Crusader Kings
The Winter War
The Death of Genghis Khan has provided an abatement from the Mongol conquests, for now at least. Nikephoros counts his blessings, as the Great Horde has halted just short of Byzantine borders. For now, the Basileus can distract himself with his own projects, including the righteous reconquest of Roman lands, from the Turkish infidels - who have been conveniently weakened by recent events.
Nikephoros, orders his armies to subjugate the provinces of Hama & Palmyra, to return them under the influence of Aleppo, He also sends a small band of scouts to Damascus, to provide sight on any Seljuk counter-attack. However, as the war gets off to a successful start, Nikephoros is soon informed of Mongol incursions in the Armenian province of Dwin.
Just a few days later, Nikephoros is informed of the fall of Dvin, the major Keep of the province. Realizing that he would need the entire Byzantine Army to hold back the Mongols, an impossibility due to his current war with the Seljuks, Nikephoros decides to appease the Ilkhanate by surrendering Dwin to them. Khagan Ogodei accepts the Basileus' terms, though likely thinks poorly of the Byzantines and their apparent unwillingness to put up a fight.
The War against the Seljuks goes exceedingly well, however, and after besieging Damascus & Al Birchi, as well as Hama & Palmyra and defeating a Seljuk invasion at Homs - the Sultan is forced to admit defeat.
However, Nikephoros gains now respite from war with this victory, as more Mongol attacks start, this time in the Empire's Alanian territories of Kuban, Azov & Kasogia. These are followed by an official declaration of war from Khagan Jochi of the "Golden Horde", who has just succeeded in conquering all of the Al-Kesran Shahdom.
Despite a promise of aide from King Vladimir II of Rus, Nikephoros knows that he cannot risk war with the Golden Horde, which is even stronger than the Ilkhanate, for his vassals are already grumbling about how their serfs have been taken away from their lands to long, and they're missing out of valuable income because of it A prolonged war with the Mongols could mean a hit to Nikephoros' popularity, which he cannot afford.
Nikephoros decides to conduct a truce with Khagan Jochi, giving up the provinces of Kuban & Kasogia, but retaining the important coastal fortress & trading port of Azov. Jochi initially refuses the Basileus' offer and attempts to take Azov. However Nikephoros cannot afford to let such an important territory go, and organizes a large army to drive the Mongols back. After a large-scale skirmish in Cherson, the Byzantines prove victorious in the battle of Taman, one of the first major defeats for the Mongols. Nikephoros recaptures, Azov, but decides he cannot sustain a longer war against the Horde with his vassals' being so agitated over their levies. Instead he enforces his previous deal with Jochi.
The War also draws Nikephoros' attention to the growing power to his North: Rus. Prior to the reign of the Komnenoi & Palaiogoloi, what is now the state of Rus, had been a loose collection of fairly autonomous city -states, governed by their respective tribes, and officially ruled by Kiev. During its' height, Kievan Rus had been a great power, even challenging the might of Byzantium, multiple times. However, following the death of Yaroslav the Wise, the different cities that composed Kievan Rus began to gradually obtain more & more sovereignty, as the influence & capability of Kiev as a centralized government, declined. In the 1070s, Svaitoslav would inherit the city of Novgorod and begin a short and brutal conquest of most of the Russian cities, eventually culminating with Kiev itself. This would effectively end Kiev's hegemony over the Russian states. Svaitoslav's realm would eventually split upon his death, but only 50 years later, his grandson Stanislav would permanently unify the Russian states under Novgorod. No longer centered around Kiev, this Russian Kingdom would be known as Novgorodian Rus - or just simply as Rus.
However, following the death of Stanislav, Rus would experience a time of trouble, as many ineffective & incapable Kings would rise to the throne. During this time, Rus would be the victim of countless rebellions, an expansionist Poland, who would take Kiev for its' own, and the Cuman hordes which would ravage its' easternmost lands. Finally order would be restored to Rus by King Vysheslav. However, even then, Rus would be dismissed as a Great Power. However, now udner the rule of Vladimir II, Rus has reconquered Kiev from a declining Poland & stands stalwart against the Mongol Horde. Nikephoros finds that he cannot deny Russian strength, and that they may just be the ally he is looking for against the Hordes.
In 1234, the Kingdom of England successfully conquers of the Duchy of Poitou, With the Kingdom of France distracted by a war with the Holy Roman Empire over the territory of Dauphine, which King Gilbert had conquered from the Empire, it is unlikely that anyone will be challenging English sovereignty of the Duchy.
At the Western edge of the World, Hispania continues to confirm its' hegemony of Iberia, with Aragon still serving as little more than a buffer state between Spain & the French. However, Empress Blanka still has been unable to conquer Portugal, with Sultan Abbad proving to be a very capable commander. Abbad himself has refocused Portugal, away from futile attempts to reconquer Iberia and instead to claiming territories for itself in Africa. At the moment, these territories are just limited to Cebta, Tangier & the far-off Canarias islands. Aragon has also seized to opportunity to expand into the declining Sultanate of Mauretania. However, it is unsure how long such an opportunity will last, as Mauretania is now under the rule of a very competent ruler, Sultan Wahab "the Wise".
In Eastern Europe, Poland is experiencing a spiraling decline due to the incompetent rule of the 'three bad Kings', Twardomir, Boleslaw V & Boleslaw VI. With the last of the those Kings recently deposed, his son, King Goszczon now rules - but shows no more promise than his father. This is a rather desperate state for a Kingdom that was considered a Great Power not so long ago, under the rule of Boleslaw IV. In contrast, Hungary thrives under the rule of the extremely proficient King Izbor, who has successfully re-conquered all of Northern Hungary from the Polish. However, some would say that the Kign rules with too much power, a sentiment that has resulted in a rebellion against Izbor's rule. Pruthenia & Lithuania continue to remain divided by religion, a situation that at the very least, has blunted the Pagan threat from the Prussians.
Lastly, in Scandinavia, the Norge revival is continued by King Hakon II, who allied with Denmark to partition Sweden's Northern and Southern lands of Angermanland & Varend between them. However, the Teutonic Order has emerged as the newest & greatest threat towards Norwegian hegemony over Scandinavia as it continues its' expansion into Finland. This has earned it the name 'The Finnish Order'.
Nikephoros' tight management of the imperial bureaucracy - along with his recent war against the Seljuks, which has stimulated the Empire's economy through increasing armament production & plunder taken from Turkish cities, has caused the Byzantine treasury to flourish as of late. With more wars with the Mongols on the horizon, after Nikephoros' brief treaties with them expire, this piece of good news is welcomed by all.
Nikephoros now just needs confidence in his rule,for his harsh treatment of the Bogomilists, his adulterous affair & his "cowardly" treaties with the mongols has lead to more resentment of his reign than his father or grandfather ever experienced. To change this sentiment, Nikephoros uses the Empire's new found wealth to organize a Grand Tournament.
As visitors arrive in Constantinople, so do rumors & tales. One such story is that the Khagan of the Ilkhanate, Ogodei, has foiled an assassination attempt on his life by the Hashshashin. Transparently the Khagan was attacked in his sleep, but woke up at the last minuet, before wrestling the would-be assassin to the ground & killing him with his bare hands. Now the Ilkhanate has sworn bloody vengeance against the Order of Assassins. Nikephoros is just glad for anything that would distract the Mongols from his borders,
The Tournament starts with the jousting event, where Nikephoros performs poorly, being unceremoniously unhorsed by a Turkic combatant early in the event. Only Nikephoros' temperate sensibilities are able to stop the Emperor from launching off on a zealous tirade. The Melee starts soon after, a much more preferable competition in Nikephoros' opinion. The Melee is huge in scale, with hundreds of competitors, however perhaps the most tense moment of the entire tournament is when Nikephoros' kinsmen, Tiberios, fights against the strategos of Cilicia...
The Tournament is a great opportunity for the Emperor to experience parts of Court life that usually escapes his notice. One such aspect is the tireless hunt for promising young women, with rumors about the startling beauty of one young mistress or another buzzing about everywhere. It is through such rumors that Nikephoros learns of Elaiodora Komnenos, who seems to be the unexpected favorite of the entire tournament - never-mind that she's not competing in it!
Nikephoros does better in the melee, achieving some impressive victories against much younger challengers. However, he is finally bested by his own kinsman, Theodotos Palaiologos, a dashing young man & unparalleled duelist, which rumors of an unholy sexual appetite only seem to make his more desirable in the eyes of his admirers. Theodotos eventually makes it to the finals of the melee, besting the strong & hardy Norman warrior, San Marco d'Alunzio, and winning the tournament.
The Tourney is a triumph for Nikephoros, especially with his family achieving victory in it. While he did not shower himself in Glory, as he had hoped to do, it is undoubted that many took note of what a strong & might fighter their Basileus is.
In the West, England has allied with Aragon and begun a two fronted assault on France. King Alan of England hopes to add the territories of Gascogne to his Aquitaine holdings, with King Ramon of Aragon hopes to capture the great city of Barcelona & its' surrounding lands. Despite early English successes, King Gilbert of France has decisively beaten King Alan's army in battle & the war looks to turn in his favor. However, the French have been distracted from Aragon, where Ramon is making gains,
The aftermath of the Tournament has left an influx of traders & artisans in Constantinople, selling a myriad foreign & exotic wares. Nikephoros allows some of these craftsmen to visit the court, where he samples their goods, when one group of artisans makes him an offer.
Nikephoros fancies himself as fairly business savvy, though it is obvious that he does not have his father's hawk eyes from a profitable investment. However, he did not get called "the Brave" for not taking risks, and decides that if this investment becomes profitable, then it will show all how the Empire is flourishing under his rule.
However business will have to wait for now. An emissary from King Vladimir II arrives in Constantinople. The Mongols are on the warpath once more, and Rus is their new target.
In the west, King Alan returns to Aquitaine with a new, even larger army, and quickly defeats the numerically weaker French one. With Aragon still unchecked in Barcelona, and England once more verging on victory in Gascogne, France is in a dire situation.
However, Gilbert is a pragmatic ruler and conducts a peace treaty with King Ramon. Ramon nullifies his current alliance with England & ceases all hostilities against France and in return is granted the Duchy of Barcelona, which was already largely autonomous from the rest of France. This frees up France to focus solely on defending from King Alan.
Nikephoros begins to build up the Byzantine position at the Russian border, However the Empire's army is so large, that it takes a lot of time & resources to organize a full mobilization such as what is required to fend of the Mongols.
All while the Mongols conduct a swift invasion across the river Volga, massacring the defending Russian forces in battle.
Unable to wait for the main Byzantine force to arrive from Constantinople, Nikephoros orders the advance into Rus. However the claws of Winter halt the Byzantine advance, as they find themselves too short on supplies to brave a campaign in mid-November.
The Mongols, however, face no such hindrance. hearing of the Byzantine positions, and knowing that they are practically immobile in the wintry conditions, Khagan Jochi launches a bold assault on Tana.
Only the arrival of a mere three-thousand Kataphraktoi from Azov is able to turn the table in the defenders' favor, as the Byzantine's, who where previously giving ground to the Mongols, rally around the reinforcements, and push the Barbarians back.
Casualties are terribly high on both sides, as the battlefield is transformed into a boneyard - however the battle of Rostov-na-Donu, is potentially decisive.
Or so it should've been, However the Mongols regroup and attack again on March 24, hoping to achieve the destruction of the Byzantine forces before Spring can properly set in. The Byzantines are significantly less in numbers this time, however, the Knights of Epirus have finally arrived in Crimea & hope to turn the tide of battle.
The Knights of Epirus do indeed seem to turn the battle in the Byzantine's favor, but this is not decisive, as the Mongol's own reinforcements arrive. The Last of the Byzantine armies, the army of the Greek Vassals, arrives in Azov, hoping to rescue the situation. They do not arrive in time...
The 2nd Battle of Rostov-na-Donu, is almost as great a defeat, as the first was a victory. Yet the casualties are not as high as the first battle, and finally the Byzantine forces are able to unite into one army, though heavily depleted from battle. To make up for this, Nikephoros digs into the Byzantine treasury and hires two mercenary companies. In his mind, Rus must be the rock that break the Mongol tide, as anything must be done to avoid a full-scale war with the Mongols in the heart of the Empire.
The Basileus attempts to employ a new strategy, breaking his army down into three smaller ones that can traverse the harsh terrain quicker & with less danger of attrition. While each of these armies are individually vulnerable to the Mongol's horde, the Basileus hopes to use a reinforcement technique similar to his grandfather in order to best his foes.
In Poland, King Goszczon has attempted to prove himself, by launching a reconquest of the province of Plock, which had been lost to the Prussians. Despite early Polish successes, the Prussians where able to outmaneuver Goszczon's army, which had now been surrounded and is awaiting a humiliating defeat.
The Mercenary army is able to lure the Mongols into battle at Tana, where they are promptly reinforced by the two Byzantine armies. This Third battle of Rostov-na-Donu, will be the deciding battle of the war, should the Byzantines be defeated.
The Battle begins to turn decisively in the Byzantine's favor, with the Knights of Epirus scattering the horse lords with a thundering charge. As they do so, Nikephoros, who leads the charge, see an enemy soldier cut off from the rest of the Mongol army. Numerous distinctions hint that this isolated warrior is of some importance...
The Emperor engages the soldier in combat ,discovering that it is one of Jochi's generals, Khan Ajai of Quralas!
The two combatants engage in a fearsome battle that takes center-stage amid the chaos of the battle. Despite Nikephoros' old age, his robust frame is still able to keep up with the energetic young warrior. Nikephoros faints, and the brash Khan fools for it...
Unfortunately the Emperor's age does not allow him the mobility in order to finish-off his foe. And despite being unable to withstand the Emperor's attack, and being beaten to the ground, the Khan stands back up, determined to fight on.
However it is clear that the Khan only possess a basic grasp on sword fighting, and is sloppy by comparison to Nikephoros' skillful command of his weapon. It does not take long for the Emperor to open up the Mongol's defense once again, and attempt to make the killing blow. The Khan is knocked to the ground, sprawled out, and Nikephoros takes his weapon, leaving Ajai to beg for mercy.
But Nikephoros has no mercy for the infidel...
The battle between the Emperor and the Khan has capture the attention of both the Mongols and the Byzantines, as the two armies rallied behind their combatants. As Ajai is vanquished, the Mongols look on and begin to loose hope, as the Byzantines press on for the victory.
The third battle of Rostov-na-Donu is a glorious victory, more than making up for the defeat at the second. More importantly, the Byzantine resistance against the Mongols continues.
Word of the Emperor's glorious victory quickly spreads throughout the Empire and it is not long until all are singing the praise of Nikephoros, an Emperor who many once doubted. They say that he has truly lived up to his grandfather's legacy, and his wise - but also devoutly christian approach to ruling, is the way that all true faithful realms should be ruled.
Nikephoros then attempts to lift the siege of the Russian provinces that had been captured by the Mongols. He conducts this campaign in a similar manner to how he had initially planned, splitting his army in half so that they may more easily cross the sparse and cold climate of Rus. This naturally leads to a final attempt by the Mongols, to stop the Byzantines from undoing their work. However the Mongols are decisively beaten at the battle of Kalach, once the two armies converge.
The war is suddenly looking not only favourable for the Rus-Byzantine alliance, but even winnable.
Russian Mordva is completely liberated, and following another victory at Khopyorsk, the Mongols are driven back across the Volga.
The tide has now well and truly turned in the Allies' favor, and Nikephoros begins a counter-attack across the Volga, taking the Mongol capital of Akhtuba within days. The Khagan escapes capture, but with his invasion force completely broken & his capital lost, he is forced to surrender. For the first time, the Mongols have finally been beaten back! As part of the treaty, Nikephoros' army is allowed save passage back into Rus.
Nikephoros hosts a celebration at Constantinople, followed promptly by a council meeting on what the next course of action is. Magistros Doge Hippolytos of Cherson, stresses the importance of maintain the Rus-Byzantine alliance, as while one-sided, it is perhaps the only thing that can keep the Mongols at bay. To help with this, Hippolytos offers to teach Nikephoros the Russian tongue, have learnt proficiency at it from constant trade with Russian merchants along the Dneiper, Diligent as ever, Nikephrosos accepts.
However, it is not Nikephoros' ignorance of the Russian language that threatens the alliance between the two realms, but the paranoia of King Vladimir. Nikephoros receives a letter from the Russian King, accusing him of attempting to dominate Russian Black Sea ports via piracy.
Vladimir's reply is less than satisfactory, and Nikephoros is forced to send Magistros Hippolytos off on an urgent diplomatic mission to Novgorod - effectively putting a stop to the Emperor's Russian lessons.
However, Hippolytos turns out to be a snake, instead of departing for Novgorod, he returns to Cherson, before sending an ultimatum to Nikephoros. It tells the Emperor to declare war on the Russians, in order to bring the important port of Lukomorie under Chersonian control. If Nikephoros refuses, then the entire court will hear of the Emperor's cowardice. Nikephoros knows that the news of Vladimir's insults has spread far across the Empire, and many among the aristocracy are furious that the Russians would so readily turn upon the Power that saved them, and in such an insulting manner, no less. If Nikephoros was to refuse,then it is likely that this anger will turn towards him - and he'll be known as weak ruler, too cowardly to deal with foes who insult him & betrays his friendship.
Only now does Nikephoros realize that Vladimir was probably correct in suspecting Byzantine pirates, under Chersonian pay! A victim of disgraceful, and yet masterful political intrigue, Nikephoros signs the declaration of war against his recent ally, Rus.
The Russians are far too exhausted to put up any resistance, Lukomorie quickly falls, and the Russian's pitiful attempt at an army is quickly destroyed.
The Byzantine army steamrolls in into Rus, quickly subjugating most of the South, in an invasion that is more successful than Mongol's one.
Nikephoros quickly makes peace with Vladimir. Unable to subjugate all of Rus, Nikephoros instead decides to grant his old ally a favourable peace treaty, only taking Lukomorie & a small tribute, as reparations for the Russian King's insults.
The Basileus then turns his armies around to deal with the Turks, who are encroaching on Aleppo. The Byzantine army is exhausted from its' constant and costly wars, and Nikephoros will need all the help he can muster if he is to defeat this foe. He turns to Queen Gerberga for help, reaffirming his Alliance with Jerusalem.
The Byzantine Army arrives at Antioch, but is clearly outnumbered by the Seljuk force. With Gerberga's army of 15,000 Jerusalemites, the tide could be turned, however, the Turks are quickly breaking down the walls of Aleppo's surrounding cities, and will soon be at the city itself. With a sigh, Nikephoros digs into the Byzantine treasury yet again, to hire some mercenaries. With all these wars, thankfully the wise administration of the Palaiologoi has lead to a robust economy.
The Jerusalemite army begins to besiege the Turkish city of Madaba, drawing away the largest of the Turkish armies in Aleppo to deal with it. This presents a Golden opportunity for Nikephoros, to defeat the remaining armies besieging his provinces, while he has numerical superiority.
Nikephoros plan works, as the Byzantine & Mercenary armies converge at Asas, where they win a swift victory over the Turks, they then fall upon the Turkish forces at Palmyra, and are victorious there also.The main Turkish force is immediately called back to deal with the Byzantines, before it had even had time to deal with the Jerusalemite army. The swiftness of Nikephoros' victories at Asas & Palmyra, and more importantly, the ineptitude of the Turkish command - have saved the Empire at its' weakest moment.
However, Nikephoros' impressive command is overshadowed by the feats of his son, who lead his fathers' right flank, and proved himself to be a decisive tactician & fearsome warrior during the battles. Many throughout the Empire are overlooking Pelagios' bastard nature, and declaring him to have the makings of a soldier Emperor, such as the likes of Basil II & his grandfather.
Hindsight would declare that it is a spot of good luck, the the Lords of the Empire would begin to respect the Bastard Prince, just a mere week before Nikephoros died & he became Emperor. Basileus Pelagios' new found reputation proved to be just enough to see him take the Imperial throne, without a Palace Coup, returning from the battlefields of Aleppo having been at his fathers' side on his deathbed.
Nikephoros will be remembered fondly by most, but some less than others. His harsh clamp down on the Bogomilists drew criticisms from many, but Godly men would claim that is was the decisive measure needed to extinguish the heresy. Soldiers would reflect that his was a respectable commander, with great achievements under his belt, such as his grueling victory against the Mongols, his brave & decisive attack against the rebels, his Russian campaign that almost subjugated the entire Kingdom & his most recent campaign against the Turks. While not as innately brilliant has his Palaiologoi predecessors, his diligent & godly nature would earn him reverence throughout the World.
The new Basileus is similar to his father, is so far as the fact that he cannot claim mastery of any particular thing. He is a tough soldier, mighty on the battlefield, but his command can only be considered undistinguished & lacking imagination, despite being often successful at getting things done. He has an keen sense of Justice, and an avid interest in the law, but lacks the knowledge of inner mechanisms of the Imperial Bureaucracy that his father had, rendering him less effective at keeping corruption at bay. He has a glib tongue and the makings of a fine Diplomat, but his status as a legitimized bastard still tarnishes others opinions of him. In his favour, are his many virtues, and during his time serving at the Imperial Court as an Imperial Guard, he cultivated the opinion of himself as Kind, generous and hard-working youth, though some would say this was just him compensating for the intrinsic sins of a bastard. In reality his many virtues are down to the Godly upbringing that his father gave to him & he diligently adhered to. Thankfully, howeverm he has not adopted his father's fanatical nature disposition.
Returning to the Battlefield, Pelagios continues his fathers' campaign, crowning the start of his reign with a glorious victory at the battle of Suada.
During the battle, all eyes are on the Basileus and his does not disappoint. Pelagios already maintained a reputation of a skilled fighter, but as he defeats many foes, sometimes multiple at a time, it is clear that the young Emperor is more than just a "skilled fighter"
The Seljuks are decidedly defeated, but still will not surrender. Pelagios wishes the sweep up the remaining Turkish forces, and engages a smaller force of around 8,000 at Jarba, who had being the combined survivors of the battles at Asas and Palmyra. However it soon becomes clear that Seljuk reinforcements are on the way, as the vanguard of a much larger Turkish force arrives. The remains of the Seljuk army at Suada have rallied.
Pelagios opts for a patient strategy, provoking the overly confident Turks into unfavorable engagements. An opportunity arrives on the dawn 4th day for a decisive blow, as the Turks begin a clumsy withdrawal & they are swept from the battlefield, just as they where converging with the army from Druz. In a decisive moment, Pelagios is then able to trap this army in a pitched battle, and wins the day, The result is glorious, only light casualties for the Byzantines, while the Turkish corpses are piled high.
Finally the Turks agree to a peace, returning Palmyra to the Empire. Pelagios accepts a White peace, despite the war begin in his favor, as he is eager to have his coronation, before an unduly ambitious vassal begins to have ideas.
Pelagios' coronation happens promptly upon his return, and is a return to the decadent affairs of previous Emperors, after the more humble & spiritual coronation of his father.
Pelagios uses the event as a chance to make valuable allies, an occupation that is of the upmost importance for a bastard Emperor, who naturally does not have the legitimacy afforded to a true-born heir. Thankfully Pelagios virtuous nature makes him likable, and his recent victory makes him desirable in the eyes of the military aristocracy.
The celebration ends with Pelagios giving a speech about promises of Glory & conquest, and the continued flourishing of the Empire. From the cheering of the crowd, it is clear that the new Emperor has already captured the hearts of his vassals.
Pelagios first act of foreign policy is to make amends with King Vladimir, apologizing for his father's conquest of Lukomorie by granting Russian merchants lucrative trading rights in Constantinople. In return, Vladimir offers to revive the Byzantine-Rus alliance.
Vladimir is an adept ruler, and Rus is already begining to recover from the rape it suffered under the Mongols. However its' moment of weakness was exploited by its' neighbors, Pruthenia, and Poland, who is now ruled by Queen Weslikan, the wife of King Kugis of Lithuania, after he deposed Goszczon. This has created a Polish-Lithuanian alliance, a new power block that dominates the Baltic. Pruthenia, is now ruled by King Budo, who is a zealous warmongerer, just like his predecessor. Thankfully the Polish-Lithuanian alliance has repelled his incursions on Christian land, but he continues to expand Prussian control over the Neteic tribes of Ugra.
King Gilbert of France has successfully invaded Brittany and has added the territory to his realm. He successfully fended of King Alan's invasion of Gascogne, but at a heavy cost, it is clear that England is now a Great European power, in the same vein as France & the Holy Roman Empire. King Alan, continues the English expansion into Ireland.
In the East, the Mongol defeat in its' invasion of Rus has had huge implications for the entire continent, with few realms succeeding in throwing off their oppressors. One such realm is the Al-Kresran Shahdom, which controls Alania & the Derbent. Though it still claims to be the Shahdom of Azerbaijan, its homeland still remains under the control of the Ilkhanate.
As 1245 begins to end, Pelagios receives a letter from his new ally, King Vladimir. In this letter the Russian King speaks highly of Pelagios' father, an odd shift of sentiments, and the great victory they won against the Mongols. He continues that now is the time to begin the Crusade to push the Equestrians pack, and bring the Steppes under Christendom!
It would seem that the battle for Rostov-on-Don has been the turning point in the Mongol conquest. Can Basileus Pelagios make use of his fathers' victory & push back the tide of Nomads, or will the Mongols unite behind another Genghis Khan, and issue in a new wave of Conquest?
It would seem that the battle for Rostov-on-Don has been the turning point in the Mongol conquest. Can Basileus Pelagios make use of his fathers' victory & push back the tide of Nomads, or will the Mongols unite behind another Genghis Khan, and issue in a new wave of Conquest?
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