That was a very interesting background, and I thought it was very well written! Even better, we can get two updates for the price of one!
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Wings of Faith, Wings of Fury - A Slavic Pagan Revival AAR
- Thread starter Superstorm
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Thank you for the update. My observations have weak emperors (small personal holdings) who let ambitious vassals expand while they are protected from retaliation by the Big Bad Empire.
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Thank you! I do enjoy doing research and I think little asides like this can flesh out the world a little bit. As for double updates, it just worked out that I had more free time than usual haha.
Thank you! When I was looking into things I found myself learning new facts in turn. I do agree with my historian persona that if you can make people want to look things up, even just a quick google, then it's time well spent. And this was just a fun aside and writing challenge for me as well.
No problem! Yes, the death knell of many an Empire. And to be honest, it's what allowed Swietopelk III to not get stomped. Just cause for destroying a pagan is easy, a Christian vassal, antipope or no, less so.
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Duke Swietopelk III of Pomerania - The Crowned (1122 - 1125)
Duke Swietopelk of Pomerania - The Crowned (1122-1125)
“Two griffins cannot share a nest.” – Duke Swietopelk, in his ultimatium to King Wratislaw II, 4 August 1122
On the 4 August 1122, Duke Switeopelk pressed his infamous claim to the throne, formally styling himself as the King of Poland among his nobility. ‘The War of the Griffins’, named due to the heraldry of the participants, had begun.
This claim has created significant controversy, of which whole books can and have been written. As this book’s intent is to provide a more general overview, only a brief mention shall be made of the claim itself.
The claim stated that the House of Gryfita was a cadet branch of the House of Piast. To grossly oversimplify, genealogical records were found that linked a previously unheard-of child sired by Czcibor, Polan Prince and younger brother of Mieszko I of Poland while he acted as governor to Pomerania. This child would be the progenitor of the Gryfita dynasty and thus by extension, be considered a cadet branch of the Piast dynasty and thus a claim to the throne.
It was flimsy, relying on distant ancestry going back two centuries but it was enough. No more will be said on the matter, other than a final (and more recently discovered) note. Sometime in 1121, a previously unknown exiled German prince, Arnold von Wittelsbach, was suddenly promoted to Spymaster in the soon to be King’s court. He would later be given lands and a comfortable pension for the rest of his life for his ‘service’ though there is debate as to what exact ‘service’ he gave.
Regardless of the validity of the claim, the result was the same. ‘King’ Switopelk III, after marrying a local Pomeranian noble, raised his forces, took a loan from the Jewish merchants in his lands and hired mercenaries. In total he had around 7000 men on the field. It was more than King Wratislaw II could ever hope to raise due to the decimation suffered at the hands of the HRE, his own dwindling power base and worst of all, the disdain of his vassals.
None of the other Dukes and Counts of Poland joined Swietopelk III in the rebellion, though while officially pledging their support to the incumbent King they were much slower to provide aid. Token forces were sent but it was nowhere near enough to contend with such a sizeable invasion. If they were not in league with the Warriors of Perun, (which would truly demonstrate just how powerful the society had become in such a short time) then the popularity of Swietopelk III meant he had their tacit approval.
The King would be caught trying to muster a force in Lower Silesia. The ensuing battle is hardly worth mentioning. Wratislaw was forced to flee after his small force was dispersed in late October 1122. It seemed that Swietopelk III had overprepared and need only siege the capital to ensure victory.
However, one cannot predict the course of history so easily.
King Sobieslav of Bohemia pressed his own claim to the Polish throne in early November 1122. This was certainly a problem for Swietopelk. The Bohemian King’s claim came from his mother, Swietoslawa Piast – Daughter to the famous King Kazimierz ‘the Restorer’ of Poland. It was both a more recent ancestral link and one with much more concrete evidence to back it up.
A third griffin had eyed the bejewelled nest.
Switopelk’s caution paid dividends, for now he was facing a much more dangerous foe. Sobieslav was an accomplished commander, with around 6000 men to raise and a far stronger claim. Had it not been for the HRE running rampant throughout Poland in the Antipapal War, the loyalty of the nobility may have been much more in question as it would mean Poland would be under the HRE, which many could not, perhaps understandably, stomach.
A showdown between the two forces was inevitable, with King Wratislaw having fled to the countryside and surrendered his power in all but name. The crown would now go to whoever could defeat the other and occupy the capital.
Sobieslav had to wait for the rest of his force to arrive in Upper Silesia to match Switopelk’s numbers. This gave the other time to march on Krakow and put the capital province to siege. Allowing his rival claimant to build up was a risk, though Swietopelk committed to the action. The castles and cities of Krakow would fall in rapid succession. By June 1123 all of Krakow had fallen to the rebels while to the west the Bohemian’s were laying siege to Upper Silesia and moving towards Cieszyn.
It was a wise tactic. A decisive battle would have to be had and getting there first meant Sobieslav could pick his battlefield. A small detachment was sent to lay siege to Swietopelk’s holding along the Baltic while the rest of the force of around 4000 prepared for battle. When Swietopelk arrived with his 7000, he was dismayed. The forces had taken a very defendable position on a steep hill overlooking a river crossing. Shallow enough to wade through but in clear sight of the archers, with an unpleasant uphill battle ahead. The flanks were protected by woods – the only option was a direct assault.
King Swietopelk could not afford to wait. The longer he did so, the more chance he gave the Bohemian’s to reinforce, his own coffers to give way or the capture of his capital. The order was given on the 25 March 1124, with the King leading near the front to rally his men.
The Battle of Cieszyn of itself would be hard fought. While Sobieslav lacked the archers to properly exploit the river, it still allowed for his cavalry to harass the disjoined infantry as they crossed. Those that survived then had the hard fight uphill. It turned into grind as the rebels tried to break through, to little avail and morale began to waiver as the day progressed.
It was here that Swietopelk adapted once more. Taking charge of the left flank, he ordered what would turn out to be a feigned retreat, enticing some of the less experienced defenders to break rank and charge down. This allowed them to be surrounded and cut down by infantry and cavalry as they promptly turned around. The loss of numbers would be too much for the Bohemian’s to withstand. Through sheer force of numbers, the Polish broke through and victory was secured. Swietopelk IIIhad his Hastings. It was perhaps not as grand as in reality compared to Hastings, but it would certainly be celebrated as such in the future.
He would not follow the Bohemians as they retreated into their own borders. His scouts had found the King hiding in a small city called Gorlice in Sacz.
And an alive King is worth more than a dead one.
Swietopelk would march to Sacz and begin his sieges. With overwhelming numbers still on his side, siege towers would be built, the walls of the settlements stormed. They would soon break through to Gorlice in June 1124 and capture the King who was brought to Swietopelk’s siege camp. Wratislaw accused his captor of falsifying his claim and treason. Swietopelk accused his captive of ruining the Kingdom with wasteful wars and incompetent government. The two would argue back and forth until Swietopelk drew his blade and raised it to his former liege’s head and famously (and coldly) said, “I will take your crown. Decide if your head follows.”
More tactful advice followed from various representatives that had been brought with him until the young King, in tears, agreed to abdicate. A ceremony would have to wait until the Bohemians had been pushed back but from that day on, Swietopelk III was de facto King.
He would spend the rest of the year taking back control of now (technically) his Kingdom before marching to the Bohemian capital of Prague. It would fall in March 1125 and after one more battle in Upper Silesia in August that year, Sobieslav would accept a white peace. His claim was not renounced but it gave Swietopelk III the much needed time to consolidate his new Kingdom.
It was here that King Swietopelk now faced an issue. However real or fake his claim, it was weak. His actions had altered the nature of kingship in Poland.
He had demonstrated anyone with a claim, enough noble support or ambivalence and a large enough army could take power. This would bite his son Wratislaw in the future but for now his action needed legitimacy. Thankfully, there was someone of significant enough power to do just that and better yet, there was a historical precedent for it.
Just as with Pipin centuries back, he requested the Pope to personally crown him. Because of his son’s work, he enjoyed good enough relations for the request to be considered. Not to mention the propaganda potential of having a former pagan kneel at his feet and demonstrate his authority. Remember, the Antipapal Crisis between Rome and the HRE was still raging alongside for a battle for influence and allies.
Pope Leo X would request a significant ‘donation’ to the Church, which would be accepted. In this instance, the Pope needed coin over protection. Despite the damaged finances of the Kingdom, Swietopelk himself still had a sizeable personal treasury after ransoming noble captives. Continuing the expense, he would arrange a grand ceremony befitting the most powerful man in Christendom. His son and future heir would be recalled back to Poland. During which time, a surprising betrothal would be arranged. Another way to secure legitimacy was to find Wratislaw a suitable wife. His hyperkyphosis made this a dauting task but a prestigious and advantageous bride would be found.
A young Princess Eirene from the Byzantium Empire and the Komnenos family. The exact reason why Andronikos accepted this match is one of those unknown historical curiosities. Regardless of the reasons why a Catholic prince would marry a heretic, it was a prestigious match that helped to demonstrate the new King’s political connections and savvy. It also served as to having another monarch, heretic or no, addressing him as one in turn.
With preparations underway and Swietopelk having exhausted his personal funds on the preparation, the royal court currently at Stettin began to swarm with important dignitaries and people both from within and without the Kingdom. To be crowned by the Pope in such an extravagant ceremony was no common occurrence. Flowery accounts exist describing the grand display, but rest assured that for the legendary ‘Hollow Crowning’ - no expense was spared.
On the 9 November 1125, amongst all of his vassals (even the son of Duke Krystyn, who had died in 1121) and a veritable host of other important individuals, King Swietopelk was officially crowned as King. The Pope had his gold, the new King had his legitimacy. The festivities would continue for weeks.
Though as we know, it would not be for the grand display this event would become infamous for. For it earned it’s name in later history from King Swietopelk’s own hand in his Manuscript, dated on the same day as his coronation.
'The Hollow Crown rests upon my head. There is much work to be done.'
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Very well done! The Bohemians joining made the outcome uncertain, and I liked how you explained the battle.
The 'Hollow Crown' certainly seems ominous, and I'll be curious where Swietopelk goes from here, as I'm sure his ambitions are not yet satisfied...
The 'Hollow Crown' certainly seems ominous, and I'll be curious where Swietopelk goes from here, as I'm sure his ambitions are not yet satisfied...
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Indeed. And this is only the first step. Swietopelk has a way to go yet…
Thank you! I wanted to try and describe a battle. Again this is an exercise in trying things out - and yes, I’ve played ahead and with a goal in mind. Swietopelk is not done yet…
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Personally, I've always found setting the battlefield the hardest part, but I thought you did well. Total War games are somewhat useful for describing the battle, as long as you remember they're not very realistic.
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A bad claim with sufficient arms beats a good claim without enough. Thank you for updating.
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And now a closeted pagan rules Poland... with Papal and Byzantine support.
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Hi @Superstorm, great work so far! I'm writing to let you know I have nominated you for Best Character Writer of the Week for your portrayal of Swietopelk III.
Congratulations!
Congratulations!
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A big thank you to you all! I've said as much on the page itself, but I will say again - it means a lot that so many are enjoying my writing. This has been a wonderful activity and way to practice my writing more as well as enjoy playing one of my favorite games for many a year. I do hope you all stick with me and I will endevour to ensure that the journey of the Gryfita dynasty remains engaging and enjoyable for both myself and everyone else.
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These flimsy claims, who cares for the flimsiness if the claim is supported by successful arms?
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Ah yes, a tale as old as time. It’s a common theme throughout history that when a government fails, the military moves in. In this case, the man with the most popular support and biggest force.
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A new readAAR here attracted by your award. I've read everything so far in one sitting and I'm very impressed. I'm looking forwards to seeing the rest!
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Hello! Thank you for reading and I am glad that you have enjoyed the AAR thus far. I am happy many are enjoying it.
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