[AAR] M2TW: The Survival of Catalunya

[Legio]

Author: Beer Money
Original Thread: The Survival of Catalunya

The Survival of Catalunya

Mod: Chivalry II - Sicilian Vespers 3.3.
Faction: Catalonia/Barcelona
Era: Late, Dark Ages
Difficulty: VH/H
Additional rules: Just played the game out, added story that seemed to fit what happened. No cheats, fog of war off, or restarts.

1st AAR

I dont have a background in Medieval or Catalan history but hey, Ill do my best.

(Note: I just spent an hour doing my first post and it got zapped so I'm off to a roaring start. Ill try to re-do the intro and take up from there. Its 3 in the AM. Ugh.)

888AD

Count Comes Guifre has thrown the yoke of the Franks off his back, declared Catalonia's independence and himself King. It has been 70 years since the death of Charlemagne and the power of the Franks has diminished with the Treaty of Verdun. Despite this, Guifre's declaration is met with indignation. Barcelona is a crown jewel in Europe, prized for her trade and strategic location in the Medeterranean, a fact not lost on her former masters. Worse, while he is no longer a vassal of the Franks, Guifre must now face the threat of the powerful Moors to the West alone. The young kingdom will be put to the test....

The initial players:

Comes Guifre, leader of Catalonia



His son and heir, Vicecomes Sunyer



Cardinal Artal Esquelles



Diplomat Ramiro de Cabrera



While Catalonia is young, she has a fine array of leaders to get her through her infancy. It is 888 and Comes Guifre understands the gates of Barcelona will soon be descended upon by the neighboring Moors if he does not shore up his defenses immediately. The Franks to the East also pose a threat but there are the relgious ties that bind unlike the heathens to the West. Cardinal Esquelles must make it his duty to ensure the kingdoms good standing with the Church



The kingdom isnt the wealthiest and without the support of the Franks, the financial burdens are starting to pile on immediately. Coupled with the need to ensure dominance of the local trade routes, Guifre sees the Rebel island of Palma with its powerful fortress guarding the Western Mediterranean as an opportunity to counter multiple threats at once.



But first, Guifre sends his trusted diplomat Ramiro to the steps of his old masters the Franks to attempt an alliance. He must ensure he does not get smashed from both sides. The Spaniards have allied with him against the Moors and he feels that relationship is tenous at best.



Ramiro does not fail his King.



With his border seemingly secured to the East, Guifre sets his sights on his prize of Palma. His son is eager for the fight and requests to lead Barcelona to victory. The King grants his son his request. Guifre frets endlessly that winter. His son, while a born leader, is still young and does not yet know the scars of war. His advisors say the King must guide his son to victory! But Guifre wants Barcelona defended from any surprise attack from the Moors. It is a risky move to send his entire army to Palma under the command of his untested son. The fate of his kingdom hangs in the balance.

889

In early 889 Sunyer quickly mobilizes the army and directs the Catalan fleet to the northern shore of the island.



Avoiding the port and harbor, Sunyer has caught the Rebel Moors off guard and quickly encircles the enemy. The fortress seems impenetrable but Sunyer's troops are eager to prove their worth as well to their King. After weeks of preparation, his army storms the castle....



889 cont.

The siege of Palma


Vicecomes Sunyer and his troops watch solemnly as the hastily prepared sige tower lumbers towards the fortress' walls. His advisors ask, "what if it does not stand? The men did not have much time." to which the young prince replies, "God will ensure it does."

In fact, as the Catalan army prepares for a bombardment of arrows, none come. The creak of the wooden wheels is the only sound that echoes over the battlefield.

The Calalan troops storm up the tower expecting a malestrom of swords and spears when they open the hatch yet they are greeted again by silence. Not knowing what leads them to their good fortune, the troops quickly take the tower gates and open the drawbridge.

"That was too easy Principe. What do these devils have in store for us?" remarks Captain Berenguer. Vicecomes Sunyer is unsure what to make of the siutation as well. "The plague?" he quips. It is followed by uneasy laughter.

"CHARGE THE BREACH!" The commander brazenly hopes they have found such luck. Followed by his jinetes, Sunyer and his army plow through the open gates. Still no sally from the enemy. And still complete silence. Warily the young commander advances down the paved streets. Passing the gallows twisting in the wind, Sunyer and Berenguer exchange wry but nervous smiles, not sure what to make of this omen.



Finally they see a scouting party from the enemy and give chase.



AMBUSHED! As the Catalan army fills the streets of the fortress, they are beset upon by all manner of sword and spear. The enemy screams like banshees as they catch the young prince off guard. Sunyer is momentarily struck with terror. Captain Berenguer must save his noble. He tells his highly skilled Jinetes to withdraw to the center as he commands the levies to block off the enemy on both sides. This allows his trusty light calvary to wither the enemy with missile fire holding them back while he takes the reigns of Sunyers steed.

"They had their advantage! They played their trick yet our lines hold! All is not lost." he pleads with Sunyer. The moment of despair quickly fades with the Captains words. Leading his elite calvary, Sunyer now attacks with abandon. Seeing their prince back into the fray emboldens the Catalan troops and the fight soon turns to pure carnage.

The enemy strikes quick but being no match for the army of the Vicecomes, they are soon dispatched.



"Captain, you were steadfast when I needed you most. I will not have a moment as I did again." the prince tells his man. Berenguer wipes the blood and sweat of victory from his face and smiles, "I am sure of it."





889 cont.

"My son! My son! My son!" Word of the victory at Palma soon reached Barcelona. Guifre had gambled and won. Sunyer left the assimilation of the Pama peasants to his new trusted man, Captain Berenguer while he returned to his father at home.

The old man beamed. "I have heard great things."

"You have disciplined men father", Sunyer replied, giving a nod to his trusthworthy Captain who had saved not only his own existence but perhaps the fate of the kingdom as well in that harrowing moment.

"We will celebrate your victory for a fortnight as you have not only brought respect to Barcelona but your bloodline. However, we have a problem." the King suddenly looked distressed. Putting his arm over his sons shoulder, he let out an exasperated breath.

Sunyer did not know what to make of his fathers worry. "Pare, what troubles you?"

"Where is my heir to the throne two generations hence?" The furrowed brow quickly gave way to roaring laughter. "Come my son, let us drink to our place in history!"

The streets of Barcelona were filled with unbridled optimism. The merchant shipping lanes were free, protected and the economic duress of the Kingdom had been lifted. And in short order, the prince with a seemingly very bright future, married.



To further the Kings good fortune, rather unexpectedly the Queens attendants declared she was with child. By the end of the year, King Guifre was blessed once more.



The royal line was being firmly established.



News of the victory at Palma had spread to the Pope himself. Islamic defeats were hard to come by for the Church as the whole of Iberia was overrun with them. Anything to advance the seemingly impending approach of the Muslims was to be commended. The papacy's sent emissary informed the King the church was very pleased with his expulsion of the Moors on the island. The King responded that while he had vanquished the occupying rebel army, the local peasants had shown no signs of resistance and seemed to bend to the teachings of the Lord. Surprised to hear such good tidings, Pope Stephanus called on Cardinal Esquelles to personally oversee the enlightenment of the peoples there. The sword and steel of Barcelona must be backed with the word of God!



The allied Kingdom of Asturia sent King Guifre tribute for his victory over their common enemy. While the Palman rebels were not under the direct rule of the Moors, the military and religious victory would surely rattle the nerves of the Imams spreading blasphemy in Europa. The papacy ensured the word of triumph spread throughout the Catholic world.



As predicted, the capture of Palma and the impending conversion of its denizens did spread to the Khalifs. The response would be swift and immediate.

891


In the Spring of 891, the Moors sent their Western European army to crush the fledgling Empire. Captain Fahkir of the Moors had been entrusted with the duty of not only stopping the invaders of Palma but utterly destroy them. A lesson was to be made of the citizens as well. For those that managed to survive, Fahkir was instructed to have the men drawn and quartered and to hack the limbs of the women and children. A gruesome task but the infidels must learn the lesson that the attempt to convert the disciples of Islam will be met with a fate worse than death itself.

Led by 2 devout Imams, Fahkir brought his 2,000 strong army to the gates of the city and lay seige.



The past two years had been kind to Comes Guifre but he knew this day would come. Unfortunately, he had entrusted the army to his son and Sunyer had overly committed men to Palma. The young prince felt that the island would surely be met with counter-attack and that the garrison in Barcelona would discourage any would be attacker.

Luckily, the Moorish horde was more a collection of thieves and murderers than true soldiers. They were poorly trained and equipped but perfect for the dirty work that the Muslims were intending. The crack troops of the royal guard would stand a chance.



Captain Fakhir marched upon the city gates, ready to bring the judgement and vengeance of Allah upon the blashphemers.



The enemy moved swiftly, bringing their battering rams and ladders to bear before the defensive towers could do much damage and before long, the gates were breached.



Comes Guifre prepared his son, "look at their garments flapping in the wind! They are strong and swift but poorly armed and armored. The levies have the walls, it is up to us to prevent the dam from breaking."

"I do hope Captain Berenguer will not see the likes of this lot defending Palma." Sunyer was shocked at the sheer size of the invader's army. Despite his fathers words, Sunyer knew of the Moors reputation and their seeming invincibilty against the other kingdoms of Hispania.

The Moors infantry surged forward while the noble's calvary met them full speed. And in an instant, all was lost.



Sunyer was an expert equestrian but under the crush of the wave of men and sabers, in the small of the city gate, his horse failed him. As the horse bolted sideways, Sunyers flank was exposed to a hundred flailing blades. Guifre watched as his son was thrown from his horse and the lifeless body trampled under the hooves of the enemy.

Guifre was possessed with a rage so mighty that the Moors could see his eyes burn through them. His own well being now of no consequence, Guifre charged forward with bloodlust. Despite his sons death, the Catalan calvary had smashed the first wave of invaders and repulsed the second and third onslaughts. The levies had indeed held the walls, cutting down the invaders as they feebly attempted to gain footing on high.

The Moors were not prepared for such a brazen move and Guifre's calvary ran outside the gate and cut the enemy to pieces. The King was hit on all sides from all manner of weapons but the pain he felt in his heart was far worse than what any blow could deliver.



Captain Fahkir watched from the hillside incredulously as his men panicked and broke ranks.

"The eyes of Satan are upon us!" The brigands screamed as they ran for the hills and valleys above the city.

The Moors fled en mass but this only made the King more determined to ensure they did not escape.



He followed them up the hillside, swinging his sword wildly on either side as a giant pendulum of justice.



As the horses finally gave and the remnants of the invading army scattered into the countryside, Guifre, began to wail. His armor was thick with the blackness of blood as his men hurt with him in silence.

Although much had been lost this day, it would not be a day soon forgotten.



Finally, the King turned to his armed countrymen and asked, "what will now become of us?"

He looked down upon his majestic city and wondered what indeed.



The King's head hung heavy. His son was the planned future for his kingdom and Barcelona. Vicecomes Sunyer's wife Tecla had borne him no heir. The bloodline now rested with Joanna, the King's young daughter. After the sudden loss of the Prince, it was foolish to assume that he would survive the next 14 years to ensure a proper marriage arrangement with a great house. More importantly, he did not want to succumb the same chains of the Franks he had courageously broken just a few years before.

As his servants dressed his wounds, his trusted advisors approached him confidently. "We have captured over 1000 of the enemies troops. We request permission to ransom them back to the enemy. While victorious, our army is badly bloodied and our coffers are nearly empty. In addition to the attack on Barcelona, Moorish pirates have been wreaking havoc with our merchant fleet. The Moors' gold may assist in our future defense."

The King wanted to hear only the screams of his captives but acknowledged the city's financial predicament. "Very well."

The Khalif's response was blunt, "Go ahead and kill the beggars."



Saddled with a determined enemy to the West, failing health, and the indescibable loss of his son, Guifre was despondent. Yet the months wore on without event as the Moors were forced to regroup from their humiating loss and late in the year, he was born another daughter, Gracia. Life always emerges from death.




892

The King had barely regained full strength before the Moors returned to the coast of Catalan. Captain Fahkir had met with the same fate of his captured men when he had returned home. The second force sent by the Khalif was led by Captain Galib. Galib had seen much action in Hispania and was battle hardened. He informed his King he would not return home without the head of the devil Guifre. Galib sent spies ahead to reveal that Barcelona was defended by a palty few and that the reinforcements on Palma were stranded thanks to the Moorish navy patrolling the high seas.

Mustering up the remainer of the Eastern European army, Galib marched on the city.

"The demons are at the gates again, sire."



Guifre's well of rage filled once more. With determined purpose, he rounded up the few men who had survived the last assault. While highly disciplined and skilled, they numbered less than 200. No eloquent speeches would be needed this day. The siutation was clear to all. Guifre saddled up and sternly pronounced, "we hold or we die."

As the 1000 strong army approached, the men of Barcelona had instructed their wives to take their own lives and that of the children should the walls come down rather than suffer at the hands of the Muslim horde. They themselves would fight till the last man.

From the ramparts, they could see they giant hulking machine designed to break their backs...



"The time has come friends. Once again we will meet them at the gates." Guifre spoke to his elite calvarymen, themselves knowing the finality of the act to follow.

The force of the enemy's men kicked up dirt and dust as they started their charge. The blood of their people they had come to revenge.



The levies on the walls prepared for the Hell the wooden machine would soon bring. The mothers calmly sharpened their blades, holding their children tight, rocking them gently to comfort them from the horror to come. Yet Guifre would not wait for the rams this time. "OPEN THE GATES!!!!"

"Come men, to immortality! Into the breach!" And from the wooden shutters, Guifre burst forth with Holy vengeance.




His story would not end this day.




892 cont.

Death would not take him.

After the battle, Comes Guifre gathered the meager group of survivors. "We have lost many today but through resilience your city still stands, your families are safe from an indescribable fate and you are heroes to your people."

Despite these words, Guifre knew the city couldn't survive another attack. Reduced to a paltry 80 or so troops, unless he wanted to enlist the help of children, something would have to be done quickly. The Barcelona fleet had been smashed by the Moor warships patrolling the water between Palma and a large portion of his standing army was still stranded on the island there.

His coffers bare, he approached the Moorish Khalifs once more with his prisoners of war. He would need funds to recruit troops from the local coastal towns.

Once more he was rubuffed.



He sent word to his militia to round up the local nobles. Within a few days, the wealthy landowners were brought together for congress. They were seated at the Kings fine table in the main hall of his palace.

"Lords, we are in dire straits. The Moors attack us with abandon and while we have sent them running twice, they are far too strong to not be heard from again. With our merchant fleet in ruins, we have no source of funds. I will be sending men to your finques to confiscate your gold so we may raise an army to withstand the next assault."

The lords rose with indignation. "BAAAH! You would not need such monies had your son not stranded our army in Palma. How FOOLISH it was for him to leave this city undefended!" A smattering of applause echoes through the King's palace. The offender, Duc Castilla, looked around the room with satisfaction.

Silently striding to Castilla's chair, Guifre quickly unsheathed his sword and crashed the hilt down upon the dukes head. The dukes body spasmed out of the chair as blood sprayed the dark cedar around him. As the duke groaned in pain, the other nobles recoiled in horror. Clearly it was foolish of Castilla to bring up Sunyer but had the king gone mad?

"FOOLS! Do you not know what the Moors have planned for you? There can be no deal struck, no favors bought, no plans unwound. They seek only your land, you women, and for yourselves, a fate far worse than what I gave Duc Castilla. I have informed you of your duty, please see to it that my men do not receive any delay when they are met at your doors."

-----------------------------------------------

Word of the magnificent defense of Barcelona had reached the ears of Pope Stephanus. "Glory be to their King! Let it be known God himself walks beside him."



Guifre's improved standing with the Church had negative consequences on others. Pope Stephanus saw Barcelona's iniative as reason to hold the other Catholic kingdoms to a higher standard.....and the East Franks miserably failed. Stephanus had issue with their king's piety for some time and Guifre's devout determination gave him clarity.



-------------------------------------------

Rex Arnulf was a known blasphemer, his men as corrupt as he but he knew his secular duty to the Church: keep the tribute coming. As one of the largest empires in Europe, he rewarded the Pope handsomly....and regularly. Stephanus' actions were not only ungrateful but shook the foundation of Arnulf's empire.

The East Franks had previously not cared what happened beyond the boundaries of their Western neighbors. The Occidentals ensured a strong buffer against any future Muslim threat but now its problems were theirs. Arnulf sent word to his counterparts, Rex Odo of the Franks and Rex Louis of Burgundy that the kingdom of Barcelona was now ursurping their collective power.

"Cousins, you must be aware of ALL threats to your throne..."

Winter 892

Two bitter defeats had the Moors seething. They had brought oppressive odds both times and both times had lost over 1000 men to a mere handful. Despite the losses, they knew they had their foe beaten. The time to strike was now. They KNEW that Barcelona couldnt survive another siege. Yet being at war with two other factions in Iberia made for sparse resources in a third engagement.

The Sultan needed more time but he wasnt going to show his hand to the Catalan king. He sent his emissary, Shakir Al-Fayyaoumi to demand payment or else be attacked with a force never to be seen before.

Shakir protested, "My Sultan, you know that they have demaded ransom twice for our men. Men they can surely tell were no more soldiers than the gypsies in our streets but they were desperate enough to still demand ransom. It will be impossible for them to pay any tribute."

"Shakir, I must keep the pressure upon them. I know they have no means to pay. But I must keep up the illusion we are ready to strike. Inform their king that we will not attack if he agrees to our offer. Perhaps that will ease his guard and buy me the time I need." The sultan gathered his advisors and informed them to report back in a month to the city of Valencia with the available forces they could muster for a new Eastern army. They would look to strike shortly thereafter.

The emissary left at once for Barcelona. "Comes Guifre, do you not see the impossibilty of your survival?" he asked himself.



Shakir met with Guifre but the meeting resolved nothing. As directed, he informed the King that no further attacks would be coming. However, such generosity would come at a price. If Guifre failed to pay tribute, a third and final attack would burn the city to the ground. However, as the sultan also expected, Guifre rebuffed the diplomat and said he would not cave to such pressure. Shakir left hastily to his master.

"Ive seen better strategy in a game of Merelles with the nobles." Guifre scoffed.

On his return, Shakir informed the Sultan of Catalonia's refusal to pay.

"No matter, my friend. We have gathered another 1000 strong from the West and I plan to lead this force myself. I leave for Valencia immediately."

Fate had other plans.



With the Jihad called and an army already assembled, the Sultan was forced to turn his attention towards Akaba. What was to be the crippling blow never came. Exasperated, the Moor's dutiful leader entrusted Shakir with keeping the political pressure on during his absence. The devils would just have to wait for their comeuppance.

---------------------------------------

While the Moors were fixated on the Jihad called by Mohammed, the next 3 years brought relative peace again to Catalunya. The Moor navy kept up their raids but with the bulk of their foces elsewhere, Barcelona's merchant marine was brought to life once more. Comes Guifre was able to finally rescue Captain Berenguer from Palma, who had patiently waited out the sieges of Barcelona. With coffers replenished and a standing army in the capital once more, perhaps the kingdom could thrive.

Unfortunately, the machinations of Catalonia's neighbors would soon come to fruition.

Summer 895

Shakir left for the coastal city on his annual pilgrimage of threat and shakedown. His sultan had not been near Hispania these past few years but he made sure the city of Barcelona felt the Moor's presence. Small raiding parties harassed merchants leaving the walled city and frequently came within viewing distance of the city's ramparts. Perched above the city on the hillside they would gather menacingly at night but in white or light clothing to ensure the residents caught glimpse of them

The Catalan army would always give chase but the raiders were fleet of foot and the guard never dared stray too far from the gates on the chance there WAS a large army set to attack.

The cat and mouse games and saber rattling were becoming tiresome to the diplomat but the Kingdom of Asturia had bloodied their European army and no significant amount of troops could be applied here, especially after still smarting from the last two battles.

Upon his arrival this time, he could not believe his eyes. The Franks were going to bring their vassal back into the fold.



895 cont.

"MAN THE RAMPARTS!" Guifre screamed at his troops.

He could not believe his misfortune. He had kept his army in the city for nearly three years. His spies sent word that the Moors were amassing an invasion force for Palma so he had sent his men back to the island. And immediately the Franks arrived.

Unlike the Moors' poorly equipped men, this was a true standing army he faced.

He was furious his nobles had not warned him of the attack. From the distance of their estates near Marseille they could have told him of the enemy's march.

-------------------------

Captain Michiel was a promising young general with the West Franks. He had seen some action against the rebels that plagued the Bordeaux valley and done admirably. King Odo met with the promising commander and liked what he saw. He explained to Michiel that the rogue empire posed a serious threat to their borders as it could no longer defend itself properly and that Barcelona's king, Guifre would not accept the protection of his majesty. No more harm than necessary was to come to the people there as they had been a good state of the empire just a few years back. The city was an asset to the King, just its leader a liabilty.

Michiel was eager to prove his worth and promised a return of the city to Rex Odo.

Odo had sent word to Rex Louis and Rex Arnulf of his intention to rid the land of their collective problem. There was some slight protestation from king Louis in Marseille but Odo had been first to raise an army and send it forward. He had to make haste. While Arnulf had made the "brothers-in-arms" plea, he knew his peers all valued the merchant port. Arnulf stood least likely to directly take it but his tentacles were everywhere. Even excommunication from the Church didnt seem to bother his empire buidling. With Barcelona safely under the banner of Regnum Occidentalis, Odo had a kingdom that streched from the Northern seas to the Mediterranean. And unlike Arnulf, he had the blessing of the Church behind him.

--------------------------------------

"GET READY MEN! GOD WILL BE WITH US!" Guifre against circled his troops on horseback. He went over in his mind how he was going to take the feudal lords to task if he somehow was to survive the attack.

He peered at the Fanks on the hill above the city. A lone rider galloped towards them. His archers pulled back their strings ready to strike the target but Guifre allowed the messenger to approach the gates.



"Capitan Michielle asks that you lay down your arms in the name of Rex Odo and under the will of God. The city will be spared and all who leave this fight can return to their homes. To disobey this order however, will result in certain death to all who oppose my King," the messenger proclaimed.

The walls were quiet. The messenger paced his horse back and forth, peering at the walls where the bowmen were preparing arrows from their quivers. His horse began to buck.

Guifre looked at his men standing resolute on the walls and at the gate. He relied, "the Moors came with twice as many men as you Franks and you're half the men they are. We like our chances." Laughter erupted around him and echoed to the man outside.

Furious, he turned towards the invisible army behind him and unsheathed his sword, waving it towards the countryside. The Frenchmen saw the signal and began their attack.

The pace was slow and the Franks were being peppered with arrow fire as they advanced. The had surprisingly lost a considerable number of men before the battering rams got to the walls. Perhaps Michiel had been to careful and should have hurried them along.

The rams finally struck the main gate open and the French infantry charged foward. Their calvary followed and it was apparent the Barcelona foot soldiers would soon break. That's when Guifre led his charge.



895 cont.

"MAN THE RAMPARTS!" Guifre screamed at his troops.

He could not believe his misfortune. He had kept his army in the city for nearly three years. His spies sent word that the Moors were amassing an invasion force for Palma so he had sent his men back to the island. And immediately the Franks arrived.

Unlike the Moors' poorly equipped men, this was a true standing army he faced.

He was furious his nobles had not warned him of the attack. From the distance of their estates near Marseille they could have told him of the enemy's march.

-------------------------

Captain Michiel was a promising young general with the West Franks. He had seen some action against the rebels that plagued the Bordeaux valley and done admirably. King Odo met with the promising commander and liked what he saw. He explained to Michiel that the rogue empire posed a serious threat to their borders as it could no longer defend itself properly and that Barcelona's king, Guifre would not accept the protection of his majesty. No more harm than necessary was to come to the people there as they had been a good state of the empire just a few years back. The city was an asset to the King, just its leader a liabilty.

Michiel was eager to prove his worth and promised a return of the city to Rex Odo.

Odo had sent word to Rex Louis and Rex Arnulf of his intention to rid the land of their collective problem. There was some slight protestation from king Louis in Marseille but Odo had been first to raise an army and send it forward. He had to make haste. While Arnulf had made the "brothers-in-arms" plea, he knew his peers all valued the merchant port. Arnulf stood least likely to directly take it but his tentacles were everywhere. Even excommunication from the Church didnt seem to bother his empire buidling. With Barcelona safely under the banner of Regnum Occidentalis, Odo had a kingdom that streched from the Northern seas to the Mediterranean. And unlike Arnulf, he had the blessing of the Church behind him.

--------------------------------------

"GET READY MEN! GOD WILL BE WITH US!" Guifre against circled his troops on horseback. He went over in his mind how he was going to take the feudal lords to task if he somehow was to survive the attack.

He peered at the Fanks on the hill above the city. A lone rider galloped towards them. His archers pulled back their strings ready to strike the target but Guifre allowed the messenger to approach the gates.



"Capitan Michielle asks that you lay down your arms in the name of Rex Odo and under the will of God. The city will be spared and all who leave this fight can return to their homes. To disobey this order however, will result in certain death to all who oppose my King," the messenger proclaimed.

The walls were quiet. The messenger paced his horse back and forth, peering at the walls where the bowmen were preparing arrows from their quivers. His horse began to buck.

Guifre looked at his men standing resolute on the walls and at the gate. He relied, "the Moors came with twice as many men as you Franks and you're half the men they are. We like our chances." Laughter erupted around him and echoed to the man outside.

Furious, he turned towards the invisible army behind him and unsheathed his sword, waving it towards the countryside. The Frenchmen saw the signal and began their attack.

The pace was slow and the Franks were being peppered with arrow fire as they advanced. The had surprisingly lost a considerable number of men before the battering rams got to the walls. Perhaps Michiel had been to careful and should have hurried them along.

The rams finally struck the main gate open and the French infantry charged foward. Their calvary followed and it was apparent the Barcelona foot soldiers would soon break. That's when Guifre led his charge.




895 cont.



Again Guifre had repelled the enemy and drove him from the field in embarrassment. The Catalonians were beginnning to believe that the hand of God was truly guiding their leader. His charge had smashed Michiels' calvary and severly wounded the Frank leader. The young Captain's inexperience finally shone through as he screamed for full retreat.

As the last of the Franks left the field, for the first time since his son's death, Guifre felt hope for his kingdom and himself once again. The celebration that evening would be a fine one. Perhaps because of his fraternal ties, the Frankish troops he had captured he let go.

As they gratefully returned home, the enemy bestowed their rival with a new name.



------------------------------------

The diplomat Shakir witnessed the entire battle. He had even seen the Catalan king Guifre at the head of the charge. He was almost beginning to believe that Allah in his all knowing wisdom was saving this heretic for reason unknown. The Franks had brough true soldiers and some of the finest calvary in Europa with good numbers and had been turned back as his own Moors.

"I am beginning to think you are more God than man, good King." Shakir proceeded to Barcelona with continued amazement.

As he approached the city, the town guards, who now recognized the Moor from his shuttle diplomacy jeered, "bring your dogs and hounds of men, we will crush them as we have before, you will exact no quarter from our great king!"

Shakir kept silent as he was again led to the Great Hall of Guifre. He did not wait long for an audience with the king.

"Tell your khalif that his time to take this great city has come and passed." Guifre boomed, "we have dug our heel into the enemy's face at our gates, the next time it will be at yours."

Shakir decided to play another angle. "My sultan would wish for nothing better than to see the fall of your city....but only at his hands. After seeing the engagement of the Franks, we now know you have your former brothers in arms against you. Unfortunately, if Barcelona was to fall in the hands of the Occidentals, our border would not be with your pitance of an empire but a true power."

Guifre was startled by the crafty emissary's words.

Shakir, knowing he had the kings attention continued, "put simply we cannot have your port city fall into powerful hands. However, we must have some form of reparation for the slaughter of our men."

Guifre turned red, "you attacked us heathen!" then added wryly, "I am TRULY sorry we cut your men down with such ease and in such great numbers."

Unbothered, Shakir declared, "pay us a tribute of 240 florins to cover some of our war costs and we will leave you to defend yourself against your new foe.....for now."



Guifre felt what he said was probably true. The Moors had failed twice to take his city and now that the Franks had entered the fray, they could lose even more by losing Barcelona to them. The fee was agreed to.



Shakir and his bodyguards left with full sacks and satisfaction.

---------------------------------------------------

Word of the deal however quickly reached the ears of Rex Odo and Rex Louis. They were aghast that Comes Guifre would strike such a deal with the devil. Worse was the fact that Odo's army had been driven from the field in short order and that the Moors seemed to be sticking to their agreement as Barcelona's port was soon teeming with trade ships from all over the Mediterranean.

Odo threw his sword at Captain Michiel on his return. "I should have you hung for that defeat! Had you not rid me of the Bordeaux rebels and kept Navarre at bay prior to this engagement, I would do just that! Now off to the Saxon front."

As Michiel left the king's quarters in disgrace, Odo contemplated his next move.

896

Galindo Cafont's family had been caretakers of the estates northeast of the city and had seen the Frank march through his father's lands with impugnity towards Barcelona. As his father, he did not understand why Comes Guifre had left the protection of the Franks. The Moors had proven their mettle the past few centuries and how could thier new "king" possibly feel he could withstand the onslaught.

Since the breakoff, Moorish raiding parties were running rampant in his family's lands and had even raped and pillaged a few houses of their caretakers! Worse, Guifre's men had come to their door and taken the family's gold bullion ostensibly for fighting the scourge that didnt even exist a few short years ago. The first sighting of Rex Odo's banners was comforting. While his father fretted over the consequences of the Franks taking control of Barcelona, the troops had been respectful, even sharing stories with Galindo of his cousins in the towns nearby.

When the battered army trudged the other way in tatters, Galindo knew that the battle may have ignited a full scale war.

The Cafont family was the wealthiest in the region. They had some of the most fertile lands and owned a large merchant fleet to distrubute their produce and livestock across the seas. Their proximity to the West Franks and the kingdom of Burgundy meant lucrative trade without hassle. With war, they had much to lose. Their lands would be the prime battleground of any conflict and if the Franks were envisioning a prolonged engagement, they would rip their estate to shreds, feeding off their land and trade goods. The port of Barcelona and the fleets within it could be burned to the ground.

Above allegiance to any self-annointed king, Galindo needed to ensure his family's legacy and that the port city of Barcelona would survive any outcome. Pere Cafont, Galindo's father, still had strong ties to the French houses on their border. He requested an audience with Rex Odo for his son as he travelled with the French army back home.

---------------------------------------------

Pere Cafont met with Comes Guifre shortly after his defeat of the Franks and the accord struck with the Moors. "My good king, these engagements are truly costly to your subjects."

Guifre nodded in agreement but proclaimed, "these wars are whats keeping you a free man dear Cafont. If Odo takes the city, he will surely take your lands as well."

Cafont responded, "True. But they are costly in other ways as well....your son...."

Guifre shot Cafont a spiteful glance, "Yes, what of it?"

"Our young kingdom has no future king. You have no male heir. While you have fought mightily even the bravest can fall. You need a successor. It will be years before you can promise your daughters' hands in marriage."

Guifre did not resist Cafont's words. He would be selfish to not realize the kingdom must be able to continue without him. There needed to be insurance of survival until his daughters were of age. In short order, the kings council was summoned, again populated with the lords and landowners of the region. Without surprise, Pere Cafont's son was seen as the fittest to honor the kingdom, to serve the crown, and most importantly protect the landowners who backed Cafont.

The king trusted his advisors judgement.



In 897, Barcelona had its new heir.

897

Newly titled Vicecomes Galindo wasted no time in earning Guifre's admiration. The nobles did not protest when approached for taxes and Galindo had sent word to the Franks that his ascention indicated Barcelona's determination to stay free of their grip. Guifre felt that by making Galindo the heir, he had secured the trust of the nobles and now had all of Catalunya behind him.

Guifre soon blessed the marriage of Galindo to Sibil Fortuny, daughter of another Catalan nobleman.



Captain Berenguer soon arrived from Palma to consort with his king. "Comes Guifre, you are my king and I your humble servant. I fought with your son in Palma - you know of my dedication to the crown. I am concerned over this decison."

"Captain, it was not an easy one to make but Galindo has unified our people behind me."

Berenguer wondered aloud, "what are you to do when your daughters come of age? Do you think that Vicecomes Galindo will simply hand over the reigns to a benefactor of your choosing?"

"And what of our kingdom if I should perish? We would be headless and surely fall into the hands of the Moors or Franks. This is for the Catalan people, not for simply my legacy."

The Captain could not help but feel slightly betrayed. He had saved the attack on Palma and in turn saved the very thing that Guifre seemed intent on giving away. If the bloodline wasnt to be preserved, there were far more deserving men to lead Barcelona, including himself. He left in disgust, "as you see fit, sire."

On his return to Palma, Berenguer was hit with yet another blow. Sibil's cousin Pere Fortuny had been taken into the family as a future heir by Galindo.



It was clear to Berenguer, Guifre was losing control of his kingdom.

Winter 897

The French diplomat fretted. His consul was late. He had been informed to meet at Crique de Cordonnier outside Marseille at full moon. But he was being asked much. This was the kingdom of Burgundae, not his own. He was certain he had waited hours. If he were found here under such suspicious circumstances it meant sure peril.

Galloys de Breze had been sent by his king, Rex Odo to meet with an emissary in foreign territory and accept a message of grave importance. Had his father not been one of Odo's trusted advisors, he would think Odo wished him dead. He was told only to accept the seal of Odo as a sign he was in contact with the right attendant and return immediately to the king.

Three horses soon appeared on the horizon. De Breze could only assume his wait was over. He gripped his sword tightly yet knew if these three meant harm, he stood no chance. As they approached shrouded in blue tunics, Galloys feared the worst but stood his ground.

"Vous parlez pour Rex Odo?" one of the shrouds questioned.

Galloys demanded, "Ou est la marque?"

The seal of Odo, true as his own, was quickly handed to him. Galloys tried to peer at the faces of them men in the darkness but to no avail. "It is agreed then?"



As the men turned from whence they came, one said curtly, "you have your sign."

With the wind at his back, Galloys raced for home, unaware of the die just cast.

-------------------------------------------

"Comes Guifre, we wish to end this war of ours." It had been weeks since Galloys' encounter in the woods and he now found himself in audience with the king of Barcelona.

There had been several skirmishes since the Occidentals had been beaten at this same city 2 years prior but no large battle of significance. Galloys wasnt sure what to make of his king's offer. He knew that talk of war between the French cousins was growing louder. Border disputes between Occidentalis, Burgundae and Orientalis were becoming more and more hostile. Perhaps Odo wanted to secure an ally for the coming fight but the offer seemed counter-intuitive.

"My great king Rex Odo no longer wishes to break the back of his neighbor. In fact, as the drums of war appear to beat louder on our boders, he wishes to secure a bond of trust with his formar vassal."

Guifre looked at Galloys with contempt, "Your king Odo beats the drum loudest."

Vicecomes Galindo, also in attendance, let out a haughty laugh at Guifre's remark. "Monsieur de Breze, Comes Guifre is correct. Your army came through my own lands two years ago with the intent on taking this fine city from us. Why the change of heart? We have fought no large engagement since, we know your army stands stong, there is no need for you to sue for peace. What trick do you play on us?"

"No trick dear Prince. If in fact we do go to war with Loius or Arnulf, it will be a war for the ages. We simply do not need any distractions. Consider our offer a way to put these past few years of aggression between our kingdoms to rest."

Guifre mused that if he indeed had Odo in a precarious position, now was the time to press the attack. "I have become tired of war as well, ensign. Yet I wish security for my borders and people. My small kingdom has no buffer from the might of you Franks. In order to show Odo's willingness towards a peaceful accord, he must deliver the Bordeaux valley and its castle to Catalunya."

Galloys responded with a flurry of French curses. "Mon Dieu, vous êtes fou! Comes Guifre, you ask for the blood of our empire literally. Through Bordeaux flows the soul...and drink of our kingdom."

Guifre responded, "The Basques of the region have more in common with my people than your own. You know this. As for the vineyards and the castle...again, consider it your king's show of commitment to peace."

Galloys had been entrusted to secure peace at ANY cost. Strangely enough, such situations had come up in deliberations with his king. Bordeaux had actually been suggested as a bargaining chip for the diplomat to use. Despite the fortress there, frequent Viking raids and the dissent of the Basque population made it the least attractive jewel in the king's crown. Odo insisted that need for peace overrode everything.



Galloys left in indignation but Bordeaux would fly with Catalan colors.



Spring 898

"WAR!" Arnulf screamed in fury, "I will kill those incompetent fools!" Odo's bequeathing of Bordeaux to Comes Guifre was more than he seemingly could bear. "I asked my brethren to aid me in putting down this upstart, not assist him. I should have joined the fight myself!"

His advisors attempted to assuage their master through his volleys of food and drink. "we know not why Rex Odo has given away the fortress at Bordeaux, only that it heightens our regional position. His folly is our gain."

"And the gain of Guifre as well! His legend grows with each passing day.....I have heard the murmurs of rebellion in my own borders...they are inspired by that, that......WAR!!!" Arnulf fired another missile at his subjects.

"Our borders are fraught with tension, there is no way to attack Barcelona without either Rex Louis or Odo thinking we are bringing our troops to bear on their own cities, sire. We must wait patiently for things to unfold to our liking."

Arnulf's mind began to turn and as the numbing rage drained from him, he pulled his subjects close "all of you sit. Let us plan our own luck..."

--------------------------------------------



War was declared by the east Franks but on the kingdom of Barcelona itself. It was seen as a token gesture of protest by Guifre, knowing the East Franks only route to him was through their own fraternal rivals. Nonetheless, Guifre's sleepless nights would continue.



Not only had war been declared by Arnulf but now the Moor sultan was returning from Akaba victorious. Guifre was sure Catalunya would again merit the khalif's attention.

And in other reaches of the realm, unknown to Guifre, Ramiro de Cabrera, his old trusted advisor had met with the Kingdom of Navarre's magnate Princeps Sancho. There were other designs being hatched behind closed doors....

Winter 898

Despite the truce with the West Franks, it soon became apparent to Comes Guifre that Rex Odo did not have the best intentions. Rumors circulated in Barcelona that French and Navarrese agents were being spotted in the countryside and that fall, a spy of the Franks was indeed found lurking in the kings palace.



The nauseating feeling of doubt was coming over Guifre, as his trusted advisors informed him all was not well with the nobles and there was talk of dissention. His backing of Vicecomes Galindo did not achieve the result he intended.



Despite all of his magnificent victories, perhaps he would fall instead to the enemy within.

-------------------------------------

Ramiro de Cabrera, after having a successful meeting with the Portuguese king of Navarre, was soon on his way to meet with the Moors. He had arranged a meeting with their sultan and without the knowledge of his king. He told the Muslim sultan he was there on a mission of importance and secrecy.

The Moors trusted diplomat Shakir received him but with much distrust. Shakir had come to respect the enemy leader and this act by one of his men implied Guifre was no longer in control or this man was truly a vile creature to go behind his master's back.



"You are brave to seek an audience with us like this." Shakir told Ramiro.

"I come as a dutiful representative of my kingdom...but not for my king."

Shakir, disgusted, continued, "Whatever words you may speak are therefore meaningless. You are no leader of your people, you have no mandate from your king, you are nothing more than a simple traitor or opportunist. I should have my guards arrest you now, cut off your head and send it back to your leader as a favor." Only infidels as these Christians could betray their rightful ruler as this man was doing now.

Now worried, Ramiro hurriedly replied, "I do have mandate! I bear the seal of the impending leader of Barcelona." He quickly brandished a large parchment and gave it to Shakir.

Shakir studied the document and read its contents. He would have to report to the sultan immediately. This was great news. It was unconsciousable to him that these jackals would do this to the man who had led them bravely to victory but his sultan would be pleased. "How do I know these actions will take place? That is a large sum of florins to be promised."

"We know that your sultan covets my good city. However, your army has been replused twice before. With our newest allies backing us, it will be impossible to take. A costly war does not benefit your sultan or ourselves. We are willing to part ways with some of our riches for peace and prosperity."

"Very well, I will take this to my sultan at once." Shakir seethed at the sight of this man, wanting to kill him out of duty to Allah. No such filth should be allowed to walk the Earth. But that would only ensure the Catalan king's continued renaissance. He allowed the emissary to leave.

--------------------------------------

Shakir held council soon after with his Sultan.

The khalif mused, "How can we trust them? Further, the amount they promise is not within their means. They look to keep the peace while they are about to throw thier fiefdoms into pure chaos. All will be in disarray."

His dutiful servant responded, "I wanted to strike that dog down for his trickery but I implied we were agreeable to the terms. Let their plans bring the advantage to us."

"I must admit, while I despise that heretic king, I have admired him as a warrior. It is a shame he does not know who plots against him so they can be put to proper death. No matter, we cant trust any words from this man or the party he represents. Further, lets take advantage of Guifre's calamity. If we wait till after these events occur, they may solidify their position. The time to strike is now. Muster the troops from the victorious Jihad. They will be ready to carry their success forward."

Shakir sent word to prepare for a third and final assault.

-----------------------------------------

The Moors were careful with their war plans, giving Barcelona's agents ample time to warn their king. He knew he could not trust the Moorish heretics and their sultan but the argeement they had come to earlier had allowed him to hoard his florins. Guifre, who now had a decent war chest knew his own forces, even with aid from Palma would not be strong enough and soon went to the local mercenary chieftains for assistance.



He was able to round up a small efficient army that he hoped could repel the invading Moors a third time.

----------------------------------

Pere Fortuny was truly a man of good fortune. His cousin Sibil had married the new heir to the throne of Barcelona, Galindo Cafont. With her help, he had engineered his adoption into the royal line under Galindo.



While he didnt like to dwell on the subject, apparently her talents of persuasion were enough to convince Galindo that adding Pere would strengthen the Vicecomes power. She had told her Prince that eventually he would be king but that the Guifre's daughters would eventually have right to the throne over him due to bloodline. He must solidify his position through family loyal to his own. It was amazing how the visceral could easily cause a man to lose all reason.

And thus Pere Fortuny now stood to gain the crown of Catalunya. He had that unscrupulous agent Ramiro meet with the king of Navarre to forge an alliance. If he was to eventually be king he would need to ensure the stability of his reign. Ramiro had been an easy conquest. With promises of nobility and a few of Sibil's handmaidens, he fell into Pere's pocket.

Fortuny was now patiently awaiting the arrival of Princeps Sancho's young princess Maria to discuss the alliance further at his villa on the Navarre border. He was to cement their agreement.

Flanked by a small calvary, the princess arrived late in the morning and Fortuny met her in his study.

"I take it you wish to reveal to all of Europe your arrival?" Pere was not amused with her visible pageantry of travel.

"Prince Fortuny, a young princess cannot be too careful with the Moor army nearby. I apologize for the extra security. My father insisted upon it. However, I bear good news, my father has approved of the hand of my cousin Patronilla. He will send an emissary to Comes Guifre offering her hand to Fortuny to stengthen our two kingdoms against the Muslims. Are you sure he will accept?"

"Guifre is terrified of the Muslim force marching towards us right now. Any opportunity he sees to find an ally he will jump at. I am dismayed that the Muslim devils didnt accept my offer but no matter, if anything their attack merely expedites things."



Maria smiled wryly, "I will see you at the wedding."

--------------------------------------

As Maria promised, Sancho send word to Guifre explaning the Muslim scourge was at his doorstep as well. He offered his niece Patronilla's hand in marriage. While not a declaration of formal alliance, it would bring the two houses closer together against a common enemy.

Guifre was indeed afraid of the new Moor army being assembled and now marching towards Barcelona. They were battle hardened, having returned from Akaba triumphant and not the ill equipped beggars he had encountered years ago.

He had relatively little interaction with the Portuguese kingdom of Navarre despite their close proximity so the move was perplexing. However, Guifre did know that Navarre was a smaller kingdom as his own and a neighbor of his own Spanish ally, Astoria and they all faced the same foe. He knew that Navarre was at war with the Moors and had several spectacular engagements with them as well.

Guifre confronted Pere Fortuny with the news. "Son, such an arrangement would benefit Barcelona and yourself. When my daughters are of age and a proper heir annointed king, you will be aligned with two great houses. Your own destiny as a great noble will be assured."

Fortuny could not hold back a smile, "whatever pleases my good king. We should drink to the luck the Portuguese have brought us."

Vicecomes Galindo was immediately suspicious but wouldn't dare reject Guifre's political blessing. And in the eve of autumn, Pere Fortuny had his wife.



Winter 898 (cont.)



Cadinal Esquelles took passage at once from Palma to Barcelona on the news to comfort Guifre. He was granted an immediate audience with his old friend.

Guifre was definitely striken with grief but more so over what uncertainty Pope Stephanus' death would bring. The papacy had been a steward of his young empire especially after the taking of Palma. Things would surely change with a new pope. "There is no rest for the wicked. The Devil himself is conspiring against me."

"Indeed." The priest hated to be the bearer of worse news. "I hear that cardinal Louis of Francorum Occidentalis is next in line for the papacy. I am sure Rex Odo had a hand in that."

"What has God intended for me? For this kingdom?" Guifre was near despondent. After knowing of the Frankish spies infiltrating his cities, he knew that such a Pope would not stand in the way of any war from his neighbors.

"What of your new castle given by their king?" Esquelles tried to change the subject to something more positive.

"It is a fine specimen. I plan to head there shortly with my mercenary army to shore up her defense. The Moor army appears headed for Barcelona but my agents have informed me Muslim scouting parties have been sighted near the castle. They could go through the Pirineos, straight to Bordeaux."

"I am not an expert on military matters so I am of no help there. However, I am concerned with your daughters, Joanna and Gracia and would like to assist there. I know why you named Galindo Cafont heir. However, the ears of God are everywhere and I have heard that ill winds blow your way."

Esquelles continued, "The legitimacy of what I am to tell you is unknown yet I presume there is some truth to these rumors as I have heard them from several different sources."

Guifre listened intently, knowing the Church knew no borders and Esquelles was sure to hear from his counterparts in other kingdoms of any mischief.

"I hear that men representing Vicecomes Galindo have met with Rex Odo several times in the past year. I hear that some form of agreement was reached. I hear that.......the nobles are against you and will back the outcome."

Guifre was overcome with dread. He could only assume the worst was inteded to befall him. "What else have you learned?"

"Again my king, I do not know if what I hear is true or these are rumors spread by the very agents conspiring against you. Fear and doubt are the weapons of political animals. I can say that from what I understand, you should be concerned."

"I will have that man's head." Guifre was sick with himself. He had been betrayed by all those around him. He wanted to have them rounded up immediately. But with such widespread treason who exactly could he trust to be at his side? He shot a furtive glance at the royal guards at the halls entrance. To whom are my men loyal?

"Do not act rashly would be my suggestion. If Galindo has in fact rounded up the nobles behind him, your power may already be ursurped. I wish to offer that should any harm come to you, I will care for your wife and daughters in Palma. I am in good company with Captain Berenguer there. If Galindo intends to claim the throne, their survival may be at stake as well. As long as your bloodline exists, his ascendancy and legacy is at risk."

"Thank you my friend. There is much to prepare for; return to Palma at once. May God be with you."

--------------------------------------------------------

Guifre's first thought was to find Galindo and split the man in two but soon reason took over. He feared that if he announced he was aware of Galindo and the noble's nefarious plot that the royal army's allegiance might not be what he should assume. Galindo may have already turned them and it would be he that was arrested and hung. Guifre needed time to uncover who was against him.

He did send for Galindo but Galindo's handlers informed Guifre that the Vicecomes was at his retreat on a hunting excursion and could not be immeadiately reached.

Guifre took this as a sign of imminent disaster. He ushered his wife and children to the harbor with servants of Cardinal Esquelles and sent them to Palma. He then gathered his royal guard and set out for the fortress in Bordeaux.



As he approached the castle walls under the storm clouds of winter he wondered if this desolate place would protect him from the impending maelstrom.
Winter 898 (cont.)

Vicecomes Galindo was at his villa when he was told that the king had left Barcelona in the stealth of night. The news did not sit well. He knew Guifre was headed to Bordeaux but the way in which he left was disturbing. In the middle of the night? His mercenary army left behind? The troops he had hired to assist with the defense of Bordeaux remained but the crack troops of Barcelona taken with him? Had he caught wind of things? Those nobles Dupre and Seville could never keep their mouths shut, surely they babbled to someone on one of their drunken fits of braggadocio. He rode at once back to the city.

Pere Fortuny was there to greet him. "Vicecomes, our city is without its leader. How were you not aware of such things?"

Galindo had little time to deal with Fortuny, not to mention he was beginning to suspect his wife's cousin of malfeasance. As he made his way to question the kings servants he spat, "Did you have a hand in this Pere?"

Pere replied, "My dear principe, I did not. I surely would have made you aware." Fortuny was delighted to see Galindo so bothered. "I have questioned the servants already. They said the king left so abruptly to ensure he was not discovered by the Moor army that approaches. If you are so concerned for our king's welfare, I am sure that you are no more than a days ride behind. Perhaps you should travel to Bordeaux to ensure his safety."

Galindo responded with a menacing stare, "WE will stay to guard the kingdom. The Devil's army progresses slowly but they will be bringing the fury of Hell itself. Send word to Captain Berenguer to send all available forces to Barcelona for its defense. I will send a messenger to the king."

Guifre had initially told the Vicecomes weeks ago that he was planning on having a war council meeting in Bordeaux. Galindo had intended to use Guifre's time away from the throne to set his plan in motion. Those loyal to the king would be arrested on grounds of treason. During their incarceration, those loyal to himself and the nobles would seize power, await Guifre's return, have him tried for heresy under the blessing of the new Frankish Pope and assume the crown. Rex Odo had ensured a favorable vassaldom. But Guifre had taken the royal guard with him. The crafty king had something up his sleeve.

"I will make haste." As Fortuny left, it was obvious to him that whatever plan Galindo had been hatching had been thwarted. He would need to decide his own course of action in these moments of chaos.

-----------------------------------------------

Fortuny rode fast. He had told his men that many a day from his wife left him in need of long company. He informed Patronilla to not receive anyone at their villa and that he needed to go at once to Navarre to see her cousin. He arrived at Maria's manor out of breath but full of purpose.

Maria looked worried at the sight of him, fearing the worst for her cousin Patronilla. "Pere...my cousin...?"

"No, my king! He has left for Bordeaux in the cover of night. He is with his personal guard. He had intended to take a much larger force for the castle's defense so there is something afoot. I am sure that Galindo himself has plotted against him and Guifre's actions have disrupted them somehow. Inform your father king Sancho immediately."

"What would you ask of him to do?" Maria was flustered by Fortuny's sense of urgency.

"Kill the king!"

-----------------------------------------------



Once Fortuny's message reached the Navarrese king, he assembled his army and within a week he was at Bordeaux's fortress. Fortuny had promised Sancho the Bordeaux valley when Pere assumed the crown although he didnt expect to have to fight for it. However, his agents had come back giving word that the castle was indeed lightly defended. Bordeaux would give his kingdom a place with which to assault the Franks and take their fertile lands while he kept the Moors at bay. The alliance forged with a new Barcelona would make thier two smaller kingdoms an Iberian powerhouse.

------------------------------------------------



Galindo was enraged at the news. The Navarrese declaring war and assualting the castle seemed out of nowhere.

Worse, if they did in fact take Bordeaux, Galindo's own life was in peril. Rex Odo had agreed to sue for peace and give up the region because Galindo and the Catalan nobles had promised they would soon return under the flag of Regnum Occidentalis. With one of Odo's prize possessions now in the hands of a foreign agent, he would surely be Hell bent at Barcelona's annilihation.

They had no history of violence with Princeps Sancho. There were no border disputes and even shared a common enemy bent on their destruction. They had even offered the young princess Patronilla's hand in marriage to.....Fortuny!

-------------------------------------------------------

With the assault came a formal declaration of war by Sancho on the kingdom of Barcelona. Princeps Sancho had already enlisted the aid of the Astorian king. He knew they were allied with Guifre but made sure there would be no treatise to stand in his way. Sancho told the Spanish king that Barcelona's days were numbered. To come to the defense of its ally would only bring bloodshed on their common border. Recognizing the futility of any attempted defense, the long standing alliance with the Spanish and Catalunya was shattered.



-----------------------------------------------

Guifre looked at the walls of his fortress as his tomb. The foreign army stood at his gates and had cordoned off any possible escape. He had sent an emissary to the Navarrese and watched in horror as the man was shot from his horse as he approached the enemy. There was to be to no negotiation.



Guifre ran to the walls and screamed, "I DEMAND AUDIENCE WITH YOUR KING! LET ME SEE MY FERRYMAN!"

Princeps Sancho himself strode to the gate flanked by his elite calvary.



"Comes Guifre. May God have mercy on your soul." The attack began.

[Legio]

The Survival of Catalunya

Winter 898 (cont.)

Vicecomes Galindo was at his villa when he was told that the king had left Barcelona in the stealth of night. The news did not sit well. He knew Guifre was headed to Bordeaux but the way in which he left was disturbing. In the middle of the night? His mercenary army left behind? The troops he had hired to assist with the defense of Bordeaux remained but the crack troops of Barcelona taken with him? Had he caught wind of things? Those nobles Dupre and Seville could never keep their mouths shut, surely they babbled to someone on one of their drunken fits of braggadocio. He rode at once back to the city.

Pere Fortuny was there to greet him. "Vicecomes, our city is without its leader. How were you not aware of such things?"

Galindo had little time to deal with Fortuny, not to mention he was beginning to suspect his wife's cousin of malfeasance. As he made his way to question the kings servants he spat, "Did you have a hand in this Pere?"

Pere replied, "My dear principe, I did not. I surely would have made you aware." Fortuny was delighted to see Galindo so bothered. "I have questioned the servants already. They said the king left so abruptly to ensure he was not discovered by the Moor army that approaches. If you are so concerned for our king's welfare, I am sure that you are no more than a days ride behind. Perhaps you should travel to Bordeaux to ensure his safety."

Galindo responded with a menacing stare, "WE will stay to guard the kingdom. The Devil's army progresses slowly but they will be bringing the fury of Hell itself. Send word to Captain Berenguer to send all available forces to Barcelona for its defense. I will send a messenger to the king."

Guifre had initially told the Vicecomes weeks ago that he was planning on having a war council meeting in Bordeaux. Galindo had intended to use Guifre's time away from the throne to set his plan in motion. Those loyal to the king would be arrested on grounds of treason. During their incarceration, those loyal to himself and the nobles would seize power, await Guifre's return, have him tried for heresy under the blessing of the new Frankish Pope and assume the crown. Rex Odo had ensured a favorable vassaldom. But Guifre had taken the royal guard with him. The crafty king had something up his sleeve.

"I will make haste." As Fortuny left, it was obvious to him that whatever plan Galindo had been hatching had been thwarted. He would need to decide his own course of action in these moments of chaos.

-----------------------------------------------

Fortuny rode fast. He had told his men that many a day from his wife left him in need of long company. He informed Patronilla to not receive anyone at their villa and that he needed to go at once to Navarre to see her cousin. He arrived at Maria's manor out of breath but full of purpose.

Maria looked worried at the sight of him, fearing the worst for her cousin Patronilla. "Pere...my cousin...?"

"No, my king! He has left for Bordeaux in the cover of night. He is with his personal guard. He had intended to take a much larger force for the castle's defense so there is something afoot. I am sure that Galindo himself has plotted against him and Guifre's actions have disrupted them somehow. Inform your father king Sancho immediately."

"What would you ask of him to do?" Maria was flustered by Fortuny's sense of urgency.

"Kill the king!"

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Once Fortuny's message reached the Navarrese king, he assembled his army and within a week he was at Bordeaux's fortress. Fortuny had promised Sancho the Bordeaux valley when Pere assumed the crown although he didnt expect to have to fight for it. However, his agents had come back giving word that the castle was indeed lightly defended. Bordeaux would give his kingdom a place with which to assault the Franks and take their fertile lands while he kept the Moors at bay. The alliance forged with a new Barcelona would make thier two smaller kingdoms an Iberian powerhouse.

------------------------------------------------



Galindo was enraged at the news. The Navarrese declaring war and assualting the castle seemed out of nowhere.

Worse, if they did in fact take Bordeaux, Galindo's own life was in peril. Rex Odo had agreed to sue for peace and give up the region because Galindo and the Catalan nobles had promised they would soon return under the flag of Regnum Occidentalis. With one of Odo's prize possessions now in the hands of a foreign agent, he would surely be Hell bent at Barcelona's annilihation.

They had no history of violence with Princeps Sancho. There were no border disputes and even shared a common enemy bent on their destruction. They had even offered the young princess Patronilla's hand in marriage to.....Fortuny!

-------------------------------------------------------

With the assault came a formal declaration of war by Sancho on the kingdom of Barcelona. Princeps Sancho had already enlisted the aid of the Astorian king. He knew they were allied with Guifre but made sure there would be no treatise to stand in his way. Sancho told the Spanish king that Barcelona's days were numbered. To come to the defense of its ally would only bring bloodshed on their common border. Recognizing the futility of any attempted defense, the long standing alliance with the Spanish and Catalunya was shattered.



-----------------------------------------------

Guifre looked at the walls of his fortress as his tomb. The foreign army stood at his gates and had cordoned off any possible escape. He had sent an emissary to the Navarrese and watched in horror as the man was shot from his horse as he approached the enemy. There was to be to no negotiation.



Guifre ran to the walls and screamed, "I DEMAND AUDIENCE WITH YOUR KING! LET ME SEE MY FERRYMAN!"

Princeps Sancho himself strode to the gate flanked by his elite calvary.



"Comes Guifre. May God have mercy on your soul." The attack began.

Wint 898 (cont)

Princeps Sancho sent his rams and ladders to the ramparts. The Catalan troops there furiously defended the walls but wave after wave of Navarrese soldiers were taking their toll. Guifre had stayed on the battlements with his infantry, taking countless blows to show he would not desert his men in their moment of death. Sancho, perhaps inspired by Guifre, stayed near the fray, disregarding his own safety as well. As arrows flew around him, smiling he shouted to his men, "It is a good day to die, no?" Inspired by their king braving the front line, their determination grew. "Break down the gates! I am ready to cut the enemy to pieces!" Sancho commanded. Cheers and roars erupted from the Portugese infantry.

Inside, Guifre sensing the walls were lost, returned to his calvary and mounted his horse. He prepared to meet the Navarre charge. "Men, we have survived much. God has given us many great years together. While these moments may be our last, know that none of you have ever failed me here on Earth. I will not fail you on our journey to the kingdom of Heaven." His men stood resolute around him. Guifre looked to the towers and saw the blue cross of the Navarrese waving in the wind. A fitting sign.

The crash of the main gate was as loud as the thunder from the sky around them. The rain had puddled around their horses. Guifre looked skyward, "Wash away my sins Good Father and may these brave men find solace in your arms." Looking to his troops he was overcome with the pride of his countrymen.

"Vaya con dios, Comes!" his men erupted.

Sancho's calvary burst into the inner ward where the core of Guifre's force remained. On seeing Guifre they charged.

As he had always done, Guifre led the counter-attack. "DE CATALUNYA!" Bloodied but feeling no pain, Comes Guifre squared his lance and flew to God's embrace....



Winter 898 cont.



The blue cross of Navarre whipped harshly in the wind as it was raised over the fortress of Bordeaux. Princeps Sancho dismounted and walked over to the fallen body of Comes Guifre. The sun was breaking through the clouds as the storm lifted. Rays of light passed over the deceased king. In his moment of victory, Sancho could not help being filled with guilt for having slain such a great man. But those feelings were to be reserved for the bishops and cardinals, not men of war. Sancho reached down and closed Guifre's eyes. "Vaya con Dios, Guifre el Honesto." He remounted and rode for home.

----------------------------------------------



News of Guifre's death spread like wildfire.

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"Great Sultan, our enemy has lost their lion." Shakir delivered the news with reserved optimism. "Our Great European army is at full strength, although both Captain Salim and Hachim have requested we wait until Spring to strike. Our men are capable fighters but ill equipped to fight in the snow that now covers the ground."

"Allah akbar. Let them know they have my blessing as the enemy is now headless.........Guifre would have made a fine Muslim, don't you think?"

"Indeed."

------------------------------------------------

Arnulf brought in his advisors, "Bah! Odo has now lost Bordeaux to Princeps Sancho. Luckily that goon had the luck of the Navarrese carrying out his dirty work to rid us of Guifre. How goes our plan with Rex Louis of Burgundae? And request an audience with the new king of Barcelona. Let us wish him well. Hah!"

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Rex Odo thought death itself was not a decent punishment for Vicecomes Galindo. The Catalan traitor's plans had clearly gone awry. Was he now to engage the Navarrese directly for his lost territory? Vassaldom would not do, Barcelona would be his to own completely.

Hoewever, any leader's guard is up in moments such as these. He would secure Galindo the protection of his banner as agreed to with Galindo and the Catalan nobles. Time was on his side and Odo needed no more surprises. Galindo's corpse would rot on a cross soon enough.

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Cardinal Esquelles met Captain Berenguer in the great yard. Their breath was thick. The winter wind had Palma in its grasp.

"You have informed the family?" Bereneguer asked the cardinal.

"Yes. I am entrusting you to protect them good captain. They are the royal bloodline."

Captain Berenguer snapped back, "He cared not for them when he named Galindo Cafont heir. What responsibility should I take?"

"You were loyal to your king Captain, I expect that to continue. His daughters need the protection of spear and shield."

"I have been sent for by Galindo for the defense of Barcelona. The Moors return. I can do no such thing."

"Berenguer, your committment is to God, not Galindo. Send the army but I will go to Barcelona on your behalf, as I need to crown our new......king. Stay here to protect our late master's lineage."

---------------------------------------------



With little pomp and circumstance, Vicecomes Galindo became Comes. The people still mourned the loss of their popular leader and vicious rumors were swirling through Barcelona of possible foul play in his death. Galindo wanted to quell any risk of uprising.

After the ceremony, Galindo approached Esquelles, "what do you mean he CAN'T come? I will have him hung!"

"Comes Galindo," the words were tough to speak for the priest, "your men from Palma have arrived. Captain Berenguer needs to guard my flock while I am away. Once I return to Palma, he can come back to our fine city."

Galindo was frustrated at the babbling of this holy man but realized Berenguer was a dutiful squire. It was not an act of insolence but just this meddlesome old man's direction. Besides, he would need time to win over Berenguer's fierce loyalty to Guifre. Speaking of which, Galindo thought, where had Guifre's family been run off to?

And that swine Fortuny had been searched for at his villa and not found. His wife Patronilla had been arrested on suspicion of treason considering her relation to the Navarre court but he wanted to speak with the fork-tongued devil himself. His cousin or not, he might have his wife Sibil murdered if that bastard didn't show his face soon.

------------------------------------------------

Rex Louis sent his repects to the newly crowned Galindo.



Louis knew his nefarious cousins, Odo and Arnulf had to be behind Galindo's coronation. Yet the kingdom of Burgundae could profit off the troubles of all involved and so he sent his initial blessings. Being a more cautious man he would wait to see how the Moors fared in their march on Barcelona.

As Louis sat in his private chamber pondering his next move, his personal guard came to his door. "Sire, a representative of Barcelona has come to see you. It is Vicecomes Pere Fortuny."

Winter 898 cont.

Louis invited Fortuny in. "Vicecomes, I just sent word to your new king congratulations. While it is is unfortunate for you to see the loss of the great Guifre and the valley of Bordeaux, I am sure Galindo will be more amiable to deal with. What brings you here?" Louis was wanting to uncover the truth behind Barcelona's change of crown.

Fortuny had been evading contact with Galindo's spies and henchmen and journeyed all the way from Navarre to Marseille in short order. His wife, Patronilla was pregnant and that still hadnt stopped those ruffians from accosting her. "I come to represent Catalonia and the kingdom of Navarre; for Princeps Sancho himself."

"Sancho himself, aye?" Louis immediately became wary. He knew Fortuny stood in line for the crown but saying he represented Sancho was a bit preposterous. Yes they were connected through marriage but the Navarrese had just taken his lands!

"I bring the seal of the Portugese king himself" Fortuny handed over a letter written on fine paper. "Galindo is stubborn to negotiate peace on our border with Sancho but I have been able to do just that after the terrible attack. The truth is, asking for Bordeaux was Guifre's folly. It was not ours to begin with. We wish to create a Franco-Iberian triumverate between the kingdom of Navarre, the kingdom of Burgundae and my own. The Moors are our common enemy and do not think they will stop at our border. They will march on Marseille if we fall. Further, I know of your impending confrontations with Arnulf and Odo. With Sancho now having a foothold in Bordeaux and Barcelona's ability to attack straight through to Toulouse, Odo is effectively nullified. However, without this agreement, all three of our empires are in peril."

Louis laughed, "Fine points but dear sir, you are not king! How can you enter Barcelona into any such agreement?" He took a large swallow of the goblet of wine beside him. He did not like this man. He was too brazen and bold and clearly here without the knowledge of Galindo. Unfortunately what he said made sense and if a deal was brokered it would definitely bolster his defenses.

"Rex Louis, diplomatic negotiations are a difficult process. Further, to announce our great axis at once might disrupt the current order. We have to prepare for the Moor attack to come in the Spring and any declaration would probabaly bring the fury of Odo and Arnulf down on us all. I come here to negotiate the alliance between Sancho and yourself. He will send an official emissary shortly. Once you have come to terms, it will be easy to convince my own king of its necessity."

-----------------------------------

Sancho had sent spies to follow Fortuny's trail. He was not so sure of his intentions but he had delivered Bordeaux. Now his nephew in-law said he could broker this deal. And when his own diplomat returned from Marseille, it was concrete.



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Galindo furiously paced back and forth in his great chamber. Cardinal Esquelles had returned to Palma and Captain Berenguer was in route. He would surely know something is amiss if Fortuny were not present. And the last thing the captain needed to see was Galindo not in control. He needed Berenguers assistance with the army of Palma who he commanded and the new mercenary army Galindo himself had raised to combat the Moors.

The new king had questioned his wife repeatedly and rather roughly to see if she knew of her cousin's whereabouts but she was clueless. He needed to know if Fortuny had arranged the death of Guifre. Yes it had accomplished his own goals of becoming king but if true, Fortuny possessed political power with a kingdom now their enemy.

As he considered issuing a formal edict claiming Pere Fortuny an enemy of the crown, Comes Galindo had an important visitor. It was Maria, the daughter of Princeps Sancho.

"I am sure you are here for the imprisonment of your cousin Patronilla. She has not been harmed, I realize she is with child." This was a fact that burned at Galindo as well. His own wife had failed to carry. "We are only holding her until her husband can be found. It is for her safety. We feel somone may be after the family."

"You are an awful liar Comes Galindo. If anyone is after her family it is you yourself." Galindo turned noticeably red but she continued. "I bring word from my king he wishes no further engagements. He wishes peace. We both know that Guifre's possession of Bordeaux was impossible. Barcelona could barely defend its own borders."



Galindo was enraged. He needed Bordeaux to satisfy Odo. Without it he was surely a dead man. Odo had sent his agents explaining as long as Galindo agreed to hand over Barcelona to the Franks, all was forgiven. Galindo didnt believe that for a second. He barked at Maria, "Tell your king to return Bordeaux and we will have a deal. I do not know what accord you struck with Pere Fortuny but it is illegitimate."

"Im glad you brought that up. My father demands that your witch hunt of Fortuny ceases. The attack on Bordeaux was of his own accord. The familial ties that bond our empires is of great importance to him. He has just struck an alliance with Rex Louis of Burgundae. Your forces will be diminished and exhausted after the war with the Moors. It would be regretful for Sancho to enlist the help of his new ally to avenge the loss of his nephew, the father of his grandchild."

Galindo could not believe his quandry but he really had no choice. If he rebuffed this deal and agreed to Odo's terms, Odo would take the reigns of his kingdom and surely put him to death. If he agreed to Sancho's ultimatum, he faced the West Franks but had a capable army, two fewer opponents and more importantly, his own life. He only needed to tolerate Fortuny's miserable existence until the right opportunity arose and he cemented his standing as king with Berenguer and the army. After much thought, Galindo grimmaced, "Let our young prince know I pleasantly await his return home!"



------------------------------------------------

Pere Fortuny, on word of Maria's successful mission, retuned to Barcelona. His wife had been released and while visibly shaken from her arrest, was in good health. And at the end of that year, Pere Fortuny's daughter Brigida was born.



Spring 899



The two Moor armies commanded by captains Salim and Hachim were still dug in the countryside, continuously pounded by an expectedly heavy snowfall into Spring. Comes Galindo, with Berengeuer to assist him, called for attack on the Muslim forces.

Galindo had also requested that Vicecomes Fortuny remain at his villa, attend to his new daughter and enjoy the beginnings of fatherhood. He informed the royal guard that Fortuny was to be hung if he set foot in Barcelona during his abscence.

Salim and Hachim had lost many men to the inclement weather and were unprepared for the attack. They had failed to adequately scout Barcelona since they set camp at the end of the previous year and did not know of Galindo amassing an army or even the reinforcement of Berenguer's forces from Palma.

Catalunya was not headless as they assumed but now a hydra, poised to strike.



Galindo's mercenaries were battle hardened and tested Iberian strongmen, impervious to the harshness of winter. The initial troops hired by Guifre informed the newcomers assembled by Galindo that they were sure foul play was involved. But since thier allegiance was to gold and silver, as long as this Catalan king contunued to pay them handsomely, they would fight under his banner. They were told a second army that heralded from Palma would assist in the assault as well.



"Captain Bereguer," Galindo boomed, "are you ready to lead your men into battle? I've procured quite a force to be reckoned with. They should amply assist you in the decimation of the enemy. Your capture of Palma was military genious. I did not want to let you down this day."

The Cardinal had informed Berenguer about Galindo's possible hand in Guifre's demise. He knew Galindo was not to be trusted. The flattery was getting him nowhere. However, he was impressed with the force the man had summoned. "Lets put them to the test then and remove these heretics once and for all from this good Earth."

Spring 899 cont

Berenguer sent his mercenary Frankish calvary in first. The thunder from their hooves was muted in the soft snow. The seeming calm of their charge belied the ferocity with which it would be delivered. The Muslim archers had set up a line but found it difficult to pull their bowstrings with effectiveness in the biting frost of the morning.

The archers panicked and soon scurried about in the snow, attempting to avoid the Barcelona horses. The Muslim heavy calvary went to engage the Franks, embolden their troops and prevent mass chaos but Berenguer commanded his footmen to envelop the counter-attack. He then told Galindo to flank the fleeing archers as he took his own men straight at the heart of the Moor infantry.

In their quickness to hold the line, Captains Salim and Hachim were indeed trapped by the rush of Catalan soldiers that came next and desperately tried to fight their way out. Bogged down by the weight of the snow drifts and a thousand men, both Muslim leaders soon fell to the steel of their enemy.

As the Moor spearmen and archers saw their leaders dissapear in the mass of humanity, they knew all was lost this day. They attempted to flee the battle but the Catalan war horses seemed to be everywhere. Galindo and his riders gave chase and cut them down with impugnity. Many simply dropped and prayed to Allah to deliver them from the nightmare that was unforlding.



It was a resounding victory for the new king.



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The battle ended with so little loss of life for Barcelona and such a crushing defeat for the Moors, Galindo was compelled to march further towards the Moor held city of Valencia. After regrouping and resupplyng, Galindo did indeed march South. It was Barcelona's first offensive campaign. The countryside was thick with Muslim deserters and they would often capture men who had gone feral after the snow battle, none wishing to return home and feel the wrath of their Sultan. However, one day a deserter entered a local church and begged for Christian mercy. During his repentance and conversion, he told the clergy there was a plan being conceived to take Palma. The Moor navy had reported to their Sultan that the island was lightly garrisoned and prime for the taking. It was determined a small stike force could slip under the noses of the Catalan army and merchants who sailed the local seas.

Galindo met at once with Berenguer and asked him to relieve the troops there. "I need your army as we march towards Valencia but you may go to Palma's defense. I am sure Cardinal Esquelles will appreciate your arrival." Besides, Galindo had noticed that even the mercenaries were looking to Berenguer as their defacto leader. Berenguer's field prowess could not test the allegiance of the army. Above all else Comes Galindo needed to cement his legitimacy.

Berenguer was full of indignation. He had successfully led these men; crushing the enemy. Galindo even looked to HIM for direction during the battle! How would he expect to win any future engagement in Valencia? Did he really expect the army to follow proven incompetence? And with the unspoken knowledge that Guifre likely died by his hands? The captain left at once but such continued insult could not stand.

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Shakir reported the lamentable news to his sultan. "Our army was crushed. Our captains were more than capable, the troops were your finest from Akaba's jihad. It will be a loss not easily overcome. Worse the enemy now marches towards Valencia."

The Sultan cursed himself for his miscalculation. Why didnt he strike when he had the chance? He grasped for something positive, "What of our attack on Palma?"

"Allah will guide them to victory." Yet Shakir's words seemed more of hope than anything concrete.

Spring 899 cont

Berenguer had scarcely left the docks himself when foreign mastheads were seen on the horizon. Captain Ferrando who had been keeping guard of Palma in his absence was already mobilizing his guard.

The castle walls clamored with activity as Berenguer met his kinsman, "It appears we are just in time for the party. I am impressed how the enemy was able to sail here undetected."

Ferrando was glad to see his commander. "There are few ships so I am hoping for the best. We don't have enough men to handle a full scale assault."

Berenguer smiled, "We'll do God's work."

------------------------------------

Captain Azizudeen had sailed swiftly under the black of night. They had monitored the sailing patters of the Barcelona merchant fleet for weeks to ensure non-discovery. He had been given a small but elite fighting force to take the island.

Azizudeen was expecting to receive more men for his mission from his sultan but after the brutal defeat a month ago, he would have to work with the men provided. His men had seen action in Akaba and were up to the task but Palma was a formidible opponent with high walls and a multi-layered defense. He called his men to arms as the island appeared on the horizon.

As they disembarked on the rocky shore, they were not met by the enemy. They saw no activity on the tower walls. The scouting parties had done thier job. There must be a skeleton crew defending her. Allah was with them. Azizudeen ordered the siege crew into action.

------------------------------------------------------

Berenguer saw the Muslim calvary unload from the docks from on high. While concerned at the sight of the giant Arabians, the invader's force seemed rather small. Cardinal Esquelles was at his side.

"Captain, how do we fare?"

"Tough to say. They seem undermanned but so are we. I am sure God will see us through."

"Your victory at Lerida has reached all corners of the kingdom. Your city commends you. I commend you. God commends you. Perhaps we will finally be free of the Muslim scourge at our doorstep."

"Not with Galindo leading my men. That man and his ways will lead us all to ruin." Berenguer kept his eye on the Moor force assembling. "Come father, lets get you to safety."

------------------------------------------

After several days, Azizudeen was ready.



"Prepare the ram, ladders and tower!" Azizudeen shouted. "Prepare for your end infidels! Palma will soon return under the watchful eye of Allah!" Signaled by their leaders sword, the Moors rushed forward.

Captain Berenguer had his defenders light their arrows. He himself drew a bowstring. Not known for his marksmanship, he still needed every available man ready to rain fire down on the enemies machinery. The flaming arrows hit their marks and the Moor siege equipment began to smoke.

In minutes, the seige tower was a chimney of flames.



Berenguer yelled at his troops, "Hit the ram! Hit the ram!" And with reckless abandon they shot at the target below. And again, fortune smiled on Berenguer.



"HA HA! Good work men!" Berenguer screamed at the Moors from the battlement "Bring the ladders so we can send you off to Hell proper!"

Azizudeen could not believe the scene unfolding. He sent in the remainder of his force with their ladders but as a man who sees checkmate unfolding turns ahead, he knew the outcome. "Go with Allah good soldiers!"

Dutifully his men scaled the fortress but were instantly attacked by the human gargoyles that guarded the walls.



The Moors at the bottom rungs saw the futility of their attempt and ran in panic for the boats. Captain Azizudeen watched in disgust as his men fled.

Berenguer was victorious once more! He pushed the deserted ladders from his castle in triumph. "Come men, lets show them Catalan hides behind walls no longer!" His ears rang from the yells of his countrymen.

As he left the gate, he boasted to Azizudeen, "This is the last time you snakes set foot on this soil. From this moment forward, tell your sultan we take the fight to you!" The chorus of cheers continued.



Word spread to Comes Galindo of Berenguer's brave actions. He could not help think that by dispatching Guifre, had he let a greater warrior take his place?

"Damn these heroes."



Winter 899

The summer came and went for Galindo and his army. Harrassed by Moor raiding parties, Galindo was learning a military campaign was far harder than defending the walls of a city. They moved at a snail's pace, their leader cautiously regrouping each time there was even the slightest enagement. Eventually the summer season passed and he had them hunkering down for winter.

Another thing that Galindo had failed to account for was that war cost money and his mercenaries did not come cheaply. The small fortune he had amassed with the nobles who helped put him in power was now gone. Not only did he face the prospect of a grueling winter but massive debt for Barcelona as well.

The belt tightening wasnt going over well with the men who still held allegiance to Berenguer. Faced with the prospect of being a king without an army to command, Galindo sent for the man of Palma once more to bolster morale and help in his march on Valencia.



----------------------------------

Galindo's predicament was not lost on Pere Fortuny, the near outcast yet current heir to the throne. His deal making between the kingdoms of Navarre and Burgundy had saved his skin but he knew his own existence was in a constant state of jeopardy. Fortuny was made a prisoner in his own home and he would always curse the halls of his villa when he would spot the king's small garrison camped out beyond the estate grounds. He knew Galindo would not take the risk of killing him YET. For all practically purposes though he was as good as dead in the Comes' eyes.

Pere was not one to be underestimated. He had the diplomat Ramiro de Cabrera send word to Berenguer to pay visit as the captain headed towards Galindo's entrenched army.

Ramiro was a strong persuader. Berenguer arrived at Fortuny's estate unhampered by the guards outside out of sheer respect.

After a lengthy meeting, Berenguer left the Fortuny estate. As he marched past on his horse, he was approached by several of his kinsman. They cheered for his victories and the defense of Palma. He paid them no mind. His thoughts lay elsewhere.

[Legio]

The Survival of Catalunya

Winter 899 (cont)

Berenguer eventually caught up with the army in the dead of winter. Greeted by cheers and warm welcome from his countrymen he soon met with Comes Galindo.

"Captain thank you for coming. How was your journey?"

"Without incident." Berenguer did not reveal his meeting with Fortuny. "I have spoken to many men here. What they tell me troubles me. They say you have cut off payment to the regulars and begun rationing. Im assuming that mean you are still paying the mercenaries. You are creating division in your troops. This is a dangerous thing."

Galindo was visibly annoyed. "I have had no choice. It has been a tough winter."

"If you do not pay let alone not feed your men, they will desert you. If they desert you, the mercenaries will desert you...or worse." Berenguer continued, "However, I should be able to convince them to hold through winter and at the dawn of better weather, we can make haste towards our target."

"My dear Captain, if you can hold the men together, I will lead us to Valencia."

It was difficult for Berenguer to hold back from laughing. He knew who would be in charge. "I will dutifully follow."

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Rex Arnulf could hardly believe his ears. "I am impressed if he manages this. It seems quite a stretch. However, it appears our negotiations will bear fruition." A messenger had returned with word from Catalonia of impending events there.

He hastily had one of his scribes construct a retun letter. "Tell him that if such events transpire he will have the blessing of Francorum Orientalis." As the letter was sealed, Arnulf hammered down his seal upon the parchment.

--------------------------------

Rex Odo knew of the perils of the Catalan army from his agents. He did not want the Moors to solve his problem for him.

Odo's patience was wearing thin. Galindo had said he would commit to the vassaldom agreed to years prior on his return from war. But the king of the West Franks was not one to take chances any longer.

He had heard of the rift between Galindo and the heir to the throne of Barcelona, Pere Fortuny. He had heard rumors that the alliance forged between Navarre and Burgundy was engineered by the heir himself! If so, if anything did happen to Galindo, his previous agreement would be in jeopardy. He called his generals to meeting.

"Prepare the men for war. We may soon march South once again."

Spring 900

As the first break in inclement weather, Berenguer rallied Galindos troops and they continued thier advance. Now when the Moors now attacked with their raiding parties, Berenguer would send small groups of men after the enemy to chase them off but ensured the main force moved forward. Yes they would lose men on the way but Comes Galindo had been far too careful before and it had cost him time and money; commodities currently more precious than men.

The Muslim forces in East Hispania has been shattered from the winter battle a year prior. Unable to muster a force to meet the Catalan army, the region's Muslim Prince, Jalaf al Sahaf had ordered his men to mount a defense at Valenica. Al Sahaf had heard of the resolute defense of Barcelona in thier engagements years ago. He would now return the favor.

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The sky was black as they approached the city. Valencia seemed forboding against the dark backdrop.

Galindo met with Berenguer one final time. "Are the preparations ready for the assault?"

Berenguer went over them in his mind, "Completely."

-------------------------------



The air soon was thick with flame-lit arrows.

Berenguer screamed at his men, "Charge with the ram men!" The wooden walls must fall to breach the city. Low on supplies, Berenguer had only been able to construct one. There could be no more waiting. Starvation and desertion of the men demanded it.

Galindo galloped forward to witness his men's progress. He leaned over the side of his horse, nauseous at the sight of what was unfolding.



Galindo saw the flames envelop the ram and turn into an unholy sepuchre of his war, his dynasty and his kingdom. All was lost. He could not regroup and attempt another assault the next season. His men would desert him and he could no longer afford the mercenaries. If he returned to Barcelona in defeat he wasnt sure who would kill him first; the nobles, Rex Odo or the people of Barcelona themselves?

Berengeur didnt expect such catastrophe. The men around him stood aghast. With this defeat, the Moors would surely counter-attack on their march home and the court's rivals, sensing this sign of weakness, would probably invade as well. The end of Catalan was nigh.

He raced to Galindo's side, "I am without words...."

Jalaf saw the weight of defeat come crashing down on the dogs outside his walls. Allah himself had guided thier fiery arrows to their target! His men screamed in victory, taunting their would be assailants from the walls of the city. The rain started to come down from the sky, another great sign of their triumph.

He knew his Sultan would be pleased. But he wished to make his sultan proud. Jalaf had the chance to smash the enemy army here and save his countrymen the trouble of a long fight in the future. He quickly rallied his troops to attack the heathens outside.

"Allah has shown us this is our day!"

The men of Barcelona still stood around in shock. They remained in formation but without command from either Berenguer or Galindo. The rain poured on them, the cold piercing their veins, immobilizing them further.

However, as the gates of Valencia began to creak open, Galindo's mind sprung into action. "Those fools! They give us hope! Rally the men! We charge the gate!"

Berenguer rode towards the troops behind him and signalled the charge. The men now emboldened with purpose, ran forward.

As the gates fully opened, the Moors could not believe how swiftly Galindo's calvary was upon them. Fighting with the desperation of a king losing his kingdom, Galindo hacked his way through the Moor front line.



Berenguer quickly rushed to the front as well. This attack had to succeed, the fate of his people depended upon him.

As the battle raged, Jafar could not believe the enemy had not only met his infantry there but had managed to push their way inside. He mounted his horse and led the counter charge. Today would be his day for glory.

Berenguer saw the Moor prince charging impetously towards them. The colors of royalty streamed about the enemy horses as they thundered into the scrum of battle. With great effort he made his way past several assailants ready to meet the Muslim riders. Grabbing a spear deftly from one of his countrymen he flung it with all the force he could muster.



The spear found its mark. The force of impact threw the enemy commander from his horse for all to see.

As the Catalan infantry stormed the breach at the gates, with no leader, the enemy panicked and quickly retreated to the town center.

Galindo could not believe the swing of fortunes he had just witnessed. He followed the fleeing defenders, hacking and slashing at their backs. Berenguer followed the king towards the city center.

The glory was to be his Galindo mused as he methodically lay waste to the Moor militia defending the heart of the city. He looked to his left, knowing Berenguer would amply assist in these final moments. The chaos of spear, sword and shield still circled around them but victory was assured. With their horses side by side, he boasted to Berenguer, "We take this city! My empire now grows! Let the other European kings and princes soon fear me!"

Berenguer removed the dagger at his side from its sheath and drove it into Galindo's back.

Spring 900 cont.

Galindo struggled to remain on his horse. Berenguer looked into the dying mans eyes one last time before re-engaging the Moors around them. "For Guifre, For Barcelona." He wispered.

It was now difficult for Galindo to raise his shield and the Muslim spearmen around him were quick to capitalize. Several of them struck the wounded leader with more mortal blows. Galindo's lifeless body slouched over in its saddle.

The army of Catalunya wavered but Captain Berenguer took command of the situation. "Rally around me men. We have the enemy at our mercy. Let us finish off this Moslem scourge here and reclaim the city of Valencia for the people of Barcelona and Hispania! For God!"

When the battle was finished and the last of the defenders fell, Captain Berenguer ordered the proper burial of Comes Galindo. "Let us commend our fallen king for the valor he presented this day and honor him by laying his to rest here in the city square. Our new king, Comes Fortuny will be proud of our resilience and God's will."



However skilled Berenguer was as a swordsman, he was no assassin. Men in the city square fighting beside their leaders had seen the deadly act that Berenguer had carried out. While most of the men did not care for Galindo's leadership and saw his fall as good riddance, the holy light that seemed to radiate from their esteemed champion Captain Berenguer had vanished.

----------------------------------------

Pere Fortuny was sent word of Galindos demise. He stormed from the doors of his villa to the men outside. He went to the garrison commander who had been guarding the estate for Galindo and struck him across the face with the palm of his hand. "I should have you drawn and quartered. However, I will instead have you serve in my kingdom as a border guard near the Moor front. Make sure you and your men make haste before I change my mind." Mounting his horse he then headed for Barcelona.

----------------------------------------

Fortuny was greeted with the sight of Barcelona's port blockaded by French and Italian warships.

"What has happened here?" he demanded of the nobles assembled to receive their new king.

"The Italians and French have blocked our ports. They have declared war on hearing of our victory at Valencia, we presume." they offered as a response. "Rex Odo sent only one message. 'Prepare yourselves.' "

Fortuny began to fervorously work on his next grand design.

--------------------------------------------

Captain Berenguer returned to Barcelona with a hero's welcome. As he marched down the streets of the city, the people showered him with victory wreaths.

Pere Fortuny had told the people a great ceremony was to be held for their man of valour.



The festival lasted many days. During this time Fortuny met individually with the great nobles and informed them of their change of luck. Galindo lay rotting in a box in Valencia and was of no use to them now. Barcelona was now his and if they wished to avoid the same fate as Galindo that they had better be prepared to support the crown unconditionally.

Fortuny saved the final meeting for Galindo's father, Pere Cafont. The man was still visibly distraught at the death of his son when Fortuny saw him in his chamber.

"What do want from me Comes Fortuny? I have lost all that matters."

"Unlike your peers who I simply told that all their gold now belongs to me, I wanted to inform you that I discovered your nefarious plot. Silent men speak when gold is involved." Fortuny was basking in this moment of comeuppance for his former tormentors.

Pere Cafont stammered, "That....that...is madness....."

Fortuny continued, "Also that it was I that slay your son. I had the good Captain we now honor in this great feasting drive the blade deep in his back. He said the breath left his body slowly. He was most definitely in great pain when death took him."

Cafont doubled over in grief. "Why would you say such things? Why...why would you do such things? Our fair Captain would do NO such thing!"

"Your son wanted me dead. It was only through my own mastery of diplomacy that I stand before you. I arranged the Captain do my bidding so that I could rule this kingdom and bring justice to my captors. His loyalty lay to his departed Guifre and the people of Catalonia, not your son."

"What of your cousin? You have killed her huband! Have you no soul? Of what wickedness were you born?"

"You yourself should know the bond of blood is far greater than any arranged marriage. She was unaware of the machinations around her but once she assisted in me becoming heir, the wheels were put in motion."

Cafont submitted to the hopelessness of the siutation, "I assume you are here for my gold as well then..."

"No you are here to serve as example to the others. I have to have action behind my reason. I figure the other nobles wont listen to idle threats." Fortuny drew his sword and with a rage that had been buiding inside him for some time, cleaved Cafont in two with his stroke. Taking Pere's head, he severed it from its body with maddening fury.

As blood washed over the marble floor of his chamber, he called in his henchmen. "Put this cretin's head in a bag. Show it to all of the other nobles I have met with today. Show them the penalty for failing to follow obediently."

He looked at his bloodsoaked garments. "Now what am I to wear for the coronation?"

-----------------------------

After a week of festivities, Fortuny announced to his people that such admirable duty to ones God and kingdom should be rewarded.

One the eve of the last night of celebration, Fortuny named Captain Berenguer the heir to his throne. As promised to Berenguer that winter night at his villa, the hand of his daughter in marriage was to be arranged when she was of age, bringing Berenguer in line for successon.



-----------------------------------

Word reached Cardinal Esquelles in Palma of the events that had unfolded the past season.

"God have mercy on us all."

Summer 901

The navy of Barcelona was soon called upon to clear the French and Italian warships from her harbor. The crashing of ships couple be seen from the foothills above the city as the sea battle raged an entire day. The Italians however disengaged upon sight of the Catalonian fleet and allowed the Catalan navy to emerge victorious. Fortuny had heard no formal declaration of war from the Italians nor of any alliance with the Franks; perhaps they were there as advisories? A troubling sign nonetheless. He would need to make contact with them in short order.

However, congratulations on his ascendancy were received from Rex Arnulf, Rex Louis and even the Spanish king!



The very king who had turned his back on Guifre! His wife's family ties to Navarre were truly strong. He would make sure to reward Sancho admirably for bringing Astoria back into the fold. Let Odo and his men come! The Muslim army had been annilihated at Valencia. He had just turned back the French navy and the Frank troops would fare no better with Captain Berenguer in command of defending Barcelona.

It was troubling that he had to promise the hand of his young daughter to Berenguer but in retrospect, he could fare far worse than the captain as a ward of the court. Look at what had happened to Galindo! Ha! Fortuny laughed in self-satisfaction.



He would need to hope that his heir were not as treacherous as he.

Winter 901

Summer came and passed without event. Even at the edge of the empire, the Moor presence felt almost non-existent. Further, despite Odo's warning, no attack came. In fact, all was calm in the kingdom.




However, the gears of war were turning.

------------------------------

The loss of Valencia sent the Moors into a sense of vulnerability they had not felt for a hundred years. Who were these rebels? How were they succeeding where so many Iberian kingdoms had failed before them? Their sultan was becoming tired of their victories.

And now their new king, this Fortuny, the second king in as many years had aroused a fire in the other fiefdoms on the penninsula. United they presented a dire problem. The Sultan was losing his stranglehold on Hispania.

Shakir met his Sultan at Gabal-Al-Tariq. The Sultan often came here to see his homeland across the water. It was frustrating to know he could not depart until this Christian uprising was crushed but it was good to see mother Africa on the horizon.

"My dear Sultan, I am happy to see you once more. It has been some time." Shakir knew that the Sultan was troubled. He only came to Gabal-Al-Tariq when troubled.

"It seems these dogs wont give up. Worse, we have suffered defeat after defeat to these heathens that's given all of Europa life. I am failing my great ancestors who took this land so many years before me. I am failing Allah!" The waves crashed and thundered below them, almost as if Poseidon himself was in agreement.

"Why did you send for me my dear sultan?" Shakir shifted uncomfortably, hoping he wasnt somehow being held responsible for this set of failures.

"Prepare my forces for attack once more. We will lay waste to all of their kingdoms. This will be the holiest of wars. There will be bloodshed not seen for a thousand years! Raid my treasury if need be. Drag every beggar from the street and give him sword, spear or club. I will finish these infidels myself." He looked up at the great mountain gateway to the sea, past its granite peak and into heaven itself. "It is my destiny good friend."

--------------------------------

Rex Odo met with Captain Enguerran, one of his finest military men and his son, Prince Charles the Merciless. The name so given for the man's cruelty on the battlefield and with his own people. Not a man of conscience, he had embraced the blackness that seemed to surround his heart and mind.

"Captain Enguerran, do not fail my father." Charles playfully twirled his sword in his hand.

Enguerran kept a watchful eye on the prince's movement. "I will not. We have the Pope's blessing, God's blessing."

"I expect only victory. We are negotiating a treaty with the Italians to assist us. However, our mission is to take Barcelona. From there we can smash Marseille and that pompous Louis from both sides. He acts as my equal, the timid little snob. The kingdom of Navarre will then be alone by itself and we can retake Bordeaux. You have not failed me in the past. If you succeed in ridding us once and for all of the Catalan vermin, I will bequeath the castle there to you."

Enguerran was overcome with his king's gratitude. "I leave for Barcelona at once!" He gave Odo a majestic bow and strode away with thoughts of future victory and celebration.

Charles turned towards his father, grinding the tip of his sword into the great table before them as the captain left.

"That belonged to our great Charlemagne himself, why must you desecrate it?" Odo shook his head in disbelief.

"Why do you place value on the dead? Just as my great grandfather, thats what Enguerran is. Have you not seen all lesser men who march on Barcelona perish? Let me lead the fight! I will bring the proper glory you deserve! And why do you negotiate with the Italians? They are so unbelievably greedy! They would not even assist our navy at Barcelona without contract!"

"I need you for the fight against Arnulf. He is a terrible man. Once he catches wind of our alliance with the Italians, I know peace on our border will be but a memory. Enguerran will capture Barcelona and Marseille. Besides, I must keep you hear at home so that Rex Louis is none the wiser before his throat is cut." Odo was perturbed by his son's naivety.

He went on, "As for the Italians, word of the turmoil going on around Barcelona has spread past our border to even Eastern Europe. The Italian merchants are acting like a dog in heat, begging their king to take action and give them access to its treasures. They know the Moors have suffered great defeats and are weakened as well. If we don't take control soon, the entire region will be plunged into war."

Charles' eyes grew wide at the prospect. "Let it come!"

------------------------------

Winter 901 cont

Rex Arnulf's spies had been busy. Gathered together in their guild with the king himself, they were to reveal their findings of what was transpiring to the West. The night was as cold as the men camped inside.

The guild was full of commotion as servers bustled about. The king had ordered a fine feast for his eyes and ears. His advisors and personal guard always hated when the king would leave the confines of his castle but Arnulf seemed to enjoy the chaos that surrounded him in these meetings.

"Well gentlemen, what news do you bring?"

"King Odo prepares for war on Barcelona. My harlots have pulled this directly from the lips of the king's son Charles!" One of the mongrels hastily offered, eager to please his master.

"Odo sent a letter to Comes Fortuny himself you fool! Are you here to offer new information or serve as an overgrown parrot?" The room roared with laughter.

"Sire, what you may not know is WHY. Odo is prepared to ally himself with the Italians and strike at your cousin Louis in Marseille!" The room went quiet.

Arnulf was visibly shaken at this news. Francorum Orientalis could handle Rex Odo but the introduction of the Italians troubled him. A Frankish-Italian alliance would be a considerable foe, with his kingdom caught in the middle. Worse, if Odo was to actually take Barcelona and Marseille with the Italians help, he might soon find the new partners invading Bavaria itself.

After taking several moment to carefully weight this news, Arnulf changed the discussion, "What of this Comes Fortuny of Barcelona? What type of man is he?"

A tall shadowy man from Basque stepped forward, "He is a man of murder and cunning. He secured his place on the throne through trickery and deceit. He has sent chills of fear through the Catalan nobles. He has sided with the kingdoms of Navarre and Astoria of Hispania. Barcelona does not seem to stand alone."

The East Frank king nodded in acknowledgement but soon worry returned his attention to Odo's plot. "What of Louis? Is he aware of this action against him?"

Another unsavory agent came forward and hissed, "He is as ignorant as always. He still believes in your intention to ally with him against your cousin Odo. He would have been running around his castle weeping if he knew of such designs on Marseille. You would have heard him bawling from your chamber yourself." Despite the seriousness of the message, the room of brigands couldnt help but snicker at the description of the Burgundae king. "He did meet with Comes Fortuny however some time ago. Perhaps he wishes to join Catalunya?"

There was much for Arnulf to think about. He told his personal guard to ready his horse as he left the guild. Throwing a sack of gold on the table behind him, he exited the thieves den. Turning to his champions, he commanded, "Come. We ride for Marseille at once."

-----------------------------------

Spring 902

By Spring, the Moors had gathered two armies and were marching on the captured city of Valencia. The garrisons outside Valencia had monitored their approach. It was rumored that another greater army beyond their eyes was being assembled as well for an all out war on all the kingdoms of Iberia.



The Barcelona troops' anticipation of the battle to come was unbearable.

Word travelled to Comes Fortuny. While he knew the Moors wouldnt let him hold Valencia without a fight, his political brilliance would soon shine through again.

-------------------------------

Arnulf met with Louis personally and revealed the plot of Odo. While Louis was distrustful of the egregious king of the East Franks, he had seen Italian warships in the Western Mediterrean with increasing regularity.

Arnulf pressed Louis on his talks withs Fortuny of Barcelona and Louis nervously rebuffed him. He then asked Louis to go to war with him against Odo but how could he be sure Arnulf didnt have designs on Marseille himself?

Louis was confounded by his situation. How had the upstart Barcelona been able to position itself so perfectly, allied with 2 other kingdoms while he now seemed to be potentially devoured by his cousins? How could Rex Odo break their alliance and enlist the Italians against him? Had he no respect for the work Charlemagne had done?

-------------------------------

"So, Rex Odo has planned for an alliance between your peoples?" Fortuny had intercepted the Italian diplomat Evio Carcano near Barcelona.

"I know of no such plan you speak of." Carcano was uneasy. He had thought to travel through the region unnoticed. While not formally captured, he had been informed by some very large ruffians that an audience with the king of Barcelona would be greatly frowned upon. He was now wishing he had not travelled so near the fabled city. His Roman ancestors had ruled over Faventia, as they had called it, hundreds of years prior and nurtured it from a small town into the commercial capital it had become. His childish curiosity now led him to this most unfortunate meeting.

"Come now, my good friend, do you not think your proud Italian sailors keep mute when they enter Barcelona's drinking halls and brothels? Playing dumb simply insults me."

Carceno wasnt sure if his next words would be his last so he stood motionless and forced a thin smile.

Continuing, Fortuny peered out from his chamber window to the port below. "All of Iberia is full of riches. It would be impossible for any man not to covet, especially you Italians who have a keen eye for things of beauty. The Moors came here hundreds of years ago mesmerized by it. Now I seek to drive them out. However, a war with your king would complicate things."

Carceno not wanting to insult his host, hastily agreed. "We dont wish war with you."

"Then why were Italian warships in my port!" Fortuny morphed from cordiality to ferocity in an instant. "You dont hang from the old Roman walls simply because you broke from our attack. Your people may have the stomach for profits but not war.....at least not war with Catalonia. It was a wise decision."

Fortuny added, "Tell your king to abandon his deal with Odo. The French king has been shown a fool once by losing Bordeaux to the kingdom of Navarre. Dont let him make you a fool the second time around." Fortuny could tell he had the diplomats attention. "However, I am not a blind man, as those before me. I understand the aspirations of kings. I only wish to point out the path of least resistance. Along with my own, the kingdoms of Navarre and Asturia go to war with the Moors. They are preparing massive armies for assault on all of Iberia. Northern Africa is therefore weak and undefended, ripe for the taking for a man of action such as your leader." Carceno's eyes lit up at the revelation.

"A person of your intelligence is also surely aware that Rex Arnulf of Orientalis has met with Rex Louis of Burgundae. Rest assured your plot has been revealed. On your return home, I might also suggest a visit to to Marseille and convince the king there otherwise of any planned attack on him." Carceno was having trouble taking all of Fortuny's words in. Did this man have the eyes and ears of God?

Fortuny concluded his oration, "our good Lord has willed us unified against the animals that we go to war with. Take the easier spoils of war than those that Odo has presented before you." Carceno seemed relieved. "Enough talk. Enjoy this fine city of your fine ancestral Romans then make haste. Africa lays ripe for the taking. I look forward to sharing a common border to the South with my new Italian neighbors." Taking a glass of wine from his table, he toasted to the speechless Italian emissary, "Bella vita."

Fortuny was sure his words had struck their mark.

Spring 902 (cont)

After his meeting with Carceno, Comes Fortuny sent word to Princeps Sancho of Navarre to aid in his defense of Valencia. Through Sancho, he enlisted the help of Asturia as well and proposed a three pronged strike at the Muslims for Reconquista. Sancho dutifully complied and launched an offensive in the Spring.

He hoped that his extremely lucky interception of the Italian emissary would indeed prevent them from attacking or upsetting this delicate balance that was being played. The Milanese would be as powerful a foe as the others. If Marseille fell to either Odo or Rex Berengario of Italy, the pendulum would swing too greatly.

He knew that Odo was now Hell bent on capturing Barcelona, the death of Galindo notwithstanding. If the Italians allied with them they would surely crush Louis if the rumors were true with Barcelona not far behind.

Rex Arnulf in the East was bent on conquest and he seemed to always be meddling about but the distance to Hispania kept him just that. Berengario was probably the only power in Europe that kept Arnulf in check. If Arnulf could neutralize the Italians he would set the fury of his army westward on Odo and eventually the Spanish peninsula.

The Moors were still a troubling menace but as long as the alliance of the Iberian kingdoms could hold, they could slowly but surely be beaten. If the Italians realized this, the Moors could be completely sent running for Africa.

He wondered how they would play their wild-card.

Winter 902

Captain Enguerran marched his men towards Barcelona. The city was earning the reputation amoung the ranks as "unconquerable". He did his best to quell such thoughts in himself. A victory in Barcelona would not only crush the Catalonians but leave allow him to march on Marseille, giving Frankorum Occidentalis two of the richest port cities in the Medeterranean. Bordueax would be his. His plan had to succeed for his king.

---------------------------

The Navarre offensive had worked as planned for Fortuny. The Moor Sultan was forced to hold off the attack on Valencia to shore up his defense to the North. The armies that were amassing at Valenia soon retreated to ensure the rear echelons were not attacked.



Despite Fortuny's ability to pull the pressure off of Valenica, Odo sent word to Fortuny to prepare for annilihation. Captain Berenguer readied the defense of Barcelona once more.

[Legio]

The Survival of Catalunya

Spring 903

Captain Enguerran's forces were almost at Barcelona. The Moors, still preoccupied with a brutal and unexpected assault by the kingdom of Navarre had sent its Valencia bound army northward. The Moor Sultan entrusted the defense to his Captains. He had no interest in the lesser foe. Along with Shakir, the Sultan journeyed to the coastal city to monitor their more troubling adversary. Dressed in Imam garbs to avoid detection, they observed the Franks march.



"The Franks attack Barcelona but they face the Catalan champion Berenguer. It is said he is a greater warrior than Guifre." The Sultan had to shield his eyes from the intense reflection the French troops' armor was generating from the mid-day sun.

Shakir concurred with his leader's assessment, "He is a great warrior and a greater demon. It is said he killed his own king for personal glory. But a capable leader nonetheless. Their king, Comes Fortuny is said to have left the defense of the city completely in his hands."

The Sultan still couldnt believe the treachery of these heathens. "It is too bad that we could not strike Valencia then. The Navarrese offensive is mind-boggling. What of their leader Fortuny?"

"Another demon but more skilled with the tongue than sword."

Laughing, the Sultan peered forward once more at the impetuous French army. "My good friend, you of all people should know that is the most dangerous sword of all..."

--------------------------------

Evio Carcano indeed travelled to Marseille to see Rex Louis there. He needed to confirm if the rumors were true that Louis was aware of the potential deal with the West Franks. If Louis was aware of the treachery againt him, he could throw his lot to any of the powers in this stuggle of Western Europe.

The answer to his question was immediate. He was arrested on his arrival. Thinking to himself, Carcano was hoping this journey would be his last to the troubled region. These continuous detentions were insulting to a man of his blood and character.

He was received by Rex Louis in the evening in the great courtyard of his castle. The Spring air was already warm, a signal to Louis the summer would be long, hot and bloody. "Why do you know of my cousin's deception against me?" he asked the Italian diplomat.

Evio did not want to respond. It seemed these Frankish kings were all intertwined with deceit and counterfeit. "We plan action against the Comte de Barcelona, nothing more."

"Rex Arnulf himself travelled here and met with me explaining your ruse." Louis looked around uncomfortably at the night sky.

Carcano recognized the uncertainty in Louis' voice and capitalized on it. "You are mistaken great king. You yourself know Arnulf has designs on all of France and even Spain. Your empire is natually part of that. You know of Arnulf reputation with the Church; with his "allies." Why would you listen to such slander?"

Louis stammered, "I will not be bullied by your empires! I can throw my weight behind Arnulf or even Fortuny! Arnulf may want Marseille but if I ally with him, it wont be before I see Odo and your king Berengario fall!"

Carcano could sense that Louis clearly was directionless. However, Burgundae could make things difficult for his empire if indeed an accord had been struck with Francorum Orientalis and Arnulf. And as Fortuny has pointed out to him, any surprise attack was now clearly out of the question. He could turn this to Milan's favor but he would need to consult with Berengario first. "What word would you have me take to my king?"

Louis had been preparing this statement for some time, "Tell your king I wish to ally with him against Barcelona instead of Odo. I have the strength of the East Franks behind me should he choose to side with Odo. I can guarantee Bavarian troops long to visit the female treasures of Milan once more."

Carcano was now the one at a loss. Louis words made him recoil in horror. The barbarian invasions of centuries ago still made for stories told at night and in whispers. "I will relay the information as soon as posible and with great sincerity."

----------------------------------

Carcano retuned to Milan and Rex Berengario in complete disarray. Berengario had heard of the detentions and noticed he was visibly upset. Berengario commanded, "you have made it back alive, be thankful for that."

Carcano explained his encounters with Fortuny and Louis in quick detail then gave his assessment, "the Frankish kings continue their game of chess against one another but both stories seem to point that Arnulf has a de facto partnership with Louis. Odo and Arnulf are for sure to be at war soon but if we provoke an engagement it is possible Arnulf sends his army South instead of West while Burgundae holds Odo at bay. Further, Fortuny's assessment of the Moors is correct. Our spies have indicated massive fighting in the north of Iberia and very small garrisons in the South."

"Tell the Burgundy king we wish a formal alliance. This will counter any under the table agreement he may have with Arnulf and ensure that pairing doesnt take place. Send an expeditionary force to Africa as well against the Moors. Inform the Pope we do so to aid out Catholic brothers in the defense of Iberia and the purging of the Moslems from Catholic lands. Let the entire region boil over into chaos. Let these former brothers-in-arms tear each other to pieces. We will have our way with these Franks soon enough."

-------------------------------------



The alliance between Italy and Burgundy stunned everyone. Fortuny was impressed with the duplicitousness of the Italians while Odo and Arnulf were furious that Louis had failed to side with his own blood. One thing was for certain, the Italians were now a player in their affairs.

Bolstered by this formal declaration from the Italians, Louis took advantage of his newfound empowerment.



And finally, after much talk and speculation, Odo's army under Captain Enguerran reached the gates of Barcelona. Vicecomes Berenguer was waiting...



Spring 903 cont

"Lay down your arms for Rex Odo!” Captain Enguerran had fearlessly approached the main gate and yelled to the Catalan forces inside. “or the might of the French army is to be unleashed!"

"Unleash it then." Berenguer replied. "You will fail as all those before you."

"We know of your treachery against your own king Galindo, Berenguer! As do your men! You stand in line as false heir to a throne. Not an heir of royal blood but of murder!" Those words forced Berenguer to shudder. He felt as if God himself was speaking through Enguerran. "Our lord and savior will seek retribution this day on you and those that support your wicked ways! I give you a final chance to surrender to my king so mercy may come swiftly."

Berenguer looked to his men and wondered if Enguerran's words had had the same chilling effect. He must prevent the fall of the city, even if his own soul was damned. Turning to the men that crowded the walls he shouted "Men, do not fight for me this day, fight for Barcelona! I may fall in battle but do not let our fine city! Keep our standard flying high!"

Berenguer forcefully grabbed a bow from one the archers nearby and let fly a missile at Enguerran.

As the arrow flew aimlessly overhead Enguerran called to Berenguer, "I will have your traitorous head on a pike!" He sounded the attack.



The Catalan archers lit their arrows and the Frankish troops surged forward. Soon the French ram was at the gate, the wooden hammer crashing into the Barcelona barricades with authority. The Franks were not inclined to fail a second time around.

The walls shook so hard, the Barcelona archers lost thier footing with each thunderous knock. Berenguer rallied his troops at the creaking entrance. "I assure you, their bark is worse than their bite! We sally if the wall breaks!"

Wood and steel exploded inward towards the Catalan infantry but Berenguer screamed for the charge. The colors of the enemy were soon all around him. At the walls the French ladders were now streaming over with men full of bloodlust.

But as so many times before, the lines held and soon Berenguer was sending the enemy in panic. Unable to surge forward, the French swordsmen were now at the mercy of Catalan spearmen and calvary. Captain Enguerran's command was soon lost in the chaos.



Berenguer regrouped his men and led a final charge that smashed the enemy line to pieces. Seeing the main lines crumble, the French troops that had scaled the walls recognized their demise was imminent and called for full retreat. Many of the French troops simply threw down their arms and begged for mercy.





The mythos of Barcelona would continue.

Spring 903 cont

Vicecomes Berenguer sent word to Rex Odo that 600 of his finest men were at the mercy of coin. Informed of the declaration of war by Burgundy, Catalonia would need full coffers for her defense. Berenguer lamented to his officers that all of Western Europe was against Catalonia.



Rex Odo, while disgusted with the defeat of his men, would need every available man for any war with the East Franks. Payment was dutifully sent.




-------------------------

Comes Fortuny was in session with the diplomat Ramiro de Cabrera when word of the defeat and successful ransom arrived. He boasted cheerfully to his underling, "God himself could not bring the walls of Barca down."

Ramiro gave a painful look at his master, "Your statement borders on blasphemy."

"Make sure to take that up with Cardinal Esquelles the next time you are in Palma." He was irritated that Ramiro failed to recognize his political brilliance. "The Vicecomes needs no divine intervention for victory."

Fortuny continued, "I have brought you here so that we may solve the Italian question. They are an unexpected thorn in my side. The Moors war against the Navarrese and PRinceps Sancho goes disturbingly well for the Muslims. They will soon turn their attention eastward towards us. There are only so many sides a shied can protect. I need you to go to Milan and meet with the Italian king Berengario. Neutralize the Latin dogs."

"I will make haste."

As the two concluded their meeting, Pere Fortuny was hit with some much unexpected news. His wife was with child. Ramiro be damned, this day could not be ruined.

Winter 903

Ramiro de Cabrera arrived in Milan in the fall. It had taken him considerable measures to arrive undetected. The Burgundy fleet had been intercepting all ships from Catalan that dared leave their protected waters and sending them to the deep. The Moor navy was still a threat, sending small cogs to disrupt the Western Mediterranean sea trade as well. The treasury had surely suffered, even his own healthy stipend gifted by Fortuny after he had pulled his masterful diplomacy to ursurp the late Comes Guifre and Comes Galindo. Now the king's heretical talk about God.....Ramiro wondered to himself if had made an incalcuable error in helping this man to power.

A journey over land was impossible with Rex Odo's forces encamped outside Barcelona and he was sure Burgundae forces were not too far behind. Europa was truly aligned against them. Only the devil himself could bring about such united opposition. Good thing for Barcelona that it might be Fortuny in the flesh.

Rex Berengario had heard of the treachery of the Catalan leaders and expected no different from the emissary that had been sent by their king. Carcano had said their king seemed to know everything and he was certain that this Fortuny had a hand in revealing the plot against Louis. The fall of Guifre and Galindo were now tavern tales. He would certainly not underestimate them.

The alliance with Rex Odo and the West Franks would have made the Catalan upstart tremble but his alliance with Rex Burgundy had thrown the entire region into turmoil. His nobles had been pleased with the results. The Italian merchants soon entered ports that clamored for their goods as the French factions and the Moors hoarded supplies for the call of war. However, the initial campaign in Africa had not gone as hoped. Many men had been lost on the journey there and the Moor army had been deft in battle. Perhaps this agent of Catalunya could be of more assistance. He welcomed him in his personal chamber with his own trusted diplomat Carcano.

Ramiro's mouth was agape as he had entered the city and been led to the king's private study in Milan. The riches were beyond compare,the wealth incalcuable. The Roman walls of Barcelona stood as testiment to the greatness of ancient Rome but he saw riches of the modern world beyond compare. It seemed as even the layman dressed grander than he. The disparity bothered him greatly.

"Ah! I see you have arrived in one piece! I know it must have been difficult to get here considering your struggle against, well....everyone." The king motioned over to the most ornate table Ramiro had ever seen before. "Sit. Have some drink. Portami il mio vino!" He shouted to his attendants waiting dutifully outside.

"Thank you your majesty." Ramiro felt the title fit Berengario well. "Comes Fortuny wishes to know how the campaign against Africa goes." de Cabrera already knew the answer. Italian merchants in Catalan harbors constantly lamented at their misfortune.

"It goes." Berengario was miffed at the reminder. "I dont think you came all the way here for that. However, let me send congratulations on your magnificent defense of Barcelona. My men tell me the sword of God himself can be seen on the battlefield against all who oppose her. You will need his intervention to help against so many enemies."

"I will bring back your salutations. We wish to secure Italian non-engagement. Fortuny is impressed with your skill of diplomacy. He wants assurance that your alliance with Rex Louis is only defensive in nature."

Carcano interrupted. "Please also pass along to Comes Fortuny my blessed thanks for being such a gracious host." He was not quick to forget his hostile detainment. "We have no say in the affairs of Burgundy. We are in northern Africa against your Moors, which should actually HELP your cause."

Ramiro drank from the fine goblet that was brought to him. The wine was exquisite. "We wish to enter into a similar alliance with your people."

Berengario turned to the servants who had just brought the three drink, "Portare la mia festa!" Then to de Cabrera, "How are we to ally with the enemy of our ally? Perhaps I overestimated your king's ability to reason."

"Break your alliance with Louis. Together our forces can crush Marseille. We know that was the intended target with your impending deal with Rex Odo. Not only will we assist in the city's capture, we will leave the spoils of victory to you. Odo has proven incompetent in his efforts to seize control of not only Barcelona but in losing Bordeaux. His leadership is slippng, his son is a monster, you should be thankful your plan was discovered and that alliance did not occur."

"No, it is YOU who should be thankful. Thankful the might of our empire hasnt arrived on your shores and finished what the Franks and Moors have started. Possibly the only thing preventing our engagement is that you have aligned yourself with the other Iberian kingdoms. They are excellent trading partners and I would hate to disrupt the flow."

The food arrived quickly. There were beasts of all shapes and sizes, Ramiro noticed in amazement. Berengario offered, "You must try the ostrich. From Africa."

The Catalan diplomat made his way through all of the delicacies the Latin king had offered. It was delight beyond delight to him in this true house of royalty. Perhaps he could use his cunning once more to save himself from the purgatory Barcelona found itself in. "It is too bad we have this chasm between our people. You have a great city. You are a gracious people." Ramiro said as he tore into the roast that had been offered him. "I should wish to visit sometime again under less stressful circumstances."

Carcano warmly responded, "There is no need to return to Barcelona right away is there? There is still much for us to discuss. Much indeed."

Spring 904

Ramiro returned to Valenica and met Fortuny who was extremely frustrated with his messenger's tardiness. Ramiro explained that his mission had been discovered by Burgundae forces and that he was now a wanted man. He told the king that he kept safe in the confines of Milan until a time was suitable for his return. He explained that the Italians were charitable hosts and that he had arranged a guarantee of non-intervention. Fortuny however had troubles of a different kind to think about.



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The Sultan's army had brough the Navarrese offensive to a crashing halt. He was pleased with his sodiers effectiveness and he enjoyed seeing Princeps Sancho flee from the field when the Portuguese army was crushed at Cantabria. It was a good bit of luck considering the recent surprise attack from the Latins. Fortunately, the Italian army landing was quickly enveloped and it appeared that their invasion would turn out to be nothing more than a nuisance.

The Muslims were now begging to push north to the steps of Pamplona. The Sultan was torn. The Italians and even the victory here had distracted him from retaking Valencia. It was almost as if Allah was protecting those heathens to the East. He wanted desperately to retake his city from that devil Fortuny but he had the center piece of this Spanish triumverate in his sights. And he was fearful. Once again, Barcelona had held from assault from the Franks. The last time he sent his army at those infidels, the loss was so devastating it led to the capture of Valencia.

Captain Smail was a promising leader who had led the defense against Sancho. He asked his Sultans permission to lead the attack north. "Great Sultan, your army of the North is ready to press forward. We stand ready to crush the Navarrese resistance and break the Spanish wall of kings in half.""

The Sultan furrowed his brow. "Pamplona is too far north. Our supply lines will be long. Valencia is the key to bring Hispania under submission."

"With great humbleness may I only ask if this is for revenge for Prince Jalaf...."

"NO! Revenge for my fallen son does not guide me. We must smash the enemy at his strongest. The king of their people, Fortuny, stays in Valencia, while his best warrior, Berenguer, guards Barcelona. This will be his downfall. Without his general to guide him, not only will we retake the city but we will put an end to the reign of that vile devil. Leave a sizeable garrison here. I hear the campaign against Astoria goes as planned. Now will be the time to strike. Now will be the time to choke the life out of our foe. Rally my most capable troops. We march East."

Winter 904

Pere Fortuny heard from Princeps Sancho that the Moor army was headed his way. Unfortunate Burgundy and the West Franks were preparing armies of their own to march on Barcelona. He could not pull Berenguer for Valencia's defense. He would have to face the Moor Sultan alone.

In the fall, Muslim scouts swept through the Spanish countryside with abandon and Fortuny was infuriated that the Moor Sultan was purposely signaling his intent.

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The Sultan gathered all his Imams for the great battle to come. Allah Akbar they cried and cried at the sight of the magificent force that had been assembled. It was impossible that these heretics could stand up to the might of the men assembled here.

Captain Smail approached the Sultan, "Your adversary gathers his forces outside the city. They choose to fight on open ground."

The Khalif's army was 2000 strong; the men eager to draw more Spanish blood. They had defeated the Navarrese and they would remove this parasite from the Earth for Allah and for their great Sultan. The prayers lasted all through the night.

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The Italian assassin Perego had entered the Moor camp quite easily. The Muslims were drunk on their own self-confidence and did not question his movement. He moved swifty in his foreign clothes, making his way towards his mark, guided by the numerous campfires and soft moonlight. How had his countrymen fell so easily to these animals? No matter, he would deliver a deadlier blow.

The Sultan's encampment was easy to find. Flanked on all sides by men bristling with swords and armor, the tent was a bedrock in a sea of makeshift shelters and cover. The Moors had surrounded their leader with all manner of personal bodyguards but lit the inside of the tent as bright as the North Star. It was as if the Moor was inviting his own downfall.

Perego positioned himself as close as possible in front of the Khalif's great shelter. Still several meters away, it would be the best line of sight Perego would get. He now waited for the Sultan to come within clear view of the entrance.

A few of the royal guards walked by and the Latin pressed his head into his chest and repeated the prayers he had learned in training for this mission. He would need to recant such blasphemy with the priests on his return to Milan. As they passed, the Sultan appeared outside the tent flanked by several others. Perego removed the blowgun from his robes, took careful aim and blew the poisoned dart from its chamber with lethal precision.

Winter 904 cont

The poison went to work immediately. The dart had flown high as Perego hoped and pierced the Moor's shoulder through his tunic. The Sultan did not make a sound but fell to the ground convulsing in shock. Guards around him dashed about in futility looking for an attacker that would not present itself in the night. Imams, knowing prayers alone would not help in this moment of horror screamed furtively for the herbalists to care for their wounded king.

Captain Smail rushed to the Sulan's side and continued the call for aid. "Bring him water and medicine!" Looking at the Sultan, he cried, "Allah! Do not let him pass to heaven for his work here is not yet done!"

The Sultan remained in the throes of death yet clung to life desperately. In his mind he stuggled to keep consciousness; to keep his sanity as indescibable pain enveloped him. The medicine men arrived and looked to treat the wound. Knowing the brevity of the situation they cut open his shoulder to attempt to drain him of the toxins that flowed through him. They threw vial upon vial of their treated water on the open wound hoping to clense the infected area and bring their Sultan back from the clutches of the dead.

A moment of calm finally passed over the Sultan enabling him to speak to the crowd that huddled over him, panic in their faces, the clerics still doing all in their power to save him, the Imam now practically screaming their prayers aloud. "Do not cry, for Allah beckons me to heaven. I will see your victory from above." He forced a smile, grasped the hand of Captain Smail beside him and then left the world that had delivered such an unfair blow.

Perego darted about with looks of horror on his face, screaming for help for the Sultan to disguise his true intention in the camp. With all minds elsewhere, he again was able to get through the horde and towards the outskirts of the camp. Once there he ran for the woods. The wails of 2000 men echoed through the trees, following him as if seeking vengeance for such cowardly malice. Even miles from the Muslim camp, Perego, the tested and hardened assassin was overwhelmed by them, fell to his knees and began to retch.

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Pere Fortuny had gathered the best force he could muster. It was the largest force Barcelona had ever assembled, over 1500 men. Some had been drawn from the local mercenary ranks but there were also knights from Palma and even a few of Berenguers finest had made the journey.

They heard the cries from the enemy in the distance. While Fortuny and the Catalan army was certain the Moors misfortune was to their benefit, the haunting sounds of mourning in the night air had continued for several days now and it was beginning to unnerve the men.

Sensing his mens discontent, Fortuny announced the attack at dusk.



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Captain Smail was put in charge of the Muslim defense. They outnumbered the enemy but the soul-crushing loss of the Sultan was much to bear. They assumed the Catalan devil's had carried out the evil deed in advance of the battle to come. The size of the infidel's army was impressive. Where just days ago they brimmed with confidence at destroying the enemy and retaking Valencia, now they would need to hold here to prevent a fate similar to the last great battle between them.

But Smail would not fail his fallen Sultan or Allah. They would not wait for the enemy at the pass. He ordered his countrymen to attack with abandon. Allah would protect them and if they fell, heaven and their great Sultan awaited them victoriously.

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Comes Fortuny first felt then saw the enemy advance. The ground trembled and the sky above them filled with dust and debris and the thousands strong rushed towards them.

"The fury of their Sultan is about to be unleashed," he told his men. "Hold the lines at all costs. If you break, Valencia will soon follow." To his calvary he shouted, "They are expert horsemen! Do not let them flank us and be prepared to meet every charge before they hit our infantry lines. They have bowmen that ride and will attempt to draw you from the pitch but do not chase for they will then bring the full weight of their horses on our engaged infantry. This battle will determine our history. Lets be on the side that writes it!"

The men took up their positions and braced for the charge.

Winter 904 cont

As they cleared the pass, Captain Smail took his men to a full sprint towards the Catalan line. The Barcelona spearmen braced themselves, tightening the grip on their lances, shaken by the war cry from the enemy.

Comes Fortuny signaled for his calvary to meet the enemy head-on. He knew this instant would determine the fate of empires. The two sides collided with an unholy metallic roar.



The two armies were locked in death grip. The Catalan defenders fought with exceptional tenacity. As predicted the Moor horse archers had come close and rained steel tipped razors down on the Catalan horsemen, attempting to draw them from the battle but they had resisted the urge to hunt down the harrassers. When the Moor heavy calvary attempted to flank the army from the side, Fortuny and his horsemen met them head-on with deadly effectiveness.

The Moors threw man after man at the Catalan line but still, the lines of battle remained constant. The infantry that fell in battle were trampled underneath by their kinsmen attempting to deliver equally fatal blows to the barbarians that had killed thier Sultan. The hum of battle continued for an eternity. The air was thick with souls rising heavenward.

Captain Smail's horsemen saw the infidel king on the field of battle and desperately threw themselves at Fortuny, swinging wildly in hopes that Allah would guide their swords to his black heart. Fortuny however proved a capable defender and smote the assailants as they came, his armor now a tapestry of Moslem blood.

They had devoutly followed thier leader. They had fought bravely for his cause and for their people but in the end, the losses of this day and of several days past was too much to bear for the great army of the Khalifah and they broke. The Moor forces ended their engagement with the men of Iberia in unison. Not out of cowardice but simple resignation.



They Catalan army did not pursue. They had soundly beaten the best the Moors could deliver. For them that was glory enough. Fortuny and his calvarymen however ensured the enemy did not escape. Most of the Moor forces surrendered not far from the battleground when pursued, their spirit and will broken past the point of any thought of self-preservation.

Fortuny would duly have these men executed.



The Imams prayers for the deceased were soon joined with prayers for the empire itself.


Winter 904 cont

The victory outside Valencia resonated through Western Europe as did the death of the great Moor Sultan. The kingdoms of Astoria and Navarre were emboldened by their neighbors' triumph against the Moors. The Muslim invaders of many years ago were now on the defensive and it seemed that the Catalan king would no doubt march his army towards Cartagena.

The people of the Frankish kingdoms reveled at hearing of the slaughter of the heretics at the hands of the Catholic champions but their kings grew weary of the thought of this growing empire. The Italian's failed campaign in Africa had forced them to curtail their Iberian ambitions. If Barcelona did in fact capture Cartagena, the Western Mediterranean would be hers to control.

Rex Arnulf, leader of the East Franks, knew the victory by Comes Fortuny would bring Catalan armies north. With the Moors in full retreat, Fortuny could finally turn his attention to his Frank neighbors which had harrassed him the past few years. Arnulf cursed himself for not intervening earlier with his own army but that window of opportunity had passed. Now came the harsh reality of this Hispanic nation which would undoubtedly play a part in future affairs.



He assembled his spies again in short order. "This Comes Fortuny appears to be more capable than his forebearers. What do you know of their ambitions?"

The mood at the gathering this time was less than festive. One of the men offered up information, "It appears that the army gathered outside Valenica does not depart for home or has been disbanded. Whats left of the Moors is in full retreat. If Fortuny chooses to attack, Cartagena is the next logical target and it seems sure to fall."

Arnulf furrowed his bow, "What of the other Spanish kingdoms?"

The cloaked figure again spoke, "The kingdoms of Castille and Leon keep pressure on the Moors to the West. The Navarrese despite losing key battles in the North weakened the Moors considerably."

A small Frenchman under Arnulf's payroll hurriedly interjected, "With his back now protected, it is rumored Sancho is looking to launch an offensive against Rex Odo from Bordeaux. However, he worries about our possible intervention and that of the Papal States.

"AHA! Now we have something to work with! I will send word to Sancho how we would handle such concern." Rex Arnulf was pleased with hearing this. If Odo was in heated battle to the South, an attack from his own forces would be overwhelming. Still, Odo had stong ties to the Pope. Any formal declaration of war could not be taken. Arnulf would need some assistance. "Go back to your dark corners; watch and listen. War comes to France."

Arnulf made a personal visit to the Pope immediately. Bringing crates of gold, he asked for a private audience and received it. Francorum Occidentalis was in a state of spiritual decay he argued. God had shown his disapproval of Rex Odo from the West Frank losses at Barcelona and elsewhere. Arnulf merely asked the Pope to ensure the rest of Christianity was aware of God's message.

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Rex Odo could not believe his luck had turned so sour the past few years. He had lost Bordeaux in that much maligned deal with the deceased king of Barcelona and the Navarrese were now amassing an army there! His assaults on Barcelona ended with his best knights galloping home each time and his planned agreement with the Italians against Burbundae had been discovered and even revealed to Rex Louis! The alliance between them soon dissolved, any formal declaration was just a formality. Now Barcelona had crushed the Moors near Valencia. Odo now was forced to hope for Fortuny's victory in Iberia in hopes they would not march to the North. But if Fortuny succeeds in the South against the Moors, he will be even more powerful and the march on France was sure to come! Oh la la! What he would give to turn back the clock!

When word of the Holy Crusade called for by the Pope Stephanus II against Paris reached him, he simply wished he could stop it.

Spring 905



With Rex Arnulf's successful mission with Stephanus II completed, he gave king Sancho of Navarre the excuse he needed to assault the West Franks. Arnulf himself would wait to see how the crusade on Paris played out before engaging his forces. He would want Odo to be bled dry before he launched an offensive. That war would have to end with the complete annexation of Occidentalis to be considered victory.

Rex Louis used the declaration to officially sever his ties with Odo, even though after the discovery of the plot against Marseille, they were allies in name only. Louis continued to try to draw the Italians into war on the Iberian peninsula but they were now at war with the mighty Venetians and valiant Serbs to the East.

Further, with the Crusade announced, the Milanese could set their sights on Frankish cities with impugnity. Their attentions now lay elsewhere.

And for reasons unknown to Fortuny or the rest of the known Western world, the far away kingdom of Bulgaria declared war on Barcelona. Ramiro de Cabrera joked to the king that as Europe slipped further into total war, the Bulgarians must have not wanted to feel left out.




Spring 905 cont

Cardinal Equelles was frought with worry. The late Comes Guifre's daughters were coming of age. The protective eyes of Captain Berenguer had kept them safe at Palma when Comes Fortuny had sought them out early in his ascendancy. Part of the deal struck with Berenguer was that they be left unharmed provided they stayed on the isle. This banishment had kept Fortuny's watchful eyes off them but as the daughters grew older, he was fearful the cold and calculating king would seek them out once more. Further, as Comes Fortuny delivered victory after victory and the people and nobles put aside their concerns of his legitimacy to the throne, his power only grew and it might be possible that Berenguer's efforts might be all for naught.

He met with the Vicecomes in the Spring in Barcelona. On arrival he noticed that Barcelona had been thriving, her port stacked with merchant vessels despite the war with Burgundae and that the atmosphere in the city was full of pride and promise. The monster with the iron fist had secured Barcelona's borders and was on the verge of delivering properity to the Catalan people. Berenguer met the Cardinal atop the old Roman walls.



"Father, it it good to see you once more. How does Palma treat you?"

"It is much calmer since our last adventure there. The king's daughters are almost of age."

"The king's daughter is not yet a year old father." Berenguer corrected Esquelles on his allusion to the late Guifre. "As for our late Comes Guifre, it is Joana that nears adulthood, correct? I know why you are here. Concern for her and her sister's safety. You know of the pact I made with Fortuny. So long as they stay on Palma they are safe. There is no need to worry. I am invaluable to him and the defense of this city while he plots against the Moors."

"Yes, yes." The Cardinal was visibly upset, "He plot and plots and plots and plots. Against the Moors, against the Franks, against you and I, against everyone! He is a demon. I did not agree with how you took up his banner but since it allowed Joana and Gracia to live and for Guifre's royal bloodline to continue I did not protest. You of all people should know that to be in Pere Fortuny's good graces is a position that is fleeting at best. I need assurances that the protection of the Guifre line will continue."

"Father, I am heir to the throne now and command the city of Barcelona and her army. My men are fiercely loyal to me. If anything were to happen, it would ignite civil war. Fortuny may be wicked but he is no fool. If he attempted to harm Joana or Gracia on Palma, he would have to answer to me and what woud be the point in that? He is already king! He only needs to concern himself with me and as heir, I face the same dilemma. Fortuny has delivered great victories and made the Catalan people feel safe, something that Guifre himself could not deliver."

"How quickly we forget the past!" Esquelles hissed. "It is obvious your allegiance has changed and your heart and soul corrupted by the evil around you!"

Berenguer was becoming annoyed. He had promised the father protection, what more did this man of the cloth expect? "Father! I assure you my loyalty has not changed! My loyalty is to God and Catalunya. You may see my arrangement with Comes Fortuny as me being simply an opportunist but with me as Vicecomes I have effectively neutralized his tyranny. He cannot run wanton with bloodlust as he did before. The people remain safe, the nobility secure, the church prospers. Guifre is no longer with us, you MUST accept that fact."

The Cardinal gave one last rebuttal, "You must also accept the fact the royal bloodline rests in Palma, not with Fortuny or even yourself!" It was clear to both men those words would be regretted.

"Father, I have done what I can for you, for Joana and Gracia. Ensure that they stay on Palma and they will live long peaceful lives. If they return to Barcelona or attempt to lay claim to the throne......do not force me to choose sides. God be with you."

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On his return to Palma, Cardinal Esqulles soon called for Ramiro de Cabrera. Word from the Italian priests and cardinals was that the emmissary of Comes Fortuny had been extremely friendly with the Italian court and Rex Berengario. He needed an ally and perhaps Ramiro would be that man.

Cabrera sailed to the island fortress and met with the Cardinal at once. "Father, why did you send for me? I only received word that your message was urgent and must be delivered in person."

Esquelles was blunt, "Ramiro, my peers in Milan tell me that your time there was well spent. Do you care to tell me of your dealings there?"

Ramiro, who was expecting to be running a trivial matter for the Cardinal stammered, "I was on a diplomatic mission...for our king........I needed to stay to win the Italians confidence......why have you sent for me?"

The Cardinal knew there was more. His collegues had told him they were sure Ramiro had struck a personal deal with Berengario, they just didnt know the details. "I know of your deal with Berengario. However, that secret is safe with us and God so long as we can come to agreement."

Ramiro could not believe Berengario would sell him out so quickly but the Cardinal appeared to know something. Sweat beaded on his forehead and upper lip as he began to panic. If Fortuny found out, he was as good as dead, even if he did escape to Milan. There would be no hiding from that man's grasp. "What..what do you ask of me?"

"I need you to inform Rex Louis and Rex Odo that the rightful heirs to the throne of Barcelona approach age and that Fortuny's reign is at an end. Tell them that if they are able to deliver safe passage of the late Guifre's family to the mainland, the Catalan people with the support of the church will rise up against the king and restore the royal bloodline to the throne."

"Father, we are at war with the Franks! Why would they go for such a deal? You are far too optimistic." Ramiro could not believe the audacity of God's servant.

"Because they know the wickedness of Fortuny will eventually come thier way. If they help now, we can strike a peace with the Franks and remove the plague that pesters the both of us." Ramiro did not seem convinced so Esquelles tried harder, "If word of your deal with the Italians reaches Fortuny's ears, you will be lucky to survive a fortnight. You really have no choice."

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Ramiro de Cabrera left the island and carried out the Cardinal's wishes. It took great care to not only meet with the leaders of his enemies but to get them to grant him an audience. He was regretting ever having travelled to Milan in the first place.

Both kings had taken his words with mistrust, naturally, but Rex Louis had told Ramiro to tell the Cardinal he was interested in carrying this plan out. If he could get Barcelona to fall into civil war, the capture of its city would be far easier once the men of Catalunya had exhausted one another.

Ramiro then made his way back to Palma to deliver the news to Esquelles. He was hoping that all of his activity and scuttling about would go un-noticed by Fortuny, his mind elsewhere on battles with the Moors or the capture of Cartagena.

He was wrong.


Posts: 168


Winter 905

Comes Fortuny was no fool. He had had Ramiro watched as soon as he was weeks late from his diplomatic foray with the Italians. He knew that de Cabrera was a currency that could be bought and sold and the Italians were surely buying. His only worry was that Ramiro had engineered something that was too late to put an end to.

He had the man tracked on his visits to Paris and Marseille and even on his return to Palma. Whatever Ramiro was brewing involved many players he surmised. He knew Ramiro to be a capable negotiator but he was no mastermind. Who was the puppeteer behing the strings?

He first thought of Vicecomes Berenguer. Instinctively, Fortuny put blame on the man who stood to benefit most from his fall. The Vicecomes had already proved he would not shy from unscrupulous deeds by slaying Galindo. But while Berenger could command an army he did not seem the type to lead a nation and the full weight of that responsibilty would come crashing on his shoulders with Fortuny's death.

Rex Louis was too dull, Odo and Arnulf far too abrasive to plan something with any subtlety. The Italians were a strong possibility but the meeting with Odo didnt make sense as the Italians had just joined the Crusade on Paris. There had to be another.

----------------------------

Ramiro had remained in Palma for several months. Not only did he fear for his life, he worried that his continued dalliance in foreign territory was sure to get him killed by the enemy or his own king. His own arrangement made with the Italian king would have to wait. He had done Esquelles' work and sought shelter on this island purgatory.

No sooner had he become comfortable here that he was called up again by Comes Fortuny in Valencia. He met with the king there, his nerves shot from the torment of worry that surrounded him.



"Sire, you have sent for me." Ramiro was visibly gaunt and distressed, a point not lost on Fortuny.

"Dear Ramiro, it has been some time. How has Palma treated you?"

"Fine sire. The journey here was tedious and I did not sleep much. I apologize for my appearance."

"I haven't put you to much work since Milan. I assume you have enjoyed your leisure time? Between the trip to Italy and Palma, you have been living a king's life. I assumed you would be fat as a hog by now."

Ramiro tried not to look Pere Fortuny at the eyes. "I have been sick for most of the season. Most unpleasant."

"Yes....well sorry to hear that. It must be something in the air. Many of my men are also sick. Does it give you fever?" Fortuny coldly stared at his emiissary.

"Yes, sire."

"Chills? Cold sweats?"

"Indeed." Ramiro began breaking out in a sweat then and there. Where was the Comes going with this?

"Hallucinations?"

Ramiro was perplexed by this question, "sire?"

"Well I am sure that what ails you ails my men. And they are saying they are seeing things. Such as the king's personal emissary cavorting with the enemy."

Ramiro began to feel sick to his stomach. "Sire? That would be...preposterous. I have remained on Palma for some time awaiting your orders......assisting Cardinal Esquelles with his duties there."

"I see. They say they have visions of you with Rex Odo and Rex Louis themselves. Speaking on all manner of things.....would you care for me to recollect what it is they said these apparitions spoke of?" At this point Fortuny was bluffing but Ramiro was so visibly upset, the kings felt he was sure to reveal his new master.

However, Ramiro knew Fortuny had no clue. If Pere had already known, he would have been swinging from the gallows by now. He needed to figure out how to buy himself enough time to escape the king's chamber, to escape Valencia. It was clear he was suspect to the throne which was a death sentence in Catalunya. He quietly muttered, "Im sure...it is stuff...for child's tales, no more."

"Most likely....most likely." Fortuny half expected Ramiro to sob like a girl and beg for mercy. Did he torture the fool for a name? He had a better idea. He was sure the scoundrel would fly to his latest benefactor for protection after this meeting. Better to have him followed and discover the root of his latest scourge. "Dear servant, it has been a pleasure. I will call for you when needed next."

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Ramiro boarded the next ship bound for Palma. The kings spies slipped aboard the cog as well disguised as sailors anxiously waiting for the diplomat to reveal his secret when they landed.

In his personal cabin Ramiro fretted over his next move. Did he race to the Italians? He had not carried out his part of the bargain to be granted amnesty. Cardinal Esquelles cared not for his fate. Odo? Louis? Where would he turn?



The second night out of harbor, the Italian assassin Perego slowly moved the crates he had stacked around him in the cargo room. The storage room was impossibly filthy. Perfect to smuggle himself aboard in while in Valencia's harbor. In the dead of night he now stealthily made his way to Ramiro's cabin. The few sailors awake at that hour and on watch made passing glances his way but the smell of the ship's hold enveloped Perego and signaled to the men on duty he was one of theirs.

He was told to make sure Ramiro was awake.

Placing his worn and beaten hand over Ramiro's mouth and nose, Perego set his razor sharp dagger at the man's throat. The suffocation woke Ramiro with a start but he was unable to call for help. The stench of rotten fish and seawater that eminated from Perego's hand filled Ramiro's nostrils as he tried to rise from his bed and defend himself. His eyes darted from side to side in horror trying to get a glance of his attacker.

"Muore il cane inutile. Berengario sends his regards."

Perego made quick work of it.


Winter 905 cont

"What do you mean he's dead?" Fortuny could not believe his ears. He was glad the turncoat had met an untimely end but not before he could find who he had been working for. He questioned his men further. "What happened on that boat?"

"We know not my king. We came into his cabin and he lay there in a pool of blood. There seemed to be little stuggle, clearly the mark of a well trained killer. We have questioned the crew and none of the lot seem capable of such efficiency. We can only surmise he escaped off the side in the middle of night." The men sent to follow Ramiro were as flabbergasted as the Comes.

"Be gone! I cant believe I am twisting in the wind like this! Find out who did this and dont return until you do!" Fortuny did not have time for worrisome distractions. He prepared his army for the march on Cartagena.

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The fighting on the West Franks' borders was furious. Rex Odos men were capable fighters but the Crusade engineered by Arnulf against him had brought some of the finest most devout armies in Christianity against him. It was rumored the battle of Toulouse between the Italians and Franks was so fierce the losses were in the tens of thousands. The Navarrese drove toward Poitiers from their captured fortress at Bordeaux. But the French lines remarkably held.

Rex Odo's son, Charles the Merciless was becoming a true champion of the battlefield and a terror to the enemies of his father. He rued the old man for failing to let him lead Occidentalis over its insignificant neighbors years ago before the dastardly Arnulf could turn the house of God itself against the kingdom.

He promised to himself he would save the kingdom and eventually strike vengeance on this filth that stained his lands. And one day raze the impenetrable city of Barcelona.

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The precursor to the attack on Cartagena was a large raid on one of the two forts that seperated the city from Valencia. The lightning strike commanded by the Catalan captains was too much for the poorly defended forts, mostly inhabited by refugees from the last great battle. The fort fell, allowing a path for Fortuny's army to reach Catagena unhindered.



The attack would begin in the Spring.

Spring 906

The unexpected demise of the great Sultan shook the very foundation of the Khalifah and it was clear that control over Iberia was truly in jeopardy. With no iron fist to control the army, the entire peninsula was thrown into disarray.

The new leader of the Moors, Kicham the Chivalrous, son of the late king, inhereited a throne that was on the verge of disaster. They had been delivered defeat after defeat lately and the animals that once cowered in terror at the sight of the sons of Carthage now grew thirsty for retribution. The Imams constantly spoke of the terrible omen that the Sultan's murder represented. Kicham would be hard pressed to disagree.

How had it come to this he wondered? When he was a young man he scoffed at this upstart kingdom that dared defy his father and attack the Muslims at Palma. Now scarecly fifteen years later, his father's invincible war machine was on the run from a triumverate of fiefdoms bent on its destruction.

Kicham knew their king Fortuny would attack Cartagena in the Spring. If the dogs of Barcelona captured this strategic location, the Spanish and Catalan armies would be able to squeeze the Moors like a pincer. The battle for Hispania and its control would be determined there.

He rounded up the men in his personal brigade, set out for Cartagena and prepared the city for its defense.

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Fortuny's army captured the remaining forts that seperated Valencia and Catagena with little resistance. It took no time to reach his target. The men, first assembled for the defense of Valencia, were now prepared to deliver Catalunya from the clutches of the Moslems once and for all.

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Kicham was met at Cartagena by his late father's trusted disciple, the emmissary Shakir. He was there to attempt to talk the son out of his brazen action.

"My dear Sultan, you must not throw your life away like this." he pleaded. "Your death will not avenge you father's."

The young Sultan proclaimed, "It was my father's destiny to see this battle but he was cheated by the vermin that gather outside the walls. I wish to right that terrible wrong."

"But my lord, their army is strong, ours weak at the moment. We can recover, we will recover. If there was ever a moment your kingdom needed you most it would be now to guide them through this series of unfortunate events. The men here are ready to embrace their martyrdom but it is not the role Allah wishes you to play here. I beg of you........you will die." Shakir was desperate and saddened to see the young prince could not see the futility in his act.

"Then open the gates of heaven for me good friend."

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The men of Barcelona assembled at dawn. Fortuny turned to Captain Ferrando who had joined him with his calvary from Palma. "This is the turning point you realize."

Ferrando nodded in agreement but with nervous apprehension stated, "I can't remember a time when the threat of the Moslem did not hang over my head. Or my ancestors for that matter. I still fear them despite the odds we bring."

With a wicked smirk, Fortuny replied, "That ends this day." He ordered the army forward.



Riding by the men of Barcelona, Fortuny shouted, "Today the enemy knows fear! Today forward the enemy speaks of us as the menace and scourge and respects the freedom of Iberia!" His men cheered in thundering unison. "Today is for your sons and grandson's survival. For the survival of Catalunya!"

The men were now in a frenzy and rushed forward toward the ramparts.



Kicham had lined all of his archers on the wall and instructed them to rain molten fire down on the approaching machines of war and assailants. The archers, grizzled veterans of several campaigns, mowed down the Catalan crossbowmen that approached the gates with deadly effeciency.

"Allah guides you! Your great ancestors guide you!" He screamed at his men.

In a moment one of Fortuny's seige engines was ablaze. The towering inferno sent great plumes of smoke skyward.



However, Fortuny's other tower made the wall and shortly Catalan infantry were streaming forth, pouring out onto the lightly armored archers. The milites cut through the defenders and raced towards the gatehouse.

Kicham demanded of his men on high, "Dont let them open the gates!" But his cries were in vain. Mor and more of Fortuny's troops continued to make their way up the tower to engage the now overwhelmed bowmen.



He signal to his reserve spears to blunt the Catalan advance but it was too late. Kicham watched in horror as the men of Catalan took command of the entry. Outside the carnage, Fortuny himself had seen his colors streaming towards the gateway and sounded the charge for his calvary. "Come Ferrando, we awash ourselves in Moor blood!"

As the milites seized the gate, they worked the chains to allow entry for their kinsmen. In an instant Fortuny's calvary crashed through, lances rigid, flying towards the heart of the Moor calvary and militia that guarded the wooden entrance. DIE! DIE ! DIE!" Fortuny bellowed as he threw himself into the frenzy of battle. His men on the walls were in awe of his tenacity. That had not seen such contempt of death since the days of Guifre.



The young Sultan was soon there to greet him.

Spring 906

Kicham spotted the Catalan king slicing through the Moslem spearmen in murderous fervor. It was apparent based on the ornamentation of the soldiers around him, he now had the devil himself in his presence. Kicham welled with rage. He was sure Fortuny had put his father to that deceitful death, unwilling to face his greatness on the battlefield. He waited for the most opportune moment, when Fortuny was caught in the melee at the fortification entrance to strike.

But with the gates now open wide, hundreds of Catalan troops suddenly poured through and raced for the urban center, chasing the Moor infantry who was now in full retreat. The mass of humanity halted Kicham's advance. His horse repeatedly bucked, its hooves lethaly crashing down on friend or foe. In peril of falling ingloriously from his horse he signaled to his men to regroup in the great courtyard.



Fortuny signaled for his Frankish knights forward to pursue and butcher. He chopped at the fleeing multitude in gleeful satisfaction. This day would be his.

The struggle resumed in the square. The men of Islam knew there was no retreat and stood fast as best they could. Fortuny and Kicham spotted one another and flew.

For all of the Sultan's skill and bravery, Fortuny's namesake would come through again. As Kicham braced his lance to unleash the full fury of vengeance, two enterprising soldiers of Barcelona saw their chance for glory and stood in the commander's path. They were immediately trampled by the ruler's massive war horse but it was the break that Fortuny needed. Unhindered in his own path, Fortuny lowered his lance and the full weight of horse, man and the fate of two empires crashed into the great caliph.



The guardians of Cartagena now stood no chance. Their determination and capacity to fight were broken on seeing their young savior fall in battle. They soon became lambs for the slaughter.



Fortuny looked around to the men that soon yelled in triumph. It was a collection of mercenaries, fresh faces and grizzled veterans. He knew most of the men thought him soulless or a demon but on this day they would account for his victory here. For the next thousand years they would account for his victory here. For on this day he delivered empire.



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The reward for his victory would be peace for over two years. Fortuny considered marching Eastward towards the Moor capital Cordoba itself but it would be a decision of imprudence not careful thinking. The sack of Cartagena had filled the Comes' coffers to build a great navy to consolidate his new territory and secure the shipping lanes between his great coastal union. The Catalan kingdom now streched as a great flag over the Western sea and he would protect it at all costs.



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Cardinal Esquelles heard of Fortuny's victory and it pained him. He was thankful to know the heretics were being crushed but it meant the power of Fortuny was near absolute. His hope for redemption now lay with Hug of Perello, a fine young man from Barcelona Esquelles had recently befriended.

De Perello had been here on a military visit to the fortress months earlier and met with the Cardinal often to speak of God's greatness and of the legendary Guifre. De Perello told the Cardinal that his own father had been the Captain of the guard, watching over Fortuny under the direction of the former Comes Galindo. His father had been the one struck by Fortuny when he was released from detainment at his villa. He knew of the murder of Galindo and Fortuny's role in the death of the first true king of Catalonia. He was fully aware of Fortuny's wickedness.

Esquelles quickly arranged the marriage. Joana, daughter of the late Comes Guifre was now betrothed.



Spring 908 - epilogue

War still raged between Odo and the Catholic kingdoms to the North, all eyes on Paris. With the European powers' attention there, Barcelona flourished. The Moors had retreated to better defend their Spanish possessions leaving an uneasy peace between them and the Iberian kingdoms.

Fortuny built his navy and soon had command over the West water.

Catalunya was now a true power of Europe, a far cry from twenty years prior when every day was one of possible extinction. It had faced trial by combat and outlasted internal treachery. Fortuny's evil was indeed held in quiet check by the great Vicecomes Berenguer and this detante and lack of internal strife set the new nation up to prosper.

Yet there were others who planned for a different fate.

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The ship creaked as it plowed throught the stormy seas. The winter winds would not let go to the calmer spring air. Hug de Perello braced himself to the ships side.

The small cog flew Catalan colors but the men of Regnum Burgundae filled its tonnage. They looked at their precious cargo with curiosity and disdain. But he had been ordered to the mainland by Rex Louis himself and it was their mission to get him there.

"What of this secrecy de Perello? Are you not welcome in your own land?" The captain of the ship was very inquisitive.

As the ship crashed through the surf, De Perello responded, "I soon will be."



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Cardinal Esqulles had sent de Perello off with the men of Burgundae. He was tormented with his disloyalty. Had he been too underhanded in these affairs? But he had to remove these thoughts from his head. The order of things must be restored. The bloodline remain intact. God must see it so or he and the man he had sent away on a near impossible mission were doomed.

He would not be lost in these thoughts much longer. Racing up the steps to the Cardinal's chamber, a young squire reached the priest gasping for air. "The Moors! They have returned! They assemble on the horizon!"

The Cardinal rushed outside the fortress to the highest vantage point. Indeed their old nemesis reared its head once more.