Chapter Five: The Markland instigators
Halfway the 15th century, Vinland’s trading partner Iceland –a Norwegian dependency- was struck by internal strife. In 1452, the year Harald Gudjonson was elected Prince of Vinland, Maximilian I ‘Meinfret’ of Pomerania died. His best and probably only quality was staying alive. Although there were many problems, the stability he created by his long reign made Norway a peaceful country. Protestantism and the reformation, a religious movement, was inspiring people, but enraging the Holy See. The peace under Maximilian made place for religious turmoil under his Danish nephew Cristian I, a devoted catholic. Many reformists fled the country to get as far away from the inquisition as possible. A few hundred Norwegian reformists shipped for Iceland. The island was suffering from the gap that existed between the catholics and the reformists, that had radicalised after seeing so many fellow believers fall victim to the religion police. In 1454, Prince Harald agreed to allow these people to build up a new life across the Atlantic, in Markland, the Northern Colonies.
When the Archbishop of Vinborg Olaf Hardrason visited Markland in May, 1455, his carriage was smeared on with mud. By the time the Hardrason came out of the local church, he shouted at whoever could have done it. Out of the crowd that had gathered to see what was going on, someone suggested “maybe an old lover you dumped, óvættr (monster), Hardrason was properly insulted. He went back to Vinborg to demand the expulsion of those hot headed, no-good reformists that were infecting loyal citizens. Prince Harald refused to agree, and it cost him a re-election. Most nobles agreed with the bishop and elected Magnus Egilsson.
A few random reformists were arrested and executed on the square of Rogna, the capital of Markland. Also, He demanded that the bishop sent priests to convert Markland peacefully, who agreed ... naturally.
In the west Egilsson also sent a priest on every trading missions with the Mohawk. He, and many nobles of the 47 with him, thought it was their duty to educate the oblivious Mohawk about the life of the messiah. By 1458 most of Mohawk upper class converted, appealed by the new religion and, more importantly, a strong ally to protect them from the Huron and the Iroquois. Egilsson personally met at the border with the chieftain of Mohawk. An alliance was created, Vinland would protect the fellow catholics, offer trade rights, and Mohawk would pay a small annual tribute for that ‘protection’.
Only one year later Mohawk traders were harassed and insulted by their former skræling counterparts..
Egilsson, pushed by a radical archbishop Hardrason, was eager to declare war to the Iroquois. Huron pledged to help their fellow skrælings.
Captain Mats Sigurdsson of the “Leif’s Guard” regiment of Vinborg would be promoted to general, Egilsson drew out a plan for the campaign with his general. A small guard would hold off the Huron in the north, the main army would subdue Iroquois in the south before invading Huron.
The Iroquois army was outnumbered four to one, but only surrendered after it was decimated in battle. Iroquois would become a vassal and would pay of a debt of 100 ducats for indemnities of Vinlanders and Mohawk alike.
The same fate was the Huron tribe, who paid 50 ducats.
Egilsson was re-elected in 1463. He promised the nobles at the sammenkomst that a diplomatic mission would be sent to Bergen, or Denmark if necessary, to negotiate with King Cristian I a treaty of mutual friendship between followers of the true faith, and to try and come up with an agreement on Danish/Norwegian policy towards letting religious refugees head to Vinland.
In spring 1466, after spending the winter of 1465-66 on Iceland, Europe awaited for Captain Folke Magnusson, head of the diplomatic mission …
Next: The Bolt Legacy