal than a horde of ambitious douxes. I would also like to speak in support of restoring the Legions.

Not until we are vastly more powerful. At this stage even a single vassal Despot is a powerful message saying "by all means revolt for your independence you are now officially too big for us to effectively stop without a serious hassle."

Deceitful Penguin
Feb 16, 2011

Wow, that's a lot of new factions to ignore. How interesting. I think I accidently read a few of the words though so:
Vassal republics mean money. Money buys drinks, women of negotionable affection and delectables. Also soldiers, beaurocrats and improvements, as well as being useful as a gift or bribe. A bag of money can be worth more than a dagger in the back, which as we all remember is worth more than a thousand swords at dawn, although said swords could be gotten with said bag. What's an army anyway?

Also the nobles don't like them so if they try and get uppity we can sic them at them and vice versa. Can't we carve out some from some pagans or something? Or one of those little islands the Turk holds? How hard can that be?

DivineCoffeeBinge
Mar 3, 2011

Spider-Man's Amazing Construction Company

Deceitful Penguin posted:

Also the nobles don't like them so if they try and get uppity we can sic them at them and vice versa. Can't we carve out some from some pagans or something? Or one of those little islands the Turk holds? How hard can that be?

I would like to note that this man has just obliquely suggested the restoration of the Republic of Crete.

Whether that is laudable or intolerable, I leave as an exercise for the reader.

forkis
Sep 15, 2011



I, for one welcome the initiative to restore Rome's legions. The Empire needs a solid backbone of good faithful soldiers to strike back against the Muslims and Pagans. Imagine it my friends - the levantine restored to its borders of the time of noble Constantine, carried upon the shields of a pan-christian army from both east and west. These "crusades" that our allies in Rome have proposed are the path to victory. I urge you all to consider the virtue of aligning ourselves with them so we may lend our soldiers to their effort when next the men of Christ turn to Jerusalem. God willing, it shall not be long.

NewMars
Mar 10, 2013


Optimares and Populates, I have a proclamation for all!

For all of you who have seen the pressing need for a revitalization of the Legions,
fear not, for this is not some nancy-pancy "let's all base ourselves on a vaguely
shared goal that we'd like to see" initiative. No, we have order and a plan!

These are the principles on which this movement is based:

1. Disputes of religion, ethnicity and politics not directly pertinent to military
matters are unimportant to our workings. We are here in the name of establishing a
standard army and nothing else!

2. The creation of a full legionary structure is our highest goal. A standing army
is a stepping-stone, for the legions were more then just a fighting force. They were
a cadre of war-engineers, who created both infrastructure and security. Our greatest
goal is to have a force to both expand and maintain the empire and it's vital
workings, nothing less!

3. Lastly, we must accept that this project will take time and effort to reach
fruition. After all, Rome was not, as it were, built in a day. We must be willing
to accept that there will be times when progress is simply not going to be possible.
But equally so, we must not fail to seize opportunity when it arises. When the time
comes when progress may be made, we must be ready to stand beside each other,
regardless of our personal feelings towards our fellows and our party allegiance,
otherwise this imitative is for nothing!

The Re-establishment of the Legions is based on four crucial factors:

1. Organization and Discipline (military organization tech).

An army is not just a rabble. An army is a wall of steel, a focus point of
discipline, lead by capable generals, filled with capable men. Without training
we have no soldiers. Without officers we have no ranks. Without the means
to organize ourselves we shall have no legion now, or ever. That is why we
must advocate for the greatest minds of our civilization to put themselves
to the question: "how is it that we may build for ourselves a true Roman army?"
On their answers hinge our entire plan.

2. Territory and Manpower (land).

To fill the ranks of an army, the most basic thing you need is men.
Men, of course are linked inexorably to territory. Without great
swathes of it, we simply will not have enough to fill the ranks. Of
course, some of you may say that relying on barbarians is a practice
by which the westerners came to hang themselves. That is why we shall
not make their mistakes! We shall keep it to the model of old Marius:
Legionaries and their commanders are true Romans only, forming a core
around which shall be gathered the auxiliae. We must always remember
to take pains to keep it thus. Do not deny the great powers of other
people to aid us, but remember to keep the core Roman.
Such is the path to victory!

3. Military Infrastructure (holding development).

This is a tricky one. For each and every problem we face, developing
our lands can be a solution. But it is slow, very slow. Furthermore,
it is expensive. Lastly, the upper limit to which it can be done is
based entirely on the breadth of our knowledge in the arts of architecture
and other philosophies of development. But even with all these problems,
it can supply us with all the manpower, money, and knowledge we need.
In the long run, of course.

4. Money.

Armies are expensive, standing armies doubly so. When it comes right down
to it we are going to need as much gold as Croesus if we are going to
maintain these legions. While merchant republics have their problems, they
are the most reliable source of income in existence, and even one of them
can make enough in tax to make the initiation of this initiative feasible.
(Note, I personally do not advocate restoring the Cretan republic. To make
my feelings on the matter clear: never again. If there was a worse edifice
of the classical era then I do not wish to know of it!) As for their
downsides, we must be careful to keep the patricians on a tight leash.
They are as dangerous as doux if not more! As for other methods of income...
land can be swift to acquire and long to pay off, developing our holdings
even longer. Ransoming the hated enemy may be the most efficient path
to gaining the coinage we so require, but that is not always reliable.
Of course, as our Jewish senators may helpfully suggest, we could always take loans.
But this is only for dire straits! For they must always be repaid, at murderous interest.

TL;DR: Don't let inter-party bitching ruin our chances at getting an army. We want a big, big standing army.
This is probably going to take a while. We are also going to need tons of tech, gold, land and buildings.
Also no new Cretan republic.

NewMars fucked around with this message at 02:39 on Feb 22, 2014

Deceitful Penguin
Feb 16, 2011

DivineCoffeeBinge posted:

I would like to note that this man has just obliquely suggested the restoration of the Republic of Crete.

Whether that is laudable or intolerable, I leave as an exercise for the reader.
I mean, how much harm can it be? I've never heard of Cretins or whatever they were called again being great sailors or masters of naval warfare, so even if they did rebel they'd be stuck on that island, until we'd have time to deal with them. Hell, if they rebelled they'd probably spend all their time arguing in circles about all manner of nonsense, splinter into factions that would split into factions, vote on whether to vote on voting, while we gathered the strength to take them back.

I see no way in which this could possibly cause undue complications or problems for the senate really.

Sinner Sandwich
Oct 13, 2012

The douxes must go, and some of the other senators have already proposed the proper course of action. Was it the douxes who kept Byzantium out of debt? Most certainly not. It was the moneylenders and the merchants, families like my own. Let us not forget that our beloved empress was butchered by a priest. No matter what the Catholic or Patriarchal sympathizers may say, remember that the man warred against us and cut down our Empress of his own accord. At any time, he could have put away his sword or bent his knee, but he most certainly did not. The nobility and the clergy are ill-equipped for rule. A byzantium run by the merchants! A place for Jews and Christians alike! All bowing down to the newly crowned Emperor! This is the only way to proceed. If my fellows in the New Byzantines cannot see the importance of this radical change, or are too craven to enact it, I cannot continue to call them my friends! As of today, I name myself a staunch supporter of the Fraternalist faction! Long live Rome! Long live the Emperor! Death to the treacherous scum! I recommend wholeheartedly that any senator, whether you fashion yourself an Old Roman or a Byzantine, or even a traitor, follow suit!

...On another note, I'm quite fond of this idea that some of you have brought up. Reforming the Legions? Yes, that sounds lovely-- we should make an effort to have them march East one day and retake Jerusalem. I'm sure my family would have no qualms funding such a project.

Flesnolk
Apr 11, 2012

Deceitful Penguin posted:

I mean, how much harm can it be? I've never heard of Cretins or whatever they were called again being great sailors or masters of naval warfare, so even if they did rebel they'd be stuck on that island, until we'd have time to deal with them. Hell, if they rebelled they'd probably spend all their time arguing in circles about all manner of nonsense, splinter into factions that would split into factions, vote on whether to vote on voting, while we gathered the strength to take them back.

I see no way in which this could possibly cause undue complications or problems for the senate really.



Indeed. We need the wealth trade will bring us more than we need fear the mishaps of Crete.

mcclay
Jul 8, 2013

Oh dear oh gosh oh darn
Soiled Meat

I do heartily agree with the Legion project. I put my support behind it!

Pinback
Jul 22, 2012

I've been having real awful dreams about giant apocalyptic machinery
just mowing us all down...


Senator Frontos Spakios

I seed again I've been left off the New Byzantine party register. Bah! I say. If such an oversight occurs again I shall take my leave and form a new party, with games of vice and women of ill-repute!

Till then I'd like to voice my support for the principles of the New Marian faction. While I shan't by joining your party, less my considerable wisdom be restricted to the propagation of a single view, I would propose brotherhood between your ranks and ours. A modern standing army will be a essential to the security, stability, and growth of our empire in the years to come.

occipitallobe
Jul 16, 2012



The murder of this great, great Empress of ours, the champion of the holy and indivisible Church and defender of the faith has made me doubt. A priest slew her, and in good faith, I can no longer see myself in the faction of Milvians. The false pontiff of Rome must of course be dragged down, but perhaps not until our own church has been cleansed of unrighteousness first. As a matter of conscience and conscience alone I now align myself with the Fraternalist faction.

Also, may I take this opportunity to praise the Jewish moneylenders of the city, who (despite being heathens and Christ-killers) have remarkable forbearance in the matter of prosecuting their debts.

Frionnel
May 7, 2010

Friends are what make testing worth it.


I have to ask the speaker, why is my name not in the list? Why, i joined right before these purple flag types!
That said, to see the recreation of the migthy legions being discussed right as i join this illustrous body is an honor, and i will gladly support it!

NewMars posted:

Novum Mariae

I'm not really sure of my latin, but shouldn't this be Novi Marii?

Frionnel fucked around with this message at 05:06 on Feb 22, 2014

Aeromancia
Jul 23, 2013


As a member of the New Byzantines, I must express my deepest condolences for the late Empress' family. I feel that while misguided, the heretics do have a point. For too long we have neglected our relationship with western Europe. I do not think we should kneel before a power-hungry pope, but we must strengthen our ties with our christian cousins. For the real threat lies to the south and east, not west.

NewMars posted:

Good ideas

The Byzantine Empire needs military might to secure it's place in the world. I fully support this.

Ofaloaf
Feb 15, 2013



I truly regret the death of our beloved Empress at the hands of Orthodox Eparch Zenon the Wicked, and I can understand the gut reaction to everything that has happened what with the screaming for the heads of all doukes, but building a standing army and stripping all the aristocrats of their power is just not beneficial for our blessed Empire in the long term.

Firstly, we don't have the resources of Caesar Augustus to fund a resurrection of the old legions. Even the old empire barely had the resources of Caesar Augustus to maintain the legions-- if anybody remembers their Jordanes, the drive to maintain a large standing army first led to ruinous taxes, a restrictive land policy, a growing number of foederati within the military and then Odoacer. Standing armies cost money and place additional financial strain upon the Empire. Many of our old lands are still in the hands of the Turk, and our recent conquests in the Crimea, while glorious indeed, are not great sources of additional tax revenue.

Secondly, I encourage you all yet again to look westward for direction. While a landed aristocracy clearly can become dangerous in the worst circumstances, at best they are superb for local defense in times of war (given that the lords lose it all if an invader wins) and themselves can be a bastion of stability when other elements (such as wayward republics and Orthodox priests) become restive. The Marca Hispania established by the Franks some centuries back is a solid example of this system working well and as intended; the landed lords administered the lands and provided the backbone of Spanish defense- bolstered by Latin soldiers from elsewhere- when the Moors attempted to expand up and beyond the Pyrenees.

I suggest that the best way to remove the doukes as a direct threat, while still supporting this clearly beneficial feudal system the Latins have in place, is to establish regional despots who oversee the doukes themselves, and in turn answer to Constantinople. That way, we would maintain a good system of local defense networks administered by lords with staked interests in the regions they're protecting, while also simplifying administration for ourselves and removing the more uppity ducal families from direct interaction with the crown. We should establish despotates within the realm to break the power of the doukes.

occipitallobe
Jul 16, 2012

Frionnel posted:

I'm not really sure of my latin, but shouldn't this be Novi Marii?

If Marius is in the genitive, Novus is going to want to agree with it, so I think it might be Novorum Marii.

Ofaloaf posted:

I suggest that the best way to remove the doukes as a direct threat, while still supporting this clearly beneficial feudal system the Latins have in place, is to establish regional despots who oversee the doukes themselves, and in turn answer to Constantinople. That way, we would maintain a good system of local defense networks administered by lords with staked interests in the regions they're protecting, while also simplifying administration for ourselves and removing the more uppity ducal families from direct interaction with the crown. We should establish despotates within the realm to break the power of the doukes.

Senator Ofaloaf who basely serves the Pope now seeks to weaken the Empire and undermine our glorious heritage as well as our faith! The Fraternalists seek to balance the power of the douxes against the merchants, so that the crown might profit by their bickering. To give despotes great power would be to remove our right to revoke the titles of any doux at our desire, rather forcing us to bow and scrape to great lords who would seize all power from the Empress!

Shall we divide the Empire into three or four great portions ruled by great families, each of whom bears no true allegiance to the crown? The solution to the power of the douxes is not to crown some of them, to increase their power and their avariciousness. We do not destroy our enemies by raising them up, we destroy them by dividing and starving them!

Shall we discard centuries of Imperial tradition and governance in the name of weakening the crown? Shall we bow to the pope and to a host of vassal-despotes, making the glorious Autokrator ton Romanion nothing more than a figurehead, and his Senate reduced to nothing? Only a fool or a traitor would suggest such things, you damnable snake, and I demand you tell the Senate which you are!

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Ofaloaf
Feb 15, 2013

occipitallobe posted:

Shall we divide the Empire into three or four great portions ruled by great families, each of whom bears no true allegiance to the crown? The solution to the power of the douxes is not to crown some of them, to increase their power and their avariciousness. We do not destroy our enemies by raising them up, we destroy them by dividing and starving them!

If strength of allegiance is your concern, then surely that could be easily dealt with by making all the new despots Komnenoi. What stronger allegiance is there but that of blood? Do we not all serve the House of Komnenos already? Do you not want our great and respected Komnenian dynasty to be granted the honors it has rightfully earned?

  • Locked thread