HRE NES II: Der Aufstieg

[foolish_icarus]

no, my generals You never off the ones I wouldn't mind perishing

That said, excellent update, thank you!

Did Verona attempt to surrender or anything before we looted it? How cowed are the local townspeople and peasants?

EDIT and what about the city the Saxons looted? I just want to know if we sacked any places we said we wouldn't sack.

[Cyclotron]

Originally posted by foolish_icarus
no, my generals You never off the ones I wouldn't mind perishing

The dice hate good generals

Did Verona attempt to surrender or anything before we looted it? How cowed are the local townspeople and peasants?

Being conquered and subsequently plundered is just one of the many irregular terrors of peasant life in the 10th century. The townspeople are cowed in that they are unlikely to rebel against ten thousand Germans and mercenaries. Verona couldn't really surrender as there was no real leader to surrender it; the city was entered and plundered without any consultation with local leaders.

[Cyclotron]

King Rudolph of Italy and Burgundy to King Heinrich of Germany and All the Dukes of Germany
My loyal friends, I extend to you my thanks for your invaluable aid in my successful campaign in Italy. Though much work remains to secure my crown and bring Tuscany and Spoleto to heel, I believe that Germany’s direct aid will no longer be necessary once the siege of Venice has been lifted. I owe my crown to your valiant support, and I will not forget your assistance. If you have need of my own assistance in the future, I will not hesitate to render it.

To the Duke of Bavaria, I hereby cede the Bishopric of Trento, that the Duke and his heirs may appoint the Bishop of Trento and administer the lands of the Bishopric at their leisure.

To the Duke of Bohemia, I pledge my support for establishing a Bishopric in Prague, and will petition His Holiness the Pope to support the Duke’s request.

To the King of Germany and Duke of Saxony, I pledge my support for the claim of German suzerainty over Friesland, and will take up arms as necessary to defend this claim.

As for the Duke of Franconia, who has nobly and ably led German soldiers to victory in the Alps, I have no immediate ideas for his recompense; however, I will entertain any proposals he may have.

King Athelstan of England to King Heinrich of Germany
Though my father has passed away, you can be assured that I remain resolute in following his policies against our mutual enemies. I continue to extend his offer of a marital union between our houses.

Duke Boniface of Spoleto to Duke Eberhard III of Franconia and Duke Arnulf of Bavaria
I believe we can settle this most unfortunate incident amicably; I, after all, have only been doing the bidding of my lawful liege, dethroned though he may be. I will desist in my siege of Venice for a modest indemnity of one thousand denarii.

Magyar Chieftain of Olomouc to Duke Vratislaus of Bohemia
I thank you for your generous tribute. I am always receptive to offers of silver, and I will listen to any offer you may propose for my lands.

[foolish_icarus]

Duke Eberhard III of Franconia to King Rudolph of Italy and Burgundy, King Heinrich of Saxony, and all the Dukes of Germany

Unless my liege Heinrich has another idea, your friendship, King Rudolph, is enough and more than enough temporal reward for our efforts to defend piety and honor in Christendom.

I ask advice from all of you on several issues that we must all decide upon.

Firstly, what to do about the siege of Venice and Duke Boniface?

Secondly, to what end shall Berengar and his vassals in captivity be put?

Thirdly, what our response (if any) shall be to the siege of Rome?

And Fourthly, how to divide the supplies and wealth recently captured on campaign?

For myself, I am not inclined to pay off Boniface. I believe he can be persuaded diplomatically to retire in peace.

I have no desire to hold Berengar captive forever...shall he be turned over to King Rudolph?

As for Rome, it pains me that the Holy City has been the location of such sin...both in greedy warfare and in quieter but no less deadly ways. Should King Rudolph ask for our help in returning some measure of peace and piety to the city, I would gladly answer yes.

It seems reasonable to split the spoils equally four ways between the participants of this campaign, or some similar arrangement.

Those are my opinions. I await hearing all your ideas on these matters.

[Micha]

King Heinrich of Germany to the German Dukes

The spoils of war should be divided evenly between the Duchies, while the fate of Berengar should be decided by the new Emperor Rudolph. The siege of Venice will be put to an end, if compensation is to be paid, then it will come from the besieging side, as they force us to field our army longer than we would without their presence [edit]Well, this stance is to be reviewed after latest intelligence reports[/edit]. Rome is the city of the Holy See, which might be our greatest asset.

OOC: Cyclotron, or anyone else, what exactly happens to Rome right now? Who is besieging whom, and why?

[foolish_icarus]

from 923

Duke Alberic of Spoleto, a vassal of Emperor Berengar and Consul of Rome, was stabbed to death in Rome while attempting to flee an enraged mob of Romans incited to violence by his rule, widely considered tyrannical. He is succeeded in Spoleto by his son, Boniface. His wife, the infamous “Senatrix” Marozia, has remarried with Margrave Guy of Tuscany, another vassal of the Emperor.
...
Guy, Margrave of Tuscany, and his new wife Marozia, have renounced their support of Emperor Berengar and turned south instead, laying siege to Rome itself in an attempt to depose Pope John X. With Rome divided against itself among pro-John and other factions, it seems unlikely that the Roman militia will be able to withstand the Tuscan army.

from 924

The beleaguered city of Rome, under siege by forces of Margrave Guy of Tuscany and his wife Marozia of Tuluscum, seems ready to fall to his forces. The Pope’s calls for assistance have been unsuccessful so far, and it is said that plague is circulating in the starving city.

[Cyclotron]

Ducal Herald to Duke Eberhard III of Franconia and King Heinrich of Germany
My Lords, I must humbly inform you of two items relevant to your correspondence:

the fate of Berengar should be decided by the new Emperor Rudolph

Rudolph is not the new Emperor, my Lords. Only the Pope may bestow the Imperial crown; Rudolph does not gain it merely by defeating Berengar. Rudolph has gained the Iron Crown and is thus King of Lombardy, a position which traditionally means the King of all Italy.

Secondly, to what end shall Berengar and his vassals in captivity be put?

Typically, my lord, such men would be ransomed by their liege, but you have deposed and imprisoned their liege (and seized his treasury as well). You may find some ransom forthcoming from their families, though some may be unable to pay the customary sums.

[Cyclotron]

King Rudolph II of Burgundy and Italy to King Heinrich of Saxony and Duke Eberhard III of Franconia
My primary aim at this time is to end the siege of Rome by the Margrave of Tuscany, and gain his allegiance. I will deal with this matter myself; there is no need for German involvement. Because I must be concerned with this matter foremost, I have decided to leave the matter of Venice in your capable hands. You may deal with the Duke of Spoleto as you see fit; I knew Alberic reasonably well, but of his son I have no information nor an opinion. I would prefer to avoid further war if at all possible.

As for Berengar, I believe his continued existence in the temporal sphere will always be a threat. If he formally renounces his crown, I see no harm in cloistering him as a monk; if he is less cooperative I am afraid we must end his life.

I consider the fruits of your campaign to be yours alone, and I ask only that no further plunder be taken from Friuli, which I intend to place under a new Margrave of Verona.

[appleciders]

Duke Arnulf of Bavaria to the Combined German Dukes and King Rudolph II of Lombardy and Burgundy

I am greatly pleased to see that the Emperor has been fully and completely deposed, and I support Rudolph's request to cloister him as a monk- it would be the Christian thing to do, sparing his life.

Personally, I'm feeling a little restless, having been trapped in this (albeit beautiful and comfortable) city for the last few years. Bavaria's army, at least what remains of it, will march to the Doge's support. I strongly urge the other German armies to do the same. The idea of us paying Spoleto to lift his siege is ludicrous- his liege ordered him to besiege Venice, true, but his liege is now deposed, and he should stand down. Does anyone know how many men Spoleto commands, or how they are equipped?

[foolish_icarus]

Duke Eberhard III of Franconia to Duke Boniface of Spoleto

Know that my liege King Heinrich of Saxony and the other Dukes of Germany must reject your suggestion for an indemnity payment.
You were following your liege, it is true, but now Berengar has been defeated and Italy has a new king. We need not war; you may end the siege of Venice immediately, allowing peace between yourself and the Dukes of Germany and, if I do not speak out of place, King Rudolph of Burgundy and Italy.

We will not allow Venice to be attacked or remain under siege. Though we would prefer not to fight with fellow Christians, we will if we must.

Just between us as Dukes and as men, I personally am willing to offer some reasonable gesture of peacefulness and reconciliation to maintain the face and dignity of all involved. You need not fight on for no cause--do not let your notable efforts end in vain.

[Cyclotron]

Duke Boniface of Spoleto to Duke Eberhard III of Franconia
It is most unfortunate that we are compelled to war under such circumstances; I bear no ill will against the Germans or Venetians. Yet, to retreat with my army having neither won a battle nor received tribute from the enemy would mean the admission of a grave failure from which I seek to preserve my newly established rule. I would not dishonor my late and noble father, ever the loyal servant of the Emperor, by running from the battle so. I must thus decline to end the siege of Venice until my terms are met.

If you are compelled to press the matter through force of arms I will not stop you, but be warned - I have rallied the loyalists of the Emperor throughout La Marche and the Pentapolis, and am backed by the considerable treasury of the Crescentii and a full fleet of Amalfitan war-galleys, as well as a detachment placed in my service by the Emperor of the Greeks himself.

Accede to my terms and I will dutifully withdraw to my lands, and disperse the loyalists who would otherwise be preparing to dispute the King of Burgundy's usurpation. I believe my price is a small enough one for peace and the preservation of honor.

I have heard of the confinement of the Duke of Bavaria within Venice and the son he has not yet seen. As a demonstration of my good will and charitable nature, he will be immediately permitted to leave and return to Verona at his leisure, with all his entourage, with my personal guarantee of his safety.

[foolish_icarus]

Duke Eberhard III of Franconia to King Heinrich of Germany

Duke Boniface stands fast. His duty towards his father and his understanding of the necessity of upholding order among his own followers prevents him from withdrawing without receiving some token of compensation.

Yet he seems a reasonable man and I believe he would be willing to accept a compromise.
I seek permission from you to offer to turn over Conte Lamissio d’Valdagno and the knights and sergeants we have in captivity so that he may release them to their families in his name in exchange for retiring with his army in peace.
I suspect this gesture would prove acceptable to both sides, on our part as an act of generosity and levelheadedness, and on his part a success that will allow him to maintain his dignity.

[Micha]

Originally posted by foolish_icarus
Duke Eberhard III of Franconia to King Heinrich of Germany

Duke Boniface stands fast. His duty towards his father and his understanding of the necessity of upholding order among his own followers prevents him from withdrawing without receiving some token of compensation.

Yet he seems a reasonable man and I believe he would be willing to accept a compromise.
I seek permission from you to offer to turn over Conte Lamissio d’Valdagno and the knights and sergeants we have in captivity so that he may release them to their families in his name in exchange for retiring with his army in peace.
I suspect this gesture would prove acceptable to both sides, on our part as an act of generosity and levelheadedness, and on his part a success that will allow him to maintain his dignity.

Agreed. If he fails to accept these terms, we will have to consider his original proposal, though. With the Vikings right at my doorstep and the French quarrel resolved, the Friesland question became more urgent this year. The Saxon army will not stay in Italy for too long, and I hope to receive support of my fellow Dukes soon, too...

[appleciders]

Duke Arnulf of Bavaria to King Heinrich and the Dukes of Germany

Duke Eberhard's proposal is a most levelheaded and sensible one- I might add that the ransom value of those knights and sergeants in captivity is significant, and might be thought of as a monetary gain for Boniface.

My King, should the siege of Venice be lifted, I will march northward immediately, and after a short re-equipping and retraining period in Bavaria, I will honor my pledge of support for your Viking campaign. However, I owe the Doge of Venice a great debt for standing by my side for this troublesome siege, and will not leave Italy until he is safe.

[Cyclotron]

Franconia

The Duke’s successes in leading an allied army against the Emperor, and indeed the capture of the Emperor himself, have proved immensely beneficial to his credibility in Franconia. The fact that Franconia’s feuding nobles were on campaign with him and thus unable to stir up trouble at home has only sweetened the situation from the Duke’s point of view. Encouraged by the Duke’s allies within the Franconian clergy, there has been a sizeable shift away from certain preeminent counts and towards the Duke within the baronial ranks. Taking Verona, one of the largest and most important cities in the region (not to mention capturing the Emperor himself), has proven to be something of a public relations coup that has effectively silenced the Duke’s most vociferous domestic critics. The “ideal” German Duke is, in the popular imagination, one who is able to both defend his own people from aggression and win victories and treasures abroad, and the current Duke has proven himself much more able to do these things than previously anticipated.

Though the Duke himself has been absent and thus unable to truly implement new domestic policy, his efforts abroad have won more respect and stability at home than a year of quiet administration could ever have done.

Some of the monks of Mainz, earlier ordered by the Duke to explore the idea of coded messages, have rediscovered one of the more obscure works of Rabanus Maurus, Archbishop of Mainz in the 9th century, the De laudibus sanctae crucis. Rabanus created works of art called “visual poems,” in which he overlaid a grid of letters with biblical images intended to evoke the beauty of the text through illustration. Rabanus’ art form never really caught on, due primarily to the difficulty of creating it, but some monks have postulated the art could find some practical use as a ciphering system, while others have begun their own “visual poems” to follow in the Archbishop’s footsteps. These have proven to be somewhat popular among the literate and illiterate alike.

Corruption has decreased by 2% in Franconia this year, to 12%.

Bavaria

Though the Duke is still sequestered away in Venice, Venetian messengers were able to give his orders to his underlings with only minor interruptions. Bavaria itself has grown this year, with the addition of the Bishopric of Trento and its attendant silver mines. This has thrown the situation of the Duke vis-à-vis the Altgraf of Brixen into some doubt; the Altgraf currently occupies the mines, which lie well within the territory of the Bishopric, which has been given over directly to the Duke by King Rudolph II.

The Tridentines themselves seem somewhat less than enthusiastic about their new liege, in part due to the Bishop of Trento himself, an aged clergyman named Daniel who amassed a significant fortune in silver under Berengar’s reign and is rumored to have hidden it in the hills upon hearing of the Duke of Franconia’s crossing of the Alps. He has been notably keen on proclaiming the invalidity of Berengar’s deposition, and sermonizing to the Tridentines on the subjects of the Duke of Franconia’s nefarious pact with the devil (to whom, presumably, he owes his victory), the King of Germany’s ape-like brutishness and stupidity, the King of Burgundy’s bloodthirsty ambition, and the Duke of Bavaria’s boundless avarice.

Meanwhile, the Duke of Bavaria’s placement of the second supposed Holy Nail in the monastery at Regensburg has had more or less the success he anticipated. No pilgrim wants to go further than is necessary for absolution, especially given the chaotic situation in Rome. Regensburg has already siphoned away many would-be travelers to Rome who find that the Duke’s proffered road to salvation is a great deal less hazardous. The monastery itself has prospered this year, adding new farmlands, founding a new library, and sending missionaries into Bohemia to preach the word of God.

The Duke’s denarii have been put to work in the construction of stone roads throughout the Duchy, a difficult and thankless task. Special focus has been given to improving Bavaria’s southern and transalpine connections, a vital task to link the expanding Duchy together. Fortunately, the Brenner Pass has been rather well paved since Roman times; the most trackless areas of the Duchy are actually in the north, where Roman engineers never worked.

Corruption in Bavaria has remained constant this year, at 15%.

The Markgraf of Carinthia has continued to try and grow his modest income base. He has invested the Mark’s income in rebuilding Carinthia’s stone mines, as well as rebuilding Eppenstein and establishing the Markgrafschaft treasury and court at Vienna, the better to keep an eye on von Wien, whose prime territory in the Wachau valley has made him easily the most prosperous of the Mark’s nobles.

The fierce Magyar raids in Italy have spurred many to flee northwards, some into Carinthia, where bound serfs can find essentially free land if they are willing to clear it of trees. Centralized control of such a large expanse, however, remains elusive.

Corruption in Carinthia has remained constant this year, at 18%.

Swabia

The success of King Rudolph’s bid for the Iron Crown has bolstered the Duke’s power and reputation abroad. He has worked hard to link himself with the Burgundinian royal family, and it has paid off in both prestige and wealth. Swabia enjoys very cordial and privileged trading relationships with the Burgundinians, and with Rudolph in charge of Italy, new markets may be opening up soon. The Duke has returned to his Duchy, leaving several thousand men in Milan under his lieutenants to help the King of Italy reign in his new conquests.

Corruption in Swabia remains constant at 16%.

Saxony

Though Saxon soldiers engaged in little combat in Italy, they were successful in laying waste to Asiago and carrying off quite a fortune for themselves and the King. All in all, the Saxons have only been a footnote in the war of Italian succession.

The threat nearest to Saxony, however, has been from the north and west. Raids against Saxony and Friesland have remained constant, and difficult to stop; the Vikings tend to come and go at will along the Saxon coast. The King’s nobles, meeting at Bremen, have discussed several measures, including the manning of a Saxon navy, and the establishment of a permanent coastal force to respond quickly to raids. Some have even proposed counter-raids into the Danemark to strike at Viking ports and farms, though this would certainly be a difficult military proposition.

Finding volunteers to fight Vikings has proven to be a virtually impossible task. No peasant seems to want to voluntarily fight Vikings, or really fight anyone at all. Though Saxony’s nobles are more than willing to fight those despoiling their lands, they hardly need to be recruited. Efforts to train Frieslanders fleeing into Saxony have had somewhat more success, though such men must still be armed.

Investments in woad production in Thuringia have yielded modest results, with the possibility of much larger yields if more lands are put into cultivation. Nowhere else in Christendom can decent blue dye be found, giving Saxony a possible monopoly in the making.

Corruption in Saxony remains constant at 8%.

Bohemia

The Duke’s assistance rendered in the Italian war have paid off, and the Bohemian contingent plans to return with considerably more armor and weapons than they set off with, and with war booty as well. The Duke has been arming his soldiers at home, too, and the Bohemian military is considerably stronger than it was only a few years ago.

The Duke has been strengthening his state through diplomacy as well, watching over the marriage of his son with the daughter of the most powerful warlord of the Polans. These tribal people, though largely pagan, rule an expansive and powerful realm on reasonably good terms with Bohemia.

The Duke has also attempted to replicate the successes of his neighbors, looking into the construction of stone roads in his newly consolidated lands. Though more funding will be needed, a road network could do much toward the military and economic integration of Bohemia and Moravia.


Corruption in Bohemia remains constant at 13%.