Das Königreich von Köln

**jakev2** · September 20, 2011, 10:33 AM

WIP

Overview

Epic History of Epicness (WIP)

Early Livonian Era:

Pre-Duchy of Livonia and Early Duchy of Livonia
The Kings of Köln can trace their lineage all the way back to the Saxon Dukes of the Duchy of Livonia, as far back as around 500 A.D. The Duchy of Livonia was a nation formed when Saxon merchants and nobles migrated eastwards to the Eastern Baltic. They settled and integrated with the local Livonii tribe, who had already expanded to conquer the neighbouring Latgallains and Selonians among others. The Saxons brought with them Christianity and a strong Germanic influence, along with a more structured language which most people soon became reliant upon, Soon, the upper classes were German-speakers of Saxon origin. The Old King, Johannes I, was baptised in 507 and the old Pagan Kingdom became a recognised Christian Duchy.

Establishing the Duchy in Europe
(Events which happened in the previous game of WR begin now)
Over the next 100 years, the Duchy would expand under a succession of smart Dukes, until the young Duke Nicolaus II inherited the throne from his father, Willamar, aged just 19 years old. Despite the circumstances, over the next ten years Duke Nicolaus would blossom into a wise man - a thinker and a tactician. His younger brother, Count Meinfridus, always looked up to him. Nicolaus was able to forge a firm alliance with the powerful Kingdom of France by marrying his neice, Christyne Bergmann, to the young French Prince, Louis. Unfortunately, the young Duke would have his life cut short while on campaign against the pagan Slavs to the East in 603 A.D. A lucky shot from a Slavic archer hit him in the eye, and he died instantly. Luckily, his brother, Meinfridus, was able to fight off the oncoming Slavs and recover the body.

This tragic event left the Duchy in turmoil. The Duke had died when his son and heir, Rubertus, was only 6 years old. Although Rubertus was technically the Duke, there was no way he could lead, so a council of seven men and women who were the most powerful and wisest in the land was formed, the Assembly of the Boar, with Count Meinfridus as it's head.

The War of Frankish Succession
Meanwhile, events elsewhere in Europe took a turn for the worse. In the year 604 A.D, Livonia's French allies went on a campaign against the Frankish tribes to their West. Their King, Charles Martel, won a string of great victories, but this only strengthened the Frank's resolve. Under the leadership of a man they called King Gunderic the Frank, the Frankish tribes united into one nation, determined to hit back at the French. Things went from bad to worse when the French Prince Louis, tired of his father and elder brother's chivalrous attitudes, defected to the Franks in 605, taking his Livonian wife with him!

Soon, the Britons under King Arthur Pendragon, joined the fight to support their French allies. Livonia remained, for the time being, neutral, due to the sheer distance between Livonia and France. The Franco-British alliance, along with the Empire of Aquitania (who were also at war with the Frankish Confederacy) met the Franks in battle at Poitiers in 606. King Gunderic along with his son, Gunthar and Prince Louis of France faced off against Charles Martel and his allies. At the beginning, the battle went extremely well for the French, as they surrounded the Franks in the city, and even managed to kill their King. However, when all seemed lost, Gunthar in a show of heroism managed to rally his remaining men, who charged through the enemy troops and retreated from the city. In the charge, Charles Martel was mortally wounded. though technically the French won the battle, the loss of their King and huge numbers of men was a massive morale shock.

However, far more important to Livonia was the fact that after the battle, some French soldiers found a young woman bound and gagged behing a house. They raped her, but it later turned out she was the Livonian maiden Christyne Bergmann! It seemed Louis, in his cowardice, left her behind to fend for herself. The Assembly of the Boar heard of these events, and ordered that the soldiers be sent to Livonia to be executed. Soon after the battle, Charles Martel died, and his son, Georges, was crowned King. However, Livonia and Count Meinfridus now had personal reasons to want the Franks crushed. Meinfridus promised the new French King military aid in a letter, and when the Franks declared their intent to take Paris, he followed up on his promise, and set sail for France, leading a large force.

The Franks took a detour to Dijon, where they defeated a large Aquitanian force in early 608 A.D. It seemed that the Aquitanians would be incapable now of helping the French, who seemed isolated with an army left ragged from several bad battles. Eventually, the Franks reached and beseiged France, the French capital. They maintained the seige for many months, but the French did not give in. Eventually, the Britons were closing in, with the Livonians not far behind them. The Franks knew they had to act. One day in mid 609, with the Britons seemingly nearly at Paris, the Franks made a last ditch attempt to take the city, but the French troops inside under King Georges repelled their efforts until the Red Dragon of Britain was seen on a hill. They charged into the rear of the Frankish army, and there were heavy losses on both sides. Somehow, the Britons were able to charge through the Franks and into the city, though King Arthur was injured in the process.

The Franks were now pressing in on the French and British troops from three sides, but just as things seemed at their most grim, Livonian horns were sounded in the distance. Meinfridus had arrived to save his allies. He gave a powerful speech, and then charged towrds the city with his cavalry and the Saxon Slayers, the most elite infantry of the Livonian army. They smashed the Franks, who were forced to retreat North to the British city of Caen, defended only by a single legion, which they intended to take. Arthur was able to survive his ordeal, and after the battle Meinfridus called a meeting of the leaders of the three armies. There, it was decided that Georges and the Briton Knight Sieur Clothar would lead a cavalry heavy army, supplemented by French Knights, to Caen in order to finish off the Franks and end the war. They would be supported by infantry arriving later under Meinfridus and Arthur. At Caen, Georges was able to kill his brother, Louis, and the remaining Frankish army, to finally end the war of Frankish Succession.

Meanwhile, a new Duke was finally crowned in Livonia - Rubertus I, son of Duke Nicolaus, became Duke in 611, and after a brief early conquest in Finland, ushered in a new era of peace which the Duchy had not seen the likes for nigh on fifty years.

(Events which happened in the previous game of WR end now)

Mid Livonian Era:

The Rise of Livonia

For decades to come, Livonia would modernise and develop under the leadership of Duke Rubertus. He wedded a French princess to further strengthen the alliance, and vastly improved the nation. He dedicated far less time and resources to expanding and instead focused on improving the nation's infrastructure and navy, building new towns and turning dirt paths into stone roads. Trade could now flow freely into Livonia from Russia to the rest of the Baltic and vice-versa. The economic benefits of this were remarkable, and Rubertus was able to reform the military into a far more streamlined and well equipped force in 634 A.D. This allowed him to make several small conquests around Livonia's current holdings, including the completion of his campaign in Finland. The great Livonian leader and general, Count Meinfridus Eichel, uncle of Rubertus, passed away in 637, aged 61.

Livonia's power continued to expand for the rest of Rubertus' reign, though Livonia gained no territory from 639 to his death in 652 (aged 55), as he brought peace to the Duchy. The title of Duke passed to his third child and eldest son, Heinrich I, who was 24 years old at the time. He believed strongly in a merchant friendly approach which his father followed from 620-634, so he decided to expand Westwards into the Baltic to further increase Livonia's dominance over trade in the region. He first conquered several Baltic islands including Gotland and Oland, before heading for the East coast of Sweden around Kalmar. However, his campaign here was unsuccessful and he decided to retreat. However, his successor, Duke Willamar II, conquered the area in 665, before continuing on land towards the modern day coast of Poland, where he was also successful.

War with Denmark and Rule of Duke Michel I
By 700 A.D, the Duchy of Livonia was the power in the Baltic, and a major European nation. However, the Danes (formerly allies of Livonia) felt threatened by their growing presence and trade dominance, and declared war in 716. The nations were seperated by the Baltic, with the exception of Livonia's small holdings in Sweden (which Denmark briefly occupied), so the fighting was largely naval. Several Livonian Dukes were killed in battle or lost in stormy seas over the course of just two years from 718-720, leaving the nation seeming very weak. When the last Duke died, it seemed he had no natural successor, beyond a very distantly related cousin who was also severely mentally handicapped. However, a bastard son emerged, and his legitimacy was verified by several of the former Duke's court, who had been raising him in secret for the Duke. The man's name was Michel, Duke Michel I, and he would become the greatest Duke the Duchy would ever see.

He commanded the entire Livonian army at the first major land battle of the whole war, just outside Kalmar. The battle began badly, with Danish cavalry ambushing the Livonian's from the forest and flanking their army, however a brilliant tactical move from Michel saw the cavalry surrounded by only a few spearmen, and slowly dealt with while the rest of the army (larger than what remained of the Danes) was able to charge at and defeat the army of the Danish King. Their King was taken prisoner after the battle, but Michel decided to release him and instead begin peace talks as equal leaders. The talks lasted for days, but in the end Denmark agreed to pay compensation and stop the war as long as Livonia did not expand further Westwards. Both men signed the agreement, and the war was over.
Duke Michel was hailed as a hero and military genius, but began to turn his focus to dealing with paganism in Russians to the East. With the support of the Pope, he began a "Priest's crusade", with thousands of priests from every corner of Europe being sent to Russia to convert the populace. Initially, signs were good, but eventually there was a pagan uprising in which hundreds of holy men were murdered. The Pope begged Michel to intervene, and he did so immediately, conquering lands to the East and forcing the pagans into submission. It was only a few years before Christianity was dominant in Russia, and for his work Michel was made a living saint.

After Michel died in 754, the Duchy took a long time to recover from the shock of losing such a great leader - the next few Dukes, (known collectively as the Rigan Dukes having moved the capital from Castle Turaida to Riga) while perfectly competent, seemed total idiots or cowards compared to Michel. However, by 793, the Duchy was once again prepared to conquer, and several Dukes added to Michel's initial conquests by moving further East into Russia. the Duchy reached it's peak around the year 900, maintaining supremacy in the Baltic for the next few decades.

End of Livonia and Birth of Köln

The Russian Invasions
Strong though Livonia was under the rule of the Rigan Dukes, they pushed too far into Russian lands, stirring a sleeping giant. And so it was that in 967 A.D, during the reign of the last Duke of Livonia, the young Johannes III, the Rus tribes united and rose up against the foreign invaders. Johannes was new to the throne, having inherited it from his dead father in 964, and he was not prepared for the sheer number of wild Russians that came charging out of the East. The Livonians fought valiantly, but steadily they lost ground. The Russians, under Tzar Avvakum the Mighty, pushed Livonian borders back, making Livonia the smallest it hd been for nearly 300 years. However, at the battle of Izborsk, the remnants of the Livonian military faced the Russian horde head on for the first time in the war, and Johannes won a decisive victory, personally slaying the Tzar. The Russians were pushed out of Livonian lands, and the people were given a respite.

But it did not last long. In 970, the Russians returned in greater numbers, winning every battle through sheer manpower. Avvakum's brother, Iarognev, was the new Tzar, and he had a personal mission to avenge his brother by destroying Livonia entirely. His fierceness was unmatched, and soon, despite the aid of his allies, Johannes was forced to retreat back to Riga. Soon, the city was besieged, and it wasn't long before the gates were breached. Johannes and the rest of the royal family were forced to flee by sea, taking in their fleet some 50,000 Livonians. They travelled out of the baltic to the coast of Germany, where they were greeted by the Saxons like returning heroes. Johannes and his people were taken in by the Holy Roman Emperor in 972 A.D.

Köln and the Holy Roman Empire
In 973, he married a princess from the city of Köln, and when the old König of Saxony passed away, Johannes II, Duke of Livonia became Johannes I, König of Saxony. After several years of assuring the loyalty of his troops and the lesser Dukes and Counts, Johannes felt confident to launch one of the most dangerous political moves of recent history; fighting the Holy Roman Empire. At first, he broke away from the Empire, declaring himself König of Das Königreich von Köln, then, hungry for more, he declared war. He controlled most of Saxony, but the might of the Holy Roman Empire was unbeatable. Several battles ensued in which he was heavily outnumbered, but he was used to fighting in such conditions and inflicted extremely heavy losses on the Roman army. After a string of Phyrric victories, the Holy Roman Empire signed a treaty granting him control of most of their Northern territories, from the North Rhine to Brendenburg. Johannes had achieved his ultimate goal - he had built a new nation for his people, even stronger than the last. By 980, at just 38 years of age, his power was secured.

From that point on, it was his goal to secure strong diplomatic relations with those around him. The powerful Kingdom of Regnum Brittania was not to be trifled with, and he made sure to stay out of their way as much as possible. More than that, he focused most of his time on ensuring that the Holy Roman Empire would have no reason to attack again, as he doubted his fledgling nation would be able to deal with another attack on that scale. Soon, relations with the Romans were so good that Köln was invited to join them again several times, and Johannes was even offered the chance to become Emperor, but he knew that the German people were not likely to accept him, so he declined.

When Johannes I died in 1003, he passed the Königreich to his son, Peter I. Peter was a poor ruler, but his reign passed without event thanks to strong advisors left from Johannes' rule. His son, Peter II, inherited the throne in 1030, the same year his son, Peter III, was born. He was killed in a hunting accident in 1038, leaving Peter III on the throne at just 8 years old. A regent was put in place until his 16th birthday, at which time he began his duties. Following advice from the former regent, he married a Saxon noblewoman, Els von Bremen, in 1048. The two did not get on well, despite Els bearing him a child, Johannes II, in 1057. They struggled through 10 years of marriage, but eventually Peter divorced her.

Not long after that, his eye was caught by a princess from the Saxon Kingdom of England, sworn enemies of Regnum Brittania - her name ws Margaret of England. The pair married swiftly, and she bore him three children - the first, Jacob, was born in 1060, the second, Anna, in 1062. Unfortunately, their third child, Clara, passed away within the first hour of her life. Peter took this very hard, and soon after he fell ill. Peter remained sickly and often bedridden for the rest of his life, passing away in 1076. During the last few months of his life, when it became clear his time was short, Margaret desperately tried to get him to name Jacob, not Johannes as his heir. Peter had preferred the children of his second marriage to Johannes, and everybody knew it, but Köln's laws stated that unless an official declaration was signed by the König, the throne would always pass to his eldest (legitimate) heir.

And so it was that Johannes II took the throne in Köln in 1076, at 19 years of age. During his reign, he has done all he can to secure his position, with Margaret, Prinz Jacob and Prinzessin Anna all desperate to see him removed. This has created a massive split in the royal family, with Jacob and Johannes often refusing to even speak with one another. Johannes married a Bavarian noblewoman, Elisabeth (who of course became Königin Elisabeth) in 1080, further strengthening relations with the Holy Roman Empire. She has given him two children - Prinz Thoman, heir to the throne, and Prinzessin Katherina.

The Order of St. Boniface

Regions

Diplomacy

Our current Relations:

Regnum Britannia - Historically, our nations have had a very changeable relationship. Currently, we have no ill will against them

Greco-Roman Empire - Though their power is great, they have proven themselves to be friends of Christendom

Kingdom of Nabudis - Viewed with suspicion

Crusader States - Good Christians fighting for Christendom. We support their endeavours, and will lend our support when needed. Many men from the Königreich helped to secure the holy lands. Allied through marriage and trading

Scandinavian Empire - Reasonably well liked, trading

Second Serbian Empire - Although a non-Catholic European nation, aat least they aren't pagan. Trading

The Khaganate of Khazaria - We know little about them, but their atttempts at expansion and the fact they are not Christian tells us enough

Imperium Scotiae - Viewed with suspicion, a mysterious, growing power in the East

Mamluk Sultanate - Of all the Islamic scum in the East, these are the ones we hate the most

The Maltese-Tunisian Trading Empire - Little is known about these people

The Kingdom of Valoise - Very strong allies, trading. Commited to the advancement of both our nations and the defense of Christendom

The Kingdom of Lithuania - We feel a certain kinship with these people, because of our history. Trading, and NAP until 1110

Selected NPC Nations:

Saxon Kingdom of England - Our Saxon brothers, our Royal families are closely linked. However, our relations have been changeable in the past and although we like them, we will not commit to their side if war with Britannia starts

Holy Roman Empire - Though we have been enemies in the past, the last 50 years or so has seen a great friendship blossom between us, as fellow Germans

The Papal States - As a strongly Christian nation, we almost always follow the orders of the Pope. However, as a people we often think we know better than certain Popes and may not get on well with them if they do not agree with our principles

Dark Red = Awful, Red = Bad, Orange = Poor, Black = Neutral, Purple = Reasonable, Blue = Good, Green = Terrific

Trade Resources:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Family Tree

Pink box = Female

Blue box = Male

Black name = Alive

Grey name = Deceased

A thin line between partners rather than a thick one shows that the marriage has been annulled.

A red border shows the person is from another player's nation

Some basic information and background:

The last König (King) of Köln was Peter III. Peter first married Els von Bremen, with whom he had his first child, his eldest son and heir Johannes. Not long after this, he grew tired of Els and looked for a new bride, before settling upon an English princess, a Saxon like himself, Margaret of England. With her, he had three children over six years or so, Jacob, then Anna, and lastly Clara. Sadly, Clara died within the first hour of her life. This was a shock to Peter, who dearly loved his new wife and children (though he favoured Jacob and anna above Johannes), and he fell ill despite being only 35 years old. For the remaining ten years of his life, he was sickly and often bedridden, and finally he passed away in 1076, leaving Johannes on the throne.

Prinz Jacob and Prinzessin Anna, half brother and sister of Johannes respectively, believed they should have the throne, being the favoured children. However, Kölnish law meant that Johannes, as the eldest son of Peter, would have the throne unless Peter specifically stated otherwise. Over the years, Jacob has "discovered" many documents, which he claims were written by König Peter, showing his wish to see Jacob take the throne. However, all of these have so far been proven to be forgeries (or at least Johannes claims they are), so Johannes and his wife, Elisabeth, have kept the throne. What Peter's true wishes were remains a mystery, but most in the Königreich are happy to assume Johannes is the true König, as he is a superd leader. The merchant class in particular have prospered under his rule.

Since becoming König and marrying Elisabeth, a noblewoman of Bavarian descent, Johannes has had two children, his son, Prinz Thoman (now heir to the throne) and his daughter, Prinzessin Katherina. For now, his line seems secure. However, Jacob and Anna continue to scheme for the throne, each believing they and their children after them should be rulers of Köln.

In more recent times, Prinz Thoman has married Princess Lorraine, daughter of King Baldwin I of the Crusader States, securing an alliance.

Important People (Biographies)

The Royal Family:

König Johannes II: The current König, Johannes took the throne in Köln when his sickly father, Peter III, died in 1076. He is the only child Peter had with his first wife, Els von Bremen, widely seen as a loveless marriage. He was only 19 years old when this happened, and his experiences of ruling from such a young age (and dealing with power hungry advisers and officials who sought his favour when he wos crowned) have toughened him into a strong leader. Peter had always favoured his younger two children, Prinzessin Anna and Prinz Jacob, but as the eldest son Johannes was given the throne. He has been forced to bat away multiple attempts from his siblings to take the throne through forged documents and false allegations, and this has resulted in a huge rift in the royal family, particularly between Johannes and Jacob. He is well liked by his people, and there is little chance of any sort of rebellion in favour of Jacob.

A large man in both height and girth, Johannes is a presence in any room. However, despite his rugged, savage appearance Johannes is generally diplomatic, though he can be quick to anger. He prefers to protect his nation by building good relations with neighbours than by conquering them, the best example of this being the situation with the Holy Roman Empire - Historically, Köln existed in an almost permanent state of war with them, but Johannes has clamed this and cemented a solid freindship between the two Germanic nations, partly because of his marriage to the Bavarian noblewoman, Elisabeth.

Königin Elisabeth: Queen of Köln, Elisabeth was originally a German noble of Bavarian descent, before Johannes married her. She enjoys her duties and the luxuries of royal life, and has given Johannes two children, Thoman and Katherina. Despite her best efforts, she fears that her husband is becoming more distant from her in a relationship that seemed to start so well, and she suspects that he may have married her (some twenty years ago) simply for diplomatic reasons.

Prinz Jacob: Younger brother of Johannes and third in line for the throne, behind Johannes' two children, Jacob is an intelligent and cunning individual, though his best traits are muddied by a massive feeling of resentment and jealosy towards his brother. Their father, Peter, always favoured Jacob and his sister to Johannes, as they were the children he fathered with his second wife, Margaret of England. But because no genuine document from Peter himself has been found declaring Jacob as his heir since Peter's death, Jacob is forced to live in the shadow of his brother.

He is smaller than his brother, as a man of average height and build, though he has wiry muscles which hide a surprising strength. He is actually a better commander than his brother is, but is prone to trying risky tactics in order to show off his abilities.

Prinzessin Anna: Anna is the third and youngest surviving child of König Peter III. She is extremely power hungry, bu is not jealous of Johannes like Jacob is. Like her brother Jacob, her father preferred her to Johnannes, the older brother and current König. She is determined to move herself closer to the throne by making Johannes' claim worthless, and getting his whole line out of the picture. To do this, she has formed an alliance with Jacob, though she knows that she will have to remove him too to get to the throne.

Princess Margaret of England and Els von Bremen: Els and Margaret were the two wives of the last König, Peter III. Els, a "genuine" Saxon, was the first wife, though the marriage was loveless, and she was soon divorced after giving birth to the current König, Johannes II. Princess Margaret was his second wife, a Princess of the Saxon royal family in England, and by all accounts the two were madly in love, and she constantly pushed him to make the two children they had, Jacob and Anna, his heirs rather than Johannes. The two have always hated each other - Els sees Margaret as a "fake" Saxon, and Margaret sees Els as some German whore. From the minute Peter died, the two have been pushing their own children on the throne, but so far little Margaret has done has been able to remove Johannes. Now old women, they continue their hatred of each other and desperately try to protect their children.

Prinz Thoman: Son and first child of König Johannes II and Königin Elisabeth, Thoman is the next in line for the throne of the Königreich. A young man now, Thoman shows great promise both as a leader and a fighter. He has the best traits of all the men in the royal family: Johannes' honesty and knack for diplomacy, Jacob's intelligence and cunning, and Peter's great piety. he is immensely popular with the people, who feel sure that the Königriech will be in good hands for many years to come with him on the throne, and his father considers him not only a loved son, but also his protege.

Slightly taller than his father but much slimmer, Thoman has a powerful and graceful figure, and despite his young age looks every part the perfect soldier on the few occasions he has been seen in full battle gear. Whether he will live up to his potential remains to be seen, but with Jacob and Anna a constant presence, it seems he will have to fight to make the throne his when the time comes.

Others:

Großmesiter Wilhelm Becker: Großmesiter of the Order of St. Boniface, Wilhelm is one of the most important men in the Königreich, in both religious and military terms. The greatest general the Order has produced since it's creation, he has fought many battles in the Holy Lands suring the First Crusades, and he is idolised as a hero and protector of Chrsitendom. Though starting to get old now, he has worked closely with Prinz Thoman since his return from Jerusalem, looking to improve his figthing ability and tactical knowledge by imparting his wisdom.

Economy

Army

Das Königreich military:

Unit types:

Sentinels of St. Boniface: Elite Pikemen (UNIQUE UNIT) - These men, the Sentinels of St. boniface, are the most elite foot soldiers the Order has to offer, and the best in Köln too. Their strength is in defence, when their long pikes and heavy armour form an impenetrable wall, amking them nearly unbeatable if the flanks stay protected. They are also extremely well disciplined, having taken many vows similar to those taken by the Templars and other knightly orders. However, their weakness is their lack of manouvrablity - on rough terrain or across long distances they will move slowly, and they tend not to deal well with ambushes.

Champions of St. Boniface: Elite Heavy Cavalry (UNIQUE UNIT) - Battle hardened from their experiences in the first crusades, these men are the best that the Order has to offer. They wear the best heavy armour available in Europe, yet through vigorous training their horses lose little speed because of this. As a result, their charges are enormously powerful, however the horses lack stamina, and in a long battle they tire quickly. As well as exceptional fighters, the Champions of St. boniface are also zealous Christians, and this can have a serious effect when facing Pagan or Islamic foes. In such situations, they will never flee, but may attempt hopeless charges and ruin a general's plans.

Saxon Marksmen: Veteran Archers - Though no match for the British longbowmen, the Saxon people have always known how to handle a bow. In particular, the professional archers of Köln's armies make up for the shorter range of a shortbow with years of practice and experience. These men typically come from small villages or towns, and hunt with a bow from boyhood before being selected to serve in the König's army.

Urban Guardsmen: Soldier Spearmen - Equipped with a short spear, the Urban Guardsmen originate from the major cities in the Königreich, particularly Frankfurt and the densely populated Rhine regions. They are tasked with patrolling, defending, and manning the city walls.

East March Wildsmen: Soldier Horse Archers - Before it was conquered, the East March region was shared between many different groups, ranging from Slavs and Vikings to Danes and Lithuanians. Now under the rule of Köln, this wild region is slowly being tamed, though some of it's people retain their savage practices. The Wildsmen are a great example - they are bands of mainy Slavic bandits some of whom are paid to fight in Köln's army, having been beaten and suppressed by them. On the battlefield, they move fast and strike hard, making them perfect for ambushes and hit and run tactics. Sometimes, their barbarian tendencies take over and they pillage what they shouldn't.

Frankish Swordsmen: Veteran Heavy Infantry - In the westernmost parts of the Königreich, on the far side of the Rhine, lives a large Frankish community, centred around the city of Aachen. These proud men make excellent soldiers because of their discipline and self control. Many are employed in Köln's armies as swordsmen, armed with a one handed sword and shield, and wearing heavy armour.

Saxon Horsemen: Professional Light Cavalry - Fast moving and lightly armoured; this has typically been the way the Saxons have fought while mounted. Excellent as harrassers and flankers, these horsemen add a different element to the Kölner military.

Forest Hunters: Soldier Archers - Though the last few hundred years have seen many parts of Germany significantly urbanised, most of the land is still covered with forest. As a result, many Germans are in their element while surrounded by woodland. The Forest hunters are men just like this who have been added to the army as a cheaper alternative to more well trained archers.

Germanic Axemen: Professional Medium Infantry - The unconquerable, wild tribes of Germania always favoured the use of the axe. To this day, many germans prefer to fight with an axe and a shield than the more common sword or spear. Wearing chainmeal armour and able to charge quickly, the Germanic Axemen make excellent shock troops and can tear through enemy lines.

Dutch Retainers: Professional Heavy Infantry -The Counts of Holland always had large retinues while they were in power. These men were trained with the use of large, two handed swords. Now, under Köln’s rule, they have been incorporated into the Low Countries Division of the military, predominantly as shock troops designed to smash through enemy lines.

Friesland Archers: Guard Archer-Infantry Hybrids - Friesland was one of the smaller counties of the Low Countries when it existed as an independent state. As a result, the soldiers were often forced to function in a variety of roles. These men specifically are well trained with both the bow and the sword, carrying short swords and shields which they use to great effect once they have exhausted their supply of arrows.

Guelder Riders: Guard Light Cavalry - Guelders is one of the less well known counties of the Netherlands region of Köln, but their nobles are known for producing excellent riders. Oddly, they prefer to fight with only light armour and spears, using swords when they break, rather than the traditional lance of most European Knights. They use the speed this gives them to great effect, rushing across the battlefield to wherever they are needed with great effect.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Army Divisions:

Köln's armies are divided into four main sections, or legions. These are based in different provinces in the Königreich.

Rhineland Division (comprised of the regions Rhineland and north Rhine)

Main garrison: Köln

7,500 Frankish Swordsmen (Medium Infantry, Veteran): Cost = 7,500 x 6 x 12 = 540,000
10,000 Urban Guardsmen (Spearmen, Soldier): Cost = 10,000 x 2 x 7 = 140,000
3,000 Saxon Horsemen (Light Cavalry, Professional): Cost = 3,000 x 12 x 10 = 360,000
7,500 Saxon Marksmen (Archers, Veteran): Cost = 7,500 x 4 x 12 = 360,000

Total men = 27,000

Total cost = 1,400,000

Upper Saxony Division (comprised of the regions Westphalia, Angria and Hamburg)

Main Garrison: Bremen

5,000 Sentinels of St. Boniface (Pikemen, Elite): Cost = 5,000 x 4 x 18 = 360,000
1,000 Champions of St. Boniface (Heavy Cavalry, Elite): Cost = 1,000 x 28 x 18 = 504,000
5,000 Saxon Marksmen (Archers, Veteran): Cost = 5,000 x 4 x 12 = 240,000
3,000 Frankish Swordsmen (Heavy Infantry, Veteran): Cost = 3,000 x 6 x 12 = 240,000

Total men = 14,000

Total cost = 1,344,000

Lower Saxony Division (Comprised of the regions Eastphalia and Hesse)

Main Garrison: Kassel

10,000 Forest Hunters (Archers, Soldier): Cost = 10,000 x 4 x 7 = 280,000
5,000 Urban Guardsmen (Spearmen, Soldier): Cost = 5,000 x 2 x 7 = 70,000
2,500 Saxon Horsemen (Light Cavalry, Professional): Cost = 2,500 x 12 x 10 = 300,000
2,500 East March Wildsmen (Horse Archers, Soldier): Cost = 2,500 x 18 x 7 = 315,000
10,000 Germanic Axemen (Medium Infantry, Professional): Cost = 10,000 x 4 x 10 = 400,000

Total men = 30,000

Total cost = 1,365,000

East Marches Division (Comprised of the region Brandenburg & The East Marches)

Main Garrison: Wächterburg

10,000 Sentinels of St. Boniface (Pikemen, Elite): Cost = 10,000 x 4 x 18 = 720,000
2,000 Champions of St. Boniface (Heavy Cavalry, Elite): Cost = 2,000 x 28 x 18 = 1,008,000
2,000 East March Wildsmen (Horse Archers, Soldier): Cost = 2,000 x 18 x 7 = 252,000
10,000 Forest Hunters (Archers, Soldier): Cost = 10,000 x 4 x 7 = 280,000
5,000 Germanic Axemen (Medium Infantry, Professional): Cost = 5,000 x 4 x 10 = 200,000

Total men = 29,000

Total cost = 2,460,000

Low Countries Division (comprised of the region Low Countries) (T.B.C 1105)

Main Garrison: Utrecht

5,000 Guelder Riders (Light Cavalry, Guard): Cost = 5,000 x 12 x 14 = 504,000
7,500 Friesland Archers (Archer-Infantry Hybrids, Guard): Cost = 7,500 x 6 x 14 = 630,000
10,000 Dutch Retainers (Heavy Infantry, Professional): Cost = 10,000 x 6 x 10 = 600,000

Total men = 22,500

Total cost = 1,734,000

---------------------------------------------------------------

Overall:

Total men = 27,000 + 14,000 + 30,000 + 29,000 + 22,500 = 122,500

Total cost = 1,400,000 + 1,344,000 + 1,365,000 + 2,460,000 + 1,734,000 = 8,303,000

Navy