Part 16: Crusader Kings: Chapter 16 - The Burgundian Heresy: 1192 - 1196

1192 - 1196: The Burgundian Heresy

Shortly after Konstatinos takes the throne, the King of Burgundy passes away. He is succeeded by his son, Magnus, who is a firm believer in his father's views on the Papacy. He spent his childhood as a fosterling in France, and while there, encountered a minor christian sect called Cathars. In a sundered Catholic Europe that is assailed on all sides by the growing power of Orthodoxy and Islam, such radical sects are beginning to attract greater numbers of followers, even among the high nobility. It is rumored that many of the Burgudian lords are secretly Cathars.


Many of the rulers in the former Holy Roman Empire have chosen sides. Most of Italy, Burgundy and east Lotharingia has pledged to Magnus, while Konstatinos is effectively in control over Germany. Only the wealthy Italian republics of Genoa and Venice and the duchies in Alsace-Lorraine still cling to neutrality.


The armies of Germany and Burgundy-Italy are very evenly matched.


For the moment things remain quiet, though tensions run high. Inbetween his many duties as elected King, Konstatinos finds some time to raise his eldest sons.



In September, Magnus and over half the lords in Burgundy-Italy openly proclaim themselves as Cathars, denouncing the Catholic church. Turmoil follows as church lands are seized and the representatives of Rome sent packing all over the realm.


News also arrive that Polotsk has won decisive victories against both its enemies. The King of Poland has been utterly defeated and forced to cede most of his realm, and Finland has been forced to give up the lands it took from the Teutonic Order.



A few minor counts who had yet to pick a side are quick to do so on the announcement of the Burgundian Heresy, most of them siding with Konstatinos.


The forces of Germany and Burgundy-Italy are still too evenly matched for Konstatinos' liking, and he decides to bring back a few wayward children to the fold. The Count of Holstein has been insisting on his independence against both Swedish and German claims, and Konstatinos decides to act to protect Holstein against the swedish brutes.


The Swedish King is far from amused, and promptly declares war on Konstatinos.


The swedes fight bravely, but they are badly outnumbered and are swept aside as North German troops roll through Denmark.


The Swedish King asks for peace after only a month at war, offering the island of Fyn. Konstatinos accepts.


The powerful Duke of Savoy has refused to convert to the Cathar faith, and rises against Burgundy-Italy in February of 1194, pleading to Konstatinos for help.


Seeing his chance to strike at the heretics while they are embroiled in internal fighting, Konstatinos declares war.


The first blow is struck in Konstatinos' own court, as his brilliant marshal and the husband of his sister cracks under the pressure of dealing with Konstatinos' vassals and their constant jabs about his heritage. Believing himself to be chosen by the Archangel Gabriel to purge the Cathars, and accusing his deriders as Cathar spies, he is sent to a quiet retreat while a replacement is found.



The early months of the war are marked by victories, as the organized German armies strike deep into Burgundian territory, defeating the scattered Cathar armies and capturing several provinces in North Italy and the Netherlands.



Cathar agents and sympathizers are spread all over Germany, and many of their efforts to disrupt the German army meet with success.


Despite this setback, Konstatinos manages to force through his claims on much of the Netherlands, deposing three heretical counts from their lands.


Disaster strikes in May, as the Duke of Meissen is revealed to be a Cathar. While all the German armies are away on the front, he rises against Konstatinos and tries to bring others with him.


One after another, the other Cathars in Germany make themselves known. The Duke of Pomerania and Counts of Oberbayern and Kempter turn against Konstatinos, depriving Germany of almost ten thousand soldiers between them. Furthermore, their agents continue to strike, and every few months more regiments are lost to treason or ambush.


Meanwhile, Burgundian forces are moving from Holland and France towards Swabia. Konstatinos himself is forced to retreat from Nassau as he is attacked by a Cathar army twice the size of his own.


Still, the overall war seems to remain in Germany's favor, with nearly the entire Burgundian demesne in German hands.


In September of 1194 a massive Burgundian force manages to break through the German line in the south and enter Schwaben, directly threatening Swabia.


At the same time, over 20,000 French and Dutch soldiers are sweeping through Cologne.


The Dukes of Meissen and Pomerania are finally quelled, and the forces sent to fight them quickly recalled to defend Swabia.




Fresh Cathar troops have also arrived in Burgundy itself, and the tide of the war seems to be turning against Konstatinos.


The main forces of the German and Burgundian armies meet in Franconia in January of 1195.


The battle is a disaster. Despite outnumbering the Burgundians half again and destroying most of their army, the German troops are routed, and the Cathars begin to sweep unopposed into Swabia.


In the midst of the turmoil in Swabia, young Isaakios reaches majority. A genius with coin, he assumes the duty of Germany's steward.


In desperation, Konstatinos draws away almost every man in Italy to defend Swabia, succeeding in temporarily stopping the Cathars in Leiningen, though at the cost of several of the captured Italian provinces.



The Burgundian forces rally once more, however, and defeat Konstatinos outside Wurttemberg. In June, the Swabian duchal seat falls to the Cathar.


Wurttemberg is retaken, but by now, Konstatinos understands that the war cannot be won - the two sides are simply too even - and asks King Magnus for a white peace. Perhaps the Burgundian King has come to the same realization, for the offer is quickly accepted, and in September of 1195, Germany is once more at peace. Konstatinos gained three provinces in the war, Magnus one, and both sides' armies have been horribly decimated.

The first Cathar War is over.