[M2TW Retrofit] The Spanish Empire - a Historical Fiction AAR

[Schrödinger]

Confused me that Chapter 5 was edited further back in the thread for a bit

Really hate the Portuguese in Medieval II, just because they have Navarre for no reason at all, so very glad you took the bastards capital l

[Tomas.carney]

You should take Sicily next

[Vampiresbane]

Thanks Tomas. Sorry for not responding sooner. I was just waiting until I wanted to do another update. I won't be taking out Sicily though I will be forced to attack them at some point in order to take parts of Italy.

Confused me that Chapter 5 was edited further back in the thread for a bit

Really hate the Portuguese in Medieval II, just because they have Navarre for no reason at all, so very glad you took the bastards capital l

Yeah sorry about the order of posts. I had long ago put a place holder for Chpt 5 and was somewhat forced to edit it and add it there since only mods can delete posts.

Yeah, balance wise I can understand why Portugal has Navarre, but historically it's so completely wrong I never really understood it.

For those of you looking for another update, I'm working on a LARGE one this morning so give me 2 or 3 hours and it'll be up. (Actually I've just looked through all my pics. This era of war of fighting the Byzies and Russians took a LONG time. I may do a couple installments. I'll give a good batch each time though.)

[Vampiresbane]

Chapter 6: The Truly Great Schism


Year 1270

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After being absent from global and political affairs after the Great Crusades, events were developing that would forever change Spain's political stance. Rumors were spreading that Eastern Catholic kingdoms were being engulfed by Eastern Orthodox kingdoms and many were imploring mighty Spain to intervene. King Agosto, now nearing his death bed, refused to allow his kingdom that he couldn't finish.

In March of 1270, King Agosto writes:

Come found it! Now the damnable Poles are requesting our help as well! And the Hungarians have almost been wiped out? Denmark seems untouched, but even they send their envoys imploring we at least send a standing "peace" force. More like they don't want to spend the funds to send an army of their own. Prince Rodrigo disagrees with me. Always so eager that one. He keeps stating that if we don't act now, Russia or the Byzantines will become to strong for even us to combat. Bah! I have no doubt if my time comes before his, he'll send troops to stall the westward expansion of the Byzantine and Russian kingdoms, but I will not involve Spain in yet another war. His 'holiness' the Pope even requests we help 'bridge' the diplomatic gap between us and our Orthodox 'brothers' as he puts it. I fought nearly my whole life against the Islamic infidels and now I am asked to fight people of the same faith. Never. I will go to heaven with my soul at ease.

A few months later, word is spread that Russia not only is at war with Hungary and Poland, but has just declared war on the Byzantine Empire.

Now the two Orthodox kingdoms declare war on each? Odd. According to our last reports Hungary holds most of the land between the two. Well let them eat away at each other. I still will not do anything to jeopardize the future of my Spain.

In May of that year, King Agosto finally passes, leaving control of Spain to his heir, Prince Rodrigo the Honourable.

Time has come to finally act. Long have I pushed King Agosto to marshal forces to keep the Orthodox factions from gaining too much power. He refused me at every turn. The years we spent in the holy lands counted for nothing. I'm sending my heir Prince Duran to Italy to help defend His Grace's lands from Byzantine encroachment and General Pasqual to Russian occupied Polish lands. With Prince Duran, I'm also sending the best of our navy who are then supposed to move to the Black Sea in case the rumors of Russian power is true. Both men are tremendous generals and should be able to show the Russians and Byzantines the power of Spain. Both have very well equipped and experienced armies, veterans from Agosto and my time in the Holy Lands. I am too old to go myself, being only a couple years younger than Agosto when he passed. Time will tell if we can help our Catholic brothers from Orthodox invasion, but Spain will give them fights worthy of our people!

Year 1271

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In the year 1271, both Spanish armies set sail for their destinations. Meanwhile Turkey, now much stronger because of Spainish Rebuilding Period, declares a Jihad on Byzantine held Iconium and takes it.

Year 1273

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With only two years of rule, King Rodrigo the Honourable passes into the next life, leaving his very young heir in charge of the Kingdom of Spain. Prince Duran, now King Duran, learns through spies and other contacts that the Kingdom of Poland has completely fallen to the forces of the Russians. Eager to help engage the Russians, he resolves to stop the Byzantine threat as soon as possible and moves from Italy towards the city of Byzantine held Vienna.

Year 1274

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In the year 1274 of our Lord, King Duran lays siege to the city of Vienna. Though outnumbering his foe considerably, the Byzantine's few troops are well armed and trained, destined to make this fight a blood bath.

The Siege of Vienna, Winter, 1274 AD

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Having sieged the city of Vienna for 6 months, King Duran would have been content to starve out his enemy, but he was receiving reports from scouts and spies that another, much larger Byzantine army was moving North to relieve the siege. King Duran wrote:

Though reports are that the relief army is 6 months South of Vienna, my spies also tell me they have many divisions of horse archers. Now I did bring two full divisions of crossbow cavalary and two divisions of jinetes, but Byzantine missile cavalry are renowned for their skill and I need to keep this army intact to support my heir, General Pasqual, in the North against the Russians. I have to attack now or lift the siege altogether.

King Duran reportedly had under his command in addition to the troops he mentioned in his entries: 600 spearmen, 240 elite javelin infantry, 360 pavise crossbowmen, and 480 heavy infantry. Facing him were nearly 600 two handed Bzyantine heavy infantry, about 200 Byzantine guard archers, and a single division of Byzantine missle cavalry. He may have had the numbers, but victory was far from assured that day.

According to records, King Duran did two things that help achieve a victory. First he attacked a night when the Byzantines were unprepared. Second, he spread his forces out as much as possible into three parts with cavalry support with each. Using the infantry to secure the walls and achieve local superiority, Spain easily gained the walls and Duran brought his cavalry to bear on the very spread out Byantine infantry. Losing much of his cavalry and half of his infantry, Duran did kill many of the defenders before trapping them all in the town square.



Having punished the Byzantines for defending their walls, the Spanish King then sent in his remaining troops in methodical order. He placed his fresh reserves at the front of each entry to the square with any and all missiles behind. Afterwards, much of the Spanish missiles were poured into the awaiting Byzantines. But they also rallied and brought the fight to the stationary Spanish infantry. At this point, it was an even more bloody slugfest. Forced to fight hand to hand, Duran committed the rest of his infantry to dispatch the last of the Byzantines as quickly as possible. All told, the King lost about a third of his army, but finally took Vienna that day.

Year 1277

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Three years pass while King Duran repairs the walls of Vienna and Prince Pasqual, still en route, sails near the lands of Denmark. During this time, King Duran replaces what troops he can, recruits new infantry when he can't, and brings about order in Vienna. Early in 1277 he passes authority over Vienna to the Holy Roman Empire in return for their alliance and assistance against both the Byzantines and the Russians.

Later in the year, King Duran marches North into Russian held Poland. Poland, now completely destroyed, had been occupied by the Russians for two years at this point. Through knowledge gained by scouts, Breslau was apparently very poorly garrisoned and an easy target for King Duran to take.



Little is known of the battle though most scholars of the time state that it was a brief and painless victory for the Spanish King. Apparently while the Russian garrison sat in the town square, the King's troops merely launched volley after volley of crossbow bolts until no more Russians remained. King Duran then quickly resolved to repair the walls and hand over governance to Denmark, then allies to the Spanish.

Most writers of the time agree that this move wasn't just to help bolster Spain's benevolence. King Duran was rumored to be trying to pull Denmark into the war against Russia since the two local powers still had yet to cross swords. With Denmark's assistance in the field, King Duran had to rely less on taking cities and castles in order to retrain his troops and could focus more on more strategic goals such as laying waste to large Russian armies in the field.

At the same time King Duran was sieging Breslau, Prince Pasqual had landed in Denmark's Hamburg region. He then started marching toward the Russian held citadel located in nearby Magdeburg.

Year 1278

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Seven months passed. King Duran and his army was still recouping in Breslau while Prince Pasqual approached and laid siege to Magdeburg.



Again not much is known since Spanish records of these insubstantial battles were rarely recorded, but it was known that Prince Pasqual enjoyed night battles as much as King Duran. The Russians had a better garrison than that of Breslau, but it still pailed in comparison to the well armed veterans of the Spanish. Easily taking the keep, Prince Pasqual occupied the town. Spain had been known as well respected throughout Europe for their honorable actions, but at this point Spain had gained a reputation of "Immaculate," ironically one they would never again achieve.



More and more frequently Russian assassins were attacking both King and Prince alike and in response, the Spanish monarch and heir increasingly looted the Russian cities they captured during this period.



In March of 1278, the Byzantines sue for peace with Spain, and King Duran, fully aware that Turkey power has risen and the Byzantines are now fighting the Russians as well, agreed but required harsh terms from the Orthodox Romans, asking for both the region of Zagreb and Ragusa. The Byzantines apparently agreed, unable to fight on three fronts and with the agreed peace only had to concern themselves with their northern front, the Russians, and their eastern front, the Turks.

Chapter 6 still in progress.

[Tomas.carney]

Your story is becoming very interesting