Swabian Civil War

The Swabian Civil War is an internal conflict in the play-by-email King of the Romans.

The Factions

The "Principality of Swabia"

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.

Other Key Characters

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 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. King Jan von Hamburg, recently come from Outremer, 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. King 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' army in a deadly pincher maneuver between his and Hugo's forces. This appearance was deceptive, and Hans army managed to destroy the bulk of both Lutheran armies and kill Hugo Merode, at the cost of his own life. He was captured by Dietrich von Dassel, who beheaded him in revenge for one Jen Hummel. Some of king Jan's cavalry caught up with the fleeing von Dassel, and killed him on the spot. Kign Jan also died, after succeeding in assaulting the South Gate. He died fighting for the town square.

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.