QUOTE:
To his Imperial Highness Smelgar, Protosebastos of the Roman Empire,

Your Highness, a long time ago myself, along with the great Grand Master Conrad the Humble and with our common friend and ally, Julian the Protosekrates of the Roman Empire had forged an alliance. However, this alliance was made more or less in secret and was never recognized officially due to the lack of a treaty. Even so it was a well known fact that the Grand Duchy of Moscow is allied with the Roman Alliance. But now the paths chosen by our two factions seem to no longer go in parallel, moreover both Julian and Conrad the Humble are no longer among the living, which means that my personal alliances with them are dead as well and since no official treaty was made, than this puts our two factions on a neutral stance.

Unfortunately the direction which the Eastern Roman Empire choose to follow is also no longer similar with that of Duchy’s. On the contrary even. The Roman Empire has an increasingly aggressive attitude towards the kingdoms in the Russian steppes, more precisely towards the Kingdom of the Mordvins and the Kingdom of the Pechenegs. This aggressiveness was proven by the behavior towards them when they chose to attack the Sacrum Romanum Imperium.

Furthermore, the Roman Empire has an increasingly damaging influence on other neighboring kingdoms, such as the Kingdom of Akritia to which you have not given a single space of breathing and chose to suffocate it and completely surround it. No doubt the source of the plague which greatly affected the Akritian lands was not to be found in Akritia, but elsewhere. The same course of action you have taken towards the Kingdom of Bulgaria as well, which is now confronted with a similar situation with that of Akritia’s.

Because of these reasons than I, Baron of Demeter, Grand Duke of the Grand Duchy of Moscow, Ruler of the Western steppes, Protector of Wespen, wish to inform your Highness that the Grand Duchy of Moscow declares war to the Roman Empire. Moreover, the Grand Duchy of Moscow will be accompanied by the troops from the Kingdom of the Pechenegs and the Khanate of Kasan who will fight along with us as mercenaries. I therefore ask thee to recognize their status as such.

I also wish to inform thee that we will show mercy and compassion to the population present in the lands the battles will take place, be them Christians or otherwise. We will however not show mercy to any soldier, unless he will lay down his arms willingly before the battle begins. Furthermore, prisoners of war (if any will be taken) will be treated according to their position and class and according to our possibilities at that moment.

Your Highness does not have much time to prepare for war, so I advise thee to use thy time carefully. I will see you and your army on the battlefield!

Respectfully,

Grand Duke Alar I of the Grand Duchy of Moscow

QUOTE:
Scribe, send a copy of this letter to the rest of the leaders in the Roman Alliance, to the Saracens, to the leaders of the Sacrum Romanum Imperium, to the King of England, to the King of Spain, to the King of France, to the leaders of the Northern Alliance, to the King of Poland, to the Grand Duke of Lithuania, to the Banrion of Ireland, to his Eminence the Pope and of course to our Pecheneg and Mordvin friends and to our trusted Kasanian allies.

QUOTE:

His Grace Alar I, Grand Duke of Moscow
Your Grace

I thank you for your letter, and trust that you are well.

It is always good to hear from our close Brothers in the Christian Faith, even if, as in this case, the letter announces an intention to embark on a course of war that will set Brother against Brother, at least for a time.

I shall respond to that matter in due course.

For now, I wish to address another matter concerning our shared Christian faith. For some time now, the See of St. Andrew has been vacant: there has been no Patriarch in Constantinople. Recently, there have been discussions with both the Pope and with several interested parties regarding how to fill this vacancy. You are well aware of this of course, having been an active participant in the latter discussions.

It occurs to me that you may think that the course you have adopted might compromise your ability to participate fully in the process for election of the Patriarch. I wish to assure you that this is not the case. Specifically, even should our two nations come to war, the Roman Empire will neither impede nor restrain nor imprison Muscovite Knights on their way to and from the Synod for election of the new Patriarch, nor on any other official religious business. I trust this is satisfactory and that you will therefore be able to assist in the process of restoring the Spiritual guidance so clearly needed in the world.

I have the Honour to Remain, Sir, Your Most Humble and Obedient Servant,
Smelgar, Protosebastos of the Roman Empire

QUOTE:
Your Imperial Highness Smelgar, Protosebastos of the Roman Empire,

I must admit I have indeed thought that the war might affect my ability to participate or to send a representative at the elections, but in the same time I had expect your Highness to allow Moscow to exercise this right. I am glad it is so. If your Highness would not have done so, than I would have of course fully understood.

But given the present circumstances I wish to inform your Highness from now that I will not personally attend the meeting. Instead I will send a representative. Normally that would be his Grace the Bishop of Oktarbrskaja, but his Grace is unfortunately ill at this time, which is why I will ask my Foreign Minister to attend the meeting, if of course your Highness does not have anything against it. If so, please inform me, so that I might search for another representative, although I could not think to anyone else more qualified than the minister or his Grace the Bishop.

Respectfully,

Grand Duke Alar I

QUOTE:

His Grace Alar I, Grand Duke of Moscow
Your Grace

I thank you for your letter.

I see no problem in Foreign Minister Khael attending the Synod, whilst also continuing to perform his official duties. Couriers within the Roman postal system are afforded the rights of common carriers and accordingly any correspondence between yourself and your minister will remain confidential. Whether Foreign Minister Khael wishes to report things visible from his position within the Empire will remain a matter for his conscience.

There is however, a slight problem, in that the intention was that I should preside over the Synod, jointly with his Holiness the Pope, thus following the classical practice. Regrettably your actions render this unlikely. Therefore, do you have a suggestion as to who might act as co-president in my stead?

I have the Honour to Remain, Sir, Your Most Humble and Obedient Servant,
Smelgar, Protosebastos of the Roman Empire

QUOTE:
Your Imperial Highness Smelgar, Protosebastos of the Roman Empire,

The matter you have addressed to me is indeed one I did not took into consideration. But if I was to offer you a possible solution than I would suggest that a chosen representative to act on your behalf, in the same manner as Chancellor Khael will do for me. If there is no longer a clerical body in the Roman Empire that can represent you, than this can either be done by a clerical body from another Christian kingdom willing to represent the Empire, or a Byzantine Chancellor, either with a permanent seat, or with a temporary one.

Than again, your Highness can designate a foreign Chancellor to represent thee, in the same manner in which I had designated the Order of the Temple during the Conclave in the city of Rome.

Unfortunately I cannot think to any other suggestion than these.

I hope any of these suggestions will be of any help.

Respectfully,

Grand Duke Alar I

QUOTE:
Noble leaders of Byzantium Empire and Grand Duchy of Moscow,

We receive with sadness the news about the escalating situation between your nations. Despite the fact our position and opinions was not always the same and the reasons who provoke such situation, we sincerely believe that any dispute is not irreconcilable and based on your wisdom shown in previous occasions, you will find a common ground for talks about the rights of Mordvids&Petchenegs existence out of threats.

The peace-loving king and nation of England wish you and your christian nations the best.

Sincerely yours,
Gregory

QUOTE:
My heart bleeds when I see war breaking out at any corner of our realm. Why do people need to fight? Why do words fail to get the message across yet weapons seem to do a much better job. Why do so many have to die?

Our prayers are with thy who fight in Glory for their country. May the Lord be mercyful with them.

Sincerely

Deidre de Almhuin

QUOTE:

His Grace Alar I, Grand Duke of Moscow
Your Grace

I shall now attend to the substance of your recent letter.

You have declared war on the Roman Empire. You have moved four armies of three nations such that they are in a position to attack four Shires of the Roman Empire tomorrow. We shall answer you with our arms.

In your letter, you provide several reasons for your declaration of war. All are mistaken.

You suggest that we have adopted an aggressive policy towards Akritia. To the contrary both the Roman Empire and Armenia have recently engaged with the Akritians as friends. Indeed, on the very day you Grace's message arrived, a Roman and Akritian army stood side by side on the same shire, with the intention of undertaking joint military operations the following day. Regrettably, the precipitate action of your Grace has prevented that joint operation from occurring, to the detriment of both, but particularly the Akritians.

You suggest that the Roman Empire is in some way responsible for the plague that afflicted Akritia. To the contrary, the Roman Empire was one of only two nations actually to provide a Knight in response to the Akritians' call for help. This you surely know, for the other nation to do so was your own. My motives for responding to the Akritian plea were simple: I desired to see a Knight united with her husband within the same nation.

You suggest that we have adopted an aggressive policy towards Bulgaria, and curtailed her expansion. To the contrary we offered to assist Bulgaria to gain additional shires beyond her castle. That offer was accepted, by both the former Khan Kavkhan Isbul and the present Khan Avitohol. We were in the process of providing that assistance when it was interrupted by the arrival of a Mordvin and Pecheneg army, in fact the same army that was involved in the failed attack on Italy, to which I shall later return. I should note at this point that, under the command of Avitohol, the Bulgarians risked standing by our side against the potential Mordvin and Pecheneg threat. They did not have to do this, but it was bravely done and I acknowledge them for it.

You suggest that we have threatened the existence of the Mordvins and Pechenegs through an increasingly aggressive attitude towards them. To the contrary myself and both the former and current Templar Grandmasters at various times attempted to engage the Mordvins and Pechenegs with the hand of friendship, we have never threatened their homeland since the cease-fire in the Eastern War came into operation, and indeed have at various times restrained more exuberant members of our nations from proposing such attacks. As one example, Conrad the Humble built a forge at Crete at my instigation and at my suggestion invited both Black Jack and Johanna---two of the most outstanding swordmasters of the realms---to purchase Swords of the Cross at that forge. No doubt there were reasons for Black Jack's refusal to respond to this invitation. Even more recently, the Grandmaster Tankred von Tarent specifically invited both Friedrich of Launstein and Black Jack to attend the forthcoming Turney at Crete; again this is hardly the act of one who does not wish friendship. I too have at various times invited Mordvins and Pechenegs to attend our Turneys, and was even favoured with a response (though not attendance) in one instance.

You suggest that the lamented demise of Julian and Conrad the Humble has led to the adoption of a more aggressive posture by the Roman Alliance, and that this has led to a parting of the ways between the Roman Alliance and Moscow. To the contrary it was within my tenure that the alliance finally entered into a friendly arrangement to assist Bulgaria. And it was within my tenure that friendly engagement with Akritia was finally reached. Accordingly, If there is to be a parting of the ways between us, one must look elsewhere for the reason behind it.

You adduce the matter of the failed Mordvin and Pecheneg attack on Italy as an example of Roman aggression. It is an incontrovertible fact that he who attacks is the aggressor, and he who defends, or goes to the assistance of the one attacked, is not. In this instance it is a matter of historical record that the Mordvins and Pechenegs attacked Italy: they were the aggressor. Along with all Christian nations in the vicinity, the Roman Alliance responded to their pointless act of aggression in a firm but even handed manner, eschewing the possibility of attacking the Pecheneg and Mordvin homelands (which would have more quickly terminated the conflict).

You request that the Pecheneg and Kasan armies be granted the status of mercenaries and accorded the usual privileges thereof. This request is granted, and the grant remains in effect for as long as the nature of those nations' conflict with us with stays within the role of mercenaries. I note two pertinent matters. First of all, in the Eastern War the Roman Alliance was assisted by Syrian mercenaries. Whilst the Pecheneg nation respected that status according to the usual conventions, the Mordvins did not, and burned several of the Syrian shires. Accordingly, if any of the senior Mordvin Knights should become involved in this conflict in any way at all, whether as part of their own nation or otherwise, then we may decide to treat mercenary combatants after the fashion adopted by those Knights. Secondly, the Eastern War was suspended by a cease-fire agreement, which persists whilst the parties adhere to various terms (for example, the Roman Empire agrees not to occupy Nicomedia, which you will note remains unoccupied to this day). I draw your Grace's attention to your own lucid writing at:

http://knights-honor.com/component/option,com_fireboard/Itemid,181/func,view/id,33189/catid,9/

This text adeptly explains the difference between a cease-fire and a peace, and points out the superiority of the latter. You should advise your mercenaries not to act in violation of the cease-fire suspending the Eastern War, as that would reactivate the suspended conflict.

Finally, I admire your bravery and look forward to meeting you on the field of battle, and I trust that, whilst we are at present enemies, our conflict will be resolved in a manner consistent with the Christian faith to which we both adhere: for is it not said that a respected enemy is second only to an honoured friend?

I have the Honour to Remain, Sir, Your Most Humble and Obedient Servant,
Smelgar, Protosebastos of the Roman Empire

QUOTE:
Your Imperial Highness Smelgar, Protosebastos of the Roman Empire,

I must say that your points are well argumented. However, most of those events were already known by me when I wrote down the motives for declaring war, so partially I had expected such a response.

There is one thing I noticed by reading your letter: your Highness puts too much accent on minor actions such as invitations to buy weapons or invitations to tourneys. In my view, such gestures are rather...simple attempts to appear peaceful, and not attempts to be truly peaceful. There is a difference between really behaving like a true ally or friend and just attempting to "bribe" a kingdom in not attacking you.

The Empire may have assisted Akritia with one knight, but at the same time I could not but notice the chain created around Akritia by the Roman Alliance. Almost the entire expansion process in Anatolia was focused on surrounding Akritia in order to put pressure on it. This pressure has had visible effects, both on the way it has expanded, as well as on the way it made its foreign policy. I wish to remind your Highness the Rum incident, which was enough to intimidate the Akritians to a degree in which to never again speak against the Roman Alliance. I of course am not blaming just the Empire for what has happened within Akritia, as I am sure internal problems also played their part, but your actions surely had a great deal to say.

Bulgaria...well, I don't see how Bulgaria would have had a choice, except to cooperate with the Roman Alliance. Its almost like saying that Novgorod would go against the word of Lithuania. So I don't actually expect Bulgaria to do anything else but cooperate. I however wonder if they would be so cooperative if they would not have the Imperial armies at a stone's throw and if they would not depend on your armies for expansion.

Also, regarding the Kingdom of Mordvins and the Kingdom of the Pechenegs, I believe it is a well known fact that since your war against them, there was an almost pathological fear that their troops might cross the Danube again and attack your north-western provinces. Given these circumstances it is easy to understand why there were so many gestures of "good-will" towards them, like inviting them to tourneys or to buy weapons, gestures which no doubt had the ultimate purpose to "bribe" them from not attacking you.

To me your Highness' arguments do nothing, but sustain my points of view.

Respectfully,

Grand Duke Alar I

QUOTE:


His Grace Alar I, Grand Duke of Moscow
Your Grace

Let me first address the issue of the friendly offer to the Pechenegs and less frequently to the Mordvins. The matter of the Sword of the Cross was in fact part of an ex post facto justification provided by myself to Conrad the Humble in relation to his building of the forge. Conrad built the forge in response to a mis-communication on my part, and, when it emerged that no-one wished to buy any Swords, insisted that I find some customers. I did offer to pay the full cost of the forge's construction, but he would have none of it. I suggested Black Jack and Johanna as likely to be in the market for such a sword, thereby partly repaying the debt I felt I owed Conrad. I am pleased to say that whilst those two did not, in the end, acquire Swords of the Cross, several other Knights have done so. Regarding our practice of inviting the Mordvins and Pechenegs to our Turney's, the history is that almost every time we proclaimed a Turney, Mordvin and Pecheneg armies would turn up on our borders on the day of the Turney's starting. We felt it must be extremely frustrating for them always to arrive a few days too late to actually participate in the Turney, so we took to giving them advance notice so that they might set out a little earlier and hopefully arrive in time to compete. Regretably this has yet to bear fruit, though we live in hope that it may do so in the future.

Regarding Akritia, your argument in your previous letter was that some change in Roman policy, related to the handover from Conrad and Julian to Tankred and myself had caused the Roman Alliance to become more aggressive and this led you to cease to be our ally. I remind you that the confrontation in Rum occurred under the tenure of Conrad and Julian. This marked the nadir of relations between Akritia and the Roman Alliance and relations have steadily improved. Therefore, in relation to Akritia, your only source of complaint can be that relations between Akritia and the Roman Alliance are too good, not that they are poor.

Regarding Bulgaria, I think you should be more careful to recognise the bravery of the Bulgarian leader Avitohol. Our work with Bulgaria was (as I said) interrupted by the arrival of Mordvin and Pecheneg armies. At that point, I advised Avitohol that we would defend from a fortress in one of our shires, and that the safest thing for Bulgaria to do was to retreat into their Castle. Rather than choosing this safe option, Avitohol bravely choose to stand with us against the threat. This was not the action of a vassal or lackey, but rather that of the proud and independent nation that I know Bulgaria to be.

More generally regarding assistance to younger or smaller nations, both of our nations (and many others) have provided silver, military assistance and emigrant Knights. However, I think only the Roman Empire has been sufficiently generous as to provide a smaller nation with a complete shire, including several highly developed fiefs, and the owners thereof.

I have the Honour to Remain, Sir, Your Most Humble and Obedient Servant,
Smelgar, Protosebastos of the Roman Empire