CK2 Succession Games: Habsburg & d'Ibelin

[Seperallis]

Click here for the old thread (why you want to, I don't know.)

CK2 SUCCESSION GAME

First things first: what is a succession game? Each player takes a character in the dynasty. When your character dies, you send the save game to the next player, who plays the next character. When their character dies, they pass the save on to the next, and so on.

GAME ONE: VON HABSBURG (Restricted game: Click Here DLC: Way of Life, Charlemagne, Rajas of India, Sons of Abraham, The Old Gods, Legacy of Rome, Sword of Islam, The Republic; additional dynasty shields are used. (none of these are required) Restrictions: -- Aargau and Castle Habsburg must belong to the main Habsburg line for the entirety of the game. - If held, the Duchy of Austria must remain the primary title. - May not hold king-level titles, except a created Austria. - Succession within the HRE must remain Elective. If not elective when becoming emperor, one must make it elective. - The main Habsburg line must remain of German culture. - ALL independent Habsburg rulers must remain Catholic Christians, otherwise they must be converted/purged. - One may only fabricate claims on the Duchies of Austria and Tyrol, or the counties thereof. - If Austria and Tyrol are in Habsburg hands, one may fabricate claims on historically Austrian provinces. - If Kebab exist, remove Kebab. Hard Mode (additional optional restrictions): - All fabrication of claims are forbidden (claiming the Duchy of Austria is the sole exception). - Land acquisitions cannot come from military action, except via Succession wars (Carinthia and Tyrol are the sole exceptions). - France must not control Burgundy. - Free investiture is forbidden. Close for restrictions & applicable DLC) 1. Werner von Habsburg, Count of Aargau - Oertha/Seperallis 2. Otto I "the Ill-Ruler" von Habsburg, Duke of Austria - Hahk/Severyane 3. Otto II "the Confessor" von Habsburg, Duke of Austria - Flo 4. Adolf I "the Great" von Habsburg, King of Finland - Oertha/Seperallis 5. - Adolf II von Habsburg - Flo 6. - Hahk/Severyane Victory Conditions: - - The main Habsburg line controls the Duchies of Austria and Tyrol. - - Austria rules over the de jure Duchy of Carinthia. - - The Austria is independent, or a direct vassal of the HRE. - - The HRE is held by Habsburgs for 100 consecutive years, more than 50 of which are held by the main Habsburg line (reigns of non-elected rulers are not counted). Extra Victory Conditions: - - Entirety of de jure Frisia is held by Habsburgs. - - "Empire of Hispaniola" exists and is ruled by Habsburgs. - - Can into Bohemia & Hungary? - - Kebab removed.

GAME TWO: D'IBELIN (Restricted game: Click Here DLC: Way of Life, The Sword of Islam, The Republic, The Old Gods, Sunset Invasion, Rajas of India, Legacy of Rome, Charlemagne Restrictions: -- The Barony of Beersheb, and the County of Beersheb must remain in the hands of the family d'Ibelin - Jerusalem must remain in the hands of the family d'Anjou - failing this, it must remain in the hands of a Catholic monarch at least - The main line of the family d'Ibelin must be French culture - May not hold king level titles - All owned titles must be of the Cathloic faith - May only fabricate claims on the County of Jaffa - once Jaffa has been regained, may only fabricate on the Duchy of Ascalon Close for restrictions & applicable DLC) 1. Balian d'Ibelin, Count of Beersheb - Hahk/Severyane 2. Lusignan "the Rash" d'Ibelin, Count of Beersheb - Oertha/Seperallis 3. Sigismond d'Ibelin - Hahk/Severyane 4. - Oertha/Seperallis . . Victory Conditions - Regain control of the Barony of Ibelin, and the County of Jaffa - The Middle Eastern Coast, including the coasts of Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria, must be in the control of the Kingdom of Jerusalem - The Kingdom of Mesopotamia must be under the rule of the King of Jerusalem - Sack Mecca . . . . . .

[Seperallis]

Previously posted by Hahk in the old thread.

> >  Balian d'Ibelin  < <
Count and Baron of Beersheb
Chancellor of the Kingdom of Jerusalem
Born 1140 : Died 1196



In the lowly castle of Beersheb, in the County of the same name lived a thirty year old man. His name was Balian d'Ibelin - the third born son of his namesake father. He was raised knowing that for his entire life he would be little more than a Knight, and a glorified diplomat for his eldest brother. While his brothers were instructed in the art of ruling, he was instructed on how to handle an unruly dignitary or an upstart noble. He certainly was trained in the art of sword but was forced to dedicate less of his time to those affairs. Then, when it was least expected, everything changed.

His father passed in 1150, ceding the throne to Balian's eldest brothere. His rule was short, as in the year 1167 his eldest brother died a natural death. Shortly before he died Balian's eldest brother had selected him to rule. So now the burden had passed on to him.

Balian moved quickly to secure his position. He sent a diplomat to Danemark to secure a betrothal between himself and King Svend the III's thirteen year old daughter, Luitgard. He also understood that Beersheb's position in the Levant was quite susceptible, and despite the ingenious construction of the Castle in which he resided, he could not defend it with the demesne's paltry garrison. So he instructed his engineers to construct a new militia quarters, and a new training ground. He sent forth his most trusted captains to begin the process of recruiting new soldiers to defend his realm. He also pledged to amass as much wealth as he could in order to fund his future projects.

It took three years, in which he had married the young and beautiful Luitgard, before his military project was complete and he had recruited almost five hundred more men for his levy. In 1170 his first daughter was born, Marcelline. She had been born early, and as a result was a weak child. The physicians and midwives said she would not see her first year. Despite this she continued to grow as did the castle Beersheb. Balian's engineers had repaired and improved the aging walls of the old castle, and further expanded the barracks and training grounds, giving the castle levy yet another three-hundred men, bringing it to a total of one-thousand two hundred and fifty-four.

During this time, Luitgard bore Balian two more children - Eva in 1176 and Jeanne in 1179. Only one of them would live, Jeanne died shortly after birth. It grieved Balian, losing a daughter even if it was only his third born. His grieving was relieved slightly, as his first son was born a year later. Lusignan was born healthy, a son for any man to be proud of.

Little happened in between the birth of Balian's son in 1181 and 1190, Balian continued to improve Beersheb. In mid-1190, King Amaury of Jerusalem called Balian to war. He led an army of 9,000 in defense of Bostra against a Muslim army twice the size of his own. It was a crushing defeat but the surviving men and Balian were allowed to return home by the Caliph of the Abassid Emirate, Al-Nasir. Balian's defeat left him a broken man, afraid of his own shadow. He was plagued by nightmares, and his life spiraled even further when on the second anniversary of his defeat his wife died.

In an attempt to give his life meaning he turned his eyes to his family's ancestral castle, lost to a minor cadet branch of the d'Ibelin family. It was for naught though, for mere months after he sent his chancellor to Jaffa to fabricate his claim he passed of natural causes.

He was succeeded by his son Lusignan.

---

This isn't very eloquent, but it's what happened. Whoever wants to pick it up can, just say so so we don't have multiple people doing the same save. Thanks for that title format Oertha, by the way.

I used these mods: Way of Life, The Sword of Islam, The Republic, The Old Gods, Sunset Invasion, Rajas of India, Legacy of Rome, Charlemagne

Ironman

[Seperallis]

Previously posted by me in the old thread.

> > Werner von Habsburg < <
Duke of Upper Burgundy
Count of Aargau and Ostmarch
Commander of Armies in the Holy Roman Empire
Born 1025(?) : Died 16 Jan, 1090 (age 65)



This is the story of a man, an ambitious man who lived for war. As a Count of the Holy Roman Empire, he served directly under the Emperor, as count of Aargau. He wasn't the best at everything he did, but he was happy in his abilities, especially for his particular knack for matters of war, and took pride in bettering himself in both matters of strategy and personal combat, becoming an exceptional general and one of the greatest commanders of men of his era. All in all, life was comfortable in Habsburg Castle, and he was happy to see his days through serving his realm and his liege on the battlefield.

That said, what he really wanted more than anything was recognition as the best leader of men in the entire realm, dreaming of becoming Marshal for the Empire. Though he never saw his dream realized, this drive would push him to become one of the best among his peers over the course of his life.

He was not, however, happy to see his children live the same life as himself. His lands were situated uncomfortably close to France, and although he had led troops to victory in the fields at Ghent during the Empire's war against France, Werner knew his fortunes were due to the French armies being busy in England at the time and became keenly aware of growing French military power. With a newfound appreciation for the state of the world, Werner came back from the war in the north of France and performed two actions that would set the course of the Habsburg dynasty's future.



First, Werner recognized that he was without close friends and allies within the upper echelons of German feudal society. While he was close friends and had an alliance with the count of Bern, this was not enough to combat the growing rivalries within the realm. To rectify this, he moved to arrange closer relations with two of his very powerful neighbors. While both his children were too young to marry, he was able to negotiate betrothals that eventually lead to alliances with the duchies of Swabia and Bavaria, who would soon prove to be close and worthy allies, indeed.



Second, Werner initially had no real plans or avenues to expand his own personal power, despite being such a great leader of men. However, the Emperor soon granted him a windfall of new fortune and power; in dire need of loyal vassals, and wanting someone as skilled in warfare as Werner by his side, the Emperor created and granted the new duchy of Upper Burgundy to the Habsburg ruler. Werner quickly moved to consolidate his realm, and within a few years, was quite happy with the loyalty of his vassals and the state of his new lands. In spite of this, even with his newfound power, Werner lacked any legal means to expand and solidify his station; discussing his options with his chancellor, he set his sights on Austria, both because it was one of the smallest of the independent imperial realms, and because it was located on the relatively quiet border with Hungary, far away from the French threat to Burgundy. Of course, the chancellor took the phrase "how can we expand into Austria" to mean "extort and cajole your way around Austria," and promptly left to fabricate a claim for his lord.

Shortly thereafter, the tyrannical manners in which the Holy Roman Emperor used his authority to strip titles from those he didn't like or revokes lands in order to centralize his own power finally caught up with him, as the realm finally saw itself split apart by war. In 1072, a revolt against the Emperor's tyranny sprung up, but the nobility were mostly cowed by the Emperor's power, and the revolt was quickly crushed. However, two years later, another revolt popped up, dissatisfied with the Emperor seeking to accumulate power all to himself; this time, though, with the Duke of Bohemia backing the movement, the uprising would not be so easily quelled. For two years, the war shifted back and forth; rebel armies were finally defeated in the south, when Imperial forces - commanded by the Bishop of Mainz, with Werner leading troops on the left flank - found victory in the Italian Alps in the summer of 1078.



The victory didn't come without cost; in the midst of battle, Werner was felled by an enemy lance, and while the wound was not mortal, it was most certainly grave and would take a long time to heal, sidelining him for the rest of the war.

Thankfully, Werner did not have long to sulk in his chambers about being forced to rest instead of gaining further glories on the battlefield, as news soon came from his chancellor's agents from the east of the Empire; After spending long enough espousing the virtues of Werner to the local lords, they finally agreed to enforce his rule in Austria, should the rule fall to him. With assurances in hand, a flimsy ancestral claim to the Ostmarch was "found", giving Werner liberty to invade the lands. Too wounded to write the missives himself, he ordered his steward draw up the armies, and send word to his allies in Swabia and Bavaria that they were to make ready for war.

The war, such as it was, lasted only months. Werner's forces vastly outnumbered the waiting Austrian army; in one battle, the Austrian army was shattered and sent fleeing for the hills, and the Austrian ruler hurried to hole himself within his home. Too sick from an infection of his wound to personally command the armies, he sent his newly-married son, Otto, to command in his stead and gain valuable battle experience. Otto performed swimmingly in his command, a natural to the job, and the castle at Vienna fell within a couple months. Ultimate victory and annexation followed soon after.

Aside from a quick war with Genoa to release the county of Grisons back into Werner's rightful domain, the next ten years passed quietly and peacefully, with the Duke eventually making a full recovery from his war wound in 1082. He tried to persuade the nobles of Styria to recognize his authority, as count of Austria, over them and the whole duchy, but the attempts proved ultimately fruitless. Somewhere between mentoring his son's daughter and negotiating an alliance with the queen of Poland, Werner passed away in the middle of the night, succumbing to a lifetime of high-stakes living and old age.



He was 65 years old, and saw, under his care, the Habsburg dynasty climb from unknown backwater counts from the frontier of the empire into one of the more powerful Duke Electors of the HRE, installing the beginnings of the Habsburg legacy in European politics.

His only son, Otto, took his place as ruler of the Habsburgs

[Seperallis]

Previously posted by Hahk in the old thread.

>> Otto I "the Ill-Ruler" von Hapsburg <<
Duke of Austria and Upper Burgundy
Count of Aargau, Ostmarch, Znojmo, Steiermark (1093-1106), and Passau
Commander of Armies in the Holy Roman Empire
Born 1 Jan, 1060 : Died 1 April, 1117 (age 57)



It was the legacy his father left him that allowed Otto to succeed in life.

Due to the experience he gained fighting in the name of his father in Ostmarch, the Kaiser saw fit to offer Otto a position as Commander of the Holy Roman Armies. It was in 1091 when his liege required his services for the first time calling upon him to lead an army of 8,000 men against the Duke of Verona, Gebhard "the Bold" and his foolish uprising. In the summer he and his men marched from the Alps to meet their enemy on the field of battle, Otto riding as head of the vanguard. In Treviso they met the army of Gebhard, some 6,000 men strong, and slew their foes forcing Gebhard to retreat. Then again they marched this time for Verona where they laid siege to Gebhard's castle. For two long years the siege lasted and Gebhard was forced to surrender at the hands of Otto.

He returned victorious to the province of Ostmarch and held a festival in honor of his victory. He had no time to rest however, as his Chancellor had brought news the same hour of his arrival that the Lords of Steiermark were ready to support his rule. The following week his armies were again marching south. They encountered little resistance from the local levies and within the month Otto had seized the throne of the small province.

Again he returned home victorious, this time to his wife and his familial castle of Habsburg in Aargau. However, upon his return he was informed that his mother had fallen ill and had less than a year to live if god willed. In 1095 she passed in her sleep and a grief stricken Otto was again asked to lead the armies of his liege. He spent the following year fighting secessionists eventually slaying the leader of the Italian Liberation Revolt. He spent the next twelve years fighting the enemies of his liege, and Christendom, in the Holy Land as the leader of 12,000 men.

Upon his return in 1107 he declared war against the Duke of Bavaria, fighting for the claim to the County of Passau. It was two years later that Otto met the Duke of Bavaria to agree to peace terms. Otto walked away with the rights to rule over the people of Passau. He then proclaimed the Duchy of Austria, finalizing his father's goal of protecting their family from the French threat in the West. The following summer, Otto married his two oldest daughters to young royals: Richenza, his firstborn, was married to the newly crowned King of Navarra and Amalie, his third born, was married to the Duke of Transylvania. In 1110 he returned to fight in the Holy Land by command of the Kaiser, where he led 10,000 men in defense of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. In 1112 he was grievously injured in a fight against a Secessionist army, and was permanently crippled.

He returned home in 1113 to prepare his armies again for a fight against the King of Bohemia. Seeing that the Bohemian ruler outnumbered his own forces, Otto was in a predicament. A solution to this issue came in 1114 when he was advised the newly crowned King of France was without a bride. With this knowledge he sent a rider to offer his youngest daughter's hand in marriage to the juvenile King. The King accepted, and an alliance was forged, one Otto intended to use to defeat the Bohemians. Having secured the support of the powerful French armies, he sent his declaration of war and, his son marched into battle in his stead.



Between the might of the Austrian and French armies the Bohemians were completely routed. Within two years the war had ended and the province of Znojmo was under Austrian rule. Alas Duke Otto did not live to see the great victory his son had won for him. Shortly before the armies returned home with the news of victory Otto died due to infection and complication from his battle wound.

He passed on his realm to his son, Otto II.



(I forgot to screenshot a bunch of stuff I meant to... so yeah.)

[Seperallis]

Previously posted by Flo in the old thread.

> > Otto II "the Confessor" von Hapsburg < <
Duke of Austria, Tyrol and Upper Burgundy
Count of Österreich, Znojmo, Steiermark, Tirol, Innsbruck, Passau and Aargau
Marshall of the Holy Roman Empire
Commander of Armies in the Holy Roman Empire
Born 14 July, 1089: Died 12 March, 1152



Otto II was a man who thoroughly loved war, and everything about it. A man who had a great vision, for a crown.

Some say his love for war came from his grandfather, though Otto II was considerably more adept than his ancestor. Otto claimed his love came from young days on horseback with old grandfather Werner, who would tell him tales of old battles and ancient generals. Otto had determined, from a young age, that he would follow in the footsteps of these ancient leaders, and would someday be considered one himself. His military career would be spent serving his liege, the Kaiser of the Holy Roman Empire. Otto spent much of this time training troops for his liege in Luxembourg. But all the while, Otto was pulling the strings back in Österreich, through his adept council.

His ambition knew no bounds, and Otto determined that he would be destined to be the Holy Roman Empires first king. Already the most powerful elector-duke, becoming King was the next logical step, Otto believed. Alas, ambition rarely goes unchallenged, and the son of his fathers enemy and cousin, the Duke of Bavaria, stood in his way. Duke Rudolf of Bavaria assumed the throne of his duchy only a year after Otto assumed the thrones of Austria and Upper Burgundy, and so the two would develop a heated rivalry. Otto, ever the aggressor, took advantage of his superiority over the newly crowned Duke Rudolf, and within the next decade, would seize Innsbruck from the Bavarian demesne. Otto was not yet finished, and already put plans into motion, sending his chancellor, the count of Neuchatel, to discover, or create, documents giving Otto rightful claim for several key locations presently lorded over by the Bavarian Duke. In time, he would also seize the counties of Salzburg and Tirol from the Bavarian Duchy.

Sadly, Otto had troubles with succession. His eldest son, who would be the third Otto to rule Austria and Upper Burgundy, chose instead a life of faith and simplicity, becoming a monk in Bohemia, where he went by the name Ota. Following his training in Bohemia, Ota returned to found a monastery in Österreich, where the finest lager in the province was brewed. With Ota removed from succession plans, the crown fell to Otto's youngest son, the infant Schwanz, who had already proved to be Otto's favorite son, his estranged monk of an eldest son removed from his father's concerns. Tragically Schwanz would not live past two, as he was taken by an unknown illness. With both of Otto's sons either dead or estranged, the crown fell to Gerberga, the eldest daughter and would be Duchess. Gerberga was a charitable and kind soul, who found interest in counting coins and managing accounts. Her husband, Prince Konrad of the Holy Roman Empire, was married in matrilineal fashion, and Otto gave up on the prospect of a son succeeding him, though that wouldn't stop him from bedding a new wife, after his first died.

Fortuitously, Gerberga's husband, Prince Konrad, would be declared Kaiser of the Holy Roman Empire in 1132, providing much prestige for the would-be Duchess. The first son of Geberga, named after her late brother Schwanz, was born prior to this, but would be the first of the Hapsburgs to have blood-claims to the Holy Roman Empire.

Throughout Otto's life, he found himself in possession of large sums of money. In his zealotry Otto often found it fit to donate surplus funds to the various holy orders, so that they may fight the infidel across Christendom.

In 1138, Ota, the once heir of the Duchies of Austria and Upper Burgundy, the monk and estranged son of Duke Otto II, died, at age 30. The young man died on a journey to the monastery in Bohemia where he learned his trade. While on the path, he stumbled, falling into a river where he promptly drowned, caught in his monks robes. Otto II shed a single tear, wondering what could have been of his son, had he chosen a different path.

Otto, prepared to wage war against his cousin Rudolf yet again, was hampered by the crown laws set in place by his son in law. When civil war was waged to lower the crowns authority, Otto stood by and watched, prepared to wage war as his son-in-law faced a superior enemy in his angry subjects. His impatience grew with age. Once a kind soul, Otto had grown to be more angry and wrathful, before eventually his kindness was but a distant memory. The crown laws hindered Otto continuously, as he saw his rival and cousin, as well as his daughter, die in quick succession. Now, Burchard, a simple child, was duke of Bavaria, and Otto had his chance to claim the entire duchy, but the crown laws continued to hamper him. The civil war waged on, and it soon became clear that the rebellious subjects would see victory, which brought pleasure to Otto's old soul.

In 1142, Otto's luck turned, as the civil war ended, greatly lowering the crown authority in the HRE, and a son was born. At the ripe old age of forty-three, Mechtild, Otto's second wife, gave him a new son, Adolf, who surely would inherit. The war against Bavaria was quick and decisive, and soon Tirol and Salzburg were under the enlightened rule of Otto II of Austria and Upper Burgundy. During the war, his chancellor "discovered" documents validating his claim to the county of Aquileia. A short war later and it was in his demesne. Though a powerful duke-elector on assuming the throne, Otto II was now nearly over half as powerful as his son-in-law and liege,Kaiser Konrad II.

This power gave Otto II confidence. After constructing a new church in Österreich, dubbing it Sankt Polten, he was given the name "the Confessor". Though not a legendary administrator, Otto II increased the centralized power of the Duchy, and his reforms allowed for a larger demesne than previously held. After a few brief wars, the Duchy of Tyrol came under the control of Otto II, connecting his two realms for the first time.

Alas, before Otto II could gain control of the last de jure county of Tyrol, he went to be with the lord, at the ripe old age of sixty-two. Otto II then passed on his title to his surviving son, now Duke Adolf I von Hapsburg, who would be given all of his fathers titles, as well as his fathers size-able fortune. Along with the titles and riches came his fathers dream, of an Austrian Kingdom. Little Adolf had his work cut out for him, however, as his uncle, the Emperor, surely would like to cut down the strongest duke-elector, and the heir to the empire, his other uncle, would surely wish to do the same. Would little Adolf's Aunts claim their original birthright?

[Flo]

I've downloaded so many DLCs since these... could I even play them still?

[Severyane]

I've downloaded so many DLCs since these... could I even play them still?

Yep! Paradox games are amazing in that it doesn't really matter if you have more DLCs than you started with. The saves will always be, for the most part, playable. Even if you disable some DLCs they will still be mostly playable. I loaded up the Hapsburg one just to make sure and it worked just fine with all DLCs enabled.

[Seperallis]

> > Lusignan "the Rash" d'Ibelin < <
Count and Baron of Beersheb, Madaba, Tyana, Amisos, Ancyra, Chaldea, Lykandos, Kaisereia, Galatia, Tarsos, Adana, Teluch, Seleukeia, and Ikonion
Steward of the Duchy of Ascalon
Born 1182 : Died 25 April, 1254




Lusignan, poor little Lusignan. With his father's death and his sisters wed or betrothed to far-off lords, he spent his time alone and on his own in Castle Beersheb, with only his tutor to guide him. Much a coward like his father, always jumpy and afraid of the dangers of the world that lurked around ever corner, the castle became a prison. He was alone, he learned, last son of his line and surrounded by squabbling lords in a land full of godless devil-worshiping monsters. Every shadow hid his enemies, and every groan, every squeak of the castle was an assassin sent to wrestle his paltry title from his cold, dead hands. Where a certain amount of paranoia is healthy in these lands, his became crippling and all-consuming; as far as he was concerned, the world hated him, wanted him dead...and he hated the world in kind.




All except Gargamel, of course. Gargamel Grenier, cousin to the Countess of Negev, was often in company of Lusignan as a child. Though neither were particularly close friends, they had a rapport, with Lusignan - a few years Gargamel's junior - considering him the closest thing to a brother he never had; for Gargamel's part, being with young Lusignan was at least better than being stuck in Castle Negev and the constant reminder that he would never come to rule as long as that woman ruled. Through correspondence the two wove woeful tales of their 12th century problems. It was in these letters that Lusignan eventually made known his distrust of the council his father left him, especially the doddering and incompetent old chancellor, Ancel de Massada; Gargamel quickly offered his services. To the count, this was a glorious boon, as his "friend" was also a gifted orator, a cunning wordsmith and quick thinker, and he quickly and delightedly accepted him as his new right hand and chancellor, unceremoniously removing Ancel from Beersheb.

More than that though, Gargamel had an ambitious streak tempered in the halls of Castle Negev, and with a silver tongue and the trusting ear of his newfound lord, persuaded Lusignan that he was deserving of far more than just his "rightful" claim to the ancestral family home of Ibelin castle, but the entirety of Jaffa. The Count bit the bait, and, with the help of a little liquid courage at the Duke of Ascalon's next yule feast, proudly proclaimed his intention to "reclaim" his family's rightful dominion; Neither the Baron of Ibelin nor the Count of Darum were pleased, to say the least. Of course, even though he held rightful claim to the lands, Lusignan lacked authority to sieze them, as crown laws prevented land changing hands by anything other than sale or inheritance; as time went on, Lusignan grew more and more stressed, impatient, and envious of those that held what rightfully belonged to himself, powerless to do anything other than tend to his business ventures and wait for Gargamel to somehow convince the Lords of the Realm to pressure the king into changing the laws.

In the end, the plot would prove fruitless, but we're getting ahead of ourselves.




In the meantime, Lusignan grew even more weary of live and love at home. He had a rocky relationship with his first wife, Princess Adelaide of France, once even declaring (in typical paranoid fashion) that she had been unfaithful and their first child a bastard, though eventually seeing "reason" and renouncing his declaration. Neither having particularly common interests outside of their two daughters, when Adelaide eventually saw herself crowned Queen of France on 20 March, 1209, the two parted ways as she went to her court in Paris with the children, and the new King-consort kept to his business of trade and finance in Beersheb. France was in a state of constant crisis and civil war, however; Adelaide's body succumbed to depression on 20 May 1214, their daugher Mafalda - deeply depressed herself at her mother's death - followed some years later, and poor young Denise followed just months later in a tragic and mysterious accident, ending the short d'Ibelin rule of France.

The deaths changed Lusignan. Once more alone in the world, he secluded himself in his study with his books and accounts. He railed against the injustice of the world: how could he, who did nothing but mind his own matters and perform his good godly duties as required, how could his entire family be so slaughtered for the political whims of criminals, how could he be so punished while plotters and murderers reaped the rewards of their deeds? How could savage devil worshipers parade beyond our borders, doing murder and worse against good Christian men and women? How could a supposedly good and just God not just permit such evil, but allow it to thrive?

Either God is a charlatan, or God is an ignorant fool.




As if to spite the world and the unjust so-called "God" that tormented him, he applied himself to his work in a manner that saw him earn praise from his peers: he became a master of trade and the foremost patron to business and the Guilds in the realm, turning Beersheb into a minor hub of commerce; he became a loving and devoted husband and father to his new wife - Princess Damiane of Constantinople - and their four daughters, who loved him in kind; he drew up plans for and founded the new city of Estemon; he plotted new intrigues with Gargamel's help, forming several alliances with many lords above his station; he even rode forth of his own accord to aid his King against the Muslim hordes, finding his courage and his pride by winning at the head of his own army. So devoted to his work, Lusignan didnt' have time to dwell upon his fears, and grew more outgoing, more relaxed in his governance as he relied more and more upon the trusted and capable men his chancelor had placed around him. By all accounts, he became a halfway decent ruler of his tiny realm.




Yet he still lamented the crown laws that trapped his ambitious spirit in Beersheb, until one day Gargamel came to him with a plan: Baudouin the Confessor, King of Jerusalem, had won a long victory over the Muslim menace in Damascus...why not assemble the levies and claim a piece for himself while the heathen sand-devils were weakened? Lusignan liked the idea, and quickly sent a missive to his allies asking for aid. Within four months, a sizable number of men and supplies stood at the ready courtesy of his allies Prince Manuel of the Byzantines and Duke Honfroy of Oultrejourdain, supported by an equal number of proud fighters from the Knights Templar.

On 13 February, 1223, with more than 13,000 men, Lusignan's army marched forth to capture and claim the castle at Madaba. Reaching their destination without incident some weeks later, Marshal Aubry suggested they leave behind half the army to continue the siege as "bait", and march away with the main force under the pretense of seeking out the Muslim army; Lusignan acquiesced, and once the defenders of Madaba saw their enemy left such a small detachment behind, they immediately sent for aid to lift the siege. Just as planned, the Syrian army, still much diminished from its war with the King of Jerusalem, made for Madaba and clashed with the much smaller besiegers at the Battle of Salt; knowing now that the two sides were locked in battle, the other half of Lusignan's army reappeared on the battlefield and caught the enemy in its pincer.

Lusignan won the day as the Muslims were forced to abandon Madaba. Though the castle withheld the siege for some time yet, the battle more or less decided the outcome of the war three years later, when the Syrians formally surrendered Madaba and its surrounds to the Count of Beersheb.




As God willed it, Lusignan wasn't permitted success without pain, and his wife Damiane died two years later after delivering their fourth daughter, due to complications from the pregnancy; she was only 28. Lusignan mourned as is only proper, then arranged a marriage with Dorota Drslavic, the young sister of an adventurer named Einar, a burly Czech beside whom he had fought and shared company on his conquest of Madaba.

Finally, after many attempts, a son was born on 30 July, 1233. Lusignan would willingly admit to others that it was a moment that nearly restored his faith in God, such was the happiest day of his life. Little Sigismond quickly became the apple of his eye, and there was rarely a moment where they weren't at each other's side. For his part, the count nearly forgot all his ambitions, withdrawing from external affairs for thirteen years as he tutored his son and used his sizable fortune to develop his holdings.

But peace could not last for the aging Lusignan. Now old and grey, he received word in November, 1246 that the Pope had called for a holy crusade against the infidel Turks who threatened Christendom in Anatolia. Lusignan sat for a moment with the messenger in his chamber and considered; while he had no love nor care for the pope's wars, Anatolia posed an interesting prospect, a potentially strong position from which to reclaim his rightful hold over Jaffa, should the time come...and why shouldn't he? As Gargamel reminded him, he had a king's fortune at his disposal, a lifetime of thrift and saving; he couldn't take it with him when he died, after all.

Lusignan couldn't deny the truth and wisdom, but his habits demanded prudence: the money would be used only if sorely needed; instead, he would once again call upon the trusted Templars, and now even the Teutonic Knights of the north. Knowing his limits as one not fit for commanding armies, he stayed in Beersheb to manage supplies and finances, instead sending his trusted marshal and nephew, Gerard de Kerak, to command his army northward into Anatolia.




The first battle of the war too place in the hills near Haruniye, where Lusignan's army chased down, caught and defeated the muslim defenders. Gerard, commander of the army, then set it to seige the areas holdings, as he received word of other crusader armies entering the area, some from as far away as Denmark.

Everything seemed to be going fine as the crusaders won a few small victories and captured several holdings, but the tides soon turned as reinforcements from other nearby muslim factions united together and started repulsing the splintered crusader armies. Even the Army of Beersheb was caught and forced to retreat homeward after taking heavy losses in multiple battles. Once back in Beersheb, in need of new men for the fight, Lusignan recalled Gerard to help with recruitment, leaving command of a brand new 18,000 man strong mercenary army to one-time-adventuring-companion-turned-Teutonic-Hochmeister, Einar.

Leading the armies back north, Einar outmaneuvered pursuing Muslim armies before finding himself amongst the rocky, craggy mountains outside Kadirli. Hiding many of his men amongst the rocks in the narrow passes, Einar presented himself as a smaller force as he turned to face the approaching enemy; the Muslims had many more horses, which proved useless and difficult to maneuver in the narrow quarters. Einar's men held their own against the larger forces but were slowly driven back against the pressure...just as Einar intended, as he gave the call to his waiting men, and 8000 howling Slavic killers hurled themselves over the hilltops and descended upon the unaware heathen horde trapped in the gully below.

The Muslims tried to retreat to a more defensibe position, but all around them was a wall of blades and death, fighting in a chaotic melee for hours until the survivors fled in shattered panic; the Army of Beersheb had won the day and crushed the united defending army. They would never again pose a significant threat for the rest of the war, which ended some months later.




The Pope of course called it a great victory for Christ, a sign God surely stood with them; Lusignan gave thanks to his purse that great and powerful miracle worker.

With such a massive new demesne, Lusignan spent much of the next three years managing the urgent affairs of his new realm, appointing bishops, selecting majors, and the like. It was in the middle of these duties, hard at work, that the elderly Count finally passed. He died at his desk, his old bones no longer able to cope with the stress of the job; he was 72 years of age.

His only son, Sigismond, assumed all his lands, titles, and wealth... because, well, you can't take it with you when you go.

---

Bonus Pictures! Yay! The state of the world circa April, 1254 AD:

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[Seperallis]

So, trying to get this organized again so people interested can know what's going on. If you're interested in joining the succession game (or have already started the next d'Ibelin or Habsburg play and haven't told anyone?), send me a pm here or on Steam expressing your interest, and I'll add you to the succession list above.

[Flo]

I might be good for another round of the hapsburg game