This last war was much more fruitful than the previous one against Denmark. The only danger now is that Poland might want to recover Toruń just when you are busy in the north or east.
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It is a treat to see you writing again! Good story so far.
I think you've hit on the right method. Wait for Poland to be distracted by another enemy, regardless of who starts it, and then pile on. Take a modest slice, rinse and repeat. Only take care not to multiply your own enemies.
Pomerania is not only valuable in and of itself but as a highway to the richer provinces in the west.
Sounds like the Grandmaster has left his successor in a good position. Time for him to pass the torch.
I think you've hit on the right method. Wait for Poland to be distracted by another enemy, regardless of who starts it, and then pile on. Take a modest slice, rinse and repeat. Only take care not to multiply your own enemies.
Pomerania is not only valuable in and of itself but as a highway to the richer provinces in the west.
Sounds like the Grandmaster has left his successor in a good position. Time for him to pass the torch.
A victory over the hated Poles to cap the Grandmaster's career. And the Liberum Veto is certain to hurt them in the long run. How are Lithuania and Muscovy doing? There may yet be opportunities in the East.
Morboth: You're correct and I fixed the screenie. Thanks for letting me know!
Enewald: I'm reaching the conclusion that there's not going to be all that much peace and quiet in my area of the world.
gabor: As I mentioned, Thorn was always in TO hands. For some reason Thorn/Torun province is not. I wonder if Thorn was on the border at the time or something.
Regarding Lodz, my good friend Wikipedia points to a document given to Lodzia in 1332. Wladyslaw granted them city rights in 1423. The Germanized version I used last post (Lodsch) dates to the Partition of Poland in the 1790s.
Ar7: Thankfully. Now I'm 2-2 in wars.
volksmarschall: I was probably a little generous, but as I wrote: I didn't see von Plauen going for total domination, and anyway the Poles had two big armystacks that I didn't want to lose to.
germanpeon: No. When I took Pommerania I tried to make peace with them, but apparently vassals cannot make peace while their overlord is at war. So...I checked with Poland, and I didn't have the option to take Pommern. Nor did I have enough warscore to force them to release Pommerania. As volksmarschall said, I was a bit generous and in this next post I'll pay for that.
blsteen: Stabilize the Baltics....hm. We'll get back to you on that.
Chief Ragusa: I can only imagine that by the end of this post Poland's decommed alot of troops. There economy has to be a real mess by now.
Fookison: Muscovy would consider it a kindness if the Teutonic Order fell into the Baltic Sea. Brandenburg actually likes us - perhaps because we sold them the Neumark.
Stuyvesant: That was pretty much my thinking: Opting out of the Polish war gives von Plauen a victory he needed badly, and doesn't risk the disastrous manpower devastating battles I fought against Lithuania and Denmark (or rather Denmark's pretender rebels).
AllmyJames: Welcome! I like EU3 well enough, though history usually gets thrown out the window pretty fast. The TO is alot of fun, but since there are very few minors to chomp on if you're going to expand, it's going to be by fighting nations as big as if not bigger than you area.
aldriq: Oh yes. Poland hates me now. I think our relations are in the -190s.
Director: I'm kinda waiting for von Plauen to pass on, though it'll be a sad day. He's been with me for nine chapters now. I'm kinda used to his complete absence of diplomatic skills.
merrick: I hope the LV hurts poland, but from what little I've seen of the events down the road....it's not that bad. Certainly getting 15 free regiments when you really need 'em is worth it.
Lithuania is turning into the regional superpower. I hope a previous poster is right and Lithuania gets into massive revolt problems (and perhaps a ruinous war with Muscovy). I would have to be very clever and very lucky to stand against them 1 on 1.
Enewald: I'm reaching the conclusion that there's not going to be all that much peace and quiet in my area of the world.
gabor: As I mentioned, Thorn was always in TO hands. For some reason Thorn/Torun province is not. I wonder if Thorn was on the border at the time or something.
Regarding Lodz, my good friend Wikipedia points to a document given to Lodzia in 1332. Wladyslaw granted them city rights in 1423. The Germanized version I used last post (Lodsch) dates to the Partition of Poland in the 1790s.
Ar7: Thankfully. Now I'm 2-2 in wars.
volksmarschall: I was probably a little generous, but as I wrote: I didn't see von Plauen going for total domination, and anyway the Poles had two big armystacks that I didn't want to lose to.
germanpeon: No. When I took Pommerania I tried to make peace with them, but apparently vassals cannot make peace while their overlord is at war. So...I checked with Poland, and I didn't have the option to take Pommern. Nor did I have enough warscore to force them to release Pommerania. As volksmarschall said, I was a bit generous and in this next post I'll pay for that.
blsteen: Stabilize the Baltics....hm. We'll get back to you on that.
Chief Ragusa: I can only imagine that by the end of this post Poland's decommed alot of troops. There economy has to be a real mess by now.
Fookison: Muscovy would consider it a kindness if the Teutonic Order fell into the Baltic Sea. Brandenburg actually likes us - perhaps because we sold them the Neumark.
Stuyvesant: That was pretty much my thinking: Opting out of the Polish war gives von Plauen a victory he needed badly, and doesn't risk the disastrous manpower devastating battles I fought against Lithuania and Denmark (or rather Denmark's pretender rebels).
AllmyJames: Welcome! I like EU3 well enough, though history usually gets thrown out the window pretty fast. The TO is alot of fun, but since there are very few minors to chomp on if you're going to expand, it's going to be by fighting nations as big as if not bigger than you area.
aldriq: Oh yes. Poland hates me now. I think our relations are in the -190s.
Director: I'm kinda waiting for von Plauen to pass on, though it'll be a sad day. He's been with me for nine chapters now. I'm kinda used to his complete absence of diplomatic skills.
merrick: I hope the LV hurts poland, but from what little I've seen of the events down the road....it's not that bad. Certainly getting 15 free regiments when you really need 'em is worth it.
Lithuania is turning into the regional superpower. I hope a previous poster is right and Lithuania gets into massive revolt problems (and perhaps a ruinous war with Muscovy). I would have to be very clever and very lucky to stand against them 1 on 1.
IX: An Age of War (1430-1433)
Aftermath
Hochmeister von Plauen crowed about his triumph over the Poles. He stated in letters to Poland's western neighbors that this proved God stood with the Teutons. Chroniclers suggest he meant these messages as encouragement to trust in God's will, a sentiment rapidly fading (if it was ever truly present) in European courts. Unfortunately, according to the Papal Legate...
Paul von Wattzau said:
It would be hard to imagine the Teutonic Knights more isolated: Pommerania and Poland naturally hated them. The Lithuanians under the child Grand Duke Svitrigalia considered the Order an obstacle to their own destiny. Novgorod, Denmark and Sweden all saw Teuton armies on their soil within the last twenty years. Only tiny Pskov stood with their protectors.
Worse, with the Order out of the way Poland turned its full attention on Bohemia. They seized Silesia in November 1430 and sieged Posen. Imperial authority cracked that much faster as member states watched their emperor reduced to impotency and a massive war broke out between six states over northern Germany.
Brandenburg's new ruler, Johann Siegmund von Holstein, realized he'd need new allies. With King Sigismund buried, his duchy broke free from Hungary. Rather than relying on the emperor (and never having seen von Plauen's 'encouragement') von Holstein contacted the Teutons about an offensive/defensive alliance. Anyone that could help against a potentially vengeful Poland was welcome.
At mass on Christmas Day, 1430, Heinrich von Plauen announced his desire for a 'lasting' peace. It's impossible to say whether he was sincere - not many of his own peers believed him, but it's possible the sixty year old grandmaster meant it. He allowed Tressler (Treasurer) von Uexkull to retire suggesting he didn't plan to rely on heavy taxation for the forseeable future. Instead he hired a Frenchman, Nicolas Henri de Chambly, to design a new cathedral at Konigsberg with murals of the Knights' proud history. (Artist, bonus to Stability)
Whether von Plauen truly contemplated peace may be up for debate, but he wouldn't get it. In December 1430 Novgorod declared war on the Golden Horde, two Muslim nations and Lithuania. The Lithuanians were already massing on the Novgorod border.
To a man like von Plauen, few things could be more heretical than allying your Catholic nation with Muslims and Tatars. For once he remained publicly silent, though privately asserted:
Heinrich von Plauen said:
The Lithuanians sieged Kholm in January. Novgorod prepared a mighty army of some 20,000 under Prince Rurik Romanov to kick them right back out. Before the Rus could react, Ingrians rebelled in Narva demanding freedom. Both Prince Romanov and Hochmeister von Plauen thought at the time this was mere coincidence but it was in fact the work of Danukas Zabella. Zabella was a statesman who didn't have much of a role in Kazimieras' reign (Kazimieras being too bellicose) but prospered with the young grand duke. He successfully lured the Rus army away long enough for reinforcements to flood into Kholm. The city fell in March.
Reinforced to 37,000, the Lithuanian army marched on Novgorod. Prince Romanov replied with his own army leading to a two day battle in late April. the Lithuanians took up defensive positions around the city. Twice Romanov successfully broke the line, but twice the Lithuanians had more than enough men to fill the gap. Romanov retreated with 4,000 losses. The Lithuanians lost 6,500 but held the field.
When word reached the Grandmaster he issued an edit authorizing the Teutons to "save the souls of our Rus neighbors and bring them back into a covenant with Christ." In this edict he warmly addressed his '(Catholic) brother Alexander', completely ignoring a) Alexander's failure (and disinterest) in converting his fellow Pskovians, and b) Alexander died in October.
Another Holy War
On May 19, 1431 the Teutonic Knights went to war. Again.
The initial plan called for Adam von Buexhoeven to intercept and destroy the Novgorod army with von Plauen (and hopefully Pskov) in support. With the army destroyed the Order could seize the Baltic coast and absorb it into the Order. Converting Novgorod, frankly, was an afterthought - a legal justification that the Hochmeister didn't consider as important as increasing the Order's power and prestige. (Cleansing of Heretics CB) (Completed Mission - Protect Against Poland (their war is ongoing), New Mission - Improve our Prestige)
After a great deal of maneuvering where Ingrian rebels harassed both Teutons and Russians, von Buexhoeven forced Romanov to fight on an open field near Koporye. There, in the shadow of a fortress dating back to the late thirteenth century, fourteen thousand Rus battled ten thousand Germans.
Romanov had two thousand boyar cavalry to support his infantry. Von Buexhoeven had none to speak of and lost several hundred men in flank attacks while closing the distance with the Russian footsoldiers. The Germans hadn't had enough time to properly set up supply trains and the Teuton infantry only had an average of five crossbow bolts each.
At around 3 PM the melee began in earnest. The tide turned swiftly against the Order since they had no legitimate answer to the boyar cavalry. As von Buexhoeven contemplated retreat, the Pskovians charged into the fray with a banner of cavalry built on the Rus model. This scattered the Novgorodians and around sunset they retired to regroup.
This was a fatal error as it allowed Hochmeister von Plauen time to advance through the night. Messengers rushed back and forth through the predawn hours (two horses and one man lost their lives tripping over uneven ground) to bring the grandmaster on scene by 6:30 AM.
Nonetheless the battle continued for most of this day as well. It was more haphazard than the first with each army displaying grave weaknesses: Von Buexhoeven lacked supplies, von Plauen's army was exhausted, and Romanov's desperate and panicky. No full battlelines collided with each army relying on maneuver and subterfuge. At around 4 PM Romanov's remaining boyars engulfed the Pskovian banner and destroyed it. In a careless moment they paused to enjoy the victory, which gave von Plauen's heavy cavalry time to slam into their formation with bloodied lances. Finally Romanov's army crumbled leaving 5,000 on the field to 1,500 Teutons.
The Russians retreated to the fortress at Korporye but didn't have the supplies for a prolonged siege. On August 15, 1431 Koporye surrendered and Novgorod ceased to field an army. Prince Romanov escaped in the confusion of surrender.
With the entire Baltic coast under siege, von Plauen made the strategic error of withdrawing most of his army for the winter. Certainly it made sense on paper but this gave Svitrigalia the initiative. On December 10 his army captured Romanov. Under torment he gave up a secret passage into the city and on December 24, Novgorod itself fell. Svitrigalia arrived to accept the republic's surrender on January 17 with Danukas Zabella in tow.
The Lithuanians treated Novgorod much as the Mongols treated Kiev in 1240. The city was set on fire, its populace raped, robbed and massacred. Reports that the city still burned when Svitrigalia arrived are probably exaggerated, but never again would Novgorod pose any kind of threat to western Europe. Momentum had already edged in Muscovy's direction. Between this and their conquest of Tver in 1433, it became clear that Russia's future would come from Moscow.
Svitrigalia demanded territory and indemnities of course, but the masterstroke came from Danukas. Danukas demanded that Prince Romanov release the Ingrians and let them have their own nation. He then presented Vainamoinen Jarnberg, the leader of Ingria's rebellion 1 1/2 years before. Novgorod agreed and, as has been written, faded from history.
Grr!
Lithuanian messengers met von Plauen outside of Narva in early February explaining that they were illegally attacking the independent Duchy of Ingria. Furthermore, Lithuania was sworn to defend Ingria, and if the armies didn't disperse by the end of the month Lithuania would have to 'reluctantly' defend their new friend. (Alliance)
Von Plauen conferred with his commanders: Novgorod utterly failed to weaken Lithuania enough to contemplate action. Though Jarnberg was a Catholic, part of the treaty promised he wouldn't attempt to convert the Ingrians from the Greek faith - more sign of Lithuania's apostasy. The whole (unofficial) point of the war was to gain Ingria for the Order. They were still at war with Novgorod... The next day he replied:
(Guarantee)von Plauen said:
This displeased the Svitrigalia, but he had no immediate reply so his army abandoned Novgorod - just as the Teuton army moved in. If the Order could no longer directly benefit from Novgorod's prostration they could still carry out their official intent.
On February 26, the Teutons surrounded the city. Only once, on March 5, did defenders attempt to sally forth and break the siege. They failed and on April 10 the despairing garrison, hoping for mercy, opened the gates. A young knight on his first campaign recorded his reaction:
Wolfgang von Schimler said:
Excepting men like von Schimler, the Order's army knew the ways of war. With such an active and ruthless Hochmeister that was inevitable. Yet condemnation, some no doubt exaggerated by the politics of the day, was universal. Most of the city lay in ruins with the blackened debris of pyres scattered throughout. (The ground too cold for digging mass graves). Novgorod's people were starving and had little help of salvation since the Lithuanians stole or destroyed their seed. No animal lived within the city walls except perhaps for the most cunning of rats.
This had a profound impact on the Hochmeister who abruptly sickened of war and renewed his promise to fight no more. He ordered his men not to sack the city - an order obeyed more because there was nothing left to steal than due to morals - and forced Prince Romanov, his advisors and the commanders of his garrison to submit to Rome. The knyaz delivered a stinging rebuke:
Rurik Romanov said:
Uneasy Truce
On the way home von Plauen fulfilled what he stated to the Lithuanian messengers: As most of the army marched through Pskov back into Teuton lands, he rode with an honor guard to Narva to meet with the Ingrian duke. Ingrian chroniclers report they got along surprisingly well with Vainamoinen warmly receiving his neighbor.
(Ingria is in our SoI. Also - Completed Mission: Improve Prestige)Ingrian Chronicles said:
This did not sit well with Svitrigalia, who replied by contriving charges against a German merchant in Vilnius leading to a ban on all Teuton imports and exports. (Trade Embargo) Lacking a port of his own, this hurt Lithuania more than the Order and only made him more determined to gain access to the sea.
The Poles, meanwhile, upped the ante by successfully taking Silesia away from Bohemia then annexing them. They followed that up in 1433 by annexing Pommerania.
It was late spring in 1432 when the Hochmeister finally arrived in Marienburg. The devastation in Novgorod and the warm reception he received in Ingria reaffirmed his desire to finish his tenure in peace. He began to actively train men who might be in position to succeed him. Reflecting on the burdens and challenges of his reign, von Plauen decided to try and resolve one of them so his successor wouldn't have to. (New Mission: Improve Relations with Lithuania)
It's a sad lesson of both psychology and history that once people disagree for an extended period of time, when one tries to make peace it's often interperted as weakness. Svitrigalia had no interest in peace. He answered von Plauen's gestures by publicizing the Order's apparent lack of resolve. The young duke rode to Medininkai:
(Gift to Lithuania, relations to -182. Lithuania sent a spy to tarnish my reputation. Relations to -200)Svitrigalia of Lithuania said:
While Hochmeister von Plauen waited for his diplomatic initiatives to bear fruit, he allowed Danzig to host a gathering of the major merchant houses of the Hanseatic League. They were suitably grateful. (Lumber Rights to Hansa. Trade Station - Ostpreussen)
He also pondered the growing fanaticism of his Gotland 'brother':
Tell Us How You Really Feel
Upon hearing of the young Lithuanian's speech, Hochmeister von Plauen's attitude switched once more. Though still unwilling to fight, he decided that continuing to try to make friends with Svitrigalia simply wouldn't work. Instead he sent a trusted warrior, Johann Eustach von Ampringen, deep behind enemy lines.
Von Ampringen was a Hungarian by birth. He knew the customs and traditions of the region and, while he was a Romanist by faith, he knew enough of the Orthodox rites to fit in. He migrated to southern Lithuania with several bags of coin. He told the people there stories of independent Smolensk and promised that they too could be free of Lithuanian domination. He spent most of the coin establishing relations with Moldavian and Hungarian smugglers who brought weapons into the region. Rebellion quickly followed. (Two can play at this game: Four rebel uprising attempts (3 successful, 1 detected) in southern Lithuania)
He returned home a hero and became von Plauen's Grand Marschal. If there could be no peace with Lithuania, then von Amprigen was going to be a busy man.
Lithuania is next? Hopefully the Order can pull off some kind of significant victory this time.
Good update!
Good update!
Ampringen ain't that good.
Try to vassalize Ingria?
And who not vassalize Novgorod?
Try to vassalize Ingria?
And who not vassalize Novgorod?
Well, it was almost a victorious war. And Novgorod was forced to renounce its heresy, which in Von Plauen's mind has to count for something.
The squabble over Ingria looks set to get ... interesting. What's that green beyond Lake Ladoga? Karelia?
The squabble over Ingria looks set to get ... interesting. What's that green beyond Lake Ladoga? Karelia?
You can tell von Plauen is going senile when he sends a gift to the Lithuanians and it's not someone's head...
Pity about those Ingrian provinces, but then again it might be good to have a buffer against Sweden for now.
Pity about those Ingrian provinces, but then again it might be good to have a buffer against Sweden for now.
It's certainly not a cake walk. You're holding your own but at a cost.
"It would be hard to imagine the Teutonic Knights more isolated:"
Ha, you want isolated look at my Venice!
Great writing as always CatKnight. Looking forward to more.
Joe
"It would be hard to imagine the Teutonic Knights more isolated:"
Ha, you want isolated look at my Venice!
Great writing as always CatKnight. Looking forward to more.
Joe
I hope you can get in another round of war with Poland before the inevitable showdown with Lithuania.The Tartars and Muscovites ought to want a piece of Lithuania.
Shame about Ingria being popped. Lithuania really doesn't want the Order expanding. I liked how von Plauen's gift idea backfired.
What has Naples done that makes Gotland hate her so?
Shame about Ingria being popped. Lithuania really doesn't want the Order expanding. I liked how von Plauen's gift idea backfired.
What has Naples done that makes Gotland hate her so?
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i'd hope Novgorod will convert its capital and then i'll try to diplo-vassalise-annex it; this CoT would make you rich!
i was really surprised Ingria appeared -!- how charmingly ahistorical/implausible; anyway i wouldn't try to incorporate it, unless for some strategic reasons, these two wrong-culture, wrong-religion provs are dirt poor
i was really surprised Ingria appeared -!- how charmingly ahistorical/implausible; anyway i wouldn't try to incorporate it, unless for some strategic reasons, these two wrong-culture, wrong-religion provs are dirt poor
Von Plauen is going soft in his old age! His desire for peace might have been sincere, but it can't overcome the realities of his age (and possibly his own genes).
I liked the overall ebb and flow of the piece, the rapid changes, from defeat to victory to defeat to sort-of victory in the end. An eventful few years for the Teutons.
Two lines stood out for me:
This:
I liked the overall ebb and flow of the piece, the rapid changes, from defeat to victory to defeat to sort-of victory in the end. An eventful few years for the Teutons.
Two lines stood out for me:
Somehow, for me, the addition of 'as has been written', gives an extra layer of melancholy to the message. I really liked it.
This:
with that screenshot, gives maximum comic payoff for minimum verbal investment. Well done.
COMMENT: Sorry for the delay, folks. I had a few days off from work and have been enjoying wandering around the nearby provinces
germanpeon: No doubt there will be a major bloodfest with Lithuania sooner or later, but I really want an advantage before committing myself. I suspect Lithuania wants the same.
Enewald: Vassalizing (and therefore fighting) Ingria means dealing with Lithuania. (see above) Vassalizing Novgorod means committing to defending them from Muscovy. I'm not sure we want to be fighting in Russia every five years forever.
merrick: Right...we definitely didn't lose vs. Novgorod, but it wasn't the victory I hoped for. The green is Karelia.
Fookison: I hope so too!
aldriq: Ingria's...interesting. As you say, maybe it's just as well to keep Sweden off our border for right now.
Storey: It's not a cakewalk, that's for sure. I think the tide may have turned though: After losing to Denmark and Lithuania I've enjoyed some success.
Chief Ragusa: How did you know what the AI would do? As for Gotland - Naples is indeed dishonorable scum. Further, they hold Rome. I know in EU2 that would give all Catholics an instant CB...is that true here too?
gabor: I agree regarding Novgorod, though again I'd want to see Muscovy humbled a bit more before I committed myself to northern Russia.
As for Ingria..yes, I agree it's ahistorical and a little hard to swallow. (Then again, so is Karelia and - in this time frame - Estonia). This mod seems to pride itself on how many revolting nations are possible.
On the other hand, having all these little nations around really changes the dynamic of the game. While it makes some AIs more aggressive and may encourage blobbing (I've never seen so much dishonorable scum in my gaming life), we also have some interesting 'cold war' situations developing.
Stuyvesant: Yeah, trying for peace was a longshot - though at least he snapped out of it. Thanks for the other comments. I rather liked Gotland's screenshot myself.
germanpeon: No doubt there will be a major bloodfest with Lithuania sooner or later, but I really want an advantage before committing myself. I suspect Lithuania wants the same.
Enewald: Vassalizing (and therefore fighting) Ingria means dealing with Lithuania. (see above) Vassalizing Novgorod means committing to defending them from Muscovy. I'm not sure we want to be fighting in Russia every five years forever.
merrick: Right...we definitely didn't lose vs. Novgorod, but it wasn't the victory I hoped for. The green is Karelia.
Fookison: I hope so too!
aldriq: Ingria's...interesting. As you say, maybe it's just as well to keep Sweden off our border for right now.
Storey: It's not a cakewalk, that's for sure. I think the tide may have turned though: After losing to Denmark and Lithuania I've enjoyed some success.
Chief Ragusa: How did you know what the AI would do? As for Gotland - Naples is indeed dishonorable scum. Further, they hold Rome. I know in EU2 that would give all Catholics an instant CB...is that true here too?
gabor: I agree regarding Novgorod, though again I'd want to see Muscovy humbled a bit more before I committed myself to northern Russia.
As for Ingria..yes, I agree it's ahistorical and a little hard to swallow. (Then again, so is Karelia and - in this time frame - Estonia). This mod seems to pride itself on how many revolting nations are possible.
On the other hand, having all these little nations around really changes the dynamic of the game. While it makes some AIs more aggressive and may encourage blobbing (I've never seen so much dishonorable scum in my gaming life), we also have some interesting 'cold war' situations developing.
Stuyvesant: Yeah, trying for peace was a longshot - though at least he snapped out of it. Thanks for the other comments. I rather liked Gotland's screenshot myself.
X: Into the Sunset (1433-1439)
Cold War
Six years of peace followed the forced conversion of Novgorod to the one true faith. After a lifetime of fighting the Hochmeister of the Teutonic Order was tired and fading at long last, with some even questioning his ability to continue after a botched attempt to repair relations with Lithuania.
He recovered from this error. Though Heinrich von Plauen still showed no heart for fighting as the 1430s progressed he kept the Order's knights and footmen well supplied including several 'demonstrations' on the Lithuanian border. Grand Duke Svitrigaila naturally returned the compliment. Twenty-two banners established their headquarters and rally points within a week's march of the Teuton border and they too 'demonstrated' when funds and time permitted.
This cold war extended to Ingria. Duke Vainanomen wanted to remain non-partisan, so when von Plauen visited again in late 1433 they signed an alliance to match that with Lithuania. Ulaszo von Luxembourg, King of Hungary, offered his services as a neutral arbiter between the feuding nations - an absurd gesture since he had no way of enforcing his will. (Hungary guarantees Ingria. Uh..sure.)
In January 1434 vicious rumors regarding the honesty and good faith of Teuton merchants circulated in Lubeck. These statements held little truth and agitators couldn't produce any evidence against the Danzigers. They hired investigators to rebuild who started this slander. Several weeks later a messenger approached Lord von Plauen, kissed the ring of his office, and told him that Danukas Zabella was behind this intrigue.
Teuton records are silent on what happened next. What we know is that von Plauen sent for Grand Marschall Johann Eustach von Ampringen, the man who vexed Svitrigaila the year before. On February 23, 1434 Zabella reportedly tripped over his robes, fell down a tower stairwell in Vilnius, and broke his head. Though the Lithuanians suspected someone 'helped' him fall, no one could prove it. (Lithuania tries to incite against merchants and fails. I assassinate an advisor, succeed and am not discovered.)
In 1435 Svitrigalia tried to involve the Bohemian emperor, his military ally, by having Samogitia added to the Empire and so promising Imperial intervention if the Teutons should renew their claim. Von Plauen wrote Emperor Ladislav II:
Heinrich von Plauen said:
Ladislav wasn't a particularly religious man, at least by fifteenth century standards, but he saw no particular reason to antagonize the Pope or the spiritual electors. Further, Svitrigaila had begun aggressively petitioning for a royal crown of his own. With Denmark, England, Naples and Poland all holding Imperial territory (albeit all non-voting members), he felt the Empire didn't need another royal claimant. He refused. (Bohemia says that the Empire doesn't have any openings or some such)
Von Plauen's (unnecessary) intervention angered Svitrigalia, who mobilized his army for war in the spring of 1436. The Order responded quickly: Too quickly for the young Lithuanian king who instead vented his frustration on the hapless Golden Horde. The Lithuanians marched southward, but by August were on the way home. Simply put the Tatars didn't own anything they wanted. Further, the long rides up and down eastern Europe sickened Svitrigaila and he spent much of the late summer and early autumn battling various fevers. (Lithuania, Ingria, Bohemia and Aquileia vs. the Horde and three nations in Asia Minor. While Lithuania does border the Horde, any province they could reach is already occupied by Crimea. One sitzkrieg coming up.) (Also, Event: Delegate to Provinces in Sickness of King)
Descending into Chaos
While Lithuania suffered some turbulence, Poland steadily slipped towards anarchy. In 1433 a major revolt in Pommerania took months for King Krysystof to put down. A major peasant uprising (Peasant War) began in 1434. A brief religious heresy attempting to reconcile the differences between Catholics and Orthodox Christians to create a unified third faith struck southern Poland later that year.
In February 1435 Mecklenburg declared war on Denmark. Poland answered Denmark's call for help, but ended up doing absolutely nothing as Krysystof pushed south to crush a fresh peasant uprising in Kalisch.
On March 21, 1435 12,000 Poles - the majority of Poland's fighting nobility - descended on the self proclaimed Republic of Kalisz. The peasants hadn't taken the city so deployed in woods to the south. The royal victory was mundane and wouldn't be worthy of mention at all except a crossbow-wielding peasant took a wild shot at the royal standard less than a second before a Plock light horseman cut him in half with his sabre. The bolt sailed into King Krysysztof's throat and he fell from his horse in a gushing pool of blood.
Once more regents ruled Poland. Stefan, Krysysztof's second cousin, was only ten and nowhere near ready to lead a slowly collapsing nation. Czarny and Brescia had also gone to God, so no single voice was loud enough to be heard above the tumult of bickering nobles. The Liberum Veto guaranteed that they accomplished nothing at all.
Strangely enough this was the rebellion's last gasp and under a strong king (or any king at all) Poland would have recovered. As it stood, Poland's neighbors stared at her covetously. Bohemia wanted revenge for losing Silesia. Lithuania always welcomed a chance to expand. They hesitated, not wanting to earn a reputation as a bully like Sweden had for annihilating Karelia in a matter of months.
Von Plauen hesitated as well, partly due to his new found conviction about the futility of warfare and partly because he feared Lithuania would step in if he did attack Poland again. As weeks turned into months then years of stagnation he slowly rose to the challenge.
The Breaking Point
In January 1438 a Pole approached the aging grandmaster after he gave mass. He was a peasant named Cerek (later Cerek z Kalisz) and spoke on behalf of the survivors of Krysysztof's final battle. He told the Germans present about chaos gripping Poland, with robber barons terrorizing the populace while the Polish regency remained paralyzed. He swore that if the Order would free Kalisch from the 'curse that grips the land' then his people would happily swear fealty to and serve the knighthood. (Cancel Mission: Improve Relations with Lithuania, and...)
Deus vult!
It took the rest of the winter to shift armies to the Polish border, raise four thousand mercenaries to defend (and if necessary pacify) Thorn, and try to ensure Svitrigaila wasn't going to interfere.
On March 30, 1438 riders entered Krakow delivering the Teuton ultimatum: Liberate Pommerania and Masovia, and transfer Kalisch to the Order or face attack. Two days later, without waiting for the obvious refusal, the Teutonic Order went to war.
The Polish regency may have been caught off guard, but Ferdynand Piacekzynski, Duke of Warsaw after the end of the Piast line, knew very well that 25,000 knights on his border promised trouble. He seized the initiative therefore and marched on Marienburg to throw von Plauen on the defensive.
It worked to an extent as the aging Hochmeister ordered his men to support von Buexhoeven. Nonetheless the other attacks, coordinated by Grand Marschal von Ampringen, began with no resistance. (Sieges in Hintpommern and Kalisz)
Piacekzynski paused in his advance, not wanting to risk a pitched battle on Teuton soil. After waiting for over a week in vain for the grandmaster to make a mistake he diverted his attention to Allenstein. He didn't realize von Plauen didn't want to risk the throw either and rather than defend Warmia from 12,000 Poles he advanced into Masovia while von Buexhoeven protected the capital. The western armies split to invade Posen and Plock. (Masovia, Poznan, Plock sieged as well)
With almost three-fourths of the Teuton army fighting on Polish soil, the Order must have presented a tempting target to Lithuanian ambitions. While the Order was badly out of position, Poland was prostrate. This must have gone through Svitrigaila's mind when he received word that Ladislav II wanted Silesia back and declared war. After a few hours of thought Lithuania joined in while Muscovy joined the defense.
With the Polish army trapped on Teuton soil it was only a matter of time. In June 1438 Brandenburgers joined the attack on Stettin and seized the city. Lublin fell to Lithuania, and Silesia to Bohemia in July. Lord von Plauen led two thousand men from Masovia to Sandomierz to arrive before the advancing Lithuanian horde who instead diverted to Krakow.
Warsaw surrendered in September. Plock and Kalisch followed in October. The only dramatic phase of the war began on October 21 when Allenstein surrendered to Lord Piacekzynski.
The Fall of Poland
The Pole determined that his only hope was to defeat the Teutons one army at a time before they could mass and sweep him from the field. Therefore he struck at the weak point in the offensive.
1,800 men held Plock against the Polish army hastily reinforced by local supporters back to 12,000. They skirmished and dodged the main army for two weeks before finally deploying in front of the city with the Vistula River defending their flank on November 24.
Piacekzynski had every reason to be confident, especially as the majority of his army consisted of the light, sabre wielding cavalry Poland now favored. The defenders fought stubbornly, but sword and crossbow are no match for horse. The Poles simply attacked from the exposed flank and wreaked terrible havoc. By 10 AM the survivors fled through the city gate to join the besieged. Over eighty horsemen made it into town before the gates could be shut, only to be slaughtered as the garrison fired bows and crossbows from the walls and houses.
The Pole deployed for a siege, but received a rude shock at 2 PM when 5,000 Teuton reinforcements led by Grand Marschal von Ampringen deployed north of town. He turned to fight the newcomers using similar tactics as before: Cavalry in front on the flanks, infantry in support.
This left his back to the Teuton survivors of that morning. They streamed from the city's sally ports and slammed into the Polish rear wreaking havoc on their infantry. Piacekzynski found himself surrounded and a terrible, chaotic battle erupted - terrible because all order and reason died in the swirling melee that didn't end for over an hour and left over two thousand men a piece on the field.
At about 3:15 PM the two Teuton armies and their Polish enemy managed to break contact and reform their lines. Piacekzynski's army had been badly bled, but he still had a strong numerical advantage and could afford 1:1 losses. The Teutons asked for an evening's respite to treat their wounded. The Pole sensed trickery and refused, once more advancing to battle at 4:30 PM.
Once more the exhausted armies slammed into each other. The Poles lost a good portion of their cavalry advantage when, in a stroke of sheer luck, an entire banner of Teuton heavy cavalry caught their lighter counterparts in the flank. Lance broke on man and horse alike, while their broadsword's longer reach made up for the speed of the Poles' sabres. Neither side could gain a decisive advantage, though widening gaps appeared in the Teuton melee line. Piacekzynski sensed victory and ordered his men to fight into the twilight.
Then, as the sky darkened towards night, Adam von Buexhoeven appeared. He'd already retaken Allenstein, left behind a token garrison and rushed south to catch the Poles.
Now it was Piacekzynski's turn to ask for time pleading darkness and the need to treat the wounded. Von Buexholm surprised his own men by agreeing. Later that night he explained his reasoning:
Adam von Buexhoeven said:
Piacekzynski realized he was beaten. After gathering those men still sturdy enough to travel with the army he abandoned the rest to von Buexhoeven's mercy hoping the burden would paralyze his army. In one day of very heavy fighting the Teutons lost 5,200 dead and wounded, while the Poles lost 8,800.
He retreated towards Warsaw, hoping to use his connections as duke to raise fresh levies. What he didn't realize was that Hochmeister von Plauen foresaw the maneuver and rushed there with fresh troops. On January 16, 1439 he pinned the Polish army and accepted Piacekzynski's unconditional surrender.
The End
In January 1439 the Hochmeister was 68 years old. Rushing through the Polish winter to force Piacekzynski to battle stole the last of his strength and within days of his victory he caught pneumonia. A late month thaw allowed medicos to rush him first to Allenstein, then to Marienburg. His military career was over though the war was not.
Von Ampringen proved to be an inefficient leader, much better at subterfuge than warfare. Running the entire offensive was simply beyond his skills, so Lord von Buexhoeven took on more and more of the day to day responsibilities. He was the one who gathered the banner commanders and regional komturs to discuss what they learned of Polish tactics and how to counter them. (Land 6) He was also the one who sent a message to Krakow demanding they fulfill the terms of the ultimatum.
Sandomierez and Posen fell to the Teutons that winter but the regents for King Stefan weren't quite ready to surrender. It was a curious decision given the Poles had no army nor the resources to build another one, and in the end their defiance simply made it worse.
In mid-February Brandenburg offered peace in exchange for Pommerania's independence. Poland agreed. From his sickbed von Plauen wrote the new duke promising Teuton support. (Since Brandenburg released them, they get the relations boost and alliance. I have the SoI though.)
One week later Lithuania agreed to peace, having seized Krakow and forced the regents to terms. Svitrigaila surprised everyone by not asking for Lublin in Poland. Instead he demanded territory from Muscovy - apparently he'd successfully fought a two front war against both powers. (Tula to Lithuania) Poland agreed.
In early March Bohemia seized Sieradz and a fresh Teuton army attacked Krakow. Finally Poland agreed:
The reason for taking Kalisz was obvious enough and generally justified. Further, releasing Masovia didn't ruffle any feathers even though it extended Teuton power. (Relations +200, Alliance, SoI) Posen, however, generated some bad blood even though it would otherwise be physically isolated from Poland proper. The Duke of Posen refused to swear fealty and instead opted to stay a (minor) Polish nobleman. This apparent breach would force the next Hochmeister, if he was wise, to remain at peace for a time. (Infamy 9/18)
Retirement
Yes, the next Hochmeister. It would be several months before the pneumonia finally left Heinrich von Plauen's body leaving him wasted and weak. Perhaps he foresaw this, for days after the final peace treaty he retired.
History properly criticizes Hochmeister von Plauen as an unpleasant, angry man. He gloated when he won and grew sullen when he lost. He treated all threats to his rule almost as personal attacks and responded with a cruel vindictiveness that left friends shaking their head.
One cannot ignore his accomplishments: He won a favorable peace after the Battle of Tannenberg crushed the Teuton army in 1410. He restored stability (if not health) to the economy and completed absorbing the Livonian Order. Von Plauen subjugated and converted Pskov, then converted Novgorod as well. He greatly extended Teuton influence to cover Ingria, Pskov, Masovia and Pommerania. Twice he decisively defeated Poland and reduced them to a minor regional power.
In short, the Teutonic Order had never been stronger, though culturally they still stagnated far behind western Europe. A more diplomatic man would be needed to successfully lead the knighthood into the Renaissance.
Heinrich von Plauen died of a fresh bout of pneumonia on January 19, 1442 and beatified in 1473 for converting Pskov and Novgorod. He is buried in a tomb in the cathedral at Marienburg.
Teutonic Order said:
Von Plauen saved the Order and almost doomed it. Hopefully the next Hochmeister is at a minimum as fortunate.
Hochmeister Von Plauen's reign would've made a fine AAR all by itself! All those defeats and triumphs, the personal turmoil and then the final, stunning, victory over Poland to set a seal on his long tenure at the head of the Order...
I look forward to seeing how you will continue this tale after such a triumphant finale. The next Hochmeister is bound to be a very different beast from Von Plauen.
I look forward to seeing how you will continue this tale after such a triumphant finale. The next Hochmeister is bound to be a very different beast from Von Plauen.
Hmm, now with the death of Poland you still have one powerful neighbour left with whom you will have to fight soon...
Nah, now you have border with Lithuania, Brandenburg and Bohemia.
Have fun.
Nah, now you have border with Lithuania, Brandenburg and Bohemia.
Have fun.
I think you're going to have to learn to play nice with the Muscovites. If Lithuania gets hungry, you're still not strong enough to take them on your own, and Poland could be a pretty big thorn in your side, even in its reduced state.