An Ordinary Year in the Early Middle Ages
Vikings is a wonderful show. A show who needs to give its fans some clues as where our Kattegat band of brothers and sisters stand as they enter into the Age of the Vikings.
These extracts are taken from 821 CE/205AH: An Ordinary Year in the Early Middle Ages by Daniel Franke - Academia.edu
https://www.academia.edu/11097991/Medieval_Diplomacy_Game_821_CE_205AH_An_Ordinary_Year_in_the_Early_Middle_Ages
As it stands it is a very good resume of names and power houses you may meet along the show. Dark Ages were not dark; they were rough yet intrepid with anticipation of a bright future.
Abbasid Caliphate: > Sunni Muslim. Caliph Al'Mamun has ruled since 813 AD/197 AH (AH is Hijri - Muslim calendar); governor of Khurasan while half-brother Al-Amin was caliph; Al-Ma'mun was victorious in the civil war, taking 6aghdad, executing Al-Amin in 813. ruled from Merv till 819; murdered his grand vizier and Imam Reza, the leader of the Shiites. major revolt in Khurasan results; General Tahir ibn Husayn made governor in 821, but now a threat to Abbasid power. Baghdad unstable; unrest in Arabia. Al-Ma'mun needs a new court and new court culture. Roman problems are an opportunity; Thomas the Slav is requesting an alliance. Roman Empire: > Byzantium/Constantinople (synonyme; ruled by an Emperor called the Basileus. Christians but moving away from Rome version of Christianity) They are called Romans Michael ii has ruled for one year, after murdering Leo V. currently facing a major revolt from Thomas the Slav in Anatolia and Thrace; Thomas has the navy, and is trying to obtain Abbasid support. Michael looks to the Bulgars for help; Frankish aggression is worrying. Concern that Muslim powers in North 2frica will threaten Sicily and Crete. Michael is of peasant-soldier stock, and a Judeo-Christian sect; moderate iconoclast. Empire of the Franks: Louis i has ruled since 813: son of Charles the Great. Close relationship with Rome - here the Pope; divided empire among his sons in 816; sons currently fear that Louis's new wife Judith will bear sons; suffering remorse for the death of his nephew Bernard, King of Italy, in 818 ; Slavs have been in rebellion on the eastern frontier since 816. Council votes in 820 to launch campaign against Cordoba caliphate. (Al-Andalus, Spain) Bulgar Khanate: Omurtag has ruled since 814; major building projects; very hostile to Christianity. 30-year peace with the Roman Empire is in place, after major wars that saw the capital of Pliska destroyed in 811 and the Bulgar army defeated at Burtodizos in 814. Supportive of Slavic tribes' struggles against the Franks. In 821, Omurtag has a major decision to make: assist Slavic rebellion against Michael II, or assist the Romans
As you can see, it is of the up most importance Ragnar gets to see the world map or should I say the road map of his ambition. Without it, he is a child used as a mercenary blind to the famous 'broader picture'.
Mid 9thC key players, power houses knew exactly who was where and doing what on the great game of empire-building. With power comes greater responsibilities. It also comes with greater knowledge.