King Jens I the Lionheart
Lived: January 17, 1092-September 17, 1141
King of Danmark: 1112-1141
King of England: 1112-1141
The war would not be an easy one, with the vast majority of Jens' army dead outside the walls of Jerusalem, what forces the King could muster were meager at best. Neither were mercenaries an option, as the treasury was nearly empty due the cost of the Crusade, and money was still owed to Jewish moneylenders. Even the Templar Order, who had started a banking operation soon after their founding, would not give the Danish throne a loan. By the final tally the Danish army would be outnumbered by over fourteen hundred men.
Jens was a warrior through and through, and even though he was outnumbered, he wished to take the fight to his enemy. It is likely that the King's wrath had been brought about by the audacity of the rebellion, rising up so soon after the King suffered such a major defeat in a far away land. The King's Council would win out in the end however, urging him to exercise caution, to wait and allow the coffers of the Kingdom to refill. Thus the King would wait, biding his time in Northumbria as his still loyal subjects paid their taxes. Finally after some months of waiting, the King was able to hire a band of Finnish Mercenaries. With his army now numbering over six thousand men, the King marched south to battle. In the fields of Oxford the two armies would clash in the Battle of Buckingham.
Though the Finnish band was made up primarily of lightly armed and armored troops, numbers and careful control by Anglo-Danish commanders would bring victory to the Danes. Duke Withtraed would flee from the King after the battle, only to be run down and his army crush completely. From there the King would lay siege to the Duke's castle at Colchester. It was during this time that the fortunes of the Second Crusade would begin to change. The forces of Christendom, lead by the Knights Templar would experience several strong victories against Caliph Hussayn, turning the war around. Meanwhile in the Holy Roman Empire, Jens' daughter Ase would marry Kaiser Otto IV[1].
This would of course lead to closer cooperation between Danmark and the HRE with the Danes soon being called to the aid of the Kaiser. Not wishing to upset his new Son-in-Law, Jens announced he would come to the Kaiser's aid, but only after the final defeat of his rebellious vassal. The King would ultimately not have to hold up his end of the bargain as the Frisian revolt was swiftly dealt with. Jens' own rebellion would continue on for some time, as he need to defeat more than just an army of peasants. For years the Duke would allude the King, forcing him to lay siege to much of his territory before finally in 1132, after five years of open rebellion.
With the kingdom again at peace Jens considered rejoining the crusade, he was of course still technically a participant, but decided against it. Withraed's Rebellion had cost the country significantly, and frankly a war on the other side of the world wasn't a very appealing prospect. For now he would turn his attention to matters within the realm. It proved a wise decision as it wasn't much longer till the Crusade was considered a success. Who would control the Holy Land after this became a hot topic, many assumed that the Pope himself would govern the area, or that Pope may appoint a Latin Patriarch of Rome. One, very vocal group, called that it should be decided amongst the Crusaders themselves, after all they had fought and died for this land, surely they deserved a say. Some even called for Jens to assume the throne, a request the King himself was loath to accept. Ultimately the Pope made his decision, and though a Latin Patriarch would be established in Jerusalem, the actual running of the territory would be passed over the Knights Templar. This would be the last act of Pope Valentine II died naturally at the old age of Sixty-Seven, succeeded by Pope Clement III.
The success of the Crusade would not be taken lying down by the followers of Muhammad, with Caliph Abu II declaring that Christian aggression would be met by a renewed Jihad, setting the stage for the era of great religious wars to come. First came the War for Ascalon, followed swiftly by the Jihad for Jerusalem. The Sovereignty of the Knights Templar was not to last as Jerusalem fell in the year 1135, and once again Abu II and the followers of Mohammed controlled the Holy City.
All of this was far from Jens mind, as his son Henrik came of age, and was soon wed to his betrothed, the Duchess of Hwicce. Ironically she was a descendent of Harold Godwinson. As he held a grand tournament to celebrate his son's wedding Jen's attention would be turn to the same thing as his Father and his Father's Father before him, the matter of succession. As had happened to those two kings before him, Jens was faced with the prospect of his son not being chosen to succeed him. Unlike his ancestors before him, Jens need not worry too much, because his son was the polar opposite to him. While no warrior, Henrik was quickly establishing himself as an accomplished diplomat, convincing several dukes to vote for him.
As his succession was being secured, that of the Pope was severally upset, as Kaiser Otto would press his Antipope's claim to the Throne of St. Peter. Clement III was forced to abdicate to Vitalian III, who quickly declared that the Papacy served not only God, but also the Kaiser of his most Holy Roman Empire. This effectively made the powers of the Pope, the powers of the Kaiser above him. To say that this made the already hotly contested title of Kaiser an even more desirable postion would be a terrible understatement.
It is interesting to note that during this time King Jens would host a party, with several dukes and counts in attendance. During the evening a Duke, who has since been lost to history, brought in a board, and many intricately detailed model soldiers. Jens was intrigued by this game, and it is said that they played well into the evening. What is known for sure is that after this the King kept a miniature copy of his own army with him at all times, including a figure of himself, wielding a great warhammer.
Some years after this incident, and almost thirteen years since Withraed's Rebellion, Jens would face another threat to his rule, in the form of Pal's Company. Pal was Duke by marriage to the Duchess of Orkney, and a descendent of both Svend the Just and Olav the Wise of Norge, giving him a claim to the thrones of Danmark and England. Landing in Northumbria, he would seek to press his claim by force. Though now advanced in age, and grey of hair, Jens eagerly rode out to meet him in battle. Outnumbering his foe by almost three to one, King Jens easily crushed the would be usurper, before slaying the remains of his army as they routed before him at the Battle of St Cuthbert.
It would be the last battle of King Jens however, as the stress of campaigning would prove too much for the Lionheart, leading to his death while traveling back to Danmark with his retinue. So would end the reign of King Jens the Lionhearted, and begin that of King Henrik.
1: Unfortunately it was not to last, as Ase would die of illness some three years later.
