Orders and reports thread

[OverKnight]

Chancellor's report for 1160

King Salier brought his forces from north of Antioch and attacked Khan Subutai the Wrathful outside Aleppo before I had formally taken office. Fortunately Prinz Elberhard was able to assist.

It was a bloody battle but we prevailed. Of course all battles against the Mongols are bloody.

I have been told Dieter Bresch (unclaimed Avatar) was knighted for his bravery in the battle, though I await a report from King Salier.

The remaining Mongol army known to us is led by the new Khan Orda. His forces were slightly north of Subutai's and he was unable to come to his aid.

While King Salier's army is battered, I have cobbled together a new army to strike at Khan Orda. However as I was drawing profesisonal forces from as far south as Damascus and I am waiting on reinforcements, the army will not be able to attack until next year.

The army has been placed under the command of Prinz Elberhard as King Salier's bodyguard took many losses and is recuperating in Aleppo. If Orda is foolish enough to attack Aleppo or Elberhard, then we can put an end to him.

In accordance with Edict 11.1, I immediately contacted Pope Miccele the Corrupt, the new Pontiff after the loss of Jerusalem, and asked for a Third Crusade.

The demands of the Edict left me with little time to find a Crusade force. As Adana had the largest professional force left in Outremer not commited to the Mongol threat and the Turks were quiet, Karl Zirn took the Cross and has been dispatched south with nine units of men. He is currently north of Acre.

I recruited two units of Armenian Archers south of Smyrna, which allowed me a force large enough to take the Cross myself. I reboarded my ships, though I had to hire a mercenary galley to help carry my men, and set forth for the Holy Land. My fleet is now west of Acre.

Jan von Hamburg has traveled from Damascus to join the Crusade as well, but due to the demands of reinforcing Aleppo and garrisoning the city, he did not have enough men to form his own Crusade army or take the Cross yet.

Karl Zirn will have overall command of the Crusade until I am knighted.

I have sent almost all the Priests in Outremer towards Jerusalem. Increasing the Christian faith in the area will assist the Crusade in occupying and holding the city. Before departing Gaza, Cardinal Helmut von Austria tried and executed a heretic, Shabana of Damanhar.

An overview of the Crusade and Jerusalem:

An Imperial Priest near Jerusalem has written to tell me that the city still suffers from the plague. I will keep an eye on this.

Duke Scherer has moved east and laid an ambush for the French Force north of Metz. If they move south they will be in for a surprise.

The Duke's forces have been reinforced with Militia Spearmen for now. Professional footmen will be reaching him from Staufen soon.

Many florins were spent on the reinforcement and repair of three of the House Armies, though it might take a few years to reach them. Our main Castles are in the interior, while the HAs are on the frontier. Ironically, the HAs closest to Castles are having more difficulty rearming. The Franconian HA cannot currently reinforce as the Teutonic Crusade is using all the resources of Thorn. The Bavarian HA is in Ajaccio, but the Castle cannot train bowmen, they will have to be brought in from Innsbruck.

I have begun implementation of CA 11.5. The intial expense of recruiting Militia is severe.

We have achieved a naval victory in the Baltic against the Danes.

Rebuilding of our navies will have to wait until my financial reforms have begun to work.

Speaking of those reforms, I have tightened taxation in many of our cities. There will be no rioting, however I will keep a sharp eye on our people's happiness. All Merchants are currently trading resources or are on their way to trade. For example, the Mongol incursion close to Aleppo forced a merchant inside the walls, he has been sent back out to trade spices and will bring in arround 800 florins a year. With such attention to detail, I hope to raise revenues.

In respect of Kaiser Jobst's last wishes I have arranged a wedding.

I await word on three more battles this year, Peter von Kastilein faces a Polish Army, Kaiser Siegfried is striking at another Danish incursion and Duke Arnold has some rebels to run down.

Kaiser Siegfried has put paid to the Danes, I almost feel sorry for them.

Which reminds me, when I assumed office, the only mission waiting to be completed was an assasination. It appears yet another Danish Prince wants to off his King so he can assume the throne. Something is yet again rotten in the State of Denmark. Despite the recruitment of many assassins during Chancellor Hans's term, only one is left to the Reich. Much like a Pope, the job has a short life expectancy.

Peter von Kastilien has smashed the Poles.

Duke Arnold has eradicated the rebels southewest of Budapest.