Tales After the Crusade
Chapter 4.4
The Danish Crusade
by NorseThing
The previous episode took place primarily at Hamburg, the capital of the Danish Kingdom, within the Fortress. Some activity in the surrounding province of Saxony was also reported. This episode is taking place at the same time with King Valdemar and the two squadrons of Dragon Boats escorting the invasion army. It is the end of 1215. This is a short update just to tie the activities of King Valdemar with the activities of his beloved Queen Adela. Consider this as a double feature of two episodes.
The King is gambling. He was a risk taker in his youth and he continues to take risks. Is he risking his kingdom for a chance at glory in battle or is this a necessary step to protect his kingdom in the future?
To further the gamble, Admiral Burislev has completed the preparations of two Longboat squadrons in the Arhus dockyards. He has ordered his new fleet to swing around Denmark and head with all hast to the Baltic. Upon sailing north they spot a Scottish fleet with a very small army. Not a threat to Denmark and not even a threat to the independent duchy of Norway. At least that was the assessment of the admiral as the Longboats continued their planned voyage. Before the end of 1215 the Admiral Burislev's fleet had 3 companies of militia infantry board east of Arhus.
The King to Admiral Jon: "I want you to split the fleet. One squadron will ferry the invasion army north to begin investing the large town of Stockholm and the second squadron of Dragon Boats will return to Stettin and load all available men to begin moving north to join the army investing Stockholm."
It is now 1216. The Stettin garrison is now joining King Valdemar's siege of Stockholm. The King was aware the treasury was running low and thus ordered the assault against the Stockholm garrison to begin immediately. Two Norse Archers companies took ladders to the walls while the 3 Norse Swordsmen companies took the ram to the main gate. When the gate was spit open, the swordsmen began to break the lone defender of the gate opening while the archers broke the defenders on the walls. Eight regiments of cavalry then poured through the gate. The result was never in doubt.
It was less a battle than a slaughter of the brave Swedish defenders who believed that honor was better than surrender without a fight. The Swedes fought bravely. The Swedes died with their honor intact. The Danish army suffer no significant loses. The Danish flag was raised in Stockholm at midday.
King Valdemar allowed the sacking of the large town with nearly 1100 Swedes massacred during the sacking. Nearly 2,000 florins were added to the treasury and then just as quickly spent on repairs to the walls and to begin the development of the Swedish mines. Even the construction of a small church would have to wait. Ports must be built for any gains from trade, but they would also have to wait. The mines were a priority. That was King Valdemar's goal before even leaving the ports in Saxony. The sacking would help, but in the very near future, this risk was still a drain to the treasury. All finances are in the short term perilous. The treasury may indeed come up short.
Toke had been trading amber in the rural areas of Sweden for several years. It was a task with some risk since the Swedish population was an independent duchy. The Swedish garrison in Stockholm would fight the Danish military without even a provocation. That has now changed. King Valdemar has now established Danish authority over the duchy. Toke was now trading amber within a valuable piece of the Danish Kingdom and thus his activities were now marginally safer.. He had heard from a messenger sent via a Swedish fishing boat. He passed the message onto King Valdemar in Stockholm.
The message was read by the King:
Princess Ingrid's message: I have bypassed Venice, Bologna, and Florence. Diplomats and great activity are taking place within the Kingdom of Venice. Rather than wait and learn, I am placing a priority on my goal of Rome. I have sent some inquires ahead of me to ask the Pope to approve a Crusade on Riga. The overtures were denied. I had then asked about Vilnius. Again the overtures were denied.
The King knew with the various messages from Queen Adela that 1216 would end with approximately 1,400 florins in the treasury. Worse news was her opinion that as soon as the end of 1217 the projection was that only 500 florins would be hard cash in the royal chests. Despite these concerns should the King authorize the training of two town militia companies in Stockholm? This would clearly be more than even the treasury could afford. He made the necessary authorizations and raised the taxation levels upon the Swedes to the maximum. He had no choice but to hope for the best since he was leaving Stockholm next year in any case. Perhaps he would lower the taxation levels before leaving. With the money spent, he was in no position to let the Swedes rebel. The militia companies were clearly needed.
The Polish army was still headed north and probably intended for Riga, but the Polish army was clearly threatening to expand Polish authority beyond Prussia. Scotland is at war with the Norwegian Duchy and perhaps even now besieging Oslo. The council wants diplomatic activity with the English. The Russ at Novgorod, the Poles in Prussia, and Scotland in Norway would soon cut off future expansion. How to expand without creating a war among the triple alliance? What will be Denmark's status with her allies of Poland, Germany, and France. Has King Valdemar just about bankrupted Denmark with the Swedish gamble? Will the Pope agree to a Crusade that is in Danish interests? How else can Denmark resolve the impending bankruptcy if not with the fervor of a Crusade upon the pagans of Livonia or Vilnius? If the focus of a Crusade is upon Cairo, will Denmark participate?
For this and even more please wait for the nest episode.
-- Yes this is to be continued --