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

[kakom]

Chapter 19 (1047–1055)

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Konrad, the only son of Zygmunt II and the third ruler of the Mazovian kingdom from the Zygmunytowskiej Dynasty. Thanks to his father's efforts, he received a solid education, but unlike his father, he did not display strategic genius—he was rather a competent commander. He also lacked the ambition of his predecessor to build an empire. His primary goal was to exact revenge on Stanisław for the humiliations suffered by both him and his father when Stanisław served as regent. Konrad quickly set his plan in motion, forming a conspiracy to take away the Santocko Starosty from him.


On April 21, 1048, Mieszko, Konrad's uncle and the Bishop of Gniezno, was sent on a mission to convert the pagan Danes. Initially welcomed by them, Mieszko's teachings gained popularity, which led the Danish king to imprison him and eventually sacrifice him to their gods. Konrad attempted to recover his uncle’s body, paying Ketil its weight in gold. In the following years, Konrad petitioned several popes to recognize Mieszko's martyrdom and sainthood. It wasn’t until Pope Leo V, from the Carolingian Dynasty, declared him blessed, and a few years later, Mieszko was canonized, becoming the first Mazovian saint and the patron saint of Mazovia.


In August 1050, Mlada, Konrad’s wife from the Přemyslid Dynasty, passed away childless, dashing his hopes of gaining control over the Duchy of Bohemia through this marriage. Konrad had delayed her installment in Bohemia until she could bear him a son.


In September of the same year, he married Luitgarda von Babenberg, daughter of Martin, ruler of Carinthia and Queen of Bavaria. Luitgarda was their direct heir. She was intelligent and resourceful but shy and avoided contact with people. A year later, she gave birth to a son named Zygmunt after Konrad's father and grandfather.


Unfortunately, during her second pregnancy, Luitgarda fell ill. Her condition worsened day by day, and she ultimately died along with her unborn child.


In April 1053, Konrad married Petronella Macedonian, daughter of the Byzantine Emperor. Since she had two brothers, her chances of claiming the imperial throne were slim. However, the alliance with the Eastern Empire was highly beneficial for Konrad, as it secured his southern borders.


By October 1054, Konrad had gathered enough support to demand Stanisław return the Santocko Starosty. However, Stanisław did not yield to Konrad’s demand, which ultimately played into the Mazovian ruler's hands. Konrad assembled his personal retinue, which now numbered nearly 5,500 men, and laid siege to Santok and Krakow. After a year, both strongholds fell, and Stanisław found himself imprisoned in Poznań, where he entertained Konrad with his pitiful wails.

 

[Midnite Duke]

Stanislaw, you may have bullied a child, but now the child is a man who remembers your injustices. Konrad is having little marital luck. Thanks

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

How many times will Konrad end up getting married? (At his current rate, I'd say about 10 times).

 

[Chac1]

Thanks for this chapter. Even if Konrad has had to deal with misery and loss in his family life, at least he now has revenge on the regent who wronged him and his family. Perhaps Konrad will have even more success in the next chapter.

 

[kakom]

Chapter 20 (1055–1065)​

In November 1055, Konrad's sister, Jadwiga, married Sidbjorn, third in line to the Norwegian throne. Norway had only five years earlier embraced Christianity, when Queen Pyra baptized herself along with all her relatives, thus bringing Norway into the fold of Roman Catholic states.

The newly annexed territories of Kievan Rus were areas frequently plagued by pagan uprisings, with the native Rus attempting to throw off the yoke of Christianity. The most significant rebellion occurred in 1057, when a leader named Wolodar rallied an 8,000-strong force near Korsun. Konrad marched at the head of an army of about 10,000 to crush the uprising. The battle near Bohopol decisively ended the rebellion.

In 1059, Konrad's second son, Przemysław, was born. Petronela was also the mother of Konrad's third son, named Konrad. Unfortunately, Petronela passed away in 1061 due to pneumonia, which she had contracted the previous autumn. Her death deeply shook Konrad, as she was his third wife whom he had grown to love. The murder of his firstborn son, Zygmunt, whose killers were never found, further devastated him. Zygmunt was slain after ascending to the throne of Carinthia. Konrad suspected that Albert, the new ruler of Carinthia, was behind the murder.

Przemysław’s death, brought on by poor health, forced Konrad to marry a fourth time. This time, his bride was Finguala, the younger sister of Irish King Gilla-Comgáin.

Konrad, much like his father Zygmunt, decided to invade the Pomeranians to seize the Duchy of Mecklenburg. Pomerania was ruled by Hawel II at the time. The conflict was inevitable; Konrad realized that if he did not claim the territory, other Christian rulers or pagan Danes from the north would.

The conflict lasted only two years, as Hawel was unable to effectively resist Konrad’s forces. His kingdom was weak, and the repeated wars with Mazovia had left it defenseless against its neighbors. When the last stronghold in Mecklenburg fell, Hawel conceded defeat, acknowledging Konrad’s claim to the lands.

After Stanisław met his miserable end in a dungeon, the Krakow starosty was inherited by his daughter, his only surviving heir, as the others perished during the siege of Santok. Eager to reclaim the Krakow starosty, Konrad orchestrated the assassination of Wolisława. The successful plot restored to him all the lands that his father had once ruled directly.

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

With the number of wives that have died, you'd start to think that nobody would want their sister/daughter marrying Konrad.

 

[Chac1]

Thanks for this chapter. I now see why you apologized in advance for not having the images for some of these chapters. This one could have used a chart showing off the family tree.

Do you still have the notes to remember who might have inherited if Konrad died at this stage? No doubt, some of this will be revealed in the next chapter, I suppose.

 

[kakom]

Thanks for this chapter. I now see why you apologized in advance for not having the images for some of these chapters. This one could have used a chart showing off the family tree.

Do you still have the notes to remember who might have inherited if Konrad died at this stage? No doubt, some of this will be revealed in the next chapter, I suppose.

Unfortunately I have almost nothing related to this AAR, I changed disks and computers in the meantime so the only thing I do now is translate what is on my old forum. From chapter 23 the pictures come back and it will be like that until the end.

 

[kakom]

Chapter 21 (1065–1080)​

On July 15, 1067, Konrad revoked the privileges and rights that had been introduced by Stanisław during his regency. This allowed him to gain greater control over his vassals. The internal situation of the country returned to the period before Stanisław had begun exploiting his position as the regent of Zygmunt II.

Konrad's marriage to Finuguala resulted in the birth of their son, Imram, on June 12, 1069. Later, the couple had a daughter, Konstancja, and their last child was Edward. The youngest son of Konrad was destined for the clergy, and Edward would eventually become the most powerful man in medieval Europe.

On November 7, 1072, Konrad decided to deal with the pagan kingdom of Pomerania once and for all, launching an invasion and annexing their last remaining lands. Lübeck, after being conquered by Konrad, was transformed into a small trade republic. The city was perfectly suited for this purpose, as it was located along the trade route between Eastern and Western Europe.

On February 12, 1077, a marriage took place between Barbora of Psov and Konrad, the heir to Mazovia. This wedding was a carefully planned event, as Barbora held claims to Bohemia, and Konrad intended to use these claims to expand his influence. After the wedding, Konrad received the Duchy of Mazovia as his own.

A few months after Konrad's marriage to Barbora, her claims to the Duchy of Bohemia were put forward by the ruler of Mazovia. The young Czech prince, Čeněk, was Barbora's cousin. Konrad I was pleased that his daughter-in-law was already pregnant, ensuring the possibility that Bohemia might remain in the hands of the Zygmuntowski dynasty.

The war itself was limited to a single battle fought near Wettin. Konrad I, leading an 11,000-strong army, clashed with the Czech forces, which numbered half as many. The battle ended in a Mazovian victory, and when news of the defeat reached Prague, Čeněk fled to Bavaria for refuge. Thus, Barbora became the new Duchess of Bohemia.

On July 2, 1080, Konrad I died at the age of 50, and his eldest son was crowned as Konrad II. Konrad I had ended the existence of the pagan Slavic state in Pomerania. He had nearly succeeded in uniting all lands inhabited by the Western Slavs under his rule. He also secured Bohemia for his son’s wife, Barbora of Psov.

Kingdom of Masovia and Duchy of Bohemia 1080 AD​

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

The youngest son of Konrad was destined for the clergy, and Edward would eventually become the most powerful man in medieval Europe.

A non-Italian Pope in the Middle Ages? Heresy (I know there were non-Italian Popes during the timeframe of CK)

 

[Chac1]

Konrad not only overcame the issue of losing wives, but seemed to secure his succession and kingdom quite well by the end.

And yes, will we get tales of his son as the future pope?

 

[Nikolai]

Konrad, it would seem, was a success story. Now we will see if his succession plays out right.

 

[kakom]

Chapter 22 (1080–1090)​

Konrad II was born with a cleft lip, a condition that made his speech difficult to understand. This speech impediment often led to frustration, and at times he would fall into a rage when forced to repeat himself to be understood. Like his predecessors, he received a military education and, like his father, was a competent leader. His positive traits included diligence and extraordinary generosity.

On April 21, 1081, Konrad's wife, Barbora, asked for his help in dealing with a rebellion sparked against her by Count Zdenek of Brehny. The forces left behind by Konrad II's father were insufficient to control the situation. In response, Konrad gathered about 8,000 men and set out to aid his wife.

The battle near the town of Naumburg ended the rebellion against Barbora. After Konrad arrived in Prague, he demanded that his wife and their daughter, Matilda, return with him to Poznań. In Barbora's absence, her chancellor, Henryk Dubrawski, was to govern. In Poznań, their second daughter, Agnieszka, was born, followed later by their third daughter, Euforyzana.

On July 5, 1085, Konrad's half-sister, Konstancja, married Waldemar, the heir to the Norwegian throne. Norway was currently ruled by Mellet, Waldemar's father and the son of Pyra, who had inherited the throne. His older brother, Sibjorn, died before he could claim the crown.

Konrad's generosity benefited his half-brother, Imram, to whom he granted the Kievan duchy. Imram was the half-brother of the Mazovian monarch, whose mother was the Irish princess Finnuguala. She moved to her son's court after he settled in Kiev.

On April 13, 1086, Konrad II decided to invade the Lithuanians. All previous peaceful attempts to convert them, made both by Konrad and his predecessors, had failed. In such a case, the sword was necessary to bend their necks before the cross on which Christ died for the sins of the world.

As Konrad's forces crossed the border between the two kingdoms and entered the impenetrable Baltic forests, they were met by Treniotas, who had laid an ambush. Konrad was severely wounded, with almost his entire left arm hacked off by the Lithuanian grand duke. To save his life, the court physician was forced to amputate the arm below the shoulder joint. Konrad experienced the worst pain of his life as the medics sealed his wound with hot iron.

A year and a half later, Konrad launched another invasion of Lithuania, gathering an army of nearly 17,000 men. This time, he avoided the large forests where ambushes could easily be set. Instead, he chose open terrain for the movement of his troops. In November 1088, he managed to force a battle near Grodno, where his forces quickly defeated the 8,000-strong Lithuanian army.

Konrad learned a valuable lesson from these experiences: a commander should never lead from the front lines but should observe the battle from a safe distance to coordinate and deliver a decisive blow at the right moment. He realized that commanding an army was like swordplay.

That evening, while walking across the battlefield, Konrad heard a whisper seemingly carried by the wind from all directions. In the sky, he saw a large, blood-red cross, and he felt that, like Constantine, God himself was speaking to him. The Mazovian monarch quickly fell to his knees and began to pray, cursing his disability since he could not fold his hands in prayer. He considered this event a miracle, revealing that he was chosen by God for great deeds.

A few months after this event, peace was made between Konrad and Treniotas. The latter relinquished the Podlasie lands to Konrad, who granted the region of Bielsk Podlaski to his younger brother, Edward. This became the first bishopric in Lithuanian lands. Konrad then sought Pope Innocent IV's approval to grant him supremacy over the remaining Lithuanian territories.

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

Konrad II is doing very well, and Edward is going to end up being Pope. That should be very good for Mazovia.

 

[Chac1]

It seems Konrad II has already transformed into a zealous crusader. No doubt any pagans on his borders best take that into account soon.

The tales of this disfigured king are likely to be very bloody moving forward. Thanks for this chapter.

 

[kakom]

Chapter 23 (1090-1100)

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On February 28, 1090, the fourth daughter of Konrad and Barbora Kena was born. A year later, their long-awaited son was born, whom Konrad named Zygmunt, after the founder of the dynasty. With Barbora, Konrad had five children. The birth of a son and heir ensured Konrad that Bohemia would become part of the Mazovian kingdom. In December 1092, Barbora passed away, and Zygmunt, at just one year old, became the new Duke of Bohemia. Konrad sent his castellan, Bolesław, to rule Bohemia on Zygmunt’s behalf until he reached manhood.

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Konrad knew that having just one male heir did not guarantee the survival of the dynasty, so he married Saga, the daughter of the Norwegian king Mellet. A year after their wedding, Konrad's fifth daughter, Aldona, was born.

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In October 1096, the Mazovian ruler decided to embark on a pilgrimage to Rome. Since experiencing visions on a battlefield near Grodno, he had longed to visit the tombs of the apostles and martyrs in this holy city.

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During his journey to Rome, Konrad came across a bridge construction site over the river Po in northern Italy. His curiosity led him to observe the workers. The master builder noticed him and offered to share his knowledge.

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Unfortunately, Rome disappointed Konrad. The audience with Pope Constantine III turned into a decadent feast, and the pope's behavior dishonored the office he held. Konrad realized that his brother Edward was a more devout man, dedicated to Mary, than the current pope.

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On February 22, 1098, Konrad arranged for his eldest daughter, Matilda, to marry King Mellet of Norway. Sadly, King Mellet died a year later, and Matilda returned to her father's court.

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

The Pope is corrupt, will it lead to the Cadaver Synod when Edward inevitably takes over?

How old was Mellet? (He's Konrad's father-in-law)

 

[Chac1]

Well, that was an unexpected turn: from zealotry to cynicism. Despite the disappointing pilgrimage, it appears Konrad continues to rule with a steady hand.

 

[kakom]

The Pope is corrupt, will it lead to the Cadaver Synod when Edward inevitably takes over?

How old was Mellet? (He's Konrad's father-in-law)

Well, that was an unexpected turn: from zealotry to cynicism. Despite the disappointing pilgrimage, it appears Konrad continues to rule with a steady hand.

There will be problems with the Pope, so to speak. As for Mellet, he was probably around 50. Konrad II is one of the more distinguished rulers.
A little info. I will return in a few days with my AAR regarding Taurica.

 

[Chac1]

A little info. I will return in a few days with my AAR regarding Taurica.

Thanks for the clarifications. Yes, like others, I am also making my way slowly through your Taurica series and I am reading the Middle Ages portion in CK3, although far from caught up with the narrative.