This is a heavily revised addition of my early TL Holy Roman Emperor Justinian III and his Crusades. And by heavily revised I mean that it has the same POD, and some early similarities, but will get very different very fast. And so I give you:
Part 1: The reign of Leo IV and the Rise of Justinian III
June 18, 780- Roman Emperor Leo IV barely manages to fight off a vicious fever, which had come close to killing him. His wife convinces him that his miraculous recovery was a case of divine intervention. He is led to believe that his illness was brought on by his persecution of the Iconodules, and that his recent survival was given as a chance for him to mend his ways. Taking his wife’s advice, Leo begins to restore the use of Images across the Empire.
May, 781- An Arab raiding force breaks into Anatolia, however Leo, moving with surprising speed manages to stop much real damage from being done.
June 15, 781- Irene bears Leo a second son and names him Justinian.
July, 781- Leo hosts ambassadors from the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mahdi, relations between the two nations become more cordial during the coming years.
782-786- Leo moves troops to Sicily and begins using the Island as a launching pad for raids into southern Italy. By the end of these Campaigns, Benevento is forced to except the role of a Vassal state.
February 1, 786- Al-Hadi is crowned as the Abbasid Caliph, he is a weaker ruler than his father, and is heavily influenced by his advisors. He is convinced that it would be a good idea to strike at the Romans as soon as possible.
April, 786- Caesarea and Iconium are sacked by Arab raiders. By the time that Leo returns to Anatolia, the raiders are long gone.
June, 786- Infuriated by the raids in Anatolia, Leo attempts a campaign against the Abbasids, the target is Adana.
June 23, 786- Leo is ambushed near Tarsus. The army is routed and driven back to Caesarea; subsequent fighting drives the army back to Iconium.
April, 787- News reaches Leo that a major Bulgar uprising has taken place and that much of Thrace and Macedonia have been laid waste. A hasty and unfavourable peace agreement is made with the Abbasids, and Leo races back to the Balkans to try and sort things out.
June, 787- Although he is able to drive back the Bulgars, Leo looses several major battles. He blames the loses, as well as the loss of Caesarea, on his Iconophyle faith, and begins to move back to Iconoclasm.
787-790- Leo is able to win significant victories over the Bulgars, eventually forcing them to pay tribute. He continues to put much store in Iconoclasm, and reinstitutes it across the empire.
790- Leo discovers a plot made by his wife to overthrow Leo in the name of Iconoduolism. Leo had considered executing her, but instead simply banishes her. He is enraged to discover that she has taken his son Justinian with her. The Pope, who hopes that he might be able to make good use of the situation, gives her refuge.
793-799- Leo raises a substantial army in order to campaign in eastern Anatolia. He wins several major battles and manages to retake Caesarea, and even all of Cilicia, and secures a much more favourable peace agreement with the Caliphate. He begins making plans for campaigning in Italy.
799- Leo takes his veteran army (numbering approximately 60,000 men) as well as a large war chest and the Imperial fleet, to Italy, where he announces formal annexation of Benevento. After crushing some minor revolts in the area, Leo moves against the Duchy of Spoleto. By winter, all of southern Italy is under Roman occupation. His next target is Umbria. Taking this region divides the Papal states in two. He encounters substantial resistance among the peasantry. As an example, he burns Narnia, and several other Umbrian cities to the ground. Constantine had hoped to begin taking territory in Latium, but the revolts make it impossible. He instead decides to consolidate power in Umbria, and assault Latium next year.
Autumn 799- Charles of the Franks begins mobilising an army for the purposes of retaking Spoleto, which had been a Frankish fief, and halting the destruction of Papal territory.
Spring 800- Leo invades Latium, but encounters even more resistance than he did in Umbria. Many of the now-homeless Umbrian peasants have grouped themselves into a militia force under the command of the Charismatic leader Jerome of Narnia. They soon become known as the Narnian army. Other soldiers already in Italy make attacks on Constantin's holdings in Umbria, making it necessary for him to divide his forces. The Pope request that Jerome move his small army near to Rome in order to aid in its defense. Eventually, the Imperial army lays siege to Rome with Jerome's Narnians inside. The Umbrian General becomes a friend of Justinian's during the siege.
April- Charles leads his main army over the Alps he secures Romagna and then marches towards Rome. Wary of being cut off from his supply centres in the south, Leo lifts the siege of Rome and heads back towards Spoleto. Jerome, lends his assistance to the Frankish army.
June-July 800- Leo avoids fighting a pitched battle for as long as possible while he attempts to cut off food supplies from the enemy force.
September 31, 800- Charles finally manages to confront Leo in a battle in which Leo is struck by a Frankish axe. The Imperial army retreats in good order.
October, 800- Leo’s wound becomes infected. The disease will begin to heal, but then become worse several times. Not receiving any new orders, the army commanders make only a few advances, instead concentrating on holding the territory that they already control.
Autumn, 800- Unable to score another decisive victory, Charles contents himself with adding small pieces of Benevento to Spoleto which he intends on using as his main base next year when he will finish the Italian conquest. Unfortunately for him, the Pope has different plans. Spoleto had technically been granted to the church during the Italian conquest, but the Pope had allowed the Frankish king to appoint Dukes as he saw fit and treat the Duchy as a Frankish fief. However, Leo III now demanded full authority over the Duchy. Reluctantly, Charles agreed.
November 800- At this time, Leo III began to put his plans into action, plans that he had made in cooperation with the Empress Irene. It was his goal to put the Empire under a devoutly Iconodule Emperor, who would also accept Papal primacy. To this end he plans on crowning Irene’s son Justinian as the Holy Roman Emperor once Leo IV dies. He first names Justinian as the Duke of Spoleto, Latium, and Romagna, in order to let Charles become used to the idea.
December 20, 800- Emperor Leo IV dies in Naples.
Christmas day 800- On this day, Pope Leo III crowned Justinian III as Holy Roman Emperor in Rome. Jerome swears fealty to the new Emperor.
January 3, 801- Upon learning of his father’s Death, Constantine is crowned Emperor in Constantinople claiming the right as he was Leo’s firstborn son.
January 801- Justinian manages to convince the Roman army commander in Italy, and Iconophyle, to except him as Roman emperor, and not his brother Constantine. Justinian now controls the main Imperial army and navy, as well as all of Italy south of Rome, plus Romagna, Corsica, and Sicily. Unfortunately, Justinian has no way to pay the men other than the war chest, which had been taken along with the army and is close to empty. Several advisors suggest that Justinian disband most of the army and content himself with rule over Italy, but the new Emperor has no plans to give up his dream of re-uniting the empire, and instead being nothing more than "King of Italy." He considers simply sailing to Constantinople and taking the city by force, however his advisors warn him that the public is mostly against him and that even if he could gain control, it is quite possible that he would be assassinated. Taking control in of itself is a challenge, as, though he controls a mighty army, Constantine could probably pull together a suitable defensive force. With no land in Greece it will also be hard to keep the Imperial army supplied. Forcefully rejecting the first option, and sullenly rejecting the second, Justinian begins planning a campaign which will provide enough loot to pay the army, and allow him to bide his time until he can attempt to gain the eastern throne.
March 801- Justinian chooses Africa as the target for expansion. The choice is not a hard one. Though technically under Abbasid control, Ifriqiya is in anarchy with several families attempting to gain power. A well-timed attack now could mean that all of the old African Exarchate can be returned to Roman rule. Knowing that he will not be able to sustain a long siege in Africa, Justinian orders some enormous catapults, and other siege machinery to be built so that any cities can be directly assaulted. In addition to the Imperial army, Jerome's Narnian's, along with its members families, will be transported to Africa. The Para-military force will be used to help secure conquered land while the main army is campaigning elsewhere. The armies converge in Sicily. These troop movements do not go unnoticed by the other great powers, however they assume that the army’s target is Constantinople, not Africa.
May 3, 801- News Reaches Palermo (the provisionary western Roman capital) that the city of Tunis has broken out in Revolt and is in even more anarchy than the rest of Africa. Deciding that the time is ripe Justinian gives the order to set sail.
May 10, 801- Roman forces land near the ruins of Carthage, and set up camp only a few miles away from Tunis. News of the army’s arrival soon reaches the city. None of the city’s resident’s are under any delusions that they can fight off the Romans, so a delegation is formed to negotiate terms for surrender.
May 11, 801- Justinian cordially receives the delegation. In exchange for his assurance that the Muslim population will not be harassed, the delegation agrees to surrender the city and all its holdings. In addition to confiscating the city’s treasury, Justinian imposes a hefty fine on the Arab aristocracy. The aristocrats are allowed to take bureaucratic positions, but may no longer hold any hereditary titles.
May 12, 801- Justinian enters Tunisia along with 5,000 picked soldiers. The soldiers are under strict orders not to harass the population, but rather to keep order. Justinian makes a speech outlining his plans for the future. He states that once the war is over, Tunis will remain a Muslim city. The Christian population (the majority) will be moved to “new” cities that will be built on the ruins of Carthage, Utica, and other old Roman cities. Justinian then installs a military governor and leaves a few hundred troops to keep order. The Narnians set up camp about five miles away, close enough to intervene in case of a riot, but far enough away that they will be unlikely to instigate the same. In the next few months, they will begin to construct a stone fortress.
Part 1: The reign of Leo IV and the Rise of Justinian III
June 18, 780- Roman Emperor Leo IV barely manages to fight off a vicious fever, which had come close to killing him. His wife convinces him that his miraculous recovery was a case of divine intervention. He is led to believe that his illness was brought on by his persecution of the Iconodules, and that his recent survival was given as a chance for him to mend his ways. Taking his wife’s advice, Leo begins to restore the use of Images across the Empire.
May, 781- An Arab raiding force breaks into Anatolia, however Leo, moving with surprising speed manages to stop much real damage from being done.
June 15, 781- Irene bears Leo a second son and names him Justinian.
July, 781- Leo hosts ambassadors from the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mahdi, relations between the two nations become more cordial during the coming years.
782-786- Leo moves troops to Sicily and begins using the Island as a launching pad for raids into southern Italy. By the end of these Campaigns, Benevento is forced to except the role of a Vassal state.
February 1, 786- Al-Hadi is crowned as the Abbasid Caliph, he is a weaker ruler than his father, and is heavily influenced by his advisors. He is convinced that it would be a good idea to strike at the Romans as soon as possible.
April, 786- Caesarea and Iconium are sacked by Arab raiders. By the time that Leo returns to Anatolia, the raiders are long gone.
June, 786- Infuriated by the raids in Anatolia, Leo attempts a campaign against the Abbasids, the target is Adana.
June 23, 786- Leo is ambushed near Tarsus. The army is routed and driven back to Caesarea; subsequent fighting drives the army back to Iconium.
April, 787- News reaches Leo that a major Bulgar uprising has taken place and that much of Thrace and Macedonia have been laid waste. A hasty and unfavourable peace agreement is made with the Abbasids, and Leo races back to the Balkans to try and sort things out.
June, 787- Although he is able to drive back the Bulgars, Leo looses several major battles. He blames the loses, as well as the loss of Caesarea, on his Iconophyle faith, and begins to move back to Iconoclasm.
787-790- Leo is able to win significant victories over the Bulgars, eventually forcing them to pay tribute. He continues to put much store in Iconoclasm, and reinstitutes it across the empire.
790- Leo discovers a plot made by his wife to overthrow Leo in the name of Iconoduolism. Leo had considered executing her, but instead simply banishes her. He is enraged to discover that she has taken his son Justinian with her. The Pope, who hopes that he might be able to make good use of the situation, gives her refuge.
793-799- Leo raises a substantial army in order to campaign in eastern Anatolia. He wins several major battles and manages to retake Caesarea, and even all of Cilicia, and secures a much more favourable peace agreement with the Caliphate. He begins making plans for campaigning in Italy.
799- Leo takes his veteran army (numbering approximately 60,000 men) as well as a large war chest and the Imperial fleet, to Italy, where he announces formal annexation of Benevento. After crushing some minor revolts in the area, Leo moves against the Duchy of Spoleto. By winter, all of southern Italy is under Roman occupation. His next target is Umbria. Taking this region divides the Papal states in two. He encounters substantial resistance among the peasantry. As an example, he burns Narnia, and several other Umbrian cities to the ground. Constantine had hoped to begin taking territory in Latium, but the revolts make it impossible. He instead decides to consolidate power in Umbria, and assault Latium next year.
Autumn 799- Charles of the Franks begins mobilising an army for the purposes of retaking Spoleto, which had been a Frankish fief, and halting the destruction of Papal territory.
Spring 800- Leo invades Latium, but encounters even more resistance than he did in Umbria. Many of the now-homeless Umbrian peasants have grouped themselves into a militia force under the command of the Charismatic leader Jerome of Narnia. They soon become known as the Narnian army. Other soldiers already in Italy make attacks on Constantin's holdings in Umbria, making it necessary for him to divide his forces. The Pope request that Jerome move his small army near to Rome in order to aid in its defense. Eventually, the Imperial army lays siege to Rome with Jerome's Narnians inside. The Umbrian General becomes a friend of Justinian's during the siege.
April- Charles leads his main army over the Alps he secures Romagna and then marches towards Rome. Wary of being cut off from his supply centres in the south, Leo lifts the siege of Rome and heads back towards Spoleto. Jerome, lends his assistance to the Frankish army.
June-July 800- Leo avoids fighting a pitched battle for as long as possible while he attempts to cut off food supplies from the enemy force.
September 31, 800- Charles finally manages to confront Leo in a battle in which Leo is struck by a Frankish axe. The Imperial army retreats in good order.
October, 800- Leo’s wound becomes infected. The disease will begin to heal, but then become worse several times. Not receiving any new orders, the army commanders make only a few advances, instead concentrating on holding the territory that they already control.
Autumn, 800- Unable to score another decisive victory, Charles contents himself with adding small pieces of Benevento to Spoleto which he intends on using as his main base next year when he will finish the Italian conquest. Unfortunately for him, the Pope has different plans. Spoleto had technically been granted to the church during the Italian conquest, but the Pope had allowed the Frankish king to appoint Dukes as he saw fit and treat the Duchy as a Frankish fief. However, Leo III now demanded full authority over the Duchy. Reluctantly, Charles agreed.
November 800- At this time, Leo III began to put his plans into action, plans that he had made in cooperation with the Empress Irene. It was his goal to put the Empire under a devoutly Iconodule Emperor, who would also accept Papal primacy. To this end he plans on crowning Irene’s son Justinian as the Holy Roman Emperor once Leo IV dies. He first names Justinian as the Duke of Spoleto, Latium, and Romagna, in order to let Charles become used to the idea.
December 20, 800- Emperor Leo IV dies in Naples.
Christmas day 800- On this day, Pope Leo III crowned Justinian III as Holy Roman Emperor in Rome. Jerome swears fealty to the new Emperor.
January 3, 801- Upon learning of his father’s Death, Constantine is crowned Emperor in Constantinople claiming the right as he was Leo’s firstborn son.
January 801- Justinian manages to convince the Roman army commander in Italy, and Iconophyle, to except him as Roman emperor, and not his brother Constantine. Justinian now controls the main Imperial army and navy, as well as all of Italy south of Rome, plus Romagna, Corsica, and Sicily. Unfortunately, Justinian has no way to pay the men other than the war chest, which had been taken along with the army and is close to empty. Several advisors suggest that Justinian disband most of the army and content himself with rule over Italy, but the new Emperor has no plans to give up his dream of re-uniting the empire, and instead being nothing more than "King of Italy." He considers simply sailing to Constantinople and taking the city by force, however his advisors warn him that the public is mostly against him and that even if he could gain control, it is quite possible that he would be assassinated. Taking control in of itself is a challenge, as, though he controls a mighty army, Constantine could probably pull together a suitable defensive force. With no land in Greece it will also be hard to keep the Imperial army supplied. Forcefully rejecting the first option, and sullenly rejecting the second, Justinian begins planning a campaign which will provide enough loot to pay the army, and allow him to bide his time until he can attempt to gain the eastern throne.
March 801- Justinian chooses Africa as the target for expansion. The choice is not a hard one. Though technically under Abbasid control, Ifriqiya is in anarchy with several families attempting to gain power. A well-timed attack now could mean that all of the old African Exarchate can be returned to Roman rule. Knowing that he will not be able to sustain a long siege in Africa, Justinian orders some enormous catapults, and other siege machinery to be built so that any cities can be directly assaulted. In addition to the Imperial army, Jerome's Narnian's, along with its members families, will be transported to Africa. The Para-military force will be used to help secure conquered land while the main army is campaigning elsewhere. The armies converge in Sicily. These troop movements do not go unnoticed by the other great powers, however they assume that the army’s target is Constantinople, not Africa.
May 3, 801- News Reaches Palermo (the provisionary western Roman capital) that the city of Tunis has broken out in Revolt and is in even more anarchy than the rest of Africa. Deciding that the time is ripe Justinian gives the order to set sail.
May 10, 801- Roman forces land near the ruins of Carthage, and set up camp only a few miles away from Tunis. News of the army’s arrival soon reaches the city. None of the city’s resident’s are under any delusions that they can fight off the Romans, so a delegation is formed to negotiate terms for surrender.
May 11, 801- Justinian cordially receives the delegation. In exchange for his assurance that the Muslim population will not be harassed, the delegation agrees to surrender the city and all its holdings. In addition to confiscating the city’s treasury, Justinian imposes a hefty fine on the Arab aristocracy. The aristocrats are allowed to take bureaucratic positions, but may no longer hold any hereditary titles.
May 12, 801- Justinian enters Tunisia along with 5,000 picked soldiers. The soldiers are under strict orders not to harass the population, but rather to keep order. Justinian makes a speech outlining his plans for the future. He states that once the war is over, Tunis will remain a Muslim city. The Christian population (the majority) will be moved to “new” cities that will be built on the ruins of Carthage, Utica, and other old Roman cities. Justinian then installs a military governor and leaves a few hundred troops to keep order. The Narnians set up camp about five miles away, close enough to intervene in case of a riot, but far enough away that they will be unlikely to instigate the same. In the next few months, they will begin to construct a stone fortress.