Niall Gòrdonach

History of the Gòrdonach

Being an after action report a game of Crusader Kings 2 using an 867 start, Custom Ruler instituted in the Northern reaches of the British Isles (namely Scotland).

AAR Introduction

I enjoy the ‘The Old Gods’ content for CK2, I love Scotland, and the two go hand-in-hand. I played a game as a King of Scotland which got quite odd, namely from inheriting the Byzantine Empire and conquering Britain quite smoothly and easily. I wanted something with a more reserved pace and appropriately tense. So, I began this as the Duke of Moray, under the Scottish King.

General Goals

• When able, I find Tanistry to be a fun inheritance method (and which should keep me on my toes with identifying individuals and tracing lineages)
• Limit the Norse culture in favor of Scottish, ideally removing them from my realm completely by the time the game gets to the standard 1066 starting period
• Expand south in England as much as possible - get ahead of any unifying force in the south so that Scotland dominates the isles
• The consistent usage of a set of preferred Gaelic names for family members

That is it for the goals of play, no world conquering plans or anything beyond securing the Scottish Isles. The rest is all organic from game play.

Naming Caveat

I made a point of entering the game very early as other key top level liege lords just long enough to rename counties to those I preferred to see in this game. Also, I periodically conducted some light editing of game files in the background to keep desired names in use. (Why PI changed the Scottish naming from Gaelic to English I do not understand. I tried to figure out how to mod the names into the system, and it did not work. Eventually I just ignored the English versions, and wrote the Gaelic equivalents in here - hence the screenshot names may not match the typed version.) There are certain names I picked out in advance that I wanted to be core to the family heritage and will take steps to ensure their continuation, even when I do not have direct control over the naming of Gaelic children. You will have to forgive me that conceit.

Style

The AAR style is loosely an ‘historical’ analysis with quotes and citations from ‘primary sources’ and annotations. Any failure in the tone of the work are my own. In support of the style you will see these abbreviations as a fictional sources of historical material:

• FAU = False Annals of Ulster
• CKS = Chronicles of the Kings of Scotland

Niall Gòrdonach

FAU 867.1 Constantín son of Cinaed traveled to Circinn to secure his command of the Scotti. His captain, Niall Gòrdonach, was left in Fortriu.

Ainmeil (Notable)

• Niall Gòrdonach - Duke of Moray
• Ivar ‘Boneless’ av Ivar - Norse conqueror and ruler of the Western Isles of Scotland
• Constantín mac Alpin - King of Scotland
• Ximena Íñuga - Princess of Navarra and bride to Niall Gòrdonach
• Uilleam Gòrdonach - son and heir to the Duke of Moray
  

Cunntas (Events)

As Niall took command in Moray, he was surrounded by potential foes. To the north was remote Orkney under the control of a minor Norse house. To the west, Ivar ‘Boneless’ av Ivar, a Norse conqueror and great warrior. It was Ímar, among others, who so plagued Constantín with raids and assaults that he made the move south to try and strengthen his rule of the kingdom. Southwest was the petty Kingdom of Strathclyde under Artgal. To the south lay Northumbria, and it’s Saxon petty king who was under a Norse invasion from Ivar Boneless and Halfdan ‘Whiteshirt’ from Jorvik further south. Ivar also was assaulting East Anglia at the base of Britain. A great alliance of the Irish, Saxons, and Britons was in opposition to Ivar and his invasions, but reports told stories of only victories for the Norse.

The Conquest of Orkney

Þorgil, the Norse ‘jarl’ of Orkney was isolated, and without allies. Niall declared a holy war to oust the pagan from the isles and claim them for Moray. He gathered his levies and marched north. Forces from Orkney boarded ships and sailed around into Fortriu and laid siege.  The war was largely unexciting, except Ximena was seized when the castle in Fortriu fell to siegeh, but she was freed unharmed when Orkney fell to Niall in April of 868.

Revolt of Cait

Constantín had joined the fighting against Ivar’s invasions, but Niall refrained from sending troops to his aid. This proved wise as Malbride, Earl of Cait, plotted against Niall to seize the duchy from him. Niall sent his men-at-arms to take Malbride under guard, but he escaped and called his levies in a declared rebellion.

FAU 868.11 A skirmish at Rosemarkie between Niall and Malbride of Cait.

In July of 869, the fighting with the rebellious Cait ended and Malbride imprisoned. Niall had been wounded, and the strength of Moray weakened at a time when it could not be afforded. In punishment, Malbride was banished, his title and wealth forfeited to Niall.

War for Orkney

The fall of Orkney to Catholic Moray had been noted in Scandinavia. Haraldr ‘Fairhair’ ruled in Ostlandet, and aspired to form the kingdom of Norway. Orkney fell within that de jure realm of that kingdom, and so fit nicely into his plans. An Ostlander war was declared upon Scotland in early 869 to conquer Orkney, and return it to the fold of the Norse, and support his aims of forming the kingdom of Norway. A host arrived at Orkney and laid siege. The levies of Moray were near equal in strength, but the crossing to attack in Orkney would be challenging. Niall held off on such a risky move.

A son, Uilleam, was born to Niall and his bride in August of 869 to the great joy of the Duke and his court.

In September Niall’s forces finally met the Ostlanders in battle:

FAU 869.9 The Picts encountered the fair heathens in battle at Kirkwall, and a great slaughter of the Picts resulted.

Falling back from the disaster, the forces of Moray were scattered following another defeat in October at Dornoch. It appeared that Orkney was going to fall back into the hands of the Norse. Niall returned home, and sought to recover his levies through the winter and prepare to return to the fighting in the spring.

FAU 870.2 Niall of Fortriu was deceitfully slain of assassins foul.