Capua

Capua starts as a OPM under vassalage of the Papal States. Capua is ruled by Robert XI de Hauteville, also known as the "Mad Duke of Capua."

## Lore

Amidst the chaos of the 9th and 10th Centuries, an innumerably large heathen host carved out the island of Sicily from Byzantine hands, forcing the Greeks to withdraw their remaining forces to Italy-proper. Indeed, the situation proved dire enough to necessitate recruitment of mercenaries from across Europe. Chief among the brave few who took up the sword for Christendom were the Normans, hailing from Francia and the far north, and renowned as cunning yet cruel opportunists.

Alas, despite Byzantium's best efforts to reclaim the lost island, the incessant infighting of the local landholders saw their power base in Southern Italy disintegrate by the 11th Century, thus spurring the Normans into action. Baring their fangs for friend and foe alike to see, the once-loyal mercenaries turned their spears and cavalry against the Greeks.

## Capuan Ideas

### Traditions

Privateer Efficiency +10.0%May Raid Coasts

𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭Galley Combat Ability: +15.0%

𝐃𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞'𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭Diplomatic Technology Cost: -10.0%

𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫Mercenary Cost: -10.0%

𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝Cavalry Combat Ability: +10.0%

𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬Monthly War Exhaustion: -0.05

𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐢 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐢 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢Yearly Prestige: +1.00

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠Missionary Strength: +2.0%

### Ambition

Max Promoted Cultures: +1

Come AD 1050, the daring adventurer Robert Guiscard de Hauteville had finally purged the last bastions of Byzantine resistance in Apulia, declaring himself King of Trinacria with approval from both the Holy Roman Emperor and the Pope, despite never holding its titular lands. While initially a strong bulwark against both the Greeks and Sicilians, it was only a matter of time before the wind blew the straw house away. Brought on by intense dynastic and feudal conflicts, a period of decline in the following centuries culminated in the Sicilian invasion of Naples from 1352, swatting all but the Normans away with relative ease.

Though the Latin Coalition was formed in the 1340s to stave off the Saracen hydra, the Normans were abandoned following an aristocratic spat on the eve of battle. The following day was the fateful Battle of Amalfi in AD 1353, where a bulk of the remaining Italian forces were decisively destroyed. Forced to relinquish much of their territory after the city of Naples' fall that same year, the Normans withdrew to the stronghold of Capua along with the treasury and a portion of their remaining fleet.

By AD 1355 the situation was deemed irreversible, but a wrench was thrown in the works when the Normans achieved a miraculous victory at the Battle of Capua, routing the Sicilian besiegers in a surprise night attack. When the Emir succumbed to camp fever three days later while travelling to Naples, the dire news threw the Saracens into disarray. Truly a sign of divine providence, the Normans seized the calls for peace by the throat. In exchange for respite and the release of hostages, King Hubert of Trinacria controversially surrendered his crown for recognition in Capua.

Effectively forced into servitude of the Pope, the Normans have been biding their time for nigh on a century. In the early 15th Century, the ambitious Duke Rufus III and his eccentric son Robert had reformed the rump state into a reaver's haven. Alas, with Rufus' death at Valencia, Robert XI de Hauteville finds himself standing alone, derided as the "Mad Duke of Capua" for his unhinged nature. The cornered wolf that he is, though, Robert won't hesitate to strike the moment he finds an opening.

### Missions

Capua does not have a very detailed mission tree, consisting of only 6 unique missions, with the rest being generic EU4 missions. 4 out of the 6 missions revolve around gaining independence, building up your army, and then conquering Sicilian lands. The other 2 revolve around improving relations with the Papacy and joining the HRE.

### Events

Capua has a very unique and interesting event chain that starts when you capture Rome from the Papal States. However, the event chain only starts if your starting ruler, Robert XI de Hauteville is still alive when Rome is under your control. After a series of events, Robert XI de Hauteville can become **Immortal**.