Intriguing update.
And if I haven't already said so feel free to use those arms and mess with as needed.
And if I haven't already said so feel free to use those arms and mess with as needed.
The Lion of the North: An Alternate History Finland
- Thread starter Olligarchy
- Start date
Some very good updates; paying Valdemar IV off is a fine way to end the rivalry/bitching over the Duchy however now King Birger is at a crossroads indeed which every medieval monarch faced at some time.
He could keep it a crown land which would need his presence at regular intervals or one of his sons (or daughters
) with the added prospect of rebellion.
That would be the prospect too if handed to a major noble like a Bååt cadet line or some such so not much difference there.
The ideal would off course be to have a royal governor who would get replaced every five years or so but that had been tried too. It might also lead to Estonian rebellion if the governor gets to bleed the country white to fill his own coffers in the limited time available.
So whats needed in the short run is like a Bååt at the outset of the TL; a very minor noble with some talent for making money with gratitude to supply his liege with tax necessary and enough common sense not to bleed his lands white but get sucked up in it and feel it like home.
Obvious problem of course being at one time this makes for a marcherlord/Duke who sees himself as the rightfull owner of the land and wanting independence.
So in the long run a row of these minor nobility who owns the liege would be preferable but still running the risk of uprising etc. when its time to replace one with the other if not nature or HIM lends a hand in which case the offspring of said demised noble may want to contest the situation.
Medieval solution - get a cleric to rule it. Dynasty forming won't be a problem as none will form though of course the way to circumwent this is to have your nephew become the new bishop to rule!
Of course these may go independent too with HIM on their side making it quite difficult to rid of...
He could keep it a crown land which would need his presence at regular intervals or one of his sons (or daughters
) with the added prospect of rebellion. That would be the prospect too if handed to a major noble like a Bååt cadet line or some such so not much difference there.
The ideal would off course be to have a royal governor who would get replaced every five years or so but that had been tried too. It might also lead to Estonian rebellion if the governor gets to bleed the country white to fill his own coffers in the limited time available.
So whats needed in the short run is like a Bååt at the outset of the TL; a very minor noble with some talent for making money with gratitude to supply his liege with tax necessary and enough common sense not to bleed his lands white but get sucked up in it and feel it like home.
Obvious problem of course being at one time this makes for a marcherlord/Duke who sees himself as the rightfull owner of the land and wanting independence.
So in the long run a row of these minor nobility who owns the liege would be preferable but still running the risk of uprising etc. when its time to replace one with the other if not nature or HIM lends a hand in which case the offspring of said demised noble may want to contest the situation.
Medieval solution - get a cleric to rule it. Dynasty forming won't be a problem as none will form though of course the way to circumwent this is to have your nephew become the new bishop to rule!
Of course these may go independent too with HIM on their side making it quite difficult to rid of...
Nobility and Aristocracy of the Kingdom of Finland (14th Century)
Whilst originally holding mostly Swedes, the Finnish aristocracy has quickly grown to hold people from all walks of life. Native Finns, Russians, Swedes, Danes, Estonians, Sami and even a few Germans hold positions of authority within the Kingdom. Whilst indeed powerful, nobility has never reached the level of authority that it holds in France or the Russian Principalities. Burghers and Clergy too hold much of the power; and we will see more of their influence on the nation in the beginning of the 15th century.
The most powerful families in the Kingdom of Finland are as follows:
Grand Duchy of Åbo and Nyland (Royal Fief)
The single most powerful and populated Duchy of them all. Most of the baronies in the Grand Duchy are under control of the King, or smaller cadet branches consisting of younger siblings and cousins of the family. Of all the fiefs, the Grand Duchy is by far the most populated and rich due to trade with the Hansa and other surrounding nations.
--Barony of Borga
--Barony of Åbo
--Barony of Kuusisto (af Munså)
--Barony of Rochensalm (Kotka)
--Barony of Naantali
--Barony of Laittila
--Barony of Salo
--Barony of Raisio
--Barony of Aura
--Barony of Esbo
--Barony of Nurmijärvi
--Barony of Vihti
--Barony of Hanko
--Barony of Porvoo
--Barony of Loviisa
Duchy of Tavastland (House Bååt)
Under the guiding hand of House Bååt, the once feared Tavastian tribe has become second in prestige only to The King himself. Though the land is not overtly rich and the populace is still quite low, the high number of levies and fortifications in the Duchy make it a keystone in central Finland.
- County of Tavastia
--Barony of Lahtis
--Barony of Birkland
--Barony of Tammerfors
- County of Savolax
--Barony of Nyslott
--Barony of Michel (Mikkeli)
- Teutonic Order (Finnish Order)*
Duchy of Savonia (House Koskinen)
Largely the same as prior to King Birgers arrival; the Savonians have been united under the House Koskinen. Still largely untouched woodland and lakes, the Duchy is still a wild and dangereous place. The only reason the duchy gets any income is the large number of hunters and good quality fur pelts they bring in for trade.
- County of Northern Savolax
-- Barony of Kuopio
-- Barony of of Joensuu
- County of Kainuu
-- Barony of Suomusalmi
-- Barony of Kajaani
-- Barony of Sotkamo
Duchy of Kvenland (House Raahe)
Whilst the Duchy of Kvenland was originally under the control of its local chieftains, in 1320 it was taken over by an immigrant from Denmark called Hans Brahe. Quickly "going native" he struck bargains and some say knives as well; and became the leading nobleman in the Duchy. Whilst the Kvens claim glorious history as kings before the Kingdom of Finland was formed; their only true contribution for now is the "Commune of Korsholm" which regulates trade between Northern Sweden and Finland, growing fat with the tariffs.
- County of Northern Ostrobothnia
-- Barony of Raahe
-- Barony of Reisjärvi
-- Barony of Alavieska
-- Barony of Pyhäjärvi
-- Barony of Pedersöre
- Commune of Korsholm
Duchy of Lappland and Kemi (House von Rohr)
By far the largest of the Duchies, Lappland hosts a large minority of the Sami peoples. At the beginning of its history the duchy was the poorest and with lowest population, but with the discovery of gold in Kittilä it has become richer. The Duchy still has a relatively low populace, but it is slowly becoming richer and more populated.
-County of Kemi
--Barony of Kemijärvi
--Barony of Keminmaa
--Barony of Kolari
--Barony of Tornio
--Barony of Ylitornio
-County of Inari
--Barony of Ivalo
--Barony of Koppelo
--Barony of Törmänen
--Barony of Keväjärvi
--Barony of Utsjoki
-County of Rovaniemi
--Barony of Salla
--Barony of Savukoski
Duchy of Karelia (House Rurikovich)
The Duchy of Karelia has a rich history of standing between the East and the West, and this is readily apparent when one enters Vyborg. Churches of Catholic and Orthodox denominations are both plainly visible and Russian is mixed with traditional Finnish or Swedish quite readily. The Duchy itself whilst de jure since start of the Kingdom was only formalized with the heavy Russian imigration at the end of 13th century. The duchy itself consits of four tribes: The Veps, The Votes ,the Ingrians and the Karelians.
-County of Vyborg
--Barony of Vyborg
--Barony of Kymi
--Barony of Enar (af Enar)
-County of Vodi
-Barony of Vodi
-County of Olonets
--Barony of Onega
--Barony of Sortavala
Duchy of the Kola (House Graan)
Unique in the Kingdom and perhaps even the world; the poor Duchy of Kola is lead by a Sami noble family; The Graan. Having sworn allegience to the Crown during the reign of King Magnus I, the King had granted the family the duchy and right to self-governance.
--Barony of Kantalahti
--Barony of Murmansk
Duchy of Estonia
Fresh off of the boat as it is; the Duchy of Estonias future is not yet decided. Despite being the smallest of the Duchies it has a relatively high population when compared to the others, and with fertile farmlands it could easily become the foodbasket of the Kingdom.
-County of Estland Proper
--Free City of Tallin
--Barony of Järvä
-County of Ösel-Wiek
--Barony of Ösel
--Barony of Wiek
*Not a vassal of the Kingdom.
Below: Map of the Duchies.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: I am bad at making maps.
Whilst originally holding mostly Swedes, the Finnish aristocracy has quickly grown to hold people from all walks of life. Native Finns, Russians, Swedes, Danes, Estonians, Sami and even a few Germans hold positions of authority within the Kingdom. Whilst indeed powerful, nobility has never reached the level of authority that it holds in France or the Russian Principalities. Burghers and Clergy too hold much of the power; and we will see more of their influence on the nation in the beginning of the 15th century.
The most powerful families in the Kingdom of Finland are as follows:
- Bååt: Holders of the Duchy of Tavastland, the Bååts trace their lineage from Sune Bååt whom fought beside King Birger I during the kingdoms founding, and have become only more popular with time. Typically skilled stewards; the family has held the position of Chancellor for the Kingdom for three successive generations and have been consolidating their hold slowly; rather than trying to bleed it dry. There currently exists two cadet branches of Bååts (aside from their Ducal title); the Count of Savolax and the Barony of Nyslott.
- Koskinen: As the former Chieftains of the Savonians; the choice for the Dukes of Savonia was obvious. Considered strange even by other Finns, the Savonians (and the Koskinen family by extentions) are rumoured to sleep with bears and hunt the very beasts with their barehands. Though holding the lowest population of the southern duchies, the Savonians have large numbers of skilled hunters whom are eager to join in as levies for a chance of plunder.
- Raahe: Or as they are more commonly known as "Brahe", are a family orginally from Danish Scania which migrated to Finland at the turn of the century. Often seen as pompous and greedy by the other families; their creation of the commune of Korsholm is still looked upon with suspicion. Could they be trying to undermine the monarchy?
- Von Rohr: A devout Swedish family which immigrated into Finland at the beginning of the 14th century; they at first seemed doomed to hold meager holdings in Kittilä, but when the local mines found gold their fortunes changed overnight. Using the gold to regain some status; they are just starting a new construction project of a Cathedral in Rovaniemi to thank God for their good fortunes.
- Rurikovich: A cadet branch of a cadet branch of the main Rurikovich line; the House was established when Konstantin Michaelovich, the son of Michael of Tver immigrated to Finland in the late 13th century. Holding onto vast swathes of territory in Karelia, they are firm supporters of the Orthodox faith and have married extensively with the Princes of Novgorod and Pskov.
- Graan: When people point to the Koskinen family and call them strange, they have a tendency to say,"At least we're not made of Grain" in jest to the House Graan. Considered by far the poorest of the nobles; the family hold the large duchy of Kola. Whilst large in size and possibly resources; they have the lowest population of all the regions in Finland due to consisting almost fully of the local Sami tribes.
Grand Duchy of Åbo and Nyland (Royal Fief)
The single most powerful and populated Duchy of them all. Most of the baronies in the Grand Duchy are under control of the King, or smaller cadet branches consisting of younger siblings and cousins of the family. Of all the fiefs, the Grand Duchy is by far the most populated and rich due to trade with the Hansa and other surrounding nations.
--Barony of Borga
--Barony of Åbo
--Barony of Kuusisto (af Munså)
--Barony of Rochensalm (Kotka)
--Barony of Naantali
--Barony of Laittila
--Barony of Salo
--Barony of Raisio
--Barony of Aura
--Barony of Esbo
--Barony of Nurmijärvi
--Barony of Vihti
--Barony of Hanko
--Barony of Porvoo
--Barony of Loviisa
Duchy of Tavastland (House Bååt)
Under the guiding hand of House Bååt, the once feared Tavastian tribe has become second in prestige only to The King himself. Though the land is not overtly rich and the populace is still quite low, the high number of levies and fortifications in the Duchy make it a keystone in central Finland.
- County of Tavastia
--Barony of Lahtis
--Barony of Birkland
--Barony of Tammerfors
- County of Savolax
--Barony of Nyslott
--Barony of Michel (Mikkeli)
- Teutonic Order (Finnish Order)*
Duchy of Savonia (House Koskinen)
Largely the same as prior to King Birgers arrival; the Savonians have been united under the House Koskinen. Still largely untouched woodland and lakes, the Duchy is still a wild and dangereous place. The only reason the duchy gets any income is the large number of hunters and good quality fur pelts they bring in for trade.
- County of Northern Savolax
-- Barony of Kuopio
-- Barony of of Joensuu
- County of Kainuu
-- Barony of Suomusalmi
-- Barony of Kajaani
-- Barony of Sotkamo
Duchy of Kvenland (House Raahe)
Whilst the Duchy of Kvenland was originally under the control of its local chieftains, in 1320 it was taken over by an immigrant from Denmark called Hans Brahe. Quickly "going native" he struck bargains and some say knives as well; and became the leading nobleman in the Duchy. Whilst the Kvens claim glorious history as kings before the Kingdom of Finland was formed; their only true contribution for now is the "Commune of Korsholm" which regulates trade between Northern Sweden and Finland, growing fat with the tariffs.
- County of Northern Ostrobothnia
-- Barony of Raahe
-- Barony of Reisjärvi
-- Barony of Alavieska
-- Barony of Pyhäjärvi
-- Barony of Pedersöre
- Commune of Korsholm
Duchy of Lappland and Kemi (House von Rohr)
By far the largest of the Duchies, Lappland hosts a large minority of the Sami peoples. At the beginning of its history the duchy was the poorest and with lowest population, but with the discovery of gold in Kittilä it has become richer. The Duchy still has a relatively low populace, but it is slowly becoming richer and more populated.
-County of Kemi
--Barony of Kemijärvi
--Barony of Keminmaa
--Barony of Kolari
--Barony of Tornio
--Barony of Ylitornio
-County of Inari
--Barony of Ivalo
--Barony of Koppelo
--Barony of Törmänen
--Barony of Keväjärvi
--Barony of Utsjoki
-County of Rovaniemi
--Barony of Salla
--Barony of Savukoski
Duchy of Karelia (House Rurikovich)
The Duchy of Karelia has a rich history of standing between the East and the West, and this is readily apparent when one enters Vyborg. Churches of Catholic and Orthodox denominations are both plainly visible and Russian is mixed with traditional Finnish or Swedish quite readily. The Duchy itself whilst de jure since start of the Kingdom was only formalized with the heavy Russian imigration at the end of 13th century. The duchy itself consits of four tribes: The Veps, The Votes ,the Ingrians and the Karelians.
-County of Vyborg
--Barony of Vyborg
--Barony of Kymi
--Barony of Enar (af Enar)
-County of Vodi
-Barony of Vodi
-County of Olonets
--Barony of Onega
--Barony of Sortavala
Duchy of the Kola (House Graan)
Unique in the Kingdom and perhaps even the world; the poor Duchy of Kola is lead by a Sami noble family; The Graan. Having sworn allegience to the Crown during the reign of King Magnus I, the King had granted the family the duchy and right to self-governance.
--Barony of Kantalahti
--Barony of Murmansk
Duchy of Estonia
Fresh off of the boat as it is; the Duchy of Estonias future is not yet decided. Despite being the smallest of the Duchies it has a relatively high population when compared to the others, and with fertile farmlands it could easily become the foodbasket of the Kingdom.
-County of Estland Proper
--Free City of Tallin
--Barony of Järvä
-County of Ösel-Wiek
--Barony of Ösel
--Barony of Wiek
*Not a vassal of the Kingdom.
Below: Map of the Duchies.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: I am bad at making maps.
Exact translation of "Muurman" from Sami. The city itself doesn't exist yet, but the Barony controls the area called Murmansk.
I decided to mostly keep the original names of the area to avoid confusion.Exact translation of "Muurman" from Sami. The city itself doesn't exist yet, but the Barony controls the area called Murmansk.
Got it. Thanks for the clarification.
Nice update; the mix of families and beliefs certainly makes for endless possibilities as the ages advance!
Warhill
Alvar Aadlik stared at the map over the shoulder of his Master; Sir Georg Pärn trying to understand what the Finnish Baron was saying. His speech was rapid and even though he attempted to illustrate with exaggerated motions of his hands on the map, it was clear that only a few in the tent really understood what he was saying.
"What is he saying?" Kalev Kask, one of the foremost remaining leaders of the rebellion asks from Sir Georg.
"He wants us to stay here at Warhill and not ride out to meet the foe." Sir Georg grunts, "Keeps talking about logistical reasons and a strategic victory."
"How does one win wars without winning battles?" Asks another man from the rear. Alvar doesn't recognize him.
As the Baron understands at least token measures of Estonian he attempts to explain, slowly this time, but whilst the languages of Finnish and Estonian can be remarkably similar there are... differences. The Finnish of today is a close bastardization of the original language spoken by the Tavastians and Finns combined with unordinary amounts of Swedish when it comes to titles and locations, with Russian mixed in for eastern territories and even German to explain warfare. By comparison Estonian had mixed in with Danish and some German, but mostly in trade, not war. This meant that whilst two peasants could quite easily bargain over the price of bread, but having nobles try to come up with a valid plan whilst explaining it to each other does come with some difficulty.
After stopping to see if the Estonian nobles have understood him, the Baron is again faced with blank faces even from Sir Georg. Sighing he considers for a moment before picking up two ship counters from the side of the table and placing them where the capitol of the Kingdom of Finland is; Borga. Alvar remembers. He first picks up one of the ships and empathically moves it from Borga to Reval and from there motions at himself, and then draws a line to Kanavere. At this the nobles nod empathically. The Finns had indeed come.
Then the baron however picks up the second ship and moves it to Ösel and Wiek. With brows being arched he continues by showing the ship moving from coastal province to coastal provinces in the western coast until he stops it at... Riga. A light of understanding comes to Sir Georg whom breaks out in a smile and begins to explain.
"The Finnish host is divided into two. We have half here, and another half has taken Saarenmaa and Hiiunmaa and is now moving for Riga."
"And?" Kask asks questioningly.
"When the army reaches Riga we will have the Order pinned on both sides with their supply lines compromised. " Just as it looks like Kask is about to speak again, Sir Georg finishes, "In short we will win. All we need do is tie the Order here and not let them move deeper into Eestinmaa. If they don't get supplies and can't forage that army down there will soon be nothing, but corpses."
"Guess we're about to find out what our new overlords are worth." One of the men at the back remarks.
----------
Outside the air seems almost crackling with lightning. Standing on top of the hill is the force consisting of nearly fourteen thousand Finns and Estonians whom have formed into a rough shield wall. Rough since most of the Estonians have absolutely no shields. As such the Baron had with the assistance of Sir Georg organized the defense so that the Finnish men-at-arms and the Estonian professionals were the ones facing towards the enemy, whilst the... auxiliary units (or the "mob" as Sir Georg had called them in private) were on the flanks in rough companies surrounding rest of the hill so that the Knights could not easily get to the rear of the professionals.
Just above and behind the men-at-arms stands another force consisting of the Finnish crossbowmen and Estonian missile troops whom are armed with a mixture of crossbows and bows. It will be their job to keep the Orders infantry from advancing fast enough to break the shieldwall.
The smallest of the forces is a group of twenty whom are surrounding the Baron himself. Smallest in number, but most certainly the most glorious in appearance. Completely cased in metal and mounted on barded warhorses that seem almost eager to charge, the Finnish Knights have been designated as the protectors of the Baron and several other notables in the army. They dot the battlefield either mounted or afoot in pairs or small groups where the leaders of the army are. There had been an additional force of several hundred lighter cavalry, but the Baron had sent them out to the countryside.
Sitting and examining the force Alvar is surprised at the difference between the two allied armies. Whilst the Estonian professionals are indeed grim faced men armed with swords, shields and even a few maces, they are mostly armoured with padded or leather armour, whereas their Finnish troops are nearly identical in appearance. Clad in chainmail with tabards and kettle helms they are looking down the hill in silence. Every now and then someone would crack a joke in the line and cause a ripple of laughter until the officer in charge would snap something.
If the Finnish troops were impressive, then the Livonian forces arrayed at the bottom of the hill were stunning. Clad in almost pure white with everyman clad in chainmail and silent; they were the epitome of Prussian discipline. Even if the infantry was enough to cause ripples of fear in the allied lines, it was the cavalry arrayed at the flanks that was enough to make one want to weep. Clad in sheer white vestments with the red cross of Livonian order emblazoned on their chests they were mounted atop fierce destriers that seemed to already be eager to trample the Finnic- armies. Though they numbered only ten thousand, it was clear which side would win in pitched battle two times out of three. The allied army was cobbled together, whereas the Order was uniform in appearance and deed. Already chants of Latin could be heard as entire companies knelt as priests would bless them.
However when a small group of riders began to head up the hill, the battle almost started prematurely. The archers and crossbows were already being notched, until the Baron motioned for everyone to stop. Riding his own destrier to the frontlines, he nodded politely to Sir Georg in an invitation for him to join the group.
-------
As we rode towards the approaching Livonians, I could feel my heart beat faster. I knew that Sir Georg had met this Burchard von Dreileben before briefly, but what kind of man would we be meeting? A fierce warrior, or a bureaucrat? Maybe a butcher of babies. No wait... that was us. The very thought makes me grimace.
As both parties come to a halt, it is only the Baron whom rides rides a bit closer, but they are both still within the range of our hearing so that there are no surprises. Burchard von Dreileben is the very image of a German Knight. Tall, with dark hair and pale eyes he has a prominent nose and the look of someone whom is as skilled in warfare as he is in diplomacy. A suitable Hockmeister for an Order such as the Livonians. The Baron by comparison is also dark haired, but he has darker eyes and even clad in his customary dark armour he looks shorter than the Hochmeister.
"I am Burchard von Dreileben, Hocmeister of the Livonian Order." The man begins in German.
"An honour. I am Baron Evert Horn of the Kingdom of Finland. You have entered the Duchy of Estonia without invitation and in the name of the Kings Valdemar the Fourth of Denmark and Birger the second of Finland I beseech you to leave these lands." Replies in the same language.
"I am afraid I cannot, we come only to restore order to these lands and bring the culprits of the massacres to justice."
"And I am afraid I cannot let you pass, by God and King I have sworn to ensure that these lands are brought to their rightful monarch." The Baron speaks. I am surprised by how calm these two men are. It is as if they were discussing the weather rather than the future of Estonia itself.
"To King Valdemar the Fourth of Denmark... or to King Birger the second?" The Hochmeister asks dryly with a raised brow.
"Afraid that is no concern of mine. My duty lies in making these lands safe and ensuring they remain free of... interventions."
"So I must pass, and you will not let me." The Hochmeister speaks sounding almost regretful, "I am afraid that we must do battle in order to settle this dispute."
"I am afraid so." The Baron replies, "Go with God Sir, I pray you survive the battle." With that the two men turned and returned to their lines.
------
I cannot remember much of the battle itself. I am told it was a brief skirmish between the two forces until the Order was commanded to retreat in good order back to the bottom of the hill itself. Clearly not having broken the lines the Hochmeister had decided to starve us to death. The problem came with the fact that the army could be supplied from the rear, but the Knights were having increasing difficulties with their supplies.
Whilst the battle itself was brief, it showed the skill of both our allies and our own veterans. Despite the Sword Brothers of the Order attempting to cut them down with the support of their own troops, our forces held the line and refused to yield ground. On the flanks the German Cavalry attempted to break through our auxiliaries, but with the reserve consisting of spear and pike men they too were harried off. The battle itself cost us 20 men-at-arms and nearly a hundred of the auxiliaries, where as the Order suffered losses of four Sword Brothers, a dozen men-at-arms and sixty ordinary soldiers. A minor skirmish it was later recorded as, but it was the strategic positioning of the army that in the end won the war for the Finns.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Decided to post this little thing rather than a timeline for today. Hope you like it.
Try as I might I could not find a map of Warhill, or any other hill so I couldn't make a map of the battle itself.
Alvar Aadlik stared at the map over the shoulder of his Master; Sir Georg Pärn trying to understand what the Finnish Baron was saying. His speech was rapid and even though he attempted to illustrate with exaggerated motions of his hands on the map, it was clear that only a few in the tent really understood what he was saying.
"What is he saying?" Kalev Kask, one of the foremost remaining leaders of the rebellion asks from Sir Georg.
"He wants us to stay here at Warhill and not ride out to meet the foe." Sir Georg grunts, "Keeps talking about logistical reasons and a strategic victory."
"How does one win wars without winning battles?" Asks another man from the rear. Alvar doesn't recognize him.
As the Baron understands at least token measures of Estonian he attempts to explain, slowly this time, but whilst the languages of Finnish and Estonian can be remarkably similar there are... differences. The Finnish of today is a close bastardization of the original language spoken by the Tavastians and Finns combined with unordinary amounts of Swedish when it comes to titles and locations, with Russian mixed in for eastern territories and even German to explain warfare. By comparison Estonian had mixed in with Danish and some German, but mostly in trade, not war. This meant that whilst two peasants could quite easily bargain over the price of bread, but having nobles try to come up with a valid plan whilst explaining it to each other does come with some difficulty.
After stopping to see if the Estonian nobles have understood him, the Baron is again faced with blank faces even from Sir Georg. Sighing he considers for a moment before picking up two ship counters from the side of the table and placing them where the capitol of the Kingdom of Finland is; Borga. Alvar remembers. He first picks up one of the ships and empathically moves it from Borga to Reval and from there motions at himself, and then draws a line to Kanavere. At this the nobles nod empathically. The Finns had indeed come.
Then the baron however picks up the second ship and moves it to Ösel and Wiek. With brows being arched he continues by showing the ship moving from coastal province to coastal provinces in the western coast until he stops it at... Riga. A light of understanding comes to Sir Georg whom breaks out in a smile and begins to explain.
"The Finnish host is divided into two. We have half here, and another half has taken Saarenmaa and Hiiunmaa and is now moving for Riga."
"And?" Kask asks questioningly.
"When the army reaches Riga we will have the Order pinned on both sides with their supply lines compromised. " Just as it looks like Kask is about to speak again, Sir Georg finishes, "In short we will win. All we need do is tie the Order here and not let them move deeper into Eestinmaa. If they don't get supplies and can't forage that army down there will soon be nothing, but corpses."
"Guess we're about to find out what our new overlords are worth." One of the men at the back remarks.
----------
Outside the air seems almost crackling with lightning. Standing on top of the hill is the force consisting of nearly fourteen thousand Finns and Estonians whom have formed into a rough shield wall. Rough since most of the Estonians have absolutely no shields. As such the Baron had with the assistance of Sir Georg organized the defense so that the Finnish men-at-arms and the Estonian professionals were the ones facing towards the enemy, whilst the... auxiliary units (or the "mob" as Sir Georg had called them in private) were on the flanks in rough companies surrounding rest of the hill so that the Knights could not easily get to the rear of the professionals.
Just above and behind the men-at-arms stands another force consisting of the Finnish crossbowmen and Estonian missile troops whom are armed with a mixture of crossbows and bows. It will be their job to keep the Orders infantry from advancing fast enough to break the shieldwall.
The smallest of the forces is a group of twenty whom are surrounding the Baron himself. Smallest in number, but most certainly the most glorious in appearance. Completely cased in metal and mounted on barded warhorses that seem almost eager to charge, the Finnish Knights have been designated as the protectors of the Baron and several other notables in the army. They dot the battlefield either mounted or afoot in pairs or small groups where the leaders of the army are. There had been an additional force of several hundred lighter cavalry, but the Baron had sent them out to the countryside.
Sitting and examining the force Alvar is surprised at the difference between the two allied armies. Whilst the Estonian professionals are indeed grim faced men armed with swords, shields and even a few maces, they are mostly armoured with padded or leather armour, whereas their Finnish troops are nearly identical in appearance. Clad in chainmail with tabards and kettle helms they are looking down the hill in silence. Every now and then someone would crack a joke in the line and cause a ripple of laughter until the officer in charge would snap something.
If the Finnish troops were impressive, then the Livonian forces arrayed at the bottom of the hill were stunning. Clad in almost pure white with everyman clad in chainmail and silent; they were the epitome of Prussian discipline. Even if the infantry was enough to cause ripples of fear in the allied lines, it was the cavalry arrayed at the flanks that was enough to make one want to weep. Clad in sheer white vestments with the red cross of Livonian order emblazoned on their chests they were mounted atop fierce destriers that seemed to already be eager to trample the Finnic- armies. Though they numbered only ten thousand, it was clear which side would win in pitched battle two times out of three. The allied army was cobbled together, whereas the Order was uniform in appearance and deed. Already chants of Latin could be heard as entire companies knelt as priests would bless them.
However when a small group of riders began to head up the hill, the battle almost started prematurely. The archers and crossbows were already being notched, until the Baron motioned for everyone to stop. Riding his own destrier to the frontlines, he nodded politely to Sir Georg in an invitation for him to join the group.
-------
As we rode towards the approaching Livonians, I could feel my heart beat faster. I knew that Sir Georg had met this Burchard von Dreileben before briefly, but what kind of man would we be meeting? A fierce warrior, or a bureaucrat? Maybe a butcher of babies. No wait... that was us. The very thought makes me grimace.
As both parties come to a halt, it is only the Baron whom rides rides a bit closer, but they are both still within the range of our hearing so that there are no surprises. Burchard von Dreileben is the very image of a German Knight. Tall, with dark hair and pale eyes he has a prominent nose and the look of someone whom is as skilled in warfare as he is in diplomacy. A suitable Hockmeister for an Order such as the Livonians. The Baron by comparison is also dark haired, but he has darker eyes and even clad in his customary dark armour he looks shorter than the Hochmeister.
"I am Burchard von Dreileben, Hocmeister of the Livonian Order." The man begins in German.
"An honour. I am Baron Evert Horn of the Kingdom of Finland. You have entered the Duchy of Estonia without invitation and in the name of the Kings Valdemar the Fourth of Denmark and Birger the second of Finland I beseech you to leave these lands." Replies in the same language.
"I am afraid I cannot, we come only to restore order to these lands and bring the culprits of the massacres to justice."
"And I am afraid I cannot let you pass, by God and King I have sworn to ensure that these lands are brought to their rightful monarch." The Baron speaks. I am surprised by how calm these two men are. It is as if they were discussing the weather rather than the future of Estonia itself.
"To King Valdemar the Fourth of Denmark... or to King Birger the second?" The Hochmeister asks dryly with a raised brow.
"Afraid that is no concern of mine. My duty lies in making these lands safe and ensuring they remain free of... interventions."
"So I must pass, and you will not let me." The Hochmeister speaks sounding almost regretful, "I am afraid that we must do battle in order to settle this dispute."
"I am afraid so." The Baron replies, "Go with God Sir, I pray you survive the battle." With that the two men turned and returned to their lines.
------
I cannot remember much of the battle itself. I am told it was a brief skirmish between the two forces until the Order was commanded to retreat in good order back to the bottom of the hill itself. Clearly not having broken the lines the Hochmeister had decided to starve us to death. The problem came with the fact that the army could be supplied from the rear, but the Knights were having increasing difficulties with their supplies.
Whilst the battle itself was brief, it showed the skill of both our allies and our own veterans. Despite the Sword Brothers of the Order attempting to cut them down with the support of their own troops, our forces held the line and refused to yield ground. On the flanks the German Cavalry attempted to break through our auxiliaries, but with the reserve consisting of spear and pike men they too were harried off. The battle itself cost us 20 men-at-arms and nearly a hundred of the auxiliaries, where as the Order suffered losses of four Sword Brothers, a dozen men-at-arms and sixty ordinary soldiers. A minor skirmish it was later recorded as, but it was the strategic positioning of the army that in the end won the war for the Finns.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Decided to post this little thing rather than a timeline for today. Hope you like it.
Try as I might I could not find a map of Warhill, or any other hill so I couldn't make a map of the battle itself.
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The Fate of Estonia
After years of plotting and planning, the Kingdom of Finland had finally gained possession of their prize: Estonia. A rich province, at least in comparison to the rest of Finland, it proved to be worth every silver mark and soldier that it had cost. Boasting a populace equal to the Grand Duchy of Åbo and Nyland, it however did have its own problems. Most of these could be traced to the rebellion, but some were simple mistakes made by the Danes (or more likely their German cronies). Many of these problems were simple to fix: cease draining the land with taxes and stop the oppression of the native populace. Easily done with the regime change, but the status of the Duchy itself remained a problem. Having officially been a royal fief, but with the German nobility remaining in control of the land itself, the Estonians were calling for a leader of their own.
For King Birger II this proved to be a problem, since there were absolutely no capable candidates that he had seen and the Duchy itself was still in a state of flux with the borders unclear. The Estonians maintained that the borders would be drawn south of Lake Peipus, but the Livonian Order proved to be unwilling to give away their lands in Dorpat. As such a stable Duchy seemed a distant utopia to the King himself. When this was combined with the insistence of the Finnish nobility on any Dukes to have either Royal or at least Ducal blood, the headache grew quite large indeed. The insistence of the Brahe family was the worst: having Danish blood they kept on insisting that they had the best claim on Estonia due to... the argument was long and complicated, but amounted to "Having Danish blood." King Birger II was finally getting tired of the Duke, and looking at the Dukes own realm he was given the tools to do so.
Several decades ago, the current Dukes father Hans Brahe had created the Commune of Korsholm which was currently filling the duchy's coffers with tarrifs and taxes. The situation in Tallinn (Formerly Reval) and the King jumped at the opportunity. Decreeing that Tallinn would be a "Free Royal City" with an elected Mayor whom answered to the King alone, he neatly took care of the biggest headache. The other problem of borders he solved by naming a certain Sir Georg Pärn to the newly created position of Rajakreivi (Margrave) and making the title "Prince of Estonia" a hereditary title passed onto the Crown Princes and Princesses.
Above: Rajakreivi Georg Pärn in his vestments as the Margrave of Estonia.
The borders of Estonia would remain in flux until the mid-point of the 15th century when the bishoriphics of Dorpat, Pernau, Fellin, Hapsal and Leal would join the Duchy at the conclusion of the 13 Years War.
Despite having nominally been conquered, the Estonians could hardly complain for much of their history. Quickly becoming an important part of the Kingdom of Finland, and its breadbasket, they became rich and with the construction of fortifications on her borders and the future naval base in Ösel and Wiek she'd stand as a strong and proud border realm on the Baltic well into the future.
After years of plotting and planning, the Kingdom of Finland had finally gained possession of their prize: Estonia. A rich province, at least in comparison to the rest of Finland, it proved to be worth every silver mark and soldier that it had cost. Boasting a populace equal to the Grand Duchy of Åbo and Nyland, it however did have its own problems. Most of these could be traced to the rebellion, but some were simple mistakes made by the Danes (or more likely their German cronies). Many of these problems were simple to fix: cease draining the land with taxes and stop the oppression of the native populace. Easily done with the regime change, but the status of the Duchy itself remained a problem. Having officially been a royal fief, but with the German nobility remaining in control of the land itself, the Estonians were calling for a leader of their own.
For King Birger II this proved to be a problem, since there were absolutely no capable candidates that he had seen and the Duchy itself was still in a state of flux with the borders unclear. The Estonians maintained that the borders would be drawn south of Lake Peipus, but the Livonian Order proved to be unwilling to give away their lands in Dorpat. As such a stable Duchy seemed a distant utopia to the King himself. When this was combined with the insistence of the Finnish nobility on any Dukes to have either Royal or at least Ducal blood, the headache grew quite large indeed. The insistence of the Brahe family was the worst: having Danish blood they kept on insisting that they had the best claim on Estonia due to... the argument was long and complicated, but amounted to "Having Danish blood." King Birger II was finally getting tired of the Duke, and looking at the Dukes own realm he was given the tools to do so.
Several decades ago, the current Dukes father Hans Brahe had created the Commune of Korsholm which was currently filling the duchy's coffers with tarrifs and taxes. The situation in Tallinn (Formerly Reval) and the King jumped at the opportunity. Decreeing that Tallinn would be a "Free Royal City" with an elected Mayor whom answered to the King alone, he neatly took care of the biggest headache. The other problem of borders he solved by naming a certain Sir Georg Pärn to the newly created position of Rajakreivi (Margrave) and making the title "Prince of Estonia" a hereditary title passed onto the Crown Princes and Princesses.
Above: Rajakreivi Georg Pärn in his vestments as the Margrave of Estonia.
The borders of Estonia would remain in flux until the mid-point of the 15th century when the bishoriphics of Dorpat, Pernau, Fellin, Hapsal and Leal would join the Duchy at the conclusion of the 13 Years War.
Despite having nominally been conquered, the Estonians could hardly complain for much of their history. Quickly becoming an important part of the Kingdom of Finland, and its breadbasket, they became rich and with the construction of fortifications on her borders and the future naval base in Ösel and Wiek she'd stand as a strong and proud border realm on the Baltic well into the future.
So far, so good. Please keep up the excellent work! I readily await the next update for that which has yet to come.
P.S. I'd like to reccommend Paint.Net to you. I can live with the simple color-border formats of all and any maps you upload, but just gonna suggest it anyways. (No price - the programs free).
P.S. I'd like to reccommend Paint.Net to you. I can live with the simple color-border formats of all and any maps you upload, but just gonna suggest it anyways. (No price - the programs free).
Thanks for the comment! Going to download the program when I get home on friday or saturday and see if I can make better maps with it.
Very nice to see and read a new update!
There just isn't an easy solution to the problem of ruling the new province though the Finn Dauphin/Prince of Wales/Hertug af Halland solution is as nice as they come.
There just isn't an easy solution to the problem of ruling the new province though the Finn Dauphin/Prince of Wales/Hertug af Halland solution is as nice as they come.
Very nice to see and read a new update!
There just isn't an easy solution to the problem of ruling the new province though the Finn Dauphin/Prince of Wales/Hertug af Halland solution is as nice as they come.
Indeed, it's nice to be back on track. I estimate you'll have the next decade update on either saturday or sunday, and after that we'll get through the 14th century by the end of the month. I'll start working on the more... challenging century early next year, and booooy will that be interesting. Will have to expand the lense a lot, with the "map" accounting for all of the Nordic region, northern parts of Russia and even some of the holy roman empire.
The Lion of the North rises from the grave!
Huh, boy am I glad to be back. Sorry for my extended absence, but things happened and then other things and well... now I am set to be married. Now I am getting back to this however, and hope to regale anyone still following with tales of the kingdom!
-----
1350s- 1360s: The End of the Reign of King Birger II and Crowning of King Erik II
Grand Duke Algirdas of Lithuania was one of the most powerful rulers of the Grand Duchy. Under his reign Lithuania grew to encompass massive lands that stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea.
A Look at the Folkungs of Sweden
Since King Birgers formation of the Kingdom of Finland the once ailing af Bjälbo dynasty was in steady growth. Whilst the Finnish branch proved to be more fertile, the Swedish branch that traced their lineage from King Valdemar (1239 -1302) managed to survive as well. The increased ties between the royal cousins and marriages with the royal families of Denmark and Norway saw the Bjälbos/Folkung become possibly the most prominent dynasty in the North.
Due to King Magnus I of Finland having married Sophia Estridsen of Denmark, King Valdemar married Princess Jutta (also known as Judith) Estridsen of Denmark, and surprisingly both marriages proved to be both happy and fruitful [1]. Valdemar had six children with Jutta, two of whom were boys (Princes Erik and Haakon) and four daughters (Ingeborg, Marina, Katarina and Margareta).
From there the Swedish branch grew in prestige and power and eventually King Magnus III [2] was crowned as the hereditary King of Norway in august of 1319, making him the most powerful man in the North. Though some Norweigians rebelled, these rebels led by Erling Vidkunsson eventually submitted and peace was restored.
In 1332 King Christopher II of Denmark died as a "King without a Country" after having pawned off his lands one by one. King Magnus III took advantage of this and bought Skåneland from him, only elevating his power. However when Magnus was crowned in Stockholm in 1336 as King of Sweden and Norway both, the Norweigians began to resent him due to the crowning as King of Norway not taking place in Norway.
In 1335 Magnus married Blanche of Namur, the daughter of Count John I, Marquis of Namur. The couple had two sons: Eric and Haakon.
Despite the Norweigians resentment, King Magnus managed to soothe the ruffeled weathers by naming many Norweigians to High positions of authority and generally making the personal union more equal for both parties. [3]
When Magnus III died in 1350, his firstborn son Erik reigned briefly as the King of Sweden and Norway, but died soon after in 1353. He was supposedly poisoned by his mother, and as such his brother Haakon rose to the throne. He married the young princess of Denmark, Margaret whom was the daughter of King Valdemar IV Atterdag.
The marrige had originally meant to act as a bridge for Haakon helping Valdemar IV gain Skåne, but due to him now being the King he found the idea of giving away his richest province quite reprehensible and denied Valdemar IV Skåne. These events would lead to the Valdemar crossing the Sound in 1360 and invading Skåne and Gotland.
Valdemar IV Atterdag (New Dawn) was one of the most powerful Kings of Denmark that sought to restore the power of the Kingdom. His wars against Sweden and Norway as well as the Hanseatic League were on an epic scale.
[1]: In OTL Valdemar married Sophia, but Jutta was his mistress.
[2]: Originally King Magnus IV in OTL, but this time descended from Valdemar rather than Magnus.
[3]: Different from OTL where Magnus IV had to make concessions due to being weakened by foreign wars, especially against Novgorod. The Crusade never happened in this timeline due to Finland acting as a border for both.
Huh, boy am I glad to be back. Sorry for my extended absence, but things happened and then other things and well... now I am set to be married.
Now I am getting back to this however, and hope to regale anyone still following with tales of the kingdom!-----
1350s- 1360s: The End of the Reign of King Birger II and Crowning of King Erik II
- When King Birger II bought Estonia from King Valdemar IV Atterdag in the 1340s, it was presumed that the Kingdom was due for a new era of prosperity and power. However when the black death reached the kingdoms borders in 1353, almost all those gains were lost.
- Thousands died, especially in the more heavily populated and agriculturally related Estonia, but the black death reached as far as the Kola where even the reindeer herding Sami felt its touch. Though no firm numbers have been given, it is estimated that around a tenth of the entire kingdom perished, the rest saved (supposedly) by God and the purging heat of Saunas.
- Before his death due to the plague in 1353, King Birger II had a final act to his name: he granted Vantaa its town charter and fishing rights. With his death and brief reign, his second son Erik II was crowned as the King of Finland, Grand-Duke of Åbo and Nyland and Lord of the North. Due to being a minor of ten, the Rälssi formed a Regency Council with Erik's Queen Mother Vasilisa Simeonova of Novgorod as the Queen-Regent.
- The Reign of the Regency Council is mostly remebered for the plague itself, but nobody can truly name anything to blame them of it. The Queen Regent and the leading nobles of the Rälssi lead the country as best they could under what they saw as being the wrath of God, until 1357 when Erik II came of age.
- Originally Erik II was bethrothed to Princess Catherine Estridsen of Denmark, but when she died before the marriage could take place, Erik I instead married Agrypina Gediminids, the daughter of Grand Duke Algirdas of Lithuania. The historical links would eventually be the cause for many conflicts when the Grand Duchy was joined with the Kingdom of Poland.
Grand Duke Algirdas of Lithuania was one of the most powerful rulers of the Grand Duchy. Under his reign Lithuania grew to encompass massive lands that stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea.
- With the 50s coming to an end, the Kingdom was slowly recovering from the Black Death and preparing for what would be the stormy 60s with wars and the decline of the Folkung dynasty.
A Look at the Folkungs of Sweden
Since King Birgers formation of the Kingdom of Finland the once ailing af Bjälbo dynasty was in steady growth. Whilst the Finnish branch proved to be more fertile, the Swedish branch that traced their lineage from King Valdemar (1239 -1302) managed to survive as well. The increased ties between the royal cousins and marriages with the royal families of Denmark and Norway saw the Bjälbos/Folkung become possibly the most prominent dynasty in the North.
Due to King Magnus I of Finland having married Sophia Estridsen of Denmark, King Valdemar married Princess Jutta (also known as Judith) Estridsen of Denmark, and surprisingly both marriages proved to be both happy and fruitful [1]. Valdemar had six children with Jutta, two of whom were boys (Princes Erik and Haakon) and four daughters (Ingeborg, Marina, Katarina and Margareta).
From there the Swedish branch grew in prestige and power and eventually King Magnus III [2] was crowned as the hereditary King of Norway in august of 1319, making him the most powerful man in the North. Though some Norweigians rebelled, these rebels led by Erling Vidkunsson eventually submitted and peace was restored.
In 1332 King Christopher II of Denmark died as a "King without a Country" after having pawned off his lands one by one. King Magnus III took advantage of this and bought Skåneland from him, only elevating his power. However when Magnus was crowned in Stockholm in 1336 as King of Sweden and Norway both, the Norweigians began to resent him due to the crowning as King of Norway not taking place in Norway.
In 1335 Magnus married Blanche of Namur, the daughter of Count John I, Marquis of Namur. The couple had two sons: Eric and Haakon.
Despite the Norweigians resentment, King Magnus managed to soothe the ruffeled weathers by naming many Norweigians to High positions of authority and generally making the personal union more equal for both parties. [3]
When Magnus III died in 1350, his firstborn son Erik reigned briefly as the King of Sweden and Norway, but died soon after in 1353. He was supposedly poisoned by his mother, and as such his brother Haakon rose to the throne. He married the young princess of Denmark, Margaret whom was the daughter of King Valdemar IV Atterdag.
The marrige had originally meant to act as a bridge for Haakon helping Valdemar IV gain Skåne, but due to him now being the King he found the idea of giving away his richest province quite reprehensible and denied Valdemar IV Skåne. These events would lead to the Valdemar crossing the Sound in 1360 and invading Skåne and Gotland.
Valdemar IV Atterdag (New Dawn) was one of the most powerful Kings of Denmark that sought to restore the power of the Kingdom. His wars against Sweden and Norway as well as the Hanseatic League were on an epic scale.
[1]: In OTL Valdemar married Sophia, but Jutta was his mistress.
[2]: Originally King Magnus IV in OTL, but this time descended from Valdemar rather than Magnus.
[3]: Different from OTL where Magnus IV had to make concessions due to being weakened by foreign wars, especially against Novgorod. The Crusade never happened in this timeline due to Finland acting as a border for both.
Nice to see the TL back and a fine update indeed.
Getting married..!!! Now really - didn't you pay attention to your father telling you to getting engaged every now and then but never marry!
Congratulations.
Getting married..!!! Now really - didn't you pay attention to your father telling you to getting engaged every now and then but never marry!
Congratulations.
Nice to see the TL back and a fine update indeed.
Getting married..!!! Now really - didn't you pay attention to your father telling you to getting engaged every now and then but never marry!
Congratulations.
Thank you very much!
I did pay attention, but my father always told me to do the right thing so it seems I will end up being hictched.
Not that I mind since she's a lovely girl and we are very happy together.Oh right, which format do you guys prefer... the old one with bullet points or the experimental one about the Folkung?
katchen
Banned
Nobility and Aristocracy of the Kingdom of Finland (14th Century)
Whilst originally holding mostly Swedes, the Finnish aristocracy has quickly grown to hold people from all walks of life. Native Finns, Russians, Swedes, Danes, Estonians, Sami and even a few Germans hold positions of authority within the Kingdom. Whilst indeed powerful, nobility has never reached the level of authority that it holds in France or the Russian Principalities. Burghers and Clergy too hold much of the power; and we will see more of their influence on the nation in the beginning of the 15th century.
The most powerful families in the Kingdom of Finland are as follows:
- Bååt: Holders of the Duchy of Tavastland, the Bååts trace their lineage from Sune Bååt whom fought beside King Birger I during the kingdoms founding, and have become only more popular with time. Typically skilled stewards; the family has held the position of Chancellor for the Kingdom for three successive generations and have been consolidating their hold slowly; rather than trying to bleed it dry. There currently exists two cadet branches of Bååts (aside from their Ducal title); the Count of Savolax and the Barony of Nyslott.
- Koskinen: As the former Chieftains of the Savonians; the choice for the Dukes of Savonia was obvious. Considered strange even by other Finns, the Savonians (and the Koskinen family by extentions) are rumoured to sleep with bears and hunt the very beasts with their barehands. Though holding the lowest population of the southern duchies, the Savonians have large numbers of skilled hunters whom are eager to join in as levies for a chance of plunder.
- Raahe: Or as they are more commonly known as "Brahe", are a family orginally from Danish Scania which migrated to Finland at the turn of the century. Often seen as pompous and greedy by the other families; their creation of the commune of Korsholm is still looked upon with suspicion. Could they be trying to undermine the monarchy?
- Von Rohr: A devout Swedish family which immigrated into Finland at the beginning of the 14th century; they at first seemed doomed to hold meager holdings in Kittilä, but when the local mines found gold their fortunes changed overnight. Using the gold to regain some status; they are just starting a new construction project of a Cathedral in Rovaniemi to thank God for their good fortunes.
- Rurikovich: A cadet branch of a cadet branch of the main Rurikovich line; the House was established when Konstantin Michaelovich, the son of Michael of Tver immigrated to Finland in the late 13th century. Holding onto vast swathes of territory in Karelia, they are firm supporters of the Orthodox faith and have married extensively with the Princes of Novgorod and Pskov.
- Graan: When people point to the Koskinen family and call them strange, they have a tendency to say,"At least we're not made of Grain" in jest to the House Graan. Considered by far the poorest of the nobles; the family hold the large duchy of Kola. Whilst large in size and possibly resources; they have the lowest population of all the regions in Finland due to consisting almost fully of the local Sami tribes.
Grand Duchy of Åbo and Nyland (Royal Fief)
The single most powerful and populated Duchy of them all. Most of the baronies in the Grand Duchy are under control of the King, or smaller cadet branches consisting of younger siblings and cousins of the family. Of all the fiefs, the Grand Duchy is by far the most populated and rich due to trade with the Hansa and other surrounding nations.
--Barony of Borga
--Barony of Åbo
--Barony of Kuusisto (af Munså)
--Barony of Rochensalm (Kotka)
--Barony of Naantali
--Barony of Laittila
--Barony of Salo
--Barony of Raisio
--Barony of Aura
--Barony of Esbo
--Barony of Nurmijärvi
--Barony of Vihti
--Barony of Hanko
--Barony of Porvoo
--Barony of Loviisa
Duchy of Tavastland (House Bååt)
Under the guiding hand of House Bååt, the once feared Tavastian tribe has become second in prestige only to The King himself. Though the land is not overtly rich and the populace is still quite low, the high number of levies and fortifications in the Duchy make it a keystone in central Finland.
- County of Tavastia
--Barony of Lahtis
--Barony of Birkland
--Barony of Tammerfors
- County of Savolax
--Barony of Nyslott
--Barony of Michel (Mikkeli)
- Teutonic Order (Finnish Order)*
Duchy of Savonia (House Koskinen)
Largely the same as prior to King Birgers arrival; the Savonians have been united under the House Koskinen. Still largely untouched woodland and lakes, the Duchy is still a wild and dangereous place. The only reason the duchy gets any income is the large number of hunters and good quality fur pelts they bring in for trade.
- County of Northern Savolax
-- Barony of Kuopio
-- Barony of of Joensuu
- County of Kainuu
-- Barony of Suomusalmi
-- Barony of Kajaani
-- Barony of Sotkamo
Duchy of Kvenland (House Raahe)
Whilst the Duchy of Kvenland was originally under the control of its local chieftains, in 1320 it was taken over by an immigrant from Denmark called Hans Brahe. Quickly "going native" he struck bargains and some say knives as well; and became the leading nobleman in the Duchy. Whilst the Kvens claim glorious history as kings before the Kingdom of Finland was formed; their only true contribution for now is the "Commune of Korsholm" which regulates trade between Northern Sweden and Finland, growing fat with the tariffs.
- County of Northern Ostrobothnia
-- Barony of Raahe
-- Barony of Reisjärvi
-- Barony of Alavieska
-- Barony of Pyhäjärvi
-- Barony of Pedersöre
- Commune of Korsholm
Duchy of Lappland and Kemi (House von Rohr)
By far the largest of the Duchies, Lappland hosts a large minority of the Sami peoples. At the beginning of its history the duchy was the poorest and with lowest population, but with the discovery of gold in Kittilä it has become richer. The Duchy still has a relatively low populace, but it is slowly becoming richer and more populated.
-County of Kemi
--Barony of Kemijärvi
--Barony of Keminmaa
--Barony of Kolari
--Barony of Tornio
--Barony of Ylitornio
-County of Inari
--Barony of Ivalo
--Barony of Koppelo
--Barony of Törmänen
--Barony of Keväjärvi
--Barony of Utsjoki
-County of Rovaniemi
--Barony of Salla
--Barony of Savukoski
Duchy of Karelia (House Rurikovich)
The Duchy of Karelia has a rich history of standing between the East and the West, and this is readily apparent when one enters Vyborg. Churches of Catholic and Orthodox denominations are both plainly visible and Russian is mixed with traditional Finnish or Swedish quite readily. The Duchy itself whilst de jure since start of the Kingdom was only formalized with the heavy Russian imigration at the end of 13th century. The duchy itself consits of four tribes: The Veps, The Votes ,the Ingrians and the Karelians.
-County of Vyborg
--Barony of Vyborg
--Barony of Kymi
--Barony of Enar (af Enar)
-County of Vodi
-Barony of Vodi
-County of Olonets
--Barony of Onega
--Barony of Sortavala
Duchy of the Kola (House Graan)
Unique in the Kingdom and perhaps even the world; the poor Duchy of Kola is lead by a Sami noble family; The Graan. Having sworn allegience to the Crown during the reign of King Magnus I, the King had granted the family the duchy and right to self-governance.
--Barony of Kantalahti
--Barony of Murmansk
Duchy of Estonia
Fresh off of the boat as it is; the Duchy of Estonias future is not yet decided. Despite being the smallest of the Duchies it has a relatively high population when compared to the others, and with fertile farmlands it could easily become the foodbasket of the Kingdom.
-County of Estland Proper
--Free City of Tallin
--Barony of Järvä
-County of Ösel-Wiek
--Barony of Ösel
--Barony of Wiek
*Not a vassal of the Kingdom.
Below: Map of the Duchies.
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Note: I am bad at making maps.
"Barony of Brahe"
So that's where the family of Tycho Brahe the astronomer got their money!
Also: I don't mean to nitpick, but you might want to leave the sk off of Murman. Neither Novgorod nor Muscovy rule Murman in this TL and sk is a slavic designation for a place name.
Will do as you suggest in the following updates.
And feel free to nitpick, all commentary is appreciated.Having said that, Murman is going to be a very important window on the world for Finlandia in the future. A great place for Finlandia to build a navy.
I thought so too, due to the Sound being controlled by the Danes, the Finns will more than likely establish a strong naval base at Kola/Kuola to build a bluewater navy. Might have some friction with Norweigians over the matter though.
1360s - 1370s: The New Dawn of Denmark
"What days we live in!"
-Unknown Dane fighting for the Atterdag
With the deaths of Magnus III and Erik, the last member of the Folkung dynasty remaining in Sweden was Haakon VI of Sweden and Norway. Previously having planned on aiding King Valdemar IV Atterdag take over Skåne, he had married his youngest daughter Margaret to solidify the alliance. However when he became the King he suddenly had no interest in giving his lands to a foreigner. As such, in April 1360, the Atterdag crossed the sound with an army of twelve thousand men and began to siege Halland, Blekinge and Skåne.
With Danes within his lands, King Haakon called his banners to him and marched south with a force of some ten thousand. His force was purely Swedish one. As to the reason there are several theories, one of which being that the Norweigian nobles had no desire to fight a "Swedish war", or the simple pressures of logistics of mustering Norweigian troops so far from their own borders in a short period of time. Whatever the reason, in the end the Swedish armies met the Danish ones alone.
Of the battle itself there are previous few recollections, but what is known that Atterdag himself lead the Danish army, whilst Haakon lead the Swedish host in battle. The end result was a devastating defeat for the Swedes. When King Haakon died during the battle the host was thrown into confusion and if not for the decisive leadership of Bo Johanson Grip, the host would've certainly been destroyed completely. Grip managed to lead the host into strategic retreat after it became clear that the wily Atterdag was gaining ground.
With King Haakon's death, his infant son Olaf became the King of Norway; a position which was hereditary, but in Sweden a power struggle ensued. The Houses of Wasa, Grip, Oxenstierna, Tott, Brask, Bonde, Bielke and Sture began to vie for power. Some would suggest giving the crown to the only remaining branch of the Folkung line; King Erik II of Finland. The Swedish throne would remain contested until the beginning of the 70s.
Fresh from his victory, the Atterdag pressed his advantage and sailed to Gotland with a host of several thousand and captured Visby. At the aftermath of the siege, the citizens of Visby gathered their precious belongins and gave them to the invaders to save them from a sack. Whilst the conquest wasn't the most bloody in history, several churches and monasteries were still plundered for wealth. Declaring himself King of Gotland, the Atterdag sailed back to Denmark, having achieved a total victory.
Atterdag holding Visby Ransom.
However little did he know that in his victories were also the seeds of his defeat. By sacking Visby, a Hanseatic city he had made an enemy of the League. Whilst their initial conflict in 1362 known as the Battle of Helsingborg was a decisive victory for the Danes, the League merely signed the treaty of Vordinborg in order to lick their wounds and replenish their numbers... and alliances.
Back in Norway, Olaf II was being raised with his mother Margaret as regent. With the politics of Scandinavia in flux Atterdag had him brought to Copenhagen in order to ensure that Norway would not participate in the conflict to come. This would eventually result in Olaf II being a Folkung in only name, with his mannerism and education being fit for an Estridsen.
For five long years an uneasy peace reigned in the North. With Sweden in conflict with itself, Norway ruled by an infant king and the Danes celebrating their victorie, but when the cities of the Hanseatic League created the Confederation of Cologne to battle the Danes and signed a compact with Finland and Sweden, the war started anew.
With what Swedish armies remained attacking Skåne, the Finnish fleet sailing for Gotland and claiming Visby and the Confederations fleet ensuring their dominance of the Sound, the Danes were eventually forced into submission. The stipulations of the Treaty of Straslund (1370) granted Gotland back to Sweden, restored trade privilidges to the Hanseatic League and Finland gaining war reparations from Denmark, the anual income of Gotland from Sweden for a period of five years and war subsidies from the League for several more years.
The Treaty of Straslund attempted to restore the balance of Power in the North. In the long run however it was unable to stop the cascading succession issues that would plague rest of the century.
However the large prize of Skåne, Blekinge and Halland Denmark managed to keep, and though the Atterdag was weakened, he was far from defeated.
----------
Whew, new update with a new format. Everyone give me your thoughts!
Also, a vote is now in place... who should the Swedish Riksdag select as the new King of Sweden? Options are many, and all will have consequences... but what those are I leave into your hands.
"What days we live in!"
-Unknown Dane fighting for the Atterdag
With the deaths of Magnus III and Erik, the last member of the Folkung dynasty remaining in Sweden was Haakon VI of Sweden and Norway. Previously having planned on aiding King Valdemar IV Atterdag take over Skåne, he had married his youngest daughter Margaret to solidify the alliance. However when he became the King he suddenly had no interest in giving his lands to a foreigner. As such, in April 1360, the Atterdag crossed the sound with an army of twelve thousand men and began to siege Halland, Blekinge and Skåne.
With Danes within his lands, King Haakon called his banners to him and marched south with a force of some ten thousand. His force was purely Swedish one. As to the reason there are several theories, one of which being that the Norweigian nobles had no desire to fight a "Swedish war", or the simple pressures of logistics of mustering Norweigian troops so far from their own borders in a short period of time. Whatever the reason, in the end the Swedish armies met the Danish ones alone.
Of the battle itself there are previous few recollections, but what is known that Atterdag himself lead the Danish army, whilst Haakon lead the Swedish host in battle. The end result was a devastating defeat for the Swedes. When King Haakon died during the battle the host was thrown into confusion and if not for the decisive leadership of Bo Johanson Grip, the host would've certainly been destroyed completely. Grip managed to lead the host into strategic retreat after it became clear that the wily Atterdag was gaining ground.
With King Haakon's death, his infant son Olaf became the King of Norway; a position which was hereditary, but in Sweden a power struggle ensued. The Houses of Wasa, Grip, Oxenstierna, Tott, Brask, Bonde, Bielke and Sture began to vie for power. Some would suggest giving the crown to the only remaining branch of the Folkung line; King Erik II of Finland. The Swedish throne would remain contested until the beginning of the 70s.
Fresh from his victory, the Atterdag pressed his advantage and sailed to Gotland with a host of several thousand and captured Visby. At the aftermath of the siege, the citizens of Visby gathered their precious belongins and gave them to the invaders to save them from a sack. Whilst the conquest wasn't the most bloody in history, several churches and monasteries were still plundered for wealth. Declaring himself King of Gotland, the Atterdag sailed back to Denmark, having achieved a total victory.
Atterdag holding Visby Ransom.
However little did he know that in his victories were also the seeds of his defeat. By sacking Visby, a Hanseatic city he had made an enemy of the League. Whilst their initial conflict in 1362 known as the Battle of Helsingborg was a decisive victory for the Danes, the League merely signed the treaty of Vordinborg in order to lick their wounds and replenish their numbers... and alliances.
Back in Norway, Olaf II was being raised with his mother Margaret as regent. With the politics of Scandinavia in flux Atterdag had him brought to Copenhagen in order to ensure that Norway would not participate in the conflict to come. This would eventually result in Olaf II being a Folkung in only name, with his mannerism and education being fit for an Estridsen.
For five long years an uneasy peace reigned in the North. With Sweden in conflict with itself, Norway ruled by an infant king and the Danes celebrating their victorie, but when the cities of the Hanseatic League created the Confederation of Cologne to battle the Danes and signed a compact with Finland and Sweden, the war started anew.
With what Swedish armies remained attacking Skåne, the Finnish fleet sailing for Gotland and claiming Visby and the Confederations fleet ensuring their dominance of the Sound, the Danes were eventually forced into submission. The stipulations of the Treaty of Straslund (1370) granted Gotland back to Sweden, restored trade privilidges to the Hanseatic League and Finland gaining war reparations from Denmark, the anual income of Gotland from Sweden for a period of five years and war subsidies from the League for several more years.
The Treaty of Straslund attempted to restore the balance of Power in the North. In the long run however it was unable to stop the cascading succession issues that would plague rest of the century.
However the large prize of Skåne, Blekinge and Halland Denmark managed to keep, and though the Atterdag was weakened, he was far from defeated.
----------
Whew, new update with a new format. Everyone give me your thoughts!
Also, a vote is now in place... who should the Swedish Riksdag select as the new King of Sweden? Options are many, and all will have consequences... but what those are I leave into your hands.
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