The Alpine Lion- A Carinthia AAR- (Extended Timeline Mod)

[Proninjaw]

Welcome readers, to my new AAR, of Carinthia. Carinthia was a duchy that separated from Bavaria in 976. It remained until 1335 when the Habsburgs took over after the death of the last of the male line. Hopefully this won't happen and Carinthia can flourish, painting the HRE and Europe a wonderful shade of green. The starting year for this AAR is 1066, the infamous year where the Normans took over England. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1: Introduction

King Berthold II was in a good mood. He saw his lands, and his neighbours, and saw massive opportunities. He was the King of the strong Carinthia. His forefathers had broke loose from the chains that Bavaria had put them in, and had brought stability to this mountainous kingdom. What could he do next? To the east there was Hungary, big in size but his scouts report that they are all bark and no bite. To the north was Austria who was the complete opposite. Carinthia had taken many ideas from their leadership and had excelled. Austria was small but had the potential to call upon bigger allies, their diplomats were so influential. To the west were many kingdoms of varying size. Swabia was of note as they were big and surrounded by smaller states. Bavaria was their bitter rival and smugly sat just north of them. King Berthold II did not want to provoke the hornet's nest however, and would probably leave them be for the moment. The King was assured that the von Zahringen line was strong and his sons (when they are eventually born) would be capable leaders. The dynasty was ready to expand it's kingdom and bring hell to the HRE.

King Berthold II needed allies if he was to ever survive in the HRE. He also had ambitions of maybe being the leader of the HRE at some point. The Palatinate was an elector so King Berthold II sent a diplomat. Franconia was leader of the HRE and being allied with the leader of the HRE was very prestigious. King Berthold II sent his best diplomat to Frankfurt to secure an alliance. A web of alliances would deter the larger states from attacking Carinthia.

To show Carinthia's power, a show of military might would have to be displayed. Austria was the perfect target, as they had at that moment one ally, the weak Meissen. For Carinthia to defeat the highly acclaimed Austria, that would show the power of Carinthia. Also King Bertold II had a dislike for the flag of Austria, it too closely resembled his own. He fabricated a claim for Linz and on the side got one for Sudtirol, owned by the one province kingdom of Trent.

In the mean time while the claim was being fabricated, Poland was sent an alliance offer by Carinthia. A large nation outside of the HRE could prove useful to King Berthold II. With this new alliance Austria would be crushed, and King Berthold II only had to send one letter on its way to start this war. At the earliest opportunity he declared war to take Austria by surprise, and to stop them from making any new alliances. But how would Carinthia fare in this war? You'll have to wait until the next chapter!

 

[DKM]

subbed

You posted your Military Alliances screenshot twice.

 

[Proninjaw]

subbed

You posted your Military Alliances screenshot twice.

Oops! Thanks for pointing that out

 

[eliaspays]

Looking forward too see more. Really liked your Scandinavia AAR, so I'll be following this.

 

[Proninjaw]

Chapter 2: The Lion strikes!

Carinthia was in a state of war. Carts full of supplies went north to the war front to help the troops. Heralds in every village told of the mighty victories Carinthia would make over their enemies the Austrians. For years the Austria and Carinthia had been at each other's necks, but only Carinthia benefited. King Berthold II knew not to underestimate them though. He sent his full Royal Army to dispatch the standing army of Austria. He was not taking any risks, even if he was backed by Poland even further north. The first battle would be fought in Wien, the capital of Austria. He sent his best and most trusted general, Ludwig Schruder, to help the fight. It was fought in the pine forests and this is where the Austrians had the advantage. These soldiers knew their land, where it would be best to defend and where to make an offensive move. However, the Carinthians were just too large in size and eventually struck on a flank. The Austrians had no choice but to run through the forests and flee further into their territory. There were more casualties then expected but King Berthold II thought of it as the point in the war where nothing could happen which would let Austria win.

The Austria army fled west, hoping to find somewhere to barricade themselves. The Carinthians knew this and made a pincer movement to take them by surprise. When the Austrian scouts saw of the armies, they fled north, but another Carinthian army was lying in wait. It was a massacre as the Austrians did not see it coming until it was too late. Beer halls all over Carinthia sang songs about the famed 'attle of Linz', where only 404 Carinthians died slaughtering over 5000 Austrians. Now Austria was completely open to sieging and King Berthold II didn't miss the chance. Carinthian soldiers ran rampant over Austria while they tried to take over the fortresses that were holding strong,

To the north, Austria's only ally was being sieged as well. Meissen was also three provinces large and had become Austria's ally to stop the threat of a Bohemian invasion. Unfortunately it meant they had been dragged into a war against it's scariest neighbour, Poland. The army of Meissen had been dispatched very quickly and Poland had secured it from any chances of a new army being formed.

While all this fighting had been going on, King Berthold II had done another of his royal duties: to produce an heir. The newly proclaimed Prince of Graz, Franz Stefan would hopefully carry on the von Zahringen line to glorious heights. King Berthold II was not too worried though as he thought he had alot of life left in him. He was not too old, he still had the lust for war, he could go on for another 30 years at least.

Meissen crumbled under the Polish invasion. The peasants wanted peace but also more power. The Polish soldiers had sucked its economy and farmland dry of any use. It would take years of good harvests to get back to what Meissen was before this war. In light of this, King Berthold II proposed a peace deal that wasn't too harsh compared to what the Polish could impose. A third of Meissen's lands would be given to Poland, which was a sort of 'thank you' to the Polish for keeping Austria's ally busy. To cover some of the costs of the war the last of the Meissen treasury was given to Carinthia. On top of this all treaties with Bavaria were ripped up. This would be useful if Bavaria or Carinthia decided to wage war on the other. Meissen found this highly unfair but King Berthold II reasoned, 'Would you rather this, or generations of slavery and oppression by the Polish?'

Finally the lion got his reward for sinking its teeth north-wards. Austria too would give up a third of its lands to Carinthia. Austria would also give all of its treasury to Carinthia. King Berthold II espcially like taking the gold from Austria, as they ever did was talk about it and use to their advantage. Only Linz was taken, and many in Carinthia found this too little a gain. However King Berthold II was ever conscious of his aggressive expansion. He did not want a coalition descending upon him and it was very difficult for this not to happen when you take very valuable provinces from a famed kingdom. There would aggressive expansion from taking Linz but nothing compared to if more was taken.

Elsewhere, the kingdoms of Italy were having an identity crisis. The Catholic kingdom of Sicily, who spanned from the Papal State to the end of the Italian peninsula had just been at war with... Sicily. However this Sicily was Muslim, so they were mortal enemies. Nothing had come out of the war except for prestige for one of the Sicilies, of which King Berthold II hadn't a clue which one.

 

[eliaspays]

Elsewhere, the kingdoms of Italy were having an identity crisis. The Catholic kingdom of Sicily, who spanned from the Papal State to the end of the Italian peninsula had just been at war with... Sicily. However this Sicily was Muslim, so they were mortal enemies. Nothing had come out of the war except for prestige for one of the Sicilies, of which King Berthold II hadn't a clue which one.

XD This always happens. Which Siclily lost, now?

 

[blklizard]

This looks quite interesting. I will tag along to see Carinthia become the Holy Roman Empire (I'm assuming you are aiming for that).

 

[Proninjaw]

XD This always happens. Which Siclily lost, now?

I actually don't know. I could guess the Muslim Italy (the smaller one) was declared on, as it's smaller. So this would mean the Catholic Sicily lost (as the defender gained prestige, so the attacker conceded defeat). This however is completely based on the bigger Sicily attacking the smaller one, but I really don't know. That's why I said King Berthold II hadn't a clue.

This looks quite interesting. I will tag along to see Carinthia become the Holy Roman Empire (I'm assuming you are aiming for that).

Well I hope to do well within the HRE and I do hope to become Emperor and become the Holy Roman Empire. However this may take some time as at least half the electors are the larger nations within the HRE, eg Saxony, Bavaria and Swabia. Saxony and Bavaria both hate me so it may be I either persuade the smaller electors to get a majority, or vassalise the bigger electors. Either way I hope to get somewhere in the HRE.

 

[Tyalas]

Subbed! Looks interesting so far and I really like your style of writing and depicting. I see you don't forget about diplomacy in your conquests, what should give you a good chance in becoming HRE, I guess.

 

[Proninjaw]

Subbed! Looks interesting so far and I really like your style of writing and depicting. I see you don't forget about diplomacy in your conquests, what should give you a good chance in becoming HRE, I guess.

Thank you for liking my AAR, I try my best . I guess becoming the HRE would be cool but it's not like my goal. For this AAR I don't really have a goal except to survive and become large in size.

 

[Linxusus]

Subbed! Looks amazing!

 

[Proninjaw]

Chapter 3ious Conquest

The first war for King Berthold II that was started by an ally began. The Palatinate, the kingdom King Berthold II hoped to make him the Emperor, wanted some more breathing space. This would be a very small scale war with nations fighting only in the local region of western Germany. Carinthia would do absolutely nothing in this war, which was to be expected. The Palatinate could handle its war on its own, but King Berthold II still sent some military advisors to help.

A look at the map drawn up to show the war diplomatically put everything into perspective. Carinthia was in the war but was far away from the fighting. No mobilisation happened, no massing of troops in the north-eastern provinces in case of attack. King Berthold II was confident in the war staying regional espcially since the allies of The Palatinate were very competent. These included Flanders, the powerhouse in the far west, which wasn't part of the HRE. Trier and its allies would not stand a chance.

There was a lull in activity for Carinthia for the latter parts of the 1060's. There was a state of war but this meant nothing. Soldiers guarding the borders of Carinthia still didn't know what to do if an enemy soldier arrived, whether to kill them or leave them be. Something that had been happening, if more behind the scenes, was the acquisition of the Curia. Having four cardinals meant it was a big player in the Curia, and King Berthold II used these cardinals to his maximum influence. He used them to get the chance of the Curia going to Carinthia increased. This plan worked out when the Pope died, and the Curia went to Carinthia.

King Berthold II used his new power immediately. To the south of Carinthia lay a rival that needed eliminating, as they held vital resources and blocked trade from Ragusa to Carinthia. This thorn in Carinthia's side was Croatia, and luckily the Papal State had a similiar opinion to them as Carinthia did. King Berthold II and the Pope held a meeting and soon a new decree came from the Papalcy, the Croatian King had been excommunicated!

King Berthold II was as good with diplomacy as he was with the Curia. France was a growing powerhouse in the west, and Carinthia saw its potential. Poland was Carinthia's only major ally and King Berthold II thought that another big ally could be useful. France would be that ally. France could provide manpower and security for wars west of Carinthia, and deter plucky nations from getting ideas about invading Carinthia.

1073 is the year King Berthold II 'proved his piety' to the Pope and showed him that Carinthia was the right nation to be leading the Curia. King Berthold II did this by declaring war on Croatia, having excommunicated ruler as the casus belli. It would mean Carinthia would be shown as a pious nation with a pious ruler, but would also further their own aims by invading Croatia. Croatia had expected an attack ever since their King had been excommunicated, knowing this wouldn't be done without a ulterior motive. They brought in Naples as their ally but Naples would not pose a problem. Like Carinthia in the war against Trier, they were a participant in the war in name only.

The only battle of the war was a very decisive one. The Croatians were behind an Earth Rampart but were not strong enough to utilise its defences properly. The Croatian general Slavic Kasinski was not very good at managing the army, and the cavalry got flanked in the first our of the battle. The Earth Rampart did not hold off the strong Carinthians who used a tactic of shield walls to protect against the hail of arrows from the defences. It was a complete slaughter once they reached the Earth Rampart as the Croatians were not expecting this, thinking that enough Carinthians would die to break the line before they reached the rampart. In the end all 7000 Croatians were killed while only 606 Carinthians perished.

Soon the country was overrun by Carinthians. A campaign of piety ensued, where soldiers would burn down the houses of the 'unbelievers' and followers of the excommunicated King. Croatia was a very dierse nation and had many different peoples. The northern Croatian people were largely on the Carinthian side surprisingly, and the southern peoples were more inclined to the Carinthians, even after this campaign of terror. Many were so devout to their faith they would abandon their leader because the Pope excommunicated him. It was either that or the people just said that so the Carinthian soldiers didn't burn down their house under the widely interpreted term of 'unbeliever.'

Meanwhile, the war with Trier had carried on. King Berthold II had almost forgotten about the war, and it came to his surprise when the Palatinate messenger rushed into the royal court with glee. Only one province was taken but even this would put the Palatinate above its neighbours in power. Trier would also release Cologne as a nation, adding to the huge number of HRE member states. The Palatinate growing in size would help as it was a elector loyal to Carinthia, and its existence was good in King Berthold II's eyes.

 

[blklizard]

Looks like both you and your ally is getting stronger. Is allying France a good idea? You might bring them into wars where they get blobbier to the point even you can't stop them.

 

[DKM]

I forgot, what does the Excommunicated casus belli do in regards to demands cost and AE?

 

[Tyalas]

Very nice move to declare war on Croatia. I personally would reckon with a small naval-based attack (transport ship etc.) on any Croatian province by Naples. Or maybe the Naples in your game isn't tricky enough (or crazy enough) for trying it.

 

[eliaspays]

Very nice move to declare war on Croatia. I personally would reckon with a small naval-based attack (transport ship etc.) on any Croatian province by Naples. Or maybe the Naples in your game isn't tricky enough (or crazy enough) for trying it.

No Naples, only Sicily.
So are you planning to vassalize the impious Croats? Or is that too much peace cost?

 

[Proninjaw]

Looks like both you and your ally is getting stronger. Is allying France a good idea? You might bring them into wars where they get blobbier to the point even you can't stop them.

Allying France will stop any nation trying to attack Carinthia, even the mighty Hungary to the east. As well as this any offensive war, the enemy will be steamrolled by the Franco-Carinthian alliance forces. I'll try not to give them any provinces or help them, but they are big enough to blob up easily on their own.

I forgot, what does the Excommunicated casus belli do in regards to demands cost and AE?

50% AE and 100% Diplomatic and warscore costs according to the wiki.

Very nice move to declare war on Croatia. I personally would reckon with a small naval-based attack (transport ship etc.) on any Croatian province by Naples. Or maybe the Naples in your game isn't tricky enough (or crazy enough) for trying it.

Naples is a OPM on the west side of Italy so I doubt they will do anything to help their ally

No Naples, only Sicily.
So are you planning to vassalize the impious Croats? Or is that too much peace cost?

I plan to vassalise them, yes. I don't want anymore AE as it is and it is possible to vassalise them in one war. They will make a worthy duchy under Carinthia!

 

[eliaspays]

Yes, let's just ignore that Carinthia was a duchy IRL

 

[Proninjaw]

Yes, let's just ignore that Carinthia was a duchy IRL

A duchy worthy enough to have its own duchies, duchy-duchies if it were. The duchy-duchy of Croatia will be a great addition to the duchy of carinthia!

 

[Proninjaw]

Chapter 4: The Great Massacre of Lienz

The piety of Carinthia was somehow not enough however, as soon the Pope died.The new Pope chose his own nation, the Papal State, to control the curia. If this was done two years earlier this would have been horrific for King Berthold II's plans for conquest, but now it didn't really matter. Diplomacy in Carinthia was not as strong however as they had lost the honorary diplomat that comes with being the Papal controller. King Berthold II was not too pleased, but didn't want to try and take the Curia by force. Hopefully the torch of Catholicism would be passed back to Carinthia. It was less than twenty years since the Great Schism and King Berthold II thought the Catholic church needed to stay strong against the Orthodox nations claiming the Pope in Rome was false. The Papal State was only a regional power while Carinthia was big enough to get into affairs further afield.

Croatia fell, it was only a matter of time. Their army was destroyed, their citizens demoralised. The current King was taken, since he had been excommunicated by the Church and many of his people hated him now. A new, more pious Duke was put in place to govern the new duchy of Croatia. King Berthold II laughed at the fact he now had subjects of his own for the first time, and hoped they would bring the manpower and ducats demanded. 197 ducats were taken in the peace deal. The war was not very expensive, but Carinthia needed a boost in the economy. King Berthold II had to be watchful of inflation though, his advisors saying it could be disastrous to let it rise. In his eyes it just looked like it was just more money which is better, but apparently it didn't work like that.

King Berthold II was in a conquering mood and looked west to the little kingdoms in the Alps of northern Italy. Trent was on the very fringes of the Italian region, with many people refering themselves as German or Austrian. Strange as there was no 'Germany' and Austria was on the other side of Carinthia but it didn't matter to King Berthold II, he just wanted more land. The claim was fabricated and the Royal Army was sent in. The Alps shall be Carinthian! France and their many vassals joined Carinthia but weren't really needed. It was just a show of loyalty.

The most glorious battle ever in Carinthian history was fought in Lienz. The ambush by the Carinthians was absolutely perfect, the soldiers from Trent had no idea until it was too late. In the pitch black the soldiers in the front of the column didn't hear anything from the back where the Trent soldiers were being slaughtered. Not a single Carinthian soldier lost their life, while all of the 3000+ Trent soldiers fell. The people of Trent couldn't believe the news. Not a single Carinthian died. Ludwig Schruder was the talk of every town as he lead his men in this battle. King Berthold II personally travelled to Lienz to honour Ludwig, even bowing before him.

The war took no time at all. Trent was so small everyone knew a soldier who died in the battle. They were so demoralised no defences were made to stop the Carinthians. The garrison at the fort were very low in numbers as many had deserted after hearing of the 'Great Massacre at Lienz'. Not much was heard about the storming of the fort, probably to keep the illusion of an invincible army. Trent was fully annexed, adding to the Alpine lands of Carinthia which were rightfully theirs. Trent had kept the hearth warm for Carinthia who now took over the role of ruling.

The recent conquests of Carinthia had not gone unnoticed. Carinthia had drawn some unwanted attention, as people started to fear the kingdom. First Tuscany, then Saxony and Bavaria. On their own they would not stand a chance against Carinthia, but of course the point of coalitions is to work together to destroy 'a oppressive conquering warmonger'. This was an outrage to King Berthold II, as it was clearly a scapegoat to find a way to pick at their rival. King Berthold II was angry he couldn't conquer any more Alpine kingdoms.