Historical Overview Section
Nikaia
In 1204, Byzantine emperor Alexius V Ducas Murtzouphlos fled Constantinople after French crusaders invaded the city. Theodore I Lascaris, the son-in-law of Emperor Alexius III Angelus, was proclaimed emperor, but he too fled, to the city of Nicaea in Bithynia. Nicaea as the closest of the successor Byzantine states to Byzantium then attempt to re-establish the Byzantine Empire, although they lost to the Latin Greece state at Poemanenum and Prusa in 1204, but then capture much of northwestern Anatolia after the Latin Emperor Baldwin I had to defend against invasions from Kaloyan the Middle Bulgarian. Theodore also defeated an army from Trebizond, as well as other minor rivals, and in 1206 proclaimed himself emperor at Nicaea. Numerous truces and alliances were formed and broken over the next few years, as the Byzantine successor states, the Latin Greece Empire, the Middle Bulgarians, and the Seljuk Turks of Iconium (whose territory also bordered Nicaea) fought each other. Theodore died in 1222 to be succeeded by his son-in-law John III Ducas Vatatzes. John III expanded his territory to the shores of the Aegean and 1235 allied with Ivan Asen II the Middle Bulgarian. In 1242, the ilkhanid Mongols invaded Seljuk Turk territory to the east of Nicaea, eliminating the Seljuk threat to Nicaea and allowing John to ally with the Holy Roman Empire, defeated the Middle Bulgarians and surround the Empire of Latin Greece. John III’s son faced new invasions from the Bulgarians in Thrace, but successfully defended the territory. Epirus was revolting and allied with Manfred of Sicily. In 1258 general Michael Palaeologus became regent, then proclaimed himself co-emperor (as Michael VIII) in 1259, and soon defeated a combined invasion by Manfred, the Despot of Epirus, and the Latin Prince of Achaea at the Battle of Pelagonia. In 1260, Michael began the assault on Constantinople itself, allied with Genoa. In July of 1261, as most of the Latin army was fighting elsewhere his general Alexius was able to convince the guards to open the gates of the city. Michael was recognized as emperor a few weeks later, restoring the Byzantine Empire. Achaea was soon recaptured, but Trebizond and Epirus remained independent Byzantine Greek states.
Using the army in ADLG
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Useful Links
User-contributed links about this army. Add links in this format:
- name of link description of link
- Building a viable list for this army : A Madaxeman.com Podcast, List discussion starts at the 1 hour 17 minute mark
- The ADLGDatabase Army usage statistics from the ADLG ranking site
Army Lists
Sample army lists for this army
Kegworth 2025
258 L Byzantine Paleologial Roberts
Brilliant
3 Stratiotai Heavy cavalry impact ------
2 Kavallarioi Medium knight impact Elite
1 Vardariot Guards Medium cavalry bow Elite
1 Horse Archers Light cavalry bow ------
2 Tzakone or Catalan Guards Medium swordsmen impact Elite
==
Brilliant Unreliable
1 Varangian Guards Heavy swordsmen armour 2HW Elite
2 Kontaroi Heavy spearmen ------
1 Greeks, Albanians or Vlachs Bowmen Mediocre
1 Greeks, Albanians or Vlachs Light infantry bow ------
1 Hillmen Light infantry javelin ----
1 Stratiotai Medium cavalry impact ----
1 Horse Archers Light cavalry bow ----
==
Ordinary Included Golden Horde Ally
1 Shock cavalry Heavy cavalry impact bow Elite
2 Mongol horsemen Medium cavalry bow Elite
2 Mongol horsemen Light cavalry bow Elite
258 Late Bizzys, jackson
Brilliant
2 Stratoitai Heavy cavalry impact ------
1 Horse Archers Medium cavalry bow ------
2 Vardariot Guardsmen Medium cavalry bow Elite
3 Horse Archers Light cavalry bow ------
1 Geeks Bowmen ------
1 Geeks Bowmen Mediocre
==
Ordinary
3 Hillmen Light infantry javelin ------
2 Tzatziki Guards Medium swordsmen impact Elite
1 Geeks Bowmen ------
==
Brilliant Golden Horse Ally
1 Guard Heavy cavalry impact bow Elite
3 Horse Archers Medium cavalry bow Elite
2 Horse Archers Light cavalry bow Elite
1 Bowmen ------
1 Bowmen Mediocre
Matti Antille, Helsinki 2025
2 HI Spearmen
2 Archers
2 MCv Impact
2 Elite Almughavars
2 LH Bow (1 is Elite)
1 LF Javelin
Brilliant General
==
4 Serbians Elite
Ordinary Included General
==
4 MCv Bow
2 Lh Bow
1 LF Bow
Competent Commander
Game 4 Helsinki
Mongol Ally
2 LH Bow
1 HCv ImpactElite with Bow
2 MCv Bow Elite
Ordinary Commander
==
2 Medium Impetuous Knights
2 LF Bow
2 LH Bow
3 HCv Impact
Brilliant General
==
Brilliant General
2 LH Bow
6 MCv Bow (2 are Elite)
Mastrieux Snr, Worlds 2022
2 LF Bow
2 MF Sword Elite
Ordinary General
2 more LF in Ambush
==
2 Heavy KNights
2 LH Bow
2 HCv IMpact
2 MCv Bow Elite
Brilliant General
==
Serb Ally
5 Elite Impetuous Knights
Included Brilliant General
1 LH Impact
Empire of Nicacea Lockdown Podcast 18 (Tamsin)
Brilliant
2 Impact Knights Elite
4 Impetuous Knights Ordinary
2 LH Bow
2 LH Bow
==
Competent
3 HCv Impact
1 Pecheneg MCv Bow
2 LH Bow
==
Competent
3 HCv Impact
1 Pecheneg MCv Bow
2 LH Bow
Empire of Nicacea Lockdown Podcast 18 (Tim - revised to be legal)
Brilliant
2 Varadiots MCv Bow Elite
2 HC Impact
2 MCv Bow
2 LH Bow
==
Competent
1 Impetuous Elite Kn
2 Impetuous Kn
1 MCv Impact Mediocre
1 LF Bow
2 LF Javelin
==
Competent
1 Impetuous Elite Kn
2 Impetuous Kn
2 MCv Impact Mediocre
1 LF Bow
3 LH Bow
200 Points 245 Later Byzantine : Empire of Nicacea USTT
Brilliant
2 Elite Impact Frankish Knights
4 Ordinary Impact Frankish Knights
2 LH Bow Elite varadiots
1 LH Bow Vlach
==
Brilliant
4 MCv Bow Pechenegs
3 LH Bow Pechenegs
==
Ordinary Included
5 Stratatoi Impact MCv
2 Infantry Bowmen
Fortified Camp