Part 20: Crusader Kings: Chapter 20 - Turmoil: 1219 - 1235

1219 - 1235: Turmoil

Burgundy may have suffered a humiliating defeat, but the Cathar heresy is far from defeated. Indeed, Catholicism is threatened from within and without, as Islam gains an ever greater hold on Iberia, and Cathar teachings are taking root in France and Germany.


Not even Hohenzollerns appear to be immune to the heresy, as Isaakios' brother Alexandros breaks with Rome and declares himself to be a Cathar.


Alexandros' blasphemy is a considerable embarrassment for the Hohenzollerns and Isaakios in particular. King Isaakios' spymaster suggests that there may be a simple but costly solution to the problem, and Isaakios agrees. Unfortunately, the gold is spent for nothing, as the assassins fail to even injure the heretic.


In a foul mood over the wasted gold and continued earthly existance of Andronikos, Isaakios decides to leave for Göttingen, to spend some time with his mistress. His wife, having long since grown suspicious of his frequent trips to such an insignificant vassal's castle, confronts him about it. Isaakios snaps and backhands her, yelling that she has no right to question him before storming off.


After a calming week in Göttingen, Isaakios has recovered enough to adress the problem in a more pragmatic manner. Baden is invaded, Andronikos is de-titled and turned over to the Inquisition, and a replacement is found.



In the far east, the Golden Horde is sweeping through Russia, driving the armies of Georgia and Chermisa before them. Only the pagan Finns have managed to muster an effective defense so far, not only holding the mongols at their border, but even launching several counterattacks deep into Mongol territory.


The year turns to 1223. As is customary, Isaakios turns Swabia-Baden-Bavaria over to his son Konstatinos on his 45th birthday, keeping only the royal seat of Mainz for his own demesne.


In Russia, a joint offensive by Finland and Chermisa has pushed the Horde back east, but Georgia has not fared so well, losing several provinces to the Mongols.


The Duchy of Carinthia declared independence from Burgundy in 1218, and Isaakios decides it is time to bring the former Grand Duchy back to the fold.


Carinithia's provinces in Cologne are quickly seized, and its Duke made a German vassal.



Queen Alberade falls ill and dies in spring of 1224, and King Isaakios, who already has a small army of heirs, chooses as new wife his mistress from Göttingen.


Germany remains a relatively peaceful place over the next few years, and though as always there are minor uprisings and revolts, none of them gain enough support to threaten the realm's stability.


Shocking news reach Germany from the east in 1227: Bolstered by reinforcements from their homelands, the Mongols have defeated the alliance between Finland, Chermisa and Lithuania. Chermisa has been utterly destroyed and the Mongol hordes are now in control of the northern half of Lithuania. The Golden Horde now controls a realm that stretches from the Baltic to the Caspian Sea. Still, the Mongol armies are badly diminished from the fighting, and the Byzantine Empire has now joined the war to defend Georgia. It may very well be that the Horde has overstretched itself.


Possibly even more worrying is the news that a second tribe of Mongols, called the il-Khanate, have arrived to the south of the Caspian Sea and are marching on Persia.


In 1231, war comes much closer to home as within the span of a month Burgundy, Venice and Sweden all declare war on Germany.


The army is immediately mobilized and troops sent north to occupy undefended Denmark. Slesvig falls, followed by Jylland, and the Swedish King quickly loses his stomach for fight, asking for a white peace. Isaakios accepts.


Once again, Germany manages to lose a brilliant marshal within a few weeks of the onset of war, as Isaakios' son Ioannes hangs himself in his tent at the Swabian gathering site, leaving no message behind.


20,000 men are mobilized from Austria and sent to knock Venice out of the war. The City of Canals proves a tough nut to crack, its army of 15,000 driving the Austrians back after inflicting heavy losses on them.


A second army from Swabia sent to secure Treviso quickly routs its small Burgundian army and takes the city.


The Swabians and Austrians link up, forming a single massive army that engages and destroys the Venetian army.



Desperate to spare his city from sacking, the Doge of Venice offers a massive sum of gold in exchange for peace. Lacking any claims on Venice, Isaakios is only too pleased to accept the tribute.


The two armies swing west towards Burgundy, but are met by a massive force of 40,000 Italians and forced to retreat in disarray as Burgundy retakes Treviso.


One of the casualties of the battle for Treviso is Duke Konstatinos of Swabia. His son Alexandros, Isaakios' grandson, succeeds him.


Meanwhile, the rest of the German army is sweeping through Piemonte and Lombardy relatively unopposed.


The Burgundians rally to make their stand in Genua, but already demoralized from earlier defeats, they are easily routed.


A large German army, sent across the Adriatic Sea to take the Burgundians in the back, seizes control of the Burgundian King's southernmost demesne provinces.


Genua falls in May of 1233.


By now, however, the Burgundians have been reinforced from France, and are counterattacking, re-taking control of a number of provinces in North Italy.


The fighting rages back and forth, as Padua and Cremona trade hands a half-dozen times. More troops are raised from Germany and sent south to bolster the effort.



During a minor skirmish, King Isaakios is badly injured, and quickly falls ill. He is already of advanced age, and it is not expected that he will survive for long, but Isaakios swears he will see the end of this war before giving his soul over to God.


The reinforcements finally arrive in fall of 1234, and the balance quickly swings over to Germany's advantage. By January of 1235, North Italy is securely in German control.


The only Burgunian outpost still holding out is the Royal Seat of Venaissin. An army of 15,000 is sent through Provence to secure it, but are beaten back by a ferocious force of Burgundian defenders.



This only delays the inevitable, however, and Venaissin falls to the German armies in August of 1235.


Once again, the Burgundian King is forced to ask a Hohenzollern for peace. Much to Isaakios' dismay, he lacks any significant claims he can force through on the Cathars, and has to settle for the province of Kärnten in Carinthia.


King Isaakios finally passes away from his wounds in December.


The electors convene in January of 1236. Though they have grown to be the most powerful dynasty in Germany, the Hohenzollerns have also earned a large number of enemies, and more and more of the noble dynasties in Germany have begun to view the Ortenburg House of Austria as nothing more than a Hohenzollern puppet. The college becomes deadlocked, as many electors refuse to elect an Oldenburg, or a member of any other house aligned with Swabia. Finally, a compromise candidate is found - the boy-Duke of Holstein and Mecklenburg, Gerhard Staden. His grandfather united the two Duchies through marriage and has carved out a large power base in North Germany. The Stadens are a politically neutral house, and by electing a young boy to be King, the enemies of the Hohenzollerns hope to keep them away from the throne for a long time, while the Hohenzollerns themselves are content in that the new King is not one from a House aligned against them.


As the dust settles over Germany, the war against the Mongols in the east has taken a rather unexpected turn...