[SS 6.3 AAR] Primus Inter Pares - The Kievan Rus *COMPLETED* (w/ Behind the Scenes and a video trailer)

[teccarphi]

Wonderful ending to Oleg's story

[Nordic Hussar]

Hmmm... this new generation seems to be full of squabbling, dishonorable and ambitious lords. Dark times might come for the Kievans

Good update (as always ), your pictures are really nice (as always ) and you seem to have gained a solution for the Polish problem (at least for now ).


I knew it! I knew we hadn´t heard the last of Alexios yet!!
Oh, and your last picture...
... almost forces me to use sunglasses

[Radzeer]

After a few days of being on the road, I have some time to at least respond to the generous feedback!
(I am also behind with reading other stories, but that will come too.)

Great work as always! It will be interesting to see what will become of of Andrei as he looks for his father. I will be definitely waiting for that next update.

Thank you! I can't say I have Andrei's story fully worked out, but some elements are already in place. I hope you will like it!

Hidden he came to us, and hidden he leaves! There is a nice symmetry to how Oleg exits. I very much look forward to book three!

Thank you, I'm glad you caught that. It was done on purpose. And there is another one, just like this. I like these symmetries, as they give a nice frame to the story.

As always a magnificent update, and with a wonderful ending! Don't let us wait for too long when you go, we need more chapters in this story!

Thanks very much, and no, it won't be long. I'm glad you liked the ending (I remember that you gave me one of the best reader responses for my Hungarian AAR's ending...), and I hope you'll like the beginning too!

Wonderful ending to Oleg's story

Thank you! Now whether that was really the end of Oleg's story...

Hmmm... this new generation seems to be full of squabbling, dishonorable and ambitious lords. Dark times might come for the Kievans

Good update (as always ), your pictures are really nice (as always ) and you seem to have gained a solution for the Polish problem (at least for now ).

I knew it! I knew we hadn´t heard the last of Alexios yet!!
Oh, and your last picture...
... almost forces me to use sunglasses

Thank you very much! Yes, the new generation usually cannot live up to the expectations... As for the Polish problem, it actually worked, as I was not attacked ever since. I still border them at Halych (with Krakow), but now they focus on the Lithuanians.
Sorry about the last picture... It is not easy to find a sunset picture with the sea. I tried my best to manufacture one, but it turned out to be a bit psychedelic...

I need a few days to settle in my new place, but next week I should have enough time to play and write, so the August 15 date is still on for the next update. Thank you all for your patience and the generous comments!

[la coupe est pleine]

Great chapter... that ends and starts at the same time another stage of the story.
Perfect time to end the current book.

The new book is expected to be darker than the first one, with betrayals more than ever, and fights between the Rus.

Thanks for keeping Alexios alive. Now you are ready to explain, or not, how he managed to flee.
Good old guy, he is definitely undestructable...

[Radzeer]

Great chapter... that ends and starts at the same time another stage of the story.
Perfect time to end the current book.

The new book is expected to be darker than the first one, with betrayals more than ever, and fights between the Rus.

Thanks for keeping Alexios alive. Now you are ready to explain, or not, how he managed to flee.
Good old guy, he is definitely undestructable...

Thank you, my friend! To be honest I really liked the three closing chapters too. I'm biased of course, but still. And there is still more to come!
Somehow I did not have the heart to kill Alexios. I left his chapter ending open, but then I could not resist adding this final epilogue. The details of his escape will be revealed too (I think I know how he did it, but need to double check something...)

Thank you all for your generous patience. I put down August 15 in the OP for the opening chapter of Book III, but if all goes well, I can upload it on Sunday already.
Sorry, it will be Monday morning. I have it written, but I need to read it tonight once more.

[Radzeer]

List of characters

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The royal family

Grand Prince Vladimir
The first Grand Prince, leading the early expansion of the Rus, annexing several independent cities and fighting against both the Cumans and the Catholics. He has found the Holy Grail after taking Oleshe, and established the tradition in which the Grail is kept by the Prince to guide him. At the end of his life he retired and transferred the power to his oldest son and heir, Mstislav. He lived a long life and died peacefully in Kiev.

Grand Prince Mstislav
The second Grand Prince, and the oldest son of Vladimir. He held power for long as a Prince. He fought against the Cumans in the east, and conquered Smolensk in the north overthrowing the Novgorod-friendly council. He was a skilled politician and determined leader with a vision to expand toward the Baltic Sea. He established the Rus as a major power, although at the end of his reign he had difficulties with his brothers who wanted to have their separate ways. He died peacefully in Kiev.

Grand Prince Gostislav
The third Grand Prince, Mstislav's oldest son, the governor of Pereyaslav. Quite unremarkable as a child, he had a lot to prove. His decisions were not without controversy, but he did what he could to keep the Rus intact. He was somewhat successful with Yaropolk's sons in the west keeping at least their formal allegiance, but could not contain his other uncle, Yurii, who set up his own principality around Azaq. His rule was often compared to the rule of his father, in which comparison he did not fare well, especially about his foreign policy. He died shortly after a victory against Poland.

Grand Prince Nikifor
The fourth Grand Prince, Gostislav's first son. His marriage to a Venetian princess was supposed to build good connections to Catholics, but the alliance was short-lived. He is considered to be a talented leader and a capable general.
Rostislav
Gostislav's second son. He lived the life of the younger prince in the Court, where according to the rumor he seduced Nikifor's wife. He led the attack on Novgorod, taking Polotsk.

Petr
Mstislav's second son, the governor of the eastern Rus territories. He was trained by his uncle Yaropolk, and he took Serdobinskaya from the Cumans. He led the royal troops the Caucasus campaign. He took Baku and sailed across the sea to fight Khwarezm at Gorgan. The riches of Baku and Gorgan made him wealthy, although he was not successful to counterbalance Yurii and his sons' rule in Azaq. He died shortly after a raid on Astrakhan.
Oleg
Mstislav's third son, the governor of Kiev. Although talented, he is a quiet member of the family, satisfied with administering Kiev and helping his brother, Gostislav in his rule.

Yaropolk
The second son of Vladimir. Legendary commander, the hero of many wars, and the conqueror of Lithuania where he acquired territories for his sons. His personal tragedy was that during his life only his youngest son, Volodislav loved him. He was a loyal general and had done much for the Rus - both by fighting its enemies and by containing his sons. He died shortly after his last victory against Poland, as the most decorated general of the Rus. At his funeral, his sons finally realized what their father has done for them.

Zhirovit
Yaropolk's oldest son, the governor of Vilnius. A violent, dreaded and unpredictable character, he is fighting in Poland to revenge his brother's death. He hates Catholics and pagans alike. He is a brilliant general, but has no other resemblance with his father.
Moimir
Yaropolk's second son, governor of Mensk - anything but a field commander. He helps financing Zhirovit's campaigns. He is a city politician, satisfied with his position at Mensk.
Tikhomir
Yaropolk's third son, former governor of Smolensk. He died young in battle against Poland at Mensk, saving the city and probably Moimir's life.
Volodislav
Yaropolk's youngest son, the governor of Riga. A talented commander who defeated the Teutons and repelled a Danish invasion. Widely considered as the real successor of Yaropolk's legacy.

Yurii
The third and youngest son of Vladimir, the first Grand Duke of Azaq, the duchy he declared independent from Kiev. It was difficult for him to be in the shadow of his two brothers. He was not satisfied with the governor position of Caffa where he was supposed to live the quiet life of a young prince, and made an alliance with the Patrikeev clan in the east. He married the clan leader's daughter, Natalia and started to build his own princedom. He fought the Cumans for the control of the Azaq region, and later attacked the Muslims in the Caucasus. He was considered by all as the main conspirator in the royal family, constantly plotting to get closer to power. After Natalia's death he decided to go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The pilgrimage ended with taking Acre, but became a political failure after mutual betrayals by the Roman allies. Yurii died in the siege when Acre fell to the Fatimids.

Ostromir
Yurii's oldest son, governor of Caffa. An unremarkable person, and withdrawn from the public ever since he survived an assassination arranged by Gostislav.
Sbyslav
Yurii's second son, governor of Sarkel, commander of the Caucasus campaign. He is talented in both politics and war, and succeeded Yurii as the second Grand Duke of Azaq.

Vassals and non-blood relatives

Danislav Severskii
An exile from Novgorod who became Mstislav's vassal and the governor of Smolensk. He died in battle against the Lithuanians.

Dobrozhir Severskii
The only son of Danislav. He revenged his father and killed the Grand Duke of Lithuania, but died in battle shortly after.
Stroislav Kubenskii
A Kievan noble who married Dobrozhir's oldest sister. Governor of Baia.

Milogost Fominskii
A Kievan noble who married Princess Eupraxia, Vladimir’s only daughter and thus became a member of the royal family. He was the governor of Zhytomyr. He saved Kiev from two Polish invasions, and was killed in the battle of Halych.
Georgii Patrikeev
Governor of Tmutarakan in the east, and an ally of Yurii who married his daughter. He died peacefully in Sarkel.
Prince Halstan Svendsen
Norwegian noble who married Princess Evfrosinia, Gostislav's daughter. Shortly after arriving to Kiev he was chosen by Nikifor to be his heir.

The three brothers

Alexios
The oldest of three brothers who as children were rescued by the Kievans after a Cuman raid. He is a cleric and a chronicler in the Court. He went back to Trebizond to look after his brother, Rurik. He was with Yurii in the Holy Land, and miraculously escaped after the fall of Acre.
Rurik
Alexios’ younger brother. Trained as a warrior, he used to belong to Yaropolk’s bodyguard escort. He was wounded in Trebizond in a battle and was thought to be dead for a long time. He returned to Kiev to fight alongside Yaropolk once more.
Oleg
The youngest brother of Alexios and Rurik. He disappeared in a Cuman raid and was sold as a slave in Azaq. His brothers have been searching for him for years until they were reunited in Trebizond.He was the chief supply officer for the Court, and the author of the Miloslavich Diary. Shortly after taking Polotsk, he disappeared again in Novgorod territory.
Andrei
The son of Oleg who was trained as a soldier in the Grand Prince's druzhina.

41. Baptism of fire

"There is going to be a battle. A Danish army is approaching, and will be here in a few days." The scout sat down, and poured some wine. The tavern was busy that night. There was not much else to do in Smolensk, as Grand Prince Nikifor's army was waiting to receive the marching orders against Novgorod. But the orders did not come, because the plague was still too dangerous in Polotsk where Rostislav's army was stuck in the newly conquered city.

And then now out of nowhere, a Danish army appeared in the area. The men in the tavern were mostly glad that the waiting is over, but Andrei suspected that by next day they will be more concerned about the outcome of the battle. He moved closer to the table where the scout shared some more news, or maybe rumors.

"The Danish were fighting in Novgorod territory," he said. "They are about a thousand strong, but must be exhausted. Maybe Novgorod was too tough for them and now they want to try their luck here."

"Novgorod too tough?" said one of the soldiers, a tall cavalryman. "I don't think so." Many of the soldiers laughed, but Andrei suspected that the scout is right. Novgorod has not been an easy foe. Not much news came from the siege of Polotsk, but most officers seemed to agree that the defenders fought well and the Kievan casualties were high. And there were frequent skirmishes along the border too.

"Is that true that they have crusaders?" asked a soldier from one of the freemen companies.

"Some, probably." said the scout. The laughter was suddenly gone. The crusaders were much hated by all Orthodox soldiers, because they volunteered to fight against their Christian brethren. They were fanatic and tough soldiers, and the veterans always told horror stories to the new recruits about their superior fighting skills. Andrei has never seen a crusader, but he knew that many of them had fought against Kiev in the Polish and Teutonic armies.

"Don't worry!" said the cavalryman. "This is our land. They are away from their realm, tired and exhausted. We will crush them."

"It's easy for you to say," replied the freeman soldier. "If the battle turns against us, you can ride away. We cannot be sure to make it back to the city." Suddenly everybody started to talk, then shout. There was too much drinking already, and Andrei thought that a fight will inevitable break out. He grabbed his sword, and slipped out of the tavern, heading back to his quarters.



The streets were deserted, although it wasn't very cold. Andrei hated the cold, as he grew up in Armenia and was used to that weather. During his training in Kiev he always envied the local boys who did not mind even the harshest winter. He hoped that his first battle would not be in winter, but now that hope vanished. It will be a baptism of fire in the snow, his first real fight under Nikifor, the new Grand Prince.

When he arrived to his quarters, the other officers were still away except his old trainer, Igor. Igor was part of Nikifor's retinue. He also knew Rurik, Andrei's uncle, and was glad to teach Andrei as much as possible about the art of warfare. In some ways, he was a father figure too, because Andrei's real father was away a lot over the years. Igor did not have children, but he knew that Andrei suffers from not being able to look for his father who was still missing. But there was nothing to be done. Grand Prince Nikifor made it clear that nobody could leave Smolensk, least of all the company officers, like Andrei.

"What is the news?" asked Igor when Andrei walked in.

"A Danish army is nearby. We will fight sooner than we thought."

"How do you feel about it?"

Andrei paused for a moment before he replied. "It's hard to tell. A part of me really wants it to happen, but I also feel some fear too."

"That is normal before the first battle. But you will do well. And remember that the best way to rise in ranks is to show bravery in battle."

"I cannot complain, Igor. I am part of the druzhina of the Grand Prince."

Igor smiled. "True, but you have much more in you. I have trained many fine lads, but only a few had the potential to become anything beyond great warriors. You are one of those. Let me ask you something. Have you ever thought about how large we have grown as a realm?"

"Yes, and I know that we have been blessed with great leaders."

"True again, but who governs the territories?"

"Members of the family of the Grand Prince." Andrei was not sure where Igor is going with this.

"How old are those members?"

"Old, I guess," said Andrei, and suddenly things became clearer. "And there is not many in the new generation! Let's see. The Grand Prince has a son who is still a child. Prince Halstan only has a daughter. Rostislav is not even married. Same with Oleg, the uncle of the Grand Prince." Andrei stopped as he did not know much about the junior branches of the family.

Igor continued. "None of Lord Yaropolk's three sons have any children, and they are not young anymore. You may not remember, but there was a great fear once that our western territories will become independent like Azaq. Now we only need to wait until Lord Yaropolk's sons die, and all their territories revert back to the Grand Prince."



Andrei found it fascinating. He never thought of it this way. "But what has this got to do with me? I am not a member of the family."

"You are not, but in a few years the Grand Prince will need reliable people to govern our realm. You could be one of them."

Yes, I could be, thought Andrei. The newly discovered opportunities made him dizzy.

"Just don't get yourself killed in the battle," said Igor.

The commander of the Danish army was a veteran general. He was said to be chivalrous by nature, although he had great hatred toward the Orthodox. He indeed had some crusaders among his troops. His army was slightly larger than the Kievan army, but the Nikifor knew that his soldiers' morale will be boosted by the fact that they fight for their own homes.





This was Nikifor's first battle as the Grand Prince. He decided to meet the Danes outside of Smolensk on the northern road to Novgorod. His main concern was still Polotsk which was isolated, plague stricken and governed by his hated brother, Rostislav. But before he could turn to that problem, this Danish army had to be defeated.

Andrei was commanding a spearmen company. His troops were deployed on the right flank, not far from the catapults in the center of the Kievan army. He was determined to fight well, although he wasn't sure how the Grand Prince would notice this as Nikifor usually fought on the left. A moment later he remembered what Igor told him. It was not enough to fight well. He had to survive the battle too.

Soon the silhouette of the Danish army appeared among the trees. When they saw the Kievans, the Danish commander ordered the attack. Andrei saw some white uniforms in the center of the enemy army. Those must be the crusaders, he thought.



The Kievan catapults opened fire. Andrei heard the distant cries as the fireballs exploded in the Danish ranks, but they could only fire a few rounds before the enemy army arrived. The Danish commander had no artillery, and he rushed his men across the battlefield.





Andrei was prepared, and his men also knew what to do. Facing him were mostly light infantry, but in the last minute he realized with horror that the crusaders avoided the catapults and attacked him instead. Behind them were additional ranks of heavy infantry. The Kievans tried to keep the crusaders away with their spears, but the enemy soldiers were indeed tough and fanatic fighters and soon Andrei saw several of his men on the ground.



After the first shock, the melee was the fight of equal forces for a while. Andrei did not hide behind his men, and his personal courage was noted by his soldiers. Then suddenly the pressure on his company eased. Some of the Danish heavy infantry was sent over to the left flank where apparently the boyars and Nikifor stopped the enemy.





The reinforcements did not help, and the Danish troops on the left started to rout. Nikifor ordered his men to move to the center and attack the Danish infantry there. This was a crucial move as the enemy broke through the line of the catapults, and the melee was already behind the machines. Andrei saw this, and ordered his own men to charge the Danish center too. In a few minutes their line collapsed.



Most of the enemy army routed, but their commander was able to rally them on a hilltop a few hundred paces away. Nikifor, who felt that the victory is already in his hand seemed disappointed. He ordered his troops to move closer and decided to destroy the rest of the Danish army from a distance.



Since the enemy had the high ground, the Kievan archers were useless. As the catapults kept pounding the Danish lines, Andrei saw that most of the enemy are archers with a few remaining spearmen.



The catapult fire did not have the desired effect. The enemy army was still standing on the hilltop, waiting for the Kievans to attack up the hill. The Danish archers were famous marksmen, and the casualties from the attack on the hill were expected to be high. Andrei was wondering what the order is going to be, when suddenly he saw Nikifor appearing in front of the troops.

"I need volunteers for the attack," said the Grand Prince. "The boyars and I will flank the enemy, but somebody will have to advance in the front so that they would be kept busy."

This was a suicide command of some sort. On the other hand, this had the promise of being noted. Andrei did not hesitate to speak.

"We will do it." His men normally would not have been happy with such dangerous orders, but they saw how Andrei fought, and that took away any opposition. And Andrei needed his men.

"Very well, Andrei," said Nikifor. "It won't take long, and we will be there."

Andrei ordered his troops to scatter, and they started their march up the hill.



The Danish archers on the hilltop took aim, and soon arrows started to fly. Andrei held his shield higher to cover his upper body and his head, and saw that most of his men do the same. Maybe this was not the clever thing to do, he thought, as one of his man fell just in front of him. But he was determined and continued to march.



Just before they reached the enemy lines, Andrei saw the archers turn and run. They would not have been a match for his soldiers in the melee. He held his sword high, and charged. His men followed him, and the Kievan spearmen clashed into the enemy lines. Shortly after this, Andrei heard the hooves as Nikifor and his boyars flanked the Danish army.



The rest of the battle was no more than chasing the fleeing enemy. Not many could escape, but among them was their commander and a few of his bodyguards. It was a heroic victory for Nikifor who proved his military skills.





Andrei was recognized in front of the captains for his bravery in battle. But before any celebration could have taken place, the plague reached Smolensk. Some say it came from Polotsk, others blamed the Danish prisoners, but it did not matter much. Grand Prince Nikifor was among the ill, and the campaign against Novgorod started to fall apart shortly after its promising start.



A few days later a messenger arrived with grave news. Ryazan was besieged by Novgorod. The city which was taken by Yaropolk many years ago by tricking the then allied Novgorod into the fight had only a few defenders. It was impossible to send help and with the Grand Prince ill, the Council was hesitating about what to do. Morale sank very low in Smolensk, and Andrei felt that his opportunities started to slip away.




~

[teccarphi]

Wonderful update! +rep

[Scottish King]

Yay! Another wonderful update!

[ChivalrousKiller]

Magnificent update as always! And I love it that you a Norwegian as your faction heir

[Maltacus]

The chronicle of a Kievan freeman, trying to impress his lord when leading infantry. Sounds familiar somehow...

I'm missing a timeline sometimes. What year is it now with that plague and all? Not the black death already?

[Radzeer]

Wonderful update! +rep

Much appreciated, thank you!

Yay! Another wonderful update!

Thank you! It's good to be back.

Magnificent update as always! And I love it that you a Norwegian as your faction heir

Thanks! The faction heir opened up a lot of possibilities. Thinking back I could have avoided that as Rostislav was coming of age soon. Bringing in an established noble to the family ruined Rostislav's chances as Halstan probably had more authority already.

The chronicle of a Kievan freeman, trying to impress his lord when leading infantry. Sounds familiar somehow...

I'm missing a timeline sometimes. What year is it now with that plague and all? Not the black death already?

Yes, my creativity escaped me with Andrei... And even the name is similar, dammit!
Anyway, the story will not be the same...
It is 1239 now, so it's still just a local plague. If a big one hits and one or two of my younger FMs die, I'll be in trouble!


Also, I would like to thank the BAARC support for the battle of Trebizond!

[Ganbarenippon]

Wow! Can't believe I haven't replied yet! Things look grim for the ruling house with that plague. Could we be about to see a change in Dynasty? I look forward to seeing all of those daughters getting married off soon. You could be about to have a genealogical nightmare, but it should make things intriguing, especially with the emergence of so many new Houses. There are all kinds of possibilities. Anyway, rep it up my friend! If I can finally give you any more!

[Radzeer]

Wow! Can't believe I haven't replied yet! Things look grim for the ruling house with that plague. Could we be about to see a change in Dynasty? I look forward to seeing all of those daughters getting married off soon. You could be about to have a genealogical nightmare, but it should make things intriguing, especially with the emergence of so many new Houses. There are all kinds of possibilities. Anyway, rep it up my friend! If I can finally give you any more!

Thank you very much! Actually, it is a genealogical nightmare. I developed a little theory on this. Apparently you don't (or at least much less likely to) get marriage proposals for sons if the family has an unmarried princess who is older than them. I had some of these princess proposals, and rejected most for them. So I wonder if that screwed up the chances for getting wives for the sons. At this time only the senior branch "lives on", the junior branches (the sons of Yaropolk and Yurii) seem to check out without descendants...

Fortunately I have some plot-driven tricks for that.

EDIT: In case somebody hasn't seen the OP, the update is coming on Sunday.

[Radzeer]

List of characters

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The royal family

Grand Prince Vladimir
The first Grand Prince, leading the early expansion of the Rus, annexing several independent cities and fighting against both the Cumans and the Catholics. He has found the Holy Grail after taking Oleshe, and established the tradition in which the Grail is kept by the Prince to guide him. At the end of his life he retired and transferred the power to his oldest son and heir, Mstislav. He lived a long life and died peacefully in Kiev.

Grand Prince Mstislav
The second Grand Prince, and the oldest son of Vladimir. He held power for long as a Prince. He fought against the Cumans in the east, and conquered Smolensk in the north overthrowing the Novgorod-friendly council. He was a skilled politician and determined leader with a vision to expand toward the Baltic Sea. He established the Rus as a major power, although at the end of his reign he had difficulties with his brothers who wanted to have their separate ways. He died peacefully in Kiev.

Grand Prince Gostislav
The third Grand Prince, Mstislav's oldest son, the governor of Pereyaslav. Quite unremarkable as a child, he had a lot to prove. His decisions were not without controversy, but he did what he could to keep the Rus intact. He was somewhat successful with Yaropolk's sons in the west keeping at least their formal allegiance, but could not contain his other uncle, Yurii, who set up his own principality around Azaq. His rule was often compared to the rule of his father, in which comparison he did not fare well, especially about his foreign policy. He died shortly after a victory against Poland.

Grand Prince Nikifor
The fourth Grand Prince, Gostislav's first son. His marriage to a Venetian princess was supposed to build good connections to Catholics, but the alliance was short-lived. He is considered to be a talented leader and a capable general.
Rostislav
Gostislav's second son. He lived the life of the younger prince in the Court, where according to the rumor he seduced Nikifor's wife. He led the attack on Novgorod, taking Polotsk, but died shortly after that in the plague.

Petr
Mstislav's second son, the governor of the eastern Rus territories. He was trained by his uncle Yaropolk, and he took Serdobinskaya from the Cumans. He led the royal troops the Caucasus campaign. He took Baku and sailed across the sea to fight Khwarezm at Gorgan. The riches of Baku and Gorgan made him wealthy, although he was not successful to counterbalance Yurii and his sons' rule in Azaq. He died shortly after a raid on Astrakhan.

Dmitrii
Petr's son. He was young when his father died and was raised in the Kievan Court. He is a friend and supporter of Halstan.

Oleg
Mstislav's third son, the governor of Kiev. Although talented, he is a quiet member of the family, satisfied with administering Kiev and helping his brother, Gostislav in his rule.

Yaropolk
The second son of Vladimir. Legendary commander, the hero of many wars, and the conqueror of Lithuania where he acquired territories for his sons. His personal tragedy was that during his life only his youngest son, Volodislav loved him. He was a loyal general and had done much for the Rus - both by fighting its enemies and by containing his sons. He died shortly after his last victory against Poland, as the most decorated general of the Rus. At his funeral, his sons finally realized what their father has done for them.

Zhirovit
Yaropolk's oldest son, the governor of Vilnius. A violent, dreaded and unpredictable character, he is fighting in Poland to revenge his brother's death. He hates Catholics and pagans alike. He is a brilliant general, but has no other resemblance with his father.
Moimir
Yaropolk's second son, governor of Mensk - anything but a field commander. He helps financing Zhirovit's campaigns. He is a city politician, satisfied with his position at Mensk.
Tikhomir
Yaropolk's third son, former governor of Smolensk. He died young in battle against Poland at Mensk, saving the city and probably Moimir's life.
Volodislav
Yaropolk's youngest son, the governor of Riga. A talented commander who defeated the Teutons and repelled a Danish invasion. Widely considered as the real successor of Yaropolk's legacy.

Yurii
The third and youngest son of Vladimir, the first Grand Duke of Azaq, the duchy he declared independent from Kiev. It was difficult for him to be in the shadow of his two brothers. He was not satisfied with the governor position of Caffa where he was supposed to live the quiet life of a young prince, and made an alliance with the Patrikeev clan in the east. He married the clan leader's daughter, Natalia and started to build his own princedom. He fought the Cumans for the control of the Azaq region, and later attacked the Muslims in the Caucasus. He was considered by all as the main conspirator in the royal family, constantly plotting to get closer to power. After Natalia's death he decided to go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The pilgrimage ended with taking Acre, but became a political failure after mutual betrayals by the Roman allies. Yurii died in the siege when Acre fell to the Fatimids.

Ostromir
Yurii's oldest son, governor of Caffa. An unremarkable person, and withdrawn from the public ever since he survived an assassination arranged by Gostislav.
Sbyslav
Yurii's second son, governor of Sarkel, commander of the Caucasus campaign. He is talented in both politics and war, and succeeded Yurii as the second Grand Duke of Azaq.

Vassals and non-blood relatives

Danislav Severskii
An exile from Novgorod who became Mstislav's vassal and the governor of Smolensk. He died in battle against the Lithuanians.

Dobrozhir Severskii
The only son of Danislav. He revenged his father and killed the Grand Duke of Lithuania, but died in battle shortly after.
Stroislav Kubenskii
A Kievan noble who married Dobrozhir's oldest sister. Governor of Baia.

Milogost Fominskii
A Kievan noble who married Princess Eupraxia, Vladimir’s only daughter and thus became a member of the royal family. He was the governor of Zhytomyr. He saved Kiev from two Polish invasions, and was killed in the battle of Halych.
Georgii Patrikeev
Governor of Tmutarakan in the east, and an ally of Yurii who married his daughter. He died peacefully in Sarkel.
Prince Halstan Svendsen
Norwegian noble who married Princess Evfrosinia, Gostislav's daughter. Shortly after arriving to Kiev he was chosen by Nikifor to be his heir.

The three brothers

Alexios
The oldest of three brothers who as children were rescued by the Kievans after a Cuman raid. He is a cleric and a chronicler in the Court. He went back to Trebizond to look after his brother, Rurik. He was with Yurii in the Holy Land, and miraculously escaped after the fall of Acre.
Rurik
Alexios’ younger brother. Trained as a warrior, he used to belong to Yaropolk’s bodyguard escort. He was wounded in Trebizond in a battle and was thought to be dead for a long time. He returned to Kiev to fight alongside Yaropolk once more.
Oleg
The youngest brother of Alexios and Rurik. He disappeared in a Cuman raid and was sold as a slave in Azaq. His brothers have been searching for him for years until they were reunited in Trebizond.He was the chief supply officer for the Court, and the author of the Miloslavich Diary. Shortly after taking Polotsk, he disappeared again in Novgorod territory.
Andrei
The son of Oleg who was trained as a soldier in the Grand Prince's druzhina.

42. The Catholic Prince

Prince Halstan had second thoughts about his life in the Rus. He increasingly felt that it was a mistake to follow his wife back to Kiev, and that he should have been firm about staying in Norway instead. The last few months have been incredibly chaotic for him. He could hardly speak the language, did not understand the elaborate Orthodox rituals, and was seen as suspicious as a Catholic. He tried to tell people that his family in Norway converted to Christianity not long ago, but it did not help. The fact that he was Norwegian was in his favor as the late Grand Prince Mstislav's wife was from Norway too, and she was considered almost like a saint. But now the most important Catholic lady in the Court was the Venetian wife of Nikifor, a strong minded and voluptuous woman who was rumored to be Rostislav's secret lover. The people of the Court were not used to this kind of behavior, and with the war with Poland, the Teutons and Denmark, the anti-Catholic sentiments were high.

Then Nikifor decided to name Halstan as his successor. This was a surprise to everybody, including Halstan. He welcomed the title, but he knew that this only happened because of Nikifor's anger toward Rostislav, the lack of other eligible members in the senior branch of the family, and the fact that Halstan's wife was the Grand Prince's sister. Halstan was isolated, despite the title, and he was not sure how to act, especially since both Nikifor and Rostislav left to fight Novgorod and now both fell ill in the plague-stricken north. The only man Halstan could speak to was Oleg, the aging uncle of Nikifor. He was the respected governor of Kiev, but he was a reserved man who seldom participated in Court and family matters.

Then the day arrived when Dmitrii Yaroslavich has come of age. Dmitrii was the son of Petr, Nikifor's other uncle who died in Astrakhan, after the Caspian campaign. When Petr died, Dmitrii and his mother came back to Kiev. Dmitrii was aware of his Norwegian ancestry and his late grandmother's popularity, and did not have the anti-Catholic feelings of the Court. He and Halstan became friends, and with that Halstan finally had an ally in the family, albeit a young and inexperienced one.



The Prince knew that in the absence of Nikifor, he is expected to show leadership. The news from the west were worrying. The Polish front was mostly quiet in the past two years, but the spies constantly reported war preparations, and a large Kievan force had to be on alert in Halych all the time. Finally, the diplomats informed the Court that Poland had made strong alliances with other Catholic kingdoms, which may indicate that an attack is imminent.



Most of these agreements did not bother the Court, except the alliance with Venice which was troubling. Venice used to be a Kievan ally, and now they were seen as despicable people. The wife of the Grand Prince again became the target of hatred. Before things would get completely out of hand, Halstan decided to send one of his trusted diplomat to Poland, and initiate talks about a potential ceasefire.



Some said Kolychev was not suitable for the job, because he himself was a Catholic. But Halstan thought that this would make him a better partner for the negotiations. The Prince wanted to free up some of the Halych garrison to send reinforcements to Nikifor, as the war against Novgorod did not go well. After the initial success at Polotsk, the plague and the strong Novgorod presence in the north prevented any further movement. The generals and many of the soldiers were ill, hundreds died and there was little money to keep the campaign going.

Then came the news that shocked many in the Court.



Rostislav was not much respected in the Court, but nobody debated his royal lineage. He did have a few followers among the boyars who disapproved Halstan's title. Others felt that while Rostislav could have become a major problem for Nikifor, a Catholic successor would even be worse. Nikifor had a son, who many saw as the natural heir once he comes of age, but there were rumors that Halstan would not let go of the title, and the Rus could be governed by Catholics in the future and be closer to a civil war than during the time when Azaq became independent.

Halstan was now much confused. He had no intentions to found a Catholic dynasty, but he saw that the succession still occupied the minds of most boyars in the Court, even when the real problem was the continuation of the campaign against Novgorod. A Kievan army was still in Polotsk, without a leader. Nikifor was ill in Smolensk, and Halstan thought that it would strengthen his own position if he personally marches to help the Grand Prince. He waited for the news about the negotiations in Poland, and counted on the army in Haych as reinforcements.

But instead of the ceasefire and the army, the news from Poland continued to plague his life.



Kolychev was bribed by Poland, and with that many felt that the enemy got access to valuable information on Court affairs and the Kievan military. Those boyars that supported Rostislav before started rumors that Halstan deliberately sent Kolychev to Poland to undermine the rule of Nikifor and rule the Rus as a Catholic king. They were in minority, but the Kievan mob was unpredictable.

Then the news came that Riga was under attack again. Previously not many were bothered that Yaropolk's sons had to fight Denmark on their own, but now every Catholic move seemed like a part of an extensive conspiracy. Nikifor's illness was now a major problem creating a lack of central power in Kiev. Halstan felt that he has a steep hill to climb if he wants to gain the trust of the Kievan nobility, and was not sure that it was worth the try.

~~~

Vilnius was full of troops. A strong army was summoned by Zhirovit to help his brother, Volodislav, and answer the Danish threat. Zhirovit was getting old, but he was still the most cruel and cunning general the Rus has ever seen. Everybody in the west, especially in Poland feared his name. He was loyal to his realm, which for him meant the cities he and his younger brothers governed. He did not want to become an independent ruler like his uncle, Yurii a generation ago, but he was not willing to govern his lands in any other way but his own. And that governance meant continuous warfare with the Catholics.



He never got any help from Kiev, but it did not bother him. The trade revenues from Riga and Mensk were sufficient to fund his campaigns against the Catholic neighbors. Volodislav was a good steward of Riga, and his other brother, the cowardly Moimir raised a lot of money in Mensk to avoid being on the battlefield at any cost. Since Volodislav was besieged in Riga while another enemy army was plundering the countryside, Zhirovit wanted to leave as soon as possible. Yet he first needed the news from Kiev, brought to him by Moimir himself.

The two brothers met in Zhirovit's tent. Moimir, as always, was uncomfortable by the presence of his older, warmongering brother. He wanted to be done with this visit as soon as possible.

"I have some interesting news from Kiev," he said. "First of all, Rostislav is dead. Nikifor is still ill and there is a great political upheaval."

"Is it about that shamelessly promoted Catholic Prince?"

"Yes, mostly. But Nikifor's wife is also a target of much intrigues. Last week one of his Italian servants was killed. I would not want to be a Catholic in Kiev now especially since one of the Court diplomats decided to switch sides and went to Poland."

"People were always too soft on Catholics. Our father never trusted them. And he was right about that."

Moimir found it interesting how Zhirovit, who never really loved his father, suddenly found many of his great qualities.

"This happens when Catholics are allowed to get close to power," continued Zhirovit. "That Italian woman! How could my idiot cousin arrange that marriage for his son?"

It seemed that Zhirovit drives himself into one of his anti-Catholic rages. Moimir heard about these before and was not in the mood for a rant like that. He decided to change subject.

"The question is what opportunities would this anti-Catholic sentiment open up for us in Kiev?"

"What do you mean?" asked Zhirovit. He was never a master of political intrigues.

"With Rostislav's death, Nikifor's son is the only possible Orthodox heir. He will need the support of faithful Orthodox nobles."

"Why on earth would we want to support my cousin's lineage?"

Moimir became a bit inpatient. "It is two separate things to support the lineage and support a child against Catholic traitors. We have not had a good image in Kiev, despite that we have never done anything to challenge Msitislav's successors. But now, people start to look at us as nobles who have been fighting the Catholics for a long time."

Zhirovit chuckled. "Us?"

"Of course you and Volodislav, but without the funds I raise in Mensk you could fight them by yourself."

Zhirovit muttered something, but did not speak. Moimir realized that the first time in his life, he was able to overcome his brother. "Let's say Nikifor dies in the plague or in battle against Novgorod," he continued. "Many will not recognize the rule of that Norwegian general. The logical contender will be Nikifor's underage son. He will need strong supporters. And as you know it well, outside of Kiev we are the strongest family, descended from Grand Prince Vladimir, undoubtedly anti-Catholic with wealth and military power alike. Our time may come."



Zhirovit could not stop thinking about his brother's plan during the march north to Riga. But when he arrived at the city, his soldier instincts took over. The Riga garrison was quite large, but the besieging Danish army completely surrounded the city. Zhirovit knew that he had to defeat the Danish field army first, and just like against Poland many years ago, he decided to fight a night battle and surprise the enemy. It was the last day of the fall, and the nights were cold already, but the Kievan soldiers did not mind that.

The enemy army was a bit smaller, but the Danes usually fielded strong infantry. There were no noble generals with the army, so despite the seemingly even odds, Zhirovit was confident that he will destroy the invaders. He deployed his army by the road from Vilnius. He used his usual tactic, archers in the front, spearmen behind, catapults in the center and his heavy infantry in reserve. He also deployed his ballistae on the right flank at the top of a hill, and even further to the right he had a large contingent of mercenary heavy cavalry to enter the battle at the right time.



Not long after the enemy army appeared, the rain started to fall. This limited the use of the Kievan artillery, but also made the situation of the Danish archers, who were known about their skills, more difficult. When they arrived, they had to fire into the wind and against the rain.





Fire illuminated the battlefield, as the catapults and archers lit their missiles. The Danish commander ordered his troops to charge the Kievan positions to avoid getting destroyed by the enemy fire. Under the blanket of fire arrows, the Danes got closer with every minute.



The first to arrive were the cavalry. The Kievan archers fell back, although many were killed as they misjudged the speed of the Danish riders. But the second line of spearmen were ready to stop the cavalry charge.



The Danish infantry concentrated the attack at the center. This was an unusual tactic as it offered a flanking maneuver for Zhirovit - if his troops could hold back the enemy for long enough in the center.



As the two lines of infantry became tangled, it was difficult to see who has the advantage. The Kievan catapults continued to fire, but their company commanders could not see where exactly the enemy troops were. Dozens of soldiers from both sides have met their final moment there.





With the fight undecided in the center, the Danish army was increasingly more pressed to break through. The commander sent in the reserves, but Zhirovit saw this move. He quickly redeployed his javelinmen, and the attack of the Danish reserves soon collapsed.



Now was the time to flank the Danish lines and win the battle. Zhirovit sent a runner to his mercenaries, and the riders charged into the back of the Danish infantry. The enemy captain only had a split second to look back and see the riders coming before he was cut down too.





The Danish soldiers routed, but only a handful of them could make it back to the camp of the besieging army, and spread the news of their utter defeat.





Zhirovit wanted to press the attack, but next day the snow fell, and his army needed some rest too. He used this time to coordinate the next battle with Volodislav. The joint Kievan forces were much larger than the second Danish army, but Zhirovit did not want Volodislav to enter the battle unless things turn against him. He had less men than the Danish commander, but his soldiers' morale was high, while the Danes were shocked already, especially since they had no time to break the siege and withdraw to Denmark.



Zhirovit decided to attack on a cold morning. Behind the enemy army was the sea, covered with fog. The Danish troops had nowhere to run, so they prepared for the final fight.



As soon as the Kievan catapults opened fire, the Danish army started to march, then run toward Zhirovit's lines. This time they had better luck, and most of the fireballs flew above their heads, making little if any damage.





Therefore it came down to the melee again. The Kievan druzhina and militia troops held their ground against the better Danish heavy infantry. The casualties were high, but it did not break the morale of the Kievan army.





The final weapon of the Danish commander was the cavalry charge. He reserved his heavy cavalry, instead of wasting them at the beginning of the battle, like many commanders did before. The cavalry charge targeted the druzhina and the Lithuanian skirmishers on the Kievan right flank, and had a devastating effect.





Fortunately for Zhirovit, the deployed ballistae slowed down the Danish charge. The enemy knights were still stronger than the Kievan infantry, and Zhirovit had no reserve spearmen to send into battle. He hoped that his soldiers will hold on just a little longer, and charged the opposite flank of the Danish army. He led his men into a company of Danish soldiers trying to go around the Kievan lines. So fast was Zhirovit that for a moment he got separated from his bodyguards. But in the confusion of the battle, the enemy commander did not notice that, rather he tried to save his life. Panic followed as the shocked Danish army collapsed.





Of the three thousand enemy soldiers in the two invading armies, only less than a hundred made it back to Denmark. Zhirovit had now close to a thousand prisoners. First he wanted to execute them as he usually did with the prisoners. But then he listened to the suggestion of Volodislav, who argued that this lesson must have been clear enough for Denmark to stop the attacks. Executions breed revenge, while the ransom on the other hand can be used to reward the soldiers and fund future campaigns.



The events in Kiev made Yaropolk's sons to revisit their priorities and wait for the opportunity to arise. For that they needed soldiers and money, both of which they had, and a little bit of luck which they hoped to come to their way.
~

[Ganbarenippon]

So...the time has finally come for the House of Yaropolk to make its move! Finally! It must be getting really annoying with the constant attacks from Poland and Denmark in the same areas though! Shame there's no way to stop it. Great stuff again my friend, I wonder if you are going to end up with Grand Prince Halstan? Interesting.

[Scottish King]

Interesting developments! A civil war seems to be on the horizon!!! + rep

[Radzeer]

So...the time has finally come for the House of Yaropolk to make its move! Finally! It must be getting really annoying with the constant attacks from Poland and Denmark in the same areas though! Shame there's no way to stop it. Great stuff again my friend, I wonder if you are going to end up with Grand Prince Halstan? Interesting.

Thank you, my friend! I wonder about Halstan too. I decided to take what the campaign gives me. But if he will become the Grand Prince, I can guarantee that some people will be unhappy.
Poland is not much of a problem these days. Since I gave some breathing room to Lithuania, they started to build stacks and nicely shield me from most of the Polish armies. Denmark is different as they had some armies in Novgorod territories that sometimes show up at unexpected locations.

Interesting developments! A civil war seems to be on the horizon!!! + rep

Thank you very much! Civil war brought down the Rus in history, so it would be interesting to see it in the game too. But it needs to wait a little, as the next update will travel down south again...


On a somewhat different note...

I just accidentally realized that it was a year ago on this day when I registered at TWC. A lot has happened during this year, and I owe a big THANK YOU to all of my readers, commenters and friends here for providing invaluable support, without which my writing would not have been possible. Your support is most appreciated!

[Boustrophedon]

This is still one of my favourite AARs and it's going strong indeed! wonderful work Radzeer! have some rep

[Radzeer]

This is still one of my favourite AARs and it's going strong indeed! wonderful work Radzeer! have some rep

Thank you very much! I'm glad you find it strong (sometimes I mostly find it long... ).

Sorry for the delay, the update is coming in an hour or so.

[Radzeer]

List of characters

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The royal family

Grand Prince Vladimir
The first Grand Prince, leading the early expansion of the Rus, annexing several independent cities and fighting against both the Cumans and the Catholics. He has found the Holy Grail after taking Oleshe, and established the tradition in which the Grail is kept by the Prince to guide him. At the end of his life he retired and transferred the power to his oldest son and heir, Mstislav. He lived a long life and died peacefully in Kiev.

Grand Prince Mstislav
The second Grand Prince, and the oldest son of Vladimir. He held power for long as a Prince. He fought against the Cumans in the east, and conquered Smolensk in the north overthrowing the Novgorod-friendly council. He was a skilled politician and determined leader with a vision to expand toward the Baltic Sea. He established the Rus as a major power, although at the end of his reign he had difficulties with his brothers who wanted to have their separate ways. He died peacefully in Kiev.

Grand Prince Gostislav
The third Grand Prince, Mstislav's oldest son, the governor of Pereyaslav. Quite unremarkable as a child, he had a lot to prove. His decisions were not without controversy, but he did what he could to keep the Rus intact. He was somewhat successful with Yaropolk's sons in the west keeping at least their formal allegiance, but could not contain his other uncle, Yurii, who set up his own principality around Azaq. His rule was often compared to the rule of his father, in which comparison he did not fare well, especially about his foreign policy. He died shortly after a victory against Poland.

Grand Prince Nikifor
The fourth Grand Prince, Gostislav's first son. His marriage to a Venetian princess was supposed to build good connections to Catholics, but the alliance was short-lived. He is considered to be a talented leader and a capable general.
Rostislav
Gostislav's second son. He lived the life of the younger prince in the Court, where according to the rumor he seduced Nikifor's wife. He led the attack on Novgorod, taking Polotsk, but died shortly after that in the plague.

Petr
Mstislav's second son, the governor of the eastern Rus territories. He was trained by his uncle Yaropolk, and he took Serdobinskaya from the Cumans. He led the royal troops the Caucasus campaign. He took Baku and sailed across the sea to fight Khwarezm at Gorgan. The riches of Baku and Gorgan made him wealthy, although he was not successful to counterbalance Yurii and his sons' rule in Azaq. He died shortly after a raid on Astrakhan.

Dmitrii
Petr's son. He was young when his father died and was raised in the Kievan Court. He is a friend and supporter of Prince Halstan.

Oleg
Mstislav's third son, the governor of Kiev. Although talented, he is a quiet member of the family, satisfied with administering Kiev and helping his brother, Gostislav in his rule.

Yaropolk
The second son of Vladimir. Legendary commander, the hero of many wars, and the conqueror of Lithuania where he acquired territories for his sons. His personal tragedy was that during his life only his youngest son, Volodislav loved him. He was a loyal general and had done much for the Rus - both by fighting its enemies and by containing his sons. He died shortly after his last victory against Poland, as the most decorated general of the Rus. At his funeral, his sons finally realized what their father has done for them.

Zhirovit
Yaropolk's oldest son, the governor of Vilnius. A violent, dreaded and unpredictable character, he is fighting in Poland to revenge his brother's death. He hates Catholics and pagans alike. He is a brilliant general, but has no other resemblance with his father.
Moimir
Yaropolk's second son, governor of Mensk - anything but a field commander. He helps financing Zhirovit's campaigns. He is a city politician, satisfied with his position at Mensk.
Tikhomir
Yaropolk's third son, former governor of Smolensk. He died young in battle against Poland at Mensk, saving the city and probably Moimir's life.
Volodislav
Yaropolk's youngest son, the governor of Riga. A talented commander who defeated the Teutons and repelled a Danish invasion. Widely considered as the real successor of Yaropolk's legacy.

Yurii
The third and youngest son of Vladimir, the first Grand Duke of Azaq, the duchy he declared independent from Kiev. It was difficult for him to be in the shadow of his two brothers. He was not satisfied with the governor position of Caffa where he was supposed to live the quiet life of a young prince, and made an alliance with the Patrikeev clan in the east. He married the clan leader's daughter, Natalia and started to build his own princedom. He fought the Cumans for the control of the Azaq region, and later attacked the Muslims in the Caucasus. He was considered by all as the main conspirator in the royal family, constantly plotting to get closer to power. After Natalia's death he decided to go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The pilgrimage ended with taking Acre, but became a political failure after mutual betrayals by the Roman allies. Yurii died in the siege when Acre fell to the Fatimids.

Ostromir
Yurii's oldest son, governor of Caffa. An unremarkable person, and withdrawn from the public ever since he survived an assassination arranged by Gostislav.
Sbyslav
Yurii's second son, governor of Sarkel, commander of the Caucasus and Holy Land campaigns. He is talented in both politics and war, and succeeded Yurii as the second Grand Duke of Azaq.

Vassals and non-blood relatives

Danislav Severskii
An exile from Novgorod who became Mstislav's vassal and the governor of Smolensk. He died in battle against the Lithuanians.

Dobrozhir Severskii
The only son of Danislav. He revenged his father and killed the Grand Duke of Lithuania, but died in battle shortly after.
Stroislav Kubenskii
A Kievan noble who married Dobrozhir's oldest sister. Governor of Baia.

Milogost Fominskii
A Kievan noble who married Princess Eupraxia, Vladimir’s only daughter and thus became a member of the royal family. He was the governor of Zhytomyr. He saved Kiev from two Polish invasions, and was killed in the battle of Halych.
Georgii Patrikeev
Governor of Tmutarakan in the east, and an ally of Yurii who married his daughter. He died peacefully in Sarkel.
Prince Halstan Svendsen
Norwegian noble who married Princess Evfrosinia, Gostislav's daughter. Shortly after arriving to Kiev he was chosen by Nikifor to be his heir.

The three brothers

Alexios
The oldest of three brothers who as children were rescued by the Kievans after a Cuman raid. He is a cleric and a chronicler in the Court. He went back to Trebizond to look after his brother, Rurik. He was with Yurii in the Holy Land, and miraculously escaped after the fall of Acre.
Rurik
Alexios’ younger brother. Trained as a warrior, he used to belong to Yaropolk’s bodyguard escort. He was wounded in Trebizond in a battle and was thought to be dead for a long time. He returned to Kiev to fight alongside Yaropolk once more.
Oleg
The youngest brother of Alexios and Rurik. He disappeared in a Cuman raid and was sold as a slave in Azaq. His brothers have been searching for him for years until they were reunited in Trebizond.He was the chief supply officer for the Court, and the author of the Miloslavich Diary. Shortly after taking Polotsk, he disappeared again in Novgorod territory.
Andrei
The son of Oleg who was trained as a soldier in the Grand Prince's druzhina.

43. Reclaiming the Holy Land

Sbyslav watched as the ship leaves the Acre harbor, taking Yurii's body back to Azaq. Acre was in Roman hands, taken by the time Sbyslav arrived with his army to revenge his father's death. As he learned, it was only a few days after Yurii's last battle that a Roman army arrived and surprised the Fatimids who left the city in a hurry, not even bothering with the prisoners and the looting. Yurii's body was buried by the Romans, but Sbyslav wanted him to rest in the Azaq cathedral by Natalia who he loved so much. He suspected that the relation between his father and the Romans was not without problems, but he was not in a position to do anything. The Romans were extremely strong, and quickly pushed the Fatimids out of the region. All of the Holy Land was reclaimed by them, except Kerak, the last Fatimid stronghold outside of Egypt. Since Sbyslav was politely but firmly told that his army cannot be stationed at any of the Roman cities, he sent them to besiege Kerak. He still wanted to revenge his father, and did not want to go back to Azaq without a fight.

Apart from the revenge, Sbyslav had no intentions to stay in the Holy Land. He did not plan to keep Kerak, instead he wanted to sell it to the Romans. He was the second Grand Duke of Azaq, and he felt that honoring his father's legacy was to keep Azaq independent from Kiev. He heard that Nikifor is now the new Grand Prince, and while it seemed that Kiev was occupied with the war with Novgorod, Sbyslav did not think that his brother, Ostromir can govern the five provinces of Azaq by himself. Ostromir has never been a strong character, and the assassination attempt against him proved to be too much to take. It was no surprise when Yurii wanted his second son to follow him, and Ostromir never challenged that.

Once the ship disappeared, Sbyslav left Acre and hurried back to his troops at Kerak. The city was surrounded but to his surprise he learned that a large Roman army is nearby. The Romans showed no interest in joining the siege, but obviously wanted to keep an eye on Sybslav's army. It was obvious that they wanted the Rus to fight for the city, and then negotiate its transfer. But Sbyslav did not care. Once his army was ready, he ordered the assault. He had the numeric advantage and he was sure about the victory.



The walls of Kerak seemed very strong. Sbyslav did not expect that the Fatimids put up a strong fight. They were outnumbered, led by a low rank captain, and should have known that their strategic position was very weak too. In fact, Sbyslav was surprised that they did not give up Kerak and flee. As he looked down on the walls before the assault, he felt tired of this campaign and hoped that they can leave back for Azaq in a few days.



Sbyslav had a few companies of local mercenaries, and he sent them in to break through the gate. Things went well until they reached the gate, but then a group of riders came out and surprised the mercenaries. A bloody melee started, and the attack was stopped even before it began.



Sbyslav sent in the archers to support his mercenaries. Soon the enemy cavalry retreated, and with that retreat the opportunity arose to storm the gate and get inside the city.



As the mercenaries got inside, the enemy cavalry disappeared, but strong infantry units arrived. Sbyslav sent in more reinforcements, but the Fatimids held their ground on the main street, while additional companies appeared from the side alleys. The Kievans were pinned down at the gate area. Both sides had several companies fighting, but the melee was undecided for about an hour.







Sbyslav did not expect such strong resistance. It did not make much sense to push more troops through the gate which was easily defended, so he called off the attack. He was very disappointed. The casualties were very high, and although his best companies were still intact, he lost most of his mercenaries and light infantry. Moreover, this first assault was a huge moral boost for the defenders.

Adding to Sbyslav's problems was that the Roman army in the area was joined by the Roman emperor himself. Basileus Nikitas came to oversee the campaign against the Fatimids, but his presence at Kerak when most of the Roman armies were fighting elsewhere was a clear sign that his main concern was actually Sbyslav. But breaking the siege and leaving was not an option for Sbyslav. He had to take the city quickly. Therefore, he ordered a night attack, hoping to surprise the defenders.



Unlike in the first attack, this time the best units were selected to lead the assault. As the Kievan army was deployed for the fight, the dark silhouette of the castle was silent. The Fatimids clearly did not expect a night assault. Sbyslav hoped that this time he would be more successful.





The plan was to keep the gatehouse and a section of the wall under fire from the trebuchets as if they were trying to break through it, while the heavy infantry takes the ladders and go around the defenders. Sbyslav sent his Armenian infantry in first, as he knew how the Armenians betrayed his father at Acre. To make sure they will going to fight this time, he had some of his druzhina infantry ready to support them. As the Armenians marched toward the dark walls, the first fireball of the trebuchets flew across the night sky.



The surprise attack seemed to have worked. The first few defenders on the walls were quickly killed. But the Fatimid commander did not lose his head. The Egyptian heavy infantry arrived, and the Armenians' advance was stopped. Soon enemy archers appeared on the street and fired into the mass of fighting soldiers on the walls.





The guards of the gatehouse were now fully alerted, and returned the fire of the trebuchets. Sbyslav saw how the first siege engine catches fire, and suddenly he felt the night chill. It looked that after some initial success, the attack again grinded to a halt. It was the time to send in the druzhina companies to tip the balance of the fight on the walls and support the Armenians before they break.





The soldiers rushed to the ladders and started to climb. Sbyslav decided to deploy all his reserves. He felt that that it would not be possible to launch a third assault if this night attack fails. The Roman emperor would take over the siege and he would need to go home humiliated, without a revenge. He swore that it would not happen.



The druzhina companies arrived just in time. The melee on the wall was still raging, but as the Kievan casualties grew, so did the losses of the Fatimids. The enemy commander had to commit his infantry reserves to keep the attackers at bay. This fight of attrition favored Sbyslav despite the heavy losses.



Then just as the last trebuchet caught fire outside, the druzhina companies finally broke the defenders. The Fatimids were in a full retreat. The guards of the gatehouse were killed, and the gates were opened for Sbyslav to enter. As the enemy soldiers ran back, they were chased by the arrows of the Kievan archers.





But the fight was not yet over. Most of the enemy infantry was cut down, but the strong Fatimid cavalry still had to be defeated. They were waiting by the walls of the inner castle, seemingly decided to fight to the last man. While his infantry was securing the outer walls, Sbyslav deployed his cavalry for the next stage of the fight.



He sent in his mounted druzhina first. The Kievan horse archers shot hundreds of arrows at the enemy riders, trying to break up their formation. Some of the enemy riders fell, but their captain did not allow his men to charge the attackers. Yet, his attention was focused on the horse archers, and he was unaware that the boyar cavalry rode around in the silent streets and was about to flank him.





The cavalry battle in front of the inside gate was long and bloody. The Fatimid cavalry was strong and determined. Sbyslav's losses grew with every minute, and he had to send in his horse archers into the melee. He personally led the fight, but it was almost dawn by the time the enemy cavalry was defeated. Only a few Fatimid riders were able to escape back to the inner castle.



The battle was won, but the Kievan army was exhausted. Sbyslav lost half of his men, and his 1,500 strong army was reduced to less than four hundred, many of whom were injured. Of the original thousand defenders, less than a hundred remained, but they locked the gates of the inner castle, which Sbyslav was unable to penetrate without another assault.



But there was no time for another assault. With the morning, a Roman envoy arrived, inviting Sbyslav to meet with Basileus Nikitas next day. Sbyslav knew that the siege is over. He ordered his captains to raise the flag of Azaq over the walls, and keep the citadel guarded. He went back to his quarters to think about the upcoming negotiations. But he could not have peace for long, as disturbing news arrived from Azaq.

My dear brother,

It is my duty to inform you that a new foe attacked us. Over the past year, nomad raids have increased in our easternmost territories. The raiders were not Cumans, but some new tribes, feared and hated in the steppes. They call themselves the Golden Horde, or Mongols, and are rapidly expanding to the west. I reinforced the border guards, and sent out recruitment orders to our cities. But not long ago one of our border posts was attacked by overwhelming forces.



These nomads are not like the Cumans. They have strong armor and weapons, unlike those we have seen in the steppes. They are very disciplined, fanatic and brutal. Unfortunately, our forces in the east were mostly local militias, brave but unprepared for these new enemies.



As I heard, the attack on our border post caught our men by surprise. They were outnumbered and outclassed by the Mongols. They tried to defend the post, but the Mongol arrows flew over the walls and decimated our soldiers. Then their infantry broke in, and our men were slaughtered. The prisoners were later executed except for one soldier who pretended to be dead and was able to escape to bring us these news.











I ordered our forces to be at Sarkel by next month. Once I have the army summoned, I will fight these nomads and send them back to where they came from. Their leader is an old man, called Menglai. I promised a thousand florins in gold to whoever kills him. Maybe I can find somebody to cut the snake's head off before we fight it.





I hope this letter finds you in good health. Despite the losses during these skirmishes, our lands are safe and I am confident that we will be victorious. These are after all, just some nomads, stronger maybe but still uncivilized. Our western borders are quiet, as most of the Kievan forces are fighting in the north. Nikifor is said to be ill, and a Catholic baron was named as prince. They sank very low indeed, betraying the true Orthodox faith.

Ostromir

Sbyslav could not sleep all night. He was not as optimistic as Ostromir. He has never heard about the Golden Horde, but the description made him feel uneasy. He knew that he has to go back as soon as possible. After tomorrow, he thought, there will be nothing for me to stay here. He waited for the morning to come, then he rode out of the city to meet with the Roman emperor.

The basileus was a short and soft spoken man, but it was obvious that he knew how powerful he is. Sbyslav has never seen such grandeur, especially not in a tent in the middle of the desert. The wealth and power of the Roman Empire shocked him, which was exactly the effect the basileus wanted to have.

"Lord Sbyslav," he said. "I have not known your father, but heard that he was a brave man. Unfortunately we arrived to Acre too late to save him."

Sbyslav controlled his anger. He was sure that the Romans had no intentions of saving his father. Especially after that many Greeks were killed when Yurii let his soldiers plunder the merchant district.

"Yes, it is unfortunate that you arrived late," he said. "But the memory of my father will live on, and it will be an example for many in Azaq."

"An example, I'm sure," replied the basileus. "Are you planning to follow his footsteps?"

"In certain ways, yes."

"And which ways would those be?" The two men looked at each other. Both realized that the other is just as good with the words as them.

"I am the Grand Duke of Azaq," said Sbyslav. "It is my duty to govern it as an independent Duchy. My father fought for it, and I intend to honor his vision."

The basileus smiled. "I'm afraid you misunderstood me. I have no interest in the affairs of Azaq." Then he added. "As long as Azaq has no interest in the Holy Land."

Sbyslav was puzzled. This meant that the Romans were fine with an independent Azaq even despite a pressure from Kiev. Giving up Kerak seemed to worth this.

"I can assure you that I have no interest to stay in the Holy Land. Once Kerak is taken, I will depart for Azaq."

"So Kerak is not taken yet?"

Sbyslav frowned. "The last few defenders are in the citadel. I don't see how could they stay there for long. It's just a matter of time."

"Maybe time is more precious for you than it is for me. Leave the citadel to be my problem." The tone indicated that it was more of an order. Time was indeed precious for Sbyslav while his army was at the brink of collapse, with heavy casualties and so far from home. But the problem was that under such circumstances the Romans would not pay for Kerak, since it was not taken yet. And on top of that the Mongol threat left no time for Sbyslav to linger in the Holy Land.

"Very well," he said. "In three days I shall leave for Azaq. You can have Kerak."

The basileus smiled again, and let Sbyslav return to his troops. But his smile lasted only for three days. When the Roman army marched into Kerak to take the citadel, they found the city largely destroyed and looted.



The Holy Land was reclaimed by the Christians.

~~~

On the way back, a messenger brought alarming news for Sbyslav. Ostromir and his army in Sarkel was besieged by the Mongols. This was now more than just simple border raids. It was a war with the Golden Horde.


~