History of Mazovia and its people - Part I : The First Steps (867-1410)

[kakom]

History of Mazovia and its people

Part I : The First Steps (867-1410)

Other Chapters:​

Year 1000, Kingdom of Mazovia
Known World 1000 AD
Mazovia in 1200 AD
Geopolitical situation of the known world, 1200 AD
Middle East – 1300
Eastern Europe - 1300
Scandinavia and the British Isles in 1300
Western Europe in 1300
Rest of the Known World, Masovian Empire - 1300​

Masurian Dynasty:​

Siemomysł I "the Founder"
Chapter 1 (867 – 874)
Chapter 2 (874 – 888)
Bezprym I
Chapter 3 (888 – 901)
Bolko I
Chapter 4 (901 - 913)
Imram I "the Gentle"
Chapter 5 (913 - 925)
Chapter 6 (925 - 947)
Bogumił I "the Saint"
Chapter 7 (947 - 955)
Chapter 8 (955 - 967)
Chapter 9 (967 - 978)
Bolko II "the Just"
Chapter 10 (978 - 983)
Chapter 11 (983 - 991)
Bogumił II
Chapter 12 (991 - 1000)
Bolko III
Chapter 13 (1000 - 1007)​

Zygmuntowska Dynasty:​

Zygmunt I "the Cruel"
Chapter 14 (1007 - 1012)
Chapter 15 (1012 - 1025)
Zygmunt II
Chapter 16 (1025 - 1035)
Chapter 17 (1035 - 1040)
Chapter 18 (1040 - 1047)
Konrad I
Chapter 19 (1047 – 1055)
Chapter 20 (1055 – 1065)
Chapter 21 (1065 – 1080)
Konrad II
Chapter 22 (1080 – 1090)
Chapter 23 (1090 - 1100)
Chapter 24 (1100 - 1114)
Zygmunt III
Chapter 25 (1114 - 1126)
Konrad III
Chapter 26 (1126 -1130)
Chapter 27 (1130 - 1142)
Konrad IV
Chapter 28 (1142 - 1150)
Chapter 29 (1150 - 1160)
Chapter 30 (1160 - 1165)
Chapter 31 (1165 - 1173)
Zygmunt IV
Chapter 32 (1173 - 1180)
Chapter 33 (1180 - 1185)
Chapter 34 (1185 - 1190)
Chapter 35 (1190 - 1197)
Konrad V
Chapter 36 (1197 - 1200)​

Przemyski Dynasty:​

Przemyslaw I "the Bastard"
Chapter 37 (1200 - 1210)
Chapter 38 (1210 – 1215)
Chapter 39 (1215 – 1223)
Jan I
Chapter 40 (1223 – 1225)
Jakub I
Chapter 41 (1225 – 1235)
Chapter 42 (1235 – 1240)
Chapter 43 (1240 – 1245)
Chapter 44 (1245 – 1248)
Jakub II
Chapter 45 (1248 – 1255)
Chapter 46 (1255 - 1260)
Chapter 47 (1260 - 1265)
Chapter 48 (1265 - 1270)
Chapter 49 (1270 - 1275)
Chapter 50 (1275 - 1280)
Chapter 51 (1280 - 1285)
Władysław I
Chapter 52 (1285 - 1290)
Chapter 53 (1290 - 1295)
Chapter 54 (1295 - 1308)
Jakub III
Chapter 55 (1308 - 1315)
Chapter 56 (1315 - 1320)
Chapter 57 (1320 - 1325)
Chapter 58 (1325 - 1330)
Jakub IV
Chapter 59 (1330 - 1335)
Chapter 60 (1335 - 1342)
Jan II
Chapter 61 (1342 – 1354)
Władysław II
Chapter 62 (1354 – 1360)
Chapter 63 (1360 – 1365)
Chapter 64 (1365 – 1370)
Chapter 65 (1370 – 1375)
Chapter 66 (1375 – 1380)
Chapter 67 (1380 – 1385)
Jakub V
Chapter 68 (1385 – 1390)
Chapter 69 (1390 – 1400)
Władysław III
Chapter 70 (1400 – 1410)​

 

[kakom]

Chapter 1 (867–874)

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Our history has its origins in the impenetrable thickets of the Mazovian forests, from which emerged a man destined to lay the foundations of a new Slavic state and whose dynasty would be remembered by future generations. The young and ambitious Siemomysł, son of Mazur—whose name would later give rise to the name of this dynasty—took full control of his tribe at the age of twenty.

​

He quickly married the sister of the Silesian leader Przybyczesa. Almost immediately after consummating this union, Siemomysł summoned his warriors and invaded the neighboring Kujawian tribe. In a decisive battle near the Brześć stronghold, Siemomysł's forces surprised and clashed with the Kujawian warriors, with the battle ending in a complete victory for Siemomysł’s forces. This experience made the Mazovian leader a much better strategist and provided him with the organizational skills necessary for conducting military campaigns.

​

While Siemomysł's forces besieged the strongholds in Kujawy, good news reached the young leader—his wife was to give birth to the fruit of his loins. A few months later, Siemomysł's first son was born, whom he named Bezprym. As the boy was brought into the world, the Kujawian leader bowed before his father, and the Kujawian territories became part of the lands governed by Siemomysł. Wishing to weaken his new vassal Wracisław of Sieradz, the tension between them escalated into an open armed conflict.

A swift defeat of the defiant Wracisław was necessary, as Piast of Greater Poland also saw an opportunity to expand his territories. Siemomysł had to first defeat Wracisław in the field and then Piast’s warriors to ensure complete success in his endeavor. Two battles near Sieradz and Sulejówek were victorious. Wracisław had to submit to Siemomysł's will. Once this conflict was resolved, the Mazovian ruler turned his attention to Piast, whose forces had already been weakened.

​

Before setting out to defeat Piast, Przybyczesa was once again expecting a child from Siemomysł, which he took as a good omen from Światowid. He called upon his father-in-law, Gardomir, the Silesian leader, for aid. With Gardomir's support, the military campaign against the Greater Poles ended in a swift victory, as Piast had already lost a significant portion of his warriors in earlier battles with Siemomysł.

On February 22, 872, Siemomysł's second son was born, but the child was sickly and died a year later. Despite this tragedy, Siemomysł found solace in the fact that his wife was once again pregnant. In the summer of 873, Siemomysł attacked the lands of the Vistulans. After crushing the Vistulan warriors in the Battle of Sandomierz, his third son, Bolko, was born. Later that year, the Vistulan leader submitted to Siemomysł.

Seven years after assuming leadership of his ancestral tribe, Siemomysł was recognized as the most powerful leader of the surrounding Slavic tribes. On December 12, 874, he declared himself the undisputed ruler of the newly formed Kingdom of Mazovia. He proposed to his father-in-law to become his vassal, modeling this on the practice of Western European rulers, and received a positive response.

​

 

[Nikolai]

Is this the one you spoke of translating?

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

Is this the one you spoke of translating?

It must be, unless there is a mod that changes the outlines back to how they were years ago. And the map looks a bit different (I swear the Vistula is a navigable river nowadays).

 

[kakom]

Is this the one you spoke of translating?

It must be, unless there is a mod that changes the outlines back to how they were years ago. And the map looks a bit different (I swear the Vistula is a navigable river nowadays).

Yes this is the AAR, I wrote it between 2016 - 2018. I used the Some What More Historic mod for map.

 

[kakom]

Chapter 2 (874–888)

Family Tree of the Mazurian Dynasty.​

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In January 875, Siemomysł decided to reclaim all the lands from Piast. The ruler of Mazovia saw Piast as a threat that needed to be dealt with swiftly, thus stripping him of all his titles. He also moved the capital of his state from Płock to the fortress in Poznań, a decision made primarily for material gain, as the land of Poznań was much more prosperous than Płock.

​

The Buzhan Rus' tribe invaded the Vistulans, and Siemomysł watched this conflict with interest, as it seemed likely that the Vistulans would cease to exist. Meanwhile, the ruler of Mazovia, engrossed in a book of unknown origin, became a mystic. The conflict between the Vistulans and the Buzhan tribe ended with a victory for the latter. Without waiting for further developments, Siemomysł decided to summon his loyal warriors and attack the weakened Rus'.

​

While he was on his way to conquer new lands, his wife gave birth to a daughter, whom they decided to name Wszemiła. Mieszko, the son of Siemomysł and his mistress Wojsława, was also born. Siemomysł chose to acknowledge the boy as his own, though this displeased his wife.

​

The conquest of the Buzhan tribe proved challenging, as the Rus' retreated continuously before Siemomysł's advancing forces of over 3,500 men. Ultimately, he managed to catch up to them and engage in battle near Trembowla, where he crushed the enemy. For several months, his forces had to capture nearby forts before Brachislaw admitted defeat and surrendered. Between 876 and 882, Siemomysł attacked the Prussians, taking the Chełm lands, and also subjugated the Udarlch tribe, seizing the Santocka lands.

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On July 22, 884, Bezprym, Siemomysł's eldest son and heir, came of age. He became an excellent commander, and it was decided that he would marry Zwenisława, the daughter of the leader Gostomysł. On March 13, 887, Siemomysł invaded the Kingdom of Great Moravia, with the goal of capturing Kraków, a strategically significant town that was to become an important point for Mazovia in the future. However, the decisive battle did not occur near Kraków itself but near the town of Jieni, in Czech territory. This battle was a great success, especially as King Svatopluk of Great Moravia was captured. In exchange for his release, Svatopluk agreed to cede Kraków's territory to Siemomysł.

​

On November 21, 888, Siemomysł I, the founder of the Mazovian state, passed away. After his death, the throne was inherited by his eldest son, Bezprym, while the Duchy of Mazovia passed to Siemomysł's second son, Bolko. Siemomysł's reign can be considered successful, as he created a strong and large kingdom that would play a significant role in Europe's future.

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

RIP Siemomysl I. Hopefully Bezprym ruled for a long time.

 

[Nikolai]

All reigns must come to an end. Too bad Siemomysl's ended so soon.

 

[Chac1]

Good to see this AAR @kakom . Even if this is a translation of an older AAR, we are enriched by your writing and translating. I will definitely add this to my list as I try to catch up with all the AARs (a few new ones like this that are definitely worthwhile) in this subforum.

Welcome to you and your AAR to this zone, a bit off the beaten path from your usual spots.

 

[kakom]

Good to see this AAR @kakom . Even if this is a translation of an older AAR, we are enriched by your writing and translating. I will definitely add this to my list as I try to catch up with all the AARs (a few new ones like this that are definitely worthwhile) in this subforum.

Welcome to you and your AAR to this zone, a bit off the beaten path from your usual spots.

Thanks. This is a translation of my second attempt at a megacampaign. The chapters of ck2 are rather short, in eu4 I started describing situations more. Mainly I started translating because I also wanted to try to finish this ARR that was suspended by the closure of my old forum eufigames.com.

 

[kakom]

Chapter 3 (888–901)

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Almost immediately after Bezprym took power, the Great Moravian invasion occurred. The ruler of this Kingdom seemingly sought to take advantage of the death of the previous ruler, for his own gain. Svatopluk, the Moravian ruler, intended to occupy the entire Kraków territory (Duchy of Lesser Poland), likely as revenge for the humiliation he had suffered at the hands of Bezprym's father, Siemomysł, during a previous war between the two kingdoms.

​

The battle on the fields near Kraków was of great significance in this war. Bezprym's forces, defending in this battle, faced the Great Moravian army, which outnumbered the Mazovian army. Bezprym hoped for the timely arrival of allied Slavic leaders who had offered their support in defending against the Great Moravian invasion. After all, Svatopluk was invading Mazovia in the name of the One God in three persons.

Before the battle, Bezprym made offerings to all the gods of the Slavic pantheon for fortune and victory. This confrontation ended in victory and the defeat of the Great Moravian forces only thanks to the arrival of the Polabian leaders. Without their help, Bezprym would have been defeated and likely forced to accept terms imposed by Svatopluk.

​

However, unable to attack Svatopluk in his own territory, mainly due to the weakness of his forces, Bezprym offered him a white peace, restoring the status quo between the two kingdoms. The peace agreement was signed in Kraków on February 24, 890.

​

A year later, Bezprym's sister, Wszemiła, was married off to the successor of the Crimean Khaganate, Álmos. The Khaganate had been established by the Magyars after their failed attempts to cross the Carpathians. The battles they fought with the Bulgarian Kingdom ended in defeat, leading their ruler, Árpád, to settle in the Crimea and expand his rule to nearby territories. The Kingdom of Mazovia bordered the Crimean Khaganate with a small portion of its territory, and this marriage was intended to secure Mazovia's southern borders while also providing Bezprym with a powerful ally.

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After Svatopluk's death, the Great Moravian Kingdom was torn apart by a succession war. Bezprym immediately saw this as an excellent opportunity to weaken his opponent. Since the Counts of Cieszyn and Opole rose against the rightful heir, they became an easy target for Bezprym's warriors. Without delay, he invaded both counties in the autumn of 898. The fighting was brief, as the lack of forces from the counts led to their castles quickly falling into Bezprym's hands. Displaying great mercy, Bezprym spared both unfortunate counts in exchange for their recognition of Gardomir II, the leader of the Ślężans, as their new lord.

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On July 31, 901, Bezprym I died without an heir, leaving no male or female offspring. As a result, the crown passed into the hands of his younger brother, Bolek I. Bezprym was a competent ruler, successfully repelling the Great Moravian invasion and taking advantage of the chaos in the kingdom during the succession war to seize castles in the Opole and Cieszyn regions.

Map of the Kingdom of Mazovia in the year 901.​

Plemiona połabskie - Polabian tribes
Czechy - Duchy of Bohemia
Wielkie Morawy - Kingdom of Great Moravia
Szwedzi - Kingdom of the Swedes
Litwini i Rusini - Lithuanian Ruthenian Tribes​

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

Another ruler, another premature death. Hopefully Bolko remembered to have a son.

 

[Chac1]

What felled Bezprym just as he was starting to see middle age? Yes, we have to hope Bolko holds on a bit longer.

Mainly I started translating because I also wanted to try to finish this ARR that was suspended by the closure of my old forum eufigames.com.

The closure of that forum and its loss is our gain. Thanks for sharing this tale and your alt-history with us.

 

[kakom]

What felled Bezprym just as he was starting to see middle age? Yes, we have to hope Bolko holds on a bit longer.


The closure of that forum and its loss is our gain. Thanks for sharing this tale and your alt-history with us.

From what I remember, I was using a mod I tweaked that involved increased mortality.

 

[kakom]

Chapter 4 (901-913)

The throne of the Kingdom of Mazovia passed to Bolko, the younger son of Siemomysł. Duke of Mazovia, Bolko was born with an exceptionally strong and resilient constitution, but this trait also made him a cruel, lazy, and cowardly leader. At the same time, he was known for his patience, eloquence, and honesty. Ruling the Duchy of Mazovia was difficult for him, as he developed ailments related to stress. He had one son from a previous marriage, a boy named Imram.

In December of 901, Bolko married Adlete, the daughter of Gierolt of Trakai, one of the most powerful Lithuanian tribal leaders. This union produced a daughter a few months later, whom they named Stanisława. She was the only child from this marriage.

​

Bolko was seduced by one of the ladies-in-waiting, Śmiechna. From that time on, he rarely visited his wife's bedchamber, spending more time with his mistress. This relationship resulted in the birth of a son, also named Bolko. Bolko recognized him as his own and even granted him the lands of Sieradz and Łęczyca to please Śmiechna. Unfortunately, the boy's reign over these lands was short-lived, as he was murdered a few years later. The culprit was never identified, though suspicions fell on the queen, but nothing was ever proven.

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On April 11, 908, Bolko gathered his warriors, feeling they needed something to do, and launched an attack on one of the Polabian leaders who had supported his brother in the war with Great Moravia a few years earlier. Despite the assistance the leader Lech had provided to Bezprym, Bolko attacked without hesitation. The battle itself was merely a formality, as the Mazovian forces far outnumbered those of Lech and his allies, forcing him to surrender and acknowledge Bolko as his new overlord.

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On October 12, 913, Bolko I died, leaving the throne of Mazovia to his only son, Imram. The young ruler, at just 12 years old, had to take on his father’s responsibilities. Bolko's reign was too short for him to accomplish more than his father and brother, but he managed to subjugate the Lecicavic tribe, a Slavic tribe in the west.

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

From what I remember, I was using a mod I tweaked that involved increased mortality.

That explains a lot, now I'm not sure if anyone will get to 50.

 

[Midnite Duke]

Thank you for transferring and sharing your AAR. Is this pre–Holy Fury?

 

[kakom]

Chapter 5 (913-925)

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The young ruler of the Mazovian state, Imram, inherited the kingdom at the age of 12 after his father's death. His regent, until he reached adulthood, was his father’s trusted marshal, Prędota. He received his education from the Kujavian leader, Krzesław Rogalski, who was the illegitimate son of Siemomysł I, and it was only because of this that he gained control over the entire principality. This fact was known to few, but Krzesław was content with his status and did not intend to reveal his claims to the Mazovian throne. Imram himself was betrothed to the daughter of the Lithuanian chieftain, but the wedding never took place as his fiancée died before reaching maturity.

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While under Krzesław’s tutelage, Imram grew into an increasingly competent ruler. Thanks to Krzesław's advice, he became a person with a kind and friendly disposition towards others and also became extremely diligent and hardworking. When he reached adulthood in July 916, he had become an excellent diplomat who viewed the world around him with great foresight.

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On March 24, 916, Krzesław successfully fabricated claims for young Imram to the Chełm starosty, a plan conceived during the reign of his father, Bolko, which aimed to strip Yefimiy of control over the southern territories of the Mazovian kingdom. A few months later, the Ruthenian ruler received an embassy from Chancellor Krzesław with claims to the Chełm lands, and without much resistance, he recognized Imram's authority and handed over his title, which led to the complete dissolution of the Buzhane tribe.

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Imram decided to strip Lech, the ruler of the Licicavicki tribe, of his title, which his father Bolko had previously brought under his control. However, the situation did not go in his favor, as Lech had no intention of giving up his lands without a fight. In this case, there was only one solution—putting Lech’s head on a pike. Lech had overestimated his strength, as Imram gathered nearly 7,000 warriors under his banner to raid Lech's lands. Eventually, Lech was forced to acknowledge Imram’s authority, and Imram took the Lubusk land from him.

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On February 16, 922, Imram married Alexandra, the granddaughter of Rurik, the ruler of Novgorod. The powerful pagan kingdom in the north was destined to become a force to be reckoned with in the future. Unfortunately, Alexandra died during childbirth, giving birth to Imram's first son, Bogumił, who would one day sit on the throne of the Kingdom of Mazovia. A few months later, Imram married Jovita, the daughter of the Lithuanian chieftain Giemund, ruler of Trakai and Samogitia.

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On July 3, 925, Bishop Havel arrived at the Poznań court, asking Imram for permission to preach the one true faith. Imram knew well what monasteries, churches, and the like were, having looted many during his raids into Great Moravian territories. He also understood that rulers who followed this faith held more influence in Europe. At the same time, he realized that allowing Havel to preach might harm his standing among his pagan vassals. However, Imram saw the faith in Christ as more advantageous for his goals, as it would allow him to wage wars in the name of this new God and conquer new territories. In the end, he agreed to Havel's request.

 

[kakom]

That explains a lot, now I'm not sure if anyone will get to 50.

A few will live to the age of 50. From what I remember I did this because few people lived to the age of 80 or 90 at that time.

Thank you for transferring and sharing your AAR. Is this pre–Holy Fury?

In what year was this DLC released? I started writing this AAR in 2014, I think, as I've just checked. The ck2 part has 60 chapters, excluding specials and summaries.

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

In what year was this DLC released?

Holy Fury was released in November 2018.

Imram is lucky that his uncle Krzeslaw is loyal to him, because he easily could have seized the throne from his nephew when he was a teenager.