The Venerable Dafydd's History of the Kingdom of Ystrad Clud - A HIP Strathclyde AAR
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It's back, it's back!!! *Cries in Gaelic... Very excited to see the Norse driven out of Northumberia, the Kings of Strathclyde are rapidly devloping the Kingdom into a formidable regional power, perhaps only matched by Wessex... Excellent chapter!
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The Celts look to be doing well.
Perhaps they will yet rule the Isles?
Perhaps they will yet rule the Isles?
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CHAPTER XI
HOW THE NORSE PAGANS ADAPTED THE NORTHUMBRIAN TRADITIONS AS A LAST GASP AGAINST THE TURNING TIDE
HOW THE NORSE PAGANS ADAPTED THE NORTHUMBRIAN TRADITIONS AS A LAST GASP AGAINST THE TURNING TIDE
After their devastating loss at the hands of the Cumbrians and the Saxons, the Northumbrian King embraced Christianity wholeheartedly, hoping it would discourage his neighbors from finishing the conquest of his lands, buying some time to rebuild his forces, and perhaps attract mercenaries from Scandinavia to bolster his ranks. Ultimately, his attempts at turning the tide were futile, for his own subjects, now forcefully converted, resented Guðfríð, viewing him as a traitor to their forefathers' ways, leading to his murder and usurpation by his twin brother, Ragnarr.
Northumbria was no stranger to regicide, as during the times of Anglian dominance in the region by the Kingdoms of Bernicia and Deira, their respective Kings would oft perish at the hands of their enemies, often their own relatives, with few experiencing a natural death. The more things changed in Northumbria, the more they remained the same.
The late King Guðfríð, and the new monarch of Northumbria, King Ragnarr
King Meirchion himself has sponsored Guðfríð's conversion, and thus his death threatened to endanger the tenuous peace he had just acquired on his southern border, forcing the Cumbrians to intervene in Northumbria's affairs, lest the Saxons advanced upon them before they could stabilize and broke the balance of power in Britain. As the Northumbrians struggled to amass behind Ragnarr's banner, Meirchion faced no opposition in his campaign, easily overpowering any would-be defenders of Ragnarr's new reign. The bulk of Ragnarr's host constantly fled at the sight of the Cumbrian banners, but would ultimately be trapped by the coastal town of Bridlington, where the Norse forces were slaughtered to the last man, in a futile attempt to locate Ragnarr, who had gone in seclusion hoping to be spared from the onslaught.
The Battle of Bridlington, February of 895
Despite his best attempts at hiding, King Ragnarr was eventually found pretending to live a life as a peasant in the borderlands to the South, and was quickly sent to the gallows, putting an end to his short reign, and leaving behind yet again, a vacuum of power in the unstable Kingdom. This state of lawlessness allowed King Alfred of Wessex to march his troops North, into Northumbrian Mercia, laying waste to their defenses, and annexing half of the Kingdom for themselves. A Northumbrian buffer state between Saxons and Cumbri seemed more unfeasible by the day, and Meirchion would be forced to make a move for the crumbs left on the wake of the Saxon conquests.
The death of King Ragnarr, August of 895
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The tide turns against the Northmen, but perhaps it will upset the delicate balance of power between the Britons and the Saxons... Hopefully the Briton king's can expand further, perhaps into Ireland to gain the coin and men needed to fight the Saxons...
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Chapter 12
CHAPTER XII
A NEW CENTURY
A NEW CENTURY
Whilst the House of Hvitserk struggled to regain control over the Kingdom of Northumbria, a rebel leader named Hrolfr had begun to amass popularity among the peasantry, posing a possible challenge to Meirchion's dominance. Hrolfr had been virtually independent for a few years now, but the current state of Northumbria made him in fact the most powerful of pretenders to the crown, and thus Meirchions' latest target, who defeated the forces of the pretender in November of 895, and fully pacified his realm by March of the following year. This would isolate the capital of Northumbria by land, as the Cumbrian forces settled down in the region of Durham, further preventing the consolidation of power by the Norse.
With his armies still raised, Meirchion spent the remainder of 896 in the Northern reaches of Britain, sacking the struggling Scottish kingdom in order to fund the final campaign against Northumbria the following year. There would be no respite for the neighbors of Strathclyde, not as long as Meirchion reigned supreme.
By January of 897 the Northumbrians had selected their new monarch, a dwarf claiming to have the blood of the Hvitserk running through him, leading a small host of less than a thousand men. Small enough to not oppose any Cumbrian incursion, but large enough to subjugate what remained of the Northumbrian nobility. The new king claimed to have abandoned the White Christ and returned to the old ways, which earned the ire of Meirchion whose treasury had been filled to the brim after the latest season of Scottish raiding. The armies of Strathclyde rained upon the newly crowned heathen, flipping the last page on the decaying kingdom of Northumbria. As the year 898 began the dust had settled, and the Northumbrians hid behind the walls of Bamburgh, the last Norse fortress in the British mainland.
The newly acquired border with the nascent kingdom of England presented a new challenge for Meirchion, but also an opportunity for expansion and riches. The petty kings of Wales remained fiercely independent, but if they could be brought unto the Cumbrian fold they could provide the necessary manpower to take on the English.
The Scottish kingdom remained in shambles, and while poor, securing it would be of utmost importance for a shrewd Cumbrian king, lest it became the landing site of a new Norse invasion that could threaten to retake Northumbria, and just across the pond lays Ireland, nominally under the rule of the kings of Tara, who swore loyalty to Meirchion, but increasingly looking for a way out of such one-sided deal. A strategic betrothal between Meirchion's daughter and heir Denyw and the third son of the Irish king appeared to have bought their continued support, but as the young man took on the vows and married the church, the Cumbrian princess was left without a husband-to-be. Meirchion would have to weigh in carefully where to strike next, perhaps looking to Rome for answers...
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The last few chapters were a bit short because I was honestly trying to find what the heck was going on at the time, as the pause I took on the AAR left me a bit lost, however I think I'm all good now! I also started a new AAR for CK3, so be sure to check it out if y'all want.
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With the Vikings purged conflict between the Saxons and Britons is inevitable.
I would suggest marrying the King's daughter to a Welsh Prince, assuming you haven't mentioned matrilinial marrige so I assume you can continue to play even if a new dynasty gains the throne.
I would suggest marrying the King's daughter to a Welsh Prince, assuming you haven't mentioned matrilinial marrige so I assume you can continue to play even if a new dynasty gains the throne.
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Well among the many laws passed throughout the adoption of Feudalism was that of women being able to inherit, so Meirchion is definitely aiming to keep his line in power, after all, you wouldn't want some Welsh randos to just claim all the glory after you restored Briton rule to the island
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What is wrong with the Princess where the Irish lad would rather marry the Church than become future King-Consort? Thank you for returning and please be safe!
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Well the Irish have always had that fierce and independent nature y'know? By marrying the Princess they sorta bow down to another man, whilst everyone, including Meirchion and the Princess, bow to God. But really, who knows why the AI does things
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Ystrad Clut is doing well.
The Norse are exiled from Britain. Sadly, the Saxons may prove to be greater enemies...
The Norse are exiled from Britain. Sadly, the Saxons may prove to be greater enemies...
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What mods do you use in your game? These new cultures and this beautiful map are very attractive, even more combined with its history.