My intentions going into this is chart the growth of a merchant family in Gotland from 1066 out. To determine where I wanted to take them, I did a little ferretting around the internet (mostly from Wiki and the 1911 Britannica) for some history on the region. The history is pretty cool and so I'm going to sum some of it up before going into the introduction.
Gotland in 1066
At this stage, Gotland had been subject to the King of Sweden for at least a few centuries. It had been Christianised 36 years earlier by St Olaf on his way through, building a church in the town of Visby. Visby was an important trading town, distributing goods from the East that had come out of Russia throughout Europe. Its governance was republican, and the influence of Sweden remote: there was no Swedish judges or officials on island, and Sweden had no control over Gotland's assembly. However, Gotland paid an annual tribute to Sweden.
What happened then?
Visby became a key power within the Hanseatic League, serving as a depot for eastern Baltic countries, particularly Novgorod. It became fabulously wealthy. Its trading links can be seen in a number of curious archaeological finds. For instance, a huge amount of Arab coins have been discovered in caches around Gotland, the total being almost as much as the number which have been found in the entire Muslim world. Another example is a runestone which was found near the Black Sea, which a Gotlander had made on the death of his business partner. A ballad from the time sang that:
Whatever the truth of that claim, it was enough to attract the eye of the Danish King Valdemar IV. A Danish force invaded in 1361, routed Visby's defenders and plundered it. The story goes that he placed three beer barrels where the Danes had breached the wall and told the Gotlanders that if these weren't filled with gold and silver within three days, he would turn his men loose. A 19th century imagining of this event by Hellqvist is included below:
The 1911 Britannica describes the next stage of Gotland's history [which you'll agree sounds awesome]:
So from Swedish trading town, to powerful member of the Hansa, to pirate island, to Teutonic stronghold, and back to Sweden. BEST ISLAND EVER.
So what do I want to do with it?
First I should just say that I'm actually not particularly good at this game and have never actually made it to the end of the time alotted - partly because I rarely find time to play and want to start anew. Now I've finished my studies and can find a bit of extra CKII time... So, my objectives:
The next post will be out in the next day or two, wherein I'll introduce my leading man. Hope you enjoy.
Gotland in 1066
At this stage, Gotland had been subject to the King of Sweden for at least a few centuries. It had been Christianised 36 years earlier by St Olaf on his way through, building a church in the town of Visby. Visby was an important trading town, distributing goods from the East that had come out of Russia throughout Europe. Its governance was republican, and the influence of Sweden remote: there was no Swedish judges or officials on island, and Sweden had no control over Gotland's assembly. However, Gotland paid an annual tribute to Sweden.
What happened then?
Visby became a key power within the Hanseatic League, serving as a depot for eastern Baltic countries, particularly Novgorod. It became fabulously wealthy. Its trading links can be seen in a number of curious archaeological finds. For instance, a huge amount of Arab coins have been discovered in caches around Gotland, the total being almost as much as the number which have been found in the entire Muslim world. Another example is a runestone which was found near the Black Sea, which a Gotlander had made on the death of his business partner. A ballad from the time sang that:
“the Gotlanders weighed out gold with stone weights and played with the choicest jewels. The swine ate out of silver troughs, and the women spun with distaffs of gold.”
Whatever the truth of that claim, it was enough to attract the eye of the Danish King Valdemar IV. A Danish force invaded in 1361, routed Visby's defenders and plundered it. The story goes that he placed three beer barrels where the Danes had breached the wall and told the Gotlanders that if these weren't filled with gold and silver within three days, he would turn his men loose. A 19th century imagining of this event by Hellqvist is included below:
The 1911 Britannica describes the next stage of Gotland's history [which you'll agree sounds awesome]:
From this blow it never recovered, its decay being, however, materially helped by the fact that for the greater part of the next 150 years it was the stronghold of successive freebooters or sea-rovers [never was there a more wretched hive of scum and villainy] — first, of the Hanseatic privateers called Vitalienbrödre or Viktualienbrüder, who made it their stronghold during the last eight years of the 14th century; then of the Teutonic Knights, whose Grand Master drove out the “Victuals Brothers,” and kept the island until it wassold to Queen Margaret of the Kalmar Union [in 1490].
So from Swedish trading town, to powerful member of the Hansa, to pirate island, to Teutonic stronghold, and back to Sweden. BEST ISLAND EVER.
So what do I want to do with it?
First I should just say that I'm actually not particularly good at this game and have never actually made it to the end of the time alotted - partly because I rarely find time to play and want to start anew. Now I've finished my studies and can find a bit of extra CKII time... So, my objectives:
- Survive to time limit. I've added in the Sunset Invasion DLC which i've yet to experience, so if I make it that long should make for an interesting endgame...
- I want to build a grand Thalassocracy (a state with a primarily maritime realm) that rules the Baltic and challenges the Mediterranean republics (wonder if I'll be able to form the Hanseatic League?).
- Build a bitchin' manse, and try and maintain the stability of my maritime utopia. Keep Gotland on the map!
- I like the idea of pirate islands and 'Temporary Autonomous Zones' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temporary_Autonomous_Zone) - while there's not an obvious way to play this way in CKII, I want to at the least diversify the human population of Gotland (or at least of my court) with marriages to all sorts (including, presumably, Aztecs).
- Have fun with the new DLC and record it in this AAR.
- WIN THE CONTEST
The next post will be out in the next day or two, wherein I'll introduce my leading man. Hope you enjoy.