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Proninjaw

Second Lieutenant
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May 7, 2014
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Hello, I'm Proninjaw and this is my first AAR, 'Danish Vikings'. Using the Extended Timeline Mod, I have started my AAR in 912, just after the nation of East Francia was split. Denmark was a nation with great ambitions, having most of North-east England (I think it was called Danelaw) and Brittany. I hope I can live up to the task of these brave Vikings and make a good AAR.

Chapter 1: Introduction

So, the year is 912. King Olof Olafid gazed at the latest map of the known world his royal cartographer had made. He liked what he saw. He saw his own Danish lands, a nation spreading from the Breton province of Finistere in the West to the Eastern province of Blekinge (I think that's how it's spelt!).

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(I have basically self-taught myself how to put images on there. Please tell me if I have done this wrong. All I know is that 1920x1080 doesn't fit)

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He pulled up a scroll next to the map. It had his name and his advisor list, and he cursed as he realised he had no advisors.
"What, no advisors? What king doesn't have advisors?" Olof bellowed.
Halvor- the family's trusty servant, answered meekly. "My King, we don't have enough income to afford one..."
"I want the Danish to have reputation, man! How can we get more income?!" Olof's eyes drilled into Halvor. His intensity, his anger, was of a true Viking. Halvor had an idea.
"Well, my king, we could do what our ancestors did... We could take the money, and the land that produces it.." This seemed to snap Olof out of his anger, and reasonable thought came back to him.
"The lands of Northumberland look quite juicy, ready to be pillaged... and it could increase our power and make Danelaw more valuable. Hmmm."
Halvor spoke up, with new-found courage, "Surely we should gain some alliances first, before we think of war?"
"Good idea, Halvor. See which of our Norse brethren like us, and ask for military alliances and royal marriages. I care not who they are, so long as they are Norse and are friendly."
"At once, my king."

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With these new alliances, he looked to the opposite of the diplomatic spectrum, rivals and enemies. In the brief time he had had this year, just over a month, the nation of Wessex became England, claiming to 'reunite all the English peoples' as their sole mission. Olof spewed his mead at this, almost choking with laughter.
"If they think so highly of themselves, these English can be one of our rivals. Saxony and Flanders can be our rivals too, they don't particularly like us."

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"Now there is another problem my king.."
"Yes, Halvor?"
"Our newly conquered lands of Brittany, need more administration than we have to core. A lot more. What should we do?"
"Well, since it will take such a long time to core, might as well release Brittany as a vassal. We like it, they like it, no administration needed."
"Yes, my king."

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(In 912, Denmark owned Brittany, but hadn't cored it yet. It wasn't my doing behind the scenes.)

Well thanks for reading, feedback is appreciated.
 
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Chapter 2: Northumberland Ambitions

King Olof overlooked his great Viking army. From his castle at Sjaelland, he saw its full might. Led by the (mostly incompetent 0/1/1/0) general Knud Pil, they were gathering by the docks. They were stationed here while phase 1 of Olof's plan was being executed. The plan was to go like this:

King Olof's super pillage plan:
Phase 1: Take the whole Danish Army into Danelaw
Phase 2: Fabricate a claim on Northumberland
Phase 3: War, pillage, general Viking hobbies (and hope no huge nation has become defender of the faith)
Phase 4: Annex or vassalise the nation of Nothumberland.

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They set off on their quest, their adventure on the British Isles, like their fathers had and their grand-fathers too. Pride filled the ranks of these Norse-men, and their morale was high. Each had their own desire for taking part in this war.
"I want to own a farm, and go hunting in the forests of Lancashire!"
"I want to go travelling in Danelaw after the war is over, I heard it's much warmer than Nordjylland..."
"I just want to try some English mead, I heard it's the best."

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As they were headed to Danelaw, Olof included, news spread that Denmark had entered a golden era for culture, due to peace in the country. Olof laughed, and with a sly look said,
"Not for long.."

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The first shipment of troops arrived, to an alarming sight. Mercia had been attacked by England, and being the bigger power, was beating it. Over-confident Olof shrugged it off, saying,
"Never liked Mercia anyway."

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Phase 2 was put into place. A claim was being fabricated on Northumberland as they moved all the troops in Danelaw to Yorkshire. The only thing stood between them and juicy Northumberland lands was time.

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Chapter 3: Coalition 101

King Olof had some time to kill, while the claim is being fabricated. In a dream, he dreamt of distant lands, with rolling coasts, a land of ice. It pestered him, it was like a nightmare. In an attempt to stop this plague on him. He gathered his hardiest sailors and sent them west. Yes it cost money, and he had no real plans if they found anything, but he thought it was worth it.

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People weren't too happy with it. Specifically those damn Saxons. We conquer them, take their money and they rebel? Luckily Olof was in a good mood. The way forward is negotiation.

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Marches was annexed, and England grew stronger. King Olof summoned his war council, which turned out to be just Halvor.
"You summoned me, my king?"
"What should we do about England?
"Well... they grow stronger, and their next target could be Northumberland. I recommend we take Northumberland, so we grow bigger. Then it will be easier to take England itself."
"Good, good. As soon as the claim has been fabricated, it will be war!"

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Outside York, or Jorvik, bells rang. Sleepy swordsmen and lancers woke up. Knud Pil stood at the top of the hill in the middle of the camp.
"Today men, brave Norse Vikings, we go to WAR!"
For saying he was highly incompetent, he could rally the troops.

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They clashed in Northumberland, and the weak Northumberland army was overwhelmed. The crippled army fled to Lancashire, fleeing like vermin. Knud split his army in half and chased after them. After they found the army, they crushed them. Then it was time to siege the two provinces.

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Then, disaster struck. The great King Olof Olafid died. People were in tears all over the nation. Well, thats what a speaker said at his longboat funeral. In actual fact, not many people liked him. He started a war, but died half-way through. Not even in battle! Hopefully the newly crowned King Gyrd Olafid would do better.

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Meanwhile, our loyal allies, the Norwegians, landed in Leinster, the ally of Northumberland. Gyrd had other ideas though, he wanted out of this war. He sensed a storm brewing, an English storm.

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(The picture I had of sieged provinces corrupted, sorry!) As soon as they were sieged, Gyrd sent an ultimatum. Northumberland accepted with what dignity they had left. Gyrd made sure that they paid their full treasury as plunder.

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Gyrd thought it was over, he thought that peace had come to Denmark again. But after this one measly war, a coalition sprung up. A coalition of epic proportions. One that would change the course of Danish history forever.

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(Not pictured: Holstein is in the coalition)

The coalition goes like this: Scotland, Strathclyde, England, Normandy, Holstein. Phew!
 
Chapter 4: England Strikes!

Gyrd needed to make an impression of himself. He was the new king of the Danes, and all he had done was get out of a war. He looked North, and saw the weak West Geats. He sent off a diplomat to claim it. In the meanwhile, he saw a non-war way to show how good a king he was. His subjects talked about legends, and in Denmark's darkest hour a hero would come back and save the nation. King Gyrd secretly put himself into this prophecy, and declared it a 'National Epic'.

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By this time the preparations for war had been made. A claim and a small part of the army in Danelaw were ready. The time for war was now!

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Vastergotland was quickly sieged and incorporated into Denmark. It was a boost to national pride and Gyrd was sure no-one would question his legitimacy now.

(West Geats pre-annexation)
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Anyone, except the upstart English. King Gyrd would not even refer it as England, he still called the nation Wessex. Upstart or not, it was a coalition war. Damn them!
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The 'Army of Scotland', only 3000 men, marched to Lancashire. This seemed like bad strategy to Gyrd, but he wasn't complaining, it just made it easier.
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While Denmark fought in the British Isles, it's allies fought in the Danish homelands. Norway and East Geats faced off against Holstein.
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The first major battle of the war was in Oxfordshire. Denmark marched from Derby to the camp outside Oxford. The brave Danes got the first blow but it soon turned into a proper battle as the English were on alert.
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The Danes won, with superior numbers. It was a glorious victory but Gyrd knew it was just the start.
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They chased the crippled English all the way to Kent, their general cowering at the front of their march. They couldn't reform in time and it was a bloodbath. 4 Danes went to Valhalla when 5300 English soldiers died. Their army was gone, but there were more nations in the coalition that had not fought yet.
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Namely, Scotland. Meanwhile, a new English force was marching around. Small, but a nuisance.
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Mercenaries were called up, Gyrd wanted every man he could to strike back.
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The New English army was left alone too long, it was almost as big as it was at the start of the war. The Battle of Derby ensued.
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After various skirmishes, King Gyrd decided to look at who he really was against. Before he really just attacked any other army, friend or foe.
He realised he may be a bit over his head.
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To get to the heart of the coalition, King Gyrd sent the army to London. After some months, they breached the walls. Esben Thomsen led the assault on London, and they were victorious. It was something to be written in sagas for generations, the English had lost their capital. Glory to Denmark!
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The same strategy was used in Essex, and was also successful. Of course it worked, they are Vikings!
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The greatest battle of the war was fought afterwards, again in fields outside Derby.
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Ok, the Danes lost, but it gave Gyrd the wake up call that he needed. It wasn't his war. He needed to get out of it. He didn't want any more aggressive expansion, so land was taken, but Denmark still made sure to weaken England.

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Somehow though, nations still thought that a coalition is for the best, even though the coalition was just defeated.

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Chapter 5: Nordic Survival of the Fittest

After the great English-Danish Punitive War, peace descended on the Danish nation. King Gyrd refused to call it an empire, he said it was 'not grand enough'. As well as this, he thought Denmark was highly unstable . The royal cartographer had recently made a new map, a coalition map. While it may be temporary, it was poignant. It definitely sent a clear message. With that and the truces created at the end of the war, King Gyrd was staying away from Danelaw for a while.

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The economy needed to recover after the war, so he lowered maintenance of the army. This angered the populace, but it was necessary. Gyrd hired a new general, just in case of army reforms. He was able to move the troops quickly, and could prove useful in later wars.

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Gyrd laughed at the news, it was just what he needed. No longer would Normandy pester Denmark's vassal Brittany. One coalition member down, many to go.

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Now, Denmark's attention turned north once more. However it wasn't their war. Norway had attacked Jamatland, and called in Denmark. Unfortunately, East Geats, the Danes loyal ally, joined Jamtaland's side. Hopefully their would be no hard feelings as their once comrades went toe-to-toe against the brave Danish Vikings.

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Few Danes fought, but they were valiant. They saw action in East Geats but before there were any gains they clinched peace from Norway. After this, Gyrd thought that no more Danish blood should be let. He recalled the soldiers and waited out the war. Luckily, it was soon over. Norway gained a province. Denmark seeked to re-ally with East Geats. They were more than happy to oblige. Maybe someday East Geats could become a vassal?

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Over time, the coalition reduced in size, bit by bit. Nations lost confidence in England and soon only England was part of the coalition, adamant they could drive back the 'hordes' that had conquered 'their rightful land'.

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The next war was suprisingly instigated by East Geats. They wanted to take down the big Nordic nation of Svealand. They thought it could be done with powerhouses Norway and Denmark. Well, at least one of their allies is fully committed.

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Norway led it's whole army into Svaeland. Denmark sent a small contingency to siege Narke. East Geats attached to the Norwegian army, and when they sieged Halsingland, it was East Geats that got the glory. This halted Norwegian expansion East, which was very helpful. (Notice how big Norway is).

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The treaty of Ribe was written, which basicially gave Denmark claims on Holstein. It was very under the table. Even the name of the King was wrong. King Gyrd chuckled as he approved this. 'King Christian the 1st?'

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To make sure the land was theirs, Denmark peaced out before East Geats. It would make a nice addition to their Nordic holdings. It also showed that their were only two powerful Nordic nations. Norway and Denmark. Svaeland was finished.

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To finish, Gyrd received some interesting news from the British Isles. War had split most of the nations. It was Leinster, Ulaid and England pitched against Strathclyde, Mide and Munster. It looked like England's side was more powerful, but it could go either way.

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Chapter 6: Bad peace deals

For some reason, East Geats only chose concede defeat. Maybe pressure from Norway, not wanting East Geats to get any bigger. This however played to Denmark's advantage.

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Denmark consolidated its power in Scandinavia through vassilisation. However this meant Denmark had only one ally.

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King Gyrd also wanted to consolidate power in the British Isles. However, a nation far away, known as 'Italy', had taken the title 'Defender of the Faith'. This meant that this, moderately sized nation would be involved in any affairs on the island. Gyrd thought that this was unacceptable. He would have to upheave his whole country to sort it however.

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It would seem ... petty. Changing the state religion just so wars are easier. But Gyrd saw the bigger picture.

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The religious picture. Half of Denmark, homelands and Danelaw, was Catholic. (sorry the picture corrupted). It wasn't petty, it was in the best interests of the country. However it would have to wait. Norway had started a war against Scotland. Italy of course joined. This is exactly what Gyrd didn't want. He did want Scotland though, so he joined.

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Scottish forces were driven out of Northumberland. Gyrd set up a war council. He still didn't have any advisors so he summoned Halvor.
"Yes my king?"
"Can I see who we are up against?"
"Of course!"

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"Where is Esben taking the troops this time? They are going... south?"
"He informs me that they are going to leave a sieging force there, in case we could annex them in a peace deal."
"Access to the Irish Sea? Very good. Lets hope Norway doesn't mess up with diplomacy!"

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"Hey, thats a Scottish army in Lothian. See to it they are crushed!"
"Erm.. It's already being seen to."
"Hah, great!"

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Danish forces were sieging Scotland, and news came from the region of 'France'. They had become Defender of the Catholic Faith. This meant that any wars against Catholics, would be a lot worse. Worse than Italy. West Francia is basically the 900's version of France, so they are not to be messed with.

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Gyrd was afraid of this. Since Italy became the war leader, all the sieging of Scotland meant nothing. It was all too far for Italy. Norway did the best they could with what they had... but it made little difference.

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Chapter 7: Wider politics

Yet another war split the British isles in two. The (not so) mighty England fought alongside Ulaid and Leinster (the growing power in Ireland). They battled against Connaught, Gwynedd and Strathclyde. It wasn't very different from the previous war, except Irish allegiances had changed. King Gyrd was happy for them to squabble amongst themselves, it meant they weren't going to form a coalition against him. That, he didn't want.

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It was finally time to annex Northumberland. Any plans to feed them were scuppered, as Gyrd thought there was no point. If Denmark needed a vassal in Danelaw, another minor nation could do.

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The royal cartographer got to work once more. A new map, centered on the Irish Sea, was produced. It focused on the territory change in Ireland and the additions to Danelaw. Leinster had grown to be a Irish powerhouse, with three provinces to their name. They could prove to be powerful allies to England.

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July 943. Letters, stamped with the royal crest of the Olafids, were put up in every town and village. The news spread like wildfire. "Is it true?" "What happens if we disobey?" "I don't want to convert to a heathen religion, will I be executed?"
Yes, it was true. Denmark had officially converted to Catholicism. Some said it was strategic, others due to madness of the king. However it did not come to a surprise for many. Half of Denmark was Catholic prior to the conversion of the state religion. Gyrd had the right idea though, as he summoned Halvor.
"You called, my king?"
"Yes Halvor, I need to go over some plans with you, to make sure im not doing anything stupid."
"Of course, my king." Halvor smiled as he showed Gyrd his necklace, which had a crucifix on it.
"So, we are now Catholic. Do you know what this means Halvor?"
"Im not sure..."
"We will now be accepted by our brothers in the South. No longer would be seen as barbarians by them, they don't automatically hate us now!"

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"A great decision my king. You were always a good diplomat."
"See to it we have an ally in the South. Someone big, and close enough to help in case of any wars close to home."
"Yes my king." Halvor turned on his heel to head to the door.
"Oh there is one more thing?"
"Sorry, I thought you were done."
"Don't worry about it. It's actually two things. We should ally Norway again, our alliance was broken when we converted. Also, you do know we won't get the Defender of the Faith involved when we war now! It's great!"
(Not shown: Picture of alliance with Franconia, a moderately sized nation in central Germany)
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It meant that Denmark was finally in the bigger picture. What happened down South, really did matter now. Denmark had opened the door to wider European politics.

Gyrd turned his attention West again, for the millionth time in his reign. he could once again battle with anyone there without interference from the mainland.
He saw Strathclyde, who was only allied with Mercia. This would become Denmark's next target.

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The Danish army marched North-East and then South. It was an easy war, with little bloodshed. It was known as the 'War of the Crosses'. This was for two reasons 1) Both Strathclyde and Mercia's flags were crosses 2) It was the first war with Denmark being Catholic. Instead of the normal united battlecry of "FOR ODIN!!"
and "FOR THOR!!", it had been replaced with a mix of Norse and Catholic shouts. The state religion of Catholicism was still a very debated matter. Missionaries were converted the citizens for were Norse, but it took time.

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With Catholicism came other social reforms. Gyrd decided to lose legitimacy to gain money for his war effort.

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The war was over. Strathclyde was vassilised and Mercia annexed. Danelaw was growing bigger by the year and there was no stopping it. Even though they were technically Catholic, it didn't stop them from good old Viking plundering.

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Finally, here's the diplomatic map of Denmark. It's vassals, Brittany, East Geats and Strathclyde are proudly shown in turquoise. Demark's allies are shown at their full extent. Norway, with Iceland, and many other North Sea islands. Franconia, with its long snaky nation stretching across central Germany.

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Catholic Vikings! :eek:
Now that you don't have to deal with the defender of the faith, the world shall tremble with fear!
 
Chapter 8: The World as of 948.

Yet again the royal cartographer had been hard at work, this time creating a map of the whole known world. It was so big that it was split in several maps to increase detail. King Gyrd smiled as he saw this masterpiece, and the whole world lay before him. The royal cartographer talked him through it.
"Well, my king, here is everything at once. I know, it's a bit much and you can hardly read the country names....but it gives a nice overview."
(To the far east are the Pechengs, but I couldn't fit in their name.)
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"Here we have the map of the British Isles, of course this will be subject to change, with your..ehmm...diplomatic moves.

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"Next is Western Europe, with West Francia being the biggest nation. I am right in saying you are more involved with these people now? I suggest allying another big power."
Gyrd spoke up for the first time, "You might as well be my diplomatic advisor!"
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"Iberia, North Africa and Italy. Umayyad are quite dangerous, they have taken over all of Iberia. Only West Francia can stop them now. As you can see, Byzantium is making gains in Italy, some might say they are trying to re-create the Roman Empire they used to be!"

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"The Balkans and Anatolia are mostly under Byzantine control. Bulgaria looks big, but we have reason to believe they are very fragile."

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"Scandinavia. The main power is obviously us, but Norway could be seen as a big player as well. In the South Poland is quite powerful. In the East, well that's what we come on to now..."

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"Here we have our Eastern cousins, the Rus. They are very big, and if they carry on war-mongering like they have... well we might end up neighbours!"
"Haha! Maybe we should take a leaf out of their book!"

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Sorry this was a short one, I just wanted to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. I know I haven't really shown much of the world in this AAR so I dedicated a chapter to it! Hope you enjoyed.
 
Chapter 9: A new king, a new age

Since becoming Catholic, Denmark had started to experience some of the cultures of their religious brethren. One was jousting (a bit early in the timeline!). Apparently it was a sport for the nobles but Gyrd had never heard of it before.
"My king?"
"Yes, Halvor?"
"There has been a decision bestowed upon you. The nobles do a thing called 'jousting'. It has horses and lances, not really to your taste. Anyway, a commoner won the latest tournament. The nobles ask for guidance, what should we do with him? He can't be like one of them, he is not of noble birth!"
"Make him a general in the army. He will probably be well suited for this. It will also not upset the nobles. The army doesn't take class into the equation. Nobles and commoners alike are judged equally on the battlefield."
"Yes my king."

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Raised as a farmer, no-one would have thought that Ulrik Lunge was a genius in strategy and an excellent general. It was good luck for the whole nation when he stumbled upon a jousting tournament. He was dutifully made leader of the army in Danelaw, Denmark's main army.

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Meanwhile, a war of epic proportions had begun. The power hungry Umayyad declared war on West Francia. This war could decide the fate of Western Europe! Will it be a Catholic or a Sunni future? Only time will tell.

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Denmark grew bigger as they annexed East Geats. This freed up a diplomatic slot, who could fill it?

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Just as Gyrd was giving speeches to East Geat nobles about their new roles in Denmark, a messenger approached. Norway had declared war on Scotland. This could be useful, thought Gyrd. Then he looked down. West Francia was Defender of the Faith, and since Norway was still Norse, they were called in. This war was going to be a waste. They could never generate enough warscore for territory. Gyrd accepted, just to keep relations with Norway high.

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The Danes flooded into Scotland pillaging as they went. Ulrik Lunge led North into Fife and then South into Ayrshire to catch the Scottish army. The plan worked and the Scots were defeated.

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With the sieges taking place, Scotland couldn't even defend itself against noble rebels. Gyrd took pity and decided to, at some point, destroy them.

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As the armies clashed in the Highlands, explorers had come back speaking of land to the East. Gyrd found no use for it, but took interest.

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In West Francia, Brittany had sieged a province while West Francia fought back Umayyad. When the South was quiet, they relieved their Northern provinces, destroying the Breton army in the process.

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The last Scottish province not under Danish control was the Western Isles, the wind-swept islands that Norway was so keen on they started a war over them. Without them the war would end in defeat. This could not happen. The Danish fleet was sent out into the Atlantic to sink their ships. Gyrd was weary about them, their had never been a naval battle under his reign. "Of course the Vikings will win", Halvor told him, "they are people of the sea!".

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Unfortunately, this naval battle would also be the last he witnessed. King Gyrd peacefully past away, in his sleep. The country mourned for him, he was not the smartest but he had the charisma and level-headedness few monarchs could hope to achieve. He had led Denmark into a new age, and turned the nation from the more barbaric to civilsed. He had sucessfully kept Denmark in the British Isles, and opened the gateway to wider European politics. He would be missed. His heir, Christian, was a much stronger, militaristic man. He was a warrior, but kept the level-headedness of his father. He wanted to make Denmark the biggest power in the North, and strengthen Denmark through unity, after previous divides through religion. He believed the whole of the British Isles was meant for Denmark, and wanted to unite his "less-Danish peoples".

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Excellent update! Though it is starting to get lonely in here...
 
Chapter 10: Unlikely Power

There was nothing that could be done to change the war. There just wasn't enough warscore. In the end, Christian took the best option, a white peace.

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With the end of the war, Christian wanted to improve Denmark's armies. He put every single last soldier into better training, and made them swear loyalty to the King. The soldiers proper titles from then on were 'Housecarls'.

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Halvor burst into the throne room, panting as he rushed to the newly-crowned king.
"My king...word just reached...the court...something...really important."
"Spit it out Halvor, I don't have all day! I know you were the loyal advisor to my father and his father before him, but there is no time like the present!"
"Yes...we have a cardinal in the Papal State. A cardinal...loyal to us."
"WHAT?! Hahaa!" Christian laughed consistently for 5 minutes.
"Us? The barbarians who changed our religion to do more war? The only thing this cardinal will be getting is mead. Strong Danish mead!"
Halvor was not impressed. He thought the king would be more serious, but it only meant he had to take matters into his own hands. He told the Italian messenger to take the standard amount of ducats for the cardinal. It was treason, but Halvor decided this sort of power could come in useful.

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Christian wanted to start his first war as leader. It would be small, but he wanted to be sure he would be victorious. He chose Gwynedd, he like the look of the province. Nice landscape and climate. Odd language though. This would be a small barrier as the Vikings would pillage their way to the Irish Sea.

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News came from the far away, in Bulgaria. Multiple wars had gone disatrously for Bulgaria, and their 'empire' was in ruins. Croatia, Wallachia an Byzantium had taken large chunks out of the crippled Bulgaria. Christian was not interested.

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He had bigger things to deal with, the war. Denmark had won easily, with no intervention from Leinster. Gwynedd was quickly annexed.

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West Francia finally made peace with Norway, with a Norwegian defeat. They were forced to release Jamatland, but that was good for Denmark. It weakened their ally, but it meant Denmark could expand more into central Scandinavia. For the next few years, Christian was fixated on increasing power in Scandinavia. With the war ended, it also meant Denmark could do the unthinkable without upsetting Norway too much. Denmark allied West Francia. Yes, West Francia, the country they were at war with a couple years prior. It vastly increased Denmarks capabilities, as they would not likely be attacked with the biggest power in Europe on their side. With this alliance, Denmark enacted a royal marriage. Some cousin of Christians would marry some French royal.

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Christian took the chance to increase power in Scandinavia. Svealand had had its freedom for long enough. Its time was running out however, as it was time for war!

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Around this time Danish scholars in Danelaw had researched a more efficient method of farming, and it had a great effect on the local economy.

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The newly trained Danish army in Scandinavia was very strong compared to the old styles that Svealand still used. With Norwegian support, the Danes were very successful, sieging provinces with little effort. Stockholm, bastion of Eastern Scandinavia fell in a matter of months.

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The Italian messenger came back one day, straight into the throne room.
"What is the meaning of this? Who gave you permission to be here?"
"No-one my king. I came straight to you because I have great news! You are the Papal Controller! A great day for the whole of Denmark! You should be proud!"
"The what...?"

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After this intrusion (Christian still had no idea what a Papal Controller is, but it sounded good) Christian turned his attention North. The war against Svealand was over. He took one province to increase Denmark's power directly, and indirectly by vassilising Svealand.

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A look again at the diplomatic map of Denmark. More vassals had been made, and a great ally to the South. It was a great time to be in Denmark.

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Chapter 11: Never underestimate the Sami

With the releasing of Jamtaland, came difficulties for cartographers and land owners. People jumped at the chance to take some more land while the nation was being set up. However, Jamtaland went with pre-annexation boundaries, which led to boundary disputes.

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Christian saw Scotland, and saw that Denmark still had a casus belli. They had no major allies so they were a great target for Christian. He wanted to take them out before they could join a coalition and be out of reach.

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The Danish army marched into Lothian, confident that it would be a swift war. Oh, it was.

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It was a bloodbath. The Scottish army was fast asleep as the Danish approached. They were not expected for another day, and the Danes took this to their advantage. Not a single Scot survived the battle, that's 6000 dead against 544 Danes died. It was the beginning of the end of Scottish power in the Northern British Isles. Ulrik was heralded a national hero and was made into a saga, "The Saga of Ulrik Lunge, the Killer of Scots"

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The Vikings stormed through Scotland, and were met with little resistance. The Scots couldn't rebuild an army in time, the Danes were too quick.

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Meanwhile, in West Francia a monumentous decision was made. The Carolingian king thought West Francia was big enough to not be 'West' anymore. The French peoples were mostly re-united, so West Francia turned into France. Neighbouring countries trembled in fear as the Big Blue Blob was created, ready to smite all foes!

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As sieges were being won, Some nobles wanted more titles, expecting to be entitled to Scottish lands. Christian would have none of it, it would upset the peasant s too much.

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Soon, Ulrik had taken over all of Scotland. It was decided that Scotland would not be annexed in one go, but in two wars. This first war would split Scotland, taking two provinces. Fife and Highlands would be taken, leaving the remaining three provinces all isolated from each other. This would keep Scotland from rising up and trying to re-claim lost land.

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Fife was given to the vassal Strathclyde, but Highlands would not be taken without being cored.

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Less than a year later, Norway declared war on the Sami. The Sami had been out of Scandinavian affairs for the most part, and had stayed quite big (in land size, not amount of provinces). However, Norway was hungry for land since they lost Jamtaland. Denmark of course accepted, thinking it would be a easy war. The Sami were being heavily underestimated however.

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After a brief spell in Vasterbotten, the Danes made a formal retreat and stayed out of the war. The Sami were not to be messed with half-heartedly. What they lacked in training, they made up for with strength and determination. Even the Danish Vikings could not out-do them easily.

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Christian saw this as a humiliation. Tribesman, beating his soldiers?! It was time to reform the army once more. This time the cavalry was changed. Only the finest horses would be used. This vastly increased the speed and agility of the cavalry, increasing its effectiveness.

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The BBB ate its first victim. Flanders had got just a bit too big for France's liking. Since taking over Normandy, they had taken a lot of precious coastline in Northern France. France decided to act.

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Finally, one of the last havens of Norse belief, the capital Sjaelland, was converted. It had been troublesome as the Norse refused to pay the Church taxes. It would be beneficial for the economy for them to be converted.

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Christian had had enough. The war was lost, for sure. Norway could not do it on their own and Christian didn't want to risk losing manpower for a lost cause. While Denmark still had a chance, White Peace was declared. So much for the 'Warrior King'. People seemed to dislike this monarch.

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Norway was not so lucky. The Sami had actually inflicted damage on them, and a White Peace was impossible. They were forced to cede Halogaland to the Sami. A major humiliation for Norway and for Denmark, even though they went out of the war prior to this.

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Some said suicide because of the recent defeat. Some said murder due to unpopularity. Some said his smarter son had him killed to usher in a greater age for Denmark. Whatever the reason, Christian I was dead. His son, Christian II, took his place. A much smarter man, he did not make promises to the people he could not complete. He was set to be a much better king, still military minded, but was also a great diplomat. What would come of Denmark during his reign? Who knew. The complete conquest of Scotland? A war with England or Holstein? Maybe even a war with Norway, as relations were deteriorating over time. Long love King Christian II Olafid!

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Doing good so far.
However, I do have a question since I've never played this mod. With France uniting so soon, won't it blob even more than normal? haha
Or is there an event further along that breaks it up, like during the Hundred Years War?