Bastions: Tales of the Anglo-Prussians

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Bastions
Prologue One: The Saxons
Part 6

serigt næ se dzimŝán uv ien prætin. wilkámt se prasit.
Never mourn the birth of an enemy. Welcome the challenge.

A rivalry quickly built between Æthelweard, Duke of the Prussians and Boris, Prince of Polotsk. Both men had their eye on the same titles, the same plots of land. They looked longingly northward toward Livonia and Estonia as places to be conquered and colonized. They were lands said to be full of riches and who ever got their first would be the sole victor. The two men quickly went about making allies, and mopping up smaller border tribes, but soon it someone would have to move against the larger tribes such as the Livonians. It was these people that Æthelweard moved against. It was his hope that he could capture Riga before Boris could make a move for it, but after conquering the Livs, he found that Boris had made a B-line for the Baltic city. His hope for keeping Boris land locked had failed, but the Duke had other things to deal with in the new century.

In 1103 the first church built for the Orthodox faith was started in Memelgrád. A small, one-roomed building, it would quickly be replaced by other, larger cathedrals as the city grew. But it marked an important date for the Prussian people, a sort of coming of age that their religion had need of a church, and had the funds to build one rather than just take an old catholic one. By this point, Mariengrád was now mostly Orthodox. Catholics were still an important minority, made mostly so by the large number of still Catholic nobles that existed in the court.

1104 and 1105 pitted Prussia against Polotsk, for both recognition and land. The new states, both ruled by glory-seeking conquerors, were quickly arming themselves for war against one another. Only time would tell when the war would start and who would be emerging victorious.

Prussia in 1104.

[Boris ze Spider]

Subscribed

[Enewald]

Who serve God, when serving the King is enough?

[Legiazus]

This will be epic by all means.

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Subscribed

Thank you and welcome aboard.

Who serve God, when serving the King is enough?

Sometimes you just trust your leaders to.

This will be epic by all means.

O yes it will be.

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Also, please remember that Homelands is still updating. Not quite done yet.

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Voting for the ACA Round 3 has begun! You can find the voting thread here. If you decide to vote for Homelands/Bastions please be sure to for it under CK: Narrative. Thanks for your support and raise awareness for the awards!

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Bastions
Prologue One: The Saxons
Part 7

tevá, tu kámmándájo un æs pákláósiju. nán swærd ist ɵul, nán prætin ár brath.
Father, you commanded and I obeyed. No sword is dull, no enemy with breath.

Much of 1105 was spent preparing for war. Æthelweard's plan hinged on surprising Prince Boris with an attack during the winter, hoping to overrun much of Polotsk while the Principality still hibernated. The Letts and Lithuanians who made up the bulk of the Prussian army were eager to strike at a long time enemy. Much of the Principality put up no fight what so ever, instead opted to just let Æthelweard walk through unhindered. However the city of Polotsk would be a different story. Boris had built up its walls and garrisoned many troops inside so that he could try to force a stalemate. But Æthelweard refused to back down. He knew that with the city surrounded he could eventually starve them out so long as he could feed his own army. So the Prussians entered the virgin forest surrounding the city and killed all the deer they lied eye on, and with that they could feed the entire army.

When Boris saw the situation as hopeless, his soldiers deserting their posts and the people fighting over scraps of food, he fled his post as well and tried to hide amongst the civilians. But the battle between the Prussians and the Russians did not move into the surrounding countryside, instead the fighting happened inside the city, amongst the civilians and the buildings. Æthelweard personally slew Boris when his offers of mercy were ignored and insulted, and then burned the city down. Refusing the rebuild it, Æthelgrád was built near-by as a replacement. But while Prussia fought Polotsk, the prize of Riga was once again snatched, this time by the Teutonic Knights, looking to re-assert Catholicism on the eastern coast of the Baltic.

Back in Mariengrád, Æthelweard was crowned King of the Baltic (Rex Balticum), this would remain the official title of the King of Prussia into the XVI Century, though rarely was the King referred to as anything less than the King of Prussia nor was Prussia ever referred to is "Balticia" by foreign or domestic diplomats. Æthelweard also moved his capital to Memelgrád, up the coast from Mariengrád, but in a more central location.

A year later, in 1108, Prussia began a series of wars against the pagans in Livonia and Estonia. The two tribes had briefly united, but were soon bickering again, leaving them a weak and promising target. Even so, it took three years of constant war to eventually bring them into submission. The region was an important one to Prussia, as it brought a great deal of man power and much needed lands for displaced nobles. It also is the point when the Saxon language was also outnumbered to too great of a number of pagans to possibly survive. Lettish, Lithuanian, and Prussian (all closely related) began to dominate the language of the people and, in time, the nobility.

Prussia in 1111.

[gigau]

So subscribed, obviously... just sorry for having missed the start

[Mr. Capiatlist]

So subscribed, obviously... just sorry for having missed the start

No worries. I'd actually like to take this time to say Bastions will be on hold so I can finish Homelands. Then Bastions will be the only one up and running!

[cizinec]

I'm looking forward for next part of this (hi)story.
(Go Prusia! Go!)

[HMAS-Nameless]

interesting to see how far prussia will come in eu3

[JDMS]

Very interesting. Consider me subscribed.

[Mr. Capiatlist]

I'm looking forward for next part of this (hi)story.
(Go Prusia! Go!)

interesting to see how far prussia will come in eu3

I think the two of you will be more than happy with where Prussia gets in the next two books.

Very interesting. Consider me subscribed.

Thank you very much. I always love the support.

Only 8 updates left to write and 9 left to post over in Homelands! So close...

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Okay. Homelands is wrapping up by Christmas, after that I shall finish the prologue updates, but in the mean time... I am going to do some partially-related culture updates so that Bastions isn't completely dead. Expect one by tomorrow. Hopefully tonight.


EDIT: I just hit my wall for the night, sorry... see you all sometime later...

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Bastions
Culture Updates
The Prussians

The Prussians make up the majority of Prussia's population, which is impressive given that less than 300 hundred years before there wasn't a single one of them. The term "Prussian" is applied to several groups of people throughout history. First is the "Old Prussians" or the pagan tribe related to the Letts and Lithuanians. These people were first encountered by the Saxons when they arrived on the Baltic coast. Some of the tribes allied with the Saxons, others fought against the new comers. But within 50 years, the number of "pure" Old Prussians and "pure" Saxons had largely declined. What was left were the hybrid "Anlgo-Prussians". The modern Prussian culture did not arise until Latvia and Lithuania had been fully incorporated into the expanding state.

The Prussian Language, officially a Germanic language, is a combination of Germanic grammar, Baltic vocabulary, and a strong sense of independence. By 1356, Prussian is the dominate language in Eastern Europe and the Baltic Sea. It is a language of trade, a language of religion and for many people, a language of convenience. It displaced many other languages, including Ruthenian, Polish, Wend, Lett, Old Prussian, Lithuanian, Estonian, and Russian. The first dictionary was written by the Prussian King Eadbert late in his life before the first Anglo-Prussian King, Gunvald, took the throne. This book served as the basis of the language until the invention of the printing press. However, true regulation did not occur until the modern day, so many dialects formed, most reflected the lifestyle

City Prussians, the hardy stock from the central region cities, which includes Danzig, Memelgrád, Mariengrád, Sambigrád and Kurs. It is from this region that standard Prussian is derived. Life in the cities is fast-paced and bustling. In 1356 the economy is based almost entirely on trade and the brewing industry. Textile industries were set up specifically in Memelgrád by Flemish exiles. The capital was specially pampered, including the building of a major harbor and a massive fortress that overlooked the whole city. The bustling pace of life was reflected in the language, dropping the perfect past for the imperfect past, but retained strongly enunciated words. City Prussian then extended down the river system and set up shop in Kiev and Chernigrád, the two major southern cities.

Polish or Silesian Prussians were the westerners of the Empire. Centered in the former realms of Poland. They are known as farmers, ranchers, and simple crafts men. Slavic Polish has died in native use, its death was not a lamented one. Many young boys from Poland would be recruited into the Prussian army, making the backbone of the Monarchist army, and after the standing army was abolished, they would be the first target for levy recruiters. However, Poland's connections to Western Europe would eventually boost its importance and make Krakográd one of the largest land hubs on the continent. However, in 1356 much of Poland is under martial law as the Caliph's German states begin border raids on Christian territory. Led by Prince Doyvát the Polish bear the brunt of Prussia's troubles.

In the mountainous south are the Carpathian Prussians. The Carpathian Mountains, like the Volga in the East, is known as a natural wall by the Prussians, and the guards on that wall are the Carpathians. Known as hunters and strong warriors, the Carpathian Prussians are the most independent of the Prussian groups. In 1356 they already rule four countries. They rule Hungary, Carpathia, Moldavia and Wallachia. Carpathia and Moldavia are mostly Carpathian, but in Wallachia and Hungary they represent a small elite nobility ruling over foreign peasants. For this reason, the Carpathian rulers were always very pro-Fraternalist, housing Fraternal forces and being one of the most dependent enemies of King Vishly. However, the Carpathians quickly descended into war over their lands. Wallachia, Moldavia and Carpathia were once a single united Kingdom, but now are three splintered fragments constantly trying to get the edge up on the others.

Lastly are the Volga Prussians who, like the Carpathians, are a border people. The Volgans were hardened over two centuries of conflict with the neighboring Mords. However, after the Mords converted to Christianity, this settled down. Along with their southern allies, the Azowians, the Volgans began an attempt to colonize eastward into Cumani lands around the Caspian Sea. These few hardy fools managed to set up small communities, transplanting their strong system of land-based feudalism that was more tribal than civilized. Volgans divided their land into a patchwork of manors and farms that were linked to a major city or larger manor. This system was a more permanent form of the semi-nomadic life style of the Azowians. However, a more direct form of rule was slowly creeping into the lifestyle of the Volgans from cities like Kiev and Chernigrád.

Prussian speaking areas in 1389.

[Enewald]

At least Mordvans preserve their culture.
...right?

[Mr. Capiatlist]

At least Mordvans preserve their culture.
...right?

They get an update, so you'll have to wait until then.

[Mr. Capiatlist]

Bastions
Culture Updates
The Azowians

Just as the Saxons fled England seeking freedom in the East, so too did the Normans after the overthrow of the Norman monarchy. Normans fleeing English persecution headed East and eventually looked to their former enemies for safe haven. As luck would have it, King Gunvald I of Prussia was planning a war to expand Prussia's holdings in the far south. At the time in 1177 the Prussians only had one port on the Black Sea, Morcárgrád. Expanding into the Crimea and Azow was the best way of securing Black Sea trade as well as having enough local resources to combat the Romans in the region. When the Normans, under Jordan de Normandie, arrived in Memelgrád, they were met with suspicion. They had tried to conquer Normandy back from the Muslims and had failed. When they tried to settle in the Lowlands, they were like-wise held off by the local Dutch. King Gunvald granted them the privilege to settle what they conquered. So in trade off for their conversion to Prussian Orthodoxy and their service in the new campaigns, the Normans had been guaranteed land.

The war was short work, but it fundamentally changed the Normans. Now they were mixed with Russians, Prussians, Alanians, Georgians and others who had joined the war in Azow, and their language evolved to match. The biggest change, however, was not about how they looked or spoke, it was how they ruled. In England, the Normans were champions of feudalism; in Azowia, the Normans had taken it even further, reverting to a tribal society based on skill and ability. By 1220 there were four main "tribes" defined by physical boundaries as well as political ones. The foremost of these was the lands of the Dormandies, centered on the town of Kán (from Caen). The Dormandies controlled Azowia as well as Alania, which they had conquered in the name of the Prussian King. Next were the lands of the Windors, who ruled Taurica. Taurica was different because it had a large Roman population and was more settled than the other three thanks to Roman law. Third were the Decominses, who ruled the Wolga region. Lastly was the Crimea, ruled by the Plantegenats. Serlo, Prince of Azowia, was the greatest of all Azowians rulers, and was known for uniting the tribes into one political entity within Prussia.

In 1227, Serlo was able to usurp both the Plantegenats and the Windors using a combination of military and political maneuvering. He then took the title "Sich", which came from a Ruthenian word meaning "to chop" but had become associated with forts and ruling. As Sich he had complete control over the region and was second only to the King of Prussia in rank.

The Azowian culture was heavily militarized and tribal. Under the Sich were Chiefs, Chiefs were consulted by Elders, Elders by the men of a particular town or village. In 1230 there were only five or six major permanent Azowian cities. The vast majority of people remained in semi-permanent villages that moved following prey and raiding targets. It was not uncommon for a particular tribe to find that they were deep in the Cumani steppe after months of following caravans or Wisent herds. But increasing military pressure from the King and growing territorialism between tribes and their neighbors, began to force permanent settling. By 1350 only a small percentage of Azowians still lived a nomadic life. By 1450 only small groups of huntsmen retained the stereotypical life in the saddle. In 1507, the nomadic lifestyle was illegalized and men with excessive saddle sores were fined. Much of this had to do with the changing world around them. Caught between three major empires and several smaller kingdoms, the Azowians had to settle down and defend their own lands from incursion. It is for this reason that many of the older cities of Azowia are on its borders.

The nomadic lifestyle still leaves a heavy mark on the Azowians. Their flag still bears the horse of their past, they are the only country to maintain cavalry regiments in active service even in the modern day, and their meat is almost entirely from free ranging flocks. Automobiles, even though common throughout Europe in the 1950's, only surpassed horses in 1960 in Azowia, and it is still not uncommon to see horses being ridden through major cities.

Azowian regions in 1389.

[Vesimir]

One of the coolest cultures ever. Ukrainian Normans are even more absurd than Saxon Balts and that's what I love about them.