The natives of Aragon were one of many local tribes in the north of Spain that were fiercely indepedent and maintained a strong authority over their lands. They and others became local pawns in the expanded war beteen Rome and Carthage during the 2nd Punic War. Shortly thereafter all of Spain would fall under the Roman yoke and become a productive and important region of the Empire. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire Spain fell to the barbarians who set up a number separate kingdoms which would last until the coming of the Islamic conquests. The North of Spain and the region of Aragon would later get liberated by the Spanish Marches; Charlemaign's campaigns into the north of Spain. Aragon would become a Frankish feudal county Jaca before becoming a self-proclaimed kingdom, which was united with the kingdom of Pamplona (later Navarre) in 925. The kingdom of Pamplona included the counties of Aragon, Sobrarbe, and Ribagorza, and the duchy of Castile. After King Sancho's death, the kingdom was divided between his sons. Ramiro I was initially named king of Aragon; later, after his brother Gonzalo's death, he was also named king of Sobrarbe and Ribagorza. The new kingdom grew quickly, and incorporated Navarra. This kingdom conquered the city of Zaragoza in 1118. Split from the kingdom of Navarre, the kingdom of Aragon was re-established in 1035 and lasted as a separate kingdom until 1469 when Ferdinand the Catholic married Isabella of Castile, making the Kingdom of Spain. This, however, is the year 1430 and unification with Castile has not yet happened. Aragon has the smaller piece of the Spanish mainland, but also controls a potent fleet and the islands of Palma, Sardinia and Sicily. Aragon has numerous strategies options at the start of play. They can seek alliance with any of Portugal, Castile or Morocco and seek to expand its holdings in Iberia. They can build up its fleet and forces on Sicily and invade Italy or land somewhere in North Africa. Or they can even chose to pick a side in the Hundred Years War and go involved in the fighting in France.