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The Age of Charlemagne is seen by modern eyes as if from a great distance. The time of the Carolingian kings lies on the cusp of the classical and the medieval. It was a time of transitions. Where German warlords had once ruled sovereign domains, now the Frankish Empire would establish a new order. Consolidating the remnants of Roman Gaul, Italy, Rhaetia, and Noricum, as well as large areas of Germania, the Franks of the 8th century welded together a significant power base. When the 3rd Carolingian, Charlemagne, came to the throne, the far-reaching changes made by his forebears had taken strong hold. Fiefs given in reward to liutenants had generated a heavy cavalry force that proved decisive on the battlefield and the fertile lands of the Frankish realm provided ample sustenance for this new pattern of recruiting and training to flourish. The new king led the strongest military force on the continent. The Lombards were conquered quickly by the Frankish army when the temptation to attack the Papal domains proved too strong for them to resist, though the Lombard Dukes of Benevento and Spoleto remained independent. The Saxons proved to be tougher foes than had the Lombards, and a series of brutal and vengeful wars were fought, with the Franks eventually victorious in each. While Charles Martel had stopped the Moslem advance, caused great losses, and retaken southern Gaul, the border march had been established at the pyrenees. Charlemagne ventured farther, taking the war into Aragon, freeing the great port town of Barcelona. This was a real achievement, even though the Basque ambuscade on the Frankish rearguard and death of the semi-legendary leader Roland of the Breton Marches, was a loss. After these local conflicts had been resolved, Charlemagne struck eastward, reducing to vassalage several important slavic tribal confederations. The pattern of eastward expansion of Germany was established at this time, in this way, and remained a potent element of German political thought until the 20th century.
This scenario is conventional, but directed. It is designed to be played only as the Franks.
Soon available for download from the Scenario League.
This scenario is conventional, but directed. It is designed to be played only as the Franks.
Soon available for download from the Scenario League.
I always like scenarios with a consistent set of units and to see so many new ones is very exciting. I really like the Avar spearman on the bottom row!
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