Iron Century Piasts: Part 10: 1050-1055: Last Will of Zwinislawa

Time for next Great Holy War was coming, and it's very tempting to break Catholic power by attacking England or Germany, but there's much more urgent matter.

Orthodox Bulgaria holds Wallachia, and in it the last Slavic holy site. It wasn't a particularly difficult fight, as Empire of the Romans with its 3 emperors was too divided to send more than token forces to help Bulgaria.

I delegated responsibility for Wallachia to my daughter Katarzyna as queen, and that was a sign of things to come.

Vilnius Garden

My final life project was finishing Vilnius Garden to level 2.

I invited my genius grandson Przemyslaw to secluded area of the garden, and he gave his grandma a good tumble.

Once the gardens were finished I summoned my father Chernobog to take me to Hell, leaving behind realm in good hands of my family.

Great realm before succession. Two worst threats Khazars and Germans are both in turmoil.

Division of the Realm

The realm was far too broad to rule it directly, so I decided to setup vassal kings and queens. Only 3 of my children survived, but I had abundance of grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and more distant relatives.

Crowns were given to:

• grandson Przemyslaw - empire, Lithuania, and high priesthood
• son Sambor - Bohemia
• daughter Katarzyna - Wallachia
• granddaughter Zofia - Sweden
• granddaughter Zwislawa - Poland
• niece Dobrava - Ruthenia
• niece Zofia - Denmark
• niece Savonia - Novgorod
• distant cousin Wszebora - Vladimir
• distant cousin Feodor - Chernigov

I only left merchant republic of Adger, high chiefdom of Eltelkoz on Pecheneg borderland, and some Lithuanian counts as undelegated vassals.

I did some amount of border cleanup, but I'll leave it up to them to figure out how to resolve minor border disputes.

A 10-way succession roulette is coming.

On succession 6 counties returned to the Khazar horde, but at least the Pechenegs are now all civilized.

It's technically still one empire, but responsibility for it is divided between 10 family members.

Minimizing visual bordergore was far more important than de jure borders considerations.

Meanwhile Abroad

Shia caliph of Africa called for Jihad for Italy, but Italy is so divided that means basically Jihad for Tuscany and half of Sardinia.

Orthodox conquest of North Persia and Mesopotamia fell apart completely, but it probably shielded Empire of the Romans from Muslim aggression while it was most vulnerable.

Empire of the Romans is halfway toward reunification now, with only 2 of 3 emperors remaining, and some of formerly independent vassals returning to the fold.

France coalesced from 4 kings to two - Orthodox (after his mother) Karling king of Aquitaine controlling most of it including Paris, and Catholic king of France controlling just scraps. If it wasn't for religious differences, Karling king would be able to unify it with one button press and some gold.