• We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
Chapter 5
Of fools and Christendom
In 1471 Knut was finally old enough to take the throne of Sweden-Finland. He was however the most incompetent moron who ever sat upon a throne and would spend most of his rule in a gilded cage while more competent ministers administered the Kingdom.

Knuts reign is in its beginning rather uneventful but in August of 1475 a new heir is born is Stockholm Castle. The child is named Karl and the court decides that most of its attention is to be focused on keeping Karl from becoming as incompetent as Knut. Karl is given the best teachers in, military tactics and training, the administrative aspects of ruling and diplomatic behavior.

To accommodate for its powerful and more numerous neighbors Sweden has always put a heavy focus on being at the cutting edge in military technology. In 1476 a new system of soldiers is implemented, the Landsknecht. Or in Swedish: Landknekt. Each region in Sweden Finland would initially be responsible for raising and maintaining one regiment of Landknekt and the nobility would supply heavily armed and armored knights and serve as officers. The old feudal system of Men at Arms is fading.


Despite his massive incompetence Knuts reign would see the introduction of a formalized Scales, Weights and Measures system in Sweden, this greatly simplifies trade and tax collection.
Knut had also agreed to a military alliance with the Kingdom of England and when a call to arms came Knut instantly accepted without even realizing that he was tying Sweden into a massive conflict with the mighty Ottoman Empire. The Riksråd decided that a transport program was to be started to give Sweden the ability to deploy troops far from home.


The greatest contribution Sweden would make was however in the naval department . The Ottoman fleet managed to move al the way to the English channel and there it encountered the sizable but leaderless and unorganized Royal Navy. Admiral Sigvard Bielke and his 6 ship strong squadron found the English in a tight spot, surrounded and unorganized. Sigvard ordered his ships into a wedge formation and managed to break through the ottoman fleet and link up with his English allies. The Royal navy now had leadership.
2 ships were captured by English sailors and granted as a gift to Sweden for saving England’s wooden wall.

Sweden’s involvement in the English crusade would now end due to Knut catching a disease and later perishing leaving his 11 year old brother and yet another regency council to rule.


Sweden c. 1487

Regency council (ADM 5, DIP 4, MIL 3)

During the minority of Karl Vasa
Dynastic Links: None

Army: 8000 Landsknecht, 4000 Latin Knights

Navy: 8 Carracks, 6 Cogs
 
Two short updates as I have precious little free time during my army training to actually play and write. Army training finishes in October, you will have to bear it.
 
Good gods...a 3/3/3! :eek:

Nice update and congrats on the award.
 
I feel stupid, Again

Im really sorry but I managed to acidentally deleate the screens for about 1488-1508. Luckily you didnt miss anything special.Just one war where I conqured Estland and Livland from a collapsing Austria. there was only one real battle in that war. Also I got a new ruler. My first Queen. (Karl didnt last long) you will see when the next update starts in 1508. I really hope you guys can live with this. once again im really sorry.
 
We need to put a little zapper on that delete key to stop you using it! :p

No problems though, looking forward to what you have.
 
Just a quick status update, I will be home oin Thurday afternoon so the next update will probably be up either Friday evening ( Swedish time, GMT+1) or Saturday evening
 
My one comment is that I believe you could had pressed the advantage a bit better in those earlier wars ... unless you were intentionally taking peace (too) early on?
 
Chapter 6
The Livonian and Scanian wars
Hedwig I Vasa was crowned Queen of Sweden, Grand Princess of Finland and Duchess of Estonia in 1508. Merely 15 years old at the time she would come to surprise both the domestic and foreign courts. In the first year of her reign Hedwig show a remarkable knowledge of military matters, something very uncommon in women at the time.

Hedwig reforms Swedish infantry tactic to rely completely on a strong offensive. Defensive tactics are rarely practiced. The reason for this is once again the lack of numerical superiority in the Swedish army. The goal of the tactic is to make the enemy think the Swedish army is much stronger than it actually is.

These new tactics prove effective immediately as the Riksråd convinces Hedwig to invade the tiny kingdom of Kurland. Kurland has managed to get its hands on Riga, a target long desired by Swedish monarchs and nobles alike.


The Vital port city of Riga and the Kurlandian capital of Mitau fall without much resistance due to the help of friendly Hanseatic artillerists. The artillery quickly punches holes the walls and Swedish Landsknechts storm the breaches.

The King of Kurland has no choice but to hand his Kingdom over to Sweden. Hedwig promptly adds the title of Duchess of Livonia to her royal title.

Forgive me father for I do not care
The dominance of the catholic faith had been dwindling in Sweden for a few years now. Large parts of Sweden proper now followed the Reformed Faith of Calvin and Protestantism was becoming more and more common in Estonia and Livonia.

While Hedwig’s interest in and dedication to religion was minimal at the best of times she passed a decree saying that Sweden would tolerate all forms of Christianity. While certainly unpopular among the still catholic clergy it will greatly reduce religious strife in Sweden.

Hedwig is however still just a 16 year old girl and as such she is easily distracted from and/or bored with matters of state. Most of the lower classes consider her edict to be nothing but empty words and they raise loud protests. Hedwig realizes that the last thing Sweden needs right now is a religious civil war, she therefore issues a new and more meaningful edict.

Sweden now faces a few years of peace. This allows Hedwig to focus properly on the management of state and in 1512 she manages to get the Riksråd to agree to pass the “Declaration of Indulgence Act”. Catholics, Protestants, Reformists and even Orthodox Christians are now equal before the law and society.

The peninsula shall be ours
The Scanian war is a relatively minor war in Swedish History but it features one of the costliest victories in Swedish history. The war erupted when The Danish king demands that Hedwig makes an official apology to the Danish nation due to the rudeness of a Swedish diplomat.

Keeping in line with the “No ground to the Danes Policy that has been active in Sweden ever sense the breaking of the union Hedwig flatly refuses.

The validity of the Danish acusation was never confirmed but Hedwig’s refusal results in a declaration war. To Hedwig’s surprise both England and The Hansa cancels their alliances with Sweden to focus on other goals. An understandable choice considering the “Other goals” is a crusade against the mighty Ottoman Empire.

Norwegian troops make the first move by marching towards Trondheim and besiege it. The Swedish relief force arrives but the Norwegians still knows their mountains well and lays several clever ambushes. The tight formations of the Landsknecht make pathetically easy targets for Norwegian archers and crossbowmen. The Swedish army is driven back.

In the south things were going a lot better, the Swedish navy blockaded all Danish ports and doomed any attempted landings in Skåne. Lund falls after 210 days of siege and the Swedish forces can begin to march north to reinforce the newly recruited forces that were to face the Norwegians.

General Fredrik Adolf got his revenge in Värmland where he manages to defeat the Norwegian army once and for all. The Norwegian resistance dwindles fast and eventually the Norwegian king is forces do part with the Province of Bohuslän. This is Sweden second “Illegal”occupation of Norwegian territory.

In the summer of 1516 A Swedish force reinforced by 1000 Finnish auxiliaries cross the Oresund and in one of the bloodiest battles in Swedish history they manages to narrowly squeeze out a victory. Swedish casualties are massive but the Danes are long sense tired of the war and the Danish king Karl is forced to part with his last holding on the Scandinavian Peninsula.
With her nation now spanning the majority of the Baltic coastline Hedwig puts her plan for the throne of Denmark into motion, it’s going to be expensive and probably very bloody.

Denmarks illegitimate von Welf family who had taken over after the early demise of the Gryfs would hold the Danish throne no longer.

Sweden c. 1516
Hedwig I Vasa (ADM 8, MIL 7, DIP 6)
By the grace of god, Queen of Sweden and Grand Princess of Finland, (Title still applies despite the existence of the Finnish Duchy in Neva) Duchess of Estonia and Livonia

Dynastic links: None
Army: 8000 Men at Arms, 4000 Latin Knights, 2000 Atillerists
Navy: 9 Carracks, 2 Galleys, 7 Cogs Flagship: Tre kronor
 
Last edited: