Ibericum - Glenn's Campaign

[gollum]

Be cautious Glenn - the danger is that your kingdom succumbs into civil war if you lose many provinces quickly. One way to deal with it its to make up strong army stacks in provinces with high agr. income to (make sure that even if the other provinces fall these that you guard will pay for the large stack that defends them). In the rest of the provinces if you cant afford to put up garrisons of spearmen (in forts/keeps) and spearmen/militiasORswords in castles/citadels. When they are invaded simply retreat to the fortifications - such garissons will delay the enemy giving you the chance to hit them with your strong armies and make him pay dearly in men for assaults. Obviously pay attention as to whom is the army/garrison leader - choose the loyal subjects.

This state of affairs may last until the Byzantines *burn out* or until you get the chance to take quickly (even temporarily) a couple of provinces from them that can drag them into civil war hopefully.

Remember that in 1230 the Byzantines will get hit by the Horde! You ve got to last till then, since they are in Khazar the Mongols will go after them and in MedMod IV the Mongols are really terrifying (they even have armor piercing arrows!)

Portucale keep it up!

[Durango]

Remember that in 1230 the Byzantines will get hit by the Horde! You ve got to last till then, since they are in Khazar the Mongols will go after them and in MedMod IV the Mongols are really terrifying (they even have armor piercing arrows!)

Mongols = Riders of Rohan in Glenn's situation?

[gollum]

http://www.area26.com/toffe/musterofrohan.jpg
*Ride now!...And fear no darkness!*

[PershsNhpios]

I am afraid that there shall be no gallant rescue for Portucale.

The poor little blighters did not make 1205.

Unfortunately, my game crashed mid-battle in 1204.
You must excuse me if I refuse to play through 7 consecutive defeats in order to reach my former position.

Nonetheless, I am now making a last recount of the most honourable deeds of the Portuguese-Iberians in their final few years.

Standby..

[PershsNhpios]

O PORTUCALE!

A Dark Beginning to the 13th Century

Chapter V - A Premature Expiration

King Munio, son of Henrique, son of Pedro, son of Alfonso, son of Alfonso, son of Sancho and Mara was the last king of Iberian-Portuguese Kingdom, which had defeated so many threats to freedom, and which had brought such wealth to Iberia, but which - like all enemies of the Eastern Roman Empire - crumbled at the will of the Emperor.

In this war of 13 years, heroes were made, and villains were created against them on both sides.
The most eminent hero of all, Lord Taos Texeira, shall first be recounted.

The Kingdom of Granada under Texeira I


This is a photo from the first re-enactment of the Iberian Wars in 1926, featuring the battle for Granada, played out by the Mediaeval Skirmish Club of Dublin.

Texeira, though not completely revolted from the King, was yet surrounded by the enemy and the sole protector and general of the survivors of the war who were held in Granada.
Of these number were 1400, and they were mostly those men who had fought in Morocco with Texeira, including some who fled from Aragon.

Men-at-arms, competent light-infantry/bowmen and an impressive 240 Bellatore cavalry made up their ranks.
The cavalry were led by all the remaining Dukes of the free provinces at this time.

There were two military factions in all of Iberia who were loyal to the throne;

That army of 1300 under King Munio, returned from Wessex and marching to the relief of the Castle in Portucale herself;

And that of 1400 just mentioned under Texeira I of Granada.

The Dukes of New and Old Castile, Poitou, Aquitaine, Leon and Murcia secretly swore allegiance to their new King - Texeira, who was the only saviour for the Iberian Christian.

But in 1201, this holiness of his would be sorely tested.

Lord Philokales was a general of the best ability and talent throughout all of the Eastern Roman Empire.
He brought from all over 3500 men to lead against Texeira of Granada, and with these he made his way through the mountainous passes, having come from Cordoba.

Texeira met him, and all of his men were eager to vanquish the Greek.

For the recount of this first of two battles, I give in testimony the script of one personal lictor of the Duke of Leon;

King Texeira I of Granada, son of Texeira, proclaimed to all that should we hold off the Greek, we may continue to do so for years in our mountainous domain
For he told us that a messenger had been sent to the Far East to seek for us assistance.
We had only to keep the Romans at a distance!

Oh, for us it was always heartbreak!
How I and indeed my lord Tommasso of Leon had wept, when we realised all which had been lost.
We had followed Pedro IV into Aragon, we had set up a Kingdom, and for many years we extended the fortifications of Christ in Morocco, as if it were a punishment.
And then we had stood beneath a most harmful radiance of the sun and killed one Roman after another until each man in the army could claim five heads for his own.
How few there were who could still count five upon his hand.

But this is beside the point, for at this time in Granada we had hope in our new King.
As the Romans marched toward us, the 600 archers of Navarre shot tirelessly into the vast host.
Now the infantry, unable to bear the sight of those nervous 'Oplitai of the Aegean, immediately charged in amongst them and cut many to pieces.

Philokales however rode up behind them and warned all against retreating.
The Dukes together swarmed about the flanks and began to assist in the fight, but this time the Romans would not yield with the same ease they had in Morocco.
The bowmen charged into the fray at the will of Texeira and though they slaughtered the foe, yet still the line remained, and the infantry began to tire.

Then Texeira himself charged forth to the left.
The King was a legend amongst all lesser men - he had 15 terrible scars upon his body - and these alone seemed to add to his incredible valour in battle.
No one of the Romans stood before his retinue, all fled immediately, and the general rout was quite marvellous.
But the extended melee had taken a toll of 300 dead on the men of Granada.

Still the enemy returned and they were routed thrice before a retreat was called.


As at Morocco, everyman was exhausted by the finish.

And although a victory was won, yet it could never be seen as decisive.
What had been defeated was a small phalaggite of the infinite Roman host, and we had but an ever-decreasing number.

My own Lord was killed in the general fight in this first battle, along with the Dukes of Old Castile and Poitou.
These titles were not reassigned.
For all we knew, those provinces already had a new sovereign..

It was thus realised that the Greek could hardly be kept down on the plains for longer than a year.
Three decades of success was simply impossible.

The End for Texeira I of Granada

The next year, Texeira was forced to lead his remained 1000 men down to the same valley, once more to prevent Philokales from his designs of conquest.
Yet this time he brought 4000 men, 2500 of which were veteran 'Oplitai spearmen.

The same time-honoured tactic was used, and indeed the elite troops of Texeira were so experienced that an archer could defeat a Kataphraktos in single combat.
But there were too many.
300 swordsmen remained, with 600 archers and 100 cavalry.
Notwithstanding - a thundering charge down into the heart of the enemy routed him in moments, regardless of the Western Roman Emperors quote;

"The valour of a Byzantine spearman under Philokales would equal six.. ahem.. six.. six coins of gold I believe.."

Yes, a thousand of the enemy turned their backs and fled, but in that charge alone two hundred of the infantry were lost, and three hundred of the bowmen!
Kataphractoi had surrounded and destroyed the Dukes of New Castile and Murcia.
Texeira was the last noble of Portucale!

Cheering, crying, maddened, the remaining rabble of the army made their way back to the crest of the mountain, and their King did everything to heighten their spirits.

But this was the end.

A few straggling spearmen disappeared over the horizon, and then came a great line of determined, marching spears and intermixed swords with Philokales himself.

Texeira was not a particularly eloquent man, but on this occasion he was most obliged to speak;

"One son of God. One son of Iberia. Do you all recognise what the Roman Emperor has to fear from one good Portuguese man?
How dangerous the world is for him who has Portucale for a foe?
Well - how weak are the hearts of these, who must instead convince themselves that they are in any number equal to five hundred seven and twenty Iberians!
Iberians of Christ's will!
How impossible for them!
But do not pity them when you hurl yourselves upon their shields and make open their throats as they topple to the ground.
Cordoba! Castile! Aragon! Morocco! Granada! Granada!"

And that was the general chant, "Granada".

When the violet throng was at hand, everyman, bowman, horseman or swordsman, flung himself into that Roman who stood directly before him.
It is said with some accuracy that Texeira killed 432 men in this battle, and many of them were so vanquished in this moment, when he was so carried away with the tainting of the violet tunic that he pushed far past his line and found himself behind the enemy.
Here he hacked so violently amidst the Romans that he was many times unhorsed and his retinue dropped away one by one.
Again, the lictor of Leon describes;

I saw my King. He was on foot amongst three hundred heavy-armed Romans and with many more advancing from behind.
The infantry were all kept from reaching him and they were all in dread and despair for his safety, although the Romans threw pots of fire upon them.
Here I joined myself, and everyman who considered himself loyal to the throne.
But I believe King Texeira was dead long ere this.



Many artists have been inspired to work at the story of Texeira.
In fact, it is interesting to note that while no paintings are made of any Portuguese Kings, yet there are several of Taos Texeira, King of Granada 1200-1202.

When he had been confirmed dead, the minds of those few remaining were lost.
They simply gave themselves over, twenty or so in number.

This was the last major battle in the name of Portucale.

Fragments of King Munio
Very little is known of Munio, who eventually submitted to Byzantine conquest.
He did in fact become a servant of the Emperor in some field, and it is somewhat certain that he never allowed the army he had to fight.. But it simply disintegrated.
Evidently this was because of the two civil wars which brought Iberia more swiftly to servitude.

Minor leaders of mercenary bands claimed sovereignty of the provinces while the King was absent, and even that province in which he stayed - even Portucale herself - rebelled from Munio.
On one side was control of the provinces, the other, a large and dangerous army.

Supposedly the young King could no longer choose, and with enemies all around him he burst forth with his army into Cordoba in 1204.
But after this, nothing is known of Portuguese nobility until the late 16th century.
No maps are available for this period, for there were simply none who could relate the state of affairs in Iberia at that time.
Anarchy was everywhere in place, until the Emperor arrived to claim his new realm.

The Eastern Empire was finally established once more.

Of those kingdoms, caliphates, and sultanates which succumbed, the list is thus;

Turkic Sultanate
Fatimid Caliphate
Almohad Caliphate
Almoravid Caliphate
Cuman Khanate
Kiev
Moldavia
Serbia
Hungaria
Poland
Lithuania
Corsica
Novgorod
Aragon
Castile-Leon

Portucale.

[gollum]

Epic

Very Nice AAR Glenn.

[PershsNhpios]

Thank you!

I am sorry it ended so soon..

It will be nice to start a new campaign and experience expansion (instead of implosion..) once more.

[Durango]

[darth vader]Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!![/darth vader]



I'm greatly looking forward to the next tale from the most eloquent Sir Glenn.

[bamff]

A sad end to a brave and noble kingdom.....but on the bright side, it was a unique turn of events in the world of AAR's. Well done, Sir Glenn!

Now ride on, bold knight! On to glory in your next campaign!

[I of the Storm]

Very good! And thanks for playing this through to the bitter end. It made a wonderful story.

[PershsNhpios]

Thank you, Durango, Bamff & I of the Storm!

I enjoyed playing out the life of Texeira more than those dreadfully unsuccessful kings.
When I have tested Durango's mod for MedMod, I will no doubt consider a new AAR..
Although, as Gollum, I too must eventually take my leave of this place when the life behind this uncomfortable old chair and computer calls me away.

Until then however, I will be giving much attention to this place! Silly really..