MacDidz: The Scottish Blog

[Didz]

Summer 1120: More French Totty

Still excited by the success he had in negotiating the marriage of the newly crowned King, Roy Randall discovers that the French King has another daughter of marriagable age and immediately suggests a second potential match. This time with David Canmores only son the 16 year old Morgunn Canmore. The French princess is far from enthusiastic, Mahault de Valence is a celebrated beauty and considers herself worthy of better than a minor prince in the same court as her less attractive sister.

Nevertheless, the French King is desperate for cash and an offer of a further 5,600 florins soon persuades him to accept the match despite his daughters angry objections.

And so in the space of a few months a second Royal Wedding is announced and two French princesses make their way reluctantly across the channel to take up their new duties.

Their acquisition had been an expensive investment, but Princess (now Queen) Loyse proved to be a smart wife and Princess Hahault though lacking her sisters intellect was both fair and admirable promising a good chance of giving Morgunn a large family and boosting his popularity. Unfortunately, Princess Mahault proved to be a little bit too fair for Morgunn's own peace of mind and it was not long before rumours were circulating that his wife had other interests and that Morgunn had 'Trouble at home'.

[Didz]

Winter 1121: Macdougall Dies

Patrick Macdougall, the Ambassador to Rome has died of natural causes and Roy Randall is instructed to replace him.
Another African merchant dies and needs to be replaced from Edinburgh.

[Didz]

Summer 1121: France and Portugal declare war.

In an escalation of the ongoing conflict between the HRE and France it now appears that the HRE's ally Portugal has been drawn into the war. Hopefully, this will distract Portugals attention away from Makmartane's expedition to Africa though it seems unlikely that in the long term Scotland's relationship with Portugal will be helped, either the agressive actions of its ally France, or the tresspassing of its army over hundreds of miles of Portuguese territory, even though it is nothing but desert for the most part.

[Didz]

Summer 1123 The old power block begins to reform.

Allan of Berwicksire, the ambassador to Spain reports that Spain has once more allied itself to The Holy Roman Emperor effectively reforming the old power block which existed eight years ago. It is doubful that this poses any immediate threat to Scotland but France will now be under severe pressure from the HRE. Portugal and Spain.

Kyles Crusade is making better progress

Dougall's fleet reached the Adriatic only to be told that King Kyle and his Crusade had already marched east towards Constantinople.

By the summer of 1123 the crusade had crossed the Dardanelles and was heading eastwards along the Aegean coast. Dougall's fleet raced to catch up and collect the crusading army to carry it across the Mediteranean to Jerusalem.

They eventually meet just beyond Rhodes in the Winter of 1124 and after hiring some additional ships locally they head off across the Mediteranean for their final destination.

[Didz]

Winter 1125: France is in trouble again.

It looks as though France has upset the Pope again.

None of my diplomats have reported any trouble between France and the Papal States and as far as I know France has not been ex-communicated but nevertheless his holiness seems determined to drive a wedge between Scotland and France.

However, for the time being Alexander decides (on behalf of King Kyle) not to act on the Popes orders. The Popes edict has a five year expiry date and a lot can happen in that time.

[Didz]

Winter 1125: The Seige of Jerusalem

Kyles Crusade reaches to coast of Egypt only to discover the city of Jerusalem already under seige by a Crusading Army of 1,311 men from Sicily commanded by Prince Ciapo. Unperturbed the King joins the seige.

The assault commences though it is hardly a serious challenge. The city is only defended by the Egyptian Prince Mostafa and his 28 personal bodyguards.

A small relief force of 273 men under Captain Ghandour was due to assist but failed to turn up and so the assault on the city was largely a race between the Sicilians and the Scots to see who could reach the city centre first.

The Scilicians scale the walls unopposed whilst their rams smashes down the Northern Gate.

The Scots scale the western walls of the city using ladder and seige towers.

Realising that having battered down the north gate, the Sicilians will reach the city centre before him, King Kyle abandons his infantry to continue the assault on the East wall alone and rides with all his knights to enter the city via the north gate.

Kyle forces his way through the Sicilian troops heading for the city centre determined to be the first to meet Mustafa and his bodyguard and accept the surrender of the city.

A fierce cavalry melee ensues in the city centre, until Musatfa and his bodyguard are struck down.

The Egyptians surrender the city. Though they gave a good account of themselves in the brief fight. Losses amongst the Scots being particularly high.

The Crusade is a success and Scotland is awarded 1,479 florins by the Pope.

However, Kyle is disgusted to be told that the defence of the city will be given over to the Sicilians and Prince Caipo. His objections on the grounds that more Scottish that Sicilian blood was sacrificed in its capture and that a King ought to take precedence over a mere Prince were brushed aside.

It was a bitter end to the campaign and it was a dejected Kyle who decided to load his army back on their ships and sail for home.

[Didz]

Winter 1125: Women trouble.

Back in the United Kingdom Uncle Alex has his own problems to deal with. Not only are his own four daughters, Raghnailt Aged 30, Anabella Aged 23, Afraig Aged 22 and Ethelred Aged 22 still unmarried and rapidly exceeding their sell-by date. But Edward's daughter Mariot Aged 34 is still wandering aimless around Europe unable to find a suitor and now he is told that Edward's youngest daughter Agnes has done a runner with some minor Danish nobleman.

Its enough to drive any man to drink and Alexander is no exception.

Winter 1125: Another minor rebellion crushed

Another rebellion in Lincolnshire is crushed by David Canmore and the troops from Nottingham Castle.

[Razor1952]

"A wife that actually increases all trade and tax income by 10%, rather than draining your credit card balance. Very novel."

I can relate to that, lucky Kyle.!