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Thread: [Custom Mod] Age of Crusades - 1105AD (Roleplay Hotseat)

  1. #201
    General Dragon.'s Avatar Champion of Dragons
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    Default Re: [RPHS] Age of Crusades - 1105AD



    "The Dragon is wise, a sage among the ignorant. He knows not all that glitters is gold."

  2. #202

    Default Re: [RPHS] Age of Crusades - 1105AD

    might need a extra day or two for some diplomacy , and hope the admin can give me the time for this ?
    "War is the continuation of politics by other means." - Carl von Clausewitz

  3. #203

    Default Re: [RPHS] Age of Crusades - 1105AD


    If the chroniclers in the french court thought that the summer of 1110AD was bad news for the french kingdom , they obviously didn't reserve the number of extra pages required to sum up their troubles during the winter of 1110 AD , which was significantly worse. To compound the news ,of the robber barons attack on the french state , with the resultant pickup of Tours & Bruges by the first the robber barons, then Anglo-normans retakening Bruge, the west coast of france was under blockade from massive pirate fleets , who had first isolated Bordeaux in the summer months of 1110AD [last turn], and then Rennes with further fleets in the winter.

    Mis-communication or perhaps stubbornness [of which Robert Curtrose was certainly subject to] caused the Forces of Robert Curthose[brother of Henry] to remain in his own territories trying to recapture his own lands , ignoring renewed french offers of sanctuary , which they offered to spite the anglo-normans for there capture of Bruge. The Scottish forces which remained in the Caen area, attacked and smashed the English kings brother [#189] , forevering ending the threat to the Anglo-Norman crown , but again denying the french court, a ally in which could use against the tyranny of english rule.

    With the Investiture problems between the Holy Roman Empire and the Pope [see admin turn #182-184] looming large throughout the European powers , the french court , was caught in a vice between there own deep catholic beliefs with the head of the church in peril, and what the french king saw as a committed ally , in the Holy Roman Empire , and the arguments spread thoughout the french court, as first one side and then the other fought to sway the king, to take action for one side or the other. King Phillip had other concerns however, as he knew that the struggle to the east , presented a far, far, greater threat to the french state, as it denied his kingdom support from what was perhaps his greatest alliance whilst the English wolves sat off the coastline in there ships, just waiting for a opportunity to strike.

    The Anglo-Normans had positioned more than two mighty army groups which had been hugging the northern coastline of france [supposedly to challenge robert curthose] although it seemed only the Scottish had been doing that particular fighting which puzzled and worried the french, and the anglo-normans had pinched the town of Bruges from french hands, after it had fell to the Robber barons. France called for the return of those ancients lands ,to only have there claims rejected as mismanagement errors on the french part, and the people of Bruge were now secure under english governance. Since the Summer of 1108AD , the anglo normans had been "hovering" over the french estates in the north, and despite valiant Scottish offers to secure Rennes against the hands of the robber barons , they had done little but sit on there ships for two years [the amount of sea-sickness on those ships , for those troops, must have been extreme ] perhaps waiting for a opportunity which might have arrived.


    [coat of arms of Tours]

    The crown prince of France , Louie had taken the army of the king and many spies, moving southwards to attack Tours in the vain hope to destroy the last remaining and perhaps most persistent threat of the robber baron in the name of Elaise de Maine . But the attack had stalled when the previous lord of Orleans and now lord of Tours sallied out under the white flag of truce to confer with the Louis. A tent was constructed , and in the following conference, Elaise revealed he had concealed troops in the nearby wood before withdrawing into his new castle, and he also was on good terms with Renald de Bourgogne, whose large army was located in a province to the northeast .

    Having little choice in the matter, and not sure whether to test Elasie's bluff of superior position's and allaince's and needing a swift result before returning north, the two lords came to a compromise, with terms being reached that de Maine would hold the Tours estates for the foreseeable future, and the French crowns army, being able to leave the field intact. King Phillip was unaware of the events playing out in central france , but events in the north of France were about to take a dark turn for the worse.

    At the onset of the change in winter weather reached the north of france , the King Phillip had received from his capital city , in paris , a message from Henry , the king of England a rather leading question in the vein of , If I [england] attacked the holy roman empire , would you join them[the HRE] against me [england]. The note worried the french king in so many ways, for if he tried to said he would , then surely it would be a pretext for war, and those soldiers that even now[after over two years] at sea on the northern coastline would sally forth.If however he said , he wouldn't , then equally his words could be carried to the Holy roman empire , to be used against the french state, to weaken his current alliance with the emperor.

    To make matters worse another note , now from the Scottish arrived saying that if france helped the holy roman empire , that they[france] would certainly regret the decision. Considering the current state of affairs of the french state, Philip considered the matter deeply , and after so much trouble and tribulations of his lands , he considered it was not in the french kingdom's interest to embroil itself in the struggle of emperors and popes to the east, but still a response had to made to the English king who awaited his reply.

    A short but terse note , was forwarded to the English king , roughly saying that the French king refused to answer the Henry's rather leading question, and English reply arrived swiftly in response, that perhaps the french , would prefer for english troops to attack Paris instead then, to which a rather indignant French king , asked whether the French state was being threatened.

    There was little reply to such a message, but actions spoke louder than words, as the within the week , the french king had received news, that a english force under the command of Edgar Atheling had daringly slipped a spy into the town of Rennes, and with a gate secure they had moved a small force of arms, through the eastern gates. The resultant combat was short and bloody as , the garrison mainly consisted of town militia. The only troops of substance , where the heavily armoured troops of the leader of the town , so named Alan de Cornouaille, who was cut down early in the attack whilst the french where still surprised , and after his death , the heavily armoured [but less numerical] anglo-normans took on the experienced and well equiped but still outmatched town miltia , ransacking the town for spoils as they did so.


    {Gravensteen castle}

    On the northern border , the English King , Henry with his son , Stephen had disembacked from the ships moving forward to the castle of Gravensteen, which lay in the town of Gwent , south of Bruge. The castle was garrisoned with some of the best troops the french could purchase, as there as a company of experienced flemish and landskneckt pikemen , both famous in there own right , and well equipped but expensive to maintain , so the french crown had offset there costs somewhat, by giving them the run of the castle in lue of further wages, to secure the new northern border. There was likewise a company of fierce saxon housecarls , who had left the midlands of england , as the Norman nobility had oppressed the saxon people under the new Norman rule,so some brave souls had left seeking fame and fortune elsewhere, but little did they know that one of there number, was a anglo-Norman spy who cut the ropes to the main gate,as the English forces arrived leaving it open.



    The pikemen fought valiantly for several hours as the gatehouse and walls likewise protected them from most missiles and in the open courtyard beyond the gate, the anglo-normans only had the strength of there own armour to protect themselfs in the resultant melee in the entrance. Prince Stephen eager to prove his worth in the eyes of his father , charged the deadlocked battle with his heavily armoured bodyguard with a company of armoured swordsmen, turning the battle in the courtyard into a battle of attrition. The damaging pikes could keep the knights at a distance, but few fell from there hits, but the knights couldn't reach the pikes to breakup there formation, and the combat raged for sometime, until a brave knight with the name of Guustave Du Buisson, hurled himself into part of the pike frontage, turning himself into a pike target, as he fell to multiple blows. But his death was not in vein , as the heavily armour of his corpse dragged the pikes down enough, that some armoured swordsmen, got close enough to the actual pikemen to widen the weakness of there line , further and further, until the line began to break.

    Saxon housecarls ever eager to fight the normans again charged into block the knights but couldn't hold there own against the strength of the well equipped troops , as there own armour was sadly lacking. Here and there, the odd english knight was felled by the saxon heavy axes, but that was against the way the battle was flowing.Within the day Gravensteen , had fallen , and spies reported the Anglo-Norman troops marched ever forward, as did another English column through the Scottish territory of Caen and the french cities began to brace themselves for the onslaught of anglo-norman might , as the english hurled the majority of there realms main strength , against a one portion of the french kingdom.

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


    {Flag of Gwent}

    Gravensteen castle lies within the town [or now city] of Gwent , and I give a brief summary of each's history.

    Gwent
    Most historians believe that the older name for Ghent, 'Ganda', is derived from the Celtic word ganda which means confluence.Other sources connect its name with an obscure deity named Gontia.There are no written records of the Roman period, but archaeological research confirms that the region of Ghent was further inhabited.

    When the Franks invaded the Roman territories from the end of the 4th century and well into the 5th century, they brought their language with them and Celtic and Latin were replaced by Old Dutch.


    {historical centre of Gwent}

    Around 650, Saint Amand founded two abbeys in Ghent: St. Peter's (Blandinium) and Saint Bavo's Abbey. The city grew from several nuclei, the abbeys and a commercial centre. Around 800, Louis the Pious, son of Charlemagne, appointed Einhard, the biographer of Charlemagne, as abbot of both abbeys. In 851 and 879, the city was however attacked and plundered twice by the Vikings.

    Within the protection of the County of Flanders, the city recovered and flourished from the 11th century, growing to become a small city-state. By the 13th century, Ghent was the biggest city in Europe north of the Alps after Paris; it was bigger than Cologne or Moscow.Within the city walls lived up to 65,000 people. The belfry and the towers of the Saint Bavo Cathedral and Saint Nicholas' Church are just a few examples of the skyline of the period.

    The rivers flowed in an area where much land was periodically flooded. These rich grass 'meersen' ("water-meadows": a word related to the English 'marsh') were ideally suited for herding sheep, the wool of which was used for making cloth. During the Middle Ages Ghent was the leading city for cloth.

    The wool industry, originally established at Bruges, created the first European industrialized zone in Ghent in the High Middle Ages. The mercantile zone was so highly developed that wool had to be imported from Scotland and England. This was one of the reasons for Flanders' good relationship with Scotland and England. Ghent was the birthplace of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. Trade with England (but not Scotland) suffered significantly during the Hundred Years' War.



    Gravensteen

    https://www.spanhovemedia.be/blog/gr...-gent-bezoeken

    The present castle was built in 1180 by count Philip of Alsace and was modeled after the crusaders castles that Philip of Alsace encountered while he participated in the second crusade. Before its construction, there stood a wooden castle on the same location, presumably built in the ninth century. The castle served as the seat of the Counts of Flanders until they abandoned it in the 14th century. The castle was then used as a courthouse, a prison and eventually decayed. Houses were built against the walls and even on the courtyard and the stones of the walls were used to erect other buildings. At one time it even served as a factory. At the end of the 19th century, the castle was scheduled to be demolished.

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


    {French troops retreating ever southwards}


    {The Palais de la Cité {French royal paris on the island} as it appeared between 1412 and 1416, as illustrated in the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry. Sainte-Chapelle is to the right, the royal residence is in the center, with the Grosse Tour behind it; the Grand Salle (Great Hall) is to the left}

    In paris , the city itself was in a state of panic , as merchants ,the clergy and members of the court, took flight to the south , desperate to avoid the future that the anglo-normans would bring to houses, families and wealth , and the road, swelled with people with the wooden carts , or carrying what little possesions they had. Equally both in Anger [subject to the other english column mentioned above which moved through Caen lands], as in Paris , each city had its own intelligence operatives, fouling english efforts to sneak in spies, where trapped to stay within , in the doomed settlements with no leave given to escape.

    The constable of France , urged the King of France , Phillip himself to flee and escape to the south, but the elderly king brushed aside such concerns, in his elderly state [57 years] and asked the constable to leave and support his son , in the south , who would need him , in france's hour of desperate need. After great protest ,the constable with great reluctant did leave, but not before he had instituted a few leaders to help the king organise the defences of the city, leaving most of his faith in the commander of the "Maison militaire du roi de France" which consisted of three knight companies [and one additional household bodyguard] who would defend the palace and left the city walls in the command of the citywatch commanders with the massive amount of the city watch.


    {Salle des Gens d'armes (Hall of the Men at Arms) - part of the original Capetian palace}

    At Orleans , the noble retreated south, annoyed to leave his home ,which he had just regained, but leaving companies of troops to hold his estates , until he returned.On the seas, the situation was little better on the western coastline , as the Rennes port had fallen to the english[although it was still under pirate blockade] with likewise at Bordeaux [under blockade] leaving the ever-so little western fleet , fearing the English would sail westwards, leaving the French fleet with no port to seek sanctuary in.With the navy receiving no funding this season, as tax's and lands had been disrupted and captured, what was left of the french fleet moved to the coastline and scuttled there vessels , the crew's fading away into the french countryside.

    Diplomatic tenures were sent out to the Scottish forces, thinking the recent kindness they had facilitated at Rennes before , would move them to perhaps act, but there was little hope in there words of responce. They complained they had not received the gold the french had promised them , and a argument insured , as the french swore there ambassador in Ireland had delivered the offer, and the scots rejected such claims. Besides they now claimed they were thinking of leaving France , now there work was done , signing the deeds of Caen back to the English throne , to prove there loyalty , and had little time for the french pleas' for assistance against there own ally.

    The holy roman empire had problems of its own , and the French crown dismissed ideas of asking them for support , but instead thought of the danish peoples, to perhaps raid , the now lightly defended isles, but the danish had other issues to deal with [cpu issues] and could not be counted on at this time. There was little to be done , as Louie's army was too far away to effect any of the siege's , and arriving late, would subject them to attacks in turn and those forces, that were nearby couldn't raise enough strength to counter the sudden english rampage , that was forced upon them.

    The constable of france , caught up to Louie's forces a few weeks later, as it was packing its camp away to move northwards, and he was told in no uncertain terms, that the king ,had told him to seek sanctuary in the south , and to defend Tolouse and Bordeaux with his life, to keep the Capet name, secure , and trust to hope, that fate would again swing there way , and provide the french state time again to flourish.

    Back in Paris , the King was being dressed up in ceremonial armour and weaponry to put on a show for the troops, to show the king was himself staying to defend the city, but those officials who had remained had the wit to see things clearly , knowing that this was all show for the lesser ranks, to keep morale high , in order, to buy a little more time , for the kings son with the main french army to get clear , of the drowning kingdom.

    Turn to Holy Roman Empire
    https://www.dropbox.com/s/gdvngnmsgj...nE_10.sav?dl=0
    Last edited by paladinbob123; August 17, 2018 at 03:00 PM.
    "War is the continuation of politics by other means." - Carl von Clausewitz

  4. #204
    ArBo's Avatar Senator
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    Default Re: [RPHS] Age of Crusades - 1105AD

    Te Gent, de oude stede,
    Daar lag het Gravensteen
    Sinds eeuwen als vergeten,
    Verlaten en alleen.
    Tot plots studentenkeerlen,
    Belust op leute en lach,
    Met list de burcht verov'ren,
    Zo zonder stoot of slag.


    Spuiters van Vlaanderen!
    Gent brult van pret:
    "'t Gravenkasteel door studenten bezet!"
    Ze zitten er binnen! wie krijgt z'er uit.
    Ze vrezen noch knuppel, noch water, noch spuit!
    Belegeraars zo ge ten aanval wilt gaan.
    Pas op, pas op, pas op, pas op!
    Uilenspiegel, Uilenspiegel voert hen aan!

    't Pandoerenheir, zeeghaftig,

    Rolt ladders bij de muur,
    En neemt met waterlansen,
    De ruïne onder vuur.
    Maar appels als granaten,
    Ontploffen op de grond,
    En 't slijmig schroot zaait pletsend,
    Verwarring in het rond.


    't Studentengild, verbeten
    Bedekt met stof en as,
    Verschoot zijn laatste appel,
    Zijn laatste zode gras.
    Toen was hun strijd gestreden…
    Maar, door de eeuwen heen,
    Zal Vlaadrens lach herdenken,
    De slag om 't Gravensteen!

  5. #205
    Mergor's Avatar T H E | G O R
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    Default Re: [RPHS] Age of Crusades - 1105AD

    HRE's time starts now.

  6. #206

  7. #207
    zender9's Avatar Domesticus
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    Default Re: [RPHS] Age of Crusades - 1105AD


  8. #208
    Mergor's Avatar T H E | G O R
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    Default Re: [RPHS] Age of Crusades - 1105AD

    Byz subbed.

    Pope up!
    https://www.sendspace.com/file/yp3v9m

    Elias de Maine has made an alliance with the french state against the English, after the king has conceded Tours and all the lands around it to the noble until he dies.
    Last edited by Mergor; August 24, 2018 at 06:20 AM.

  9. #209
    Hannibal2001's Avatar Simply Barbaric
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    Default Re: [RPHS] Age of Crusades - 1105AD

    Scotland - http://www.mediafire.com/file/228x1y...nd_11.sav/file

    Apologies for the delay

  10. #210
    joker0002710's Avatar Tiro
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    Default Re: [RPHS] Age of Crusades - 1105AD

    Click image for larger version. 

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ID:	354741I've been told by Mergor that the Roman empire (ERE) is open, so I'm applying. Ο Σταυρός Νικά

  11. #211

    Default Re: [RPHS] Age of Crusades - 1105AD

    http://www.mediafire.com/file/0ud9bb..._Genova_11.sav Genoa up!

    Commander David Dunkeld's reinforcements have arrived from Scotland as they seek to help the pope's cause. And to aide his English brethren.

  12. #212

    Default Re: [RPHS] Age of Crusades - 1105AD

    The peace in Italy was short-lived. Shortly after peace between Genoa and HRE has been made another war knocked to Italy's dorrs. Caiser fell in the conflict with the Pope. Soon Caiser started to gather huge army in order to strike Papal State. In respond to that Pope has sended messages to all christian kingdoms to encourage them to atack and punish the one who dear to strike on the God's representative. Consul Antonio answered that call. He has ordered his son Giacomo to take the lead of Genoa's army to face Caiser's army. Giacomo knew exactly what needs to be done. He was know as a talented leader. He has gained experience when he was geting Palma and Sardynia under Genoa's controll. Now however the challange was far bigger than that. Giacomo settled his camp under Milan and then sended scouts all around. He also sended messenger to Bologna where Papal State's forces were camped ansureing them of his full support.

    Novgorod up
    https://www73.zippyshare.com/v/qTzo0Ohq/file.html
    https://imgur.com/a/GDOVdd0

  13. #213
    REDBOOSTY's Avatar Ducenarius
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    Default Re: [RPHS] Age of Crusades - 1105AD

    Poland up: http://www.mediafire.com/file/wjxiiu...nd_11.sav/file
    All of Russia is now part of the Duchy of Novgorod and Kiev.
    "I never asked for this, no more than I asked to be king. Yet dare I disregard her? We do not choose our destinies. Yet we must ... we must do our duty, no? Great or small, we must do our duty"

    -Stannis Baratheon

  14. #214
    PeaMan's Avatar Winter Is Coming
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    Default Re: [RPHS] Age of Crusades - 1105AD

    The Polish fall back from the siege of Riga and prepare their next move..

    Magyer up - http://www.mediafire.com/file/kspw45...er_11.sav/file

  15. #215
    BerryKnight's Avatar Kings Guard Commander
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    Default Re: [RPHS] Age of Crusades - 1105AD



    King Kalman finally escaped his Councillors, and holed up in his studies. He slouched low in his chair, deep in thought. The tedium of court usually invigorated him, but nothing of the usual sort occurred. Dignitaries from both the Holy Romans, and the Papacy had arrived to vouch for their side in the new conflict that was brewing in Italy. The king wanted to remain neutral, but both sides continued to hound him about choosing a side. Sooner of or later, I'll need to decide... Enough of this dreariness. Sitting himself up in his seat, and reaching for his latest report from the east, the king lost himself. Marton of Vas and Gyuela of Temes had done it again. Another barbaric horse lord had appeared from the far east to wage war and conquest upon their newly gained castle. An army of horsemen with bows and arrows is tough to put down. But general Marton had gained a mercenary company of the same barbarians, and enlisted their knowledge and tactics to evade, counter, and crush the War Lord Atrak. The report says that Marton challenged the man to a duel, and won. Hah! I knew I was smart to have him marry my cousin. I'll need to arrange for a proper title now that he's become an accomplished tactician, and defender of the people... Perhaps... And with that half-baked thought, the king dozed off, apparently over exhausted from his new members at court.

    Battle ~ https://imgur.com/a/kzlzpGF
    England up ~ http://www.mediafire.com/file/95yvoi...nd_11.sav/file

  16. #216
    ArBo's Avatar Senator
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    Default Re: [RPHS] Age of Crusades - 1105AD

    Denmark up - https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Dz...mKoJLcjw0ETTKz
    Pics - https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Z_...EqqgLcRUHZdYGa

    Both Angers and Paris were taken. With French power ever dwindling, will they continue to resist our rule?

  17. #217
    Dismounted Feudal Knight's Avatar my horse for a unicode
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    Default Re: [RPHS] Age of Crusades - 1105AD

    The King was steely in his gaze to the assortment of officers, men of worth, and others in his council. They sat at a long table in the center of their lodge, a large and comfortable structure that served as the best housing the northerly woodlands could give. It was more than enough for the King. Perhaps even too much. His shield bearers, his advisors, and some of his officers. Fools to the last man, he thought. They presumed to tell him strategy. He, who united the North against near impossible odds. He, who was nearly at the cusp of achieving full control over the domain. And he was going to keep it that way. No incursion into his territory would be allowed again. No rebellions. Just the unity of the North... and, of course, the generous colony on Ireland. News of that conquest was pleasing. More pleasing than the news of the Papal-German War. A nasty affair that he felt was simply not his business, but a matter he would need to address nonetheless.

    But it was his own borders that mattered above all. God's will could not be executed when a kingdom was not one under Heaven. And with the independent lord that had once owned the lodge swept away in a battle that had taken much of the morning, he was closer than ever to seeing the dream of unity accomplished.

    They dined in silence, until the king's cup landed on the table with a solid thud. "We march tomorrow." He declared, looking over his assembly, challenging them to say otherwise. One man in the back cheered. The rest were swift to follow, and those seated at the table rose in line quickly enough. Satisfied, the king rose from his chair stretching out his limbs that were still not quite dry from the battle earlier in the day. He walked past the armed men at the table, and straight out the door. It would be a long, wandering night for the old king. And he would march the next day as though he had the step of a youth. It was what he had to do, with unity so close.

    Another unruly fort falls to the Danish host. Or perhaps it will be known as the Scandinavian host?...

    Onto the Sicilians,
    https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen..._Sicily_11.sav
    With great power, comes great chonky dragons to feed enemies of the state. --Targaryens?
    Spoiler for wait what dragons?



  18. #218
    General Dragon.'s Avatar Champion of Dragons
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    Default Re: [RPHS] Age of Crusades - 1105AD

    France up!
    https://www.sendspace.com/file/jen277

    Sicily stand with His Holiness and now King Rogers and all of his available troops are marching towards northern Italy to stop the German Emperors march. He will regret ever turning againts the sacred papacy and the alps will bath in german blood. King Roger is already left the glorious city of Rome and in a few days behind followed by a seasoned crusading general Tancred of Galilee. He arrived back from the Holy lands with seasoned crusader troops to help out His Holiness in these dark days of war.


    "The Dragon is wise, a sage among the ignorant. He knows not all that glitters is gold."

  19. #219

    Default Re: [RPHS] Age of Crusades - 1105AD


    The Anglo-normans stormed the fortress of Angers with little effort [its main garrison with Louie]supported by Scottish troops, who most of the French now considered the normans lapdogs , and according them likewise a lingering disrespect , after they had promised on the little honour , they had , that they would not take any action against the French state. In Paris the situation was a little more uncomfortable for the English and they had to move two battlegroups to assault the great City, which was situated on a island on the River Seine which always made things difficult , but the English King was in command , and he ordered his fleets to provide assistance in besieging the great city. It proved a major engineering feat , but eventually the Englishmen fought they way onto the main defensive outerwalls , throwing in there armoured swordmen against the Parisian militia in bloody melee.



    Once sufficient battlements had been taken on behalf of the English forces , they moved there longbowmen onto the walls, and the superior firepower of these yeoman archers, forced the French Parisian militia to retreat to the streets of Paris , where they conducted , brief guerrilla type of warfare against the better armoured , and experienced royal English army. The might of the English was such, there was not the quality of forces, to stop there aggressive forward action , until they reached the royal palace of the French king , where bitter struggle lay ahead. The battle of the French palace was long, and took several days, until most of the city had been bought under English rulership , until they could throw a large proportion of the heaviest English troops at the great building. Here the royal guard , took there toil , of the English troops , and every room was heavily contested.



    Courtyards of the royal palace were fiercely contested , particularly as the French crossbows , sought battle against the English and welsh longbowmen for domination in a roaming fire missilefight where exceptional marksmen , sought glory , in bringing down there opponents. But ultimately the end for French rule of Paris was within reach for the english, and the French king , a symbol of the Capet House and French rule, now in his elderly years, waited until , news had reached him that all of Paris's walls had been taken , and there was no way to escape before he took a dose of poison , refusing to let the anglo-normans capture him , to be used against his own son.

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


    [Saint Michel d'Aiguilhe Chapel in Le Puy-en-Velay]

    Back in Tours , Prince , now King Louie of France , moved with the Royal army ever southwards, when his forces moved within range of the religiously famous town of Le Puy-en-Velay where Bishop Adhemar of Le Puy was from [who was prominent in the first crusade ], and as this was one of the more spiritual sites within france, he left the army and moved with a small bodyguard, to seek prayer and perhaps guidance , by moving closer to heaven to seek the word of God .


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlbuF4ucS8Q&t=1s

    The chapel was isolated from the struggles of kings and the approaching problems of the anglo-normans , and the king was left alone over night , where he prayed and sought a sign from God, to end his troubles and those of his kingdom particulary as the church was dedicated to the arch-angel Michael [who was the sword of the lord god].Overnight Louie felt the closeness of the lord god, and swore to all who asked, that he had seen a vision of the famous Bishop Adhemar, who asked that he trust Elaine de Maine , for the good for france. When he returned from his pilgrimage , resting after traversing the massive amount of steps the climb took , he rode hard and rejoined the column of French troops moving south.


    Perhaps it was a sign from God or perhaps providence , but the nearby now self-proclaimed Count of Tours, Elaine de Maine , asked for alliance , in france's time of need, in exchange for having the City of Tours being given to him, for his own personal rule under the protection of the French crown. The greater threat being now the English attack , which had taken advantage of france's weakness in the time of the robber barons, had to be blunted , and so Louie , had little issue taking a oath , to secure , the bandit turned count , into the fold, for when Englishmen threatened france itself , there could be little doubt from either frenchman, on who's side, each would take when the choice was france or england.

    The timing was particular , as the now French King received a rather glib message from the English king, which he felt obliged to respond too,as his mood was much improved after his spiritual encounter at Le Puy en Velay and with his new accord with Elaine de Maine:-




    Both Elaine and Louie now took steps to move the apparatus of the French state ever southwards, knowing that English assassins roamed the land ,ever eager to fell merchants and other agents , they came across, as the gloves had come off the anglo-norman fist of war. Diplomatic channels were open again , particularly in Scotland , where the French diplomat , was more than welcomed in the Scottish highlands, greeted and welcomed by the warm and surprisingly friendly Scottish people of the highlands ,far removed from the threat of warfare that spread across Europe.

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


    {Coat of Arms of the town of Le Puy-en-Velay}

    Le Puy-en-Velay was a major bishopric in medieval France, founded early. Its early history is largely legendary. According to a martyrology compiled by Ado of Vienne, published in many copies in 858, and supplemented in the mid-10th century by Gauzbert of Limoges, a priest named George accompanied a certain Front, the first Bishop of Périgueux, when they were sent to proselytize in Gaul. Front was added to the list of the apostles to Gaul, who in tradition are described as being sent out to reorganize Christians after the persecutions that are associated with Decius, circa 250.

    As with others of the group, notably Saint Martial of Limoges, later mythology pushed the activities of Saint Front and the priest George back in time. It tells that George had been restored to life with a touch of Saint Peter's staff.

    The expanding legend of this St. George, which, according to the Church historian Duchesne is not earlier than the 11th century, then makes that saint one of the Seventy Apostles of the Gospel of Luke. It tells that he founded the church of the [civitas] que dicitur Vetula in pago Vellavorum, the city "called Vetula in the pays of the Vellavi" was how a document of 1004 termed it. This was what the settlement of Ruessium began to be called during the 4th century. Vetula means "the old woman", and pagans were still making small images of her as late as the 6th century in Flanders, according to the vita of Saint Eligius. This was the first cathedral at Le Puy.

    Following St. George the founder, later medieval local traditions evoke a legendary list of bishops at this chief town of the pays of Le Velay:-
    Macarius, Marcellinus, Roricius, Eusebius, Paulianus, and Vosy (Evodius), all of them canonized by local veneration. The Gaulish settlement of Ruessium/Vellavorum was given its Christianizing name, Saint-Paulien, from Bishop Paulianus.

    Our Lady of Le Puy

    The Christianization legends of Mons Anicius relate that at the request of Bishop Martial of Limoges, Bishop Evodius/Vosy ordered an altar to the Virgin Mary to be erected on the pinnacle that surmounts Mont Anis. Some such beginning of the shrine Christianized the pagan site; it later became the altar site of the cathedral of Le Puy. This marked one starting-point for the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela, a walk of some 1600 km, as it still does today. The old town of Le Puy developed around the base of the cathedral.

    Pilgrims came early to Le Puy, and this was the most popular destination in France during the Middle Ages. Charlemagne came twice, in 772 and 800. There is a legend that in 772, he established a foundation at the cathedral for ten poor canons (chanoines de paupérie), and he chose Le Puy, with Aachen and Saint-Gilles, as a center for the collection of Peter's Pence. Charles the Bald visited Le Puy in 877, Odo, count of Paris in 892, Robert II in 1029, and Philip Augustus in 1183. Louis IX met James I of Aragon there in 1245, and in 1254, when passing through Le Puy on his return from the Holy Land, he gave the cathedral an ebony image of the Blessed Virgin clothed in gold brocade. She is one of the many dozens of venerable "Black Virgins" of France.

    It was destroyed during the Revolution, but replaced at the Restoration with a copy that continues to be venerated. After him, Le Puy was visited by Philip the Bold in 1282, by Philip the Fair in 1285, by Charles VI in 1394, by Charles VII in 1420, and by Isabelle Romée, the mother of Joan of Arc, in 1429. Louis XI made the pilgrimage in 1436 and 1475, and in 1476 halted three leagues from the city and walked barefoot to the cathedral. Charles VIII visited it in 1495, Francis I in 1533.

    The legendary early shrine on the summit of Mons Anicius, which drew so many, would seem to predate the founding of an early church of Our Lady of Le Puy at Anicium. It was attributed to Bishop Vosy, who transferred the episcopal see from Ruessium to Anicium. Crowning the hill was a megalithic dolmen. A local tradition rededicated the curative virtue of the sacred site to Mary, who cured ailments when a person touched the standing stone. When the founding bishop Vosy climbed the hill, he found that it was snow-covered in July; in the snowfall the tracks of a deer around the dolmen outlined the foundations of the future church. The Bishop was apprised in a vision that the angels themselves had dedicated the future cathedral to the Blessed Virgin, whence the epithet "Angelic" given to the cathedral of Le Puy.

    The great dolmen was left standing in the center of the Christian sanctuary, which was constructed around it; the stone was re-consecrated as the Throne of Mary. By the 8th century, however, the stone, popularly known as the "stone of visions", was taken down and broken up. Its pieces were incorporated into the floor of a particular section of the church that came to be called the Chambre Angélique, or the "angels' chamber."

    It is impossible to say whether this St. Evodius is the same person who signed the decrees of the Council of Valence in 374. Neither can it be affirmed that St. Benignus, who in the 7th century founded a hospital at the gates of the basilica, and St. Agrevius, the 7th-century martyr from whom the town of Saint-Agrève Chiniacum took its name, were really bishops. Duchesne thinks that the chronology of these early bishops rests on very little evidence and that very ill-supported by documents. Before the 10th century, only six individuals are known of whom it can be said with certainty that they were bishops of Le Puy. The first of these, Scutarius, the legendary architect of the first cathedral, dates from the end of the 4th century according to an inscription that notes his name..

    Adhemar of Le Puy


    [19th-century painting on display at Versailles depicting Adhemar of Le Puy (in red to left of Raymond IV, Count of Toulouse).]

    Born around 1045 into the family of the Counts of Valentinois and elected Bishop of Le Puy around 1080, he was an advocate of the Gregorian Reform, and among his supporters were the future Pope Urban II and Raymond of Saint-Gilles, Count of Toulouse and the richest, most powerful nobleman in France. He was also said to have gone on pilgrimage to Jerusalem around 1086. He was the brother of William Hugh of Monteil, who was also a Crusader during the First Crusade.Adhemar most likely met Pope Urban the 2nd, when in August 1095 Pope Urban the Second visited Puy.

    At the Council of Clermont in 1095, Adhemar showed great zeal for the crusade (there is evidence that Urban II had conferred with Adhemar before the council).Adhemar was named apostolic legate and appointed to lead the crusade by Pope Urban II on 27 November 1095.In part, Adhemar was selected to lead because he had already undertaken a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1086 and 1087 {at least he knew where to go }. Following the announcement of the Crusade Adhemar spent the next year raising money and recruiting men.Departing on 15 August 1096,he accompanied Raymond IV, Count of Toulouse, in his army to the east.Whilst Raymond and the other leaders often quarrelled with each other over the leadership of the crusade, Adhemar was always recognized as the spiritual leader of the crusade and was widely respected by the majority of the Crusaders.

    During the leg of the trip from Durazzo to Constantinople, in the Valley of Pelagonia, Adhemar was set upon by a group of Pecheneg Mercenaries, one day when he had wandered too far from the majority of the Crusader forces. The Pechenegs beat and robbed Adhemar. However, one of Adhemar's assailants wished to keep his belongings for himself and ended up in quarrel with the other assailants. It was at this time Adhemar was saved by Crusader forces who had noticed the disturbance.Once the army had reached Thessalonica, Adhemar decided to stay there for some time, due to sickness, whilst the Crusader forces moved onward. Following this delay Adhemar, eventually was able to regroup with the Crusaders.

    Adhemar negotiated with Alexius I Comnenus at Constantinople, reestablished some discipline among the crusaders at Nicaea, fought a crucial role at the Battle of Dorylaeum and was largely responsible for sustaining morale during the siege of Antioch through various religious rites including fasting and special observances of holy days. One such time he did this, was after an earthquake during the siege of Antioch, he had the Crusaders fast for three days and had the priests and clergy perform mass and prayers.Adhemar during the Siege of Antioch, also had ordered the Crusaders to shave and wear a cross in an attempt to stop Crusaders from attacking one another by accident. After the capture of the city in June 1098 and the subsequent siege led by Kerbogha, Adhemar organized a procession through the streets and had the gates locked so that the Crusaders, many of whom had begun to panic, would be unable to leave the city. He was extremely skeptical of Peter Bartholomew's discovery in Antioch of the Holy Lance, especially because he knew such a relic already existed in Constantinople; however, he was willing to let the Crusader army believe it was real if it raised their morale. Adhemar was protected by a band of Crusaders led by Henry of Esch to preserve the (albeit suspect) relic. In June 1098 Adhemar fell prey to sickness and in the following months his condition would continue to deteriorate.


    [The Holy Lance held by Adhémar du Puy before Antioch]

    When Kerbogha was defeated, Adhemar organized a council in an attempt to settle the leadership disputes, but he died on 1 August 1098,probably of typhus.Following his death, Adhemar was buried in Antioch within the Basilica of St Peter.The disputes among the higher nobles went unsolved and the march to Jerusalem was delayed for months. However, the lower-class soldiers continued to think of Adhemar as a leader. Following his death, Adhemar reportedly appeared in several visions seen by various different Crusaders. One of the first visions was reported by Peter Bartholomew who stated that Adhemar appeared to him stating the due to his skeptism of the Holy Lance he had spent a few days in hell and was only rescued because a candle had been burned in his memory, he had given a gift to the Shrine where the Holy Lance was kept, and due to the prayers of Bohemond.At the siege of Jerusalem Peter Desiderius claimed that to have received a vision from Adhemar, himself. It was in this vision, that Peter claimed Adhemar had instructed him to have the Crusaders fast and lead a procession around the Walls of Jerusalem.This was done and Jerusalem was taken by the Crusaders in 1099. Later on, Stephen of Valence also claimed to have had visions featuring Adhemar in which Adhemar spoke to Stephen of several relics. Adhemar told Stepehen great reverence should be given to the cross Adhemar had taken with him on the crusade. He also told Stephen how the holy lance should be treated and told Stephen to give Stephen's ring to Count Raymond. He told Stephen through this ring Count Raymond would be able to call upon the power of Mary.

    Turn sent to Holy Roman Empire
    https://www.dropbox.com/s/vin9e4kp1m...nE_11.sav?dl=0
    Last edited by paladinbob123; September 13, 2018 at 02:32 PM.
    "War is the continuation of politics by other means." - Carl von Clausewitz

  20. #220
    Captainnorway's Avatar Primicerius
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    Default Re: [RPHS] Age of Crusades - 1105AD

    Turks https://drive.google.com/file/d/15ah...ew?usp=sharing

    assassinated a sicilan assassin

    has siege rules been changed in the recent time?
    Last edited by Captainnorway; September 15, 2018 at 09:38 AM.

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