Kiev-Rus is Not Weak!!! Slam!!!: Keiv/Russian AAR

Avidian glad to see you following this, your Ukranian Vic2 aar helped me learn how to play Victoria 2

Deus Eversor the first pic is actualy Olga the first Christian queen of the rus. I believe she was the one that burned a city full of khazars.

ByzantineCaesar welcome, thank you for your input. To your first question most likely not I will still form royal marriages with them, but I don't see them surviving. I will not be the one to destroy the 'Romans'. To your second point I remember that vaguely, but to from my prospective Fiodor wouldn't care. Until 17th century I will be trying to tell the story from the point of the aragont elite. So I didn't see them being modest. Also, if I am correct their second expedition ended with Greek fire in face syndrome.

Part I The Rise of the Firebird (May, 1358-May 1372)


The sleepy village of Poleskoye in the Vylun region of Lithuania was full of activity as everyone ran back and forth to tell and retell the good news. Father Alexander reading the history of the Kiev-Rus:
…The Kiev-Rus were pagan nation until at the beginning of the tenth century Vladimir baptized Kiev en-mass in the river Dnieper. After the involuntary baptism the people of Kiev-Rus were considered Christian, weather they knew it or not. Their new religion came with the destruction of their old, as the idols from the surrounding hills were thrown into Dnieper.



The days of Perun were gone and a new Christian kingdom was born. The new religion brought with it a unifying identity, administration, education, and prestige of a royal marriage with Constantinople...
The doors burst open as people crammed into the Church to get the conformation of the rumors everyone was hoping to be true.
“We are living in the land oppressed and separated from the kingdom of Christ. Until now we were forced to serve our pagan overlords. Prince Fiodor is on his way to wage war on the unbelievers to save our souls from eternal damnation.”

Katiyas letter to Fiodor March, 1360
Fidor, My Prince, I have happy news to tell you. At the end of your last campaign you stopped in Kiev. I have been getting morning sickness and I just know that I will give you a son. He feels strong and determined in my womb. This will surely strengthen our house. I also want to congratulate you on your subjugation of Briansk and Karachev.

As Fiodor read the letter from his wife he was determined to wage war again for the sake of his dynasty. The recently conquered Prince of Smolensk recognized Fiodor as the Grand Prince. His territories were besieged by the Lithuanians and he called on his new Prince for assistance. The Prince declared war on the Lithuanians with the hope of reconquering lost territories and saving Smolensk. He first reinforced his armies then marched on Smolensk. He sent part of his host to defend his wife and son in Kiev. No matter what Kiev would not fall.


Boyal Shatonofsky advised Fiodor not to underestimate the power of the Lithuanian military. Fiodor often listened to the advice of his commanders. A lesson learned during his first campaign. Heeding Boyal's advice Fiodor sent a call to arms to the Teutonic Order, Grand Master Winrich honored their alliance. The prince was glad to hear that the zealots to the west decided to wage war against the Lithuanians, Fiodor was not sure how long he would be able to sustain a war against Grand Duke Algirdas of Lithuania without their help. There was one factor that was not accounted for, the Moscowites to the east had an army that rivaled that of Lithuania and Teutonic order.


Meanwhile the war against the Lithuania was not going well for Smolensk most of their provinces were occupied and their army was stranded in the neighboring province of Tver. The Smolensk armies faced off against the Lithuanians at Rzhev. They were outnumbered and retreated to Smolensk with the Lithuanians in pursuit. Their armies would have been crushed, however, an army led by prince Fiodor reinforced them at Smolensk. The superior numbers forced a Lithuanian retreat. At the same time our province of Zhitomir fell to the Lithuanians. Their forces would march on Kiev next, Fiodor rushed to reinforce the army stationed there and save his people.


In the past our armies conquered the lands from the Black sea to the Baltic. This was in the past now Kiev-Rus needs help from the Catholic fanatics to wage war against the Lithuanians. The battle for Kiev was not going well for general Boyko who faced the superior numbers of Lithuanians. The prince arrived just in time to reinforce the army at the battle of Kiev. The other half of the Lithuanian armies was engaged with the Teutonic order their days were numbered. Soon our oppressed brothers in Christ would be freed from the yolk of Lithuanian pagans.

In the mean time in Kiev Fiodor left his wife as reagent while he was fighting the Lithuanians. Although the boyars were not happy about being governed by a woman, none were brave enough to upset Fiodor with disobedience. She took the liberty of forming a royal marriage with Smolensk and enacting several land reforms. During her administration of court Katiya received a letter from Fiodor in regard to libirating the peasants. The prince hoped to decrease the power of the landed boyars by granting the surfs more freedoms. The boyars were in opposition of a more centralized government they preferred the country fractionated. In the defense of Kiev Fiodor saw peasants fight and among with nobles, he ordred Katiya to accept petition for redress.


There were no more major battles to be fought in th Kiev-Lithuanian war, because the Lithuania were crushed. There were a few sieges that lasted for one more year, but eventually the country was ours. Celebrations were already being planed for the return of the Grand Prince to Kiev.But before any of the celebrations could begin there had to be peace negotiations. Much of our lost lands were retaken. The claims Lithuania had on our lands were revoked. Although for four years Fiodor waged continuous war he was able to double Kiev's size and get recognized as the Grand prince by Tver and Smolensk. There would be great battles ahead with these conquests Kiev was made strong enough to face the enemies of our glorious nation.


The return of Fiodor to Kiev was met with celebrations, the merchants gave out bread to the peasants in celebration of Grand Prince Fiodors conquests. Kiev grew from a fading kingdom into a local power. After Lithuania was destroyed the kingdom of Poland pounced on the much weakened Lithuanians. Foreshadowing the future conflicts to come, as Poland grows stronger they become a serious threat. The Poles might lay claim on the territories we posses and they see as theirs. These concerns were eclipsed by the birth of Ivan. This was like a sign from God in the eyes of Fiodor. His conquest of Lithuania finished and his son born soon after, it could not be a coincidence. The Grand Prince knew that Ivan would need to be a great warrior in order to repel the Tatars.


“We can not afford another war” screamed Boyar Vanya.

“The Polish are gaining strength while we sit here and do nothing” answered prince Fiodor with frustration “we will bring the Prince of Novgorod under our control before he forms a closer relationship with the Moscowites”

“The church supports the prince we need to grow stronger in order to fight the Tatars who would bring destruction on our lands as they did in the past,” the metropolitan of Kiev was a staunch supporter of Fiodor ever since his war against the Lithuanians.

“If Boyar Vanya wants to be a coward he can go to his peasants and hide with them in their hovels,” Prince Fiodor howled like a wolf with his pray in sight “it is decided we wage war on Novgorod until they are our vassal.”

Invasion of Novgorod was timely, it's disorganized armies only managed an insignificant ressistence at the battle of Staraya Rus. It was the only major engagement. The rest of the time was spent fighting minor skirmishes against a more disorganized foe. Kingdom of Denmark would've presented a real threat, however, they were engaged in a war with Holstein.

The war ended quickly with only minimal casualties further confirming the need to bring Novgorod under our protection. Our forces were spared the engagement with Denmark by negotiating a peace deal early. They eagerly accepted because their war with Holstein was not going well. Kiev further extended its territories, but Fiodor was not able to fold Novgorod into the Kiev-Russ' growing Slavic empire. One more war would be necessary in order to reform Kiev-Rus.

To the east there were disturbing rumors that Tatars were forming small raiding parties across the borders. They burned Kiev once, but we now have an army that will protect our kingdom. The metropolitan of Kiev held services to provide prayers for our armies, that faced the Blue Horde armies in the field. Our armies faced the combined forces of Timur Koki Burligi at Koklikov. Even outnumbered Andrly Mytropolsky defeated Timur Koko Burgli. Forcing the Tatars to release Razyan as a free nation.




The Teutonic Order finally decided to destroy its enemy Novgorod as a result we had no choice, but to conquer Novgorod before the iron knights. War on Novgorod was declared in order to vassalize the Prince of Novgorod. After losing it's northern territories to the Teuronic Order; Novgorod accepted our peace offer to become our vassal. This was a joyous day for the free people of Kiev, as all the princes were brought under the control of Kiev-Rus. The only free Prince of the former Kiev-Rus was the Moscovite prince. The strength of his armies was terrifying, it's like he had the blessing of God.

Deus Eversor said:

Nice

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Thank you.

Van5 said:

coolness

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Thank you

Deus Eversor said:

The thing with Kiev is that so damn close to borders, one victory and enemy is in Kiev over night. It would be cool to see kievan version of petersburg, move capital to rostov or even astrakhan and call it Nikolaygrad or something

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Yeah moving the capital to St. Petersburg was a symbolic move, Russia is now facing the west, so moving the capital somewhere in the west besides St. Petersburg makes sence, but Astrakhan I don't know

Duke of Britain said:

Nice.
But you won't help the Byzantines?

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short answer: no

Long answer:
The Kiev Rus held close ties with Constantinople, but they slowly showed the Romans that they would call the shots in regard to the Orthodox church in "Russia". So I don't see why Kiev-Rus would reemerge as a viable power just to become the Romans poodle. The most I would give them is financial aid. Also I would not worry about them too much the Asia minor region is fragmented due the ottomans collapse, but the Mammalukes look like the Abbasaids Caliphate. Maybe they'll be the ones to finish off the Romans.

Deus Eversor said:

why poodle? you would say that "do what i say or else"

Peter the G buil St. Petersburg because he wanted to westernise Russia, and besides, the closest border was only harmless Sweden, Prussia was over 600km away. In your case, as i believe that you will make Russia superior to f.ex. Prussia, then i do not see why would you move capital further west, that would just invite ideas of not going to expand in Asia.

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Thank you for your input, I wanted to add to what you said about St. Petersburg. The city site was also more defensible, it faced Russia west, it was on the River Neva forcing the Russians to place more importance on the Navies, and on a tangent he actualy started building St. Petersburg while he was at war with Sweeden.

I would not mind moving my capital East farther from the border I don't know any city that would serve as a good site for the new capital of Russia. Saint Petersburg does not have to exist; from my point of view the city's existence is due to Peter the Great and since there is not going to be a Peter the Great in my game then I could get another capital. As the Zen master says will see.