The Primary Chronicle of Polotsk
- Thread starter Solmyr
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So what say you, dear readers? Should Prince Alexei learn some responsibility and try to run his realm better? Or should he forget all his lessons and start feasting and wenching again, leaving Polotsk to be run by others?
I don't think he'd completely stop his crazy ways but it seems the responsibility of rather large domain to rule over would make him "grow up" at least a little bit. It seems that the fact that he has so many people under his rule that would benefit from his downfall would make him take things more seriously. However, the fact that he still has a trait for being lousy with money can't be ignored.
Great AAR btw.
I suppose now will follow a peaceful period to strenghten your realm.
Btw, as I have not received yet my CK, I have a question - is the "Prince" title the next after "Count" in Rus lands, or there is the "Duke" title in between?
Btw, as I have not received yet my CK, I have a question - is the "Prince" title the next after "Count" in Rus lands, or there is the "Duke" title in between?
Talmonious: Yes, Alexei has the Hopeless Spender trait, and during his rule also acquired the Generous trait. So placing the treasury in his hands is a recipe for disaster.
Cornelius: Prince is the Orthodox equivalent of a Catholic Duke.
Cornelius: Prince is the Orthodox equivalent of a Catholic Duke.
I like how you endow your courtiers with lots of life of their own, and your detailed descriptions of court intrigue! Keep it up!
Also I would that Alexei stays this way, for roleplaying´s sake. No realm or nation ever was always run by the best possible people available at the time. I mean, there are better and worse monarchs. And since Alexei is the prince, he surely wouldn´t tolerate a woman patronizing him over what´s best for the realm!
Also I would that Alexei stays this way, for roleplaying´s sake. No realm or nation ever was always run by the best possible people available at the time. I mean, there are better and worse monarchs. And since Alexei is the prince, he surely wouldn´t tolerate a woman patronizing him over what´s best for the realm!
September 1094 - July 1117: The Years of Peace and Dynastic Turmoil
The people's hopes were for naught. After the war, Alexei relaxed again, and once more became a frequent guest at the local brothels and parties. His wife Tobritza quickly took matters into her own hands. She assumed the position of the realm's steward, and quickly appointed a new chancellor - one Matfei of Jacwiez. The two became the real rulers of Polotsk, managing all its affairs, and evil tongues even spoke that the two were lovers, though there was never any proof of that.
Chancellor Matfei of Jacwiez, the most powerful man in the realm
The first thing to do was to restore the depleted treasury and to repay the debts. Another forestry had to be sold, and moneylenders approached for covering the debts. Finally the estates were called again, and Matfei managed to get a large contribution from them, even though it damaged the realm's prestige greatly.
Meanwhile Alexei's sons were growing up. His eldest son Georgii began his education at the court, and soon became known for his cruelty to his pets. Alexei's second legitimate son, Stanislav, was a vengeful child, always trying to get back at whoever had offended him, and was no less cruel than his brother. A strong boy, he was sent to train with the army.
Alexei himself cared little for his sons, continuing his partying and fun, and siring many bastards. In April of 1096 he even attended a tourney in Krakow, though it ended quickly as the King of Poland insulted Alexei for his choice of a female companion (a lady from one of the local brothels). The Prince retorted harshly, and in the end even claimed that he would make a better King of Poland. Though the affair soon ended, the claim was not forgotten.
Polotsk's treasury restored, Matfei and Tobritza began extensive building programs to improve the Principality's infrastructure and defenses. Training grounds and courts of justice were built around the realm. Later, roads were build between the towns and villages, and tile factories erected to help with the building.
In 1098, shortly after the death of his mother Ingrid, Alexei declared himself to now also be Prince of Prussia. The occasion was celebrated with the appointment of his two younger brothers to new counties: Pavel received Memel and Gorm received Kama. Iakov, Alexei's fourth brother, remained at the court of Polotsk; he was soon wed to Rikissa, daughter of the King of Sweden, and the wedding was held on October 7th. The two soon had many children born to them, and in February of 1102 Iakov was made the new marshal after old Yevstafii died.
It was an odd event in October of 1102 when it was proclaimed that Prince Alexei and his wife Tobritza were expecting a child. Alexei's amorous adventures were quite notorious, and many doubted that the child was really his. Some quietly pointed to chancellor Matfei as the likely father. Nonetheless, on June 23rd of 1103, Tobritza gave birth to a baby girl who was named Alexandra, the only daughter of Alexei - if indeed she were his.
Alexei's eldest son Georgii finished his education in 1103, and was recognized as an excellent negotiator - though his negotiating technique often consisted of thinly veiled threats. It was soon time to find him a wife. One was found in 1107 - Anna, daughter of Prince Leon of Abydos; the wedding was held on August 7th. Georgii soon became known for his reckless, wild behavior in addition to his cruelty. In 1107, after the death of his uncle, Prince Mladen of Serbia (brother of Tobritza), Georgii claimed that he should be the one to rule Serbia.
In 1108 Alexei's second son Stanislav finished his military training, and all said that he was a tough soldier, though also selfish, cruel, vengeful, and reckless. In Marsh of 1108 a wife was found for him - Euphrosyne, daughter of Prince Demetrios of Trapezous.
Also Alexei's third son, Andronikos, was soon of age to marry. His wife was Zoranna, daughter of Count Asemopoulos of Dwin.
In 1108 a daughter, Dobronega, was born to Georgii and Anna - thus Prince Alexei had his first grandchild. But later the same year, a strange illness swept through the lands of Polotsk. Alexei's son Andronikos was the first to catch it, then Alexei's bastard son Vasilii did as well, and finally his eldest son Georgii fell gravely ill. By the end of the year Andronikos was dead, and the life of others was in danger, as the physicians seemed helpless. Many said that it was God's punishment for Alexei for his debauched life. At least Stanislav seemed to be spared for now, and his wife Euphrosyne gave birth to a baby girl named Evpraxia.
But the strange illness continued, and in 1110 Georgii's wife Anna died in labor, losing the child also. Himself sick, Georgii did not give up so easily. A new wife was sought for him, and a prestigious one was found - Alix, niece of King Philippe of France, as well as granddaughter of Robert Guiscard on her mother's side.
In August of 1110, Prince Alexei got his first male grandchild, Bryachislav, born to Stanislav and Euphrosyne. But cruel fate did not relent, and the infant died from the same illness only two weeks later. In 1111 also Georgii and his new wife Alix had a child, but it was another daughter, Veleslava. On January 27th, 1113, Georgii finally succumbed to his illness. It seemed that every Prince of Polotsk was fated to see his eldest son die before him. Georgii's widowed wife, Alix of France, was hastily wed to Alexei's bastard son Roman, though King Philippe sent his protests.
In 1116, Stanislav and Euphrosyne had another daughter born to them, named Elisaveta. Alexei's family seemed cursed as his sons were unable to sire a male child. It was a cruel irony that his younger brother, marshal Iakov, had a large number of both sons and daughters. But in 1117 also Iakov's wife Rikissa succumbed to the same illness that already claimed so many.
On July 20th of 1117, the 48-years old Prince Alexei failed to return from one of his nightly escapades. Servants sent to search for him finally found him in one of the local brothels, dead in the act of siring yet another of a multitude of bastards. So it was that upon the death of Prince Alexei the Debauched, his lands were inherited by his second son Stanislav... and the realm trembled.
Stanislav, the new Prince (traits: vengeful, selfish, cruel, reckless, tough soldier) and his equally charming wife Euphrosyne (traits: vengeful, selfish, cruel, zealous, indulgent, grey eminence)
The people's hopes were for naught. After the war, Alexei relaxed again, and once more became a frequent guest at the local brothels and parties. His wife Tobritza quickly took matters into her own hands. She assumed the position of the realm's steward, and quickly appointed a new chancellor - one Matfei of Jacwiez. The two became the real rulers of Polotsk, managing all its affairs, and evil tongues even spoke that the two were lovers, though there was never any proof of that.
Chancellor Matfei of Jacwiez, the most powerful man in the realm
The first thing to do was to restore the depleted treasury and to repay the debts. Another forestry had to be sold, and moneylenders approached for covering the debts. Finally the estates were called again, and Matfei managed to get a large contribution from them, even though it damaged the realm's prestige greatly.
Meanwhile Alexei's sons were growing up. His eldest son Georgii began his education at the court, and soon became known for his cruelty to his pets. Alexei's second legitimate son, Stanislav, was a vengeful child, always trying to get back at whoever had offended him, and was no less cruel than his brother. A strong boy, he was sent to train with the army.
Alexei himself cared little for his sons, continuing his partying and fun, and siring many bastards. In April of 1096 he even attended a tourney in Krakow, though it ended quickly as the King of Poland insulted Alexei for his choice of a female companion (a lady from one of the local brothels). The Prince retorted harshly, and in the end even claimed that he would make a better King of Poland. Though the affair soon ended, the claim was not forgotten.
Polotsk's treasury restored, Matfei and Tobritza began extensive building programs to improve the Principality's infrastructure and defenses. Training grounds and courts of justice were built around the realm. Later, roads were build between the towns and villages, and tile factories erected to help with the building.
In 1098, shortly after the death of his mother Ingrid, Alexei declared himself to now also be Prince of Prussia. The occasion was celebrated with the appointment of his two younger brothers to new counties: Pavel received Memel and Gorm received Kama. Iakov, Alexei's fourth brother, remained at the court of Polotsk; he was soon wed to Rikissa, daughter of the King of Sweden, and the wedding was held on October 7th. The two soon had many children born to them, and in February of 1102 Iakov was made the new marshal after old Yevstafii died.
It was an odd event in October of 1102 when it was proclaimed that Prince Alexei and his wife Tobritza were expecting a child. Alexei's amorous adventures were quite notorious, and many doubted that the child was really his. Some quietly pointed to chancellor Matfei as the likely father. Nonetheless, on June 23rd of 1103, Tobritza gave birth to a baby girl who was named Alexandra, the only daughter of Alexei - if indeed she were his.
Alexei's eldest son Georgii finished his education in 1103, and was recognized as an excellent negotiator - though his negotiating technique often consisted of thinly veiled threats. It was soon time to find him a wife. One was found in 1107 - Anna, daughter of Prince Leon of Abydos; the wedding was held on August 7th. Georgii soon became known for his reckless, wild behavior in addition to his cruelty. In 1107, after the death of his uncle, Prince Mladen of Serbia (brother of Tobritza), Georgii claimed that he should be the one to rule Serbia.
In 1108 Alexei's second son Stanislav finished his military training, and all said that he was a tough soldier, though also selfish, cruel, vengeful, and reckless. In Marsh of 1108 a wife was found for him - Euphrosyne, daughter of Prince Demetrios of Trapezous.
Also Alexei's third son, Andronikos, was soon of age to marry. His wife was Zoranna, daughter of Count Asemopoulos of Dwin.
In 1108 a daughter, Dobronega, was born to Georgii and Anna - thus Prince Alexei had his first grandchild. But later the same year, a strange illness swept through the lands of Polotsk. Alexei's son Andronikos was the first to catch it, then Alexei's bastard son Vasilii did as well, and finally his eldest son Georgii fell gravely ill. By the end of the year Andronikos was dead, and the life of others was in danger, as the physicians seemed helpless. Many said that it was God's punishment for Alexei for his debauched life. At least Stanislav seemed to be spared for now, and his wife Euphrosyne gave birth to a baby girl named Evpraxia.
But the strange illness continued, and in 1110 Georgii's wife Anna died in labor, losing the child also. Himself sick, Georgii did not give up so easily. A new wife was sought for him, and a prestigious one was found - Alix, niece of King Philippe of France, as well as granddaughter of Robert Guiscard on her mother's side.
In August of 1110, Prince Alexei got his first male grandchild, Bryachislav, born to Stanislav and Euphrosyne. But cruel fate did not relent, and the infant died from the same illness only two weeks later. In 1111 also Georgii and his new wife Alix had a child, but it was another daughter, Veleslava. On January 27th, 1113, Georgii finally succumbed to his illness. It seemed that every Prince of Polotsk was fated to see his eldest son die before him. Georgii's widowed wife, Alix of France, was hastily wed to Alexei's bastard son Roman, though King Philippe sent his protests.
In 1116, Stanislav and Euphrosyne had another daughter born to them, named Elisaveta. Alexei's family seemed cursed as his sons were unable to sire a male child. It was a cruel irony that his younger brother, marshal Iakov, had a large number of both sons and daughters. But in 1117 also Iakov's wife Rikissa succumbed to the same illness that already claimed so many.
On July 20th of 1117, the 48-years old Prince Alexei failed to return from one of his nightly escapades. Servants sent to search for him finally found him in one of the local brothels, dead in the act of siring yet another of a multitude of bastards. So it was that upon the death of Prince Alexei the Debauched, his lands were inherited by his second son Stanislav... and the realm trembled.
Stanislav, the new Prince (traits: vengeful, selfish, cruel, reckless, tough soldier) and his equally charming wife Euphrosyne (traits: vengeful, selfish, cruel, zealous, indulgent, grey eminence)
August 1117 - September 1129: The Evil Deeds of Stanislav the Bloody
History looks back upon the reign of Prince Stanislav of Polotsk as a dark time, calling him an evil man for whom no deed was too vile to achieve his ends. But it must also be said that it was his reign that saw the first great expansion of Polotskian lands as well as the extensive building programs that saw the construction of many castles, roads, and infrastructure as well as near eradication of thieves and brigands. All this stands in stark contrast to the weak, corrupt rule of his father Alexei. The reader should judge for himself whether Stanislav deserves the moniker given to him by the peasants.
All began on the 1st of September, 1117. Prince Stanislav was eager to establish his undisputed rule. And so it was that in the early morning, Chancellor Matfei of Jacwiez found himself woken and dragged from his home by the Prince's guards. Within an hour he was castrated and thrown into a dark dungeon to rot there for the rest of his days. Later the same day, the Prince's mother, Steward Tobritza, was dismissed from her position and shut into a convent. All of Matfei's and Tobritza's supporters were soon arrested and put to death. It was said that Marshal Iakov, the Prince's uncle, survived only because he came before the Prince with his wife and children, throwing himself to the ground and pledging eternal loyalty and service. Stanislav now had no-one to contest him.
New appointments were made the following day. Alix Capet, widow of Stanislav's older brother Georgii (and wife of his crazed bastard brother Roman), was made the new steward. Uncle Iakov was made the new Chancellor, while Iakov's eldest son Konstantin, a brilliant strategist, took his father's place as Marshal.
Prince Stanislav had only one concern. His wife Euphrosyne, now in her late twenties, had so far only given him two daughters but no sons. Of these the elder daughter, Evpraxia, was a complete opposite of her parents. A quiet, friendly, merciful girl, she always tried to help people and was often serving at the local churches, giving alms to the poor. Dissatisfied with his wife's performance, Stanislav sought the company of other women, and sired two bastard sons, who were sent to the army. The two, Yaropolk and Ilya, were as night and day. Yaropolk was much like his father, a cruel, vengeful boy. Ilya was friendly and forgiving.
But soon, children became a secondary issue as war came to the lands of Rus. In July 1118, the King of Poland attacked the Principality of Galich. Stanislav considered pressing his claim to the Polish throne, but decided against it, as like all in his family he sought to claim the lands of Rus first. So it was that in November of 1118, Stanislav brought forth his family's old claim on the county of Terebovl. The Prince of Kiev, Terebovl's liege, returned the war declaration, and so the first war between two old rivals started. On Christmas Day of 1118, Stanislav's army assaulted Terebovl, for which he was greatly condemned by the clergy. Nonetheless, by the end of January of 1119, Terebovl was in Stanislav's hands and the former count ousted. Stanislav quickly turned on Kiev. Having previously engaged in warfare against the Pechenegs, Kiev was weak, and by the end of February the city fell to Stanislav's army. But the people of Kiev did not recognize his rule, and Stanislav was forced to give it up, though not before forcing Sviatoslav of Kiev to yield his claim on Terebovl.
Elsewhere in the lands of Rus, war was raging. The Emirs of Volga and Ural were fighting the Prince of Smolensk, who had vassals along the upper Volga, while the King of Poland dealt a crushing defeat to the Prince of Galich, who was then attacked by the Pechenegs. Stanislav waited for his next opportunity, which came in January of 1120. Davyd, the count of West Dvina and the Prince's grand-uncle, finally died without heirs, and Stanislav inherited his claims on the neighboring county of Vitebsk. He wasted no time, and in May war was declared on Vitebsk. Vitebsk's liege, the Prince of Smolensk, came to his vassal's aid, but could do little as he was already engaged in a war against the eastern Muslims. In August, Vitebsk fell to Stanislav's army and its count fled. The Prince of Smolensk could do little but accept this state of affairs, and in November agreed to recognize Stanislav as the rightful ruler of Vitebsk.
Stanislav's despotic ways were never popular among the clergy, and many of them were grumbling. But one decided to take action. Boris, Stanislav's uncle and bishop of Galindia, proclaimed in May of 1121 that he could no longer serve Stanislav. Enraged, the Prince personally lead his army to Galindia, and after a short siege, bishop Boris surrendered. By order of the Prince, the former bishop had his eyes put out with hot pokers, his nose slit and his ears cut off. He was then paraded on the streets of Polotsk before being thrown to wild dogs, to be torn to pieces. After this display, even the most unhappy of Stanislav's vassals did not dare to speak against him. To mollify the clergy somewhat, two new bishops were appointed some time later - ones utterly loyal to the Prince, of course.
Also in May of 1121, Steward Alix Capet died in childbirth. Her replacement was a man called Tvorimir, a chaste, generous, and just young man. Many wondered why Prince Stanislav would appoint such a diametrically opposite person to be his steward, but none dared question his decision. Indeed, it soon became obvious that Tvorimir was a very skilled administrator, and under his guidance the realm prospered.
In November of 1121, Chancellor Iakov, the Prince's uncle, died of pneumonia. His replacement was one Ernst Mustafa, an old Volga Bulgar man who had converted to Danish Orthodoxy. Iakov's eldest son Konstantin continued as the realm's marshal, and Iakov's younger sons were also growing up to be excellent warriors and commanders.
By this time the Prince of Smolensk had been badly crushed by the eastern Muslims, and Prince Stanislav decided to take advantage. In April of 1122, war was declared on the Emir of Ural who had conquered the town of Mstislavl. By June, Mstislavl was liberated, and Stanislav marched eastwards. The zealousness with which he fought the Muslims was not unnoticed. In December he defeated the Emir's armies east of the Volga and took the province of Votyaki. By this time the Emir was beaten, and tribute was extracted from him in exchange for peace.
The Prince's next target was the larger Emirate of Volga, which had shortly before destroyed the Principality of Smolensk. Already in the east, Stanislav marched on Bilyar, liberating it in July of 1123. Fierce battles against the Emir's armies nibbled away at the army's strength, but steady progress was made under the skilled command of the Prince and his Marshal. In December, the Rus town of Mozhaysk was retaken; in March of 1124 Mountain Cheremisa fell; in June the Muslims were ousted from Mordva; in December the Sheik of Zyriane was sent fleeing; in March of 1125 the Sheik of Bulgar was defeated; and in August the town of Lyubech was liberated. By this time, the Emir of Volga was begging for piece, and Stanislav finally relented, extracting a huge tribute, six chests full of gold and eastern jewelry.
In 1125 the chancellor Ernst Mustafa died of old age. His replacement was Stepan, younger brother of Marshal Konstantin.
Also in June of 1125, Stanislav's daughter Evpraxia was wed to the Byzantine count Michael of Taron. Stanislav was not at all sorry to see his overly merciful daughter go, and forgot about her as soon as she left with her escort.
For the rest of 1125, new bishops and counts, mainly the Prince's relatives, were appointed to administer the conquered territories. In August, Prince Stanislav, still not satisfied, presented a claim to the county of Turov. Though most considered this claim fabricated, and at best shaky, preparations for war were begun. In March of 1126 war was declared on the count of Turov, who was at that time independent. It was a short and easy slaughter, and in July Turov was incorporated into the lands of Polotsk. On the last day of July, Stanislav was finally powerful enough to proclaim himself Prince of Smolensk.
Yet even that was not enough for him. In January of 1128, Stanislav asserted his rights over the county of Beresty, and demanded the submission of the count (who was also independent at the time). This demand was refused, and in summer Stanislav's armies marched on Beresty. By the beginning of fall, Beresty had fallen, and the count was hung, drawn, and quartered as an example to others who would defy Stanislav. In late September, Stanislav was proclaimed Prince of Turov.
At this time, the steward Tvorimir was much beloved by the people for his generosity and just administration. So it was to the sorrow of many when in 1127, Prince Stanislav ordered Tvorimir deposed and arrested. The hapless youth was sent to the dungeons to be tortured to death. Stanislav soon appointed a new steward, one Yurii, a crafty but greedy merchant.
Polotsk now had a border with the Pechenegs to the south, and it was there that the warlike Stanislav next turned his attention. The Pechenegs had earlier destroyed the Principality of Galich, and Stanislav desired to retake it for himself. In October of 1128, he marched on the Pecheneg lands. By December, the Pecheneg-held Podlasie was liberated, and the army turned south. In early March of 1129, Peremyshl was taken, and in June the city of Galich was liberated. Having crushed the Pecheneg armies, Stanislav accepted peace with their chief for a large tribute.
The Prince, now approaching forty years of age, still did not have a son to succeed him. And his wife Euphrosyne, only a year younger than him, was unlikely to give him any. For a long time now, many saw that this thought drove the Prince to rage and madness, and none even dared to broach the subject with him for fear of his wrath. On September 1st of 1129, exactly twelve years after Stanislav's bloody rise to power, terrible screams were heard from the Prince's bedroom. Frightened servants finally dared to enter, only to find the Prince, covered in blood and holding a sword, standing over the dead body of his wife, whose stomach was sliced open. The servants fled in terror, fearing that the Prince had gone mad. It did not seem to be so, however, as he resumed his normal self soon; his wife was hastily buried and the murder was mentioned no more. But it was said that madness took its first root in his mind that day, and forever more would Stanislav the Bloody, Prince of Polotsk, be known as a kinslayer.
History looks back upon the reign of Prince Stanislav of Polotsk as a dark time, calling him an evil man for whom no deed was too vile to achieve his ends. But it must also be said that it was his reign that saw the first great expansion of Polotskian lands as well as the extensive building programs that saw the construction of many castles, roads, and infrastructure as well as near eradication of thieves and brigands. All this stands in stark contrast to the weak, corrupt rule of his father Alexei. The reader should judge for himself whether Stanislav deserves the moniker given to him by the peasants.
All began on the 1st of September, 1117. Prince Stanislav was eager to establish his undisputed rule. And so it was that in the early morning, Chancellor Matfei of Jacwiez found himself woken and dragged from his home by the Prince's guards. Within an hour he was castrated and thrown into a dark dungeon to rot there for the rest of his days. Later the same day, the Prince's mother, Steward Tobritza, was dismissed from her position and shut into a convent. All of Matfei's and Tobritza's supporters were soon arrested and put to death. It was said that Marshal Iakov, the Prince's uncle, survived only because he came before the Prince with his wife and children, throwing himself to the ground and pledging eternal loyalty and service. Stanislav now had no-one to contest him.
New appointments were made the following day. Alix Capet, widow of Stanislav's older brother Georgii (and wife of his crazed bastard brother Roman), was made the new steward. Uncle Iakov was made the new Chancellor, while Iakov's eldest son Konstantin, a brilliant strategist, took his father's place as Marshal.
Prince Stanislav had only one concern. His wife Euphrosyne, now in her late twenties, had so far only given him two daughters but no sons. Of these the elder daughter, Evpraxia, was a complete opposite of her parents. A quiet, friendly, merciful girl, she always tried to help people and was often serving at the local churches, giving alms to the poor. Dissatisfied with his wife's performance, Stanislav sought the company of other women, and sired two bastard sons, who were sent to the army. The two, Yaropolk and Ilya, were as night and day. Yaropolk was much like his father, a cruel, vengeful boy. Ilya was friendly and forgiving.
But soon, children became a secondary issue as war came to the lands of Rus. In July 1118, the King of Poland attacked the Principality of Galich. Stanislav considered pressing his claim to the Polish throne, but decided against it, as like all in his family he sought to claim the lands of Rus first. So it was that in November of 1118, Stanislav brought forth his family's old claim on the county of Terebovl. The Prince of Kiev, Terebovl's liege, returned the war declaration, and so the first war between two old rivals started. On Christmas Day of 1118, Stanislav's army assaulted Terebovl, for which he was greatly condemned by the clergy. Nonetheless, by the end of January of 1119, Terebovl was in Stanislav's hands and the former count ousted. Stanislav quickly turned on Kiev. Having previously engaged in warfare against the Pechenegs, Kiev was weak, and by the end of February the city fell to Stanislav's army. But the people of Kiev did not recognize his rule, and Stanislav was forced to give it up, though not before forcing Sviatoslav of Kiev to yield his claim on Terebovl.
Elsewhere in the lands of Rus, war was raging. The Emirs of Volga and Ural were fighting the Prince of Smolensk, who had vassals along the upper Volga, while the King of Poland dealt a crushing defeat to the Prince of Galich, who was then attacked by the Pechenegs. Stanislav waited for his next opportunity, which came in January of 1120. Davyd, the count of West Dvina and the Prince's grand-uncle, finally died without heirs, and Stanislav inherited his claims on the neighboring county of Vitebsk. He wasted no time, and in May war was declared on Vitebsk. Vitebsk's liege, the Prince of Smolensk, came to his vassal's aid, but could do little as he was already engaged in a war against the eastern Muslims. In August, Vitebsk fell to Stanislav's army and its count fled. The Prince of Smolensk could do little but accept this state of affairs, and in November agreed to recognize Stanislav as the rightful ruler of Vitebsk.
Stanislav's despotic ways were never popular among the clergy, and many of them were grumbling. But one decided to take action. Boris, Stanislav's uncle and bishop of Galindia, proclaimed in May of 1121 that he could no longer serve Stanislav. Enraged, the Prince personally lead his army to Galindia, and after a short siege, bishop Boris surrendered. By order of the Prince, the former bishop had his eyes put out with hot pokers, his nose slit and his ears cut off. He was then paraded on the streets of Polotsk before being thrown to wild dogs, to be torn to pieces. After this display, even the most unhappy of Stanislav's vassals did not dare to speak against him. To mollify the clergy somewhat, two new bishops were appointed some time later - ones utterly loyal to the Prince, of course.
Also in May of 1121, Steward Alix Capet died in childbirth. Her replacement was a man called Tvorimir, a chaste, generous, and just young man. Many wondered why Prince Stanislav would appoint such a diametrically opposite person to be his steward, but none dared question his decision. Indeed, it soon became obvious that Tvorimir was a very skilled administrator, and under his guidance the realm prospered.
In November of 1121, Chancellor Iakov, the Prince's uncle, died of pneumonia. His replacement was one Ernst Mustafa, an old Volga Bulgar man who had converted to Danish Orthodoxy. Iakov's eldest son Konstantin continued as the realm's marshal, and Iakov's younger sons were also growing up to be excellent warriors and commanders.
By this time the Prince of Smolensk had been badly crushed by the eastern Muslims, and Prince Stanislav decided to take advantage. In April of 1122, war was declared on the Emir of Ural who had conquered the town of Mstislavl. By June, Mstislavl was liberated, and Stanislav marched eastwards. The zealousness with which he fought the Muslims was not unnoticed. In December he defeated the Emir's armies east of the Volga and took the province of Votyaki. By this time the Emir was beaten, and tribute was extracted from him in exchange for peace.
The Prince's next target was the larger Emirate of Volga, which had shortly before destroyed the Principality of Smolensk. Already in the east, Stanislav marched on Bilyar, liberating it in July of 1123. Fierce battles against the Emir's armies nibbled away at the army's strength, but steady progress was made under the skilled command of the Prince and his Marshal. In December, the Rus town of Mozhaysk was retaken; in March of 1124 Mountain Cheremisa fell; in June the Muslims were ousted from Mordva; in December the Sheik of Zyriane was sent fleeing; in March of 1125 the Sheik of Bulgar was defeated; and in August the town of Lyubech was liberated. By this time, the Emir of Volga was begging for piece, and Stanislav finally relented, extracting a huge tribute, six chests full of gold and eastern jewelry.
In 1125 the chancellor Ernst Mustafa died of old age. His replacement was Stepan, younger brother of Marshal Konstantin.
Also in June of 1125, Stanislav's daughter Evpraxia was wed to the Byzantine count Michael of Taron. Stanislav was not at all sorry to see his overly merciful daughter go, and forgot about her as soon as she left with her escort.
For the rest of 1125, new bishops and counts, mainly the Prince's relatives, were appointed to administer the conquered territories. In August, Prince Stanislav, still not satisfied, presented a claim to the county of Turov. Though most considered this claim fabricated, and at best shaky, preparations for war were begun. In March of 1126 war was declared on the count of Turov, who was at that time independent. It was a short and easy slaughter, and in July Turov was incorporated into the lands of Polotsk. On the last day of July, Stanislav was finally powerful enough to proclaim himself Prince of Smolensk.
Yet even that was not enough for him. In January of 1128, Stanislav asserted his rights over the county of Beresty, and demanded the submission of the count (who was also independent at the time). This demand was refused, and in summer Stanislav's armies marched on Beresty. By the beginning of fall, Beresty had fallen, and the count was hung, drawn, and quartered as an example to others who would defy Stanislav. In late September, Stanislav was proclaimed Prince of Turov.
At this time, the steward Tvorimir was much beloved by the people for his generosity and just administration. So it was to the sorrow of many when in 1127, Prince Stanislav ordered Tvorimir deposed and arrested. The hapless youth was sent to the dungeons to be tortured to death. Stanislav soon appointed a new steward, one Yurii, a crafty but greedy merchant.
Polotsk now had a border with the Pechenegs to the south, and it was there that the warlike Stanislav next turned his attention. The Pechenegs had earlier destroyed the Principality of Galich, and Stanislav desired to retake it for himself. In October of 1128, he marched on the Pecheneg lands. By December, the Pecheneg-held Podlasie was liberated, and the army turned south. In early March of 1129, Peremyshl was taken, and in June the city of Galich was liberated. Having crushed the Pecheneg armies, Stanislav accepted peace with their chief for a large tribute.
The Prince, now approaching forty years of age, still did not have a son to succeed him. And his wife Euphrosyne, only a year younger than him, was unlikely to give him any. For a long time now, many saw that this thought drove the Prince to rage and madness, and none even dared to broach the subject with him for fear of his wrath. On September 1st of 1129, exactly twelve years after Stanislav's bloody rise to power, terrible screams were heard from the Prince's bedroom. Frightened servants finally dared to enter, only to find the Prince, covered in blood and holding a sword, standing over the dead body of his wife, whose stomach was sliced open. The servants fled in terror, fearing that the Prince had gone mad. It did not seem to be so, however, as he resumed his normal self soon; his wife was hastily buried and the murder was mentioned no more. But it was said that madness took its first root in his mind that day, and forever more would Stanislav the Bloody, Prince of Polotsk, be known as a kinslayer.
Wow, nice little reign of terror.
But no former vassal turned traitor to be a pan pal with yet. Aaaaaw
But no former vassal turned traitor to be a pan pal with yet. Aaaaaw
Boshko said:Wow, nice little reign of terror.
But no former vassal turned traitor to be a pan pal with yet. Aaaaaw
One did (the bishop of Galindia), but my BB seemed to stay fairly low (worst reputation I had was slightly tarnished) since I fought Muslims and pagans and handed out counties and bishoprics liberally. Plus, I've had excellent chancellors.
Will see what happens now with the kinslayer trait and a rep hit after assassinating my wife. I wonder if I'll be able to get a new one.
Yeah but he's not quite Kourbsky is he?
You're the Solmyr who used to post on Apolyton a long time ago, right? I remember when you and Porphy hammered my poor little Persians pretty badly in a story thread years and years ago.
You're the Solmyr who used to post on Apolyton a long time ago, right? I remember when you and Porphy hammered my poor little Persians pretty badly in a story thread years and years ago.
Boshko said:
Yes, that's me.
I don't think I fought your Persians though. I got attacked by Fascist Lithuanians.
Ah, good thought it was.
The story thread I'm remembering was a 1,000 AD one where you were the Kievan Rus, Porphy was Byzantium (of course) and I was the Persians. Big squabbling over the Mid-East ensued and you bribed Central Asian tribesmen to cut off my link to the silk road to hit my economy (underhanded bastard
).
I bow to the Buddah nature in you. Only one that walks th middle road of moderation can earn the kinslayer moniker. I offer you my sincere compliments on your accomplishment.
While we're on the subject...Solmyr said:Yes, that's me.
Would you happen to be the same Solmyr who was on the Birthright mailing lists, when I hung out there a few years back?
Very nice AAR, I'm quite enjoying it.
And to continue with our little "are you the same Solmyr" mini-thread, if you're the same Solmyr that ran Mystara Birthright way back when, I was Corun House and later Darokin (well, the little that was left of it once the Master and Co. were through) in that game.
And to continue with our little "are you the same Solmyr" mini-thread, if you're the same Solmyr that ran Mystara Birthright way back when, I was Corun House and later Darokin (well, the little that was left of it once the Master and Co. were through) in that game.
Yes, I'm the same Solmyr in both those cases. Chances are, if you remember a Solmyr from somewhere, I'm him.
Sadly, the game crashed as I was saving it, corrupting the save file. Even more sadly, I had no backup file. Thus this AAR must now come to an end.
As a parting gift, I give you the picture of Prince Stanislav the Bloody in 1129 and his newfound wife-to-be:
Look for another AAR from me soon...
As a parting gift, I give you the picture of Prince Stanislav the Bloody in 1129 and his newfound wife-to-be:
Look for another AAR from me soon...