Homelands: Tales of the Anglo-Prussians

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Wheres my update

Sorry, busy week. Leaking roof, flat tire, tornado alarms, Chicago... I'll try to post one tomorrow.

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Homelands
Chapter Thirteen: Peace of Mind
Part 1

Prelude:
The world of 1145 was far different than that of 1066. Christendom was under attack from all sides and losing ground fast. The Crusader to liberate Burgos and reclaim the Spanish Kingdoms had shifted from French control to German control. The Pope, angered at the French losses in Gascony appointed the King of Denmark leader of the new crusades. Meanwhile France suffered a humiliating civil war and Germany was on the verge of its own with several states seceding by the end of the year. Christian Europe stood on the brink of destruction and the time to build new alliances had come. King Eadbert looked to secure an ally in King Philippe Capet, who was fighting to reclaim his father’s thrown. Eadbert hoped that Philippe, after securing France would leave the Catholic Church for the disgrace the church put on his father’s head. An ally in France would be very powerful in bringing more of Europe under Orthodox control.

September 2nd, 1145

Eadbert was off to Copenhagen with his younger daughter and his son Gunvald. Aethelwulf took to running the country in their stead. The trip was a rare venture for Eadbert, who since joining the monastery had never left its grounds. The seas were calm and Gunvald spend much of his time watching the sailors go about their tasks. He was joined by his father, who had woken up early as he always did, and spent his time in prayer.

“Father, I don’t believe this will yield much. Philippe will probably just finish his civil war and then attempt to turn back into the Pope’s right-hand man.”

“Maybe son, but I am hoping that he does not and instead joins us. We could use an ally in the West; it will be more prestigious than remaining isolated in the East.”

“I believe that the Roman Empire is probably the best bet. They are already friendly with us, we already share religious convictions, and they are much closer to us in proximity.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much, this is a simple gesture. It cannot hurt.”

The trip was nearing its end. As they entered Copenhagen, they saw Philippe’s temporary palace. He had come to Denmark fearing for his life in Paris, and looking to expand his influence in Europe to guarantee his victory. The French king was a strapping young prince, their heir to a splintered and ruined Kingdom. His father had made too many enemies amongst the nobles, and soon his cousin was trying to force his way onto the throne. He looked gloomily at a map of France, now divided into several blotches.

“Your majesty,” his servant said, “his Royal Highness, King Eadbert Leofricson of Prussia.”

Philippe looked up and saw Eadbert.

“Philippe, it is good to see you in health, usurpers should never get the best of a monarch,” Eadbert said. Philippe meekly smiled, but he seemed distant, as if he didn’t even remember where he was.

“I’ve been expecting you, Eadbert. But I would have thought you would have stayed home given the news…”

“News, what news? I haven’t been given anything of importance lately!”

Philippe’s face suddenly turned very grim. “We got news almost a week ago from Zaragoza. Your son, Aelle died trying to take the city for Denmark.”

Eadbert’s face turned a pale white, and he was forced to sit down. He buried his face into his hands and wept.

The world in roughly 1145.
1 - Brittany
2 - England
3 - Cumberland
4 - Scotland
5 - Ulster
6 - Connaught
7 - Meath
8 - Munster
9 - Iceland
10 - Norway
11 - Sweden
12 - Denmark
13 - Fez
14 - Algiers
15 - County of Edessa
16 - Croatia
17 - Serbia
18 - Ragusa
19 - Apulia
20 - Papal State
21 - Genoa
22 - Ancona
23 - Venice
24 - Strassbourg
25 - Lorraine
26 - Geldre
27 - Holland
28 - Savoy
29 - Dauphin
30 - French Usurpers
31 - France
32 - Georgia (Hungary)
33 - Chernigov
34 - Vladimir
35 - Tver
36 - Novgorod
37 - Tripoli
38 - Bohemia
39 - Northern Wales
40 - Southern Wales

[hyme]

roman empire is very well.

[czam2007]

Looks like a two-pronged muslim attack on western europe from the Iberian and Italian peninsulas.
A united France maybe would of held them off alot longer

[Mr. Capiatlist]

roman empire is very well.

It lasted quiet well, surprisingly.

Looks like a two-pronged muslim attack on western europe from the Iberian and Italian peninsulas.
A united France maybe would of held them off alot longer

France manages to reunite. During this period of time the crusades ebbed and flowed for a while.

[Enewald]

County of Edessa is kinda big!
The Almoravids are coming swiftly northwards... excellent!

[Mr. Capiatlist]

County of Edessa is kinda big!
The Almoravids are coming swiftly northwards... excellent!

It was actually territory controlled by several Croatian counts that remained allied to one another.

[Valhalla's Call]

Just got caught up with the last few posts, this just keeps getting more interesting!

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Update in the works, I've been playing a lot of Tropico...

<__<

>__>

[czam2007]

Good stuff, keep them coming, I wanna see a muslim europe in EU III and the fall of Rome

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Homelands
Chapter Thirteen: Peace of Mind
Part 2

Prelude:
Orthodoxy’s slow spread into the Baltic region was sped up slightly by Russian missionaries. Catholicism still flourished in the background, always maintaining a significant majority in Christian provinces. Outside of Prussia, Catholicism faced dire times. Germany’s liberation of Barcelona was over-shadowed by their now fully-fledged civil war. The Holy Roman Empire splintered into no less than thirty different factions each fighting for the crown of the Emperor. In Poland, the only thing preventing them from seizing the German throne was Prussia’s presence to the east. The only thing preventing Prussia from invading Poland were the Mordvins. Central and Eastern Europe stood in a bind, each side fearing the other, waiting for the other to show some weakness. It was a game Eadbert played well, choosing to bide his time. He was drawing his plans against Russia, but he saw the need to stabilize his own Empire before moving on to new targets.

Religion in Prussia; 1147. Orthodoxy in brown, catholicism in yellow and paganism in grey.

May 16th, 1147

A young Sviendorog clumsily walked around the room. Gunvald’s small son was still unaware of the power he would one day wield.

“Has he been baptized?” Eadbert asked his son intensely.

“Of course, father.”

“Good, it is good to start on the right foot. With Cyningscír now secured for Orthodoxy, we cannot waiver in our own convictions. This nation is still a tinderbox ready to blow. If we do not stabilize soon, we could lose it all.”

“Well, an ensured succession is a good step,” Gunvald said.

“I agree, but as you’ve had to deal with, succession is easier said than done. The nobles have become pushy. I have calmed them for the time being, but they could always arise again. Watch out for them.” Eadbert pulled at his beard, which in recent years had started turning grey. Gunvald has been gaining the reputation as a very powerful diplomat. He was very steady with his words and had become the Prussian diplomat to the Byzantine Empire.

“Eventually they will have to be dealt with, or it will be the end of the Empire. Father, we must crush Poland and prove this to them. Prove to them the weakness of electing your monarch.”

Eadbert looked up at his son. Deep down, he could see a rage that had been burning since the death of Leofric. “Gunvald, I can tell. You shall push the boarders of Prussia deep into Europe. But I have lost the grace of God, and I must be careful so that I might be graced once again.”

“Tevá!” a tiny voice said. Gunvald walked over to the small Sviendorog and picked him up.

“Father, by the grace of God, Prussia will straddle the entire continent. Your descendents shall rule all the far corners of Christendom. They will rule from now until the very end of time.”

“Gunvald, the Saxon in you burns hotly. We need to unify the people though, Gunvald…”

“Father we will with two little books.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Bible and the book you’ve been writing. With religion and language we will unite all of these people.”

[Enewald]

The shape of the nation cries "poland is ours"

[Mr. Capiatlist]

The shape of the nation cries "poland is ours"

Yeah it does... my evil plans have been revealed...

[Hannibal X]

Moar conversions!

[Llywelyn]

Good stuff, keep them coming, I wanna see a muslim europe in EU III and the fall of Rome

I wanna see a Saxo-Prussian Russia and a non-Prussian Germany

(also, gorgeous map above)

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Moar conversions!

It is hard in a game where that is done by event.

I wanna see a Saxo-Prussian Russia and a non-Prussian Germany

(also, gorgeous map above)

Thank you, it is a rare occurrence of me using the proper map in an AAR.

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Homelands
Chapter Thirteen: Peace of Mind
Part 3

Prelude:
While Christianity spread relatively easily in Prussia, elsewhere it faced extermination. One of the afflicted regions was Georgia, which quickly fell to the Turks and Hungarians and later unified by new Islamic Georgians and Armenians. King David V of Georgia fled his homeland and settled the Azov region with refugees. He did this with the permission of the Cuman King, and was a subject of the pagan King. But in time, King David was only a King in title, and was forced to leave the Cuman state so that the Georgians wouldn’t revolt. He left for Prussia an old and tired man, crushed by the world around him. But upon arrival, he and Eadbert began clashing. The Georgian King was a haughty, loud and regularly vile man. His drunkenness eventually had him expelled from Prussia and back into Cuman territory where he was caught and exiled again to Hungary. Eventually his only living child, a daughter, married the King of Hungary and gave the Arapad’s a legitimate claim on the Kingdom.

The Old Kingdom of Georgia (Dark Blue), and the lands settled by expelled Georgian Christians (Light Blue).

December 20th, 1150

Snow covered the plains of the Ukrainian provinces of Prussia. A Prussian army, headed by Gunvald and his older brother Aethelwulf were stationed to keep out Georgian refugees. Since the expulsion of their King from Cuman lands, they had tried to follow him north. King Eadbert did not want them following and trying to set up a new Kingdom in Prussian territory. So beyond Zepro (Dnipro) River still within the bounds of the Cuman Kingdom was a large city of tents. King David’s son, also David, approached the Princes of Prussia in a small boat. He had the look of a peasant about him, dirty and ragged. He spoke to them in Greek, the only common language they would have.

“Please, let my people cross this river! We shall surely freeze to death or starve without a proper home!”

“No, you and you people must remain on that side of the river. Instead of fighting with me about this for the sixth time this week, might I suggest you instead start building a town?” Gunvald said.

“There is food or grain in the dead of winter.”

“You should have thought of that before you left your homes in Azov in the dead of winter,” Aethelwulf said, “I am sorry. But you must leave.”

David sobbed, “Please, my own children have already succumb to the cold and my wife will soon follow. Please let us cross, give us freedom from these pagans!”

“No, your people are not welcomed here. This land has already been granted for settlement from the larger northern cities,” Gunvald explained.

“And if we cross anyways?” David demanded.

“We will sink your ships and arrest those that make it to this side alive.” Gunvald’s face was deadly serious in its look. His voice did not waiver. Even the battle hardened Aethelwulf was surprised by his tone.

“You would kill your fellow Christians?”

“No, you are fleeing nothing. You have freedom of religion and language in Cuman for the exchange of vassalage. Your father comes here seeking a new Kingdom, he is selfish, and you people follow him and ask of us our land and food. I see only enemies of my father, not Christians. Your father demanded we sacrifice the blood of Prussia to gain him a new Kingdom, so he can once again sit in opulence. He wants us to spill our own blood for him. In Prussia, the debt of blood is paid in blood. Your father has insulted us, and we sent him back to the Cuman King.”

David turned back into his boat crying. Gunvald watched as the boat slipped into the water with David onboard. The young Prince never made it across the river. His boat capsized and he drowned underneath it. Gunvald watched as it happened, as did Georgians on the other side. As the splashes for help subsided, the Prussians returned to their camp to warm up and eat. Soon they would be marching north as Eadbert finished his plans for conquest.

[Hannibal X]

I love Gunvald now; so cold blooded and non-empathetic. More of that. I laugh at the plight of the Georgians, but thats just my eccentricity...

[Enewald]

Realpolitik.

[Llywelyn]

How do you nominate best character writers?