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16 is not a time too long to fight rebels.
You don't get bored. :p

Yes, I know. I think the reason for the near-constant realm duress is the high number of Russian vassals. I have to replace them eventually.
 
Interlude I:
The Skilfing Dynasty in 1171​

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So, what have the Skilfings become after 100 years of being the clan in charge? Well, for starters, they are completely dominating the Nordic scene. Even though they belong to different families, most of the rulers in Scandinavia are now descendants of Sven Kolsson. At the moment he has 126 living heirs carrying his name, but what are they like? Let’s see. In the family, 103 individuals have completed their educations. Which is the most common one?

Top-three educations
1. Martial Cleric 11%
2. Intricate Webweaver 9%
3. Brilliant Strategist 8%
3. Gruff Diplomat 8%

Type of education
Court 56% (Diplomats 17% Spies 22% Stewards 17% )
Religious 24%
Martial 19% (Slightly skewed statistic, since only men can get martial ed.)

Level of education
Lvl1:12%
Lvl2: 35%
Lvl3: 26%
Lvl4: 27%

So, relatively few failures. That’s something, I guess.

Now for the interesting part – personal traits! Which are the five most common Skilfing personalities?

1. Chaste (12%)
2. Vengeful (10%)
3. Modest (9%)
4. Zealous (8%)
5. Coward (7%)

It’s hard to weigh all this together and of course even harder to talk about a dynasty as a whole. Still, they are the ruling class of the Swedish realm, so you could say at least something about class culture - and these guys are not the kindly end benevolent sort. Obviously, a Skilfing is a True Believer, often acting as a mixture of warrior and clergy. Also, don't cross them. They'll remember it and get back at you (Vengeful) when you least expect it (Intricate Webweaver).

If not for the fact that he won't be born for another 300 years, Machiavelli would be proud.
 
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Interlude II:
Europe in 1171​

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Tag PointsType Realm
  1. SWED 164 kingdom Sweden
  2. ENGL 131 kingdom England
  3. TOUL 86 duchy Toulouse
  4. PERE 80 duchy Pereyaslavl
  5. BYZA 76 kingdom Byzantium
  6. FRAN 75 kingdom France
  7. PROV 74 duchy Provence
  8. HUNG 72 kingdom Hungary
  9. TOSC 71 duchy Toscana
  10. FLAN 68 duchy Flanders
  11. CROA 59 kingdom Croatia
  12. BOHE 58 kingdom Bohemia
  13. POLA 56 kingdom Poland
  14. SELJ 56 kingdom Seljuk Turks
  15. NAPL 50 kingdom Sicily

And now, the view of the continent! As it should, pagan Sweden is the dominant power (for now...) with two robust Russian principalities as eastern neighbours. Much as they did IOTL, Hungary has absorbed the Pechenegs and Byzantium is fighting its eternal war against the Seljuks. Germany still exists, but the title now rests with a French duke lodged between France and Brittany (look at the green field there!). I've been waiting for Germany to fall for half a century now, but they persist. So far, nobody has formed Aquitaine, Burgundy or Lotharingia, but I expect it to happen soon.
 
Part 14:
The Winter King​

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The Skilfing castle, Södermanland, winter of 1171
The king let out a pained cough. The winter had been hard, and the funeral pyres of his father and his wife were still smoking. Håkon the Elder had clung to life for a long time before slipping away. Håkon the Younger coughed again.

"Olaf, I need you to take command of the regiment in Narva and lead it against the Votes. That idiot chieftain rebelled the moment I left Finland."

Olaf, Håkon's uncle, looked unhappily at his king. Leading an army from Estonia against the Votes would mean a sea journey across the Baltic during winter, quite a change from his current position as Royal Steward. Olaf opened his mouth to speak.

"Don't say it. My brother Kol will take over your duties as Steward for the time being, and the marshal will rally the rest of the regiments in Estonia."

Olaf remained silent and left the room. The king leaned heavily on his cane and limped closer to the fireplace of his study. The Tavastian arrow that had hit him in the hip was still hurting him.

---------------

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In spite of his reluctance, uncle Olaf did defeating the rebellious Votes into a quick affair. Nevertheless, he remined mired in the Finnish forests during the cold winter of 1171-1172. Unfortunately, several chieftains felt the weakness of king Håkon and knew that the king had no sons to take his place. Rebellions were everywhere, and the campaign against Viborg had to be followed up with a long and cold march on the Karelians.

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The Skilfing castle, Södermanland, winter of 1171

“Look at her, the skank”. Åsta whispered to her sisters. The four daughters of king Håkon were looking with contempt at the young woman sitting next to Håkon’s sickbed. In spite of his failing health, king Håkon had married his young relative Ragnhild in the hope of finally having a male heir. This had failed, and it was plain to all that Håkon did not have many days left. Still, Ragnhild had clung to the king’s side, no doubt hoping for a miraculous recovery. Undoubtedly to keep her newfound position as Queen of the Realm, in the opinion of her “stepdaughters”.

The coughing from the be grew more intense. “Sire, you must name an heir!” The chancellor, Olaf of Ångermanland, seemed desperate. Lack of an obvious heir would mean certain civil war, instead of just a probable one right now.

A weak, trembling hand rose from the bed, holding a ring with the raven crest. The whisper was almost to faint to hear:

“Helge Grimsson.”

The hand fell. The coughing subsided.

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Oh no, the Shahanshah is dead!

Actually, I'm not that sad to see him go. A serious wound in a rather old king? The illness came almost instantly and when also received consumption I knew he was as good as gone. Helge Grimsson is his oldest grandson and seems to have favorable traits.
 
The Crash

All right. Bad news. My HDD crashed most magnificently, erasing most of what I had on it. This includes the save file for this CK campaign. So far I'm not sure that I can retrieve any of it, but I'll try. I might start over, I might find an older save.
 
The Revovery

After some hard work, I think I've managed to recover most of the game. Also, the game engine has been patched to allow for pagan play, female inheritance and bishops and, more importantly, the creation of titles! The last part will make this a whole lot easier.

Furthermore, I believe I've isolated the source of the massive rebellions. The break-free event is firing for all my provinces since norse culture is not in anybodys list over accepted cultures. I've changed this.
 
Part 15

Part 15:
The Grandson​

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The Skilfing castle, Södermanland, winter of 1171

"Oh, straighten up, Helge Grimsson!" the woman blurted out. "You are a king now, at least try and look like one!"

The teenager sitting in the high-seat stirred uncomfortably and moved to a somewhat less slouched positition. "Is there no way at all to sit pleasantly on this thing? I need a cushion. Yes, a cushion.", he thought to himself as his mother Sunniva went on with one of her sermons about duty, hard work, appearances, being a good king and wearing warm clothing.

"...and remember, tomorrow we are meeting Jarl Erdenis. Remember to do as I told you!" With that Sunniva stormed out towards the kitchen.

The young man looked darkly at his mothers’ back as she left. Suddenly his eyes were sharp with contempt.

"Oh, I'll remember, mother dear." He smiled.
 
It lives! Hooray!
 
Part 16:
The first battle of Danzig​

The first years of king Helges’ rule were surprisingly successful. The inevitable unrest which always followed a transition of power was calmed by the application of plentiful gifts to various lords. Most remained loyal in spite of everything.

In midwinter of 1174, however, the Christian menace returned. Briefly.

The Teutonic Order, which had had its eyes focused on the Prussian lands for some time, decided that it was time to take that some of that land from the Mordvin tribe which had resettled in the swampland on the western side of the river Weichsel. So, in midwinter of 1173, the knights amassed for an attack on Kulmerland.

11740150teutattack.gif

This time, though, the Prussians would not stand alone. This time, all of the Lithuanians and Samogitians sent came in full force and the Norse from across the sea set sail once the news reached them.

Still, all those men were far away, and the armored German knights were just across the river. Preferring to take the battle on the enemys' own land, Diwan (the chief of the Pomesanians) crossed the river with a small force of tribal warriors.

117401diwan.gif

Their bravery was great, but it could only end one way.

117401diwan2.gif
 
where did the teutons get that force?

It's the mod "Knights with teeth", I think. That's why I went for Grand Mobilization. I didn't know exactly how much extra troops they would get from those events.
 
Part 17
The Second Battle of Danzig​

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In the long run, the German knights could not win. They had been reinforced by crusaders from all of Europe, but the pagans were too many. The renegade Pole Izbor attacked with his men the next year, and although the German forces were slightly stronger, their morale was faltering. Rumors were spreading about the great Norse host coming from the sea. The Grand Master of the order withdrew from the field and their lands fell under pagan rule once more.

----------------------

The Skilfing castle, spring of 1174
Gjertrud Bjelke buried her head in her hands and cried. Ever since her father - the ruler of the small mountain province Hedmark - had refused to raise troops and gold for the king, her life had descended into horror. A few months later, a host of the king’s bannermen had descended on her home. Her father had tried to resist with his household troops, but it had been hopeless. The royal troops stormed the fort and Gjertrud had been forced to watch as the headsman had taken her father’s head.

And now she was in the king's castle, far from home. Not quite a prisoner, but not entirely free, either. She had seen how the king and some of his men looked at her, and right now, she could hear the all celebrating the great victory against the Germans in the hall below. Suddenly, the door to her chamber swung open.

117404gjertrud.gif

It was the king. He was still holding a horn of mead and looked greedily at Gjertrud. He staggered towards her, smiling as happily as only small children and the terminally drunk can do, and grabbed her by the arm.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the beautiful little bunny from the mountains? Come on, give your king a kiss..." Gjertrud's stomach turned at the stench of alcohol.

"No, please, sir... please!" The king didn't listen and closed in on her. "Please! What of your queen?" she cried desperately.

The king stopped. His eyes seemed to focus at some place far away. He looked at her again.

"Get out. Don't come back here again."

Gjertrud ran.

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