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Chapter One- A northern Power is Forged

The Dutchy of Saxony had a long and dignified history. From the start of the 7th century the at that time still pagan nobles of Saxony began electing a duke. For nearly 50 years the frankians, lead by such famous men as Karl Martell tried to conquer Saxony.
Even Carlmagne had to fight 32 years to gain controll of the wild saxons. Frankish rule continued until the begining of the 10th century and in this time christianity spread.
In 919 Henry, Duke of Saxony, was elected King of the Eastern Frankian Empre and soon after became King Henry I. of Germany marking the birth of the medival german State.
Under Otto I. the Great the family of the Billungs appeared for the first time in Saxony. Hermann Billung is made Otto's Steward for Saxony in 938. After his death his son Bernhard became Duke of Saxony.
He was the founder of Dynasty and the Grandfather of Magnus Billungen.


The young mans sphere of influence stretched over most of northern Germany making him a important vasall to his Liege the King of Germany.

And another thing set Magnus apart from his peers. His father Ordulf had handed him all his titels over before God had called him! Instead he now worked for the realms glory as marshall.


Ida, his aunt was a further asistant to the duke, acting as his chancellor.
Furthermore there were:

Spymaster Gertrud

and the capeable but hunchbaked Ulhild, the Dukes mother.

....

A dark december day in the hill fort of Lüneburg, residence of the Duke of Saxony

Ordulf was on his way to his weekly meating with his son and lord. He saw the whole residence busy as ever in preperation for christmas. Though it was his primary duty as marshall to advise his master on military maters he would also try to help his soon through his wisdom and exsperience in other fields. He found the duke standing in his throne room looking through a window towards the west as if he was awaiting something.
"I hope I am not desturbing you son!" Ordulf exclaimed across the hall to get his sons attention.
"Not at all father! I am very glad that you took the discomfort of riding through the cold from Braunschweig. What news is there?" Magnus repiled.
"Not much really. I am continuing to train as many of your retainers in the art of war as I can but the lack of equipment and the cold do not make things easy. Nevertheless this is now why I have come." Ordulf declared mysteriously.
"What is it what my father whishes, for I it is within my power I shall grant it." Magnus said making an open hand gesture.

"It is quite an intemate thing actually son. But I am of the opinion that you ought to mary. It is true that you are still young but you never know when God my decide to call you and therfore you should secure our blodline as soon as possible. Since you are my Lord I can not order you to mary as any other father would but I can only beg you to do me this favour." After having said this Ordulf kneeled down with his face towards the ground.

"Stand up father", Magnus said pulling his father up. "Your intentions are more than honorable but you need not have worried. I myself have allready tought about this problem and I think I have found my future wife."
"Who?", Ordulf asked, interest visibly flashing up in his eys.
"Étiennete de Vergy, a young woman of good looks and education at the court of my peer Geoffroy Duke of Anjou.


I have sent word to Geoffroy two weeks ago and I am hope to get an answer before Christmas that was why I was looking to the west when you came."

"My son you make me proud" Ordulf called out and embrached his son. "With such wisdom in your age you will shurley be the greatest this realm has ever seen. But now lets both join the evening mass and pray to God that he grants the woman you are hoping for."


And so they left for the fortresses chapel....


~Lord Valentine~

OOC: Sorry for the thougth start but I had to get the story going somehow and there will hopefully be more action in the next update.
 
Bad News people!

I have continued my game and everything went quite well untill I was crushed by a coaliton of pagans ( Tribes of Mecklenburg and Pommeria) and muslims (bloody Syrians).
So unfortunantly my game is allready over before I really got my AAR started.
I must say the AI has become far more aggresive through these patches.

Anyway to cut a long story short I have started a game as the Kingdom of England (yes as these Normans I wanted to knock out of Britain originally ;) )
and I is looks quite interesting uptill now. Would anyone be interested in an AAR about that?

~Lord Valentine~
 
Lord Valentine said:
Bad News people!

I have continued my game and everything went quite well untill I was crushed by a coaliton of pagans ( Tribes of Mecklenburg and Pommeria) and muslims (bloody Syrians).
So unfortunantly my game is allready over before I really got my AAR started.
I must say the AI has become far more aggresive through these patches.

Anyway to cut a long story short I have started a game as the Kingdom of England (yes as these Normans I wanted to knock out of Britain originally ;) )
and I is looks quite interesting uptill now. Would anyone be interested in an AAR about that?

~Lord Valentine~

Too bad. You do have to be careful if you try to attack Mecklenburg because they often ally with Pommeria. I will follow you Enlgand AAR.