Who is at war with who?

[boastj]

Does anybody know who was at war with who, at about the time when the game starts (in 1018 I think correct me if I’m wrong)
I know some English kings claimed the crown of France at some point when was that?
And any other interesting “events” that people know.

[King Noob the Stupid]

It's at 1080. I don't know when the English claimed the french throne, but by that time Endgland was officially a French vassal because the current king, William I the conqueror, was an illegitimate son of the count (?) of Normandy.

[Katana]

Well, the first Crusade is 15 years away in 1080, whatever that's worth.

[sapi]

I hope that everyone is at peace at the start of the game, except maybe the papacy/muslims...

[Brutus]

It's at 1080. I don't know when the English claimed the french throne, but by that time Endgland was officially a French vassal because the current king, William I the conqueror, was an illegitimate son of the count (?) of Normandy.

William the Conqueror, before the conquest of England known as William the Bastard, was a bastard of duke Robert of Normandy and duke of Normandy himself (between 1035 and 1087). He was a vassal of the French king for Normandy, as were his succesors (some of them were vassals of the French king for other territories, like Anjou or Guyenne), but England was an independent kingdom and therefore no vassal of France. As for the English king claiming kingship of France, I believe the first to do that ws Edward III in 1337 when he started the 100 years' war with French king Philip VI, who's legitimacy was disputed because he was descended from the former French dynasty through a woman (as was Edward, who subsequently thought he had at least as much claim to the title). English kings retained that title until the early 1800's when it became increasingly politically emberrasing. The claim of course wasn't always enforced, but when at war with France it would rear it's head. Hence the English Royal Coat of Arms:

two quarters English and two quarters French, as it were.

[Ash]

Manzikert was in 1071, so I expect the Byzantines to be at war with all the muslim factions.

But for gameplay reasons, everyone will probably start as neutral.

[zakalwe]

''But for gameplay reasons, everyone will probably start as neutral.''

I don't know. In BI the several factions started at war or allied with each other.

[cutepuppy]

Does anybody know who was at war with who, at about the time when the game starts (in 1018 I think correct me if I’m wrong)

at war: byzantines and seljuqs (turks), byzantines and norman sicilians, HRE and papacy, civil war in HRE, castile ("spain") and almoravids ("moorish"), probably more.

[King Henry V]

I believe the English were at war with the French then as the King of France always wanted to add the dukedom of Normandy to the royal demesne ever since William the Bastard declared himself King of England.

[Trajanus]

What about the English and the Scots? Were they at war in 1080 or in a state of neutrality?

[zakalwe]

A short bit about scots/english relations for the previous decade, partly taken from another thread.

Malcolm III staged 5 major raids into Northumbria during his reign - in 1061, 1070, 1079, 1091 and 1093. These were for mixed reasons - the support of Anglo-Saxons in his court and expansion into Northumberland down towards the Tyne which he was hoping to claim.

In retaliation, in 1072 William the Conq took a great army with an accompanying fleet up through Lothian into Fife. At Abernethy he forced Malcolm into paying homage to him and giving his son as hostage.

From the translated Anglo-Saxon chronicle - ''This year King William led a naval force and a land force to Scotland, and beset that land on the sea-side with ships, whilst he led his land-force in at the Tweed, but he found nothing there of any value. King Malcolm, however, came, and made peace with King William, and gave hostages, and became his man; whereupon the king returned home with all his force. '' ( Note - Florence of Worcester and those who follow him say that William proceeded as far as Abernethy; where Malcolm met him, and surrendered to him )

In 1079, Malcolm once again raided into England. AS Chronicle again - ''This year came King Malcolm from Scotland into England, betwixt the two festivals of St. Mary, with a large army, which plundered Northumberland till it came to the Tine, and slew many hundreds of men, and carried home much coin, and treasure, and men in captivity.''

In 1080 William's son Robert struck back into Scotland forcing a renewal of the Abernethy terms at Falkirk and arranging more hostages. Later that year the English began work on a new castle on the Tyne.

So in game terms at the start of 1080, the Scots have raided into England, and the Norman English will be thinking of a suitable response.

[Justiciar]

And so the North was "harried". Bastards.

[ZombieFriedNuts]

Go england!

[Inal_the_Great]

Circassians with Russians are fighting at North Caucasus around this time.

[King Yngvar]

But for gameplay reasons, everyone will probably start as neutral.

For gameplay reasons it would be silly if the Byzantines allied the Turks after the first turn...