((This is my first TL here. I figure I've spent enough time outlining this idea and have decided to just go for it. I welcome all feedback. Thanks, and enjoy!))
'Precarious Heights' - a Teutonic Order AH TL
Introduction: Grünwald
This timeline introduces three major points of divergence from OTL, all surrounding the events of the Polish-Lithuanian-Teutonic War and the climactic Battle of Grünwald
1) The Rout of the 'Lizard Union': Hochmeister Ulrich v. Jungingen gets a tip-off from a loyalist plant within the secretive organization to the true intent of the 'Lizard Union', officially a constabulary organization of Prussian knights and nobles based in Kulm; secretly they sought the return of Kulmerland to Poland. Though IOTL they were routed after the Battle of Grünwald, to whose defeat they contributed by signalling a premature retreat, they laid the foundation from which the Prussian Confederation, whose goal was the annexation of the Teutonic Order state by Poland, would emerge to challenge the Order in later years. ITTL, some time before the war, the Union's headquarters are raided by a party of Knights and the leaders are all arrested. In a farce of a trial they are found guilty of conspiracy to commit treason and imprisoned indefinitely at Marienburg, except for the leader, Nikolaus v. Renys, who is executed publicly at Kulm by order of Ulrich v. Jungingen as a warning to all dissenters and Polish sympathizers.
[This POD does two things: First, it removes this traitorous element from the battle; second, it butterflies away the Prussian Confederation and, ideally, cows the Prussian cities into cooperating with the Order (along with the lack of taxes imposed in order to pay the war debt forced by the Treaty of Thorn, 1411).]
2) Vytautas killed during botched feigned retreat: IOTL, the Lithuanians under Grand Duke Vytautas were first to engage the Order at Grünwald (following the provocative 'Grünwald Swords' incident after hours of stalling by both sides)---they employed a tactic stolen from the Golden Horde: the feigned retreat; they engaged the order's right flank under Frederic v. Wallendrode, then began a full retreat, but were not pursued by the cautious v. Wallenrode. Historians claim this was planned, but turned into a full-on rout in the confusion (due in part to poor organization and execution), resulting in the Lithuanians returning much later in the battle.
ITTL, von Wallenrode calls the Lithuanians' bluff and catches them with their pants down, nearly annihilating the Lithuanian force, including Vytautas, who is killed in the melee (rather than captured, similar to Ulrich's fate IOTL).
[This POD removes yet another variable (the Lithuanian 'half' of the allied army) from the battle entirely. Thus, Jogaila is left with just his portion of the army without hope of reinforcement.]
3) Jogaila initiates general retreat, is killed as well: Von Wallenrode returns later on in the battle (instead of getting mired in the Polish assault) and leads a crushing charge against the advancing Polish second line, just as they are deployed against the Teutonic line by Jogaila in the hopes of tipping the battle. This sends the Polish second, and then the as-yet undeployed third lines into a panicked retreat. Jogaila and his command core attempt to rally the fleeing infantry as v. Wallenrode swings back to hammer the Polish first line, already engaged with Ulrich's left and center. The sight of Jogaila's command core moving causes a rumor to spread that the king was retreating, leaving the Polish heavy cavalry engaged in order to cover his retreat. A panic sets among the engaged first line, which breaks as Ulrich begins his fateful charge (IOTL he was stopped and killed in a melee just before he reached Jogaila).
Jogaila turns to watch his line dissolving, and orders a general retreat. Ulrich's charge (~100 Teutonic Knights and sergeants initially, more follow) closes in on the Polish command core, now retreating at a steady trot. Polish knights join the retreat, riding in a circle around Jogaila to prevent the Knights from getting to the king. This goes on for almost half a kilometer, Ulrich and his Knights charging the Polish screen and being repulsed. Just as Ulrich is about to call off the pursuit, an unknown knight launches a flail that connects with Jogaila's mailed head, knocking him unconscious. The mail prevents outward injury, but the blow causes extradural hemorrhaging (internal bleeding between the skull and the brain). The pursuit is broken off and the Polish command surrenders, begging to take their king for treatment. Ulrich allows this, and returns with his Knights to the battlefield to regroup and make camp for the night (as by this time it is late afternoon).
Jogaila slips into a coma en route to the allied camp near Wysoka. There is no time to call for a bishop, and thus Last Rites are performed by a camp chaplain. He passes away early the next morning, surrounded by his field commanders. Ulrich formally accepts the Polish and Lithuanian surrender and agrees to convene to discuss terms in a week's time. The Sejm convenes to elect a new king, while Ulrich formulates his terms, which he presents to the Polish at Thorn, on the 24th. With the allied army significantly reduced (the Lithuanian contingent almost entirely wiped out, and the Polish force now severely lacking in heavy cavalry and thus no match for the Teutonic force, even without their mercenary and allied banners) and no time to raise another, the Polish and Lithuanian delegates are forced to agree to Ulrich's terms...
____________
Author's note: I'm exploring different writing styles. Will probably lean toward a more literary-historical writing style with annotations here at the bottom from now on. Just had to lay out the basic premise and POD's.
Next time - Ulrich's terms, Lithuania in open revolt, and the Polish Succession Crisis!
'Precarious Heights' - a Teutonic Order AH TL
Introduction: Grünwald
This timeline introduces three major points of divergence from OTL, all surrounding the events of the Polish-Lithuanian-Teutonic War and the climactic Battle of Grünwald
1) The Rout of the 'Lizard Union': Hochmeister Ulrich v. Jungingen gets a tip-off from a loyalist plant within the secretive organization to the true intent of the 'Lizard Union', officially a constabulary organization of Prussian knights and nobles based in Kulm; secretly they sought the return of Kulmerland to Poland. Though IOTL they were routed after the Battle of Grünwald, to whose defeat they contributed by signalling a premature retreat, they laid the foundation from which the Prussian Confederation, whose goal was the annexation of the Teutonic Order state by Poland, would emerge to challenge the Order in later years. ITTL, some time before the war, the Union's headquarters are raided by a party of Knights and the leaders are all arrested. In a farce of a trial they are found guilty of conspiracy to commit treason and imprisoned indefinitely at Marienburg, except for the leader, Nikolaus v. Renys, who is executed publicly at Kulm by order of Ulrich v. Jungingen as a warning to all dissenters and Polish sympathizers.
[This POD does two things: First, it removes this traitorous element from the battle; second, it butterflies away the Prussian Confederation and, ideally, cows the Prussian cities into cooperating with the Order (along with the lack of taxes imposed in order to pay the war debt forced by the Treaty of Thorn, 1411).]
2) Vytautas killed during botched feigned retreat: IOTL, the Lithuanians under Grand Duke Vytautas were first to engage the Order at Grünwald (following the provocative 'Grünwald Swords' incident after hours of stalling by both sides)---they employed a tactic stolen from the Golden Horde: the feigned retreat; they engaged the order's right flank under Frederic v. Wallendrode, then began a full retreat, but were not pursued by the cautious v. Wallenrode. Historians claim this was planned, but turned into a full-on rout in the confusion (due in part to poor organization and execution), resulting in the Lithuanians returning much later in the battle.
ITTL, von Wallenrode calls the Lithuanians' bluff and catches them with their pants down, nearly annihilating the Lithuanian force, including Vytautas, who is killed in the melee (rather than captured, similar to Ulrich's fate IOTL).
[This POD removes yet another variable (the Lithuanian 'half' of the allied army) from the battle entirely. Thus, Jogaila is left with just his portion of the army without hope of reinforcement.]
3) Jogaila initiates general retreat, is killed as well: Von Wallenrode returns later on in the battle (instead of getting mired in the Polish assault) and leads a crushing charge against the advancing Polish second line, just as they are deployed against the Teutonic line by Jogaila in the hopes of tipping the battle. This sends the Polish second, and then the as-yet undeployed third lines into a panicked retreat. Jogaila and his command core attempt to rally the fleeing infantry as v. Wallenrode swings back to hammer the Polish first line, already engaged with Ulrich's left and center. The sight of Jogaila's command core moving causes a rumor to spread that the king was retreating, leaving the Polish heavy cavalry engaged in order to cover his retreat. A panic sets among the engaged first line, which breaks as Ulrich begins his fateful charge (IOTL he was stopped and killed in a melee just before he reached Jogaila).
Jogaila turns to watch his line dissolving, and orders a general retreat. Ulrich's charge (~100 Teutonic Knights and sergeants initially, more follow) closes in on the Polish command core, now retreating at a steady trot. Polish knights join the retreat, riding in a circle around Jogaila to prevent the Knights from getting to the king. This goes on for almost half a kilometer, Ulrich and his Knights charging the Polish screen and being repulsed. Just as Ulrich is about to call off the pursuit, an unknown knight launches a flail that connects with Jogaila's mailed head, knocking him unconscious. The mail prevents outward injury, but the blow causes extradural hemorrhaging (internal bleeding between the skull and the brain). The pursuit is broken off and the Polish command surrenders, begging to take their king for treatment. Ulrich allows this, and returns with his Knights to the battlefield to regroup and make camp for the night (as by this time it is late afternoon).
Jogaila slips into a coma en route to the allied camp near Wysoka. There is no time to call for a bishop, and thus Last Rites are performed by a camp chaplain. He passes away early the next morning, surrounded by his field commanders. Ulrich formally accepts the Polish and Lithuanian surrender and agrees to convene to discuss terms in a week's time. The Sejm convenes to elect a new king, while Ulrich formulates his terms, which he presents to the Polish at Thorn, on the 24th. With the allied army significantly reduced (the Lithuanian contingent almost entirely wiped out, and the Polish force now severely lacking in heavy cavalry and thus no match for the Teutonic force, even without their mercenary and allied banners) and no time to raise another, the Polish and Lithuanian delegates are forced to agree to Ulrich's terms...
____________
Author's note: I'm exploring different writing styles. Will probably lean toward a more literary-historical writing style with annotations here at the bottom from now on. Just had to lay out the basic premise and POD's.
Next time - Ulrich's terms, Lithuania in open revolt, and the Polish Succession Crisis!
Last edited: