Strange Middle East
Russian Path (Suomenko Mega Campaign)
- Thread starter Gamov_Andrew
- Start date
-
We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
Good job getting rid of elective succession. One less thing to worry about.
Really nice map at the end, as well. Enjoyed that a lot!
Really nice map at the end, as well. Enjoyed that a lot!
Chapter VIII. Lithuanian war: prelude
Causes of the Lithuanian war
Lithuania was one of the powerful pagan kingdoms like Sweden, Finland, Bjarmaland and Vladimir. Based on the slovenian pagan cults and faiths, Lithuanian kings consolidated separate slavic, baltic and pommeranian tribes into a single state. In the middle of XI century Lithuania conquered lands of Estonia, Pomerania, invade Denmark and south Sweden. Lithuania-Vladimir relationship was friendly and extremely fruitful. In 1096 AD Ashava provided military assistance to Lithuanian king during his civil war (War of High Chieftain Yemelyan’s Claim on the Kingdom of Lithuania, 1092-1102).
However, everything as changed in the 1160-s, when Lithuania converted in Kabarite faith, that has been extremely rival to Vladimir kingdom. Foreign policy of Lithuania turned out as an enemy for Vladimir kingdom because of negative influence of Kabarite religious elites. Owing to diplomatic skills of Vladimir’s kings and fierce of devastating war, conflict had been frozen up to the end of XI century. Both kingdoms conquered small and separate neighbouring holdings, expanding their territory. Lithuania was expanding in the north-west direction, while Vladimir kingdom focused on East and South, conquering steppe tribes of khazar. One of the conquering khazar tribes was the Duchy of Khopyr. Khopyr could successfully sign a military alliance pact with Lithuania, that was an interference in the sphere of Vladimir’s influence. Throughout the aggressive war of Vladimir kingdom against Khopyr there was the first battle between Lithuania and Vladimir troops. Lithuanian king led his army of 12000 men in order to unite with Khopyr troops. Vladimir’s general could followed the Lithuanian army and defeated them in the battle of Pokrovsk (1188 AD). Despite the victorious battle, the Council forced Petri to sign peace agreement with Lithuania, containing obligation to transfer Novgorod. Abundance of money in the Raoul coffers prevented continuing the war further. Petri decided to reconquest Novgorod by any means!
Petri was a completely different king from the past rulers of Vladimir kingdom. There were kings-householders, kings-knights, even kings-prophets but not king-intriguers. He was educated by Byzantium mentors who hatched him intrigue skills and secret scheme plotting. Lithuanian kingdom had strong massive army, house of Yurevich was stable: Lithuanian King Feodor had three sons and two daughters. Direct military conflict would lead to devastating war, consequently both fighting countries (as winner as loser) would became the victims of their neighbours. So Petri elaborated a secret plan how to undermine strength of Lithuania. Fist of all, it is necessary to provoke a huge dynastic crisis that will lead to the disorder or even civil war. Then, Vladimir’s troops could invade weakened Lithuania. Dynastic crisis -> Intervention.
Youngest son of Feodor, Prince Parush was assassinated in1184 AD, little boy was killed by the deadly spider into a cradle. Prince Rodislav of Lithuania was assassinated in 1195 AD. And last son of Feodor, Yuri disappeared in the Lithuanian forests in 1197 AD. All of these deaths are Petr’s terrible work. Feodor died of natural causes on 20 January 1211 AD. His last daughter of Sviatoslva ascended the throne. She was unpopular among the courtiers and vassals and Petri could easy recruit agents in his new terrible scheme plot. The Queen was beat and trampled by her own subjects in 1211 AD. Bandits were financed from Vladimir kingdom’s coffers….
House of Yurevich was dead… The crown of Lithuania was transfered to a member of Panemune House. Young King Feodor was extremely unpopular among powerful vassals of the Kingdom. Less than one year later Grand Prince Alvydas of Masuria raised an upraising against the King. Petri was ready to invade...
House of Yurevich was dead… The crown of Lithuania was transfered to a member of Panemune House. Young King Feodor was extremely unpopular among powerful vassals of the Kingdom. Less than one year later Grand Prince Alvydas of Masuria raised an upraising against the King. Petri was ready to invade...
- 1
A dastardly trail of intrigue to be sure. Looks like Vladimir has crafted itself a serious advantage.
- 1
It was a plan of Petri to undermine the royal House of Lithuania. So the Kingdom has to fight against two strong enemies: upraising feudals and rival intervents. Secret plotting is a powerful weapon indeed.
Last edited:
- 2
After capture of Polotsk Izaslav marched toward White Rus to relieve the siege of Misk. The first battle occurred on 22 April 1212 AD. Army led by Izaslav defeated 7000 men army of Lithuanian king. The road to Kernave was free. At the same time, rebels took the castle of Kernave by storm. old capial of Lithuanian kingdom has been sacked and looted by rebels. After victory of Minsk battle, army of Izaslav moved toKernave and lay siege to the city. After a siege which lasted less than 10 months, Kernave was recaptured. The city was looted by Vladimir troops in december 1212 AD, Queen of Lithuania was captured. It was the second pillaging the capital for 2 years.
Despite Queen of Lithuania, father of the King was captured by Izaslav. Both prisoners were sent to Moscow in the dungeon of Petri. Petri forced them to convert into Suomenko faith. He hoped for convertion of entire Lithuania because father of Lithuanian king was a heir. Unfortunately, he was slained futher in one battle, so "convertion" plans would never work. News about fall of the capital Kernave came to the rebels. They turned around troops and moved to the capital again. Battle between rebels and Izaslav armies occured on 25 August 1215 AD, Izaslav lost the battle... Petri was so angry he decided to execute one of prisoners... Queen of Lithuania.
The majority of the Izaslav fighters retreated to Riga, small holding conquered by republic of Osel (vassal of Vladimir Kingdom). Stock of the army was replenished, forces were consolidated and Izaslav again marched toward Kernave. The third siege of Kernave started in February of 1217 AD. The city was properly encircled the city to force a quick surrender, which included cutting off the water supply. After a siege of 5 months, Kernave surrendered to the Vladimir's troops. Buildings and agricultural properties were demolited, citizens were looted and condemned to absolute poverty and misery, Military fortifications were destroyed.
Izaslav pillaged villages and small cities to undermine enemy's strength and damage moral fiber of Lithuanian troops. He defeated two enemy armies )one is rebellious, another is royal), marching to save Kernave. Up to the winter of 1217 AD, the capital of Lithuania was completely in ruins, most of baltic holdings were looted. Meanwhile, Lithuanian kinf, Feodor II, moved to novgorod region to counterattack. He could raise almost 6 000 men and besieged Pskov. Izaslav also moved to Pskov region, he could trap enemy army of Feodor at wetlands of Pskov. The battle was extremely ferociou, but Izaslav managed to dismantle Feodr's force. One half of his army was destroyed, another part - dispersed.
In the following months Feodor and Petri signed peace agreement. DejureNovgorod holdings (Novgorod, Pskov, Neva) were transfered to Vladimir kingdom, Feodor II was forced to pay an indemnity of 400 ducats. Petri could seriously undermine power of Lithuanian Kingdom. New Lithuanian dynasty was extemely weak, Fedor lost civil war and lowered significantly crown authority. Kingdoms of Denmarks and Pomerania also separated from Lithuania.
- 1
That's quite the victory. Not just the immediate success, but the weakening of a foe.
Cnapter VIII. Holy Suomenko Empire
On the 23th of April 1228 AD Petri declared himself as an emperor of Vladimir Empire. Almost 500 years Vladimir kingdom had incorporated more than 80 holdings and four kingdoms (Vladimir, Estonia, Novgorod and White Rus). Vladimir became the strongest pagan state in the Eastern Europe and Baltic sea. That was a real truiumph for the Petri the First, he has become the Emperor.
Reformed finno-ugric pagan religion became a dominant faith across Scandinavia and much of the Eastern Europe. After centuries of war between Suomenko and Kabarite, followers of Ukko could decisively defeat rival kingdom of Lithuania and a number of small fragmented khazar tribes. Petri wisely kept the peace and security with christians (as Ortodox, as Catholic). One of his son decided to become Christians. Religious tolerance was a distinctive feature of Vladimir kingdom (except for kabarite).
Many important laws and institutions were enacted during the reign of Petri. Manoralism, centralised coinage system, developmant of road system in the realm. The King also led a major renovation of military fortifications and founded the city of Naro-Fominsk in the Moscow region. Petri granted huge autonomy to Grand cities of Osel and St. Russa. Osel and St.Russa were some of the largest and wealthiest merchant republics in Europe (along with Venice).
Petri died in 1234 AD and his son Drigo ascends to the throne. A modest and temparate man, Drigo's passive nature may also be his undoing. Earlier Drigo was a promising commander, he particpated in the military campaign in White Rus (1199 AD) and even was wounded in the battle of Kletsk. Drigo also led relief army in the war of Lithuania and forced some enemy troops to withdraw. However he stood in the shadow of hisprominent uncle Izaslav and brother Tikshayka whose military and combat skills were much higher. Nevertheless, Drigo as the oldest son has become an Emperor.
Last edited:
- 2
Chapter IX. Early Suomenko Empire
The Empire was founded in 1227 AD in the reign of King Petri. The Suomenko Empire has incorporated lots of differents tribes, nationalities, faiths and religions. A small count of Opolye from an unknown meryvid house could conquer lands of Great Khazar Kaganate, Viking's Kingdom of Novgorod, fragmented slovenian and khazar slavic tribes. Also once-powerful Lithuania was defeated by strong and disciplined armies of Vladimir Kingdom. Three from four holy cities of Suomenko faith were unitied within the bordrs of a single State, thereby reforming Suomenko to a new Ukonunsko pagan religion and turning to a feudal system.
Genghis Khan died shortly after the declaration of the Holy Suomenko Empire in 1232 AD. Khagan Jochi was a good friend to Vladimir Kingdom thankfully. He led numerical mongol troops south toward Persia and India, they were conquered by Mongol Empire in short five years. Fragmented muslim states of Persia were annihilated by the Mongol armies. Khagan Jochi, leading a force of around 50,000 men, exploited existing weaknesses and conflicts in the Muslim world to isolate and massacre his enemies. All castels and cities were successfully besieged and plundered. Unsurprisingly, by 1245 AD the Mongol Empire has become the most powerful state in the whole world.
Mongol empire unexpectedly collapsed in 1261 AD with the death of Khagan Jochi. The Empire disintegrated into separate tribal nations like Setsen, Suartid, Back Horde and Borjigin. Four years later these states started also dissolving into separate nationalist kingdoms like Persia and numerous tribes. Collapse of the Mongol Empire has plunged entire (sub-) regions or even Asis into unprecedented chaos. Vladimir and Byzantine the only remaining empires. I feel like, both competiting powers might engage in direct war conflict for remnants of the Mongol Empire.
- 1
England in XIII century
