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A very good start. Lots of detail, plenty of character depth.

Just one suggestion, regarding the picture where you mark out the routes used by your armies (may 4, 1189). The lines are only just visible, so perhaps you should make them a bit bigger and clearer.
 
Hmm, to be honest, I was also having some difficulties, but my Opera 'ere told me I was connecting... connecting... connecting... and finally I was connected and the pics opened.
I'm guessing it's issues with FileLodge - I've noticed that usually in the afternoons and evenings you have to wait a bit until things work. May be it's their bandwith choked to death by God knows what ;)

Anyways, if patient waiting (say two, three minutes) doesn't help, lemme know. Any good alternatives to FileLodge?

ps. How do I edit the savegame to switch some provinces to a different ruler? I've been playing ahead here and... well, I'd like to clear up things because it feels only right to do so. PM me plx or point me to a useful link?

edit: angryclown: Roger! I'll see what I can do 'bout it!
 
Ort Hodox said:
Hmm, to be honest, I was also having some difficulties, but my Opera 'ere told me I was connecting... connecting... connecting... and finally I was connected and the pics opened.
I'm guessing it's issues with FileLodge - I've noticed that usually in the afternoons and evenings you have to wait a bit until things work. May be it's their bandwith choked to death by God knows what ;)

Anyways, if patient waiting (say two, three minutes) doesn't help, lemme know. Any good alternatives to FileLodge?

ps. How do I edit the savegame to switch some provinces to a different ruler? I've been playing ahead here and... well, I'd like to clear up things because it feels only right to do so. PM me plx or point me to a useful link?

edit: angryclown: Roger! I'll see what I can do 'bout it!

http://www.imageshack.us/ is good alternative
 
OMG this is some sweet oldskool AAR(to be honest i love your semi-official style of writing. Make me think of a chronic ;)).

Lol the most weird things are: War between Italy and HRE(ruled by father and son :D). I think you should try to abandon the fruitless conquest of Lithuania(helping them via modding, to unite into a kingdom/duchy, so they can go harass the Rus), and focus on Western affairs, supporting the Pope, so one day you might be "officially" crowned with an inheritable crown :rofl:

I'd also suggest you focus on internal problems, such as expanding the infrastructure.

Keep up the writing, will be watching this AAR ;)
 
Hiho. There's an update brewing, after a shortyish period when my connection was dead, meanwhile I really have to ask it again - how do I edit the savegame, so that I can transfer the ownership of some provinces from one ruler to the other. So far I managed to come up with transfering the provinces from their owner, to 'controlled' by the one I was aiming at, but in fact as belonging to some other completely unconnected ruler. Well, truth be said, I wanted to switch the provinces from myself and some Polish vassals to the Papacy. But they ended up in the hands of Duke of Milano, IIRC. :/

Anyway, I gave away enough ;)
 
Chapter II (continued)
When the Thunder Spoke and Fell Silent

During the time from Spring 1190 to late Fall 1190, the King’s eyes oft looked to the neighbouring Principality of Galich. While the monarch busied himself in the North, putting down rebellions and acquiring new lands, the prospective vassal – Kazimierz still could not conceive of that Principality differently – had begun a war against some of the tribes under the powerful rule of Koza, High Chief of Cumans – the Chiefdoms of Peresechen, Belgorod, Pereyeslavl and – the most powerful in this conflict – the Chiefdom of Kuban. Vladimir Rurikovich’s forces were extremely successful in their initial battles, pushing the Cuman vassals out of their lands. This was something to be closely watched by the King, for should Vladimir grow too powerful, it would be certain that he would never accept a vassalisation offer. Well, claimed King’s Chancellor, Katarzyna Bogoria (who, although very young in years, was extremely talented and enthrallingly charming), they would never accept anyway. Vladimir looked to the rest of his dynasty and would not stain his honour by submitting to a foreign power.

It was when the Summer was in its prime, when Krzeslaw Poraj – the itinerant bishop, who had arrived during the war against Lithuanians and who since some time had been the royal Marshal, rather than the diocese bishop – came and asked to marry the old spinster Eufrozyna Piast, who was a nearly forgotten distant relative of the King. It was something to what the King could give his blessing, though with some doubt. Eufrozyna moved out of her old chambers, which would be more appropriate in a cloister, and joined Krzeslaw. They moved to a new house situated near the outer city walls.
Poland018BishopMarriage.JPG
The King stooped in his chair, well fed with the aptly prepared dinner, and raised his chalice close to the face. He could see a ruby reflection of his face, as if awash with blood, in a precious stone struck into the side of the chalice. What did the world come to? Christian leaders move entire Kingdoms to war over toll profits from a royal tract – thought the King, still recalling the war between Heinrich von Hochenstaufen and the Italian king – bishops come from Rome are lustful and doubting bastards – still thought the King. The chalice was tipped in royal hands. A sudden smell of decay came in through the open windows. The King thought of a rotten apple he found earlier in the day, lying on a cushion of dew-sprinkled grass. The apple was brown and soft in touch. This… this made the King think of the Duke of Pomerania, Boleslaw Gryfita. Had he not compared the man to a rotten apple once?
Oh, Lord in Heaven, where art thou, when thy servants go astray? Behold your Church, what did it come to? Wouldst not tell the Pope to waif the celibate?
But who am I to judge. I’ve no right to throw stones, for I promised peace, I gave war; I promised prosperity, I led the treasury to debt. The cause was just, yes. Were we sincere enough in our cause to redeem us? Lord, forgive me if I went wrong, but you know my intentions were pure.
The windows had been shut, to contain the awful smell outside.
Summer was coming to its end and storms were thundering above Wawel daily. The torrential rain was a blessing at first, washing away the filth of man, but the longer it continued, the grimmer everybody in court grew. Grain could be spoiled if this was to continue and the courtiers became mightily bored with their confinement to the castle chambers. There were still hopes for some wonderful horse rides and festivities in the open air.
During this rainy season, Kazimierz funded a mission of choice villans, hand-picked by his spy master, to the Principality of Pskov. They were to harass the law-keepers there and run criminal enterprises.

September came and the rains were lifted. Fall came and was later changed into an early winter. Times were also much changed for the Prince of Galich. The tide had turned and Rurikovich’s soldiers lost their initial euphoric momentum. The weight of Cuman numbers began to bear and very soon Galich went under Cuman – to chief of Kuban, to be precise – control. This was alarming.

It was no great surprise when after the Chrismas mass the King announced his will to aid the Prince of Galich. There was to be war – again. On the other hand, it was certainly necessary to react. Pagan forces were gaining land in Peremyshl, which would mean that any day the Kingdom of Poland would be neighbouring one of the more powerful pagan people. This was not to pass.
Troops from the entire royal demesne were mobilised and went marching for Peremyshl and Galich. The aid of the Count of Cieszyn and the King of Hungary was also requested. Unfortunately, King Bela declined his help.
Thus the King made haste with his forces to lift the siege from the castle in which hid the Prince of Galich, whom the King still deemed a future vassal.
Poland019War-Kuban.JPG

By mid February 1191, royal forces pushed the Cumans out of Peremyshl and beat them in Galich. Those lands became a gravitation point for enemy armies. Royal scouts were reporting more and more enemies gathering to the south of Galich. Meanwhile, Kazimierz managed to secure the land for his demesne, thinking it a fair price for saving Vladimir’s life. Soon enough, however, the Russian Prince managed to express his dissatisfaction with the fact. After all, his lands were now all separated by stretches of Polish territory, forcing absurd toll payments.
For that moment, however, the Polish and Russian armies still fought against a common enemy.

Fighting his war not only in the field – leading his armies with excellence, to an extent previously unseen – Kazimierz decided to put out the powerful chief of Kuban out of the war. Over 600 ducats were to be spent on inciting a revolt in Kuban lands. The royal spymaster once again proved to be a virtuoso of his trade and it was not long, before news of unrest in faraway lands began to reach the ears of Cuman forces.

Realisation of the fact sapped Cuman morale, which was already low after the bloody defeat in Galich, and this resulted in the grave defeat in the battle of Torki, on the 15th day of March 1191. The King’s long prayer before the battle and his insightful battle plan secured a wonderful victory. The casualties were small and the King himself fought as if he were under direct protection from God. The monarch sword carved its way through the pagan swarms and the King’s lieutenant secured the pagan colour. Witnessing this, a big remainder of the Cuman forces retreated in panic, leaving the field to the victorious army.
Poland020-BattleTorki.JPG

These victories, combined with the raging revolt in Kuban homelands, became too irksome for the Kuban chief and convinced him to sue for peace. First, he paid for his peace with the Prince of Galich, and then – left empty-handed – he sued for a white peace with the King of Poland, which was graciously accepted. The road to conquest seemed open and the Polish armies sallied south.

The King and his host were encamped near the east banks of Dniestr, having crossed the river during the day. As always when he saw his forces gathered in one place, the King’s spirits grew. His men were paragons of Christian warriors. There was no fear, for they put their trust in Christ and he was their guardian in this fight against these barbarians.
The evening came quickly and a fog rose up from the river. The guards were doubled, for this was enemy territory and although reports claimed that the enemy armies are drawing east to the north of the King’s forces, they also mentioned small bands of pagans left behind to bedevil the Polish advance.
The damp was seeping in through clothes and a chill run down the King’s spine. He came out of his tent, replied to his guards’ greeting and approached a nearby fire. The cracking of wood in the flames and the radiating heat could not warm the King’s heart. He didn’t know what the matter was, but he felt extremely restless.
Adorned in his warm fur, the King went closer to the river, disregarding his safety for the moment. When he left the camp and the glow of the fires, he began to wander in almost pitch-black darkness. Quickly, however, his eyes got accustomed to the starlight and Kazimierz proceeded to wander in the shadows.
Suddenly, there was a presence in the dark. It… A man, by the river, standing there quietly. It was difficult for Kazimierz to tell, but the stranger did not seem like a local.
-Who are you? Show yourself! – called out the King, his hand going to the short sword he was carrying when encamped. There was no reply from the dark silhouette. The King approached a step, noticing that the stranger is a bearded giant, wearing heavy furs, standing there with his hands empty – or so it seemed. Nevertheless, the King drew his sword and the steel whispered when coming out of the sheath. Moonlight glistened briefly when Kazimierz put up the blade and pointed it at the stranger.
-Do not try my patience. Who are you, speak! – spoke the King again. The stranger stirred and lifted his hand, showing the palm of it.
-I mean you no harm, nor do I seek any. – spoke a powerful voice and added after a second of quiet – my King.
-Who are you, I know you not. Speak quickly, lest I call the guards.
-King, do not call them. – said the man – I mean no harm and pray, come with me, King. I am a friend of yours.
-What is thy name, then, for I recall not such a face like yours. – said the King suspiciously, however he sheathed the blade back.
-I have many names, King. I came here tonight to talk with you. I fear, however, that I know not what to tell you.
-Well, speak thy purpose, man. Say what you have to say, I will listen with care – the two stood under a tree, wet grass caressing their legs.
-There is little I have to tell you, King, for you know much – a little not of this world. I know about your vision. That is why I came.
-Who sent you? How do you know of these things? – said the King eyes fixed on the stranger's face.
-I came here of my own accord. You must leave these lands tomorrow. Return to your kingdom and end the war. What you have seen in your prophecies is not this. It is not yet, there is time still. You must go back. You do not need this war and you err thinking that you can win the heart of Vladimir Rurikovich on the fields of battle. That man will never heed you and you must forget about him. Please, King, return to your tent and tell your men to ready themselves to go home in the morning.
There was silence for a moment, silence broken only by the sound of flowing water and the chirping of crickets. Then the King spoke slowly, almost spitting out each word.
-I… decide… my own actions. No one… will tell me… when I am right, or wrong. I rarely err, man, and I know that this war must be fought to the end. The power of these pagans is great, but I fear them not. Be gone, Devil! – shouted the King, swinging his arm. The man was gone. Kazimierz crossed himself and hurried to his tent, spending an hour on prayer and asking God’s forgiveness. What kind of a creature was that?

The sun was high and it was good. The day was good and his men were the braver. It is good to die when the day is fitting. It is wrong to die at all, but there are times when we have to die, no matter what. Home was what seemed weeks away. He thought of his home. There were many good bowmen there. He remembered how he, as a small boy, used to wait with his grandfather in the woods. The wolf would come, smelling blood from the hurt lamb. The wolf would close up on the lamb and it would get frightened. Then the bowstring would quietly say: “I’m ready” and the arrow would fly, seeking the right spot to nest itself in the wolf’s body.
He also liked riding his horse. He got his first horse when he was five. His father gave him the horse. The horse was a good one, a strong one. He would ride for days, living off the land.
He remembered when he was nine, his father once took him on a ride. They rode half a moon north and a whole moon south. When they finished, they stopped by a creek and drank some water. His father then said: “This is our land. But we belong to a mighty people and the land of our people extends much farther than that. Perhaps some day, you will see more of it.”
When he was twelve, his father went to war. He and the other men went north. They said they have to fight far to the north, in dense forests. His father never came back, so he was the head of the family ever since. He had to beat his sisters, they were stupid creatures and they could not do a thing right. His mother was wiser, but he still had to beat her, because he was a man and she a woman.
When he was sixteen, he got a woman for himself. She was a pretty one and she worked hard. He was satisfied with her. On their first night, he had her and she bleed like a lamb whose throat had been slit. In the morning sun he saw they were both covered in blood. The elders congratulated him. He had his mother and his sisters moved to a different tent, because soon he and his wife started having children. He needed space for them.
After a few years, he was chosen the leader of his people. He was a strong man and a wise one. He could discipline his women and he could discipline men as well. The people grew stronger.
One day, warriors from the leader of all their land came. They said there was war far to the west. Etrek took his best men and went with them.
They rode for over two moons. That is when they met the beaten warriors. Their warriors. The Christians were strong. Their numbers were not as big as of Etrek’s people, but they were all clad in steel and they had great might with them. Etrek saw many wounded. He had been on small wars a few times, but this time it looked like a tough fight.
He and his men separated from Koza’s warriors. They said Christian warriors carrying letters had been caught. The letters said they want to go to Koza’s land and conquer it. This was bad, for Etrek’s lands were there as well. He did not want to have his possessions burned.
Etrek was to stay behind and slow the advance of the Polans. Koza would use the time to gather armies in the east. Etrek was to die and he knew it.
His life had not been as long as the life of the elders, but he lived long enough.
The sun was high and it was good. The day was good and his men were the braver. It is good to die when the day is fitting.
His men lay hidden. Etrek with his bowmen lay hidden. The Christians were many. He had been watching them for some time now. He watched them appear far away. He watched them draw closer. He watched them now, as they were passing him.
He spied a group of horsemen clad in steel. These were called ‘knights’. These were important. A killed knight was worth the life of four his men. It is hard to kill a knight, because he has to be hit on the neck. Etrek watched the knights get closer. They were clad in strange clothes. He could see gold glisten in the sun. Their steel was also glistening, even with the dust.
There was one to whom all the knights looked. He must be an important one. Etrek told his men to wait for him to shoot. He would shoot this one.
He was moving on horse, it would be difficult to hit him. Etrek rose up to his knees and readied his bow. His hand was steady. He breathed out. He breathed in. He was watching the bare flesh on the neck of that one. He breathed out. The knight leaned back in his saddle, turning to the one beside him. There was more flesh revealed. Etrek breathed in. The bow sung and the arrow whistled. He covered his eyes and watched the arrow fly through the air.​

The men were happy, for their victories had been great. Everyone feared the pagan might at first, but they were beaten once, twice, three times and God was ever favourable. The lands were called Oleshye. They were nearly completely under Polish control. The King’s design was to go far east, to the lands belonging directly to the chief of Cumans. Cuman vassals, luckily, didn’t rise up against the invaders. This was most fortunate, for the Polish armies could easily feed themselves, with most people they met not unwilling to give up some food. There was also some game in the lands, so sometimes the scouts returned not with a prisoner, but with food, instead.
Kazimierz was tired, because the continuous march was working on him. He needed to stop for a few days and lie his old bones, let them rest a little. The dust rising up from ground made him cough sometimes. He leaned back in his saddle, to the lieutenant beside the standard bearer.
-Ride forward and tell them to turn a little north. I don’t want to go through those hills. – said the King.
-It will be done, my Liege! – answered the young knight, speeding ahead. Where was he from? Was this the friend of Count of Cieszyn? Maybe the other one…

Waclaw Jastrzebiec heard a noise similar to that of an arrow flying and heard his King gasp loudly. He did not resist the temptation to look back at his monarch.
He stopped his horse and cried out murder – the King was hit on the neck with an arrow! The knights quickly surrounded their Liege and stopped his horse. Many drew their weapons, looking for signs of enemy. Panic quickly spread. People were yelling, running around. Someone made haste for a medic. The King, swaying in his saddle, was bleeding. They took him down from the saddle.
Waclaw held the King's head and put it gently on a taken-down saddle. Blood covered the King’s neck and the arrow pointed its accusing finger at the sky. The King gripped Waclaw’s chainmail with his armoured gauntlet, trying to bring him closer. Waclaw stared at his King and leaned closer to the monarch’s face. The King was watching him with eyes wide opened and there was something he tried to say. Waclaw listened intently, the screaming of others quiet to his ears.
-My Liege… My Liege… Do not die, my Liege… – said Waclaw quietly, tears already watering his eyes. The royal grip was weakening. The King tried to say something, but only blood came pouring out of his mouth. The King blinked and tried to lift his head, his face an expression of torment and pain.
-Yes, my Liege? What is it? What is it, my King? – asked Waclaw, unable to stop crying. How could he help his King, how could he help him? If only he could hear his King speak!
The King was choking with blood. He felt he would loose consciousness… bah! He would die soon! The boy, the young boy near him. He could see his tears. He wanted so much to tell him about the box, about the prophecy, to tell him why were they here. The pain was unbearable. He let go of the young boy, his hand already going numb. World was blacking away.
Kazimierz felt sorry for his knights. He did not want to leave them this way. He led them here, to the ends of the world and now he was leaving them like a coward.
He would soon suffocate. He moaned and the blood gurgled in his mouth. So much blood, sprinkling out of him like water from a source. Just… tell the boy… about the prophecy – his eyes said. He closed his eyes and turned his head to the side. They would not understand him. All is lost. God, forgive me, for I have failed you. Have mercy on me, for I have sinned many a time and I led my people astray. Let them not be punished severely, I am ready to take the blame.
His last thoughts were strange. He thought about a future war, where any peasant could be armed with a missile weapon, where even the lowliest of the rabble would carry a weapon that would strike foes over a distance of hundreds of feet, where they could strike down Kings without fear. A war where knights would be no better than a peasant with a missile weapon, where everyone be equal in their fight. Where leaders would lead their armies from afar, dispatching orders from behind hills, hidden from enemy fire.
Father?

The blood stained, tattered, Polish colours flew over the recumbent King. The pagans have been all found and slaughtered without mercy. Their bodies were left to the dogs and crows.
The men prayed for their King, remembering his valour and wisdom.
Dark times were ahead.
Poland021BattleOleshye.JPG
 
The right justification makes things look all screwy!

A nasty death.
 
Chapter III
The Darkness and the Light of the Early Rule of King Lescek

The news of King Kazimierz’s death was mitigated to his vassals – and grave news that was, indeed. The Kingdom was left with – what? A child ruler? This was preposterous. This could not be, for surely the other vassals would strive to bring the young monarch under their influence. This spelled civil war, unless a way to avert it could be found.
Poland025KingLescek.JPG
The young King, reflecting his status some time after inheriting the rule​

The boy, only five years of age, still waiting to receive proper education, went to Wawel as the rightful heir. Pawel of Krakowskie, the Duke of Podlasie, was dissatisfied and disloyal towards the boy. He resented the damn child. He had guested the brat in his house and it was a difficult realisation for him to learn that he could no longer exert his power over the boy. No more reprimands, just obedience. Nonsense! The child was stupid and would not make a good king!
What is worse, other Dukes became somewhat hostile towards Pawel, believing that he would want to use his influence over the boy to pull the strings for the new King. Curses! How could he not want to use his power over the boy now, when they all thought him an enemy to defeat, in order to have the King at their whims!? He found himself in a perilous situation – or so it seemed.

Meanwhile, Kazimierz’s body had been delivered to Wawel and the corpse found its resting place in the royal chapel, among the protoplasts of the dynasty. Royal guards, devotedly loyal to their Liege in his final journey would pride themselves for years to come of their last stop before Krakow, when they spent the night on the outskirts of the royal lands, faithfully guarding the body.
As for the young Lescek, he soon found himself in the centre of attention of everyone.
Mateusz Kopytko, the old confessor to the previous monarch, focused his efforts on the young King. He needed to know whether the boy had been told anything of… the prophecy. He would proceed carefully, seeking opportunity to talk with the boy in private. However, the boy did not seem to know. It would be days before Kopytko could gather for sure that the boy was in the dark. So Kazimierz decided not to tell the boy. Perhaps rightly so. Mateusz would not tell the boy either – at least, not for some time to come. It would be only when the boy reached adulthood that the prophecy would be revealed to him. Having ascertained that, Mateusz went to his room. It was fasting day, so he would not sup that day.
In the morning the servants discovered Mateusz’s cold, stiff, body – a ghastly expression on his face, frozen in terror. Both the persons who knew the secret of the box were now dead. The maids would gossip in fear about a ghost that was supposed to have visited the old priest, because they didn’t find any salt hi’den under the priest’s pillo’ and he didn’t pour the evenin’ water out the window, leaving it to the maids. It was o’vious that the Kin’s ghost came to him, for a final confession and the confessor was not prepare’. Superstition or no superstition, the man was dead. The royal ‘eir ‘ad the mirro’ in ‘is chambers covered wiv a linen and there was salt under ‘is pillo’ an’ the wa’er ha’ been poured ou’ an’ the doors were open’d befo’ goin’ to the chambers in the evenin’ and close’ af’er the boy was asleep an’… – so you see, nothin’ could ‘appen to the boy.

Soon came the expected power surges and reallocations of might. Duke of Prussia was invested with the County of Sambia. This was a first move and all those in the power expected more such moves to come, but Lescek refrained from more actions. Nevertheless, given some time, the Dukes expected to turn the boy around to their designs. What mattered for the moment was the fact that the royal treasury was over 1500 ducats in debt. Steps toward securing a peace had to be taken.

With the debts piling in, the young monarch was soon advised by his council to start selling out various taxation rights. This could not be seen in good light, but anything went as long as it allowed to run the kingdom for one more month.
Some of the money went into appeasing the rebellious peasants from Aukshayts, who were still worshipping their pagan gods and demanded to do so for ever more. Possibly because the boy was still young and knew little of the world, no harsh actions – as during Kazimierz’s reign – were taken.
Poland022SellingOut.JPG

On the 11th September 1191, stepmother to the new King, Verkhoslava, went away to marry the Marshal of Kingdom of Bulgaria. She took the fruit of her and Kazimierz’s love with her. Anyway, Lescek never liked that girl, ever since he returned to Wawel.
Poland023MotherMarriage.JPG

In October, a knight from the Principality of Smolensk arrived, having fled from the land directly endangered by the Cumans. He was not granted the place in the court, for the new King could not allow himself the additional expenses. Following word from his advisors, the King accepted that an envoy be sent to the Cuman leader, with the mission to end the horrible war. Alas, he returned in the beginning of November, stating the Cumans wouldn’t agree to cease hostilities. The only outcome of this mission was to worsen the already bad reputation of Lescek. The Pope condemned the child for the godless idea to make peace with heathens.

On 22 January 1192, when most of Polish forces have been beaten in Cuman lands, and the Cumans had started reclaiming territory, envoys from the Teutonic Knights arrived, requesting to be granted lands in the Kingdom. The young King, fresh from a horseback race through the snowy forest in his hunting lands, cheeks still red with the excitement – having lost the race to his riding tutor – declined the offer, instead insulting the envoys gravely in his anger. His childish screams and the curses he shouted would be more appropriate in a stable boy’s mouth and many were taken aback by such conduct. The event would echo in many places. In the Papal court, where the son of the piteous Kazimierz was already seen as a godless brat, it was even briefly considered to excommunicate the child and place a more fitting ruler in his place. Papal emissaries would scout around the courts of the Polish Dukes, seeking a worthy replacement.

Moreover, the disgruntled Teutonic Knights encouraged an uprising in Memel, spreading heretic ideas, claiming that Lescek was not a true monarch and denying Lescek God’s Grace. This would erupt with an open rebellion in Aukshayts, where the peasants took to arms and faced the royal regiments in the first days of February.
Perhaps worst of all, the long-time loyal Chancellor to King Kazimierz decided to flee the court and was married to one of the younger sons of King Bela of Hungary.
Poland024Teutonic-ChancellorMarry.JPG

A month later, first the King’s younger brother – Konrad, an inbreed child – then the King himself were given up to the military, to receive their education. This was encouraged by the advisory council, some of which had been in turn influenced by the plotting Dukes. It was better to educate the King in military matters and have him an expert with the sword, than an expert of intrigues. After all, he would never have the occasion to lift up his sword on any of them, but a smart intrigue could cause harm. Or would he? Would he lift up his sword on them? Nonsense.
The war, in the mean time, was developing strangely. Galich signed peace with Cumans, receiving a tremendous sum of 784 ducats as tribute. Yet, the Cuman chief would not have peace with the Kingdom of Poland, even though beaten in the field and having had lost some territory. Perhaps the death of Kazimierz and the fact that Polish troops were in retreat incited him to continue the war.
Hungary was struggling for their lands north of West Dvina, struggling for them against the tribe of Estonians, who unwisely encroached upon some of the fields owned by King Bela and killed entire herds of cattle.

By November 1192, all Polish armies had left the Cuman lands, retreating back into Poland. Any territorial gains that had been won, were lost again. Luckily, the Polish lands were spared Koza’s wrath, for various infighting broke out between the constituent tribes of the Cuman lands. There followed a time of uneasy – and unspoken – truce.
Poland027CumanWar1191.JPG
The Cuman campaign. Note: all the battles and skirmishes were victorious, the retreat movements mark the end of victories and a continuous retreat. The highlighted province is Galich. The yellow dot at one of the arrows marks the King to the time of his demise

The ensuing period brought a slow reconstruction. The alliance with Hungary had waned away and the Hungarian King would not renew it. The only proposals were from the Byzantine Emperor, Isaakios Angelos – but following his advisors’ words, Lescek would not ally with Byzantium. This was because of the fact, that there didn’t seem to be any interests in the area around Byzantine lands. The decline was a wise move, for the Byzantium soon became involved in prolonged wars with the Muslim heathens, with no side able to gain visible advantage over the other.
Time passed slowly. The year 1193 came, heavy with snow, turned into a windy spring, then a rainy summer, the leaves were peeled off in the fall by dusty winds and then were covered with winter snow again.
There had been a war between the Crowns of Norway and Sweden, cramped on their rocky and mountainous peninsula, with the English Crown joining in on the side of the aggressor, Sweden. It had been about some County of Viken. The war ended in a white peace, no territorial changes whatsoever.
Not much happened in the Kingdom. The King was taking his lessons, but his ambitions pushed him to long talks with his councillors. He would ask questions multiple and manifold, would not rest until his tutors were weak with headache. The taxes coming in from the provinces could not be put to anything else but diminishing the gargantuan debt, so the young King could not apply his newly gained wisdom and have fine roads and post offices built in his Kingdom.
With the third year of King Lescek’s reign coming to an end in early 1194, the internal situation in the Kingdom of Poland was a sort of a stalemate. The vassals pledged their allegiance, cursing the group of harpies – the old and wise Steward and the young and cunning Spymaster – that had taken the child King under their wings, shielding him from the Ducal intrigues. In fact, the Dukes of Prussia and Wielkopolska were somehow satisfied with the period of relative quiet the child ruler brought with him.
The Russian Principalities were, however, on the move. Novogrod and Minsk were joined by Volhynia in their fight against the Chiefdom of Dorpat in an attempt to secure the lands formerly belonging to the King of Hungary, lands which had been overrun by pagans while Hungary experienced internal strife a year earlier. The Tribe of Kurs declared upon the County of Reval, a Hungarian vassal.

The situation seemed to call out for action and in May the young King decided to call up the Estates General and request a large contribution, despite his advisors’ better judgments. This resulted in some resentment against the King, who was now regarded by most as an impulsive child and a reckless little despot, pushing the Kingdom to unnecessary toil. At least the royal treasury was no longer in debt and there even was some money left. In fact, part of the remainder of the money was spent on funding a brief campaign – which was led by Bernát of Feher, royal Marshal – to conquer Kurs, before it was captured by the Prince of Volhynia. To the Dukes this was a sad confirmation that the young King was strong and there was potential in him to defy those older than he, potential to rule with a strong hand.
Kurs a part of the monarch’s demesne, the boy was now plotting to enrich his portfolio of titles with one more – King of Lithuania. It was too soon yet, but the boy certainly could amass power enough real soon to proclaim it.

In August 1194, envoys from the High Chief of Cumans arrived, bringing an offer of peace. This was most fortunate for the child monarch, as during the time since withdrawing of the forces, Koza had managed to subdue all the rebellious vassals and could now channel all his military might on the Kingdom of Poland. Peace, however, brought with it the hope that it would not be so. And to Hell with what the Pope thinks of it!
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His heart now much more calm and free of the horrid visions of his father’s lands taken by pagan force, Lescek expressed his will to bring the Zemigallian lands under the Polish rule. No one could really question the regal word, for the Zemigallians were pagans and there was money for the war. With Bernát of Feher feeling unwell in those days, the command was given to a Zhmudian knight, who did justice to his fame.
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It was the first day of December 1194, when an Orthodox priest, a long-time recluse and hermit living near Krakow, who had come there from Pomeranian lands (having arrived there with his family from Kiev), came to the King and proposed to write a chronicle praising the royal glory. When the King asked if it would be like the Frankish chronicles and the hermit confirmed it, the King happily clapped his hands and expressed his consent in words most warm.
Soon, there would spring up more chronicles in the Polish lands, cataloguing the lives of valiant knights and pious bishops.
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Soon enough, there would be a peculiar event of royal grace to be recorded. Letters from his armies in Zemigallia, still cleansing the land from heathen bands, arrived depicting the incredible extents of misery that had befallen the peasants west of Dvina.
To the surprise of everyone, the King’s heart was particularly moved by the sufferings his subjects were enduring. He ordered his trusted steward, Danuta Bogoria, to expand as much money from the royal coffers as would be needed.
The greatest surprise would come for the peasants, who had been accustomed to sporadic clashes with royal forces, for whom the robbing royal soldiers and their brutal oppression were as sure as the rising of the sun in the east. What marvel was it, to behold the frightened faces of the peasants, coming out of the woods – which had been their customary hiding places from time immemorial – to witness royal troops just come from Zemigallia deliver carts filled with grain, dried meat, witness those hardened soldier they came to despise help the peasants rebuild their looted houses. After all the suffering, the plagues and hunger – could it be that a loving monarch was on the throne?
The image of soldiers embracing those poor peasants was something that would stay in the memories of many families for decades to come.
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Certainly an eventful minority.
 
Well, good to have some faithful readers ;) I hope I'm not boring you with the amounts of text I give you - it's just that the update always mysteriously grows when I add a sentence here or there.

Next update - no sooner than during the weekend. Some surprises possibly in store.

The thing that upset me most on Kazimierz's death was the fact that his force had such great numerical superiority, the enemy had just 22 archers and the King died during the 'maneouvre' phase of the battle! It's just... a huge zonk. That's how Etrek's episode was born (kudos to Hemingway).

Anyways, I also have to pay tribute to the great Polish writers of 19th c. - Bolesław Prus and Henryk Sienkiewicz, for their style is a certain inspiration for me. Actually, the 19th century experiments with seemingly indirect speech and the 20th century evolution of points of view techniques are what this AAR is built upon. Possibly not the best style for a medieval AAR, but I very much wanted to depict the varied thinking of all the characters I'm using. I admit, I am tempted sometimes to try a more chroniclesque style, but for fear of failing and for the sake of stylistic continuity, I try to avoid it ;)
 
Chapter III (continued)
The Darkness and the Light of the Early Rule of King Lescek

Not long after that – in fact, only two days after the story was relayed to the chroniclers – another important event was to be recorded in the tomes of history. Vladimir Rurikovich was swallowed up by pride and rose up in defiance, declaring war on the Kingdom of Poland – perhaps, in his misguided thinking believing that the Kingdom is weak and too preoccupied with Lithuanian matters. This was to mark the failure of Kazimierz Piast’s foreign policy.
Swiftly beaten in under one month, like the dogs they were, the Russian prince sued for peace, his plea heavy with gold. The King immediately accepted the 366 ducats of tribute and the hostilities ceased (the battle which Bernát of Feher was fighting in Peremyshl was abandoned and the competing forces retreated the battlefield). The merciful Piast, instead of craving Rurikovich’s land, extended a most gracious proposal of vassalage, but the wretched Russian would not become a vassal, failing to notice the beauty of the proposition.
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A month later, in February, news arrived that the former Bishop, later Count of Galich, Krzeslaw Poraj, died. The County was then taken over by a distant relative from the Poraj family, Boleslaw. Strangely enough, he immediately wed the widow – who was Krzeslaw’s second wife, for poor Eufrozyna of the Piast dynasty died in 1192 to causes unknown. Danuta, the widow, was a common woman, of peasant descent, and was reputed to be a female of “deadly beauty”.
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Rumour also had it that she, through foul witchcraft, was responsible for Eufrozyna’s death. What it more, the maids in the County of Galich, when they were called in the morning following Krzeslaw’s nocturnal demise, found the linen filthied with signs of carnal sports. It was not strange to presume that Danuta slew her man in order to obtain deadman’s semen, which is a known ingredient necessary in order to prolong one’s life.
The brief period of Danuta’s mourning was telling and the unnatural affection Boleslaw had for her reeked of more witchcraft. Nothing definite could be proven though, for the spider witch had removed all evidence of foul play and the judges could not find any of the following under her bed: bat wings, horse hair, old nail clippings nor the menstrual blood of a virgin. Other instruments of witchcraft had also not been found.

In March a certain old smith from Krakow came one day to the Wawel castle with his apprentices and asked to see the King, claiming to have an valuable talent to offer. The smith would have been refused the honour to see his monarch, had it not been for Zbyszko of Bogdaniec. This knight of no small fame, who was the widely acknowledged master of swordplay in the royal court and the whole of the Kingdom, noticed the sword one of the apprentices had been carrying, covered in dirty rags.
Zbyszko approached the smithy asking to be given the sword to wield it. It was heavier than the longswords he had been accustomed to wielding, but after a few swings and cuts Zbyszko could not fail to remark that it was masterfully balanced. To this the smithy, master Maciej, replied in those words, his voice trembling and weak with age:
-It is the fruit of my life. I never had a wife, for the anvil was my bride since my early years. Now I am old and my limbs are all wry, but I am a lucky man. – here the smith stopped, approached Zbyszko and caressed the weapon in his hands – I am a lucky man and I will die in happiness, for my life was not barren. I gave birth to this here weapon. I took a normal blade and I bred it together with a knightly blade. It grew coarse in my hands, for this is no noble offspring and I am not a married man. But there was good sport at the making of this bastard and I feel no shame for it. I am ready to display it to the world and I came here to give it to the King that he may wield it with power upon reaching adulthood.
Zbyszko acknowledged the old man’s words and invited him to the court, before the King’s visage.
-Very well, master Maciej. Then I ask you to birth such a bastard for myself, as well. – said Zbyszko ushering Maciej to the gardens, where the King was taking his afternoon walk.
Zbyszko then announced Maciej and then proceeded to demonstrate the power of this new weapon, disarming three guards who approached him with weapons drawn like he were an enemy. The King ordered Maciej to stay in the castle and told his apprentices to start smithing such swords. Soon, Krakow would be famous throughout Europe for these bastard swords, but the secret would not leave Krakow for many, many years.
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The smithing master’s visit was not the only one during this time. A group of philosophers and scholars from beyond the Kingdom came to visit the court one day. They explicated a new kind of education, new ideas that had been present in the courts of the Holy Roman Empire for some time. They spoke of the Seven Liberal Arts, dividing them into the trivium, which encompassed the ancient sciences of grammar, dialectic and rhetoric, and into the quadrivium, which were arithmetica, music, geometry and astronomy. These news were pleasant to royal ears and he happily pursued the study of numbers, figures and the stars, the trivium not catching his attention.
Moreover, understanding that the learning is low in the Kingdom, the King ordered that these Arts also be taught in the schools he had built in the central Polish lands.
sevenliberalarts.jpg

In the last days of March 1195, peasants in Aukshyats rose up again against their King and were promptly put down. However, seeing the extent of tensions present in the area, Lescek was advised to make his inbred brother, Konrad, a Duke in the area, hoping to vent some tension and put some of the responsibility on Konrad’s arms. Thus, Konrad was made Duke of Courland. Soon after that, the peasants in West Dvina finally converted to Christianity, after a series of renewed repressions against them.
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The morning of the 21st day of May 1195 began very early not only for the servants, but for the whole of court as well. The scraping of floors that had to be cleaned before the monarch could walk on them was disturbed by a shrill shriek, which pierced the still dark sky, waking everyone in Wawel castle.
A child’s hand had been found in the kitchen, severed. Later, other limbs would be revealed, dismembered, in various parts of the castle. Lescek was not spared the gruesome sight of child’s entrails strewn in his antechamber. The head was never found.
Soon, it was known that it were the remains of Gyōrgy, son of Marshal Bernát. The Marshal himself was found gory, hidden in a closet in his chambers. He was shaking and in whisper he kept repeating: “Sever flesh and bone and offer it to me”.
The King, in great anger after the loss of a beloved companion, told his spymaster to remove Bernát from the royal sight. Incidentally, the spymaster told the King more of the blasphemous actions Bernát had been conducting for the previous three years.
When subduing the pagans in Lithuania, he basked in their blood and ate their hearts. During his short stay on the lands of the Prince of Galich, he committed similar atrocities and he killed several noblemen prisoners, crushing their skulls with a big stone. Knowledge of this had been kept from the King to prevent distress, but the spymaster admitted her mistake and she would have Bernát removed discreetly.
The following day the court learned of another tragedy. Marshal Bernát was seen by one of the guards talking a midnight walk on the castle walls, but unfortunately slipped on the wet stones and fell down to his death on the stony slope at the foot of Wawel castle. The guard heard an awful sound when the body was smashed on the stones, but the body itself could not be found. It must have bounced of the stones and fallen into the Vistula below, taken by the flow of the river to the Baltic sea.
Bernát’s wife, Adelajda Skarbek, would leave over a year later and marry the widowed Count of Slupsk, vassal to the Duke of Pomerania.
The gory sight which Lescek beheld in his antechamber, would echo in his mind for the rest of his life and he promised himself to be wary of crazed people, for ever more. He could not afford the luxury of such a shattering event ever again.
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In June the Duke of Silesia and the Count of Galich decided to make their move, but Lescek rejected their proposition of instituting elective law. This insulted the plotting vassals, but Jaroslaw, Duke of Silesia, would repent for his sins later on his deathbed and be consoled with the young King in 1197. He would die and be beatified, like his father before him.
The plot itself was traced to Galich and Boleslaw’s wife, the witch Danuta would be suspected of originating the idea. However, the strength of witchcraft protecting her dissuaded royal agents from assassinating her.
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The Kingdom of Poland. Thinner red lines mark the royal demesne. Black dots mark the rebellious vassals, Silesia and Galich.

In the following years, the system of royal post is completed throughout the royal demesne and the resourceful steward, Danuta Bogoria, invested King’s money into improving the well-being of royal subjects and encouraged many merchants to settle in the lands and helped many farmers. Therefore, excluding the repeated rebellions in Aukshyats, the Kingdom prospered.

In May 1198, the King’s spymaster was granted the permission to try and put the plotting of vassals in check, by way of planting a slanderous rumour on the Bishop of Kaliskie. Surprisingly easy was the rumour of Silvestro’s fondness for young girls believed, so perhaps there was a grain of truth to it?

In February 1199, the now rather old King Bela of Hungary remembered his old friendship with the Piast dynasty and sent an diplomat bringing a warm letter for the young King Lescek, in which he asked to form an alliance. This was most welcome, because following what his advisors told him about his father’s policies, Lescek kept declining various alliance offers – including those of the Holy Roman Emperor, the King of Sweden and the King of France (to whom Lescek, however, did send a costly gift and who was assured of Lescek’s most warm feelings). Lescek was reminded on the occasion that a brief war between Hungary and the Principality of Polotsk had taken place the previous year, resulting with Hungary gaining control of Dorpat and laying a claim on Revel. This suggested that some action should be taken north of the Lithuanian lands, but not before the occasion presented itself.

Meanwhile, Danuta Bogoria had become ill and no medic in the court was able to help her. This was somewhat distressing for Lescek, for the woman had been nearly a mother to him since he arrived to claim the throne nearly eight years before. Initially, the King forbade his faithful servant and friend to work so hard. Danuta was forced to stay in the court, even though it was customary for her to visit the troubled parts of the Kingdom and try to alleviate the misfortunes there. She would not leave the Kingdom’s affairs to anyone else, however, and the King had to admit that she was right – there was no appropriate person to replace Danuta in her duties. Thus the old lady kept working long hours over her office papers, until one day on the eve of Fall 1199, a miracle-worker arrived, explaining that he had heard about Bogoria’s illness and that he had come to heal her… for a small fee, to cover the expenses he had to take during his journey. Thus, healed, the woman could go with the King to visit the newly built monastery near Sieradz, north of Krakow. However, on the way back, the royal entourage was ambushed by dissatisfied burghers and the King had to dispatch his men to suppress the unrest in the area of Sandomierz. Unrest so close to the heart of the Kingdom was believed to be a testimony to the vile scheming of Count of Galich, who was in turn incited by his cur of a wife.

In August 1200, envoys from King Bela arrived, asking whether the Polish crown would fulfil the obligations of alliance and join Hungary in a war against the Principality of Volhynia.
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wildmongol: Well, as I have indicated in the beginning, I am no historian. I like history and always did, but I can't definitely say. Well, the Polish-Lithuanian union was a personal union since the 14th century (following the conversion to Christianity by Lithuanian rulers), i.e. we had the same king. Sure, he wasn't a Piast anymore, but well... I think that the Piasts would appreciate any lands they could get their hands on. And here it's not a matter of an union, but conquering the land.
Besides, historically, Poland was still divided into districts at this time. So the main focus was, I suspect, on uniting the land again. I've kinda ommited this in my AAR, assuming that the Krakow seniorate had accumulated enough power to be respected like a King would.
But there's bound to be a real crowning ceremony, I can give you that ;)

And now, everyone: What is going to happen next? How will Lescek behave about the Hun-Volhynia war and what will be the result of it? (Hint: look closely in the last update)
 
That courtier certainly took a turn or two for the worse! Excellent stuff once again!
 
I have a feeling that king Lescek will attack Hungary instead of helping king Bela in his war.


the King of France (to whom Lescek, however, did send a costly gift and who was assured of Lescek’s most warm feelings)

Did you really sent the king of France a gift of money ? Did you do it for roll-playing reasons ? Since in game it doesn't do anything for your relations.
 
Veldmaarschalk: There's something about this attacking Hun, but... that's not really it (I can understand your thinking, tho; or so I think ;) ). And yes, I did send a gift to the King of France. Partly for rp reasons, as you said, partly because France was crusading then (Alexandria) and I wanted to have the feeling that I "did my bit". It was only 57 (or 77, don't remember) gold, but still it was gold which I needed. So yes, it was mainly roleplaying.

Also, wildmongol - IIRC, Poland and Lithuania got together, historically, because of the Teutonics, as well. The Knights were kinda backstabbing Poland, because Konrad of Mazovia (here: the inbred brother [hmm, I guess not only Poles don't like him] to Lescek, Konrad of Courland) invited them over for a pagan-bashing party. Unfortunately, they liked it so much, that they stayed and decided to crash the party and have it for themselves.
Anyways, expect a return of the Teutonic Order, will be a fun episode ;).