Reshaping Europe - A Prussian Campaign

[IndiBlue]

Hi All,
This is the first time I am trying my hand at writing and my first effort at an AAR. This is more from characters' perspectives rather than a War Log. English is not my first language, but I do hope that I get better as I go along with any feedback that I get.

Chapter 1: The Great Northern War

February, 1700 AD:

It was late in the night. The cold of the winter was slowly fading away, but still the night was chilling to the bone. Everyone in the room was tired and weary. Gathered around the table were the who’s who of the Prussian kingdom. It was not usual for this council to meet in the middle of the night. However, the news of a new turn of events in the recently started Northern War forced this meeting at an odd hour.

Johann Barfus had just come in to Brandenburg in the afternoon after a trip from Warsaw. Nobody knew the purpose of the Lord Minister of War’s visit to the Polish Capital. Poland-Lithuanian Commonwealth had a very indifferent attitude towards the Prussians and there was a feeling of mistrust between the two nations. However, everyone knew that Johann von Barfus was incorruptible. He had been given the task to secure the borders with Poland and his efforts were unbeknownst to other Council members. Only the King was in the know and this had rankled quite a few members. But nobody spoke out due to Lord Minister’s closeness to the king Friedrich I.

The first Lord Johann Wartenburg finally broke the silence. “News has come in that Frederik IV has directed his Danish forces towards Tonning and they will soon be besieging the city.”

“That means Sweden is now going to fight the war on both fronts.” said the Lord Minister of War.

War was a foregone conclusion ever since Charles XII had succeeded his father. That was 3 years ago. Yet to come of age, the 14 year old was seen as weak and incompetent and this had given Peter I of Russia an opportunity to stamp his authority in the Baltic region. However, for Denmark to declare war on the Swedes and have the temerity to march up to Tonning so quickly was surprising. Even for the large Swedish army, fighting the war in both east and west was a daunting task. This was not lost on the Council’s meet tonight.

“The time is ripe. We will not get a better time to claim to Oder estuary from Sweden for us. It is imperative that we capture the estuary for giving access to Baltic Sea for Brandenburg.” There was a spark in the eyes of the first Lord as he spoke this words. “Sweden have no allies to speak of. With their army distracted, we don’t have to worry about any opposition there.”
First Lord continued. “I have reports from Warsaw that Augustus II is also mobilizing his men towards east for an assault on Riga. We need to act now or else there will be nothing to gain for us. We have a large standing army and this is the best time to strike.”

Every eye was on Johann Barfus. Finally the Lord Minister of War spoke. “We need men here in Brandenburg. I do not trust the Austrians and for all my efforts, we still need to be wary of the Polish Commonwealth. But the First Lord is right. We might not get a better opportunity. I will speak to General Leopold and I am sure he can secure the Oder estuary for us before the end of Summer.”

The final words came from the King himself. “War it is then. Prepare the men. Let this summer be the summer that sees the rise of Prussian Might.”

[Alwyn]

Welcome, IndiBlue! You write well and provide a clear picture of the strategic situation for Prussia. I wonder if General Leopold's mission to take the Oder estuary will succeed - and whether it will leave Brandenburg vulnerable to attack.

[IndiBlue]

Thanks for the appreciation Alwyn. I am also trying to incorporate some of the actual 18th century events into this. Hoping it comes out nicely.

[IndiBlue]

Part II - Northern War - River Oder

June, 1700 AD: On the banks of River Oder, somewhere near present day Szczecin.


It did not take more than 2 months. With majority of Swedish army deployed on the Eastern border to fight against the Russians, Charles XII had to move the rest of the Swedish army towards West. It was not a battle, but a massacre. Leopold of Anhalt-Dessau, the young Field Marshall, did not even have to break a sweat to capture the Oder.

Leopold of Anhalt-Dessau, the young prince, was held in the highest of regards in King's court and he had delivered on his promise to his mentor von Barfus, the Lord Minister of War. Oder estuary had been secured before the end of Summer. From his earliest youth, Leopold had devoted himself to military pursuits. He was 17 when he became colonel of a Prussian regiment in 1693. He had proved his mettle in Siege of Nemur in 1695. Now, a lieutenant-general, he had the respect of almost all the Prussian army. He had made many improvements to the army as well, including the introduction of the iron ramrod recently.

The sun was setting in the west, alighting the river as it was going down. Reflected through the river, the sunlight was making its way inside the royal tent, finally resting on the two glasses kept on the table. Wrapped around one glass were thick wrinkly fingers which had held a sword in many a wars. The Lord Minister of War, Johann von Barfus, picked it up and took a sip of whiskey. The other glass, half filled with the deep gold spirit, glowing in the sunlight, was now in solitude, waiting for its master. The two men were celebrating the victory by the banks of the river. With both of them measuring over 6 feet in height, it felt as if even the Royal tent was too small to hold them. Leopold was built like an Ox, and it was said that his imposing presence only in the battlefield doubled the strength of his armies. Lord of War von Barfus was no less. Old age might have caught up with him physically, but he could still teach a thing or two about warfare to the best of the Generals.

"I agree with you my Lord. My scouts tell me that the Russians have ravaged the countryside of Ingria. Riga is up for grabs. Though I will think twice before marching eastwards." said Leopold. He had always been circumspect in nature and it had served him well in the past. Leopold continued "How do you expect me to cross Courland? And even if we reach there, how can I be sure that the Poles don't quietly come and bite me in the arse? Last time I checked, there was an army being readied in Warsaw." The young prince finally had mercy on his glass, picked it up, and took a sip.

von Barfus leaned back on his chair. He had a smile on his face which unsettled Leopold. "The old dog always has a few tricks up his sleeve. I wonder what plan he has conjured up now." He thought to himself.

The Lord of War cleared his throat, took another sip from his glass, and still holding that devilish smile, said "You can stop worrying about Poland for now. And we will not have to bother Courland either. I have a fleet ready for you as we speak. Most of the Swedish fleet is engaged in the west which means, my dear Leopold, you can set sail to Riga in the safe knowledge that there will be no trouble in the seas."

"I need more men. These were enough to win a small skirmish here, but to take Riga, this will not do." retorted the Lieutenant-General.

"You will find them in the fleet. Along with your friend Alexander Schlobitten."

The mention of that name caused Leopold to choke on his whiskey.

"You know I will slit that lowlife's throat if I have a chance. Yet you expect me to fight a war alongside him?"

Leopold had recently married an apothecary's daughter. Anna Louise Fohse was a low ranked noble and this had not been well received by the some Prussian nobilities. Alexander had used this to demean Leopold and further his influence in the Prussian Royal Court. He had the support of much of Konigsberg, but Leopold had the backing of Brandenburg.

"For once in your life Leopold, will you cast aside your differences and fight for your kingdom? You have my backing which is as good as the king's. Why on earth do you have to worry about Alexander. Whether you like it or not, he is one of our most decorated Generals, and I cannot leave him rotting in Konigsberg when we are at war. So swallow your bloody ego and get on with the task at hand. You will get your chance to level matters with him ..someday. But that day has to wait."

von Barfus finished the rest of the drink in one bug gulp, slammed his glass on the table, stood up and stormed out of the tent, signalling the end of conversation. Who was Leopold to argue?

Ouside, looking over at river Oder, witnessing the last rays from the sun kissing the river's surface, von Barfus thought to himself. "My two Generals will not waste a second to slit one another's throat if given a chance. And the King's Court is pinning all its hopes and the future of Prussia on these two fools working together."

[IndiBlue]

Turning Tides - Northern War

9 June 1701:
A little over a month had passed since the fleet landed near the mouth of river. The Prussian Army had easily overwhelmed the forces at the fort of Dunamonde. The walls of Riga could be seen from atop the fort. Whatever men remained had fled to Riga. von Barfus had ordered Leopold to conquer Riga before Winter. Situation dictated them to move now. Alexander, however, was not ready to commit his men for a direct assault on the city. He wanted to secure the forts to the east of Riga before besieging the doomed city. That way any support from the east could be cut-off. Leopold, though, was growing impatient and wanted to have Riga before the the first snow. As it was, neither of them wanted to yield to the other’s demands.

von Barfus’ worst fears had come true. The ego of these two gentlemen was putting the Prussian war effort in jeopardy. Sitting in his large study, he was furious to be not present in the battlefield where he could force them to do as he willed. But it was not easy for the Lord Minister of War to pull the strings from Konigsberg. All he could do was to hope that better sense prevailed. Right now, at his desk was a letter signed by him ordering Alexander to besiege Riga as soon as possible.

Years of hard knocks had made Johann Barfus look older than he actually was. He did not have a lot of years left in him. He wanted to see a strong Prussia before his death. A knock on the door pulled the Lord back from his thoughts. It was his most trusted man, Karl Moor. Karl had his eyes and ears all across Central Europe and his information had always helped von Barfus to make the right decisions.

Karl’s face was telling that something was not right. The Lord signaled him to take the seat in front of him.

“I am already knee deep in problems Karl. By the looks of your face, I don’t think that is going to get any better. Speak.”

“I have some disturbing news from the West.The Swedes have consistently bombarded Copenhagen and this has caused Denmark to retreat. There has been a rebellion in Norway as well which has forced Frederik IV of Denmark’s hand. Their forces are divided. Sweden can engage their army in Baltic now. I have heard reports that a fleet containing Field Marshall Karl Gustav Rehnskiold himself has set sail for Riga.”

“None other than the Field Marshall himself? As if I don’t have enough problems here. We have to get these piece of news to them as soon as possible. If we are to fight Gustav, we should do it from behind the walls of Riga. Whatever doubts I had have been cleared. Send the word to Leopold that we march to Riga.” Saying this, he handed the letter to Karl.

“There is another troubling news my Lord.” Karl Moor was not finished.

“What now Karl?” The irritation in von Barfus’ voice was obvious.

“I also hear that the Austrians are amassing a huge army north of Silesia. I know not the purpose of this but it is not far off from our borders.”

The Lord of War sank in his seat.

[IndiBlue]

The Taking of Riga

Denmark had been dealt a severe blow on the Western front. Karl Gustav, the Swedish Field Marshall had annihilated Danish forces in the outskirts of Copenhagen. Only the orders from the king stopped him from taking over the city. The Danish army had been devastated. No ships, as had been expected, arrived from Great Britain. This left the Danes to face the might of Swedish Cavalry on their own, and the outcome was devastating.

Denmark was imploding. In the north, the nobility in Norway had risen against Frederick IV and had caused a great deal of damage to the Danish army deployed there. The whole countryside was ravaged with skirmishes between the Liberation Army and Danish forces. The city of Molde was already captured by the rebel forces which the had declared as the capital of the Norwegian kingdom.

Denmark did not have enough men to fight against Sweden and also deal with the Civil War. The writing for Denmark was on the wall. Unless it managed to gain some allies, Denmark was going down. So it came as a relief to Frederik IV when Sweden offered peace terms. Denmark was not to enter in any future conflicts with Sweden. Denmark was also going to pay Sweden for war damages which amounted to near half a million Reichstalers. Peace, for Denmark, had come at a great price.

Sweden, however, was proving its might. Charles XII, although very young, was turning out to be quite a tactician. He had wasted no time in attacking Denmark after the debacle of Tonning. He also knew that he could not afford to take over Copenhagen and spare any men to quell any resistance there. It was foolhardy to continue fighting in West. He had to move east where the biggest threat loomed in the name of Russia. In oder to achieve this, Charles XII not only brokered a peace with Denmark, but also had Denmark fund the Swedish war efforts in East. Russian supremacy in the Baltic was not as easy to achieve as it was expected.
After dealing with Denmark, Charles XII asked Karl Gustav to secure Riga from Prussian forces. Once defeated, he would be left with only Russia and then the war will be on very even grounds. If anyone could give him victory against the Prussians, it was Karl Gustav. There was no one in Europe who matched his acumen when it came to battles. He had, on more than one occasion, defeated armies twice the size of his own.


28 June 1701 AD: Outskirts of Riga:

If the letter from Johann Barfus last week did not explain the urgency of the situation to both the Generals, the tone of the letter definitely did. Johann Barfus was not happy. And in his letter, he left no one in doubt as to what he thought of the situation in Riga. Alexander, for all his arrogance, had nothing but utmost reverence for the Lord of War. He swallowed his ego and accepted the orders to prepare his men for besieging Riga. Leopold was making no effort to hide his glee. No matter how minuscule, he had his moment of victory against Alexander.

Alexander Schlobitten never liked Leopold. The young man was arrogant and had no respect for traditions. He had married a lady from a lesser nobility and yet he was being talked of as the natural heir to Lord Minister of War’s throne. Alexander had bled for his country for the better part of last 20 years. He was mortally wounded at the battle of Bonn 10 years ago. He had won numerous battles for Prussia during this time and yet, when it mattered, the Royal court only echoed the name of Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau. And all this, because Alexander, unlike Leopold, did not have a Royal lineage. To him, Leopold was nothing but a glorified Drillmaster.

That was the reason why he never trusted Leopold in a battle. That was the reason that plans for an assault on Riga was drawn up by Alexander himself. And that was the reason Alexander was not going to let Leopold take the credit for this win.

The army was approaching Riga. With a small army left to protect the city, any attack from two ends of the city was going to be devastating. Alexander had exactly that on mind. His men would march from the West towards the Western gate, while Leopold would engage his men from North. Bulk of the cavalry was left in command of Leopold while Alexander had 4 regiments of Infantry. The plan was for Alexander to have his men take the West end of the city while Leopold engaged the North.

It lasted precisely for 4 hours. Once Alexander took the Western gate, the enemy troops folded. The lack of any commanding leadership in the enemy lines had left them very disorganized. Most of them were fighting with pitch forks and what not. With the western gates fallen in Prussian hands, there morale took a shot. Rest of the men immediately surrendered. And just like that, Riga fell.

Once the city was taken, Alexander took an assessment of the casualties. As expected, most of the Infantry units under Leopold’s command had suffered losses. He ensured that the injured were tended to immediately. Alexander was loved because he would always have a drink with the men after a battle. And that was why his men would not think twice to fight for him. True to his reputation, tonight was no different.

Leopold, on the other hand, was a meticulous planner. He had already begun preparing for the new command room inside the Governor’s Palace. A Prussian flag was already fluttering atop the roof. Leopold had no time for celebrations though. Along with his deputy, another young man named Josef Krause, he was planning for the battle ahead. Josef Krause was an irascible, instinctive and ambitious commander, and was full of confidence. He complemented Leopold as a lieutenant impeccably. He had come through the ranks under Leopold’s command in a very short span of time. For some reason, Leopold had a soft corner for Joseph. Time would come when Joseph would have a role to play in Prussian history, but now, it was by the side of Leopold. Both men were looking at the map of Riga spread across the table in front of them.

Enemy, and none other than Karl Gustav Rehnskiold, was marching towards Riga. At best, if the Gods felt generous, he had a couple of months. He had to be ready.

[Caillagh de Bodemloze]

Wow, IndiBlue, this is growing like mad! I hope that means you're having fun writing it.

I'm certainly having fun reading it. (And your English is good, so don't worry about that.)

I like the conflict between your two generals very much - Leopold, the royal scion who doesn't care how anyone used to do things, and is too hard-working to gain the affection of his men; and Alexander, the commoner who feels the prince is stealing the recognition that should be Alexander's. I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens next!

[IndiBlue]

Thanks a lot Caillagh!! I am certainly having a good time writing this. I hope it is not moving too slow though.

[IndiBlue]

Europe at the turn of Century – A Summary

July 1701 AD:
This was a time of upheaval across Europe. A lot was happening across the continent , some of which would eventually become pivotal in changing the balance of power in Europe. This chapter provides some of the major events that shaped Europe as it stepped into 18th century.

Prussia was making it first steps towards competing with the bigger European powers. The kingdom had seen a lot of developments over the last few years. Recent trade deals with Poland had helped the economy to a certain extent. But what catapulted its economy was the deal with the Marathas. Marathas had needed the ammunition for their battle against Mughals, which Prussia was happy to provide in return for big sacks of gold. It had worked out very well for both the states as Marathas had been able to snatch Hyderabad from Mughals. This trade with Marathas had helped Prussia to invest heavily in infrastructure and technology. Roads were undergoing an upgrade everywhere in the kingdom Prussia, realizing the need to keep at least one big European power on its side, had also started trading with Great Britain. It also meant that there was no immediate threat from Hanover in Berlin’s West as long as Britain was on good terms with Prussia.

Poland had gone through a deep agricultural crisis in the last few decades. It was more than happy to accept trade offer from Prussia. von Barfus had made every effort to ensure that the relations remained cordial. His frequent trips to Warsaw had moved him closer to Augustus. However, there remained a small issue of Poland eyeing East Prussia and Prussia looking on at Gdansk that would connect Konigsberg with Berlin, which rankled both the countries.

Not more than a year had passed since the Spanish Habsburg King Charles II died at age of 38. This had created a big vacuum in the Spanish succession. The king had no apparent heir. As per Spanish line of hierarchy, his elder sister, Maria Theresa, was next in line. She was married tod Louis XIV of France. However, for the return of a dowry of half a million gold crowns, Maria had renounced her claim on the throne. On the other hand, younger sister Margaret had married to the Austrian Habsburg Emperor Leopold I. As it stood, either France or Austria was going to inherit the vast Spanish territories and its riches. France was already in a very strong position. This transference would have increased her strength manifold. Other European powers were naturally wary. Prussia was no different. Its history with France was no secret. If Louis XIV took the Spanish throne the first march of its army would be towards Berlin.

In addition, Leopold I also had personal differences with Frederick I of Prussia. Leopold had not taken it well that Frederick had declared himself King in Prussia. Prussian adventures in Riga were also raising eyebrows in Vienna. Prussia was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Denmark was in turmoil as the civil war threatened to consume the nation. After defeat against Sweden, it was left licking its wounds and Hanover to the south was already hatching plans to siege an already devastated Copenhagen.

Russians had been making slow and steady progress again Sweden in the Baltic region but with Denmark out of the picture, King Charles XII was in a much better position to deal with Russia. Peter I had underestimated the young Swedish king. And he just might end up paying a heavy price for it. Peter also had to deal with a minor issue of war with the Ottomans in the south.

Ottomans were a shadow of their past now. Already declining, decades of war had left them ages behind the other European nations.
Austria had laid its claims to the Spanish throne through Leopold I, and it had the support of Great Britain and United Provinces. The Habsburg rule was, however, not so strong as it used to be. This made the conflict with the French all the more crucial.

It was in these times that Prussia had to look for opportunities. The taking of Riga had shown others that Prussia could not be taken lightly. The road to European glory was a long one and Prussia had just taken the first step in that direction.

Berlin, July 1701 AD:
The door of King’s study opened. Two cups of coffee were brought in and kept at the table in front of king Frederik. von Barfus had made the trip from Konigsberg to Berlin upon hearing the news from Riga.

“At last some good news.” The King was in a relieved mood.

“Yes and No.” replied von Barfus. “We have taken Riga, yes, but the major battle for Riga is yet to be fought. We have left a bulk of our standing army here in Brandenburg.I had expected Denmark to have engaged the Swedes much longer. The Swedish Field Marshall has set sail to Riga with a large army. We might have enough men in Riga now, but a lot of them are still recuperating. Even with two of our best Generals stationed there, it will take a lot to stand up to Rehnskiold, let alone defeating him.”

“We have to. As long as we do not meet him in open land, we have a good chance. Can we not send some reinforcements from here?” Frederik understook the gravity of the situation as he spoke.

“The developments in Spain demand that we keep our troops stationed near Berlin, my King.” von Barfus reminded Frederick of the Spanish Succession issue.

“The way things are turning out, we might have to get involved in the West. We can’t risk any threat from the Poland or Russia at this point. It is the need of the hour that we keep peace with them.” von Barfus was already thinking two steps ahead.

[IndiBlue]

The Fall of a Hero

2 July 1701 AD:
It had been a very uneventful journey mostly. Till today. They were just a week short of making their landing. It was a bright and clear morning. John was looking at the horizon. He had been the Captain of this Sloop for over 20 years now. Of late, he had not been keeping well. He was thinking of leaving the ship to his second in command, and spend his last few days in his hometown. This would be his final journey. Just then, towards the West, he noticed something odd. He quickly picked up his telescope and focused his lens. By the time he removed his telescope, his face had turned white.

6 July 1701 AD: Near the Baltic shore northeast of Riga
The sun was about to set. The place was full of men but one could only hear the waves crashing onto the shore. He was looking towards the sea, as if challenging it to fight him. Standing behind him was a dishevelled old man, looking like he had not slept in a week.

“15 Miles to the city it is” said the dishevelled man.

“Blasted Russians. If they have the guts to meet me in the battlefield.” he shouted, still looking defiantly towards the sea.

“We rest here tonight. With the first light of tomorrow morning, we start for Riga. Things will be alright. All we need to do is to recover and gather more men in Riga.” said Karl Gustav. He had suffereda heavy defeat just a few days back, but his eyes still were still full of hope.

Little did he know that a lot had changed since he set sail from Copenhagen. Swedish navy was not as strong as the Imperial Russian Navy in the baltic, and in the last few years, it had witnessed more defeats than victories in naval battles against them. Karl Gustav, the great General, had lost half his army to the Baltic sea. The other half, he was leading straight into the enemy’s hands. Fate cares not a jot about how great you are or have been. Karl Gustav was going to find that out soon. A great man, feared all over Europe, was going to start his march into his own funeral tomorrow.

Standing atop a small hill some distance away, a pair of eyes were looking at the events unfolding in front of him. Joseph Krause, sitting on his horse, had a big smile on his face. Turning around, he ordered his companion. “Send a message to Leopold. Tell him the Russians have sent us a gift. The Swedish hero is ready for slaughter.”

Riga:The warm days of summer had been left behind. October brought with it a warning of the harsh winter to come. The mercury was lower than an average October used to witness in Riga. All through the last 3 months, Alexander had been moving around the countryside quelling any uprisings. During this time, he observed how badly ignored the whole region was. The estates were in terrible shape. The port of Riga was heavily short of men. In some places, roads turned into a little more than muddy pools. Alexander was disgusted to see how such a beautiful region was slowly lumbering towards a tragic death.

“This place deserves much better than the hellhole it has become.” Alexander said to himself.

Due to lack of enough funds, he had to tackle one thing at a time and he set about rebuilding the roads as his first task.

All this time, Leopold was preparing the army for the eventual meeting with Karl Gustav. He had just returned to his room from a routine inspection of the 4th infantry regiment when the messenger delivered the message from Joseph. Leopold, with a large grin, immediately stormed out of the room. There was no time to be wasted.

Leopold immediately sent 3 units of Cavalry through the West gate to meet up with Joseph Krause. The idea was to have a cavalry charge at the enemy from the back when they were near to Riga. Leopold would meet Karl head to head. He was not going to share this with Alexander.

The Fall of the Hero:
Alexander had been out of town to quell another small skirmish in the south. He would later find out that while he was busy repairing a broken region, his compatriot had dealt a sever blow to Swedish hopes in the war. Leopold assembled over 1500 fine Prussian men, all dressed in trademark Prussian blue uniform, and slowly marched out of the north gates of the city. The cavalry units had already met up with Krause further north. The General’s unit was last one to go through the gates.

It was past noon when the tired army of Karl Gustav was a few miles away from Riga. They had been reduced to just over 800 men. Most of the cavalry had been destroyed. He had pinned all his hopes on recuperating and recruiting men from Riga. So when he saw the flag with Prussian insignia coming from the city, his head dropped. This was the last straw. He could hear loud murmurs from the men behind him. He would not let hope desert from the hearts of his men. He turned his horse back to face his army. He could see fear in those eyes. Some hands were already trembling, unable to hold their muskets steady. They were already devastated by the Russian fleet. They had not slept well for days. They had marched double speed to come to Riga. And when they were here, they had no more energy left to fight in yet another battle. It is said that half the battle needs to be fought in the mind. And these men had already lost that battle. The one about to happen was only a funeral march.

“What it is you fear my friends? With me, you men have defeated death many times in last 20 years. Every time you have emerged victorious. We have fought before with worse odds. We have won before. We are the finest of Sweden. Today is the day you remember that. Today we fight like never before. Fight by my side, and we will prevail. And if today is to be the last sunset of our lives, let this sunset be the one that the world remembers. ”
The skies echoed with the thunderous noise that followed. If he was to die today, General Karl Gustav, the Swedish Field Marshall, would make it a glorious death. He barked orders to his men to start forming the lines. With cavalry almost nonexistent, Karl himself moved to protect the right flank. To the left was the remaining cavalry squadron. The infantry was positioned in two lines, between the cavalry. Whatever artillery was left was positioned closer to the right flank.

Leopold mirrored the formation, keeping his infantry lines deeper in the middle. 2 squadrons of cavalry provided support from both the flanks. As the war commenced, Swedes moved in against the Prussian infantry, whereas Prussian cavalry charged from the both the ends. After some time the line infantry and cavalry on the Swedish right flank broke, though Prussian cavalry was also heavily reduced in numbers. Swedish infantry was still holding its own against the Prussians on the right flank by the side of Karl. By this time, Joseph Krause’s cavalry units had caught up from behind and they reinforced both the flanks. This swung the battle heavily in the favor of the Prussians. Karl Gustav had not seen this coming. Fighting valiantly, he finally fell from his horse. Not long after this, remaining of the Swedish army broke. Not many Swedes could come out of the battle alive. Sweden had been hit with a fatal blow. Lying amongst the dead was the body of Swedish Field Marshall Karl Gustav Reihnskiold. Sweden had lost its shiniest star.

Devastated Swedish army at Riga

“Today your name gets etched in history books Sir.” Joseph told Leopold.

It was almost sundown. The whole battlefield was seaped in red blood. Leopold got down from his horse. Standing in front of the body of Karl, he kept looking at it for a few minutes. Even in death, the bloodied face of the Field Marshall was magnificent.

“Pick the body up and make sure it reaches Sweden. In one piece.” Leopold told Joseph, still looking at the corpse. “And send message to Berlin. I am going to get myself a drink. A lot is yet to be done, We cannot rest Joseph.”

The body of Karl Gustav being taken back to Sweden

[Caillagh de Bodemloze]

That was nicely done, IndiBlue. I especially liked the trembling of the men's hands on their muskets; that was a nice touch to show their fear. I also liked how you (almost) started the chapter with Karl Gustav, and then switched to Leopold.

Don't worry about this moving too slowly. Take as much time as you need, and tell us what you think we need to know to understand your story. Otherwise things can easily get confusing for us poor readers!

[Alwyn]

An enjoyable chapter, I like the way that you portray Karl Gustav of Sweden and your use of history, including historical images.

[IndiBlue]

Thanks a lot for the feedback and encouragement Alwyn and Caillagh.

[IndiBlue]

An Agreement

This chapter is used to introduce 2 more characters into the story, and shows the efforts of Prussia in neutralizing the growing threat of Austria.

With the success in Baltic of late, Prussia was able to focus elsewhere, and the large Austrian army gathered near Silesia was a threat. Declaring war on Austria would mean taking on the Great Britain as well. Prussia was looking for any alternatives to neutralize the threat or force Austria into declaring war. To Johann Barfus, the solution lay to the east in Warsaw.



October 1701: Warsaw


Johann Barfus was sitting in King Augustus’ study. He had made this trip in a haste as the Austrian forces had amassed near the Prussian border. Augustus’ study was as impressive as the King himself. Turkish carpets adorned the floor. Hung on the walls were expansive Baroque paintings symbolising Polish culture. The Polish empire’s most glorious days were behind it now, but this room still had the verve of Polish architecture.

“I need you to consider this. You cannot time it any better. Sooner or later, Austria will be pulled into Spanish War of Succession. We can strike at them now.” requested the Prussian Lord of War.

“You very well know I can’t do that Johann.” answered Augustus. “Even if I would like to, the parliament right now will not risk going into a war. Ask me of any other help my dear friend.”

Decades of war, and recent agricultural crisis had crippled Poland’s economy. War, simply put, was not a luxury that Poland could get involved in now. Johann knew this. He never expected Augustus to agree on this proposition, so he had already thought of another offer, which he believed would be amenable to the Polish King. “Alright then. You might not declare war against Austria, but you have someone who is more than willing to do it for us. Give me Rakoczi.”

Augustus raised his eyebrows. And then after a few moments, let out a smile. “But what do I get in return?”

Johann had a long pause before speaking. “I will make Sigismund the General of the Prussian army in Berlin. He will get a seat in the Royal Court.”

The King remained silent, though Johann could see the answer in his eyes.

Sigismund Iffland, of House Vettin:
Sigismund Iffland was born in 1680 in Brandenburg. He was linked to the powerful Wettin family through his mother, and was a distant cousin to Augustus. He had spent a lot of time in Warsaw and was very close to King Augustus. Never afraid to speak his mind, he had helped Augustus to keep the Polish nobilities in check. His father was an influential Prussian Junker, hailing from Brandenburg. The idea of him holding a position in Prussian court would put Augustus in a strong position and give him a strong ally in Prussia. He would also have a bargaining chip when dealing with Polish nobles. The Prussian Court might object to giving so much power to someone who was close to Polish crown, but Johann would deal with that later. Sigismund was also in King Friedrich's good books. It had not been a problem for Johann to convince the king. The rest of the council mattered a jot to him.

Francis II Rakoczi, prince of Transylvania, Order of the Golden Fleece:
Rakoczi, elected prince of Transylvania, was one of the richest Hungarian nobles. His father had unsuccessfully tried to claim Upper Hungary for himself, and had been sent into exile. Leopold I of Autria had always been suspicious of Rakoczi. As a result of this, he had been arrested by Austrian forces in 1700 when they doubted that he was planning to take up the cause of Hungarian Independance. Rakoczy escaped prison and landed up in Poland. Rakoczi had tried to reach out to the Hungarian nobilities to support him in revolting against the Austrian empire but no help was forthcoming. He did manage to get support of the Hajduk, the mercenary soldiers of Hungary, which did give him some control of North East Hungary. But this was also causing him a great deal of trouble as he supplying his Hajduk with arms and food was beyond his means. He needed allies, and he needed them soon. Prussia’s offer would be a godsend for him.

For Prussia, it killed 2 birds in one shot. Prussia was going to gain an ally in Poland, which meant Prussia could solely focus on the West and Sweden. Also, it put Prussia on an advantage when dealing with Austria.

It was win-win for Augustus as well. Johann was a few years away from deathbed. He needed a strong ally in Prussia once Johann’s authority was gone. There was no one better than Sigismund. Also, Rakoczi was the best option for him to weaken the Austrian dominance in Central Europe, without any Polish involvement. Moreover, having Sigismund in Prussia meant he could always maintain some threat over the Polish nobility in case things went south.

“You make a good deal Johann. So tell me, when would you like to meet Rakoczi?”



​Background:

Francis II Rakoczi is actually a very well known figure in the history of Hungary. He fought against the Austrians for freedom of Hungary and had gained a lot of support from French. He suffered heavy defeat in 1708, from which he could never recovered. He also had been offered the Polish crown later in life, which he declined. He later on settled near Constantinople till his death. This story tries to paint his story with a different brush in this alternate history.

[IndiBlue]

Silesian Beginnings

This chapter revolves from the perspectives of 3 characters who play a central role in our Prusso-Austrian story.

​April, 1702: Brandenburg, Prussia
Sigismund Iffland's story:
It was easier than Johann Barfus had thought it would be. King Friedrich I instantly lent his arm to the idea of Sigismund taking over Berlin’s army. He knew he was getting a talented young general who he liked immensely. He was in no doubt that Sigismund’s loyalties lied towards Prussia. Having Sigismund in the royal court virtually guaranteed a Prusso-Polish alliance and it meant Prussia had nothing to worry about in the Eastern front.

Sigismund had arrived in Berlin less than 3 days ago and had already taken stock of the situation from his lieutenants. He was impressed with the setup that Leopold of Anhalt Dessau had left in his absence. Nevertheless, he had planned to see it for himself later in the week after he had finished his formalities in Brandenburg Royal court.

“The King has requested your presence my lord.” the messenger conveyed the wishes of Johann Barfus to Sigismund.

Sigismund was expecting this. He had not been able to meet the king yet. He met Johann Barfus as well while he making way to King’s chamber.

“Ah, how nice to bump into you like this Sigismund. How are you?”

“Good evening my lord. Thanks for asking. I can do with some Bavarian ale, but everything else has been good so far.” replied Sigismund.

“Hahaha. I will make sure you never have to ask for it again. Let’s go meet the king.”

As they were waiting to enter King’s room, a lady, not more than 20 years old, came out of the room. Midnight black hair were flowing over her shoulders. Her slender eyebrows were raised as she came out.
Sigismund knew that the lady was angry over something and situation demanded him to look away, but he could not. She stared at Sigismund for sometime and then stormed away.

“That, let me remind you Sigismund, is Princess Louise Dorothea. Let’s go in.” Johann Barfus brought Sigismund back from the spell.

May, 1702: Camp near Warsaw, Poland
Francis II Rakoczi
It was a bright, sunny morning. Sharp sounds of wood being chopped were the loudest among a cacophony of noises. There were men all around. Food was being cooked in a corner where a crowd had gathered to witness a fistfight. Hundreds of tent dotted the landscape. In the middle was a large one which stood out among the rest.

A tall, heavy figure was standing in front of the camp looking on at the crowd. Long curly hair and thick mustaches added to the aura of the man. “Enoughhhh” shouted the man. It pierced through the morning breeze and reached the men. In a moment, it seemed as if the camp had come to a standstill. The only noise was the wood being chopped some distance away. It took no more that a few seconds for the men to disperse. Rakoczi went back inside his tent.

“How things change Miklos. Just a little over a year ago I was a fugitive on the run and look at me now. I have more than 5,000 men right now with me in the camp. I have vowed to free Hungary from Austrian cruelty my friend. And I will not rest till I have made it a reality.”

He had been too young to remember his father’s death, but his dislike of Austrian rule over Hungary was as strong as his father’s. Rakoczi was a born leader. It was not difficult for him to gather a large force loyal to his cause. But he was no negotiator. Diplomacy had never been his forte. A man who carries his heart on his sleeve could never listen to his mind. Count Miklos Bercsenyi was his mind. Miklos had been with him through thick and thin. If it was not Miklos’ influence in Hungarian aristocracy, Rakoczi could never had made it out of prison in Austria. Francis Rakoczi never made any decision without Miklos’ consent.

And so it was a no brainer when Miklos advised Rakoczi to take up Prussia’s offer without hesitation. Rakoczi’s men had followed his leader against all odds, but the finances had been stretched to the limits.
Today, sitting in the camp, the two men were seeing the rewards of the agreement. Prussia, true to its word, had provided all the supplies Rakoczi’s uprising needed. They were more than ready to strike now.
“A few more weeks Frank. We should be ready after another shipment of Prussian arms. It will be time to honor our part of the deal then.”

Rakoczi stared outside and said “And honor it we will. The time of Austrian rule is about to end.”

June 1702: Breslau, Silesia
Prince Eugene of Savoy:
“We have been following the trade routes my Lord. There is no mistaking that Prussians have been in touch with Rakoczi. Rakoczi has been getting supplies from Prussia for last few months. This has also helped him lure Hungarian nobles to his camp as well.” said the messenger.

The room looked as majestic as the man the messenger was speaking to. Prince Eugene of Savoy, at 38 years of age, had more war experience than most of the European veterans. He had proved his metal in the Battle of Vienna, where, at a young age of 20, he was instrumental in driving out Turks from Vienna. His success against Turks in subsequent battles resulted in being promoted to Major-General in 1685. He was no more than 22. By the end of 1688, Eugene had broken Ottoman resistance in Hungary by taking Budapest. At 25, he was the youngest Lieutenant General in Austrian army. This man was destined to be the greatest General Austria had seen.

“Son of a traitor. His father conspired against the king and now he rebels too. I will see to it that he meets the same fate as his father did. Poor old man begged for mercy. Rakoczi will cry like his father too. ” said the Prince nonchalantly. His voice was calm and cold. Rarely had anyone seem him display any signs of emotions. “This nonsense has to be stopped now. Prussia cannot be allowed to play its dirty games anymore. Prepare for a trip to Vienna. I need to speak to the King personally.”

The wheels had been set in motion.

Background

Prince Eugene of Savoy: He was a General in the Imperial army and statesman of Holy Roman Empire. He remains one of the most successful military commanders in modern Europe, rising to the highest state of offices at the Imperial court in Vienna. He helped to save the Habsburg empire from French conquest, he broke the westward thrust o the Ottomans, liberating central Europe after a century and a half of Turkish occupation, and he was also one of the great patrons of arts whose legacy can still be seen in Vienna today.

[Zeion]

Nice - finally a new Empire AAR! Good work so far IndiBlue.

I like the little background paragraphs where you put your AAR in context with real events in history. Learning more about the characters involved from a more detached perspective is a neat feature, I like it.

[IndiBlue]

Nice - finally a new Empire AAR! Good work so far IndiBlue.

I like the little background paragraphs where you put your AAR in context with real events in history. Learning more about the characters involved from a more detached perspective is a neat feature, I like it.

Thanks a lot for the appreciation Zeion. I intend to involve characters' perspectives as much as possible rather than narration.

[IndiBlue]

War Beckons

War with Austria was inevitable. We continue the story with our existing characters, Leopold's advances against Swedes, and Rakoczi and Sigismund's travails in Central Europe. We also get an insight into Eugene's mind as he prepares for war against Prussians.

November 1702: St. Petersburg, Ingria
The march to Ingria was a fairly uneventful one for Leopold. He hardly faced any Swedish resistance en route. Reports mentioned that Russians had failed to take St. Petersburg in their last 2 attempts and were planning another raid at the end of Winter. There was virtually no army to defend the walls. Most of the men charged with protection of the city had either seen too many winters or too less. These remaining men did not have any fight left in them anymore.

Leopold knew this was his chance. St. Petersburg was down on its knees. It could not take another full scale assault now. His army had already laid siege on the city. It took only few hours for Leopold to rout the enemy. Russians had already helped him taking down Karl Gustav last year. This was another occasion where he had to thank the Russians.

Letter from Leopold to Johann Barfus, dated October 1702:
"I hope this letter finds you in best of spirits. It gives me great pride to inform you that Ingria has been taken under Prussian control now. Weather and Russians had been kind enough to provide us with the best of the opportunities and we have been able to take St. Petersburg with very few casualties. Alexander still works to bring peace and improvements in Riga. It has also come to my knowledge that you have appointed Sigismund as the General of the Berlin regiments. I hope he continues the good work I did for the men down there. I intend to press on to Finland once normalcy is returned to the region of Ingria. Swedish days are numbered my lord."

Alexander Schlobitten, having chosen not to work with Leopold any further, had settled on improving the region of Riga. He had started working on rebuilding the barracks and training the army. Roads had been improved and the work had now started to upgrade the port of Riga. Alexander wanted to move back to Berlin to stay close to the Royal court, but the arrival of Sigismund had put paid to those hopes now. Not losing hope, he had still requested to Johann Barfus to be relocated to Berlin where he could be of better use once Riga had been stabilized.


January 1703: Breslau (Present day Wroclaw), Silesia

Citing a breakdown in trust, Austria declared war on Prussia. It was a result of the events set in motion a few months back. Prussia had forced Austria's hands. It happened exactly as Johann Barfus had wanted. Great Britain, much to the disappointment of Austria, chose to stay away. France was happy to see that claimant to Spanish throne was engaged elsewhere. Austria was left with no choice, but to fight alone.

Sitting in his room in Breslau, Prince Eugene was looking down at his pint intently.

"The British have decided to stay away from the war Sir. When it mattered, they have betrayed us." John van Berg was clearly annoyed. The pot bellied General had been Prince Eugene's trusted aide for last few years. Sitting along side Eugene, his ale was already empty. He signaled the attendants for a refill.

"I was never counting on them John." said Eugene calmly. "I have already a plan in my mind. My men tell me that Rakoczi is slowly making his way towards Pressburg, Hungary. I am not too worried about that little scoundrel though. Take a third of my men and go to defend Pressburg. I will teach a lesson to the Prussians first. Leopold and Alexander are not in Berlin. Let's see what this kid Sigismund is made of." Saying this, Eugene finished up his ale.

A few days later, a large army was seen marching out of Breslau, under the banner of Prince Eugene. John van Den Berg slipped out with a few regiments a fortnight later, in opposite direction.

January 1703: Berlin, Brandenburg

Sigismund had not expected the declaration so soon. He immediately went to consult Johann Barfus.

"Eugene marches to Berlin. What on earth is Rakoczi doing? He cannot delay any further. We need his help now." Sigismund naturally sounded disturbed.

"I have sent word to him already Sigismund. He plans to invade Hungary. But I have asked him to double back towards Berlin. Eugene needs to be stopped. By any means." said Johann.

"I know my lord. If we manage to kill Prince Eugene, half the war against Austrians is won. If Rakoczi helps us in doing that, I will gift him the state of Hungary on a platter myself."

"I have already sent the message across to him Sigismund. Meanwhile, prepare your men for the battle. And prepare well. If we lose this, we lose Berlin, and if we win, well... there will be no one standing between us and Vienna." Johann Barfus replied.

Sigismund already knew how important this battle was going to be. But what excited him was that he had a chance to pit his wits against Eugene. And he was making sure he had all the help he needed.


January 1703: Somewhere in the wilderness near Krakow

They had already started their march towards Hungary. The town of Krakow lay no more than a day's journey away when the letter from Johann Barfus arrived.

"What do you say Miklos? " Rakoczi showed him the letter from Johann Barfus. Rakozci had been requested to come to the aid of Prussian army near Upper Silesia. Prince Eugene had amassed a huge army and was moving up towards Berlin.

"Ah this is a golden opportunity sir. Losing Eugene will be a big blow to Austrians. We should make haste to Silesia." Miklos replied.

"You are right. I will never get a better chance to avenge my father. It is time Eugene pays for his crimes." Rakoczi had not forgotten. For years he had been taunted by Eugene as a son of a traitor. Now the time has come to put an end to that."My friend, you march with half of my men towards Austria. I will turn towards Silesia in a couple of days. It will be quicker and convenient." Rakoczi's mind was already charting the course towards Upper Silesia.

But he was not ready to commit all his men in a battle which did not concern him or Hungarian cause. "Eugene will never expect us to move back like this. Time is of essence. It will not be easy to mobilize so many man without being conspicuous. Let most of the army march to Hungary as a ruse."

After two days, Rakoczi's army commenced its march to Hungary, but Rakoczi was not in there. He, and a few regiments of infantry and cavalry had turned northwest.

[Scottish King]

Really liking the AAR and the tidbits of history u throw in. Keep up the good work.

[IndiBlue]

Really liking the AAR and the tidbits of history u throw in. Keep up the good work.

Thanks a lot Scottish King.