Part 25: XXV. Archambaut II, Laurence V 1802-1836 A.D.

It was Prussia that led the first crusade against the revolutionary fervor that had shattered Rum. In 1804 the Prussian King declared war on the Finns. Archambaut II issued his own declaration of war in support of his Prussian ally a few days later. Little aid beyond money and good wishes made it north, however, as the Byzantines and revolutionary Russian republic still separated the allies.

Archambaut II had a crusade of his own. In 1806 it came to fruition. The last major enclave of Islam in Arabia was eliminated. From the Atlantic coast of Africa, to the edge of India, Christ ruled supreme.


Paganism was on the wane in Nicholia, too. Troops of the Federal Republic eliminated the last, pitiful remnants of the Aztec state in 1807.



That same year, Archambaut II drew up plans against the revolutionary republic of Georgia. The Byzantines had recently sized several Georgian provinces, and the King worried about them extending their influence further along Jerusalem's northern border. Byzantine control of Georgia would mean that Constantinople would control the entire coastline of the Black sea.

In March of 1807, Archambaut II trumped up charges that Georgia was sending spies and revolutionary agents across the border into the Kingdom of Christ. He declared war days later.

The situation in early 1807.

The invasion was led by 44,000 men under the command of General Hugh de Saint Chamond, a brilliant leader who easily outmatched anyone the Georgians could muster.


Although Jerusalem easily defeated the Georgians in the field, the revolutionaries took good advantage of the extensive network of strong fortifications and strongholds that Rum had left behind. The Georgian capital of Imereti fell in September, and at first it seemed the war would be over quickly, but General Hugh de Saint Chamond suffered an embarrassing defeat when he lost 15,000 men in a series of mass charges against the Georgian fort in Astrakhan.


The Kingdom's victory was almost inevitable, however, and after another year of fighting, Archambaut II was triumphant. The revolutionary government was disbanded, a loyal Catholic King was put on the throne, and the country was made a vassal of Jerusalem.



In 1810, the Byzantine Empress Zoe II, invited Archambaut to the border city of Mus for a series of talks. Not much came of the meetings, other then a few expanded trade agreements, but the Empress made a point of demonstrating the new, highly organized tactics of the Byzantine army during a parade drill. As usual, Jerusalem was still playing catch-up on the technology and tactics front.


Prussia settled a peace treaty with Finland that fall, taking the provinces of Ingermanland and Neva under their protection. Archambaut II sent a note of congratulations to his fellow monarch.


Even Jerusalem was not entirely deaf to the ideas of the Nicholian democrats and northern revolutionaries. In 1811, at the advice of his High Council of Cardinals and Governors, Archambaut II signed into law a Bill of Rights protecting the Catholic citizens of the Kingdom. In many respects the Bill was purely symbolic, and was mocked in more progressive nations, but it was still an important step forward for the Kingdom.



In 1812, a small renaissance in architecture began in Jerusalem. Many of these beautiful new buildings were libraries, meeting houses, and government offices. The age of dedicating the Kingdoms art only to the Church and God was gradually fading.
This actually moved us 2 points towards innovative, so we're past the half-way point towards being a much more modern and progressive nation.


Over the next few years, the Byzantines won a pair of wars against both Poland and Russia, taking several provinces under their protection. Troops were moved into garrison and support Georgia, and dissuade the Empress from any designs in that direction.



Jerusalem, meanwhile, continued to prosper under the wise and peaceful guidance of Archambaut II.


In the north, Finland had done worse then simply reject monarchal government. They had begun tearing down churches and instituting a 'Reign of Reason'. Prussia immediately declared war on receiving news that the Bishop of Helsinki had been executed. Jerusalem joined in, not realizing quite how long a war this would end up being.
I forgot to tweak the country files, so Finland actually remained a pagan nation when they were released from the fall of Rum. I think we can take that as a French revolution style rejection of religion.

In April of 1821, the Kingdom of Leon inherited the Kingdom of Catalunya. The two Iberian Kingdoms had worked hand in hand and been strong allies for many centuries. Now they were truly united.



Archambaut II died peacefully in his sleep on the 9th of July, 1823. Sadly, his son was still too young to reign, but his advisors had been carefully picked against this eventuality.


In 1825 the Kingdom managed to perfect the techniques of their northern neighbors. Jerusalem had come a long, long way since the days when Louis the Great had carved out an empire with sword and shield.



Across the Atlantic the constant wars between the Confederacy and the Federal Republic continued. In the latest war, the FRN had won several early victories but slowly been pushed back. In then end they were forced to make substantial concessions to the CSN.



In 1827, at the age of 16, Laurence V took the throne, a brilliant young man whose like had rarely been seen on the throne of Jerusalem.


In 1831, after a long decade of bloody fighting, Prussia annexed Finland. Churches were rebuilt and order restored. China continued to expand in south-east Asia, and the Scottish Union annexed the pitiful remnants of Ireland.




In 1836, King Laurence V had ruled for nine years. He was twenty-five years old. He had inherited all the prosperity and peace that his father had built. No one yet suspected or dreamed of the magnitude of the changes that would sweep through the Kingdom of Jerusalem during his reign.

On Christmas Eve there was a great celebration in Jerusalem. After Mass, jugglers, dancers, and other entertainers whirled through the palace. There was a marvelous exhibition of wonders and inventions in the great hall. In bygone times, the Kings of Jerusalem would have been shocked and disapproving of such frivolity on the eve of the birth of the Savior, but Jerusalem was a rich and mighty empire now, luxuriating in its own wealth and power.

Late in the evening, King Laurence V was shanghaied by a pack of his favorite Dukes and Governors. A man from Italy had come with a wondrous invention, and several of the Dukes had already posed for him. Young Laurence was always game for new delights and inventions and willingly followed his friend's instructions.

The next morning the Italian presented him with the strangest and most marvelous Christmas gift he had ever received. He stared at his image for a long, long time.


Once again, change was coming to Jerusalem…

THE END
OF THE SAGA OF
THE KINGDOM OF JERUSALEM
IN EUROPA UNIVERSALIS III

THE BEGINNING
OF THE SAGA OF
THE KINGDOM OF JERUSALEM
IN VICTORIA