We’re back and porking our way through the ages.

In Part 32 Benvenuto finally realised his Father’s ambitions and took Sicily, becoming King Benvenuto. In this part, new strategies, planning and Alzheimers.

Our mission, should we choose to accept it. It occurs to us that concentrating in the southlands has bagged us little of the territory needed to claim Italy itself, only Sicily. Essentially were almost at ‘Square 1’, but Sicily was necessary to grant us enough prestige to take on the Holy Roman Empire when the time comes.

Benvenuto’s skills are highly sought, even though it involves sitting on the right hand of his now rival. It was also an ambition of his so prestige and bonus points abound

We’re still at the mercy of the HRE and he can summon 30,000 troops to our 2,500 in a war for independence. We have three choices, continue at their mercy, wait for a juicy war between the HRE and someone big enough for us to duck in and claim while they’re too busy, or get bigger than them. We start looking around for allies and fat claims to grow the army. Turns out that Oberto has a weak claim to the Danish throne

But you can only press a weak claim if the ruler is female and you’re male…. well, wouldn’t you know, the Danish heir is a Princess! We need to keep a close eye on developments here

There are two regions in Sicily still in enemy hands, Trapani to the west and Messina to the East. Benvenuto gets a claim on both as the Duke, he can claim both in a Holy War but this will bring in Muslim allies, or one at a time and isolate the boy Duke, we go one at a time and head for the more lucrative Messina.

It takes eighteen months to bring down the walls and storm the city, now the long wait for the truce to expire

To the North in Lucca, Benvenuto’s daughter-in-law becomes the Countess of Lucca handing the title Count of Lucca to Oberto, his son. A proper Italian title – now, it begins

Benvenuto’s approached to allow a castle to be built in Salerno, the new home of the Knights Hospitaller – prestige and piety bonuses, and we will need these bad boys later

This can’t be good, although the symptoms are hilarious

Oberto II takes the reins while Dad runs around the castle naked

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