HRE NES

[Cyclotron]

Befehle!

(orders!)

[Micha]

Duchy of Saxony - ORDERS

For reasons of lacking budget (and lacking time to compile something better than that ) this turn´s orders will be scarce.

The Münster Levy will be halfed, sending 150 light spearmen to Hamburg (and let them join, or better replace, the Hamburg levy). All current troops in the Hamburg levy will be added to the Viking Slayers. I hope the Viking raids will cease somewhat, since the loss from raiding is still as high as before my countermeasures (or am I mistaken?).

Also the equipment of the VS will be upgraded as follows:

• 200 Saxon Raiders (polearm, sword, shield, light)
• 110 Heavy Saxon Raiders (polearm, sword, shield, heavy armour) [+110 light, -110 heavy, -30 swords, -80 polearms, -30 shields]
• 200 Armoured Angonmen (javelin, spear, shield, light) [-200 light]
• 50 Sword-Archers (bow, sword, shield, light) [-50 swords, -50 shields]

As Duke Heinrich can not hope for reinforcements soon, his generals advised him to not continue the campaign in Thuringia. Moreover, scouts have sent word that there is a sizable Bohemian army just south of their position, not suspecting anything. But Heinrich is stubborn, so he rules to march east, for Meißen.

The knight Freiherr Heidolf von Dortmund has been granted advisor status and will now take command of all foot soldiers, as he was one of them not long ago. The campaign against the largest Wendish settlement in the region must be swift and decisive, so all forces will have to do their part. Auxiliaries from Zwickau are to reinforce the rows of Saxonian troops, while the knights and Sergeants, led by the Duke himself, will have to turn the tide in the battle.

[Cyclotron]

Originally posted by Micha
I hope the Viking raids will cease somewhat, since the loss from raiding is still as high as before my countermeasures (or am I mistaken?).

This is because of the damage from the most recent raid detailed in the last update. It should drop significantly this coming turn, assuming no other major raids take place.

I am still waiting on Foolish, am I right?

[foolish_icarus]

there's NPC diplomacy I have to conduct, but that will have to happen later I guess. Has ciders said if my component of the army is doing anything?
I'll review to see if there are any new recruits standing around naked in the snow that I should be equipping.

[Cyclotron]

Ciders has provided me with orders for your contingent within the combined German army. If I have the go-ahead from you and Micha, I will update, though it will have to be on Wednesday at the earliest.

[Micha]

Go ahead!



-Micha, now officially 23!

[foolish_icarus]

Hoorah for Micha!

Also, don't let me stop you from updating. Say the king got sick or something. I'll return to my duties...frankly, when the mood strikes me.

[Cyclotron]

Fair enough.

Update in progress. Anything else should be posted or PMed to me ASAP.

[Cyclotron]

So, the update is looking good, I just need to figure out the inevitable battles this turn. Unfortunately, I'm going to bed, and tomorrow is a "special holiday" for me, so expect the update for Anno Domini 915 on Friday.

[appleciders]

Finally! I've been on tenterhooks about this whole year. This battle's kinda going to shape Bavaria's future for a while. Yay for updates!

[bipolarbear]

update

[Cyclotron]

"Friday" for me includes quite late at night. Keep your pants on!

[Cyclotron]

Anno Domini CMXV

This year’s Pope: John X
This year’s Emperor: None

Successions

After less than a year in office, the blessed Pope Lando has died suddenly in his sleep. How tragic that the Bishop of Rome should die so suddenly, and so inexplicably! Theophylact, Count of Tuluscum, has allied with Alberic, Duke of Spoleto, to regain control over the Roman clergy and elect John X, a native of Bologna, to Saint Peter’s throne. Pope John has sworn a holy oath that he will personally lead the Christian armies of Italy to victory over the Muslims in southern Italy.

The semi-legitimate fourth wife of the late Emperor Leo VI, Zoe Karvounopsina, has returned from exile and overthrown Patriarch Nicholas Mysticus, who held power in Constantinople after the death of Alexander III. She has installed herself as Empress, and has begun gathering an army to deal with the Bulgarian threat – Emperor Simeon of the Bulgarians has declared Zoe illegitimate, and is marching to Constantinople to enforce his claims as Emperor of the Greeks and Bulgarians.

Duke Spytihnìv of Bavaria has died nobly in battle against the Magyars, after turning against his one-time allies to fight with the side of Christ. Though heaven does not look kindly upon traitors, perhaps betraying the side of Satan is forgivable enough that he will be allowed to make his journey to the right hand of the Almighty. His younger brother, Vratislaus, has claimed the Ducal seat.

Family Business

King Conrad of Germany has hastily returned to his lands from the front, hearing of his wife’s ill health. Whether it was this visit, the doctors, or (most likely) the prayers of his loyal subjects, the Queen has made a narrow and astonishing recovery, and may yet pull through. Perhaps God has smiled upon our fair monarch!

Land und Leute

The weather remains its usual bitter self this year, and the farmers will make do – save the Italians and Greeks, whose olives wither under a devastating blight. Germany, too cold for olives anyway, is unaffected.

Krieg und Frieden

Emperor Simeon of Bulgaria has turned the border garrisons of the Eastern Roman Empire aside easily, and after a long series of battles with the Greeks has captured the great city of Adrianople! The Greeks now cower within the great walls of Constantinople, perhaps hoping that God will deliver them from the seemingly unstoppable Bulgarian ruler.

Adding to the woes of the Empire, the fiendish Arabs have attacked Armenia, a Christian ally of the Greeks. One wonders if the final days of the Empire are at hand, assailed on two sides and with a mere woman upon the throne.

The Vikings, though locally checked in Danemark, continue their conquests abroad. Ireland has become their next target, and the local rulers there are quickly crumbing beneath the onslaught of the wild Norsemen.

Other News of Christendom

Pope John X has issued a call to the Kings of Italy, France, and Germany, requesting their assistance in his endeavors to scour the Muslims from mainland Italy. The Pope himself is busily traveling about Italy, building support with local nobles and attempting to put together an army to seriously threaten the Muslim pirates and raiders.

The overtures of Emperor Simeon of Bulgaria to have his daughter married to the underage Emperor, Constantine, have been rebuffed by a defiant Empress-Regent Zoe.

With news of Duke Spytihnìv's death at the hands of the Magyars, the Bohemians entered into open revolt against the Magyar occupiers. Though most of the local rebellions were subsequently crushed by the returning Magyar army, the people of Prague have thrown out their garrison and locked the gates to the pagan foe, who now besieges the city a second time. They are running low on food, but do not seem likely to surrender - Hadúr Zoltán has sworn to burn the city down this time, and finish what he started.

Saxony

Saxony has seen a drastic decrease in Viking attacks since the defeat of Ingjald “the Tall” and his raiders. The combination of this defeat and the strongly organized watch and defense network in northern Saxony have made raids less profitable and certain than they once were; this, combined with the escalation of the wars in Friesland and the new Viking invasion of Ireland have distracted the Vikings, temporarily at least, from Saxony. While raids do continue, in the short term the populous of the north enjoys a welcome respite from their banditry.

Abroad, the sudden reversal of the Duke’s fortunes at war has strengthened his position at home, especially against the rowdy Franconian nobles who fancied Saxon Thuringia as theirs. The morale of his knights is high, who have begun to see the realization of their ever present dreams of blood and plunder, though the levies are grumbling – many of their compatriots have died, they have missed two harvests back at home already, and they see the war as finished. After all, Jarogniew (the most powerful warlord in Wendish Thuringia) has been slain; why not go home? The isolated position of the army at this point prevents desertion, but the levies may not stand for much more campaigning.

While Jarogniew is dead and Torbin nowhere to be found, the Wendish resistance is not dead. Torbin’s treacherous son, Korzin, has taken over his father’s domain in the environs of Lipsk, and has inherited the as yet unused force of Wendish heavy cavalry that was his father’s pet project. He has begun to make raids on Zwickau and Saxony proper, and will certainly pose a threat to the Duke. In Drežďany, the fearsome Christian-killer Berstuk commands a host comparable to that of Jarogniew, perhaps reinforced by Wends who fled the defeat at Misni. Both these threats will have to be dealt with before a meaningful civilization of Thuringia can take place, and even then the forests are still full of wild and violent pagans.

The violence to the west, between the Frieslanders and the Vikings, has caused some trouble for the people of Saxony, as medieval borders are not terribly well defined or easily enforceable. Some Frieslanders have been moving east into Saxony to escape the Viking menace, but most remain in their homeland, hoping to fight off the invaders.

The effects of the Duke’s absence have been mitigated both by his success and the diminishing of Viking raids. Corruption has remained constant at 14%.

Franconia

Though the Magyars crossed briefly into Franconian territory, apparently aiming for Bamberg, their subsequent distraction and departure from German lands means that the King's duchy is safe for now. Little damage was incurred by the Magyar horde's brief stay in Franconia, though small scale raiding continues to plague the Duchy.

The King's return, coupled with the victory of Heinrich at Misni, has completely quelled the earlier problems with rebellious Franconian barons seizing Saxon land. For now, the situation seems stable, though it largely hinges on the leader of Saxony - Heinrich's untimely death would likely trigger a border struggle.

Corruption in Franconia has remained cosntant at 10%.

Swabia

The Duke’s concentration on Swabia’s mining output has begun to yield results, with more iron becoming available as the mines become larger and more efficient. Though Swabia’s iron merchants aren’t exactly happy with the glut of armaments produced by German battles at Nuremberg and Misni, they still have willing purchasers in the Frieslanders, whose fighting against the Danes requires a great deal of iron.

The Duke has furthermore ordered the training of all citizens in a new unarmed combat system; though knights are well skilled in the arts of combat, including unarmed fighting, the request struck everyone else as a little odd. Attempting to utilize their common sense, the Barons have come to the conclusion that the peasants weren’t the intended recipients of this order; nobody likes an uppity peasant, the peasants don’t have time for training anyway, and besides, peasants aren’t so much “citizens” as “slaves with benefits.” Thus, training has begun of the freedmen of Swabia, who seem a bit baffled as to how fist fighting is to save them from the Magyar horse archers – but the Duke’s word is the Duke’s word, and so they practice.

The Barons were also somewhat at a loss as to what the Duke meant exactly by “defending against the Magyar raiders,” so they’ve taken the initiative themselves and begun upgrading the fortifications on the border with Bavaria – the one through which the Magyars travel – to more permanent stone fortifications. This job is not complete, however, and the nobles in charge say they will require more funding and time, as well as more garrisoned soldiers to fully utilize the new defensive network.

Corruption within Swabia remains constant at 15%.

Bavaria

This year has been a mixed bag for Bavaria. On the one hand, the Duke’s efforts to resettle the Slavs migrating into his lands is showing signs of success; Bavaria, already full of many “Germanized” non-german peoples, is proving able to absorb many of the new immigrants into its feudal structure. Magyar raiding continues to wear at the Duchy, but the new productive salt mine complex – and the trade income it has been providing – have been providing much needed denarii for the Duke and his forces.

Carinthia has been dealt a mighty blow this year. With all of the Duke’s forces drawn out of the March, the Magyar raiders that were earlier forced out of Vienna have been given effective free reign over the country. In the fall, three thousand Magyars attacked Eppenstein, striking without warning. Without any hope of calling for assistance, the townsfolk fought the best they could, but the Magyars quickly breached the undefended wall with fire and massacred the greater body of the population. Laden down with booty, the raiders crossed the border into Friuli, with no Bavarian force on their heels.

Corruption in Bavaria has lowered by 1%, owing to the settlement of many Slavs, the increase of trade, and the removal of the Magyar army from its territory. Corruption is now at 21%.

Carinthia has fallen into near-anarchy, with Vienna the only real functioning center of power. Magyar raids have given rise to thievery and peasant revolts, and the violence from the peasantry seems to just be getting started. The Duke’s officials are effectively unable to police or administer the country, and in the absence of Ducal power, the local lords steal what “commandeer” what resources they need to protect their lands from Magyars and unruly mobs. Corruption in Carinthia has increased by 10%. Corruption is now 33%.

[Cyclotron]

The Battle of Nuremberg

Draw or Marginal German Victory

The German army, under Duke Arnulf, marched northward as soon as spring allowed. Though there would be no time for King Rudolph’s promised reinforcements to arrive, the Duke and his generals hoped that the Fourth Bavarian Regiment, as well as reinforcements from the Duke of Saxony’s invasion army, would be able to aid them against the Magyars. As soon as the snow melted in mid Spring, the Germans marched north from Regensburg to intercept the Magyars.

The Germans were well informed of Magyar movements. Hadúr Zoltán delayed until early spring, and then began a march into Franconia, seemingly towards Bamberg. Apparently, however, word reached him of the Germans in Bavaria, and his army turned south to intercept them. The German scouts returned with worse news, however – the Magyars had more reinforcements.

Apparently, the Warlord Tobin of the Wends was more badly damaged by his battle with the Saxons than anyone thought. His victory, apparently, was Pyrrhic, and he was attacked and utterly defeated by Jarogniew, making this Wendish chieftain the undisputed ruler of Wendish Thuringia. Tobin, against the ropes, took nearly four thousand of his remaining warriors and retainers, and made contact with the Magyar army. With these auxiliaries, now numbering 17,500 men, Hadúr Zoltán marched with confidence towards the German host, outnumbered as it was nearly 2 to 1.

The Germans reached the town of Nuremberg on May 22nd, and – realizing the Magyars were near – prepared for battle. Nuremberg, while not a large town, did have a sturdy keep that commanded a respectable hilltop position. Realizing the importance of this keep, the Germans had the local lord keep a contingent of lookouts at this position. Hadúr Zoltán, the Magyars, and his allies arrived two days later in the late afternoon. The Germans, seeing far more enemies than they had actually anticipated, were nervous – the campfires of the Magyars and their allies seemed endless. The night passed without much sleep on either side, but – perhaps fearing for the ability and confidence of his allies - Hadúr Zoltán waited for the morning to attack.

This gave Landgraf Fridebert von Meran ample time to take twenty of his retainers and move under cover of darkness to a wooded location on the flank of the Magyar camp. Deciding the camp was too heavily guarded to accomplish his mission that night – the assassination of the Magyar leader – he had his men stay hidden to wait for day.

Just before dawn on the 25th of May, the Magyars and allies struck camp and quickly readied an attack. Warned of these developments by his lookouts at Nuremberg Keep and forward scouts, the Duke of Bavaria was prepared and had his forces ready to meet the attack. The German forces formed a line of battle facing northeast, though plans were somewhat ad hoc – with the terrain in the area quite flat, the best that could be done was a line covering the most vulnerable parts of the 3/4 mile stretch between the low hill of the Nuremberg Keep and the River Pegnitz. The Duke formed two lines of battle, a line of archers and supporting swordsmen behind the main line of infantry and dismounted chivalry. Around one thousand chivalry, mounted, remained behind the archer line, somewhat northward – the Germans judged the chances of a Magyar flanking maneuver to be much greater on the northern side, as the right flank was largely protected by the river, and thus the lion’s share of the mounted chivalry was nearest the left flank.

The enemy host advanced at dawn, with the Bohemians front and center. Though a large and ragtag group was expected, it seems the Duke of Bohemia had cut out most of the rabble of his army, and instead the Germans faced around 3,000 of his crack infantry, who advanced in good order with Spytihnìv himself and several hundred of his mounted nobles behind the lines. The Magyars themselves advanced in a broad, loose line a mile long, made up of thinly spaced horse archers. At the start of the battle, the Magyar leader and his heavy cavalry were nowhere to be seen.

The Bohemians drew up to within a bowshot and a half of the German lines and waited. The Magyars wasted no time, drawing near enough to the German lines to begin firing at extreme range into the line of battle. Their tactic appeared to be drawing closer until the German archers fired, and then withdrawing slightly to keep out of the killing range of German arrows. With their superior composite bows, the Magyars had no trouble staying out of the range of the German archers, especially on near even ground. The Germans made tentative attempts to advance some archers in front of the lines to ward off the horsemen, but this was quickly countered by the arrival of nearly a thousand Wendish bowmen who kept the German archers back. The Germans had to content themselves with being fired upon, though the pavises handed out to the soldiers provided crucial protection for the line.

Eventually, a further thousand Wends arrived, bows in hand, to join the bombardment, which lasted for over an hour. With both sides beginning to run low on arrows, the German lines were assaulted by Spytihnìv’s Bohemian raiders. Von Thurgau countered with the German Angonmen and other skirmishers, fighting a fierce battle just in front of the German lines. The German archers kept the Magyar cavalry from interfering directly. Spytihnìv, apparently, had no desire to risk half his force so heavily in this way, and after several bloody clashes drew his men back.

At this point, the observers atop Nurenberg Keep noted the advance of the Magyar heavy cavalry around the German left flank. Meanwhile, Duke Spytihnìv shifted the bulk of his forces to the German right, with the center taken up primarily by the Magyar light horse and the Thuringians.

The German center saw action first. The Wends, painted with woad and screaming madly, showered the German line with javelins and rushed to the attack, while the Magyar light cavalry kept up the volley behind them. Soon after, Duke Spytihnìv’s force made contact with the German right, making a methodical assault on the flank covered by the river. His intensity, however, did not match that of the Wends, who seemed driven on by Satan himself.

The German chivalry on the left wing, commanded by Freiherr Visloff der Kroat, was the last to see action. The Magyar lancers and heavy cavalry probed the left flank to find an opening, but – with the help of reports from the Keep – der Kroat keenly matched his every move, checking Zoltán at every turn. Eventually, the Magyars charged the German chivalry, which the Germans were happy to oblige with a countercharge.

The German center proved too sturdy for the Wends to make a lasting impression on. Though initially the Germans were pushed back, the Germans – much more heavily armed, and reinforced with dismounted knights and sergeants – began to chew up the Wends after the initial shock of the charge. The infantry did, however, keep the Germans from reinforcing their right flank, which began to crumble under pressure from the disciplined and veteran Bohemian infantry. Spytihnìv met every charge with a countercharge from his heavy noble cavalry, and continued to repulse efforts to drive him into the river.

By this time, all of the nearly 10,000 Magyar horse archers had the German lines close at hand, and the sun was nearly obscured with arrows. Though the Wendish assault on the center was flagging, both German flanks were under heavy assault, with the left degenerating into a chaotic, swirling cavalry melee, and the right compacted in on itself as the Bohemians forced a wedge between them and the river. With the terrain lightly wooded and the sky thick with arrows, confusion took over on the German flanks. The right flank held until Vizegraf Gunnulf von Villach, desperately trying to keep the situation from imploding, had his horse shot out from under him on one of his countercharges. His troops rallied around him, slaying many Bohemians, but when it was obvious the German levies behind him were fleeing he surrendered with his few men.

At this point, von Thurgau – sensing victory – had his chivalry in the center mount up and charge the Wends. His knights easily split the Wendish host in half, and found the second wave immediately behind them. Without hesitation, von Thurgau launched a thousand knights and retainers into 1,500 Wendish infantry, who – not expecting their first line to break – fled. The Magyars retaliated and shot arrows, though with their shields and armor this had little effect on the chivalry. Von Thurgau gave chase to the Wends, only stopping when he found himself cut off from the infantry line by Magyar horsemen. Realizing his error, von Thurgau attempted to cut his way back to the lines.

At this point, Duke Spytihnìv, at the rear of his men, saw several hundred Thuringians fleeing past his lines. Unable to see the rest of the battle from the woods, he presumed the Wends were utterly crushed. Nobody is entirely sure whether Duke Spytihnìv had been waiting for the right time or simply acted from this knowledge, but he immediately pulled his men back, after having routed the German right. Instead of capitalizing on his victory, he drew his heavy cavalry up about him and – freeing von Villach – turned on the Magyars and charged up towards von Thurgau. The Wends, sliced in two by the Germans and now pressed by their former allies from the south, cut and ran.

Freiherr Visloff der Kroat, his men outnumbered and slowly losing, attempted to extricate his force from the melee. Von Meran, who had been observing the Magyar cavalry from their flank, saw his opportunity and pounced. He managed to find Hadúr Zoltán and attacked with his men. For all their efforts, however, they were unable to kill him, though they killed nearly fifty men trying, and shot his horse out from under him. Von Meran and most of his twenty men were slain.

This shook the Magyar commander enough, however, that der Kroat was able to complete his withdrawal. Though the Germans were forced to abandon the high ground of the Keep to the enemy, the Magyars did not continue.

From the high ground, Zoltán could see the whole battlefield – the ten thousand Magyar horse archers, faced with the loss of the battle, had charged the Bohemians and von Thurgau. Though the German right had collapsed, the center held. Normally an aggressive general, Hadúr Zoltán should have attacked – but for whatever reason, perhaps the near successful attempt on his life, he failed to do so. He rode towards the German infantry’s left flank and made a tentative assault. Reinhard von Fulda was killed in this attack, but the flank did not collapse. Eventually, with the high ground lost to the Magyars and the Magyar horse archers taking heavy casualties (though still numbering many thousands), both the Duke and the Hadúr decided to withdraw around the same time. The Germans pulled back as the Bohemian infantry made a last attempt to rescue their leader, who was still trapped in front with von Thurgau.

Pressed from all sides, observers said that Duke Spytihnìv was struck down by an arrow amid his men. Vratislaus, his younger brother, took Spytihnìv’s lance from his side, and rallied the Bohemians that remained. The Bohemians stood their ground and beat off the massive crush of Magyar cavalry until the horns of the Magyar leader sounded the retreat. The Bohemians retreated to the river, where the Germans were preparing for a last stand, carrying the body of their slain Duke.

Realizing that the battle was over for now, Duke Arnulf gathered his forces in preparation for a new attack, but was dissuaded by his generals. A good third of the German infantry was fleeing over the hills, and the German knights were exhausted, not to mention the fact that the Duke himself had been struck in the leg by an arrow from afar during the battle. Convinced that the army was unable to seriously contend with the ten thousand or so Magyars that still remained, the Duke crossed the river with the Bohemians in tow and made for Regensburg. Vratislaus, amid the Bohemian soldiery, was crowned Duke on the banks of the river Pegnitz by the priests in his army.

Hadúr Zoltán returned with his army to Nuremburg the next day, only to find that the Germans had taken up a position south of the river on higher ground. Unwilling to assault the Germans, and perhaps worrying of a rebellion in Bohemia after Spytihnìv’s defection and death, the Magyars hastened east, leaving the field to the Germans (stopping only long enough to fire what part of Nuremburg was north of the river). After confirming with his scouts that the Magyars were truly gone, Duke Arnulf had the field looted and the soldiers buried, and from there returned to Regensburg with Duke Vratislaus.

Leaders:

Duke Arnulf von Bayern – wounded by an arrow
Vizegraf Gunnulf von Villach - alive
Freiherr Visloff der Kroat – wounded in battle
Vizegraf Magenhard von Linz- alive
Burggraf Reinhard von Fulda – killed in battle
Rhinegraf Gisfried von Ingelbeim – alive
Vizegraf Bernard von Thurgau - alive
Landgraf Abelard von Bernfeld - alive
Burggraf Otto von Nordgau - alive
Landgraf Fridebert von Meran – killed in battle

Hadúr Zoltán - alive
Duke Spytihnìv – killed by an arrow
Duke Vratislaus - alive
Warlord Torbin – unknown

Armies:

The German Army lost 2,100 men.

Franconia – 510 deaths
40 Knights
90 Sergeants
220 Medium Spearmen
80 Medium Swordsmen
30 Moravian Veterans
50 Dalmatian Cavalry

Bavaria – 890 deaths
105 Knights
140 Sergeants
175 Medium Spearmen
80 Angonmen
270 Light Spearmen
40 Medium Swordsmen
80 Thuringian Woodsmen

Swabia – 600 deaths
80 Knights
200 Sergeants
150 Medium Spearmen
170 Angonmen

The Magyar Army lost between 1,500 and 2,000 men.

The Bohemians lost 625 men.

The Thuringians lost around 2,000 men.

Loot:

The Bavarians were able to loot the following items:
1,200 swords
1,000 Magyar bows
1,100 bows
350 lances
300 axes
700 shields
500 light armor

No baggage trains were compromised during this battle, and thus there is no other loot.

[Cyclotron]

Diplomacy

Pope John X to King Conrad of Germany
Good Christian and Rex Germanicum Conrad, I commend you on your people's struggle against the heathen Magyars, and ask that you render all possible assistance to we Christians of Italy. I am gathering an army to strike at the devil-spawned Muslims in Brindisi, and if the threat from our south is abolished the forces of Italy will certainly be more disposed towards aiding you in your troubles in the east. Please consider my request.

King Berengar of Fruili to King Conrad of Germany
There is no need for your forces in Italy. We have everything under control. See to your own borders and leave the politics of Italy to Us.

Doge Orso II Participazio to King Conrad of Germany
Please send whatever aid you can to Italy as per the request of the Pope. I fear that, if Berengar is successful and no other Christian prince can interfere, he will be crowned Emperor by the Pope, and neither of us desires that outcome. We are willing to provide mercenaries and denarii should you accept.

King Rudolph II of Burgundy to King Conrad and Duke Arnulf

I apologize that my forces were not able to reach you in time, but they are still available for a few years at least if you require their assistance. I hope you find some use for them against our mutual enemy.

Also, my warm congratulations to you, King Conrad. I am glad to hear that your wife may yet recover, God bless her.

Empress Zoe Karvounopsina to King Conrad of Germany
I have written to you without imperial pretense, good King, because I am forced to admit that I dearly need your help. The Roman Empire is strong, but in perilous times, and we need the assistance of even the pagans to weather this storm. A Bulgarian victory would mean the end of Rome's great legacy, and the destruction of Christendom's glory at the hands of a vulgar easterner. The Magyars, however detestable, are crucial to our plans. I beg you to make peace with them so that the Empire may survive.

Duke Tomislav of Dalmatia to all German Dukes
My good Dukes, the opening of serious war between the Bulgarians and the Greeks - my allies - forces me to delay my entrance into the war against the Magyars that I had been planning. I must furthermore annul the mercenary contracts between all of my subjects and your persons, as all my troops are needed at home and will be subject to conscription. I am truly sorry for the inconvenience.

Emperor Simeon of Bulgaria to King Conrad of Germany
The mighty Emperor of the Bulgarians and Romans sends tidings to his majesty Conrad of Germany, and asks that he acknowledge our previous correspondence and declare his support for the succession of the rightful Emperor Simeon to his throne in Constantinople now occupied by a female usurper. Once this is done, the mighty Emperor assures you that he will declare war on the heathen Magyars and bring the peace of Christ to the east. Decalre your allegiance now, and secure your victory.