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Homelands
Chapter Five: The Prussian Schism
Part 1


Prelude:
In March of 1095 Aethelweard Leofricson was deemed a heretic. He had publically condemned Papal supremacy and began to promote the end to the infallibility of the Bishop of Rome. However; he would never truly separate from the Catholic faith, instead he would later have his first son baptized in Constantinople as a member of the Greek Orthodox Church. Instead, in 1095 he began a two-year campaign to end Catholicism within Prussia.

Religion.jpg

The border between Catholicism (blue), Paganism (grey) and Orthodoxy (brown)


March 8th, 1095

Markéta watched from the side as Aethelweard spoke before the nobility in Marienscír. She sat next to Aethelstan, who had grown ill despite his previous health and vitality. The Duke was winning over many of the nobles, Saxons who had sailed over already had a sense of independence and Prussians who had converted truly did not feel attached to Catholicism anyways.

“He is a great leader,” the old general said.

“I assume; that is what my father said,” she sighed. She placed her hands on her young son. Eadbert was six years old now and the first Prussian baptized as a Greek Orthodoxite.

Aethelstan reached down and pet the small boy, “Aren’t you ready to be Duke?” The small boy chirped in happiness.

“The end of foreign rule over us is here. Papal supremacy shall be forced to a close,” Aethelweard said in front of a small audience.

“What shall we do about the Papal troops?”

“We shall call up the armies, we shall fight them out.”

Markéta turned to Aethelstan, “Well, he certainly has everyone willing to forget their ties to their father’s religion without much issue.”

“Unfortunately, my duchess, Catholicism has only recently been introduced here; the ties are not as strong as in the Holy Roman Empire.”

“What about the Saxons?”

“England is very far away from the Pope if you hadn’t noticed, my dear.”

“What about you?”

“Markéta, I am an old man. I’ve served my Duke the best I could. I’ve lived a happy life, I raised my kids with love, I loved my wife and more than anything, I cherished my friendships. I am pretty sure that whether I accept the Pope or not God will be happy with me.”

The Bohemian Princess was very quiet as she watched the old man smile. “Princess, there is much in my life that I have never told anyone, but there is one thing more than anything I must tell you, so that it is off my chest.”

“What is it, Aethelstan?”

“I am dying.”
 
Just modding the save seems more realistic.
And Papcy was anyways a pornocracy during those ages which is a very good reason to accept Constantinople as your leader.
Jesus never bowed to Rome, neither did St Peter, why should you?
Maybe you get even your own Patriarchate soon?

Aethalstan dying, what a surprise, humans have a bad habit to die eventually. :D

Great update!
 
How did you get your son's religion changed to Orthodox? What event?
I modded the save, I don't do it often.

Just modding the save seems more realistic.
And Papcy was anyways a pornocracy during those ages which is a very good reason to accept Constantinople as your leader.
Jesus never bowed to Rome, neither did St Peter, why should you?
Maybe you get even your own Patriarchate soon?

Aethalstan dying, what a surprise, humans have a bad habit to die eventually. :D

Great update!

I assume, I don't know how the patriarchate works....
 
You guys are lucky I love you

Homelands
Chapter Five: The Prussian Schism
Part 2


Prelude:
Aethelstan, marshal of the Duchy of Prussia, was born in 1048 as Stephen de Seagrave, a trusted commander under William de Normandie. He was defeated in a battle following Hastings, and wandered around England, lost and without a command. Eventually he adopted the name and past of Aethelstan, and signed up with Morcar’s army. He served gallantly, even against his former friends and allies, and quickly rose in the ranks. No one questioned his past, despite being full of holes; they just accepted him as one of their own. He served his Duke until his last breath, which he let out on June 2nd, 1095.


June 2nd, 1095

Aethelweard sat in the room of his regent and mentor. Aethelstan was very, very ill and could hardly keep his eyes open. The entire castle was quiet, and the city already in mourning. Outside birds chirped happily and the ducal garden was in full bloom. The skies were completely clear and the sun shone brightly.

“Don’t worry, Aethelweard, I am off to join your mother.”

“Don’t talk that way, you’ll still get better!”

“Aethelweard, who are you trying to convince? Me? Or you?”

Aethelweard was silent; he had been trying to convince himself.

“Aethelweard, you were like a son to me. But there is much about me you do not know. Aethelweard, I was born in France, a vassal of the Conqueror. Many a time I drew sword against the Saxons, and many a time I was victorious.”

Aethelstan paused, gasped for air, and coughed before continuing. “I was there… I was there when Harold died.” Aethelweard sat motionless, unable to think. “I was defeated… outside of Norwich. I fled north in shame, and I came upon your father’s realm. I made a new life there, with a new name.”

“Your father was a kind man, a one open to ideas. It was I who convinced him to sail here. It was both selfish and out of love. I didn’t want to see him a prisoner of William, but I also no longer wanted to fight my former allies. I don’t know why he trusted me, but that is the way he was. He sailed here because I was a coward.”

“I loved your father; he was my best friend, my father… I miss him greatly, but he saved me and brought me here. He had a great son too; it is just too bad that he never got to see you grow up.”

“Aethelweard, fight forever. Fight your enemies until they no longer exist. That is the Saxon way. In many years people will have forgotten we were once Saxons. We shall appear and speak like the peoples of these lands. But make sure, no matter what, that the decedents of Saxons always fight, never surrender.”

“Aethelweard… never leave a sword unsharpened.”

Those were Stephen de Seagrave’s last words as recorded by Aethelweard. St. Stephen would become the first Saint of the Prussian church, and the patron Saint of both Prussia and the Prussian royalty. He was given a Saxon funeral, the traditional pyre boat floated out into Marienscír harbor. Aethelweard said that day, as the pyres burned, the last of the Norman in Aethelstan was burned away, and he was truly at peace.

Pyre.jpg

Aethelstan's pyre
 
Homelands
Chapter Five: The Prussian Schism
Part 3


Prelude:
Wind of Aethelweard’s plan to leave the Catholic Church eventually made its way to the Pope in Rome. The Pope, not wanting to be outdone, moved to have Aethelweard excommunicated. But Aethelweard had personally already left the Catholic Church, so in Prussia the excommunication meant little. Instead he was labeled a heretic by the Catholics and his lands open to invasion. But the Russian Princes were quick to side with a potential ally and even the Byzantine Emperor sent warm greetings northward. Aethelweard, however, never officially was baptized into the Eastern Church.


October 13th, 1095

The death of Aethelstan hung over Aethelweard heavily. Even more so than his own mother, Aethelweard felt connected to his surrogate father. He had just re-emerged from hiding and knew that returning to hiding would weaken his state. He had to bear out the pain. His wife, Markéta tried her best to comfort him. One morning as Aethelweard sat before his court discussing the removal of the Papal soldiers in the Duchy the doors to the court swung open and a monk stood before the Duke.

Excommunication.jpg

The Excommunication of Aethelweard Leofricson

“Who is it that barges into my court?!” the Duke roared.

“It is God!” Aethelweard sat down in his chair and laughed.

“You expect me to fear you, monk?”

“I expect you to accept what my master has sent me with.” The monk held out a parchment, neatly rolled and sealed. Aethelweard took the parchment and saw the seal of the Pope. He broke the seal and read the Bull of Excommunication. He gently rolled the paper and placed its tip in the lamp next to him.

“Monk, I find it hard to believe that the Pope can excommunicate someone who is not a part of his church.”

“Aethelweard, you and your people will pay dearly for this heresy.”

“The Pope is leading Europe to damnation and lining his pocket with its Gold.”

“You speak blasphemy!”

“I speak the truth! What has the Pope managed to do but isolate potential Christian allies in the East and lose Iberia to the Berbers?”

The monk left when commanded to, and Aethelweard shifted his weight. He looked around at the faces of his court; many people there had been his father’s advisors. They seemed uneasy, almost doubtful.

“Don’t assume you are safe if you leave me, that excommunication applied to all in this room. And even some people who are already with God. We are all in this together.”

The Pope willingly pulled his troops and missionaries out of Prussia. In doing so a vacuum was left, and Catholicism and Orthodoxy began competing for members. Meanwhile the Letts in the North felt as if the Prussians were getting better treatment and began to revolt. Free from Papal authority, however, Aethelweard reinstated his authority as the sole ruler of Prussia.
 
Just modding the save seems more realistic.
And Papcy was anyways a pornocracy during those ages which is a very good reason to accept Constantinople as your leader.
Jesus never bowed to Rome, neither did St Peter, why should you?
Maybe you get even your own Patriarchate soon?

Aethalstan dying, what a surprise, humans have a bad habit to die eventually. :D

Great update!

the pornocracy started in 904 and ended in 964. so its a little out of place here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pornocracy
 
the pornocracy started in 904 and ended in 964. so its a little out of place here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pornocracy

Yeah, but this is very ahistorical to begin with.

Plus, Aethelweard is leaving based off of political intrigue rather than theological differences or issues. In this way he is more like Henry VIII.
 
Yeah, but this is very ahistorical to begin with.

Plus, Aethelweard is leaving based off of political intrigue rather than theological differences or issues. In this way he is more like Henry VIII.
true that:D
 
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The pornocracy may have ended as that early, but it still left its mark upon Roman society.
Womens were not far from politics. Some argue than until the 16th century when the reformation was born, Popes were still having mistresses who could easily have nominated the papal decisions.

Be gone, you monk of heathen!
Sending gifts to the Emperor of East?