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Sweet. Jizrunids are a beautiful trainwreck. e: shameful page snipe, update here on the last page. BravestOfTheLamps fucked around with this message at 11:58 on Mar 1, 2017 |
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Mar 1, 2017 11:55
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RIP Fath the comprehensively shat upon. He did not have a good time.
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Mar 1, 2017 13:32
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Hashim posted:Bonus black death: Good job Poland.
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Mar 1, 2017 16:21
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Poland mostly dodged the Plague in OTL as well, didn't they? Is it just luck, or is there some cultural and/or geographic thing that makes Poland way less susceptible to it?
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Mar 1, 2017 18:01
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Hmm. I am curious what records there were in the Islamic world about the Black Death; it just seems very... odd to have the Danse Macabre used to represent it in all settings.
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Mar 1, 2017 19:16
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Samovar posted:Hmm. I am curious what records there were in the Islamic world about the Black Death; it just seems very... odd to have the Danse Macabre used to represent it in all settings. This article seems to try and answer that.
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Mar 1, 2017 20:08
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Crazycryodude posted:Poland mostly dodged the Plague in OTL as well, didn't they? Is it just luck, or is there some cultural and/or geographic thing that makes Poland way less susceptible to it? In game it's intentional; Milan, Poland, and portions of the Pyrenees are in a special region that makes them less susceptible to the Plague. edit: this seems to be a half-decent summary of why Poland might have been hit less hard OTL tunapirate fucked around with this message at 20:18 on Mar 1, 2017 |
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Mar 1, 2017 20:10
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Oh God, India got hit twice... Great LP!
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Mar 1, 2017 20:41
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mrpwase posted:Oh God, India got hit twice... Probably did a great job of speeding up Hashim's game 
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Mar 1, 2017 21:30
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Chapter 19 – Holy War – 1288 to 1299 The Black Death swept across the Known World like a storm, wreaking havoc for over a decade before finally retreating, and only chaos was left in its wake. In the Middle East, the Fatimid Empire had been hit the hardest, with internal unrest quickly escalating into open rebellion. After two years of war, Egypt managed to win independence from the Shia Caliph, who also lost control over large parts of the Levant and Mesopotamia.  Further west, in Central Europe, the Holy Roman Empire wasn’t able to avoid the wave of unrest either. Slowly but surely, the authority of the Emperor was beginning to wane as princes gained autonomy, with large parts of the de jure Empire completely independent.  Back on the Iberian peninsula, which was still suffering in the wake of the devastating plague, things were not much better. Amongst the Christian principalities, a Catalan duke had declared independence from León, dealing the once-powerful kingdom a stinging blow.  In the south, the past few years have been just as tumultuous, with the internal divisions of al-Andalus boiling to the surface yet again. Shortly following Sultan Fath’s assassination, his young son and successor was quickly taken into the custody of the Majlis, to be educated and raised however they saw fit.  As the sun began setting on another century, meanwhile, news of holy war in the east crept its way to Qadis. The Sunni Caliph had called for Jihad against the East Roman Empire, apparently, and the call had been met by both the Uqaylid Shahdom and the Armenian Sultanate.  The Majlis, acting as representatives of the Western Ummah, met to discuss whether to send an expeditionary force or not. The prestige benefits would be great, and a successful jihad could lend legitimacy to their authority as well, though at the cost of money and men. This was also an opportunity, however. The East Roman Empire had been expanding worryingly fast over the past few decades, quickly conquering vast swathes of land in Southern Italy and North Africa, and had even begun encroaching on Andalusi spheres of influence. Now, with the Sunni Caliph declaring jihad and a boy-emperor ruling in Constantinople, now was the perfect chance to strike back.  Eventually, after fiery debate raged between the Aftasid and Yahaffid emirs, the lords of the Majlis decided in favour of the Yahaffids and intervention. A large force of 10,000 men were gathered at Balansiyyah, under the command of Emir Ismail Yahaffid, and from there they began the journey eastward and towards Cilicia. Nobody really expected them to do much against the forces of Constantinople, but it was certainly better than nothing.  Surprisingly, however, the Andalusi expedition met with immediate success, quickly pinning down two Roman armies and crushing them in short battles. Apparently, a revolt had risen up in Greece just as the Jihad was declared, dividing the Empire's resources and allowing thousands of Muslim ghazi to flood into Anatolia unopposed.   The opportunities were boundless, and once Yahaffid's forces joined up with the Caliph’s, the road to Constantinople itself would stand opwn. But then, unfortunately, an emissary arrived from Qadis demanding his immediately return. War had broken out between Christian and Muslim powers in Iberia once again, with Queen Ahu of León hoping to pounce on the Andalusi whilst they were distracted.  It took almost a year for the expeditionary force to make its way back to Iberia, time enough for the enemy to capture several important fortresses on the Andalusi-Leónese border. Immediately upon landing at Almeria, Emir Ismail Yahaffid led the expeditionary force northward on a forced march, reaching the hill-forts at Mursiya before the Christians could storm them.  The Leónese decided to attack the Muslims head-on, but with roughly equal numbers and terrain on their side, the Andalusi were all too happy to meet their foes in battle. Unfortunately, it didn’t go exactly as planned. The Leónese utilised devastating cavalry to their advantage, and after a bloody struggle lasting two long, sweltering days, they forced the Emir to fall back and reorganise his forces.   The defeat wasn’t a decisive one, but the Leónese already had a good chunk of western Andalusia under occupation, which brought them much closer to victory. With a larger army on their side as well, it was beginning to look like the Andalusi war effort was a hopeless one. That is, until the Berbers came into the story.  The Almoravids and Jizrunids haven’t been on good terms for a while now, but the Berbers knew that a Christian power dominating Iberia wasn’t good for them, so they offered to contribute to its defence (that, along with the promise of hefty monetary payments, of course). The relieved Majlis accepted without a second thought, and just a week later, a combined Berber-Andalusi force set off from Jabal Tariq to engage the Leónese once again.  And this time, the campaign went much better. Emir Yahaffid and Sultan Almoravid coordinated their movements, quickly surrounding the numerically-inferior Leónese force at Almeria, where they crunched into the enemy army like hammers on a nail. Within an hours, the enemy lines were breached and their formation was fractured, with the shattered levies dropping their weapons and fleeing en masse.  Eager to capitalise on the victory, Yahaffid instructed a scouting force to pursue the broken army, raiding their supply trains and slowing them down. The Leónese were forced to a halt and engaged in another battle, little more than a massacre, which ended with the complete surrender of the Christians.  The terms for peace were harsh, and as caravans laden with tribute made their way towards Qadis (and from there across the straits and into Morocco), the rich landlords and nobility of the Majlis al-Shura began celebrating their 'great victory'. As the aristocracy drank themselves half-mad in Qadis, however, Islam was being dealt blow after blow in the Near East.  After suffering defeat in several wars against both the Fatimids and the East Roman Empire, the King of Jerusalem appealed to the Pope in an effort to gain support. Pope Clemens responded by calling for another Crusade, this time to establish a Christian Kingdom in Egypt, to hopefully supplant Jerusalem and aid it in its defence. This would have been important news in Qadis, but the celebrations had already been cut short by another crisis, demanding the full attention of the Majlis.  After planning out his strategies for long years, King Morcaer II of Castille had decided that the time was ripe to pounce on the weak Andalusi and rectify his father’s losses. A strong and widely-respected man, Morcaer would have undoubtedly been able to defeat al-Andalus in a one-on-one fight, but the Majlis could still count on the support of the Berber kingdoms to prop them up.   The Andalusi levies were still gathered just north of Qadis, so Emir Yahaffid was granted supreme command once more, with the general rushing northwards without delay. The march ended at Elyas, where an 11,000-strong Castilian army was besieging a border fortress, though they turned their spears and arrows on the Andalusi quick enough. Buoyed by his victory against León, Emir Ismail stormed into battle with numerical superiority on his side, certain of the outcome.  …Again, it didn’t quite go as planned. Enemy reinforcements rushed onto the field from the north, numbering 8000 in all, and shifted the battle sharply in favour of the Castilians. Unable to deal with his change in fortunes, Emir Yahaffid ordered a mass retreat, fleeing the battle at the head of his shattered army. Thousands were slaughtered in the hours that followed, handing a decisive victory to the Christians.   To make matters worse, a large Zikri revolt broke out in Granada just days later, with the fanatics hoping to capitalise on the weakness of the Majlis and seize independence.  It is now, just as al-Andalus is beginning to keel over, that Sultan Ayyub strides into the picture. Tutored by the very best scholars Qadis had to offer, young Ayyub spent the vast majority of his young life being manipulated by one old man or another, everyone trying to take advantage of his position. But he had lived through the Black Death, through the assassination of his father and through the devastating wars of recent years, so the political games of the Majlis wasn’t enough to shake his self-belief and ambition. He immediately demanded that his viziers swear the traditional oaths of loyalty to him, and hoping he would be able to inspire the army to victory, the lords of the Majlis did just that.  Ayyub was crowned in a cheap, rushed ceremony before he left the capital, taking command of his battered army a few weeks later. He hadn't been trained in the intricacies of strategy, but he knew that numbers were as important as tactics, so he spent the next few months allowing his army to rest and recuperate. Once they’d recovered, the young sultan led the Andalusi levies into his first engagement, thundering into a skirmish at the head of his cavalry retinue.  The battle ended in a crushing victory, and though smashing a bunch of fanatic peasants wasn’t much to be proud of, it was enough to raise the abysmal morale of Ayyub’s army.  Whilst Ayyub was busy fighting the heretics, the Almoravid Sultan led his own force into battle against the Castilians, dealing them a crushing defeat after a bloody, drawn-out battle.   With the Christians on the run, Ayyub led his army northwest and joined up with the Berbers, before embarking on one final campaign. The Muslims engaged the enemy army just two months later, throwing their full weight at the 12,000 Castilians besieging Elyas.  Facing such drastic odds, the Castilians didn't stand much of a chance, quickly collapsing once their flanks were destroyed. Ayyub took the opportunity to test out his own strategies on the battlefield, gaining as much knowledge as he could, knowing that it would serve him well in the future.   Having narrowly escaped the slaughter, King Morcaer sued for peace just days later, offering tribute and a concession of defeat. With his resources exhausted and a political mess waiting for him in Qadis, Sultan Ayyub accepted and disbanded his army, returning to the capital soon afterwards.  With that, almost eleven years of constant war comes to an end, and al-Andalus did not come out of it in good shape. Still, Sultan Ayyub is young and ambitious, if not particularly gifted, and his eyes are set on the stars themselves. Whilst the drums of war slowly die down in Iberia, however, the beating is only just beginning in the Near East. Apparently, after the Andalusi expeditionary force departed Anatolia, a combined Muslim army inflicted several defeats on Roman armies and managed to storm Constantinople itself. Just hours later, the Basileus surrendered to the Caliph and the Jihad was declared a victory.  Allah gives with one hand and takes with another, however. Whilst the Sunni faithful dealt the infidel a fatal blow in the north, the Shia powers were on the retreat further south. After a bloody war stretching across three years, with battles raging from Alexandria to Antioch, the Crusade for Egypt came to an end with the Sack of Cairo and victory for the crusaders.  As the chief participant of the Crusade, Egypt came under the control of the King of France. Rather than grant it to one of his relatives, however, King Gautier instead declared the formation of the Occitan Empire, a rival to both the Holy Roman Empire and the East Roman Empire.  In this age of holy war, the stakes are high and loss comes hand-in-hand with destruction. Nevertheless, from Qadis to Baghdad, dice are being cast and greedy hands are scrambling for chips, so who will come out on top? hashashash fucked around with this message at 16:36 on Jun 10, 2019 |
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Mar 5, 2017 15:03
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Hehehe, this game is shaping up to be very interesting. I never really tried out CK+, by the time I'd played the basegame enough to want mods Wiz was working for Paradox and I heard it turned to garbo. I suppose things have been turned around now for the better?
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Mar 5, 2017 15:49
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Vivre l'Occitan! 
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Mar 5, 2017 15:59
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First, I wanted to say this is shaping up to be a really interesting LP. I have been enjoying the writing all along, and I think you're making a good job of it. And second... those king stats  . We're in for a bumpy ride, aren't we...
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Mar 5, 2017 16:13
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A cunning trap has been set - the Franks have been lured in to Dar al-Islam under the pretence of conquest. Now the light of Allah may shine upon them and, basking, they will recognise the truths of the Prophet and of Civilisation! What's that one weird trait our Sultan has? The black shield with a crown and an X underneath. It doesn't look super great.
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Mar 5, 2017 16:20
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Freudian posted:A cunning trap has been set - the Franks have been lured in to Dar al-Islam under the pretence of conquest. Now the light of Allah may shine upon them and, basking, they will recognise the truths of the Prophet and of Civilisation! It's the 'uncrowned' trait, and it mainly just gives an opinion malus with every vassal. Kings/emperors have to pay for a coronation to get rid of it, replacing the relation hit with a small bonus.
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Mar 5, 2017 16:29
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Jiru posted:First, I wanted to say this is shaping up to be a really interesting LP. I have been enjoying the writing all along, and I think you're making a good job of it. They're not as bad as they look. He has hardly any traits and the stats from the education trait haven't been applied yet. A rank 3 martial education is nothing to sneeze at.
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Mar 5, 2017 18:56
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Huh, weird that they formed the Occitan Empire instead of Francia (or its ck2+ equivalent) . I guess its because he was Occitan culture, though with france as his primary title it makes seem a bit strange. Anyways, I've really enjoyed this LP. Keep it up!
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Mar 5, 2017 20:07
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Zakrelo posted:though with france as his primary title it makes seem a bit strange That's because k_france is weighted to be more prestigious than it's other Frankish kingdoms. You probably have to be Old Frankish or French to form Francia I'll bet.
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Mar 5, 2017 23:33
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Chapter 20 – Al Mubazirun – 1299 to 1305 With the tumultuous and chaotic years that have recently dominated Iberia finally coming to an end, Al Andalus enters the fourteenth century with a new sultan. Ayyub was certainly no prodigy, but he was determined and capable, and those were qualities that the sultanate was sorely in need of.  One of Ayyub’s first actions upon becoming Sultan was to order the construction of a string of hospitals, interspersed throughout the narrow streets and growing quarters of Qadis. He still remembered the plague-ridden years of his childhood, and was determined to prevent such a travesty from hitting his capital again.  The young sultan even offered immense grants to any scholar or physician willing to study the causes of the plague, and how it could be treated, promising great rewards should their experiments yield results.   Ayyub’s ambitions were not limited to books and journals, however. He had spent long hours reading up on the history of the Jizrunids, and after the weakness of recent sultans, he was ready to do anything it took to return to the heights of Emir Galind and Sultan Hakam.  The young sultan's passion and talent, however, lay in the way of the martial arts. Even as a child, he had detested the political games of the Majlis, instead finding his home amongst sweaty soldiers and gruff generals. And with his regency focused on defeating the rebellions and uprisings that had erupted over the past few years, Ayyub had been allowed to hone his swordcraft and study old stratagem, gradually tuning his abilities as both a soldier and commander.  Thus, it didn’t come as much of a surprise when Ayyub announced his intention to go to war a few short months into his reign. He had been raised and tutored by the lords of the Majlis, so they didn't oppose him from doing so, but Sultan Ayyub still wasn’t able to declare on the northern Christian kingdoms – not yet, anyways.  Queen Ahu, fearing yet another Moorish invasion, had formed a pact with the newfound Occitan Empire - which stretched from Normandy to Lower Egypt. This nascent relationship quickly flourished as Emperor Gautier courted the Queen, culminating in their marriage and alliance. This, along with the preexisting Castilian-Leónese alliance, effectively banded all of the north against Al Andalus. And with that, another powerful alliance between the nations of Christendom was forged. So Ayyub turned his eyes elsewhere, and shortly afterwards he ordered the construction of new shipyards in the Qadisian harbor, a development that surprised many, since Al Andalus had never really been a seafaring power.  The Sultan’s plans surfaced a few months later, when the royal faction within the Majlis presented documents that lay claim to the city of Arborea. According to these obviously fabricated claims, the Umayyads had captured Arborea centuries past, when the Caliphate was still at its apex. Apparently, Arborea then served as an outpost of the empire until its collapse, sometime during the mid-700s, when Christian principalities moved in and reclaimed it.  Few actually believed this tale, but Sultan Ayyub didn’t care how legitimate the claims were, he was itching for any reason to go to war. And mere days later, he delivered the traditional sermon and declared war on Arborea.  The Count of Arborea didn’t know what hit him. One day the seas were calm and serene, and the next hundreds of Andalusi galleys were jostling through the waves, driving towards Sardinian shores. The Andalusi didn't meet with much opposition, and the beaches were quickly overrun by the thousands of Muslims, all led by a jubilant Sultan Ayyub.   Once they had a firm hold on the western coast, the Andalusi marched halfway across the island and captured Cagliari, looting and torching the city. The Count, whose appeals to the Holy Roman Emperor had gone ignored, quickly sued for peace as his capital was ransacked.   It wasn't exactly the glorious victories of earlier Jizrunid kings, but as the first successful offensive war in quite a few years, news of Ayyub's victory was met with cheers and celebration in Qadis. A few viziers and sheikhs of the Majlis even visited the Sultan to offer their congratulations, gifting him with large chests of gold and treasure, caskets of alcohol and spirits, and the flesh of women and men alike. Ayyub didn’t partake in the drinking and partying, however, he saw Arborea as nothing more than a stepping stone to greater fortunes.  One thing Ayyub did gain from the war was experience. The long hours and endless days he'd spent training finally paid off, with the Sultan showcasing his brilliant swordmanship as he fought alongside noble retainers and common soldiers alike, cutting down dozens in the thick, suffocating heat of battle.  Still, the Andalusi army was nothing special, drawn entirely from the levies of his emirs and sheikhs. To make matters worse, the Sultanate’s only standing army – the royal cavalry retinue – had been utterly destroyed in the previous wars with Castille and León. Ayyub was determined to change that. So upon his return to Qadis, the Sultan proclaimed the foundation of a new order of warriors, financing the construction of large training grounds to serve as barracks and instructing his inferiors to begin recruiting young children to serve as future soldiers.  Hoping to turn this new retinue into a highly mobile and well-trained force, Ayyub used his contacts to attract proven generals - including Ismail Yahaffid, Hilal Abbadid and Isa ibn Musa - who were to train the youngsters. Over a period of several years, these green boys were subjected to harsh regimens and strict restrictions, trained to respect the authority of the Sultan above all else.  By 1303, the unseasoned recruits had been hardened into disciplined soldiers, and the retinue was ready for its first taste of combat. Sultan Ayyub took personal charge of his warriors, dubbing them al-Mubazirun, after the heroes of old.  Meanwhile, in the cradle of civilisation, the Fatimids have managed to bring a halt to their decline. After recapturing several rich Syrian cities, the Shia Caliph declared Jihad on the Kingdom of Jerusalem, triumphantly marching into the Holy City just weeks later.  The King of Jerusalem was killed in the fighting around his capital, and his immediate family were forced to escape the city and flee west, scattering to every corner of Europe. Some accepted exile in France or the Holy Roman Empire, but the king's heir decided to return to his ancestral homeland - Iceland - where he declared himself the king of the "North Sea Kingdom" and vowed to exact his vengeance on the saracens.  Back in Iberia, as winter began its gradual retreat, Ayyub approached the Majlis and requested the authority to declare a holy war. The viziers and estate-holders debated the issue for a short while, but Ayyub had grown to become a popular figure amongst both the aristocracy and the general public, and the eventual vote was near-unanimous. A few days later, envoys arrived in León carrying a declaration of war, though thousands upon thousands of Andalusi were already pouring across the border.  As Ayyub had expected, the New Christian Alliance quickly came to the defense of Queen Ahu, with both Castille and the Occitan Empire pledging thousands of troops to the war effort.  And it wasn't long before they fulfilled that promise, with an army numbering 18,000 and composed of a conglomerate of Leónese, Castilian and French soldiers descending from the north, determined to repel the Andalusi before they could capture any forts. Sultan Ayyub pulled his army back for a few days to judge the scenario. After thoroughly scouting out enemy movements, he pounced forward again and led the Mubazirun into the first engagement of the war, closely followed by the rest of the Andalusi levies.  The battle was short and decisive. The Christians had underestimated Andalusi numbers, and Ayyub was able to use his combat width to great advantage, quickly encircling the enemy army and forcing them to break.   The shattered Christian army was forced to retreat, but as they fled northward again, another large enemy army pushed into Muslim territory. This time composed almost entirely of Occitan forces, Sultan Ayyub once again led his army into combat, eager to test the mettle of this newfound empire.  In terms of numbers, the two sides were fairly even. In terms of quality, not so much. The Mubazirun cut through the Occitan army like a knife through melted butter, with Sultan Ayyub leading the elite force in countless line-breaking charges. By the time the sun had set on the battlefield, the Occitan army was in full retreat, leaving almost 12,000 dead behind them as they fled. News of this crushing victory quickly spread to every hall and hearth in Iberia, and before long, Muslims high and low, noble and common, rich and poor were all hailing Ayyub as Galind Kingkiller come-again.   Ayyub didn't let his attentions waver from his campaign, however. With the Christian armies all but destroyed, he sent half of his forces east to begin capturing enemy territory, whilst he personally led his retinue on a few raids and recon missions. Another Leónese army entered Mursiya a few weeks later, however, and Sultan Ayyub backtracked and pinned it down at Albacete. Numerically inferior, the Leónese met with defeat yet again, quick to throw down their weapons and plead for mercy.   Dozens of commanders and generals were chained and imprisoned, and astonishingly, Queen Ahu herself was found amongst them. There is no doubt what Ayyub's forebear would have done, but even if he matched Galind Kingkiller's tactical ability and popularity, he had not inherited his sheer ruthlessness and cruelty. Instead, Ayyub reached an agreement for peace with the Occitan emperor, who sued for peace and submitted to all Andalusi demands, ceding a rich stretch of Mediterranean coast in return for his wife and empress.   With that, the shameful loss of Ayyub’s father is avenged and the Christian powers are once again humbled, reasserting Andalusi dominance in Iberia. The Sultan returns to Qadis to find a whole host of noblemen waiting to praise and commend him, even those who’d previously detested him.  As was usual, however, Ayyub simply didn’t care for it. Within days of returning to the capital, he was itching to be on the march again, eager to feel his heart hammering against his chest, to feel the rush of adrenaline pumping through his veins, to feel the weight of a blade clenched in his fist. Sultan Ayyub had been ruling for less than five years and he’d already achieved more than his regency and his father had in twenty, but that wasn’t enough. He would have more, much more, he was sure of it.  hashashash fucked around with this message at 11:32 on Oct 12, 2018 |
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Mar 7, 2017 05:26
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Nice to see Al Andalus doing well for once.
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Mar 7, 2017 05:39
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Outremer Iceland
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Mar 7, 2017 06:11
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If the late game ends up being bereft of challenge, I hope you will mod Sunset Invasion to feature an Outremer syncretic Aztec Crusader army that grew unchecked far across the sea and never forgot its birthright.
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Mar 7, 2017 06:22
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I still don't get why they didn't cut Fath II's leg off to cure the plague.
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Mar 7, 2017 09:31
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So when are the fleets setting sail for Iceland?
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Mar 7, 2017 11:40
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A COMPETENT Jizrunid sultan? Now I have truly seen everything!
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Mar 7, 2017 13:54
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Just waiting for the other shoe (sandal?) to drop.
CommissarMega fucked around with this message at 14:08 on Mar 7, 2017 |
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Mar 7, 2017 14:03
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Rodyle posted:Outremer Iceland
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Mar 7, 2017 21:54
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CommissarMega posted:Just waiting for the other shoe (sandal?) to drop. Depends on whether he's raising the kids himself or not--the AI will almost invariably give children real bad traits that are worse in this game because of roleplay.
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Mar 7, 2017 21:59
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So is this gonna continue on as is, or update to Monks and Mystics? We totally need (another) devil-worshipping sultan at some point
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Mar 7, 2017 22:09
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Crazycryodude posted:So is this gonna continue on as is, or update to Monks and Mystics? We totally need (another) devil-worshipping sultan at some point I've bought Monks and Mystics, so it'll definitely feature once a full update of CK2+ is released. I've already played ahead by a bit though, so it'll be a few chapters before the new content comes up anyways.
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Mar 7, 2017 22:15
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Mister Olympus posted:Depends on whether he's raising the kids himself or not--the AI will almost invariably give children real bad traits that are worse in this game because of roleplay. Nah, I'm doing it myself. As a rule though, I'm educating any children a character has with a different childhood focus that whatever that particular character had. So, for example, none of Ayyub's children will be educated with the 'Pride' focus, just to avoid a long chain of sultans with similar traits/stats. hashashash fucked around with this message at 22:26 on Mar 7, 2017 |
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Mar 7, 2017 22:18
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Chapter 21 – The Victorious Sultan – 1305 to 1320 Ayyub had been Sultan of al-Andalus for just five years, but five years was all he needed to make a lasting impression in the kingdom, leading the Mubazirun into victory after victory as Christian powers across the Mediterranean were humiliated. As far as we know, however, Ayyub didn’t do it for the glory or prestige. We know him as a man of war, but his reasons for actually going to battle are murky and dubious, and many have speculated that he may have killed for the sake of killing. Those are questions best left to philosophers, however. Whatever his reasons, whatever his ambitions were, Sultan Ayyub was determined to see them realised through force of arms.  Early in 1306, after a short period of respite, Ayyub finished what he started by declaring war on the Count of Arborea for the second time. He sent a small force to quickly quash any opposition and take Cagliari, bringing the war to an end within a month.   However, in an unusual occurrence, Ayyub didn’t personally involve himself in the war. He had far loftier goals in mind, goals that demanded time and attention, and goals that would reap far greater rewards. Half a year after the conquest of Cagliari, Ayyub’s efforts were revealed when he convened an emergency session of the Majlis al-Shura, solely to request the authority to initiate another large-scale holy war. After paying off a few nobles and intimidating the rest, Ayyub got what he wanted, and messengers were on the road to Castille within hours.  Toledo was one of the richest and most important cities in the Iberian peninsula, with its central positioning placing it at the crossroads of a dozen trade routes, as well as making it a strategically-vital fort. It had been conquered by the Christian powers almost two centuries past, during the first wave of Reconquista wars, and has since been massively expanded and fortified by different kings. All of this fuelled the population growth so that, by 1307, it was by far the largest city in Christian Iberia. Sultan Ayyub had obviously been planning an offensive to capture Toledo for quite some time, because two enormous Andalusi armies catapulted towards the city within days of declaring war, intent on seizing it before the Christians could raise an allied force.  King Morcaer proved to be an adaptable man, however, and he managed to throw together an army before Ayyub reached Toledo. The two armies clashed just beyond the city’s walls, and in one of the bloodiest battles to date, the Andalusi managed to rout the opposing army.  The fighting had been costly, with almost 20,000 corpses littering the field by the end of the day. To Ayyub, however, every life sacrificed had been worth it, because King Morcaer himself had been cornered and disarmed in the heat of the battle. In another surprising twist, however, Ayyub decided to spare Morcaer’s life. Perhaps the Sultan knew that a prisoner was more valuable than a dead body, or maybe he saw it as a way of ending the war sooner; whatever the reason, Morcaer was treated with the utmost respect by Ayyub, as befit his rank and name.   The Andalusi army then spread out and began capturing cities and besieging fortresses. With the capture of Morcaer, however, the war had essentially come to an end, it was just a matter of ironing out the terms for peace.   In return for his freedom, the Castilian king was forced to cede a vast stretch of land, including Toledo itself. Some contemporaries say that the king also offered his daughter in marriage to Ayyub - to cement a permanent peace between their two kingdoms - and insist that the Sultan accepted and took her into his bed, only to abandon her upon the treaty's conclusion. The nights they spent together would have consequences, however, and the young princess later birthed a bastard son - Ayyub's bastard, according to the tales. Nonetheless, the victory once again pushed the frontiers of the sultanate outward, and al-Andalus was gradually nearing its greatest historical extent, as it was under the Umayyad Caliphate.  More importantly, however, the victory also gave Ayyub an incredible amount of influence. He divided to govern Toledo as part of the royal demense, but their were still rich pickings and fertile lands to be in the environs of the city, and everyone wanted a slice of the riches, with viziers and nobles began clamouring to earn the Sultan’s favour. Ayyub used this newfound power to further centralise al-Andalus, passing reforms for the first time since the days of Sultan Hakam.  At the behest of the Majlis, Sultan Ayyub also agreed to mint a new currency of gold dinars, bearing his name and likeness, to commemorate his great victory over the Christian principalities.  Whilst Ayyub busied himself in Qadis, however, a war was raging further south. The ancient alliance between the Jizrunids and Almoravids had slowly eroded with time, with the Moroccan sultans gradually shifting their attention to from Iberia to West Africa, where lucrative riches dwelt. After a disastrous raid into Ghanan territory, however, war erupted between the African kingdom and the Moroccan sultanate, and it did not end as one might have expected. After decisively defeating Almoravid forces on the battlefield, Mansa Samsou-Béri marched into Marrakesh with his army and declared himself the new sultan, uniting the two realms under his rule.  Dozens of Almoravid princes fled across the straits and into Qadis, where Sultan Ayyub granted them safe haven, refusing to clap them in chains when Mansa Samsou demanded their return. So the king of Ghana immediately took an aggressive stance against the Jizrunid kingdom, whom he saw as natural enemies anyways, and expelled Andalusi diplomats and advisors from Marrakesh. Many viziers and lords on the Majlis began calling for war against the Mansa, chiefly to restore the Almoravids, but Sultan Ayyub refused to do anything of the sort, too focused on his own plans. To try and ease the fear of an invasion, however, Ayyub did agree to finance the construction of new forts along the southern coast of Qadis and Algeziras.   Whilst these fortifications were impressive, Ayyub only invested as much as he needed to. He preferred to sink his gold into his retinue instead, significantly expanding the Mubazirun and constructing several new barracks and stables to support its growing ranks.  Fortunately, the next few years crept past in relative peace. Ayyub finally managed to dedicate some time to his wives, fathering a string of sons and daughters - this time legitimate. Their upbringing was left to their mothers and servants, however, the Sultan was far too busy developing his retinue, ensuring that it remained a highly-disciplined force, obedient only to the crown. According to contemporary chroniclers, he would often train alongside his soldiers, developing strong bonds between himself and his guards. In the summer of 1312, however, the drums of war began beating once more as rumours of another conflict spread.  And indeed, Ayyub began rousing his vassals and summoning his banners once again, this time denouncing the free city of Naples. According to the Sultan, the Count of Napoli had conducted severals raids into Andalusi-controlled Cagliari, and such an insult could only be repaid in blood.  Sultan Ayyub managed to put together another huge army, this time numbering 30,000 levies, and led it towards Naples by sea. The Andalusi quickly seized control of Neapolitan beaches and, after overcoming the pitiful resistance, stormed Napoli itself.   Once Naples was firmly under his control, Ayyub adopted defensive tactics and began fortifying the city, preparing for retaliation. He expected German and East Roman expeditionary forces to arrive within weeks, but to his great surprise, the weeks turned into months and nothing turned up.  It didn’t take long for Ayyub to figure out why the Christian world wasn’t pouncing on him, however. Apparently, just as Naples succumbed to the Andalusi, the enmity between the Holy Roman Emperor and the East Roman Basileus had flared up into outright war.  The war was just another front in the constant German-Greek conflict for influence in Italy, but with the world’s two greatest powers suddenly at each other’s throats, one might’ve taken a step back and maintain neutrality. Not the sultan of al-Andalus, however, Ayyub saw only opportunity, and with the Basileus bogged down in a war, this was undoubtedly the opportunity of a lifetime. Sultan Ayyub rushed back to Qadis to request permission for another holy war. The Majlis was made up of some of the most ruthless and ambitious men in all of al-Andalus, however, and they refused to grant Ayyub their blessing without receiving something in return.  Ayyub conceded, desperate to do whatever it took, and agreed to sign a law giving the Majlis further powers. In return, the estate-holders granted the Sultan permission to go to war again, this time against the full might of the East Roman Empire. Furthermore, the landed nobility vowed to contribute a greater percentage of their levies to the war effort, swelling Andalusi numbers.  Thus, just as 1315 began to dawn, the largest Andalusi army ever assembled made their landing at Napoli. Amounting to more than fifty thousand men, Sultan Ayyub immediately took command of the army and rushed headfirst into battle, eager to land the first blow.  The Battle of Siponto, a historic meeting, was the first engagement between al-Andalus and the East Roman Empire. Ayyub utilised his elite Mubazirun to deal tremendous damage to the enemy flanks, and after thick fighting raged for a couple hours, Greek commanders were forced to fall back and retreat.  Buoyed by their first victory, the Andalusi army began assaulting nearby forts, hoping to capture them before the Basileus could recover. The Romans were not known for their meekness, however, and another Greek army rushed forwards to engage the Andalusi just a month after their loss. And this time, when the sun set on another battle, the celebrations were raging in Roman camps.   With the broken Andalusi army in full retreat, Sultan Ayyub led his army to engage the Roman force whilst it was still recovering. Outnumbered and tired, the Orthodox Christians failed to repel or adapt to Ayyub’s battlefield tactics, and they folded to the Sultan for the second time.   The Andalusi chased down the retreating enemy army and, in another short battle, utterly crushed what was left of it. With the rest of the Empire’s forces tied down in Northern Italy, the Andalusi levies spread out and began sieging down fortresses, capturing several over the next few weeks.   Before long, almost all of Lukania was under Andalusi occupation, but Basileus Andreas still refused to treat with the Sultan. The war in Italy was turning against Constantinople, but another large army was shifted from the northern front and sent to destroy the Andalusi army. After landing at a Sicilian harbor, the Christian army rushed to engage Sultan Ayyub’s army, hoping to catch him by surprise.   And, to their benefit, the Andalusi were indeed caught unawares. Ayyub scrambled to throw together a defense, and when his chaotic lines quickly began crumbling to the Romans, he led a dangerous foray directly into enemy ranks. Inspired by their Sultan's sheer madness, his men followed him into the suicidal charge, and thousands of frenzied Andalusi piled into Roman lines.  Against all odds, the mad charge was enough to stun the enemy commanders into indecision, and the tide of the battle turned in favour of Sultan Ayyub. After a series of rapid counter-attacks, Roman lines began to falter and break, and it wasn't much longer until they were in full retreat. Ayyub was recognised for his monumental victory when, immediately after the battle, his men began chanting 'al-Mansur', or 'the Victorious.'  With that, the war in southern Italy turned decisively in favour of the Andalusi, who quickly solidified their hold on Lukania and Sicily. The Basileus sent several more armies, each one smaller than the last, only to have them crushed time and time again by the Andalusi.   By the dying days of 1319, East Roman forces were on the retreat in northern Italy as well, and Basileus Andreas was forced to peace out of one front or lose on both. He sent envoys to meet with the Andalusi Sultan, and after a half-a-dozen meetings, a peace treaty was eventually agreed upon.  According to the treaty, Sultan Ayyub would pull back his forces from Sicily, but would be allowed to keep Lukania and Naples, along with a few other small cities. Neither side was satisfied with the terms, but the war had been raging for five years, and both needed time and peace needed to recover. So Sultan Ayyub attached his signature to the treaty and surrendered Sicily, but he knew that this would not be the end of the Andalusi-Roman Wars, not by a long shot.  Ayyub returns to Qadis nothing less than a living legend, and all across al-Andalus, celebrations and festivities are held in his honour. The imams thank Allah for their courageous sultan, the nobility shower him with gifts and congratulations, inspired poets scramble to pen down their latest masterpiece... To many contemporaries, it must’ve seemed as though Ayyub’s victories would know no end, that he would go on to become greater than his own heroes, greater than everyone's heroes... Little do they know, however, that the tale of Sultan Ayyub is not a happy one. hashashash fucked around with this message at 16:41 on Jun 10, 2019 |
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Mar 10, 2017 02:00
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Should have gone for Sicily itself, but otherwise, thing have been going far too well for the Jizrunids.
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Mar 10, 2017 02:17
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What does the game look like in terms of religion so far? Is the map as hilarious as it usually is in most CK2 games?
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Mar 10, 2017 02:43
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Lord Cyrahzax posted:Should have gone for Sicily itself, but otherwise, thing have been going far too well for the Jizrunids. Also, this is not the direction I was hoping we were going to! This is not blocking off all Christian colonization in EU4! RZApublican posted:What does the game look like in terms of religion so far? Is the map as hilarious as it usually is in most CK2 games? Then bask in the glory of random religious realms popping up everywhere. Reformed Romuva Iberia is great, same with Sueomensko England in my current muslim viking run
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Mar 10, 2017 03:01
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Hashim posted:Little do they know, however, that the tale of Sultan Ayyub is not a happy one. Ah gently caress.
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Mar 10, 2017 04:46
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Iblis! 
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Mar 10, 2017 05:00
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CommissarMega posted:Ah gently caress. The swings can only get bigger, we'll be back down to one-province status by the end of the next update.
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Mar 10, 2017 05:17
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The borders!!!!
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Mar 10, 2017 05:33
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Rodyle posted:The borders!!!! Yes, Leon and Castille need to be conquered for their own sake at this point. Put them out of their and our misery, clean it all it up.
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Mar 10, 2017 05:42
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