stickmaker | Background Excerpt

This is an excerpt from the history of the fantasy world in which I am currently writing novels:

CS 1478 King Achel I dies at the relatively advanced age of sixty-seven. His oldest son is crowned as Berthold II. Berthold in turn dies after only eleven years on the throne. Though his death is thought at the time to be caused by food poisoning - complicated by him already being middle-aged when he took the throne - within a decade the actions of Berthold's son would lead to speculation he was murdered.

CS 1489 King Berthold III - who soon becomes known as Berthold the Mad - son of Berthold II, begins a program of expansion the likes of which has not been seen since Peppin I. Far from insane, he is instead an intelligent, ambitious and ruthless man who wishes to greatly expand the Compact, and thereby his power. Many today believe he was at least partly inspired by the actions of Great Britain in their occupations of Danmark and Norway.

Through a combination of direct conquest, purchases and negotiations backed by threat of conquest, he annexes numerous duchies, baronies, counties, estates and the occasional entire kingdom. Greatly aiding these actions are the improvements in military and magical training instituted by his grandfather, Achel the Grand.

At first he focuses on Carolina, but after several easy and a few difficult successes along the mutual border, he holds his ground there and turns his attentions in other directions.

He repeatedly seizes an area, then stops, announcing that he has what he wants. However, instead of stopping he merely pauses to incorporate the new possession and rebuild his army before turning his attentions in another direction. When he does face a determined foe he stops, fortifies the border and turns towards easier game. This leads to a major buildup of the armies of nations around the border of the Compact. However, many rulers find themselves standing on uncertain ground when Berthold turns his attentions to their lands. More than once, all or a major portion of the next target's military simply swears allegiance to Berthold. Greatly encouraging this activity is Berthold's policy of firmly respecting these allegiances. This includes aiding such allies militarily and financially when necessary.

The fact that under his rule the average occupant of these acquired lands is usually more prosperous often makes these conquests almost easy. The conquered territories are placed under the control of military governors - frequently leaders of that area's military who betrayed their former masters - who are generally far less corrupt and more competent than the previous rulers and their minions. Berthold's soldiers and new governors are also under strict orders not to harass peasants and merchants. Nobles, though, are fair game. This bit of politicking sometimes turns the seizure of a town or manor into a game... or a low comedy. Once the soldiers have what they want, they throw the gates open and let the peasants loot. This leads to such spectacles as drunken foot soldiers cheering farmers on as they try to remove a lord's oversized bed from its third-floor room.

Berthold's ambition includes not just territory and temporal power, but also influence over the Church. His scheming to select the next Pope - while the reigning Pope Sextus III is still hale and vigorous - proves his undoing. Sextus - neither a fool nor naive - worries that Berthold's ambitions will lead to the assassinations of both himself and other high Church officials. He begins covertly exploring options. Eventually, he persuades a large number of influential and powerful nobles of the Compact to overthrow Berthold, in favor of the King's cousin, Marcus, son of Achel's daughter.

This is no easy task, given the rewards Berthold's efforts have brought into the Compact. However, Sextus III is able to convince the nobles that if these conquests continue, a coalition of neighboring rulers will unite against the Compact. The fact that the new lands are not being put under the control of the Compact's nobles also worries them. Berthold is dethroned in a bloodless coup which takes him entirely by surprise. He is exiled to a remote estate, where he chokes to death on a gristly bite of beef a few years later. He leaves no legitimate children.