With the arrival of the year 1089 I will take a quick look at the world around me...
It seems Byzantium may have stabilized a bit. They are no longer warring the turks, but still have two rebellious provinces. A couple of independent realms popped up in Anatolia, some Muslim, some Christian.
The north east has developed a couple of larger states, and we can just barely see that Germany has essentially fallen into many different little states.
I'm alive and well. My sons are growing strong, and my realm remains able. Things are actually looking decent.
My boy Dorotheos is aging.
For his 5th year birthday present I send him to train with the army. He will be a strong, capable soldier when he matures.
As the winter snows melt, I decide to spend my saved monies on a training-grounds in Belgrade.
It will speed my troops recruitment time and increase the number of troops supportable int he province.
Sheesh, my step-mom is just full of intrigue!
Age has been kind to her. She has only gotten more skill as the years passed. I hope she lives to be 70!
She may be selfish and have worms, but damn I love her
My wife and I have established a friendship few counts can claim to have with their wife. I am chaste, devoted only to her.
WAIT. A. MINUTE...
My liege is married to Ripsime Baghuashi! That's the former Princess of Thrace I allied five years ago! I had lost track of her when her realm was re-captured by the emperor! I feared she was dead! Wow... interesting how these things go....
I've discovered the most interesting information:
It seems I have a claim on the title of Prince of Samos. My clerks managed to dig the info up from some old records, I doubt my father even knew.
Samos is a poor island, and get this: they're allied to my liege...
Oh jeeze oh jeeze!
This is big- like- really BIG.
I can't turn down an opportunity like this.
With the claim I can war Samos. Since the Princeipality of Samos consists of just one province, should I take the land I should be able to easily force Konstantinos Kantakouzenos (the prince) to accept peace and grant me the title of Prince. I will not get the province Samos, but I will have the Prince title!
But oh boy oh boy there is more:
I
could expend my prestige to make a grab on the title count of Samos... Then I could force Konstantinos to accept me as Count of Samos as well and I would get the province too.
OR I could instead make the grab on the title count of Vidin, like mentioned last year. Since My liege
may side with Samos in the war, I'd be forced to defeat him anyways, if I grab his title I could possible capture the province of VIdin (a neighboring province to my own) AND the title Prince of Samos. Then I would eb free of my allegiance to Romanos and I would be up one province, with all of the clustered together...
Holy Moly I have options...
What should I do?!?!
EDIT: Damn, I'm like a giddy school girl at the end there... I just couldn't contain my excitement and was typing as fast as I could:-)
Now I just need someone to give me an idea of what to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!