A.D. 633: Rise of Islam - Crusader Kings II mod released! news

A.D. 633: Rise of Islam Released!

We (the Royal We, there's only one developer) are proud to announce the full release of A.D. 633: Rise of Islam for CK2 2.5.2.

This mod for Crusader Kings II extends the timeline of CK2 by 136 years to a Jan 1st, 633 start date. Islam has not yet spread beyond the Arabian Peninsula, but the Arab tribes are numerous and zealous to fight for their new faith. Remnants of paganism remain in England and East Africa, and many nomadic tribes have yet to settle down. 633 is truly an exciting time for mankind.

Feature Highlights

Rise of Islam - Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, passed away on August 8, 632. The Ansar (or helpers), followers of Islam originating in Medinah, promptly chose Abu Bakr, one of the senior companions (Sahabi), and also father-in-law, of Muhammad, as his Successor (which is Khalifa, or Caliph, in Arabic), passing over Ali, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law. Abu Bakr swiftly put down revolts of several upstart prophets and tribes claiming to be the true spiritual guardians of Islam. He has begun to prepare forces for the invasion of the Persian and Roman empires, since their rulers spat upon the exhortations of the prophet to embrace Islam.

Hellenic Remnant - Although Christianity has been almost completely adopted by the citizens of the former Roman Empire, a small population of pagans remains in western Anatolia and northern Syria. Hellenic practices are still followed in a stronghold of paganism near Edessa. This population is represented in-game by Chief Bardol of Aleppo, who, though fictional, is a representation of a possible history in the area. Hellenic religion is fully reformable, with a playable religious head, the Pontifex Maximus, who has the ability to call Holy Wars and excommunicate other Hellenes.

Germanic England - The pagan Angles and Saxons, originally hired as mercenaries by the Britons to help fend off Pictish and Irish raiders, decided they liked Britain and began full-scale invasions/settlements in Britain. By 633, the vast majority of what is now England was in Anglo-Saxon hands. The Anglo-Saxon kingdoms remained largely pagan, living side-by-side with subjugated Christian Briton peoples, until the late 6th and early 7th centuries, when Celtic and Roman Catholic missionaries began to convert them. In 633, nearly half of the Anglo-Saxon kings remain pagan, led by Mercia and its formidable king Penda Iceling.

Cushitic Pagans - Tribes in Somalia and southern Abyssinia hold fast to the old ways, resisting the conversion attempts of Christians and Jews alike. They worship Waaq, the sky-god, who helps right the Earth after the world-supporting bull turns its head, causing earthquakes and severe weather. Across the strait, Arabia rumbles with the threat of Islam. Will the Cushitic religion be able to withstand this new menace?

Additional Features

In addition to the features described above, A.D. 633: Rise of Islam includes many other exciting changes, some of which are listed below:

• New Cultures, including Syriac, Coptic, Latin Maghreb, and Ostrogothic
• New Religions: Cushitic, East African pagans in Ethiopia and Somalia; Reformed Hellenic, complete with playable religious head; and Arian, an early Christian heresy
• New de jure system for some tribal areas: no unrealistic de jure kingdoms and empires. Instead, easier to create custom kingdoms in these areas
• Reassigned names and de jure areas for some titles, including Illyria, Dacia, Cantabria, Neustria, Austrasia, and more
• Flourishing Zoroastrianism in the Sassanid Persian Empire
• More Jewish characters, including a Sephardi Jewish count as a Roman vassal in Palestine
• Scripted events for the development of early Islam

Download

The latest release of A.D. 633: Rise of Islam is fully compatible with CK2 2.5.2. Best results will be achieved with all DLC, though not all are required. Install is achieved by placing the "Rise of Islam.mod" file and "rise of islam" folder (both contained in the .7z download file) in the "\Documents\Paradox Interactive\Crusader Kings II\mod" folder.

Click the button to go to the download.