Matilda of Tuscany

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JonathanJ
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Matilda of Tuscany

Post by JonathanJ » Fri Jan 13, 2017 1:20 am

Which army list would cover Matilda of Tuscany.
She seems too feudal for either Communal Italian or Papal Italian.
I can't find one that seems a good fit...
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David Kuijt
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Re: Matilda of Tuscany

Post by David Kuijt » Fri Jan 13, 2017 1:33 pm

Try Ottonian Frankish, perhaps? That's the list that would be appropriate for the Holy Roman Emperor gallivanting around in his feudal demesnes in North Italy up to 1106, so it works as the most feudal list available for mega-powerful feudatories in North Italy. The Swabian/Bavarians wouldn't be present for Matilda of Tuscany, though. You could either consider them to be the Contadini knights (not as capable) and simply not take them as dismounting, or you could take them as Knights and tell anyone who is nagging you for an illegal list that your list is Norman/West Frankish (which it would probably be legal as, if you are a bit careful).

Italian Lombard doesn't work so well, as it is really not in North Italy after the Carolingians squelch the N.Italian Lombard kingdom.

Feudal German Kings and Emperors is another possibility (Matilda's reign went until 1115; the Feudal Germ lists start 1106). Or Feudal German Princes and Clerics, if you want her to be a little less of a superpower (rivaling the Holy Roman Emperor or the King of the Germanies).

Did she field any armies in notable (and reported) battles, that we could use for analysis?
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JonathanJ
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Re: Matilda of Tuscany

Post by JonathanJ » Sat Jan 14, 2017 10:38 pm

David Kuijt wrote:Did she field any armies in notable (and reported) battles, that we could use for analysis?
Sadly, not that I can find (in my limited time looking into it). My wife was interested in Matilda's army and I've really just started looking into it. I've found references to her personally commanding troops, her army "shadowing" Henry's, holding river crossings, diplomatic ramifications of her actions, and sieges galore, but no descriptions of any field battles such as depicted in Triumph!.

They may be out there, but I haven't found them. Her army seems to have been powerful enough to be taken seriously by Henry, but not powerful enough to challenge him in an open field battle. Then again, why would she since time and castles were on her side.
MarkusB
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Re: Matilda of Tuscany

Post by MarkusB » Mon Jan 16, 2017 10:48 am

I don't claim any expertise on this, but I was born in Bologna, and a few of the scrabbles involving Matilda (spelled Matilde in modern italian for some reason) happened close to my home town, so I've heard about them. None of them were pitched battles involving fully deployed armies...

The Battle of Sorbara was a night assault on an unprepared camp (and a local legend claims that the famous 'Lambrusco di Sorbara' wine had a part in making Imperials extremely unattentive), with Bolognese troops participating.
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battaglia_di_Sorbara

The battle of Bianello might have been a pitched battle, but a sudden heavy fog turned a possible battle into blind massacre:
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battaglia_di_Bianello
http://www.comune.quattro-castella.re.i ... ti&lang=it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtF7_aZA6pA

I've found nothing about this in english, but google translate could help you get the rough picture...
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