Having been doing some reading lately on the early Medieval times I have felt a need to revise parts of this TL. The edits are mainly on the matters of religion and trade of the times, but these tend to alter the TL quite a bit.
Here goes:
In earlier days, before the invention of the telephone, you’d go visiting friends and relatives when arriving at a new place. Or if you were lucky you might have obtained a written introduction to someone important, that would give you access to a wide range of opportunities. And place you in the centre of events.
Denmark has always been on the periphery of Europe and only on few occasions have this minor power had decisive influence on the chain of events that were to shape the fate of Europe.
One of these occasions developed, or rather could have developed in 810.
In 810 the Frankish empire had already been divided twice since the coming of the Carolingians to power in 687.
It will be divided several times again from 840 to 887 where it is broken up for good.
The Danish King Godfrey would in 810, brag about “visiting” the Emperor in his capital of Aachen. Godfrey had been at odds with the Emperor Charlemagne since 804, when Charlemagne finally settled his score with the Saxons. In 810 Godfrey is on an expedition to Frisland extracting tribute of Charlemagne’s subjects. It is at the time of this event that Godfrey brag about visiting the emperor in Aachen. Shortly afterwards Godfrey is killed by one of his Hird (personal armed force). The threat to the Emperor has been removed.
The Frankish empire in 810:
Charlemagne had been crowned Holy Roman Emperor on Christmas Eve 800. As such he held powers as both head of state and head of church! He was the sole decision-maker on who’d be prince or bishop.
Charlemagne placed his sons in different parts of the empire as rulers, perhaps trying to make transition into post-Charlemagne time easier, around 806.
Charles rules Neustria (comprised of northern France, Frisland, Saxony, Hesse and Franconia), Pippin rules in Italy and Louis the Pious rules in Aquitaine with Septimania, Provence, the Spanish March and part of Burgundy. Pippin dies on July 8. 810, but his son Bernhard continues the reign until 818 when he is captured, blinded and killed by his uncles.
Internal trouble spots:
The Langobards in Italy: Conquered in 774 and several counts and dukes still in office, i.e. Friuli, Benevent, and Spoleto.
Bavaria. The Duke and family disposed of in 788. Bavarian settlers are moving into Lower Austria and Carinthia. Later in the HRE Bavaria is going to be a trouble spot.
Saxony: The area of several campaigns and uprisings from 772 to 804; finally conquered in 804. King Sigfred of Denmark was militarily supporting the Saxons during the uprisings.
Europe in 810:
The Viking raids have been going on since 787.
The Muslims are settled in Spain with the remnants of the Visigoth Kingdom in the Northeast; now named Asturias and preparing La Reconquista.
The Bulgarians are giving the Byzantine a tough time.
The Arabs in the Middle East are in internal strife.
The Arab pirates and Magyars are yet to appear in the years 826 and 862 respectively.
The Byzantine are under pressure from the Bulgarians and later the Arabs, and will not have an impact until 885.
Scandinavia, origin of the Vikings, is divided into the Kingdom of Denmark, being much more than Denmark of today, incorporating Denmark, Sleswig, Scania, Halland on the West coast of Sweden, and Viken of Southern Norway. Norway consists of a Danish part in the South, Viken, and a number of independent Earldoms in the West and North. Sweden isn’t formed yet either, but in Southern Sweden a Gothic Kingdom of West – East – Smaaland – and the island of Öland hold sway. North of this are a number of independent princedoms.
Scandinavia is religiously comprised of shamanist, Old Norse religion (Asa paganism), Arian Christianity and Greek-Orthodoxy. The peoples are to a great extent shamanist and Arian Christians with these beliefs stressing of equality but the ruling classes are adopting the Greek-Orthodoxy replacing the Asa paganism because of the elitism supported by these beliefs.
Weaved through all these different peoples and lands are trade, procuring goods for the wealthy, needed items for the not so wealthy and a means to explore the world. The traders are a fund of good tales, expensive goods from far away, easy to plunder as they travel through foreign lands – this forcing them to be adept with a sword or an axe! To these peoples no religion is foreign, and they are willing to adapt to the situation. Those wanting to trade are also willing to adapt and so traders are often allowed to trade with both sides of a conflict!
King Godfrey is, as already written, killed in 810 and Denmark plunges into dynastic strife. This occupies the Danish Royal family from 811 to 828 with the occasional Frankish intervention. In the time thereafter the Vikings run rampant all over Northern Europe and then come the conquest of England. But in 881 the Vikings sack Aachen, burn the palace of Charlemagne and uses the Maria church for stables. So in the end the Danes did pay a visit to the Emperors.
POD:
But, WI Godfrey in 810 took beyond bragging? If he is detected on the way to sacking Aachen it would merely be another victim of a Viking raid. Yes a loss of prestige on the part of Charlemagne, but he would be rallying troops to strike back. But if Godfrey is able to arrive in Aachen undetected or so speedily, that nobody is able to say “Constantinople”, then he may catch Charlemagne in his palace. With Charlemagne out of the way, what happens next? A lot of butterflies! These will be slowly spreading the effect outwards from Aachen, during the following centuries.
My scenario is that Godfrey’s ships are closing on Aachen undetected, and Charlemagne is killed by Godfreys Vikings. Godfrey loots the city and sails back down the Maas to Frisland that is made a dependency of Denmark.
When word of what happened in Aachen gets around, Saxony rebels and the duke of Bavaria goes for independence.
If Pippin, in Italy, isn’t dead by disease by now, he lifts the siege of Vienna and takes on the quelling of Langobard unrest all over Italy. His son Bernhard is sent to Friuli to watch the Bavarian Duke.
Charles in Neustria has his hands full, gathering an army to quell the uprising in Saxony and regain Frisland. Louis in Aquitaine is the only one not having an immediate uprising on his hands.
Louis leaves his eldest son Lothair in charge in Aquitaine and goes for Austrasia, hoping for Pippin and Charles to be occupied long enough, for him to be in control of the major part of the Empire.
Godfrey sail from Frisland to Saxony and is recognized as overlord and he promises to support the Saxon struggle. He then sails into the Channel raiding the coast of Neustria to the utmost. Then he turns north, sail up the Schelde and meet Charles’ army at Tournai. With the Viking army in front of the burning city Charles’ army is already demoralized and is easily defeated by Godfrey. Godfrey then sail back to Saxony and extracts tribute.
In Italy the Langobard Dukes are going for independence, but not being able to elect one as king, Pippin and Bernhard comes out victorious. Pippin however dies during the campaign leaving Italy to Bernhard.
Charles goes on assembling a new army amid rebellious nobles and Viking raids. The news of the death of Charlemagne has prompted every Viking able to hold a sword to go to France for loot.
In the end Charles gets his army going and moves into Frisland reincorporating the Frisians into his kingdom. Then Charles decides to go for Austrasia and move south into Lorraine to catch up with Louis.
With Charles and Louis in Franconia negotiating the title of Emperor, Bernhard with his Frankish – Langobard army crosses the Alpes into Bavaria. Bernhard halts in Bavaria waiting for his uncles to finish their negotiations, and securing the Dukedom for himself.
Charles and Louis aren’t able to come to terms so battle is joined at Ingelheim. Charles is victorious; Louis is killed in the battle. Charles is proclaimed King of the Franks.
811 Charles rounds up Louis’ sons in Aquitaine and take them to the court in Ingelheim. Charles dies suddenly, leaving Bernhard sole surviving adult male in succession. Bernhard move into Ingelheim and is proclaimed King. He keeps Louis’ sons and his half brothers at court. His aunts meanwhile are running wild all over Christian Europe searching for matching husbands now that Charlemagne is dead.
Possible grooms would be the kings of Wessex, Northumbria, Mercia and Asturias, Dukes of the various Frankish lands and in Langobard Italy and other great nobles.
Saxony has, with the help of King Godfrey thrown out the Frankish lords and clergy and recognizes Godfrey of Denmark as overlord and Duke to whom it pays tribute.
Frisland also recognizes Godfrey as overlord. In both countries sons of Godfrey’s brothers is made rulers. Sigfred is Duke in Saxony, Hankwin in Frisland.
Other sons and relatives are making raids on both sides of the English Channel. Godfrey himself is in the Slav lands south of the Baltic, making the Slavs recognize him as overlord and pay tribute.
With Saxony and Frisland under control of Denmark and the Frankish nobility in different parts of the Empire in revolt, Bernhard spends the year putting down uprisings all over the Empire.
In the east the Byzantine army is annihilated in the Balkan Mountains and the Emperor Nikeforos is killed. His brother, Michael 1, becomes Emperor.
812 Godfrey is again pillaging the Frankish coast.
Bernhard is busy putting down uprisings. He is having Louis son Lothair with him on campaign.
The Saxons raids Franconia and gains a foothold on the Baltic coast by pushing the Slavic Abodrites east out of Holstein.
The Bulgars capture the fortress Mesembria.
813 The Saxon raids have made the nobility in Franconia and Lorraine more willing to accept Bernhard’s kingship. Because of the expelling of Catholic clergy from Saxony the bishops support Bernhard and he is able to raise and lead an army into Saxony. The Saxons is reinforced by the Danes and Bernhard’s army is repulsed. The Danes pillage the Channel coast.
The Bulgars reaches Constantinople and the Byzantine army brings down Emperor Michael 1. An Armenian general Leo 5. is made Emperor. The Bulgarians capture Adrianoble.
Al Mamun’s army captures Bagdad and murders the caliph Al Amin after his surrender. Al Mamun becomes caliph.
814 Bernhard returns to Saxony. On the march he encounters a Saxon raiding force and descends on it, totally annihilating it. He then makes a short incursion into the Saxon territory looting and burning. Upon returning to Franconia, he begins to build a number of castles to watch the Saxons.
The unrest in the Frankish Empire is taking on new steam, as the husbands of Charlemagne’s daughters are making themselves of notice.
The Saxons are busy pushing the Slavs east along the Baltic coast. Godfrey who takes part in the Saxon campaign is killed in battle. The Saxons renounce the Danish overlord ship and Sigfred is elected King of the Saxons. In Denmark there is strife within the Royal family as to who is to succeed Godfrey.
Peace is made between the Byzantine Empire and the Bulgar Khan.
815 The new Saxon king Sigfred immediately put Lothair to the test by attacking a number of forts on the Saxon – Frankish border. The forts hold and Sigfred give up the sieges. On return to Saxony Sigfred dies in a hunting accident and his brother Harold is elected King of the Saxons. Bernhard also sends an embassy to the Pope to get support for war against the heretic Saxons. The Pope is sympathetic to Bernhards plea, and asks Bishops and Priests to rally peoples to the Frankish cause or at least donate money for it.
817 Lothair is made Duke of Lorraine and given the task of watching the Frisians and Saxons. Lothairs brother Pippin is made Duke of Aquitaine and his brother Louis Duke of Bavaria and Count of Friuli.
Bernhard goes to the Channel coast to renew Charlemagne’s coastal defences as the Danes are still active.
The Avars in Pannonia is again making them noticeable, raiding Bavaria.
818 The War of Succession in Denmark is ended with Horik, son of Godfrey, being victorious.
King Horik has begun making attacks on England and goes to Saxony to enlist troops for the campaign. Harold protest, but the prospect of loot is convincing and many adventurous Saxons follow Horik.
819 Duke Louis of Bavaria/Friuli effectively destroys the Avar remnants in Pannonia.
820 King Bernhard is having his hands full. Duke Pippin declares independence in Aquitaine. Duke Louis does the same thing in Bavaria/Friuli and the husbands of Bernhard’s aunt’s are going for it! And the results of the Papal help are meagre.
822 The Frankish empire is breaking up. Bernhard is still holding on to the majority of Austrasia and Neustria (Germany and northern France) but Aquitaine and Bavaria/Friuli are independent Duchies.
Burgundy is also taking advantage of the situation and its Duke declares independence. The various states and Duchies of Italy are engaged in rivalries for the Kingdom of Italy.
825 The Danes are pillaging the English countryside with the aid of numerous Saxons. At the same time Saxons are moving east along the Baltic shore into Mecklenburg. Occasional raids into Frankish lands are also undertaken.
In the Frankish lands Aquitaine is making ties with Asturias in northern Spain, aiding in the fight with the Muslims. Aquitaine and Asturias thus secure the goodwill of the Papacy fighting the infidel in a just war and not carrying arms against their fellow Christians. The Pope asks his flock to support this war.
Burgundy and Bavaria are fighting it out in Italy for dominance of the Italian city states. But nothing decisive is obtained by either and the Italian city states revert to virtual independence.
Bernhard is still going along with Lothair and is fighting the uprisings in Neustria and Austrasia as they occur. His aunts are still stirring up tensions.
826 Duke Lothair moves into Saxony, on the instigation of King Harold, who wants to make himself independent of Horik. Harold is baptized a Catholic but Lothair and Harolds army is routed at Verden by a joint Danish – Saxon force led by Horik. Harold is dethroned and Horik elected King of Saxony.
The Arab raiders take Crete and turn it into a pirate base.
827 An Arab army lands in Sicily.
Danish and Saxon forces raids Franconia.
Harold is set up in the northern part of Thüringa by Duke Lothair, to bolster the defences against Horik.
Danes and Saxons are establishing themselves in Kent.
828 King Horik moves into Saxony picking up reinforcements and leads a large scale raid into Lorraine. Harold marches to the aid of Duke Lothair, but his force is routed at Cologne.
The second war in Italy between Burgundy and Bavaria/Friuli. Still there is no decisive result.
829 Egbert of Wessex is recognized as King of all England except Kent, which is the base of the Danes (and Saxons).
830 Duke Lothair with aid of his aunts husbands’ rebel against King Bernhard. Bernhard is briefly in control of central Austrasia only, but soon regains strength and allies. With the “aid” of a large scale Danish raid on Paris, Bernhard is able to resume power and Lothair pays homage.
The Caliph Al Mamun initiates war on Byzantium. Byzantium is on the defensive until 863.
831 Palermo in Sicily is captured by the Arabs. The Arab raiders in the Med are getting attention at the Frankish court.
834 Western Neustria is raided by Danes.
The Danish/Saxon army in England is moving out of Kent.
836 The Danes/Saxons and Anglo-Saxons clashes at Carhampton. The Danes/Saxons are victorious.
837 Naples is attacked by an Arab fleet.
The Christian uprising in Moor Spain is triggering Duke Pippin of Aquitaine into action. But the Aquitaine army is sent reeling back across the river Ebro.
838 Duke Pippin dies. But Aquitaine independence is assured as count Sans II Sancion of Gascony ascends the Aquitaine throne, deposing Duke Pippin’s son Pippin II.
840-900: Aquitaine, Burgundy and Bavaria/Friuli become Kingdoms in their own right, Burgundy and Bavaria/Friuli fighting repeatedly on control of Italy.
Burgundy elects Duke Lothairs son Charles as King in 855.
Aquitaine is supporting Asturias campaign against the Spanish Moors and is more and more consumed in the affairs of the Iberian Peninsular.
Neustria and Austrasia are torn up by internal strife on the issue of inheritance of Charlemagne’s legacy. Duke Lothair now King is battling his aunt’s husbands and later their sons, Lothair’s base being central Austrasia, which is the most threatened by Danes and Saxons. King Lothairs son Louis is made Duke of Lorraine. King Lothair’s other son Lothair is made Duke of Paris.
Saxony is becoming the manpower pool of Denmark, supplying troops to conquer England and also fuel a campaign against the Slavs on the Southern shore of the Baltic. The Danish King is as a matter of ceremony elected Duke of Saxony, de facto being the only choice, as Charlemagne made sure the Saxon nobility were exterminated or moved off Saxon ground.
Frisland is a Danish vassal, the Danish King governing by substitute.
The Danes conquers all of England just before 900 and the surplus warriors go on pillaging Neustria and Aquitaine.
840 King Bernhard of the Franks dies. His son Lothair is elected King of the Franks.
Bari in Southern Italy is captured by the Arabs.
The Byzantine Emperor recruit troops in Scandinavia for his Vaeringa Guard.
841 King Lothairs son Charles is elected King of Burgundy. Lothairs son Louis is made Duke of Lorraine and his son Lothair is made Duke of Paris.
845 Rome is attacked by the Arabs.
855 Lothair King of the Franks dies. His son Lothair is elected King. His brother Charles is made Duke of Paris.
862 Rurik is elected to rule Novgorod. Rurik is of the Danish Royal family and a follower of the Greek-Orthodox belief.
863 King Charles of Burgundy dies. Louis Duke of Lorraine is elected king of Burgundy.
869 King Lothair of the Franks dies. His uncle Charles, Duke of Paris is elected King. Charles the Fat, son of Louis Duke of Bavaria/Friuli is made Duke of Paris.
871 Burgundian King Louis capture Bari from the Arabs.
873 The Duchy of Benevent puts itself under Byzantine over lordship and leaves Bari to the Emperor.
875 King Louis of Burgundy dies.
876 Duke Louis of Bavaria/Friuli dies. His son Karloman succeeds him.
877 Count Boso of Vienne is elected king of Burgundy. King Charles of the Franks dies. His son Louis the Stammered is elected King. Charles the Fat, Duke of Paris goes for independence.
878 Battle of Paris. King Louis the Stammered dies. His cousin Louis, son of his uncle Louis, is elected King. Charles the Fat is recognized as King of the West Franks.
880 Oleg ruler of Kiev.
Duke Karloman dies and is succeeded by his son Arnulf.
882 King Louis of the Franks dies. Louis the Stammered’ son Charles is elected King of the East Franks - Germans.
885 Byzantine general Nikeforos Fokas arrives in Southern Italy for re-conquest of Byzantine possessions.
886 Nikeforos Fokas re-establish Byzantine hegemony in Southern Italy.
887 King Boso of Italy dies. His son Louis succeeds him.
888 King Charles the Fat of the West Franks dies. Count Odo Capet is elected King of France.
890 The Magyars appears in Pannonia.
891 Duke Arnulf of Bavaria/Friuli attacks Italy and wins the battle of Padua.
892 Charles, King of Germany, on campaign in Moravia. Duke Arnulf defeats King Louis of Italy at Milan. Louis retreats to Burgundy.
894 Moravian King Svatopluk dies – the kingdom dissolves.
Duke Arnulf is recognized as King of Italy.
898 King Odo of France dies. His brother Robert is elected king.
899 King Arnulf of Italy dies. His son Louis succeeds him as King of Italy and Duke of Bavaria/Friuli. Magyar raids on Italy. King Louis of Burgundy moves into Italy but is defeated by the Magyar raiders at Pavia.
900-950 Magyar raids on Bavaria. Burgundy is again able to expand in Italy at the expense of Bavaria. Repeated Magyar raids on different parts of Germany, and into Burgundy.
Vikings settle at the mouth of the Loire.
900 The Norwegians and the Danes clash in Northumbria. King Hardacnut of the Danes is victorious and then focuses his attention on Norway itself.
906, 908 Magyars pillage Saxony. The King is away in England and Norway and the Saxons elects a Duke to lead the army against the Magyar raiders. Saxony gains independence for 10 years.
911 Louis Duke of Bavaria/Friuli dies.
917 Magyars raid Saxony. King Hardacnut land in Saxony with his army and deposes the Duke and demand tribute. Danish control of Saxony is reinstated.
921 Wenzel, Duke of Bohemia.
927 Bulgarian czar Symeon is defeated by the Croats and his son Peter makes peace with Byzantium.
928 Robert, King of France dies. His son Hugues le Grand is elected King. King Louis of Burgundy dies. Charles his son ascends the throne.
929 Charles, King of Germany dies. Not being able to elect a King the German kingdom disintegrates.
930 Eric Bloodaxe King of Norway.
931 As the German Dukes are warring among each other for the crown, Wenzel takes advantage of the situation and moves into Thuringa. Bavaria/Friuli is losing ground to Burgundy in Italy.
932 In Spain the counties Castille and Navarre tries to secede from Asturias.
933 The German Dukes have agreed to counter Wenzel’s aspirations. A great army is assembled in Thuringa but Wenzel is forced by a Magyar raid to withdraw his forces. Wenzel doesn’t seek battle with the Magyars but retreats into Bohemia. The German Dukes follow Wenzel and runs into the main Magyar force at Naumburg. The German army is routed.
934 Wenzel is back in Thuringa. This time there is no defence and the Duchy is incorporated into Bohemia.
935 Eric Bloodaxe is driven out of Norway.
Wenzel is killed by his brother Boleslav. The Bohemian empire falls apart.
936 King Hugues start the campaign to drive the Vikings out of western France. His effort is futile however as the Vikings are too strong.
937 King Hardacnut of Denmark moves into Lower Lorraine. He defeats the German Dukes at Cologne. Lower Lorraine is made a Danish Duchy. A Magyar raiding force returning from Burgundy is ambushed by Hardacnuts forces and a great slaughter follows. Hardacnut is praised in German parishes, albeit with mixed feelings!
938 Hardacnut dies. His son Gorm Englishman follows him as King of Denmark, England, Frisland, Saxony, Lower Lorraine, Southern Norway and the southern shore of the Baltic.
939 Vikings from the nordic Kingdom in Dublin, lands in northern England.
940 The invaders are driven out of England by King Gorm.
941 Russian prince Igor attacks Constantinople, but is driven away by Greek fire.
942 Byzantine general John Kurkuas conquers Nibisis in Mesopotamia.
King Gorm dies. His son Hardacnut is elected King.
944 Hugues of France move into Upper Lorraine. His move is countered by Hardacnut that routs Hugues army at Verdun. Upper Lorraine is made a vassal of Denmark.
950-1000: The Vikings at Loire are carving out a Duchy of their own at the expanse of Poitu, Aquitaine and Brittany.
The Danish King devotes more time to the rule of Saxony and England. In order to get better administration of his lands, the Danish King decides to get Greek-Orthodox clergy settled in his lands and adopt Byzantine administration. The Catholic faith is not considered as it was expressed by the Holy Emperor Charlemagne, defeated by Hardacnuts ancestor. The Arian beliefs with their equality observance are also rejected. This is stirring up tensions in Hardacnuts English lands.
Aquitaine and Asturias are united by intermarriage of the Royal lines. All of the Iberian Peninsular is claimed by the Royal house, on the decendance of the ancient Visigothic Kingdom.
950 King Hardacnut is declared as King of Kings in his lands and assumes the title of Basileus or Emperor. He puts the crown on his head himself to signal his control of religious as well as worldly issues. His lands are divided into themes to be ruled by loyal governors. Hardacnut reforms the trading in his lands, keeping control of the major cities as royal territory, thus gaining more resources for the crown. Greek-Orthodox clergy are given control of bishoprics in Denmark, Saxony and Frisland. In England and Lorraine Greek-Orthodox bishops are installed side-by-side with Catholic bishops. This move creates tensions in England as the Anglo-Saxon nobility is Catholic whereas the Danish-Saxon nobility is Greek-Orthodox. In Lorraine the move triggers an uprising, which is supported by the German Dukes.
Hardacnut moves his army to Lorraine and a long struggle begins of sieges.
952 King Ordono III of Asturias is introduced by the Pope to the Duchess of Aquitaine. On the instigation of the Pope a marriage is agreed to. The Pope will support the combined efforts of Asturias and Aquitaine in the Reconquista, and the fight against the heretic Vikings of the Loire.
953 King Hugues of France enters an alliance with Asturias-Aquitaine against the Vikings of the Loire. In a combined effort the French and Aquitaine army is able to inflict defeat on the Vikings and their leaders are baptized and given authority to rule French lands north of the Loire and Aquitaine lands south of the Loire.
The King of Burgundy dies and the Burgundy/Italian Empire crumbles and unrest rules in Italy.
Hardacnut make an alliance with the King of Poland, surrendering the Baltic Shores to Polish expansion and suppression of Slavic raids on Danish lands.
954 King Hugues attack and is repelled from Burgundy, but Burgundy isn’t able to reclaim its supremacy over Italy. Italy is divided into warring Duchies.
The former Norwegian King Eric Bloodaxe invades Northumbria but is defeated and killed by Hardacnuts son Godwin.
955 The Aquitaine/Asturias campaign in Spain is going well. The newly baptized Duke of Val-de-Loire takes part in the campaign. King Ordono III renames his Kingdom Gothia in honour of the ancient Visigothic Kingdom.
956 King Hugues of France dies. He is succeeded by his son Hugo.
957 Duke Ludwig of Franconia calls upon the other German Dukes, as this is the time for reasserting German might on German soil against the infidel. After much arguing, the Dukes decide to elect Ludwig as their King and leader in the struggle against Emperor Hardacnut in Lorraine.
958 King Ludwig leads the German army against Emperor Hardacnuts troops in Lorraine. King Hugo of France decides to join the fight and invade Frisland. The Frisians are able to halt the French invasion in Flanders.
959 The tension in England between Catholics and Greek-orthodox explodes in a Catholic rebellion led by the Anglo-Saxon nobility. The rebellion is able to make Wessex and Anglia west of Watling Street a free Catholic nation. The Eastern part of England remains in Danish-Saxon control.
Hardacnut under pressure from the English uprising gives in and surrender the vassalage of the Lorraines to Ludwig King of Germany.
961 Emperor Hardacnut moves his army into Catholic England to re-conquer it.
Crete is conquered by the Byzantines.
962 The Danish-Saxon army campaigns in west Anglia.
The Byzantines defeats the Syrian emir Saif Al Daula and conquers Aleppo.
963 The Danish-Saxon army moves into Wessex, but a new uprising forces it to move back to west Anglia.
Still occasionally troubled by Magyar raids Ludwig leads an expedition into Hungary. The Magyars are defeated and their leader forced to baptism.
Polish Duke Mieszko 1. is able to have himself recognized as lord of the Slavic tribes of the Baltic coast.
965 King Ludwig attacks Bohemia, in order to have its King recognizes him as his lord. This triggers off Polish Duke Mieszko in defence of Bohemia. The army of Ludwig defeats Mieszko and he are forced to baptism and take his land as a German fief.
The Byzantines conquers Cyprus.
966 The war in England drags on with a number of long sieges. Emperor Hardacnut suddenly calls off the campaign as he has to deal with an uprising in Saxony led by his son Godwin. Hardacnut then move his army to Saxony defeating Godwin and beheading him. The nobles that supported Godwin are also beheaded.
King Ludwig continues the campaign in Bohemia making the Duke his vassal.
967 Emperor Hardacnut visits Novgorod, Kiev and Constantinople. In all three lands he concludes treaties and marriages with members of the Royal families. He prays in Hagia Sophia and then return to Saxony and dies in Bremen at Christmas.
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First part of the revised TL - comments are welcome.
