ShadesWolf
04-11-2003, 20:14
MY latest guide/ story will be the Turks, I thought I would do something different so I have started with the story first, and as with the english, it is set in the high era. However, this one doesnt start until 1220, so the first few paragraphs are the introduction and setting the seen.....
Please enjoy http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Setting the scene
Aybak II stood in his palace in Rum; he was 24 and was the Sultan on the Turkish Empire.
Aybaks had little understanding of the powers that rule our daily lives, he had noticed the places of worship that the true believers prayed in, but this did not influence him, he was not aware of their correct purpose.
Aybak had proved himself a competent commander by his decisions on the battlefield and this made him stand out. He had a rudimentary grasp of reading and writing. He exudes charm and smiles easily, but there are stories of his past that hide darker deeds, however, there is no evidence to back up the suspicions.
The realm he rules is regarded with respect and not a little envy. Small factions follow his lead, but it will take a little more effort to make major powers bend to his will. Aybak II has the opportunity, due to his age, to go down in history as the greatest of all the Turkish leaders…….
INTRODUCTION
The fall of the Seljuk Empire, around 1190, left a void in Anatolia. The empire split into a number of independent factions, all fighting for control over a vast land mass. One of these factions were the Turks of Rum, known as Iconiums. Sultan Aybak I, came to the thrown of the kingdom in 1195 at the age of 38. Albek was a well educated man and under this reign the empire came to include the provinces of Anatolia, Rum and Armenia.
The stability of the area was destroyed in 1205 with the fragmentation of the Byzantine Empire. Latin crusaders occupied their capital in Constantinople and the empire fell into turmoil. The empire was let holding the independents Byzan states of Nicea, Lesser Armenia and Georgia.
The Sultan took this opportunity to thrust the final nail into his old foe coffin , he knew the capture of Constantinople would place him in an almost unbeatable position. The game was afoot. For 15, long, years he fought the enemy. First the independent territory of Trezobond fell to the Turkish Empire, however, this would later rebel. From there he marched into Nicea, the new heart of the Byzan empire, the army quickly retreated to the castle.
The Byzan emperor had noticed the Turkish troops amassing on his borders and chose not to meet the threat, instead he invaded Greece and then Bulgaria. From Nicea the Turkish army marched onto Constantinople to fight the rebels. A small force was left sieging the castle in Nicea.
By 1215 the castle in Constantinople was about to fall when a Byzantine army marched into the province and attacked the sieging army. The outcome of the battle was a disaster for Aybak I and his 624 man army, as he was captured along with 118 of his men. 147 routed and retreated to Nicea. However 358 men were killed thus the outcome was a miraculous victory for the Byzans, who lost 294 men of there 387 man army.
An emissary was sent to Prince Osman, heir to the thrown, requested a large ransom for the release of his father, the king Albek I, however, the money could not be raised, and the Byzans executed Albak I. Prince Osman immediately took the thrown and crowned himself as Sultan, he quickly went about raising an army to invade Constantinople. He ordered Prince Aybak to go to the castle in Rum, to ensure that the heir to the thrown was safe.
Before the Byzantines could recapture the city Latin reinforcements arrived and chased them off. Sultan Osman saw his opportunity and invaded Constantinople, 964 men crossed the border, to engage the rebel army of 900 men, however, unknown to the Sultan a crusading French army had also arrived in Constantinople on its way to Antioch, which had recently fallen to the Egyptians.
The French force joined forces with the Latins, to make a joint army of 1900 men. So the battle began. Osman was outnumbers 2 to 1 but he was still confident. His army was made up of rebel Greeks units and a strong powerful Muslim force including 160 cavalry, 60 archers and 744 foot soldiers.
On surveying the battle field Sultan Osman I could not believe his look as the two Christian army has set-up a long way apart, thus giving him the advantage, his closest foe were the French Crusaders. He first advanced his few archers to open fire on there position, this worked a treat and forced the crusaders to charge the small Turkish line, The Sultan despatch his cavalry to flank the French forced, he then sent his foot soldiers including Saracen Infantry, spearmen and Militia sergeants to engage the enemy, the battle was a close fought one, but as the cavalry got into position and charged into the flank of the French, it turned into route, and the crusaders fled from the battle field.
Next the Sultan turned his army to attack the Latins, this was a much easier fight and they were no match for the superior Turkish army. 1150 Latins and Crusades lay dead, and Osman was on the verge of a exceptional victory, he had lost only 600 of his force, when disaster struck. A Byzantine force under the command of the emperor had also invade Constantinople.
As Osman and his force were moving of the battle field victorious they rushed the unorganised lines of troops, it was a route, the Byzantine Kats smashed through the lines of Turks, these were followed up by Byzantine infantry and archers, there was chaos in the Turkish lines. The emperor, seeing that Sultan Osman had been separated from his bodyguard charged, and massacred him.
A further 185 Turks were killed the remaining army of 179 routed and retreated back to Nicea. In one foul move, Osman had not only defeated the Crusading army of Latins and French, but had lost his life and handed Constantinople on a plate to the Byzantine Empire………
The Byzantine victory was hard fought, they had lost 300 of there army of 450men, The emperor had won the battle, recaptured Constantinople, but had set in motion the vessel of his defeat, it would take him many a year to rebuild his army. His empire was now vast and covered most of Greece, Bulgarian, Serbia, Constantinople, Georgia but the army garrisoning these lands were raw recruits with no battle experience.
The cream of his army had died on the fields of the Constantinople province, the city had been razed and would cost a large amount of money to rebuild, money that the emperor did not have, no Turkish soldiers were taken prisoner, so no ransom could be exhorted. It had been a heavy price for victory, but it had placed the capital of Byzantium back in the Byzantine empires hands.
This is where our story begins, the year is 1220 and Aybak has come to the thrown, the second son on Albak I and the brother of Osman I and now he himself was Sultan, Sultan Aybak II.
Please enjoy http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Setting the scene
Aybak II stood in his palace in Rum; he was 24 and was the Sultan on the Turkish Empire.
Aybaks had little understanding of the powers that rule our daily lives, he had noticed the places of worship that the true believers prayed in, but this did not influence him, he was not aware of their correct purpose.
Aybak had proved himself a competent commander by his decisions on the battlefield and this made him stand out. He had a rudimentary grasp of reading and writing. He exudes charm and smiles easily, but there are stories of his past that hide darker deeds, however, there is no evidence to back up the suspicions.
The realm he rules is regarded with respect and not a little envy. Small factions follow his lead, but it will take a little more effort to make major powers bend to his will. Aybak II has the opportunity, due to his age, to go down in history as the greatest of all the Turkish leaders…….
INTRODUCTION
The fall of the Seljuk Empire, around 1190, left a void in Anatolia. The empire split into a number of independent factions, all fighting for control over a vast land mass. One of these factions were the Turks of Rum, known as Iconiums. Sultan Aybak I, came to the thrown of the kingdom in 1195 at the age of 38. Albek was a well educated man and under this reign the empire came to include the provinces of Anatolia, Rum and Armenia.
The stability of the area was destroyed in 1205 with the fragmentation of the Byzantine Empire. Latin crusaders occupied their capital in Constantinople and the empire fell into turmoil. The empire was let holding the independents Byzan states of Nicea, Lesser Armenia and Georgia.
The Sultan took this opportunity to thrust the final nail into his old foe coffin , he knew the capture of Constantinople would place him in an almost unbeatable position. The game was afoot. For 15, long, years he fought the enemy. First the independent territory of Trezobond fell to the Turkish Empire, however, this would later rebel. From there he marched into Nicea, the new heart of the Byzan empire, the army quickly retreated to the castle.
The Byzan emperor had noticed the Turkish troops amassing on his borders and chose not to meet the threat, instead he invaded Greece and then Bulgaria. From Nicea the Turkish army marched onto Constantinople to fight the rebels. A small force was left sieging the castle in Nicea.
By 1215 the castle in Constantinople was about to fall when a Byzantine army marched into the province and attacked the sieging army. The outcome of the battle was a disaster for Aybak I and his 624 man army, as he was captured along with 118 of his men. 147 routed and retreated to Nicea. However 358 men were killed thus the outcome was a miraculous victory for the Byzans, who lost 294 men of there 387 man army.
An emissary was sent to Prince Osman, heir to the thrown, requested a large ransom for the release of his father, the king Albek I, however, the money could not be raised, and the Byzans executed Albak I. Prince Osman immediately took the thrown and crowned himself as Sultan, he quickly went about raising an army to invade Constantinople. He ordered Prince Aybak to go to the castle in Rum, to ensure that the heir to the thrown was safe.
Before the Byzantines could recapture the city Latin reinforcements arrived and chased them off. Sultan Osman saw his opportunity and invaded Constantinople, 964 men crossed the border, to engage the rebel army of 900 men, however, unknown to the Sultan a crusading French army had also arrived in Constantinople on its way to Antioch, which had recently fallen to the Egyptians.
The French force joined forces with the Latins, to make a joint army of 1900 men. So the battle began. Osman was outnumbers 2 to 1 but he was still confident. His army was made up of rebel Greeks units and a strong powerful Muslim force including 160 cavalry, 60 archers and 744 foot soldiers.
On surveying the battle field Sultan Osman I could not believe his look as the two Christian army has set-up a long way apart, thus giving him the advantage, his closest foe were the French Crusaders. He first advanced his few archers to open fire on there position, this worked a treat and forced the crusaders to charge the small Turkish line, The Sultan despatch his cavalry to flank the French forced, he then sent his foot soldiers including Saracen Infantry, spearmen and Militia sergeants to engage the enemy, the battle was a close fought one, but as the cavalry got into position and charged into the flank of the French, it turned into route, and the crusaders fled from the battle field.
Next the Sultan turned his army to attack the Latins, this was a much easier fight and they were no match for the superior Turkish army. 1150 Latins and Crusades lay dead, and Osman was on the verge of a exceptional victory, he had lost only 600 of his force, when disaster struck. A Byzantine force under the command of the emperor had also invade Constantinople.
As Osman and his force were moving of the battle field victorious they rushed the unorganised lines of troops, it was a route, the Byzantine Kats smashed through the lines of Turks, these were followed up by Byzantine infantry and archers, there was chaos in the Turkish lines. The emperor, seeing that Sultan Osman had been separated from his bodyguard charged, and massacred him.
A further 185 Turks were killed the remaining army of 179 routed and retreated back to Nicea. In one foul move, Osman had not only defeated the Crusading army of Latins and French, but had lost his life and handed Constantinople on a plate to the Byzantine Empire………
The Byzantine victory was hard fought, they had lost 300 of there army of 450men, The emperor had won the battle, recaptured Constantinople, but had set in motion the vessel of his defeat, it would take him many a year to rebuild his army. His empire was now vast and covered most of Greece, Bulgarian, Serbia, Constantinople, Georgia but the army garrisoning these lands were raw recruits with no battle experience.
The cream of his army had died on the fields of the Constantinople province, the city had been razed and would cost a large amount of money to rebuild, money that the emperor did not have, no Turkish soldiers were taken prisoner, so no ransom could be exhorted. It had been a heavy price for victory, but it had placed the capital of Byzantium back in the Byzantine empires hands.
This is where our story begins, the year is 1220 and Aybak has come to the thrown, the second son on Albak I and the brother of Osman I and now he himself was Sultan, Sultan Aybak II.