Pyrrhic Victory: The Life Of Vsevolod Rurikovich

[demokratickid]

Hello! This will be my first attempt at a character-driven AAR. I will be doing the life story of Vsevolod Rurikovich, who is King of Rus for exactly one month. This will also include an overview of Rus, 1063-1113 (Vsevolod's birth).

CK Version: 1.04a
Mods: None that I can rember
Difficulty: Normal
AI Aggressiveness: Normal
Comments and critiques quite welcome

Chapter 1, Mstislav the Great: here

[Skyman]

Interesting concept, I'll be watching.

[demokratickid]

Before the dew had even finished settling on the grass of Novgorod University's manicured lawns, many throngs of people were lining up ouside the main hall. The stifling summer of 1691 was in full swing, and even the most prim and proper of ladies wore loose clothing akin more to the plazas of Paris than the heart of European Russia.

The crowd had come to hear a supposedly scandelous presentation by the University's Chancellor Pavel Pskovich. According to the pamphelet, he had uncovered documents which could alter the history of Russia completely. But, most unusually, they had nothing to do with the greater Kings like Mstislav, but the shortest reigning one, King Vsevolod I Rurikovich, ruled November 22, 1159-December 22, 1159.

The main hall had been filled by 9:00 AM, and the doors slammed shut to the crowd at 10:00. Chancellor Pavel walked from the side entrance onto the hastily erected stage on the far side of the wall. The beams holding the stage together creaked when the 6-foot-6 Pskovich put his full girth onto the side of the lectern. The giant of a man pulled out several sheets of paper and looked up. With 3,000 pairs of eyes staring on, he slowly began to speak.

"Good Morning. I trust your welcome shot of Vodka was a tasty as expected." A general laughter rippled through the crowd, and Pskovich smiled. "Excellent. Now, as I understand it, not all in this room are scholars of Russian history, so I will and must give a brief overview of Russian history, at least in part, so that you may understand what I am about to convey." Pskovich signaled to an assisstent offstage who carred a giant engraving and set it upon a stand.


Novgorod Castle, 1066

"This," continued Pskovich,"is an engraving of Novgord Castle in 1066. On December 26, 1066, Prince Mstislav Rurikovich had a world-changing dream in one of those rooms. He dreampt that the Archangels descended from heaven and blessed him with the crown of the Rus. Ever since then, he delved into the task of uniting Russia with as much Religious fervor as the Catholics going to Crusade." Pskovich ordered the picture to be changed again, and a new one was promptly brought forth by the same servant.


Soliders guarding Novgorod during the wars of the 1070s

Chancellor Pskovich took a shot of Vodka before continuing. "Throughout the 1070s, Prince Mstislav fought different wars with the various Principalities around central Russia. Most notably are the Novgorod-Vladimirian war of 1072-1075 and Novgorod-Moskava war of 1078-1081. In 1082, his father, the Prince of Kiev died and his titles all went to Mstislav. After gaining these titles, he felt safe enough to preform the action he had wanted to do for so long, and was crowned King of Russia on January 5, 1083 by his Bishop, Rurik of Novgorod."


Coronation, January 5, 1083

"This portrait," Pskovich gestures to the one now being placed on the podium," was painted after the coin depicting Mstislav in coronation robes in 1083. Mstislav spent the next thirty years of his long life unifying the Russian peoples, and conquering Finland, which he completed in 1109. On April 20, 1113, at the age of 68, he gave his formal blessing to the 3 day old Vsevolod Rurikovich, the star of our story. Ah, but I am getting a head of myself!"


Mstislav in old age, 1115

The next engraving is lifted onto the stand, while Pskovich wipes his brow just starting to turn grey with age. "This is an engraving of King Mstislav at age 70 in 1115. Already suffering from catalepsey and pnumonia, he would die 2 years later in 1117 at age 72. We will have a short intermission as I get the next series of portraits ready to be used."

And with that, Chacellor Pskovich ended his first part of the lecture.

[demokratickid]

Interesting concept, I'll be watching.

Thank you! I hope to create a somewhat decent AAR!

[Skyman]

Interesting setup. I'm wondering how you'll manage to write much about such a short period of time!

[demokratickid]

Interesting setup. I'm wondering how you'll manage to write much about such a short period of time!

I have my ways...

[demokratickid]

After the better part of five minutes, Chancellor Pavel Pskovich returned to the stage and continued his speech. "After the unfortunate, but expected, death of old King Mstislav, Russia went through a series of kings in-between 1117 and 1133. Due to King Mstislav's enation of Salic Primogenure in 1088, there was no doubt that all future Kings would be of the Rurikovich name. The first in that series, and perhaps most valiant of all Russian Kings, was King Rodislav I, eldest surviving son of King Mstislav." Pskovich paused as a great portrait was placed on the stand.


King Rodislav I in 1105

"This portrait," continued Pskovich, "is afer an ancient one of King Rodislav when he was in his mid 30s in 1105. Having been raised during the time of Unification, he bore a strong inclination to violence throught his life. When he was created Prince of Esthonia in 196, he highlighted this by immediatley by both converting and killing pagans in his new provinces. In early 1104, Prince Rodislav invaded Livonia, which he took for himself. In 1110, he invaded and captured the Osel islands, which shall play a crucial role in the future of our story."

Pskovich paused to change notes on the lectern before continuing. "Rodislav brought this enthusiastic warring trait into full effect shortly after his coronation on August 30, 1117. The next day, he declared war on all of the Pagan tribes north of Poland and west of Werle Province." Another image is thrust upon the stand, which is starting to look worn already.


Battle of Stettin, 1120

Pskovich continued, "Being as valiant as one hundred lions, he led his men onto the battle field every chance he could. His troops, some were veterans of the Muscovite war, always were strengthened by this, and thus fought more bravely. But, King Rodislav's life was cut short by an arrow through the neck at the battle of Stettin in 1120. He was 51 years old."

"When the news reached home, the whole of Russia mourned. Everyone except Rodislav's eldest son and heir, Ivan. Aged 34, but weathered beyond his years, Ivan would have made an excellent ruler, for no one could say they have ever seen a better Diplomat or Steward. Unfortunately, Ivan had a major problem. He was an alcoholic. Starting at the susceptable age of 15, Ivan's main companion throughout his life had been a bottle of Vodka in each hand." A picture is was then lowered onto the stage, due to its massive size, by several servants on cranes in the rafters.


King Ivan the Drunk in 1123

"Due to the massive amounts of alcohol consumed by the King, his liver had begun to decline even as he was crowned on April 2, 1120. Here is the last known image of him, created in 1123. The image fails to capture in just how bad of condition he was at the time. By 1124, all affairs of State were essentially conducted by his Chancellor, Igor of Livs. Sometime during the night of June 8, 1125, King Ivan died of massive liver failure at age 39." The next engraving is put on the stage while the massive one is once again raised into the rafters.


St. Andrev's Fortified Monastery, 1120

Gesturing to the engraving, Pskovich continued. "This is an engraving of St. Andrev's Fortified Monastery in the foot hills of the Urals. Founded in 1099, it became one of the more famous clerical retreats of the middle-ages. It was here that Ivan's eldest and most pious son, Sergei, was praying when he got the news that his father had died, and he was the new King. With all haste, he returned to Novgorod and was crowned on September 2, 1125."

"He was a mere 22 years old when crowned King, and hadn't even married. Afterward, however, he promptly married Svatoslava Rurikovich, his 4th cousin and two years his elder. His wife was a baby-producing wonder, having 7 children in the ten years of their marraige. Unfortunately for Sergei, 5 were daughters, and his eldest son died at age 8 of pnumonia in 1133."


The Young King, 1126

Pskovich coughed loudly before speaking again. "This is an engraving of the young King done in 1126 when he would have been 23. Unfortunately, Sergei suffered from an illness which would only be later diagnosed as an intestinal worm. In 1132, his last son was born, Alexei. After that one daughter was born and three days after that, King Sergei died at the age of 32 in 1135. The reign of Alexei will be continued after I prepare the engravings."