Difference between revisions of "Swabian Civil War"
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====Battle of Bern==== | ====Battle of Bern==== | ||
| − | The Battle of Bern began when Rebel Lutheran Dietrich von Dassel was trapped in the city by the besieging army of Loyalist and Catholic Duke Hans. | + | The Battle of Bern began when Rebel Lutheran Dietrich von Dassel was trapped in the city by the besieging army of Loyalist and Catholic Duke Hans. Jan von Hamburg, having given up his title of King of Outremer, arrived in Swabia and called for a crusading army to join Hans in his assault. At the same Lutheran religious leader Alexander Luther called upon pious Lutherans to provide an army to relieve the siege. Both succeeded, and converged upon the city within hours of Hans beginning his assault on Bern in 1330. Sir Jan arrived with his crusader army from the south while Lutheran general Hugo Merode brought his troops from the north. |
| − | Hans, camped outside the North Gate, turned away from the city to destroy the Lutheran advance guard. Dietrich sallied forth with a large part of his army to help his ally, seeming to catch Hans's army in a deadly | + | Hans, camped outside the North Gate, turned away from the city to destroy the Lutheran advance guard. Dietrich sallied forth with a large part of his army to help his ally, seeming to catch Hans's army in a deadly pincer maneuver between his and Hugo's forces. However, the timing was off, with Dietrich's cavalry failing to advance when it should have. Hans's army managed to destroy the bulk of both Lutheran armies and kill Hugo Merode. Eventually, however, numbers took over and his army was shattered by the remnants of Dietrich's men. He was captured by Dietrich von Dassel, who beheaded him in revenge for the untimely death of Jens Hummel many years ago. |
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| + | Meanwhile, Jan von Hamburg was facing a relatively minor yet still ferocious defense of the city's southern walls. While the bulk of Dietrich's army was off fighting Hans north of the city, Jan sent his entire army, minus his cavalry, into the city where Dietrich's feudal knights and stationary cavalry were overwhelmed. The assault did not come without a price for the Crusaders, however, as Jan von Hamburg himself fell in the city square against the enemy Gothic Knights. | ||
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| + | For the moment, it looked like, even though Bern was taken, the Rebels could eke out a victory with the death of both Loyalist commanders. However, at the twilight of the battle Dietrich saw the Catholic Crusader cavalry bearing down on his outnumbered escort. He tried to flee, but his efforts were in vain. Thinking his best hope was the mercy of the now-dead von Hamburg, he surrendered, but the attempt was ignored and he was cut down in revenge for Hans's execution. The only person of note on the Rebel side to survive the battle was Alexander Luther, who managed to flee and disappear after the failed surrender attempt. | ||
Although the loyalists won, the Battle of Bern is regarded as a tragic event. Nearly all of Swabia's leadership died in a single battle, leaving only rebel Wolfgang Hummel and official heir to the dukeship Athalwolf von Salza as credible leaders in the Duchy. The remainder of the house consists of young generals who have not yet attained much authority. | Although the loyalists won, the Battle of Bern is regarded as a tragic event. Nearly all of Swabia's leadership died in a single battle, leaving only rebel Wolfgang Hummel and official heir to the dukeship Athalwolf von Salza as credible leaders in the Duchy. The remainder of the house consists of young generals who have not yet attained much authority. | ||
Revision as of 19:23, 24 November 2007
The Swabian Civil War is an internal conflict in the play-by-email King of the Romans.
The Factions
The Loyalists
Duke Hans of Swabia
Athalwolf von Salza
The "Principality of Swabia"
"Prinz" Wolfgang Hummel
Jan von der Pfalz
Jan von der Pfalz was a minor Swabian who served several seasons as a military trainer in Staufen under Duke Hans. For reasons concerning the direction the Reich was heading, he became discontent and decided to join Wolfgang Hummel to make a better future. He fled Staufen with the men he trained, and headed to Antwerp, where he was appointed Count.
Ludwig von Bohmen
The Army of Light
Dietrich von Dassel
Other Key Characters
Kaiser Elberhard
Lothar Steffen
Jan von Hamburg
Hugo Merode
Peter von Kastilien
Peter von Kastilien was politically opposed to Duke Hans, had cast his lot with Dietrich and Wolfgang as a Lutheran, and was expected by all to join the war on the side of the Army of Light or the Principality of Swabia.
Hans was besieging Metz and Peter had the perfect opportunity to decisively swing the war in the rebels' favor by attacking him from behind and having the Metz rebels join him to envelop Hans's forces, but instead he joined Hans in the assault of Metz, surprising the Army of Light and Lothar Steffen, and perhaps changing the outcome of the Swabian Civil War completely.
Battles
Battle of Normandy
Battle of Flemish Crossroads
The Battle of the Flemish Crossroads took place in the year 1328, in Flanders, fought between Wolfgang Hummel's Army of the Prinz and Athalwolf von Salza's Swabian Defense Force. The two Armyies met during early morning, where they deployed behind a number of hills and forests. Wolfgang moved his army across the plains, while some of his men were sent through the forests, where Loyalist Infantry waited and rested.
Some Imperial Knights of Wolfgang charged Athalwolf's flank, but were all killed opposed to only one unit of Dismounted Imperial Knights, who also were sluaghtered. Wolfgang's Army met Athalwolf's head on, and after some intense fighting Athalwolf retreated to a more favourable position of a sqaure formation.
It was when the Loyallists were waiting, and Wolfgang coming,that a arranged trick happened. One regiment of supposed Loyallist Infantry revealed its true colors and attacked Athalwolf's army from within while they were besieged from outside. Athalwolf retreated from the battlefield with most of his infantry gone, and went to Staufen with his remains of a army.
From there Wolfgang took his force to Antwerp and defeated a Danish army in a costly encounter.
Battle of Bern
The Battle of Bern began when Rebel Lutheran Dietrich von Dassel was trapped in the city by the besieging army of Loyalist and Catholic Duke Hans. Jan von Hamburg, having given up his title of King of Outremer, arrived in Swabia and called for a crusading army to join Hans in his assault. At the same Lutheran religious leader Alexander Luther called upon pious Lutherans to provide an army to relieve the siege. Both succeeded, and converged upon the city within hours of Hans beginning his assault on Bern in 1330. Sir Jan arrived with his crusader army from the south while Lutheran general Hugo Merode brought his troops from the north.
Hans, camped outside the North Gate, turned away from the city to destroy the Lutheran advance guard. Dietrich sallied forth with a large part of his army to help his ally, seeming to catch Hans's army in a deadly pincer maneuver between his and Hugo's forces. However, the timing was off, with Dietrich's cavalry failing to advance when it should have. Hans's army managed to destroy the bulk of both Lutheran armies and kill Hugo Merode. Eventually, however, numbers took over and his army was shattered by the remnants of Dietrich's men. He was captured by Dietrich von Dassel, who beheaded him in revenge for the untimely death of Jens Hummel many years ago.
Meanwhile, Jan von Hamburg was facing a relatively minor yet still ferocious defense of the city's southern walls. While the bulk of Dietrich's army was off fighting Hans north of the city, Jan sent his entire army, minus his cavalry, into the city where Dietrich's feudal knights and stationary cavalry were overwhelmed. The assault did not come without a price for the Crusaders, however, as Jan von Hamburg himself fell in the city square against the enemy Gothic Knights.
For the moment, it looked like, even though Bern was taken, the Rebels could eke out a victory with the death of both Loyalist commanders. However, at the twilight of the battle Dietrich saw the Catholic Crusader cavalry bearing down on his outnumbered escort. He tried to flee, but his efforts were in vain. Thinking his best hope was the mercy of the now-dead von Hamburg, he surrendered, but the attempt was ignored and he was cut down in revenge for Hans's execution. The only person of note on the Rebel side to survive the battle was Alexander Luther, who managed to flee and disappear after the failed surrender attempt.
Although the loyalists won, the Battle of Bern is regarded as a tragic event. Nearly all of Swabia's leadership died in a single battle, leaving only rebel Wolfgang Hummel and official heir to the dukeship Athalwolf von Salza as credible leaders in the Duchy. The remainder of the house consists of young generals who have not yet attained much authority.
