A New Age: An Alternate History of the 11th Century and Beyond

Reader mode
Cnut I 1016-1020
  • Index

    • KnightofTempest

    In 1016 AD, Edmund Ironsides was defeated at Assandun and forced to cede the Majority of his Kingdom to Cnut I of Denmark and Norway with the understanding that the first of either of them to die would Inherit the rest of England. As it happened, Edmund would die just one month Later and Cnut would inherit Wessex, becoming King of England, Denmark, and Norway. That same year, his Wife, Queen Aelfigu gave birth to a Son, Harald. Cnut was overjoyed at this, as just a few months earlier, his and Aelfigu's first Child, Sweyn, had died of a Fever which had turned Aelfigu Despondent.

    In 1017, Cnut was formally crowned King of all England by the Archbishop of Canterbury in London and he began overtures to the various Lords and Jarls of his three Realms to join him in increasing trade links between England, Denmark, and Norway. With Cnut's powerful fleet, he reasoned he could better protect trade in the North Sea now that he controlled the Majority of its coasts. This reasoning was convincing enough for many of the Lords and Jarls, who began funding trading expeditions across the Sea, further tying England, Norway, and Denmark together through bonds of trade as well as shared monarchy.

    Of course, this did not sit well with Richard of Normandy. His Sister Emma had been the Wife of King Aethelred the Unready, Father of Edmund Ironsides and had fled England on Aethelred's death for her Brother's Court in Rouen. Emma wished to once more be Queen of England and to that end had Richard send overtures to Cnut about setting aside Aelfigu to Marry Emma, however the Birth of Harald had put paid to any notions that Cnut would set aside Aelfigu, as he and his wife had just now snatched happiness from the despair of Sweyn's death. When Combined with the idea that he was being Frozen out of Lucrative Trade in the North Sea, Richard was furious.

    Richard sent an envoy to Malcolm II of Scotland in 1018 asking for an Alliance against Cnut. The terms were simple. Emma's Son with Aethelred, Edward, would be installed as King of England upon Cnut's defeat and Malcolm would Get Orkney, Shetland, and the Western Isles, along with a section of Northumberland as for south as Bamburgh. Malcolm Agreed and the two began Marshalling Forces for a 1019 Campaign.

    Unfortunately for Malcolm, his heavy handedness with his vassals in order to gether the neccesary troops led Findlay, Mormaer of Moray to send an envoy to Cnut with details of the Alliance and Invasion Plan. Findlay promised to turn his cloak in exchange for the Kingship of Scotland. Cnut saw this as an Ideal time to snap up the Mormeardom of Strathclyde and annex Lothian. At the same time, the threat to Cnut's vassals in the Isles, Orkney, and Shetland would serve to tie those vassals Closer to Cnut. Cnut accepted Findlay's conditions and pre-empted Malcolm's invasion with one of his own. In February of 1019 he launched a surprise attack on Strathclyde and Lothian. Strathclyde, denuded of men by Malcolm, fell quickly to Cnut's force, bolstered by local forces from the Isles. While Findlay, supported by local troops from Orkney and Shetland Marched South through Mar, Atholl, and Angus, also picking up easy victories as those Mormaerdoms had been denuded of troops as well.

    By 29th March of 1019 Malcolm had been caught between the two forces at the Battle of Burgh Muir. While he had tried to Keep Cnut away from the city proper, Findlay had snuck in behind him and cut him off from the city. In the Burgh Muir, a stretch of plains South of the City of Edinburgh, Malcolm made his stand. He arrayed his forces in a Square in an attempt to hold off both Cnut and Findlay, but after several hours of fighting his formation was finally cracked by Cnut's Huscarl troops. In the bloody fighting that followed Malcolm was killed attempting to plug the Gap in the formation and many of the troops that he had personally gathered from the Various Mormaerdoms began to flee right into the waiting formation of Findlay. It was a massacre.

    On April 2nd, Findlay and Cnut Entered Edinburgh. Findlay was crowned King of Scotland and Ceded Strathclyde and Lothian to England. By May, the last of the Mormaerdoms had submitted and Cnut was free to turn his attention to Normandy.

    Normandy on the Other hand had Bigger Problems. Richard of Normandy had suffered a heart attack on hearing of the Battle of Burgh Muir and was not swift to recover. Richard II's son Richard was proclaimed Regent for his father, only for his Brother Robert to Revolt against the decision, making common Cause with Emma and Edward against the Regency. After several indecisive battles in the Summer of 1019, Cnut's Fleet appeared of the Norman Coast in late September and forced an end to the Revolt by throwing in with Richard. Robert, Emma, and Edward, knowing they could not win a confrontation now, agreed to be exiled and they and their strongest supporters left Normandy to join the Ongoing Conquest of Southern Italy by the Normans, Arriving in Apulia in Early 1020. Richard, now Richard III agreed to forswear any Norman Claim to England as payment for Cnut's Aid.

    As 1020 Dawned Cnut I of England, Denmark, and Norway began to tie his realms closer together. . .
     
  • Index

    • KnightofTempest

    This is a side project I'm working on. I have plans going all the way to the Mongol Invasion of Russia currently, but the main Idea is that due to a different establishment of Cnut I's North Sea Empire, More Normans head to Southern Italy and eventually go on crusade.

    There's other stuff too, some stuff in Eastern Europe and the HRE will be different, but this is the big initial change
     
    Robert of Normandy: 1020-1025
  • Index

    • KnightofTempest

    Upon Arriving in Amalfi, Robert of Normandy had around 3,000 Men, all supporters of his that went with him into Exile from Normandy. The Duke of Amalfi, a Byzantine Vassal named Sergius II, had not expected the Ships to be carrying so many Soldiers and was unprepared for the Influx of Norman Knights and Men at Arms. After a tense first week in the city, Robert's men grew increasingly frustrated with Sergius' Cold Reception. This Prompted Robert to storm the Ducal Residence and Arsenal of Amalfi and seize control of the City. The coastal fortifications attempted to hold out longer, but the Norman Mercenaries that had been hired by the Duke revolted against the Local Garrison and joined Robert's forces. The fortresses had been built to hold off attacks by sea and facing enemies by land and from within, they fell to the Normans. Sergius II abdicated shortly afterwards in Favor of Robert, and he became Robert I of Amalfi.

    Robert immediately began planning the Conquest of Byzantine Campania and the Lombard Principality of Capua, who were allied with the Byzantines. Since the late 10th Century, many local Italian Rulers had hired Norman Mercenaries to help defend an increasingly fractured number of states and principalities in Italy from their neighbors. Upon Robert's acession, many of these Mercenaries flocked to his banner, swelling his forces immensely. By the time Robert Crossed the Border into Byzantine Campania, his forces had swelled to 10,000 Normans and a further 5,000 Local Troops. The Byzantine Catepan of Italy, Basil Boioannes and most of his troops were out of position to defend against the invasion as they were crushing a Lombard Revolt in Apulia. Only a force of 2,000 troops could be mustered to defend Salerno and they were crushed as they assembled on the fields outside the City Gate by a force of Norman Heavy Cavalry. By the time Basil could withdraw from fighting North of Bari, Robert had reached Benevento and the Lombards of the Former Duchy of Salerno and Principality of Benevento, which had been so recently pacified by Basil, once again rose in Revolt, Proclaiming Robert as their Duke and Prince Respectively.

    To make matters worse for Basil, his army carried a significant force of Norman Heavy Cavalry which he had used to crush the Lombard Principalities and whose loyalties were now suspect. In Spring of 1021, to try and prevent them from joining Robert's Forces, Basil threw a great feast for the Norman Commanders of his army in the City of Bari, during which he had them assassinated. Unfortunately for Basil, this had the opposite effect, the Norman Commanders were often the ones with the most loyalty to Constantinople and without them to reign in the more impetuous younger officers, Basil soon lost control of the Normans, who plundered Bari before deserting to Robert in vengeance for their slain commanders.

    Robert now had three times the numbers that Basil did due to revolts and defections and he used his numbers wisely. Knowing that he could now strike in multiple places at once and that Basil could only really defend one place at a time, Robert sent the now blooded and fully grown Edward of England and 15,000 Men to attack Basil's Ally, Pandulf II, the Prince of Capua. He would then move with 15,000 Men against Basil and his 10,000 Byzantine Troops.

    The two armies met at Canossa in May 1022. Basil chose his battle site well, holding the high ground on a hill west of the town with the Sun in the face of the Attacking Normans. Over the course of the morning, three Norman Charges bounced, though fighting was fierce and bloody each time. In late afternoon, a fourth Charge Led by Robert himself attempted once again to break the Byzantine Line. By this time, the Byzantine Soldiers were exhausted and their numbers had dwindled. Basil himself tried to steady the line by leading his troops personally, however in the prelude to the Norman Fourth Charge, Basil was wounded by an arrow piercing his mail just under the shoulder and had to be carried back to his tent by his bodyguard. Seeing this and fearing their commander dead, the Byzantine line wavered enough that the Norman Charge broke through the line and sent the soldiers fleeing. It was an utter rout. Basil would be captured in the aftermath and would soon die of infection a week later.

    Meanwhile, Edward had managed to catch Pandulf's forces in an ambush and forced them to fall back on Naples, which Edward soon placed under siege. When Word of Robert's Victory reached Naples, Edward had the messenger shout his message out in full view of the defenders on the walls, following that up with a proclamation of Clemency if the Capuan Army would open the gates and hand over Pandulf. Surprisingly, this worked and Pandulf was handed over to the Norman Army in Irons as they paraded through the city.

    Robert arrived soon afterwards to take control of the situation and proclaimed Edward to be Prince of Capua. By 1025, most of Italy South of Spoleto and the Papal States was in Norman hands, with only Calabria remaining in Byzantine Hands, and of course, Sicily under the control of the Arabs. Robert, now dubbed "The Magnificient" Had gone from exiled prince to Master of the Mezzogiorno in just five years.

    This was something that greatly concerned the Pope. . .
     
  • Index
    • Cnut I: 1020-1035
  • Index

    • KnightofTempest

    With his Suzeranity over his North Sea Empire secured, Cnut I began the process of ruling his vast territory. In 1020 he conducted a Census of all of his Empire's lands which took 2 years to complete and helped him to reform the tax system, which in many places in England and Norway was ineficient. Cnut established a system whereby tax rates were tied to amount of land owned or people controlled. Depending on how much land you owned or how many tenants you had, you were required to pay a certain amount in taxes. Essentially creating a standardized system of tax brackets for his empire.

    In addition, Cnut mandated that one out of every ten men be armed and recieve military training. The speed with which Edmund Ironsides had gathered troops from the anglo-saxon Fyrd had impressed Cnut, and he instated the system throughought his Empire.

    With the Tax Base increased by reform, Cnut began a program of shipbuilding, seeing that the prosperity of his empire revolved chiefly around trade and the sea. From 1022 to 1024 Cnut's fleet would triple in size. This fleet would be put to good use dominating the valuable Baltic Trade in Furs, Steel, and Amber, much to the Chagrin of the Rus and Swedes. In 1025, Grand Prince Yaroslav of Kiev and The Young Swedish King Anund Jakob began an allied effort to pinch off Cnut's dominance of the Baltic Trade. This would prove a mistake, as Cnut was able to paint Jakob as a Greedy Pagan and Yaroslav as a warmongering Heretic to the Rest of Christendom. Pope John XIX gave dispensation for Cnut, a devout Christian who had patroned the building of Churches, to raise troops from across Christendom in a Crusade to bring heathen lands to heel.

    This First, Northern Crusade was mostly picked up on by a combination of Scots, Irishmen, Poles, and Cnuts own men, with the notable absence of the Holy Roman Empire, whose new Emperor, Conrad II was keeping his troops closer to home in order to keep a watchful eye on any moves that Robert the Magnificient would make in Italy.

    The Crusaders were thus composed of men lead by Findlay, King of Scots, Boleslaw the Brave, King of Poland, Cnut himself, and Darmait Mac Mael, King of Leinster. Of the Forces at hand, Cnut and Findlay's force would invade Sweden and Darmait would sail to Poland, Join up with Boleslaw and invade the Rus.

    As it happened Cnut and Findlay would meet almost no resistance marching from Skane to Anund Jakob's Capitol at Upsala. The Young King, barely 13 years old at the time, did not truly believe the war would be fought on land and had comitted to a naval war of raids on Cnut's shipping. Cnut and Findlay's Army numbered some 20,000 men and to face him Anund Jakob had some 12,000 troops, mostly militia from Svealand, who had their own Jarls in command of their forces. It was a total rout and several more powerful of the Swedish Jarls, upon seeing Anund Jakob's mismanagement of the campaign, swapped sides and pledged fealty to Cnut. Anund Jakob was slain on the field and the remaining Jarls called for a moot to elect a new King. With the Gotland Jarls on his side and the Svealand Jarls either dead or having turned cloak, Cnut was elected King of Sweden, though Gotland Still held out against his Rule, the Island and its important naval base at Visby would fall by autumn 1026 to a concerted Naval Attack by a combined Scottish-North Sea force, where Findlay managed to personally capture several ships full of looted Amber that made him a very wealthy man.

    Meanwhile in the Lands of the Rus, Boleslaw and Darmait had won a massive Victory at Halych and were moving east towards Kiev. Darmait had especially plundered the treasury of the Principality of Halych and was already agitating towards going home. This was not well recieved by Boleslaw, who not only had to administrate the disgruntled Halych after Darmait Left, but also was so close to capturing Kiev and putting the great city under Polish Control. The Army stalled while the two bickered, allowing Yaroslav to raise another force of 20,000 men to face the Allied 23,000 men.

    While the pair bickered, Yaroslav, now with his fresh army, attacked the allied camp. It was a near disaster for the allies, only saved due to Boleslaw's Son, the Prince Mieszko, who spotted Yaroslav himself across the field and charged his position with his bodyguards. Yaroslav and Mieszko exchanged seven blows, wounding Mieszko in the foot, but Killing Yaroslav. The Rus army began to flee in dissarray at that and Boleslaw eagerly sent his cavalry to pursue the rout. By spring 1027 the Allies were outside Kiev and by Autumn, after a seven month siege, had finally taken the Great City.

    However their efforts had worn out their forces and with Cnut stalled West of Novgorod and Boleslaw and Darmait feuding again, peace was preferable. The Treaty was signed on Christmas Eve allowing Polish Control of the Captured Territory and Affirming Cnut as King of Sweden in exchange for withdrawing from Novgorod and Peryslavl. The Prince of Novgorod would become the new head of the Rus.

    Darmait loaded his plunder on his ships and headed back west, intending to use the monies plundered from Halych to solidify his control of Ireland. Findlay would continue South to Constantinople, where he would Exchange his Amber for Silks and find a Byzantine Bride for his Successor, his Nephew Mael. Findlay would die shortly after the wedding, some would say of posion.

    By 1030, Cnut's Empire would be secure enough that he would feel confident in appointing his now 14 year old Son Harald as Heir and began to teach him the business of Rule. At the same time Queen Aelfigu gave birth to twins, Ivar and Ellisif, but the birth weakened her substantially. She would pass away a year later of a chill.

    In 1035 Cnut I the Great, King of England, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Some of Scotland would pass away in his sleep. He would be succeeded by his Son Harald I.

    Harald would immediately be drawn into a dispute with his Father's Polish Allies over Prussia. . .
     
  • Index

    • Sceonn

    Just found it, very interesting. Christendom itself seems to be heading towards much faster consolidation than had happened OTL.
     
    Italy: 1025-1035
  • Index

    • KnightofTempest

    By the Time of Robert the Magnificient's consolidation of most of Southern Italy in 1025, Pope John XIX had gone from openly welcoming the sight of Normans defeating the Byzantines in Italy to secretly conspiring against them. The swift destruction of the Status Quo in Southern Italy and the sheer amount of Normans in the Boot made the Pope Uneasy. He looked to his ally, the Holy Roman Emperor for support and the Newly Elected Conrad II agreed to keep his troops out of the Brewing Northern Crusade in order to secure a tighter leash on Southern Italy.

    In 1026 Conrad became King of Italy in Milan in a contested election between him and Allesandro Della Torre, the Lord of Milan and Valsassina. A significant number of Italian Nobles voted for Allesandro due to Conrad's Predeccessor's policy of neglecting Italy to focus on affairs in Germany. While the Election was hotly contested, it was Still a Victory for Conrad and he could have salvaged his position by appointing local lords to important positions within the Kingdom of Italy. Instead he appointed Bishops to those positions.

    This was too much for Allesandro Della Torre and he and his principal backer, Ranier, Margrave of Tuscany revolted against Conrad's Rule. Conrad, who had traveled to Rome to confer with the Pope on issues in Germany, was taken completely off guard by this move and was forced to Hastily Journey North through the Marquisate of Verona, which had remained loyal, in order to gather an army.

    By 1027 there were two principal Armies. The Imperial Army, which numbered some 25,000 troops, mostly from Verona and Carinthia was the larger of the two. The Rebel Army of Allesandro and Ranier was only 20,000 troops strong. The Two Armies clashed near Verona in September of 1027 to an indecisive end and both armies would skirmish for the rest of the campaign before settling into winter quarters.

    In February of 1028 after entreaties to the Pope to sanction Allesandro and Ranier, John XIX placed the two rebels under the Edict of Excommunication, urging them to reconcile with Conrad, and thus be welcomed back into the Church. Conrad and John likely thought that this would lead to negotiations between the Rebels and Conrad. In fact the opposite happened. Allesandro, knowing that to dither would lead to desertion, launched an immediate Raid on Conrad's Camp just inside Tuscany. The attack was a stunning success and Conrad and his Army fled Northeast towards the City of Verona in dissaray. The Assault bolstered the Rebel's Morale as they had captured some of Conrad's supplies which included the Emperor's personal wine stores.

    With the Success of the Rebel Army, The Republic of Venice decided to join in the fighting. Two Armies of Citizen-Soldiers and Hardened Mercenaries each around 9,000 Strong invaded The Marquisate of Verona and the Duchy of Carinola, declaring an alliance with the Rebels. The Venetians quickly captured the Entire Istrian Peninsula, the City of Trieste, and after linking up both armies at the City of Aquileia, most of Central and Eastern Verona. With this surprise assault, a number of Conrad's Carinthian and Veronese troops were dispatched eastwards to fight the Venetians. This Army numbered some 11,000 Troops, over half of Conrad's remaining force while fresh Imperial troops reached Verona from Bavaria.

    In 1029 two battles occured that would seal the fate of the Imperial Holdings in Italy. The First was the Battle of Padua in June, in which 11,000 Imperial Veronese and Carinthian Troops attempted to relieve the Siege of Padua by 18,000 Venetian Troops. After bloody fighting against an entrenched enemy, the Imperial Attack Ran out of steam and the Venetians repulsed the Imperial Army. The follow-on counterattack by the Venetians utterly routed the bled and demoralized Imperial Troops. The display of Venetian Prowess caused the Defenders of Padua to surrender and the City fell into Venetian hands.

    The Second Battle to Take Place was the Siege of Verona in November, where the Combined Rebel and Venetian Armies attacked Verona. The combined Allies had some 38,000 troops to attack the city, whereas Conrad had only 24,000 Troops to defend, most of which were German Speakers from Bavaria. During an Assault by siege ramp, Renier of Tuscany led an attack over the walls and was wounded in the thigh by a spiked mace. The attack broke his leg badly and he had to be carried back to the camp. Allesandro, furious that his friend would be lamed for the rest of his life, led a rousing charge up the siege ramp that finally broke through the defenses. By December 5th, the final resistance in the Citidel was defeated and Emperor Conrad forced to make peace. The Pope was called in to mediate.

    On New Year's Day, 1030 the Peace of Verona was agreed to. In it, Renier and Allesandro were reinstated into the Faith, Allesandro was crowned King of Italy and given dominion over Lombardy. The Marquisate of Verona would be partitioned between Lombardy, Tuscany, and Venice, and Istria and Trieste would go to Venice. It was a humiliating peace for Conrad, but necessary as the Poles to the East of the Empire and the Danes to the North Swallowed up more Territory. Conrad's Eyes had to be drawn to Germany now to ensure his neighbors would not use his preoccupation with Italy to Invade.

    Meanwhile in Southern Italy, Robert the Magnificient had managed to defeat the Last Byzantine Holdouts in Calabria at the Battle of Rhegion, ending all Byzantine Occupation of Italy. By 1031, Robert had consolidated all of Southern Italy into the Kingdom of Naples, ruled from the eponymous city. Ever Ambitious, Robert wanted more land and began to scheme of a way to take Sicily from the Arabs. In 1032 he hired Venetian Shipbuilders to build him a fleet and by 1035 he had the second-largest fleet in Italy after Venice. He planned for a campaign to seize Sicily from the Arabs to Start in 1036, but just as he was readying his lords and troops, he died of a bad stomach in November of 1035.

    Immediately the Lords of the Kingdom of Naples were called together, for Robert the Magnificient had no legitimate heir, his brother Richard was a Vassal to King Henri of France and would not be allowed to take the Kingship. The Lords of Naples had to elect a leader. Only one real candidate stood out, Edward of England had Been Robert's Squire and Protoge throughout his Exile. The Former Prince of Capua was clearly the heir apparent and so Edward was proclaimed King of Naples by the Norman and Lombard Aristocracy.

    Edward would continue Robert's preperations for war with the Arabs and would be ready to sail by March of 1036. . .
     
    Last edited:
  • Index

    • Aussie

    I'm interested in this thread continuing.

    First saw it a couple of days ago, but haven't as time to read it, until tonight.

    So it's lack of time, rather than interest, that has kept me quiet until now !!
     
    The Prussian Issue: 1035-1036
  • Index

    • KnightofTempest

    In 1035 3 things happened in the first few months of the year. The first was the death of Cnut I, which brought Harald I to the throne of the North Sea Empire. The second was the death of Boleslaw the Brave's eldest son Bezprym in a monastery in Italy. The third was the death of Pomeso, a great ruler of the Old Prussians who had extended the rule of Pomesania over the lands of the neighboring Pogesanians, Lubavians, and Warmians, which had made him the foremost Prince of the Old Prussian peoples. Pomeso had 2 sons and a daughter. His eldest, his Daughter, Aina, was married to Boleslaw's Son Miezsko, having accepted conversion to Christianity. His eldest son was a man named Algimantas, who was a Christian and a friend and trading partner of the North Sea Empire. The second son was a man named Gintautas, who was a fierce pagan and advocated that the Kingdom should cut ties with the Christian Powers and instead develop ties with the Powerful Lithuanians to the east.

    On Pomeso's death, his kingdom devolved into infighting between three factions. One faction wished for Aina to be brought in to rule as the Polish Kingdom was powerful and her marriage to Mieszko would ensure that they could expand their hold over the Old Prussian Princes from just first among equals to the master of Old Prussia. This faction was backed by Boleslaw the Brave, who saw that doing so would allow de facto control over the Old Prussians. The second faction was that of Algimantas, who argued that not only was Algimantas the eldest male claimant, disregarding that women could inherit land and titles in Old Prussian Society, but that Algimantas' connections in the baltic trade would bring wealth to the Kingdom that would be sorely needed to maintain independence against the encroaching Poles. This faction was backed by the North Sea Empire. The final faction was that of Gintautas, who argued that as Gintautas was the only claimant that kept to the old ways and old gods, that he should be the one to take the throne. They argued that him doing so would not only allow them to keep their independence from the Poles but also not further indebt them to the North Sea Empire.

    These three factions, the Princess' Party, the Prince's Men, and the Traditionalists respectively, would eventually come to blows mid-way through 1035. Ordinarily, Boleslaw would just send an army over the border to install his daughter-in-law as the ruler there, but the presence of Swedish and Norwegian mercenaries working for the Prince's Men gave him pause. It seemed as if the new King Harald I of the North Sea Empire was investing in his man winning the Pomesanian Civil War, which meant that diplomacy was called for.

    A series of letters were exchanged throughout 1035. Both Harald and Boleslaw could agree that neither wanted Gintautas to win, but coming to an arrangement on more than that was a slow process. Eventually, a deal was struck whereby Harald would allow the Princess' Party to take control of the Pomesanian Kingdom and in exchange, Boleslaw would send forces to help Harald conquer and subdue the Obotrite Kingdom, thereby effectively partitioning much of the Southern Baltic Coast between them. They would work together to defeat Gintautas, and then Harald would withdraw his support for Algimantas.

    As it happened it took until Autumn of 1036 for Gintautas to be brought to a decisive battle, as the wily Pagan had been relying on skirmishes and hit and run tactics to wear out the better-equipped and trained forces of the other 2 factions and their Polish and Scandinavian Allies. It was on the plain near the town of Truso on the Vistula River. The allied factions had kept some of their strength back by the river on Scandinavian longboats, hidden from sight of an approaching force by a series of steep hills near the riverside from Truso in order to feign weakness and force Gintautas to commit to an attack. While Gintautas was definitely wily, this appeared to be exactly the moment he had been waiting for. He committed his army to open battle to face the primarily Polish forces in the open. The Poles held against the numerically superior force until their entire line was engaged, at which time the Scandinavians sailed out from behind the hills, and disembarked their troops on the shore. Gintautas, now fully engaged, could only look on in horror at the threat forming up on his flank. If he called a retreat while fully engaged like this, it could turn into a rout very easily. If he did not call a retreat, he would surely be smashed to pieces between the Scandinavian hammer and the Polish anvil. By the time he had made up his mind to call the retreat, it was too late, the Scandinavians had formed up and were charging his flank.

    The Battle of Truso was a devastating defeat for Gintautas, though he took heart in that he went out swinging against none other than Algimantas, who had been among the Scandinavian shield wall and who he had wounded severely in the thigh. However, the way the wind was blowing was clear. With Gintautas dead and Algimantas wounded and the Scandinavians withdrawing from the country besides, the nobles of both remaining factions declared Aina to be the new ruler of the Pomesanian Kingdom. Her husband Mieszko would ask her to appoint certain officials to the court and she would oblige. This began the period of Polish Dominance over the Old Prussians that would continue for hundreds of years. In the meantime, forces were being gathered to send against the Obotrite Kingdom by both Harald I and Boleslaw I.

    This plan, however, would be put on hold for some time, as in the Winter of 1036, the week before Christmas, Boleslaw I, King of Poland, known as the Brave, would catch a chill while walking the Battlements of Krakow. He would die of fever not 2 days later. . .
     
  • Index
    • Reader mode
    You must log in or register to reply here.
    Top
    Top