The Knights of the Hospital of St. Mary: Two Views on the Russian Crusades

[Paranoid Tsar]

The following is a Teutonic Order AAR, played on normal/normal in 1.05, starting as a Grand Campaign in 1419. Goals are completely open-ended, and massive bloodshed/hypothermia is a given. Look for the Knights to conduct plenty of crusades and inquisitions!

The AAR will be split between contemporary chronicles and modern interpretations of the events. With any luck the interplay between the two sources of information should be entertaining.

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From the Chronicle of Henry of Livonia, written c. 1440.

The success of the Knights had eventually led to the sins of pride and vanity, and punishment for these transgressions would be sure and swift. The defeat at Tannenburg would prove a turning point for the Order, as the protection of THE LORD was removed, leaving the debased Knights helpless against the coalition of Polish princes. The enforced humility of the defeat would lead to genuine contrition within the order, as all agreed that they had witnessed the just hand of GOD.

Humbled by the righteous judgment they had witnessed, the Knights of the Hospital of St. Mary turned away from the false glories of worldly affairs, and addressed the souls of the lost within their realms.

The errors of paganism, and worse heresy and schismatism, were still to be found, even in the lands the LORD had seen fit to invest to the Order. Like the servant given talents to invest, the Knights had neglected their rightful duty of conversion, burying the talents they were given in the cold ground. So it was that GOD rightly judged them as slack and cowardly servants, neglectful of their duties. Only after this judgment did the Knights take up the talents and invest them in the salvation of the children of the Northern Canaan.

While the Knights brought the truth of Christ to even the darkest corners of their land, schismatic princes to the east, placing value only in corrupt and empty glory before men, made war against each other. Like mankind before the flood, the hateful schismatics reveled in their wickedness, showing no hesitation to betray even their fellow heretic brethren. The principality of Novgorod suffered a series of defeats and was divided amongst several conquerors.

The missions of the Knights would improve the trade within their region, bringing riches from the corners of the world into the trade city of Kurland. No doubt GOD had chosen to increase the wealth of the order in recognition of their obedience and humility.
The year of our LORD 1423 was considered exceptional by many, and GOD eminently laid out his bounty before the Order.

The schismatic wars continued to the east, with the free city of Pskov falling to Tver. Word began to reach the ears of the Grandmaster that the reprobate and heretical army of Tver had committed great sins and brought hardship on the lost sheep of Pskov. GOD put it in the hearts of the Order to correct these injustices and bring salvation to Pskov. Preparations began to begin the Holy Work of our savior in the east, but the Order was still weakened by the trials justly put upon them by THE LORD, and as such needed time to prepare.

1425 saw the sale of indulgences within the territory, a further sign of repentance in the Order. Converts were allowed to purchase merit with THE LORD, ensuring that their time in Purgatory would be shortened in accordance to their merits and contributions. Even as Father Abraham gave of his possessions to Melchizedek, the sheep of the Order showed their piety with sincere prayer and gifts to the Mother Church.

By the end of the year the Knights were poised to bring liberation in both body and soul to Pskov...

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From "The Russian Crusades" by Erick Cjeland, copywrite 1999, Riga.

The defeat of the Knight Order at Tannenburg can be mainly attributed to the numerical and tactical superiority of the Polish coalition. The Teutonic Order, which had not fought a major campaign in decades, was ill-prepared to deal with the Poles, and suffered a crushing defeat.

Following the defeat, the Order was forced to cede territories to Poland, and lost a lot of legitimacy in the eyes of Europe. With paganism replaced with Christianity in the territories of the Order, nobles questioned the reason for the order to remain. These same nobles also desired an increase in their own secular powers, and viewed the Knights as a potential threat.

These issues notwithstanding, the Order enjoyed years of peace following the humiliating defeat. For the time being the Polish nobles were appeased, and the formation of an independent Prussia further weakened the Knights. By 1420 the general consensus was that the Order would continue to weaken and eventually simply dissolve, partitioned by its neighbors.

However, the Knights were able to strengthen their trade routes, taking advantage of the peace to deal with issues of banditry and damaged roads within their holdings. The trade city of Kurland slowly regained prestige as a center of trade as a result of these efforts. This led to a strengthening of the Order's economy, as gold flowed into Kurland from across Europe.

Meanwhile, the emergence of the Russian powers led to a number of wars between a weakening Novgorod and an emergent Muscowy. In the resulting chaos, minor principalities struggled for survival and legitimacy. The end result of these struggles was a decline in power for Novgorod, while Tver doubled in size with the conquest of Pskov.

These events did not go unnoticed by the Teutonic Knights, and by 1425 they were ready to begin a series of events that would become the Russian Crusades. Tver was overextended and vulnerable, and the newly strengthened Order was ready to avenge past defeats...

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Next: War with Tver, and a case of Heresy.

[Wasa]

This was an extremely well written prologue ..I am already looking forward for the next installment...hits *subscribe* ..

[Stroph1]

P_T,

This is a great idea for a tale. I love the two views on the same event. I will really like this story!!!

[Amric]

Very nice, I'll be watching!

[Odin1970]

I agree with Stroph, the 2 differing views looks good. Definately will keep an eye on your AAR could be a nice model for a future one.

Good luck

[Paranoid Tsar]

Thanks for the kind words, everyone! I'm thinking that things will really get interesting as the Order has to deal with Protestantism on top of the usual struggles with schismatics. Expect a number of historical chroniclers in different eras, and I may introduce another modern author with a more revisionist view if I feel really ambitious. For now, the Order has many heretics to convert!

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From "The Russian Crusades" by Erick Cjeland, copywrite 1999, Riga.

The defeat at Tannenburg cast a long shadow on the policies of the Order, and when the time came to attempt an offensive campaign against an ambitious Tver, it would prove the critical factor.

The soldiers who remembered the defeat of 1410 had risen to positions of leadership and influence within the Order by 1425, and having this veteran leadership would prove critical in a campaign against a surprisingly resilient Tver. At the same time, the bulk of the common soldiers under the Teutonic banner had not fought at Tannenburg and as such had no experience with defeat.

Improvements in the Order's tactics and training based on the bitter lessons of the Polish conflict created an army of zealous young men who were trained to consider themselves invincible. At the same time, they had the benefit of a leadership core that knew that was not the case and had a tactical savvy based on hard lessons learned in defeat. This combination would serve the Order well in the initial battles of what would become the Russian Crusades.

In early 1426 a Papal Bull was issued authorizing a crusade against "schismatics and heathens in the East." Whether or not this edict was motivated in part by the rejection of Papal authority shown by Byzantium is a matter of debate, although it seems likely that the two matters were unrelated. Careful reading of the document makes it clear that the Pope is referring specifically to the supposed crimes committed by the principality of Tver. Later, with the unexpected resurgence of the Byzantines and the widening of the Russian Crusades such an argument would carry some truth, but in 1426 the dynamic in Russia and the Near East was very volatile. The battle lines had yet to be drawn.

In any case, the war with Tver would be a bitter affair for all involved. Bad weather and a defensive advantage resulted in difficulties for the Teutonic Knights, and the superior forces and organization of the Order would only prove the difference after several years of fighting in Pskov, Tver, and Estland.

The Order would face several challenges during the war. The Knights had formed a clumsy alliance of minor principalities and electors, and this alliance would be more of a problem than an advantage for the Order. Prussia, Bremen, Mecklenburg, Pommern, and Holstein were drawn into a war with Poland, Lithuania, and Bohemia. The Knights dishonored the alliance, recognizing their inability to fight a two-front war, coupled with the reality that many Polish nobles desired territory held by the Order. Unable to bring the Knights into the war, Poland settled for carving up their former allies.

A political crisis resulted from the dishonored alliance, with a significant portion of the Order's nobility favoring staying in the alliance and keeping the vows that were given. Fortunately for the Order, this crisis was largely resolved peacefully. Rebellion was threatened, but never occurred. A few choice executions and "accidents" no doubt helped maintain stability.

By 1428, Tver was defeated, with the last pockets of resistance crushed. The Knights waged a ferocious campaign against the Russian Principality, burning crops, massacring "heretics" and destroying entire villages. Tver ceded Pskov and also a significant tribute in gold. Pskov did not welcome the Knights as liberators in any way, and revolted shortly after the peace.

With the war over, the Order aligned itself with the Kalmar Union of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Sharing a common religion and common enemies, the alliance offered more for the Order than the support of factional German electors ever could have.

External peace led to internal strife, as a heretical movement appeared in Polotsk in 1430. The result was largely typical of past uprisings in the history of the Order: the heresy was harshly suppressed.

The new decade would see the Order continue to look to the East, now backed by a powerful Scandinavian alliance. While the Kalmar Union strove for temporal power and dominion, the Order would consider the very same wars to be holy crusades against the false beliefs of Orthodoxy...

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From the Chronicle of Henry of Livonia, written c. 1440.

The sufferings and privations inflicted against the lost sheep of Pskov reached a point where to ignore them would be to commit the sin of passivity in the face of spiritual wickedness. The Order, now humble before THE LORD, sought sanction from the voice of Christ on earth, and received an edict from the Papacy to liberate Pskov from the schismatics and lead the people to the True Faith. Always zealous to do the work of the LORD, the Knights declared war on Tver.

While the Knights did the work of GOD in the east, spiritual corruption fell upon many nations that professed Christ but served Mammon. Poland and Lithuania, forming an unholy union with the cursed blasphemers of Bohemia, attacked the equally debased nations of Northern Germany.

Even as the horsemen of War, Famine, Pestilence, and Death rode freely through Northern Germany, many of the princes called on the Order to abandon its just crusade against the schismatics to engage in a struggle that did no glory towards our LORD.

The Grandmaster received a vision from GOD in his repose, and this vision would justly guide our actions. In the inspired dream, he saw an eagle with pure white feathers between two black falcons covered in the filth of corruption and sin. First, he saw the eagle fight with the falcons over a rabbit they had slain. The eagle was horribly wounded in the struggle, its pure feathers covered in filth and shed blood. Then, in a second vision, the eagle abandoned the falcons to fight each other over the scraps of food, soaring off gloriously into the deep blue sky while the falcons ripped each other to pieces.

The meaning of this vision was clear. The Order was clearly instructed by GOD to have no part in the empty struggles of man, but to serve the Crucified One only, through struggle against the schismatics.

Like gold in the fire, the test of a man is adversity. The Order struggled against the devils from the east, the impurities of sin being burned away in the crucible of war. The Knights showed no mercy to their fallen adversaries, following the direction of THE LORD to claim the land they had been given, leaving no enemy alive.

At the same time, factions in the Order objected to the decision to ignore Northern Germany. Completely blinded by their lust for power they created unrest in the lands of the Order. Requiring unity, GOD saw fit to bring these men back into his graces as they renounced their sinful urges. Others were judged and punished by the Hand of GOD.

The defeat of Tver, sanctioned by THE LORD before the earth was even formed, saw the acquisition of Pskov and 60,000 silver coins as an indulgence for Tver's sins. Within Pskov, the Devil still held sway, and many individuals worshipped him openly, standing in armed rebellion against the anointed of GOD. Once again, the head of Satan was bruised and he was brought low, as the Satanic rebellion was soundly crushed beneath the heels of the righteous.

Some Catholic countries maintained purity, a Holy Remnant against the tide of evil. The Northern nations of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden came to friendship with the Knights, and were welcomed as brethren. This powerful alliance would serve the LORD with might against the schismatics, bringing salvation to many.

The Order maintained vigilance against spiritual evils, even within their own territory. A heresy in Polotsk threatened to mislead the common people with the smooth lies of the serpent. An increasing influential group was preaching a false gospel (let them be accursed!) within the province. Among other things, they were teaching the doctrine that Jesus the Christ was born an ordinary man and became the Son of GOD only after his crucifixion. They also taught various cursed doctrines taken from the Hussites, including the belief that salvation could exist outside the Mother Church.

An open rebellion against the Knights resulted, as the heretics took up arms, hoping to spread their errors throughout the region. It is better to tie a millstone around one's neck and drown in the sea than to try to poison the teachings of THE LORD, and so it was with this vile heresy. The Knights defeated the rebellion, and many of the leaders were burnt at the stake, preparing them for the same flames they will be in for all eternity.

The defeat of the heresy further strengthened the Order, as they had again demonstrated their faith. A flow of blessings would follow, as the alliance of faithful nations would strike a mighty blow against the schismatics...

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Next: More war, and an action that costs 7 stability points!

[Amric]

Nicely done!

[LordLeto]

me likey

[DuquedeBraganca]

Interesting ! *Waiting the next installment*

[Mike von Bek]

7 stability points? Holy Peter! What on Earth did you do to offend THE LORD, that he should smite you so? Cant wait to find out!

[Storey]

I like the format you've chosen Paranoid Tsar. It's well written as all your AARs are. Looking forward to seeing how this works out.

Joe

[Paranoid Tsar]

I had trouble getting on the boards the last few days for some reason, thus the slowdown. For once it wasn't the usual cause (personal laziness)!

Thanks for the encouragement, everyone! I'm having a lot of fun writing in the "historical narrative" style, especially creating the contrasts between the narrators. I wonder who will take up the mantle of chronicling the Order after Henry of Livonia finishes his holy work in 1440? I'd love to hear suggestions. Right now I'm considering someone who writes in a biographical style for the Grandmasters of the Order.

If you're wondering about maps, there won't be one until about 1450-something. I know that's annoying, but maps of the Order should be a regular feature in the near future.

Von Bek: Losing 7 stability is easy when you're more concerned with serving GOD than the false laws of men. Or, as the modern writer would say, the Order opted for expediency in expansion.

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From the Chronicle of Henry of Livonia, written c. 1440.

The repentance of the Order was shown to be pure and righteous, as they drove the scourge of heresy from the lands GOD had appointed onto them before the blade of the sword of justice. After defeating the falsehoods in Polotsk, the Knights would find themselves leading a union of the just against the schismatics to the East.

The schismatics in Novgorod in their arrogance were acting against the followers of the Mother Church. News of raids into Sweden and banditry against trade routes led to a demands for redress from the Swedes. Lost in their sins, the reprobate schismatics ignored their rightful duty to enforce order upon their territories. This, as well as there open defiance of existing trade and border treaties, led to a declaration of war by Sweden, bringing the combined might of the Kalmar Union down on the princes of Novgorod and a handful of German electorates who presumed to profit by a union with the devils in the east.

The Order did not hesitate to honor its agreements with the Northern Kingdoms. GOD's plan for the Order was starting to become manifest before the eyes of men. It was now placed in the hearts of the Order that the time had arrived to deal a telling blow to the schismatics that would eventually bring about the salvation of thousands in the east.

The forces of Novgorod were wheat before the scythe of the blessed Knights. While harsh winter would test the resolve of the Knight-brothers, there was little doubt that victory had been handed to them from THE LORD. By the year of our LORD 1434 the nobles of Novgorod offered the Order the territories of Kexholm, Kola and Olonets, which were accepted in good faith by the Knights.

Immediately after the peace was concluded, however, it came to light that paganism and open worship of Satan in his many forms was occurring within the trade city of Novgorod. A noble from the city who had recently converted to the True Faith and aligned his family and holdings with the Knights, brought word to the Grandmaster that the nobles of Novgorod had called upon the intervention of their master The Devil, even offering up babies and virgins to the goat in a mockery and blasphemy of the sacrifice of Christ.

Faced with the truth of the evils within the city, the Knights had little choice but to renounce the treaty that had been signed. The innocent blood of children cried out for justice, and the Order had sworn to face evil squarely, girding themselves in the sacred armor of GOD.

The attack against the Devil in Novgorod resulted in turmoil within the territories of the Order, as a faction of nobles who had previously declared loyalty to Prussia now used the violation of a treaty as an excuse to rebel openly against the Order in both Estland and Livland. The devils in Olonets stirred the lost souls there into rebellion as well, and flames burned across the Order's territory as the forces of evil openly challenged the Knights.

Novgorod was taken by the Knights by early 1436, and many of the nobles and commoners were burnt or put to the sword for the sins of diabolical possession and worship. The trade city was so devastated by the Wrath of GOD that settlers from Kurland had to be brought in later that year to rebuild the city.

Driven to a fury of vengeance the Knights than defeated both the schismatic revolt of Olonets and the noble uprising in their original territories within a single year. There was no doubt that the very hand of GOD had smote those who dared challenge his will on earth. After routing rebels, many were brought to the harsh justice commanded by our LORD toward those who would questions his commandments.

While his head had been bruised by the heel of the Knights, the Serpent was still active both in the territories newly acquired and in the traitors of Lithuania and Poland. The venom of the snake would flow freely in the years following the defeat of Novgorod, as the ambitions of the princes of Poland and the heresies of the newly conquered lands would challenge the resolve of the Order...

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From "The Russian Crusades" by Erick Cjeland, copywrite 1999, Riga.

A mistake made by many past historians is classifying the war between the Knights and the Kalmar Union against Novgorod as a formal crusade. While this war is considered to be part of the Russian Crusades, and such a description is convenient for a would-be scholar on the subject, it's reasonably clear that this war was secular in nature, at least originally.

The root of the war did not involve the Teutonic Knights or the idea of a crusade. Rather, Sweden had a series of disputes with Novgorod over trade, and to a lesser extent, borders. Bandit activity against Scandinavian merchants had been increasing following Novgorod's defeat in a war against Muscowy, and it has been suggested that much of the banditry was sponsored by the nobles of Novgorod in hopes of helping to refill the war-depleted coffers of the principality.

This trade dispute ultimately escalated into a dispute on territorial control, and it was decided that the borders could best be settled with the point of a sword. The Kalmar Union declared war in 1431, calling on their new allies in the Order to aid them.

The Teutonic Order did not exist to fight trade wars, so the language of the conflict was adjusted to be palatable to the holy soldiers of the Order. What was really a conflict about merchant profits became for the Knights a conflict about conversion of the Orthodox Christians to Catholicism. Ironically, the Order would impose their mission on the war despite being smaller and weaker than any one part of the Kalmar. By 1434, Sweden had been appeased by gold and a promise of protection for merchants, but the Order continued what they considered a holy mission, claiming Kexholm, Olonets, and the Kola colony in peace.

The Knights reached a crossroads after the peace. They were now stronger than they had been in hundreds of years. Novgorod lay beaten on the ground before them, but still holding the important trade city that was their capital. Surrounded by ambitious Russian princes, Novgorod was doomed one way or the other. Seeing the riches of the trade city, the Order decided to risk internal strife and condemnation in the region by violating the treaty to complete the conquest.

While Novgorod was taken after a short and brutal "second war" much of the Order's lands rebelled openly. A significant faction of nobles who were sympathetic to Prussia and Northern Germany opposed the current Grandmaster, who they viewed as a traitor to these nations. Concern that fanaticism would destroy the peaceful trade profits they had enjoyed was also a concern. The existing sparks of revolt quickly fanned into flames as the nobles recruited many Orthodox Christians into their ranks. By early 1436, nearly 30,000 were organized against the Order.

Nothing came of it. The nobles had over-estimated their unity and the loyalty of their followers. Facing heavy cavalry charges from battle-hardened Knights, the piece-meal armies of rebellion quickly folded, with massive desertions destroying any morale or organization the uprising might have had. Despite an impressive start, the Nobles Revolt was quickly extinguished.

With Novgorod annexed into the Order's holdings, it was clear that rumors of their death in 1410 had been greatly exaggerated. It was also clear the increasingly fanatical leadership had no plans of halting their aggressions. These realities would again draw the Polish forces into battle with the Order, even as persecuted Orthodox Christians again rose up against their new masters...

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Next: Revolts, a Polish/Lithuanian invasion, more revolts, and a Byzantium update!

[Amric]

Keeping Novgorod will certainly put a crimp in Muscowy's plans to become Russia. Very good update!

[Paranoid Tsar]

Amric: Muscowy is definitely weakened by taking Novgorod, but the bigger problem of the traitors and/or cowards in Poland and Lithuania remains. There might be need for a crusade in the south...

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From "The Russian Crusades" by Erick Cjeland, copywrite 1999, Riga.

By 1436 the Order had overextended itself with an overly ambitious offensive in the east and the resulting internal unrest. With the army weakened by the wars with Novgorod and the Nobles Revolt, the Polish princes saw the perfect opportunity to pursue their ambitions in the Baltic.

Poland's allies in Lithuania, Bohemia, and Brandenburg issued a declaration of war against the Teutonic Knights, who promptly called on their allies in the Kalmar Union. The Order prepared for a long defensive campaign, even as internal problems continued to loom large.

While Poland and Lithuania took Kurland in 1437, the bulk of the Order's forces were busy elsewhere, defeating an Orthodox separatist revolt in Polotsk. By summer the Knights returned to Kurland and soundly routed the Southern coalition, which had been weakened by a lengthy siege in the harsh Baltic winter.

The defeat was severe enough to allow a peace to be concluded with Bohemia, Brandenburg, and Poland under terms of a return to the previous borders. Lithuania was now facing the combined might of the Kalmar Union, and was in no position to further threaten the Order, although a state of war persisted.

It was just as well for the Order, as even as Kurland was retaken from Lithuania more revolts flared up in Kexholm, Pskov, and Novgorod. There was no deeper agenda behind these uprisings. They were simply starving peasants rising up in hopes of somehow improving their lot. The Knights were forced to abandon opportunities to conquer in Lithuania in order to deal with the uprisings.

In 1439 the war officially ended with the Order making a small payment to the Lithuanians. Although the Knights had been victorious in the field, they could not afford to maintain a state of war with their nation rapidly disintegrating into chaos.

By 1440 the revolts had been defeated for the moment, although a current of unrest remained beneath the calmed surface. The next decade would mirror the previous, with continued unrest and more conflict with the Poles and their allies...

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From the Chronicle of Henry of Livonia, written c. 1440.

The Word states that the Devil is a hungry lion looking for whom he can devour, and so it came to pass that the machinations of the Enemy would threaten the holy mission of the Order. Taking a form pleasing to the eye and speaking with the seductive tongue of the serpent, Satan rose to influence in the Kingdom of Poland. It appeared the evil one was not satisfied with his corruptions and blasphemies in Bohemia, as he chose to journey north to further spread his venom.

Believing the lies of the Fallen One and lusting to defile the lands of the Order, Poland and her allies declared war against the Order. The Knights called upon their brethren to the north, and the Kalmar Union did not hesitate to perform the work of THE LORD in concert with the Order.

The Deceiver is capable of great inner perversion of souls as well as open seduction through offers of power, and his influence would be felt in Polotsk as schismatics rose up against the Order. Claiming quite wrongly to be Christians, these devils pillaged their own lands in a demonic frenzy, especially targeting those loyal to the Mother Church.

The hand of GOD guided the Order even in this darkest hour. The traitors to the South were routed from Kurland and the Knights sought to retake the city. Seeing the betrayal of the Devil, the forces of the South pleaded for peace with the Order, who showed mercy to their mislead Catholic enemies as Jesus the Christ commands.

The end of this war brought little peace to the Order, as a series of peasant uprisings would force the Knights to be vigilant against the corruptions and heresies within their own lands. Judgment rode through the holdings of the Order, as many revolts were defeated, sending countless schismatics into eternal flames.

While the Devil may seem to hold dominion in this world, THE LORD remains sovereign and is capable of calling even the most reprobate and debased into salvation. Word reached the Order that Byzantium had abandoned their errors to serve the Mother Church. The news brought great hope to the Knights, even as they continued to battle the false doctrines of the schimatics in the east.

With this fitting ending, I complete this work. I give all glory to GOD while accepting that my own fallen nature may taint portions of this chronicle. I pray that the reader of this history will be strengthened in his faith and armored to do the work of THE LORD, even in these final days where great evil seems to pervade the world. The lot of the righteous is struggle in this world for reward in the next, and so has been the lot of the Teutonic Order.

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Next: A new chronicler, and more revolts and war!

[Amric]

More rebellions and another war? Sounds good to me!

[Paranoid Tsar]

Rebellions and war might have been a decent alternate title for Europa Universalis 2. I've can't remember playing a game that didn't have huge helpings of both. Look for that trend to continue in this AAR.

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Lives of the Grandmasters, by Wilhelm Siegen, written between 1511 and 1513, Novgorod.

Paul Bellizer von Russdorf received the call from GOD to claim the glorious crowns of salvation and eternal life in the year 1441, ending nearly two decades of expansion and victory under his wise leadership. Even in death he showed that wisdom, selecting a capable replacement who would be acceptable to the nobles of the Order.

Konrad von Erlichschausen had previously distinguished himself as a Knight Commander in the wars against Novgorod, winning many honors in battle. He had also administered the province of Estland with considerable skill, settling unhappiness among the artisans that had threatened to weaken trade with Kurland and Novgorod.

His career as Grand Master would not be the seemingly endless run of successes he had previously enjoyed. Enemies of the Order within the Mother Church would again threaten their borders, and the capable leadership Konrad had shown would be harshly tested during his time as Grand Master as the wicked and oath breaking devils to the south desired conquest.

The traitors in Poland would draw the Knights into another war, bringing their cursed minions in Lithuania and Bohemia into the conflict also. The Kalmar Union had splintered, and only Sweden honored their word, with the vile dogs in Denmark departing the alliance.

Despite such difficulties the Order remained resolute, and was able to defeat Lithuanian forces in Kurland, driving the swine out of the Order's holdings. A war with the Hungarians to the South then forced the southern brigands to plead with the Order for peace, an offer that would be accepted.

Relations with Sweden would be further strengthened by Konrad, who married his eldest daughter to a prince of the Scandinavian realm. As a favor among brothers, the Order granted military access to their allies in times of peace, improving the safety of trade routes between the nations.

The Order would continue the journey east by beginning to populate Kola. Many brave settlers departed Riga to make their fortune in the north.

In Konrad's final years internal revolts occupied most of his efforts, with villains in Novgorod and Olonets being soundly crushed by the Knights. Weakened by personally leading the Order against the Olonets revolt, Konrad von Erlichschausen suffered from severe fever, which eventually took his life in November of 1449. His service as Grandmaster primarily focused on holding off enemies of the Order from within and without, and he was quite successful in that endeavor. While little expansion or conversion was accomplished, many villains and traitors were put to the sword for GOD's glory, leaving the Order ready to continue its noble work.

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From "The Russian Crusades" by Erick Cjeland, copywrite 1999, Riga.

The conversion of Byzantium was a watershed in the 15th century, and would have far reaching implications. Shortly following the Union of Churches the Byzantines and their Venetian allies met the Ottomans in battle and won a crushing victory. Everyone agreed it was a sign, but the exact nature of that sign was open to personal interpretation.

The Pope certainly did not want to weaken the Union by sponsoring crusades in the Baltic against the Orthodox Church, so the implicit support for war against the Russian Princes was withdrawn. The weekly mass praying for the defeat of "schismatics" in the Baltic was cancelled indefinitely, as the prospect of a united Church seemed to be within the grasp of Rome.

It was probably just as well, as internal conflict had greatly weakened the forces of the Order, and replacements were slow in coming. Without Papal endorsement for the Order foreign adventurers now looked elsewhere, specifically to Byzantium, for opportunities to serve the church and line their pockets in the process.

Another war with Poland and her allies had a similar outcome for the Order. Now allied with only Sweden, the Knights were still capable of defeating the southern princes by taking advantage of harsh weather and what was now the best trained army in all of Europe. The war ended without consequence, as Poland now looked south for expansion.

Revolts continued in the east, but the frequency was decreasing. The inability for Orthodox rebels to organize and cooperate insured they would be defeated. As far as peasant revolts were concerned, they never had a realistic chance against the Order but were driven to uprising and looting by famine and disease.

By 1450 the Order had stabilized considerably and proven that they could hold the eastern conquests. At the same time, rebellion began to spread into Lithuanian held Prussia, an occurrence that the Teutonic Knight's would watch with interest...

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Next: Konrad's nepotism project and more revolts!

[Amric]

Another great update! Keep them coming, I'm ready to read more!

[Alexandru H.]

It seems that the chronicler is pretty drunk with God. It found the perfect partner in you.

[Paranoid Tsar]

Missed a few days for the holiday, but I'm back again.

Amric: Thanks for the continued encouragement!

Alexandru H.: Glad to have you aboard! I had a lot of fun writing the "Henry of Livonia" chronicles, just because I could go completely overboard with biblical references and still be historically accurate (If you've ever read a chronicle from this time period you know what I'm talking about!). I'm also considering writing a sequel to "Coat on the Floor" provided my liver is up to that challenge!

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From "The Russian Crusades" by Erick Cjeland, copywrite 1999, Riga.

1449 saw the fall of Prussia to Lithuania while the Order could only stand by and helplessly watch their southern rival devour the former allies of the Knights. Pommern was also annexed by the Lithuanians in 1452, before a war with Austria would turn their attentions back to the south.

The Order was beginning to become somewhat stagnant. Weak leadership and internal upheavals continued to plague the Knights, and the lack of any clear purpose further demoralized the new generation of soldiers who had not experienced the heady days of expansion in Novgorod.

Outside events would ultimately guide the policy of the Order. Lithuania was overextended, and freedom movements in what was formerly Prussia were gaining strength. Poland claimed Danzig from its ally following a revolt in 1458, and both Pommern and Prussia would soon make bids for independence.

The Teutonic Knights watched the disorder with interest, but lacked the resources and leadership to directly insert themselves into the turmoil. Indeed, they were forced to deal with several of their own uprisings in Novgorod and Olonets, provinces who were only very slowly beginning to accept their new overlords.

The situation would become even more volatile in 1460 as the Byzantine Empire, which was now holding a significant portion of the Balkans, renounced the Union of Churches, killing the dream of a reunified Christendom forever. The Pope would continue to negotiate with the Eastern Romans for several years, but the effort was doomed from the outset. The Byzantines were no longer weak enough to have any interest in promised Catholic aid.

The dissolution of the Union of Churches would ultimately result in the Russian Crusades, but at the time the Order was far more concerned with its coreligionists than ambitions in the east. The province of Memel revolted from Lithuania and the rebels requested a union with the Teutonic Knights that was finally granted in 1462. Prussia itself was not so lucky, as its independence movement was soundly crushed by the Lithuanians.

Increasing ill-will between the Kingdom of Denmark and its former vassal of Sweden would present an opportunity for the Order to make a bid for hegemony in the Baltic region. The Danes attempted to bring the Teutonic Knights out of their alliance with Sweden and into their camp. This attempt was perceived by the nobility as an insult to the Order's independence, and it was agreed that a war of revenge was justified. After years of peace, the Knights would again march into war in 1466 as the Kalmar Union completely collapsed, leaving the Order eager to pick the bones for scraps...

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From Lives of the Grandmasters, by Wilhelm Siegen, written between 1511 and 1513, Novgorod.

Following the death of Konrad von Erlichschausen, his son Ludwig von Erlichschausen was appointed to Grandmaster by the final decree of his father. Ludwig would serve largely as a caretaker of the Order, lacking both the skill and ambition to be anything greater.

Ludwig had a deserved reputation for kindness and piety, but he was nevertheless a poor choice to lead the Order. He was a quiet and retiring man who rarely felt the need to make his opinion known. A combination of wide, staring eyes and a mouth that often hung open gave him a somewhat foolish appearance, and while it is true that he was not an intellect of the first rate he also seemed aware of his limitations, a rare and admirable trait in such individuals. The consensus was he was a good man, but definitely not capable of leading the Order without constant outside advice. During his leadership the Knight Commanders would assume much of the authority within the Order.

In his early years Ludwig had served as a mayor in Livland. His record was solid but undistinguished, and the decision of his father to give him leadership of the Order came as a surprise, as many more qualified individuals were passed over in favor of a paternal appointment. It is worth noting that the method of selecting the Grandmaster was reformed by the Knight Commanders only a few years after Ludwig had become Grandmaster.

Despite these limitations, the Order remained strong. A series of peasant uprisings were crushed, and a potential border dispute with Muscowy was settled without bloodshed. The time of peace allowed a new army to be raised as well as the strengthening of the Order's trade routes. Merchants from the Order now plied their wares as far off as Venice and Genoa.

The enemies of the Order were active, however. The traitors in Lithuania had conquered Prussia and Pommern, and the people cried out to be liberated from the cruel yoke of the Lithuanian villains. Uprisings would eventually bring Memel into the hands of the Order, even as the devils and cowards of Lithuania disregarded the rightful claims of Prussian and Pommeranian princes to rule their own lands.

Heresy again threatened within the Order in 1462. A man named Aschaffenburg was preaching many false and dangerous doctrines in the city of Riga. This cursed dog claimed that the sacrifice of Christ offers salvation to all, regardless of devotion to the Mother Church, or for that matter any church at all. Such blasphemous ideas were so obviously wrong that even the common citizen, who is easily mislead by palatable lies, refused to follow him and called to the Order to pass judgment. This demon in flesh was imprisoned, hopefully to recant his sinful teachings in the dark of a cell.

The alliance with Sweden would draw the Order to the defense of its godly mission. The wicked Danes attempted to bribe the Order out of the alliance with Sweden, promising a role as a vassal after the reformation of the Kalmar Union. Needless to say such a vile promise was an affront to both Sweden and the Order, and the time had come to purge the region of the traitorous Danes...

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Byzantium Reborn, 1457

Teutonic Order, 1462

Next: Getting that ugly splotch of Orange out of the Baltic

[Paranoid Tsar]

From Lives of the Grandmasters, by Wilhelm Siegen, written between 1511 and 1513, Novgorod.

The shy and retiring soul of Ludwig von Erlichschausen was poorly suited for a major war, but the Knight Commanders called for revenge against Denmark with a single voice, and the timid Grandmaster was forced to give his stamp of approval. The official declarations soon followed, as the Knights routed Danish armies from Ingermanland, beginning a long and bitter siege on the Baltic port.

Ludwig's health declined at an alarming rate, as he was simply unable to handle the pressures of leadership. After a short sickness he left this earth early 1467 to join the past Grandmasters who doubtlessly oversee the defense of the heavenly realm.

With the Knight Commanders leading armies in the field there was little time to debate the installation of a new Grandmaster. Expedience won out, and the most senior Commander in the field, Heinrich Reuss von Plauen, took the title of Grandmaster.

The new Grandmaster was a sharp contrast to the man he replaced. Von Plauen was a career soldier within the Order, having no experience in administration or other matters of state. At the same time he was a capable militarist and would prove to be the perfect man for the time, as the Order would be embroiled in conflict for almost his entire tenure as its leader.

Von Plauen's first act was authorizing a northern expedition to bring the war into Denmark's Norwegian holdings, a move that would completely catch the Danish traitors off guard. Denmark had been primarily occupied with the subjugation of Oldenburg, and did not expect a winter offensive from the Order, who were still held at the walls of Ingermanland, dying in great number from disease and a harsh winter.

Victories in Finnmark and Narvick threatened to break the Danish dogs, but the Swedes suddenly showed cowardice, apparently lacking the stomach for a fight. The Order repeatedly called for aid in the Norwegian sieges, but Sweden seemed content to defend its own holdings, even as an opportunity for a decisive victory slipped away.

Such difficulties were compounded when the traitorous devils of Poland again declared war on the Order, drawing in their lick boot Lithuanian allies as well. These swine dogs would march on Kurland, eager to defile the land GOD gave the Order.

Von Plauen's leadership again benefited the Order, as he allowed the winter of 1468 to weaken the vile invaders, before smashing them as the weather turned warm. The remaining forces in Ingermanland had finally completed the siege, and Denmark was willing to hear terms. Von Plauen's lack of patience and experience in negotiating peace allowed the Danish devils to escape with merely ceding Ingermanland to the Order.

Thankful for the easy terms of the peace and sensing opportunity, Denmark declared war on the Polish/Lithuanian alliance shortly after the peace. Trapped between enemies, the Polish vermin paid the Order 50,000 silver coins for peace.

Lithuania would still suffer a series of defeats against Denmark, and ceded Mecklenburg and Holstein to the Northern villains in 1471. The Order was pleased to see their most persistent enemy stabbed by the blade of treachery, and relations with Denmark improved somewhat.

The short peace that Von Plauen enjoyed was mark by difficulties and generally poor administration. Peasant dissatisfaction led to two revolts, and corruption within the tax collectors was largely ignored by the Grandmaster, who concentrated on reforming the armies and preparing for a crusade. An edict from the Pope in 1474 would guide the direction of the conflict, as the Order again marched east...

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From "The Russian Crusades" by Erick Cjeland, copywrite 1999, Riga.

The opportunity to remove Denmark from the Knight's Baltic sphere of influence was simply too tempting for the Order to ignore, despite the fact that war with coreligionists was the antithesis of the Order's purpose for being. Motivated more by a chance to expand and its growing ambitions for secular power the Order attacked Denmark in 1466, drawing in Sweden and Oldenburg.

Oldenburg would be the first victim of the conflict, an ironic turn considering their total lack of involvement in the events that precipitated the conflict. The German electorate was no match for the forces of Denmark, and aid from Sweden and the Teutonic Knights was not forthcoming. In early 1468 a conquered Oldenburg accepted an offer to become a client state of Denmark.

While Denmark fought in Germany, the Knights launched an ambitious but ill-conceived northern invasion of Norway. The Knights succeeded in capturing colonial holdings near the arctic circle, but their efforts to move south and strike a telling blow to Denmark were thwarted by bad weather, desertion, and poor coordination with their allies. The winter offensive ultimately retreated to Kola to reform.

Seeing the difficulties the Order had suffered in their war with Denmark, Poland again attempted to grab territory from the Teutonic Knights. Poland and Lithuania moved against Kurland, but failed to take the city after several months of camping outside the gates, and would be defeated by the Knights in battle in the spring of 1469.

The fortunes of the Order had again turned. Denmark accepted peace for Ingermanland, and promptly turned its southern armies against Lithuanian holdings in northern Germany. Faced with a war on two fronts and repeated failures in Kurland, the Poles paid the Order for peace.

Politics in the Balkans would then influence the fate of the Order. Byzantium had severed all ties with the Union of Churches, and seemed almost eager to fight Catholic nations in the region. Faced with a complete breakdown and failure in mending the schism, the papacy turned away from cooperation to fanaticism. A 1473 Papal Bull declared that "all outside the Mother Church are damned" and contained numerous condemnations against schismatics and calls for Catholic nations to take up the sword against them.

While Venice, towards whom the Bull was specifically aimed, ignored the edict and continued to ally with the Byzantines, the calls to violence against Orthodox Christians proved particularly relevant and appealing to the Teutonic Order, who petitioned the Pope to authorize a crusade. In 1474 a second Bull was issued, authorizing a crusade against the principality of Tver. The era of the Russian Crusades had officially begun...

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Next: Tver gets pummeled by the fists of GOD!