jalapeno_dude
AKA Panda Judo Eel
Keep going!
By a Single Decision (Alternate History)
- Thread starter das
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das
Regeneration In Process
Chapter Seventy One.
1003 AD.
In the hastily-constructed fortress-capital city of Wislia (the future nation of the "Hermese" - but now free! - Slavs), at Perun (OTL Thorn), Svytopluk Malko sat alone in the darkness. It was quiet - no one dared interrupt the vitjaz' meditation and thoughts, it was believed that the was talking with the Gods on matters of grave importance. In a way it was so.
When in 1002 at Broniborsk (OTL Berlin) the Hermese army was routed, the celebrations were truly great. Indeed, the central strip of lands from Elbe to the Khazarian border as defined per the Treaty of Truso, was now under firm Slavic - or Wislian - control. The Slavs throughout Hermaland, as far as he knew, were unanimous in his support. Perhaps, he smirked, it was because that those Slavs who did not support him were, as far as he and his followers were concerned, not Slavs. But either way, Wislia had a relaly good chance for independance. The Gods willed it. And the Khazars were too preoccupied in Kitay (OOC: well, not really Kitay (Kitay being China), but rather in Central Asia) to intervenne, had they wished to do so.
The Hermese were badly weakened, but they still did hold on the north and the south of future Wislia. Their grasp to those territories was very weak, ofcourse, as they were also populated by Wislians, and ever since Broniborsk the rebellion spred there as well. But in a few Hermese German settlements and forts, their control endured.
Where to strike? South or north? Both directions made sense. But the north had a coastline, and the port city of Truso. Yes, taking over the coastline would make sense - for the future purposes mostly, but perhaps even now the Vikings could be imitated and naval raids could be used to scare the Hermese ruler into surrendering. And so the Slavs went north, which turned out to be a mistake, as the old Magyar defensive alliance was still in existance...
1003 AD.
In the hastily-constructed fortress-capital city of Wislia (the future nation of the "Hermese" - but now free! - Slavs), at Perun (OTL Thorn), Svytopluk Malko sat alone in the darkness. It was quiet - no one dared interrupt the vitjaz' meditation and thoughts, it was believed that the was talking with the Gods on matters of grave importance. In a way it was so.
When in 1002 at Broniborsk (OTL Berlin) the Hermese army was routed, the celebrations were truly great. Indeed, the central strip of lands from Elbe to the Khazarian border as defined per the Treaty of Truso, was now under firm Slavic - or Wislian - control. The Slavs throughout Hermaland, as far as he knew, were unanimous in his support. Perhaps, he smirked, it was because that those Slavs who did not support him were, as far as he and his followers were concerned, not Slavs. But either way, Wislia had a relaly good chance for independance. The Gods willed it. And the Khazars were too preoccupied in Kitay (OOC: well, not really Kitay (Kitay being China), but rather in Central Asia) to intervenne, had they wished to do so.
The Hermese were badly weakened, but they still did hold on the north and the south of future Wislia. Their grasp to those territories was very weak, ofcourse, as they were also populated by Wislians, and ever since Broniborsk the rebellion spred there as well. But in a few Hermese German settlements and forts, their control endured.
Where to strike? South or north? Both directions made sense. But the north had a coastline, and the port city of Truso. Yes, taking over the coastline would make sense - for the future purposes mostly, but perhaps even now the Vikings could be imitated and naval raids could be used to scare the Hermese ruler into surrendering. And so the Slavs went north, which turned out to be a mistake, as the old Magyar defensive alliance was still in existance...
das
Regeneration In Process
Chapter Seventy Two.
Indeed, it was. Whilst Svytopluk besieged and assaulted Truso, the armies of Magyaray and Francia marched out to reinforce the remnants of Hermese forces. The joint Magyar army was to be commanded by Bela Taszary (a Francian nobleman), and it with due time reached and began advancing along the river Vistula.
The army arrived in mid-1003, when Truso already fell, and when the Slavic naval raids against the Hermese coast only began. Although there was a Slavic militia in the city of Perun, that was all there was to oppose the sizeable (not enormous, but still noticeable) army. Ofcourse, that was barely enough to hold back the Magyars. Had they not hesitated...
The Magyars hesitated. A series of small-scale ambushes took place previously, and the prisoners, after thorough interrogation, confessed that there was another Wislian army in the region. That was not so. Perhaps they truly thought so; perhaps they were sent to confuse the Magyars on purpose. But the Magyars hesitated to try and find the Wislian army. This gave the defenders of Perun time to prepare - to hoard supplies, to train day and night, to put traps (Slavs were also good trappers - that, like their camouflage and ambush skills, came due to a good tradition of hunting in large forests near which they often lived). By the time the city was besieged, it was prepared to defend. And by then, a Wislian messanger was already nearing Truso.
Perhaps had they not hesitated back then, they could have crushed that rebellion. Perhaps not, as the Wislians still did have a large army in the north which would probably have returned south to fight the Magyars. Perhaps.
But the Wislian rebellion endured against the greatest threat that COULD have been to it. Later, after a series of indecisive battles around Perun, the Magyar forces had to face the by then inevitable creation of Wislia as an independant state.
Indeed, it was. Whilst Svytopluk besieged and assaulted Truso, the armies of Magyaray and Francia marched out to reinforce the remnants of Hermese forces. The joint Magyar army was to be commanded by Bela Taszary (a Francian nobleman), and it with due time reached and began advancing along the river Vistula.
The army arrived in mid-1003, when Truso already fell, and when the Slavic naval raids against the Hermese coast only began. Although there was a Slavic militia in the city of Perun, that was all there was to oppose the sizeable (not enormous, but still noticeable) army. Ofcourse, that was barely enough to hold back the Magyars. Had they not hesitated...
The Magyars hesitated. A series of small-scale ambushes took place previously, and the prisoners, after thorough interrogation, confessed that there was another Wislian army in the region. That was not so. Perhaps they truly thought so; perhaps they were sent to confuse the Magyars on purpose. But the Magyars hesitated to try and find the Wislian army. This gave the defenders of Perun time to prepare - to hoard supplies, to train day and night, to put traps (Slavs were also good trappers - that, like their camouflage and ambush skills, came due to a good tradition of hunting in large forests near which they often lived). By the time the city was besieged, it was prepared to defend. And by then, a Wislian messanger was already nearing Truso.
Perhaps had they not hesitated back then, they could have crushed that rebellion. Perhaps not, as the Wislians still did have a large army in the north which would probably have returned south to fight the Magyars. Perhaps.
But the Wislian rebellion endured against the greatest threat that COULD have been to it. Later, after a series of indecisive battles around Perun, the Magyar forces had to face the by then inevitable creation of Wislia as an independant state.
Gelion
Retired Captain
Hmmm das could you add a map for this masterpiece?
das
Regeneration In Process
Look a page or two before.
Vanadorn
Motorcycling Paladin
Hey Das! Still reading and enjoying (happy post birthday as well).
I've neer asked and just assumed some things. How old are you and where you you garner such a decent amount of historical information? Is this what you went/go to school for? Or do you surf the web like a mad-fiend to get all the information/references you need?
Either way, please keep up the good work and enjoy!
V
I've neer asked and just assumed some things. How old are you and where you you garner such a decent amount of historical information? Is this what you went/go to school for? Or do you surf the web like a mad-fiend to get all the information/references you need?
Either way, please keep up the good work and enjoy!
V
tossi
Der kleine Prinz
Î'm done 
. I have read the entire story. Very good! Next chapter please!
. I have read the entire story. Very good! Next chapter please!North King
blech
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2004
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Still interesting. I think I'm going to have to reread this when I get time... It will give me something to do with my ignore list, I can ignore everyon besides das with more than 10 posts in the thread.
jalapeno_dude
AKA Panda Judo Eel
Keep going!
das
Regeneration In Process
OOC: All information gathered comes from a variety of sources. Mostly Britannica and some historical atlases, some in internet, some from books.
IC:
Chapter Seventy Three.
As the 11th century started, the Western Caliphate was at its greatest extent, at the peak of its territorial expansion. But not the overall peak. Whilst the Caliphal colonies were being established on the various coastlines in the great western lands, the empire itself was decaying. Its wealth was decimated by various pirate raids, rebellions and the Nazarean War (which by then settled into an uneasy truce). Cordoba was still one of the greatest centers of knowledge and culture in the world, but it was distant from the capital, al-Iksandriyah. And in the capital, the Aminid dynasty, represented by Amin VI, was also dying out - Amin VI was very incompetent and detached from reality. Corrupt, greedy officials were running the Caliphate.
Indeed, its time seemed to have ran out, and, indeed, it was so. The various local governors and groups were wishing to gain independance, and first peasant rebellions altready started, by 1004. There also was the external threat - the Lombards were building up their fleet and rattling their sabres, the Byzantines really really wanted to pull another Justinian, and the Ghanese-Berber raiders were again gathering.
Indeed, the Western Caliphate by then looked set to follow the Eastern one; it was becoming a question of when... and how bloody.
IC:
Chapter Seventy Three.
As the 11th century started, the Western Caliphate was at its greatest extent, at the peak of its territorial expansion. But not the overall peak. Whilst the Caliphal colonies were being established on the various coastlines in the great western lands, the empire itself was decaying. Its wealth was decimated by various pirate raids, rebellions and the Nazarean War (which by then settled into an uneasy truce). Cordoba was still one of the greatest centers of knowledge and culture in the world, but it was distant from the capital, al-Iksandriyah. And in the capital, the Aminid dynasty, represented by Amin VI, was also dying out - Amin VI was very incompetent and detached from reality. Corrupt, greedy officials were running the Caliphate.
Indeed, its time seemed to have ran out, and, indeed, it was so. The various local governors and groups were wishing to gain independance, and first peasant rebellions altready started, by 1004. There also was the external threat - the Lombards were building up their fleet and rattling their sabres, the Byzantines really really wanted to pull another Justinian, and the Ghanese-Berber raiders were again gathering.
Indeed, the Western Caliphate by then looked set to follow the Eastern one; it was becoming a question of when... and how bloody.
jalapeno_dude
AKA Panda Judo Eel
The suspense... it's killing me!
And NK, check how many posts you've posted in this thread.
And NK, check how many posts you've posted in this thread.
tossi
Der kleine Prinz
Poor caliphate 
. I wonder how much will survive.
. I wonder how much will survive.
das
Regeneration In Process
OOC:
Not much - of the Caliphate itself ofcourse - I guess. It was stagnating by then, and such nations tend to break.
IC:
Chapter Seventy Four.
In January 1005, the Fourth Sacred War began. Emperor Liutprando IV and Basilea Irene II were eyeing borderline Caliphal lands for some time now, and as a series of peasant risings took place in Egypt and Tripolitania, the Caliphate seemed (and was) weak. The opportunity was too good to miss, even if the Byzantine economy didn't yet fully recover from the Nazarean War yet. Byzantine forces invaded Egypt; a joint Lombard-Byzantine fleet "liberated" Malta; after a proper treaty signed with the various Magyars (who needed to fight the Wislian rebels at the moment), four Holy Legions were shipped to Catalonia, where they besieged Barcelona. The Western Caliphate forces fought back, but rather half-heartedly and with not much coordination.
And meanwhile, the rebellions intensified. Egypt turned into a three-side battlefield - Goptans, Caliphals and Byzantines struggled for supremacy there, with the grand prize of Al-Iksandriyah still in Caliphal hands. But not safe there. Bedouins rose up in Hejaz; Mujahaddin fanatics broke away from the collapsing Caliphate.
By the end of the year, future looked bleak for the Western Caliphate. Some, on both sides, even prophesized the end of Islam. And maybe the world as well. But neither one ended, and both will yet find even greater glory in the future...
Not much - of the Caliphate itself ofcourse - I guess. It was stagnating by then, and such nations tend to break.
IC:
Chapter Seventy Four.
In January 1005, the Fourth Sacred War began. Emperor Liutprando IV and Basilea Irene II were eyeing borderline Caliphal lands for some time now, and as a series of peasant risings took place in Egypt and Tripolitania, the Caliphate seemed (and was) weak. The opportunity was too good to miss, even if the Byzantine economy didn't yet fully recover from the Nazarean War yet. Byzantine forces invaded Egypt; a joint Lombard-Byzantine fleet "liberated" Malta; after a proper treaty signed with the various Magyars (who needed to fight the Wislian rebels at the moment), four Holy Legions were shipped to Catalonia, where they besieged Barcelona. The Western Caliphate forces fought back, but rather half-heartedly and with not much coordination.
And meanwhile, the rebellions intensified. Egypt turned into a three-side battlefield - Goptans, Caliphals and Byzantines struggled for supremacy there, with the grand prize of Al-Iksandriyah still in Caliphal hands. But not safe there. Bedouins rose up in Hejaz; Mujahaddin fanatics broke away from the collapsing Caliphate.
By the end of the year, future looked bleak for the Western Caliphate. Some, on both sides, even prophesized the end of Islam. And maybe the world as well. But neither one ended, and both will yet find even greater glory in the future...
tossi
Der kleine Prinz
Need more please .
.
jalapeno_dude
AKA Panda Judo Eel
I second that.
das
Regeneration In Process
Oh, I'll come around to them eventually...
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