The Chronicle of the Holy Roman Empire

[Ludens]

The Chronicle of the Holy Roman Empire
Emperors of the HRE

The play-by-E mail campaign of the HRE (early, total domination, VI, unpatched) began rather unlucky with a false start by Skie Mirror Silvanoshei. Skie Mirror Silvanoshei started the campaign but was unable to finish his reign. Cazbol picked it up after him and started all over again. For clarities sake I will not include Skie Mirror Silvanoshei unfinished write up, but it can be read here: HRE PBM thread.

The Roll of Emperors
Conrad II (reigned 1087-1014) Cazbol
Conrad III (reigned 1014-1131) KukriKhan
Herrmann II (reigned 1131-1157) Demon of Light
Otto IV (reigned 1157-1176) The Witch-King
Herrmann III (reigned 1176-1216) Simon Appleton
Friedrich I (reigned 1216-1235) The_Emperor
Rudolf II (reigned 1235-1273) sprucemoose
Lothair II (reigned 1273-1277) oaty

[Ludens]

The Reign of Conrad II (1087-1014)
By Cazbol






1087: Much to my surprise I have become the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. I would like to attribute it to popular demand or the grace of god, but evil rumours speak of demonic influence. I knew little about the situation I face beforehand, but I can see I share borders with 6 major nations which puts me in a precarious situation. To make matters worse, my generals are all inexperienced and usually have very little loyalty to me. My two main objectives are to secure the borders and increase the loyalty of the troops. A third aim is to take the first steps in building the economy. I presume my successors will accuse me of placing too little emphasis on advancing our technology, but I've made the strategic choice to prioritize the economy over technology.

1093: This is indeed a peaceful world we live in. The major nations have spent these last 6 years engaged in diplomatic pleasantries. Not a single war has been declared and natural enemies coexist peacefully. I've used the time to vastly increase my army, albeit with primitive troops. I've also been able to increase troop loyalty by carefully selecting the leaders of the garrisons. The least loyal troops were then sent to attack the rebels in Pomerania under the leadership of my son, prince Conrad. The rebels retreated to the fort and we'll now starve them out.

1094: Loyalist rebellion in Pomerania was swiftly put down by prince Conrad. Victory was very easy as the rebels only fielded missile units.

1097: The dishonorable French have gone to war with us. The initiated it by bribing my garrison in Friesland. I sent in a larger force in an attempt to hold on to the province and soundly defeated the traitors. I will now divert all our resources to this war. If only England would join in on my side.


Friesland defended.vrp

1098: The French invaded Lorraine with a somewhat larger force. My son Prince Ludwig defended the province. In the end it came down to a duel between him and the French general, who was a great warrior that just wouldn't die. Prince Ludwig was the only one left in his unit and so was the French general. A group of urban militia tried to assist Prince Ludwig but were only successful in killing the foe a second after he managed to kill my son. My troops then lost heart and fled the field so Lorraine is lost. We'll now try to counterattack but success is most uncertain.

[Conrad II - Lorraine lost.vrp]

1099: Prince Conrad counterattacked Lorraine. The French army consisted of 3 units of peasants, about 6 of archers and 1 ballista. To my horror I found that they would be defending a bridge, which was especially bad because of all the archers. I charged the bridge with my infantry who were blocked by the peasants. It surprised me how effectively the peasants stood up to my professional soldiers. The French archers then decimated my troops who broke and ran. Just as Prince Conrad was beginning to withdraw our troops and give up the fight, the French got cocky and counterattacked across the bridge. One battered unit of my spearmen, my single archer unit and Prince Conrads knights were able to stop them and kill their general which severely disheartened the enemy. Prince Conrad then bravely charged the bridge and attacked the archers on the other side, supported by our own archers fighting in melee. The enemy routed and fled but the battle cost us very dearly in valuable men. After we took back our land the bastardly pope demanded that we return it to the French and cease hostilities against them. I'll rather be excommunicated than bow to that schwein.

[Conrad II - Lorraine retaken.vrp]

1102: We gathered a large army of mercenaries and attacked Ile de France. Again the French defended at a bridge, only this time there were two bridges. Three units were sent to the bridge on the right, while the remaining force waited at the bridge on the left. The right bridge was badly defended and therefore we easily charged across routing the defenders. This led the French to send most of their remaining forces to assist the routing defenders, so we charged the left bridge taking it equally easily. Our force at the right bridge was defeated, but they had done their job of enabling our main force to cross. The French then turned back to the left bridge but had no chance of winning. Their king was slain and the remaining rabble fled for their lives. The French therefore have a new king. The castle in Ile de France is now under siege. Predictably the pope has excommunicated me but I'll get my own back by defeating his French lackeys.

[Conrad II - Ile de France taken.vrp]

1103: Expecting the French to try to lift the siege in Ile de France by sending in troops from other provinces I move into both Flanders and Champagne from Friesland and Lorraine. The English decide to join me in Flanders and we defeat the French. We lost only 1 man while capturing only 6 and killing none, which bears testimony to the fact that we let the English do all the work and take all the casualties.
[screenshot and replay were forgotten]
I was uncertain about the attack on Champagne, mainly because the French king, Jean II lead the defenders, but went ahead with it anyway. The French were strong in archers and ballistas so I chose to attack in awful weather, wind and rain. Prince Conrad started by personally attacking and destroying the 3 ballistas, losing some men in the process. The main force then attacked and as expected the only real resistance came from king Jean II. Prince Conrad fought him and had to retreat after becoming the sole survivor in his unit. The infantry managed to surround the king and eventually slay him and win the battle.

[Conrad II - Champagne taken.vrp]
The French had no royal heirs so they're history. A pathetic history. The pope was none too please to hear of this and called upon crusades against us. Let's see what happens.

1104: We overran the fort in Flanders without any difficulties but will wait for the keep in Ile de France to fall.

1105: Our mercenary army which took Ile de France has now completed the siege of the castle. I believe that mercenaries should justify their high wages by fighting, so I attacked Normandy, which the rebels had taken from the English last year. The rebels fled without a fight so our empire grows again.

1110: The mercenary army was sent on a challenging attack on rebel Brittany. They lost although they did caused more casualties than they received. The deciding factor seems to have been the enemy general (5 star), whose unit had great valour (7). No great harm done as I’ll save a bundle on mercenary upkeep. In other news the Aragonese have been eliminated and the Spanish excommunicated.

[Conrad II - Mercs lose in Brittanny.vrp]

1112: The pope just died and what do you know… at the age of 56, so my excommunication has been lifted. As I have now just turned 56 I fear I’m about to join him. At least I enjoyed one good year without that bastard.

1113: As expected, I am now coughing up blood. My son will now take over as Conrad III. Looking back I’m fairly pleased with my main accomplishment, i.e. defeating the French traitors, although this war delayed my plans for build-up. I’m convinced that my son will take us to further greatness.

[Ludens]

The Reign of Conrad III (1014-1131)
By KukriKhan

Either Conrad seventeen years were very uneventful or something nasty happened to the court historian. Whatever happened (or didn't happen), we don't have a write-up so over to:

[Ludens]

The Reign of Herrmann II (1131-1157)
By Demon of Light

Herrmann was disconsolate. In a little over a year his situation had gone from stretched thin to desperate. It seemed that everyone wanted to tear away chunks of his empire for their own use. The Poles had attacked Bohemia. The Italians and Hungarians had lifted the siege in Croatia. The French had cancelled the treaty that binded them to keep the peace. All around him, Herrmann saw naught but ashes.

The war with the Italians had come as a surprise. The Italian Doge was no altruist so it was very perplexing to see him send his uncle at the head of a relief force. He gained nothing but a war for his efforts. Of course, maybe a war was precisely the reward he sought. Doge Marino I may be almost illiterate but he did possess a certain cunning. Using the pretext of aiding his Hungarian, Marino could expand his holdings if the war went well for him.

The war with the Poles had not been a surprise. After the Italians entered the war, the Poles were hardly eager to be left out of the grab for land. Using their alliance with the Hungarians as a pretext, they had entered the fray. Only 100 spearmen defended Bohemia. These men proved to be little better than peasants and fled before a force numbering but 80 Poles.

All throughout his brother's reign, Herrmann had been troubled by the poor quality in Empire's troops. Now, his worst fears were confirmed. Valorless men had been allowed to serve in the army and the results had been disastrous. Lax and inadequate training had contributed to the disaster in Croatia. The men there had not known how to fight and didn't have the right weapons to fight. No surprise that they couldn't kill anything. Also no surprise that what had started off as the routing of a single unit of spearmen had spread with great alacrity to infect the hearts of the rest of the army. They all ran. Cowards.

With all this, at least one group of men could rejoice. Hungarian ambassadors had convinced the Polish and Italian kingdoms to go to war and the French to abrogate a treaty. Not a bad bit of work.

---

Though the situation looked grim, it was decided that now was the time to be bold. Our spies had indicated that the recent troop mobilizations by the Poles had caused shortages in certain regions. Bohemia and Volhynia was attacked together with the Polish homeland itself. If plundered, Poland would be a broken central province for an equally broken kingdom. We also fortified our Italian frontiers. Our plans were met with success at all quarters. An Italian attack on Austria was repulsed and the Polish garrisons withdrew without a fight. Even better, Polish king and his only heir were now seperated from the rest of their kingdom in Silesia as our newly acquired territories kept them in place.

The year following this success was one of sacrifice. We enticed the Italians into taking Austria and let the Poles take Lithuania as we concentrated our efforts on the thrice cursed Polish king. He refused to offer us battle and retreated to his castle. (He later surrendered to us and was ransomed back for 8000 florins)The Italian capture of Austria bought us much needed time to train more troops. Since the beginning of my reign I had initiated a vigorous training program to create quality soldiers for the Empire's armies. Now, with Doge Marino I occupied in Austria we moved our freshly trained army of knights, men-at-arms and spearmen (improved from the glorified peasants that graced our ranks at the time of our defeats) into Milan. We hope that these quality troops can stand up to the Italians and eliminate them as a threat.

---

Herrmann's 35th birthday found him in a much happier mood. The news on all fronts was good. Though Austria still hadn't been recaptured, Volhynia and Lithuania had been. The Italians had been caught flatfooted by his nephew, Friedrich and the Poles had lost two consecutive battles attempting to retake Poland. Slowly, the tide was turning. Still more reports were streaming in of the Italians being unable to match his troop concentrations along their borders and that the Hungarians were maintaining a static front.

Herrmann's good mood came to a crashing halt at the arrival of two messengers. The first was from the Pope. The swaggering cur informed Herrmann that he was being excommunicated for his aggression towards the Poles. Never mind that Lithuania had initially been part of the Empire. Never mind that the Poles had started the war. Herrmann had defied the Holy Father's wishes and was thus to be severely punished.

As though defying the odds that held that the second message could not possibly be worse than the first, the second messenger arrived with urgent news for the Emperor. The French had broken their neutrality and taken Burgundy. For a long while after, the messenger charged with delivering this message stood in awkward silence before Herrmann. The Emperor had the look of a man who didn't know whether to laugh or cry and in the end he did both.

Once more, Herrmann saw ashes. His borders, his armies, his resources, everything had been committed. Now he had to find the men, the weapons and the money to face a new foe at a time when he had just struggled into a survivable position with the three foes he already had. To cry or laugh. It is well that history does not record what Hermann did. His reputation as one of the great saviors of the Germanic people would doubtlessly have suffered.

===========================================================

And here, rather abruptly, the chronicle of Herrmann II's reign ends.

[Ludens]

The Reign of Otto IV (1157-1176)
By the Witch-King

Otto surveyed the empire he had inherited from his uncle. For many years now the Empire had been at war with it’s neighbours, but it seemed that the tide had definitely turned. Otto ordered the recruitment of fresh troops to reinforce the armies on the French border, who consisted for a large part out of peasants, while ordering the armies in Scandinavia to march south immediately to bolster the armies in southern Germany, bordering the perfidious Italians.

Yet his main attention was focused on Eastern Europe, for it was here that the final battle against the Polish would be fought. Ravens flew from the Imperial headquarters in Franconia, carrying the orders for his generals on the Eastern front. In 1158 the Polish were driven from Moldavia, after a brief fight against our forces, causing the Pope to issue a warning. Knowing that time was short Otto ordered the attack on the last Polish stronghold of Kiev the following year.

In a spectacular bridge battle the last Polish army was destroyed, as they desperately tried to hold the bridge. German archers peppered the sons of the Polish king and their guards with their arrows, slaughtering them while the German cavalry crossed the second bridge and engaging the Polish king itself. After a few tense minutes the Polish king finally turned and ran, swiftly followed by his remaining troops. In 1160 general von Holstein assaulted the fort of Kiev, finally putting an end to the Polish kingdom.

In the mean time all was quiet on the Western front. Otto used this brief respite to levy new troops and build some infrastructure in the German heartland, for he knew that the coming battles for France would be hard. And then everything changed.

---------------------------------------------------------

12th of May, 1159 AD, Hamburg Castle, Saxony:

Otto looked from the walls of Hamburg Castle at the army gathered around it. As soon as the last of the Scandinavian reinforcements had arrived he intended to march to Ile de France for the upcoming campaign against the French. Knowing that victory over the Polish was imminent had brightened his mood but the strong French armies on his western frontier bothered him. If his armies there were destroyed before he could get there they could reconquer all their old lands within a couple of years. Suddenly he saw a rider approaching the castle gate with great speed. As the courier reached the gate he shouted:

The Emperor, I must speak to the Emperor

Immediately Otto walked over and shouted:

I'm here, good sir What news do you bring?

I carry important news from France, your Majesty

Immediately Otto felt cold inside. It couldn't be. Not again. He had to muster all his will to ask more.

What? They've attacked? Speak quickly, man

No, your Majesty, nothing like that at all The French provinces of Aquitaine and Toulouse have rebelled It's a civil war

A feeling of relief washed over Otto and he had to suppress a sigh. Not an attack. Then it dawned on him. Rebellion. Softly he began to chuckle and finally he laughed out loud, before regaining his composure somewhat.

Give this man a purse of gold, that's the best news I've had in a long time Courtiers, fetch me some paper and a pencil, there are orders to be send

---------------------------------------------------------

The following years war erupted on the Western front, with German armies advancing into Anjou and Wessex. The French retreated into the castle and the small English army was swept aside. Sadly, the Spanish decided to capitalize on the same opportunity and captured Aquitaine, so Otto immediately ordered his troops in the Provence to attack Toulouse the following year. The Rebel army was obliterated, securing the border with Spain. The French were now contained inside Brittany, ready to be killed off at an opportune moment.

The situation on the Italian front looked very well too, with the German armies growing each year, while the Italians also descended into civil war. When Otto heard of this news he wondered if the Almighty had decided to aid the Holy Roman Empire against it's enemies by smithing them with insurrections.

1161 almost saw disaster in Wessex, when a English army tried to retake the province. Outnumbering the enemy almost 2 to 1, the German general foolishly charged a part of his army against the English archers, succeeding in routing three regiments. Emboldened he then assaulted the rest of the army, only to be routed by murderous archer fire, followed by an infantry charge. Luckily the general managed to regroup 300 men and set up a defensive position on a hill. When the English came in for the kill he managed to kill the enemy general, causing the English to rout off the field. Losses were severe though and requests for reinforcements were send the following year.

1162 was the year of the Great Assault, with multiple armies invading all the remaining Italian lands bordering the Empire. The goal of the attack was to drive the Italians of the European mainland, effectively ending the war and ending the Italians as a significant faction. Otto felt secure that his armies would be able to drive off the Italian troops, who were mainly urban militia and peasants. This was going to be an exciting year indeed

Otto's Diary:

1162: Our glorious armies have succeeded and the Italians, who so often plagued my forefathers with their treachery, have been driven off the European mainland, without offering any resistance We even captured their leader, the Doge, but his ransom was refused and his head now adorns my castle gate in Venice. The Italians are now reduced to Sardinia and their reign of terror is over I'm now left with the decision of what to do with my army and I've decided that I'll leave a small army in Austria to deal with the besieged Italians there, while ordering the army in Genua to move into Tuscany and destroy the Rebels there. This will secure our Italian frontier. I shall move the rest of my army to Hungary and destroy their pathetic kingdom.

===========================================================

Another abrupt end to a chronicle. Whatever happened to all those historians?

[Ludens]

The Reign of Herrmann III (1176-1216)
By Simon Appleton

Sigmund Haraldson sat in the hall, nursing a hangover and a pint of mead. With a dull pain, he raised his eyes to view the young German knight approaching his table.

“Lord Haraldson, would it be too much of an imposition if I were to join you?” the young German inquired deferentially.

Sigmund grunted and spat on the floor. The German looked unsure but continued standing in front of Sigmund. Watching the young man through pained eyes, Sigmund concluded that today was not going to be a good day.

“Lord Haraldson, I wanted to get your opinion of our young Emperor. They say that you have been at his side for these first ten years of his reign”, the young knight began.

“That much is true.” said Sigmund dourly. Then, despairing of returning to his early morning reverie, he went on. “Do they say what your name is?”

The young knight looked temporarily put out, but then sat down and spurred on. “Karl Leidendorf, at your service. Were you with his majesty in his Scottish campaign?”

Sigmund grunted. In 1176, the year of his coronation, the seventeen year old Emperor had rushed from his wedding to a Sicilian Princess to board a ship headed for the Scottish highlands, last redoubt of King Richard of the English. Sigmund’s fellow Swedes had jokingly inquired whether this eagerness for battle reflected more on the Emperor’s reputation as a great warrior or the questionable beauty of his bride. The clash with the English had not shown the Emperor to have any notable skill at command. Richard had deployed his small army of 436 men on a hill, with a wood at the flank closest to the German host of 677. This skilful deployment minimised the German advantage in archers. Emperor Hermann III had ordered Sigmund’s Huscarls into the wood and then sent them out to break the charge of some English men-at-arms. In a maneouvre worthy of his ancestor, William I, Richard had then sent a body of knights into the flank of the Huscarls, routing them. Although German numbers had eventually prevailed, the day had not reflected well on the vaunted skills of either Emperor Hermann or his favoured troops, the Swedish Huscarls.

“Is it true, the Emperor personally pursued Richard the Lionheart from the field?” the German pressed.

Sigmund grunted again.



Emperor Hermann III pursues the inappropriately monikered Richard the Lionheart from the field

“It is amazing, just amazing that such a young man can achieve so much. Eliminating the English dynasty. Sinking the Italian pirates and bringing peace between our kingdoms. Routing those vile Livonian rebels who had so cruelly butchered his own brother…”


Sigmund wondered whether to grunt again, but could not find the energy.

“And you were at the battle with the Livonians as well?” Sir Leidendorf asked.

Sigmund scowled into his pint of mead. That battle had been scarcely more creditable than the earlier one in the Highlands. The Emperor had attempted to deploy his troops in groups, but had ordered them to form up within range of the Livonian archers. The lead unit of Huscarls had lost almost half its men before the Emperor had despaired of elegant maneouvring and ordered each unit to charge piecemeal into the enemy line. The battle had been easily won, but by the superior prowess of the huscarls rather than any subtlety of tactics.

“And lately, to have claimed Ireland from the primitives who reside there”, the young knight continued his eulogising. “What an inspired leader we have, do you not agree, Lord Haraldson?”

Sigmund decided he really had to grunt at this point, but could not bring himself to do so and so coughed ambiguously instead. Prince Lothair, the Emperor’s brother, had led the invasion of Ireland and destroyed the Irish army with surgical skill. However, in view of recent events, the temporary marooning of the finest commander in the Empire was potentially a grave strategic error.

“They say the Emperor would have been content to reign in peace for all his years, even making offerings of alliance to our main rivals, Spain and Byzantium. He has focussed his energies these last ten years in developing our lands and most of all, creating a trade fleet. To think the Spaniards have cast aside his offer of friendship and then launched unprovoked attacks on our merchant ships”

The way this young man prattled on, Sigmund thought, saying nothing of consequence and merely filling the air with the sound of his own verbosity. I should send him home to Goteborg, he could help my wife put the young ones to sleep with his inane ramblings.

“Well, now they’ve done it, haven’t they? Those foolish Spaniards Now we know what the Emperor will dedicate his reign to – the complete conquest of Ibernia and all its North African possessions” The young German knight paused and eyed Sigmund quizzically, perhaps only then realising that the Swede had said not one word since he had sat down.

“I suppose I should leave you to your preparations, Lord Haraldson. I will no doubt see you later as we march into Aquitaine, the first our many future conquests from Spain. They say the Spanish King himself is crossing the Pyrnees with a host of knights as our Emperor sails to Bordeaux from Lithuania to lead our attack. Maybe today will see the first battle of the new war? Good day, Lord Haraldson, and good hunting”

Through hooded eyes, Sigmund watched the young knight excitedly leave the hall. Yes, today was going to be a very bad day indeed.


Some notes on the War with Spain

My brother, Lothair, has prevailed upon me to write a short account of our war against the Spanish. He says it will enhance the glory of my reign, but I think he seeks to use it to bolster his own military reputation in the face of the strong competition from my six adult sons. Well, he is earned some praise but this will be a workmanlike account – I leave it to my scribes to embellish it with eulogies.

The strength of Spanish kingdom was initially unknown – my predecessors had judged them to be our most dangerous rival. Their lands extended from Aquitaine to Cyrenacia and were well developed, supporting a large standing army. Although our lands were clearly even more extensive, my strategy was to use a smaller, more efficient army to secure victory. This would leave the treasury free to concentrate on building up our fleet and developing our lands.

I have scribbled some notes of our troop movements on this map of the Iberian peninsular that may be instructive.



A sketch of the HRE advances through the Hibernian Peninsular.

The initial strategy was to minimise our front with the Spanish to two provinces. This would avoid over-stretching our armed forces and allow me or my brother, Lothair, to personally oversee all operations. Beyond that, the plan was to carve a path into the Spanish plain that avoided river defences. It should be noted that progress was sometimes slow due a decision to starve out besieged garrisons – for reasons of brevity, I do not note the progress of sieges below.

1186: As I vacillated about the future direction of my reign, King Felipe I of Spain ended my indecision. In the first of several acts of folly, he ordered his ships to begin piratical attacks on our barques.

1187: I debarked from Livonia to lead an invasion into Aquitaine. It was unopposed, but Prince Sancho of Spain launched a counter-invasion into Toulouse. I had not anticipated this move and Sancho’s force of 2000 men was double my defending garrison. With Prince Lothair still marooned in Ireland, the defending German general, Lord Karolinger, was unfortunately inferior in command skills to Prince Sancho. However, the defending garrison beat off the assault with heavy losses - 518 men dead and 676 enemy killed in battle. 675 Spaniards were taken prisoner, but I ordered their execution. The refusal of ransomed warriors to respect any conditions of parole means that I have had no choice but to resort to butchery.

1188: Offers of alliance were made to Byzantium and Italy, but later rejected.

1189: I marched into Aragon with force of 1800 men, to be met with King Felipe with a host of 4200. The battle was a drawn out affair but throughout I adopted battle tactics that have served the German army throughout this campaign. We led with a loose screen of archers, backed by spears and Huscarls with light cavalry on the flanks. We manoeuvred for higher ground and rained arrows on the defenders. Our manoeuvring unhinged their initial deployment and they withdrew to a secondary position, exposing their war engines to the swift assault of our light cavalry. In the main assault, we led with several units of huscarls charging their infantry and Feudal Sergeants engaging any cavalry. The raw power of the huscarls, together with the benefits of superior command, invariably prevailed over the lower quality Spanish troops. In this battle, we lost 303 men but killed 977 and executed a further 766.

1190: King Felipe launched a counter-attack on Aragon, defended by my brother, Prince Lothair, now returned from Ireland. Felipe mustered 3600 men; more than double Lothair’s defending force of 1400. However, Lothair found a good position on a hilltop and fought a masterful defence, inflicting ten times as many casualties as he received (2400 compared to 230).




The roster recording Prince Lothair's great victory in Aragon amidst the Spanish fallen


In this year, the Pope joined the conflict on the side of the Spanish. Man for man, the Papacy had the finest quality troops in Europe - after our own - but for all that it remained a small power and had generals of unremarkable skill in command– evidently devoting more time to pray (or politics) than to the study of war. A Papal force of 700 invaded Tuscany but was repulsed by a similar sized garrison. 115 Germans died; 471 Papal troops.

1191: I was excommunicated by the Papacy.

1192: I marched unopposed into Castille. The Pontiff launched another invasion of Tuscany but aborted it when seeing our unexpected reinforcements.

1193: I marched into Valencia. The Spanish deployed for battle, but retreated without loss of blood when outmanoeuvred in the field. The Pope died, voiding my excommunication. My oldest son, Prince Friedrich came of age and despite his youth was quite the equal of his father and uncle in command. Five others of comparable military skill would follow him, speeding up our military conquest and ending the requirement that our front be only two provinces wide.

1194: Prince Friedrich marched into Cordoba with 1500 men, aiming to encircling the bulk of the Spanish army in Portugal and Leon. King Felipe I with 2600 men met him, but continual defeat in battle had rendered the Spanish King a broken man and this loss of spirit infected his army. The encounter resembled less a battle than a sheep-dog trial, with Friedrich’s men shepherding the Spanish army from the field. 220 Spaniards died – mainly from archery – and only 37 Germans.




The portrait of a royal milksop


1195: King Felipe I died – some say of a mysterious bug, others say he simply lost the will to live.

1196: The Spanish armies encircled in Portugal and Leon attempted a break-out with 4000 men into Cordoba, where I was quartered with 2400 troops intending to invade Leon. 3100 Spaniards were killed for the loss of 320 Germans. After the victory, a company of German mounted crossbowmen marched unopposed into Leon and were amused to find the castle stoutly held by a lone Spaniard warrior.

Also in that year, the new Pope excommunicated me but also offered a cease-fire. After some debate, I endured the insult and accepted the end of hostilities.

1197: My son Otto struck into Portugal to destroy the last of the encircled Spaniards. The battle was evenly balanced – 1100 Germans against 1200 Spaniards, but the Spanish suffered 600 dead for the loss of 141 Germans.

The encirclement and subsequent destruction of the main Spanish army in Portugal and Leon marked the end of effective resistance to our occupation. I marched unopposed into Granada and thereafter moved swiftly.

1198: I marched unopposed into Morocco.

1199: I marched unopposed into Algeria.

1200: I marched unopposed into Tunisia.

1201: Seeing a rebellion in Cyrenacia, the last Spanish province, I rested for a year to observe the fratricide.

1202 (the present): I marched into Cyrenacia to defeat the remnants of the once great Spanish Kingdom. With a force of 1400 men, I defeated an army of 1000 – losing 124 men, killing 474 and capturing 186 (finally, in ultimate victory, showing mercy).

I am now 44 years of age and feel my time for war is over. I wish to return to the era of peace I enjoyed in my first ten years of rule.

However, at the moment of this victory, comes troubling news. My only allies throughout my reign have been the Sicilians and indeed, I have found Sicilian Princesses to be brides for my brother and many of my sons. Long ago, the Sicilians were ousted from their homeland by the Papacy and now live confined to Serbia and Croatia. Evidently, they have grown weary of being trapped in this enclave for now they have launched an invasion of our province of Hungary. But the history of that war is for another day.


The Trial of Emperor Hermann III

With some trepidation, Hermann rose and carefully put on his full ceremonial dress. Although in fine health and only fifty-six, a feeling of unease had been rising within the Emperor.

“What is it, Imperial Chamberlain, that makes these barons drag me out of my bed?”

The Imperial Chamberlain raised his eyes and shook his head resignedly, as if to say that fathoming the collective reasoning of the German nobility was a futile task.

So, with a heavy heart, Hermann marched into the Imperial Court to meet the assembled Lords and knights. But instead of seeing his throne at the head of the crowd, the Emperor saw two still figures dominating the proceedings. One man stood bathed in a strong shaft of light falling from a high window in the castle. The other was half-hidden in one of the dark shadows cast by the Gothic fortress.

“What the hell is this?” shouted the Emperor, although his voice sounded rather weak and muted in the great hall. “I demand an explanation”

“The accused will remain silent unless questioned” snapped the shadowy figure and Hermann found himself flanked by a group of large helmeted figures, who effortlessly thrust him between his two inquisitors.

“You know your reign is ending, don’t you Hermann?” the other inquisitor standing in the light of the castle said sadly.

Hermann’s resistance was deflated by these words, overcome by a sickening feeling akin to panic, except that somehow he knew there was no action he could take that would alter the dreadful things that were to pass.

“And for every reign, there must be an accounting.” Said the dark figure sharply. “Your reign has been one of continual war and destruction”

“That is not true” cried Hermann. “I have focussed my reign on developing our lands and building up our economy. When I inherited this Empire, our treasury was a mere 15,000 florins; most lands had only the most rudimentary kind of farm development and our merchant fleet was a mere couple of fishing vessels Now, our coffers are some 570,000 florins; most lands have the most advanced form of farm development and our merchant men ply every sea route known to man”

“Your wealth does nothing to appease the widows of your bloody wars with Spain, the Papacy and Hungary” the dark inquisitor barked harshly.

“But those wars were not started by the accused.” Interjected the figure basked in light calmly.

“That’s right” said Hermann, hope rising within. “I sought only to peacefully develop my lands, those conflicts were thrust upon me.”

“I see,” said the dark inquisitor sceptically. “King Felipe of Spain sank one of your merchant men, so you ransacked the entire Iberian peninsular and the North African coast Is that a proportionate response? Compare the initial pin-pricks made by your enemies to the subsequent ravages you inflicted on their countries.” The dark inquisitor gestured to his left and there, to Hermann’s horror, he saw a neat row of severed heads. Although he tried not to look, Hermann could clearly make out the features of King Richard I of England, King Felipe II of Spain and King Dougall II of Sicily.

“I did not order the death of those men” stammered Hermann.

“But they were murdered by your own soldiers after you annexed their kingdoms” answered the shadowy figure. “And what of your second war with the Papacy? You accepted their offer of peace in the first war, only to launch an unprovoked attack a few years later”

Hermann’s shoulders slumped and he said weakly, “The Pope abandoned me – excommunicated me in the year I accepted his offer of peace. Leaving him with a strong army in Italy would have been an intolerable bequest to my son … I decided to drive him into exile in Sicily and … cull his forces so they were no longer a threat.”

“ ‘Cull his forces?’ so that is what human beings are reduced to under your reign – cattle to culled at the Emperor’s orders And your invasion of Malta? What had the Maltese ever done to offend you, living in peaceful independence? Or the people of Livonia, for that matter?”

“Technically, those rebel provinces were already at war with the Empire,” the figure of light offered blandly. “Hermann was doing no more than legally prosecuting an existing conflict.”

“Yes, yes That’s right” Hermann seized on this intervention eagerly.

But the shrouded figure was unrelenting “'Legally prosecuting an existing conflict' … how clinical and clean that sounds. It reminds me of an extract in your account of the war with Spain, Emperor Hermann. ‘ 675 Spaniards were taken prisoner, but I ordered their execution. The refusal of ransomed warriors to respect any conditions of parole means that I have had no choice but to resort to butchery.’ Such legalistic sophistry What warrior worth his salt would abide by a parole that prevented him from fighting to defend his home from your invading hordes You butchered brave men, with the same lack of regard for human life as you showed in culling the Papal forces. You cared only for your dream of conquest – of an Empire stretching across the known world; admit it”

Hermann looked desperately for support to the figure of light, who – to Hermann’s relief – responded comfortingly.

“Do not worry, Hermann. You have done well – you have greatly strengthened your kingdom, eliminated your closest rival and left a fine instrument for your successors’ future plans of conquest. Now, let this charade end and come away with me.”

Hermann looked back at the dark inquisitor, who now emerged from the shadows and lowered his hood. Hermann was surprised to see tears in the face of the man who had so vigorously challenged him.

“I am sorry, my child.” The dark inquisitor said and he moved away mournfully.

A door opened behind the figure of light and Hermann felt compelled to approach it. As he moved towards it, he suddenly noticed the assembled German nobility stir. For some reason, they all had their backs turned to him. Then it dawned on Hermann that they had been oblivious to the entire proceedings. Now the nobles raised a raucous cheer as Hermann’s eldest son, Prince Friedrich, entered the great hall. Hermann called out to his son, who looked up distractedly but failed to see his father’s retreating form.

Hermann had now reached the previously hidden doorway. A wave of heat and the smell of sulphur assailed his senses.

“You are all mine now, Hermann” hissed the demon of light as he cast the aged Emperor through the portal.




The state of the Empire on the death of Emperor Hermann III and a portrait of his characterful successor.

[Ludens]

The Reign of Friedrich I (1216-1235)
By The_Emperor

The Early Reign of Emperor Friedrich I

After The Trial of The Late Emperor: Hermann III, Friedrich was elected ruler of the Vast Holy Roman Empire by the Princes and Field Generals of the land. Friedrich was troubled by the trial and death of his late father, Emperor Hermann III more commonly known as Hermann the conquerer. Emperor Friedrich was genuinely considered to be a True Believer, but he still feared the Inquisition just as any man should fear Gods Wrath.

He was overheard on the fateful day of Hermann's Trial, talking at length to his aides about how he will Do what is right for God and the Empire, to make war on Heretics & infidels in the Service of Satan.

When Emperor Friedrich took office he poured over reports from all the lands of the Empire... From As far North as Sweden and Norway to as far South as North Africa. From The lands in Iberia to The City of Kiev, he studied them all.

His advisors were summoned to him... I have studied reports from all over the Empire and one thing is missing, for all our Might, we have no Holy Fighting orders to launch Crusades.

One of them then spoke Sire we have more than enough troops, what do we need with the old Crusading fighting Orders?

Long ago in the time of Emperor Conrad II, The Pope convened a great council... He called upon all men strong of faith to take up arms to recapture Jerusalem from the infidels, over the years the nations of Christendom took to fighting each other instead of carrying out their duty to God, many factions were wiped out for their sins by our Swords. But we are not blameless, we have slaughtered the blood of the Pious recklessly and lost our way, it is time for us to right our wrongs before God

Put the word forth I want Chapter Houses built in Wales, Genoa, Flanders and Prussia. Before I die we will Crusade to the Holy land and Drive the Muslim infidels from the Most Sacred Places

As it was said so it was done & within 8 years the capability to launch Crusades would be realised...

The Campaign against Egypt began swiftly, an Emissary quickly secured alliance with the Pope. Then an Agent was sent to Antioch to bribe the best commander that the Egyptian faction had within their ranks... He was a Bedouin Tribal leader, Amir Al Ikhshid.



He initially refused, but the coffers of the Empire are vast and every man has his price...

The Fleet then moved into the Nile Coast area to destroy enemy shipping, this Victory gave us the ability to strike anywhere along the coast.



In response a large army crossed from Egypt into Cyrenacia, they were met by a force commanded by Prince Heinrich.



Outnumbered, Heinrich chose the high ground and lined up his troops in a defensive formation. Mercenary Longbowmen and Arbalesters at good vantage points protected by Spearmen and Viking Huscarls.



The bolts and arrows shot down the enemy as they advanced and they clashed with the lines. The battle was longer than most and the enemy kept retreating and rallying his troops and charging back at our lines... The Viking Huscarls suffered terribly in the desert heat tiring quickly and a couple of units took heavier than expected casualties.

The Enemy General soon showed his true colours & ran from the battlefield was fast as he could



Victory was assured, and with the flight of the enemy General the remaining forces retreated back to Egypt where the garrison remained strong.



That year refugees from the East had arrived in Kiev, they came from the former Eastern Khwarazm Empire & brought tales of a vast army of Demons on Horseback that destroy everything in their path... Their Empire had fallen, and they brought a warning that soon we will face this onslaught

That year also saw a great tragedy strike at the heart of the Royal family, Byzantine assassins were intercepted around Saxony but news swiftly came that our Beloved Princess Kunigunde had been slain by one of the treacherous wretches



The Emperor knew that the Byzantines would pay, but he suspected that if the rumors about this Horde of demons were true, they would provide more punishment for the Decadent Byzantines than he ever could... An envoy was despatched to the East to convince the Byzantine Emperor that there was no truth behind these 'stories'.

The following year the Egyptian Amir Al Ikhshid, defected to our side with the help of a tidy sum from our vast coffers. The Egyptians clearly suspected treachery on his part and sent a superior army into Antioch to deal with him.



The Emperor kept up with news of the battle and was delighted You see, these barbarians will turn on each other with little thought to the consequences Thanks to our actions the Egyptians will wipe out their own prized General for us.



While the Infidel General was expendable and outnumbered he managed to claw back a great victory driving the Egyptians out of Antioch The Emperor was surprised by the news and gained a newfound respect for the Bedouin as fighters...

He held out for a year and then the Egyptian Sultan himself led a vast army to crush the traitor personally. And he was soon captured and executed.

A new invasion force also crossed into Cyrenacia and Prince Heinrich organised a magnificent defence of the province, again he chose the superior ground, but he replaced the Viking Huscarls in his army with Spearmen and more Archers to go with the Arbalesters, Longbows and Mounted Crossbowmen.



The enemy was routed even before the main charge and then the Mounted Crossbowmen took to the field running down the enemy infantry with a thunderous charge



The Egyptian general once again proved how weak he was as an attacker, and how much of a Good Runner he is on the battlefield.



The year is now 1223, more refugees are arriving from the east bringing new tales of horror at the hands of this mysterious Horde... The Byzantines remain largely unconcerned thanks to our efforts, and it will be to their downfall.

Our Glorious Emperor is now 45 and a vast Crusader army is assembling in Wales, they will set sail for Palestine before the year is out and open the way to Jerusalem. In the process cutting off the vast army in Egypt... Prince Heinrich will invade Egypt when the time is right and our foes will lie buried in the sand

Victory for The Empire


Emperor Friedrich's Holy War



By the end of 1223 Emperor Friedrich had assembled a vast army in Wales. Troops from the far reaches of the Empire converged on the former English province for the beginning of a great campaign. many of the men had heard stories about the war with the Egyptians far away, and thought that was where they would be sent.

A significant number of Irish Gallowglasses and Highland Clansmen from Scotland answered the Emperor's call. Archers arrived from France, Spearmen from Scandinavia, mounted crossbowmen from Spain, and Men at arms and Knights from the Empire's heartlands... It was an awesome sight, the troops massed in Caernarfon awaiting their orders.

Thousands had gathered in the Streets, The Emperor himself appeared at a balcony and looked out over the masses gathered below him... Cries of Glory to the Emperor grew ever louder from the gathering crowd, The Emperor smiled and raised his arm. The cries faded away.

Most loyal and brave men of the Empire, today history itself will be made, for we have been entrusted with a great mission

The Pope convened a great council during the reign of Emperor Conrad II and called on all able men to recapture Jerusalem from the Infidels and to expel them from the holy sites... No crusade was ever mobilised and the call to arms remains unheeded

Today I bring you word that You are to be part of the Great Crusade to Palestine You will recapture the Holy City in the name of God Any man who goes on this mission will have his sins forgiven and will be blessed by God, to die in the service of God is to receive Eternal Life

You are not alone in this task for I will lead you myself through the gates of Jerusalem I will fight with you at every battle until victory is assured Follow ME to Glory and Victory

The Emperor then drew his sword and thrust it into the Air, The crowed roared with approval and raising their own weapons cried out, Long Live the Emperor, Long Live the Empire.

Thus the Crusade set sail for Palestine the next day with The Emperor at its head, there were two ways back now... Death or Victory.


1225 The Initial Offensive

The Year was 1225 and the troops of the Crusade finally began unloading from their ships and making their way into Palestine.

The landing had been delayed by the appearance of Egyptian shipping along the Nile Coast... The Fleet was unable to land in Palestine or even in Egypt until the enemy shipping was sunk.

The Emperor gathered his army and went scouting for the enemy... Marching across the countryside, he soon expected to find a vast host of Infidels to fight, still he saw no opposition.

The men of the Crusade were eager for a fight and soon Sixty Muwahid Foot Soldiers were sighted, upon seeing over two thousand troops march over the hill they began to run back to the safety provided by the walls of Jerusalem... The Emperor's army then surrounded the city, but it soon became clear that the main body of the Egyptian army was elsewhere and that the Crusaders had taken the Egyptian forces completely by surprise.

1225 The Crossing into Egypt

The same year, Prince Heinrich led his army across the border into Egypt, he had suffered attacks for two years running now... and he was determined to crush the enemy's Homeland.

A vast army was spotted and they began to move off... some troops retreated to The Fort near Cairo, but most of the host crossed the border into The Sinai. Prince Heinrich knew they would be back.

1226 The Suicidal Enemy

In 1226 The Emperor prepared to assault the walls of Jerusalem when a small force of Mamluk Horse Archers appeared in Palestine... The Emperor expected a larger relief force than forty Horse Archers, to come to the rescue of a city besieged by Two Thousand troops

The Emperor was shocked by the sheer lunacy of the enemy The Muwahid Foot Soldiers came out of the city and stood beside their Mamluk brethren, lining up for battle against a force many times their number



The Emperor allowed the enemy to approach and gave orders for them to be shot down, the Arbalesters and Archers let loose a hail of arrows and bolts Killing many of the Mamluks, then The Emperor lost patience and charged the Muwahid Foot Soldiers, the initial impact was deadly and the men took flight as The Emperor mowed down the entire unit

The Mamluks turned tail after losing many men, their horses ran as fast as they could towards Jerusalem, at the end of the day they escaped into the city, but they were only TEN men strong

1226 The battle for Supremacy in Egypt
Battle Replay

A great leader had risen within the Egyptian ranks, he was Amir al Wathiq, He was widely known as a commander equal to Prince Heinrich but without the battlefield experience.



In 1226 Amir al Wathiq led a force back across the border into Egypt to relieve the Siege of Cairo. Prince Heinrich rallied his men, his advantages were that he had slightly more men and more experience defending, but Heinrich remembered that superior numbers did not always grant victory, so he deployed his troops on the high ground in his usual formation of Spearmen protecting Archers, Longbows and Arbalesters, The Cavalry were kept behind on the high ground.

The enemy marched onwards against a hail of Arrows and Bolts raining down upon them, the enemy paused and then pressed on through the onslaught

When the time was right Heinrich ordered the spearmen on the sides to move around on the sides of the enemy, and then the charge order was given, as the Spearmen and Cavalry rushed forwards to meet the enemy

The fighting was brutal but the tide was turning in favor of Heinrich, and before long some of the enemy lost heart and began running, however the Enemy General at that moment Charged the lines of spearmen at the middle As enemy units ran Heinrich ordered the Spearmen to close on the General's flanks... Soon enough the great General himself lost heart and took flight



Prince Heinrich ordered his troops to all off their chase, and the enemy General rallied his troops and charged our Mounted Sergeants... Exposing his flank to a unit of Spearmen who swiftly charged his Camels in the rear surrounding him on all sides He lost heart again and tried to flee, but he was knocked down off his Camel and taken Prisoner



The enemy despaired and turned tail again, but Heinrich new that once again they would reorganise and charge his lines... By Now the Longbowmen and Archers had used up their supply of arrows and were ordered to withdraw to the lines further back, two more units of Mounted Crossbowmen arrived to take their place and all four units of Mounted Crossbowmen took up position at the front of the lines, there they shot down advancing Bedouin and Saharan Cavalry...



The Crossbows inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy and they would retreat and then rally and charge back into the fray, only to be shot down by even more bolts Such stubborn defiance impressed Heinrich, even though they were foolishly throwing their lives away... Victory was snatched from their fingers the moment their General was taken Hostage.

Enemy reinforcements continued arriving and being shot down as volley after volley of bolts were launched against them The last of the reinforcements came, Heinrich grinned...

Now we see the enemy are getting desperate, they are down to nothing but Peasants and a few Spearmen

Soon enough the peasants were routed with the bolts shot at them, at that moment the Light Cavalry and Mounted Crossbowmen surged forward to cut down the enemy



On a hill further back Catapults and Ballistae began to shoot at the Cavalry chasing down the Peasants, but they too were engulfed in the wave of fast, light horsemen

Soon enough the battle was over and the last Nubian Spearman running on the field was cut down... The desert was littered with bodies already going foul in the desert heat.



The battle was over and after checking his own losses, Prince Heidrich ordered the Execution of the Prisoners, some 627 men were put to the sword... General Amir al Wathiq among them, this act gave prince Heidrich a reputation for showing No Mercy to Prisoners, and his men were a little upset at the loss of some ransom money.



The death of the Great General Amir al Wathiq was devastating for the Egyptian Sultanate... and a bloody Civil War Erupted, Antioch, Rum, and Arabia all went over to the Rebels with Rebel Armies launching attacks in Tripoli and The Sinai The Egyptians would never again be powerful enough to threaten the security of the Holy Roman Empire.

In 1227 Leaving a garrison to besiege Cairo and starve out its large garrison, Prince Heidrich would take half of his forces and cross into The Sinai, where he would meet both Rebels and the Egyptian Loyalists in combat...


1227 Victory in the East

In 1227 the Egyptian Sultanate tore itself apart with massive Rebellion... Though the Egyptians were not finished off, their power base was weakened to the extent that they could not mount any significant resistance against the invading Holy Roman Empire Forces...

The Fall of Jerusalem



In 1227 Egypt had its own problems, the no army could be organised to prevent Crusader victory in Palestine.

Emperor Friedrich watched as the small group of defenders rallied the general populace to take up bow and defend the castle walls from attack, but he saw great fear in their movements... Their fears were made even greater when they witnessed the construction of Trebuchets at the side of the castle, they knew that soon they would come under bombardment and there would be nothing they could do to stop it



Once the necessary preparations were made Emperor Friedrich ordered the bombardment to begin... Stones were flung at the massive walls shattering off large chunks, they were responded with infrequent arrow fire.

But the enemy's efforts were in vain and soon breaches were made in two sections of the wall... The Mamluk Horse Archers stood in the breach and as The Emperor rallied his Cavalry, the mamluks came under fire from the Trebuchets... a couple of the horsemen were flattened by the massive boulders but they stood firm.



The Emperor ordered his entire army to move forward through the breaches, leading the Cavalry Emperor Freidrich charged for the breach in the keep to kill the Mamluks that had once gotten away from him.



The enemy was outnumbered and outclassed, they quickly fell. The citizens upon seeing their commanders fall quickly surrendered.

The Crusade was victorious, and throughout the Empire there were celebrations at the news of the reclaiming of Jerusalem.


1227 Battle in The Sinai. Rebels, Loyalists and Invaders
Battle Replay

Prince Hienrich separated his forces and crossed into The Sinai to link up with the victorious crusader army in Palestine, he was confronted with the remnants of the vast army that he defeated in Egypt the previous year, this time they were separated into Rebels and Loyalists But both stood in the way of victory.



Prince Heinrich chose his order of battle and soon he saw the rival armies camped out, this was a three-way fight for control.

No sooner had his army finished arriving on the field than the Rebel army marched forward. The Egyptians looked on from a distance but did not move...



Heinrich's army was full of more archers than normal, and he let loose a storm of arrows against the upstart Rebels, he wanted to make an example of them all



Soon enough the enemy General fell under the storm... and the rebel Army ran from the field before a sword was drawn, Many of them fled to rebel-held Arabia and others were captured.



Prince Heinrich then moved his army forwards to face the Egyptian Loyalists, they had nowhere to run to with Our Crusaders to the North and Rebels to the East.



The army marched forwards and the loyalists moved forwards, Heinrich ordered the archers to stop and begin shooting the enemy, the loyalists hesitated and moved back... Prince Heinrich re-organised the battle lines and started to shoot the enemy down again. Some Gallowglasses lost patience and charged a group of Camel Warriors Some spearmen moved in to support them and the Camels withdrew...

Heinrich ordered a light Cavalry Charge against the enemy Arbalesters they routed the enemy and circled around behind our lines... Now the enemy was without archers and they were feeling the pressure of the casualties inflicted. The enemy General marched forward to lead a last ditch charge, before he was shot by multiple arrows and bolts



The Cavalry surged forwards to charge down the enemy, but Heinrich restrained them, with their retreat cut off the enemy could run but they could not hide

This victory gave Heinrich a reputation for being a Skilled Attacker, His Skill in defence was already beyond doubt.

Aftermath of Victory

The years following on from victory were a period of consolidation for the Empire, Prince Hienrich moved into Palestine to take charge of the forces there and the Emperor journeyed to Rome.

War raged in the east, The Byzantine Emperor invaded Rum trying to take it from the Rebels, The Egyptian Sultan also led a force to reclaim the province, but the Byzantines defeated them both.

1231 The Message from the East

The Year is 1231 and a messenger quickly arrived in the Emperor's chambers...

My Lord it has begun, a great Horde of Warrior's has been spotted in the East... Our armies in Kiev are preparing themselves for an immediate invasion Sire, So far Mongol Warriors have been spotted in Khazar, Volga-Bulgaria and Armenia, but more keep on comming

The Emperor was now 53 he was falling Ill, The Emperor Knew that the decisive final moments of his reign had come.

Tell the Troops in Kiev to send these Devils back to the god-forsaken hell from which they came

The envoy looked up at his Emperor.
Shall we send any assistance to the Byzantines my Lord?

Emperor Friedrich took a sip of wine and paused for a moment, then he turned to reply.
Let them face this on their own for now... This is their repayment for engaging in the treachery of assassinating our Princess, eventually we may provide help but we will let them fight it out and see what happens

The Envoy handed the Emperor a scroll with a report from German agents in the east he bowed low and turned to leave...

Emperor Friedrich read the scroll, it confirmed his fears, this isn't just a small raid from the East. These invaders were intent upon staying...




1231 - 1235 The Final Years of Emperor Friedrich I

By the end of 1231 Emperor Freidrich's health suffered, he had caught a strange illness. Friedrich was heard talking to his aides about a strange curse causing all the Rulers of the Holy Roman Empire to die at the age of 56... But these were just rumours.


1231 had seen a great new threat appear in the East, one that Emperor Freidrich had heard stories about long before it arrived.

Previously Emperor Freidrich had heard many stories from the east about them, many from people fleeing West to try and escape them. The stories spoke of them as The Devil's Horsemen, who carry all before them and leave nothing behind, forever galloping. The stories also mentioned a vast Kingdom stretching into far off unknown lands, and from all the stories three facts could be discerned.

They were vast in number, they had never known defeat and they were heading west

In 1231 upon the first sightings of The Golden Horde Friedrich sent a letter to his most favoured General, Prince Heinrich in Palestine...

Word has reached my ears that a vast army of barbarians is gathering in the East, and I have need of skilled leadership to prepare our defences. You have proven yourself time and again in battle, and I call upon you to set sail immediately for Kiev and hold back this new enemy...

I have heard that this new enemy known as The Golden Horde has been responsible for the destruction of vast Empires in the East, they have a truly vast kingdom the territory of which is largely unknown to us. Most importantly They have NEVER known defeat



I am counting on you to defend our lands if attacked, and to provide them with their first taste of defeat God be with you, and with us all.

Prince Heinrich set sail for Kiev as the letter had said... he knew that one of the greatest battles he would ever fight would lie before him.

The Emperor's heir Prince Rudolf came of age in 1232, but his birthday was to be overshadowed...

1232 The Great Battle of Kiev
Battle Replay

late in 1231, Prince Heinrich arrived in Kiev a number of troops were arriving behind him, as he entered the Castle an impressive gathering of soldiers were stood along his route. They were in awe of him, his victories in Egypt were known throughout the Empire and rumours of his brutal executions of prisoners were also known, but never talked about... There was a great darkness behind the man.

Midway through the year of 1232 a vast force of Mongols were seen advancing on the City, Prince Heinrich organised his troops and rode out to meet them. He was outnumbered



Heinrich's army reached the great river, the first wave of enemy troops were on the other side, they were led By Khan Ogadai himself... A Messenger rode over the bridge to speak with Heinrich.

You are outnumbered, your position is hopeless submit before the Great Khan if you oppose him you will die like so many have before you

The messenger infuriated Prince Heinrich known for his Murderous Temper,

Tell your Khan that WE of the Great Holy Roman Empire submit before no-one but our Emperor, there are no finer fighting men than those who exist within our borders You may outnumber us but we make up for that with our skill... Take your army and go back to the hell from which you came, or we will make you pay in blood for every step you take on our soil

The messenger was not impressed, You have chosen death, so be it, we will leave you all dead in this field The messenger rode off Prince Heinrich shouted to him... It is YOU that will lie dead in this field

Heinrich deployed his troops along the bridge to the left of his position... he did not have enough men to hold both bridges so he gambled the enemy would not outflank him. He deployed a number of Missile troops, four Units of Arbalesters, Two Units of Archers and a Unit of Longbowmen. They were screened by spearmen in Heinrich's typical style.

In a change Heinrich deployed the new Organ Gun in front of the spearmen aiming at the bridge. He turned to his men and shouted to them... Our time has come, today we stand as the first line of defence against this enemy. Forget all you have heard about these barbarians, they are not invincible, they are not devils, they are Men and men can be beaten What we do today will be remembered for generations, fight for The Emperor, fight for yourselves



The battle began and the enemy advanced towards the defended bridge, ignoring the other bridge on Heinrich's flank...
Heinrich muttered to himself, Their weakness is pride, they have such confidence in their reputation, we will take that use it against them

Mongol heavy Cavalry advanced on the bridge, as they came within range a hail of arrows and bolts were let loose... they stampeded over the bridge and stormed towards the lines, there was a massive thunder as The Organ Gun let loose a devastating volley

The Mongol Horses bolted with fear and the enemy was routed back, You see they are not unbeatable Heinrich Cried to his men. The Horsemen rallied and linked up with more of their own... led by the Khan himself they charged the bridge again, falling prey to yet more arrows and bolts, the Organ Gun's crews worked frantically to reload and when the Khan himself was almost within striking distance of the weapon, they let loose a volley at point blank range on the Khan's horsemen Fear gripped the ranks of Armoured Horsemen and the Khan fled the field to command from further back...



Mongol Warriors on foot tried to cross the bridge and they too were shot down by the hail of arrows and bolts, and suffered another volley from the devastating Organ Gun

Some horse archers on the other side of the River began shooting at the lines of spearmen, and as the archers began to run out of arrows Heinrich grew worried as there were more Mounted Archers approaching... he would not win in a direct Archer duel with so many of his men running out of arrows and Bolts... Even the Organ Gun was out of Shot to fire Heinrich ordered all of his archers and the Gun Crew to withdraw, and then looked around for cover.

He spotted a small Forest nearby... convinced that it would offer protection against the enemy arrows and would hamper enemy Cavalry Heinrich gave the Order All right everyone Fall back to the Trees

Reinforcements came forward Heinrich was disappointed to see that they were almost all of them were Cavalry, but still he ordered them to join his forces in the Woods and to await the onslaught... The Cavalry forces harassed the enemy, however they had difficulty moving around in the Woods. Heinrich didn't need Cavalry for this sort of fight and their losses from the Mongol Cavalry were harsh. Some were withdrawn and a couple of units were routed... often holding back the enemy.

Mongol Heavy cavalry full of pride and arrogance charged into the woods only to be met by brutal resistance from the spearmen, the enemy horses Heavily restricted by the trees were easy targets and soon they were sent running in terror Such arrogant cavalry charges happened again and again for hours, while mounted archers tried their best to shoot through the trees their arrows limited to mostly finding purchase on wood rather than flesh...

More Reinforcements kept arriving in the shape of Gallowglasses, Men at Arms and Viking Huscarls, and the brutal battles in the woods grew more intense as a result, those men were as bloodthirsty as Heinrich himself



Mongol Heavy Cavalry Charges grew more infrequent, more and more Horse Archers took their place. Heinrich soon realised that they could be a major problem... His men were tiring out chasing them around for hours, however they never relented and the Mounted Archers Moved away like a flock of birds evading a dangerous foe. Prince Heinrich upon having that thought recalled how Farmers and herded up their flocks of livestock and realised that his troops must force the enemy to retreat to where he wanted them... They would then close in on the Horsemen from the Flanks and cause them to rout Momentary rain showers didn't help the enemy's shooting either.



The battle went on for hours, More Heavy cavalry arrived and were forced into a rout... Horse archers often lost their nerve upon seeing them take flight and would run themselves, and slowly the enemy Cavalry was whittled down or driven away.

More shapes were moving in the distance, looking out Heinrich saw Mongol Warriors on foot picking over the bodies as they crossed the bridge and approached the woods... there was blood and death everywhere around them, the trees were covered in the blood of the slain and the area was littered with bodies

The Foot troops advanced on the woods and there were small groups of men armed with pots of Greek Fire... Heinrich singled them out for attack, Greek Fire or Naptha was a dangerous substance and its effects were as devastating as the deadly Organ Gun, which lay abandoned in the field. Those Naptha Throwers had to be stopped

A massive charge was launched by the entire army against these isolated groups of men, they panicked... taking flight and causing the Mongol Warriors behind them to lose heart, they also ran



Heinrich ordered his remaining escort of Knights to charge down the enemy further ahead, they cut off the enemy near the bridge and took many prisoners

Immediately upon the retreat of the enemy Heinrich's army once again withdrew to the bloody, death-ridden forest... And a final wave of Mongol Warriors came forward to charge into the woods



They would be met with the same fierce resistance as the last group and the sight of bloodied screaming soldiers chasing through the bodies of Mongol dead sapped their spirit, struck down with fear they began to run only to be cut down as they ran and intercepted by a Screaming Group of Knights in Murderous Rage... Many were killed and many more were taken Prisoner.

The battle raged on and more Mongols were killed or taken hostage as they ran, the light was fading and the day was drawing to an end... The Mongol forces were forced to withdraw, the earliest they could return was next year.



The battered Forces of the Empire were victorious and Prince Heinrich faced his troops, raising his sword in the air he screamed out Victory for the Emperor, Glory to the Empire His men exhausted and bloodied as they were raised their weapons and roared with approval...



Heinrich was taken to see the Prisoners, thousands were captured... What shall we do with the Prisoners My lord asked a soldier. Heinrich looked down at the dog-like Mongol Warriors tied up in front of him kneeling down in the mud and the blood...

Kill them all, he said with hatred burning in his eyes. Sire? Asked the Soldier.

At that moment Heinrich was enraged drawing his sword he swiped off the heads of the kneeling Mongol Warriors... Like cutting the heads off of flowers I SAID KILL THEM ALL, EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM His men drew their swords reluctantly, they were upset that so many prisoners and so much ransom would be lost... but they obeyed their General and began the Cull.

The Massacre would pass into legend and the name of Heinrich, The Butcher of Kiev was feared throughout the known world...



The new Emperor

Emperor Freidrich rejoiced at the news from Kiev and ordered celebrations to be held throughout the Empire to commemorate the first victory against the Golden Horde...

In his Court Ogadai Khan would never live down his flight at the hands of Heinrich's men and his Good Running Abilities were well known among his men, His reputation for Weak Attacking that led to the Massacre of Kiev was equally well known, two years passed and he did not cross the border again.

Health failed Emperor Freidrich and two years after the victory in Kiev, he was truly feeling his last breaths... As he felt himself slipping from the world he saw a vision of an inquisitor standing before him.

You have done well Freidrich, your Reign was one of Piety and wars against Pagan Barbarians... You captured Jerusalem and never once raised your sword against another Christian

The inquisitor took off his cloak and removed his hat, A Demon of Light had taken his place.

You have escaped my wrath Friedrich, you have done very well



Emperor Friedrich I died of an illness in the year 1235... The Generals and Princes of the Land elected his young son Prince Rudolf Emperor.



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[Chronicler's note: the screenshots do not work for me, but I see this often on the Org so I don’t know if others can see them. If not, perhaps the Emperor could host them somewhere else? (provided he still has them)]

[Ludens]

The Reign of Rudolf II (1235-1273)
By Sprucemoose

The year is 1235,and Prince Rudolf II rises from his bed.

Scratching his head he is confused ahh a dream, it was but a dream he lies back and wonders about the dream of him being Emperor one day.

Knock knock come he shouts, in comes his loyal retainer Hiemlick Moose sire we have to prepare you, quickly the grand council awaits.
hmm, the grand council what do they want with me? Sire your the Emperor they await you instruction
the reality hits Rudolf like a bolder I AM EMPEROR he yells,quickly he dresses and mumbles to himself I’m not ready for this, how can I be as good an Emperor as his fore fathers.
Rudolf approaches the great hall in Saxony, all the best generals in the empire stand before him. Sire what is your bidding Heinrich Karolinger speaks up.

First we will complete the great farming projects so all our citizens may feast my coronation, Second build inns in every province so our citizens can toast the empire and Third instruct the armours of the land to upgrade their facilities as we have a long war awaiting with the horde to the east.
Heinrich, I instruct you to go back east and contain the horde while I raise a massive army The Grand Army of the empire to conquer these antagonist, I will meet you at the frontline and together will will destroy them
But sire, that will be dangerous Heinrich replies
Heinrich, dear great general Heinrich i will not ask any man in the empire to do as i wouldn't do

with that Rudolf turns and leaves the room

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Yet another unfinished chronicle

[Ludens]

The Reign of Lothair II (1273-1277)
By Oaty

The year was 1273 and the Holy Roman Empire had nearly conquered all of Europe with only the barbarians to the east that call themselves the Golden Horde along with the reminance of the Byzantines that had stood any opposition to this great empire. The smaller nations of The People Of Novograd, The Italians and the Papacy had very little in opposition, but would not submit to the greatness of the Holy Roman Empire that my forefathers have forged. Although the words of my powerful armies had reached them they had too much pride for there small nations and seemed to have no fear of what was to come to them as did many other nations.

Well it was time to act and act quick as the nation was living off of surplus Florins. The income of this great empire was bleeding even though there was more land being conquered every year. There was so much corruption within the empire itself that it no longer seemed an empire but a nation of nations as the heads of states had all but few had become corrupt pocketing the empires money and spending it on whatever they wished. This salutation had dismayed me greatly as it seemed as my father was expanding the empire it was only becoming weaker and although noone could defeat this nation from afar it would be conquered from within.

In the year of 1273 I had ordered all my forward armies to advance quickly as this campaign needed to come to an end quickly. I had ordered that the Novograds to be meet there final defeat in the territory of Finland and there castle fell 3 years later as they had been starved out. I also wanted the Byzantine to be taken out quickly so I ordered the armies close by to close in on chernigov but the forces there were to cowardly to meet my armies on the battlefield and immediately retreated to there castle. I also had my forces advance on Georgia but the Byzantines abandoned the province and gave immediate control to me only to have there retreat to Trebizond cut-off. The troops that advanced on Lesser Armenia had humiliated the Byzantines as they stood to fight with only a retreat to a castle and their army was nearly decimated as only 2 horse archers had managed to flee to the castle. I figured instead of assaulting the castle I would send in assassins to finish them off. To my surprise it was reported to me that the army there had found their bodies mutilated and laying outside the castle. I feel that I had sent them in to early as they were on guard and easily thorted this attempt off. The next year I had figured that they had been greatly deprived of there sleep and well-being that the next set of assassins would have no problem as they were being harassed day and night by the besiegers and within 2 years the assassins had quickly finished them off. I ordered another army to advance on Trebizond but knew this could lead to great problems as there were over 300 Kataphraktoi cavalry there that were brought in from surrounding territories to help defend it. Although I knew there cavalry was strong I had no fear of losing that battle as they were greatly outnumbered by 4000 to 1000. The battle was bloody but won on that great day as I had the general stay back with 2 catapults while the rest of the army advanced upon the Byzantines. The battle looked promising as he army had gotten to equal ground as the enemy and had advanced on them close enough that the right flank was protected by woods and the left flank was threatening them with mounted crossbows. All was going well and half the Kataphraktoi were drawn into the woods to reinforce there collapsing left flank. It had looked like all was won until they finally brang in there reserve cavalry for there final and hopefully last charge, which had caused my army to start routing. Luckily though they were drawn to chasing the routers down and started to come under fire of the catapults which had caused some of there men to start routing as I was forming the lines backup and had cavalry start coming in for reinforcement. Before I could bring the army back into formation they were greatly disenhearted by the death of the Byzantine Emperor that had run into a volley of crossbow fire and immediately began to start to retreat to the castle. Later I had received news that 6 of there 7 princes had been killed in battle and the last 1 had escaped capture and went to Pereylasavl to be crowned emperor of there dying empire. My next Order of business were the barbarians from the east, but upon hearing that my army was marching upon Crimea they immediately abandoned the province and retreated to Kiev. I decided to hold off an attack on Volga Bulgaria as they had rebels besieged there and the castle was likely to hold out for 5 years so I figured to leave them there and use this to my advantage

---

The year is 1274 and is time to bring an end to the Egyptians. The Egyptian had about the most inferior forces of all that was left and my army had quickly annihilated there first ranks but upon chasing them down the army was in disorder so I had called them back to a hill to defend against there counter attack but unfortunately They did not make it back in ranks in enough time and had succumb to a camel charge which at first I had laughed about but there aggressiveness would be the slaughter of them. They were a bit to courageous for there own good as they had skirmished reinforcing archers into the point of no attack, where no respecting warrior would cross.(kind of a cheap one as I got tired of the arches that kept on trying to skirmish away from the camels but they would not lay off so I put them in hold formation and they fired from a point where it is considered out of bound for melee) Upon being decimated by the archers there army immediately retreated back to the castle which fell 2 years later. As far as the Byzantines only had 2 territories left under there control and had very little left in the way of my army at Nicea so I had brought on mostly cavalry and surrounded what little was left there at Nicea and not a single 1 made it back to the castle. There last sizable force in Pereylasavl decided they would try to help the sallying force at Chernigov only to be quickly defeated and humiliated and to be starved out of there castle in 2 years. I had ordered the army to advance on Kiev but only to find out that Horde was still to cowardly to fight and retreated to there final province of Volga Bulgaria but was to my liking as the castle there was still under control of the rebels there.

---

The year is 1275 and it is now time to finally chase the barbarians back to where they came from. Much to my surprise they stay and fight. For I had expected them to do another cowardly retreat back to Asia considering there previous retreats. Their force of 2700 was greatly outnumbered by my 8000 men. Even though I outnumber there army greatly I had decided to bring on mainly missile units for the initial force in hopes that they would be the attacker and to my liking they were eventually drawn into attacking me. They initially brought in there horse archers who thought they could harass my units only to come under heavy fire and retreated back to there main line which I had quickly chased with my mounted crossbowmen until they were within range of them which had brought there horse archers back so I immediately withdrew them back to my mainlines but the HA stood there in the middle of the battlefield so I decided to march my mercenary longbowmen out to take them down in size not a single 1 was lost to these supposed elite HA's. The battle had gone on and on till finally my forces were tiring and reinforcements were slowly making it to the field. This later came to my advantage as the Mongol cavalry charged right in front of 3 organ guns which I had quickly noticed why there couldn’t be a better name for these guns. They immediately routed and allowed my reinforcements to line up in place. This was the end of the Golden Horde in this domain. The pope was so happy of the news and had sent me 1000 florins even though I had sent him threats to disband his army and become a puppet of the Holy Roman Empire.

---

The year is 1276 and both the pope and the Italians still refuse to disband there armies in the vastness of this empire so I had quickly destroyed the 2 small fleets that the Italians own while invading Sicily where the pope was at. The pope stood his ground on the battlefield but was executed by the men that had captured him while the rest fled to the castle. Immediately the next year I had invaded Sardinia now that all sea lanes were clear. Although they only had 200 men they were all royal knights. Even thought they were brave and charged into my lines they retreated shortly after their king had been killed in battle. This is where I had decided to light off all fire works for the final battle of this grand empire as I had brought all siege artillery to this island. Upon bringing the siege to an end the little fort that they had on this island was a laugh compared to what the rest of Europe has but none the less the artillery had completely smashed the fort to pieces and had left all but 5 royal knights left from the bombardment it was time to bring on the charge and decimate for not submitting to my armies.

[Ludens]

And thus ends the Chronicle of the Holy Roman Empire. All hail the Emperor

Yet again: The Roll of Emperors
Conrad II Cazbol
Conrad III KukriKhan
Herrmann II Demon of Light
Otto IV The Witch-King
Herrmann III Simon Appleton
Friedrich I The_Emperor
Rudolf II sprucemoose
Lothair II oaty

[Ludens]

As you can see, quite a lot of the chronicle is missing. I will send PM's to the participants to see if something can be done about it, although I doubt it will. But I'd better do that tomorrow: it is getting far too late already.