The World in 1393 and How it Got There
Central Europe
Jeszcze Polska nie zginęła,
Kiedy my żyjemy.
Co nam obca przemoc wzięła,
Szablą odbierzemy.
- Polish national anthem
Poland: Poland is among the oldest Slavic nations, and at the end of the 14th century also, undoubtedly, the strongest. The earliest centuries of the Piast Kingdom were characterized by an ongoing struggle with the still-unitary and expansionist Holy Roman Empire of the Germans, but beginning in the late twelfth century, the Germans became increasingly factitious and beset by the Sevillan Muslims, the Byzantine Empire, and Hungary. With their crusading spirit largely spent and with their unity shattered, the German states stopped their slow Eastward creep. Nonetheless, slow colonization of West Slavic lands continued, with numerous German settlers arriving to seek a better life in new territories, or seeking work in newly-founded cities. The Polish, despite having accepted the Catholic faith centuries ago were initially reluctant contributors to the Crusader cause. Beginning in the mid-13th century, however, it was the newly-confident Eastern European kingdoms – Hungary, Poland and Bohemia – that organized most of the Crusades into Anatolia, North Africa and the Levant. The Latin Empire of the Polish nation is the last surviving Polish crusader state.
The Crusaders in their zeal had created an implacable enemy from the nominally Christian Blue Horde, and Poland along with other Eastern European countries was devastated in the 14th century, with cities razed and populations enslaved or slaughtered. The Mongol invasions were followed by the plagues, which only compounded upon the woes of the Poles. Nonetheless, the Mongols’ invasion had an unexpected side effect: Northern Poland was barely touched, anecdotally due to diplomatic efforts of a Poland-friendly (and dynastically related) Kiev, a key Mongol ally. Through most of the Mongol occupation period, the country was ruled by several Princes subservient to the Khans. When the Blue Horde retreated from Europe, these Princes expanded West and South against their devastated neighbours, and against each other. The Princes of Mazovia emerged supreme, unifying most of the Polish lands and claiming the crown in 1361. The Prince of Mazovia is also the Margrave of Brandenburg, and claims dominion over the rulers of Pomerania as well. Poland is a supporter and protector of the German Knights in Banat. Despite its strength, the country is surrounded by rivals – Bohemia to the South, Lithuania to the East, and Sweden to the North. A policy of alliances with the weakened Hungary to the South may prove to be a necessary long-term strategy.
Hungary: The Hungarians rode into Europe at the dawn on the second Christian millennium, and have since become one of the more important nations on the continent, not to mention some of the most successful Crusaders in history. Their nomadic origins, however, had kept them in the lush grassy homeland of the Alfold, and when the Mongols decided to invade Europe that proved to be their undoing. No nation had suffered as much as Hungary during the early 14th century, and when the Mongols left, no nation’s recovery was as painful. Nonetheless, the Hungarian state persevered, though largely with Polish help. They lost the peripheral regions – Slavonia to Croatia, and likewise Slovakia, where the local population invited the duke of Luxemburg to be their ruler. Inviting German settlers and German knights proved to be a double-edged sword, as the Order in Banat and the independence-minded Transylvanians had come to blows not only with the neighbours to the South, but with their overlords as well, and even with each other! The Kingdom is also experiencing an influx of Steppe tribes from Moldavia and Wallachia, where increasing centralization and settlement is squeezing out the traditional nomads; while the Pechenegs and the Cumans are excellent riders and warriors and would ably supplement the szeklers, they pose a different sort of problem – they are mostly Orthodox, prompting concern from the Pope in Salzburg about the prospects of Hungary as the defender of Catholicism in the East.
Bohemia: Bohemia, like Poland and Hungary, was ravaged by the Mongol invasion and the Plagues, and its kings spent thirty years in exile in Naples, and then in Croatia. They returned with the backing of both the Pope and the Tzars and with the consent of the remaining population. The devastation the Horde left behind allowed them to quickly establish control over most of their former territory (as well as Meissen and Moravia) and their able mercenary army allowed them to hold off other claimants. This has made them a rival and a target to both the Poles and the Magyars, which is probably the reason why the Croatian Choniatoi supported them to begin with. Like Hungary, Bohemia’s strength is largely hollow, and like Hungary, Bohemia is experiencing an influx of foreign settlers – mostly Saxons, who will probably outnumber the Czechs and Lusatians within a century or two. The dynasty’s staunchly Roman, pro-German policy brings it support from powerful Bavaria, but creates internal tensions with the Slavic nobility and middle class, who feel that they were largely to thank for restoring the country in the first place in the wake of the Mongols’ retreat.
Bavaria : Even as the Holy Roman Empire crumbled, Bavaria rose in pre-eminence among the surviving factions. When the lords of Burgundy raised their royal title to match that of the German King, the Bavarians followed suit, and the history of Germany (and Italy) had ever since been one of rivalry between the two. The Bavarians are doubtlessly weaker than Burgundy, but they are the protectors of the Pope and will gladly play off the Church against the dogmatically uncertain Burgunds if they can get away with it. Bavaria itself is rich and was largely spared the devastation the Mongols inflicted on all its neighbours to the East and to the North. This has allowed them to impose vassalage on many smaller duchies, and a long-term strategy of further centralization does not seem improbable.
Nonetheless, there are rivals even to the East - the stubborn Dukes of the Osterreich defy the Bavarians, whereas in the Carinthian march, the schismatic Croatians are encouraging the dukes of Krain to pursue an independent agenda, whereas to the South, the Venetians seek to reclaim lordship over Verona, Aquileia and Friuli from Bavarian vassals, and the threat of Ottomans interfering on the Venetian side is everpresent. In Italy, Guelf positions are threatened by the mere existence of the Ghafsid Naples. In the turbulent politics of France, Bavaria’s hand can be felt, supporting England against everyone else, while in Central Europe, the Bavarians support the Bohemians against the stronger Poles. Their ambitions for the Imperial Crown, however, remain frustrated as Lorraine holds that, and through them, the meddlesome Burgundians extend their influence. Bavaria, in short, has grand aspirations but must choose where to spend their efforts, because to take on all rivals at once is a quick road to being overwhelmed.
Holstein and Luxemburg: The Grand Duchy of Holstein is a shadow of its former self, since no longer than a century ago the Duchy controlled much of what is today the Low countries (Hainaut, Brabant and Scottish Flandres) and Northern France. The fall came when the Luxemburg branch of the dynasty rebelled and called upon Burgundy for help. At the end of the 14th century, Holsten holds onto the Danish isthmus and Friesland, while extending its influence weakly upon the minor North German states. Since it is no longer a major land power, the rulers must seek alternative routes to greatness – gaining greater importance in the Hanseatic League at the expense of Lubek and Mecklenburg, perhaps, or developing a financial Empire that could support expansion elsewhere. Holsteiner merchants are also heavily involved in loans to both the Swedes and the Norwegians – whether this will bring them directly into conflict with one or the other remains to be seen. Luxemburg, meanwhile, has chosen a Dynastic route for growth – the Dukes are rulers of faraway Slovakia and rapidly developing Holland. Their far-flung possessions require good relations with both Burgundy and Bavaria, and thus the Luxemburgs are the greatest proponents of the Status Quo in all of the Empire.
Norway and Sweden: The two Nordic countries had seen their share of ups and downs, but could never really aspire to greatness until the regional hegemon, Denmark, was devastated by Muslim attacks. Subsequent occupation by both the Greek and the German Empires only weakened it further, allowing Sweden and Norway to grow stronger and more independent. As time went on, the countries centralized and developed, while trade and conflict with the Novgorodians and the Germans brought technical innovation and experience in European politics beyond simple warfare. The two countries are of course each other’s greatest rivals, and whichever is victorious in the end stands to establish domination of all Scandinavia. Although Norway is weaker, Sweden has ongoing rivalries with the Russians and Lithuanians in Finland, and its greater involvement in German affairs creates tensions with the Burgund and Polish clients, so a wise Norwegian king may easily overcome his stronger neighbour with opportunistic political decisions. Meanwhile, although Norway’s expansion over the seas towards Iceland was stymied before, it does not mean they will not try again,,.
The Elbian Marches: In the ninth century, what is now Brandenburg, Mecklenburg and Meissen were firmly Wendish and Lusatian; within two centuries, the Wends looked to be on their way out, squeezed out by German settlers and conquered by Danish princes. However, several reversals followed. Denmark’s devastation in the 12th century lead to Novgorodians establishing themselves in the area, and the Slavic principalities being left alone for a while. Subsequent Lithuanian and Russian merchants and princes often used the local Slavs as intermediaries with the Germans to the south, creating the first semblance of an Elbish Slavic burgher class. Nonetheless, as urbanization continued, the German population continued to grow, and German culture, being the culture of the cities, gained in importance, especially in Lusatia and the areas closer to Sliesia and Bohemia. This continued until the Mongol invasions. As the German-speaking urban population showed by far the most resistance (and the Slavs instead preferred to hide out in the forests), it suffered the hardest retribution. Since the plague that came afterwards hit the urban areas harder than the rural ones, the Germans were again more affected than the Slavs. Within a generation, the population trends that held for centuries started to look uncertain. The final development happened after the Mongols left: the Swedes demolished the last vestiges of Russo-Lithuanian control over Denmark, and Poland emerged as the pre-eminent regional power. The Swedes applied pressure to expel all people privileged during the centuries of foreign rule over Denmark – the Russian merchants, the Orthodox converts, and the Wendish mercenaries and go-betweens. Some of these headed to Novgorod, a few to Iceland, but most to Poland and its possessions in Brandenburg. This coincided with the Polish-initiated expulsion of their rivals’ partisans from their new territories, most of whom were German. In the end, the Marcher territories under Polish rule acquired a Slavic urban class in addition to the Slavic villages, whereas in the lands with large Slavic minorities, like Mecklenburg and Lubeck, Germanisation accelerated. Although the Polish crown (now well-established) toys with the idea of inviting the German settlers back, the problems that its neighbours in Bohemia and Hungary are having with similar projects may serve as a discouragement.
The Rhenish Patchwork:The Rheinland remains the richest area of Germany, despite – or perhaps because of – the severe fragmentation of power. The small states (of which Wurttemberg, Hesse and Braunschweig are the largest) can hardly resist against he greater powers that surround them on their own, and thus they collectively support the Imperial system that allows conflicts to be resolved within a commonly agreed-upon framework of law and precedent. Meanwhile, the stronger states of the Empire (Bavaria, Bohemia, Burgundian-backed Lorraine) seek to extend their influence through alliances and vassalages. Nor are they the only players; states outside the Empire, like Sweden, Poland and Hungary may also interfere on the behalf of their friends. The area boasts a mind-boggling variety and number of states, statelets and governments: sovreign bishopricks, dynastic duchies and hereditary principalities, noble-dominated free counties, imperial cities, urban communes and burgher republics. One thing is for certain – whoever can unite and control the Rhine can control Germany; whoever controls all of Germany can probably defeat any power in Europe, unless internal unity is compromised.
The Eastern Baltic:Catholic and German involvement in the Baltic's eastern Shores began with the Northern Crusades, which, besides gaining ground from the Pagans, also surprised several major Rus cities. Within two generations, every last Latin stronghold fell to the resurgent Russo-Byzantines, and the Orthodox Tsardom of Lithuania was established. Nonetheless, some relics remained - Riga, where German merchants maintained an outpost that grew into a major trade port, and Kurland, a Catholic vassal of the Lithuanians that took its chance to rebel during the succession wars of the 1380s. German presence also remained with Polish acknowledgment in Danzig, where it borders the Orthodox princes of Prussia and the Yatvangians. Independence obtained by the latter during Lithuanian weakness must now seem untenable in face of Polish resurgence and Swedish maritime strength. The Prussians must therefore rely on diplomacy to survive as a state.