The Venerable Dafydd's History of the Kingdom of Ystrad Clud - A HIP Strathclyde AAR
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The Scots have little wealth to be extracted, and they pose little threat to the rising Strathclyde, they shall wait before their time comes.
Indeed, it sits quite close to the mainland, and its Norse-Gaelic populace should definitely fear the Britons.
Such is the way with war I'm afraid, the Britons have endured much over the past centuries, whether by the Romans, English, or Norse. A little strike back is only just, especially against heathens who have no fear of God. Perhaps Meirchion shall teach them to fear the axe.
Indeed, although I'm afraid it will remain so for many years, as Meirchion's ambitions lie elsewhere.
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Chapter 8
CHAPTER VIII
KING MEIRCHION OF THE THOUSAND AND ONE NAMES
KING MEIRCHION OF THE THOUSAND AND ONE NAMES
There is no consensus among historians as to what moniker the renowned King Meirchion should be given in modern writings, for even during his reign, the legend of Meirchion had outgrown the real person. It was a time of great prosperity for Strathclyde and the Britons within. The meteoric rise of the Kingdom had elevated the standards of living for the average folk, to a level not witnessed since before the Roman invasions. While the Irish had rampaged through the northern towns during their departure years ago, the Viking raids had nearly ceased completely, as the King had subdued its neighboring Kingdom of Northumbria, as well as the Irish, who often supported such raiders. It was a golden age for the Britons of the North.
The capital and Kingdom prosper
King Meirchion "the Administrator," working to establish a new economic system for his growing realm
The Cumbri "Ceiniog", or Penny, the first mint by a Briton monarch
Despite using much of his time to establish the basis for a thriving economy, King Meirchion was known to frequent the monasteries and abbeys of his realm, where the holy men would refer to him as King Meirchion "the Blessed," for his great contributions to the church. Many of the old abbeys and churches were restored during his reign, and the monks grew fat and jolly as they enjoyed the benefits of a charitable king, who sought to grow his realm not only in the world of man, but above as well. During his reign, the Kingdom of Strathclyde grew rich in holy relics, for Meirchion went about establishing a special retinue dedicated to the search of these blessed items. He would also continue his patronage by funding miracle plays, as well as the construction of a new Bishopric, where the remains of St. Mungo would be safely stored.
King Meirchion "the Blessed," a pious and charitable monarch, truly God's King
The Church of Saint Mungo (modern day)
King Meirchion's affinity toward the church did have its downsides however, at least for those who did not adhere to the strict regulations of the clergy. Such was the case of many of the new converts from the recent conquests, who perhaps due to ignorance, or maybe outright refusal of their oaths, wrongly professed faith toward false idols. Such a holy King would impart justice on those wretched men in this life, to match what they would suffer as they faced judgement.
The fumes never seemed to cease as the holy men of Strathclyde went about punishing heathens and heretics, having been given free reign over the land
As the peasantry, traders, and clergy enjoyed the prosperous reign of King Meirchion, so did the fierce Cumbri warriors who wisely chose to follow the King into battle. Feasts and games were organized often by the King's men, with ample rewards for the winners. In some occasions, one could even participate alongside the King, as Meirchion often took part in these events, for he knew the best way to inspire loyalty among his men was to be one of them. Preferring to wrestle and train with his fellow warriors rather than his personal guard, Meirchion led by example, growing his skill and strength for all men to see. His leadership in battle was awe inducing, but even outside of battle, few men could inspire such devotion as King Meirchion "the Lionheart."
While the men of Strathclyde sang Meirchion's praises, outside of his borders, his name alone inspired fear in the hearts of men. The Irish well knew of this, as much of Ulster was now reigned by the Cumbri, leaving devastation everywhere they laid their eyes upon. It was this invasion that had granted King Meirchion a bride-to-be, the young Sisuile, who had reached the age for marriage as the year 886 came to a close. While originally a captive of her future husband, Sisuile would grow to love Strathclyde, and its people. Her strength in the face of peril, as she was taken to this strange land was not unnoticed by the Cumbri, from who she would command great respect. It is from Sisuile herself that the future Queen Denyw would draw much from, becoming very much her mother's daughter. While this royal marriage would ultimately fail to produce any sons to inherit the Kingdom, the early birth of Princess Denyw merely a year later would have given the couple much hope, even if it never amounted to the desired result.
Queen Sisuile and her daughter, the future Queen of Strathclyde, Princess Denyw
Ireland and Northumbria were not the only targets of King Meirchion's ambitions however, as raids into Scotland would become a fact of life for the men of Strathclyde, who would venture yearly into those lands to seek plunder. There was no peace to be found for the neighbors of King Meirchion, "the Orphan-Maker," as his unfortunate victims came to know him as. Scotland would remain ravaged throughout Meirchion's reign, and while not outright annexed into his kingdom, all its wealth belonged to him and his men.
King Meirchion "the Orphan-Maker" in one of his many raids into the Scottish Kingdom
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King Meirchion seems almost the perfect monarch, good, with money, a strong defender for the faith, a fine warrior, all he needs is to produce a son and heir...
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Shame that a male heir isn’t forthcoming, but Meirchion seems like a good King.
He does seem to be someone who has many faces...
He does seem to be someone who has many faces...
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He is certainly shaping up to be a legendary dynasty paragon
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Truly a remarkable monarch. I don't see how he can fail to produce a son, especially since I assume concubines are still allowed. Seems like he will be the type who lives by the sword and also dies by it.
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A very busy man he was, lacked the time to fulfill his marital duties. It is not all lost however, while Strathclyde remains very much tribal and opposed to women in power, Meirchion's reign is far from over, and one way or another, his legacy shall go on, son or not.
He is quite great, but as the realm grows, so do his ambitions and pride. Make no mistake, Strathclyde is on the rise, but it is the overzealous ambitions of its monarchs, whether they be Artgal, Run, or Meirchion, that ultimately put the kingdom in the greatest of peril.
Thanks for reading y'all. That chapter lacked any "movement" on the story, but it felt fair to dedicate an entire chapter to chronicle the many internal achievements of the King. In retrospective, I wish I had paid more attention to the English side of the story as we move forward, for both Strathclyde and Wessex saw many changes, as King Alfred led the unification of the English. Two great monarchs in one relatively small island, ruling concurrently.
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Wow! Meirchion is definitely going to go down in history, whether as a cruel pillager or a decisive leader. Either way, very fun to read! Excited to see how the English unification is going.
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Chapter 9
CHAPTER IX
HOW THE LAW-MAKER OF STRATHCLYDE BROUGHT THE AUTHORITY OF ROME UNTO HIS FLOCK, BLESSING ITS PEOPLES FOR ETERNITY
HOW THE LAW-MAKER OF STRATHCLYDE BROUGHT THE AUTHORITY OF ROME UNTO HIS FLOCK, BLESSING ITS PEOPLES FOR ETERNITY
For much of the early medieval period, British kings had few functions outside of military ones. Kings made war and gave judgement, but they did not govern in any sense of the word, especially when compared to their English neighbors, who by the 9th century had a very complex bureaucracy, greatly inspired by that of the Frankish kings. This had all begun to change under the reign of King Meirchion however, as he sought to centralize Strathclyde to better compete with the growing threat of an unified English Kingdom by the house of Wessex.
The former capital of Strathclyde, Alt Clud
While Strathclyde was quite distinct from the English kingdoms, it remained similar in how it handled the King and his court, which were a mobile one, rather than settled in a permanent capital as in the mainland. A mobile court allowed the King to better rule his lands, as he could keep tabs on his vassals, for the best way to assert your dominance in a decentralized kingdom was to be seen by the populace. When not journeying through their realm, the kings of Strathclyde would make Alt Clud, or "the Rock of the Britons," their capital. Alt Clud was a greatly defensible fortress, as the eponymous rock formations, as well as its position in the middle of a river made it virtually unable to suffer a siege or attack by anyone but the most intrepid of Vikings. While its protected position would make for a great permanent capital as Meirchion's kingdom centralized, and had been the center of power for his dynasty for generations, its position left it isolated from his realm, being only accessible by boat, which posed an accessibility problem for his court. Thus, King Meirchion saw the expansion of the nearby settlement of Guovan, or Govan, which would serve as the permanent residence of the Kings of Strathclyde. Thus, the Kingdom of Strathclyde or Ystrad Clud, gained its name, as the capital moved from Alt Clud (the previous name of the Kingdom and "capital") to Guovan, located in the "Strath of the River Clyde."
Now, rather than the King visiting his vassals, the vassals would be forced to commute to Guovan if they sought an audience with the king. The establishment of a permanent capital, as well as the many other reforms of King Meirchion had put a strain on the nobility, which felt their power diminished as the authority of the King rose. Thus, Meirchion would have to make concessions to his nobles, who up to this point had been more akin to tribal clans and chieftains, rather than a feudal hierarchy. Each cantref or county/chiefdom had its own laws and juries, and the local nobles reigned supreme, however the land in which they reigned was the possession of the King, and while they were normally passed down from father to son, the law stated otherwise. Thus, King Meirchion saw to imitate the English once more, borrowing the institution of "Bocland," or Bookland, in which the King would charter certain lands to be permanently owned by a person and his descendants. This secured the inheritance of the nobles of Strathclyde, who could now thoroughly invest into their lands freely as they no longer had to fear for the loss of them upon their death. This greatly increased the prosperity of the Kingdom, as rather than hoarding their wealth, the nobility started expanding their estates and new towns started to appear throughout the land, further increasing the revenues of trade throughout the region. As King Meirchion kept on dabbling on the legislature of the kingdom, he earned yet another moniker, "the Law-Maker."
A page from the Cyfraith Meirchion, or Laws of Meirchion, also known as Cumbri Law due to it being the backbone on which the laws of Strathclyde stem from.
While the implementation of Bocland greatly pleased the Cumbri nobility, the Nordic nobility of the Kingdom were far more interested in seeking plunder and taking wealth, rather than investing it. As many of them belonged to land-holding families all over the British Isles and Scandinavia, there were many claimants to many titles in the vicinity, chief among them being the Ynis Manaw, or the Isle of Man. The Flatnefr dynasty had been ousted from the island nearly two decades ago, but Jarl Björn still yearned for his lost home, which laid in a key position on the Irish Sea. If Meirchion launched a reconquest of the island, the Norse nobles would support the new laws of Meirchion, for they could acquire much plunder during the conflict, whilst also serving as an additional base from which to launch further attacks against the Irish. It was thus in September of 890 that King Meirchion would land in Ynis Manaw with one thousand men, laying siege to the island while the rest of the armies would remain in the mainland, deflecting any attacks from the Viking heathens.
Jarl Björn of Argyll and the latest target of the Cumbri wrath, King Alfr of the Isles
The siege of Ynis Manaw, September of 890
The island was taken without much slaughter by the forces under Meirchion, but as he suspected, the main force of King Alfr would intend to attack his mainland possessions, perhaps even conquer them, rather than defend the small island. Alfr and his men had began to assemble a large force in Northern Ireland, and had begun a siege of Meirchion's holdings in Ulster while they waited for the remainder of their men to arrive. Their plan was quite sound, but the large network of spies under the King's command had discovered their plans, and thus in April of 891, the men of Strathclyde, led by the Nordic nobility attacked the forces of King Alfr before they could assemble fully, destroying the backbone of his army and forcing his surrender. The men under Björn and the other Norse nobles then sailed to the remaining possessions of the defeated King, sacking their towns and seizing anything not attached to the floor that shined.
The Battle of Antrim, April of 891
The nobility of Strathclyde had been pleased, and the centralization of the Kingdom would continue throughout Meirchion's reign without much disturbance until the dawn of the new century as Strathclyde joined the rest of mainland Europe and became a truly proper feudalistic and Christian Kingdom. His series of legislatures culminated as the year 900 began, with a visit from his Holiness Pope Lucius II, who formally consecrated King Meirchion in the Frankish fashion, declaring him God's King on Earth. King Meirchion had wanted to flaunt his wealth with lavish celebrations and gifts for Pope Lucius, with many of the nobility pitching in to assist in such a glorious event, but in true Christian fashion, Lucius rejected what basically amounted to bribes in the eyes of the Lord. What Pope Lucius truly wanted was total control over the religious matter of the Kingdom, requesting the investiture of Strathclyde's clergy to be in the hands of Rome, rather than the King (who usually delegated these duties to the Archbishop of Iona). King Meirchion was unable to resist such request, much to the dismay of the Cumbri clergy, who now feared their future might be in peril as Pope Lucius was known to place fellow Italians in positions of power all throughout Europe to better control the church.
The legislation of Cyfraith Meirchion V, or the fifth and final of King Meirchion's Laws
Pope Lucius II gaining full control over all religious matters in Strathclyde, and the supportive nobility assisting King Meirchion with the expenses of his coronation
As word of the festivities spread across Britain, the celebrations spread throughout the Kingdom, even reaching the peasantry, who had been able to participate on the many feasts across the land. King Meirchion would forever be associated as one, if not the greatest of all Cumbri Kings, standing through time as an example of what a truly great monarch could, and should be. While his entire reign had seen much of the conquest of Northern Britain, King Meirchion bowed to continue his reign as a true defender of Christendom, inspiring a zealous revival of his faith, which would ultimately benefit the Papacy, but would put his Kingdom in peril...
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. Also y'all, let me know if you like the usage of localized terms in this chapter, as there are plenty of Welsh/Anglo-Saxon words used here. If y'all prefer we can stick to a more modern, English vocabulary .- 1
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Thanks for reading y'all! Meirchion is definitely both though, gotta take a bit of revenge on the English, give the Norse a taste of their own medicine, and retake the island for the Britons. You can't do any of those things without pillaging a little on the way
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I'm perfectly happy with the old terms and am greatly looking forwards to next update after those teasers!
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The tales of the kings of Strathclyde are truly epic, from the troubled reign of his father to the rise of authority with Meirchion's reign, excellent job!
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I apparently missed this update.
Anyway, it seems as if the realm is becoming more centralized.
Hope this isn't dead, by the way, considering it has been more than a month since the last update...
Anyway, it seems as if the realm is becoming more centralized.
Hope this isn't dead, by the way, considering it has been more than a month since the last update...
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Chapter 10
CHAPTER X
HOW A BORDER DISPUTE BROUGHT ABOUT THE END OF PAGAN RULE IN BRITAIN, RESURFACING AN OLD RIVALRY TO THE FOREFRONT
HOW A BORDER DISPUTE BROUGHT ABOUT THE END OF PAGAN RULE IN BRITAIN, RESURFACING AN OLD RIVALRY TO THE FOREFRONT
The conquest of Ynis Manaw had sated the appetite for conquest amongst the Dano-Norse nobility within the Kingdom of Strathclyde, easing their integration into the monarchy's apparatus, an event which would enable King Meirchion to centralize power and eventually adopt the mainland ways of Feudalism nearly a decade later. It however did little to appease Jarl Gandalfr, a recent convert whose loyalty was dubious at best, and who controlled much of the land along the Northumbrian border. While he had adopted the ways of the Lord and swore fealty to Meirchion, he also possessed lands in Northumbria, and had family ties to the Hvitserk family through his mother, a fact which worried Meirchion as he sought to increase his authority in the region, especially as Gandalfr did little to protect the Kingdom's borders, allowing marauders from Northumbria to raid the countryside with impunity.
The Jarldom of Teviotdale, claimed by both Northumbria and Strathclyde
King Guðfríð of Northumbria, in a pathetic attempt to expand his realm North sent a delegation to the court of Meirchion, officially laying a claim to Teviotdale and its surrounding areas under the threat of force. While the Northumbrian King lacked the actual manpower to take on the Cumbri, he falsely believed the Dano-Norse nobles within the kingdom would side with him if another war broke out, a support which failed to materialize as King Meirchion took this threat to heart, launching an invasion into the lands of old Rheged as the cowardly Norse King went into hiding, leaving his Kingdom to crumble around him.
The Northumbrian King and the Jarl of Teviotdale
Devoid of any true leadership, the Northumbrian armies became demoralized, being easily defeated by the much superior forces under Meirchion. While the entire Norse Kingdom laid open for a complete conquest, such a landgrab would nearly double the size of the Kingdom, which would stretch the Cumbri kingdom to its limits as it began to centralize, a fact not ignored by Meirchion, who instead chose to merely annex the old Kingdom of Rheged along the coastline, as it had a large minority of Cumbrians already living within, easing the pace at which it could integrate within the Kingdom. The Northumbrian Kingdom now laid in ruins, and the English to the South seized the chance to expand at their expense, a fact which would set the English on the paths of Briton expansion, bringing back the centuries old rivalry that the arrival of the Norse had nearly erased.
The British Isles upon the conquest of Rheged, as the West Saxon armies move on to pick the remains of Northumbria, Feburary of 893
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