1280-1281

Game map by the end of 1281

* Theodoric I unanimously elected King of the Germans, bringing a swift end to the Great Imperial Interregnum
* Peace of Genoa signed, restoring peace to Northern Italy
* John IV Laskaris overthrown in the Byzantine Empire. He is succeeded by Skantarios Laskaris
* Bohemond II of Syria crowned Emperor of the East by Pope Nicholas III

### Military

* English make strategic gains in Scotland with the help of Ferdinand of Portugal, but the war is a stalemate
* Andrey of Vladimir wins the Rurikid war
* Byzantine civil war of 1281: Skantarios Laskaris claims the imperial title and is supported by Romanos Melissenos
* Battle of Blachernae: Michael Palaiologos assaults the imperial palace at Constantinople, slaughters the Laskarid court and imprisons and blinds John IV

### Deaths

* Otto VII, King of Germany, who died in Polish captivity
* Henry of Luxembourg and Rudolf of Habsburg, who killed each other in a duel
* George Mouzalon, murdered by Michael Palaiologos
* Michael Palaiologos, executed by Skantarios Laskaris

The following is the turn report covering the years of **1280 and 1281**, which took place from 28 March to 2 April 2017.

## The First Dance of the Lions

The First Dance of the Lions has started dramatically, setting standards for future confrontations between Alexander of Scotland and William III.
Both sides have struck the other hard and gone far and beyond in taking risks to bring the other to heel. In the two years of 1280 and 1281 much has happened, the first and foremost was the invasion of the Firth and the battle of the Tees.

Alexander of Scotland found himself with little opposition as his cousin arrived from Holland with reinforcements and managed to take Newcastle upon Tyne before the year was over. The next year Edward of Ireland's forces finally were able to move from Lancaster, were they had arrived the year before towards York. They met Alexander near the river Tyne, ending up defeated through Floris able command. Edward had to retreat towards Leincester as Alexander took control of the Cleveland hills, threatening York as the year 1282 dawned.

Further this victory had great implications for the kingdom of England. King William was forced to raise new taxes to gather a fresh army to reinforce Edward at Leincester, but they were ill-paid, especially considering that the years of expeditions mounted by Henry III had already far eaten into the treasury. With the Prince of Wales taking his troops home, many are fearing that the centre will not hope, that King William may end up panicking. Which would be tragic at the same time, the English in Scotland are winning.

The reason that Alexander did not meet any resistance when he first marched south was that the vast majority of the English army had left. When news reached him later that year he decided to instead gamble on a southern victory forcing the English to abandon their invasion.

What exactly had happened?

The English-Portuguese army, supported by a small expedition force and fleet from the Norwegians who at the same time declared war on Scotland (demanding the Orkneys and that the Scots renounce any rights to the Norwegian crown), had sailed northwards invading alongside the Firth of Forth. Ferdinand of Portugal proved an excellent commander in a brief battle with the Hollanders, who after dropping off their forces had come north expecting enemy free waters. During the next two years they took Kirkcaldy, Edinburgh and Stirling, but they failed to penetrate from there on into the inside of the country as the Comyns and other Highland clans stayed loyal to the Hollanders, as while they detested them, they would rather die than see an english regime. So the English were in an awkward situation, as they had made great strategic gains, but now had little to advance from there.

Meanwhile in the south the Frisians have risen in rebellion against the Duke of Holland to make him renounce his claims towards overlordship over their traditionally direct imperial free land. There are whispers that some nobles in Holland may join such insurrection, dissatisfied with the ducal families year long absence.

In the north a great fleet by the Norwegians have invaded the Orkneys, taking control of them by the end of the year save for one castle, that keeps holding out.

In France these news have caused joy and uproar, as many welcome English defeats, while also urging in many ways, war to aid the Count of Artois and to put pressure on the English to make favourable peace with Scotland.

## Western and Eastern Europe

* The years of 1280 and 1281 were years of Peace for the lands of France and Burgundy as king Louis' position settled in and most of his vassals confined their conflicts to angry letters towards each other, but not much more. The treasury recovered and great harvests were had by all.
* Dietrich's first year of rule was peaceful as all vassals returned to the imperial peace as Dietrich called for a great imperial diet in the year 1283 to see justice done and bring all trouble before the Empire. It seems like the Wittelsbachs are determined to build their legacy
* First advances are made to implement a courier system in Bohemia, which by the end of 1281 have managed to extend to most of the centre of Bohemia with notable outposts throughout to border of the old kingdom.
* Mining experiences a great boom in Bohemia, in no small part influenced by the still unusable mines of the Wettins and also, because king Dietrich is promoting Munich and Landshut as trade nodes for trading Bohemian goods and other wares from the east with French and Flemish products.
* In Italy peace reigns as all sides return home and lick their wounds. Pirate activity along the entire coast from the County of Tolouse and the Papal states has sharpy increased.
* Following the years of war king Wladyslaw returns triumphantly to Poland in late 1281 only to find, that his capital, Cracow, has barred its gate to him, demanding first a cancelling of remaining war taxes to be raised. The army is getting nervous, as that could mean that the king is unable to pay them.
* Andrey of Vladimir has won the civil war with his younger brother Alexei, who has fled to the Swedish court. For now the lands of Alexander Nevsky have been reunited.

## The East

Byzantine emperor John IV Laskaris is overthrown by his brother Skantarios. John IV is blinded and sent into monastic exile. Michael Palaiologos is executed for *lèse-majesté*.

The return of Bohemond I from Italy has been hailed as a great success amongst the Latins of the region, as Hugh immediately made peace which saw him retain Cyprus as an independent kingdom, while the Jerusalemites fell into line under their new rulers. In Armenia and Greece however, many were fearful and insulted, that these unwashed barbarians dared to call themselves "Emperors of the East". Especially in Constantinople, this feeling has gained much traction, especially following the tragic events of 1281. Many now looked towards Emperor Skantarios to lead them through these troubled times, especially as at the same time news came from the Bulgarian border that yet another horde of Bulgarian refugees were nearing the Roman border.

## Other Events

#### The Polo Lottery

In Venice it has become a public joke of sorts for men with too much money on their hand to put investments in the still ongoing Polo undertaking. Following the departure of Marco Polo and his father, the heirs of the vast Dandolo fortune, to travel to China for a second time, the managers of the vast estate have started a speculative investment market solely based around the profits the Polo adventure promises. The entirely fictional profits have since experienced bubbling and falling, before becoming trash were rich people invest in as a joke. What however started out as a joke would over the centuries develop in the system of stock exchange we know today, leading eventually to the naming of the Italian benchmark index as the "POLO".​

## References

https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/before-the-fall.36591/page-20#post-8204151