Back Goes the Sand: Byzantine Victory at Hieromyax (Yarmouk)
- Thread starter Martian Historian
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I've uploaded a map showing military positions in Italy after The Battle of The Broken Pass.
The other maps will be with the next update.
The other maps will be with the next update.
17) Cooling Waters
May 640
As the Franks retreated following their defeat at The Battle of the Broken Pass, the Byzantine army kept up pressure until the Franks crossed the Po River. At the river, several small skirmishes took place as the Franks attempted to cross it. Casualties stayed light for both sides. Following the crossing, the Byzantines turned back and began to reoccupy Ravenna. Basileus Heraclius presided over the creation of the new administration in Italy, appointed several new Strategoi and redrew the borders of the Themes.
Diplomats representing Gregory Heraclian arrive in Rome and call upon Heraclius. They carried the authority to create a peace deal in Gregory’s place. When Heraclius arrived, they began negotiations for peace. Both sides knew they could not continue to fight each other, and this allowed for them to quickly come to an agreement in the Treaty of Rome.
The Kingdom of Axum, seeing the Caliphate’s recent acquisition of power in the Indian Ocean and coastal Africa, starts plans for several new ship designs including a 78.3 m
(256.9 ft) warship and a 312ft (95m) transport ship for armies and trade. They also begin plans for Coptic League expansion deeper into Africa to the south and west through land trade routes and missionary work.
June 640
Frankish diplomats arrive in Ravenna and successfully set up negotiations to take place in Avignon in July.
A Visigothic warlord, Thurismud Gundred, takes the city of Cordoba and makes it his capital. With the conquest of such a city his state received much legitimacy which allowed him to begin several new programs to centralize his domain. He also made the state religion Arianism as it had been just a half century prior in order to remove Chalcedonian and other Latin influences, which he saw as a poison to the warrior life of his people. However, he does allow free practice of all forms of Christianity and Judaism in order to keep unrest down.
An anti-Muslim riot occurs in Goa after a gang of Muslims try to enforce Shariah law on the local populace. The situation only escalated as a Chalukya police force took the side of the rioters and seized several local mosques. The Caliphate soon heard of the outbreak of violence and declared war in order to protect the Muslim population.
July 640
Basileus Heraclius and Emperor Sigebert meet in Avignon and for peace negotiations.
A Arabic army of 12,000 disembarks in the northern parts of the Emirate of Mushika and converges with the Emirate’s 4,000 strong army. These armies then marched north into Chalukya territory.
Post Treaty of Avignon:
Byzantine Themes following the Treaty of Avignon:
As the Franks retreated following their defeat at The Battle of the Broken Pass, the Byzantine army kept up pressure until the Franks crossed the Po River. At the river, several small skirmishes took place as the Franks attempted to cross it. Casualties stayed light for both sides. Following the crossing, the Byzantines turned back and began to reoccupy Ravenna. Basileus Heraclius presided over the creation of the new administration in Italy, appointed several new Strategoi and redrew the borders of the Themes.
Diplomats representing Gregory Heraclian arrive in Rome and call upon Heraclius. They carried the authority to create a peace deal in Gregory’s place. When Heraclius arrived, they began negotiations for peace. Both sides knew they could not continue to fight each other, and this allowed for them to quickly come to an agreement in the Treaty of Rome.
- Gregory Heraclian would be titled as Despot of Africa and renounce all claims to the Byzantine throne.
- The Despotate of Africa would officially annex the Themes of Carthage, Tripoli, and the Libyan part of Cyrenaica.
- The Despotate of Africa would allow unhindered trade access to Byzantine merchants.
- The Despotate of Africa would pay 50,000 gold solidi to the Byzantine Empire.
- The Despotate of Africa would stay out of any Byzantine religious issues.
- Both sides would agree to a five year truce.
The Kingdom of Axum, seeing the Caliphate’s recent acquisition of power in the Indian Ocean and coastal Africa, starts plans for several new ship designs including a 78.3 m
(256.9 ft) warship and a 312ft (95m) transport ship for armies and trade. They also begin plans for Coptic League expansion deeper into Africa to the south and west through land trade routes and missionary work.
June 640
Frankish diplomats arrive in Ravenna and successfully set up negotiations to take place in Avignon in July.
A Visigothic warlord, Thurismud Gundred, takes the city of Cordoba and makes it his capital. With the conquest of such a city his state received much legitimacy which allowed him to begin several new programs to centralize his domain. He also made the state religion Arianism as it had been just a half century prior in order to remove Chalcedonian and other Latin influences, which he saw as a poison to the warrior life of his people. However, he does allow free practice of all forms of Christianity and Judaism in order to keep unrest down.
An anti-Muslim riot occurs in Goa after a gang of Muslims try to enforce Shariah law on the local populace. The situation only escalated as a Chalukya police force took the side of the rioters and seized several local mosques. The Caliphate soon heard of the outbreak of violence and declared war in order to protect the Muslim population.
July 640
Basileus Heraclius and Emperor Sigebert meet in Avignon and for peace negotiations.
- The Byzantine Empire and the Frankish Empire would agree to stay out of the others political and religious matters.
- The Byzantine Empire would annex Ravenna, Rome, the surrounding territories and everything to the south.
- The Byzantine Empire would recognize the Frankish annexation of the rest of the former Kingdom of Lombardy.
- The Frankish Empire would pay 10,000 gold solidi to Byzantium for ten years.
- The Frankish Empire would pay 50,000 gold solidi to Byzantium immediately.
- Both factions would allow unrestricted trade with each other in the Mediterranean Sea.
- Both sides would agree to a ten year truce.
A Arabic army of 12,000 disembarks in the northern parts of the Emirate of Mushika and converges with the Emirate’s 4,000 strong army. These armies then marched north into Chalukya territory.
Post Treaty of Avignon:
Byzantine Themes following the Treaty of Avignon:
AN
That's a wrap! I hope you've enjoyed enjoyed the timeline so far. I want to thank all of you who have stuck through my no so consistent posting and those of you who have given me feedback, especially Gukpard who helped me develop the Thurismud Gundred character. Feel free to comment any suggestion or concern regarding any aspect of this timeline because that more than anything makes me want to come back and write more of this.
Cheers!
That's a wrap! I hope you've enjoyed enjoyed the timeline so far. I want to thank all of you who have stuck through my no so consistent posting and those of you who have given me feedback, especially Gukpard who helped me develop the Thurismud Gundred character. Feel free to comment any suggestion or concern regarding any aspect of this timeline because that more than anything makes me want to come back and write more of this.
Cheers!
This update brought a tear to my eye
Just to know: what are the post visigothic kingdoms of Iberia?
All of them claim to be the Visigothic Kingdom with the exception of Vasconia, which is a Basque state in the light and pale yellow. We also have two foreign powers with territory in Iberia, those being the Franks in Catalonia and the Africans in Murcia. Then are the successor states; those being analogous to an expanded Leon and Galicia in purple, a slightly smaller version of Aragon without Catalonia or Valencia in red, what is basically Portugal in green, Gundred's state which is a larger version of Granada in the cream color, and finally what would be considered the true Visigothic government in yellow.
At the time the portuguese identity wasn't developed yet, so this portuguese Kingdom is ruled by who? The visigoths? The Suebis? Some latinized Lusitans?
All of the independent kingdoms and warlord holdings with the exception of Vasconia are ruled by Visigoths in some fashion. I'll make an dedicated post about Iberia after I make one about the Franks and the Byzantines.
Frankly Roman
At the turn of the seventh century, most of Western Europe was under the hegemony of the Kingdom of the Franks. This is, however, a gross simplification of the situation. Inside the Kingdom were many subkingdoms with varying degrees of loyalty to the King of the Franks in Paris, with each of these kingdoms having several tribes and estates underneath them. This would continue until the start of the Great Schism War. When the War began, the Pope gave the title of most serene Augustus, crowned by God, great and pacific emperor, governing the Roman Empire, to the Frankish King Dagobert, thus creating the Holy Roman Empire. This new Empire would go by many other names, though, with only the people of the Empire and some Visigothic states calling it by its official title. The German tribes not under their control would often call the nation the Gallic Empire as an insult and rejecting both its Frankish, and thus Germanic, and Roman roots. The British states, most Visigothic states, and most historians came to call the Empire as simply the Frankish Empire while the Byzantines still referred to the state as the Kingdom of the Franks in official records, not recognizing it as a successor to Rome and thus undeserving of the title of Empire.
The Empire, despite having technically lost the war, came out of the war in a more powerful position than it went into it with. Territorially, they gained the territories of Catalonia and the northern portion of the former Lombard Kingdom along with gaining the Duchy of Carantania as a tributary state. These new territories, especially Catalonia and Liguria would lead to an economic revolution for the Empire in the coming years as the merchants in the area began contributing to the coffers of the empire as well as beginning a real navy. Of course, the war did heavily harm the manpower that the Empire could draw from all of its territories along with several powerful nobles being killed in combat. Perhaps the greatest loss from the war the pillaging of territories east of the Rhine by Avar raiders. The raids resulted in a local famine that the Empire could do little to relieve, as it had to relieve soldiers and administer the new territories. By June of 641, however, the famine had ended and industries had recovered to pre-war levels, though these were not impressive, and by February 643 the population had also come back to pre-war levels.
The biggest and most long lasting effect of the war, however, was the complete integration of the Catholic church into the Empire. After the defeat of the Frankish armies in Italy Pope John IV with the support of Emperor Sigebert staged a successful coup against the Mayor of the Palace and assumed many of the position's powers, while some returned to the Emperor, effectively demolishing the growing power of the Pippinids. Following this coup, several nobles petitioned the Emperor to recognize the rights of the nobility to their estates and titles, which the Emperor quickly agreed to, not wishing for internal trouble so soon after the war. This agreement would have a profound impact on the future of the Empire, as it lagged behind its neighbors in centralization.
One of many banners used by the Frankish Empire. The Papal imagery, of course, symbolized the Empire’s holiness while its location at the top of the banner symbolized God’s supremacy over everything and the Pope’s unique connection to God. The bees represented the Merovingian dynasty, which ruled the Empire and its sub kingdoms, the location of the bees represented the supremacy of the dynasty at all but the holiest levels of the Empire. The laurel wreaths and SPQR represented the ancient Romans and its location with the bees represented the intertwined destiny of the Romans and Franks.
The Empire, despite having technically lost the war, came out of the war in a more powerful position than it went into it with. Territorially, they gained the territories of Catalonia and the northern portion of the former Lombard Kingdom along with gaining the Duchy of Carantania as a tributary state. These new territories, especially Catalonia and Liguria would lead to an economic revolution for the Empire in the coming years as the merchants in the area began contributing to the coffers of the empire as well as beginning a real navy. Of course, the war did heavily harm the manpower that the Empire could draw from all of its territories along with several powerful nobles being killed in combat. Perhaps the greatest loss from the war the pillaging of territories east of the Rhine by Avar raiders. The raids resulted in a local famine that the Empire could do little to relieve, as it had to relieve soldiers and administer the new territories. By June of 641, however, the famine had ended and industries had recovered to pre-war levels, though these were not impressive, and by February 643 the population had also come back to pre-war levels.
The biggest and most long lasting effect of the war, however, was the complete integration of the Catholic church into the Empire. After the defeat of the Frankish armies in Italy Pope John IV with the support of Emperor Sigebert staged a successful coup against the Mayor of the Palace and assumed many of the position's powers, while some returned to the Emperor, effectively demolishing the growing power of the Pippinids. Following this coup, several nobles petitioned the Emperor to recognize the rights of the nobility to their estates and titles, which the Emperor quickly agreed to, not wishing for internal trouble so soon after the war. This agreement would have a profound impact on the future of the Empire, as it lagged behind its neighbors in centralization.
One of many banners used by the Frankish Empire. The Papal imagery, of course, symbolized the Empire’s holiness while its location at the top of the banner symbolized God’s supremacy over everything and the Pope’s unique connection to God. The bees represented the Merovingian dynasty, which ruled the Empire and its sub kingdoms, the location of the bees represented the supremacy of the dynasty at all but the holiest levels of the Empire. The laurel wreaths and SPQR represented the ancient Romans and its location with the bees represented the intertwined destiny of the Romans and Franks.
AN
Sooooo, yeah. I'll admit, I don't entirely know where I want to take this timeline now. This is the third draft of the update and I'm still not entirely pleased with it, so I may go back and rewrite or add some things latter. The hardest part for me was the banner, that had at least ten iterations before I came up with this one, though these failures are more to do with my lack of experience in photo editing.
Anyway, I want to thank everyone who has continued to read this timeline and has contributed to the thread. It is especially important now as previously stated I don't know what should come next, so please show me some of your ideas! As stated in my last post, I am using Gukpard's character so I will use whatever you give to me as long as I find it reasonable.
Cheers!
Sooooo, yeah. I'll admit, I don't entirely know where I want to take this timeline now. This is the third draft of the update and I'm still not entirely pleased with it, so I may go back and rewrite or add some things latter. The hardest part for me was the banner, that had at least ten iterations before I came up with this one, though these failures are more to do with my lack of experience in photo editing.
Anyway, I want to thank everyone who has continued to read this timeline and has contributed to the thread. It is especially important now as previously stated I don't know what should come next, so please show me some of your ideas! As stated in my last post, I am using Gukpard's character so I will use whatever you give to me as long as I find it reasonable.
Cheers!
Well, at least a certain angry Austian corporal has been butterflied.
You know, as long as the Byzantines keep Arabia in check, they could survive to the modern day. altHRE is about to have some fun with Norsemen, though. So we'll see how long that lasts. Maybe a Scandinavian Empire rises? Not!Ghengis Khan could cause trouble though, if ERE doesn't decide to have a far east adventure.
This must be a strategic opportunity in the middle east. Support Goa?
Considering I won't get back to that for some time, I'll enlighten you.
With the Islamic army's defeat, their expansionism has been redirected Eastward and Southward. This results in earlier Islamic interference in India, the Indies, and China and therefore even more tensions with Axum the later leading to a naval arms race.
The Caliphate has designs on India, which I hope to get to after updates on Byzantium (should be out in a few weeks), Iberia, and possibly Britain.
Do you think I should make an update on this war before or after Britain? I've thought about it for a bit and would like to leave it up to my readers.