Justinian III Holy Roman Emperor

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 2: The Reunification of Rome



Summer, 801- Justinian continues to advance westward along the Coast of Africa, taking several major cities in the process. These cities are mostly controlled by the Muhallabid faction, however much further east is the Idrissed Kingdom. The southern territories are mostly in Berber hands, but with A Rustamid faction in the middle. Further east the Aghlabid faction is in power. None of these small factions are even close to gaining complete control over Africa, and their disunity plays perfectly into Justinian’s hands. By late August, the Muhallabid faction has been forced as a group to accept terms similar to those imposed on the Arabs of Tunis. A considerable payment is made to the Emperor, and the educated nobles are allowed to go into the new bureaucracy, both in Africa and in Italy. The Muhallabid armies are added to the Imperial force, and ordered eastward to defend against some Berber raids. Justinian also conducts a diplomatic meeting with Emissaries of the Idrisseds. The diplomats agree to pay a small annual tribute, so long as the Romans remain friendly. The city of Algiers, later renamed Leonopolis, becomes the westernmost city of Roman Africa. Leaving behind a small garrison force in Hippo, which will put down any rebellions, the bulk of the force is moved east to prepare for an offensive against the Aghlabids next year. During the conquest of western Africa, a very Bored Jerome of Narnia makes a raid on the Aghlabid city of Neapolis but does not succeed in capturing the city. Upset at this lack of success, Jerome sends messages back to Italy asking for more volunteers to come to new Umbria. Over the next few years, a steady stream of immigrants, left destitute and homeless by the wars in Italy, will cross over to Africa and become citizens of Narnia. It is this influx of Italians, which helps to re-invigorate the African Romance language, which had been declining in use.

Autumn-Winter, 801- Justinian spends the autumn consolidating power and working on his new bureaucracy. He relieves Jerome of his Governorship of Narnia after the Neapolis incident, which puts a temporary strain on the relationship. Instead, Jerome is given the responsibility of re-building Umbria. The territory is now severely de-populated as much of its citizenry has immigrated to Africa, so the job is not particularly difficult. Justinian also enters talks with the Berber tribes of the South. Most of these raiders are un-willing to co-operate with the Christian Romans, but some tribes eventually decide to join the Imperial forces, for a price. One leader even converts to Christianity after seeing a long-time rival tribe crushed while raiding Narnia. Leaders of the Rustamid family greet Justinian at Tunis. They agree to take on the role of Imperial vassals as long as they may retain their religion, and a measure of Autonomy. Justinian eagerly agrees to the proposal.
In Constantinople, the conquests of Justinian are greeted with loud approval whenever Constantine is absent. The Eastern Emperor has become increasingly jealous of the victories of Justinian, and increasingly ashamed of his own failure to hold onto Cilicia.
The Abbasid Caliph sends a message to Justinian demanding that he return Control of Africa to Baghdad. He even offers a hefty payment, but warns that failure on Justinian’s part to turn over the territory will result in military intervention. The Emperor is not concerned with this development, the Caliph couldn’t hold onto Africa before, so there is little likelihood that he will be able to do anything about it now.


Spring, 802- Justinian, now accompanied by Berber and Rustamid allies, re-news his war in Africa. The Aghlabid cities fall one after another, until finally the major City of Tripoli is put under siege. At this point, the Aghlabids like the Rustamids and Muhallabids before them are forced to surrender. Rather than fully annex their territory, the Aghalabids are allowed to retain ruler ship of Tripoli and all lands east of it in exchange for a hefty fine and vassal status. This is done mostly to ensure that there is a buffer zone between the Empire proper, and the Caliphate.

Summer-Autumn, 802- A Berber confederacy is formed which attempts to expel the Romans from Africa. The Romans and their Vassals manage to wing a crushing and humiliating victory against the Berber hordes. At this point, the Berber tribes tend to do one of two things: either stay in Roman Africa and serve as auxiliaries, or simply leave the area. Many of the tribes that remain will later convert to Christianity.
In Constantinople, Constantine works on strengthening ties to the Khazars. He marries the daughter of a Khazar chieftain and presents the Khan with magnificent gifts. Though the increased ties pay big dividends in future conflicts against the Caliphate, much of the Roman nobility is upset with the Emperor “consorting with Jews.”

803-806- Justinian consolidates his empire, and spends most of his time building up the infrastructure that will be necessary for it to survive. He continues to re-build many destroyed cities both in Italy and in Africa. In Africa, many Muslims move to Tunis, which already has a Muslim majority. The city will become the last stronghold of Islam in Africa over the next century. Apart from these more mundane projects, he conducts several raids against the Slavs, hoping to regain the Dalmatian coast. While not as successful in this theatre as he was in Italy and Africa, small pieces of land are captured, which will become extremely important in the future. Justinian also succeeded in getting rid of the Empress Irene, who had been attempting to use Justinian as a puppet for herself. When rumours of a murder plot surfaced, Justinian quickly decided that she had to be married off, preferably to a distant ally. In August 804, Irene was married to Charles, king of the Franks. The ties to the Frankish kingdom were indispensible, and allowed the Italian garrison to be minimal. Justinian himself married a Frankish girl from the region of Aquitaine.
In Constantinople, desperate to regain favour amongst the nobility, Constantine forms a new army and uses it to launch raids against the some of the closer Balkans tribes, and keep the Bulgar threat down. He also manages to some of the Khazars to Christianity, however this event backfires horribly. Most of the nobility remains Jewish, and the Christian minority is forced to flee across the steppes. This turbulence upsets Khazar power, and stops the raids against the Abbasids. With no northern front, Arab armies begin once again to menace eastern Anatolia. When one raid penetrates as far Antalya, anti-Constantine sentiments reach a height, and he is assassinated while staying at a nobleman’s home in Crete.

September, 806- The nobleman who had hosted the Emperor was a member of a league of similarly minded aristocrats which hoped to rule behind the scenes installing an easily-controllable puppet, preferably one which had no relationship to the Isaurian dynasty. However, not all the Aristocrats are so inclined. Allies of Justinian attempt to gain control of Constantinople and hold it for as long as possible so that Justinian can cease power. Word of the Emperor’s death soon arrives in Palermo. Justinian immediately sets about preparing to claim the throne. He sets sail from Palermo with an escort of 50 warships and an army of 5000 only two days after first hearing of his brother’s death. He arrives near Constantinople on September 12th, and meets with Allies who prepare for his entrance into the Capital the next day. On September 13th he enters the city. An eyewitness as described the event

The most splendid sight I have ever witnessed. The entire affair was organised like the triumphal processions granted to the Emperors of old. In front marched priests, proudly bearing sacred images, and braziers full of incense. Next marched the army, all with brilliantly shining armour, with brightly coloured cloaks, and with many banners flapping in the strong breeze. Lastly came the Emperor himself, riding in a gilt chariot drawn by white horses. It was as though the entire city had come out to see the arrival, and there were cheers all around.

Justinian takes control of the City, and declares the reunification of the Roman Empire. He also proclaims and end to Iconoclasm, and appoints a new Patriarch who will crown him as Emperor. Three days later, the Coronation takes place in the Hagia Sophia. A great many images are used in the ceremony.

Autumn-Winter, 806- During the next months, the Emperor works to take complete control of the Empire, and it appears that he succeeds, however the Aristocratic conspiracy is simply biding its time, however even it is upset at the great popularity of the new Emperor.

Spring, 807- Based mostly in Greece, the Aristocratic moment, led by Michael the Corinthian attempts to challenge Justinian’s control. They manage to form an army numbering 20,000 men. Compared with Justinian’s current force of 5,000 they look poised for victory. However, the main army leaves Africa in March, and is able to quickly force a battle, which shatters the Aristocratic movement. The army also puts down rebellious feelings in eastern Anatolia, where many important Iconoclasts have congregated.

October, 807- The Rustamid Emirate of El Kef, revolts several months after the last Imperial forces leave Africa, and attempt to take over the Imperial holdings. However, they are violently rebuffed by the Narnian army, which manages to hold on to Tunis and severely limit other Rustamid gains. Upon hearing the news, Justinian recalls Jerome of Narnia from Italy so that he can lead the warriors of new Umbria.

March, 808- A small imperial army lands at Hippo Zarytus, and begins an offensive against the Rustamid Emirate. Assisted by the Narnians as well as Berber allies, the capital city of El Kef is captured by mid-June. The Rustamids are then offered the same terms that were granted to the Muhallabids 6 years earlier. The Rustamids are forced to except the terms. Jerome, after displaying some excellent general ship, is once again forced to leave New Umbria for fear of him attempting anti-Muslim action.
 
I like the reboot a lot- the whole TL now seems much more plausible and workable. I do however have a few questions.

1. Will the primary language of Justinian's state be Latin or Greek? I'm assuming the latter, because of the power of the entrenched bureaucracy of the Eastern Empire, but would like to clarify this. Justinian himself is a Greek speaker, right?

2. Does the Emperor have any heirs at this point?

3. With parts of Africa now back under Roman control, will this slow down the pace of the eastern reconquest that began to take off during the ninth century and reached its pinnacle in the tenth?
 
I like the reboot a lot- the whole TL now seems much more plausible and workable. I do however have a few questions.

1. Will the primary language of Justinian's state be Latin or Greek? I'm assuming the latter, because of the power of the entrenched bureaucracy of the Eastern Empire, but would like to clarify this. Justinian himself is a Greek speaker, right?

2. Does the Emperor have any heirs at this point?

3. With parts of Africa now back under Roman control, will this slow down the pace of the eastern reconquest that began to take off during the ninth century and reached its pinnacle in the tenth?

1- Justinian is indeed a Greek speaker, and will attempt to standardize Greek as the official language of government. Most of the Government in Italy is Greek, but in Africa he has had to rely on the Arabs for Governmental affairs. So, he will attempt to make Greek the language all government affairs are conducted in, but it may take some time.

2- He has a young child named Basil.

3- Not too much. Africa is fairly self-sufficient, and Constantine managed to severely weaken the Bulgars. They've been pushed all the way across the Danube and are suffering from internal conflicts. The Slavs have been fairly well damaged, so future wars will probably focus on driving them out of the Balkans. This work in the Balkans will of course mean that Roman ambitions in Egypt and the Levant will be put on hold for quite some time.
 
I like this, not really my period but it made good reading, though the font size was a lil small
 
Here's a map of Europe at the death of Constantine IV.

Justinian806labels.png
 
Summer, 808- Jerome does not hide his anger at not being allowed to lead the Narnian colony in Africa, And Justinian, wary of creating an extremely popular enemy out of an old friend, begins searching for a good distraction for the Umbrian.

February, 809- Justinian finds a solution to the Jerome problem in a letter from his mother. She had been staying at the beachside manor of a Neustrian Nobleman, when a raid committed by a band of Varangians took place. This is not the first time that news of the vile Varangians has reached the Emperor, but it is the first time that it has been delivered with such vivid detail. The Emperor decides to get rid of his friend by sending him on a rather Romantic quest.

February 8, 809- Justinian charges Jerome with the task of defending Britannia (the Franks could defend themselves) from any future Varangian raids. To this end, he gives Jerome a sum of money, a letter requisitioning transport for the Admiral at Palermo, and the right to recruit as many Italians as he can for an expedition to Britannia.

March, 809- Jerome lands in Bari and begins making speeches across Southern Italy requesting volunteers for an expedition to Britannia. By now he has become a legend among the peoples of Italy, and the populous hangs on his every word. No fewer than 12,000 Southern Italians volunteer for service in the great expedition.

April, 809-Jerome decides not to sail immediately to Britannia, but first to go to Narnia in Africa. There, he has the new recruits trained for a year and supplied with arms and armour. In the mean time, he recruits 5,000 African Veterans, many of which had served with him a decade beforehand in Italy. He leaves some trusted commanders behind in Africa to see to the training of the Southern Italians, as well as to organize their transportation to Britannia the following spring.

April 3rd, 809- A Roman fleet begins the voyage to Britannia.

May, 809- The Roman fleet arrives at the old city of Londinium in the Kingdom of Essex. Having received to no advanced warning of the fleet’s arrival, King Sigered is understandably perplexed, and sends word to his overlord, Coenwulf of Mercia. Jerome billets his troops in the ruins of Londinium, and offloads his supplies. The navy is sent back to Sicily the next week.
Audiences with the Kings of Mercia and Essex take place. The army of Jerome is considered vast by the standards of the Anglo-Saxons, and the situation is handled extremely carefully. The king of Essex doesn’t want to give up territory to foreigners, and the King of Mercia doesn’t want his vassal to become rebellious, and perhaps form an alliance with the Italians. The Mercian king also sees an opportunity, and eventually gives Jerome the following offer. If Jerome assists Mercia in a campaign against Wessex, then some territory will be granted to Jerome and used as a base for his defence of Britannia. This arrangement is highly agreeable to all concerned. Jerome gains a base and peasants, and Mercia, in addition to gaining some help in repelling Varangian raids, gets to severely damage is main rival. Wessex has grown greatly in power over the past decade. Cornwall, the last South-eastern Celtic kingdom was conquered in 806, and a more recent campaign caused the loss of Sussex as a vassal, and some of Kent’s land.

June, 809- The Mercian and Italian armies, as well as those of Mercia’s vassals, manage to easily crush Wessex. Sussex is returned to Mercia as a vassal, land is returned to Kent, and some territory along the Thames is granted to Jerome. During the fighting, the recently conquered Celts of Cornwall revolt. Finding that the Saxon army is far away, they are able to add Devon back to Cornwall, and re-create the Kingdom of Dumnonia. By the end of the Month, Wessex is half its former size, and is forced to acknowledge Coenwulf as its overlord. Jerome has been given land inside of Mercia at the meeting of the rivers Cherwell and Thames. A local Nunnery is near by, as well as an important ford. Jerome orders his troops to construct a fortress and then begin farming the land along with the local peasants. Suffering from the same lack of creativity in naming cities as Alexander the Great, Jerome names his new city Narnia.

Spring-Autumn, 809- Justinian works to consolidate his hold on the Imperial throne, and restructures the administration of the western territories. Italy and Africa are grouped into the so-called “Western Empire” under the rule of a non-hereditary Kaisar sometimes called the “little Basileus.” His capital is in Palermo, but he has deputies in Bari and Carthage. Justinian brings back the title “Augoustos” for himself; it will only ever be applied to the Roman Emperor, as he is considered to be above all other temporal rulers. The Augoustos has complete control over the Kaiser of the West and may appoint a new one whenever he wishes, he also chooses the new Pope. In English the Justinian’s full styling is: Justinian III, One Holy Augustus and Autocrat, though it is also sometimes translated as Justinian III, Holy Roman Emperor. Justinian appoints his friend, Matthias of Caesarea to the new post of Western Emperor. Matthias had been the Roman General in Italy who had sworn fealty to Justinian in January of 801, and turned over control of the Imperial military to Justinian.

September, 809- A large Varangian raid takes place in Kent. Jerome only arrives on the scene after most of the barbarians have left, but two Longboats are captured. Jerome brings the ships back along the Thames to Narnia, as well as some Captured Varangians, one of which is a fairly young child. Jerome also petitions Coenwulf to force the King of Essex to give the Italians control over the Old Roman city of Londinium. He argues that the land received is too far inland and that a base closer to the sea is absolutely necessary. Coenwulf agrees to put pressure on Essex. In November Jerome is given permission to establish a secondary base at Londinium.

Winter, 809- Jerome attempts to teach Latin to the Varangians in order to learn how to sail in the ships. By the next spring, the Varangian child has learned enough Latin that he can translate for the older sailors. Jerome also makes plans to construct more of the ships for use in future counter-raiding operations. In Africa, the Exarch of Carthage, along with the Doge of Narnia put down what almost turned into a full-scale revolt. A very few Arab bureaucrats had begun buying arms in preparation for an anti-Roman revolution. Though the plot was discovered in time, several riots still took place. During the confusion, a severe Berber raid occurred which only further added to the chaos. While order was restored, many of the Arabs who had been asked by Justinian to stay in Africa for the sake of their education, were forced to leave on suspicion of disloyalty. In order to replace the loss of these educated elites, several new universities are set up in Africa and Southern Italy, the most prestigious being in Hippo Regius, Palermo, and Tunis.

810-813- Justinian continues to reorganise his state, and the army. During this period he begins paying some of the Slavic tribes to begin attacking the Bulgars and Avars. When raids against Roman cities take place, the offenders are driven off, but not pursued far, the man anti-Slavic campaigns won’t begin until 814 once the army has been completely reformed. On the eastern front, relations with the Abbasids are the best they’ve been in decades if not centuries. The Caliph understands that the Romans are now powerful enough to do significant damage if provoked, and the Emperor knows that it would be practically impossible to regain Syria and Egypt without practically destroying the region. Instead, goodwill prevails. The Muslims of Cilicia are treated fairly, the Emperor Even begins constructing a mosque in Adana for the Caliph’s birthday, and the Caliph reciprocates with a new monastery in Antioch.
Justinian’s mother Irene dies in the Frankish Empire.
In Britannia, the southern Italians join Jerome. The Doge of Narnia in Africa sends some of the treasures gained at the expense of the Arabs along with the new militia. This sum of money goes far in convincing the Anglo-Saxon and Celtic kings to allow the Italians to construct more bases, including ones on Thanet and the old Holy-Isle of Lindisfarne. Many Varangian ships are built, soon the Italians have begun winning significant victories against the Varangians, however the raiding parties are growing larger. Native Celts and Anglo-Saxons are soon being trained as militia fighters.

814-816- Justinian launches his first major campaign against the Southern Slavs. His newly re-organised army has large contingents of medium-armoured cavalry archers as well as both light and heavily armoured lancers. His cavalry forces attempts to emulate some of the tactics used by the step tribes and launch brutal night-raids against the enemy camps. The infantry takes a secondary role, and mostly participates in full-on battles, not the wide-ranging raids of the Cavalry. This first war manages to push the Slavs out of Greece, Thrace, and Macedonia. All the Dalmatian Coastline is returned to Roman control, as well as pieces of the central Balkans. Coordination between the reorganised Imperial army, and the western army under Matthias proves to be a challenge when the armies eventually meet about 50 miles inland of the Dalmatian coastline.
In Britannia, Jerome begins to put more effort into organising his domains. At this point, the Italians don’t even have a name for themselves as a group. Jerome begins to re-organise his lands from the disorganised mob mostly held together by the force of his personality, into a strict militaristic brotherhood. It is officially known as the “Italian Order of the Guardians of Britannia.” A formal hierarchy is imposed, with officials serving in both military and civic roles. Under the new reforms, the order grows as more natives join up. More ships are built, and more land is bought. Jerome soon begins essentially bullying land from the local Kings, as he has by far the largest army in the isles.

817-820- Justinian consolidates his gains in the Balkans and rearms the army. He puts considerable emphasis on promoting the Greek language in the re-conquered territory, going so far as moving Greek families into the newly re-conquered land. Matthias is given the task of reorganising the western army and bringing it up to imperial standards. A considerable number of the more troublesome Berber tribes are impressed into the western army so that they will stop causing problems in Africa.
In Britannia, Jerome launches a major offensive against the Varangians who have taken up residence on the Isle of Man. Mann soon becomes by far the largest of the Orders domains, while the head quarters of the order are still located at Narnia. It is during this period that the members of the Order top 20,000 scattered around the Isles.

821-825- Justinian launches his Second Balkan War with the express goal of re-establishing the Balkan boarder. The Emperor had hoped to conclude the war by 824, but the Croats proved much more difficult to remove than expected. Fortunately, the Western army has been brought up to par, and it operates by itself during the final year of the war. Though originally Frankish vassals, they had recently rebelled, and the Frankish king actually contributed some forces to the Roman war effort. The Croats were eventually crushed early on in the campaigning season. Some fled across the Danube, but a large contingent were recruited as mercenaries and deployed in Africa in order to help defend against the occasional Berber raid. The Berber warriors from the first war are deployed along the Danube frontier in order to stop any and all
Slavic raids.
Jerome’s Italian order actually launches a raid on the Danish Peninsula itself, and then sails to the Hebrides, taking control of some of the smaller islands.

Summer, 826- Matthias, the Caesar of the west dies at the palace in Palermo. Justinian appoints his oldest son Basil as the Western Emperor. Basil who is now eighteen marries the daughter of a Frankish noble from northern Italy.

826-840- The third decade of Justinian’s rule is notably peaceful. The Empire thrives while the emperor consolidated control of the Balkans. Except for some minor skirmishes on the Danube border, and a couple of increasingly feeble Berber raids, there is no conflict at all. The population of Italy explodes, and the Balkan regions experienced even greater growth.
Jerome’s Italian order continues fighting the Varangian raiders, but as the pagan armies increase in size and organization, Jerome looses more and more battles. He will only make one more raid on Danemark itself (in 827) and spend the rest of his reign defending the territory that he already owns. Thanet, Mann, and the string of castles along the Thames end up being the only territory that the order is capable of holding, however the ships are not destroyed, and allow the order to continue to react to major raids, and stop and significant Varangian colonization efforts on the main Island.
November 16th, 840- Louise I of Francia dies leaving 3 heirs. Each already has control over a section of the kingdom but each also has aspirations to rule over more. Charles II being the firstborn child took the official title of the King of all Francia, however he only had defacto control over Austrasia, Swabia, Saxony, Thuringia, Bavaria, and Frisia. He also was the technical liege lord of the tributary kingdoms of the Obotrites, Veleti, Sorbs, Czechs, and Moravians. His Capital was in Aachen, the tradition seat of Frankish power. Lothair the Italian was given control of Frankish Italy, Eastria, and Burgundy, with his Capital in Pavia. Louise the hairy took control of Neustria, Aquitaine, Septimania, Gascony, Provence, and the Spanish March, with his Capital in Toulouse. Civil war was inevitable, and diplomatic missions were sent from the three Kingdoms all over Europe, attempting to pull together alliances. All three Kings sent emissaries to the Roman Emperor, however it was hardly difficult for the Emperor to choose whom to side with. Lothair ruled a considerable amount of territory, which had been Roman less than 300 years earlier, and it was obvious even to Lothair that he would soon be the target of Roman a Roman attack. The only difficult choice was between allying with Charles or Louis in taking out Lothair. Eventually, the Romans chose to side with Charles II, who offered the better deal. In exchange for assistance against any rebellious tributary kingdoms, as well as assistance against Louise in any future wars, Rome would be given all of Italy, as well as Carinthia and Eastria, while Charles would content himself with Burgundy.

Spring, 841- The armies of Western Europe begin to move. The Western Roman Army under the Command of Caesar Basil faces off with Lothair’s army in Romagna. Basil knows that it is unlikely that he will win in a strait-up fight so draws Lothair deep into his territory, straining the Italian’s supplies Meanwhile, his Berber and Croat mercenaries raid the farms of Tuscany and attempt to totally sever Lothair’s supply lines. In Eastria, the main Imperial army under the Command of the Aging Emperor quickly takes control. Charles’ armies are occupied with the rebellious Obotrites, Veleti, Moravians and Sorbs. The Czechs remain loyal, and Assist Charles in putting down the northern rebels, while Roman soldiers put down the Moravians. In the West Frankish Kingdom Louise, received news that warriors of the Umayyad Caliph were attacking the Spanish march, most likely at the behest of Charles. Louis agrees to an alliance with Lothair, and is able to move his small border guard south to do battle with the Moors. During this conflict, the Kingdom of Asturias and Galicia remains neutral, waiting to decide which side to join.

May, 841- The army of Justinian finally neutralizes the Frankish army in Carinthia, and prepares to cross into Italy, but is forced delay the attack due to the rebellious Moravians. In the South, Basil convinces his Father-in-law to stage rebellion in Frankish Italy. The Croat and Moorish mercenaries quickly sweep into the region in order to support the rebels.

May 23rd, 841- Lothair finally manages to force a battle against Basil near Ravenna. Not surprisingly, the small Western army is defeated.

May 24th, 841- Lothair sacks Ravenna, and then burns it to the ground. He knows that he won’t be able to remain in Romagna, as he has to put down the revolt in Tuscany, and doesn’t want the Romans to have the city. He hopes that the Romans will be forced to retreat as far as Spoleto, and that he will be able to crush the Tuscans before they can aid them. Unfortunately for him, Basil manages to regroup in Umbria, a good 40 miles closer to the site of the Rebellion than Ravenna. Instead of engage in a race he knows he will loose, Lothair retreats to the heartlands of the Po Valley.

June, 841- Charles succeeds in reasserting his rule over the rebellious tributary Kingdoms, and prepares to move against Burgundy. In Carinthia, Justinian prepares once again to cross into Italy. Basil unites his damaged force with the Tuscan Rebels and the Barbarian mercenaries. Unwilling to risk loosing another battle with Lothair, the army remains in Tuscany, and works to subjugate the region before camping near Florence.

August, 841- Charles has marshalled his army at Metz, but is forced to march to Frisia when an enormous Varangian hoard makes a landing. The Roman Imperial army crosses into Italy and lays siege to Trento. The army under Basil waits until Lothair leaves to Confront Justinian, before pushing northwards, first taking Parma, and then Piacenza. The Road to Pavia and Milan is now open, but Basil instead waits for reinforcements from Justinian.

June 11th, 841- The battle of Trento takes place in which, the Imperial army experiences what is essentially a draw with the forces of Lothair, despite the advantages that the Imperial army has over the Italian opponent. The loss is largely the fault of Justinian himself, who has become weaker and has had no combat experience for over a decade. The city passes into Roman hands, but the Imperial army is severely damaged, while the Italian/Burgundian army suffers only light casualties.

June 13th-18th, 841- Having stopped the Roman Advance at Trento, Lothair races back to Pavia in order to confront Basil. Lothair quickly forces a fight near Piacenza. Expecting a much easier victory over the lower quality Western army, Lothair is surprised to suffer significant defeat at the hands of Basil. Lothair is forced to retreat to Pavia. Upon learning that Northern Italy is clear, the main Imperial army finally unites with Basil, and lays siege to Lothair in Pavia.

August, 841- Charles finally is able to march on Burgundy. He experiences minimal resistance with the main army in Italy, and soon captures Lyon. Asturias finally declares war on the Umayyads but fails to make significant headway. The Umayyads fight tooth and nail along the Ebro River, and are able to stop any new Frankish conquests.

August 30th, 841- Upon hearing that Lyon is under siege, Lothair is forced to admit defeat, and surrenders to Justinian.

September 10th, 841- The treaty of Torino is signed. Justinian is confirmed in his rule over Italy, Carinthia, and Eastria, and promises to lend support when and if Charles decides to invade the West Frankish Kingdom. Charles is given control of Burgundy.

September, 841- The fighting in Iberia ends in what is essentially a stalemate. Asturias gains a strip of land connecting the main kingdom to its small exclave. The Ebro River is once again confirmed as the Franco-Umayyad border, and some war payments are made. However, Louise thinks it unlikely that he will be able to defeat the Alliance of Charles and Justinian.
 
Very good. Very good indeed. I's sure all the Byzantophiles will flock to this new, revamped TL soon. It's an interesting and exciting proposal, the reunification of East and West. I especially like the Military Order of Italians in Britain. I guess they're pretty much independent from Justinian, but I like the idea.

Keep it up, you've got me hooked.
 
I agree with SF, this is good stuff, though I'm slightly unsure about a millitary adventurer with such a large army in England. The rest seems fairly plausible though. :)
 
Parts III and IV

Part 3-The reign of Basil II “The Bulgar Friend”

January, 842- Understanding that he won’t be able to stand up to the Romano-Frankish Army, Louise sends a message to his brother. He promises that he will grant all of Neustria, Provence, Septimania, and the Spanish March, to his brother. In exchange, Louise will be allowed to maintain his throne as king of Aquitaine. Charles agrees, provided that Louise will also serve him as a Vassal in the same manner as the Kings of the Czechs and Veliti do now. Charles is actually quite happy not to have to fight a full war with his brother, as some of his vassals are already growing restless.

February, 842- Word reaches the Emperor that he will not need to go to war with Louise this spring. Justinian leaves his son in charge of the West, and returns to Constantinople.

842-850- Basil gains a considerable amount of experience in these years both as a leader and as a soldier. Several revolts take place among the nobles of Northern Italy, and the territories of Eastria and Carinthia need to be defended from Slavic raids. During one battle, over 5,000 Croats are taken captive. They are deployed in Africa, alongside their fellow Croats who were captured during the second Balkan Campaign, and the native Berber tribes who had been Christianised. Over the coming decades, these Croat hordes will adopt the Berber language and culture to a great extent, and become known as the “White Berbers,” and will become one of the more important mercenary groups used by the Empire. In addition to crushing his enemies, Basil is forced to spend a great deal of time organising the bureaucracy for the newly conquered Western territories. Using similar tactics in these lands as his Father had in Africa, Basil give bureaucracy positions to loyal nobles, and exiles those who attempt rebellion. By the end of his reign in the West, Basil will have almost eliminated the Frankish presence in Italy, while Eastria and Carinthia will still be largely Germanic.
Of the thousands of refugees from Lothair’s campaigns in Romagna, most will settle either in Northern Italy, or Africa, however a substantial body will join the Italian order of the Guardians of Britannia. This influx of refugees comes at a crucial moment, as the Order had been in decline for the last decade, but particularly since Jerome, its founder, died three years earlier while fighting in Mann. The wave of immigrants bolsters the ranks of the order enough that raids on Danemark itself can begin again. By the end of the decade, pieces of Ireland Northumbria, the Orkneys, and even a well-fortified castle on the Varangian peninsula (near the Frankish border), have been added to the Orders holdings. The resurgence of the order’s power will cause the Varangians to begin to shift their attentions away from Britannia to Francia. A greater percent will also begin migrating east, into the lands of the east Slavs. The city of Novgorod is founded in 840, Smolensk in 842, and Kiev is conquered in 846. These three cities will become the most important of the future Russian principalities, and will each control large amounts of territory.

December 7th, 850- Justinian III, Augoustos, and Autokrator of all the Romans dies in Constantinople. His son Basil quickly learns of his father’s death, and is crowned Augoustos in Rome on Christmas day, 850. He quickly leaves Rome, and is crowned a second time in the Hagia Sophia by the Patriarch on the feast of the Epiphany. He appoints his younger brother to the post of Western Kaisar.

851-857- Basil inherits a powerful, but poor empire from his great father. Justinian gained his epithet “The Conqueror” justly, for he had spent most of reign at war. These wars, while they had not quite emptied the imperial coffers had certainly strained them, so Basil is forced to conduct a much more peaceful reign. The Imperial army is reduced in numbers, however it maintains a high standard of training, and is excellently equipped. The army performs beautifully in Basil’s one major battle, which occurs in 858.

858- Having seen the decrease in size of the Imperial army, the ambitions Bulgar Khan Boris, attempts to re-establish Bulgar authority across the Danube, and attempts a winter raid. The Imperial Army does not immediately give battle, but instead retreats deep into Thrace with the Bulgars in hot pursuit. When the army does give battle in mid-January, the Bulgars are suffering from a severe shortage of rations, as well as the freezing cold. The Roman army, which is mostly made of cavalry is of superior quality, and inflicts a devastating defeat on Boris. The king himself is captured and forced to accept Christianity before he may return to his homelands. Boris is baptised on the feast of St. Athanasius of Alexandria and takes the name of the great theologian as his own. Boris will become known as Knyaz Athanasius the Great of Bulgaria, using the Christian term instead of the old Bulgarian “Han.”

858-860- Basil spends this period at peace, and continues the policy set by his father of settling Greeks in the Balkans. In Rome, a fire damages the Basilica of St. Peter. Rather than simply restore the Building, Michael, the western Kaisar also greatly enlarges it, with a great domed chapel modelled on the Hagia Sophia. Relations between the Romans and the Bulgars have greatly improved, as they new Knyaz takes his faith very seriously. He considers the Romans to be his allies, and formally acknowledges the Danube border and proclaims that it shall be respected “forever.”

861- Knyaz Athanasius requests assistance from Basil in a war in the area around the Crimea. The Khazar khanate had been in decline for some decades, and a new Barbarian tribe, the Magyars, had taken up residence in and around the Crimea. Wishing to re-create the kingdom of old Great Bulgaria, Athanasius had attempted to defeat the Magyar Khan, but had only succeeded in gaining a stalemate. Hoping to break the deadlock, Basil is asked to send only a few soldiers, as well as some money. In return, the Knyaz promises the Emperor all of the Crimea. Seeing this as a worthwhile idea, Basil transports 4,000 mounted lancers and archers to Aluston, where they begin raiding the Magyar-held land.

861-863- The Romano-Bulgar wars prove successful, and the whole of the Crimea is returned to Roman rule. The Bulgars also increase their territory and place their capital at the old Roman castle of Asprokastron. Athanasius will work to expand the Bulgar territory for the rest of his reign.

Part 4- The Berber and Sarantapechos Dynasties

June 3rd, 864- Basil I “the Bulgar-Friend” dies while overseeing the garrison on the Danube. Basil leaves no clear heir, and two contestants emerge for the throne. One is Basil’s brother John, the Western Kaisar; the other is the popular General of the Danubian army. Kusaila the Berber, came from a famous Berber tribe, the Awraba, which had been on of the Roman’s greatest allies before the Arab conquests. Some of the Awraba had continued practicing Christianity even under Muslim rule, and this tribe had been one of the first to renounce Islam and join Justinian. Kusaila had fought for over a decade in Africa against various raiding tribes, and had achieved middling rank in this field. During the Frankish War, he had led one of the detachments, which raided Tuscany. Later on he had served with distinction in the wars against the Croats. In 850, he had been given the title of Strategos of Thrace. It was he who had defeated Boris in 858, and he had led the army in the Romano-Bulgar wars. After these successful battles he had been promoted to Domestikos tou thematos, one of only two in the entire Imperial army. His rank gave him control of all Roman Europe outside of the Western Empire, and he had been based in Adrianople, so it was hardly difficult for him to occupy Constantinople.

June 15th, 864- Kusaila the Berber arrives in Constantinople. He is crowned Augoustos in the Hagia Sophia by the Patriarch. He takes the name Augustine, whose feast day it is. Ironically, Augustine was himself a Romanised Berber hailing from the city of Hippo Regius.

June 21st, 864- John the Frank is crowned Augoustos in Rome, he declares Augustine to be a usurper.

Summer-Autumn, 864- John the Frank and Augustine the Berber fight for control of the whole Roman Empire. Augustine begins to do three things simultaneously. Firstly, he makes it a priority to bend the other Domestic of the Themes to his will. This is not a truly difficult task as the Eastern Domestic has a far smaller army, which hasn’t seen a true battle in decades. Additionally, Augustine is extremely popular among the soldiers, and indeed among the lower classes in general The only difficulty here is that the Eastern Domestic is from an Aristocratic Anatolian family and may be able to gather enough support from other Aristocrats to make an attempt for the throne himself. This brings up the second of Augustine’s tasks, which is to subdue the Aristocrats of Rome. While the Aristocrats have been willing to put up with Emperors who are half Aristocratic and half Barbarian, (Leo IV was a Khazar, and Basil II was half Frank) the idea of allowing a Berber tribesman without a drop of Imperial blood on the throne is considered scandalous. Many Aristocrats begin plotting to put Roman on the throne, and they begin assembling a vast amount of money to be used to this end. The third of Augustine’s objectives is to gain control of Africa as soon as possible. Being a native African, he has strong connections to many of its people, the current Exarch of Carthage is an old friend, and he sends a letter asking for his allegiance. The Exarch agrees, and begins mobilising the army, anticipating war with John. The Doge of Narnia is less than pleased with the Exarches decision and refuses to support Augustine. Unfortunately for him, Narnia has become much less important to the defence of Africa in the past few decades, as more and more of the Berber tribes have allied themselves with the Romans. The Italians have mostly assumed an agricultural lifestyle, with battle training happening only once a month, so the Doge’s forces are hardly equal to those of the Exarch’s. His rebellion is easily crushed.
In Palermo, John attempts to gain an ally in the coming war, and offers vast sums of money to the Slavs and Bulgars if they will raid the Balkans. He also asks for aid from the current Frankish King, Charles III. The negotiations with the Franks drag on for months, and the Slavs and Bulgars are busy fighting each other and so are not interested in raids across the Danube.

August, 864- John spends this month recruiting more soldiers into his army, and hiring German mercenaries. Augustine marches through Anatolia and forces the Demestic of the east to swear Loyalty, he then takes his army and transports it to Africa, leaving behind a panel of trusted generals with enough troops to put down any minor rebellions that might take place.

September 13, 864- A naval battle is fought off the coast of Sicily. While Augustine manages to drive off the enemy, his fleet is severely weakened.

September 15-20, 864-The army, is transported from Africa to Sicily, where it lays siege to Palermo. John manages to escape the city before the siege, and pays a fisherman to transport him to Naples, where he relocates his government.

October 14, 864- Expecting no aid from John, Palermo surrenders. Augustine spends the rest of the month securing the Island.

November 1, 864- Augustine divides his army, landing part of it in the heel, and part in the toe of Italy.

November 18, 864- A second naval battle is fought, which is won decisively by Augustine. He manages to capture a great many ships. The fleet heads back to Palermo, Augustine’s base of operations, for repairs.

December, 864- The Aristocratic Conspiracy manages to bribe the generals left behind in Constantinople into crowning a new emperor. The choice is made to give the crown to Michael Sarantapechos, who is of the same family as the Empress Irene. His blue blood and money chests make up for his lack of talent, and he is crowned on Christmas day 864. Most of the army is very much opposed to his Rule, as is much of the peasantry. Therefore, he only has real authority over those lands bordering the Aegean.

January, 865- Augustine gets word of the Usurper, and is forced to abandon his campaigns in the west, and prepare to re-take Greece.

March, 865- Augustine leaves Palermo with most of his Army, and lands on the Dalmatian coast near Scodra. He marches overland and reaches Constantinople by mid-April. When his army comes in sight of the City, much of the Populous revolts against Michael, and throws wide the gates.

April 10, 865- Michael Sarantapechos is hanged along with the traitorous generals, but not before the names of several key conspirators are revealed.

April, 865- Many of the Aristocrats flee to Eastern Anatolia and go into hiding in order to escape the wrath of Augustine. Even so, many are executed. The survivors will eventually regroup in the Trebizond region, where they will hold power for several more years.

May, 865- Having wasted most of the spring crushing the Rebellion, Augustine doesn’t believe that he will be able to subdue all of Italy by the end of the year. Instead, he works to unify his holdings in Southern Italy. By the end of the month Potenza and Bari have been captured, and the entire foot of Italy is under his rule. John is forced to re-locate his capital from Naples to Florence.

June-August, 865- Augustine begins capturing coastal cities. He takes Naples, Salerno, Pisa, Genoa, Venice, and finally Rome itself. He stops his advances, when a large Frankish army marches into Italy in early September. John the Frank has promised to cede all of Carinthia and Eastria to Charles, if he assists with the defence of Italy.

September-December, 865- Augustine is unwilling to risk an open battle with Charles, so he consolidates most of his territory, and gives up anything which he doesn’t believe he can hold. Pisa, Genoa, and Venice are abandoned. On Christmas day, Augustine is crowned Augoustos by the Pope (John had crowned himself).

Winter, 866- Augustine hits upon the idea of purchasing some of the Varangian style longboats from the order of Britannia, for use against the Franks the following year. A large sum of money is delivered to the Doge in British Narnia, and fifty of the boats are delivered to Palermo. Throughout the coming year, the navy will be trained in the use of these boats as will a large part of the Imperial infantry, the cavalry will be occupied elsewhere.

February 19th, 866- An enormous attack by a Berber confederacy takes place in Africa. The raiders almost manage to sack Carthage, but are barely kept at bay. The warriors will eventually re-group on the outskirts of Roman rule.

March-September, 866- The “Great Berber War” takes place between the Berber confederacy, and the Roman Empire. Augustine understands the Berber way of war, and is able to anticipate many of their tactics, so has a decisive edge over them. Even so the war does drag on and on throughout the summer in the hot desert, and casualties on both sides are high. By the end though, the Confederacy is completely shattered, and a new one, led by the Awraba tribe is formed. Distinctly Pro-Roman, the
Awraba crush any dissenting tribes. The new Confederacy (which includes the Croats) becomes one of the main sources of Roman manpower under the Kusaili Dynasty.
Charles III unites Eastria and Carinthia into one large Duchy, which is called Austria. The nobility of Austria will always be very different from their fellow Germans. Having picked up many Roman techniques. Their Duchy is always extremely well organised, and the nobility fights with the bow on horseback as well as the lance.

September 21, 866- Augustine survives an assassination attempt.

October-December 866- Thousands of Berber warriors are recruited into the Roman army in preparation for the next year’s campaign.

867- The War of Italian Reconquest takes place. Augustine looses his Berber horde in Italy, while the troops using the Varangian-style longships raid the coast of Francia. These raids force Charles to send much of his army outside of Italy, weakening John greatly. Eventually Charles assassinates John and claims all the land north of Tuscany and Romagna for himself. Augustine and Charles sign a peace treaty in November.

868-872- Augustine lends occasional assistance to the Bulgars, but otherwise keeps his realm peaceful. He dies on June 28th 872. His son takes the name Nicholas and, according to the new traditions, is crowned on Christmas day in Rome, and on Epiphany in Constantinople.

873-876- Louis II, king of the Franks, has been enviously eyeing the lands of Middle Italy ever since he came to the throne two years earlier. Hoping that Nicholas might be a weaker leader than his father, Louis orders an attack on Tuscany. Unfortunately for him, Nicholas is quite competent, and not only keeps Middle Italy, but takes Northern Italy too. He also raids Provence in the same manner as Augustine, and lays claim to that strip of land too.

877-882- Nicholas rebuilds the Imperial treasury after the expensive wars started by his father.
In Britain, The Italian Order looses the Orkneys to a new wave of Norse warriors.

883- Nicholas is killed in a hunting accident. His son becomes emperor under the name Basil II.
Louis II makes the same mistake he did with Nicholas 10 years earlier and attempts to take land from Basil II, this time Austria and Septimania are added to Rome. The Spanish March is split between Rome and the Umayyad Emirate, which has become a Roman ally.
884-892- Basil aids the Bulgars in their wars against the Arch-Principality of Kiev. The capital is never taken, but Bulgar dominance is assured in the region. The Magyars begin to push the Khazars into the Caucus mountain range.

February 4, 893- Basil II is assassinated while in Trebizond. He leaves no heir, and after a quick civil war, a blue-blooded aristocrat finally rules all the Roman Empire.

894-900- Maurice II Sarantapechos reigns and founds the Sarantopechos dynasty, which will rule for the next 60 years. The Dynasty’s main achievement was to loose much of the land that was gained by the Berber Dynasty. The Franks retake all Provence, Septimania, and Eastria, and Northern Italy suffers from numerous raids. During this Period, Pavia also looses its Prestigious position is the Capital of Northern Italy to Milan.

901-912- Reign of Constantine VI Sarentopechos- He looses Austria to the Franks

912-916- Reign of Maurice III Sarantapechos- He looses the Spanish march and Septimania to the Franks. Under him, the treasury fully recovers; Rome is believed to be the wealthiest nation in the world.

916-926- Reign of Leo IV Sarantapechos “The Corrupt”- He looses the Provence region to the Franks. He is also believed to have been the single wealthiest man in history, as he embezzled vast portions of the Imperial treasury. His most enduring legacy is the enormous pleasure palace he builds in Constantinople.

926-940- Ambrosias Sarantapechos “The Good”- Often considered the only truly good member of the Sarantopechos family, he manages to restore much of the Imperial treasury and beats back Slavic raiders who had once again been moving across the Danube. He builds the great Library at Hippo, and the Cathedral of St. Ambrose in Milan.

940-954- Reign of Constantine VII Sarantapechos “The boorish”- Constantine achieved little in his reign aside from throwing some famous parties, and ending the century long peace with the Muslims.
 
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Interesting update, some thoughts...

Firstly, the Emperor should be Basil I, not Basil II. I'm fairly sure there's not been any other Emperor Basils?

Secondly, you should be talking about the imperial "coffers" not the imperial "coughers" ;)

The title Czar would probably not be adopted by the Bulgarians ITTL, it certainly wouldn't be accepted by Constantinople. In OTL, the Slavs adopted Tsar/Czar to show that they were the equals of the ruler of Constantinople, and had mastery over Roman citizens. Since this is not the case here, I'd be very surprised if the Bulgar rulers start calling themselves Czar.

The rulers of the East are Grand Domestics, not Grand Demestics.

In October 864, he should be accepting no aid, rather than excepting no aid.

One request, can you make your updates a bit smaller please? There's an awful lot of information to digest here... :p
 
Thanks Basileus, as you can see, spelling is not my strong suit. I am a disgrace to my mother who once was a professional editor. I actually did laugh out loud at the "coughers," you certainly got me there. The really sad part is that it was supposed to be Expecting, not Accepting. Stupid typos!

Now, on to the history: As to the Czar title, I'll change it to Knyaz, I had mistakenly believed that Czar was an honorific that was occasionally granted to allies. For some reason I thought there was a Basil in Justinian's dynasty, again, my mistake.

Sorry about the update size too, but there's not a lot to do when home sick. The last update was written during spring vacation when I had much too much time on my hands.

Map coming up.
 
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Interesting update, some thoughts...

Firstly, the Emperor should be Basil I, not Basil II. I'm fairly sure there's not been any other Emperor Basils?

Secondly, you should be talking about the imperial "coffers" not the imperial "coughers" ;)

The title Czar would probably not be adopted by the Bulgarians ITTL, it certainly wouldn't be accepted by Constantinople. In OTL, the Slavs adopted Tsar/Czar to show that they were the equals of the ruler of Constantinople, and had mastery over Roman citizens. Since this is not the case here, I'd be very surprised if the Bulgar rulers start calling themselves Czar.

The rulers of the East are Grand Domestics, not Grand Demestics.

In October 864, he should be accepting no aid, rather than excepting no aid.

One request, can you make your updates a bit smaller please? There's an awful lot of information to digest here... :p

Some good points.
I agree that the Bulgar Khans would not name themselves Czar. More likely they will keep Khan - Kanos? Khanos? - or be named King (Basileus ;))
 
Okay, map time. In the first one I forgot to include the Aghlabid emirate of Tripoli, and the Berber confederation, my apologies.


Europe 893
Justinian893.png


Europe 950
Justinian954.png
 
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I'm going to preface this section with the statement that I know very little about Muslim rule, so if the events in this update are completely ASB, please tell me so that I can scrap this section.



Part 5: The Decline of the Empires

810-925- The Abbasid Caliphate is at its height. The Empire has managed to conquer pieces of northwestern India, and subdue many of the tribes of Central Asia. It is an extremely tolerant Nation, allowing its subjects to worship their own Gods. Herein lies the problem. The Abbasid Caliphate has become so liberal during this period that it has almost ceased to be a Muslim Nation. Laws banning Muslims from converting to other religions are no longer in force, and non-Muslims are allowed in Government. The Secularization of the Caliphate, as well as its Persian focus causes it to be reviled by many of the Old-School Arabians. Throughout the late 9th century, many Arab rules have attempted to distance themselves from the Caliph in Baghdad, and by the beginning of the 10th century most Rulers west of Mesopotamia pay him only lip service, and some have even begun considering a full revolution.

946-The Emir of Armenia proclaims that he no longer accepts the rule of the Abbasid Caliph, and converts to Shia Islam. The Abbasids fail to subdue him, partly because many of the local Emirs find excuses not to fulfil their rolls as vassals.

946-950- A coalition of Emirs, based in Arabia emerges. They secretly elect a leader from amongst themselves and prepare for a rebellion.

February, 951- The Emirs revolt. They justify their actions by citing the Abbasid Liberalism, and tolerance of the infidels; they also convert to Shia Islam. By now, most of Arabia is fully committed to the rebellion, and some of the regional Abbasid forces have been bribed into supporting the rebels. The Rebel leader takes the title of Caliph.

March-May, 951-The Arab armies sweep up through Palestine, overcoming any Abbasid resistance. Constantine is advised to assist the Abbasids in putting down the revolt, and perhaps demanding payment in return. Instead, Constantine attacks his one-time allies and lays siege to the Abbasid cities of Antioch and Aleppo.

June 13, 951- Roman armies enter Antioch; a week later they will take Aleppo.

July, 951- The Arabs conquer Damascus, and begin to eye Roman Syria hungrily.

August, 951- The Abbasid Caliph finally manages to lead a loyal army into the near east. The army is made up mainly of Steppe horse-archers, Persian infantry and heavy cavalry, but it also has seventy elephants, which have come all the way from the Caliphate’s Indian territory.

August 26, 951- The battle of the two Caliphs takes place. The Arab army is outnumbered and outclassed, but what it lacks in training and numbers, it makes up for in sheer Zeal. The Abbasid Caliph rides into battle on the back of one of his prised elephants, and soon manages to gain the upper hand in the battle, however, a lucky shot from an arrow hits his mount in the eye several hours in. The Pachyderm panics, and bucks its riders off before the mahout can drive his spike into the animal’s neck. The Caliph, lying prone in the heat of battle, is snatched up off the ground by the Rebel Emir of Tabuk. News of the Caliph’s capture quickly spreads throughout the army, which begins to rout. Rather than pursue the enemy, and risk loosing his prise, the Rebel Caliph orders an orderly withdrawal.

August 26-30, 951- The Rebel Caliph dictates terms to the Abbasid leader. In addition to withdrawing claims to any land West and North of the city of Mardin, the Abbasid Emperor may no longer hold the title of Caliph. Instead, he is allowed to take the title “Emir of Emirs.” He will be ransomed back to his Empire, but his son must also be given to the Arabs as a hostage until Arab control can be secured across the new empire.

September-October, 951- The Arabs begin to consolidate their rule west of the Euphrates and remove Abbasid garrisons in the Mediterranean cities, however the Abbasid garrisons leave many cities too soon, and Roman forces occupy them.
The Abbasid Emir’s son is sent for, but will not arrive for some time as he is staying in the palace at Samarkand. In the mean time, the Abbasid field army quickly disintegrates. Without a clear leader, and a rapidly dwindling food supply, individual commanders order their troops to return home. While the cavalrymen ride back to Persia with all possible speed, the Infantry and elephants are much slower. Roman forces in the area manage to locate and capture several of these slow-moving bands; they will later serve as mercenaries. In particular, more than 50 of the Elephants will be used in future Roman campaigns.

November, 951-February, 952- Constantine’s advisors beg the Emperor to try and establish good relations with the Arab Caliphate by giving at least some of the recently conquered land back as a sign of good faith. The Boorish Emperor refuses, and even sends insulting notes to the Caliph at Jerusalem. He even withdraws many of his armies from the area in order to give himself a grand triumphal march into Constantinople, complete with Elephants.

March, 952- the already Anti-Roman Caliphate is enflamed by Constantine’s ill-considered insults, and invades Roman Syria.

April 14, 952- The Arabs conquer Antioch

April 30, 952- a foolish Roman commander provokes a battle in the field. The Roman Army is routed and retreats to Adana.

May-July, 952- The Arabs lay siege to Adana.

July 4, 952- The Battle of Adana. The Roman Balkans army arrives at Adana. Although outnumbering the Arabs 5:3, it has not seen a large-scale conflict in decades and is crushingly defeated. After this battle, the Arabs are able to sweep across southern Anatolia.

July-September, 952- In the wake of the crushing defeat at the battle of Adana, the Arabs manage to take control not only of Cilicia, but also of Isauria, and much of eastern Anatolia.

953-954- Constantine manages to reform the army, and retake some cities in Central Anatolia, but much of the peninsula remains in Arab hands.
May 6, 954- Constantine VI, Sarantapechos, is assassinated during a drinking party in Constantinople. The Sarantapechos dynasty ends.
 
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