The Republic Reborn

[Polycarp]

Greetings friends,

As you may have gathered, I'm definitely back from vacation, but I've been very busy this past week.  I have to run some errands today but I'll resume work on the update tonight; hopefully I'll be able to deliver it by tomorrow.  Thanks for your patience.

Edit: My mouse stopped working yesterday and I had to hold off on any updating while I got a new one.  Also, I told Llum I would finish this update before I went to bed come hell or high water, but then my computer crashed and I lost some of it.  Somebody upstairs has it in for this update, but I bravely soldier on, heedless of setbacks and obstacles, determined to give you the long awaited Summer Update as soon as humanly possible.

[Polycarp]

Anno Domini MCLIV
Summer has passed into Autumn...
In autumn, laborers take to the farmlands to plow the fields and sow the winter wheat, while in the hills grapes and olives must be picked and pressed.  This is a busy time in Rome, for much work needs to be done between the withering summer and the onset of winter.  The wealthy return to the city from their country estates this season, and the Church prepares for the celebration of All Saints' Day.  On the water, merchants hurry to complete their routes before the winter storms make the sea treacherous, and citizens watch the Tiber warily, for floods come most often in autumn

Our Consuls: To Be Determined
Our Pope: Anastasius IV
Our Rage: Simmering

[ooc=This Season's Top 5 Popular Issues]
1. "The Emperor is coming!  Who will defend us?"
2. "No, seriously this time– he's really coming!  What are we going to do!?"
3. "Is it time to mend our fences with the Pope?"
4. "The Senators and their Courts are corrupt."
5. "Arnold of Brescia is a great man.  We should protect him." [/ooc]

News from Abroad

Word has come from the north that Frederick von Hohenstaufen, King of Germany, has crossed the Alps through the Brenner Pass.  With him is an army of his German vassals, as well as arguably the two most important nobles in Germany, Henry "the Lion" Welf, Duke of Saxony, and Otto von Wittelsbach, Count Palatine of Bavaria.  The king has announced that an Imperial Diet will be held on the plain of Roncaglia, near the city of Piacenza, in autumn, and has summoned representatives from all the major communes and baronial houses of Imperial Italy to attend.

News of Latium

The communes of Perugia and Assisi have fought several skirmishes over the small city of Bastia, which lies between them, throughout spring and summer.  The conflict was inconclusive, and the two cities have agreed to a truce.

The Roman Commune has invaded the city of Civitavecchia, which surrendered without a fight after the Pisan colony in the city declined to join in the defense of the city.

Word has it that the lord of Magliano, Niccolo Anguillara, has allied himself with the Faliscan League.

Castrum Nerulae, known also as Nerola, has been occupied by Farfa Abbey.  Cardinal-Bishop Ottaviano dei Crescenzi Ottaviani di Monticelli, the original owner of the castle, has sold it to the abbey for an unknown sum.

News of Rome

An epidemic of fever has plagued the city this summer, particularly those low-lying districts hit hardest by the flood earlier this year.  The riverside shacks of the poor, many only recently rebuilt, echo with the moans of the ill or simply stand silent as tombs.  Those that can afford to leave the city have done so; those who cannot must take refuge in prayer.

Expeditions

[spoiler=The Civitavecchian Campaign]

Consul Fortis Calafatus
200 Senatorial Guard [Urban Militia]
1400 Urban Militia
1800 Rural Levy

The Roman expedition against Civitavecchia was plagued from the start by disunion.  The equites, having never resolved themselves to Consul Calafatus' renewed leadership, formed a united front against the expedition.  The senatorial equites denounced the plan as simply another attempt by the Consul to appease the mob and gain riches for himself, and when the Consul issued the call for the militia to muster, the vast majority of the equites refused the call, claiming that they did not recognize the Consul's authority as legitimate.  Undeterred, the Consul went ahead with his plan.

Despite the intransigence of the equites, turnout was high among the citizen militia.  Gathering rural levies was more difficult – rumors of an outbreak of fever in the city convinced many peasants to disregard the temptation of plunder, and efforts to forcibly conscript them were often thwarted by the noble equites whose land they lived on.  The Consul could spare little time for such matters if he wished to conquer the city before the Pope's deadline for the cessation of hostilities, and the army that marched down the Via Aurelia in mid-June, while respectable in size, lacked both cavalry and the great host of ill-armed but strong-backed contadini that the Consul had relied upon in the siege of Tivoli.

The Romans reached the sea after a two-day march along the Via Aurelia, arriving at the town of Santa Severa on June 19th.  The town and the nearby 9th century rocca of Palo were fiefs of Signore Giovanni Orsini.  Lord Orsini declared himself neutral, but his pronunciations did not stop many Romans from ransacking his farms and villages for supplies.  One can only presume that he was grateful when the Romans moved on towards Civitavecchia.  On June 21st, the army rounded the headland of Cape Linaro and set its eyes upon the sole port of Latium.

The Consul first attempted to secure the city's surrender peacefully, but it was unclear exactly who he was supposed to treat with.  Though a possession of Farfa Abbey, the city was ruled by its own council.  The council, however, generally deferred to the Pisans, whose citizens had established a colony in the city and essentially controlled the entire port.  This colony, though overseen by a "Consul" dispatched from Pisa, was not exactly a governmental entity and had little control over the various captains and crews that happened to be in port at the time.  As the Romans encamped outside the city walls, confusing negotiations took place within and outside the city.  The council seemed to be stalling for time until the Pisans forced their hand – the Pisan consul, meeting with Consul Calafatus, agreed to remain neutral in exchange for Roman recognition of their sovereignty and immunity from Roman law and taxation.  Without Pisan assistance, the council had only its local militia to rely upon.  Not wishing to invite a sack, the council surrendered the city to the Romans on July 8th, after an uneventful and bloodless two-week "siege."

Though the city was not subjected to a proper sack, the Romans were not well-behaved in their new conquest.  The problem was exacerbated by the absence of the equites, who traditionally functioned as intermediate commanders keeping the "commoners" in line.  Since the city was conquered, Roman militiamen have been quartering themselves in any houses they fancied, drinking the residents' wine, plundering their larders, and harassing their daughters.  The Civitavecchians are understandably frustrated, no less at their own leaders who had turned them over to the Romans without a fight.  Tensions have increased dramatically since mid-August, when a local priest was beaten senseless by Roman soldiers whom he had berated.  With the city council apparently dissolved, the spears of the Romans are the only law, and the city hangs in limbo.

Civitavecchia has fallen to the Romans, who occupy the city with around 2,000 men (many of the rural levies have returned home for the harvest).  The militia does not currently intend to stay another season and will probably retire to Rome within a few weeks.

Consul Calafatus spent 1 WP on this campaign.  No loot was taken.[/spoiler]
Finances

Treasury: 7 WP

• Defense Fund: 0 WP

Income: 2 WP

• Duty, Patrician Pierleone: 1 WP
• Tribute, Tre Fontane: 1 WP

Expenditures: 1 WP

• Vigili Upkeep: 1 WP

[spoiler=Personal Finances]
Arrigus Sismondii
Wealth Level 4 [10/16]
Savings: 3 WP
IP: 22 Wine, 2 Olives, 10 Wool
Projects: Rocca [6/15]
Assets: Estate

Fortis Calafatus
Wealth Level 4 [1/16]
Savings: 13 WP
IP: 25 Farmland
Projects: None
Assets: Estate, De Re Militari, 150 Heavy Infantry (3WP)

Vittorio Manzinni
Wealth Level 4 [6/16]
Savings: 10 WP
IP: 24 Egyptian Trade (Glassware, Linens), 6 Hospitality
Projects: None
Assets: Estate, Spears, Crossbows, Grain [3], Land in Ripe et Marmorate

Roberto Basile
Wealth Level 4 [0/16]
Savings: 4 WP
IP: 14 Sicilian Privateers, 10 Oranges
Projects: Tower House [15/15]
Assets: Estate, 100 Masnada (1WP)

Domenico DeRosa
Wealth Level 4 [7/16]
Savings: 8 WP
IP: 24 Farmland, 7 Hospitality
Projects: None
Assets: Estate, Hostels, Land in Ripe et Marmorate, 100 Masnada (1WP), Chapel

Hugo de Vinti
Wealth Level 4 [13/16]
Savings: 10 WP
IP: 14 Marble Trade, 10 Sculpture, 13 Flax Production
Projects: None
Assets: Estate, Palazzo [10], 50 Heavy Infantry (1WP)

Romolo Vannetti
Wealth Level 4 [6/16]
Savings: 5 WP
IP: 22 Goldsmithing, 8 Moneylending
Projects: None
Assets: Estate[/spoiler]

Senatorial Inquests

Senators that requested information or launched endeavors have the results of their efforts listed here.  This information is private, but you may certainly choose to share it with the Senate.

[spoiler=Domenico DeRosa]Salt
Salt, in fact, is not produced inland - at least, not in Latium.  Sicily has some salt mines, and the rich cities of northern Italy can buy salt from the alpine mines of Tyrol, but central Italy relies almost exclusively on sea salt.  Ostia's salt marshes are the largest potential source of this on Italy's western coast, but they are largely unexploited.  The Papal States are an economically backward region in which most people do their best to struggle on even without things like salt.  Were Rome to emerge as a major exporter, it would have a virtual monopoly on the resource in Latium.

Books and Livestock
It wouldn't seem like gathering some sheep and goats to make vellum would be difficult, but they supply seems to be somewhat thin right now.  Some of this is due to the usual conflict and poverty of Latium, but primarily it relates to the activities of Consul Calafatus (who has been plundering the lands of Farfa, who own many sheep) and Senator Sismondii (who seems to have been buying up all the sheep for his burgeoning wool operation north of Rome).  While you have nowhere near enough to maintain a major bookmaking operation, that might not be something you have to worry about until you have any bookmaking operation at all.

Carlo Molin has been dispatched to Sicily and should hopefully write back or return next season.  He expresses to you that he is not particularly fond of constant sea voyages back and forth, and if you wish for him to continue his duties at the Sicilian court you might consider allowing him to remain for some time as an ambassador.

Basilica
You have begun contributions for the restoration of the Basilica of St. Mary, though [1 Wealth] is not a particularly large sum – it may be conservatively estimated that the renovations planned for the Basilica by Eugene would cost around [6 Wealth].

You spent 6 Wealth this turn.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Hugo De Vinti]Drainage
Your draining efforts were put on hold this season due to the outbreak of ague – the "Roman fever" – in the district.  The funds you allocated for the project were not spent, and you may try again in the autumn if you wish.

Naples
Your agent wisely chose not to boast about Rome's divine protection from malaria given the news of the recent epidemic, which the Neapolitans had been made aware of.  Perhaps understandably, he has made very little headway with recruitment this season, but perhaps the future will be kinder to your efforts.  Certainly the rumors of Eugene's tomb are popular, for the late Pope is still well-respected by the Neapolitans.

Ostia
Your agent reports that if there was any ongoing Pisan activity at Ostia, it seems to have stopped following the Roman attack on Civitavecchia.  This, however, may just be a temporary halt until the situation in the port city is clearer, assuming the Pisans have business in Ostia at all.  The Pisan quarter of Civitavecchia has been sealed up tight since the surrender of the city and the subsequent violence, and your agent was unable to make any headway there.  He remains in place, albeit outside the Pisan quarter, monitoring the situation there closely.

The people of Gregoriopolis have suffered the same malarial summer that the Romans have, though their casualties have been proportionally lighter – perhaps those few intrepid Gregoriopolitans are simply accustomed to the deadly ague by now.  They soldier on in their salt-making and lime-burning, though the events in Civitavecchia have concerned them somewhat – the rumored behavior of the Romans seems to worry them, and they are concerned that Civitavecchia's woes will make times harder for them, since they do some business in salt and lime with Civitavecchia and the Pisans there.

Arnold
The positions of the Senators on Arnold and his doctrines is difficult to determine.  While the majority profess some level of personal admiration for the man and praise his proclamations on the justness of secular government, it is likely that at least some of these men see the monk and his followers merely as useful allies or tools.  So far, all of Arnold's beliefs have been a boon to the popularity and legitimacy of the Communal government, and as long as this continues it seems certain he will remain popular in the Senate – but if they should come into conflict, some of the Senate's Arnoldist sentiment may turn out to be written on the water.

The only Senators that actually seem hostile to the Arnoldists are the nobles, though even they are careful to temper their statements with praise for his "virtue" and "modest character."  Privately, though, they suspect that he is no more than a demagogue who will stir the lower classes into rebellion as soon as the Senate strays from his favor.  They make up only around a fifth of the Senate.

The identity of the Senator who leaked the Papal Bull remains elusive; even those who are no great fans of the monk might have done it to stir up anti-clerical sentiment or to provoke further conflict with Farfa.  As the nobles and equites are opposed to Consul Calafatus and his campaigns, however, it seems very unlikely that any of them would be responsible.

Lord of the Linens: The Fellowship of the Flax
You found the monitoring of your flax project to be a welcome excuse to flee the city this summer; while it was not much cooler upriver, there was at least less disease.  The workers were a bit mystified as to why a Roman Senator was slumming it with them, but accepted your gifts (though they insinuated that next time they'd prefer wine to sweets).

You've become somewhat more familiar with the flax-dressing process, having observed it firsthand, and wonder how it is anyone came up with this stuff.  This season, the farmers' wives took over the business, spinning the newly-made flax fibers into great balls of thread.  There were complaints that the fibers were too short, too coarse, and sometimes degraded by rot, all problems that can likely be traced back to inexperienced workers and processing mistakes.  Some money was made, but this year's product largely wound up being sold in the villages around Rome to sew patches on peasants' trousers and other such applications where there is not much of a profit margin.  Still, you can celebrate your first year of production and hope that future years will bring greater yields.

The growth of your lands under cultivation is somewhat constrained by its rightful owners.  Though it might not be particularly difficult to "appropriate" church lands to the south, the best land for further cultivation is on the west bank of the Tiber.  This territory is under cultivation by the peasants of the village of Labarum, near the site of an ancient Roman river port.  You have offered to lease these lands from the local barons, but they have so far declined your offers – they have close ties to the lord of Formello and the Faliscan cities and there may be political pressure on them to avoid dealing with a Roman senator.  Perhaps a clever solution to this conundrum could be found – but until then, you were only able to invest [1 wp] in this way, making a minor expansion into ambiguously church-held lands.

You have invested 2 WP and saved 1 WP this season.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Vittorio Manzinni]Church
The church most in need of repair in Ripe et Marmorate is probably the Basilica of Santa Prisca, which stands on the western Aventine Hill.  It is a Cardinal church (currently, the title is held by Cardinal-Priest Astaldo degli Astalli) which holds the relics of Saint Prisca, a 13 year old Roman girl who was supposedly tortured and executed in the 1st century for converting to Christianity and refusing to make sacrifices to the Roman gods.  The basilica also has a baptismal font that is said to have been used by Saint Peter himself.  The church was heavily damaged in 1084 when the Normans sacked the city, and very little has been done to repair it since then.

The basilica does not appear to have a vicar, a clergyman who stands in for the Cardinal in its day to day functioning, probably because it has not done much day to day functioning in the 12th century so far.  The caretakers are a small group of French Benedictine monks from Vendôme.  They were ecstatic to hear that money would be spent to restore their church, but said that more funds would be needed to completely repair it.

The monks expressed great pride in their church, whose patron they claimed to be the very earliest Roman martyr.  Unfortunately, they are materially poor and had no texts of significance to share, but might potentially be of some use because of their contacts with their "mother" abbey in Vendôme, an independent abbey of considerable wealth and stature in France.  They took the opportunity of your visit to also ask for protection, claiming that Arnoldist clergy in nearby churches in the district harassed them for being "foreign" and "pro-Papal" and had tried to steal valuables from their church.

You have spent 3 WP and saved 1 WP this turn.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Roberto Basile]
Churches
You have spent a portion of the city treasury on the restoration of minor churches.  While some of the most egregious decay has been staunched with this money, it must be considered that Rome has hundreds of churches which all need continuous maintenance, and your efforts are at best a short term measure.

Marriage
You have advised your son that marrying into a family of like status might be preferable to social climbing, and he has taken your words under consideration.  Hopefully he will soon make a choice that may be acted upon.

You have spent 9 WP this turn.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Fortis Calafatus]Frederick
Your scouts were somewhat preempted – all of Italy has heard of Frederick's arrival by now.  They may, however, still be useful in finding out what kind of force he's brought with him...

Arnold of Brescia says that he is confident in the power and wisdom of almighty God who will protect the righteous and punish the wicked.  Aside from that, he doesn't seem to have "plans" as such.  He is hopeful that Frederick will see the light and side with the virtuous Romans against the perfidious Pope.

Income
Unfortunately, it's not as simple as just investing WP in land – any land you acquire, after all, must come from somewhere.  The easiest way to acquire it would be to seize church lands, but there are obvious repercussions to this.  Seizing land from local barons is also a possibility; certainly there are plenty of noble equites whose land you'd like to snatch, but it seems likely that doing that would be inviting civil war.  Finally, there's the way that most nobles get land – they're granted it by Popes, Kings, or Emperors.  Your stock, however, may not be particularly high with either the Pope or the Emperor-elect right at this moment.

Assuming you are not considering lands already owned by Roman nobles, there are a limited number of neighbors with land to take.  To the north, there is church land and the lands of Lord Cappoci.  To the east, there are the lands of the Frangipani and local barons mostly allied with the Frangipani or the Tusculani.  To the south, the lands are largely held by Tusculani-affiliated barons, as well as a few church fiefs.  To the west, the land is poor and worth little, save some areas in the northwest possessed by the barons around Formello.

Alternately, you would invest in making your lands more productive rather than acquiring more – say, though more advanced farming techniques or better drainage – but this too would have to come from somewhere else, as you personally don't have any farming expertise at all.

You were able to invest a small amount in your already-existing lands, clearing forested areas and ploughing up rocks to create more arable land, but this is hardly enough to create work for the quarter of your peasants who have been expelled by Senator Sismondii.  Without any redress of their grievances from you, most have moved into the city to scratch what living they can as itinerant farm laborers.

Manzinni
Nothing seems particularly sinister about Senator Manzinni's land deals; as far as you can tell, his chief enterprise has been lodging poor pilgrims during the spring, which is nice enough but doesn't have much profit potential.  Though he seems to own a considerable amount of Ripe et Marmorate, the district is still a slum.  Recently, he has begun spending money on the restoration of one of the district's basilicas, Santa Prisca, on the Aventine Hill; the church was heavily damaged in the 11th century Norman sack of the city and has never been repaired.

You spent 6 WP this turn, 1 of which was invested in your lands and 4 of which were invested with Senator Sismondii.  You gained 3 WP in regular income and 2 WP in rent from Senator Sismondii.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Arrigus Sismondii]Wool
Spinning is not exactly a secret science, as it is practiced by thousands of Roman peasant wives.  The arts of weaving and dying – the transmutation of colorless thread into colorful textiles – are less widely spread.  Weaving cloth with a loom is time-consuming work, particularly with the old style of vertical loom; a more efficient horizontal loom was introduced in the last century, but Rome (not being a great center of cloth production) has been slow to catch on.  It requires dedicated craftsmen, not just women working in their spare time.

Good quality cloth must then be "fulled," the process of cleaning and thickening cloth by beating it, either with wooden mallets or simply with one's feet.  Stale urine and "fuller's earth," a kind of clay, are also used to cleanse the cloth.

Dying is a mysterious process.  Dyes are easy to come by – plants like onion, madder, birch, and goldenrod are common enough, and various lichens and barks are used locally.  The problem is that if you want cloth to stay dyed, you need an additive called a mordant which "fixes" the dye in place.  Certain mordants are better than others, and some mordants work best with certain dyes or on certain kinds of cloth.  Stale urine is used by the poor (note how "stale urine" features heavily in this industry), but it's not very effective.  The best mordant is the mineral called alum, which comes almost exclusively from Egypt.  Knowledge of mordants and dyes is itself a sort of alchemy, in which secret "family recipes" are passed down through the generations and jealously guarded from rivals.  Rome's Jews dominate the dying industry simply because they know recipes and techniques that nobody else in Rome does.

Your attempts to steal the secrets of the dyers of Trastevere have not met with much success.  The Jews in particular are a very insular group who don't seem to be moved by promises of wealth; it seems likely they would be ostracized from their small community if they did.  You're not even certain of who all the dyers are; they keep a low profile in the community, spending most of their time in the Jewish quarter.  Having a spy infiltrate this small, close-knit group is obviously out of the question, and even if you could there's no single recipe or magic ratio to steal – each dyer is a living archive of knowledge.

You have learned that the dyers of Trastevere do have a small supply of alum through their contacts with the Jews of Sicily, who have influence in the court of Palermo which handles a great deal of Egyptian trade.

You have dispatched agents to Flanders and Florence; hopefully they will give you some useful information when they return.

Investment
Consul Calafatus granted you 4 WP to invest.  You have used it to hire laborers and buy equipment for processing and weaving, like scouring vats and looms.  You have also begun planning of a building to house some of your workers, but it remains to be decided where it should be placed.  Your weavers have so far been relegated to the lands east of the Forum and around the Colosseum, where workshops can be cheaply bought; unfortunately, moving them any closer to Trastevere runs into opposition from the weavers' schola.  To truly run Rome's wool market, you are going to have to deal with them sooner or later.

You have spent 5 WP and invested 1 WP this turn.  You have invested 3 WP and spent 1 WP of the Consul's money this turn.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Romolo Vannetti]Metalwork
Your contributions to the refurbishing of Rome's churches are appreciated, though the work most needed tends to be the "stop the roof from caving in" variety.  Still, you provide a unique service and nobody can begrudge your generous contributions.

The central problem is that the minor clergy – that is, the monks and priests that perform most of the city's day to day religious functions – are not wealthy individuals.  Under the Papal administration, they were at best low-level administrators who performed some civic duties in addition to their religious duties; they were never in possession of the great profits that the Papal Prefect funneled from the city to the coffers of the Pope.  They rioted because they lacked the funds for upkeep, and correspondingly lack the funds to pay for your services.

You have been made aware, however, that a significant amount of money is being put into two important basilicas by two of Rome's most distinguished senators: the Basilica of St. Mary Major, being funded by Senator DeRosa, and the Basilica of Santa Prisca, being funded by Senator Manzinni.  Perhaps these men would have an interest in making their mark on Rome's architecture in gold?

You have spent 1 WP and invested 2 WP this turn.[/spoiler]

[ooc=FINALLY]Ok, we're done here - well, at least this part is done.  I still need to update the front page, the maps - and we have an election this turn...

As usual, let me know if I've missed anything and I'll get right to it.  This was a complicated turn and it might be worth double-checking your finances.[/ooc][/list]

[Polycarp]

Consular Election of 1154

Senators, it is time to decide who will lead our glorious city in the coming year!

[ooc=Election Rules]
All PCs are eligible for Consular status, though a character who wins an election may choose not to accept the position if he so desires.  All PCs are eligible to cast a ballot, though casting a ballot is not mandatory.

Each character has a number of votes equal to his Influence score.  When you cast a ballot, you must choose how these votes are allotted.  You may spend all your votes on one candidate or split votes between candidates however you wish.  A ballot should be in a red OOC box like this one, and be in this format:

[ooc=Election of 1153]Your Senator's Name

4 votes to Senator X
2 votes to Senator Y[/ooc]

The ballot is not secret.  Who voted for whom is in-character information known by all.  The whole Senate, all 100 members, takes part in this vote; our game simulates this using Influence, meaning that when you "cast a ballot" it actually represents your character and his friends and/or family actively cajoling and convincing NPC senators to vote your way.  This is a tedious process of pandering speeches, cloying flattery, empty promises, and boring dinner parties, and is by definition not a private matter.

Bribery, specifically the expenditure of Wealth to buy votes, is permitted.  Bribery will alter the final count of votes, depending on how much Wealth was spent.  Bribery works by  "stealing" one vote from a candidate of your choice and giving it to another candidate of your choice.  Stealing a vote in this way costs 2 WP.  It may be obvious that people were bribed if the final result doesn't match who players actually voted for, but there will be no direct indication of who bribed them unless the bribery is discovered.

If the bribery is discovered, there will be a scandal resulting in a loss of Influence.  The chances of a bribe becoming a scandal are 10% for each vote bought.  Note that a scandal does not mean the bribe was unsuccessful – it is still possible to win an election by bribery despite a scandal, but the loss of Influence may make it difficult to hold on to power.

If you choose to bribe, it should ONLY be done by sending me a PM indicating how much you are spending and who the bribed Senators are supposed to vote for.  If you post a bribe in this thread, it will not be accepted, and I will laugh at you.  Bribes are non-refundable!

The two players with the most votes (after Bribery) are elected Consuls.  The Consul who receives the most votes has the privilege of deciding which Consul, external or internal, he wishes to be.  Ties will be resolved in favor of who has the most Influence or, failing that, a coin flip.[/ooc]

[TheMeanestGuest]

[ooc=Election of 1154]5 votes for Senator Calafatus[/ooc]

[LD]

[ic=Private To Senator Sissmondi]
Senator. I and others were impressed by your leadership regarding the reconstruction of churches in Rome. Would you be interested in receiving support in the upcoming election so that your good deeds can be promulgated in the future?

I find it hard to vote for Basile in the current political situation- he has led for long and although he has led well in the vast majority of circumstances- it is good to have new ideas and a rotation of leadership from time to time, especially when his handling of the legal situation has led many people to have lost confidence in our embryonic Courts.

Basile made the right decision- I still agree that DeRosa's judicial decision was not the best decision for Rome- but I also strongly argue that Basile did not make the decision in the best way to serve Rome and peace and prosperity- there were different ways to honor our good General, Fortis Calafactus, who has given Rome great wealth and opportunity--without risking chaos.

Regardless of who wins the election, Rome will have competent leaders-- but perhaps it is the time for new ideas? Perhaps it is time for Consul Sissmondi?[/ic]

[Nomadic]

[ic=Reply to Manzinni]
Senator your faith in me fills me with joy. To know that I have done well at least in the eyes of some makes for a most excellent measuring rod when I weigh my past decisions and choices. Indeed I have hoped to do my duty to my brothers in Christ as is required of any proper Christian. However my friend, mine is not the mind of a leader but of a guide and a council. I would seek rather to provide aid and advice to those governing Rome than to govern myself. This was why I first joined the Senate and why I must decline the most generous offer you give me now. It perhaps remains to be seen who shall lead us in the coming days, but it will not be me. Look for me rather at the right hand of the Romans, a staff to steady their weary steps and guide their path.
[/ic]

[Polycarp]

Please note the little Hohenstaufen shield on the map of Italy - it indicates where Frederick currently is (or at least where he's rumored to be) as of the most current reports.  Also note that because it takes time for these rumors to reach Rome, his position on that map may not be 100% accurate.

I have some mail for the Consuls - that is, the new consuls - and it will be posted when the election is finished.

[ic=To the Senate]Senators of the Romans,

My brother-chaplains in Italy have informed me of the perilous spiritual and moral road on which the city of Rome has tread since its deplorable disunion with the One and True Church.  I urge you, as leaders of the people of this holy city, to stamp out heresy in all its devious forms and renounce pride for piety and humility.

I have given permission for my brothers of the Templar Order in Italy to reestablish the Order's preceptory in Rome, in the district of Ripe et Marmorate, which unfortunately fell into disuse and ill repair under the rule of my gloriously martyred predecessor.  It is my expectation that the Romans will allow these brethren to perform their holy duties without interference, critical as they are to the maintenance of Jerusalem for the followers of Christ and the protection of pilgrims and their valuables en route to the Holy Land.

André de Montbard, Grandmaster of the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon[/ic]

[Magnus Pym]

The council seemed to be stalling for time until the Pisans forced their hand – the Pisan consul, meeting with Consul Calafatus, agreed to remain neutral in exchange for Roman recognition of their sovereignty and immunity from Roman law and taxation.  Without Pisan assistance, the council had only its local militia to rely upon.  Not wishing to invite a sack, the council surrendered the city to the Romans on July 8th, after an uneventful and bloodless two-week "siege."

I'm not sure; are they sovereign then, or not?

[Magnus Pym]

[ic=Privately Speaking to Fortis Calafatus as he returns from the Civitavecchia Campaign]Congratulations, signore Calafatus, on your successful campaign.
Civitavecchia is important to the prosperity of Rome. It's the first step in acquiring a sea presence. And such brings important benefits.

I, however, wonder what your plans are to restore some kind of order and take a firm hold on this new, and most appreciated, acquisition. Perhaps if I could relieve you of a few burdens, we could surely cement our grasp on the city?
I have been making headways with the Pisans, if only slightly. I opened channels with important men over there, including the Archbishop.
Although they didn't own the city, as we do now; they still command great respect. I believe they have much of interest with Civitavecchia and diplomatic talks must happen in order to avoid a deterioration of the situation, regarding them.
In the meantime I propose to augment my well-armed militia and use them as politia in the port.

Ah eh, and the matter of our courageous men acting like uncivilized primates, I will definitely be putting the word out there that such behavior is disgraceful and unacceptable. We do not take a city to make it into a circus. This new administration needs to be put in order. Rome is exemplary.[/ic]

[ic=Letter to Fortis Calafatus, sent after the Private Discussion]Signore Calafatus,
I fear powerful actors up in the Italian north may want to coerce this King of Germany into obliterating us for taking Civitavecchia. It is a key port, indeed, and some have practiced beneficial relationships there for some time.

It's extremely important that we restore peace and that trade may be allowed to continue unhindered, even for those not of the Roman blood.
Though I do not wish to say that we should not be a bit bold; my proposition still stands for stationing men in the city's port to keep trade flowing and a peaceful ambience.[/ic]

[ic=Privately Speaking to Roberto Basile, on a quick visit to his Estate]Signore Basile,
Good to see you.
I can still hear the crowds complaining about a corrupted senate and the courts serving political interests. It has bugged me, for I know we, senators and consiliarii, devote the entirety of our time to the governance of Rome. If the people keep wondering if they are safe, the governing body will stay weak, and no progress can be made.

I was wondering what were your plans concerning the courts? We are presented a decent opportunity to polish their image with Civitavecchia, where I hear our men have been acting rather primitively. We should station a politia in the city and punish those who commit these disgraceful acts.[/ic]

[Polycarp]

I'm not sure; are they sovereign then, or not?

"Sovereignty" probably isn't the word I should have used.  It's a term of very limited meaning in the Middle Ages, for the only truly sovereign entities are Popes and Emperors, and even they hold their positions only as "vassals" of the Almighty God.  The political system of 12th century Europe is such that virtually everyone in normal society is someone else's vassal.  Even the great communes of Italy - like, say, Florence - are "independent" only insofar as that they have had a measure of autonomy granted to them by an Imperial charter, and are de jure still Imperial vassals, just as Rome is de jure a Papal vassal as far as anyone in Christendom is concerned.  Even Milan, which practically spits in the Emperor's face, does not claim to be legally independent of the Empire.  For a city to be truly and totally independent, not subject to any higher authority, is sort of beyond the medieval conception of political organization in which absolutely everything is subject to the Pope and Emperor.  (To drive home the point, the Pope claims special authority granted to him by Constantine over "islands" - yes, all islands, everywhere - and this is a claim that's taken seriously enough in the 12th century that the King of England ends up writing to the Pope for permission to invade "his" island of Ireland.)

Civitavecchia is owned by the Abbey of Farfa - lock, stock, and barrel - so in theory everything in the city is theirs and all the non-free residents are their tenants/serfs.  In practice, however, Farfa's only interest in the city is that pays its taxes to the abbey's coffers, and the city is allowed to govern itself nearly all other matters.

The Pisan presence complicates matters somewhat; again, in theory, all the city belongs to the abbey and can't be alienated from the abbey unless the abbey chooses to sell it.  The abbey, however, can certainly rent lands and rights to others, and probably rents the "Pisan Quarter" to the Pisans and allows them exclusive trading privileges in exchange for some cut of the profit and/or a regular payment.  Since the abbey owns the city, it is perfectly within its rights to rent such rights and properties out to the Pisans whether the city council agrees or not.  Regardless of how much de facto autonomy the council enjoys in day to day life, their very existence is based solely on the whim of the abbey and they have no grounds to contest its decisions nor are they in any position to force or compel the Pisans to help defend the city.

To use an analogy, the Pisans and Civitavecchians are like two residents in a duplex apartment.  They don't have the authority to kick each other out or tell each other what to do - only the landlord (Farfa) can do that.  Rome has invaded the Civitavecchians' apartment, and the Pisans have agreed to not do anything about it so long as the Romans leave them be in their apartment.  (The landlord is pissed, though.)

[Magnus Pym]

While this answers some interesting things, it wasn't really the core of my question. Let me rephrase;

...and immunity from Roman law and taxation...

Is this in effect? Did Calafatus agree to that?

[Polycarp]

Is this in effect? Did Calafatus agree to that?

Yes, he did - at least, according to the Romans, Pisans, and a few Civitavecchians involved in the negotiations, who are the ultimate sources of the rumors constituting that expedition report.

[TheMeanestGuest]

[ic=In conversation with Senator DeVinti]Ah, Senator. While this matter is as always of great concern to me, I find that my efforts in this regard have all amounted to so much chaff on the wind. The system of Roman Justice I had so painstakingly nurtured has been undone by the malice of our dear colleague, Senator DeRosa. Perhaps the Romans do not truly desire the rule of Law, but the veracity of such musings will have to be determined by another. My pursuit of the Consulship again this year is in some doubt. It is quite taxing on the vigours of the body and mind, and I find that I need some degree of rest from such hardship. My groves need tending, and as you can no doubt see, my estate is in need of some reorganization with the additions that are in progress.

Perhaps I shall change my mind in this regard if Rome shows that she desires my continued leadership, but I have not felt the warmth of such sentiment in some time. The Senate will decide as it decides.[/ic]

[Llum]

[ooc=Votes]
Senator Calafatus: 4 votes
[/ooc]
[ic=Private letter to Senator de Vinti]
Thank you for your kind words Senator.

I plan on installing a politia of my own, partly using my house guards and local recruits. If you would be willing to contribute to this with men or funds it would be most welcome.

As for the northerners goading Frederick into destroying Rome, I do not believe he would be so bold. But I shall consider this matter, thank you for bringing it to my attention.

Consul Fortis Calafatus
[/ic]

[LD]

[ic=Reply to Manzinni]
Senator your faith in me fills me with joy. To know that I have done well at least in the eyes of some makes for a most excellent measuring rod when I weigh my past decisions and choices. Indeed I have hoped to do my duty to my brothers in Christ as is required of any proper Christian. However my friend, mine is not the mind of a leader but of a guide and a council. I would seek rather to provide aid and advice to those governing Rome than to govern myself. This was why I first joined the Senate and why I must decline the most generous offer you give me now. It perhaps remains to be seen who shall lead us in the coming days, but it will not be me. Look for me rather at the right hand of the Romans, a staff to steady their weary steps and guide their path.
[/ic]

[ic=Private to Arrigus]
I thank you greatly for your response and for your calm and measured nature! I wish you well in your endeavors and I look forward to hearing your continued input at the Senate. I am a big believer in a diversity of views as leading to the success of Rome.
[/ic]

[ic=Private To Fortis]
Senator Calafactus, Congratulations again on your victory. I would like to support you in the upcoming election as I have supported you in the past. To this end, I question what are some of your plans to strengthen Rome's position when the Emperor arrives? Are we to mend fences with the Pope? Have we estimated the strength of Frederick's armies if we must oppose him? Is there any third way of negotiation that appears open? The people WILL follow where you lead, and Rome needs a direction.
[/ic]

[ic=Private to Vanetti]
Senator Vanetti,

Salutations and welcome again to the Inner Council. Your measured speeches in the Senate for peace and order were well received. I write to you today to ask you a question- given that the Emperor is arriving soon, have you given thought to the leadership of this Senate and what that leadership may express to the Emperor and to the Pope?

Senator Basile led as consul during the sack of the Lateran--I do not chide him for his decision--indeed it was the right decision at the right time; but, having him in charge of Rome during a time when reconciliation with the Pope is required may not be an appropriate message to send to Frederick. It could be that Rome needs to demonstrate, via election, that it wishes rapporachement with the Pope--at least until the Emperor has departed.

I fear for the future of Rome and I wish it best. I am saddened that Basile's actions-good at the time-may reflect poorly on Rome now. Perhaps it is time for a rotation of leaders, or at least of one leader?  I think we both wish Rome to prosper.
[/ic]