A Byzantine Game of Thrones

After months of suffering, violence and death, the siege of Constantinople is coming to an end, as the crusaders have breached the sea walls and are advancing towards the city center. There, following the flight of Alexios V the previous night, a new Emperor is being elected by the Army and Senate in a last-ditch attempt to save the city and the crumbling Empire.

All across the eastern Mediterranean, pretenders of all stripes are setting their sights on the imperial throne, determined to be the new Constantine. Which dynasty will manage to wrest control of the Empire of the Romans?

----the candidates----
---please vote here---
House of Angelos
Alexios III
Alexios became emperor by deposing and blinding his brother Isaac II with support of the army in 1195. During his reign, the decline of the state accelerated drastically on account of external pressure on all fronts and his own mismanagement. In 1203, reluctant to face the crusaders further at his capital, he fled together with his entourage to Adrianople, taking most of the treasury with him. Later evicted from Adrianople by a combined imperial-crusader force send by his cousin, the late emperor Alexios IV, Alexios now has his headquarters at Mosynopolis and is trying to raise an army in order to re-take his throne.

House of Doukas
Alexios V, nicknamed Mourtzouphlos
Allegedly the lover of one of former Emperor Alexios III's daughters, Mourtzouphlos was a high ranking court official before taking advantage of anti-crusader sentiment in the capital and killing the two pro-western co-emperors, Isaac II Angelos and his son, Alexios IV. Crowned Emperor in February 1204 after killing Nicholaos Kanabos, the man initially chosen by the Senate as the new ruler, Mourtzouphlos led the renewed fight against the crusaders. Unfortunately for him, the Latins prevailed, meaning the that for the second time in less than a year, an Emperor fled the capital in the dead of night with what he could carry from the treasury and his entourage. Currently, Mourtzouphlos is on his way to Mosynopolis.

House of Komnenos
Alexios
Grandson of the former emperor Andronikos I (last Komnenos emperor, deposed by Issac II Angelos), Alexios fled capital together with his mother at the age of 3, just as his family was being slaughtered by the Angeloi. Now 22 and seeking revenge as well as his throne, he has recently acquired the city of Trebizond on the Black Sea with support from his aunt, Queen Tamara of Georgia, and been acclaimed Emperor there. He is currently overseeing defensive preparations, as the Turks are marching towards his new city.

David
Younger brother of Alexios, David was also brought by his mother to Georgia whilst still an infant in the chaos of his grandfather's fall from power. With his older brother tied up defending Trebizond, David has been sent west at the head of a significant force, with orders to seize control of as many cities along the coast as possible. He is hoping a strong showing will convince the provinces and nobles of Asia Minor to join his brothers cause.


House of Laskaris
Constantine
Member of a minor constantinopolitan noble family, Constantine had led troops fighting the crusaders, only to be captured and then ransomed shortly after. Now however, he is on the steps of the Hagia Sophia, trying to convince the Army, Senate and populace to fight the Latins and elect him as their new Basileus.

Theodore
Younger brother of Constantine, Theodore is an accomplished commander, having shown his valour in the fight against the crusaders. He is also married to a daughter of Emperor Alexios III, which could prove to be quite an asset in the future. Currently, Theodore is with the army in Constantinople and trying to get his older brother elected emperor.

Theodore has, in addition to Constantine, three older brothers - Manuel, Michael and Georgios - as well as two younger ones, Alexios and Isaac, both of whom hold the title of sebastokrator.


House of Komnenos Doukas
Michael
Michael was the illegitimate son of John Doukas, grandson of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos and his wife Irene Doukaina (after whom he adopt his surname). Besides being related to the revered former emperor, John Doukas also shared a much closer connection with the hated Angeloi dynasty, as his father Constantine was none other than the grandfather of the emperors Isaac II (recently deceased) and Alexios III (who had abandoned the capital the previous year). Michael however had no intention of being seen as an Angeloi, and so adopted the surname Komnenos Doukas to stress his connection to his more illustrious ancestors as opposed to his reviled Angeloi cousins. With his first public role being that of hostage to the Third Crusade, Michael managed to get appointed as a governor in Asia Minor. There, he rebelled against Alexios III in 1201, only to be defeated and flee to the Seljuks. Tired of exile among heathes, he has joined the crusader force and is currently part of Boniface of Montferrat’s retinue. He has no plans of remaining with his current companions though, since he judges their position (and thus his own chances of acquiring power) rather weak in light of the devastation they had caused upon Constantinople.

Theodore
Unlike his youngest brother Michael, Theodore was no bastard. Equally brave and proud, Theodore has been taking part in the fight against the crusaders, and his currently supporting, together with his younger brother Manuel, the candidacy of their brother Constantine, as he competes for the imperial purple against Constantine Laskaris, just as the crusaders are approaching the city center.

Constantine
A young and distinguished army officer, Constantine has mustered all of his ambition and has put his name forth before the Army, Senate and People of Constantinople, hoping to become their saviour. Although quite similar to his opponent Constantine Laskaris, he fears the latter may have more support. Hopefully his brothers can help him, or perhaps a rousing speech?

House of Sgouros
Leo
Five years before the arrival of the crusaders, Leo Sgouros had succeeded his father as governor of the north-eastern part of the Peloponese. Three years before their arrival, he rose up in defiance of imperial authority, much like the rest of the area, after a revolt in Thessaly cut the area off from Constantinople. One year before their arrival, he defeat the Imperial force meant to bring him to justice. The year the Latins arrived, he struck, taking Thessaly and burning the defiant Athens to the ground, save for the Acropolis which still resisted. A cruel man by nature, but also one battling the inner demons of depression, Leo sits atop his fortress of Acrocorinthos, confinded that this is his chance to make his mark on history – he must only reach out and grab it.

House of Seljuk
Kaykhusraw I
The eleventh and youngest son of former sultan Kilij Arslan II, Kaykhusraw inherited his fathers kingdom in 1192, only to lose it to his treacherous borther Suleiman two years later. Lacking any other options, he fled to Constantitonople seeking the assistance of emperor Alexios III. There, he forged a strong friendship with the Emperor, was baptized in the Christian faith and married the daugter of Manuel Maurozomes, himself a descendent of Manuel I Komnenos via one of the emperor's illegitimate daughters. However, with the downfall of Alexios III, Kaykhusraw also finds himself on the run from the capital, but still has options in front of him – should he stick with the Emperor, flee to his father-in-law, or approach the new rulers of Constantinople, whoever these may be? Should he keep his new faith in order to gain support of the Christians, or cover up any mention of his conversion, so that he may one day once again rule over his people?

Suleiman II
Suleiman had spent a considerable amount of time and energy trying to piece together his father’s kingdom, and now it seemed that everything was in its place – united and at peace, the realm was strong enough to muster two large armies, one led by the Sultan himself and marching against the Georgians, and another, smaller one, assembling to besiege Trebizond. With superiority in numbers and confident of Allah’s grace, Suleiman plans to march west into the lands of the Rum as soon as this nasty affair in the east is settled. With the Christians fighting amongst themselves, can he forge a new Empire out of the ashes of the old, one which his infant son Kilij Arslan will raise to even more impressive heights?

House of Asen
Kaloyan
Following the assassination of his brothers in 1197, Kaloyan had assumed the throne of Bulgaria and, from that moment one, pursued a relentless drive into the heart of the Empire, going as far as allying himself with their killer in order to achieve his aims. Ruthless to enemy nobles and merciful to commoners, Kaloyan has made steps to recognize the Pope in order to receive the title of Emperor. With knowledge of the terrain and a powerful Cuman contingent backing him, can Kaloyan take advantage of the fight between Romans and Crusaders and claim what is rightfully his?

Ivan Asen
Son of the former Tsar of Bulgaria, the young Ivan Asen looks on helplessly as his uncle Kaloyan solidifies his grip on power. In his heart though, he knows the throne is rightfully his.

Boril
Son of Kaloyan’s sister, Boril is a commander in his uncle’s army. More ambitious than competent, he hopes to one day seize the throne for himself. How far is he willing to go though?

House of Montferrat
Boniface
The epitomy of the western knight, Boniface presided over one of the most prestigious courts of chivalric culture and troubador song back in France. A veteran of many campaigns, he had ample connections with the east, his nephew Baldwin and brother Conrad had been Kings of Jerusalem and his niece Maria was heiress of the kingdom. Technically the leader of the crusade, Boniface is expected by many to become the new emperor in the coming days once victory is achieved. Can he overcome the animosity between himself and the greedy Venetians and become emperor of the east?

House of Flanders
Baldwin
Having left behind his two-year-old daughter and his pregnant wife, Baldwin, count of Flanders and Hainaut, set out to join the crusade, and currently commands the largest contingent of men as he storms the streets of Constantinople. Can he use the animosity between the Venetians and the crusade’s most prestigious leader, Boniface of Montferrat, in order to secure for himself the throne and dominion over all of the east?

Henry
Younger brother of Baldwin, Henry is also a commander of the Crusade. Loyal to him, he is famous for defeating Alexios V in battle during a skirmish despite being ambushed and outnumbered. On said occasion, he captured the Emperor's Holy Icon, said to contain relics of Christ Himself. Needless to say, he is quite popular with the nobles. Currently leading the charge into the city.
 
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And here is the poll where you can vote for your favorites:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HHDCT8H

Hopefully it works :)

Whoever gets the biggest average grade goes first. I initially wanted to write a mini-TL about the Komnenodoukai, but figured I could have just about anyone (or no one) wind up on top, so maybe this is more fun.
 
No Palaiologos?

If my Maths is right, either Andronikos (Michael VIII's father) or his father, Alexios, should be candidates here.
 
No Palaiologos?

If my Maths is right, either Andronikos (Michael VIII's father) or his father, Alexios, should be candidates here.

You're right, Andronikos is alive at the time of the POD, a boy some ~14 years of age.

There are two, equally important, reasons why the Palaiologoi are not here:

1. Andronikos didn't really accomplish much himself OTL, his famous son is yet to be born, and he has no significant power base of his own. I wanted this to be mainly about the key players of the OTL near term.
2. Surveymonkey only allows 10 questions before asking you to pay for the poll
 
Keep those votes coming, boys and girls. It looks like the race between the House of Angelos and the House of Flanders is really heating up!
 
Keep those votes coming, boys and girls. It looks like the race between the House of Angelos and the House of Flanders is really heating up!
Bloody Angelos, first they murder the empire proper and now they still want to rule it?! No the only proper emperor is a Komnenos.
 
Ok, so provisional result are in:

Just barely missing the cut-off, the House of Angelos comes in last with a D. Seems like their mismanagement of the Empire and the whole 4th crusade debacle have made the former incumbents really unpopular with the voters, who seem to have sent them a very strong message indeed. Their disintegration is now complete, and not even a miracle can save them from electoral oblivion.

Next off, with a very solid D+, is the House of Asen, self-styled Kings of the Bulgarians and Vlachs. It looks like the voters really look down on people who betray the Empire, and in the eyes of many, the revolt of Peter and Asen was just that.

The race the bottom was a really close one though, with very small percentages separating the minor parties. Two such are the House of Flanders, who also got a D+, and their coalition partners, the House of Montferrat, who barely inched out a C-. Voters seem to frown upon hostile takeovers and radical changes (That, and destroying the coolest city on earth), something clearly reflected in the results obtained by the Crusader coalition.

Also earning a C- is the House of Seljuk - switching parties is looked down upon, as is backstabbing your own brother. Religion and race almost certainly played a role as well among the mostly conservative electorate, no doubt.

A complete newcomer in the electoral process, the House of Sgouros, despite their anti-establishment rethoric and actions, came in with a C, only barely missing a C+. For someone denying the Empire's legitimacy, this seems like a very impressive result.

The current incumbents don't seem to have done so well. After the ousting of the unpopular House of Angelos, the House of Doukas seemed to have been on the right track, and were praised by many pundits for their energy and commitment. Still, the last stage of the crisis exploded during their term, although its debatable what more they could have done to stop it. Voters seem to think they could and blame them for the disaster, although not nearly to the extent of the Angeloi. The House of Doukas comes in at C+.

For a faction running on so much hype, these results seem very dissapointing - the House of Komnenos Doukas only barely got a B-. It looks like splitting off from the main parties wasn't the sure-fire way to victory after all.

And now, for the top two contenders:

One of them are brand new on the political scene, having only made their debut months before. But boy did they come in with a bang, running a massive grassroots campaign showcasing their response to the crisis, their courage and valour. The others are veterans of the Empire, having won many elections in the past, only to be kicked out of office during the term of Andronikos. Now with new leadership, foreign backing, enormous hype and favorites of the betting markets, they look set to regain their top spot.

Which one of them will prevail??

....the result are in...
.... and it looks like...
....the leader is...
...the HOUSE OF KOMNENOS, with a very solid A!!!!!!
Their opponents, the House of Laskaris, trail them at a pretty considerable distance, earning a B+.
 
....the result are in...
.... and it looks like...
....the leader is...
...the HOUSE OF KOMNENOS, with a very solid A!!!!!!
Their opponents, the House of Laskaris, trail them at a pretty considerable distance, earning a B+.

I think name recognition irl helped a lot there.

But HOUSE LASKARIS SHALL RISE AGAIN!
 
I think name recognition irl helped a lot there.

But HOUSE LASKARIS SHALL RISE AGAIN!

Probably. Although I distinctly remember there already being a TL about this.

Anyway, I'm gonna let voting continue until probably tomorrow morning, at which point we'll have our final results. A couple of points:

- thank you to all who voted
- if you haven't already, please vote
- how on earth can this thread have nearly 700 views, but only 23 votes were cast; don't be afraid people
- if you do vote, it would be great if you don't skip anyone, as all that does is force me to manually assign every skipped entry an extra F by default, and it can be time consuming
 
OK, the final results are in.

Compared to yesterday's "exit polls", there are no big surprises - as expected, the two borthers from the House of Komnenos won, earning an A- and keeping their relative distance over the runners-up, the seven brothers of the House of Laskaris, who got a B.

Down the line, the ranking stays the same for the other top spots, with Komnenos Doukas getting the Bronze Medal and a C+, with the House of Doukas hot on their heels, also with a C+, followed by the House of Sgouros with a C.

Major changes however took place in the lower half - the House of Seljuk enjoyed a massive surge (with five A's, including four A+) and are now ranked 6th. But boy oh boy is the battle close here, as the Houses of Montferrat and Flanders are both one decimal away from claiming the coveted 6th place, and the House of Asen is not far behind either, being one or two good grades away from surpassing the other foreign houses. Rounded up, all of these people got a C-.

At the bottom of the list, as expected, sits the House of Angelos, far away from everyone else, earning a D. Sorry Alexios, better luck next time.

And so, with 23 A's to the Laskaris 13, Alexios Komnenos gets the first shot at reclaiming his grandfather's throne and reuniting the Empire of the Romans.

results.jpg

results.jpg
 
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