Henry Premyslid (b.1279), Prince of Bohemia, heir to the county of Genf, Count Palatine and Grand Hauptmann of Austria and Hungary / Stephen Premyslid (b.1305), "Emperor of the Slavs", "King of the Romans", King of Hungary, King of Croatia, Duke of Austria, Duke of Meissen, Duke of Steiermark, Duke of Kärnten, Count of Tirol, Count of Krain
Heir: n.a. Succession: It's complicated Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Genève (shared with Bishopric of Genf)
Andrew Premyslid (b.1277), Prince of Hungary, Prince of Croatia, Commander of the Veteran Premyslid Host in the West
[ACCORDION][SLIDE_HEADER]Boniface III Aleramici (b.1245), King of Liguria, "King of Egypt", "King of Sardinia", Duke of Montferrat, Duke of Genoa [/SLIDE_HEADER]
[SLIDE]
In a peninsula full of new dynasties in old realms, Liguria stands out as an old dynasty in a new realm. Descending from the Frankish adventurer William of Montferrat they had been established in Lombardy for three centuries when the fourth crusade was gathered. Marquis Boniface, already aged and eager for glory joined St.Arthur in his quest, only to be rewarded with a Coptic wife and the kingship of Egypt. The realm was however ill-fated as he passed while his son Maurice I was still a child and Maurice in turn was slain by the Mamluks when they reduced the kingdom to its coastal cities. What seemed like a curse, turned out to be a blessing. King Boniface II died in a petty war in Italy and with him any desire by the Aleramici to reclaim their Egyptain realm. His brother and heir, Maurice II, had already been established as duke of Genoa by Boniface using the riches taken home from the east and now took the title Duke of Montferrat as well. While Maurice did spent the three decades of his rule focused on the Italian peninsula, he did not lack his family's hunger for foreign adventures at times attempting to establish his youngest son Umberto as heir to the Arpads in the east. It would eventually fall to his son Boniface III to truly establish the Aleramicis as an Italian realm. In the eternal struggle known as Dietrich's war the king of Egypt took a position wavering between open opposition and armed neutrality against the emperor, eventually when faced with overwhelming opposition selling his family's claim to Sardinia to the Anjous in return for a recognition oF a kingdom of Liguria centered on Genoa. Since then two decades have passed. Boniface is an old man, who lost his oldest son to sickness, but with two to spare feels comfortable in the future of his kingdom. So comfortable in fact, that with the Anjous falling into disfavour in France, he has resumed titeling himself as "king of Sardinia". Maybe the Aleramici thirst for foreign adventures is not yet sated.
[/SLIDE]
[SLIDE_HEADER]Theodoric II of Wittelsbach (Naples) (b.1289), King of Sicily (Naples)[/SLIDE_HEADER]
[SLIDE]
The realm and person of king Theodoric both exist in the shadow of his father, emperor Dietrich "The Ever Young". Elected in 1280 following the death of his uncle Otto VII of house Wettin, he had been the hope of the empire, a young, powerful energetic ruler, grandson of two emperors, nephew and son of two others. He was expected to be a beacon of stability, yet instead both Italy and the Empire still reel from the chaos he unleashed. The system of junior kings in the empire he instituted to see to his two decade absence sowed the seeds of the civil war now engulfing the realm north of the alps. Italy, the cause of his two decades of absence, still reels from the war he had unleashed. Not satisfied with the nominal overlordship the Germans usually held, the emperor spent the entirety of his reign making war to force the Italian states to kneel, an ever increasing spiral of violence, that even two decades later has not been recovered from. Exhausting his finances, mercenary armies and his health, he passed in 1300 having never returned to Germany since his election. His minor son Theodoric II had spent his entire life following his father on campaign, indeed his elder brother had passed from a fever that went around the army when Theodoric had been but an infant. Thus it was strange for him to settle into a castle and not travel around a devastated landscape. He was changeable and weakminded, first following the nobles of Naples, whose rebellion against the Hohenstaufens had raised Dietrich to his kingship, then the bride they chose for him Kunigunde Premyslid, widow of his father's rival Frederick II of Sicily. Intended as a mere political match to shore up his claims, it miraculously bore fruit, the aged "Kinga" giving him a son and heir. Since Theodoric has come into his own however he has grown more distant from his wife, eventually separating in all but name from her and letting her return to her homeland, satisfied with her having fulfilled her marital duty. Still, with Theodoric chained to his bride it will fall to his brother Louis to wed and ensure that spares are created and the family line continues.
[/SLIDE]
[SLIDE_HEADER]Hugh I de Châtillon (Of Murcia) (b.1270), King of Sicily (Sicily), Duke of Murcia[/SLIDE_HEADER]
[SLIDE]
The kingdom of Sicily has fallen a long way since the times when Henry "The Long" waged crusades for Tunis and feuded with the papacy. After 43 years of reign he was followed by his only son Conrad I "The Short", so named, as he was immediately deposed by his cousin and brother in all but name Frederick II. Yet for all his hunger for glory, Frederick turned out as accursed as a ruler as as a brother. The lands on the mainland rebelled in the Napolitan Vespers, inviting emperor Dietrich to take the crown of Sicily. His own rule was tumultous and his marriage poisonous. Thus when he passed during a feast (earning himself the somewhat undeserved epithet "the Drunkard") he was not mourned. His son Conrad II would rule as child king over the island for all of six years, before in turn being deposed at the hands of Pero of Aragon. The Catalan instead of the Hohenstaufens elevated his vassal, the Duke of Murcia and son-in-law of the late Conrad I. With the boy king save in a monastery in Catalonia and Hugh having been blessed with a son during the war to claim his throne it seems like the realm is finally finding some stability again. The famines in north have further been a blessing as Sicilian grain has brought riches to Palermo. The only worry king Hugh thus has is his advanced age and the troubles he and his wife have had to conceive a second child. Yet with his realm at peace and prospering that is a lesser worry than many other crowned heads.
Heir: Hugh De Châtillon (Of Murcia-Sicily) Succession: Agnatic primogeniture Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Palermu
[/SLIDE]
[SLIDE_HEADER]Marco "The Great" Polo (b.1253), Doge of Venice[/SLIDE_HEADER]
[SLIDE]
There is no man richer in the known world than Marco Polo, a fate but a few decades ago noone would have predicted.
The grandson of Doge Marino Dandolo and nephew of Pope Celestine IV,, he was born just as that great family fell from grace, forcing his father Niccolò Polo to depart on a trade expedition to the court of the Great Khan in the east. After returning the man took only enough time to take his son with him before departing a second time. During their absence the entire undertaking became a target of mockery, with shares in the promised profits of the Polo expedition traded as little more than a curiosity and the estate and trades falling into disrepair. Which is why Marco's return was ann earthshaking event, sending the banks and markets of the Serenissima into disarray. This incredible fabulous wealth is what enabled Marco to be elected as doge at the age of forty. Since then he has lead the republic through wars and peace, ever expanding their reach across the Mediterranean.
Heir: n.a. Succession: Elective Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchic Republic Economy: Magnificent
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Venexia, Ragusa, Birgu, Candia, Gebra, Limassol
[/SLIDE]
[SLIDE_HEADER]Azzo VIII d'Este (b.1250), Marquis of Ferrara[/SLIDE_HEADER]
[SLIDE]
X
[SLIDE_HEADER]Thomas II Aleramici (Saluzzo) (b.1259), Marquis of Saluzzo[/SLIDE_HEADER]
[SLIDE]
X Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements:
[/SLIDE]
[SLIDE_HEADER]Armando II Kyburg (Aosta) (b.1284), Marquis of Aosta[/SLIDE_HEADER]
[SLIDE]
X Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements:
[/SLIDE]
[SLIDE_HEADER]Giovanni Della Torre (b.1253), Count of Monaco[/SLIDE_HEADER]
[SLIDE]
X Heir: Boniface Della Torre Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Monaco
[/SLIDE]
[SLIDE_HEADER]Napoleone della Torre (b.1230), Capitano del Popolo of the Commune of Milan[/SLIDE_HEADER]
[SLIDE]
X Heir: Corrado Della Torre Succession: Ruler's Favour Religion: Catholic
Government: Oligarchy Economy: Stagnant
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Ferrara
[/SLIDE]
[SLIDE_HEADER]Giovanni Lucari (b.1268), Head of the City Council of the Republic of Siena
[/SLIDE_HEADER]
[SLIDE]
X
Heir: n.a. Succession: Despotic Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Siena
[/SLIDE]
[SLIDE_HEADER]Giuseppe Corridori, Podesta of the Republic of Orvieto[/SLIDE_HEADER]
[SLIDE]
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Orvieto
[/SLIDE]
[SLIDE_HEADER]Cosimo Albizzi, most powerful citizen of the Republic of Florence
[/SLIDE_HEADER]
[SLIDE]
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Stagnant
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Firenze
[/SLIDE]
[SLIDE_HEADER]Galeazzo Visconti, Signori and imperial vicar of the Commune of Pavia [/SLIDE_HEADER]
[SLIDE]
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements:
[/SLIDE]
[SLIDE_HEADER]Matteo I Visconti, "Duke of Milan", Capitano del Popolo of the Commune of Novara[/SLIDE_HEADER]
[SLIDE]
X Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a.
Settlements: Novara
[/SLIDE]
[SLIDE_HEADER] John of Bas-Serras (b.1259), Prince of the Republic of Sardinia [/SLIDE_HEADER]
[SLIDE]
[/SLIDE]
[SLIDE_HEADER] Mattheo Maggi, Capitano del Popolo of the Commune of Brescia [/SLIDE_HEADER]
[SLIDE]
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a.
Settlements: Brescia
[/SLIDE]
[SLIDE_HEADER] Benvenuto Appiani, Head of the City Council of the Republic of Pisa [/SLIDE_HEADER]
[SLIDE]
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
[/SLIDE]
[SLIDE_HEADER]Luchetto Gattilusio, Podestà of the Commune of Cremona[/SLIDE_HEADER]
[SLIDE]
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a.
Settlements: Cremona
[/SLIDE]
[SLIDE_HEADER] Caco da Reggio, Podestà of the Commune of Reggio[/SLIDE_HEADER]
[SLIDE]
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Boniface III Aleramici (b.1245), King of Liguria, "King of Egypt", "King of Sardinia", Duke of Montferrat, Duke of Genoa
In a peninsula full of new dynasties in old realms, Liguria stands out as an old dynasty in a new realm. Descending from the Frankish adventurer William of Montferrat they had been established in Lombardy for three centuries when the fourth crusade was gathered. Marquis Boniface, already aged and eager for glory joined St.Arthur in his quest, only to be rewarded with a Coptic wife and the kingship of Egypt. The realm was however ill-fated as he passed while his son Maurice I was still a child and Maurice in turn was slain by the Mamluks when they reduced the kingdom to its coastal cities. What seemed like a curse, turned out to be a blessing. King Boniface II died in a petty war in Italy and with him any desire by the Aleramici to reclaim their Egyptain realm. His brother and heir, Maurice II, had already been established as duke of Genoa by Boniface using the riches taken home from the east and now took the title Duke of Montferrat as well. While Maurice did spent the three decades of his rule focused on the Italian peninsula, he did not lack his family's hunger for foreign adventures at times attempting to establish his youngest son Umberto as heir to the Arpads in the east. It would eventually fall to his son Boniface III to truly establish the Aleramicis as an Italian realm. In the eternal struggle known as Dietrich's war the king of Egypt took a position wavering between open opposition and armed neutrality against the emperor, eventually when faced with overwhelming opposition selling his family's claim to Sardinia to the Anjous in return for a recognition oF a kingdom of Liguria centered on Genoa. Since then two decades have passed. Boniface is an old man, who lost his oldest son to sickness, but with two to spare feels comfortable in the future of his kingdom. So comfortable in fact, that with the Anjous falling into disfavour in France, he has resumed titeling himself as "king of Sardinia". Maybe the Aleramici thirst for foreign adventures is not yet sated.
Theodoric II of Wittelsbach (Naples) (b.1289), King of Sicily (Naples)
The realm and person of king Theodoric both exist in the shadow of his father, emperor Dietrich "The Ever Young". Elected in 1280 following the death of his uncle Otto VII of house Wettin, he had been the hope of the empire, a young, powerful energetic ruler, grandson of two emperors, nephew and son of two others. He was expected to be a beacon of stability, yet instead both Italy and the Empire still reel from the chaos he unleashed. The system of junior kings in the empire he instituted to see to his two decade absence sowed the seeds of the civil war now engulfing the realm north of the alps. Italy, the cause of his two decades of absence, still reels from the war he had unleashed. Not satisfied with the nominal overlordship the Germans usually held, the emperor spent the entirety of his reign making war to force the Italian states to kneel, an ever increasing spiral of violence, that even two decades later has not been recovered from. Exhausting his finances, mercenary armies and his health, he passed in 1300 having never returned to Germany since his election. His minor son Theodoric II had spent his entire life following his father on campaign, indeed his elder brother had passed from a fever that went around the army when Theodoric had been but an infant. Thus it was strange for him to settle into a castle and not travel around a devastated landscape. He was changeable and weakminded, first following the nobles of Naples, whose rebellion against the Hohenstaufens had raised Dietrich to his kingship, then the bride they chose for him Kunigunde Premyslid, widow of his father's rival Frederick II of Sicily. Intended as a mere political match to shore up his claims, it miraculously bore fruit, the aged "Kinga" giving him a son and heir. Since Theodoric has come into his own however he has grown more distant from his wife, eventually separating in all but name from her and letting her return to her homeland, satisfied with her having fulfilled her marital duty. Still, with Theodoric chained to his bride it will fall to his brother Louis to wed and ensure that spares are created and the family line continues.
Hugh I de Châtillon (Of Murcia) (b.1270), King of Sicily (Sicily), Duke of Murcia
The kingdom of Sicily has fallen a long way since the times when Henry "The Long" waged crusades for Tunis and feuded with the papacy. After 43 years of reign he was followed by his only son Conrad I "The Short", so named, as he was immediately deposed by his cousin and brother in all but name Frederick II. Yet for all his hunger for glory, Frederick turned out as accursed as a ruler as as a brother. The lands on the mainland rebelled in the Napolitan Vespers, inviting emperor Dietrich to take the crown of Sicily. His own rule was tumultous and his marriage poisonous. Thus when he passed during a feast (earning himself the somewhat undeserved epithet "the Drunkard") he was not mourned. His son Conrad II would rule as child king over the island for all of six years, before in turn being deposed at the hands of Pero of Aragon. The Catalan instead of the Hohenstaufens elevated his vassal, the Duke of Murcia and son-in-law of the late Conrad I. With the boy king save in a monastery in Catalonia and Hugh having been blessed with a son during the war to claim his throne it seems like the realm is finally finding some stability again. The famines in north have further been a blessing as Sicilian grain has brought riches to Palermo. The only worry king Hugh thus has is his advanced age and the troubles he and his wife have had to conceive a second child. Yet with his realm at peace and prospering that is a lesser worry than many other crowned heads.
Heir: Hugh De Châtillon (Of Murcia-Sicily) Succession: Agnatic primogeniture Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Palermu
Marco "The Great" Polo (b.1253), Doge of Venice
There is no man richer in the known world than Marco Polo, a fate but a few decades ago noone would have predicted.
The grandson of Doge Marino Dandolo and nephew of Pope Celestine IV,, he was born just as that great family fell from grace, forcing his father Niccolò Polo to depart on a trade expedition to the court of the Great Khan in the east. After returning the man took only enough time to take his son with him before departing a second time. During their absence the entire undertaking became a target of mockery, with shares in the promised profits of the Polo expedition traded as little more than a curiosity and the estate and trades falling into disrepair. Which is why Marco's return was ann earthshaking event, sending the banks and markets of the Serenissima into disarray. This incredible fabulous wealth is what enabled Marco to be elected as doge at the age of forty. Since then he has lead the republic through wars and peace, ever expanding their reach across the Mediterranean.
Boniface III Aleramici (b.1245), King of Liguria, "King of Egypt", "King of Sardinia", Duke of Montferrat, Duke of Genoa
In a peninsula full of new dynasties in old realms, Liguria stands out as an old dynasty in a new realm. Descending from the Frankish adventurer William of Montferrat they had been established in Lombardy for three centuries when the fourth crusade was gathered. Marquis Boniface, already aged and eager for glory joined St.Arthur in his quest, only to be rewarded with a Coptic wife and the kingship of Egypt. The realm was however ill-fated as he passed while his son Maurice I was still a child and Maurice in turn was slain by the Mamluks when they reduced the kingdom to its coastal cities. What seemed like a curse, turned out to be a blessing. King Boniface II died in a petty war in Italy and with him any desire by the Aleramici to reclaim their Egyptain realm. His brother and heir, Maurice II, had already been established as duke of Genoa by Boniface using the riches taken home from the east and now took the title Duke of Montferrat as well. While Maurice did spent the three decades of his rule focused on the Italian peninsula, he did not lack his family's hunger for foreign adventures at times attempting to establish his youngest son Umberto as heir to the Arpads in the east. It would eventually fall to his son Boniface III to truly establish the Aleramicis as an Italian realm. In the eternal struggle known as Dietrich's war the king of Egypt took a position wavering between open opposition and armed neutrality against the emperor, eventually when faced with overwhelming opposition selling his family's claim to Sardinia to the Anjous in return for a recognition oF a kingdom of Liguria centered on Genoa. Since then two decades have passed. Boniface is an old man, who lost his oldest son to sickness, but with two to spare feels comfortable in the future of his kingdom. So comfortable in fact, that with the Anjous falling into disfavour in France, he has resumed titeling himself as "king of Sardinia". Maybe the Aleramici thirst for foreign adventures is not yet sated.
Theodoric II of Wittelsbach (Naples) (b.1289), King of Sicily (Naples)
The realm and person of king Theodoric both exist in the shadow of his father, emperor Dietrich "The Ever Young". Elected in 1280 following the death of his uncle Otto VII of house Wettin, he had been the hope of the empire, a young, powerful energetic ruler, grandson of two emperors, nephew and son of two others. He was expected to be a beacon of stability, yet instead both Italy and the Empire still reel from the chaos he unleashed. The system of junior kings in the empire he instituted to see to his two decade absence sowed the seeds of the civil war now engulfing the realm north of the alps. Italy, the cause of his two decades of absence, still reels from the war he had unleashed. Not satisfied with the nominal overlordship the Germans usually held, the emperor spent the entirety of his reign making war to force the Italian states to kneel, an ever increasing spiral of violence, that even two decades later has not been recovered from. Exhausting his finances, mercenary armies and his health, he passed in 1300 having never returned to Germany since his election. His minor son Theodoric II had spent his entire life following his father on campaign, indeed his elder brother had passed from a fever that went around the army when Theodoric had been but an infant. Thus it was strange for him to settle into a castle and not travel around a devastated landscape. He was changeable and weakminded, first following the nobles of Naples, whose rebellion against the Hohenstaufens had raised Dietrich to his kingship, then the bride they chose for him Kunigunde Premyslid, widow of his father's rival Frederick II of Sicily. Intended as a mere political match to shore up his claims, it miraculously bore fruit, the aged "Kinga" giving him a son and heir. Since Theodoric has come into his own however he has grown more distant from his wife, eventually separating in all but name from her and letting her return to her homeland, satisfied with her having fulfilled her marital duty. Still, with Theodoric chained to his bride it will fall to his brother Louis to wed and ensure that spares are created and the family line continues.
Hugh I de Châtillon (Of Murcia) (b.1270), King of Sicily (Sicily), Duke of Murcia
The kingdom of Sicily has fallen a long way since the times when Henry "The Long" waged crusades for Tunis and feuded with the papacy. After 43 years of reign he was followed by his only son Conrad I "The Short", so named, as he was immediately deposed by his cousin and brother in all but name Frederick II. Yet for all his hunger for glory, Frederick turned out as accursed as a ruler as as a brother. The lands on the mainland rebelled in the Napolitan Vespers, inviting emperor Dietrich to take the crown of Sicily. His own rule was tumultous and his marriage poisonous. Thus when he passed during a feast (earning himself the somewhat undeserved epithet "the Drunkard") he was not mourned. His son Conrad II would rule as child king over the island for all of six years, before in turn being deposed at the hands of Pero of Aragon. The Catalan instead of the Hohenstaufens elevated his vassal, the Duke of Murcia and son-in-law of the late Conrad I. With the boy king save in a monastery in Catalonia and Hugh having been blessed with a son during the war to claim his throne it seems like the realm is finally finding some stability again. The famines in north have further been a blessing as Sicilian grain has brought riches to Palermo. The only worry king Hugh thus has is his advanced age and the troubles he and his wife have had to conceive a second child. Yet with his realm at peace and prospering that is a lesser worry than many other crowned heads.
Heir: Hugh De Châtillon (Of Murcia-Sicily) Succession: Agnatic primogeniture Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Palermu
Marco "The Great" Polo (b.1253), Doge of Venice
There is no man richer in the known world than Marco Polo, a fate but a few decades ago noone would have predicted.
The grandson of Doge Marino Dandolo and nephew of Pope Celestine IV,, he was born just as that great family fell from grace, forcing his father Niccolò Polo to depart on a trade expedition to the court of the Great Khan in the east. After returning the man took only enough time to take his son with him before departing a second time. During their absence the entire undertaking became a target of mockery, with shares in the promised profits of the Polo expedition traded as little more than a curiosity and the estate and trades falling into disrepair. Which is why Marco's return was ann earthshaking event, sending the banks and markets of the Serenissima into disarray. This incredible fabulous wealth is what enabled Marco to be elected as doge at the age of forty. Since then he has lead the republic through wars and peace, ever expanding their reach across the Mediterranean.
Matteo I Visconti, "Duke of Lombardy", Capitano del Popolo of the Commune of Novara
The Viscontis were one of Emperor Dietrich's main allies, being created Dukes of Lombardy as a reward. His fall also meant their fall as their old enemies
Giovanni Lucari (b.1268), Head of the City Council of the Republic of Siena
As the main financiers of Emperor Dietrich the city and bankers of Siena gained in great prominence over the past decades. They are now the greatest power in Tuscany and Lucari seeks to cement both the city's and his family's status.
Cosimo Albizzi, most powerful citizen of the Republic of Florence
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
On a sharp decline since Dietrich's war, lost its place of Tuscan dominance to Siena. Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Stagnant
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Firenze
Francesco Carraresi, Podestà of the Commune of Parma
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Anti Ligurian Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Parma
Teodoro Traversari, Podestà of the Commune of Ravenna
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Anti Papal Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Ravenna
Rinaldo Bonacolsi, Capitano Del Popolo of the Commune of Mantua
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Anti Venician and Reggio, aligned with Mantua Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Mantua
Luigi Michelotti, Capitano del Popolo of the Republic of Perugia
Benvenuto Appiani, Head of the City Council of the Republic of Pisa
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Is slowly losing prominence to Siena its main rival. Heir: n.a. Succession: Elective Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Pisa
Calixto Colleoni, Capitano del Popolo of the Commune of Bergamo
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Aligned with Milan against the "Duke of Lombardy" Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Bergamo
Ercole Simonetti, Podestà of the Commune of Modena
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Suffered during Emperor Dietrich's war and is recovering now. Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Modena
Luchetto Gattilusio, Podestà of the Commune of Cremona
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Rival to Reggio Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Cremona
Caco da Reggio, Podestà of the Commune of Reggio
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Rival to Cremona Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Reggio
Castruccio Gattilusio, Capitano del Popolo of the Republic of Lucca
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Ligurian puppet Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Lucca
Mario Bianchi, Capitano del Popolo of the Commune of Pavóli
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Ligurian aligned Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Pavullo
Taddeo Pepoli, Podestà of the Commune of Bologna
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Anti Papal due to history of wars Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Bologna
Guido Tarlati, Bishop of Commune of Arezzo
NOT OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION DUE TO BEING A CHURCH SEAT
Neutral alignment Heir: n.a. Succession: Elective/Papal Religion: Catholic Government: Theocracy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Arezzo
There's A War Going On Out There Somewhere...And Andrew Isn't Here - The HRE
The Lower Rhine
River trade. That is what unites all lords of the Rhine. And it is what divides them. That and a plethora of differing allegiances, oaths, office positions and a a general culture of fence-sitting and coat-turning in wars between France and the Empire. As this however is not one of those wars, but one to keep the imperial dignity in the region, most have united in backing Henry or at least make vague noises of support. There are pockets of revolt, but few doubt that one or two campaign seasons will squash them.
Henry "The Red Phoenix" IX/VI/III Ardennes-Verdun (b.1274), Holy Roman Emperor, King of Germany, King of Italy, Duke of Thuringia, Duke of Limburg, Count of Luxembourg, Count of Loon, regent of the Palatinate of the Rhine,
The Phoenix seems to ever rise and shine brighter. That is the theme of the rule of Henri IX of Luxembourg, Emperor of Rome since his ascension from the ruins of Heidelberg a decade ago, nicknamed by chroniclers of the time the emperor near the river.
He has brought the realm peace, prosperity, martial prowess and most of all stability.
To him the ascenscion of his son as his heir apparent and king of the Romans seemed only the natural fulfillment of destiny for his dynasty. And for that he had been willing to do all necessary even making a pact with the Bohemian devils themselves. Yet those that would call themselves his family have shown their true colours going back on pacts made, opening up a realm maintained only by his personal glory to the violence that had already taken so much from Henri.
He knew, this time was the deciding one. From all else he could return. But this was the moment where it would all be decided. Thus he wasted no time, as he put his army to march northwards.
He knew he had only a few months to march before winter fell, so fast had events spiraled out of control after the Crisis of Frankfurt, thus he forced his army into a hasty march, exhausting almost all lands he marched through of any food left after the famine. While this kept his army well fed this meant that if Henri wished to march back south he would have to risk starving his forces. As Henry marched, he followed his usual routine of great glamour. While this time urgency forbade him from holding tourneys, he more than compensated with the sending of glorious letters to all local rulers as he passed demanding allegiance and the sending of aid and overawing many of his foes before he even came near.
And indeed when Henri arrived at the Rhine he already received news of the battle of the Ruhr. Pleased with his allies success (as he saw that engagement) he seized Düsseldorf, which did not dare resist him.
Yet here his attempt at a daring dash came at a halt. For next was a siege of Cologne one of the largest cities of the Empire. Henri offered the city again and again safety from looting as the months ticked by and Theobald of Bar held out. Yet he knew he had little hope of survival as the surrounding region had all but wholly declared for Henri. Worse, the city of Cologne ever prone to rebel against the authority of the Archbishop started to have their own seperate peace talks with the Emperor. Faced with the possibility of seeing his seat fall as that of Mainz did, Theobald finally relented letting the Emperor into the city. Yet that had been enough. For now Henri was trapped here, having to wait and see as news from all across the Empire came in.
As for news from his personal holdings, they were quite mixed as in both Limburg and Loon most of the Ducal army assembled, but with the inaction of the Count of Flanders the arrival of their new large mercenary host had been delayed. In Thuringia meanwhile a sizeable army assembled in Erfurt, yet many peasants from the eastern parts of the Duchy, still loyal to the Ludowingers, their former dukes, and with some remnants of the Thieves Movement among them did not come. Yet grimest were the news that came from Paris.
His son Henri, the rightful king of the Romans, in a desperate bid to cement the Luxembourg claim to the Palatine had in the last year hastily wed his Habsburg bride. This was rewarded with a healthy young boy. Yet it also was rewarded with his already sickly mother becoming permanently barren. The Luxembourgers, who had ever increased their lands through the marriage to great heiresses, now were stuck at a dead end, as their heir was married to a woman unable to birth him children, but any anullment would risk the legitimacy of the only Luxembourg heir to an electorate.
This war had only just begun.
Heir: Henry Ardennes-Verdun (Luxembourg) (in Paris) Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred division of titles/Elective Religion: Catholic Government: Feudal Monarchy Economy: Ravaged, (Duchy of Thuringia: Imminent collapse)
Number of armies: 4 Cologne, Erfurt, Heidelberg, Limburg Settlements: Luxembourg, Heidelberg, Erfurt, Limburg, Hasselt
Adolf II "The Red Wolf" Of Berg (Mark-Saxony) (b.1285), Duke of Saxony-Düsseldorf HL
When emperor Louis IV passed of a fever in 1255, he had only recently named Engelbert, Count of Mark and Count Palatine, as the Duke of Saxony. What had been meant to be a move to reward his faithful servant would after his death trigger the disastrous election of 1255 which would be the catalyst of what contemporaries called "The Wettin Wars", historians preferring the term "The Great Imperial Interregnum". For almost 25 years the empire was plagued by civil war. Engelbert himself was an ardent opponent of emperor Henry VIII for years, until the Wettin confirmed him in his title as duke and elector, earning himself the title "The Princemaker". Since then the of Marks have held the ducal title, Engelbert through the reign of Henry VII and Otto VII and partaking in the election of Theodoric the Ever Young, his only child Adolf I from then on. Ever fearful of having their electoral status questioned they greatly welcomed later Premyslid confirmation of their status and ever faithfully voted in line with what the overall mayority of what electors wished as to not disrupt the political balance and threaten their new status. Young Adolf did the same during the election in Frankfurt seeing the wind blow the direction of the Phoenix. Now as war is tearing apart the realm he sees himself called on to back up his vote with the sword, a call he is more than eager to answer as his treacherous brother has turned against him and is raising the banners of rebellion. Thankfully he has already been repelled from much of his western lands, but Adolf will not rest until Rudolf is dead and the duchy reunited under his rightful rule.
Heir: Adolf of Berg (Mark-Saxony) Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Düsseldorf
Rudolf "The Blue Wolf" of Berg (Mark-Saxony), Duke of Saxony-Hamm SP
Rudolf has ever been a faithful servant of his family. Thus it comes as no surprise, that when his father passed three years, he was handsomely rewarded for services rendered. He was his brother's equal in all. He gained lands, the title of duke of Saxony and most importantly the title of elector. For the late Adolf had decreed that the title of elector should henceforth alternate between the lines of Adolf and Rudolf. Thus when the Premyslids denounced the latest election and called for Stephen of Hungary to be elected as new king of the Romans Rudolf thought it would be his turn to cast the Saxon vote. He would find however, that his brother had other thoughts, claiming that the title of elector would only pass to Rudolf's line after Adolf passed. Rudolf naturally disagrees arguing that alternate voting means clearly that each election another branch should hold the privilige of voting. Denouncements of one another flew back and forth and soon enough Rudolf denounced the previous election in its entirety and declared for the boy king. As he is almost completely isolated from Premyslid partisans this likely means a harsh fight for him in Westphalia, yet Rudolf while slow to rise, will not stand for being denied his rishts.
Heir: Adolf II Of Berg (Mark-Saxony), Duke of Saxony-Düsseldorf Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Hamm
Matthias IV/I Of Metz (b.1272), Duke of Lorraine, Count of Mâcon SP
Matthias has some of the most noble lineage of the imperial lords. He is a second cousin of emperor Henry IX. His mother was a princess of Castille. His wife was one of Sicily and is a first cousin of Stephen Premyslid. His son of house Brienne descends from Jerusalemite blood. He is further a vassal of both the imperial and French crown. So one would expect him to hold neutrality with as many conflicting allegiances. Yet one would be wrong, as Matthias above all values honour as a value, one that he sees the Phoenix having violated sufficiently to sever his oaths of vassalage. As such he has entered the entourage of prince Andrew Premyslid upon his return from France becoming an invaluable part of his war council.
As Henry is still close to the family of his wife and eager to seize the regency of Holland for himself, he has not wasted much time before declaring for the Premyslid cause. It is however questionable how much of a factor he will be, as he is surrounded by Luxembourg partisans on all sides and further in discord with the other Premyslid partisans over the regency of Holland. It remains to be seen how long his loyalty to the boy king will hold.
Heir: Henry Reginar Succession: Agnatic-cognatic division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Brüssel
Philip II Reginar (b.1280), Duke of Leuven HL
Phillip naturally justifies his loyalty to the Luxemboug by arguing in favour of their election and legitimacy, yet to all it is clear what his actual motivation is: He wishes the issue of the division of lands between himself and his brother to be reopened. After having been given a land divided in two by his late father, he has been unsatisfied for years and sees this war as a prime opportunity to redraw the border between the two duchies.
Heir: Philip Reginar Succession: Agnatic-cognatic division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Leuven, Antwerp
Floris V/II (b.1300), Duke of Holland, Count of Artois SP
Young Floris is one of the many apples of discord in the empire. His family has spent the last decades as the Artois sideline of their Scottish royal cousin, until his father, William III/I, was elevated by the nobility of Holland to the duchy after their frustration with his cousin king Alexander III boiled over. Since then William had spent his rule travelling back and forth between his two realms, ever frustrated by the fact that they were divided by his family's ancient rivals, the house of Flanders. As such it comes as little surprise, that William's last act before passing of an unexpected disease was to declare for the Premyslids. This has however put his widow and young children into an awkward situation. His uncle Henry of Brabant has been quick to claim for himself the regency for Floris and his sister Isabella, but so did his uncle Charles of Jülich, along with the title of heir to Holland. Finally there is the Bishop of Utrecht, who has seized control of the young duke for himself, allying with his mother and declaring for the Premyslids, hoping that the fighting will stay contained in southern Germany so that he may expand his own prominence up north.
Heir: Isabella of Holland Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Den Haag, Arras
Otto IV of Wassenberg (b.1276), Count of Geldern, Count of Neuenahr SP
Through a stroke of luck Otto managed to be wed to the daughter of king William III of England. As such it is only natural that he has declared for the Premyslids, seeking to curry favour with his brother-in-law Richard as the Luxembourgs are after all seen as French allies. Time will tell if his calculation was correct.
Heir: Arthur of Wassenberg Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Geldern, Neuenahr
Otto II of Jülich (b.1300), Count of Jülich HL
The house of Jülich over the past decades has experienced quite a pruning. As such the young count's uncle, regent and heir Charles has decided to back the Luxembourgs, who he sees as the more likely winners in the region. Anything else would unduely endanger the family and line of succession.
Heir: Charles of Jülich Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Jülich
Arnulf of Loon (Of Chiny) (b.1260), Count of Chiny HL
As a man married into the house of Flanders and on the French border Arnulf naturally has declared for Luxembourg. He however has greater priorities than an imperial civil war. As a lord on the fringes he won't be much involved after all and hence can look to wedding his son and preemt the looming succession crisis in his county.
With the Premyslid army close by and his position as a vassal of both the French crown and the Luxembourg emperor, Louis has chosen to make vague noises to both sides, which boils down to neutrality. To him it is best not to risk falling on the wrong side and lose standing in the eyes of the papacy. Since it is the throne of St.Peter that will have to give dispensation to the planned match between Louis' daughter and his brother to ensure the continued union of their lands.
Heir: Henry II Of Montbéliard (b.1276), Count of Montbéliard Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Bar
Otto III/I of Cleve (b.1278), Margrave of Lausitz, Count of Cleve N
Married to the posthumous daughter of emperor Otto VII Wettin, Otto was given the margraviate of Lausitz when the Wettin lands were divided up, along with his ancestral lands of Cleve. With two territories at the eastern and western border of the empire Otto has thus naturally no interest in seeing war tear them up and has declared himself neutral. If this will protect his lands from seeing armies march through them is uncertain.
Heir: Dietrich of Cleve Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Cleve, Lübben, Cottbus
Henry II of Metz (Salm) (b.1276), Count of Salm SP
As a loyal supporter of his cousins and in-laws of the main branch Henry naturally is backing the same claimant as them. Far more pressing to him however is the need to father a child as otherwise his county's succession would be thrown into complete chaos. As such he remains at home trying to get his wife with child.
Gottfried II Wildgrafen (b.1258), Wildgraf am Rhein HL
Like most of the greater network of families associated with the Walramids Gottfried has also declared for the Luxembourgs. He is not suspected to have a greater impact, rather to be a small part of the overall overwhelming number of rulers in the region backing the phoenix.
Heir: Gottfried Wildgrafen Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Grambach
Simon V Walramid (b.1276), Count of Saarbrücken HL
As head of the Walramid dynasty many of the local lords of the region default towards seeking the leadership of Simon. Thus it comes as no surprise that they joined him in supporting the Phoenix as the stability and peace he has brought the region over the past decade was enough of an argument to back him. With Simon having three sons there is further incentive to seek imperial favour to have them landed elsewhere as to not threaten their brother's succession.
Heir: Simon Walramid Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Saarbrücken
Henry III Walramid (Zweibrücken) (b.1245), Count of Zweibrücken, Count of Leiningen HL
Henry fully backs his cousin in his Luxembourg partisanship. He is however less secure in his succession, with his second son a simple man since a riding accident. As such he is hesitant to risk his eldest in open battle, leading to some resentment by his family.
Walram II Walramid (Zweibrücken-Bitsch) (b.1302), Count of Bitsch HL
As his father has only recently passed and Walram is underage, his mother is his regent, defaulting to her in-laws support of the Luxembourg cause. After all this does not threaten her status as the boy's regent, allowing her to install her numerous family as officers at court and in the county.
The status of Bilstein has been a matter of controversy for some years, some arguing it being vassals of the archbishop of Cologne, others that it is an independent county. When the archbishop declared for the Premyslids, only to reverse his position once he was taken into custody by the Phoenix, John used this opportunity to flex his muscles as an independent ruler, declaring for the Premyslids as an independent count and ministerial of the archbishop.
Heir: Henry Of Bilstein Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Bilstein
Henry III Kuik (b.1263), Count of Arnsberg HL
Henry has a diverse collection of neighbours and family, some neutral, some Premyslid, some Luxembourgian. He has chosen to declare for Henri, seeing the great riches the Rhine trade has brought to his realm over the past decade and a desire to see peace restored as quickly as possible so that wealth can continue.
The most minor direct imperial vassal in the lowlands William has declared with his allies for the Premyslids. How long lasting that allegiance will be only time can tell.
Heir: William of Hoorn Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Hoon
Church lands HL except two
The following are church princes sworn directly to the emperor:
The following cities are free imperial cities sworn directly to the emperor:
Republic of Metz
Boppard, Windesheim, Nijmegen, Duisburg, Dortmund, Kaiserswerth, Düren, Aachen, Maastricht, Remagen
The North
The cold lands of the sea and northern forests are home to a sparse population and large estates. Still, its inhabitants claim, that it makes them more fierce, more true and more honourable, lacking the pretensions of the south. The behaviour of the lords indeed make that speak true. Half declared for the Phoenix, half for the boy king. And yet another half feels that war in the middle of famine is a waste and is tending to its fields.
Otto IV Welf (b.1272), Duke of Braunschweig-LüneburgN
The house Welf has experienced of one the most tumultuous centuries of Christendom. At it's start emperors Otto IV and Henry VII were in near constant war with the Hohenstaufens an issue only resolved towards the end of the latter's reign. This security would however not be lasting as their nephew Otto V/I would be disposed by the Wittelsbachs and be reduced to the duchy of Lüneburg. His son duke Otto II would spent most of his rule clawing back what lands had been lost during this descent, taking advantage of the chaos unleashed during the Wettin wars. The fruits of these labours would be harvested by his son, duke Otto III, who would be made one of Dietrich's many associate kings and later emperor as Otto VIII. He was however unable to stop the rise of the Luxembourgs, dying while returning from his coronation in Italy. For the past decade his son Otto IV has ruled, seeing any engagement in imperial politics as a waste of resources and attention, instead emulating his grandfather in furthering the family's power in the north. Thus, following the advice of his brother, the archbishop of Magdeburg, he has maintained neutrality in the ongoing war, becoming the most prominent imperial prince not to take a side, instead cautioning against war and in favour of famine relief.
Bernhard I/IV Of Lippe (b.1262), Duke of Jutland, Lord of Lippe N
Bernhard was one of the most prominent supporters of the Estridsen family through the rebellion of many of the families elevated by their generosity. His patience however did have limits and thus he finally turned on them when he saw Alexander I engaging in more foolish war instead of making agreeable peace. As he thus owes his status as an independent imperial ruler to the Phoenix he has thus naturally declared for his cause. As his region is not engaged in any warring however it is questionable what weight that allegiance has. For now he does not seem to make any moves to rally his forces.
Heir: Hermann Of Lippe Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Viborg
Adolf VI/II Schauenburg (b.1275), Duke of Schleswig, Count of SchauenburgHL
Much like his Lippe neighbours Adolf is an example of the German lords who rose in prominence once they turned on the Estridsens. His Luxembourg allegiance holds slightly more water, as his county is in the empire proper and thus in danger of becoming embroiled in the warring. Yet, it would be too much to expect him to make active war to further the Phoenix' cause.
Christian Schauenburg (b.1285), Count of HolsteinHL
Christian may rule the southern half of his and his brother's inheritance, yet his eyes are turned northwards nonetheless. He is both keenly aware, that his family's descent from King Christopher of Denmark and the Estridsens' weakened position might make them ripe pickings should ambition take him. Instead, he has, despite his Luxembourg allegiance, started to court the boy king Ottokar, named for that great Premyslid. More explicitly, while the young king is betrothed to a Swedish princess, his uncle, heir, and regent Thidrek is not. Thus Christian made overtures to Copenhagen and wrote to his brother that imperial politics are not Danish ones. Given the right match for young Thidrek, say a betrothal to their niece Matilda of Bilstein, renewed support for the Estridsens from the Schauenburgs might be possible. There is of course the issue of Thidrek and Matilda being second cousins (both descending from Queen Mechtild of Denmark), but Christian is confident that a papal sanction for this might be achieved if he, his brother and Thidrek all petition Avignon together.
Heir: Adolf VI/II Schauenburg, Duke of Schleswig, Count of Schauenburg Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Kiel
Otto V Of Wittelsbach (Brandenburg) (b.1283), Margrave of BrandenburgSP
Otto, unlike his brother Louis, is not a great warrior or picture of virility, preferring the company of candles and books. It is thus quite ironic that where Ludwig has fathered three daughters, Otto has been the one to produce a son to continue the family line. It is little wonder that Otto is such a studious learner, as for most of his childhood he had been in the court of his grandfather and uncle kings Ottokar and Wenzel Premyslid preparing to take over the rule of the much reduced Margraviate of Brandenburg which had been passed to him following the great turbulences which rocked it during the reign of the Ever Young. Otto might not be a martial man, but as the civil war breaks out he may still need to draw his sword, as the Mecklenburgs, long foes of the Premyslids, will no doubt soon fall into his realm.
Heir: Otto Of Wittelsbach (Brandenburg) Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Frankfurt, Brandenburg (shared with Archbishopric of Magdeburg)
Henry IV Askania (Anhalt) (b.1273), Count of Anhalt-Dessau, Prince of Altmark SP
The House of Askania has fallen far in the past centuries, yet Henry's branch has rebounded all the same. The dynasty may have lost electoral dignity and the Margraviate of Brandenburg, but Henry has gained for himself the lands of Altmark, now straddling the electoral Archbishopric of Magdeburg from north and south. When the scandalous election of 1312/1313 happened Henry was even for a time the prime counter-candidate brought forth by the Premyslid faction to provide them with a pliable and weak proxy ruler. Yet that would come to none of course as the Phoenix forced his own son to be elected and crowned instead. With the Premyslids now rising in rebellion Henry naturally is following them now, eager to repay all support they have given him through the years.
Meinhard I Kyburg (Zerbst) (b.1259), Count of Anhalt-ZerbstSP
Meinhard is foreign to the lands he rules. His family is from the Alps, he grew up around Lake Constance and he thought for most of his life he would inherit a small part of their ancestral lands. Instead, Premyslid favour granted him a meagre county to rule for himself, far in the north away from all and everyone he knew. It is hard not to grow bitter as his nephews rule his own and gain Italians fief to rule, yet the old Meinhard still has a small glimmer to hold to: His brother-in-law is infertile and Meinhard's wife the eldest of his sisters.
Friedrich V/III "The Blonde" Wettin (Brehna) (b.1274), Count of Brehna, Count OrlamündeSP
The Wettins' rise and fall very much mirrors that of the Askanians, only their highs were greater and their lows deeper. It was not long ago that their distant cousins of the mainline ruled as Emperors and were crowned by popes. Now, Friedrich is reduced to the ancestral lands of the dynasty and the county of Orlamünde, brought into his family by his grandmother, the last descendant of an Askanian side branch. A fate Friedrich is desperate to avoid, especially as his lands will be divided between his two sons upon his passing. Thus it is little wonder that he is eagerly awaiting the passing of his brother-in-law, the infertile Lord of Torgau.
Hoya V "The Cross Eyed" of Mansfeld (b.1280), Count of Mansfeld N
A minor lord in Anhalt the most notable thing about Hoya could be his ocular defect, where it not for his curious lack of allegiance in the war. With him married to an Askanian and bordering their and other Premyslid partisans' lands it was expected he would declare for Stephen, yet so far he has merely called his banners without making any allegiance clear. Maybe it is cause his first wife was of the of Hagens a family he has betrothed his eldest daughter to, maybe it is because Mansfeld straddles the border between Luxembourg and Premyslid regions and he hence wants to keep it out of fighting or maybe he might have mercy on the starving peasants. For whatever reason, for now, Mansfeld has not declared for any side.
Günther V of Loon (Schwarzburg) (b.1293), Count of SchwarzburgN
Adalbert in many ways has gotten the least part of the inheritance. Not only are his lands more meagre than those of his older brothers, but he has gotten the seat of Schwarzburg, a fitting name if there ever was one. Once the seat of the prosperous Sizzon family, the history of its holders has indeed been black. The Sizzons themselves died out in all their side branches, the Wildbergers who followed them took the same path, with Günther's mother the last member of that family. Worse, Günther has been cursed to carry the same name born by his ill-fated uncle, grandfather, great-uncle and great-grandfather. Only time will tell if their curse has also passed to him.
Heir: Gerhard V of Loon (Rieneck), Count of Rieneck, Heinrich II of Loon (Wildberg), Count of Wildberg Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Schwarzburg
John II of Oldenburg (b.1261), Count of OldenburgN
Being far from the fighting, surrounded by the neutral Welfs and related to various partisans it makes little sense for John to do anything but make vague overtures to all sides and focus on the famine. Still, with his young brother the bishop of Bremen-Hamburg he is still a person one should consider if one wishes to make a play in the north.
Heir: John Of Oldenburg Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Oldenburg
Helmold "The Hungry" IV Of Hagen (b.1276), Henry II Of Hagen (b.1282), Helmut of Hsgen (b.1282), Counts of Schwerin HL
The county of Schwerin is held by the House of Hagen since they were elevated to it by Henry "The Lion" Welf about 130 years ago. Since then their grasp has been tenuous through repeated Danish incursions and the wars the region saw. Their title is held commonly by all male members of the family, currently, the three surviving sons of Helmold III, since their uncle, brother and cousin, Gunzelin the IV, V and VI passed in 1306, 1297 and 1308. While this arrangement might cause dissent in other generations, Helmold and his twin brothers are a united front in their desire to gain for Helmold the County of Mecklenburg should his brother-in-law Barnim I die without male progeny. This does however present a problem as their primary adversary in that endeavour is their brother-in-law John of Parchim. Yet, for now, the alliance of the region is holding as they too have declared for the Phoenix against the Premyslids who so often have waged war in the region.
Heir: All of Hagen Agnates Succession: Agnatic commonly held title Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Schwerin
Barnim "The Bachelor" I Of Mecklenburg (b.1285), Count of MecklenburgHL
As the second eldest son of Count Heinrich I of Mecklenburg Barnim was pushed to rule his county after his father and brother died when he was eight and twelve. The regency of the county was taken over by his first cousin once removed Henry of Rostock and even today while Barnim has ruled in his own right for a decade he still mostly defers to Henry on most issues. Except one that is: Barnim is supremely uninterested in women, less so a wife.
Nicholas II Of Mecklenburg (Strelitz) (b.1270), Lord of Strelitz HL
Nicholas is a man if ill luck. His eldest son was a giant of a child, strapping and strong for his infant age, yet did not have the lungs to support such strength. His second son was born with a broken back and died at the age of thirteen. His sister is wed to the infertile lord of Torgau. As such he has been forced with a bitter taste to make his cousin John of Parchim his heir. Yet this arrangement remains fragile. To appease the Duke of Pommerania he has been promised a match with John's daughter once she comes of age. And with the Poles at least in name aligned with the Premyslids and the Mecklenburgers on the side of the Phoenix, the issue of succession may still come to the forefront.
John II Of Mecklenburg (Parchim) (b.1277), Lord of ParchimHL
If House Mecklenburg would get it's way, then John would be his cousin Nicholas' heir in all their various titles. The most senior agnate once the main family dies out, with three sons and of healthy age he is nothing if not the dream heir the family wishes for. Yet there is also potential discord in such a constellation, as this self image as the natural heir of the family may make him a changeable ally if he sees his rights of inheritance threatened as time marches on.
Heir: John Of Mecklenburg (Parchim) Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Parchim
Henry IV Of Mecklenburg (Rostock) (b.1262), Lord of RostockHL
The last surviving grandson of Count Henry Borwin II Henry has reigned since the age of nine over his lands, giving him four decades of experience of rule. As such he has developed into something of the informal leader of the Mecklenburgian nobility, oftentimes called on to mediate when disputes between the family members emerge. As he only has one son his lands will remain without succession dispute further making it likely that this preeminent position will continue. As such it comes as little surprise that he has spent his rule making common cause with the Hansa and lately with the new German Danish lords. Most pressingly he is instrumental in making the Mecklenburgians align against the Premyslids, remembering the many times they have come north in the past to war against his dynasty.
Heir: Henry Of Mecklenburg (Rostock) Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Rostock, Stralsund
Dietrich II "The Barren" von Torgau (b.1276), Lord of TorgauSP
The Lords of Torgau are a relatively recent development and not one that is likely to last. True, Dietrich's uncle is bishop of Merseburg and his cousin a minor noble in the kingdom of Bohemia, but the line his grandfather Witigo had founded is likely to end with him, as he has proved incapable of fathering a child either with his wife or with one of the many mistresses he keeps. This creates something of a political complication as all the regional interested parties are backing the Premyslid claim to the imperial throne for various reasons, yet this united front could collapse as soon as Dietrich passes and their conflicting claims come into play. Thus many think it is best to pray for the longevity of the lord.
Hessel Martena (b.1273), Potestaat of Fryske FrijheidN
The Frisians are a free folk since the days of Charlemagne, choosing from among their chieftains one man to represent the imperial power. Hessel has been chosen six years ago and does not wish to partake in any warring, particularly as he does not wish to upset the delicate balance between the factions of local nobles.
Archbishop of Magdeburg (Brandenburg shared with Margraviate of Brandenburg)
Archbishop of Bremen & Hamburg (Vörden)
Bishop of Merseburg
The HansaHL
The Hansa is the most powerful conglomerate of North European cities, controlling most of Baltic and North Sea trade, as well as being a power player in the Scandinavian kingdoms and all Northern Imperial lands.
"Mittelgebirge". Medium mountains. Half-way mountains. Not true mountains but not a flat area. The mountains in the middle between north and south. And a land in the middle of this war, as allegiances are almost perfectly cut in half between the two rivals from east and west. Already it seems certain that a great part of this war will be fought in this region.
Hedwig Premyslid (b.1269), Queen of Bohemia, regent of the Count Palatinate of Bavaria SP
As the posthumous daughter of crown prince Wenceslaus of Bohemia, few sings pointed to Hedwig one day wearing a crown. The one thing which would decide it was the intense hatred between her grandfather Vladislaus II and her uncle Vladislaus of Görlitz. Not willing to pass the kingdom to his unfavorite son, Vladislaus spent his last years raising Hedwig as his heiress, something that even his brother Ottokar of Austria supported. Hedwig, despite her personal preference for her cousin Wenceslaus, was betrothed to Rapoto of Spanheim, the Duke of Carinthia and Count Palatine of Bavaria. Still, while her husband was landed and powerful in his own right it was Hedwig who ruled and Hedwig who pressured him to trade his duchy to her cousin Wenceslaus. When the election of 1312 ocurred, Hedwig saw her chance and sent her eldest son Otto to Frankfurt to make his case to be elected king of the Romans. He had at first great chances and whispers of a Bohemian triumph already circulated when he died under mysterious circumstances. While the Austrian accusations against the Luxembourgs do not include the murder of her son, Hedwig has little doubt that the vulture emperor Henri is behind that too. Only time will tell if the truth will ever be found.
Heir: Rapoto VI von Spanheim (Bohemia), Count Palatine of Bavaria, Prince of Bohemia Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Praha, Coburg, Kraiburg
Bernhard Ardennes-Verdun (Luxembourg-Solms) (b.1276), Count of SolmsHL
The House of Solms claims to descend from the ancient House of Luxembourg. If this is true, no direct lineage of it can be found. Still, despite all lack or distance of family relation to the main branch, Bernhard has raised his banners for the emperor.
Adolf's grandfather had six sons who all reached maturity. Of these, half would start a church career. The only son of the third today reigns as Archbishop and elector of Trier. Thus only the lines of the eldest and youngest son of Count Henry II remained. The eldest was Adolf's father Walram II, of whom Adolf is the only surviving child. Even worse, Adolf's only child was a son that lived barely long enough to be baptized. Thus Adolf has adopted his young cousins Rudolf and Otto like his sons. Yet this has also opened complications. Their bishop cousin Henry, using the backing of the Emperor was able to pressure Adolf into passing his county to the bishopric should he pass. Now as war rages, Adolf's "sons" are their cousin's "guests" and Adolf is forced to raise his banners for the Phoenix. Yet those banners will switch as soon as he can purge his court of church lackeys and guarantee the safety of his rightful heirs.
Heir: Rudolf of Nassau, Otto of Nassau Succession: Agnatic-cognatic? eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Nassau
Heinrich II Of Loon (Wildberg) (b.1293) Count of WildbergN
Heinrich might be the second born, but he is by far the richest of the three brothers. While the eldest, Gerhard, inherited the ancestral seat of Rieneck, Heinrich, ever his mother's favourite, has inherited the county she had brought into her marriage. A feud is brewing between the two, yet which side each will choose and if they shall even chose one, still remains to be seen.
Heir: Gerhard V Of Loon (Rieneck), Count of Rieneck, Günther V of Loon (Schwarzburg), Count of Schwarzburg Succession: Agnatic-cognatic? eldest preferred succession Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a.
Settlements: Wildberg
Poppo V of Wertheim (b.1288), Count of WertheimN
Married to the bastard daughter of the heir to the County of Castel, Poppo is in a precarious position if he wishes to acquire that seat. Even more so as he lacks any allies. His cousins of the County of Wildberg have died out and he does not know their Of Loon heirs enough to count on their support. His other family relations, the Counts of Nellenburg are staunch Premyslid supporters to regain their lost ancestral home of Vehringen from Würtemberg. Poppo however, for now at least neither feels close enough to them to be honour bound to support them, nor does he desire to waste his meagre resources for this war.
Gerhard V Of Loon (Rieneck) (b.1288), Count of RieneckN
Gerhard already is massing his troops. For what side remains to be seen, most likely none as already he has declared himself in feud with his younger brother Heinrich to gain for himself parts of the great County of Wildberg to the east.
Heir: Heinrich II of Loon (Wildberg), Count of Wildberg and Günther V of Loon (Schwarzburg), Count of Schwarzburg Succession: Agnatic-cognatic? eldest preferred succession Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Rieneck
Friederich III von Castell (b.1239), Count of CastelN
Friederich III is an ancient man, with a countless murderous brood under his roof. His only legitimate son Friedrich is already checking his back every two seconds to check if one of his dozens of bastard cousins has readied a knife for his back. This has however not motivated Friedrich to search for a bride of standing to shore up his position as undisputed heir. Instead, he has fathered numerous bastards of his own, most of them, like his siblings, baseborn. He has since then married one of his lovers, Maria of a knightly house. Yet as the birth of their two children happened out of wedlock it remains to be seen if their succession will be easy. For now the ancient lord of the Main crossing is happy to remain neutral and await offers that entice him to choose a side.
Heir: Friedrich von Castell Succession: Division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Castell
Rudolf III Zollern (Bayreuth) (b.1289), Count of Bayreuth, regent of NurembergSP
The Bayreuths are a side branch of the Nuremberg side branch of the Zollern dynasty. As such Rudolf is a second cousin once removed to Frederic VI, the family head, and second cousin to the boy Frederic V of Nuremberg, whose lands he rules as regent. Thus Rudolf naturally supports the Premyslid cause. This may however yet change. After all, Rudolf's sister is wed to the Counts of Katzenelnbogen. And maybe even more importantly, Rudolf is the boy count Frederic's agnatic heir. And Nuremberg is truly a jewel to be coveted.
Dietrich VII "The Bold" Katzenelnbogen (b.1278), Count of KatzenelnbogenHL
As Dietrich rules a collection of lands strewn all across the Rhine-Main region it is little wonder that he has declared for the Phoenix. It is surprising how enthusiastic this declaration has been considering that Dietrich lacks any male heirs. Should his enthusiasm lead to an ill outcome it is likely for the Houses of Klingenberg and Solms will divide his lands or quarrel over them.
Heinrich II von Klingenberg (b.1277),Lord of KlingenbergHL
As ruler of a small, weak lordship next to Luxembourg lands it is little wonder that Heinrich has thrown his lot in with the Phoenix. Great support however will likely not come from here, as Heinrich lacks a male heir and the strength in arms required to aid. Thus it seems his role will be limited to holding a river crossing for his party.
Konrad II Of Waldenburg (b.1254), Lord of Wolkenstein SP
The Lords of Wolkenstein are a small realm of little note in the Ore Mountains. Yet despite this lack of power, it was from among them that Henry Ludowinger chose his bride, entranced by her beauty. Bewitched one might say, as Henry would become infamous as Duke Henry Fraticidia, bringing his house to ruin and exile. Many claim that Henrietta, now in Gibraltar with her family, was a witch, who turned the once noble family of the Ludowingers to satan worship and crimes against god. Her brother Konrad of course knows this to be nonsense, yet cannot help, but ask himself if the crimes of his brother-in-law also tainted his line. His three sons will all inherit their own piece of his lands and already as he lives quarrel amongst themselves and seek his favour. Yet maybe, the Waldenburgs once more will find their luck of marriage turn the tides of fate. For his son-in-law is Boleslaw of Wedel, the man seen as the likely rallying point, should the king of Poland ever tumble from his throne.
Heir: Friedrich, Dietrich and Heinrich Of Waldenburg Succession: Agnatic division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Wolkenstein
Falk V of Greiffenstein(b.1272), Lord of GreiffensteinSP
The Lordship of Greiffenstein is minor. So minor in fact, that their lords marry into knightly houses, not other lords, counts or even dukes. Yet there is one thing that has made others take note of them: Their heir Falk is a decorated tourney knight. As such his father has declared for the Premyslids, the young knight seeking to best his rival, the Count of Nördlingen, not just on the tourney, but the battle ground.
Friedrich V Zollern (Nuremberg) (b.1301), Burgrave of NürnbergSP
Friedrich is but a boy. Thus, he has no power over his realm. The regency lies with his cousin Rudolf III of Bayreuth.
Heir: Hermann III Meinheringer Succession: Agnatic-cognatic? eldest preferred succession Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Nürnberg
Albrecht IV of Altenburg (b.1270), Burgrave of Altenburg SP
Albrecht rules a small ministerial lordship. His line will end with him. He has decided to back the boy king Stephen, in order to ensure that his ministerial lordship will not fall back to the crown, but be passed to his son-in-law, the Burgrave of Meissen.
Heir: Meinher IV of Meissen? Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Altenburg
Meinher IV (b.1289) and Hermann III Meinheringer (b.1290), Burgraves of Meissen SP
The Burgraves of Meissen are minor ministerial lords, whose seat is one they share with two other lordships. Yet, they have gained some notability due to their brides, both of whom would pass strong claims to other ministerial lands in the regions to them. It is thus not unthinkable, that the Meinheringers one day will rule all lands west of Bohemia if they manage to keep such a ramshackle collection of titles together.
Heir: Each other Succession: Agnatic division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Meissen (shared with Austria and the Bishopric)
Peter of Hagen-Münzenberg (b.1280), Burgrave of ButzbachHL
As a small ministerial lord, surrounded by Luxembourg partisans, Peter has thrown his lot in with the Phoenix. He is not expected to make a great impact on the war.
Heir: Paul of Hagen-Münzenberg Succession: Agnatic-cognatic? eldest preferred succession Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Butzbach
Church lands N except two
The following are church princes sworn directly to the emperor:
Bishop of Bamberg
Bishop of Mainz (HL)
Bishop of Meissen (SP)
Bishop of Naumburg
Bishop of Würzburg
Abbey of Fulda
Imperial and Free CitiesHL/N
The following cities are free imperial cities sworn directly to the emperor:
Frankfurt (HL)
Friedberg (N)
Gelnhausen (HL)
Schweinfurt (N)
Saalfeld (N)
Wetzlar (HL)
Worms (HL)
HRE South
Greater Bavaria
Henry Premyslid (b.1279), Prince of Bohemia, heir to the county of Genf, Count Palatine and Grand Hauptmann of Austria and Hungary / Stephen Premyslid (b.1305), "Emperor of the Slavs", "King of the Romans"?, King of Hungary, King of Croatia, Duke of Austria, Duke of Meissen, Duke of Steiermark, Duke of Kärnten, Count of Tirol, Count of Krain
While many in the West extoll the rule of Emperor Henri as the source of the past decade of peace and prosperity, in the west it is seen as the work of his King of the Romans, Wenceslaus of Austria. After all, it was his politics that prevented war from breaking out over the Habsburg inheritances of the Electoral title of the Rhine. He and Henri shared rule, dividing the realm into regions of responsibility to calm the lands after Emperor Dietrich's War. Indeed, even while on death's edge from age and sickness, he successfully suppressed an attempted internal coup by one of his family's many factions. Yet Wenceslaus died at the start of the year as the events of the Frankfurt election unfolded. Seizing the regency of the boy king Stephen was the late Wenceslaus' cousin and confidant, Henry of Genf. Using his political scheming, connection he presented the realm with a list of alleged crimes and transgressions by the Luxembourgs and presented young Stephen, Wenceslaus only son and heir, as a counter claimant to the Imperial Throne. There were but a few issues: The boy was only eight years of age. Something like that would already normally be a damning state, but it was worsened by the Premyslids' past objections at the election in Frankfurt where they claimed that the Luxembourgs' candidate was too young for the Imperial titles at the age of twelve. Further, Henry's proclamations named Stephen as Emperor. Why was a mystery. Was it to claim Stephen to be Holy Roman Emperor? Would not a claim to the kingship of the Romans be the legal proclamation as only a pope may crown an emperor of the Romans? Or was it to proclaim the boy to be Emperor of the Slavs, a title which John XX but last year had bestowed on Wenceslaus? If so, how persuasive could such a claim be without papal backing, coronation or indeed a clear concept of realm? Further, Stephen has been proclaimed by Henry as heir to Wenceslaus in all his various lands. While likely legal and arguable, it remains to be seen if Wenceslaus' younger brother Andrew will let himself be passed over in all these potential claims. And more to be seen is if the lords of Hungary and Croatia and all the other lands of the dynasty wish to be ruled by a boy. For now though, young Stephen remains the most powerful child in Europe, with his cousin and loyal guardian guiding his rule. Indeed Henry wishes for the kid to succeed, just continuing his role as councillor and confidante of the Austrian line. Yet Henry also has ambitions of his own. Once he had been fostered for a church career, instead taking a role as captain and lord over his maternal fief. But Henry remembered one thing: He was the last surviving son and agnatic heir of his father Vladislaus II, King of Bohemia. And while his half-niece had been the designated heiress since before Henry was born, there was no telling how this would change the day she died and her lands passed outside the Premyslid family.
Heir: n.a. Succession: It's complicated Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Genève (shared with Bishopric of Genf) (Wien, Graz, St. Veit, Kranj, Innsbruck)
Andrew Premyslid (b.1277), Prince of Hungary, Prince of Croatia, Commander of the Veteran Premyslid Host in the West SP
King Ottokar had many more sons after his eldest Wenceslaus, but the only one who could be considered his equal was his only full brother Andrew. For almost two decades he served as one of his brother's chief advisors and commanders, always aiming to increase the glory of their family. Now, Wenceslaus has passed and finally, Andrew believes it is his time to lead the family. After all, his nephew is but a boy. So naturally it should fall on him to lead the dynasty until young Stephen comes of age. Wenceslaus does not doubt the words his cousin Henry spoke, yet it does annoy him that he was the one to speak them, not Andrew. Worse, the news of war catches Andrew on the march home from another war in France, one where he fought, lost family and served for the glory of House Premyslid to now return in victory to be at peace. Instead, he must now tell his men that they are to fight more. Yet, Andrew does not consider this wrong or an insult. After all, the words Henry spoke are true and the Luxembourgs do need to be toppled. Yet, by who? Why, after a lifetime of service, does Andrew not hold lands of his own? Why has he not been made his brother's heir in some of the vast domains of the Premyslids? And why is a boy the monarch they fight for? That is a question Andrew is often asked in his camp. By common soldiers, by courtiers and even high noble allies who flock to his camp. After all there is an adult Premyslid to be a champion of their cause. A proven soldier, man and father, wed into the Luxembourg dynasty, with an army of men who would follow him to the gates of hell at his back and call. For now it is just whispers that fill Andrew's siege camp outside Besancon. But if nothing is done, soon those whispers will become rumblings.
Louis III Of Wittelsbach (Lower Bavaria) (b.1283), Duke of Bavaria
The Wittelsbachs have ruled Bavaria since the fall of Duke Henry Welf the Lion. Using this as their platform it was Louis' grandfather Otto, who deposed the Welfs as emperors and was crowned as Otto VI. This period of imperial rule however lasted barely a decade, before Otto's eldest son Emperor Louis IV died at the age of 22. What followed were decades of the civil war called the Wettin Wars (later historians would use the term Great Imperial Interregnum). The election of Louis' only son Theodoric in 1281 was meant to heal the realm and bring it together. Instead 'The Ever Young' never would return north of the alps after he had entered Italy for his coronation. Louis' father, Duke Henry XIII picked up the slack back home as King of the Romans, but passed when Ludwig and his twin were barely six years old.
Lacking any agnatic relatives not in Italy, the two scions of Bavaria would be raised at their grandfather Ottokar and uncle Wenceslaus Premyslid's court in Vienna, before ruling in their own right once they came of age. Ludwig and Otto have therefore been ever close friends of their cousins, something only bolstered by Otto gaining for himself the Margraviate of Brandenburg. Thus when Henry Premyslid denounced the Luxembourgs, Ludwig did not hesitate a moment to call his troops and don his armour. He had always been after all the martial twin. This however makes many in Munich fear for the future, as all his children are female.
Heir: Agnes, Cunigunda and Henrietta Of Wittelsbach (Lower Bavaria) Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: München, Straubing
Hedwig Premyslid (b.1269), Queen of Bohemia, Countess of Coburg, regent of the Count Palatinate of Bavaria
See North entry.
Settlements: Kraiburg
Church landsSP
Archbishopric Salzburg (includes Friesach)
Bishops
Brixen
Regensburg
Trient
Pölten
Freising
Abbey of Berchtesgaden
Imperial and Free CitiesSPexcept one
Augsburg HL
Neumarkt
Regensburg
Swabia
Rudolf V von Tübingen (b.1288), Count Palatine of Tübingen HL
The Counts Palatine of Tübingen are theoretically the highest-ranked family in Swabia, having as Palatine the duty to uphold the law of the Emperor in the duchy, standing above their peers. How successful they have been in that role can be seen with the death of Count Rudolf's uncle Hugo at the hand of Count Frederic VI Zollern during one of the many border raids that have been left ignored during Emperor Dietrich's war in Italy along with the later ascencion of their Zollern archrivals during the reign of Emperor Otto VIII. Worse yet, his elder brother Dietrich died barely a day after Otto VIII, having like many young rulers of the region followed the Welf south to Italy in search of riches, glory and imperial favour. Thus the lands and titles of the family have fallen on Rudolf, a capable and boorish warrior if there ever was one. Thus while his host is well maintained and battle ready he has been unable to inspire much enthusiasm among his allies to back his declaration for Henri de Luxembourg, leading most emberassingly the family of his own wife to announce their erstwhile neutrality. Still as one of the most renowned warriors of the region and a man who favours the warhammer Henri has little doubt that soon Swabia will be united in their backing of the true Emperor.
Heir: Hugo of Tübingen Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred division of land Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Tübingen
Hermann VII of Zähringen (Baden) (b.1278), Margrave of Baden N
The House of Baden is a prime example of the fact that power, prestige and capability must not necesarrily translate into active participation in the ongoing war.
A descendant of Salians and Sieghardingers the Zähringen family has spent centuries gaining and losing various titles throughout Christendom before being reduced to the small, but vital role of Markgraves of Baden, empowered with special priviliges to ensure the preparedness of the western border for any possible French incursion. As such Hermann has from a young age spent most of his life in the saddle, though he never showed any particular talent for sword or lance. An equally passable administrator he has ruled the Margraviate for since the age of forteen making him particularly aware of the capabilites and limitations of his castles and hosts. Thus, citing his family connections to both Zollern and Würtembergs as well as the need to ensure the maintained defenses of the realm against a French attack he has chosen the path of neutrality making vague overtures to both camps. His stance is further muddied by the fact that while he has been particularly close with the Habsburg Nassau heirs since the erradication of their main family at the hands of the Phoenix, he has also been one of the prime legal advocates that the succession to the Babenberg inheritance, where his grandmother's claims to Austria had been quietly put aside, has never been truly settled.
Heir: Henry of Baden Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Baden
Henry III "The Fertile" of Zähringen (Baden-Hachberg)(b.1274), Margrave of Baden-Hachberg SP
The Margraviate of Hachberg is a prime example of how a ceremonial rank must not translate into any particular position of power.
Where his mainline cousin rules over two cities and commands at least the begrudging respect of his allies and rivals, Heinrich III must make due with a small castle surrounded by the far more powerful County of Freiburg. Even worse the cause of this diminished stature, the ongoing splitting of lands between sons, is due to repeat in even worse form as so far he and his wife have been "blessed" with a total of seven male children, all of whom he will have to provide for in the coming years. As such it is little wonder that he has declared for the Premyslid cause, unleashing a deluge of raids on the knightly houses to his north, seeking to carve out some lands and treasure for himself so that maybe, just maybe, he can avert the fate of irrelevance for his family brach.
Heir: Fuck if I know Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Hachberg
Otto of Zähringen (Baden-Hachberg-Sausenberg) (b.1280), Margrave of Baden-Hachberg-SausenbergHL
Markgraft Otto in many ways can be seen as a less extreme example of the situation than that his elder brother to the north finds himself in. His lands are small, yes, but more expansive and better situated than those of Heinrich. He has many sons, yet not the utter flood that makes Heinrichs nights sleepless. And as Heinrich he is surrounded by an overpowerful neighbour that dictates his policy. Yet where Heinrich is encircled by the neutral County of Freiburg, Otto is surrounded by the partisans of Luxembourg. Thus in a startling reversal of his pervious allegiances (his youngest son is named Ottokar), he has declared for the Phoenix, hoping to make gains for his family up or down stream of the Rhine once the war is ended.
Heir: Otto of Zähringen (Baden-Hachberg-Sausenberg) Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Sausenberg
Heinrich III von Berge (b.1263), Margrave of Burgau HL
One could think that Heinrich von Berge a man his fifties, ruling the least impressive Margraviate of the Empire, with a quick, but disastruously female heir would not involve himself in the errupting civil war, instead preferring to tend to his fields in times of famine. One would be wrong. For Heinrich remembers that it was the lance of his mainline cousin Heinrich that slew his son and heir Heinrich but five years back. Thus, already deeply involved through family ties in the Luxembourgian faction he has declared himself for the Phoenix, already marching towards Ulm to make the crossing into the active warzone of Swabia. This has however also created a bit of a political quagmire as his son-in-law, the count of Heilbronn has declared for the Premyslids, putting the already complicated question of the succession to the poor, but prestigious title of Margrave into further question.
Heir: Adelheid von Berge, Countess of Heilbronn Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred division of land Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Burgau
Heinrich III "The Kinslayer" von Berge (b.1285), Count of BergeSP
Kinslayer they call him. Oathbreaker they call him. A man of spiteful pride since birth. Yet Heinrich is not one who cares for the prattling of lesser men. His lance slipped by the hand of god in that tourney five years back as any man knows is want to happen. The Phoenix is a tyrant as the proclamations of the Premyslids and the slaughter of the Habsburgs make clear. And his families the Nellenburgs and Heiligenbergs have already declared for the rightful king of the Romans, thus what choice does the head of House Berge have but to join them? Let his lesser cousins fight for the roasted chicken if they want. Let them waste their power fighting other nobles as fools would, at a time when the cities of southern Swabia, encouraged by the damned French Emperor, become ever more proud and impetuous. Heinrich knows which side he chose. And he knows that only if all lands of House Berge are united can his family hope to see the future in these ever tumultuous times.
Heir: Heinrich von Berge Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Berge
Ulrich II "The Posthumous" von Berge (Schelklingen) (b.1260), Count of Schelklingen HL
Ulrich II has spend a life in the shadows. The posthumous son of Ulrich I he has spent his entire life being ignored by his regent mother, who showered all her attention on his elder brother Heinrich II, Count of Berge. Having to make due with the minor lands of Schelklingen Ulrich almost immediately after he became a man started to feud with his elder brother, seeking to gain his fair share of the Berge inheritance. This continued even after his brother was killed in Italy, now against his nephew of the same name, who to little surprise from Ulrich soon later proved himself a damned kinslayer when his lance slew their Burgau cousin. With Ulrichs marriage into the Würtemberg family it was thus little surprise that he would declare for the Phoenix soon after the election in Frankfurt, already preparing his small keep for the coming siege by the Zollerns and his treacherous nephew. However while true to his nature this bold declaration is seen as suicidal by many, as his lands are little more than a small dot on the road to Ulm, surrounded by Premyslid partisans, sure to be swept aside very soon by the armies of Zollern.
Albert VII von Calw (Löwenstein), Count of LöwensteinN
The Löwensteins are often forgotten when one lists the counts of the realm. Albert would prefer it to remain so and that no questions are asked of what happens within his lands and castle. Heir: Albert von Löwenstein Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Löwenstein
Dietrich von Dürne (Heilbronn) (b.1291), Count of Heilbronn, Lord of DürneSP
The Dürnes were one of the many beneficiaries of the Hohenstaufens' fall from grace as their acquisition of Heilbronn fell into the lawless era that followed in Swabia. Now they guard their ill-gotten gains with paranoia. Hence they chose to side with the Premyslids. After all by standing against the Tübingens the theoretic representation of imperial authority in the region the Dürnes may further undermine it.
Hans II von Heiligenberg (b.1260), Count of Heiligenberg SP
Hans of Heiligenberg is a supremely cautious man. A count by name he is closer to the power of a Herr, ruling a mere keep and the surrounding lands. With his key position between the Kyberg and Zollern lands it is hence no great surprise that he would declare for the Premyslid cause, throwing his lot in with the cause most likely to gain him a lands from the south Swabian cities in his region and confirm his inheritance of the Urach lands should his brother-in-law Egino pass, finally giving him lands worthy of his title of Count. Yet this caution makes him also a fickle ally, as he is so far restricting his activities to securing the road to Switzerland and protecting his keep, making it likely that should the wind turn that so will his cloak.
Heir: Heinrich von Heiligenberg Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Heiligenberg
Hagen II von Helfenstein (b.1270), Count of DillingenHL
Hagen II is named for a hero of old, a loyal warrior who commited most grevious crimes in service of his king and patron. And now it seems that a time has come where he will have to live up to that name. His cousin, Heinrich of Helfenstein was over a decade ago relieved of his titles by the damned northerner Otto Welf for using his most holy right to feud with the treacherous Zollerns. Since then Heinrich and his bastard son have been guests at his court. With his marriage to the Würtemberg family Hagen thus did not need to ponder long which side to support in this war, throwing his lot in with Luxembourg. As winter falls he is already massing his troops preparing to raid into the lands to the west to recapture them for his dear cousin. With the bastard leading the very front of the army.
Heir: Heinrich von Helfenstein Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Dillingen
Hubert V von Hohenlohe (b.1274), Count of Hohenlohe HL
Hubert wants nothing but peace. He is tired. He wants to just grow wheat and serve his house and lands. Sadly none of his neighbours agree with his thinking and thus family alliances force him to raise his sword.
Konrad III von Kirchberg (b.1258), Count of Kirchberg N
As one half of his family supports one side of the war and one side the other, Konrad for now has taken the path of his Urach in-laws and makes vague overtures to both sides.
Heir: Konrad von Kirchberg Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Kirchberg
Louis III of Nördlingen (b.1283), Count of Nördlingen HL
Louis of Nördlingen is a singular representative of what it means to be a decorated tourney knight: Gifted with arms, good looking, noble to the core and entirely unsuited to actually govern a realm. Coming to rule his county in his teen has spent the last decade traveling Christendom to test his might against the best lances of France, Italy and the Empire, leaving his fields unattended and his finances in disarray. Soon after the outbreak of war, bound by his noble marriage to the Reichserbmarshall of House Pappenheim he declared openly for the Phoenix, adding his strength to those nobes on the western Bavarian border who would seek to oppose a Wittelsbach invasion of Swabia. This had however unexpected consequences as tactless and naive as he was he demanded the Imperial city of Nördlingen put their coffers and men at his disposal, as his own seat was inside her walls. Not wanting to be left as destitute as the county has been made by Ludwig the city instead closed her gates to him and seized all his property within her walls, being one of the few Imperial cities to openly declare for the Premyslid cause. Ludwig has hence been forced to leave a nagging thorn on his northern border as he marches his troops to gather near the Donau, readying for what he calls "the most glorious of all tournaments".
Heir: Otto Of Wittelsbach (Brandenburg) Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Wismar
Hermann IV von Sulz (b.1264), Count of Sulz N
House Sulz is among the wealthiest families of western Swabia, their name coming from their control of the salt trade between the Rhine and Switzerland, a monopoly which they jealously guard against any who would threaten it. While this has brought many riches to the family over the decades it has also lead to a somewhat singular mentality for them, seeing the continued openness of the trade routes as vital to their continued prosperity. This has created a strange situation as in times of famine salt should be a valuable resource to be sold, but now either sits unsellable in their storages or does not even arrive as traders are fearful of raids from the various war parties. The aged count Hermann IV is not amused, raising his banners not to declare for any one side, but to "wage feud against all who would threaten the prosperity of House Sulz". Already his young sons Hermann and Hans have started raids on the lands of both Zollern and Tübingen in retribution for them closing their roads to foreign traders, seeking to pressure them into opening the lanes of trade once more. This stance of aggressive neutrality has not earned the Sulzes many friends, but is unlikely they care determined as they are not to let something minor like a breakdown of imperial order interfere with their stream of income.
Heir: Hermann von Sulz Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Sulz
Egino VI von Urach (b.1266), Count of Urach N
Egino "The Younger" is the middle patriarch of the Urach family clan. The head of the primary of the three Urach branches, he outranks his cousins in prestige, legal position and military ability. While it would be wrong to think that the other two defer to him on decisions (indeed Hermann of Baden once called the Urach family a "three saints darned nails up my ass") it is true that where Egino the Elder plots and Heinrich talks, Egino the Younger wars. Thus few doubt who the engineer of the Urachs ongoing neutrality in the warring is. After all lying between the warring factions of Zollern and Tübingen and through decades of feuding being painfully aware of their abilities it would be foolish for the County of Urach to enter the fighting on any one side, especially with Egino, thanks to his infertile wife, lacking any heirs of his own blood to succeed to his titles. Thus patience is the virtue of the day. Yet many ask how long that will hold. After all Egino and his wife are growing old. And there is no telling if he may not soon be a widower ready to wed once more to ensure the survival of his family.
Egino II von Urach (Freiburg) (b.1253), Count of Freiburg N
Egino "The Elder" is the old patriarch of the Urach family clan. While the head of the most minor of the three Urach branches, he outranks his cousins in riches, age and political cunning. While it would be wrong to think that the other two defer to him on decisions (indeed Rudolf of Tübingen once called the Urach clan a "three headed Cerberus with a holy snake for a tail") it is true that where Egino the younger wars and Heinrich talks, Egino the Elder plots. Thus few doubt who the engineer of the Urachs ongoing neutrality in the warring is. After all little gain and many enemies can be made in these early stages of fighting, especially for a family as far flung, as close to erradication and with so many family ties to the various factions. Thus patience is the virtue of the day. Yet many ask how long that will hold. After all Egino is growing old. And his hot headed heir is madly in love with his new Zollern wife.
Heinrich II von Urach (Fürstenberg) (b.1281), Count of Fürstenberg N
Heinrich is the young patriarch of the Urach family. The head of the middle of the three Urach branches he outranks his cousins in powerful friends, the size of his domain and youthful energy. While it would be wrong to think that the other two defer to him on decisions (indeed Frederic of Zollern once called the Urach clan "A hydra in need of a Herakles to tame her") it is true that where the elder Egino plots and the younger wars, it is Heinrich who talks. Thus few doubt who the engineer of the Urach's ongoing neutrality in the warring is. After all it is Heinrich's uncle the bishop, who closed the crossing of Speyer to all war factions and it is Heinrich, sitting on the crossroads between east and west in central Swabia, who stands to lose the most from unleashed violence. Thus patience is the virtue of the day. After all the family is hurting with the survival of many of its branches in question. And where others are plagued by dead or no births, Heinrich has been blessed so far with two healthy children. They are regrettably too female for his tastes, but he is still young and has time. His patience will surely pay off.
Heir: Petra von Urach (Fürstenberg) Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Fürstenberg
Gunther "Der Hüne" III von Geroldseck (b.1276), Count of Truhendingen, Count of Lechsgemünd, Lord of Geroldseck N
Gunther indeed is a hulk. A hulking mass of meat and muscle and of titles and lands. Thus he sees it as his duty to pass this land as unblemished as possible to his son. Gunther never had a taste for tourneys nor does he have any for war. His neighbours sigh in relief.
Viktor II of Vehringen (Nellenburg) (b.1257), Count of Nellenburg SP
Heir: Otto Of Wittelsbach (Brandenburg) Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Wismar
Hartmann II von Würtemberg (b.1285), Count of WürtembergHL
The House of Würtemberg is among the small circle of Swabian families who can be considered truly prestigious and dominant beyond the Duchy itself. Descending either from the old Salian or Luxembourgian dynasty they have for almost three hundred years made their home around the city of Stuttgart, warring off and on with the nearby Baden, Tübingen and Zollern families. Their true golden era started following the fall of the Staufian family as they used the confusion in the region to extend their lands into those formerly held by the Vaihingen and Calw families as well as acquiring the County of Grüningen for their minor branch. These days they rule almost uncontested over the Neckar river controlling its main crossing near their capital of Stuttgart. Their current ruler Hartmann II is a man whose wealth can be seen whenever he enters his room, his rotund form adorned with Flemish wool and Greek silk, a truly expensive costume considering his size. Hartmann has chosen to take the side of Luxembourg in the rebellion for three key reasons: Firstly he sees his wealth to most likely expanded with a continuing of the Rhine trade which has bloomed under the rule of the Phoenix, secondly he fears that the Premyslid supporters will seek to tear apart his family's illgotten gains in favour of the Badens and Löwensteins as Otto Welf did for the Zollerns and lastly and maybe most importantly his twin sons are currently second in line behind their cousin to the inheritance of Tübingen, which would once and for all cement the status of the Würtemberg family as the preeminent power in Swabia. Yet there is risk attached to such grasping and it may not be for long until the Würtembergs like many families before them will be reduced to a footnote in the history of German families.
Hartmann III von Würtemberg (Grüningen) (b.1281), Count of Grüningen HL
The situation of the Grüningen branch of House Würtemberg is illustrative how familiar bonds can force a ruler into a intennable position. Cousin to the Luxembourg supporting main branch and likely heir to the Margraviate of Burgau Count Harmann III was quick to declare for the Phoenix. Yet this has put them him in a strategic positon where he will largely depend on his allies elsewhere to save them from the wrath of Premyslid partisans. With his keep lying on the northern shore of the Donau they are surrounded by Zollern, Berge and Sigmaringen foes, with their only the cities of souther Swabia and his uncle the Bishop of Konstanz on the far side of the great river close enough to send any sort of assistance to him. With only a blind girl as his heiress it is hence likely that the Grünbergs will focus on the defense of their personal lands, holding out until some form of aid reaches them.
Frederic VI Zollern (b.1270), Count of Zollern, Count of Helfenstein SP
As their name implies the Zollern family originated as mere imperial customs officers inside Swabia almost three hundred years ago. From this comparatively humble beginnings they spend their history aligning themselves ever with powerful patron families, be they Staufer, Habsburg, Ludowinger or as lately Welf. Ever acquiring new lands and rights they have hence emerged as the most powerful family of Swabia and prime rivals to the Tübingen's claim to regional leadership. While this has earned them many allies, prestige and recognition far beyond the borders of the Duchy it has also lead to much resentment by the local nobility, many calling them upstarts, money traders and lick spittles for their success. If this hurts Frederic VI pride he does not let it show, being a grim an determined leader focused on shoring up his family's acquired position and cement them fully as the first of the Swabian families. Yet while the Zollerns dream of taking Thuringia for themselves and once and for all humbling the Tübigens their reputation once more creates problems for them as Urach and Nördlingen in-laws refuse to answer their call to side with the Premyslids. Still Frederic does not show a reaction. He has two sons, one the prime warrior of the HRE, two counties and many titled cousins and friends. Surely the Zollerns will be protected by divine providence as they always have been.
Heir: Frederic Zollern, heir of Zollern, Henry Zollern, heir of Helfenstein Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles Religion: Catholic Government: Monarchy Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Zollern, Helfenstein
Albrecht III Zollern (Hohenberg) (b.1260), Count of Hohenberg SP
The scion of the forgotten fourth branch of the Zollern dynasty Albrecht III and his ancestors have spend their lives ruling over a minor County at the border of the mainline cousins, marrying minor lordlings while the main family acquired ever more prestigious lands and matches. Still despite years of feuding and jealousy he has decided to join the main family in declaring for the Premyslids, likely to ensure his sons inheritance of Triberg along with securing his positioning in line for the many Urach lands that he would have claims to should his relations there die without heirs. Still he remains cousin to the House of Tübingen and has a long list of grievances between himself and his cousins, making Frederic VI ever distrustful of his loyalties.
Next to Germany and Italy, Burgundy is the third kingdom of the Holy Roman Empire. The third, the forgotten, the lost. For since the reign of the late Louis X the Kings of France wear the crown of the Western Alps, crowned by the Archbishops of Lyon. Thus it is little wonder that few of the lords of the region have openly declared for any of the warring parties. As while they are French vassals, some more willing some less, most important than any allegiance for them is a simple concern for the local affairs. And as few of the lords see any reason why Luxembourg, Vienna or Aachen should concern them, most of them tend to their own fields and inheritances.
Waleran II Ardennes-Verdun (Luxembourg-Burgundy) (b.1285), Count of Burgundy HL
Waleran is the younger brother of the Emperor and thus more than willing to play his part to maintain their families imperial dignity. Thus Waleran has fallen on his sword, drawing the Premyslid forces southwards from Lorraine into his own county of Burgundy. He was predicably defeated and is not sitting behind the walls of the city of Besancon, hoping to hold out as long as possible to buy time for his brother. After all, as a noble blooded scion of a grand dynasty he can expect to be Andrew's guest and ransom himself soon.
Henry II Of Montbéliard (b.1276), Count of Montauban N
As his family are border lords between the Empire and France and neighbours of the Luxembourgs the Henry should stand with Waleran of Burgundy. Yet, his younger brother is the Elector of Cologne, who's city was only recently captured by the Phoenix to make him bow to imperial pressures. Even more, his sister is the widow of Rudolf of Habsburg, the murdered elector on whose burning keep the Luxembourg throne rests. Yet again, Henry and his brother Louis rule minor lands and are the last scions of their dynasty. Is simple revenge enough motivator for them to take up arms?
Heir: Louis II of Montbéliard, Count of Bar
Succession: Agnatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles
Religion: Catholic
Government: Monarchy
Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a.
Settlements: Vienne, Turin, Grenoble, Chambéry
Guigues VIII/I Capet (of Viennois) (b.1248), Dauphine of Viennois, Marquis of Turin, Count of Albon, Count of Savoy N
Guiges is a 9th-generation direct descendant of King Robert II of France, the same as his cousin the Brightflame King of France. Yet where the mainline always could rely on the riches of Paris, the Dauphines had to fight for each scrap and morsel. Which is why Guiges is tired of war in his old age. After a lifetime spent at war with the House of Savoy, most recently at the side of the Premyslids to gain vast lands in northern Italy, he knows how precarious his situation is. Thus Guiges has declared for Stephen, hailing him as King of the Romans and denouncing Henry, but has not called his banners. The war is in the north. For once in his life, the war is not here.
Amadeus II/V of Neuchâtel (b.1297), Marquis of Susa, Count of Neuchâtel, Lord of Tarantaise N
There are three reasons the adventurous and boisterous young Marquis is not marching north: First, he lacks any sort of heir to his titles. Second, all his titles are precarious. Like many other lords of the region Amadeus' line has taken part in the incessant fighting for the Savoy inheritance, gaining for themselves Neuchâtel and Tarantaise. And third, his eyes do not look north, but south, seeking to align himself more with the kings of Liguria, then any northern kings.
Hugh III Des Baux (b.1295), Margrave of Provence, Prince of Orange N
The des Baux have for almost a century now been more ingrained in French and Catalonian politics than in those that concern the Empire. Thus it is little wonder that the young, childless count chooses to stand aside from any battle. Especially as there is now a court even closer and more prestigious than Paris for them to seek favour in, as the papacy has moved to Avignon.
Ulrich is a simple man. Maybe that is to defy his stepfather's great dreams of crusading glory and lofty ideals, but Ulrich is a man happy with the simple things in life. Thus it was a presence from heaven, when the Premyslids rid him of his ever restless brother Hartmann and made him Marquis of Aosta. Now their father's lands could be easily divided between Ulrich and the third brother Adalbert. Indeed, all is well for Ulrich. Thus he has in thanks now raised his hosts in support of Stephen (or rather Andrew) of Hungary. His forces however are still in many parts exhausted from the warfare in Italy. Still, Ulrich as a native of the alps knows how valuable the simple control of some passes can be.
Adalbert Kyburg (Lindau) (b.1285), Count of Lindau SP
The forgotten third brother, that is what Adalbert is. He cannot help, but look with jealousy at his elder brothers gaining their ancestral keep and a rich title in Italy. Still, Adalbert will follow where his elders lead. After all, what alternative does he have?
Heir: Ulrich V Kyburg, Count of Kyburg
Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession/division of titles
Religion: Catholic
Government: Monarchy
Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a.
Settlements: Lindau
Confederation of the Swiss N
The Swiss are a simple people, who wish for nothing but to be left alone, worship god, plow their fields, bake bread, despair at the famine, milk their cows, trade their wares, sharpen their knives, make cheese, form cults and other things a simple folk of the land does.
Religion: Catholic
Government: Confederation of different types
Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a.
Settlements: See legend on the map
Henry II "Brightflame" Capet (b.1280), King of France, King of Burgundy, Count of Toulouse regent of Amiens
See France entry
Settlements: Marseilles
Aimery II "The Golden Crusader" Of Brienne (b.1262), Count of Brienne, "Prince of Hippo"
See France entry
Settlements: Bourgh
Church Lands N
Archbishop of Lyon
Bishoprics
Genf
Basel
Lausanne
Sion
Chur
Lützen
Abbeys
Disentis
St.Maurice
Säckingen
St.Galen
Imperial and Free Cities N except one
Besançon HL
Aarau, Bern, Biel, Fribourg, Solothurn, Zürich,
After Everything I've Done For You (That You Didn't Ask For) - The Kingdom of France
A weak link can break the strongest chain. Since the reign of Louis the Fat, France has enjoyed only vigorous, strong and powerful monarchs, one after the other. Fathers of strong children, centralizers of power, vanquishers of foes. Naturally, Henry II fits right into that line. How could he not? His grandfather Louis IX "One Eye" after the death of St.Arthur Pendragon had expelled the perfidious Plantagenets from the continent. His father Louis X "Fleur de Lys" has matched and outdone Arthur in accomplishment and veneration. Centralising powers, gaining the crown of Burgundy, crusading successfully for Tunis, warring in Italy, and bringing prosperity to his realm, his accomplishments are indeed too long to list. And wed to him was the aunt of an emperor, a woman as forceful, learned and accomplished as him. Naturally, such two titans sired a child just like them. It was only natural Henri adopted the title "Brightflame" for himself as he ruled Burgundy for his father. As natural as leaving the rule of such a lesser realm to his friends and advisors, he after all had the important task of representing the crown in tourneys. Not himself, of course, such would endanger the line of succession. But his friends won the glory for him, which was just as well. Henri always was the model of a Capetian monarch. His wife had brought the duchy of Aquitaine to the royal demesne, along with an alliance with the kingdom of Castille, the very model of a French queen.
Heir: Prince Louis Capet, Count of Amiens
Succession: Agnatic? eldest preferred succession
Religion: Catholic
Government: Monarchy
Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a.
Settlements: Paris, Marseilles
Prince Philip Capet (Vermandois) (b.1290), Count of Vermandois
Baldwin XIII of Flanders (b.1294), Count of Flanders, Count of Zeeland, heir of the Duchy of Burgundy
Heir: Henry I of Flanders (b.1295), Count of Boulogne, Count of Clermont, Count of Aumale, Count of Mortain, heir to the Lordship of Bourbon
Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession
Religion: Catholic
Government: Monarchy
Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a.
Settlements: Bruges
Henry I of Flanders (b.1295), Count of Boulogne, Count of Clermont, Count of Aumale, Count of Mortain, heir to the Lordship of Bourbon
Heir: Baldwin XIII of Flanders (b.1294), Count of Flanders, Count of Zeeland, heir of the Duchy of Burgundy
Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession
Religion: Catholic
Government: Monarchy
Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a.
Settlements: Boulogne, Clermont, Aumale, Mortain, Moulins
Louis I "The Rich" of Flanders (b.1273), Duke of Burgos, Count of Hainaut, regent of Namur
Raymond IX D'Anduze (Toulouse) (b.1288), Count of Toulouse
Heir: Roger D'Anduze (Toulouse)
Succession: Agnatic-cognatic eldest preferred succession
Religion: Catholic
Government: Monarchy
Economy: Ravaged
Armies: n.a.
Settlements: Tolosa
Peter I D'Anduze (b.1254), Count of Montauban, Count of Saintonge, Count of La Marche, Count of Courtenay, Count of Auxonne, Count of Nevers and Lord of Montagu
Heir: Richard "The Blood-Crowned" Plantagenet, Prince of Wales
Succession: Agnatic eldest preferred succession
Religion: Catholic
Government: Monarchy
Economy: Ravaged
Armies: 2 Bourdeaux, Eu
Settlements: London, Rouen, Le Mans, Bourdeaux
Brendan Plantagenet (Pale) (b.1277), Prince of Ireland, Duke of Lancaster
Cosimo Albizzi, most powerful citizen of the Republic of Florence
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
On a sharp decline since Dietrich's war, lost its place of Tuscan dominance to Siena. Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Stagnant
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Firenze
Francesco Carraresi, Podestà of the Commune of Parma
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Anti Ligurian Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Parma
Teodoro Traversari, Podestà of the Commune of Ravenna
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Anti Papal, allied to Ferrara Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Ravenna
Rinaldo Bonacolsi, Capitano Del Popolo of the Commune of Mantua
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Anti Venician and Reggio, aligned with Mantua Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Mantua
Luigi Michelotti, Capitano del Popolo of the Republic of Perugia
Benvenuto Appiani, Head of the City Council of the Republic of Pisa
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Is slowly losing prominence to Siena its main rival. Heir: n.a. Succession: Elective Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Pisa
Calixto Colleoni, Capitano del Popolo of the Commune of Bergamo
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Aligned with Milan against the "Duke of Lombardy" Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Bergamo
Ercole Simonetti, Podestà of the Commune of Modena
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Suffered during Emperor Dietrich's war and is recovering now. Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Modena
Luchetto Gattilusio, Podestà of the Commune of Cremona
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Aligned with Liguria, Rival to Reggio, Allied to Saluzzo and Lucca Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Cremona
Caco da Reggio, Podestà of the Commune of Reggio
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Rival to Cremona Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Reggio
Castruccio Gattilusio, Capitano del Popolo of the Republic of Lucca
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Ligurian puppet, Allied with Saluzzo and Cremona Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Lucca
Mario Bianchi, Capitano del Popolo of the Commune of Pavóli
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Ligurian aligned Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Pavullo
Taddeo Pepoli, Podestà of the Commune of Bologna
OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION
Anti Papal due to history of wars Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic Primogeniture? Religion: Catholic Government: Oligarchy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Bologna
Guido Tarlati, Bishop of Commune of Arezzo
NOT OPEN FOR PLAYER CREATION DUE TO BEING A CHURCH SEAT
Neutral alignment Heir: n.a. Succession: Elective/Papal Religion: Catholic Government: Theocracy Economy: Growing
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Arezzo
Guigues VIII/I Capet (of Viennois) (b.1248), Dauphine of Viennois, Marquis of Turin, Count of Albon, Count of Savoy
See HRE entry
Settlements: Turin
I Tell You Stories Of A Better Time And A Place That We Once Knew - Iberia
Stephen Premyslid (b.1305), "Emperor of the Slavs", "King of the Romans", King of Hungary, King of Croatia, Duke of Austria, Duke of Meissen, Duke of Steiermark, Duke of Kärnten, Count of Tirol, Count of Krain
See HRE entry Settlements: Pozsony, Zagreb
Russia
All powers listed here are tributaries to the Jochid Sultan of Kiev
Timür II Borjigin (Jochid) (b.1283), Sovereign of the Great Realm of Jochi, Sultan of Sultans, Khan of Khans, Shahanshah, Tsar of All Rus', Commander of the Faithful and Sword of Islam, Master of the World, Lord of the Mountains, Plains and Steppes, Conqueror of Rome
Mstislav I/VII Rurikid (Smolensk) (b.1274), Grand Prince of Vladimir, Prince of Novgorod, Prince of Smolensk
Heir: Mstislav Rurikid (Smolensk) Succession: Agnatic eldest preferred division of titles/Appointment by the Sultan of Kiev Religion: Orthodox Government: Monarchy Economy: Stagnant
Armies: 1 Novgorod Settlements: Novgorod, Vladimir, Smolensk
Alexei Rurikid (Moscow) (b.1292), Prince of Moscow
Heir: n.a. Succession: Agnatic eldest preferred division of titles/Appointment by the Sultan of Kiev Religion: Orthodox Government: Monarchy Economy: Stagnant
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Moscow
Ivan Dausprungas (b.1273), Prince of Polotsk
Heir: Peter Dausprungas Succession: Agnatic eldest preferred division of titles/Appointment by the Sultan of Kiev Religion: Orthodox Government: Monarchy Economy: Stagnant
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Polotsk
Abu Yaqub Yusuf an-Nasr Marinid(b.1240), Sultan of Morocco
Heir: n.a. Succession: Ruler's Favour Religion: Sunni Government: Monarchy Economy: Impressive
Armies: 1 Croise Mons Settlements: Fez
Marco "The Great" Polo (b.1253), Doge of Venice
See Italy entry.
Settlements: Birgu, Gebra
Eastern Ummah
Amal Bahri (b.1283), Sultan of Egypt and Syria, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Sword of Islam, Sultan and Padishah of the Mamluks, the Arabs, the Jews, the Greeks and the Turks
Theodore III Melissenos Laskaris (b.1290), in Christ faithful Emperor and Autocrat of the Romans, Equal to the Apostles, Master of the Universe and Lord of Time
David VIII Bagrationi (b.1273), King of Kings of the Abkhazians, Iberians, Ranis, Kakhetians and Armenians, Shirvanshah and Shahanshah, of all Georgia, of all the East and the West, of the North, the Sovereign and Suzerain of two kingdoms, the ruler of all
As David so far remains unable to father a son on his Greek wife, the peace in the realm holds.
Heir: n.a. Succession: Ruler's Favour/Appointment by the Sultan of Kiev Religion: Orthodox Government: Monarchy Economy: Stagnant
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Magas Diplomatic region: Caucasus
Temüjin Borjigin (Avars) (b.1280), Khan of Avars, Master of the Steppe
Heir: n.a. Succession: Ruler's Favour/Appointment by the Sultan of Kiev Religion: Shia Government: Monarchy Economy: Stagnant
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Khunzakh Diplomatic region: Caucasus
Dzu Aghwrbiy (b.1282), Prince of Circassia
Heir: n.a. Succession: Ruler's Favour/Appointment by the Sultan of Kiev Religion: Orthodox Government: Monarchy Economy: Stagnant
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Sochi Diplomatic region: Caucasus
Qulpa Borjigin (Blue Horde) (b.1276), Khan of the Blue Horde
Heir: n.a. Succession: Ruler's Favour/Appointment by the Sultan of Kiev Religion: Orthodox Government: Monarchy Economy: Stagnant
Armies: n.a. Settlements: Derbent Diplomatic region: Caucasus
Neighbouring Realms
Outside of Europe the world has kept turning. Nothing noteable has however reached the ears of any of the lords.
If the salt mines reopen before the game starts, look for another game. I am not kidding around about this. I don't care what contributions you made in the past I will not let this game burn me out again.
To prevent creative burnout, to let ill will die down or to prepare for major drastic events in the game world this game will feature pre-planned moments of stoppage and self-evaluation to see where we are at. For now, the first such break will start on March 31st 2024. At each of those points, I will let the game rest for a month to see where things lie and if it's viable to continue or if it's better to let it go on hiatus at that point.
All rules below this one may be changed at my despotic whims and as I deem necessary.
Above all, remember that this is not the medieval world, but the medieval world as seen through the lens of JBO. Hence there will be obvious issues of interpretation, scale, evaluation and personal opinion that will come up that you may disagree with, feel is too excessive or too lenient on my behalf. While I fully welcome any appeal sent to me, as I am not perfect, especially in the early period I would request that you consider before sending in an appeal if the issue may come down to different interpretations of the world at hand.
The Action Economy and Game Outline
Your main tools of play are your characters. They take major actions, most often three, to say build a castle or send an army to combat border raids, and minor actions, an unlimited supply of which can be used for things like missives to different courts or moving your characters across the game board.
You use these actions to interact with the game world as expressed through the world map (game board) and the family tree on familyecho.com and other resources. I urge you to familiarize yourself with them when it comes to your immediate surroundings.
Above all I urge you to please take your actions, be they major or minor.
Characters are player-controlled PCs which may be developed via flavour posts. They are posted in the main IC thread. Please mark them in some way. Take this as character time in a pen-and-paper session. Dramatize the events given by the GM or have your ruler hate on his poor grandsons. All PC ruler characters' position is tracked on the game map. Changing a PC's location on the map is a minor action and needs to be okayed by the GM.
Your major actions, which develop your cities, lands and move your armies, are posted in your yearly turn post (an example format is given below) in which you please @ the GM. If possible ask them to provide you with a link to your main character on the family tree, so that you can link it.
Your armies are publically visible on the map if actively raised. They are moved through war plans which are sent to the GM via PM here on SV and which describe what your armies will do over the coming turn. You will however need to post a major action making a generic "me do fight"-action. When not actively raised, your armies may be used with major actions to combat banditry.
Your diplomatic missives are your tools for interacting with one another. Through it, your rulers speak to each other publically or secretly. This is a tool meant to both increase the value of individual messages, but also to increase post quality. As many "secret" missives will be theoretically publically visible this hopefully also is meant to encourage collegiate play when it comes to some secrets. Any secret agreements made via PM that the GM has not been invited to as part of the diplomatic process are null and void as if they never happened.
Lastly your advisors may make themselves heard and are ready to help you. I highly encourage creating your own cadre of semi-NPCs to be your helpers and swords. While they are not always the smartest and may not see what you are trying to do, they tend to look out for you not getting blowback from behaving too much like a modern person in a Medieval society who would not appreciate you screwing everyone over.
Please send any appeal only after a 24-hour wait period. Any prior public complaints about the issues at hand will result in me considering your appeal null. This is not to clamp down on complaints or public discussion of events, but to make any 24-hour wait period viable to make people calm down from initial reactions, instead of letting interactions with others only inflame their tempers more.
For example:
CluelessJ: "Sis @Greywind453, you see this? @JBO just had your main character be killed in the battle he won! WTF!"
Greywind 453: "No comment."
CluelessJ: "Ah, you doing the 24-hour wait? That's awesome! Cool, I will change the topic. Hey @BROSEFINE! Damn, you got me in that battle! But I had anticipated your betrayal, so we even?"
Getting Started
If you played in the past or got promised a faction close to the hiatus, simply post a claim in the OOC. However, I will limit the number of playable factions to one per player at the start. The only exception is the besieged Crusaders in Gibraltar cause for all sets and purposes they depend on someone bailing them out.
If you are new you can make a proactive claim to any unplayed faction. Please see the thread marked turn posts for descriptions of their current developments or the almnac posts in 1313. Simply put, everything no matter the size is claimable. If you don't have time for a big major power there is nothing wrong with claiming a minor Swabian lord. Alternatively write a short paragraph about what type of experience, power, interaction with other players etc. you are looking for and I will give you a short list of options to choose from. The list of factions is massive after all and there are lots of factions that need filling. If you would prefer making up an entire family of your own I invite you to claim one of the Italian states which give much leeway for self-creation.
In either case use the example turn post below to make a first turn post or at least parts of it for now.
The pope is a permanent NPC as is the church hierarchy. This may change as history progresses.
Final Notes
There is a dedicated discord here. As I suspect much of the OOC talk will happen there, I suggest joining it.
And don't forget to have fun! This is all silly make belief.
II: Characters
King Henry II "The Brightflame" Capet, King of France, King of Burgundy, ever anxious about his legacy
The world is but a stage for these people, your main tools of play. While your rulers will do war, lead armies and sail the seas, they are only human. You are not playing a modern state where full control of all the ruler touches inside their borders. Borders are changeable and unclear, administration is uneven. This game is more Baldur's Gate than Hearts of Iron, more Crusader Kings than Europa Universalis. Think of it as Dungeons and Dragons with a very big campaign map where rolls are public only at the GM's discretion. Your characters are your main vehicles of play, familiarize yourself with your family tree immediately. Use the find tool and type in the last name as given in the almanac. Recommended settings are to display middle names, and life years, to set parents and children to one generation and another to none.
Neither play your "nation" instead of your family nor claim a "weak" character with the plan to "fix" them. 1. You have full control of all characters patrilineally related to your main character and not separated by one or more degrees or under the control of a different faction. Put simply you control your uncles, aunts, sisters, brothers, children and grandchildren, but not your nieces, nephews and cousins. Similarly, you don't control your younger brother who has been left with a smaller part of the inheritance. Unless stated otherwise your characters are in your capital at the game start. To be sure, ask me just to be safe. Please keep their locations in mind when both communicating with others and having them travel. Similarly, please avoid people having spontaneous ideas that might help their family members thousands of miles away due to meta-gaming reasons.
As many players already post family trees as part of their turn posts I suggest adding (LOCATION) behind all player characters if you do so. If two player characters are married to each other, each player maintains control of their member of the pair. 2. Children will always be under the control of their fathers, cause these are for the most part patriarchal societies. THIS MEANS YOUR MATRILINEAR GRANDCHILDREN WILL BECOME NPCs. Note: This may not apply to some rulers not in central Latindom.
3. You may freely create retainers, minor nobles, advisors, emissaries and other characters sworn to your main characters to act as your intermediaries and fill roles your character cannot fulfil. These will act as the embryo of what a modern Nation Game would call a state. I suggest adding a separate section in your turn post to develop these characters as they allow the world and others to interact with your characters.
4. I will reserve for at least the early turns of the game a full monopoly on childbirths and natural deaths. You may send requests to me via PM, but even the kindest and most reasonable bid is no guarantee of getting a "Yes" in reply. Once again this is a DND game you must pass a skill role to die of old age NPC family trees will be updated as needed so I don't have to bring the game to a halt each turn to edit them.
III: Settlements
Wladyslaw "The Red Eagle", famous builder of towns, churches kingdoms and nothing else
Your settlements can be anything reaching from Fribourg to Constantinople. A collection of humans living together. They are representatives of not only their inhabitants but of the territory containing them for this game's purposes. 1. Settlements under your control will be listed under your almanach entry and your turn posts. To avoid excessive lists, for each continuous territory, just one will be named. If there is shared control of it please indicate it in your turn post.
In general, settlements are two types of game pieces in one: They provide you with something to do, through their economic status and the presence of bandits, and they give you the tools to do so by having to do something to apply your major actions to or simply to raise armies.
The different types of settlement are these:
Castle. These are stone fortifications that must be besieged to be taken. They do not provide any other benefit.
Castletown. These are castles, with small settlements around them. They may get upgraded to a town in the 1340s if they grew enough. You can raise one support host from them.
Town. A proper noted place, no longer a mere castle, but a centre of the local villages. You can raise two support hosts from them.
City. City rights may not be included. You can raise a main host and a support host from them.
Centre. The place to be, unless you are poor. Everything from here upwards has an increasingly powerful NPC burgher class that may make themselves known if they feel ignored or mistreated. You can raise two main hosts from them.
Hub. The centres of a trade network. If they get conquered it may affect the regional trade. If they get looted the state containing them automatically loses one economic level. You can raise two main hosts and two support hosts.
Metropolis. There are few places like these. Even a siege of them is a major disruption of local trade. If they get conquered the state containing them loses one economic level. If they get looted it loses two. You can raise one elite host, two mains hosts and three support hosts from them.
World City. A siege of them may affect the entire world map. Conquering them automatically makes the state containing them lose two economic levels. Looting them makes the territory containing them automatically be in imminent collapse unless it contains another world city, in which case it will be ravaged. You can raise three elite hosts, three main hosts and five support hosts from them. Further for each 50k above 100k inhabitants add one main and one support host. Add one extra elite host for every 100k inhabitants over 100k.
The list of 100k cities is as follows:
Constantinople 550,000
Cairo 534,000
Paris 210,000
Mosul 208,000
Fes 203,000
Venice 188,000
Thessaloniki 141,000
Kyiv 114,000
Genoa 112,000
Bagdad 110,000
Alexandria 108,000
Lisboa 106,000
Tunis 102,000
Damaskus 101,000
IV: World and Game Economics
I think economics can be very limiting to expressing the events of a game. 1. They will be hence limited in scope and impact on the game. This may evolve as I grow more confident in the other game systems. For now, each player state will be given an economic level at the game start of either Imminent Collapse, Ravaged, Declining, Stagnating, Growing, Impressive, Glorious or Magnificent. Note that these stati must not reflect the general stability of rule. An emperor of Constantinople might be Glorious and his realm rotten with corruption for example.
Of true relevance will be the following: 2.Imminent Collapsemay spawn noble rebellions or peasant uprisingsagainst the ruler of the territory. NOTE: Nobles may rebel or fight each other or neighbours for other reasons, but they will do so semi-automatically if your economy is in disarray for too long. 3. Ravaged territory if crossed by armies multiple times in a turn or consecutive turns may lead to desertion, starvation, mutiny or a simple downgrade to imminent collapse. 4. All further levels are safety cushions against radical downgrades and may be used by the GM as warning signs to the players.
The Action Economy and Banditry
Military
Keep this in mind when submitting plans to raise banners and march in any direction, since you will not wanna campaign in winter or be stopped by a siege.
Hosts: A host is the basic unit of your army. They vary in size and discipline but are given their categories assumed to be of more or less equal size. This does however not mean that tactics, counterplay and cultural differences cannot be exploited. Keeping a host raised for long can have both positive and negative effects. On the one hand, this may lead to them becoming battle-hardened, on the other they may eventually demand to go home already. Note: Hosts are always raised publically in the game thread. Further, a host is not raised from the city they are associated with but represents both the levies from the city and the surrounding lands.
A Support host: What it says. Peasants, poor knights, fanatics, irregular bandits, whatever they may be, this is mostly fodder that should be carefully positioned to defend you.
Main Hosts: The usual grunts. Trained house retainers. Mercenaries. Knights. These men should be positioned in the key positions of your army as they can be the best relied on when push comes to shove.
Elite Hosts: Once you are rich and prestigious enough you can have your pick of the litter. Maybe you have a great bureaucracy or a warrior caste. Whatever the reason this host is something else and not to be trifled with. Any army containing an elite host, regardless of size will be considered at least a medium army.
Armies: Armies are units made up of a collection of hosts. Hosts are assigned a position in the overall army and battle positions in the secret war plans. On the map the actual size of an army is never displayed instead there are several symbols representing the number of hosts in it. If you lose track of which hosts are in your opponent's army, too bad for you better investigate that.
Small Army: 1-4 Support Hosts, <2 Main hosts
Medium Army: 5-10 Support hosts, 2-7 Main hosts
Large Army: 10< Support Hosts, 8< Main hosts
Obstacles. Some natural obstacles present severe issues to armies trying to march across them.
Hills. A hill chain severely slows any army that crosses them.
Mountain chain. A Mountain chain is impassable apart from passes or staying close to rivers and the coast. Any army crossing mountains is increasingly slowed depending on its size. You may attempt to pull a Hannibal but do remember the casualties that were caused.
Rivers. Crossing a river slowly your army down if one is not using the river crossing of a settlement to do so.
The sea. If you plan to cross the sea depending on the size of your army expect to spend one or even more turns building a fleet or to seize the ships of local traders. As standing fleets are limited to only a select number of powers they will be left largely disregarded.
Towns. When one of your armies encounters a settlement there are several options: You may ignore it, force a surrender or put it under siege. The first leaves a potentially hostile settlement in your back, the second may not be possible, and the third will bring your army to an effective stop. A besieged settlement can only raise half of the host it normally could, may only raise them outside the city and may only use them to lift the siege. This represents raising a host from the countryside to lift the siege. If the hosts of this city have already been raised it has to defend itself with only its garrison and is thus easier to take. World cities may raise their full hosts, but may only raise half inside the walls of the city and the other half outside it. In any case, there will be a public event informing the player base that these hosts are raised as normal.
Your armies will expect you or a member of your family if possible to lead them into battle. This is after all the societal role of feudal lords. If you do not do so or have your character abandon an army on the march to go somewhere else this will affect the morale of those fighting.
Diplomacy
Diplomacy. Diplomacy takes time and is multifaceted. I of course can't control that you stick to it, but I would ask that you refrain from using PMs or Discord to get around these restrictions as they are supposed to a) Get around tweeting and b) Encourage a higher quality in diplomacy. There is no limit to the amount of diplomacy you may engage in each turn, but the travel time will restrict whether you will get an answer.
Proclamations. A proclamation is your ruler going into their great hall and commenting on stuff. "I have a son looking for a wife." "My neighbour smells." "Can't we all get along and kill someone else and not each other?" As a proclamation is not directed at anyone in particular it will take a turn to travel outside your diplomatic region.
Missives. Missives are messages that are exchanged between courts. They are often read publically when they are presented at court and thus they are treated as proclamations made at the court they are sent to. They may have any length, though note that with a diplomatic range in effect, it may be a waste of your message to simply do a To: From post. Secret Missives are messages that are sent with an unbroken seal and are read to the ruler in question in private. Please put them under a spoiler and @ the player or GM in question BENEATH the spoiler to avoid people knowing who is talking secretly with whom. Naturally please try to ignore secret messages not addressed to you. Naturally, you can choose to make a secret message to you public or to infiltrate someone's court to get to have a look at their secret correspondence.
If you wish to engage in the highest level of secrecy, please send one of your actual characters to the court you wish to address and begin a PM convo with the GM. Envoys naturally present a great risk as you may become a hostage or be endangered on your way to and from that court. Note that this does not mean that you have to arrive secretly. You can naturally start a Field of the Cloth of Gold by arriving in style, the only important thing is that you send one of your PCs. If the GM informs you that you have arrived without issue you may invite the other player and engage in diplomacy either formal or RP. The contents of this message are considered canon for the game and may be treated as knowledge of your faction as soon as your character returns home.
Diplomatic range. If your capital directly borders the lands of the ruler you wish to engage in diplomacy with you may send up to three missives to them. If you are within the same diplomatic region as the other ruler you may send up to two missives to them. If they are in a diplomatic region bordering yours you may send them one missive. Any further distance means they or you must wait one turn before responding to any missives received.
Pope John XX - 1315
Name: The Papacy Current Ruler: Pope John XX "The Witchhunter" (b.1243) Expected Heir: Giovanni Cena (b.1251) Succession: Factional Elective (9 French, 6 Italian, 3 Neutral) Religion: Catholic Type of Rule: Theocracy Capital: Avignon Diplomatic Region: France, exclaves in Italy Cities: Avignon (c), Rome, Benevento Armies: 1 small army in Rome, Deals with banditry in Avignon
Major Actions:
A main host Deals with banditry around Avignon.
MILITARY: The pope has had enough of the factional intrigues in Italy and is publically raising a small army in Rome to impose order. [In PM: Heres my war plan:]
SECRET [In PM: I am also using another main host to Cause banditry in X]
Giovanni Cena in acting as the papal regent invests heavily in a papal hospital for the sick and dying. He is known to often times visit dying children and give them peace in their last moments.
SECRET [In PM: John XX sends some of his closest advisors to Scotland on a secret mission. He plans....]
Minor Actions
1. A proclamation is made.
2. Missives are sent to the following people and more as the turn goes on.
3. John XX departs Avignon and arrives in Lyon before the turn ends. All other PCs are stationary.
4. Several support hosts Deal with banditry around Rome
5. SECRET [PM: A support host Causes banditry around Monaco for the following reasons: The papacy wants the Monacan coastline back.]
Internal Events:
I am giving a 100-word summary of the soap opera this turns major flavour events of what your characters did or will do depending on when you post it.
Diplomacy:
A missive arrives in the court of [Name] and is read publically at his court.
You have surrendered yourself and dared to become an avowed enemy of God, wanting to race rather than trot to hell.
A proclamation is made.
Court PCs:
Giovanni Cena (b.1251) , heir presumptive of the papacy
The realm is dead, yet its killing goes on.
After a decade of wars to save the Seven Kingdoms from madness, dragons and white walkers, in the Great Council of 305 it seemed that the great lords of the realm have been driven as mad by the bloodshed as their people have been. How else does one explain a court of midgets, bandits, women and bastards led by a king that is an abomination himself. Soon after the crowning of Brandon the Broken the High Septon had departed the ruined King's Landing for the Starry Sept of Hightower as it was "less destroyed" and "safer". The truth was revealed but a year later as he denounced the false cripple wizard for the monster he was. He called on all true followers of the Seven to denounce him too and only follow a king of true faith and blood. What the avatar of the gods meant by that was soon clear as he crowned Baelor Hightower as the first king in Oldtown in millenia. A true king could have saved the realm then. But there was no true king. Indeed, no true rulers at all as all men and women who had supported his election were themselves people with little or no backing by their subjects. Indeed it seemed like a maester of little learning had written a poor story where he arbitrarily assigned them titles and lands without any knowledge of what such a decision would entail. Indeed it seemed like the lords of Westeros kind of forgot about a lot of rules that governed their society.
Brandon "The Broken" Stark GM PC
Brandon has become utterly consumed by his role as the three-eyed raven and thus leaves all actual rule to his hand, who drinks and knows things. But in the end Brandon will become the best possible king that could ever be. After all who had a better story than him?
Tyrion Lannister, Lord Paramount of the Westerlands, Hand of the King
Tyrion the imp man is the very picture of resilience that this realm needs. He is after all a survivor, not only of various regimes and political forces, but also one of character. After all instead of becoming a creature driven by mad spite and resentment as his trial for the murder of king Joffrey indicated, he has remained a saintly figure of pure character worth, never having made a single morally questionable or unjustifiable decision for the last five years. Like a hero of a cheap character play he has remained ever correct and morally white. Thus it was no great question as to who should lead the realm of the cripple king but the known two time kingslayer. His good graces with the Seven have run out it seems though as the Westerlands have erupted in civil war standing more with his cousin than him. Still, with the kingslander nobles for the most part eager to shore up a united seven kingdoms and quite in love with yet another king uninterested in ruling, Tyrion can at least feel as secure as one can be in his control of King's Landing and the lands sworn to it. How the Hand chooses to react to the chaos across the realm will likely decide the fate of the realm.
Daven Lannister, King of the Rock
Apparently the lords of the Westerlands had an issue with being ruled by an imp, murderer and kinslayer twice over instead bending the knee to his cousin who has taken Lannisport and Casterly Rock for himself. Still the Westerlands at large remain in a state of civil war.
Sansa "The Ice Queen" Stark, Queen in the North
Sansa's entire life had been a preparation to become queen. All signs of the arc of her life indicated that this would end in her wed to a king to embody the ideal woman in this patriarchal society. The fates have instead chosen to interpret this with her ending up ruling in her own right. Yet in this, she also became something of an embarrassing choice. She is the only Stark left in the lands of men, her brothers either exiles, dead or kings of another land, and her sister lost to the realm of men in the west. Yet, this status and embarrassment could easily be fixed if Sansa had actually spent some longer period time in a secluded not war torn part of Westeros. Somewhere for her to steel her knowledge and mastery of courtly crafts. Instead the pure maiden was given a fate more befit for some common daughter of a councillor and given to the fiend Ramsay as victim. She never learned what steel is within silk other than having been the victim in it. Even her realisation of Littlefingers deceptions was more a problem solved by simply talking to her sister. And indeed the one scene most northern lords remember: When Sansa had without any tact or realisation of the possible ramifications antagonised a dragon rider during a feast. Many still bless the old gods that Daenerys the Mad had not chosen that moment to burn Winterfell to the ground. Thus Sansa, a traumatised woman who apparently only learned to be colder and more of a kween instead of having any growth in character has been faced with a nobility already resentful of her given the other options. And that was until the Karstarks rebelled.
Harrion Karstark, King of Winter
His father had been executed by Robb "The Kinslayer" and since then the Karstark had somewhat disappeared from the political stage. While this could be explained somewhat with their lord likely having been a prisoner of the Red Wedding (which I assume involved hostages right? They did not just kill everyone and we have never seen any survivors? Anyways yeah using this explanation it makes sense that Harrion would only make his presence known this year when he rose in rebellion against his cousin, claiming that the Starks had all become corrupted by southern and magic influence and that thus a proper king was needed to rule in place of an all-powerful Stark dynasty that held both the Dreadfort and Winterfell. If this will be successful is unknown.
The Wildlings
For some reason the news we got of them ceased about three years ago. I cannot imagine that their integration south of the wall is going well, but that is something that happens if one writes contemporary history. Robert Arryn, Lord Paramount of the Vale
Milk grants one strength, the foremost example of this being Robert Arryn, who has grown into a proper man and ruler in his own right. Still his support for the cripple king has sown confusion and distrust, leading his heir presumptive to rise in rebellion with the support of many of the Vale lords to claim the Vale and a crown for himself.
The Burned Men and other mountain tribes
Yeah remember those were a thing? We kind of just forgot they exist it seems. Well they have not done anything noteable for a long time so that's good right?
Harrold Hardyng, King of the Vale
Harry is no longer an heir. After seeing the milk boy accept another sick boy as king Harry has had enough. He has risen in rebellion taking many various lords of the Vale with him in rebellion to break away from a capital far away and not theirs.
Edmure "The Should Be King" Tully, Lord Paramount of the Riverlands
An accomplished general, an adult man with many family ties to the various great lords of Westeros, Edmure put his name forward in the Great Council to be king. Instead his cripple nephew was chosen. His realm as so often was the hardest hit by the wars of the past decade and is ruled more by bandits than the various lordlings and kings. Then again, who can tell the difference in these times? In many ways it is understandable that Edmure has been stewing in his chambers pondering that maybe it is time for him to take a crown for himself.
Walder Rivers, Lord of the Twins; Walder Waters, King of the Twins; Walder Snow, Lord of the Twins; Walder Walderson, King of the Twins; Walder Stone, Lord of the Twins; Walder Smith, Lord of the Twins; "Violet" Walder, Lord of the Twins; Emmon Rivers, Lord of the Twins; Walder Walderan King of the Trident
The Twins are still shaking from the "Wolffeast" where somehow through her...I apologize to the reader as I as a master had to check my notes for this and have seen I had none. I have hunted down any witness I can find and have talked to nearly the entire citadel about this. But I therefore have to confirm that to all is known about the massacre of hundreds of people in one night that took part at the Twins, to all that is known Arya Stark somehow utilised her skills she learned at the faceless men, an order well known for their targeted assassinations, maybe some eastern magic too, but she shomehow killed the entire Frey family and fed them to Walder Frey. How such a massive massacre of people could take place not only by it being one woman against a people, but the matter of it taking place seems impossible. She somehow killed all these people and nobody took notice of them disappearing one by one? It strains credulity and I cannot make up my mind about it. Something must have taken place. A feast gone bad, one son turning on another and them all killing each other. Or Lady Stark killed the very last and then tauntingly fed them to Lord Frey himself the last survivor? I do not know. I cannot understand or make sense of it. I am a master of the citadel and therefore do not believe that magic is something that should be pursued and this episode only confirmed it to me.
The Twins are still shaking from the Wolffeast. A hundred and one claimant to the keeps have risen with various relation to the Freys from bastards to none. They are all at various times all occupying the lands around the keeps and one of the two towers all in various alliances and schemes with one another. I will not write on these men as ink is precious and of now none have come forward as a true Lord of the Twins to mark down as such.
Gendry Baratheon "The Would Be King" Lord Paramount of the Stormlands
A bastard of the late great king Robert Baratheon Gendry was elevated to his seat for lack of a better claimant. While many respect his blood and prowess in battle, even he is suffering some disunity in his realm as the Swanns are pressuring him to take the crown his father held, otherwise threatening rebellion against him to break away from the court of abominations.
Bronn of the Blackwater, Lord Paramount of the Reach, Master of Coin
A once mercenary now ruler in his own right? I am sorry, this writing was a waste of time. Nobody I describe here has any future. These are now personal notes, not the planned tome. I will only grace the two last rulers with a picture as they have a future of some sort in my mind.
Baelor Hightower, King of the High Tower
Yeah, I guess the Hightowers are back? I will not comment as they are my lords.
Alekyne Florent, King of the Reach
The Florents still worshipping their eastern gods have risen to press their claim to Highgarden with the tip of their swords.
Yara Greyjoy, Queen of the Iron Islands
Yara, a name chosen by her father as the name her mother wished for he kept confusing her with one of his servant (a booty from a raid beyond the wall) is in a better situation than most of the other great lords of Westeros in that her rule is unquestioned. This does not mean peace though as almost immediately after the various coronations across the realm, her lords have started pressuring her to resume the old ways. After all it was the dragon queen they knelt to not some cripple and a midget. Then again Yara had cast her vote herself thus she falls into a bit of an awkward position vis a vis Brandon.
Manfrey "The Nameless" Martell, Prince of Dorne
Manfrey came to rule as there was no one left. After the coup of the Vipers House Martell had come to a gruesome end. All except one a lowly courtier at his cousins court. Indeed his exact descent had to be researched and was found as a third cousin twice removed. Still as he was the only person with the name Martell who was not dead or well if one where to imagine non existant other children of Prince Doran. Thus the lords of Dorne elevated him as their Prince as a weak figurehead as they ruled themselves. And indeed Manfrey has done exactly that being reduced in presence at the Great Council as a laughing presence. Indeed many did not know who he was exactly as they had never heard of him, earning him his nickname. Still Manfrey might still get to make a name for himself yet. After all his more powerless station vis a vis his vassals has meant that so far none have risen in rebellion against him. There are whispers though. Why should a Prince know a king?
Rules
1. Nothing means nothing!
1.1 Nothing mean nothing, man.
1.2 Game Starts April 1st and will have "weekly" "turns" as a result of meme plans you send in for big war stuff. But otherwise feel free to goof off for a week as everything falls apart.
1.3 There will be a maximum of three turns as this is april fools bullshit. Behold a Black Horse will resume as soon as I saved the money to retrieve some data from a dead laptop
As introduction I am unjustifiably in a position that I'd rather not be in. But the cream will rise to the top. Understand that this is Day 1313 of the Never-Ending GSRPG World Tour, and I swear to you, I promise you, it will be the most relevant title on Sufficient Velocity. I could care less about those little kids out for the Gundam Titles, and the Korra Championship, and the other medieval Championships. This is my show. My Show! And I'm sick of all of you, my fiance, sitting there criticizing me, calling me the coward. You're the cowards! I'm not the one here day-in and day-out in that writing ring beating people up. Thank you very much. Yeah. But yeah my genius unappreciated work on never doing anything remains on the outside of this game. Nothing, zero, pure meme TV nonsense yeah and I've been uh yeah, maligned from the top to the bottom and because they can't handle the JBO the cream of the crop. Nobody does it better! And I am the cream.
Any ways yeah just write a claim for any bullshit you want and 95% I will approve you.
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