Year One
September 15, 1066 - September 15, 1067Let the games begin. We are currently following the County of Dublin (Hood), the Kingdom of Denmark (Vortex), the Kingdom of England (The Nexerus), and the Kingdom of Scotland (Richard III), most of which provided compelling entertainment over the course of '66-'67. Scotland was a huge letdown, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. You could be England, and that would be terrible.
The County of DublinIt's been a good year for Dublin. My dear father, the Earl of Laigin, passed away on October 24, 1066. I inherited the county of Laigin and became earl of both counties, moving me up in the world with footholds in the de jure duchies of both Mide and Leinster. With two provinces, Dublin is now on the same level as the petty kings of Mumu and Connacht, and as soon as I can get around to fabricating some claims on my neighboring territories the expansion will begin. Unfortunately, our chancellor, Aedh Ua Flaithbertaigh, who we'll simply call the Chancellor from now on, is less than stellar at his job. In fact, he's kind of terrible at it. It might be a long time before we get around to taking over other territories.
More excitingly, I found a wife for my heir, and what a gal she is.
Sigrid Svendatter, the nubile, eighteen year old Princess of Denmark, was in the market for a husband, and upon hearing that the lass had a penchant for the dick (the Lustful trait) I signed my son up for a wedding. Being a legitimized bastard and evidence of the Danes' natural inclination for sexual deviancy, her father, King Svend II, was happy to marry her off to an Irish earl apparent, and young Sigrid arrived by boat with a chest full of gold in the way of a dowry. Excellent all around. I'll put the proceeds toward bribing a better diplomat to come over to Dublin.
DenmarkAs discussed, King Svend II married his daughter off to my son. Additionally, he involved himself in one of the first wars of the era, invading the independent county of Liubice by way of a de jure claim on Holstein. Liubice, as shown below, is a small territory southeast of Denmark, and didn't stand much of a chance against their larger northern neighbors. There's no kill like overkill, however, and King Svend II flexed the might of what analysts have come to call "the Scandinavian Block." Upon declaring war, King Svend II called his allies in Sweden and Norway into the war, and both countries responded accordingly. The result was a devastating victory for the Scandinavian Block, and the Lubeckers were forced to capitulate after only seven months of war.
ScotlandReports show King Malcolm III to be a fair and just ruler, and his lands were quiet for the duration of the year.
England King Harold II of England was at war for the entirety of the year, fighting off both the Norwegian invaders led by King Harald Hardrade and the Norman invaders led by Duke William the Bastard of Normandy. While King Harold II managed to drive Harald Hardrade and his armies back to sea, William the Bastard proved a tougher nut to crack, and as September 15, 1067 arrived and the year ended King Harold, the English army, and his Welsh allies were fighting a losing battle against William the Bastard's forces on the fields of Oxford. It seems only a matter of time before King Harold II is sacked and replaced by William the Bastard, who stands to claim England for himself.
Lesser News from Elsewhere in the WorldThe Byzantine Empire and the Seljuk Sultanate traded blows along their borders, the Iberian Peninsula is a battleground dominated by roving armies of Moors and Catholics, and the Holy Roman Empire and the Kingdom of France go to war as House Salian of the H.R.E. presses a claim on the county of Gent.
Next Time on Crusader Kings II: The King in DublinMore attention will be paid to genealogy, marriages, politics, and more. Feel free to ask any questions or claim any unclaimed factions and lordships.