The Past and The Present

[Rabbit]

This thread starts as a spattered timeline of (real) events from around the world. As the timeline gets closer to modern nights the events are more relevant to your characters.

ANCIENT HISTORY

2630 BC
First pyramid constructed in Egypt; Imhotep is first known architect

2000 BC
Stonehenge in Southern England

814 BC
Founding of Carthage

753 BC
Founding of Rome

600 BC
Byzantium (Constantinople) is founded by Greeks

509 BC
Rome becomes a republic

399 – 367 BC
Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle

335 – 323 BC
Alexander the Great conquers the Persian Empire,
Egypt, Palestine and western India. Then he dies.

264 BC
First Punic War between Rome and Carthage (Rome
wins)

206 BC
Second Punic War between Rome and Carthage (Rome wins)

149 BC
Third Punic War between Rome and Carthage; Roman army besieges Carthage and destroys it.

50 – 30 BC
Julius Ceaser, Cleopatra, and Mark Antony

27 BC
Rome becomes an Empire

30
Jesus Christ is crucified

50
Londinium (London) founded

73
Byzantium (Constantinople) is incorporated into Rome

330
Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire to Byzantium (renamed Constantinople)

395
Roman Empire permanently divided into East and West

403
Western Roman capital moved to Ravenna (Northern Italy)

406 - 410
End of the Roman Era. Vandals invade Gaul and the Iberian Peninsula, sacking numerous Roman cities. There are revolts in Britain and Visigoths sack Rome.

452
Venice founded

610
Muhammad begins preaching in Mecca

628 -639
Muslim armies capture Mecca, Mesopotamia, Jerusalem,
and Egypt from Persians.

800s
Viking Age: Vikings established Dublin in Ireland (841), sacked
London (836), and even attacked Constantinople (860)

962
Beginning of the Holy Roman Empire; claims of a new era of a Catholic Empire

992
Venice gains independence from Byzantine Empire

MODERN HISTORY

1100
In much of Europe, royalty is little more than families of warlords. Conflict between factions across Europe is constant

1054
The Great Schism between the Catholic (west) and Orthodox (east) churches

1066
William the Conqueror begins a series of successful Norman invasions against Saxons of Britain.

1095
First Crusade against Islamic conquests in the Middle East. Jerusalem falls to the Crusaders, who slaughter the city's Jewish and Muslim inhabitants. Crusaders establish Kingdom of Jerusalem in Palestine.

1099
The Order of the Knights Hospitaller are chartered in Jerusalem to protect pilgrims to the Holy Land

1119
The Knights Templar is founded in Jerusalem; reputed to originate from fierce warriors of the First Crusade. Like the Hospitallers, they have taken vows of poverty and chastity.

1144
Muslims capture the weakest of the Latinized crusader states (Edessa), territory occupied by Christians from the First Crusade

1145
Second Crusade to recapture the Crusader Kingdom of Edessa

1150
The University of Paris is founded.

1154
The Templars and the Hospitallers have given up their vows of poverty. Many have become owners of extensive real estate and the bankers of Jerusalem

1157
Bank of Venice established; Venice emerging as major center of finance and trade. Its population is around 80,000, equal to Paris, Milan and Florence, Europe's leading cities in population

RECENT EVENTS

1165
William I is crowned king of Scotland. A powerfully built, redheaded, and headstrong man William dedicates his rule to expelling the Normans from territories.

1173- 1174
In South Britain; A young Richard I is the lead instigator of rebellion against his father, Henry II (the current King of England, Duke of Normandy); Richard wanted to reign independently over at least part of the territory his father had promised him. The uprising fails and Richard renews his loyalty to his father-king. Richard was dispatched to punish the barons who had fought for him.

1174- present
Richard continues to put down revolts against his father’s rule. He has earned the reputation as a skilled military commander and the name "Richard the Lionheart".

1187
A Kurdish Muslim, Saladin, crowns himself Sultan of Egypt and Syria. He leads several successful military campaigns to reduce the Christian states in the Holy Lands (including Jerusalem.)

1188
There are European calls for a Third Crusade to halt Islamic conquests in the Middle East and retake Jerusalem.

1189
Modern Nights…

[Rabbit]

THE STATE OF ENGLAND AND ITS CAINITE

Before the Norman Conquest, the Cainites of England were a varied lot. A few Roman Elders survived the collapse of the empire, but most were destroyed or fell into torpor. The remaining vampires held onto their own small territories as best they could.

Then the Venture and Toreador who accompanied William the Conqueror spread across England like an aristocratic plague after 1066. They quickly assumed positions of authority over the surviving Cainite population, eliminating or forcing underground all who would not accept their rule. Like the mortal Norman barons who assumed control over the Saxon peasantry, the Norman vampires secured its domination of England’s nobility and administrative machinery for the foreseeable future.

However, there was one survivor of the Roman era who was powerful enough to oppose, and eventually subvert the Norman Cainites. The Methuselah Mithras had voluntarily dropped into torpor along the Scottish border during the final days of Roman Britain. Rumors abound, claiming that one or more of the Normans were unwitting pawns of the sleeping, but not entirely dormant, Methuselah. Others whispered that certain vampires took part in the conquest with express aim of waking Mithras from torpor.

Few knew of Mithras’ awakening until his plans were already set in motion. While Norman forces reacted with fear and confusion, Mithras descended upon London, destroying several powerful Norman Cainites. Over the next century, Mithras divided and destroyed his enemies in a masterfully orchestrated series of battles, sieges and betrayals. Rather than seize the reins of power prematurely, the Methuselah concentrated on the elimination of all possible rivals. He sowed seeds of treachery, inflamed old feuds and encouraged a vicious struggle between the vampire lords of England. Each convinced the others were the pawns of Mithras.

By present nights the Methuselah’s control over southern England and London, in particular, is firm. The outlying fiefs remain loyal though in practice they retain a great deal of independence to this night. Outside London, Mithras’ rise to power has caused turbulence throughout Cainite political structures. Most of those who survived have either made peace with Mithras or fled to havens in Scotland, Wales, and France. Few openly oppose him and choose to remain in Britain. The most notable resistances to Mithras, and the Norman expansion, are those sworn to defend Scotland, regardless of clan allegiances. This includes the native Saxon Gangrel and a notable coalition of Brujah renegades.

[Rabbit]

NEW CASTLE AND THE TYNE RIVER TERRITORIES

The province of New Castle lies on the boarder territories of England and Scotland. A generation ago the ruling Saxons swore allegiance to the English crown on the condition they could keep their lands and titles. The lords now (with the help of English re-enforcements) have turned their spears north to fight against their one time allies.

As a part of the agreement the local Saxon ruler, Chief Aiden, converted to Christianity (and by default, so did all his subjects.) A monastery was established in New Castle where French clergy have been sent to establish churches, convert the masses, and collect tithes.

To encourage Christian conversions the native pagan religions have been pronounced heresy and any suspected of practicing such witchery are punishable with death.