Holy Hell, that was positively Byzantine in its complexity and backstabbityness... Setting back the Empire's stability (and population growth) for a good generation or so. What a mess... Good stuff!
Consecrated blood waters my fields: a Hvitserk megacampaign
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It was certainly not much fun to play at the time, although I do admit that it was fun to write about.
The WWII AAR desperately needs an update, so that's first in the queue, but you shouldn't have to wait too much longer for the next chapter of this AAR.
Chapter 23, part 2: The price of peace
Erling, as King of England, was a far more complex person than his father. He gloried in combat, but hated war. He was one of the most skilled diplomats in the world, but rarely spoke in public and never left Britannia during his reign. His biggest concern, his obsession, was avoiding the fate of his father. He did not want the Empire to crumble from constant civil wars, assassinations, betrayals, and money constantly being poured into reinforcing the armies of the Empire. In order to save the Empire, he first had to regain the throne, however, and he needed to achieve that at any price.
Erling knew well that he was no true warrior; he had no concept of strategy and less concept of tactics. He relied on his friends and his generals to know the business of war. His faith in those gallant warriors was well placed; early on in the campaign to defeat Sveinn the Pretender, those generals won an impressive battle at Harrow, annihilating Sveinn's largest army and killing one of his best generals. That was not nearly enough to ensure a victory, however. Erling used his silver tongue to convince the cities of England to continue supporting what became a long and grueling war. Sveinn died, but his sons carried on the fight for years. Stronghold after stronghold fell. Armies were raised and destroyed, then raised again. Erling even resorted to tactics such as murder, desperately trying to eliminate noblemen who would prove dangerous in the future.
The moment of decision, the hardest choice that Erling had to make in his long, illustrious reign, was whether or not to sacrifice the future for the present. The nobility of England placed him in an impossible situation: he could either restore the moot and enjoy their support, or insist on one of his daughters becoming Queen of England, which would trigger a civil war. Erling agonized over the decision for days. Ultimately, he acceded to their demands. The moot was restored. Erling always privately hoped that he could end the moot again in the future, once he had more support, but somehow never got around to it. However, most importantly, after almost ten years of constant war, Erling ripped the Imperial crown from the hands of his enemies and proclaimed himself Emperor and Fylkir once again.
Few songs were sung about Harrow in the mead-halls, but historians realized its importance years later.
This rare entry from Erling's diary survived his reign. It was not the last time that Erling would maintain power through the use of his honeyed speech.
Guthröthr of Essex was among Erling's least favorite people from this day forward.
Erling attained a reputation for patience after fighting so long and so hard for the Imperial crown, even if his contributions to the war itself were minimal.
Erling's victory over the Pretenders was so impressive that his beard burst out in a fervor of growth mere moments after they surrendered, a true sign of Odin's favor.
The new Fylkir and Emperor did not have time to think before the Holy Roman Empire declared war. The followers of the White Christ demanded lands in Europe from Erling or swore to end his dynasty forever. Unfortunately for Erling, he inherited rebellions of three other noblemen when he became Emperor. Braunschweig was not worth Norse blood, and he gladly returned it to the White Christ in exchange for peace. By 1249, peace was what Erling had. He needed to consolidate his rule, and so he turned to the moot to grant him more powers. In a stirring speech, he called upon the gods and the brotherhood of all Norsemen to unite, as one, to protect Britannia and all of her possessions. If the White Christ claimed Francia and Germania, let him. If the Warrior-Priest of Rome wanted to fight in the desert, let him. The Norse would look after his own. The moot only needed three days to grant Erling the authority to remake the armies and to strip the traitors of their lands. The blot that followed Erling's victory was glorious indeed. Many followers of the White Christ were sent to the gods to consecrate Erling's reign. Yet if he was to ensure the Hvitserks reigned a thousand years, Erling needed something specific: a son.
As befits a declaration of war from a child, the original note was filled with spelling errors, crude drawings, and a touch of vomit.
Scholars, to this day, wonder what "Ok" originally meant. The latest conjecture is that Erling strangled one of his opponents, who made an odd gurgling noise as he gasped for air. As he pleaded for his life, Erling relented, which won him the moot.
In his haste to produce an heir, Erling tried everything. He took concubines, he tried spells, he even prayed to Loki for his assistance. Nothing worked. Gradually, Erling realized that the real problem was his wife, Rikissa. He consulted a rare book of tremendous antiquity that promised answers. The unpronounceable words made his head hurt. He had his seers scour the realm for "R'lyeh," but without success. Eventually, he cast the book aside, but the quest for R'lyeh gave him a lifelong love of learning. If there were queer places, where the energy between realms was thin, Erling wanted to know about them.
His search having failed, Erling had to consider the uncomfortable topic of his wife. His initial thought was to order her death, and he had quietly given his Spymaster the authority to kill her, but one of the White Christ's spies was poking around Jorvik. Rather than risk detection, and perhaps another war with the Warrior-Pope, Erling decided to set aside his woman instead. He needed a young, nubile bride, and chose a woman from the Mongol hordes to serve as his wife. She was indeed beautiful, but more than that, provided a powerful ally if the White Christ lusted after Norse lands again. She rapidly agreed to renounce the Tengri gods, and served at Erling's side for years to come.
"Malarkey" is conjectured to be either a dish of fish and mead or some sort of euphemism for sweat or snot. Possibly both.
Another rare piece of Erling's diary, although some question the authenticity of a Norse document that had French words, especially since Erling never bothered to learn any of the tongues of a White Christ. Other scholars point to the inconsistent method of death: was she to be beaten to death with hammers, or stabbed through the heart with a dagger? Some of Erling's more enthusiastic supporters suggest that Erling never meant to have Rikissa killed.
The spymaster's note to Erling, on the other hand, is 100% proven to be accurate.
A rare painting of Erling with his new bride. Yesugun was good for Erling, not least because of the friends she brought to Britannia.
Believing that it was only a matter of time before he had a new heir, he embarked on a new project: to build a home worthy of his son in the Netherlands. For that, he would need gold, and he sent raiding parties through the lands of the White Christ. Erling himself nearly died of the Slow Fever in 1254. At least, that is what his doctors claimed. Other historians have a more sinister explanation: that Erling was exploring eldritch places in Britannia, seeking for a weapon to eliminate his foes. Indeed, throughout his life, Erling had poor health quite frequently. The citizens of Paris had even worse health during his reign, though, as he burned Paris to the ground (after taking all of the best gold) no fewer than three times. Yesugun gave Erling another daughter, his third, but still no son.
As the years continued, Erling descended into a state of almost complete paranoia. He kept this defect hidden from his courtiers; only his wife knew, and she was as loyal to her husband as any wife could be. He was terrified that some foe would strike him down before his child was born. He built up the fortifications of Castle Jorvik, ordered the construction of castles throughout Britannia, and in general refused to leave his chambers. He and Yesugun grew closer.
Apart from his personal demise, Erling's second greatest fear was another civil war. He could not appear weak to his vassals. Therefore, whenever he was enticed with the possibility of war, he always declined, even if meant damage to his reputation. That did not mean, of course, that he did not continue raids on foreign lands. For the first time, his Vikings entered the lands of the Tribe of the Merchant. The result was outright slaughter, and Erling recalled the raiding parties until he could restore their numbers. He devoted his attention to his only grandson, Karel, and took more concubines. No matter how much he loved his wife, he needed an heir, and she could provide only daughters, it seemed. Finally, on 23 April 1266, almost thirty years into his reign, he finally had a son with one of his concubines. There was no question of what the lad's name would be: Halfdan.
Relatively few people were actually killed in Erling's raids, except those in Paris. He still had a nasty reputation, particularly since some of the French victims came back... wrong. Such victims were usually rapidly killed.
The phrase "I could eat a horse" is often taken out of context. The sickness had forced his jaw shut, so he was pleased that he could eat solid foods again. Erling's preferred meat was actually dog.
Many of the people who called Erling 'the Great' just wanted something from him. Erling rarely fell for such ploys.
The battle of Loarre caused Erling to respect the followers of the Merchant far more than the White Christ's men.
Erling often claimed that Halfdan's birth was the second greatest day in his life, after the day he regained the Imperial crown.
The Emperor, quite naturally, took his son's education into hand personally. He spent hours with him everyday. His courtiers managed the realm, while he managed the heir to the throne. Occasionally, this meant that the affairs of the Empire went unnoticed. In an effort to delegate the control of a more distant piece of the Empire to a trusted friend, Erling created the Kingdom of Navarra and promised it to the oldest member of the Hvitserks to rule as a personal fiefdom. Instead of making Navarra easier to rule, it made it more difficult, as elderly rulers died one after the other, creating tremendous instability. However, Erling was willing to sacrifice that land if it meant his son turned out to be the man he hoped he would. The gods blessed Erling with a second son, named Suni, shortly after Halfdan's birth. In the sixteen years between Halfdan's birth and the Prince's maturity, Erling ignored everything apart from his boys and his occasional forays into the mystic and occult.
The birth of Suni was not as heralded as that of Halfdan, but Erling was proud of both sons, and said so to whomever would listen.
The fateful decree that condemned Navarra to years of civil war. Some of his courtiers called this the first sign that Erling was slipping into madness, but in truth, it was more simple than that: it was nothing but neglect.
Halfdan's 16th birthday was an especially joyous occasion. He shared his father's ability to convince and persuade, although he was hopelessly inept at anything involving deception. Halfdan was beloved by all. He was outgoing, brave, kind, and hardworking.
Halfdan's birthday present was in Frisia. It was there that Baron Hvitserk learned how to rule.
Erling wrote, toward the end of his life, that "if I am to be called the Great, let it be for the right reasons. I kept the Empire stable after the civil wars of my father. I rejected foreign adventurism. Most importantly, I was good to my sons. I have left this world better than I entered it; is that not the greatest thing any man could accomplish?" Indeed, Halfdan and Suni were fine lads. Suni learned the art of war and the art of gold, as his older brother learned how to speak and write. Erling wished that his two sons would work together to build a prosperous realm. For the most part, they did.
As for Erling, however, his last years were troubled. With his sons grown, Erling returned to his quest to pierce the veil between worlds. More and more of the administration of the Empire was handed over to Halfdan and Suni. Erling spent days muttering to himself, speaking forbidden words, and ultimately stopped bathing altogether. Erling could have done great evil, but enough of his old self remained that he confined his ramblings and insanity to his chambers. He knew that he was a threat to the peace of the realm until he died. One day, he abruptly left the castle for the nearby woods, claiming to seek out Odin to cure his insanity. Of course, Halfdan knew what his father was going to do, and a few days later, he quietly ordered the castle staff to find and bury his father. Nobody asked about the knife wound in the old Emperor's stomach. Halfdan, now officially Halfdan IV, ordered a gathering of the moot to increase the power of the Emperor still further, as a way to honor his father's memory.
Another forged diary page, this one by a follower of the White Christ, who hoped to convert people to his religion in an effort to "spare them from the fate of the wicked pagan Emperor." It did not work.
Although Erling loved Suni and Halfdan equally, Suni was far more unreliable than his older brother. Halfdan IV recognized that and tried to keep Suni out of the spotlight as much as possible.
The "Odin story" was spread by Halfdan IV in an attempt to preserve his father's beloved memory. Archaeologists later confirmed suicide as the cause of death. However, most history textbooks still tell the "Odin story" out of respect.
The two kingdoms that Halfdan IV lost were not critical to the success of the realm, but they did set a worrying trend of titles being shed.
The first decree of many of Halfdan IV's reign.
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A special bonus image, with very interesting implications for EUIV!
Erling's reign was a welcome respite to me after the adventures of Suni. It was actually pretty boring, in retrospect. The Navarra decision was a tough one, but the alternative was gavelkind, which would guarantee that we'd lose the title altogether. It was a hard choice (and I probably shouldn't have made the kingdom in the first place), but a necessary one. As for ignoring the war requests, I realized how much prestige I had, and that if I wanted the Empire to stay together, it was far better to spent some of it than to continue to fight and risk more civil wars. Of course, I was not entirely successful...
I think we've got two or three chapters left in the AAR. I don't know if I'll have to break stuff up or not into subparts, but hopefully by the end of February, we should be done!
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Well the Empire will prosper now that a Halfdan is in charge. Nothing can go wrong there. 
Whoever writes these historical records should be executed for using the foreign tongue of the White Christ.
Clearly the more magnificent the beard, the better the ruler.
Whoever writes these historical records should be executed for using the foreign tongue of the White Christ.
Clearly the more magnificent the beard, the better the ruler.
Ending the internal strife and centralizing power in the Empire is more important than trying to hold onto far-flung lands. Besides, centralization of power and ending internal strife are the perfect story hook for converting to EU4.
It does seem only right to me that there should be Orthodox peoples in the steppes. But you might want to turn them back to Tengri with syncretised Orthdox Christianity on conversion (assuming things don't change out of recognition in the meanwhile).
It does seem only right to me that there should be Orthodox peoples in the steppes. But you might want to turn them back to Tengri with syncretised Orthdox Christianity on conversion (assuming things don't change out of recognition in the meanwhile).
Very prudent course of action. Erling's reign might have been boring after he reclaimed the imperial throne, but quiet was clearly what the empire needed. And then, once he finally had sons, he went mad, which is always interesting for the narrative. Even better, his madness doesn't seem to have done any harm to the empire!
Looks like you had a lot of fun with your captions. I particularly liked the one about Erling's beard.
Looks like you had a lot of fun with your captions. I particularly liked the one about Erling's beard.
Well the Empire will prosper now that a Halfdan is in charge. Nothing can go wrong there.
Whoever writes these historical records should be executed for using the foreign tongue of the White Christ.
Clearly the more magnificent the beard, the better the ruler.
Oh, how you wrong you are...
What's the difference?
So I assume it's all gonna go to crap right now
You assume right!
I'm glad you're enjoying it!
Very prudent course of action. Erling's reign might have been boring after he reclaimed the imperial throne, but quiet was clearly what the empire needed. And then, once he finally had sons, he went mad, which is always interesting for the narrative. Even better, his madness doesn't seem to have done any harm to the empire!
Looks like you had a lot of fun with your captions. I particularly liked the one about Erling's beard.
The captions let me be a little less serious, which is important to avoid occasionally depressing updates.
Strap yourselves in, folks. You can expect a new update this weekend. One word: Ragnarok. Probably one update after that (maybe two, depending on how long I want to draw out the semi rebuilding process), then on to EUIV!
A Halfdan should be what the realm needs, although knowing what awaits, I don't know what to comment. At least Erling offered some needed strengthening before the doom of your realm...
Chapter 24: Ragnarok
The most consistent theme throughout the reign of Halfdan IV, Emperor and Fylkir of Britannia, was his desire to live up to the expectations of his father, Erling the Great. Erling had left mighty shoes to fill and coupled with the weight of his own name, Halfdan, the new Emperor had a difficult time of it throughout his reign. Halfdan IV's most pressing concern was to strengthen the authority of the Imperial crown. Erling had traded power for stability; Halfdan IV did his best to have both. He shared his father's mistrust of wars, but was not above using underhanded means to remove rivals and, most importantly, secure the future of the imperial lands. Later in life, Halfdan joked about the time he framed a cook's wife for theft, but some of his contemporaries considered it less a humorous prank and more evidence that he had, perhaps, inherited more from his father than others were willing to accept.
Halfdan IV was one of the most aggressive Emperors in some time in terms of raiding his enemies. He planned to develop every square foot of land he had, to improve Castle Jorvik, and to use whatever was left in the Imperial treasury to further eliminate more claimants to the throne. However, the strategy of assassination was gradually replaced with one of bribery. Halfdan IV became obsessed with making everybody love him, after some of his attempts failed, and in the short term, it worked: he convinced the moot to strengthen his authority. As the 1200s drew to a close, Halfdan became less and less bloodthirsty. He divorced his first wife, who had failed to give him a son, and married Freyja of San Pedro de Perix. Unfortunately, she was already 39 when she married the Emperor, and her tenure was bound to be short. Still, the realm enjoyed peace until 1296, when Halfdan faced the first rebellion since the death of Erling.
To put the record straight: Halfdan did not command legions of the undead. It was a battalion, at the most.
Halfdan's first real test was an easy one.
As a sign of his confidence in his men, Halfdan spent time in his garden instead of at the war table. His tomatoes were almost as legendary as his skill as a ruler.
The rebellion was over remarkably fast, about two years, and most of that was spent sieging enemy fortifications. The rebellion gave him the ability to reclaim the Kingdom of Frisia, after which he immediately strengthened the powers of the King of Frisia. Denmark, England, Skotland, every kingdom held by the Emperor was held more tightly by Halfdan IV than Erling ever had. The Emperor set aside Freyja and married Gyrid, a distant cousin of the Hvitserks living in Denmark. To celebrate 1300, Halfdan IV held feasts and celebrations. One of his other relatives, Prince Bragi, decided that he would challenge the Emperor. In one of the most famous battles ever told, Halfdan IV dispatched his Imperial cousin by splitting his shield with a single cleave from Skullsplitter. Bragi barely survived, but that single blow earned Halfdan IV even more respect than his victories in wars. To commemorate his mighty victory, Halfdan IV took a concubine, Fenne Adriaensdochter. Within two months, both his wife and his concubine produced children; his new wife gave him a daughter, Malmfrid, but his concubine gave him a son, who the Emperor named Halfdan. In 1305, Fenne gifted Halfdan IV a second son, named Erling in honor of Halfdan IV's father. Everything seemed to be going perfectly for the Emperor. Then, Halfdan IV saw Odin, an event that normally portended the death of the ruler. Fortunately for the realm, Halfdan IV survived, but it is surely no coincidence that after seeing Odin, the forces of the White Christ annihilated a large raiding party in Germania.
Halfdan IV was not pleased with the artist who commemorated his victory. Legend has it that Halfdan approached the artist and said, "I believe you have difficulty distinguishing between swords and axes. You have me holding a sword in the painting. I believe I shall give you a reminder." He removed the artist's left arm in one blow with Skullsplitter.
The birth of the future Halfdan V was cause for celebration, even if his mother was not the Empress.
Erling, uncharitably, was called "the Spare" by Halfdan IV. The Emperor did not dislike Erling, but he certainly did not give his second son the same amount of attention as the first.
A military treatise of the period called the Battle of Ypres "evidence that riding upon horses was more effective than eating them," citing the superior cavalry of the White Christ's armies as the reason for Viking defeat. The VIking response was, "Why not do both?"
After the defeat at Ypres, Halfdan visited the battlefield in person. Horrified by the carnage, the Emperor resolved never to make war again, unless he could be sure that the Vikings would win. He sought to rule ever more by diplomacy and well placed gifts, not assassination or massacre. Of course, the raids continued; Halfdan IV merely chose undefended targets instead. Halfdan had his third son, Asbjorn (by a second concubine) in 1310. For securing the safety of the realm indefinitely (or so it was thought), on his 43rd birthday, scholars proclaimed Halfdan IV "the Wise," citing his sensible policies towards violence and his commendable initiative in concentrative power in the hands of the royal authority.
Halfdan IV undertook the education of his sons very seriously. He taught Prince Halfdan himself and sent Erling to learn at the feet of Buthli, Jarl of Dyflinn, the Imperial Steward. By 1313, Halfdan IV knew that he needed to continue amassing wealth if he were to succeed without raising armies or murder. Asbjorn, in 1316, went to see the legendary warrior Tryggve of Glamorgan. In this way, Halfdan wanted not only a capable heir, but sons who would serve the future Halfdan V to the best of their ability. 28 March 1317 was a glorious day indeed, as the Empress gave birth to twin boys, Thorbrandr and Holmger. There were now five Hvitserk men to carry on the family tradition; although it was seen as a boon at the time, five sons later proved to be more of a hindrance than a help.
Asbjorn was the last of Halfdan's sons to be commemorated in an Imperial portrait. For the birth of the twins a few years later, Halfdan merely gave every villager in Jorvik an extra goat.
At age 43, Halfdan IV was as handsome as ever, and the scar through his right eye only made him more so. At least, that is what Imperial historians were contractually obligated to say.
On Prince Halfdan's 16th birthday, he was married to Freyja Halstensdottir. While the Prince was hardworking and skilled in many disciplines, he lacked his father's silver tongue, and Freyja was meant to teach the Prince those skills. As a student, the Prince was thoroughly unremarkable, but he had no obvious weaknesses either, apart from ambition. In short order, Halfdan IV became a grandfather, as the Prince and Princess gave birth to Baldr. Baldr was joined by a little brother, Ake, in the winter of 1320-21. Erling, the second son of the Emperor, attained his majority in March 1321. Prince Erling was skilled with coin and blade, but was utterly hopeless as a public speaker. He had no chance of usurping his older brother's place, but could still be useful to the realm.
In 1322, Prince Halfdan, wanting to prove himself as a worthy heir to his father (whom he idolized), left for the court of the Basileos of the Byzantine Empire. The Heir to the Throne was hardly a masterful warrior, but the Captain of the Varangian Guard valued the Prince as a Steward. While the Prince fought with the Varangians abroad, Asbjorn attained his majority, and rapidly followed his elder brother in the service of the Varangians. Erling joined in 1327, replacing Prince Halfdan as Steward. With his three oldest boys in foreign service, Halfdan IV grew concerned. The Emperor busied himself with planning the destruction of the capital of the White Christ, and subsequent looting thereof, and in June 1330, after eight years abroad, the Prince returned home. The Prince was... different upon his return.
Halfdan V at 16, before his marriage to Freyja.
Freyja, the Princess of Britannia, was an orator born, but completely incompetent at anything else.
In later years, given the Prince's proclivities, rumors were spread that Baldr was not actually the Prince's son. Speculation as to the child's father ranged from the boring (the Prince) to the salacious (a local blacksmith) to the disgusting (Halfdan IV). Genetic analysis later proved that Halfdan V and Baldr were indeed a 100% genetic match.
Erling's face, which lacked any sort of facial hair, was considered hideous, to the point where it was more difficult finding him a match than any of the other sons of Halfdan IV.
Prince Halfdan's departure for Constantinople was bittersweet, but the Prince was hardened by his service to the Basileos. Regular letters arrived in Jorvik, suggesting that Halfdan had made all manner of friends in service.
Asbjorn was a bit of a dolt, but a decent warrior and somewhat cunning. He tried to start a new trend of only wearing a mustache, but it didn't catch on. Possibly because he always shouted "Shave your bloody beard!" at everybody. Asbjorn was not a man known for subtlety.
Looting Rome was Halfdan IV's proudest moment. He tried to challenge the White Christ to holmgang, or at least the Warrior-Priest, but his challenges went unmet, proving that the Norse gods were the mightiest of all. It is said that many Christians converted at the cowardice of their god, at least by Vikings, anyway.
Halfdan IV was surprisingly modern about his son's homosexuality. When the Prince came out to his father, the Emperor shrugged and said, "You've already continued the family line, do what you want."
The Prince's return was a joyous occasion. Prince Halfdan found his service instructive, learning how to persuade others more effectively while also becoming more skilled with a blade. The Prince's love for male company was not remarked upon as particularly unusual, and as long as he was discreet, the occasional male concubine or two was not denied him. The Prince continued to perform his husbandly duties, and produced a daughter, Asa, shortly after his return. Asbjorn returned in 1331 with a Greek wife, who was strangely not turned off by his lack of a beard. Asbjorn was given command of the left wing of an army in the far north, where he was to put down a minor rebellion by some Norwegian peasants. In 1332, convinced that he had left his Empire in good hands, Halfdan IV passed off to Valhalla at the age of 65.
The newly crowned Halfdan V gathered his council and began to prepare for what he considered the most vital matter: gathering support to end the practice of Gavelkind in the Empire once and for all. To facilitate that, Halfdan V ordered the return of the Italian raiding expedition, their longboats full of treasure. He welcomed his younger brothers, Holmger and Thorbrandr, as they attained their majority. Holmger had inherited Halfdan IV's silver tongue, while Thorbrandr was a warrior of some renown. Each provided useful service to the Empire, even if they had no chance of becoming Emperor's themselves. Yet Halfdan V would not enjoy the luck and benefits that his father had; the first sign that things were not going to be so easy was a rebellion in Mecklenburg. The rebellion peasant army easily defeated the Imperial forces sent to disrupt them. Although ultimately the peasants were defeated, worse news still came on 1 September 1335: Baldr, Heir to the Throne, had died of pneumonia.
The death of Halfdan IV was supposed to signal the beginnings of a golden age for the Empire. Instead, it signaled the beginning of the end of the Empire.
It took much convincing to have Halfdan V stay fully clothed during his coronation portrait.
One of the ships of the Roman treasure fleet is now in the Hvitserk National Museum in Jorvik.
Thorbrandr's love of war and barely acceptable beard made him popular in the Empire, but Thorbrandr never dreamed of higher office. He was content to slay the Empire's enemies.
Holmger's striking resemblance to Halfdan IV was in more than just appearance. They shared many of the same interests and talents.
The Battle of Anklam was the first warning sign that Halfdan V was not the Emperor his father was. The defeat of some of the finest warriors in Europe by a peasant mob worried many Norsemen.
The death of Baldr and the defeat at Anklam reminded Halfdan V of his own mortality. Baldr's posthumously born son, Suni, was an object of revulsion and hatred for Halfdan V, and he refused to even see his grandson. The Emperor's priority had once been to ensure that the Empire had a secure foundation and a clear line of succession, but gradually, Halfdan V became obsessed with his father's legacy. He started spending more time in the Imperial gardens, hoping that some measure of Halfdan IV's wisdom had come from working with plants. He started working to improve his scholarship. Yet the people of Britannia did not love Halfdan V as they had his father. One major rebellion was only forestalled by the death of its leader. However, that did not stop a second rebellion, and this rebellion reached the very gates of Castle Jorvik before being driven off. Halfdan V's second son, Ake, came of age in 1337, but Ake was just as unremarkable as his father. Not a few noblemen called for the installation of Holmger as the proper Emperor of Britannia.
What weakened the ties that held the Empire together most of all was Halfdan IV's many sons. Each began to demand their piece of the Empire. Halfdan V, in the midst of fighting off an independence war, was in no position to deny them. The Barony of Tickhill was given to Thorbrandr, leaving only four castles in the Imperial demesne: Jorvik, Tintagel, Chirk, and the newly finished Castle Andover. Halfdan V became convinced that his brothers and other relatives meant to unseat him, and fortified himself in Jorvik. On the mere rumor that Ake might not like Suni Baldrsson (whom, it must be recalled, Halfdan V loathed as a memory of his dead son), Ake was locked up in the Imperial dungeons, where he died. The arrest of Ake broke into Halfdan V's paranoid delusions enough where he remembered his earlier quest to keep the line of succession secure. He called a moot to institute more authority for the Emperor, which would make his position secure enough to end the practice of Gavelkind once and for all.
The battle of Jorvik, even though it was a clear victory, combined with the death of Baldr to shatter Halfdan V's psyche.
As his delusions worsened, Halfdan V told his few remaining friends that Odin had visited him in his dreams. Odin swore to strike down Halfdan V because Halfdan IV had escaped his vengeance.
The only portrait of Ake, commissioned a few weeks before Ake's arrest for trying to kill his nephew (allegedly). No real evidence was found, apart from a report by Halfdan V's spymaster, who may well have fabricated it.
Ake was in the dungeons for 10 years. Halfdan V never once considered releasing his son, although he did grant him a traditional Viking funeral. This announcement included a painting of what people imagined Ake looked like upon the eve of his death, but the truth is that nobody saw him.
A desperate ploy to keep the dreams of Empire alive, it might have worked had Halfdan V had more time.
Beginning in 1342, Halfdan V had to race against time. The moot did approve more authority for him, but the recent independence wars engendered bitterness among the leading families of the Empire. Some families fought in open warfare; others were content with insults and personal attacks in the corridors of power. Halfdan V's plan could not function unless he could end the infighting and make the families love one another again: a tall order for a man in the best of mental health, which Halfdan V was not. A new marriage seemed to restore some of Halfdan's faith, and he started to work towards his goals. He allowed the Jarl of Armagnac, a follower of the White Christ, to declare independence. He sent gold to other recalcitrant noblemen. He made the Jarl of Cornwall a Hirdsman. While that bought Halfdan V some friends, he couldn't end the infighting. One of his most persistent foes was Orm II, King of Norway, who would not accept the loss of his ancestral positions in Sweden. Even though Orm was in prison, it took months to finally arrange the King's death.
By 1346, Halfdan V knew that his time on earth was short. With no living son, he predicted that his grandson, Suni, would almost certainly have a long regency. He appointed his brother Holmger as Chancellor, giving him the mandate to manage the Empire and, if need be, serve as Imperial Regent. In October 1346, another Hvitserk died, as Thorbrandr (the Imperial Marshal) was slain in battle with Chief Sten, who had risen in rebellion. Holmger used the opportunity to demand his own land. Halfdan V promised to arrange a fiefdom, but was too preoccupied with securing the succession to do so right away. Thorgil, the new Marshal (and Halfdan V's nephew) also wanted land. Thorgil became Thane of Jarnberaland after Chief Sten lost the county as punishment for his rebellion. Holmger got the Barony of Andover after insisting upon something from his elder brother. In 1348, Halfdan V desperately called moots in every one of the kingdoms, trying to call an end to the bloodshed between Norse nobles. It worked in Wales and Skotland, but Irland and England were not willing to surrender their rights so easily. England and Irland agreed late 1349, but in order to to buy the approval of the English moot, he had to give the Castle of Chirk to to Ulv III, Jarl of Mercia.
The Imperial family held only two possessions at this point: Tintagel and Jorvik. Halfdan V was not concerned, because if he could get all of the lords to stop fighting long enough to re-establish the principle of primogeniture, the Imperial crown would remain in the family. The progress of the four moots convinced Halfdan V that there was some chance of success, and he decided to divorce his wife to marry a young nubile woman named Malmfrid, in the hopes of producing a son. That son was born 30 July 1350, and appropriately enough, named Halfdan. Full of confidence and bravado that he would surely succeed in his plan, Halfdan V knew that if he could impress the remaining nobles, he could finally end Gavelkind, once and for all, in the Empire of Britannia. He decided to risk everything by choosing the most hated man in the Empire, Jarl Faste, and challenging him to holmgang. The personal combat was scheduled for 21 November 1350. Halfdan V counted on his Varangian training to defeat his foe, and the initial progress of the battle was promising.
Halfdan V, before attending the holmgang, ordered Skullsplitter sharpened. He was every bit as tough as his father, after all, but a keener edge on the axe might give him the advantage. Unfortunately, the blacksmith hadn't finished with Skullsplitter by the time of a fight. The axe Halfdan V did have got stuck in Faste's shield; Faste's axe got stuck in the Emperor's stomach. Faste was a wanted man at that moment, but it didn't matter. With that blow of the axe, Faste had done more than kill the Emperor. He killed the Empire. The holmgang was called "Ragnarok" by the Norse, and rightfully so. Halfdan V's son inherited the title of Emperor and Fylkir of Britannia as Halfdan VI by right of Gavelkind, but he was an Emperor without an Empire. The last two pieces of Imperial property were inherited by Suni III, King of Denmark, Irland, Wales, and Bertangaland, Jarl of Jorvik and Northumberland. Skotland, Frisia, Navarra, and England were gained by other rulers by right of the moot. In short, the Empire of Britannia had exploded into dozens of separate realms. Upon Suni III's shoulders were placed an impossible task: reforging an Empire.
The birth of the last Emperor of Britannia was originally cause for joy. If not for Ragnarok, Halfdan VI might have been the man to eliminate Christianity and spread the Norse faith to every corner of the globe.
The last moments of Halfan V were agonizing and captured in this amazing work of art, which now hangs in the Hvitserk Museum in Jorvik. It was painted by the one-armed artist who had been crippled by Halfdan IV.
All of the titles in the world amounted to only two pieces of land: Jorvik itself and the castle Tintagel in Northumberland. From these two castles, Suni III, King of Denmark, etc., tried to retake what was lost.
A once unified and glorious Empire, occupying Norway, Sweden, the British Isles, and parts of France, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire, was reduced to a single province.
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The rather dramatic implosion of my Empire bears some explanation, especially for those of you who may not be familiar with CKII. When Suni II lost the Imperial title, the person who won it changed it to Gavelkind instead of Primogeniture. I didn't recognize this right away. It was actually under Halfdan IV that I noticed it, and only then because he didn't have a son, which popped up the warning that I was going to lose the Empire. Why didn't I lose the Empire, you may ask, when Halfdan IV died? Because the line of succession went directly to Halfdan V. I only had one title that was passed along by Gavelkind -- the Imperial Title -- and everything else was Primogeniture or Elective.
Now, the case of Halfdan was weirder; everything got screwed up by Halfdan VI's birth. The line of Primogeniture (and you'll note that Suni III kept all of those titles) originally went from Halfdan V to Baldr, then Baldr to Suni III when Baldr died. The birth of Halfdan VI as a new son for Halfdan V changed everything. If I'd gotten the Imperial title over to Primogeniture, Halfdan VI would have gotten everything. Because I didn't, Halfdan VI got the "best" title (Empire of Britannia), but the other titles went to Suni. Unfortunately for Halfdan VI, there's no land tied directly to the Empire of Britannia, because it's a created Empire. That means that what Halfdan VI actually inherited was a claim to be Emperor of Britannia. Suni III became my playable character because Halfdan VI didn't have any land.
Why didn't I get Primogeniture? I needed High Crown Authority, which Halfdan IV couldn't do, since you can only change that once in your lifetime, and he bumped us up to Medium. Once I had it, I needed to a) make everyone at least tolerate me and b) people to stop fighting each other. It took me a lot of gold to buy enough support to get crown authority passed for the kingdoms, which would stop the infighting, but paradoxically made the nobles dislike me. I probably would have gotten the job done if I hadn't agreed to the holmgang, but well, I didn't think I would actually die...
Anyway, that's what happened. One Empire was considered better than two Jarldoms and some Kingdoms without any actually land, so we have an Emperor with no land and a King with no Imperial title. It will make a very interesting final update or two, I can promise you that!
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Well the Empire is a mess now. At least the transition into EUIV won't be so easy.
That chapter was really great, both from a writing perspective, but also for the story itself, being the culminating point of the intrigue in this CK2 part (as far as I see it). Definitely my favourite so far, as you managed to deliver a great explanation to why the Ragnarök-situation happened while immersing me deeply into your story and imagining those epic moments of ups and down. Shortly: I loved it and keep up the skilled work, you have caught me!
And we thought the rest of the time in CK2 was likely to be boring! Ha!
Regarding my previous comment: in EU4, Tengri nations now have the option to syncretise bordering faiths, making them not religious enemies and giving different bonuses for different religions. It can be changed, but only so often.
Also, those tomatoes really would be legendary, seeing as the tomato comes from the Americas!
Regarding my previous comment: in EU4, Tengri nations now have the option to syncretise bordering faiths, making them not religious enemies and giving different bonuses for different religions. It can be changed, but only so often.
Also, those tomatoes really would be legendary, seeing as the tomato comes from the Americas!
Why, thank you.
Well the Empire is a mess now. At least the transition into EUIV won't be so easy.
Yes, easy is not even close to the word for it.
wow! looking forward to seeing where you go from here
Thank you!
That chapter was really great, both from a writing perspective, but also for the story itself, being the culminating point of the intrigue in this CK2 part (as far as I see it). Definitely my favourite so far, as you managed to deliver a great explanation to why the Ragnarök-situation happened while immersing me deeply into your story and imagining those epic moments of ups and down. Shortly: I loved it and keep up the skilled work, you have caught me!
You really are very kind.
I'm glad you enjoyed it!We'll just say that Erik the Red and Leif Ericsson landed a bit further south in this timeline.
I'd like to administer a sort of informal opinion poll, if I may. I could theoretically break up the last 90 years into two or three updates, if people want more of this AAR in CK II, or I can write one post that wraps everything up, which would have a little less detail. I will say that there's a lot going on, but I think I could summarize it adequately, if that's what people want. If you wish, say a few words about which option you'd prefer, and I'll think carefully before making the final update (or updates).
Welp, I think I'll subscribe to this. Jumping on just as it gets interesting.
Hey, at least now you have the fun of rebuilding the Empire all over again.
Hey, at least now you have the fun of rebuilding the Empire all over again.
I would prefer the three updates, but given you have many AARs, I could see where you would want to write just one.