[CK2 AAR] Wardens of the North

[Gandalfus]

House de Évreux - Wardens of the North.

An Anglo-Norman AAR using the Crusader Kings 2 Mod - The Prince and the Thane

[Banner Pending]

This tale follows the House of Évreux, Earls of Cumberland, and their exploits in the realm of England. The tale begins in 1125, upon the ascension of King David of Scotland, and towards the end of the reign of King Henry I of England...

[Gandalfus]

Setting, Gameplay, House Rules, Etc Etc

Hi guys,

This is my third AAR (hopefully this one won't fail), however it is my first outside the Total War Series. I have been largely inspired by the works of very talented and gifted writers to make my own AAR, but I was unsure what to write about.

That was, until, I was playing Crusader Kings 2. Bastard Feudalism informed me of the Prince and the Thane, a mod for said game, which had recently been updated. So I was playing it (whilst talking to him) and he informed me of his plans for an AAR, telling me of his plans for a Scottish AAR. I said "hmm, that sounds pretty cool." And he then went on to say something like "You should make one as well." And so I did.

I decided to start mine at a similar (in fact, no, the exact ) date to his, that is, the first of January, 1125. I was however struggling which family to decide, until I settled for the Count of Cumberland. I was originally going to use the Ruler Designer function, until BF told me that it is far more interesting to load up the ruler (king Henry I of England) and find a courtier to give land to. I invited many different courtiers to my court, and checked them all out. Unfortunately, many of them had exactly the same name (Tancred de Mathrafal was one that sticks in my head), save for one fellow named Gilbert de Evreux.

I checked him out, and he seemed pretty decent, so I decided to choose him. (He also had a more authentic name than some of the others) I gave him the county of Cumberland, then played as him. (Thank BF for this again) I decided to play his family as being of a similar temperament to the House of Percy. Those who are up on your english history will know that that will make for an interesting game.

Here are the house rules:
Absolutely no use of the cheating console allowed (unless it's for story benefiting purposes; Ie; making Scotland and France more powerful, inciting civil war, etc)
reloading saves is allowed.
My family will be played as rebellious and power hungry, seizing any chance I get to take the crown or increase my families power.
My Family must only marry into royalty or nobility (the close family of Barons, Counts, Dukes, Kings, Emperors, etc)
My family must achieve the objective of gaining the scottish and/or English crown.

That's about it. stay tuned!

[Diocle]

I don't have Cruseder kings, but I'll follow your story Gandalfbro!

[Gandalfus]

Prologue/History
In the beginning...

c. 870 - 1125 AD.
Norway, Normandy, Brittany, Ireland, England.


A Norwegian exile, noble, warrior, and Viking, Sigurd Svensson was a renowned fighter and warlord. The third son of a minor Scandinavian chieftain, Sigurd made his name fighting the rival clans of Norway in the name of his family, earning the reputation of a skilled and noble warrior. Unfortunately, his brother attempted to have him sold into slavery, and he lived for almost a year as a slave in the underbelly of a foul, rotten husk of a longship. During that time, he was whipped and beaten like a common cur, forced into a life of servitude under a fat Greek merchant.

This was so until one fateful day in Frisia, where the slave ship ran aground on one of the beaches. The banner of Hrolf (soon to be known as "The Ganger") arose on the horizon, for he had just been raiding the folk of Frisia. He pillaged the longboat with his warriors, freeing any scandinavian prisoners and enslaving anyone else. In repayment, Sigurd swore himself to the service of Hrolf, and became one of his most trusted lieutenants. Sigurd raided all over Europe, pillaging and plundering in Ireland, Brittany and even places far afield as Western France and the north coast of Spain. His stature among the Vikings rose, and his prowess as a warrior was well respected all over Norway. He returned to Norway a rich man, along with his Lord, Hrolf.

But alas, this was not to be. Hrolf and his men were exiled from Norway by a jealous warlord; his wealth confiscated along with the property of his warriors and retainers. Furious, but unable to take revenge, Hrolf took what ships he could find to France, along with Sigurd and the rest of his men. He joined up with another viking chief; taking part in the multiple sieges of paris before ravaging Burgundy. Rollo's wealth was greatly increased: much silver and gold was given to him by the Frankish Emperor. The group contented themselves with raiding England and Ireland, returning to france to ravage the land again. This time, however, Hrolf was granted lands in the north of France, on the condition that he and his followers swear allegiance to King Charles and convert to Catholicism. Hrolf did thus, as did Sigurd, and now Hrolf was officially the Lord of Normandy.

In his later life, Sigurd settled down in Normandy, in the region of Evreux. He married a Frankish woman, who bore him a son, Richard. Sigurd continued to aid his lord, Hrolf, until his own death in 927. upon the accession of Hrolf's son William Longsword. Sigurd's son, Richard, swore allegiance to the new lord of normandy, and carried out many incursions against the Bretons. It was around this time that Richard begand using the surname of Evreux. Richard aided William in his war against the count of Flanders, personally pillaging one of the Count's feudal estates. He was killed at the age of 44 by the very men who had struck down his liege lord, William.

The line of Evreux continued to support the Lords of Normandy, especially after they were granted a feudal estate by Richard the Fearless. They were extreme advocates of war with the Bretons, leading raids upon them whenever the opportunity presented itself. Despite their best efforts, however, the families fortune dwindled over time. By 1066 they were reduced to a meagre feudal estate in southern Evreux, barely large enough to equip a few knights. Nevertheless, this did not stop Henry de Evreux crossing the channel with his four sons during the Norman conquest.

The Evreux family remained fierce supporters of William the Bastard during his conquest of England, fighting alongside the Norman army at Hastings, and being among the Knights who took part in the harrying of the north. They remained unrewarded. Their loyalty to the crown began to falter: they were frequently overlooked by King William Rufus despite their best efforts, and by Henry I's time they had developed an open disdain for the crown.

This was until the emergence of the young Gilbert de Evreux, patriarch of the family after his father and two brothers were slain by Scotsmen. A small town in Cumberland benefited greatly from his financial tact and skill; his ability as an administrator made him stand out when he came to visit the Royal Court. He was a royal advisor for a time, increasing the crowns revenues, something which greatly impressed king Henry. The following year, he was granted the fief of Cumberland for his loyal service, a factor that made his disdain for the king diminish... But not disappear.

Gilbert is a man of humour and wit; he was taught to play and sing by a bard when he was a young man. Intrigue is in his nature, he lies and schemes often, always attempting to gain something from a situation. He is however, a deeply religious man; being raised in a religious household had a deep impact upon his life. It can also be noted that he is a poor warrior; not being given the proper martial education befitting a lord.

[General Maximus]

Seems very nice. Subscribed. I will follow this one for sure. Good luck, mate!

[Dirty Chai]

Hey... thanks for the numerous acknowledgements there.

[Gandalfus]

Chapter I
Royal Recognition

C. 1125 - 1127
Cumberland

Gilbert settled into his position as Earl of Cumberland quite comfortably, immediately bringing order to his new vassals and the peasantry of the land. He inspired the clergy with his zeal, vowing to make sure catholicism is upheld in his lands. To his nobles; he spoke of great deeds of valour and honour, and told them the values of loyalty. Many listened, and looked up to his trustworthy nature. The nobles accepted his wise and benevolent rule. and they were richly rewarded with "gifts" of gold and promise. He doubled patrols against the scots to the north, and in return, he received a short note of praise from the king for his wise decisions.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The King had granted Guilbert the county of Northumberland. A most generous gesture, to be sure, but Guilbert soon found out why. The rebellious nobility of Northumberland were not the kindest of vassals, and would stir trouble in the future. Nevertheless, Guilbert bought their loyalty for a time, and began focusing on a more important matter. A wife suitable to his rank.

He did not have to look far. He quickly found that the daughter of the Duke of Poitou, Adelaida, had recently come of age. Her beauty and grace were spoken of far and wide; as well as her political tact. Therefore, when the missive from Count Guilbert arrived in Poitou, the Duke readily accepted, sending the woman across the sea to England to court Count Guilbert. They soon fell in love, the duke's fondness for music and trustworthy nature appealing to Adelaida's affections. They were married not a few months after her arrival.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The couple ruled wisely over the domains of the Count, Adelaida proving to be the woman who ruled from behind the throne, protecting her husband from the intrigues and schemes of envious nobles. Her calming nature making sure Guilbert didn't get too headstrong or angry for whatever reason. Indeed, it was her that suggested that Guilbert should go to the royal tourney that would take place at Bearroc. However, she could not stop Guilbert voting against the King's request to increase the powers of the crown, a decision he was set upon.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

However, she did encourage one of Guilbert's more rational decisions. The introduction of a new tax to the County, one that would surely fill Guilbert's coffers; much to the disdain of the clergy and Burghers.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

And to top the year all off, the day after the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, the first child of Guilbert and Adelaida was conceived. It was a night of raucous celebration and lovemaking, the child was a sure sign for Guilbert that his house had an heir; an heir that would be as wise as his mother and as financially savvy as his father. Suitable to take the reins as Count of Cumberland in the far future.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The year had been an eventful one for Guilbert. It had seen the fortunes of his family rise higher than any other; he was now one of the most powerful Lords in the whole of England.

The rest of Guilbert's rule for the next few years was uneventful. he spent most of his time practicing the art of warfare while his wife managed his demense, while Guilbert occasionally ventured out of his castle to deal with poachers and the like. Besides, he enjoyed playing with toy soldiers more than anything. An odd habit, to be sure, especially for a man of his age.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Nothing much happened within Cumberland; that is, until the summer, when little Gundred was born from the union between Adelaida and Guilbert.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The rest of the year was quiet; almost too quiet. The years would fly by peacefully... A foreshadowing of the chaos and civil strife that is to come.

[General Maximus]

Very good. You only need a male heir now.