Beyond Tannenberg II: The Knight's Tale

Bismarck1: Read and find out!

SunZyl: Yeah, characters do that.

J. Passepartout: Smear tactics backfired this time. Actually Putzkammer probably should have let von Leuw's complaint go - he had enough of a lead.

Chief Ragusa: That's what I'm going to do actually. I think Albrecht WILL be grandmaster in 1510 (when he ascends) ... then in 1525 he'll make his move, and the Catholic 'loyalists' will try to stop him. Then we'll sit down and go over our options again. As for Pommerania....I hope so, but I'm not holding out much hope. The Teutons have no more really good diplomats. Then again, once my reputation is back to normal (if ever) it might be worth trying again.

stnylan: Thanks. If you want confusing, here's another war

Duke of Wellington: That map started life as a screenie. I colored over the province names, borders, buildings, shields etc. and added the major cities (capitals and 25K plus) back in. I think it looks cleaner, though I won't do it often. (It takes work )

Stuyvesant: I was hoping someone would catch the arboricide. Everyone missed the wlak over in Resurrection. Yes, maybe if the game gets boring I'll have the trees rise up against the Knights!

Draco Rexus: Wikipedia seems to indicate von Wetzhausen is what this AAR would call a red. He advocated war with Poland. Of course, his Order was significantly weaker and he ended up bending his knee to Casimir. We'll see how our version does.

Archaalen: Another vote for the tree rebellion! :scribbling notes:

dublish: I'd have to check. I THINK the event chain assumes Brandenburg will annex Prussia. If so, it's easy enough to put in an event where our 'Prussia' would annex them.

Tactically yes, the right move would seem to be vassalize to Poland so we can tweak their inflation, then break it when our stab lets us. You're right though, barring a major reversal or warming of relations, I can't see these Knights doing that.

Fulcrumvale: Martin is sane, first off. His stats are in the main post - an average ruler. As I'm playing him I think of him as detail/plan oriented, with a tendency to over-focus on it and ignore or not care about what else might be happening otherwise.

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EDIT: I've been hoping for two posts now to get a map of Europe up. Next time for sure. I've been waiting to see if an event would fire.

In 1476, Austria is supposed to eventannex most of Burgundy with France getting the rest. It requires Burgundy to be at peace however, and Burgundy's been continually at war. As of 1482, they've settled the big ones, but their good friend England is trying to put down two rebellions (Normandy and Armagnac) and who knows what'll happen when I restart.

The event expires in 1484. If Burgundy stays at war for a few more years, the event will fail and Austria won't get their free land.

Aww....

XVI: Let's Hear No More of 'Tannenberg'

Martin Truchess von Wetzhausen was a contemporary of the last two grandmasters. Unlike them, von Wetzhausen was a disciple of Ludwig von Erlichshausen and thought much like him. Whereas Ludwig thought in terms of general war however, to the point of oppressing and enraging his own people, von Wetzhausen had a good sense of strategy. (Dip 5, Adm 5, Mil 6) Therefore when he planned for war, it wasn't a general offensive on all fronts.

First, his plan wasn't just to kill Poles. Instead, he wanted to weaken their power as an alliance and so an ongoing factor in Teuton planning. This meant Lithuania, by far the strongest member of their flagging alliance, was a legitimate and even preferred target.

Second, he needed a justification lest the Papacy once more complain of random attacks on fellow Christians. Speaking during Mass on Easter Sunday, 1477 he announced that as Heinrich von Plauen (the Elder) signed the treaty ending the war following Tannenberg under duress, the Teutonic Knights would not be bound by their conventions. Under the terms of that treaty the Order lost the Dobrinland around Bromberg, long since 'returned' - and Samogitia along the Teuton/Lithuanian/Livonian border.

He moved twenty thousand men into Masovia, not as a war party, but because the Masovians long ago agreed to allow the Teutons to march through. Strangely despite a century of war, the Dukes of Masovia enjoyed tolerable relations with the Teutons. Their battles, while as intense as any other, lacked the ideological ferocity of a Polish/Order confrontation. Regardless, the Masovians thought it strange when these twenty banners stayed throughout the summer.

Meanwhile, von Wetzhausen began intense discussions with the Danes, encouraging them to fight with their Swedish brethren (and so hopefully drag the Lithuanian alliance into a wasteful war.) Unbeknownst to the Knights, Denmark's Christian I was planning precisely that, but felt anything the Teutons, natural rivals to the Baltic, wanted might need rethinking. He finally agreed to go ahead with the attack, providing the Teutonic Order gave up their claim to Gotland forever. Martin eagerly agreed. (Removed core on Gotland.) (War: DENMARK, Hannover, Oldenburg vs. SWEDEN, Poland, Lithuania, Masovia)

Originally von Wetzhausen planned to wait until the next spring, cycling troops in and out of Masovia to carefully scout out Masovian and Polish defenses, before attacking. His careful planning finally failed him however, as the Danes immediately stabbed at Samogitia itself. While tying up and preferably destroying Lithuanian troops was in Martin's best interest, Samogitia was the entire justification for war and Danish presence there undermined that. In November 1477, the Teutonic Order declared war on Lithuania. (TEUTONS, Mecklenburg, Livonians, Pommern, Bavaria vs. LITHUANIA, Sweden, Masovia, Poland)



The Duke of Masovia immediately ordered the aging, but still competent Sebastian von Thurigen to take his twenty banners and leave. Instead he deployed and attacked the four thousand man garrison, crushing them. His orders were not to fight the Duke though, and he immediately broke camp and marched towards Polish Lublin.

Rikard von Bromberg, new komtur of said city, led eleven banners in Kalisch. Initially he was to attack Krakow. Von Wetzhausen's plan called for defeating each of the allies in detail - first Poland, then Masovia, while hopefully the Livonian Brotherhood and Danes would keep Lithuania occupied. It was a good plan, but as all such plans it didn't survive long. Von Bromberg learned the Duke of Masovia, infuriated at Sebastian's attack, planned to help the Poles invest Oppeln. He met the Duke, who had the advantage in numbers with seventeen thousand, but most of those raw recruits never expecting to really have to fight as they'd been raised in response to Denmark. Rikard crushed the ducal forces, then chased them back into Masovia where he broke the ducal army. Konrad III (the Red), Duke of Masovia, faced interment as a prisoner of war and eagerly signed a treaty pulling his forces out of the war. (White Peace: Masovia, Feb 1478)



Poland would be a far hardier foe. In the beginning this was mainly due to Lithuania, who intended their friends to stay in the war. They continually tried to relieve Lublin, including a massive setpiece battle in the winter snow along the slopes west of town. Twenty three Lithuanian banners surged against nineteen thousand Teutons and disintegrated.

Of course, not everything went smoothly. Von Wetzhausen himself led a third army to try and relieve Oppeln in June, but couldn't break the Polish line and so retired to gather reinforcements. Oppeln fell in July, matched by Lublin in August.



Rikard right now fought in Nowsacz along the Hungarian border, taking it in February 1479 while von Thurigen besieged Krakow. With only six banners remaining after the fierce battles for Lublin, he didn't have enough men to take the town, but he could certainly loot the countryside and harass the Poles, which he did to perfection defeating three attacks that autumn.

The Poles, fresh from conquering Oppeln, moved north and pushed von Wetzhausen out of Kalisch. Meanwhile, the Lithuanians moved seventeen thousand towards Lublin determined to relieve that city. They finally managed to push Sebastian out of Krakow, and the tide appeared to be turning when Casimir of Poland demanded 25,000 zloty for peace.

According to von Wetzhausen's plan, which called for pushing Poland out of the war as quickly as possible, he should have accepted. Furious over Poland demanding reparations when they were clearly losing, he instead ordered von Bromberg to take Krakow. This disheartened the Lithuanian general trying to relieve Lublin, having learned Mecklenberg and Pommern cut his supply lines. He immediately retreated home to deal with problems there.



About this time the Archbishop of Magdeburg wrote Martin:

You, who call yourself a Knight of Christ are anything but. While you slaughter fellow Romanists, I would remind you there are heretics on your border that neither you, nor the so called grandmasters before you, could be bothered. While you butcher your way to glory the city of Pskov, indoctrinated in the faith by your own Rittermeister von Thurigen and vassals you've sworn to death, suffer at the hands of schismatics. Your duty to the LORD is clear, and yet instead of sheltering your brothers in Christ, you persecute them. GOD will judge you and find you lacking.

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(Diplomatic Insult: Magdeburg. MUSCOVY + Yarosavl attack and forceannex PSKOV)

This was not a time for reflection nor caring what the Archbishop of Magdeburg thought, however. Martin von Wetzhausen summoned von Bromberg to his side, and together they circumvented the Polish siege at Kalisch and attacked Oppeln. They defeated nine banners there with eighteen, and as the Poles recalled their armies from Kalisch to deal with the grandmaster, Sebastian slipped back to Krakow to loot and pillage. This broke Polish pride, and they offered 46,000 marks for peace. Von Wetzhausen accepted and gathered all three armies in Kalisch. Finally it was time to deal with their real enemy.



The combined army, under Sebastian's command again as von Wetzhausen returned home to write a long, detailed reply to Magdeburg, arrived in Podlasie in July. He immediately split his army, giving von Bromberg men to attack Navahradak. Rikard immediately found himself counterattacked by twenty one thousand Lithuanians and decisively defeated them.

Von Wetzhausen might have saved himself the trip home, for he immediately received demands from merchants and landholders in Kalisch for compensation of losses from two terms of Teuton occupation interlaced with Polish looting. Martin replied all such requests would be given their proper respect after the fighting. The landholders felt, correctly, that 'proper respect' was a euphemism for 'ignored' and rose up against the komtur there. Martin headed back with nine thousand men, crushing the infant rebellion in September. (Revolt.)

The winter of 1479-1480 handled the Teutons badly, and many sickened or died in the two siege armies. Once again returning to Marienburg, von Wetzhausen flooded reinforcements to the two stricken forces.

The Lithuanian plan for 1480 involved focusing on one enemy at a time. While they sent occasional raids to annoy the two Teutons, their main army moved into Samogitia, dealt with the Danish garrison there and invested the town. Martin wrote his generals, forbidding any activity against the Lithuanian army. He needed them to retake Samogitia if he hoped to force them to surrender it in peace talks. Due to their mutual non interference, Navhradak, Podlasie and Samogitia all fell within weeks of each other.




Still the Lithuanians refused to discuss Samogitia, so Rikard von Bromberg moved into Luck, while Sebastian von Thurigen attacked Vilnius itself. The latter was a mistake: The Lithuanian capital was heavily defended, with multiple trenches that let defenders enfilade the invading force. They destroyed Sebastian's army, and the general along with it. Nevertheless they needed peace badly, and saw Samogitia as a small price to pay, especially as it meant the Danes could no longer invade.



Martin von Wetzhausen declared a solid week of celebrations. "Tannenberg is avenged," he announced. "Let us speak no more of it." Respected for pulling off a successful, if moderately long war Martin felt confident writing the various komturs, requesting they coordinate with Marienburg before undertaking any projects. (Centralization +1, Stab -1 (to 2) For the most part everyone agreed, except for young Rittermeister von Bromberg. He wrote a scathing response:

The Hochmeister is mistaken in assuring us his plan brought the victory we may now enjoy. That victory, my Lord, was bought with Teuton blood. It was bought with Rittermeister von Thurigen's blood, GOD rest his soul, and due to the 'planning' of von Thurigen and myself. While we sweat and bled, you were in Marienburg. When you finally took the field you lost not once, but twice.

Do not ask us to clear our plans with Marienburg. The delay would be too long, and the result too uncertain to be countenanced.

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A flurry of letters and messengers shot across Teuton lands, from Oppeln and Lauslitz in the west to Samogitia and Podlasie in the east and back. Throughout 1481 the komturs argued for and against the plan and debated everything from the powers of the Hochmeister through the obligations of the lowliest brother. Martin let them argue as long as he could. (Uncooperative Philosopher: Remain Free: Stability =2 (to 0), Innovative +1)

In January 1482, he called for a Conclave to settle these issues. He didn't know the Papal Legate had new instructions from Rome.

stnylan: I'm not sure about the dissimilar duo. As I posted last time, that's not working out as intended. I may return to them, or I may just stick to the historical narrative.

Part of the problem I think is I'm playing this as I write, so it's hard to be sure WHAT is up with the modern 'Knights' chasing our people around....or even if the Order survives.

Chief Ragusa: Except for that one chat with Muscovy, the LO has been REMARKABLY quiet. I have two theories: 1) I've kept him busy and made his AI happy. 2) He had 39K men on Osel and didn't know how to ship them off, which might have convinced him he doesn't have the troops to go to war.

Duke of Wellington: A moderately long war, but that's partially because it had two prerequisites before the main campaign (forcing Masovia and Poland out.)

Stuyvesant: Well....Oppeln fell AGAIN and they invaded Kalisch/Kalisz, so I wouldn't say I was never threatened, but it's true my homeland itself was never threatened.

I do think of this war as a turning point though, as there was a distinct plan as opposed to the wild melees we've seen to date. On the other hand, after I reload (see below) we might be back to wild melees.

J. Passepartout: Hm, I think the Order's relatively done with nastiness. I THINK. Hard to say.

Bismarck1: Of course he's going to care!

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XVII: Rising Stakes

Martin von Wetzhausen said:

The honorable representative of His Holiness is correct: We did indeed war with members of the True Faith. It is also true that while we fought, the Muscovites moved in and conquered Pskov, which was under our nominal protection.

He forgets, however, that Rome is very far away. His Holiness, while supreme in spiritual matters is ill-positioned to guide our temporal policy. He demands we stand as a bastion defending Europe from pagans and schimsatics, then ties us down in debate on how it shall be done. I will tell you how: Only through strength and prosperity may the Order guard our part of Europe.

He seeks to condemn us for attacking Lithuania. It is they who stole Samogitia. It is their puppets, the Poles, who have sacked Oppeln repeatedly. Where were the pope's condemnations when they attacked us? Where are the pope's condemnations in half a dozen wars fought among Romanists every year?

No. If His Holiness is concerned about our conduct, then perhaps he should look closer to home. If he seeks to condemn us, then he must condemn the Hospitaller. You may state we allowed Pskov to fall into Muscovite hands - the Hospitaller openly ally with Wallachia, Moldavia and Montenegro, schismatics all.

I do not accept your complaint. WE do not accept your complaint. We will do what is necessary to serve God and Church, and that includes securing the Baltic from our enemies.

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The Papal 'advisory' condemning the Teuton/Lithuanian war alarmed many, but angered Teuton leadership. They'd fought for three years to defeat their ancient and powerful enemy, receiving land lost as reparations following Tannenberg seventy years before. They thought the war justified and well fought. Further, some still remembered von Plauen's humiliation at Paul II's hands and tired of Papal interference in what was clearly a secular, rather than spiritual matter.

Sixtus IV also tired of Teuton defiance. He sent letters to von Wetzhausen and Bernd von der Borch, Grandmaster of the Livonian Brotherhood, announcing that the special relationship existing between the two orders since 1237 was ended. From now on, von der Borch would answer directly to Rome.

The Brotherhood Order, also known as the Brotherhood of the Sword, Order of the Sword, Livonian Brotherhood, and Livonian Order was in fact an autonomous branch of the Teutonic Knights. The Teutons appointed their grandmaster until 1413, when they allowed the Livonians to elect their own, an arrangement that continued for seventy years. Technically von der Borch was a senior officer of the Teutonic Order, was entitled to hear their closest counsel.

In 1482 Bernd was aging, have reigned for eleven years. He'd suffered a belly wound during a Lithuanian attack on Riga during the war, and found himself confined to bed. He'd already arranged to step down in a year or so. He called a Conclave of the Livonian Order to discuss what Sixtus' demands might mean. Bernd banned both the Teuton delegation and Papal legates. This was a purely internal matter.

No one's quite sure how the sixty three men would have voted elsewise, but just prior to voting Bernd's "heir" stood:

Johann Freitag von Loringhoven said:

And what is there to decide? The Church is father. We are taught to honor our parents, for they brought us into the world. They shielded us from our enemies. They helped us achieve our dreams and reach our current strength. Oh, I mistake: It was our Teuton brothers who did all this.

In 1236, when the Lithuanians broke us, it was the Teutons who tended our wounds and helped us on our feet.

It was our brothers who covered our flanks when we took Courland, Semigalia and Estonians from the pagans.

We in turn came to their rescue in 1411 after the Lithuanians - again - and Poles broke them, for that is what brothers do.

Time and time again, our enemies have stormed our borders, and time and time again, together we pushed them right back out again. In war they've never failed us, and they've never sacrificed us for peace.

This is a bond of blood, a bond that stretches thirteen generations and thirty-eight grandmasters. Together we've maintained our lonely vigil on these bitter shores, together we've paid the price of that vigilance. Today we are asked to forget that, to forsake our brothers for the crime of punishing our ancient enemies. I say no. I say we will maintain our honor. I say we value loyalty over expediency, integrity over politics. Let us treat this demand with the contempt it deserves.

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Livonian Order: Conclave of 1482 said:

Confirm fealty to the Teutonic Order by merging: 45 votes
Break from the Teutons: 18 votes

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(Teutonic Order diploannexes Livonian Order: Mar 1482)

Von Wetzhausen quickly thanked the Livonians for their loyalty. Sixtus IV's demands made Livonian independence impossible, lest he condemn the Brotherhood for refusing, but he compensated by ensuring the Livonian komturs would have equal rights with their German brethren, and naming von Loringhoven Landmeister and second in command of the Order. Some grumbled as the 'pecking order' between the two command structures sorted itself out. None could deny, however, that being virtually surrounded by enemies in one of the least hospitable and poorer parts of Europe encouraged the Brotherhood to learn efficiency, lessons they willingly shared with their brothers. (Mar 1482: Infra 3)

This so alarmed the Duke of Masovia that he immediately entered a perpetual union with Casimir IV of Poland/Lithuania, binding the three nations forever. (Lithuania diploannexes Masovia)

It's said that Sixtus IV had an apoplectic fit when he learned of the Livonian response, though it's worth noting he was already sixty-eight and failing. It's said he had another fit when he learned that von Wetzhausen was right: The Knights Hospitaller intended to honor their commitments to Moldavia against Lithuanian attack. (LITHUANIA, Sweden, Poland vs. MOLDAVIA, Wallachia, Montenegro, Knights) He immediately called Pierre d'Aubuson, Grandmaster of the Hospitallers, to account. He replied that with the Ottomans growing bolder by the year, he'd allied with the Balkan powers to secure Europe from a Muslim invasion. After many months, they agreed d'Aubuson would be 'too busy' to help Moldavia against Catholic powers like Lithuania, and in exchange he'd receive a cardinalship. (Event: Hostage to Papacy for Gold/Cardinalship)

Sixtus was prepared to offer Martin a similar deal: Rank and privileges for obedience. It's doubtful von Wetzhausen would have agreed, as receiving or even giving orders from a thousand miles away promised gross inefficiency and bad planning. His rejection became a certainty when Sixtus chose to send his offer across land through Habsburg territory. They'd never forgiven the Order for multiple failures to recover Bohemia and, 'losing' the Papal offer, substituted their own message. In effect the Habsburg letter still offered the cardinalship but completely changed the tone, commanding the Teutons to heel and maybe they'd get a bone. Martin's unflattering reply passed through Habsburg lands unchanged and infuriated the Papacy. (Diplomatic Insult: Austria, -100 relations, CB)

Though some hoped to push the issue while the Teutons were distracted and angry, Frederick V of Inner Austria had other plans. He'd finally secured the Burgundian succession in his favor, and Austria spent several years getting their western territories under control. (Oct 1483: Burgundy's at peace. Austria and France split it. Rats.)

1484 proved to be a hard year for the Knights. Baltic merchants, unhappy that they didn't enjoy the same privileges as their German brethren in Danzig, rose up in revolt. Even as Martin sent troops to crush the rebellion, he issued a number of decrees equalizing the rights of those who hadn't risen up against him. This in turn annoyed the Danzig merchants. (Unhappiness Among the Peasantry: Stability -3(!) (now at -2), Revolt in Curonia). Livonian brothers suppressed the rebels. Meanwhile, Lithuania conquered Moldavia, and the Catholics in Rus Halicka rose up against Hussite rule and defected to Poland. After Lithuania went on to conquer Wallachia in 1485, the new Pope, Innocent VIII, openly proclaimed them guardians of the True Faith and ordered all regional powers, including von Wetzhausen, to coordinate with them. The proud Teutonic Knights long thought themselves as guardians of the Faith in their part of the world and didn't accept this change, certainly not in favor of their enemies. While Martin never refused, letters from Casimir attempting to normalize relations went unanswered.

About this time Muscovite pirates operating out of Narva grew more active. Von Wetzhausen, mired in the above mentioned political affairs with Church and Lithuania, ordered von Loringhoven to "deal with it." The Livonian did, moving the fleet into the Baltic with orders to resupply at Osel as necessary. He also increased Osel's defense against possible raiders. (Fortification Effort: Osel +1)

By early 1487, Papal 'suggestions' that a return of land to the True Faith's 'guardians' would go very well convinced Martin he needed to break - not spiritually, but in a secular sense. In May he wrote letters to his allies, reassuring him of Teuton commitment but warning them there might be trouble on the horizon. All responded positively. (Gifts to Mecklenburg, Pommern, Bavaria) He also wrote the new Holy Roman Emperor, Ernst I of Magdeburg (who took over in 1484 after Saxony conquered Wurzburg) of his concerns under the guise of asking for advice. Ernst noted the Order had a growing history of trouble with the Papacy, and while he didn't necessarily agree the Order should be giving up land, concessions might be necessary to restore goodwill.

Martin couldn't accept that. In July he ordered von Bromberg to advance through the Neumark to Lauslitz, hoping the Brandenburgers would complain: Even though the Knights had theoretical permission to pass through, they'd never taken advantage of it and von Bromberg had orders to take what he needed from the land to feed his hungry army. Brandenburg did indeed scream, and Martin responded by breaking their treaty. (MA removed, Brandenburg)

In October 1487 he sent messages to his commanders and allies. After laying out the Order's rightful claims to the Neumark, lost to Brandenburg by Konrad von Erlichshausen, he went on to describe the continual interference his Order suffered at Papal and Imperial hands. Martin thanked God for this chance to save the Teutons from outside influence, and thanked Him again for such faithful allies.


TEUTONS, Mecklenburg, Pommern, Bavaria vs. BRANDENBURG, Magdeburg, Papacy, Tuscany, Baden



Western Europe: 1487

Yes, that's Venice in western France.


Eastern Europe: 1487

Lithuania's making a bid at superpower status. To me it looks like they're doing something passionate with Poland.

I figured I'd post this seperately for clarity.

I expect the next load to be...very warlike. (Then again, I expected that before.)

I'm now at war with the Papacy: All Catholics have a CB on me.
Austria's at about -180 relations after that Diplomatic insult.
Denmark hates me. Saxony's about -150. Lithuania, Poland, Muscowy...no surprises there.

My saving grace is Lithuania's still at war with Montenegro (who they can't get to) and the Knights (ditto).

On the other hand, IF Mecklenburg and Pommern actually show up.... we should be able to roll up Brandenburg pretty fast. Aside from the RP reasons, I only want Neumark (a core) back.

(Yes, my BB sucks. In a normal game I'd have waited, but this seemed like a good time to tell the Papacy to go away.)