Cadavera Vero Innumera

Discussion about this timeline must take place in this thread.

451:
The Huns sack Divodurum [Metz], but are later defeated at the Battle of Catalaunum [Chalons] [1]
The Sassanids defeat the Armenians at the Battle of Vartanantz [Avarayr], killing Armenian leader Vartan Mamikonian, whose nephew Vahan would continue Armenian resistance
The Council of Chalcedon is held, in which the doctrine of dyophysitism is adopted [2], and the Patriarch of Alexandria, Dioscorus I, is exiled for his miaphysite beliefs and is replaced by Proterius of Alexandria
452:
The Huns invade Italia and destroy the city of Aemona [Emona]
Venetia is founded by Italian refugees fleeing the Hunnic invasion
Pope Leo I is able to convince Attila the Hun to withdraw from Italia
453:
The Huns invade the Balkans (again) [3]
General Aëtius is assassinated by Valentinian III, who feels Aëtius wants to put his son on the thrown [4]
Marcellinus, who controlled the soldiers in Dalmatia, rebels in response to the assassination
454:
The Huns besiege Constantinople, and Attila's son, Ellac, proves himself a capable commander
Axum decides to support the miaphysites in Ægyptus
Valentinian III is killed by former soldiers of Aëtius, and is replaced by Petronius Maximus [5]
Geiseric, king of the Vandali, invades the Western Empire, feeling Valentinian's death voids his treaty from 442
Petronius Maximus is killed by a mob, and soldiers declare magister militum Avitus emperor, who is in Tolosa [Toulouse] getting Visigothic aid against the Vandali
Olybrius flees to Ephesus
Pope Leo I convinces Geiseric to leave Roma intact, but the Vandali do loot and take Empress Eudoxia and her daughters Eudocia and Placidia hostage [6]
455:
The Visigoths are ceded Septimania in order to give them a Mediterranean port so that they may aid the Roman navy against the Vandali [7]
The Jutish ruler Hengest defeats the Briton king Vortigern and gains control over Kent
The Vandali sack Capua
The Isaurians begin to revolt against the Eastern Empire
Marcian dies and is replaced by Leo
Leo makes peace with Attila by resuming the tribute and ceding most of the Dioceses of Dacia and Thracia
A navy led by Ricimer and Theodoric I defeats the Vandali off the coast of Corsica
Avitus is deposed due to his consideration as a foreigner by the Italians and the famine in Roma brought about by the Vandali blockade
456:
Burgundians negotiate territorial expansion with local Roman senators
Disturbances begin on the Armenian frontier of the Eastern Empire
The Huns turn back north, defeating Marcellinus' Dalmatian forces and forcing him to pay a hefty tribute
Aspar, the Eastern Empire's magister militum, is used as a scapegoat for the defeat against the Huns; he is accused of treason but manages to escape to Achaea
Ricimer declares Majorian the Western Emperor
Visigoths capture the Baleares from the Vandali
457:
The Huns, once again, invade Italia, but are halted at the Battle of Bononia [Bologna], during which Attila is killed
Ellac, Attila's successor, barely manages to keep control of his vassals, and spends two years putting down rebellions across his empire [8]
Hormizd III seizes the throne after the death of his father, Yazdegerd II, prompting his elder brother Peroz to rebel against his rule with the support of the Hephthalites
Albania revolts against Persian rule
Aspar begins fermenting revolt against Leo
To try to regain some face, Leo pays the ransom for Eudoxia and Placidia
Childeric I succeeds Merovech as king of the Salian Franks
The Vandali are defeated in Campania by magister militum Nepotianus
Hengest and his son Oisc defeat the Britons, who retreat back to Londinium [London]
458:
Olybrius marries Placidia
Majorian reverses the territorial gains of the Burgundians
Envoys from Aspar reach Ellac and Tarasicodissa [9] asking for secret aid in his rebellion against Leo
The Isaurians sack Iconia [Konya]
Proterius, a dyophysite Patriarch of Alexandria, is deposed and replaced by the miaphysite Timothy II of Alexandria
459:
Peroz I becomes the Sassanid Shahanshah after deposing Hormizd
Albania brought back under Persian control
The Huns, once again, invade the Balkans and lay siege to Constantinople
The Vandali ambush and destroy the Western Empire's fleet off of Hispania, forcing Majorian to recognize Vandali control of Sicilia and Sardinia
Theodoric II becomes King of the Visigoths [10]
Peroz I takes advantage of the discord in the Eastern Empire and invades Syria, capturing Edessa [Sanliurfa]
Aspar is by now in control of most of the Peloponnesus and Attica
460:
The Sassanids capture Palmyra [Tadmor]
The Suevi are contained in western Hispania by Theodoric II at the Battle of Segovia
Aspar decides to put forth Anthemius as a claimant to the throne [11]
A mutiny forces Majorian to resign as Emperor and Ricimer proclaims Olybrius emperor [12]
Aegidius, magister militum per Gallias and a supporter of Majorian, sets up his own rump state in northern Gaul
461:
The Isaurians sack Perga [near modern Antalya]
Hilarius succeeds Leo I as Catholic Pope
The Sassanids capture Damascus, but are later defeated at the Battle of Caesarea Philippi [Banias] by Basiliscus, magister militum per Oriens and Leo's brother-in-law
Aspar is by now in control of most territory up into Thessaly, and a few revolts break out in Asia [13]
A failed coup causes chaos in Constantinople, providing the Huns with an opportunity to break through the city's walls and loot the {insert expletive of choice} out of it [14], prompting Leo to flee to Ephesus
The Huns cross over into Anatolia, and Aspar's army "liberates" Constantinople
462:
With a stalemate in the Levant, Peroz I turns his attention to the Eastern Empire's Armenian territories, and captures Amida [Diyarbakir], Arsamosata [Elazig], and Theodosiopolis [Erzurum]
The Isaurians sack Antiochia [near modern Yalvaç]
The Huns capture Nicomedia [Izmit], Nicaea [Iznik], and Dorylaeum [near modern Eskisehir]
463:
Aspar is by now in control of most of the Diocese of Macedonia
The Isaurians sack Caesarea [Kayseri]
In order to cut his losses, Leo cedes eastern territory [15] to the Sassanids
Basiliscus feels cheated out of possible victory, so he rebels, disregards Leo's peace treaty, and continues the war
What remains of the East Roman Levant pledges support to Basiliscus
Dengizich succeeds Ellac as Khan of the Huns
The Germanic vassal tribes of the Huns rebel; they are led by the Ostrogoths under Theodemir and the Gepidae under Ardaric
464:
Dengizich is killed at the Battle of Heraclea Perinthus [Marmara Eregli] and is succeeded by Ernakh, who flees back with the remaining Huns to Pannonia
The Heruli and Scirii, led by Odovacar, continue to travel east, capturing the city of Gangra [Cankiri]
Basiliscus gains support from Ægyptus, and the miaphysites that live there, by allowing Timothy II to return as Patriarch of Alexandria
Aegidius and Childeric I halt Visigothic expansion northward at the Battle of Limonum [Poitiers]
A famine begins in Sassanid territory
Basiliscus recaptures Damascus and Palmyra [Tadmor]
A loose coalition of Germanic tribes, led by the Ostrogoths and Gepidae, capture and hold Constantinople [16], forcing Aspar and Anthemius to flee back to Achaea
Anthemius establishes diplomatic relations with Marcellinus in hopes of forming an alliance against the Ostrogoths and Gepidae
Syagrius succeeds Aegidius as Dux of Noviodunum [Soissons]
Orestes, formerly in the service of the Huns, returns to the Western Empire
465:
Due to the famine, the Sassanids are unable to make the annual tribute to the Hephthalites, who invade soon after
Theodemir formally declares an Ostrogothic kingdom based in Thracia and northwestern Anatolia, and he captures the cities of Claudiopolis [Bolu], Ancyra [Ankara], Pessinus [Ballihisar], and Cyzicus [Kyzikos]
Ardaric establishes a Gepid kingdom in approximately the Diocese of Dacia
With the threat of invasion from the east, Peroz I negotiates peace with Basiliscus by ceding all territory southwest of the Euphrates
The area around the cities of Antioch [Antakya] and Tarsus pledge their support for Basiliscus
Marcellinus allows the Rugii to settle in his territory in exchange for military service
Odovacar captures Sinope [Sinop] and Amasia [Amasya]
The Isaurians sack Tyana [Kilisse-Hissar]
Marcellinus, bolstered with his new Rugii soldiers, invades the Gepid kingdom and captures Singidunum [Belgrade]
466:
Hengest and his son Oisc slay 10 Briton leaders at the Battle of Wippedesfleote
Ardaric is killed in a battle near Naissus [Niš] and the remaining Gepidae flee north across the Danuvius [Danube] to the Pannonian Basin, and Marcellinus and Anthemius divide up the former kingdom between them
Marcellinus refuses to swear allegiance to the Western Empire
The Isaurians sack Seleucia [Silifke]
Leo officially recognizes Basiliscus' independence
Aspar forms an alliance with the Vandali against the Eastern Empire [17]
Odovacar captures Neocaesarea [Niksar]
Theodemir defeats a large East Roman army near outside of Sardis [Sart] and takes the city
467:
Peroz I is defeated in battle by the Hephthalites and his son Kavadh is taken hostage
The Vandali decimate the Eastern Empire's navy off of Creta, which falls under the control of Aspar and Anthemius soon after; this defeat prompts the Western Empire to declare war on the Vandali
Olybrius' ties to the Vandali are no longer seen as beneficial by Ricimer, so Olybrius is deposed and Glycerius becomes the Western Emperor
Odovacar captures the remainder of NE Anatolia still loyal to the Eastern Empire
Theodemir besieges Ephesus
468:
Simplicius succeeds Hilarius as Catholic Pope
Anthemius and Aspar decide to support the Vandali in their war against the Western Empire
Ricimer defeats the Vandali at the Battle of Agrigentum [Agrigento]
Marcellinus does not ally with Anthemius and Aspar against the Western Empire, but he offer them the use of some of his troops
Ephesus falls to the Ostrogoths and Emperor Leo is killed
Patricius declares himself Eastern Emperor [18]
Anthemius defeats a West Roman army at Brundisium [Brindisi]
469:
The Vandali defeat Ricimer at the Battle of Catina [Catania]
The last East Roman military resistance is quashed by Theodemir at the Battle of Myra [Demre], during which Patricius is killed [19]
Cyprus, the last bit of territory controlled by the Eastern Empire, pledges allegiance to Basiliscus
Theodoric Strabo convinces Theodemir not to launch a campaign into Aspar and Anthemius' territory, as he is Aspar's brother-in-law
Euric succeeds Theodoric II as King of the Visigoths
470:
Glycerius request the aid of Briton king Riothamus against Visigothic expansion
Ricimer is killed in the Battle of Syracusae [Syracuse] by the Vandali and is succeeded as magister militum by his Burgundian nephew, Gundobad
Glycerius is forced by the Vandali to reaffirm their recognition of Vandali overlordship of North Africa, Sicilia, and Sardinia
The Visigoths utterly defeat Riothamus' army in central Gaul, but he manages to flee to Burgundian territory
471:
Acacius succeeds Gennadius as Patriarch of Constantinople [20]
Aspar dies mysteriously, but is survived by his sons Ardabur and Ermanaric [21]
The Sassanid famine ends
Gundobad convinces Glycerius to substantially increase the Burgundians' territory
472:
The Visigoths force Glycerius to recognize their independence
Roman senators revolt against Glycerius and proclaim Julius Nepos to be Emperor [22]
Marcellinus declares allegiance to Julius Nepos
Peroz I finally collects enough money to pay for the release of Kavadh
Nepos' army defeats Gundobad's at Florentia [Florence]
473:
An attempted invasion of Marcellinus' territory is halted near Siscia [Sisak]
Anthemius declares allegiance to Julius Nepos [23]
Gundioc, king of the Burgundians, dies and his territory is divided amongst his four sons, Godegisel, Chilperic, Gundomar, and Gundobad, who is replaced as magister militum by Orestes
Romulus Augustus succeeds Glycerius as West Roman Emperor [24]
The Rugii serving Marcellinus revolt, not wanting to be part of the Roman Empire
474:
With the deposition of the unpopular emperor Glycerius and the rebellion in Dalmatia, Nepos' movement loses momentum and his army is defeated by Orestes' at Asisium [Assisi], forcing him to retreat far to the south
Marcellinus is killed in battle with the Rugii at Salonae [near modern Split]
With Marcellinus' death, the Gepidae begin to travel back south to retake their former territory
Romulus Augustus attempts to reverse the territorial expansion granted to the Burgundians, leading Gundobad and his brothers to revolt against Roma
Gundobad defeats Orestes near Taurinorum [Turin]
475:
Orestes is captured near Brixia [Brescia] and executed shortly thereafter
Anthemius annexes the last remnants of Dalmatia not controlled by the Rugii or Gepidae
The Burgundians capture Ravenna and depose Romulus Augustus
Gundobad announces the end of the Roman Empire, and the newly formed Regnum Italia (which includes the Burgundians' territory) is divided amongst him and his three brothers
-------------------
[1] The first noticeable divergence from OTL is the survival of Theodoric I during the battle
[2] The council's decision is rejected by Armenians, who couldn't send a delegation due to their rebellion, and many in Ægyptus and Syria, who felt dyophysitism was too similar to Nestorianism
[3] The second noticeable divergence is that Attila doesn't die, and thus he is able to continue out his plan to punish Marcian for canceling the Eastern Empire's tribute to the Huns
[4] Butterflies cause this to happen a year early
[5] Some believe that Petronius Maximus was also behind the assassination of Aëtius, feeling spited for not being named a consul after his death
[6] Geiseric's son, Huneric, is engaged to Eudocia
[7] Theodoric I has an issue to settle with the Vandali, as Huneric was previously married to one of his daughters, but later sent her back home with her ears and nose mutilated
[8] Unlike OTL, Dengizich and Ernakh don't fight against Ellac over who gets what tribe, although there is enough tension between them to provoke rebellions amongst some of the vassals
[9] Tarasicodissa in OTL would become Emperor Zeno, but in ATL he's leading the Isaurian revolt
[10] Theodoric I and his son Thorismund were on one of the ships sunk by the Vandali
[11] Anthemius was one of the leaders against the Huns in Thracia and was thus also scapegoated by Leo
[12] Olybrius is chosen because of his wife, both for her connections to bloodline of Theodosius I and her connections to the Vandali via her sister
[13] The province, not the continent
[14] Aspar is, obviously, not happy at all with the Huns, but Ellac reminds him that it is he who has the larger army
[15] Osrhoene, inland Syria, and western Armenia
[16] The city's repairs were more focused on defending against further invasion from the west, not the east
[17] Aspar feels spited because Leo recognized Basiliscus' independence and not his
[18] Patricius is placed on the throne by Verina, Leo's widow, as Patricius has been her lover for some time
[19] This marks the traditional end of the Eastern Empire
[20] Theodemir is trying to keep the Roman (well, technically Greek) populace from revolting by leaving most of the internal administration intact
[21] Anthemius is the most likely cause of Aspar's death, as he is now solely in charge of the kingdom
[22] The official claim for his legitimacy is that he is married to former Eastern Emperor Leo's niece, but the fact that he is Marcellinus' nephew probably shows where most of his support is coming from
[23] Anthemius feels that the long term survival of his kingdom could depend on friendly relations with Roma
[24] Romulus is Orestes' son...connect the dots

475L.PNG
 
Sic Transit Gloria Mundi

476:
Peter the Fuller, a miaphysite, succeeds Julian as Patriarch of Antioch
Simplicius advises Basiliscus to stop supporting the miaphysites
The Vandali invade Julius Nepos's territory, defeating his army at Rhegium Julium [Reggio Calabria]
Theodemir is succeeded as Ostrogothic king by Theodoric Cato [1]
477:
Julius Nepos is killed in battle against the Vandali at the Battle of Potentia [Potenza], prompting Julius's old supporters turning to Anthemius for legitimacy [2]
Peter III, a miaphysite, succeeds Timothy II as Patriarch of Alexandria
Simplicius responds by excommunicating both Peter the Fuller and Peter III, and threatening to excommunicate Basiliscus if he doesn't respond and denounce the miaphysites [3]
Basiliscus responds to the threat by refusing to accept the Council of Chalcedon's decision to elevate Jerusalem from bishopric to patriarchate, and he exiles Anastasius I, who holds the now-defunct title
Anthemius forces the Vandali out of Italia and marches his army into Sicilia, where Geiseric is killed at the Battle of Adranum [Adrano]; he is succeeded by his son Huneric
Ælle, a Saxon king, lands in southern Britannia and captures the largely abandoned city of Noviomagus Reginorum [Chichester], where he sets up a base for future expansion
478:
Simplicius follows up on his threat and excommunicates Basiliscus, along with many higher up figures in Ægyptus
Anthemius decisively beats the Vandali near the city of Lilybaeum [Marsala] and forces Huneric to acknowledge the loss of Sicilia
Godegisel, who rules the portion of Burgundian territory in the Alps, pushes his territory eastward into Noricum [more or less Austria], pushing the Langobardi to migrate into the Pannonian Plain, bringing them into conflict with the remaining Huns
Tarasicodissa, fearing future Ostrogothic expansion, bribes Theodoric Cato to turn against Theodoric Strabo
479:
Cato makes it seem like he is moving his forces against Strabo, but surprises the Isaurians when a united Ostrogothic force marches into central Anatolia, quickly capturing Philomelium [Aksehir]
The Langobardi succeed in settling in Pannonia and the Huns migrate back to the steppes
Basiliscus sees an opportunity to expand further into the former Eastern Empire and sends an army led by his nephew, Armatus, to battle the Isaurians as well
480:
Armatus captures Seleucia [Silifke] and Tyana [Kilisse-Hissar]
Odovakar also plans on taking advantage of the situation, leading an army which quickly captures Mocissus [Kirsehir]
Cato supports the revolt of the Isaurian general Illus against Tarasicodissa and allies with him against the other invading forces; Cato's forces invade the Kingdom of Odovakar and Strabo leads forces against Armatus [4]
481:
Childeric II [5] succeeds Childeric I as king of the Salian Franks
Cato's forces cut off the Heruli and Scirii army by capturing the cities of Gangra [Cankiri] and Zela [Zile]
Ostrogothic forces win a tactical victory against Armatus at Heraclea Cybistra [Eregli, Konya Province], but the Ægyptians win a strategic victory, as Strabo is killed in battle
With the Ægyptians busy in Anatolia, the Vandali capture the city of Leptis Magna [Al Khums], which has been left aloof amidst the collapse the Roman Empires
482:
Childeric II launches an invasion against the Frisii, capturing all of their territory south of the Rhenus [Rhine] for the Salian Franks
Cato routes Odovakar's army when it marches to recapture Gangra [Cankiri], but he manages to retreat back into Heruli- and Scirii-held territory
The central Anatolian populace of Isauria decides that they would rather be under the control of a miaphysite rebel in Alexandria than the vassal of an Arian barbarian in Constantinople, so they force Illus off the throne and welcome the Ægyptians into the country [6]
483:
Cato negotiates peace with Armatus and manages to keep all the territory that both he and Odovakar had captured from the Isaurians in exchange for a promise to pressure Acacius, the Patriarch of Constantinople, to tolerate miaphysitism [7]
Childeric II continues his campaign against the Frisii and captures of their territory west of the Flevo Lacus [Zuiderzee]
Finn, a Frisian king fleeing the Frankish invasion, takes soldiers to Britannia, setting up a kingdom around Londinium [London]
Conflict arises between Childeric II and Sigibert of the Ripuarian Franks, who is Childeric's brother, as Sigibert feels that the Salians are encroaching too far out of their territory and too close to his
Cato defeats Odovakar at Pytane [Fatsa], but once again the Heruli and Scirii retreat eastward
Gunthamund succeeds Hilderic as king of the Vandali
Boniface II [8] succeeds Simplicius as Catholic Pope
Acacius, pressured by Cato and willing to gain some independence from Roma, but also wary of how the mostly Chalcedonian populace will react, offers a compromise with the miaphysites known as the Sumphonikon (act of agreement) [9]
484:
When Acacius refuses to revoke the Sumphonikon, he and other high ranking clergy in Constantinople are excommunicated by Boniface II [10]
Peroz invades the Hephthalites, but is killed in battle at Harev [Herat], and he is succeeded by Balash
The Hephthalites invade the Sassanid Empire, capturing Merv and Damghan
The Ripuarian Franks declare war on the Salian Franks, but Childeric II defeats Sigibert at Noviomagus Batavorum [Nijmegen], and Sigibert's son and heir, Chloderic, is killed in battle
With the war in the east going badly for the Sassanids, the Armenians revolt again, soliciting aid from Ægyptus
Gundobad issues the Lex Romana Burgundionum, which outlines the laws governing the Burgundians and attempts to harmonize it with current Roman law [11]
485:
Armatus quickly captures Edessa [Sanliurfa] and Amida [Diyarbakir], and the Armenians under Vahan Mamikonian capture Martyropolis [Silvan] and Arsamosata [Elazig]
Childeric II kills Sigibert in battle at Colonia Agrippina [Cologne] and inherits the Ripuarian kingdom, as Sigibert had no other heirs
The Hephthalites continue to travel through Sassanid territory, capturing Rhagae [Ray], Kasvin [Qazvin], and Ecbatane [Hamedan] [12]
Balash's nephew, Zareh, revolts and quickly gains support across the Perse [Fars] region
486:
Ægyptus and Armenia receive envoys from the Hephthalites asking for an official alliance against the Sassanids; the three agree on a plan to dismember the empire
The Langobardi get into a conflict with the Gepidae near Cibalis [Vinkovci], prompting their king, Godehoc, to declare war and invade the Gepid kingdom
Armenia captures Melitene [Malatya], Sebaste [Sivas], Theodosiopolis [Erzurum], and Tauris [Tabriz]
Ægyptus captures Nisibis [Nusaybin] and Ninevah [Mosul]
Childeric II conquers the Mosan Franks, capturing the cities of Augusta Treverorum [Trier] and Divodurum [Metz]
The Hephthalites capture and loot Ctesiphon [near modern Al-Mada'in]
487:
Childeric II conquers the Hessian Franks, the last Franks not under his rule, after taking Confluentes [Koblenz] and Moguntiacum [Mainz]
The Langobardi destroy the Gepid army at the Battle of Viminacium [Kostolac]
Sidonius succeeds Syagrius as Dux of Noviodunum [Soissons]
Zareh kills Balash and seizes the throne, but he only lasts as Shahanshah for a few days before being killed and succeeded by his brother, Kavadh
Kavadh manages to negotiate a peace [13] with the Hephthalites, Armenians, and Ægyptians, losing the majority of the empire's territory in the treaty [14]
Gundomar, who rules northern Italia south of the Alps, is killed in a heated (and drunken) argument with his brother, Godegisel; when Godegisel quickly claims all of Gundomar's former territory as his own, both Chilperic and Gundobad feel threatened and invade his territory, with Chilperic's army marching towards Octodurum [Martigny] and Gundobad's army marching towards Ravenna
Alaric II succeeds Euric as King of the Visigoths
Armatus succeeds Basiliscus as Basileus of Ægyptus [15]
488:
Chilperic's advance through the Alps is largely unopposed, as Godegisel has sent most of his army to stop Gundobad from capturing Ravenna; Godegisel's army is defeated, but they succeed in destroying much of Gundobad's army, leaving only a remnant force to lay a slow siege on Ravenna
Palladius succeeds Peter the Fuller as Patriarch of Antioch
Armatus shuts down the Nestorian academy in Edessa [Sanliurfa]
Gundobad, worried that Anthemius might take advantage of the Burgundian civil war, offers to pay the Langobardi a hefty sum to invade his kingdom; the Langobardi quickly capture Scupi [Skopje] and Stobi [Gradska]
Childeric II invades the remainder of Frisian territory, prompting many of them to flee to Finn's kingdom in Britannia
489:
Anthemius halts the Langobardi advance near Scodra [Shkodër], but he is caught by surprise when he receives word that the Ostrogoths have captured Thessalonica [Thessaloniki]
Euphemius succeeds Acacius as Patriarch of Constantinople
Chilperic captures Vindonissa [Windisch] and Curia [Chur] with relative (it is the Alps, after all) ease, but Gundobad's advance seems to only putter along after he captures Ravenna; he captures Bononia [Bologna], but is halted at the Battle of the Flumen Padus [Po River]
Athanasius II succeeds Peter III as Patriarch of Alexandria
490:
Ægyptus catches a break in the Isaurian revolt with the death of Illus
Chilperic leads his army south out of the Alps and sweeps through the Valles Padus [Po Valley], capturing Novum Comum [Como], Bergomum [Bergarno], and Mediolanum [Milan]
Gundobad manages to cross the Padus [Po] and takes captures the city of Verona after a clash with Godegisel
Because Anthemius's army has marched east to take care of the Ostrogoths, whom they consider a bigger threat than the Langobardi, the Langobardi are able to capture Dyrrhachium [Durrës] and Hiscampis [Elbasan]
The Ostrogoths capture Beroea [Veria] and defeat Anthemius at the Battle of Ptolemaida
Gunthamund lands an army on Sicilia, capturing Agrigentum [Agrigento]
491:
Chilperic captures Augusta Taurinorum [Turin] and Hasta [Asti]
Gundobad manages to slay Godegisel in battle at Patavium [Padua]; Gundobad and Chilperic agree to divide the land formerly held by Godegisel and Gundomar between them, with Chilperic generally getting the land in the west and Gundobad generally getting the land in the east
Sidonius invades Britannia [16], capturing the city of Durnovaria [Dorset]
The Langobardi reach as far south as Nicopolis [near modern Preveza] and the Ostrogoths as far south as Zetounion [Lamia]
Gunthamund defeats the last scattered defenders on Sicilia at Tauromenium [Taormina]
492:
Cato convinces the Langobardi to halt their invasion of Achaea [17]
Gunthamund is halted at Pandosia [near modern Policoro] by an Achaean army commander named Justinus [18]
Sidonius captures all of the Briton kingdom of Durotrigia, and he allies with Atrebatia to invade Dumnonia
Anthemius finally manages to halt the Ostrogoths at Leuctra [Lefktra]
493:
Anthemius manages to secure a peace with Cato, ceding to him all territory north of Boeotia
Sidonius partitions Dumnonia with Atrebatia
Childeric II launches a campaign against the Thuringii, forming an alliance with the Bavari in the process
A group of Achaean nobles see a chance to exert influence; they orchestrate the assassination Anthemius and raise Anastasius [19], a palace official, to the throne, assuming he will be easy to control
They couldn't be more wrong, as Anastasius has them executed for treason
Justinus refuses to recognize the leadership of Anastasius and rebels, quickly winning the support of the southern Italian populace [20]
494:
A Vandali army is defeated as it attempts to cross over into southern Italia, which leads Gunthamund to negotiate a peace with Justinus recognizing the de facto situation
An earthquake hits Laodicea ad Mare [Latakia]
Sidonius invades and annexes Cerniw, and, with his support, Atrebatia invades and annexes Ynys Weith
To dissuade a future Ostrogothic invasion, Anastasius establishes an alliance with Ægyptus
495:
Bisinus, king of the Thuringii, is killed in battle, and his territory is divided between the Franks and the Bavari
A Saxon king by the name of Cerdic lands on the eastern coast of Britannia and captures the city of Pons Aelius [Newcastle upon Tyne]
A Visigothic chieftain [21] clashes with the Suevi at the town of Cauca [Coca]
Laurentius succeeds Boniface II as Catholic Pope
Anastasius had favored another Papal candidate, Symmachus, who was very critical of the Vandali [22]; Gundobad forces Symmachus to flee Italia, but Justinus refuses to give him refuge for fear of Burgundian invasion, so Symmachus ends up in Achaea, where he establishes himself in Athens where his reign as anti-Pope, as well as the Symmachian schism, begins
496:
Laurentius excommunicates Symmachus and Anastasius for defying Papal authority, but he also declares anathema on Armatus, Athanasius II, Palladius, Euphemius, Cato, and other high ranking government and religious officials in Ægyptus and Ostrogothia for heresy and denying the supreme authority of Roma
Chalcedonian revolts break out in Ostrogothia and the Anatolian territories of Ægyptus; they are brutally put down by Armatus, but Cato responds by pressuring Euphemius to repeal the Sumphonikon [23]
Thrasamund succeeds Gunthamund as king of the Vandali
The Suevi defeat the troublesome Visigothic chieftain, but continue to invade Visigothic territory; Alaric II leads an army against them, but the Battle of Segontia [Sigüenza] is indecisive
497:
Thrasamund laxes many of the harsh anti-Catholic policies of his predecessors
Alaric II wins a victory at Miacum [Las Rozas], but Suevi king Hermeneric is victorious at the Battle of Ipagro [Aguilar de la Frontera]
Kavadh puts down a revolt by his younger brother Djamasp, who protests Kavadh's support of the Mazdakis [24]
The Franks begin to encroach onto Alemanni territory; not wanting his people to befall the same fate as the Thuringii, King Gibuld begins migrating his people southward, into the fringes of Burgundian territory
498:
To further distance himself from Roma, Anastasius reforms the Achaean money system to use Greek numerals; Ægyptus follows suit soon after
Not wanting to have to battle the Alemanni in the Alps, Chilperic and Gundobad decide to do what worked for them earlier, pay a Germanic tribe to conquer an annoying neighbor; Gibuld accepts the offer (considering the alternative was a war in brutal alpine territory), and his people are allowed to travel undisturbed across Italia until they reach the territory controlled by Justinus
Capua and Cumae are captured before Justinus gets hold of the situation; he barely manages to hold Neapolis [Naples]
Alaric II wins a shattering victory at a siege of Toletum [Toledo], in which king Hermeneric is killed; Hermeneric's two sons, Eboreca and Malaremar, begin to feud over who will inherit the kingdom
499:
The Franks and Bavari quickly move into the remainder of former-Alemanni held territory
The stalemate at Neapolis [Naples] holds until Gundobad marches his army down to capture Beneventum [Benevento]
Justinus moves his army to recapture Beneventum [Benevento], only to find that the Burgundians have abandoned the city to capture Sipontum [Manfredonia], and the Alemanni behind them had not just captured Neapolis [Naples], but also Salernum [Salerno]
Atrebatia conquers the kingdom of Regia
Alaric II manages to advance deep down the Flumen Tagus [Tagus River], and various lesser Visigothic chieftains have advanced against the divided Suevi forces in both the north and south
500:
Around this time, the Gaelic kingdom of Dalriada is founded in southwest Caledonia
Alemanni and Burgundian forces cut off Justinus from reinforcements, and he is killed in battle near Aquilonia; Gundobad gets a small portion of the territory and the rest goes to Gibuld
Ælle (Saxon king of Sussex), Oisc (Jutish king of Cantware), and Finn (Frisian king of Lunden) form an alliance against the expanding kingdom of Atrebatia
Alaric II reaches the mouth of the Tagus by capturing the city of Olisipo [Lisbon]; the two brothers are now separated from each other, with Malaremar in the north and Eboreca in the south
-------------------
[1] Theodoric Cato is TTL's version of Theodoric the Great, who was born after the POD; Cato means shrewd or prudent, so that's a hint to what his character will be like
[2] Anthemius quickly makes a truce with Gundobad, where both recognize each other's de facto territorial control, Anthemius agreeing not to attempt to recapture Rome, and Gundobad agreeing to stay neutral in the the current and any future conflicts with the Vandali
[3] This is the beginning of the Petral Schism
[4] Cato feels that a friendly Isauria is better than conquering only about a third of the kingdom for himself
[5] This is an ATL version of Clovis who has much better relations with Syagrius and the Ducamen [Duchy] of Noviodunum [Soissons]
[6] The Isaurians aren't too happy about the decision, so they go back to what they had done previously, raiding the countryside, to make the Ægyptians regret ever entering the territory, and the Anatolian people regret making the bargain
[7] Armatus, and Basiliscus back in Alexandria, wanted to find a way to get back at Simplicius, and this is how they plan to do it; Cato, being Arian, couldn't care less about this religious squabble and is more than happy to grant this concession in order to keep territory and focus his forces on Odovakar
[8] This is the first ATL pope
[9] Like any good compromise, it fails to appease either side, but Cato wants as much disagreement between miaphysites and Chalcedonians as possible, as he believes both will leave Arians alone if they're too busy squabbling with each other
[10] Some historians consider the Acacian Schism to be separate from the Petral Schism, but most consider Acacius's excommunication just a continuation of the Petral Schism
[11] With the Burgundians ruling over the majority of Italia, and more assimilation of Burgundians within Latin culture, he doesn't issue a separate Lex Burgundionum, which dealt more with the Burgundians themselves than their Roman subjects
[12] The Hephthalites want to cut off the head of the Sassanid Empire, so they focus on government officials and members of the Sassanid dynasty, but they leave most of the populace alone, as long as they don't fight back, of course
[13] Or, rather, he manages to negotiate the survival of the Sassanids
[14] Armenia gets former Byzantine Armenia, Ægyptus gets Osrhoene and Assyria, and the Hephthalites get Parthia [Khorasan] and Carmania [Kerman], while a Hephthalite Tegin [equivalent of a viceroy] is put in control of Hyrcania [centered around modern Mazandaran] and Media [centered around modern Hamadan]
[15] The title Basileus is used early, given the more Greek focus of Ægyptus compared to the early Eastern Empire of OTL
[16] Sidonius has been trying to exert influence over Armorica [Brittany], but the near constant influx of Briton immigrants from Britannia has made that difficult, so Sidonius is seeking to correct the problem at its source
[17] Cato appreciated the distraction the Langobardi posed to Anthemius, but now that Anthemius is constantly falling back, he doesn't want to compete with another barbarian tribe, and the Langobardi agree because they don't want to anger the Ostrogoths more than they already have, considering they destroyed the Ostrogoth's long term ally of the Gepidae
[18] In OTL he would become Justin I, Byzantine Emperor
[19] Another character who, in OTL, would also become Byzantine Emperor
[20] They don't support so much because they don't approve of the coup, but because he is the only one standing between them and the Vandali
[21] Butterflies have prevented the former king Euric from truly uniting the Visigoths, so other kings and chieftains still retain control in certain places, especially the areas deep in Hispania
[22] Symmachus has a greater reason to dislike the Vandali other than the fact that they are Arian: he was born in Sardinia, which is under Vandali control; also, the Burgundians don't like him because they too are Arian
[23] Cato feels that, with Achaea and Ægyptus forming an alliance, it would be a good thing to get on the Pope's good side
[24] Mazdakism, which Kavadh supported in OTL, advocated communal property, pacifism, vegetarianism, anti-clericalism, and aid to the poor

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Aut Vincere Aut Mori

501:
Fearing the potential threat of a Germanic alliance, Atrebatia launches a preemptive strike on Londinium [London]
While the Saxon, Jutish, and Frisian armies rally against the Atrebatians on the Tamesis [Thames], a small Novioduni army [1] sacks the lightly defended Saxon base at Anderitum [Pevensey] [2]
Eboreca makes peace with Alaric II and is left with a small chunk of territory in southwestern Hispania; the Visigoths turn their focus to Malaremar in the north
In a large ceremony, the brothers Gundobad and Chilperic both officially convert to Catholicism
502:
After repulsing the siege on Londinium [London], the Frisii travel north to defend the city of Verulamium [near St Albans] while the Saxons and Juten go south to battle the Novioduni army
Upon reaching Sussex, the Saxons and Juten battle not the small force which attacked Anderitum [Pevensey], but the full Novioduni army; the Germanic army is decimated in the Battle of Anderida Silva [Forest of the Weald], with King Ælle being killed in battle
The Juten retreat back into Cantware to build up a defense against Novioduni invasion, while the few remaining Saxons go north to warn the Frisii about the large threat from the south
Meanwhile, the Frisii had expected to face further Atrebatian attacks, but, once Atrebatia had sent its army off to battle, the territories it had recently conquered from other Britannic tribes rose up in rebellion, and Atrebatia had to withdraw its army to quell these revolts
Kavadh, using Mazdaki principles, begins to institute many reforms including, among other things, a weakening of the Zoroastrian clergy, poverty-aid programs, taxes on meat, and the reduction of crimes punishable by execution [3]
503:
Malaremar surrenders to the Visigoths and is allowed to keep a small chunk of territory in the northwest; several Visigothic chieftains who fared very well in the war against the Suevi pressure Alaric II into giving them a large degree of autonomy in the more distant regions of Hispania
Instead of pursuing the Juten into Cantware, the Novioduni have traveled westward to put down a revolt on the island of Vectis [Isle of Wight]
Wagering that the Novioduni will invade Cantware next rather than Lunden, the Frisii assault and capture the Atrebatian capital of Calleva Atrebatum [Silchester], but Atrebatian reinforcements arrive at Spinae [Speen], and the Frisii are prevented from further advancing westward
Thrasamund reinstates Catholic persecution [4]
504:
The Jutish army leaves Cantware, taking control of much of the territory until recently under Saxon control
The Burgundians, feeling that their alliance with the Vandali is no longer useful [5], declare war; an army led by Gundobad lands on Corsica and captures the city of Alalia [Aleria] before Thrasamund can gather his navy
Alaric II, in a reversal of his grandfather's foreign policy, joins the war on the side of the Vandali [6]; the cities of Lugdunum [Lyon] and Vienna [Vienne] are soon put under siege
Sidonius restations many of his troops along the Visigothic border, just to be on the safe side
On hearing the Novioduni were leaving, an Atrebatian general feels the war is hopeless and rises up in rebellion; he gains control of the land surrounding Aquae Sulis [Bath]
505:
The Frisii succeeds in advancing westward and capturing Spinae [Speen]
The Vandali navy, with aid from the Visigoths, defeat the Burgundian navy off the northeastern coast of Sardinia
With the Vandali navy elsewhere, the Alemanni succeed in capturing Messana [Messina] and Tauromenium [Taormina]
The Juten capture the former Saxon base of Noviomagus Reginorum [Chichester]
Atrebatia formally makes peace, being reduced to simply the territory surrounding the city of Venta Belgarum [Winchester]
Lugdunum [Lyon] falls to the Visigoths, and the army continues on to Vesontio [Besançon]
Chilperic fails to defeat the army besieging Vienna [Vienne]
Basiliscus II succeeds Armatus as Basileus of Ægyptus [7]
506:
The Hephthalite Tegin in northern Persia allows the construction of a Nestorian academy in Ctesiphon [near modern Al-Mada'in] [8]
The Visigoths manage to capture Vienna [Vienne] and Vesontio [Besançon], but the advance of both armies is halted at mountain passes near Octodurus [Martigny] and Ebrodunum [Embrun], respectively; Chilperic personally leads the Burgundian army preventing the Visigothic army in the south from passing through the Alps
John II succeeds Palladius as Patriarch of Antioch
The Alemanni defeat the Vandali at the Battle of Panormus [Palermo] and are able to capture the rest of Sicilia
A naval stalemate in the Mare Tyrrhenum [Tyrrehnian Sea] prevents a planned Burgundian invasion of Sardinia
507:
The Burgundians are able to land an army on Sardinia; Gundobad besieges the city of Olbia
The Mauri sack Cartenae [Ténès] and Caesarea [Cherchell]
The Franks launch a surprise attack on the Bavari, attacking their outposts at Augusta Vindelicum [Augsburg] and Castra Regina [Regensburg]
The Visigoths manage to capture Ebrodunum [Embrun] and move on to reach another stalemate in the Alps near the city of Segusio [Susa]
508:
Peter IV succeeds Athanasius II as Patriarch of Alexandria
After the fall of Olbia and other Burgundian victories, Gundobad attacks the last Vandali holdout in Sardinia, Calaris [Cagliari]
The Visigothic army breaks the impasse at Octodurus [Martigny] and advances through the mountain passes, breaking out into the Valles Padus [Po Valley] and quickly capturing Novaria [Novara]
The Franks defeat the Bavari at Bergium [Bamberg] and Galaegia [Dessau], forcing the Bavari into the region of Boiohaemum [Bohemia]
Numidians sack Lambaesis [near modern Batna] and Capsa [Gafsa]
509:
Numidians capture Tacape [Gabès], cutting the Vandali off from Tripolitana [coastal western Libya]
The Visigoths already in the Valles Padus [Po Valley] move west and take Augusta Taurinorum [Turin]; they continue west and defeat the Burgundian army preventing the other Visigothic army from capturing Segusio [Susa]
The Burgundians manage to secure a peace with the Vandali [9], and Gundobad brings his army back to the Italian mainland and marches his army north to aid Chilperic against the Visigoths
The Franks halt their advance at the Sudeti Montes [Sudetes] and make peace with the Bavari
Basiliscus II seizes Leptis Magna [Al Khums], now separated from the remainder of the Vandali kingdom
510:
Childeric II establishes a permanent capital at Colonia Agrippina [Cologne]
Callinicus I succeeds Euphemius as Patriarch of Constantinople [10]
The Vandali are still having trouble with the Mauri and Numidians, losing the cities of Girba [Djerba], Bagae [somewhere in modern Algeria], and Rusuccuru [Dellys]
The Visigoths capture Mediolanum [Milan], but face the Burgundians in battle a few miles northwest of Dertona [Tortona]; the combined Burgundian forces defeat the Visigoths, but in battle Chilperic is killed, and Italia is now united under one king
Ægyptus captures Tripolis [Tripoli] and Sabrata [Sabratha]
511:
The Visigoths capture Placentia [Piacenza] but are halted before they reach Cremona
Thrasamund is assassinated and succeeded by his cousin, Hilderic
Gundobad enters negotiation with the Visigoths [11]
Due to waning Sassanid power, the Lakhmid kingdom of Arabs has little support, so the Himyarite supported kingdom of Kindah invades and destroys the capital city of al-Hirah
512:
Mons Vesuvius erupts, but luckily (relatively speaking), many had left the area for lands further south when the Alemanni invaded
Alaric II agrees to a peace with Gundobad, receiving over 2/3 of what used to be Chilperic's territory
Callinicus I's efforts to end the Acacian Schism succeed, and Constantinople is once again in communion with Roma
Symmachus dies, but instead of recognizing Laurentius as Pope or choosing another anti-Pope, Anastasius decides to instead adopt miaphysitism; Anastasius sends an envoy to Basiliscus II requesting an alliance
513:
Childeric II dies, converting to Catholicism on his deathbed; his kingdom is divided between his three sons, with Dagobert ruling from Colonia Agrippina [Cologne], Clovis ruling from Moguntiacum [Mainz], and Munderic ruling from Augusta Vindelicum [Augsburg]
Ægyptus fends off a Blemmyes invasion and, when Basiliscus counterattacks, cuts off the nation from the Flumen Nilus [Nile River] and pushes it into the eastern desert
Bolgars descend out of the steppes [12] and raid Ostrogothic territory, looting the city of Dorostorum [Silistra]
514:
Langobardi king Tato is assassinated by his nephew, Waccho [13]; Tato's son, Ildichis, goes to Rugia in exile
Before he can mount a proper defense against the invading Bolgars, Cato is faced with the rebellion of a powerful general, Vitaleiam [14]
When Kavadh refuses to let his son, Anushirwan [15], launch an anti-Mazdaki campaign, the clergy and many devout Zoroastrians rise up in rebellion, wishing to install Anushirwan to the throne; the anti-Mazdaki forces quickly take control of Perse [Fars]
515:
Bolgars cross the Danuvius [Danube] and begin to settle in the former Roman diocese of Scythia [Dobruja]; they terrorize the cities of the region, raiding Noviodunum [Isaccea], Tomis [Constanta], and Aegyssus [Tulcea]
Vitaleiam gains major support in the regions of former Achaea, which were heavily settled by veterans of the Achaean War; Cato barely manages to survive an attempted assassination by a group of pro-Vitaleiam nobles angry at him for his lack of support for Arianism
Anti-Mazdaki forces take control of the majority of Persia-proper; many Mazdakis, including Kavadh and Mazdak, flee to the Sassanid territories south of the Mare Persicum [Persian Gulf] while those that remain up north are often massacred
516:
Forces loyal to Cato put down an attempted pro-Vitaleiam uprising in Tavium [near modern Yuzgat], another region heavily populated by veterans
Roderic succeeds Alaric II as King of the Visigoths
Cato's army is defeated by Vitaleiam's outside of Pella
The Bolgars continue to move south, halting their migration near the city of Marcianopolis [Devnya]
517:
Anushirwan decides not to pursue the Mazdakis into Arabia after receiving word that the Hephthalite Tegin to the north might be amassing troops near the border in order to take advantage of the situation
Godomar succeeds Gundobad as King of Italia
After suffering another defeat near Serrae [Sérres], Cato offers a deal with the invading Bolgars: he wouldn't oppose their settlement in northeastern Thrace and would pay them a moderate tribute annually, but in exchange the Bolgars would have to serve in the Ostrogothic army
The Saxon kingdom of Norsex [16] captures the city of Eboracum [York], conquering the Briton kingdom of Ebrauc
518:
Using an army that includes a large number of Bolgar mercenaries, Cato is able to defeat Vitaleiam in the Battle of Philippopolis [Plovdiv]; Cato has Vitaleiam executed
Waccho receives word that Ildichis may be assembling forces in order to claim the throne; he demands that the Rugii turn him over under threat of invasion
Roderic launches a campaign against the Vasconians [Basques]
Under pressure from Italia, Alemanni king Gibuld converts from Paganism to Catholicism
519:
When no one takes action to turn Ildichis over, Waccho leads an army into Rugia
Gibuld is assassinated by his still-Pagan son and heir, Leuthari; Leuthari begins exiling, arresting, or executing any Alemanni who have converted to Christianity
Waccho captures Domavia [Gradina], but later hears that forces loyal to Ildichis have risen up in Praevalitana [more or less modern Montenegro] [17]
Rhegium [Reggio Calabria] revolts against Leuthari's pro-Pagan policies; Leuthari launches a hard crack down against Catholics in the city, going so far as to demolish Rhegium's cathedral [18]
520:
John I succeeds Peter IV as Patriarch of Alexandria
Godomar demands that Leuthari cease his anti-Christian persecution and rebuild the cathedral in Rhegium; Leuthari basically tells the Burgundians to mind their own business
While Waccho attempts to move towards Ildichis to the south, he is ambushed by Rugii chieftains whom he happened to anger with his invasion; the Battle of Municipium [Pljevlja] is an easy Langobardi victory, but it prompts more Rugii chieftains to join the war again Waccho
Clashes between local forces supporting either Waccho and Ildichis begin occurring throughout Praevalitana [approx. Montenegro], Dardania [approx. central Serbia], and northern Epirus [approx. Albania]
Godomar sends an army into Alemannia to unseat Leuthari, and the Pope calls all Catholics under Leuthari's rule to revolt against their Pagan overlord
521:
John I begins sending missionaries southwards, in the hopes of converting the Nubian kingdoms (Nobatia, Makuria, and Alodia) to Christianity, or more specifically, miaphysitism
Godomar's army is largely unopposed as it makes its way through Alemannia; it's not until the city of Venusia [Venosa] that Godomar engages in battle with the Alemanni, and he wins a crushing victory
Meanwhile, Leuthari himself is leading a small force in putting down a rebellion in Centuripae [Centuripe] when he is killed by a (secretly) Christian member of his personal guard; the remaining Pagan Alemanni are all either exiled, executed, or converted, and Godomar chooses an Alemanni noble named Vaefred [19] to begin the next Alemanni dynasty
Rugii capture Viminacium [Kostolac], but to the south, Waccho defeats a rather large pro-Ildichis army near Ulpiana [near modern Gracanica], but his forces take severe casualties in the process
522:
Roderic uncovers an assassination plot by Rutilus, a chieftain awarded with land centered around the city of Augustodunum [Autun] for his service in the war against the Burgundians; he is suspected of colluding with the Novioduni and is executed [20]
The new Himyarite king, Dhu Nuwas, begins persecuting Christians [21]
Waccho and Ildichis clash in the Montes Scardus [Sar Mountains], neither side gaining a clear victory
Julian I succeeds John II as Patriarch of Antioch
523:
Lucius II succeeds Laurentius as Catholic Pope
Dhu Nuwas massacres the Christian population of Najran
Ildichis' forces finally manage to defeat Waccho in battle and end the Langobardi Civil War; unfortunately, the Rugii who invaded in the north know that Ildichis' source of manpower is nearly depleted, forcing Ildichis to accept the loss of territory
Lucius II begins pressuring Cato to convert the Bolgars to Christianity [22]
524:
Roderic ends his failed invasion of the Vasconians [Basques] [23]
Munderic dies and his territory is annexed by his brother, Clovis; Dagobert protests not receiving any territory, but Clovis appeases his brother by agreeing to aid him in conquering the Saxons
Cato caves to the Pope's request...sort of; both Catholic and Arian missionaries are sent to Bolgar territory, sometimes even directly competing for the same converts
A Numidian tribe known as the Gaetulians come to dominate over Aurasium and Capsa
525:
Axum launches an invasion of Himyar
The Daisan, a tributary of the Euphrates, severely floods Edessa [Sanliurfa] to the point where some of the city's walls are broken through; Basiliscus II begins a major reconstruction effort
Dagobert invades the Saxons, capturing the cities of Tulisurgium [Schulenburg], Tuliphurdum [Verden], and Phabiranum [Bremen]
The Gaetulians launches an invasion of Vandalia; the cities of Sitifis [Sétif] and Constantine [Qusantina] are razed
-------------------
[1] Noviodunum worries about the threat the Germanic tribes pose to Atrebatia, not just because they consider Atrebatia to be a buffer to prevent invasion of their own Britannic territory, but also because Germanic invasions could lead to Briton migrations to the continent (particularly Armorica) once again
[2] The original Saxon base at Noviomagus Reginorum [Chichester] to the west was abandoned earlier due to Briton encroachment
[3] Mazdakism, while supported by Kavadh in OTL, is much more popular ITTL; with the Hephthalites killing Sassanid nobles and high-ranking officials, the clergy have been attempting to fill the power vacuum, and Kavadh, the remaining nobles, and the general populace are taking a hostile stance to the clergy's expansion of authority
[4] Thrasamund is peeved (to say the least) that the Burgundians (his long term allies) would turn away from Arianism
[5] Southern Italia is now under the control of an ally, the Burgundians were beginning to use religion as a means to ensure the loyalty of their mostly Chalcedonian populace, the strength of the Vandali kingdom was waning, etc.
[6] The Visigoths follow the Arian creed as well
[7] Basiliscus II is much less adamant in his support for miaphysitism, and he sees the Burgundians (and, by extension, the Pope) as allies against the Vandali and Ostrogoths
[8] The Hephthalites view Nestorianism as a way to counter cultural influence from the miaphysites in Armenia and Ægyptus, who have been seeking to take advantage of the Sassanids' fall
[9] The Vandali (even with the Visigoths) don't have enough of a navy to recapture Corsica, Sardinia, or Sicilia, and they are worried about the Mauri and Numidians back in Africa
[10] Callinicus will begin making the first overtures to Roma over an end to the Acacian Schism
[11] Earlier, Gundobad hadn't cared that much about the war with the Visigoths, because if something went wrong then Chilperic would be the one that would directly suffer, but now that he owns northern Italia, he wants to cut his losses and keep what he can
[12] The later migration of the Huns back to the steppes delays the Bolgars' entrance into the Balkans
[13] This happened in 510 in OTL
[14] Vitaleiam (an ATL character) won popularity during the war against Achaea; he feels that Cato has become too much like the Romans, and so he revolts in order to return Ostrogothia to its olden ways
[15] In OTL, he would succeed his father in 531 as Khosrau I
[16] With the destruction of Sussex by the Novioduni, this is the only Saxon kingdom in Britannia
[17] It turns out that, when Ildichis heard that Waccho was calling for his extradition, he snuck back into Langobardi territory while making it appear as if he had remained, hoping that Waccho would only make enemies with the Rugii who couldn't turn him over even if they tried
[18] Previously, Leuthari had only been punishing Alemanni who had 'abandoned the old ways,' but now he's punishing Latins for being Catholic
[19] Vaefred had been a harsh critic of Leuthari's Christian persecution and had been forced into exile because of it
[20] Roderic will eventually become very paranoid; he will begin to mistrust the various autonomous chieftains and will set out on a campaign of centralization
[21] Dhu Nuwas is Jewish, and he feels that, because Christian countries persecute Jews, his country will now persecute Christians (this happened in OTL)
[22] Lucius II is actually testing the Ostrogoths; he has always been wary of the alliance that his predecessor had with the Arian kingdom, so he is trying to see if, first of all, Cato will actually heed his request, and second of all, whether Cato will convert them to Catholicism or Arianism
[23] Roderic blames the failure of the campaign on traitors in the nobility; in reality, his paranoia kept him from sending prominent (a.k.a. competent) generals out of the war so that they wouldn't gain glory, and thus be able to gain popular support in a usurpation

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Vivere Est Vincere

526:
An earthquake hits Antioch [Antakya] and other parts of Syria
Sergius I succeeds Julian II, who died in the earthquake, as Patriarch of Antioch
Clovis commits troops to capturing the city of Maevium vel Mesovium [Magdeburg], while Dagobert captures Ascalingium [Ahlden]
Numidians sack Theveste [Tébessa] and Iunci [Bordj Younga]
527:
During a reconstruction effort of one of Edessa's [Sanliurfa's] walls, a cloth is found hidden inside. This rectangular cloth, which is to be known as the Holy Mandylion to the Miaphysites and the Image of Edessa to the Catholics, is said to miraculously bear the facial features of Jesus Christ [1]
The final Saxon stronghold of Leuphana [Lüneburg] falls to Dagobert
Ildidoric succeeds Theodoric Cato as Ostrogothic king [2]
An influx of Saxon refugees heads to Norsex; King Cynric of the Saxons [3] uses the new manpower to launch an invasion of the Briton kingdom of Bryneich
Numidians raid Chullu [Collo], but a Vandali army halts their attack on Sufetula [Sbeitla]
528:
Ildidoric convenes a council of both Ostrogoths and Greeks to compile a codified set of laws in a manner similar to the Lex Romana Burgundionum; this will become known as the Corpus Constitutiones (body of imperial pronouncements), and will combine former East Roman codices (without the provisions against Arians, of course) and unwritten Ostrogothic law traditions
Titus II succeeds Callinicus I as Patriarch of Constantinople
The Tegin in northern Persia begins to introduce Buddhism to the region [4]
The Numidians muster up a large army and clash against the Vandali head on, winning the Battle of Sufes [Sbiba]
529:
Pope Lucius II wins a political victory when the most prominent Bolgar chieftain converts to the Catholic creed of Christianity; Ildidoric is not fazed by the development, however, as the majority of Bolgar converts are becoming Arians
A miaphysite missionary sent to Makuria returns to Alexandria reporting abuse and harassment of him and other missionaries; Patriarch John I demands that Makuria ceases its hostility to Ægyptian missionary efforts
The Numidians continue on the advance, with little opposition, to loot the port city of Hadrumetum [Sousse]
Many native Africans [5] grow worried that the crumbling Vandali army is incapable of guarding against the Numidian raiders; Godomar (secretly) makes it known to them that a Latin state set up in Africa will receive Burgundian support
Tonantius succeeds Sidonius as Dux of Noviodunum [6]
530:
Rumors continue of Makurian abuses of miaphysites; Basiliscus II begins talks with Nobatia, who has responded well to miaphysite missionaries, about a joint invasion
A Numidian army easily marches into Sicca Veneria [El Kef] and razes it to the ground
Massive Latin revolts break out in Carthago; as most of the remaining Vandali is on the frontier barely managing to hold back small Numidian raids, the Latins quickly take control of the city, and the mob kills any Vandali they happen to find
Roderic accuses the chieftain owning the territory in central Hispania of plotting against him; the chieftain, named Peyaligild, refuses to abdicate and travel to Tolosa [Toulouse] in order to face trial (which would probably be manipulated by Roderic into quickly proscribing him anyway)
531:
Tonantius takes over the remnant Atrebatian kingdom and begins building a grand harbor around the old Roman fort of Portus Adurni [Portchester]
Peyaligild is assassinated, and many believe (correctly) that Roderic is behind it; the various autonomous chieftains form a defensive alliance against Roderic
Dagobert, with little resistance, occupies the continental Anglii territory [7]
Another Latin rebellion breaks out in Utica [near modern Utique]
With the chaos in Vandalia, Alemannia captures Melita [Malta] and Cossyra [Pantelleria]
The Axumite conquest of Himyar is complete
532:
In response to the new expansionism of Noviodunum, Cantware and Lunden reaffirm their old alliance
The Visigothic powder keg doesn't go off in Hispania, but Italia, when the wife of the chieftain ruling the Visigothic territory beyond the Alps converts to Catholicism; Roderic throws a fit, but the chieftain refuses to accede to Roderic's demands to get the marriage annulled, leading to Roderic throwing another fit and his demand that the chieftain abdicate, which is also refused
Nobatia launches its invasion of Makuria
A Burgundian army lands at Hippo Diarrhytus [Bizerte]; the Vandali army, caught between a hammer and anvil, soon crumbles completely and the remainder of former Vandalia is divided between the Latin state of Zeugitana and the Numidian invaders [8]
Kavadh dies, leaving Mazdak as sole leader of the socio-religious movement; Sassanid legitimists who had backed Kavadh reluctantly turn their support back over to his heir (and betrayer) Anushirwan, who now takes the regal name Khosrau
533:
With the Numidians ascendant in Africa, the war going on in Makuria, and the recent legitimization of the Sassanid Shahanshah, Ildidoric feels Ægyptus is thoroughly distracted and that it is the perfect opportunity to invade Achaea; the initial Ostrogothic push is halted only miles from Thebes, but the Ostrogothic navy manages to land soldiers on Rhodus [Rhodes] and Euboea
Roderic marches an army into the 'rebellious' chieftain's territory and, instead of the humiliating deposition of a chieftain which he had planned for, he is ambushed; Roderic's relatively small force has no choice but to withdraw, and the Autonomist Visigoths win their first military victory
Upon hearing of the conflict in Italia, the major chieftains in Hispania declare open rebellion on Roderic
534:
Roderic manages to regroup and wins a battle against pursuing forces near Dinia [Digne-les-Bains]
Tonantius annexes the Briton kingdom based around Aquae Sulis [Bath]
Autonomist Visigoths capture Segontia [Sigüenza] and Urci [Almería]
Alodia, which has also responded positively to miaphysite missionaries, joins the war against Makuria
The Ostrogoths do manage to capture Attica, but are held at bay at the Isthmo Corinthus [Isthmus of Corinth]
535:
A Visigothic clash at Acci [Guadix] is a stalemate, but the Autonomists do manage to capture Calagurris [Calahorra]
An attempted Ostrogothic invasion of Creta is foiled by the Ægyptian navy [9]
While the attack was unexpected, the Ostrogoths are prepared; an army fortified with Bolgar troops is sent into Ægyptian-held Anatolia laying siege to the city of Laodicea [Ladik]
Armenians quickly capture the city of Rhizus [Rize] from the Ostrogoths
Krakatoa violently erupts
Roderic defeats an Autonomist army at Bregantium [Briançon]
536:
This year sees many odd climatic phenomena, particularly unseasonably cold weather and a dense, dry fog throughout Eurasia
The Ostrogoths break through into the Peloponnesus, but get bogged down in the rough terrain of Arcadia
Farmers in Hispania, finding themselves with a very small harvest, begin joining the Autonomists in the revolt against Roderic; the cities of Caesaraugusta [Zaragoza] and Acci [Guadix] are captured by the Autonomists in Hispania while a peasant uprising captures Saguntum [Sagunto]
Makuria is divided between Nobatia and Alodia, with the border being between the 4th and 5th Cataracts of the Flumen Nilus [Nile River]
Italian Autonomist forces, bolstered by new recruits from the peasantry, manage to turn back Roderic's advance near the town of Morginnum [Moirans]
Armenians capture Trapezus [Trabzon] and Comana [near modern Tokat], but the Ostrogoths quickly advance through central Anatolia, taking territory all the way up to Faustinopolis [near modern Ulukisla]
Novioduni armies invade the Visigothic realm, quickly capturing the lightly defended cities of Augustoritum [Limoges] and Augustodunum [Autun]
537:
Autonomists capture Dertosa [Tortosa] and Carthago Nova [Cartagena], meeting light resistance
The last city in the Peloponnesus to fall to the Ostrogoths is Elis
In a battle at Catorissum [Chaource], Roderic is knocked off his horse and eventually taken prisoner; he is forced to sign a treaty accepting and even expanding the autonomy of the chieftains, but the treaty also limits the Visigothic king's powers against the nobility within his own domain [10]
Ostrogoths continue to blitz across Anatolia, advancing up to Aegeae [Ayas], but after capturing the city the Bolgar enforced army swings north to counter the Armenian forces, whom they face at the Battle of Comana [Shahr] [11]; the battle is a draw, and both armies lose their forward momentum
A newly united army of Visigoths barely manages to achieve victory against a Novioduni force in the Plain of Limagne, near Augustonemetum [Clermont-Ferrand]
538:
The harsh winters force the Suehans [Swedes] to migrate further south, pushing the Gauthigoths [Geats] into the territory of the Danen [Danes]; Danen begin migrating out of Scandza [Scandinavia] and into Magna Germania, specifically the area between the Albis [Elbe] and the Viadrus [Oder]
The Novioduni manage to rebuff a Visigothic attack on Argentomagus [Argenton-sur-Creuse] as a result of contention between high-ranking members of the Visigothic army [12]
Reinforcements brought over from the Achaean campaign manage to fend off an Ægyptian attack on Anazarbus [Anavarza]
A sound, but costly, Ostrogothic victory against the Armenians at Ariarathia [Azizie] convinces them [the Armenians] to make peace; the Armenians receive a portion of Pontus and the Ostrogoths get to focus on the Ægyptians
539:
The Novioduni defeat the Visigoths near Seranicomagus [Saint-Laurent-de-Ceris]
As the Ostrogothic army approaches Antioch [Antakya], an earthquake devastates the city [13]; the defensive walls, only recently rebuilt from the last earthquake, are ruined, and the Ostrogothic army easily captures the city
Arians and Catholics alike take the earthquake as a sign that God favors them over the miaphysite heresy, and so they proceed to loot the Patriarchal See; among the objects taken from the city is the Holy Mandylion [14]
Raginprand succeeds Ildichis as King of the Langobardi
The Franks cross the border into Noviodunum, capturing the city of Minaticum [near Reims]
540:
Raginprand invades Rugia, hoping to gain back the land lost in the civil war
Khosrau invades the Hephthalites to the north, capturing Ctesiphon [near modern Al-Mada'in] [15]
The Franks are barely kept out of the city of Noviodunum [Soissons]
With an army marching for Burdigala [Bordeaux], Tonantius is able to get a fairly generous peace with the Visigoths so that he can turn his full force against the Franks
The Ægyptians defeat the Ostrogoths at the Battle of Chalcis [Qinassrin]
541:
An outbreak of Bubonic Plague occurs in Axum; it is transferred north into Ægyptus through trade shipments
The Langobardi defeat the Rugii at Jovis Pagus [Glapowaz]
Khosrau captures Concobar [Kangavar]; the capture disrupts trade between Europa and India
The Novioduni beat the Franks back and push into Frankish territory, capturing Camaracum [Cambrai]
The plague reaches the Ægyptian army in the Levant; a few sick soldiers are captured by Ostrogothic soldiers, who carry the disease back to their camps
The Ægyptians are able to capture the city of Cyrrhus [near modern Kilis] before having to halt their advance due to the logistical problems and casualties caused by the plague
542:
An outbreak of the plague in Constantinople kills thousands, including King Ildidoric himself; he is succeeded by his second son [16], Eradahad
The Numidians invade the now barely defended Ægyptian Tripolitana up to Leptis Magna [Al Khums]
Dagobert defeats a Novioduni army when they lay siege to Divodurum [Metz], but Tonantius inflicts a serious defeat unto Clovis at the Battle of the Flumen Mosa [Meusse River], near the city of Perniciacum [Braives]
From Ostrogothia, the plague works its way west to Alemannia and then up into Italia; from Ægyptus, the plague spreads north and east into Armenia and the Hephthalite Teginate, where it is then transferred to the invading Sassanids
The plague enters the territory of the Langobardi and Rugii, forcing Raginprand to halt his invasion until his people can recover [17]
Khosrau captures Phraaspa [on the Aras River]
543:
While the plague does cause many deaths within the Hephthalite Teginate, the more densely populated Sassanid south of Persia is much more heavily affected [18]
Ægyptus abandons Leptis Magna [Al Khums] and the remainder of Tripolitana to the Numidians
Vitiges recovers from his illness, and he attributes his recovery to his conversion of Catholicism while on his deathbed; naturally, the newly recovered Vitiges does not approve of his younger brother's place on the throne, but Erdahad refuses to give it up [19]
The plague slowly crawls into Visigothia, Frankia, and Noviodunum, but the disease has lost of its potency, and doesn't result in as many fatal cases as it had further east
Khosrau finishes his invasion of the Teginate at Apamea Ragiana [location unknown], as the plague is wearing the numbers of his troops thin and Hephthalite control in the unconquered areas is falling apart anyway
Novioduni forces under Tonantius pillage the Frankish capital of Colonia Agrippina [Köln]; Dagobert's army swings north before facing a Novioduni force at Beda [Bitburg]
544:
Khosrau begins persecuting against Nestorians and Buddhists, both of who had been given preferential treatment by the Hephthalites over the Zoroastrians; many flee south into the Arabian desert, where the Mazdakis reside
Wacianius succeeds Lucius II as Catholic Pope [20]
Without the support of Himyar, and with the incursion of the various Sassanid refugees, the Arab kingdom of Kindah collapses, creating a large power vacuum that both the Mazdakis and the Ghassanids attempt to fill
Dagobert and Clovis manage to attack Tonantius from both sides at Icorigium [Jünkerath], but he manages to retreat with most of his forces intact
Slavs begin to raid across the Danuvius [Danube], further exacerbating the disunity of the Rugii and catching the Bolgars, whose army is off on the stagnant frontier with the Ægyptians, unguarded; when word of the attacks reaches the mercenaries, they desert the army to defend their home
545:
A minor resurgence of the plague in Roma leaves King Godomar bedridden; a native Latin known as Postumius becomes the power behind the throne
After Tonantius razes Baudobrica [Boppard] and Clovis is killed in battle outside the city, Dagobert sues for peace; Tonantius receives a large amount of territory up to the Flumen Rhenus [Rhine]; the Frankish capital moves to Moguntiacum [Mainz]
As Vitiges and Erdahad are battling each other (the largest battle occurring at Didymotiche [Didimoticho]) and the Bolgars have returned to their homeland, Basiliscus II manages to scrape up a large enough force to move into Ostrogoth-occupied Anatolia, capturing Irenopolis [Irnebol]
546:
The Irano-Slavic tribe of the Antes begins settling in Pannonia and encroaching on Rugii territory
Vitiges wins the Battle of Agrillium [Vizirkhan] against Erdahad, but Ægyptians manage to capture Calanthea [near Erdemli?]
The Slavic tribe of the Abodrites, pushed out of their land in conflict with the Danen [Danes], move into the fairly sparsely populated areas of eastern Frankia
Using the training and weaponry they have received from the Ostrogoths, the Bolgars take to the offensive against the invading Slavs (specifically the Sclaveni) in order to neutralize the problem at its source
547:
Tonantius, eager to conquer more land, turns his attention to Britannia again, invading the Briton kingdom of Gwent
Erdahad has most of his army defeated outside Heraclea Pontica [Karadeniz Eregli], but he manages to acquire a few ships and sails to Taurica [Crimea] in exile to find refuge amongst his still-Arian distant Gothic relatives [21]
With the Britons temporarily looking worriedly over at Noviodunum, the Germanic kingdoms in Britannia go on the offensive against the Britons as well
The Bolgars capture a major Sclaveni settlement at Netindava [Slobozia]
Now that he no longer has to seriously worry about his brother, Vitiges is able to march an army against the Ægyptians, and he manages to win a draw outside the besieged city of Olba [near modern Silifke]
548:
As Tonantius captures the capital of Gwent, Venta Silurum [Caerwent], an alliance of necessity forms between the Briton kingdoms of Glywysing, Buellt, and Brycheiniog; they gather an army and manage to capture the Novioduni off guard at the Battle of Gobannium [Abergavenny]
Theudigild succeeds Roderic as King of the Visigoths [22]
A large Sclaveni army is defeated near the settlement of Arcidava [Slatina]
Vitiges routes the Ægyptians at Mopsucrene [near Tarsus], sending them in a disarrayed retreat
Erdahad refortifies Doros [Mangup]
549:
Worried his army may be outnumbered by Briton troops, Tonantius sends envoys to Dyfed and Powys, who agree to an alliance; the first major victory comes at Ariconium [Weston under Penyard]
The Bolgars are now in control of all of Sclavenia [Wallachia] up to the Montes Serrorum [Carpathians]
Godomar sends troops [23] into the fractured territory of the Rugii, starting off with the capture of Tergeste [Trieste] [24]
After another defeat at the Battle of the Flumen Cydnus [Tarsus Çay], the Ægyptians call for peace
550:
In the negotiated peace between Ostrogothia and Ægyptus, the Ostrogoths receive all of Anatolia save for the area around Adana
The Burgundians in Rugia advance as far as Siscia [Sisak] and Lopsica [Sveti Juraj]
The Briton kingdoms of Gwent, Glywysing, Buellt, and Brycheiniog are all captured and divided amongst Noviodunum, Dyfed, and Powys [25]
The Visigothic chieftain of approximately Baetica launches an invasion of the southern Suevi kingdom, capturing the city of Emerita Augusta [Mérida]
-------------------
[1] This actually happened in OTL, it's just that the ATL reaction will be different
[2] Ildidoric, Cato's son, was a key ally in the civil war against Vitaleiam, and he is very tolerant of Catholics and desires strong relations with the Burgundians
[3] He is son of the founder of Norsex, Cerdic
[4] This is in response to Anushirwan's efforts to get Zoroastrians to rise up against the Hephthalites
[5] A.k.a. Latins living in the former Roman province of Africa
[6] Tonantius looked unfavorably on Sidonius' decision to stay out of the war between the Visigoths and Burgundians, and he is also wary of the growing power of the Franks; he proposes a large expansion of the Novioduni military and the beginnings of a navy
[7] Most Anglii had, by this point, migrated to Britannia
[8] The border will be far from official, however, and many small Numidian raids will take place over the years
[9] Up until this point, Ægyptus had been officially neutral, and Ildidoric didn't expect the Ægyptians to attack without an official declaration of war
[10] It's sort of like a watered-down Magna Carta
[11] This is a different Comana than the one the Armenians captured the year prior; the first was in Pontus and the second was in Cappadocia
[12] War leaders from autonomous regions of the kingdom don't think they should be subordinate to those generals directly serving the king; there is often blatant disregard for orders from the leading general, which greatly reduces the army's performance in battle
[13] The earthquake happened in OTL
[14] See the events of 527
[15] The Hephthalites have been slowly crumbling; the Tegin in northwest India has already fallen to invasion by a Hindu coalition, and it was only a matter of time before the Tegin in the west fell as well
[16] His eldest son, Vitiges, is infected with the plague, and most are certain he is near death
[17] The plague, however, is not entirely harmful to his effort; it also killed many Rugii, preventing them from taking back the territory Raginprand had already captured
[18] It is notable that the Mazdakis in Arabia, being cut off from the rest of Persia, are barely affected by the plague and maintain a fairly stable population level
[19] Vitiges has the support of the legitimists and the Catholic populace, while Erdahad is supported by most of the Ostrogothic aristocracy
[20] Wacianius is the first Pope of Burgundian descent
[21] The Taurigoths (as they shall now be called) have been separated from the Ostrogoths for at least a century, so Erdahad is in for a bit of a culture shock, but the Taurigoths will eventually welcome him in...so as long as he helps protect them against Slavs, Alani, and other raiders
[22] Theudigild is very much a puppet king, and the autonomous chieftains are able to decentralize the kingdom even further
[23] Or, rather, Godomar heeded to Postumius' advice to invade
[24] The Latin-speakers left over from Marcellinus' state will welcome the Burgundians warmly, as the Burgundians are now considered fairly Latinized
[25] Buellt is annexed by Powys, Brycheiniog by Dyfed, Glyswing is divided between Dyfed and Noviodunum, and Gwent between Noviodunum and Powys

550L.png
 
Mala Tempora Currunt

551:
Burgundians capture Clambetae [Cvijina Gradina], but unexpectedly encounter an Antean army and are turned back before they can take the city of Servitium [Gradiska]
An earthquake occurs off of Phoenicia, killing tens of thousands in Berytus [Beirut] and over 200,000 more elsewhere along the coast
The Visigothic chieftain of approximately Baetica captures Pax Julia [Beja], but the chieftain of approximately Lusitania joins in on the invasion and captures the city of Salacia [Alcácer do Sal]
552:
The Catholics in the city of Botrys [Batroun] rise up in rebellion [1]; they are led by a man named Stavros
Hoping to avoid further difficulty with the Antes, the Burgundians focus their full attention on capturing the coast of Rugia first; they advance as far as Salonae [near modern Split]
Visigoths capture the cities of Conistorgus [near modern Faro] and Mirobriga [Santiago do Cacém]
With the advance of the Antes and Burgundians, the massive population loss of the Plague of Ildidoric, and the resulting fragmentation of the nation, many Rugii chieftains ask King Raginprand of the Langobardi to protect them against the foreign invaders; he readily agrees
553:
The initial revolt in Botrys is put down, but more Catholic revolts break out in cities from Orthosia [Artousi] to Porphyrion [near modern Belus]
The Burgundians are unexpectedly faced in battle by the Langobardi at Narona [Metkovic] [2]
The southern Suevi kingdom comes to an end when the two Visigothic chieftains cooperate in the capture of the city of Aranni [Ourique]
554:
Godomar finally dies, after nine years of living a horrible, practically crippled life thanks to the Plague of Ildidoric; the problem is, his eldest sons are 15 year old twins: Willibald and Godefried [3], and people begin taking sides as to who should rightfully inherit the throne [4]
The Syrian revolt starts spreading like wildfire; Catholics soon violently capture the city of Palmyra [Tadmor]
The two Burgundian factions first come to blows at the Battle of Forum Cornelli [Imola], in which the Willibaldi are victorious
555:
Dagobert dies, and the kingdom of Frankia is divided between his two sons, Dagobert II and Genebald
The still miaphysite held city of Laodicea ad Mare [Latakia] is struck by an earthquake; the simmering Catholic movement in the city explodes, and the Catholic revolt in general uses the incident to further their cause
Just like Atrebatia before them, Dyfed and Powys use their power gained by allying with the Novioduni to conquer their fellow Briton states, Ceredigon and Luitcoyt respectively
The Battle of Casperia is a decisive Godefriedi victory in the region
556:
Roma falls under complete Godefriedi control, but Ravenna becomes the main base for the Willibaldi faction
Stavros, leader of the Syrian revolt, gets secret support from Vitiges, Ostrogothic king, and also convinces the Nestorians in Osrhoene [5] to rise up against the Ægyptians as well; Ægyptus soon loses control of Singara [located somewhere in modern Sijar District]
Fleeing the Ruru [Ruanruan/Rouran], the Tujue [Göktürks] conquer the Yuban [Yuehban/Chumuhun] and move into the Hephthalites' territory [6]
557:
The Hephthalites finally crumble once and for all after the Tujue capture the capital at Bamyan; Khosrau is able to move into and reclaim the areas of Parthia [Khorasan], Carmania [Kerman], and Gedrosia [Baluchistan], but Bactriana [approximately northern Afghanistan] and Drangiana [eastern Iran and SW Afghanistan] fall under Tujue control, who only seem to replace the Hephthalites as the menace to the east
The Battle of Arretium [Arezzo] is a Willibaldi victory, but the outcome does not solve the stalemate across the Italian peninsula
With Ostrogothic underhand assistance, all Ægyptian territory beyond the Montes Amanus [Nur Mountains] is under Catholic control
558:
With his western flank safe from opportunistic invasion thanks to the Syrian revolt, Khosrau launches an invasion of the Mazdaki territory in Arabia; Mazdakis, being pacifists, have almost no army to speak of, and they flee en masse to Mazun [Oman]
The Sabirs, a Turkic people, come out of the Steppes and begin raiding southeast Frankia and northeast Italia from a base in northern Pannonia [7]
A Godefriedi victory at Volaterrae [Volterra] threatens the Willibaldi's control over the Tyrrhenia region [approximately modern Tuscany]
An Ægyptian raid on a Catholic camp at Capernaum [on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee] manages to capture Stavros; he is brought before Basiliscus II and summarily beheaded [8]
559:
The Sabir advance goes up the Danuvius into Frankish territory, capturing the city of Boiodurum [Passau]
Phillippus succeeds Basiliscus II as Basileus of Ægyptus
Willibaldi captures the city of Tuficum [Borgo Tufico], giving him control over most of Umbria region [includes both modern Umbria as well as Marche regions]; after this battle the civil war once again stagnates at the Montes Appenninus [Appenines]
Phillippus attempts to begin negotiations with the Catholic revolters, but their fury over the execution of Stavros leads to a refusal to negotiate and the bloody sack of Antioch [Antakya], home to a miaphysite Patriarch
560:
The Veleti begin vying for their place in Germania with the Danen [Danes] and Abodrites
A Godefriedi army lands on and captures the island of Corsica
With the Burgundians busy attacking each other, the Sabir have no trouble effectively taking control of the more distant regions of Noricum [more or less modern Austria]
A resounding Ægyptian victory at the city of Caesarea Phillippi [Banias] [9] prompts the Catholics to enter into negotiations with Ægyptus, but on Phillippus' terms [10]
561:
In the peace between the Ægyptians and the revolting Catholics, the territory north of Palestina becomes an independent Syria, but the territory east of the Euphrates is separated into another nation [11], and the Syrians must promise to allow free worship of miaphysitism
The Taurigoths manage to fend off the Weihu [Uygurs], but they are forced to pull back from the new frontier Erdahad established at the Borysthenes [Dnieper]
Fidelius succeeds Wacianius as Catholic Pope [12]
562:
The Alani bring about an end to the nation of Abasgia
The Weihu first come into Europa and settle in the Pannonian Basin, quickly vassalizing all the diverse and divided people who live there [13]
The Twins' War in Italia comes to an end after Willibald and Godefried do their best to break free of the influence of their respective courts and broker a peace that divides the kingdom between them, based on the territory they already control
563:
An Angli missionary named Olivifera [14] establishes a monastery in Dal Riata at Scarba, which will become a center for Celtic Christianity and source for Germanic influence therein
The Weihu quickly subjugate the Antes and Sabirs, and they then invade the Bolgars, easily taking the territory north of the Danuvius, as the Sclaveni are eager to rid themselves of their oppressors
Pushed westward by the encroaching Veleti, the Danen [Danes] and Abodrites move into the former lands of the Saxons and Anglii; considering the territory is largely empty, and that the Franks are more concerned about a potential Novioduni rematch, little is done to stop them
564:
Vitiges refuses a Bolgar plea for assistance as a punishment for when the Bolgars stayed aloof in the Ostrogothic Civil War [15]; the Bolgars are completely conquered by year's end
The Weihu begin raiding Langobardi cities and capture Sirmium [Sremska Mitrovica], Singidunum [Belgrade], and Viminacium [Kostolac]
A competition for influence over Gwynedd between Dyfed and Powys erupts into war; the Battle of Moridunum [Carmarthen] is a Powys victory
565:
Dyfed wins a battle at Mediolanum [Whitchurch]
The Weihu advance as far into the Langobardi kingdom as Taurisium [possibly Taor], and they launch an invasion of Ostrogothia, utterly crushing Vitiges' army at Beroea [Stara Zagora]
The Angli kingdom of Mierce [Mercia] invades Powys' recently captured territory in central Britannia, capturing the city of Manduessedum [Manceter]
The Alemanni launch a campaign out of Zeugitana into Numidian territory; they initially capture Hardumetum [Sousse]
566:
Mierce [Mercia] defeats Powys again near Viriconium [Wroxeter], but Powys manages to achieve victory at the Battle of Gobannium [Abergavenny]
The Alemanni manage to secure the African coast down to Thaenae [Sfax]
The Weihu [Uygurs] cut the Ostrogoths off (landwise) from Achaia after they capture Abderae [Avdira], but Vitiges manages to fend off an attack on Hadrianopolis [Edirne]
The Sassanids invade and annex the Nestorian state betwixt the Tigris and Euphrates; Phillippus doesn't really care
567:
Theveste [Tébessa] is captured by Zeugitanan/Alemanni forces
Reccared succeeds Theudigild as King of the Visigoths [16]
Dyfed defeats Powys near the city of Magnis [Kenchester]
The Weihu cut a deal with the Langobardi: they will not be conquered in exchange for assistance in the war against the Ostrogoths and an annual tribute payment; new Langobardi king Audulf [17] agrees and sets up his army for invading Achaea
The Ostrogoths are forced to abandon Hadrianopolis [Edirne] after the Weihu capture Burtudizus [Babaeski]
568:
The Numidians launch a devastating counter attack on the city of Thysdrus [El Djem]
The Langobardi capture Thessalonica [Thessaloniki] while a Weihu victory at Syrallum [Çorlu] leaves little standing between the barbarians and Constantinople
Reccared demands that the autonomous chieftains in Hispania allow free Catholic worship, just as the chieftains in Italia allow free Arian worship; the chieftains coldly refuse, and a few of the most westerly chieftains even begin strong Catholic persecutions
The Battle of Letocetum [Wall] is a tactical victory for Powys against Mierce, but is a strategic defeat
569:
With the Numidians now on the advance against Zeugitana, the Alemanni seek out the help of a Numidian tribe deep in the desert: the Garamantes [18]; with the promise of prime Mediterranean-side real estate for their assistance, the Garamantes agree to help, and catch the other Numidians horribly off guard, as they weren't expecting a major invasion from the south
Powys collapses, with the kingdom crudely split in two between Mierce and Dyfed
With Hispanian chieftains ignoring calls to end Catholic persecution, Reccared and the Italian chieftains begin assembling armies; the Hispanian response is to launch their own invasion, taking the remaining regnal possessions south of the Montes Pyrenaei [Pyrenees], claiming the majority Arian populace should not be directly ruled by a Catholic king, and the cities of Illici [Elche] and Osca [Huesca] soon fall
The Weihu siege of Constantinople begins, the Langobardi capture Larissa, and Erdahad along with an army of Taurigoths sets off in a recently constructed navy bound for northern Anatolia
570:
Erdahad defeats a quickly assembled army at Flaviopolis [Gueredé]
Phillippus launches an invasion of Achaea and quickly captures the Pelopennesus, who welcome them as both liberators against the Ostrogoths and saviors from the seemingly inevitable Langobardi invasion, but the Ægyptians are surprised how Catholic the populace has become during the Ostrogothic occupation
The Garamantes capture Tripolitana from the Numidians and invade Africa [19] up to Tisurus [maybe Tozer]
The Ostrogoths win a Pyrrhic victory against the Langobardi when defending Akyphas [Pindus]; most remaining Ostrogothic forces in the region retreat back to Anatolia to defend against the Weihu
The first clash between Autonomists and Regnals (as they will come to be known) takes place near Ilerda [Lleida]; it is a Regnal victory
571:
Alemanni armies march west across the Numidian held coast, capturing territory up to the city of Igilgilis [Jijel]
The Ægyptians and the Langobardi fight their first and only battle in the conflict at the Battle of Leuctra [Lefktra]; while it is an Ægyptian victory, Phillippus is content with the amount of land he has captured, as is Langobardi king Audulf
The Autonomists are victorious at the Battle of Tarraco [Tarragona]
Erdahad makes a deal with the Weihu [Uygurs]: if they help Erdahad enter Constantinople and usurp the throne, they'll receive the city's treasury [20]; the Weihu agree, and the two forces work together to crack the city's great walls
572:
With the Visigoths in another civil war, the remaining Suevic state in northwest Hispania invades a nearby chiefdom, capturing the city of Intercatia [Villanueva del Campo]; the invaded chiefdom, as well as the other chiefdom bordering the Suevi, withdraw their forces from the joint Autonomist army in order to focus on the more immediate threat [21]
An envoy from Vitiges informs the khan of the Weihu of Erdahad's deception; a deal is hatched, and the Weihu suddenly turn on Erdahad, defeat him utterly, and are allowed to take all of the treasury he had taken with him, and they also get a large portion of Thrace
The Numidians of Aurasium and Capsa are defeated and the Gaetulians retreat back into the desert
With a third of their army gone to fight the Suevi, Autonomists lose the Battle of Octogesa [Mequinenza]
573:
The Battle of Colenda [Cuellar] is an enormous Regnal victory
The Weihu now turn their attention to Italia; the Langobardi cross the Flumen Naro [Neretva River] and the Weihu capture the city of Virunum [Maria Saal] in Noricum [approximately modern Austria]
Claudios succeeds Tonantius as Dux of Noviodunum
The Visigoths defeat the Suevi at the Battles of Argentiolum [Destriana] and Bracara Augusta [Braga]
574:
The Weihu defeat Willibald at the Battle of Vacorium [Werfen], and the Langobardi march uncontested through former Rugia
Claudios declares that he is no longer merely a Dux [Duke], but a Rex [King]
To save face after surrendering territory to the Weihu, Vitiges launches an expedition to bring the Taurigoths into the Ostrogothic realm [22]
The Regnal army advances as far as Turbula [Ver Turba], while the Visigoths in the west are victorious at Forum Limicorum [Guinzo de Limia], but are defeated by the Suevi at Petavonium [Zamora]
575:
Sylvester II succeeds Fidelius as Catholic Pope
To keep the Weihu from coming into and plundering Italy, Willibald sings a treaty with them, ceding all of Noricum to the Weihu and most of Dalmatia to the Langobardi, as well as promising to pay a yearly tribute
The Ostrogoths conquer Taurica [Crimea]
The Visigoths are victorious against the Suevi at Caladunum [maybe Vilar de Perdizes], and they barely manage to eke out a victory near the city of Egelesta [Fniesta]
Gundicar succeeds Godefried as King of Italia Australis [23]
-------------------
[1] Between the earthquake at Antioch, the Ostrogothic capture of the Image of Edessa, the Plague of Ildidoric (as it has come to be known), and the earthquake and tsunamis off of the Syrian coast, many Catholics have come to believe God has turned against the miaphysites in Ægyptus
[2] The Flumen Naro [Neretva River] becomes the border between Italia and Langobardia
[3] Godomar was born in about 480, meaning he was around 70 when he died, and thus about 55 when his twin sons were born, but you have to remember, old kings having kids at that time wasn't rare (but still probably as creepy); also, he did have older sons, they just either died in the plague, various wars, or suffered mysterious accidents after questioning Postumius' growing influence
[4] Both sides claim that the brother they support was born first, and is thus the rightful heir; the local Latins, the Visigoths in Italia, and Postumius support Willibald, while the Burgundian elite, the Alemanni, and Pope Wacianius support Godefried
[5] While some Nestorians fled with the Buddhists into Mazdaki territory in the wake of Khosrau's persecution, many also fled to Ægyptian territory, hoping to be seen by the miaphysites under the philosophy of "enemy of my enemy (e.g. the Sassanids) is my friend," but this didn't happen unfortunately
[6] In OTL, the Göktürks managed to defeat the Ruanruan with the help of some Chinese states and other Central Asian tribes; that doesn't happen in ATL and they become another wandering tribe; they occupy what today would be considered the 'stans' in Central Asia, minus the northern territories of Kazakhstan
[7] The Sabirs have fled out into Europa after being pushed out of the Steppes by the Weihu [Uygurs], who themselves fled Central Asia along with the Tujue [Göktürks]
[8] Pope Wacianius, while otherwise distracted by the Twins' War going on in Italia, soon beatifies Stravos; Saint Stavros will become a Patron Saint of Syria
[9] Quite fitting, isn't it?
[10] Phillippus, even though he appears to be winning, knows that he can never hold down Syria indefinitely, and that attempting to do so would just be asking for more explicit Ostrogothic intervention (read as 'actually declare war')
[11] Not necessarily because Phillippus wants the Nestorians to have their own nation, but because he wants to weaken the Syrian state
[12] Fidelius is also a supporter of Godefried, just like his predecessor
[13] These include small isolated groups of Huns, Gepidae, Bolgars, and Sclaveni
[14] Latin for "olive-bearing"; is meant to be a Saint Columba analogue (named after the dove, another symbol of peace)
[15] The Bolgars were having their lightly defended homeland attacked by the Sclaveni at the time, but meh
[16] Reccared is the first Catholic Visigothic King, as he his court was filled mostly with Visigoths from Italia (most Autonomist Visigoths in Hispania didn't want anything to do with the royal court, being content to rule over their own territory)
[17] Raginprand had been killed in battle with the Weihu
[18] The Garamantes are centered around modern day Fezzan in Libya, and in OTL they collapsed sometime around 600 thanks to changes in the climate and the depletion of finite water sources
[19] Africa the Roman name for the *Tunisia region, not Africa the continent
[20] While Constantinople's treasury sounds like a large prize, Erdahad isn't letting on to the Weihu that, when he fled Ostrogothia for Taurica [Crimea], he took most of the treasury with him, and what little money Constantinople had mostly been spent vainly trying to defeat the Weihu
[21] Their lands are nowhere near the fighting, and with the recent Autonomist victory, they feel that their side has the upper hand anyway
[22] Plus, many who had sided with Erdahad over him may still be there
[23] Godefried refused to capitalize on his twin's misfortune (a.k.a. use it as a chance to invade), but a well-placed dagger takes care of that problem

575L.png
 
Lux Ex Tenebris

576:
The Autonomists manage to defeat an overconfident Regnal army near Ad Putea [Alpera]
Nobles discontented with Willibaldi's rule revolt throughout Umbria [both modern Umbria and Marche regions], hoping to be annexed into Italia Australis [1]
The two chiefdoms attacking the Suevi coalesce their forces and capture the city of Aquae Originis [Ourense]
577:
Gundicar invades Italia Septentrionalis in support of the rebellious nobles after Willibald assembles an army to put down the revolt; Gundicar's forces defeat Willibald's at the Battle of Sentinum [near modern Sassoferrato] before capturing the port city of Ancona
Regnal generals take back the initiative after a victorious Battle of the Flumen Sucro [Júcar River], but the defeat the previous year has opened a rift between those directly serving King Reccared and those from the Italian chiefdoms, which prevents the Regnal army from taking full advantage of the situation
The Weihu [Uygurs] invade and easily conquer the Bavari, as the mountains to the southeast of their territory, from whence the Weihu invaded, are not as much of an obstacle as the Sudeti Montes [Sudetes], which protects the Bavari's other borders from Frankish invasion
The final battle against the Suevi takes place just south of Lucus Augusti [Lugo]; the Suevic kingdom is divided between the two invading chiefdoms and their forces travel east to rejoin the fight against the Regnals
578:
With the infighting of the Regnal camp and the slow movement of Autonomist troops from the Suevic front, neither side is able to properly marshal up a full-scale offensive
The Weihu invade the southern Frankish kingdom [2], easily decimating a hastily organized force at Celeusum [Pförring]
A monk named Torin, who has been preaching a more Celtic version of Christianity than Roman [3] in Novioduni held Cambria [Wales], gets on the nerves of a priest in the area and is branded a heretic, which promptly gets him executed
Gundicar changes strategy from 'protect Umbria' to 'annex the North' [4]; his armies march north and, rather than trying to take Ravenna directly, they capture Butrium [Bulrio?] instead, trying to outflank Willibald's army stationed in the capital city
579:
An army of Willibald's is victorious; unfortunately, the battle takes place far to the west, near Caferonianum [Castelnuovo di Garfagnana], and doesn't aid Willibald's position in Ravenna at all
King Reccared decides to work towards a peace between the Regnals and Autonomists; the northeastern most autonomous chiefdom is divided between the king's territory and the autonomous chiefdom in the center of Hispania, and the five remaining autonomous chiefdoms are given a few more freedoms from regnal control [5]
Dagobert II mobilizes his forces to his brother against the Weihu; a united Frankish force battles the Weihu as they attempt to advance upon Melocabus [near modern Fulda], but is still defeated by the massive army of horsemen
Yazdegerd III succeeds Khosrau as Shahanshah of the Sassanids
580:
Claudios, not wanting to have a massive horde of barbarians on his eastern border, lends his support to the Franks [6]; as the Weihu attempt to raid the city of Castellum Cattorum [Kassel], the Frankish and Novioduni troops (as well as many Abodrite and Briton mercenaries) surround the Weihu and proceed to slaughter them, but not without the cost of massive casualties of their own [7], including the death of King Genebald
A monk known as Martin the Pannonian begins converting the Weihu to Christianity; his efforts are aided by the fact that some Weihu believe that their defeat at the hands of the Franks and Novioduni was due to their pagan religion
Willibald manages to fight his way out of Ravenna, but he is defeated finally and totally by his nephew at the Battle of Faventia [Faenza]
Partly in response to what some call the 'Martyrdom of Brother Torin', a large number of abbots and monks gather in Scarba; the details of what goes on during the meeting are unclear, but the end result is that Celtic Christianity goes under some major changes [8]
581:
Theodemir II succeeds Vitiges as King of Ostrogothia
Dyfed launches a surprise invasion of Novioduni held Cambria [Wales], overwhelming a garrison at Bomium [Ewenny]
Yazdegerd III views Albania as drifting too far into Armenian influence, so he launches an invasion, capturing the city of Camechia [Shamaki]; the Armenians come to the Albanians' aid, sending an army over the Sassanid border and capturing Gamarga [Maraga?]
Despite the great victory the previous year, Noviodunum and Frankia do not have a large enough army to effect pursue the Weihu [Uygurs] into southern Frankia, as demonstrated by their defeat in the battle of Melocavus [Melschede], so they come to a peace, with the Weihu retaining partial control over South Frankia [9]
582:
As a Novioduni army marches north to battle Dyfed, they are ambushed just south of Moldunum [Malmesbury] by a joint Lunden/Cantware force, and a quick, brutal slaughter ensues; without having to face the Novioduni force, Dyfed is able to capture Venta Silurum [Caerwent] with little resistance
The Sassanids quickly counterattack into Armenia, defeating an army near the city of Naxuana [Nakhchivan City]; to the north, the Yazdegerd III finishes the conquest of Albania with the capture of Sanua [location unknown]
The Hispanian autonomous chieftains [10] meet in Toletum [Toledo] and, keeping in mind the division of the Autonomist forces in the latest civil war, they create a united Autonomist army structure, which will have no allegiance to any particular chiefdom
583:
Theodemir II decides to join Yazdegerd III in the war against Armenia in order to obtain the territory Ildidoric had ceded to them decades earlier; the forces clash outside Phiara [Fiarasi?], with an Ostrogothic victory
Constantinople is struck by an earthquake and a large portion of the city is devastated by the resulting fires
The Weihu return to attack Italia [11], and they raze Julium Carnicum [Zuglio]
Mierce wants to gain from the current war in Britannia, but there isn't much to gain from going to war with Noviodunum, so Mierce instead invades Dyfed, taking the city of Branogena [Worcester]
584:
Lunden fends off a Mierce [12] attack at Tamesis [Wallingford], while Dyfed manages to capture the city of Durocornovium [Wanborough]
The Langobardi enter the war after capturing ad Malum [Buzet], and the Weihu trash Gundicar's army at Tarvisium [Treviso]
Catholics from Syria have been proselytizing amongst the Ghassanids, leading a few influential families to request [13] to King Jabalah V ibn al-Harith that they distance themselves from Ægytpus; Jabalah refuses, and the families raise a small force to overthrow him, with assistance coming from Syria and Ostrogothia
A Sassanid victory at Armauria [Armavir] convinces Iberia to stop marginally supporting Armenia and switch allegiance over to Yazdegerd III
585:
A rebel force lead by Isam Walid al-Jabir defeats Jabalah in the Battle of Bostra
Mierce wins a resounding victory at Magnis [Kenchester], and Cantware defeats the Novioduni at Lapidem [Stoneham]
Poor rains cause crop failures throughout Noviodunum and the Gallic portions of Regnal Visigothia
Theodemir II is victorious in the Battle of Sinara [Senarvir]; in the east, the Sassanids are defeated by a much smaller Armenian force in the mountain passes of Bolbene [Balahomdh]
Despite Gundicar's best efforts, the Weihu reach the Flumen Padus [Po River], and his army is forced to retreat across it after being defeated near Hostilia [Ostiglia]
586:
Another Weihu force crossing the Flumen Padus [Po River] is defeated as it tries to take Vicus Serninus [near modern Felonica]
The Mierce are once again victorious against Dyfed, this time at Ariconium [Weston under Penyard], but they are surprised to be attacked by King Eni of the East Anglii, who captures and loots Forum Dianæ [Dunstable]
King Jabalah of the Ghassanids wins a marginal victory against the rebel faction near Heliaramia [Kasr-el-Hair]; the battle leaves both sides too weakened to engage in anything more than minor skirmishes for the next few years
The Ostrogoths' capture of Elegia [Elija] and Rhizius [Rhizieh] gives them secure control over the Pontus region, while to the east, Yazdegerd III manages to give the Sassanid war machine momentum once again after capturing Artagira [Bornu]
587:
After Eni wins another victory at Lactodurum [Towcester], Mierce signs a peace treaty with East Englalund, Lunden, and Cantware, ceding to the East Anglii a small strip of territory, but the war with Dyfed still continues
While Martin's proselytizing efforts have been successful [14], most conversions occur in areas with heavy Romanized settlement, leaving the Weihu in the lands beyond the Danube firmly set in their original believes; the resulting cultural backlash, as the frontier Weihu clamp down on Christianity to preserve their Turkic paganism, earns them the ire of the Romanized populace, known as the Walha [Vlachs], who launch a revolt while the main army is away in northern Italia, beginning in the Dacian city of Ulpia Trajana [Varhely]
Many Gallo-Romans in Noviodunum are still reeling from the famine, and they are angry that Claudios has been focusing almost entirely on the long war in far off Britannia while the Visigoths to the south have quickly recovered [15]; tensions reach a boiling point when a revolt breaks out near Argentomagus [Argenton-sur-Creuse], and the city quickly falls under the control of the rebels
When the Ostrogothic and Sassanid armies converge upon Maurocastrum [Malazgherd], the two kingdoms divide Armenia between them roughly at the point where the two armies met
Despite Gundicar's victory against the Weihu last year, he is soundly defeated by their main army at Nuceria [Luzzara]; this is enough to bring about a peace deal, which transfer all of Italia's territory north of the Padus [Po] to the Weihu [16]
588:
The Tujue [Göktürks] launch an invasion of Persia, razing the city of Choana [Koom]
After spending time amongst the very much Christian people of Frankia and Italia, the Chagan of the Weihu converts; in spite of this, he sends his armies across Europe to put down the Walha rebellion, to try and keep the loyalty of the still pagan Weihu, and he razes Tibiscum [Jupa] in an effort to end the rebellion quickly through intimidation
Dyfed cedes about a third of its territory [17] to Mierce after they [Dyfed] suffered a shattering defeat near Dravinium [Ludlow]
Lunden and Cantware, along with a small contingent of East Anglii, defeat a diminished Novioduni garrison at Vindocladia [Badbury Rings]
The Gallic revolt has spread quickly to most territory south of the Flumen Liger [Loire]; the peasantry has rallied under the banner of a man named Liberius, who has managed to organize the disassembled masses into a coherent, although inexperienced, fighting force, who proved themselves when they overran a small troop of soldiers protecting Avaricum [near Bourges]
589:
Using forces stripped from the defense of Britannia, Claudios manages to fend off rebels from capturing Cæsarodunum [Tours]
Noviodunum settles peace in Britannia, ceding all of its territory beyond Ischalis [Ilchester], giving Lunden a coast on the Sabrina Æst [Bristol Channel]
Theodemir II uses the Walha rebellion as an excuse to invade the Weihu Chaganate and take back the territory it had lost to them; soon after the first forces march across the border, the Bolgars launch a revolt of their own, so that by year's end the Ostrogoths and Bolgars control all territory southeast of Nicopolis [Nikyup]
Jabalah V ibn al-Harith tips the balance in the civil war in his favor by hiring mercenaries from Nobatia; the last battle of the civil war is an overwhelming victory near Alsadamus Mons [Jabal-ud-Drûz]
Yazdegerd III defeats the Tujue at Aspadana [Ispahan]
590:
Hilmagis succeeds Audulf as king of Langobardia [18]
The conflict in Gaul settles into a stalemate, with neither side making any major significant advances or capturing any major cities
The Tujue manage to capture the city of Arsacia [Ray]
Alemannia jumps in on the chaos erupting SE Europa, sending an army across the Mare Adriaticum to aid the Walha in Langobardia; King Vithibaud defeats Hilmagis in a field of combat near Apollonia [near Pojan]
591:
Bolgar armies advance into Scythia Minor [approximately modern Dobrudja]; to the west, Ostrogothia suffers a set back with there defeat in battle against the Weihu near Bagaraca [Bava]
Yazdegerd III's brother, renaming himself Peroz II, attempts to usurp the throne of Shahanshah, but fails; he flees to Ecbatane [Hamedan], where his brother lays siege to the city
An Alemanni victory near Antipatria [Berat] convinces Ægyptus to invade Langobardia as well; the first military victory was a small skirmish at Orchomenus
Honorius succeeds Sylvester II as Catholic Pope
The Weihu Chagan leads part of his army to eastern Dacia, where the Bolgars have begun making incursions, and the two groups engage in an endless series of raids, feints, and minor attacks that prove inconclusive given the presence of both pro-Weihu Sclaveni and anti-Weihu Walha
592:
Liberius breaks the stalemate with his successful siege of Juliomagus [Angers]
A locust swarm sweeps through the Italian peninsula; luckily for Alemannia, Sicilia is spared the insects' wrath
Just as Ecbatane falls and Yazdegerd III executes Peroz II, a general named Barbod leads a coup back in Perse [Fars]; he begins sending envoys to the Tujue
The Alemanni are defeated as they try to cross the Candavii Montes [Crasta], and a battle wound leaves King Vithibaud with a pronounced limp; the Langobardi use the victory as an opportunity to support the Weihu against the Ostrogoths and Bolgars [19], which contributes to the defeat of Theodemir II at Lissae [Adjiyska Vodenitsa]
When a conflict over succession arises in Lindissi [Lindsey], Mierce throws its full support behind Eanferth, the nephew of the old king, and invades the kingdom to install him onto the throne; Eanferth's cousin, Eadric, was the other main contender for the throne, and he flees south into East Englalund
The Ægyptians march largely unopposed through Boeotia, with the only notable altercation of the year occurring almost in Thessaly: the Battle of Macracome [Makrakomi]
593:
Langobardia's attempt at halting the Ægyptian advance through Thessaly is shattered when one of their armies is totally destroyed at while it was trying to defend the city of Enhydrium [Fersaliti]
Vithibaud turns the Alemanni army north, and proceeds to attack the major port city of Dyrrachium [Durrës]
Barbod manages to elicit Tujue support, and with their help he secures control of the Susiana [Khuzestan] region
Theodemir II routes a joint Langobardi-Weihu army on the fields of Thracia and carries his victorious army all the way to the gates of Remesiana [Bela Palanka] until it runs out of momentum
The Gallic Revolt is once again at a stalemate, and unfortunately for Claudios, Dagobert II decides that the Weihu are no longer a threat, and takes the opportunity to launch an invasion across the Rhenus [Rhine]; the Franks are undefeated in battle until they reach Orolaunum [Arlon]
594:
After securing the majority of Thessaly, Basileus Phillippus turns west into Epirus, beginning his invasion of the region with an easy victory at Argithea
With the Gaetulians fenced in by Zeugitana and the Garamantes, they decide to try and find better lands [21] to the west, which is home of the Mauri; the Gaetulians quickly push the Mauri back to the Garaphi Montes [Tell Atlas]
Novioduni forces are stripped from her southeastern territory to attempt to beat back the Franks, but this allows the rebels to expand eastwards, crossing the Flumen Liger [Loire] at Decotia [Vouroux]; the move was not all for naught, however, as the reinforcements halt the invading Franks at the Flumen Mosa [Meusse River]
The Ostrogoths are repulsed in an embarrassing, and severe, defeat at an attempted siege of Naissus [Niš]; Theodemir II decides to turn his army north into Sclavenia [Wallachia] [20], with a tentative victory at Ratiaria [Arzea-Palanca]
Hermanmund succeeds Reccared as King of the Visigoths; Hermanmund is not very subtle in his intentions to take advantage of the discord up in Noviodunum
Yazdegerd III is killed when Barbod attacks the city of Laodicea [Nahavand]
595:
Gundicar leads a surprise attack on Cremona
Liberius marches his army as far as Aballo [Avalon], but orders them to march no further; negotiations are begun with Claudios
While the hoped-for Walha support does arise and contribute to the capture of Palonda Pelendava [Craiova-Mofleni], Theodemir II also has to deal with the Sclaveni, who launch small raids on his army from time to time
Realizing that the Langobardi have a chance to regroup after the Ostrogoths' defeat, Phillippus cuts short his sweep through Epirus and once again travels north, culminating in a battle to a standstill at Tyrissa [Aurethissar]
With many in Autonomous Visigothia eager to avoid any obligation to fight the far off Novioduni, the Consilium Toletum [22] offers assistance to the Mauri [23], whom agree; the Gaetulians are beaten back as they try to capture Gadaum Castra [El Callah]
As Phillippus has marched off, leaving a large portion of Epirus unclaimed, Vithibaud moves his army in to acquire the region for himself, defeating the light garrisons which had been stripped to fight the Ægyptians
596:
The loyalist and rebel factions in Noviodunum reach a consensus; the power of the Rex was greatly weakened, and a council of elders, mostly army veterans, is created in a binding advisory role in a similar fashion to the old Roman Senate
The Order of Saint Palladius [24] is founded at Scarba Abbey to, officially, protect Britannic and Hibernian Christians from persecution from druids or other pagans; unofficially, this order of warrior monks is also used against Catholic Christians in areas that are majority Insular Christian
The Tujue force Barbod to concede to them the territory they have captured [25]
After the capture of Pella and Thessalonica [Thessaloniki], Ægyptus manages to secure a beneficial peace with King Hilmagis of the Langobardi, ceding large portions of Greek territory; King Vithibaud of the Alemanni, however, continues his war against the Langobardi, marching as far northward as Gabuleus [Ibalia]
Gundicar wins a comfortable victory against the Weihu at Ariolica [Peschiera del Garda]
Due to (ex-)rebel pressures, Noviodunum agrees to a Pax Uti Possidetis with Frankia; troops are moved from the fronts south to the border with Visigothia to dissuade any invasion
597:
Hermanmund realizes that the opportunity for invading Noviodunum has past, so he instead sends his recently amassed army to capture territory in northern Italia from the Weihu; they soon captured Brixia [Brescia]
Pope Honorius begins sending Catholic missionaries to Britannia and Hibernia in earnest as a response to the founding of the Palladians, and a competition for Brythonic and Germanic converts begins
Vithibaud begins inciting revolt amongst the Rugii in territory controlled by the Weihu and Langbardi; the Rugii join the ranks of a growing number of vassal tribes revolting against the Weihu
With both the Visigoths and Burgundians attempting to capture Weihu controlled Italia, they inevitably come to blow; Gundicar thrashes the opposing army, but it turns out that the small Visigothic force was a ruse, and Hermanmund leads a much larger force to capture Sabata [Savona]
After three long years of fighting, Theodemir II finally manages to secure Sclavenia [Wallachia]; Theodemir II negotiates a peace with the Weihu, wherein Ostrogothia all territory ceded in 572 [26]; interestingly, the territory formerly of the Bolgars is incorporated (semi-autonomously) into the Ostrogothic kingdom
Deciding that there's really nothing to be gained in continuing fighting, the Gaetulians stop raiding Mauri and Visigothic positions, and the only hint of a true conflict is the Autonomist Visigoths' refusals to return the army home so they won't be obligated to assist [27] the Regnals in Italia
598:
Ostrogothia resumes its invasion of Langobardia, this time deciding a more southerly route, taking Sirrhae [Sérrai], then Doberus [Doiran]
Historical records first mention a king Goran, who led the Sabir in a revolt against the Weihu along the upper Danuvius [Danube]; he soon gained the support of the Bavari in Boiohaemum [Bohemia], and the previously unmentioned Slavic tribes (presumably Weihu vassals) of the Drevlii [Drevlyans] and Vislanes
The Visigoths capture Derthona [Tortona], but their advance is halted once they reach Placentia [Piacenza]; the Burgundians are unable to push back against the Burgundians, as reports reach Gundicar that Weihu cavalry are entering Gallia Cisalpina [central northern Italy]
Langobardia essentially collapses, as other tribes revolt against the Weihu, and the Alemanni and Ostrogoths are invading, the people essentially stop supporting Vithibaud and migrate north into the less turbulent areas outside of Illyricum [approximately modern former Yugoslavia], where Langobardia will eventually re-coalesce as a looser confederation of tribes
599:
The Valles Padus [Po Valley] becomes a mess, with Visigothic, Burgundian, and Weihu armies performing a sort of deadly dance across the plain, none of them permanently gaining the upper hand
Dagobert II begins reclaiming southern Frankia from Weihu domination, but runs into Goran's Kingdom; not wanting another war so soon, he simply grabs what he can and establishes relations with Goran
Small scale revolts break out in Armenia, Albania, and Osrhoene, and Barbod sets about crushing them brutally
The king of Mierce converts to Catholic Christianity; Tamworth become the center for Catholic missionaries in Britannia
600:
The Weihu Chagan decides that he needs to focus more on centralizing his kingdom, so a truce is written up with the Burgundians, and he withdraws from Italia; a few revolting tribes are defeated, but the Weihu mostly shift their zone of control north- and eastward
King Eni of East Anglia converts to Insular Christianity
A new plague, eventually named Exiguus Varius [smallpox], sweeps through the Propius Orient [Near East], especially southern Persia, Armenia, Syria, and northern Arabia
With their armies weathered down by the Weihu, the Visigoths and Burgundians come to an uneasy peace, each giving the other a portion of territory
The king of the Suehan [Swedes] invades and conquers land from the Aestii [Estonians], some of whom had been pirating the coasts of the Mare Suebicum [Baltic Sea]
-------------------
[1] Without a doubt, these nobles had their coffers lined with either Roman or Alemanni gold
[2] The southern kingdom is ruled by Genebald, while the northern one is ruled by Dagobert II
[3] Celtic Christianity isn't a coherent sect, so its not like he was practicing a completely different religion, it just had its differences from Catholicism due to Ireland's distance from Rome, both physically and culturally
[4] No one is surprised
[5] There is still discord within the Regnal camp, and Autonomist reinforcements are on their way, so Reccared wants to end the war while he's ahead
[6] Of course, Claudios also manages to get the Franks to agree to become vassals in exchange for his saving them from destruction
[7] Historians will compare this battle to that of Catalaunum [Chalons] versus the Huns in 451
[8] For example, the church finally gains some cohesion, as a council of abbots is established for purposes such as unifying dogma throughout the various churches and, essentially, centralization in response to a perceived threat to their way of worship from Noviodunum; due to the growing involvement of Germanic persons in the Celtic Church, historians tend to refer to the sect as Insular Christianity for the post-Scarba era
[9] Rather than recreate the southern Frankish kingdom, Claudios and Dagobert II divide the remainder of the kingdom between themselves
[10] Who are hereafter named: Lusitania, Gallaecia, Carpetania, Baetica, and Cartaginensis
[11] With Willibald gone, the Weihu are no longer receiving their yearly tribute
[12] Mierce is both the noun and the adjective
[13] The request more than likely contained the words (in Arabic, of course) 'or else' in the sentence
[14] See the events of 580
[15] The Visigoths (specifically the Regnals) have had an advantage: their territory in Hispania, which had served as a granary for the Romans back in the days of old
[16] Rather than continue the war further south into Italia, the Weihu are content with a peace so that they may turn their attention to the Walha in the Balkans
[17] Of course, this territory has been under Dyfed's control for only a generation, so it's not much of a loss
[18] Hilmagis, and Audulf before him, have been having headaches with the Walha in Macedonia ever since the Langobardi captured the territory, so he uses the revolt against the Weihu as an excuse to clamp down on them further
[19] Hilmagis knows that he and Ostrogothia would have come to blows eventually, so he's making sure it's on his terms
[20] He hopes that he will find a friendly Walha [Vlach] presence
[21] Read as: take other lands by force of arms
[22] The autonomous chieftains have taken to meeting in Toletum [Toledo] to discuss inter-chiefdom issues since the first meeting in 582, and this will eventually be formalized into the Consilium Toletum, the Toledo Council; the term here is technically anachronistic and only used retroactively
[23] On conditions of vassalage, naturally
[24] Palladius (who wasn't canonized OTL) was the first Bishop of Christians in Ireland (Saint Patrick was the second)
[25] It was either that or hand over the entire treasury in payment
[26] The treaty only applies to the Weihu; Langobardia and Ostrogothia are still at war
[27] I.e. "fight and die for"

600L.png
 
Omnia Mutantor

601:
Gregorius becomes the first Archbishop of Tamworth
Barbod dies from Exiguus Varius; military commanders across the rump empire begin vying for control, and revolts break out again in Armenia, Albania, and Osrhoene
Chlothar I succeeds Dagobert II as king of Frankia
Gregorius meets with church officials from Dyfed and Gwynedd, explains to them how they are deviating from official (i.e. Catholic) doctrine, notably in the calculation of Easter [1], and asks them to assist in the conversion of the Germanic pagans to Latin rite Christianity; the Cambrians [Welsh] decline his offer, associating Catholicism with their enemies, the Mierce
602:
Chlothar's younger brother, Theuderic, is discovered to be raising an army to rise against his brother in order to, if not overthrow him, and least gain a portion of the kingdom [2]; with his armies still depleted from the war with the Weihu, Chlothar makes a deal with his brother: whatever territory his brother captures on his own [3] will be his to rule over as his portion of the Frankish kingdom
Theodosius succeeds Phillippus as Basileus of Ægyptus
From his base in Epirus, Vithibaud invades the Rugii
After their preferred candidate for the next Persian shah is killed in battle, the Tujue invade the chaos-filled former Sassanid Empire
603:
Theuderic uses his forces to invade the Abodrites to the east
Theodemir II intervenes in the Persian conflict, but Syria refuses to assist due to its high casualties from the Exiguus Varius
King Cynegils of Norsex defeats King Tinkat of Selcovia at the Battle of Amboglanna [Birdoswald] and annexes his kingdom
Sigismund succeeds Gundicar as King of Italia [4]
Vithibaud captures Salluntum [Danilovgrad]
604:
A Catholic uprising occurs in Thessalonica [Thessaloniki] against miaphysite rule and is brutally suppressed by Theodosius
With a promise to give Armenia a large amount of autonomy [5], Theodemir II secures a large chunk of former Persia and then divides his army: one half to lead into Albania, and the other into Osrhoene
The Tujue capture Persepolis, but when they attempt to lay siege to Jundishapur [Gundeshapur] they are defeated by a contender for the position of Shahanshah
Sigismund invades Rugia on the pretense of assisting his Alemannian allies, but relations between him and Vithibaud turn sour as the two kingdoms try to define the boundary of their spheres of influence
Antagonized by the Chagan's attempts to centralize his realm [6], some prominent Weihu being drifting further back into the steppes, soon coming into contact (and conflict) with the Krivitae [Krivichi]
605:
Marcios succeeds Claudios as Rex of Noviodunum; Marcios does not like being bound by the advisory council, so he bribes many members into leaving him be [7]
Rugia is divided between Italia and Alemannia, with the border being near the city of Narona [near modern Vid]
Theodemir II dies in battle in Osrhoene and is succeeded by Athaldis; the army in the Osrhoene falls apart and retreats back across the border, but the forces on campaign in Albania continue on to liberate (a.k.a. vassalize) the region
The Tujue capture the city of Susa [Shush]
606:
Theuderic completes his conquest of the Abodrites and continues on into the territory of the Danen [Danes]
After the Tujue capture Ctesiphon, Talopien Chagan claims the title of Shahanshah for himself; this is the beginning of Persia's Ashinid dynasty [8]
Another Catholic revolt in Ægyptus' European territory, this time in Thebes, leads to pressing attention from Constantinople and Salernum [Salerno] [9], who are eager to diminish Ægyptian power in the region
Ostrogothic and Ashinid envoys manage to hammer out an agreement over the division of the former Sassanid Shahdom: Osrhoene and Albania become independent (with the latter being an Ostrogothic vassal), Ostrogothia gains eastern Armenia and northern Atropatene, and the Ashinids get the rest
607:
Pelagius succeeds Honorius as Catholic Pope
Gregorius is proselytizing in Lindissi [Lindsey] when a confrontation occurs with some Palladians; both sides have their stories as to who started it, but the end result is the death of a few individuals on either side, including Gregorius
Marcios launches his invasion, quickly overcoming the defenses at Lugdunum [Lyon] and destroying the autonomous chiefdom based there; his armies continue marching down the Valles Rhodanus [Rhone Valley]
As accusations and demands fly back and forth between Scarba and Roma, Mierce moves its armies into Glevum [Gloucester], a de facto declaration of war against Dyfed
608:
Marcios' army continues marching down the Rhodanus, laying siege to the city of Valentia [Valence]; to the west, an army led by none other than Liberius, and filled with veteran rebels from Noviodunum's civil war a decade previous, invades as well and captures a now more lightly defended Burdigala [Bordeaux]
Gwynedd comes to Dyfed's aid and sends in its armies to capture Uxacona [Oakengates]; the Mierce offensive to the south continues its momentum to defeat Dyfed's armies in the Battle of Blestium [Monmouth]
Theuderic is killed in battle against the Danen; this is what his brother Chlothar has been secretly hoping all along, and he takes control of the territorial gains Theuderic had made over the past few years
The Ultrasarmatician [10] Weihu use their newly acquired vassals, the Krivitae [Krivichi], to help subjugate the Teveri [Tivertsi]
609:
Mierce defeats the forces of Gwynedd and Dyfed at the decisive Battle of Leonis Monasterium [Leominster], but East Englalund comes to the Cambrians' [Welshmen's] aid and captures the Mierce city of Venantodunum [Huntington]
Sigismund invades the nearby Visigothic chiefdoms for two reasons: 1) a propaganda victory in reclaiming territory lost to the Visigoths by his father, and 2) a focus on the northern frontiers may assuage tension with Alemannia; Burgundian armies find little resistance to their invasion, as most of the soldiers have gone west to fight Marcios' forces
Marcios' advance stalls halfway to Arelate [Arles], but Liberius' troops are quickly heading towards the Visigothic capital of Tolosa [Toulouse], having recently defeated Hermanmund's army outside Aginnum [Agen]
With the increasingly dire events occurring to the Visigoths to the north, the autonomous chieftains in Hispania agree to mobilize their own armies and march north to aid Hermanmund
610:
The future Saint Hermannus begins his missionary work in the Frankish kingdom, preaching as he travels up and down the Rhenus [Rhine]
Mierce quickly establishes a quick peace with Gwynedd and Dyfed, with the former getting a status quo ante bellum and the second ceding minor territory along the Sabrina Æst [Bristol Channel]; in the east, the East Anglii win the Battle of Durobrivae [Water Newton]
The Weihu have effectively become two separate states, those that follow the Chagan and those that have returned to the steppes; most of the former live in Pannonia and the latter beyond the Sarmatici [Eastern Carpathians], and the area in between is increasingly settled by various Slavic peoples
As the Autonomous Visigoths cross the Montes Pyrenaei [Pyrenees], they are attacked by the Vasconians [Basques]; the ensuing battle results in many casualties, and the counterattacks seriously delay the Visigoths' planned offensive in Gaul
By the end of the year, the combined assault of Novioduni and Burgundian armies has destroyed all four Italian chiefdoms; Liberius and Marcios have succeeded in capturing their respective targets, and they now seek to capture the major port cities of Massalia [Marseilles] and Narbo [Narbonne] to aid Italia in its naval campaign against the Visigoths [11]
611:
Pope Pelagius is surprised to find that the Chagan of the Weihu, who has taken the Christian name Michael (Miçal [12] in his people's tongue) in honor of the man who began the conversion of the Weihu, has requested an audience with him; the Chagan wishes to establish good relations with the Papacy and, more importantly, Italia, so that he can focus his full attention on securing his nation's borders against migrating Slavic tribes (and possibly help against any expansion on Goran's part)
Liberius faces the Autonomist Visigoth army when they [the Visigoths] attempt to retake Tolosa [Toulouse]; it is a Novioduni victory, but the Visigoths do surprisingly well for having their ranks recently thinned
Mierce defeats East Englalund at the Battle of Cinnabanta [Kimbolton]
612:
With the Visigoths thoroughly distracted in Gaul, Zeugitana invades the Mauri, capturing the city of Caesarea [Cherchell]
An East Anglii attempt to retake Cinnabanta fails, but Mierce decides to call for a status quo peace rather than press forward, worrying about possible intervention from Lunden
King Sigismund welcomes the opening of friendly relations with Miçal, eager to 1) remove a potential enemy from his borders, 2) gain a buffer against the new influx of Slavs into the Balkans, and 3) provide a potential ally against the increasingly cold Alemannia or the as of yet enigmatic kingdom of Goran
Hermanmund is killed in battle at Nemausus [Nîmes]; the remainder of the Regnal forces manage to regroup with the Autonomists, and they retreat beyond the Montes Pyrenaei [Pyrenees] under the leader of the new King Chindagild
613:
Italia, Alemannia, Ostrogothia, and Ægyptus all begin losing control over the southeastern Balkans [13] to southward migrating Slavic tribes
In a grand sense of historical irony, Liberius' forces are ambushed by Vasconian [Basque] raiders when they tries to pursue the Visigoths into Iberia; to the east, the united Autonomist/Regnal army defeats Marcios' as they try to cross the Montes Pyrenaei [Pyrenees] near Juncaria [Figueras]
A man by the name Ali claims that he is a prophet and begins to preach in the city of Makkah [Mecca]; like all new religions, his preachings are very popular amongst the downtrodden or even simply disadvantaged of society
Zeugitana halts its advance when it reaches the mouth of the Flumen Chinalaphis [Shellif]; it is decided than any more territory would result in an untenable border
614:
The Veleti are pushed out of their homelands on the eastern border of Frankia by the Pomorzani [Pomeranians]; the Veleti's resulting southward migration overwhelms the Bavari in Boiohaemum [Bohemia] and destabilizes Goran's Kingdom
Due to the success of Hermannus' conversion efforts, and also due to fears of the possible consequences of a strong alliance between Noviodunum and Italia, King Chlothar converts to Catholicism
An attempt to retake Consorani [Saint-Lizier] by the Visigoths is easily defeated by a Novioduni force
Thessalonica [Thessaloniki] is sacked by Slavs, despite the enlarged garrison placed in the city to prevent another Catholic revolt
615:
The Ashinids [14] invade and annex Osrhoene, as well as launching raids into Ghassanid territory; Ægyptus is only able to send token forces to aid their Arab allies/vassals with so much manpower needed in Achaea to protect against Slavic encroachment
While Insular-Catholic conflict was over for Mierce and the Cambrians [Welsh], the conflict's starting point, Lindissi [Lindsey], remains consumed by civil strife; a particularly deadly confrontation near the western border prompts Lindissi to declare war on its neighbor, South Rheged
The Teveri [Tivertsi], an Ultrasarmatician vassal, begin raiding Ostrogothic Crimea
After both sides continue to fail to make any gains along the Hispanic-Gallic border, Noviodunum and Visigothia agree to a peace wherein all territory north of the Montes Pyrenaei is ceded to Noviodunum
616:
Mierce joins Lindissi [Lindsey] in the war against South Rheged, capturing the city of Deva Victrix [Chester]; Lindissi wins a battle against an invading army near Lagentium [Castleford]
An Ostrogothic force sent to defend cities in Taurica [Crimea] is completed destroyed by Teveri [Tivertsi] and Krivitae [Krivichi], whom go on to raze the settlement at Kerkinitis [Yevpatoria]
Theodosius dies in an apparent court intrigue induced murder; a rivalry between Theodosius' son (the heir, Theodosius II) and Theodosius' younger brother (Hypatius) eventually devolves into a civil war [15]
Hariocab succeeds Vithibaud as King of Alemannia
617:
The Battle of Plinthinetes Sinus [Arabs Gulf] cements Theodosius II's control of the Ægyptian navy in the Mediterranean, but Hypatius' victory at the Battle of Amari Lacus [Bitter Lakes] prevents Theodosius II from gaining access to the Heroopolticus Sinus [Gulf of Suez], and thus allows Hypatius to connect to his loyal troops in Oriens [Ægyptian territory from the Sinai peninsula eastward]
The king of South Rheged is killed in battle against Mierce near Mamucium [Manchester], and the kingdom is divided between Mierce and Lindissi along the Alpes Peninae Montes [Pennines]
The new Weihu Chagan, who has taken the Christian name Daniel, mollifies critics of the Chaganate's decision to align with Italia by campaigning to the south against the encroaching Slavs
618:
The Ashinids begin to support the Kalbids [Banu Kalb] in order to create a favorable counterweight against the Ghassanids in northern Arabia
Forces loyal to Theodosius II manage to take Babylon Fortress [16] after a lengthy siege, and capture Memphis shortly thereafter
With the focus so distracted on the civil war, Slavs easily begin pushing into Thessaly, at one point reaching as far as Thebes before being pushed back by forces on reserve in Attica [17]
Laurentius II succeeds Pelagius as Catholic Pope; in the spirit of his predecessor of the same name, he is very anti-heretical, and both lauds the victory over the Arian Visigoths [18] as well as encourages Catholics to take advantage of the Ægyptian civil war and return Achaea to orthodoxy
Hariocab sends his army to begin clearing Ægyptian Epirus of Slavs, as well as any Ægyptian troops still in the region
619:
Continued encroachment by the Pomorzani [Pomeranians] leads to the Vislanes migrating out of Goran's Kingdom and into the Balkans
Zeugitanan annals mention the Gaetulians by name for the last time; it is assumed that the group fragmented, with some being absorbed into the Garamantes and the others merely becoming disparate Saharan tribes
The Battle of Paraetonium [Mersa Matruh] shifts the balance of power on Ægyptus' western frontier into Theodosius II's favor; however, on the southern front, Theodosius II's advance is halted at the city of Oxyrhynchus [el-Bahnasa]
Slavic migrations have made it very difficult for the Bolgars to hold down the Sclaveni; the Bolgar population begins shifting further and further into Thrace and closer and closer to Constantinople
620:
Syria surprises Ægyptus by invading Cyprus; Theodosius II sends his navy to keep more troops from being transported, but he doesn't have the troops to retake the island
While Marcios had bought off members of the advisory council with land captured from the Visigoths, he's running out of land to distribute, and he finds his sovereign powers being restrained
Visigoths, mostly from the chiefdom of Gallaecia, begin a campaign against the Vasconians [Basques]; King Chindagild proves himself a capable military leader, but he lacks diplomatic tact and often argues with Autonomist leaders
The invasion of Cyprus has put Hypatius-loyal soldiers in Oriens on guard for an invasion from the north, which allows Theodosius II's army to break through the softened defenses at the Battle of Magdolum [Ras el Moyeh]
621:
Conflict breaks out between the powerful Arab tribes and Ali and his supporters, who call themselves mu'min [19]
After Nobatia begins intervention on the side of Theodosius II, Hypatius flees to Cyrenaica, to which Ægyptus responds by effectively abandoning all territory west of Catabathmus Major [As Sallum?]
Marcios reinstates the tried and true strategy of bribing the advisory council with promised territory; this time he is planning expansion to occur in Britannia
622:
Ægyptus sends troops to tame Achaea, but much of the territory has been lost; also, the Syrian troops are expelled from Cyprus, but Theodosius II decides against a war due to the still intermittent revolts near the frontiers
The campaign against the Vasconians [Basques] runs out of steam, with the group retaining control of the more mountainous east
Mu'mins begin emigrating from Makkah [Mecca]; Ali and his closest supporters travel to Yathrib [Medina], but many also travel south to Axum
The Ashinids [20] invade Ostrogothic Armenia, capturing Tigranacerta [near modern Silva]
623:
Noviodunum captures Vadocladia [Badbury Rings], but are defeated outside Sorviodunum [Old Sarum]
The Ashinids capture Artaxata [Artashat] and Maurocastrum [Malazgirt]
Sigibert succeeds Chlothar I as king of Frankia; Wehia (in the south) and Abodritia (in the east) are separated from the kingdom to be ruled by Sigibert's brothers Childeric and Dagobert, respectively [21]
624:
Tardu Chagan, Shahanshah of Persia, reduces Albania to a puppet state; his armies capture Theodosiopolis [Erzurum] but are defeated at the Battle of Samosata [Samsat]
The Visigothic chiefdom of Cartaginensis, the smallest chiefdom, launches a naval expedition [22] against the Mauri and captures the city of Quiza Xenitana [Oran]
A Novioduni army captures Clausentum [Southhampton], but Lunden, whom Marcios assumed would remain neutral (i.e. bribed), invade and defeat the garrison at Ischalis [Ilchester]
Pro- and anti-Iman forces clash at Rabig, with the result being a key mu'min victory
625:
A Novioduni army is destroyed at Venta Belgarum [Winchester], and Marcios is forced to ask for peace as Lunden reaches Moridunum [Seaton]
An ecumenical council is called by Laurentius II, who ironically dies a few weeks before it convenes and is succeeded by Caesarius I; the Second Council of Constantinople main focus is the condemnation of heresy [23], but reconciliation with Constantinople over the Acacian Schism occurs when Constantinople is officially declared second only to Roma in ecclesiastical importance
Cartaginensis captures Siga [Tremesen]
The fall of Trapezus [Trabzon] and the failure of the Ostrogoth's attempt to recapture Amida [Diyarbakir] forces Athaldis to cede most of Armenia ot Tardu Chagan
-------------------
[1] Actually one of the more contentious distinctions between Catholic and Celtic/Insular Christians was the calculation of when to celebrate Easter each year
[2] Theuderic is angry that he has been denied a portion of Frankia for himself, as the kingdom is supposed to be partitioned between all of the sons upon the king's death, but Chlothar found some bogus reason not to allow Theuderic a portion of his kingdom
[3] I.e., if Theuderic gets himself in trouble with the Novioduni, Burgundians, or Goran's kingdom, Chlothar won't help him out
[4] Sigismund, unlike his father, is much less of a puppet for Alemannia and the Papacy
[5] In a way similar to how the Bolgars are currently; not independent but still free to determine internal laws and have their king, so long as he swears fealty to Theodemir II
[6] Which inevitably included attempts to convert more Weihu to Christianity
[7] What does he bribe them with? Yet-to-be captured territory in Gallia Narbonensis and Aquitania
[8] The Chagans of the Tujue were members of the Ashina clan
[9] The capitals of Ostrogothia and Alemannia, respectively
[10] More or less Latin for "beyond the Sarmatici", which is what the Romans called the Eastern Carpathian Mountains
[11] Visigothia still has a strong navy and easily defeated an attempted invasion of the Baleares
[12] This is based on my interpretations of the wiki's article on Old Turkic script
[13] Approximately southern Dalmatia, Epirus, Moesia Superior, and Macedonia
[14] Remember, these are the successors to the Sassanids
[15] Hypatius is very popular amongst the army, and quickly receives support on the frontiers, while Theodosius II is more secure in the Nile Delta; the Ægyptian territory in Europe, on the other hand, is chaotic
[16] No, not the one in Mesopotamia; turns out that there's a Babylon in Egypt as well
[17] These forces would have undoubtedly gone across the Mediterranean to fight for Hypatius had he been victorious in the Battle of Plinthinetes Sinus; who knows how much more of Achaea would have fallen to the Slavs had this occurred
[18] Despite the fact that it was really only the Regnal Visigoths who lost, and they were majority Catholic, but that's just semantics
[19] I originally thought that in spite of butterflies, the terms "Islam" and "muslim" were unavoidable, due to their etymologies; however, "Iman" and "mu'min" appear to be parallels, with the "-m-n" stem meaning "to learn", as opposed to s-l-m, which means "to be whole"
[20] The Tujue successors to the Sassanids, if you remember correctly
[21] Chlothar didn't expect Sigibert to handle sibling rivalry quite as well as he handled his problem with Theuderic
[22] The chiefdom is named after its largest city, Carthago Nova [Cartagena], which possesses one of the best harbors of the Western Mediterranean, and has thus made Cartaginensis more focused on its navy than its army
[23] The council condemned and declared anathema upon supporters of: Origenism, Arianism, Insular Rite Christianity, Miaphysitism, and Monophysitism

625l.png
 
Pro Re Nata

626:
Mierce invades East Englalund, capturing Forum Dianae [Dunstable] and Durolipons [Godmanchester]
Ostrogothia, no longer at war in the east, sends its troops to its European territory, to defend against encroaching Horathi [1]
Ekkehard succeeds Sigismund as King of Italia
Athaldis finally succumbs to wounds sustained fighting against the Ashinids; he is succeeded by Aligern
627:
Marcios survives an assassination attempt; he uses the incident as a reason to continue to ignore the advice of the council of elders (emergency powers and all that)
Mierce is defeated at Camboricum [Cambridge] but captures Iciani [Ickburgh]
The Mu'mins win a resounding victory outside Yathrib [Medina]; Ali and his supporters march to Makkah [Mecca], where they are allowed to enter the city peacefully, and a peace treaty is signed between the pro- and anti-Iman factions
Cartaginensis lands an army at Rusadir [Melilla], but is dismayed to hear that Baetica has also began expanding into Mauretania by invading Metagonitia [roughly OTL Spanish Morocco] at Parietina [Velez], effectively cutting off Cartaginensis from further coastal expansion
628:
Dagobert, dux of Abodritia, begins campaigning against the Danen [Danes] to the north, capturing the border town of Lirimiris [near modern Meldorf]
With the Garamantes creating trouble on the border with Zeugitana, the latter bribes the Iznagen [Sanhaja] to overthrow the former
A Mierce army defeats East Englalund in a battle, wherein the (East Anglii) king is killed, and then goes on to raze the East Anglii capital of Villa Faustini [Thetford]; Mierce annexes the kingdom, appeasing Lunden from intervening with a pittance of territory [2]
Cartaginensis advances inland along the Flumen Mulucha [Moulouya River], capturing Galapha [location unknown] along the way
629:
Ali begins raids into Ghassanid territory to the north; a joint Ghassanid-Ægyptian army is defeated at the Battle of Tabouk [Tabruk]
Dal Riata conquers the Pictish kingdoms of Fotla and Fortriu
A general named Liberius [3] leads a revolt of the nobility in Lutetia [Paris]
Alemannia begins making overtures to Hypatius' kingdom
630:
The nobility take control of Noviodunum [4] [Soissons]; Marcios begins rallying support from Agedincum [Sens]
Members of the families who were on the wrong side of the Ghassanid Civil War (584-589) join the Mu'min cause, with many family patriarchs converting to Iman; Ali captures Petra [Wady Musa]
Childeric, dux of Vehia [5], launches an invasion of the progressively weakening Kingdom of Goran, capturing Quintana [Osterhoven]
Cantware seizes the island of Vectis [Isle of Wight]
631:
King Adarnase I of Iberia conquers Lazica
The Franks seize Lauriacum [Enns]
Novioduni nobles manage to capture the city of Rotomagus [Rouen]
Ali successfully captures Philadelphia [Amman]
The Aestii [Estonians] manage to retake some land from the Suehan [Swedes]
632:
Aligern makes overtures to the Vislanes, employing them as mercenaries against the Sclaveni and Horathi
Marcios is forced to retreat from Agedincum [Sens] and sets up a new base at Alesia [Alise-Sainte-Reine]; nobles also manage to capture the city of Cenabum [Orléans]
The Ghassanid army is completely destroyed not by Mu'min forces, but by Kalbids taking advantage of the situation
The Vehu also invade Goran's Kingdom, annexing part of the territory of the Sabir and vassalizing the Drevlii [Drevlyans]
Mu'min forces manage to defeat an Ægyptian army at Hierosolyma [Jerusalem]; they go on to conquer Gaza but are stopped outside of Caesarea (Palaestina)
633:
With the Franks invading the Danen [Danes], the Danen are pushing further and further north into the territory of the Juten [Jutes]; a continental Jutish king by the name of Aethelbert leads a band of warriors to Caledonia, where they land in the Pictish kingdom of Circinn and set up a kingdom at an old Roman fort [Stracatho], naming it Rascatharach [6]
Despite the defection of much of central western Noviodunum, Marcios focuses his attention on attempting to recapture the capital, or at the very least successfully defending the nearby city of Durocortorum [Reims]
The Mu'mins break out into Idumaea [Edom] and advance to the city of Arsinoe Cleopatris [Suez]; they threaten to continue on unless Ægyptus cedes all occupied territory, to which Theodosius II reluctantly agrees in order to build back up and prepare for a rematch
The death of Ali precipitates a power struggle [7] between Ibn Qays, a leading general and close confidant of Ali, and Abdulfattah, Ali's cousin and closest male relative; Ibn Qays is officially named Ali's successor, but Abdulfattah claims legitimacy with the support of the Banu Khazraj, beginning the First Fitna
Iberia expands into the territory formerly controlled by Abasgia
Supporters of Ibn Qays are victorious at the Battle of Al-Hattar, forcing Abdulfattah to retreat southwards from the Al-Yamama region
634:
Laurentius II succeeds Caesarius I as Catholic Pope
Once again a Suehan [Swedish] king launches a campaign against the Aestii [Estonians]
Novioduni nobility allow Marcios to capture the capital, only to trap him inside with a siege
The Vislanes invade Sclavenia, capturing Arutela [Bivolari]
Abdulfattah finds refuge in Axumite Himyar [8], leading Ibn Qays to invade and capture the city of Najran
Marcios dies in the siege, and is succeeded by his son Gratianus, who is still in his minority; he quickly falls under the sway of the nobles, but Marcios-loyal generals in Britannia and southern Gallia still refuse to yield
635:
The Alemanni invade Achaea in alliance with Hypatius, capturing Crocylium [near modern Krokili]
Abdulfattah is killed in battle at Zafar, prompting Ibn Qays to declare himself the true Miramoulinos [9]; Abdulfattah's young son Muawiyah, however, still lives and is smuggled to Axum by those who still resist Ibn Qays' authority
Lunden invades Novioduni Britannia to take advantage of the situation, capturing Isca [Exeter]
At approximately this time the Ultrasamartici vassalize the Alani
Ostrogothia manages to win a major victory over the Horathi at Bespara [near modern Pazardzhik], while to the north the Vislanes defeat the Sclaveni outside Tiasum [location unknown]
636:
Witteswinth succeeds Chindagild as King of Visigothia and invades Noviodunum, aiming his army straight at the old Visigothic capital of Tolosa [Toulouse]
Ibn Qays carries out a military campaign into Mazun [Oman] and Bahrain [10], meeting conversion resistance from Mazdakis in the former and Nestorians in the latter
Lunden seizes Tamara [Tamerton]
Dagobert, Dux of Abodritia, ceases his campaign into Cimbria [Jutland], having captured about 2/3 of the peninsula
Hortomar succeeds Hariocab as King of Alemannia; the Alemanni advance into Achaea up to Orchomenus
637:
The Mazdaki who do not wish to remain under Mu'min rule, rather than fight back [11], instead exile themselves; their leader, Magundat, takes them by ship to the city of Barygaza [Bharuch] in Ariaca [approximately Gujarat/Maharashtra]
Ægyptus is defeated by Alemannia in a naval battle off of Creta, leaving the western Pelopennesus exposed to naval invasion
Witteswinth is turned back by the Novioduni at Vernasole [Muret], but an Autonomist army manages to capture Narbo [Narbonne]
The Vislanes cross the Danuvius [Danube] and capture Transmarisca [Tutrakan]
Lunden seizes the remainder of Novioduni Britannia
638:
Nobles finally manage to break through into the Royalist rebels' territory, advancing as far as Augustoritum [Limoges]
Ibn Qays begins campaigning against the Kalbids, the final group of Arabs not brought under the Mu'min banner; the Kalbids request the assistance of the Ashinids
Witteswinth manages to capture Tolosa [Toulouse] and advances as far as Aginnum [Agen], while the Autonomists are turned back at Luteva [Lodève]
The Suehan [Swedish] military campaign ends with the capture of all Aestii [Estonian] land north of the Flumen Chesinos [Daugava River?]; the conquest was easier than it could have been, however, as the Aestii had been progressively migrating to the southwest for the past few decades [12]
The Ostrogoths capture Serdica [Sofia] and Dionysopolis [Balchik]
Hortomar is halted at Eleutherae, but an army loyal to Hypatius makes a landing onto Achaea and captures Thuria
639:
Ibn Qays captures al-Hirah [near modern Abu Sukhayr], former Lakhmid capital which has become the current Kalbid capital; the Mu'mins, however, are turned back when they advance upon the former Sassanid capital of Ctesiphon [near modern Al-Mada'in] [13]
The Vislanes capture Tomi [Babba], and the Ostrogoths capture Callatis [Mangalia], effectively returning the Sclaveni to subjugation
As the Visigoths reach Cossium [Bazas], the nobles who have reached Vesunna [Perigueux] negotiate a truce, where the Visigoths agree to only battle the Royalist faction of the Novioduni
Alemannia seizes the islands of Cephallenia [Kefalonia] and Zacynthus [Zakynthos], while Hypatius advances quickly through the Pelopennesus, capturing Mantinea [Goritza]
640:
Witteswinth captures Burdigala [Bourdeaux] and ceases his advances, allowing the Flumen Garumna [Garonne] and tributaries as a naturally defensible border
Ibn Qays achieves a final victory over the Kalbids at Rhescipha [Elersi]; the Mu'mins also win a victory at Teredon [Dorah] against the Ashinids
The Vislanes invade the Horathi when they cross the Danuvius [Danube] and capture Oescus [near modern Corabia]
Hypatius' and Hortomar's armies converge at Crommyon [Kineta]
The Danen [Danes] have pushed the remaining independent Juten [Jutes] out of Cimbria [Jutland], with some chieftains traveling to Rascatharach and others traveling north into Scandia [Scandinavia] [14]
641:
Ibn Qays is victorious over the Ashinids at Perisabora [Anbar], but is mortally wounded in the fighting; his successor as Miramoulinos is his stepson, Fadl
Chlothar II ascends to the throne in Frankia after his father, Sigibert, is assassinated [15]
Nobles capture Divona [Cahors] and quickly captures the rest of the Garumna's [Garonne's] watershed from the Royalists
The Vislanes capture Nicopolis ad Istrum [near modern Nikyup], and Aligern captures Ulpia Pantalia [Kyustendil]
Hypatius dies of old age [16], and is succeeded as pretender to the Ægyptian throne by his son Anthimus, who is cousin to
Theodosius II, the current Basileus of Ægyptus
642:
A Frankish army under Dux Childeric of Vehia invades the region of Maxima Sequanorum [roughly Franche-Comté], taking advantage of the 2nd Novioduni Civil War's shift to the southwest
Fadl manages to smash through the Ashinid army to capture Ctesiphon [near modern Al-Mada'in], razing it to the ground
Sylvester II succeeds Laurentius II as Catholic Pope [17]
Anthimus manages to gain an upper hand in the Aegean Sea, slowly but surely gaining control of the Cyclades
With the Ostrogoths' recapture of Naissus [Niš], Aligern's military campaign against the Horathi is brought to a close
643:
Wary of further Frankish encroachment, the Nobles and the Royalists in Noviodunum agree to an uneasy peace; the southeast is kept free from the influence of nobility by declaring it a realm perpetually under the direct rule of the Rex [King], but the nobility gain the most with the (re)creation of the position of Consul [18] for Liberius, giving him large de jure, rather than just de facto, control over the state (although Gratianus, as Rex, is still "officially" in charge)
Ildidoric II succeeds Aligern as King of Ostrogothia
The Vislanes invade the divided lands of the Langobardi, quickly advancing to Horreum Margi [Morava-Hisar?]
A group of Achaean nobles, displeased with Anthimus' rule for various reasons (pretender to the throne, not allowing enough religious freedom for Catholics, the continued presence of Alemanni garrisons, etc.) rise up in rebellion
Fadl's army advances northeast to take Bagistana [Behistun] while another Mu'min army continues northwards to capture Phalcara [near modern Laqlaq]
644:
With the defeat of the most powerful Langobardi warlord at Viminacium [Widin], the various other Langobardi groups shift allegiance towards their other neighbors: the Rugii, Serbi, and Vehu
Before Fadl can besiege the capital of Ecbatana [Hamadan], Chuluk Chagan (successor to Tardu Chagan) lures his army northwards; to the west, the Mu'mins capture Labbana [Mosul?]
Pope Sylvester II harshly criticizes Hortomar for failing to root out the 'heresy' in Achaea [19]; Ildidoric declares war on Ægyptus, capturing Carpathus [Karpathos] and launching an invasion of Creta
Civil war breaks out in Gwynedd, which eventually escalates into Dyfed and Mierce going to arms over the preferred successor to Gwynedd's throne; the first major battle is a Mierce victory at Uriconium [Wroxeter]
The Aestii [Estonians] clash with the Borussai [Old Prussians] along the Mare Suebicum [Baltic Sea]
645:
At the Battle of Syrnae [Sirna], the Ostrogothic navy engages the Ægyptian navy, and then what it assumes to be Ægyptian reinforcements turn out to be the naval forces of Anthimus; the ensuing confused three-way battle leads to war between the Ostrogoths and the pretender
While a Mu'min army is camped in Singara [Sinjar], the Plague of Ildidoric [Bubonic Plague] rears its ugly head once again, although it's not identified as the same disease for some time; the disease slowly burns its way across the Middle East
Mierce is victorious against Dyfed's army at Bovium [Harthill], but Lunden intervenes on the side of the Britons, defeating the Mierce at Cinnabanta [Kimbolton]
Syrian soldiers once again invade Cyprus
Gratianus, Rex of Noviodunum, reaches his majority and now (technically) assumes royal duties from his regent; the fact that his former regent is still currently Consul leads to the monarch receiving even less political power than the agreement of 643 prescribed
Fadl battles the Ashinids south of Gamarga [Maragheh?]; the Persian forces are mostly destroyed, but Armenian and Albanian reinforcements manage to force the Mu'mins to withdraw
646:
Dyfed is victorious at Mediolanum [Whitchurch]
Achaean rebels manage to capture the Isthmo Corinthus [Isthmus of Corinth]
Ostrogothia captures Naxos and finally manage to secure Creta
Serbi pirates [20] begin raiding the Alemanni's Adriatic coastal holdings; the Alemanni outpost in Narona [Vid] is captured
As Fadl doubles back towards the Persian capital, he captures the fortress at Phraaspa [Takht-e Soleyman?]
647:
Olcinium [Ulcinj] falls to Serbi pirates
Mierce is in retreat as Cambrians [Welsh] advance to Utocetum [Uttoxeter]
Fadl finally succeeds in laying siege to the (primary) Ashinid capital of Ecbatana [Hamadan]
An Ostrogothic army is defeated when it attempts to land on Euboea
Lunden fails to capture Camboricum [Cambridge]
648:
Theodosius II launches a surprise attack on Anthimus' holdings in Cyrenaica [eastern Libya] and besieges the capital of Ptolemais [Tolmeitha]
The besieged city of Ecbatana is relieved when an army from the secondary Ashinid capital of Antiochia Margiana [Merv], augmented by allied troops from the Xueyantuo [Syr-Tardush] and Maitrakas [21], attacks Fadl's position; Fadl is forced to retreat westward
Alemannia finally caves to Papal pressure and declares war on Anthimus; Hortomar leads an invasion of the Pelopennesus from the northwest
A Breton rebellion in Armorica is easily quashed by Noviodunum, but the region is given considerable autonomy [22]
Mierce defeats Dyfed at Pennocrucium [Penkridge], but is defeated by Lunden at Combretonium [Coddenham]
649:
Rascatharach defeats the Pictish kingdoms of Ce and Circind with assistance from Fidach and Fib
Fadl is victorious at Bagistana [Behistun], but casualties from the ongoing plague prompt him to stop campaigning; he manages to negotiate a peace with the Ashinids
The Vehu annex the territory of the Drevlii [Drevlyans] and begin using them as mercenaries against the Rugii and Langobardi on their southern frontier
After Lunden captures the old East Anglii capital of Villa Faustini [Thetford], Mierce cedes a large portion of the former kingdom to Lunden
Ostrogothia manages to capture Euboea; Alemannia advances on Methydrium [Methydrio]
650:
Mierce concedes defeat in the proxy war in Gwynedd, with Dyfed's preferred heir attaining the throne
Anthimus is killed in battle against the Achaean rebels at Lerna; the rebels are eventually convinced to submit to Ostrogothia, preferring their overlordship to that of Alemannia and Ægyptus
Fadl founds the city of Mukhayyim [23] on the Euphrates not far west from the former Sassanid capital of Ctesiphon [near modern Al-Mada'in]; Mukhayyim will become the Mu'min capital
Andronicus succeeds Theodosius II as Basileus of Ægyptus
-------------------
[1] May or may not be based on a historical tribe (Horouathos)
[2] Coastal territory extending up to Camulodunum [Colchester]
[3] Probably not the same one as forty years previous
[4] Capital city, not the whole nation (yet...)
[5] If you haven't guessed, the name is based off of the fact that it is approximately the territory formerly owned by the Vehu
[6] My poor attempt at Germanicizing the Scottish Gaelic name of the place: Srath Catharach
[7] Which is why the Mu'mins stopped at Arsinoe and bluffed their way into achieving a generous peace
[8] Without persistent Sassanid influence, the Axumites were able to regain control over the Yemen region
[9] A Hellenized transliteration of Amir al'Mu'minin (Latinized OTL as Miramolinus), meaning "Commander of the Faithful," another title for the Caliph
[10] A general name for the region that consisted of the Arabian Peninsula's Persian Gulf coast
[11] Mazdakism preaches non-violence and pacifism
[12] With the fall of both halves of the Roman Empire (or both Roman Empires, depending on your perspective), there is a faster trend of migration into Central Europe than OTL
[13] The Ashinids have the main Persian capital in Ecbatana [Hamadan], while maintaining a secondary capital at Antiochia Margiana [Merv]
[14] Specifically the coastline of OTL Oslofjord
[15] ...by someone hired by Chlothar II
[16] Because anyone with youthful vigor might have managed to fend off those assassins...
[17] Sylvester II has a very strong working relationship with King Ekkehard of Italia
[18] Think of the Consul as the Novioduni equivalent of the OTL Franks' Mayor of the Palace; the Consul is officially appointed to the post by the Rex, but the noble families have veto power
[19] The Alemanni have decided to simply use Hypatius, and then Anthimus after him, as de facto puppets, rather than 'actually' heed Laurentius II's 618 call for Catholics to return Achaea to orthodoxy
[20] Covertly supported by the Burgundians
[21] This is a taste (admittedly not that revealing) of what's going on in Asia beyond the Middle East
[22] Armorica will effectively become the personal fiefdom of a key ally of the Consul; thus begins the decentralization of Noviodunum
[23] Arabic for 'camp'; an allusion to the etymology of Arab Egypt's first capital, Fustat

650l.png
 
Malum Discordiae

651:
The future Saint Aedan departs from Scarba and arrives in Eboracum [York], capital of Norsex, and establishes a monastery for the Order of Saint Palladius [1] nearby
With covert Ostrogothic support, Severi raid and capture Anticyra [near modern Anthili], Alemannia's only Aegean port
The Visigothic chief of Lusitania dies without an heir, prompting a small scale civil war between the chiefdoms of Gallaecia, Carpetania, and Baetica for the territory
652:
Boniface III succeeds Sylvester III [2] as Catholic Pope
With Baetica busy squabbling over Lusitania, Cartaginensis takes the opportunity to spread further into Mauri lands, capturing Vopisciana [Sidi Larbi Boujema] and Gilda [near modern Souk el Arba de Sidi-Slimane]
While the Vehu had planned on expanding southward against the Rugii and Serbi, raids by the Pomorzani [Pomeranians] prompt them to shift their Drevlii [Drevlyan] vassal troops back to the northern frontier
653:
Having sufficiently recovered from the recent war with the Ashinids and the Plague of Ildidoric outbreak, Fadl launches an invasion of Syria; before the year is out, Damascus and Palmyra [Tadmor] have fallen
Cartaginensis captures Volubilis [Gualili] before besieging Lixus [near modern Larache] on the coast of the Oceanus Atlanticus
Godefried II succeeds Ekkehard as king of Italia, after the latter is assassinated
654:
Baetica invades Cartaginensis to halt its expansion in Mauretania; now all of the Autonomist chieftains are engaged in civil war
Leuthari II succeeds Hortomar as king of Alemannia, after the latter is assassinated
Fadl seizes Caesarea Philippi [Baniyas] and Apamea [Kalaat el Medyk]
655:
Rugii raiders seize Clambetae [Cvijina Gradina] from Italia
Mu'min armies win a major naval victory against Syria off of Sidon [Saïda]; Fadl's capture of Antioch [Antakya] prompts Ostrogothia's entry into the war
An army of Axumites invades the Himyar region of Umvahida [3]; Muawiyah has come to claim the position of Miramoulinos for himself, thus beginning the Second Fitna
656:
Fadl heads south to confront Muawiyah, leaving the Syrian campaign in the capable hands of his head general (and nephew) Zubair; Zubair's first battle in Fadl's absence is an indecisive battle against a combined Syrian-Ostrogothic force at Cyrrhus [near modern Kilis]
A group of Palladians track down and execute some Catholics suspected of murdering Insular Christians in Norsex; unfortunately, the Catholics were discovered and executed in Olicana [Ilkley], which is within Lindissi
A major feud breaks out between the noble families in Noviodunum over who shall become the next Consul [4]; all of the candidates Gratianus puts forth are vetoed
Fadl's army defeats Muawiyah's in a battle near Najran
657:
Lindissi declares war on Norsex with Mierce's backing after Norsex refuses to punish the Palladians; Lindissi defeats Norsex in the Battle of Legeolium [Castleford]
Zubair inflicts a major defeat on the Syrians and Ostrogoths at the Battle of Pindenissus [Kozan?]; to the south, Muawiyah defeats Fadl near Timna [Beihan]
Sylvester IV succeeds Boniface III as Catholic Pope; a rival candidate to the Holy See becomes antipope Pelagius II
Witteswinth calls the various Visigothic chieftains together in Toletum [Toledo] where he threatens to intervene unless the Autonomists can come to an agreement [5]; the possibility of the Regnal army, far larger than any one of the chieftain's, becoming a factor in the ongoing civil war causes most of the chieftains to at least attempt to negotiate a truce, but Baetica continues on the offensive against Cartaginensis
658:
Fadl defeats an army of Muawiyah's supporters at the Battle of Zafar [near modern Yarim]; further north, Zubair's victory at Caesarea Anazarbus [Anzarba] sees the destruction of most of Syria's military
Norsex smashes through Lindissi's army to capture the city of Danum [Doncaster]
In light of Baetica's continued belligerence, Witteswinth throws his armies behind those of Cartaginensis; he strong arms Carpetania and Gallaecia into doing the same
Sylvester IV makes a startling claim: his predecessors, Sylvester III and Boniface III, were both assassinated by agents working for the Alemanni; he follows this up by excommunicating Leuthari II and various top Alemanni officials
659:
Leuthari II vehemently denies the allegations against him and makes the counter-allegation that Sylvester IV himself was the one who had Boniface III assassinated [6]; he further declares his support for Pelagius II as the legitimate Catholic Pope
After seeing its military soundly defeated, Baetica is forced to accept Witteswinth's harsh terms; Cartaginensis is awarded the throne of Lusitania, and as compensation Carpetania receives territory from northern Baetica and Gallaecia gets the northern slice of Lusitania [7]
Norsex is unable to capitalize on its victory at Segelocum [Littleborough] after Mierce wins a resounding victory at Cambodunum [Almondbury]
Zubair's advance is halted at Archelais [Akserai], but in Himyar Fadl is once again victorious at the Battle of Shabwa
660:
Fadl pushes Muawiyah's army into retreat across the sea after the Battle of Qana [Al Mukalla]; Muawiyah returns to Axum bitter and defeated
Norsex defeats Mierce at Burgodunum [Adel]
In the simmering aftermath of the Second Visigothic Civil War, Witteswinth manages to convince the four autonomous chieftains to meet annually in Toletum [Toledo] to iron out their grievances, thus formalizing the Consilium Toleti [8]
Zubair is besieged within the city of Tyana [Kemerhisar] by the Ostrogoths, but Fadl returns to the northern battlefront just in time to relieve him
661:
After Alemannia refuses to abandon its adherence to antipope Pelagius II, who has set up administration in Neapolis [Naples], Italia launches an invasion to remove him; Leuthari II has prepared for this eventuality and successfully defends Capua
Norsex defeats Lindissi near Ad Abum [Winterton] and engages in a tactical draw with Mierce at the Battle of Legeolium [Castleford]
With Fadl back on the northern front, the Umvahidans [9] retake the offensive against Ostrogothia, defeating them in the Battles of Saccasena [Süksün] and Laranda [Karaman]
662:
Fadl defeats an Ostrogothic army near Philomelion [Aksehir], while to the east Zubair captures the city of Aspona [near modern Kaman]
Godefrid II is victorious at the Battle of Asculum [Ascoli]
Ostrogothic requests for military assistance from the Vislanes are rebuffed, as the latter are too busy dealing with attempted encroachment by the Ultrasamartici and other steppes peoples being pushed westward [10]
With the capture of Lindum [Lincoln], Norsex effectively conquers Lindissi; Mierce remains a tougher nut to crack, however, when it successfully defends Ad Fines [Templeborough]
663:
The Itali defeat an Alemanni fleet off of the coast of Aenaria [Ischia], while on land they successfully capture the city of Beneventum [Benevento]
The two prongs of the Umvahidan army converge at Dorylaion [Eskisehir]
A sizable group of Iznagen raiders sack the frontier city of Tubunae [Tobna] in Zeugitana
Norsex and Mierce finally make peace, effectively dividing the former kingdom of Lindissi between them
664:
The Severi raid and seize the Alemanni city of Dodona [near Delvinaki] in Epirus
Umvahida's advance in Anatolia is turned back at the Battle of Agrilium [Vezirhan], which witnesses the deaths of both King Ildidoric II of the Ostrogoths and Miramoulinos Fadl of the Umvahidans; they will be succeeded by Videion and Zubair respectively
Usinaza [Saneg] is sacked by the Iznagen
Leuthari II successfully defends Neapolis [Napoli] from attack, but Pelagius II flees for the relative safety of Tarentum [Taranto]
665:
In response to the recent Iznagen raids, Zeugitana captures the city of Tacape [Gabès]
Ostrogothia and Umvahida sign the Peace of Kotiaion [Kütahya], ceding all of mainland Syria [11] and a large chunk of central Anatolia to Umvahida
The Alemanni defeat an Itali attempt to seize Venusia [Venosa]
A Gallic noble family attempting to gain Gratianus' favor builds up a personal army and invades Vehia, namely the territory seized by the Franks a generation prior; the army advances up to Larga [Largitzen] before finding its advance halted
666:
The aged Witteswinth, the man who reestablished regnal dominance in Visigothia, dies; he is succeeded by Recceric
The Itali capture Neapolis [Naples] and Silvium [Gravina in Puglia]
The Franks crush the novice noble Novioduni army at Loposagum [Luxiol]
The Severi capture the Alemanni city of Cestria [Philates]
667:
A new Novioduni army [12] assembles and pushes the Franks back to Epamanduodurum [Mandeure]; unfortunately, the forces of Frankia proper, led by new King Chilperic, descend upon the north of the Novioduni state, capturing Durocortorum [Reims]
As Itali forces encroach upon Tarentum [Taranto], antipope Pelagius II once again flees, this time to Thurii [Corigliano Calabro]
Serbi pirates seize Dyrrhachium [Durrës]
The Vislanes finally manage to push back against the encroaching Ultrasamartici [13] only to face the onslaught of a Vehu campaign to conquer the Pannonian Basin
668:
The Itali army's advance down the western coast of Alemannia is halted at Vellia [Ascea], but in the interior of the kingdom Godefried II successfully take the crossroads city of Grumentum [Saponara]
Ostrogothia joins the war against Alemannia, quickly capturing the remainder of the Pelopennesus
Enraged by Ashinid attempts to enforce tolerance of Zoroastrian and Tengrism, the Mamikonians of Armenia rebel [14]
The southern Novioduni armies rush north to defend against Chilperic's unopposed Frankish army, capturing the Frankish city of Tullum [Toul] along the way; the two armies fight to a standstill at Ariola [Montgarni]
669:
Pelagius II once again flees as the Itali troops march advances southwards to capture Heraclea [Policoro] and Muranum [Casto Vellari]; this time, he flees to Sicily and sets up court in Messana [Messina]
Frankish troops move to besiege Noviodunum's eponymous capital [Soissons], repulsing an Gallic attempts to break the siege
The Mamikonian revolt spreads, and the Ashinids only put minimal effort into suppressing it
670:
King Leuthari II of Alemannia is defeated and taken prisoner in the Battle of Mamertium [Oppido]
Ostrogothia captures the island of Zacynthus [Zante]
The Ashinids continue to put forth paltry efforts at suppressing the Armenian revolt; by now, Zubair is certain that Ashinid forces are diverted elsewhere [15] and prepares his forces
As the siege of Noviodunum continues, Frankish troops from Vehia capture Sidolocum [Saulieu]
Zeugitana captures the island of Cossyra [Pantelleria]
671:
Alemannia pays the hefty ransom for their king's return on the condition that they turn over antipope Pelagius II; the latter dies on his transferal to Italia [16], but his corpse is still put on trial in Rome and sentenced to death [17]
Zubair launches his invasion of Persia; Ecbatana [Hamadan], which gave the Umvahidans so much trouble during the last war against the Ashinids, falls before the end of the year
Ostrogothia captures Cephallenia [Kefalonia] before making peace with Alemannia; Zeugitana also waits until after capturing Melita [Malta] before proposing an olive branch
Adding to the humiliation of his capture, Leuthari is forced to accept Italia's annexation of all the territory that they currently occupied; Alemannia is only left with Sicilia, the southern half of Bruttium [roughly modern Calabria], and the parts of Epirus not captured by Slavic tribes
Despite a Gallic push that successfully captured Basilia [Baconnes?], the Franks succeed in their siege of Noviodunum; to the south, Vehian Franks are defeated at the Battle of Augustobona [Troyes]
672:
The Vehian Frankish army is routed at Bandritum [Bassou], but the diversion of Gallic troops southward allows the Franks under Chilperic to utterly destroy a Gallic army at the Second Battle of Catalaunum [Chalons] [18]; Gratianus dies in the fighting and is succeeded by his son Sollius
The Ostrogoths are surprised when Armenians within their own territory rise up in allegiance with the Mamikonians over in Ashinid territory
Zubair advances into Persia as far as Rhagae [Rey]
The Morduinos [Mordvins] have supplanted the Ultrasamartici on the northeastern border of the Vislanes
673:
Distracted by a southward migration of Vislanes, Ostrogothia is unable to completely stamp out the Armenian rebellion on its eastern frontier
Zeugitana loses control of its western territories beyond Tipasa [Damus] due to an ongoing Iznagen campaign
The Battle of Lutetia [Paris] is a draw between the Franks and the Novioduni
An Umvahidan army is defeated near Persepolis, but another successfully captures Hecatompylos [Sahr-e Qumis]
The Vehu complete their consolidation of the Pannonian Basin
674:
The king of Cantware dies and his successor is none other than the King of Lunden; a few nobles revolt in protest at the merging of the kingdoms, but they are quickly defeated [19]
By capturing Gazaca [near modern Laylan], Zubair effectively establishes control over Atropatene
Videion finally manages to put down the major Armenian revolts in eastern Ostrogothia, but raids from over the border with the Ashinids continues
The arrival of a new Frankish army in the south, capturing Aballo [Avalon] no less, prompts the Novioduni to begin negotiating peace with the Franks; the Flumen Sequana [Seine River] becomes a major portion of the new boundary between the two kingdoms
Vacianius II succeeds Sylvester IV as Catholic Pope
675:
The Ashinids finally manage to bring the bulk of their army to bear on the Umvahidans, but the result is simply a stalemate near Pasargadae [near modern Sivand]; both sides fear the battle was a strategic loss, and a peace treaty is signed
Armenia once again achieves independence; the nation quickly establishes ties with Iberia and Albania
Andronicus, Basileus of Aigyptos, is shocked to hear reports that the King of Axum has converted to Iman [20]; it turns out that Muawiyah's Mu'min faction has been busy during its exile from Arabia
Sollius organizes the region bordering Frankia into two marginum [21], each providing considerable autonomy to a Gallic royal family; while these families think that they've taken advantage of a malleable king, Sollius knows that these families will fight the hardest during any future wars against the Franks in order to protect their holdings
-------------------
[1] See the events of 596 A.D.
[2] Incorrectly numbered Sylvester II in earlier updates; this has been rectified in the master copy
[3] A rough Latinization of Ummah Wahida, Arabic for 'One Community', referring to Fadl's Mu'min state
[4] Or, rather, which family will benefit from having one of its members ascend to the position of Consul
[5] Witteswinth is afraid that a noble family in Noviodunum will try to gain Gratianus' favor by launching a successful war against a divided Visigothia
[6] A true accusation I might add (as omniscient narrator), but Leuthari II is conveniently leaving out the part where Alemannia WAS, in fact, behind the death of Sylvester III
[7] Baetica gets the chance to not be (turned into) the next Lusitania
[8] Which has informally met on and off since 582 and was (anachronistically) first mentioned by this name in the update covering 595, except now the name has been updated to proper Latin declension (genitive 'Toleti' instead of nominative 'Toletum')
[9] Due to the appearance of another Mu'min faction under the leadership of Muawiyah, the forces of Fadl and Zubair will now be referred to as Umvahidans
[10] The Ultrasamartici are being pushed out of their more easterly holdings by the southward migration of a newly ascendant force on the steppes: the Morduinos [Mordvins]
[11] Thus leaving them only in charge of Cyprus
[12] Once again, this army is assembled by a Gallic royal family
[13] Mostly because the Morduinos [Mordvins] have already defeated most of the armed forces of the western Ultrasamartici
[14] Ironically, the Mamikonians are supported by both Ostrogothia (who wants to try to get a better hold of Anatolia and potentially surround the Umvahidans) and Umvahida (who prefer Armenians, as followers of the book, to the Tengrist/Zoroastrian Ashinids, and who want to weaken the Ashinids in preparation for another invasion)
[15] While I won't follow the conflicts in detail as they're outside the scope of the TL, currently the Ashinids are repaying their debts to the Xueyantuo [Syr-Tardush] and Maitrakas by aiding them in wars against the Tuyuhun and Pratiharas respectively; unfortunately, these wars are occurring simultaneously, and the Tuyuhun and Pratiharas have brought in Tufan and the Maukharis as allies to make things very difficult for the Ashinids
[16] The constant fleeing, plus the incessant stress of being hunted down by an entire army, did not lend itself too kindly to Pelagius II's health
[17] To be pedantic, it was a post-mortem decapitation, but the sentence called for an execution regardless
[18] Readers will hopefully remember the significance of the first battle with this name; if not, look at the timeline's name and see if you remember now
[19] Those who manage to escape, rather than swear allegiance to the new king or be put to death, flee to Rascatharach
[20] That's TTL's term for Islam, if you didn't remember
[21] In singular, marginis, Latin for 'of the border'; derived from the same PIE root as OTL's term 'marche'

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Gutta Cavat Lapidem

676:
Iznagen raiders raze the Zeugitanan city of Rusuccuru [Dellys]
Hortomar II succeeds Leuthari II as king of Alemannia after the latter is assassinated
Despite the protests of some clerics, Zubair insists that Buddhists and Zoroastrians be considered dhimmi in Umvahida [1]
677:
Ostrogothia begins forcibly moving Horathi settlers into its Armenian territories in an effort to clamp down on the periodic uprisings and raids that are still occurring in the region
An elaborate ceremony takes place in Frankia proper's capital of Agrippina (formerly Colonia Agrippina) [Cologne]; therein, King Chilperic converts to Christianity
678:
The Rugii raid and then seize control of the Itali city of Tarsaticum [Rijeka]; pirate activity begins increasing up and down the Mare Hadriaticum [Adriatic Sea]
Iznagens advance as far eastward into Zeugitana as Sitifis [Sitifi]
679:
King Michael III of Turkbudun [2] makes a pilgrimage to Roma
Basileus of Aigyptos Andronicus dies; being predeceased by all of his sons, his grandson of six years ascends to the throne as Phillippos with the Strategos [3] Theodoros acting as regent
680:
Rascatharach conquers the Pictish kingdom of Fib
Zeugitanan attempts to counteract Iznagen raids pay off via diplomatic duplicity, dividing the dominant tribe thereof into two factions; each of the two [4] attempts to garner Zeugitanan support against the other
Chilperic manages to strongarm the Dux of Vehia, his first cousin once removed [5], into also converting to Christianity
681:
An object known as the Keramidion [6], supposedly featuring a face of Jesus miraculously transferred from the Holy Mandylion, turns up at a monastery in Umvahidan-controlled Anatolia; the icon is brought to Antioch [Antakya], the former home of the Holy Mandylion [7]
Turkbudun launches a military campaign to its south against the Rugii
682:
Conflict breaks out in Antioch between Miaphysites and Catholics over whose rite should possess the Keramidion; inter-rite Christian conflict soon spreads throughout the region
The Pictish kingdom of Fidach fends off an invasion from Rascatharach
Iznagen raids into Visigothic Mauretania prompt Cartaginensis to negotiate with the Dihyids; in exchange for having guaranteed support in a potential war against Zeugitana, the Dihyids will cease raids into Visigothic territory and serve as mercenaries for Cartaginensis
683:
The Dux of Abodritia obstinately refuses Chilperic's entreaties to convert to Christianity
Riots tear through Hierosolyma [Jerusalem], with Miaphysites managing to assassinate the city's newly-appointed Catholic patriarch [8]
Gundicar II succeeds Godefried II as king of Italia
Rugii raiders manage to take control over the major port of Pula
684:
Sixtus IV succeeds Vacianius II as Catholic Pope
This year's Consilium Toleti is dominated by the issue of Iznagen mercenaries; the Regnal faction's attempt to be able to use Dihyids in their own forces in the event of war against Noviodunum is caught up in the question of whether or not Cartaginensis should try to convert the Iznagen to Arianism [9]
Aigyptos launches an invasion of the Syrian remnant in Cyprus
685:
Chindagild II succeeds Recceric as king of Visigothia after the latter is assassinated
Zubair's death precipitates a succession crisis in Umvahida when clerics worry that Zubair's designated successor (and son) Hasan ibn Zubair will continue his controversial policies [10]; they thus support Zayn, a general who was a close confidant of Zubair yet disagreed with his policies, as the legitimate Miramoulinos
In response to drastically increased Rugii pirating, the area around the lagoon at the northern end of the Mare Hadriaticum [Adriatic Sea] is granted autonomy; the settlers of the lagoon [11] choose a dux to rule from Heraclea [Eraclea]
686:
The geographic positioning of the Third Fitna solidifies, with Umvahida's northern portions mostly devoted to Hasan ibn Zubair and the south aligned with Zayn [12]; these two factions will retroactively be assigned the appellations Zubairids and Kharijites respectively
King Chilperic of Frankia launches an invasion of Abodritia after the Dux's continued intransigence in converting to Christianity; his army quickly captures the ducal capital of Pheugarum [Halberstadt]
The first major battle of the Third Fitna takes place at near Gindarus [Jendires] as Zubairid forces try to march on Antioch [Antakya]; the Kharijite army is defeated and retreats to Antioch in order to prepare for the coming siege
687:
Regnal-Autonomist tensions finally escalate into warfare; a united Autonomist force [13] quickly seizes Egelesta [Yniesta]
While Hasan is busy attempting to take Antioch, Zayn leads an army north through eastern Arabia in an effort to take the Umvahidan capital of Mukhayyim; the Battle of al-Hirah [near modern Abu Sukhayr] sees the Kharijites' advance halted before the Flumen Euphrates
King Videion of the Ostrogoths launches an opportunistic invasion of Umvahida to reclaim their lost territory; the Ostrogoths win a major victory against a Zubairid army at Prymnessos [Afiom Carahissar]
688:
Ostrogoths and Umvahidans clash again at Soatra [near modern Souverek?], again resulting in an Ostrogothic victory
Chilperic defeats the Dux of Abodritia at Leuphana [Lüneburg] and takes him prisoner; a southern portion of Abodritia is ceded to loyal (and acquiescent) Vehia, with the remainder annexed into Frankia proper
An Autonomist campaign marching out of Gallaecia is halted by Regnals at Gracurris [Agreda]; further south a force mostly from Cartaginensis, and bolstered by Iznagen mercenaries, defeats a Regnal army at Saguntum [Morviedro]
Zubairids and Kharijites fight an inconclusive battle at Tyba [Taiba]
Ostrogothic Armenia rises up in revolt once again, and the Kingdom of Armenia intervenes; by the end of the year, Melitene [Malatya] has been captured
689:
Antioch finally falls, and Hasan devotes most of his forces north against the Ostrogoths
Alemannia seizes the city of Nicopolis [Preveza] from the Severi
Regnals push Autonomist forces in the north back into Gallaecia before running out of steam near Tritium [Najera]
An outbreak of plague occurs at a Palladian monastery in Norsex's capital of Eboracum [York] and soon spreads; both the future Saint Aedan [14] and the king of Norsex are killed in the epidemic
A Mu'min army captures Apamea Cibotus [Deenare] while, to the east, Armenians take Zimara [Atlintas]
690:
While Chindagild II has managed to stall Autonomist forces operating out of Gallaecia and Cartaginensis, a third army marching from Carpetania manages to break through the middle and capture Caesaraugusta [Zaragoza]
The defeat of a major Ostrogothic army at Laodokeia [Laodikya] opens the way for Umvahidan forces to march towards Ephesos
Plague spreads south into Mierce and Lunden, leading to a succession crisis in the former
Amidst growing domestic unrest, Videion issues decrees against Jews and other non-Catholic groups [15] in the hopes of painting them as scapegoats responsible for Ostrogothia's military failings
Zayn's attempts to campaign northwards are redirected when news arrives that Aigyptos has captured Aelana [Aqaba]
691:
Caesarius II succeeds Sixtus IV as Catholic Pope
Hasan quickly captures the city of Ephesos, only to lose the city later that year due to the arrival of the Ostrogothic navy
While a Regnal force manages to stall Autonomists at Ildum [Salsadella?], chaos in the north leads to the northern and central Autonomist armies converging at Cascantum [Cascante]
Plague spreads from Britannia to Frankia and Noviodunum and then throughout the rest of Europa
An Aigyptian army defeats Zayn at Eboda [near modern Ezuz?], opening the way for an invasion of Palaestina
692:
Chindagild II successfully retakes Caesaraugusta [Zaragoza], but fails to advance much farther [16]
Umvahidans successfully repulse an advance on Petra [Wady Musa]
This year's Consilium Toleti functions as a peace conference between the warring Visigothic factions; in addition to permitting the conversion of Iznagen mercenaries to Arianism, Chindagild II must cede part of Regnal territory to Cartaginensis, Carpetania, and Gallaecia
The Umvahidans besiege Ephesos once again after fending off an Ostrogothic assault on Magnesia [Inek-Bazar]; this time the city is able to hold against the siege due to constant resupply from the sea
693:
Supply to Ephesos is strangled when Slavic mercenaries in Ostrogothia's navy [17] realize that forcing Constantinople to pay for food getting in to port is more lucrative than what they were previously being paid; getting a share of the loot once Hasan entered (and ransacked) the city probably helped the decision as well
Dagobert III succeeds Chilperic as king of Frankia after the latter dies of plague
A confused battle takes place in Hebron [al-Khalil] between the armies of Aigyptos and the Kharijites, with Miaphysite, Catholic, Jewish, and pro-Zubairid militias taking part in the fray as well which leads to a tactical draw [18]
Boniface IV succeeds Caesarius II as Catholic Pope after the latter dies of plague
694:
John succeeds Boniface IV as Catholic Pope after the latter dies of plague
Hasan advances up the Ionian coast, eventually crossing over the Hellespontos [Dardanelles] by capturing Sestos
In the midst of Umvahida's chaos, an ongoing Maronite revolt manages to gain control of several important population centers in Phoenicia
Zayn fights another inconclusive battle against Aigyptos at Elusa [El Khulasa]
Laurentius IV succeeds John as Catholic Pope after the latter dies of plague
695:
Videion barely manages to quell a rebellion in Constantinople led by a disgraced general, which along with a stalemate against the Umvahidans at Apros [Kestridje?] convinces him to go to the negotiating table
Turkbudun begins sending missionaries north beyond the Carpates [Western Carpathians], finding their first converts among the Teveri [Tivertsi] [19]
An Aigyptian counterattack at Beersheba [Be'er Sheva] results in the death of Zayn; he is replaced as head of the Kharijites by his brother Yazid
Chindagild II promulgates the Lex Visigothorum as an attempt to unify the legal codes of the Autonomist and Regnal parts of the kingdom; among other things it guarantees protections for Arians in Regnal territory and Catholics in Autonomist territory [20]
696:
Extended negotiations between Umvahida and Ostrogothia finally end after Videion receives word that many Volheni have allied with Hasan; completely unprepared for invasions from the northwestern frontier, Videion agrees to an uti possedetis peace which not only cedes territory to Umvahida but also recognizes land caught up in the Armenian rebellion
Fidelius II succeeds Laurentius IV as Catholic Pope after the latter dies of plague (officially) [21]
Yazid defeats the Aigyptians at the Battle of Raphia [Rafah]
697:
Vithibaud II succeeds Hortomar II as king of Alemannia
Zubairid armies finally return to the offense against the Kharijites, winning a major victory at the Battle of Iabruda [Yabrud]
An attempted invasion of Cyprus by Kharijites fails due to the presence of a large Aigyptian navy
Future Saint (of the Insular rite) Loingsech of Scarba promulgates the Cáin Loingseigh [22] at the Synod of Birr to various religious and secular authorities of the region; the law concerns protecting innocents (e.g., women, children, clerics) during wartime and made certain stipulations for the role of the Order of Saint Palladius in the protection of said non-combatants
698:
The First Council of Rome begins, the first ecumenical council held in the west; the council deals with regulating discipline for various heresies and generally suspect religious practices [23] and also elevates Carthage and Lugdunum [Lyon] to patriarchates
Hasan starts building up the ancient port city of Teos [24] to begin a major naval expansion, considering that most Mu'min ports are still under Kharijite control (and currently engaged against the Aigyptians)
The Kharijites begin to find themselves caught between the Zubairids and the Aigyptians; they are defeated to the north at Bostra [Ma Sherik Hauran] and Yazid is defeated in the south at the Battle of Anthedon
699:
Yazid himself is captured at the Battle of Philadelphia [Amman]; he is forced to accede to Hasan's position as Miramoulinos but manages to attain a position as governor of Palaestina [25]
Without a Dux of Abodritia watching over Frankia's eastern frontiers, the Pomorzani begin encroaching upon territory up to (and in some cases even beyond) the Albis [Elbe]
After Armenian intransigence at Umvahidan demands for tolerance of Iman within the kingdom [26], Hasan supports a coup which replaces the Mamikonian dynasty with a more pliable king from the Artsruni family
700:
Hasan has difficulty pushing the Aigyptians out of Palaestina even with the formerly-Kharijite armies ostensibly loyal to him; he finally agrees to cede a pittance of territory to Aigyptos in exchange for peace [27]
Gundicar II begins political maneuvering to limit the power of the new patriarchs of Carthage and Lugdunum; Godegisel succeeds Gundicar II as king of Italia
Among Yazid's major first acts as governor of Palaestina is to take guardianship of the Keramidion and house it in Hierosolyma [Jerusalem]; this starts an Umvahidan tradition of taking custody of Christian relics in Mu'min territory so as to avoid any inter-rite strife over their proper ownership
By this year, the Suehan have lost most of their territory beyond the coast of the Mare Suebicum [Baltic Sea], but they have expanded said coastal holdings southwards in order to gain access to the upper reaches of the profitable Via Sucinaria [Amber Road]
-------------------
[1] Dhimmi are essentially those non-Muslims who are afforded more legal protections and rights than other non-Muslims; even IOTL, Zoroastrians were given this status due to the sheer number of them living in the newly-Muslim-ruled Persia, despite them not being People of the Book (viz., Christians, Jews, and Sabians)
[2] Old Turkic for 'Turkic nation'; if anyone has a better idea for what the Vehu would call their country, I'm all ears
[3] Instead of the Latin term 'Magister Militum', Aigyptos now uses the more Greek 'Strategos' for the realm's head general
[4] The Akselids and the Dihyids, based in the southeast and northwest of Iznagen territory respectively
[5] More specifically, the son and successor to Chilperic's great-uncle Childeric (who had become Dux of the newly-created Vehia back in 623)
[6] This 'holy tile' is based on an OTL Christian relic (also called the Ancha Icon)
[7] See the events of 539
[8] See the events of 477 to see why Miaphysites might be specifically opposed to someone in this position
[9] Yep, Arianism is still around, mostly as a way for Autonomists to assert independence from the Catholic king
[10] Namely the recognition of Zoroastrians and Buddhists as Dhimmi and the ongoing inter-rite violence amongst Christians in the Levant
[11] Without OTL's ongoing conflict between Lombards and Byzantines, the region around Venice has not seen quite as much settlement ITTL (partially, but not fully, compensated by the Vehu invasion), but the naval raids by Rugii pirates have prompted the issue nevertheless
[12] Umvahidan Persia is pro-Hasan due to its large Buddhist and Zoroastrian population, while Umvahidan Anatolia is full of veterans who served under Hasan's father; Mu'mins of the Levant, dealing with large-scale conflict between Miaphysites and Catholics, feel compelled to support the stricter Zayn
[13] Past Visigothic kings saw the Consilium Toleti as a means of consolidating the various chieftains, so that they could more easily managed; unfortunately, it provides a handy forum for the Autonomists to coordinate military campaigns against the king
[14] See the events of 651
[15] Parallels in this regard should be drawn between TTL's Ostrogoths and OTL's Visigoths
[16] Plague is starting to take its toll on Visigothic armies, especially when besieged cities are involved
[17] Euphemism for former pirates now on official payroll
[18] It might be more accurate to say that the Aigyptian and Kharijite armies both actually LOST, while the various battered militias were in no condition to actually WIN anything
[19] The alt-Tivertsi last got mentioned in 616 and then I plum forgot about them
[20] A valid concern for the king after many Catholic subjects of his are now living under Arian chieftains; he made sure to consult said chieftains before finalizing said law all recent events considered
[21] Actually assassinated
[22] This SHOULD translate into Loingsech's Law, assuming that 1) I understood the Wikipedia article on Irish declension and 2) this particular rule of declension hasn't changed in over a dozen centuries (in other words, if someone could correct me, please do so)
[23] Similar to the Quinisext council of OTL, but without the blatant pro-eastern bias
[24] Teos was a formerly prosperous port, and building it up again is an intentional measure to prevent the recovery of Ephesos
[25] Yazid gets off easy because his forces are needed to properly fight off the Aigyptians in the morass that Palaestina has become, which also means being governor will be no easy task
[26] See events of 668
[27] Factors in this decision also include simmering discontent in recently-occupied Anatolian territory (affecting the Umhavidans) and an explosion of piracy in the Aegean (affecting both parties, as it begins to spread to the eastern Mediterranean)

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