Ouch. Some ill-fated rulers indeed...
I'm already interested to see where you take this AAR, mnplastic. I'm subscribing!
I'm already interested to see where you take this AAR, mnplastic. I'm subscribing!
The Return of Ancient Gods: Lithuanian Kingdom
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My head is a place full of irrelevant knowledge and trivial facts - it seems it actually came in handy for once
As for the new Grand Duchess, let's hope females are indeed more resilient...
So much for Audra being more resilient
Clearly Audra was not resilient. Actually I read recently that until 1282 all Lithuanian Grand Dukes were murdered or killed in a battle.
Love the idea of a Cathar England ... this is going to get messy
In my few games now. I see Cathar kingdom for the first time.
Thank you McCann1991. Welcome to the thread.
Maybe pagan gods will let Girdenis to survive longer. A pagan country needs to be stable in order to fight off crusaders.
Pagan Lithuania, Cathar England... Things are starting to get interesting aren't they?
King Girdenis (Part I)
Girdenis began his rule with negotiating with Polish szlachta for support using money, promise for titles and intimidation. He also gave Silesia to his brother Lutuveras in exchange for loyalty and submission to paganism. Girdenis father Irmantas got Samogitia and embraced old Lithuanian gods too.
Dukes Mieszko VI Piast of Lesser Poland and Snowid Piast of Greater Poland joined Lutuveras and denounced Christianity. However, dukes Sieciech Subislawowic of Pomeralia and Boleslav IV Piast of Sandomiersk remained loyal to Chirst.
In 1323, Girdenis invaded the Teutonic Order. It was quickly defeated and on 11 July 1323 the Order surrendered Marienburg*. Vizgirdas, Girdenis brother was given the Duchy of Prussia together with the newly conquered Marienburg.
Soon after that on the same year, szlachta and peasants of Silezia revolted and asked help from Emperor Dietpold. The Emperor was more than happy to offer his support and declared a holy war on Girdenis.
Lithuanians and loyal Poles raised an army of 60,000 and marched to Silesia. Unfortunately, Dietpold could raise much more levies in his vast empire.
The first Imperial army of 40,000 arrived in August 1323. The Battle of Glogow, Lower Silesia was victorious for Girdenis but Lithuanian-Polish army suffered significant losses due to more advanced Imperial heavy cavalry. Girdenis then chased the remnants of the army to the Baltic coast and returned to Poland. In a mean time two more Imperial armies arrived to Silesia and captured castles and cities in Upper Silesia and Cieszyn.
Depleted Lithuanian-Polish army tried to avoid being caught by two Imperial armies of 40,000 at the same time and subsequently met one of the armies in Lower Silesia again. Both armies were approximately same size but Lithuanians lacked heavy armour and heavy cavalry. However, Germans were forced to attack across the river.
The battle was very fierce and costly nobody could take control of the battle field and by dawn both armies disengaged. In the morning of 9 April 1324, news arrived that the Castle of Opole fell to the Imperial Army and Girdenis sought truce with the Emperor. The 10 year truce was signed on the same battlefield. In exchange for that Girdenis had to give up Silesia**.
Girdenis oath to avenge for the Loss of Silesia
That was a shock for both szlachta and bajorai as well as Girdenis. In order to psychologically recover from the devastating defeat Girdenis decided to invade the Livonia. His brother Vizgirdas also attacked the fatally crippled Teutonic Order and by 29 May 1324 expelled the Order from the last castle in Sambia.
The expulsion of the Teutonic Order from the Baltic lands was well met in Lithuania and once again bajorai invited Girdenis to take the Crown of Lithuania (the King of Lithuanians, Samogitians, Prussians and Yotvingians). On 1 June 1324, Girdenis was Crowned as the King of Lithuania in Romuva***, Nadruvia. He then renamed his kingdom to the Kingdom of Lithuania.
The Pyrrhic victory against Girdenis was not without consequences to Emperor Dietpold too. Southern Italy led by King Norbert von Hohenstaufen of Sicily revolted. Unluckily for the rebels Emperor Adrianos promised help to Dietpold.
Perkūnas (thunder) – the god of thunder, rain, lightning, storms, mountains, oak trees and the sky. He is responsible for vegetation maintenance, the earth fertility, various weather phenomena. Inexhaustible reserves of water accumulated above the stone vault of heaven are under Perkūnas’ disposal. In spring he brandishes "the scourge of God" – lightning hurls and with thunder hurls stone axes and arrows down from the vault of heaven and fertilises his wife goddess Žemyna. Perkūnas is fighting Velnias for picaroon or theft of fertility. Perkūnas pursues the opponent in the sky on a chariot, made from stone and fire. It is harnessed by a pair of red and white horses. The chariot is Didieji Grįžulo Ratai ("Grand Wheels of Grįžulas" (Ursa Major). |
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Girdenis began his rule with negotiating with Polish szlachta for support using money, promise for titles and intimidation. He also gave Silesia to his brother Lutuveras in exchange for loyalty and submission to paganism. Girdenis father Irmantas got Samogitia and embraced old Lithuanian gods too.
Dukes Mieszko VI Piast of Lesser Poland and Snowid Piast of Greater Poland joined Lutuveras and denounced Christianity. However, dukes Sieciech Subislawowic of Pomeralia and Boleslav IV Piast of Sandomiersk remained loyal to Chirst.
In 1323, Girdenis invaded the Teutonic Order. It was quickly defeated and on 11 July 1323 the Order surrendered Marienburg*. Vizgirdas, Girdenis brother was given the Duchy of Prussia together with the newly conquered Marienburg.
Soon after that on the same year, szlachta and peasants of Silezia revolted and asked help from Emperor Dietpold. The Emperor was more than happy to offer his support and declared a holy war on Girdenis.
Lithuanians and loyal Poles raised an army of 60,000 and marched to Silesia. Unfortunately, Dietpold could raise much more levies in his vast empire.
The first Imperial army of 40,000 arrived in August 1323. The Battle of Glogow, Lower Silesia was victorious for Girdenis but Lithuanian-Polish army suffered significant losses due to more advanced Imperial heavy cavalry. Girdenis then chased the remnants of the army to the Baltic coast and returned to Poland. In a mean time two more Imperial armies arrived to Silesia and captured castles and cities in Upper Silesia and Cieszyn.
Depleted Lithuanian-Polish army tried to avoid being caught by two Imperial armies of 40,000 at the same time and subsequently met one of the armies in Lower Silesia again. Both armies were approximately same size but Lithuanians lacked heavy armour and heavy cavalry. However, Germans were forced to attack across the river.
The battle was very fierce and costly nobody could take control of the battle field and by dawn both armies disengaged. In the morning of 9 April 1324, news arrived that the Castle of Opole fell to the Imperial Army and Girdenis sought truce with the Emperor. The 10 year truce was signed on the same battlefield. In exchange for that Girdenis had to give up Silesia**.
Girdenis oath to avenge for the Loss of Silesia
That was a shock for both szlachta and bajorai as well as Girdenis. In order to psychologically recover from the devastating defeat Girdenis decided to invade the Livonia. His brother Vizgirdas also attacked the fatally crippled Teutonic Order and by 29 May 1324 expelled the Order from the last castle in Sambia.
The expulsion of the Teutonic Order from the Baltic lands was well met in Lithuania and once again bajorai invited Girdenis to take the Crown of Lithuania (the King of Lithuanians, Samogitians, Prussians and Yotvingians). On 1 June 1324, Girdenis was Crowned as the King of Lithuania in Romuva***, Nadruvia. He then renamed his kingdom to the Kingdom of Lithuania.
The Pyrrhic victory against Girdenis was not without consequences to Emperor Dietpold too. Southern Italy led by King Norbert von Hohenstaufen of Sicily revolted. Unluckily for the rebels Emperor Adrianos promised help to Dietpold.
* Pagans have no holly wars. They can claim for free only one province bordering their lands. However, pagan truce expires after 5 years instead of 10.
** Catholics can claim one heathen duchy through a holly war or a whole kingdom through Crusade.
*** Romuva, Nadruvia (southern part of Scalovia in CK2. In 1236 Peter of Dusburg wrote that Nadruvia was the location of Romuva, the sacred centre of Baltic religion. From Romuva, the Kriviu Krivaitis or "pagan Pope", ruled over the religion of all the Balts.
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good to see that Girdennis seems to have improved the average life expectancy of your rulers ... odd to see Byzantium settled into Hungary though.
Good to see Girdenis crowned king of Lithuania, rather than just Poland. Is the succession Primogeniture? Either way, I foresee an interesting succession (I'm not counting on Girdenis having along reign )
)
Good to see Girdenis crowned king of Lithuania, rather than just Poland. Is the succession Primogeniture? Either way, I foresee an interesting succession (I'm not counting on Girdenis having along reign
An optimist I see...
Playing a pagan must be tough, but fortunately you have those "warrior cult" buildings to balance things out a little bit, right?
The Kingdom of Lithuania, got to admit first time I've seen that
Hopefully Girdenis lives long enough to enjoy the fruits of Kingship.
Hopefully Girdenis lives long enough to enjoy the fruits of Kingship.
Cathar England added some interesting twist.
The "warrior cult" building adds 140 LI 40 HI and 50 A. Heavy infantry gets a further bonus cultural buildings. My Kernave barony (Vilnius county) has 2224 levies. Having in mind levies increasing buildings "warrior cult" adds 20% of barony levies. The "warrior cult" is not available for cities and churches so on average the buildings add about 10-15% per county's whole army. Luckily Lithuanians and Russians prefer HI but Poles have Light Cavalry as cultural unit. It means the "warrior cult" building for pagan Poles is less useful.
Byzantium I think had some relationship with Kings of Croatia and Hungary. Andrianos just pressed claims and got the Kingdoms for himself.
Good to see Girdenis crowned king of Lithuania, rather than just Poland. Is the succession Primogeniture? Either way, I foresee an interesting succession (I'm not counting on Girdenis having along reign
Both kingdoms are Primogeniture. I have noticed that the strength of faction is counted as a percentage of the faction army compared to the kingdom army. I therefore tend to be careful with the king's levies.
The Kingdom of Lithuania, got to admit first time I've seen that
Hopefully Girdenis lives long enough to enjoy the fruits of Kingship.
That is extremely important as with pagans is "eat or be eaten". The HRE is much stronger. I lost a whole duchy in one go. I therefore have to grow faster than losing. The problem is that Polish duchies are the most prosperous and advanced duchies in the kingdom. So I have to get at least 2 provinces in east or south for a every lost in west.
Yeah I can imagine being a Pagan neighbor of the HRE can be a rough pill to swallow. Dare say the Kaiser likes nothing more than HWing you whenever he sees a chance.
King Girdenis the Ill-ruler (Part II)
In 1329, during the battle for Minsk, warriors of the Order of the Black Axe (followers of Perkūnas) captured the head of Rurikovich dynasty Kirill, Great Prince of Vladimir, Rostov, Yaroslavl and Moskva, who also controlled a half of Principality of Kiev and Moldau. Girdenis was imprisoned by Girdenis. It was the single most important battle Girdenis won during his reign because for another 21 years one third of Rurikovich strength* could not oppose Girdenis’ expansion. Following the capture of Minsk, Girdenis built a temple to Perkūnas in Vilnius where he moved his capital**
Strongly weakened the Great Prince of Vitebsk and Polotsk Matfei forfeited the Principality of Vitebsk in 1340.
One year later on 7 April, the last castle in Livonia was captured by Girdenis and the Livonian Order ceased to exist.
The Battle of Wolmer: the last battle against Livonian Order
The charge of the Warriors of the Black Axe
In 1347, Ingvar, son and heir of Matfei II and Yevpraxia, Great Prinness of Smolensk and Tver was captured during a battle at Polotsk. Two years later Yevpraxia surrendered the Principality of Smolensk to Girdenis.
By 1350, the Grand Prince of Kiev, Galich, Chernigov and Pereyslavl without support of his biggest ally Kirill and crippled Matfei II and Yevpraxia lost Kiev and most of Galich.
In Western Europe Cathars suffered a setback when following a civil war Catholic Edward Plantagenet defeated King Nicholas and took his throne in 1327. However, King Edward’s son remained Cathar and upon Edward’s death he became the second Cathar king of England.
Emperor Dietpold defeated rebels in the Southern Italy but before he prepared for a new invasion to Lithuania he died in 1339. His son Sieghard was elected new Emperor. In order to avoid a new imperial invasion, Girdenis proposed marriage of his brother Jaunutis and Sieghard’s daughter Hedwig. Girdenis also promised not to attack any Catholic country. Emperor Sieghard was reluctant to accept the offer but because his own empire was very unstable he decided secure his own position first and the marriage was arranged.
Emperor Adrianos the Great died in 1347. He was 88 year old and his reign lasted for 69 years. His only male heir died when he was 2 and therefore Adrianos’ daughter Martha became empress. She was married to Emperor Dietpold’ second son Ludolf. Their son Theodorich Askanien was given the Kingdom of Hungary.
The remnants of Cuman kingdom were divided between the Golden Horde, Bulgaria and Byzantium.
In 1350, Girdenis released Great Prince Kirill and the truce with him which lasted for 21 years. Until his death, Girdenis took full control of principalities of Kiev, Galich, Livonia, Polotsk, Tver, Moskva and Chernigov.
Matfei II, Grand Prince of Polotsk lost his Principality to Matfei III, son of Grand Prince of Ryazan and later died in 1369 while his son was still in Girdenis dungeon. Matfei III lost his Principality and swear fealty to Novgorod in order to avoid the loss of Pskov.
Emperor Sieghard died in 1368, and Girdenis invaded Catholic Duchy of Estonia on the same year. However, during the Siege of Hapsal he died on 6 December 1369.
Girdenis had 5 sons and 3 daughters. Valimantas died when he was 18. The oldest son Girdenis married Princess of Taurica Sibylla Batatzes. Dannila married King of Bohemia Otakar. Kantibutas became the Prince of Mozhaysk and Moskva. Dausprungas became the Duke of Galich. Kesgaila was given Tver and Vyazma. Kesgaila also married sister of the King of Hungary. Girdenis’ brother Gedvilas was granted the Duchy of Vitebsk, and Jaunutis was given the Duchy of Livonia and son of the youngest brother Irmantas got Polotsk.
As the heir of Empress Martha was German Catholic, Greek Orthodox under the leadership of Thekla, sister of Martha revolted and overthrew Martha in 1355. Four years later King of Hungary Theodorich son of Empress Martha, revolted. Initially Theodorich had vast support but subsequently exhausted Theodorich’s vassals revolted against him. Emperor Dietpold II joined the war in support of his cousin Theodorich.
During the civil war Bashirids expanded their holdings in Greece.
In 1350s, a Catholic branch of Plantagenets was banished. The banished Plantegents sought an asylum in Aragon and in 1354 Enric Plantagenet usurped the Kigdom of Aragon from King Riambau de Barcelona. Under the rule of Plantagenet Kings Aragon regained its lost territories and expanded its borders in North Africa.
In 1357, due to the poor treatment of Catholics, Pope Pelagius III declared Crusade against Cathar England.
In 1361, a devastating Civil War began in Castile. As a consequence Castilians lost holding in Northern Africa and the Kingdom of Leon separated.
King Mihail of Bulgaria defeated Duke Gaucelin de Poitou in 1368 and gave the Duchy of Armenia Minor to his relative Vladislav.
In 1329, during the battle for Minsk, warriors of the Order of the Black Axe (followers of Perkūnas) captured the head of Rurikovich dynasty Kirill, Great Prince of Vladimir, Rostov, Yaroslavl and Moskva, who also controlled a half of Principality of Kiev and Moldau. Girdenis was imprisoned by Girdenis. It was the single most important battle Girdenis won during his reign because for another 21 years one third of Rurikovich strength* could not oppose Girdenis’ expansion. Following the capture of Minsk, Girdenis built a temple to Perkūnas in Vilnius where he moved his capital**
The Order of the Black Axe Warriors of the Black Axe are followers of Perkūnas. Their main weapon is an axe or a double-handed axe which a symbol of Perkūnas. The warriors also could use bows symbolising Perkūnas lightning bolts. However, they usually neither wear helmets nor carry shields and fight on foot. The order was created following the loss of Silesia to fight Teutonic knights and defend Perkūnas temples and Krivis. | 
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Strongly weakened the Great Prince of Vitebsk and Polotsk Matfei forfeited the Principality of Vitebsk in 1340.
One year later on 7 April, the last castle in Livonia was captured by Girdenis and the Livonian Order ceased to exist.
The Battle of Wolmer: the last battle against Livonian Order
The charge of the Warriors of the Black Axe
In 1347, Ingvar, son and heir of Matfei II and Yevpraxia, Great Prinness of Smolensk and Tver was captured during a battle at Polotsk. Two years later Yevpraxia surrendered the Principality of Smolensk to Girdenis.
By 1350, the Grand Prince of Kiev, Galich, Chernigov and Pereyslavl without support of his biggest ally Kirill and crippled Matfei II and Yevpraxia lost Kiev and most of Galich.
In Western Europe Cathars suffered a setback when following a civil war Catholic Edward Plantagenet defeated King Nicholas and took his throne in 1327. However, King Edward’s son remained Cathar and upon Edward’s death he became the second Cathar king of England.
Emperor Dietpold defeated rebels in the Southern Italy but before he prepared for a new invasion to Lithuania he died in 1339. His son Sieghard was elected new Emperor. In order to avoid a new imperial invasion, Girdenis proposed marriage of his brother Jaunutis and Sieghard’s daughter Hedwig. Girdenis also promised not to attack any Catholic country. Emperor Sieghard was reluctant to accept the offer but because his own empire was very unstable he decided secure his own position first and the marriage was arranged.
Emperor Adrianos the Great died in 1347. He was 88 year old and his reign lasted for 69 years. His only male heir died when he was 2 and therefore Adrianos’ daughter Martha became empress. She was married to Emperor Dietpold’ second son Ludolf. Their son Theodorich Askanien was given the Kingdom of Hungary.
The remnants of Cuman kingdom were divided between the Golden Horde, Bulgaria and Byzantium.
In 1350, Girdenis released Great Prince Kirill and the truce with him which lasted for 21 years. Until his death, Girdenis took full control of principalities of Kiev, Galich, Livonia, Polotsk, Tver, Moskva and Chernigov.
Matfei II, Grand Prince of Polotsk lost his Principality to Matfei III, son of Grand Prince of Ryazan and later died in 1369 while his son was still in Girdenis dungeon. Matfei III lost his Principality and swear fealty to Novgorod in order to avoid the loss of Pskov.
Emperor Sieghard died in 1368, and Girdenis invaded Catholic Duchy of Estonia on the same year. However, during the Siege of Hapsal he died on 6 December 1369.
Girdenis had 5 sons and 3 daughters. Valimantas died when he was 18. The oldest son Girdenis married Princess of Taurica Sibylla Batatzes. Dannila married King of Bohemia Otakar. Kantibutas became the Prince of Mozhaysk and Moskva. Dausprungas became the Duke of Galich. Kesgaila was given Tver and Vyazma. Kesgaila also married sister of the King of Hungary. Girdenis’ brother Gedvilas was granted the Duchy of Vitebsk, and Jaunutis was given the Duchy of Livonia and son of the youngest brother Irmantas got Polotsk.
As the heir of Empress Martha was German Catholic, Greek Orthodox under the leadership of Thekla, sister of Martha revolted and overthrew Martha in 1355. Four years later King of Hungary Theodorich son of Empress Martha, revolted. Initially Theodorich had vast support but subsequently exhausted Theodorich’s vassals revolted against him. Emperor Dietpold II joined the war in support of his cousin Theodorich.
During the civil war Bashirids expanded their holdings in Greece.
In 1350s, a Catholic branch of Plantagenets was banished. The banished Plantegents sought an asylum in Aragon and in 1354 Enric Plantagenet usurped the Kigdom of Aragon from King Riambau de Barcelona. Under the rule of Plantagenet Kings Aragon regained its lost territories and expanded its borders in North Africa.
In 1357, due to the poor treatment of Catholics, Pope Pelagius III declared Crusade against Cathar England.
In 1361, a devastating Civil War began in Castile. As a consequence Castilians lost holding in Northern Africa and the Kingdom of Leon separated.
King Mihail of Bulgaria defeated Duke Gaucelin de Poitou in 1368 and gave the Duchy of Armenia Minor to his relative Vladislav.
* Grand Prince Kirill had about 26,000 available troops out of 83,000 Rurikovich troops (Kiev – 14,000, Vitebsk – 13,000, Smolensk – 10,000, Beloozero – 8,000, Novgorod-Seversk – 6,000 Ryazan – 6,000. Lithuania at the same time had about 50,000. It lost 10,000 because of the loss of Silesia.
** Perkūnas Temple was unearthed under the current Cathedral of Vilnius. It was destroyed by King Jogaila in 1387.
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Is that a Mongol (Girdenis II) King of Lithuania I see?
Nice to see the Pope proclaim a crusade against the English; better them than you!
Nice to see the Pope proclaim a crusade against the English; better them than you!
A Mongol-looking Lithuanian king? This will be interesting...
As for England, I don't think I can bear the thought of a foreign king... Hopefully this will go the way of all the other Crusades in this game - defeat.
As for England, I don't think I can bear the thought of a foreign king... Hopefully this will go the way of all the other Crusades in this game - defeat.
like the idea of poor Girdinis I popping his clogs due to stress ...
worrying incursion of the Mongols, do hope that Cathar England manages to hold out
worrying incursion of the Mongols, do hope that Cathar England manages to hold out
Is that a Mongol (Girdenis II) King of Lithuania I see?
I was kind of hoping you will not notice that. Girdenis wife's genes I guess are stronger. Girdenis II is still Lithuanian though
The funny thing is that Gediminaitis women made Mongol Khagans blue-eyed Europeans.You are right Tanzhang. This is what I was hoping for. I am really not ready to fight all out war against crusaders if HRE joins them. Losing some Polish duchy is OK but not a whole kingdom.
I hope England will hold out to but the problem is that England has a lot of holdings in mainland Europe. That could tip scales.
I think too big demesne gives stress. At least it was in CK1. CK2 did not give me a reason why Girdenis was depressed. Could be because everybody was calling him Ill-ruler or because he broke his word to avenge on the HRE, or maybe 8 children, the ninth was coming (a new young wife).
Your expanding very well! Impressed with the size you've gotten Lithuania to be so far.
And well leave it to the Plantagenets to take over a country like Aragon and start blobbing.
And well leave it to the Plantagenets to take over a country like Aragon and start blobbing.
Better to see a Crusade against Cathar England which doesn't end conclusively or soon. Seems that the more the Catholic nations are concerned with England's heretics, the less attention they will pay to heathen Lithuania.
Hi guys. I will update this weekend. Holidays ended, so back to work
Don't forget to vote for your favourite AARs. It is like oil keeping fire in a AAR lamp.
Don't forget to vote for your favourite AARs. It is like oil keeping fire in a AAR lamp.
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