Occitania Rises -- a Europa Universalis 4 Let's Play

So I just finally bought EU4. And of course I bought the Crusader Kings 2 --> Europa Universalis 4 save converter as well, and I figured that the resulting world--one where Aquitaine is one of four great global powers--would make a terrific text-based Let's Play. So without further ado here it is. Each installment will feature a body of text followed by a section containing screenshots of noteworthy events. As a note, the Agathonokosid Sultanate will generally be called The Sultanate of Egypt & Byzantium, because it is more clearly descriptive and not nearly as difficult to spell.

I would be absolutely THRILLED to answer any questions you have about the sort of procedurally-generated alt history that this world contains. So don't be shy!

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Over three hundred years ago, in the latter half of the 11th century, Guilhelm de Poitou, Duke of Tolouse, rose against his liege, Philippe The Unready of France. He threw off the shackles of the Frenchman, and established an independent Kingdom of Aquitaine.

In the year 1444, that kingdom has become Great Occitania. A massive empire that spans half of the known world. It covers Aquitaine, what was once Southern France, the whole of Iberia, North Africa, and even--through inheritance--parts of Ireland and Scandinavia. Amaneus II, the aging ruler of this giant state, has called together a meeting of the world's greatest powers to discuss like gentlemen the future of Europe, and the world beyond it. Ekbert II Salian; Holy Roman Emperor, Khagan Bedugun; Ruler of the Steppelands of the Ilkhanate and Protector of the Head of the Church of Tengri, and Sultan Farhan, ruler of the Egypto-Byzantine Agathonikosid Sultanate which conquered much of the land left in the wake of Byzantium's collapse. Together, these great leaders hammered out a new universal code of conduct between nations, and standardized a way of making war and peace. Other leaders were called to attend the summit as well. The pagan kings of Finland, Prussia, and Lithuania, the Grand Mayor of Gotland (what we know as Sweden), and The "Emperor" of the last fading strand of the Byzantine Empire, now confined to the island of Venice.

Today, I will recount for you the story of what followed this fateful meeting.

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Screenshots:

General Area of Great Occitania. Norweigan holdings not pictured as they will soon be converted into a vassal state anyway. (for some reason I can't release Norway as a vassal. So nevermind)



Map of the World. There are a lot of nations depicted here, but the ones most concerning us are bright yellow (ourselves), dark green (The Ilkhanate), and bright green (The Egyptian-Byzantine Sultanate). That patchwork in the center of Europe is the Holy Roman Empire which is only visible on a seperate mapmode.