[DLV AAR] Ireland AAR

**crucify_ego** · September 02, 2007, 04:00 PM

CHAPTER 1: LIBERATION

The year was 1195. All was rather quiet throughout the Irish countryside the past few years since the complete conquest of the island by the King of Cork- Toirdhealbhach. By conquering the neighboring clans and sub-kingdoms, for the first time in her known history, Ireland was united under one banner, one king.

Peaceful and prosperous is how the newly crowned High King of Ireland would have liked it to stay. But just across the sea to the east the seeds of war had already been planted, and they were beginning to grow. Every couple of months or so Toirdhealbhachs' wife Queen Grainne would recieve word through various siblings from her sister in Wales ( who married a Welsh chieftain) telling of the atrocities inflicted upon the Welsh in Caernarvon by the English garrison stationed there. The English had taken the region 3 years earlier led by the King of England himself, Henry. A war with England was honestly the last thing the High King wanted. However, liberating Caernarvon could in some ways be beneficial. He could show the English king that the newly united Irish kingdom was now something to be feared, and establishing a foothold on the island of Britain would only strengthen that notion. As well as possibly thwart off any thought of an English invasion of Ireland itself. King Toirdhealbhach, upon recieving word that his brother-in-law was among the latest casualties of the terrorized region decided enough was enough.

The King would really have liked to send his son, Prince Muircheartach to lead the invasion, but he was currently off crusading in Cairo for the Pope. He could lead this incursion himself, but should he fall in battle, it would leave his nation vunerable to foreign invasion with his heir away and no real strong general left at home.

So in the summer of 1198 he sent his grandson Domhnall O' Briain to head a sizeable force across the sea to Caernarvon. The war with England had begun. Riding under Dohmnall was another young Irish general, Domhnalls' brother-in-law Cu Cheanainn O' Raghallaich. There orders were to take the place at all costs. Shortly after landing on the shores of Wales Dohmnall quickly purchased the services of some local Welsh mercanaries to bolster his forces. 3 units of spearmen and 2 units of longbowmen were employed. These men would love nothing more then to see the english driven from their home. With the new additions to his forces, Dohmnall felt (even with the English king inside the walls) that his superior numbers would grant him an easy victory.

But that type of thinking would prove disastrous as suddenly a huge English army of reinforcements led by a capitain named Oliver came thundering up from the south just before all the seige preparations could be made. With his fleet being destroyed by rebel pirates off the Welsh coast shortly after his landing, the young commander had few places to run. However Dohmnall would rather stand and fight the odds than be disgraced by fleeing.

Fleeing however is exactly what the young inexperienced commander should have done. now with the English holding the advantage in numbers, it would take some strategic and tactical genius to win this day. The battle started out slow and rather promising for the Irish with their missle troops inflicting some casualties early as the English rushed foward to close the ground between the two armies. Dohmnall himself ordered his own bodyguard foward to enter the frey.

Fierce fighting ensued untill, in the heat of the fight, Dohmnall spotted King Henry and his bodyguard coming up over a hill on the edge of the field. They had rode out from Caernarvon to link up with Oliver and repel this attempted invasion.

Unable or unwilling (one now will never know), Dohmnall ordered his own bodyguard to charge the English king without waiting for O' Raghallaich and his bodyguard who were on the opposite side of the battle field to assist in going at Henry head on.

This rash decision would not only cost him the battle, but it would also cost him his life.

Some would later say he was slain by Henrys' own sword(though many Irish believe this to be pure propaganda by the English) , it may very well be true.

This sent the remaining Irish soilders into a tailspin and it didnt take long for an all out rout to ensue. Those who couldnt escape were cut down from the pursuing and unforgiving English. O' Raghallaich and the rest who did manage to escape alive had to flee north across the border of thier ally the Scots. Being forced to wait well into that winter to be picked up by a fleet.

It was a very dark time in Ireland. King Toirdhealbhach was unsure of exactly what to do next. The first true test of his newly founded kingdom had ended in utter failure. Would he send for his sons rapid return and escalate this growing conflict, or would he send a diplomat at once to broker or possibly even beg the much angered and understandably confident English for peace?

this is obviously my first attempt at an AAR so any comments and or suggestions are much welcomed.

**crucify_ego** · September 03, 2007, 09:39 AM

CHAPTER 2: REDEMPTION

Peace? With the English? Never. The king knew his son, his heir, Muircheartach, would be returning soon enough from the failed crusasde in Cairo- (a crusade in which many Polish, Spanish, and Irish crusaders were slaughtered). Needless to say, all of which did not sit well with Pope Alexander III. Never the less, he was returning.

He landed off the coast of Dublin in the summer of 1201. Returning from Africa with him was his oldest son Mathgahamhain and 20 Templar knights. His feet barely back on his home soil before he recieved the tragic news of his younger sons failed liberation attempt and subsequent death. This instantly threw the Prince in to a rage so intense, he slammed his cold steel through the hapless messengers belly. Vowing to have his immediate revenge he urged his father to give him a full stack of freshly trained troops of some of the best units he had to offer.

By the time that winter had rolled around, the King had done just that. 3 units of Galloglaich, 3 Axemen, 6 Spearmen, along with 3 units of Bowmen and 2 Scouts were summoned from every corner of the island and told to meet up with Muircheartach and his son outside Dublin. They were to board a fleet and head back to Wales at once.

Upon his landing he was suprised to learn from some locals that the Capitain, Oliver, had taken his huge army to the front lines of the continental war England was fighting with their other allies the French. An alliance in which the Prince himself had brokered by marring off his youngest daughter Fionnghuala, to the Prince of France - Louis the Merciless. What he wasnt sure of however is if the English King, Henry was still in Caernarvon. Never the less, this was his moment to take Caernarvon for the glory of the kingdom. And for his own personal revenge as well.

Not long after the seige preps had begun, word came through to the King in Cork from Rome.

However, realizing his enraged son would most likely ignore this Papal request anyway, he decided not to bother in informing his heir of the order. So in the following spring, with all the preparations made, Muircheartach gave the order to attack.

Under the cover of darkness and in the driving rain, the Irish approached the walls of Caernarvon.

They scaled the walls under a barrage of missile fire.

Fierce combat raged on the walls for what seemed like hours.

Finally after a long while the Irish began their push toward the center courtyard.

After some intense street fighting, the gates were flung open allowing the Prince and the rest of the men to enter and join the fiasco.

They hacked through the English on their way towards the square.

As his bodyguard began to engage that of Henrys', Muircheartach himself scanned the square for a glimpse of the English King in order to engage him personally.

The battle raged on for hours, but the overwhelming numbers for the Irish proved to great for the small defense the English had left there.

Then finally, it was all over. He had done it. Though he never even caught a glimpse of Henry the entire night through all the clutter in the streets, the Princes' army was victorious.

The next morning, the citizens of Caernarvon had the dubious task of removing the corpses of their once hated oppressors, which were strewn along the streets and walls. In doing so, the body of Henry was found among the slain. The valiant Irish Prince no longer needing to wonder about the fate of his adversary.

A foothold in Britain had been established, and the much feared and hated English King laid to waste. Things were looking up for the young emerald kingdom. However, King Toirdhealbhach, with his health decling with each passing day, the near 70 year old king knew, his kingdom he was to leave behind was only in the early stages of what would be a long bloody conflict with their neighbors across the sea. He also knew it would be up to his son the future King, to see it all through.