Previously on Crusader Kings 2, we were introduced to the Petty Kingdom of Mumu, and lived through the mostly uneventful 31-year reign of King Murchad “The Gouty,” who died of old age after losing one minor war early in his reign and then never expanding his territory again. Now his heir, Eterscél sits on Mumu’s throne. Here’s a very quick look at Eterscél:
Eterscél is something of an interesting monarch. Firstly, he ascended to the throne very young, being a mere 16 years old. This is because he was a younger child of King Murchad. The original heir, Brian, didn’t outlive their father, so Eterscél kind of fell into kingship. This is reflected in his stats, where he was being groomed as a potential Marshall and Battle Commander, with most of his guardians growing up being soldiers. This is reflected in his high Martial score of 11. Unfortunately his Diplomacy and Intrigue scores suffer because of this, being a mere 2 and 4 respectively. He’s clearly self-conscious about his lack of diplomatic skill as his ambition is to change that. Fortunately, it looks like he’ll be a good steward of Mumu’s gold, and he’s an average learner. As we can see, he currently has no children, so his heir is his nephew Brian. Our young King does have a Queen, though. Let’s take a look at Adelia
Adelia di Cervia, our teenage queen is apparently completely hopeless with money, and as dumb as a box of rocks. She would be a pretty terrible soldier as well. Unlike her husband, she has a modicum of diplomatic ability, but only a modicum. She’s mildly more aware of deceit and skulduggery than her husband as well. Looking at her traits, we discover that she’s humble, deceitful and slothful which is an interesting combination. It seems unlikely she’ll be plotting against Eterscél any time soon despite being something of an underhanded rogue. Really her biggest benefit to the kingdom is being young enough to bear lots of heirs. Which she wastes absolutely no time doing.
Given the setting, we get the best news of all, a male Heir. He also gets a fraternal twin sister we can marry off later.
The first thing Eterscél does upon the birth of his heirs is publicly proclaim Abél as his heir, which helps boost his confidence a little bit when it comes to being diplomatic.
After that, he throws away this benefit by following in Murchad’s footsteps and attempting to press his de Jure claim on the county of Deshaimhum as part of the kingdom of Mumu. Unfortunately, he follows in those footsteps a little bit too well and three years into his reign, Eterscél has lost his very first war.
This leaves Eterscél in something of a bind,since he’s lost a considerable amount of prestige, and is having to pay reparations to Deashumhain as part of the humiliating surrender. Using what remains in his treasury, he begins to reinforce his current holdings by upgrading the fortifications of his capital’s castle. After three years of infrastructure improvements, collecting taxes and trying to rebuild his lost reputation, there’s cause for celebration, as Queen Adelia gives birth to a second daughter:
The presence of young children must have had a positive effect on King Eterscél, because over the next six years of peace, he both acquires the sobriquet “the Just” and achieves one of his major life goals:
After a few years in which Eterscél continues to upgrade the fortifications at his various holdings,as well as having his Marshal hold several military recruitment drives to bring up the numbers, he once again declares war on a severely weakened Deashumhaininorder topress the Petty Kingdom of Mumu’s de Jure claim on that title. During this, Queen Adelia blesses the family with a second son, Éogan.
Not long after Éogan’s birth, Estercél is able to accomplish something his father couldn’t and add Deshumhain to to his realm.
The Petty Kingdom of Mumu is finally restored to it’s de Jure borders. This is a cause for celebration within Mumu, and is soon followed by yet another one. Queen Adelia is once more with child (a third daughter).
Estercél, flush with happiness and success decides to strike out further to the north of his realm, and presses a minor claim to the independent County of Osraige. A brave warrior, Estercél leads from the front, which is to his detriment
However, this proves only to be a minor setback, and soon Osraige is in the possession of one of Estercél’s vassals.
The realm is expanding. Though the court of Mumu starts to dwindle as Estercél starts marrying off his daughters, or at least betrothing them to different nobles. I think all six of the King’s children now either have a spouse or an intended one when they come of age. The nation is prosperous and the future of the dynasty seems assured for a generation or two. So naturally, after thirty three years on the throne, Estercél succumbs to the black dog of depression
The morose monarch clearly needed something to distract him from his own dark moods, and fortunately, the self-same vassal who had a claim to the County of Osraige also has a claim to the independent Earldom of Cill Dara. Once more, Estercél gears up for war.
It ends almost immediately with Cill Dara being another expansion of the Petty Kingdom of Mumu. That means that in his reign, Estercél the Just has thus far expanded Mumu from a mere two counties to five. Apparently, this enflamed Queen Adelia into the throes of passion as she threw herself upon the King
Estercél survived his wife’s attentions. He also managed to fight off illness over the next three years of his reign, and dispense wisdom and justce throughout the realm, garnering the approval of the smallfolk
Life was good in Mumu, so much so, that King Estercél the Just ordered an event in the capital county of Tuadhumhain to keepthe people happy.
It went down a treat, with the King particularly enjoying the Mummery (aside from one Jester who crossed the line and was introduced to the dungeons as a result). eventually, the fair ended, as did the summer itself. The King was content to act as a guardian for his newest granddaughter.
This pleased the heir to the throne, who named his newest son for the King
The King wasn’t through trying to expand the Kingdom just yet, and after a considerable amount of cajoling, outright skulduggery and perhaps a little creative interpretation of family tress, he was able to work with the Chancellor of the realm to fabricate a claim to the independent county of Connachta
Definitely a ripe target. Unfortunately for Mumu,before we can begin our hitherto-fore successful siege tactics upon Connachta’s holdings, we’re met in open battle and this happens:
Fortunately, my nephew, the Chancellor is able to act as my regent and sue for my release as part of a humiliating peace accord. Perhaps a sixty year old king shouldn’t be leading forces on the battlefield, but soldiering is in King Estercél’s blood…
After his freedom, Estercél’s Queen of the last forty-six years, and mother to his six children finally passes.
Which in a bit of irony,causes King Estercél the Just to no longer consider himself “Just.”
The King remarries, his second Queen being a Saxon woman, Anna Haraldsdatter. she makes her impact known imediately by quarreling with one of my more powerful vassals. The Earl who’s claims on Osraige and Cill Dara brought them into my realm.
Estercél is far more loyal to his vassals than to his still new spouse, of course. And apparently asserting those bonds ofloyalty made him feel much better than before, since his depression lifted.
Political intrigue is never too far away, and after a period of marrying off all the grandchildren, Mumu receives the offer of an alliance from the Queen of Scotland.
We take it, since the Duchys on mainland Britain seem to be growing more powerful and friends are a useful resource. I’m sure there won’t be any unforeseen consequences of such a thing after all.
There are almost immediately unforeseen consequences. The Kingdom of Mumu lends their manpower and siege expertise to one of the two Scottish counties that follow Dolfin the Usurper and are almost immediately rewarded with success.
There’s still one county in revolt against the Queen of Scotland, but Estercél calls his forces back to the capital in order to replenish them rather than join that fray. It’s a move that seems wiser in retrospect, as measles starts sweeping through many of the nobles in the area, including my heir, Abél.
This is truly unfortunate, since not long after this, King Estercél finally shuffled off his mortal coil after seventy-one years, fifty-five of them as King.
Now Abél takes over the reign. Will he finish prosecuting the war against the Scottish Revolt? Will he do what his father was unable to do and bring Connachta to heel? One thing’s for certain, though. His reign will be a shorter one, considering that he’s already in his fifties. Find out in Part 3 of this Let’s Play.
Thoughts of a Lost Limey 