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Ruler : King Harold Godwinson
Home Provinces |
Towns |
Revenue Value |
Kent & Essex |
London, Dover |
6 |
Wessex |
Winchester |
6 |
East Anglia |
Norwich |
5 |
West Anglia |
Oxford |
4 |
Dumnonia |
Exeter |
3 |
Underlined towns = fortified. Bold = capital
Initial Treasury : 11
Vassals : For 1066 you start with Northern England as a vassal
Initial Army :2 Mtd Bd(O) Kings huscarls@ 5 pts
1 Bd(O) Huscarls@ 5 pts
4 Sp(O)Select Fyrd@ 4 pts
4 Sp(I)General Fyrd@ 3 pts
2 Ps(O)Archers@ 2 pts
Initial Naval :4
Can raise : Ps(O), Ps(S), Sp(I), Hd(O)
Can Promote :Sp(I) ® Sp(O) ® Bd(O)
Sp(O) or Bd(O) ® Cv(I) [Cv(I) can be dismounted as Sp(O)]
Can mount Sp(O) or Bd(O)
Generals : Can be Bd(O) or Cv(I)
Harold Godwinson succeeded his father, the all-powerful Earl Godwin, as Earl of Wessex and most powerful man in England, and on the death of King Edward claimed the throne. His brothers Gyrth and Leofwine are Earls of East Anglia & Oxfordshire and Kent & Essex respectively. There is a long standing rivalry between the Godwinsons and the Aelfgarsons - the northern Earls Edwin of Mercia and Morcar of Northumbria - although they have recognized you as King.
2. Northern ENGLAND
Ruler : Earl Edwin Aelfgarson
Home Provinces |
Towns |
Revenue Value |
Mercia |
Coventry, Chester |
6 |
Northumbria |
York |
5 |
Lindsay |
Lincoln |
4 |
Underlined towns = fortified. Bold = capital
Initial Treasury : 7
Overlord : For 1066 you start as a vassal of Southern England
Initial Army :2 Bd(O) Huscarls@ 5 pts
3 Sp(O)Select Fyrd@ 4 pts
2 Sp(I)General Fyrd@ 3 pts
2 Ps(O)Archers@ 2 pts
Initial Naval :2
Can raise : Ps(O), Ps(S), Sp(I), Hd(O)
Can Promote :Sp(I) ® Sp(O) ® Bd(O)
Sp(O) or Bd(O) ® Cv(I) [Cv(I) can be dismounted as Sp(O)]
Can mount Sp(O) or Bd(O)
Generals : Can be Bd(O) or Cv(I)
Edwin Aelfgarson succeeded his father as Earl of Mercia, and in 1065 his brother Morcar successfully overthrew Earl Tostig Godwinson of Northumbria. There is a long standing rivalry between the Godwinsons, who include the new King Harold, and the Aelfgarsons, and a history of alliance with the Welsh. The late King Gruffyd of Wales, who was murdered at Harold’s instigation in 1063, was the husband of Edwin’s sister - making the new King Bleddyn the brother’s nephew or step-nephew (I’m not sure which). You have acknowledged Harold as King to avoid leaving the throne empty, as the prospect of William or Harald Hardrada seizing it is even worse than having Harold Godwinson in it.
3. SCOTLAND
Ruler : King Malcolm Canmore
Home Provinces |
Towns |
Revenue Value |
Lothian & Fife |
Edinburgh |
5 |
Strathclyde |
Dumbarton |
4 |
Atholl |
Dunkeld |
3 |
Moray |
Inverness |
3 |
Galloway |
|
2 |
Underlined towns = fortified. Bold = capital
Initial Treasury : 7
Initial Army :1 Cv(O) Mounted thegns@ 7 pts[can be dismounted as Wb(S)]
2 Wb(S)Thegns@ 4 pts
1 LH(O)Light cavalry@ 5 pts[can be dismounted as Ps(S)]
4 Ax(O)Spearmen@ 3 pts
2 Wb(F)Galwegians@ 3 pts
2 Ps(S)Javalinmen@ 3 pts
2 Ps(O)Archers@ 2 pts
Initial Naval :3
Can raise : Ps(O) or (S), Ax(I) or (O), LH(O), Hd(O), Wb(F)
Wb(F) can only be raised in Galloway & only Wb(F) and Ps(S) can be raised there
Can Promote :Ax(I) ® Ax(O) ® Wb(S)
LH(O) or Wb(S) ® Cv(O)
Ps(S) ® LH(O) or Wb(F)
Can mount Wb(S)
Generals : Can be Cv(O) or Wb(S) or LH(O)
Malcolm Canmore successfully overthrew and killed King Macbeth in 1056 with English assistance. He continues to face opposition from Macbeths sons and supporters in the north so has moved his capital south to English-speaking Edinburgh where he feels safer.
4. ORKNEY
Ruler : Earls Paul & Erland Thorfinnson
Home Provinces |
Towns |
Revenue Value |
Orkney |
Kirkwall |
3 |
Shetland |
|
2 |
Sutherland |
|
2 |
Hebrides |
|
2 |
Underlined towns = fortified. Bold = capital
Initial Treasury : 4
Initial Army :1 Bd(O) or Bd(F)Earls huscarls@ 5 pts (your choice which)
6 Bd(F)Vikings@ 5 pts
2 Ps(O)Archers@ 2 pts
Initial Naval :4
Can raise : Ps(O) or (S), Bd(F)
Can Promote :Ps(S) ® Bd(F) ® Bd(O)
Generals : Can be Bd(O) or Bd(F)
The brothers Paul and Erland held the Norse Earldom of Orkney jointly. This was not an unusual arrangement for Norse earldoms, but what was suprising was that they managed it without coming to blows. Orkney was a notorious hotbed of vikings, and although theoretically subject to Norway was effectively independent.
5. WALES
Ruler : King Bleddyn
Home Provinces |
Towns |
Revenue Value |
Gwynedd |
Rhuddlan |
3 |
Powys |
|
3 |
Gwent |
Cardiff |
4 |
Dyfed |
|
3 |
Underlined towns = fortified. Bold = capital
Initial Treasury : 5
Initial Army :2 Cv(O)Uchelwyr@ 7 pts[can dismount as Wb(S)]
7 Wb(F)Spearmen@ 3 pts
2 Ps(O)Archers@ 2 pts
Initial Naval :1
Can raise : Ps(O) or (S), Wb(F)
Can Promote :Wb(F) ® Cv(O) or Wb(S)
Wb(S) ® Cv(O)
Generals : Can be Cv(O) or Wb(S)
I am crediting the Welsh with more unity that they actually displayed at this time. It is true that Bleddyn’s father Gruthydd managed to unit north and south Wales before his murder at the instigation of Harold Godwinson in 1063, but Bleddyn himself never quite managed this. Gruthydd used to be a strong ally of Earl Aelfgar of Mercia and his son Earl Edwin is a kinsman of Bleddyn’s.
6. NORWAY
Ruler : King Harald ‘Hardrada’ Sigurdson
Home Provinces |
Towns |
Revenue Value |
Ranrike |
Oslo |
5 |
Agdar |
|
4 |
Hordaland |
Bergen |
4 |
Trondalag |
Trondheim |
3 |
Halogaland |
|
2 |
Underlined towns = fortified. Bold = capital
Initial Treasury : 8
Initial Army :3 Bd(O)Huscarls@ 5 pts
7 Bd(I)Hird@ 4 pts
1 Wb(F)Berserkers@ 3 pts
2 Ps(O)Archers@ 2 pts
Initial Naval :5
Can raise : Ps(O) or (S), Bd(I)
Can Promote :Ps(S) ® Wb(F)
Bd(I) ® Bd(O) or Bd(F)
Ps(O) or Bd(I) ® Bw(O)
Generals : Can be Bd (O) or (F)
Harald ‘Hard-rule’ was the ultimate viking. The half-brother of St Olaf, he fought in Olaf’s army at the age of 12 and was forced to flee into exile after their defeat by a pagan alliance. He fought for 15 years as a mercenary, first in Russia and then for the Byzantine Empire in Bulgaria, Syria, Greece & Italy. Returning home he forced his nephew King Magnus to accept him as joint King of Norway, and after Magnus’ death became sole king. On the basis that as King of Norway he was the heir of King Knut he waged a bitter 17 year war against Svein Estridson of Denmark, which ended with a treaty in 1064. He has also not forgotten that England was part of Knut’s empire too.
Addenda : If you create Hird archer Bows(O) these are effectively the same troops as ordinary Hird (and are the same point value) but have bows. They can therefore be deployed as Blades(I) in a battle if you decide this before they are deployed. A maximum of a third of the Hird can be so armed, so the number of Bow(O) elements cannot exceed half the number of Blade(I) elements.
7. DENMARK
Ruler : King Svein Estridson
Home Provinces |
Towns |
Revenue Value |
North Jutland |
Viborg |
5 |
South Jutland |
Slesvig |
4 |
Fyn |
Odense |
3 |
Zealand |
Roskilde |
3 |
Skane |
Lund |
3 |
Underlined towns = fortified. Bold = capital
Forces as of Spring 1067
Treasury : 18 (located at Viborg)
Army : All the following are at Viborg
3 Bd(O)Huscarls@ 5 pts
7 Bd(I)Hird@ 4 pts
1 Bw(O)Hird archers@ 4 pts (can be deployed as Bd(I) if desired)
5 Ps(O)Skirmish archers@ 2 pts
1 supply
Naval :5 (all ashore in N.Jutland)
Can raise : Ps(O) or (S), Bd(I)
Can Promote :Ps(S) ® Wb(F)
Bd(I) ® Bd(O) or Bd(F)
Ps(O) or Bd(I) ® Bw(O) - number of Bw(O) limited to half number of Bd(I)
Can mount Bd(O)
Generals : Can be Bd(O)
As the grandson of King Knut, Svein believed he had a claim to the thrones of Norway and England too. Unfortunately Harald of Norway had the same idea and the two kingdoms waged a bitter 17 year war which only ended with a peace treaty in 1064 in which each acknowledged the legitimacy of the others rule. In all those 17 years (indeed in all his life) Svein never won a battle, yet historically he died peacefully in his bed and left his kingdom to his son.
8. FLANDERS
Ruler : Count Arnulf I
Home Provinces |
Towns |
Revenue Value |
Western Flanders |
Lille |
5 |
Eastern Flanders |
Bruge, Ghent |
6 |
Hainault |
Cambrai |
4 |
Underlined towns = fortified. Bold = capital
Treasury (Winter 1068): 20
Overlord : You are a vassal of France.
Army (Winter 1068):5 Kn(F)Milites@ 9 pts[can dismount as Sp(S)]6 Sp(O)Heavy spearmen@ 4 pts
2 Ps(O)Archers@ 2 pts
This army has the maximum number of elements for 3 provinces!
Naval Elements:4
Can raise : Sp(I) or (O), Kn(F), Ps(O), Hd(O)
Can Promote :Sp(I) ® Sp(O) ® Kn(F)
Ps(O) ® Bw(I)
Generals : Can be Kn(F)
Disposition (Winter 1068):
Bruge garrison - 4 Kn(F), 5 Sp(O), 2 Ps(O)
Cambrai garrison - 1 Sp(O)
With Count Arnulf at Lille - 1 Kn(F)
Fleets - 4 naval at E.Flanders
Flanders was the most affluent and prosperous region in northern Europe at the time, and Bruge and Ghent the largest cities outside Italy. One effect of this was that Flemish city militia spearmen were significantly superior to most feudal infantry, and were sought after as mercenaries. A political complication which I will ignore is that although Flanders was in France, Hainault was a county of the Holy Roman Empire. Baldwin V gained control of it when his son and heir inherited the title of Count of Hainault be marraige. When the elderly Baldwin V died (in 1067), both counties were united under Baldwin VI. When Baldwin VI in turn died of natural causes without an heir (actually in early 1069), the expanded County passed to his brother Arnulf. Duke William of Normandy was married to Arnulf’s sister Matilda (making Duke Robert his nephew), and another daughter was married to Tostig Godwinson.
9. NORMANDY
Ruler : Duke William II ‘the Bastard’
Home Provinces |
Towns |
Revenue Value |
Eastern Normandy |
Rouen |
5 |
Western Normandy |
Caen |
5 |
Maine |
Le Man |
4 |
Channel Isles |
|
2 |
Underlined towns = fortified. Bold = capital
Initial Treasury : 7
Overlord : For 1066 you start as a vassal of France
Vassals : For 1066 you start with Brittany as a vassal
Initial Army :8 Kn(F)Milites@ 9 pts[can dismount as Sp(S)]
2 Sp(I)Spearmen@ 3 pts
2 Ps(O)Archers@ 2 pts
Initial Naval :3
Can raise : Sp(I), Kn(F), Ps(O), Hd(O)
Can’t raise Kn(F) or Hd(O) on the Channel Isles
Can Promote :Sp(I) ® Sp(O)
Ps(O) ® Bw(I)
Generals : Can be Kn(F)
I am sure William the Bastard needs no introduction - historically he ‘won’ this campaign after all!
10. BRITTANY
Ruler : Count Alain Fergant
Home Provinces |
Towns |
Revenue Value |
Northern Brittany |
Rennes |
4 |
Southern Brittany |
Nantes |
5 |
Western Brittany |
Brest |
4 |
Underlined towns = fortified. Bold = capital
Initial Treasury : 5
Overlord : For 1066 you start as a vassal of Normandy
Initial Army :6 Cv(O)Breton milites@ 7 pts[can dismount as Sp(O)]
1 LH(O)Light horsemen@ 5 pts[can dismount as Ps(S)]
2 Ps(S)Javalinmen@ 3 pts
Initial Naval :3
Can raise : Cv(O), Kn(F), Sp(I), Ps(O) or (S), LH(O), Hd(O)
[Kn(F) dismount as Sp(S)]
Can Promote :Sp(I) ® Sp(O) ® Cv(O) ® Kn(F)
Ps(S) ® LH(O) ® Cv(O) ® Kn(F)
Generals : Can be Cv(O) or Kn(F)
Although technically a county of France, Brittany was ethnically distinct, and this is reflected in the different classification of Breton milites. I have given you the option to start adopting French knight tactics if you wish. Count Alain seized Brittany in 1065 with the aid of his cousin Duke William of Normandy, and was therefore tributary to him.
11. FRANCE
Ruler : King Philip I
Home Provinces |
Towns |
Revenue Value |
Ile de France |
Paris, Orleans |
6 |
Blois |
Blois |
4 |
Ponthieu |
Boulogne |
4 |
Champagne |
Rheims |
5 |
Underlined towns = fortified. Bold = capital
Initial Treasury : 5
Vassals : For 1066 you start with Normandy & Flanders as vassals.
Initial Army :4 Kn(F)Milites@ 9 pts[can dismount as Sp(S)]
2 Sp(I)Spearmen@ 3 pts
1 Ps(O)Archers@ 2 pts
Initial Naval :1
Can raise : Sp(I), Kn(F), Ps(O), Hd(O)
Can Promote :Sp(I) ® Sp(O) ® Kn(F)
Ps(O) ® Bw(I)
Generals : Can be Kn(F)
The young King Philip was just starting to exercise his authority in 1066. As King of France he is theoretically very powerful but actually his power does not extend far beyond the royal domain around Paris. I have given you control of the counties of Blois/Chartres, Champagne & Ponthieu, but at the cost that you can expect no aid from the southern counties, except that in the event that Paris is beseiged they may send you some assistance.
Dave.
Your situation as of Summer 1067 is:
Ruler : still King Philip. He is in Boulogne.
Troops:1 Sp(I) garrisoning Paris
5 Kn(F), 2 Sp(I) & 1Ps(O) with Philip at Boulogne
Baggage: none
Fleets: 2 fleet element at Boulogne
Treasury: £7 located in Paris
Vassals: besides Normandy & Flanders, Brittany has now also become your vassal.
12. IRELAND
Ruler : King Toirrdelbach Ua’Brian
Home Provinces |
Towns |
Revenue Value |
Connaught |
Galway |
3 |
Ulster |
Armagh |
4 |
Leinster |
Wexford |
4 |
Munster |
Cashal |
3 |
Underlined towns = fortified. Bold = capital
Initial Treasury : 5
Initial Army :2 Ax(S)Noble warriors@ 4 pts
7 Ax(O)Bonnachts@ 3 pts
2 Ps(S)Kerns@ 3 pts
Initial Naval :2
Can raise : Bd(F) [Ostmen], Ax(I), Ps(I), Hd(F)
Can Promote :Ps(I) ® Ps(S) or Ax(I) ® Ax(O) ® Ax(S)
Can mount Ax(S)
Generals : Can be Ax(S)
I know the least about the situation in Ireland at this time, but I have credited it with much more unity than it actually had. There were a multitude of petty kingdoms and about seven large ones at the time. The High Kingship of Ireland had been in abbeyance since 1022, but as the descendents of Brian Boru, the last effective High King, the Ua’Brians of Connaught were major players and Toirrdelbach seems to have been the most powerful king in Ireland in 1066 (or at least in 1070 when Archbiship Lanfranc wrote to him). My selection of Galway as the capital is based on this but is a bit arbitrary. The Ostmen, Norse settlers around the Irish coast, were still ethnically distinct.
13. DUBLIN & MAN
Ruler : King Gofraid
Home Provinces |
Towns |
Revenue Value |
Dublin |
Dublin |
4 |
Man |
|
2 |
Underlined towns = fortified. Bold = capital
Initial Treasury : 3
Initial Army :1 Bd(O)Huscarls@ 5 pts
3 Bd(F)Vikings@ 5 pts
2 Ps(O)Archers@ 2 pts
Initial Naval :2
Can raise : Bd(I), Bd(F), Ps(O) or (S)
Can Promote :Bd(I) ® Bd(O) or Bd(F)
Bd(F) ® Bd(O)
Can mount Bd(O)
Generals : Can be Bd(F) or Bd(O)
Congratulations, you’ve drawn the short straw. Your kingdom is I am afraid the weakest in the game. Look on it as a challenge. The norse Kingdom of Dublin was founded by viking settlers and looked for a while at the end of the 10th century as if it was going to take over all Ireland, and although defeated kept its independence under its own norse kings until conquered by the Normans in the 12th century. I have included Man in your provinces as although the two kingdoms were never actually united they were often closely allied.
14. STRATHCLYDE
Ruler : King Maerlswegen
Home Provinces |
Towns |
Revenue Value |
Strathclyde |
Dumbarton |
4 |
Cumbria |
Carlisle |
3 |
Galloway |
|
2 |
Underlined towns = fortified. Bold = capital
Overlord : You are a vassal of Earl Edwin of Mercia, ruler of Northern England.
Allies : N.England
Treasury (Autumn 1070) : nil
Fleets (Autumn 1070) : 1 unit (Strathclyde)
Army (Autumn 1070) :
1 Cv(O) Mounted thegns@ 7 pts[can be dismounted as Wb(S)]
1 LH(O)Light cavalry@ 5 pts[can be dismounted as Ps(S)]
1 Ax(O)Spearmen@ 3 pts
1 Wb(F)Galwegians@ 3 pts
2 Ps(S)Javalinmen@ 3 pts
2 Ps(O)Archers@ 2 pts
Can raise : Ps(O) or (S), Ax(I) or (O), LH(O), Hd(O), Wb(F)
Wb(F) can only be raised in Galloway & only Wb(F) and Ps(S) can be raised there
Can Promote :Ax(I) ® Ax(O) ® Wb(S)
LH(O) or Wb(S) ® Cv(O)
Ps(S) ® LH(O) or Wb(F)
Can mount Wb(S)
Generals : Can be Cv(O) or Wb(S) or LH(O)
The Kingdom of Strathclyde was the last of the lowland Welsh kingdoms to survive the coming of the English - the last of the Arthurian kingdoms. Indeed it reached its greatest extent in the 8th Century under King Ridderach, but it could not resist the rise of a united Scotland to the north and a united England to the south, and in 1002 Strathclyde was annexed to Scotland by Malcolm II. Cumbria became a no-man’s land between Scotland, England and the vikings before being annexed to England by William II in the 1090s, and Galloway a stronghold of the Gall Gael (a hybrid viking/Irish people of ferocious reputation) until Macbeth partly brought it under Scottish rule in the 1050s.
EXCEPT that in this version of history the Northumbrian Earl Morcar supported Maerlswegen, the self-styled "Earl" of Cumbria, to build up his power and capture Strathclyde and Galloway back from the Scots, and in 1068 the ancient Kingdom of Strathclyde was reborn.
Note that Strathclyde and Galloway, although ‘home’ provinces for you, are also ‘home’ provinces for Scotland (as they were part of Scotland until a few years ago).
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