Homelands
Chapter Two: Prussia Rising
Part 2
Prelude:
Aethelstan’s reforms were precursors to later changes in the ideas of religious and racial acceptance. However they were not passed out of a love for other cultures, rather the need for stability and more soldiers. The law in essence allowed Prussians and Letts to get knightly titles, but it mostly allowed the conscription of Letts as well as Prussians. This meant that armies would not be ethnically homogeneous and therefore could not unite against their Saxon masters. However, the law also allowed for Marienscír to field a larger army. With this larger army Aethelstan launched his campaign to defeat the pagan tribes and expand his master’s holdings and prestige.
July 13th, 1075
The armies of Marienscír moved south. The tribes of Yatland had foolishly distracted themselves with petty infighting, and Aethelstan took the chance to invade the neighboring tribe and once again assert the Leofricsons to a position of power. However, with the Saxon nobility weakened, gaining their support would be very hard. He worried without the support of the nobles; the campaign would be a failure. But instead he found both the Letts and the Prussians were more than willing to go to war against the tribe that had once held supremacy over their own lands. Thousands of pagan men flocked to the banner of Aethelweard in hopes of revenge and honor.
In the court, however, Aethelstan was faced to explain himself to the nobles.
“Aethelstan, you war will destroy our nation! You lead crazed, woad-painted warriors into battle and you expect our pledges of allegiance? What kind of psychopath did Morcar put in charge of his Earldom?”
“You shame my husband with your words!” The voice of Gytha, widow of Morcar, rang out. She sat next to Aethelweard and Aethelstan, but now was standing finger extended toward the nobles.
“Sit down, woman! We didn’t address you!”
“Aye, but I don’t need your addressing anymore. We are no longer in Jorvik and I am not this court’s play thing anymore!”
“Shut up the Norman whore!” demanded several nobles.
“No, I refuse to yield to your petty arguments. This campaign starts tomorrow, here in this court if need be!”
No noble spoke out after that, the threat of extermination kept them in line. Plus those that didn’t speak out realized they would probably be compensated with land.
The war against the Yatviags was highly successful and attracted attention from around Europe. The Anglo-Prussian armies successfully conquered the region by the end of the year, with very few casualties. Much of the new territory was quickly divided up amongst lesser nobles and knights, removing them from Aethelstan’s worries. However the biggest move forward for the small realm would come in the spring of 1076.
Prussia and its neighbors in 1076, notice the Tribe of Lithuanians had shrunk due to Russian colonisation.
March 1st, 1076
A bishop from Rome had arrived the week before and had toured the small nation extensively, including the newest settlements in Yatland. Upon his returning to Marienscír he found Aethelweard with Aethelstan and Gytha.
“Young man, I am an emissary from the Pope and I have been sent from afar to serve with you and bestow up you the title of Duke of Prussia, Crusader of the Black Eagle.” The next day, in the middle of the town square of Marienscír the bishop crowned the young boy with a simple crown of iron.
“Aethelstan, my son is a Duke now, but this will not make anything easier.”
“I agree, the Pope is probably trying to extend the power of the Holy Roman Empire here in order to combat the expansion of the Russian princes.”
“I fear we shall soon have to fight for our lives.”
“I will ensure that Prussia will be strong enough to fight off her enemies.”
“You will, Norman Slayer.”
“But for now, we must consolidate. It will be hard holding this many people together.”
“The Prussian people believe in you.”
“I hope so, because I certainly do not have the support of the nobles.”
The Duke of Prussia was a tiny boy, yet he was symbolically leading Catholicism to victory over the pagans of the Baltic. His regent however, was not as sure of himself or the power of Prussia. Soon he would have to deal with the new territories and the eruption of religious tension.