The Kingdom of Teutoburg

(( WIP ))

The Kingdom of Teutoburg is one of the Great Powers of Orbis, located in the central northern Easterlands. It is bordered to the east by the Kingdom of Francia, to the southwest by the Kingdom of Hispania, to the north by the Kingdom of Jutland, and to the southeast by the Florencian Principalities.

The Kingdom of Teutoburg is made up of eleven provinces, each of which receives a seat on the elector council for the election of the King of Teutoburg. The eleven provinces are: Hessland, Königsberg, Alpenland, Hoheland, Grünwald, Saksenland, Tecklenburg, and Holswig. These eleven provinces are divided into many smaller groupings, such as Counties (Grafschatzen) ruled by a hereditary count (Graf), Baronies (Baronien) ruled by a baron (Freiherr), Principalities (Fürstentum) ruled by a sovereign-prince (Fürst), and Duchies (Herzogtümer) ruled by dukes (Herzöge). These can be further lowered into smaller ranking groups of estates belonging to private citizens and knightly orders, of which there are too many to count.

The Kingdom of Teutoburg is an elective monarchy, a system which influenced the neighboring state of Pomerzi, which has a rather good relationship with the Teutons, based off of sharing the common enemy of the Kingdom of Midgaard and the Tzarate of Kaningrad. The Kingdom of Teutoburg's elective monarchy was developed by the first emperor- Otto I.

Founding of Teutoburg and reign of Otto der Große (+0 to +50)
Otto the first united several warring Teutonic tribes in East Teutonia, and served alongside the Romsian Empire. After the success of the campaign against the Daemons, the Romsian Empire fell apart after the Francians under leadership of Francis la Grande seceded, along with the Hispanians under leadership of Francisco de la Fuerte. The last Romsian Emperor- Faustus Vorenius Dacien, was overthrown from his position as the King of Florencia by the warring princes, who wished for independence as well. The one kingdom that remained in the Romsian Empire was the Principalities of Thracia. Faustus Vorenius Dacien went into hiding in Thracia, although legally only one principality in Florencia remained as part of the Romsian Empire- the Principality of Romsia, in the south, which to this day still practices the Romsian culture.

Otto united the remaining tribes of East Teutonia, and signed a treaty with Willem van Westhaven. Willem van Westhaven was the reigning duke of the Tribes of West Teutonia. Otto and Willem united several years in +9, although Otto and Willem both wanted to further expand their territory. Valdemar the Great of Jutland, Gustav the Great of Midgaard, and Harald the Great of Nordland were against Teutonic and Saksen expansion northwards. Thus, the three monarchs united together and formed a union, known as the Union of the North, also known as the Kingdom in the North.

After Otto's expansion northwards failed, he attempted to enter negotiations with Francis la Grande about the status of the Florencian Principalities. Francisco de la Fuerte, King of Hispania stated that, "If you Teutonic savages invade the Florencian Principalities, then I will invade your lands as our predecessor- the Romsians did, only we will be successful where he was not, in conquering your lands." Francis, much more friendly towards the Teutons, declined on intervention against the Florencian Principalities, as they were nothing more than a center of trade, corruption, and false-piety.

Otto I settled down in the Kingdom of Teutoburg, with Willem serving as his royal advisor. Otto married Willem's younger sister- Wilhelmina, and had four children- three sons and one daughter. His three sons were: Lothar, Leopold, and Bruno. His daughter was named Agnes. Agnes married Francis' eldest son and heir to the throne of Francia- Charles. The marriage of Otto and Wilhelmina strengthened the tie between Willem's westerners and Otto's easterners.

Lothar von Teutonstein
Otto settled as the ruler of Teutoburg for nearly fifty years. In his last two years, he set up an electorate council, made up of the rulers of each province. Teutoburg was carved into provinces in +30 during the Diet of Haggenstadt. Otto I perished, and his eldest son- Lothar was elected as king. His foes in the electorate council were Wilhelm von Hainaustadt and Heimund van Halsdorf. Otto's house came to be known as the House of Teutonstein, the name Otto had given his castle in his hometown of Königsmark- the capital of the County of Königsmark (Teuton: Grafschatz Königsmark). Lothar's reign was known for strengthening the relationship between Francia and Teutoburg, while the heir to Willem van Westhaven- Julian van Westhaven strengthened the relationship between Teutoburg and the province of Jutland in the Kingdom of the North. Lothar reigned from his father's death in +50 to his own death in +102.

Klemens von Teutonstein
Lothar's reign was followed by the reign of Clemens von Teutonstein. Clemens was the eldest of four sons that Lothar had with Charles I of Francia's eldest daughter- Antoinette. Clemens von Teutonstein's advisor was the eldest son of Julian van Westhaven- Hendrik van Westhaven. Hendrik was a renowned separationist, and staged numerous protests against the unity between Saksenland and Teutoburg. He believed that Teutonic occupation of the region was damaging to the region, despite the fact it helped secure its holdings. Had Saksenland remained independent, Hispania would've most likely invaded the territory as a result of expansionist ideals. Hispanians invading Saksenland would've allowed the Kingdom of Midgaard to have a staging ground against Teutoburg. Hendrik was killed in a duel between Clemens and himself after Hendrik attempted to assassinate him in his sleep. It is a common tale told in Teutoburg of "König Klemens," who killed Hendrik van Westhaven, who was in a full suit of metal armor, while Clemens was in nothing more than nightgarments bearing a heavy iron mace. Clemens was infuriated with Julian over Hendrik's acts, as Hendrik did have a wife- Johanna van Westhaven, and several younger sons- Cornelis and Mathijs. Johanna, Cornelis, and Mathijs went to the Grand Palace of the Duke of Saksenland (Julian) and asked to be protected. Julian refused, although they had travelled with a fellow revolutionary, by the name of Jason van Winterhuis. Jason slew Julian after he refused. Hendrik's younger brother and heir to the throne as Duke of Saksenland- Diedrich, ran out of the palace in a full set of mail armor, accompanied by his squire- Pieter van Zuidmeer and the guard-captain- Hans de Staal. Diedrich remained at the palace, while his Pieter and Hans went after the revolutonaries, alongside Clemen's two younger sons- Dolf and Dominik. Dolf and Dominik von Teutonstein chased the revolutionaries towards the border with the Florencian Principalities. The revolutionaries were welcomed in the Florencian Principalities, as Florencia had a long-standing agreement with Hispania in terms of an alliance. An independent Saksenland would be exploited by the Hispanians and Florencians. Hispania would become stronger than Francia by eliminating a strong ally of Francia. Thus, Teutoburg and Francia threatened to go to war if the revolutionaries were not handed over. A war was declared in +132, and was deemed, "The War for the Revolutionaries."

The War for the Revolutionaries (+132 to +136)
The War for the Revolutionaries took place between the powers of Francia and Teutoburg on one side, and Hispania and Florencia on the other side. Francian soldiers managed the front against the Florencian Principalities, while the Teutonics managed the war on the ground against the Hispanians. The vast navy operated by the van Westhavens was deployed to combat the large navy of the Hispanians.

The Initial Stages of the War (+132)
The First year of the war was a terrible year for the alliance between Francia and Teutoburg. While Francia's conquest into northern Florencia was successful, Hispanian forces had made the first attack and slaughtered hundreds of innocent citizens in the province of Alpenland. Furthermore, Hispanian naval vessels had broken through the Grand Blockade set up by Admiral Sebastiaan van Westermeer. By the end of the year, Hispanian forces had landed in Zeeland.

The Great Betrayal (+133)
The Florencian Principalities and the Francians signed a treaty, which meant that Florencians would give the Francians a share of the profit they made off of their banking interest and give it to the Francians in exchange for defense against the Teutons. This treaty occurred after the Florencians knew it would be more profitable to make an alliance with Francia, as their conquest was largely successful.

This came to be known in Teutonic history as, "The Great Betrayal," in Teutonic, "Der Große Verrat," and in Saksen, "Het grote verraad." The Francian king at the time was Giles de Franck. Giles was the grandson of Francis I, who was a strong ally of Teutoburg. His forces turned around and marched towards the Ostsee that divided Teutoburg and Francia, known in Francian as, "la rivière de l'Ouest." Francian forces marched into Hessland mid-year of +133 but were stalled by the citizenry militia.

At this point in the war, the Teutons were fighting a three front war. The land front in the southeast against the Hispanians in Alpenland, the land/sea front in Zeeland (also to the southeast), and now against the Francians in the west. Klemens gathered the electors of Teutoburg and demanded a plan be made on how to counter the numerous offensives. The strongest power of the three nations on land was Francia, and the Francian offensive was closest to the capital city of Teutoburg. Klemens and the electors gathered the numerous knightly orders, and marched to the largest city to the Francian offensive. The city was Hessburg- the capital city of Hessland. The march from Teutoburg to Hessland lasted a week, during which the Francians were assaulting the large settlement of Hessfurt. The fall of Hessfurt resulted in the death of more than a hundred citizens, who had served in the militia that defended the besieged settlement. The Francians lost many soldiers in the attempt as well, with losses piling up near one thousand. The Francian offensive into Teutoburg had been given five thousand troops, and with nearly one-fifth of the army gone, the Francians headed as swiftly as they could. The Francians divided their army group into two groups of two thousand soldiers. One was heading northwards towards Hessburg, the desired target, while another was heading towards Teutoburg.

Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
The group of 2,000 Francians was larger than any force that could be mustered along the Königsweg roads that crossed around Teutoburg. The Francians marched directly on the road until it terminated into larger and more reinforced settlements in the surrounding area of Teutoburg. After reaching this area, the Francians marched off into the forested area around Teutoburg with their soldiers. The forested area was not home to many settlements, or so the Francians had thought. An organization of knights from the northern provinces of Königsberg and Grünwald had been assembled and sent southwards to the City of Teutoburg in the wake of the advance of Klemens. The knights were known as the Teutonic Knights, and after hearing reports of the Francian invasion along the roads, staffed up the wooded regions. The Francian commander- Jacques de Gaston, foolishly refused to send scouts into the forest, despite the fact the Teutonic Knights knew that the Francians were marching through the wooded area.

When the Francians entered the Teutoburg Forest, they were assailed by hundreds of Teutonic Knights, who held the advantage as they knew the terrain better than the Francians. A similar battle had played out in earlier years during the attempted conquest of Teutonia by the Romsians. The Francian army was killed, while its commander was held in captive until the end of the war.

Battle of Hessfurt
News of the loss at the Teutoburg Forest had not yet reached the second army group of 2,000, under leadership by Pierre de Raymond. General de Raymond marched into the region of Hessfurt and found it largely abandoned. Klemens had issued an order that all citizens are ordered to retreat into the walls of Hessfurt. Inside the walls of Hessfurt, the defenders had enough stores of food to last nearly a year under siege.

The Francians approached the Gates of Hessfurt in September of +133. When they approached Hessfurt, they began to besiege it. However, Hessfurt was full of the civilian militia and around fifty knights. The knightly force attacked the Francians after several weeks of Hessfurt being under siege. Klemens perished in battle, but as he died, he killed Pierre de Raymond. The death of Pierre and the taking of the general, as well as the general loss of large amounts of soldiers caused an emergency war conference to be held by the powers. The Francian offensive in the east had failed, which meant that the Teutons could now focus power on the west. The Francians agreed to send a naval group and another army of five thousand to aid on the western front, which would arrive on the next year.

Northern Intervention (+134)
After hearing about the invasion of Saksenland, the Kingdom in the North feared for what would happen to them. The expansionist ideals of the Tzarate of Kaningrad had been demonstrated via its invasion of Suomland and Pomerzi. The Kingdom agreed to intervene in the attack by sending one hundred ships with a total soldier count of five thousand to aid the Teutons, and in exchange the Teutons would aid the northerners against their strife with the Kanin.

Krabbenhoek Campaign (+134 to +135)
The Krabbenhoek Campaign was a major part of the War in Saksenland and also a major factor for the Northern Intervention. The northern fleet sailed under leadership of Admiral Heinrick van der Nord. Admiral van der Nord sailed in with his fleet of one hundred ships against the five hundred ships the Hispanians deployed. The Northerners and Hispanians fought for nearly a year on the sea and on land, until the final battle- the Battle of Krabbenhaven. The Battle of Krabbenhaven resulted in the retreat of Hispanian forces, which was blocked by the Saksen held fortress city of Westend.

Anglistorian Intervention (+135)
Anglistoria intervened in the war after the Hispanian king told the Anglistorian king that he would get vast tracts of land in the northern part of Saksenland while the Hispanians would occupy the south if he did in fact get involved. The Anglistorians were Romsianized, although before they had been Saksen who had sailed westwards to avoid the Hispanian vessels of the Romsian Empire. The Anglistorians declined and when the Hispanians began to head in the direction of Westend and other major ports that Anglistoria did trade with, the Kingdom of Anglistoria came to the aid of the Teutons.

Siege of Westend (+135)
The Siege of Westend was a major part of the War of the Revolutionaries. The town of Westend was a major trading port between the Kingdom of Anglistoria and the Duchy of Saksenland. Hispanians sought to take over Westend, and thus control Saksen trading with Anglistoria. Another goal of the Hispanians was to take over the Anglistorians. The Hispanian total force at the Siege of Westend was fifty thousand soldiers, against twenty thousand Anglistorian and Saksen soldiers. The death of Klemens resulted in an empty throne, and thus the Zeeland campaign of the Hispanians was being countered by the King of Königsberg- Johannes von Amselschwarz. The Siege of Westend was the bloodiest battle of the war and marked the end of Hispania's push northwards. The Siege of Westend resulted in the death of nearly ten thousand Hispanians and virtually nineteen thousand five hundred of the twenty thousand defenders. The remaining Hispanians retreated to the southern part of the country, where they were aided by the Francians in the Zeeland campaign.

The Zeeland Campaign (+135 to +136)
In Summer of +135, Francian forces were able to sail in at Zeeland. The additional five thousand soldiers were aiding the remaining fifty thousand Hispanian soldiers in the region, as well as ten thousand Florencian mercenaries. A combined force of sixty five thousand forces from the south remained in the area.

Johannes von Schwarzamsel received aid from the Pomerzian Regiments, who were separationists who were against the Tzarate of Kaningrad's invasion of Eastern Pomerzi, which turned the rest of Pomerzi into a puppet-state. Johannes von Schwarzamsel united with the army of the north, the army of Anglistoria, and the army of the Pomerzi. The knights who remained from the battles in the east also marched down.

The campaign lasted for eleven months, until Hispanian forces retreated. The Hispanians had sent an army of sixty thousand soldiers, and returned with forty thousand remaining. The Francian army of ten thousand (of both the west and the east) had lost all of its men. Furthermore, the Florencian mercenaries had pulled out of the war in May of +136, which caused a great deficit to form in the ranks.

The Schwarzamsel Line (+136 to +200)
Saksenland and Teutoburg were both devastated by the military campaign. Scorched earth techniques had been used by the Hispanians on the farms of the east and the west. Johannes von Schwarzamsel was crowned emperor by the elector council, and he immediately went about improving the country. Within the first ten years of his region, by +146, the country had largely recovered.

Johannes I
Johannes had also fulfilled his promise to the northern states and through negotiation with the Tzarate of Kaningrad, organized the retreat of forces from Eastern Pomerzi and Suomland. The Schwarzamsel Line also held the Francian line of kings accountable for what took place, and became closer with the northern states of the Kingdom of Pomerzi and the Kingdom of Jutland. Johannes married Brigitta, the eldest daughter of the King of Jutland- King Frederik van Holstad. Johannes and Brigitta had two children-August and Friedrich. Johannes perished in +168, and August succeeded his father as king.

August I
August I inherited the throne and led the Kingdom of Teutoburg through a relatively stable time of peace in the wake of the war. Hispania, Florencia, Thracia, and Francia had all formed a vast trade alliance, and were busy dealing with their own politics to care about recompense for the events of the war. August was struck ill with pox, and perished after leading the kingdom for ten years, and perished in his eleventh year of ruling, in +179. August died childless, and thus the throne was inherited by August's younger brother- Friedrich after the elector council approved him against the rival candidate, a bastard of the Teutonsteins- Hans Burg.

Friedrich I
Friedrich I ruled over the Kingdom of Teutoburg for twenty years. Friedrich I was known to be a good politician, and thus won the electorate of that year. Friedrich I was assassinated before he could have children, and there was a crisis in deciding on the vote. The assassin was Hans Burg, who wished to gain control of the kingdom. Hans fled the kingdom before he could be prosecuted.

The Löwenschwert Line (+200 to +600)
The Löwenschwert Line is one that not very much is known about, for the age in which they led was one of relative peace and quietness. The Löwenschwerts were crowned, as they were the strongest bannermen to King Friedrich I.

Ludwig von Löwenschwert (Ludwig I)
Ludwig von Löwenschwert ruled from +200 to +230 before he died of an undiagnosed ailment. He was succeeded by his son-  Heinrich von Löwenschwert.

Heinrich von Löwenschwert (Heinrich I)
Heinrich ruled from +230 to +280 after inheriting the throne from his father. Heinrich's election was a landslide as the other candidate was Vladimir von Jenasburg, who was born in Kaningrad although he had Teutonic ancestry. Heinrich was succeeded by his one true son- Erich von Löwenschwert. Heinrich was known for having many bastard sons.

Erich von Löwenschwert (Erich I)
Erich von Löwenschwert ruled from +280 to +332 as King of Teutoburg. He was succeeded by his son- Otto von Löwenschwert.

Otto von Löwenschwert (Otto II)
Otto von Löwenschwert (Otto II) ruled from +332 to +370 as King of Teutoburg. He was succeeded by his son- Richard von Löwenschwert.

Richard von Löwenschwert (Richard I)
Richard von Löwenschwert (Richard I) ruled from +370 to +380. He died childless due to pox and was succeeded by his younger brother- Rudolf von Löwenschwert.

Rudolf von Löwenschwert (Rudolf I)
Rudolf von Löwenschwert (Rudolf I) Ruled from +380 to +412 as King of Teutoburg. He was succeeded by his son- Franz von Löwenschwert.

Franz von Löwenschwert (Franz I)
Franz von Löwenschwert (Franz I) ruled from +412 to +434 as King of Teutoburg. He was succeeded by his son- Gregor von Löwenschwert.

Gregor von Löwenschwert (Gregor I)
Gregor von Löwenschwert (Gregor I) ruled from +434 to +469 as King of Teutoburg. He was succeeded by his son- Hannes von Löwenschwert.

Hannes von Löwenschwert (Hannes/Hans I)
Hannes von Löwenschwert ruled from +469 to +490 as King of Teutoburg. He was succeeded by his son- Hugbert von Löwenschwert.

Hugbert von Löwenschwert (Hugbert I)
Hugbert von Löwenschwert ruled from +490 to +530 as King of Teutoburg. He was succeeded by his son- Waldemar von Löwenschwert.

Waldemar von Löwenschwert (Waldemar I)
Waldemar von Löwenschwert ruled from +530 to +600 as King of Teutoburg, and was the oldest living monarch of the Löwenschwert House. Waldemar was given the nickname, "Greybeard," for his age. Waldemar was also the last monarch of the Löwenschwert House, as the political situation was changing in the kingdom. The Van Westhavens, strong supporters of the Teutonstein and the Löwenschwerts, had been deposed of. The Van Westhavens were replaced by the Van Zeedijks, who were against the Löwenschwerts and their system of ruling. Thus, the Löwenschwerts were voted out by the elector councils, as the Van Zeedijks and their Saksen supporters were a major part of the elector council.

The Line of Faust (+600 to +1000)
The Line of Faust succeeded the Line of the Löwenschwerts as the rulers of the Kingdom of Teutoburg. The Line of Faust was led by Heinrich von Faust (Heinrich II) who was elected. The Line of Faust was another house that was similar to the Löwenschwerts, and led the Kingdom of Teutoburg through a relatively peaceful time. However, towards the end of their reign, the peaceful period began to become more unstable.

Heinrich von Faust (Heinrich II)
Heinrich von Faust (Heinrich II) was elected as King of Teutoburg in +600. Heinrich von Faust ruled from +600 to +637. Heinrich was succeeded by his son- Emmerich von Faust.

Emmerich von Faust (Emmerich I)
Emmerich von Faust (Emmerich I) was the eldest son of Heinrich von Faust and elected as king in +637. He ruled as King of Teutoburg from +637 to +662. Emmerich was succeeded by his son- Arnulf von Faust (Arnulf I).

Arnulf von Faust (Arnulf I)
Arnulf von Faust (Arnulf I) was the eldest son of Heinrich von Faust and elected as king in +662. He ruled as King of Teutoburg until +680 and died childless. He was succeeded by his younger brother- Ludwig von Faust.

Ludwig von Faust (Ludwig II)
Ludwig von Faust (Ludwig II) was the younger brother of Arnulf von Faust and elected as king in +680. He ruled until +727. He was succeeded by his eldest son- Friedrich von Faust.

Friedrich von Faust (Friedrich II)
Friedrich von Faust was elected as King of Teutoburg in +727 and ruled until +760. He was succeeded by his eldest son- Otto von Faust.

Otto von Faust (Otto III)
Otto von Faust (Otto III) was elected as King of Teutoburg in +760. He ruled until +792. He was succeeded by his son- Hannes von Faust.

Hannes von Faust (Hannes/Hans II)
Hannes von Faust (Hannes/Hans II) was elected as King of Teutoburg in +792. He ruled until +832. He was succeeded by his eldest son- Johannes von Faust.

Johannes von Faust (Johannes II)
Johannes von Faust (Johannes II) was elected as King of Teutoburg in +832. He ruled until +864. He was succeeded by his eldest son- Lothar von Faust.

Lothar von Faust (Lothar II)
Lothar von Faust (Lothar II) was elected as King of Teutoburg in +864. He ruled until +893. He was succeeded by his eldest son- Klemens von Faust.

Klemens von Faust (Klemens II)
Klemens von Faust (Klemens II) was elected as King of Teutoburg in +893. He died in the year +900 and was childless as a result of pox. He was succeeded by his younger brother- Richard von Faust.

Richard von Faust (Richard II)
Richard von Faust (Richard II) was elected as King of Teutoburg in +900 and ruled until +952. He was the longest ruler of the Faust dynasty. Richard was succeeded by his son- Franz von Faust.

Franz von Faust (Franz II)
Franz von Faust (Franz II) was elected as King of Teutoburg in +952. He, like his grandfather, perished early. Franz was only emperor for six months in +952. Franz was the only son of Richard, and thus inheritance went to Franz's first cousin from Lothar's three sons (Klemens, Richard, and Rudolf). Thus, Wilhelm von Faust was crowned as king.

Wilhelm von Faust (Wilhelm I)
Wilhelm von Faust was the last of the Von Fausts to rule over the Kingdom of Teutoburg. Wilhelm ruled from +952 to +1000 until his death due to old age. Once more, changes were occurring around the northern Easterlands however. Under his reign, Francia had become more keen on gaining land in Hessland, while Hispania wanted to retake Saksenland. Saksenland was beginning to compete with the Florencian Principalities on trade, and was maintaining a good relationship with the northern kingdoms. Furthermore, the Tzarate of Kaningrad and Kingdom of Midgaard were on the brink of war after a gold rush in southwestern Pomerzi and northeastern Suomland. Wilhelm von Faust's death required a new leader, as Wilhelm was a failure at diplomacy. By his death, Francia and the surrounding powers to the south were ready to go to war, and the north would be unable to aid Teutoburg.

The First Great War (+1000 to +1001)
The First Great War began after Francia signed a treaty with the Tzarate of Kaningrad. Francia's assault plan was to gain the provinces along the western border with Francia, and then head northwards and conquer Königsberg and Grünwald. Francian forces would then link with Hispanians forces from Saksenland and help attack Eastern Pomerzi with the Tzarate.

In February of +1000, one thousand soldiers under leadership of Maksimov Dominik Grigorievich marched into Midgaard. Several days later, Pomerzi, Nordland, and Jutland declared war on Kaningrad. Teutoburg declared war on Kaningrad as Francia and Hispania both declared war on Kaningrad. Pomerzi, Nordland, Jutland, and Midgaard declared war on Hispania and Francia. The Tzarate of Kaningrad, the Kingdom of Francia, the Kingdom of Hispania, the Thracian Principalities, and the Florencian Principalities formed a coalition together, known as the First Coalition. The First Coalition was led by Francois le Franck, the King of Francia. The other monarchs were: Tzar Alexander II of Kaningrad, King Carlos III of Hispania, and Girolomo del Toros.

The Blankenburg Campaign (February to April of +1000)
The grandmaster of the Teutonic Knights- Friedhelm von Königsmark, marched towards the province of Hessland, specifically the region known as the, "Fürstentum Blankenburg," ruled over by Fürst Johannes von Blankenburg. The Fürstentum Blankenburg was a small principality located in the northwestern part of the province. The principality was centered around three major settlements- Blankenburg, Blankenheim, and Blankenschleiden. The region was around two days from the capital city of Hessburg, which was already under Francian control. The Fürstentum of Blankenburg was a vanguard against the Francians, and soon saw large amounts of militia, knights, and mercenaries marching towards the land. The rule of the king in Teutoburg was not very large, with most leadership tending to be centered around the counts, barons, princes, and dukes. Thus, there were numerous mercenary groups unaffiliated with the Teutonic Knights- the standing army of the realm.

The Confrontation at Blankenheim
The first confrontation between the two occurred when a Francian scouting party arrived at the settlement of Blankenheim. Blankenheim was led by Johannes' younger brother- Eugen, who bore the title, "Freiherr Eugen." Eugen, despite being a baron, was also the leader of the local knightly order- the Knights of Blankenburg, also known as the Blankenschwerte. The Knights of Blankenburg was a one hundred member knightly organization, and cooperated well with the contingent of five thousand soldiers that accompanied Von Königsmark southwards. The Francian scouting army was met with destruction, however a scout did escape and brought news to the Francian general- Guillame de Chatillon. Guillame marched forth with one thousand soldiers towards the Fürstentum of Blankenburg from his command center in the Grafschatz of Hessburg.

The Battle of Blankenheim took place three days later, when Francian soldiers arrived at Blankenheim and proceeded to invade the vilage by force against the civilian militia and the Knights of Blankenburg forces. The city of Blankenheim was placed under siege, although word spread and reached Friedhelm, who marched with one thousand of his five thousand Teutonic Knights and lifted the siege. The siege of Blankenheim lasted for two weeks before being lifted by Friedhelm. Guillame established a forward command center by the name of Fontainebleau.

Massacre at Blankenschleiden
At Fontainebleau, General Guillame prepared a secondary force to attack Blankenschleiden, which was a twelve hour march from Blankenheim. Guillame's forces were able to retreat and suffered minimal casualties, while much of the one hundred Knights of Blankenburg had perished in the confrontation. Blankenschleiden had a population of two hundred and fifty citizens. None of the Knights of Blankenburg were stationed in Blankenschleiden, as it was an isolated community, with a road that led towards a small fishing camp that bordered the Ostmeer. Blankenschleiden was occupied by Guillame, and its citizens were all killed as a message to the Teuton defenders to give in.

Battle of Blankenburg
Friedhelm and Fürst Johannes were incredibly angered. Johannes ordered the retreat of all citizens in the Fürstentum of Blankenburg to retreat to Blankenburg. This process took around a week, as Guillame was preparing another strategy to take over Blankenburg. Guillame's fatal flaw in his strategy was that he underestimated the garrison of Teutonic Knights at the ready in Blankenburg. Guillame marched to the gates of Blankenburg and was embarrassed when his forces were chased out of Blankenburg, and followed all the way to the Fürstentum of Gerolstein.

Gerolstein Campaign (March to August of +1000)
Friedhelm's forces moved into the Fürstentum of Gerolstein while Blankenburg recovered from the massacre at Blankenschleiden. A popular motto in Teutonic propaganda in the other provinces was, "Remember Blankenschleiden." The motto came from the speech Friedhelm gave while in Gerolstein. The ending part of the speech stated, "Remember Blankenschleiden, for the Francians will do the same to you if you do not stand up and fight." The Teutonic Knights organized themselves with the local knightly order- the Riders of Gerolstein. The Riders of Gerolstein numbered larger than those of Blankenburg. The Riders of Gerolstein had five hundred knights at their disposal, against the reinforced soldiers under Guillame. Guillame had been issued an ultimatum by the Francois, the King of Francia, and stated that if he did not successfully conquer the Teutonic savages, he would lose his head.

Battle of Gerolsteinfurt (March 21st, +1000)
The first battle of the Gerolstein Campaign was the battle of Gerolsteinfurt. Gerolsteinfurt was a small trading community along the border with the larger Grafschatz (County) of Brandenau. The County of Brandenau, specifically its capital city of Brandenfurt was where Guillame had stationed his forces. Gerolsteinfurt was given a garrison of two hundred Teutonic Knights. Guillame, determined to be the victor, entered Gerolsteinfurt with five hundred men. The garrison of two hundred surrendered, although Guillame killed the entire village, and sent a letter to Friedhelm saying that he would do the same for every community in Blankenburg and Gerolstein.

Battle of Gerolsteinburg (April 1st, +1000)
Gerolsteinburg was the estate of the Von Gerolstein ruling family and located in the safer highland region, along the border with Blankenburg. Gerolsteinburg was staffed with a guard of thirty knights, while the Fürst- Hannes von Gerolstein, holed up his family inside and allowed Friedhelm to use the estate as a planning area. Guillame split his army in two groups. He took a small contingent of one hundred men and marched along the Ostmeer until he reached Gerolsteinburg, which lasted a day as he and his men took a break to eat and sleep (normally the march would be 12 hours with no breaks). At Gerolsteinburg, the Teutonic Knights were slain. Hannes was an elderly man of forty years. His wife had perished due to pox and he had two younger sons- one was seventeen by the name of Joachim, while his youngest son was at the age of eight and was named Florian. Hannes put on a suit of knightly armor that he had kept of the Gerolsteiner Knights and marched out to confront Guillame face to face, while Friedhelm and the others escaped from the back. In the end, Hannes was not killed by kept as a hostage by Guillame.

Battle of Gerolstein (April 23rd to May 27th)
After more than three weeks of planning, Guillame and his officers had figured out a plan by which they could retake the Fürstentum of Gerolstein and the Fürstentum of Blankenburg in one swift move. There was only one road connecting the capital city of Gerolstein to the capital city of Blankenburg. With the majority of the Teutonic garrison being stationed at Gerolstein, Guillame would send the vast amount of his soldiers to besiege Gerolstein, while he took a contingent of five hundred men and slaughtered the denizens of Blankenburg. The plan worked, and Blankenburg was nearly all slaughtered, save for thirty men who were able to escape with the heir to the throne of Fürst of Blankenburg- Christof von Blankenburg. The Battle of Gerolstein became the siege of Gerolstein, although it was too late for Friedhelm to act, as Guillame marched northwards to Blankenburg. After more than a month of siege, Friedhelm led an uprising against the Francians, that resulted in his own death. The death of Friedhelm was a major blow to the morale of the Teutonic defenders. Guillame had devastated the two principalities of Gerolstein and Blankenburg. The Teutonic Knights retreated and declared that Hessland had been lost to the Francians.

The King in Königsberg was not pleased...

The Landing at Meerstadt and taking of Meerland (June 29th-July 2nd +1000)
The Landing at Meerstadt occurred when Hispanian vessels landed in Meerstadt, the capital of the region of Meerland in Saksenland. Meerstadt was the third largest port in Teutoburg, and held nearly one hundred ships that were required for the naval campaign the Saksenlanders, under leadership of Hendrik van Zeedijk. Hendrik van Zeedijk had a plan to keep the Hispanians at bay in a sea campaign, as most of the ground forces of the Teutons was being expended in the east. The fall of Hessland was a major blow to not only morale on the eastern front but also morale on the western front. The Hispanian, Francian, Florencian, and Thracian combined army landed twenty thousand soldiers in Meerstadt, more than the entire population of Meerland. The leadership of the western front was given to the Hispanian general- Marco de Morano. Marco immediately led a push into Meerland, and had the entire region taken over within three days.

Battle of Meerdijk (July 2nd to July 16th of +1000).
The Saksen Counteroffensive in Meerland began when Saksen forces retaliated by sending soldiers into Meerland along the settlement of Meerdijk along the border with the region of Zeeland. Saksen soldiers under leadership of Heinrick van Herlamsdorp entered Meerdijk on July 2nd and fully recaptured the city on July 4th. The Saksen were given a four day span of time to fortify as Marco immediately turned his attention towards Meerdijk. The Hispanian garrison at Meerdijk was substantially smaller than in other areas, and numbered at a mere fifty. The Saksen entered with a force of five hundred soldiers and were able to occupy Meerdijk with ease. On July 8th, the first wave of Hispanian forces assailed the walls of Meerdijk. The first wave of Hispanians was larger than the entire Saksen garrison, with several more waves ready to charge at any moment. Meerdijk was under siege for nearly eight days until the Saksen were able to claim victory when the captain Marco had sent with his men- Esteban de Vacasa was captured and killed by the Saksen garrison, which caused the remaining Hispanians to retreat back towards Meerstadt. Meerstadt was a four day's march from Meerdijk, however the Saksen strategy was not focused on taking Meerstadt. The Saksen strategy was focused around depriving the army of resources it required by attacking smaller towns and villages before the Hispanians could respond.

Battle of Meerhaven (July 20th to July 24th of +1000)
The Battle of Meerhaven is an example of this tactic. Meerhaven was staffed with a garrison of twenty Hispanian soldiers. When it came under attack by three hundred and eighty Saksen, the local populace of two hundred is known to have rebelled and aided the Saksen liberators. The Battle of Meerhaven lasted four days, during which the Saksen secured the settlement and moved onto the next town in their attack plan- Meerburg.

Battle of Meerburg (July 24th to July 31st of +1000)
The final battle in the Meerland campaign was the taking of Meerburg. Meerburg had been staffed with a garrison of one hundred Hispanians, and came under attack by nearly five times that number, after citizens in surrounding villages took up arms. Meerburg was invaded in a weeklong campaign, during which the Hispanians were ousted from the fort and put to the sword. The King of Königsberg noticed the success of the Meerland Campaign, and sent over a contingent of one thousand soldiers to aid in the holding of this status. The majority of settlements around Meerstadt were on higher ground along the border with Alpenland. Thus, the Hispanians could not attack without facing an army one tenth of their size but ten times stronger.

The Starving Time (August 1st to August 31st of +1000)
Hispanian forces were cut off on land by July 31st, and in a matter of days, Jutlander and Saksen ships were able to cut off occupied Meerstadt's naval capabilities. Among the acts committed included torching parts of the city under cover of night, ambushing Hispanian night patrols, and assassinating key occupation officials. The Starving Time began when supplies from Hispania could not pass through the created blockade. It would take more than a month for a ship to sail from Hispania, and more than four for it to sail from Francia or Florencia. Kaningrad was the only other option, which would take six months and pass through Midgaardian waters as well as Saksenlander and Jutlander waters.

The occupiers held out for a month until the soldiers threw down their arms and demanded a surrender after many started to die from hunger. The general of the combined army agreed to surrender in Meerland. The Saksenlanders took the army prisoner, and they were sent by land and sea northwards to Jutland.

Königsberg Campaign (September 23rd to October 31st of +1000)
The vast region of Königsberg- the most populated and largest by land size province of Teutoburg came under attack when Francian forces under General Guillame entered into the Herzogtum Brixenstadt.

Brixenstadt and Burgaubrohl
The King of Königsberg- Friedrich von Amselschwert, rallied the retreating Teutonic Knights and led them into battle in the Battle of Brixenstadt.

First Battle of Brixenstadt (September 25th to September 27th)
The First Battle of Brixenstadt occurred when Friedrich von Amselschwert led the remaining Teutonic Knights of Hessland to liberate the Duchy (Herzogtum) of Brixenstadt, under Francian occupation for two days. Friedrich led a two day retaking campaign of Brixenstadt, during which his knights were able to claim the southern part of Brixenstadt on the first day, and the northern part of Brixenstadt on the second day.

Second Battle of Brixenstadt (October 1st to October 3rd)
The Francian knights under Guillame were ashamed by their defeat at Brixenstadt and marched once more into Brixenstadt several days later after receiving supplies. Friedrich von Amselschwert assessed the situation and moved his forces out on October 2nd, buying his forces precious time while the Francians searched around for the Königsberg force throughout the entirety of the Duchy of Brixenstadt. In the end, the Francians occupied Brixenstadt.

Battle of Burgaubrohl (October 5th to October 10th)
The Francians under Guillame advanced forward into the nearby principality of Burgaubrohl. Their attempts to capture the center of Burgau were unsuccessful due to rebellions of the local populace. The Francians spent five days in Burgau until Guillame's second in command- Jérôme de Salva was killed by a local knight in his sleep. Guillame's retreat towards Brixenstadt proved to be a bad decision.

Siege of Brixenstadt (October 13th to October 31st +1000)
The Siege of Brixenstadt occurred when the forces of Königsberg retaliated against the Francian occupiers of Brixenstadt. The Francians holed themselves up in Brixenstadt- the capital city, and full surrounding of the city occurred on October 13th. The Francians held out for nearly three weeks inside of the fortress settlement until the Teutonic Knights opened the gate forcefully and marched the French back into Hessland.

Second Hessland Campaign (November 2nd +1000 to January 3rd +1001)
The Second Hessland Campaign occurred when Teutonic forces of Königsberg marched with an army of twenty thousand knights and soldiers. Guillame had no more forces to spare for an assault in Königsberg, and thus retreated into Hessland following his defeat in the Siege of Brixenstadt. Francois, King of France, was very disappointed in Guillame's retreat, and threatened to have his head if he returned without Hessland under Francian rule. Steadily though, Friedrich von Amselschwert's more intelligent planning, larger pool of men, and higher amounts of morale proved to be the nail in the coffin for Guillame.

Liberation of Blankenburg (November 2nd to November 5th of +1000)
The Fürstentum of Blankenburg's royal house- the von Blankenburgs, had come into shelter in Königsberg, along with the other displaced royals and citizens of Hessland. The first area of Hessland that was retaken was the Principality of Blankenburg, primarily because of a lack of Francian coordination, that resulted in Blankenburg having a garrison of twenty men. The twenty men surrendered, and they were taken as prisoners of war by the Teutonic Knights.

Liberation of Gerolstein (November 7th to November 10th of +1000)
The Fürstentum of Gerolstein, like the Fürstentum of Blankenburg, had also a small garrison. Gerolstein's garrison totaled up to be one hundred men. The forces of Königsberg had not yet suffered a casualty in the Second Hessland Campaign, and once more the Francians surrendered. Guillame was infuriated after the taking of these two principalities, as was Francois. Francois ordered Guillame to go on the offensive or he would be replaced by a general deemed more capable for the position.

Liberation of Kölnerberg (November 10th to November 20th of +1000)
The first liberation battle in which the Königsberg forces sustained casualties was in the battle of Kolnerberg. Kolnerberg is the largest city in Hessland and known for its rich heritage, dating back to Romsian times. Francian occupation largely angered the populace. In desperation, Guillame ordered one of his most unpopular moves during the Second Hessland Campaign and the entirety of the war- he ordered the mass execution of revolutionaries. This merely served to further the cause of Friedrich von Amselschwert, and resulted in Guillame being ejected from the Francian military by the end of the campaign.

The Continuation Wars (November 20th of +1000 to January 3rd of +1001)
The Liberation of Kölnerberg brought hundreds of counts, dukes, princes, and barons into rebellions against Francian occupation. The Continuation Wars was the time when Friedrich von Amselschwert settled in Kölnerberg and allowed the Teutonic Knights to aid the other campaigns. Morale in Teutoburg was extremely high by the end of the conflict, when all of Hessland was recovered.

Kaningrad and Pomerzi
The Teutonic Knights, being an independent organization, volunteered to aid the Legions of Pomerzi against the Tzarate of Kaningrad during the First Great War. The northern campaign of the First Great War continued for another three years, and the aid of the Teutonic Knights is known to have solidified Jutland and Pomerzi as good allies of the kingdom. However, Midgaard had maintained good relations in the Northlands and been the strongest vying power with Kaningrad for very long. Thus, the Kingdom of Midgaard accepted the aid of the Teutons, although believed that they were in fact spreading influence, which to a certain extent they were.

The treaty of Gouwen was signed in the port city of Gouwen in Saksenland on January 26th, +1004. The terms gave Suomland back to Midgaard, and the powers of Kaningrad, Hispania, Florencia, Francia, and Thracia were required to pay a sum of twenty thousand gold to each of the kingdoms of Teutoburg, Jutland, Nordland, Pomerzi, and Midgaard.

The Line of Amselschwert (+1004 to +1506)
The Line of the Amselschwert family was set in place via the accomplishments it had done in the war.

Friedrich von Amselschwert (Friedrich II)
Friedrich von Amselschwert was a very old ruler at the age of forty when he went into battle. By the time the war was over, he had aged greatly and was lesser in health. He ruled from +1004 to +1010, and was succeeded by his eldest son- Heinrich von Amselschwert (Heinrich III), who served at Friedrich's side over the course of the war.

Heinrich von Amselschwert (Heinrich III)
Heinrich von Amselschwert (Heinrich III) ruled from +1010 to +1046. He was succeeded by his younger brother- Matthäus, as his single son had fallen ill before the election in +1042 and perished in +1047.

Matthäus von Amselschwert (Matthäus I)
Matthäus von Amselschwert (Matthäus I) ruled from +1046 to +1082. He was succeeded by his eldest son- Otto von Amselschwert (Otto IV).

Otto von Amselschwert (Otto IV)
Otto von Amselschwert (Otto IV) ruled from +1082 to +1103. He was suceeded by his younger brother- Emmerich von Amselschwert (Emmerich II).

Emmerich von Amselschwert (Emmerich II)
Emmerich von Amselschwert (Emmerich II) ruled from +1103 to +1136. He was suceeded by his son- Richard von Amselschwert.

Richard von Amselschwert (Richard III)
Richard von Amselschwert (Richard III) ruled from +1136 until +1176. He was suceeded by his son- Heinrich von Amselschwert (Heinrich IV).

Heinrich von Amselschwert (Heinrich IV)
Heinrich von Amselschwert (Heinrich IV) ruled from +1176 to +1203. He was suceeded by his eldest son- Johannes von Amselschwert (Johannes III).

Johannes von Amselschwert (Johannes III)
Johannes von Amselschwert (Johannes III) ruled from +1203 to +1247. He was suceeded by his eldest son- Albrecht von Amselschwert.

Albrecht von Amselschwert (Albrecht I)
Albrecht von Amselschwert (Albrecht I) ruled from +1247 to +1282. He was suceeded by his younger brother- Rudolf von Amselschwert (Rudolf II).

Rudolf von Amselschwert (Rudolf II)
Rudolf von Amselschwert (Rudolf II) ruled from +1282 to +1304. He was succeeded by his younger brother- Leopold von Amselschwert.

Leopold von Amselschwert (Leopold I)
Leopold von Amselschwert (Leopold I) ruled from +1304 to +1346. He was suceeded by his son- Hannes von Amselschwert (Hannes III).

Hannes von Amselschwert (Hannes III)
Hannes von Amselschwert (Hannes III) ruled from +1346 to +1389. He was suceeded by his eldest son- Ludwig von Amselschwert (Ludwig III).

Ludwig von Amselschwert (Ludwig III)
Ludwig von Amselschwert (Ludwig III) ruled from +1389 to +1442. He was suceeded by his eldest son- Friedrich von Amselschwert (Friedrich III).

Friedrich von Amselschwert (Friedrich III)
Friedrich von Amselschwert (Friedrich III) ruled from +1442 to +1500. He was suceeded by his son- Wilhelm von Amselschwert.

Wilhelm von Amselschwert (Wilhelm II)
Wilhelm von Amselschwert ruled from +1500 to +1506. He perished at the hands of an Arabian assassin. His death, along with the Perisan invasion of the Thracian Principalities began the Great Crusade.

The Great Crusade (+1506 to +1530)
The Assassination of Wilhelm II (November 22nd, +1506)

Wilhelm von Amselschwert (Wilhelm II) was assassinated by an Arabian assassin by the name of Farhaan Khawaja. The assassination was uncovered by the King of Königsberg- Günther von Bärstaufen and the Duke of Saksenland- Adalfried van Zeeland. Farhaan was hunted down by the Teutonic Knights and beheaded. In response to the beheading of the assassin, the Shahate of Perisa invaded the Thracian Principalities and the Sultanate of Arabia invaded the Kingdom of Hispania. The Teutons were unable to become involved in the First Thracian Campaign, as they needed to mobilize their soldiers.

The March to Thracia (January 27th, +1506 to August 28th, +1508)
The first Thracian Campaign did have Teutonic involvement, in the form of Landsknecht Regiments. The Landsknecht are regiments of mercenary soldiers that swear fealty to an individual lord. These Landsknecht marched of their own accord under orders from their respective lords, while the König gathered the army, and the Grand Masters gathered the knightly orders. The lords Waldemar von Reckenbaum, Ludwig von Holzdorf, Ruprecht von Eisenturm, Konrad von Neurottenkreuz, Seyfridt von Gundelsingen, Matthias von Palwindenberg, and Albrecht von Hyldenacker all contributed Landsknecht forces to the campaign during the First Thracian Campaign.

The Siege of Maragos (February 17th to February 28th, +1508)
The Landsknecht of Gundelsingen, Eisenturm, and Reckenbaum were involved in the Siege of Maragos. The initial attack of the Perisan and Arabian forces had resulted in the breaking of lines. Thus, the Maragosian defenders, along with the Francian and Anglistorian knights fortified the Principality of Maragos, specifically the center of the principality by the same name. Perisan forces under leadership of General Mehrzad. Mehrzad attacked Maragos on February 17th, and used his superior numbers to encircle the principality's center. The ranged capabilities of the Landsknecht allowed for the siege to be a victory, centered around their superior gunpowder weapons in comparison to the melee weapons and magic of the Perisans.

The Battle of Kalivas (August 11th to August 19th, +1508)
The Battle of Kalivas was the final battle in the First Thracian Campaign, which was centered around a Northerner victory against the Perisans and Arabians, which halted their advance in Thracia. The Arabians and Perisans were able to take much of Thracia, however the Battle of Kalivas was the final battle before the Northern Offensive began, also known as the Second Thracian Campaign and the Retaking of Thracia.

The Retaking of Thracia (September 2nd to December 21st, +1508)
The Retaking of Thracia, also known as the Northern Offensive and the Second Thracian Campaign, began on September 2nd when the three Teutonic Generals- Anthonius von Rotenberg, Karl von Blutdorff, and Visandus von Palwindenhoffen, as well as the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights- Leonhard von Steindorff, marched in with the Teutonic reinforcements, alongside the Jutlanders, Midgaardians, Pomerzi, and Kanin.

The Moros-Demos Offensive (September 2nd to October 12th, +1508)
The Moros-Demos Offensive was the first part of the Northerner Offensive, which involved advancing to a line known as the Moros-Demos Line, centered around the two settlements of Moros and Demos in the Principality of Athania. The Moros-Demos Line was broken in the First Thracian Campaign after the disastrous defeat for the Northerners in the Battle of Moros-Demos.

The Break-up of the Pomerzi Alliance (April to June of +1702)
In April of +1702, the Tzarate of Kaningrad aggressively invaded the far western portion of Pomerzi, which bordered the Grand Duchy of Suomland- a Midgaardian satellite state. The Kingdom of Teutoburg broke the terms of its alliance with the Kingdom of Pomerzi. After fighting for two months from April to June of +1702, the King of Pomerzi- Czeslaw II, signed the Treaty of Albor, which gave up the strip of land, known as Maldowicz. The region came under the Tzarate of Kaningrad's control, and was re-named the area the Grand Principality of Maldowicz. Control of the region was shifted from the nominal royal family- the House of Maldowicz, to the Pro-kaningrad house- The House of Yegorovich.

Czeslaw II visited Teutoburg and held a small council with the incumbent King of Teutoburg- Reinhold von Drachenstein, the incumbent Duke of Saksenland- Aleksander van Zeestad, and the incumbent Chancellor of the Electorate Council- Christof von Blankenburg. Czeslaw was accompanied by Chancellor Daniel Walkowiak, the chancellor of the Grand Council of Pomerzi. During the meeting, Czeslaw II tore up one of the original copies of the Treaty signed between Pomerzi and Teutoburg during the First Great War. The copy torn up by Czeslaw was one of the two original copies, as it had been drafted twice- one copy given to the King of Teutoburg, and the other given to the King of Pomerzi.

Several months later in August of +1702, the Tzar of Kaningrad- Maximov Yaroslavich, accompanied by the Grand Prince of Maldowicz- Zhutov Yegorovich. Tzar Maximov II met with the King of Teutoburg. The two created an alliance against the increasing power of Midgaard, and later would have another conference in November of +1702 with the Kingdom of Jutland. To counter this alliance, Pomerzi made an alliance with the Kingdom of Midgaard and the Grand Duchy of Suomland.

The Great Northern War (+1703 to +1710)
The Collapse of the alliance with Pomerzi