timelines:a_light_in_the_east_archived_version
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| timelines:a_light_in_the_east_archived_version [2014/07/14 06:26] – up to 340 Max Sinister | timelines:a_light_in_the_east_archived_version [2019/03/29 15:14] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1 | ||
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| The Iberian Confederation begins to expand southwards, very rarely having to use arms to convince the populations to join. The capital of the Confederation is moved from Euskadi (Basque Country) to an ancient and tiny village that is in the center of the peninsula. The foundations of the new capital of the Iberian Confederation, | The Iberian Confederation begins to expand southwards, very rarely having to use arms to convince the populations to join. The capital of the Confederation is moved from Euskadi (Basque Country) to an ancient and tiny village that is in the center of the peninsula. The foundations of the new capital of the Iberian Confederation, | ||
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| + | 340 AD - Woden, son of Frithowald, declares that his ancestor, a son of Thor, came to him in a dream and showed him that the true homeland of the Saxons is in the West, nexto to Asgard. " | ||
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| + | The Iberian Confederation takes all of the former Roman territories on their coastline. The Romanigothic Emperor declares that all of the old Roman Empire, including Iberia (and, for that matter, the Holy Roman Empire) is now part of the Romanigothic Empire, Rome's successor. The Confederation proclaims that they are independent of all things Roman and any force that wishes to gain Iberia will pay dearly for the territory. Constantine, | ||
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| + | 341 AD - The Holy Army leaves Southern Italy and enters the African territories. Constantine declares that any and all who join the Army shall immediately become Citizens of the Holy Roman Empire, and they and their descendants shall enjoy full rights. Furthermore, | ||
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| + | The Celtic forces begin to plan for the strike on Londonium. As they are the strongest naval forces of the Union, they propose to sail to Southern Britannia and take the weakly defended territories there. With the Romanigoth' | ||
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| + | 341 AD (Cont.) - Pope Julius Cornelius, having lost his "tug of war" with Constantine, | ||
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| + | 342 AD - Vatche I tightens the central authority of Armenia. A student of history, he realizes the mistake of previous Armenian kingdoms and creates a solid bueracracy. The dozens of regions previously held by the Nakharars are combined into seven states: Mush, Van, Erzerum, Vannad (Kars), Nakhichevan, | ||
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| + | The Saxons declare that they will resupply and prepare for their journey while in Gaul. The Romanigothic Emperor extends his welcome to the Saxons, and gains their promise not to loot any towns. The Saxons have no wish to settle in this land, as their destined homeland lies further west. | ||
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| + | The Celts, Scots, and Picts agree that each tribe will be independent in internal matters, but will not be able to make any wars or alliances with other nations individually. Daffyd, High Chieftain of the Celts, proclaims that "long has division defeated the Gaelic people where no power could. We paid for our lack of unity with the Caesars' | ||
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| + | 343 AD - Many Holy Roman scientists begin to look back in time for inspiration and help in their many projects. The works of the Greeks especially are researched in the hopes of gleaming ancient knowledge. A particularly brilliant scientist in Syracuse named Lucius Brutus researches the works of the famed Archimedes and begins to toy with the idea of using light to create flame. Brutus receives Imperial funding for his project, thus solving his problems with poverty. Meanwhile, in Constantinople, | ||
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| + | 344 AD - The Ostrogoths continue their advancement eastward, most tribes giving little to no resistance to the overwhelming might of the barbarians. The Ostrogoth King jokes that “The Visigoths are wedged between enemies while I have the vast spaces open to me.” The Ostrogoths wisely avoid going too far west or south to avoid the ire of the Germanians or the vengeful retaliation of Constantine. | ||
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| + | Shapur III, who took the throne of Persia upon the death of his father on the plains of Mush, proclaims the Tiran, son of Khosrov II and of the line of Trdat, is the rightful heir to the Throne of Armenia and proclaims the youth the King of Armenia. Tiran converts to Zoroastrianism, | ||
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| + | Constantine Caesar the Great and Pope Julius Cornelius discuss over the symbol that should represent Christianity. Constantine was a loyal follower of Mithras in his youth and still has not fully given up the old religion of the Roman Army. Although much of the Empire has become Christian and it is the official religion of the state, Mithras still has a strong following in the core of the army. The two finally come to an agreement: the X and the P, which had been Constantine' | ||
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| + | In Southern Italy, the majority of the people, completely disallusioned with religion, have followed the teachings of nature. Although the druidic beliefs are too foreign for them, the understanding of the Greek philosophers, | ||
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| + | 345 AD – Gaius Fironicus, deeply enamored with the writings of Hero, begins to experiment with the source of movements in the Greek inventor’s machines. Hero used heated air as his expanding fluid. Gaius, replacing the air with other resources, tries out something that Constantinople has much of: water. The result is an incredible success; the “steam engine” moves much faster and much quicker than the “air engine,” and Gaius is thrilled. He hobbles to the Ministry of Sciences and requests an immediate audience with Constantine Caesar. Constantine accepts, and is awed by the display of a machine that seems to move on its own. Gaius explains that, using the ancient writings of Hero, he can make the city of Constantinople into a city of legend, with fountains that run with the rays of the sun and temples whose doors open with the lighting of fire at an altar. Constantine agrees, but his mind focuses on one thing: chariots. | ||
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| + | The Romanigothic Imperial Palace is constructed in Rome, built into the old Senate Forum. The Emperor’s Throne is placed within the Senate Forum, so that he may gaze onto his city (much of the openings of the building are also blocked to prevent easy access for assassins). The Romanigothic Emperor takes as the Imperial emblem the old Roman eagle, now facing ever west, signifying the old Visigothic heritage. Taking the warning of Constantine to heart, the Emperor begins to strengthen his army, adding more heavy infantry after the style of the old Roman legions instead of having a mainly cavalry army. Many citizens begin to refer to the Emperor as “the Foreign Roman,” due to his ability to speak fluent Latin and his noble airs. The Emperor, however, takes no Roman name, and decrees that the House of Balthigg is the Imperial House. Upon the completion of the palace, he officially declares himself Keiser (Caesar) Fritigern I, Emperor of the Gothic Empire of Gaul and Rome. Gothic German becomes the “official” tongue of the Empire; Latin, however, is still the language of everyday use, and remains also the international language. | ||
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| + | 346 AD - On the plains of Anatolia, in an isolated location, Gaius Fironicus, Constantine, | ||
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| + | The Holy Army travels East from Egypt into Arabia. While neither the Romans nor the Persians own the Arabian peninsula, Holy Roman priests have for several years tried to convert the Arabic people. The desert dwellers, respecting strength, begin to believe that Christianity is a weak religion that emphasizes foolish values. The arrival of the massive and glorious Holy Army quickly shatters that belief. Tribes that convert are quickly trained in Roman arts of warfare and made ready for the battle against the Persians. When word begins to spread that this massive army bearing the almost Mithraist symbol of Christ is preparing to attack the Persians, long-time enemies of the Arabs, conversions occur by the thousand. Within several months, the Holy Army has swelled into one of the the largest army in the history of the ancient world, with almost 400,000 people fighting for Christ and His Empire. Almost half of these warriors are hastily (and in most cases, poorly) equipped and trained Arabs, most of whom fight in their own style of warfare and sometimes even under their own banners. Constans, traveling south from the Chariot tests, reassures his men that the destruction of Persia is guarenteed. | ||
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| + | Shapur III, Shahanshah of the Sassanid Persian Empire, sends an ultimatum to Constantinople demanding that Tiran, the " | ||
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| + | Vatche I, realizing that war shall soon erupt and perhaps spill over into his nation, makes an emotional plea to the public, asking that all men of able body join the army and prepare for war. After years of devastation under the Persians, the Armenian people, having long trusted the Mamigonian dynasty as friends of the people, respond, and the Armenian army swells to massive proportions. More people join than even Vatche was prepared for, and many are armored in old Roman or even Persian armor, with hastily added Armenian banners affixed to the helms and breastplates. Vatche appointed his son Vassak as his heir, and requested that the youth not stay in the nation, trying instead to send him to safety in Constantinople. Vassak declined, stating that "if my country is to go up in flames, then I shall fight to the last to prevent that fire from defiling the Holy Mountain (Ararat)." | ||
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| + | In Southern Italy, Lucius Brutus realizes that it would take a population far greater than that of Syracuse to be able to position polished shields great enough to burn down ships. However, the years of study have enlightened Brutus to a new idea: pure reflections. Highly polished mirrors, Brutus notices, can reflect light far more effectively. Furthermore, | ||
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| + | With the conquest of the territories beginning to settle, Fritigern I begins to cast an eye on the Iberian peninsula. He realizes, however, that he must win the people over first before he can pledge himself to further conquests, as he wishes to create a stable Empire, not simply a chain of conquered lands. He thus issues the Law of Rome, which states that any and all who swear fealty to the Emperor and prove themselves loyal, either through military service or some other feat deemed worthy by the Emperor, shall gain full rights of citizens of his Empire. Although a devout follower of the Germanic gods, Fritigern realizes that it was religion that tore Rome apart, and he does not wish to tempt the bull. He therefore makes no mention of religion as a prerequisite for citizenship. This does not go unnoticed by the masses. Many Italians, tired of religion already, begin to feel that "the Foreign Roman" is a more apt name than previously thought, and public support begins to swell for the tolerant Emperor. Many take up the banner of the Empire and begin to call for the lost Iberian peninsula to " | ||
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| + | The Iberian Confederation, | ||
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| + | The Britannic Romans, believing their southlands secure, fortify a heavy line of defenses stretching from Londonium to the sea, both East and West. The city itself is heavily defended, with over 40,000 troops within the walls itself. These troops are all well armored and well trained, and many begin to plan for the planned expansions of next summer, and the slogan "Drive the Scot into the Sea!" becomes incredibly popular among soldier and civilian alike. The Gaelic Union, though not as well armed as the Romans, number in the vicinity of almost 200,000 troops. Knowing that they will not be able to take the South in a steady drive, the Celtic Chieftain Daffyd proposes that he withdraw all of his troops to his ships and sail them south. By almost " | ||
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| + | The Saxons, realizing that southern Britannia is very heavily fortified, decided to sail north and then west, then come south into Celtic Hibernia. The smaller island is said to be completely empty of troops, and the Saxons have enough resources with them already to last them almost two full years. Thousands of sailing vessels are constructed by the sea-faring Saxons, who know of the harsh conditions of the waters around the islands and do not wish to lose any supplies or men (or women, since the entire tribe and its vassals are invading). The Armada will be the largest in history, and will travel in close, tight-knit formation and land upon the north-western shores of Hibernia. With an invading force greater than the population of the island, the Saxons expect that they will have the strange land subdued and defended before the Gaels can begin to respond. | ||
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| + | In Germania, the Alemanii annex several smaller tribes in the south-east. The Alemanii, counting vassal tribes and conquests, are now the largest Germanic tribe, both in size and in territory. The remaining Germanic tribes, comprehending that the fate of the Saxons, which had been the second most powerful tribe in Germania, might befall all of them. And so, the Vandals, Lombards, Cheruscians, | ||
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| + | In the East, the Ostrogothic King Wigbart II of the Amaligg Royal Clan grows jealous at the failures-turned-successes of the Visigoths, as he still refers to them. He had never imagined that they would conquer the Roman Empire so soon, and become such a powerful (and wealthy) nation. Wigbart begins to desire his own capital city, and decides to make it on warmer waters. He finally settles on the small, former Greek colony of Crimea on the north of the Black Sea. The Ostrogothic King believes it will be the height of irony to build his capital directly across from Constantinople. | ||
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| + | On December 16th, an army of almost 390,000 troops marches into the nation of Armenia, meeting the 66,000 Armenian troops waiting there. This massive army turns towards Persia, which has itself gathered some 370,000 well trained and heavily armed troops, as well as 80,000 mercenary troops under the . Hundreds of horses carry strange, massive objects to Dvin, where the troops are currently stationed, along with a single, very long series of mirrors. On December 19th, Fritigern I marches at the head of an army 190,000 strong, begins to march west to retake the Iberian peninsula. When word of this arrives three days later, the Iberian Confederation fully mobilizes its 110,000 man multi-city army and fortifies its borders. On December 23rd, the Celtic forces land in southern Britannia and begin marching northwards, capturing or killing all Roman witnesses to their coming. Some two days earlier, the Picts and Scots, together comprising 145,000 men, began their march south to Londonium, hoping beyond hope that their ally made a safe landing. In Germania, the Alemanii begin to muster their full strength at the union made simply to check their growing might, and some 200,000 wild axemen and horsemen begin to pound their chests and swarm west. At the same time, the allied tribes are sending an army of 136,000 warriors to the east, hoping to launch a surprise attack and remove the threat of the Alemanii. And in the northwest, the Saxons set sail, with only their skill and their faith in the gods to send them to their new homeland. | ||
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| + | 347 AD - The end of the Decade of Peace | ||
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| + | On the morning of January 6th, the birthdate of Jesus Christ, the combined Holy Roman and Armenian armies attack the Sassanid Persian Empire. The Roman Chariots are not yet revealed, and are instead carried along with the camp of Constans, son of Constantine and Commander of the Holy Army. The Armenian King and General, Vatche I, marches with his Armenian forces under the double-headed eagle perched on a sheep, the Mamigonian family standard. Constans carries the standard of the old Roman eagle, with the Imperial Cross (as the Mithraic cross of Christ adopted by the Holy Roman Church is called) behind it. Shapur III, Shahanshah (King of Kings) of the Iranian Empire, immediately departs from Ctesiphon to meet the combined might of Christendom, | ||
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| + | Ostrogothic and Persian messengers bring word to Wigbart II, King of the Ostrogoths, that the vast majority of Roman troops are marching into Persia. The King immediately gathers his standing forces and splits them into two armies: The larger army, under the command of his son, Egfroth, is sent to cover the flank and attack the Roman border at the Danube. The second are led by Wigbart himself to conquer the Crimean peninsula. Wigbart tactfully refuses the offer of the Persian messengers to ally with the Persians, saying " | ||
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| + | In northern Gaul, the Saxons set sail. The ships, bound together by yards of rope, number in the thousands, and comprise the largest navy in history, although most are civilian ships. They round the north of Britannia; as they change course for the Hibernian isle, however, a Storm hits the fleet. Hundreds of ships, not designed to withstand the tumult, are sunk or ground ashore. The remaining majority are forced to the west for several long days. Woden and his son Wecta are drowned, and his grandson Witta is lost at sea. Wihtgils, son of Witta, becomes the chieftain of the Saxons despite the fact that he is still in his teens. With thousands dead and much of their supplies sunk, Wihtgils realizes that any designs on Hibernia are now an impossiblity, | ||
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| + | The Romanigoth Keiser, Fritigern I, collides with the armies of the Iberian Confederation. The majority of the Basque troops, however, had been guarding the Basque border, and are thus not anywhere near the battle, which is fought nearer the eastern coast. The legion-style infantry of the Italians, combined with traditional Gothic cavalry and shock-troops, | ||
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| + | In southern Germania, the Alemanii and Allied tribes unexpectantly ecounter one another. The Alemanii troops are larger in number than the Alliance armies, and thus are spread out far more. The Alliance cavalry score several minor victories against pockets of infantry. The Alemanii soon regroup, however, and launch a ferocious attack. Axemen and horsemen collide, and the battle rages for hours. The battle-hardeneed and numerically superior Alemanii begin to drive the allied German tribes farther and farther back. As the battle seems to draw upon its final hour, horns sound to the north, and thousands of horsemen, flying banners of numerous minor tribes, ride against the imperialistic Alemanii. The flanking stroke proves to be fatal, and much of the Alemanii are destroyed. Although such alliances are highly unorthodox, the union has succeeded in maintaining the independence of the German tribes. Many conquered tribes begin to rebel against the weakened Alemanii, whose territory quickly shrinks from across Germania to primarily in the East. | ||
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| + | In Britannia, the Picts and Scots batter like the sea onto the Britannian defenses. The Britannians, | ||
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| + | The few forces in Crimea are quickly and decisively crushed when the Ostrogoths suddenly attack. Wigbart II decides to create his own city, rather than build on the ruins of another, and lays the foundations for the City of Wigbarta. In the west, Egfroth is victorious in combat, and conquers down almost to Constantinople. Soon, however, he receives a message from his father: " | ||
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| + | Near the ancient Assyrian city of Ashur, the Holy Roman and Armenian armies prepare to battle the might of the Persian Empire. Several thousand local Assyrian Christians raise their own banner and march to the Armenian King, as the Catholicos of all Armenians, Vartan, has offerred to protect the rights and religious individualities of the Assyrians. The battle begins with Constans calling on the Persians to cast down the worship of the sun and to accept the light of Christ. Shapur III responds by setting ablaze an Imperial Cross, thus proving that the fire and might of the Sun can conquer even Christ. The Christian armies begin to march. The Chariots are prepared and kept behind the front lines, with the engineer-soldiers who have trained with them for the past many months waiting for the signal horn. The Persians deploy their spearment, which collide with the steadily advancing Holy Roman heavy infantry. The Armenian archers and swordsmen hold the right flank against Tiran' | ||
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| + | 348 AD - The Holy Army of Constantinople and the army of the Kingdom of Armenia rode victoriously back to Dvin in early February of 347. The Romans sufferred heavy losses, particularly their Arab flank, and over a hundred thousand men did not return from battle. The Armenians did not come through unscathed either: nearly a third of their troops were martyred in their battle for their independence and faith. In Dvin, they prepared almost immediately for their attack on Ctesiphon. Word soon came, however, that the Ostrogoths had been busy, and an army of some ten legions were marched back towards Constantinople. By the start of 348, these legions returned, having discovered that the Ostrogoths had already fled. For the remainder of the year, and into the beginning of 348, they concentrated on training and equipping their troops (including the Arabs, who sufferred the worst in the Battle of Ashur). The Light of God is prepared on order of Constans, who knows that the siege will be long and hard without some sort of aid. The walls of Ctesiphon are the thickest and longest in the world. | ||
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| + | Wihtgils, King of Saxonburg and all of Saxony, proclaims that the enemies of their friends the red-skins are none other than the offspring of the Frost Giants. The Saxon smiths forge for weeks on end, creating new stores of weapons and armor for the Germans. Horses and steel weapons are also given to the Kahniankehaka, | ||
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| + | In Germania, the last army of the Alemanii is successful is halting and routing the armies of several tribes in the East. After more than a year of warfare, the borders are finally agreed upon, with the Alemanii having the East, and the free tribes of Germania living in most of Germania. The Alemanii, realizing that they do not have the power now to face the combined might of the tribes, begin to look ever eastwards, at the wayward Goths who have mostly forgotten of their cousins to the West. | ||
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| + | Old Fritigern I becomes 65. The remainder of his children are daughters, and he personally slew his only heir. Many begin to eye the Keiser' | ||
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| + | Shapur III, reeling from his defeat, begins to gather up all his troops in Ctesiphon. Arab slave revolts are surging throughout the Empire, and nobles who sent only a tithe of their forces now realize that their way of life is indeed threatened. The walls of Ctesiphon almost burst when hundreds of thousands of soldiers march to the aid of the Shahanshah. Shapur bitterly comments, "had these fools sent their aid while my banner flew in Ashur, then we would be feasting in Constantinople this night." | ||
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| + | The Basque Kingdom begins to withdraw its troops from border positions back to the borders of the kingdom itself. When the Iberian Council, the ruling body of the Confederation, | ||
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| + | In Britannia, the Gaels begin the process of rebuilding the nation. Northern Britannia is renamed Scotsland, the western parts are Pictland, and the Hibernian isle remains the Celtish home of Hibernia. The central and eastern parts of the isle are made neutral, as well as the city of Londonium, where the Council of Chieftains now convene. The Council are given the right to fully govern the neutral regions, as well as all foreign affairs. Each individual tribe rules their own nations, but can make no foreign actions without the permission of the Council. | ||
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| + | Wigbart II sends a gift of gold and melted snow to Constantine, | ||
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| + | 348 AD (Cont.) - The Holy Army and the Armenian army, with a combined might of some 350,000, march out once again from Dvin. The extra 100 Chariots ordered by Constantine are brought with the current ones to make up for the losses sufferred in the battle, but Constans notes that the new Chariots are only of the " | ||
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| + | On November 6th, the Shahanshah attacks in full strength. Elephants and Immortals are not held back at the start, as they were in the Battle of Ashur. Before the walls of Ctesiphon, the combined might of the Sassanid Persian Empire gathers to smash Christendom. The massive Fortress Chariots begin to rumble forward, and the heavy infantry are told to march steadily alongside the machines, thus ensuring that they cannot be encircled. Along the flanks, Armenian heavy cataphracts and the speedy, if now less numerous Cavalry Chariots stave off Persian cavalry elements. As in the previous battle, archers concentrate on the elephants, who begin to charge at the infantry. The noise and majesty of the Fortresses, however, frighten many of the towering beasts into a panicked rage, and in several parts of the battle the elephanteers lose control of their beasts, who plow back into the Persian lines. The Cavalry Chariots target the Immortals, who make a massive wedged assault into the flank of the Roman infantry. Those horses who do not panic and flee at the sight (and sound) of the Chariots are collided into, and the force of the collision is almost always enough to break the legs of the equine. As the battle unfurls, the Christian troops, filled with resolve at the sight of the power of God moving the Chariots, march steadily forward. The Chariots perform marvelously, | ||
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| + | The slaughter is retold a thousand times in generations to come. The steady Roman infantry, fighting with centuries of knowledge of legion tactics, is in its element fighting a rabble rather than an organized army. Fortress Chariots roll over Persian infantry, and soon are able to rout enemy drives by their mere presence. The Armenians, unable to contain their fury, charge the flanks of the enemy, and the cataphracts enjoy the wholesale slaughter of the enemy infantry. The Immortals, routed and decimated by the Cavalry Chariots, formed a protective ring around the Shahanshah, who retreats into Ctesiphon. Several Fortress drivers have the same idea, and begin to plow towards the banner of the Shah, with its elite troops surrounding them. The spearmen and archers are unable to make so much as a dent in the heavily armored monsters, and a Roman archer sets his arrow to fire and ignites the Flag of the King of Kings, the drafsh i Kavyan. The Persian troops, dismayed at the retreat of their King and the loss of their rallying point, break ranks and flee. Few bother to aim their retreat towards the city. The Battle of Ctesiphon is a disaster for the Persians, and the city lies nearly defenseless. Shapur, however, notes that the Romans have brought little provisions with them, and begins to ramble that Ctesiphon can survive a thousand years of siege, and that the power of the sun shall never desert the King of Kings. | ||
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| + | Constans and King Vatche I ride out to the gates of Ctesiphon with an escort of cataphracts and Chariots (the few Chariots which are still servicable after the long battle). They call for the immediate surrender of the Persians and Shapur' | ||
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| + | In the Roman camp, Lucius Brutus, having ridden in the safety of Constans' | ||
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| + | In the aftermatch of the Destruction of Ctesiphon, it is discovered that Shapur was killed by a Persian blade, most likely his son Yazdigert, who fled and proclaimed himself Shahanshah. Out of the 400,000 civilian population and some 80,000 military population of Ctesiphon, some 100,000 survived to be enslaved. Much of the city burned to the ground, and only the walls remained fully intact. The Imperial Cross was planted firmly in the center of the city, which angered the Armenians, who forced Constans to place it side by side with the Armenian Cross. Constans ordered that none of the city was to be doused, but that "the Wrath of God should be allowed to burn until His anger is quenched." | ||
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| + | Constantine, | ||
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| + | Err... Change all of "348 AD" to "347 AD." Sorry about that, lol, but it would be foolish by all accounts to give the Persians more than a full year after their defeat to finish the conquest. On Jan 6th the Holy Army marched out, Jan 8th they fought the Persians, Jan 9th they beat the Persians, they returned to Dvin to await new Chariots and to heal the wounded, troops sent out against the Ostrogoths, Dec 15th they marched out again, Dec 20th they fought the Battle of Ctesiphon, Dec 21st they won the battle, Dec 23rd they used the Light of God, Dec 25th the sacking of Ctesiphon was complete. Sorry about that. Now continue with your reading pleasure LOL. | ||
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| + | 348 AD - On January 6th, 348, C. Flavius Valerius Constantinus, | ||
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| + | On February 2nd, Constans receives word of his brothers' | ||
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| + | Vatche I of Armenia pledges his support for Constans, who, in return, grants the Armenians the Assyrian lands up to and including Ashur. The new state of Assyria joins the Armenian Kingdom, and Assyrians are given full rights as citizens and are allowed to practice their own faith while accepting the Armenian Catholicos as head of their church. Vatche sends an Armenian contingent of some 20,000 troops, as well as 3,000 Assyrian archers, under his son Vassak to aid Constans. The Commander of the Holy Army of Constantinople begins to march west, and his popularity is so immense that many towns join his cause simply because a messenger from the Commander rides into their borders. | ||
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| + | In Asgard, as the new land is called, the Saxons prepare for war. Horses are bred in the thousands, and the Germanic warriors are armored and prepared. On the 12th of March, using Kahniankehaka reconaissance, | ||
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| + | The Iberian Council votes (with the dissenting vote being the Basque representative) to tax each city-state according to their population, as a show of power to remind the kingdom that it does not rule the peninsula. Benat I, King of the Basques, is outraged, and declares that "the Iberian Confederation shall no longer have the Basques to protect them!" Despite protests from the remaining city-states and promises of reversing the tax vote, the Basque nation withdraws from the Confederation of Iberia. The kingdom' | ||
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| + | 349 AD - Constantine and Constantius prepare to meet the Holy Army of Constans at the town of Nicaea, a few miles outside of Constantinople. Their cousin Hannibalianus, | ||
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| + | Constans, upon hearing of the death of his cousin (whom he also did not like) and the fleeing of his sister, takes the moral high ground once again and claims that his brothers have slain their own kin and are thus heretics. He calls on the old Pope, Julius Cornelius, who is looked to as the de facto leader during the civil war, to denounce the kinslayers. Julius, at first, attempts to remain neutral, as the protection of Constans is far away. Public opinion, however, forces the Pope to reluctantly excommunicate the two brothers, although he insists that "if they confess their crimes before God and ask forgiveness, | ||
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| + | The whole of the Holy Roman Empire explodes after the killing of the Pope. The brothers, having overestimated their good standing among the populace and the ability to use their father' | ||
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| + | In Germania, dozens of minor skirmishes are fought along the Germanian-Alemanii border. After several months, a long border is finally decided on, finalizing what the battles already established. The Alemanii receive the East, while the free tribes remain in the rest of Germania. The Germanians also agree to unite against the Alemanii again should the tribe once more attempt to expand its territories at the expense of another Germanic tribe. Thus, the Alemanii begin the long process of rebuilding their once-mighty army and look towards the Ostrogothic kingdom, where Wigbart is spending more and more of the treasury on creating Wigbarta. | ||
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| + | In Persia, Yazdigert I declares the city of Zarand to be the new temporary capital of the Sassanid Empire, until Ctesiphon is retaken and the Romans are punished. The Throne of the King of Kings, however, along with the three lesser thrones (for the Roman, Chinese, and Khanad Emperors, who the Shahs believed were their vassals) were lost in Ctesiphon, and Yazdigert' | ||
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| + | In Nicaea, Constans deploys his forces against his brother' | ||
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| + | The youngest son of Constantine the Great rides into Constantinople as a hero. Many proclaim that Constantine has come again in the form of his own son, and Constans is declared to be Caesar of the Holy Roman Empire. The holy men of Constantinople, | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | 350 AD - End of what historians call the Days of Turmoil. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In Constantinople, | ||
| + | |||
| + | In the Iberian peninsula, the Basque kingdom sends an ultimatum to the Confederation: | ||
| + | |||
| + | 353 AD - An attempt by Yazdigert I to send an expeditionary force to the Holy Roman Empire is smashed by Roman troops, operating with a small number of Chariots (which, once again, are able to almost single-handedly carry the fight). The Emperor begins to fortify the eastern border heavily, and orders mass production of Chariots, while simultaneously decreasing the number of soldiers in the army to allow more money to pay for the weapons. The massive Holy Army of Constantinople is finally disbanded after an extensive parade through the streets of the capital, and all who fought are given papers bestowing citizenship on them and their families and descendants. Realizing a potent (and reliable) force in the Arabs, the Emperor ensures that the region does not become a " | ||
| + | |||
| + | In Saxony, the population rate has soared far beyond anything experienced in Europe. Abundant food, large open spaces, inferior enemies and mild winters allow the hardy Germans to live in peace. The Kahniankehaka are promised that war shall be resumed in due time, and the red-skinned warriors are more than happy with their gifts of metal and horses, which they liberally share with the rest of the Haudenosaunee, | ||
| + | |||
| + | 354 AD - Fritigern the Last Visigoth, the Foreign Roman and Keiser of the Romanigothic Empire of Italy and Gaul, dies at the age of 71. The Italian citizens of the Empire mourn the passing of the old man, and the Goths who were devoted to him tear at their beards. Gudeliva ascends the throne as the Keisera. Several of Fritigern' | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | 355 AD - Manhattan slaves of the Saxons begin to fall ill. The German healers are quickly able to identify the European diseases that are felling the red-skins, and apply their own remedies, including burning of the body after death and quarentine. The outbreaks are thus controlled rather easily. King Wihtgils orders the creation of a standing army, and prepares to take up the war once again. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Yazdigert I finally settles upon the new borders of the Persian Empire after numerous and disastrous skirmishes cost him even more territory. Constans, fearing overexpansion and his flanks against the Ostrogoths, agrees and withdraws his troops from Persia. The Kingdom of Armenia, wanting vengeance for past grievances, however, continues to fight the Persians. Persia is but a shadow of its former self, and so the Armenians, already battle-hardened and well trained, and now with Assyrian reinforcements, | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Gaels continue on peacefully. The Celts send much aid to the Picts and Scots, who sufferred far worse in the battles, and work towards the remaking of the city of Londonium. The Gaels, who are druidic even in their form of Christianity, | ||
| + | |||
| + | 358 AD - Keisera Gudeliva I, anxious to prove herself and expand her Empire, launches an attack into Roman Italy. The defenders of the peninsula, believing that their recent victories would be enough to frighten all enemies, are unprepared for the attack and are quickly defeated. Constans immediately orders a counterattack, | ||
| + | |||
| + | As the transports are being unloaded, the Keisera, who has hid waiting in ambush, attacks. Her handpicked soldiers are instructed to quickly kill all men, rather than seek a glorious battle. The ships are quickly set aflame, and many of those who are able to escape the flames are immediately killed. After a " | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | 358 AD (Cont.) - Constans launches almost his entire army into Italy. His forces do not underestimate the Goths this time, and are able to land intact. A thousand Chariots, as well as the Light of God, are brought, and Constans threatens to "burn down even Rome itself" | ||
| + | |||
| + | Keisera Gudeliva, however, is prepared. After months of studying, the Empress' | ||
| + | |||
| + | On a cold November morning, the 23rd, the Roman army encounters the Gothic army. The Holy Roman army numbers some twenty thousand infantry and six thousand long-range troops, as well as a thousand Chariots. The Goths have over fifty thousand troops, mostly cavalry, with a strong minority of legionnaries. Constans, realizing that his advantage are his new Chariots, attacks with them. The Faithful class Chariot is an improved model of Constans' | ||
| + | |||
| + | As the Charioteers pull ahead of their infantry support to " | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Chariot front is cut to pieces almost immediately. The Charioteers, | ||
| + | |||
| + | The battle was a disaster for the Romans. Out of almost thirty thousand troops, some ten thousand fell in battle. Only a scant two hundred Chariots (all of the Faithful designation) make it back to Constantinople. The Goths had heavier losses, but their decimation of the Romans' | ||
| + | |||
| + | The consequences of the battle have far more important effects than territory. With the decimation of the Chariots by an army of infantry and ingenuity, the place of the footsoldier is ensured for many years to come. Constans rescinds his orders cutting down the army, and increases it to almost half the size of the Holy Army of Constantinople. Once more, a majority of these are Arab recruits, as military service is still the quickest way for the Arabs to gain full citizenship status. The Goths, and subsequently the remaining European countries, also are able to gleam Holy Roman technology, which, although not nearly as powerful as Constantinople' | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | 360 AD - Constans, having begun his reign off with a terrible defeat, strives to improve his image. Since the defeat at the Sabines, the Holy Caesar of the Roman Empire pushed for the completion of the renovations of Constantinople and Christopolis. The cities are finally finished in early February. Constantinople, | ||
| + | |||
| + | King Vatche I, ruling in an era of prosperity unknown to the Armenians since the days of the Armenian Empire, orders renovations of cities throughout the nation. Intent on not neglecting his Assyrian subjects, Vatche officializes the de facto citizenship of the Assyrians and has Ashur rebuilt and made into the capital of the Assyrian province. The wars against Persia are finally settled, with much Caspian Sea territory gained. Vatche cedes some of the territory gained by his troops to the Romans in return for Caucasus territory, thus giving the Armenians a coastline along the Black Sea. Catholicos Vartan, in Echmiadzin, crowns Vatche with the old Imperial Crown of Tikran II, the Great, and declares the Mamigonian as the ruler of the new Armenian Empire. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Keisera Gudeliva, called by many as the savior of the Romanigothic Empire, is surprised when Gaelic emissaries from Britannia arrive in her court with gifts. The Gaels claim that they do not wish to expand further, and are happy with their island. All they ask is that the Goths, barbarians themselves and those who fought against the old Romans, leave the island in peace. The Keisera, amused that the small island of barbarian tribes would send such a word to one who just handed the Holy Romans a defeat, accepts their request, on the condition that they pay a yearly tribute. The Gaels agree, and propose to begin an exchange of ideas and items. The first seeds of friendship between the powerhouse and the small island are planted. | ||
| + | |||
| + | 363 AD - The " | ||
| + | |||
| + | (For a design spec of the Divine Retribution, | ||
| + | |||
| + | Half a world away, the Saxons begin to build a navy with which to launch their troops into the mainland. The coordination with their distant allies is difficult, but their plans are possible: the Saxons will invade the mainland and press hard towards the West, while the Haudenosaunee attack and press towards the East. Once the two armies link up, they will attack North, driving their enemies before them. The Haudenosaunee agree to the Saxon demand that all the territory captured in the East will be given to the Saxons, who will bear the brunt of the attack by driving into the heart of the enemy held territory. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Keisera Gudeliva cements the Romanigothic hold over Roman Italy by making her adopted sister, Constantina, | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Alemanii invade the Ostrogothic lands to their East. The Goths, with much of their forces in the East near the Crimea, are unable to make a sufficient show of force to halt the German barbarians, who quickly overrun much of the Gothic Balkans and up towards the sea coast. Wigbart, fearing further expansion, begins to negotiate a treaty of non-aggression and alliance with the Holy Roman Empire, having grown accustomed to a lifestyle of luxury, rather than hard riding. | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | 365 AD - The Year of the European War | ||
| + | |||
| + | Constantinople celebrates its fortieth anniversery as capital of the Empire. Constans declares that the year shall see victories unlike any that the Holy Roman Empire has yet seen. The Holy Caesar proclaims the Romanigothic Empire the haven of demons, and swears to march through Rome once again. In a grand procession of the Holy Army of Constantinople through the streets of the capital, all five thousand Divine Retributions are displayed. On the morning of January 6th, the Holy Roman Empire declares war on the Romanigothic Empire. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Goths immediately mobilize their troops and prepare to defend their peninsula. Constans, however, realizes the weakness of invading the heartland, and thus returns to a more reliable route: overland. He seeks to conquer the bulk of the Gothic Empire first, and once Gaul has fallen, to turn to the Italian peninsula. To do this, however, the Roman armies must march through Alemania. Thus, on Jan. 15th, Rome enters the German lands. Simultaneously, | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Alemanii, having spent much of their energy conquering Ostrogothic lands, are caught unprepared for such an onslaught. They are quickly and soundly beaten back at every encounter with the Romans, whose Divine Retribution chariots are unstoppable, | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Alemanii plead for aid from their Germanic brethren. Although the union of tribes have not been on friendly terms with the powerful Alemanii, they realize that independently they stand no chance. Thus, the United Tribes of Germania declare war on the Holy Roman Empire on the first of February. Constans responds, "looks like all of Europe will fall under the Master Shephard." | ||
| + | |||
| + | The united forces of the Germans and the Alemanii immediately seek Romanigothic aid. The Goths, realizing that they are outnumbered and overwhelmed, | ||
| + | |||
| + | On the 12th of February, the allies decided to create fortified lines to hold back the Romans and Ostrogoths until they can use their superior manpower to their advantage. The Germans agree to carry out an offensive on the Romans, designed only to buy them time, while the Romanigoths dig long trenches in the path of the Roman advance. Although they won't stop rushing infantry for long, the trenches will prove a difficult obstacle for the heavy chariots to traverse. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Germans clash first with the Ostrogoths on February 19th. The Germans prove more vicious in combat than anything the Ostrogoths have faced in recent years, and are able to scatter much of Wigbart' | ||
| + | |||
| + | Constans orders Wigbart to support his right flank immediately, | ||
| + | |||
| + | On the twentieth of March, the combined might of the allies stands up to the mightiest army in the world. The well-hidden chariot pits and trenches prove immensely successful, and nearly a thousand chariots are lost before Constans realizes his enemies' | ||
| + | |||
| + | On the 25th of March, almost four months since the official declaration of war, the Romans have conquered all of south-eastern Europe up to the Alps, while the Roman right flank and the Ostrogoths have entered Germania and are now turning south. The allies continue to steadily retreat, and prepare a final fortification of barricades protected by a series of trenches, to both hold back the infantry and stop the chariots. The Romanigoths know that if Gaul is lost, then all hopes are lost with it. Thousands come from Italy and Gaul to assist in the war, and thousands more emigrate to Africa, Iberia, and Britannia. | ||
| + | |||
| + | After three weeks of construction and heavy losses, the allies retreat to behind their wall. The Roman advance stops cold, as the infantry are unable to advance beyond the wall to secure enough territory to allow the chariots to advance. Several skirmishes and breaking points occur, with massed chariot ballista strikes on specific sections of the barricades, and even use of the Light of God, but the allies are able to hold the line. Near mid-April, however, they receive reports of an army of Ostrogoths and Romans advancing on them from the north-west. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Keisera Gudeliva, struggling with the news that she has been surrounded and effectively defeated, prepares to surrender herself in return for the safety of her army. As she is writing a formal declaration of surrender, however, Gaelic cavalry ride into her camp with news that she, and the allied forces, are entirely unprepared for: | ||
| + | |||
| + | "King Daffyd, chieftain of the Celts, King of Hibernia and representative of the Gaelic Union, wishes to send you his greetings and the assurance that the Roman army in the west has been dealt with. Gaelic warships are, at this moment, sailing towards Constantinople, | ||
| + | |||
| + | True to his word, Daffyd arrives at the head of the Gaelic banner in two days. Constans believes that it is actually his reinforcements, | ||
| + | |||
| + | The allies have different thoughts in mind: immediate withdrawal from all allied territory, reparations paid to the allied nations themselves, and assurances that the Holy Roman Empire will never again threaten the stability of Europe. The envoys are returned with the head of Wigbart II, taken by the Gaels, as proof that the allies now have the upper hand. Constans is shocked, and much of his army is demoralized. As he attempts to galvanize them further, courier horses arrive bringing the ultimate news: Constantinople is under naval blockade and siege. Constans, the morale of his troops broken and his capital under siege, witnesses victory slip from his fingers. He withdraws his troops from the battlefield without responding to the allied ultimatum. | ||
| + | |||
| + | During the entire European War, the Iberians expanded their control over their African holdings. Most of northwest Africa, as well as a part of the western coastlines, now fly the Basque flag. Iberiana is filled with the riches of Africa, and the army is doubled, then tripled, in size, feeding off the spoils of war. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Germans aid the Alemanii in reconquering their lands and taking much of the Ostrogothic' | ||
| + | |||
| + | June 6th is declared the Day of Peace throughout Europe, as Constans formally agrees to all allied demands, taking the gold straight from Ostrogothic treasuries. The Ostrogoths, defeated in Europe, deprived of their king, and robbed of their treasury, begin to look towards the east. Egfroth takes the throne as Egfroth III, King of the Goths of the East. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Finally, one of the most important developements of the war occurs one week after Peace Day. As the Alemanii, Germans, and Romanigoths tend to the devastation of their lands, the Gaels propose the creation of a council between the barbarian states to negotiate all differences peacefully and to aid themselves against "the hated Roman." | ||
| + | |||
| + | 366 AD - Constans, broken by his repeated defeats, begins to examine his military advisors and generals as causes for his setbacks. He consults Gaius Fironicus and Lucius Brutus, who by now are among the Caesar' | ||
| + | |||
| + | Fironicus, still a shy cripple despite his newfound wealth and power, concurs, although more politely towards the Holy Caesar. The army, he argues, views the chariot as a soldier, rather than a weapon, and thus attempts to use it as a strong individual rather than a tool in and of itself. The genius points out that the massive chariots were depended upon almost entirely by Constans' | ||
| + | |||
| + | The start of the Saxon Wars: The Saxons launch a full-scale invasion of the mainland, against the Adirondack, or "tree eaters," | ||
| + | |||
| + | Devastated by the war, the Romanigoths are forced to withdraw from Africa, finding that the expense of holding the territory is too inhibitive. Tens of thousands of Romanigothic troopers fell in the European War, as well as much of their most lucrative farmlands. Starvation runs rampant in many smaller villages, particularly those caught in the advance of the Holy Roman and Ostrogothic advance on both fronts. The Germans don't fare much better, and, if anything, the Alemanii in particular fare worse, with much of their territory in ruins or occupied by bands of Ostrogoths. The only winners of the entire war, if anything, are the Gaels. The small island-nation cemented its role as a true member of the Alliance, as well as proved its prowess and its track record of smashing Romans. In addition, the small but swift navy built up by the Gaels was able to raid a good portion of coastal Anatolia and Greece, and returns home laden with riches; although the Gaelic Union lends much of the wealth to its Allies to assist in the rebuilding, many new ships are also built on the island. Finally, the Gaelic landship is seen as a revolution. Extremely speedy, it is quickly taken up as a caravan, especially with the use of the flat Roman roads covering much of Europe. Wholesale starvation is, in fact, prevented, thanks to the use of landships to quickly deliver food from the wealthier regions to those sufferring from the war. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Egfroth III, in Wigbarta, begins his policy of abandoning Eastern Europe entirely. "The East," he argues, "is far wealthier than anything that broken land has. We are Eastern Goths; then, let us ride East!" It is important to note, however, that he still orders his withdrawing troops to take as much of Europe' | ||
| + | |||
| + | An Armenian scientist, Sembat Aramian, creates his own version of the steam engine, based on Hero's writings and his own experience with a Roman chariot during his days as a soldier fighting against the Persians in the Battles of Ashur and Ctesiphon. He makes the engine different enough to avoid any possible accusations of thieving from Constantionple, | ||
| + | |||
| + | Iberia, entirely untouched by the wars, has spent the time conquering much of the African coast. As soon as the Romanigoths withdraw from North Africa, the Iberians move in. In celebration of their " | ||
| + | |||
| + | 367 AD - The Saxons and the Haudenosaunee smash the Adirondack and turn north, into the colder regions, driving the "tree eaters" | ||
| + | |||
| + | 370 AD - The Ostrogoths encounter the first of what will be many waves of barbarians. They are readily smashed, and most pledge their alliegance to Egfroth. The barbarians speak of a massive horde, far to the East, which devours land and raves for more. These voracious barbarians call themselves " | ||
| + | |||
| + | 372 AD - On the morning of January 9th, Vatche I, Mamigonian, the Great, first Emperor of Armenia since the days of Tikran the Great, dies peacefully in his sleep. The nation mourns his passing in a way unmatched by any in memory since the death of Ara the Beautiful, legendary king of the First Dynasty. His son, Vassak, although not appointed as heir, is unanimously voted by the Nakharar Council to take the Imperial Throne. The young ruler' | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | 375 AD - Benat I, king of the Basques, dies after a week-long illness. His son, Kemen, is crowned Kemen I. Soon afterwards, a Basque army, travelling south into Africa, sends a report that they have encountered people who, apparently, worship the God of the Romans. Soon after this report, the army sends further news that these Christians are lead by a powerful king known as Juan. Kemen, with the Basque mentality of invincibility, | ||
| + | |||
| + | In Armenia, Sembat Aramian finishes the first prototype of the " | ||
| + | |||
| + | Gaius Fironicus, Commander of the Holy Armies of Constantinople, | ||
| + | |||
| + | The battle is fought near the Silk Road city of Susa. Fironicus, confident in his strategy, sends only two legions to combat the Persians. Vassak of Armenia honors his nation' | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Romans have an army of about 15,000 (10,000 infantry, 3,000 cavalry, 2,000 archers), with about 200 Divine Retribution chariots and 300 newly-built Cavalry chariots of the old design, with modern engines. The Persians have amassed an army of some 60,000, almost 35,000 of those being spearmen infantry, with the 10,000 Immortals as their cavalry arm. Fironicus orders his troops to move in smaller groups, rather than as a whole. Each unit will act as an individual army, with its own archer support. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Fironicus begins to give unorthodox orders, which the soldiers, puzzled though they may be, dutifully obey. The bulk of the Roman army slowly marches forward, while a third of their cavalry flanks break off to merge with the Divine Retribution chariots at the front. Pieces of the Roman infantry also break off and advance to the flanks, checking Immortal advance. The Roman extreme flanks, however, are held only by light cavalry, and the Immortals immediately split into two groups: one to hold the infantry flanks in place while the other rides into the exposed cavalry flanks and into the archer support. Meanwhile, the Persians, wishing to maintain steady contact with the enemy, mold their advancing lines so that they form a wedge. | ||
| + | |||
| + | As soon as the Immortals and the Persian infantry change their formations, the chariots charge forward. The heavily armored Divine Retributions charge suddenly into the Persian wedge, and, rather than concentrate on eliminating them, burst through. They are immediately followed by cavalry, which take advantage of the confusion. The Roman infantry rushes forward to capitalize, and massacres the first ranks of the Persians before they are able to hold the Romans in check. The single Persian line is now divide into 4 pieces, each with infantry to the front, cavalry to the flank and chariots to the rear. The Immortals, meanwhile, are stopped cold by massed Cavalry chariots, which hold back their famous charges. A piece of the Roman infantry flank then breaks off on each side and decimates the Immortal ranks after their initial charge. Meanwhile, the Immortal charges at the supposed cavalry flanks are ended quickly when the cavalry melts to either side, revealing a line of infantry with archer support. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The battle is soon over. Each section of the Persian army is confronted with an army of its own. The Immortals are stopped by infantry, chariot, cavalry and archer combinations. The Persian lines are shattered, and Divine Retributions rip the exposed archer lines apart. The battle ends with an utter rout, which turns into a massacre. Forty eight of the sixty thousand Persian troops do not return from the fields of Susa. The Roman casualties are astounding: three hundred and thirty six dead, several hundred more wounded. Yazdigert II sues for peace, and is forced to concede even more territory to the Romans and Armenians, most humiliating of which is the loss of Persepolis, the ancient capital of the first Persian dynasty, to the Romans. | ||
| + | |||
| + | 377 AD - Tiran, son of the last Arshakouni king of Armenia, Khosrov II, dies in a dungeon cell in Dvin. His body is cremated. "He wished to ignore the word of God and continue worshipping that fire which his father and his father before him extinguished from this land," Emperor Vassak declares. "Then let his body and soul be consumed by that fire, and find no peace in the realm of Christ and His Father." | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Gaels, armed with their fleet of steam ships, begin to explore the seas around them. The Celtic missionaries, | ||
| + | |||
| + | 378 AD - Keisera Gudeliva, considered by many to be the savior of the Romanigoths, | ||
| + | |||
| + | Kemen I, realizing that one of his armies has been completely lost, orders another to conquer "that Roman-loving Juan." The army, entering African territory that the Basques consider their own, report that the local folk consider the territory "the home of Prestor John." The report describes him as a local warlord who attempts to rule under the symbol of Christ, using a symbol unlike the Imperial cross, rather closer to the Armenian crucifix. The army vanishes soon after the report is given. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Shaunt chariot, which performed well in the limited existing numbers during the latest war against Persia, is produced in larger numbers in Armenia. Vassak, marvelling at Fironicus' | ||
| + | |||
| + | 381 AD - A Greek-born Roman scientist, Leo Galeus, uses a modified version of the Light of God to stare into the heavens. By judging the length and time of various moving objects and precisely calculating the rising and setting of the sun, Galeus and his colleagues realize that the Julian calendar, set by Julius Caesar centuries before, is incorrect. They continue with the studies, wanting to have a larger set of data before presenting their findings. | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | 383 AD - With Roman borders now surrounding Armenia on all fronts except the North, Armenia enters a Golden Age. Vassak invites all artisans and architects to Dvin, both to improve the city and to further a budding cultural advancement. With the borders of the nation secure, a strong army with chariots at the frontiers, and a close alliance with the strongest power in the world, Armenia begins to concentrate on improving its social aspects. Vassak expands the Imperial Academy into a school teaching many subjects, harkening back to Plato' | ||
| + | |||
| + | In Saxony, Wihtgils, King of the Saxons, is killed during a hunt when his horse stumbles over a fallen tree and crushes him. The surprise death of the beloved king, who showed little signs of aging, comes as a blow to the Saxon people. The twin brothers, Horsa and Hengist, both almost 30 years old, are both named as the Kings of the Saxons. With the elimination of the Adirondack from the North and the close friendship with the Haudenosaunee, | ||
| + | |||
| + | Constans, hearing of the Basque troubles against a Christian foe in Africa, praises this " | ||
| + | |||
| + | 391 AD - After an unusually long life and reign, Flavius Julius Constans, the first Holy Caesar of the Holy Roman Empire, dies after a sudden heart attack while writing at his desk. The nation mourns for its fallen leader, and the funeral procession tours the entire Empire, the Caesar' | ||
| + | |||
| + | After the Civil War, no living relatives of Constantine nor Constans remained, other than the Holy Caesar' | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | //The heavy rain poured onto the streets of Rome. Weather like this had not been seen for generations. The few people still in the open were hurrying to reach warmth and shelter; if any of them saw the lone figure calmly walking towards the Palace, they did not say anything. The person strode upon the paved roads towards the Capitol, roads that had been set by engineers of a dead empire. The figure paused, as several armored guards barred his way. | ||
| + | |||
| + | "The Empress does not wish to see any visitors this night," | ||
| + | |||
| + | "I care not for the... empress..." | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Lord Constantine! Forgive me, sir, I did not recognize you in the storm!" | ||
| + | |||
| + | "I am well aware of that." | ||
| + | |||
| + | Constantine continued on his way, stopping at a crossroads, looking ahead at his mother' | ||
| + | |||
| + | Several minutes later, he was walking down the road again, this time leaving the paved street and heading for a secluded corner, one that he had been to many times. As he reached the area, a voice spoke out from the darkness. | ||
| + | |||
| + | "The wise lead." | ||
| + | |||
| + | "And the workers follow," | ||
| + | |||
| + | A man stepped out of the shadows and greeted him. | ||
| + | |||
| + | " | ||
| + | |||
| + | " | ||
| + | |||
| + | The man named Marcinius nodded. | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Then we are that much closer to doing what our ancestors should have done. Let nothing stand in the way of progress."// | ||
| + | |||
| + | 392 AD - On a rainy night in January, Hauhamunths, | ||
| + | |||
| + | Influential Romans had been warned by letter about the attempt on the senator' | ||
| + | |||
| + | Despite the best attempts by the government, even the mourning Keisera, to keep the violence a secret, by the end of the day, cities and villages across Rome have been told of the violence and the murders. Many of the towns respond in a similar fashion. The trust and friendships that had been built up since the conquest by Fritigern half a century ago are thrown to the wind as Goths and Romans across Italy clash. The army, consisting of both Goths and Romans, are also heavily affected, and many of the officers "fan the fires." | ||
| + | |||
| + | As the Keisera and her supporters struggle to maintain the peace in the face of escalating violence, Constantina, | ||
| + | |||
| + | The floodgates are raised after the murder. The majority of Romans, who had not participated in the violence, are driven to fury by the death of the beloved Princess, the last link between them and the glory days of Rome. A Roman legionnary charges the Empress and slashes her arm off before the Gothic Guard impale him. The Keisera suffers from blood loss, but survives the attempt; however, she is unable to take the reigns of power, when the wound becomes infected and she attempts to recover. A purge of the military occurs in her absence, with the Gothic generals ousting all Roman elements; in some cases, Roman soldiers in predominantly Gothic units are simply killed. The predominantly Roman Southern Italy declares independence from the " | ||
| + | |||
| + | Most of the chariots being developed by the Empire are seized by the withdrawing Romans and taken with them into the south. Using the chariots, they are able to defeat several Gothic forces in heavily one-sided battles. The leaders of the revolution all declare Constantine, | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Republicans repeatedly defeat the Goths, but realize that they have less manpower than the Goths, and once Gothic chariots are produced again, they shall be defeated. So, Constantine takes a ship to Constantinople, | ||
| + | |||
| + | 393 AD - Gudeliva, now fully recovered and always dressed in robes to hide her missing arm, arrives in Londonium, where she demands to know why her allies did not aid her in the Civil War. The Gaels and Germans respond, quite simply, that they did not wish to. The aging Daffyd, King of Hibernia, states that, "it was you who chose to have an empire, rather than giving each man his land and each tribe its freedom. It was you who attempted to cling to the old trappings of the lying Romans, and tried to befriend the murderers of your fathers. We do not try to impose our will on any others. Why should we die to ensure that you do?" In frustration, | ||
| + | |||
| + | 394 AD - In Armenia, the times are peaceful and the days idyllic. The new Catholicos, Sahak Partev and a brilliant priest, Mesrop Mashtots, set out to spread the word of God across all the land. The old Armenian Alphabet, having been banned by Catholicos Grigor the Illuminator, | ||
| + | |||
| + | Gaius Fironicus, Holy Caesar of the Holy Roman Empire, willingly passes his crown to his student, Titus Lucinius, after having ensured that the sciences and other intellectual endeavours shall enjoy full funding from the government. Lucinius is crowned the new Caesar on Sept. 1, the Day of Enthronement, | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | //Ahtagais was cold. He hated the cold. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The broad-shouldered, | ||
| + | |||
| + | "I hate the cold." | ||
| + | |||
| + | His friend, Waihtifuns, a blonde-haired warrior with a strong sword-arm, sighed. | ||
| + | |||
| + | "And I hate you repeating the same thing every day." | ||
| + | |||
| + | The two laughed, and Ahtagais tossed his liquor sack over to his friend. | ||
| + | |||
| + | " | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Oh for the love of... I told you already! The King is spooked over talk of these eastern barbarians, these Hangs, or whatever they are called. If we are to see or hear anything, we are to ride to headquarters and report, so the army will be ready to intercept these invaders." | ||
| + | |||
| + | "So we are to sit here, the two of us, and await the coming of an army? Not that I'm complaining, | ||
| + | |||
| + | "I have no trouble taking yours!" | ||
| + | |||
| + | The blonde-haired barbarian began to laugh, but Ahtagais cut him off. | ||
| + | |||
| + | " | ||
| + | |||
| + | Waihtifuns, realizing that his companion was not jesting, looked about, his hand falling to his blade. | ||
| + | |||
| + | " | ||
| + | |||
| + | " | ||
| + | |||
| + | "What did you say these barbarians were called?" | ||
| + | |||
| + | " | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Then the Hangs have come."// | ||
| + | |||
| + | 398 AD - In the beginning of the year, the Huns, a massive barbarian people utilizing cavalry archers and viciousness unseen by the relatively civilized Europeans, burst onto the eastern borders of Ostrogotha. They are intitially very successful, and their archer-cavalry tactics devastate the largely cavalry Ostrogothic army. Egfroth frantically calls on the Holy Romans to send aid. Caesar Lucinius, although not a fan of the Ostrogoths, realizes that the Empire needs a friendly nation to the north to maintain stability. Armenia, with its northern border to Ostrogotha, also agrees to send aid. | ||
| + | |||
| + | About 4,000 heavy infantry, a thousand heavy cataphracts and a hundred Shaunt (Thunderbolt) class chariots are sent by the Armenians, along with two full legions by the Romans. The Armenians, led by Crown Prince Vagharshak Mamigonian, have modelled their army and tactics after the new Roman legion. Egfroth, upon hearing how few troops are coming to his aid, rages in Wigbarta, accusing the Romans of treachery. The Hunnic army, however, is promptly defeated by the join Armenian-Roman armies, with the chariots smashing Hunnic horse and deflecting Hunnic arrow. The Huns retreat, after inflicting devastating losses to Ostrogothic cities and fields. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Egfroth, realizing that the era of the cavalryman has ended, begins to order his own chariots. Ostrogotha is poor, however, after paying Allied reparations for the European War. The devastation caused by the Huns further depleted the Ostrogothic treasury. In desperation, | ||
| + | |||
| + | 401 AD - The Philosophic Republic of Italy is finally fully established. The " | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | 405 AD - The Armenian priest Mesrop Mashtots, having travelled the Empire in search of the Armenian alphabet, finally compiles a new Armenian alphabet, of 36 letters. Much of the alphabet is based on the old, pagan alphabet, which was banned by Grigor the Illuminator and vanished when the Catholicos waged the destructive war against the old Armenian pagan priests. The Bible is translated from Greek and Aramaic into Armenian, foregoing the Holy Roman version for earlier ones. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In Constantinople, | ||
| + | |||
| + | During the funeral of Fironicus, now beatified as St. Fironicus, the scientist Leo Galeus presents Caesar Titus with a new calendar, which they call the Fironican calendar in honor of the deceased. Titus officially adopts the new calendar, and declares that the start of the new year shall be September 1st, and that Sept. 1, 349 AD, shall be the first day of year 1 ad imperium augustus condita, or ad imperium, AI, as it will be commonly referred to. | ||
| + | |||
| + | 406 AD - The Saxons, led by the twin kings Horsa and Hengist, have reached the staggerring population of three million in only two generations, | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | //" | ||
| + | |||
| + | " | ||
| + | |||
| + | Antonius activated the steam engine and slid the iron plate into the venting tube, blocking the path for the escaping steam. | ||
| + | |||
| + | " | ||
| + | |||
| + | The scientist complied almost without thought, inserting the small iron ball into the end of the tube. According to the calculations, | ||
| + | |||
| + | " | ||
| + | |||
| + | Antonius immediately pulled the plate up, freeing the steam. The force of the escaping steam propelled the iron ball forward at a stunning velocity. The small sphere ricochetted off the wall with a loud clash of metal against stone and flew into the body of Antonius. The scientist was killed before he even realized what had just occurred, his body crumpling to the floor with a sickening thud. | ||
| + | |||
| + | A figure in the corner looked on impassively, | ||
| + | |||
| + | " | ||
| + | |||
| + | Guard Rufus looked down at Antonius. | ||
| + | |||
| + | "Shall I equip Scientist Gallus with armor, Administrator Aulus?" | ||
| + | |||
| + | The figure did not deign to look at the guard. | ||
| + | |||
| + | "We have not the resources to risk armor. Do as ordered." | ||
| + | |||
| + | The guard saluted and grabbed the arms of the fallen scientist, hoisting him up and carrying him from the room.// | ||
| + | |||
| + | 411 AD - A scientist of the Upper Class of the Philosophic Republic, Administrator Aulus (the Upper Class has dropped the traditional Roman use of praenomens, nomens, cognomens and agnomens, and instead has taken to referring to the Upper Classmen by their designation and name), researches the unused properties of steam power; namely, the highly explosive ability of unvented steam first observed by the Armenian scientist Sembat Aramian. Through several experiments, | ||
| + | |||
| + | In Germania, the use of landships has lead to the creation of permanent settlements connected by the paved roads that the landships run on. Without the need for constant migration in search of food, the Germanian tribes begin to advance culturally, and the settlements are allowed to urbanize as the farming communities with richer soil can ship their food to the new cities. The kings of the various tribes thus establish permanent boundaries, taking the first steps towards a nation-state. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In the Romanigothic Empire, turmoil is spreading. Relatives of the dead Keiser Fritigern, having been prevented from claiming the throne when his daughter became Keisera, lead factions of traditional Visigoths as they protest against the Keisera. The older Goths claim that the softening of Gudeliva has caused the troubles faced by the nation, and that only a return to the old principles of their barbarian forefathers shall save the Gothic people. The urban populations of Italy tend to support Gudeliva and the "new Goths," | ||
| + | |||
| + | Their plans are spoiled, however, when the aged Keisera decrees that, after her death, the Romanigothic Empire shall become the Romanigothic Republic. The princes, realizing that word of this would begin to errode their popularity, immediately alter the news as it arrives in Gaul, portraying it as further proof that the Keisera has become a Roman, and that the meaning of the decree is that the country would be sold to "the traitorous thinkers" | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Further developments ==== | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Era of the Good Caesars continues for about a century and a half in the HRE, seeing it expand massively in the East. The last remnants of the Persian Empire are conquered by the HRE and by the Huns, whose numbers and savagery are able to beat back all Roman advances save those by chariots. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Armenia, surrounded mostly by the HRE with a border to the north with the friendly Ostrogoths, begins to demilitarize. This will come back to bite in straight in the arse in a few centuries, however, when the Era of Good Caesars is over. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Platonic Republic launches an assault on the Romanigothic Empire during the Civil War, and captures some much-needed agricultural land. It's newly developed steam-cannons are incredible useful. Afterwards, it constructs a wall across its border, creates cannon-forts along the coast, and breaks off relations with all nations, turning in on itself (Confederation of Platonic City-States, | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Romanigoths plunge into Civil War. The Empress wishes it to become a Republic, the nobles wish it to remain a Monarchy. In the end, several of the Empress' | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Alemanni develop into an analogue of the Austrian Empire. Although the Germanic tribe itself is large in population, the land it controls number many other nationalities and languages. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Germans develop into an even looser version of the OTL HRE. Each tribe as a chief, and is divided even further into smaller tribes that are all of a single larger tribe. This resembles the Gaelic government, and both become bastions of liberalism and freedom. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Barbarian Union, as the alliance of the Gaels, Germans, and Alemanni is known, becomes a seafaring power and a trading giant. The Gaels make the first contact with the Saxons overseas, who eventually ally with the BU. They also create colonies in South America, which they name Hy-Brasil. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Saxons create a large land empire in North America (known as Asgard), and create a close alliance with the Iroquois. By several centuries, there is little distinction between the Germans and the Redskins except for skin color. The coming of steam technology is late to the Saxons, but the resources at hand for them dwarf anything in Europe, and they are able to mass produce chariots for war, becoming the arsenal of the Barbarian Union. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Basque Empire becomes an African powerhouse. After years of war, it conquers the Christian kingdom of " | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | Asia will be contacted after the Era of Good Empires. Around 600 AD, religious zealots will gain the Imperial Throne of Peter. More and more people will be fighting the Huns, but will not want to return to simple pseudo-serfdom after their days soldiering. Demands for liberties and civil rights will continue until the Inquisition. This will basically try to return the HRE to a time about 200 years past, with people tied to their land and technology only for the military. The Caesar will decree that the use of technology by the common man has made them lose sight of God's plan, and will ban all technology except that used by the military. Science will face a severe crackdown, with the researchers requiring to pass " | ||
| + | |||
| + | Armenia, which has refused to emulate the HRE's Imperial Church, will be attacked and conquered, having demilitarized for the most part and having nowhere near the population of the Empire. The people will be exiled to the East, to prevent them from aiding the Infidels in Europe. Many Roman scientists also are sent with them, again to prevent them from assisting the Europeans. This happens in about 800 AD, and they eventually settle in Mongolia, where they ally with the Mongol tribes, who convert to the Apostolic Christian faith. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Barbarian Union militarizes over this, and in response the HRE declares war. A brutal campaign is fought in Eastern Europe, and much of the Alemanni Empire is devastated, and eventually annexed by the HRE, which is the victor. At this point, the Barbarians, with the aid of their new scientists, devote much of their strength to research and development, | ||
| + | |||
| + | Hunnish India is finally conquered and a path to the East opened, but the HRE then stumbles into the Chinese Empire. Technology, having trickled East, has allowed China to maintain stability, and the war of the white devils unifies them like nothing else. Several Crusades follow, but little territory is lost, with the Chinese utilizing gunpowder against the Roman chariots. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Meanwhile, the Armenians, Assyrians, and Mongols create the Apostolic Federation. Using Chinese gunpowder and Roman technology, they are able to create weapons unlike any seen in the West. They launch a war against the Ostrogoths (who occupy Northern Armenia during the joint war against the Armenian Empire) and are able to expand quickly. They also fight the Chinese, and ally with the Japanese in about 1000 AD. The Japanese use their technology to conquer and colonize many of the islands to their south, with the crowning achievement of Hoyaikyu (New Land, OTL Australia). They are challenged by the Southern Huns, which control Southeast Asia and the nearby islands, whereas the Northern Huns control the area to the east of the Caspian Sea. | ||
| + | |||
| + | With the Federation attacking from the north and the HRE attacking from the West, the Chinese are finished. They flee Eastward, past Japan, and eventually colonize Western Asgard. The Chinese Empire thus controls the Asgardian west coast and parts of Southeast Asia. The Federation turns then on the war-weary HRE and conquers much of Asia, pushing back the HRE to their Hunnic borders. | ||
| + | |||
| + | This broils down to the World War. The HRE allies with the Iberians and the Chinese, who fear and hate the Mongols worse than anything else. The Algonquins in Asgard, as well as the Incan and Mayan Empires, also join the Alliance. In response, the Barbarian Union allies with the Federation and their Japanese allies. The Aztecs, having been driven from their lands by the Chinese, as well as the Iroquois, decide to join the new Greater Federation for their own security. In about 1300, all hell breaks loose. | ||
| + | |||
| + | All this broils down to the World War in about 1200-1300. The HRE, Ostrogoths, Iberians, Mayans, Incans, Algonquins, and Chinese will duke it out with the Federation, the Barbarian Union, Aztecs, Iroquois, and Japanese. The main fighting will be: | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Iberians vs BU | ||
| + | * BU vs HRE | ||
| + | * HRE vs Federation | ||
| + | * Japanese vs Chinese | ||
| + | * Aztecs vs Mayans | ||
| + | * Aztecs vs Chinese | ||
| + | * Iroquois vs Algonquins | ||
| + | * Saxons vs Algonquins | ||
| + | * Federation vs Ostrogoths | ||
| + | * Incans vs anyone who gets near them. | ||
timelines/a_light_in_the_east_archived_version.1405333560.txt.gz · Last modified: 2019/03/29 15:19 (external edit)