--------------------------------------------------------------------- GOD WILLS IT Briefing for the Franks --------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- Background --------------------------------------------------------------------- In March 1095, envoys arrive at Piacenza from the Emperor of the East, Alexius Comnenus, appealing to his fellow Christians in the West for armed help in re-establishing the Empire's and Christianity's power in the Holy Land, now loosely ruled by the Seldjuk Turks. The Byzantine army has been rebuilt after the disaster at Manzikert (1075) but it is a shadow of its former might, and anyway is largely deployed in protecting the Empire in the East. But Constantinople is still fabulously wealthy, and well used to employing Westerners in its armies as highly paid mercenaries. Since his election Pope Urban II has been at contention with the Holy Roman Emperor and his anti-Pope, with William II of England and with Philip I of France. Yet by the time of the Council of Clermont in November 1095 he has re-established the power of Rome to the extent that Bishops have attended the Council from all over Western Christendom. His power is re-established to such an extent that he can actively summon Philip to attend before him on charges of adultery, find him guilty, and excommunicate him a mere ten days before he preaches his great appeal. With the recent disorder throughout Western Europe fresh in his mind, it's perhaps not surprising that Urban should have welcomed such an opportunity to serve God, and answer the appeal from Constantinople. At the same time he can rid himself and the Church of a large body of unruly fighting men, for whom he can see little role in a newly peaceful Europe under the spiritual guidance of a resurgent Rome. Urban has seen the chance to achieve two things. First, he can genuinely help the cause of Christianity in the Holy Land with the defeat of the infidel (as the Church has helped the cause of Christianity in Spain in the recent reconquista.) Second, this just may be the chance to rid Europe of quite a few troublesome individuals, and to establish the Peace of God. Urban mulls over the appeal from the East throughout the summer, and then, at the end of his triumph at the successful Council of Clermont (27th November 1095) he appeals to the knights of the West to ride to the aid of their fellow Christians in the East. Thus he preaches the great sermon: "Although, children of God, you have made a solemn promise to keep peace among yourselves and faithfully uphold the rights of the Church, you must now, fortified anew by the grace of Our Lord, show the strength of your zeal in the performance of a precious task, which concerns all of you less than it concerns the Lord. It is imperative that you bring to your brothers in the East the help so often promised and so urgently needed....if you do not make a stand against the enemy now, the tide of their advance will overwhelm many more faithful servants of God. Therefore I beg and beseech you...rich and poor alike make haste to drive this evil race from the places where our brothers live, and bring a very present help to the worshippers of Christ. I speak in my own person to you who stand here; I will send the news to those who are far off; but it is the voice of Christ which commands your obedience... If anyone who sets out should lose his life either on the way, by land or by sea, or in battle against the infidels, his sins shall be pardoned from that moment. This I grant by right of the gift of God's power to me... May those men who have been occupied in the wicked struggle of private warfare against their fellow Christians now take up arms against the infidel and help bring this long-delayed campaign to a victorious end. may those who have been brigands now become soldiers, and those who have fought against their own families now fight as they should - against barbarians. Let those who have fought for mercenaries' pay now earn an everlasting reward, and let those who have dissipated their body and soul now gather their strength to win a double prize. What more is there to say? On the one hand there are people in great distress; on the other there are those who live in plenty; over there are the enemies of God; here are His friends. Join us without delay! Let those who are going settle up their affairs and collect what they will need to pay their expenses, so that when the winter is over and the spring comes they may set off joyfully under the guidance of Our Lord." (Urban II's speech at the Council of Clermont, according to Fulcher of Chartres) For the first time a Pope has appealed to the armed might of the West to travel East to fight. For the first time he has promised the Church's protection of their lands while they are away. Most important of all, for the first time he has promised instant redemption of sins should they lose their lives in the glorious cause. It's no wonder that the cause has caught the imagination of the nobility and the people of the West. A great movement has begun and by the beginning of 1096, many great magnates have taken the Cross. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Some notes on Society --------------------------------------------------------------------- It is very important to your success in this game that you realise the curious mix between the material and the spiritual that made up so much of the early medieval world and the flowering of Western feudalism. Among the preparations usually made by a Crusader before his departure was one which emphasises the difference in outlook between his world and that of the twentieth century. A man gathering together his equipment, faced with the enormous cost of his expedition, would usually begin by distributing gifts to churches and monasteries. Some of these might be endowments to ensure that masses were said for his soul. others might be various legacies to Churches and Abbeys on his domain. Some Lords enfranchised their serfs, or performed some other notable work of Christian mercy. To us, these donations may seem to be the exact opposite of careful financial management and planning. They were made by people who were often gathering together all the resources at their disposal, and were about to submit themselves to the dangers and suffering of a very uncertain expedition. Yet records show that such gifts were very much a normal part of the preparations for departure. In much the same way the Crusaders would fast the day before a battle, even though they would need all their strength for the attack they were to make. Rightly or wrongly, they all considered that spiritual force was as necessary to the winning of battles as material might. This is really the meaning of the opus Dei, or the putting into practice of the three essential facets of medieval Christianity. That is, prayer (through which a man appeals to and communes with God); fasting (the personal asceticism which allows man to share the sufferings of Christ) and lastly, almsgiving (by which the community, represented by the poor, benefits from the efforts made by the operation of God's Grace). Medieval magnates were brought up on warfare; they were violent and mostly illiterate men, but don't confuse that with the thought that they were immoral men. There was a strict code of feudal (and chivalric) morality beginning to develop throughout Europe, and it was fuelled by the absolute acceptance of God's power, the belief that man's relationship to God was a very public one, and that in the end God's powers over man were absolute. However you might try to evade your responsibilities to God in this world, he could exact his just retribution in the next. Remission of sin was a get out clause for after death, but it needed to be earned. The spiritual aspect of early Western medievalism has three major effects upon this game. 1) The influence of the Church over laymen of all classes 2) Lords behaving in a fashion that is seen as irreligious or worse by the rank and file will find themselves losing power and influence 3) The acceptance that solemn oaths are not to be taken lightly, and certainly not to be broken easily. Oaths of homage or of any other sort were vitally important as a part of feudal society; don't make any too lightly. If you make an oath that you feel you may not want to keep, be sure that you have an excuse that will satisfy your peers and your followers for why you are not keeping it. After all, the acceptance of William of Normandy's claim to the English throne by Harold Godwinsson under an oath sworn on holy relics had been a major factor in getting the Papacy to accept Normandy's claim; Harold had to rely on the claim that the oath was extracted under duress to pursue his case. He could not just say so what and break his oath. It would have lost him too much support. And don't forget, the most solemn oath that you have all taken within the last year is not to rest until Jerusalem is back in Christian hands and you have worshipped at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Phase One: Constantinople or Bust! --------------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction This first part of the game deals with the planning and assembling of the armies of the great magnates, and the journey to Constantinople, as ordered by Pope Urban. It begins in July1096, as the great lords have found out which vassal and friends are going to take the Cross with them. Now they have to work out how large an army they will take with the knights, how it will be equipped, and how they are going to pay for it! They have to make sure that any last minute arrangements for the management of their estates are put in hand, decide whether to travel alone, and if not with whom they will go. Finally they must decide on the route they will take and the date they will set out. The last section of this phase of the game will deal with the actual journey to Constantinople. You are all playing one of those magnates, fired by a love of the Church, and for some of you, some other motives as well. But one thing is clear; you are all seasoned leaders, and you do have some idea of the scale of the task you are taking upon yourselves. You do realise that it will take men, money and organisation. You have heard that a large number of smaller and landless men have already started for the East, led by Peter the Hermit, but you realise that planning is important. The Holy City will be won back by the deeds of the Great Men, not a rabble of all and sundry. You will set out when you are good and ready. The game starts in July 1096. Each of you has gathered a force of vassals and friends to go with you. Now you have to plan for the rest of your force, and how to finance the journey to Constantinople (and perhaps beyond). Recruitment of forces, and money. I am starting the game at the point where each magnate has recruited his major vassals and friends, so you will know what the nobility (i.e. knights) of your force will consist of. This is a fixed force since if you reduce the size of your knightly entourage, your income will reduce since they have all raised some money to put towards the great cause. (Exactly how much is shown in your personal briefing, which you will receive on the morning of the game). Costs of Recruitment You will also know from your personal briefing what revenues you have raised from your estates, what foot forces you can raise within your dominions, and in some cases what skilled specialists are available for you to hire (specifically crossbowmen, who are the premier missile warriors of Christendom, highly valued and skilled mercenaries. In the last few years the power of these new warriors has been demonstrated very well in the West, to the extent that the Church has recently tried to ban their use in warfare between Christians, so powerful a weapon they are seen to be.) Each element of the force you take will cost you a set amount for equipment and supply for a year, as follows: Knight/cavalryman 30 marks Basic equipped infantry 5 marks Well equipped infantry 10 marks Crossbowmen 20 marks The influence of a magnate within the councils of the Crusade will be directly influenced by the size of his army, so every team should aim to take as large an army as they think they can reasonably outfit and control. However, if a leader raises the maximum forces available to him, a lot of you will discover that you are short of money unless you raise some extra funds. Your briefings give you some ways of doing this. It is obviously your choice as to the mix of well equipped and basic equipped troops you take with you. Once you have left your domains, there will be no further chance of large scale recruitment before you reach Constantinople. The few landless minor knights who may join you on the way just make up for the fallout from your original followers. Costs of Travel Your journey will cost additional monies as well, in fact a minimum of 100 marks plus 10 marks per 1,000 men per area travelled (rounded up) plus ship hire if you want to take one of the sea routes (a lot shorter for some of you, and thus cheaper in terms of areas travelled, but expensive in terms of ships). Ship hire will be 200 marks to hire a nef (big draft vessel with 50 crew, holding 100 horses and 500 men) for the crossing from Italy to Byzantine territory, or 1,000 marks per vessel if anybody wants to contract a fleet for a year. There don't appear to have been any shortage of vessels at this time, so this shouldn't worry us. The final expense is optional; it's pretty clear from all the sources that despite the financial pressures involved in fitting out a crusading expedition, many lords spent quite a bit on good works before leaving home. That will be an option for all of you, and being seen to be conscious of the religious nature of your expedition could have very good effects on your actions and those of your forces. Religion is a powerful motivating force for yourself and your forces, and being seen as a religious man as well as a great warrior will help your influence among the rank and file. You should discuss with your umpire what, if anything, you would like to do, and how much it might cost. There is obviously a huge difference between founding an abbey and paying for masses to be said for the fortunes of your forces! After the first year costs of maintaining your forces will come down a bit, as they will already have been equipped, but they still need to be fed. The costs will be - per month - as follows: Knight/cavalryman: 2 marks (man and horse need to be fed) (400 marks per figure) All infantry: 0.25 marks ( 125 marks per figure) Crossbowmen: 1 mark (mercenaries still need to be paid!) (100 marks per fig.) Choosing the route, and travelling There are a few very well trodden routes to Constantinople and you will have to choose one of these. Each has different advantages and disadvantages. For some pilgrims the choice will be very obvious (e.g. for Bohemond who would be daft to go by any other route than the sea crossing from Bari or Brindisi); others may have to weigh up the pros and cons of each route. Look at the map and use your basic knowledge of geography! Some of you will find it easier or more sensible to travel together, while others will certainly want to travel on their own. See your personal brief for more details. Travel will be by turn and area, and there will be random risks of attrition from bad weather, bandits etc. on the way , which will be adjudicated by your liaison umpire. Perhaps unsurprisingly, sea travel is slightly more hazardous than land, although not massively so. Depending on the route chosen, each magnate will have to negotiate with certain umpires on the way, who will be representing different characters (e.g. the King of Hungary or various Imperial Governors). How those negotiations proceed will depend on your attitude, the behaviour of your troops (whether there are still plenty of supplies, or whether they are living off the land as they go), your reputation, who has gone before you, and your relationship with the Empire. You are of course free to send messengers ahead of you to establish what's ahead. Timings Each turn within Phase 1 will cover one month and will take ten minutes of game time. Planning and travelling will need to be encompassed in Phase 1. The game starts in July 1096, and you don't need to be in Constantinople until the end of April 1097, at the latest, so you should have plenty of time. Even the longest journey (Robert of Normandy and Stephen of Blois) in reality took only from the end of October to the end of April, and that included spending three months wintering in Southern Italy! The Western way of fighting You are all experienced warriors, as any magnate of your rank has to be in this day and age, but that doesn't make you all great generals! But you do all understand the basics of campaigning and fighting, and the value of the West's primary weapon, the knights' mounted charge. This has won the day in battle between Franks and in battles against other military traditions (remember Hastings!) and has dominated warfare in the West for the last fifty years. Fighting is mainly a matter of bringing the enemy to bay in circumstances favourable to the use of the charge, using foot to pin the enemy while the archers weaken them, until the time has come to release that deadly charge. If a mounted charge strikes home, there is nothing that can stand against it, but it is rather a one shot weapon. The knights are difficult to rally after a charge, and should the knights charge and not strike home, the lines have a tendency to waver and break up into small knots of individual and vulnerable horsemen. On the rare occasions when Western knight are caught on the defensive, they will dismount and form a tight shield wall with the foot, fighting off the attackers until the opportunity arrives to mount and release the weight of the charge. Discipline is vital in a Western army, and the mark of the good general is the man who can control his knights, and co-operate with friendly forces. Different magnates will have different generalship values on the day. Tactics are fairly simple in Frankish field warfare, and will be reflected in the narrow range of tactical options open to the Crusaders in this game. They will mostly be concerned with attempts to outflank an opposing force. But the crux of fighting is to find the right opportunity to strike at an enemy with overwhelming force, in terrain that suits cavalry and armour, and preferably against their flank or rear. You are mostly experienced in siege warfare, which is largely a matter of a committed assault and if that doesn't work, then settling down to starve or frighten the besieged into surrender, or at least of weakening them to a state they can't resist another assault. Once the knights are on the walls then the weight of Frankish armour and the weapons skill of Western knights will usually prevail. A few of you know the Greek ways of fighting from personal experience, although none of you have ever fought the Turks. The Greeks have a well disciplined professional army whose infantry combine well with heavy cavalry and the mounted Petcheneg mercenaries that fight so fanatically for the Emperor. Their weakness is all too often in morale and generalship. But it is not wise to fight an Imperial army unless you outnumber it substantially, or unless you can cause it to defeat itself through treachery or sewing dissension in the ranks. It is even more unwise to take on the Byzantine forces when they have naval support; they are fine sailors and they also have the dreaded secret of Greek fire. Characters Western Europe is actually a very small place, and the society in which great magnates of the Franks move is a narrow and yet at the same time cosmopolitan environment. You would all know each other by reputation, even if not personally. So here's a list of the major players, and what is common knowledge about them. Baldwin of Boulogne (32) Younger brother of Godfrey de Bouillon, and most influential of his vassals. Took the Cross in December 1095, and has decided to travel with his brothers, and declared his intention of taking his family with him on the great venture. Bohemond of Taranto (39) Warrior oldest son of Robert Guiscard, but disinherited as Duke of Apulia in favour of his step brother Roger Borsa. Nephew of Roger of Sicily. Greatest knight among the Normans of Sicily. Ten years ago he fought with his father against the Emperor Alexius, and knows the Byzantines well.. In the recent troubles in Italy he and his father were strong supporters of Urban and recaptured Rome for him. In the last year has been engaged in desultory warfare with his stepbrother. Took the Cross in June, has made peace with his stepbrother at the behest of his uncle. Looked upon as something of an upstart and even a bit of a brigand by some of the older magnates, particularly Raymond of Toulouse. Eustace of Boulogne (39) Older brother of Godfrey de Bouillon and Baldwin de Boulogne. Count of Boulogne. Content to act as second in command to his brother Godfrey. Godfrey de Bouillon (36) Duke de Bas Lorraine, Lord of Bouillon, Count of Antwerp. Godfrey fought hard for the Emperor Henry IV during the recent struggles with the Papacy, and was rewarded with the Dukedom of Bas Lorraine, but as an Imperial Office, not a fief. Although his relationship with the Pope is still fairly shaky, he is seen by most of his contemporaries as a genuinely pious man. Enthusiastic for the Crusade. Hugh de Vermandois (40) Vain younger brother of Philip I of France. Came into his County through his wife. Although poor, famous for his pride in his royal blood and the way he looks down on those of lesser blood. It's rumoured that he's taken the Cross at the behest of his brother the King, who is currently excommunicate, and wants to get into the Pope's good books. Raymond de St.Gilles (58) Count of Toulouse, Marquis of Provence. Married to Princess Elvira of Aragon. Earliest of the great magnates to take the Cross (December 1095), he will be accompanied on the Crusade by Adhemar de Puy, the Papal Legate and spiritual leader. The only man to have commanded against the infidel before, he spent some years fighting in the wars of the reconquista. Many think he will become the secular leader of the whole Crusade, and that's certainly what he wants. Robert II of Flanders (35) Count of Flanders. Inherited from his father, Robert I, three years ago. Knowledgeable about the East and Alexius from his father who made the pilgrimage in 1086, and took service for three years under Alexius on his way home. Kept in touch with the Emperor right up to his death, and his son has continued to correspond with Constantinople. A famous warrior. Robert of Normandy (40) Oldest son of William the Conqueror. Inherited Duchy of Normandy, but prize of England went to his younger brother, William Rufus. The two brothers have been engaged in desultory warfare ever since their father's death. Renowned as a good companion, Robert is more famed as a warrior than as a ruler. Urban has arranged a reconciliation between the two brothers since Robert took the Cross. Robert has a reputation for being a good fellow but no great leader; but he is titular head of the Norman race. Stephen of Blois (41) Blois is a small but very rich County, and Stephen is one of the richest men in France. Married to Adela, daughter of the famed William the Conqueror. Rumour says that he is a reluctant Crusader and that he has been shamed into going by his wife, with whom he remains deeply in love. SUMMARY OF PHASE ONE 1. Plan what force and route to take 2. Raise and pay necessary monies 3. Tie up any loose ends at home 4. Send any correspondence that you may think is necessary 5. Decide on when to set out 6. Travel to Constantinople! --------------------------------------------------------------------- Phase Two: Within Romania --------------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction The Empire of the East is the fabled inheritor of the glories of Rome, the wealthiest and most powerful nation on earth, the fame of whose capital city Constantinople is renowned throughout the West. Yet your attitude towards Constantinople is really pretty ambivalent. Yes, it heads a mighty Empire and yes, it claims to be the direct inheritor of St. Peter's authority, but at the same time this great Empire is in dispute with the Holy Father, and denies Rome's absolute authority. Its nobles and citizens appear to have nothing in common with the Frankish culture, being primarily Greek and more interested in a soft life than the martial virtues of Western warriors. Their Emperors have for many years hired others to do their fighting for them, including Franks and other Westerners. Most important of all, despite the so called might of this Emperor, he has not been able to protect the pilgrims to the Holy Land, let alone retake the Holy City. He has called on the West for help, so surely he cannot be as superior as he claims to be. In particular, some of you - the Normans of Italy - have already fought this emperor and beaten him in battle, though never defeated him totally. When you reach Constantinople you will need the Emperor's help to carry the crusade further. You will need his money, his military and naval support, and his local knowledge, if you are to fulfil the Holy Dream. What is unsure is what he will want from you. Alexius Comnenus (49) Emperor of the Romans, Constantinople, Byzantium, the Eastern Empire. Has very successfully rebuilt the Empire's power in the East and defended its borders in the West against Robert Guiscard. Although beaten sometimes in battle, has usually won his campaigns, by a mixture of diplomacy and naval power, as well as judicious use of his huge wealth. Has some experience of Frankish knights serving in his armies, and uses foreign mercenaries constantly, some of whom are fanatical in their loyalty - notably the famous Petcheneg mounted regiments, and of course the famous Imperial bodyguard, the Varangian guard. Over the last thirty years, the Varangian guard has come to consist primarily of Saxons and Anglo Saxons, who bear little love for the Franks and especially for the Normans. Although the military power of the Empire is no longer what it was before Manzikert, Alexius could still put a larger army in the field than any single Western monarch, and better disciplined. The Phase Two Game The second phase of the game will consist of the Crusaders' negotiations, separately or together, with the Emperor, in order for you to achieve what you want from him in the way of support. Also while you are in Constantinople you will have to plan your next moves in the Crusade. Once you cross the Bosporus and leave the boundaries of the Empire you will be entering unknown territory, and coming up against unknown enemies. The more support and knowledge you can gain from the Empire, the better your chances as you move into Asia Minor and the realms of the Infidel. The Emperor can give you: - supplies and money - military support, especially the fabled Byzantine siege train - naval support - guides and interpreters - the benefit of his knowledge of the Turks and Arabs What he wants from you, you really aren't sure. But you feel that since you are coming to aid his Empire in defeating the infidel hordes threatening his borders he should really be grateful for your help. After all he hasn't been able to retake his lost territories on his own. We are allowing one hour and a half maximum for this phase of the game. During this time the Empire will be responsible for the feeding of all the Crusaders. This will not be a further drain on your resources. At the end of Phase Two, the Crusaders will march out into Asia Minor, with or without Byzantine support. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Phase Three: To the Holy Land --------------------------------------------------------------------- As the armies march out, each magnate will have received a certain amount of intelligence about the lands ahead, depending on how much the Byzantines have given him. Armies will now have to be paid for again, and areas moved through. Each new area will be represented by a different table arranged geographically over the school halls. Each area will have an information pack that you will see when you arrive in an area. It will give you - to a greater or lesser extent - information on the climate and terrain, the religion and loyalty of the indigenous population, the presence of Muslim enemies and fortifications, timber, plunder and sustenance values. Players will move their forces within and between areas as the movement system and the presence of the enemy permits. The Franks will want to establish and keep a clear route back to Constantinople if at all possible, in order for supplies and reinforcements to follow (although the sea will be valuable for this as well). The layout of the tables will be arranged to reflect the geographical relationship between the areas. The Crusaders will only be able to enter or leave an area by the designated routes. On leaving an area they will automatically appear in the next area. Each player will carry a tray with figures representing their forces. Table Control Umpires will help you with working out attrition, movement and combat (if it occurs) within any area. It will be possible to scout an area ahead of, or to the flanks of, the main force by sending detachments forward. At this stage it is impossible to know much more about what will happen in Asia Minor and the Holy Land. You know that you are likely to encounter massive resistance from the infidels once you get there, but the justice of your cause, the aid of the Lord, and the righteous strength of Christian knights will aid you. You will reach the Holy City and regain it for Christ. What else you can gain while on the Holy Quest is a matter of greater or lesser interest for all of you, but certainly an unknown quantity at present. --------------------------------------------------------------------- This game briefing/handbook is available for information to users of the internet, on the understanding it is (c) Terry Martin, and if used is credited appropriately. Thanks. ---------------------------------------------------------------------