1074
1074:
Across Northern Italy, Reformist rebels storm bishoprics and the castles of the barons who supported Henry.
Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV. focuses his next moves on the lands North of the Alps, though. He moves mostly with Saxon, Austrian (Babenberger) and Przemyslid forces against Geza and his Hungarian rebels and their Polish Piast supporters in the East, defeating them soundly, making important prisoners, and securing the throne for his ally Salamon, who swears allegiance to him.
Rewarding one of his staunchest allies and further stressing the concept that he, as universal emperor, could indeed award crowns to kings, Henry then crowns Vratislav in Prague as King of Bohemia with a crown which his chroniclers claim has fallen from the heavens onto his tent as he was encamped in the campaign against Geza.
Among Henry’s prisoners is also Wladislaw Herman, brother of Boleslaw the Bold. Henry sends messengers to the castles of the Piasts demanding them to come to next year’s coronation of Wladislaw in Gniezno – that means, demanding their acceptance of his suzerainty.
Henry then triumphantly rides Westward to Speyer to recover and spend some time with his new wife and closest retainers.
As Vojtech’s rebels approach the gates of Constantinople, John Psellos, who had placed high hopes in his former friend Michael’s emperorship, but saw himself sidelined by Nikephoritzes and resented both bitterly for this, holds a convincing speech in the Byzantine Senate for the elevation of John Doukas. Among the Kommenos clan, the idea of making peace in the West in order to be able to focus on the East and the Seljuks who threaten their extensive properties, is also not unpopular, and Nikephoros Botaneiates lends the idea the support of the troops under his command. The gates of the city are, thus, opened to the Caesar, who is recognized by the Senate as Basileios. His nephew Michael suffers a milder fate than his predecessor, being sent off to a monastery, but at least with his eyesight unharmed.
John Doukas reshuffles the ministeries, dismissing Nikephoritzes, and elevating Georgi Vojtech to the rank of Caesar. The new Caesar George / Giorgios is practically running what used to be called the themes of Bulgaria, Sirmia, and Paristrion as he pleases, awarding lands and titles to de Clare’s Normans, improving his ally Nestor’s position and stopping all taxation of the region, ordering the improvement of fortifications and mobilisations against Pecheneg incursions instead.
Roussel de Bailleul, or rather, Rousselos Phrangopoulos, and his Normans, joined by the provincial Byzantine forces of Philaretos Brachiamos, come to the assistance of Theodore Gabras, massacring bands of Turkomans in Chaldia and chasing off others, restoring control over the city of Trapezunt. Trapezunt’s inhabitants and Gabras’ soldiers acclaim Rousselos as the new Basileios. Rousselos recognizes the governorates of the region as Gabras’ and Brachiamos’ personal fiefs.
Under the command of Gregor Pakourianos, Byzantio-Armenian forces defend Ani against Seljuk attacks [as per OTL.] Meanwhile, further South, other Seljuks commanded by Suleiman ibn Qutalmish defeat the Byzantine defenders of Antiochia under Isaak Kommenos and capture the city [as per OTL].
Diarmait mac Maíl na mBó, King of Leinster and High King of Ireland, dies. He is succeeded by his son, Murchad mac Diarmait. At the ceremony in Tara, not only Godwin Haroldsson, who continues to be on very good terms with Murchad, is present, but also his father, the King of England himself. This has since been (mis?)interpreted by some historians as a sign that Harold saw Murchad as his vassal, and Murchad Harold as his liege.
Reformist Bishop Stanislaw of Krakow, although helped into his office by the Piast Grand Duke Boleslaw the Bold, criticizes said monarch for his adultery and godless lifestyle [as per OTL].
Robert de Mortain, who has settled on Benevento as the powerbase of his faction of papal-loyal Normans, finds that his former ally Richard of Capua, who had fancied the ducal suzerainty over Southern Italy for himself, too, has deserted him. Nominally acknowledging Robert Guiscard’s ducal claim again (while Guiscard is away in Sicily), Richard brings Salerno, where Guiscard’s Lombard wife, Duchess Sichelgaita, runs the show, onto his side.
With English support, including the new heavy cavalry, Robert de Montgommerie returns to Normandy to recapture his family’s holdings. Robert Curthose leads the d’Hauteville forces who attempt to prevent them from doing so. But Montgommerie is also aided by Conan’s Bretons, and after a few weeks of turmoil, the city of Rouen erupts in popular revolt. Duke Robert is forced to return the holdings of the Montgommeries, cede a part of the Cotentin to the Duchy of Brittany, and grant the city of Rouen municipal autonomy and in its port, an exemption of English wool traders from any staple or other form of taxation.
Sancho Ramirez of Aragon and his Normans triumph over Sancho of Navarra. The latter is driven off a cliff by his brother and sister. [1] Peter de Valognes is created Count of Pamplona by Sancho Ramirez.
[1] This happened IOTL, too, only two years later. Effective Norman support speeds up the Navarran collapse ITTL.
Across Northern Italy, Reformist rebels storm bishoprics and the castles of the barons who supported Henry.
Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV. focuses his next moves on the lands North of the Alps, though. He moves mostly with Saxon, Austrian (Babenberger) and Przemyslid forces against Geza and his Hungarian rebels and their Polish Piast supporters in the East, defeating them soundly, making important prisoners, and securing the throne for his ally Salamon, who swears allegiance to him.
Rewarding one of his staunchest allies and further stressing the concept that he, as universal emperor, could indeed award crowns to kings, Henry then crowns Vratislav in Prague as King of Bohemia with a crown which his chroniclers claim has fallen from the heavens onto his tent as he was encamped in the campaign against Geza.
Among Henry’s prisoners is also Wladislaw Herman, brother of Boleslaw the Bold. Henry sends messengers to the castles of the Piasts demanding them to come to next year’s coronation of Wladislaw in Gniezno – that means, demanding their acceptance of his suzerainty.
Henry then triumphantly rides Westward to Speyer to recover and spend some time with his new wife and closest retainers.
As Vojtech’s rebels approach the gates of Constantinople, John Psellos, who had placed high hopes in his former friend Michael’s emperorship, but saw himself sidelined by Nikephoritzes and resented both bitterly for this, holds a convincing speech in the Byzantine Senate for the elevation of John Doukas. Among the Kommenos clan, the idea of making peace in the West in order to be able to focus on the East and the Seljuks who threaten their extensive properties, is also not unpopular, and Nikephoros Botaneiates lends the idea the support of the troops under his command. The gates of the city are, thus, opened to the Caesar, who is recognized by the Senate as Basileios. His nephew Michael suffers a milder fate than his predecessor, being sent off to a monastery, but at least with his eyesight unharmed.
John Doukas reshuffles the ministeries, dismissing Nikephoritzes, and elevating Georgi Vojtech to the rank of Caesar. The new Caesar George / Giorgios is practically running what used to be called the themes of Bulgaria, Sirmia, and Paristrion as he pleases, awarding lands and titles to de Clare’s Normans, improving his ally Nestor’s position and stopping all taxation of the region, ordering the improvement of fortifications and mobilisations against Pecheneg incursions instead.
Roussel de Bailleul, or rather, Rousselos Phrangopoulos, and his Normans, joined by the provincial Byzantine forces of Philaretos Brachiamos, come to the assistance of Theodore Gabras, massacring bands of Turkomans in Chaldia and chasing off others, restoring control over the city of Trapezunt. Trapezunt’s inhabitants and Gabras’ soldiers acclaim Rousselos as the new Basileios. Rousselos recognizes the governorates of the region as Gabras’ and Brachiamos’ personal fiefs.
Under the command of Gregor Pakourianos, Byzantio-Armenian forces defend Ani against Seljuk attacks [as per OTL.] Meanwhile, further South, other Seljuks commanded by Suleiman ibn Qutalmish defeat the Byzantine defenders of Antiochia under Isaak Kommenos and capture the city [as per OTL].
Diarmait mac Maíl na mBó, King of Leinster and High King of Ireland, dies. He is succeeded by his son, Murchad mac Diarmait. At the ceremony in Tara, not only Godwin Haroldsson, who continues to be on very good terms with Murchad, is present, but also his father, the King of England himself. This has since been (mis?)interpreted by some historians as a sign that Harold saw Murchad as his vassal, and Murchad Harold as his liege.
Reformist Bishop Stanislaw of Krakow, although helped into his office by the Piast Grand Duke Boleslaw the Bold, criticizes said monarch for his adultery and godless lifestyle [as per OTL].
Robert de Mortain, who has settled on Benevento as the powerbase of his faction of papal-loyal Normans, finds that his former ally Richard of Capua, who had fancied the ducal suzerainty over Southern Italy for himself, too, has deserted him. Nominally acknowledging Robert Guiscard’s ducal claim again (while Guiscard is away in Sicily), Richard brings Salerno, where Guiscard’s Lombard wife, Duchess Sichelgaita, runs the show, onto his side.
With English support, including the new heavy cavalry, Robert de Montgommerie returns to Normandy to recapture his family’s holdings. Robert Curthose leads the d’Hauteville forces who attempt to prevent them from doing so. But Montgommerie is also aided by Conan’s Bretons, and after a few weeks of turmoil, the city of Rouen erupts in popular revolt. Duke Robert is forced to return the holdings of the Montgommeries, cede a part of the Cotentin to the Duchy of Brittany, and grant the city of Rouen municipal autonomy and in its port, an exemption of English wool traders from any staple or other form of taxation.
Sancho Ramirez of Aragon and his Normans triumph over Sancho of Navarra. The latter is driven off a cliff by his brother and sister. [1] Peter de Valognes is created Count of Pamplona by Sancho Ramirez.
[1] This happened IOTL, too, only two years later. Effective Norman support speeds up the Navarran collapse ITTL.