Muezzins on the Seine
- Thread starter Polish Eagle
- Start date
Update:
***
The armies of Alfons besieged Paris in the beginning of 1055, outnumbering the defenders 4 to 1. They assaulted the walls with towers, ladders, and rams, and finally broke through after a month-long seige. They burned much of the city to the ground, sparing the Christian quarter, but not the Jewish quarter or Muslim majority. Thousands perished in the slaughter. Alfons called this action an actus fidei, latin for "Act of Faith." He intended to remake Paris as a Christian city, and ordered that not one Mulsim would be allowed to live in the city. Those that did would be executed. His army then moved west, where they met a massive Muslim army under the Emir himself, Al-Hafredi Ibn Amr, outside the city of Al-Kan (OTL Rouen). The Emir had announced a Jihad to counter Aflons' War of the Cross, and the battle, of 20,000 soldiers on either side, was sure to be epic.
The horse archers moved in first, with Alfons' Lithuanian horsemen firing on the Muslim infantry. The Emir's heavy cavalry, including Normans brought in from their state in southern Gaul, charged forward. The Lithuanians ran, but the Emir's elite cavalry were soon surrounded by other horse archers, and foot archers, firing from all around. They were left retreating to their own lines when Alfons' own guard charged them.
Then, the Muslim infantry moved in, along with mercenaries from other parts of the Emirate. They raised a shield wall, to protect themselves from missiles, and managed to crush into the comparatively lightly armoured ranks of Alfons' infantry. Here his reliance on mobile cavalry showed a weakness. His insistance on movement meant that what few infantry he had were mostly dragoons, and most were too poor to afford real armor. Thus, the Emir's infantry crushed into them and ground them down rapidly. Only a flanking charge from Alfons' heavy cavalry saved the core ranks of the infantry, which were wealthy nobles who could afford heavy armor and weaponry.
The battle dragged on for the rest of the day. Eventually, Alfons realized that the battle was threatening to wear his army down to nothing, and knew that he needed to retreat to Paris. His army left under cover of night, only a quarter as large as it was the day before. The Muslim army fared little better, maybe 3/8 as large as the day before.
Alfons burned the farms on the way to Paris, and the Emir's army, in pursuit, was soon reliant on supply shipments from the coast. The Emir offered a truce to Alfons, who, grudgingly, accepted it. The war's main intent, the reconquest of the Rhineland and the capture of Paris, was accomplished, but Alfons would not be able to launch another such campaign for the rest of his life.
Toward the end of the decade, viking ships sailing down the North American coast discovered larger settlements of natives, cities with populations in the thousands, trading small quantities of gold. The Vikings saw the value of the gold, and traded iron weapons for it. The local chieftains were happy to exchange gold for weapons to use against each other.
***
Comment?
No, this is not Mesoamerica. It's Georgia and South Carolina that the vikings found.
***
The armies of Alfons besieged Paris in the beginning of 1055, outnumbering the defenders 4 to 1. They assaulted the walls with towers, ladders, and rams, and finally broke through after a month-long seige. They burned much of the city to the ground, sparing the Christian quarter, but not the Jewish quarter or Muslim majority. Thousands perished in the slaughter. Alfons called this action an actus fidei, latin for "Act of Faith." He intended to remake Paris as a Christian city, and ordered that not one Mulsim would be allowed to live in the city. Those that did would be executed. His army then moved west, where they met a massive Muslim army under the Emir himself, Al-Hafredi Ibn Amr, outside the city of Al-Kan (OTL Rouen). The Emir had announced a Jihad to counter Aflons' War of the Cross, and the battle, of 20,000 soldiers on either side, was sure to be epic.
The horse archers moved in first, with Alfons' Lithuanian horsemen firing on the Muslim infantry. The Emir's heavy cavalry, including Normans brought in from their state in southern Gaul, charged forward. The Lithuanians ran, but the Emir's elite cavalry were soon surrounded by other horse archers, and foot archers, firing from all around. They were left retreating to their own lines when Alfons' own guard charged them.
Then, the Muslim infantry moved in, along with mercenaries from other parts of the Emirate. They raised a shield wall, to protect themselves from missiles, and managed to crush into the comparatively lightly armoured ranks of Alfons' infantry. Here his reliance on mobile cavalry showed a weakness. His insistance on movement meant that what few infantry he had were mostly dragoons, and most were too poor to afford real armor. Thus, the Emir's infantry crushed into them and ground them down rapidly. Only a flanking charge from Alfons' heavy cavalry saved the core ranks of the infantry, which were wealthy nobles who could afford heavy armor and weaponry.
The battle dragged on for the rest of the day. Eventually, Alfons realized that the battle was threatening to wear his army down to nothing, and knew that he needed to retreat to Paris. His army left under cover of night, only a quarter as large as it was the day before. The Muslim army fared little better, maybe 3/8 as large as the day before.
Alfons burned the farms on the way to Paris, and the Emir's army, in pursuit, was soon reliant on supply shipments from the coast. The Emir offered a truce to Alfons, who, grudgingly, accepted it. The war's main intent, the reconquest of the Rhineland and the capture of Paris, was accomplished, but Alfons would not be able to launch another such campaign for the rest of his life.
Toward the end of the decade, viking ships sailing down the North American coast discovered larger settlements of natives, cities with populations in the thousands, trading small quantities of gold. The Vikings saw the value of the gold, and traded iron weapons for it. The local chieftains were happy to exchange gold for weapons to use against each other.
***
Comment?
No, this is not Mesoamerica. It's Georgia and South Carolina that the vikings found.
The disease epidemic is currently being spread by the Vikings (expect the Mississippians they met to start dying). The Aztecs won't rise, but I plan on a larger Tarascan state, with bronze or even iron!
Map:
Map:
Update:
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The secrets of Greek Fire were traded to China and India in exchange for early gunpowder over a century before 1061 (by the Muslim powers), but it took a while for either technology to be adopted by the ruling empires. However, the Chinese Navy finally found a use for Greek Fire in a campaign against the Cambodians. The liquid fire was far more useful than gunpowder arrows at sea, for it would float and be spread by water! The Chinese Navy achieved total domination after just a few battles with fire-ships. Greek Fire would be a standard addition to Chinese ships for years to come.
At roughly the same time, Gunpowder made its first appearance in the Christian world. An incursion by the Caliphate of Damascus into Roman territory included bronze cannons, marched to Caesarea. The Romans prepared for a traditional seige, but were stunned to see their walls knocked down with ease. Though a Roman counterattack turned the battle back in their favor, the walls of Caesarea were utterly ruined, and the Emperor invested in research for new methods of protecting fortifications from gunpowder.
At this time, the Muslims assaulted Malta. The small island had long been a Christian stronghold, from which the Roman Empire staged its attacks on Berber Sicily and Tunisia. Since it was critical for controlling naval access to the West Mediterranean, the Roman Emperors took greater interest in it than they had Tarento; massive fortifications dotted the island. Control of it would be a major asset for the Berber Emir. For this reason, in 1061, he sent an invasion fleet to attack it.
The commander of the fleet and army was ordered to attack Marsaxlokk Bay, a large sheltered area on the south-eastern coast of the island, and then march through the relatively low terrain to the major Roman fortresses on the Grand Bay. The army would prevent resupply by land, and the navy would guard the Bay itself. However, fearing attack by Roman fire-ships, the commander instead landed his troops at Salina Bay in the northeast. This meant that his army had three choices: Move through a low, flat, narrow stretch of land between the coast and risk being cut off by defenders; march west around the high terrain in front of them and use a much wider pass; or move over the highlands in a straight line, which meant they would have to slog uphill against any Roman defenders.
The commander chose the second option, a march through the moderate terrain of the island's center, which would probably take 3 days. However, he was ambushed in the pass by Roman troops from the coastal forts, who assailed him from the highlands on either side of him. His numbers were slowly wittled down as he advanced.
The fleet continued sailing to the Grand Bay, to cut off and destroy any ships that might be at port. However, they met heavy defenses; great machines that could shoot the liquid fire at them lined the 2 bays, and many catapults had been set up to fling bursting canisters full of it at the fleet. To make matters worse, a massive storm hit, battering the fleet more than the forts on land. By the end of the first week, the naval force was incapable of combat, and merchant ships were moving in freely.
The land forces, by the time they reached the Grand Bay, had learned that the remains of the fleet abandoned them. When offered terms of surrender, the commander agreed quickly, and the Berber assault on Malta ended. The Emir agreed to pay a ransom for his forces, and the war ended there.
In Europe, the petty states between Poland, Frankia, the Roman Empire, and the Magyar Kingdom began organizing themselves under Bayan the One-Eye, King of the Avars, as he styled himself. This new kingdom ruled what is IOTL Hungary, more or less, and provided a buffer state between the Roman Empire and the rising Christian powers of the north.
Toward the end of the century, interest in the Atlantic islands discovered by the Muslims and rediscovered by the Vikings returned to the court of the Caliph of Cordoba, who sent small naval expeditions to reclaim the islands of Madeira, the Canaries, and the Green Islands, and even assert his authority at the Jahannam Islands. The former ones had slipped out of the Caliph's grasp when the great Caliphates broke apart, but he intended to reclaim them, and even send ships further south from the Green Islands.
In North America, the Indians of Georgia and South Carolina put the iron weapons bought from the Vikings to good use. The local chieftains of that region became the dominant powers of their Mound-Builder culture, and new ideas came from their contact with the Europeans. For example, some of them began to adopt a written language, and others experimented with stone architecture. But even in the midst of all this, the plagues that had decimated indian populations on the St. Lawrence River began to spread. Though their effect was less extreme than in those regions frequented by the vikings, thousands still died.
In Mesoamerica, the Maya hegemonies collapsed, and a remnant of their great society formed in the Northern Yucatan, which turned to a maritime culture, trading frequently with Taino populations in the Caribbean. Further west, new city states were emerging, populated by Purhepecha peoples.
***
Comment?
***
The secrets of Greek Fire were traded to China and India in exchange for early gunpowder over a century before 1061 (by the Muslim powers), but it took a while for either technology to be adopted by the ruling empires. However, the Chinese Navy finally found a use for Greek Fire in a campaign against the Cambodians. The liquid fire was far more useful than gunpowder arrows at sea, for it would float and be spread by water! The Chinese Navy achieved total domination after just a few battles with fire-ships. Greek Fire would be a standard addition to Chinese ships for years to come.
At roughly the same time, Gunpowder made its first appearance in the Christian world. An incursion by the Caliphate of Damascus into Roman territory included bronze cannons, marched to Caesarea. The Romans prepared for a traditional seige, but were stunned to see their walls knocked down with ease. Though a Roman counterattack turned the battle back in their favor, the walls of Caesarea were utterly ruined, and the Emperor invested in research for new methods of protecting fortifications from gunpowder.
At this time, the Muslims assaulted Malta. The small island had long been a Christian stronghold, from which the Roman Empire staged its attacks on Berber Sicily and Tunisia. Since it was critical for controlling naval access to the West Mediterranean, the Roman Emperors took greater interest in it than they had Tarento; massive fortifications dotted the island. Control of it would be a major asset for the Berber Emir. For this reason, in 1061, he sent an invasion fleet to attack it.
The commander of the fleet and army was ordered to attack Marsaxlokk Bay, a large sheltered area on the south-eastern coast of the island, and then march through the relatively low terrain to the major Roman fortresses on the Grand Bay. The army would prevent resupply by land, and the navy would guard the Bay itself. However, fearing attack by Roman fire-ships, the commander instead landed his troops at Salina Bay in the northeast. This meant that his army had three choices: Move through a low, flat, narrow stretch of land between the coast and risk being cut off by defenders; march west around the high terrain in front of them and use a much wider pass; or move over the highlands in a straight line, which meant they would have to slog uphill against any Roman defenders.
The commander chose the second option, a march through the moderate terrain of the island's center, which would probably take 3 days. However, he was ambushed in the pass by Roman troops from the coastal forts, who assailed him from the highlands on either side of him. His numbers were slowly wittled down as he advanced.
The fleet continued sailing to the Grand Bay, to cut off and destroy any ships that might be at port. However, they met heavy defenses; great machines that could shoot the liquid fire at them lined the 2 bays, and many catapults had been set up to fling bursting canisters full of it at the fleet. To make matters worse, a massive storm hit, battering the fleet more than the forts on land. By the end of the first week, the naval force was incapable of combat, and merchant ships were moving in freely.
The land forces, by the time they reached the Grand Bay, had learned that the remains of the fleet abandoned them. When offered terms of surrender, the commander agreed quickly, and the Berber assault on Malta ended. The Emir agreed to pay a ransom for his forces, and the war ended there.
In Europe, the petty states between Poland, Frankia, the Roman Empire, and the Magyar Kingdom began organizing themselves under Bayan the One-Eye, King of the Avars, as he styled himself. This new kingdom ruled what is IOTL Hungary, more or less, and provided a buffer state between the Roman Empire and the rising Christian powers of the north.
Toward the end of the century, interest in the Atlantic islands discovered by the Muslims and rediscovered by the Vikings returned to the court of the Caliph of Cordoba, who sent small naval expeditions to reclaim the islands of Madeira, the Canaries, and the Green Islands, and even assert his authority at the Jahannam Islands. The former ones had slipped out of the Caliph's grasp when the great Caliphates broke apart, but he intended to reclaim them, and even send ships further south from the Green Islands.
In North America, the Indians of Georgia and South Carolina put the iron weapons bought from the Vikings to good use. The local chieftains of that region became the dominant powers of their Mound-Builder culture, and new ideas came from their contact with the Europeans. For example, some of them began to adopt a written language, and others experimented with stone architecture. But even in the midst of all this, the plagues that had decimated indian populations on the St. Lawrence River began to spread. Though their effect was less extreme than in those regions frequented by the vikings, thousands still died.
In Mesoamerica, the Maya hegemonies collapsed, and a remnant of their great society formed in the Northern Yucatan, which turned to a maritime culture, trading frequently with Taino populations in the Caribbean. Further west, new city states were emerging, populated by Purhepecha peoples.
***
Comment?
Update:
In the early 12th century, King Alfons died of old age, and his son, Charles, succeeded him. Charles was very little like his father. Though he had the same hatred of Muslims, Charles was far more of an intellectual, studying philosophy, theology, and physical sciences at Rome and Constantinople. He saw the works of Muslim philosophers, and decided that Christians were not to be outsmarted by "ignorant heathens." For this reason, he began founding universities at cities like Mainz and Paris.
In China, the invention of the magnetic compass was a great boon to navigation. Chinese vessels embarked on new voyages, as far north as the Kamchatka Peninsula, and as far west as the Cape of Good Hope. However, voyages much past either point were rare, due to the general consensus among the Bureaucrats that there was little of value to find at either point.
In the Atlantic, the Caliph of Cordoba's fleets had managed to re-assert control over the Canaries and the area of Madeira, and taken control of the Green Islands and Jahannam all by 1110.
In North America, white settlers from Druerland and the colonies on the mainland, a region referred to as Erikland, began founding towns in the fertile farmland of the Delaware River area and Chesapeake Bay region, along with small fishing communities in New York Harbor.
***
In the early 12th century, King Alfons died of old age, and his son, Charles, succeeded him. Charles was very little like his father. Though he had the same hatred of Muslims, Charles was far more of an intellectual, studying philosophy, theology, and physical sciences at Rome and Constantinople. He saw the works of Muslim philosophers, and decided that Christians were not to be outsmarted by "ignorant heathens." For this reason, he began founding universities at cities like Mainz and Paris.
In China, the invention of the magnetic compass was a great boon to navigation. Chinese vessels embarked on new voyages, as far north as the Kamchatka Peninsula, and as far west as the Cape of Good Hope. However, voyages much past either point were rare, due to the general consensus among the Bureaucrats that there was little of value to find at either point.
In the Atlantic, the Caliph of Cordoba's fleets had managed to re-assert control over the Canaries and the area of Madeira, and taken control of the Green Islands and Jahannam all by 1110.
In North America, white settlers from Druerland and the colonies on the mainland, a region referred to as Erikland, began founding towns in the fertile farmland of the Delaware River area and Chesapeake Bay region, along with small fishing communities in New York Harbor.
***
Update:
The Abbasid Caliphate, based in Baghdad, came to power on the grounds that its royals were descended directly of Mohammad. This claim allowed them to form an alliance with the Shia Muslims, but, in the 8th century, they disavowed their connections, and a persecution of the Shia began. Most of the Shia escaped to the Umayyad Caliphate, and later the Berber Emirate. However, in the 12th century, a new dynasty came to power, led by a man known as Athid. This dynasty, from an Egyptian nobility, was far more tolerant, and Athid had designs on the Maghreb, the area of the Berber Emirate and the Caliphate of Cordoba's African territories.
Athid's first approach to the Emir was less than successful. The Emir himself was a Shia Muslim, and remembered the slaughter of even highly placed Shia in the 9th century. Besides that, he was still nominally loyal to the Caliph in Cordoba, and didn't wish to risk a war against a power that had complete naval dominance in the west Mediterranean. He turned Athid down.
However, the Caliph of Cordoba was soon alerted to his Abbasid rival's moves, and attempted to bring the Emirate back into his own domain. Sending lavish gifts of slave girls from West Africa and slaves bought from the Vikings of Druerland, exotic gifts in that day, he promised the Emir that he would still have his title, still have his current power, if he would only declare fealty to the Caliph. The Emir accepted this offer.
A war soon began between the Caliphates of Cordoba and Baghdad. Though the eastern Caliphate managed to seize Tripoli, they were halted by a fleet of large galleys, some approaching 70 feet long, with many fire-ships, outside Tunis. Though the war ended eventually due to exhaustion on either side, the Italians benefited most: they managed to drive Muslim forces in Italy back a good distance during the fighting.
The annexation of the Berber Emirate left an impression on the Ummayad Caliphate's grandson, who believed it was his duty to unite all of Islam under one flag.
In Europe, the Frankish Empire lost an important province at the mouth of the Rhine. The nobility of Frisia separated themselves from the King of the Franks, and elected one of their own, one Albrecht, as King of Frisia. Though Albrecht paid his own taxes to the King of the Franks, this region would be nominally independent for a long time to come.
***
The Abbasid Caliphate, based in Baghdad, came to power on the grounds that its royals were descended directly of Mohammad. This claim allowed them to form an alliance with the Shia Muslims, but, in the 8th century, they disavowed their connections, and a persecution of the Shia began. Most of the Shia escaped to the Umayyad Caliphate, and later the Berber Emirate. However, in the 12th century, a new dynasty came to power, led by a man known as Athid. This dynasty, from an Egyptian nobility, was far more tolerant, and Athid had designs on the Maghreb, the area of the Berber Emirate and the Caliphate of Cordoba's African territories.
Athid's first approach to the Emir was less than successful. The Emir himself was a Shia Muslim, and remembered the slaughter of even highly placed Shia in the 9th century. Besides that, he was still nominally loyal to the Caliph in Cordoba, and didn't wish to risk a war against a power that had complete naval dominance in the west Mediterranean. He turned Athid down.
However, the Caliph of Cordoba was soon alerted to his Abbasid rival's moves, and attempted to bring the Emirate back into his own domain. Sending lavish gifts of slave girls from West Africa and slaves bought from the Vikings of Druerland, exotic gifts in that day, he promised the Emir that he would still have his title, still have his current power, if he would only declare fealty to the Caliph. The Emir accepted this offer.
A war soon began between the Caliphates of Cordoba and Baghdad. Though the eastern Caliphate managed to seize Tripoli, they were halted by a fleet of large galleys, some approaching 70 feet long, with many fire-ships, outside Tunis. Though the war ended eventually due to exhaustion on either side, the Italians benefited most: they managed to drive Muslim forces in Italy back a good distance during the fighting.
The annexation of the Berber Emirate left an impression on the Ummayad Caliphate's grandson, who believed it was his duty to unite all of Islam under one flag.
In Europe, the Frankish Empire lost an important province at the mouth of the Rhine. The nobility of Frisia separated themselves from the King of the Franks, and elected one of their own, one Albrecht, as King of Frisia. Though Albrecht paid his own taxes to the King of the Franks, this region would be nominally independent for a long time to come.
***
Update:
Around 1130, the Mississippian peoples of OTL Georgia began centralizing under a single Over-King. The various tribal chiefs were still important, but they paid homage to the Over-King, who lived in a wood-and-brick palace in Ocmulgee. This Over-King, the first of which was named Coosa, had a domain which reached over most of the OTL state of Georgia. His palace would be lined with gold artwork, made from gold mined from the Blue Ridge Mountains. Coosa had much contact with the Vikings from the north, and traded gold artifacts to them for iron weapons, allowing his own forces to hold control over the various smaller tribes and villages.
Further south, the Purhepecha in Mexico independently experimented with bronze tools and weapons. Among these weapons were axes, shields, and bronze-tipped spears. The Maya states of the Yucatan began to profit from trade with the Caribbean, buying slaves and launching armed raids for sacrifices across the coasts of Cuba and even north to Florida. In response, the Tainos of Cuba moved inland, away from the streams that the Maya rode up in large canoes. The Taino adopted palisades, and flint-tipped arrows from the top of wooden walls to kill at a distance.
Around 1130, the Mississippian peoples of OTL Georgia began centralizing under a single Over-King. The various tribal chiefs were still important, but they paid homage to the Over-King, who lived in a wood-and-brick palace in Ocmulgee. This Over-King, the first of which was named Coosa, had a domain which reached over most of the OTL state of Georgia. His palace would be lined with gold artwork, made from gold mined from the Blue Ridge Mountains. Coosa had much contact with the Vikings from the north, and traded gold artifacts to them for iron weapons, allowing his own forces to hold control over the various smaller tribes and villages.
Further south, the Purhepecha in Mexico independently experimented with bronze tools and weapons. Among these weapons were axes, shields, and bronze-tipped spears. The Maya states of the Yucatan began to profit from trade with the Caribbean, buying slaves and launching armed raids for sacrifices across the coasts of Cuba and even north to Florida. In response, the Tainos of Cuba moved inland, away from the streams that the Maya rode up in large canoes. The Taino adopted palisades, and flint-tipped arrows from the top of wooden walls to kill at a distance.
Update:
***
In 1134, the fleets of the Jin Dynasty annihilated a Song fleet at the mouth of the Yangtze river using many fire-ships, securing control of the Yangtze for themselves. This paved the way for numerous Jin invasions along China's major rivers, and the later domination of the Jin dynasty over the Song.
In 1138, a major earthquake rocked Aleppo, which the Abbasid Caliph, Athid, was visiting. He was killed when a mosque collapsed above him. In the ensuing political struggles in Baghdad, the Caliph of Cordoba seized Abbasid territories in Libya, most importantly Tripoli.
Chinese records of this time record contact made with a kingdom at the Southern tip of Africa, rich in gold and diamonds. Chinese merchants traded various silk items, and carvings of jade, with them, and returned home. The most likely candidate for this kingdom is the forerunner of the Xhosa kingdom, as indicated by various myths among the people of "Pale, narrow-eyed people" visiting in ancient times, and the discovery of a jade dragon sculpture in the ruins of a building above the Great Fish River.
In Russia, the Novgorod state conquered the last major pagan Norse kingdom, at a river mouth bordering the Arctic ocean.
***
In 1134, the fleets of the Jin Dynasty annihilated a Song fleet at the mouth of the Yangtze river using many fire-ships, securing control of the Yangtze for themselves. This paved the way for numerous Jin invasions along China's major rivers, and the later domination of the Jin dynasty over the Song.
In 1138, a major earthquake rocked Aleppo, which the Abbasid Caliph, Athid, was visiting. He was killed when a mosque collapsed above him. In the ensuing political struggles in Baghdad, the Caliph of Cordoba seized Abbasid territories in Libya, most importantly Tripoli.
Chinese records of this time record contact made with a kingdom at the Southern tip of Africa, rich in gold and diamonds. Chinese merchants traded various silk items, and carvings of jade, with them, and returned home. The most likely candidate for this kingdom is the forerunner of the Xhosa kingdom, as indicated by various myths among the people of "Pale, narrow-eyed people" visiting in ancient times, and the discovery of a jade dragon sculpture in the ruins of a building above the Great Fish River.
In Russia, the Novgorod state conquered the last major pagan Norse kingdom, at a river mouth bordering the Arctic ocean.
I'm not sure if the Xhosans were already around by this point....
My POD was 732. This date is around 1140. That's plenty of time for the butterflies to change things. Besides, I said "forerunner." Not the actually Xhosans, but their predecessors.
Update:
In 1143, the Over-King of Ocmulgee launched attacks against the settlements in South Carolina, beating them using European-style shield wall tactics. The addition of Viking mercenaries wasn't detrimental to his forces, either. At the same time, he asserted himself as Over-King of the native tribes in north-western Florida and eastern Alabama. In order to unite the growing empire, he had wooden roads constructed, from felled trees laid over the swamps and through the forests.
In Europe, the northern half of the Frankish Empire, in Scandinavia, broke off from the half in continental Europe. The nobles of northern Frankia selected one of their own, Erik, later called Magnus for his campaigns against the Novgorod in Finland, as King of North Frankia. His campaigns against the Russians in Finland began when the King of Novgorod attempted to tax Frankish fishermen on the Finnish coast. Erik asserted that he was ruler of the Finnish coast, and war began over this claim. The war was brief, and ended with the Sacking of Novgorod by a fleet of Frankish ships, some carrying Greek Fire obtained by deals with Roman merchants, in 1147. The King of Novgorod gave up his claims to Finland, and the area he previously controlled was named the Duchy of Karelia, a vassal state of the North Frankish kingdom.
In eastern Asia, the Goryeo Empire in OTL Korea invaded the island of Kyushu, utilizing a combination of fire-ships and more traditional gunpowder weapons to support the invasions and burn coastal towns. The superior army of the Goryeo invaders included handheld siphons of liquid fire, which they used like flamethrowers to clear out the local Japanese infantry.
In 1157, the Roman Empire got a nasty surprise during a pirate raid/conquest of Crete. The Roman fleet engaged the Muslim pirates the ordinary way (approach, fire arrows, use liquid fire, try boarding), but the commanders were shocked when the fire failed to burn the ships! The sails were made of leather, soaked in vinegar. Though heavier than canvas, it was fireproof, as were the timbers of the deck, which were also soaked in vinegar. An entire Roman fleet, 40 ships, was destroyed.
Map of World, 1160:
In 1143, the Over-King of Ocmulgee launched attacks against the settlements in South Carolina, beating them using European-style shield wall tactics. The addition of Viking mercenaries wasn't detrimental to his forces, either. At the same time, he asserted himself as Over-King of the native tribes in north-western Florida and eastern Alabama. In order to unite the growing empire, he had wooden roads constructed, from felled trees laid over the swamps and through the forests.
In Europe, the northern half of the Frankish Empire, in Scandinavia, broke off from the half in continental Europe. The nobles of northern Frankia selected one of their own, Erik, later called Magnus for his campaigns against the Novgorod in Finland, as King of North Frankia. His campaigns against the Russians in Finland began when the King of Novgorod attempted to tax Frankish fishermen on the Finnish coast. Erik asserted that he was ruler of the Finnish coast, and war began over this claim. The war was brief, and ended with the Sacking of Novgorod by a fleet of Frankish ships, some carrying Greek Fire obtained by deals with Roman merchants, in 1147. The King of Novgorod gave up his claims to Finland, and the area he previously controlled was named the Duchy of Karelia, a vassal state of the North Frankish kingdom.
In eastern Asia, the Goryeo Empire in OTL Korea invaded the island of Kyushu, utilizing a combination of fire-ships and more traditional gunpowder weapons to support the invasions and burn coastal towns. The superior army of the Goryeo invaders included handheld siphons of liquid fire, which they used like flamethrowers to clear out the local Japanese infantry.
In 1157, the Roman Empire got a nasty surprise during a pirate raid/conquest of Crete. The Roman fleet engaged the Muslim pirates the ordinary way (approach, fire arrows, use liquid fire, try boarding), but the commanders were shocked when the fire failed to burn the ships! The sails were made of leather, soaked in vinegar. Though heavier than canvas, it was fireproof, as were the timbers of the deck, which were also soaked in vinegar. An entire Roman fleet, 40 ships, was destroyed.
Map of World, 1160:
Update:
In 1162, the Purhepecha city of TzinTzuntzan revolted against the local king in Tula, establishing the first independent Purhepecha state. To celebrate the victory in battle, 20,000 prisoners were sacrificed to the local war god. However, a new cult emerges among the lower classes. This one believes that human sacrifice is an affront to their major deity, Acatl, and that Acatl gave victory against the warriors of Tula because he was disgusted by the inhabitants bloody sacrifice to Uitzilopochtli. The cult of Acatl was minor, but gained converts in the peasant and slave classes.
When the Frankish Emperor began making aggressive moves against the Emirate of Bordeaux, the Emir was ready. The Emir had pledged fealty to the Caliph of Cordoba, in exchange for military aid. The Caliph was ready to send armies across France to fight the Franks, and the Muslims had another ally. In exchange for the Muslim territories of south-western England, the King of Jorvik agreed to support the Emir in any war.
Therefore, when another war broke out in 1168, the Frankish Empire was defeated on the field west of Broeksel. The Franks were cut off by English fleets in the Scheldt river, and slaughtered from all sides. The Emperor himself, a young buffoon named Otto, was captured, and paraded through Bordeaux and Cordoba tied to the rear end of a horse.
In 1162, the Purhepecha city of TzinTzuntzan revolted against the local king in Tula, establishing the first independent Purhepecha state. To celebrate the victory in battle, 20,000 prisoners were sacrificed to the local war god. However, a new cult emerges among the lower classes. This one believes that human sacrifice is an affront to their major deity, Acatl, and that Acatl gave victory against the warriors of Tula because he was disgusted by the inhabitants bloody sacrifice to Uitzilopochtli. The cult of Acatl was minor, but gained converts in the peasant and slave classes.
When the Frankish Emperor began making aggressive moves against the Emirate of Bordeaux, the Emir was ready. The Emir had pledged fealty to the Caliph of Cordoba, in exchange for military aid. The Caliph was ready to send armies across France to fight the Franks, and the Muslims had another ally. In exchange for the Muslim territories of south-western England, the King of Jorvik agreed to support the Emir in any war.
Therefore, when another war broke out in 1168, the Frankish Empire was defeated on the field west of Broeksel. The Franks were cut off by English fleets in the Scheldt river, and slaughtered from all sides. The Emperor himself, a young buffoon named Otto, was captured, and paraded through Bordeaux and Cordoba tied to the rear end of a horse.