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Oi, I thought it was rare in times before crusades that kings would leave their kingdoms if not for war.
But Crusading Teutons is an excellent reason to invite foreign monarch into your castle. :cool:

Take Gotland and do it quickly!
 
Take Gotland and do it quickly!

And the rest, Make the Baltic a Saxo-Prussian lake

To War!
add1_ritter.gif
 
I wonder what would happen to the grandmaster of the TO if he was vassalised by force, maybe the prussian church could have its own knightly order.
I actually tried, you can't because a Grand Master counts as a King.


Oi, I thought it was rare in times before crusades that kings would leave their kingdoms if not for war.
But Crusading Teutons is an excellent reason to invite foreign monarch into your castle. :cool:

Take Gotland and do it quickly!
It probably was, but this was the verge of war, so it can be semi-justified. Let us chalk one up to narrative.

Gotland comes later... (Chapter 10). :p Which reminds me, we have finished the first page of notes! :cool:

And the rest, Make the Baltic a Saxo-Prussian lake

To War!
add1_ritter.gif
Haha, the Baltic is the Prussian home!
 
Homelands
Chapter Eight: The Noble Death
Part 1


Prelude:
1114 heralded the long anticipated war between Prussia and the Teutonic Order. Aethelweard had hesitated in attacking the city, and the Knights had spent three years turning Riga into a fortress like no other in Europe. They were prepared for a long, deadly siege. Even so, the war was necessary to Prussia in order to secure its side of the Baltic entirely. Failure to take the city would have led to a catastrophic failure of the Kingdom. Caught between the sands of time and the needs of his people, an aging Aethelweard led his people to war.

April 19th, 1114

Aethelweard led some 12,000 Prussian warriors toward the fortress of Riga. A naval blockade was almost impossible, as the Knights had greatly prepared for the siege already, and had expected no assistance from Germany or from Poland. From the tallest rampart of the castle flew the Teutonic banner, a white flag with a black cross over it. The Knights only numbered in the low thousands. Their main core of soldiers was the peasant militia of Riga backed by the hardened, battle tested Knights.

The Prussian army surrounded the city, and Aethelweard brought to bear weapons purchased at great cost from Western Europe, the trebuchet. Three of these massive catapults were erected far out of range of the arrows of the Knights, and at regular intervals stones would be hurled into the city. The castle itself was too massive and well designed to be taken out through catapulting alone.

Riga.jpg

Fortress Riga

Instead, after a few long weeks, Aethelweard accepted that he would have to starve the Knights out, out of fear of losing his army in a frontal charge. By May, the Prussian army had settled down in a semi-permanent camp. Aethelweard had sent all but 4,000 soldiers back to their farms, keeping enough just to ensure that the Knights could not leave their city. Around Riga grew Weardscír, or Wardshire, the village around a city.

In June the first signs of starvation began to come from Riga. During the day the black, billowing smoke of pyres floated above the port city. Lettish peasants shouted from the ramparts to Letts in Aethelweard’s army to free and feed them. Weardscír by this point had small farms, so the people of Riga watched as Prussian soldiers cooked and cleaned their food. By mid June the city was in obvious disrepair. When before the craters of left by Aethelweard’s trebuchet would disappear in a few days, now they were left exposed. Aethelweard intensified his bombardment of the city.

During the waning days of June, Aethelweard sent a rider to the gates of the city. He had with him a small parcel for Grand Master Martin. The letter was accepted and the rider left to leave. He told Aethelweard that the city seemed almost deserted, and that the Knights must be holding the food all for themselves.

Aethelweard’s letter was brief. He told Martin that in the last month an order of a special chemical had arrived from his allies in Greece. He spoke that when the material touched anything in air it would burst into flames and could not be extinguished. The threat was simple, leave Riga now in peace, or the city would be torched, Knights and all.

July 2nd, 1114

Grand Marshal Martin led his 435 remaining Knights from the city. Many left on foot as they had resorted to eating their horses. The people of Riga were torn between their invading conquerors and the Knights who had left them to starve while stockpiling food for themselves. Even days after Aethelweard’s conquest, the city seemed to flare up. Its people refused to acknowledge anyone as its leader and Aethelweard would soon have to return to settle the city down.

Grunwald.jpg

The Teutonic Knights leave Riga
 
Rigae shall burn!
But how did they build a castle that strong so fast there? :eek:
<__<
>__>

It is for the story. :p

Another good update, as always!

Nice to see the Knights evicted. Who's next I wonder?
Let me check my notes... ;)

Thanks for the support!
 
Homelands
Chapter Eight: The Noble Death
Part 2


Prelude:
The revolt in Riga was a direct result of both the war between the Pagans and the Knights and the war between the Knights and the Prussians. Rigans lifted high the blood banner, their flag that had been drenched in the blood of their former chief, killed during the war with the Knights. The gruesome banner was duplicated, many times with actual human blood, though usually with the blood from lambs. Prussian troops were called up again to quell the outright rebellion, the first in Prussia’s history. Pagan subjected resisted conversion to Christianity, the installation of a count, the building of a new castle, the integration of Weardscír into Riga and the “pity” shown by Prussians to them by trying to give them food.

August 21st, 1115

Aethelweard walked the city streets in dismay. The revolt had taken three months to completely quell. All around him the scene was worse than after the siege. But worse yet was Count Estmond drawn and quartered in the city square. His head topped a long wooden pike that had been erected in the center of town by the peasants. Estmond had been Aethelweard’s youngest son. Like after the death of Anastasia, Aethelweard fell into a deep depression and loathed leaving Memelbuhr.

“My lord, the rebellion is over, but do you deem it safe to be out here alone?”

“Safe enough for me. Is there anyone left in this city?”

“Sir? There are your loyal troops and some thousand peasants.” Aethelweard sighed. The entire point of Riga was to capture a well established trade-port with Western Europe. In the harbor sat scuttled ships, the pagan’s attempt at closing the harbor. All around the stench of carrion lingered. Only those who had converted to Orthodox had remained, but soon the city would repopulate with pagan Letts from the surrounding areas.

“Just make sure the port is cleared soon, I assume trade shall begin shortly again. We need people to be able to move into the city.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“And tear down that bloody pike… and the banners… burn it all.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Aethelweard wandered the city for a few days and then returned to Memelbuhr. There he slipped in quietly, making sure to avoid fanfare from the people. The next day he woke up Eadbert and spoke to him in a hushed and quiet voice.

“My son, tomorrow I shall leave for Marienscír. I wish to see my castle again, and the quiet and the peace of my old city. I shall send you orders and needs from there; you have the power to enact them.”

“Father, what is wrong?! You wanted so badly to move the capital here!”

“I know, but son… Estmond is dead, and I must contemplate that for a while.”

Eadbert was silent, he acted as if unhappy, but deep down he could only assume his grip on the throne was tighter than ever. “I will do as you ask… father…” Eadbert said, faking sobs.

“Thank you my son. I shall send word when I arrive in Marienscír.”
 
Homelands
Chapter Eight: The Noble Death
Part 3

Prelude:
In 1122 Aethelweard Leofricson died fighting a long bought of pneumonia. He had remained in seclusion since the death of Estmond, writing letters to Markéta and Eadbert about running the Kingdom. Very little had been done in those seven years. Prussian enjoyed a long period of peace and economic growth. Aethelweard had gone to Marienscír expecting to die before 1116. The castle was inhabited only by him and a few monks who tended to him in his depression. In early June of 1122 Aethelweard saw the end coming, and sent for Eadbert and Markéta to quickly get to his side. They arrived a day late, finding Marienscír in mourning.

June 12th, 1122

Eadbert sat in the room where his father had died. He was on the edge of the bed slouched over and softly talking to himself. Tomorrow his father would be put to the pyre and the day after that he would be crowned King of Prussia. His mother had criticized his attitude toward his father’s death. Eadbert knew that his feeling of joy was wrong, but he couldn’t suppress it. He had beaten his brothers out and was now the King of Prussia. There was no stopping him. He already had sons lined up for inheritance.

“Eadbert, you have been very quiet lately.”

“Hmm? Oh, mother…”

“I am worried about you, are you ready to take over for your father?”

“Of course I am!!” Eadbert snapped. His mother was taken aback, scared at the forcefulness of her son.

“Eadbert, I am worried that you are leading us all to destruction.”

The young King stood up and slapped his mother across the face. Her face was frozen in surprise, and she began to weep quietly.

“Mother, I am telling you this now, so listen well: I. am. king. There is nothing you can do to ruin this. I am the sole authority in this country.”

“Eadbert, what did we ever do to you?” But the King left without responding. He was now openly at war with his entire family. In every shadow he saw knives, but he knew that he would prevail.

AethelweardLate.jpg

Aethelweard the Conqueror, picture from period Russian sources.

June 14th, 1122

At the main church in Marienscír Eadbert proceeded to the altar to be crowned King of Prussia by the Grace of God. His mother was nowhere to be found. Beneath their feet two kings rested silently.

The bishop smiled at Eadbert, who was now joined by his third wife, Aethelswyth and his oldest son Aelle, his heir apparent. The thirteen year old boy took greatly after his father. When the time came Eadbert kneeled before the altar and said a prayer for strength and wisdom, and then felt the cold rim of the Prussian crown being placed on his head.

“Rise, King Eadbert, son of Aethelweard the Conqueror, heir of Morcar Leofricson.” Eadbert did as he was asked, ensuring to look obedient and gracious.

“Thank you, Father,” Eadbert said.

The bishop smiled and nodded, “Your father spoke highly of you. He had a lot of faith in you.”


End Chapter Eight
 
Hmm, a silly feud. :p
He is kin slayer?
Kingdom of Prussia, maybe the strongest Kingdom of Northern Europe at that time?
Or the strongest in whole Europe?
 
Hmm, a silly feud. :p
He is kin slayer?
Kingdom of Prussia, maybe the strongest Kingdom of Northern Europe at that time?
Or the strongest in whole Europe?

I won't give too much away about Eadbert, he was a strange but very interesting character in game.

Prussia at this point is neither. Norway was definitely stronger at this time, but that is because I was suffering from newly conquered lands that we constantly revolting. My vassals had trouble keeping things stable in their realms.
 
Homelands
Chapter Nine: Storm Clouds
Part 1


Prelude:
Within a few years of assuming the throne, Eadbert had picked up the moniker “the Cruel.” During his early reign, he often bragged to fellow rulers of this title, and flaunted it when he signed papers and orders. As his personal arms, he adopted the demon arm on red: a human armored in blood-red plate armor. The arm was a symbol of anger and power, and Eadbert used it as a symbol of his personal bodyguard and his secret police. “The Arm of Fear” as it grew to be called, was feared and hated by Catholics and pagans alike. His first act, however, was the invasion of southern Finland. An act he hoped would secure him as the sole ruler of Prussia.

Wappencopy-1.jpg

The Personal Arms of Eadbert Leofricson

August 24th, 1124

Eadbert paced his main room in Memelbuhr. The room had once been a light, bright place, filled with artists, playwrights, and musicians under Aethelweard. Now under the new King, it was quiet and grey. Two of his personal guards stood at attention at the entrance. He mumbled to himself.

“My lord, a noble requests entry!” A soldier saluted.

“Who is it?” Eadbert requested.

“Your brother, the Count of Viborg; Leofwine Leofricson.”

Eadbert sighed and rolled his eyes, “Let him in.”

The soldier bowed and opened the door, “Brother, how good to see you,” Leofwine asked.

“Address me properly, brother. I am your King.”

“My lord, Finland is proving to be a pointless waste of our income.”

“I think you should try harder at making this work.”

“B-b-but brother, I cannot just make it work! The land is fallow from your slash and burn campaign; the people are angry for your lack of mercy; the chiefs are all dead and they have been impaled by you for no crime other than living there first.”

“Bull shit!” Eadbert rushed over to where his brother was standing. “I have ended all the resistance to your rule, if you cannot rule a people who have had their spirit broken across their backs you cannot rule anything!”

Leofwine lowered his head and tried not to get angry. Eadbert had broken more than just the spirit of the Fins, but all people within the Kingdom. His third wife had killed herself, and he had picked a fourth wife, a young Lettish woman of only semi-noble blood. Leofwine looked at her. The small child, hardly a woman, sat in utter fear of the raving lunatic that was her husband.

“Look at me, brother!” Eadbert shouted. “Do not turn your gaze anywhere else! And you, wife, you can leave these rooms now!”

Silence prevailed. The tiny footsteps of Eadbert’s wife were the only sound, and after the door closed behind her, it was nothing.

“Make it work, or I’ll make it work, Leofwine.”

“Yes, my lord, I will make it work.”

1124.jpg

Prussia in 1124