Domesday (Map Game)

Even before the auspicious sighting of Halley’s Comet in 1066 ushered in a new era in the High Middle Ages, the world was undergoing a period of transformation. In December of 1065, King Ferdinand the Great’s death led to the partition of his Spanish kingdom into three parts. And, just a few weeks before the comet sighting, Edward the Confessor had died childless, triggering a succession crisis for his island realm of England.

The era to come is at the peak of the Middle Ages, an era where chivalric knights and population growth seem to be setting Europe up for expansion - and religious tensions are coming to a head. But elsewhere around the world, from the Icelandic frontier in the New World to the Mesoamerican civilization; from African tribal kingdoms to the Far East, regional tensions are ever present.

Welcome to the world of Domesday!

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The Game

1100

Habemus Papum! Rainer of Bleda is narrowly elected as the new Pope after Cardinal Saigini abstains, and takes on the Papal name of Pascal II. The Tuscan nobles hope to see an Italian Pope to assert independence from foreign powers of Europe.

The dawn of the new century begins the "High" Middle Ages of Europe, a period embracing intense urbanization and mercantilism across Central Europe, Italy, and Poland, with many new cities built in parts of Russia and France as well. Technological growth for the West is becoming the most productive since the beginning of the Dark Ages, although this pales in comparison with the rapid proto-industrialization across the Song and Goryeo Dynasties, in the Far East.

The economies of merchant republics in the Mediterranean - Venice, Genoa, and Apulia - see massive gains as a new front of Christiandom has been opened in the east. Ports now held by the Crusaders are flooded with Italian merchants as the merchant republics seek to gain trading privileges with Jerusalem. This leads to increased competition and tension between the Italian city states vying for power.

Many knights and nobles of Europe who arrived to the First Crusade too late to fight for Jerusalem are partaking in the new, haphazard Crusader battles in Transjordan and Armenia, in support of Bohemond, Demyan and Robert Scalio.

Byzantine Emperor Alexios I decides he is in a good position to push back against the Norman influences in Greece, having reclaimed the Asiatic coast from the Seljuks. The Byzantine armies totalling 18,000 troops attacks various Norman garissons in Greece and Albania. Bohemond of Taranto pulls back from the Armenian Crusade to engage the Byzantines.

Duke William III of Normandy refuses the orders of the King of France, and continues to build fortresses along the Vexin region. He raises considerable money from donations for the First Crusade, along with a heavy additional tax, in anticipation for war with France.

In Nice, France, some merchants create a new board game by putting pieces from the Arab game Al-Kirk on a Backgammon board. They call this game "Checkers".

The Naziri State continues to strengthen its hold throughout the Persia and Syria. From Alamut, Hassan-Sabbah the Old Man of the Mountain sends out his agents who spread news of the failures of the Caliph and the Sultan to defend the city of Jerusalem or Syria from the infidels. In Baghdad a riot of mostly shia Muslims breaks out lead by Ibn al-Khashshab a refugee from Aleppo.

Ahmad Sanjar begins mustering his forces, this raises alarms in Mesopotamia. Meanwhile Berkykuk the ruler of Khorasan goes to war with the Ghaznavids.

The Circassians continue to be a problem in the side of the Alan, as their numbers grow under the leadership Kafkas who begins waging a Guerrilla War of some 4,000 tribesmen in the in the Northern Caucasus foot hills.

Tuareg traders establish the city of Timbuktu (modern Mali) north of Djenné along the Niger River, as a trading depot for the Sahara Caravan trade from Morocco to Ghana. The people along the Niger River assert more autonomy from the Almoravids, organizing their own government and military while still paying tribute.

China has become the first nation in history to have over 100 million people. It's capital city of Keifeng is currently the largest city in the world with a total population of 1.4 million.

After careful consideration, the Liao Dynasty will suspend the requirements for Goryeo's tribute in exchange for their nominal support against the Song

Iceland writes down their laws for the first time.

The Faroe Islands grow in population of Norwegian settlers to form rural villages.

The Navajo city of Oirabi is established as a branch of the Ancestral Pueblo culture.

The city of Cusco (modern Peru) is founded as a fortress by the Killke people.

• Kingdom of Jerusalem: The news of the election of Pope Paschal II is received well by the leadership. It is hoped that he will continue Urban's interest in the Holy Land. Following the taking of Kerak 2000 soldiers from the Ascalon garrison are called upon to join Robert Scalio's army. The army now numbers 5808 soldiers. It is with this army that an attack is launched on the city of Taphila, known as Tafilah in Arabic. The Ascalon soldiers attacking from the east, and Robert's main army from the north (Algo request). Messages continue to be sent to the tribes of the Oultejordain saying that they should surrender and pay tax to the Kingdom of Jerusalem if they want to keep their lands and lives (Mod response). The intention of Robert Scalio and his constable Ilger Bigod is to take Ayla (Aqaba) on the Red Sea by the end of the year. In the kingdom itself, trade flows in as the ports of the kingdom grow in influence in the Mediterranean Sea, and special trading privileges are granted to Apulia. Early in the year, Seneschal Richard of Salerno suffers from pneumonia, he recovers by summer but is still weak by the year's end, he therefore begins delegating more power to Attropius, who continues talks with the English delegation regarding the possible marriage between the King and Princess Eadgyth of England. Messages are sent to the Benedictine monasteries of Europe if they would like to establish a presence for their order in Jerusalem (mod reponse). With the Byzantines showing their true colors, Robert Scalio cannot however help his half-brother Bohemond at this time as his only forces are either kept in garrisons of various cities, or are fighting in Oultejordain, but any Byzantine citizens, traders, or diplomats are to be expelled from the Kingdom of Jerusalem immediately. The necessity of a fleet is made more apparent as a kingdom of Jerusalem's stature cannot go without it. The Kingdom reaches out to the King's uncle Roger who is the ruler of Sicily to broker an agreement in regards to this. Several local shipwrights are also commissioned to make a sizable fleet by the end of the next year. Following the fall of Taphila, Robert and his army return to Jerusalem, where he marries Eadgyth of England in a ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a great feast takes place at the Tower of David. Chroniclers will translate the name of Queen Eadgyth as Édith. Following the wedding, The King and his army return to Oultrejordain with an attack with 5804 men on the city of Ayla (Aqaba) on the Red Sea, the last remaining unsubjugated city in the region.
• Aqaba surrenders without a fight.
• Papal States: Pope Paschal II seeks to expand upon the work of Gregory and Urban towards the strength of the Church of Rome and Christendom abroad. Unfortuantely, the closeness of his election forces the Pope to first focus on securing his political position that was much easier for Urbanus. The first and closest allies in Italy are first among his priority, particularly his home Tuscan country where he works in tandem with Countess Mathilda. For the Christian states in Spain, Paschal travels to Barcelona to crown Ramon II as Emperor of Spain. For southern Italy, Pope Paschal works to conclude the Council of Bari that Urban II started in his last days. While it seems clear that the Orthodox churches in Greece will still refuse homage to the Church in Rome, the council does present a good opportunity for standardizing the liturgy of the Norman states and complying them with the centralization of Gregory VII. Hoping to appease the Normans to bring them further under the Pope's trust, Paschal grants recognition at this council of Gaeta and Amalfi as direct territories of Apulia (Sicily and Mod response). For France, Paschal uses his authority over the investiture as a check against the power of the French monarch. Guillaume de Montfort, the Archbishop of Paris, is elevated to the status of Primate of the Three Gauls, a title that is attatched to the Archdiocease of Isle de France from now on. Montfort had been a close colleague of Pope Urban during his early pontificate up through the Council of Clermont (France response). In the Levant, Paschal authorizes the Benedictine Monks to establish their branch of operations within the newly-formed Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, based out of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Jerusalem response). The Holy Father remains strictly neutral during the Byzantine war against the Normans, but calls for the Christian brethren to work together against the Saracens. With the ongoing interest of Crusaders fighting against the Turks in the Levant and anatolia, the Pope expects to soon call for another, smaller crusade in the hopes of gaining further support. The Pope supports the creation of more villages and towns to expand the urbanization of central Italy, and works with Tuscany to expand the roads and towns in between as well. More higher education in universities are also expanded upon to improve the quality of life in this region. When the Pope had retired from these activities, he returned to the Lateran Palace to discover this same mysterious woman in his chamber, in radiant auburn hair and white clothes, who had been following him since his election. The Angel Ariel embraced the Holy Father to assure him this is no devilish vision, but she had been the same divine guide for the previous pontificates of Gregory and Urban. Paschal was extremely skeptical of this at first, but she showed him vision after vision of previous times she consoled and embraced previous generations of Popes, which eventually assured Paschal that she was indeed sent from Heaven. Edit: Pope Paschal is placed in a difficult position between the Normans and Byzantines. On the one hand, the political influence of the Normans across Italy and Judea cannot be ignored. On the other hand, fighting the Byzantines at this early stage would weaken the Crusader position fighting against the Turks. The Pope responds to the Norman conflict against the Byzantines, but does not call for war. Instead, he follows suit with the King of Jerusalem to blockade Byzantine trade to Central Italy, and heavily restrict all further diplomacy until the Byzantines negotiate a peace with the Normans. (Sicily and Mod response)
  • Jerusalem: The Kingdom welcomes the Benedictines.
  • The city of Aqaba surrenders without a fight.
• Order of the Holy Sepulchre: The election of Pope Paschal II is celebrated with a mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Fulcher of Chartres, the Custodian of the Holy Sepulchre, and Arnulf of Chocques, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and Grand Prior of the Order, discuss ways that the Order an better protect the Kingdoms established by the Crusade. For the protection of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, Custodian Fulcher and Patriarch Arnulf seek to established a new fortress of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre at Tyre and they ask for permission of King Robert to do that [Jerusalem response needed, please]. Since the establishment of the KIngdom, the visit of Christian pilgrims seeking to visit the Holy Places became more common. Due to that, the Milites Sancti Sepulcri became more active in maintaining the order during the visit of pilgrims. They also start to escort pilgrims arriving from Tyre to Jerusalem. Patriarch Arnulf of Chocques makes several religious ceremonies in Jerusalem during the Holy Week. The ceremonies of the Holy Week made by the Patriarch in Jerusalem are: a procession through Jerusalem and distribution of blessed palm branches during the Palm Sunday, a mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Holy Monday, a procession and a mass in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre during the Holy Tuesday, a mass and the Tenebrae (during it all the candles of the church aregradual extinguishing) celebrated at the Holy Sepulchre in the Holy Wednesday, the celebration of the the Washing of the Feet (Maundy) and Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles in the Holy Thursday, a procession through the Via Dolorosa and the distribution of alms to the poor during the Holy Friday, the Easter vigil and the lighting of the Paschal candle are made in the Holy Saturday at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. In Easter Day a magnificent mass is celebrated by Patriarch Arnulf of Chocques in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This year the exhibition of the relic of the Holy Cross for the faithful happens again during the Feast of the Cross. The Canons of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre help the Patriarch of Jerusalem with the celebretation of these religious services. One of the Canons seems to stands out from the others due to his piety, his name is Teobald, a Italo-Norman from Bari.
  • Jerusalem: A fortress is commissioned to be built in Tyre for the use of the Order.
• Khalilid Egypt: The recent victory of Emir Abdul-Madjid duing the Civil War has seen his rise to dominance over what remains of Egypt. As desperate as he is to restore Egypt to its size as it was under the Fatimids, he is forced to focus his present attention on the domestic front and securing the allegiance of his people. He starts his reconstruction campaign with orders to restore the bazaars to a usable state and undertakes efforts to put his loyalist into positions of power across the whole of Egypt. Furthermore, funds are diverted to regions that were heavily impacted by the conflict. Those that fought against him are offered pardons on their guarantee not to take up arms against him and in the hopes of assuring those who doubt him that he has no desire to exact vengeance. He sends an offer to the Fatimid Loyalists that have taken refuge on the Red Sea settlements to offer pardons in exchange for their cooperation in regaining control over the region arguing that the time for conflict is over (Mod Response). With the loss of Aleppo and Damascus to the Christians, an offer is sent the refugees ands scholars offering refuge with the hope that they will contribute to Egypt's growth with their trades knowledge, and talent (Mod Response). What forces he can spare away from safeguarding Egypt are dispatched to garrison the border with the Kingdom of Jerusalem wary of it's recent aggressive expansion.
  • They surrender to the Emir
  • Many scholars from Damascus and Aleppo move to Cairo
• House Barcelona: Having been crowned Emperador Ramon Berenguer II, Ramon sets about ensuring that Iberia is able to continue to counter the Almoravids. He orders a grand fortification to be built on the north-eastern point of El Capurutxo, near the town of La Font de la Figuera. Further to the south, the castle at Calp is to be rebuilt to new standards with a passage carved into the limestone tower, Penyal d'Ifac. These plans are to be executed in the coming years after the repayment of debts from the war. Ramon Bereguer travels to Provence to ensure the loyalty of the local lords, thanking them personally for their provision of both men and ships to his father’s war. To simplify the governance of the kingdoms throughout his realm he turns to local jurists in Provence as well as those in Catalonia to provide revisions to the original Usatges of Barcelona. This process culminates with the creation and promulgation of the Usatges of Ramon Berenguer, or the Usatges of Catalonia. The law code is quite similar to the Usatges of Barcelona promulgate by Ramon Berenguer I some four decades earlier. However, they do reflect better the Visigothic-Roman legal traditions of the Provencals’ Breviary of Alaric, on which the Usatges of Barcelona were initially based. Ramon Berenguer, having instituted this new legal code throughout his realm, approaches Bertrand, Count of Toulouse, about adopting the code. (Mod Response) Hearing of the integration of Toledo by the Almoravids and the subsequent refusal to pay their due Parias, Emperador Ramon Berenguer II is furious. He issues a blanket letter of marque to all private citizens of Catalonia to raid Almoravid vessels at whim ro seize by force wealth owed to Iberia from the swindling, dishonorable saracens to the south. With this in mind he seeks to rebuild his father’s fleets larger and more powerful than before. Studying the captured and borrowed ships from the recent war, the Royal Shipyard of Barcelona adopts the most decisive technologies into their own designs. Larger, more well defended fore and aft castles become commonplace, with some ships built with oar-catchers, bronze blades that follow the protruding bows to improve their effectiveness in breaking enemy oars. Production of new ships resumes in earnest with a goal of reaching a fleet of 100 ships by 1105. This royal fleet shall serve at the whim of Ramon Berenguer and shall serve as both merchant marine and navy in times of war and peace. On land, the great resettlement of the new Kingdom of Valencia continues. Many thousands of loyal crusader peasants from across Occitania are granted plots as Sargamentals in the mountainous regions of the interior. In these regions the men are trained on long yew-bows, similar to those brought by the Anglish crusaders some years prior. To the north, in Catalonia proper, every third man of the Sagramentals is to carry a yew-bow with the others wielding powerful crossbows. The settlement of these men reinvigorates the economies of these hard-hit regions, and creates pockets of armed, loyal, locals who would oppose rebellion by the muslims in the region. A messenger is sent to Roger I of Sicily to negotiate a marriage between his daughter Felicia and Ramon-Berenguer. (Italo-Norman Response) The new game Checkers spread quickly from Nice to Barcelona where Emperador Ramon Berenguer II takes to playing the game with his attendants when he must weigh decisions. His adoption of the game leads to a rise in its popularity among the nobility and merchant classes.
  • Bertrard of Tolouse and his father Raymond will augment the law code within their nation in addition to Salian law of the Kingdom of France
  • Sicily Dip: Count Roger I of Sicily agrees to a marriage between Felicia and Ramon-Berenguer

• Norway: Now it is the dawn of the twelfth century. This year sees an increase of urbanization in the kingdom. The Faroe islands sees an increase in whaling, and their products are sold to markets in Iceland, Norway, the British isles and western Europe. Far far in the west, in the greenalndic colonies, 20 people are sent from iceland to fortify Stramfjord. But while the colonies of the west stagnate, the kingdom sees economic growth like never before. Norway is a stable kingdom thus far, However, a revolt lead by a rebellious icelandic chief is quickly put down. The cheiftan would be executed, but everyone else was left unharmed. Was this hubris or intelligence? Who knows.
• Goryeo Dynasty: The greatfull Liao Emperor Daozong has been mercifully respectfull of Goryean sovreignity and accepted the formal end to tribute from Goryeo to their lands. This news reliefs Emperor Sukjong who was fearing a possible attack due to the news of unaffordability of tribute to the Liao emperor. War being very much unwanted with the current state of the Goryeo army,defences and economy. As Uicheon is busy with persuading the Goryeo nobility to have the Royal mint, a task given to him by his older brother and emperor Sukjong. Sukjong giving this job to his brother as he was the one who proposed the plan and learned about the economic benefits of coinage when he visited the Song dynasty. With this job being handed to Uicheon Sukjong was able to focus on more pressing issue's regarding Goryeo's sovreignity, defence and even culture. (begin secret) Sukjong thus orders the continuation of the secret recruitment of the 10.000 "paraders" and "dancers" under Yun Gwan. These soldiers being specialy taught to do dance,traditional archery, parade and do battle drill. Allthough it does take long for Yun Gwan to finalise what exact skills these soldiers need for the parades and festival. This causing makes it so he runs behind of shedule having only recruited 1.000 of the 3.000 that were expected in the first year. Allthough the expectation on the troops their archery has been far beyond of what was expected of them, the soldiers mostly learning traditional lightly armoured archery. Allthough this is not ideal for defence of the Cheolli Jangseong, this different aproach being needed as to hide the true intention of these soldiers. This addeptation does make these soldiers excelent in non conventional battle with high mobility and lower mortility rate. While another side effect of the secret nature of this expansion is the increased needs for festive banners and pennants by the soldiers, being a 700% increase in banners and signaling for these units compared to regular army units(end secret). Mainwhile on the southern coast of Goryeo the city of Seungjumok requests to the emperor if he can arange for troops to defend her coasts and islands. Thus Sukjong requests to the Island Vassal of Tamna if they could spare any soldiers for the defence of the city (Player/Mod response).
• Kingdom of Sweden: With the dawn of the 12th century now ahead of us,the kingdom celebrates the first year of the 12th century with a big festival in Stockholm and Gustavia. The king himself participates in the festivites,having declined to have his own in the royal palace. At the festival the king walks around chatting with local farmers and all such from the lower class. After this he travels to Åbo where he orders two new cities to be founded in Sigismundia, Sigisfors(Otl Helsinki) and Eriksson(otl Vaasa). These two cities quikly become the biggest in filand,with several thousand swedes and natives moving there. I december 1100 the population of helsinki is noted at 10000,this promts the king to send addional funds for constructing walls,farms and and schools.A road system between Åbo,Sigisfors and Eriksson is planned,with work being already commencing. one day when the king is in council,he is approached by a man claiming to be from a region his people call karelia,he says he represents a small tribe and asks the king for ptotection against foreign enemies. The king offers to make them a protectorate or a vassal of sweden with similiar status to Sapmi and värmland(Mod response for approval needed)
  • The tribes of south Karelia agree to a protectorate but not a direct vassalage right now
• County of Sicily: The Byzantine Emperor’s attack on the Norman holdings in Greece even as Bohemond of Taranto and a Norman host fight the Muslims for Christ and the Byzantines shocks and infuriates the Normans in Sicily. With Bohemond being Roger’s nephew, Roger views the betrayal as a personal one against his own family. In response to this betrayal, Roger begins assembling an army to aid his nephew and his fellow Normans in Greece. Roger summons his vassals and their retinues while also calling upon the Norman peasantry to begin fulfilling their feudal duties. Roger also assembles his fleet to carry his host into Greece and aid Bohemond. Messengers are dispatched to Bohemond in Anatolia, asking him if he requires aid and if so where should Roger and his army rendezvous with him. He also encourages Bohemond to keep all lands conquered in Anatolia for himself, claiming that the Byzantine’s attack on the Normans fighting for him has voided any oath made to return said lands to Alexios. [MOD RESPONSE NEEDED]. Norman pirates are also unleashed into the Aegean and Adriatic Sea, with Roger issuing his own letters of marque for all pirates based in Sicily to begin raiding Byzantine holdings in Greece. Roger also sends a messenger to the Pope in Rome, asking him to formally denounce the Byzantine attacks on the Norman crusader’s holdings in Greece, and calling for attacks on the Byzantines by all crusaders [PAPAL RESPONSE NEEDED].
  • Bohemond asks Sicily for any assistence they can provide to defend Albania, while he focuses on Greece
• Kingdom of England: Now is the 3rd full year of the reign of King Godwin "Scyling" of England and Denmark. He is the second member of House Godwin to hold England and the first to hold Denmark. He has many siblings: Edmund, who is married to Margaret of Wessex and is unlanded; Magnus, Marklord of Wales, who is married to Gwenlian ferch Bleddyn thus forming an alliance with Gwynedd; Gytha, who is married to Alan mab Konan de Rennes; Gunhild, who is married to Lǫgmaðr Guðrøðarson, Harold, Earl of Northumbria (1066 and married to Anna of Durham) and Ulf, who is unwed (1067). Godwin is married to Princess Sigrid Svendsdatter of Denmark and has sired many children through her: Edwin, Aetheling of Denmark and England (b. 1070), who is wed to Margrethe Skjalmsdatter Hvide; Wulfstan (1072), Earl of East Anglia, who is unwed; Eadgyth, Queen of Jerusalem (1075), who is wed to Robert Scalio. The population of England is roughly 2 million, with most of the population being centered around Winchester and London. Though the majority of the people in England are of Anglo-Saxon descent, there is a sizable Scandinavian population, especially in regions once under the control of the Danelaw. There are also a number of Britons, especially along the Welsh and Scottish borders as well as in Cornwall. Though the monarchy of England is more-or-less absolute, the Witenagemot is a folkmoot of secular and clergymen who advise the king, discuss legislation, and hold judicial hearings should the need arise. If the reigning monarch were to die, the new one will be chosen among the eligible Æthelings in England, though they typically choose members of the deceased monarch’s family. Godwin is popular throughout England, especially among the thanes. In Denmark, he reigns with an iron fist, allied to the remaining Estridsens and the English lords he has introduced to replace rebellious nobles. The worst revolts have petered out, though they do still happen and likely will for some time. Though Godwin maintains alliances with those in his family as well as with the sons of Ælfgar of Mercia, tensions are known to run between earls from the north and south of England. Right now, the sons of Morcar squabble over their father's realm. The region was split among three heirs and their hatred for each other seems to keep an otherwise powerful vassal otherwise occupied. The construction of castles in Normandy is met with concern in England. The construction of new castles begins in Kent and Sussex. These fortifications bolster those already built after the 1067 Norman invasion. However, a large fraction of England's resources are going into Wales, where Godwin is now firmly in control of allocating holdings. Knowing concessions to the Mercians will have to be made in order to keep their attention focused on themselves, Godwin allows most of Osbeorn's choices for marklords and thanes. Harold Haroldson is notably upset with his father's choice. Magnus spends this year chasing down guerilla fighters, though notes a fair number of fighting men fled to the north. Plans to pursue them are drafted late in the year, but will not be carried out until next year. The English economy sees intense growth as the back-to-back disasters seem to have subsided. A man with an anxiety disorder in a hovel in Lincoln becomes convinced he has stopped these natural disasters through the power of prayer and nervous tics. He goes on to found one of several Lincoln-based companies that form the bedrock for commerce in the town moving forward. Though traditional guilds do not exist in England, associations of artisans, craftsmen, and traders have existed in some form or other since the distant days of the Roman occupation of Britain. The era of the Crusades, however, has opened new avenues of trade for England and the Carolingian-feudal business practices of the merchant class are making their ways into England. This has also led to many merchants adopting the French method of currency division, i.e. the division of the pound into 20 coins. Since the time of Offa of Mercia, England has divided the pound by 12 coins, a practice that is still used by the overwhelming majority of her merchants. In Denmark, the situation is virtually the same - the Danish Pund uses the archaic division of 1/12. Currency and trade are not the only things being revolutionized by this brave new era - the cog is becoming more prevalent along North Sea trade routes. Though the ship has been in use for centuries, the cog becomes increasingly common. Descended from the knarr, the cog is primarily a trade-based ship. In times of war, however, the longship will remain almost exclusively used. The English Drake, which is also used frequently in trading, proves to be the most suitable for war for the next century or so. Armor will also see a radical change this century. Though many artistic depictions show the Anglo-Saxons wielding a myriad of different arms and armor, the earliest-known guide on the dress and uniform of the Cynewarden, or kingly guard (cyne meaning "kingly" + weardian meaning "warden or guard"). Also known as the royal housecarls, the Cynewarden are a highly-trained regiment of soldiers under the king's direct employ. In the 12th century, the average Cynewarden is expected to have an Anglohelm - a pointed skull helm with iron cheek guards, a nasal guard, and typically brass trimmings with camail in back (It resembles the Coppergate Helm). The Cynewarden is expected to have a halsberg (cognate of hauberk) extending to the knees. Over this halsburg is a red surcoat, emblazoned with the golden wyvern of the Godwins. The Cynewarden also carry kite shields, again adopted from Norman practices. They carried spears, with a sword in a decorative sheath on their hips. Though Harold II made extensive use of his personal housecarls, the Cynewarden are known for accompanying Godwin Scyling nearly everywhere, especially on his trips to Denmark. Red-coated will become synonymous with English soldiers, but it truly begins with the reign of Godwin Scyling and his crimson Cynewardens. The marriage of Eadgyth to Robert Scalio takes place this year with Godwin Scyling sending money, supplies, and partygoers to make the wedding truly a lively one.
• Kievan Rus: Following the victory at Amaseia, King Monomakh and his allies Steppe Allies move on the city of Zela pressing their advantage. The Steppe warriors screen the army using hit and run tactics on the flanks of the Seljuks whittling them down (Algo needed). From Across the Taurus Mountains Demyan Ivanovich leads an army 22,000 strong made up of the Chorni Klobuky and Druzhina, and Voyi (Armenian and Rus Levies). Demyan takes the pass by which the River Pyramus flows into Cappadocia WIth the Druzhina Spearman steadily leading the way while Voyi and Chonri Klobuky shower the enemy with arrows from behind, The Army makes their way up to Komana (Algo Needed).
• Kingdom of Hungary: King Coloman, satisfied with a year of peace and stability, would now turn his attention towards the people within his realm. Desiring a more homogenous Kingdom that would be stable, following his rule and his dynasty loyally. For this he would turn to Transylvania and its mixed population of Magyars and Pechenegs and the Vlachs. Immediately new decrees would be passed that would see the establishment of Magyarization policies and activities. Resulting in the making of national holidays regarding the establishment of the Hungarian Kingdom and Principality. December 25, 1000, crowning of the Holy King Stephen I, will be made a holiday but due to the Birth of our Lord, it shall be postponed until December 26th and last until December 30th. The 4 days of festivities will include 2 days of parades and open bazaars and markets but the opening day will be a day of solemness and prayer towards the Holy Saint-King Stephen. The last day will be yet another banquet but joyous and happy. The other holiday will be on July 3rd and last for 4 days, exactly the same as the Saint Stephen Festival but be the Grand Prince Arpad Festival, celebrating the first Grand Prince and the man who led the Hungarian state to be. These festivals will be throughout the nation. However, it will also be that Hungarian foods and customs and traditions will be spread throughout modern Slovakia and Transylvania, not Croatia and Dalmatia yet. This being to not anger the Croatian nobility and simply Magyarize certain regions at a time. (Mod request on how these policies are working to help diffuse Magyar culture). However Coloman will also parade with his Royal House Guard throughout major cities of Hungary, Croatia, and Dalmatia. Parading through his realm and being charitable, but not straining the treasury much. Showing his benevolence and aiming to secure Loyalties of his people and nobility. (Mod request as well). The final act of King Coloman this year will be to improve trade and the economy of the state. This will see the Kingdom invest in the trading of Fiume, Split, and the capital. Port cities along the Danube will and major cities on the Adriatic will see relaxed trade restrictions and a 10% reduction on all export tax, promoting the exportation of goods from Hungary to others. Goods such as grain and heavy-agricultural products will see an increase in tariff by over 50% to encourage the exportation of food and self-sufficiency of the Kingdom, which is already quite high. A 5% lowering tariff for metals will ensue as well.

1101

This year is a binary number that represents "12" in decimal or "C" in hexidecimal. That has nothing to do with the time period, but I thought that was kind of cool.

After an inconclusive battle in Euobea between Bohemond and the Byzantine admiral Eustathios, the Byzantines offer the Italian Normans unrestricted naval and economic access to Greece if they allow the Komneans to annex Albania

Duke William III of Normandy sends his army to invade Aquitaine in an ambitious attempt to expand Norman influence to the western coast of France. Duke William IX forms an alliance with Count Fulk IV of Anjou and Count Stephen of Blois, to oppose this attack

Many nobles in France, who were too late to participate in the Crusade of Jerusalem, prepare a new ad hoc Crusade of their own to fight for Demyan and Robert Scalio in Anatolia

The Republic of Genoa offers to loan ships to begin creating a mercenary fleet for the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

Jimena Diaz, the widow of El Cid, becomes a prominent noblewoman who asks to inherit the County of Ibiza.

Miracles begin to be reported from the grave of King Canute IV of Denmark, as a local cult of the Estridsen dynasty forms around this saintly figure.

Countess Mathilda of Tuscany invades the Free City of Ferrara with a coalition of Italian forces.

Castle Schlossburg in Germany is established, seat of the Count of Berg.

• Khalilid Egypt: Sultan Abdul-Madjid continues with his efforts to rebuild Egypt from the civil war that had taken place a few years prior. The utmost priority would be to restore the productivity of the fertile land along the Nile River and also to promote trade as it passes through the Red Sea into the Mediterranean. The growing presence of the Kingdom of Jerusalem along Egypt’s eastern border has become too great a threat to be ignored and so the Sultan has ordered the construction of fortifications within the Gaza region. The policies of the Fatimid’s are continued especially in regards to meritocratic advancement through the government regardless of religion though loyalty remains a huge factor. The naval arsenal at Fustat is put to work once more with the objective of establishing a navy with special estates being set aside for taxes to generate the necessary revenue. Some of the special estates are also dedicated to the farming of trees to produce timber for production considering the lack of access to Mount Lebanon for timber. An order is also placed to the Almoravids for the purchase of wooden casks (Almoravid Response).
• County of Sicily: Having received messengers from Bohemond requesting assistance to defend Albania, Roger prepares to embark with an army of 6,000 men to fight the Byzantines there. However, whilst making final preparations Roger, already 70 years old at this point and exhausted by the preparations, dies in his sleep. The death of Roger halts all military preparations, and plans for a military expedition to Albania are quietly shelved, with Norman lords and levies allowed to return to their estates and homes. The life of the old Norman warlord is a tale of conquest, as his descendants and family now rule portions of Sicily, Italy and the Holy Land while the Normans have established themselves firmly in the Mediterranean. His body is interned in a benedictine monastery in the countryside, and his funeral is presided over by the new Archbishop of Palermo. Upon Roger’s death, his firstborn son, the eight year old Simon de Hauteville, is crowned the new Count of Sicily, with his mother Adelaide del Vasto as Regent. Despite the new Count’s young age and inexperience, his mother is able to secure his rule relatively easily. Her husband, Roger, was well liked by most of the island’s nobles and the populace, and the Hauteville name commands a great deal of loyalty throughout the Normans in Sicily. A number of other influential non-Normans also loyal to the Hautevilles back Simon’s crowning, including the Norman governor or “Emir” of Palermo, the Greek convert Christodulus. In addition, the support of her husband’s two greatest friends and political allies, Ceneric Grosvenor and Albert de Pomeroy, themselves powerful Norman lords in Sicily, gives her son enough military strength to overcome any potential challenge to his throne. The combination of loyalty to her husband and the support of two powerful lords allows Simon to inherit the throne easily with his mother as regent. As gratitude for their support Simon’s brother, Roger II, is sent to train and live under Ceneric, while Simon is trained under Albert. In Syracuse, Roger II is tutored by Muslim and Greek philosophers and teachers, learning Arabic, Greek along with Muslim and Greek philosophy. He is trained in military tactics by Ceneric, who teaches him traditional Norman styles of warfare and military tactics.
  • Emperor Alexios honors his word to give unrestricted trade and naval access to Greece to the Italian Normans
• Kingdom of Jerusalem: Last year, the city of Ayla had surrendered without a fight, Robert had paraded through the city with many of his men in a show of force, and Christian adminstrators were appointed to not only rule Ayla, but also other cities in the subjugated Oultrejordain. With the subjugation complete, he returns again to Jerusalem, where Queen Eadgyth and the court receive the return. Richard of Salerno, the seneschal, dies this year of a recurrence of pneumonia and his deputy, Attropius, is passed over for Baldric. Baldric had not been with Robert Scalio's army, he had been with Godfrey of Bouillon's, but he had proved himself trustworthy and a wise counsel. The death of Roger I and the cancellation of the Sicilian invasion of Albania is disappointing. Bohemond will most likely not be able to succeed against the Byzantines, so Robert Scalio writes to him insisting that he make peace. Robert had hoped to launch an invasion of Cyprus, while the Byzantines were occupied with fighting back their enemies in Greece and Anatolia, now it seems that will not happen. Even though war will not happen, the ban on any Byzantine traders in the Kingdom still stands, and Jerusalem in turn will not partake in any trading with the ports of Greece. The Byzantines essentially must be starved of trade, and in turn, influence. This year is significant in the formation and organisation of the Kingdom, as the four seigneuries, or vassals, are established. Tancred, Robert's half-nephew, becomes the Prince of Galilee. Robert himself becomes the Count of Jaffa and Ascalon, Rotrou III becomes the Lord of Sidon. And Hugh of Faquembergues becomes the Lord of Oultrejordain, after Ilger Bigod had passed on the offer. Many other Crusader princes and lords become rulers of sub-vassals as well, if they had not been before. On the Seventh of July of this year, Queen Eadgyth gives birth to a son in the Tower of David. The future king is named Roger, partly in honor of his great-uncle who had died a month previous. Robert does not get involved in the Anatolian crusade viewing Demyan Ivanovich as too defiant and power-hungry as if he were to wish to supplant Jerusalem's position. This disappoints many of the late-arriving Crusaders, but the King's position still stands. They are allowed to go to Anatolia but they are not sponsored by the king. Instead he orders more castles to be built, primarily in Galilee, on the border with Egypt, and in Oultejordain. The offer of Genoa, concerning a loaned fleet, is accepted. Genoa is also granted special trading privileges, the only city with that privilege in the northern half of Italy. The importance of the lords also grows, this year they begin to convene in a sort of council, which will be called the Haute Cour.
• Kievan Rus: Having wintered in Comana following his successful crossing of the Taurus Mountains Demyan Ivanovich prepares for the new campaigning seasons. It is here that Demyan Ivanovich takes a liking to a young Armenian girl by the Raqel (1085) who he takes as his mistress. Hearing word of new arrivals from the lands of the Franks, and of the refusal of King Robert of Jerusalem to send aid the Rus Warlord mockingly jokes to his men "Let the Skirt Chasing King of the Jews hide behind his walls, he dishonors his Forefathers who were men of glory and war. We the Varyag fear not death for we are led by our great leader Monomakh the King of the Rus. Now we ride to avenge our Greek allies and free our new Armenian friends from the Desert Heathens." He follows this up by addressing the many Frankish nobles who now join his ranks, welcome my Crusading brothers let us march against our foe and show them our Iron will and boundless Faith, For god, and for Glory!!!!!" To this he is met with a roaring war cry that shakes the ground and fills the mountains Cappadocian highlands. Demyan Ivanovich at the head of 22,000 men marches on Caesarea using war wagons from which his archers may fire upon any oncoming Turks taking advantage of the Mountainous terrain and using intelligence from local supporters among the Armenian community to determine the location the Turks. He sends word to King Monomakh to strike hard from the North so to completely surround and break the Army of the Seljuks in Anatolia. Monomakh getting wind of the envoy agrees and hastily sends out his Steppe Nomads to encircle the enemy from the North carrying out hit and run tactics to weaken the resolve of the seljuks, meanwhile Monomakh and his feared veterans ready to act as smiting Hand of God against the enemies of the Holy Church (Algo Needed). Following the decisive defeat of the Seljuks of Rum at Caesarea, Demyan sends a secret envoy to Alexios in Constantinople, advising him that the Greeks have been avenged, and he pledges his undying loyalty to the cause of the restoration of Constantinople's authority in Anatolia offering his services to Emperor Alexios as his man in Eastern Anatolia in exchange for some lands for him and his men, proposing overseeing the reorganization of the Armeniac Themes and commiting to dleaing with the Turks in Anatolia, and helping the Emperor contest growing Norman influence in the Byzantine Empire (Mod Response required). Prince Demyan Ivanovich, and King Monomakh of Kiev move south to Jerusalem to complete their pilgrimage to the holy land following years of heavy fighting. Demyan and his men all consent to being baptized once more in Lake Tiberius by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem as a demonstration of their Piety, he also begs for forgiveness from King Robert of Jerusalem (Jerusalem Response).
  • Jerusalem: King Robert I accepts the apology of Demyan Ivanovich this time, and says that he should be more pious now due to his baptism.
  • Emperor Alexios will grant the Armeniac theme up to a border following the road south of Gangra and Aemasia
• Hashemites: It has been a few years since the defeat of the Muslims and the cessesion of the holy land. And yet, there is still anger at the Christians, a wish to free Jerusalem where the Prophet Muhhamad, peace be upon him, ascended to heaven. But the Hejaz and the Islamic world in general isn’t in a place to liberate the cities. The Islamic world is too fractured. The Hejaz itself may be powerful, but not powerful enough. Qasim ibn Abi Hashim sends an Offer to the Bedouins north of Yemen. Submit to the Emir in Mecca, and offer cooperation in exchange for autonomy. (Mod Response) Now he sends offers to the scholars and scribes in the Levant who haven’t left for Egypt yet to come to the Holy cities Mecca and Medina in the hopes that they can contribute to our development. (Mod Response) Speaking of Egypt… (Secret) Emir Qasim ibn Abi Hashim states to the sultan of Egypt that the Islamic world must cooperate in the face of Christian expansionism. As the Seljuiks are infighting, the Beys of Rum falling and the Almoravids being too far away, he states that Egypt and Hejaz must cooperate in order to expel the Christians. (Secret over) Qasim sets his sights to the rich merchants of Yemen, but time will await..
  • The Shia Sultan of Sana' tells the Emir to stop capping
  • Scholars of Aleppo and Damascus come to Mecca
  • The entire Asir region will follow the Emir as long as their local Sufi traditions are honored
  • Your traditions will indeed be left alone.
• Kingdom of Sweden: The king celebrates the birth of son Sigismund this year with a tour of Sigismundia. He visits The cities of Sigisfors and Eriksson the two largest cities in Sigismundia. Following this he inaguarates the road system between the three cities in a large ceremony in Sigisfors. After this trip he travels to the Karelian protectorate enclave. It takes him several days to reach it as he and his entourage has to pass through unexplored territory untill they finely reach Onegaborg. Here king Sigismund is welcomed by the local chief who talks about the relationship and the possibilty of establishing the swedish army in finland. The king says that he will consider it. The three cities of Finland sees a rapid expansion of land as many small villages are founded in the outskirts of them. With the great wall of Sigisfors being halfway complete, King Sigismund issues a letter which establishes Sigisfors as the capital of the entirity of Sigismundia. A new expedition in Sigismundia leads to the city of Esbo being founded here. This small city serves as farming village, being responsible for the food deliver to Sigisfors. After the kings return to Sweden the king continues his policies as usual.
• Papal States: The Holy Father Paschal II becomes very focused on the situation in the Near East, particularly concerning the tense relationship between the Normans and Greeks. The enthusiasm for a new Crusade against the Turks poses a special opportunity for bringing the Christian kingdoms against a common enemy, in order to maintain the Pax Dei championed by Pope Urban. However, the Italian clergy has been increasingly wary of the influence the Rus have across Eastern Europe at this point, and their loose relationship with the Church in Rome established by Pope Gregory VII. Many reports had come from Armenia and Kiev of the continued presence of paganism and their influence in the Eastern Rite. In order to save political face among the Mediterranean powers, and for the sake of purity of the Church, Pope Paschal makes a stand. Pope Paschal II sternly reprimands Prince Damian for his words against the King of Jerusalem. His own domain of Armenia, ruled by the Slavic Crusaders, are filled with unbaptized pagans and nominal Christians outside of the Universal Roman Church. The Pope demands Prince Damian cleans up the piety of his own nation before seizing more territory, or face further discipline (Kiev response). The Pope continues to manage the Churches in various other nations. Bishops are appointed for the newly-organized Catholic diocese in Valencia and Mallorca. A new Cathedral is constructed in France called the Church of Notre-Dame de Nice. In regards to Anatolia, the Pope calls for a new Crusade following up from the success of the First Crusade, with the stated goal of destroying the Sultanate of Rum. This new conflict known as the "Crusade of 1101" was given leadership to various parties simultaneously, as Pope Paschal expected their organization to be more organic than the First Crusade. Count Stephen of Blois is given command of the French army of nobles arriving to the region, joining forces with the current Norman army led by Bohemond of Taranto. The other Crusader states already in the region, namely the Byzantine Empire, Principality of Armenia, and Kingdom of Jerusalem, are also allies of this expedition, hoping to press the Sultanate from multiple sides. In regards to Scandinavia, the Holy Father recognizes the local cults in veneration for the saintly kings of the previous generation. The Pope officially canonizes Canute IV of Denmark and Edward III of England as both Saints (England response). This action comes with Paschal's ongoing efforts of gathering more support among the clergy in England, through his trusted ally Acosta of Canterbury.
  • A reluctant Demyan sends a response to Rome recognizing the authority of the Rome over the Mother church in its entirety. He then proceeds to rant for 10 pages about the the piety of not only himself but his men as well who have bravely and loyally fought for god From the Don river to the walls of Constantinople where it was he and his brother who faithfully pushed back the Hordes of Chaka Bey, alongside the brave Bohemod of Taranto who Demyan considers nothing short of a brother in arms. He professes his sincerest apologies and promises that he is liberating the lands of his fellow christians not taking any for himself noting that he has pledged himself to Constantin of Armenia, and to aid the cause of Robert of Jerusalem who he pledges to visit this year to fullfill his own pilgrimage to Jerusalem. He finalizes the letter pledging his unwavering support to crusade and promises to aid the crusaders in Anatolia following a little rest.
  • While the Pope appreciates that, he still demands Demyan purges paganism out of Armenia
• Order of the Holy Sepulchre: Under the leadership of Custodian Fulcher of Chartres and Patriarch Arnulf of Chocques, the Order of the Holy Sepulchre continue its efforts to protect the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Kingdom of Jerusalem. With the construct of the Order's new fortress at Tyre, the protection of the pilgrims arriving at this city becomes more easy. A group of Milites Sancti Sepulcri will stay permanently stationed at Tyre and will escort the pilgrims to Jerusalem. When needing to return to Tyre, the Milites stationed at Jerusalem will escort them. The number of pilgrims increased, with the largest numbers arriving to participate at the celebrations of the Holy Week and of the Feast of the Cross. The great number of pilgrims make the number of places for them to decrease. Due to that, the Order decides to established houses where pilgrims can rest for free. Seeing the necessity of the expansion of the Order to help protect the other Crusader states, a letter is sent to all the crusader states asking for permition to establish branches of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre in their territories [MOD response needed, please]. A letter is also sent to the Rus leadership in Armenia asking to establish a branch of the Order there too [Rus response needed, ]. Canon Teobald of Bari become famous in Jerusalem due to his acts of charity and piety, being common to see him giving alms for the poor of the city. Many pilgrims return to Europe talking about him.
  • Demyan welcomes the order and welcome them with open arm welcoming them into his lands.
  • The Crusader states are all positive towards the idea
• Poland: King Zbigniew "the Young", now in the sixteenth year of his reign, continues the centralization of Poland proper, which he governs with the support of local nobility. Zbigniew, who came to power after the death of his uncle Boleslaw II in 1085, had spent much of his youth preparing to govern. While he is not personally an especially competent military commander, Zbigniew is well-known for his popularity with the people of Poland, his affable nature, and his erudite and faithful dedication to the Catholic faith. What he lacks in military prowess is made up for by his close friendship with Duke Boleslaw of Mazovia, the king's half-brother and a renowned warrior in his own right. In Silesia, Zbigniew has reinvigorated the nobility's loyalty to the crown by recently ousting his former regent, the count palatine Sieciech who had been oppressive to that region. In the early part of the year, Lambert III, the Bishop of Krakow and a cardinal, dies peacefully. Archbishop Martin of Gniezno appoints his successor, a bellicose and zealous priest named Casimir. This is seen by many as an attempt to finally secure the majority of the bishoprics in Poland in favor of subduing the heathens in the north, a long-time goal of the Archbishop. Zbigniew gathers his council together, after reading a message that the council of bishops had sent to him related to fighting the Slavic heathens along the Baltic Sea. Duke Boleslaw, the king's marshal, and Archbishop Martin convince Zbigniew that God wills the conquest and Christianization of the population of Slavs. Zbigniew prepares an army and declares war on the Pomeranian heathens. The army, 17,500 strong under the leadership of Boleslaw, marches to Biologard, a prominent Pomeranian village in Kashubia. Comprised of nobles, castellans, and knights as well as serfs and peasants, the army is inspired by tales of crusade in the Holy Land, and many seeking to do their own part to spread Christendom (ALGO request). As the year draws to a close, Zbigniew and his wife, a Silesian noblewoman named Agnes, find out that she is pregnant - and Zbigniew is hopeful that the new year will bring a male heir to join his family.
• House Barcelona: Felicia of Sicily and Emperador Ramon Berenguer II are wed in the Cathedral of Barcelona. With this union, the two bring the Norman County in Sicily and House Barcelona into an alliance at sea. The naval raids against Almoravid cargos continue as a means to collect the owed Paria. The profits from this piracy is paid forward in accordance with the Treaty of Caudet but pales in comparison to the wealth paid before the Almoravids’ broke their word and branded themselves liars. Leveraging the new friendly ports in Sicily and with access to the Sardinian market, Catalan merchants begin operating further east in the western Mediterranean. These merchants act as intermediaries with their Italian and Norman counterparts, buying luxuries from the holy land from these other merchants for sale across Spain, Southern France, and in some cases even further afield in England and Northern France. Trade up the Ebro valley is quite profitable and the nation's agricultural output grows with the adoption of more Andalusian agronomics. The promulgation of the modified Usetges of Ramon continues across the Catalan Counties, with Ramon meeting directly with his vassals to introduce, convince, and coerce them into the adoption of the legal code. Generally this process goes smoothly with limited local pushback. As the economy rebounds from the war, the fleet is once again to be expanded. The rate of shipbuilding picks up again, and a new development, the Oar-Catcher bow, becomes commonplace among these vessels. A great many vessels are completed this year, well in line with the goal of 100 by 1105. Jimena Diaz, the widow of El Cid, is granted non-lineal title to the Island of Eivissa as Countess of Eivissa. After her death the county will return to the crown, to be distributed as the residence of future Marshalls of House Barcelona so as to honor the service of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, El Campeador.
• Goryeo Dynasty: While performing some calming archery in one of Gaegyeong palaces, Emperor Sukjong recieves news of a diplomatic incident caused by cultural misunderstanding by the Jeollado governor against a foreign envoy and merchant. This Tashi merchant being accidently given takju (濁酒) a drink which has happymaking spirit which the merchant explains he cannot drink by his Buddha. His Budha being able to punish him for drinking drinks with the happy spirits and send him into a place of ethernal fire and pain. Thus the local official as to save the merchant from the wrath of his Budha gives the merchant a small peasant shack, some carpets and some rice. This all in the hope that he will not tell ill of the govenor and the heavenly emperor Sukjong. Other news Uicheon is slowly able to convince more and more nobles to allow for a centralised royal mint and coinage. The munk trying convince people with the economic benefit and the increase of taxes that they can do. (Start secret) Yun Gwan begins to see more and more results in the secret training compared to the disappointing results of a year earlie. Yun Gwan now having recruited and trained a further 4.000 soldiers to total 5.000 of the 10.000 required soldiers (end secret). Mainwhile in the city of Seungjumok, they once again request extra defence from emperor Sukjong against piracy. Thus Sukjong once more asks Tamna for 500 soldiers as part of their duty as a vassal (Mod/player response).

Archives List
11th Century	12th Century	13th Century
1066-1069 1070-1079 1080-1089 1090-1099	1100-1109 1110-1119 1120-1129 1130-1149
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