Aragon

Primary culture

Aragonese (Iberian)

Capital province

València (220)

Government

Feudal Nobility

State religion

Catholic

Technology group

Western

Aragonese ideas

Traditions:

+10% Trade efficiency

+20% Galley combat ability

Mercenary Princes

−15% Mercenary maintenance

Protection of the Coastlines

+25% National sailors modifier

+10% Naval force limit modifier

Mediterranean Trade

+20% Trade steering

Consolidation of the Estates

−10% Stability cost modifier

Chartered Merchant Companies

+20% Global trade power

Reforming the Administration

−0.05 Monthly autonomy change

Protect the Little Folk

+10% Morale of armies

Ambition:

+1 Artillery fire

For the area, see Aragon (area).

The Crown of Aragon emerged as a major power from humble origins as a mere County in the Pyrenees. After winning its independence from the now much reduced Kingdom of

Navarra, Aragon entered into a union with the County of

Barcelona. Its monarchs were eager participants in the Reconquista, the campaign of conquest against the Muslim states of Iberia, which saw Aragon expand to its current southerly extent and add the Kingdom of

Valencia to the composite Crown.

The fates of Aragon and Navarra are once again tied together; the King of Navarra is also the heir to the Aragonese throne. Should King Joan manage to survive his father Alfons V while preserving the independence of Navarra, the two nations will be joined in a personal union under one monarch.

On the subject of dynastic unions, the Kingdom of Naples in southern Italy is also subject to the Crown of Aragon. Aragon rules Sicily directly, but Naples has yet to be fully integrated into the Crown following King Afonso’s conquest of the kingdom in 1442. The former King of Naples, René of Anjou, has fled to Provence where he continues to insist upon his claim not only on Naples but also on Aragon itself as well as Jerusalem.

Aragon’s relationship with its powerful neighbour Castile is difficult to pin down. Though these nations share a dynasty, the feuding House of Trastámara is rarely at peace with itself. At times it seems as though peace may be possible and that the two Crowns could be united into one, while at other times it seems that the kingdoms are destined to struggle against one another for eternity as bitter rivals.

Beyond dynastic matters, Aragon is a nation deeply concerned with dominating trade in the Mediterranean. Aragon’s Consulate of the Sea aims to regulate and administrate all trade in the region, while Catalan and Valencian merchants struggle against merchants from Genoa and Tuscany to control the flow of profit. Aragon also has designs upon the elusive silk trade. Silk has traditionally seen almost no production in Europe; its secrets are closely guarded but now seem to be within reach.

Aragon is a Catholic country that lies along the Iberian shore of the Mediterranean Sea, possessing the islands of the western Mediterranean. They border Castile, Navarra and France and have a personal union over Naples. They, along with Castile, Portugal, and Navarra, can form Spain. Their primary culture is Aragonese (Iberian). Historically, they united with Castile through marriage.

Missions[edit]

Main article: Aragonese missions

Aragon's missions mostly center around holding onto their Mediterranean possessions, gaining new ones, and uniting Iberia.

Events[edit]

Main article: Aragonese events

Aragon's events focus on various significant moments in their history.

Iberian wedding[edit]

The Aragonese version of the Iberian Wedding event can only happen if Aragon is controlled by a human player and Castile is controlled by the AI. In the event that Aragon is not human controlled, the slightly different original Iberian Wedding event may fire instead.

Between 1450 and 1530, if neither Castile nor Aragon are vassals and the monarch of one of them is male and the monarch of the other is female, then there is a high chance of this event happening. The event can also happen if Castile has a regency regardless of the gender of Aragon's ruler. After it fires, Castile can enter into a personal union led by Aragon with a -50% liberty desire reduction if you choose to take the union with Castile. You can also choose to refuse the personal union, and instead take a better heir. Usually it is recommended to take the union, as it will allow you to circumvent the Aggressive Expansion, and what it will take to core the provinces from Castile if you want to end up forming Spain. Also, its just a bunch of free land, plus a way to further move down your mission tree.

Decisions[edit]

Notice that forming Spain with Catalan or Aragonese culture does not change missions.

id

Form Spanish Nation Militarily

Global expansion in newly discovered areas and the establishment of colonies is transforming Spain into one of the most powerful and wealthiest nations of our time. Spanish explorers are constantly moving into new lands and extending our borders. Immense amounts of gold and silver are being brought back to our motherland, filling the coffers of our state Treasury.

Potential requirements Playing with normal or historical nations Was never an end-game tag Country flag formed_spain_flag is not set Is none of the below: Spain Andalusia France Holy Roman Empire The Knights The Papal State Is not in the Muslim religion group Is not a colonial nation Primary culture is either: In the Iberian culture group Basque	Allow Spain does not exist. Has an administrative technology of at least level 10. is not a subject nation other than a tributary state. Is not a nomad nation. Is not at war. A Muslim nation does not own a province in Iberia region. Owns the core provinces: Barcelona (213) Zaragoza (214) Valladolid (215) Salamanca (216) Toledo (219) València (220) Granada (223) Sevilla (224)

Provinces map All orange provinces must be owned and cored. Formation grants permanent claims on shaded area.

Effects Change country to Spain. Gain new missions.^[1] If duchy, set government rank to Kingdom. If a member of the HRE and not an elector / emperor, all own provinces are removed from the HRE. Gain a permanent claim on all not owned provinces of Iberia region, except the areas of: Alentejo, Beira, Macaronesia. Gain 25 prestige Set country flag formed_spain_flag Gain “Increased Centralization” modifier for 20 years: −0.05 Monthly autonomy change +1 National unrest

id

Form Spanish Nation Diplomatically

Global expansion in newly discovered areas and the establishment of colonies is transforming Spain into one of the most powerful and wealthiest nations of our time. Spanish explorers are constantly moving into new lands and extending our borders. Immense amounts of gold and silver are being brought back to our motherland, filling the coffers of our state treasury.

Potential requirements

was never an end-game tag.
Does not have country flag “formed_spain_flag” set
Is Castile or Aragon
Capital is in the Iberia region
If controlled by the AI:
- Is not a custom nation
- Any of the following is true:
  - All of the following is true:
    - Is Castile.
    - Aragon is a subject of Castile.
    - Aragon has less than 40 cities.
  - All of the following is true:
    - Is Aragon.
    - Castile is a subject of Aragon.
    - Castile has less than 47 cities.

Allow

Has an administrative technology of at least level 10.
is not a subject nation other than a tributary state.
Is not a nomad nation.
Is not at war.
Has a legitimacy of 100.
A Muslim nation does not own a province in Iberia.
Any of the following is true:
- All of the following is true:
  - Is Castile.
  - Aragon is a subject of Castile.
  - Aragon has less than 40 cities.
- All of the following is true:
  - Is Aragon.
  - Castile is a subject of Aragon.
  - Castile has less than 47 cities.

Effects

If country is Castile and Aragon is controlled by the AI, inherit Aragon
If country is Aragon and Castile is controlled by the AI, inherit Castile
Change country to Spain.
Gain new missions.^[1]
Gain a permanent claim on all provinces of the Iberia region, except the areas of: Alentejo and Beira.
Set country flag “formed_spain_flag”

If the country:

is a member of the Holy Roman Empire but not the emperor or an elector
- then all its provinces are removed from the HRE.
is a duchy
- then it becomes a kingdom.
does not have custom ideas
- then it gets the event ‘New Traditions & Ambitions’.

id

Become King of Gonder

It is Aragon's Destiny to become King of Gonder. Now that we have finally figured out where it is we should do something about this. Make Gonder Aragon's as we cannot escape our destiny.

Potential requirements

The country:

is Aragon.
does not have the modifier ‘Inspiring Victory’.
is not a subject nation other than a tributary state.
owns at least 1 province in Egypt (region) or the Horn of Africa.
has discovered Gonder (1224) that:
- does not have the modifier ‘City of the Kings’.
- is not owned by an ally, a subject or the overlord of Aragon.

Allow

Aragon:

owns its core province Gonder (1224).

Effects

Aragon:

gets the modifier ‘Inspiring Victory’ for 10 years, giving the following effects:
- +1 yearly prestige,
- +10% manpower recovery speed.

Gonder (1224):

gets the modifier ‘City of the Kings’ until its owner changes, giving the following effects:
- +25% local defensiveness,
- +10% local manpower modifier.

AI will not take this decision.

id

Defeat Saruhan

Saruhan sounds a lot like a threat to the Lords of the West. If Aragon is ever to fulfill their destiny Saruhan must be defeated.

Potential requirements

The country:

is Aragon.
does not have the modifier ‘Inspiring Victory’.
is not a subject nation other than a tributary state.
has conquered a province from Saruhan.

Saruhan:

is not a subject nation other than a tributary state.
is not allied to or the overlord of Aragon.

Allow

Saruhan does not exist.

Effects

Aragon

gets the modifier ‘Inspiring Victory’ for 10 yeaars, giving the following effects:
- +1 yearly prestige,
- +10% manpower recovery speed.

AI will not take this decision.

Strategy[edit]

The below is one of many player suggested strategies for Aragon. Bear in mind, due to the dynamic nature of the game, it may unfold differently for other players.

Aragon is an interesting yet uncommon choice, as Castile and Portugal are usually heavily favoured. Castile is Aragon's main rival, and Spanish ambitions have them working to absorb Aragon into a common Spanish state. Both France to the north and the Berber states to the south are waiting to strike. France is quite difficult to defeat while the Berber countries act as a large nuisance should the player focus on affairs in the Iberian Peninsula. Castile cannot form a Personal Union over Aragon via the Iberian wedding if Aragon is controlled by a human player. Instead, Aragon may have its own version of The Iberian Wedding fire, making Castile a junior partner in a Personal Union under Aragon, essentially reversing the original event to be in Aragon's favor.

Opening moves and Ideas for beginners[edit]

Portugal may attack if Castile decides to take advantage of Aragon's situation. Also, they are much less likely to declare war on Aragon and have one of their own allies join. Therefore, an alliance with France is desirable for any player playing Aragon, as it allows the player to defend or expand into Iberia with relative ease due to the strength of the French military. The alliance will also prevent France from expanding into Aragon's lands making Aragon's situation much more hopeful. In addition to these benefits, Aragon can call France into an offensive war fairly often due to the favors mechanic, so long as the player is willing to aid France in their offensive campaigns.

Alternatively, if Castile starts friendly with Aragon, the player could safely declare war on France after subjugating Navarra. Aragon has a very defensible position on the Pyrenees Mountains. High attrition to the French in the winter and low supply limit will weigh battles toward the defender's favour. When France is in a crippling war, the player may decide to declare war. It would be beneficial to ally England, Portugal, and/or France's rivals. England almost always rivals on France in the 1444 start date, so Aragon can promise them land, deliver, and keep the rest for the Aragonese Empire. An opportunity may arise during the Surrender of Maine, depending on whether England decides to give back Maine or not.

Naples: Naples, after the Emperor update, has changed a bit. After Alfonso V dies, an event will fire which will give you the option of releasing Naples, or keeping with 50% liberty Desire. It is possible to keep them, but you will need to heavily manage their liberty desire, at least until the modifier dies down, though only at around 0.5% a year. Of course, you may release them and try to pursue their lands in the future.

Expansion[edit]

The player has many avenues for expansion. The most challenging, yet the most fruitful, is expanding in the Iberian Peninsula. The weakest country of which is Navarra: a one province minor located in northern Iberia. Aragon's unique mission to subjugate Navarra allows a declaration of war before they get any major allies; Aragon also has event, which allows Aragon get a personal union over Navarra peacefully. After Navarra and France are dealt with, the player may expand into Castile. This would allow Aragon to grow quite large in size and to become the dominant Iberian power. In general, it is advised to attack Castile while they are in the Castilian_civil_war, allowing Aragon to conquer Iberia with minimal resistence from a now-disorganised Castille. However, since the chance of Iberian Wedding is quite high, there may be no need to fight Castile.

In addition to conquest in Iberia, the player may choose to colonize. Once they have reached a certain technological level, they will have the opportunity to expand into the New World or the African continent. In both places, the player will have vast opportunities for wealth and prestige. With the new native policy mechanics, it is easier to maintain colonies without garrisoning large forces in these settlements. When low on manpower, mercenaries are a good choice for Aragon. Aragon's first national idea is -15% mercenary maintenance.

With the Golden Century DLC enabled, the Aragonese mission tree allows the player to obtain a myriad of permanent claims when you finish each mission. With control of Sicily and Sardinia, the player also has the advantage of taking all locations in the Mediterranean. This allows Aragon to expand into Italy with the help of Naples or into North Africa with the support of Portugal or another friendly power. Portugal could be subjugated under a personal union by the mission just like Castile, so Aragon's colonization may not be as essential as in the previous patch.

Trade[edit]

Aragon has an advantage in that they are located in their own trade node of which they own all the provinces, with the exception of two owned by France. Their Italian provinces provide incentive to keep expanding into the Genoa trade node. The player may decide to focus on trade instead of colonisation, as the major powers' trade might just flow straight to Aragon, with the help of merchants. With this strategy, the exploration and expansion idea groups may not be obtained in exchange for the trade and/or economic ideas. It would be beneficial to annex provinces with desirable trade goods and trade power to dominate the Genoa trade node. Once Genoa trade node is fully controlled, the player may also seek the other Mediterranean end node, Venice trade node.

It is recommended to cut down the colonial powers' size, but not completely destroy them so that those countries can still colonise. One possible way is allowing your junior partner Castile and Portugal to colonize for you.

Mid-to-late game[edit]

As Aragon's path is quite different from Castile, the player can choose Aragon's own destiny and recognise the nation's Mediterranean ambitions. Aragon also has an achievement called Consulate of the Sea. Should Aragon gets enter further into Europe, the player may contend with the complex politics. The Aragonese trade empire should be involved with the Crimea and the Alexandria trade nodes. The player should try to plan ahead with Aragon's idea groups. Berbers, Italians and the Ottomans are your main enemies; Russia, Austria, and England are advantageous late-game allies.

If Aragon conquers the parts of the Iberia Peninsula needed for Spain and forms Spain, colonization is recommended.

Ideas[edit]

Aragon can be a major naval and colonial power, yet they should not forget their military or economy.

Economic ideas is a powerful idea group allowing the player to build a strong economy in preparation of the future.
Exploration ideas is a very strong idea group allowing the player to colonize the new world and become a colonial power.
Trade ideas are very powerful if the player desires to create a trade empire.
Innovative may be desired for a further mercenary cost reduction and cheaper technology.
If Aragon decides to create a vast mercenary army, Administrative ideas would be a very good choice for its mercenary benefits. If the player is very aggressive, the core-creation cost reduction will also be beneficial.

Optimal start for more Experienced players[edit]

Opening Moves: Initially, you want to be able to ally a few nations. Austria, Castile, and possibly Poland, or Lithuania, or another strong rival of the Ottomans, are ideal. You want to rival Morocco, Ottomans, and France, as soon you will be expanding into them in the very near future. Optionally, depending on your preference, you can disinherit your heir, but this is optional, as you may get a worse heir, and the hit to -50 is significant. At this point, you should have some form of preference on what you want to do with your estates, so whatever you want to do is fine, its not all that important. Build up to force limit, both using land and naval units, and I recommend hiring the Free Company, or another small mercenary stack. Whenever you are ready, ideally on the 11 of December, declare a no Casus Belli war on Byzantium. Usually, Byzantium will ally either Serbia, sometimes Theodoro, or another small orthodox nation. In this war, you want to vassalize Byzantium, and peace out their ally (if they had one), for all of their . In this war, you want to vassalize Byzantium, and the reason why is because we can use their cores to attack the Ottomans, for reconquest. After this war, you have a couple options for expansion. Around now, depending on RNG, your starting ruler will probably die around now, giving you an event to PU Navarra. It will also give you an event to release Naples. Importantly, don't give up the union with Naples, just take the extra liberty desire, and improve relations and maybe support loyalists to control their liberty desire temporarily while the +50 Liberty Desire decreases over time.

Expansion Routes : 1: Provence. They start off the game allied to France, so you have to be very opportunistic. If you see that they are vulnerable, don't hesitate to declare an offensive war, especially if they are excommunicated, or if their ally France won't join. This opens up opportunities, and permanent claims in Southern France, and eventually all of France.

2: Balkans: At this point, you should have Byzantium as your vassal. This means you have reconquest Cassus Belli on Athens, Ottomans, Epirus and can attack them to grow your vassal. However, the mighty Ottoman Empire will be a difficult target for you alone, but if possible you might be able to win if you call in strong allies such as Austria, Hungary, or maybe Poland Lithuania. Note: This guide is incomplete, but I will be working on this, so expect more in the near future!