NationStates Jolt Archive

November 25, 1095 - Council of Clermont - Aquitane

600 years after the fall of the Roman Empire, Western Europe was finally beginning to emerge from the Dark Ages. Charlemagne had come and gone, the Normans had conquered Britain and the Western Church had established itself as the dominant power in Western Europe. But the most significant event of this period, perhaps only to the Church, was the rise of Islam and the subsequent conquests of the Holy Land and Hispanolia. The power of the Muslim world was growing and was finally beginning to threaten the power of the Church.
Disturbed by the loss of the Holy Land to the infidels, Pope Urban II convened the Clermont Council to discuss what should be done. It was decided that Europe should mobilize to liberate the Holy Land. This undertaking would be not only a military campaign but also a pilgrimage. The armies of Europe would march to Jerusalem and liberate it.
Urban stepped out of the church and looked over the crowd of people gathered outside, waiting expectantly. He stood up on a tree stump and began to address the crowd.
Urban: Friends a dark spectre hangs over Europe. The world of Christendom is surrounded by pagans! The Holy Land of our Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ, has fallen to the pagans. Jerusalem, the most holy and sacred of cities now lies defaced by the pagans. We, as servants of the Lord, cannot allow the Holy City to be occupied by infidels anymore!
It is because of this holy duty to liberate the land of Christ, that I summon all of Christemdom to unite against the pagan Muslims of the Near East. I call all knights, barons, dukes and kings to gather around the headquarters of the papacy and take up the cross and disembark upon the most important pilgrimage of history. It is not only the duty of knights, barons and dukes to take up the cross, but the duty of every Christian.
We stand on the thresh-hold of history. If this pilgrimage succeeds and Christendom rules over the Holy Land the final judgment of the Lord can begin. Take up the cross and bring about the second coming of the Savior!
As Urban finished speaking he already knew that his words would have a profound effect on history.
Only weeks later preachers had spread across Western Europe, preaching the message of the Great Pilgrimage. Already people had begun to assemble in Italy for the pilgrimage. It wouldn't be until April 1096, however that the armies of Christendom had assembled outside Rome. Numbering almost 70,000 strong the army was the largest ever raised in Western Europe. Accompanying the army were 50,000 pilgrims. All of them were ready to march to the Holy Land and only awaited the approval of Pope Urban II.
OOC: This is an RP based on the First Crusade. I'll Roleplay the Crusader Army. I just need someone to roleplay the Byzantine Empire, the Seljuk Turks and the Arabs of the Holy Land. The RP doesn't need to be true to history so we'll just see where it goes from here.

BUMP. Why do I always seem to make my new topics so late at night?

So only you are the crusaders? Come on, have several leaders leading it.

Also, all nations are welcome. I'm normally a modern tech nation but I'm playing a medievil one for this RP. Other nations would do the same.

So only you are the crusaders? Come on, have several leaders leading it.
How about three? One Frankish, One German and One Anglo-Saxon.

So only you are the crusaders? Come on, have several leaders leading it.
How about three? One Frankish, One German and One Anglo-Saxon.

I call Anglo-Saxons

Alright, I'll be Bohemund of Taranto, the Frankish commander.

BUMP Again, is anyone else interested?

I'll take the Germans

Ok so far we have:
Anglo-Saxon Crusaders - Soviet Canuckastan
Frankish Crusaders - Talaax, Anhierarch
Germanic Crusaders - Olympus Coliseum
Byzantine Empire - Of the council of clan
Seljuk Turks - Talaax
Arabs - TJAC

BUMP. If no one is interested I'll just forget about it then.

Damn, I felt like being a crusader. Maybe a commander of a couple of companies reporting to the big wahoonie commander of the Franks?

I suppose we could do that. We really need the Byzantines, Turks and Arbas though. It doesn't make much of an RP without someone RPing the enemy.

Just keep it bumped for a day or two, someone'll show up.

I'll play the Arabs

Alright, you're on the list. I think I might RP the Byzantines and the Turks. I'll wait until noon to decide though.

I might be the Byzantines, but i'm not sure how to arm and equip those forces.

Just RP the thread as if you nation was the Byzantine Empire. No firearms, tanks, aircraft, cannons etc. Just swords, plate and chainmail armour, axes, pikes, maces and such are the weapons. The Byzantine Army was equipped, run and operated like the Roman Army. Very disciplined, tactically adept commanders but sometimes they were very demoralised, especially at this point as they have recently lost Asia Minor to the Seljuk Turks.

Just RP the thread as if you nation was the Byzantine Empire. No firearms, tanks, aircraft, cannons etc. Just swords, plate and chainmail armour, axes, pikes, maces and such are the weapons. The Byzantine Army was equipped, run and operated like the Roman Army. Very disciplined, tactically adept commanders but sometimes they were very demoralised, especially at this point as they have recently lost Asia Minor to the Seljuk Turks.

ok, I guess Men in Kevlar with OICW's and SHUD'S are out of the question.

What lands does the Byzantines control at this time?
SE europe, Bospurus and Dardenelles?

Basically they control Greece, the Black Sea cost up to the Danube, the Bosphorus and a small chunk of Asia Minor adjacent to the Bosphorus.

And yeah this is supposed to take place from 1096 to 1101 AD.

Ok, Approx population?

Yow, nice to see fellow crusaders.

I run the Crusader States region.

Only about one million or so. Two at the most. The Byzantine Army wouldn't be much bigger than 20,000 men. Also the Byzantines are allied with the Crusaders.

Yow, nice to see fellow crusaders.

I run the Crusader States region.
We're all actually modern-tech nations, we're just RPing the Crusades.

Yow, nice to see fellow crusaders.

I run the Crusader States region.
We're all actually modern-tech nations, we're just RPing the Crusades.

Nothing wrong with that. A knight on a horse wielding a M16 doesn't bother me.

Yow, nice to see fellow crusaders.

I run the Crusader States region.
We're all actually modern-tech nations, we're just RPing the Crusades.

Nothing wrong with that. A knight on a horse wielding a M16 doesn't bother me.
This isn't a modern-tech RP though. It's just a more or less closed RP that will recreate the Crusades or even change history, depending on circumstances. It's just for fun. Would you like to join as the Turks?

Ok, lets figure 10,000 Spearmen organized into Phalanx with Studded Leather Armor and full body shields.
1500 Cavalry with Half Plate, Long Swords, and Kite Shields
150 Catapults with Greek Fire Shells.
100 Balista
3000 Medium Infantry with medium shields, Long swords, and Scale Mail armor
4000 Heavy Infantry with Kite Shields, Chain Mail, and Broad Swords, Battle Axes and big Two Handed swords.
300 Mounted Bowman(mongolian Style), Short Bows, studded Leather armor and short swords
200 Longbowmen(unless you only let the anglo-saxons have em) studded Leather and short swords

oh and your not planning on sacking Constaninople, thats a good thing.

That sounds relatively resonable. If we don't find someone to RP the Turks in the next half hour or so, I'll RP them so we can begin.

The Frankish Crusader Army numbers about 22,500 men and break down as follows:
2000 Knights, mounted unless they lose their horse
5000 Pikemen
10,000 Infantry, equipped with round wooden shields, medium and long swords, hand and battle axes, maces and battle hammers. Each man carries a shield and a weapon, not all of these.
2500 Archers
300 Light Cavalry
There are also about 20,000 pilgrims with the Frankish Army too.

Yow, nice to see fellow crusaders.

I run the Crusader States region.
We're all actually modern-tech nations, we're just RPing the Crusades.

Nothing wrong with that. A knight on a horse wielding a M16 doesn't bother me.
This isn't a modern-tech RP though. It's just a more or less closed RP that will recreate the Crusades or even change history, depending on circumstances. It's just for fun. Would you like to join as the Turks?

Thanks for the invitation, but my abnormal Internet hours restrict good RPing for me. My region is supposed to be RPing a medieval war with another region, but all has gone quite.

Ok the Anglo-Saxon army is going to be moving by sea into Constaninople to land their forces, and the Frankish and German armies are going to be marching across europe to get their. That is assuming we use Constaninople as a staging area for the assault into Turklands, Syria and Palestine.

Actually only the Germanic Army will move by land the Frankish Amry will be sailing out of Brindisi to Constantinople after being blessed by the Pope in Rome.

Ok, thanks for the clarification.

My world Civ classes conviently skipped 1000-1400

Do you attend a public school or a Catholic school? If it's public they might have skipped that period specifically to skip the Crusades. Don't want to offend anyone. The Crusades were notoriously anti-Muslim. At least the last 6 of them. The first one was more or less apathetic towards Muslims.

Do you attend a public school or a Catholic school? If it's public they might have skipped that period specifically to skip the Crusades. Don't want to offend anyone. The Crusades were notoriously anti-Muslim. At least the last 6 of them. The first one was more or less apathetic towards Muslims.

I'm talking about college actually. Had the same prof for World Civ I and II and the crusades fell into the gaps between the classes. (I'm in the US but the prof was Austrian)

That sounds relatively resonable. If we don't find someone to RP the Turks in the next half hour or so, I'll RP them so we can begin.

The Frankish Crusader Army numbers about 22,500 men and break down as follows:
2000 Knights, mounted unless they lose their horse
5000 Pikemen
10,000 Infantry, equipped with round wooden shields, medium and long swords, hand and battle axes, maces and battle hammers. Each man carries a shield and a weapon, not all of these.
2500 Archers
300 Light Cavalry
10 Trebuchets (broken down for transport)
10 Onagers ( broken down for transport )
There are also about 20,000 pilgrims with the Frankish Army too.

So, what would the minor noble I want to RP as have under his command?

How about 500 Infantry with a contingent of 20 Light Cavalry?

1st Crusade of the Anglo Saxons

3000 Knights and their squires
12000 anglo saxon infantry, they were not organized and were variously equipped, frm spears, shields, helmets, maces, swords etc...
3000 archers
2000 fanatics
21000, woman, children, pilgrims, black smiths, doctors, surgeons, old folks, priests, surveyors, guides, etc...

ppl please during the first crusade the crusaders did not know the art of seige warfare, so bringing along seige weapons would not be historically correct, the seige weapons designs and crew were given to them by the Byzantines. Also, there were no longbowmen, no crossbows, no pikemen (or at least well organized pikemen), rarely any heavily armoured infantry.

important note... shouldn't there be a turkish AND an egyptian army? When the crusaders reached the holy city it was already taken over by the egyptians.

The RP doesn't need to be 100% accurate. In fact I encourage the changing of events just so things aren't too scripted. The infantry isn't heavily armoured. Most of my infantry has only their shield as armour. As for the seige weapons, you are correct. It would also be too much of a burden to be carrying them with them at first. I'll get rid of them.

important note... shouldn't there be a turkish AND an egyptian army? When the crusaders reached the holy city it was already taken over by the turks.
Egypt = the Arabs. The Arabs are the occupiers of the Holy Land, Egypt and Mesopotamia. The Turks occupy Asia Minor and Armenia. Also the whole point of calling the Crusade was to liberate Jerusalem from the Arab Muslims. So the Holy Land is completely occupied by the Arabs.

important note... shouldn't there be a turkish AND an egyptian army? When the crusaders reached the holy city it was already taken over by the turks.
Egypt = the Arabs. The Arabs are the occupiers of the Holy Land, Egypt and Mesopotamia. The Turks occupy Asia Minor and Armenia. Also the whole point of calling the Crusade was to liberate Jerusalem from the Arab Muslims. So the Holy Land is completely occupied by the Arabs.

yeah but... egyptians were different then the turks, the turks were not arabs per say.

The RP doesn't need to be 100% accurate. In fact I encourage the changing of events just so things aren't too scripted. The infantry isn't heavily armoured. Most of my infantry has only their shield as armour. As for the seige weapons, you are correct. It would also be too much of a burden to be carrying them with them at first. I'll get rid of them.

I'm Keeping my Seige weapons to defend Constaninople from attack.


200 of the mounted Bowmen are currently patrolling the borderland between the turks and the Byzantines, ready to harass any oncoming assaults and report back incase of attack.

important note... shouldn't there be a turkish AND an egyptian army? When the crusaders reached the holy city it was already taken over by the turks.
Egypt = the Arabs. The Arabs are the occupiers of the Holy Land, Egypt and Mesopotamia. The Turks occupy Asia Minor and Armenia. Also the whole point of calling the Crusade was to liberate Jerusalem from the Arab Muslims. So the Holy Land is completely occupied by the Arabs.

yeah but... egyptians were different then the turks, the turks were not arabs per say.
The Turks and the Arabs (Egyptians) are both different bodies in this RP. Different people play each of them.

Shall we begin?

Yes, I'll RP the Seljuk Turks.

How about 500 Infantry with a contingent of 20 Light Cavalry?

Gotcha. Let's see, a Frankish name.....

Sir Louis de Crecy? Heh.

*Byzantine forces begin to mobilize within Constaninople and wait for the other crusaders to arrive*

Lord Zachirias will be leading the assault.

Brindisi - Souteastern Italy - September 1096
Count Bohemund of Taranto looked out into the harbour at the masses of ships gathered there. The Frankish Army had begun loading into the ships only a few hours ago and it would take a few hours more befor they were loaded. Once the ships were loaded they would set sail for Constantinople, the great city of Eastern Christianity.
Despite being a wealthy landowner, Bohemund didn't have many possessions with him for this pilgrimage. He was a pious man and had sold most of his possessions to equip his army. Everyone at the harbour and on the ships had taken a vow to the Pope and to the Lord to fight on to the Holy City and liberate it. After taking the vow the army was blessed by the Pope and sent on it's way.
A day later
The men were loaded into the ships with their supplies. The ships set sail for Constantinople. Two weeks later the great fleet began to arrive in the harbour of Constantinople. 200 ships in total, it was a fantastic sight.
But more shocking to the citizens of Constantinople were the dirty Franks that came with the ships. For the time being this great army would camp outside the walls of the city.
Immediately after settling his men in, Bohemund left to meet with Emperor Alexius II to discuss provisions, support and battle plans.

BUMP

The Frankish encampment

Louis crosses himself once more, finishing his noontide prayers in his small tent, spartanly furnished and somehow elegant in its plainess. He gets up, dressed plainly in doublet and hose - his armor yet stowed away.

A shrewd, calculative man, he strides outside his own tent, mingling with the five hundreds under his command.

Calling one of his two pages, he presses a pouch of coins into the page's palm.

"Anthony, go to the city and see to some additional provisions. Perhaps Constantinople will provide, but fortune favors the cautious. I trust you know your numbers well enough to judge such things, and your skill in haggling as well. Quickly now."

The page, a young man in his late teens, nods quickly. "Certainly, Sir Louis."

BUMP

Asia Minor - The Turkish/Byzantine Borderland - September 1096

Nur-aldin sat in his saddle looking across the fields into the Byzantine lands. Below the hill, facing Turkish territory were 150 Light Cavalry Archers, preparing to raid a nearby Byzantine town. The town, Alexia, was a small farming community with a population of only about 50 persons. It would be an easy target.
The archers, each equipped with a composite bow, hand shield ( small, dinner plate sized shield ) and a short scimitar, watched their leader examine the terrain ahead of them. After a few minutes Nur-aldin raised his hand above his head and began waving towards the Byzantine horizon. With a greet cheer, the Turks kicked their horses and tore off towards the horizon, with Nur-aldin leading them.
After an hour's ride, the Turks reached the top of a hill and saw the farmers of Alexia still tilling their fields. Half the men drew their scimitars and the other half readied their bows as Nur-aldin let out a great cheer of "Allahu-akbar!" and began to gallop towards the defenseless farmers. The men followed suit, cheering "Allahu-akbar" as they did...
OOC: Ok this one's for the Byzantines to respond to. For now just RP the farmer's reactions and such. You'll also have to RP the Byzantine reaction to the Frankish arrival in Constantinople.

BUMP

hmmm.. who was the anglo saxon commander? hmmm ah hell I'll guess at Robert of Normandy so anyways.

A few hundred ships carrying the 1st Anglo Saxon Crusade managed to reach Constaninople, their many ships sitting just outside of the magestic city, one ship sailed past the rest and docked into their port. Out came Sir Robert of Normandy, and his personal aids and body guards. They made it thru the breath taking city into the imperial Palace before the Emporer... Robert, dressed in full chain mail armour, leather boots, iron shin, and should guards, iron and leather gloves, a thin shirt bearing the symbol of the house of the Anglo Saxons worn over the mail, a long silk cape, a short norse sword hung on his leather belt and in his left hand is a large metal helmet.

He kneels before the emporer...

The mosque in Cairo

A mullah approaches the kneeling warrior. The warrior is dressed in mail, covered by a light robe. A sword and bow are on the ground by his feet. The mullah whispers in his ear.

The warrior stands up, picks up his weapons and walks out the door.

Asia Minor - The Turkish/Byzantine Borderland - September 1096

Nur-aldin sat in his saddle looking across the fields into the Byzantine lands. Below the hill, facing Turkish territory were 150 Light Cavalry Archers, preparing to raid a nearby Byzantine town. The town, Alexia, was a small farming community with a population of only about 50 persons. It would be an easy target.
The archers, each equipped with a composite bow, hand shield ( small, dinner plate sized shield ) and a short scimitar, watched their leader examine the terrain ahead of them. After a few minutes Nur-aldin raised his hand above his head and began waving towards the Byzantine horizon. With a greet cheer, the Turks kicked their horses and tore off towards the horizon, with Nur-aldin leading them.
After an hour's ride, the Turks reached the top of a hill and saw the farmers of Alexia still tilling their fields. Half the men drew their scimitars and the other half readied their bows as Nur-aldin let out a great cheer of "Allahu-akbar!" and began to gallop towards the defenseless farmers. The men followed suit, cheering "Allahu-akbar" as they did...
OOC: Ok this one's for the Byzantines to respond to. For now just RP the farmer's reactions and such. You'll also have to RP the Byzantine reaction to the Frankish arrival in Constantinople.

IC: *Emperor (whoever is in charge of Constaninople, if no one knows i'm going to call him Gorgitas) see the approaching Frankish troops over the wall.*

Gorgitas: Zacharias, go out and greet the Franks and offer them anything they need to supply there troops for a fair price of course.

Zacharias:Of course my Lord.

*Zacharias rides out to meat the Frankish commander, along with an entourage of 12 Cavalry Soldiers*

*Elsewhere in the Byzantine Empire, farmers are under assault from the Turkish Cavalry. The Turks have launched arrows Killing 45 Farmers. The Farmers see the Turks on the Hills and drop what they are doing and run for shelter. The Turks Spur their horses on down the hills slaughtering all that they can. Farmers are dropping by the dozens, as more are killed by arrows and swords. Several try to throw up their hands in surrender but are cut down. A few escape as the Turks set fire to the village. *

*Captain Spillios of the Byzantine scouts spots the flames in the distance, sends a rider back to constaninople to tell them and rides out and meets the refuges*

Refugee(an old farmer with a beard and graying hair, covered in dirt and soot): IT'S the Heathens they have come and burned our farms.

Spillios: Onward men we shall ride out and meet the enemy and slaughter them alive

*Spillios Cavalry company of 100 Mounted Bowman ride out to the hills overlooking the villages that have been sacked looking for turks*

OOC:if i overstepped my bounds by playing your cavalry i apologize and will strike it from the post.

No you didn't overstep any bounds. Also, the Byzantine Emperor at the time was Alexius II. I'll post IC a little later.

No you didn't overstep any bounds. Also, the Byzantine Emperor at the time was Alexius II. I'll post IC a little later.

k thanks. like i said, my knowledge of this time period is sketchy at best.

No you didn't overstep any bounds. Also, the Byzantine Emperor at the time was Alexius II. I'll post IC a little later.

k thanks. like i said, my knowledge of this time period is sketchy at best.

BUMP, will make my response when I get back from school.

BUMP. Serious this time, I'll post after school.

[Ah, school. Nasty thing.]

*shrugs*
bump

Byzantine-Turkish Borderlands
Expecting a Byzantine reprisal in the area, Nur-aldin quickly sent 10 riders back into Turkish territory with all the spoils they could carry. The rest of the riders he positioned on a hill, with a river to one side and a forest to the other. Their backs to the Turkish border, the riders left only one avenue of attack for the Byzantine forces.
The men were positioned in two 70 man cohorts, one on the left flank and one on the right. Only about 100 metres seperated the two cohorts. Once in position the Turks just waited, knowing that the Byzantines wouldn't be long coming.

Constantinople, Royal Court
Bohemund entered the Royal Court as if it were any other room. ( Picture of Bohemund )http://games.gamespy.com/artwork/20021024_150657_medieval_boxart.jpg ( Rather than describe what he's wearing and such. He's not on a horse though ) He walked briskly to Emperor Alexius and slightly lowered his head.
Bohemund: M'lord... In response to your inquiry as to what the Franks need, we need food. Most of ours is depleted. Secondly we need a few guides to guide us through your territory to the Turkish border. As part of our pilgrimage we will help you to reconquer your lost territory in Asia Minor and drive the Turks into the Black Sea.

Arabs- Main Army (in/near Jerusalem)

2000 Light Cavalry
500 Horsebowmen
1000 Nubian Spearmen
800 Desert Archers
100 Murabitin Infantry

(note-most names drawn from MTW)

OOC: I have a slight feeling from reading the first few posts that someone's a Medieval: Total War fanatic... :P

http://www.nationstates.net/images/flags/norfolk_island--54.jpg
The Free Republic of New Genoa

OOC: Actually, I bought Medieval Total War after I started this thread. But now I'm hooked. It's a great game.

BUMP

OOC: It is a very good game, I agree

BUMP. Byzantines, where are you?

BUMP

BUMP again

BUMP. Why is it that this happens to every one of my threads?

Oooh ooh! Can I be Saladin's aide-de-camp?? I could lead like an elite company of guards or something. Wait, I am getting mixed up here, its just the first Crusades then.

Well if its ok that's who I want to be.

BYZANTINES (aka of the council of clan) WHERE ARE YOU?

BYZANTINES (aka of the council of clan) WHERE ARE YOU?

sorry i've been busy with school and National Guard stuff, and am currently trying to figure out a way to kick my roommate out of our dorm room.

Are you going to be able to post a response or should I find a replacement?

Are you going to be able to post a response or should I find a replacement?
prolly should find a replacement, i won't be able to RP this out.

What about when the crowd cries "Deus le Volt!"?

BUMP. Still need someone to play the Byzantines

Due to problems with participation, this RP has been closed.

The pope and all other catholics can suck my big fat dick

Thank you for that VERY constructive comment... :roll: