The Vandal King 2.0

Another Glorious Update

The dawn of the 11th century and the opening of a second millennium dispelled most lingering hopes of imminent salvation, and people settled into the reality that perhaps Christ would be a long time returning. Geopolitically, the this new century would see the final fall of the Eastern Empire and the dawn of a European renaissance.

In 1000 Crown- Prince Dyfed of Ceredigion led a colonial fleet across the sea to Hibernia. The island had been left alone, with little external contact. This colonising fleet was meant to found a colony on the coast, destroy pirate havens and secure trading links with local Irish Kings.

Dyfed was a strong man and a respected war leader. He landed and the new colony of Saint James’s was hastily thrown up. A ditch and moat were dug and wooden huts erected. The colony was little but a military camp, although some men had brought their families, hoping for a new life away from Wales.

The first few years were rough for the settlers, and the Irish constantly raided them. The tribesmen flung themselves against the walls and the moat, and although many were killed the Welsh found themselves hard- pressed. Finally reinforcements came in 1002 in the form of 30 ships and 1,000 men. With these men Dyfed took to the field and smashed the coalition army of local Irish chieftains.

Ireland was dominated by two major classes. The first were the Druids. The Druids were concerned with all matters divine; they conducted sacrifices and interpreted the will of the Immortal Gods. They were also the supreme deciders of all crimes. If murder had been done, or there was some boundary dispute, then the Druids decided the matter. If any man, whether common or noble, did not abide by the Druid’s decisions, they were banned from sacrifices. Among the Irish this was a serious punishment, and those who had been banned were held among the impious and the wicked. The Druids were led by one man, who was the most esteemed and wise of them all. On his death then a new First Druid was chosen if one stood out, and if there were many contenders then they would compete in a general vote among the Druids, sometimes with recourse to arms.

The second class were the Knights. The custom of having a class of landowners had bled over from Britain, and the Knights were mounted horsemen who fought from the saddle. They carried light javelins and long swords. They were heavily mailed, and an organised charge of Knights would break even a tough formation. These men devoted their entire lives to battle and to the service of their King. They were all warriors, and pledged themselves annually to their liege lord.

Ireland was fractured between many kingdoms and chieftains. The one unifying influence, however, was the Druids. These surpassed all feuds and border disputes, and would in times of emergency convene to decide the fates of all. For no one could summon loyalty and respect in the heart of an Irishman like a Druid, and their word was sacrosanct. Because of this, Ireland had remained largely untouched by Christianity, and so the Welsh colony was a serious threat.

A general meeting of the Druids was convened, and it was decided that all the kings and chieftains of Ireland should unite against these intruders. A vote was held, and a High King was elected to lead the assembled army.

Crown Prince Dyfed, meanwhile, had gathered reinforcements from Wales and several Gallic adventurers joined him. He also received a contingent of troops financed by the Bank of France, who hoped to increase their influence in the area. He also had several Irish chieftains and their men baptised, and these men fought for him.

In May 1004 the two armies met. They met in a wide glacial valley which was largely flat, and with a river running through it. The Welsh were several miles from their boats, yet their retreat was secure. The Irish, however, were so numerous and so heterogeneous that they were all awry with the High King commanding little but his own men.

The battle commenced with a volley of arrows from Welsh archers. The Irish responded with slings and arrows, yet the Welsh sustained few losses and inflicted many more. the Irish Knights, led by their various Kings, demanded that they be afforded a place in the front ranks of battle. The High King, against his better judgement, let them engage first, and so a charge of some 1,000 horsemen commenced the battle proper.

The Welsh were formed in three blocks. In the centre were the Welshmen themselves. They had formed a shield wall, and behind their interlocking shields were their host of archers. To their left were the Gauls and French, who too fought in a shield wall. To the right were the Irish, and behind them were placed some 200 cavalry, who were there to keep the Irish in battle and reinforce the line.

The first cavalry charge floundered under a hail of arrows. the knights regrouped and charged again. This time they rammed into the shield wall, and for a few minutes it seemed as if the Welsh would break. Then, Prince Dyfed led his own men into battle, his Huscarls who steeled his men’s will to fight. The Irish knights withdrew and did not charge again.

Faced with defeat, the High King committed his infantry. On the whole these were levies, however there were many warriors who fought with axe and shield. These men were the Welshmen’s equals, and the battle was a fierce one. The two sides fought for the better part of seven hours while their respective cavalry watched on. Finally, Dyfed ordered his cavalry and Irish to encircle the Irish infantry. The knights, when they saw this, attacked, yet the flanking force fended them off. At this point most of the Irish knights withdrew from the battle, forlorn. Having lost his support the High King saw that all was lost and plunged into the fray. One can only assume that he was slain, or no further record of him exists.

After nearly 10 hours of battle the Welsh were victorious. The High King was dead, and following the battle large numbers of Druids were captured. Many knights too had fallen, and so Ireland was decapitated. The Battle of Wexford, as it was later known, was one of the most decisive in history. Crown Prince Dyfed later received the subjugation of most of the Irish Kings and had them baptised. Four years after the battle and with fresh forces, he finally destroyed the Druids and began a long process of reconstruction.

In 1010 a major uprising was made in the north. This was brutally crushed over a period of nine years which led to the deaths of thousands of men. Dyfed then met the kings of Ireland and they proclaimed his father the King of Ceredigion High King of Ireland. Dyfed took the title of Arch- Duke, and he ruled from Limerick.


The conversion and rapid conquest of Ireland was a shock to the British King. His previously tiny, if wealthy, neighbour had more than quintupled in size. He now faced the very real possibility of competition in the quest for dominance over the islands.

The early 11th century in the Eastern Roman Empire saw the once homogenous unit crumble into four largely autonomous regions. These were donated in 1011 by Emperor Theodore III to his legates. He announced the creation of the quintarchy, in an attempt to revive the declining empire. Italy was given to one man, the Balkans to another, Syria and Asia Minor to another and Egypt and Palestine to another. North Africa was all given to the King of Numidia.

The quintarchy lasted some 40 years and certainly made the empire’s eventual fall far less bloody. However, 1011 in effect signalled the end of real Imperial authority. The four Despots ruled from their castrem and milked the land dry. They exploited al they could from the people. The Imperial Legions were handed over to these Despots who uniformly used them to extend their own rule. The legionary commanders came into their pay and their allegiance. However, Theodore had also given the Patriarchs temporal powers of taxation and levy over their areas. The Patriarch of Constantinople almost immediately founded his own military units whom he purchased from the slave markets. These men were fiercely trained and staunch supporters of the Patriarch. They would accompany him everywhere and would form a barrier between his holiness and the mob. These were regarded with contempt by the Varangians.

Constantinople itself was controlled by the Imperial Chamberlain. The Emperor did not even rule his own city. When Theodore died in 1015, however, his son Basil became Emperor. He was only 17 and was determined to regain his power. He began by befriending the Patriarch Leo. Leo loathed the Varangians and the Imperial bureaucracy; as did Basil. He had been surrounded by these perfidious men since childhood and now loathed them with all his soul. They thus hatched secret plots that would restore Imperial power.

In 1017 the Rashidun Caliphate attacked Asia Minor. A huge force of some 11,000 horsemen charged headlong towards Constantinople. They were victorious everywhere, and Caesarea fell in the Summer. By the Autumn they were within 300 miles of the coast.

To the south, meanwhile, the Fatimids too attacked Egypt. The Sultan of Meroe had long dreamed of ruling the entire Nile. Now he marched 50,000 men north along with a small river fleet that could be put on rollers for the treacherous cataracts. The Despot of Egypt marched to meet them yet was defeated at Aswan, and withdrew to the north. The Sultan’s armies swatted all opposition and by Autumn all of Upper Egypt was his.

With the Despots struck immobile by this new onslaught, Basil stepped up. He announced that the Varangian Prefect was a traitor and had him quietly executed. Then, with the newly purged Varangians, he demanded that the Balkan and Italian Despots pledge aid to him and lead their men to battle under his heading. The Balkan Despot accepted, and his army of 20,000 men took the Imperial standard. The Italian Despot, however, did not reply. Frustrated, Basil led the 25,000 men he had at his disposal east. He then sent instructions to the Despot of Syria to march to Tarsus and hold the Syrian Gates.

The Despot of Syria, however, marched through into Lydia, and in the narrow valleys and ravines his army of 10,000 was slaughtered. The Rashidun armies then wheeled north again and marched on Nicaea. Basil met them on the flat country between the Anatolian hills and the sea. The battle was a fierce one and was indecisive. On the second day Basil finally smashed through the Muslim ranks and scored a great victory. The Rashidun army was forced to retreat through the Syrian Gates. Had the Despot obeyed orders they would have been caught, however they preyed upon the cities of Syria, killing many and causing much damage.

In Egypt, however, things were still not good. In early 1018 the Fatimid armies reached Alexandria. After a two month siege it fell. All of Egypt was Muslim and Islam had reached the Mediterranean. This sent shockwaves through Europe. Calls were heard for another Crusade- this time against the Muslims. These were generally ignored, however, and Basil wheeled south. The Despot of Egypt was dead, killed in the siege, and his forces were scattered. Basil mustered his men at Tyre and there amassed 30,000 men. here also he received peace envoys from the Rashidun Caliphate. When they saw his dire situation they demanded all of Mesopotamia and eastern Armenia. Basil begrudgingly accepted, and with peace on his flank, he advanced on Egypt.

Egypt did not lie down to Muslim dominance. Islamic forces were routinely attacked, and the Coptic Pope became a focal point of resistance. Matters finally boiled over when on 28th May 1018 the Pope was dragged from the pulpit by Fatimid soldiers and beheaded. The soldiers sent to kill him were set upon by the incensed congregation and torn apart. For two weeks Alexandria burnt before the Fatimid forces withdrew. Basil entered the city in Triumph before turning south. He met the Fatimids outside Giza and there soundly defeated them. For nearly a year thereafter he chased them south. He took his army south until they were within striking distance of Meroe. Finally the Sultan sued for peace. He conceded a large portion of his northern domains and gave Basil much gold and other precious stones.

Basil’s campaigns of 1018-1020 were some of the greatest in history. However, the young emperor was exhausted. He deposed the Balkan Despot and made himself supreme commander or all Themes. With powers centralised on such a young brow he began to buckle. In 1022 he suffered some sort of stroke, and in 1023 he went partially blind. However, he kept fighting. He was determined to subdue the rebellious Despot of Italy.

To do this he appeased the King of Numidia. King George of Numidia was granted his own title and made a king in his own right, paying tribute and giving soldiers to the Empire as well as a pledge of allegiance, although he was only required to prostrate himself once every ten years. George led an army of 20,000 from Carthage to Sicily and fought a fierce war there. Basil, meanwhile, crossed Otranto with 30,000 men and made north for Rome. The Pope had given his tacit support to the Despot, and now he changed sides. Basil never forgave him, however, and had him imprisoned. After four months he finally defeated the rebellion and entered Rome in triumph. He then acceded to George’s demands and gave him Sardinia and Sicily.

After the brutal years of warfare Basil set about purging his empire. He neither forgot nor did he forgive. In 1025 he had 3,000 men executed for treason. In 1026 he decided to put the Roman Pope on trial for heresy. A General Synod was called and the other Patriarchs found him guilty. Pope Calixtus V was quietly executed.

The fall of the Roman Papacy was unprecedented. Italy erupted in civil war as cities burnt themselves to the ground. Garrisons were slaughtered and Basil found out the hard way that he had gone too far. Italy was a towering inferno, and finally the King of Burgundy intervened. He marched south to his fiefdom of Milan and declared himself King of Italy. With the tacit support of the Western Emperor he marched south and took Tuscany and Venetia.

In Constantinople, Basil found himself more and more isolated. When he summoned his generals on 4th October 1028 they all duly arrived and stabbed him to death. Basil, possibly the best and worse Emperor of Rome, died without successor. The new Pope of Rome crowned King Geoffrey of Burgundy King of Italy on Christmas Day 1028 and George of Numidia had himself crowned King of Africa.

With the west lost to the empire, the east too crumbled away
 
Still only read up to post #37...

SF,

I'm sorry I've neglected this TL. I can see things have gone quiet again since your last post...

Anyway, my thoughts on what I've read so far below. Apologies again if you've covered what I've written below between post #38 and your latest one.

King Bartholomew of Britannia. A Machiavellian prince... he had been promised the title Caesar and it was the King of Britain who now ruled the empire.

I liked this guy. Shame he disappeared quite quickly and was a bit of a 'flash in the pan' in the 'Roman' West...

Guy, therefore, took the title Emperor of Rome and the West. He ruled everything north of the Po and the Pyrenees.

Constans would be Emperor in Rome and the West. This subtle difference was suited for both of them- Constans was willing to accept a slightly inferior title of he could retain all he had taken.


Clever compromise! :) Nice bit of linguistic dexterity there over the Roman imperial title at this time...

the new Hunnic Duchy was set up. Hunarium, as it was called, stretched across the upper Danube with its capital at Vindabona

Nice name for the new country. I would have been braver and gone for a new name for the capital city: Attilia perhaps? ;)

King Steven was a strong ruler and his iron will helped to forge a new land. He ordered the construction of Serecopolis; a new capital at the mouth of the Danube.

Then King Steven would have to have built his capital on wooden stilts. The mouth of the Danube is a huge swamp extending for hundreds of square kilometers all around. Perhaps Steven is trying to found 'Venice' a couple centuries early?

In 597 he led a force of 50,000 men and a fleet of 600 north to the Crimea, where he enlarged Byzantium’s existing holdings, taking the entire peninsula and building a line of forts around the Sea that bears his name- Michaelomare

I reckon it would have been called something like Pontos Michaelou - from the Greek...

His most long-lasting legacy, however, was iconoclasm. Throughout the 6th century the movement had gained in popularity, as people rejected the creation of graven images and worshipped a more austere, detached God.

This is straying beyond the frontier into ASB territory. With no Islam having emerged to challenge the Empire militarily, let alone religiously yet, there would be no impetus for Christianity to have the crisis of confidence in its veneration of icons that occurred IOTL.

The Islamic Caliphate arose from western Arabia, emerging from the peninsula in the 630s to raid Byzantine and Persian possessions

Again, why would a 'Caliphate' arise? The title means 'Successor', i.e. of the Prophet Muhammad. Are you assuming Islam, pretty much as it arose IOTL, emerges in your TL without too many big differences? Mmm. Maybe. But unlikely.

In Egypt, meanwhile, Amr had reached the Nile. When the general in command of the Jordan heard of this he rushed back with 10,000 men to defeat the wily commander. Amr, meanwhile, had taken Cairo and then proceeded south past the ruins of Thebes and Luxor. Amr swiftly conquered the capital city Meroe and after two years campaigning proclaimed the Emirate of Kush. His capital at Khartoum

As another poster pointed out, Cairo didn't exist at this time. The Roman fortress of Babylon stood on the site of what is today Old Cairo, in the Coptic district. It would have been a big military centre - so Amr might have conquered that, albeit briefly. Not sure that 'Sudan' was called 'Kush' in the 6th century - it probably was a very ancient term that no-one would have remembered - similarly, I'm not convinced that Meroe was the capital either (something tells me Napata was, though).

The followers of Ali would call themselves Shia and those of Uthman Sunni. Ali himself fled Medina for the new city of Baghdad.

It's a bit convenient for the two sides to call themselves, by marvellous coincidence, 'Shia' and 'Sunni' ITTL as well. Why not just Ali-ites and Uthman-ites? It would be more consistent with the internal logic of your own TL developments. Also Baghdad ('Garden City') was not built - and probably never would be. A city is likely to appear in that part of Mesopotamia - but it should have a radically different name, e.g. Alidad, Medinali or maybe (from a Roman perspective) Alitoupolis...

In February 665 Emperor Ducamuros, Caliph Ali and Caliph Muawiyah met in an empty field to reach terms.

I like how you have these personal meetings between all the "big cheeses" in your TL from time to time... :)

Emir Amr had taken the title Sultan and had split from the Caliphate

The title 'Sultan' comes from an Arabic word meaning 'power' or 'authority' - and appeared IOTL in the 11th century. It is barely credible that, in your 7th century, a ruler would come up with the same title. Why not use the traditional Arab title meaning 'King' (Malik) instead? Or make up a new Islamic title, e.g. Sayfidin ('Sword of the Faith')?

The Papal Inquisition was founded in 643

Ouch. Another accelerated development from a far later age IOTL.

He had opened trading relations with the Rus peoples of Russia to the north

I don't think the Rus were in the river valleys of Russia in the 7th century. I think they started appearing from the 9th century onwards...

Adrian, therefore, was hailed as a saviour, and he would go down in history as Adrian Soter- Michael the Saviour

Why 'Michael the Saviour' when his name is Adrian?! :confused:

But nice job, SF. I'll read more, and comment again, on another occasion.
 
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Cheers Megas. I'll respond to some points before making a swift announcement.

The issue of iconoclasm and Roman theology has been raised before on this thread, and first off the bat, I've never maintained any special knowledge of Medieval Christianity. Once again, I extend an offer to anyone who thinks they can help me to do so and PM me so that we can hammer out an alternate theology.
The issue of iconoclasm was depp seated in eastern Christianity even before the ascendency of Islam, however as above, anyone who has any insights please do message me.

With Kush (or whatever you want to call it) the capital moved to Meroe in the early 1st millennium AD and stayed there for about 600 years.

Title of Sultan- thanks wasn't aware of that. I'll use Malik from now on in the Rashidun Caliphate (it being more Arab based) and Sayfidin elsewhare. Cheers Megas, this is why your input is always solicited :rolleyes:

Concernign the Rus. It stands to reason that the Viking invasions of the dark ages would be much affected by the surviving cenrtal authority in northern Europe, especially with a strengthened Western Empire. It would therefore stand to reason that they would move north west more and into Russia more. Hmm. . . that gives me an idea. Would it be too cliche to have the Norse settle Vinland more in my TL? Or is that just too much?


Anyway, aa I'm sure many people will have noticed, I work in fits and starts according to my mood. Now I haven't written anying here for awhile, however I've got a few ideas and so I'll hopefully post a little more soon. For any and all of my continued readers, I thank you for your patience.
 
It's Alive!

The 11th century would see seismic changes not only in Europe but also in Africa. The Islamic city states of the Ye’hella river and its delta had, for the past several centuries, been warring almost constantly, and because of this, or rather, in spite of this, culture had flourished as agriculture and manufacturing as well as trade improved, wealth flowed down the River and from there to the distant colonies, some of which had by then produced their own colonial offspring. In 987 the Igbo Coalition was formed by the city of Ekeswan which lay roughly 100 km east of the Delta. The alliance was named for the Igbo people, a large ethno-lingual group which had been one of the first to embrace Islam. Their cities were largely Republics, although these ranged from true democracies to merchant or military oligarchies. The city of Ekeswan was the largest, with a population of around 70,000. It had spawned numerous colonies across Western Africa and it brought these too into the alliance.

The Igbo Coalition was formed to combat the perceived threat of the growth of the Kingdom of Mali, led by the city of Timbuktu, which was at the crossroads of two trans-Saharan trade routes; one that ran from the Niger north through the desert into Numidia, the second that ran from the west to the east. It was thus fabulously wealthy, and this was turned into military success by a string of talented kings and generals. The armies of Mali were large and well equipped due to contact with the Fatimids and Numidia. They controlled large parts of the upper Niger river, and southerners were heavily taxed for travelling up it. the Coalition imposed its own tariffs for Malian goods and travellers yet the two powers sat on opposite ends of the river glowering at each other. Throughout the 11th century the Igbo Coalition would turn into its own centralised state while the Malian kingdom would become a trans-Saharan empire stretching from the Atlas Mountains to the borders of Fatimid lands.

The Fatimid Sultans in Meroe had faced stinging defeat by the Emperor Basil for the first time in centuries. Years of easy conquests to the south had let their armies grow disorganised and lazy, the martial aristocrats had become more aristocratic and less martial, and mounts were used more for horse racing than for cavalry charges. Nonetheless, the Sultan still held the cities of Medina Mecca, and his holdings stretched from the Atlantic to the Sahara and the Cataracts of the Nile. His capital of Meroe was the cultural centre for a continent and from there all history of Africa was written. Astronomy and mathematics flourished as the stars were crated and navigators along the Red Sea used geometry and calculations to find their route rather than luck and fortitude.

Sultan Murad, who reigned from 1103-1152, however, would do something to reverse these fortunes. In 1116 he founded the Meroe Riding School, a centre for horse breeding and the producer of Africa’s finest cavalry. In 1121 he led a force of 4,000 of these horsemen south towards the lands of the Masai. The campaign was a military success, the pastoralists were defeated and subjugated, however it was a disaster for the horses. The tsetse fly killed thousands and the Sultan withdrew with only 900 healthy mounts, the rest of his men were forced to walk, and only 2,000 men survived the march back.

The Sultan, embarrassed and vexed by this defiance of nature, then set about reorganising his infantry armies. The hot climate and the nature of his enemies meant that his infantry were generally light skirmishers, although he also trained forces of heavily armed spearmen who wore leather armour and fought with scimitars and pikes. These men were generally delivered to the field of battle on steeds as they could not march quickly under all their equipment. Murad led a force of 11,000 men east towards the Horn of Africa; among them were 5,000 light infantry, 2,000 heavy infantry and 4,000 horsemen. The lands were subjugated and most of the peoples converted to Islam. The city of Mogadishu was founded on the coast and vessels from the Red Sea soon began calling in there.

Geoffrey, King of Italy, died in 1048 leaving his lands and feudal property to his second son Louis who had been born and raised in Burgundy, spending much of his childhood in the city of Lyon. He only saw Milan when he was nineteen and was crowned his father’s understudy in royalty in the 6th century Roman cathedral. He had a serious mind, almost melancholic, and he experienced frequent mood swings so violent that his father feared him mad. He had been hurriedly made heir because of the death of his elder brother, Guilbert, whom he loved dearly and had been one of the few people he genuinely held affection for. With the death of his brother and his rushed entrance into the Royal court, he was all but left to his fate as nobles circled around him, eyes gleaming and teeth flashing.

Louis was crowned in 1048, three weeks after his father’s death. His coronation was a low-key affair, with the Emperor of the West Michael present handing Louis the silver sceptre of Burgundy. Pope Leo then handed him the golden orb that represented Italy and the city of Rome before a representitive of the Roman Emperor in Constantinople crowned him with the Iron Crown of Lombardy. Despite such esteemed guests, the ceremony occurred in a small chapel within the Imperial Palace and the new King only presented himself to the Milanese crowds for a few minutes. He would not be seen in public in his royal capacity for many years.

He spent three years of his reign living in virtual isolation, writing frenetically and delegating matters of state to his cousin Baldwin, the Duke of Tuscany. Baldwin was far more competent at handling he nobles and served his brother well for two years. However, by 1051 he was in effective control of power. in April of 1051 he went to his cousin and said that the nobles had ceased to respect the Royal wishes, saying that the Duke had no authority. He requested that he be crowned co-ruler. Louis agreed and on the 23rd April Baldwin was crowned King of Italy, but not King of Burgundy. Baldwin, with a group of six other nobles, then plotted to remove Louis.

During this time Louis was hardly passive. His writings were nearly all concerned with government and despite his seclusion many of his wishes were implemented. He held a particular fondness for the Rhone Valley, and passed several edicts concerning its agriculture and industry. Royal patronage extended to many farmers and wine makers, whose trade was encouraged by new roads and the dredging of large parts of the river which allowed larger ships to sail up it. It was in the lower Rhone Valley that the heavy iron plough was pioneered by an independent monastery which received Royal patronage. This plough could turn soil far easier and faster, and by the end of the 11th century was almost universally used throughout Europe.

On the 29th April, 1052, Baldwin put his plan into action. A band of soldiers and supporters led by the Count of Dijon descended upon the Imperial Palace in the small hours of the night. Louis, however, was alerted, and shocked by his betrayal he led the defence. It seemed that this shock to his position roused him and he led a successful counter-attack that captured many of the would-be assassins. They then betrayed Baldwin and Louis, bedecked in armour and wielding full arms, fell upon Baldwin’s own villa outside Milan. The Royal cousin was captured and many of his followers with him. They were held for nearly a month, tortured brutally, before being publicly executed. Louis could not bear to watch the killings, yet he refused all pleas for mercy.

From 1052-1074 Louis would rule as absolute monarch of Italy and Burgundy and would put his dynasty in a position to become the most powerful in the West. He began by moving his Royal court out of Milan. He returned to his transalpine holdings and made his court at Lyon, his home city. Here he made his court on the shores of Lake Miribel to the north of the city. He had the palace of St Thomas built and great hunting parks and reserves were planted around which were home to wild boar, stags and other game. In 1056 he summoned all the Dukes, Counts and Barons of the realm to the Palace for two months of revelry. His plan was to keep the aristocrats in Lyons where he could manage them while his own representatives administered the kingdom. He himself put in the occasional showing, dressed in golden finery and often with a crown of oak leaves atop his balding head. He somehow managed to pull himself through his performances, and it appears he never enjoyed them.

In 1063 Louis made an official state visit to Venice, the Serene Republic. Having been made part of his kingdom by his father, the city was largely independent and the Doge still maintained most of his powers. Louis would end this by placing his own prelate in charge of the city while the Doge, a young sot, spent his time at St Thomas. Louis paraded with his army through the city, with richly decorated arms and burnished armour. He himself wore the purple cloak of a Roman Emperor and had himself carried in a four horse chariot. The people loved this panoply and the King stayed for three months before returning to Milan and then going onwards to Genoa. Here he founded the Royal Italian Trading Company which, in league with the Royal Treasury Bank of Milan turned enormous profits for the crown through trade and investment. It had a board of ten directors, nine of whom were leading Genovese or Milanese merchants and the last was a Royal representitive.



Anyone who's forgotten what's going on may want to go back and read the previous chapters. I know it's been awhile but hopeflly there's still some vestigel interest.

Thoughts? Denunciations?
 
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