A History of the Holy Roman Empire: 1080 through the Present

[OverKnight]

Part VII: Chancellor Hans's Term, 1220 - 1240


1220

The Ninth Diet Session opens with news that the Pope has died, and his successor has reconciled the Reich. The candidates for Chancellor are Hans and Ulrich Hummel.

Hans in the Aegean.

Kaiser Henry's final report as Chancellor.

Legislation voted on at the Diet.

Hans wins the Election for Chancellor.

Hans reacts to his victory.

Lothar's secret. The Chronicles of the Illuminati begin, Chapter 1: Genesis, 1220 - 1228

The torch is passed to the next @#$%^&!!! generation.

Chancellor Hans's first report, the Austrian Household Army, led by Count Jonas von Mahren, abandons the siege of Thessalonica and moves west, seeking to return to Ragusa. Duke Gunther von Kastilien besieges Thorn with the Franconian Household Army. Lothar Steffen is ordered to Zagreb with elements of the Bavarian Household Army because a Hungarian Army has been spotted nearby and the Austrians are too occupied in the southeast to attend to the incursion.

An investigation into the "Danish Incident". However, the question of Prinz Jobst's culpability in battle with the Danes continues to plague the Diet.

Duke Friedrich Scherer and the Swabian Household Army assault Paris.

Arnold yearns to crush his enemies, see them driven before him and hear the lamentations of the women.


1222

Budapest and Zagreb are besieged by the Hungarians. The Milanese, despite their truce with the Reich, land a force near Florence. The Second Crusade departs Europe and takes ship to the Holy Land. Thorn is seized and returned to the Empire. Chancellor Hans lands near Constantinople, the Byzantines have taken back the city, but are being threatened by the Hungarians.

Plots within plots.

Count Jonas von Mahren, leading the AHA, engages the Venetian blocking his return to the Reich in the Battle of the Mountain Pass outside Durazzo.


1224

The Hungarians take Zagreb before help can arrive, however they are excommunicated for this action. The Milanese break the truce by laying siege to Florence, but are driven off by local forces. The Austrian Household Army, joined by several young nobles from Ragusa, is now outside Venetian Durazzo.

Chancellor Hans attacks the Hungarians besieging Constantinople, the Byzantines sally out to assist in the Allied Battle for Constantinople.


1226

Denmark is excommunicated, in other Church matters the Reich now controls seven of the twelve postions in the College of Cardinals. The Second Crusade reaches Damascus, but so do the Mongols. Lothar Steffen besieges Zagreb, but most of the Hungarian garrison has already left. Count Jonas von Mahren besieges Durazzo.

The King of Outremer names the first Crusader Counts.

Leopold ponders the Mongols.


1228

The Empire faces two battles over the winter.

The Venetians sally out of Durazzo, and are defeated in a bloody battle where Ehrhart von Mahren, Jonas's son, dies. The loss rattles the Diet.

The Mongols declare war on the Reich, and one of their armies attacks Kaiser Henry's forces northeast of Jerusalem.

The Council of Crusaders considers how to take Damascus, besieged by the Mongols, and deal with the Horde at the same time.

Chancellor Hans moves north from Constantinople and assaults the Hungarian Citadel of Sofia.

Conrad's introduction to Outremer.

Lothar Steffen, still only a Squire, retakes Zagreb. The Chronicles of the Illuminati continue, Chapter 2: The Ansehelm Affair, 1228 - 1230

Jonas comes home.

Duke Leopold leads the Second Crusade against three Mongol Armies in the First and Second Battles of Damascus. Leopold is cut down in the battle, but the Reich is victorious and the Crusade lays siege to Damascus. There is a mix of emotions in the Diet concerning the triumph.

Fredericus reaches a decision.

Leopold's last words to the Council of Crusaders and then their reaction.

King Otto von Kassel vanquishes the last Mongol Army in the Battle of Galilee.

The Mongol Invasion is destroyed in one year after they declare war on the Reich.

Leopold's legacy.

Further information on the "Danish Incident".

Jobst is ambushed.


1230

The Hungarians besiege Sofia but are repelled. The Chancellor begins to decommision some of the military forces in Outremer now that the Mongol threat has passed. Durazzo and a great deal of money is given to the Papacy to renew the old alliance and military access treaty that had been lost during the last excommunication.

The Second Crusade, led by Count Fredericus von Hamburg, assaults Damascus and fulfills its mission. Karl Zirn is named Crusader Count of the city.


1232

Thorn, Budapest and Adana are besieged by the Reich's enemies. Ansehelm von Kastilien drives the Poles from Thorn.

Some in the Diet object to the gift of Durazzo to the Pope.

Conrad learns that drugs are bad.

The death of Otto von Kassel and the Diet's reaction.

Lothar Steffen relieves the siege of Budapest.

The final word, perhaps, on the "Danish Incident".


1234

A plague strikes Antioch.

Conrad succumbs to temptation.

The education of Matthias. The Chronicles of the Illuminati continue, Chapter 3: The Brotherhood Grows, 1232 - 1236

Conrad Salier is made King of Outremer and debate rages in the Diet over whether to strike at Milan despite the wishes of the Pope.


1236

The Turks break off the siege of Adana. The Russians, in line after the Poles, besiege Thorn. Ansehelm von Kastilien sallies out again and defeats them.

Conrad's bad trip.

Kaiser Henry takes Edessa from the Egyptians in a bloody assault, parts one, two and three. The Kingdom of Outremer is now complete.

The Chronicles of the Illuminati continue, Chapter 4:  The Games Begin, 1236 - 1240


1238

The French besiege Paris. A Milanese invasion fleet again threatens Florence. The Austrian Household Army is dispatched to the Hungarian border east of Budapest to counter a Magyar army, they are to build a fort and a watchtower while there. Another horde of Mongols from the steppe descends upon Baghdad.

Ansehelm von Kastilien engages a Russian force near Thorn.

Ansehelm's biography.