Norgesveldet – A history of the Norwegian kings

[Stuyvesant]

Congratulations on tying the knot, Happy 2016, and perhaps we'll see you around some this year? Hopefully, your life will allow for it. In the meantime, best of luck to you and Mrs. Nikolai.

 

[Nikolai]

Congratulations on tying the knot, Happy 2016, and perhaps we'll see you around some this year? Hopefully, your life will allow for it. In the meantime, best of luck to you and Mrs. Nikolai.

Thanks Stuyv! It's been quite a year, 2015, and I look forward to 2016. I am sure I will get around to finish this sometime. I think I will end it around 1400, as the game runs like a crawl by now... I have my notes until then, and saves, and both are backed up. Which I might need, as my computer is dying...Right now it seems I will be busy for some time with teaching practice (taking pedagogics to become a full fledged teacher in 1.5 year from now), I will have to write two big exams, two smaller and have 80 hours of practice before May.

When I have time, I must confess I have been tinkering with this AAR on another level; I was asked by a Norwegian site to translate it to Norwegian for their readers. Nothnig paid unfortunately, but it's fun to be recognized, and translating already written story is much easier to squeeze into my schedule.

 

[Nikolai]

Hi guys!

First, sorry for the long delay. I've had much on my plate the last year. I've had the best year of my life, with my marriage to Astrid. But the depression and panic anxiety I've struggled with on and off for years have also come back, and been much worse since Christmas. It's taken a lot of my excess energy! Not to worry too much though, my wife is very understanding and supporting, and I am getting rave reviews from the teachers I have been working with for my pedagogics. I will probably have to deal with this for life, as it's at least partly genetic(I have Tourettes and depression and anxiety is part of what many of us have to deal with), but I've lived with it all my grown life, so it's kinda a constant I have learned to deal with. Most of the time.

HOWEVER! I didn't come over here just to complain!
I've finally got around to write the last chapter in my little story! With this chapter I've got within four years of where I was ingame, and I feel this is the right place to end, for historical as well as gameplay reasons. Historical, due to this being a tale of the Medieval kings and Emperors of Norgesveldet and 1400 is really about the Renaissance. Gameplay, due to the extreme sluggishness of the game at this point. And I haven't loaded the save for several patches now, who knows how it will work.

So, with no further ado; here comes the final chapter in the history of the Norwegian kings of Norgesveldet!

 

[Nikolai]

Halsten I
(1382-1396)

​

The reign of Halsten I proved to be a miraculous return to form for the Scandinavian Empire. At this point the Medieval times were slowly transforming into what we know as the Renaissance, and as such Halsten I is regarded by some as the last Medieval Emperor of Scandinavia, by others as the first Renaissance Emperor.

Family
Halsten I married a daughter of one of his most powerful Scandinavian nobles, to secure his throne internally. Her name was Asa, and together they had one child, who would succeed his father on the throne:
Geirr

His reign
Halsten I inherited a troubled realm. His father was a kinslayer and hated throughout the realm. As a result, a large part of the by now huge Empire had rebelled. The rebels had slowly been beaten back, but a complete victory was still far ahead. During the civil war, several small rebellions by heathens as well as peasants had risen, and would do so for another decade. Halsten simply had to secure his throne as quickly as possible.

He therefore sent an offer his rebelling, and slowly losing, nobles could not resist: A white peace. For their renewed fealty and loyalty, all would be forgotten. The rebels had no quarrel with the ruling house per se, only with its now deceased head. Peace was thus soon agreed upon.

After two years of rebuilding, the Emperor then declared a de jure war on the kingdom of Asturias, claiming the county of Alcantara for his own. The small kingdom was doomed from the start, but then disaster struck: The Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, afraid of the restored might of Scandinavia, decided to intervene before the Norse got too strong. Facing armies bigger than his own, and knowing his realm might not survive the onslaught of the HRE intact, Halsten agreed to meet the Holy Roman Emperor to agree to a peace both could live with.

In the treaty, known to history as the Treaty of Köln, the two Emperors agreed to divide Europe into influence spheres. The Iberian Peninsula was agreed to be in the Scandinavian sphere, but no territorial incursions were to happen for the next decade. The French Empire was agreed to belong to the Holy Roman Empire’s sphere, as well as Italy. The Russian steppes were to be divided between the two Empires at a later date. Northern Africa was to be divided in two spheres, with Africa up to modern day Libya belonging to the Scandinavian sphere. Libya, Egypt and the parts of the Middle East not belonging to the Eastern Roman Empire was to belong to the sphere of the HRE. They already had control over the remnants of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

His European borders now secure, Halsten went to holy war in Africa in 1388, seeking control over the duchy of Kabylia. The war in the scorching sun was hard on the Scandinavian armies, but after four years of fighting, Kabylia was secured. The Muslims now weakened and decended into civil war, was an easy picking for his seasoned warriors, when he then moved into the rebel lands, securing the duchy of Tunis the year after.

Seeking control over the Russian steppes, which the HRE now was moving in to take control over as much as possible of, Halsten I then moved north. As per the Treaty of Köln, the Steppes was fair game, and Halsten declared holy war for the duchy of Vitebsk in 1393. This war was to be his last. In the fighting, Halsten got severely wounded, fighting against a heathen chieftain. After two years of healing, he recovered enough to lead battle again. But now his luck had run out. In 1396, in the biggest battle against the heathen to date, he got cornered by the enemy and slain. The last of the Medieval Emperors was dead. In his place came his son Geirr III, the first Renaissance Emperor of the Scandinavian Empire.

The Scandinavian Empire at the end of the Medieval times, one the eve of the Renaissance.

Aftermath
The reign of Halsten I marked the end of the Medieval times in Europe. Under his tutelage, a division of Europe in nascent spheres of influence between the HRE and Scandinavia was worked out. The Treaty of Köln was his lasting achievement. Under his son and heir Geirr III, the Eastern Roman Empire was later included in this agreement, giving the ERE influence over the southern parts of the Russian steppes, as well as parts of the Middle East.

The Scandinavian Empire had for centuries had a close relation with the ERE, intermarrying and even got a small part of Greece proper under their control. With this came alliances, but also cultural influence. In the later parts of Halsten I’s reign, and blossoming under Geirr III, this lead to the start of the Renaissance in Europe. Art and science prospered, and with the division of Europe into influence zones, the continent got a breather from war which only strengthened the trend. Scholars are divided on who to name the first Renaissance Emperor, Halsten I or his son, but most lean towards the son. In any case, the death of Halstein I marked the end of an era, and the beginning of a new.

Here ends the tale of the kings and Emperors of the Medieval Norgesveldet and Scandinavian Empire.

 

[G-Force]

Stunning, bit sad that it is finished but all things have to end sometime. I am truly impressed by what the ai HRE and ERE have achieved, never seen them blob so much

 

[Stuyvesant]

A divided, but more or less peaceful Europe? That's not a bad legacy to have, not at all. Nice touch tying the start of the Renaissance to the strong ties between the Romans and the Scandinavians, too. Scandinavia/Norgesveldet can look forward to the future with optimism.

Thanks for writing the AAR, I have greatly enjoyed it. I'm sorry to hear about your personal struggles (and I'm completely unqualified to comment). I wish you and your wife strength and good fortune. Good luck also with pedagogics. It sounds like you're doing something you love and doing it well.

Take care and be well. -Stu-

 

[Nikolai]

Stunning, bit sad that it is finished but all things have to end sometime. I am truly impressed by what the ai HRE and ERE have achieved, never seen them blob so much

Thanks. Yeah, they were both scary and useful(when I managed to ally them)!

A divided, but more or less peaceful Europe? That's not a bad legacy to have, not at all. Nice touch tying the start of the Renaissance to the strong ties between the Romans and the Scandinavians, too. Scandinavia/Norgesveldet can look forward to the future with optimism.

Thanks for writing the AAR, I have greatly enjoyed it. I'm sorry to hear about your personal struggles (and I'm completely unqualified to comment). I wish you and your wife strength and good fortune. Good luck also with pedagogics. It sounds like you're doing something you love and doing it well.

Take care and be well. -Stu-

Thanks very much Stu! I do love it indeed.

And thanks to all my readAARs over the last year and some! Your feedback have been a blessing!