Senators.
Early in the reign of our blessed mother, you provided the Roman Empire with three clear mandates. First: The restoration of the holy city of Antioch to the embrace of the Orthodox Church. Second: The destruction of the Republic of Venice, the Catholic merchants of which had long grown fat off the riches of honest, hard-working Orthodox Roman citizens. Third: Reclamation of the Anatolian interior from the infidel Turk.
The first and second of these lofty goals have now been achieved. We’ve also made major progress on the third, although a landlocked Baytasid rump territory yet remains.
We shall continue to work to achieve total victory in Anatolia until instructed otherwise. This notwithstanding, we are ready to renew the partnership between the Senate and the Imperial Throne which has led Our empire to such lofty heights.
As is traditional, before asking you to choose which Senatorial faction you choose to align yourselves with, we shall briefly summarize the present condition of the Roman Empire and the world around it.
The Roman Empire is stronger than it has been for centuries. Most significantly, we have reclaimed the theme of Antioch and conquered Venice. The latter of these accomplishments signals the return of Roman authority in Italy, absent since the fall of Bari in 1071 swept away the last vestiges of the Catepanate of Italy. We are pleased by this development, and hope that it eventually leads to our armies dumping the bloated body of the false Bishop of Rome into the Tiber.
The Komnenos Dynasty is also strong. Traianos is a worthy heir, and the blessed matrimony between ourself and our husband which has in no way been compromised by any untoward conduct has led to the birth of many legitimate children who, upon coming of age, might potentially secure any number of advantageous alliances for the empire.
The Baytasid Khaganate is simply the latest in a series of vile Turkish empires squatting on our frontiers. In spite of the loss of Persia to the Ilkhanate and the still-recent fall of the Seljuks, the Baytasids remain one of the most potent military forces in the world. Recall that they nearly bested our armies in combat until they foolishly dived their forces and attacked Sinope piece-meal. Consider that the next Sultan of the empire, whether he be Baytasid, Seljuk, or Saimid, will perhaps represent a higher caliber of generalship than Karatay.
The Pagan hordes of the Ilkhanate continue to reign over the former Seljuk domains of Persia. Rather than dealing the death-blow to the Turk, however, they have become bogged down attempting to secure the useless steppes to their north.
The Golden Horde are the proud rules of an even more desolate stretch of wasteland. So far, our Orthodox brethren in Kiev… excuse us, in Novgorod have been spared their wrath. But we wonder if this can last.
Kiev has fallen, of course, but like a phoenix the Grand Principality of Novgorod rose from its ashes. The Rurikoviches continue to rule over these lands, a powerful Orthodox bulwark in the North. They are our brothers, and perhaps one day the old alliance between our nations shall be renewed.
Yet no longer does the sacred flame of Orthodoxy burn in the Roman Empire and Rus alone— the pagan rulers of Lithuania have forsaken their vile idolatry and converted to the Orthodox Church.
The Kingdom of the Germans continues its gradual disintegration. It is a rotting hulk, and foreign possessions dot its interior like pockmarks. How these Catholics fight amongst themselves!
De Toulouse Sicily remains the preeminent power of Italy, but its conquest of the peninsula has stalled with the secession of Benevento. Pisa and Genoa— the latter unburdened of its territories in Jerusalem— continue to ply the waters of the Mediterranean. And the Bishop of Rome still lays claim to what is by right ours.
The Jimenas still reign in France, having halted— for now— the territorial losses suffered in prior years.
Halted the territorial losses on mainland Europe, I should say. The English have finally driven the French from Cornwall.
It was not the heretic FitzAdelisa who achieved this victory, however, as the Waldensians found themselves unable to govern their Catholic subjects and were quickly overthrown. Currently, the de Mowbrays— an old Norman family which has long since adopted English culture— rule over the kingdom.
Meanwhile, the Scottish have been gradually pushing Wales out of its Irish holdings.
Norway has broken free from the shackles of the Kaiser to become the preeminent power of Northern Europe, ruling not only Norway itself but Denmark and Holland as well.
The Shia Caliph still reigns supreme in Egypt, Northern Africa and the Levant.
With having swept the Genoese back into the sea, the Caliph’s main rival is the fantastically wealthy merchant republic of Somalia. While Somalia seems likely to lose its current war against the Caliph and be forced to cede the exclave of Dongala…
The real basis of Somali power remains intact.
Iberia remains a chaotic stalemate between Taimid Andalusia, Banu Barghawati Mauritania, León, Portugal, Castille, and other minor Christian states.
With the former republic of Gotland now serving as the royal capital of Sweden, Iceland’s domination of trade in Northern Europe is now unchallenged.
Meanwhile, the Mediterranean remains hotly contested between our vassal republics in Venice, Belgorod, and Crimea, the remaining free Italian cities of Pisa and Genoa, and a few northern outposts established by enterprising Somalis looking to expand beyond their nation’s near-monopoly over trade in the Near East.
In West Africa, the former kingdom of Songhai has given way to Ghana…
…but the Soumare dynasty continues to hold sway over the region.
The overall religious situation remains more or less stable. The most notable developments are our successes in converting portions of the Theme of Antioch and the conversion of the Baltic pagan Lithuanians to the one true faith.
The Roman Empire is the second largest in the world by number of provinces. Of course, provinces are hardly interchangeable. The Baytasids, even in their diminished state, still rule more provinces and can muster more troops than we can. This concerns us.
It is now time for you to swear yourselves to one of the many factions of the Senate. We shall be brief in our descriptions of these, as you seem to have spent the intervening years making up myriad new parties and factions.
The Old Romans believe in the reclamation of the glories of the Roman Empire of classical Antiquity. We rather hope they mean the part of Classical Antiquity after the conversion of Emperor Constantine.
The New Byzantines are the party of Iouliana the Great, who believe in a Byzantine future. They have been the largest party for decades, although our late mother forced them into a coalition with her beloved Old Romans.
The Milvians are the defenders of our sacred faith; however their party has been left tragically marginalized.
The Komnenians are loyal the the Komnenos family above all else. Including ourself, it seems.
The Fraternalists share much in common with the New Byzantines, albeit with a more republican bent. We grant our vassal republics many privileges, however, we remind them that we are an empire.
The True Religion’s Advocates In Time Of Rebellion & Strife are schismatics.
The Iconoclasts are heretics.
The Guiding Light are infidels.
Steppes and Republics advocates for the merchant republics, Pechenegs, and Cumans of the steppes. We are curious what they think of Venice, a merchant republic with nary a steppe or Pecheneg in sight.
The Loyalists are what the Komnenians were like 100 years ago.
Unitas are barbarians who would turn on the very peoples the Roman Empire is meant to protect, civilize, and enlighten.
: There are also several intra-party factions you can join in addition to one of the main parties.
The New Marians are in favor of strengthening the Roman army and stating the obvious.
The Expansionists favor an even more aggressive program of expansion than the one we are presently engaged in.
The Phanariotes favor enlightenment, learning, and scholarship— qualities we believe will be very important in the coming centuries.
Duckbag posted:
##Vote Komnenians
I know I’m not usually this… sober when I come before you, but I simply haven’t been feeling very festive lately. You see, I have grave concerns about the direction this empire is headed in and I cannot keep quiet about them any longer.These endless wars grieve me and the growing power and ambition of the Black Chamber is beginning to terrify me. Our empire is strong indeed, but the cost has been horrendous and I fear we have let power corrupt us. We have abandoned diplomacy for violence and in the process forgotten the value of peace. We won great victories, I won’t deny it, and what’s more we deserved to win for those lands were ours by right, but was it truly worth it? How much blood and treasure was spent to bring Dalmatia, Antioch, Venice, and Sinope back into our realm? Could not that money have been spent on great works and great parties? Would not our families, farms, and workshops fair better in the light of peace than under the dark clouds of suffering and sacrifice? And then there is the world beyond our borders. To the west, we have alienated the Catholic powers and destroyed an important buffer between our realm and the German Empire. Will we be able to defend our newest enclave from the Pope’s followers in the long run? Perhaps, but the expense of doing so could well out weight the value of the land we’ve taken. To the east, matters are graver still. I do not think the Turks can resist the Mongols much longer in their weakened state and should the Ilkhanate add Mesopotamia to its bloated empire, their next target will be us. I can only pray we will be strong and united enough to face them.
So celebrate our victories while you can, Senators, for dark times lie ahead.
Jazerus posted:
##Vote Old Romans
##Vote ExpansionistsMy Empress, Cilicia must be incorporated immediately into the Empire. Our Armenian brothers must be persuaded to cease their schismatic nonsense (no, not the TRAITOR kind of schismatic, calm down) and rejoin the true Church.
The Cilician Gates are not a bad prize, either. Many have been the times that they have served the Empire as a formidable natural fortification.
Additionally, I would call your attention to Italy. While Sicily, the schismatic Bishop of Rome, and the Germans control large swathes of the peninsula, many independent or loosely affiliated lords remain and would prove ripe avenues for expansion.
Lord Cyrahzax posted:
##Vote UnitasI would like to point out that Unitas was founded as a coalition, but if the Empress disagrees, who am I to question?
In any case, I find the description of my organization rude and painfully inaccurate, especially for one who is already implementing the policies we endorse. Giving Venice to Greek patricians is one glorious step down the long road to cultural and religious unity. However, it is but one step. We must do as our ancestors did: Romanize. Every citizen of the Empire should speak Greek and convert to Orthodoxy! All other languages and faiths are simply superfluous.
Why would any deny this? I want the Empire to have a shared and glorious past, along with a great future to come! How can this be when all the barriers of old are pointlessly maintained? No, every doux, patrician and priest should be Roman, and have a mandate to Romanize the provinces! It isn’t oppression or barbarity, but ascendance!
Also:
##Vote Expansionists
Total Old Romans: 17
Semquais
Samuel
Horsebanger
GenHavoc
Ubern00b
Jazerus
Grim reaper
Amnistar
Gnooble
EightDeer
mcclay
Jihad Joe
Frionnel
Flesnolk
Skyfinder
Alexey
Charlie Mopps
Total New Byzantines: 31
DivineCoffeeBinge
Frozen_flame
Mirdini
j00rBuDdY
Caustic Soda
sheep-dodger
Sinner Sandwich
Arbitrary Coin
TheMcD
Aeromancia
ChrisAsmadi
NewMars
Lynneth
Archaeology Hat
Luhood
D3m3
Meinberg
Hutter
beefart
Ratoslov
Vander
Talky
Pyroi
Technowolf
Bart Roberts III
Josef bugman
Sleep of Bronze
Freudian
General Antares
BwenGun
cokerpilot
Total Milvians: 9
Unwise_Cashew
AJ_Impy
YF-23
occipitallobe
nothing to seehere
AdventFalls
Adept Nightingale
Sindai
Pester
Total Komnenians: 8
Duckbag
Lord Windy
Ghetto Prince
Muskatnuss
GoatLord
Deceitful Penguin
JT Jag
theblastizard
Total Fraternalists: 2
Rejected Fate
Jimmy4400nav
Total True Religion’s Advocates In Time Of Rebellion & Strife: 2
forkis
Tevery Best
Total Iconoclasts: 0
Total Guiding Light: 5
reignonyourparade
Sampatrick
TheFlyingLlama
Talas
lenoon
Total Steppes and Republics: 1
Blackunknown
Total Loyalists: 2
Yvonmukluk
The Sandman
Total Unitas: 1
Lord Cyrahzax
Total Centrists: 1
Raserys
Total Hellenic Restoration: 2
ThatBasqueGuy
Hostergaard
CROSS-PARTY FACTIONS
Total New Marians: 7
AJ_Impy
Frozen_flame
Yvonmukluk
Ubern00b
Grim reaper
mcclay
Frionnel
Total Expansionists: 14
DivineCoffeeBinge
AJ_Impy
forkis
Samuel
Horsebanger
Yvonmukluk
Jazerus
Lord Cyrahzax
nothing to seehere
EightDeer
mcclay
Jihad Joe
JT Jag
Adept Nightingale
Total Phanariotes: 35
Unwise_Cashew
AJ_Impy
Lord Windy
reignonyourparade
j00rBuDdY
YF-23
Caustic Soda
sheep-dodger
Sinner Sandwich
Arbitrary Coin
occipitallobe
TheMcD
Aeromancia
Rejected Fate
Yvonmukluk
NewMars
Lynneth
TheFlyingLlama
Luhood
D3m3
Meinberg
Hutter
beefart
Ratoslov
mcclay
Talky
Pyroi
Technowolf
AdventFalls
Josef bugman
Jimmy4400nav
Alexey
General Antares
ThatBasqueGuy
Charlie Mopps
: The New Byzantines have retained power, I see. So be it. They’ve certainly accomplished much during their tenure. I can only hope they do not lose sight of the traditions that make us great.
: Let us now consider the legislative session. The following bills from the last session are still in force, and repealing them would require a separate act:
Use Caution, Empress: The Empress will avoid wars she deems unwinnable in pursuit of these Senate policies.
Anatolia-so Directive: Conquer all Turkish holdings in central Anatolia; banish the hated Seljuk Baytasid Snake from our beautiful borders
(The Venetian Offensive and the Roman East Directive are both obsolete and have been stricken from the books)
My mother famously forced the New Byzantines and Old Romans to work together. This was, in truth, mostly a strategy to neutralize the more extreme positions held by both parties, and in any case locked most of the rest of the Senate out of the legislative process— hardly an ideal system.
However— the core of the idea– that the largest party must work to win the support of smaller ones– is valid.
Therefore, this legislative session, power to ##propose legislation will rest solely with the New Byzantines. Members of all other parties will be able to ##sponsor legislation. Whichever three proposals from the New Byzantines attract the most sponsors from non-New Byzantine Senators will become law.
Additionally, owing to the great success of the Phanariote coalition, Phanariotes will also be allowed to ##propose legislation. Phanariotes who are also New Byzantines should make sure to specify whether their proposal is being submitted as a New Byzantine bill or a Phanariote one. Anybody can ##sponsor Phanariote proposals— even other Phanariotes. The one Phanariote proposal with the most votes will also become law.
OOC: Here’s an example of how to format your proposal:
quote:
##Propose The Example Act
This act will require senators to format their legislation properly.
And here’s an example of how to sponsor something.
quote:
##Sponsor The Example Act
And if you change your mind:
quote:
##Unsponsor The Example Act
Of course, debate and discussion beyond just votes is encouraged– you probably should explain why you’re sponsoring or unsponsoring or proposing something in your posts too. But make sure to put that stuff in posts that are actual proposals in votes in additions to your paragraphs and paragraphs of Senatorial roleplaying.
Finally: Creeping factionalism is threatening to overwhelm the Senate with gridlock and leave a huge swath of the Senate languishing in parties that can never hope to win control of the legislature. I am therefore making some sweeping changes to the party system established by Alexios I Komnenos.
The following shall be known as the Major Parties:
The Old Romans
The New Byzantines
The Milvians
The Komnenians
And a new party:
The Discordians— a grouping of assorted malcontents, heretics, heathens, republicans, populists, and others who feel ill-served by the other four major parties. Since clearly nothing will go wrong from encouraging extremists to associate with one another.
All other parties will be dissolved.
Members of these minor parties can continue to participate in sponsoring legislation, debating, etc. and are still senators with full voting privileges in this legislative session with all the privileges and voting powers that anybody else who’s not in the ruling New Byzantine Party has.
Senators can still create minor parties– or even re-create the ones that were just dissolved– but all minor parties must be affiliated with a major party (I.E., the New Byzantines, Old Romans, Komnenians, Milvians, or Discordians).
Cross-party coalitions will continue to work like they always have.
NewMars posted:
Right then, if all this… clownery is done, I have an act that I think many of us can agree on.
## Propose the Italian Re-Conquista Act.
Now, as we all know, Italy is by all rights ours. However, ancient ties like those are unbecoming of a true new Byzantine. So instead I tell you this: They are a weak and petty group of states there and we may not have this opportunity again! So it is that I propose we wage a war to retake what we can from the catholics, though we probably should not march on Rome yet…
Luhood posted:
[…]
Gurgen I QutuzidWhile I am all for acceptance of the beliefs and tongues of others, nothing can be said about the Mongols other that they are a menace. I have spoken to some of the surviving refugees from the cities that they’ve burnt, Turks and Persians alike, and they all speak of them like utter monsters. They need to be brought compassion and enlightenment, taught the true values of life and civilization before they reach Baghdad and the House of Wisdom therein.
Speaking of Baghdad,
##Sponsor The University Construction ActWe in the New Byzantines have sought to bring knowledge to the masses for ages now, and this is the first step on the way of doing so. Funding for the Imperial University of Constantinople is but the first step on the way, but it is a huge step nonetheless. However, if possible I’d like to make this addition:
##Addendum: The Tri-Lingual Literacy Act
For a long time knowledge has been taught and sought in but one language: Greek. With many immigrants arriving from both East and West, bringing along with them teachings from far away, the exclusiveness of the Greek language in our hallowed halls is slowly becoming more of a hinder as more and more scholars are unable to speak to one another and read the texts of the other.Thus I propose the Tri-Lingual system: Byzantine Greek, Western Latin and Eastern Arabic should all three be accepted as Languages of Science and sponsored equally by the Basilissa. Books and Scrolls in the Imperial Library should be sorted by language for easy access, yet all three given equal prominence.
And finally, I want to make an actual proposal and not just add to an older:
The Old Romans (OR)
The New Byzantines (NB)
–Steppes and Republics (SR)
–Loyalists (LY)
–Fraternalists (FR)
The Milvians (ML)
The Komnenians (KM)
–Hellenic Restoration (HR)
The Discordians (DC)
–Unitas (UN)
–Hellenic Restoration (HR)
–Guiding Light (GL)
–True Religion’s Advocates In Time Of Rebellion & Strife (TR)
BILLS:
New Byzantine:
The Nova Mediterranean Act (conquer Black Sea coast) (5)
Backunknown (NB/SR)
–Lord Cyrahzax(DC/UN)
–GoatLord (ML)
–Jazerus (OR)
–Ubern00b (OR)
–EightDeer (OR)
Italian Re-Conquista Act (Reconquer Italy! But, um, in a non-Old Roman way)
NewMars (NB) (15)
–Lord Cyrahzax (DC/UN)
–Charlie Mopps (OR)
–Horsebanger (OR)
–AJ_Impy (ML)
–YF-23 (ML)
–Skyfinder (OR)
–EightDeer (OR)
–DivineCoffeeBinge (OR)
–Gnooble (OR)
–Amnistar (OR)
–Sindai (ML)
–Flesnolk (OR)
–Alexey (OR)
–occipitallobe (ML)
–Jazerus (OR)
MArriage Ties To Expand Relations Act (MATTER Act) (Marry all those excess children off to neighbors for alliances, now that we have a monarch who didn’t die after like one child for once) (0)
sheep-dodger (NB)
Imperial Communal Expansion Act (ICE Act) (Extraneous funds in times of peace shall be used to build new cities in the Imperial heartland) (4)
TheMcD (NB)
–Gnooble (OR)
–Flesnolk (OR)
–GoatLord (ML)
–ThatBasqueGuy (KM/HR)
Croatian Removal Act (Conquer Croatia until our borders are pretty again)
Aeromancia (NB) (2)
–GoatLord (ML)
–Ubern00b (OR)
The Pilgrimage Protection Act (Protect Pilgrims by starting a bloody, chaotic war in the Holy Land to annex it) (5)
Luhood
–AJ_Impy (ML)
–ThatBasqueGuy (KM/HR)
–Unwise_Cashew (ML)
–AdventFalls (ML)
–Jazerus (OR)
–Adept Nightengale (ML)
–Ubern00b (OR)
Phanariotes:
The Mongolian Enlightenment Act (Convert Mongols) (13)
j00rBuDdY
–Pyroi
–Sleep of Bronze
–sheep-dodger
–AJ_Impy
–Yvonmukluk
–TheMcD
–Lynneth
–Luhood
–YF-23
–Alexey
–ThatBasqueGuy
–Unwise_Cashew
–Ratoslov
University Construction Act (Build a university) (13)
occipitallobe
–Meinberg
–Ghetto Prince
–Duckbag
–Lynneth
–Luhood
–Hostergaard
–D3m3
–GoatLord
–reignonyourparade
–TheFlyingLlama
–Ratoslov
–lenoon
–Tevery Best
Fuck Genoa Act (Trade war on Genoa) (4)
Rejected Fate
–Samuel
–EightDeer
–Gnooble
–Flesnolk
The Tri-Lingual Literacy Act (Byzantine Greek, Western Latin and Eastern Arabic should all three be accepted as Languages of Science and sponsored equally by the Basilissa.) (4)
Luhood
–reignonyourparade
–TheFlyingLlama
–Ratoslov
–lenoon
Imperial Wisdom Act (Church education for all Born in the Purple children) (0)
YF-23
Mongolian Enlightenment and University Construction are tied!
By imperial fiat, I have elected to cast the tie-breaking vote for the University Construction Act. I feel it is more in keeping with the principles of the Phanariote coalition. I am also reluctant to send our court chaplain to the bleak steppes of the east when there are provinces in our very empire which still do not adhere to the Orthodox Faith— and other acts of the Senate call for the acquisition of still more Sunni, Tengri, or Catholic territory.
LAWS OF THE EMPIRE
Italian Re-Conquista Act (Reconquer Italy! But, um, in a non-Old Roman way)
NewMars (NB) (15)
The Pilgrimage Protection Act (Protect Pilgrims by starting a bloody, chaotic war in the Holy Land to annex it) (5)
The Nova Mediterranean Act (conquer Black Sea coast) (5)
University Construction Act (Build a university) (13)
Anatolia-so Act (Reconquer the Anatolian interior)
Use Caution, Empress Act (Try to avoid wars the empire can’t win)