Heaven On Earth
Europe 1159: Holy Symphony Of War
(Mood Music)
While John II realized that his nation needed peace to stabilize, the rest of Europe had not. The decline of the Holy Roman Empire had created a power void in central and Western Europe. After the Orthodox-Catholic War, even though the Germans defeated the Russians in some battles, there was still significant damage to Bavaria. In addition to that, the entire economy of Europe had stagnated from isolation.
After seeing the success of the Orthodox Empire, every leader in every nation across Europe wanted to make his country the next to rise. King David I of the Scots made the first move and finished his brother’s work by sending in an additional 10,000 Scottish troops to conquer Ireland. By the year 1128, the war with Ireland was over. The orderly and better equipped Scots had won the war and had conquered Ireland. This made David I’s popularity skyrocket and the conquest of Ireland was celebrated as his lasting legacy for many years.
A medieval depiction of David I
The biggest changes in Europe since 1118 were the many wars of the Holy Roman Empire. As stated previously, the Holy Roman Empire had stagnated, both economically and in terms of power. The first to strike at the weakened nation was Burgundy. They were led by the, previously mentioned, ambitious Duke Hugh II, an admirer of Alexius I the Great.
In the later years of his life, Hugh II planned a massive attack on the Holy Roman Empire. Aging and with his death years away, Hugh II rushed into war with the Holy Roman Empire in 1138. The completely unprepared and shocked Germans were taken aback. The very young newly elected Emperor Fredrick I Barbarossa, at 16, rapidly gathered his forces and marched to the front. The reason there was such a young Emperor is the fact that there was no Emperor since 1137 and once the Burgundians declared war, an Emperor was quickly elected.
However, a boy of 16, as Barbarossa was, could not successfully lead an army. In fact, the name Barbarossa was a mockery referring to his youth and inability to grow a beard. Though, he would grow a beard later on in life and leave it uncut for many years, and foreigners remarked at the size of it. Nevertheless, at the age of 16, Fredrick I did his best to lead his army. But against the war-hardened, seasoned troops of Burgundy and Duke Hugh II, he was no match. Barbarossa’s youthful heroics are appreciated and remembered, by the might of Burgundy overpowered the demoralized Germans and signed a treaty in 1140, just three years before Hugh II’s death, that gave them all land up to the Rhine. The now massive Duchy of Burgundy renamed itself the Empire of Lotharingia, with Emperor Hugh II as it’s legendary first leader.
Foreign dignitaries bowing before the newly crowned Emperor Hugh II of Lotharingia
The second defeat that the Holy Roman Empire would experience was at the hands of Poland. Led by High Duke Boleslaw IV, the Polish armies overran Bohemia and Pomerania with ease. Through 1142-1144, the war raged. But by the end of 1144, Fredrick I was once again soundly defeated and much of the eastern part of the Empire was in Polish hands. It is a shame too, because Fredrick I showed much promise, but his nation was under too pressure and he was too young. Otherwise, Barbarossa could have been a famous Emperor.
A depiction of Boleslaw IV “the Curly”
The third nation that attacked the Holy Roman Empire shocked the entire world. Under false accusations of Satanism and heresy, Pope Eugene III ordered Papal troops into German Italy. In 1148, Papal troops marched into cities like Florence and Milan and declared them part of the Papacy. With no qualms, the citizens accepted rule by their spiritual leader. Barbarossa could do little but carefully send in small armies to face the Papal ones. Amazingly, while Eugene III did not command armies in the field, he organized many ingenious attacks on the German armies from the Vatican. In 1150, all lands south of the Po River were annexed into the Papacy. By the year 1159, the size of the Holy Roman Empire had been cut in half and the balance of power and face of Europe had changed once again.
