The Magyars of Russia

[Flo]

THE MAGYARS OF RUSSIA


I have decided to begin a new game of Crusader Kings II. My ambition is to, eventually get through to the end, but we'll see how that goes.

I will be starting in 769 as the Magyar Hordes. Unlike the real Magyars, however, I have no ambitions for the Carpathian Basin. I will instead go north, to the wild lands. My ambition is to eventually form Russia. I also have plans to hopefully carry this into eu4... but we will see about that. I am hoping to maybe take my time with this, but you never know.

For now, my campaign begins. I may not always provide proper screenshots, as they are a pain, but I will try my best. I am playing with the CK2+ mod installed, along with better garbs, so I believe I can transfer it to eu4... if not, maybe I will just create a custom scenario in eu4 based on this game. whatever works.

Also of note in ck2+ is that I have a setting enabled that if my dynasty dies with no heir, I take over the next dynasty, sort of like eu4. I don't expect that to happen, but you never know.

I will also keep some general information up here in the OP, such as dynastys, rulers, etc.

Confederation of the Magyar 769-???
Gyula Jeno Jeno of Magyar 769-785
Gyula Deszo Jeno of Magyar 785-???

[Flo]

Episode I: The Beginning
Character: Gyula Jeno Jeno of Magyar and the Jeno Clan
Years 769-775

The present state of affairs

As you can see, the Magyars start with some decent space in modern day Ukraine. I start with five provinces (all nomad obviously) including my capital province. I have one vassal tribe, the Tarjan. Their leader, Tarjan Tarjan, is slightly more military minded than my starting character, who kind of sucks (see below) so I am pleased to say the Tarjan accepted a day one blood oath, so I will not be worried about fighting them at all. Something else of note, there are three tribal holdings in the three western most provinces. These could become a pain at some point, but we shall see. I have the ability to absorb them if they are both my culture and my religion, so I will try to do that as soon as I can, because my population limit is hampered by them existing, and it also creates the opportunity for revolts, as they are all slavic, not tengri.


This loser tho

As you can see, the stats are pretty average in terms of what I need for a tribal chief. Grey Eminence is nice, certainly, but not really for a warlord. Certainly an unassuming fellow and not the obvious starter of a grand dynasty, but we'll roll with this chump. He is brave, which is a plus. I select the military focus to help improve my martial skill. I also select the military focus for both of my children because what other skill does a horde need, amirite? I am hoping my oldest son, Djeszo, can become relevant enough militarily to be competent, because I may struggle early on, particularly if the Tarjan become the next Gyula of the Magyar Confederation. For my characters ambition, I have decided to improve my combat abilities, because in CK2+ you often find yourself in personal combat in battles and I really don't wanna die yet.

Presently, the stupid clans want more land. Fuck 'em, amirite? I know this is a bit dangerous, but I decide to press my luck with the minor clan uprising by waiting until I conquer Kiev from the foolish Volhynien Duchess Dobrava. I am not sure if this Dobrava Turov is a real person. I doubt it. Regardless, I will take Kiev and burn her cities to the ground.


A real sex bomb amirite?

Before the war, I decide to give my character a better mustache and goatee. It's much better right? Hopefully he doesn't get that face hacked off in this war. My blood brother of the Tarjan joins me in the war automatically, so it should be an easy fight. In the first battle, it seems my character learns about the land he fights on. Good for him. o/ (he gains the flat terrain commander modifier) I easily win the first battle in Kiev, but decide to follow their routed army to Turov to finish them off.

I easily win the next battle as well, and follow them further until they are completely destroyed. Their tribal warriors were no match for my horse archers. I capture Dobrava in the seige of Kiev and the war is won.

This Dobrava has interested me though. She is only 19 and has good stats. Perhaps I should take Turov and try to capture her again. She has the warrior woman stat which makes her martial very good. I will think of this. Regardless, Kiev has been sacked by Magyar hordes.



In the meantime, I have begun pillaging my new province of Kiev. Kiev is a major city so this will take some time. I have also decided to begin scourging the western provinces to remove the heresy of slavic paganism.



The choice was difficult but I want to eliminate the savages. In the end, the efforts failed and the slavics persist. To help counteract a potential revolt I build a new set of horde armies. When they are finished recruiting they will be 1000 strong. This will give me an army of 3500 total.



I also receive word that my son, Deszo, is quick. This will be very valuable for the future, when I will potentially not be leader of the Magyar. My son Deszo will hopefully be a strong leader. With Kiev being burned to the ground, Jeno Jeno has moved the tribe to Kiev, to stay warm by the burning pyres of the former Slavic citadel.

With Kiev taken, it is time to establish a new tribe. the former capital of Olyshye is fine enough. The new clan is named Somogy and is led by Szilvzester. He is a decent commander, and will serve me well. Despite giving the new tribe a good province, the clans still desire more land, so I have decided to attack the Bulgarians to my south, to claim the province of Olvia.

The war was significantly tougher than the conquering of Kiev, but in the end, they succumbed to Magyar arms. The province will be given to the tribe of Somogy as soon as the tribal holding is demolished.

In 77, the Zunists reformed their religion. Yes, you read that right.



I have never seen the AI do this... ever. I'm still in shock. This is a good opportunity to share a bit about what else is going on in the world. Charlemagne is indeed great as he has formed the Carolingian Empire. The Saxons still exist, so maybe they will be destroyed soon, time will tell. Also of note, Asturias has started an early reconquista. I'm not sure how they've defeated the Umayyads so easily, but they have taken two duchies from them. Very strange. The Byzantine Emperor is a bloodthirsty tyrant who everyone hates, and the Abbasid Caliph has already descended into decadence. I'll let you know when they collapse under the boots of angry muslims.

For now, I will end this first part. I will continue playing and will post the next part when something significant happens o/

[Flo]

Episode II: Raids and Plunder, as well as Future Dreams
Character: Gyula Jeno Jeno of Magyar and the Jeno Clan
Years 782-785


Gyula Jeno meets with the tribal chiefs

Jeno, the first prince of the Magyar Confederation, assembled the tribal chiefs to decide the future of the Magyar. They had ridden across eastern europe, raiding and pillaging as they saw fit. They had captured loot, rare artifacts, wealth, and women. Jeno's son, Deszo, had come of age and even led some of the raids. His other son, Elek, was a member of the Great Host, a holy army fighting for the Tengri faith. Also present were Tibor of the Tarjan clan, son of Tarjan who had recently died, Soma of the Somogy clan., and Domotor of the Doha clan. Chiefs of lesser tribes were also present, but their voices were not as important.

They stood atop the ruins of old Kiev to establish the direction in which they would travel. They had raided for years, but it was time to expand their domain, as the population was growing.



Tibor wanted to go east, to the great steppes of their ancestors. The sky, he claimed, was wide and powerful there, and the ground would tremble beneath their hooves.

Soma and Domotor wanted to go south, to the decadent kingdom of Bulgaria, where they would oust the fat Bolghars and sit at the doorstep of the Romans. There, they claimed, were riches beyond their wildest imaginations. It was no surprise that Domotor and Soma ruled the smallest tribes, and thus saw the south as a way to expand their domain, being the two southernmost tribes.

Jeno's son wanted to go north, to the great wild lands where the woods stretched for miles and miles around. There, he said, they could finally settle, and build a land of their own.

Jeno was tired and depressed. Life just didn't seem to mean as much to him anymore. His favorite warhorse had died. His favorite concubine had died. Raiding and riches just didn't offer the same joys they used to. He agreed with his son, publically, to support him in his efforts to be the next Gyula, but in fact, he hardly cared anymore.

Even as they rode north to raid and survey the lands they would take in future conquests, he found himself slipping away. Not even subjugating the Severians could cheer him up.

The source of his depression was his mortality. He feared death. He feared what it would mean and what might come after he joined Tengri. He had searched for anything that might help him live longer. He drank strange elixirs, he covered himself in mystic oils and smoked incense. All of it for nothing, until one day, when a strange, dark-skinned woman named Aoua appeared. She claimed to know the secret. Jeno was surprised, but at this point he would settle for anything. She stayed, and in time, they became close. It was not long before Aoua stayed in Jenos chambers. Many said they were simply having an affair, but in truth, they were trying to learn the secrets of eternal life.

They never discovered it, but did discover some other things. The result was a child, named Jeno, after his father. The older Jenos joy was stifled, however, as he had contracted consumption. His physician, a mystic, had some odd ideas on how to heal it, including amputating Jenos right hand. When the consumption continued, the physician was promptly executed.

This tratement ended up being his end, however. His right hand was his fighting hand, and he had never been very good with a left handed sword. In a coming battle against a Volhynian chieftain, Jeno was caught unawares by the enemy warlord and, hampered by his handicap, was promptly dispatched in battle.

Deszo, the heir apparent, would then lead the Magyar. He took his father to the mountains to bury him.

[Flo]

Episode III: Revenge in the Air; Trouble on the Mind
Character: Gyula Deszo Jeno of Magyar and the Jeno Clan
Years 785-787

After the battle that took his fathers life finished, a victory for the Magyar, Deszo took his father to the mountains to offer him to Tengri. As he made his way down from the mountain, the air was solemn and grim. Deszo stopped his horse, to take in the battlefield in front of him. Bodies were being piled up to burn, already picked clean of any valuables. He could see some of the early fires burning. He made a silent vow to exact revenge on the dog who did this. The individual was a Volhynian High Chief, Briachislav of the Tyvercy family. Defeated in battle, despite killing the Magyar warlord, the Volhynian was already fleeing. Deszo followed them all the way to Vladimir Volynsky, the seat of Volhynia.

When the siege was finished, Deszo had not only the chief but all his family in front of him. He started with the concubines, they, not being of strong stock, were merely strung up from a nearby tree. Then came the children, who were tied up and trampled by horses. The Volyhnian chiefs wife was not killed but was instead dragged kicking and screaming away from the chief, to become an imprisoned concubine. Left alone, the proud Volhynian chief begged for the sweet mercy of death but was not granted it. He was instead blinded, so the death of his children would be the last thing he saw. He was then set loose in the steppes, surely to be picked off by some carnivorous animal, if not the elements.

His vengeance secured. Deszo returned to court, a different man. His councilors eyed him fearfully. The spectacle they had witnessed left even the most brazen warrior queasy. Deszo had never shown such cruelty but had earned the nickname "the cruel". The new Gyula had certainly made a name for himself, in only his first few months as leader.

He now turned his eyes to the north. The subjugated High-Chief of Chernigov had decided he had enough of the Magyar yoke and revolted. The Severian High-Chief had submitted to his father after a great military defeat but saw the son as weaker and sought freedom for his peoples. Deszo saw another lamb to the slaughter. After the Severian army was dispatched, the entire of the country was burned by ravaging Magyar. There would be no peace under the rule of Deszo the Cruel.

[Flo]

Episode IV: The Sack of Rome, and the Invasion of Crimea
Character: Gyula Deszo Jeno of Magyar and the Jeno Clan
Years 794-800


The Papal Emissaries plead for the safety of Rome

The Magyar were on their most daring raid yet. This time, at the gates of Rome, the holy city and seat of Chaldeconian power itself. The largest army of Magyar ever assembled camped outside the gates, awaiting the opportunity to taste Papal riches. The Pope, Anastasias III, sent emissaries bearing gold, spices, and other wealth to the Magyar warlord, pleading for the end of the siege, but Deszo knew there was more where that came from.

On the nineteenth of October, 794, the Magyars swept into the city, a hole in the cities outer walls had been breached and waves of Magyar horseman rode into the city unassailed. As the Holy See was attacked, the many churches and palaces of Rome burned. The Pope himself was captured and promptly carried away, his garments torn and bloodied. Deszo had plans to ransom him back to Christendom, after they returned to Kiev.

Christendom was shocked to see the city burned by raiders. Before this, the Magyar had only ever been as far west as Vienna. The Holy Roman Emperor, Charlemagne, the defender of Christendom itself, had failed. On the return journey to Kiev, the Pope, poor old man as he was, collapsed under the weight of his chains and soon died after. He was hung from a tree somewhere in the lands of the Avars, naked and alone. In a somewhat odd turn of events, officials in the Vatican were not made aware of the death of His Holiness for nearly six months after, and so the Papal seat was erroneously empty for over half a year.

Upon his triumphant return to Kiev, Deszo learned of the incursions of the Khazars to the east. While the Khazar and Magyar had enjoyed tenuous peace since the reign of his father, in recent years they had increased their raids into Magyar lands. Deszo decided it was time to put a stop to this, and show force to the eastern aggressors. Invading Crimea was also a way to ensure there was ample grazing land for the growing Magyar population.


Artists rendition of a Magyar and Khazars fighting.

In the first major battle, several of the Khazar warlords were killed, and the enemy were routed. The ensuing chase resulted in the death of nearly 3000 Khazar warriors. The eastern tribes never recovered, and victory was for the Magyar. As the Magyar divided their newly conquered territory, even more Khazars were slain as they were captured in the Crimean peninsula. After the failure in battle, the Khazar confederation collapsed into infighting as the largest warlords broke away from the struggling Khagan.