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Von Weimar Volume 1: A History of War 1091 - 1440

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The fortunes of Meissen do indeed swing like a pendulum - and the AI dog-piles like no other :rolleyes:

Pity about having to drop the book format, but I appreciate it must take considerable time and effort to put together. The content is definitely more important.
 
Qorten: And here I thought it’d be smooth sailing for a while with a Weimar as Pope. I also found myself lucky because I wasn’t annexed... if I were, that would’ve been the end of this AAR. But I’m going to try to push through and see what I can do. If I can’t, a mod might have to change the dates for this AARs title.

I’m sure its just a coincidence that the next chapter is Chapter 13.

The_Guiscard: Austria has become a beast in this game. They’re already the BWB... just, not white. The fifty year mark comes up in about ten years so when that happens, I’ll show all the major empires plus a few minor things if I have the time.

Enewald: I think just trying to survive is going to be my main objective. ;)

gabor: A picture is what the writer says it is. :D

I thought I was going to get comments on the second pic, about how it isn’t about destitution rather the plague sweeping through a city. I might have to start bringing in some of my EU pics for the CK story.

aldriq: The AI is a nasty demon. They don’t seem to jump on other states as easily as they jump on mine. But then other AI states are probably saying the same thing.

I’ll bring back the book format as soon as time allows but for now time has suddenly become very tight due to unexpected circumstances. It’ll probably be like this for a while, too, but hopefully not too long. After all, I still have some pics I can only use on the book format for the CK portion of the megacampaign.

To all: Maps! 1150 maps in a few days! And update coming... sometime today.
 
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Feeling the clutches of the end nearing, Sigfried von Weimar was prepared to accept any hand reaching out to him. Therefore, for at least a short while, an alliance was struck between Count Ludwig von Babenburg[1] of Weimar and the Duchy of Meissen. Youth was blamed on the young Count’s reason for signing but Sigfried held more sinister desires: Reoccupation.

Over the course of the next year, while Meissen began healing itself, the court was shuffled with inconsistent names and Sigfried’s standing within the church plummeted. Moneylenders set up shop throughout the Meissen territories, as few as they were, and proliferated. But Sigfried didn’t welcome them, however, neither did he attempt to smite them from the countryside. Pope Leopold was said to have taken notice but remarked that the qualms he held over the Duchy of Meissen had ended. Some have commented through the centuries that Pope Loeoold felt he had handled the Weimars poorly and in the harsh way, virtually crippling them for many years.

Nevertheless, Sigfried hoped to put the entire event behind him as soon as possible when the Pope called for a Crusade for the liberation of Jerusalem. Understanding that Sigfried could do little in the way of providing assistance[2], Pope Leopold pardoned Sigfried for his heretic ways. The people freely welcomed him with open arms and his court opened up to him as though there had never been a stain on his reputation. But Sigfried knew, and he remembered who was there for him when he needed them. There were few, very few.

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Sigfried finally finding public acceptance with his own people​

Little more than a year passed, welcomed silence for the Weimars when Sigfried was told of the horrors his eldest son, Berthold, had not only followed in his father’s erroneous footsteps concerning the church, but he went so far as to denounce the church and the Pope. If Sigfried wanted his line to continue, to keep it from failing as it had when both Austria and Mecklemburg declared war in the name of God, and land, a change had to be instituted. Therefore, during February of 1143, Sigfried von Weimar enacted Salic Consanguinity, establishing his second eldest son, Albrecht[3] as the next in line for the Duchy. Papal powers had grown incredible and had become a dangerous force.

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The Pope had grown to accept incredible strength over the years​

While Sigfried’s footing with the church was steadily crumbling, in spite of his repentance, he moved further toward the Polish corner, outwardly proclaiming his desire for permanent integration within the Empire. But Sigfried had little choice in the matter. With foreign eyes staring greedily upon the Meissen morsel, to break from Poland would’ve been disastrous and likely, deadly.

But Sigfried didn’t completely ignore the church or its claims. He still tried finding the light, going so far as to strip Eberhard’s Count of Stettin title and handing it to the brother, Albrecht. While this did little to appease the church, it was enough to keep the church at bay while the Meissen recovery continued.

Toward the end of 1145 personal problems continued to strain Sigfried’s life when his wife died in childbirth, attempting to bring their eighth child into the world. Before the end of the year Sigfried had already remarried to a seventeen year old courtier from the Duchy of Spoleto. It was the Meissen advisory council who conspired to find the reputable youth in an attempt to satiate their leader’s lust, lest he stray from the religious backing he fought so hard to regain.

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An early depiction of Sigfried's second marriage​

Still, even after all this time, the population wasn’t entirely happy with Sigfried’s rule. Minor rebellions lasting for no more than weeks at a time had to be routinely put down, and it was often done so with minor characters in the court, or those who sought fame through victory. But in April of 1146, in an attempt to display his own ability, Sigfried confronted a mob in Brandenburg and was wounded near his right arm. It was bloody and a mess but surgeons were able to repair it and Sigfried returned home on a win.

While nursing this new physical ailment, Sigfried plotted with his Chancellor, his fourth son Johann, in an attempt to revive the Duchy. The two convened, sending messengers to all occupied, formerly Meissen lands. Only Count Konrad von Babenburg of Meissen responded positively and accepted to become a vassal under Meissen rule. As with the Count of Weimar, youth was cited as the reason but a growing discontent with their Austrian overlords, who were so far away, was the clear culprit.

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Count Konrad von Babenburg of Meissen​

Although other powers weren’t going to allow Meissen to recover. The Duke of Lower Lorraine, Hartmann d’Ardennes, declared war while Meissen was still undermanned. Poland, who was at war with the Principality of Kiev at the time, could offer little and the Duke of Lower Lorraine ignored Pope Leopold’s demand for a Peace of God. The fate of Meissen seemed to be nearing as Sigfried’s sickness from his wound expanded.

A year went on without a battle fought with Meissen troops. Sigfried refused to force his men to fight a war he knew he couldn’t win. However the Poles were different, sending troops into Meissen, wanting to diffuse Lower Lorraine before the behemoth stood firmly upon their doorstep. It wasn’t until early June 1147 when Lower Lorraine was able to establish a foothold in Brandenburg with 8000 men, nearly twice the amount of troops Meissen was able to raise.

Six months after Sigfried felt the illness spreading, he died. Albrecht took his place, assuming command immediately although he didn’t have time to do anything for the war effort. Four days later the Pope threatened Hartman d’Ardennes with excommunication if he didn’t cease his war against Meissen. The war ended four days after Sigfried’s death.

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Peace fulfilled under threat of excommunication​

Little changed in the court after Sigfried’s death. There was little to say but much to do. And while the war had affected the Meissen reconstruction effort, Sigfried and his Steward had found ways to save money, lowering the debt to the point where it had nearly paid itself off in early May 1148. But there were still many months yet to go before Meissen could be completely free.

Now with the power of the Pope behind him the Duchy of Lower Lorraine repelled for a few more years and Albrecht showed his muscle, demanding other powers respect him as he amassed power. He demanded that the Count of Meissen renounce his claim, which he did under threat of 4000 troops. Albrecht was able, on October 1, 1147, to move the capital of Meissen back into Meissen. The people cheered the rejuvenation of the Duchy, mainly because they had long lost the profits of being a stable capital city.

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Celebration erupted after Meissen was recaptured but there was much work ahead​

These acts, while improving the relationship with the people, did little in the way of appeasing the outside world. With the death of Sigfried, so too had his alliance with the Count of Weimar died. Instead, Albrecht hoped for a new, long alliance with the Duchy of Savoie to spurn the future advances of Bavaria, Lower Lorraine and Austria. And with the Savoie Duke, a teenager so young, the alliance was expected to last decades.

Emboldened with this new agreement, Albrecht declared war upon the County of Plauen in 1149. A minor battle in August sealed the win for the Weimars with Albrecht at its head, losing few men. The following month Plauen’s fort, long disassembled from prior years of rebellions and wars, was brought down. By late September Plauen was back in Meissen hands and while its moral price was high, its economic value was in question.

Albrecht seemed to be in a hurry to reclaim what land had been lost by the errors of his father. And while he was told to slow his recovery, he put aside this sound advice. A want to become great was too inspiring to ignore.

---

[1] Land which was indirectly ruled, and coincidentally, stolen from the Duchy of Meissen just a war earlier.

[2] The Weimars were still nearly one thousand guldens in debt.

[3] Who was at that time a Steward in the court of Meissen.
 
Enewald: Very... I must admit when I was down to one province that I was ready to throw in the towel. If I hadn’t been writing an AAR, I would’ve quit. And I was fully prepared to end the AAR at that point should annexation occur. When I began pulling myself out of the gutter I decided to alter the difficulty level at that point since it was clear I wasn’t going to be able to survive as a mere ten province Duchy with the likes of Austria and Lower Lorraine on my borders, wanting nothing but to tear me apart. Its still a tough game I’m playing but my chances of survival are much better... also it makes it for a better story if I’m able to win a war or two.

gabor: Yet, yes. There’s still much game to play and I’ve only survived once fully to the end in all my CK playing, that game was as Croatia. But this is the second longest I’ve survived in a CK game so there’s hope yet.

aldriq: What can I say? The Pope and I go way back... apparently to around 1150.

To all: Well, its been a little longer than the few days I predicted. Life is a little busier but what free time I’ve had has been spent playing Blood Bowl. Blame it on the OT for bringing it to my attention.

And as mentioned in my response to Enewald, at some point around this time I lowered the difficulty by one. If I left it as it was and continued playing by my rules, annexation would've been only a matter of time.
 
Enewald: There’s not much going on in Scandinavia right now. Its kind of surprising but there should be a resurgence later on. All the big action is in Northern Germany, Spain and apparently, Tver.

aldriq: I’m pretty proud of Tver. I had forgotten that they became so large so soon. What really worries me is the size of the Papal States.

An Austria and LL war would be very nice but I doubt either would win and I’d still be the lesser of all parties. I think its safe to say - even though I haven’t played all the way through yet - that these two countries are going to end up in EU3... maybe. They’re not getting too big but they’re not shrinking either. But there’s still so many years of gameplay left.

To all: Updates should be semi-regular again. Not as they were before my announcement but definitely more often than this recent gap. Listening to Cats in Boots while killing zombies is just too addicting. Maybe an update today if I don’t get distracted... so look for something tomorrow.
 
Enewald: Poland was in really bad shape before their peace with Kiev. After fighting them off and then the Papal States, they’re still trying to scrape Lower Lorraine from their garrisons. While playing I didn’t expect the war to last that much longer. The three occupied provinces just west of Slovakia is occupied by Slovakia so Poland is making some progress. And if you count the attrition LL suffers from these marches and boat rides, they can’t be expected to last much longer.

And Meissen isn’t exactly a safe haven so why not just stay home. ;)

aldriq: It makes me wonder why anyone would play as a Catholic nation freely. Looking back, I played Orthodox almost exclusively so I never ran into these problems before being annexed relatively early. It’s a little annoying, especially since I’m writing the AAR about it; every third or fourth update seems to say something about a new ruler being excommunicated.
 
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Enewald: Babenburgs. I haven’t been able to find the Hapsburgs anywhere. I don’t remember coming across them at all. They must’ve tried sailing around the world and ended up falling off the edge. Silly Haps, the world is so obviously flat.

aldriq: Albrecht I isn’t doing too bad. To tell the truth, I don't even remember him when I was playing the game :p but its been about two months since I loaded CK.
 
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