HRE NES

[Cyclotron]

I'm having trouble finding the exact specs of the army Bavaria is sending to Vienna. Appleciders, could you PM me with specific numbers and generals, or tell me again which levies are going?

[appleciders]

I will- I'm just having trouble finding free time. Technically I should be in class or something now, but it's tech week for the musical and I'm desperate for time to do my homework. Details of the combined offensive will be sent in, hopefully soon.

[Cyclotron]

Not a problem. For my part, I'm writing an 8-pager due tomorrow. I'd prefer getting orders on the weekend if at all possible, as that's always the easiest for me, but there's certainly no rush.

A meta-game question: I've been considering posting in the "Other Games" forum to maybe draw some attention to our lonely outpost here. Does anyone else think this is a good idea, or not? I would certainly like to not be modding Swabia any more (Lord Nuclear still hasn't read my PM).

[appleciders]

It's worth a try; there are some other forum games in that forum, so you might draw a convert or two.

[foolish_icarus]

Call up some new generals

If Swabia is willing, trade 100 tin for 100 copper (or if they need a deal that's a little more in their favor, that's fine, so long as we don't lose any money from whatever the deal turns out to be)

Those troops assigned to the Magyar problem will do their thing, as per duke of Bavaria's directions.


Call up 300 more levy men
Equip the 500 with the stockpiled armor and swords
produce 500 shields to arm this turn's levy men with (if I can, if I can't, produce the shields anyway.)
If I can send this levy off to join the anti-Magyar forces, do so. If I can't, well then, don't.

If raiding gets too bad, Have the Weinzberg levy move out into our territory (not too far astray of course) to try to limit it.

[Cyclotron]

Alright, then.

I'll begin updating as soon as I get appleciders's confirmation of his orders (they say 'incomplete'), and when I get a PM about the Vienna campaign - unless, appleciders, you want me to use the PM from last round.

[appleciders]

Go ahead and update, the orders from the last round should suffice. Any new generals added to this campaign should be added in a manner consistant with the last orders. My orders have been changed to say complete- budgeting is easy when you're running a deficit.

[Cyclotron]

Alright then. I'm busy tonight, but I should be able to update on Wednesday.

[Cyclotron]

Anno Domini CMXIII

This year’s Pope: Anastasius III
This year’s Emperor: None

Successions

A great many heads of state have died this year, friends and enemies alike. Will their heirs prove worthy successors – or mewling infants, fit only to be taken advantage of by their conniving neighbors?

The aged Duke of Saxony, Otto “the Illustrious,” has died at his estate in Bremen. His son, Heinrich, has succeeded without contest to the Ducal seat. Heinrich had rushed back to Bremen to be with his father and to see through the orderly transition of power, but may yet return to his forces in the east to guide them to victory in Thuringia.

King Rudolph of Upper Burgundy has died of an illness after nearly 25 years of rule. He is succeeded by his son, crowned King Rudolph II.

The Doge of Venice, the venerable Pietro Tribuno, has died of natural causes. A new Doge, Orso II Participazio, has been elected by the Venetian aristocracy.

Prince Oleg of Kiev and Novgorod, bitter enemy of the Eastern Roman Empire, has died from a most unfortunate snakebite. He is succeeded by his nephew-in-law, Igor.

The Emperor of the Greeks, Leo VI, is dead, and all Christians of the Greek rite mourn his passing. After a brief illness, he perished, and his brother has been crowned Emperor Alexander III in Constantinople. Though Leo has a son, Constantine, the boy is only six years old and thus an unsuitable candidate for the Imperial throne.

The heathen Emir of Cordoba, Abdallah ibn Muhammad, has died of an illness. His grandson, Abd-ar-Rahman III, has succeeded him.

Family Business

Praise be to God, who blesses the royal house of Germany! Kunigunde, the wife of King Conrad (and mother of Duke Arnulf) is pregnant. Perhaps it will be a worthy male heir?

The wife of Heinrich, the new Duke of Saxony, has borne her lord and husband a healthy son, who has been baptized as Otto. The Duke now has two sons, Otto and Thankmar, a son from a previous marriage. There is now no doubt that there will be an heir to his Duchy – but time will tell who will be the favored one.

Land und Leute

The winter this year came quite late, and was uncommonly mild, even in the northern reaches of Germany. As a result, the harvest could be well delayed, increasing yields and improving the profitability of all Duchies by an impressive 15% this past year.

Krieg und Frieden

A German army, composed of soldiers from Bavaria, Swabia, and Franconia, has clashed with the Magyars in what has been (somewhat grandiosely) named der Schlacht von Statzberg – the Battle of Statzberg. German forces now winter in Vienna, though the outcome of the campaign is still uncertain. [See end of update for details]

Woe to the Christians of Bohemia! The Magyars, under Hadúr Zoltán, have crushed the army of Bohemia outside the walls of Prague after a siege of three months. To prevent Prague from suffering the horrors of a Magyar sack, Duke Spytihnìv I of Bohemia has surrendered, and sworn obedience to the Arpad dynasty. It seems that Zoltán was marching under the orders of the Fejedelem after all, as he now gathers his horsemen and Spytihnìv’s remaining Bohemian soldiers for a new campaign – against Germany itself?

The late Emperor of the Greeks, Leo VI, attempted to take back Crete from the heathens early this year, but his fleet was decisively beaten by an Arab fleet. It is said that the tragic loss was what made the Emperor so ill – and indeed, he died not long after the defeat.

Southern Italy, nominally under the control of the Eastern Empire and the independent Duchies of Benevento and Salerno, has fallen prey to increasingly violent raids by the heathen Saracens of Sicily. The Eastern Emperor’s defeat at Crete has only spurred these fierce Muslim pirates on to more daring and devastating raids, and the Empire seems in no condition to stop them.

Other News of Christendom

Duke Arnulf “the Bad” seems to have grown tired of his new moniker – he has relented to the church, and returned the land he appropriated from them. It seems for now that the rift between him, the church, and his king, is healed over.

Scandalous disloyalty! Faced with the prospect of a new trial against his person for the murder of a village priest, now backed by both Duke Arnulf of Bavaria and the Archbishop of Salzburg, Luitpold von Frelsing has fled the country along with several of his most loyal knights, and all the denarii his horses could carry. Angrily, the Duke has stripped him of his titles in absentia, and seized his estates and land. The former Graf has crossed the border into the Kingdom of Italy, but so far Berengar of Friuli has shown no interest in helping to track this fugitive down.

It seems there is no end to those who would bring down the powerful to further their own designs. A plot to murder the new Duke of Saxony, Heinrich, has been uncovered before it could come to fruition, thanks be to God! Heinrich’s constables have accused Hatto, the Archbishop of Mainz – a close friend of King Conrad who helped him secure his throne – of involvement in the plot!

Saxony

The transition to the new Duke has been quite orderly, and Heinrich is proceeding with his father’s plans to move against the Slavs of Thuringia. The new general, the Frieslander Theodoric von Norden, has gladly taken up command of Saxon forces to keep the north of the realm safe from Viking raiders. The border forts already constructed along the frontier with the Danemark seem a good start, though they do little to prevent sea landings. Peasants along the northern border have been mobilized into watches, charged with quickly reporting Viking activity to von Norden and the local lords. As a result, Viking raids have dropped noticeably, as the more watchful Saxon eye has convinced many Danes to try their luck elsewhere where the locals are less well prepared.

The Saxons continue to arm for war, drawing up new levies and forging new arms. Perhaps soon, the Thuringians will taste German steel!

The reduced Viking raids, coupled with the organization of the northern citizenry and the stable transition of Ducal power, decrease corruption in Saxony by 1%. Corruption is now 14%.

Franconia

The Duke of Swabia has graciously agreed to an even trade with the King (100 copper for 100 tin), in the hopes that this will help prove his loyalty and good will towards the German throne. Though the roads are difficult and the raiding still significant, the merchants of the kingdom manage a 20% yield on the trade.

Duke Arnulf’s capitulation to the church, which has been publicly credited to the influence of the King, has strengthened Conrad’s local authority and redeemed him in the eyes of the clergy. The King seems to be regaining control over the domestic elements of Franconia that looked dangerously unstable last year.

Coin printing has begun in earnest, and silver denarii with Conrad’s portrait on them have become common throughout the Duchy, and are spreading into the other Duchies of Germany. The local dominance of “Conradines” has given the King some significant leverage over mercantile affairs, granting him a +10% bonus in revenue to all trade routes with adjacent Duchies and Kingdoms.

Raiding has remained fairly constant, at a lower level since Bavaria’s defection from Magyar dominance.

Corruption in Franconia decreases by 1%, due to the King’s unifying new currency and the stabilization of the clergy. Corruption is now at 10%, quite low indeed.

Swabia

The Duke of Swabia has continued his investment in local wineries, and now produces a decent vintage in sufficient quantities to trade. Clearly, the Italians are not interested in more wine, so he is now inquiring around to other Duchies and French kingdoms to see if they are interested.

The Duke has also been construction of better roads within his Duchy, mindful of his increasing role as a trading partner to the rest of Germany. Perhaps with time they will increase his yield from trade.

Otherwise, Swabia has pursued a policy of growth, and continues to grow its treasury.

Corruption within Swabia remains constant at 15%.

Bavaria

Though Bavaria isn’t out of the woods yet, so to speak, Arnulf’s capitulation to the church has taken the immediacy out of the domestic crisis. Satisfied, the Archibishop Pilgrim I has supported Arnulf in his attempts to condemn Leopold von Frelsing, only to find that he had fled the country (see above). At any rate, the church-incited mob violence has stopped, which must be of much relief to the Duke.

The Magyar situation has gotten little better with the Duke’s offensive on Vienna; while Vienna itself has been taken, no major defeat has been inflicted on the Magyars, and they continue to do their best to plunder his territories. There are rumors that a larger, more organized force may be gathering to deal with Arnulf.

Though the local peasantry is at least satisfied by Arnulf’s reconciliation with the church, they are finding their lands doubly pillaged, both by the Magyar raiders and the vast waves of Bohemian Slavs that are fleeing from the final fall of the Duchy of Bohemia. It is said that thousands have drowned trying to cross the icy Danube in the midst of winter. Those that have made the crossing have taken to squatting anywhere they can, stealing the crops and goods of good Germans, already impoverished by Magyar raids.

All news is not bad. Carinthia’s iron mines have been completed, which should aid Arnulf in his struggles against the Magyars. Carinthia also has a new general for its defense, in the person of Vizegraf Gunnulf von Villach, who apparently comes highly recommended.

Corruption in Bavaria has remained constant at 23%. The chaotic influx of Slavs has worked to negate any benefits from the reconciliation with the church.

Corruption in Carinthia, which has no Slav problems as of yet, has decreased by 2%. Corruption is now 26%.

[Cyclotron]

The update isn't quite done yet. The battle reports will be posted later, and I still need to send a couple PMs and edit the stats page. For now, chew on this.

I'm updating the map currently; nothing much has changed, save Bavaria's incursion towards Vienna. I need to know whether the new territory is intended to be added to Bavaria, Carinthia, or something else.

Also, the Fatimids have completed their conquest of the Idrisids on this map, which removes the Idrisid color entirely.

EDIT: You will notice that battles of note are depicted with a red crossed swords symbol on the map. This turn, the battles of Statzberg and Prague are shown.

[foolish_icarus]

Interesting thises and thats.

Surely King Conrad's wife will bear a son! It cannot be otherwise

As for the Bohemians, bad news indeed. And this assassination plot! A suitable thing for Italy, but to be perpetrated by Germans?! Disturbing.

Ciders, at your leisure send me a pm about Magyar plans and intended doings, or perhaps we can talk about it when you arrive.


What is the precedent for trying arbishops accused of things like regicide? I presume Hatto would under normal circumstances be tried by the church? If so, how fair are they likely to be? What kind of pressure to ensure a just trial would be acceptable for a political leader to exert?

[Cyclotron]

Originally posted by foolish_icarus
What is the precedent for trying arbishops accused of things like regicide? I presume Hatto would under normal circumstances be tried by the church? If so, how fair are they likely to be? What kind of pressure to ensure a just trial would be acceptable for a political leader to exert?

Well, it's not regicide unless they go after you.

Mainz isn't in Saxony, so it's your call, not Heinrich's/Micha's. I hasten to note that these are just accusations from the Saxons, and they have yet to demonstrate more than the most circumstantial of evidence. And a church trial of Hatto is probably out of the question - in Franconia, Hatto practically is the church. He has made connections here from far before your time, back when Emperor Arnulf of Carinthia appointed him to his post in Mainz in 891. It was precisely these connections that got your/Conrad's family established as the leaders of Franconia, and his influence was crucial to your rise to Kingship. Such a man could be dangerous to go after.

[foolish_icarus]

Which is why trial by the church would be an easy way to deal with this without creating a stir, no?

Anyway, I'll send some loyal agents to investigate further into this, before any trial happens. Find out why the accusations were made, as much about the plot as possible and such.

And Micha, I'll be sending a message to your leader before any of this happens so Conrad and Heinrich can hopefully work out what to do with this situation quickly and effectively.

[Cyclotron]

I should probably explain what might be the impetus for such an assassination - your families have always been at odds, and more generally, the Franconians and Saxons have been rivals for generations.

Now, this rivalry mostly takes the form of a dispute between the Duchies over the German half of Thuringia, which both your houses claim to be rightfully theirs, but which Saxony now possesses. It could be that Henry's proposed invasion of Slavic Thuringia, thus bringing the whole region under his rule, would upset Conrad and his family. And, though nobody's accused him yet, who can say whether the King of Germany himself had something to do with this plot?

[Cyclotron]

Oops, cross-post.

Which is why trial by the church would be an easy way to deal with this without creating a stir, no?

"The Church" doesn't really try anyone for murder; a "church trial" punishes criminals within the church, but by stripping them of their title or excommunicating them; a church trial cannot execute or imprison. Because somebody senior to Hatto would have to sit on the trial, however, you would have to get the Pope or one of his Cardinals in Rome to adjucate, which would be difficult indeed.

As far as a civil trial, you could simply order Hatto to be tried for murder by the civil system, but this, as I said, could be dangerous.