- Status
Caesar Biden
Banned
It really is just a blob, isn't it?
I prefer PAINT, personally, but that might just be because I'm used to it and you are too.
GdwnsnHo
Banned
It just takes time to learn to do nice graphical tricks such as having more opaque borders, with more transparent filler, etc.
Practice makes perfect
37
Deleted member 67076
Thanks all!
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What causes conflict? What determines the end of a longstanding friendship? Is it greed? Folly? Abuse? Or merely a conflict of interests?
The answer has been pondered for as long as man existed. In this current case study, of the Medieval Roman Empire and her longstanding ally the Most Serene Republic of Genoa, its all of the above. The two, though having been united through a mutual dislike of Venice, and the benefits of cooperation, have had that raison d’etre steadily eroded over the past century.
Tradition dictates this began with Venice’s elimination as the major trading state in the Eastern Mediterranean, although arguably one could this happened with the implementation of the Renovation by Alexios Apokaukos. Genoa now faced another competitor in a limited sector, and one who was far closer to the vital Oriental Markets. But they were small and relegated their activities to areas that Genoa considered marginal at the time, such as the Maghrebian trade or the Black Sea.
But once Venice was removed, this conflicting interest was exacerbated. Genoa found itself at a golden opportunity where in which the Serenissima could dominate all the Eastern Trade. Standing in between that though, was Romania. An irritant at first, but Romania continued to grow, and grow, and grow as the decades passed. Genoa grew more spectacularly, and expanded her markets everywhere- but Romania represented competition and compromise. Something that often didn’t sit well with the Patricians looking at their profit margins. And thus, tension grew, slowly but surely.
Genoa moving her trade zones to the West and North mitigated this somewhat but this could not be ignored once the Ottomans were eliminated. Rome had a foothold across the Bosphorus, had land and shipyards in both sides of the Aegean, and was moving in rapidly to secure the Black Sea trade and overland Silk Road nexuses. Genoa was on alert, and all that was needed was an excuse to take their rivals down a notch. But Romania was compliant in many ways, and tensions managed to simmer, rather than boil. Neither side really trusted each other at this point [Mid 1370s] but they had no reason for war, along with being more concerned with other matters.
But that couldn’t last forever. And in fact, it is quite surprising the detente lasted this long. But when Timur invaded the Levant, deeply disrupting the commerce of such a strategic region, Genoa was forced to act- and quickly, for better or for worse. After Timur’s invasion, Genoa entered a steep recession and needed to find ways to balance its budget.
They did this in the easiest way possible: conquest. This might seem odd- after all, wars are expensive. But the rationale wasn’t that strange. Conquest would bring new taxpayers would make up the deficit. If the war was quick and decisive. Luckily, Genoa had very good targets: Cyprus, throwing off the shackles of the Mamluk government was highly disorganized when the Genoese fleet came into port- and Candia, where Genoese investments had seen much of its economy already tied to and controlled by the Patricians in Italy. All that was needed was regular taxation to formalize the status quo. The former was easy, the latter had come at a cost: Romania.
Romania, predictably protested, but was too busy dealing with the Timurids and their aftermath to take any real action. Genoese rule was effectively unchallenged, to its benefit. Control of Cyprus and Crete did wonders for the Serenissima, giving it a series of naval bases and a healthy, decently sized tax base. But more importantly, it alleviated the worst of the depression and allowed Genoa a quick recovery while the other merchants in the region suffered.
Under Constantine XI, Romania did not take action. Once he and his immediate family fled, this changed. The military clique that dominated the Imperial Government through their puppet emperor (Constantine's much meeker brother Manuel [1]) repudiated Genoa’s illegal annexation of the Duchy of Candia. Genoa promptly refused, and war broke out.
And so here we are, the end of a long and topsy turvy friendship initially based on mutual hate.
When we last off, news of Constantine XI’s appearance in Savoy came as a pleasant surprise to Genoa. A perfect opportunity to install a more compliant leader who had a history of respecting Genoese interests whilst throwing a little turmoil into the empire to knock them down a peg. Constantine XI on the other hand, readily accepted the Genoese offer. Angered and betrayed, he sought to retake his birthright. Or, so the history goes.
Back at the war front, the Genoese had near total dominance. Since the Final Genoese-Venetian War, the city state had been undergoing a naval revolution with a variety of new techniques added to the Genoese arsenal. For example, introducing mounted cannons on ships, better tactics in amphibious assaults, better design in shipbuilding (one sees Carracks coming into use in the very late 1300s, quickly adopted en masse for their ability to carry goods in bulk), naval convoys, an arsenal to mass produce ships, and so forth. Genoa was at the center of a trading empire, and the seas were her veins. Severing control of them meant severing the heart of the state organism. As a corollary to that, Genoese tactics also evolved, focussing much like their former rivals Venice historically did, on extensive shock and awe and overwhelming force. Wars must be ended quickly, on their terms, so that trade is not interrupted. And it worked out pretty well so far.
This was no different. Rome might have had a much larger fleet than before (give or take 80 warships if one is generous along with whatever remnants of the Aydinids) but these were outdated, especially in terms of firepower. While the experience in wars and navigating hostile waters over the decades had seen a respectable naval tradition form- it was not enough. Genoa struck harder, much faster than expected, and outnumbered the Roman fleet by a good margin.
The Genoese were able to command the seas and effectively sever both sides of the Empire in half. This still came at a price, the Romans fought hard and caused more casualties than expected to Genoa. But that didn’t stop the Ligurians; instead the redoubled their efforts in securing the seas and ending war as quickly as possible. The coastal cities were being choked, their trade ended, and communications inside the realm slowed. But that’s not all, a new fleet was dispatched- this time carrying a massive 35,000 man army, primarily composed of mercenary companies and their siege weapons, landing in Gallipoli. Their target? The Queen of Cities, Constantinople herself.
Roman intelligence was, while initially caught off guard at the brazenness of Genoa, quick to react. Genoa may have controlled the seas, but she had little dominance at land, where Rome cemented authority at the hinterland. In Constantinople, the Military Junta gave orders to prepare for the inevitable while dispatching messengers for a counterattack. As much food as possible was hastily brought inside and all troops in the vicinity (professional, militia, and other) were pulled back to Constantinople to prepare for the inevitable. This being in the dead of winter of 1411 was a hasty proposition, but decades of improvements to roads and farming had seen to it that there was a surplus available to be quickly transported.
Meanwhile, the remnants of the Roman Army in Europe were pulled back to Macedonia, regrouped and reorganized as a group of messengers were sent up north to the Tsar’s court to appeal for aid. Another group of messengers were smuggled out to Italy, in the hopes of appealing to the Empire’s dynastic relatives, the Savoyards. And finally, a third were sent out to Asia Minor to inform the Armies of the East in what policies should be taken: A buildup of an emergency 15,000 strong army, an attack on Galata, and the recruitment of all possible ships into an impromptu fleet to break the blockade while a new fleet is under construction to take the fight out of the Aegean. The reader is left to decide the viability of that.
This strategy of course, was a race against time. The longer the response came, the more Romania suffered, either in food shortages and the lack of revenue. And then were the risks of messengers being caught, causing the enemy to change their attack patterns. But fortune was on Romania’s side. Genoa’s efforts were all on securing the coasts, choking Rome while going for a knockout blow in the hopes of quick and decisive victory. Little effort paid to the securing the hinterland and launching a full on occupation. That’s expensive, afterall.
The northern messengers journeyed without struggle. The Tsar, Boril II, welcomed messengers of the South with open arms, and was practically giddy at the news. Romania was to offer them the province of Dalmatia in exchange for their military aid. Like his predecessor before him Bulgaria was quick to take advantage of neighboring conflicts to centralize and expand. Here was the chance to enter into the Adriatic Sea and further eliminate unnecessary landed elites as his predecessor had against the Ottomans. The aftermath of crushing the Shihman rebellion and the various Serb uprisings had managed to cement Boril’s supremacy over the other nobles, but that left the problem of well, many of them are still alive. And plotting. Most likely, once his death comes the monarchy would be in a much stronger position than when it began, but the inevitable pushback should see more bloodshed, along with the possibility of undoing his father and grandfather’s hard work. Here, that could be nipped in the bud. And so Boril rallied his bannermen, particularly from the far, restless corners of his empire and agreed to meet south with the main Byzantine army in Macedonia at the start of Spring.
Those who had been sent east saw less success. As they attempted to move into Anatolia, the messengers were caught by the Genoese blockade, tortured for information, and executed. They cracked, causing the invading force to reshuffle their plans. While news of appealing to Macedonian aid did not break out, the news that Rome was preparing to strike back greatly panicked the Genoese, who wanted this war as quickly as possible. It had been already 3 and a half months since the fighting began in earnest and the Romans refused to come to terms. Once spring would come the any chance of hunger bringing the Imperials on their knees would be a pipe dream. Genoese command reacted fast, sending the news back to the mother city as soon as possible, while starting to recruit from their newly conquered provinces to counter any assembled armies. But additionally, some men were dispatched to Iconium, to the realm of Karaman, with hopes to bribe them into attacking the Romans. Put pressure on both sides the Empire, if you will.
Karaman didn't take much effort to convince. Rome was wealthy, a threat and and the Italians paid well (by Central Anatolian standards). The pastoral tribes, always eager and restless would be kept occupied, and the emir would bring great prestige to the land. Despite being winter, raids began in earnest almost immediately.
We see the beginning of 1412 with the state being split in half, reliant on allies for support and with a massive, well equipped and supplied army on the outskirts of Constantinople. Her cities drained of their lifeblood -the vital trade- by competitors. And at the same time, the hordes of the east begin their attacks once more.
How shall Romania survive this onslaught, one might wonder? The answer: by widening the war.
As winter gives into the spring, a small band of wanderers enter Chambery. They are disguised as Latin priests, but are really messengers of the east, bringing news to the Duke of Savoy. They explain the situation to the east, of their old and loyal allies being besieged from all corners and appeal to his aid. The duke of Savoy, Amadeus VII is moved, and agrees to give aid. His rationale appears sympathetic, but it is really a careful ploy for power. Long defended by their stalwart allies Milan, Savoy has been unable to make moves against Genoa until very recently.
But the Savoyards have pledged their support to the Pope in Avignon, and have secured an alliance with France. Who, in turn, has secured control of all territory from the English, recently expelling them from the continent and freeing up soldiers to be used elsewhere. In short, Savoy has gained both a sword and a shield in the form of France. If Milan reacts, France shall as well.
Now, with the perfect cassus belli, he has no excuse not to invade. The agreement is set and the messengers are sent off. Savoy shall see to it to defend Romania from the Lombards. In early spring, a large Savoyard army moves south and takes Monaco, before wheeling east towards Liguria. Genoa is caught completely off guard.
[1] As a side note the other two siblings are still alive, but middle child Michael has been tonsured and sent off to a monastery at swordpoint and youngest child Andreas is currently governor of Epirus and knows very well he has no army that can challenge Constantinople, so plays along with this, for now.
Thankfully these borders won't last.
Yeah, I realize that now.
Most of it- Egypt is still ruled by a Sunni dynasty.
It will in the future.
You'll have it soon.
Just like all hordes that try to bite off more than they can chew.
------
What causes conflict? What determines the end of a longstanding friendship? Is it greed? Folly? Abuse? Or merely a conflict of interests?
The answer has been pondered for as long as man existed. In this current case study, of the Medieval Roman Empire and her longstanding ally the Most Serene Republic of Genoa, its all of the above. The two, though having been united through a mutual dislike of Venice, and the benefits of cooperation, have had that raison d’etre steadily eroded over the past century.
Tradition dictates this began with Venice’s elimination as the major trading state in the Eastern Mediterranean, although arguably one could this happened with the implementation of the Renovation by Alexios Apokaukos. Genoa now faced another competitor in a limited sector, and one who was far closer to the vital Oriental Markets. But they were small and relegated their activities to areas that Genoa considered marginal at the time, such as the Maghrebian trade or the Black Sea.
But once Venice was removed, this conflicting interest was exacerbated. Genoa found itself at a golden opportunity where in which the Serenissima could dominate all the Eastern Trade. Standing in between that though, was Romania. An irritant at first, but Romania continued to grow, and grow, and grow as the decades passed. Genoa grew more spectacularly, and expanded her markets everywhere- but Romania represented competition and compromise. Something that often didn’t sit well with the Patricians looking at their profit margins. And thus, tension grew, slowly but surely.
Genoa moving her trade zones to the West and North mitigated this somewhat but this could not be ignored once the Ottomans were eliminated. Rome had a foothold across the Bosphorus, had land and shipyards in both sides of the Aegean, and was moving in rapidly to secure the Black Sea trade and overland Silk Road nexuses. Genoa was on alert, and all that was needed was an excuse to take their rivals down a notch. But Romania was compliant in many ways, and tensions managed to simmer, rather than boil. Neither side really trusted each other at this point [Mid 1370s] but they had no reason for war, along with being more concerned with other matters.
But that couldn’t last forever. And in fact, it is quite surprising the detente lasted this long. But when Timur invaded the Levant, deeply disrupting the commerce of such a strategic region, Genoa was forced to act- and quickly, for better or for worse. After Timur’s invasion, Genoa entered a steep recession and needed to find ways to balance its budget.
They did this in the easiest way possible: conquest. This might seem odd- after all, wars are expensive. But the rationale wasn’t that strange. Conquest would bring new taxpayers would make up the deficit. If the war was quick and decisive. Luckily, Genoa had very good targets: Cyprus, throwing off the shackles of the Mamluk government was highly disorganized when the Genoese fleet came into port- and Candia, where Genoese investments had seen much of its economy already tied to and controlled by the Patricians in Italy. All that was needed was regular taxation to formalize the status quo. The former was easy, the latter had come at a cost: Romania.
Romania, predictably protested, but was too busy dealing with the Timurids and their aftermath to take any real action. Genoese rule was effectively unchallenged, to its benefit. Control of Cyprus and Crete did wonders for the Serenissima, giving it a series of naval bases and a healthy, decently sized tax base. But more importantly, it alleviated the worst of the depression and allowed Genoa a quick recovery while the other merchants in the region suffered.
Under Constantine XI, Romania did not take action. Once he and his immediate family fled, this changed. The military clique that dominated the Imperial Government through their puppet emperor (Constantine's much meeker brother Manuel [1]) repudiated Genoa’s illegal annexation of the Duchy of Candia. Genoa promptly refused, and war broke out.
And so here we are, the end of a long and topsy turvy friendship initially based on mutual hate.
When we last off, news of Constantine XI’s appearance in Savoy came as a pleasant surprise to Genoa. A perfect opportunity to install a more compliant leader who had a history of respecting Genoese interests whilst throwing a little turmoil into the empire to knock them down a peg. Constantine XI on the other hand, readily accepted the Genoese offer. Angered and betrayed, he sought to retake his birthright. Or, so the history goes.
Back at the war front, the Genoese had near total dominance. Since the Final Genoese-Venetian War, the city state had been undergoing a naval revolution with a variety of new techniques added to the Genoese arsenal. For example, introducing mounted cannons on ships, better tactics in amphibious assaults, better design in shipbuilding (one sees Carracks coming into use in the very late 1300s, quickly adopted en masse for their ability to carry goods in bulk), naval convoys, an arsenal to mass produce ships, and so forth. Genoa was at the center of a trading empire, and the seas were her veins. Severing control of them meant severing the heart of the state organism. As a corollary to that, Genoese tactics also evolved, focussing much like their former rivals Venice historically did, on extensive shock and awe and overwhelming force. Wars must be ended quickly, on their terms, so that trade is not interrupted. And it worked out pretty well so far.
This was no different. Rome might have had a much larger fleet than before (give or take 80 warships if one is generous along with whatever remnants of the Aydinids) but these were outdated, especially in terms of firepower. While the experience in wars and navigating hostile waters over the decades had seen a respectable naval tradition form- it was not enough. Genoa struck harder, much faster than expected, and outnumbered the Roman fleet by a good margin.
The Genoese were able to command the seas and effectively sever both sides of the Empire in half. This still came at a price, the Romans fought hard and caused more casualties than expected to Genoa. But that didn’t stop the Ligurians; instead the redoubled their efforts in securing the seas and ending war as quickly as possible. The coastal cities were being choked, their trade ended, and communications inside the realm slowed. But that’s not all, a new fleet was dispatched- this time carrying a massive 35,000 man army, primarily composed of mercenary companies and their siege weapons, landing in Gallipoli. Their target? The Queen of Cities, Constantinople herself.
Roman intelligence was, while initially caught off guard at the brazenness of Genoa, quick to react. Genoa may have controlled the seas, but she had little dominance at land, where Rome cemented authority at the hinterland. In Constantinople, the Military Junta gave orders to prepare for the inevitable while dispatching messengers for a counterattack. As much food as possible was hastily brought inside and all troops in the vicinity (professional, militia, and other) were pulled back to Constantinople to prepare for the inevitable. This being in the dead of winter of 1411 was a hasty proposition, but decades of improvements to roads and farming had seen to it that there was a surplus available to be quickly transported.
Meanwhile, the remnants of the Roman Army in Europe were pulled back to Macedonia, regrouped and reorganized as a group of messengers were sent up north to the Tsar’s court to appeal for aid. Another group of messengers were smuggled out to Italy, in the hopes of appealing to the Empire’s dynastic relatives, the Savoyards. And finally, a third were sent out to Asia Minor to inform the Armies of the East in what policies should be taken: A buildup of an emergency 15,000 strong army, an attack on Galata, and the recruitment of all possible ships into an impromptu fleet to break the blockade while a new fleet is under construction to take the fight out of the Aegean. The reader is left to decide the viability of that.
This strategy of course, was a race against time. The longer the response came, the more Romania suffered, either in food shortages and the lack of revenue. And then were the risks of messengers being caught, causing the enemy to change their attack patterns. But fortune was on Romania’s side. Genoa’s efforts were all on securing the coasts, choking Rome while going for a knockout blow in the hopes of quick and decisive victory. Little effort paid to the securing the hinterland and launching a full on occupation. That’s expensive, afterall.
The northern messengers journeyed without struggle. The Tsar, Boril II, welcomed messengers of the South with open arms, and was practically giddy at the news. Romania was to offer them the province of Dalmatia in exchange for their military aid. Like his predecessor before him Bulgaria was quick to take advantage of neighboring conflicts to centralize and expand. Here was the chance to enter into the Adriatic Sea and further eliminate unnecessary landed elites as his predecessor had against the Ottomans. The aftermath of crushing the Shihman rebellion and the various Serb uprisings had managed to cement Boril’s supremacy over the other nobles, but that left the problem of well, many of them are still alive. And plotting. Most likely, once his death comes the monarchy would be in a much stronger position than when it began, but the inevitable pushback should see more bloodshed, along with the possibility of undoing his father and grandfather’s hard work. Here, that could be nipped in the bud. And so Boril rallied his bannermen, particularly from the far, restless corners of his empire and agreed to meet south with the main Byzantine army in Macedonia at the start of Spring.
Those who had been sent east saw less success. As they attempted to move into Anatolia, the messengers were caught by the Genoese blockade, tortured for information, and executed. They cracked, causing the invading force to reshuffle their plans. While news of appealing to Macedonian aid did not break out, the news that Rome was preparing to strike back greatly panicked the Genoese, who wanted this war as quickly as possible. It had been already 3 and a half months since the fighting began in earnest and the Romans refused to come to terms. Once spring would come the any chance of hunger bringing the Imperials on their knees would be a pipe dream. Genoese command reacted fast, sending the news back to the mother city as soon as possible, while starting to recruit from their newly conquered provinces to counter any assembled armies. But additionally, some men were dispatched to Iconium, to the realm of Karaman, with hopes to bribe them into attacking the Romans. Put pressure on both sides the Empire, if you will.
Karaman didn't take much effort to convince. Rome was wealthy, a threat and and the Italians paid well (by Central Anatolian standards). The pastoral tribes, always eager and restless would be kept occupied, and the emir would bring great prestige to the land. Despite being winter, raids began in earnest almost immediately.
We see the beginning of 1412 with the state being split in half, reliant on allies for support and with a massive, well equipped and supplied army on the outskirts of Constantinople. Her cities drained of their lifeblood -the vital trade- by competitors. And at the same time, the hordes of the east begin their attacks once more.
How shall Romania survive this onslaught, one might wonder? The answer: by widening the war.
As winter gives into the spring, a small band of wanderers enter Chambery. They are disguised as Latin priests, but are really messengers of the east, bringing news to the Duke of Savoy. They explain the situation to the east, of their old and loyal allies being besieged from all corners and appeal to his aid. The duke of Savoy, Amadeus VII is moved, and agrees to give aid. His rationale appears sympathetic, but it is really a careful ploy for power. Long defended by their stalwart allies Milan, Savoy has been unable to make moves against Genoa until very recently.
But the Savoyards have pledged their support to the Pope in Avignon, and have secured an alliance with France. Who, in turn, has secured control of all territory from the English, recently expelling them from the continent and freeing up soldiers to be used elsewhere. In short, Savoy has gained both a sword and a shield in the form of France. If Milan reacts, France shall as well.
Now, with the perfect cassus belli, he has no excuse not to invade. The agreement is set and the messengers are sent off. Savoy shall see to it to defend Romania from the Lombards. In early spring, a large Savoyard army moves south and takes Monaco, before wheeling east towards Liguria. Genoa is caught completely off guard.
[1] As a side note the other two siblings are still alive, but middle child Michael has been tonsured and sent off to a monastery at swordpoint and youngest child Andreas is currently governor of Epirus and knows very well he has no army that can challenge Constantinople, so plays along with this, for now.
Genoa is more screwed than the Romans given they are just a city-state with a city that doesn't have the state of the art defenses of Constantinople.Their army is also far away.
Given the amount of money they've been getting,I think they would be stupid not to refurbish their walls.
Is Manuel here to stay or does the Junta plan to get rid of him in favor of one of their own once the situation stabilizes?
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My thoughts as well,but if Genoa emptied her treasury,which would be massive,it's doable,but this would probably render defenses at home completely empty.
Managing to recover the last updates, well I fell pity for Constantine. He brought himself to shame, but in doing that he saved the Empire. Only, he was unlucky to catch in time the fruits of the collapse of the Timurid Empire.
It's also true it would have been unsusteinable a Roman Emperor making act of vassallage...
Timurid Egypt has a nice sound.
It's also true it would have been unsusteinable a Roman Emperor making act of vassallage...
Timurid Egypt has a nice sound.
Deleted member 67076
Not exactly. They'll call in friends, who'll call in friends. Soon enough all of Italy is on fire.
Yup.
No spoilers.
Yes and no. Yes in the sense that the Italian Merchant states liked to end their wars quickly using extensive of shock and awe to force enemies to submit on their terms. Remember, war is bad for business.
But no in the sense that Genoa has the coin to spare due to their economic prowess.
Not entirely. See Genoa here is extremely filthy rich. Its got complete dominance over the Mediterranean trade ever since knocking Venice and later Aragon out as major competition and has a presence in the Black Sea, Silk Road terminuses, Bay of Biscay and Chanel trade. All those markets have caused a massive feedback loop feeding into other industries, financing and naval development which further increases the Republic's income and cements its position.
As I said, they're basically kinda like the Dutch here and have a huge reserve pool of money. If Genoa wanted, I'd say it could probably get double that number of troops in Constantinople, but thats just overkill.
Mhm, its not a nice outcome. But his reputation will recover as future historians far away from the situation at hand realize how serious his predicament was.
I'm glad everyone likes it!
Constantinople
Banned
This is really delightful. I hope it doesn't take too long for the next update.
Dragos Cel Mare
Banned
Something constructive: Wouldn't the Levant and Mesopotamia being Shia-dominated physically divide the Sunnis in Persia and the Sunnis in Egypt?
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