The Sequani reward Ariovistus with land in 61 BCE following his victory in the Battle of Magetobriga.

Ariovistus settles the land with one hundred and twenty thousand of his people.

When twenty-four thousand Harudes join his cause, Ariovistus demand that the Sequani give him more land to accommodate the Harudes people.

This demand 'concerns' Rome because if the Sequani concede, Ariovistus will be in a position to take all of the Sequani land and attack the rest of Gaul.

By this time, the Helvetii are well on their way in the planning and provisioning for a mass migration under the leadership of the wealthy aristocrat Orgetorix, who has persuaded the Helvetians to attempt to migrate from Helvetian territory to southwestern Gaul (modern-day France).

The reasons for their migration are mentioned by Caesar in separate passages as either harassment by the Germanic tribes, or not being able to in turn raid for plunder themselves due to their situation in hilly and mountainous territory.

Via council and parley, Orgetorix makes clandestine negotiations with the ambitious Sequani and the Roman-dominated Aedui.

The Sequani are beginning to resent and regret the abundance of unruly Germanic war bands and their huge encampments of dependents.

The Aedui are loath to obey the Roman spur any longer than they must and are keen to revisit their former days at council.

The parley for the trek is successful and Orgetorix is granted passage, and with the trek ratified by council, an army is called up and provisioned.

During this process, Orgetorix had also succeeded in making a personal alliance with the Sequanii chieftain Casticus and the Aedui chieftain Dumnorix through marital arrangements and host exchange of family members.

Orgetorix's Gallic rivals allege that these political successes and displays of diplomacy are intended to benefit Orgetorix alone and their claims are made more convincing by Roman intrigues and impositions.

The Helvetii have planned and prepared themselves for three years, and emissaries have been sent out to various Gallic tribes assuring safe passages and alliances.

In 58 BCE, Orgetorix's ambitions are declared a ruse for personal power; this rumor is celebrated among the enemies of the Helvetii, especially those of Roman clientele.

This succeeds in causing confusion and feuds among the tribes, based mainly on the merits of Orgetorix versus his vices.

The conspiracy is denounced; Orgetorix is called to a hearing in chains before the government of the Helvetii.

There is an effort to seize him at council, however he is protected by his retinue and bodyguards.

During the preceding seasons he had called up a sizable force of men-at-arms and vassals said to have numbered ten thousand men, this in addition to his armed entourage.

Orgetorix is able to escape capture by his rivals and the councils labor at length to resolve the confusions and disputes; however, Orgetorix is murdered or slain during a dispute within his own encampment With many conflicts of interest settled, the Helvetii once again return to their long planned migration to safer pastures among the Santones tribe on the Atlantic seaboard.

Caesar dates their departure to the twenty-eighth of March, and mentions that they burned all their towns and their villages so as to discourage thoughts among undecided client tribes or enemies to occupy their vacated realm.

The Helvetii retain and arm their client tribes: the Rauraci, the Tulingi, the Latovici, and the Boii, from whom they have hired a contingent of horsemen.

There are two available routes for them: the first one is the difficult and dangerous Pas de l'Ecluse, located between the Jura mountains and the Rhône River.

The second, easier one will lead them to the town of Geneva, where Lake Geneva flows into the Rhone River and where a bridge allows passage over the river.

These lands belong to the Allobroges, a tribe that had been subdued by Rome, and are under the control of the Roman republic.

Meanwhile, Caesar is in Rome, and only a single legion is in Transalpine Gaul, the endangered province.

As he is informed of these developments, he immediately hurries to Cisalpine Gaul, leaving his single legion under the command of his second-in-command Titus Labienus.

Upon arrival, he takes command of the three legions which were in Aquileia and enrolls two new legions, the Legio XI and the Legio XII.

At the head of these five legions, he travels the quickest way through the Alps, crossing territories of several hostile tribes and fighting several skirmishes en route.

Arriving in Geneva, he orders a levy of several auxiliary units and the destruction of the bridge.

The Helvetii send an embassy under the new leadership of Nammeius and Verucloetius, to negotiate a peaceful passage, promising to do no harm.

Caesar stalls the negotiations while his troops fortify their positions behind the river with a sixteen foot high rampart and a parallel trench lined with ballistas; his legionaries are backed by mercenary archers and slingers and Caesar has also hired and/or conscripted a contingent of Gallic horseman from the Remi.

As the embassy returns, Caesar officially refuses their request and warns them that any forceful attempt to cross the river will be opposed.

Several attempts are quickly beaten off.

The Helvetii turn back and enter negotiations with the Sequani to let them pass in a peaceful manner.

The collapse of Constantinople's power in western Anatolia and the Aegean Sea in the late thirteenth century, as well as the disbandment of the imperial navy in 1284, had created a power vacuum in the region, which had been swiftly exploited by the Turkish beyliks and the ghazi raiders.

The Turks, utilizing local Greek seamen, began to engage in piracy across the Aegean, targeting especially the numerous Latin island possessions.

The feuds between the two major Latin maritime states, Venice and Genoa, aid the Turkish corsair activities.

The Turks of Menteshe (and later the Aydinids) had captured the port town of Ephesus in 1304, and the islands of the eastern Aegean seemed about to fall to Turkish raiders.

The Knights Hospitaller occupied Rhodes to forestall such a calamitous event, in about 1308, the same year the Genoese occupied Chios, where Benedetto I Zaccaria had established a minor principality.

These two powers will bear the brunt of countering Turkish pirate raids until 1329.

Northwest Europe (1312–1323 CE): Consolidation, Conflict, and Cultural Vitality

Scotland and England: Battle for Independence

The era was defined by intensified Scottish resistance against English dominance, culminating dramatically at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, where Robert the Bruce decisively defeated Edward II's forces. This pivotal victory not only reaffirmed Scotland’s sovereignty but also significantly bolstered Bruce’s legitimacy as king. The subsequent Declaration of Arbroath in 1320, an appeal to Pope John XXII, eloquently articulated Scottish national identity and independence, influencing later conceptions of sovereignty.

Ireland: Continued Gaelic Resilience and Norman Decline

Ireland remained politically fragmented, with the Gaelic lords effectively resisting Norman consolidation. The Gaelic resurgence was particularly evident in territories like Ulster and Connacht, where traditional Gaelic power structures reinforced their authority. The Normans’ inability to extend beyond the Pale and coastal towns highlighted the continued resilience of indigenous governance.

Denmark: Internal Strife and Royal Consolidation

Under the reign of Eric VI Menved, Denmark faced internal unrest and fiscal crises, exacerbated by costly foreign conflicts and domestic revolts. His successor, Christopher II, who ascended in 1320, struggled to maintain royal power amidst growing noble opposition and economic strain. Despite these challenges, centralizing reforms and administrative restructuring efforts continued, albeit with limited success.

Norway: Strengthening Central Authority

Norway, under the firm rule of Haakon V Magnusson, further solidified its territorial integrity and central governance. Haakon continued reforms in administration, enhancing royal authority and establishing a more cohesive national identity. His reign laid foundations for stable governance that supported economic and cultural growth throughout the kingdom.

Iceland: Literary and Cultural Flourishing

In Iceland, the literary and cultural renaissance persisted robustly. The era saw the continued compilation and creation of sagas, poetry, and historical texts that preserved and celebrated Icelandic heritage. The production of key manuscripts, including continued expansions of works such as Hauksbók, underscored the vibrancy and resilience of Icelandic cultural life, even as Norwegian political influence increased.

Economic and Urban Developments

Trade and commerce continued to drive economic prosperity, reinforcing the significance of key urban centers such as London, Bruges, Bergen, and Dublin. Merchants benefited from expanded networks dealing in wool, fish, timber, and luxury items, facilitating significant urban and architectural growth. This economic vitality reinforced the interconnectedness and prosperity of Northwest Europe.

Religious Influence and Scholarly Pursuits

The period continued to witness the influential presence of religious orders like the Dominicans and Franciscans, who were pivotal in advancing education and theological discourse. Intellectual life flourished, building upon the foundations laid by previous scholars such as Roger Bacon and Robert Grosseteste, reinforcing a robust scholastic tradition characterized by vigorous theological, philosophical, and scientific inquiry.

Artistic Expression and Cultural Ambitions

Gothic architectural projects, prominently illustrated by ongoing construction at monumental sites such as York Minster, continued to reflect the artistic ambitions and cultural sophistication of the era. Literary contributions, including romances like Havelok the Dane, provided insightful portrayals of social ideals, governance, and everyday life, demonstrating a vibrant cultural milieu.

Legacy of the Era

By 1323 CE, Northwest Europe had made considerable strides in political consolidation, cultural resilience, and economic strength. Scotland's assertion of independence, Ireland’s enduring Gaelic traditions, Denmark’s struggles and reforms, Norway’s strengthened central governance, and Iceland’s cultural achievements collectively defined this era. These developments significantly shaped regional identities, governance structures, and cultural legacies for subsequent medieval generations.

The Hospitallers capture Kos and castles on the mainland, probably the coast of Menteshe, in the aftermath of the Battle of Amorgos.

A Frenchman named Jacques Duese, after his election in 1316, becomes Pope John XXII and establishes the papal residence at Avignon.

The Order, under the leadership of Foulques de Villaret, had launched a successful attempt at the conquest of Rhodes in the years 1308 and 1309.

Other islands were also taken, including Kastellórizo and Bodrum.

The Hospitallers then moved their headquarters to Rhodes.

However, despite the huge benefits to his Order from the suppression of the Knights Templar (the Templars' assets had been assigned to the Hospitallers by the Pope in 1312), Villaret's campaigns of territorial expansion have run the Order heavily into debt (these debts will not be paid off until the mid-1330s.

Villaret seems to have been a difficult and overbearing man, and eventually alienated his Order.

Allegations were made of increasingly arrogant, even tyrannical, behavior, although none of the allegations are specific, and one Italian account of the lives of the Grand Masters claims that he was treated unjustly.

The Order had attempted a coup against Villaret in 1317.

A group of knights had gone to assassinate him at his residence at Rhodini, but his chamberlain had aided his escape to the Hospitaller castle at Lindos, where he was besieged by his own Order, ...

...who meanwhile chose Maurice of Pagnac, who had been a draper in his early life, as the new Grand Master.

The dispute was then brought before the Pope, who in early 1319 had rejected Pagnac's election, mostly due to Villaret's continuing popularity in Western Europe, but soon after, Villaret was pressured to resign, and in June 1319 he is replaced by Hélion of Villeneuve.

...the recovery of Leros, whose native Greek population had rebelled in the name of the emperor in Constantinople, and by another victory in the next year over a Turkish fleet poised to invade Rhodes.

Pope John XXII rewards Schwarzburg by restoring him to the post of grand preceptor of Cyprus, whence he had been dismissed two years earlier, and promised the commandery of Kos, if he could capture it.

Efforts begin to form a Christian naval league to counter Turkish piracy, but the defeat off Chios cannot halt the rise of Aydinid power in the immediate future.

The Zaccarias will soon after be forced to surrender their mainland outpost of Smyrna to Mehmed's son Umur Beg, under whose leadership Aydinid fleets will roam the Aegean for the next two decades, until the Smyrniote crusades (1343–1351) break the Aydinid emirate's power.