Early Age of Exploration starting in Scandinavia instead of Iberia? I'm up for that (the Age of Exporation and Colonization is one of my primary interests when it comes to Alternate History).
The Sons of Semiramis - A house of Folkung Kalmar Union
- Thread starter Atterdag
- Start date
Part 3 - Harmony, unity, love and goodwill [1397-1408]
Part 3 - Harmony, unity, love and goodwill [1397-1408]
Margaret took a sip of wine from her goblet as she leaned back in her chair. It was late in the night and she sat all alone in the great hall of Kalmar castle, but she had no intention of going to sleep yet. It had been a couple of intense weeks of negotiations, but gazing down at the letter on the table she knew it had all been worth it. The large sheet of parchment had several dozens of seals attatched to it of bishops and members of the privy council from the Kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Even as Margaret looked at the original, there were six copies being taken to the towns of Roskilde, Lund, Trondheim, Stavanger, Upsala and Scara so that it’s contents could be consulted anywhere in the union. The original copy however, Margaret intended to keep in royal storage as a trophy of sort. Olaf could wear his crowns of gold, this would be her crown of parchement and ink.
The negotiations had probably been the toughest in Margaret’s life, harder than those with the Hansa, harder than those with the Counts of Holstein, even harder than those with Albert, that stubborn old ox. At first it seemed like negotiations wouldn’t even take place, as the Norwegian bishops didn’t show up on time. She had been forced to send out emissaries to politely, but sternly, remind them that it was their King who requested their presence. Once talks began, it hadn’t been easy to make all the different groups agree to any common points either. Especially the Swedes, ever worried about surrendering even a smidge of their power, had been very suspicious about the union being anything but a personal one. Margaret could thank Olaf for solving that issue. Having been credited for the victory at Åsle, the King was very popular amongst the Swedes, thus when he endorsed the union letter they finally agreed to ratifying it.
In the final version there were five broad points that had been agreed upon in “harmony, unity, love and goodwill” - as the letter stated. The three realms should have a single King, in principle elected, but with the King’s children highly preferable as successors. The King would rule each of the three realms in accordance to it’s own laws. Whenever one of the Kingdoms was threathened with war, the other would come to it’s aid. Anyone who was judged as a criminal in one of the three Kingdoms would be considered a criminal in all of the Kingdoms. Finally, the King had the right to negotiate with foreign powers, in consultance with the privy councils, for the good of all three Kingdoms. Broad points, and clearly stressing that the Kingdoms were independent entities, but that in itself served Margaret’s interests. Three seperate privy councils would have a harder time working against her than a single united one after all.
*
A draft of the union letter, written on paper rather than parchement.
Olaf was well over the age where he needed a regent and as such Margaret had stepped down as part of the negotiations, officially anyways. She would still be Sovereign Lady of Denmark, and in Norway and Sweden it had already been determined she would be co-regent for as long as she lived. But by giving up her position of regent though she could step out of public view and into the shadow of the throne. That’s where she was truly at home anyway, at negotiation tables and secret meetings where she could be the puppet master, the spider in the web. Olaf had proved himself as King in his own right, he had survived disease, war and he had won the respect and admiration of his subjects, but to Margaret he was still the little boy she had cradled in her arms. In her eyes he would probably never be ready to rule alone. Margaret would do anything she could to help him, she always had.
So began a period of peace for the newly founded Kalmar Union, and one of consolidation. Olaf travelled to Åbo in 1398 to meet his brother-in-law Knut Bosson. He did not travel alone but brought with him a large force of soldiers, for this was not just a familial visit, Knut still did not recognize Olaf as King but clinged hopelessly on to the deposed King Albert. The show of force was enough to make Knut finally abandon his rebellious thoughts, but being a good brother-in-law, Olaf compensated him with lands in Östergötland. As brothers we’ll share, I’ll take it all, as they say in Denmark. Knut eventually came to forgive his mother for her “betrayal” of his father’s legacy and he would go on to become a powerful noble and council member in Sweden.
Another family matter, regarding Olaf’s cousin Albert, was also coming to a close. In 1396, still not intending to repay any of the 60 000 marks he owed, Albert sent his son Eric to occupy the island of Gotland. Eric hoped to build support for a rebellion against Olaf. At first he seemed succesful, defeating the Swedish knight Sven Sture who was tasked with the reconquest of the island, but in the spring of 1397 Eric fell sick in plague and died. This caused the Victual Brothers to return to the island and for a short period of time the Baltic became unsafe again, until the Teutonic Order in 1398 invaded and drove the pirates from the island, making it a possession of theirs. It would remain so until 1408 when Margaret managed to make the Knights leave against payment.
Eric, proclaimed “Lord of Gotland” by his deposed father.
Even as Albert’s family became smaller, Olaf’s grew larger. His marriage with Margaret Bosdotter came to fruition in 1399 with the birth of a daughter. While many were disappointed that it wasn’t a male heir, Olaf still received many letters of congratulations from all of the union, with the hope that a son soon would follow. The baby girl was named Bridget after St: Bridget of Sweden, who had been canonized only in 1392. Not only did Margaret greatly admire the saint and her monastery in Östergötland, the name was also a political move to show the Swedes that Olaf was commited to the union. Olaf spent most of his time travelling around the union, building relationships with the prominent and lesser noble families in all three Kingdoms and to no small degree encouraging intermarriage between them. He himself was perhaps the shining example of this, born of a Danish mother and Norwegian father whilst married to a Swedish noblewoman.
Margaret herself was as active as ever. Already in 1396 she had made the Danish nobility agree to the so-called “Peace of Margaret”, in sharp contrast to the håndfæstning, this was a contract that made the nobility promise to abide certain rules and limitations. Among other limitations it forbid them from building fortresses and castles of their own. The peace also included a lot of economic reorganization, strengthened the rights of the towns and issued new coins to be minted. The minting of Danish coins had almost disappeared during the kingless time, thus it’s reinstation was a clear demonstration that Denmark well and truly was back. Women’s position in society was also somewhat strengthened by the peace, as it included provisions of “women’s peace” which sharpened punsihment against rape, kidnapping and forced marriage.
The Kalmar Union in red around 1408, even without Greenland which it nominally claimed ownership of it was one of if not the largest realm in Europe at the time.
Then finally in 1403, a much anticipated event came. The birth of a son to King Olaf and Queen Margaret Bosdotter. The boy was named Eric, once again in honour of a Swedish saint. No sooner had he been born than both Margaret and Olaf began work to have him recognized as heir in all three Kingdoms, this they got fairly easily but the privy councils still opposed the young Prince officially being titled as such, pointing out he would still have to be elected to become King. Eric and Bridget would grow up mostly with their mother and grandmother Margaret, and from a young age she tried to have them both well educated.
And in 1404 another matter of children came to pass. Gerhard VI of Schauenburg, Duke of Schleswig and Count of Holstein-Rendsburg died. Ever since he had been enfeoffed Schleswig by Olaf in 1386 he had been a loyal, though not entirely subservient vassal. Gerhard left behind him his widow Catherine of Brunswick and five young children. Margaret and Olaf immediately saw the opportunity to increase their influence in the Duchy and offered to act as guardian for the children and support Catherine financially. In exchange Catherine sold and pawned off more and more land in Schleswig until most of the Duchy was actually in royal hands. The tipping point came in 1408, when Olaf suggested that Gottorp, one of the most important castles from a military perspective, be pawned aswell. This made Catherine seriously worried about growing royal influences in the Duchy and so she recalled her eldest son, Henry, from Olaf’s court. The stage was set for a conflict in the south, the first test of the union’s strength and unity.
Gerhard VI of Schauenburg and Catherine of Brunswick-Lüneburg, the Duchy of Schleswig which they controlled was essentially a fourth, unincorporated, realm of the Kalmar Union.
*In otl it never got beyond a draft, so that's the actual union letter.
Margaret took a sip of wine from her goblet as she leaned back in her chair. It was late in the night and she sat all alone in the great hall of Kalmar castle, but she had no intention of going to sleep yet. It had been a couple of intense weeks of negotiations, but gazing down at the letter on the table she knew it had all been worth it. The large sheet of parchment had several dozens of seals attatched to it of bishops and members of the privy council from the Kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Even as Margaret looked at the original, there were six copies being taken to the towns of Roskilde, Lund, Trondheim, Stavanger, Upsala and Scara so that it’s contents could be consulted anywhere in the union. The original copy however, Margaret intended to keep in royal storage as a trophy of sort. Olaf could wear his crowns of gold, this would be her crown of parchement and ink.
The negotiations had probably been the toughest in Margaret’s life, harder than those with the Hansa, harder than those with the Counts of Holstein, even harder than those with Albert, that stubborn old ox. At first it seemed like negotiations wouldn’t even take place, as the Norwegian bishops didn’t show up on time. She had been forced to send out emissaries to politely, but sternly, remind them that it was their King who requested their presence. Once talks began, it hadn’t been easy to make all the different groups agree to any common points either. Especially the Swedes, ever worried about surrendering even a smidge of their power, had been very suspicious about the union being anything but a personal one. Margaret could thank Olaf for solving that issue. Having been credited for the victory at Åsle, the King was very popular amongst the Swedes, thus when he endorsed the union letter they finally agreed to ratifying it.
In the final version there were five broad points that had been agreed upon in “harmony, unity, love and goodwill” - as the letter stated. The three realms should have a single King, in principle elected, but with the King’s children highly preferable as successors. The King would rule each of the three realms in accordance to it’s own laws. Whenever one of the Kingdoms was threathened with war, the other would come to it’s aid. Anyone who was judged as a criminal in one of the three Kingdoms would be considered a criminal in all of the Kingdoms. Finally, the King had the right to negotiate with foreign powers, in consultance with the privy councils, for the good of all three Kingdoms. Broad points, and clearly stressing that the Kingdoms were independent entities, but that in itself served Margaret’s interests. Three seperate privy councils would have a harder time working against her than a single united one after all.
A draft of the union letter, written on paper rather than parchement.
Olaf was well over the age where he needed a regent and as such Margaret had stepped down as part of the negotiations, officially anyways. She would still be Sovereign Lady of Denmark, and in Norway and Sweden it had already been determined she would be co-regent for as long as she lived. But by giving up her position of regent though she could step out of public view and into the shadow of the throne. That’s where she was truly at home anyway, at negotiation tables and secret meetings where she could be the puppet master, the spider in the web. Olaf had proved himself as King in his own right, he had survived disease, war and he had won the respect and admiration of his subjects, but to Margaret he was still the little boy she had cradled in her arms. In her eyes he would probably never be ready to rule alone. Margaret would do anything she could to help him, she always had.
So began a period of peace for the newly founded Kalmar Union, and one of consolidation. Olaf travelled to Åbo in 1398 to meet his brother-in-law Knut Bosson. He did not travel alone but brought with him a large force of soldiers, for this was not just a familial visit, Knut still did not recognize Olaf as King but clinged hopelessly on to the deposed King Albert. The show of force was enough to make Knut finally abandon his rebellious thoughts, but being a good brother-in-law, Olaf compensated him with lands in Östergötland. As brothers we’ll share, I’ll take it all, as they say in Denmark. Knut eventually came to forgive his mother for her “betrayal” of his father’s legacy and he would go on to become a powerful noble and council member in Sweden.
Another family matter, regarding Olaf’s cousin Albert, was also coming to a close. In 1396, still not intending to repay any of the 60 000 marks he owed, Albert sent his son Eric to occupy the island of Gotland. Eric hoped to build support for a rebellion against Olaf. At first he seemed succesful, defeating the Swedish knight Sven Sture who was tasked with the reconquest of the island, but in the spring of 1397 Eric fell sick in plague and died. This caused the Victual Brothers to return to the island and for a short period of time the Baltic became unsafe again, until the Teutonic Order in 1398 invaded and drove the pirates from the island, making it a possession of theirs. It would remain so until 1408 when Margaret managed to make the Knights leave against payment.
Eric, proclaimed “Lord of Gotland” by his deposed father.
Even as Albert’s family became smaller, Olaf’s grew larger. His marriage with Margaret Bosdotter came to fruition in 1399 with the birth of a daughter. While many were disappointed that it wasn’t a male heir, Olaf still received many letters of congratulations from all of the union, with the hope that a son soon would follow. The baby girl was named Bridget after St: Bridget of Sweden, who had been canonized only in 1392. Not only did Margaret greatly admire the saint and her monastery in Östergötland, the name was also a political move to show the Swedes that Olaf was commited to the union. Olaf spent most of his time travelling around the union, building relationships with the prominent and lesser noble families in all three Kingdoms and to no small degree encouraging intermarriage between them. He himself was perhaps the shining example of this, born of a Danish mother and Norwegian father whilst married to a Swedish noblewoman.
Margaret herself was as active as ever. Already in 1396 she had made the Danish nobility agree to the so-called “Peace of Margaret”, in sharp contrast to the håndfæstning, this was a contract that made the nobility promise to abide certain rules and limitations. Among other limitations it forbid them from building fortresses and castles of their own. The peace also included a lot of economic reorganization, strengthened the rights of the towns and issued new coins to be minted. The minting of Danish coins had almost disappeared during the kingless time, thus it’s reinstation was a clear demonstration that Denmark well and truly was back. Women’s position in society was also somewhat strengthened by the peace, as it included provisions of “women’s peace” which sharpened punsihment against rape, kidnapping and forced marriage.
The Kalmar Union in red around 1408, even without Greenland which it nominally claimed ownership of it was one of if not the largest realm in Europe at the time.
Then finally in 1403, a much anticipated event came. The birth of a son to King Olaf and Queen Margaret Bosdotter. The boy was named Eric, once again in honour of a Swedish saint. No sooner had he been born than both Margaret and Olaf began work to have him recognized as heir in all three Kingdoms, this they got fairly easily but the privy councils still opposed the young Prince officially being titled as such, pointing out he would still have to be elected to become King. Eric and Bridget would grow up mostly with their mother and grandmother Margaret, and from a young age she tried to have them both well educated.
And in 1404 another matter of children came to pass. Gerhard VI of Schauenburg, Duke of Schleswig and Count of Holstein-Rendsburg died. Ever since he had been enfeoffed Schleswig by Olaf in 1386 he had been a loyal, though not entirely subservient vassal. Gerhard left behind him his widow Catherine of Brunswick and five young children. Margaret and Olaf immediately saw the opportunity to increase their influence in the Duchy and offered to act as guardian for the children and support Catherine financially. In exchange Catherine sold and pawned off more and more land in Schleswig until most of the Duchy was actually in royal hands. The tipping point came in 1408, when Olaf suggested that Gottorp, one of the most important castles from a military perspective, be pawned aswell. This made Catherine seriously worried about growing royal influences in the Duchy and so she recalled her eldest son, Henry, from Olaf’s court. The stage was set for a conflict in the south, the first test of the union’s strength and unity.
Gerhard VI of Schauenburg and Catherine of Brunswick-Lüneburg, the Duchy of Schleswig which they controlled was essentially a fourth, unincorporated, realm of the Kalmar Union.
"Som brødre vi dele, jeg tager det hele." (As brothers we share, I take it all) Haha, honestly one of those danish proverbs which always makes me cackle with glee. Not sure why... (glances around suspiciously for brother).
Really enjoying the timeline and excited to see where things go from here.
Really enjoying the timeline and excited to see where things go from here.
Part 4 – The Schleswig War [1408-1415]
Part 4 – The Schleswig War [1408-1415]
The court at Nyborg was full of noise, German and Danish nobles and clergymen discussing and arguing loudly with one another or just shouting their opinion for God and every man to hear. Many of them were trying to gain the attention of the man sitting in the central raised chair, flanked by two guards clad in full plate armour as well as a small group of silent officals. The man rested his head on his arm, clearly not listening to anyone in the room. Hung above his head was a large banner, displaying the lions of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, as well as many other titles and honours, for the man in the chair was no other than King Olaf himself.
Olaf thought to himself of the events of the last five years. He should have known that the war would be fraught with bad luck when his wife Margaret died in the war’s early days, only 29 years old. Though her demise had saddneed him, he he had still been enthusiastic when mother said that the chance to fully reclaim Schleswig had finally come, but for once in her life it seemed like mother had misjudged the situation. Olaf had been present when the union forces captured the islands of Als and Ærø, he had then felt like this war would be an easy one, but fate would have it otherwise. For every day that passed it seemed like some new family member or friend of the Schauenburgs had arrived, bringing with them more soldiers and materials. No sooner did reports of union forces capturing a town or castle come than another report of their enemies doing the same, no matter what they did they just couldn’t seem to decisively defeat the Holsatians.
Mother had of course realised this as much as Olaf did. That’s why she’d set out to negotiate peace in the name of the union, but even then it seemed like God did not wish for them to do anything without suffering for it. Mother had passed away far from her family in some cold ship in Flensburg harbour. Olaf had been struck by grief, sure mother had been growing older, but she had seemed just as vigourous and energetic as ever when she left. But plague cares little, even the strongest and least deserving to die are struck down by it. Now all Olaf could do was honour her memory, she had died trying to make peace, and peace Olaf would achieve when mother could no longer.
“Kastenbrust” type plate armour, easily recognized by it’s square, box-like shape, it was popular amongst German knights in the early 15th century.
The doors of the great hall opened and the Holsatians entered. In the front marched Henry, Olaf had not seen him since he had left Denmark five years ago, then only a child. Still hardly a man at just sixteen years old, Henry was already tall and broad of shoulders. He carried himself like a proper noble should. Behind him was his mother, the treacherous woman who’s fault this war all was. Olaf took note that Henry’s uncle, Duke Henry “the mild” of Brunswick, was not with him. As far as Olaf understood the Duke did not see it as his responsibility to support his nephew in the war anymore, since young Henry was now a man. Diplomatically, this put Olaf at the advantage, perhaps the advantage he had needed this whole war.
The court began. Olaf’s speaker put forth the accusations towards Henry and Catherine, claiming that they illegaly had rebelled against their lawful King and liege. Henry acted as his own defendant and with surprising composure and confidence for such a young man responded that the crown had unlawfully taken possessions of lands that were rightfully his and denied recognizing him as Duke of Schleswig. The debate went forth and back for a while. It was pointed out that Gerhard had not been given Schleswig as a hereditary fief. Henry defended himself by saying that the Duchy had been in the Schauenburg family for generations and that when his mother had accepted that Henry become a ward of Olaf it had been under the assumption that he would be enfeoffed upon reaching adulthood.
Despite his vigorous defence, it was clear which way the court was leaning and Henry became more and more desperate. He was brave and intelligent, that no one could deny, but he was young and under enormous pressure. Henry turned and spoke directly to the King then, and asked him to enfeoff him Schleswig. In return he swore that he would be a loyal vassal like his father, recognize Olaf as his rightful liege and King and swear to never make unjust war upon him. Olaf agreed to this, but only if in addition, Henry accepted that the pawned territories were to remain in crown hands unless redeemed against payment. Seeing the way the wind was blowing, Henry accepted. In the days to come this would be finalized in the peace of Nyborg, officially ending the Schleswig war.
Sketch of Nyborg castle where the Danehof, the medieval danish parliament, often met in. Many a King signed their håndfæstning within it’s walls.
Olaf was not content with a peace merely scribbled on parchement however, he wanted to guarantee peace in the south for the forseeable future. During the negotiations he therefore put forward the suggestion that the newfound friendship between Denmark and Schleswig should be sealed by marriage. Olaf, a widower since 1410, would marry Henry’s sister Helvig while Henry who was unmarried could marry princess Bridget. There was several ways this would contribiute to peace, not only by tying the two families together. During the war a great deal of territroy had shifted hands, lands owned by the Duchy had been occupied by union forces and royal territory had been occupied by Holsatian forces. Even with peace signed, Olaf realized that it would be a difficult process to return all territories to their pre-war owners and that attempting to do so might lead to renewed conflict. As such he simply suggested that the land that had switched owners during the war could serve as the two brides' dowries.
The deal seemed good to Henry, marrying a royal princess would greatly improve his prestige amongst the various nobles of the Holy Roman Empire. Henry had also gotten to know Bridget when they both were children, during his time at the Danish court. A period of courtship began between the two and Bridget became completely smitten by Henry, she wrote many letters praising his dashing good looks, knightly manners and pious spirit. Henry seemed to have been equally fond of Bridget and the two would marry in 1415 in Flensburg. Olaf and Helvig’s relationship was much more strictly political, the King was close to 30 years senior to his new wife and had little in common with his her. On the request of Helvig’s mother the marriage was delayed until 1416, when they married in Ribe.
Helvig of Holstein, her sister Ingeborg had become a nun in Vadstena in 1415 and to support herself on her frequent visits King Olaf gave Helvig lands in Sweden.
After the court in Nyborg, Olaf returned to Sjælland to see to that the memory of his departed mother was kept. Her final resting place would be in Roskilde cathedral, and an impressive sarcophagus was ordered from Lübeck, though it would only be finished several years later. Olaf would visit the cathedral more often than any other church in his entire realm, often sitting by her resting place for hours on end, either in deep contemplation or just for a moment of solitude. But Olaf did not always come alone, sometimes he was accompanied by a woman, a court lady of Queen Margaret Bosdotter who simply went by the name Brita. Rumours abounded that she was the illegitimate daughter of Olaf’s mother Margaret and the Swedish knight Abraham Brodersson. Other, more sinister forces, claimed that she was Olaf’s mistress. In either case she is said to have had a strong resemblance to the late Sovereign Lady, sharing the same dark hair and eyes both Margaret and Olaf had.
In either case it was clear to all that a truly great figure had been lost to the world. A woman who no one had guessed would be more than Queen consort of one of the weakest Kingdoms in Europe. Instead she had risen to unify three Kingdoms for her son into one of the largest states on the continent. What would the future possibly hold for Ollaf now that he was alone, can a man wear three crowns at the same time, without any falling off?
Margaret’s sarcophagus in Roskilde cathedral, probably the most elaborate and expensive of any medieval Scandinavian ruler.
The court at Nyborg was full of noise, German and Danish nobles and clergymen discussing and arguing loudly with one another or just shouting their opinion for God and every man to hear. Many of them were trying to gain the attention of the man sitting in the central raised chair, flanked by two guards clad in full plate armour as well as a small group of silent officals. The man rested his head on his arm, clearly not listening to anyone in the room. Hung above his head was a large banner, displaying the lions of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, as well as many other titles and honours, for the man in the chair was no other than King Olaf himself.
Olaf thought to himself of the events of the last five years. He should have known that the war would be fraught with bad luck when his wife Margaret died in the war’s early days, only 29 years old. Though her demise had saddneed him, he he had still been enthusiastic when mother said that the chance to fully reclaim Schleswig had finally come, but for once in her life it seemed like mother had misjudged the situation. Olaf had been present when the union forces captured the islands of Als and Ærø, he had then felt like this war would be an easy one, but fate would have it otherwise. For every day that passed it seemed like some new family member or friend of the Schauenburgs had arrived, bringing with them more soldiers and materials. No sooner did reports of union forces capturing a town or castle come than another report of their enemies doing the same, no matter what they did they just couldn’t seem to decisively defeat the Holsatians.
Mother had of course realised this as much as Olaf did. That’s why she’d set out to negotiate peace in the name of the union, but even then it seemed like God did not wish for them to do anything without suffering for it. Mother had passed away far from her family in some cold ship in Flensburg harbour. Olaf had been struck by grief, sure mother had been growing older, but she had seemed just as vigourous and energetic as ever when she left. But plague cares little, even the strongest and least deserving to die are struck down by it. Now all Olaf could do was honour her memory, she had died trying to make peace, and peace Olaf would achieve when mother could no longer.
“Kastenbrust” type plate armour, easily recognized by it’s square, box-like shape, it was popular amongst German knights in the early 15th century.
The doors of the great hall opened and the Holsatians entered. In the front marched Henry, Olaf had not seen him since he had left Denmark five years ago, then only a child. Still hardly a man at just sixteen years old, Henry was already tall and broad of shoulders. He carried himself like a proper noble should. Behind him was his mother, the treacherous woman who’s fault this war all was. Olaf took note that Henry’s uncle, Duke Henry “the mild” of Brunswick, was not with him. As far as Olaf understood the Duke did not see it as his responsibility to support his nephew in the war anymore, since young Henry was now a man. Diplomatically, this put Olaf at the advantage, perhaps the advantage he had needed this whole war.
The court began. Olaf’s speaker put forth the accusations towards Henry and Catherine, claiming that they illegaly had rebelled against their lawful King and liege. Henry acted as his own defendant and with surprising composure and confidence for such a young man responded that the crown had unlawfully taken possessions of lands that were rightfully his and denied recognizing him as Duke of Schleswig. The debate went forth and back for a while. It was pointed out that Gerhard had not been given Schleswig as a hereditary fief. Henry defended himself by saying that the Duchy had been in the Schauenburg family for generations and that when his mother had accepted that Henry become a ward of Olaf it had been under the assumption that he would be enfeoffed upon reaching adulthood.
Despite his vigorous defence, it was clear which way the court was leaning and Henry became more and more desperate. He was brave and intelligent, that no one could deny, but he was young and under enormous pressure. Henry turned and spoke directly to the King then, and asked him to enfeoff him Schleswig. In return he swore that he would be a loyal vassal like his father, recognize Olaf as his rightful liege and King and swear to never make unjust war upon him. Olaf agreed to this, but only if in addition, Henry accepted that the pawned territories were to remain in crown hands unless redeemed against payment. Seeing the way the wind was blowing, Henry accepted. In the days to come this would be finalized in the peace of Nyborg, officially ending the Schleswig war.
Sketch of Nyborg castle where the Danehof, the medieval danish parliament, often met in. Many a King signed their håndfæstning within it’s walls.
Olaf was not content with a peace merely scribbled on parchement however, he wanted to guarantee peace in the south for the forseeable future. During the negotiations he therefore put forward the suggestion that the newfound friendship between Denmark and Schleswig should be sealed by marriage. Olaf, a widower since 1410, would marry Henry’s sister Helvig while Henry who was unmarried could marry princess Bridget. There was several ways this would contribiute to peace, not only by tying the two families together. During the war a great deal of territroy had shifted hands, lands owned by the Duchy had been occupied by union forces and royal territory had been occupied by Holsatian forces. Even with peace signed, Olaf realized that it would be a difficult process to return all territories to their pre-war owners and that attempting to do so might lead to renewed conflict. As such he simply suggested that the land that had switched owners during the war could serve as the two brides' dowries.
The deal seemed good to Henry, marrying a royal princess would greatly improve his prestige amongst the various nobles of the Holy Roman Empire. Henry had also gotten to know Bridget when they both were children, during his time at the Danish court. A period of courtship began between the two and Bridget became completely smitten by Henry, she wrote many letters praising his dashing good looks, knightly manners and pious spirit. Henry seemed to have been equally fond of Bridget and the two would marry in 1415 in Flensburg. Olaf and Helvig’s relationship was much more strictly political, the King was close to 30 years senior to his new wife and had little in common with his her. On the request of Helvig’s mother the marriage was delayed until 1416, when they married in Ribe.
Helvig of Holstein, her sister Ingeborg had become a nun in Vadstena in 1415 and to support herself on her frequent visits King Olaf gave Helvig lands in Sweden.
After the court in Nyborg, Olaf returned to Sjælland to see to that the memory of his departed mother was kept. Her final resting place would be in Roskilde cathedral, and an impressive sarcophagus was ordered from Lübeck, though it would only be finished several years later. Olaf would visit the cathedral more often than any other church in his entire realm, often sitting by her resting place for hours on end, either in deep contemplation or just for a moment of solitude. But Olaf did not always come alone, sometimes he was accompanied by a woman, a court lady of Queen Margaret Bosdotter who simply went by the name Brita. Rumours abounded that she was the illegitimate daughter of Olaf’s mother Margaret and the Swedish knight Abraham Brodersson. Other, more sinister forces, claimed that she was Olaf’s mistress. In either case she is said to have had a strong resemblance to the late Sovereign Lady, sharing the same dark hair and eyes both Margaret and Olaf had.
In either case it was clear to all that a truly great figure had been lost to the world. A woman who no one had guessed would be more than Queen consort of one of the weakest Kingdoms in Europe. Instead she had risen to unify three Kingdoms for her son into one of the largest states on the continent. What would the future possibly hold for Ollaf now that he was alone, can a man wear three crowns at the same time, without any falling off?
Margaret’s sarcophagus in Roskilde cathedral, probably the most elaborate and expensive of any medieval Scandinavian ruler.
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Forgot to reply to this, but I think it not being a myster would rather decrease the interest in exploring the new world. A part of Greenland eventually being recolonized was the desire to find and potentially convert the remaining Greenlanders, if they already knew they had left they'd probably not care as much.
I’m sad that Margrethe I has to follow her OTL path to the grave, but the union does seem to be in more competent with Oluf TTL than with Erik OTL
Yeah I considered if she could live longer, but she’s done just about everything she can for the Union, if it’s going to function it’s going to have to do so without her sooner or later. Atleast Olaf may uphold her legacy a bit better than Eric did otl.
Well I also suspect that it's a lot easier for Olaf and his sons to uphold, simply because he have a much greater personal authority over his realm than Eric or his successor ever did. He has conquered Sweden on his "own", he's fully no question asked the legitimate heir in Norway and while Denmark is where he's weakest, his stronger position in Norway and Sweden more than make up for it.
Part 5 – Alone on three thrones [1415-1420]
Part 5 – Alone on three thrones [1415-1420]
Olaf was now sole ruler of the Kalmar Union, and one may have expected that it would finally be his time to shine, to enact his great plan on the world free from the restricting grasp of his mother. This was not the case, fact was that Olaf wasn’t a young man himself when his mother died. Margaret had only been 17 when she had Olaf and he was now over 40 himself, when he finally sat alone on the thrones of the three Kingdoms. Just like his mother he had been part of forging the union, perhaps not so much between Denmark and Norway, but he had fought for the union with Sweden and been an active part of government for the last twenty years. In short, Olaf had little ambition left in him when he became sole ruler, except for upholding the legacy of his departed mother.
Doing this would be easier said than done though. Olaf was no fool, he knew just how much his mother had done from the sidelines while she still lived and he realized that he simply would not be able to do the same work that he and Margaret had done together before. The clearest example of this was perhaps the matter of the privy councils. The councils consisted of various important officials, like the royal steward, marshal and chancellor just to name a few. These were generally appointed for life and Margaret had employed a policy of not appointing new ones when the old council members died. While this centralized power around her person and made it harder for the remaining members to oppose her and Olaf, it did also mean that her own workload became increasingly heavy. Olaf knew he just wouldn’t be able to keep up with all that work while also fufilling all the duties of the King. He needed atleast some help.
Slowly these positions would therefor be filled again, but Olaf didn’t just give these important positions to anyone. He made sure they were staffed with loyal men, preferably those who he already had a connection to. One such man was Abraham Brodersson, who became marshal of Sweden. He had been a rumoured lover of Olaf’s mother Margaret and was the father of the woman Brita, who possibly was Olaf’s half-sister. These appointments not only let Olaf govern the union more effectively than he could alone, but it also showed his commitment to the union letter of 1397, which clearly stated that he should rule each realm which help of the council. It did however mean giving up some of the power the monarchy had held during the reign of Margaret. While her rule could be considered a period of absolute authority, Olaf neither had the means nor intention to make his reign one.
Kalmar Castle, where Abraham Brodersson also served as castellan for a time, as the signing place of the union letter it was a highly prestigous position.
Ideally though, Olaf wished to not have to rule alone at all. He did not fell at ease with shouldering the same responsibility he once had shared with his mother. His new wife Helvig, though not lacking in intelligence, had no experience with ruling a state and so could help him little in this regard. Ideally Olaf would have wanted to have his son Eric named as co-regent, a practice that had been common in Denmark for a long time and a method to ensure a smooth succession, in theory anyway. That would have to wait however, as Eric was only 9 years old when Margaret died. Perhaps he felt he needed a break from government, or perhaps he hoped to make new connections to help him rule, whatever the reason, Olaf embarked upon an international journey in 1417. These journeys were commonplace for European monarchs at the time, but Olaf had almsot exclusively lived within his own realm up until this point. He had journeyed a few times to the Holy Roman Empire, but never spent much time there.
Olaf’s goal with the journey was partly to make international connections, partly to find a potential bride for young Eric. At the beginning of his journey Olaf had not yet decided if he wished for Eric to have an international marriage or if he perhaps should marry a Swedish noblewoman, like he himself had in his first marriage. During his journey through Germany, where he was to meet with King Sigismund of Luxembourg, he met with Fredrick of Hohenzollern, Elector of Brandenburg. The Hohenzollerns were relatively new in northern Germany, having started acquring titles there in the final years of the 14th century. Olaf saw the Brandenburgers as potential allies against the Hanseatic merchant cities as well as the Mecklenburger and Pomeranian dukes situated between his and Fredrick’s territories. An engagement between Olaf’s 14-year-old son Eric and Fredrick’s 7-year-old daughter Margaret was agreed to, but it wouldn’t be ratified until the year after when Olaf returned to Denmark. The two would marry in 1422.
In Bohemia, which King Sigismund was hoping to acquire, tensions were really starting to boil over as the Hussites spread through the Kingdom. Sigismund thus didn’t have all that much time for Olaf, but a quick meeting was arranged where Olaf made vague promises to support the King against the heretics, should he need it. All in all, not much came of the talks. Olaf then continued down to Italy, the western schism had only recently ended and Olaf travelled to Rome to meet with Pope Martin V. At that time news reached Olaf that the Pope had allowed a university to be founded in Rostock and he asked for permission to found one himself in his realm, the Pope agreed to this. While a true university wouldn’t be founded during Olaf’s lifetime, a studium generale would be founded in Lund by 1425. In general the Pope didn’t find Olaf a very impressive character and commented on his poor Latin skills. Martin also granted Olaf permission to go on a pilgrimage and from Italy, he travelled to the Holy Land, seeing Jerusalem before making his journey home. He had returned to the union by 1419.
Sigismund, King of Germany and later Holy Roman Emperor. Though not part of the Empire, Danish Kings usually still took an oath of allegience to the Emperor.
Returning first to Denmark, Olaf got to business again. Eric had at that point turned 16 and would soon be considered a man, Olaf decided to celebrate this by making him Duke of Lolland, a title several Danish heirs had held in the past. His journey had also truly opened his eyes to possibilities that lay in the burghership, in a tour around the Øresund he granted several trading hubs town privileges. Upon his return, Olaf had first planned to stay for a few months in Denmark before travelling to Norway and from there to Sweden. Suddenly though, he was hurridly called to Stockholm for an urgent meeting, dire news had come. The Victual brothers, pirates who long had been a thorn in the side of the Union, had been returning to the Baltic sea. It had slowly started even before Olaf had left for his journey, but it had gotten significantly worse during his absence. At first no one could really figure out where they were operating from, the Duke of Schleswig came under suspision but after every port in southern Jutland had been searched it was clear that he had nothing to do with it.
Soon the perpretator revealed himself though, when the pirates seized the island of Gotland as their base of operations. A certain Duke Bogislaw IX of Pomerania now took control of the castle of Visborg and it became clear that he had been their ally all along. Not only letting them hide in his lands, Bogislaw was taking active part in their plundering. Worst of all though was that he styled himself “rightful heir to Denmark”, he was no longer a problem the King could ignore.
Victual pirates closing in on merchant ships.
Olaf was now sole ruler of the Kalmar Union, and one may have expected that it would finally be his time to shine, to enact his great plan on the world free from the restricting grasp of his mother. This was not the case, fact was that Olaf wasn’t a young man himself when his mother died. Margaret had only been 17 when she had Olaf and he was now over 40 himself, when he finally sat alone on the thrones of the three Kingdoms. Just like his mother he had been part of forging the union, perhaps not so much between Denmark and Norway, but he had fought for the union with Sweden and been an active part of government for the last twenty years. In short, Olaf had little ambition left in him when he became sole ruler, except for upholding the legacy of his departed mother.
Doing this would be easier said than done though. Olaf was no fool, he knew just how much his mother had done from the sidelines while she still lived and he realized that he simply would not be able to do the same work that he and Margaret had done together before. The clearest example of this was perhaps the matter of the privy councils. The councils consisted of various important officials, like the royal steward, marshal and chancellor just to name a few. These were generally appointed for life and Margaret had employed a policy of not appointing new ones when the old council members died. While this centralized power around her person and made it harder for the remaining members to oppose her and Olaf, it did also mean that her own workload became increasingly heavy. Olaf knew he just wouldn’t be able to keep up with all that work while also fufilling all the duties of the King. He needed atleast some help.
Slowly these positions would therefor be filled again, but Olaf didn’t just give these important positions to anyone. He made sure they were staffed with loyal men, preferably those who he already had a connection to. One such man was Abraham Brodersson, who became marshal of Sweden. He had been a rumoured lover of Olaf’s mother Margaret and was the father of the woman Brita, who possibly was Olaf’s half-sister. These appointments not only let Olaf govern the union more effectively than he could alone, but it also showed his commitment to the union letter of 1397, which clearly stated that he should rule each realm which help of the council. It did however mean giving up some of the power the monarchy had held during the reign of Margaret. While her rule could be considered a period of absolute authority, Olaf neither had the means nor intention to make his reign one.
Kalmar Castle, where Abraham Brodersson also served as castellan for a time, as the signing place of the union letter it was a highly prestigous position.
Ideally though, Olaf wished to not have to rule alone at all. He did not fell at ease with shouldering the same responsibility he once had shared with his mother. His new wife Helvig, though not lacking in intelligence, had no experience with ruling a state and so could help him little in this regard. Ideally Olaf would have wanted to have his son Eric named as co-regent, a practice that had been common in Denmark for a long time and a method to ensure a smooth succession, in theory anyway. That would have to wait however, as Eric was only 9 years old when Margaret died. Perhaps he felt he needed a break from government, or perhaps he hoped to make new connections to help him rule, whatever the reason, Olaf embarked upon an international journey in 1417. These journeys were commonplace for European monarchs at the time, but Olaf had almsot exclusively lived within his own realm up until this point. He had journeyed a few times to the Holy Roman Empire, but never spent much time there.
Olaf’s goal with the journey was partly to make international connections, partly to find a potential bride for young Eric. At the beginning of his journey Olaf had not yet decided if he wished for Eric to have an international marriage or if he perhaps should marry a Swedish noblewoman, like he himself had in his first marriage. During his journey through Germany, where he was to meet with King Sigismund of Luxembourg, he met with Fredrick of Hohenzollern, Elector of Brandenburg. The Hohenzollerns were relatively new in northern Germany, having started acquring titles there in the final years of the 14th century. Olaf saw the Brandenburgers as potential allies against the Hanseatic merchant cities as well as the Mecklenburger and Pomeranian dukes situated between his and Fredrick’s territories. An engagement between Olaf’s 14-year-old son Eric and Fredrick’s 7-year-old daughter Margaret was agreed to, but it wouldn’t be ratified until the year after when Olaf returned to Denmark. The two would marry in 1422.
In Bohemia, which King Sigismund was hoping to acquire, tensions were really starting to boil over as the Hussites spread through the Kingdom. Sigismund thus didn’t have all that much time for Olaf, but a quick meeting was arranged where Olaf made vague promises to support the King against the heretics, should he need it. All in all, not much came of the talks. Olaf then continued down to Italy, the western schism had only recently ended and Olaf travelled to Rome to meet with Pope Martin V. At that time news reached Olaf that the Pope had allowed a university to be founded in Rostock and he asked for permission to found one himself in his realm, the Pope agreed to this. While a true university wouldn’t be founded during Olaf’s lifetime, a studium generale would be founded in Lund by 1425. In general the Pope didn’t find Olaf a very impressive character and commented on his poor Latin skills. Martin also granted Olaf permission to go on a pilgrimage and from Italy, he travelled to the Holy Land, seeing Jerusalem before making his journey home. He had returned to the union by 1419.
Sigismund, King of Germany and later Holy Roman Emperor. Though not part of the Empire, Danish Kings usually still took an oath of allegience to the Emperor.
Returning first to Denmark, Olaf got to business again. Eric had at that point turned 16 and would soon be considered a man, Olaf decided to celebrate this by making him Duke of Lolland, a title several Danish heirs had held in the past. His journey had also truly opened his eyes to possibilities that lay in the burghership, in a tour around the Øresund he granted several trading hubs town privileges. Upon his return, Olaf had first planned to stay for a few months in Denmark before travelling to Norway and from there to Sweden. Suddenly though, he was hurridly called to Stockholm for an urgent meeting, dire news had come. The Victual brothers, pirates who long had been a thorn in the side of the Union, had been returning to the Baltic sea. It had slowly started even before Olaf had left for his journey, but it had gotten significantly worse during his absence. At first no one could really figure out where they were operating from, the Duke of Schleswig came under suspision but after every port in southern Jutland had been searched it was clear that he had nothing to do with it.
Soon the perpretator revealed himself though, when the pirates seized the island of Gotland as their base of operations. A certain Duke Bogislaw IX of Pomerania now took control of the castle of Visborg and it became clear that he had been their ally all along. Not only letting them hide in his lands, Bogislaw was taking active part in their plundering. Worst of all though was that he styled himself “rightful heir to Denmark”, he was no longer a problem the King could ignore.
Victual pirates closing in on merchant ships.
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Part 6 – The Pomeranian Menace [1420-1421]
Part 6 – The Pomeranian Menace [1420-1421]
Bogislaw flew into a rage. “I am no mere Duke, mind you! I am King! Rightful King of Denmark, perhaps Sweden and Norway too eventually, but definitely of Denmark!”
“I’m sorry, uh, your Majesty, it’s just that no one calls you King when in port. You’re always Duke when we’re in port and it gets confusing...”
Bogislaw interrupted Klaus. “I am the grandson of Princess Ingeborg of Denmark. She was the eldest surviving child of King Valdemar of Denmark. That means that her eldest male descendant should have been chosen as King of Denmark upon his death, which was my uncle but since he’s dead it’s me! Not that usurper Olaf, you hear? It’s that simple! How do you not get it?” Bogislaw calmed down when he saw the blank expression on Klaus’ face. He had explained this to him a thousand times, and still the buffoon did not get it, there was no point to trying again. “We’re going back to Wisby, set the course.”
Bogislaw turned again and leaned against the railing, but they were now to far away to see anything but a pillar of smoke in the distance. The Victual Brothers certainly were no men of culture, but they sure knew how to get wealthy at someone else’s expense. If the only thing he had to do to gain their support was offer them a hiding place in his lands, then why shouldn’t he? He certainly wasn’t the first Pomeranian Duke to do so. Sure somë decried it as “piracy” or “illegal”, “dishonourable” even, but it was all for a good cause. It was a greater injustice that he did not sit upon the throne of Denmark, but if he was going to change that he’d need to acquire enough cash first to win the support of the nobility, or to hire mercenaries to help him claim the throne by force. Already his Victual allies had helped him claim the island of Gotland as a first base of operations, but they could hardly help him all the way to Denmark itself.
“Skipp... uh, my King!” Klaus voice interrupted Bogislaw’s thoughts again. “There’s a ship in the distance, looks like a cog and it doesn’t seem very well armed! Should we try to take it?” Bogislaw turned and looked where Klaus enthusiatically was pointing, already some of the crewmates were getting their swords ready. Bogislaw squinted, there was a ship alright and in it’s mast flew what he could just make out as a red flag with a white cross on it. “No, no it’s a Danish ship. Don’t pursue it.” He could hear disappointed muttering from the crew. Klaus looked at him with equal disappointment and confusion in his eyes. “I don’t understand, if you’re the rightful King of Denmark, then shouldn’t that ship and it’s contents rightfully belong to you?” Bogislaw shook his head and sighed. “Certainly Klaus, but the Danes may very well not be happy with a King who plunders his own ships now may they? If you see a Swedish ship you should be more than welcome to pursue it.” With that Bogislaw retired to his cabin.
Duke Bogislaw of Pomerania-Slupsk, one of the most despised men in the Baltic sea.
“This is an outrage! If they’ve taken Visborg and Gotland, what is next? Söderköping? Kalmar? Stockholm?” The privy council was livid. Olaf had barely gotten to the meeting before everyone started yelling about the pirates, as if it had been Olaf who had ordered the attacks. “Calm down everyone, nothing is solved by disorder! Where is Krister Nilsson? Wasn’t he supposed to take care of this problem? What does he have to say?” Olaf had trusted this was a matter the Swedes could have handled themselves, but the absent counciler made him understand he had misjudged the situation. “A prisoner of that Pomeranian pirate.” Nils Gustafsson announced. “His band of robbers were much larger than anyone had anticipated, rumours is he got help from the Mecklenburgers too.”
Bengt Gotskalksson, one of the younger council members whom Olaf had not met in person before, spoke up. “All of this could have been avoided if only the privy council could have acted independently. My King, if that was the case we could have organized a much larger expedition without the need to bother your first and this problem would surely be over by now.” Olaf’s response was quick. “Nonsense, you are all overreacting. We will gather a force of all the union and together destroy this nuisance. The attack is of course a tragedy and a provocation, but let’s not lose our heads.” Gotskalksson spoke again. “Your majesty, the Duke does not attack Danish ships we’ve been told. Forgive my insolence, but there are those in the realm who speculate on the reason for this.” Olaf remained calm, even though he took great offense at the words. “I will not be accused of cooperating with pirates, I am not only the King of Denmark. It states clearly in the union letter that an attack on one is an attack on all, and as one we shall all come to eachother’s help.”
The Cog, a common merchant ship in the 15th century, it’s designed prioritized cargo space over speed or maneuverability.
Bogislaw was dreaming, he knew he was dreaming, but even so he did not wish to wake up. In his dream he saw Olaf, dead on the ground and Margaret, who was not dead in his dream, picking up the crown of Denmark from his corpse and placing it on Bogislaw’s head. Oh what a sweet dream it was. But once again, it was interrupted by the voice of Klaus. “Danish ships! Danish ships!” Bogislaw sat up in his bed, Klaus’ voice seemed to reverb infinietly in the halls of Visborg slott, Bogislaw’s temporary royal residence. He got up and out of his bedchamber, still only dressed in a nightshirt. It wasn’t only Klaus’ voice that he could hear, in fact there was a lot of yelling all over. Bogislaw got out into the hall and there Klaus almost ran into him.
“Klaus you absolute fool! I told you, we do not attack Danish ships!” Klaus’ face was pale and he was shaking. “It’s not only Danish ships, skipper, look.” Bogislaw swept a robe around his body and joined Klaus and they both made it to the castle walls. Looking out over the sea outside the castle, Bogislaw finally understood what Klaus meant. It was absolutely swarming with Danish and Swedish ships, and these were no merchant vessels. Even from this distance he could see the the early morning sun’s rays being reflected from the weapons and armour of embarked soldiers. “What do we do skipper?” Klaus’ voice sounding like he was about to start crying. Summoning as much royal grace and authority and as he could Bogislaw simply responded. “I think it would be prudent, to get the hell out off here.”
Olaf watched from his viewpoint as several ships tried to make a quick escape even as the union fleet was closing in, but surely weighed down by loot the quicker of the union ships caught up with most of them. One ship he noticed slipping through however, he was certain it was not part of the union fleet, but it flew a Danish flag anyway. Probably some pirate trick that seemingly worked today. Olaf’s main attention was however on Visborg castle, he had himself signed the letter ordering to build the castle, yet the first time he saw it was when he had to take it back. Ironic perhaps, or perhaps rather allegorical. That which one builds one must also defend, so with castles, so with the Union itself.
And by God, he would defend it.
Visborg castle, construction began in 1411 to try and dissuade any new foreign powers to occupy the island, clearly it wasn’t succesful.
There was something intensily beautiful in seeing a burning town in the distance, especially when you yourself had been part in setting it on fire and you were on a ship carrying most of it’s wealth away for yourself. The sweet spot, Bogislaw thought to himself as he leaned against the railing, was when you no longer could hear the screams of the poor people still in it, but not so far away that only the smoke still could be seen. Bogislaw was rudely interrupted from his viewing by the voice of his first mate, Klaus. “Where to now, skipper?” Bogislaw gave Klaus a stern gaze, he knew Bogislaw hated when he was called skipper, as if he was a common pirate. “I’m so sorry ski... I mean my Duke!”Bogislaw flew into a rage. “I am no mere Duke, mind you! I am King! Rightful King of Denmark, perhaps Sweden and Norway too eventually, but definitely of Denmark!”
“I’m sorry, uh, your Majesty, it’s just that no one calls you King when in port. You’re always Duke when we’re in port and it gets confusing...”
Bogislaw interrupted Klaus. “I am the grandson of Princess Ingeborg of Denmark. She was the eldest surviving child of King Valdemar of Denmark. That means that her eldest male descendant should have been chosen as King of Denmark upon his death, which was my uncle but since he’s dead it’s me! Not that usurper Olaf, you hear? It’s that simple! How do you not get it?” Bogislaw calmed down when he saw the blank expression on Klaus’ face. He had explained this to him a thousand times, and still the buffoon did not get it, there was no point to trying again. “We’re going back to Wisby, set the course.”
Bogislaw turned again and leaned against the railing, but they were now to far away to see anything but a pillar of smoke in the distance. The Victual Brothers certainly were no men of culture, but they sure knew how to get wealthy at someone else’s expense. If the only thing he had to do to gain their support was offer them a hiding place in his lands, then why shouldn’t he? He certainly wasn’t the first Pomeranian Duke to do so. Sure somë decried it as “piracy” or “illegal”, “dishonourable” even, but it was all for a good cause. It was a greater injustice that he did not sit upon the throne of Denmark, but if he was going to change that he’d need to acquire enough cash first to win the support of the nobility, or to hire mercenaries to help him claim the throne by force. Already his Victual allies had helped him claim the island of Gotland as a first base of operations, but they could hardly help him all the way to Denmark itself.
“Skipp... uh, my King!” Klaus voice interrupted Bogislaw’s thoughts again. “There’s a ship in the distance, looks like a cog and it doesn’t seem very well armed! Should we try to take it?” Bogislaw turned and looked where Klaus enthusiatically was pointing, already some of the crewmates were getting their swords ready. Bogislaw squinted, there was a ship alright and in it’s mast flew what he could just make out as a red flag with a white cross on it. “No, no it’s a Danish ship. Don’t pursue it.” He could hear disappointed muttering from the crew. Klaus looked at him with equal disappointment and confusion in his eyes. “I don’t understand, if you’re the rightful King of Denmark, then shouldn’t that ship and it’s contents rightfully belong to you?” Bogislaw shook his head and sighed. “Certainly Klaus, but the Danes may very well not be happy with a King who plunders his own ships now may they? If you see a Swedish ship you should be more than welcome to pursue it.” With that Bogislaw retired to his cabin.
Duke Bogislaw of Pomerania-Slupsk, one of the most despised men in the Baltic sea.
“This is an outrage! If they’ve taken Visborg and Gotland, what is next? Söderköping? Kalmar? Stockholm?” The privy council was livid. Olaf had barely gotten to the meeting before everyone started yelling about the pirates, as if it had been Olaf who had ordered the attacks. “Calm down everyone, nothing is solved by disorder! Where is Krister Nilsson? Wasn’t he supposed to take care of this problem? What does he have to say?” Olaf had trusted this was a matter the Swedes could have handled themselves, but the absent counciler made him understand he had misjudged the situation. “A prisoner of that Pomeranian pirate.” Nils Gustafsson announced. “His band of robbers were much larger than anyone had anticipated, rumours is he got help from the Mecklenburgers too.”
Bengt Gotskalksson, one of the younger council members whom Olaf had not met in person before, spoke up. “All of this could have been avoided if only the privy council could have acted independently. My King, if that was the case we could have organized a much larger expedition without the need to bother your first and this problem would surely be over by now.” Olaf’s response was quick. “Nonsense, you are all overreacting. We will gather a force of all the union and together destroy this nuisance. The attack is of course a tragedy and a provocation, but let’s not lose our heads.” Gotskalksson spoke again. “Your majesty, the Duke does not attack Danish ships we’ve been told. Forgive my insolence, but there are those in the realm who speculate on the reason for this.” Olaf remained calm, even though he took great offense at the words. “I will not be accused of cooperating with pirates, I am not only the King of Denmark. It states clearly in the union letter that an attack on one is an attack on all, and as one we shall all come to eachother’s help.”
The Cog, a common merchant ship in the 15th century, it’s designed prioritized cargo space over speed or maneuverability.
Bogislaw was dreaming, he knew he was dreaming, but even so he did not wish to wake up. In his dream he saw Olaf, dead on the ground and Margaret, who was not dead in his dream, picking up the crown of Denmark from his corpse and placing it on Bogislaw’s head. Oh what a sweet dream it was. But once again, it was interrupted by the voice of Klaus. “Danish ships! Danish ships!” Bogislaw sat up in his bed, Klaus’ voice seemed to reverb infinietly in the halls of Visborg slott, Bogislaw’s temporary royal residence. He got up and out of his bedchamber, still only dressed in a nightshirt. It wasn’t only Klaus’ voice that he could hear, in fact there was a lot of yelling all over. Bogislaw got out into the hall and there Klaus almost ran into him.
“Klaus you absolute fool! I told you, we do not attack Danish ships!” Klaus’ face was pale and he was shaking. “It’s not only Danish ships, skipper, look.” Bogislaw swept a robe around his body and joined Klaus and they both made it to the castle walls. Looking out over the sea outside the castle, Bogislaw finally understood what Klaus meant. It was absolutely swarming with Danish and Swedish ships, and these were no merchant vessels. Even from this distance he could see the the early morning sun’s rays being reflected from the weapons and armour of embarked soldiers. “What do we do skipper?” Klaus’ voice sounding like he was about to start crying. Summoning as much royal grace and authority and as he could Bogislaw simply responded. “I think it would be prudent, to get the hell out off here.”
Olaf watched from his viewpoint as several ships tried to make a quick escape even as the union fleet was closing in, but surely weighed down by loot the quicker of the union ships caught up with most of them. One ship he noticed slipping through however, he was certain it was not part of the union fleet, but it flew a Danish flag anyway. Probably some pirate trick that seemingly worked today. Olaf’s main attention was however on Visborg castle, he had himself signed the letter ordering to build the castle, yet the first time he saw it was when he had to take it back. Ironic perhaps, or perhaps rather allegorical. That which one builds one must also defend, so with castles, so with the Union itself.
And by God, he would defend it.
Visborg castle, construction began in 1411 to try and dissuade any new foreign powers to occupy the island, clearly it wasn’t succesful.
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Heh, I must admit naming him Klaus was more supposed to be a reference to Störtebeker than a direct inclusion. But perhaps I should retcon it to actually be him, he’s certainly an interesting character.
Having checked his Wikipedia I also now realized he died in 1401, so it’s a bit late to include him anyway.
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This story is really nice and I hope this union will be able t survive and maybe unit to one kingdom later. Can Olof or Karl import Aurochs and Visents to have in some forest either in Danmark or southern Sweden. If the new world is being discovered by the union it would be wun if the explores name was Leif.
I’m glad you like it. I honestly haven’t given new-world cattle a thought regarding the TL so far, but I mean maybe.
The languages in sweden and denmark is more similar then after the 1500 hundreds in the OTL. Because Gustav Vasa worked to take away similarities between danska och svesnka. I don’t know in what way norska compares to the other two languages in this time.
Danish split off from Swedish and Norwegian around 1300, while Norwegian and Swedish split in 1500, after which Norwegian was split in eastern dialect which was a koine between Danish and Norwegian and a western more "true" Norwegian and Norn dialect which still pretty much replace its entire vocabulary with Danish vocabulary. Danish, Norwegian and Swedish had already at 1400 introduced a massive amount of Low German vocabulary, which likely meant a relative low mutual intelligibility with Icelandic which pretty much have kept a pure Old Norse vocabulary (interesting they called their language the Danish tongue).
Honestly if the Kalmar Union last to after the first Scandinavian Bible, we will see two Scandinavian languages "Danish" and Icelandic, maybe with Faroese and the other Nornish dialects also being seen as separate languages.
All remains to be seen if course, but I imagine there may be a lot of regional varieties, which would be seen either as dialects or separate languages by various groups. Especially in the Swedish interior.