Operation North Star 1489-1499
Grandmaster Goodwine had had a restful stay on the Islands and was now back in the capital Tortosa. He was a widower his Danish wife Kirsten passed on a decade ago. Now was the time to implement his final push to remove the Byzantines and unite with his brothers in the north.
The Byzantines were at war with the Templar Knights, the Danes, the Poles and the Venetians. Their only ally was the Republic of Novgorod.
The Grandmaster could not participate in this campaign because of his advanced age. Councillor Edmund his chosen heir would lead this operation he was successful in the Dardanelles and will continue north. Pope Gregory X was not happy with Edmund has the next Grandmaster but could not influence the Council’s decision or the Grandmaster. Since the Grandmaster had no children the Pope wished the leadership to return to the de Payns family. The original line of the Order.
The war with the Byzantines was progressing slowly and the class of the enemy troops appeared to be much more advanced. The Knights have been successful capturing settlements and sacking to support the war effort. However they have not faced the enemy in the open field.
The key to advancing north was the Citadel of Sofia. It had been besieged and the Byzantines appeared to making an attempt to lift the siege.

On the seas the fleet was well equipped however the Byzantines were attacking the older fleets and defeats were occurring in the Mediterranean and the Caspian Sea fleet was sunk.
News from the world of science, a new weapon for armies
The King of France passes away and at the State Funeral Pope Gregory X announces a Crusade to Norrkoeping …. the Danish Capital.

Countries immediately join and a crisis occurred in diplomacy. The Pope had duped the Grandmaster.

Blood is thicker then ink and the Grandmaster remains with his Danish Ally. The alliance with the Crown of Aragon is in tatters. He will deal with Pope Gregory in private.

The Duke of Edessa attacks the Citadel Tbilisi after besieging the citadel for several years.
The citadel is sacked and 16,000 florins added to the treasury. Dietrich Kniess Duke of Edessa is also appointed the Duke of Tbilisi.
The forces are building around Sofia it was time to take the Citadel.

The citadel is sacked and 14,000 added to the treasury. The d’Alvarez family are re-establishing themselves has fighting men in line with their descendant Grandmaster Ansehelm d’Alvarez vanquisher of the Fatimid and Mongols.
To generate more revenue the Fortress of Adana is being converted to a city. The Heretics are causing great concern with their teachings. They are in most regions with Mecca having the greatest unrest. Good men of the cloth have been lost to their cause.

The settlement is ready to revolt and more troops are used to garrison the city. The Arch Bishop and Cardinal have left Cairo to address the issue. The Duke of Cairo is also going to bring peace.
Grandmaster Goodwine the Malevolent

A Royal Army spotted between Sofia and Belgrade.

Faction Announcements 1495

A bold invasion across the Black Sea commenced from Sinop, its target Caffa. The new fleet of ships from the Mediterranean ferried the men and the Duke of Adana.


The settlement was captured and 45,000 florins were added to the treasury. Prince of Theodosia Jonas dePayns requested that a Cathedral be built in Jerusalem to honour his family. The Grandmaster ordered another cathedral for Cairo.
Princess Aleksandra of the Byzantine Court offered a diplomatic ceasefire. The counter offer was the Byzantines to become vassals of the Knights. No compromise was made.
The City of Mecca was rioting.

Scotland declares war on the Danes and joins the Crusade.


Trebizond 1497
The Citadel had been besieged for years with the arrival of reinforcements the attack is given led by the Duke of Aleppo.


The citadel is sacked and 15,000 added to the treasury.
First naval victory in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Grandmaster has died.

The new Grandmaster of the Order.

The Isle of Rhodes is cleaned and an old enemy is removed.

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