We have six children: 3 daughters and 3 sons (1 bastard). Our two eldest sons are 11 and 8 and are turning out to be fine boys.
1111-1112 War in the Duchy of Munster
We open the war on County Desmond, our Levies are nearly 5000 strong against their 1500 man force. The battle in Desmond is a fairly quick and decisive victory, however the Petty King of Connacht has decided to heed County Desmond's call to arms and now we have another enemy with 1800 men.
We split the forces and I personally lead the forces to Connacht to battle there, we are victorious after a bit of cat-and-mouse chasing and then lay siege to Connacht as well.
During the sieges my brother, Gilla-Brigte, asked me for a fief of his own. As it looks as if I will soon have the County Desmond I promise to arrange it.
My wife also becomes pregnant while in camp with me in Connacht - I press the siege determined to win this war so we can go home and she can have me another child.
In August 1112 the siege of Desmond concludes and I usurp the title of Earl of Desmond!
True to my word I immediate turn around and make my brother Gilla-Brigte the Earl of Desmond.
After taking the County Desmond we can do two things, 1: Usurp the title of Duke of Munster (as we hold 66% of the Duchy) which would give us a De Jure title over County Ormond. and 2: Form the Kingdom of Ireland which would give us De Jure claims over all of Ireland.
However we will wait and prepare, Munster is waging war in Wales right now so we can't usurp his title and it would take almost all of our Piety to make the Kingdom of Ireland, I don't want to jump the gun, I will wait until we have absorbed Munster and have the Duchy of Munster's succession in hand first.
1112-1119 Preparing to be King of Ireland
Another daughter of mine is born in November 1112, we name her Rois she is my seventh child (I have 5 by my current wife, 1 by my first wife and 1 as a bastard from a mistress).
Siring my sons gives me the stressed trait but Seoan is able to pick up the Gregarious trait (instead of the shy he was going to get) and the Diligent trait so that is good!
In 1114 the Petty Kingdom of Munster has finished their involvement in Welsh wars (which resulted in the strongest country in Wales loosing a County so that is cool) so we immediately usurped the title of Duke of Munster! We can't press our new De Jure claim on Ormond just yet however as we have a truce with Earl Brian 'the ill-Ruler' until December 1115.
In late 1114 my wife dies of Great Pox (which I think is an STD, hopefully I don't get it, but I don't seem to have the trait).
I remarry to a 23 Year old lowborn Norman Bastard woman (I imagine this would be for love) who happens to be related to Prince Wymund of Sicily (but she is not legitamzed). Her best qualities are that she is young and has high stewardship (I have a lot of children to raise!)
My second son picks up the Charitable trait and I pick up +2 learning while trying to build a flying machine.
In April my first son and heir Domnall turns 16 and I arrange for him to be married to Princess Cecilia Dunkeld of Scotland (Revolt).
Unfortunately shortly after I loose the Brave trait, perhaps a nice war will gain it back and I need a title to give to my son now that he is a man so that I get rid of this 'Landless Son' penalty.
The Earl of Ormond is my De Jure vassal under my title as Duke of Munster, he has made it clear that he would be okay with being my vassal, but unfortunately he has involved himself so much in Welsh affairs that he has an heir who is of a Welsh dynasty! He has allies in Wales and in County Ulster but even all three combined should be no match for our armies. Unfortunately if we press our De Jure claim on him we will only force him into vassalage (which he is willing to give us) so we decide to wait and try to fabricate a claim to the county.
Meanwhile as we wait our vassal, the Earl of Desmond (my brother) died after a period of depression, I would have gotten the title back but it went to Gilla-Brigte's 2 year old son Faelbe who decently likes me and is looking like he will be loyal.
I took my son Domnall's wife Cecilia as a lover in 1117 after two years and no child between them. Later, in early 1118 he contracted consumption (TB). Their first son was born (ill) in July 1118, named Constantin (Domnall doesn't know that the boy is actually my son). If father and son survive their illnesses they will be Kings of Ireland, otherwise I have a backup legitimate son (and a backup legitimized bastard to him if necessary).
The Earl of Breifne dies a maimed cripple, and again I do not get the title back due to him having a new son (this time less than 1 year old!). At least my Earl vassals' power is again diminished and the new guy likes me a lot!
Looks like I have a Kinsman as Heir to a Barony in Genoa, along with my Cousin the Heir to Duchy of York I'm starting to spread out the Dynasty (currently at 80 members, 32 living and a Prestige of 190).
My son seems to have gotten over his TB but his son* is still ill, hopefully the little tyke gets better. My second son comes of age and I marry him to the Countess of Glamorgan (in Wales) hopefully he will sire some heirs and we will have some claims or at least allies when it comes time to conquer Wales.
1119-1121 The Beginning of a Kingdom and the 1st Crusade!
We finally decide to accept Earl Murchad of Ormond's offer to become our vassal. With all of Lower Ireland secure I decide it is time to change my ambition to becoming the King of Ireland - and to form the Kingdom of Ireland! I form the Kingdom of Ireland, make the Earl of Breifne also the Duke of Munster (so I don't have the penalty for too many held duchies as a king - can only have two).
In celebration I declare two things, 1) That there will be a Grand Tournament to which all the Knights in the Kingdom of Ireland are invited. and 2) That following the Tournament we will join the crusade for Jerusalem that is being fought in the name of Pope Telesphorus II.
Sadly the Crusade takes precedence and so I raise the Levies and move the army from Ireland across the sea to France. From there we will march to Jerusalem and see if we can help in this war. Apparently this is a good thing for our King as shortly after embarking through France from Normandy he looses the 'Stressed' trait and gains the nickname 'the Just'.
We enter the Holy Roman Empire in February 1120, apparently I brought my youngest son Stefano with me as I get an event to either let him get the 'Arbitrary' trait or beat it out of him (which I do). I love my little bastard son.
Our Twin Daughters come of age and I am able to marry them both (matrialinigially) to Princes in England and Aragon (the 2nd and 4th in lines of succession of those states).
In July 1120 we enter the Byzantine Empire, closer and closer to Jerusalem and the Crusade! I took a look a the warscore and realized that they are already 76% on their way to winning this thing, if we don't hurry up we are going to miss it! Also my wife Herminie is pregnant (did I bring the whole damn court!?!).
We make it to Beirut in March 1121 and begin the siege of the capital. We gain the Crusader trait! A new set of twin sons (Crundmael and Uilliam) are born in Beruit. And my bastard son Stefano picks up the 'Kind' trait.
Unfortunately we do not survive the crusade and in August of 1121 we retire from the world at the age of 44, it says illness was the issue - I suspect a war injury may have contributed.
Our eldest son becomes King Domnall Ua Cheinnselaig, King of Ireland, Duke of Tara, Duke of Leinster, Earl of Dublin, Earl of Leinster, Earl of Kildare, Earl of Ossory, Earl of Thomond and Heir to Duchy of Munster and we become him!
1121-1124 Continuing the climb and finishing the Crusade.
I take over the stewardship of my father's bastard son Stefano but I also have my own son, Constantin who is 3 years old (whom is actually my father's son as well but I do not know this). Hopefully I can sire him up to be a great King of Ireland - but first lets make me a great King of Ireland.
Now it is time to finish this Crusade, we still have the army in Beruit so I ask to join the Crusade again, just as my first Daughter is born, Lerthan.
I gain prestige and peity (and the Crusader trait) from rejoining the Crusade and assaulting Beruit. The Crusade is 86% complete so hopefully we can just do our small part and head back home.
I took a lover, Cristina nic Andre of Atholl, its good to be the King.
The Crusade is won! England was the heaviest hitter in this Crusade so they are awarded stewardship of the Holy Land. Would we be bad catholics to hope that it ties them into many wars and troubles while we unite the Isles back home? The have taken another Welsh province after all.
With the Crusade complete it is time to head home. Immediately the Muslim community launches a renewed Jihad. We may see England get trounced fairly quickly.
My bastard son Ainmere is born in September 1122, I legitimize him. Shortly after my wife (Cecilia Dunkeld, Princess of Scotland) is pregnant! All this is happening as the army moved through the Byzantine Empire on its way back from the Crusade.
While I am away my Chancellor is able to fabricate a claim on the County of Connacht, perhaps I will use it upon my return.
Another son of mine is Born in April 1123 when we are halfway through the Holy Roman Empire, we name him Uilliam after my Father (and one of my younger brothers).
The Army returns home in October of 1123. I immediately celebrate by taking another lover - Aine nic Andrew of Atholl.
1124 Status
Looks like England has a war on their hands after they tried to revoke Mercia and Shewsburry. Scotland and the Petty Kingdom of the Isles (and Norway) pretty much have Scotland divided up.
I now have claims on Tyrone and Connacht (which cost me most of my prestige) and an extra space in my Demense, time to see if I can start the consolidation of the island and see if I can't get a 'the Great' nickname.
Once I unite the Island I will either start picking on the Petty Kingdom of the Isles or the little guys in the Kingdom of Wales. The Isles would be better as that will draw us into wars with Scotland instead of going into Wales which will draw us into wars with the relatively mighty England.
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