Consecrated blood waters my fields: a Hvitserk megacampaign
- Thread starter Avindian
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As I said in your other AAR I caught up with this, and I must say that it was a very enjoyable read. Looking forward to read more of the Whiteshirt dynasty!I appreciate how you adapt the writing to each character, and I also liked the "modern" update.
Thank you! I appreciate your kind words.
I hope your wait won't be very long. This AAR should get an update sometime soon, within the next week.
Chapter 14: A coward's reward
As I write these last few pages, I am dying. I doubt the gods will grant me many more dawns. Such is life (or more accurately death, I suppose). For a man who, in all probability, deserved execution, not mercy and a prominent role in the running of the Empire of Britannia, I have little room to complain. It seems like it has been quite some time since I have written. I have given explicit instructions to have this manuscript delivered to the Fylkir upon my death; whether he sees fit to honor these runes, to burn them, or to merely cast them aside, it is not my affair.
The gods clearly took a kind view toward the new Fylkir, back in those days of 1006, as Rikissa was born before the year's end, Halfdan's sixth child and third girl. One of Halfdan's first tasks in 1007 was to work to convince the people of the Empire to provide more power to the hands of their Fylkir. I should note that "Fylkir" was always my preferred form of address, but many continued to call him simply "Emperor." I do not personally know which he likes more, but in my eyes, a gift directly from the gods is a more potent one than a simple earthly title. The Fylkir's plan was twofold: to keep his vassals from attacking each other and to strengthen the gods by denying heretics and infidels the right to possess lands and wealth. Many vassals resisted this new policy, and it took a lot of time, effort, and especially gold to achieve the Fylkir's wishes. Of the 154 votes I needed, we had 70.
In the interest of full disclosure, I am beholden to mention that I opposed the new laws, at least at first. I was still holding out hope for a more exalted place in Halfdan's court, and I hoped to use my reluctance to vote to gain leverage. A revolt by a poor fool named Andrew actually did the Fylkir's work. Since Andrew was a die hard follower of the White Christ, it is clear that the Allfather has a sense of humor. Resistance to the new proposal melted away in a matter of days.
The rebellion served a second, even more useful purpose. On the field of Abercorn, Halfdan pioneered a daring technique that has been carefully studied by military students since. He purposefully weighted the left flank more heavily than the other two flanks combined, but concealed the bulk of his forces behind a ridgeline. As the battle unfolded, he personally led a charge of housecarls down the hill and crashed into the enemy's right flank. Andrew and his forces retreated, only to be pursued and destroyed. Andrew himself met the fate earned by all who rose against the Fylkir of the Norse Faith.
I did not see his strategy as brilliant at the time. I considered the fact that he gave me the least important part of the battle, the right flank, an insult. My ambition got the better of me, and I once again began building up support to seize a kingdom from the Fylkir. To ensure that I controlled my own fate, I did everything myself. My loyal service had not been rewarded, I had no new crown or new lands. I needed something to justify all of my work. I aimed high: the throne of the King of England.
Upon hearing this news, Halfdan met me in Castle Jorvik. I should not have underestimated Baldr the Spymaster, because the Fylkir received word of my plot mere days after I'd started preparations. I awaited him in my chambers in the western wing of the castle after getting his note. When the Fylkir entered, he was carrying Skullsplitter. He learned the axe against the wall and sat down on a chair, which strained under his weight.
"Frodi, if one of your Thanes was planning mischief against you, what would you do?"
I did not, at the time, connect this question with my own conduct, so I made the worst possible mistake. I answered honestly. "I would strip him of all honors and titles and prepare him for a future blot, Most Beloved of the Gods."
Halfdan nodded absentmindedly. Glancing at the chair beneath him, he stood up, and with a single motion, grabbed Skullsplitter and cleaved the solid oak chair into two pieces. Without looking into my eyes, he addressed me. "I have never liked that chair, Frodi. It is untrustworthy. It pretends to support your weight, but if you put a little pressure on it, it groans and creaks. A good chair should be able to withstand any pressure." Then he looked at me, and I shivered. There was no expression at all in his face. "At one point, I applauded your ambition and cowardice. It made you a sensible general when I needed one the most. As long as you were both ambitious and cowardly, they would more or less cancel each other out. I must have either enhanced your ambition or reduced your cowardice. The balance must be restored."
I tried not to wail openly. I did, however, drop to my knees and beg for my life. I reminded him of my service, blamed unruly Thanes for setting me on this unwise course, but I could tell he did not believe me. After a few more moments of groveling and glances at the two solid pieces of wood on the floor, I finally gained just enough courage to ask the Fylkir what my fate would be.
Halfdan considered his axe for a few more moments. "I will allow you to keep your honors and titles, Frodi. I will even grant you one more: you are to be the new Steward of the Imperial Court."
I was now completely confused. "Th-thank you, Fylkir, but why?"
Now Halfdan smiled. "Because I know what you hunger for. You wish to be a King." I nodded imperceptibly. "How could I possibly let the person I trust the most leave Castle Jorvik? I could not even let him lead armies in the field without my close observation. I must protect him at all costs. You will be Steward, Frodi of Mercia, and you will only receive as much glory as I choose to give you."
He had guessed my ambitions exactly. I had always privately considered that, if I could never be a King, then I would be Marshal, the Fylkir's right hand in the field. Instead, when Dyre of Dunholm died, that honor passed to Thane Gnupa of Sjaelland. I was a far better leader, strategist, and technician. But instead, I remained in my chambers most days, counting Halfdan's gold. As a final insult, I was not permitted to purchase a new chair or remove the debris from the old one. Oh, how I seethed at his unfairness -- yet, now, I see that he was as merciful as he could be without killing me outright. I look upon those chair remains now as a reminder that, no matter what awful things I did to him, at the last possible moment he controlled his rage and spared me.
In peacetime, Halfdan grew introspective. He no longer spent his time planning new conquests or even fighting in tournaments. He took up, of all things, gardening. After some time had passed since the chair incident, I asked the Fylkir why he loved digging in the garden so much. He told me that a good man must look to the future, and that the future is about building and restoring, not killing and destroying. For the first time in a very long time, I took a leave of absence to see my son, Gandalfr. He was almost a man. In one sense, I had taken after Halfdan, spending almost no time with my children. I considered education to be the work of women or seers, not warriors. Gandalfr greeted me as he should have, but there was a wariness to him: he did not think he could trust anyone, least of all his own father. That haunted me, and when I returned to Jorvik, I began sending regular notes to him to check up on him.
At the beginning of 1008, Halfdan assigned me one of the most important tasks I ever held: I was responsible, as Steward of the Empire, for calling a Moot to select the new heir to the throne. The Fylkir wanted to make sure that, in the future, the best man would rule, not just the oldest.
Halfdan lated confided to me that he had briefly considered naming Frodi as his successor (his second son, not me), but wanted to see if the boy could rule first. Without hesitation, Halfdan named Frodi as King of Svithjod, while confirming Ofeig as heir to the throne, at least for the time being.
When the Fylkir told the Court of his decision to begin drawing the rest of the Isles under his banner, I shamefully returned to my old ways of scheming, suspecting that I would be left behind to watch the castle and the Empire while he marched to the north. A minor Thane even wanted to see me gain the Emperor's throne!
Instead, he took me with him. Furthermore, to calm the various rebel groups back in England, he selected a new Chancellor: Sten (or Steinn, as he sometimes preferred) of Aland. [1] He was the son of the old Marshal, Dyre of Dunholm, and perhaps the most skilled diplomat in the history of Britannia. Everybody loved him, and within a matter of days, I found all of my support completely evaporated.
I recognize Sten as a unique genius, but to say I ever came to like him would be a lie. I blamed (and, to be perfectly frank, blame) him for disrupting my plans. When the Emperor subdued Lothian, none of the new titles went my way. When Halfdan learned that the spirit of Loki had possessed his Marshal, did he turn to me? No, of course not. He let him continue to serve, but took him out of the field. Part of me was pleased that independent Skotland lost more and more land, but more of me felt betrayed (although I recognize now that I got exactly what I deserved: nothing.)
When the Moot was finally completed on 2 May 1009, every single person (including me) voted to confirm Ofeig as Prince of Britannia. I considered this, at the time, yet another clear example of my invaluable service that went unrewarded. Halfdan quickly moved to install Moots in every kingdom he possessed and strengthened his authority in Irland. Many disliked these new policies, preferring their old autonomy, and a group of powerful nobleman proclaimed civil war against the Fylkir.
It might be fair to say that no other military campaign threatened Halfdan's reign as much as this one did. For the briefest moment, I considered joining the rebellion. With a Marshal possessed by demons, Halfdan grudgingly offered me command of the counterrevolutionary forces. I could have betrayed him. hired assassins to kill him, or even bribed his guards to abandon him on the field. The resulting confusion might have ended the Hvitserk dynasty, or at least weakened it.
Why didn't I do it? I cannot say it was loyalty. I cannot say it was that I had finally learned my place in society, because I don't know that I have now. I cannot even say it was because he was my Fylkir and the embodiment of the gods on Earth. My early plans were to defeat some of the larger armies and gradually force Halfdan to trust me, making it all the easier to stab him in the back. I won a major victory at Cardiff, and when Halfdan went back to Jorvik to attend the birth of Alvor, his fourth girl, I had all but given orders for the army to return to Jorvik as an honor guard that would just so happen to siege the castle. That was when Halfdan entrusted Bersi, his third son, to my care.
In those days, when the principle of the Moot was still shaky and there were many suggestions that the decisions might not be honored once Halfdan died, every male child was precious. To give Bersi to me, particularly when my own record with children was subpar at best, showed an amazing degree of trust. I say again: many might call Halfdan "Cruel", but I have never seen a more forgiving or just man in my life. I would probably have executed him if he even thought about betrayal, were our roles reversed. He did not. When Gnupa finally died in the summer of 1011, I did not even press the Fylkir for the title of Marshal. It passed quietly to Helgi of East Anglia.
One of the finest omens of a victory is the birth of a child; it is no coincidence that after the birth of Skuld in January of 1012 that Thane Havard of Faereyar surrendered and ended three grueling years of civil war. With the realm reunited, breaking yet another Catholic Rebellion was a mere trifle, even if Halfdan received another serious wound during the fighting.
The injury barely slowed him down. He created a new throne, the Kingdom of Wales, defeated two more rebellions, and in a matter of weeks, was leading raids on the Holy Roman Empire. The wound healed, and Halfdan led campaigns into Norway. Naumland, which claimed sovereignty over one of our shrines, was added to the Empire of Britannia, just in time for Ofeig to attain his majority.
Ofeig was a powerful warrior, but more noted for his ability to bring people together -- excellent traits for a future Emperor. The gods had smiled upon Halfdan: of that I have no doubt. As was traditional, he was given land for his own children: in Ofeig's case, the Thanedom of Wiltshire. Halfdan's boundless energy continued, as he turned his attention to seizing the Kingdom of Skotland (or, at the very least, the title) and using it as justification to continue the unification of the Isles.
One at a time, he took Thanedoms, Jarldoms, whatever was necessary to bring Skotland under the Imperial flag. He even found enough gold during his battles to provide me with what he called "a retirement gift," over 170 gold. When he named Ofeig King of Wales in 1019, I didn't even think for a moment that I deserved it. The greatest gift I personally received was to see Bersi attain his majority: although he was not the peacemaker his older brother was, he was very talented in all the arts of leadership, almost as good with a blade as Ofeig, and far more devious and clever with money.
Bersi was granted the city of Bielefeld as his nameday gift in the Thanedom of Braunschweig. Both Bersi and Ofeig joined their father on raids in West Francia, gaining the experience as warriors to lead our Empire into the future. Halfdan was called a "Viking" by the inhabitants there: I do not think they realize that the term is no insult to us. The next few years continued peacefully. Not for the so-called "Old Norse," as those who refused to convert met with mysterious deaths that have yet to be explained. He married off his children, finding them strong partners. Eskild of Slesvig, a warrior of the first degree, was chosen for Rikissa -- unfortunately, the Petty King of Jyland stole Rikissa and claimed her as concubine.
I do not think I need to share the Fylkir's furious rage at this treason. However, it is curious that almost immediately afterwards, he took the Queen of West Francia as his own concubine. I dared not question his logic, but it does strike me as hypocritical. The Fylkir struck down the King of Jyland personally in combat, and swore a blood oath to burn down all of his castles and lands if Rikissa were not returned to him.
As I pen these last lines, I am in a tent not far from those same castles in Jyland. It is February of 1025. I am not wounded or poisoned. I doubt very much anyone will remember me when I am gone, save one man. Two days ago, Halfdan came to visit me. We were to plan our next moves in this war, but when he saw my face he immediately looked concerned. I suppose I do look a bit gaunt from this damned fever. I had concealed my illness from the Fylkir, fearing that he would send me home. In all truth, although I have never been fond of the battlefield, I find that I am mortally afraid of dying anywhere else.
Our conversation was brief. I have little energy to do anything but write. We hardly spoke of my fever. Instead, we spoke of his mortality. His! Halfdan "the Cruel" told me he was afraid to die! Nobody will ever believe me, but it is so.
He asked me for what he called "lessons in cowardice." Oh, Halfdan. You could never be a coward, not like me. The gods have ordained a very long life for you, full of victories, spilling the blood of your enemies with Skullsplitter, teaching Ofeig and Bersi to be worthy successors. You will go to Valhalla, but I... I will not. I am at peace with that. I have loved you and hated you, Fylkir. I have guarded your back and plotted to stab it. You trusted me with your son, but not with a crown. You left me in a job that should have condemned me to a life behind a desk, but every single time a war began, you dragged your pet coward with you.
Perhaps I should furious at Halfdan. If I had stayed behind a desk, maybe I would not be dying right now. The camp has many illnesses that a castle does not. I am 66 years old. I can barely even lift a blade. I have a battle scar... from where I reached out blindly in the middle of the night and grabbed the wrong end of my sword. It was a dog. A damned dog barked and I nearly cut off my fingers on my right hand.
Halfdan left me a gift. An elegantly carved chair made of Norwegian birch. I asked him where he got it: he smiled and said, "You have your throne at last, Frodi. It used to belong to the so-called 'Priest Killer'." Even now, I weep as I look at it. It is a gift both fair and just and, indeed, perhaps a little cruel. I cannot imagine anything more fitting for my decades of betrayal. I have a throne and I am too sick to sit on it. If any gods are listening, protect Halfdan. He does your work better than I ever have.
[If Frodi wanted to write anything more, he did not. Multiple sources corroborate the date of Frodi's death as 16 February 1025. The book itself, intended for either Halfdan or Bersi, ended up in the hands of Rikissa, who was given Frodi's tent before Halfdan sent her home. She passed it on to her children, and it remained a beloved chronicle of Halfdan, first Emperor of Britannia, for centuries to come.]
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[1] Weird fact: his name is Steinn in the screenshot you see, but his name is recorded as Sten when I check the history of the title. Bizarre, no?I'm not quite sure what to do with the final Halfdan update. I'm going to review screenshots and my notes over the next couple of days and decide. I don't want to do another modern era update, but I will not do an update from Halfdan's perspective. It strikes me as out of character for him to be writing anything down. I do have one idea for a completely brand new shift of perspective; I want to think on it, but it could be a very fresh and fun way to wrap up my most successful ruler (so far.)
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Another excellent update. There's something extremely interesting about reading about Halfdan from Frodi's perspective. Both are so different from each other, but fascinating in their own way. Plus the names keep making me think of the TV show Vikings, so that invokes vivid imagery.
What were the succession laws before you changed to elective? I feel like I should remember, but my mind is drawing a blank.
What were the succession laws before you changed to elective? I feel like I should remember, but my mind is drawing a blank.
Another excellent update. There's something extremely interesting about reading about Halfdan from Frodi's perspective. Both are so different from each other, but fascinating in their own way. Plus the names keep making me think of the TV show Vikings, so that invokes vivid imagery.
What were the succession laws before you changed to elective? I feel like I should remember, but my mind is drawing a blank.
Gavelkind: the bane of every true Emperor. (All pagans start out with it and can't convert before reforming.)
I really do have to catch that Vikings series. I have such a huge backlog of TV/games/movies.
Will be interesting to see how you lay out the next, update, Avindian! With so good updates do far, I'm sure it will be another great one! Did you unify the whole Isles under your banner?
Ah, I thought so. I can remember quite a few games spent trying to raise crown authority just to get rid of gavelkind.
Well I can sum it up to sex, violence, and lots of questionable decisions. I have a feeling most of the rulers in that show wouldn't last long in CK2.
And who doesn't have a huge backlog, although for me its always an endless debate on which of them to focus on. Binge-watching shows makes it hard to find time for gaming. 
Another fascinating update. It looks like a true kingdom/empire is being forged here.
Bye bye, Frodi. True to your nature, you plotted and schemed, and then plotted and schemed some more. And never did it come to anything, while Halfdan kept running around like a Norse Alexander the Great, doing everything by himself and carving out an enormous empire. Okay, maybe not quite as enormous as Alexander's conquests were, but still a damn impressive sight.
Frodi is gone, Halfdan seems to be reaching the end of his life. It'll be interesting to see how you portray his final years. I agree that to have Halfdan himself deliver his update seems out of character. Perhaps another captive scribe, much like Frodi?
Frodi is gone, Halfdan seems to be reaching the end of his life. It'll be interesting to see how you portray his final years. I agree that to have Halfdan himself deliver his update seems out of character. Perhaps another captive scribe, much like Frodi?
Yes, he is back !! (ok, I think this is the first and the last time I use the new smileys...).
There are lots of changes here, but something remains, the quality of your AAR's. Thank for this nice update. I'm really interested in the last years of Halfdan the Great (and I'm sure you'll find something good to portray those).
And I will miss Frodi !
(ok, I think this is the first and the last time I use the new smileys...).There are lots of changes here, but something remains, the quality of your AAR's. Thank for this nice update. I'm really interested in the last years of Halfdan the Great (and I'm sure you'll find something good to portray those).
And I will miss Frodi !
I'm not 100% if I have the Orkneys or not yet, but I will!
Ah, I thought so. I can remember quite a few games spent trying to raise crown authority just to get rid of gavelkind.
Well I can sum it up to sex, violence, and lots of questionable decisions. I have a feeling most of the rulers in that show wouldn't last long in CK2.
Yeah, I think you're right.
Thanks!
That's one possibility, to be sure!
Yes, he is back !!
There are lots of changes here, but something remains, the quality of your AAR's. Thank for this nice update. I'm really interested in the last years of Halfdan the Great (and I'm sure you'll find something good to portray those).
And I will miss Frodi !
Thank you for the kind words.
Frodi actually turned out be a surprisingly fun character to write for. Wonderful! I hope you enjoy it!
I'm still struggling with how to write this next update. We might get another modern day update just to get this particular update out of the way. I had an idea to write as the enemy in the upcoming war, but I don't think I can do that proper justice without quite a bit more thought/planning on my part, and I'm not sure how that would work in any event.
So, I'll give it a bit more thought, but I'm almost certainly going to go back to the modern day and almost certainly going to have an update for you by this weekend.
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Chapter 15: An unexpected discovery
Papal Archives, Rome, 19XX
Although the Papal Archives were extremely popular, as travelers from around the world visited to unlock the secrets of the Papacy, one particular reading room was almost always empty: the 'Hvitserk Room.' Christians and Christianity had little love for the Norse and their unique style of religion; the room's very name was symbolic of the repeated class (and generally unfavorable outcomes) between the faiths. As a result, only the most junior archivists worked there. It usually offered plenty of opportunities to do your own research, read a book, or more often than not, nap. For the 22 year old Marco Gianetti, it was the perfect assignment. He was engaging in his favorite recreational activity when the sound of computer keys startled him.
"Mi scusi, signore?" inquired the archivist. The researcher looked puzzled for a moment, and started to reach for an obvious phrasebook in his back pocket. Gianetti smiled and tried again in English, the most common language for most visitors. "Do you have identification, sir?"
The visitor nodded and displayed his reader's ticket. "I called two weeks ago. I hope my papers are ready?"
The Italian student read the name on the ticket and almost fainted. "Dr. Magnusson!!! I am so sorry that I did not recognize you. I have all of your books!"
The professor smiled slightly. "My publisher and I thank you. My documents?"
"Yes, of course, sir. It will be but a minute."
Thor Magnusson gazed around the room. Covered in dust, he could not have guessed without carbon dating some loose bits of paper when the room had been used last. Of all the places in Europe, he least expected travelling to Rome, but an unlikely source for the final days of Emperor Halfdan I demanded his personal attention. At least the outlets were new. When the archivist walked back in and deposited the box of documents in front of the professor, a distracted "thank you" was the best Magnusson could manage. The contents of the box were remarkably well preserved given their extreme age. The documents were over 900 years old, so some damage was to be expected. Dr. Magnusson started to read the first page and his heart sank. After a moment or two of muttered cursing, Marco Gianetti rushed over to see what was the matter.
"Is something wrong, Dr. Magnusson?"
The celebrated author cursed for a moment in Norse, then looked up, disappointed. "Does not the Papacy use Latin exclusively for their private records?"
"Of course, sir. What other language would it use?"
"You tell me, son." He shoved the box towards the archivist. After a few seconds, Gianetti smiled.
"Dr. Magnusson, it is not a linguistic problem. It is a problem of cryptography." Magnusson removed his glasses to wipe his brow. As he did so, he gestured for the eager student to continue. "The Pope you are concerned with -- Agapeptus III -- was one of our more paranoid Popes. He did not trust any of his staff to copy their notes, especially on sensitive information such as the Crusade against Britannia."
"That would indeed explain it. Is there a guide to deciphering the text?"
"There is, but I've been cataloging these entries personally over the past six months and I'm quite familiar with the code, probably more so than anyone else you're likely to find. What are you looking for?"
Magnusson sighed in frustration, but gave a terse nod. He turned his laptop so the Italian could see it. "I am continuing my series on the Lives of the Hvitserks. Are you familiar with it?"
"Oh yes, sir. I will begin my master's program in the fall, and I want to study the Hvitserk style of warfare. That is what drew me to your research."
"An odd occupation for an Italian, wouldn't you say?"
Gianetti looked from side to side and shook his head slightly. "A Catholic Italian, perhaps." A small medallion of Thor's head was quickly revealed and returned to a hiding place in his jacket.
"Ah, right. Well, my latest book is on Halfdan I, as you can probably guess from the material. For the past two hundred years, the single source for our information on him was Jarl Frodi II of Mercia's diary. Unfortunately, he died before Halfdan, so we have nothing on Halfdan's final years."
"But why come here? Wasn't the Chronicle of Kings written in that era?"
Thor smiled sourly. "It helps when the Emperor is literate. Halfdan was not."
Marco stood agape. "The First Fylkir could not read??"
"Not a word. Literacy proves to be wholly unnecessary when you have Skullsplitter."
"Right. Okay. So why come here?"
"The Crusade against Britannia."
"What good would that do?"
Thor chuckled. "If you were going to plan an invasion, would you do so completely unaware of the consequences?"
"Of course not."
"The Pope had a spy."
The Italian archivist sat down for a moment. "A spy... but then, why...?"
"That was my reaction, too. Let's see if there are some answers here."
The first page was a proclamation from Halfdan, which confirmed Bersi as Jarl of Holland and all of the Dutch lands held by the Empire.
Thor made a note on his laptop and gestured for the next series of documents, which detailed British successes in solidifying their control over Svithjod. By early January of 1027, the southern portion of the country was entirely integrated into the Empire.
"Is this around the time of the war against the House of Herse?"
"Yes, good eye, son. Halfdan took no chances, and tried to absorb the Thanes before progressing to Jarls. Here's a report from the spy about Halfdan's injury."
"He lived for many more years, though. So the injury must not have been a serious one."
"Correct. Then why, do you suppose, the wound is described as 'life-threatening'?"
"I couldn't say, Dr. Magnusson. Ah, here's the Proclamation of 1028, where the Fylkir proclaimed the right to lead a Great Holy War against any who would not submit to the axe."
"Curiously, though, he never did carry out any of them during his lifetime. He was trying to secure control of Denmark, if you recall."
A few more moments turned up another interesting report, a doctor's certification that Halfdan had six months to live, dated 8 July 1030.
"Dr. Magnusson, this doesn't make sense either!"
"Actually, this report does. Although his wound healed, he took a very deadly chill for several weeks. By early 1031, he was completely healed, and the Jarl of Jylland accepted our protection."
"This is curious: it shows the death of Sten of Aland, and shortly after that, the handwriting changes. Could the Chancellor have been a spy?"
Thor paused for a moment, then slightly shook his head. "No, I don't think so. The Chancellor was never in Jorvik and hardly ever saw the Emperor. It is possible that the original spy was attached to Sten's staff, but... wait a minute... the writing is actually the same! The spy just has a hand injury, or is feigning one."
"Very clever! Okay, here's a new report, and you're correct, it's just like the old handwriting. About Bersi's rebellion?"
Bersi's Rebellion was a dark note in the history of Britannia, and the first hint that some territories simply could not be held by them without either stronger castles or larger armies. Even though Bersi was the second son of Halfdan, he despised his father for denying him his rights according to the old ways of Gavelkind. He considered Holland a poor consolation prize, and plotted to seize power by force, if necessary. [1] Making matters worse, a peasant revolt broke out in Rennes. Marrying a daughter, Ylva, to King Ofeig of Finland drew Britannia into a third war. It was considered, by Halfdan at least, extremely auspicious when a boy named Halfdan was born as all three wars were reaching a crescendo.
"Do you know why the Norse are particularly hateful toward Bersi's Rebellion?"
"Because he was a Prince?"
"Not just that. The Emperor's oldest son, Ofeig, was wounded during the fighting and died a maimed cripple. Halfdan nearly executed Bersi once he did capture him, calling him 'Kinslayer.' To say that Bersi was not even considered to succeed Halfdan, I think, goes without saying."
"Is that why Rikissa was chosen by the next moot?"
"One of the reasons. Rikissa was also a wonderful diplomat, easily the equal of even the Chancellor, and she married a brave warrior, Oswulf of House Svarti."
By 1034, Bersi's Rebellion was over, but the two other wars continued. 1035, of course, was the Year of the Crusade, and a copy of the Papal Bull was dutifully placed in the box.
Marco Gianetti nodded excitedly. "Yes, I remember this campaign well. Agapeptus, despite his advanced age, led the army that invaded Britannia in person."
Thor smiled fondly for a moment, lost in memory. "You know, Halfdan was proud of that battle. There were at least a dozen feasts in the next twenty days. Halfdan regretted never being able to cleave the Pope's miter with Skullsplitter, but he did praise the 'Warrior King of the White Christ' for courage, if not for good sense."
The Battle of Cartmel showed exactly how ill-prepared Agapeptus was for combat.
"Here's an interesting account, from a lieutenant in the Knights of some order or another, Dr. Magnusson. He called the Fylkir 'Lucifer's own torment on the world, hacking and slashing with that monstrous axe of his, even killing the Grandmaster in single combat. Even when we had good ground, that demonspawn would charge up the hill, screaming at the top of his lungs, and every single time, we broke. It was despicable.' Even in his old age, Halfdan was a mighty warrior!"
Over the next few years, Norse from all over the world joined the fighting. Empress Svanhildr died in May 1037; Empress Yrsa would outlive her husband. Oswulf, husband of the Heir to the Throne, Rikissa, was promoted to Marshal for his fearless service in the crusade. Yet a shock landing north of Jorvik actually had Britannia on the run. Oswulf's army was in Holland, leaving the capital exposed. The inexperienced warriors outside the capital tried to break the siege of Jorvik, but were easily repelled.
The recall of Oswulf to the British Isles destroyed that army, and many more besides. By 21 March 1038, Agapeptus III sued for peace, a severe blow to the White Christ.
"Now, as you might not know, the rest of 1038 was spent not rebuilding, but further expanding! The Shetland Islands, eastern half of Iceland, and a rogue Thane in Svithjod were all taken, only one by bloodshed, in the final year of Halfdan's reign."
Both men sat in silence for a moment. Although most people in the world, when they referred to Halfdan I, mockingly termed him "Halfdan the Cruel," most true believers in the Norse faith called him "St. Halfdan the Great, Protector of the Faith." St. Halfdan medals were proudly worn around the necks of people around the world.
"Dr. Magnusson!" exclaimed the Italian, interrupting their joint reverie. "Look at this doctor's report!"
"What about it? It gives the cause of death, but says it was from his war wounds. Nothing surprising there."
"The handwriting, Dr. Magnusson!"
After a few minutes of careful study, they agreed: the doctor was, in fact, the Pope's spy. "So that's how all of the information about Halfdan's medical condition got back to the Pope. His initial diagnosis was wrong, but in every other respect, he passed good intelligence to the Pope." Thor began to laugh out loud. "Oh, that explains that particular legend!"
"What legend, Dr. Magnusson?"
"Halfdan supposedly, with his last ounce of strength, buried Skullsplitter in the head of a doctor. Supposedly, this was because of the fever that ultimately took him, but I think we know why he really did it. That bastard deserved it."
"Why didn't the doctor just poison Halfdan?"
"The Fylkir never took medicine a day in his life. It would never have worked."
"At least we know now."
Thor closed the box and returned it to Marco Gianetti. "You do good work. If you really want to understand the Hvitserks, look me up when you've finished your master's degree and we'll get you into Hvitserk University. I'll be working on Rikissa's book by then, which will be less exciting because she took excellent notes and wrote her own chronicle. It does make life easier for me, though."
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[1] Actually, I ran into the old problem of "Wrong Holding Type." I really wanted to make Bersi a King and built him a castle for that specific purpose, but the rules of Republics said I could not create a "Grand Republic" with as many provinces as he controlled. Lesson learned, I suppose.This crusade, when I fought it, came out of nowhere, but it was honestly less than intimidating. Nobody interesting joined the crusade on the Pope's side and I had plenty of help on mine.
I hope you enjoyed this update; I have a feeling Dr. Magnusson will pop up every now and again, but we'll be going back to the old format with Rikissa's first update. Also, as a special favor to the lurkers/newbies, I've finally edited the TOC, so all of the links should work now.
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The end of five chapters concerning Halfdan! However, now you have to keep the Papacy, Catholics and Italians alive for the coming centuries of your mega-campaign.
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That was one long and glorious reign for Halfdan. May he feast forever in Valhalla.
I was wondering for a second how you ended up with a female heir until I remembered you swapped to elective. That quick trait is too tempting to resist.
I was wondering for a second how you ended up with a female heir until I remembered you swapped to elective. That quick trait is too tempting to resist.
Entertaining update, though my reading in reddit.com/r/askHistorians suggests you portrayed archives as far too exciting. ;-)
Although, who knows how the archives might be in the Halfdan megacampaign alt-history?
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Lurking for a long time and really enjoying this. let us hope that this female emperor can hold onto Brittiania
let us hope that this female emperor can hold onto Brittiania
Real good update as always.
Although from what I've heard it's a real pain to enter the Vatican Archives since you have to know which document you want to examine, you are alone in a room for the time being. Really that must be one of the most bureaucratic departments in the world (and I know what I'm saying, I'm French )
Although from what I've heard it's a real pain to enter the Vatican Archives since you have to know which document you want to examine, you are alone in a room for the time being. Really that must be one of the most bureaucratic departments in the world (and I know what I'm saying, I'm French
)