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What agressiveness difficulty do you have?

also, has this been put on hold? :eek:

I truly love the way you write, so it is very interesting to follow! But sadly there hasn't been any updates for a while. :(
 
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What agressiveness difficulty do you have?

also, has this been put on hold? :eek:

I truly love the way you write, so it is very interesting to follow! But sadly there hasn't been any updates for a while. :(

Working on it.
 
the_hdk - Yeah, he was doing pretty good, maybe even too good for CK being strong king.

Alfredian - yep, Piast cousins are in abudance, but it wouldn't matter that much soon. ;)

SplendidTuesday - Oh, I meant that in CK1 you can't crush revolts for ever - there's a lot of them.

gabor - I'm not sure about events, but minor king has very, very low stats which affects a lot of things.

Edzako - Yeah, so far during my game most of them died in battle or due to illness/poor health. Bad luck I guess.

Sergei Meranov, Makesin - Thanks and welcome.

EmperorTojo - Very hard/weakling (so that AI is more sane) by playing on very hard, with low badboy limit, I'm getting a lot of rebellions if I overexnded so it is easier to roleplay and not to unrealistically conquer half of Europe.
 
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Bolesław III the Blind (Ślepy)
1142-1184
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King of Poland 1145-1184


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Traits:

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Trusting,
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Generous,
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Modest,
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Gruff Diplomat,
Blind.png
Blind.


Victory of Leszek I and death of Kazimierz II posed threat to inheritance of the crown by three year old Bolesław. Despite loss at Płock, royal forces were still significantly larger than those of Masovian duke. Thus regency council hastily signed case fire, in fear of other magnates joining rebellion. They managed to keep peace but loyalty of dukes was hanging by a thread, since law introduced by Kazimierz II, severely limiting their privileges, was still in force. In year 1150, Leszek decided to pay homage to juvenile king, but at a price. Soon afterwards, speaking in the name of other lords, he presented an ultimatum to Bolesław's regents - demanding revocation of 'Statutes of Sandomierz'. In face of looming civil war these demands were met. Additionally 'Lublin Priviledges' were signed, according to which nobles couldn't be judged by the king, their taxes were cut, and crown was forbidden to introduce additional taxes without their consent. Document drastically changed ballance of power between the throne and magnates.


Leszek.png

Leszek I Gozdawa, Duke of Masovia.


At the same time, war was raging to the north of Polish kingdom. With aid of many knights arriving in Prussia, Teutonic Order managed not only to create fortified foothold, but they also conquered neighbouring pagan Pruthenians by year 1147. These successes were short-lived however, and five years later monastic state was destroyed by Curonian tribes. Resurgent pagans began to pose real threat in the region, especially after year 1157, when Curonians joined powerful confederation of Baltic tribes led by Semigallians. Bolesław III assumed power in year 1158, and one of his first decisions was to reconquer and secure Chełmno land and Galindia from weak Archbishop of Prussia, who repeatedly refused to bend his knee.

Semigalian power began to wane after few years, when they got involved in several wars with neighbouring Rus' principalities. In year 1172 Danes lunched crusade against pagans, landing from their long-ships in Curonia and subjugating local tribes. Seeing arising opportunity, Bolesław III also joined this conflict in 1173, and began campaigning in Prussia. It took four years of fighting to conquer the region, but it was sour success for the king. He was infected by smallpox, which spread in the area at a time, and disease left him blind. In year 1178 Bolesław left for Kraków, leaving newly established duchy of Prussia to his only son, Władysław.


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From left to right - woman and man of rural elite, knight from Kraków, Masovian infantryman (middle of 12th century).


Being aware of condition of Polish king, and his weak power over magnates, Danes invaded Prussia in year 1180. Bloody, indecisive war lasted until 1182, and resulted in case fire preserving status quo. However, during involvement of royal forces in the north lord of Chociebuż and Budziszyn, Wojciech, rebelled and pledged fealty to reunited Holy Roman Empire. Bolesław III was unable to confront Germans, and this display of weakness led to larger rebellion. In year 1183 duke of Silesia Wacław I, and Bolesław's cousin Stefan I of Pomerania both revolted. King began to gather his modest forces, and sent for powerful Duke of Masovia to join him with his army. Leszek I arrived in Kraków, but he used blackmail once again. To gain his loyalty, Bolesław had to declare himself 'first among equals', abolish hereditary succession, and institute system of elective monarchy opened to all magnates, not only those of Piast blood. Realising hopelessness of his situation, king agreed to these demands. However, this move enraged his son, Władysław, who also joined rebellion. Civil war continued with neither side gaining a clear advantage. Bolesław III died due to poor health in year 1184, before conflict was resolved. Dukes of Poznań, Kalisz, and Sandomierz agreed to choose Leszek I of house Gozdawa for the first non-Piast ruler of Poland.




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Poland in year 1145.


Marriages and children.

Ludmiła Premyslid (1141-)
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Youngest daugther of king of Bohemia. She gave birth to only one child:
- Władysław - born in 1160. Duke of Prussia since 1178
 
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Awesome update! Though I ask, will you play as the Piast duke of Prussia or the new king? I would very much assume the duke, but any of the two would be awesome nonetheless! :p
 
the_hdk, Edzako - Yeah, elective law/feudal contract combo would make realm more stable, though also kings would be a lot weaker

asd21593, Paraipan
- Thank you :)

EmperorTojo - Well, playing as Władysław Piast surely would be interesting, but since this AAR is intended as Polish AAR (rather than Piast AAR), I'll play as Leszek Gozdawa.

BTW - here's current dynastic ranking from DynasticGlory:

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Piasts still quite high, Gozdawa (house of new king) at distant 91st place.
 
Jeez, what's up with the House of Rurikovich and ALWAYS being at the top? I've yet to play a single game of CK where they weren't in either first or second place. Same goes for Seljuk for that matter.

Anyway, some interesting developments in this update. Should be interesting to see how the Gozdawa's do on the throne, assuming they're able to keep it.
 
Yeah, this setup doesn't look too good...too much Rzeczpospolita, not enough Kingdom :p

Love the modified MnB screenshot in Boleslaw's portrait!
 
Kuld von Reyn - Well, I think that it is due their numbers since almost 100% of Rus` titles belongs to Rurikids, while elsewhere vassals are mostly from other house than their lord.

RGB - Yeah, we'll see in which direction it will go, but I guess that it's easier to reverse such situation during medieval times.

the_hdk - Just dig through save games and apparently there was inheritance through "de Normandie" female married to some "de Benevento" guy in 1140s, and their son became king.
 
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Leszek I
1133-1193
Duke.png
Duke of Masovia 1150-1184
King.png
King of Poland 1184-1193
Duke.png
Duke of Volhynia 1187-1193


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Traits:

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Pragmatic,
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Arbitrary,
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Deceitful,
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Selfish,
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Knowledgeable Tactician.


Leszek was the only son of Przemysław Gozdawa - famous knight serving under king Janisław I during Prussian wars, who was later granted duchy of Masovia by Przemysław I the Rash in year 1132. Ambitious Leszek became unofficial leader of magnates, when he rebelled against Kazimierz II the Impious in 1145, in order to oppose increase of royal power established with 'Statutes of Sandomierz'. He succeeded in that by defeating and killing Kazimierz during battle of Płock, and enforcing reverse of these laws upon juvenile Bolesław III the Blind in year 1150. Even though he paid homage to the new king, Leszek was secretly plotting to undermine his position. His persistence and determination finally gave fruit, when he forced weak and desperate Bolesław to open Polish throne to other houses by establishing elective system. It is not clear whether king died due to his poor health, or due to knife or poison, but crown became vacant soon afterwards. Since Leszek was seen by other princes as a defender of their rights and privileges, he became elected for a first king of Poland not of Piast blood.

However, in year 1184 civil war was still ongoing, and it took another year to sign case-fire with rebellious dukes. Leszek managed to convince one of them, Mieszko II, to pay homage. Piast duke of Pomerania felt threatened by neighbours, and in the end preferred Poland, where magnates had a lot of power, to more centralized Denmark or Germany. Heir of Bolesław III, duke of Prussia Władysław, as well as duke of Silesia Wacław, regarded Leszek to be an usurper and refused to bend knee. King decided to leave them alone, and shifted his attention elsewhere, to the East.


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Polish spearmen (left) clashing with infantry of Turov-Pinsk (right).


During his time as duke of Masovia, Leszek had numerous quarrels with neighbouring Volhynian Rurikids. They never escalated beyond some occasional raids, but he laid claim to border town of Berestye, lost by Poland in year 1019. Now, with a kingdom behind him, Leszek was ready to take it, especially since Princes of Turov-Pinsk experienced civil war of their own at that time. Polish forces took Berestye in year 1187, and after defeating uncoordinated counter-attacks by Turov-Pinsk, they took control over Volodymyr-Volynskyi as well. Quick conquest and victories on the battlefield forced prince Sudislav I to acknowledge Leszek's overlordship over Volhynia.

After prestigious victory in Rus', king began to secure strong position for his only son, Świętopełk. In year 1188 after minor rebellion in duchy of Kalisz, he seized Łęczyca land and added it to duchy of Masovia, making his son strongest among his vassals. Year later, he organized campaign against Silesia. Rebellious duchy was feudally fragmented, and upon quick victory and capture of Wrocław, war was over. To further cement dominant position of his son, he granted him duchy of Silesia as well.


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Polish noble houses in year 1190.


King was almost in his 60s, and he began to negotiate with dukes to convince them to elect his son for a new king. Piasts wanted to elect one of their own, but Mieszko II of Pomerania and Leszek I of Poznań couldn't agree which one of them should be a candidate. Other houses were afraid that Piast on the throne could mean end of their privileges and elective system. On the other hand, Gozdawas seemed to be guarantors of current order. Duke of Kalisz Mieszko IV of Jastrzębiec family was reluctant to support Leszek's son after loss of Łęczyca, but large reparations from royal treasury managed to convince him. Thus, when king died due to old age in year 1193, most of the dukes chose Świętopełk Gozdawa for his successor.


mapa-22.jpg

Poland in year 1193.



Marriages and children.

Śmiechna Piast (1136-)
miechna.jpg

Śmiechna came from Poznań branch of Piast family. She gave birth to only one child:
- Świętopełk - born in 1160. Duke of Masovia since 1185. Duke of Silesia since 1189.



Familytree-1.jpg

Male line of house Gozdawa in year 1193.
 
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