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Thread: [SS 6.3 AAR] The Rise of Portugal (COMPLETED 7/24: EPILOGUE)

  1. #181

    Default Re: [SS 6.3 AAR] The Rise of Portugal (Updated 3/2: Chapter 35)

    It took me some time to catch up, and apart from the nice updates I also applaud your persistence!

  2. #182
    The Source's Avatar Senator
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    Default Re: [SS 6.3 AAR] The Rise of Portugal (Updated 3/2: Chapter 35)

    i only just came across this thread, so waht is the war of the crosses

    and if your princess marries a general does that produce a son with the of portugese blood and the generals last name?
    Last edited by The Source; March 07, 2011 at 01:19 AM.

  3. #183

    Default Re: [SS 6.3 AAR] The Rise of Portugal (Updated 3/2: Chapter 35)

    Quote Originally Posted by The Source View Post
    i only just came across this thread, so waht is the war of the crosses

    and if your princess marries a general does that produce a son with the of portugese blood and the generals last name?
    For question #1, you will need to go back and read through previous chapters. I believe the War of Crosses happens somewhere around Chapter 20 or so. But you really should start from the beginning if you have time.

    For question #2, it depends on who the general is. If the general is a Portuguese nobleman or an unmarried Portuguese general already in my family tree, then the son will (I believe) get the "Of Portuguese blood" and the general's last name.

    If the husband/father is not Portuguese, the son will get a different last name because the sons' names are generated from a "Portuguese-only" list. You can see an example of this with Duarte, Sancho, and Lopo, all of whom have different last names because their father was Aragonese. They do have "Of Portuguese blood," even though they are really only half-Portuguese.

    Gil and Pero have it as well, even though their mother was not a princess, just a member of the family tree.

    So the game does seem to do a good job recognizing and tracing the blood lines.

  4. #184
    hull19's Avatar Ordinarius
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    Default Re: [SS 6.3 AAR] The Rise of Portugal (Updated 3/2: Chapter 35)

    Then Portugal finds its Brutus.

    I wonder what that means...
    SS 6.4, Eras 2.3, DotS Project
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  5. #185
    The Source's Avatar Senator
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    Default Re: [SS 6.3 AAR] The Rise of Portugal (Updated 3/2: Chapter 35)

    wait so if i have a princess that im unable to interact with, would she have of portugese blood?

  6. #186

    Default Re: [SS 6.3 AAR] The Rise of Portugal (Updated 3/2: Chapter 35)

    The Source: I'm not exactly sure what you mean. If it is your princess, you should be interact with her, and the sons will have "of Portuguese blood" no matter who she marries, even if she marries a foreigner (I believe). I think the same thing goes for any non-princess woman in your family tree, as long as she is full Portuguese. If she is half-Portuguese (like Pero's and Adelaide's daughter), I don't know if her sons will still be considered to be "of Portuguese blood" if she marries a non-Portuguese general. I'm not sure what happens if the blood gets diluted. Maybe the game considers it to be in effect as long as there is one drop at least?

    I'm hoping to get the next chapter up tonight.

  7. #187

    Default Re: [SS 6.3 AAR] The Rise of Portugal (Updated 3/2: Chapter 35)

    Chapter 36: Into the Dark

    He looked down.


    Just five minutes earlier, the intruder had entered the general’s room.


    So much blood.


    The general had been sleeping relatively comfortably. At the sound of a boot scraping on the stone floor, he began to wake.


    He was always surprised by the amount of blood contained in one body.


    The general rolled to his side, and his eyes snapped open.


    Even a lifetime of combat on the battlefield could not prepare him for the amount of blood.


    The general’s grey hair shook as he slipped out of bed, grabbing for his sword.


    There was something different about watching blood pool on stone floors, crimson rivulets streaming into the cracks between the stones.


    His regular sword was missing from the stand next to his bed. Still drowsy, and now out of sorts over his missing weapon, the general stumbled toward the window.


    His sword dipped toward the floor, hastening the pace of blood falling from its tip.


    Grasping in the near total predawn darkness, the general found his sword on the floor.


    The cooling blood began to thicken as it coagulated.


    Tightly gripping his sword, the aging general was confident in his defense. “Show yourself!”


    The tip of the sword dipped into the congealing blood, scratching a small path through it as his aching right arm began to tremble.


    The intruder slowly walked out from the shadows, his own sword held high. A sliver of sunlight crept into the room, glinting off the intruder’s sword.


    He dropped the sword, and it clattered to the stone, the pommel landing in the middle of the pooling blood.


    Tizona lifted. Suddenly, its keen edge cut through the air with the sound of a whip.


    The man reached down, his fingers closing on the sword’s sticky handle.


    The two swords clanked and clattered against one another: once, twice, a third time. Each collision left nicks and dings in one of the swords.


    It was not Tizona’s first killing. It would not be her last. Her thirst could never be truly slaked.


    The general finally noticed the man’s face in the brightening room. “You!”


    Without slowing to wipe off the blood, he reverently replaced Tizona in its sheath.


    The general fought harder, his sword ripping first left, then right. It was then that he realized he did not have his normal sword.


    He brought the sheathed Tizona up to his face. Staring at the ornate hilt, he brought it up and kissed its curving handguard. “Thank you again, my loving God, for this weapon.”


    The general fought viciously, but he soon began to tire. Though the intruder was not a great deal younger, he had the superior weapon. General Pero brought his sword up high to deflect a blow, and his blade simply snapped off. Tizona had sheared straight through.


    The man placed Tizona carefully on the bed. He picked up a weapon from the mantle above the fire.


    When Pero’s weapon snapped, his right arm flew forward, the counterbalancing pressure released.


    The weapon was a small bollock dagger, a gift from the English court.


    The intruder stepped forward, Tizona stabbing directly into Pero’s chest. Bracing his full weight against the pommel, the intruder pushed hard.


    Casono held the dagger up to his face.


    Pero inhaled sharply and stumbled backwards. Unable to breathe, he grasped at Tizona, cutting his hands and fingers on the sharp blade. He slumped to a knee as Casono removed the blade. Then, he fell forward, clutching at the mortal wound.


    Casono drew his finger carefully across the dagger’s edge, testing its sharpness.


    The rumors flew wildly:



    It was Duarte’s plan to secure his place as heir.
    It was Sancho’s plan to secure Duarte as future king.
    It was the English King’s attempt to sow chaos in a newfound rival for power.
    It was Aragon’s revenge for years of defeat.
    It was a plot of the Pope, punishment for Pero’s wicked life.
    It was Pero’s young wife, anxious about her husband’s increasing rage.
    It was Casono acting alone, retribution for poor treatment.
    It was Gil, eliminating a dangerously unstable general.


    Only three men knew the truth.
    And two of them were dead.


    Pero died, lying face down on the stone, his last exhale more blood than air.


    Casono held the dagger out in front of him. With both hands, he jammed it forward and upward into his own heart. His body fell to the floor on the opposite side of the room from Pero’s.


    For the rest of their lives, all the potential suspects denied involvement. With the murderer dead and no clear sign of a conspiracy, the investigation into Pero's death was a short one.

    Casono’s wife and children disappeared from Barcelona. There were rumors that they were seen in English territory over the next several years, that one of Casono’s sons rose to become a great knight in the English King’s personal guard. But the rumors were never confirmed.


    Tizona found its way to Gil’s castle in Toledo where he displayed it prominently, after having his brother’s blood cleaned off, of course. But Tizona’s story would not end there.


    Dozens of theories have arisen over the years, but even 800 years later, Portuguese historians have no verifiable proof about who was behind the killing.

    Historians have, however, discovered solid evidence that the letter from Marcio to Gil, warning against letting Pero become king, was a fake. The royal scribe could not have returned to Toledo from Lisbon in time to record the letter, and every reputable witness at King Marcio’s death noted that he was never conscious or lucid for the entire final week.

    Gil kept the letter on his person for the rest of his life, and had it burned upon his death.


    The death of Pero Bandeira, Portugal’s greatest military leader in history, leaves a huge void in the north of the kingdom.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    With Gil still holding court in Toledo, and Duarte, Sancho, and Lopo all in Africa, there are few skilled generals in the north. If the English attack en masse, the Portuguese will have to retreat.


    With one stab of Tizona, Duarte the Silver-Tongued becomes Gil’s heir, and the certain future King of Portugal. Only half-Portuguese in blood, Duarte will be the first Portuguese King with foreign blood in his veins.

    If he survives.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

  8. #188
    hull19's Avatar Ordinarius
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    Default Re: [SS 6.3 AAR] The Rise of Portugal (Updated 3/9: Chapter 36)

    what trait deos Duarte have to be "silver-tongued" ??

    pretty interesting chapter. May I ask if Pero was really assassinated, died in battle, or died of old age in your campaing?
    SS 6.4, Eras 2.3, DotS Project
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  9. #189

    Default Re: [SS 6.3 AAR] The Rise of Portugal (Updated 3/9: Chapter 36)

    Quote Originally Posted by hull19 View Post
    what trait deos Duarte have to be "silver-tongued" ??

    pretty interesting chapter. May I ask if Pero was really assassinated, died in battle, or died of old age in your campaing?
    Hull, I don't know exactly which trait made Duarte receive the title "The Silver-tongued," but I do know it was one of the "great speaker" ones. So either "inspirational speaker," "instigator," "sociable" or some combination of those or other traits. He received those traits through being educated for 5+ years in a city with a school, a library, and a university.

    As for Pero, I killed him specifically to create this plot point. The actual logistics of killing him involved sending him into battle against a random Aragonese army on a suicide run.

    If you read this latest chapter very carefully, you can at least narrow down the list of suspects, though I don't think it becomes obvious. I will try to drop some hints in further chapters to help make it more clear, but I don't want to hit everyone over the head with it.

  10. #190
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    Default Re: [SS 6.3 AAR] The Rise of Portugal (Updated 3/9: Chapter 36)

    Great update as always, and a very interesting turn of events. Hopefully the English won't attack you while the northern border is precarious.

  11. #191
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    Default Re: [SS 6.3 AAR] The Rise of Portugal (Updated 3/9: Chapter 36)

    I got my idea, but I am not certain, and i dont want to take the punch out of the story

    But i can't wait to see what happens
    SS 6.4, Eras 2.3, DotS Project
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  12. #192

    Default Re: [SS 6.3 AAR] The Rise of Portugal (Updated 3/9: Chapter 36)

    I'm going to be away from my computer for about a week, so there won't be any updates for a little while. I will take up this AAR at the end of March again, though, so look forward to some updates down the line. Thanks for continuing to read!

  13. #193

    Default Re: [SS 6.3 AAR] The Rise of Portugal (Updated 3/9: Chapter 36)

    Chapter 37: A New Era

    After his brother’s murder, King Gil increasingly isolates himself in the capital of Toledo. His supporters insist he is still mourning Pero’s death, but others quietly argue that his isolation is evidence of his guilt. The King obsessively reads and rereads the letter that he assumes was from Marcio, urging him not to let Pero become king. Gil opens and refolds the letter hundreds of times throughout the rest of his life, necessitating two copies over the years.



    Though Gil burned the remaining copy just before his death, both the original and the first copy were secretly and illegally recopied by two different royal scribes, allowing historians to analyze them centuries later. There is no doubt that Marcio was not the author.

    Angered by the continuing, century-long war between Portugal and Aragon, the Portuguese Pope demands that both sides cease hostilities. Tired and weary, Gil is willing to consider it.

    But Duarte and his brothers are not.

    Duarte, Sancho, and Lopo press the war against Aragon in Africa. In 1293, Sancho attacks the Aragonese prince, Pacheco, south of the Aragonese city of Melilla.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    While Pacheco is a decent general, Sancho has him outnumbered, with superior troops. The Aragonese army is composed almost entirely of archers and crossbowmen, with a few trebuchets. They line up on a small rise, but Sancho urges his men forward quickly.

    The Portuguese cavalry lead the way, storming up the small hill and quickly shattering the shaky Aragonese lines. The Portuguese infantry follow soon after, finishing the job. In the fray, Sancho and his guards catch up to Pacheco’s men. A vicious fight ensues, and Pacheco is soon alone and surrounded. To his credit, he refuses to surrender, and is eventually cut down by one of Sancho’s guards.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Shortly after, Sancho’s older brother Duarte besieges the castle of Melilla. Heavily defended, with potential reinforcements from the east, Melilla will not be easily taken. To that end, Duarte sends a letter to the new captain in Palma, requesting most of the late Pero’s veterans. The captain accedes, unaware that Gil wants no further escalation in Africa.

    While waiting for the troops, Duarte’s and Sancho’s youngest brother, Lopo, has a daughter named Catarina. A few years later, Margarida and her husband Gustavo da Cunha’s daughter Raquel marries an average Portuguese nobleman named Filipe de Paiva.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Then, Salvador Gonçalves and his wife Ana also have a daughter named Catarina.

    A year later, Gaspar de Portugal dies at the age of 81. Gaspar earned himself the moniker “the Horseman” with his decades of excellent riding, though the citizenry of Marrakesh still whisper his other nickname, “the Cruel.” Truly the last de Portugal, Gaspar’s career began as a promising one, but was sidetracked by treachery and ended in shameful exile, far from home.

    Duarte receives a letter from Gil demanding that he immediately cease hostilities with Aragon. Gil is committed to remaining in the Pope’s good graces. Duarte reads the letter, frowning. He burns it.

    Duarte, Sancho, and Lopo combine to destroy a number of Aragonese armies to the south and east. The seeming ease of their victories, their strategic and tactical genius, and their cunning ambushes leave the Aragonese cowering in terror. More than a hundred years later, Portuguese poets will immortalize the brothers as “The Adamastors,” a mistranslation of the Greek for “the Untamed.” Adamastor Link

    Then, Duarte, Sancho, and Lopo collectively assault Melilla.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Duarte’s troops move forward confidently, as Duarte refuses to wait for his brothers’ armies to come up.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Two siege towers head forward on the left side of the gatehouse, with another tower moving forward on the right. Feudal foot knights on the right side are suddenly forced to flee as the right tower ignites, lit by a flaming ballista arrow.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    The knights move away from the wall, waiting for light men-at-arms to move up the ladders. The two towers on the left side of the gatehouse near the wall, when yet another tower suddenly bursts into flame!

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Meanwhile, Lopo and Sancho bring their armies to bear on the castle’s side walls, drawing away hundreds of Aragonese defenders. Portuguese soldiers bring up ladders and a ram, seeking a different way into the castle.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Portuguese urban militia smash through the outermost gate and are almost immediately set upon by elite Aragonese knights.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Duarte’s infantry and cavalry race forward, quickly sweeping aside the enemy knights. Duarte’s own cavalry race through the open gate, far ahead of the infantry.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Sancho’s and Lopo’s armies take control of their respective walls. Duarte’s army destroys several dozen Aragonese cavalry outside the second gate, and all three armies soon push into the center keep. The Portuguese victory only seems inevitable in hindsight.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    After the battle, the three brothers get together to decide what to do with the captured city. Lopo is inclined to simply occupy it, but Duarte and Sancho easily overrule their younger brother. The city is sacked, lands taken from Aragonese nobles who might otherwise support insurrection. Several dozen Aragonese nobles are executed.

    The Pope is exasperated.

    Duarte takes control of the castle, and Sancho and Lopo must immediately face off against Aragonese reinforcements.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Even though they are slightly outnumbered, the Portuguese brothers are confident. Their troops are far superior to Aragon’s, and they are far better generals than the lowly enemy captains.

    Sancho’s army heads forward against the Aragonese men set up in the thick forest. Aragon’s catapults fling fiery balls of pitch downhill, so Sancho hurries his men toward the Aragonese lines.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Off to the side, Lopo’s army engages the smaller Aragonese army.


    Sancho’s men head forward steadily, engaging the Aragonese infantry quickly. The Portuguese are forced to fight uphill, but they hang on long enough for their cavalry to smash into the sides of the enemy lines. Feudal knights crash through the sides, pushing toward the enemy center. Sancho himself charges forward at the same moment.

    Both armies fight well, and the Aragonese are soon destroyed.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    After the battle, Sancho has the prisoners collected for ransom back to Aragon. His older brother is nearly as determined as Pero was, but the three brothers have learned the reasonableness that Pero never did.

    Sancho then remounts his horse and rides off toward Lopo’s army to congratulate his younger brother. As he approaches, he realizes that something is wrong. Lopo’s captains are stoic. They lack the jovial attitude of warriors who have faced death and narrowly avoided it again. Lopo’s captains do not mill about, checking on their men and the enemy prisoners.

    Instead, all four of them stand rigidly, still in full armor, but with their helms off.

    Sancho rides up faster, quickly dismounting. “Where is my brother?”

    Lopo’s second-in-command, Mateus, steps forward hesitantly. “My liege…he…was struck in the chest…he is badly wounded.”

    Sancho hurries to his brother, lying in the grass, under the shade of a high oak. Lopo has a vicious gash in his chest, running from his breastbone down to his belly. Several men press on it, trying to staunch the flow of blood. Lopo’s face is ashen.

    The blood drains from Sancho’s own face, matching that of his younger brother. “Little brother…you did so well…we have won.”

    Lopo smiles weakly. “Good…beat them back…push them…into the sea.”

    Lopo’s body begins to tense. Sancho kneels down and holds his brother’s hand, tears dripping down both of their faces. “Tell Duarte…I am sorry…that I won’t see him become…king.” With that, Lopo Lopes dies, only 32 years old.

    The hardened Sancho Santos breaks down and sobs uncontrollably, indifferent to the men staring at him. Several of Lopo’s own captains shed tears as well, though none so publicly and conspicuously as Sancho.

    The next day, Sancho places Captain Mateus in charge of his late brother’s army. Sancho returns to Melilla with Lopo’s body. Duarte, too, breaks down when he hears of the death of his younger brother. Both he and Sancho swear revenge.

    Mateus takes the army east and destroys an equally sized Aragonese army. He displays some impressive maneuvering, and his men pull together. Hearing of the impressive victory, Sancho invites him to Melilla. There, Duarte Brito, Prince of Portugal, offers him land and titles that would elevate Mateus from minor knight to modestly powerful noble.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Knowing that Gil will not approve of rewarding him for continuing the fight against Aragon, Duarte and Sancho convince Antonio Osorio to officially adopt Mateus, making him a member of the royal family.

    In fact, Gil has sent a nearly continuous stream of letters demanding that Duarte return to Toledo. Duarte has no doubt that Gil seeks to reign in the wayward brothers. So Duarte keeps burning the letters.

    As he and Sancho regroup in preparation for continuing the war against Aragon, Duarte marries Filipa de Sa, an educated heir to the Baron of Oporto. Filipa and Duarte are an interesting match, as both are fiery and independent, but also brilliant. Filipa is thrilled to marry the Prince of Portugal, while Duarte is happy to have such an ambitious wife. He hopes that she will provide him the male heir to continue a new dynasty.

    Plus, Filipa is much like Duarte’s own mother was as a young girl. The elderly Brigida de Villalobos was also a fiery, independent, brilliant, and unusually well educated woman. She convinced her new Aragonese husband, Celestino, to turn against his former countrymen. She helped them survive in enemy territory for years until they were eventually rescued.

    And Brigida was a prolific writer. In fact, her brother, the late King Marcio, often had her write letters for him, even going so far as to mimic his handwriting. Marcio had even given her an exact copy of his Royal Seal so that she could write for him when they were not in the same city.

    Filipa’s timing is impeccable, as Gil passes away at the end of the same year. Having lived to 76, King Gil is no longer called Gil “the Younger.” He was, in many ways, the Portuguese Augustus. But Pero turned out to be the Portuguese Caesar, a genius commander who was betrayed just as his greatest moment neared.

    Gil held the Kingdom together for decades. And while he avoided any civil wars, he was unable to control Duarte and his brothers.

    Before news of Gil’s death reaches Africa, Duarte presses the attack against Aragonese territory to the east.

    The Pope has had enough. In 1298, the year of Duarte’s marriage and King Gil’s death, the Holy Father excommunicates Duarte and places all of Portugal under interdiction.


    Within four years, Vasco Cruz, Antonio Osorio, and Alberto Leal all die, leaving the north of Portugal nearly leaderless. With Duarte, Sancho, and Mateus in Africa, and Gil dead, there would be little to hold off an attack against the northern lands.

    Duarte learns of Gil’s death, and he unofficially becomes King, with his brother Sancho becoming the new Prince. However, Duarte refuses to go to Toledo for the official coronation, preferring instead to continue the attacks in Africa.

    In the auspicious year of 1300, Duarte, Sancho, and an inexperienced captain assault the Aragonese city of Oran, leaving Mateus in charge of Melilla.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Duarte’s army takes the lead, pushing into the city and engaging in a difficult slugfest with the defenders. Outnumbering the garrison by nearly 3 to 1, the Portuguese victory is almost assured from the beginning.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Duarte’s army takes a large number of casualties, nearly including the King himself. In the initial onslaught, Duarte presses forward recklessly and is hit in the right side with a crossbow bolt. Though his men surge forward and escort him to the rear of the army, Duarte is badly hurt.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Duarte survives, and miraculously escapes any infection. His doctors say he will survive, but the wound lingers for weeks. Duarte wants to push farther east, but Sancho convinces him that it would be foolhardy.

    Duarte is no Pero. Thus, he remains in Oran, trying to recuperate. Filipa has a son, Fernao, a few months after Duarte receives his wound. It is nearly two years until they can have another. Despite the infamy of the name, Duarte and Filipa name their second son Gaspar.

    Duarte sends out diplomats, seeking a wife for his younger brother. After months of searching for a wife worthy of the Prince, a diplomat discovers Judith D’alia, an intriguing Sicilian princess. She is wary of marrying into an excommunicated family, but nearly 10000 florins convince her and her father.

    Duarte decides to return to Toledo for the coronation. Though he has hardly recovered at all, he realizes the kingdom needs an official king. He will have to recuperate in the capital.

    During the journey, word arrives that the Portuguese Pope has died. Sensing the opportunity, Duarte sends diplomats to Rome, and Portugal is reconciled. It comes not a moment too soon, as the alliance with England was becoming strained. Plus, the war between Norway and the Papal States has grown. Norway has taken Toulouse, Marseille, and Genoa from the Papacy, threatening Italy and Rome itself. England continues the war against their Norwegian rivals, but the new English Pope is desperate.

    In 1302, he calls a Crusade against Norway. Cognizant of the fact that further antagonism against Aragon will not be tolerated, Sancho joins the Crusade and quickly begins marching to the north, leaving only Mateus to hold the new African colonies.

  14. #194

    Default Re: [SS 6.3 AAR] The Rise of Portugal (Updated 4/1: Chapter 37)

    The next update (with family tree, rankings, etc.) is mostly done, but it will be a few days until it is up. I am going to be out of town for the latter part of the week, so I won't have time to finish the editing before that. I will, however, say that the next 10-15 years is absolutely insane.

    As a teaser, here is what you will see:

    1) A dominant superpower not named Portugal
    2) The slow decline of one crucial world power
    3) The Papal States vassalized
    4) A King's noble death in battle
    5) Plague
    6) Handgunners!

    Also, did the last update clear things up about Pero's murder at all? I wanted to make it semi-clear without having to come right out and say exactly what happened.

  15. #195
    dezikeizer's Avatar Campidoctor
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    Default Re: [SS 6.3 AAR] The Rise of Portugal (Updated 4/1: Chapter 37)

    Great update as always, and I think you just provided a big clue to who was responsible for murdering Pero. Perhaps Duarte's mother wrote the letter.

  16. #196

    Default Re: [SS 6.3 AAR] The Rise of Portugal (Updated 4/1: Chapter 37)

    Ah, the cliffhangers...
    Good job.

  17. #197

    Default Re: [SS 6.3 AAR] The Rise of Portugal (Updated 4/1: Chapter 37)

    Chapter 38: Sceptre and Sword


    In 1303, Duarte arrives in the capital of Toledo. Despite his stellar reputation, the celebration of his return is subdued. He has been acting in the capacity of King for nearly five years, and there is no question that he will be crowned. Gil died childless, and while Pero had a daughter, she has no claim to the throne. The coronation is a mere formality. Plus, Duarte’s injuries have created some consternation among the court advisors. Many wonder whether Duarte will ever again be able to take the field.


    Since its use in the murder of Pero Bandeira, the legendary sword Tizona has not been used in battle. At the order of King Gil, the sword was never to be unsheathed again during his lifetime. Now that he is dead, Duarte has chosen to make the sword into the Royal Sword of Portugal, unsheathed and used only during the coronation of kings. Nearly two centuries old, the sword is no longer effective enough for battlefield use. Now, it is a symbol of the Kingdom of Portugal: aged and bloody, but powerful.


    The composition of the family tree has changed dramatically since Gil’s reign began in 1283. Vasco Cruz, Lopo Lopes, Gaspar de Portugal, Alberto Leal, Pero, and King Gil have all died. Plus, the members of Duarte’s and Sancho’s generation have aged and are all nearing the end of their active military years (even Sancho is 52). Unfortunately, few young nobles have risen to fill the ranks. While there have been new children, it will be years before most of them are old enough to either serve or marry.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Alexandre Amaral is relatively loyal, and has surrounded himself with some good advisors, but he has not proven to be an especially effective governor or military man.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Alexandre’s brother-in-law, Rui Meira, has however proven to be an effective military leader. Though he suffers from some of the same rage as Pero, he has done a tremendous job protecting Portugal’s northern border.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Gustavo da Cunha, married to the late Andre Osorio’s daughter, is also a middling nobleman. He is an effective governor of Leon, though, and has been tasked with maintaining stability in the northern and northwestern sections of the kingdom.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    The recently knighted Mateus has some promise as a military leader and administrator. He had better, because he is the only Portuguese family member in all of Africa. He is responsible for holding back the Aragonese hordes and maintaining the African colonies.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Filipe de Paiva, Gustavo and Margarida’s new son-in-law, is a very loyal and trustworthy man. Currently studying under Gustavo in Leon, he will likely be a key administrator.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Salvador Gonçalves, brother-in-law to the King, has the sole responsibility of managing Pamplona and efficiently organizing the northern defenses and roads.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Salvador’s son-in-law, Pero de Matos, has shown a tendency toward disloyalty in recent months. Duarte will need to keep a close watch on him.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    King Duarte is a good, though not great, military leader. The Aragonese called him and his brothers the Adamastors for good reason, though. Collectively, they ravaged the Aragonese cities and castles in Africa, bringing Aragon to the very brink of annihilation. Only excommunication and a vicious injury to Duarte stalled the final assaults.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Duarte takes a direct, commonsense approach to everything: when Gil demanded an end to the war with Aragon, Duarte ignored it, knowing he could get away with a certain amount of insubordination as long as he kept winning; when the Pope threatened excommunication, Duarte ignored it, figuring it was Gil’s problem, not his. It remains to be seen whether this approach will work more effectively than Gil’s measured, rational ways.

    Duarte is the first King of Portugal to also be crowned King of Spain. For the first time since the Visigoths in the eighth century, all of the Iberian Peninsula is united under one ruler. It is an astounding achievement, though the praise is really owed more to Gil and Pero than Duarte.

    Duarte’s brother Sancho is exceedingly loyal to his older brother. And while Sancho takes a more reasoned approach, no one will confuse him with Aristotle. Neither brother is a philosopher, and Sancho has a tendency to mistreat his citizens, primarily because his only experience has been with ruling Africans and Aragonese.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Because the king's own sons are still infants, Sancho becomes the official heir regent. Though salic law is still the official law of the land, it has been many decades since power passed from a King to his eldest son. The last time was when Guilherme took over from his father, Alexandre, in 1200, more than a century ago. Marcio was nephew to a king, but Gil was a distant relative, and could only trace his claim to the throne through a dubious line that required royal genealogists to point all the way back to Urraca, King Henrique’s eldest daughter. No one can say for sure that power will pass bloodlessly and easily to Duarte’s son, especially since Duarte and his brother are both half-Aragonese.


    With his ascension to King of Portugal and Spain, Duarte takes command of a large, wealthy, defensible kingdom, one of the greatest Christian realms in all the world.

    Rankings

    Overall

    1. Kingdom of Norway 800,000 (+38% since 1283!)
    2. Fatimid Caliphate 575,000
    3. Byzantine Empire 500,000
    4. Kingdom of Portugal 380,000 (+19%)
    5. Kievan Rus 375,000
    7. Kingdom of England 280,000 (-26%)
    11. Kingdom of Aragon 90,000 (-25%)

    Military

    1. Norway 680,000 (+42%)
    2. Byzantines 530,000
    3. Fatimids 450,000
    4. Kievan Rus 350,000
    5. England 240,000 (-40%)
    6. Portugal 200,000 (+8%)
    13. Aragon 80,000 (-38%)

    Territories

    1. Norway 36 (+33%)
    2. Mongols 28
    3. Fatimids 20
    4. Portugal 20 (+18%)
    5. Byzantines 19
    7. England 10 (-50%)
    11. Aragon 4 (-33%)

    Population

    1. Norway 880,000 (+35%)
    2. Fatimids 540,000
    3. Mongols 505,000
    4. Byzantines 500,000
    5. Kievan Rus 390,000
    6. Portugal 390,000 (+20%)
    7. England 270,000 (-25%)
    11. Aragon 90,000 (-31%)


    In the span of a few generations, Norway has transformed itself from a stable, regional power into the envy of the entire world. Norway is now a proper empire, ruling over nearly as many citizens as those of the next two greatest kingdoms combined. Norway has become, at the expense of England, the Holy Roman Empire, the Papal States, Venice, and Genoa, the true successor to the Romans.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    The Mongolian invasion has slowed, if not outright stalled.


    The Fatimids continue to make inroads into Byzantine territory, but most of the eastern world is relatively stable. It is the west that has dramatically transformed.


    Norway now has a firm hold over all of Scandinavia, central Europe, and most of what used to be the Kingdom of France. England has nearly lost its grip on French territory, and is still wrestling with Scotland after hundreds of years.


    Gil was negligent in allowing England to battle the Norwegians alone for years while he concentrated on the African lands.


    Portugal has intensified its power base on both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar, but a looming struggle with Norway casts a shadow over everything that the Portuguese kings have accomplished. And Aragon still lives, plotting away in cramped and uncomfortable African lands far from their homelands in Spain.

    The year after Duarte’s coronation, the King’s niece Luisa and her husband Pero de Matos have a son, named Brás. Remarkably, Luisa also gains a new brother that year, as Salvador and Ana bring Ricardo into the world.

    Despite these happy tidings, all is not well. Prince Karl, heir to the Norwegian throne and one of the most powerful men in Europe, besieges the Portuguese city of Pamplona.

    The ensuing war will change Portugal, and Europe, forever.

  18. #198

    Default Re: [SS 6.3 AAR] The Rise of Portugal (Updated 4/5: Chapter 38)

    Sorry to leave on yet another cliffhanger, but I will be out of town until the weekend, so no new updates for a bit. I have played ahead a little, and things are going to become much more complicated in the next decade. Norway is not done expanding.

    In the meantime, I hope this small update tides everyone over. The family tree is pretty huge, and I have to say that I'm probably more proud of it than anything else I've done. It's really cool to see all the different generations and the different kings and relatives. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

    Leave some comments if you are still reading after all these months. I'm curious what you all think about Norway, England, Aragon and Duarte and Sancho. Plus, do you like or dislike Mateus as the first (and so far only) Man of the Hour? Anyone shocked or saddened by Lopo's death?

  19. #199
    hull19's Avatar Ordinarius
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    Default Re: [SS 6.3 AAR] The Rise of Portugal (Updated 4/5: Chapter 38)

    Sad about Lopo... but hey, life is life

    Very nice update! Love the emerging of Mateus... and of the new King!
    SS 6.4, Eras 2.3, DotS Project
    The first computer you had always was the best.
    R.I.P. 2001-2011

  20. #200
    Vandal Warlord's Avatar Tiro
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    Default Re: [SS 6.3 AAR] The Rise of Portugal (Updated 4/5: Chapter 38)

    Great AAR! I love the massive familiy tree. Keep up the good work! +rep
    My Current AAR: Have Faith, My Son
    "If you are lucky enough to be Irish, then you are lucky enough"
    -Irish Proverb

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