Iron Century Piasts: Part 13: 1071-1074: Imperial Love Affairs

I invited my distant cousin Wszebora, queen of Vladimir, to secluded garden, and tried to seduce her, but she not only rejected my advances, but overreacted and attacked me with a knife. I managed to overpower her, and in the fight she died.

My steward erected a grand monument in middle of Vilnius - of a couple making love. It caused a minor scandal, but I liked it.

My servants found a newborn boy in a basket under the magical rose bush of my dryad lover. I adopted him and named him Sieciech. After hearing this story, my daughter Nadzieja wanted magical brother-husband, so I promised that they'll marry once he comes of age.

My Chinese wife was really unhappy about all this, going even as far as challenging one of my lovers to a duel.

All this chasing tail exhausted me, and I died at young age of 40, succeeded by my older sister Zwinslawa.

The family gathered on Przemyslaw's funeral, and there was already talk of dividing his realm. Khazars, Hungarians, Bulgarians, and even Sicilians keep ravaging South and East parts, and one empress can't handle it all. Zwinslawa also somehow gathered 6 king titles, which goes against how this empire was meant to be organized.

Any reorganization should be discussed with my cousin (also named) Zwinslawa, empress of the Romans, as our realms are intertwined.

Iron Century Piasts: Part 12: 1061-1071: Empire of the Romans

My grandfather Pothos was the rightful emperor of the Romans. It was time to press his claim. I already have an empire, but my aunt deserves one as well.

My great-grandfather was Satan himself, but since Satan is immortal, there will never be any claim from that.

Conquest of Rome

Even though my aunt's claim was somewhat distant, Rome was already in state of civil war, so I pressed her claim.

It wasn't too hard to defeat the Romans. Her primary title as queen of Wallachia going with her was fine, but I'm seriously annoyed that she somehow inherited Novgorod and random duchy on coast of Norway, creating massive bordergore.

She soon got herself a huge revolt against her rule, and I had to help her.

My aunt Empress of the Romans died of camp fever. As high priest I pronounced her a saint.

She was succeeded by my cousin Zwinslawa, who married my father Sambor after my mother died.

Failed Conversion of Bulgaria

My ploy to get Slavic prince inherit Bulgaria succeeded without any bloodshed. It only took a few months before he managed to get his vassals revolt over some revocation, and Bulgaria is back in Orthodox hands.

Conquest of Serbia

I got young queen of Serbia betrothed to my cousin, so my family could inherit that throne. Sadly faction demand spoiled those plans.

I tried to deal with these problems discreetly, but Serbian queen falsely claimed that I attempted to murder her. I had to intervene, taking Serbian crown for myself, and giving my cousin and his Serbian wife a duchy each.

All revoked land was given to my family members.

Conquest of Germany

Slavic khan of Germany got overthrown, but his vassals installed his Tengri son instead - married to a Sunni woman. Unfortunately it wasn't to last long, and Germans installed a Catholic king soon after. Still, he only ruled about half of Germany.

Well, former khagan and former king Blush was still very much claiming to be the rightful ruler of Germany, and his unfaithful vassals needed to be punished. This time I kept him as a vassal, and once kings of the Germans was my vassals, I pushed on to unite scattered pieces of Germany.

There were some rebellions on the way too, but in the end, nothing was left of old German aristocracy other than duchy of Mecklenburg which somehow converted to Slavic faith at the right time.

Meanwhile in Aquitaine

Queen Pernette of Aquitaine is married to my brother Szczesny, duke of Bavaria. There's just one small problem that they aren't making any babies.

Personal Matters

Continuing family tradition, I slayed one of the Old God.

After that I went on a seduction spree, with many duchesses bearing my bastards.

I made Serene Republic of Venice my tributary, but then peasant revolt overthrew the whole system over there.

There's been endless raids by Germanic hosts, which is surprising as this religion is basically dead in the open, and really just something our family practices in secret for the sake of it.

To the North-East, there's been very successful missionary activities, and most of those countries are Slavic now.

This realm is long overdue for division now, I was just too busy to do this
Piast sphere of influence now covers almost all of Europe from Barcelona and Brittany to Perm and Caucasus

Iron Century Piasts: Part 11: 1055-1061: Emperor Przemyslaw

Succession roulette returned emperor Przemyslaw. I had to mod the game to make bloodlines hereditary through either parent.

Family council gathered at memorial service for empress Zwinislawa, and to avoid the inevitable family bloodshed it was decided that emperor title will be mostly ceremonial, and 10 constituent kingdoms will be ruled by their 3 kings and 7 queens having wide autonomy, and right to leave the empire. So far everybody's happy to remain.

Everyone was closely related:

• Sambor of Bohemia - my father
• Katarzyna of Wallachia - my aunt
• Zofia of Sweden - my cousin
• Zwislawa of Poland - my sister
• Dobrava of Ruthenia - granddaughter of my great grandmother Zofia, queen of Lithuania
• Zofia of Denmark - granddaughter of my great grandmother Zofia, queen of Lithuania
• Savonia of Novgorod - granddaughter of my great grandmother Zofia, queen of Lithuania
• Wszebora of Vladimir - great great grandson of my great great grandfather Mieszko, king Mieszko of Poland
• Feodor of Chernigov - great great grandson of my great great great grandfather Siemomysl, king of Poland

It's a shame the game wouldn't use the "third cousins twice removed" and such system. I don't actually know what it means, but I'd probably learn after a while.

Actually we were a lot closer than that due to high degree of intermarriage between siblings and cousins.

And of course my wife Wszemila was also my sister.

Feodor's branch of the family became Russian provincials, everyone else was properly civilized Polish.

Religious Matters

So in spite of being the head of Slavic church of Perun, I was actually secretly Germanic. As was my wife, my father, and overall 6/10 kings in the empire. It wasn't anything serious, just a passing fad in high society.

Then again, rumor has it empress Zwinislawa was daughter and high priestess of Chernobog. And before that her mother Zofia was the lover and high priestess of Chernobog.

Chinese Wife

My sister-wife got punished for heir whoring and died of great pox.

Nobody in my family was available. I had a small affair with my sister, but she was already married to my uncle, and I'm not going to assassinate my uncle just to make her avaialble.

I was looking for a new wife for myself, and noticed that Pernette, a 1 year old Orthodox Karling queen of Aquitaine was facing a revolt, and was desperate for help of any kind. She's far too young for me, but I betrothed her to my 10 year old brother.

I sent all the troops to fight her revolt, got it to 99%, was about to deal them the final blow, but she white peaced the rebels the next day. Stupid girl.

I couldn't find anyone worth marrying in known world, so I send for a wife to China, and he sent me Wuyasu, a 20/6/6/4/7 attractive Jurchen girl.

War for Germany

Germany was in state of civil war, so I invited a claimant, had a quick religious conversion ceremony, and joined German Civil War, calling in queen of Aquitaine as an ally.

It turns out my claimant inherited Sariyi horde - small Cuman horde to the east of the Khazars. Khan Blush decided to settle in Germany leaving his faraway pastures to other Cuman clans.

One of major German revolts broke free, then parts of it started falling apart.

This didn't conquer Germany, but it guaranteed that it will be a total mess for a long while.

Southern Wars

I sent troops to install Slavic ruler of Serbia. Bafflingly, a faction almost immediately demanded installation of an Orthodox claimant, who then became my vassal. What's going on there?

I also convinced heir to Bulgaria to convert.

Umayyad caliph Adfuns the Evil attacked queen Pernette, so I came to help aid. Their army was about as big as both ours put together, but Adfuns refused to use ships, and he just couldn't coordinate between Pernette's defense of Aragon and my raids on African coasts.

Call for Crusades

After fall of Germany to Slavic Cuman khagan, pope Stephanus VIII called for crusades, but he was too busy defending Italy from Shia Caliph Nizam. Nizam's jihad was going well at first, but then stalled and ended up in a white peace.

The Pope is still busy defending leftover Catholic emirs of North Africa, but once those wars end, crusades will be called, and directed where?

Then again, who's exactly going to join? Umayyads took Spain, Germany is in ruins, France/Aquitaine is ruled by a Orthodox girl betrothed to a Slavic prince. England is the closest Catholics have to a real power, but it's also in state of civil war.

There's a band of Catholic states from Hungary through North/Central Italy, Arles, then North into Flanders, and then British isles.

Oh and Empire of the Romans in is state of civil war again, and I have multiple dynastic claimants to it.

So far Novgorod got inherited by queen of Wallachia, and Denmark got inherited twice. Most elder councils favor either my sister queen of Poland, or my aunt queen of Wallachia, but it changes a lot.

Germany used to be the strongest Catholic state, now it's completely destroyed.

Aquitaine/France might join the family soon.

I'm not sure why Serbia became my vassal, I'll probably just release them.

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.

Iron Century Piasts: Part 09: 1029-1050: The Slavic Union

It was time for the realm to take a break from wars and build up castles everywhere. This was a slow process.

Khazars kept raiding, so I raided them back, mostly to send a message, they didn't have any meaningful money anyway. Some of my raids got beaten back, they're still too strong to treat so casually. Khazar khagans kept dying in mysterious circumstances.

Pechenegs had to be dealt with once and for all, so I conquered their lands, and spent a lot of money to civilize it. A few clans broke off the Khazar horde, and I seized their lands too, again spending far too much money to maybe civilize it.

Some peasants rebelled in Scandinavia, so since I was already sending my troops there, I organized a bit bigger expedition and cleared up some land.

Instead of fancy royal palace, I started working on a Magnificent Garden in Vilnius.

I sent my lover and former chancellor Glitterhoof on a diplomatic journey to empire of China. It was highly successful. He died under suspicious circumstances soon after coming home.

Religious Matters

Sunni jihad for Africa succeeded, reversing what was the greatest Catholic victory so far. Africa faced Shia rebellion afterwards, so the ones who benefited from Sunni jihad was shia caliph Nizam.

Quite a few nearby minors converted to Slavic, and some even then accepted becoming my vassals.

Catholics were fighting each other who's the rightful pope.

I vassalized Warriors of Perun by granting them a small duchy, but then they decided to give me back the duchy and 4 castles they held in my land as they see me as unfit ruler. Well, if that's what you want, thanks for the castles I guess.

Slavic Union

Lithuania is culturally mostly Polish now, so it feels like it should get de jure Slavic Union, but it's just Russians, Poles, and Bohemians.

There's the decision to create The Slavic Union, which requires full control over 7 kingdoms. I didn't think it's possible - I only had Poland and Novgorod. Just in case I cleaned up some minors in the East to get Vladimir and Chernigov.

Due to Bulgarian succession their lands in Galicia-Volhynia broke apart, so I seized that. Warriors of Perun held some castles in Ruthenia and (not needed for this) Lithuania, so it wouldn't be possible to get them, but they decided to get vassalized then un-vassalized.

It still left one county in Bohemia, and I really didn't want to go to war with Germany over one tiny county, but it turns out Cathar uprising took just two counties next to me, so it was free real estate.

A lot of things had to randomly go right for this to happen, but it did.

As the popup says:

Centuries ago, the three brothers Lech, Czech and Rus, our venerable ancestors, parted ways to settle their people. Divided by rivers, forests, mountains and wicked conquerors since time immemorial, we proved that blood is thicker than water, as today we celebrate the unification of all brothers and sisters of the great plain

This meant I founded 2 bloodlines.

Unfortunately my husband died a few days before my recrowning, without ever sitting down on throne in Constantinople, but giving by heirs weak claim to Empire of the Romans.

Dreams of Retirement

County-level government type map. Russians are still resisting feudalization. This means 11 of my counties are at risk of falling back to Khazar and Pecheneg hordes on succession.

I created a merchant republic in Adger. Their technology is too miserable to get anywhere, but they have no competition nearer than Genoa, so they have time to figure this out.

My final ambition is to finish Magnificent Gardens in Vilnius, then I'll retire like my mother did, letting my children handle the realm. Only 4 of them are still alive.

I'm not sure how I'll divide the realm as 3/4 have demesne in Scandinavia.

Feudal transition I hoped for didn't really happen. It turns out AI is 10x slower to press the button if it doesn't share ruler's culture, and half my realm is Russian. Not coincidentally that half is still largely tribal.

Iron Century Piasts: Part 08: 1024-1029: Great Reunification

I summoned an Old God, and killed him by ramming him with a longboat. Godslayer +3 martial, +2 intrigue, +13 personal combat skill.

I almost inherited Ruthenia and Novgorod, but its dying king managed to convince the elders to give it to his son Wielislaw instead of me. Wielislaw was also my half brother, as my mother and my cousin married... I think the Piast family tree reached the point where only the most learned understand what's going on.

I seriously did not feel like spending rest of my life defending him from Khazars, fortunately stray arrow shot by a lone bowman acting without anyone's knowledge ended his life, and I inherited those thrones.

Empress of Rus

Southern borders of Ruthenia were suffering from constant Pecheneg and Khazar raids.

The only meaningful long term solution was to support conversion from tribal to feudal.

On 23 December 1018, I crowned myself empress of Rus.

Just two months later my cousin died of injuries, and to my surprise I've been informed I inherited Poland, Bohemia, and position as high priestess of Perun - in addition to already being high priestess of Chernobog by right of being Satan's daughter. I didn't even know I became an heir, he was doing his best to get his child elected.

This gave me the greatest empire in the world, even if it's largely backwards tribal land, about evenly split between Polish and Russian vassals.

I'm a 29/28/22/42/32 genius, daughter of Satan, direct descendant of Perun, slayer of an Old God, the Warrior Philosopher, and overall the most amazing person in history of creation.

But for lesser men and women, this much land will be too much to handle. It's far better if I divide it myself instead of letting my children fight between each other.

My grandfather Mieszko did the right thing dividing realm between 4 his children. At just 48 years of age, I still have plenty of time ahead of me.

I didn't attack anyone to get those lands back together, the elders just gave it all to me.

Germans and Khazars would still be challenging to fight, and even more so if the realm divides on succession. At least there are no crusades or jihads yet.

Iron Century Piasts: Part 07: 1014-1024: Queen Zwinislawa, the Warrior Philosopher

Queen Dobroslawa of Poland died under suspicious circumstances I had nothing to do with, and my cousin Vasilko who's Russian took over Poland. He somehow switched to Polish culture later.

While Pechenegs and the Norse were wrecked, Germans and now Khazars started attacking with full force. Germans were beaten back without too much trouble, but while we were busy defending from the Khazars, Vasilko decided to declare Great Holy War for Bohemia. Good idea, awful timing. I tried my best to help both wars at once.

Vasilko managed to take over Bohemia and crown himself a double-king. I was so impressed by Vasilko's actions, we had a wartime romance in Bohemia which resulted in a baby.

Khazars we only managed to white peace, with great effort.

Blood of the Warrior Philosopher

My mother Zofia, Satan's lover, died at ripe age of 70.

I felt awful about it, that I had a romance with my horse, and even nominated him a chancellor for a while. I got better eventually.

A Norse OPM asked me to mass convert his realm to Slavic, and I agreed, even paying for construction of a Slavic church in his capital. His lands were conquered by heathens soon enough.

High Chief of Tver was still old Slavic, so I invited his heir and talked some sense into him. Then by a coincidence the heretic high chief had an accident. Who would have thought.

I got 5k prestige, and decided to try for a bloodline. The most obvious one was no win 15 wars, and so I did that, becoming known as "the Warrior Philosopher".

I spent most of my realm so far fighting Scandinavians, and it might be a good idea to try crowning myself Empress of Scandinavia. I'm doing it a great favour, converting their backwards tribal societies into modern feudal system, with my numerous children each getting a duchy in this frozen wasteland.

Dreams of an Empire

I only control 28/98 countries, and need 79 to create a legitimate empire title, but it's largely a matter of persistence. Local pagans are weak, and Catholics

My cousin-lover Vasilko has 34/72 (needed 58) of the potential Wendish Empire, but he can't complete it without attacking either me or the Germans.

My other cousin Mieszko II has 50/90 (needed 72) of potential Empire of Rus, and it would be relatively straightforward to just seize lands from Russian minors, but Khazars are giving him so much trouble, his mind is not on expansion.

It's a race.

Also it looks like elders of Ruthenia/Novgorod refused Mieszko's choice of his son to succeed him, and would rather see me on those thrones. It's very smart of them.

It's a reverse situation in Poland/Bohemia, where my lover wants me to succeed his throne, but his elders would rather see Agafya on the throne just to spite him.

My husband is not happy that his claim to Empire of the Romans is not pressed, but I only got to 50 ships for 8.2k army. His children will have Constantinople. Or at least the children he thinks are his.

Of my 11 children (8 still surviving), I had there with 8 men, but my husband has no idea:

• Waclaw was a bastard from before I got married, vanished without a trace, rumors of Satanic rituals are obviously silly
• Stanislaw was actually Milzas's
• Sanbor was Swietoslaw's, and is my chosen heir as ambitious strong genius
• Gosciwuj was Zegota's, died a sickly infant
• Odon was actually my husband's
• Malowuj was actually my husband's
• Katarzyna was Zbyszko's
• Konstancja was Zegota's again, died a sickly infant
• Jadwiga was Lambert's
• Wincenty was actually my husband's
• Maslaw was my cousin's Vasilko's

Well, 3/11 his is not the worst result.

France is slowly reforming, with Bourbon queen gone and only 3 claimants remaining.

Barcelona king has extensive holdings in Italy as well.