This is the second of the After Action Reports (AAR) chronicling the rise of the Irish Kingdoms, from backwater Petty Kingdom to... something... tracing the dynasty of the Briain throughout the Middle Ages. The first AAR can be found here: Part 1

The Irish Kingdom has been progressing quite well under the High King Artucan of Ireland and potential unifier of Britannia. As a kingdom, slow advances have been made in expanding the borders towards the north into Scotland and to the East into Wales. However, things have not always gone to plan with the various succession plans of other houses, which have led to some interesting developments that need to rectified.

However, on a personal front... not everything has been going smoothly for the High King. He has had a number of children die in childhood or be stillborn... and the stress is really getting him down. Despite the brave public persona as leader of a successful Kingdom that is starting to make it's presence known on the European mainland, the High King is suffering from the loss of his children. At this point, he is going to turn to drink or to turn inwards to seek solace in his wife. Keep in mind, that marriages at this time were arranged marriages to solidify alliances, and so it is quite an unusual step for the High King to open himself up so fully to his Queen.

One will have to hope that this trust is not misplaced.... however, in the depths of despair, one can't be forever on their guard.

... meanwhile, High King Artucan's beloved Queen falls ill to an unknown sickness... and worse still, the Court Physician screws up the treatment leading to a sicker Queen... and a very pissed off High King! However, High King Artucan is not a vengeful person and there was no death involved. The Court Physician gets away with a harsh warning... but if it happens again... (perhaps, I should have chosen a Physician that didn't have the Sadistic trait...).

Meanwhile, the Pope has got it in his head to launch a Crusade for the Holy Lands of Jerusalem which is currently occupied. High King Artucan has never participated in a Crusade before... well, neither had anyone, this was the First Crusade in history! Artucan decides to participate with military forces to try and curry favour with the Pope, in the expectation that a higher papal approval will make a future Holy War with the Welsh Messaliaan heathens (the sex crazed maniacs who worship their God by interbreeding...) much more palatable for the Catholic world.

Plus, I figure that if things go badly, I can run back to the far-off Isles of Ireland and hide behind the substantial might of the rest of the Western European lands!

As it turns out, the First Crusade was a close fought affair between the Papal Forces and the Middle Eastern kingdoms.... but the end result was a resounding victory for the Catholic attackers. As the lead contributor to the Crusade, my Kingdom was allowed to nominate the next ruler of the Holy Lands.

High King Artucan saw this as an opportunity to install his vicious sister, Muadhnait, as the Crusader Queen. She was pure evil, and a possible threat to the Briain Dynasty. So, shunting her to the other end of the world... surrounded by hostile and aggrieved kingdoms seemed to like a good way to put her out of the picture.

Meanwhile, with the Crusade resulting in victory, it was time to turn eyes back to more domestic affairs.

During the Crusade, it became apparent that the powerful Northern Duchy of the Isles (held by Duke Domnall the Fifth) which lie in the Scottish de Jure region was likely to pass out of Irish control if the current title holder passed away. The heir of my current vassal turned out to be loyal to defeated Scottish King... so this was a situation that would have to be remedied.

However, just as I went to apply some dagger and poison persuasion to the heir of the Isles to consider an early grave. A quick switch happened... the current title holder died... and unexpectedly, the heir declared loyalty to Artucan... whilst a sibling took titles on the Irish mainland and defected to SCOTLAND!

... this was now a quarrel between the King of Scotland and the King of Ireland... one that would only be remedied with Fire and Sword. Thankfully, Scotland had been brought to heel many times in the past decades by the High King Artucan, and this time would be no different. With no allies, the Scottish King was subjugated again....

... and rightful Irish lands returned back to Irish rule.

A measure of peace had returned back to the lands of Artucan, the Welsh orgy lovers were no longer a valid target for a Holy War... perhaps later, when they were completely inbred would a horrified world support a cleansing.

Now was a time for rebuilding and seeing out the retirement and the dying years of the High King before the transition. During this time, the High King managed to befriend and then seduce his High Queen... bonding them as lovers.

.. a Second Crusade for Syria was declared by the Pope, and dutifully fought by the Irish Realm.. and this time High King Artucan installed a benevolent and just ruler in the form of his cousin, Queen Aine.

Strangely enough, even after over a decade in completely hostile territory, the Crusader Queen Muadhnait is still flourishing! I had long thought that she would have succumbed to the array of kingdoms surrounding Jerusalem... but somehow, she was ruthless enough to survive. However, I do notice that her spouse was not quite so lucky...

And this was the point when High King Artucan passed away... in the process of Romancing his High Queen in the hopes of becoming soulmates. A few more months, and they would have been life-long partners and completely inseparable in this world and the next. Sadly... it was never to be.

High King Artucan passed away peacefully, and was succeeded by his son... confusingly also named Artucan.

A Shy introvert of a King, the younger Artucan would focuse more on the administrative tasks of building and maintaining the Irish Kingdom. Most of the conquests were already completed in the name of his father, and this reign was looking to be a period of consolidation... of furthering the study of Natural Philosophy and the Arts with the incoming flows of gold running steadily from the vassal taxes.

As a newly appointed King, Artucan faces the challenge of convincing his father's vassals to follow him... being a Shy King means that the traditional means of Swaying the interests of the lower royalty would be too Stressful, so it would need to be gifts of gold that would get this new King through the difficult initial phases of maintaining power.

Unfortunately, there is to be no grace period for the new High King... soon afterwards, the Black Plague starts appearing in the court of Ireland. About 12 courtiers fail to socially distance themselves and protect their loved ones... and that results in three premature deaths due to the infection disease. If only they had listened to the Natural Philosophers and disregarded their cultist churches...

Over the coming years, the young King Artucan will be building the foundations for the eventual re-uniting of the Empire of Britannia under the Irish banner. Danelaw is riven by rebellion and overseas wars, Wales is fractured and weak... and Scotland is only protected by the temporary alliances with the more powerful Nordic countries of Sweden and Denmark.

Meanwhile, the armies of Ireland grow stronger with development of new technologies and the training of more expensive and powerful regiments of professional men-at-arms. Even if the conquest doesn't take place in this current King's lifetime... the foundation will be laid for his heir!

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