I've never done an AAR before, but I've been writing down as I go along with my first campaign in Roads to Power, and wanted to share it, so hopefully this is acceptable as a post.
Harold 'The Lion' Godwineson:
Arms: Gules, a dragon or
The reign of Harold Godwineson, King of England was brought to a short and ignominious end by the dual invasions of Harold Hardrada and William the Bastard. Though he was a skilled general and leader, defeating the Norwegians in the field at the Battle of Reford, he would prove incapable of creating a second miracle and his exhausted army was massacred by the Normans. Exiled from home, he would barely escape with his life as he fled to Flanders. From there he would travel south to Iberia, seeking refuge with the King of Spain - his son-in-law. Despite his exile and the lack of an army, funds, or any way to do so, he would never cease to insist that he would return to England and throw off the Norman yoke. As he continued his ceaseless and fruitless attempts to drum up support on the continent, he resorted to playing the part of a mercenary for the lords of Spain. It was during this exile that he spoke the words that would become the motto of his descendants. Following the a failed contract in which he was to aid a minor Spanish noble in a small border conflict which left half the band's men dead and Godwine himself gravely injured he simply withdrew from the area, set up camp, and reported to the doctor. When his daughter Gytha came up to him and asked what they would do next he simply replied "We shall recover." He would ultimately die young, falling in a duel while pursuing a notorious brigand through France on the behalf of King Sancho. He would leave his claim and his band of followers - the Righteous Host - to his son, Godwin.
Godwin 'The Bastard' Haroldson:
Arms Changed: Gules, a dragon passant argent
Finding his welcome with his brother-in-law wearing thin, Godwin decided to move east to follow up on rumors of the Basileus granting land and refuge to the Anglo-Saxons. Not only was this not true, but the Basileus took a misliking to Godwin, and he fairly quickly fled into Moldavia. From there he largely stuck to traveling throughout the steppes, seeking to gather support to reconquer his near forgotten homeland. During this time he noticed great promise in his firstborn daughter, and this combined with his sons proving to be a disappointment lead him to declare her his heir. His most notable exploits during this time were aiding the insane ruler of Curonia, a berserker who fought in the name of the Lord wearing naught but a helmet on his head. After helping him conquer the Duchy of Pomerania, fight off a pretender to his throne, and put down a large revolt of peasants, the Duke sent two letters. One saying that Godwin had performed magnificently and that he would be pleased to fight alongside him again, and another letter proclaiming Godwin a faithless coward who was no longer welcome in his lands. When the Pope called a Crusade for Africa he eagerly participated, hoping to get his brother some land, which could be used as a rallying post for the reconquest. During the crusade he met and became good friends with the King of Poland, having already been familiar with the culture and language due to his own wife being Polish. However, early on into the campaign his host was smashed outside the walls of Tunis, and his brother who he had hoped to land was captured and executed. Godwin managed to escape with a few survivors, return to friendly lands and try to replenish his ranks for revenge, but when he tried again his host was killed nearly to a man, and he was captured. He spent the rest of the Crusade, which failed, chained up in the dungeon. Having seen the armies of England during the Crusade, and with his own forces devastated, he gave up on returning home. Instead, he traveled to Poland to seek employment from his friend the King. While there, he was informed of an opportunity. The Duchy of Volhynia, to Poland's east, was ruled by a girl of 12 and her regent, and was very weak from having just fought off one attempt to claim part of its land. King Milobrat 'the Peaceful' said that he would supply Godwin with gold and provisions, if Godwin would conquer the land and swear fealty to Poland. Godwin did so with ease, renaming the realm to New England, and declaring it to be a refuge from all those fleeing the tyranny of the Normans. After and abortive attempt to pry Berestye from the pagans of Lithuania, he spent the rest of his reign in peace, ingratiating himself with his new fellow vassals by arranging marriages between his kinsmen and the realm, tying House Godwin to the nobility of Kuyavia, Mazovia, Lower Silesia and Stezyca. He ceaselessly worked to make New England a true home for his displaced people, building churches and cities in the Anglo-Saxon fashion. Godwin died at the age of 67 in a fit of rage after having heard of a raid on New Kent.
Cecilia Godwinesdohtor:
Arms Changed: Gules, a double tressure flory counter flory or, a dragon passant argent
Her father's firstborn, and favorite child, Cecilia accompanied her father for almost the whole of his exile. Growing up on the road she was fascinated with the various cultures she interacted with, as well as the interesting personalities that would wander into her grandfather, and then father's camps. This led her to devote herself at an early age to learning many languages, speaking her native Anglic, as well as Basque by 13, Greek by 15, and Lechitic by 18. In addition, she served as her father's page since she could walk, running messages for him, and cleaning his weapons and armor. Even as she grew older and her father no longer saw the need to keep her constantly close at hand this continued, and he eventually named her his squire. Though she would never be a true knight, she did gain a good understanding of warfare through this, and it shaped her into a brave and diligent young woman. This was most put to the test when after her father's flight from the Byzantines, the family found themselves passing through Chernigov and she caught the eye of the son of the Grand Prince. Though they fell deeply in love, she would eventually break off the relationship to remain with her family. Her father never failed to see her potential, first naming her his second in command at the age of 27, then eventually proclaiming her to be the "Heir to the Throne of England, and Heir to this Righteous Host." This was in part due to brother, Raedwulf, being a sickly youth who seemed often on the verge of death, and with little in the way of martial abilities. Though he would overcome his ailments in time and compensated for his lack of battlefield courage with sheer bravery and an understated cunning, Cecilia would remain her father's chosen successor even after his conquest of New England.
She would come into her family's newfound throne at the age of 45, having only recently married into a minor Italian house and birthed her second son. Nearly as soon as she was coronated, she would lose this son as an offering to the Duke of Mazovia. Though the two realms had enjoyed peace and good relations since her father's conquest, and her own sister was betrothed to the Duke's son, she felt it prudent to forestall any attempts by her more powerful neighbor to seize her land. Likewise, she would ride to Krakow herself and beg the King's forgiveness for her youthful indiscretions with Prince Yeremey of Chernigov. It was shortly after this, once her realm's immediate worries had been solved, that she went against her father's last will to grant the Earldom of New Kent to her brother. For though she had loved her father, she recognized his short sightedness in neglecting his not-martially inclined son, and loved her brother well. With his aid, as well as the assistance of the Lords of Stezyca and Lothian - who she was allied with through the marriage of her sister - she fulfilled her father's ambitions and conquered the County of Berestye, renaming it to Northolt and renaming the city of Bielsk to Godwineston in his honor. It was after this achievement that she approached the King of Poland speaking of the great esteem and love her father held for him and offered the hand of her son and heir in marriage with his granddaughter, an offer which was accepted after some delay. Shortly thereafter, in 1124 King Milobrat declared himself "Emperor of the Poles and Silesians, Galicians and Volhynians, Mazovians and Kashubians," forming the Empire of West Slavia. Among the tests of her early reign was the results of her father's attempted marriage alliance with Lower Silesia. She would receive a number of seemingly innocuous letters from her sister Cynehild after the birth of her third child. After further studying these letters however, it was discovered that a code had been hidden in them, attesting to her horrendous treatment at the hands of her husband. In the end, despite the alliance to Silesia being among the cornerstones of New England's security, she would demand that Duke Mateusz release her sister at once and grant her leave to return to New Lunden. This demand would be accepted and though she would regain her sister, she would lose an ally.
In 1125, the ambitious Muwalladi Caliph would declare a Jihad in an attempt to reclaim Castille. His father had established the Caliphate as a great conqueror, bringing swathes of southern Iberia under Muslim control and Muhammad ib al-Rashid meant to follow in his footsteps. The plan was for a two-pronged war, with the Caliph attacking from the south with his Iberian allies, and the newly converted King of France sweeping down from the north. Perhaps he had thought the Christians still shattered from their failed conquest of Africa. Perhaps he had thought that his father's seemingly invincible armies couldn't be beat. Whatever the case, he miscalculated. Near to the whole of the Christian world answered the call to defend King Sancho III, and Cecilia was no different as she donned mail to march to her cousin's aid. She would command her force of a thousand men skillfully, marching to and fro in France, harassing the supply lines and villages of the Infidel King Edouard, eventually aiding King Jaufret 'the Noble' of Burgundy in his attempt to reconquer the Kingdom of France for Christendom. Though she and the other Christian armies would prove successful, misfortune would strike at home. Emperor Milobrat would perish, and despite the wishes of both him and his eldest son, his younger son Janislaw would proclaim himself the 'King of Galicia-Volhynia,' seizing the earldom of New-Kent for himself. It was on the march home from this war that she would perish, dying of stress as she attempted to decide how to proceed. Her son Godwine would inherit the throne, with his brother Eadbald - beloved by kin and commons alike - to aid him in his reign.
Godwine 'the One Eyed' Ceciliason:
Arms Changed: Celestial-azure, a double tressure flory counter flory or, a dragon passant argent
Godwine learned of his mother's passing in the midst of the confusion over how to respond to Janislaw's seizing of New Kent and proclamation of himself as King. His coronation was a rushed affair, and the funeral of his mother was likewise expedited. Though he had initially been of a mind to begrudgingly accept 'King' Janislaw's reign, this would quickly be changed as his supposed new liege accidentally revealed his affair with the Lady Euphrosyne of Byzantium, a romance that had blossomed many years ago as he had traveled to Byzantium to attend to some unfinished business of his grandfather. Though Janislaw would attempt to mend the relationship with Godwine by offering his daughter as a ward, Godwine refused to accept the olive branch. Janislaw continued to make matters worse for himself by presuming to declare himself Emperor of West Slavia, attempting to depose his own brother, the rightful Emperor Szczesny. Though he succeeded in seizing the throne, it was quickly retaken by Szczesny, with the Emperor and Godwine forming a lifelong friendship due to his loyalty. This deed was repaid less than a year later, when the Emperor personally lead a host of 6000 men to depose his troublesome brother, granting Godwine the title of King for his leal service. Even despite this, Janislaw would slink back into New Kent after being thrown out and would reign as Count until being finally thrown out by Godwine several years later.
Godwine was a just and diligent man, always seeking to do his best by his subjects - both the Anglo-Saxon exiles and the native Poles. This sense of duty nearly spelt doom for his family when, in 1134 he let a number of peasants from neighboring Cherven seek refuge from the ongoing measles epidemic. In short order Godwine, his wife, and his newborn son were all infected and it was only through the expert treatment of his physician Elena that the royal family was saved from death. After his recovery he would task his brother Eadbald with leading New England's armies into the Second Crusade, seeking to retake the Holy Land from the infidels. This crusade would end in disaster yet again, when 20,000 FUCKING CRUSADERS DECIDED TO MARCH ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE LEVANT, SAIL DOWN THE PERSIAN GULF, AROUND ARABIA, UP THE RED SEA, LANDING IN SINAI. Pardon me. When 20,000 Crusaders disobeyed the Pope and abandoned the attack on Jerusalem to seek glory and fame fighting elsewhere against the Muslims. This allowed the defenders to assault the Crusaders besieging Jerusalem and rout them in a great victory. Much like their grandfather in the first Crusade however, this failed venture would have greater impacts on the rulers of New England than it would on the actual targets of the wars. For on the march to Jerusalem, the armies of New England traveled alongside those of Bohemia. And on his return to New Lunden, Eadbald would aid his brother in securing a marriage between the young Godwine Godwineson - heir to New England - and Princess Richeza - the young sister of the Premyslid king. Shortly thereafter, with the threat of the Bohemians to prevent his allies throughout the Empire from aiding him, King Godwine finally marched forth to oust Janislaw from the realm once and for all. But it seemed that trouble followed trouble for the Young King, and not three months after finally regaining full control of his kingdom - his physician informed him that he had cancer. Though he would face any and all treatments offered by his physician, his health would slowly but steadily decline henceforth, and he would slowly withdraw from actively ruling the realm, preferring to let Eadbald take the reigns as he nursed his pains. He would die at only 39 years of age, leaving the realm in the hands of the 17-year-old Godwine II.
Godwine II 'the Stout' Godwineson:
Arms: Celestial-azure, a double tressure flory counter flory or, a dragon passant argent
Though perhaps lacking the martial skill of his ancestors, Godwine II was a likely lad and had the potential in him to be an excellent king, even at his young age. A just and diligent man like his father and grandmother before him, Godwine II was a consummate diplomat, skilled administrator, and well learned - speaking both Anglic and Lechitic fluently. But his true strength lay in espionage and intrigue. Even at 16 he had all but supplanted Reeve Cerdic of Godwineston as his mother's spymaster, and his talent only grew from there. He was adept at playing one rival off another, building an intricate web of informants and assets, and laying low any who would oppose him. Near to the instant the crown touched his head he began plotting, first ensuring that his uncle Eadbald - who had in the waning days of his father's reign grown used to sitting the throne - was not seeking to plot against him. After he had been assured that there was no danger there, he shifted his attention to dealing with an old family foe. Governor Trpimir of the Byzantines, brother to the Lady Euphrosyne that had once captured his father's heart, had sworn a one-sided oath of vengeance against House Godwin, and had spent the past decade clumsily attempting to extinguish the family. Now Godwine set to work removing the threat, murdering the Governor and ending the "feud."
The greatest joy in Godwine II's life was his marriage to his Queen, Richeza of Bohemia. Theirs was a happy and fruitful union. Within ten years they had already had four children, his son and heir Uhtraed, his daughter Aethelhild, and the twin princes Leofhelm and Leofweald. From an early age the young Uhtraed was a prodigy. Able to defeat men thrice his age by 12, he won his first melee by 13 and was knighted at 16. Though he was never an ambitious lad, his father pushed him hard to ensure he would exceed his grand-uncle's skills in martial matters. Though he didn't quite match his uncle's skills of command by the time he reached his majority, it was widely agreed that he was the secondmost warrior of the realm, peerless with a lance, and the very soul of chivalry, being appointed the prestigious accolade of Remembrant of the Mother Country. With Uhtraed and Eadbald serving as his foremost commanders, Godwine II would seek to expand his realm northwards, seizing the County of Lomza (which would come to be known as Little Poland,) and the County of Volkovysk which was soon renamed to the Blackwood by the Anglo-Saxon settlers. Trouble would befall West-Slavia in the years following these conquests however, derailing Godwine's plans for further expansion.
Emperor Szczesny II - son of that great friend to the Anglo-Saxons - had died in 1162, leaving the realm in the hands of his 7-year-old son Siemomysl, with his cousin Milobrat - son of the much-despised Janislaw - serving as regent to the realm. Though his father had long since been banished from the realm, Milobrat had convinced the Szczesny emperors that he had shared no part of his father's treason and slowly gained the trust of the royal family. This would prove to be a terrible mistake, as a mere three years into his regency Prince Milobrat would announce that to safeguard West Slavia from the threats of the HRE to the west, Carpathia to the south, and Ruthenia to the east, the empire could not afford a regency. With that he ousted his cousin from the throne, though assuring him that he would remain heir and King of Poland. This would prove equally false as his prior oaths, as less than a year later he would oust his cousin from the throne of Poland as well, leaving him merely the Duke of Lesser Poland. With each successive display of naked greed, the realm grew more agitated until March of 1166 when the Emperor overreached. When he proclaimed that he would be assuming the mantle of Regent of Lesser Poland to "safeguard the rights and liberties of my dear cousin," the whole of the realm rose in revolt, convinced that he planned to remove the last of the child's titles or even end his life. Placing the armies of New England under his son's sole command for the first time, Godwine II fought to defend the rights of the Young Prince. In his first solo command, Uhtraed won a great victory at Brodno, fighting off a superior foe and routing them with such speed that they abandoned their banners in their haste to retreat. The early crushing victories of the war however proved to be an illusion, and the war would continue on interminably for a decade, ending inconclusively in 1176. Whilst West Slavia was embroiled in this near-unending civil war, the rest of Christendom united once more in a crusade, taking advantage of the death of the last Great Muwalladi Caliph to strike at the weakened Muslims. This crusade would prove to be a colossal success as the armies of the Crescent were smashed to pieces by those of the Cross, resulting in the creation of the Kingdom of Badajoz under a relative of the King of Bavaria.
Gambling on the weakness of the King from the civil war, Earl Saebert of New Hampshire - son to the great Eadbald 'Longshanks,' and his own daughter Princess Aethelhild of Northolt - installed by Emperor Milobrat - prepared to demand the abdication of Godwine II and the enthronement of Uhtraed. This was a result of long standing grievances between the branches of the family, a distaste at the high casualties New England suffered during the civil war, and a belief that Uhtraed might be easily influenced once placed upon the throne. But the cunning Godwine outmaneuvered his treacherous vassals, threading the needle to avoid the war. First, he had his secondborn son Leofhelm, a cunning warrior in his own right though not the match of his elder brother, march on the Fivetails, the seat of Northolt with only the Kingdom's men-at-arms, gathering what levies from the villages along the way that he could. With Northolt cut off from her allies in New Hampshire and more importantly, New Hampshire's allies in Ruthenia, Godwine forced his daughter to relinquish her title and banished her from the realm. After that, he officially declared Uhtraed to be his co-monarch to erode any support that Saebert might rally from those who genuinely wished for Uhtraed to rule in his own right rather than a puppet, and quickly executed a long-planned attempt to abduct Saebert under the pretense of arresting him for his excommunication. Once the rebellious vassal was in custody, he too was promptly stripped of all titles, tortured into a confession of treason, and banished from the realm. For the first time since the reign of his grandmother, the whole of traditional New England was under royal control, as were the two northern fiefs of Little Poland and the Blackwood. With New England now in the strongest position it had ever been in, he then launched another series of conquests, seizing Novgoroduk and Pinsk (or as they would come to be known, Saintswood and Bywater,) before turning his attention to the west, conquering the County of Czersk. The remainder of his reign would be spent in peace, consolidating his conquests and building throughout his land. In his last years he would begin to grow mad, calling for the death of enemies long since vanquished, and threatening the lives of his own children. By the last days of his reign Prince Uhtraed had all but entirely taken the reigns of the realm, leaving Godwine to lay infirm in his bed. He died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 77 in the year 1206 not long after having heard the first rumors of a Khan of Khans far to the east.
Uhtraed Godwineson:
Arms: Celestial-azure, a double tressure flory counter flory or, a dragon passant argent
The realm that Uhtraed Godwineson was the strongest the family had ruled since being driven from England. The last years of Godwine II's reign, peaceful as it was, saw the royal coffers swell to unprecedented heights. The crown had trained a strong professional force of Men at Arms. The Earldom of New London alone had seen the construction of the City of Whiterush, as well as the castles of Dunberry and Swiftsmith. Uhtraed's own personal wealth and Men at Arms gained serving as Governor of New Kent, Northolt, and the Blackwood during his time as co-monarch to his father only added to this strength. At the same time however, the realm of New England had never been more divided. The marriage of King Godwine and Queen Richeza had been a fruitful one, and he sought to see that all of his children were well provided for. His brother Leofweald 'Priest-Hater' ruled as Earl of Little Poland and Czersk to the west, while Leofweald's twin brother Leofhelm ruled as Earl of Bywater and the Saintswood to the east. To the south, his youngest brother Sieward ruled as Earl of New Hampshire. West Slavia as a whole remains a distant second power in the region, able to muster enough troops to crush Carpathia or Ruthenia, but unable to resist the Holy Roman Empire should the Kaiser turn his eyes eastward. Only time will tell how the realm will fare.
)
"THE SONS OF GODWINESON, BEING A TALE OF THE ANGLO-SAXON EXILE"
Part One: Exile and Sanctuary
Part One: Exile and Sanctuary
Harold 'The Lion' Godwineson:
Arms: Gules, a dragon or
The reign of Harold Godwineson, King of England was brought to a short and ignominious end by the dual invasions of Harold Hardrada and William the Bastard. Though he was a skilled general and leader, defeating the Norwegians in the field at the Battle of Reford, he would prove incapable of creating a second miracle and his exhausted army was massacred by the Normans. Exiled from home, he would barely escape with his life as he fled to Flanders. From there he would travel south to Iberia, seeking refuge with the King of Spain - his son-in-law. Despite his exile and the lack of an army, funds, or any way to do so, he would never cease to insist that he would return to England and throw off the Norman yoke. As he continued his ceaseless and fruitless attempts to drum up support on the continent, he resorted to playing the part of a mercenary for the lords of Spain. It was during this exile that he spoke the words that would become the motto of his descendants. Following the a failed contract in which he was to aid a minor Spanish noble in a small border conflict which left half the band's men dead and Godwine himself gravely injured he simply withdrew from the area, set up camp, and reported to the doctor. When his daughter Gytha came up to him and asked what they would do next he simply replied "We shall recover." He would ultimately die young, falling in a duel while pursuing a notorious brigand through France on the behalf of King Sancho. He would leave his claim and his band of followers - the Righteous Host - to his son, Godwin.
Godwin 'The Bastard' Haroldson:
Arms Changed: Gules, a dragon passant argent
Finding his welcome with his brother-in-law wearing thin, Godwin decided to move east to follow up on rumors of the Basileus granting land and refuge to the Anglo-Saxons. Not only was this not true, but the Basileus took a misliking to Godwin, and he fairly quickly fled into Moldavia. From there he largely stuck to traveling throughout the steppes, seeking to gather support to reconquer his near forgotten homeland. During this time he noticed great promise in his firstborn daughter, and this combined with his sons proving to be a disappointment lead him to declare her his heir. His most notable exploits during this time were aiding the insane ruler of Curonia, a berserker who fought in the name of the Lord wearing naught but a helmet on his head. After helping him conquer the Duchy of Pomerania, fight off a pretender to his throne, and put down a large revolt of peasants, the Duke sent two letters. One saying that Godwin had performed magnificently and that he would be pleased to fight alongside him again, and another letter proclaiming Godwin a faithless coward who was no longer welcome in his lands. When the Pope called a Crusade for Africa he eagerly participated, hoping to get his brother some land, which could be used as a rallying post for the reconquest. During the crusade he met and became good friends with the King of Poland, having already been familiar with the culture and language due to his own wife being Polish. However, early on into the campaign his host was smashed outside the walls of Tunis, and his brother who he had hoped to land was captured and executed. Godwin managed to escape with a few survivors, return to friendly lands and try to replenish his ranks for revenge, but when he tried again his host was killed nearly to a man, and he was captured. He spent the rest of the Crusade, which failed, chained up in the dungeon. Having seen the armies of England during the Crusade, and with his own forces devastated, he gave up on returning home. Instead, he traveled to Poland to seek employment from his friend the King. While there, he was informed of an opportunity. The Duchy of Volhynia, to Poland's east, was ruled by a girl of 12 and her regent, and was very weak from having just fought off one attempt to claim part of its land. King Milobrat 'the Peaceful' said that he would supply Godwin with gold and provisions, if Godwin would conquer the land and swear fealty to Poland. Godwin did so with ease, renaming the realm to New England, and declaring it to be a refuge from all those fleeing the tyranny of the Normans. After and abortive attempt to pry Berestye from the pagans of Lithuania, he spent the rest of his reign in peace, ingratiating himself with his new fellow vassals by arranging marriages between his kinsmen and the realm, tying House Godwin to the nobility of Kuyavia, Mazovia, Lower Silesia and Stezyca. He ceaselessly worked to make New England a true home for his displaced people, building churches and cities in the Anglo-Saxon fashion. Godwin died at the age of 67 in a fit of rage after having heard of a raid on New Kent.
Cecilia Godwinesdohtor:
Arms Changed: Gules, a double tressure flory counter flory or, a dragon passant argent
Her father's firstborn, and favorite child, Cecilia accompanied her father for almost the whole of his exile. Growing up on the road she was fascinated with the various cultures she interacted with, as well as the interesting personalities that would wander into her grandfather, and then father's camps. This led her to devote herself at an early age to learning many languages, speaking her native Anglic, as well as Basque by 13, Greek by 15, and Lechitic by 18. In addition, she served as her father's page since she could walk, running messages for him, and cleaning his weapons and armor. Even as she grew older and her father no longer saw the need to keep her constantly close at hand this continued, and he eventually named her his squire. Though she would never be a true knight, she did gain a good understanding of warfare through this, and it shaped her into a brave and diligent young woman. This was most put to the test when after her father's flight from the Byzantines, the family found themselves passing through Chernigov and she caught the eye of the son of the Grand Prince. Though they fell deeply in love, she would eventually break off the relationship to remain with her family. Her father never failed to see her potential, first naming her his second in command at the age of 27, then eventually proclaiming her to be the "Heir to the Throne of England, and Heir to this Righteous Host." This was in part due to brother, Raedwulf, being a sickly youth who seemed often on the verge of death, and with little in the way of martial abilities. Though he would overcome his ailments in time and compensated for his lack of battlefield courage with sheer bravery and an understated cunning, Cecilia would remain her father's chosen successor even after his conquest of New England.
She would come into her family's newfound throne at the age of 45, having only recently married into a minor Italian house and birthed her second son. Nearly as soon as she was coronated, she would lose this son as an offering to the Duke of Mazovia. Though the two realms had enjoyed peace and good relations since her father's conquest, and her own sister was betrothed to the Duke's son, she felt it prudent to forestall any attempts by her more powerful neighbor to seize her land. Likewise, she would ride to Krakow herself and beg the King's forgiveness for her youthful indiscretions with Prince Yeremey of Chernigov. It was shortly after this, once her realm's immediate worries had been solved, that she went against her father's last will to grant the Earldom of New Kent to her brother. For though she had loved her father, she recognized his short sightedness in neglecting his not-martially inclined son, and loved her brother well. With his aid, as well as the assistance of the Lords of Stezyca and Lothian - who she was allied with through the marriage of her sister - she fulfilled her father's ambitions and conquered the County of Berestye, renaming it to Northolt and renaming the city of Bielsk to Godwineston in his honor. It was after this achievement that she approached the King of Poland speaking of the great esteem and love her father held for him and offered the hand of her son and heir in marriage with his granddaughter, an offer which was accepted after some delay. Shortly thereafter, in 1124 King Milobrat declared himself "Emperor of the Poles and Silesians, Galicians and Volhynians, Mazovians and Kashubians," forming the Empire of West Slavia. Among the tests of her early reign was the results of her father's attempted marriage alliance with Lower Silesia. She would receive a number of seemingly innocuous letters from her sister Cynehild after the birth of her third child. After further studying these letters however, it was discovered that a code had been hidden in them, attesting to her horrendous treatment at the hands of her husband. In the end, despite the alliance to Silesia being among the cornerstones of New England's security, she would demand that Duke Mateusz release her sister at once and grant her leave to return to New Lunden. This demand would be accepted and though she would regain her sister, she would lose an ally.
In 1125, the ambitious Muwalladi Caliph would declare a Jihad in an attempt to reclaim Castille. His father had established the Caliphate as a great conqueror, bringing swathes of southern Iberia under Muslim control and Muhammad ib al-Rashid meant to follow in his footsteps. The plan was for a two-pronged war, with the Caliph attacking from the south with his Iberian allies, and the newly converted King of France sweeping down from the north. Perhaps he had thought the Christians still shattered from their failed conquest of Africa. Perhaps he had thought that his father's seemingly invincible armies couldn't be beat. Whatever the case, he miscalculated. Near to the whole of the Christian world answered the call to defend King Sancho III, and Cecilia was no different as she donned mail to march to her cousin's aid. She would command her force of a thousand men skillfully, marching to and fro in France, harassing the supply lines and villages of the Infidel King Edouard, eventually aiding King Jaufret 'the Noble' of Burgundy in his attempt to reconquer the Kingdom of France for Christendom. Though she and the other Christian armies would prove successful, misfortune would strike at home. Emperor Milobrat would perish, and despite the wishes of both him and his eldest son, his younger son Janislaw would proclaim himself the 'King of Galicia-Volhynia,' seizing the earldom of New-Kent for himself. It was on the march home from this war that she would perish, dying of stress as she attempted to decide how to proceed. Her son Godwine would inherit the throne, with his brother Eadbald - beloved by kin and commons alike - to aid him in his reign.
Godwine 'the One Eyed' Ceciliason:
Arms Changed: Celestial-azure, a double tressure flory counter flory or, a dragon passant argent
Godwine learned of his mother's passing in the midst of the confusion over how to respond to Janislaw's seizing of New Kent and proclamation of himself as King. His coronation was a rushed affair, and the funeral of his mother was likewise expedited. Though he had initially been of a mind to begrudgingly accept 'King' Janislaw's reign, this would quickly be changed as his supposed new liege accidentally revealed his affair with the Lady Euphrosyne of Byzantium, a romance that had blossomed many years ago as he had traveled to Byzantium to attend to some unfinished business of his grandfather. Though Janislaw would attempt to mend the relationship with Godwine by offering his daughter as a ward, Godwine refused to accept the olive branch. Janislaw continued to make matters worse for himself by presuming to declare himself Emperor of West Slavia, attempting to depose his own brother, the rightful Emperor Szczesny. Though he succeeded in seizing the throne, it was quickly retaken by Szczesny, with the Emperor and Godwine forming a lifelong friendship due to his loyalty. This deed was repaid less than a year later, when the Emperor personally lead a host of 6000 men to depose his troublesome brother, granting Godwine the title of King for his leal service. Even despite this, Janislaw would slink back into New Kent after being thrown out and would reign as Count until being finally thrown out by Godwine several years later.
Godwine was a just and diligent man, always seeking to do his best by his subjects - both the Anglo-Saxon exiles and the native Poles. This sense of duty nearly spelt doom for his family when, in 1134 he let a number of peasants from neighboring Cherven seek refuge from the ongoing measles epidemic. In short order Godwine, his wife, and his newborn son were all infected and it was only through the expert treatment of his physician Elena that the royal family was saved from death. After his recovery he would task his brother Eadbald with leading New England's armies into the Second Crusade, seeking to retake the Holy Land from the infidels. This crusade would end in disaster yet again, when 20,000 FUCKING CRUSADERS DECIDED TO MARCH ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE LEVANT, SAIL DOWN THE PERSIAN GULF, AROUND ARABIA, UP THE RED SEA, LANDING IN SINAI. Pardon me. When 20,000 Crusaders disobeyed the Pope and abandoned the attack on Jerusalem to seek glory and fame fighting elsewhere against the Muslims. This allowed the defenders to assault the Crusaders besieging Jerusalem and rout them in a great victory. Much like their grandfather in the first Crusade however, this failed venture would have greater impacts on the rulers of New England than it would on the actual targets of the wars. For on the march to Jerusalem, the armies of New England traveled alongside those of Bohemia. And on his return to New Lunden, Eadbald would aid his brother in securing a marriage between the young Godwine Godwineson - heir to New England - and Princess Richeza - the young sister of the Premyslid king. Shortly thereafter, with the threat of the Bohemians to prevent his allies throughout the Empire from aiding him, King Godwine finally marched forth to oust Janislaw from the realm once and for all. But it seemed that trouble followed trouble for the Young King, and not three months after finally regaining full control of his kingdom - his physician informed him that he had cancer. Though he would face any and all treatments offered by his physician, his health would slowly but steadily decline henceforth, and he would slowly withdraw from actively ruling the realm, preferring to let Eadbald take the reigns as he nursed his pains. He would die at only 39 years of age, leaving the realm in the hands of the 17-year-old Godwine II.
Godwine II 'the Stout' Godwineson:
Arms: Celestial-azure, a double tressure flory counter flory or, a dragon passant argent
Though perhaps lacking the martial skill of his ancestors, Godwine II was a likely lad and had the potential in him to be an excellent king, even at his young age. A just and diligent man like his father and grandmother before him, Godwine II was a consummate diplomat, skilled administrator, and well learned - speaking both Anglic and Lechitic fluently. But his true strength lay in espionage and intrigue. Even at 16 he had all but supplanted Reeve Cerdic of Godwineston as his mother's spymaster, and his talent only grew from there. He was adept at playing one rival off another, building an intricate web of informants and assets, and laying low any who would oppose him. Near to the instant the crown touched his head he began plotting, first ensuring that his uncle Eadbald - who had in the waning days of his father's reign grown used to sitting the throne - was not seeking to plot against him. After he had been assured that there was no danger there, he shifted his attention to dealing with an old family foe. Governor Trpimir of the Byzantines, brother to the Lady Euphrosyne that had once captured his father's heart, had sworn a one-sided oath of vengeance against House Godwin, and had spent the past decade clumsily attempting to extinguish the family. Now Godwine set to work removing the threat, murdering the Governor and ending the "feud."
The greatest joy in Godwine II's life was his marriage to his Queen, Richeza of Bohemia. Theirs was a happy and fruitful union. Within ten years they had already had four children, his son and heir Uhtraed, his daughter Aethelhild, and the twin princes Leofhelm and Leofweald. From an early age the young Uhtraed was a prodigy. Able to defeat men thrice his age by 12, he won his first melee by 13 and was knighted at 16. Though he was never an ambitious lad, his father pushed him hard to ensure he would exceed his grand-uncle's skills in martial matters. Though he didn't quite match his uncle's skills of command by the time he reached his majority, it was widely agreed that he was the secondmost warrior of the realm, peerless with a lance, and the very soul of chivalry, being appointed the prestigious accolade of Remembrant of the Mother Country. With Uhtraed and Eadbald serving as his foremost commanders, Godwine II would seek to expand his realm northwards, seizing the County of Lomza (which would come to be known as Little Poland,) and the County of Volkovysk which was soon renamed to the Blackwood by the Anglo-Saxon settlers. Trouble would befall West-Slavia in the years following these conquests however, derailing Godwine's plans for further expansion.
Emperor Szczesny II - son of that great friend to the Anglo-Saxons - had died in 1162, leaving the realm in the hands of his 7-year-old son Siemomysl, with his cousin Milobrat - son of the much-despised Janislaw - serving as regent to the realm. Though his father had long since been banished from the realm, Milobrat had convinced the Szczesny emperors that he had shared no part of his father's treason and slowly gained the trust of the royal family. This would prove to be a terrible mistake, as a mere three years into his regency Prince Milobrat would announce that to safeguard West Slavia from the threats of the HRE to the west, Carpathia to the south, and Ruthenia to the east, the empire could not afford a regency. With that he ousted his cousin from the throne, though assuring him that he would remain heir and King of Poland. This would prove equally false as his prior oaths, as less than a year later he would oust his cousin from the throne of Poland as well, leaving him merely the Duke of Lesser Poland. With each successive display of naked greed, the realm grew more agitated until March of 1166 when the Emperor overreached. When he proclaimed that he would be assuming the mantle of Regent of Lesser Poland to "safeguard the rights and liberties of my dear cousin," the whole of the realm rose in revolt, convinced that he planned to remove the last of the child's titles or even end his life. Placing the armies of New England under his son's sole command for the first time, Godwine II fought to defend the rights of the Young Prince. In his first solo command, Uhtraed won a great victory at Brodno, fighting off a superior foe and routing them with such speed that they abandoned their banners in their haste to retreat. The early crushing victories of the war however proved to be an illusion, and the war would continue on interminably for a decade, ending inconclusively in 1176. Whilst West Slavia was embroiled in this near-unending civil war, the rest of Christendom united once more in a crusade, taking advantage of the death of the last Great Muwalladi Caliph to strike at the weakened Muslims. This crusade would prove to be a colossal success as the armies of the Crescent were smashed to pieces by those of the Cross, resulting in the creation of the Kingdom of Badajoz under a relative of the King of Bavaria.
Gambling on the weakness of the King from the civil war, Earl Saebert of New Hampshire - son to the great Eadbald 'Longshanks,' and his own daughter Princess Aethelhild of Northolt - installed by Emperor Milobrat - prepared to demand the abdication of Godwine II and the enthronement of Uhtraed. This was a result of long standing grievances between the branches of the family, a distaste at the high casualties New England suffered during the civil war, and a belief that Uhtraed might be easily influenced once placed upon the throne. But the cunning Godwine outmaneuvered his treacherous vassals, threading the needle to avoid the war. First, he had his secondborn son Leofhelm, a cunning warrior in his own right though not the match of his elder brother, march on the Fivetails, the seat of Northolt with only the Kingdom's men-at-arms, gathering what levies from the villages along the way that he could. With Northolt cut off from her allies in New Hampshire and more importantly, New Hampshire's allies in Ruthenia, Godwine forced his daughter to relinquish her title and banished her from the realm. After that, he officially declared Uhtraed to be his co-monarch to erode any support that Saebert might rally from those who genuinely wished for Uhtraed to rule in his own right rather than a puppet, and quickly executed a long-planned attempt to abduct Saebert under the pretense of arresting him for his excommunication. Once the rebellious vassal was in custody, he too was promptly stripped of all titles, tortured into a confession of treason, and banished from the realm. For the first time since the reign of his grandmother, the whole of traditional New England was under royal control, as were the two northern fiefs of Little Poland and the Blackwood. With New England now in the strongest position it had ever been in, he then launched another series of conquests, seizing Novgoroduk and Pinsk (or as they would come to be known, Saintswood and Bywater,) before turning his attention to the west, conquering the County of Czersk. The remainder of his reign would be spent in peace, consolidating his conquests and building throughout his land. In his last years he would begin to grow mad, calling for the death of enemies long since vanquished, and threatening the lives of his own children. By the last days of his reign Prince Uhtraed had all but entirely taken the reigns of the realm, leaving Godwine to lay infirm in his bed. He died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 77 in the year 1206 not long after having heard the first rumors of a Khan of Khans far to the east.
Uhtraed Godwineson:
Arms: Celestial-azure, a double tressure flory counter flory or, a dragon passant argent
The realm that Uhtraed Godwineson was the strongest the family had ruled since being driven from England. The last years of Godwine II's reign, peaceful as it was, saw the royal coffers swell to unprecedented heights. The crown had trained a strong professional force of Men at Arms. The Earldom of New London alone had seen the construction of the City of Whiterush, as well as the castles of Dunberry and Swiftsmith. Uhtraed's own personal wealth and Men at Arms gained serving as Governor of New Kent, Northolt, and the Blackwood during his time as co-monarch to his father only added to this strength. At the same time however, the realm of New England had never been more divided. The marriage of King Godwine and Queen Richeza had been a fruitful one, and he sought to see that all of his children were well provided for. His brother Leofweald 'Priest-Hater' ruled as Earl of Little Poland and Czersk to the west, while Leofweald's twin brother Leofhelm ruled as Earl of Bywater and the Saintswood to the east. To the south, his youngest brother Sieward ruled as Earl of New Hampshire. West Slavia as a whole remains a distant second power in the region, able to muster enough troops to crush Carpathia or Ruthenia, but unable to resist the Holy Roman Empire should the Kaiser turn his eyes eastward. Only time will tell how the realm will fare.
The Kingdom of New England in 1206
The World in 1206:
The Lords of New England in 1206
(Apologies to anyone who gave this a read for the lack of æ and ƚ and other such accents, I wasn't sure how to add them. Also, I know it's kinda boring image wise, I haven't exactly been taking many screenshots. Hopefully this is at least somewhat entertaining to read. I'll post more if I write more.
The World in 1206:
The Lords of New England in 1206
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