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[╬Ritterbruder╬]

House of Leuven (Louvain)

Name: Godfrey of Leuven
Age: 22 (born 1182 AD)
Heritage: Brabander (Dutch)

Bio:
Born as the 4th son of Godfrey III of Leuven, Duke of the Lower Lorraine, Margrave of Brabant, and the 2nd son to his second wife, Imagina of Loon. His oldest half-brother, Henry, was the first to be granted the title 'Duke of Brabant' by the Emperor, the infamous Frederick Barbarossa. Being 4th in line, no landed titles were left to be granted to him.
The crusader spirit has always been notably present in his family, as his father went to Jerusalem and his brother Henry was among the leaders of the German crusade of 1197. Being unlanded however, means that Godfrey does not have the resources nor the manpower to support such an exploit on his own, and he is therefore forced to join up as a lesser noble.
He is devout, yet tries not to fall into fanaticism: trying to live his live according to Catholic virtues and abstinence of the sins of man. He sees his faith as the driving force of good, and thus his actions blessed by the Church as 'an undoubtable necessity', though he wouldn't mind if he recieved some sort of reward in this earthly life, rather than the one thereafter. This also leads him to believe in some sort of fatalism, where we all have been given our place in this world by the Divine, and must act accordingly, hence he is more of strict officer than a brother in arms to his men.
He joined his half-brother in several of his campaigns, yet is limited in commanding and combat experience. He prefers his fighting up close and personal, seeing massive use of archers as something cowardly for those who refuse to get their hands dirty.

As he is a firm believer of the 'one' (his) way, he is rather hot-tempered and stiff-headed. He also cherishes justice, to a point where he could nearly be seen as a naïve follower of the law, following it simply because it is the law. He prefers to abstain from violence, yet is aware of it's necissity/advantage in some occasion and thus can be cruel to make an example.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Gandalfus]

Robert de Bourgogne

Age: 22

Ethnicity: Burgundian


Robert grew up in Burgundy as the fourth son of the second son of the Duke of Burgundy - in other words, he was nobody important that anybody bothered about. He was sent to become a cleric, studying in Avignon, but claimed he was possessed by the devil to avoid becoming a priest. As you would expect, he was far removed from Avignon; instead, he was sent by his irritated father to the crusader kingdom of Cyprus - namely to study as a hospitaller knight. Staying true to his rebellious nature, he deserted the order at the age of twenty, not long before his knighthood, and entered the Cypriot royal court through the prestige of his name alone, and offered his services to the king of Cyprus as an 'experienced knight'. He joined the retinue of Phillipa de Lusignan, one of the lesser ladies of the esteemed crusader family, and joined her on her and her brothers expedition to Greece, scenting an opportunity for wealth.

Robert is an ambitious, dishonourable, cowardly snake, who's greed propels him forward. He will try and achieve high status and wealth by any means he can.

[Dance's RPG Account]

Sir Cyprien Swyft
The Knight of Limassol
Tyre, Kingdom of Jerusalem - (b. 1180) (24)
Ethnicity: Frankish-Cypriot

Cyprien was born in Tyre, in 1180, the son of a wealthy and influential merchant. His mother was a dancer and musician. He had a humble early childhood, living in Tyre with his family - of which he was the only child.

In 1187, after the fall of Jerusalem, fears spread throughout the Kingdom, and Thomas Swyft had his son begin as page for a local knight, in Tyre, Sir Eldric Sayers.

In 1192, Sir Eldric Sayers took his new squire to Limassol, with other Christian pilgrims, as the new Crusader State of Cyprus was formed, under Guy de Lusignan.

Cyprien, who was twelve at the time, gladly followed, leaving behind his family in Tyre, to begin his life destined for knighthood.

After years of squiring for Sir Eldric, Cyprien finally earned some prominence by one famous act.

In spring, 1201, months before his expected knighting, Cyprien was in the marketplace of Limassol, when he encountered the daughter of King Amalric, whom was visiting Limassol with a royal entourage. Still throughout the country, there was lingering disdain for the new Kingdom, and scattered ultra-nationalist factions roamed in the shadows of the urban centers, plotting to oust the Crusaders and terrorize the Crusader sympathizers. It was one of these factions that on this warm spring morning, plotted to kidnap Helvis of Lusignan, the eleven-year-old daughter of King Amalric.

Helvis had a fairly large retinue, and was protected by a dozen men-at-arms at all times. She was walking through the marketplace, paying little attention to her surroundings, as her entourage followed closely. Her ladies-in-waiting were also oblivious to their busy surroundings, but they needn't fear much with the guards under Sir James Valeir, a knight of House de Lusignan, as the captain of their escort.

Suddenly, two of the men-at-arms disappeared, from the rear of the escort party, and it immediately went unnoticed. Within moments, two more disappeared - one of which having been seen dragged into an alleyway. Three men-at-arms witnessed the event and signaled the alarm to the rest of the escort. Sir James grabbed Helvis, shoving her into the arms of one of his men, whom fled down into the center of the marketplace, with two other guards on their flanks. Sir James led the remaining five men to confront the attackers.

Crossbows ignited out of several windows, striking two of the men-at-arms down. Sir James struck one of the attackers, a simple man, with simple weapons. It wasn't long before he crossed swords with a better-equipped attacker. His men also engaged the foe in melee, but as they busied themselves, the three men-at-arms running Helvis to safety were confronted and cut off by two-fold their number of attackers.

Cyprien was gathering supplies from a nearby stall, and observed the confrontation, as Helvis was pushed behind the lead man-at-arms, the three of them forming a crescent to protect her. Though unarmed, Cyprien was surprisingly calm during the ordeal, despite commoners fleeing in all directions to get to safety.

Cyprien grabbed a wooden cane leaning on the side of the leather stall he was browsing through, and he firmly gripped it, sliding the peg side into his right hand - so as to mimic a makeshift cudgel, with the pommeled hilt to take the brunt of a collision. He slipped slowly to the flank of the attackers, who focused on the princess and her protectors.

Before they could attack, Cyprien lashed out from behind them striking one in the back of the head - the man of which had nothing but a concealing hood to protect him. The man went down like a sack of potatoes and before any could react, Cyprien whipped the cane around again, bashing the next closest attacker across the face, forcing a spew of blood and saliva out of his mouth - the man falling to the ground, stunned.

The men-at-arms engaged with the other four attackers, and Cyprien noticed the first one hit staggering up, so he winded up his leg and kicked the man in the stomach, forcing him to fall again, but this time, rolled onto his back. The man unsheathed a small dagger from the side of his pants, but it was too slow and illconceived, as Cyprien used all his force to bash the man in the face with the pommel of the cane, several times with striking speed, rendering the man lifeless. Then, without wasting time, he bashed the other man in the back of the head several times, continuously, with such fury, as a pool of blood formed where the man's face and skull began to deform - as the cobblestone street met flesh and sinew.

One of the men-at-arms was stabbed with a spear through his chest, and wailed in pain, as the man drove it deeper. Cyprien whacked a third attacker in the back, as he tried to gang up on one of the men-at-arms already engaged.

The man recovered quickly, and turned to Cyprien, ready to fight him. The man also had a cudgel - though an intended one. He swung several times at Cyprien, who dodged the swipes and jabs, and returned two-fold, performing a counter-riposte with the cane, which knocked the man off his balance. The man stumbled on a fallen box of fruit, and collapsed - but Cyprien did not continue the attack. He waited for the man to regain control and get back up - weapon in hand. The man attacked again and Cyprien performed the same move, when the man prematurely swiped at him. This time, the man fell back to one knee and Cyprien elaborated quickly striking the man dead on in the face with the cane, shattering several teeth and forcing a burst of blood out of the man's mouth.

By this point, the man-at-arms next to him had killed his opponent and assisted in the killing of the other attacker who speared on of his comrades. It was now just the man-at-arms and Cyprien standing, as the others had all fallen.

Cyprien dropped the cane, raising his hands slightly - as the man-at-arms held his sword point to him, but soon Sir James arrived and thanked the man for assistance in dealing with the brigands.

Cyprien was shortly thereafter knighted by Sir Eldric, and granted knightly freedom to visit Nicosia and meet with King Amalric.

Cyprien was quickly dubbed 'The Knight of Limassol'.

Granted the task of routing out the ultra-nationalist faction in Limassol, by early 1204, the faction was destroyed - and its members either imprisoned, dead, or scattered.

Deemed a decisive victory campaign by the king, Cyprien's fame rose more. He was granted substantial land of his choice (choosing the outskirts of Limassol), and having simultaneously fallen for Helvis, their love was brief and forbidden, due to his lowborn beginnings (despite the fact he was her hero and a commendable knight).

Having seen Helvis promised to another, Sir Cyprien opted to join the Fourth Crusade, which is where his story now begins...

[Philip Regent of Hospitallers]

House of Lancaster

Name: Philip Lancaster
Age: 25 (b. 1179)
Ethnicity: Anglo-French

Biography: Born in 1179, his father was Frankish Knight, who served his King great and proud. His mother again was English Princess at the time, who went against her father´s wishes and was casted out from the house. Despite the constant war between England and France, Philip learned from his parents, that there can be peace in two nations...those two nations in his eyes were his parents, though. At the age of 8, his father put him into military school, where Philip learned all the basics of knighthood, weapon arts of lance and sword and defense art of shield. Philip showed promise in school and later he was one of the best jousters in France. However, wanderlust suddenly struck him. In 1199, Philip decided that, he will go out of France, despite going against his mother´s wishes. By then his father was dead, he fell in battle and yet Philip was seen as new leader of the Lancaster House...but he didn´t take it. Instead he gave it to his younger brother, who wasn´t as promising Knight as Philip. By 1203, Philip travelled to Byzantine Empire, where he could see the wonders of the culture...maybe even start knighthood there...

[Pinkerton]

Father Lawrence of Kent


Born 1169 AD, 35 years old in 1204 AD

A lowborn catholic priest born in England. He decided to join the Crusade after the Virgin Mary herself appeared to him in a dream, telling him to join the armies of God and bring the Kingdom of Heaven to the greek heretics
Although he is not an educated man, he learnt latin in the monastery he was ordered in and knows his fair share of the scriptures

[Zectorman]

Alexandro Baduario

27 years of age in 1204 A.D, born 1177 A.D

Biography: Born within Venetian holdings in Crete, yet educated in Venice itself Alexandro had little to lose and much to gain by taking part in the Fourth crusade. Being only the third son of a smaller "noble" merchant family, at first he wanted to be a good son and bring fortune to his family however he could. As a youth he grew found of dueling for sport and hearing about the lucrative exploits of nobles in the holy lands. Ambition grew as he heard tales that great swaths of land were given to the most loyal and holy of warriors. How could he resist the opportunity to not just to grow his families holdings,but create his own? Taking all the money granted to him by his not so wealthy merchant family, he bought himself whatever armor he could and brought his best sword and joined the ranks.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Honors Bastion]

Father Guillaume de Rheims (Priest)

Age: 47 (Born 1157)
Heritage: French

Bio: Guillaume de Rheims is an elderly and somewhat fat priest from the city of Rheims in the Champagne region of France. He is a deeply religious man and he is a fanatical supporter of the power of the church and despises those who go against the church doctrines. Gullaume found himself joining the Fourth Crusade after he heard about it from travelling priests sent out by Pope Innocentius III. Having decided that his place in life was to preach in Outremer, Guiallume joined the crusade like many others from Champagne region.

Guillaume joined the Fourth Crusade in hopes that he would be joined by fellow devout Christians. So far, he has been severely disappointed. He is disgusted by the greed and apparent lust for wealth amongst the Crusader Lords and he has been trying his hardest to preach against them. So far, very few have listened to his preaching’s and he has so far been powerless in trying to divert the Fourth Crusade to its correct path. Simon has a deep hatred for the Crusader Lords, especially one specific noble, Simon de Provence, who had beaten him over the head and knocked him unconscious when he dared to decry the Crusade and its participants as blasphemous when they threatened to burn a writ from the Pope. After the beating, Guillaume has been biding his time and waiting patiently to the day he can take his revenge and send these sinful nobles to hell.

[Maximus5150]

Are we still able to get into the Crusade. If so..

Sir Robert if Sardinia
Age: 27

Sir Robert was the first born son of a lesser Duke on the island of Sardinia, set to inherit his father's lands when his father passed on. All that changed when his three younger brothers plotted against him and his birthright, securing it for themselves on the day of their father's death. Fearing his own death at the hands of his conniving little brothers, Robert fled Sardinia, seeking a new life of adventure and fortune. He has styled himself Robert the Exile, and is hell bent to win himself enough glory to surpass what he would have inherited from his father. Robert is of average build ( about 6'0, 200 pounds) and his preferred weapon is the bastard sword along with a shield.

[Pontifex Maximus]

Name: Thomas Malet
Age: 30
Biography: A conservative priest come to join the crusades. His past is incredibly secretive...perhaps alluding to several skeletons in his closet?

[Watercress]

House von Hapsburg



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Clemens von Hapsburg
24
German

Born in the Swiss Alps as the third son of Rudolph II, Count of Hapsburg, the younger sibling of Albert and Otto Hapsburg, Clemens enjoyed a comfortable childhood as a member of the up-and-coming Hapsburg dynasty, which, through arranged marriages and achieving political privileges, was, and indeed is, gaining prominence and power in their little corner of the Holy Roman Empire. From their powerbase of the countships of Zürichgau, Aargau and Thurgau, the ambitious and virile house are beginning to emerge on the greater stage of Imperial power and politics, and extend their influence through marriage into Upper Alsace and Swabia. Every member of the house was intended to play a part in this ascendancy - for Clemens, as the name may suggest, it was to enter into a ecclesiastical career, to extend the influence of the Hapsburgs into the halls of the Church. But the young Clemens, a brave, strong, and ambitious boy, raised on tales of princesses trapped in towers and chivalrous knights, rebelled from his father's intentions. He was committed to the life of the noble, adventuring knight, not the pious, diligent priest, and he soon came into conflict with his father. As he blossomed through adolescence, this conflict intensified, leading to much typical teenage tantrums and strops. Eventually his father conceded - he was packed off to squire for a neighbouring, friendly knight, at an older age than was customary, before ascending through the ranks of knighthood until his raising to the grand honour of knight itself. Staying with his family and serving as a Marshal and Leader for the Hapsburg men-at-arms and levies, the bug of adventure soon bit Clemens, eager to go and earn a name from himself, away from the sleepy German Alps. The opportunity of joining the Fourth Crusade was largely passed up, especially thanks to the sack of Zeta, which put Clemens and many other German knights off, but with the fall of Constantinople and the call for reinforcement from the new Latin Emperor, Clemens relented and joined the German forces marching eastward. Now a prominent noble and leader among the Imperial Contingent of Latin reinforcements, Clemens approaches the Latin Empire with eagerness in his heart and chivalry in his mind - although it is unlikely either desire shall be satisfied.

Amadeo Esposito

Amadeo Esposito 28 Genoese Born to unknown parents in the city of Genoa, Amaedo had a difficult childhood, living his first years as an orphan boy - abandoned only a few months after birth and rescued by a local priest (Hence the Surname 'Exposed', denoting a child who was rescued after being abandoned by its parents). The Church Orphanage, while safe, was not comfortable for the young Amadeo, and by the age of fourteen he was forced to leave by the cash-strapped priests who could afford to look after him no longer. The subsequent years of begging, thieving, and poverty were horrendous for Amadeo, but eventually he pulled through, and achieved a lucky break when a young captain, taking pity on the beggar, allowed his to come aboard one of his vessels and work for him. The young Amadeo first served as a proto-cabin boy, then as a repairman, and then a full-blown sailor. Amadeo matured quickly on the merchant's many ships, journeying across the Mediterranean as a crewman, and experiencing many flavours of city, nation, and people. Prosperity soon followed - he profited greatly from the merchant's generous salary, and the underhand deals he found the opportunity to make with traders and sailors in many other ports. Soon he was able to break away and forge his own path, as one among the many Genoese freemen. At times he was a sailor for hire, at others a trader and businessmen, on few occasions a mercenary and marine, and in more desperate times a pirate and freebooter. While never even approaching the riches and power of the Patricans of Genoa, Amadeo was nonetheless ascendant in the world - soon, he purchase a vessel of his own, and took the first tentative steps on the road to becoming a major merchant. That is, until fate threw misfortune once more in the face of the unfortunate Italian. Having possessed his craft for little more than a year, Amaedo and his crew arrived in Constantinople with a cargo of cloths and spices from Alexandria - shortly before the siege and sack of the city by the Crusaders. Unable to escape the harbours in time, Amaedo was trapped in the city by the deployment of the Chain of the Golden Horn by the Byzantines, and the attempts of the Crusaders to cross the Bosphorus. Stuck, Amaedo sat with fear inside the city as the Crusaders' siege progressed, until they finally broke threw and began their sack, causing Amaedo to flee to the Italian District for safety. Still stuck in the now Latin city, with his ship likely burnt, his crew gone or killed, and his fortune robbed, the path ahead for Amaedo shall be a tough one.

[Lucius Malfoy]

House of Ibelin


House of Ibelin is another great name in Crusading history and one that became well-known after the Third Crusade. Though it is ranked lower than some names in this era of Crusaders, it is one that greatly remembered in the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The founder of this house was Balian de Ibelin, who served Baldwin IV and later Guy I de Lusignan. Balian was quite important due to his marriage with Maria Comnena, a Queen Consort of Jerusalem. Her ties to the titles of Cyprus and Jerusalem made Balian and his heirs very powerful, but also very suspicious. When Balian died, his son, John, took over the House and continued to expand its power under the de Lusignan Kings of Jerusalem. John had several sons, was ranked Constable of Jerusalem and was seen as a natural born leader.

With the success of the Fourth Crusade and the establishment of the Latin Empire, a brother of John of Ibelin, a well-trained knight by the name of Amaury de Ibelin, joined the Levantine reinforcements to Constantinople. His hopes were to become as renowned as his elder brother and hopefully surpass them. Greed and Piety drove him to the Latin Empire and it would be chivalry that would grant him strength.

Amaury of Ibelin

Age: 24 (Born 1181 AD)
Rank: Knight

Amaury of Ibelin is the younger son of Philip de Ibelin, who was the son of Balian. Amaury was born and raised, like his older brother John, on Cyprus where Philip served the Kings of Cyprus, the de Lusignans. Though Amaury had greatness within his blood, it was unlucky that he was not born before John. Where John went to Jerusalem and received grand titles, Amaury stood among the soldiers. His feats were known during the Third Crusade, but overshadowed by the glory that was held by his elder brother. Though the Third Crusade was his chance, it wasn't enough for him to gain even close to what John had. As time went on, the Ibelin Frank did what he could in the courts of Jerusalem and Cyprus as the wars ended and the Kingdom was much smaller than ever before.

However, another chance presented itself on the horizon. With the success of the Fourth Crusade and the establishment of the Latin Empire, Amaury saw his chance to seek fame and fortune. Leaving his ancestral lands behind in the hands of his impressive brother, the young Knight joined the Levantine reinforcements coming to the Latin Empire. Perhaps God had granted him one more chance to gain fame and fortune in this new Catholic realm.

[joriandrake]

(Sorry, started up and couldn't stop so it became long, but well fleshed out)

House of Arpad

Bela (the second) the Blind, King of Hungary between 1131–1141 had three sons and a daughter. The sons were called Geza, Laszlo (Ladislaus), and Istvan (Stephen). Everything went as per our history is chronicling except that Stephen and Maria Comnene had 3 children, two sons and a daughter.

The sons were called Attila, Stephanos (greek variant of Stephen/István), and the daughter Mária (hungarian "loud/long" version of Maria).
As their father Stephen failed the last time to take the Throne of Hungary and the Byzantine Comnenos family gave up on supporting his claims he became depressed and after the third failed invasion during his governance over Zemun he committed suicide. At this time his children were with their mother Maria at the court of Constantinople.

The not-so-much unexpected death of Stephen "the Mad" Arpad only hit the children hard who knew almost nothing of politics and court schemes. In fact, the widow Maria Comnene felt relieved and for the young children a life began under strict Byzantine training in Greek, History, Etiquette. For boys also Warfare and swordmanship and for young Mária poetry and painting.

After the death of the Old Emperor Manuel his son Alexios II took the imperial throne but with no weak opposition. A cousin, Andronikos Komnenos used disorder to gain power and influence to be declared co-emperor, while still allowing Alexios to be the official ruler. Using the chaos on the streets of Constantinople the mother Maria fled the capitol together with her children which seems to have been a good thing, as that day happened the Massacre of the Latins and also most people who might support Alexios against Andronikos were murdered, and due to blood ties they would have also be included in this group.

As stability returned somewhat to the realm Alexios II using the power and loyalties he still had tried to safeguard those who he regarded as friends and close family. As he more or less grew up under tutelage of Maria Comnene she was also regarded like that, and with her the "Arpados" children as well. Emperor Alexios II granted lordship over Bosnia to Attila and his mother Maria, while Stephanos who married an Angelos girl was granted lordship over Dalmatia. Soon however, the Byzantine Empire was invaded by King Bela III of Hungary who wanted to regain lands long promised by Manuel I, thus losing Syrmia and Bosnia to in 1181. ((Béla was one of the most powerful rulers of Hungary and he was also one of the most wealthy monarchs of Europe of his age: his annual revenue was the equivalent of 23 tonnes of pure silver. This exceeded the income of the French king (estimated at 17 tonnes) and was double the receipts of the English Crown.))

When Bela arrived at the borders of Bosnia he was surprised to see the opposing army commander riding up to him under the Arpad banner bowing before him. Attila decided to surrender to him considering that he was a relative, and that his reforms and wealth were renown in Europe, while the stability and safety in Byzantium crumbled away. With the death of his mother Maria a year ago not much had tied his loyalty to Constantinople. King Bela III took Bosnia without a single arrow shot, no knee injuries either.


Byzantium also lost Dalmatia two months later, but Stephanos put up a stalwart defense against the Venetians. He, and his wife and young son Romanos died in flames when the Venetians burned down their estate. It is known that Stephanos surrendered at the very end, but the Venetians who were raging due to their 3 to 1 losses ignored it and blocked all exists of the house to ensure their death. Attila never forgave the Venetians because of this cruelty.

The younger sister of Attila, Mária was however captured on the Byzantine side of the borders, and held captive until Isaakios II Angelos seized power from Andronikos where she and other prisoners were freed in riots among fire and blood.
She didn't flee the Empire however, and became wife to the second son of an Anatolian duke of House Palaiologos.

Meanwhile, Attila Arpados had to gave up both his control over Bosnia and his faith to be accepted back as a member of the Arpad dynasty. As a compromise he converted to Greek Catholicism which still used byzantine rites and traditions, but followed the Pope of Rome. Bela III being satisfied with this, and still bneing pleased by the handower of Bosnia earlier, he made Attila the first count of Vas, and titular Duke of Pannonia.



Attila Arpad (as he got rid of the greek Arpados name), trying to fit in with the strange new world of a heavily western influenced Hungary found himself surprisingly well fitting in into the darker side of the Hungarian court with all the representatives from Venice, Rome, Genoa, the Holy Roman Empire, Poland, and more. Due to his childhood at the Byzantine court he knew the ways to speak and act to quickly gain favor, and after three years he was considered as one of the greatest uncrowned Arpads. Attila first married a daughter of the Hungarian Csák family but his wife died at childbirth together with their daughter, he then married a Habsburg girl to improve his influence in the HRE and also get his hands on a few lucrative trade agreements and the creation of a trade route from his city of Körmend "the Bastion of the West" for which he adopted a new coat of arms of twin golden lions on red. Thus soon the charisma created renown and friends was also accompanied by riches gained through trade and a county that got ever richer under the rule of his and that of Bela the Third.

When chaos emerged also in Hungary after the death of the King and the princes Imre (Emeric) and András (Andrew) fought over the crown, Attila wisely avoided any involvement and subtly loaned a bit of money to both sides so whatever the end result would be the new ruler would be indebted to him. While he avoided any direct involvement he acted as a father he never had, and lived a happy live with his wife and their son Attila "the Younger". A few years later when the Duke was drunken at a festivity in Pozsony he went to bed with the wife of a lesser Hungarian noble (which he claimed was due to drunkeness mistaken for his own wife) that resulted in the birth of young Ákos (for simplicity reasons he will be called Akos ingame, and all other names I also try to either simplify, use the latin, greek ,or both variants of).

When the Duke of Pannonia died of old age after a decade of ice cold relationship with his wife who never forgave him for that one night, the younger lord Attila gained all lands and titles. A year later the younger bastard half-brother Akos showed up, and Attila II of Pannonia welcomed him with open arms, much to the shock of his mother. Attila didn't have any bad feelings towards someone he didn't even met before, and Akos quickly became a close friend and loyal ally to him.

Attila was curious about the world, and didn't stay much at home. He already learned as bright child thanks to his mother and father other than Hungarian also Greek, German, Polish, French, and a bit of latin. He studied old texts and stories of old Rome and the Bible of both Latin and Greek languages, even some parts that later got changed or left out. As a young adult (early teen) he began his journey in Europe and as he went to France he joined the Templars (although him being Greek Catholic was a slight problem at acceptance) and learned Normand (English of the time). Ignoring what happened around him at that time on political level Attila and Akos went to Byzantium where he met and fell in love with the last daughter of an old greek noble family of House Skleros, called Leonora. The girl was a fiery tempered tomboy, and he loved her just for what she was, something what most of the nobility would frown upon, and she loved him back for this.

Meanwhile Akos joined the clergy of the Greek Catholic Church in Nikomedeia, but continued to remain a friend and bodyguard to his brother Attila. Before the couple even arrived back to Hungary Leonora was already pregnant, they managed to arrive just in time to avoid the child to be branded a bastard and married in a small Greek Catholic chapel in Hungary, where Leonora also converted to the faith from her Orthodox one. There was a small issue of not honoring the vow of chastity any longer, so Attila left the Templars but on good terms, and in his place Akos joined the order at the same time. Also at that time Emeric I was ruler of Hungary, and Attila just got notified about the preparations for the 4th Crusade and that Emeric already signed up for it. In 1201 Doge Enrico Dandolo managed to persuade the leaders of the Fourth Crusade to take the Hungarian Zára on behalf of Venice on 24 November 1202, despite the prohibition of Pope Innocent III (to not attack catholic lands). At Emeric's request the pope excommunicated the Venetians and the Crusaders, but the Hungarian troops could not reoccupy the city.



As Emeric became weaker and ill, and with the problems with his brother Andrew at home, the support of Hungary for the Crusade disappeared, considering the backstabbing of the Venetians this isn't surprising. Emeric knew of how the brother of Attila, Stephanos died fighting against them, and thus asked for the rpesence of Attila at the court as an advisor. The events reminded Attila of what fate his brother had, and how he hates the snakes of Venice. He told King Emeric that in his opinion the Venetians won't stop at less than taking total control of Greece under the guise of aiding the Holy Church and the new Latin lords of Constantinople, and so Emeric granted Attila Arpad to represent Hungary in the 4th Crusade after all as a latecomer. Despite not giving him any additional gold for the journey he granted Command over the third Hungarian Army and the First Royal Cavalry to Attila to take these forces south. The main objective was not just to strengthen the new Latin Empire, but to also stop the encroaching and growing Venetian influence and if possible conquer the lands between Hungary and the Latin Empire to get rid of two threats: Bulgaria and the Serbia. If the borders would get connected then new trade routes could also be opened among east and west through Hungary, which both realms would profit from in many ways.

And so, the young Count of Vas, Lion of Pannonia, Attila the Younger from House Arpad, a Greek Catholic noble by faith and related to the swift and nimble nomads of old, the intriguing byzantine royal houses, and the crafty Habsburgs took up the banner in the name of the Lord, the Bishop of Rome, representing also the Templars and the Kingdom of Hungary gathered as much money he could from his own lands of Vas, used it to pay and prepare supplies and access through the currently still neutral land of Serbia, and began his march to the south towards the greek lands. Not with hatred for those who live there, nor with greed in his eyes, but the goal to curb back the powermongering of a Republic, to bring Justice and Law to forsaken lands, and to make some calculated plans and theories into reality.

Ah yes, of course his wife Leonora would also join him (not really giving him any choice in the matter) together with their young son Emeric (named after the distant relative and King), despite being with child again, and also his brother Akos "the Blessed" (as he was started to be called among the Greek Catholic community of Vas).

The Hungarian knights with their heavily armored horses and gear marched disciplined through Serbia, where Attila and his second in command Akos made sure not to plunder anything, not even harass locals if possible. Their disciplined march was recorded as something the earliest Crusaders were known for only. The red and white striped banner of Hungary, the vers same with added golden lions in the stripes to represent King Emeric himself, the twin lions of Pannonia, the red cross on white representing the Crusade, and the red cross on black and white representing Templars flapped around in the sky as the army arrived and Attila looked around to take sight the first time in the land where his fate shall be decided.

Leonora at his side remarked. "Once there was a great roman who became ruler after he said "The die has been cast", I think he may have felt like this before taking the first step." Attila smiled at her. "I don't plan to become Emperor though, but will be more than happy to be able to say "I came, I saw, I conquered." when the time is right." Akos snickered. "Well then, you just need to look often behind you to avoid fatal dagger injuries and similar." Attila looked back at him playfully. "Now now dear brother, you don't mean to suggest I should be worried over when you turn against me, are you?" Akos took a serious stance and declared then that "No, of course not. Anyone wishing to get through you needs to get through me first, and you know it". Leonora smiled at the half-brother then and calmed him gently. "Yes of course he knows Akos, Attila has the most trust in you in the world. Well, except for me of course."



As Leonora looked at the formely peaceful byzantine lands she sighed. Attila looked into her eyes. "My treasure, you didn't change your mind about coming with me, did you?" She smiled at Attila and shook her head. "No, I am confident you will do what is the best choice for everyone if given the chance, but despite that I still never believed to come back as a conqueror. Even if at the side of someone who has the blood in his veins of many conquerors and wannabe ones too. Of course I wouldn't want to go back to the castle either, that wouldn't be like me anyway." Attila laughed on this remark, it is true this woman would most likely have demanded a sword and an armor for herself if not for the second pregnancy, she was more like a knight than himself, who preferred the old kind of warfare of hungarians that he learned from the old stablemaster. Attila may be one of the last ones to continue the tradition of Hungarian horse archery while the nation itself gets closer and closer to the western style in combat and culture. He grinned as he thought how good he looks in his custom-made armor despite this. Looks knightly enough while allowing easier moving for archery on the horse.

Attila Arpad, Second Duke of Pannonia and Count of Vas

Background Music:

[Rainmaker]

Sibylla Eriksdotter

Birth: 1184 (21-years-old in 1205)
Rank: Noblewoman

Younger sister of Arvid Eriksson. As he didn't hold a considerable future in Sweden, she, too, didn't have any strong reasons to stay there. Since she finished her studies early at home, well known by her prowess, she was taken as lady-in-waiting by the queen consort of Hungary and Croatia. She, however, found most things remarkably boring, but even though she executed well her duties. At least she kept her self-knight-training going, by herself, with the knowledge only of her queen, who wouldn't understand her joy on this. She kept in touch with her brother through letters, who was the one she was most acquainted with, besides the queen.
When the queen was no more, she decided to stay closer to her brother, now head of house Tre Rosor, and try to consolidate a good position in the Holy Empire.

[Gandalfus]

Richard of Langley

Age: 27

Heritage: English/Norman

The second son of the minor baron of Langley, Richard has spent all his life training to be a Knight in the service of the Earl of Norfolk. After the Earl perished in battle against the French in 1204, Richard returned to Langley, but was evicted by his half brother, the new baron of Langley, who despised Richard. Seeking his answers through prayer, Richard received a 'vision' from God which told him to convert the wayward Greeks and Bulgarians to the true form of Christianity. To that end, he took the cross and travelled to the newly formed Latin Empire to enter the service of the Patriarch to carry out what he sees as the will of god.

Richard is of average height, smaller and slimmer than his half brother but naturally talented at swordplay and horse riding. He is religious to the point of fanaticism, and is ruthless to those who he sees stand in the way of the will of god. He is naturally suspicious of any none catholic; arrogant in the way that he is sure that his goals co-incide with God's will, and will stop at nothing to achieve them, no matter how long it will take.