1295-1299 (Merveilles du Monde Map Game)

1295
WELCOME TO MERVEILLES DU MONDE.

''' After spending 17 years travelling across Asia, Marco Polo returns to Venice. In tow, he has a wealth of gemstones and knowledge of distant lands. From the Ilkhanate to the court of Kublai Khan and the boundless deserts in-between, Polo catalogs his discoveries in a series of journals. Though they have yet to be published, these journals will change the world. The Venice he returns to is locked in a state of war with Genoa over Alexandretta. The two maritime powers engage in colossal naval battles in the eastern Mediterranean. '''

''' The War of the Sicilian Vespers is entering its 13th year. What had been a fight for independence against the French house of Anjou has mutated into a war between two disgraced powers: the excommunicated king of Aragon and the humiliated Angevins. This year, the Treaty of Anagni is signed, hoping to put an end to this destructive conflict. Sicily is returned to Anjou, James II of Aragon is allowed back into the church and marries the daughter of Charles II of Naples, and reparations are made. However, the Sicilian people are extremely unhappy at being back under the thumb of Anjou. They begin to flock to the banner of regent Frederick of Sicily, who intends to return the island to Aragon. As the year goes on, it becomes clear the war is not yet over. '''

''' After a succession crisis nearly led to civil war in Scotland, Edward of England was invited to arbitrate the dispute. He took the opportunity to name himself Lord Paramount of Scotland. That was only a few short years ago and already the Scottish are chafing under the English yoke. They find a common interest with France after hostilities break out with England over Gascony. In an effort to curb England's multiple invasions, an alliance is formed between France and Scotland. '''

''' It has been nearly a half-century since a Holy Roman Emperor has been named by the Pope. This seemingly endless interregnum allows new powers to grow in the Holy Roman Empire. The Swiss Confederation forms in the Alpine states while Bohemia exerts its hegemony over Poland, threatening the supremacy of the King of Germany. The Habsburgs, in the meantime, continue to expand their influence through the region, having recently acquired Austria and Styria. Adolf of Germany, elected because his vassals wanted a weak king under whom they could expand with little recourse, seems preoccupied with seizing the title of King of France. He declares war, though Pope Boniface VIII orders peace, threatening Adolf of Germany with excommunication. With war averted, his vassals begin to consider whether he is really fit to rule. '''

''' After years of attempts to unify Poland, Grand Duke Przemysł is coronated as King of Poland. He becomes the first King of Poland in 219 years. Though he wishes to avoid conflict with the neighboring Bohemia, he intends to stand his ground should Wenceslaus II of Bohemia make a move. However, he is largely preoccupied with the consolidation of his realm in the event he does have to raise a force against Bohemia. '''

''' Denmark is in an age of decay. A long line of kings making poor decisions and being undermined by cunning vassals has led to the King becoming increasingly disdained by the counts. After a plot by the rebellious Archbishop Jens Grand is foiled, the bishop is arrested and imprisoned. When offered release in exchange for fealty, the enraged bishop responds, "Rather than bend to his will, I would rather that the king sliced me apart joint by joint than submit to his commands." He is kept in awful conditions. When word of this reaches the pope, it is unlikely he will be very pleased to hear this. '''

''' The Ilkhanate is on the precipice of great change. Its Buddhist practices are being abandoned in droves. Ilkhan Baydu, who is supposedly a Muslim, has taken to wearing Christian iconography. However, word of the military exploits of Mahmud Ghazan reach far and wide across the Ilkhanate. The son of Arghun Khan and direct descendant of Genghis Khan, Ghazan has a claim on the throne. Baydu is hesitant to do what is necessary to prevent Ghazan's meteoric rise. '''

'''The newly-installed Khalji dynasty reigns in Delhi. In the five short years since their rise, they have made a name for themselves for being notably far more ferocious in their wars against Hindu India. Sultan Jalal-ud-din Khalji has been preparing for one of his largest invasions yet: a raid against the capital of the Yadava kingdom.'''

'''The Majapahit are building an empire on the island of Java practically from scratch. After the fall of the Melayu Kingdom, Indonesia's rising power seemed to be the Singhasari Kingdom. In 1293, they challenged and beat a Mongolian invasion of Java, but the battle significantly weakened them, allowing Majapahit to seize their lands. Now, only two years after seizing the island of Java, Majapahit begins its expansion throughout Indonesia.'''
 * Duchy of Brabant: "Harba Lorifa" The Duke is Dead, Long live John II. John II being the Second son his father and the only live son left. His father was the Duke of Brabant who fought With County of Loon and many others to gain his fairly bought inheritance over the Duchy of Limburg and Hertogsrade. Although this was bad for with the standing of Holy Roman emperor. While at the same time creating the Brabantine way of both fighting and partying. With Duke John I being famous for drinking together with all his subjects after battles and being a great Ruler during battle and afterward. John the victorious' peacetime work has not to be forgotten he has not only earned prestige for Brabant and his dynasty, he has also centralised the state around Brussels. This change Made it so the Capital was now on the Zenne. Not only this he also Created a lot of Poems and Songs as he loved the joys of life while being true to Faith, The christian faith. With even his Death showing the life he led, one of joy. As John I died due to a wound which he got during a Tournament in France. John I, being one of the greatest poets of his age and his lands, with his use of a language understood both by the Dietsch and German speakers of the empire although his love for the language east of the Rhine is clear. With Duke John II being the son of Duke John I and his second wife Margaretha van Dampierre, who was the Daughter of the Count of Flanders and Namur. This and all the other recent marriages and inheritance makes it so the house of Flanders has a lot of Connections to the Foreign Kings, Dukes and Counts, and with John's II Sister being the Wife of Henry VII of Luxembourg Who is a very important noble in the Holy realm. John II first act as Duke of Brabant, Limburg and Hertograde is creation of the Council of Brussels. Which is a Council where minor and mayor Nobles can go to give ideas, ask questions, go to trial. The option of trial is when there is a big dispute mostly under nobles which hasn't been able to solved on their own. In some cases the trials can also Represent lands and people against their protector noble. The Duke first act on matters of territory is to offer the prince-bishop of Utrecht 23,000 Brabantine pounds for him and his successors to be Lord of Myerebeek.(mod Response) With this deal, the military of Utrecht could focus on their core territory and stop funding an undefendable plot of land, that has no value. Utrecht would also ease border tensions in the region. His majesty also ask to the lords of Mechelen if there is the possibility of building a minor mansion in the lands of Heyst ten Berge for his majesty as he wishes to have a location to admire at the lands from the mountain. for this Duke John II promises to employ Workers of Heyst so it becomes even more prosperous, with the investments the duke wants in the manor and town. (Mod Response) Workers even being set to work even now with the new look at the sea which has to be defended from with, cities like Antwerp and Brussels getting some streamlining of the rivers. Antwerp being invested in the most as it is the Brabantine access to the Great English Channel.
 * MOD RESPONSE: Interested in the revenue a scenic mansion could generate for Mechelen, the Lordship accepts John II's request to construct the Heyst ten Berge mansion. Perhaps a little too excited, a few members of the court attempt to draw plans for the mansion. They range from mathematically impossible to downright ugly, though the Lord's daughter draws up an absolutely stunning locale.
 * MOD RESPONSE: Archbishop Jan van Zyrick of Utrecht agrees to sell the title of Myerebeek to Brabant, on the condition that if his descendants should die out, the land would return to the Church.
 * Ui Neil: Domhnall mac Brian Ó Néill is restored to the throne of Tir Eoghain. Upon his restoration he intends to seek out a truce with the Earldom of Ulster and the Lordship of Ireland in general to cease raiding and pay tribute but is deposed again before he can make the offer and he is forced to flee to the Earldom of Ulster first before travelling to England and along with around 50 of his supporters who followed him forms a mercenary company recruiting some more fellow Gaelic soldiers which offer services to King Edward I (Mod response). In Ui Neil itself the new King Cuidightheach mac Brian Ó Néill who was brother of Domhnall launches cattle raids on the Earldom of Ulster and contests aggressively Hibero- Norman settlements of Ui Neil lands with attacks on settlements. Some small port facilities are made at Derry to allow ships to dock.
 * English Diplomacy: His majesty Edward I accepts the help of this Gaelic soldier, who sought reconciliation with the crown rather than petty revenge like so many of his peers. Especially with the situation in Scotland growing increasingly volatile, the crown's hold on Ulster is critical, now more than ever.
 * Yuan China: Temür Khan continues the extensive economic reforms of his predecessor to help reinvigorate the Chinese economy following the conquest of the empire more than two decades prior by Kublai Khan. New tax codes are instituted to ensure a fairer collection of state funds from the population, as well as reforming the manner in which the troops are paid. To combat the threat of hyperinflation within the economy, the emperor passes laws restricting the production of paper money to 250,000 individual bank notes per year per province over a seven-year period. All prints will only be given enough ink to fulfill the demand, and will be required to maintain strict quotas relating to the regulation of printing at their facilities. Unique stamps will be issues to each of the printers, as well as a unique type of ink that can reveal a counterfeit note when exposed to sunlight. The Mongol hosts residing within China proper are encouraged to settle down within the cities of the empire and integrate into the culture of the Chinese people, helping to curtail any major strife between the two ethnic groups of the land. While few wish to do so, some have migrated south to enjoy the luxuries and benefits of Chinese life and technology far from the steppes of Mongolia. Elsewhere, due to the devastating effects of Kublai's invasion of Vietnam, Temür acknowledges that more time is needed for the army and navy to recover from the consequences of that campaign, allowing for a complete overhaul of the military's operational doctrines in the south, and the recruitment of new manpower to replace the losses. Seeking to capitalize on this state of affairs, the emperor takes the opportunity to professionalize the armed forces, and completely rebuild the navy from scratch, allowing for a more effective means of projecting power throughout the East Asian region. Beginning with the army, while he acknowledges the tactical superiority of the Mongol forces inherited from his predecessor, Temür believes that there is more to be gained from developing a multi-ethnic army that draws upon all of the various peoples dwelling under his rule. Likewise, to encourage loyalty to the state and increase their morale, regular pay is introduced for all branches of the army, moving away from the mandatory service that his fore-bearers had maintained for centuries. For the purposes of better structuring the army, Temür calls upon some of the brightest military minds within China to help reorganize the army in a logical and practical manner that blends the best aspects of Chinese and Mongolian military doctrine into a singular command system. To this end, the decimal-based military units of the Mongolians are utilized for the new army, with units divided into groups of 10 (shí), 100 (bǎi), 1,000 (qiān), and 10,000 (wàn) soldiers each, while the traditional Chinese provinces and commanderies are organized into military regions governed by a civil magistrate and a military officer, both of whom are directly appointed by the emperor. Each of the military regions will be assigned a number of wàn based on regional and military need, while campaigning armies will be designated as jūntuán, or "legions", under the command of a professional military officer appointed to the role by the emperor. Lowe-ranking soldiers of the first rank are to be compensated in the paper currency of the empire at a rate of 100 wén per month of service, while higher ranking officers of the lowest rank are to be paid one guàn per month of service. Regarding the reconstruction of the navy, the emperor commissions the building of new warships to replace those lost in the war with the Vietnamese a decade prior, as well as the recruitment of sailors to help man them once they have been completed. Sailors will be paid at a rate of 70 wén per month of service, and 100 wén while out at sea in active service. It is hoped that these reforms will help to encourage enlistment in the new military of the empire, while ensuring a measure of discipline now that pay is to be provided at regular monthly intervals. By the end of the year, approximately 150,000 "New Army" soldiers have been trained to fill the provincial garrisons in the south, while the old units are transferred north and west to garrison the less hostile quarters of the empire. In the regions of Mongolia and Turkestan, fortresses are rebuilt and garrisoned with old style troops, and their families moved out into the frontier territories to help encourage the Sinicization of the land and its integration into the wider empire of China. Due to the extensive depopulating of the region thanks to the previous campaigns of Genghis Khan and his successors, Temür Khan commits to the re-population of the conquered lands by relocating thousands of Chinese families to the area. He pairs them with local surviving families to help them learn how to cultivate the land and which crops are robust enough to flourish in the region. Likewise, the Chinese families are encouraged to share their culture and language with the locals, and share with them the benefits of accepting the Chinese way of life.
 * Kingdom of Portugal: A ship is sent with 500 men and 500 women to explore what waits across the ocean and settle upon any land they might find. [Mod Response Needed]. King Denis writes a beautiful Poem to his wife. He also wishes to buy some Naval Blueprints from Castilian [ Castilian Response Needed].
 * MOD RESPONSE: Even the best ships you could manage at the time could hold maybe a few hundred men at most. Regardless of the number, however, with little direction or goal, the crew mutinies and the ship is lost at sea. The family to whom the captain belonged is shunned in the Portuguese court.
 * Kingdom of Naples: With the Sicilian Uprising, Charles II amasses a Fleet of 30 galleys and an army of 20,000 Neapolitan Troops and begins an Invasion of Sicily with Charles II landing in Messina while the Neapolitan Fleet prepares to engage with the Aragonese Navy. With the Invasion of Sicily underway, Charles II requests an alliance with the Venetians promising to support them against the Byzantines (Venetian Response Needed). Meanwhile, Charles II also requests the support of the Papacy and the Kingdom of France as a means to enforce the Treaty of Anagni they signed as Charles II also sends a message to the King of Aragon, James II asking for his support in crushing the rebellion as a means to uphold the treaty he signed as the Treaty stated that Aragon would support Naples in reclaiming Naples (French, Aragonese and Papal Response Needed). In order to speed up the process of reclaiming Sicily, Charles II also calls for the assistance of the Principality of Achaea in which is a de facto client state of the Kingdom of Naples (Achaean Response Needed). With this, Charles II continues his efforts in putting down the Sicilian Revolt and to restore order in the region.
 * Papal Response: The restoration of status quo is of paramount importance. He grants his favor to Naples in its quest to put down this rebellion.
 * French Response: No, LMAO!
 * Achaean Response: Prince Florent of Hainaut personally leads his principality's levy to assist his suzerain's efforts.
 * Lordship of Milan: His Lord, Ottone Visconti passes this year on August 8, 1295. He is succeeded by his grandnephew Matteo Visconti. As lord, Matteo’s first act is to reorganize the military of Milan which had grown very lackluster and unimpressive over the last 10-15 years. He also begins to look to reorganize the economics of Milan. The first step of which is to find multiple trade partners within the HRE and/or Italy. Proposals are made to Genoa and Venice as well as any HRE state. (Mod response) (Venice Response) (Genoa Response). The Milanese also further expand their income by producing wool linen, as well as the large amounts of Merchant travel resulting in a somewhat new thought of Merchant banks. Matteo begins to prepare for a major fair to take place in 1297 for the 20th anniversary of the defeat of the Della Torre any and all are invited for this event, direct invitations are sent to the Pope, and the Lords of every North Italian nation, as well as major HRE people such as the Hapsburgs and Bohemia’s Lords. This is viewed as a major opportunity for an expansion of the Milanese markets as well as an opportunity to assist in the reorganization of the issues that are currently occurring in the HRE. Blacksmiths in Milan produce more iron plate than chain mail as it provides better protection for the wearer as well as requiring less physical labor. Matteo declares neutrality in the Sicilian conflict and requests all other northern powers to do the same and leave the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily to themselves. The divide between loyalty to the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor continues with debates occurring often among Matteo’s advisors as to the best course of action.
 * Duchy of Brescia: In Brescia the same debate launches as to whether loyalty to the pope or Holy Roman Emperor is more sensible. Travel between the two towns is slowly increasing as many merchants see an opportunity in Brescia for the ability to gain Milanese wares and products without having to deal with Lord Matteo directly who is viewed by many as an unknown rude man.
 * Mod Response: Piacenza is willing to act as a middle man between Milanese and Genoan trade. Situated between the two powers, Piacenza would seek to gain greatly from this deal. Montferrat and Verona also accept.
 * Italian Response: The Pope, Montferrat, and a couple other Italian states will not attend the anniversary, as the Geulph faction of Italy supports the Della Torre family.
 * Genoa Response: The Republic of Genoa is disposed to sign trade agreements with the Lordship of Milan. This will supply you with products imported from the Middle East and the Black Sea as long as a tax is paid for each merchandise with origin just mentioned. With the condition that the Lordship of Milan refuse from signing diplomatic and/or trade agreements with the Republic of Venice and strongly support the Ghibelline family of the HRE.
 * Milan Response: The lordship replies stating that they will not put themselves on either side of the Venice Genoa war and thus do not accept the demands put forth.
 * Kingdom of Cyprus: King Henry II unveils a massive defensive plan, which will if enacted begin the beginning of constructions of massive castles overlooking each of the port cities. After heavy consultation and persuasion,the various nobles agrees to the law citing the need for more defenses. The plan is expected to take 20-30 years to complete but will be well worth it. This means that most of the military budget will go into constructing these castles.


 * Kingdom of Denmark: The young Eric VI is the first year of directly ruling Denmark, having had his mother as regent until 1294. Settling the case of the regicide of his father King Eric V, among the conspirators Jens Grand had been imprisoned in Soborg Castle. Wanting to finish the Grand affair, King Eric sends Archbishop Martin of Dacia, canon of the Ribe Cathedral, as his messenger to Rome to explain the situation to the Pope. Both his Government and the Danish people want the matter to be settled peacefully, and ask the Pope to take into consideration Grand's treasonous behavior. They are even willing to compromise in a reasonable way based on what the Pope would consider appropriate, but without damaging the security or stature of the Danish royal court. So Eric hopes to settle the matter of Jens Grand directly with the Pope by negotiation. (Mod Response for Papacy) His other concerns in the first year of his reign are restoring the power of the Danish crown as much as possible and bringing nobles in line, and reasserting Denmark's role as a Scandinavian great power. He ordered the court to cancel a lot of the extravagant luxuries that they engaged in, in order to cut expenses greatly and get the government more money. New taxes on the nobles and the peasantry are also conceived and would be implemented soon in order to maximize income, particularly from the nobles in order to bring them under control. Eric also sets in motion plans to use the money to mobilize additional soldiers for the army, expand the fleet of ships, and build a series of fortresses. This plan is expected to be executed over the next several years to decade.
 * County of Holstein: At present the area is divided into several smaller states since the death of Adolphus IV of Schauenburg and Holstein in 1238, the most prominent of which is Holstein-Resndsburg and Holstein-Kiel. Finding the divisions inefficient, Danish King Eric is beginning an effort to reunify the Holstein area and consolidate Danish control over the region, which will also improve Denmark's position.
 * Papal Response: The Pope, furious at the treatment of the bishop, orders Eric VI to release Jans Grand at once. The Kingdom of God on Earth is far more important than the petty squabbles of decadent lords.
 * Ilkhanate: The incumbent Ilkhan Gaykhatu is assassinated by a group of conspirators led by the military commander Taghachar. Taghachar installs Gaykhatu's cousin Baydu as the new Ilkhan, considering him controllable and intending to use him as a puppet. However, Baydu's second cousin once removed Ghazan also claims the throne and starts a military campaign against Baydu with Muslim commander Nawruz aiding him in exchange for Ghazan converting from Buddhism to Islam. Baydu's position looks doomed after Taghachar deserts him and joins Nawruz. However, Baydu, who is officially Buddhist and strongly sympathetic to Christianity is able to sway Nawruz to join him by promising to also convert to Islam upon the end of the conflict. Baydu and Nawruz's combined forces defeat those of Taghachar and his fellow conspirators against Gaykhatu and kill Taghachar. Enraged by Nawruz's betrayal, Ghazan attacks Nawruz instead of Baydu and manages to kill Nawruz, but is killed by some of Nawruz's followers in turn. Remaining Nawruz loyalists try to convince Ghazan's teenaged brother Öljaitü, another convert to Islam, to claim the throne, but Öljaitü eventually signs a peace agreement with Baydu, consolidating Baydu's position as Ilkhan. With Nawruz dead, Baydu decides to ignore his earlier promise to convert to Islam and remains officially a Buddhist, though to appease Nawruz loyalists and other Muslim commanders he commissions the building of several mosques in the Ilkhanate. However, Baydu also allows Nestorian Christian missionaries from the Ilkhanate's vassal Armenian Cilicia into the Ilkhanate; he hopes these and later missionaries will be able to convert enough residents of the Ilkhanate to Christianity that he can publicly convert to Christianity, which would strengthen relations with European Christian nations. After the end of the succession conflict, the government works on developing the economy by resettling Afghans from the east of the Ilkhanate to work on farms in the more fertile western and northwestern parts of the nation, expanding the workforce and increasing the agricultural output.
 * Armenian Cilicia: Nestorian Christian missionaries from Armenian Cilicia travel into the Ilkhanate, hoping to convert some of the populace to Christianity. Some Cilician officials, having heard of the recent conquest of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Crusader states of Tripoli and Acre by the Islamic Mamluk Sultanate set out toward the Ilkhan capital of Tabriz in the hope of persuading the government to invade the Mamluk Sultanate.
 * Sultanate of Rum: In the hopes of consolidating his power and preventing the secession of more beyliks, Sultan Mesud II expands Rum's military and starts bribing local Turkmen leaders in order to keep them loyal to the Sultanate.
 * Kingdom of Sweden: The nobility of the Kingdom of Sweden, newly Christianized and caught up in the religious fervor, pushes for a Third Nordic Crusade against Finland. The nobility envisions Swedish forces carrying the Cross all the way east to Muscovy. To that end Birger, King of Sweden, begins levying taxes in order to raise funds for a third crusade east against Finland. The King and nobility of Sweden is also outraged by the treatment Archbishop Jens Grand has received in Denmark, and the King sends a Swedish Diplomatic Envoy to Denmark to find out what is happening and to hopefully resolve the dispute between the Papacy and Denmark [DANISH RESPONSE NEEDED]
 * Danish diplomacy: Denmark responds that the issue is being resolved and that Jens Grand will be released as the Pope asked but placed under surveillance.
 * Chimu: After the Fall of the Huari Empire, the Chimuenese occupied the Mochican and the Sicán cultures between 1000 and 1200 AD. Roxhivi Chao starts to rule in 1295. The Chimuenese expands 31 miles to the south.
 * Mali Empire: The history of the revival and growth of the Empire centered at Mali, following the origins and reign of that legendary, illustrious ruler Mansa Musa, has been related to us primarily through the writings of Ibn Battuta a generation after the fact. I had taken a personal interest in this era, comprising the expansion of the empire from the Atlantic to Lake Chad, since I began my research in the University of Timbuktu. This era was later recounted by local historians of Mali, up until the Crisis of the 16th Century, but none were as close to the events themselves than the version brought to us by Battuta. The Empire of Mali had grown into a powerful nation by Mansa Sundiata, comprising a full military of 80,000 men across all his vassals. Unfortunately, a series of civil wars between his children caused a decline of the Kieta Dynasty, until the throne was seized by a rebel slave named Sakura in 1285. Sakura was described as a wicked and ruthless tyrant, being constantly paranoid of any check against his absolute power. Of course, this may be an exaggaration, or conflation against the later usurper Somaoro, who was defintely much worse. In reality, Sakura treated the keitan royal family with immense respect, allowing them to still reside in the court at Niani, or other parts of Mali proper. He also revitalized the military from its previous decline, and opened up important trade routes from Timbuktu and Tragaza through the important trade partners of Morocco and Egypt. Sakura greatly fortified the Malian position in the Kebbu province, surrounding the declining Wolof Empire, as well as gradually expanding the territory of the empire eastward behind the domains of the Songhai. Musa himself was the son of Fagelaye and Sogolon, and grandson of Abu Bakr the brother of Sundiata. Musa, however, was severely crippled from birth, and proved unable to walk even into his adolescence. This fact, especially after the death of Fagelaye, brought great shame to the progeny of Abu Bakr, and made them a laughing stock among the Kieta family. Instead, great honor and emphasis was given to the children of Kolokan, Sundiata's sister. Sologon bravely put up with the mockery of Kolokan for many years, but one day in 1295 she could not take it anymore. She fell on the young Musa in tears, begging to know why he still could not walk. Musa comforted his mother, and promised that, by his unconditional love of her, he will do it. Supporting himself on a baobab branch, gifted to him by his childhood tutor Ospreia, he pulled himself upright under the shade of a dogon tree. A few hundred yards away, his mother was being harassed by the sons of Kolokan, jeering her as the lesser of the Kietas. When all of a sudden, a fist flew through the air and smacked one of the sons of Kolokan down to the ground. It was Musa, and by the footprints behind him, he had indeed walked all the way from the tree to the scene of the attack.


 * Georgia: With uncertainty over the Ilkhanate's leadership being resolved, King David VIII affirms Ilkhan suzerainty over Georgia (specifically, its eastern half). To his delight, his consort, Mongol princess Oljath, gives birth to a son; he is named Anastasius (ანასტასიოს, Anasṭasios). He sends his younger brother, George V, to the court of his maternal grandfather Beka I Jaqeli, the Prince and Atabeg of Samtskhe, where he will be groomed to become regent for his nephew.


 * Kingdom of Hungary: During the 1295th year of the lord, tragedy has struck the King Andrew and his family, his beloved wife Fenenna of Kuyavia passed away at the beginning of the year. While still in mourning his council advised him to take a new wife, preferably one of the Hungarian Oligarch’s daughters. He takes to wife Catherine, the daughter of the powerful magnate, Amadeus Aba. By the end of the year she is with child proving a fertile women of her young age. Most notably he arranges a betrothal between his daughter Elizabeth and the son of the Croatian Magnate Paul, Paul the younger. This move seems to secure the support of the ancient and influential Šubić family, and draws a key supporter from the Angevin claimants to the crown of Hungary. Notably Amadeus Aba campaign against the formerly rebellious magnate Ratos, increasing the size of his domain within Hungary capturing the land near the end of the year. Meanwhile, the fortifications alongside the Mongol borders are strengthened under a surprisingly united front presented by the Magnates and the King, with new castles and outposts being built along with garrisons being placed. The king begins to build up his levies strength and moves to increases the defenses of Esztergom and his demesne.  Amadeus in the northwest continues to consolidate his power moving cautiously against the Mongols building forts along the border with the Golden Horde. The growing power of the Serbians also has not escaped notice, and many of the lords bordering them has begun to make preparations for a possible Serbian invasion. SECRET: The Hungarian King in Response to the Wallachian invasion extends an offer to the Bulgarians to invade the lands of Wallachia that once belonged to them and promises them all the lands they take shall be there's (MOD Response)
 * Mod response: The Tsar of Bulgaria accepts this invitation to invade and annex part of Wallachia, although they cannot contribute all their available military due to ongoing wars with the Mongols
 * Wallachia: Among for a resistance group for the regional south constana,they killing most of hungarian occuper on the northwest the prince is launching an war against the hungarian occupation vassal.
 * Meanwhile, we built Castle Defenser on the regional border and the army is ready to beat out of it
 * Republic of Genoa: Shortly after generating the War of Curzola, the citizens of the metropolis and its colonies fear a possible incursion by the Venetians. To avoid losing positions in the Aegean Sea and that the commercial empire that Genoa has established along the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea is not severely affected by Venetian galleys, the Duke has financed with the help of local banks and with the Byzantine Empire support for the construction of a fleet of 60 galleys to block the port of Candia located on the island of Crete and force the Republic of Venice to sign the peace a change of withdrawal from any commercial activity located in the Sea Black (Venice response). Meanwhile, the Ghibelline families in the capital continue to face the Guelph families, events that had been going on for almost a cycle around Italy and the HRE. This led to the vast majority of Genoese territory (except the colonies) plunging into a civil war between families on both sides causing the weakness of government power and the Duke (at that time in the hands of the main Ghibelline families).
 * Principality of Achaea: In the Latinokratia, Achaea has largely been reduced to an Angevin vassal despite its important heritage following the Fourth Crusade. One of the remaining crusader states in the world following the loss of Acre earlier in the decade, Achaea is ruled by Isabella of Villehardouin and her husband Florent of Hainaut. Isabella works diligently to promote local administration of the Principality while Florent focuses his efforts abroad, leading an Achaean contingent to fight on behalf of the Neapolitan Angevins in the War of the Sicilian Vespers. While Florent is away in Italy, Nicholas III of Saint Omer - a prominent Achaean noble - convinces Isabella to have her daughter betrothed to Guy II de la Roche, the young Duke of Athens. As Isabella consents to the betrothal of her three year old daughter, Matilda, Nicholas travels to Athens to personally convince the young Duke to accept the hand of Matilda in betrothal for marriage (Mod Response). Domestically, Isabella works to improve relations between the local Frankish nobles and the predominantly-Greek population.
 * Guy II of Athens is willing to accept this marriage, as long as Isabella gains dispensation from the Pope, as well permission from her liege Charles II
 * Nogai Khan: An agreement between Nogai Khan and Tokhta, (the de jure ruler of the Golden Horde), is reached, with Nogai to rule the lands of the West and Tokhta to rule the lands of the East. This peace is brokered due to increasing pressure from the Hungarians who are mounting fortifications at a rapid pace. As such, Nogai is to command the Armies of the West under his banner, tasked with defending Mongol lands at any cost, by any means. The hasty construction of castles and other fortifications along the border by the Hungarians can simply not be tolerated under any circumstances, thus Nogai Khan raises two tumens (20,000) of cavalry, riding in suddenly and killing construction engineers and laborers, overwhelming the workers and the garrison in sheer size and number, leaving many structures half-completed before riding off to the Great Hungarian Plane, devastating the land by raising, burning, and looting the land after eating various farm animals they come across. The cavalry engages in hit and run tactics, destroying supply lines and killing small contingents of Hungarian soldiers. "This is punishment for threatening Ulug Ulus, for threatening my domain." Declares Nogai. One tumen (10,000) of infantry is also raised, surrounding the half-constructed castles in an attempt to starve out anyone who remains and defend the newly acquired border territory from any counterattack. To properly destroy the half completed castles, siege equipment is ordered to be built, with craftsmen and engineers put to work in the center of Nogai's domain, expected to be completed by next year. Nogai Khan calls upon his vassals, the Russian principalities, to aid him against the Hungarians, noting the power and the glory that can be obtained through this Invasion of Hungary. Nogai Khan also offers Ruthenia to invade Hungary with him, offering to divide the nation in secret. (Mod response, please, for Russian vassals and Ruthenia.) With some Bulgarian troops pulling back from the border, a concentrated offensive is made from all sides to attack the Bulgarians while they are weakened, attempting to push them out of the border region. As wars rage on in the West, we seek to trade with our neighbors Genoa, who we share a land border with in Crimea.
 * Mod response: the Slavic principalities are less interested in glory of attacking Hungary, but nonetheless provide the required support as proper of their vassalage


 * Kingdom of Scotland: As 1295 rolls around, the situation in Scotland reaches a breaking point as a mob of people storm into Stirling Castle, with the support of the military, and murder King Bailol, while Robert the Bruce is crowned King of the Scots. In his first act as King, he assembles the troops, around 6,000 of them, and divides them into two groups: Group A, which is made up of 2,000 men and will stay at Stirling Castle, and Group B, which is made up of the rest of the troops (4,000). Group A is left with significant supplies and weaponry to last a potential English siege of the castle. We send group B to Kincardine and begin building up enough rafts for all men, after this Bruce awaits the English to make their move. In the meantime, we develop the roads of Scotland and irrigation to help sustain agriculture. Ports are also expanded upon and the Scottish navy is posted to make sure trade is not disrupted and that the ports remain defended.

1296
NOTICE: STARTING TODAY, ALL TURNS WILL ROLL OVER DAILY AT MIDNIGHT EST. You may continue to post in 1295 for the next hour

'''As the first King of Poland in centuries, Przemysł has captured the attention of the Eastern states of the Holy Roman Empire. Not all of this attention is positive. A plot, likely by Brandenburgers, to capture Przemysł alive goes horribly awry, and the king of Poland is accidentally slain by these would-be kidnappers. Poland is once again without a king.'''

'''Marco Polo, ever the dutiful Venetian, joins the war against Genoa. He commands a galley with a mounted trebuchet and sails with the Venetian fleet. However, he is pinned down by the Genoan fleet and captured by the city-state.'''

'''Jens Grand manages to escape from Danish captivity with the assistance of a cook. He flees to Bornholm before making for Rome in the hopes that Pope Boniface VIII will hear him out.'''

'''Seeing the establishment of defenses against England as an act of war, Edward I rallies 7,000 soldiers and marches them on Scotland. The assassination of the Scottish King alienates many Scottish lords, who refuse Robert the Bruce's call for war. Fears of a second Great Cause are quelled when Floris V of Holland, another claimant to the Scottish throne, is murdered in a plot orchestrated by Edward I. The English king supports John Hastings, the only other credible claimant to the Scottish throne left standing. They invade Dunbar in April.'''

'''Naples' early move to crush Sicily spooks the populace of the island, and they declare Frederick king. The invasion of Messina ends in defeat for Naples (83 vs 95). The notable absence of Aragon was a major factor in such a close battle. Though the invasion is repelled, Naples is able to land elsewhere on the island, where they can regroup and continue their siege if they so choose.'''

EVENTS DEPENDENT ON AN ALGO ARE INCOMING.

'''NOTE: All algo results can be found on the talk page of this article. All wars from 1295 are up to date.'''
 * Kingdom of Sweden: The King of Sweden uses the newly gained taxes to raise, arm and armor a Royal Army of 7,000 men. This army is supplemented by the newly-made nobility's feudal levies, for a Swedish army of 15,000 men, the core of which is a force of 5,000 heavily armored cavalry. Birger also begins helping to improve the towns of Sweden, building roads to link the various towns and villages and also granting Royal Charters to leaders of certain towns to formalize their authority as burghers. Trade with continental Europe is also encouraged, with Swedish traders being encouraged to sail the Baltic coast plying their goods. Upon hearing of the flight of Jens Grand, the Swedish diplomatic envoy to Denmark is reassigned to visit Pope Boniface VIII to offer his service to the Holy Father in solving the Danish problem [MOD RESPONSE NEEDED]. The King also commissions the construction of a large fleet of "Viking" clinker-built ships to establish Swedish naval dominance. Additionally, hearing of the vacancy of the Polish throne, Birger sends diplomats to Poland to speak to the Polish nobility and to advocate electing Birger to the Polish throne. These diplomats are given large amounts of gold to use as bribes. [MOD RESPONSE NEEDED]
 * Poland has absolutely no interest in having the Swedish king elected their king, as they have protection from Bohemia already
 * Eastern Georgia: David VIII sends the news of Anastasius' birth to the Ilkhan court. He also proposes a deal in which former Georgian territory (Caucasian Armenia and Shirvan – the latter of which correspondings to ethnic Azeri lands in the Transcaucasus) are returned in-exchange for: affirmation of Georgian vassalage, the extension of Ilkhan suzerainty to Western Georgia and Trebizond via a future conquest, systematic annual tribute, and increased Christian missionary activity – though the last clause is secret ( ILKHANATE RESPONSE NEEDED ). To consolidate his claim to the Pontine region of Anatolia, he claims the Trapezuntine throne through his maternal grandfather, Manuel I of Trebizond. Meanwhile, the King implements several reforms to strengthen the Georgian state, which has been in a state of decline since the Mongol invasions of the mid-thirteenth century. He codifies tax laws – with both coins and grain being permissible forms of currency and valid mediums of financial exchange. He continues to use Mongol coinage, though he begins to mint Georgian coins again – incorporating both Byzantine and Persian motifs. He establishes a royal monopoly over the large copper reserves in the Kartli region. On the issue of defense, he doubles the number of men in the Royal Guard (monaspa) to ~10,000; the latter constitutes the only regular army Georgia. This feat is achieved by hiring more mercenaries, and by promising young noblemen (knights) generous land grants upon the completion of their service. He also expands the role of Amirspasalar in the procurement of military goods. In Tbilisi, guilds producing such goods (armor, lances, sabers) receive government sponsorship in an effort to standardize them – though the majority are still procured by lords.
 * Ilkhanate response: The Ilkhan Baydu accepts this deal. In a gesture of goodwill, he sends a company of Afghan farmers from the east of the Ilkhanate to aid Georgian farms and improve their agriculture.
 * Ilkhanate: The Ilkhan court in Tabriz hears from the Cilician officials who journeyed there in 1295 (led by Cilicia's abdicated former king Hethum II). They describe the recent conquest of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Crusader states of Tripoli and Acre by the Islamic Mamluk Sultanate and urge the Ilkhan to invade the Mamluk Sultanate so that these areas may be returned to Christian control. As the Ilkhanate had previously invaded the Mamluk Sultanate with Christian aid in the 1260s but had been repulsed, many Mongol officials in Tabriz are also supportive of such an invasion, partially for reasons of revenge. Hearing this, the Ilkhan Baydu decides to start planning an invasion. He realises that, to avoid the same fate as the 1260s invasion, a greater Franco-Mongol alliance would be important. Baydu orders a diplomatic mission, consisting of Cilician missionaries and Mongol diplomats, to launch on a ship from Armenian Cilicia. The mission first travels to the Kingdom of Cyprus, whose royal family also used to control the fallen Kingdom of Jerusalem. The diplomats ask the King of Cyprus to support the invasion of the Mamluk Sultanate in return for the territory of the former Kingdom of Jerusalem being returned to Cypriot control if the Mamluks are defeated. They explain how a naval attack from Cyprus combined with a land-based attack from the Ilkhanate would outflank the Mamluks and aid their chances of success. Finally, they request that a small number of Cypriot diplomats accompany them on the next leg of their journey, as they intend to travel to the Papal States and think the presence of Cypriots would help convince the Pope to support their cause. (Cyprus response) Meanwhile, in preparation for an invasion in several years' time, Baydu starts to manoeuvre soldiers and military resources toward the southwest of the Ilkhanate. A few commanders are sent to the east of nation in order to recruit Afghans and Turkmen into the army, with the dual goals of increasing the size of the army and aiding the integration of the various ethnic groups in the Ilkhanate. Some ethnic Persian soldiers are also sent to the east to help secure the eastern border as some of the population of this region is being shifted away.
 * Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia: The mission to obtain Christian aid for the invasion of the Mamluk Sultanate departs on a ship from the port of Tarsus. King Thoros III commissions the improvement of the port of Tarsus and the expansion of the nation's navy. Nestorian Christian missionaries from Cilicia continue to travel through the western Ilkhanate, converting some of the populace.
 * Sultanate of Rum: Sultan Mesud II managed to stabilise the internal politics somewhat by securing the loyalty of several Turkmen potentates within the nation. However, he continues to receive criticism from other Turkic leaders as well as local Mongol officials and his political status does not appear to be entirely secure. Hearing that the allied Georgia is interested in invading Rum's rival Trebizond, he starts to develop the military in the east of the nation. However, he keeps most of the military in the centre and west of the country to keep other beyliks in check.


 * ' Duchy of Brabant: "Harba Lorifa" A Hill, a hill that is what his majesty John II has his architects under guidance of his bastard brother John of Mallines from who he got the permission to build this mansion in the first place. Some designs by members of the Mallines court being verry enthousiast some imposible due to physics, others to just make John II spend a life time of money so that they can reap the benefits from the taxation and import duties of the materials needed. While some briliant architects are looking for designs they do find one major issue which was already known when permission was given to build. Although at this point the duke and his architects taught less of it then they do now, this issue being that mountaintop is not as flat nor as biog as expected which meants it is nearly impossible to not need to build into the mountain side if one is to get a great mansion worthy of a Duke. The mansion designing and building being calculated to be five to ten years long depending on the excact design and other circumstances that cannot be helped against. While the duke personally requests to the Lordship of Mallines to accept the coat of arms of Heyst Ten Berge officially as even with its use, it has no legal recognition. (Mod response). As the heyst swan is one of the best know symbols of the area. Myerebeke once a small enclave of Utrecht has its right to lordship passed to the Dukes of Brabant, This making the Brabantine Royal title longer and more glorious. John II, Duke of Brabant and Limbourg, Count of Dalhem and Lords of Hertogen Rade and Myerebeke being the bigger of the title with a lot of lesser titles being present as well. While Myerebeke is part now of the Brabantine dynasty, his majesty has decided to not put it into the royal arms due to its size and importance of the town. While this is happening, the Duke himself is looking into manners to improve the army of his realm where he and his nobles decide that for the current moment. The army will be based around a core of Knights who are heavily armed and protected professional but lesser armed bow and pike men. This undesiveness yet on the proportions of bowmen compared to pikemen and man at arms is due the Gastraphetes, a Greek variant of the crossbow which some want to use in combination of the Longbow. With the duke also looking into how to possibly use city and town guards during warfare, as they would know their city better then anyone army in the realm. Although quality and size can greatly depend on the city size and economic prosperity, as the wealthier and more populous can provide and keep a bigger city guard. Although cities like Antwerp do not only need the money for direct guards, but for the building of protective defences like walls and ditches, and for some smalller cities cheaper wooden pike walls after the ditches. Although John II knows that there is another enemy that is not man, but in fact, Nature. As due to the low altitude of Brabant it has often smaller and medium size flooding along its coast, although it is less then it could be due to the Hollandish county of Zeeland which gets floods first before they can hit Brabant. Masetrieth one of the farthest corners of the Brabantine realm. Our duke proposes to the Liege Government to a Renovation of the Basilica of Saint Servatius. This would show both states loyalty and greatness toward to the faith and the papacy.(Mod response)
 * The Lord of Mallines accepts the new coat of arms
 * Prince Hugh de Chalon of Liege accepts the donation from the Duke to renovate the Basilica
 * Kingdom of Naples: Despite the Sicilian Victory at Messina, a Force of 50,000 Neapolitan and Achaean Troops manage to land in the city of Catania and under the command of Phillip I, Prince of Taranto the Third Son of Charles II of Naples the Neapolitan and Achaean Troops march toward Palermo via the cities of Enna and Caltaniassetta with the objective of capturing the capital city and forcing the self-proclaimed King of Sicily, Fredrick II to surrender to the King of Naples. Meanwhile, with the French refusing to provide aid to the Kingdom of Naples, Charles II requests the support of the Kingdom of Aragon to deal with the Sicilian Rebels as well as placing additional pressure on the Kingdom of France given that the King comes from the cadet branch of the House of Capet and that it would be vital to aid Naples against the Aragonese (French and Aragonese Response.) Meanwhile, with the daughter of the Princess of Achaea set to be married to the Duke of Athens, Charles II states that he would allow such a marriage at the condition that the Duchy of Athens reaffirms its Loyalty to Charles II in order to uphold the Treaty of Viterbo in which the rights to the defunct Latin Roman Empire where handed over the Charles II’s father, Charles I, meaning that all of Frankish Greece was to accept the suzerainty of the Angevin King of Naples in which currently is Charles II (Mod Response).
 * Guy II agrees to uphold the treaty. Pope Boniface grants dispensation due to the level of consanguinity, and Guy proceeds with his marriage
 * Kingdom of Denmark: King Eric VI planned on releasing Jens Grand anyway under surveillance, but now that he is out of the country then in some ways the problem has solved itself. He sends a messenger to Sweden, thanking King Birger for his concern and assistance, and that this is hopefully the beginning of a stronger relationship between the two kingdoms. (Swedish Response) The new tax laws are beginning to be implemented in Denmark from the start of this year to raise money. Another phase of the plan also begins, as Eric VI invites many of the local Danish magnates, the nobles, who are the most prominent debt holders and opponents of the King to the Danehof (parliament) to discuss setting up a new Royal Charter (sort of a constitution) for his reign. However, after the prominent nobles arrive, they are immediately imprisoned by the king's troops and put to death for treason, for conspiring against the crown. Following the execution, the properties and wealth of the Danish magnates are seized by the government. This effectively solves Denmark's domestic debt problems in one blow, and the influx of new revenue is being put to use in paying off the foreign debt holders, mainly north German states. Paying the foreign debt will take years but the burden has been eased with the effective erasure of the peskiest Danish nobles that held some of the debt. Moreover, the position of the Crown has been strengthened with this removal of the most powerful and influential political rivals in one stroke. The new taxes are also being collected, with nobles being taxed more heavily than the peasantry, both as a way of gaining the people's loyalty and keeping the remaining nobles under control. Eric also begins increasing the size of the army and navy, planning for a total strength of 20,000 troops eventually. Some ships will also be built in the future.
 * County of Holstein: Having secured his own position in Denmark, Eric VI decrees that Holstein will be reunified to undo the mistake of decades ago. Henry I, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg, is now given the old title of Count of Holstein, in return for his loyalty to the Danish crown. Adolph VI and Gerhard II, the counts of the other states in the region, are allowed to keep their titles and wealth and are given positions in the Count of Holstein's court. The state's relationship with Denmark is defined as the Count visits Copenhagen to speak with the Danish monarch, and they agree that part of the proceeds from Holstein's taxes and tariffs will go to Denmark. Also the Count of Holstein will provide Denmark with military assistance whenever it is necessary, including German troops for the Danish army. Henry I begins raising a modest army of his own to defend the state, and the construction of a castle started by Adolph VI also continues.
 * The nobles revolt against your act of treachery, and appeal to the Pope for support. Pope Boniface excommunicates Eric, depriving him of office of a Christian kingdom. The nobles support his Christopher for the throne, and seize control of Zeeland with 10,000 troops
 * Bohemia: Welceslaus II and his wife Judith von Hapsburg have twins, Margeret and Ottakar.  King Wenceslaus II sensing an opportunity to secure more power in Poland raises a levy of 10,000 troops, and moves into his lands in Krakow with the Army following the death of the king of Poland, and the Mongol invasion of Hungary. Wenceslaus II sends a letter to the Polish nobility offering to protect them against the Mongols but in exchange they must recognize him as overlord of Poland, and begins fortifying his position in Krakow and improving his fortifications in along the Bohemian mountains (Mod Response). He also calls upon the Polish lords to join him and prevent the Mongols from ravaging eastern Europe again. (nate approved this on discord)  Wenceslaus continues to promote the urban development of his Bohemian and Polish holdings. Efforts to improve trade routes between Lesser Poland and Prague are made, along with major efforts to improve the economy of the his holdings. To further encourage loyalty amongst his subjects, and to secure the confidence of the other Polish holdings Wenceslaus writes a new Royal charter outlining extensive freedoms and privleges of the guilds, Burghers, nobility, and cities in exchange for the promise to provide troops, and taxes to the crown, along with removing internal barriers of trade within his realm. Wenceslaus II sends a letter to his ally Emperor Adolf requesting imperial support against the Mongol threat saying that if Poland and Bohemia fall the HRE will follow, He sends out letters to Rome for the Pope, and to King Andrew requesting that they ignore the words of the Heathen Mongols reminding them of the death and destruction brought by the Mongol invasions and asking that King Andrew remain steadfast promising to support them in fighting against Noghai Horde, along with requesting Papal support in the form of the Holy Teutonic order to assist in the protection against the godless Noghai. Further, in a public address to the Polish nobles reminding them of the destruction Noghai himself carried out not ten years ago during the third Mongol invasion of Poland. Wenceslaus promises to act as the proper overlord of Poland and protect it at all costs, promising to not take the title of King until after Noghai has been defeated. A secret envoy is sent to the Hungarians and Wenceslaus promises to commit to the defence of the Hungary once control over Poland is secured. The 10,000-strong army is trained and armed with a mix of pikemen, bows and cross bows, that mobile, and fixed large shields, to contest the Mongolian arrows, while light cavalry made up of freemen are created as a scouts and skirmishers employing Mongol or steppe bows, to support the heavy cavalry of the nobles who will be used to attack the Mongols quickly. A string of new fortifications are started along the Bohemian Mountains, and along the Vistula River and lesser Poland all leading to the great fortress of Krakow while forward fortifications are also built all with moots and stakes to prevent cavalry from being as effective. Krakow is heavily fortified, as construction of newer outer fortifications taking advantage of the mountainous terrain of the Carpathian Mountains. Food and grain stores along with the new harvest are brought across the Bohemian and Carpathian Mountains to prevent the Mongols from taking them, while levies are raised on the Polish dukes to bring up the forces to 18,000 (approved by nate). Plans are also laid out to begin a scorched earth policy of the Polish countryside with Polish subjects being evacuated west or to major strongholds to deny Noghai the use of the land. Furthermore bridges are destroyed along the Vistula, and places that can't be fortified are abandoned and burned to prevent their usage by the Mongols. Plans to send troops to help defend the Danube fortifications are made. 
 * Poland accepts Wenceslas as their overlord until they can elect a new king. 
 * Adolf of Germany and the Livonian Order both agree to send support to Bohemia, amounting to 7,000 infantry, 900 cavalry and 200 knights
 * Hungarian Diplomacy (Secret): We humbly accept any help we can receive from the King of Bohemia and Poland against the black Adders, that are the Mongols trying to bring down christiandom.
 * Kingdom of Portugal: The King tries another attempt to colonize with 1,000 people both male and female but now the destination is OTL Senegal [Mod Response Needed].
 * Please stop trying to colonize this early.
 * Mali Empire: Mansa Sakoura was indeed a paranoid ruler, mostly out of the constant suspicion of being overthrown in a new rebellion similar to how he seized control. Still, the economic reforms he implemented should not be overlooked. Sakoura standardized the foreign caravan trade, funneling the exports of Mali from Niani out from local capitals of Ouagadougou and Gao, onward from Timbuktu through outer vassals of Tragaza and Agadez. This trade was crucial to restabilize the imperial finances, which was disrupted in recent civil wars. He also began to standardize a system of currency across the empire, based on their most valuable commodities. The Mithqal, worth the same as the Arab Dinar, was set to 4.5 grams of gold. One unit of salt, equal to three grams, was set to one-sixth of a Mithqal. Finally, one copper bar was set to two Mithqals. With this new source of finances, Sakoura created a new private army of mercenaries in his personal demesne, as his personal body guards. Slaves was also a key source of revenue exported from Mali, and Sakoura particularly was known to brutally suppress the slave population using his personal military. Meanwhile, Musa quickly grew very popular and beloved since he gained the use of his legs, and was known to be both incredibly strong and handsome. The sons of Kolokan were very jealous of this attention, and compelled Musa to take up a job as a common cow herder near Niani. While tending to these cows, suddenly a great lion came from the wilderness, threatening the cattle he was in charge over. Not hesitating a second to protect his kin, Musa flew into a rage, and grappled with the lion to the ground, stabbing it through the heart with his knife. This act tremendously increased his popularity across Mali proper, seeing him single-handedly take down a lion.
 * Yuan China: Reorganization of the Chinese military forces continues, with the formation of new army units throughout the country under the new organizational system instituted by the emperor. The army is divided into three groups; the imperial army, which shall remain mobilized and train regularly outside of the capital city of Beijing, and campaign with the emperor during times of war; the provincial army, which comprises all garrison units spread throughout the empire and subordinate to their civil and military governors within their respective provinces; and the reserve army, a special corp of trained reservists who reside in the large fortress towns of China near the capital, and with enough manpower to replace the losses of the imperial army as needed. Another 200,000 soldiers have been trained for army service, while approximately 30,000 cavalry are drawn from the Mongolian hosts for army service at the behest of the emperor. On the naval front, the construction of new warships and patrol vessels has proceeded somewhat smoothly, with shipwrights building dozens of new craft every month to fulfill their quotas. They are allowed a measure of freedom in how they approach the fulfillment of the commission given to them, granting them sometime to ensure the vessels are properly seaworthy rather than rushing them into service as Kublai Khan had in the past. These ships are to be grouped into units known as wei, each of which shall consist of 50 vessels, 5,000 sailors, and 1,500 marines, allowing the flotillas enough manpower to deal with piracy in the waters surrounding China. The sinicization of the western provinces continues under the auspices of the local Chinese bureaucracy appointed over the population by the emperor. Seeking to encourage the adoption of Chinese customs and ideologies, the emperor has transferred several thousand Han families into the west and paired them with local families, with the goal of ensuring that the Chinese population will thrive using the tried and true methods of agricultural cultivation in the region to survive, while likewise urging the local inhabitants to adopt Chinese customs. The integration of the local inhabitants into Chinese society remains slow, though some are warming up to their new neighbors, though they remain wary of the Mongol patrols in the region who maintain a vigilant guard against any threats of rebellion. Several young Chinese boys are handed over to the Mongolian hosts by the emperor to help build a new source of expert horsemen accustom to Mongolian warfare and equestrian culture. The emperor wishes to see a broader source of horsemen for the army established outside of the steppes of Mongolia, and more adapted to the needs of China as a whole, though without sacrificing on the experience gained by his men during his predecessors campaigns across all of Eurasia. In the spirit of his fore-bearer's ideal of encouraging multi-ethnic and multi-religious cooperation, Temür Khan permits the construction of churches, mosques, and shrines throughout all of China in line with the local traditions of the inhabitants of those lands. He himself takes up calligraphy and study of the Bible, taking particular interest in the latter after the book was given to him by a member of the court who had been in the company of the foreigner Marco Polo a few years prior. Seeking to better understand the culture and religion of the traveler's homeland, Temür has several Christian theologians appear before him from the neighboring lands, and educate him on the religion and its teachings. Aware of the old "Church of the East" which had at once been present within China, the emperor is fascinated with the concepts presented within Christianity and its theology. Plans to urbanize the north are laid out by Temür Khan, as the Mongolians within his court find themselves more and more enamored by the riches of the Chinese people and the luxuries afforded to the by their sedentary lifestyles. Wishing to see the glory of Karakorum restore, Temür Khan and his entourage journey to the distant city to see it in detail, and plan out how best to proceed with its restoration. Architects are commissioned with the goal of expanding the city, developing its irrigation system, and developing several smaller towns and villages in the surrounding region to cater to the needs of the Mongol population. These are in turn given tracts of land to graze upon for their herds, while they are encouraged to sell their excess goods in the market town strategically-placed within the province of Mongolia. This in turn helps to fuel the economic growth that will soon be vital to the future growth ans survival of Karakorum in the north. Several other urbanization projects are laid out for the region of Manchuria, while there exists plenty of fertile land capable of supporting a string of new cities envisioned by the emperor for the northern territories. Though some do exist in the region, most are only temporary encampments which lack much of the modern conveniences enjoyed by the Han peoples of the south. Likewise, many are not connected by any permanent roads or supported by any imperial services that would otherwise help the region better integrate into the empire as a whole, as well as be a more productive province.
 * Nogai Khan: The siege equipment ordered last year has completed construction and is sent to the Hungarian border to destroy what's left of the fortifications, assisted by one tumen (10,000) of infantry, with the goal of the complete dismantling of the border castles. With the Polish King dead and two claimants to the Polish throne emerging, Nogai Khan proclaims himself as the King of Poland, declaring himself to the Polish lords as the ultimate protection from the Mongols. Not only will the Poles be safe from Mongolian invasion under his rule, the Kingdom of Poland shall increase massively in both size and power, being Nogai Khan's primary title upon being crowned King. Upon Nogai Khan's coronation, the Kingdom of Poland shall be the suzerains of the Russian Principalities. Nogai Khan also promises to convert to Catholicism, being baptized into to the Catholic Church during his future coronation, saying he now sees the light of the Lord. (MOD RESPONSE, PLEASE) An offer is made to the Hungarians, Nogai Khan shall cease the Mongolian Invasion of Hungary if King Andrew recognizes Nogai Khan as the King of Poland over Wenceslaus II and Birger. A force of five tumens (50,000), three tumens of cavalry and two tumens of infantry are raised by Nogai Khan in preparation to face the armies of Wenesclaus II on the battlefield. Additional siege equipment is ordered to be built in the center of Nogai's domain in preparation for the new campaign. With victory over the Hungarians achieved by destroying their fortifications and raiding their countryside, we secure our conquest by leaving one tumen of cavalry to fortify and consolidate the conquered land, with one tumen of cavalry and two tumen of infantry, one carrying siege equipment march upon the mountain passes of Krakow to defeat the Polish defenders. Two tumens from Nogai's domain, one tumen of cavalry and one tumen of infantry each march from the west into Eastern Poland and upon finding it burned to the ground, march upon Plock, the ancient capital of Poland, surrounding the city in an attempt to capture it.
 * Władysław the Elbow-high rallies the Polish duchies to support Wenceslaus in fear of the Mongol aggression
 * Kingdom of Hungary: The great and most holy Kingdom of Hungary has been stricken by a plague most foul, the Mongols, may the devil take their bones, have in an unprecedented and most foul move struck at our peaceful land thinking we are fools and they will triumph where they have failed miserably. They as a nest of the foul demons released by Mephistopheles and all his great demons think they shall come and achieve a victory with their vile sorcery. They shall find no reprieve from god facing an endless emptiness, and the people shall like the Jews flew to the Danube as the Jordan. And just like the Egyptians their animals shall die if they drink, and they shall find no reprieve in the eyes of god having their supplies and great weapons destroyed. And should they attempt to ride up to our cities, just like Lucifer at the silver gates they will be thrown down. The great people of Hungary will not stand, like the Archangels of god they work and will destroy this heathen army. In great blessings a son is born to the King, named Géza. He is healthy and thus succession is secured to the Arpáds. To his great benefit he is named Palatine of Hungary by his Son-in-law Andrew III. Secret The King worrying about a future Mongol invasion sends word to the Knights of St. John hoping to enlist their help against the Mongols should they invade again Mod Response. [End Secret] He also orders the baptism of his son Gezá, with great ceremony conducted by the Archbishop of Esztergom. He begins to plan an assault against the treacherous Wallachians mustering up an army of 8,000 soldiers and posting alongside the mountains awaiting an attack.
 * Banate of Bosnia: Taking advantage of the distraction the Mongols have posed to the Subič, the Kotromanič family has begun to consolidate their power within the kingdom, winning over many lords to their sides and seizing some lands from the Subič, perhaps notably the Bán begins to fortify his defenses, perhaps appearing to prepare for a war of some sorts. As he begins to expand his power he notably encourages the spread of Catholicism and beginning to form connections with Italian states and the western part of Europe.
 * Kingdom of Cyprus: King Henry II visits the construction sites of the five forts of the new defense plans and for a day works there as a normal worker as well. Meanwhile, the king orders that from this moment onward all actions and wars are to be recorded and kept under surveilance in the Royal Library.
 * Republic of Genoa: While the blockade in Candia continues, the Duke and his affiliates have sent diplomats with a request for help to Constantinople (who had already suffered a looting in the fourth crusade influenced by Venetian interests) to block the Strait of the same with the aim of frustrating the Venetian merchant ships the attempt to trade within the Black Sea, leaving Genoa with almost all of the trade between it and the Mediterranean Sea. On the other hand, focusing on the Western Mediterranean, the heart of the Venetian influence in this region was in Palma de Mallorca and Tunisia, in order to finance such incursions into the respective cities, the duke has asked Milanese bankers (Milan Response) a loan to finance the construction of a fleet of 45 galleys and 4,000 men to dock on the coasts of Palma de Mallorca and take the city with the main objective of monopolizing the passage between the Atlantic Ocean and the Western Mediterranean. However, the fact that Genoa is in a period of boom, the opposite is true within the metropolis, the continuous confrontations between the Guelph and the Ghibellines worsened with the passing of the months, both have very economic and diplomatic policies Opposites favoring the HRE or the Pope. Families like Fieschi and Grimaldi, allied to the Guelph, argue that the treaty with Milan and Constantinople should be broken, and peace signed with the Republic of Venice tending to have policies more in line with the interests of the pontificated states and the city state of the rest from Italy. While families such as the Doria and the Spinola allied to the gibelins maintain that giving up sovereignty to the HRE would greatly benefit the course of the war for the respective families that they entail knowing that Genoa is considered an important source of income.
 * Milanese bankers happily move to finance and work out the loan with the standard interest rate of 1.4 percent compounding bi-yearly. (Genoa response)
 * Ui Neill: Domhnall mac Brian Ó Néill bends knee to King Edward I of England and accepts his new title as Chief Justicar of Ireland Duke in Eiru with all landholders in Ireland being his vassals. Domnhall returns to Ireland to assemble an army for operations in Scotland and to reclaim Tir Eoghain. Domnhall on his return has his brother surrender Tir Eoghain to him as the opportunity to be the first lords of Ireland excites the Ui Neill clan. Domhnall assembles some 2,500 soldiers from the Lordship of Ireland now including Tir Eoghain and leads them to the Scottish highlands where he breaks them down the army into eight groups and has them raiding and burning villages and food stocks in the western coastal Highlands unless they decide to support John of Hastings. Rather than try to fight a field battle the goal of these troops is simply to hold the Scots in the highlands.
 * Chimu: The Chimuenese continue expanding to the south, while sacrifices are made to the gods. War stories about Roxhivi Xao in the Villages located in the northeast of Huarmey.
 * Kingdom of England: Seeing a golden opportunity in front of him to quell Irish people and use their forces against the Scottish Usurper  Robert the Bruce, Edward Receives the warrior Domhnall mac Brian O Neill and offers him terms of alliance: "Acknowledge me as your overlord, and I shall name you Duke in Eiru and my Chief Justiciar in Ireland, to be the first Lords in Ireland under the Overlordship of our Grace, take back your stolen throne and lead your armies and those of your irish countrymen against the Usurper Bruce in Scotland". Anglo-Norman Lords are called into the Parliament of Ireland, where they acknowledge O'Neill as Duke in Eiru. With the O'Neils as their vassals, the English plan to wage a two-front war on the Scottish, and pinch the Scottish Armies between the force of Irishmen in the highlands, tasked with gaining the allegiance of the local lords and Clans for the Claim of John Hastings as the English Army invades from the south. After the acceptance, Domhnall is invested as Duke in Eiru. With the Irish invading the highlands, the King calls up his armies and begins plans to assemble armies numbering up to 20,000, including 2,000 longbowmen. The Primary force of 7,000 begins by engaging with the Scottish "Group B" of 4,000 Soldiers. However, Edward works on engaging 1,000 longbowmen before the battle to bring his forces up to 8,000 men. Edward begins plans to move the Stone of Scone into his warcamps, where he hopes to assemble enough Scottish Lords in order to declare John as King and crown him on the stone before the stone is taken back to Westminster. Letters are sent to All Scottish Lords requesting their allegiance, or at the very least, their neutrality [Mod response needed on how many extra troops this gains, and how many lords pledge to John, if any]. Robert the Bruce is named as a Usurper and a Murderer, and declared an Outlaw by Edward in his role as Lord Paramount. Letters are sent to the Pope petitioning him to declare the coronation as invalid, while a separate, officially totally unrelated letter is also sent to the Pope with the promise of constructing a Grand Cathedral in Westminster, and asking for a "Cardinal of Good Repute" to be sent to bless the first stone of this new Cathedral [Mod Response Needed for the Pope].Elizabeth Hastings, John's daughter, is betrothed to Edward, Prince of Wales and an agreement is made to pass the succession of the Scottish throne to Elizabeth in the case that John's cause is won (to be approved by a friendly Scottish Parliament, of Course). IN order to finance these wars, Edward calls a parliament. However, unlike previous parliaments, Two Knights from the shires and two Burgeses from the Burghs were called to sit in their own power as representatives of the commons and not simply assent to the decisions of the Magnates. The Lords themselves were drawn first from the successors of the barons who signed Magna Carta and new Lords. This sets a precedent for future parliaments. The Franchise of forty-shilling freeholders was established. This is a monumental event in English parliamentary history, as Edward for the first time has a mandate to collect taxes from the entire population. The parliament met and granted Edward the Lay Subsidies he asked for to fund the war and the Grand Cathedral in Westminster and an additional subsidy to construct a cathedral in Rome, should the Holy Father Assent [Papal response, please].
 * Lordship of Milan: Lord Matteo and his wife, Bonaccossi Bonacosta, have their seventh child Zaccaria. Their eldest son Galeazzo continues to be trained for leadership and has begun to take the blade quite well alongside his younger brother Luchino. Both are trained by the marshal at arms of Milan. The soldiers in Milan have gotten very accustomed to Galeazzo’s leadership and many view him as a very capable commander. Lord Matteo begins to focus on the income and economy of Milan with our wool output being increased as well as armor being produced to the point of surplus. Lord Matteo starts suffering from an unknown sickness toward the end of the year. In his place his eldest son Galeazzo begins to reign in his place as he is bed stricken. Galeazzo looks to further refine the Milanese economy through loans and using the army as a mercenary troop. (Interested countries, please respond.) Galeazzo sends messages to all currently at war factions for potential loans or hiring the Milanese army as mercenaries. Galeazzo states that he will continue to train the Milanese army to be stronger and better. However, they require field experience. The army is to be paid weekly, by standard wages.
 * Danish Diplomacy: A representative from Denmark says King Eric VI is interested in hiring mercenaries to help put down a rebellion by nobles.
 * Kamagura Japan: Prince Hisaki, Shogun of Japan finally disperses the Japanese army formed against the Yuan invasions years prior. The last of these forces leave dissatisfied having not been compensated properly for their help against the Mongols. This while engendering some issues between the Shogun and the Daimyo of the Japanese home islands does not lead to full scale rebellion. Prince Hisaki has still left the country free of a foreign invader and the Emperor still on the throne and regardless of how the Daimyo feel about the compensation the Prince is a national Hero. Shogun Hisaki returns to Kyoto noticing that an eerie calm has descended over the country. There is no plotting, no feudal wars being fought, the empire is at peace for the first time in decades. Hisaki convenes with his council consisting of his brother, father, and two sons about how to restore a sense of normalcy to Japan and decides the invitation of all the major daimyo of the war will be invited to the Imperial court to celebrate and settle grievances in serious council meetings for one month. The Shogun makes clear moves into trying to find a way to start fixing the economy was to take precedence and as the council meets and decides on how to conduct trade and ease some of the restrictions on trade put in place to fight the invasion off. The nation makes clear forays into more thoroughly settling the north and south islands with settlers displaces for various reasons being sent to the far north and far south to settle more land. The dissatisfaction of the Daimyo does lead to some fallout as Emperor Fushimi begin to take new council from a small group of northern Daimyo looking to influence the Emperor toward their direction, hoping to secure some sort of favor or imperial assistance at court or help with developing home territories. The Japanese trade fleet now with relative peace on the waters begins probing out toward Korea, the nomads to the north and even discreetly toward the Yuan attempting to law low as trade options are explored. Japan remains politically isolated from the world with outside of its trade forays as no proper diplomatic channels are open to any nearby nations.
 * Principality of Achaea: With the War of the Sicilian Vespers rolling over to another year, Prince Florent of Hainaut is still overseas in Italy leaving his wife, Princess Isabella of Villehardouin, solely in charge of the Principality. With the approval of her liege and the dispensation from the Pope for a royal betrothal to take place between her daughter, Matilda, and Duke Guy II of Athens, the Princess makes preparations for the eventual union, to occur in a few years once Matilda has grown older. Meanwhile, domestically the Princess works to build up the principality's administrative capacity by convincing local Catholic church leaders to open their walls to instruct prominent Greek scribes in the Latin language. While Isabella refrains from making this mandatory, it is strongly encouraged as the scribes would need to do business in Latin. Other efforts are made to help speed along the process of conversion to Roman Catholicism among the population, including providing greater funding to local Catholic churches (which, at least in part, subsidizes their educational efforts). With Nicholas III of Saint Omer, the Marshal of Achaea, successful in arranging one diplomatic agreement, he puts his services to use by travelling to the Court of the Count Palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos, which is under the Achaean influence. While there, Nicholas urges Richard Orsini to become a bailli for Isabella and Florent, which would grant the Count Palatine greater influence in Achaea but also reiterate his realm's status under Achaea (MOD REQUEST, noting that this happened IOTL). The current arrangement of Isabella as a domestic administrator, Florent as a military leader, and Nicholas III of Saint Omer as a diplomat is serving Achaea well, as each develops greater knowledge in their respective areas.
 * Orsini accepts to become bailli
 * Kingdom of Scotland: With the war raging, Robert the Bruce officially strips Edward I of his title of Lord Paramount, and also says that he did not kill John Bailol, the mob did, and that his crowning of King was an act of God. With the English arriving at Stirling Castle, the 2,000 force there readies for the siege and are told by Robert the Bruce that they will never surrender, and will fight to the very last man. Robert the Bruce announces the taking up of Edward Bailol, John Bailol’s son, as his own son and heir, and will raise him as his own. On the issues of the feudal lords

1297
'''Following the recent Neapolitan defeats in Sicily, Frederick III mobilizes his forces in a counterattack, marching on Calabria. While he is there, he attempts to stir revolts and gather support along the way. This includes appeals to many Italian city states for aid against the Angevins.'''

'''Austria pledges support for Bohemia, sending another 5,000 men to Bohemia's aid. The lukewarm attempt by Adolf of Nassau to provide aid is met with concern in the Holy Roman Empire, with some believing Germany could have spared more. His seizure of the Margraviate of Meissen as an imperial fief confirms their belief that the Emperor is more concerned with personal gain.'''

'''The setback in Hungary, along with the subsequent invasion of Poland, leads to disquiet in the Khanate's ranks. Wishing to avoid a repeat incident of the trouble with Hungary, some of the Khan's generals wonder if Poland can be held. Others are concerned with the Khan's recent switch to Christianity.'''

'''A Portuguese child with a case of wanderlust attempts to 'sail around the world.' He disappears with his family's boat for several months before returning. When asked what he saw, he refuses to say. "Just don't go out there," he says. (Stop trying to explore the world in 1295.'''

'''Due to the civil conflict in Genoa, members of the Grimaldi family seizes control of the Rock of Monaco, and break it off as independent from the republic. Francis Grimaldi appeals to King Philip of France to recognize him as the first Prince of Monaco, as a French vassal.'''
 * Kingdom of Sweden: Upon hearing of the excommunication of Eric VI, the massacre of Danish nobles now known as the "Blood Feast" and the subsequent uprising by the surviving nobility, Birger decides he must intervene in Denmark. In a speech to a gathering of Swedish nobles and clergymen, the King declares he can no longer stand by whilst a madman and heathen sits on the Danish throne and plunges Sweden's southern neighbor into chaos and civil war. The King then reads the Papal Bull officially excommunicating Eric VI aloud to the gathered nobles and clergymen, declaring that it is their duty as Christians to aid the Pope in removing Eric VI. After a ceremony in which Birger and his son, Magnus Birgersson, are blessed by the Archbishop of Uppsala Nils Allesson, Birger personally leads his army of 15,000 men south toward Skane. He sends several messengers to the Danish nobles and their forces gathered at Zealand with a letter. In his letter, Birger offers to help overthrow Eric VI and install Christopher on the throne so long as Christopher and the nobles name Birger's son, Magnus Birgersson, as Christopher's heir to the Danish throne [MOD RESPONSE NEEDED]. The Swedish government begins encouraging Swedish immigration to the newly conquered Finland, with the government providing free transportation to Finland via the newly built ships. The Swedish clergy under Archbishop Allesson also begins encouraging priests and monks to begin moving to Finland to help Christianize the population. The clergy begins establishing parishes throughout the Finnish territories and begins building churches and chapels. Numerous towns in Finland are also granted Royal Charters, naming their leaders as Burghers in the newly made Swedish nobility and helping to integrate the Finnish territories into Sweden as well as making the Finnish leaders loyal to the Swedish King. Additionally the lands of defeated Finnish chieftains are awarded to loyal Swedish nobles, who are also encouraged to move to Finland to help solidify Swedish power in the area and help oversee the integration of Finland into Sweden. The queen, Martha of Denmark, also makes plans for a highway to connect the Finnish town of Vaasa to the developing Swedish road network in order to link Finland and Sweden and provide for immigration to Finland without ships.
 * Christopher accepts aid from Sweden. Being unmarried, he would be willing to make a marriage alliance with Eric in order to facilitate his desire for dynastic union
 * Swedish Diplomacy: Birger would be happy to form a marriage alliance. He offers to marry a female relative (daughter, niece, sister) to Christopher or for Birger's son Magnus to marry a female relative of Christopher.


 * Bohemia (and Lesser Poland): Wenceslaus II applauds his men following the Heroic defence of Krakow. However, upon hearing of the defeat at Plock, Wenceslaus II leads a contingent of 8,000 men to aid the the Polish forces under the command of Wladislaw the Elbow-High who are in a fighting withdrawal across the river burning down bridges and burning the city of Plock as they withdraw across the vistula to slow down the advancing Mongol forces. The forces sent by Austria and the HRE are used to reinforce Krakow.  The forces pull move to secure western poland. The Light cavalry carry out skirmishes and harrass the over stretched and forces of Noghai's horde to protect the rear and flanks of the forces  The passes to Krakow remain protected to prevent an encirclement by Mongolian forces, and  Envoys are sent to Italy to secure loans and contract Italian mercenaries, While envoys are sent to western Europe to call on  the Catholic rulers and freemen alike of Europe to aid in the defence of Christiandom. The Envoys are accompanied by Bohemian and Polish Priests who spread the word that Noghai is a false catholic, and the agent of heathens bent on ravaging Europe, and burning Rome to the ground, noting the historic Mongol massacres in eastern europe.  Efforts to repair and strengthen the defences of Krakow and Lesser Poland continue, while masons, and craftsmen are sent to help the Polish nobles reinforce their own defences. Wenceslaus orders more troops levies from Bohemia to help reinforce the defences bringing the army to 25,000 bohemians and poles, 5,000 hapsburg forces, and 7,600 imperial forces.Following the victory in the carpathians and the successful withdrawal from Plock Wenceslaus begins drawing up plans to attack the Mongols rom his position in lesser Poland with all the troops being pulled together and efforts to recurit more mercenaries increasing specially from the HRE. He also calls on his hungarian allies to assit him in expelling the Mongol threat from Poland.


 * Mali Empire: As the trans-Saharan caravan trade prospered, Mansa Sakoura was able to redirect much of these growing finances toward the growth of the military. Having fully recovered from the chaos of previous civil wars, the full military of the empire has reached a capacity of over 90,000 troops, although this is largely scattered among the sixteen imperial magnates. While Sakoura himself mostly focused on strengthening the demesne in Mali proper, many individual nobles took on their own adventures, expanding the borders of the nation far eastward into OTL Niger. Sakoura is often accused of being very indulgent ruler, especially among his treatment of women. He acquired four wives among the daughters of military nobility, in addition to a host of concubines routinely taxed among the slave population. Supposedly, this brought many accusations against Sakoura for being in violation of the tenants of Islam, although it is unlikely West Africa was so concerned with piety at the time. Meanwhile, a story concerning the honesty and wisdom of Musa took place at this same time. Kolokan complained one day to the Wife of Sakoura, that Musa had exceeded such popularity an prestige above her own children. Sakoura's Wife, being a malicious and crafty woman, assured Kolokan she would find a solution to this problem. She hired three witches of Ouagadougou to be disguised as old women, and proceeded to glean sorghum from the fields of Musa's mother, Sogolon. They had hoped to provoke Musa into a rage, and show harm to these old women for stealing from his mother. As soon as Musa saw the witches of Ouagadougou gleaning from these fields, he proceeded closer to them, and the old women began to flee. However, Musa cried out that the should not withdraw so quickly from a public field, from which he is willing to share with their company. This made the witches of Ouagadougou marvel greatly at Musa's wisdom, and this act of generosity made him even more esteemed across all of Mali.


 * Kingdom of Denmark: With the outbreak of armed conflict between the Danish Crown and the nobility, King Eric decides to set sail. He, the royal court, and his supporters leave Zealand by ship and first travel to Aalholm Castle on an island south of Lolland, which they set up as a military garrison loyal to him at the mighty fortress, and then continue on to Sønderborg Castle on the coast of southern Jutland where the Danish court establishes its provisional seat. In letters sent out across the country to other towns, King Eric denounces his brother Christopher as an illegitimate usurper and traitor who became a puppet of corrupt magnates and foreigners that are trying to sell off Denmark. He portrays himself as a defender of the peasantry and also appeals to loyalist nobles, saying that his actions were only directed against the corrupt traitors and he was defending the kingdom from abuses by these greedy usurers and magnates. Any rebels that persist will be hanged, but those that surrender will be allowed to keep a fraction of their former wealth, as a sign of Eric's magnanimity. The Pope, far away in Rome, is being deceived by these devil worshipers. He also condemns his former ally King Birger for opportunistically siding with the corrupt nobles in trying to destroy his country, and that the rightful king will confront all traitors as well as foreign threats. Not only are the magnates abusing the people but they are traitors giving away parts of the country to Sweden, say Eric's messages circulated by his supporters. Eric travels across Jutland and rallies support among the people and the loyalist nobles, raising an army in the process, which is gathering at Sønderborg and other fortresses in southern Jutland. Some 9,000 troops are gathered so far, and is expected the numbers will grow in time. In the meantime, Count Henry I of Holstein, an ally of the Danish king to whom he owes his position, also acts as a loyal vassal and sends 2,500 German troops from Holstein to join the Danish army at Sønderborg, ready to fight for Eric against the rebels and the Swedes. Henry also makes diplomatic overtures on Eric's behalf, asking other north German states and representatives of other countries throughout Europe for support and to hire mercenaries to fight for the rightful King of Denmark. (MOD RESPONSE) This includes hiring Italian mercenaries as per the message sent out by Milan last year. (MILAN RESPONSE) For now no attempt is made to attack Zealand, but instead King Eric is first consolidating his strength and making sure that the rest of the kingdom remains loyal to him. More of his propaganda is circulated to peasants and nobles alike through his messengers, making sure to emphasize that Christopher is selling out all of them to tyrannical magnates that want to overburden the peasants and to foreigners that want to conquer the country, and that Eric is the only one standing up for them to protect the people from this tyranny. Nobles are promised a part of the spoils of the magnates' wealth for siding with Eric. It is expected that large parts of Denmark will remain loyal as Christopher and these rebels have never been popular.
 * County of Holstein: As a loyal vassal Henry I continues to aid King Eric, sending Holsteinian infantry to assist him in war, and also begins gathering support diplomatically from other north German states. At home, the county establishes more small towns in order to develop Holstein, having been unified from among several different smaller counties recently by the Danish king.
 * Some northern German states have collective mercenaries of around 1,700 men
 * Lordship of Milan: We continue to retrain the military and Milanese bankers are extremely grateful for the continued business internationally. They begin to discuss having a set interest rate among the various merchant banks, large debates occur with the eventual number being settled on as 1.4 percent compounding bi-yearly for the first ten years then doubling to 2.8 percent compounding bi-yearly for the next ten years, then doubling again for the next ten years, etc. The Milanese army continues to be reinforced by the the thousand lances, an Italian mercenary company based out of Milan, who the vast majority of are medium to heavy cavalry. The large banking industry of Milan causes less men to be needed in the fields which allows for increased men to the milanese army and the majority of these men don’t actually join the feudal army but rather many join the thousand lances. A proposal is made to the Bohemian and Polish government by both the thousand lances and Milanese bankers to assist in their battle against the Mongols by financing a loan and hiring the Thousand Lances. (Bohemian response) The loan in Genoa follows these new restrictions. Matteo Visconti recovers from his sickness early this year and is very impressed with his son’s management of the nation that he asks his son what he would like as an honor for serving Milan so well, his boon request is actually to be able to lead the thousand lances and become a true mercenary until he is to take the throne as to be able to get the opportunity of leadership in the field. Matteo laughs stating, I can try but I don’t know how mercenaries would take to a noble leading them. Matteo sends the request and it is happily accepted by the thousand lances with Galeazzo being appointed as one of the officers of the company.
 * Bohemian Dip: the Bohemian envoy accepts the deal and tells the lancers to head for Hungary to assist the Hungarians against the Mongols there.


 * Georgia: King David VIII is praised by his peers for the successful reacquisition of the South Caucasian region – which includes portions of Armenia, and the region of Shirvani – through diplomatic terms. While some nobles were initially skeptical of the deal, the recent shift to Christianity in both the Ilkhanate and the Golden Horde have dispelled opposition to closer Mongol–Georgian ties. Traditional Georgian wares such as wine, felt, enamel, and metalwork is sent to the Ilkhanate as tribute. David VIII implements a sales tax to further boost the Royal Treasury – which together with comprehensive tax reform, and control over copper and silver reserves, alleviate any financial stress due to systematic tribute. David VIII mounts an invasion of Imereti, which encompasses western Georgia. He raises 25,000 troops, of which: ~5,000 are members of the Royal Guard, ~10,000 are naqivchaqari (Georgians of Kipchak/Cuman descent), while the remainder consists of feudal levies. The troops are led by David VIII himself, keeping them motivated. Due to the desire to avoid bloodshed, he forbids looting from captured towns and urges them to remain chivalric and disciplined – reminding them that God is watching, and any misdemeanor might endanger not only themselves but Georgia as a whole. David VIII sends a letter directed to Constantine I, with whom he is related, urging him to surrender to ensure the smooth reunification of Georgia. In exchange, he will continue to administer a portion of his current realm as a duke. Tbilisi is pre-emptively fortified and left under the temporary control of his grandfather Atabeg Beka Jaqeli; he uses this as an opportunity to teach the young George V how to manage the state. He also assures the well-being of his granddaughter-in-law Oljath and Prince Anastasius. Meanwhile, a mission is sent to the Golden Horde praising Nogai Khan's conversion into Christianity (despite some animosity with the Catholics). ALGO-RELATED INFORMATION SENT VIA DMS.
 * Duchy of Brabant: "Harba Lorifa" Duke John II who is the son in law of king Eduard of England, asks his father-in-law for the possibility to have English longbow man visit Brabant and Train the first troops. This is so that the Flemish longbow men like his English companion will be professional like no other archers is. While the Brabantine army and nobles will in return teach the English of the experience of the Battle of Worringen and what it means to be a noble army. While as he asks for the English bowmen, John II does also request that he can use a variant of the royal coat of arms of England combined with the Brabantine lion. (Player response) As His majesty wishes for Brabant and England to be brotherly nations, a brotherhood of faith, culture and royal lineage. Brabant even though not by blood related to the angles or the saxons, are still quite similarly cultured. There are other lands and crowns with wich Brabant is related to By marriage or by blood, Lands Like Luxembourg, Flanders and Mallines. Mallines being connected by blood of his fathers bastard son. This Bastard son Being John of Mallines, the local Lord of the lands. But due to being a bastard and not a legitimate son of His father John I, he does lack some legitimacy. He's not an official Member of the House of Brabant, and that's why John II of Brabant, requests to the sacred Emperor to recognise John of Mallines(Mod response). This move came after His majesty, Duke of Brabant and John Lord of Mallines met once more to discuss the Mansion being buit. The Mansion being Build on Heyste ten Berge, as John of Mallines believes this could create welfare in the surrounding area. And the duke believing this could show the glory of the Brabant realm and the friendship between the lordship and the duchy. The plans for this mansion being finished the mansion being based upon the Palace and specificly the Hall of Aachen the residence of Charlemagne. As Brabant want to Restore the greatest but yet at the same time most forgotten title the Dynasty Holds, Dukes of Lotharingia. As Lotharingia title was gained by the Brabantine dukes after the realm of Loraine badly enough fragmented. It still exists - the title - and so does the hope on restoration of the lands that were once held under this title, The lands of the name giver Lothair II. Although John II knows that for this hard work and preparation is required, to once more show the authority the Dynasty once held. Like showing why he in fact holds the title, why he's worthy of it. What he has done for the church and which behavior make him like Lothair. With the need of a future and an economy to hold this economy, the duke looks into possibilities to make the economy able to withstand any hardship. But how the duke cannot tell as it is a secrecy of royalty
 * The Emperor would recognize John van Mallines if the Pope legitimizes him
 * Wallachia: The troops are killing the Bulgarian invaders, and killing all of the territorial border. The prince forgave the prince of Hungary and literally saved Hungary from the Bulgarian invaders.
 * They're killing the Bulgarians on the Hungarian border and the south border of Bulgaria. Wallachia is now free, the Bulgarians are out of the territory. Meanwhile, the Wallachians push the Mongols to the northeast.
 * Kingdom of Naples : With the failure of the first two Invasions of Sicily and the Sicilian counter-invasion, King Charles II manages to cluster an Army of roughly 45,000 men mostly composed of new recruits and elements of the Neaopolitan-Achaean Force that previously invaded Sicily, placing his troops at a fortress near the city of Potenza and sending a small contingent of 5,000 men to lure the Sicilians toward that Fortress. With the French and Argaonese remaining neutral and the Pope only have sent political support, Charles II turns to the Frankish Greek States asking all of the Principalities and Duchies to provide a Combined Army of 30,000 men to aid the Neapolitans in crushing the Sicilian Rebellion (Achaean and Mod Response Needed). Meanwhile, Charles II sends another plea to the French asking for their support against the Neapolitans. For one final time as he states that it would be in their interest in aiding Naples due to the King of Naples ties to the French nobility (French Response Needed). With Fredrick III attempting to invade Naples, Charles II attempts to rally the people by stating that Fredrick is attempting to make Sicily and Naples puppets of the Kingdom of Aragon and that if the people would not help the King fight back against the Sicilians, Naples would indeed fall.
 * The Duchy of Athens provides 5,000 men, the rest of the duchies don't recognize Neopolitan overlordship
 * MOD NOTE: 45,000 fresh recruits after nearly a generation of warfare is a little iffy.
 * Republic of Genoa: The outbreak of a civil war in the city of Genoa and its surroundings is imminent. Francisco Grimaldi, leader of the Grimaldi family and an important ally of the Guelph, takes control of the castle of Monaco claiming national sovereignty from the Republic. Such atrocity is frowned upon by the duke and the important families that govern the metropolis that, to prevent the loss of Monaco's fortress strategy, redirect the incursion of 45 galleys that will be made to besiege Palma de Mallorca. This unexpected maneuver of the Spínola and Doria families required by surprise the newly rented mercenaries and even the captains of the fleet established in Candía who had to reduce the number of galleys (approximately 25) stationed near the Venetian port to exercise a siege of the Rock of Monaco in order to dethrone Francisco Grimaldi. The siege is carried out 18 days after Francisco Grimaldi has usurped the Rock of Monaco, under the command of Lamba Doria, the Genoese army has 65 galleys and 5,000 troops stationed in total in each of the galleys armed with crossbows, bows, spears, halberds and especially swords. Spies loyal to the Ghibelline cause report that the fortress does not have more than 2,000 troops stationed in the defense of it. However, it is believed that Francisco Grimaldi recruited a handful of fierce Ligures (indigenous people of the region) for personal protection and of his family. While the battle continued, messengers from Crete reported that the fleet blocking the port of Candia was mostly destroyed by a coalition of Venetian, Greek galleys and Muslims mercenaries in minor quantity. This defeat meant a precipitation of the Genoese military authorities that did not have the surprising attack of a coalition, significantly frustrating the possibility of a new incursion and weakening the supremacy exercised by Genoa over the colonies of the Aegean Sea. Luckily, Lamba Doria was not told about the failure in Crete, so the moral in the battle of Monaco remained stable.
 * Kingdom of Cyprus: The King accepts the Ilkhanate's proposal but will only send support and a limited amount of men and not join the war until the defensive plan is finished. Meanwhile, this year sees the completion of the royal library in Nicosia which is formally inaugurated by the king.
 * Kingdom of Hungary: Although the mongols, in their most evil ways managed to break through the defenses at the Carpathians, their attempts to sully the lands of Hungary have been repulsed by the army sending the army of 20,000 into retreat just like the foul roaches they are. With the Mongols into retreat into the Carpathians, and reinforcements arriving from Milan and Bohemia the armies are organized to launch a three-pronged attack on the Mongols in the mountains using our greater knowledge of the terrain, the army is lead by the general Matthew Csák, and George Baska along with Roland Borsa both generals who defeated the incursion of the mongols into Hungary ten years ago under heralding odds. However, Hungary is blessed by good news as the Queen Catherine falls pregnant, and by the end of the year she manages to give birth to three children, although unfortunately one of them is sickly and unhealthy and more tragically the pregnancy had been especially difficult and Catherine passes away before the end of the year. She manages to give birth to two daughters, Elizabeth and Constance although Constance dies three days later from a sudden chill and finally a son named Béla. The king is in grieving for both his wife and his lost daughter, but to his benefit his good father Amadeus and the last of his sons died in the battle, and the lands have passed to his eldest son and heir Géza. Adding their fortune to his demesne. The King offers a betrothal between his son Géza and Margaret of Bohemia to Wenceslaus II of Bohemia and Poland, to unite our two nations in alliance. (Bohemian Response Needed). With the death of Amadeus Aba, Matthew III Csák is appointed to the role of Palatine of Hungary.
 * Bohemian Dip: The Hungarian offer is accepted.
 * Bohemian action: hearing the news of the Hungarians attacking the Mongol forces in the mountains, begin raiding and harassing the Mongol invasion force stuck in the Carpathians, while also working to establish a line of communications with the Hungarian forces, to better coordinate the slaughter of the Mongols. Bohemian, Polish, and German Cavalry charge the mongol forces that fall behind before withdrawing ahead of mongol advances. while archers harry the Mongol forces from cliffs or protected areas.  10,000 Bohemian troops join up with the Hungarians to assist in Ejecting the Mongols from the Carpathians, while 6,000 troops remain to defend Krakow. An envoy is sent to the isolated mongols offering them the chance to leave with their lives,but without their weapons. (either mod or KK response, please.)
 * Ilkhanate: With the Kingdom of Cyprus offering only limited support, the diplomatic mission of Mongol officials and Cilician missionaries to gather allies for the war against the Mamluk Sultanate travels onward to the Papal States, where they seek an audience with the Pope. They describe to the Pope how the Muslim Mamluks have brutally taken over the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Crusader states of Tripoli and Acre and ask for military support from the Papal States, in exchange for which the former territory of the Kingdom of Jerusalem will be given to Papal control at the end of the war. Specifically, they ask for naval support which, when combined with the land-based invasion by the Mongols would allow them to outflank the Mamluks. Effectively, they propose the launching of a Tenth Crusade. (Mod response) Meanwhile, in Tabriz, the Ilkhan Baydu hears that Eastern Georgia has started an invasion of Western Georgia and sends a small battalion of soldiers to assist Eastern Georgia (about one-tenth of the total Ilkhanate army). The rest of the military continues to gather and fortify in the southwest of the nation in anticipation of the conflict with the Mamluk Sultanate. Baydu also hears about how the Nogai Khan has led to the Golden Horde's army into a potentially disastrous situation in Hungary and Bohemia; he sends an envoy to the Golden Horde's eastern Khan Toqta, describing how Nogai has mismanaged the Horde's army and is wasting their troops, and encourages Toqta to declare independence from Nogai. (Mod response) The government continues to develop the Ilkhanate's economy and agriculture by resettling some Persians and Turkmen into the Fertile Crescent in the west of the nation. (Mainly Nestorian) Christian missionaries, now comprising both Cilician and Georgian individuals, continue to travel around the Ilkhanate, particularly in the capital Tabriz as they hope to convert a large enough congregation that they can found a Nestorian Church there.
 * Armenian Cilicia: With popular former king Hethum II still away on the Mediterranean diplomatic mission, King Thoros III is the victim of a coup d'état by his and Hesud's brothers Sempad and Constantine. Thoros is killed and Sempad declares himself King of Armenia. Most of the populace and government officials aren't really happy with this, but with Sempad having the support of Constantine and some of the military they decide to acknowledge him as King for the time being. Sempad continues Thoros III's previous plan of developing the navy and the port of Tarsus.
 * Sultanate of Rum: Sultan Mesud II sends some of his military to the southwest Ilkhanate to aid the preparation for the war against the Mamluks. He also continues fortifying the border with Trebizond in anticipation of a future war launched by Georgia. The government also works on road infrastructure in order to link Rum's cities together better and increase the unity and stability of the nation.
 * Lordship of Ireland: Unless the Highlands has sworn loyalty to John of Hastings and ended the war then Domnhall mac Brian Ui Neill as Chief Justicar of Ireland continues burning and raiding the Highlands. The Parliament of Ireland is formed in the same style as England with two knights from the Shires and two Burgess from each of the Burghs for the Commons with voters all being freeholders of forty shillings and the Lords made up of peers of Ireland. Only areas under the King's peace are currently represented in the Parliament of Ireland. Petitions are heard by Parliament and they can advise but they have largely the same powers mainly over the right to tax as England.
 * The Duke of Eiru as Chief Justicar of Ireland announces a new alternative version of the feudal charter all lords agree to in Brehon law instead of Norman law which Irish lords who wish to can agree to instead of the existing feudal charters based in Norman law. Still independent Gaelic lords are offered if they submit to the King's peace and fulfil feudal obligations as vassals to the Duke of Eiru they will be appointed freeholders of their land, members of the nobility, allowed to continue to live under Brehon law though accepting Norman law as supreme in lands with Norman law (Mod response on whether any of the Gaelic lords swear fealty). The Ui Neills now ruling Ireland in the name of the King continue the use of the Gaelic language and customs.
 * Yuan China: The emperor reorganizes the system of currency within China, introducing a new set of currency throughout China known as the jiaochao. The jiaochao is divided into two types of currency, the guàn and the wén, with the guàn being the larger of the two units. By degree of the emperor, the jiaochao shall have an exchange rate of one guàn per ten wén, while the wén shall serve as a direct paperback conversion for the zinc cash coinage of the empire. The jiaochao shall come in denominations of 1, 2, 3, 5, and 10 guàn, and the guàn divided into sub-units of 100, 200, 300, 500, and 700 wén. All silver currency through China is to be confiscated and minted into silver taels, which themselves shall be minted into denominations of 1, 2, 3, 5, and 10 taels. Each tael shall have a conversion rate of one tael per 1,000 cash, or 100 guàn. The new monetary system is organized in such a manner that payment for services will be easier to conduct without having to move the vast amounts of coinage required, and likewise make the purchase of goods and services in separate parts of the empire much more feasible by simply using paper currency to exchange services backed by the silver deposits of China. The new financial stability afforded of the new monetary system witnesses a boom in economic growth throughout China, as the backing of the silver tael and the universal acceptance of the jiaochao allows for a more uniform transfer of wealth throughout China. The Yuan Chinese navy continues to grow, as the goal of reaching fifty wei of fifty ships, 5,000 sailors, and 1,500 marines each by 1310. At the present, the navy consists of fifteen wei of 600 ships, 75,000 sailors, and 22,500 marines, down from its height of several thousand vessels during the reign of Kublai Khan. The shipyards of China are fully turned over to the construction of naval vessels of varying types, with the construction of the junk being of primary importance as the redevelopment of the Chinese navy following the defeat in Vietnam becomes a central part of the new domestic policy of Temür Khan. The army continues to expand, with more than 150,000 newly-trained soldiers joining the new model army forces of China. At the moment, there 380,000 troops, 30,000 of which are cavalry, trained and organized under the new system of force management within Yuan China. Nearly all of these are placed within the units of the imperial army, the primary power projection force of the empire, while others have been garrisoned around Beijing as an active reserve policing the capital and operating as a readily-available pool of replacements in the event of losses in the imperial army. Within the courts of Temür Khan, the work of the Christian monks invited to stay in China continues apace, with the teachings of Nestorian Christianity filling the daily routine of the emperor during his personal time in the palace. He receives lectures on the concepts of Christianity foreign to Chinese culture, as well as arguments on the beneficial aspects of the faith should they be incorporated into the Chinese system of government. Temür Khan invites several of his wives and children to sit in on the lectures, allow with high-ranking members of his court, who are intrigued with the ideas promulgated by the Nestorian monks. While some disagree with a few of the aspects promoted by the faith, the Christian view of death and the afterlife is viewed somewhat favorably by the participants, while Temür Khan in particular is fascinated with the scriptures and prophecies in the Book of Revelation. A few of members of his entourage murmur if Temür is the "son of the bride" foretold within the final book of the Bible, and suggest that there may exist something of political and social value by incorporating these teachings into the political structure of the empire. Up north, the construction of new cities and infrastructure in the region of Mongolia and Manchuria continues, with the city of Karakorum serving the nexus of trade and commerce in the region to spreading out as urbanization and cultivation of the land is encouraged by the state. In Manchuria, the government establishes a network of planned communities where the urbanization of the region will be focused. The center of these developments will be focused around the community of Acheng (OTL Harbin), while good land and wide spaces exist to support the settlement of people into the region. Approximately 30,000 people already leave in the surrounding territories, with another 15,000 to be moved there by Beijing by the end of the year. Out west, the integration of Chinese culture into the lives of the existing locals continues, with more funding pumped into the development of irrigation and land development by the state to establish a new series of urban centers in the region of Xinjiang.
 * Kamakura Japan: The various courts held between the Shogun and his Daimyo begin to show the falling out between the Daimyo and the Shogun. The thoughts of another Daimyo potentially seizing the title of Shogun begins to come up. While Prince Hassuki managed to lead Japan to victory over the Yuan, his issue on payment to his Daimyo lords was the primary motivator. It has become clear to many that the Shogun is not as powerful and illustrious as it was believed before. While the country still operates on a somewhat normal basis, the country as a whole begins to see these divisions begin. The Imperial family is left more defended than usual as many look to curry the favor of the Emperor in support of their claim to the Shogunate. Whoever holds the Emperor hold the Shogunate. As it looks like many Daimyo will potentially ride to war again the local economy is stimulated as artisans and smiths begin working on equipment to supply the samurai and various other soldiers. Swords, spears, battle standards. The Kamakura area begins fortifying itself as well to defend its claim to the Shogunate and a more thorough assessment of the Kamakura lands and its known allies is taken. Emperor Go-Uda himself begins assessing his own array of admittedly small allied Daimyo and prepares at the very least to defend himself adequately before conflict breaks out. The Dewa, Hojo, and and the branch minamoto clan the Ashikaga all begin their own buldups to seize control as Shogun and begin assessing their own allied forces as well. A short meeting between the emperor and the current shogun results in attempts to maintain the peace with the next year slated to bring the competitive daimyo to negotiations at the capital in Kyoto. As some of these things develop for one of the first times, the naval forces of many are assessed as the wide range of territories controlled by the Dominant Daimyo families seem to need the ships for the possible war. Further settlement of the northern reaches is conducted with some towns and farming plots established in Hokkaido. Treaties of friendship and cooperation are signed with native Ainu peoples to the north with many invited to trade with the northern communities.
 * Principality of Achaea: The war in Italy continues into another year, and in the peninsula, Prince Florent of Hainaut begins to grow weary of the conflict's poor outcomes. Privately, he begins to express frustration as his suzerain, Charles II of Anjou, particularly in his inability to bring allies into the conflict to crush Frederick, the would-be Aragonese usurper. Florent's core contingent of highly-trained Frankish knights continues to remain most intact despite the setbacks, but many of the paroikoi levies have died on the fields of battle. By the end of the year, Florent has resolved to request leave of the conflict in order to return to Achaea in the next year. In Achaea, baili Richard Orsini (Palatine Count of Cephalonia and Zakynthos) now takes over much of the administrative work that had been undertaken by Isabella of Villehardouin. The Achaean princess then focuses heavily on promoting the Roman Catholic church alongside the Archbishop of Patras, John. With the permission of the princess, the baili sends seasoned diplomat and hereditary marshal of Achaea, Nicholas III of Saint Omer to France, where he is tasked with recruiting French knights (particularly the second and third sons of middling nobles) to relocate to Achaea and become eligible for new titles and baronies: many of the original crusaders' dynasties have fallen barren and will soon be without clear heirs. Domestically, Richard Orsini works to promote the "Frankification" of local Greeks. Especially important is instruction in Latin for Greek dynatoi, or prominent men. Construction of fortresses continues as does training of local militia, although Orsini is more careful than Isabella was to ensure that the trained troops are loyal to the Frankish cause.
 * Nogai Khan: Upon the capture of Plock with the withdraw of Polish fortress, Nogai Khan crowns himself King of Poland in the ancient capital, converting to himself to the Catholic faith by baptism and forms a defensive position upon the river Vistula. In order to counter the devastation left by the Polish, a supply caravan is established from Nogai's domain. Seeing the final battle coming soon, he calls his allies, the Byzantine Empire, to arms against Wenceslaus II.
 * Byzantine Response: Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos is initially hesitant to aid Nogai Khan as the newly-Catholic Khanate could easily become a weapon of the Pope. However, he also is elated that the otherwise heathen Mongolians have found salvation in the Lord, regardless of if they follow a Pope or an Ecumenical Patriarch. Furthermore, he fights against the barbarian claimants of the Western Roman Empire. The Emperor provides 15,000 troops to aid Nogai Khan.
 * Kingdom of England: With Dunbar Secure and the largest part of Robert Bruce's army defeated, Edward leaves 4,000 men to lay siege to Stirling Castle [ordered to simply wait the 2,000 defenders out and try to taunt them into a sortie]. This year, reinforcements numbering 10,000 men arrive from England, and join up with the rest of the English army, now numbering at 16,000 men strong  as they march for Scone and then Edinburgh. The First intention is to obtain the coronation stone, which they do without much resistance, and then they march right for the capital to take it [Battle of Edinburgh in Algo. Please take the Scottish capital, Robert the Bruce should be sieged in Stirling Castle, so he's not in Edinburgh]. A force of 30 men is sent to try to find ways to infiltrate Stirling Castle and abduct Robert the Bruce, with the intention of later putting him on trial as a Regicide, a Usurper and a Traitor. With the vast majority of Scottish Lords remaining neutral, Edward sends them letters reminding them declaring any acts of the So-Called "king" of Scotland to be null and void and reminds the lords that his forces are simply there to maintain order and capture the outlaw who provoked England first. Messengers tell the O'Niell Clan of the neutrality of the Lords and instruct them to move his forces to group up with Ingram de Umfraville, a Scottish Chief who pledged his allegiance to John Hastings, and use their combined forces to join the siege of Stirling Castle, where Robert the Bruce has hidden himself. John Hastings sends out letters to all Neutral and Loyal Scotts that once the Bruce is captured, that a Parliament is to be held in Scotland to regularize the constitution and the succession of the Kingdom.
 * Republic of Venice: Pietro Gradenigo, current Doge of the Republic, faces major internal problems since the war does not go in the favor of Venice. The navy and the already expanded Arsenal of the Republic come with an increase of ship building to sustain the large naval battles. SECRET unrest inside Genoa is used to reach out to other Italian State, in Particular Florence, Cyprus and Milan, to fight Genoa directly. In return, Florence and Milan would get an opportunity to get access to the sea with few to no tariffs at that along with a monetary compensation. Cyprus would be allowed to keep the Genoese colonies on the island. CYPRUS/MILAN/FLORENCE RESPONSE, PLEASE) Secret end. A force of 2,000 men is gathered to defend teh homeland, manning the new ships or supporting allies. Trade is increased despite the war, especially with the Dalmatian cities (Ragusa in particular, to which a large influence both political and economically). Within the next three years, a massive labour force is set to build another 200 galleys, especially to guard Candia and the entrance to the Adriatic sea. Some otheher 30 ships are sent towards the Aegean possessions of Genoa, to siege those out, using similar tactics to the Genoese blockade of Candia. (more to be coming maybe)

1298
'''As Bohemia prepares for the inevitable Mongol attack, Austria attempts to rally more troops. Adolf of Nassau blocks this move, believing he would need the armies to invade France when the Pope died. With even the Habsburgs helping Bohemia, their historical enemies, it becomes clear Adolf of Nassau is not fit to be King of the Germans. A council of electors convenes to depose him and find a new king. Albert Habsburg is elected as the King of Germany and the titular King of the Romans. War erupts between Nassau and Austria to restore Adolf as King, but quickly ends with his death. This episode in the long saga that is internal conflict in the Holy Roman Empire is exactly why the Pope has not crowned an Emperor in decades...'''

'''Silver is found in Kutná Hora, Bohemia, leading to a silver rush. Though they are unable to take advantage of it as in OTL at the time. Those who are first on the scene become wealthy beyond their wildest dreams.'''

'''After taking up residence in Reggio Calabria, the army led by Frederick III begins to dig itself in, constructing siege weapons at the castle. Cries to remove the Angevins from power continue to reach far and wide through Naples. He requests aid from Aragon, being a member of House Barcelona. Pope Boniface, reading the news elsewhere, loudly groans and dusts off his book on excommunication proceedings.'''

'''The Sultanate of Rûm, in a state of free-fall since the Mongol invasion, becomes increasingly unruly. Especially with the recent adoption of Christianity by Baydu, the Muslim nobility and population begins to ally with powerful local Muslim figures, such as Osman Gazi.'''
 * Kingdom of Sweden: King Birger's army arrives in Skane and crosses over into Zealand. Archbishop Allesson of Uppsala travels with the Swedish army, as Birger intends to have Christopher crowned in Copenhagen by an agent of Rome. After crossing into Zealand the Swedish army links up with Christopher's army of nobles, forming a combined Danish-Swedish army of 25,000 men. In Copenhagen Birger and the Swedish and Danish nobles quickly arrange for the coronation of Christopher. In a highly public ceremony Birger and the nobility of Sweden and Denmark witness the crowning of Christopher as the King of Denmark by Archbishop Allesson. With Christopher crowned as King, Birger intends to march the combined army into Jutland to besiege the pretender Eric VI in his stronghold at Sønderborg Castle. Christopher, under pressure from Birger and his Danish noble allies, dispatches a letter to all of Denmark, proclaiming that as King he will respect the rights of the nobles and bring peace and Catholicism back to Denmark. He also urges all nobles to rally more troops against the pretender Eric, reminding the nobles that Eric had invited other nobles to a feast under the guise of safety and massacred them all, a treacherous and dishonorable act undeserving of a King. Christopher pleads with the nobles to use their own expenses to raise more men. [MOD RESPONSE ON SUCCESS OF GAINING MORE NOBLE FORCES] Moreover, priests and monks are dispatched throughout Denmark, including into Jutland, to preach to the peasantry that the excommunicated Eric VI is a servant of the devil and that it is the duty of all Christians to remove him from power. This inflames the local peasantry against Eric and guarantees the loyalty of the Danish peasants to Christopher, the Papal-recognized King. The newly built Swedish navy of military clinker-built ships sets sail for the fjord to safeguard the crossing from Zealand to Jutland. Christopher, meanwhile, uses the Royal Treasury left behind by Eric to hire 5,000 Pomeranian mercenaries, with Birger using the Swedish fleet to transport them to Zealand, bolstering the allied forces to 30,000 men. The Swedish government begins a census, aiming to accurately account for how many people live in which areas to figure out a better tax system. Additionally, the Swedish monarchy centralizes the revenue stream, mandating that royal tax collectors must accompany nobles collecting taxes and decreeing that harbor masters must be appointed by the crown. Additionally, the crown begins taxing Swedish iron mines to accumulate a large reserve of iron for production of armor and weapons. The Crown also invests in iron mines, helping to expand certain mining operations.
 * The majority of Danish nobles support Christopher


 * Kingdom of Denmark: As the rest of Denmark remains loyal to King Eric VI, the royal court hopes to isolate the magnates' republic on Zealand and have it collapse from with in from internal pressure and its lack of support elsewhere in the country. Eric ignores the false coronation of the pretender and foreign puppet Christopher, having his agents infiltrate Zealand and spread messages among the population there to demoralize the rebels, that the rest of the kingdom has united behind Eric and that the magnates are seen as traitors and Swedish puppets. This is part of Eric's strategy to exert pressure on the besieged nobles, in spite of the Swedish support they receive, and get some of them to capitulate or at least become more paranoid. Agents also try to assassinate Christopher, other noble leaders, and Swedish commanders. A message is also circulated that in light of the greater urgency of the Swedish invasion, King Eric is willing to grant a full pardon to any noble that reaffirms their fealty to the true king and renounces Christopher, and will even allow them to keep their wealth. (Mod Response on result of all these efforts) The Danish army at Sønderborg swells to 17,000 Danes in total as more troops arrive from other great Danish lords showing their loyalty to the King, in addition to the 4,200 North German troops, for a total of 21,200 men in the main Danish-German army. Messages arrive from other towns and castles in the area that record that Swedish and traitor army is moving towards Jutland, and Eric's loyalists decide to confront them at Sønderborg when they arrive. Meanwhile, the Danish navy employs 500 vessels of various types, mainly merchant ships that are being used for military purposes, to not only monitor Swedish naval movements but harass and attack Swedish ships, in order to cut the enemy army's supply lines, cut communications between the forces and the mainland, and isolate them once they land on Jutland. (Mod Response) King Eric intends to take full advantage of being on home ground, the terrain, and his control of most of the country outside of Zealand. The mighty Aalholm Castle also serves as base for a lot of these operations, being located between Zealand and Jutland. In meetings with his officials at Sønderborg, Eric announces the signing of a new Royal Charter, a new document that at once acknowledges the role of the loyal great Danish lords in society and requires the annual convocation of the Danehof (parliament), but also firmly establishes the powers of the King and his right to decide on vital policies, including taxation, war, and diplomacy. The wealth of the previously executed magnates is also continuing to be used to gradually pay off the kingdom's debt to the north German aristocrats
 * (can we get a Mod to look at these numbers. Idk how the Danish army ballooned into 21,000 from 11,500 last turn. 
 * In OTL Denmark deployed 30,000 troops and 1,000 ships for a war in 1219. -Majestral
 * (The Danish "king" has no support from his nobles and is on the run. How is he paying for all these soldiers and recruiting them without any noble support? And the "war" you are referencing was the Battle of Lyndanisse, and I haven't found any numbers for the Danish army besides "several thousand" 
 * You will have to cut down the number slightly -Mod
 * Also a mod has previously said there are only about 1700 north German mercenaries
 * To clarify: A clear majority of Danish nobles are in open revolt against the King, based on his treacherous actions in 1296. Given the structure of feudalism, with the key nobles in rebellion and trying to overthrow Eric, the Danish levies would be significantly smaller than during a more favorable period. -Rexmod.
 * Duchy of Brabant: "Harba Lorifa" Brabant, Lotharingia what is the difference many ask in the realm of his Majesty John , that is simple explains John II "Lotharingia is The realm of which Brabant is the centre of". The Duke begins to order to making of Statues of John I his father who was one of the greatest men since the fall of the great power of Lotharingia. With John II hoping to get his father gets to become a blessed ruler, as in the mind of his lands specifically Brabant he is the bringer of glory , but even more Joy to those who accompany him into victory.Just must admit the aproach of his father is different then his , John II believes in diplomacy, with John II making it so Old German of the Brabantine dialect as the language of the to be hold foreign interactions. As the best language for use is the language that the people speak, although Latin is still preserved for the Holy See. John II asking the pope himself in a formal letter to recognise John of Mallines (a lot of Johns in the lowlands) as a legitimate son of his father.(Mod response) This would in return recognise John of Mallines as brother of his majesty John II , which would improve John of Mallines standing in the Brabant dynasty he's unrecognised in it. John II who has already been called John the peaceful and John the speaker, due to John II effort to bring peace and glory. While this all his happening something else happens too , His Majesty gets another Child twins even. The twins being one boy and one girl, the son being called Hendrick of Brabant and the girl Cate of Brabant, this giving John II a girl that he could marry out to foreign houses and help relations with.John II looking into even different ways to marry into the house Luxembourg , as John II wants to combine the two houses as his majesty wished for the union back of the two largest duchies in Lotharingia, to restore the title that once ruled these lowlands. Mainwhile in Heyst ten Berge , The duke, himself, begins digs the first shovel for the creation of the Lordly foundations of the small but grand mansion that shall be. With things like proper roads also being build by his majesty so that there is proper transport for the required material. Infrastructure for Heyst provided by his majesty of Brabant , as He wants to give his bastard brother the city he deserve the ruler of a Hill. The army of Brabant, Nobles and men-at-arms are getting trained with the number of men of arms being increased with 500 in just a year. This increase in numbers is due to the duke allowing now all levels of nobility to become knights or men-at-arms , and due to the fact that anyone who is able to pay for their equipment can become a men-at-arms. These looser restrictions does in the beginning decrease the quality of men-at-arms slightly , but increase the general fighting force. As some men who would before just become pikemen and archers now become men-at-arms. The duke looks into making it so instead of a soldier providing buying their own weapons , that they pay their local noble of who they are assigned to , with it both being for archers and pikemen. The pikemen will get their pike given to them and arches get extra strings,bows and arrows. This move would make it so that weapons can be provided more by need then by wealth.
 * The Pope legitimizes John of Mallines
 * Bohemia-Poland: With the threat of Nogai still present Wenceslaus II calls a meeting of the Polish Nobility calling upon them to formally recognize him as King of Poland so as to prevent a heathen and a Mongol at thatfrom claiming the title, He promises reinforce the rights of the nobles, the cities, and the burghers (mod response, please). Angered by the pettiness of King Adolf, Wenceslaus II supports the candidacy and subsequent election of Albert of Austria as King of Germany. Wenceslaus sends an impassioned request to Albert to come to his aid with an imperial army as a final battle against Nogai's horde seems inevitable, promising to once and for all claims to Austria, and to provide the HRE with a stalwart protection against the heathens of the East (mod response, please). Nogai is denounced as a heathen and a false Christian, feigning piety to carry favour. Raids into Nogai controlled territory by light cavalry continues from Lesser Poland still firmly under Bohemian control harassing Nogai attempts to establish caravans. The Vistula is heavily reinforced as possible crossings are blocked off or burned so as to force the mongols to attack through Lesser Poland whose defences continue to be improved with a new string of forts being established throughout the area to prevent the mongols from being able to roam freely in the area, all the fortifications are within a few hours distance of each other and food and grain stocks are moved elsewhere. A portion of the levies are steadily replaced by professional mercenaries.Siege equipment is also brought up to Krakow in the forms of catapults, and battering rams. more weapons, and shields, and armor are made with the metal workers in Bohemia, Silesia, and Krakow banging away day and night. special emphasis on pikes and crossbows are made. Arrows and bows are made. Stores of Grain are kept under strict guard.  The Kutna Hora mine is proclaimed property of the King and plans to set up a royal monopoly on it are laid out prohibiting the private exploitation of the mine (planned not carried out yet also OTL moves just to be carried out slower). Meanwhile, more loans are taken to sustain the war effort. Wenceslaus realizing that the conflict needs to come to an end and that his subjects need peace and to return totheir life decidesto lay siege to Lublin to cut off the Mongol supplies completely and to draw  Nogai into a battle while The coalition forces are at their highest marching with 40,000 troops (between Austrian, Bohemian, and Hungarian). He leaves 20,000 troops to defend lesser Poland and the lands west of the Vistula. Setting up stakes on the flanks and fixed shelter for archers he prepares the camp while staying close to the hills to prevent an out flanking. more to be added later 
 * Albert Habsburg sends 15,000 troops against the Mongols
 * The nobles haven't finished electing a king yet, but nobody recognizes the Mongols
 * Mali Empire: Mansa Sakoura began implementing some attempts at centralization in Mali, which was the greatest contribution to his unpopularity. He issued a tax across the empire to the middle and lower nobility, requiring them to contribute military towards the imperial army directly controlled by the Mansa. Even though the nobles that were represented in the Gbara were exempted from this tax, it nontheless caused a very negative reaction against Sakoura, and a general increase of support for the Keita family. Independently, some nobles continue to lay conquests to expland Mali's borders eastward into OTL Niger. In order to properly secure control over the trans-Saharan trade routes, Sakoura knew it was necessary to maintain peace across all the Sahel and keep the wealth of Mali flowing. Mansa Sakoura sends messangers by caravan routes to the Maranid dynasty of Morocco, offering to create a formal alliance between the two nations for the purpose of maintaining trade along the Sahel, and ensuring Morocco gets all the imports they require from Mali (MOD RESPONSE). Meanwhile, the sons of Kolokan had finally reached the peak of their jelousy for the popularity and strength of Musa. As Sakoura was centralizing his control over Mali proper with the use of his slave army, the sons of Kolokan fabricated a story where they accused Musa as using his strength and popularity to lead support of the Keita family, in conspiracy against the emperor. Outraged by this story, Sakoura ordered that Musa and his mother Sogolon shouold be exiled from the empire immediately. Musa vowed that he would seek revenge on both the proginy of Sakoura and those who falsely accused him, and he would one day return to live in Mali again one day. He did not say this to spite people for his own glory or dignity, but rather for upholding the dignity of his mother who he was devoted to.
 * Papal States: This year, Pope Boniface VIII and the Catholic Church have declared John I, Duke of Brabant, Limbourg and Lotharingia, Count of Dalhem and Lord of Hertogen Rade and Myerebeke a Servant of God. His life and works are currently being investigated by the Church. The Church has also issued a papal bull denouncing Mongwai as a heretic for trying to claim the Polish throne.  The Pope and the members of the Church have unanimously voted to elect Richard of Cornwall, who is pro-Guelph as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (MOD RESPONSE) . In the Italian peninsula, we accept Milan's offer to manage our banking accounts. We accept the invitation for an invitation to invade the Holy Land, and to regain the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
 * Richard of Cornwall is dead
 * Wallachia: After the battle with the Kingdom of Hungary we lost them but Bassarabia demanded to conquer an unknown place on our territorial called 'Moldova' and moldova became a vassal of our territory.
 * Yuan China: The development of the Lingbei (Mongolia) and Liaoyang (Manchuria) provinces continues under the direction of the imperial government in Beijing. The focus on encouraging the local inhabitants of both lands to settle down on the fertile plains of the provinces continues, with land grants made to those who take up the offer to accept the government's request that their families cultivate the lands around the new urban centers. Acheng grows rather rapidly, with the 45,000 inhabitants moved into the region developing the surrounding territories and developing the irrigation canals for the new farmlands in a swift manner. Utilization of the Songhua River for these purposes serves as the primary factor in the city's rapid growth, and witnesses more Chinese subjects from the south migrating into the north where new lands await them far from the overpopulated provinces in the south. A major road is build from the capital city of Liaoyang to reach Acheng, helping to facilitate trade between the settlers in the north and the Koreans in the southeast, who are eager to benefit from the new sources of trade revenue in Liaoyang Province. The Jurchen are inticed into settling down in the areas surrounding Acheng, as the city's wealth becomes more abundant with time. Many of these nomadic groups take up hunting game and selling it to the inhabitants of Acheng as a stable source of income for their families, which in turn allows them to purchase the materials needed to build permanent homes within the plains of Manchuria. This in turn gives rise to new settlements further north in the region, and new centers of trade and commerce for the Yuan imperial government in Beijing. Within the protectorate of Korea, seeking to further integrate the realm into the core territories of imperial China, the emperor instructs some of his sons to marrying into the local ruling families of Korea as a means of solidifying their ties with the ruling elite of the peninsula, and beginning the process of transitioning power away from the puppet government there and into the imperial courts of the emperor. Given the current political climate of region, the Yuan rulers get their way, and the sons of the emperor are married into the ranks of Pyongyang's aristocratic elite. Several beneficial arrangements are made on behalf of the Koreans to encourage their continued good behavior, and bringing them deeper into the fold with the emperor of China. Elsewhere, the settlement of the western territories neighbor Chagatai Khanate continues apace, with the formation of new settlements within the regions of Tibet and and western Mongolia. However, due to the presence of the Chagatai warriors on the other side of the border, there is concern that the Chinese settlers in the region may attempt to flee back into the Han heartlands in the east. Not wishing to allow this to happen, and viewing the khans of Chagatai too weak to appropriate serve as a buffer against the forces farther west of China, Temür Khan authorizes the reclamation of the Chagatai Khanate into the wider empire of the Yuan dynasty by right of his Mandate of Heaven. The Chagatai being Mongols rightfully belong within the Mongol-rule lands of Yuan China, and as such, the emperor rationalizes that he by extension has the right to govern them directly as subjects of his realm. To this end, Temür Khan mobilizes the campaigning forces of the imperial army within Zhongshu Province to begin the march into the neighboring khanate. This force continues of fifteen corps, with ten corps of infantry and another five corps of Mongolian cavalry, for a total of 150,000 troops. The 20,000 provincial troops near the city of Turpan are instructed to block the passageway into China to prevent the forces of Chagatai from escaping into the empire, with half of the force sent to reinforce the city of Lop south of Turpan. The 50,000 provincial forces assigned to the Bureau of Buddhist and Tibetan Affairs are instructed to keep watch from their highland vantage point, and report on any movements from Chagatai's forces. Trapped within the northern and southern mountain ranges of the western basin, Chagatai's army is to be routed as far west of Samarakand, where they are to be butchered in the typical Mongolian fashion by Temür Khan and his army. As he leaves for Samarakand, the emperor is provided with a crucifix blessed with holy water in the name of the Virgin Mary of Bethlehem, which the Nestorian monks say shall bring his army victory on the battlefield. Given that he will be facing fellow Mongols, Temür Khan accepts the gift as he believes he and his men will need all of the divine support they can receive. Back home, the separate venture of developing the naval forces of China continues, with two additional wei added to the fleets of Yuan China. The fleets are divided into three regions, and assigned to the port cities of Ninghai, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou, where they will patrol the waters for pirates and maintain a customs patrol for any trade goods into the empire. The marine forces of China are further developed, with a third corps of marines added to the navy's terrestrial forces, and assigned to the port city of Ninghai to provide the manpower for any boarding operations conducted by the Yuan navy. Karakorum continues to grow into a major urban center, with its population growing from 10,000 permanent residents to more than 50,000, as more infrastructure is added to the city to help encourage year-round habitation. Mongol families settle down within the city walls during the winter months for protection against the elements, though as time passes, their traditional yurt homes are replaced with those of wood and stone, and their residence within the city walls becomes more permanent with time. Further west, the settlement of Uliastai is selected the next location to be developed using the imperial coffers, due to its location on a major cavaran route passing through the north. Seeking to develop the land and settle its people in year-round habitats, the Mongol governor of Lingbei sponsors the construction of new walls around Uliastai to provide protection for its people and encourage them to reside within the walls throughout the year.
 * Kingdom of Hungary: Having defeated and repulsed the demonic hordes of Nogai Khan, and his foul ilk from our beautiful lands, we have to decided to support our faithful allies and sending an army of 10,000 men to support the war within Poland and help them defeat the Mongol Menace. We maintain many troops at the border in order to guard against incursions from the Mongols and Wallachians who have shown great aggression in their foul movements. Within the lands on the Danube they begin to increase infrastructure and roads for the people to travel and move about on. The Ban of Croatia is appointed after the death of the former, with the new Ban being a member of the Subič family. Curiously they begin to fortify their positions especially along the borders with Serbia and Bosnia. Matthew III Csák begins to implement a new tax plan relieving some of the burdens off of the Nobles in attempt to gain further support from the Magnates and Nobles. Within Croatia begins to support some trade charters in order to bring in more revenue from trade along the Adriatic sea. Ladislaus Kán is appointed the master of horse in an attempt to bring him into the fold and tie him closer to the Crown.
 * Lordship of Milan: The large loans going out alongside the expansion of the Thousand lances causes large amounts of increased search for mercenaries by the Milanese to base out of Breccia, or Milan itself. This causes the hiring of the Long spears early in the year, a mercenary company from throughout Italy with numbers around 6,000 the vast majority being heavily armed foot soldiers. These forces are sent to Poland to reinforce the numbers there. The Bankers continue to enjoy this time in the spotlight with large rivalries beginning between the Florentine and Milanese bankers. The Milanese travel to Venice to discuss the financing of a new fleet. The celebration of the defeat of the Della Torre is cancelled as Matteo comes down with another sickness.
 * Lordship of Ireland: Having helped win the war in Scotland Duke Domnhall mac Brian Ui Neill returns back to Ireland and establishes his seat in Dublin. He sends envoys to Aedh Ó Conchobair (King of Connacht), Domnall Ruad Mac Carthaigh (King of Desmond), Toirdhealbhach Mór Ó Briain (King of Thormond) and Aodh Ó Domhnaill (King of Tyrconnell) requesting that they submit to the crown and feudal obligations while allowing them maintain their own laws within their own lands (Mod response). The Chief Justicar goes to Parliament this year to ask for permission to raise taxes of two shillings on every hide of land (10% of the land's supposed income in a year) and one shilling on every one pound (5% of the value of the property) of movable property to pay for the maintenance of the King's peace. (Mod response). Port facilities at Dublin are expanded at the expense of the Lordship to encourage trade.
 * Desmond and Tyrconnell accepts, Connacht and Thormond refuse and sign an alliance with each other
 * Parliament can be decided by Lx
 * The Irish Parliament Approves of the land tax in Ireland, especially in light of the need for money to deal with the rebellious Lords in Connacht and Thormond.
 * Principality of Achaea: Prince Florent of Hainaut, having resolved to inform his suzerain, Charles II of Anjou, about the departure of his contingent approaches the Angevin king of Naples. Relying on the traditional Latin requirement of four months of service being owed per year in the field, Florent states that his men have met their obligation for the decade. Attempting to leave Charles on a good note, he wishes the Angevin ruler well in his combat and - having heard that Nicholas III of Saint Omer is in France recruiting knights - orders the marshal of Achaea to approach the French king to ask him to intervene on Charles II's behalf (FRANCE RESPONSE). Obligations thus met, Florent and his men return to Achaea via the port at Glarentza. While the fighting had been tough, few knights had perished against the Sicilian upstart army. The same cannot be said for the Greek levies, however, with more than a few peasant families finding out that they were now fatherless. Seeing this, Isabella of Villehardouin - ever looking to bring the Orthodox believers into the folds of Catholicism - requests the Archbishop of Patras to open up alms for surviving widows even if they were not yet Catholic. The Archbishop consents to this request, and a mild strain on church resources is noted for the next few years. With Florent back in country, baili Richard Orsini returns, as is customary, to his own fiefdom - the County Palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos. Before his departure, however, Florent publicly thanks Orsini in a sign that he intends to keep the County Palatine within the Achaean sphere. As Venice and Genoa continue to fight, Modon and Coron (the Venetian outposts on the Peloponnese) become something of a flashpoint in Achaea. Many Greeks have left these two cities for the Achaean countryside to avoid being conscripted or pressed into service for Venice. While Florent welcomes them, it remains to be seen how Venice reacts. With war over, the treasury slowly begins to recover as one-off expenses are drawn back.
 * Kingdom of England: After a series of victories against the Scots and the capture of Robert the Bruce, Edward puts him on trial for Regicide against John Balliol and Treason against Edward for rebelling against his rightful overlord. Bruce is found Guilty and sentanced to death and sent to London to await execution. Meanwhile, Edward sends his irish forces back to secure the nation now that the Scots are reasonably subdued, save for a small holdout in Edinburgh, which remains under siege by 16,000 men.  The remaining 4,000 that took Stirling Castle are ordered to look out for pockets of resistance and rush rebels. As well, from their number a small faction of 500 are sent in various directions to try to locate the Bruce Brothers. Once the capital is taken, Edward intends to summon a Scottish Parliament and crown John Hastings King. However, Edward makes it clear to John in Private that the coronation is contingent on the marriage of Elizabeth, his daughter, to Edward's eldest son, Edward. A plan is drawn up to divide John;s English and Scottish holdings, with his sons inhereting his English lands and peerages while his daughter Elizabeth should inherit the Scottish crown jointly with Edward Prince of Wales. Lands are confiscated from the Bruce family as punishment for their treason, and the four Bruce Brothers are declared Outlaws and all should. Scottish Lords from the entire nation are to soon be summoned to re-affirm their allegiance to Edward as Lord Paramount, once Ediburgh is taken. As spoils of war, the stone of destiny, the stone of Scone, is taken to England, only to be returned for the coronation of a Legitimate Scottish Monarch. Thus, this affirms Edward's Overlordship. In the meanwhile, edward searches for a  way to legally pass the succession offto Elizabeth Hastings instead of her brothers while marrying her to Edward. Meanwhile, edward looks to strengthen Trade connections wtih both Barbant and Denmark.
 * Ilkhanate: Pope Boniface VIII expresses support for the diplomatic mission's plan for a Tenth Crusade. Satisfied, the diplomats travel back towards the Ilkhanate. On the way, they stop at Cyprus again, where the King of Cyprus now declares his nation will give full support to the invasion. The diplomats land at Tarsus in Armenian Cilicia and report to the Ilkhan Baydu in Tabriz. With two European navies to support the invasion, Baydu sets a date for the invasion to begin late in the year, and spends the time beforehand planning out strategies with the commanders from Cyprus and the Papal States. He commits six-tenths of the Ilkhanate's military to this invasion. Meanwhile, hearing about the instability in Rum, Baydu removes the current Sultan from his position and replaces him with a more assertive and hardline individual. He sends one-tenth of the Ilkhanate's army to the new Sultan of Rum to solidify his position; with one-tenth of the army still supporting Eastern Georgia/Gurjistan in the war against Western Georgia, the remaining two-tenths are spread around the Ilkhanate proper to defend while the bulk of the army is invading the Mamluk Sultanate. Several Mongol officials work on recruiting Afghans in the east and Turkmen in the west into the defensive military. Some of the Nestorian Christian missionaries in the Ilkhanate travel to Rum in the hope of decreasing anti-Christian sentiment there, while the rest focus on Tabriz. The envoy sent to the Golden Horde continues to wait on a response from Toqta Khan about their proposal in 1297. (Mod response) A few months prior to the invasion, one of Baydu's consorts gives birth to a daughter, Elathin (he already has four children born prior to 1295: the sons Qipchaq, Ali and Muhammad and the daughter Yol Qutlugh).
 * Armenian Cilicia: King Sempad commits two-thirds of Cilicia's military to aid the Ilkhanate in their invasion of the Mamluk Sultanate, and sends out several ships from Tarsus to aid the navies of Cyprus and the Papal States in their part of the invasion. Concerned at the growing instability in his northern neighbour the Sultanate of Rum, he sends a group of Christian missionaries there in the hopes of decreasing anti-Christian sentiment in the region.
 * Sultanate of Rum: Due to the increasingly rebellious actions of Muslim nobility in Rum, the Ilkhan dismisses Sultan Mesud II for his incompetence in stabilising the Sultanate. The new Sultan appointed is Kayqubad III, who is a Muslim but loyal to the Ilkhanate and has a more assertive and hardline reputation. In order to increase security in the Sultanate's capital of Konya, Kayqubad III brings back soldiers from the border with Trebizond and the southwest Ilkhanate until two-thirds of the army is in the central part of the Sultanate around Konya, leaving one-sixth near Trebizond to potentially support a Georgian invasion and sending one-sixth to accompany the Ilkhanate and Cilician forces attacking the Mamluks. In order to pacify the Muslim populace and prove the Sultanate's loyalty to them, he funds the building of new mosques in Konya and Sivas. However, Kayqubad III also reminds the Muslim nobility of the Mongol principle of religious and ethnic equality, threatening any who discriminate against Christians or Mongols with punishment. Particularly troublesome individuals are arrested, with Kayqubad III focusing on individuals associated with Osman Gazi, though he leaves Osman Gazi himself alone to prevent him from becoming a martyr or hero figure. He accepts the aid of Christian missionaries from the Ilkhanate and Cilicia to help decrease anti-Christian sentiment among the Muslim population.
 * Chimu: The chimunese expand 15 miles to the south. The "Rodenpinaca" and "Dorianis" villages are founded. Due to the lack of resources, the Chimuenese are currently in an economical crisis. The lack of tributes, starts to concern Roxhivi Chao.
 * Republic of Genoa: The battle of Monaco continues, both sides suffered considerable casualties although neither obtained a permanent advantage. A battle in which it was predicted that it would end in a few months, became a battle of attrition with a duration to date of more than a year. The casualties are among hundreds but very few tears of family members are shed in the homes of the late Genoese because many of the losses affect the pocket more than the heart. As blood flowed in the Rock of Monaco, the lower-middle class began to suffer from discontent and restlessness. After the defeat in Candía, the Genoese army ceased to possess the power enjoyed by the previous years, however, the Duke and the noble families of the Ghibellines have already taken action on the matter to rebuild the fleet. One of the measures is to make Admiral Benedetto I Zaccaria return to Genoa to contribute militarily to the army, for this he was sent messengers to cross the enemy lines and go to Constantinople where the admiral had helped Andronicus II Paleologo against the Venetians. Although one of the two galleys returning from Constantinople was sunk by Venetian galleys, the admiral managed to safely reach the capital of the Republic. As soon as Benedetto arrived in Genoa, the Duke has assigned him the task of building a fleet of no more than 50 galleys to defend the metropolis against a possible Venetian invasion. As the city did not have the funds it had before the war with Venice, mainly due to its blockade, the duke has ordered raising taxes to complement the financial losses generated by the continuous shipwrecks from Kaffa or the Aegean Sea. In countermeasure, the Duke has sent diplomats to Constantinople to sign an alliance with the aim of declaring war on the Republic of Venice if it carried out a war against the Republic of Genoa (Mod response as Bizantine Empire).
 * Byzantium cautiously allies with Genoa, as long as they can keep trade with Venice
 * Nogai Khan: Nogai graciously thanks Byzantium for the 15,000 troops. Having been rejected by the Pope, and the being shown the good will of Byzantium, Nogai now recognizes the Ecumenical Patriarch, converting to Eastern Orthodoxy. Now reinvigorated by his new faith and by his allies on the battlefield, Nogai is determined to lift the siege of Lublin, which is ruled by Lev I, King of Ruthenia, and goes out to engage the armies of Wenesclaus II with a force 55,000 strong to defend the land of Lev I, striking at night, finding gaps in their lines and punishing them brutally. Evading and encircling the enemy.


 * Georgia: In spite of initial drawbacks, the campaign to take the strategic town of Zestaponi is successful. Now with the enemy forced into a rout, the Georgians proceed to take the western capital of Kutaisi. About 24,000 Georgian troops (of which ~5,000 are members of the Royal Guard, ~10,000 are horse–archers, and the remainder feudal levies) split into three armies are sent. They are accompanied by Ilkhanate troops (which constitute one-tenth of their total numbers). The Georgian-allied forces press into the enemy rout, using their superior mobility (being all-cavalry force) to reach Kutaisi as quickly as possible – so as to prevent enemy forces from recuperating. The city is then besieged from three sides; a few contingents of horse–archers are sent to guard the perimeter and prevent any reinforcements from reaching. A variety of siege engines are used, including battering rams and siege towers (which allow them to scale the walls) – and most importantly, counterweight trebuchets. Incendiary arrows are also used by the horse–archers to set fire to wooden structures inside the walls – thus weakening the enemy defenses. To further legitimize his claim to Imereti, David VIII is coronated for the second time in Tbilisi. He declares the reunification of Georgia, accusing his cousin of being illegitimate, and promises to lead it into a new Golden Age. To get the support of the clergy, he gives generous land grants and funds to the monasteries – especially the prestigious Gelati and Ikalto monasteries (which preside over academies and are important centers of culture). Meanwhile, commerce is encouraged with merchant and craftsmen guilds in the capital flourishing. Products traded include felt, wool, wine, enamelware, metalwork. Cotton production in Shirvani is promoted while traders begin to exploit Georgia's position near the Western terminus of the Silk Road to acquire raw silk (though the majority of manufactured silks are from either Greece or Italy).

1299
'''Frederick III of Sicily attacks the Neapolitan advance forces near Potenza. They successfully lure him towards the castle, where Naples' forces lie in wait.'''

'''With Nogai Khan's invasion of Poland becoming a point of contention among his more cynical generals, along with his conversion to Christianity, many of Nogai Khan's forces are beginning to become disinterested in the war. However, this reaches a tipping point when Toqta Khan, rival to Nogai, challenges the leader for control of the Khanate, raising 30,000 men to aid him.'''

'''Bohemia's back-and-forth through Poland leaves the Polish people incredibly disheartened. Polish natives begin to leave the armies, uninterested in what future Wenceslaus holds for the Polish people.'''

'''Outraged at the violence against Muslims committed by the Ilkhanate, a revolt in Baghdad springs up. The rebels quickly take the city and prepare to hold out. Many others flock to the Mamluk banners. Others still flee to India with a wave of Buddhists.'''
 * Kingdom of Sweden: With the siege of Eric's outnumbered and isolated army trapped in Sonderborg Castle continuing, the Danish and Swedish leaders meet to discuss strategy. In order to address the issue of supplies, King Birger orders the Swedish fleet blockading Sonderborg Castle to also begin transporting supplies from Sweden to the Swedish camp. This is to help mitigate the fact that the surrounding countryside is now stripped bare. A constant stream of supplies begins arriving steadily and reliably in the Dano-Swedish allied camp, effectively solving the supply-related issues. Additionally, the Danish nobles are asked to provide more supplies from their holdings and the Danish nobles are also asked to raise more feudal levies [MOD RESPONSE ON WHETHER THEY DO]. Danish nobles are also sent to gather supplies from the countryside. The nation unites behind King Christopher, now recognized by nearly all of Denmark as the rightful king. Most of the countryside and the peasantry are now firmly under Christopher's control, as the peasants support Christopher as the rightful King. Additionally, to make up for the previous losses suffered during the winter, King Birger sends a letter to Queen Martha in Stockholm asking her to dispatch more men. The Queen turns to the Finnish territories and hires 6,000 additional Finnish tribal warriors as mercenaries and dispatches them to Sonderborg to help with the siege there and to replenish the Swedish numbers. To help pay for these mercenaries, Sweden asks Milan for a loan [MILAN RESPONSE NEEDED]. Seeking to weaken the rebel Eric's forces in the castle, the allied army besieging the castle begins dispatching agents to infiltrate the castle by scaling the walls alone at night. These agents are then instructed to burn the granaries and supply dumps of the castle garrison. Additionally, the King begins construction of several siege engines around the castle, specifically trebuchets. The trebuchets are ordered to fire dead and rotting livestock into the castle along with wooden barrels full of human feces in the hopes of spreading disease amongst the crowded castle. [MOD RESPONSE ON THESE EFFORTS, PLEASE] *SECRET* King Christopher also makes an offer to the German mercenaries in the castle. Christopher offers to pay them double of what they were promised by Eric if they open the gates to the castle and/or fight for Christopher, or if they manage to hand Eric over to Christopher's forces. *SECRET* King Christopher also publicly promises leniency to any followers of Eric in the castle, saying that his fight is only with the rebel Eric and that he does not wish to spill Danish blood. The King also points out to the men in the castle that Eric has been officially excommunicated and as such they owe him no allegiance and by fighting for him they are jeopardizing their entry to heaven. [MOD RESPONSE ON SUCCESS OF OFFERS]. 
 * Milan response: Multiple Milanese bankers are dispatched to finalize the details of the loan.
 * Levies raise an additional 2,500 troops. Diseases spread in the castle and spread to various parts of Jutland
 * Kingdom of Naples : With the Sicilian Army successfully being lured towards the fortress, the Army of Charles II (45,000 Men) await the forces of Fredrieck III at his fortress near Potenza as Charles II’s Army prepare for a seige while his son Robert heads to the Papal States and France to seek the support of the Pope and the King of France while Phillip begins assembling a new army this time composed of volunteers as he also assembles a new Neapolitan Fleet of 45 Galleys  in Naples in preparation for a Naval Offensive against the Sicilians. With the Greek States withdrawing their forces , Charles II looks for new opportunities for support and turns to the Kingdom of Cyprus and the Kingdom of Hungary (Given that Charles II’s wife is from the ruling house in Hungary) as the King asks for the support of these nations against the Sicilian Rebels (Hungarian and Cyprus Response needed). With this Charles II in his fortress awaits the Sicilian Armies as his troops prepare for a long siege.
 * Kingdom of Denmark: With the rebels only having control of Zealand, the peasantry responds to the call of rallying against the nobles, as Eric and his supporters portray the war as being against the abuse of the nobles as well as against the foreign Swedish invader. The fact that the Swedes did not take the castle and the Danish Army is heroically making a stand against the foreign invader is extolled by Eric's supporters traveling in the countryside, rallying the peasantry to their cause. Most of the peasantry does not support the occupying and invading Swedes and rallies to the rightful King in response, also not having a good view of the magnates. Having executed the most powerful and influential nobles that had the biggest assets to begin with, the remaining nobles do not have significant holdings, and since the Danish court took direct control of the executed magnates' properties and wealth many of the lands have been placed under direct control of the Crown. The Danish-German force at Sønderborg continues defending from Swedish attacks, using different tactics to fight the siege, heavy patrols continue overnight to stop any attempts by Swedish infiltrators to enter the castle, as well as the castle itself remaining under heavy guard. Peasant levies and volunteers from other parts of the country, and forces sneaking out of the castle at night, raid the Swedish camps, targeting their food, siege engines, and other supplies in burning. Meanwhile, Danish ships continue harass and raid Swedish vessels from the various islets and islands of Denmark. The Danish navy also remains loyal to the King and carries out its attacks to sabotage the Swedes' supply lines and communications, which are especially important now that the Swedes are becoming isolated in a drawn out siege in Denmark, far away from their homeland. (Mod Response on success of the naval raids) Agents also continue efforts to stoke paranoia and infighting among the remaining nobles that back Christopher, targeting both the usurper and enemy commanders with assassinations and circulating offers for the remaining nobles to be pardoned of the crime of high treason for siding with the foreign state of Sweden if they realign themselves with the King – moreover, it is emphasized that Eric only had a problem with those magnates that used their wealth to oppose the Crown, who were all executed, and the remaining nobles would be allowed to keep their wealth and titles. (Mod Response on the success of the sabotage efforts and offers) King Eric does not want to do damage to the Danish kingdom and would prefer that the nobles rejoin him to expel the Swedish invader, now that the foreign power is occupying Danish land.
 * County of Holstein: Count Henry and other nobles in Holstein, owing their positions in large part to Eric, continue supporting the King with their 2,500 native Holsteinian troops, in addition to the 1,700 mercenaries from other North German states that they helped hire on Eric's behalf.
 * Mali Empire: Mansa Sakoura was greatly pleased by the alliance established with Morocco, one which would would last all the way to the end of the dynasty. The Atlantic caravan trade route had been secured, not only protecting the vast income of Mali's exports, but also allowing faster communication to the Atlantic, although this latter trait would not be realized for some time. Sakoura then sought to establish a similar alliance with the Mamluk Sultanate of Cairo, ensuring that the eastern Caravan Trade is equally protected going from Mali across the Kanem and Fezzan plains to the Nile Delta [MOD RESPONSE]. This would be crucial for Egypt's perspective, as the lucrative exports of Mali's gold, copper and salt was indispensible for Egypt's livelihood. Sakoura also sought to contact Egypt for the sake of diplomacy to the Abbasid Caliphate residing in Cairo. It appears that the criticism against Sakoura's piety had some merit, possibly arising from a questionable use of his female slaves. For that reason, Sakoura offered a military alliance as well, such that if the Caliph or any of the Holy Sites are in danger, he will send whatever support he can. On top of all this, Sakoura made preparations for making pilgrimage to the holy lands of Mecca and Medina himself, as is customary of all Sunni Muslims. Late that year, Sakoura placed his son Somaoro as viceroy in Niani, and led a vast caravan of his wealth across the Sahara desert to Egypt. Meanwhile, Musa and his mother Sogolon journeyed for many days until they settled in the Kingdom of Gobir, just out of reach of the borders of Mali pressing into OTL Niger. Musa was entertained as a guest by the King of Gobir, and allowed to remain in his realm as he continued to grow and mature.
 * Marinids of Sultanate: We call Mali empire for Mali supporter for supporting our conquest of granada and restoring of it we need a Mali supporter soldier warrior that could beat our invader neighbor European. (Player Reponse) 
 * Mali response: Mansa Sakoura sends 7,000 infantry and 1,000 cavalry to the aid of our ally, for the good of Islam.


 * Duchy of Brabant: "Harba Lorifa"John of Mallines is recognised as legitimate by the papacy, he is now recognised by the pope as a son of Duke John I of Brabant. John II and John of Mallines are recognised brother in the face of the papacy, But ohn II now asks the holy roman emperor to recognise this fact, too (Mod response). This request has been repeated as the emperor has told that only after a papal recognition would he recognise John of Mallines as legitimate. With this action, Duke John II informs his now Brother, that if he seeks independence. Or resist the overlords of Liege that the Brabantine Nobility would support this move fully. As Brabant believes that mallines is in fact the centre of the lowlands,Not the most powerfull state but still centrally located and rich. The Mansion of Heyste ten Berge keeps being build with Wool being imported from England to make the great woolen wall carpets and other woollen items , and a specialy made woolen flag of Heyst ten Berge for the local lord. This Symbolic gift is made because John II just made sure that Heyst could in fact fly this flag. The duke, wanting to rule Lotharingia once more , begins to ask foreign powers such as France, England ,Bohemia and the Papacy to recognise the title and lands of Loharingia duke for John II and his descendents (English, French, Bohemian and papal Response). With the Hollandish noble house just having died out  ,John II of Brabant assumes the title of Count John II of Holland and Count John II of Zeeland. With this John II Promises new rights to cities like being allowed to build a wall and have an own town guard , but also the right to have locals nobles and people of importance represent their city to the duke. For the Merchants he promises to listen more to their advice have less import and export fees and even none for goods going from Holland to the others parts of the Brabantine Realm. While for the Nobility John II promises that he or his succesor will create a form of Noble,merchant and city representation towards the duke, and possibly give some jobs to just nobility.Duke John requests that first of all the Hollandic and Zeelandic Nobility recognises him John II of Holland and Zeeland(Mod response). The Duke of Brabant, John II, also requests from the papal states , England, Scotland, France and any other states to recognise John II as count of Holland (Papal, English, French, and Scottish Response).Duke John II even asking the nobility to ready their arms for if need be , that some Brothers in Holland Reject the office of John II ,This being aided by millitary reforms making it so that the Brabantine army is ready for the going. Lotharingia is on John II mind a union of feudal states under one Duke who treats all fair and just.
 * Edward, king of England, recognizes John of Mallines as Count of Holland and Zeeland
 * Emperor Albert Habsburg legitimizes John of Mallines
 * Jarldom of Greenland: Jarl Eric orders a secret meeting for all inhabitants to beld held in the village of Bratthild to discuss the future of the jarldom and other things.In the meeting it is decided that if Norway is attacked by an foreign power,greenland will declare indepednece.Other things decided is that a commite on how to best adapt to the weather is to be formed.
 * Papal Response: We do not recognize John II as Count of Holland, Lotharingia, and Zeeland, due to the fact that John does not rule over these regions.
 * Lordship of Milan: Matteo Visconti makes a proposal to the Bohemian king Wenceslas II to have Matteo’s second daughter Beatrice and Wenceslas’ eldest son be married to bind the two countries more truly and increase relations even further. (Bohemian response needed) The money continues to flow throughout Milan with the access to Bohemian silver allowing for better control of currency, which leads to better business. The war between Venice and Genoa causes some minor concerns in Milan as the Milanese don’t want to choose a side but would rather focus on their own matters. A debate springs up between farmers near Piacenza as to where exactly the boundary between the two nations lies. This is a matter which has yet to be settled with a couple Milanese farmers going and discussing with mercenary groups to end the drama by pushing into Piacenza land. Nothing comes of this as of yet but the drama makes a still sick Matteo even more nervous. Matteo ends up recovering enough to lead his nation again in August of this year. These various sickness worry Matteo’s family as well as many members of the country. In Poland the Italian mercenaries are getting highly valued experience and Matteo’s eldest son has been promoted to where he leads a third of the Thousand lances into battle. As for the Danish conflicts the Bankers declare they will not assist the excommunicated king and instead only finance either the nobles or no one.
 * Bohemian Dip: In an effort to improve relations with Milan an engagement between Wenceslaus the younger, and one of the Lord's daughter's is made, and a request to hire milanese artists, architects, and bankers to the court of Wenceslaus.
 * Milanese Dip: We happily accept all of these and propose Catherine who is 13 and already extremely pretty as a potential prospect for the engagement.
 * Republic of Genoa: Although these two years have been tumultuous for the Republic, a period of relative peace has produced the satisfaction of the heart of the duke and the main leaders of the armed forces of Genoa. However, that does not justify that the Genoese army does not debate lowering its guard especially in the Aegean Sea due to Venetian robberies towards the merchant galleys, not counting the site in the Rock of Monaco, the war with Venice has stalled at one point dead by which neither side has organized a significant contest to gain some advantage over his rival. Because of this, the duke and families have gone to Pisa to sign a "pact" between the republics whereby Pisa will stop financing the enemies of the Republic of Genoa (Venice, Sinucello della Roca and secretly Monaco) and will pay tribute to Genoa due to its economic crisis in exchange for Genoa providing protection in case of any invasion or attack on Pisa and free access and circulation through the Western Mediterranean. Having gained an important advantage in the fight for the Rock of Monaco (Mod response as Pisa), the Duke has ordered Benedetto I Zaccaria and supported Lamba Doria on the site of Monaco along with 48 galleys that were built the previous year and another 65 which are planned to have built for the new next year. Meanwhile, although the tax increase has come to cover part of the losses, the money collected does not cover the expenses generated by the construction of galleys and the increase in the arsenal to equip troops and mercenaries. Therefore, the Genoese bankers have informed the main Milanese banks to apologize for not paying the daily fee of the loan of 1296 (Milan response).
 * Pisa submits to the demands of Genoa without a struggle
 * Papal States: We refuse to crown Albert I of the House of Habsburg, our reasoning being that he is a Ghibbeline. We want the interregnum to continue as long as it could possibly be. In Southern Italy, the Pope recognizes Frederick III as king of Sicily. As for the Swedish-Danish war, we send the Swedes our blessing, but opt out of fighting. We officially recognize that the fief of Ireland has a duke. We start to train our men with swords, cannons, and ships to prepare for the "Tenth Crusade". We are also worried about the transition from a maritime republic to a monarchy.
 * Crown of Aragon: following some years since Frederick III began his campaign against Naples, James remained Idol in hopes of gaining much time for preparations and decision making well aware of the move he was proceeding to make. in James mind following the Sicilian resentment to reunify with Naples that it would be worth defending the sibling and member of the House of Barcelona that rules over the island territory still. These thoughts spark a thought with a message relayed to the Papacy for a new treaty to be signed in Zaragoza between the Papacy, Aragon,Sicily, and Naples. The treaty includes recognition of Frederick III as King of Sicily, Recognition of The Kingdom of Sicily, and The House of Barcelona's rule over Sicily (Player Response). The marriage between Isabella remain steady with a bond set up with Castile between the Houses of Barcelona and Trastamara. Beyond this, a new spark for scholarly efforts within the church and abroad attract James to allow the funding for what will be called the University of Zaragoza. The foundations are put in place and construction efforts begin. Crop Production is expanded amongst countryside as land develops further. Profits from trade continue to increase the accumulated wealth of Aragon. Plans for the construction of a widely established road network stretching across from along the coast of Aragon which would in Barcelona, connect to a secondary portion of road that would lead to Zaragoza and branch off to various portions of the kingdom from that point in efforts to increase connectivity and efficiency this project is led by the De La Rosa family who have recently risen to modest wealth in the portion of development even assisting in the construction of the University of Zaragoza due to their fortune.
 * Republic of Venice: Seeing the Genoese coming closer with the Byzantines, the Doge and the governing oligarchs seek for allies. For one, the Greek state of Achaea is asked for an alliance, or at least minor aid to secure the routes from the Adriatic sea to Candia (ACHAEAN RESPONSE, PLEASE). Another option would be help from the Kingdom of Naples, though they are not expected to be able to answer properly, regarding their war in Sicily. However, the Napolitalians are offered to hire 30 Venetian manned ships to fight for around 35,000 gold ducats (NAPLES ANSWER, PLEASE). Seeing smaller harvests in Central and Western Europe and a need for cloth with rising populations all over Europe, the Venetian colonies and Venicia itself encourage the production of grain and linen for export, giving lower taxes to farmers and manufacturers who produce said products. In Candia in particular, grain and olive oil are used for export, while linen are primarily produced in Italy. SECRET The war with Genoa demands new tactics, and the Venetian high command agrees one two things: the halt of any active attacks and the bounty on any ship with a Genoan flag. A bounty on any Genoan war or merchant ship is given, with 100 Ducates given upon the captain, five ducats for every additional captured crew member and 500 Ducates for every ship that can be handed over to Venetian authorities. The Venetion warships themselves are kept on their own territory, luring small Genoan parties into the Adria and fighting them there on home terrain. SECRET END The talks with the Milanese bankers go well, it is planned to expand the Arsenal itself rather than the fleet, where the number of new ships would be cut to just 120, while the Arsenal receives a majority of the funding. Lowered interest rates are asked for, in exchange for a free access to the sea for Milan for 15 years (MILAN RESPONSE NEEDED) Attempts are made to unify the lands that were previously under the rule of the Doge as Duke of Istria and Dalmatia. The Pope is asked to permit the annexation of the Istrian peninsula, including the area around the Gulf of Tireste (PAPAL RESPONSE NEEDED). Meanwhile, pressure is put on Padua and Verona, with forts and garrisons being built and manned near the border to their lands.
 * Papal Response: We permit the annexation of Istria and Trieste, but on one condition, which is for the Serene Republic maintaining the republic status.
 * Neapolitan Response: We accept the Venetian offer.
 * Bohemia-Poland: Following the loss at Lublin, Wenceslaus II undergoes a profound change having nearly falling to the sword a few times during the battle. He takes the time to speak and interact with the survivors of the brutal battle, and furthermore he makes the decision to send a small parcel of money to assist the families of the deceased, and to assist the Polish in returning to normalcy. He returns to Krakow were  trying to  disbands the levies but keeps some small garrisons of rotating levies and mercenaries along with an expanded royal guard made up predominantly of the members of the lower nobility to garrison and protect his domains. He thanks King Albert for his support and extends a formal gesture of friendship by suggesting an engagement between one of each of their children, as well as promising to come to the aid of Albert should he call on it (mod response). He also makes overtures to the Polish nobility in particular to Wladyslaw Elbow-High in the form of making him a member his court, and by granting him extra lands though being careful not to grant any estates that might increase his power base. He calls a great meeting nobles of both Bohemia, and Poland and presents to the them with a Charter akin to the English Manga Carta, enshrining the rights of the nobles, guilds, and burghers and promoting regular Sejm sessions to consult with the great houses on the ruling of his domains, and He also goes about trying to improve accessibility to basic needs such as justice, and churches. Wenceslaus II commissions the construction of a large Fortress in Krakow and stronger fortifications along the Vistula, and along the border between Lesser Poland and Ruthenia. He also commissions for the construction of new churches, and infrastructure overall. Construction of the Kutna Hora mine begins with exploitation of the silver begins slowly but steadily, plans to build a mint are made as well. An envoy is sent to Nogai Khan asking the Mongol to reach a peace agreement (KK response). Efforts to improve and promote a growth in trade and a restoration of agricultural productivity lead to the continued and expanded promotion of settlers from other parts of the HRE to settle in both Poland and in Bohemia.
 * Emperor Albert agrees to solidify an alliance, and offers his eldest son Rudolf to marry a daughter of Wenceslas that he chooses
 * Kingdom of Cyprus: With defensive fortification production going well, and with the recent front opened last year by 4,500 Cypriot, it is re-upped by an additional 7,500 forces to land at Gaza with the Papal forces. With the Knights Hospitaller and Knights Templar both stationed in Cyprus, they've managed to once again aid in the now more thought-out and planned crusade, as a way of taking revenge for the recent losses in the region as well as to better than stance as a religious military order in Europe. They both are armed, 1,500 each, and aid in the conflict by helping the southern front alongside Papal and Cypriot forces. Combined with the Papal States, this brings total troop numbers attacking to 20,500. The naval forces also aiding the conflict number twenty-two strong. Although losing the territorial legitimacy over the Henry II's claim as the King of Jerusalem, the recent conflict in the 10th crusade have allowed for his legitimacy to be seen effectively, especially with the support from the eastern power that is the Ilkhanate and the western support from the Pope himself. Known Muslims in the Kingdom are exiled to the Sultanate of Rum as the Kingdom begins transitioning into a theocratically-based monarchy. The defensive fortification production slows down slightly due to the concurrent crusade, but are still expected to be completed by 1330.
 * Kingdom of England: After their stunning victory in Scotland and the sack of Edinburgh, Edward Convenes an assembly of all Scottish Lords who renew their fealty to him at Glasgow. The Question of the succession did come up, but Edward realized something. While Scotland needed a king ... eventually ... where's the hurry really to crown one. Proper protocol must be followed you see and the case of Edward Balliol has not been sorted just yet, especially with an auspicious anniversary year just around the corner: 1300. Edward Balliol's case is solved rather quickly, mind you, with the boy receiving a Royal Pardon in exchange for renouncing the Throne. As such, he is not executed alongside Robert the Bruce, who draws his final breath this year in London as the axe fell upon his head. With that, the Scottish Lords  all pledge their Loyalty once more to the Lord Paramount of Scotland, Edward. Partly out of fear of what shall happen if they do not. The Lands of the Bruces are officially confiscated and forfeited for treason and redistributed amongst the Loyal Lords, Especially Ingram de Umfraville who is given the Earldom of Carrick as a reward for pledging early.  Meanwhile, legal Scholars research on which mechanisms may be used to eventually unite the Scottish and English crowns. Edward Issues a writ of summons for a Scottish Parliament in December for a sitting in March 1300 to begin to discuss the Kingship and the Succession to the Scottish Throne. The English army keeps a small presence in Scotland, while 4,000 troops are sent to Ireland to help deal with the Rebellious Lords who refuse to bend the knee and swear fealty to Edward. Along with the Army are sent messengers describing what happened to Edinburgh, which was a city of Rebels. Meanwhile, peaceful relationships with the Dutch are pursued and plans are drawn up to both subdue the remaining independent Welsh Principalities and the Irish petty kingdoms to make Edward the undisputed Ruler of the British Isles.
 * Kingdom of France: Having been at war for almost nine years now, but failing to take any action for only God knows what reason, king Philip the Fair decides to finally take initiative. Seeing as France has ownership of most of the fortified points in Gascony, Philip simply sends a force of 12,000 men to capture the rest. They are under Charles de Valois, Guy I de Clermont, and Raoul II de Clairmont, and are instructed to seize points along the Garonne river, then place 3,000 men in garrison at Bourg to prevent taking of the town. 10 galleys are put in harbour at Bourg to block any English fleets. [Mod response svp]
 * Edward I, having pacified Robert's Rebellion up in scotland, is alarmed that the French King has, seemingly for no discernible reason, seen fit to invade and take ownership of the land that rightfully belongs to the Duke of Guyenne, Edward. As a vassal, and given that Philip has seen to give no reason as to why the lands are confiscated, Edward can only assume that this is to consolidate Royal Power in France as an act of Tyranny. Quickly, Edward gives orders to fortify Guyenne and orders the local administration to raise 10,000 men in levies. The English King issued an editct demainding that the Coastal towns of England provide them with one ship each due to this invasion, to be commuted for a cash payment if necessary (i.e., I just demanded ship money except unlike Charles I, I actually want the ships). For the moment, no taxes or duties excepting ship money are expected from the Scots, but they are told to prepare to muster for war should it drag out very long. With the new ships, the English fleet, carrying 5,000 men to reinforce them from the mainland. Plans are drawn up to land another 5,000 at Pas-de-Calais to fortify the English positions there before meeting up with allies. The Scottish Lords are told that in light of this French aggression, their coronation might have to wait. Letters are sent off to all French Lords claiming that Philip "the fair" is acting in a tyrannical manner and only wanting to take Guyenne for himself, even while Edward was a faithful vassal in his French holdings. Edward makes the case for all French nobility and rise up against this injustice, taking special note to invite the Count of Toulouse, Duke of Burgundy and Count of Auvergne, hoping to leverage them onto the English side, stoking fears that their lands may be next on the confiscation chopping block. "Protect your rights and join me in fighting against a tyrant who shirks his dues as feudal overlord by attacking his innocent vassals!" Edward places specific emphasis on the fact that Philip, King of France, provided no justification except seemingly "Because I can"(paraphrase) as the reason for breaking his feudal vows to protect, and not attack, his vassal.  [Mod response required]
 * Kamakura Japan: As the various daimyo have spent years preparing for war the Shogun officially takes his stand hoping to disarm the rebellious Daimyo. Shogun Hisaaki marshals 25,000 men and marches the army against the Dewa family which has taken the only steps towards overt seizure of the Shogunate. the Dewa had mobilized nearly 10,000 of their own troops but with their recent alliance with the Ashikaga and Hoko families it has become clear the Dewa are the ones having curried enough favors to establish themselves as the main successor to the current Shogunate hoping to replace Kamakura with the Dewa. The initial plan would have been to march on the Capital and seize the Emperor and thus the mantle of Shogun. However, with the Kamakura Shogun barreling down on him, the usurper began his campaign. Now with 23,000 of his own and his allies forces the two armies meet within distance of the Imperial capital. As the battle is joined the Emperor not wishing to go to either side willingly and ironically against the wills of the Shogun brings together his own forces and allies. 10,000 men are levied as Speak militias with nearly 5,000 Samurai in support and about 3,000 samurai cavalry as well. Bringing together the various families not pledged to either side, the Emperor joins the battle late in the day slamming into both sides. The war officially becomes three way however, as the battle ends, it's clear none of the belligerents have secured a decisive or strategic victory. This, however, brings the Shogun, the Emperor, and the Dewa clan to negotiations in Kyoto about various roles and demands. They spend the rest of the year negotiating which grows ever more heated as the council of nobles is convened as the negotiations were on going turning into all the Daimyo accusing each other, forming secret alliances, and looking to explicitly exploit the incoming warring states period and take frontier and fringe daimyo and attempt to become relevant. The weakening of the three main combatants has left a clear power vacuum as it effectively puts everyone on the same playing field. As the negotiations break down at the end of the year, Emperor Go-Uda solidifies his coalition and declares himself independent of the Shogun managing to implement proper taxes on the manorial system and various daimyo who declare themselves for the Imperial restoration movement. With the declaration of Emperor Go-Uda the Shogun Hisaaki denounces this as do the Dewa. However, as other Daimyo begin to mobilize on eachother, the Sengoku period has begun.
 * Principality of Achaea: This year is a year of continued investment in the local administrative efforts. Led by Prince Florent of Hainaut and Princess Isabella of Villehardouin, the principality continues to recover from the costly war effort in Italy. Nicholas III of Saint Omer, the marshal of Achaea, returns from France with a stop in Venice. While there, he seeks to negotiate the transfer of Modon and Coron from Venice to Achaea, promising that the ports will remain open to Venetian commerce (VENICE RESPONSE). This is done as Genoa aligns itself with Byzantium in the alliance forged in 1298 - effectively closing off any opportunitites for Achaea to remain neutral in the conflict between the two trading powers. Meanwhile, Florent decides to visit his future son-in-law, Guy II de la Roche, Duke of Athens. While in Thebes (the capital of the Duchy), Florent works on behalf of his daughter, Matilda, to promote even more trade between the two crusader states. As more Orthodox priests and Greek dynatoi learn Latin, the Archbishop of Patras initiates a reciprocal learning process, so his priests can learn Greek.
 * Nogai Khan: A glorious victory has been achieved against the Coalition of Central Europe in Lublin, proving Nogai's prowess and power in the battlefield, finding a reborn confidence in himself and his men, when before he was uncertain he'd even make it out the battle alive prior to engaging the Coalition, but all his fears are now killed with all the men he killed in the battle. Though victory has been achieved, the will to continue the war in Poland has waned, further compounded by the news of Toqta Khan, the very man Nogai was instrumental in placing to the throne, is raising an army to conquer his lands. In light of this, the Polish diplomats are accepted into Lublin to discuss and form the Treaty of Lublin, with Hungarian, Austrian, Byzantine, and Ruthenian diplomats also invited to attend. As the Treaty commences, hostilities between the two sides ceases, both losing the will to wage war. As such, Nogai leaves Poland to reenter his domain, upon which the Russian principalities reaffirm their loyalty to Nogai, praising his conversion to Eastern Orthodoxy and his victory against the Catholic heretics in Lublin, with some even hailing Nogai Khan as "Tsar", promising to devote their forces to help Nogai defeat Toqta on the battlefield. News reaches Nogai that Temur Khan's forces are besieging Samarkand, and urges Toqta to unite with him to defend Samarkand lest the Yuan Dynasty descends upon a divided Golden Horde next. (MOD RESPONSE, PLEASE) Nogai's army spends the year preparing for war, whether against the armies of Toqta Khan or Temur Khan, they are ready to defend from any and all forces who wish to destroy them and their Khan.
 * Lordship of Ireland: After receiving 4,000 troops from the Scottish campaign the Duke calls up 4,000 soldiers from Ireland as well to fight Connacht and Thormond. Broken into three forces with 2,000 English and Irish soldiers starting at Limerick, 2,000 at Kinvarra, Galway and 4,000 at Athlone. The Duke states his desire to seize half of Thormond as a preventive measure against an invasion by Thormond leaving the west of it still under Gaelic rule. The forces at Kinvarra and Limerick start advancing along the coast to Lahinch and Clarecastle with infantry screening the flanks inland and cavalry as outriders. In the event of a field battle the attack goes with longbows on the flanks and men-at-arms in the centre for defence or longbows firing first if they're in close formation followed by a cavalry charge in attack unless they're not in close order then a cavalry attack first. Once arriving at Clarecastle and Lahinch construction of ring forts begins and takes a week with a four-metre ditch and embankment followed by a three-metre palisade and inside a wooden keep. 50 men are left to garrison each ringfort and the armies move cross country to meet up but first establishing another two ringforts at Monreel south and Derula leaving 50 men at each. Having cut the Kingdom of Thormond in half the remaining 3,800 men work their way back and begin securing the eastern half of the Kingdom of Thormond with aggressive encastellation. The 4,000 at Athlone stand ready to respond to any incursion by Connacht or the other Gaelic kingdoms into the Lordship of Ireland.


 * Georgia: With the fall of Kutaisi, Constantine I and most of his court are captured. They are brought to and detained in the border city of Gori, though it is stressed that as relatives of the King (both are members of the Bagrationi family), they will not be harmed and treated with respect and dignity. The rest of Western Georgia is expected to fall with limited resistance (MOD RESPONSE). Despite growing tensions between the Ilkhanate and the Golden Horde (specifically between Baidu and Nogai), the Georgian clergy praises its (nominal) conversion to Orthodoxy. About 5,000 cavaliers, most of which are young and/or landless martial nobility, are sent – under their own volition – to aid the Ilkhanate in Baghdad. The young George V is sent to observe so that he can gain experience from war. Minor administrative reforms are enacted in Imereti: regions are redrawn with some being consolidated and others split, though most dukes and other administrators remain power as to appease them. With the success of the horse–archers, a new body known as the Naqivcharaqi (though distinct from Georgian Kipchaks) is established, which will complement the heavily-armed Monaspa. It will consist of 5,000 regular troops. Many Georgian Kipchaks nevertheless join to acquire prestige. They are generally stationed outside of the capital and serve to ensure order within the hinterland – contrast, the Monaspa ensure order within the capital and have a dual role as bodyguars.