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{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_AZTECS_DESCR}DO NOT TRANSLATE - TIMURIDS NOT PLAYABLE IN CAMPAIGN

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_AZTECS_TITLE}The Aztecs

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_BYZANTIUM_DESCR}Byzantium is the shadow that remains of the old Roman Empire. It is a mere shadow because despite retaining the civilised ways of the Roman legacy, the Byzantines have done little to further it. In fact, it is their reverence of the old ways that has brought the empire to a point of stagnation, in a world that has gradually kept moving on. The differences between the thinking in Byzantium and the west were most profoundly highlighted with the Great Schism, the division of Christendom.\n\nDespite boasting the world's trade capital and home of Orthodox Christianity in Constantinople, the Byzantine Empire is well past its zenith and is now in steady decline. The outer regions of the empire have been slipping from the Emperor's grasp for decades now. To the west, the Normans have taken southern Italy, and in the east the Turks have moved into Asia Minor after their decisive and terrible victory at Manzikert. The latter of these two losses was the worst defeat the Empire had suffered in its entire history. To make matters worse, general corruption, chaos and dissent has lead to some of the other provinces closer to home to rebel. \n\nArguably, the greatest threat to Byzantium lies in its independence from Rome. There is significant risk that the lords of the west will consider the lands of Orthodox Christianity to be fair game unless the Pope decrees otherwise. It is a true irony that Constantinople may now have to appease Rome after becoming the new capital of the Roman Empire centuries ago.\n\nIf the Byzantine Empire is to once again become the dominant power of the east, then it will first need to reclaim its heartlands wholly before encroaching upon the borders of another power. The Byzantine legacy is long and predominantly proud, but unless the Emperor can turn things around in a hurry, it is a legacy that will soon end.

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_BYZANTIUM_TITLE}The Byzantine Empire

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_DENMARK_DESCR}Denmark is a relatively new kingdom in the world of Christendom, emerging from centuries of paganism under Viking rule. Exactly one hundred years ago, Harold Bluetooth, the Viking King of the Danes, embraced Christianity, not just personally, but also on behalf of his people. Though the Vikings' fierce conviction in battle was a true asset, forsaking these pagan ways and embracing Catholicism is what has actually elevated Denmark into a true northern power. With the Reich and other Catholic Kingdoms offering support against stubborn Viking pagans, the Kings of Denmark now enjoy an absolute authority that has never been seen in the region before.\n\nThe Danes have no illusions that maintaining such authority abroad is an easy feat, having lost control of England within the last half century. In fact, forging agreements of co-operative leadership with the Norwegian royal court almost saw an end to Danish rule over the Kingdom of Denmark itself. So it would seem that both diplomatic and militaristic expansion are something the Danish Kings are yet to master.\n\nArguably the most expedient move that the present King Knut II could now make would be to try to take the Scandinavian lands to the north rather than continue to negotiate with them. No mortal army could possibly dream of approaching Norway or Sweden's northern reaches, making the region an ideal set of easily defendable homelands. Crossing the Baltic Sea is also an obvious option that offers the Danes several access points into Eastern Europe without having to deal with the Imperial forces in Saxony. It is more than a little ironic that the Catholic powers of Europe that have secured Denmark's future are now the main obstacles to seeing that future improve.

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_DENMARK_TITLE}Denmark

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_EGYPT_DESCR}At a time where religious intolerance is common throughout the known world, Egypt stands out as an enlightened melting pot of religions and ideologies. Descendents of Mohammed's daughter Fatima, the Fatimid rulers of Egypt are Shiite Muslims, but Sunnis, Jews and Christians still hold offices and government positions. Unlike the age of the Pharaoh, bloodline is now considered secondary to ability and talent in Egypt, making it a very progressive and balanced nation. After being assimilated into several empires over the past couple of millennia, the people of the Nile have proven to be culturally flexible and great survivors.\n\nFor all its merits, the Fatimid dynasty was once a little mightier than it is now, with its borders receding after a reign of madness and mismanagement by Caliph Al-Hakim. Fortunately for the Egyptians, none of their neighbours are bearing down upon their lands - in fact, expanding in any direction shouldn't prove a problem. The Moors lie much too far to the west to be considered an immediate threat, and the Holy lands beyond Gaza are presently ruled by petty Sheikhs and Emirs that are backed by none of the major empires.\n\nThough the problems facing the Egyptians close to home aren't anything a decisive ruler can't deal with, any Egyptian forays into the Holy lands will no doubt be subject to Catholic invasion from across the Mediterranean. Regular military pilgrimages by European Christians to Jerusalem seem an inevitability, as do counter-attacks from other Muslim powers such as the Turks. Expand and consolidate quickly and the world could be your oyster.

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_EGYPT_TITLE}Egypt

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_ENGLAND_DESCR}Having recently wrestled control of England from the Saxons, many would expect the conquering Normans to be somewhat spent and weakened. However, the new rulers of England have swiftly replaced and improved the taxation system so as to replenish their coffers in quick time. Most importantly, William the Conqueror came with the support of the Pope, as well as a mixed force of well-trained infantry, archers and heavy cavalry. England's new masters have a more modern approach to the art of warfare, and the will to utilise the country's rich resources to maximum effect.\n\nThe English court may now speak French, but the Normans certainly don't consider their new conquest a French territory. This independence in England, plus the proximity of Normandy to other lands the French monarchy consider their own, makes France an immediate and obvious threat to deal with. The ever stubborn Scottish also prevent the King of England from having uncontested control of the British Isles.\n\nThough they presently face trouble on multiple fronts, the English are in a rather promising position. The Scots to the north are isolated from the rest of Europe, and should be easy to wear down without a strong ally from the mainland. The French royal forces are more than a match for the armies in Normandy, but they also have enough fronts to deal with right now that they are unlikely to be able to drive them from the continent anytime soon.

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_ENGLAND_TITLE}England

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_FRANCE_DESCR}France is a shining example of feudalism in its rawest, and arguably, most delicate form. The French lords eagerly embrace the system that splits the country up into smaller provinces, duchies and fiefdoms, actively building up their forces to ensure their own security and power. About the only thing the French lack at this point is a sense of unity...\n\nThe Ile de France may be where the monarchy resides, but the royal family rarely leave Paris. This is not because of a great love for the city, but rather because the surrounding lands are under the shadow of bastions owned by "Robber Barons" that serve their own interests. Frankly, the way things are now, the King isn't truly safe to wander a kingdom that is supposedly his.\n\nThe Normans are clearly serving their own best interests, having recently taken England for themselves, it's hard to believe that they will be content to stop there. Other provinces such as Aquitaine, Burgundy, Brittany and Flanders aren't quite so dangerously ambitious... exercising a little authority over these lands looks like an essential move for the French if they're to have any hope of creating a power base that can stave off the might of the Holy Roman Empire to the east. Even less pressing concerns like Spanish and Milanese expansion will soon become a royal headache for the monarchy if France does not establish solid fronts to the south.

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_FRANCE_TITLE}France

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_HRE_DESCR}The Holy Roman Empire is a particularly misleading name for Europe's largest collective of kingdoms and fiefdoms, regardless which way one looks at it. For starters, it is the Byzantine Empire that truly carries on the legacy of the ancient Romans, and the notion that the Kaiser (the Germanic name for "Emperor") truly serves the Roman Catholic Church is presently quite laughable.\n\nA great rift in opinion exists between Kaiser Henry IV and Pope Gregory VII as to the legitimacy of the Papacy's recent move to do away with secular investiture, a change of law that has taken away all of the Kaiser's power over the Catholic Church. How the Kaiser should react to this is undoubtedly the biggest dilemma facing the Holy Roman Empire at present. When a ruler of nations allows a man of the cloth to dictate what he can and can't do, he sets a bad precedent. Of course, if he leads his people into open conflict with the church itself, he is arguably setting an even worse one.\n\nWith both extremes looking like perilous choices the Kaiser will need to find the best middle ground he can, very much the same situation he faces when looking at his borders. The Empire itself is Europe's middle ground, centrally located, with opportunities to expand in almost every direction, but also potential competition to come with each opportunity. It is a far cry from the days of Charlemagne when all of Western Europe answered to the Emperor. Now France is a separate entity, Italy has become a formidable group of city states, the Danes block the route into Scandinavia and the kingdoms to the east are more of a threat than a place to lay claim to.\n\nShould the Kaiser successfully deal with the dissent that lingers within the Reich at present, there seems no reason the Reich cannot consolidate and expand into something to rival the first Roman Empire... Though this time it won't be a simple matter of bettering the barbarians.

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_HRE_TITLE}The Holy Roman Empire

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_HUNGARY_DESCR}Exactly a full millennium since the birth of the Messiah, the Christian Kingdom of Hungary was born when Pope Silvester II sent the "Holy Crown" to signify that the pious noble István I, had become the founding Christian monarch of the realm. Dying without leaving an heir, pagans soon once again assumed control of Hungary, but it would seem this is a land Christendom was destined to call its own. When László recently succeeded his brother Geza I as King of Hungary, he nationalised Christianity so utterly, and with such fervour, that he is already being deemed by many to be a living Saint.\n\nThough it is clear that the Pope's approval of László's unusual piety has no doubt re-established Hungary as a respectable Catholic kingdom, it would appear that the Hungarians will soon be taking on another Christian power should they wish to expand at all. The Holy Roman Empire and Poland essentially cut off all of Hungary's options to the west or north respectively, leaving Moldavia and Wallachia as the paths of least resistance out of the Carpathian mountains.\n\nOf course, to follow such a path is to spoil the plans of the Byzantine Empire to regain its western provinces. Avoiding interfering with Byzantine interests leaves only one other option, sweeping north around the Crimea into the Ukraine. This however, simply replaces one Orthodox adversary with another, and will require immediate action, as the armies of Novgorod are already poised to sweep southward to unite the Russian principalities.\n\nRegardless what László's first move is, nothing will change the fact that Hungary has become Catholicism's physical front line against all other faiths - Something that will doubtlessly bring great glory, yet even greater bloodshed.

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_HUNGARY_TITLE}Hungary

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_MILAN_DESCR}Milan is a city of both possibility and problems. The Archbishop of Milan was until very recently the most powerful political figure in Northern Italy, with the city well and truly under his thumb. Though still Catholic, the Milanese are breaking free from the control of the church to form a mighty, expanding municipality.\n\nThe Milanese are surrounded by possible allies and enemies. The Alps provide Milan with a natural barrier to the north that ensures the city is relatively safe from Swabia and the Holy Roman Empire - If the Milanese hold the mountain passes, they can hold off Northern Europe. While the mountains fence Milan off from the world, Genoa serves as the coastal gateway to the Mediterranean and beyond.\n\nThough better positioned to expand into the rest of Europe than the other Italian peoples, the Milanese are also the most likely to have to confront the Northern European powers first, and will need to consolidate their position swiftly by working their way into the nearby provinces that the French and Germanic forces have not secured... yet.

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_MILAN_TITLE}Milan

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_MONGOLS_DESCR}DO NOT TRANSLATE - MONGOLS NOT PLAYABLE IN CAMPAIGN

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_MONGOLS_TITLE}The Mongols

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_MOORS_DESCR}The Moors were originally a nomadic people, the original inhabitants of Mauretania on the north coast of Africa. They rose from obscurity in the 8th century when they converted to Islam, and proceeded to spread rapidly in several directions - including north-west into the Iberian peninsula. They soon had almost total dominion over all of Iberia with the exception of the lands to the north where some resilient Christians held fast, but Islamic Spain was a collection of cities more than a true caliphate - until now.\n\nThe Almoravid Berbers have risen from their homelands near the west coast of Africa to establish their capital in Marrakesh, and assume control of the Moorish empire. Their dominance over this corner of Africa is absolute, and the sense of unity they have brought to the Moorish empire has once again restored order in southern Iberia. This move for stable Islamic rule is however also the cause of the greatest threat to the Moors... Christian unity.\n\nOnce weak, uncultured and disorganised, the kingdoms of Leon and Castile are now unified in their challenge against Islamic rule of the peninsula, and look set to actually launch a genuine offensive to revive their Reconquista. Their heroes such as El Cid are extremely admirable adversaries, as men who are driven with what they believe to be a noble purpose always are.\n\nPerhaps the best course of action for the Moors is to play the rulers of Portugal and Castile against one another. So long as they are united in a religious crusade against Islam they are the Moors' greatest threat. Of course, the greed of Christian leaders is something that can be counted upon, and siding with one of these two powers could be possible even if it is undesirable. It is an option they must keep in mind, for expanding too far eastward towards Arabia involves taking on other followers of Islam such as the Egyptians... something most unlikely to be the will of Allah.

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_MOORS_TITLE}The Moors

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_PAPAL_STATES_DESCR}DO NOT TRANSLATE - PAPACY NOT PLAYABLE IN CAMPAIGN

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_PAPAL_STATES_TITLE}The Papal States

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_POLAND_DESCR}The Kingdom of Poland is still a relative infant, but an infant that already appears to boast a considerable grip on the lands around the capital of Krakow. The Polish people can attribute their rapid rise out of obscurity to the Drang nach Osten (Drive towards the East) of the Holy Roman Empire, which saw the Kaiser searching for allies to help crush the Polabian Slavs. After converting to Christianity, Boleslaw the Brave saw it as his right and duty to conquer neighbouring lands, including thrusts as far east as Kiev, and even forays into Imperial lands during disputes between the Kaiser and the Pope.\n\nThat last act of betrayal is a sign of recent times in Poland, with internal power struggles stalling the continued expansion of Polish borders. Fortunately for the Poles, the last King to rule with any true sense of stability, Kazimierz I, paved the way for granting fiefdoms to his warriors, establishing a tradition of feudalistic knighthood required to be a power in Europe today.\n\nOnly now is order truly being restored with Wladyslaw Herman taking the throne with his brother being forced into exile. Siding with the Pope in his recent clashes with the Kaiser has helped establish Poland as a legitimate Catholic power, ensuring the Reich can no longer expand eastward with the blessing of Christendom.\n\nHowever, the lack of an immediate Imperial threat does not ensure that the Poles have an easy option to expand either. The Hungarian King László is simply too formidable and familiar with Polish ways to make moving southward a viable option, making securing the lands of the Baltic Sea the most appealing choice... Despite the fact it involves beating the Danes, the Russians and the Reich to the draw. If Poland is to maintain its new status as a genuine power, Wladyslaw must choose his next battle and enemy very carefully.

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_POLAND_TITLE}Poland

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_PORTUGAL_DESCR}Of all of the European royal courts, Portugal is the youngest, having only just recently come of age, growing from county to Kingdom. As is typical at this stage of life, there have been more than a few growing pains for Portugal, and its inaugural King, Afonso Henrique. As if being recognised as the sovereign of a land were not hard enough at the best of times, Afonso's own mother attempted to seize power for herself before he was forced to defeat and then exile her!\n\nAs grim as Portugal's first years have been, there is no doubting that these shameful acts of betrayal within his own family have ensured that Afonso is a true survivor - and only a man that has endured through such troubles is likely to turn his fledgling Kingdom into a western power. Portugal's greatest threat does not lie within however...\n\nDespite some of the Kings and Emirs of the Iberian Peninsula supporting religious tolerance, the Christian and Islamic faiths do not appear to be able to share these lands peacefully. The ongoing Reconquista seems almost certain to ensure that the Moors will be an enemy of Portugal, at least until they are driven back across the straits of Gibraltar. That said, even then they will still be an immediate threat.\n\nThe other obvious threat is that of Alfonso el Valiente. No matter how noble he may be, any man who would declare himself Emperor of Spain essentially declares himself the rightful ruler of all of Iberia. It is entirely possible that he will seek to once again make Portugal a mere county to offer in his political barter.\n\nSome of the Portuguese believe that the best tyranny to face is that of distance. Poised on the edge of the civilised world, perhaps Portugal's fortunes lie across the seas and oceans, rather than across her immediate borders.

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_PORTUGAL_TITLE}Portugal

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_RUSSIA_DESCR}The Rus' are a people divided, though that is hardly a character judgement for the folk who live in the largest single kingdom in Europe. Kiev may actually be the royal capital of this Kingdom, and the site where the Rus' embraced Christianity, but it is far to the north that the true power of the realm currently lies. Positioned just off the eastern end of the Baltic Sea, Novgorod is presently one of the most important trade hubs in the region, while in Kiev, disputes over succession have destroyed any sense of organisation or unity.\n\nWith the royal court in Kiev in such disarray, it would seem that any immediate military campaigns should be launched from around the trade capital of Novgorod. In fact, the first order for Vsevolod, Grand Duke of Kiev is to re-assert his undisputed control all the way down to the capital to the south. Should he manage this, the Rus' will be free to unify all of the steppes into the mightiest power of the east.\n\nSimple and obvious in principle, this plan will require swift and decisive action. The fledgling kingdoms of Poland and Hungary to the southwest are just as well placed to move and assume control of the Rus' capital. Byzantium to the south is also desperate to restore its former glory by taking new territories, and it was only through Vsevolod's marriage to the Byzantine princess Maria that prevented the empire from striking back at the Rus' after they failed in their assault of Constantinople. They will not forget that they defeated the Rus' so recently...\n\nThis is not something that the present Rus' army should forget either. Unless they can start recruiting from several population centres at once again, they will not be able to field a force capable of stopping any of the serious foreign powers at all.

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_RUSSIA_TITLE}Russia

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_SCOTLAND_DESCR}William the Conqueror may have undisputed claim over the Kingdom of England, but he must still deal with the Celtic Lords of Scotland should he have designs on calling himself monarch of the British Isles. In fact, Malcolm III, the ruling King of Scotland has already made several forays into England's north since the Normans have arrived, continuing a legacy of conflict between Celtic and continental bloodlines that has existed for over a millennium.\n\nScotland may have a proud track record of defying much greater powers south of the border, including the mighty Roman Empire, but some of the highland nation's more brilliant scholars are now preaching caution to Canmore. The Britons are no longer a distant set of islands on the edge of civilisation, and to continue to think of this position as being truly secure would be to lie to one's self. The arrival of the Normans, with their heavy cavalry is proof that continental powers are now capable of arriving in force across the sea, and that warfare itself is evolving. None of Canmore's thrusts into Northumbria have thus far been decisive, and perhaps this is not something Scotland should be doing alone.\n\nAt present, the French would appear to be Scotland's most logical ally. The animosity between the French monarchy and the Normans has only grown with William's expansionist behaviour, and Philip would be mad not to want England's attention split across two fronts.\n\nOf course, until the Scots can either secure a powerful ally or bring their armed forces up to the standards of the major European powers, it may be well worth it for Malcolm III to simply swallow his pride and avoid entering any further conflict with the English, or heaven forbid, contemplate an alliance.

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_SCOTLAND_TITLE}Scotland

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_SICILY_DESCR}Although Sicily's proximity to Rome has given the island a rich history, it now stands as a true fledgling among the European powers. Six years before the Normans successfully conquered England, their first true island invasion was launched against the Saracens that occupied Sicily... with more than a little encouragement from the Papacy.\n\nKing Roger I's nation may be a relative infant, but with an island capital, southern Italy under his control and a healthy relationship with the Papal States, it is an infant that looks likely to survive the journey to adulthood. Condoning the invasion of Sicily was only the beginning for the Papacy's support of the Normans. The sheer presence of Rome midway along the Apennine peninsula now serves as a sturdy political shield from the continental powers to the north. It's a barrier that looks likely to hold so long as the Catholic lords all remain faithful to the Papacy.\n\nHiding behind a shield is however, not the way to establish an empire - nor is any defence without its weakness. The Holy Roman Empire shares borders with the Sicilians, and the armies of the Reich answer to the Kaiser - not the Pope. Even if the Sicilians successfully start to expand up the peninsula, they will soon have to deal with the Milanese and the Venetians.\n\n It would seem that the Normans will once again have to take to the waters to expand their latest kingdom. Close to home, other islands like Sardinia and Corsica make tempting targets for invasion. However, the Sicilians will need to look over the horizon to have a hope of long term survival. To the east, the Byzantine Empire is fractured and relatively vulnerable, and there's ample opportunity to take advantage of the chaos on the Iberian peninsula to the west.

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_SICILY_TITLE}Sicily

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_SPAIN_DESCR}Any man who is born on the Iberian Peninsula would call himself a "Spaniard", so when King Alfonso VI declared himself the "Emperor of all Spain" three years ago, it was a truly bold claim. After all, not since the times of the Western Roman Empire has one noble court truly ruled the peninsula unopposed. Currently, the Moors hold southern Iberia quite tightly, and Portugal's declaration of independence really proves Alfonso wrong.\n\nHowever, Alfonso has managed to become the King of Leon, Castile and Galicia all at once, so there is definitely more to his claim than wild boasts. Now that the petty differences of the Christian courts have been abolished, the Reconquista looks like it may finally become a reality - Alfonso VI is the first sovereign to truly find himself in a position to actually drive the Muslims back into northern Africa.\n\nThe first moves for the King of Spain are obvious, but beyond Iberia, there is far less certainty. The King of France may be cowering in Paris to avoid facing other French noble robber barons, but crossing the Pyranees to take his southern fiefdoms is more likely to unify his people than split their loyalties.\n\nUnless the new Spanish royalty are willing to embark on such a dangerous campaign, they must look to the sea to find less daunting borders to cross. The Spaniards have always shown an affinity for the water, and make fine seafarers. Who knows, perhaps the great empires of the future will be forged at sea rather than on dry land - If so, the people who mastered this art of war first would inherit the earth.

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_SPAIN_TITLE}Spain

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_TIMURIDS_DESCR}DO NOT TRANSLATE - TIMURIDS NOT PLAYABLE IN CAMPAIGN

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_TIMURIDS_TITLE}The Timurids

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_TITLE}Grand Campaign

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_TURKS_DESCR}The Turks may very much be relative newcomers to both Anatolia and the Holy Lands, but the impact that they have had upon these realms since they migrated from the steppes east of the Caspian has been profound enough to shake the pillars of the oldest and mightiest neighbouring dynasties. Having seized control of the Abbasid Caliphate from the Buyids, and utterly crushed the Byzantines at Manzikert, the Turks have restored unity to the eastern Islamic region, making them arguably the greatest power Arabia or Persia has seen for centuries.\n\nSettling down has been the Turks' secret to asserting their dominion. Traditionally a nomadic people, they have at last adopted a system of centralised rule to form the Seljuk Empire. Considering they have relied upon their natural skill at mounted combat and guerrilla warfare for centuries, the Turks have already shown incredible talent at governing a vast empire from a single throne.\n\nIn the foreseeable future, arrogance and complacency are likely to be the biggest threats to the mighty Seljuk Empire. To expect Byzantium to underestimate Turkish forces after the slaughter of Manzikert would be folly, and it can be taken as given that they will attempt to regain control of Anatolia. It would also be foolish to believe that the Fatimid dynasty in Egypt will be content to simply overlook the fertile banks of the Nile - They are just as well placed to seize control of all of the Holy Lands.\n\nSo long as the Turks manage to combine their new system of centralised government with their innate abilities as mounted warriors, then their position in this corner of the world looks most secure. After all, how likely is it that an even more fierce and formidable race of nomadic warriors sweep down from the steppes?

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_TURKS_TITLE}The Turks

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_VENICE_DESCR}The city of canals is a reminder that starting from a great defensive position is an ideal foundation upon which to build an empire. With the city itself perched on the Ri'Alto island and the Venetian Lagoon serving as a massive moat for the city, Venice is a natural fortress. Although the Venetians do not boast a noteworthy land army, they are the leading seafarers of the time. This gives them the ability to confidently defend their capital from direct attack, as well as establish trade routes more readily than most any other major power.\n\nA century earlier the Venetians were plagued by Dalmatian pirates who preyed upon the merchants that plied their lucrative sea trade throughout the Adriatic. Through clever diplomacy, Pietro Orseolo, "Doge" of the Venetian Republic was able to isolate the marauding pirate Slavs into small, manageable groups that he then forced to surrender. This opened the door for Venice to evolve from an isolated trading city into a European power in its own right.\n\nWith their ability to dominate trade and traverse the Mediterranean, so long as the Venetians diligently protect their island city, they will always remain a force to be reckoned with.

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_VENICE_TITLE}Venice

{NORMAN_PROLOGUE_NORMANS_DESCR}Lead William the Conqueror and his Norman army to victory at the Battle of Hastings, then defeat the Saxons for control of the English throne. \n\nEdward the Confessor's death saw England fall into a bitter power struggle. With no heirs to the English throne, three competing powers arose to stake their claim. Harold Godwinson was quick to seize power, with the support of the English Witan. However, the King of Norway, Harald Hardrada, felt the land his birthright and sailed from the North. The two kings clashed at Stamford Bridge in a bloody battle.\n\nBut the late King Edward had promised the throne to the Duke of Normandy, who sought Papal blessing to launch an invasion of his own.

{NORMAN_PROLOGUE_NORMANS_TITLE}The Norman Conquest

{NORMAN_PROLOGUE_TITLE}The Norman Conquest