The Dance of Death - Gameplay Thread (1215)

[Garlan Gunter]

JUDGEMENTS REGARDING FREDERICK OF HOHENSTAUFEN, LATELY KING OF SICILY

I When King Frederick was a minor and his mother Queen Constance deceased, Pope Innocent acted as Regent of Sicily and guarded the honour of that realm justly and well.

II Frederick grew up a promising and pious prince and pupil, and was accordingly trusted as an Imperial candidate during certain of the former malefactions of the Emperor Otto.

III Against the Holy Father's advice, young Frederick strayed from the straight and narrow path and in conspiracy with the Emperor Otto thought to share power in defiance of the electors, citing worm-eaten and pagan precedents.

IV Both imperial rivals were shortly after brought to the light, and Frederick signalled his entire willingness to relinquish his imperial title in exchange for the future Papal Vicariate of Lombardy and the negotiations that culminated in the Italian League. At this time King Frederick was virtuously forward also in avouching his support for the Spanish Crusade.

V Alas for the wiles of Lucifer, this year congealed in Frederick's veins the black blood of the Staufen kind which had appeared to be staunched away. He repeated vile and ridiculous libels against the Papacy, refused a final chance to be shriven clean alongside the true Emperor and in the love of the Holy Father, and privately lodged impossible and risible demands to the Holy See.

VI Pope Innocent yet remembers with much tenderness and weeping a youth of affection, gratitude, honour, and ability. His only conclusion is that that youth's mind has been altogether overthrown by inherited Staufen madness and impiety.

VII His Holiness finds himself obliged to take the following steps -

The Kingdom of Sicily is expelled from the Italian League until Frederick or other authorities therein submit to Papal authority;

The Pope claims the Kingdom's Regency, as if the maddened Frederick is become once again a minor, until he returns to obedience or a more suitable monarch stands forth (the Papacy here notes the possible rights of the House of Brienne);

While an unrepentant Frederick reigns, commerce by sea or by finance with the Kingdom is forbidden to Christian realms on pain of Interdict;

The Pope invokes his alliances with Venice, the League of San Pietro and the Latin Empire, and invites the Emperor Otto to defend Holy Church from the madman Frederick, as well as the duty to defend the Papacy of all pious Christians;

The Pope remits the Vicariate of Lombardy into the trusted joint appointment of Simon, Count of Toulouse, and of the Archbishop of Milan;

Frederick is spared excommunication as an innocent lunatic, and Sicily Interdict as a kingdom blameless for its poor prince's insanity, but the prelates and nobles of the kingdom are urged to restrain their prince and deliver him into the loving arms of the Papacy, for his good, their own, and Christendom's;

No harm is to be done to the mad King's person on pain of excommunication.

Ordained in the light of Christ,

Innocent III, Holy Father, Vicar of Christ, Bishop of Rome, Successor to the Prince of Apostles, Pontifex Maximus

[Garlan Gunter]

Regarding the Spanish Crusade

The mad King speaks fewer more diabolical hypocrisies than those regarding Spain. Had he possessed any remaining care for Christendom there and elsewhere, he would have swallowed his pride and relinquished his pretended imperial title. It is his outrageous conduct towards his spiritual father and feudal sovereign that has thrown the Crusade into doubt. We implore the Kings of Christian Spain to join the Church in the erring monarch's restraint, for while Frederick the Loon rules no Crusade will be safe from wayward corruption.

Innocent III

[Garlan Gunter]

The Pope welcomes the establishment of peace and wisdom in Spain.

His Holiness also acknowledges the Sultan of Egypt as a private individual of knightly renown and good faith, whose word as a king may soundly be trusted, just as was that of his fabled brother Saladin.

Alas that paynim princes in these days set so gleaming an example to the poor mad prince in Sicily!

[Garlan Gunter]

His Holiness, quite upon the contrary, hopes that such obviously distinguished and peace-loving souls as the Caliph of Andalusia and the Sultan of Egypt may yet rejoice in the lovingkindness of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Pope also in all affection warns his son the King of Denmark that any further action against the Swedes and the Norwegians will not be ignored at Rome. A Livonian crusade against pagan tribesmen instead is however welcomed.

[Garlan Gunter]

PAPAL BULL, Pueri sanctitudini

Each member of our Papal Guard lately fallen in the protection of our person against heathen violence is hereby beatified among the holy martyrs.

We shall hold a mass in celebration of our lost youths' high place of honour in Heaven, and pray long upon the most righteous course to follow in protection of their memory and of all Christendom.

Innocent III, Holy Father, Vicar of Christ, Bishop of Rome, Pontifex Maximus

[Garlan Gunter]

His Holiness denounces the wicked ravishment of a Christian kingdom and Papal fief by two proud and worldly princes, one himself a disobedient Papal vassal and the other an ungrateful recent recipient of Papal aid in gold and diplomacy. The King of Castile will be excommunicated unless he disavows his traitor’s treaty forthwith, and the Cardinal Regent of Montearagon is urged that if he countersigns it the consequences will be truly dire.

Innocent III

[Garlan Gunter]

His Holiness also notes with regret this fresh evidence of the young king of Sicily’s lunacy, purloining Christian capitals by surprise in the night and naming them after himself like some pagan despot of old. How can such actions be tolerated in one who has dared to aspire to headship of Christian empire?

[Garlan Gunter]

His Holiness also notes with regret this fresh evidence of the young king of Sicily’s lunacy, purloining Christian capitals by surprise in the night and naming them after himself like some pagan despot of old. How can such actions be tolerated in one who has dared to aspire to headship of Christian empire?

As His Holiness is no doubt well aware, Fredericksburg is not the capitol of Aragon.  Moreover, I was as reluctant as any man in Europe to see the city renamed and yet its people demanded it, so great was their appreciation for their liberation that they may now count themselves among the subjects of Europe's Christian kings.  Moreover, it is a pity that His Holiness plainly has yet to make any inquiries into the cause of this act for if he had, he would have doubtless discovered for himself that I was not the one who struck first.  In the name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost.  Amen.

x Emperor Frederick II Hohenstaufen

His Holiness recalls how well loved the King of Sicily's grandfather was in Lombardy. To that love Italy owes the fair city of Alessandria, named for Pope Alexander III. Have a care, proud kinglet, and listen well to your old governor, the feudal superior both of Aragon and Sicily.

[Garlan Gunter]

THE MATTER OF ENGLAND

King John is formally readmitted back into the loving embrace of the Mother Church.

THE MATTER OF CYPRUS AND THE CRUSADE

The Pope formally admits a grave fault, that in attempting to negotiate for the peace of Antioch and of Jerusalem, he allowed it to be intimated to the paynim Sultan that Cyprus, a Christian kingdom, was of less immediate concern to him than those ancient and sacred cities.

For this the Holy Father has paid dearly in the blood of Rome, and makes daily further penance by scourging, fasting and silent prayer.

He shall now not rest until Cyprus is clean of invaders, and Christendom avenged of the evil one's malpractices. The Sultan claims his innocence in the affair of Rome, but the Papacy is as yet unconvinced. The Sultan claims to be impotent to control his own lackeys and allies in the ravishment of Cyprus, and Pope Innocent would laugh, were the hour less grave.

May Christendom come together in joyous might to redress such insupportable impudence.

- Innocent III, Holy Father, Vicar of Christ, Bishop of Rome, Successor to the Prince of Apostles, Pontifex Maximus

[Garlan Gunter]

THE DECLARATION OF THE FIFTH CRUSADE

Speech by Pope Innocent III at Anagni

"Kings have fallen upon kings. Cities have been raided. Regicide has been attempted. The Church has been slandered. Christians have been butchered. And Rome herself has blazed.

"Alas for Christendom, rotten with sin and sorrow, but salvation is at hand. It has been revealed to me, the Holy Father, who took the name Innocenzo in a pale echo of the spotlessness of Our Lord.

"We are only as strong, as wholesome, as enriched, as the most desperate and vulnerable among us. Across the seas, a small island kingdom is being oppressed by heathens and traitors to our creed, the same who enacted the outrage upon our Eternal and Imperial city of Rome, sacred to the Apostles Peter and Paul.

"This is no time for the children of Christ to bespatter one another in the gutters of depravity. I beseech, urge and command each knight, each man at arms, each Christian of strength and valour, to betake himself to the shore and mark himself with the cross.

"Beside the waters, as did Our Lord at the Baptist's hands beside Jordan, each Christian will find what he has long sought. Once embarked, we shall redeem the Middle Sea to as cleanly, lawful and orderly a state as ever did any pagan Caesar. We will save the gallant King of Cyprus and guard our precious common inheritance of Outremer. We will avenge the wrongs of the heathen and forget the quarrels that have sundered us. And we shall look upon the birthright of Our Saviour.

"Should any plain man, any great lord, any Christian prince find himself in displeasure with our Papal seat on whatsoever cause, let him pledge himself to assist the Crusade forthwith without let, hindrance, or condition, and his offences shall be wiped out as he rises anew in our closest friendship, and the loving embrace of the living God.

DEUS LE VULT!"

[Garlan Gunter]

REGARDING THE KING OF SICILY'S LATE REPENTANCE

The Papacy notes King Frederick's return to the light with some little surprise but far more joy; there is more celebration in heaven for the return of one lost lamb than for the constant pasture of an obedient flock, after all.

However, His Holiness notes that King Frederick must return the city of Barcelona - and cease any further reference to it by its absurd usurped name - before his pledge as a true king of the Crusade can be trusted or accepted.

Addendum by special Papal messenger - this good deed of restitution to Aragon has now been ordered to the Pope's satisfaction and King Frederick is accordingly welcomed in fulness and gladness to the Crusade, the first monarch formally to take the Cross since our Declaration.


REGARDING THE SLEIGHTS OF THE HEATHEN

The Sultan has proven beyond doubt that he cannot be trusted with the bodies or the souls of any true Christians. Those he betrayed most vilely whilst pretending to befriend include King Leo of Armenia and, spectacularly, ourselves in the attack upon Rome.

The regent of Jerusalem and any Christian lords lately blandished into joining in any agreement with him against Cyprus or recognition of his ill practice there are both urged and commanded to desist from any act of friendship with this hypocritical fiend who cloaks himself in a mockery of chivalry. His gifts may seem fair and his power dread, but the might of Christendom united shall soon deprive either of value.


STATEMENT OF PAPAL INTENT

So that there be no further doubt in this matter, we ourselves, Innocent III, once known in the world as Lotario de' Conti and now Holy Father of the Church, bearer of the Fisherman's Ring, Vicar of Christ, Bishop of Rome, Successor to the Prince of Apostles and Pontifex Maximus, shall ourself take the cross and lend our authority, most high under Our Lord, to the Crusade. Though we are but young in military affairs we trust in commanders enough, but believe our unquestioned seniority shall invigorate the holy pilgrimage with clarity of purpose and passion of heart.

Declared at Anagni, Innocent III

[Garlan Gunter]

THE TRAGIC DECEPTION OF JERUSALEM

We are sorely grieved by the apparent gullibility of Jean de Brienne, previously our most loyal son in Christ and protege upon earth, and pray that he learns wisdom less bloodily than we perforce did ourselves. We naturally deplore any effusion of Christian blood by Christian hands at this time and take the Kingdom of Jerusalem under our special protection, forbidding any Crusaders to attack that holy shore and imploring the regent to return to the light of his own accord, as has the young and wise King Frederick. The Grand Masters of the Military Orders are of course countermanded with their knights from serving the designs of the Sultan in any way or for any purpose, even should the regent try to command this.

THE LIFTING OF ONE INTERDICT

Immediately upon the return of Barcelona to Aragon Sicily is naturally to be welcomed back into Christendom with all proper and meet rejoicing.

OTHER OBDURACIES AND EXCOMMUNICATIONS

Since the King of Castile has sadly neither renounced his wicked treaty nor responded to our communications, he is with great sorrow and regret excommunicated and deposed, with every true Christian king permitted to make war upon his unjust rule until he comes to repentance. Since the fault is the King's alone Castile shall not be placed under Interdict.

The King of Denmark has also failed to respond to Papal messengers and is likewise excommunicated and deposed until he be overthrown or brought to repentance. Like the Castilians, the Danish people are held blameless Christians in this matter and shall not be punished at this time, only urged to dethrone their tyrannous ruler.

REJOICING TOWARDS CHRISTIAN UNITY

Upon the receipt of encouraging messages from the Eastern Churches, His Holiness announces a forthcoming, Council of the Church, to be held after the victorious conclusion of the Crusade. Such a Council will discuss Church unity and reform, the protection of the Christian East, and the occupancy and succession of the Western and most Holy Roman Empire, yet to be confirmed by its electors among the bishops and princes.

Declared at Ostia,

Innocent III, Holy Father, Vicar of Christ, Bishop of Rome, Successor to the Prince of Apostles, High Commander of the Crusade, Pontifex Maximus

[Garlan Gunter]

The Holy Father welcomes the most Christian King of France to the Crusade with much rejoicing. King Philippe, a hero of the Siege of Acre, will doubtless lend both authority and experience to the emprise.

Every monarch, prince, noble and landed knight of Christendom is hereby reminded that if they take the Cross, their property's safety will be considered a sacred charge under Papal protection in their absence.

Innocent III, Holy Father, etc

[Garlan Gunter]

Cardinal Ugolino de' Conti is elevated and dispatched to the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

Conrad of Urach, Abbot of Villers from the county of Brabant in the Holy Roman Empire, is named to the College of Cardinals.

[Garlan Gunter]

PAPAL BULL, Militia maris

Any Christian captain who captures an Egyptian vessel will be entitled to claim a reward if he delivers his prize to the Crusade, equivalent to double that ship's value, payable out of the tithes of Holy Church.

Any Christian captain who is attested by twelve lay witnesses or any cleric to have destroyed an Egyptian vessel shall be granted a bounty equivalent to the value of his own ship, payable out of the tithes of Holy Church.

All such captains shall be granted the indulgences and privileges of the Crusade, and all the trading concessions presently accorded to a merchant vessel of the Italian League.

Innocent III, Holy Father, Protector of St Peter's Waters

[Garlan Gunter]

Diepold, Duke of Spoleto and Count of Acerra, is named Captain-General of the Papal forces pledged to the Crusade.

[Garlan Gunter]

PROCLAMATION REGARDING THE ITALIAN LEAGUE

The Kingdom of Sicily is formally readmitted to the mercantile and defensive league that guards and sustains our fair lands of Italy.

Furthermore, while the Crusade lasts, any Italian republic or principality that offers our holy endeavour its aid by gold, land and sea shall be admitted to the privileges of the League. By the same token, if the Republic of Venice fails to support the Crusade, it shall with regret be suspended from the League.

x Innocenzo

[Garlan Gunter]

TREATY OF THESSALONICA

I The Emperor of the Nicaeans and Tsar of the Bulgarians acknowledge the regency at Constantinople of Count Stefano de' Conti, and pledge to respect their truces with the Latin Empire throughout the duration of the present Crusade, and until the meeting of the General Council of the Church.

II The Emperor and the Tsar pledge friendship and support to the Crusade against the infidel in Egypt, and lend their fleets towards the relief of Cyprus and the defeat of the Sultan.

III His Holiness through the person of the Regent wholly condemns the past atrocities at Zara and Constantinople and promises reparations, including the just future settlement of the Empire's rulership, to be decided at the coming General Council.

Signed for Pope Innocent III,

x Stefano de' Conti, Count of Poli, Regent of Constantinople

[Garlan Gunter]

The Papacy welcomes the King of Hungary to the Crusade with joy and thanksgiving. Deus le vult!

[Garlan Gunter]

DEO GRATIAS

His Holiness is to officiate at Masses in honour of the Crusade's great and holy victories at Alexandria and Antioch, achieved by two beloved princes and pious sons of the Church, Frederick of Hohenstaufen, King of Sicily, and Jean de Brienne, Regent of Jerusalem. Behold how these twain scions of families that not long since waged dire war upon one another in Italy now both combine to strike virtuous blows against the heathen. Behold, Christendom, learn, and rejoice.

In light of these tidings and of the tragic demise of that repentant sinner, the Emperor Otto IV, His Holiness encourages the Electors of the Holy Roman Empire to confirm Frederick of Sicily's election as King of the Romans, and the barons of Jerusalem to confer the crown of that most Holy City upon Jean de Brienne, as Fulk of Anjou received it of old.

In addition the Papacy delights in the heroic deeds and proven honour of many Crusading princes of Christendom, including the Kings of France, England, Hungary and Armenia, the Duke of Austria, the Doge of Venice, Raymond of Toulouse and the barons of the Latin Empire. You have been tested in sore trials, sons of the Church, and you have prevailed in the eyes of the heavens.

Others, including some who called themselves Christians and even Catholics, have shown themselves given over to the unutterable thraldom of the potentate in Hell. But today is a day of pious thanksgiving, and of such unfortunates we need not for the moment speak.

[Garlan Gunter]

UPON THE TRAGIC DEMISE OF OUR BELOVED VASSAL PETER OF ARAGON, AND OTHER RELATED MATTERS IN HISPANIA


Upon one matter there can be no doubt. When Alfonso of Ivrea, then King of Castile, laid profane hands upon his brother monarch, our son and subject King Peter, he caused that good and pious knight's death, whether by mischance or, as we fear, malice.

We shall lay out the bare facts of this case.

When the King of Castile sought our aid against the Moors, we bestowed upon him our full backing, the Papal banner of the Crusade and a munificent present in gold bullion.

We opened negotiations with the King of the Moors that resulted in a prudent peace after the Christian defeat in Spain.

Yet when Alfonso of Ivrea heard that one of our vassals, the King of Aragon, had made an attempt upon another's life, the then rebellious King of Sicily, he did not complain to us as he should have done, but unjustly took the law into his own sinful hands, snatching the said King Peter by surprise against both law and chivalry.

The Emperor-elect and King of Sicily Frederick has himself renounced his actions against Aragon in this matter.

When the Papacy offered Alfonso of Ivrea a path to peace by returning the Holy Father's gift of gold, pledging to the Crusade against Egypt about which the false king of Castile now claims to care so keenly, or both, our envoys were scorned in disrespectful, nay, heretical language, denying to the Papacy any greater right than that of Bishop of Rome.

When the false king bought time against righteous vengeance from Aragon by promising to release King Peter, the said King was instead found dead by disgraceful and dishonourable means, whether driven to despair or shamefully murdered, in either case a foul stain upon a Christian throne.

Alfonso of Ivrea rants now against the marriages in our own earthly family, a policy for the Holy See and not for him, but one that we have publicly reconsidered heretofore.

Kings of Leon, Navarre, Portugal as well as Aragon, how can you trust yourselves to be safe from such unaccountable aggression, deviance from Christian hierarchy and authority, and darkest sin?

There is yet a way back. If Alfonso of Ivrea resigns his crown to his son and joins the Military Orders, if the Holy See is repaid, if Aragon is compensated, and Castile pledges to the Crusade against the heathen of Egypt, then this black chapter in our faith's history may be concluded at once.

If the false king spurns such terms, then let it be known that any subjects who do not disavow him, whether princely or of low estate, lie under Interdict, and that any Christian prince who bears arms against the forsworn lord of Ivrea shall enjoy the full privilege of the Crusade, and the entire legal possession of any lands or honours he takes from the said Alfonso's power, even unto the Crown of Castile itself.

Avowed at Ostia, in the solemnity of Christ's holy law,

Innocent III, Holy Father, Vicar of Christ, Bishop of Rome, Successor to the Prince of Apostles, High Commander of the Holy Crusade, Pontifex Maximus

[Garlan Gunter]

Papal Bull, Solitudine Babylonis

Only the vessels of the Sultan of Egypt are to be assailed by Christian captains, according to our previous ordinances. Other Mohammedan merchants may be heathens but they are guiltless in the matter of Rome, and potentially honourable friends to true Christians.

Let the merchants of Alexandria, Damietta, Aleppo, Damascus, Babylon of Cairo and all other citadels and harbours under the Sultan of Egypt's sway know that only their crooked king's madness, sacrilege, faithlessness, treason and dotage prevents their receiving similarly reasonable treatment.

- Innocent III, Holy Father etc, Protector of the Cross upon the Middle Sea