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    Megas Domestikos Member AnthoniusII's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Great Conflicts 872-1071 M2TW/Kingdoms mod.

    Bulgarian Empire.

    History


    Origins.
    As any self-respecting, mysterious tribe, the origins of the Bulgars are largely disputed and still not certain. The meaning of the very name Bulgar has over 160 interpretations, ranging from the less likely "descendants of the Noah's great-grandson Bulgar", through "people of the Volga river", "water people", "wise people", "kind people", "fortress-guards", "brigands" and "rebels" and finally reaching to the more likely "mixed people" and "settled people". Likewise, their origins are supposedly Turkic, Iranic, Finno-Ugric and even Thracian or Slavic. The Bulgar homeland has been searched high and low all over Eurasia - from Bactria, through Altay and Siberia to the Transcaucasian steppes and the Balkans.



    Worship and Religion.

    Paganism
    Similarly, the Bulgar religion is also rather controversial. Based on the theory of Turkic origins and one damaged epigraphy, the most popular thesis is that the Bulgars were monotheistic people worshipping Tangra, the Bulgar equivalent of the Turkic Sky-God Bir-Tengri. An Arab chronicler gives two other names - Edfu and Fa. There are also references to Christian rulers, shamanism among the common people, worshipping of rocks, of the sun and the moon, even of some "demons" (according to the Christians). The Iranic theory also proposes influences of Zoroastrianism found in the schemes of several Pagan temples. The Bulgars themselves, however, used simply God, as attested several times in their epigraphies: "Whoever seeks the truth - God sees. And whoever lies - God sees... The Bulgars did many good deeds to the Christians (Romans) and the Christians forgot them, but God sees." Adding to all this the fact that when the Bulgars conquered Moesia from the Romans, they also integrated the local population with its own beliefs, we get a quite diverse religious picture of the situation in Bulgaria.
    Christianity.
    Due to this, the Bulgar rulers eventually realized something has to change. The Bulgars themselves had one belief, the Slavs had their many deities, the Romans had their Christian god and every religious group had different moral codes and different laws. As a result, Khan Krum the Terrible was reportedly the first to create common state laws for all his subjects, no matter their religion. However, this didn't fully solve the problem, so half a century later, in 864, Khan Boris took the fateful decision to officially convert himself and his people to Christianity. Thus he hoped to solve several problems: from one side - to unify his people into one, both in religion and culture, and from another side - to gain a greater prestige and equality next to the other great rulers in Europe, both of which were Christians (the Roman emperor and the German king). With this he also had one great fear - the increasing influence of the Roman culture - but in time this was solved as well, after the students of St. Methodius came to Bulgaria in 886 and started spreading Christianity in the now common Slavic language, thus replacing the Roman influence over the people.

    Manoeuvring between Rome and Constantinople.
    Boris, now called Knyaz Boris I Mihail, also had one other fear connected to his baptism - the control over his newly-created church and the possible foreign interventions in his political affairs through it. This is why he demanded from the start an autocephalous (self-governing) church which would be under his control alone. He first turned towards Constaninople, but the response from Patriarch Photios was less than acceptable. Therefore he turned towards Rome and sent a list with 106 questions of various nature to Pope Nicholas I. The answers were detailed, but the pope glossed over the controversial question of the autocephalous status desired by Boris and sent a large group of missionaries to continue the conversion of Bulgaria in accordance with the western rite. In response, Patriarch Photios wrote an encyclical to the eastern clergy in 867, in which he condemned Rome's ecclesiastical intervention in Bulgaria. This occasioned the Photian Schism, which was a major step in the rift between the eastern and western churches. However, after several of Boris' candidates for an independent archbishop were denied by the Pope, he shifted again towards the Romans. In 870, the Fourth Council of Constantinople finally granted the status of an autocephalous archbishopric to the Bulgarian church and thus Bulgaria remained under the wing of the Eastern Orthodoxy.

    General history.
    As previously stated, the origins of the Bulgars are largely controversial. What is certain is that they came from the Eurasian steppes and were first testified by a European source in 354 by the Anonymous Latin chronographer who, while speaking about the descendants of Noah, placed "Ziezi ex quo vulgares" at the end - "Ziezi, of whom are the Bulgars". Two other reports about them, by Paulus Diaconus and Fredegarius, place them in 422 on the northern slopes of the Carpathians where they had a successful battle with the Langobards and killed their first king, Agelmund. But let us start from the beginning:
    Early history.
    No matter where they've originally come from, it is certain that one of their long-lasting homelands were the lands to the north of the Caucasus mountain. They are testified by several Armenian chroniclers to have lived there in tents and in cities, some of them migrating to the south during the Hunnic invasion and eventually getting assimilated among the Armenians. Another large group was supposedly carried away by or with the Huns to the west, to Eastern and Central Europe, as we saw in the forementioned case about the battle with the Langobards. This group was later called Huno-Bulgars or Kutrigurs, which some interpret as "the wanderers". The group that stayed in Transcaucasia was called Utigurs, which is along that line interpreted the same way as Bulgars - "the settled ones". After Attila's death in 453, the Kutrigur Bulgars split on two again - some joined the Gepids at the battle at Nedao and stayed living in Central Europe (these Bulgars later joined the Langobards in their migration to Italy), while many of the other Kutrigurs were "inherited" by Attila's favourite son, Ernakh, who settled in Scythia Minor and took control over the Utigur Bulgars. As allies to the Roman emperor Zeno, they were first hired to fight against the Goths, but soon the Bulgars started raiding the Roman realms in the Balkans as well. These raids lasted for nearly a century, sometimes combined with the raids of the Slavs who had just arrived to the north of the Danube. During the reign of Justinian I, he managed to create a conflict between the Kutrigurs (some of which were hired as foederati and settled in Moesia) and the Utigurs, which eventually stopped the raids as the two tribes started fighting between themselves. In such a weakened state they were met by the newly-arrived Avars, which conquered most of the Kutrigurs, and the Gok-Turkic khaganate, which dominated over the Utigurs.
    Old Great Bulgaria.
    Kubrat was a heir to the Bulgar throne from the royal house of Dulo. He was raised in Constantinople where he befriended the future emperor Heracleios and learned how to administer a country. After he returned to his people around 632, he managed to overthrow the Avar and Gok-Turkic dominion and eventually created a state, which was called "Old Great Bulgaria" by the later Roman chroniclers. As Kubrat grew old, it is reported that he gathered his five sons and gave them a lesson about unity - they had to break a bundle of arrows, but even the strongest of them could not. But when the old Kubrat took out and broke the arrows one by one, he showed them that if they separate, they will be easily crushed. But if they stay united, they will be undefeatable. His sons, however, did not listen to him and after he died, they split on five groups. The oldest son, Bat-Bayan, remained in his lands in Transcaucasia and was soon subjugated by the Khazars. The second son, Kotrag, took a large part of the Kutrigurs to the north, near the rivers Volga and Kama, where the so-called Volga Bulgaria was later created. The third son, Asparuh, went to the south-west and in 680-681 conquered Moesia from the Romans and formed the so-called Danubian Bulgaria (or simply Bulgaria today). The fourth and fifth sons, Kuber and Altsek, went directly to the west, in the Avar khaganate where they attempted to take the throne, but failed. Then they split - Kuber took his people to the south in present day Macedonia, while Altsek first fled to Bavaria and then to the Lombards. Of the five brothers, only two managed to create a sufficiently long-lasting legacy.
    Danubian Bulgaria.
    After he conquered Moesia in 680, Asparuh relocated some of the local Slavic tribes and placed them as border guards to the south and west, while the Bulgars guarded the north-eastern border, where Asparuh eventually died fighting the Khazars in 700 AD. He was succeeded by Tervel, managed to gain the high imperial title of kesar (Greek form of "caesar") after helping Justinian II take back his throne. In 717-718 he and his successor Kormesiy joined the Romans during the Second Arab siege of Constantinople and together they repulsed the last Arab siege against the Roman capital. In the middle of the century, however, began a struggle for the throne and Roman Emperor Constantine V Copronymus used the turmoil to launch nine campaigns against Bulgaria. The country managed to survive and stabilize itself during the reign of Kardam (777-803). The following ruler, Khan Krum, who was supposedly a descendant of Kuber, expanded the state to the north by destroying the Avar khaganate in 805 and to the south taking Serdica in 809. In 811 Emperor Nikephoros I Genikos passed the Balkan mountains and sacked the Bulgar capital of Pliska, but was then ambushed during his retreat and was killed in the ensuing battle, while his son was mortally wounded and died a couple of months later. Krum was succeeded by Omurtag, who signed a 30-years peace treaty with the Romans and started large construction and reconstruction projects, including the rebuilding of the burned-down Pliska. He also continued the administrative reforms of his father and organized the state into 10 komitats. Another such policy was to gather all the Slavs under the Bulgar wing and this idea was pursued also by Persian, Omurtag's grandson, who conquered more lands to the south. Persian was followed by his son - Boris. After unsuccessful wars with the Romans and the Germans, Boris decided to convert his people to Christianity and unite them under one God, one law and one monarch. The conversion wasn't welcomed by many of the nobles and the people and Boris was forced to quell a rebellion, which ended with the executions of 52 high nobles and their families.

    Language.
    The language of the old Bulgars is unknown, since nearly all Bulgar epigraphies are on Greek, but the two main guesses are about some form of Turkic or Iranic. However, during the time of Knyaz Boris I, the Bulgars and the Slavs had mixed to such a degree that Slavic was the common language, which later became official at the National Council in 893, when the Slavic writings had been fully incorporated into the life of the church and the state administration.

    Social structure.
    The Bulgars had a well-developed clan system and were governed by hereditary rulers. The members of the military aristocracy bore the title boil (bolyar). There were also bagains - lesser military commanders. The nobility were further divided onto Small and Great Bolyars. The latter formed the Council of the Great Bolyars and gathered to take decisions on important state matters presided by the khan. Their numbers varied between six and twelve. These probably included the ichirgu boil and the kavkhan (vice khan), the two most powerful people after the khan. These titles were administrative and non-inheritable. The boyars could also be internal and external, probably distinguished by their place of residence — inside or outside the capital. The heir of the throne was called kanartikin. Other non-kingly titles used by the Bulgarian noble class include boila tarkan (possibly the second son of the khan), kana boila kolobur (chief priest), boritarkan (city mayor).

    Rulers.
    The "Nominalia of the Bulgar rulers" starts with two characters which are considered as legendary rulers and are associated with Attila and his son Ernakh. It is not clear whether there is any real connection between the Dulo clan and Attila or if this was just a honourification of the clan's genealogy.

    * Avitohol lived 300 years. His clan was Dulo and his year (of ascending to the throne) dilom tvirem.
    * Irnik lived 150 years. His clan Dulo and his year dilom tverim.
    * Gostun, the regent, 2 years. His clan Ermi and his year dokhs tvirem.
    * Kurt ruled 60 years. His clan Dulo and his year shegor vechem.
    * Bezmer 3 years and his clan Dulo and his year shegor vem (vechem)...

    After that comes Asparuh and the Danubian Bulgarian rulers:

    Dulo clan
    *Asparuh (681-700)
    *Tervel (700-721)
    *Kormesiy (721-738)
    *Sevar (738-753)

    Ukil/Vokil clan
    *Kormisosh (753-756)
    *Vineh (756-762)

    Ugain clan
    *Telets (762-765)

    Ukil/Vokil clan
    *Sabin (765-766)
    *Umor (766)

    Ugain clan
    *Toktu (766-767)
    *Pagan (767-768)
    *Telerig (768-777)
    *Kardam (777-803)

    Krum's dynasty, possibly Dulo clan
    *Krum (803-814)
    *Omurtag (814-831)
    *Malamir (831-836)
    *Persian (836-852)
    *Boris I (852-889, 893; †907)

    Tactics of the Bulgarian Army
    The Bulgars paid great attention to scouting the enemy before battle. Their battle line was distinguishable - it consisted of front guarding units, scouting units, two battle lines and a reserve. The supplies were placed deep behind the battle lines - from 1,5 to 3 km distance. The infantry held the centre, while the cavalry - the flanks. In order to exhaust the enemy, the cavalry would harass him and then quickly retreat, while the main forces would deal the decisive strike at a carefully chosen place. The Bulgars were masters in the art of ambush. It was important for the terrain to be sloping against the enemy, the sun to shine in his eyes and the wind to blow against him. The Bulgars pursued the vanquished enemy until his total annihilation, without care for the loot, which was astonishing for their contemporaries.

    Organization of the Bulgar army

    There was a strict hierarchy in the Bulgar army. The highest commander was the khan, while his right-hand man was the kavkan. Assistants of the khan were also the ichirgu boil and the kana boila kolober. Other commanders were the tarkans and the zhupans, while the lower ranks were held by the bagains. In times of war, the army was recruited from the whole population and the rulers could field numerous forces. In times of peace, regular forces were the ruler's personal band, the fortress garrisons and the border guards. The army discipline was very tight. Incitement for mutiny, changing to the enemy's side, desertion during battle and other crimes were punishable by death. But along the harsh laws, prizes were also being awarded. The khan's chosen warriors were given the rank of bagatur, those distinguished in battles - an additional part of the spoils. Stone tombstones with epitaphs were made for the commanders who died in battle."
    Battle formation


    Map
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    Banners

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    Unit roster [Unit descriptions and screenshots]

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    1. Selyani – Bearing the Slavic-Bulgarian name for “peasants” [BG: селяни], these men are commoners, whose main purpose is to work the fields, be it for themselves as the so-called “lyude”, meaning “(free) people” (as most of the Bulgarian population from that time was), or for any eventual noble that might have acquired their land - the small, but slowly growing group of bonded peasants called “paritsi” (coming from the Greek paroikoi). Compared to most other troops, they are ill-equipped (mostly with whatever tools they have in their homes), ill-trained and not well-suited for the battlefield, but their low cost and high numbers can make them a worthy canon-fodder in the arms of a skilled leader.


    2. Shtitonostzi – Literally meaning “shield-bearers” [BG: щитоносци], these men have taken their name from the specific shields they carry, as described by Mauricius in his Strategikon chapter about the Slavs: “Every man is armed with at least two throwing spears and some of them with big and long shields, like doors – very strong, but uncomfortable”. But now these shields have an improved and rounded version, making them easier to be worn and giving the men an even better ability to fight. And they have a reason to fight, as they are mostly free men, peasants who have been called to arms to fight for their land against its many enemies. They are well prepared to fight with their javelins, striking from a distance, while their large shields offer them a good protection from any enemy ranged retaliation. As they finish firing their javelins, they can take out their axes to mop up what is left of the enemy in close combat.

    UPGRADE


    3. Kopienostzi – Bearing the Slavic-Bulgarian name for “spearmen”, literally “spear-bearers” [BG: копиеносци], these warriors are the backbone of nearly every medieval army. Considering the spear is a relatively simple weapon and even used in civil life as a hunting tool, and since the kopienostzi consist mostly of commoners, called to arms in a time of need, they are relatively cheap and can be recruited in large numbers. And in large numbers is their strength, since a wall of spears is a force to be reckoned with and a good general would know how to use them to stop the enemy in his tracks, while sending his cavalry to outflank the now immobilized enemy.

    UPGRADE


    4. Streltzi – In the times of old, when the Slavs were still worshipping their heathen gods, Mauricius wrote in his Strategikon manual about their streltzi [BG: стрелци], or archers in English: “They use wooden bows and small arrows, tipped in a poison which acts quickly, unless the wounded soldier has smeared himself beforehand with the teriak liquid or some other antidote known to the medical science.” Now their traditions in archery have been combined with those of the Bulgars and although they are not as mobile as the latter’s horsemen, they are still a truly deadly threat, more than making up for the light equipment they carry.

    UPGRADE


    5. Leka konnitza – Leka konnitza [BG: лека конница] comes from Slavic-Bulgarian, meaning “light cavalry”. Since the Bulgars had adopted the steppe warfare at least since the times of the Huns, these men, along with the horse archers, form the bulk of their armies. Although they are of commoner origin, their long spears and cavalry axes are always ready for a fight. The strict laws and discipline also help, as mentioned by Pope Nicholas I in 866 in a letter to Knyaz Boris I: “You say that it is a custom of your country that, before you set out for battle, a most faithful and prudent man is sent by your lordship, who inspects all the arms, horses, and things which are necessary for battle; and if, at someone's home, they are found to have been readied in a useless fashion, that person receives capital punishment.” As a result, as one X century Arab historian, Al-Mas’udi, wrote: “One horseman of the Bulgarians can face 100 or 200 horsemen of the infidels.”

    UPGRADE


    6. Konni streltzi – Konni streltzi [BG: конни стрелци] is the Slavic-Bulgarian name for the horse archers, a continuation of the old Bulgar tradition of steppe warfare. In the VI century a Roman writer in Ostrogothic service, Cassiodorus Senator, called the Bulgars “feared throughout the whole world”. One of the main reasons for that are precisely the horse archers, free men who are trained to ride before they can walk, to shoot a bow before they can grow their first facial hair. As Mauricius writes in his Strategikon: “They pay great attention and practice a lot in shooting from their horses”. In addition to this, they carry their superior composite bows which allow them to shoot not only to a great distance, but also with a great speed and lesser fatigue. It is then no wonder why they are one of the most important parts in the Bulgarian army.

    UPGRADE


    7. Mechonostzi – In earlier ages, every Slavic knyaz had a personal band of loyal soldiers, the so-called druzhinniks. But since the times of Krum and Omurtag, the Slavic independence gradually disappeared and the knyazes became a part of the state administration. Because of this, the poorer part of the druzhinniks lost their high status and transformed into the mechonostzi [BG: мечоносци], simply meaning “sword-bearers” – a mixed unit of professional soldiers and simple peasants, trained in the art of sword-fighting. They still loyally serve their master (be that the tsar and his provincial administrators or some of the various nobles) and are ready to protect his life, possessions or estates even in the thickest of battles, despite their lost prestige and the resulting decrease in pay and armament, their only hope being that they would be noticed and hired as the tsar’s chigots or the noble’s personal guards.

    UPGRADE


    8. Otbrani kopienostzi – The chosen spearmen, which is the meaning of “otbrani kopienostzi” [BG: отбрани копиеносци], are professional soldiers, whose skills and courage have been noted by the nobles or the tsar’s servants. As a result, they have been hired in higher-ranked units, with a greater pay and considerably better equipment. They form a solid part of the regular forces of the country, serving as garrisons and guards throughout the land, ready to quell any unrest or repel any foreign invader.


    9. Otbrani mechonostzi-While the old druzhinas in Bulgaria were reorganized due to the waning power of the Slavic knyazes, the more skilled of them were formed in units of the so-called otbrani mechonostzi [BG: отбрани мечоносци], or chosen swordsmen – a regular unit of relatively high pay and a relatively high battle-strength, serving mostly as the garrison’s core in the bigger towns and some strategically located fortresses. The best among them can hope to be bestowed the honour of serving in the personal retinues of the bagains or even the boils.


    10. Otbrani streltzi – Marksmanship has always been a highly prized skill in nearly every human culture for the last several thousands of years. But joining a group of the best foot archers, the “otbrani streltzi” [BG: отбрани стрелци] or “chosen archers”, in a country composed of two peoples with legendary skills in archery, is by far not an easy task. Yet, these men are exactly such people, who have proven time and again that they know not only how to shoot with a bow, but also how to swing the sword, should it come to that. Of course, their main asset it still their skill in ranged warfare, making them ideal both for garrison duty and open field battles. Because, as the early Xth century Roman historian Ioannis Kaminiatis writes, “Nothing else was so natural to them as to take aim and nothing could withstand the power of their arrows”.


    11. Bagaturi – The bagaturi [BG: багатури], their name coming from an old Bulgar word for “heroes, brave men”, are veteran soldiers who have shown exceptional courage and skill in battle, returning with the heads of several enemies at once. The Roman author Ennodius, while writing in the early VI c. about the Bulgars, mentioned that “this is a nation where people acquired their titles and bought their nobility with the blood of their enemies, a nation where the battlefield glorifies one’s kin, because they consider the one, whose arms have been more blooded in battle, to be certainly nobler than the others.” These men are such people – soldiers who are rising the social ladder solely through their courage and strength of arms. In order to do this, they have dedicated their lives to war and have equipped themselves as best as they can, forming a unit of medium-heavy cavalry, equally skilled in both ranged and melee fights.

    UPGRADE


    12. Boili – The boili [BG: боили], or “bolyars” as they are called by the Slavs, form the group of the high Bulgarian nobles. They are some of the wealthiest men in the state, whose main occupation basically comes down to ruling, hunting and fighting. They are also divided in two groups – the so-called “malki boili” and “veliki boili” (respectively meaning “small boils” and “great boils”), the latter forming the Council of the Great Boils – close advisors to the tsar, which at times can even depose him and elect a new one. Naturally, their wealth provides for some of the heaviest equipment in the land not only for themselves, but also for their personal guards who form this unit (the descendants of the old high druzhinniks), making them some of the best lancers in the Bulgarian army.

    UPGRADE


    13. Bagaini – The bagaini [BG: багаини] form the lower parts of the Bulgarian aristocracy. They are not as wealthy as the boils and can not afford their heavy melee equipment, thus preferring first to ride from afar and weaken the enemy with their composite bows and only then to close up and draw their swords. Naturally, their lower noble status and desire to rise up in ranks also makes them a convenient tool in the hands of the tsar, limiting the possible transgressions of the more power-hungry nobles.


    14. Tarkani – The tarkani [BG: таркани] are representatives of the tsar, placed to govern regions of various size – from whole regions to single fortresses, depending on their rank. They can be nobles of various caliber or even simple commoners, who have earned the trust of the tsar and risen to heights, which would in return earn the eternal loyalty to their benefactor. As they are a part of the state administration, the government secures them and their closest guards with lances, swords, bows and armour, but they prefer to act mostly as the tsar’s most loyal lancers, ready to protect his interests in the thickest of battles.


    15. Chigoti – Since Pagan times, the Bulgars revered the sword as a sacred weapon. Pope Nicholas I attested to this in 866, writing to Knyaz Boris I that “whenever you decided to oblige someone for some matter by swearing an oath, you brought a sword into the centre of the gathering and swore an oath by it”. And although the country converted to Christianity in 864, the chigoti [BG: чиготи], an old Bulgar word for “swordsmen”, are still seen as something special, something almost sacred. They are skilled and brave, often said to be heroes, but unlike the bagaturs, they also have the prestige to be one of the tsar’s closest units – his palace guards, who also follow him to the field of battle. Another thing that distinguishes them from the other elite Bulgarian units is that they fight on foot, thus combining the traditions of both the Slavs and the old Bulgars. Given their high position, they are heavily armoured and a real threat to even the strongest enemies.


    16. Tzarska strazha – The Tzar’s Guard or “tzarska strazha” [Bg: царска стража] are the elite of the elite. They form the tsar’s closest and most loyal soldiers and are a source of pride for the whole nation. They are a heavily armed cavalry and are described (together with the chigots) by Theophanes Continuatus like “a great host, divided on many units, some armed with golden shields and golden spears, others with silver shields and silver spears, third with arms of all colours and all of them covered in iron.”


    CREDITS


    BGTW Team:
    Gogo-t
    NikeBG
    Alien-t
    More additions:
    Absinthia
    Leif Erikson
    Also:
    A huge thanks to Rusichi TW team for their primary material.
    Last edited by AnthoniusII; 02-18-2011 at 15:04. Reason: Adding material.

  2. #2
    Megas Domestikos Member AnthoniusII's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Great Conflicts 872-1071 M2TW/Kingdoms mod.

    The Normans


    The Normans regarded themselves as a distinct people, separate from the French and only distantly related to their Viking ancestors. In about 911 AD Charles the Simple recognized Rolf, known to the French as Rollo, as the legitimate ruler of Neustria and the former Viking raider accepted baptism by the archbishop of Rouen. The ancestor of Duke Robert the Magnificent and William the Bastard was now established in the lower Seine valley between Les Andelys and Vernon and by 933 the Norman territory had been pushed as far west as Mont St Michel. From this base the Normans were to extend their power to Sicily in the south and to England in the north with profound effects on the history of Europe.

    Normans in Italy.


    While it has received more attention recently, the Norman insertion into Italy and Sicily is often neglected even in basic texts concerning Western Civilization. Yet this "other" Norman invasion had profound effect on the political and cultural development of the Mediterranean.

    Normans in their attempt to settle in Normandy found themselves in a very uncertain political environment that followed the collapse of the Frankish Empire. That “environment” allowed Normans to strength their position and tries to expand more without fear of a counter measure.

    The Normans arrival in southern Italy was not an invasion as much as a slow accumulation of young mercenary knights looking for opportunities denied them at home. Initially hired by the Lombards to help in their revolt against the Byzantines in 1017, they soon sold their services to either side.
    More importantly, they began to seize towns and carve out fiefs for themselves. Often too small in number to directly assault well-defended towns, the Normans proceeded to raid and raze the outlining areas and farms, slow stripping the target of both food and commerce until it capitulated. They even went as far as to start fires and then demand payment before allowing them to be put out. The Normans systematically used intimidation and terror to rapidly gain land in Apulia and the area north of Naples. These tactics would allow them to set themselves up as barons in the region in less than seventy years.

    Yet while the Normans often acted as little more than robber-barons pursuing their own interests, they could show remarkable cohesion and foresight when required. Even when squabbling among themselves, they could rapidly drop their quarrels to confront a perceived threat. This ability to subsume internal differences for the greater good of the group was one of the primary reasons for their success. It also helped that their adversaries, be they the pope, Muslims or Byzantines, continually underestimated the capabilities and tenacity of the Normans. Never superior in numbers, the Normans used their heavy cavalry in a remarkably coherent manner to outmaneuver their opponents and seize fleeting opportunities. When Pope Leo IX came south with an army in 1053 to deal with the Norman predations of church property, he soon found himself their virtual prisoner following the crushing defeat at Civitate. Yet in a paradox typical of the Normans, they showed the Pope extreme respect and negotiated a settlement with him that confirmed their holdings. The Normans under Richard of Capua would continue to insert themselves into papal politics as when they invaded Rome and placed Nicolas II on the throne of St. Peter in 1059.

    The Normans were actually divided into two settling groups:
    1: The earliest known expedition was one by Rainulf Drengot along with his brothers and 250 other Norman cast-outs and adventurers, who established a protection business around Monte Sant'Angelo and its pilgrims in the late 1010s. The Byzantines (who thought they were in charge) showed their displeasure by thrashing the Normans in a battle close to Cannae (where Hannibal won his greatest victory against Rome), after which the bedraggled Norman survivors headed west into Lombard lands to lick their wounds. Battered but not defeated, Drengot and the surviving Normans regrouped and maneuvered themselves within ten years into a position where they had pretty much usurped the Lombards, and in the process taken over a lot of the properties of the Abbey of Montecassino. In 1030 Rainulf was acknowledged as the first Count of Aversa - the first formal Norman presence in Southern Italy. In 1038 he got his own form of payback by beating the Byzantines in battle, and deciding he was really a prince. And in 1042, in an act of poetic justice, his Norman mate from the other side (William Bras-de-Fer - see below) let him have Monte Sant'Angelo after he had removed the Byzantines from the east side of the country. Rainulf left no sons, and it was the nine Hauteville boys and their descendants (below) who were to stamp a lasting Norman impression on Southern Italy and Sicily.

    2: The most famous of the Hauteville family was Robert Guiscard, who arrived in Italy in 1047. Initially only in control of malaria-ridden lands in Calabria, Robert soon expanded his holdings and after helping install Nicolas II he was invested with Apulia, Calabria and Sicily as a reward. The fact that Sicily was held by the Muslims and portions of Apulia were still under Byzantine control seems to have mattered little to Robert or his younger brother Roger. While in the early years the Normans had been focused on territorial expansion and the accumulation of wealth, as their holdings increased they were inevitably forced to deal with the issues of governance.

    An interesting contrast emerged between how Roger developed the Sicilian government compared to the system that evolved in southern Italy under Robert. Because other Norman families had established significant fiefs in Apulia, Robert was continually confronted with revolts from his vassals who perceived the Hautevilles as having overstepped their authority. Yet despite continual turmoil in his lands, he persisted in trying to expand his holdings into to Illyria right up to his death in 1085.

    In contrast, Roger was extremely careful in assigning land in Sicily and held much of it for himself, thus preventing any family from developing a power base. He also showed remarkable foresight in his government organization by retaining many of the administrative techniques that had evolved there from the Byzantine and Muslim traditions. Holding court in Sicily and Calabria, Roger developed a centralized government that saw the rise of trade and culture to new heights in his territory. His death in 1101 marked the closing chapter in the heady days of conquest and expansion that had begun just over eighty years before.
    Typical of the Norman tactics, they launched a reconnaissance in force into Sicily. They returned in 1061 to capture Messina using diversions and sheer audacity. It would not be until 1086 though until Roger captured Syracuse and sealed the fate of Sicily.

    Changes in warfare tactics.


    Less than one hundred years of living in Normandy had profound influences on the Normans. They adopted French language and customs, and adopted the feudal system. The Normans also made immense changes to their warfare technique. Upon arrival on the shores of France, the Normans were almost entirely an infantry force that used typical Viking style shield-wall tactics. Only one hundred years later, the Normans become renowned horseman.

    The eleventh century saw the rising importance of cavalry in battle. The Normans were fast to adopt to this development. The advantage that a combined infantry-cavalry force proved over massive infantry-only formations soon became very clear. Some of the Norman's neighbors that did not follow these changes in warfare would soon pay a dear price. The Anglosaxons, for example, situated on the other end of the la Manche channel still used old style tactics well into eleventh century [picture].

    The Normans used their cavalry to disrupt enemy shield-wall formations with a series of attacks and feinted retreats. They did not yet possess lances long enough to allow them to charge straight into an enemy infantry formation and break it on impact. Instead, when the Normans drew close to their enemies they would throw their spears at the infantry [picture]/[picture2] or they would try to stab the enemy with spears while moving parallel to shield wall. The goal of these tactics was to weaken the enemy before the final assault, and to provoke them into breaking formation. When the enemy formation finally broke and the infantry became disorganized, the Norman infantrymen would join the attack and along with their mounted countrymen they would rout the enemy.

    After their arrival in Italy they found themselves in a heavily mountainous environment and in battles against armies that used a large number of archers and heavy cavalry that used longer spears/lances than their own. However, they were smart enough to fortify themselves in high mountains and to learn from their enemies the cavalry tactics and techniques that the Lombards had used for centuries. In their Italian campaigns, the Normans adopted longer lances and employed tight cavalry charging formations. These, along with adoption of spurs and specially engineered high saddles allowed so called "couched" charges which could smash enemy lines in half. Now the Normans became even less dependent upon infantry, who were pushed aside to a supporting role, in favor of the cavalry.

    Soon enough they also realized that archers were much more lethal in the Italian mountain environment than in the open plains of west Europe. Archers in Italy also had better training and equipment and were present in larger numbers. Normans found two solutions against this disadvantage of theirs - they recruited large numbers of Lombard, Italian and Muslim archers and they adopted the Islamic and Roman style scale and lamellar made cuirasses to better protect themselves [picture].

    Timeline of the Norman expansion in Italy.

    10th-11thCenturiesA.D.
    The Norman Conquest of southern Italy begins. The first adventurers from the coast of Normandy, France, hire themselves out to the rival rulers of Benevento, Salerno, Naples, and Capua. As a reward they are given the city of Aversa. But as their numbers increase, the Normans band together to fight on their own.
    1053-1059A.D.
    By this time Robert Guiscard (i.e. "the Wise", or, "Wily") has established a Norman kingdom in southern Italy. He conquers Calabria (the toe of the Italian peninsula), Benevento (1054 A.D.), and allies himself with Pope Nicholas II (r. 1059-1061), whom he protects from being dominated by Germanic rulers, and receives papal sanction to rule Calabria, Puglia (the heel of the Italian peninsula), and the island of Sicily. Robert sends his younger brother Roger to conquer Sicily, and himself sets out to conquer Puglia from the Byzantines.
    The Normans have many classical texts translated from the Greek and Arabic into Latin. Together with the Greek texts that are collected in Byzantium and rediscovered in the libraries of the monasteries of Europe, these works will bring about a revolution both in Roman Catholic theology and in secular learning.
    1071A.D.
    Robert Guiscard captures Bari. With Puglia conquered, and with it Byzantium's rule in southern Italy ended, Robert next sets out to conquer Constantinople. But he is called back by Pope Gregory VII (r. 1073-1085) to defend the papacy against the Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV.
    1084A.D. Robert Guiscard captures the city of Rome from Henry IV's army. But when the people of Rome revolt against Robert's army, Robert sacks and burns the city.
    1060-1091A.D.
    Roger Guiscard's conquest of the island of Sicily from the Saracens. The Moslems of Sicily and southern Italy are Berbers from North Africa (the race of St. Augustine) and Spanish Moslems, a diverse people but they are all called Saracens
    1085-1101A.D.
    With the death of his brother Robert Guiscard, Roger becomes the ruler of Norman Italy or the "Two Sicilies" as it is called -- i.e. of the island of Sicily and the southern half of the Italian peninsula.
    1101-1154A.D.
    During the reign of Roger II, a nephew of Robert Guiscard, Naples and Capua are added to the Norman Kingdom. Abruzzo is captured from the Holy Roman Emperors, and North Africa from Tripoli to Tunis is taken from the Saracens.
    1130A.D.
    Roger II changes his title from Count to King. The capital city of his "Kingdom of the Two Sicilies" is Palermo.
    1194A.D.
    Roger II's heirs, who have already lost the Norman's North African possessions, end Norman rule in southern Italy by surrendering the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies to the Holy Roman (i.e. German) Emperor Henry VI under the pretext that Henry has married a woman from the Norman court. ("People from the East") by the Italians.


    Map of the Norman expansion in Italy.

    Hauteville dinasty line until 1071ad:



    BANNERS & CHARACTERS

    Banners

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    Cavalry flag (gonfanon)



    Bodyguards of Norman duke carry main faction flag, officer is visible to (red-yellow helmet)


    Infantry flag


    Archer officer and banner carrier hiding behind melee infantry.

    Nobles with "elite" flag




    Characters



    King ......................... Heir ........................... General.................... Captain


    UNITS

    UNITS DESCRIPTIONS AND IMAGES
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Familia Ducis (Ducal household).
    Ducal household or "Familia Ducis" were loyal band of professionals which served the duke as his personal bodyguards. They received full-time salary, as well as generous periodic gifts from their lord to strengthen their loyalty. In war, they expected their share of the spoils.
    Duke's household was remarkably heterogeneous in its composition and it included both landless, unenfeoffed knights and members of great aristocratic families with large estates that owed their rise to their close ties with the king or the great magnates. Equipment and ability seem to have been the defining factors for recruitment of these warriors. Each warrior was expected to provide his own equipment. However he could expect his master to compensate him for any damaged or lost items. Members of Ducal household were well payed and could afford best equipment available.
    Soldiers of the familia possessed equipment consisting of a long chain-mail hauberk, a helmet, a kite-shaped shield, a sword, a lance and a war horse (destirer). Additionally, warriors wore padded underclothing that increased the effectiveness of their defensive system. Lamellar or scale cuirasses were also sometimes used to provide soldiers with even more protection.
    On battlefield, heavy cavalry of familia ducis as trusted companions of the duke followed him everywhere protecting his life even at the expense of their own.


    UPGRADE


    Last edited by AnthoniusII; 03-22-2011 at 13:59.

  3. #3
    U14 Footballer Member G. Septimus's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Great Conflicts 872-1071 M2TW/Kingdoms mod.

    whoa, nice one, did you do this yourself?
    I mean no mod team?
    x2


    Big Romani Fan
    Die Manschaaft
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    Der Rekordmeister

  4. #4
    Megas Domestikos Member AnthoniusII's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Great Conflicts 872-1071 M2TW/Kingdoms mod.

    Afcourse there is a team.:)
    I am only one of its members.
    The team is short but very skilled.
    We also have received a lot of crusial help from non members .
    There will a full credit list soon.
    We still seak for coders and scripters ...

  5. #5

    Default Re: The Great Conflicts 872-1071 M2TW/Kingdoms mod.

    Looks amazing! Will you be able to play as the Normans in custom battles?

  6. #6
    Megas Domestikos Member AnthoniusII's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Great Conflicts 872-1071 M2TW/Kingdoms mod.

    Quote Originally Posted by MilesNormanum View Post
    Looks amazing! Will you be able to play as the Normans in custom battles?
    Yes and if we will recieve more help an "late campaign" will be added in the mod with Normans just settled in Itally!
    Enjoy!

    Also a sneak pic of Lombards!

    Or Khazar nombles in the service of Kievan Vikings (Rus) as allies.

    Or East Frankia kingdom ...

  7. #7
    Megas Domestikos Member AnthoniusII's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Great Conflicts 872-1071 M2TW/Kingdoms mod.

    The Bulgarian Empire preview added in post 3.

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