The Eleventh of the After Action Reports (AAR) following my direction of the Irish Empire, tracing the dynasty of the Briain dynasty through the Middle Ages. The previous AARs can be found here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10.
In the previous AAR, we followed the second half of the reign of Empress Brigid of Alba. History will record her as one of the MOST influential rulers of this era, elevating Ireland from a dominant force on the Isles to a European Empire that twice broke the might of the Catholic Pope. However, all things must come to an end, and she died peacefully after an incredibly long and fulfilling life.
Very near the time of her death, her designated heir Princess Finneach died suddenly. So, the Crown of the Alban Empire falls to her Grand-daughter, the Empress Rachel.
The former Empress Brigid was well known for her quiet demeanor and scholarly interests, backed by a steely resolve to win. The current Empress Rachel is perhaps better known for her talents in the bedroom...
... however, as the throne and the governing of the Empire now fall upon her shoulders, she switches away from the very well developed Seductress lifestyle to the Schemer life focus, a pursuit that will better suit the Empress of the growing Irish superpower.
Her first challenge comes in the form of a Holy War against the Alban Empire. The target of the War are the rich and wealthy lowlands around Flanders (what would become later known as The Netherlands and Belgium). With the alliances already formed in the previous era and the native internal strength of the Alban armies, this war is just a small test of Empress Rachel's early hold on power.
In a battlefield that is mostly confined to a very small geographical area, the attackers in the holy war are quickly overmatched in terms of numbers and technology. They are left with very few places to retreat to, and are quickly routed and dispelled.
However, a Holy War declared from a Cathar sect is a strange thing. The Alban Empire is the leading country of the Cathar faith... so, perhaps something is a little bit off. Something that is also reflected in the HUGE amount of distaste in the general population for their new ruler. All new rulers have to reassert their authority... but this level of unquiet and distrust is quite unusual.
... and we find the problem. During her short hedonistic life, the Empress Rachel decided to forgo the Cathar faith of her House and converted to Gnosticism. Whilst it isn't a sect of Christianity that the Cathars have any direct quarrel with, it still makes for an awkward stance when the leader of the mostly Catharian Alban Empire is not of the same faith as the rest of the court and population.
Easily fixed, a public renunciation of the old faith and an embrace of the Cathar faith will serve to settle troubled waters. Well... msot of it at least.
With the larger prize of an Empire at stake, there are now more claimants to the throne. Even more problematic was the fact that the designated and direct heir had died just before the transition. So, an Uncle of Empress Rachel has decided to try his luck with the new ruler. Unfortunately, many of the most powerful nobles and vassals have thrown their lot behind his insipid claim to the throne. The treasury is too empty to grant some gifts to them... and likewise, there is no money to create little noble titles that can be granted to appease them.
This is the biggest of the timebombs for the new Empress. There are Independence factions and Populists in France that are also agitating, but for the moment, they are without enough support to cause much of a problem. This Claim on the Throne is much more pressing... about 4 months before they will demand a resolution.... and the Empress can't see any other resolution short of abdication of the Throne for the pretender will be sufficient to calm the nobles.
Sadly for the treacherous Uncle, he did have a dark past which allowed the young Empress Rachel to imprison him. A risky move, but one that allowed for a bit more leverage over the outcome of this brewing rebellion.
An execution would likely be the easiest way to resolve this... beheading sounds like a worthy public show of strength. However, it would likely result in a complete revolt by the already disgruntled Vassalage and Court. Without these powerful rulers on side, the Empire of Alba is a gutted shell... with only a skeleton army, and most of the wealth generation gone completely.
So, satisfying... but unproductive.
A better options then... it appears that the traitor prefers the comfort of freedom to the dungeons of Alba. An offer to renounce his claims completely in exchange for his freedom would remove the figurehead that binds the Rebellion... meaning that they would have to rally behind a different cause, hopefully splintering their cause.
... and the gambit pays off! The faction to install the traitor Uncle is disbanded, only to be replaced by a much weaker faction behind an even weaker claimant. This gives Empress Rachel more than enough breathing space to assert her authority without the looming deadline of a rebellion ultimatum. She also now knows who her least trusted vassals are... those who quickly joined onto the new claimant faction.
One Crisis averted, and the internal dissent is replaced by an external crisis. The lowly Kingdom of Syria had passed gently into the embrace of the Alban Empire by marriage during the previous reign of Empress Brigid. However, it is a part of the world that is hotly contested by many religions. The Catholic Popes are especially interested in occupying and controlling this region... and despite the fact that the Alban Empire had previous defeated two Catholic Crusades into the Isles, the Pope is willing to try his luck against a new fledgling Empress.
This will be a more difficult Crusade to defend against, as the lands under contention will be far from the Alban homelands. Previously, the Catholic hordes were repelled on the Alban Isles... this time, our armies will be far from home. There will be about a year to prepare.
Meanwhile, the Empress Rachel was able to reconstruct the Empire of Francia. The Empress is now the bearer of the Crowns of Alba AND Francia, the first ruler in the West to hold title to two Empire thrones. This will also give her de jure claims over many lands that aren't currently under the Alban banner.
... the Crusade for Syria begins. This will be the major test of Empress Rachel's hold on power. If the Catholics can be defeated, it will prove her to be as strong as her grandmother. The vassals will fall in line, and the external powers will think twice before challenging her again.
Seriously, if you guys are going to sleep around... that is how the pox gets around!
The Kingdom of Syria is just too far away to properly defend against the freshly landed hordes of the Catholic Church. The armies are relatively evenly matched, with the Albans having the edge in technology but the Catholics the advantage in numbers. With both armies landing from the sea, but the Albans needing to travel further, the Alban armies will be at a severe disadvantage as they will be landing after the Catholics. So the Catholics will be properly rested and on the defence.
So, a risky strategy was born. Empress Rachel would leave the defence of the Kingdom of Syria to the Cathar allies, but the Alban army would strike directly at the Vatican in an attempt to decapitate the Crusade. It is a risky gamble, if the Kingdom of Syria falls before the high walls of the Vatican, all will be lost.
... and this is the tiny sliver of land that is causing all the fuss.
Pursing a darker form of diplomacy requires some experimentation on loyal subjects. All in the name of a greater good... the previous Empress studied alchemy as a means to part the curtain that hides physical knowledge from the inquiring mind. Empress Rachel harnesses the same arts to wreak havoc amongst her mortal foes.
The Vatican falls, and the Kingdom of Syria holds. Following in the footsteps of her Grandmother, Empress Rachel forces the Pope to kneel and acknowledge the ascendancy of the Cathar faith. From this day forth, the aggression of the Catholics will not be tolerated. It will be the mission of the Alba to bear the Cathar banner and break the corrupt Catholic sect.
Over the next few years, minor wars are a constant. Most of these wars are against minor kingdoms that are gradually absorbed in to the Cathar and Alban way of life.
These kingdoms can never muster enough strength to effectively counter the might of the Alban Empire, and they always result in a wealth of new titles and kingdoms to bolster the strength of the Empress Rachel's hold on her Court and Vassalage. Every new title comes with the Forced Partition condition, to further fragment the ability of power and titles in a single person... apart from the Empire level Crowns of the House Briann.
News comes from the far corners of the Empire... the former claimant, the treacherous Uncle has passed away. Lucky for him... there were plans to exact a proper revenge for his lacklustre rebellion and claim against the throne of the Empress, and that would have been much more painful for the terrible Uncle. But nature got to him first... or did someone else?
An interesting Claimant landed in the throne soon afterwards. A claimant with the claim against the WHOLE of the mighty Holy Roman Empire. This would be an incredibly title to hold... but persecuting this war and claim would grant the throne and title to another. Not worth the prestige of humiliating the former great power... but tempting! After all that effort, the Empress Rachel would want the Empire title... not to have it fall in the hands of some stranger who just happened to land at the Court.
Meanwhile, the de jure claims against the lands of Francia are bearing fruit. With kingdoms in the South of modern day France...
... and the northern areas of modern France being annexed by force into the Alban Empire. These wars were wars against the Holy Roman Empire. So, a chance to still humiliate the former great empire, whilst holding the titles within the Alban Empire. More piecemeal, but better in the longer term.
The key to winning against the Holy Roman Empire was to attack the capital instead of trying to match the still great Empire on the main battlefield. Capturing their capital would often result in a quite a number of valuable prisoners which would sway the tide of the war towards a favourable result. Plus, the conversions, recruitment and ransoms wouldn't hurt after the war either!
Unfortunately, poking a still strong Empire meant that other little provocations would have to be conceded. A tiny Kingdom in the North declaring war for a petty few counties could be appeased with a complete surrender of the counties. The Alban army was strong, but it couldn't split to fight both the Holy Roman Empire AND another war at the same time. It's entire strength was required just to hold against the Holy Roman Empire!
Plus, there would be ample time to rectify this problem in the future...
After a number of decidedly successful wars against the Holy Roman Empire, the Empress Rachel has managed to snatch several valuable tracts of land and kingdoms away. The Alban Empire now stretches over most of Europe, all of Western Europe and with small tracts in the Middle East and Northern Africa. Powerful, but very spread out and thin on the defence.
Empress Rachel had turned her back early in her reign on the Seductress lifestyle... instead choosing to settle into a stronger relationship with her husband. By the end, it was a relationship that grew to be as strong as the any in the previous House Brainn leaders. House Briann was well known for it's star crossed lovers in the leadership... with the exception of one particular ruler who had to try and kill her husband...
A very minor rebellion was quite unexpected in the Mediterranean kingdom of Sardina and Corsica. Strange, given the general acceptance of the Empress Rachel by most of the Empire Lords. Given that the Albans were distracted by the larger wars with the Holy Roman Empire, the rebellion gained some early wins.
... but this was not a war that the Empress Rachel could afford to casually surrender to. The full might of the Irish Alban army was diverted to the small islands and the rebellions was quickly and brutally crushed. Executions were definitely in order.
... of the ENTIRE royal house. Bar none.
In the late stages of her life, the Empress saw a quick opportunity to lay claim to the throne of the Byzantine Empire. This would be an incredible prize if it could be seized, and the throne and title would be born by the Empress herself! Truly, this was an opportunity that couldn't be passed upon.
War was declared...
... but as the Irish armies were en route to the battlefields of Constantinople, the universe decided that the Empress Rachel's time on Earth was at an end. What an unlucky turn of fate...
The Empress would be succeeded by her son, the Basilus Eogan. A difficult succesion was in the works, with a earth-shattering Empire level war just begun... and the attendant disarray and jockeying of power that accompanies any transition of power. The new Emperor would face internal dissent and chaos at a time of maximum external threat. Could this spell the end of the Alban Empire... and the House of Briann?
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Loved this game. The scheming and manipulation is on another level and is a game in itself. I have this on Steam and this post has reminded me that once I get some time, I may have to start planning my empire once again. Get the knives out! :)
I was so sad when the game time ran out of scope and it all suddenly finished! I really want to start again with a new House and much earlier... but I got so attached to this Brianns.... sigh, I might give it a rest and return back when I don't have such fond memories of the Alban Empire!
Wow! This was so awesome!! :)) Thank you!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
Wow exelente publicacion, mas por la descricion de historia que tiene, gracias por compartir.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! Not real though...
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