Deus Lo Vult-Conversion by the blade Teutonic AAR

[Imperator of Rome]

I'am about to begin a Teutonic AAR and I'am asking if anyone is interested in seeing such a AAR with two crusading fronts,one in northern europe and one in the east.Such a starting position was interesting and pretty soon I will format the first message of the AAR.

[Imperator of Rome]

Ordo domus Sanctæ Mariæ Theutonicorum Ierosolimitanorum 1180 A.D

Overview:The year is 1180 in which this story of the Crusaders of the Holy Roman Empire arrive in Marienburg,Europe is in a period of turmoil.In the Holy Roman Empire,the Emperor is facing the eventual decline of the empire in which Italy and the papacy tries to escape the yoke of the emperor.The Teutonic Order of St.Mary while being in Marienburg,remains in Acre to assist the Kingdom of Jerusalem from the expanding forces of Islam.Marienburg has been given to the Hochmeister of the Teutonic Order,Hermann.He is a rarity these ages,a noble pious man who was a son of a feudal knight from Swabia who immigrated to Jerusalem.He joined the Order and served in the Outremer with a good degree of success.At 40 he is already the Grandmaster of the Teutonic Order and he has recently came back to reply to a message of aid sent from the Krol of Poland.

Grandmaster Hermann looks at his newly appointed page and starts to speak.
Grandmaster Hermann:Send word to the Krol of Poland,Kazimierz,that we are ready to aid the Kingdom of Poland in any way possible and convert these heretics that threaten Catholic peace.
Hartmut,a former priest who was promoted to the rank of a page replies:Yes Sir Hermann,I will proceed to the Kingdom.
Grandmaster Hermann:Godspeed,servant of god.
The Grandmaster then sits down at his table to balance out his finances

Map of Europa 1180

Grandmaster Hermann,Count of Marienburg,nicknames are the Pious,the Chivalrious,the holy hammer of the Germans.

[Imperator of Rome]

Image shack isn't working atm...is there any other place to upload pictures?Did it....thats the only order picture I could search for.I'll start the overview tomorrow morning.

[Imperator of Rome]

Ok,I will show more parts later,tell me what you think of the AAR at this moment people.

[Imperator of Rome]

Cast of Characters in the Baltic region

Overview:The important members of the Teutonic Order are as follows,Duke Conrad of Konigsberg,is more of a governor then a crusader.He is of the Holy Roman Empire's noble class,he isn't one for war and mostly studies in the castle in Konigsberg.




Brigitta Von Salza is one of the ladies of the Teutonic Order's court,she hopes to find a suitable husband to live her life with.She is of average looks and has been trained in diplomacy even more then the young priest Hochmeister Hermann has promoted.



Now that is the cast of characters in this story for the Baltic region.I hope you read more as the story advances and the compelling history of the Teutonic Order is revealed.

[Imperator of Rome]

Cast of characters in the middle east

Overview:As the might and consolidation of the power of the Islamic forces increase,the stronghold and port of Acre is one of the most important points for supplying and empowering the crusader cause as princes everywhere flock through Acre to the holy lands.I present,the brother of Brigitta,Heinrich von Salza,The Prince of Galilee.He is a born commander,smart and cunning,he attacks his foes with prudence and performs deeds on the battle field with alacrity and valor.Yet there are some drawbacks to his character,he is not a very loyal or pious man and he is out for any gains in the holy land he can get.Still considering his drawbacks,he will either be a conquerer worthy of the respect of Charlemagne and Otto the Great or a traitor to the cause.



Now that all introductions are done,we can go back to the Baltic front to see what our Grandmaster faces.

[Imperator of Rome]

Ordo domus Sanctæ Mariæ Theutonicorum Ierosolimitanorum 1181 A.D

Chapter 1:Signs of revolt

A page runs up to the gate of Marienberg to Hochmeister Hermann as fast as possible and bows to the Grandmaster,drenched in sweat and speaking quickly.
Page:Mi Mi Mi Lord....there has been reports of a certain noble razing farmlands around our land.
Hochmeister Hermann:*Looking Concerning*Who is it and what in the world are they looting a Teutonic province out of all places?
Page:*tries to contain his laughter*The man is a pagan named ermm...****z milord ****z.He has risen up against you and asks to fight you in battle and he promised he will collect your head
Hochmeister Hermann:Get my squire and tell him to be ready to arm for war,send word to this **** that I may not have the best equiped force around the Baltics but he if he is asking for divine punishment,he will suffer it in the physical world and the spritual.
As the page runs out,Hochmeister Hermann grabs his steel blade,which has a gold cross in the middle and awaits the squires aid.



Meanwhile in the capital of Poland,Cracow,Hartmut is speaking with the Polish Krol,the Krol is as competent or more competent a ruler then the Hochmeister and he is a distinguished noble,respected in the Holy Roman Empire.

The diplomat is speaking to Krol Kazimierz,who is eating at a table with a noble named Konrad Piast.Hartmut bows and presents himself.
Hartmut:Milord,I come to inform you of the Hochmeister arrival and his acceptance of your treaties.
Krol Kazimierz:*he smiles*Good good,I hope the Order will make a change in these heathen lands,starting with the Pagans in the east.
Konrad Piast:*he nods*Yes,with this aid,we should be able to utterly crush the threat.
Hartmut:May I propose a treaty to ally us to march in each others lands.
Krol Kazimierz:*a quick sign of horror is in his eyes of then he shakes his head*No,that is not needed.
Hartmut:Farewell then King of the Polish.The diplomat heads out quickly and joins his guards on the trip back home.



Also,Brigitta Von Salza has went to the domains of the Holy Roman Empire and possibly Italy to meet her suiters and by instructions from the Hochmeister,to open dipolomatic relations with neighboring kingdoms.Her part will be examined more closely later.The Duke of Konigsberg seems to be the one having the least problems in the area,for now he can read his articles about Roman and Greek history in peace.The Hochmeister does not call for the Dukes aid and the Hochmeister proceeds to send word to his court knights to mobilize their feudal army.

[

In Acre


We are at Acre now,the scene of relative peace is in the port castle,as shipments come from Venice and the other Italian states.In the keep,a fully chainmailed Heinrich is walking around the stables,waiting for his retinue of court knights to arm themselves.
Prince Heinrich:Squires and knights let us go and select spots to erect posts so we do not get surprised by fools in turbans.
The knights are fully arrayed,with crosses on their chests and shining mail under their surcoats.
Count Knight:Lets ride lord!The knights and their lord leave the keep and they are soon on the outer border looking for spots to plan their building at.Two watchtowers are built by the peasants of the province and Prince Heinrich,pleased with the fortifications,smiles and returns to Acre.



That is the end of this period of 1181,pretty soon action will ensue among the Baltics and fear of the charge of the Teutons will be inspired in their foes.

[AP49]

Nice AAR so far, good luck with the teutons because they were the hardest faction Ive ever played as. It looks like that rebel has a bit of a dodgy name.

[Imperator of Rome]

Nice AAR so far, good luck with the teutons because they were the hardest faction Ive ever played as. It looks like that rebel has a bit of a dodgy name.

Thank you,I will be adding on more to year 1181,keep reading^^

[Imperator of Rome]

Ordo domus Sanctæ Mariæ Theutonicorum Ierosolimitanorum 1183 A.D

The year of 1182 saw little change in the Baltic or the realm of Outremer,other then a trade agreement between Prince Heinrich and the Turks,which will not last long,Brigitta is still in the Empire meeting her suiters.
In 1183,it was decided that income would be needed to find the rebel ****z and the Hochmeister mobilized his army and he is currently marching towards Stettin.Oh yes,the Duke of Konigsberg has been recognized as the official heir to the title of Grandmaster and the Kingdoms of Christendom has given Hochmeister Hermann the title of Defender of the Faith.

Marching towards glory

Ordo domus Sanctæ Mariæ Theutonicorum Ierosolimitanorum 1184 A.D

The Hochmeister is at Stettin and he is sieging the town.It has been a dreadful winter for the Grandmaster and he is determined to assault the weak town and obtain its submission.

The grandmaster grabs his sword and asks his squires to help him put his armor on.He is used to the conditions of siege warfare,which helps him starve off the usual symptoms of disease and death by missile fire.He meets his retinue of knights who are awaiting him at the tent.
Hochmeister Hermann:Ritters the town awaits your cleansing blades,are you ready to attack
Leading Ritter:Yes we have assembled the lances and our army is ready to strike,may god be with us.
*Hochmeister looks at the spare mounts they have left and smiles as he knows horses are a rarity to have when the besieging army eats them.*
Hochmeister:Lets mount our horses and show them German valor.

The siege of Stettin 1184

The men are armored in the clothing of war,standards with gold crosses and imperial eagles are waved around with confidence.The Hochmeister is ready to attack and orders the lances to march.In the town,the citizens tremble with trepidation,unsure about what punishment will befell them.



The climate is freezing cold,the men begin to fire their bows as the soldiers,spurned on by the prospect of food and god's favor engage the sallying force.Hochmeister then stares at the situation and begins to order his ritters to the flank of the wall.
Hochmeister Hermann:My fellow knights,move to the sides of the enemy and order all the lances to assault the gate!We will charge them and smite them down!The knights nod and prepare to move as the slow march of the men at arms begins to quicken until they charge.



The charge of the men at arms are too overwhelming for the inexperienced militia to withstand as the soldiers in the Hochmeisters army unleash their fury,biting,maiming and yelling curses at their victims.The brave miltia hold on,until the inevitable surge of the Hochmeister's knights plow through their forces,the gate instantly falls to the Teutonic Order as the miltia flee to the square where their panicked Count waits.



The militia archers move in to relieve the routers and the rest of the Count's forces join the melee in the town square.Hochmeister has halted his knights and stares at the ensuing chaos.
Hochmeister:We will hit them from the back,tell the lances that there is nothing to fear when I leave,I will be back to surprise the Count of Stettin.
Order Marshall Leopold,command the men at arms and keep them motivated,I doubt you will have no problem
Order Marshall Leopold:Yes lord,*he dismounts his horse and runs to the town square.*The Order knights gallop quickly with their master until they are at the back of the Count of Stettin's line*
The Count of Stettin is sweating in cold weather as his sword dances to and fro as more of the order's men at arms surround him.Then a miltia soldier runs towards him and yells*
Milord look!,the order knights are standing still behind the miltia line,waiting for the fear to spread among the Count's force.
The Count of Stettin starts to curse
Count:Oh ****.....
Hochmeister Hermann waves his sword in the air and yells charge!,the Teutonic knights hit the rear of the line with such ferocity as the militiamen fly in the air.
At the same time a spear hits the Count directly in the face,the smiling Men at arms quickly loots the count of his armor.

[Imperator of Rome]

The militia soon are able to recover some morale and push back the knights with their spears,the Hochmeister retreats and prepares for another charge,the second charge inflicts more damage on the militia then the first and the militiamen begin to lose hope of their freedom,some begin to throw their spears down and convert to Catholicism on the spot.Some fight the Order troops in hopeless despair.



The Order men are tired and harassed by the woman of the husbands who died defending their town,a complete loot of the town almost ensues,but Hochmeister Hermann is able to regain control of his army.
Hochmeister Hermann:We are crusaders of the cross,we will not slay woman or children or loot their towns,all we ask for is food and I ask that I in time will convert the people of this town and improve it so that prosperity will reign.God deemed this place unholy and I was sent to cleanse it,men and women of Stettin,convert and escape the wrath god will inflict on you in the afterlife!
The order priests start preaching and eventually the town is pacified.

[Imperator of Rome]

Ordo domus Sanctæ Mariæ Theutonicorum Ierosolimitanorum 1185 A.D

The early part of 1185 was profound.The Hochmeister has found the sword of Otto the Great,he was also made a archduke of Stettin,a powerful title that will entice more members to join his court.Brigitta is in Italy still choosing who to marry,the castle of Acre saw no change in the political landscape,Jerusalem has been peaceful.By the way,the sword was found by a certain man at arms,who received a promotion and a generous gift of florins for donating it to the order.



Between the summer and winter of 1185 A.D,The Duke of Konigsberg met the beautiful princess of Denmark,Sophia Knudsen,and ask her to marry soon after.Thus relations between the two Kingdoms improved.



Before the end of 1185 A.D,Brigitta also finds a suiter she falls in love with,Fritsche Ruppel,who eventually at the advice of Brigitta,joins the Teutonic Order and is awarded with the title of the Archduke of Stettin.Hochmeister Hermann has wasted too much time administrating Stettin and Poland has taken Breslau while he was gone.To become a power,he will need more lands and more troops.

[Imperator of Rome]

Ordo domus Sanctæ Mariæ Theutonicorum Ierosolimitanorum 1186-1189 A.D

Nothing new happens really during this period,The Holy Roman Empire renews it's alliance with the Order and in 1189,Hochmeister Hermann plans to convert the town of Raseiniai to the Pope's rule.On the way Hochmeister Hermann asks the Duke of Konigsberg for military aid,which of course he accepts.I will continue later with the siege of Raseiniai,I'm tired now and the scribe must set aside his pen.



Siege of Raseiniai

Quote from Cardinal Thorsten-The men of the Order assembled in every direction,marching in the wildlands of Raseiniai,withstanding many of the dangers I face and harassment from the tribal leaders of the land,who respect nothing but the profane or the unclean.I have the honor of meeting the Hochmeister and providing moral and physical support in the form of aid from the few catholics I have converted in this land.

The Cardinal travels with the Hochmeister to Raseiniai and continually blesses him for his endeavers.In the east Heinrich has married Constanze Wuttenburg.With his line secured,his sucessors will rule Galilee.

[Imperator of Rome]

Ok,I'll probably write more tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.For anyone interested in the AAR thanks for reading my story.Chapter one looks like it will end soon and I think the next few days will see at least two battles and the summary of the changes that occured to each character.

[Imperator of Rome]

Ordo domus Sanctæ Mariæ Theutonicorum Ierosolimitanorum 1190 A.D

Before we turn to the siege I want to show you Hartmut,since his last visit in Marienburg,the Hochmeister has given him orders to explore the kingdoms and get any Catholic agreements he can.Our friend has arrived in the lands of the Magyars.

Kiraly Bela sits in his throne smiling at the approach of Hartmut.
Kiraly Bela:So the esteemed diplomat has reached the lands of the Hungarians,what is your lords offer.
Hartmut:Great lord,the Hochmeister presents a treaty of trade and alliance between our nations.
Kiraly Bela:Agreed royal page,would you join us for a dinner before you depart
Hartmut nods and the Hungarian Kiraly treats the diplomat with respect,trying to lavish gifts on Hartmut,but Hartmut refuses and departs after a day of being in the capital of Buda.

[Imperator of Rome]

The Siege of Raseiniai 1190 A.D

The Hochmeister and Cardinal Thorsten stood outside the castle walls,watching the battle lines form.They then agreed they should pray before the Hochmeister draws blood from these heathens.
The Hochmeister silently prayed at the cross in his tent,along with the Cardinal when his Order marshall,Leopold comes in.
Order Marshall Leopold:Lord we are ready.
Hochmeister Hermann:Good,I will grab my helm and my blade,we march through the square this day!Excuse me Cardinal,but the lord needs me on the field now.
Cardinal Thorsten:I will come too,I will help keep the men of the Order intent on the spritual purpose of this mission,and not the temptation of loot and rapine.The Hochmeister and the Cardinal both mount their horses and ride to the right side of the line.The Order men at arms raise their shields as constant arrow fire from behind the wall hit the line.The Hochmeister soon orders the lances to advance on the walls.

Now for a little backstory of Chief Vorotislav,this is how the Cardinal Thorsten describes the history and rise of this incompetent oaf.
Cardinal Thorsten's records of the nations of the Baltic:There is one province,that I'am currently preparing the path for conquest by the order for.It is ruled by a Chief named Vorotislav,who apparently gained power by tricking the prevous ruler into drinking himself until he could't function,then running him through with his sabre.Vorotislav then begin a reign of terror and coerced the nobles into submission,then he started raiding nearby provinces including Lithuania and the Duchy of Konigsberg.The two failed expeditions can quickly be told,the first one was a total failure.The Lord of Lithuania was waiting at the border with some 1500 men,including some 300 horse archers armed with chainmail and expensive arms.Vorotislav had a measly force of about 80men,and when he encountered the force he just yelled and cried run over and over as the arrows flew and the blood spilled.The second is even more embarrassing,thinking that Duke Conrad of Konigsberg was nothing more then an erudite scholar,he led his forces and reached a small village.It was empty and he was curious about why the place was abandoned.He then marched out of the village to see an line of knights with their lances down,with the enraged Duke tearing up the insulting notes the Chief have sent him.From the back of the town,the Duke's mounted mercenary archers came with their lances lowered,the knights and their Duke from the front.It's safe to say that the Chief,after barely escaping the battle with his life,never ventures out from his castle anymore,lest the memories of the Duke hits him.He barely conquered his fear of facing the besieging force,tyrants always have something to fear,even if they were once valiant or brave warriors



The Battle Commences.

The Order troops are in standard battle formation,with the spearmen masking the advancement of the ram and archers.The spearmen hymn to the thump of their march,confident that their Hochmeister will let them sack the town.The Chief of Raseiniai begins to try to raise the sprits of his men to save his own skin,but it is to no avail.The only ones with any sort of fighting sprit are his mounted retinue of light horsemen.

The Hochmeister asks the Order Marshall to shift the banners to halt the army.A banner with a bow is raised and the archers begin to let loose death upon the heathens.The arrows flow in the air in an magnificent arc,instantly the men begin to run from the constant rain of arrows.

The pagans yell out for blood and try to frighten the soldiers manning the ram heading for the gate,the effort however fails and the order spearmen are delighted to see their victims coming to the slaughter.The arrows still fly in the air,inflicting grave damage on the hopeless troops of the chief.Then the ram that is hitting the wall finally breaks through.
The Hochmeister raises his sword and begins to talk
Hochmeister Hermann:Brave men,defenders of the Pope and Christendom,God has brought down the walls of Jericho.Let us not disappoint him.DEUS LO VULT,Sieg und Ruhm für den Gott!
The Hochmeister's feudal knights unsheath their blades and yell Deus lo vult

The Chief tries to hold off the Teutonic onslaught with his men when he suddenly sees a knight similar in clothing to Duke Conrad.the Chief is frozen in fear as the knight notices him and gallops towards him.The Hochmeister lowers his lance and the lance guts the chief.The chief does not even have time to groan as his body gives up the soul.Thus the reign of the tyrant is over.



The loss of their master is like when a wild dog is released,the chiefs spearmen run for their lives while the brave Kazak nobles fight toe to toe with the knights and the spearmen.



The Hochmeister's knights begin to plow through the enemy force like a hoe through soil,as the heretics fall beneath the might of the hammer of the Germans.


The momentum is too much for the Raseiniain troops,the blades of the Hochmeister's knights are red with blood by the end of the day and noone is left to defend the town from the punishment Hochmeister Hermann will allow to happen.The men at arms of the order were permitted to loot and pillage,but no raping would be permitted,any who did would be brought before the Hochmeister and executed in his prescence.The Hochmeister finally plans to return to Marienburg to deal with this clever rebel in his lands.

[Imperator of Rome]

Stay tuned for the battle,I will finish the siege later!

[AP49]

Frequent updates . Whats your financial situation like? It doesn't look too good, I really struggled with that.

[repman]

@imperator
interesting read and pics !
Is this pure 5.0 + bugfixer_01 or any addons ?

repman

[Imperator of Rome]

@imperator
interesting read and pics !
Is this pure 5.0 + bugfixer_01 or any addons ?

repman

Pure 5.0,and to answer the financial question,no it isn't good.So my leading character is taking over towns to increase income,so he can do a epic battle with ****z.THank you for your comments,I will work on the AAR later tonight or tomorrow.A little backstory of a really minor character made up,Chief Vorotislav!