Completed It's God's Will! Let's rule as the Imperium Romaniae!

[RK47]

In the name of God

Spoiler

Dealing with the rebellious duke of Hungary will take time, but the Emperor has sufficient clout and piety with the Pope himself to maintain the course.

Duke Geza of Ungvar however, does not fall under the Catholic church's jurisdiction, hence immune to the powers of excommunication - we will have to tolerate his presence for now.

The same cannot be said of Duke Levente of Esztergom.

There will be no release for him. Ever.
We move on to the next threat...

And the next...

Oh.

Hm. It's too late for you.

The Grey Knights assault the revolting Duchy of Nytra.

While the Emperor bestows a title to the Pope in reward for his services.

Tutoring the new nobles is paying off, he will abandon his foreign culture and adopt Frankish ones.

Duke Mozes of Nytra surrenders.

Realizing that the Hungarians would not accept him as king willingly, the Emperor decides to choose from prime candidates to the Hungarian throne.

Csongor the young Arpad whose father was executed last year seems like a good candidate.

Betrothing his granddaughter to the young Hungarian Duke, the Emperor bestows the title King of Hungary to the young child.

This will turn out well... I hope.

 

[RK47]

Croatia

Spoiler

The Grey Knights marches onwards to Croatia, another de jure kingdom of the Byzantine Empire.

We will install a Prince to the throne.

Bolstered by the levies of Hungary and Bulgaria, we should have no problem sweeping aside the hapless Croats.

But the infant-King of Bulgaria is facing a dangerous war to preserve his crown.

Unfortunately, the Emperor cannot interfere directly in inter-vassal warfare. A small amount of gold is set aside for the young king as war aid.

Croatia, the Grey Knights swept aside any resistance.

In Rome, the Pope passes away, handing his reign to another.

Finally, an easier Pope to deal with.

The Emperor wastes no time in granting the new Pope titles.

Meanwhile, Prince Kaidan's excesses knew no bounds...

While his Verengian son-in-law Holmger, passes away from an infected wound.

That's too bad. Agathe will remarry.

A fine marriage indeed.

Goddamit, Kaidan.

Croatia submits.

King Koloman is extremely pleased and will swear fealty to the Empire.

Where to next?

 

[Kattze]

There is only one Catholic emperor. Attack the false German emperor!

 

[RK47]

There is only one Catholic emperor. Attack the false German emperor!

No CB. I rather not throw 2 Empires against each other for a single measly county. I must focus instead in reforming the Roman Empire.

 

[Corporate_Jew_Master]

22k retinue?
Why even think about it, go forth and conquer.

 

[RK47]

22k retinue?
Why even think about it, go forth and conquer.

The problem here is, the death of Emperor Hawke will trigger a massive collapse of the Empire.
So it's best to lay the foundation of a strong empire and do it with Kaidan instead seeing everything lost in one fell swoop.
I really felt I should just destroy the Latin Empire Title and assume the Byzantine one as the primary title.
Would there be any downside to it?

 

[Corporate_Jew_Master]

Empires falling apart and won back with blood and steel make for fun playthroughs.

 

[RK47]

Onward, to Sicily!

Spoiler

With Sicily being rocked by a revolt, the Emperor will have to take it down piece by piece.

It doesn't matter. The Empire declares war upon every rebelling duke and count as the retinue of fury sets sail.

The Papal Levy is dispatched from rome, as the rest of his vassal kings were given time to recover their manpower.

There's no way they can resist.

Things are going so well.

Back in Constantinople, an additional 15,000 retinue were formed.

They will undergo training and strike fear into anyone that dares to make an enemy of the Empire.

What happened?!

Curses!

Elsewhere, a granddaughter of the Emperor has come of age, a matrilineal marraige is arranged with a relative of the Kaiser.

Meanwhile, the Sicilian war is nearing its expected conclusion.

As a Prince is persuaded to join our court, we will now press his claims upon the throne.

Meanwhile the situation in Constantinople escalates...

Alert all commands. Deploy the Fleet!

Hmmm.

Elsewhere, the King of Hungary will be tutored by the Pope himself.

Hopefuly, he will learn humility and adopt the Frankish way.

This fool thinks he can steal from the Emperor and get away with it?!

Hmph. This isn't the end.

Fool.

Nothing will stand in my way.

 

[Tigranes]

Not bad. Surely it is now time for a fool's campaign to the East? I can't imagine having much to do with such a large empire, unless Gavelkind awaits.

 

[Corporate_Jew_Master]

Jesus Christ, fix your borders. Take Cairo, Albania, those independent counties in South Italy and Armeniakon.

An Empire without pretty borders is no empire at all.

 

[RK47]

There can be no peace

Spoiler

The might of the Imperium reigns supreme over five kingdoms, so far. Yet a feeling of emptiness fills the Emprah as Sicily lies in tatters, it's revolting duke refuses to submit to his appointed vassal-liege.

Enraged and out of patience, the aging Emprah decreed there shall be honoring the truce with the defeated Dukes of Sicily. For they have not acknowledged their defeat and will suffer it in total.

Word was sent - the truce is broken, the Dukes of Sicily quaked in fear as the await the arrival of the Might of Imperium.

None shall be spared from the Litany of Fureh.

All shall be defeated.

They know better.

News of the heretical steppe warriors have adopted even more insidious practices of Chaos.

They will be one of our greatest foes one day, but today...

Our ambition will transcend honor.

Hence the dukes of Sicily were mercilessly pacified. As word of the Emperor's treachery spread throughout the world. He cares not, for Power is everything in this world.

Taking a page from the Fourth Crusades, Emperor Hawke the Kind commands his faithfuls to engage an old enemy of theirs. The Venetian Traders. For they are fat and rich, prospering off the Golden Age of Imperium for centuries.

They are indebted to us. And payment is due.

The first battle for territory went poorly, and the Doge begs for mercy from the Imperium.

Mercy was granted.

And taken away almost immediately.

Elsewhere, the Ilkhans lost their leader, a succession war will soon spread throughout their lands.

The Doge gets no mercy - as the Grey Knights mounts assault after assault upon their lightly defended cities.

Not even their massive coffers could maintain a steady supply of mercs to match the sheer numbers of our Imperial Guardsmen from Sicily, Hungary, Croatia and Rome.

As Venice lies burning, the Doge submission is total.

Payment is due. The Emperor collects.

Who shall fall before us next?

 

[Tigranes]

Spain, clearly. All broken up into little chunks and ready to go in the true Roman Empire.

 

[RK47]

Trust is for the Weak

Spoiler

It's official, the whole world distrusts the Emperor.

Worrying for the safety of the empire, the newly commissioned Guardsman retinue will guard it from any threat from within and without.

40,000 of them will stand strong against anything that the enemy throws.

For now, a holy war is declared upon the dying kingdom of Ismailid.

Cairo will be the Emperor's prize.

Not even wounds can stop the 65 year old.

Even the aging Kaiser begged for help as his Empire is ravaged from within.

What a big baby.

Back in action.

Only tiny territories belog to the Ismalids now.

Our coffers are half empty - it's time to demand tribute from the greedy merchants of Pisa.

Their northern African holding folded almost immediately to our assault.

They surrendered within months of battle.

With its gold replenished, the Empire can now expand elsewhere. Perhaps westwards towards Spain.

 

[RK47]

Whatever, we bang, Ok?

Spoiler

The new Krogan of Ilkhanate asks for aid - we give it to him anyway. It's doesn't really matter.

Our forces have landed on the shores of Beja.

This time, we'll wage a holy war to take bang the Kingdom of Portugal from these heretics.

Alas, the Empress passed away that year...

The lonely Emperor Hawke wastes no time in finding a suitable replacement...

Wait- a sec. If I'm past my prime..yet I still collect Royal aid...then what's the point of staying married?!
SEND ME THE POPE!

The Pope is willing, yet curious at the hasty divorce that was carried out...

It we want to do this, we gotta go Potato.

The Prestigious Princess of Potato...

Elsewhere, we won some unimportant war...

Potato Princess arrives in Constantinople for the wedding...

Only to be told to go home..

This shit happens for about 6-10 times, I think she lost count.

I can tell she's butthurt.
But who could blame me? She's a homo.

What's that? Our army is idle? Ok, fine, go take some Venetian land. I heard they have a new Doge.

Slam. Jackpot.

The Emperor married more than 10 times that year.

The gold flowed freely.

 

[RK47]

The Emperor's Manhood

Spoiler

The Emperor marries again. This time, he does not divorce.

A scan on the region of Jerusalem brings into light new development in the area.

The Miaphysite Kingdom of Abyssinia rose from the ashes and reclaims their lost lands. There are no Cassus Beli between the Empire and the Kingdom. No hostilities shall be declared. For now.

The Catholic Kingdom of Jerusalem has won several holy wars against the Emirate of Ismailid. Only a few counties remain up for grabs.

Elsewhere, the Pope calls for a Crusade upon Andalusia.

The Imperium shall answer the call of war.

The Retinue of Fury shall be summoned to the shores of Almohad Sultanate. They will be brought down to its knees.

Imperium Capital of Contantinople - Disaster struck.

His decision to keep the Princess of Potato has backfired. Against all physicians predictions' the Emperor's geneseed is still capable of impregnating the opposite sex. Gavelkind Succession does not look kindly on this. The Emperor must make a hard decision soon...

Elsewhere the vassal of Jerusalem, an Ayyubid no less, revolted against his liege. We will capitalize and capture a part of Krete.

In Constantinople, the Emperor calls upon his most trusted courtiers....

He will do the unthinkable.

The Crisis is over and lesson was learned.

Right...?

Elsewhere the Crusade for Andalusia went as well as expected.

Another year another wedding ceremony.

Royal Aid collected.

More good news as the King of Hungary sealed his marriage with the Emperor's granddaughter.

It's been 18 years since the infant king took the throne...and his father was executed by the Emperor.

Deus Vult!!

All is well in the Empire!

Or is it?

 

[WhiskeyWolf]

 

[Fafnir]

 

[Tigranes]

Yeah, never underestimate the virility of men in their sixties. I had the same problem.

 

[RK47]

Yeah, never underestimate the virility of men in their sixties. I had the same problem.

HE'S 70 FOR FUCK'S SAKE.
BY THE EMPEROR'S GENESEED!
HE'S SEVENTY.
HE SHOULD'VE DIED TEN YEARS AGO.

 

[RK47]

The Princes of the Empire

Spoiler

Succession will be a nightmare if it is not managed properly.

Kaidan's spawns has grown too numerous. Something must be done.
While the firstborn, Hawke is already granted a county, his four younger brothers are still landless.

By ordering them to a life of bishopry, they will fall out of the line of succession.

The Kingdom of Andalusia is also handed over to Kaidan, the heir apparent.

Elsewhere, the Spymaster brought troubling news...

How dare this kebab...ugh..

When confronted, the fool abandons his schemes.

What of the Empress' pregnancy? Will the Vindicare assassins be dispatched this time? Turns out the Emperor is praying for a daughter. But the Gods did not hear his prayer.

Prince Hawke of Constantinople is born, to the jubilation of the citizens in Constantinople, with a heavy heart, Emperor Hawke carries his second born in his arms and takes a good look at him.

This one is gifted.

 

[Kattze]

You're such a Jew, RK.

Have you given despot to Kaidan? If so, time for an unfortunate accident.

 

[RK47]

You're such a Jew, RK.

Have you given despot to Kaidan? If so, time for an unfortunate accident.

No. I can't afford to assasinate Kaidan. This Brown Prince may be a genius, but he's only 1 year old.
And Kaidan's 5 sons would fucking wreak havoc the moment their father died.

 

[RK47]

Emperor's Will Made Manifest

Spoiler

NO.

SHUT UP.

Time to deliver the death blow to the Almohad of Iberia!

One thing that worries me most is how uneven the power distribution is among my vassals. Perhaps their kingdom did come with a massive demesne.

Dropping in 50k retinue with 40k levy, the Almohads never stood a chance.

The Duchy of Marrakech is taken and the Empire expands its reach further.

 

[Absalom]

I sense a purge a the Imperial family incoming... or not. It'd be quite interesting to see you try to retake all the lost land. You still have 100+ years to remake Rome.

 

[RK47]

An Era has passed

Spoiler

The remnants of the Almoravids rebelled against their liege upon losing the Crusades, this is an opportunity the Empire cannot miss.

The revolting Emirs will now have to contend with the Crusaders once more.

With levies like these...

Elsewhere, the Golden Horde has succession issues. Deciding that the Empire's interests would not be served by such a commitment, the Emperor declined.

Meanwhile, in Constantinople...

Not bad.

The Brown Prince however, is proving rather hard to handle. Even at 3 years old, the boy is already full of curiosity...

Rumors in Rome tells that the Pope is backing a Greek Basileus to the throne...

The Spymaster did his job in convincing His Holiness that he's making a bad mistake.

The war is going well, within a few months, territories were captures, and the Emirs are considering surrender...

Alas.

Emperor's Hawke's time has come. It's time for his son, Prince Kaidan to take the throne.

Electing his new Council, he will now have to deal with a vast empire.

About fucking time.